cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Above threshold ionization in tightly focused, strongly relativistic laser fields.

At the ultra-high intensities now accessible with the latest generation of petawatt class lasers, v×B forces play a dramatic role on the dynamics of tunnel-ionized electrons. At these intensities electrons are driven nearly parallel to the laser propagation direction, gaining high energies as they ride in phase with the laser field over a long distance [1]. At sub- and near relativistic intensity ATI electrons can be well described by models, which assume that the laser electric and magnetic fields are purely transverse to the laser propagation axis. This assumption leads to a well defined relationship between the electrons’ final energy and ejection angle [2]. It is known however, that the actual electric and magnetic fields near a focus have components that are parallel to the laser propagation axis [3]. The magnitude of these longitudinal fields is smaller than the transverse fields by a factor of ~ 1/kw0 (where k is the laser wave number and w0 is the focal radius). Since these fields are typically at least an order of magnitude smaller than the transverse fields, even for tightly focused beams, they are usually unimportant. However our theoretical and numerical investigations on strong field ATI in the relativistic regime have shown that these longitudinal fields are very important. We find that, while the electron energies produced can be quite high, approaching 1 GeV at intensity of 5 × 1021 W/cm2, they are strongly influenced by the presence of longitudinal fields near the focus. These longitudinal electric fields serve to decelerate the electrons, pushing them out of phase with the field [4]. This decreases significantly the energy the electrons can acquire in the field and leads to large differences in the ATI electron angular distribution (this phenomenon is illustrated in Fig. 1). In this presentation we demonstrate a theoretical basis for the great effect of longitudinal electric fields on electron dynamics in case of ultrarelativistic ATI and support it by numerical simulations.
Bubble formation in vulcanized rubbers

A theoretical treatment is given for the formation of visible holes in an elastic solid. It differs from previous treatments of bubble formation in liquids by neglecting the problem of hole nucleation altogether. Instead, a small spherical hole is assumed to be present initially. The inflation of such a hole by a dissolved gas is then considered. A critical internal pressure is deduced, at which the hypothetical hole would become infinitely large. This pressure is given by 5G/2; where G is the shear modulus of the rubber. Some model experiments are described in which swollen rubber vulcanizates were rapidly heated to bring the dissolved liquid into a superheated conditions. The temperatures of rapid bubble formation were determined for a number of vulcanizates having different degrees of crosslinking and hence different values of shear modulus, and for different swelling liquids. The results are shown to be in reasonably good quantitative agreement with the theoretical predictions.
Moving toward a more inclusive educational environment? A multi-sample exploration of religious discrimination as seen through the eyes of students from various faith traditions.

This multi-sample study of master of social work students from various faith traditions (N=391) explores the extent to which religious discrimination is perceived to exist as a problem in social work education programs. No difference in perceptions emerged between religiously affiliated and non-affiliated respondents. Evangelical Christians generally reported higher levels of discrimination than theologically liberal and mainline Christians. The confirmation of the second hypothesis suggests that professional attention may be needed to ensure compliance with the profession's ethical and educational standards, while the failure of the first hypothesis suggests that progress toward a more inclusive educational environment may be occurring.
Stabilization of polymer electrolyte fuel cell voltage with reduced-order Lyapunov exponent feedback and corrective pressure perturbations

Abstract Polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) system efficiency can be decreased by instabilities resulting from the accumulation of water in the cathode as well as by excessive air delivery parasitic loads used to prevent liquid water accumulation. In this work, we present a new instability detection diagnostic tailored for the nonlinear and chaotic dynamics of PEFC operation with multi-phase flow in the gas channels. The instability statistic, the Lyapunov exponent of the reduced-order voltage return map, λ , is a measure of the exponential rate of divergence in the dynamic voltage signal measured from the fuel cell. A key advantage of this statistic for embedded control is that it is a self-referencing measure of the system stability for feedback and is not based on an a priori performance threshold. Our experiments demonstrate that the Lyapunov exponent statistic provides a warning typically 100 s in advance of significant power loss. Using this statistic as a control diagnostic, a new control scheme that detects PEFC instability in real time and mitigates it with pressure perturbations was applied experimentally to several fuel cell systems, including one that simulates stack operation. Our control scheme resulted in increased PEFC power, decreased cathode flooding leading to a lower parasitic load for air delivery, and stable PEFC performance.
Measurement of aminolaevulinate synthetase activity in normal mouse liver with [2-14C] glycine.

An isotopic method for the estimation of aminolaevulinate synthetase is described. This utilises [2-14C]glycine as a precursor, unfractionated homogenate as a source of enzyme, and is carried out in a small reaction volume. The aminolaevulinate product is separated by electrophoresis and estimated by scintillation counting. The method is more sensitive than conventional colorimetric techniques and capable of measuring activity changes in normal liver. [14C]Aminolaevulinate produced in the reaction is apparently stable, in contrast to the instability of [3H]aminolaevulinate added to the reaction mixture. The identity of the product has been confirmed by electrophoresis and chromatography. The enzyme from adult mouse liver is stable for at least 4 h in the reaction mixture. The reaction proceeds at a maximal rate at pH 7.0 and shows little or no requirement for citric acid cycle intermediates. The Km (glycine) is 4.2 mM. The observed range of mean activities of several different samples, 2–3 pmoles amino laevulinate per min per mg protein, agrees with previous published reports.
The infrared spectra of HCF3 and DCF3

Abstract Experimental measurements of the infrared spectra of HCF3 and DCF3 are reported with emphasis on the overtone and combination bands and on the numerous resonances which occur. These include Fermi, l-type, and Coriolis x-y resonances.
Evidence of a Tense Shift in Personal Experience Narratives

“Danger of death” narratives were collected and analyzed for their use of the historical present tense. The historical present tense in these narratives serves as a signal which fingerprints their identity as “danger of death” narratives and, thus, has a potential application in artificial intelligence programs.
Effects of histamine on Th1/Th2 cytokine balance

Atopic asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways where upon exposure to allergens, the body mounts an immune response. This disease is associated with an increase in the number of Th2 (T helper type 2) cells and Th2 cytokines and a decrease in the number of Th1 (T helper type 1) cells and Th1 cytokines. Histamine plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atopic asthma through differential regulation of T helper lymphocytes. Histamine enhances the secretion of Th2 cytokines such as IL-4 (interleukin-4), IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13 and inhibits the production of Th1 cytokines IL-2 and IFNgamma (interferon-gamma) and monokine IL-12. It has been shown that histamine can modulate the cytokine network through upregulation of PGE(2) (prostaglandin E(2)) and NO (nitric oxide). Histamine also affects cytokine production via H2 receptors and through the activation of PKA (protein kinase A). We have also demonstrated that the Jak-STAT (Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription) pathway is involved in histamine-mediated regulation of Th2 cytokines IL-5, IL-10, IL-13 and Th1 cytokine IFNgamma. While standard treatment of asthma consists of beta-receptor agonists and inhaled corticosteroids, the elucidation of histamine's control over the cytokine network and the Th1/Th2 balance provides a basis for the potential use of antihistamines in the prevention and treatment of atopic asthma. Several other anti-allergic agents to modulate the Th1/Th2 balance are under current investigation based on this paradigm. These include cytokines, cytokine antagonists, anti-IgE, and vaccinations. As more advances are made in our understanding of histamine and its control over the Th1/Th2 balance, the use of new therapeutic targets such as these will play a prominent role in disease management.
Conceptual organization and retrieval of text by historians: The role of memory and metaphor

As electronic text files increase in number and diversity, the problem of devising a more effective information retrieval interface grows more important. Future designs may draw upon cognitive theories at categorization and metaphor to understand how users interact with text—both paper and electronic. Relevant literature in cognitive psychology and information science suggests the importance of the user's physical environment in thinking about abstract entities, such as categories of documents. Empirical studies have established a basis for understanding how we think about, file, remember, and locate text. Results from a study of 20 historians—an exemplary group in terms of their close studies of texts and the broad scope of their inquiries—imply the importance of metaphors for storage and retrieval of documents. The study found that metaphors and subjective categories were frequently applied to documents collected and created by these scholars. Two physical factors—spatial configuration and document form—were often considered before topic in determining document storage locations in the office. Developers of information systems should consider qualitative aspects of cognition in their designs. System developers might also consider segmenting the audience for computer interfaces, as well as designing generic tools that apply to all users. © 1991 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
THE METABOLISM OF LACTALDEHYDE. VI. THE REDUCTION OF D- AND L-LACTALDEHYDE IN RAT LIVER.

Abstract The partial purification from rat liver of a NAD-dependent enzymic activity, utilizing d -and l -lactaldehyde equally well, is described. 1,2-propanediol was identified as the product of lactaldehyde reduction. The described activity is shown to differ from enzymic activities heretofore reported to utilize lactaldehyde in other tissues.
MODIFICATION OF THE RADIATION EFFECT ON ASCITIC TUMOUR CELLS BY PHARMACOLOGICAL AGENTS INJECTED INTRAVENOUSLY.

THE modification of the effect of radiation on a murine ascitic tumour irradiated in vivo by pharmacological agents has been previously reported1–3. In those investigations the effect of radiation on the reproductive capacity of ascitic tumour cells was modified by direct injection of the pharmacological agent into the peritoneal cavity, the site of tumour growth. The experiments reported here were performed with intravenous injection of the agent to utilize physiological processes in the host (tumour bearing) animal to transport the pharmacological agent to the site of the tumour. It was our belief that although the concentration of the agent at the site might be limited, the technique would more closely simulate clinical situations where it is frequently not possible to achieve high concentration of a drug at the site of the tumour. The modifications of the effect of radiation on the tumour cells could be measured quantitatively by changes in radiation survival curve parameters.
Parental mediation of children's TV viewing in China: an urban‐rural comparison

Purpose – This paper aims to examine how parental mediation of children's television viewing varies among urban and rural children in China.Design/methodology/approach – A survey of 1,056 children ages 6 to 14 in nine Chinese provinces was conducted. Independent sample t‐tests were performed to make rural‐urban comparisons. Correlation analyses were provided on the relationships between parental mediation styles and children's television usage, and between parental mediation styles and children's purchase request.Findings – The paper finds that urban parents engage in more instructive mediation and restrictive mediation than rural parents. Urban parents use restrictive mediation the more often, while rural parents use co‐viewing the more frequently. Only urban children's television viewing has a significantly positive relationship with co‐viewing with their parents. In general, children's purchase request is positively related to parental mediation styles in rural and urban China (except for restrictive m...
Strategies for instructional computing

Instructional computing in psychology has become increasingly important to undergraduate and graduate curricula. Four modes of instructional computing, drill and practice, data generators, experiment simulators, and gaming, are described and illustrated with actual programs. Implications of recent developments in cognitive psychology for instructional computing are outlined. Factors in the design of high-quality materials are described, and problems and opportunities for publication and distribution are discussed.
Design and testing of an energy flywheel for an Integrated Power/Attitude Control System /IPACS/

This paper summarizes the design of a prototype flywheel energy storage assembly developed to evaluate the spacecraft Integrated Power and Attitude Control System (IPACS) concept. In the IPACS application, the flywheel assembly is used for kinetic electrical energy storage as well as conventional angular momentum control. The kinetic energy storage function dictates high rotational speeds which require new approaches to the design of the major components: rotors, motor-generators, bearing systems, and electronics. The paper includes a general description of a NASA-contracted prototype assembly, a discussion of major component design characteristics, and the presentation of preliminary test results as compared with analytical predictions. The test data were obtained from preliminary tests of the NASA prototype assembly as well as from a Rockwell prototype test unit.
Some thoughts on the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease, (with special reference to women "on the pill"). Role of ascorbic acid.

Abstract Consideration of nine major factors predisposing to cerebral thrombosis, coronary thrombosis or thrombosis in the deep veins of the calf, reveals that these factors all have one thing in common. Estrogen administration, pregnancy, ageing, smoking infection, trauma, surgery, soft water and winter season are all associated with a tendency towards decreased plasma ascorbic acid levels. Normally, ascorbic acid deficiency is thought of as causing a tendency towards hemorrhage rather than thrombosis, but it is here suggested that petechial hemorrhages under the endothelium of the blood vessels may precipitate thrombosis on the damaged endothelium. Is not blood coagulation the normal mechanism for the arrest of hemorrhage?
Creating the invisible interface: (invited talk)

For thirty years, most interface design, and most computer design, has been headed down the path of the “dramatic” machine. Its highest ideal is to make a computer so exciting, so wonderful so interesting, that we never want to be without it. A less-traveled path I call the “invisible”; its highest ideal is to make a computer so imbedded, so fitting, so natural, that we use it without even thinking about it. (I have also called this notion “Ubiquitous Computing.”) I believe that in the next twenty years the second path will come to dominate. But this will not be easy; very little of our current systems infrastructure will survive. We have been building versions of the infrastructure-to-come at PARC for the past four years, in the form of inch-, foot-, and yard-sized computers we call Tabs, Pads, and Boards. In this talk I will describe the humanistic origins of the “invisible” ideal in post-modernist thought. I will then describe some of our prototypes, how they succeed and fail to be invisible, and what we have learned. I will illustrate new systems issues that user interface designers will face when creating invisibility. And I will indicate some new directions we are now exploring, including the famous “dangling string” display.
Weblogs as a bridging genre

Purpose – Aims to describe systematically the characteristics of weblogs (blogs) – frequently modified web pages in which dated entries are listed in reverse chronological sequence and which are the latest genre of internet communication to attain widespread popularity.Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents the results of a quantitative content analysis of 203 randomly selected blogs, comparing the empirically observable features of the corpus with popular claims about the nature of blogs, and finding them to differ in a number of respects.Findings – Notably, blog authors, journalists and scholars alike exaggerate the extent to which blogs are interlinked, interactive, and oriented towards external events, and underestimate the importance of blogs as individualistic, intimate forms of self‐expression.Originality/value – Based on the profile generated by the empirical analysis, considers the likely antecedents of the blog genre, situates it with respect to the dominant forms of digital communica...
Nitro-functionalization and luminescence quantum yield of Eu(III) and Tb(III) benzoic acid complexes

In our pursuit of luminescent lanthanide ion-based coordination polymers, we have isolated several complexes with nitrobenzoic acid ligands and characterized these by X-ray crystallography and luminescence spectroscopy. 2-Nitrobenzoic acid reacts with Eu(III) to form 1, which crystallizes in the P-1 space group, with a = 12.385(3), b = 12.912(3), c = 17.889(4) A, α = 97.49(3), β = 109.64(3) and γ = 101.99(3)°. 3-Nitrobenzoic acid forms a one-dimensional coordination polymer with Eu(III), 2, which crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with a = 9.7100(19), b = 10.579(2), c = 13.361(3) A, α = 77.41(3), β = 88.78(3) and γ = 88.16(3)°. Structures 3 and 4 correspond to the isostructural one-dimensional coordination polymers of Eu(III) and Tb(III), respectively, with the 4-nitrobenzoato anion. These crystallize in the triclinic space group P-1 with a = 9.2242(18), b = 15.102(3), c = 18.587(4) A, α = 75.93(3), β = 82.88(3) and γ = 79.00(3)° for 3 and a = 9.2692(19), b = 15.369(3), c = 18.353(4) A, α = 75.37(3), β = 81.32(3) and γ = 78.15(3)° for 4. Potentiometry, absorption and NMR spectroscopy indicate that in solution only 1 : 1 species are present. All compounds are weakly luminescent as solids and the photophysics of solutions of ligands with Ln(III) in 1 : 1 stoichiometry were studied. Quantum yields around 1 and 3% for Eu(III)-and Tb(III)-containing methanolic solutions were measured.
Refereed papers: IP Traceback using header compression

Denial-of-service and other malicious attacks have become increasingly prevalent in recent years. A major issue hindering the ability to trace attacks to their sources is the ease of IP address spoofing which conceals the attackers' identity. Several techniques, generically named IP traceback, have been proposed to enable tracing of IP packets from destination to source despite IP spoofing. In this paper, we propose a Simple, Novel IP Traceback using Compressed Headers (SNITCH) that is based upon Probabilistic Packet Marking (PPM). This technique employs header compression to increase the number of bits available for insertion of traceback information. Simulations performed on empirical data have shown that 100% of the attack paths can be determined with a maximum of 0.43% false positive paths.
Effect of Acute Nitric Oxide Synthesis Inhibition on Kidney Function in Experimental Renovascular Hypertension 1796

Nitric oxide plays an important role in regulating renal hemodynamics. We compared the responses of anesthetized two kidney, one clip renovascular hypertensive rats to acute mean arterial pressure [MAP] elevations caused by either the nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor L-NAME 8 mg/kg IV (n = 8) or by infrarenal aortic constriction [CONST] (n = 6). Results are mean ± SE and *P < 0.05 vs pretreatment measurements. Pretreatment MAP was 125± 2 mmHg, rising to 149 ± 4* mmHg after L-NAME and to 146± 2* mmHg after CONST. L-NAME reduced plasma concentrations of the nitric oxide metabolites, nitrite/nitrate (28 ± 1 vs 19 ± 3* umol/L) while CONST had no significant effect on these levels (28 ± 1 vs 29 ± 2 umol/L). In unclipped kidneys, L-NAME did not significantly alter glomerular filtration rate (1.2 ± 0.2 vs 1.0± 0.2 ml/min per g kidney wt), decreased renal plasma flow (2.6± 0.1 vs 1.6 ± 0.3* ml/min per g kidney wt), increased urine flow (12 ± 3 vs 47 ± 12* ul/min per g kidney wt), and did not significantly affect urine nitrite/nitrate excretion (2.5 ± 0.3 vs 3.0± 0.5 nmol/min per g kidney wt); while CONST did not significantly alter either glomerular filtration rate (0.9 ± 0.1 vs 0.9 ± 0.1 ml/min per g kidney wt) or renal plasma flow (2.9 ± 0.1 vs 2.8 ± 0.3 ml/min per g kidney wt) and increased both urine flow (10 ± 3 vs 39± 9* ul/min per g kidney wt) and urine nitrite/nitrate excretion (2.1± 0.2 vs 4.3 ± 0.4* nmol/min per g kidney wt). Inclipped kidneys, both L-NAME and CONST did not significantly affect glomerular filtration rate (L-NAME 0.8 ± 0.1 vs 1.0 ± 0.2 ml/min per g kidney wt; CONST 0.8 ± 0.1 vs 0.9 ± 0.1 ml/min per g kidney wt) and increased renal plasma flow (L-NAME 1.9 ± 0.3 vs 2.5± 0.3* ml/min per g kidney wt; CONST 2.2 ± 0.3 vs 2.7 ± 0.2* ml/min per g kidney wt), urine flow (L-NAME 8 ± 3 vs 38 ± 11* ul/min per g kidney wt; CONST 7 ± 3 vs 31 ± 7* ul/min per g kidney wt) and urine nitrite/nitrate excretion (L-NAME 1.8 ± 0.3 vs 3.2± 0.5* nmol/min per g kidney wt; CONST 1.4 ± 0.2 vs 2.9 ± 0.3* nmol/min per g kidney wt). Our results suggest that the influence of nitric oxide on kidney function varies with renal perfusion pressure and that plasma and urine nitrite/nitrate measurements can be used as indices of nitric oxide activity in vivo.
Questioning the Direct Relationship between Product Modularity and Retirement Cost

Modular product design has become a core element aspect of sustainable product design, particularly design for product retirement. This work explores the relationship between product modularity and product retirement costs. Previous statements tying increased modularity to decreased costs, specifically product retirement costs, motivated this work. Modular architecture is traditionally made up of functionally independent clusters of components. Past definitions of modularity have centered on a one-to-one correspondence between form and function. An expanded definition of product modularity has been used in this work, which not only includes function, but also form and life-cycle process (manufacture, assembly, retirement, etc.) relationships. The benefits of modularity with respect to product functionality, product development, production, the supply chain, and other life-cycle elements have been expounded by many works in several fields. Specific advantages associated with modular products include economies of scale, standardisation of assemblies, minimisation of assembly time, and improved serviceability. Beyond these advantages, understanding cost's relationships with modularity is essential, since cost is a major factor in the success of a product. No research has been done to prove the existence of a relationship between modularity and cost. Yet, many projects have been based on this unproven assumption. In this paper, an existing modular design method was focused on product retirement. The method was used to measure and redesign four consumer products and to measure ten more consumer products. Costs associated with retirement including, recycling, reuse, remanufacturing, and disposal were measured for each product and each redesign. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out to look at the relationships between relative modularity, retirement cost, and number of design changes made. As was the hypothesis of this work, as retirement modularity increases, product retirement costs tend to decrease. However, this trend is not statistically significant. Specific products did exhibit significant relationships but the strong modularity – cost tie assumed in the literature is clearly not valid. Our study of this hypothesis was complete but limited in scope. We have begun follow on research that expands this work to additional products and additional life-cycle stages.
KWTA networks and their applications

Winner-Take-All (WTA) or K-Winner-Take-All (KWTA) networks have been frequently used as the basic building blocks of complex neural networks. This paper introduces a new selection rule for network connections that implements stable KWTA networks. To widen the applications of WTA networks, a new class of WTA networks is proposed, and their efficient design methods are presented. We demonstrate the properties of the generalized class of WTA networks, through three application examples.
Expressiveness and Expression in Music and Poetry

The attempt to understand what it is for music to express, or be expressive of, emotion is long-standing, but also the object of several creative new approaches and a snow squall of recent work. It can be seen as part of several larger projects: the attempt to understand what expression is across the arts, and perhaps beyond the arts; the explication of the way the mind manifests itself in art; and the application of the philosophy of mind to the philosophy of art. In this paper, I will attempt to evaluate some of the more recent approaches to understanding expression in music in the light of their promise for these larger projects as well as their intrinsic plausibility. I will also suggest a new approach.
Stem-Loop Recognition by DDX17 Facilitates miRNA Processing and Antiviral Defense

DEAD-box helicases play essential roles in RNA metabolism across species, but emerging data suggest that they have additional functions in immunity. Through RNAi screening, we identify an evolutionarily conserved and interferon-independent role for the DEAD-box helicase DDX17 in restricting Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a mosquito-transmitted virus in the bunyavirus family that causes severe morbidity and mortality in humans and livestock. Loss of Drosophila DDX17 (Rm62) in cells and flies enhanced RVFV infection. Similarly, depletion of DDX17 but not the related helicase DDX5 increased RVFV replication in human cells. Using crosslinking immunoprecipitation high-throughput sequencing (CLIP-seq), we show that DDX17 binds the stem loops of host pri-miRNA to facilitate their processing and also an essential stem loop in bunyaviral RNA to restrict infection. Thus, DDX17 has dual roles in the recognition of stem loops: in the nucleus for endogenous microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis and in the cytoplasm for surveillance against structured non-self-elements.
A Novel Flash Fast-Locking Digital Phase-Locked Loop

A FLASH digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) is designed using 0.18μm CMOS process and a 3.3V power supply. It operates in the frequency range 200MHz – 2GHz. The DPLL operation includes two stages: (1) a novel coarse-tuning stage based on a flash algorithm similar to the algorithm employed in flash A/D converters, and (2) a fine-tuning stage similar to conventional DPLLs. The flash portion of the DPLL is made up of frequency comparators, an encoder, and a decoder which drives a multiple charge pump (CP)/lowpass filter (LPF) combination. Design considerations of the flash DPLL circuit components as well as implementation using Cadence design tools are presented. Spectre simulations demonstrated a significant improvement in the lock time of the flash DPLL as compared to the conventional DPLL. By increasing the number of frequency comparators, the lock time is expected to be always less than 100ns .
Clinical Update on Nursing Home Medicine: 2009

This represents the third clinical update based on presentations at the American Medical Directors Association (AMDA) annual meeting. Topics covered this year include hypertension, heart failure, cachexia, dehydration, falls, depression, constipation, and aspiration pneumonia.
Compressional and Shear-Wave Velocity versus Depth Relations for Common Rock Types in Northern California

Abstract This article presents new empirical compressional and shear-wave velocity ( Vp and Vs ) versus depth relationships for the most common rock types in northern California. Vp versus depth relations were developed from borehole, laboratory, seismic refraction and tomography, and density measurements, and were converted to Vs versus depth relations using new empirical relations between Vp and Vs . The relations proposed here account for increasing overburden pressure but not for variations in other factors that can influence velocity over short distance scales, such as lithology, consolidation, induration, porosity, and stratigraphic age. Standard deviations of the misfits predicted by these relations thus provide a measure of the importance of the variability in Vp and Vs caused by these other factors. Because gabbros, greenstones, basalts, and other mafic rocks have a different Vp and Vs relationship than sedimentary and granitic rocks, the differences in Vs between these rock types at depths below 6 or 7 km are generally small. The new relations were used to derive the 2005 U.S. Geological Survey seismic velocity model for northern California employed in the broadband strong motion simulations of the 1989 Loma Prieta and 1906 San Francisco earthquakes; initial tests of the model indicate that the Vp model generally compares favorably to regional seismic tomography models but that the Vp and Vs values proposed for the Franciscan Complex may be about 5% too high.
Three-Dimensional Structure of Muscle Membranes Involved in the Regulation of Contraction in Skeletal-Muscle Fibers

One area in cell biology in which considerable advance has been made over the last 25 years is the study of how internal membranes in skeletal-muscle cells [specifically the transverse tubular system (T-system) and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)] are involved in the control of the contractile state of the cell. This chapter will review this research and summarize the present state of our understanding in this area (for a broader review of muscle-cell biology over the last 25 years, see Franzini-Armstrong and Peachey, 1982). As will be seen, we now have a quite complete understanding of how the T-system of a variety of types of skeletal-muscle fibers is constructed and how it works. Furthermore, this knowledge from muscle cells, in which contractile and control mechanisms are highly elaborated and relatively easy to study, should turn out to be useful in studies of nonmuscle cells, where one might perhaps expect to find similar, though probably simpler, control systems.
A study of image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy with fiducials for localized prostate cancer including pelvic lymph nodes.

Purpose: To study the impact on nodal coverage and dose to fixed organs at risk when using daily fiducial localization of the prostate to deliver intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods and Materials: Five patients with prostate cancer in whom prostate and pelvic nodes were irradiated with IMRT were studied. Dose was prescribed such that 95% of the prostate planning target volume (PTV) and 90% of the nodal PTV were covered. Random and systematic prostate displacements in the anterior‐posterior, superior‐inferior, and left‐right directions were simulated to shift the original isocenter of the IMRT plan. The composite dose during the course of treatment was calculated. Results: Compared with a static setup, simulating random shifts reduced dose by less than 1.5% for nodal hotspot (i.e., dose to 1 cm 3 ), by less than 1% for the 90% nodal PTV coverage, and by less than 0.5% for the nodal mean dose. Bowel and femoral head hotspots were reduced by less than 1.5% and 2%, respectively. A 10-mm systematic offset reduced nodal coverage by up to 10%. Conclusion: The use of prostate fiducials for daily localization during IMRT treatment results in negligible changes in dose coverage of pelvic nodes or normal tissue sparing in the absence of a significant systematic offset. This offers a simple and practical solution to the problem of image-guided radiotherapy for prostate cancer when including pelvic nodes. © 2007 Elsevier Inc.
Sexual Behaviour and AIDS in the Developing World

Sexual Behaviour and AIDS in the Developing World. John Cleland and Benoiat Ferry. eds. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1994. 228 pp.
Prophylactic muscle flaps in vascular surgery

Background Vascular surgery-related groin complications can lead to catastrophic outcomes and pose a significant healthcare burden. We have taken steps to reduce potential complications at the time of initial surgery by performing prophylactic muscle flaps. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and benefit of prophylactic flaps in high-risk patients. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed on patients undergoing open vascular surgery involving the femoral vessels through a groin incision between 2005 and 2010. Patients receiving prophylactic muscle flaps at their initial surgery were compared with those patients not receiving a flap (control). Results Sixty-eight prophylactic flaps in 53 patients were compared with 195 open vascular procedures without flaps in 178 patients. The most frequent indication was reoperative bypass surgery with prosthetic reconstruction (63%). The prophylactic patient group exhibited significantly higher rates of comorbidities, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (25.0% vs 12.6%; P = .018) and hyperlipidemia (80.9% vs 59.1%; P = .002). Patients receiving prophylactic flaps had lower rates of overall complications (16.2% vs 50.3%; P P P = .023), and lymphocele (1.5% vs 15.4%; P = .002). Multivariate regression demonstrated that obesity (odds ratio [OR], 2.1 [1.001-4.49]; P = .05), smoking (OR, 2.7 [1.37-5.16]; P = .004), reoperation (OR, 3.5 [1.41-8.63]; P = .007), and prosthetic graft reconstruction (OR, 2.0 [1.03-3.78]; P = .04) were associated with postoperative complications. Additionally, in analyzing all groin complications in all patients, we found that patients who received a prophylactic flap experienced significantly less groin wound complications (OR, 0.17; P Conclusions Complications following open groin surgery are common, lead to significant morbidity, and are very costly. Performing prophylactic muscle flaps at the initial surgery to cover the femoral vessels and reduce dead space can significantly reduce complications in select high-risk patients. Prophylactic flaps are safe, effective, and should be considered in patients with multiple comorbidities undergoing high-risk groin surgery, such as reoperative prosthetic bypass surgery.
SU-FF-T-32: A New Dose Optimization Algorithm for Adaptive Radiation Therapy

Purpose: Current radiation treatment plans do not adapt to errors (and other deviations from the target dose distribution) in already delivered fractions. We assume that the dose actually delivered (including any errors) is known after its delivery. We devise a dynamic control algorithm compensating for these errors by adapting the plan for the current fraction. Method and Materials: We wrote MATLAB code that models treatment of a 2D phantom using the beamlet model. We used SNOPT (a commercial SQP optimization code) to select beamlet weights that minimize the weighted quadratic deviation from some desired dose. We also apply our algorithm to a head and neck case. Suppose the prescription dose is D* over N fractions; Di * is the dose planned for fraction i; and Di is the dose actually delivered in fraction i. Our baseline (algorithm) chooses for fraction i the feasible plan, Di *, that minimizes the weighted quadratic deviation from D*/N. Our adaptive algorithm selects for fraction k the feasible plan Dk * that minimizes the weighted quadratic deviation from D*(k/N)−D 1−…−Dk−1. Simulation determines the delivereddoseDi from the anticipated doseDi * by adding noise and incorporating setup error (translation and rotation of the patient) and tissue distortion caused by small organ motion. We compare the adaptive algorithm to the baseline and an algorithm with perfect foresight. For the algorithms, we compare the DVH of the cumulative doseD 1+…+DN and the margin needed to achieve a satisfactory cumulative delivereddose.Results: We achieved significant improvement in the objective function while delivering more dose to the tumor and less to the sensitive structures on our test case with setup errors of ±1cm and ±2°. Conclusion: This new paradigm of adaptive radiation therapy (ART) holds significant promise for us to improve the current radiation therapy.
The Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome. Neurobiology of Treatment and Toxicity

Our increasing understanding of the neurobiology of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome has been accompanied by its safe and efficacious treatment. In this review, the biologic alterations that are associated with the signs and symptoms of withdrawal, and their relationship to current pharmacologic treatments, will be discussed. Potential long-term neurotoxic effects of alcohol withdrawal will also be reviewed. The role of the GABAK-benzodiazepine receptor complex, the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, the sympathetic nervous system, the hypotha-lamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and limbic neuronal sensitization in the acute changes and persistent consequences of alcohol withdrawal will be the focus of this discussion. Potential treatment strategies based on these neurobiologic changes will be proposed.
Remote manipulator and its teleoperated guide vehicle for hazardous waste sampling operations

A remote manipulator and its teleoperated guide vehicle were developed for laser-aided surface sampling operations at hazardous waste sites. This equipment was designed to reduce or eliminate human interaction with the hazardous contaminants. The 3 degree-of-freedom (DOF) remote manipulator with a sampling probe mounted on the end of the robotic arm is operated either by a master/slave controller or a computer keyboard command. The teleoperated guide vehicle moves by remote control the manipulator (mounted on a trailer) into the desired sampling locations in the contaminated field. This paper deals with the mechanical design considerations, control system, and capabilities of both the manipulator and the teleoperated guide vehicle. The results of field tests are also presented. >
Effects of Sustained Release Bovine Somatotropin(Sometribove) on Animal Health in Commercial Dairy Herds

The health of dairy cows given bovine somatotropin (bST) for one lactation was evaluated in 28 commercial herds located in four regions of the United States. At least six herds were in a region and at least one herd/ region contained fewer than 60 cows. Cows (n = 1213) were assigned randomly to control or bST groups and were treated beginning in wk 9 to 10 of lactation and every 14 d until dry-off or d 400 of lactation. Management was according to site practices. Cows were observed for health-related signs by farm personnel daily and by the herd veterinarian biweekly. Average 305-d test-day milk yields were 932 kg greater for bST-treated cows. Pregnancy rates, days open, twinning, cystic ovaries, or abortions were unaffected by treatments. Supplementation of cows with bST had no effect on total mastitis cases, total days of mastitis, duration of mastitis, or the odds ratio of a cow to develop mastitis. Cows supplemented with bST used more medications for health events other than mastitis. This usage was associated primarily with treatments for disorders of the foot and hock. Supplemented cows had a slight increase in foot disorders. There was no effect of supplementation with bST on culling from the herd or removal from study. Overall, the results confirm that label directions for bST are adequate for safe use under field conditions. All clinical signs observed in this study occur normally in dairy herds and were managed in cows supplemented with bST.
Comparison of serum cortisol and prolactin in sheep blood sampled by two methods

Abstract The objective was to compare serum cortisol and prolactin levels in sheep following remote blood sampling with levels after the animals were handled. Twelve ovariectomized ewes were studied during two consecutive years. Each year, six ewes were kept in metabolism crates inside a building for 1 month. During this period they were accustomed to being handled. Prior to sampling, sheep were assigned to two groups (A and B) of three. Group A animals were fitted with an iv-catheter in one jugular vein (conventional sampling) and a 4 m long polyvinyl cannula in the other jugular vein (remote sampling). Group B animals were fitted only with the iv-catheter. In the first part of the study, group A sheep were sampled remotely and undisturbed for 3 hr at 10-min intervals and immediately afterwards were sampled conventionally for an additional 3 hr at 10-min intervals. In the second part of the study, group A animals were sampled remotely while group B animals were sampled conventionally for 3 hr at 10-min intervals. During this sampling period, group A animals, although not handled, were aware of disturbances in the sampling room. Serum cortisol (28.6 ± 0.9 vs. 11.8 ± 0.7; x ± SEM ; ng/ml) and prolactin (58.1 ± 3.6 vs. 32.7 ± 2.9; x ± SEM ; ng/ml) levels were higher (P x ± SEM ; ng/ml) and prolactin (38.3 ± 2.9 vs 59.6 ± 5.6; x ± SEM ; ng/ml) levels in samples obtained remotely (group A) were lower (P
A technique for pediatric total skin electron irradiation

Background: Total skin electron irradiation (TSEI) is a special radiotherapy technique which has generally been used for treating adult patients with mycosis fungoides. Recently, two infants presented with leukemia cutis isolated to the skin requiring TSEI. This work discusses the commissioning and quality assurance (QA) methods for implementing a modified Stanford technique using a rotating harness system to position sedated pediatric patients treated with electrons to the total skin. Methods and Results: Commissioning of pediatric TSEI consisted of absolute calibration, measurement of dosimetric parameters, and subsequent verification in a pediatric patient sized cylindrical phantom using radiographic film and optically stimulated luminance (OSL) dosimeters. The depth of dose penetration under TSEI treatment condition was evaluated using radiographic film sandwiched in the phantom and demonstrated a 2 cm penetration depth with the maximum dose located at the phantom surface. Dosimetry measurements on the cylindrical phantom and in-vivo measurements from the patients suggested that, the factor relating the skin and calibration point doses (i.e., the B-factor) was larger for the pediatric TSEI treatments as compared to adult TSEI treatments. Custom made equipment, including a rotating plate and harness, was fabricated and added to a standard total body irradiation stand and tested to facilitate patient setup under sedated condition. A pediatric TSEI QA program, consisting of daily output, energy, flatness, and symmetry measurements as well as in-vivo dosimetry verification for the first cycle was developed. With a long interval between pediatric TSEI cases, absolute dosimetry was also repeated as part of the QA program. In-vivo dosimetry for the first two infants showed that a dose of ± 10% of the prescription dose can be achieved over the entire patient body. Conclusion: Though pediatric leukemia cutis and the subsequent need for TSEI are rare, the ability to commission the technique on a modified TBI stand is appealing for clinical implementation and has been successfully used for the treatment of two pediatric patients at our institution.
Honeybee (Apis mellifera ligustica) Response to Differences in Handling Time, Rewards and Flower Colours

Free flying honeybees were tested outdoors on blue-white and blue-yellow dimorphic artificial flower patches to examine the influence of reward difference, flower handling-time difference and flower colour choice on foraging decisions. We employed different flower-well depths to vary handling times (costs), and differences in sucrose molarity to vary reward quality. Tests were performed with 2 and 6 μl rewards to vary quantity. We show that when handling time is correlated with flower-colour morphs on a pedicellate artificial flower patch, a honeybee's foraging behaviour is dependent on the flower colours used in the choice tests. This supports a honeybee foraging model where constraints are a significant factor in decision making. Bees visiting blue-yellow flower patches exhibited flower constancy to colour, where they restricted most visits to a single flower colour, some bees to blue and others to yellow, irrespective of handing time differences. When offered a choice of equally rewarding blue or white flowers, bees were not constrained by flower colour and chose to visit flowers with a lower handling time. When reward molarity varied with well depth between blue and white flowers, foragers chose shallow-well flowers (short-handling time) with a smaller net harvest rate over deep-well flowers (long-handling time) with a greater net harvest rate. Results using the blue-white dimorphic flower patch suggest that when foraging options simultaneously involve reward and handling-time choices, honeybee forager behaviour is inconsistent with an absolute method of evaluating profit.
Compact optical pulse train generator

A device that is capable of creating a series of equally spaced, identical pulses from a single pulse is presented. It is useful for studying the time development of transient phenomena.
Minimizing Protection Cost for High-Speed Recovery of Mission Critical Traffic in WDM Mesh Networks

Network survivability depends on the choice of recovery scheme and offers challenging tradeoffs in terms of recovery speed, cost, and management complexity. To allow more efficient operation of backbone networks, service differentiation based on reliability requirements have been proposed. However, the cost for protecting mission critical data using high-speed recovery schemes can still be expensive. We previously described an online protection scheme called Streams Protection that allows fast recovery and low data loss with little extra capacity. In this paper, we present a capacity optimization technique using the Streams Protection scheme for use with static traffic demands consisting of high-priority traffic. Unlike the use of flexible, dynamic provisioning, which is desirable for non-critical traffic (may be blocked depending on resource availability), high-priority, mission critical traffic must be guaranteed a high level of reliability and stability, which lends itself better to more static provisioning models. Our results show that using the proposed technique, we can achieve significant savings in protection capacity while providing the recovery speed and low data loss figures of a fully dedicated protection scheme.