cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Return of Table-Based Computing

Tabular computing, quite common in the pre-electronic-computer days, is regaining importance, given substantial reduction in the cost of memory and higher computational requirements in the age of big data. An added bonus of table-based computing is greater control over the error characteristics of the results, which favors the use of tables over alternative modes of approximate computing. After presenting examples of architectural schemes and applications for table-based computing, we conclude with an assessment of cost, performance, and energy benefits.
Antibiotic Resistance in Pathogenic Salmonella

Several nontyphoidal Salmonella species are responsible for foodborne salmonellosis in the human population which can occur at considerable cost. While antimicrobials are critical in treatment of the disease many Salmonella serovars are resistant to at least some of these antimicrobials and some strains are multidrug resistant to some of the clinically important antimicrobials. Genes encoding the respective resistance responses have been identified but a comprehensive understanding needs to be developed. Once more is known it may be possible to develop antimicrobial compounds and intervention strategies that can precisely target the more vulnerable aspects of Salmonella metabolism and potentially decrease the likelihood of resistance development.
Fabrication of High-resolution Graphene-based Flexible Electronics via Polymer Casting

In this study, a novel method based on the transfer of graphene patterns from a rigid or flexible substrate onto a polymeric film surface via solvent casting was developed. The method involves the creation of predetermined graphene patterns on the substrate, casting a polymer solution, and directly transferring the graphene patterns from the substrate to the surface of the target polymer film via a peeling-off method. The feature sizes of the graphene patterns on the final film can vary from a few micrometers (as low as 5 µm) to few millimeters range. This process, applied at room temperature, eliminates the need for harsh post-processing techniques and enables creation of conductive graphene circuits (sheet resistance: ~0.2 kΩ/sq) with high stability (stable after 100 bending and 24 h washing cycles) on various polymeric flexible substrates. Moreover, this approach allows precise control of the substrate properties such as composition, biodegradability, 3D microstructure, pore size, porosity and mechanical properties using different film formation techniques. This approach can also be used to fabricate flexible biointerfaces to control stem cell behavior, such as differentiation and alignment. Overall, this promising approach provides a facile and low-cost method for the fabrication of flexible and stretchable electronic circuits.
Energy-Efficient Ring-Oscillator Signal Processing Scheme for Pattern Recognition and Reduced Computational Loads

With the increase of the number of sensors in an Internet-of-Things (IoT) environment, there is a critical need of in-situ signal processing for local intelligence. This work presents a ring-oscillator based neural network (ONN) for sensor signal processing. A series of 36 ring oscillators are coupled serially and the network performs computations by synchronization. The coupling weights are modulated by sensor inputs which in turn affect the stored memory by indication of synchronization time and frequency of the network. This work studies the effects of synchronization time and frequency of the ONN for different supply voltages, coupling weights and number of oscillating nodes. The 36 oscillator ring neural network scheme has been designed and simulated using 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS process. Simulation results show power consumption to be less than 5.6 mW for the entire ONN and pattern recognition based on synchronization frequency and time differences between the training and input patterns.
Material erosion measurements and expected operational lifetime of a deployable photon sieve payload

Abstract Spacecraft operating in low-Earth orbit are subjected to a number of hazardous environmental constituents that can lead to decreased system performance and reduced operational lifetimes. Due to their thermal, optical, and mechanical properties, polymers are used extensively in space systems; however they are particularly susceptible to material erosion and degradation as a result of exposure to the LEO environment. The focus of this research is to examine the material erosion and mass loss experienced by a custom Kapton-like polyimide due to exposure in a simulated low-earth orbit environment. The deployable membrane telescope design discussed in this research is named Peregrine and is the scientific payload for FalconSat-7, a 3U cubesat designed and developed at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) for the purpose of demonstrating the capability of deployable membrane telescope technology on a nano-satellite platform. In addition to the polymer samples, chrome, silver and gold specimens will be examined to measure the oxidation rate and act as a control specimen, respectively. A magnetically filtered atomic oxygen plasma source has previously been developed and characterized for the purpose of simulating the low-Earth orbit environment. The plasma source can be operated at a variety of discharge currents and gas flow rates, of which the plasma parameters downstream of the source are dependent. The characteristics of the generated plasma were examined as a function of these operating parameters to optimize the production of O+ ions with energy relevant to LEO applications. The erosion yield of the Kapton-like polyimide was experimentally determined to be 2.84 × 10−24 cm3 per atom which is in close agreement when compared to the on-orbit measurement for reaction efficiency of Kapton HN. The experimentally determined reaction rate for the Kapton-like polyimide was used to estimate the operational lifetime of the photon sieve during the solar conditions expected beginning in May 2019. The effective lifetime is estimated between 126 and 153 days.
Ferritin-based iron supplementation guideline for preterm infants: a quality improvement project

INTRODUCTION Preterm infants are at risk for iron deficiency or iatrogenic iron overload; both potentially leading to multi-systemic consequences. Hematocrit and reticulocyte counts are commonly used for monitoring, but these markers are frought with inconsistencies. Serum ferritin is increasingly being utilized as a surrogate marker of iron stores. We sought to improve the hematologic parameters of our preterm infants by implementing a ferritin-based iron guideline to aid clinical decision-making. OBJECTIVES Our primary aim was to improve median discharge hematocrit and corrected reticulocyte counts (CRC) by 10% from baseline for preterm …
Rhesus Cytomegalovirus-Specific CD8+ Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Do Not Become Functionally Exhausted in Chronic SIVmac239 Infection

CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) exert potent antiviral activity after HIV/SIV infection. However, efforts to harness the antiviral efficacy of CTLs for HIV/SIV prophylaxis and therapy have been severely hindered by two major problems: viral escape and exhaustion. By contrast, CTLs directed against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a ubiquitous chronic herpesvirus, seldom select for escape mutations and remain functional and refractory to exhaustion during chronic HCMV and HIV infection. Recently, attempts have been made to retarget HCMV-specific CTLs for cancer immunotherapy. We speculate that such a strategy may also be beneficial in the context of HIV/SIV infection, facilitating CTL-mediated control of HIV/SIV replication. As a preliminary assessment of the validity of this approach, we investigated the phenotypes and functionality of rhesus CMV (RhCMV)-specific CTLs in SIVmac239-infected Indian rhesus macaques (RMs), a crucial HIV animal model system. We recently identified two immunodominant, Mamu-A∗02-restricted CTL epitopes derived from RhCMV proteins and sought to evaluate the phenotypic and functional characteristics of these CTL populations in chronic SIVmac239 infection. We analyzed and directly compared RhCMV- and SIVmac239-specific CTLs during SIVmac239 infection in a cohort of Mamu-A∗01 + and Mamu-A∗02 + RMs. CTL populations specific for at least one of the RhCMV-derived CTL epitopes were detected in ten of eleven Mamu-A∗02 + animals tested, and both populations were detected in five of these animals. Neither RhCMV-specific CTL population exhibited significant changes in frequency, memory phenotype, granzyme B expression, exhaustion marker (PD-1 and CTLA-4) expression, or polyfunctionality between pre- and chronic SIVmac239 infection timepoints. In chronic SIVmac239 infection, RhCMV-specific CTLs exhibited higher levels of granzyme B expression and polyfunctionality, and lower levels of exhaustion marker expression, than SIVmac239-specific CTLs. Additionally, compared to SIVmac239-specific CTLs, greater proportions of RhCMV-specific CTLs were of the terminally differentiated effector memory phenotype (CD28- CCR7-) during chronic SIVmac239 infection. These results suggest that, in contrast to SIVmac239-specific CTLs, RhCMV-specific CTLs maintain their phenotypes and cytolytic effector functions during chronic SIVmac239 infection, and that retargeting RhCMV-specific CTLs might be a promising SIV immunotherapeutic strategy.
Press Freedom and Media Reform in a Populist Regime: How Ecuadorian Journalists and Policy Actors See the Correa Era

This article considers the debates about press freedom raised by an important case of populist media reform in Latin America, drawing on interviews with Ecuadorian journalists, policy makers, and commentators involved in the policy process. Whereas these cases are commonly understood, following a “libertarian” conception of press freedom, as threats to an independent press, interviewees saw a more complex picture. The majority agreed that press freedom was threatened under former president Rafael Correa’s regime in Ecuador; at the same time, most of respondents considered media regulation necessary given a history of “media capture,” and believed that journalistic professionalism had improved in Correa’s period. These results suggest that press freedom is a multidimensional reality in which the state plays a key role, proposing a further discussion about media regulation and populism in contemporary societies.
Preoperative Assessment and Optimization of the Cancer Patient for Onco-Surgery

The onco-surgical interventions require a thorough preoperative assessment that includes the global assessment of the cancer patient, focusing on their past medical and surgical history as well as their oncological history and neoadjuvant therapies. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy have important acute and chronic side effects that must be appreciated before anesthesia. Risk stratification and prognostication are crucial matters to consider in preparation of the patient for anesthesia and onco-surgery. Prehabilitation is an emerging concept for patients undergoing surgical interventions and there is some evidence that addressing modifiable risk factors may affect treatment outcomes. The prehabilitation goal is primarily to increase the physiological reserves to tolerate the stress of the perioperative period better. The impact of various prehabilitative aspects needs to be researched further in specific surgical interventions. Various testing need to be individualized. In high-risk surgical interventions, newer assessment modalities like cardiopulmonary exercise testing provide a holistic overview of cardiorespiratory function and can detect clinically occult heart disease. Further research is needed, however, before this expensive test is more widely implemented.
Toward comprehensive imaging of oncolytic viroimmunotherapy

Oncolytic viruses infect, replicate in, and kill cancer cells, leaving normal cells unharmed; they also recruit and activate immune cells against tumor cells. While clinical indications for viroimmunotherapy are growing, barriers to widespread treatment remain. Ensuring real-time tracking of viral replication and resulting anti-tumor immune responses will overcome some of these barriers and is thus a top priority. Clinically optimizing trackability of viral replication will promote safe dose increases, guide serial dosing, and enhance treatment effects. However, viral delivery is only half the story. Oncolytic viruses are known to upregulate immune checkpoint expression, thereby priming otherwise immunodeficient tumor immune microenvironments for treatment with checkpoint inhibitors. Novel modalities to track virus-induced changes in tumor microenvironments include non-invasive measurements of immune cell populations and responses to viroimmunotherapy such as (1) in situ use of radiotracers to track checkpoint protein expression or immune cell traffic, and (2) ex vivo labeling of immune cells followed by nuclear medicine imaging. Herein, we review clinical progress toward accurate imaging of oncolytic virus replication, and we further review the current status of functional imaging of immune responses to viroimmunotherapy.
The Limits of Punishment: Transitional Justice and Violent Extremism

This paper draws upon the empirical evidence of three country case studies -- Nigeria (Boko Haram), Iraq (IS/Daesh), and Somalia (Al Shabaab) -- to provide a framework to assist national policymakers and their international partners in developing alternative, and more effective, responses to individuals accused of association with violent extremist groups. It offers a pragmatic framework for understanding how well-tailored transitional justice can contribute to more viable transitions away from conflict in settings confronted by such groups. This paper is part of a series commissioned by the Institute For Integrated Transitions (https://www.ifit-transitions.org) and the Centre for Policy Research at the United Nations University (https://cpr.unu.edu). The case studies and other related publications may be found at the websites of both of these sponsoring organizations. The project of which this paper is a part gave rise to three additional case studies on negotiations with violent extremist groups: Uganda and the LRA; Libya and the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group; and Afghanistan and the Taliban. These latter case studies, combined with this paper and the research supporting it, resulted in the paper, "Transitional Justice and Violent Extremism - An Original Policy Framework," written by Ronald C. Slye, and also found here on SSRN and on the website of the Institute For Integrated Transitions.
Inducing Neuroplasticity through Intracranial Theta Burst Stimulation in the Human Sensorimotor Cortex

The progress of therapeutic neuromodulation greatly depends on improving stimulation parameters to most efficiently induce neuroplasticity effects. Intermittent Theta Burst stimulation (iTBS), a form of electrical stimulation that mimics natural brain activity patterns, has proved to efficiently induce such effects in animal studies and rhythmic Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation studies in humans. However, little is known about the potential neuroplasticity effects of iTBS applied through intracranial electrodes in humans. This study characterizes the physiological effects of intracranial iTBS in humans and compare them with alpha frequency stimulation, another frequently used neuromodulatory pattern. We applied these two stimulation patterns to well-defined regions in the sensorimotor cortex, which elicited contralateral hand muscle contractions during clinical mapping, in epilepsy patients implanted with intracranial electrodes. Treatment effects were evaluated using oscillatory coherence across areas connected to the treatment site, as defined with cortico-cortical evoked potentials. Our results show that iTBS increases coherence in the beta frequency band within the sensorimotor network indicating a potential neuroplasticity effect. The effect is specific to the sensorimotor system, the beta-band and the stimulation pattern, and outlasted the stimulation period by ~3 minutes. The effect occurred in 4/7 subjects depending on the build-up of the effect during iTBS treatment and other patterns of oscillatory activity related to ceiling effects within the beta-band and to pre-existent coherence within the alpha-band. By characterizing the neurophysiological effects of iTBS within well-defined cortical networks, we hope to provide an electrophysiological framework that allows clinicians/researchers to optimize brain stimulation protocols which may have translational value.
Ethanol Oxidation by a Component of Liver Microsomes Rich in Cytochrome P-450

A cytochrome P-450-rich fraction free of alcohol dehydrogenase activity and containing only small amounts of catalase was prepared from rat liver microsomes and shown to catalyze the NADPH-dependent oxidation of ethanol. The recoveries of cytochrome P-450 and the activity of the NADPH-dependent ethanol oxidation were 15.6% and 14.0%, respectively. The addition of separated cytochrome c reductase to the cytochrome P-450 fraction resulted in an increase in the ethanol-oxidizing activity, while the addition of microsomal lipid had a mild inhibitory effect on the activity catalyzed by the combined cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome c reductase fractions. Substitution of the NADPH-generating system by a system generating H2O2 also resulted in oxidation of ethanol by the cytochrome P-450-rich fraction, although at a slightly slower rate. The separated catalase fraction oxidized ethanol only in the presence of a system generating H2O2. It is concluded that ethanol oxidation can be catalyzed by a microsomal component rich in cytochrome P-450 and separate from contaminating alcohol dehydrogenase and catalase.
Colonoscopy: go small for success?: Marshall JB, Perez RA, Madsen RW, Usefulness of a Pediatric Colonoscope for Routine Colonoscopy in Women Who Have Undergone Hysterectomy, Gastrointest Endosc 2002;55:838–41

Colonoscopy using standard adult colonoscopes can be difficult in patients with fixed, angulated sigmoid colons. An earlier study from the same center suggested that in women who have had hysterectomy, successful colonoscopy occurred with greater frequency when initiated with a pediatric colonoscope versus an adult colonoscope. This follow-up study was a nonblinded clinical trial comparing the use of a pediatric colonoscope with an adult colonoscope for routine colonoscopy in women with previous hysterectomy. A total of 100 female patients presenting for an outpatient colonoscopy were randomized to use the pediatric (Olympus PCF-100) or adult (Olympus CF-100L or CF-Q140L) colonoscope. The primary outcome was the comparative rate of cecal intubation. Secondary outcomes included total procedure time, cecal insertion time, sedative administration, procedural difficulty, and patients’ experience. Endoscopists encountering difficult insertion had the opportunity to use the alternate scope. The cecum was reached in 49 of 51 (96.1%) women when using the pediatric colonoscope versus 35 of 49 (71.4%) women when using the adult colonoscope. Of the 14 incomplete examinations initiated with an adult colonoscope, the pediatric colonoscope was used 12 times, and the cecum was reached in nine, adjusting the rate of successful colonoscopy to 44 of 49 (89.8%). There was no statistical difference in total procedure time, cecal insertion time, sedative drug dosages, procedural difficulty, or patient comfort using either scope. When performing routine colonoscopy in women with previous hysterectomy, the authors recommend either starting with a pediatric colonoscope or having one available in the advent of a fixed, angulated sigmoid colon.
NMR spectroscopy of cyclopentane derivatives: II. Mono-and 1,1-disubstitutedcyclopentanes

Abstract Acomplete iterative n.m.r. spectral analysis has been accomplished for nine specifically-deuterated mono- and 1,1-disubstituted cyclopentane derivatives at 17 °C, and for three of these derivatives at low temperature. The magnitudes of the resulting vicinal interproton coupling constants are consistent with a pseudorotation model having a slight conformational preference for those structures resembling an envelope with the substituent(s) located on the flap ( 1 ).
Correlation of Genes and Enzymes, and Studies on Regulation of the Aromatic Pathway in Salmonella

Abstract Polyauxotrophic aromatic mutants of Salmonella typhimurium, previously classified aro B, E, C, A, and D, were shown to be blocked in Reactions 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, respectively. 3-Deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthetase (Enzyme 1) was derepressed about 10-fold in wild type cells grown in the presence of all amino acids except phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, and in leaky mutants grown with a limiting aromatic amino acid supplement. The first reaction was catalyzed by at least two separable isoenzymes which were under feedback control of phenylalanine or tyrosine. Enzymes 2, 3, 4, and 5 responded only slightly or not at all to end product starvation. Noncoordinate repression of the intermediate enzymes is in accord with the known observation that the genes specifying them are not linked.
Pipeline-level control of self-resetting stage pipelines

In this paper, we present a novel synchronization approach to support data flow in clockless designs using single-rail encoding. This approach is based on self-resetting stage logic in which a pipeline stage resets itself before starting the next execution cycle. As such, a stage goes through a reset phase when its output is null, and an evaluate phase when its output is the result of the evaluation of its inputs. To insure proper operation, a latch-based synchronization mechanism is proposed which yields an efficient and a simple uni-directional handshaking scheme emanating from the last stage in the pipeline back towards the remaining stages of the pipeline. A concept design of a four-bit 16-stage pipeline is presented to illustrate the inner workings of self-resetting stage logic and its data-flow synchronization mechanism controlled at pipeline level. The overall pipeline's performance is elucidated through a detailed signal timing analysis to bring to light how the duration of the evaluate phase, reset phase, and the latch enable of a given stage depends on its location within the pipeline.
Critical point dominance in one dimension

The renormalized, dimensionless 4-point coupling constant of scalar one dimensional field theories is maximized uniquely by the “critical point theories” (obtainable as the scaling limit of φ4 models). The renormalized coupling constant of certain scalar one dimensional lattice field theories is maximized uniquely (for fixed correlation length) by the corresponding spin-1/2 model.
Starch in Fungi: III. Isolation and Properties of an Amylose-precipitating Factor from Lentinellus Ursinus Fruit Bodies.

A factor which precipitates amylose has been isolated from Lentinellus ursinus (Fr.) Kuhner fruit bodies. This factor could be a protein or a polypeptide. Glucose, maltose, and amylopectin do not affect the binding of amylose. Amylose binding is unaffected by temperature (4 to 40 C) or pH (6 to 8.5).
Get on the (curbside) bus: The new intercity bus

Curbside buses are intercity buses that pick up and drop off on city streets and corners instead of bus terminals. These new buses have only been operating for 15 years but have quickly revitalized and transformed the intercity bus industry, leading to the first increases in ridership in 50 years. Using a passenger intercept survey of both curbside and established carriers, such as Greyhound, I address two basic questions about this new mode: Who uses curbside buses? And what is the effect of curbside buses on competing modes? The findings indicate that curbside buses appear to be attracting different passengers than established carriers. After using curbside buses, passengers are less likely to use Amtrak for intercity trips, but the buses have no effect on their likelihood to drive.
Mood stability in Parkinson disease following deep brain stimulation: a 6-month prospective follow-up study.

Background Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson disease has been associated with psychiatric adverse effects including anxiety, depression, mania, psychosis, and suicide. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of deep brain stimulation in a large Parkinson disease clinical practice. Methods Patients approved for surgery by the Mayo Clinic deep brain stimulation clinical committee participated in a 6-month prospective naturalistic follow-up study. In addition to the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, stability and psychiatric safety were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Young Mania Rating scale. Outcomes were compared in patients with Parkinson disease who had a psychiatric history to those with no co-morbid psychiatric history. Results The study was completed by 49 of 54 patients. Statistically significant 6-month baseline to end-point improvement was found in motor and mood scales. No significant differences were found in psychiatric outcomes based on the presence or absence of psychiatric comorbidity. Conclusions Our study suggests that patients with Parkinson disease who have a history of psychiatric co-morbidity can safely respond to deep brain stimulation with no greater risk of psychiatric adverse effect occurrence. A multidisciplinary team approach, including careful psychiatric screening ensuring mood stabilization and psychiatric follow-up, should be viewed as standard of care to optimize the psychiatric outcome in the course of deep brain stimulation treatment.
Secreted transcription factor controls Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence

Bacterial pathogens trigger specialized virulence factor secretion systems on encountering host cells. The ESX-1 protein secretion system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-the causative agent of the human disease tuberculosis-delivers bacterial proteins into host cells during infection and is critical for virulence, but how it is regulated is unknown. Here we show that EspR (also known as Rv3849) is a key regulator of ESX-1 that is required for secretion and virulence in mice. EspR activates transcription of an operon that includes three ESX-1 components, Rv3616c-Rv3614c, whose expression in turn promotes secretion of ESX-1 substrates. EspR directly binds to and activates the Rv3616c-Rv3614c promoter and, unexpectedly, is itself secreted from the bacterial cell by the ESX-1 system that it regulates. Efflux of the DNA-binding regulator results in reduced Rv3616c-Rv3614c transcription, and thus reduced ESX-1 secretion. Our results reveal a direct negative feedback loop that regulates the activity of a secretion system essential for virulence. As the virulence factors secreted by the ESX-1 system are highly antigenic, fine control of secretion may be critical to successful infection.
Social Entrepreneurship that Truly Benefits the Poor: An Integrative Justice Approach

El espectacular crecimiento de los emprendimientos sociales en la ultima decada ha demostrado habilmente como la tecnologia, la innovacion y el espiritu emprendedor pueden permitirse mejores soluciones a los problemas sociales y ambientales acuciantes de nuestro tiempo que los esfuerzos basados en la ayuda tradicional y la caridad. En la mayoria de los casos, pero no siempre, los pobres y los desfavorecidos se han beneficiado del crecimiento de los emprendimientos sociales. Con el fin de garantizar que el emprendimiento social realmente beneficia a los pobres, es imprescindible que haya guias normativas para la participacion justa y equitativa con las poblaciones empobrecidas. Un modelo que ha sido presentado en la literatura de marketing y politica publica es el modelo de justicia integrada (MJI) para las poblaciones empobrecidas. Mientras que el MJI se desarrollo principalmente en el contexto de las empresas multinacionales (EMN) que operan en mercados emergentes, su aplicabilidad se extiende mas alla de las EMN. Este articulo trata de aplicar los principios del MJI en el contexto del emprendimiento social a fin de proporcionar a las organizaciones sociales emprendedoras (OSE) de un marco normativo destinado a garantizar que los pobres realmente se benefician de sus actividades. En base a este marco, el articulo sugiere algunas areas a las que las OSE debe prestar especial atencion en su practica. El articulo tambien presenta algunas sugerencias para investigaciones futuras.
Bioremediation of atrazine-contaminated soil by repeated applications of atrazine-degrading bacteria

Bioaugmentation has previously been unreliable for the in situ clean-up of contaminated soils because of problems with poor survival and the rapid decline in activity of the bacterial inoculum. In an attempt to solve these problems, a 500-l batch fermenter was investigated for its ability to deliver inoculum repeatedly to contaminated soils via irrigation lines. In a field experiment, mesocosms were filled with 350 kg soil containing 100 mg kg−1 atrazine, and inoculated one, four or eight times with an atrazine-degrading bacterial consortium that was produced in the fermenter. After 12 weeks, no significant degradation of atrazine had occurred in soil that was inoculated only once; whereas, mesocosms inoculated four and eight times mineralized 38% and 72% of the atrazine respectively. Similar results were obtained in a laboratory experiment using soil contaminated with 100 mg kg−1 [14C]atrazine. After 35 days, soil that was inoculated once with 108 cfu ml−1 of the consortium or with the atrazine-degrading bacterium, Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP, mineralized 17% and 35% of the atrazine respectively. In comparison, microcosms inoculated every 3 days with the consortium or with Pseudomonas sp. (ADP) mineralized 64% or 90% of the atrazine over this same period. Results of these experiments suggest that repeated inoculation from an automated fermenter may provide a strategy for bioaugmentation of contaminated soil with xenobiotic-degrading bacteria.
“TIME IS LIFE”: EARLY MORTALITY IN TYPE A ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION: INSIGHTS FROM THE IRAD REGISTRY

Based on 1950's data, the mortality rate for type A acute aortic dissection (AD) during the initial 24-hours was reported to be 1-2% per hour. In the contemporary era, limited data exist regarding initial 24-hour mortality and the impact of early surgical intervention. We reviewed duration of
WE‐C‐T‐617‐10: Geometry Calibration of An On‐Board KV Imaging System

Purpose: We have developed a method of geometrically calibrating the MV and kV radiographic isocenters of a Varian linear accelerator equipped with an on‐board kV imaging system. Method and Materials: The calibration uses a cylindrical phantom containing 16 BB's placed in a spiral pattern and ∼400–600 radiographs of the phantom acquired using both kV and MV imaging systems. Since the phantom has a known geometry, the 7 degrees of freedom (DOF) needed to fit the predicted projections of the BB's to the measured projections can be calculated. During MV imaging a partial transmission plate is placed in the accelerator wedge slot to project a reference shape onto the EPIDimages of the phantom. The reference shape accounts for motion of the EPID and generates the radiographic isocenter for the MV x‐ray beam alone. Geometry correction parameters can be calculated for the kV imaging system that map the center of radiographicimages or CBCT projections to the radiographic isocenter of the MV beam. The method has been tested with linear accelerator and lab bench imaging systems. Results: BB identification accuracy is ∼0.3 pixels and is limited by noise in the images. While the method is insensitive to changes in SID (0.3 pixels ∼= 2.5 cm SID change), the method can measure known in‐plane imager displacements to an accuracy of better than 0.1 mm. Imager displacements versus gantry angle are small − 0.75×0.50 mm. CBCT reconstruction using parameters from this method results in spatial frequencies as high as 18 lp/cm and adjustments in parameters of ±0.1 mm reduce the reconstructed spatial resolution.Conclusion: Our method to match MV and kV radiographic isocenters for on‐board imaging systems shows that accelerator flex is quite modest but that the calibration method can improve the spatial resolution of the CBCT reconstructions.
Responsibilities of Attending Physicians in Long-Term Care Facilities

Physicians have been reluctant to attend to residents in skilled nursing facilities. However, cooperation of primary care physicians, and physician staffing patterns, are key to providing quality care to residents in skilled nursing facilities as well as maintaining regulatory compliance and Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations accreditation status. In 1974 federal regulations mandated the position of medical director in skilled nursing facilities, whose function was to coordinate the medical care in the facility. Additional regulations in 1987 further defined the role of the medical director to include implementation of medical care policies in addition to medical care coordination. The same regulations also define multiple responsibilities of the primary care physicians. In order to fulfill their responsibilities, medical directors must secure availability and cooperation of attending physicians by providing physicians with an efficient practice environment and a clear set of expectations. In addition, medical directors must develop and implement general processes of care that assure appropriate care delivery, assess physicians performance, and hold physicians accountable. The delineation of physicians responsibilities described in this article provides medical directors with a minimum set of expectations that ought to be required of physicians practicing in any skilled nursing facility. The responsibilities enumerated in the document are based mostly on regulatory requirements and the Joint Commission 1998 standards. The applicable regulatory section (known as “F” tag), or the Joint Commission specific standard are referenced in the text. (The Joint Commission standards referenced in the text include Leadership LD, Residents Rights and Organizational Ethics RI, Continuum of Care CC, Assessment of Residents PE, and Care and Treatment of Residents TX). In addition, Medicare and Medicaid documentation and medical necessity requirements were considered in developing this document. ETHICAL AND LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Side optical cavity, single quantum well diode laser

Abstract Large optical cavity single quantum well PbEuSeTe diode lasers recently attained the highest temperatures yet observed to our knowledge for long wavelength (g > 3)m) diode lasers. Current studies of PbTe/PbEuSeTe quantum wells by transport and luminescence techniques suggest that most of the band edge offset at a PbTe/PbEuSeTe heterojunction is in the valence band. Thus a 3odified, side optical cavity single quantum well structure was grown in which the PbTe quantum well active region was placed at one side of the large optical cavity to maximize the potential barrier and, therefore, limit the electron leakage out of the quantum well. This resulted in the lowest threshold currents we have yet observed in these devices — 10 mA at 80 K and 120 mA (1.6 KA/cm2) at 160 K under CW conditions. This device lased at up to 175 K CW (g = 4.47)m), which is the highest CW lasing temperature that we have observed so far. These results support the finding that the conduction band offset is relatively small in PbTe/PbEuSeTe heterojunctions.
Preparation and reactions of [2,2-bis(carbethoxy)propyl]cyclopentadienyldicarbonyliron

Abstract Although , (Fp  η-C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 ) (I) is stable and characterizable, the lower homologue FpCH 2 CH(CO 2 CH 3 ) 2 (II) is not; this we attribute to a facile elimination reaction resulting from the relatively acidic β-hydrogen of II. Formation of I from Fp − and XCH 2 CE 2 CH 3 (X  Br, Cl; E  CO 2 CH 2 CH 3 ) and cleavage of its FeC bonds (using H + , Br 2 , Ce IV and Hg II ) occur without major amounts of ester group migrations, even though ·CH 2 CE 2 CH 3 radicals are involved in some of these reactions.
Consequences of elevated temperatures on legume biomass and nitrogen cycling in a field warming and biodiversity experiment in a North American prairie

Increases in global temperature are likely to have effects on the nitrogen cycle, including those mediated through effects on legumes, which have a role in the N cycle by fixing N2. These effects may alter plant functioning and community structure, especially in N-limited ecosystems. We manipulated temperature and plant diversity in the field to investigate the effects of elevated temperature on aboveground biomass, shoot N concentration ([N]), and reliance on N2 fixation of four prairie legumes (Amorpha canescens Pursh., Dalea purpurea Vent., Lespedeza capitata Michx. and Lupinus perennis L.) planted in plots of varying species numbers. We monitored the effect of warming on soil microclimate and net N mineralisation rates, as these variables may mediate the effect of warming on legumes. Warming decreased soil moisture and increased soil temperature, but had no effect on net N mineralisation. Warming increased the aboveground biomass of D. purpurea and L. perennis, but decreased shoot [N] for all species in one year. Though the data were not optimal for quantifying N2 fixation using stable isotopes, they suggest that warming did not affect the reliance on N2 fixation. Species diversity did not have strong effects on the response to warming. These results suggest that legume-mediated effects of temperature on N cycling will arise from changes in biomass and tissue chemistry, not N2 fixation. We observed strong interannual variation between a wet and dry year for N mineralisation, shoot [N] and reliance on N2 fixation, suggesting that these may be more responsive to precipitation changes than elevated temperature.
Corticonics: the way to designing machines with brainlike intelligence

Present day neural net and connectionist models ofthe cortex have not been effective in duplicating higher-level brain functionand specially the ability of the cortex/brain to process dynamic input patterns. Using mathematics quite-different from thatused in the transfer-function and stimulus-response approach to collective nonlinear processing used in conventionalnetworks, we describe here progress with a novel approach to modeling the cortex that combines concepts and tools fromnonlinear dynamics and information theory that offers a radically new way to process, classify/learn and recognize spatio-temporal signals.Keywords: Brain modeling, the cortex, corticonics, nonlinear dynamics, iterative maps, bifurcation, synchronicity, chaos,nonlinear coupling, parametric coupling, cortical networks, attractors, adaptation, learning.
Structure, Vibrational Absorption and Circular Dichroism Spectra, and Absolute Configuration of Tröger's Base

The structure of Troger's Base, 1, a heterocyclic amine containing two stereogenic N atoms, is predicted from ab initio Density Functional Theory (DFT), using the B3PW91 and B3LYP functionals and the 6-31G* basis set. Vibrational unpolarized absorption and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra are predicted thence. In the case of VCD, Atomic Axial Tensors (AATs) are calculated using Gauge-Invariant Atomic Orbitals (GIAOs). The predicted structure is in excellent agreement with the X-ray structure of 1. The predicted vibrational spectra are in excellent agreement with experimental spectra of CCl4 and CS2 solutions of 1, supporting the identicalness of the crystalline and solution conformations of 1. No evidence of additional conformations of 1 in solution is found. The VCD spectra require the assignment of the (R,R)/(S,S) absolute configuration to (−)/(+)-1, opposite to that obtained from the electronic circular dichroism spectrum by Mason et al. and in accord with that obtained from X-ray crystallo...
Statistical Assessment of Operating Experiences of Power Reactors in France, Japan, and the United States

Statistical correlations for unavailability of power reactors across countries are sought. France, Japan and the United States, are selected because of their different political climates surrounding nuclear power through the 1990s. Outage data reveal that the dominating type of outage is different in each of the countries in spite of the similar plant types. In France, unplanned, externally caused, partial outages overwhelm other types of outages in number. In Japan, planned outages dominate in terms of number and duration. Unplanned outages are the major type in the U.S. These differences are not only due to technical differences but also to differences in economic and regulatory environments. Results of linear regression analyses suggest that unavailability factors are so random that country of operation, age of reactor and type of reactor cannot predict them well. This finding seems contrasting to an earlier study in the literature.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Ethmoid sinus carcinomas: natural history and treatment results

Abstract Purpose : This retrospective study was undertaken to assess the clinical features and results of treatment of carcinomas of the ethmoid sinus. Materials and methods : The records of 34 patients with ethmoid sinus carcinomas treated with curative intent at the U.T.M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC) between January 1969 and December 1993 were reviewed. The age of the patients ranged from 28 to 73 years with a median of 57 years. There were 28 Whites, four Hispanics, one Black and one Asian. A simple staging based on anatomical criteria was used to describe the extent of the disease. Six patients had T1, 13 patients had T2 and 15 patients had T3 disease. Twenty-one patients were treated with surgery plus radiation and 13 patients were treated with radiotherapy alone; nine patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. Radiation was given at ~2 Gy per fraction to total doses of 50 Gy preoperatively, 52–66 Gy (median 60 Gy) postoperatively and 50–70 Gy (median 63 Gy) when no surgery was performed. Results : The actuarial 5-year overall, disease-free and disease-specific survival rates were 55%, 58% and 63%, respectively. The actuarial 5-year local control rate was 71% for the whole group (74% for surgery plus radiation and 64% for radiation alone). Local recurrence occurred in nine patients, nodal relapse occurred in three patients and distant metastases occurred in four patients. Histologically proven dura mater invasion was associated with a poorer local control rate in patients undergoing surgery and radiation. The simple T-staging system used in this study was a good discriminator for local control. Of nine patients receiving chemotherapy, three had complete responses and four had partial responses; six of the seven responders had undifferentiated carcinoma. Severe complications of therapy occurred in patients treated between 1969 and 1984 and consisted mainly of visual impairment and brain necrosis. Conclusions : This retrospective review of a large single institutional experience showed that ethmoid sinus carcinomas have a tendency for extensive local invasion but a low propensity for lymphatic and hematogenous spread. Hence, local recurrence was the main cause of cancer-related death. Combined treatment with surgery and postoperative irradiation yielded the highest local control rate. However, radiotherapy alone eradicated two-thirds of primary tumors and, consequently, is a reasonable alternative treatment for patients with medical contraindications to surgery. For patients who underwent surgery and radiotherapy, the presence of histologically proven dura mater invasion was associated with a higher local recurrence rate. Severe radiation complications have been rare with the contemporary radiotherapy technique. Chemotherapy induced excellent responses in undifferentiated carcinoma but its impact on overall disease control is unclear in this small series of patients.
Signal transduction in olfactory neurons.

Recent efforts in our laboratory have focused on cloning the molecular components involved in the cAMP-mediated pathway of olfactory signal transduction. These efforts have resulted in the isolation of olfactory-specific forms of a G protein, an adenylyl cyclase, and a cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel. Functional expression of each of these proteins in vitro confirms their ability to carry out the function ascribed to them as part of a second-messenger cascade. Putative odorant-receptor molecules which constitute the first step in odorant signal transduction have now been cloned. We have generated oligonucleotide probes which recognize a population of olfactory receptors apparently more heterogenous than those previously reported. These probes should enable us to answer questions regarding the number of different receptors expressed per cell as well as the nature of receptor-ligand specificity.
Court rulings on local efforts to manage growth by initiative and referendum in California

unusually broad and well-entrenched in California. As a result of that right, residents of that state have employed both of these tools of direct democracy to manage local growth. In this article the initiative will be treated as the power of voters to draft and implement growth control measures within local governmental settings. The local growth control referendum will, in turn, represent their power to rescind local governmental actions that fail to promote a desired level of growth control. This article describes how courts in California have developed a body of case law governing such local efforts to control growth by direct legislation.
Nutrients and Antinutrients in Peanut Greens

The use of young peanut leaves as a green vegetable will increase utilization of the plant and reduce production wastes that will have to be recycled in an enclosed environment such as the controlled ecological life support system (CELSS) of a space station. In CELSS, plant wastes have to be transformed into an edible or reusable form or into a compact and possibly lighter form for eventual return to earth. Young leaves from an improved Spanish variety and Georgia Red grown in greenhouse beds and from Georgia Red grown using a nutrient film technique were analyzed to determine the nutritional quality of the peanut greens, including protein, fat, ash, total dietary fiber, mineral (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, and Zn), vitamin (ascorbic acid, carotene, and thiamine), oxalic and tannic acid, and trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor content. Although differences in the nutrient and antinutrient concentrations due to variety and production method were observed, the levels were similar to those of other leafy vegetables. Oxalic and tannic acid concentrations were reduced by blanching. Compared to those of collard greens, the sensory evaluation ratings of peanut greens for appearance, tenderness, and acceptability were lower, but they were similar for flavor.
Testing Percutaneous Arterial Closure Devices: An Animal Model

The ovine superficial femoral artery was used for testing the efficacy of percutaneous arterial closure devices (PACDs) in their developmental stage. Two topical devices containing chitostan, one staple-mediated PACD and a porcine small intestinal submucosa plug, were tested by follow-up angiography in 37 sheep. Absence or presence of bleeding and time to bleeding cessation were the main criteria for evaluation of PAVD efficacy. The results of these tests directed modification of individual PACDs and improved their efficacy.
Cognitive concepts, behavior analysis, and behavior therapy

Abstract This symposium acknowledges that the dispute between cognitively oriented and behavior analytically oriented behavior therapists is, in fact, a paradigm clash and that the essential disagreements are “pre-analytic” in nature and are not resolvable by data alone.