cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low Energy Light Yield of Fast Plastic Scintillators

Abstract Compact neutron imagers using double-scatter kinematic reconstruction are being designed for localization and characterization of special nuclear material. These neutron imaging systems rely on scintillators with a rapid prompt temporal response as the detection medium. As n–p elastic scattering is the primary mechanism for light generation by fast neutron interactions in organic scintillators, proton light yield data are needed for accurate assessment of scintillator performance. The proton light yield of a series of commercial fast plastic organic scintillators – EJ-200, EJ-204, and EJ-208 – was measured via a double time-of-flight technique at the 88-Inch Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Using a tunable deuteron breakup neutron source , target scintillators housed in a dual photomultiplier tube configuration, and an array of pulse-shape-discriminating observation scintillators, the fast plastic scintillator light yield was measured over a broad and continuous energy range down to proton recoil energies of approximately 50 keV. This work provides key input to event reconstruction algorithms required for utilization of these materials in emerging neutron imaging modalities.
Clinically node-negative head and neck mucosal melanoma: An analysis of current treatment guidelines & outcomes.

Abstract Objectives To analyze head and neck mucosal melanoma (MM) treatment patterns, and their association with survival, relative to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. Material & methods Adult head and neck MM patients with clinically-staged T3/4aN0 disease were identified in a retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database (2010–2014) and stratified into sinonasal cavity (SN) and oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx (non-SN) cohorts. Results We identified 353 SN and 79 non-SN MM cases. The majority of patients were treated with surgery (SN: 92.4%; non-SN 84.8%), within NCCN guidelines. Treatment within the non-SN MM NCCN recommendation of elective neck dissection (END) was approximately 26.6%. END is not recommended for SN MM and was not performed in 91.5% of cases. Radiotherapy (RT) is recommended in both SN and non-SN MM and was utilized in 63.5% of SN patients and 46.8% of non-SN patients. END was not independently associated with OS compared to surgery alone (SN HR: 1.350 [95% CI: 0.733–2.485]; non-SN HR: 3.460 [95% CI: 0.912–13.125]). RT was independently associated with improved OS in SN MM cases (HR: 0.679 [95% CI: 0.479–0.963]), but not in non-SN MM cases (HR: 0.824 [95% CI: 0.331–2.051]). Conclusion The majority of patients with head and neck MM are not treated within NCCN guidelines. The use of recommended END in non-SN patients is low. Similarly, adjuvant RT utilization is low. Our analysis shows that while greater use of RT may increase survival rates in this disease, the utility of END is unclear.
Second homes in the city and the country: a reappraisal of vacation homes in the twenty-first century

In the United States and across Europe, research on second—and multiple—homeownership for vacation and leisure use has traditionally analysed the in-migration of urban residents into rural locales....
School bus rear emergency door design improvements to increase evacuation flow

Abstract United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 217 specifies the design requirements for school bus emergency exits. One component of a school bus evacuation system requires that the rear emergency door be fitted with a device that is capable of holding the door in an open position at the point at which the door is perpendicular to the rear of the bus body, regardless of the bus orientation. In the case where a school bus is rolled onto the driver’s side of the vehicle, the rear emergency door hinge will be located at the top of the door. Due to the substantial weight of the door, pushing the door to the locked open position with the bus in this configuration requires forces that exceed the capabilities, both strength and anthropometry, of many adults and nearly all young children. This would result in the door hanging in the opening of the exit, obstructing the egress of passengers as they attempt evacuation, and increasing the potential for disastrous consequences. The purpose of this study was to design, fabricate, and evaluate an alternative rear emergency door hold-open device that allows the door to be held partially open and provides unobstructed passage. The results revealed that the alternative hold-open device facilitated significantly faster flow rates than the rear emergency door hold-open device currently in use on school buses.
Size and Importance of Socioeconomic Status-Based Disparities in Use of Surgery in Nonadvanced Stage Gastrointestinal Cancers

The size and importance of socioeconomic status (SES)-based disparities in use of surgery for non-advanced stage gastrointestinal (GI) cancers have not been quantified. The exposure in this study of patients age 18–80 with one of nine non-advanced stage GI cancers in the 2007–2015 SEER database was a census tract-level SES composite. Multivariable models assessed associations of SES with use of surgery. Causal mediation analysis was used to estimate the proportion of survival disparities in SES quintiles 1 versus 5 that were mediated by disparities in use of surgery. Lowest SES quintile patients underwent surgery at significantly lower rates than highest quintile patients in each cancer. SES-based disparities in use of surgery were large and graded in esophagus adenocarcinoma, intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Smaller but clinically relevant disparities were present in stomach, ampulla, and small bowel adenocarcinoma, whereas disparities were small in colorectal adenocarcinoma. Five-year all-stage overall survival (OS) was correlated with the size of disparities in use of surgery in SES quintiles 1 versus 5 (r = − 0.87; p = 0.003). Mean OS was significantly longer (range 3.5–8.9 months) in SES quintile 5 versus 1. Approximately one third of SES-based survival disparities in poor prognosis GI cancers were mediated by disparities in use of surgery. The size of disparities in use of surgery in SES quintiles 1 versus 5 was correlated with the proportion mediated (r = 0.98; p < 0.001). Low SES patients with poor prognosis GI cancers are at substantial risk of undertreatment. Disparities in use of surgery contribute to diminished survival.
Development and Utility of a Novel Post-Operative Pediatric Heart Transplant Clinical Pathway

Purpose In the absence of specific guidelines, the immediate post-operative management of a pediatric heart transplant (OHT) patient is highly variable with significant discrepancies in hospital morbidity and resource utilization. As such, the purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the utility of a post-operative pediatric OHT pathway in (1) optimizing post-operative ICU care and (2) reducing ICU length of stay to less than 4 days. Methods Performance metrics of 41 pediatric OHT patients from 01/2015 to 12/2018 were retrospectively reviewed to obtain baseline data. We then piloted the pathway on 10 patients to evaluate any changes in performance metrics. Results Prior to implementation of the pathway, the mean ICU length of stay of 10.9 with an average time to extubation of 2.2 days, average wean off inotropic support in 5.2 days and average time to first enteral feeding of 3.4 days. After the initial pilot, the mean ICU length of stay was 6 days with average time to extubation of 0.7 days, average wean off inotropic support in 3.9 days and average time to first enteral feeding of 0.9 days. Conclusion Our development and initial implementation of a novel, post-operative pediatric OHT pathway highlights the utility of a standardized approach to the post-operative care of pediatric OHT patients and demonstrates the need for further multi-disciplinary collaboration to improve the quality and resource utilization of post-OHT care in children. We continue to prospectively gather performance metric data and further refine the pathway prior to formal incorporation into our hospital process database in 11/2019.
Modeling the effects of EMT-immune dynamics on epithelial cancer progression

During progression from carcinoma in situ to an invasive tumor, the immune system is engaged in complex sets of interactions with various tumor cells. Tumor cell plasticity also alters disease trajectories via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Several of the same pathways that regulate EMT are involved in tumor-immune interactions, yet little is known about the mechanisms and consequences of crosstalk between these regulatory processes. Here we introduce a multiscale evolutionary model to describe tumor-immune-EMT interactions and their impact on epithelial cancer progression from in situ to invasive disease. Through in silico analyses of large patient cohorts, we find controllable regions that maximize invasion-free survival. We identify that delaying tumor progression depends crucially on properties of the mesenchymal tumor cell phenotype: its growth rate and its immune-evasiveness. Through analysis of EMT-inflammation-associated data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we find that association with EMT significantly worsens invasion-free survival probabilities in support of our model, and we predict new genes influencing outcomes in bladder and uterine cancer, including FGF pathway members. These results offer novel means to delay disease progression by regulating properties of EMT through specific gene interactions, and demonstrate the importance of studying cancer-immune interactions in light of EMT.
Methodology to predict the time-dependent storage modulus of starch suspensions during heating

Abstract We present a methodology to predict the storage modulus ( G ’ ) of starch paste due to granule swelling, given the physical properties of the starch granule and temperature history. This was tested on experimental measurements of granule size distribution and G ’ for 8% w/w suspensions of waxy maize, normal maize, waxy rice, normal rice, and cross linked normal maize – all heated to different temperatures (65–90 °C) with holding times between 2 and 60 min. Experimental data of storage modulus G ′ vs volume fraction φ fall onto a master curve when G ′ is normalized by a multiple of γ / R ‾ , where γ is the granule-solvent interfacial energy, and R ‾ is the average granule size. We show that one can combine this master curve with starch swelling theories to forecast the time-dependent rheology of starches. This work also demonstrates that granule-solvent interfacial energy is a key physical parameter in controlling starch rheology.
The insignificance reading of Shenme revisited

The insignificance reading of the wh-phrase shenme ‘what’ does not fit into the general analysis of Chinese wh-indefinites as polarity sensitive items and has been elusive to Chinese linguists. In this paper, we identify the degree reading of shenme as the source of its insignificance reading. Specifically, it is shown that the so-called insignificance reading is part of a more general phenomenon of negative strengthening that is not peculiar to shenme, but instead is common to all gradable degree expressions. Diachronic evidence in Chinese is given to support the existence of a degree-reading shenme, apart from the familiar entity-reading shenme. The proposed analysis is extendable to the manner-denoting zenme(yang) ‘how’ in Chinese and makes correct predictions on the availability of an insignificance reading for zenme(yang).
Can abdominal CT features predict autonomous cortisol secretion in patients with adrenal nodules

To determine if CT features of adrenal nodules and of the remainder of the abdomen can predict autonomous cortisol secretion (ACH) in patients with adrenal nodules, and to identify a nodule size threshold below which ACH is unlikely. Retrospective review of adult patients with adrenal nodules who underwent CT of abdomen and 1-mg Dexamethasone suppression test within 1 year of each other. Patients were considered to have no ACH if serum cortisol was ≤ 1.8 µg/dL after the 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test and to have possible or definite autonomous cortisol secretion if serum cortisol was > 1.8 µg/dL. The following CT features were assessed: Adrenal nodule length, nodule width, unenhanced nodule attenuation, contralateral adrenal gland thickness, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue area, skeletal muscle area and density, and unenhanced liver attenuation. 29 patients had no autonomous cortisol secretion and 29 patients had possible or definite autonomous cortisol secretion. Nodule length and width were the only two variables that significantly differed between patients with nonfunctional nodules and those with possibly or definitely functional nodules. Using a threshold nodule length of 1.5 cm, the sensitivity and specificity for predicting possible or definite autonomous cortisol secretion was 93.1% and 37.9%, respectively. Autonomous cortisol secretion in patients with adrenal nodules correlates with increasing nodule size. A nodule length threshold of 1.5 cm provides 93.1% sensitivity for predicting possible or definite ACH based on the 1-mg Dexamethasone suppression test.
In Vitro Observations of the Interactions between Pholiota carbonaria and Polytrichum commune and Its Potential Environmental Relevance

Wildfires play a critical role in maintaining biodiversity and shaping ecosystem structure in fire-prone regions, and successional patterns involving numerous plant and fungal species in post-fire events have been elucidated. Evidence is growing to support the idea that some post-fire fungi can form endophytic/endolichenic relationships with plants and lichens. However, no direct observations of fire-associated fungal-moss interactions have been visualized to date. Therefore, physical interactions between a post-fire fungus, Pholiota carbonaria, and a moss, Polytrichum commune, were visually examined under laboratory conditions. Fungal appressoria were visualized on germinating spores and living protonemata within two weeks of inoculation in most growth chambers. Appressoria were pigmented, reddish gold to braun, and with a penetration peg. Pigmented, reddish gold to braun fungal hyphae were associated with living tissue, and numerous mature rhizoids contained fungal hyphae at six months. Inter-rhizoidal hyphae were pigmented and reddish gold to braun, but no structures were visualized on mature gametophyte leaf or stem tissues. Based on our visual evidence and previous work, we provide additional support for P. carbonaria having multiple strategies in how it obtains nutrients from the environment, and provide the first visual documentation of these structures in vitro.
Selective etching and photoetching of {100} gallium arsenide in CrO3-HF aqueous solutions: I. Influence of composition on etching behaviour

The etch rate and surface morphology of n-type, Si doped, ‘100’ GaAs versus composition of CrO3-HF-H2O mixtures were studied. Two ternary diagrams: (i) with and (ii) without laser illumination, have been drawn and described. Particular attention was paid to finding mixtures suitable for shallow revealing of defects in thin epitaxial layers and in bulk GaAs. High resolution etch patterns have been obtained after photoetching (etch depth 0.1 to 0.2 μm) and after etching without illumination (etch depth 0.5 to 5 μm). Defects can also be revealed on semi-insulating and p-type GaAs, although the sensitivity is then decreased and an etch depth of 0.5 to 1 μm is required to produce well resolved surface patterns. This “Sirtl-like” defect revealing system (DSL) has been calibrated and confronted with the well known AB etch and ABI-DABL systems [Saitoh et al., J. Electrochem. Soc. 122 (1975) 670; Munoz-Yague and Bafleur, J. Crystal Growth 53 (1981) 239].
The Workplace Constitution from the New Deal to the New Right

Introduction Part I. Crafting the Workplace Constitutions in the New Deal 1930s and 1940s: 1. Liberals forge a workplace constitution in the courts 2. Agencies discover the liberal workplace constitution 3. Conservatives create a workplace constitution in the courts Part II. Advancing the Workplace Constitutions in the Cold War 1950s: 4. Liberals test the workplace constitution in the courts 5. Agencies consider the liberal workplace constitution 6. Conservatives pursue the workplace constitution in the courts Part III. Administering the Liberal Workplace Constitution in the Long 1960s: 7. Agencies recognize the liberal workplace constitution in the new frontier 8. The liberal workplace constitution on the air and the wires 9. The NLRB expands the liberal workplace constitution Part IV. The Workplace Constitutions in the New Right 1970s and 1980s: 10. Conservatives reject the liberal workplace constitution 11. Liberals rethink their workplace constitution 12. Conservatives unite the workplace constitutions 13. The conservative workplace constitution divides the New Right coalition Epilogue.
Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Metastatic to the Central Nervous System

Objective : To evaluate characteristics of patients with central nervous system (CNS) lesions of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) and determine prognostic and therapeutic implications applicable to management. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the records of 454 patients treated at the Southeastern Regional Trophoblastic Disease Center between 1966 and 1992 with at least 2 years of follow-up, and identified 42 (9.3%) with CNS metastases. Sixteen patients presented for primary therapy and 27 patients had received significant therapy prior to presentation. Three heavily treated moribund patients died before their first cycle of chemotherapy and were excluded from analysis. Brain metastases were documented by physical exam and radionuclide imaging (before 1976), computed tomography scan (after 1976), or magnetic resonance imaging (after 1986). Patients received multiagent chemotherapy with methotrexate, actinomycin D, and chlorambucil (MAC)- or etoposide-based regimens. All patients received radiation therapy. No intrathecal chemotherapy was given. Craniotomy was employed in seven cases. Remission was defined as three weekly hCG levels below assay sensitivity (<5 mIU/ml). Results : Overall survival was 44%. Twelve of 16 patients (75%) who presented with CNS metastases with no prior therapy (Group A), 5 of 13 (38%) patients who had prior treatment (Group B), and none of 10 patients who developed CNS metastases during therapy (Group C) survived (P < 0.05). Two of four patients who failed in the CNS after treatment for CNS lesions were salvaged. Demographic characteristics of Groups A and B were similar. No significant differences with respect to WHO score, interval from pregnancy to onset of disease, or age among these groups were found. Group B patients had a four-fold higher incidence of liver metastases. Survival of Group A patients was not related to conventional clinical prognostic factors. Inverse (nonsignificant) correlations were found for Group B patients between survival and WHO score, hCG level, size and number of metastatic lesions, but not type of prior therapy. Survival was higher in those with prior molar pregnancies (56%) as contrasted with aborted (50%) or term (27%) gestations. Selective use of craniotomy helped alleviate intracranial pressure and resect refractory foci. Conclusions : Chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy in GTD patients with CNS metastases yields survival rates comparable to those reported for intrathecal methotrexate regimens. Tumor burden as indicated by hCG level and size/number of metastases in previously treated patients may correlate with survival. Patients who develop CNS metastases during active therapy have a very poor outcome.
Synthesis of a 2‐Selenothymidine Phosphoramidite and Its Incorporation into Oligodeoxyribonucleotides

The detailed synthetic protocol for a 2-selenothymidine phosphoramidite and its use in preparing Se-derivatized oligonucleotides are described here. The Se-modified phosphoramidite synthesis was achieved by activating a 2-thiothymidine derivative, followed by introduction of selenium functionality. The coupling reaction yield of the 2-selenothymidine phosphoramidite during solid-phase synthesis is high (>95%), and the oligonucleotides containing the 2-selenothymidine derivatization are stable. Curr. Protoc. Nucleic Acid Chem. 42:1.23.1-1.23.13. © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: nucleic acid; selenium; derivatization; base pairing; X-ray crystallography
Method for Shifting Natural Frequencies of Damped Mechanical Systems

A method for shifting the natural frequency of a damped mechanical system to a desired value is discussed. The solution is derived from the force response equation of the original system. The final equation contains only the degrees of freedom connected to the modifying parameter. Iterations are required, but the solution converges rapidly. Modal coupling effects and sensitivity for shifting a frequency are also derived. Numerical results indicate that the method is effective for system dynamics modification.
A Contemporary Take on Strunk and White for Legal Writers

The Elements of Style, often called “Strunk and White,” has evoked both strong praise and vehement criticism. In the legal field, scholars often cite the book as an authority on grammar and style, as do judges, who sometimes order lawyers to read it. But detractors have criticized The Elements of Style as filled with “inconsistent nonsense” and even “hogwash.” This article examines the book and the critiques of it to consider whether legal writers should continue to revere it. The article points out the book’s flaws and concludes that it is time to demote Strunk and White to the bottom bookshelf and fill its former space with more current and effective resources.
Opioid Drug-Drug Interactions: A Review:

Opioid analgesics are among the most commonly prescribed medications. Frequently, they are combined with other therapeutic agents and pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic interactions may ensue. This...
Integrating Geographic Information Systems in Business School Curriculum: An Initial Example.

Geographic information systems have experienced rapid growth and user adoption over the last four decades, due to an increasing value to the business community. However, business schools are not teaching geospatial concepts and the related location intelligence to their students. This curriculum decision seems completely at odds with business’ day-to-day dependence on a wide array of geographic information system applications. Business schools typically teach relational and object-oriented database courses, quantitative methods, decision supports systems, and Visual Basic for Applications, which are all directly related to the basic concepts of geographic information systems. In addition, these concepts are all part of location intelligence, a more business intuitive term than geospatial analysis. Spatial data modeling is discussed and compared to standard data modeling frameworks such as ANSI/SPARC. Geographic standards are introduced, along with an overview of the OpenGIS Simple Features Specification for SQL. A discussion of how to utilize MySQL open source database software for spatial queries is included, along with a comparison to PostgreSQL/PostGIS. Through the use of these software programs and the techniques introduced in this article, it is possible to integrate the concepts of location intelligence into business curriculum without requiring students to learn new GIS-specific programs. Enhancing student knowledge of this subject area through existing skill sets provides for smoother integration of this material into existing curriculum, as these topics could be added into established courses and would not require new courses to be developed.
Settlement Pattern Studies in the Americas: Fifty Years since Virú

Settlement Pattern Studies in the Americas: Fifty Years since Viru. Brian R. Billman and Gary M. Feinman. eds. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1999. 246 pp.
Psychological and sexual aspects of genital herpes in women

Psychological testing was conducted on 4 gynecologic patient groups, categorized as follows: (1) 20 patients with recurrent genital herpes, (2) 16 patients with primary genital herpes, (3) 18 patients with curable sexually transmitted diseases, and (4) 20 patients who served as normal controls with no history of sexually transmitted diseases. The recurrent genital herpes group experienced significantly greater sexual dissatisfaction than the other 3 groups. However, no psychological differences on measures of depression, anxiety, somatization, and social withdrawal were noted among the groups, with all groups achieving test scores well within a normal range of functioning. We conclude that the negative aspects of having genital herpes are limited primarily to the sexual realm. In addition, it is likely that the reports in the popular press regarding the devastating psychological effects of contracting genital herpes have been not only greatly exaggerated, but also unnecessarily alarming to the general pub...
Investigation of Durability Issues of Selected Nonfluorinated Proton Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cell Application

Nonfluorinated sulfonic acid membranes are a group of promising candidate materials for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology. However, one of the main obstacles is that the harsh fuel cell environment may originate different modes of degradation and aging processes that result in either chemical or morphological alteration in these membranes. The effect of peroxide radicals on PEM durability is of particular interest because a common feature of many hydrocarbon-based membranes is that the building block consists of sulfonic acid-substituted aromatic rings, which are much more sensitive to radical attack than the Teflon-like backbone in perfluorinated sulfonic acid type materials. In this work, we attempt to provide answers to the hydroxyl radical initiated durability issues at the PEM and electrocatalyst interface by analyzing the performance of two novel membranes, sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) and sulfonated poly(ether ether) ketone, using a newly designed durability evaluation method under fuel cell-like conditions. This method is able to separate the membrane evaluation process into cathode and anode aspects. Under experimental conditions in this work, degradations in SPES-40 samples were found happening at the cathode (oxygen) side of the PEMFC.
Inflammation: Continued Support for a Small Changes Approach

Lifestyle interventions show considerable promise in improving levels of inflammation. This review discusses how these improvements in inflammation are consistent with a “small changes” approach.
Oxygen isotope zoning profiles in hydrothermally altered feldspars: Estimating the duration of water-rock interaction

The characterization of intragrain mineralogical and isotopic zoning patterns provides the basis for estimating the duration of fluid-rock interaction associated with mineral replacement reactions. In the Rico, Colorado, hydrothermal system, oxygen isotope ratios in reaction rims on partially reacted plagioclase feldspar exhibit some of the largest gradients yet reported for individual grains (to 15%o). The extent of rim formation and accompanying isotopic exchange vary across the system as a function of temperature, fluid isotope composition, and the local fluid/rock ratio. Distal feldspars show narrow rims with 1 8 O enrichments relative to pristine feldspars. Feldspars intermediate or proximal to the system's center have wide reaction rims or are completely exchanged and show 180 depletions. Formation times of reaction rims and associated isotopic patterns have been estimated with a coupled reaction-diffusion model that suggests that hotter (∼250-350 °C) hydrothermal circulation was active for ∼100-300 k.y. in the center part of the system, perhaps only while the igneous heat engine was still magma. Cooler (∼150-200 °C) circulation was widespread, lasting for >1000 k.y.
Does Lack of Multinutrient Supplementation During Early Pregnancy Increase Vulnerability to Alcohol-Related Preterm or Small-for-Gestational-Age Births?

The objective of this study was to assess whether women who do not take multinutrient supplements during early pregnancy are more susceptible to the effects of low-to-moderate alcohol consumption on preterm birth and small-for-gestational-age birth (SGA) compared to women who do take multinutrients. This analysis included 800 singleton live births to mothers from a cohort of pregnant women recruited for a population-based cohort study conducted in the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Northern California. Participants were recruited in their first trimester of pregnancy and information about their alcohol use and supplement intake during pregnancy was collected. Preterm birth (n = 53, 7%) was defined as a delivery prior to 37 completed weeks of gestation and SGA birth (n = 124, 16%) was defined as birth weight less than the 10th percentile for the infant’s gestational age and sex compared to US singleton live births. A twofold increase in the odds of SGA birth attributed to low-to-moderate alcohol intake was found among multinutrient supplement non-users (95% CI: 1.1, 5.3). Yet, among multinutrient supplement users, there was no increased risk of an SGA birth for women who drank low-to-moderately compared to women who abstained (aOR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.6, 1.6). Similar results emerged for preterm birth. Our findings provide marginal evidence that multinutrient supplementation during early pregnancy may modify the risk of SGA births and preterm birth associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy and may have important implications for pregnant women and women of child-bearing age. However, future research needs to be conducted.
Structure sensitivity in the iron single-crystal catalysed synthesis of ammonia

There have been many investigations of the kinetics of the iron-catalysed synthesis of ammonia and the details of the mechanism of its reaction1–3. However, we report here the first direct and, therefore, unambiguous measurement of the surface structure sensitivity of the iron-catalysed ammonia synthesis reaction using the (111), (100) and (110) crystal faces of iron and operating at pressures approaching those used industrially (20 atmospheres). The Fe(111) face was found to be the most active, the activity ratio being 418:25:1 for the Fe(111), Fe(100) and Fe(110) planes. We have also observed the formation of a strongly bound nitrogen species after the reaction, in the presence of which ammonia continues to be produced.
Self-consistent LMTO approach to the electronic structure of semi-conductors: GaAs

Abstract The self-consistent Lineat Muffin Tin Orbital (LMTO) energy band method is applied to the case of the open structures (zinc blende) usual for many semi-conductors using GaAs as an example. Empty spheres are inserted into the most open parts of the structure and each sphere is assigned a spherically symmetric potential. The resulting band structure, density-of-state functions and XPS spectra (including matrix elements) are presented. Good agreement with more elaborate ab initio band results as well as with experiment is found. We conclude that the self-consistent LMTO approach using empty spheres provides a very efficient scheme for studying open structures.
Inductive Completeness of Logics of Programs

We propose a new approach to delineating logics of programs, based directly on inductive definition of program semantics. The ingredients are elementary and well-known, but their fusion yields a simple yet powerful approach, surprisingly overlooked for decades. The denotational semantics of a regular program can be construed as a relation, easily definable by structural induction on programs. Invoking the framework of canonical theories for (iterated) inductive definitions, we consider the first-order theory for program semantic, i.e. with the generative clauses as construction (introduction) rules, and their dual templates as deconstruction (elimination) rules. We prove that Hoare's logic is inductively complete, in the sense that a partial-correctness assertion is Hoare provable iff it is provable in the inductive theory (with deconstruction for formulas in the base vocabulary). Thus first-order automated theorem-proving can be applied directly to program verification. Proceeding to program termination, we show that a total correctness assertion is valid iff it is provable in the inductive theory without any use of deconstruction. This is yet another take on the first-order nature of total correctness.
Brief Report of Biweekly Pemetrexed and Gemcitabine in Elderly Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

We examined a nonplatinum-based doublet chemotherapy regimen, pemetrexed and gemcitabine given on a biweekly (every 14 days) schedule, in patients older than 70 years with newly diagnosed advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The study was closed after nine patients were treated due to excess toxicity, primarily fatigue, and nonneutropenic infection. No responses were observed. Eight of the nine patients were hospitalized during therapy and seven discontinued treatment for reasons other than progressive disease. Median progression-free survival was 1.7 months, and median overall survival was 3.9 months. We found that biweekly pemetrexed and gemcitabine was too toxic in our cohort of elderly patients with newly diagnosed advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
Theory of Order-Disorder Kinetics

The problem of relating fundamental atom movements to the change of the state of order of an alloy is attacked in a basic manner by introducing an infinite array of distribution functions for the occupation of all possible sets of lattice sites. These distribution functions determine all the kinds of order in the lattice, including the usual long- and short-range order. They are shown to obey general equations of motion which are linear and in which the kinetic parameters of atom movements occur as coefficients.Solutions of the equations of motion must be found by approximations, and a variety of possible procedures are suggested. These depend on expressing higher order distribution functions by combinations of those of lower order. The simplest of these procedures is explored in detail for two mechanisms of atom movement, direct interchange and vacancy interchange, and for two common lattice types, $\mathrm{AB}$ b.c.c. and $A{B}_{3}$ f.c.c. The result is a calculation of the time dependence of long-range order in homogeneous systems, and is expected to be reliable whenever the long-range order is reasonably high. The simple theory leads to the Bragg-Williams result at equilibrium, and gives a fundamental derivation and limitation of the conception that ordering is a "chemical reaction" of the type ${A}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}+{B}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}\ensuremath{\rightleftarrows}{A}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}+{B}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$. The vacancy and direct interchange models lead to qualitatively similar, but not identical results. Present evidence suggests predominance of the vacancy mechanism, at least in close-packed systems.The simple vacancy model is applied to experiments of Burns and Quimby on electrical resistivity in ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$Au. The observed relaxation times, over a range of temperatures below the critical temperature, are in reasonably good accord with theory when parameters derived from diffusion measurements in Cu and Au are employed.
Asymptotic properties of sequences of iterates of nonlinear transformations

By considering functions defined on the unit interval with a single zero minimum and a single unit maximum we are led to a version of the doubling or universal transformation. The fixed point functions of this doubling transformation have certain invariance properties under conjugacy. These invariance properties lead to a widening of the concept of universality to power law conjugacy classes in which the Feigenbaum divergence parameter δ is a function only of the product of the powers with which iterating functions approach unity at the maximum and zero at the minimum. We also construct an effective method for computing the divergence parameter from iterates, and derivatives of iterates, generated by the appropriate fixed point function.
Contribution of glycaemic control, endogenous lipoproteins and cholesteryl ester transfer protein to accelerated cholesteryl ester transfer in IDDM

In an earlier study we demonstrated that the transfer of cholesteryl ester (CET) estimated as the net mass of CE lost from HDL to the apoB-containing lipoproteins (VLDL + LDL) during incubation of plasma is accelerated in normolipidaemic patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Recombination experiments with isolated lipoprotein fractions employing this same mass transfer assay indicated that this disturbance resulted from dysfunction of VLDL and not from changes in the activity of CE transfer protein (CETP). In this study, we sought first to determine whether CET estimated with an isotopic method that measures the transfer of radiolabelled CE from exogenous HDL from non-diabetic controls to endogenous VLDL + LDL was also increased in IDDM and, if so, the extent to which this disturbance was affected by glycaemic control, VLDL and CETP. As observed with the mass transfer assay, the rate of transfer of the HDL-CE label to VLDL + LDL was also significantly accelerated in IDDM plasma (IDDM: k = 0.256 +/- 0.07; control: k = 0.092 +/- 0.05; mean +/- SD; P 1.21 fractions; and (b) IDDM d > 1.21 plasma fractions containing CETP were combined with controls VLDL + LDL and HDL.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Binding of HIV-1 Vpr Protein to the Human Homolog of the Yeast DNA Repair Protein RAD23 (hHR23A) Requires Its Xeroderma Pigmentosum Complementation Group C Binding (XPCB) Domain as Well as the Ubiquitin-associated 2 (UBA2) Domain

The human homolog of the yeast DNA repair protein RAD23, hHR23A, has been found previously to interact with the human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 accessory protein Vpr. hHR23A is a modular protein containing an N-terminal ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain and two ubiquitin-associated domains (UBA1 and UBA2) separated by a xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C binding (XPCB) domain. All domains are connected by flexible linkers. hHR23A binds ubiquitinated proteins and acts as a shuttling factor to the proteasome. Here, we show that hHR23A utilizes both the UBA2 and XPCB domains to form a stable complex with Vpr, linking Vpr directly to cellular DNA repair pathways and their probable exploitation by the virus. Detailed structural mapping of the Vpr contacts on hHR23A, by NMR, revealed substantial contact surfaces on the UBA2 and XPCB domains. In addition, Vpr binding disrupts an intramolecular UBL-UBA2 interaction. We also show that Lys-48-linked di-ubiquitin, when binding to UBA1, does not release the bound Vpr from the hHR23A-Vpr complex. Instead, a ternary hHR23A·Vpr·di-UbK48 complex is formed, indicating that Vpr does not necessarily abolish hHR23A-mediated shuttling to the proteasome.
Radiation alone for carcinoma of the vagina: Variation in response related to the location of the primary tumor

BACKGROUND. A retrospective study of 40 patients with histologically confirmed carcinoma of the vagina is reported. The patients were treated by radiation alone (a combination of external beam therapy and implants) between October 1969 and September 1991 at the Medical College of Virginia Hospital in Richmond. METHODS. Thirty-three patients (82%) had squamous cell carcinoma, 2 patients (7%) had adenocarcinoma, and 2 patients (5%) had poorly differentiated cancers (1 melanoma and 1 leiomyosarcoma). The patients were staged according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system ; there were 13 patients (33%) in Stage 1, 21 (52%) in Stage II, 4 (10%) in Stage III, and 2 (5%) in Stage IV. Thirty-six patients (90%) were treated with external beam therapy and some combination of implant : cylinder, ovoid, or interstitial implants with iodine-125 or iridium-192 (afterloading). Only 4 patients (10%) received treatment by implant only. RESULTS. Based on their response, two groups of patients were identified. Group I had 23 patients with tumors predominantly located in the proximal half of the vagina ; there were 8 patients in Stage I, 11 in Stage II, 3 in Stage III, and 1 in Stage IV. Of these, three patients failed : one each in Stages III and IV and one Stage II patient was salvaged by surgery. Three patients died due to unrelated causes but with local control. The 5-year actuarial survival in this group was 81%. Group II had 17 patients with tumors located in the mid to distal half of the vagina ; there were 5 patients in Stage I, 10 in Stage II, and 2 in Stage IV. Ten patients failed. Eight patients in Stage II had persistent disease, were lost to follow-up, and are presumed dead. Two patients with Stage IV disease also had inadequate local control. The overall actuarial survival in the distal group was 41%, which was significantly worse than the proximal group (81%), at a P value of 0.05. CONCLUSIONS. This study discusses the curability of carcinoma of the vagina based on its anatomic location when predominantly similar treatment techniques and radiation doses were applied to either the proximal or the distal part of the vagina, those with cancer in the proximal half had better survival (81%) than those whose cancer was in the distal half (41%).
Comment on "Columnar growth and kinetic roughening in electrochemical deposition"

A Comment on the Letter by G. L. M. K. S. Kahanda et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 3741 (1992).
Identification of five human lymphocyte subpopulations by their differential binding of various strains of bacteria

Abstract The property of various strains of bacteria to bind to lymphocytes is described and used to identify human lymphocyte subpopulations. The following bacterial strains isolated from patients were used: Arizona hinshawii (Ah), three strains of Escherichia coli (Ec 1 , Ec 2 , Ec 3 ), Bacillus globigii (Bg), Brucella melitensis (Bm), two strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae (Cd 1 , Cd 2 ), Cornyebacterium xerosis (Cx), Sarcina lutea (Sl), two strains of Staphylococcus aureus (Sa 1 , Sa 2 ) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (Se). Purified human lymphocytes were centrifuged together with the bacteria, resuspended, and the percentage of cells with bacteria attached was determined by phase contrast microscopy. Each strain of bacteria was tested for its ability to bind to lymphocytes, to lymphocytes prelabeled with a different bacteria, and to lymphocytes prelabeled with anti-light chain antibody coated E. coli (a nonbinding strain). This procedure allowed the identification of five subpopulations of lymphocytes. B cells (15%) bound all the bacteria tested except Ec 1 , Bg and Se. T 1 cells (15%) bound only Ah, Ec 1 , Ec 2 . Ec 3 , Cd 1 , and Se; T 2 (25%) bound only Ah, Bg, Ec 1 , Ec 2 , Ec 3 , and Cx; T 3 (15%) bound only Cx, S1, and Sa 1 ; T 4 (30%) did not bind any of the bacteria tested. Three of the bacteria, Bm, Cd 2 and Sa 2 exclusively identified B cells.
Application of model-based lithographic process control for cost-effective IC manufacturing at 0.13 μm and beyond

The 0.13 micrometers semiconductor manufacturing generation, shipping as early as 2001, will have transistor gate structures as small as 100 nm, creating a demand for sub- 10nm gate linewidth control. Linewidth variation consists of cross-chip, cross-wafer, cross-lot, and run-to-run components, so we can expect the individual component requirements to be sub-5nm. For model-based, run-to-run control systems to achieve this level of performance, stabilization of lithographic focus will be critical. In this work we show promising results based upon a novel phase-shift focus monitor, optical overlay metrology, and robust analysis software. Extensions of this work explore spatial dependencies across the lithographic field due to reticle error and across the wafer due to wafer nanotopography. Both sources of variation can cause collapse of the focus-exposure process window near the limits of lithographic resolution, particularly for gate structures in high-performance microprocessors. Our work supports the contention that photolithography-induced defects may become the primary source of yield loss for the 0.13 micrometers generation and beyond.
Detection of intravascular injection of regional anaesthetics in children.

Purpose: Detection of intravascular injection of local anaesthetic during placement of regional blocks in children by using epinephrine-induced tachycardia or hypertension may produce false positive and false negative findings. This study evaluates ECG changes as markers of intravascular injection of local anaesthetics with epinephrine, during placement of epidural blocks in children. Methods: Observational study in a teaching hospitaJ of all epiduraJ anaesthetics administered to paediatric patients during one year, General anaesthesia, where used, was not controlled. An ECG rhythm strip was recorded during test dose iniection and analyzed for changes in rate, rhythm, and T-wave configuration. Results: During the study period, 742 paediatric epidural blocks were administered. There were 644 caudal (284 without catheters), 97 lumbar, and one thoracic epidural anaesthetics. Satisfactory placement was achieved in 97.7% of patients. Intravascular injection was detected in 42 (5.6%) of epidural anaesthetics (3.8% and 6.7% of straight needle and catheter injections, respectively). Detection was by immediate aspiration of blood in six patients, and by heart t-ate increases >10 bpm in 30. Five had heart rate decreases suggesting a baroreceptor response. Five had heart rate increases 25%, and 29 (97%) had ECG changes in T-wave or rhythm in response to the epinephrine injection. There were no false positives. Conclusion: In order to reduce risks associated with epidural anaesthesia in children, epinephrine should be added to the local anaesthetic test dose, the ECG should be monitored continuously for changes in heart rate, rhythm, and T-wave amplitude. Epidural injections should be given in small increments.
Polyinosinic acid--polycytidylic acid: inhibition of DNA synthesis stimulated by isoproterenol.

Polyinosinic acid • polycytidylic acid (poly I • poly C) inhibits isoproterenol-stimulated DNA synthesis in salivary glands of mice. A single intraperitoneal injection of 250 micrograms of poly I • poly C inhibits the stimulation of DNA synthesis when given 10 minutes before isoproterenol or at any time during the 20-hour lag period between the injection of isoproterenol and the subsequent DNA synthesis. The inhibition caused by poly I • poly C is not due to a generalized toxic action but seems to be exerted through a relatively selective mechanism. Polyuridylic acid and diethylaminoethyl dextran are less effective in inhibiting isoproterenol-stimulated DNA synthesis.
Fostering Early Breast Cancer Detection: Faith Community Nurses Reaching At-Risk Populations

This article examines how faith community nurses (FCNs) fostered early breast cancer detection for those at risk in rural and African American populations throughout nine counties in midwestern Illinois to decrease breast cancer disparities. Flexible methods for breast cancer awareness education through FCNs, effective strategies for maximizing participation, and implications for practice were identified. In addition, networking within faith communities, connecting with complementary activities scheduled in those communities, and offering refreshments and gift items that support educational efforts were identified as effective ways of maximizing outcomes and reinforcing learning. Flexible educational programming that could be adapted to situational and learning needs was important to alleviate barriers in the project. As a result, the number of participants in the breast cancer awareness education program exceeded the grant goal, and the large number of African American participants and an unexpected number of Hispanic and Latino participants exceeded the target.