cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TU‐D‐AUD B‐07: Feasibility Study for Linac‐Based Intensity Modulated Total Marrow Irradiation

Purpose: Total body irradiation (TBI) is used in the pre‐conditioning regimen prior to bone marrow transplant for treatment of hematological malignancies. Intensity modulated total marrow irradiation (IMTMI) is proposed to reduce the large volumes of normal tissue irradiated during TBI, and thus the associated toxicities. The goal of this study was to assess the feasibility of a linac‐based IMTMI method. Method and Materials: The planning and delivery of linac‐based IMTMI was assessed using an anthropomorphic Rando phantom. A three‐isocenter technique was used to provide a full body plan with dynamic feathering at the edges of each isocenter plan. During treatment delivery, thermoluminescent dosimeters(TLDs) were placed at twenty two positions throughout the phantom to compare the delivered doses to the planned doses. Individual IMRT verification plans were also delivered to a solid water phantom for each isocenter, and doses measured from an ion chamber and film were compared to the planned doses. Results: The treatment plan indicated that target bone coverage was achieved with 98% of the volume receiving 99% of the prescription dose. Doses to critical structures were reduced by as much as 64% compared to conventional TBI. TLD readings demonstrated accurate dose delivery, with a mean point dose difference of 3% from the calculated value. Ion chamber readings for the verification plans were also within 3% of the expected doses and film measurements showed accurate dose distributions. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that linac‐based IMTMI is feasible with delivered doses that compare favorably to planned doses. Moreover, our planning study indicates that IMTMI reduces the volume of normal tissue irradiated, and may lead to a decrease in treatment related sequelae. Conflict of Interest:Funding support provided by Varian Inc. (Palo Alto, CA) research fund.
A microparticle approach to morphogen delivery within pluripotent stem cell aggregates

Stem cell fate and specification is largely controlled by extrinsic cues that comprise the 3D microenvironment. Biomaterials can serve to control the spatial and temporal presentation of morphogenic molecules in order to direct stem cell fate decisions. Here we describe a microparticle (MP)-based approach to deliver growth factors within multicellular aggregates to direct pluripotent stem cell differentiation. Compared to conventional soluble delivery methods, gelatin MPs laden with BMP4 or noggin induced efficient gene expression of mesoderm and ectoderm lineages, respectively, despite using nearly 12-fold less total growth factor. BMP4-laden MPs increased the percentage of cells expressing GFP under the control of the Brachyury-T promoter as visualized by whole-mount confocal imaging and quantified by flow cytometry. Furthermore, the ability to localize MPs laden with different morphogens within a particular hemisphere of stem cell aggregates allowed for spatial control of differentiation within 3D cultures. Overall, localized delivery of growth factors within multicellular aggregates from microparticle delivery vehicles is an important step towards scalable differentiation technologies and the study of morphogen gradients in pluripotent stem cell differentiation.
Harvest Date and Hybrid Influence on Corn Forage Yield, Quality, and Preservation

The selection of corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids and the timing of harvest are important management considerations for dairy and livestock operations. Objectives of this study were to determine the effect of harvest date on yield and quality of corn hybrids and to describe the relationship between harvest date and the yield and quality of corn forage, silage, and stover. During 1998 and 1999, four hybrids were harvested at eight different harvest times between 521 and 1224 growing degree units (GDUs) after planting. Few hybrid or hybrid × harvest date effects were observed. As GDUs accumulated, dry matter yield increased from 8 to 25 Mg ha -1 . Lowest concentrations of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) and highest concentrations of in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) occurred when forage was harvested between 700 and 650 g kg -1 moisture (1025 and 1186 GDUs after planting). Potential milk yield indices of milk Mg -1 corn forage (794 kg) and milk ha -1 corn forage (19 049 Mg) were reached when corn was harvested between 670 and 630 g kg -1 moisture. In general, silage had 15% lower concentrations of NDF, 8% lower IVTD, 48% lower cell wall digestibility, 7% lower crude protein, and 15% higher concentrations of ADF than unfermented fresh forage. Harvesting can be accomplished until 580 g kg -1 moisture while maintaining 95% of the maximum yield and milk ha -1 .
Suppression of Graft versus Host Reaction by Mitomycin C

AT present there is no adequate therapy for human diseases of immunological deficiency. Immunological reconstitution of children suffering from congenital thymic dysplasia has been attempted using allogeneic lymphoid tissues from pre- or postnatal donors, but these efforts remained unsuccessful1,2, or were followed by a fatal reaction of the graft against the host3.
Pion-nucleus inelastic scattering: Reaction contributions and nuclear spin determinations

Formulas for pion-nucleus inelastic scattering are presented in a form that may suggest experiments to isolate various contributions to the reaction, including S-wave, P-wave spin and nonspin flip, and effects of nucleon Fermi motion. Adopting a form of the distorted wave impulse appoximation, we obtain an expression for inelastic cross sections that clearly separate the pion laboratory energy (E), three-momentum transfer (q), and scattering angle (theta) dependences. The result is similar to the separation of longitudinal and transverse form factors in inelastic electron scattering. By varying the energy of the incident pion, but working at fixed q, one can determine whether a given nuclear excitation has natural or unnatural parity. By working at fixed theta, and varying E and thus q, one can isolate different reaction contributions: spin, scalar, and ''convection current.'' We also discuss the potential usefulness of studying the energy dependence of angle-integrated differential cross sections at fixed energy loss. The predictions of our formulas are in good agreement with recent data on natural and unnatural parity excitations in /sup 12/C(..pi..,..pi..')/sup 12/C*. Thus, this approach may be useful in analyzing future data in which the final nuclear spin is uncertain. Future experiments with selective q, E, and thetamore » variations to separate nuclear structure from reaction-mechanism uncertainties are suggested.« less
New Perspectives On Communication and Development: Overview

This introductory essay describes how our conceptualizations of development have recently shifted from a dominant model to alternative paradigms, thus implying new and different roles for communication in development.
CONCEPT OF THE INTRINSIC STATE.

The problem of collective nuclear rotations is discussed in terms of a kinematic transformation to an intrinsic body-fixed coordinate system. Some results are obtained that are equivalent to the classical case. By use of approximate projection operators, an algorithm for calculating successively higher terms in the expansion of the rotational parameter ($\frac{1}{2}$ the inverse inertial moment) is developed. The first-order term is just the Skyrme formula, with the proviso that it be evaluated with respect to the "nonrotational" part of the Hamiltonian.
Detonation Properties of 1,3,5‐Triamino‐2,4,6‐Trinitrobenzene when impacted by hypervelocity projectiles

This investigation analyzes the reaction of an insensitive high explosive with binder to hypervelocity impact by four projectiles of two types: rod and plate. The insensitive high explosive is composed of 92.5% 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) and 7.5% Kel-F 800 binder, a vinylidene fluoride-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer. In this paper, for simplicity, we refer to this composition as “TATB”. Of the the impacting projectiles, three are steel-rod assemblies ranging in weight from 32.6 g to 34.6 g, and are composed of a steel rod 8 mm in diameter and 19 mm in length, of which 9 mm protrudes from a Polyzelux plastic holder. The fourth is a tantalum-plate assembly, weighing 23.9 grams and composed of a tantalum plate 24.2 mm in diameter and 1.5 mm in thickness mounted on a Polyzelux holder. The tantalum-plate experiment provides a highly efficient diverging detonation profile as predicted by similar previous investigations with flyer plates and TATB. The steel-rod experiments are compared to the tantalum-plate experiment to determine if detonation has occurred with the steel-rod impacts. The projectiles are accelerated by a two-stage, light-gas gun to velocities in the range of 3.1 km/s to 6.5 km/s (10,171 ft/s to 21,325 ft/s) and have bracketed the detonation threshold of the impacted TATB target. Comparisons of the TATB reaction data to a computer modeling of the experiment show that at 3.06 km/s, the computer model correctly predicts no initiation of detonation; at 4.75 km/s, the computer model correctly predicts a partial detonation; and at 5.67 km/s and 6.53 km/s, both the computer analyses and the experiments give divergent detonations.
Xeroradiography in dentistry

Xeroradiography, a process of recording X rays with the use of xerographic principles, can be of benefit in dentistry, particularly in orthodontics and prosthodontics since both hard and soft tissue is clearly shown on the xeroradiograph. Anatomic images obtained with xeroradiography are more detailed and of higher quality than those obtained with conventional radiographic techniques. Both hard and soft tissues are clearly shown since xeroradiographs record tissues of different densities.
Topographic Map Generation from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission C-band SCANSAR Interferometry

A highly accurate global topographic map of the Earth's surface has been an elusive goal for at least three decades that may soon be achieved with the newly acquired Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) data. SRTM collected data for 99.97% of the Earth's landmass between -57 degrees and 60 degrees latitude during a 11 day mission in February, 2000. A modified version of the SIR-C radar that previously flew on the shuttle in 1994 augmented with a radar mounted on a 62 m boom was used to collect radar interferometric data at C (5.6 cm wavelength) and X (3 cm wavelength) bands. The C-band radar was operated in the SCANSAR mode in order to extend the swath width to 225 km the minimal amount required to achieve contiguous coverage at the equator. This paper presents an overview of the new algorithms and techniques used to process the SCANSAR data to digital elevation maps. First results of topographic maps generated from the SRTM data are used to illustrate the techniques described in this paper.
Sensing and Transmission in Probabilistically Interference-Limited Cognitive Radio Systems

In this paper, we provide a fundamental channel model to characterize the interference effect inherent in cognitive radio systems. Mutual information rates of our proposed probabilistic block interference channels for both primary and secondary users are derived without assuming that receivers have knowledge on channel interference states. Novel constrained optimization problems are then put forward with a constraint on the performance loss margin tolerated by the primary user. Furthermore, we investigate some special cases where conditions are provided to justify the optimality of adopting Neyman-Pearson rule. Also presented are some scenarios in which randomized decision without using sensing measurement is needed to balance the rateloss for PU and throughput gain for SD.
Glutamatergic antagonism: effects on lidocaine-induced seizures in the rat.

We tested the hypothesis that glutamate receptor antagonists increase the dose of lidocaine required to induce seizure activity. Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with halothane in 40% O 2 /balance N 2 and mechanically ventilated. After surgical preparation, halothane was discontinued. Normocapnia, normoxia, and normothermia were maintained. The electroencephalogram (EEG) and arterial blood pressure were monitored continuously. Rats were then randomized to one of six groups (control, one of three intravenous [IV] bolus doses of the competitive glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate [NMDA] receptor antagonist CGS 19755, or one of two IV bolus and continuous infusion regimens of the competitive glutamate α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid [AMPA] receptor antagonist 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo-(F)quinoxalline [NBQX])
Feasibility study for image-guided kidney surgery: assessment of required intraoperative surface for accurate physical to image space registrations.

A notable complication of applying current image-guided surgery techniques of soft tissue to kidney resections (nephrectomies) is the limited field of view of the intraoperative kidney surface. This limited view constrains the ability to obtain a sufficiently geometrically descriptive surface for accurate surface-based registrations. The authors examined the effects of the limited view by using two orientations of a kidney phantom to model typical laparoscopic and open partial nephrectomy views. Point-based registrations, using either rigidly attached markers or anatomical landmarks as fiducials, served as initial alignments for surface-based registrations. Laser range scanner (LRS) obtained surfaces were registered to the phantom’s image surface using a rigid iterative closest point algorithm. Subsets of each orientation’s LRS surface were used in a robustness test to determine which parts of the surface yield the most accurate registrations. Results suggest that obtaining accurate registrations is a function of the percentage of the total surface and of geometric surface properties, such as curvature. Approximately 28% of the total surface is required regardless of the location of that surface subset. However, that percentage decreases when the surface subset contains information from opposite ends of the surface and/or unique anatomical features, such as the renal artery and vein.
Substituent effects on singlet-triplet gaps and mechanisms of 1,2-rearrangements of 1,3-oxazol-2-ylidenes to 1,3-oxazoles.

Electronic structures, partial atomic charges, singlet−triplet gaps (ΔEST), substituent effects, and mechanisms of 1,2-rearrangements of 1,3-oxazol-2-ylidene (5) and 4,5-dimethyl- (6), 4,5-difluoro...
The hydrological significance of cloud forests in the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala

Abstract This paper discusses the hydrological significance of socio-economic practices such as agricultural land use change and forest extraction to communities adjacent to the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala. Cloud forest hydrology differs from most environments because of the increased frequency of fog interception and fog precipitation. Fog precipitation occurs when intercepted cloud droplets coalesce on foliar and woody surfaces as fog filters through the canopy, and represents a significant proportion of the annual water inputs to cloud forests especially during the dry season. Interception data from this study showed that fog precipitation contributed greater than 7.4% of the hydrological inputs at 2550 m and less than 1% at 2100 m in the Sierra de las Minas. During the dry season fog precipitation contributed 19% of the hydrological inputs to the water budget of the cloud forest. Fog precipitation may be a significant hydrological input to the water resources of the local population. Socio-economic practices such as the conversion of cloud forest to agricultural land may decrease water resources for communities in Guatemala that demand greater quantities of water.
Chaotic Localized States near the Onset of Electroconvection.

We report on chaotic localized traveling-wave states (pulses) near the onset of electroconvection in a nematic liquid crystal. They coexist with the conduction state, are long lived, appear and die at irregular locations and times, have unique small widths, and vary irregularly in length. In this system there are only four linearly unstable modes. Thus it should be possible to reproduce the dynamics of the pulses by four coupled complex Ginzburg-Landau equations once their coefficients are derived from the equations of motion (the weak-electrolyte model).
EVIDENCE THAT 1,25 DIHYDROXYVITAMIN D3, IS BIOACTIVE IN THE FETAL SHEEP INTESTINE

Intestinal calcium binding protein (iCaBP) is the best known molecular expression of the hormone 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25) and its synthesis in response to 1,25 requires the presence of specific 1,25 receptor macromolecules (1.25R). In rats, the developmental appearance of the 1.25R, iCaBP and its responsiveness to 1,25 occur around weaning. To test the hypothesis that in the fetal sheep, where there is evidence for a role of fetal 1,25 in mineral metabolism, there would be prenatal appearance of intestinal 1,25R and iCaBP, we isolated cytosolic intestinal 1,25R from samples of fetal (F:n=8) and maternal (M:n=5) small intestinal mucosa at 138d of gestation (term=145d). 1,25R were characterized by sedimentation coefficient (Sed), Scatchard analysis of saturation binding data and DNA-cellulose affinity chromatography (DNAcell). Gel filtration of F and M intestinal mucosal cytosols revealed a high affinity calcium binding protein in the 12,000 molecular weight region that demonstrated decreased anionic charge when bound to calcium (Ca) with the following elution profile on DEAE-A25 chromatography: (-Ca:elution at 0.2M NaCl / +Ca:elution in void volume). The purified apoprotein exhibited an acidic PI of 5.2 on isoelectric focusing. Conclusion: These data suggest that 1,25 is biologically active in the ovine fetal intestine.
What? I Didn’t Say THAT!: Linguistic strategies when speaking to write

Abstract This study attempts to identify strategies peculiar to speakers of non-standard varieties of American English when composing with speech recognition-based dictation software. Two speakers of African American Vernacular English and one non-native speaker of English were asked to orally compose a series of college-level writing tasks using ViaVoice 98. The findings indicate that when the software misrecognized their speech, the language minority students resorted to similar strategies as those of standard American speakers discussed in the literature such as speaker adaptation to recognition systems leading to hyperarticulation and other types of phonetic and lexical adjustments. Moreover, the participants based their strategies on their knowledge of human-to-human interaction (e.g., the sequential organization of talk), which more often than not proved to be useless when interacting with the software. Yet, the students did seem to build up an awareness during the speech sessions of their linguistic variety and its divergence from the standard American accent that the software was originally modeled after. The findings of this study offer a better understanding of some of the strategies that speakers from diverse ethno-linguistic backgrounds may employ when speaking to write with speech recognition-based dictation software. They also offer some insight into users’ assumptions about the capabilities of the system, i.e., what they believed the speech-based software could process in terms of utterance length, tone of voice, canonical pronunciation, and lexical items.
Predictors of disability among midlife men and women: differences by severity of impairment.

This study examines the influences on disability among men and women controlling for the degree of functional incapacity imposed by chronic illness or impairment. The associations between demographic, attitude, social role characteristics and disability are separately examined for persons with mild and severe levels of limitation in order to determine whether different factors are associated with disability when impairment is mild as opposed to severe. Separate logit regressions are estimated for four sex/severity groups using data from the 1978 Survey of Disability and Work. It is hypothesized that among persons with severe impairments, only demographic variables will be significantly associated with disability because the severity of limitations would make other factors unimportant, while among persons who are mildly impaired attitudes and social roles will be important influences. Contrary to these expectations, the factors associated with disability are similar among the four sex/severity groups. In all four groups the presence of pain and fatigue strongly influence disability while gender roles are generally not associated with disability. Attitudes regarding the importance of work for self-esteem are also found to be associated with reports of disability. An unexpected outcome of this analysis is an indication of what predicts theabsence of disability among severely impaired persons. In particular, persons who report that their sense of self-esteem is tied to work are least likely to report disability. These findings suggest which non-medical factors may contribute to the maintenance of usual work roles and life activities among persons with severe levels of impairment. They also identify variables which may link impairment and disability across all levels of severity.
21st-century use for surfactant?

The modern era of surfactant-replacement therapy (SRT) is almost 30 years old. Capitalizing on the then-new understanding of surfactant composition and function,1 Fujiwara et al2 opened a new decade and a new era in neonatal medicine with their January 12, 1980, report in the Lancet . Their 10-patient phase II open-label single-center study demonstrated physiologic efficacy of exogenous bovine-derived surfactant in infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). On the heels of this report, multiple studies followed. These studies included single-dose safety trials, efficacy trials, dose-ranging trials, and optimal timing trials, all aimed at preventing or treating RDS. Later trials sought to identify term and preterm infants with disorders other than RDS who might benefit from SRT. These later efforts met with more limited success.3–5 More recently, lucinactant, a synthetic surfactant containing a 21 amino acid peptide, sinapultide, has been tested against other surfactants in the management of RDS.6 Against this bright background of remarkable improvement in mortality rates for very low birth weight infants, the shadow of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) has lengthened. … Address correspondence to William E. Truog, MD, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Section of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO 64108. E-mail: wtruog{at}cmh.edu
Stretching at Work for Injury Prevention: Issues, Evidence, and Recommendations

(2003). Stretching at Work for Injury Prevention: Issues, Evidence, and Recommendations. Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene: Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 331-338.
DNA scission and repair during pachytene in Lilium

Sedimentation characteristics of native and denatured DNA were determined for sequential stages of meiosis in Lilium. Degradation of DNA during its preparation for analysis was minimized by extracting it from meiocytes that had been converted to protoplasts. Native DNA sedimented with a major peak in the 250s region of a glycerol gradient. The profiles for all meiotic stages were essentially the same. Denatured DNA showed a bimodal profile at pachytene (104s and 62s) and a more or less unimodal profile at other stages (104s). The difference was consistently observed regardless of the particular techniques used for preparation and measurement. The 62s component was not observed in achiasmatic cells or in cells which had been arrested by cycloheximide at prepachytene stages. Isotopic studies of pachytene DNA synthesis showed that DNA label accumulated in the 100s region and that it was present in both the old and new strands derived from premeiotic S-phase. The significance of the endogenous nicking of DNA is related to the timing and mechanics of crossing-over.
Improved cleavage of bovine ICSI ova cultured in heparin-containing medium

Abstract Although heparin plays an important role in bovine sperm capacitation, there is no direct evidence for a role in embryonic development. The present study was designed to examine the effect of heparin on early development of bovine zygotes obtained by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Spermatozoa were treated with or without heparin, and the ICSI ova were cultured in a chemically defined medium+BSA, with or without heparin. Treatment of spermatozoa with heparin before ICSI or heparin in post-ICSI culture medium for 18 or 24 h had a beneficial effect on pronuclear formation, cleavage rate (63% versus 76–83%), and number of cells in blastocysts (68 cells versus 82–109 cells; P
Fitness ''kinematics'': biological function, altruism, and organism-environment development

It’s recently been argued that biological fitness can’t change over the course of an organism’s life as a result of organisms’ behaviors. However, some characterizations of biological function and biological altruism tacitly or explicitly assume that an effect of a trait can change an organism’s fitness. In the first part of the paper, I explain that the core idea of changing fitness can be understood in terms of conditional probabilities defined over sequences of events in an organism’s life. The result is a notion of “conditional fitness” which is static but which captures intuitions about apparent behavioral effects on fitness. The second part of the paper investigates the possibility of providing a systematic foundation for conditional fitness in terms of spaces of sequences of states of an organism and its environment. I argue that the resulting “organism–environment history conception” helps unify diverse biological perspectives, and may provide part of a metaphysics of natural selection.
Treatment of hypertension in the elderly with a new calcium channel blocking drug, nitrendipine☆

Abstract purpose: Treatment of hypertension in the elderly decreases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that nitrendipine would be efficacious in the treatment of hypertension in the elderly. We evaluated potential differences between nitrendipine and the commonly used drug hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). patients and methods: The study was conducted as a double-blind randomized clinical trial of nitrendipine or HCTZ. Thirty hypertensive subjects over age 60 with a median sitting blood pressure greater than or equal to 95 mm of Hg were recruited into the study. A diastolic blood pressure with treatment of less than 95 mm Hg with a 5 mm Hg or greater decrease from baseline was considered a successful response. results: Nitrendipine decreased mean (±SEM) blood pressure from 163 ± 3102 ± 1 to 142 ± 289 ± 2 mm Hg, and HCTZ decreased it from 164 ± 4102 ± 1 to 143 ± 591 ± 2 mm Hg. A greater proportion of patients had a successful response with nitrendipine (81 percent) than with HCTZ (64 percent). The antihypertensive effect of nitrendipine twice daily appeared to be sustained for 24 hours. Blood pressure response to exercise was attenuated with both drugs. HCTZ caused gout, leg pains, muscle aches, hypokalemia, increased uric acid levels, and increased total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Nitrendipine caused edema and tachycardia. conclusion: Nitrendipine significantly reduces blood pressure with few side effects and no adverse metabolic effects, and offers a reasonable alternative for treating hypertension in the elderly.
Heat transfer distributions around nominal ice accretion shapes formed on a cylinder in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel

Local heat transfer coefficients were obtained on irregular cylindrical shapes which typify the accretion of ice on circular cylinders in cross flow. The ice shapes were grown on a 5.1 cm (2.0 in.) diameter cylinder in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel. The shapes were 2, 5, and 15 min accumulations of glaze ice and 15 min accumulation of rime ice. Heat transfer coefficients were also measured around the cylinder with no ice accretion. These icing shapes were averaged axially to obtain a nominal shape of constant cross section for the heat transfer tests. Heat transfer coefficients around the perimeter of each shape were measured with electrically heated copper strips embedded in the surface of the model which was cast from polyurethane foam. Each strip contained a thermocouple to measure the local surface temperature. The models were run in a 15.2 x 68.6 cm (6 x 27 in.) wind tunnel at several velocities. Background turbulence in the wind tunnel was less than 0.5 percent. The models were also run with a turbulence producing grid which gave about 3.5 percent turbulence at the model location with the model removed. The effect of roughness was also simulated with sand grains glued to the surface. Results are presented as Nusselt number versus angle from the stagnation line for the smooth and rough models for both high and low levels of free stream turblence. Roughness of the surface in the region prior to flow separation plays a major role in determining the heat transfer distribution.
Designing incentives in organizations

The design of incentive systems is a central issue in the economics of organization. This paper argues that very often the ideal incentive systems to use within firms will involve low-powered incentives. Five particular circumstances leading to weak incentives being optimal are examined.
Optimising a multi-mode steam distribution system

This paper describes a steam distribution system in which steam is generated by waste heat boilers, and by the exothermic reaction of a chemical process. The steam is distributed at four different pressures through a combination of control valves and a turbo-alternator. The steam load on each of the four pressure headers is dependent on the operating modes of two chemical plants; and can vary in magnitude from a situation of steam demand, to one of surplus steam. As part of an energy conservation programme, the distribution of steam has been optimised to provide the maximum possible utilisation of the turbo-alternator for all operating modes, consistent with chemical plant operation. An additional improvement in electrical power generation of 0.25 MW was obtained by the application of a computer to the optimising loops.
Toleration and Exclusion: Al-Shāfi'ī and al-Ghazālī on the Treatment of Apostates

The muslim judgement against apostates has in recent years been applied in cases of publicly expressed conviction that contradict generally accepted foundations of the Muslim faith. This situation is, however, only the outcome of a theological and legal development in the 5th/1 1th century. Until that time, the judgement of apostasy (irtidad) could not have been applied against Muslims who voiced opinions that were regarded as unbelief. The rules for this earlier period were written down by al-Shāfi'ī in his Kitāb al-Umm. His interpretation of the legal institution of istitaba leads to the acknowledgement that the judgement of irtidad is applicable only in a very small number of cases. This reflects legal sensitivity in the period of mass conversions when the secret practice of pre-Islamic religious rites amongst newly converted Muslims might have been widespread. Al-Shāfi'ī's guidelines, based on earlier judgements within the Kufan tradition, gained widespread acceptance in the Hanafī, Hanbalī, and Shāfi'ī schools of law. A first change can be noted in the middle of the 5th/11th century when authors such as al-Māwardī and Abu Ya'lā argued for a less generous application of the istitaba. Two generations later, al-Ghazālī (d. 555/1111) and his contemporaries such as Ibn Aqīl (d. 513/1119) did not restrict the judgement of irtidad to cases of openly declared apostasy. Al-Ghazālī develops a reasoning which is fully aware of the change in law and of the deviation from long-established principles. His own condemnation of three key statements of the falāsifa, expressed in his Tahāfut al-falāsifa, would be impossible without his identification of kufr with irtidad in earlier works.
The comparison of pyrosequencing molecular Gram stain, culture, and conventional Gram stain for diagnosing orthopaedic infections

We have developed a combined real-time PCR and pyrosequencing assay that successfully differentiated the vast majority of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria when bacterial isolates were tested. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this assay on clinical specimens obtained from orthopedic surgeries, and to prospectively compare the results of “molecular Gram stain” with culture and conventional direct Gram stain. Forty-five surgical specimens were obtained from patients who underwent orthopedic surgery procedures. The DNA was extracted and a set of broad-range PCR primers that targeted a part of the 16S rDNA gene was used for pan-bacterial PCR. The amplicons were submitted for pyrosequencing and the resulting molecular Gram stain characteristics were recorded. Culture and direct Gram staining were performed using standard methods for all cases. Surgical specimens were reviewed histologically for all cases that had a discrepancy between culture and molecular results. There was an 86.7% (39/45) agreement between the traditional and molecular methods. In 12/14 (85.7%) culture-proven cases of bacterial infection, molecular Gram stain characteristics were in agreement with the culture results, while the conventional Gram stain result was in agreement only for five cases (35.7%). In the 31 culture negative cases, 27 cases were also PCR negative, whereas 4 were PCR positive. Three of these were characterized as gram negative and one as gram positive by this molecular method. Molecular determination of the Gram stain characteristics of bacteria that cause orthopedic infections may be achieved, in most instances, by this method. Further studies are necessary to understand the clinical importance of PCR-positive/culture-negative results. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 24:1641–1649, 2006
John Witherspoon and the Founding of the American Republic – By Jeffry H. Morrison

In this brief but thoughtful study, the author asserts that John Witherspoon, the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence, has been overlooked as an important founder of the American...
Evaluation of the Teacher-Student Relationship Inventory in American High School Students.

This study provided an independent examination of the Teacher Student Relationship Inventory (TSRI), a teacher report measure developed in Singapore. A total of 500 American high school students were rated by 84 teachers. Exploratory factor analysis supported the existence of three factors representing instrumental help, satisfaction, and conflict; 11 of 14 items emerged as relatively pure indicators. Evidence of concurrent validity was provided through correlations, in the expected directions, between students’ ratings of their overall relationships with their teachers (teacher support and negative attitudes towards teachers) and TSRI satisfaction and conflict scores; instrumental help was unrelated to student perceptions of general teacher– student relations. Criterion-related validity was established through significant correlations in the expected directions between TSRI satisfaction and conflict scores and multiple indicators of students’ psychological and academic functioning. Instrumental help co-occurred with greater academic achievement but also with more teacher-observed symptoms of psychopathology. Findings provide initial support for use of the TSRI with American adolescents and suggest teacher-rated satisfaction as particularly relevant to students’ academic and psychological functioning.
Acquired supravalvar aortic stenosis following heart transplantation: report of 2 cases

We report 2 cases of acquired supravalvar aortic stenosis (SVAS) complicating orthotopic cardiac transplantation that contributed to the post-operative death of both patients. In the first patient the stenosis resulted from kinking of a too-long graft aortic component that was rendered into a fixed deformity by healed mediastinitis and constrictive pericarditis. Supra-aortic stenosis in the second patient occurred at a site of multiple aortic cannulations that was surrounded by dense fibrosis. Acquired SVAS contributed to the death of the first patient (who had graft arteriopathy) and was the proximate cause of death in the second patient. Specific echocardiography of the ascending aorta, which is not routinely performed, may detect SAVS.
Modeling and simulation of switching noise including power/ground plane resonance for high speed GaAs FET logic (FL) circuits

Equivalent circuit models of power/ground plane structures in high speed/frequency electronic packages used for switching noise and ground bounce simulation are presented. As an example, the effect of package resonance on the switching noise due to edge and clock rates of the GaAs FET logic (FL) inverter is reported for a typical MLC package. >
Studies of the cellular infiltrate of chronic idiopathic urticaria: Prominence of T-lymphocytes, monocytes, and mast cells

Abstract We have used a panel of monoclonal antibodies and enzyme histochemistry in order to characterize further the perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrate found in chronic idiopathic urticaria. Biotinylated anti-mouse immunoglobulin was exposed to avidin-biotin-peroxidase-labeled complex followed by peroxidase development in order to detect binding of monoclonal antibodies. The mean percent staining obtained for 12 patients with chronic urticaria was 47% T-lymphocytes, 22% monocytes (14% by α-naphthyl acid esterase), and 11% mast cells. B-lymphocytes were not detectable, and approximately 20% of cells could not be identified. Although patients varied greatly in the ratio of Leu 3a positive helper-inducer T cells to T8 positive cytotoxic-suppressor cells, the average of all patients was not significantly different from the T4T8 ratio in plasma. Our results suggest that the infiltrate resembles that observed in cellular immune reactions (although no antigen has been identified) and that interaction of T-lymphocytes and/or monocytes with mast cells to cause mediator release appears likely.
Effects of Dose and Period of Neonatal Alcohol Exposure on the Context Preexposure Facilitation Effect

Background: Alcohol exposure in the rat on postnatal days (PD) 4 to 9 is known to partially damage the hippocampus and to impair hippocampus-dependent behavioral tasks. We previously reported that PD4 to 9 alcohol exposure eliminated the context preexposure facilitation effect (CPFE) in juvenile rats, a hippocampus-dependent variant of contextual fear conditioning. In the CPFE, context exposure and immediate shock occur on successive occasions and this produces conditioned freezing relative to a control group that is not preexposed to the training context. Here, we extend our earlier findings by examining the effects of neonatal alcohol administered at multiple doses or over different neonatal exposure periods. Method: Rat pups (male and female) were exposed to a single binge dose of alcohol at one of 3 doses (2.75, 4.00, or 5.25 g/kg/d) over PD4 to 9 (Experiment 1) or to 5.25 g over PD4 to 6 or PD7 to 9 (Experiment 2). Sham-intubated (SI) and undisturbed (UD) rats served as controls. On PD31, rats were preexposed to either the training context (Pre) or an alternate context (No-Pre). On PD32, rats received an immediate unsignaled footshock (1.5 mA, 2 seconds) in the training context. Finally, on PD33, all rats were returned to the training context and tested for contextual freezing over a 5-minute period. Results: Undisturbed- and SI-Pre rats showed the CPFE, i.e., context preexposure facilitated contextual conditioning, relative to their No-Pre counterparts. The immediate shock deficit was present in all No-Pre groups, regardless of previous alcohol exposure. In Experiment 1, blood alcohol level was negatively correlated with contextual freezing. Group 2.75 g-Pre did not differ from controls. Group 4.00 g-Pre froze significantly less than Groups UD- and SI-Pre but more than Group 5.25-Pre, which showed the immediate shock deficit. In Experiment 2, alcohol exposure limited to PD7 to 9, but not PD4 to 6, disrupted the CPFE. Conclusions: This is the first demonstration of dose-related impairment on a hippocampus-dependent task produced by neonatal alcohol exposure in the rat. Exposure period effects support previous studies of alcohol and spatial learning. The CPFE is a more sensitive behavioral task that can be used to elucidate developmental alcohol-induced deficits over a range of alcohol doses that are more relevant to human exposure levels.
The pattern of foreign property investment in Vietnam: The apartment market in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract As globalization proceeds, transnational property development is increasing. Especially in emerging markets, foreign developers' influence in changing the local landscape is becoming significant. In this research, the behavioral patterns of foreign developers in the apartment market of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam were identified. To understand the dynamics of foreign developers, the types of products that were being created, where the investments were located, and the differences in development strategies adopted by foreign developers in comparison to domestic counterparts were identified. To accomplish this, data on apartment projects and statistics were collected, and a series of spatial analyses including sieve mapping, histogram analysis, factor analysis and logistic regression was conducted. In addition, closer examination was made of specific cases to understand the dynamics among foreign and domestic developers, also allowing the identification of some regularities in the patterns of foreign developments. Besides presenting detailed results, this paper also seeks to account for the conditions that appear to have generated these patterns and characteristics.
Multiple successional pathways and precocity in forest development: can some forests be born complex?

Background In forests subject to stand-replacing disturbances, conventional models of succession typically overlook early-seral stages as a simple re-organization/establishment period. These models treat structural development in essentially ‘relay floristic’ terms, with structural complexity (three-dimensional heterogeneity) developing primarily in old-growth stages, only after a closed-canopy ‘self-thinning’ phase and subsequent canopy gap formation. However, is it possible that early-successional forests can sometimes exhibit spatial complexity similar to that in old-growth forests – i.e. akin to an ‘initial floristic’ model of structural development? Hypothesis Based on empirical observations, we present a hypothesis regarding an important alternative pathway in which protracted or sparse forest establishment and interspecific competition thin out tree densities early on – thereby precluding overstorey canopy closure or a traditionally defined self-thinning phase. Although historically viewed as an impediment to stand development, we suggest this process may actually advance certain forms of structural complexity. These young stands can exhibit qualities typically attributed only to old forests, including: (1) canopy gaps associated with clumped and widely spaced tree stems; (2) vertically heterogeneous canopies including under- and mid-stories, albeit lower stature; (3) co-existence of shade-tolerant and intolerant species; and (4) abundant dead wood. Moreover, some of these qualities may persist through succession, meaning that a significant portion of eventual old-growth spatial pattern may already be determined in this early stage. Implications The relative frequency of this open-canopy pathway, and the degree to which precocious complexity supports functional complexity analogous to that of old forests, are largely unknown due to the paucity of naturally regenerating forests in many regions. Nevertheless, recognition of this potential is important for the understanding and management of early-successional forests.
Optical ablation by high-power short-pulse lasers

Laser-induced damage threshold measurements were performed on homogeneous and multilayer dielectrics and gold-coated optics at 1053 and 526 nm for pulse durations τ ranging from 140 fs to 1 ns. Gold coatings were found, both experimentally and theoretically, to be limited to 0.6 J/cm2 in the subpicosecond range for 1053-nm pulses. In dielectrics, we find qualitative differences in the morphology of damage and a departure from the diffusion-dominated τ1/2 scaling that indicate that damage results from plasma formation and ablation for τ ≤ 10 ps and from conventional heating and melting for τ > 50 ps. A theoretical model based on electron production by multiphoton ionization, joule heating, and collisional (avalanche) ionization is in quantitative agreement with both the pulse-width and the wavelength scaling of experimental results.
Clonal diversity and connectedness of turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) populations in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

a b s t r a c t We assessed Thalassia testudinum population genetics among four bays in St. John (United States Vir- gin Islands), a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Our results suggest that the St. John T. testudinum populations have (1) high sexual reproduction rates, (2) high levels of genetic diversity and low levels of inbreeding relative to other seagrass populations in less protected geographic areas, and (3) high connec- tivity when separated by up to 12 km. Pairwise FST values among the island populations ranged from 0.035 to 0.148. Additionally, we found that the T. testudinum outgroup population from an anthropogenically stressed bay in Florida is surprisingly diverse and shows few signs of inbreeding. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Release Liner Removal Method For Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems (TDDS)

A release liner removal test is a valuable test for assessing the quality of a transdermal drug delivery system (i.e., TDDS, patch). This test measures the force required to remove the release liner from a patch. The objective of the present study was to establish sample preparation and instrument parameters for measuring release liner removal adhesion for TDDS. Ten TDDS were evaluated (six drugs for a total of 29 lots). Patches which had a rate-controlling membrane were run as-is, since they could not be cut to a precise width without sacrificing their structural integrity. Patches that were square or rectangular in shape were run as-is, and the width of these patches was determined using a digital caliper. Patches which were not square or rectangular in shape and did not have a rate-controlling membrane were cut to a precise width using a specimen cutter. Double-sided tape was used to adhere the liner side of the transdermal system to a clean stainless steel test panel. A release liner peel adhesion method for TDDS is proposed using a dwell time of approximately 3 min, a peel angle of 90 degrees , and a peel speed of 300 mm/min.
Translation of Southern Bean Mosaic Virus RNA in Wheat Embryo and Rabbit Reticulocyte Extracts

Southern bean mosaic virus RNA was translated in wheat embryo extracts and in nuclease-treated rabbit reticulocyte lysates. Four principal products were synthesized: two related products with molecular weights of 105,000 and 75,000, a product with a molecular weight of 29,000 that closely resembled coat protein, and a product with a molecular weight of 14,000. Their proportion depended on ionic conditions and the translational system used.