cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of Sheet Dies for Minimum Residence Time Distribution: A Review

Abstract The various die designs that have been proposed for the manufacture of sheets and flat films from polymeric materials are reviewed, along with the corresponding flow analysis and derived design equations. Successively, the T-die, the linearly tapered coat-hanger die, the curvilinearly tapered coat-hanger die (with manifold of circular or rectangular cross-section), and the fishtail die are examined. In each case, care is taken to outline the assumptions used to derive the equations, and to state the advantages and disadvantages of each design. The limits of these mentioned assumptions are explained and illustrated. Particular attention is paid to the aspects of the design which affect the processing of sensitive or reactive materials (i.e., residence time distribution and wall shear stress).
An evaluation of the alpha counting technique for determining 14-MeV neutron yields

Abstract A discourse on the principle problems associated with determining the neutron yield from the T(D,n)α reaction is attempted. Techniques are developed for calculating the number of neutrons produced in the target per α particle emitted into any solid angle. The equations are extended to handle unanalyzed deuteron beams. Geometry considerations, competing reactions and other problems are discussed. In order to determine the criteria for selecting an optimum design for the target assembly, an analytical treatment of the problems is performed. The optimum target design for most circumtances is identified and its accuracy calculated. The paper provides, in a form usable by people at the working level, all the information needed for determining neutron yields, the accuracy of the neutron yields, and the optimum system design for implementing the T(D,n)α reaction.
Differential Expression of Mammalian TRP Homologues across Tissues and Cell Lines

Mammalian homologues of the Drosophila trp gene have been invoked as the structural basis for the currents associated with capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE) in many cell types. Trp homologues are members of a large protein family that may associate as channel subunits providing an explanation for the functional diversity of store-operated channels observed in these cells. However, there is little information as to which of these genes are co-expressed at the cellular level. We have examined the tissue specific expression of five mammalian trp genes and determined which are co-expressed in five different cell lines. The results show tissue- and cell-specific co-expression of multiple trp forms. This implies that the subunit composition of a particular CCE channel may vary depending on the cell type.
Journal of Counseling & Development Publication Patterns: Author and Article Characteristics From 1994 to 2009

Publication patterns of articles in the Journal of Counseling & Development from 1994 to 2009 were reviewed. Trends over time were analyzed in article content (e.g., type, content topic) and author demographic characteristics (i.e., gender, nation of domicile, and employment setting). Of particular interest because of the scientific underpinnings of the counseling profession, research articles were analyzed specifically for type of research approach, classification, methodology, sample, sample size, and statistics used.
Restriction endonuclease cleavage map of bacteriophage P4 DNA

Abstract A restriction endonuclease cleavage map of satellite phage P4 has been constructed using eight enzymes. A number of genetic variants of P4 were examined and their patterns of digestion were compared.
Collective Remittances and Migrant‐State Collaboration in Mexico and El Salvador

As part of an emerging research agenda on the political impact of remittances in high-migration countries, this article explores the conditions under which organized migrants are likely to engage in transnational public-private partnerships with their home governments through a comparison of Mexico and El Salvador. Both countries have well-organized migrants who have cofinanced community projects back home. But this collaboration has been more sustained, multifaceted, and negotiated in Mexico than in El Salvador. These outcomes are linked to four factors: the density and type of migrant organizations, the territorial distribution of state authority and resources, the extent and nature of diaspora outreach, and legacies of state-society relations. The article discusses how this framework might be applied to other high-migration countries and whether there is room for agency in creating more favorable conditions for migrant-state collaboration.
Radiation dose escalation for localized prostate cancer: intensity-modulated radiotherapy versus permanent transperineal brachytherapy.

BACKGROUND: In the current study, the effects of dose escalation for localized prostate cancer treatment with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or permanent transperineal brachytherapy (BRT) in comparison with conventional dose 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) were evaluated. METHODS: This study included 853 patients; 270 received conventional dose 3D-CRT, 314 received high-dose IMRT, 225 received BRT, and 44 received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) + BRT boost. The median radiation doses were 68.4 grays (Gy) for 3D-CRT and 75.6 Gy for IMRT. BRT patients received a prescribed dose of 144 Gy with iodine-125 (I-125) or 120 Gy with palladium-103 (Pd-103), respectively. Patients treated with EBRT + BRT received 45 Gy of EBRT plus a boost of 110 Gy with I-125 or 90 Gy with Pd-103. Risk group categories were low risk (T1-T2 disease, prostate-specific antigen level ≤10 ng/mL, and a Gleason score ≤6), intermediate risk (increase in value of 1 of the factors), and high risk (increase in value of ≥2 factors). RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 58 months, the 5-year biochemical control (bNED) rates were 74% for 3D-CRT, 87% for IMRT, 94% for BRT, and 94% for EBRT + BRT (P <.0001). For the intermediate-risk group, high-dose IMRT, BRT, or EBRT + BRT achieved significantly better bNED rates than 3D-CRT (P <.0001), whereas no improvement was noted for the low-risk group (P = .22). There was no increase in gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity from high-dose IMRT compared with conventional dose 3D-CRT, although there was more grade 2 genitourinary (GU) toxicity (toxicities were graded at the time of each follow-up visit using a modified Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG] scale). BRT caused more GU but less GI toxicity, whereas EBRT + BRT caused more late GU and GI toxicity than IMRT or 3D-CRT. CONCLUSIONS: The data from the current study indicate that radiation dose escalation improved the bNED rate for the intermediate-risk group. IMRT caused less acute and late GU toxicity than BRT or EBRT + BRT. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Integration of brassicaceous seed meals into red raspberry production systems

Abstract Brassicaceous seed meals are an alternative to synthetic chemical fumigation for the pre-plant management of soil borne organisms. Greenhouse, microplot, and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of Brassica juncea and Sinapis alba seed meals against the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora rubi and the plant-parasitic nematode Pratylenchus penetrans, both chronic problems in red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) production systems. Phytotoxicity to raspberry, as well as the effect of brassicaceous seed meals on non-target soil organisms was also investigated. In greenhouse studies, P. rubi and P. penetrans were suppressed by B. juncea and S. alba seed meals at rates of 0.5 and 1.0% (v v−1), respectively. In field experiments using buried bags of P. rubi inoculum, suppression of P. rubi by B. juncea and S. alba seed meals was enhanced with solarization, however only to a depth of 15 cm and only when target heat units in soil (222 h > 29 °C) accumulated. In microplot studies, soils from two different raspberry fields were amended with B. juncea at 0.5% or S. alba at 1.0% (v v−1) seed meals; nematode community abundance and composition were evaluated over time. Both seed meal type and soil affected nematode community abundance and composition. B. juncea seed meal eliminated all nematodes, including P. penetrans, in both soils one week after application and this seed meal increased the overall enrichment index (EI) at five weeks. S. alba seed meal reduced nematode population densities at one week after application, and increased the structure index (SI) at five weeks. In a greenhouse trial, phytotoxicity (>40% plant damage) to raspberry ‘Meeker’ was observed one week after the application of S. alba seed meal at 1.0% (v v−1) only and did not extend beyond one week. A combination of field and greenhouse experiments demonstrated that brassicaceous seed meals have the potential to effectively reduce populations of P. rubi and P. penetrans, two important pests of raspberry. However, inconsistent results in field trials demonstrate the need to further explore the use of brassicaceous seed meals, alone or in combination with other management practice for the suppression of the soil borne organisms.
Linearity of X-band Class-E Power Amplifiers in a Digital Polar Transmitter

This paper discusses the linearity of a class-E X-band PA in a digital polar transmitter. The PA is nonlinear since it is compressed by 2.2 dB when achieving a 59% PAE at 10 GHz. Load-pull is performed under a two-tone test and the resulting optimal efficiency impedance is found to be over 30% different from the single-tone load-pull. In addition standard two-tone load-pull measurements indicate that the impedance for max Pout coincide with worst nonlinearity (IMD). Surprisingly, in the two-tone polar load-pull, impedance for max Pout differs significantly from the impedance corresponding to worst IMD. Therefore, under polar modulation a different matching circuit should be designed for optimal linearity and efficiency. The PA is part of a digital polar transmitter which enables linearization including phase predistortion, with IMD levels over 11 dB lower than in the standard two-tone test. Load-pull performed on the polar class-E PA shows that the level of intermodulation products varies for different signals input into the PA.
Robust tracking and disturbance rejection of bounded rate signals for uncertain/non-linear systems

We consider the problem of designing controllers for non-linear/uncertain systems to achieve tracking of a reference output signal in the presence of a disturbance input signal. When the exogenous signal (combined reference and disturbance) is constant, we require that the tracking error eventually go to zero. When the exogenous signal has a bounded rate, we require that the tracking error be eventually bounded with a bound which only depends on the bound on the magnitude of the rate of the exogenous signal. We also require that the state and control input are bounded when the exogenous signal is bounded. We propose controllers which have a classical PI (proportional integral) structure using state feedback. For linear systems and specific classes of non-linear/uncertain systems we present conditions whose satisfaction guarantees the existence of controllers which achieve the desired behaviour. Satisfaction of these conditions also yields the controller gain matrices.
Does using lower limit of normal values enhance the ability of a single bone mineral density measure to predict fractures

Using a single bone mineral density (BMD) measure, we demonstrated that the lower limit of normal (LLN) method is more consistent in predicting osteoporosis fractures than the T-score in white menopausal women from the Study of Osteoporosis Fracture (SOF). In order to circumvent the inconsistencies and limitations with using the T-score when defining osteoporosis, we propose using 95% LLN values derived from centered polynomial models using the NHANES III BMD measures. The main aim of this study was to compare the two methods in prediction of fracture and agreement in osteoporosis classification using cohort data. We compared the fracture prediction ability of the two methods using a single BMD measurement in 4,948 white women aged 67–74 years in the SOF employing kappa statistics, sensitivity, and specificity. The T-score provided inconsistent osteoporosis classification (46.6%) across the five hip regions of interest (ROIs) and this was significantly (p < 0.0001) reduced when using the LLN method (36.5%). Kappa statistics of incident fracture during 12 years of follow-up related to the prevalence of osteoporosis at baseline was significantly improved using the LLN method compared to using T-score. Sensitivity and specificity for fracture based on a single BMD measurement of different hip ROIs were more consistent using the LLN method. The LLN method provides a more consistent and efficient method for osteoporosis fracture prediction than the T-score in 67- to 74-year-old white women.
Rate coefficients for the reaction of OH with OClO between 242 and 392 K

Rate coefficients are reported for the gas phase reaction of OH with OClO over the temperature range 242–392 K at 25, 50, and 100 Torr (He). Kinetic measurements were made using pulsed laser photolysis with laser induced fluorescence detection of the OH radical. The measured rate coefficients were independent of pressure and are well represented by k1(T) = (1.43 ± 0.3) × 10−12 exp(597 ± 36/T) cm3 molecule−1 s−1 (k1(298 K) = 1.06 × 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1). The quoted uncertainties are 2σ (95% confidence level) and include estimated systematic errors. Discrepancies with the previous OH + OClO rate coefficient measurement by Poulet et al. (Int J Chem Kinet 1986, 18, 847–859) are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 38: 234–241, 2006
Others Sometimes Know Us Better Than We Know Ourselves

Most people believethat they know themselves better than anyone else knows them. However,a complete picture of what a person is like requires both the person's own perspective and the perspective of others who know him or her well. People's perceptions of their own personalities, while largely accurate, contain important omissions. Some of these blind spots are likely due to a simple lack of information, whereas others are due to motivated distortions in our self-perceptions. Perhaps for these reasons, others can perceive some aspects of personality better than the self can. This is especially true for traits that are very desirable or unde- sirable, when motivational factors are most likely to distort self-perceptions. Therefore, much can be learned about a person's personality from how he or she is seen by others. Future research should examine how people can tap into others' knowledge to improve self-knowledge.
O2C: occasional two-cycle operations for dynamic thermal management in high performance in-order microprocessors

In this paper, we propose O2C, a novel non-speculative adaptive thermal management technique that reduces the temperature during die-overheating using supply voltage scaling, while maintaining the rated clock frequency. This is accomplished by (a) scaling down the supply voltage, (b) isolating and predicting the set of critical paths, (c) ensuring (by design) that they are activated rarely, and (d) getting around occasional delay failures (at reduced voltage during die-overheating) in these paths by two-cycle operations (assuming all standard operations are single-cycle). Two-cycle operation is achieved by stalling the pipeline for extra clock cycles whenever the set of critical paths are activated. The rare two-cycle operation results in a small decrease in IPC (instructions per cycle). Since called O2C maintains the rated clock frequency and does not require pipeline stalling during supply voltage ramp-up/ramp-down, it achieves high throughput in a thermally constrained environment. We applied called O2C to the integer execution units of an in-order superscalar pipeline. Standard full-chip Dynamic Voltage-Frequency Scaling (DVFS) is very effective in bringing down the temperature, however; it is associated with large throughput loss due to pipeline stalling and slow operating frequency during thermal management. We integrated "O2C with standard DVFS" (called O2Cα) to demonstrate that it can act as a "first step" before full-scale thermal management is required. Our simulations indeed reveal that called O2Cα policy can avoid the requirement of full-scale DVFS during execution of programs.
Explaining low ratings of patient satisfaction among Asian-Americans.

Asian-Americans report lower levels of satisfaction with health care than other racial or ethnic groups. To determine potential reasons for this observation, we analyzed data from a national household telephone survey examining various aspects of health and health care across racial or ethnic groups. As in previous studies, Asians reported lower satisfaction with their physicians and health care services than other racial or ethnic groups, even after adjusting for demographic and health-related variables. However, Asians also reported lower satisfaction with their health insurance and with life in general and were less likely than non-Asians to have changed physicians due to dissatisfaction. We conclude that lower satisfaction ratings among Asians may be due to different response tendencies rather than to differences in quality of care. Further research is needed to explain this phenomenon and assess its potential impact on quality-of-care evaluations for clinicians and health care organizations providing...
Professionalism among Public and Nonprofit Managers A Comparison

In recent years, considerable attention has focused on professional orientations of managers in public and nonprofit organizations, especially with regard to ethics. This article reports on a compa...
Concurrent respiratory resistance training and changes in respiratory muscle strength and sleep in an individual with spinal cord injury: case report

AbstractContextQuality sleep possesses numerous benefits to normal nighttime and daytime functioning. High-level spinal cord injury (SCI) often impacts the respiratory muscles that can lead to poor respiratory function during sleep and negatively affect sleep quality. The impact of respiratory muscle training (RMT) on sleep quality, as assessed by overnight polysomnography (PSG), is yet to be determined among the spinal cord-injured population. This case report describes the effects of 10 weeks of RMT on the sleep quality of a 38-year-old male with cervical SCI.MethodsCase report.Findings/resultsThe subject completed overnight PSG, respiratory muscle strength assessment, and subjective sleepiness assessment before and after 10 weeks of RMT. The post-test results indicated improvements in sleep quality (e.g. fewer electroencephalographic (EEG) arousals during sleep) and daytime sleepiness scores following RMT.Conclusion/clinical relevanceRespiratory activity has been proven to impact EEG arousal activity d...
Obstetric complications in a patient with Bernard-Soulier syndrome.

We describe the obstetric complications and management of a patient with Bernard-Soulier syndrome. Severe bleeding at the time of delivery and delayed postpartum hemorrhage were prominent features of her pregnancies. Further complicating this woman's pregnancies was the development of antibodies to platelet glycoprotein IBIIX, leading to neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia.
5-Hydroxytryptamine stimulates phosphoinositide hydrolysis and contraction in the ovine umbilical artery

5-Hydroxytryptamine-stimulated contraction and generation of inositol phosphates (InsPs) were investigated in isolated ovine umbilical artery from near term pregnant sheep. 5-Hydroxytryptamine produced a concentration-dependent contraction in the presence or absence of external Ca2+, however, the contractile response in Ca2+-free medium was depressed by 67% (P<0.05). The initial increase of either inositol monophosphate (InsP1) or inositol bisphosphate (InsP2) was not apparent, although a significant rise in both InsP1 and InsP2 was observed at 30 min (107 and 100% over basal level, P<0.05). The generation of inositol trisphosphate (InsP3) was rapid and reached its peak at 60–90 s (35% over basal level, P<0.05), followed by a second rise at 30 min (96% over basal level, P<0.05). The generation of InsPs stimulated by 5-hydroxytryptamine was also concentration-dependent. In agreement with previous contraction studies, the generation of InsPs stimulated by 5-hydroxytryptamine was blocked by 10 nM ketanserin, a specific 5-HT2A receptor antagonist. A temporal study revealed that the generation of InsP3 coincided with the phasic component of the contractile response induced by 5-hydroxytryptamine. Our results suggest that through activation of 5-HT2A receptors, the generation of InsP3 plays a critical role in the contraction induced by 5-hydroxytryptamine in the ovine umbilical artery.
Synthesis of 2,2′-Anhydro-2-Hydroxy- and 6,2′-Anhydro-6-Hydroxy-1-β-D-Arabindfuranosylnicotinamide as Conformationally Restricted Nicotinamide Nucleoside Analogs1

Abstract 1-(β-D-Ribofuranosy1)-2(1H)-pyridone-3-carboxamide (6a) and the 6(1H)-pyridone derivative (6b) were prepared by condensation of 1,2,3,5-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-ribofuranose (3) with 2- and 6-hydroxynicotinic acid, respectively, to 4a and 4b, followed by conversion of the carboxylic acid function of 4a,b into their corresponding carboxamides 5, and then deprotection of 5. Bath 6a and 6b were then treated with 1,3-dichlom-1,1,3,3-tetraisopropyldisiloxane to give the corresponding 3′,5′-O-TPDS derivatives, 7a and 7b. Mesylation of 7a,b with mesyl chloride in pyridine afforded the stable, protected mesylates 8a,b. Upon de-O-silylation of 8a,b with ET3NHF gave a mixture of unprotectd mesylates 9a,b and 2,2-anhydro- and 6,2′-anhydronucleosides, 1a and 1b. Upon storage of 9a,b at man temperature, they are quantitatively converted into 1a,b. Mild alkaline hydrolysis of 1a,b afforded their corresponding arabino nucleosides 10a,b.
Specific primers for the detection of vip3A insecticidal gene within a Bacillus thuringiensis collection

A PCR-based method was developed for the rapid detection of vip3A gene encoding a novel Bacillus thuringiensis vegetative insecticidal protein with a wide spectrum of activities against lepidopteran insects. Specific primer combinations (three primers for the normal strand and two primers for the complementary strand) were capable of generating diagnostic fragments that successfully predicted the presence of the gene encoding the Vip3A insecticidal toxin in various B. thuringiensis strains. Specificity of amplicons generated by primer pairs was confirmed by restriction endonuclease digestion and DNA sequence analysis. The evaluation of B. thuringiensis strains for biological activity against insect pests of rice is thus aided by the grouping of strains based on their potential insecticidal spectrum.
Binding of RP2-L--a nuclear protein of neoplastic tissues--to deoxyribonucleic acid.

RECENT work in this laboratory has indicated that the incorporation of radioactive amino-acids into nuclear proteins, especially the acid-soluble nuclear proteins, represents an important metabolic pathway in transplantable rat tumours1–3. The acid-soluble nuclear proteins obtained from rats injected with L-lysine-U-14C were chromatographed on carboxymethyl-cellulose columns4 after the acid extracts had been dialysed against 0.5 N acetic acid. The cellulose columns (sodium form) had been equilibrated against 0.05 M sodium acetate buffer, pH 4.0. Gradient elution was used with N formic acid followed by 8 N formic acid. All procedures were carried out at 4° C. The resolving power of this method provided specific chromatographic patterns for protein distribution and distribution of radioactivity for the acid-soluble nuclear proteins of the Walker tumour and various tissues of the tumour-bearing rat. The chromatograms of the acid-soluble nuclear proteins from the various non-tumour tissues contained one to three radioactive peaks with relatively low specific activities. The chromatograms of the nuclear extracts of the Walker tumour, and a number of other malignant tumours, contained a radioactive peak which was not found in any of the growing or non-growing4,5 non-tumour tissues studied.
Oxygen toxicity in premature infants.

Oxygen causes tissue injury through the formation of reactive oxygen intermediates and peroxidation of membrane lipids. Premature infants, who have severely reduced antioxidant defenses, are particularly sensitive to the toxic effects of oxygen. Supplemental oxygen in premature infants contributes to the development of chronic lung disease (bronchopulmonary dysplasia), characterized by dysregulated inflammation and altered expression of proteases and growth factors. This can result in fibrosis, asymmetric aeration, and respiratory insufficiency. Oxygen also induces aberrant physiologic responses that can be damaging in premature infants. For example, vasoconstriction in the retina is an early response to oxygen that can lead to vasoobliteration, neovascularization, and retinal traction (retinopathy of prematurity). Increasing knowledge of the mechanisms underlying oxygen toxicity in premature infants has suggested strategies to minimize tissue injury and to optimize long-term medical outcomes. These include limiting oxygen supplementation and light exposure, the use of antiinflammatory agents or antioxidants, and the use of room air in neonatal resuscitation.
Development of an efficient perception system and a path planning algorithm for autonomous mobile robots

The current work deals with the development of enabling technologies for autonomous mobile robots. A perception system, based on a laser range finder sensor, has been developed to enable robots to construct 3-D maps of their surroundings from which projected free configuration space maps are generated. These maps are then used by a computationally efficient path planning algorithm to yield the shortest possible route between the current and the user-defined final position of the robot.
Rapid assay for plasma chlorambucil and phenyl acetic mustard using reversed-phase liquid chromatography

A rapid assay for chlorambucil, a drug used for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and its major metabolite is described. Chromatographic behaviour of the two compounds on two different reversed-phase columns is discussed, as well as the kinetics of their hydrolysis in aqueous medium. The developed analysis can be applied to the determination of the plasma levels of the drug and its metabolite. No sample preparation is required and the spectrophotometric detection affords the sensitivity in the picomole range. Total analysis time is between 10 and 15 min.
On the Hoare theory of monadic recursion schemes

The equational theory of monadic recursion schemes is known to be decidable by the result of Senizergues on the decidability of the problem of DPDA equivalence. In order to capture some properties of the domain of computation, we augment equations with certain hypotheses. This preserves the decidability of the theory, which we call simple implicational theory. The asymptotically fastest algorithm known for deciding the equational theory, and also for deciding the simple implicational theory, has running time that is non-elementary. We therefore consider a restriction of the properties about schemes to check: instead of arbitrary equations f ≡ g between schemes, we focus on propositional Hoare assertions {p}f{q}, where f is a scheme and p, q are tests. Such Hoare assertions have a straightforward encoding as equations. We investigate the Hoare theory of monadic recursion schemes, that is, the set of valid implications whose conclusions are Hoare assertions and whose premises are of a certain simple form. We present a sound and complete Hoare-style calculus for this theory. We also show that the Hoare theory can be decided in exponential time, and that it is complete for this class.
Estrogen replacement therapy and colon cancer: a clinical review.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in women. Studies on the potential protective effect of postmenopausal hormone replacement on the incidence of colon cancer have been co...
Thermal response behavior of boundary-layer flows

This paper presents an approximate, but general, analysis for the thermal response behavior of incompressible, constant property, laminar boundary layer flow over a smooth object of arbitrary shape. It encompasses the classic time-dependent Leveque problem as its special case. Comparisons with available data show that, for fluids with Prandtl number of the order of unity or larger, this analytical solution is able to provide reasonably accurate results for most engineering applications. Under certain restrictive conditions, it can also be used to predict the thermal response of a compressible boundary layer flow.
Measurement-based kilo-voltage beam characterization and dose quantification for radiotherapy image guidance

This study develops a measurement-based approach to characterize the on-board imaging (OBI) system and subsequently perform Monte-Carlo (MC) simulations of imaging dose, independent of manufacturer's specifications. This novel development differentiates the current study from existing MC dosimetry investigations relying on proprietary manufacture's data specifications and rids the difficulty in obtaining and employing such data. The proposed approach consists of an equivalent spectrum module incorporative of intrinsic filtration and an equivalent filter module characterizing the added bowtie filter. Validation studies were performed for a variety of beam energies with both full- and half-bowtie filters. The equivalent spectrum module was validated by evaluating bowtie independence in spectrum estimation. A comparison of quarter value layers (QVLs) derived from full-bowtie spectrum estimations with QVLs determined from half-bowtie measurements and vice versa yielded an estimation-measurement consistency with a discrepancy of less than 2% for all energies evaluated. The end-to-end system was validated by comparing dose distributions from MC simulations based on the measurement-based source/filter model with dose distributions from film measurements for both the full- and half- bowtie scenarios. For all energies evaluated, the average root-mean-square-error (RMSE) is 6.5% for the full-bowtie scenario and 7.05% for the half-bowtie scenario. These results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed method to model the OBI source and filtration components for MC simulations.
How Many Choices Are Good? Measurement of the Effects of Course Choice on Perceptions of a Marketing Option

>> This study examines the effects of amount of choice given students in selecting courses to complete a marketing minor, referred to as a marketing option. It examines how differing levels of choice can affect perceptions of, and feelings about, a marketing option. The course choice process is also explored. The impact of choice on students’ desire for the option depended on the level of interest in the courses available. Perceived value of the marketing option to employers and for student’s future careers was greatest when there was some choice, but not too much. Tests for emotional reactions supported the findings in that they also indicated that choice can be associated with diminishing returns, especially when the choices are not particularly interesting. The results of this study suggest that students do want choice, but within limits, and they do appear to place value on guidance and direction.
Local and Average Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop for Refrigerants Evaporating in Horizontal Tubes

A test facility is described that has been constructed to investigate local heat transfer and pressure drop for evaporating or condensing refrigerants. The empirical method of B. Pierre [1] for correlating the average heat-transfer coefficients of refrigerants evaporating in horizontal tubes is presented in conjunction with the data of several authors [3–6]. Data on local heat-transfer coefficients and pressure drop are presented for Refrigerant-22 evaporating in two 4-ft-long, 0.343-in-ID straight horizontal tubes, and are correlated by a refinement of the curve proposed in [1]. The procedure of Martinelli-Nelson [9] correlated the data for local pressure drop within 15 per cent.
Unique role for the periplakin tail in intermediate filament association: specific binding to keratin 8 and vimentin

Plectin, desmoplakin, and the 230-kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen (BPAG1), members of the plakin family of proteins, are multifunctional cytolinkers, connecting the cytoskeletal structures to the cell adhesion complexes. Envoplakin and periplakin are components of the cornified envelope, but less is known about their role in tissues other than the stratified epithelium. Our tissue-wide survey utilizing RT-PCR revealed that periplakin, like plectin and desmoplakin, has a wide tissue distribution, but envoplakin expression is limited to certain tissues only, and BPAG1 is clearly specific for epidermal keratinocytes. Plectin, desmoplakin and BPAG1 are known to bind to the intermediate filaments through their C-terminal domains. The short C-terminal domain of periplakin is composed only of the linker domain, a region highly homologous between the plakin proteins. Here we demonstrate, through the use of yeast two-hybrid assay, a specific interaction of the periplakin linker domain with keratin 8 and vimentin. Co-expression of each plakin linker domain with keratin 8 revealed that periplakin and BPAG1 linkers co-localize with keratin signals in HaCaT cells, plectin and desmoplakin linkers were detected both in the nucleus and in cytoplasm together with the overexpressed keratin 8, while envoplakin linker localized independently into the nucleus. These results suggest that, in spite of its high homology and structural similarity with envoplakin, periplakin is functionally closer to the well-characterized plakin proteins plectin and desmoplakin, and thus may function tissue-wide as a scaffolding protein in intermediate filament assembly.
Multiple reflections in the theory of the Faraday effect

Abstract In the case of the transmission of linearly polarized light, of angular frequency ω, through a single medium, surrounded by vacuum on both sides, Donovan and Medcalf have given an exact treatment of multiple reflections in the theory of the Faraday effect. For the purpose of treating transmission through more complicated systems, Piller showed that, for ω c c is the cyclotron frequency), the problem is amenable to a simpler analysis. In the case of thin samples, we have been able to obtain simple analytic results expressing the multiple reflection rotation as a simple multiple of the single-pass result. In particular, we show that the two models are in disagreement for the case of weak absorption in thin samples. We also present a generalization of the Donovan-Medcalf results to the case of three distinct media.
Constructive benchmarking for placement

In the last 20 years, mainstream research in VLSI placement has been driven by formal optimization and the ad hoc requirement that downstream tools, particularly routers, work. Progress is currently measured by improving routed wirelength and place-and-route run-time on large benchmarks. However, these results now appear questionable as (i) major placers were shown to be tuned to particular benchmark suites, and (ii) some reported improvements could not be replicated on full-fledged industrial circuits.Instead of blind wirelength minimization, our work seeks a better understanding of what a good placer should produce and what existing placers actually produce. We abstract away details from various circuit patterns into separate "constructive benchmarks" and perform a detailed study of leading placers. Unlike the randomized PEKO benchmarks, ours are highly structured and easy to visualize. We know all of their wirelength-optimal solutions, and in many cases there is only one per benchmark. By comparing actual solutions to optimal ones, we reason about the underlying placer algorithms and their possible improvements.In a new development, we show that the (wirelength) sub-optimality ratio of several existing placers quickly grows with the size of the netlist. Some of the reasons for such poor performance are obvious from our visualizations. While it seems easy to coerce a given placer to improve wirelength on any particular constructive benchmark, improving the overall performance is more difficult. We improve the performance of Capo placer on several constructive benchmarks and a proprietary 72K-cell circuit from IBM, without wirelength penalty on commonly used benchmarks.
Using ATM for a Campus-Scale Wireless Internet

This paper reviews the problem of routing in a wireless internet, and discusses a plan that combines wireless network technology with high-speed A synchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switching technology. The combination provides a wireless communication system with sufficient aggregate bandwidth to handle both data transfers and routing updates for a university sized network. More importantly, this paper details why wireless communication is a particularly difficult problem on a university campus, and describes a routing update mechanzsm that can scale to routing on a large campus.
The Mössbauer Effect and Some Applications in Materials Research

A brief introduction to the Mossbauer effect is presented. The hyperfine interactions associated with the electric monopole, magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments of the nuclear states involved in the Mossbauer transition are described. Their use in materials research is illustrated through examples dealing with phase analysis, binary solubility, defect interaction and surface properties.
Medical Students’ Use of the Stages of Change Model in Tobacco Cessation Counseling

Many medical schools have incorporated the Stages of Change Model into their curricula with specific application to tobacco cessation. This study examined the extent to which medical students were prepared to provide stage-based interventions to treat nicotine dependence. Using a quasi-experimental design, medical students’ counseling interactions were evaluated with a standardized patient portraying a smoker in either the precontemplation or preparation stage of change. Participants were 147 third-year medical students at the University of California, San Francisco. Checklists completed by standardized patients evaluated students’ clinical performance. Surveys administered before and after the encounters assessed students’ knowledge, attitudes, confidence and previous experience with treating smoking. Most students asked about tobacco use (89%), advised patients of the health benefits of quitting (74%), and assessed the patient’s readiness to quit (76%). The students were more likely to prescribe medications and offer referrals to patients in the preparation than in the precontemplation stage of change (P < 0.001); however, many students had difficulty identifying patients ready to quit, and few encouraged patients to set a quit date or arranged follow-up to assess progress. Students’ tobacco-related knowledge, but not their attitudes, confidence, or previous experience predicted their clinical performance. The findings indicated evidence of students tailoring their counseling strategies to the patients’ stage of change; however, they still could do more to assist their patients in quitting. Additional training and integration of cessation counseling into clinical rotations are needed.
A hierarchy of neuromechanical and robotic models of antenna-based wall following in cockroaches

It may come as no surprise that a simple "planar unicycle" (or "skate") model can successfully follow a wall at high speed under PD-control. What would be surprising is that such a simple control mechanism may underly the control of one of nature's fastest terrestrial insects, the American cockroach. For this paper, we implemented the same controller (up to scale) believed to govern cockroach wall following to successfully control two models of the cockroach: a differential-drive mobile robot with a flexible artificial antenna and a lateral leg spring model with moving center of pressure as the control input. These physical and numerical experiments demonstrate the sufficiency of the cockroach's putative controller in a real-world setting with unmodeled effects, and suggest how the nervous system might guide leg placement in response to sensory stimuli. This hierarchy of models may prove useful in generating prescriptive hypotheses for biological testing and hence elucidating the general principles that underly sensor-guided animal locomotion.
Percussive Augmenter of Rotary Drills (PARoD)

Increasingly, NASA exploration mission objectives include sample acquisition tasks for in-situ analysis or for potential sample return to Earth. To address the requirements for samplers that could be operated at the conditions of the various bodies in the solar system, a piezoelectric actuated percussive sampling device was developed that requires low preload (as low as 10N) which is important for operation at low gravity. This device can be made as light as 400g, can be operated using low average power, and can drill rocks as hard as basalt. Significant improvement of the penetration rate was achieved by augmenting the hammering action by rotation and use of a fluted bit to provide effective cuttings removal. Generally, hammering is effective in fracturing drilled media while rotation of fluted bits is effective in cuttings removal. To benefit from these two actions, a novel configuration of a percussive mechanism was developed to produce an augmenter of rotary drills. The device was called Percussive Augmenter of Rotary Drills (PARoD). A breadboard PARoD was developed with a 6.4 mm (0.25 in) diameter bit and was demonstrated to increase the drilling rate of rotation alone by 1.5 to over 10 times. Further, a large PARoD breadboard with 50.8 mm diameter bit was developed and its tests are currently underway. This paper presents the design, analysis and preliminary test results of the percussive augmenter.
Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Educational Intervention to Train Pediatric Residents on Caring for Children With Special Health Care Needs

Objective. To evaluate an innovative curriculum meeting new pediatric residency education guidelines, Special Care Optimization for Patients and Education (SCOPE). Methods. Residents were randomized to intervention (n = 23) or control (n = 25) groups. Intervention residents participated in SCOPE, pairing them with a child with special health care needs (CSHCN) and faculty mentor to make a home visit, complete care coordination toolkits, and participate in case discussions. The primary outcome was resident self-efficacy in nine skills in caring for CSHCN. Secondary outcomes included curriculum feasibility/acceptance, resident attitudes, and family satisfaction. Results. Response rates were ≥65%. Intervention residents improved in their self-efficacy for setting patient-centered goals compared with controls (mean change on 4-point Likert-type scale, 1.36 vs 0.56, P < .05). SCOPE was feasible/acceptable, residents had improved attitudes toward CSHCN, and families reported high satisfaction. Conclusion. SCOPE...
Maturation-Dependent Acquired Coronary Structural Alterations and Atherogenesis in the Dahl Sodium-Sensitive Hypertensive Rat

Background— The Dahl sodium-sensitive hypertensive rat exhibits atherogenic lesions after the initiation of a high-sodium/high-fat diet. This study was designed to gauge the effect of a preadolescent high-fat diet on the postadolescent rate of atherogenesis after supplementation of the diet with sodium. Methods and Results— Fifty-three Dahl S male rats were assigned to 2 dietary groups for the postweaning to early adolescence period (3 to 12 weeks): 29 to a standard diet (low-fat/low-sodium) and 24 to a high-fat/low-sodium diet. At age 9 weeks (just after puberty), animals from the high-fat group exhibited a relatively diminished density of coronary elastic fibers. There was no evidence of either lipid or monocytic infiltration of the subendothelial space. At age 12 weeks, most or all of the remaining animals in both groups were switched to a high-sodium/high-fat diet and were sampled through the following 8 weeks for the appearance of arterial lipid. After the switch, the high-fat–conditioned animals dev...
Information and communications technology use in British unions

Purpose – Aims to review British labour union leaders’ views on the use and importance of information and communications technology (ICT) within their unions.Design/methodology/approach – An open‐ended e‐mail survey and personal interviews conducted in 2000‐2001 with union leaders provides the primary original data for this research. Responses are content analysed to assess the importance leaders assign to ICT for unions, to review the ways in which ICT is used, and the costs and benefits associated with ICT use. Charts and verbatim quotes are used to summarise respondents’ views. These views are compared and contrasted with data from the USA.Findings – Union leaders were generally enthusiastic about the importance of ICT for unions, citing various examples of ICT‐based benefits to their unions. Some, however, expressed reservations about members’ access to ICT and potential “digital divides”, while others warned that ICT may encourage unions to neglect worker desires for “a human touch” in helping them r...
Humoral defense mechanisms in cryptococcosis: substances in normal human serum, saliva, and cerebrospinal fluid affecting the growth of Cryptococcus neoformans.

In view of its relatively low virulence for humans Cryptococcus neoformans is considered an opportunistic fungus. Because of its widespread distribution in nature (Emmons, 1951; Muchmore et al, 1963) and the frequent association of cryptococcosis with chronic debilitation (Littman and Zimmerman, 1956), it has been postulated that the virulence of C. neoformans is related chiefly to variations in host resistance. This paper is concerned with studies of the nature of humoral growth-promoting and inhibiting substances affecting this organism and with their significance in relation to natural resistance and tissue predilection in cryptococcosis. METHODS The organism employed in these experiments was isolated at necropsy from a fatal case of human cryptococcosis. Sabouraud's broth (1*^ neopeptone, 2070 glucose) was used as nutrient medium and either Sorensen's phosphate buffer (0.006 M, pH 7.4) or 0.85^o sodium chloride as non-nutrient medium.
Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidation Reactions: Comparison of Benzoquinone and Molecular Oxygen as Stoichiometric Oxidants

Palladium-catalyzed oxidation reactions are among the most diverse methods available for the selective oxidation of organic molecules, and benzoquinone is one of the most widely used terminal oxidants for these reactions. Over the past decade, however, numerous reactions have been reported that utilize molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant. This chapter outlines the fundamental reactivity of benzoquinone and molecular oxygen with palladium(0) and their catalyst reoxidation mechanisms. The chemical similarities between benzoquinone and dioxygen are reinforced by catalytic reactions that undergo successful catalytic turnover with either or both of these oxidants. The results highlight substantial opportunities for the development of new aerobic oxidation reactions.