cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The continent bladder: indications and techniques for the continent catheterizable segment.

Purpose of reviewContinent catheterizable segments are a substantial part of the urologist's armamentarium for providing bladder drainage. It is used for a myriad of indications, and there are multiple techniques currently used for its formation. Despite refinements in these techniques significant c
A Model of the Quantum–Classical and Mind–Brain Connections, and the Role of the Quantum Zeno Effect in the Physical Implementation of Conscious Intent

A simple exactly solvable model is given of the dynamical coupling between a person's classically described perceptions and that person's quantum mechanically described brain. The model is based jointly upon von Neumann's theory of measurements and the empirical findings of close connections between conscious intentions and synchronous oscillations in well separated parts of the brain. A quantum-Zeno-effect based mechanism is described that allows conscious intentions to influence brain activity in a functionally appropriate way. The robustness of this mechanism in the face of environmental decoherence effects is emphasized.
Evidence that either strand of DNA can transform

Transformation in Hemophilus influenzae occurs by the incorporation of a single strand of donor DNA into the recipient chromosome. The question arises whether this incorporation involves one unique strand or either strand, of the donor DNA molecule. The problem was investigated by following the transforming activity of the recipient strand associated with the donor DNA as a function of growth of the transforming cells. Before replication, only the donor strand contained transforming activity; but after one generation time, both strands carried the genetic information. It was concluded that either strand of DNA can transform.
Preoperative galactography increases the diagnostic yield of major duct excision for nipple discharge

BACKGROUND Although most nipple discharge is due to a benign etiology, approximately 10-15% is due to breast carcinoma. The standard management of nipple discharge includes major duct excision, and although this procedure may eliminate future nipple discharge, a specific etiology is not always found. This study investigates the utility of preoperative galactography in targeting the causative lesion. METHODS During 1994-1996, 46 cases of major duct excision were identified from operating room records. All patients presented with spontaneous nipple discharge from a single duct. In 16 patients both a diagnostic galactogram and a preoperative galactogram with methylene blue were performed to localize the causative lesion and to enable intraoperative identification. Data were obtained by retrospective chart review. Statistical significance was determined by Fisher's exact test. RESULTS Preoperative galactography was obtained in 7 of 31 patients (23%) with bloody nipple discharge and 9 of 15 patients (60%) with guaiac negative discharge. All patients undergoing preoperative galactography were found to have either a filling defect and/or duct cutoff (n = 13) or duct ectasia (n = 3). All patients with a filling defect and/or duct cutoff on galactogram were found to have a carcinoma or papilloma at surgery. In the three patients with duct ectasia observed on galactogram, the diagnosis was confirmed at surgery. All patients who underwent preoperative galactography were found to have specific pathology that accounted for the nipple discharge versus 20 of 30 patients (67%) who did not undergo preoperative galactography (P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS Although major duct excision for nipple discharge may eliminate the presenting symptomatology, a pathologic correlate is not always found. The data from the current study show that localizing the causative lesion by preoperative galactography increases the likelihood that specific pathology will be found at surgery, and suggests that preoperative galactography may be helpful in the evaluation and management of patients presenting with spontaneous nipple discharge. Cancer 1998;82:1874-80. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Bound state models for fermion Regge poles

Abstract Trajectories of fermion Regge poles are calculated in a model in which a spin 1 2 particle is bound to a spin 0 core. The leading trajectory with parity (−1) j− 1 2 is much like the boson trajectory generated by similar interactions. The opposite parity trajectory satisfies the constraints of MacDowell symmetry, yet is totally distinct for s>0. The model produces a trajectory which above the elastic threshold has a small negative Im α and an increasing Re α. Such a trajectory produces poles on the physical sheet of the energy plane.
Dynamic power sharing for higher job throughput

Current trends for high-performance systems are leading towards hardware overprovisioning where it is no longer possible to run all components at peak power without exceeding a system- or facility-wide power bound. The standard practice of static power scheduling is likely to lead to inefficiencies with over- and under-provisioning of power to components at runtime. In this paper we investigate the performance and scalability of an application agnostic runtime power scheduler (POWsched) that is capable of enforcing a system-wide power limit. Our experimental results show POWsched is robust, has negligible overhead, and can take advantage of opportunities to shift wasted power to more power-intensive applications, improving overall workload runtime by as much as 14% without job scheduler integration or application specific profiling. In addition, we conduct scalability studies to determine POWsched's overhead for large node counts. Lastly, we contribute a model and simulator (POWsim) for investigating dynamic power scheduling behavior and enforcement at scale.
Antimicrobial stewardship: Strategies for a global response

The increasing antimicrobial resistance worldwide, combined with dwindling antimicrobial armamentarium, has resulted in a critical threat to the public health and safety of patients. To combat this hazard, antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have emerged. Antimicrobial stewardship programs prevent or slow the emergence of antimicrobial resistance by coordinated interventions designed to optimize antimicrobial use to achieve the best clinical outcomes and limiting selective pressures that drive the emergence of resistance. This also reduces excessive costs attributable to suboptimal antimicrobial use. Even though an ideal effective ASP should incorporate more than one element simultaneously, it also requires a multidisciplinary team, which should include an infectious diseases physician, a clinical pharmacist with infectious diseases training, infection control professionals, hospital epidemiologist, a clinical microbiologist and an information specialist. However, for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs to be successful, they must address the specific needs of individual institutions, must be built on available resources, the limitations and advantages of each institution, and the available staffing and technological infrastructure.
Post-transplant obliterative bronchiolitis and other late lung sequelae in human heart-lung transplantation.

Since March 1981, 19 patients have undergone heart-lung transplantation for end-stage pulmonary vascular disease, with 14 long-term survivors. In five of the survivors, obstructive airway disease has developed with the superimposition of a progressive restrictive ventilatory defect in three of them. None of these five patients showed a tendency for spontaneous improvement of flow rates. Biopsy and postmortem material was available in four of the five patients and showed obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) in three. A fourth patient showed clinical and physiologic data consistent with obliterative bronchitis, but histologic material was not available. Obstructive lung disease without restrictive features developed in a fifth patient, but no histologic evidence of OB was found at transbronchial biopsy. In addition to OB, recurrent lung infections were found in all patients, significant pleural fibrosis in two patients, and bronchiectasis in one patient Despite these long-term sequelae of human heart-lung transplantation, ten of the 14 surviving patients are leading relatively normal lives.
Greater than 95% success with 14-day bismuth quadruple anti- Helicobacter pylori therapy: a pilot study in US Hispanics.

Background A combination capsule of bismuth, metronidazole, and tetracycline plus omeprazole given as 10-day therapy has an overall effectiveness of 92–93% in per-protocol analysis (Grade B) with eradication of 86–91% of metronidazole-resistant Helicobacter pylori. This study aimed to explore whether extending the duration to 14 days would improve overall effectiveness per protocol to ≥95% (Grade A) in a population in which metronidazole resistance was anticipated to exist. Methods A one-arm, open-label pilot study of H. pylori-infected, asymptomatic/mildly dyspeptic adults, Hispanic residents of El Paso, Texas, received a 14-day course of omeprazole, plus the combination capsule. We cultured and Gram-stained specimens obtained using a minimally invasive orogastric brush. Helicobacter pylori status was determined by 13 C-urea breath test at 4 or more weeks post-therapy. Results Forty-seven subjects (7 men and 40 women, average age 42 years) were entered. The per-protocol effectiveness was 97.1% (33/34) (95% mid-P CI: 86.3, 99.9); 100% of metronidazole-resistant strains were eradicated. Side effects were mild and self-limited but contributed to nonadherence. Therapy taken for <10 days was more likely to result in eradication failure (p < .001). Office-based orogastric brushing was well tolerated; positive cultures were obtained in 95%. Gram staining showed H. pylori-like forms in all specimens. Conclusions This pilot study supports the concept that 14-day OBMT therapy is likely to be more efficacious for H. pylori eradication (Grade A, PP basis) than a 10-day course where metronidazole resistance is suspected. If confirmed, 14 days should be recommended in populations where metronidazole resistance is common.
Hot-electron production and anomalous microwave absorption near the plasma frequency

Energy-distribution measurements are presented for the hot nonthermal- lectron tail produced by anomalous microwave absorption near the plasma frequency omega /sub p/. These distributions depend strongly on omega /sub p//sup 2// omega /sup 2/ and microwave power. In some cases a large fraction of the anomalously absorbed power goes into less than 1% of the electrons and a bump develops on the hot tail.
Tract embolization with gelatin sponge slurry for prevention of pneumothorax after percutaneous computed tomography-guided lung biopsy.

Purpose To determine the effect of embolization with absorbable gelatin sponge slurry on the incidence of pneumothorax (PTX) and need for chest tube placement after percutaneous lung biopsy.
Transplantation: Desensitization and transplantation for sensitized patients?

For patients who undergo desensitization treatment to reduce or neutralize circulating donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies prior to transplantation, survival is lower than for unsensitized patients. However, a new study suggests that for sensitized patients, desensitization and transplantation might be better than remaining on dialysis or waiting for a compatible kidney transplant.
Uncertainty quantification for multiscale disk forging of polycrystal materials using probabilistic graphical model techniques

Abstract The mechanical properties of a deformed workpiece are sensitive to the initial microstructure before processing commences. Generally, the initial microstructure is random in nature and location specific. The location-dependence of the microstructure dramatically increases the dimensionality of the stochastic input and thus leads to the “curse of dimensionality” in stochastic deformation problems. In this work, a graph-theoretic approach is used to address the stochastic multiscale deformation problem and compute the propagation of the initial microstructure uncertainty to the forged disk properties. Following the finite element representation of the multiscale deformation problem, a graphical representation is introduced with nodes in the graph representing the macro- and meso- scale random variables and links between nodes modeling the dependence relations between variables at each scale and across scales. Model reduction techniques are employed locally in the graph to represent the initial random microstructure. Then the conditional distribution of the multi-output mechanical responses on the low-dimensional representation of the initial microstructure is factorized into a product of local potential functions. An expectation-maximization algorithm is used to learn the non-parametric representation of these potentials using a set of training data. A non-parametric loopy belief propagation method is applied to perform uncertainty quantification tasks. The non-parametric nature of the model is able to capture non-Gaussian features of the responses. The developed framework can be used as a surrogate model to predict the mechanical response fields for any input microstructure realization as well as our confidence on such predictions. A multiscale disk forging example of FCC nickel is presented to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the constructed framework for addressing uncertainty quantification problems in multiscale deformation processes.
The effect of the injection of alkanols and alkanediols beneath dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanol amine monolayers

The energies of activation of the interaction of alkanols and alkanediols with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanol amine monolayers spread at the air/water interface were estimated from the increase in the surface pressure with the concentration of the injected alcohol. The energies of activation are linear functions of the chain length of the injected alkanol for the one-, two-, three-, six-, and eight-carbon chains and of the alkanediols for the two-, three- and six-carbon chains. The plots of the data that exist in the literature of the reflection coefficients of these alkanols and alkanediols against the chain length obtained in biological membranes present similar linearities.
Orderings for conjugate gradient preconditionings

Many preconditioners (e.g., SSOR, ILU) for the conjugate gradient method require the solution of sparse triangular systems of equations. For elliptic boundary value problems, one approach to obtaining additional parallelism in the solution of these systems is the use of red/black or multicolor orderings. There has been increasing evidence, however, that these orderings degrade the rate of convergence compared with the natural ordering. An alternative is the diagonal ordering, which maintains the rate of convergence of the natural ordering but has less parallelism than multicolor orderings. This paper reviews these as well as other orderings and then gives some results that help to explain why the red/black ordering gives an inferior rate of convergence.
CT enterography: technical and interpretive pitfalls.

CT enterography is a first-line test at many institutions to investigate potential small bowel disorders. While numerous articles have focused on the ability of CT enterography to diagnose and stage Crohn’s disease, small bowel neoplasia, and malabsorptive or vascular disorders, this article reviews CT enterography limitations, technical and interpretive pitfalls, image review tactics, and complementary radiologic and endoscopic examinations to improve diagnostic accuracy. CT enterography limitations include its inability to demonstrate isolated mucosal abnormalities such as aphthous ulcers and its use of ionizing radiation. The most common technical pitfall of CT enterography is inadequate small bowel distention resulting from inadequate ingestion, gastric retention, or rapid small bowel transit of a large volume of neutral enteric contrast material. Additionally, segments of jejunum are frequently collapsed. Interpretive pitfalls commonly result from peristaltic contractions, transient intussusception and opaque intraluminal debris. Opaque debris is especially problematic during multiphasic CT enterography performed to identify potential small bowel sources of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. False-negative examinations may result from inadequate radiation dose. Examinations complementary to CT enterography include small bowel follow through, enteroclysis, CT enteroclysis, MR enterography, MR enteroclysis, capsule endoscopy, and balloon-assisted endoscopy. Properly performed and accurately interpreted CT enterography contributes to the diagnosis and management of small bowel disease by itself and as a complement to other radiologic and optical small bowel imaging examinations.
The development of light adaptation in human infants.

Abstract Increment threshold functions were measured from -4.0 to 1.2 log cd/m 2 in 7–12-week-old infants using a behavioral forced-choice paradigm. The slopes of the infant functions were considerably shallower than the slopes of adult functions over the same luminance range. The value of the infant slope increased rapidly between 7 and 12 weeks postnatally. A number of explanations for this developmental shift are considered. It is concluded that changes with age in either spatial summation or intensityresponse function gain could cause the increase in slope.
Tin-silver-copper eutectic temperature and composition

A careful investigation of the Sn-Ag-Cu phase diagram near the ternary eutectic composition was undertaken using annealed alloys and differential scanning calorimetry to settle some uncertainties in the eutectic composition. The eutectic composition was found to be 3.5 wt pct Ag, 0.9 wt pct Cu, and the balance Sn. The published eutectic temperature, 217 °C, was confirmed. A value of 217.2 °C was obtained in the present research.
Drowsy region-based caches: minimizing both dynamic and static power dissipation

Power consumption within the memory hierarchy grows in importance as on-chip data caches occupy increasingly greater die area. Among dynamic power conservation schemes, horizontal partitioning reduces average power per data access by employing multiple smaller structures or using cache subbanks. For instance, region-based caching places small caches dedicated to stack and global accesses next to the L1 data cache. With respect to static power dissipation, leakage power may be addressed at both circuit and architectural levels. Drowsy caches reduce leakage power by keeping inactive lines in a low-power mode. Here we merge drowsy and region-based caching to reduce overall cache power consumption, showing that the combination yields more benefits than either alone. Applications from the MiBench suite exhibit power reductions in the cache system of up to 68-71%, depending on memory configuration, with a small increase in execution time
Comparative Analysis of ANN trained with Back Propagation and Genetic Algorithm for Implementation of Exclusive-OR Problem

In this paper, an intelligent system using an artificial neural network uses a genetic algorithm as a training method. This hybrid of an artificial neural network (ANN) and a genetic algorithm (GA) results in better solutions being derived in less time than would be derived from training an ANN using the back-propagation algorithm. The new algorithm outperforms the traditional method by a significant amount. The hybrid genetic algorithm is designed and experimented against the back propagation and the number of operations to reach convergence is reduced from 4,000 epochs to less than 50 generations, resulting in a 51.2% decrease in training time. These results indicate that the GA approach is a useful tool for training an ANN.
The Diverse Experiences of Hispanic Students in the American Educational System

Hispanic students have long been considered at risk in the American educational system. A better understanding of the diverse experiences of Hispanics can help to counteract this risk—in what ways, and where, do they do well or poorly or some mixture of both? To further this understanding, this study applies developmental and demographic perspectives to a representative sample of Hispanic high school students. First, analyses of the sample identified four student profiles based on various indicators of academic achievement and school orientation: (1) low-achieving and weakly oriented, (2) low-achieving and strongly oriented, (3) high-achieving and moderately oriented, (4) high achieving and strongly oriented. Second, compositional analyses mapped these profiles onto different segments of the Hispanic population and different sectors of the American educational system.
Step detection in single-molecule real time trajectories embedded in correlated noise.

Single-molecule real time trajectories are embedded in high noise. To extract kinetic or dynamic information of the molecules from these trajectories often requires idealization of the data in steps and dwells. One major premise behind the existing single-molecule data analysis algorithms is the Gaussian ‘white’ noise, which displays no correlation in time and whose amplitude is independent on data sampling frequency. This so-called ‘white’ noise is widely assumed but its validity has not been critically evaluated. We show that correlated noise exists in single-molecule real time trajectories collected from optical tweezers. The assumption of white noise during analysis of these data can lead to serious over- or underestimation of the number of steps depending on the algorithms employed. We present a statistical method that quantitatively evaluates the structure of the underlying noise, takes the noise structure into account, and identifies steps and dwells in a single-molecule trajectory. Unlike existing data analysis algorithms, this method uses Generalized Least Squares (GLS) to detect steps and dwells. Under the GLS framework, the optimal number of steps is chosen using model selection criteria such as Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). Comparison with existing step detection algorithms showed that this GLS method can detect step locations with highest accuracy in the presence of correlated noise. Because this method is automated, and directly works with high bandwidth data without pre-filtering or assumption of Gaussian noise, it may be broadly useful for analysis of single-molecule real time trajectories.
DIRECT SOLUTION OF GENERAL ONE-DIMENSIONAL LINEAR PARABOLIC EQUATION VIA AN ABSTRACT PLANCHEREL FORMULA

Abstract We use the formalism of Fourier transformation to derive a functional calculus for the generator of an abstract group. As an application we obtain a new direct solution of Cauchy's problem for one-dimensional stationary parabolic equations of arbitrary order with bounded coefficients.
(S)-emopamil protects against global ischemic brain injury in rats.

(S)-Emopamil is a novel calcium channel blocker of the phenylalkylamine class, with potent serotonin S2 antagonist activity. We investigated the effect of (S)-emopamil on the histopathologic consequences of global brain ischemia in anesthetized rats. Pretreated rats (n = 15) received 20 mg/kg i.p. (S)-emopamil 30 minutes before and 2 hours following 10 minutes of bilateral common carotid artery occlusion plus arterial hypotension (50 mm Hg). Quantitative cell counts following 3 days' survival revealed a marked loss of pyramidal neurons in all subsectors of the hippocampal CA1 area of untreated ischemic rats (n = 15). In contrast, in (S)-emopamil pretreated rats numbers of normal neurons were significantly higher, by 2.4-, 1.9-, and 1.8-fold, respectively, in the medial, middle, and lateral subsectors of the CA1 area. For example, normal neuron counts in the medial CA1 subsector were 34 +/- 9 (mean +/- SEM) in untreated ischemic rats compared with 82 +/- 13 in (S)-emopamil pretreated rats (control nonischemic value [n = 5] 157 +/- 2). By semiquantitative grading, (S)-emopamil also decreased ischemic changes in the cerebral cortex. No significant effect of (S)-emopamil on ischemic injury was detected in rats treated beginning 30 minutes after the ischemic insult (n = 10). Thus, pretreatment with (S)-emopamil is beneficial in decreasing the severity of neuronal injury in global brain ischemia.
Heteronuclear NMR studies of cobalt corrinoids—17. characterization of neopentylcobinamide and neopentyl-13-epicobinamide by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy: Inferred corrin ring conformations from chemical shift differentials

Abstract While the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of neopentylcobalamin (NpCbl) and its epimer at corrin ring C(13), neopentyl-13-epiCbl (Np-13-epiCbl), are extremely broad, apparently due to chemical exchange between the base-on and base-off species, the cobinamide derivatives, neopentyl cobinamide (NpCbi+) and neopentyl-13-epicobinamide (Np-13-epiCbi+), have sharp, well-resolved NMR spectra. The 1H and 13C NMR spectra of NpCbi+ and Np-13-epiCbi+ have now been completely assigned by modern two-dimensional NMR methodologies. Comparison of the 13C spectra of these two complexes shows that significant chemical shift differences occur at a variety of corrin ring and peripheral carbon atoms and are not localized near the site of epimerization. Similarly, comparison of the 13C NMR spectra of NpCbi+ and 5′-deoxyadenosylcobinamide (AdoCbi+) shows differences at many corrin ring and peripheral carbons. A first attempt at discerning differences in corrin ring conformation from such differences in 13C chemical shift has been made by comparing the X-ray crystal structures and 13C NMR spectra of 5′-deoxyadenosylcobalamin (coenzyme B12, AdoCbl) and cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12, CNCbl). After elimination of carbon atoms whose chemical shifts are likely to be significantly affected by differences in the inductive effect of the Ado and CN ligands, and after consideration of differential anisotropic shielding effects in the two complexes due to the presence or absence of the Ado ligand, the difference in magnetic anisotropy of the central cobalt atom, the change in position of the axial nucleotide and differences in the magnetic anisotropy of the corrin ligand, 15 peripheral carbon atoms [C(2), C(18), C(20), C(25), C(26), C(30), C(36), C(37), C(41), C(46), C(47), C(48), C(54), C(55), C(60)] emerge as candidate “reporter” carbons whose 13C chemical shifts may be useful in deducing conformational differences in cobalt corrinoids. Application of this method to adeninylpropylcobalamin (AdePrCbl), for which the X-ray crystal structure and absolute NMR assignments are known, correctly predicts the gross conformational differences between the corrin ring of AdePrCbl and that of CNCbl. Use of these reporter carbon chemical shifts suggests that in NpCbi+, the fold angle, defined as the angle between the “northern” and “southern” planes of the corrin ring, is reduced relative to AdoCbi+. Comparison of the chemical shifts of the reporter carbon atoms in NpCbi+ and Np-13-epiCbi+ suggests that the fold angle in the former is larger than that for the latter.
Wildlife resources in creating the new Alaskan Parks and preserves

Legislation settling the Alaska Native Lands Claims also resulted in the establishment of ten new parks and preserves in Alaska. This settlement was the result of a long and often bitter legislative struggle between pro- and antidevelopment groups. The planning history of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is used as a case example of this debate. One particular source of conflict was the curtailment of sport hunting that would result under national park classification. A preserve classification was introduced to resolve this conflict. Data on wildlife resources and sport hunting were instrumental in defining the areas so classified.
Infrared Temperature Mapping in Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication

An improved technique for the measurement of temperature distributions in an EHD conjunction is presented. The technique reported here employs the infrared radiation emitted by the EHD conjunction and appears more rigorous, more reliable, and less cumbersome than that reported previously by the authors. Detailed mapping of fluid temperature (averaged through the thickness) and the ball surface temperature can be obtained. These temperature distributions have been reported for a naphthenic mineral oil for peak Hertz pressures of 1.05 and 1.51 GN/sq m (148 and 219 kpsi), at sliding speeds ranging from 0.35 to 12.7 m/s (13.4 to 500 ips) and a bath temperature of 40 C.
TH-A-202-01: Risks in IR and Establishing a Patient Safety Program

A patient safety program is critical to proper medical management in interventional radiology or cardiology departments. While radiation is only one part of the overall patient safety picture it is a vital and often overlooked aspect of any safety program. One of the main goals of a radiation safety program is to prevent deterministic radiation effects if possible and identify effects when they occur so appropriate medicaltreatment can be administered. The development of such a program requires that the physicist understands possible deterministic effects quantities used to assess the radiationdose to a patient and current practice guidelines and regulations that address radiationdose in an interventional radiology setting. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the quantities and methods that can be used to estimate peak skindose; 2. Understand possible deterministic effects that can result from interventional radiology procedures; 3. Understand current practice guidelines and regulations governing patient safety in interventional radiology; 4. Learn how to set up a patient safety program including pre‐procedure intra‐procedure and post‐procedure phases.
Support vector machines regression for retrieval of leaf area index from multiangle imaging spectroradiometer

The retrieval of biophysical variables using canopy reflectance models is hindered by the fact that the inverse problem is ill posed. This is due to the measurement, model errors and the inadequacy between the model and reality, which produces similar reflectances for the different combination of the input parameters into the radiative transfer model. This leads to unstable and often inaccurate inversion results. The ill-posed nature of the inverse problem requires some regularization. Regularization means that one tries to consider only those solutions that are in the proximity of the true value. In order to regularize the model inversion, we propose kernel-based regularization by support vector machines regression (SVR) method. The formulation of the SVR contains meta-parameters C (regularization) and e-insensitive loss. The SVR generalization performance (estimation accuracy) depends on these two parameters and the kernel parameters. Often the meta-parameters are selected using prior knowledge and/or user expertise. In this paper we adopt methods for the estimation of the meta-parameters from the input data itself instead of relying on any prior information. This paper is focused on the retrieval of leaf area index (LAI) from multiangle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR) data. The proposed methodology was implemented by inverting a 1D canopy reflectance model (PROSAIL) using SVR over MISR data. The results were validated against the LAI retrievals at the Alpilles EOS validation core site. An RMSE of 0.64 was obtained using both near-infrared (NIR) in conjunction with the red band and an RMSE of 0.50 using only the NIR band.
Activity of gemcitabine in a human tumor cloning assay as a basis for clinical trials with gemcitabine

2′,2′-difluorodeoxycytidine (LY 188011, Gemcitabine, Gemzar®) has recently been approved both in Europe for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer and in the United States for patients with pancreatic cancer. Since the initial discovery of the compound, we have been evaluating the in vitro activity of gemcitabine against human tumor colony-forming units taken directly from patients and growing in soft agar (in the human tumor cloning assay — HTCA).
Librarians, publishers, and vendors: Looking for Mr. Goodbuy

Librarians, as consumers of information, deal with publishers (producers or packagers of information) and vendors (wholesalers of information). Librarians, publishers, and vendors are part of separate but intersecting systems. Each system has its own goals, motivations, and perceptions which may at times conflict with those of the other two systems. This paper examines the three systems, the conflicts, and possible methods of avoiding conflict. All examples are hypothetical.
Engineering technology for physics experiments in space

Abstract We have had an opportunity to develop engineering technology in support of two missions which have applications for other physics experiments. This paper discusses the application which could be extended to other missions. In 1972, we flew a drag-free control system for the Navy's transit navigation satellite. Using an unsupported internal proof mass as a reference, the satellite was forced by feedback to thrusters to follow the shielded internal reference. Thus, the path of the satellite was also drag free. A performance level of five times 10−110 was confirmed by tracking data. The principal disturbance is the mass attraction of the satellite on the proof mass which is two thirds of the error budget. We are developing a gyro test of General Relativity in a program called Gravity Probe-B (GP-B). It will be drag free and also require precision pointing. The gyroscopes will have drift rates some six orders of magnitude better than the best earth-bound gyros. The entire satellite can be considered an instrument since the design of all aspects of the satellite interact with the performance of the experiment. Thus, the principal axes of inertia of the vehicle, the drag-free performance, the attitude control, the temperature environment, the use of liquid helium and temperatures near the absolute zero, the consequent opportunity to use superconducting technology all are essential parts of achieving acceptable performance. The design drift rate for the gyros is less than one milliarcsecond per year.
A Total-Absorption Detector for 60-MeV Protons Using Lithium-Drifted Germanium

A lithium-drifted germanium diode has been used for total-absorption detection of 59-MeV protons from the Oak Ridge Isochronous Cyclotron. The detector is 1.9 cm in diameter, has a depletion depth of 6 mm, is cooled to less than 85° K, and is sealed in an aluminum can with a 0.0026-in.-thick window. The diode was oriented so that the protons entered in a direction parallel to the detector junction. The energy resolution attained for 59-MeV protons was 150 keV (FWHM), uncorrected for energy straggling in windows of 76 keV, for approximately 60 keV of beam resolution, and for electronic noise. The peak-to-total ratio, determined by using an anticoincidence collimator, was as high as 0.94, which is comparable to 0.96 observed elsewhere for NaI. When the collimator was moved along a line parallel to the junction and perpendicular to the beam, the energy resolution and peak-to-total ratios remained constant within the experimental accuracy over a 10-mm scanned distance. As the collimator was moved in a direction perpendicular to the junction and toward the depleted material, the peak-to-total ratio decreased, as was expected from multiple scattering calculations. When the diode was connected by a 125-ohm terminated coaxial cable to a fast amplifier, a rise time of 4-5 nsec was observed. Since the protons entered the detector parallel to the junction, pictures obtained show the superposition of nearly rectangular current pulses arising from hole and electron collection. The length of the pulses is correlated with the point of incidence of the collimated beam.
Iron Oxide-Coated on Glass Fibers for Arsenic Removal

A highly efficient adsorbent for arsenic removal from water has been prepared by impregnating high surface area iron oxides on glass fibers. Arsenic in water can easily and efficiently be removed by this adsorbent, without the need to pre-oxidize As(III) to As(V). The iron oxides coated on glass fibers (IOCGFs) can remove both arsenic species well below EPA MCL (10 ppb). IOCGFs should have the following four additional advantages: greatly improved contact efficiency; higher adsorption capacity because of high surface area; low cost and easily available adsorbent since the starting reagents (FeCl3 and NH3·H2O) and glass fiber are cheap and readily available; and high adsorption efficiency of As(III) and As(V).
Upper limits on new gauge-boson masses from Z mass shifts.

An observed downward shift ({Delta}{ital M}) in the mass of the standard model {ital Z} can be used to place a model-dependent {ital upper} limit on the mass of new {ital Z}{prime} gauge bosons for a given value of the top- ({ital t}-)quark mass. Model-dependent {ital lower} bounds on the absolute value of the {ital Z}-{ital Z}{prime} mixing angle ({phi}) are also obtained from this analysis. For definiteness, this situation is analyzed within the context of two classes of E{sub 6} superstring-inspired models as well as the left-right-symmetric model all of which contain additional neutral gauge bosons.
On the relationship between autonomy, performance, and satisfaction: Lessons from a three-week user study with post-SCI patients using a smart 6DOF assistive robotic manipulator

The UCF-MANUS, a vision-based 6DOF assistive robotic arm, has been designed to aid individuals with arm function limitations to complete tasks of daily living that they would otherwise be unable to complete themselves. This paper reports a small dual cohort pilot study with traumatic spinal cord injured (SCI) subjects designed to investigate the utility of the UCF-MANUS for these subjects. Pick-and-place ADL tasks were de÷ned and users trained and tested with the system for three weeks during which they controlled the robot either through a manual or an autonomous (supervised) mode of operation. Baseline characteristics (pre-study), quantitative performance metrics (during study) and psychometrics (post-study) were obtained and statistically analyzed to test a set of hypotheses related to performance and satisfaction with the two control modes. It was seen that manual interaction showed more variability and inef÷ciency in performance metrics as compared to autonomous operation. Suprisingly the latter mode, however, did not lead to better measures for user satisfaction. A discussion is provided to explain the results. Based on qualitative feedback and quantitative results, possible directions for system design are presented in order to concurrently achieve better performance and satisfaction outcomes.
Multiple-electron capture processes in 70 − keV 15 N 7 + + Ar collisions: A triple-coincidence study

Double- through quintuple-electron capture processes in the 70-keV ${}^{15}{\mathrm{N}}^{7+}+\mathrm{Ar}$ collision system have been investigated by means of time-of-flight triple-coincidence measurements of Auger electrons, scattered projectile, and target recoil ions. Subpartial Auger-electron spectra corresponding to specific pairs of final projectile and recoil-ion charge states have been obtained and discussed within the framework of the extended classical overbarrier model [A. Niehaus, J. Phys. B 19, 2925 (1986)]. By allowing for target excitation, the model accounts reasonably well for the observed initial populations. Possible relaxation pathways of the populated multiply excited configurations have been identified. Measurements of this type allow a deeper understanding of the production and relaxation pathways of these configurations.
Sources And Theories Of Discrimination

When Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was considered by Congress the discussions as evidenced by legislative history centered around the type of discrimination which was believed to exist in the early 60's, namely, overt disparate treatment against certain groups of persons, primarily Blacks. This treatment was thought to take the form of practices such as signs outside of plants which said, "No Niggers need apply", or signs on restrooms or water fountains saying "White and "Colored", and other similar disparate practices. In the ten years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Courts in interpeting Title VII have developed a more sophisticated view of what constitutes discrimination under the Act. The Commission and the Courts have basically viewed discrimination to be of three types: one, disparate treatment, that is, treating one group or one person within a group different from persons or groups of a different race, sex, religion, color or national origin. The second type of discrimination exists where there is a neutral practice applied to members of both groups, but it is found that the practice has an "Adverse Impact" on a particular racial, sexual, ethnic or religious groups, and is not otherwise job-related; the third type of discrimination which has been found to exist involves neutral practices which operate presently to perpetuate effects of past discrimination against a particular group covered by Title VII.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A MODEL OF THE DISAGGREGATED DEMAND FOR MEAT IN AUSTRALIA

The focus of this study is the estimation of the Australian demand for meat between 1967 and 1990, employing a demand systems approach which uses the linear approximate, almost ideal demand system (LA/AIDS) model. Two demand systems are estimated by maximum likelihood methods, one for aggregate types of meat and one for disaggregated meat products. After correcting for serial correlation in the two demand systems, restrictions from utility theory are imposed and tested for their appropriateness. By using a new data set on the Australian retail price and consumption offresh pork, ham and bacon, the results from the disaggregated model provide the first estimates of the own-price, cross-price and expenditure elasticities for these commodities.
Thomas V. McEvilly

Tom McEvilly passed away on February 22 after a courageous eight-month battle against a difficult form of cancer, a poorly differentiated carcinoma of unknown primary origin. With his passing the field of seismology lost a very gifted scientist and many seismologists lost a close friend. ![][1] Tom is survived in his immediate family by his wife Dottie, six children (Mary, Susan, Ann, Steve, Joe, and Adrian), and nine grandchildren. His family has requested that a graduate fellowship be established at UC Berkeley to honor his memory and to support graduate studies in the field of seismology. Information about this fellowship and other tributes to Tom and his life can be found at the Web site http://www.seismo.berkeley.edu/seismo/news/tom_mcevilly.html. Tom joined the Seismological Society of America in 1963 and was made an Honorary Member in 1997. He served as Editor of the Bulletin between 1976 and 1985 and was successful in using a combination of tough criticism and gentle humor to maintain its high standards. Working from his home on weekends, he personally handled every manuscript and proofread every issue. He often mentioned that, while the effort was time-consuming, it was an excellent method of keeping up-to-date on what was happening in the field of seismology. Tom was born in East St. Louis, Illinois and grew up in the area, obtaining a B.S. in geophysical engineering from St. Louis University in 1956. He then went to work doing seismic-reflection exploration for the California Company, working on crews in Louisiana and Mississippi and advancing to the position of party chief. In 1960 he returned for graduate work at St. Louis University and completed the Ph.D. in 1964. During this time he worked part-time for the Sprengnether Instrument Company, and this began a … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
A Methodology for Assessing Safety Programs Targeting Human Error in Aviation

There is a need to develop an effective methodology for generating and evaluating intervention strategies that map current and proposed safety programs onto well-established types of human error. Toward these ends, we conducted 2 studies using recommendations from National Transportation Safety Board accident investigations and two joint Federal Aviation Administration and industry working groups. The goal of these studies was to identify the types of interventions commonly recommended by these agencies, as well as to develop a framework for evaluating the potential impact of specific safety initiatives that target human error in aviation. The results suggest there are at least 5 approaches to reducing human errors associated with aviation accidents. However, not all are equally utilized by the agencies whose safety recommendations we evaluated in this study. Therefore, we propose a framework called the Human Factors Intervention Matrix as a potential tool for evaluating current aviation safety programs, as well as generating more comprehensive interventions in the future.
Predation by alewife on lake trout fry emerging from laboratory reefs: Estimation of fry survival and assessment of predation potential

Abstract Alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) predation may be an important mortality source on lake trout fry ( Salvelinus namaycush ), and could affect the success of lake trout restoration in the Great Lakes. This study tested the prediction that fry showing typical swimming and avoidance behavior over artificial reefs will differ in survival when alewives are present versus when alewives are absent. Six tanks with cobble substrate were each stocked with 153 lake trout fry (density = 131 m − 2 ), a density comparable to that recorded at Stony Island reef, Lake Ontario during the early 1990s. Four treatment tanks each contained ten alewives (density = 8 m − 2 ) and two control tanks contained no alewives. After 12 days, mean recovery of fry was less in treatment tanks (31.5 fry per tank) than in control tanks (150 fry per tank; P − 1 day − 1 (mean = 0.99 ± 0.141; median = 1.12). The results of this study support the hypothesis that predation by alewives could cause a high level of lake trout fry mortality, and thus affect natural recruitment of lake trout and the success of population rehabilitation.
MPI framework for parallel searching in large biological databases

In this paper, we address the problem of searching huge biological databases on the scale of at least several gigabytes by utilizing parallel processing. Biological databases storing DNA sequences, protein sequences, or mass spectra are growing exponentially. Searches through these databases consume exponentially growing computational resources as well. We demonstrate herein a general use, MPI based, C++ framework for generically splitting databases amongst several computational nodes. The combined RAM of the nodes working in tandem is often sufficient to keep the entire database in memory, and therefore to search it efficiently without paging to disk. The framework runs as a persistent service, processing all submitted queries. This allows for query reordering and better utilization of the memory. Thereby, we achieve superlinear speedups compared to single processor implementations. We demonstrate the utility and speedup of the framework using a real biological database and an actual searching algorithm for mass spectrometry.
Antarctic interfaces: Science, human subjectivity, and the case of Richard E. Byrd

(1996). Antarctic interfaces: Science, human subjectivity, and the case of Richard E. Byrd. Science as Culture: Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 431-458.
NSF advisory committee examines realignment plan

The U.S. National Science Foundation's (NSF) plan to move the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) back into the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) was prompted by organizational efficiency, potential synergy between the two, timing, and other factors, NSF director Subra Suresh told members of the Advisory Committee for Geosciences during its 11–12 October meeting. The group, which is a federal advisory committee to NSF, also focused on the search for a permanent associate director for the geosciences directorate, the budget, and workload and infrastructure issues.