cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Imaging application tools for extremely low-k1 ArF immersion lithography

The k1 factor continues to be driven downward in ArF immersion lithography, even below its limit from optical theory, using various lithographic techniques such as combination of Source and Mask Optimization (SMO) and multiple patterning. Such a low k1 factor tends to lead to extremely high sensitivity tp imaging parameters such as aberrations, distortion, illumination pupilgram shape, dose, focus, etc. Therefore, fast, precise and stable settings of these parameters are crucial to make such hyper low k1 lithography practical. We introduce various kinds of imaging application tools and technique, which we have been developing, to support the imaging parameter settings and control. The application tools cover illumination pupilgram adjustment for freeform illumination, automatic aberration control, and thermal aberration parameter settings.
In vivo and in vitro conversion of des-1-Asp angiotensin I to angiotensin III.

Abstract The conversion of exogenous des-Asp angiotensin I to des-Asp angiotensin II (angiotensin III) was studied in vivo in the pulmonary circulation of the intact pentobarbital-anesthetized dog and in vitro in whole blood and heparin-treated plasma by fractionation of 125 I-labeled peptides and by radioimmunoassay. Conversion and hydrolysis of [ 125 I]des-Asp angiotensin I and [ 125 I]angiotensin I were compared in vitro and in vivo . The time course of conversion of des-Asp angiotensin I to angiotensin III in vitro was more rapid than that of angiotensin I to II, but the peak concentration of angiotensin III generated was less than angiotensin II due to the more rapid hydrolysis of the des-Asp peptides. Injection of des-Asp angiotensin I into the right atrium was associated with a pressor response and with the appearance of a small amount of angiotensin III in aortic blood. SQ20881 (a nonapeptide converting enzyme inhibitor) abolished both the pressor response and the generation of angiotensin III. After injection of [ 125 I]des-Asp angiotensin I, only 10 per cent of the labeled material appearing in arterial blood was angiotensin III; 15 per cent was unchanged des-Asp angiotensin I; 15 per cent was an unidentified metabolite; and 60 per cent was tyrosine. This contrasts with the pattern of peptides recovered after injection of [ 125 I]angiotensin I: 70 per cent angiotensin II, 20 per cent intact angiotensin I and only 10 per cent peptide metabolites and tyrosine. Results indicate that conversion of des-Asp angiotensin I to angiotensin III does occur in the pulmonary circulation of the dog but that hydrolysis of the des-Asp peptides by angiotensinases is so rapid that little circulating angiotensin II and only a small pressor response appear. The data suggest that pulmonary conversion of des-Asp angiotensin I is not an important source of circulating angiotensin III in the dog.
The Effect of Accumulated Lipids on Measurements of Sebum Secretion in Human Skin

When sebum is collected from the skin surface in an absorbent material, the amounts obtained in successive collections at the same site decline steadily. In the present study, sebum was absorbed into bentonite clay applied to 2.5 sq cm areas on the foreheads of 3 subjects for 3-hr intervals during 24 hr. The amounts of sebum obtained, measured by thin-layer chromatography, declined for 12 hr and then remained constant for the remaining 12 hr. It was inferred that the final, sustainable rate represents the true rate at which sebum was being secreted by the sebaceous glands, and that the additional sebum collected at earlier intervals was obtained from an accumulation in the stratum corneum or in the follicular canals. For the 3 subjects, the accumulated sebum averaged 213 micrograms/sq cm, compared with a sustainable secretion rate of 25 micrograms/sq cm/hr. The large quantity of accumulated sebum, relative to the secretion rate, could obscure differences between subjects when sebum secretion rates are measured by short-term collections of sebum in absorbent materials.
Web-based magazine design for self publishers

Short run printing technology and web services such as MagCloud provide new opportunities for long-tail magazine publishing. They enable self publishers to supply magazines to a wide range of communities, including groups that are too small to be viable as target communities for conventional publishers. In a Web 2.0 world where users constantly discover new services and where they may be infrequent patrons of any single service, it is unreasonable to expect users to learn the complex service behaviors. Furthermore, we want to open up publishing opportunities to novices who are unlikely to have prior experience of publishing and who lack design expertise. Magazine design automation is an ambitious goal, but recent progress with another web service, Autophotobook, proves that some level of automation of publication design is feasible. This paper describes our current research effort to extend the automation capabilities of Autophotobook to address the issues of magazine design so that we can provide a service to support professional-quality self publishing by novice users for a wide range of community types and sizes.
Fast neutron radiotherapy for locally advanced prostate cancer: results of an RTOG randomized study.

Abstract Between June 1977 and April 1983, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) sponsored a Phase III randomized study investigating fast neutron radiation therapy in the treatment of patients with locally advanced (Stage C and D1) adenocarcinoma of the prostate gland. Patients were randomized to receive either conventional photon radiation therapy or fast neutron irradiation used in a mixed-beam treatment schedule (neutron/photon). A total of 91 analyzable patients were entered in the study; 78 of them were treated without major protocol deviations. The two treatment groups were balanced in regard to all major prognostic variables. Actuarial curves for “overall” survival, “determinantal” survival and local/regional control are presented both for the entire group of 91 patients and the 78 patients treated within protocol guidelines. The overall local/regional tumor recurrence rate is 7% for the mixed-beam treated group of patients and is 22% for the photon (X ray) treated group of patients. The difference is statistically significant at the p = 0.05 level. For the entire group of 91 evaluable patients, the 5-year “overall” survival rate is 62% for the mixed-beam-treated group and 35% for the photon-treated group. This difference is also statistically significant (p
On thresholds for robust goodness-of-fit tests

Goodness-of-fit tests are statistical procedures used to test the hypothesis H 0 that a set of observations were drawn according to some given probability distribution. Decision thresholds used in goodness-of-fit tests are typically set for guaranteeing a target false-alarm probability. In many popular testing procedures results on the weak convergence of the test statistics are used for setting approximate thresholds when exact computation is infeasible. In this work, we study robust procedures for goodness-of-fit where accurate models are not available for the distribution of the observations under hypothesis H 0 . We develop procedures for setting thresholds in two specific examples — a robust version of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for continuous alphabets and a robust version of the Hoeffding test for finite alphabets.
Diurnal patterns and associations among salivary cortisol, DHEA and alpha-amylase in older adults

Background Cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are considered to be valuable markers of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, while salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) reflects the autonomic nervous system. Past studies have found certain diurnal patterns among these biomarkers, with some studies reporting results that differ from others. Also, some past studies have found an association among these three biomarkers while other studies have not. This study investigates these patterns and associations in older adults by taking advantage of modern statistical methods for dealing with non-normality, outliers and curvature. Basic characteristics of the data are reported as well, which are relevant to understanding the nature of any patterns and associations.
Reconsidering Reliability in Classroom Assessment and Grading

It is argued that classroom assessment evolves from a different set of issues and demands from more traditional measurement concerns and that approaches to reliability developed from traditional concerns are not appropriate for most classroom settings. The assessment and grading issues for high school instruction are examined from the perspective of reliability. An alternative conceptualization of reliability, sufficiency of information, is proposed and explored. This conceptualization is based on the argument that at a rudimentary level, reliability theory is based on the notion of having enough information to make decisions or draw inferences.
Thoughts on the “scientific method”: part 1 – ignorance through inconsistency

Purpose – In this two‐part series, the editorial aims to consider the role of the “scientific method” in human understanding, questioning both its consistency in actual practice and its reasonableness as a philosophy of action.Design/methodology/approach – In Part 1, the editorial provides a generic description of the “scientific method” and identifies a number of inconsistencies in the way it is applied.Findings – In Part 1, it is argued that inconsistencies in applying the “scientific method” may lead researchers to ignore important phenomena.Originality/value – The two‐part series challenges certain aspects of the “scientific method” as employed in the practice of modern science.
Entrapment of 6-thiophosphoryl-IMP in the active site of crystalline adenylosuccinate synthetase from Escherichia coli.

Abstract Crystal structures of adenylosuccinate synthetase from Escherichia coli complexed with Mg2+, 6-thiophosphoryl-IMP, GDP, and hadacidin at 298 and 100 K have been refined to R-factors of 0.171 and 0.206 against data to 2.8 and 2.5 A resolution, respectively. Interactions of GDP, Mg2+ and hadacidin are similar to those observed for the same ligands in the complex of IMP, GDP, NO3 −, Mg2+ and hadacidin (Poland, B. W., Fromm, H. J. & Honzatko, R. B. (1996).J. Mol. Biol. 264, 1013–1027). Although crystals were grown from solutions containing 6-mercapto-IMP and GTP, the electron density at the active site is consistent with 6-thiophosphoryl-IMP and GDP. Asp-13 and Gln-224 probably work in concert to stabilize the 6-thioanion of 6-mercapto-IMP, which in turn is the nucleophile in the displacement of GDP from the γ-phosphate of GTP. Once formed, 6-thiophosphoryl-IMP is stable in the active site of the enzyme under the conditions of the structural investigation. The direct observation of 6-thiophosphoryl-IMP in the active site is consistent with the putative generation of 6-phosphoryl-IMP along the reaction pathway of the synthetase.
Determining the Charge State of Histidine Side Chains in Antimicrobial Piscidin By Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Piscidins constitute a family of three antimicrobial peptides discovered in the mast cells of hybrid striped bass. These peptides, which are highly cationic, contain several arginine and histidine residues. While piscidin 1 is the most antimicrobial and hemolytic isoform, piscidin 3, which has slightly lower antimicrobial activity, is significantly less hemolytic. One of the most striking differences between piscidin 1 and 3 is the substitution of glycine for the histidine at position 17 in piscidin 1.As part of its mechanism of action, piscidin recognizes negatively charged microbial membranes. Therefore, studying the interactions of the piscidin with lipids can help us better understand the chemical basis of its antimicrobial and hemolytic effects. Because physiological pH is around 7.4, and the average pKa of histidine side chains is around 6.0, a detailed study of the histidine side chains in piscidin 1 and 3 is needed to discern the charge state of the peptides under physiological conditions. In this research, we used solution nuclear magnetic resonance to obtain the pKa of the histidine side chains of piscidin bound to sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles. Heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence experiments were performed on piscidin 1 and 3 containing 15N-side chain labeled histidines. 15N and 1H chemical shifts were recorded as a function of pH to determine the titration curve of each histidine residue. The results will be discussed in the context of structure-function relationships in membrane-active peptides. The knowledge gained from these studies can help identify common principles that will facilitate the design of pharmaceuticals with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, minimum induction of bacterial resistance, and low toxicity to mammalian cells.
Nutritional Genetics and Energy Metabolism in Human Obesity

Obesity in the United States and other countries throughout the world represents a major health problem. The heritability of obesity susceptibility genes and interaction with components in the “obesogenic environment” promote positive energy balance responsible for weight gain. The molecular basis for gene-environment interactions remains undefined but evidence suggests that obesity susceptibility genes represent or influence the function of transcription factors regulated by various dietary macronutrients. The objective of this review article is to provide an update on i) the identification of obesity susceptibility genes, ii) the interaction of obesity susceptibility genes with dietary macronutrients, and iii) the metabolic pathways that have a central role in regulating energy balance. It is anticipated that increased knowledge of obesity susceptibility genes and interaction with dietary macronutrients that regulate metabolic pathways will result in more effective individual, family, and community-based preventative lifestyle intervention, in addition to targeted nutritional and medicinal therapies.
Introductory Physics on the World Wide Web

Animations of introductory physics material are now widely available on the World Wide Web. They are available in two forms: those that need a resident application to run them and those that are Java-based. Although the latter offer advantages over the former (superior graphics, no proprietory software etc.) they suffer from the drawback that they cannot be easily modified. This restriction may not be important to many educators but it can affect those who are trying to tailor their efforts to a specific audience. If this is the case, the disadvantage of Java-based simulations may be so important as to render them of minimal use.
YouthSpark and the Evolution of a Corporate Philanthropy Program

Paul Allen, corporate citizenship and philanthropy have always been a part of our DNA. With the founders’ involvement more than 30 years ago, Microsoft started an employee matching gifts program, which so far has raised more than $1 billion. Fast-forward to the start of the new millennium, when Microsoft was just 25 years old. We were already investing in a wide range of corporate citizenship projects around the world. Each project was making an impact, but the efforts were decentralized and not able to take full advantage of Microsoft’s broad expertise, acumen, and resources. To expand the effectiveness of these initiatives, we began exploring how to unite our efforts around a central strategy and audience and to align Microsoft’s corporate giving programs more effectively around the company’s core competencies. At the time, the international technology community was becoming increasingly aware that simply providing access to technology, or bridging the “digital divide,” was not enough. Beyond learning to use computers and the Internet, people needed the knowledge to apply those skills in ways that were relevant to their lives and economic needs. We were adamant then, and still are today, that technology in itself is not a means to an end but a tool. If we could create an approach for our corporate philanthropy that focused on teaching technology skills that people could apply to improve their own communities, we felt we could begin driving real and lasting
EPR Study of the Role of Hydrogen in the Defect Formation Upon Heat Treatment of Oxidized SiC

For the past several years hydrogen incorporation in metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices has been of interest because studies have shown that vacuum annealing of oxidized Si substrates desorbs hydrogen, revealing interfacial defects. Today, in applications that require higher power and/or temperature, Si will likely be replaced with a wide-band-gap semiconductor. For MOS devices, SiC is a leading contender because it can be thermally oxidized to form a SiO 2 insulating layer similar to Si. However, the SiC/SiO 2 structure potentially contains hydrogen sensitive centers similar to those found in Si/SiO 2 structures. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we have observed a center 1.8 G wide peak-to-peak at g=2.0026. The center is generated in oxidized SiC that has received a 900° C dry, N 2 or O 2 , post oxidation heat-treatment in which moisture is measured to be less than 1 ppm. Annealing at 900° C in standard Ar containing at least 50 ppm H 2 O decreases the center's concentration by two orders of magnitude. By comparing results from our study to studies of Si-H and C-H bonds in a-SiC:H [1] and SiC converted graphite [2], we suggest that this center is related to carbon dangling bonds created by the effusion of hydrogen during the dry heat-treatment. We will compare the activation energy for the hydrogen depassivation of our center with that found for other C-H and Si-H systems.
Cement-retained versus screw-retained implant restorations: Achieving optimal occlusion and esthetics in implant dentistry

Abstract Statement of problem. Optimal occlusion and esthetics are goals in prosthetic treatment. Implant dentistry is no exception. Purpose of article. The purpose of this article is to discuss how the choice to use screw-retained or cement-retained implants dramatically influences the occlusion and esthetics. (J Prosthet Dent 1997;77:28-35.)
New Dissociative Recombination Product Branching Fractions and Their Effect on Calculated Interstellar Molecular Abundances

Recent storage ring measurements of the complete product distributions for the dissociative recombination of assorted polyatomic ions (H+3, H2O+, H3O+, CH+3) show that there is significantly more fragmentation than previously believed. Generalizing these results, we consider the effect on gas-phase chemical models of dense interstellar clouds when a greater degree of fragmentation is assumed for the products of dissociative recombination reactions. In general, we find salient model results to be surprisingly insensitive to the change. We also generalize some conflicting experimental results for the branching fractions of H3O+ + e obtained in a flowing afterglow experiment. With this set of generalized branching fractions in our chemical model, there is a stronger change from previous results, especially for more saturated molecules, which are now difficult to produce in the gas phase.
Pattern formation by receptor tyrosine kinases: analysis of the Gurken gradient in Drosophila oogenesis

Spatial patterns of cell differentiation in developing tissues can be controlled by receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling gradients, which may form when locally secreted ligands activate uniformly expressed receptors. Graded activation of RTKs can span multiple cell diameters, giving rise to spatiotemporal patterns of signaling through the Extracellular Signal Regulated/Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (ERK/MAPK), which connects receptor activation to multiple aspects of tissue morphogenesis. This general mechanism has been identified in numerous developmental contexts, from body axis specification in insects to patterning of the mammalian neocortex. We review recent quantitative studies of this mechanism in Drosophila oogenesis, an established genetic model of signaling through the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), a highly conserved RTK.
Streaming Hierarchical Clustering for Concept Mining

We are concerned with the general problem of concept mining - discovering useful associations, relationships, and groupings in large collections of data. Mathematical transformation algorithms have proven effective at reducing the content of multilingual, unstructured data into a vector that describes the content. Such methods are particularly desirable in fields undergoing information explosions, such as network traffic analysis, bioinformatics, and the intelligence community. In response, concept mining methodology is being extended to improve performance and permit hardware implementation -traditional methods are not sufficiently scalable. Hardware-accelerated systems have proven effective at automatically classifying such content when topics are known in advance. Our complete system builds on our past work in this area, presented in the Aerospace 2005 and 2006 conferences, where we described a novel algorithmic approach for extracting semantic content from unstructured text document streams. However, there is an additional need within the intelligence community to cluster related sets of content without advance training. To allow this function to happen at high speed, we have implemented a system that hierarchically clusters streaming content. The method, streaming hierarchical partitioning, is designed to be implemented in hardware and handle extremely high ingestion rates. As new documents are ingested, they are dynamically organized into a hierarchy, which has a fixed maximal size. Once this limit is reached, documents must consequently be excreted at a rate equaling their ingestion. The choice of documents to excrete is a point of interest -we present several autonomous heuristics for doing so intelligently, as well as a proposal for incorporating user interaction to focus attention on concepts of interest. A related desideratum is robust accommodation of concept drift -gradual change in the distribution and content of the document stream over time. Accordingly, we present and analyze experimental results for document streams evolving over time under several regimes. Current and proposed methods for concisely and informatively presenting derived content from streaming hierarchical clustering to the user for analysis are presented in this content. To support our claims of eventual hardware implementation and real-time performance with a high ingestion rate, we provide a detailed hardware-ready design, with asymptotic analysis and performance predictions. The system has been prototyped and tested on a Xeon processor as well as on a PowerPC embedded within a Xilinx Virtex2 FPGA. In summary, we describe a system designed to satisfy three primary goals: (1) real-time concept mining of high-volume data streams; (2) dynamic organization of concepts into a relational hierarchy; (3) adaptive reorganization of the concept hierarchy in response to evolving circumstances and user feedback.
Large-scale purification and characterization of recombinant Pseudomonas ceramidase: regulation by calcium.

Ceramidases (CDases) hydrolyze ceramide to sphin- gosine (SPH) and fatty acid. Pseudomonas CDase (pCDase) is a homolog of mammalian neutral ceramidases and may play roles in disease pathogenesis. In this study, pCDase was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli). The ex- pressed recombinant pCDase was solubilized by optimizing several factors, including culture medium, the concentration of isopropyl-b-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), temperature, and time of induction, which were identified to be critical for the optimal production of recombinant pCDase. The recombinant pCDase was purified using nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity, phenyl-Sepharose, and Q-Sepharose column chromatography, which gave an overall yield of 0.45 mg/l purified protein of starting culture. The activity of the re- combinant pCDase followed classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with optimum activity in the neutral pH range. Both the hydrolytic and the reverse activities of CDase were stimulated by calcium with an affinity constant (Ka )o f 1.5 mM. Kinetics studies showed that calcium caused a de- crease of Km and an increase in Vmax of pCDase. Calcium and D-erythro-sphingosine caused significant changes in the near ultraviolet circular dichroism (CD) spectra and the changes were inhibited in the presence of EGTA. These results identify important interactions between calcium and pCDase, which may play an essential role in the interac- tion of pCDase and its substrate.—Wu, B. X., C. F. Snook, M. Tani, E. E. Bullesbach, and Y. A. Hannun. Large-scale purification and characterization of recombinant Pseudomo- nas ceramidase: regulation by calcium. J. Lipid Res. 2007. 48: 600-608.
Evaluation of the Quantiplex Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 RNA 3.0 Assay in a Tertiary-Care Center

The Quantiplex human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA 3.0 Assay (bDNA) (Bayer Diagnostics, Walpole, Mass.) produced linear and reproducible (intra-assay and interassay) results over its quantification range of 50 to 500,000 copies/ml of plasma with 96% specificity. A threefold or 0.5-log10 change or greater was clinically significant for serial patient samples.
Communicating with management about the benefits of business process simulation

While good simulation methodology is a necessary condition for the success of simulation projects, such projects cannot even begin unless the modelers successfully communicate benefits to management in advance of starting the work. Managers are reluctant to commit resources, especially the precious time of their own staff, unless they have hard evidence that they will see clear improvements to their business performance. This paper describes the challenges and strategies that can be helpful in communicating with managers. We report on a specific situation in which we used the strategies and succeeded in that communication process.
DLIST: opening LIS research and practice

In this paper we describe DLIST, a digital library for Library and Information Science Research and Practice and for Information Technology as it relates to LIS It is built upon the open access eprints model, but that extends materials in the collection beyond the formal, scholarly literature to include other types of content created by researchers and practitioners. DLIST is intended to promote resource sharing in LIS and IT and to attempt to bridge the gap between research and practice. The notion of open access is briefly discussed as a central tenet for the development of the intellectual commons as an interactive space for learning.
Development, politics, and the centralization of state power in Lesotho, 1960-75

The rhetoric of development served as a language for Sotho politicians from 1960–70 to debate the meanings of political participation. The relative paucity of aid in this period gave outsized importance to small projects run in rural villages, and stood in stark contrast to the period from the mid-1970s onwards when aid became an ‘anti-politics machine’ that worked to undermine national sovereignty. Examination of the democratic period in Lesotho from 1966–70 helps explain the process by which newly independent states gave up some of their recently won sovereignty, and how a turn to authoritarianism helped contribute to this process.
Characteristics and Impact of Drug Detailing for Gabapentin

Background Sales visits by pharmaceutical representatives (‘‘drug detailing’’) are common, but little is known about the content of these visits or about the impact of visit characteristics on prescribing behavior. In this study, we evaluated the content and impact of detail visits for gabapentin by analyzing market research forms completed by physicians after receiving a detail visit for this drug. Methods and Findings Market research forms that describe detail visits for gabapentin became available through litigation that alleged that gabapentin was promoted for ‘‘off-label’’ uses. Forms were available for 97 physicians reporting on 116 detail visits between 1995 and 1999. Three-quarters of recorded visits (91/116) occurred in 1996. Two-thirds of visits (72/107) were 5 minutes or less in duration, 65% (73/113) were rated of high informational value, and 39% (42/107) were accompanied by the delivery or promise of samples. During the period of this study, gabapentin was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration only for the adjunctive treatment of partial seizures, but in 38% of visits (44/115) the ‘‘main message’’ of the visit involved at least one off-label use. After receiving the detail visit, 46% (50/108) of physicians reported the intention to increase their prescribing or recommending of gabapentin in the future. In multivariable analysis, intent to increase future use or recommendation of gabapentin was associated with receiving the detail in a small group (versus one-on-one) setting and with low or absent baseline use of the drug, but not with other factors such as visit duration, discussion of ‘‘on-label’’ versus ‘‘off-label’’ content, and the perceived informational value of the presentation. Conclusions
Does use of alternative medicine delay treatment of head and neck cancer? A surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) cancer registry study.

Background. The role of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer treatment is controversial. The aim of the study was to assess whether CAM use was associated with a delay in the initiation of conventional cancer treatment for head and neck cancer. Methods. CAM usage data were collected by mailed questionnaire for 149 incident head and neck cancer patients who were identified through the Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System. Time from cancer diagnosis to the start of conventional cancer treatment was analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method. Results. Overall 79% of the subjects reported use of at least 1 of the CAM items asked in the questionnaire. The time to conventional cancer treatment did not differ by prior CAM use intended to treat cancer (p =.209). Conclusions. The results of the present registry-based study do not suggest that alternative therapy use in patients with head and neck cancer delays conventional cancer treatment. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008
Finding folds: on the appearance and identification of occlusion

A natural sequel to edge detection is the interpretation of edges. This interpretation can provide useful information to various computer vision processes, including recognition, reconstruction, and tracking. In this paper we consider the problem of identifying occlusion edges in a single image. We examine the appearance of occlusion edges under variable illumination, both analytically and empirically, and find that the pattern of shading in the neighborhood of occlusion edges is a stable feature. Finally, we derive a filter for detecting occlusion and present the results of its application.
Control of Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Survival in Vivo By Members of the TNF-R Family

Cytotoxic lymphocytes expressing perforin and granzymes are important effectors for the clearance of viral infections, for immune surveillance and rejection of tumors. They also participate in allogeneic transplant rejection and graft versus host disease. The emergence and survival of cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTL), an important subpopulation among cytotoxic lymphocytes, is carefully regulated both at the level of their generation and their removal. The process is further controlled by the fact that CTL are generated in draining lymph nodes but must exert their effector function at distant sites in tissues (1). Control of effector function therefore must be carefully integrated with CTL migration and apoptosis. Dramatic expansion of CTL from their precursors can be achieved by secreted heat shock protein gp96-Ig (2) that is recognized by CD91 on dendritic cells, potent antigen presenting cells for T cells. Heat shock protein vaccines cause clonal expansion of cognate TCR transgenic preCTL from a frequency of 20% of the CD8 pool within one week and, upon boosting the response, to >50% of all CD8 cells. This system offers an ideal setting for assessing the homeostatic control of effector CTL pools in vivo and measuring their effector cell activity. Activated CD8+ CTL express numerous receptors and ligands of the TNF-R family. The role of Fas and Fas-L in T cell survival is well documented. Deficiency of either receptor or ligand results in lymphoproliferative disease and autoimmunity, demonstrating a significant function for Fas and Fas-L in terminating clonal expansion and triggering cell removal. CD8+ CTL of the memory phenotype (CD45RO) upon activation transiently expresses very high levels of CD30, another member of the TNF-R family (3), suggesting an important role for this molecule on CTL. While CD30 is not endowed with a death domain, it can nonetheless signal to FADD via its TRAF binding ability. On the other hand CD30 signals are also able to activate NF-kB and JUNK resulting in proliferation. Recent studies suggest that CD30 signals elicited on cytotoxic lymphocytes may integrate effector function (cytotoxicity), lymphocyte migration and susceptibility to apoptosis. Signals emanating from CD30 up regulated CCR7, down regulated the cytotoxic molecules perforin and granzyme B and affected both pro- and anti-apoptotic molecules. One interpretation of these data suggests that CD30-L expressed in tissues may down regulate effector cell cytotoxicity and redirect CTL towards lymph nodes via the CCR7 receptor (4). Recirculation of CTL to lymph nodes allows reactivation or reprogramming of the effector response, including initiation of apoptosis.
Incongruent dissolution of REE- and Sr-rich apatite in peraluminous granitic liquids: Differential apatite, monazite, and xenotime solubilities during anatexis

The relative solubilities of monazite (Mnz), xenotime (Xno), and apatite (Ap: REE- and Sr-rich, and REE- and Sr-poor) have been studied in peraluminous granitic liquids in month-long experiments at 750 °C and 200 MPa (PH20). In contrast with the high solubility of the apatite (0.7 wtOjoP205) in strongly peraluminous liquids, monazite and xenotime have much lower solubilities «0.05 wt°joP205). In mildly to strongly peraluminous compositions, P205 in the liquid is 0.03-0.04 wt°joat xenotime saturation and 0.02-0.05 wt°jo at monazite saturation; in keeping with the low P in the glasses, RE203 contents are below EMP detection thresholds (:50.08 wt°jo) for all conditions of experiments (saturation of liquid at equilibrium and local saturation around apatite). Apatite dissolves incongruently, crystallizing REE-rich monazite on its surface (1-4 ~m-Iong grains), resulting in similar low REE contents in liquids. Monazite precipitation occurs along the margins of dissolving apatite crystals, even though the bulk liquid is not monazite-saturated. The abundance of monazite microcrystals increases with the REE content of the apatite and the degree of apatite dissolution. The reaction relationship (Ap + LiqI -+ Mnz + Liq2), stemming from differences in relative solubilities (greater than an order of magnitude) between apatite and monazite, results in the dissolution of much smaller amounts of REE into peraluminous liquids than expected by simple evaluation of apatite REE contents. The amount of REE contributed from apatite directly to peraluminous granitic liquid is related to the amount of apatite dissolved by simple mass balance only if the total REE content of the apatite is sufficiently low that monazite saturation in liquid (50-100 ppm RE203 at 750 °C) is avoided. During dissolution of Sr-rich apatite, the Sr partitions into the liquid, and, at 750 °C and 200 MPa (PH20),the diffusion coefficient of Sr in liquid is ---2 x 10-10 cm2js (R2 = 0.659). The reaction relationships described above may have application to some textural features observed in natural igneous rocks. For example, clusters of monazite microcrystals might be indicators of dissolved apatite; monazite morphology can be used to distinguish the source of its REE and the general petrological process (rock anatexis or magma crystallization) under which the monazite formed. In addition, monazite microcrystals could serve as nucleation sites for other minerals, which might explain their common inclusion in biotite and amphibole within granitoids.
Calcineurin-Mediated Hypertrophy Protects Cardiomyocytes From Apoptosis In Vitro and In Vivo: An Apoptosis-Independent Model of Dilated Heart Failure

We have previously shown that the calcium-calmodulin-regulated phosphatase calcineurin (PP2B) is sufficient to induce cardiac hypertrophy that transitions to heart failure in transgenic mice. Given the rapid onset of heart failure in these mice, we hypothesized that calcineurin signaling would stimulate myocardial cell apoptosis. However, utilizing multiple approaches, we determined that calcineurin-mediated hypertrophy protected cardiac myocytes from apoptosis, suggesting a model of heart failure that is independent of apoptosis. Adenovirally mediated gene transfer of a constitutively active calcineurin cDNA (AdCnA) was performed in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes to elucidate the mechanism whereby calcineurin affected myocardial cell viability. AdCnA infection, which induced myocyte hypertrophy and atrial natriuretic factor expression, protected against apoptosis induced by 2-deoxyglucose or staurosporine, as assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) labeling, caspase-3 activation, DNA laddering, and cellular morphology. The level of protection conferred by AdCnA was similar to that of adenoviral Bcl-x(L) gene transfer or hypertrophy induced by phenylephrine. In vivo, failing hearts from calcineurin-transgenic mice did not demonstrate increased TUNEL labeling and, in fact, demonstrated a resistance to ischemia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis. We determined that the mechanism whereby calcineurin afforded protection from apoptosis was partially mediated by nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT3) signaling and partially by Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) signaling. Although calcineurin activation protected myocytes from apoptosis, inhibition of calcineurin with cyclosporine was not sufficient to induce TUNEL labeling in Gqalpha-transgenic mice or in cultured cardiomyocytes. Collectively, these data identify a calcineurin-dependent mouse model of dilated heart failure that is independent of apoptosis.
Comparison of methods used for estimating pharmacist counseling behaviors

Objective To compare the rates reported for provision of types of information conveyed by pharmacists among studies for which different methods of estimation were used and different dispensing situations were studied. Data sources Empiric studies conducted in the US, reported from 1982 through 1992, were selected from International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, MEDLINE, and noncomputerized sources. Study selection Empiric studies were selected for review if they reported the provision of at least three types of counseling information. Data extraction Four components of methods used for estimating pharmacist counseling behaviors were extracted and summarized in a table: (1) sample type and area, (2) sampling unit, (3) sample size, and (4) data collection method. In addition, situations that were investigated in each study were compiled. Data synthesis Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria. Patients were interviewed via telephone in four studies and were surveyed via mail in two studies. Pharmacists were interviewed via telephone in one study and surveyed via mail in two studies. For three studies, researchers visited pharmacy sites for data collection using the shopper method or observation method. Studies with similar methods and situations provided similar results. Conclusions Data collected by using patient surveys, pharmacist surveys, and observation methods can provide useful estimations of pharmacist counseling behaviors if researchers measure counseling for specific, well-defined dispensing situations.
A Feasibility Study Evaluating Extraoral Photobiomodulation Therapy for Prevention of Mucositis in Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of providing extraoral photobiomodulation therapy (PBT) for prevention of oral mucositis (OM) in pediatric hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Background data: OM is a frequent complication in pediatric HCT. Methods: Patients 4–21 years of age scheduled for myeloablative HCT were eligible to participate. PBT was delivered using a THOR Model LX2M with a 69 Diode LED Cluster Probe (34 × 660 nm 10 mW, 35 × 850 nm 30 mW; 1390 mW total power output) at an irradiance of 50 mW/cm2. Daily treatment exposed six sites (right, left, and midline face and neck) for 60 sec each, for a total dose of 3.0 J/cm2. Treatment was initiated on the 1st day of conditioning, through day +20. OM assessments were completed at baseline then daily, from day −1 through day +20. Feasibility assessment included both qualitative and quantitative measures and outcomes from patients and providers. Results: Thirteen patients with...
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORMAL AND INFORMAL NOMENCLATURE AND PHYLOGENY IN HIGHER TAXA: A PEDANT'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE LYCOPSIDS

Summary The lycopsids exemplify the instability that characterises both formal (Linnean) and informal (colloquial) nomenclatural schemes for all supra-ordinal plant taxa. The scheme advocated here (Division Tracheophyta, Class Lycopsida; colloquial name lycopsid) reflects two underlying general principles: 1) A wide range of formal hierarchical levels should be used to indicate putative phylogenetic relationships, and 2) colloquial names should be standardised to most accurately represent the preferred Linnean names. The most recent edition of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Greuter et al., 1988) comprises 328 pages of dense, legalistic prose that dictates every conceivable aspect of formal botanical nomenclature. In contrast, the Code offers little advice regarding informal names of plant taxa. I believe that this asymmetry accurately reflects the prevailing attitude in taxonomy; most botanists take great pains to name and classify plants correctly within the Linnean system but give little (if any) consideration to the choice of accompanying informal names. Admittedly, some attempts have been made to remedy this situation, but only at the species and genus levels and only on a national rather than an international scale. For example, in Britain, all native plant species possess English names (many pre-dating Species Plantarum by several centuries) that were standardised by Dony et al. (1974), who condensed polynomial English names into binomials. Despite some reservations about the aesthetic qualities of the products (epitomised by an unauthorised derivative of Dony et al.'s scheme, the ambiguously named Bloody-early Marsh-orchid; Bateman, 1982), the colloquial binomials were adopted by the Botanical Society of the British Isles. Although they were not systematically incorporated in the centrad (10 x 10 km square)-based national plant atlas (Perring and Walters, 1976), their subsequent use in many tetrad (2 x 2 km square)-based
Measurement of pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter. The influence of catheter diameter.

Ten healthy human lower esophageal sphincters (LES) were studied with two separate perfused catheter systems, identical in all respects save their external diameters (3.2 and 7 mm for small and large assemblies respectively). Maximum resting pressures, whether recorded by station withdrawal or by slow continous pull-through, were significantly higher with the larger assembly. Residual pressures during postdeglutitive relaxation were similar with the two systems. These observations serve to emphasize that LES pressures recorded with perfused catheters are in fact measurements of the resistance to stretch of sphincteric smooth muscle.
The Dark-Skinned "Angels" of Dorothy B. Hughes's Thrillers

If not as well known and admired as Dashiel Hammett and Raymond Chandler, Dorothy B. Hughes was nonetheless one of the most popular American mystery/suspense writers of the 1940s, her thrillers often drawing enthusiastic praise from that genre's prominent reviewers.1 Three of her fifteen novels The Fallen Sparrow, Ride the Pink Horse, and In a Lonely Place have been made into major films, and a fourth, The Davidian Report, has been adapted for television. In addition to her fiction, Hughes has published a book of poetry, award-winning mystery reviews, and non-fiction, including a biography of Erle Stanley Gardner, her most recent book (1978). In 1977 the Mystery Writers of America honored Hughes with its Grand Master Award. Reviewers of Hughes's novels generally emphasize their thriller qualities, often giving the impression that her fiction is pure escapism. "If you wake up in the night screaming with terror, don't say we didn't warn you!" exclaims a representative review.2 To be sure, Hughes attempts to create an ambiance of suspense and dread in her novels, which tend to be heavy in melodrama and violence. Yet, even in her most immature thrillers, she aims to do more than merely titillate the reader. As George Grella observes, American mystery detective novels, in contrast to the clue-puzzles of such "Golden Age" writers as Sayers and Christie, are marked by a Puritan preoccupation with sin and depravity, especially the depravity lurking beneath a painted facade.3 Hughes is quintessentially American in this respect, the contest between Good and Disguised Evil standing at the center of her works. What distinguishes Hughes from her more famous English and American contemporaries in the genre, however, is her focus on a form of evil they either ignore or help perpetuate racism. The authors of genteel mystery and detective fiction display little interest in racial minorities. When they do depict a nonwhite, they generally produce a stereotype, as for example Christie (whose level of racial sensitivity is suggested by her choice of Ten Little Niggers as a title for one of her books) does in her portrait of the wooly haired, always-
Polymer-derived silicon carbide fibers with near-stoichiometric composition and low oxygen content

Fine-diameter ({approximately} 10--15 {micro}m), polymer-derived SiC fibers were characterized. The average tensile strength of the fibers was {approximately} 2.8 GPa, although some lots had average strengths exceeding 3.5 GPa. Microstructure observations showed that fibers had fine grain sizes (mostly {approximately} 0.05--0.2 {micro}m), high densities ({approximately} 3.1--3.2 g/cm{sup 3}), and small residual pore sizes ({le} 0.1 {micro}m). Elemental analysis showed that fibers had near-stoichiometric composition. Electron and X-ray diffraction analyses indicated that fibers were primarily beta silicon carbide, with a minor amount of the alpha phase. A small amount of graphitic carbon was detected in some samples using high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The residual oxygen content in the fibers was {le} 0.1 wt%. Fibers exhibited good thermomechanical stability, as heat treatment at 1,800 C for 4 h in argon resulted in only an {approximately} 8% decrease in strength.
Improvement on the method of short circuit test for 135 MW generating unit

The purpose of short circuit test is to verify if the linear relation of short-circuit characteristic curve meet the need of design. And at the same time the validity of relations between the secondary current vectors can be verified. In order to simplify the work progress and shorten the work time, this paper describes some problems about short circuit at 135 MW generating unit terminal and generator-transformer unit terminal, which combined with the fact of short circuit test of No.3 generator in Liyan power plant. The paper puts forward a method of replacing generator terminal short circuit test with generator-transformer short circuit test in order to simplify the work. The conclusion is that the method oi generator-transformer short circuit test can be used for generating unit short circuit test of 200 MW and below.