cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TH‐E‐BRE‐03: A Novel Method to Account for Ion Chamber Volume Averaging Effect in a Commercial Treatment Planning System Through Convolution

Purpose: Fourier-based deconvolution approaches used to eliminate ion chamber volume averaging effect (VAE) suffer from measurement noise. This work aims to investigate a novel method to account for ion chamber VAE through convolution in a commercial treatment planning system (TPS). Methods: Beam profiles of various field sizes and depths of an Elekta Synergy were collected with a finite size ion chamber (CC13) to derive a clinically acceptable beam model for a commercial TPS (Pinnacle{sup 3}), following the vendor-recommended modeling process. The TPS-calculated profiles were then externally convolved with a Gaussian function representing the chamber (σ = chamber radius). The agreement between the convolved profiles and measured profiles was evaluated with a one dimensional Gamma analysis (1%/1mm) as an objective function for optimization. TPS beam model parameters for focal and extra-focal sources were optimized and loaded back into the TPS for new calculation. This process was repeated until the objective function converged using a Simplex optimization method. Planar dose of 30 IMRT beams were calculated with both the clinical and the re-optimized beam models and compared with MapCHEC™ measurements to evaluate the new beam model. Results: After re-optimization, the two orthogonal source sizes for the focal source reduced from 0.20/0.16 cmmore » to 0.01/0.01 cm, which were the minimal allowed values in Pinnacle. No significant change in the parameters for the extra-focal source was observed. With the re-optimized beam model, average Gamma passing rate for the 30 IMRT beams increased from 92.1% to 99.5% with a 3%/3mm criterion and from 82.6% to 97.2% with a 2%/2mm criterion. Conclusion: We proposed a novel method to account for ion chamber VAE in a commercial TPS through convolution. The reoptimized beam model, with VAE accounted for through a reliable and easy-to-implement convolution and optimization approach, outperforms the original beam model in standard IMRT QA verification.« less
Fractal techniques and the surface roughness of talus slopes

Linear plots of log N against log G, where N is the number of steps of length G to span a transit, are conventionally used as evidence that geomorphic surfaces are self-similar fractals (i.e. the surfaces have a constant fractal dimension). In this study 42 transits on talus slope surfaces in Niagara and Letchworth Gorges, western New York, are investigated to ascertain whether they are self-similar. Log N-log G plots, which r2 values in excess of 0·99 suggest are linear, are found upon more rigorous testing to be curvilinear. It is concluded that the talus slope surfaces are not self-similar, and that log N-log G plots are relatively insensitive to departures from self-similarity. The curvilinearity of the log N-log G plots is explained with the aid of a randomized square-wave model of the talus slope surfaces. This model is used to extend the range of measurement beyond that which was possible in the empirical analysis. The negative of the gradient of the log N -log G relation at a point is the fractal dimension D. Measurements made upon the randomized square-wave model indicate that the relation between D and scale of measurement has an asymmetrical wave shape with a peak (i.e. maximum D) where the scale of measurement is equal to the characteristic scale of roughness. In other words the value of D for a surface is not absolute but depends on the scale of measurement relative to the scale of roughness. Linear regression analysis reveals that at the scale of measurement employed in this study, D is positively correlated with particle size. This is because the values of D fall on the right-hand tail of the wave-shaped relation between D and scale of measurement. Transects (normal to the direction of slope) are found to have higher values of D than profiles (parallel to the direction of slope), and this is explained in terms of particle orientation, shape, and juxtaposition. Because D varies continuously with scale of measurement, there are considerable difficulties in using it to characterize and compare the surface roughness of talus slopes. Generalizing from talus slopes to other ground surfaces, it is evident that to the extent that any natural ground surface has a characteristic scale of roughness, it will depart from self-similarity, and D should be used with caution in quantifying the roughness of the surface. Geomorphologists are therefore urged to be more rigorous in their testing of self-similarity before employing D to characterize surface roughness.
New Approaches to Gender, Class, and Race in Second Language Writing.

Abstract Gender, class, and race are constitutive elements essential to writers’ agency and identity. However, these categories are not typically paid substantial attention in second language writing as well as in the larger field of second language acquisition and bilingual development, although issues of gender have been explored to a greater extent than the other two categories. This article summarizes constructivist and poststructuralist approaches to gender discussed recently in the larger field of second language learning and applies key concepts to issues of gender, class, and race in second language writing as well as interrelations among them. Recent discussions on gender and language have problematized fixed understandings of the gender binary in relation to language use. They have explored how gendered use of language is socially and discursively constructed and how gender, language, power, and discourse are related to each other in dynamic and transformative ways. It is suggested that new approaches to gender, class, and race be dialectic in that they should both explore differences between social categories in a non-essentialist way and expose discourse and power relations that are embodied in these differences. Future research agendas on gender, class, and race in second language writing that incorporate these approaches are suggested.
Virtual mirror for augmented presence applications

We propose a method for overlaying CG elements onto real indoor scenes, without making a viewer wear special display devices, such as HMDs or monocles. The Virtual Mirror utilizes a computer display that operates in a mirror mode. It can be mounted on a wall or on a desktop, providing wide-angle viewing of the augmented scene.
Indecainide for treatment of ventricular ectopic depolarizations: Efficacy, pharmacokinetics, hemodynamic effects and safety☆

Abstract Ten patients were treated with oral indecainide for frequent ventricular ectopic depolarizations during a short-term, dose-ranging, single blind inpatient trial followed by open label long-term therapy for 2 years. During dose ranging, patients received placebo followed by 50, 75 and 103 mg of indecainide three times daily. Eight of the 10 patients achieved ≥80% reduction in ventricular ectopic depolarizations during inpatient therapy. Mean ventricular ectopic depolarizations decreased from 15,792/24 h to 2,357/24 h on optimal dosage (p No adverse hemodynamic effects of indecainide were detected. Side effects during short-term therapy were mild and did not require discontinuation of the drug. Efficacy was maintained for some patients during long-term therapy for 2 years, although five patients discontinued therapy because of loss of efficacy or side effects. Indecainide is a highly effective and well tolerated antiarrhythmic drug for suppression of frequent and repetitive ventricular ectopic depolarizations.
The application of fractal dimension to temporomandibular joint sounds

Abstract Researchers have attempted to use mathematical analysis of the sounds produced by symptomatic temporomandibular joints (TMJ) as a diagnostic modality. However, previous studies have generally concluded that such analyses have little diagnostic utility. Previous studies using Fourier transforms and visual inspection were of limited success. This paper reports the results of a preliminary retrospective study using fractal analysis to analyze sounds produced by symptomatic temporomandibular joints previously diagnosed using other clinical modalites as having internal derangements with reducing discs. Multiple mandibular opening and closing cycles were recorded in four subjects. The study revealed that fractal analysis produced a high degree of reproducibility within, and similarity across subjects. The fractual dimension associated with joints having this pathology was found to be 1.266, revealing that fractal analysis shows promise as a noninvasive method for diagnosing interarticular TMJ pathology.
Genodermatoses with malignant potential.

Genodermatoses with malignant potential often manifest cutaneous findings as the presenting feature (Table 1). In most cases, the diagnosis can be made by clinical criteria or genetic testing. Prompt diagnosis is critical to initiate appropriate screening for malignancy.
Peripheral Venoconstriction in Human Congestive Heart Failure

A method for measuring venous "tone" in the limb segment of man in vivo was used to study the problem of cardiac decompensation. Venoconstriction was present in patients with heart failure and it tended to remit as the patients improved.
Styles of play in immersive and interactive story: case studies from a gallery installation of AR Façade

In this paper, we offer an empirical investigation of AR Facade, an Immersive and Interactive Story where players interact with an animated married couple through an augmented reality (AR) interface that allows for unconstrained body movement and speech communication. We conducted a "mixed-method" in-depth analysis of thirty-three players during a gallery installation of the experience and identified five emergent "styles of play". We present qualitative case studies to illustrate the diverse behavior of participants and then we analyze quantitative differences that can lead to improved player modeling. Like prior work on play types in other media environments, our work elucidates the range of behaviors that can emerge in immersive and interactive stories.
Variability in migration timing of adult Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) in the Columbia River, U.S.A.

We examined the effects of river environment on the timing of spawning migrations by anadromous Pacific lamprey, Lampetra tridentata, in the Columbia River (U.S.A.). In a 41-year time series of adult lamprey counts, migration timing was earliest in warm, low-discharge years and latest in cold, high-flow years. Threshold temperatures associated with run timing were similar throughout the dataset despite significant impoundment-related warming, suggesting that temperature-dependent migration cues have been temporally stable. Within each year, migration rates of PIT-tagged lampreys were positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with discharge through multiple river reaches, offering additional evidence for environmental control of upstream movement. Both visual count and PIT-tag data indicated that there may be population-based differences in migration timing within the aggregate Columbia River lamprey run. These life history and behavioral results have potentially far-reaching implications for management of lamprey species.
Gnathologic assessment of centric slides in postretention orthodontic patients

After 2 weeks of "deprogramming" with an occlusal splint, 92 subjects with a history of comprehensive orthodontic therapy had an average centric slide that was comparable not only to that of an untreated control group, but also to equivalent estimates reported in the literature. It is suggested that for modern man a CO-CR difference may be a normal, physiologically significant by-product of the nature and pattern of mandibular function and the tooth attachment mechanism. Moderate changes in the magnitude of a given patient's centric slide would therefore be expected to regress, not to the population mean, but rather to the CO-CR difference that was present before treatment.
Citrate Synthase of Plants: Sensitivity to Sulfhydryl Reagents and Molecular Weight of the Enzyme

Citrate synthase of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.), and a marine blue-green alga (Coccochloris elabens) is inhibited by sulfhydryl binding reagents. The inhibitions are partially reversed by dithiothreitol. Pig heart citrate synthase is only slightly inhibited by the same reagents and this is completely reversed by dithiothreitol. All citrate synthases in this study are inhibited by adenosine triphosphate. The inhibition is relieved by increasing the concentration of acetyl coenzyme A. Citrate synthase of wheat, cauliflower, bean, and pig heart was estimated by gel filtration to have a molecular weight of 100,000 daltons. The Coccochloris citrate synthase was estimated to have a molecular weight greater than 250,000 daltons. The evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed. This enzyme is comparable in size to the 100,000 dalton mammalian enzyme (Singh et al. 1970) making it somewhat larger than the 65,000 dalton mango enzyme (Srere et al. 1971). The PHMB-treated enzyme also shows changes in its electrophoretic properties (Greenblatt and Sarkissian unpublished). The evidence presented here demonstrates that citrate synthase of various plants is sensitive to sulfhydryl reagents suggesting that sulfhydryl reactivity is a not unusual property of plant citrate synthase. In addition we show that molecular weight as large as or larger than that reported in microbial systems can occur in a blue-green alga.
Two New Volumes of Darwin’s Work: Essay Review

James D. Watson, ed., Darwin: The Indelible Stamp: The Evolution of an Idea, with commentary by James D. Watson (Philadelphia/London: Running Press, 2005), xiv + 1260 pp., illus., S29.95 (cloth); Edward O. Wilson, ed., From So Simple a Beginning: The Four Great Books of Charles Darwin: The Voyage of the Beagle; On the Origin of Species; The Descent of Man; The Expression of the Emotions in Man and the Ani? mals, with introductions and commentary by Edward O. Wilson (New York/London: W. W. Norton, 2006), xiii + 1706 pp., illus., $39.95 (cloth, boxed).
Connective tissue activation. xxxi. identification of two molecular forms of a human mesenchymal cell—derived growth factor, connective tissue activating peptide—V

We previously identified, in normal urine, a growth factor that stimulated monolayer cultures of human synovial, cartilage, and dermal fibroblasts to synthesize incremental amounts of hyaluronic acid, proteoglycans, and DNA. An isolation procedure guided by bioassays and immunologic methods disclosed 2 anionic bioactive polypeptides with Mr of 28,000 and 16,000, respectively, as judged by single bands with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in reduced and nonreduced samples. Rabbit antibodies raised against each purified protein were shown to react, on immunodiffusion and Western blot, with both antigens. Immunohistochemical and immunobinding studies detected the protein in normal human synovial, dermal, and cartilage fibroblasts and in human saphenous vein endothelial cells. The mesenchymal cell-derived growth factor is now designated connective tissue activating peptide-V (CTAP-V). Monospecific polyclonal anti-CTAP-V antibodies were used in a radial immunodiffusion assay for quantitative determination of the antigen in biologic fluids. In normal human plasma the concentration of CTAP-V was below the limit of detection. The CTAP-V concentration in normal urine was 4.5 +/- 2.0 micrograms/ml, calculated from measurements of 5-18-fold concentrated samples. Joint fluid from patients with rheumatic diseases and normal renal function had CTAP-V levels similar to those found in plasma; 2-15-fold increases were detected in plasma and joint fluid of patients with chronic renal failure. Immunodiffusion or dot-blot analysis revealed a CTAP-V-like material in the plasma or serum of 10 mammalian species. It was not detectable in 2 avian species.
A Constitutive Model for Blended Yarn Extension with Fragmented Low-Elongation Fibers

A simple micromechanical model is developed for the interactions in a parallel square-stacked mixed array of elastic fibers representing the microstructure of a blended yarn undergoing axial extension. The mixed array consists of a small fraction of relatively high modulus, low elongation-to-break (LE) fibers dispersed among high elongation-to-break ((HE) fibers. The LE fibers are assumed to break into fragments, and the LE fiber fragments are assumed to slip relative to neighboring fibers in regions near the fragment tips. The fiber array experiences lateral compression arising from the remote tension on the twisted yarn, and frictional forces acting at slipping fiber-to-fiber contact surfaces are assumed to obey Amontons' law. Solutions of a dimensionless boundary value problem for deformations in a unit cell of the fiber array are presented. Dimensionless parameters involving the constituent LE and HE fiber properties are identified and their influence on blended yarn tensile behavior is illustrated.
Trophic Complexity and the Adaptive Value of Damage-Induced Plant Volatiles

Indirect plant defenses are those facilitating the action of carnivores in ridding plants of their herbivorous consumers, as opposed to directly poisoning or repelling them. Of the numerous and diverse indirect defensive strategies employed by plants, inducible volatile production has garnered the most fascination among plant-insect ecologists. These volatile chemicals are emitted in response to feeding by herbivorous arthropods and serve to guide predators and parasitic wasps to their prey. Implicit in virtually all discussions of plant volatile-carnivore interactions is the premise that plants “call for help” to bodyguards that serve to boost plant fitness by limiting herbivore damage. This, by necessity, assumes a three-trophic level food chain where carnivores benefit plants, a theoretical framework that is conceptually tractable and convenient, but poorly depicts the complexity of food-web dynamics occurring in real communities. Recent work suggests that hyperparasitoids, top consumers acting from the fourth trophic level, exploit the same plant volatile cues used by third trophic level carnivores. Further, hyperparasitoids shift their foraging preferences, specifically cueing in to the odor profile of a plant being damaged by a parasitized herbivore that contains their host compared with damage from an unparasitized herbivore. If this outcome is broadly representative of plant-insect food webs at large, it suggests that damage-induced volatiles may not always be beneficial to plants with major implications for the evolution of anti-herbivore defense and manipulating plant traits to improve biological control in agricultural crops.
The IBM 3850: A mass storage system with disk characteristics

The IBM 3850 is a hierarchical storage system that provides capacities of up to 472 billion bytes and offers disk-access capabilities by use of a virtual direct-access storage concept. The architecture of the system is described in terms of control and data flow within the mass storage system (MSS). An example of tape/disk I/O work load on a current system is analyzed to indicate the data-transfer demand that the major interfaces in the MSS storage hierarchy would face as part of determining an appropriate configuration. The systems control and techniques of space management are also outlined.
Alcohol and Wife Abuse The Effect of Alcohol on Attributions of Blame for Wife Abuse

This study attempted to determine the effects of husband and wife intoxication on attributions of blame in a wife abuse incident. Participants read case history or newspaper accounts of a violent incident in which either, both, or neither spouse was intoxicated While the majority of blame was assigned to the husband, apparent drunkenness of the spouses influenced participants' attributions. When the husband was drunk, relatively more blame was assigned to situational factors and less to him. In contrast, when the wife was intoxicated, she received more blame than when she was sober.
Elemental composition and morphology of individual particles separated by size and hygroscopicity with the TDMA

Abstract Particles from the Minneapolis atmosphere were segregated according to hygroscopicity using a tandem differential mobility analyzer (TDMA) and collected with a specially designed aerodynamic focusing impactor for elemental analysis. Areal deposit densities obtained using the focusing impactor are up to a factor of 100 greater than those obtained using a conventional single-jet impactor, thereby reducing required sampling times by the same factor. A Philips CM30 scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) equipped with an EDAX super ultra-thin-window detector was used to analyze for carbon and heavier elements. For the limited sample of 0.3–0.4 μm summertime aerosols examined in this study, less hygroscopic particles included chain agglomerates (∼ 55%), irregular shapes (∼ 33%), spheres and flakes (
Using a personal computer as a real-time multitasking controller

Abstract It is shown that an IBM PC, or compatible personal computer, can perform the functions of a programmable controller, sensing the state of input devices and controlling output devices in real time. In emulating a programmable controller, the computer must cycle indefinitely through a given set of instruction at a fast rate. This function can be accomplished with a control program written in Turbo Pascal. A specific control application is discussed.
Decomposition of aspirin in polyethylene glycols.

Decomposition of aspirin in polyethylene glycols was studied at four temperatures. The decomposition proceeded as a pseudo-first-order reaction at these temperatures. Different molecular weights of polyethylene glycol did not affect the reaction rate. It is shown that decomposition of aspirin in polyethylene glycols is due to a transesterification reaction. The effect of temperature on decomposition rate was found to be significant, and an Arrhenius plot is shown.
The space for case

The psychological validity of Fillmore's (1971b) theory of case grammar was tested in two experiments. Experiment I used a concept-identification task to see if subjects could learn to recognize case-relations of nouns. Different rates of learning were found for four cases: Agent was easiest to learn, followed by Experiencer, Instrument, and Object. Scaling of confusion data revealed a two-feature cognitive structure for the “psychological” case system: living versus nonliving and active versus passive. Experiment II used a running recognition task to see if the predicate structure of verbs is a salient factor in encoding and long-term storage of sentences. Confusability of sentences was primarily a function of the similarity between the predicate structures of their main verbs. Three models for the access and comparison of sentential information were proposed and tested against the data. The best-fitting model assumed similarity of encoded sentences in memory to be a function of the similarity between the predicate structures of their main verbs, rather than surface or “logical” grammatical functions of their nouns.
ADECO full-face tunnel excavation of two 260 m2 tubes in clays with sub-horizontal jet-grouting under minimal urban cover

Abstract With a cover of 5–30 m, a 260 m2 cross-sectional area, and a 4-m wide pillar, the Cassia twin road tunnels underpass Cassia road (main road to/from Rome), the remnants of a 2000 year-old Roman villa, and two existing tunnels. Stiff silty clay dominates the alignment. According to the Analysis of Controlled DEformations (ADECO) principles, each tube was excavated full face to 260 m2. Compared to Sequential Excavation Method (SEM), this highly simplifies construction, leads to construction industrialization, and allows for full control of the ground ahead of the face, which is used as a stabilization measure. In order to pre-confine the tunnel core, Trevi roto-injection technique was used to create an umbrella of overlapping sub-horizontal reinforced jet-grouting columns ahead of the face, while avoiding up heave of the ground or emptying of the columns. Stiff preliminary lining sitting on sub-horizontal jet-grouting columns, final invert close to the tunnel face, and final lining no more than 50 m behind the face ensured that the pre-confinement ahead of the tunnel face became effective confinement around the cavity. The tunnels were finished on schedule and within budget with a mere 1 cm of settlement.
Flammability resistance synergism in BPA polycarbonate–silicone block polymers

The synergism in limiting oxygen index found in BPA carbonate–dimethylsiloxane block polymers (BPAC/DMS) is correlated with a rise in yield of pyrolytic char and an improvement in char oxidation resistance. These changes in turn are related to a peaking of fractional silicon retention in the char at a resin composition of 50 mole % DMS. This behavior, the fine dispersion of silicon in the char, and analyses of the pyrolysates suggest that an important feature of char formation in the block polymers is a polycondensation reaction between pyrolysis products from the two blocks. In addition to the role of chars in withholding fuel from the flame, they are thought to function effectively as thermal insulators.
Searching Emergent Vocabularies: Exploring Methods to Reduce Cognitive Load during Web Navigation and Resource Contribution

This paper presents a differential usage study of a web-based resource database that provides both search and associative browsing functionality. The associative browsing is based on emergent meta-data: meta-data that is derived from the terms that users associate with resources they have contributed to the system. We argue that this approach provides a low cognitive load information seeking mechanism, and can also reduce the effort required by the user to enter meta-data when contributing resources. In this paper we concentrate on a three-month study of student librarians using the system, with analysis of their activities and other data collected by questionnaire. The results suggest that associative browsing was at least as popular as search, and that providing perspectives on emerging meta-data during the contribution process may have helped the community self-organize a vocabulary.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: Prevention and treatment strategies

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major dose limiting side effect of many commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, including platinum drugs, taxanes, epothilones and vinca alkaloids, and also newer agents such as bortezomib and lenolidamide. Symptom control studies have been conducted looking at ways to prevent or alleviate established CIPN. This manuscript provides a review of studies directed at both of these areas. New evidence strongly suggests that intravenous calcium and magnesium therapy can attenuate the development of oxaliplatin-induced CIPN, without reducing treatment response. Accumulating data suggest that vitamin E may also attenuate the development of CIPN, but more data regarding its efficacy and safety should be obtained prior to its general use in patients. Other agents that look promising in preliminary studies, but need substantiation, include glutamine, glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, oxcarbazepine, and xaliproden. Effective treatment of established CIPN, however, has yet to be found. Lastly, paclitaxel causes a unique acute pain syndrome which has been hypothesised to be caused by neurologic injury. No drugs, to date, have been proven to prevent this toxicity.
Characterization of Ribosomal RNA Synthesis in a Gene Dosage Mutant: The Relationship of Topoisomerase I and Chromatin Structure to Transcriptional Activity

The genes encoding 18S, 5.8S, and 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) are tandemly repeated at the nucleolus organizer region (NOR). The NORs in the chicken map to one pair of microchromosomes. A line of chickens that contains individuals that are either disomic, trisomic, or tetrasomic for this chromosome, and have two, three, or four nucleoli and NORs, per cell, respectively, has been described previously. Aneuploid animals display a proportional increase in the rRNA gene copy number per cell. But, despite an increase in rDNA dosage, the levels of mature rRNA are regulated to normal levels in cells from aneuploid chickens (Muscarella, D.E., V.M. Vogt, and S.E. Bloom, 1985, J. Cell Biol., 101:1749-1756). This paper addresses the question of how regulation of mature rRNA synthesis occurs in cells with elevated levels of rDNA. An analysis of rRNA transcription in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) revealed that the relative rates of rRNA synthesis and processing and the amounts of precursor rRNA per cell are similar for all three genotypes. A comparison of chromatin structure, as determined by sensitivity of rDNA in nuclei from CEFs to digestion by DNase I, revealed that some of the rRNA genes from aneuploid cells are more resistant to digestion than corresponding sequences in the disomic cells. A determination of the distribution of topoisomerase I on rDNA has also been performed using the compound camptothecin, which introduces single- and double-strand breaks in topoisomerase-DNA complexes. Quantitation of camptothecin-induced cleavages revealed that a larger proportion of the rRNA genes in aneuploid cells was resistant to cleavage than in disomic cells, and therefore have no detectable amounts of topoisomerase I. These results suggest that the regulation of rRNA synthesis in CEFs with elevated levels of rDNA is achieved by the use of a subset of the rRNA genes.
An investigation of performance, productivity, and rationality in multi-criteria decision making

The outcomes of multicriteria decisions are evaluated in terms of three distinct but interrelated measures: decision performance, decision-making productivity, and decision-maker rationality. Depending on whether subjects considered all of the criteria in their decisions or eliminated at least one, two groups of decision-makers emerged, called noneliminators, and eliminators. Their productivity was measured in terms of time and cognitive effort. The results indicate that eliminators consistently outperformed the noneliminators and had consistently higher confidence ratings as the number of alternatives increased. Noneliminators were significantly more productive timewise than eliminators. The degree of difference increased as the number of alternatives increased. Conversely, eliminators were significantly more productive in terms of cognitive effort, but the magnitude of the differences decreased drastically with increased alternatives. >
Parathyroid hormone-related peptide delays terminal differentiation of chondrocytes during endochondral bone development.

To test the hypothesis that PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) is a paracrine regulator of endochondral bone development, we localized PTHrP and its cognate receptor during normal skeletal development at both messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels and compared the growth plate phenotypes of PTHrP-deficient [(PTHrP(-/-)] mice to those of normal littermates [PTHrP(+/+]. PTHrP mRNA was expressed adjacent to uncavitated joints, in the perichondrium of long bones and to a lower level in proliferating chondrocytes. In contrast, PTHrP protein was most evident at the interface of proliferating and hypertrophic zones, where it colocalized with PTH/PTHrP receptor mRNA and protein. Most strikingly, the proliferating zone was dramatically shorter in PTHrP(-/-) cartilage, although the percentage of cells in S-phase of the cell cycle in the proliferating zone was indistinguishable between PTHrP(+/+) and PTHrP(-/-) mice. Terminal differentiation of chondrocytes, which was characterized by cell hypertrophy, apoptosis (DNA frag...
Muscle disuse alters skeletal muscle contractile function at the molecular and cellular levels in older adult humans in a sex-specific manner

Physical inactivity that accompanies ageing and disease may hasten disability by reducing skeletal muscle contractility. To characterize skeletal muscle functional adaptations to muscle disuse, we compared contractile performance at the molecular, cellular and whole‐muscle levels in healthy active older men and women (n = 15) and inactive older men and women with advanced‐stage, symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) (n = 16). OA patients showed reduced (P < 0.01) knee extensor function. At the cellular level, single muscle fibre force production was reduced in OA patients in myosin heavy chain (MHC) I and IIA fibres (both P < 0.05) and differences in IIA fibres persisted after adjustments for fibre cross‐sectional area (P < 0.05). Although no group differences in contractile velocity or power output were found for any fibre type, sex was found to modify the effect of OA, with a reduction in MHC IIA power output and a trend towards reduced shortening velocity in women, but increases in both variables in men (P < 0.05 and P = 0.07, respectively). At the molecular level, these adaptations in MHC IIA fibre function were explained by sex‐specific differences (P ≤ 0.05) in myosin–actin cross‐bridge kinetics. Additionally, cross‐bridge kinetics were slowed in MHC I fibres in OA patients (P < 0.01), attributable entirely to reductions in women with knee OA (P < 0.05), a phenotype that could be reproduced in vitro by chemical modification of protein thiol residues. Our results identify molecular and cellular functional adaptations in skeletal muscle that may contribute to reduced physical function with knee OA‐associated muscle disuse, with sex‐specific differences that may explain a greater disposition towards disability in women.
Full-wave design of broad-band compact waveguide step-twists

Rectangular waveguide twists are components that provide an on-axis rotation of the transverse waveguide section. In this letter, a step twist configuration, obtained by the direct connection of rotated rectangular waveguide lengths, is considered. The advantages of this configuration are the easy manufacturing with tight control on the relative rotation angles and the reduction of the overall dimensions. By means of a full-wave synthesis approach various wide-band devices were designed and reported in the letter. In particular, a couple of 45/spl deg/ twists was manufactured and integrated in the Ka-band OMT realized for the SPOrt project. The experimental results match the excellent predicted data.
The Cycle of Schizoaffective Disorder, Cognitive Ability, Alcoholism, and Suicidality

In this study we investigated the putative role of cognitive dysfunction, diagnosis (schizoaffective versus schizophrenia disorder), and alcoholism as risk factors for suicidal behavior among individuals with DSM-IV schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders. Subjects received cognitive tests and medical records were reviewed for evidence of a history of suicide attempts or suicidal ideation. Discriminant analysis was used to identify cognitive test performance measures that distinguished those with versus those without suicidal behavior. None of the cognitive measures discriminated between the two groups. The rates of suicidal behavior (suicidal ideation and suicide attempts) did not differ between participants with versus those without comorbid alcohol use. An association was found between suicidal behavior and the diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. It was concluded that the history of prominent mood syndromes characteristic of schizoaffective disorder contributes to increased risk of suicidal behaviors. Cognitive dysfunction and/or alcoholism did not contribute additionally to risk in this study.
The History of British and American Sport. A Review Article

The proliferation of books on the history of sport testifies to the growing importance of a field that, as recently as fifteen years ago, barely existed. Since the nineteenth century, sport has occupied a significant place in British and American academic institutions everywhere save the classroom. In Britain, athleticism became the armature around which educators spun the moral education of Britain's elite. The Victorian and Edwardian public schools, and eventually state schools as well, unabashedly used games to inculcate students with prescribed ethical values. In American universities, sport helped define
Ethics in substance use disorder treatment

The coming decades will see exciting breakthroughs in the treatment of SUDs, such as further elucidation of the genetic mechanisms of addiction. Yet if the past is any guide to the future, each new discovery will bring with it new challenges to the core ethical obligations of honoring informed consent, protecting confidentiality, and respecting justice, while also protecting the public from harm and ensuring the good of the individual patient. For the emerging scientific shift to a biobehavioral model of addiction to transform cultural attitudes and enhance treatment and research will require the scientifically rigorous and ethically sound agency of ethicists and addiction professionals to influence public policy. The growing body of neurobiologic evidence that contests traditional assumptions about free will and responsibility will evoke more deliberate and nuanced approaches to informed consent and treatment participation and dispute the forensic orientation in drug policy. If this unprecedented paradigm change can influence health care decision making in a reasoned and balanced fashion, there is real hope that the cultural stigma, which has warranted highly stringent confidentiality protections, and the disenfranchisement underlying health disparities in addiction treatment may move in the direction of compassionate and competent care for all those who suffer from addiction.
A mechanism for gate oxide damage in nonuniform plasmas

Plasma damage in the form of early breakdown observed after exposing antenna capacitor structures to an O/sub 2/ plasma in a single wafer resist asher is discussed. Plasma nonuniformity was characterized using a Langmuir probe. Using SPICE, a circuit model for the test structure, and the plasma measurements, the Fowler-Nordheim current through the thin oxide regions at different points on the wafer was calculated and found to agree well with the observed damage. The role of device structure can also be explained with this model. The damage was consistent with a hole induced breakdown mechanism. >
A multi-input wide dynamic range ADC system for use with nuclear detectors.

Abstract A wide dynamic range, eight input analog-to-digital converter system has been developed for use in nuclear experiments. The system consists of eight dual-range sample and hold modules, an eight input multiplexer, a ten-bit analog-to-digital converter, and the associated control logic.
Mixture Modeling Methods for the Assessment of Normal and Abnormal Personality, Part II: Longitudinal Models

Studying personality and its pathology as it changes, develops, or remains stable over time offers exciting insight into the nature of individual differences. Researchers interested in examining personal characteristics over time have a number of time-honored analytic approaches at their disposal. In recent years there have also been considerable advances in person-oriented analytic approaches, particularly longitudinal mixture models. In this methodological primer we focus on mixture modeling approaches to the study of normative and individual change in the form of growth mixture models and ipsative change in the form of latent transition analysis. We describe the conceptual underpinnings of each of these models, outline approaches for their implementation, and provide accessible examples for researchers studying personality and its assessment.
Multiscale bed form interactions and their implications for the abruptness and stability of the downwind dune field margin at White Sands, New Mexico, USA

The downwind margin of White Sands dune field is an abrupt transition from mobile aeolian dunes to a dune-free vegetated surface. This margin is also relatively stable; over the past 60 years it has migrated several times more slowly than the slowest dunes within the dune field, resulting in a zone of dune coalescence, aggradation, and, along most of the margin, development of a dune complex (i.e., dunes superimposed on draas). Repeat terrestrial laser scanning surveys conducted over a 3 month period demonstrate that sediment fluxes within the dune complex decrease on approach to the margin. Computational fluid dynamics modeling indicates that this decrease is due, in part, to a decrease in mean turbulent bed shear stress on the lee side of the dune complex as a result of flow line divergence or sheltering of the lee-side dunes by the stoss side of the dune complex. Conservation of mass demands that this decrease in bed shear stress causes aggradation. We speculate that aggradation on the lee side of the dune complex further enhances the sheltering effect in a positive feedback, contributing to the growth and/or maintenance of the dune complex and a relatively abrupt and stable dune field margin. Our model and data add to a growing body of evidence that aeolian dune field patterns are influenced by feedbacks that occur at scales larger than individual dunes.
Student perception of a wiki in a pharmacy elective course

Abstract Objective Third professional year pharmacy students enrolled in an elective on landmark trials were surveyed to describe student and course facilitator experiences with using a wiki, student satisfaction with wiki collaboration, and to evaluate whether level of involvement on a wiki was associated with student-reported performance or satisfaction. Course facilitators were also surveyed. Method Pre- and post-surveys were used to evaluate experiences and satisfaction with wiki collaboration. Level of involvement was compared with student-reported course performance and wiki satisfaction. An e-mail survey with open-ended questions was sent to course facilitators asking them to describe their experience with a wiki. Statistical analysis consisted of descriptive statistics and use of the Kruskal-Wallis test ( a priori α Results Based on responses from the pre-survey, 50% (14/28) of the students had previously accessed a wiki; none reported previously collaborating in a wiki. On the post-survey, the overall satisfaction with collaborating on the course wiki was neutral. A majority of students (63%) highly recommended or recommended using a wiki in future landmark trial classes. No difference between student level of involvement and student-reported final grade ( p = 0.5) or level of satisfaction ( p = 0.2) were noted. Course facilitators favored using a wiki because it accommodated an increase in class size and provided another way to engage students. Conclusion Students that collaborated in the course wiki, and course facilitators, had positive attitudes toward the use of a wiki. Students also felt that the course wiki provided further clarification and knowledge about course content.
Lyapunov-type inequalities for higher order half-linear differential equations

The Lyapunov inequality for second order linear differential equations has been extended to higher order linear differential equations in various forms. It has also been extended to second and third order half-linear equations. However, it has not yet been developed for higher order half-linear differential equations due to the nonlinear feature of the equation and the complexity caused by the multiple p-Laplacian operators in the equation. In this paper, by subtle applications of forward and backward inductions, we establish several Lyapunov-type inequalities for even and odd order half-linear differential equations. These inequalities are applied to determine the nonexistence of nontrivial solutions of higher order boundary value problems and to estimate eigenvalues for higher order eigenvalue problems. Our results cover many results in the literature when the equations become linear.
The gravitational field of an infinite flat slab

We study Einstein's equations with a localized plane-symmetric source, with close attention to gauge freedom/fixing and to listing all physically distinct solutions. In the vacuum regions there are only two qualitatively different solutions, one curved and one flat; in addition, on each of the two sides there is a free parameter describing how the slab is embedded into the vacuum region. Surprisingly, for a generic slab source the solution must be curved on one side and flat on the other. We treat infinitely thin slabs in full detail and indicate how thick slabs can increase the variety of external geometry pairs. Positive energy density seems to force external geometries with curvature singularities at some distance from the slab; we speculate that such singularities occur in regions where the solution cannot be physically relevant anyway.
The Case for Limping-Hardware Tolerant Clouds.

With the advent of cloud computing, thousands of machines are connected and managed collectively. This era is confronted with a new challenge: performance variability, primarily caused by large-scale management issues such as hardware failures, software bugs, and configuration mistakes. In this paper, we highlight one overlooked cause: limping hardware – hardware whose performance degrades significantly compared to its specification. We present numerous cases of limping disks, network and processors seen in production, along with the negative impacts of such failures on existing large-scale distributed systems. From these findings, we advocate the concept of limping-hardware tolerant clouds.
Crossing the Innovation Divide

While intellectual property has long been perceived as a method for protecting, and ultimately valuing, innovation, it is an imperfect measure. With its traditional bias in favor of innovation as delimited by Western views of individuality and technological progress, intellectual property is not only an imperfect measure, but also one that has contributed to the undervaluing of non-Western innovation and creativity. This undervaluation has denied developing and least-developed countries a right of compensation for local innovation, which has contributed to the continuing imbalance in economic development. Recognizing a broader definition of compensable innovation that includes non-Western concepts, including innovation and creativity based on so-called traditional knowledge, would allow the holders of such knowledge to participate as partners in emerging knowledge-based industries. Ultimately, protection of “generational” innovation could provide a strong tool for wealth transfer that serves to make developing nations active participants in their own sustainable development. More significantly, establishing a rational system of protection for traditional knowledge would bring social justice back into the issue of innovation protection. As we remake innovation systems in response to the changes demanded by the global digital marketplace, rational protection for traditional knowledge must be a part of that change if we are to achieve equitable, sustainable values for innovative activity in the twenty-first century.
Correcting Arbitrator Error: The Limited Scope of Judicial Review

The scope of judicial review of arbitration awards is very limited under the Federal Arbitration Act. This paper examines the very limited grounds under the FAA for correcting arbitrator error and for reviewing arbitration awards in general.