cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What is the variability in US west coast winter precipitation during strong El Niño events

Motivated by the fact that the spatial pattern of the observed precipitation anomalies during 2015/16 winter (a year of strong El Nino) over the west coast of the US and that of the El Nino composite precipitation pattern had considerable differences, the variability in the winter precipitation during strong El Nino events is assessed. The analysis is based on a set of hindcasts (1982–2011) and real-time forecasts (2012–2015) from NCEP Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2), and the following aspects for seasonal mean precipitation variability were examined: (1) the mean signal during strong El Nino based on the composite analysis, and further, the variability from the composite on an event-to-event basis; (2) probability of occurrence for precipitation anomalies to be opposite to the signal (inferred as the composite mean); (3) the probability to have precipitation anomaly in different categories varying from wet to dry; and (4) variations in the characteristics of precipitation from OND, NDJ, to DJF (early to late boreal winter). The results show that the model forecasted seasonal mean precipitation composite for strong El Nino was similar to the linear regression signal with the Nino 3.4 index in observations, with negative anomalies over the Pacific Northwest and positive anomalies over California. However, although in response to an El Nino event, the California precipitation PDF was shifted towards positive values relative to the climatological PDF, the overlap between climatological PDF and the PDF for El Nino events was considerable. This is because of the large variability in seasonal mean outcomes of precipitation from one forecast to another, and therefore, chances to have precipitation anomalies with their sign opposite to the composite El Nino signal remain appreciable. In this paradigm, although the seasonal mean precipitation during 2015/16 winter over the west coast of the US differed from the mean signal for a strong El Nino event, the observed anomalies were well within the envelope of possible outcomes. This has significant implications for seasonal predictability and prediction skill, and further, poses challenges for decision makers in the uptake of seasonal forecast information.
Dynamic Contracting in the Mutual Fund Industry

This paper analyzes the dynamics of contractual agreements between mutual funds and investment advisors. Using a new dataset that covers U.S. funds between 1993-2002, I find cross-sectional and timeseries determinants of advisory contracts. I show that funds rarely experience contractual renegotiation and advisor changes. However, these changes are beneficial: decreases in advisory rates significantly increase subsequent fund performance and net inflows. Separating from an advisor has a significant positive effect on the subsequent ranking of mid-performing funds. These results are puzzling: contractual changes are rare, in spite of their economically significant benefits.
Prevalence of Pubic Hair Grooming–Related Injuries and Identification of High-Risk Individuals in the United States

Importance Pubic hair grooming is a common practice that can lead to injury and morbidity. Objective To identify demographic and behavioral risk factors associated with pubic hair grooming–related injuries to characterize individuals with high risk of injury and develop recommendations for safe grooming practices. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study conducted a national survey of noninstitutionalized US adults (aged 18-65 years). The web-based survey was conducted through a probability-based web panel designed to be representative of the US population. Data were collected in January 2014 and analyzed from August 1, 2016, through February 1, 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures Grooming-related injury history (yes or no), high-frequency injuries (>5 lifetime injuries), and injury requiring medical attention. Results Among the 7570 participants who completed the survey (4198 men [55.5%] and 3372 women [44.5%]; mean (SD) age, 41.9 [18.9] years), 5674 of 7456 (76.1%) reported a history of grooming (66.5% of men and 85.3% of women [weighted percentages]). Grooming-related injury was reported by 1430 groomers (weighted prevalence, 25.6%), with more women sustaining an injury than men (868 [27.1%] vs 562 [23.7%];P = .01). Laceration was the most common injury sustained (818 [61.2%]), followed by burn (307 [23.0%]) and rashes (163 [12.2%]). Common areas for grooming-related injury for men were the scrotum (378 [67.2%]), penis (196 [34.8%]), and pubis (162 [28.9%]); for women, the pubis (445 [51.3%]), inner thigh (340 [44.9%]), labia majora (369 [42.5%]), and perineum (115 [13.2%]). After adjustment for age, duration of grooming, hairiness, instrument used, and grooming frequency, men who removed all their pubic hair 11 times or more during their lifespan had an increased risk for grooming injury (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.97; 95% CI, 1.28-3.01;P = .002) and were prone to repeated high-frequency injuries (AOR, 3.89; 95% CI, 2.01-7.52;P Conclusions and Relevance Grooming frequency and degree of grooming (ie, removing all pubic hair) are independent risk factors for injury. The present data may help identify injury-prone groomers and lead to safer grooming practices.
Majority of Epileptic Marijuana Users Perceive Decreased Seizure Frequency (P5.239)

Objective: To assess the prevalence of marijuana usage in a tertiary care center’s epilepsy clinic and identify factors potentially associated with its use. Background: Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the world and has been used to treat various conditions for five millenia. Discovery of the endogenous cannabinoid system in the 1990s sparked interest in the use of cannabis derived therapies for nervous system disorders like epilepsy. A majority of patients and minority of neurology providers view marijuana as a safe/efficacious treatment for epilepsy. Design/Methods: This was an IRB approved prospective study conducted from 2/10/16 to 4/27/16 at the Rush Epilepsy Center. Patients 18/older, English speaking, and without significant cognitive deficits were eligible. The anonymous survey questioned demographics, seizure frequency, anti-seizure drugs (ASD), current marijuana usage and its perceived effects on seizures. The provider completed a form indicating epilepsy diagnosis. Patients’ characteristics were compared between current users and nonusers with t test, Mann-Whitney U or chi-square test. Results: 457 completed surveys were obtained of which 53% were female, 47% were students/employed, and 67% had college education or higher. 18% reported current marijuana usage. Younger age (35.7 +/− 12.8 vs. 41.4 +/− 13.8, p=0.001), male gender (26% vs. 12%, p Version:1.0StartHTML:0000000167EndHTML:0000000547StartFragment:0000000457EndFragment:0000000531 (35.7±12.8 vs. 41.4±13.8 Conclusions: This study reinforces patients’ positive perception of marijuana use relating to improvement in their seizures; however, the available objective data including seizure frequency and intractability did not differ between users and nonusers. diagnosis (intractable vs. intractable) Disclosure: Dr. Upadhyay has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ouyang has nothing to disclose. Dr. McNulty has nothing to disclose.
Increased Engagement With Life: Differences in the Cognitive, Physical, Social, and Spiritual Activities of Older Adult Music Listeners

Purpose of the study Clinical studies have demonstrated the health benefits of music listening, especially among older adults; however, this connection has not yet been examined in a nationally representative population based sample. The purpose of this study was to measure the connections between health, listening to music, and engagement with life activities among older Americans. Design and methods We used data on 5,797 participants in both the 2012 Health and Retirement Study and 2013 Consumption and Activities Mail Survey. Participants reported their lifetime prevalence of health conditions, number of hours spent per week listening to music, as well as various cognitive, physical, social, and spiritual activities. We categorized participants as non-listeners (those reporting zero hours of music listening), average listeners (between >0 and 28.5 hr), and high listeners (>28.6 hr) and assessed associations between these music listening categories and life activities and the prevalence of health conditions. Results Approximately 20% of the older Americans were non-listeners, a majority (75%) reported average amounts, and 5% reported high levels of music listening. Older Americans who were average or high music listeners reported a greater number of hours engaged in several cognitive, physical, social, and spiritual activities each week. Music listeners additionally reported fewer problematic health conditions than non-listeners. Implications Listening to music relates to increased life engagement and better health among older Americans. Given the wide-spread availability of music-based interventions for diverse populations, future studies may investigate the beneficial use of music as a public health initiative for older adults.
Land access for direct market food farmers in Oregon, USA

Abstract This article examines the challenges direct market farmers face related to land access in the United States. The number of farms participating in direct market sales is growing in the U.S., though their relative number and share of the food economy is low. The benefits of direct market farms range from fresh, high quality food for urban residents and a stronger local food economy, to potentially greater environmental stewardship and enhanced community food security. However, direct market farmers face significant land access challenges related to affordability, appropriateness, availability, and security. We explore the challenge of land access through the experiences of direct market farmers in the north Willamette Valley region in Oregon. The region has a robust agricultural economy, a growing number of direct market farms, and a history of relatively strong farmland conservation influenced by statewide land use planning requirements. We collected data with a mix of methods, including a survey of direct market farmers; interviews and group discussions with farmers and other key informants; and secondary land use and parcel data. Despite Oregon’s reputation as an agriculture-friendly state with strong consumer interest in local food systems, direct market farmers in the region experience land access challenges, including rising land prices relative to their incomes, a lack of appropriate land, a declining agricultural land base with competition from other buyers, and insecure leasing terms. These challenges suggest an uncertain future for direct market farming and its associated benefits. The article concludes by identifying potential strategies to enhance land access by direct market farmers, and suggesting areas for future research.
Theorizing Masculinity in the Context of Luso-Afro-Brazilian Culture

This special issue of the Journal of Lusophone Studies explores the multifaceted ways that masculinities are performed and embodied throughout the Portuguese-speaking world. The articles presented here interrogate the concept of masculinity to understand better how the arts engage with and participate in rethinking masculinities. While this volume focuses specifically on expressions of masculinity within the Lusophone world, these articles also broadly engage with questions related to masculinities studies by revealing how, within the Portuguese-speaking world, writers are questioning, destabilizing, and in some cases reifying the concept of masculinity.
Production and Decay of Z Bosons at the SLC

My lectures at Cargese covered the very first physics results from the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). At the time of this writing (December 1989), it seems most sensible to present a review of the results that were presented at the school in an updated form. The organization of this report will be to give a brief introduction to linear colliders and the SLC, then to describe the MARK II detector, and finally to review the current status of the three major physics topics discussed at Cargese: 1. the Z line shape, from which we deduce the Z mass and width, and the number of neutrino species, 2. the partonic structure of hadronic decays and a measurement of α s , and 3. searches for new quarks and leptons.
Electroviscous Retardation of the Squeeze Out of Nanoconfined Ionic Liquids

Although many works have confirmed the layering structure of nanoconfined ionic liquids (ILs), fundamental studies of their dynamic properties are less abundant. This work evaluates the resistance of molecularly thin ion layers to flow out of films confined between atomically flat surfaces. We measure the time-dependent drainage of six different ionic liquids from large surface separations down to ∼3 nm with angstrom resolution in dynamic force measurements with a surface forces apparatus and determine the effective viscosity of the films of thickness smaller than ∼10 nm by numerically solving the equation of motion. The latter requires appropriate models for the equilibrium surface forces (electrostatic, solvation, and van der Waals forces) and the Reynolds theory of lubrication to describe the hydrodynamic drag induced by the motion of the solid surface in the viscous liquid. We show that the effective viscosity of the six ILs becomes up to 2 orders of magnitude larger than the viscosity of the unconfin...
Control of Multi-Agent Collaborative Fixed-Wing UASs in Unstructured Environment

In recent years, the study of dynamics and control of swarming robots and aircraft has been an active research topic. Many multi-agent collaborative control algorithms have been developed and have been validated in simulations, however the technological and logistic complexity involved in validation of these algorithms in actual flight tests has been a major hurdle impeding more frequent and wider applications. This work presents robust navigation algorithms for multi-agent fixed-wing aircraft based on an adaptive moving mesh partial differential equations controlled by the free energy heat flow equation. Guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for control of multi-agent unmanned aerial system (UASs) were validated through actual flight tests, and the robustness of these algorithms were also investigated using different aircraft platforms. The verification and validation flight tests were conducted using two different fixed-wing platforms: A DG808 sail-plane with a 4m wingspan T-tail configuration and a Skyhunter aircraft utilizing a 2.4m wingspan and a twin-boom configuration. The developed swarm navigation algorithm uses a virtual leader guidance scheme and has been implemented and optimized using optimal control theory. Multi-scale moving point guidance has been developed and complimented by a linear quadratic regulator controller. Several flight tests have been successfully conducted and a system of systems including software and hardware was successfully validated and verified.
Combined morphologic and metabolic pipeline for Positron emission tomography/computed tomography based radiotherapy response evaluation in locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Abstract Background and purpose Adaptive radiation planning for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) relies on accurate treatment response assessment, while traditional response evaluation criteria inefficiently characterize tumors with complex morphological features or intrinsically low metabolism. To better assess treatment response of PA, we quantify and compare regional morphological and metabolic features of the 3D pre- and post-radiation therapy (RT) tumor models. Materials and methods Thirty-one PA patients with pre and post-RT Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans were evaluated. 3D meshes of pre- and post-RT tumors were generated and registered to establish vertex-wise correspondence. To assess tumor response, Mahalanobis distances (Mdist|Fusion) between pre- and post-RT tumor surfaces with anatomic and metabolic fused vectors were calculated for each patient. Mdist|Fusion was evaluated by overall survival (OS) prediction and survival risk classification. As a comparison, the same analyses were conducted on traditional imaging/physiological predictors, and distances measurements based on metabolic and morphological features only. Results Among all the imaging/physiological parameters, Mdist|Fusion was shown to be the best predictor of OS (HR = 0.52, p = 0.008), while other parameters failed to reach significance. Moreover, Mdist|Fusion outperformed traditional morphologic and metabolic measurements in patient risk stratification, either alone (HR = 11.51, p Conclusions We introduced a PET/CT-based novel morphologic and metabolic pipeline for response evaluation in locally advanced PA. The fused Mdist|Fusion outperformed traditional morphologic, metabolic, and physiological measurements in OS prediction and risk stratification. The novel fusion model may serve as a new imaging-marker to more accurately characterize the heterogeneous tumor RT response.
Responsiveness of the hamster pancreatic cancer to treatment with microcapsules of D-Trp-6-LH-RH and somatostatin analog RC-160 - Histological evidence of improvement

The effect of treatment with D-Trp-6-LH-RH, an agonist of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), and somatostatin analog RC-160 was studied in male Syrian hamsters withN-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP)-induced pancreatic carcinoma. The peptides were administered periodically in long-acting microcapsule formulations designed to release controlled doses and maintain continuous blood levels of these analogs. The treatment lasted 60 d. Eighteen wk after administration of BOP, 80% of the animals developed ductal pancreatic adenocarcinomas, typically in multinodular form. Treatment with D-Trp-6-LH-RH resulted in a significant decrease in the tumorous pancreatic weight, and, in 35% of the specimens, changes indicative of histological regression were seen. Similarly, regressive alterations in the tumorous epithelium could be observed in 28% of the tumors in the RC-160 treated group. This regression was not accompanied by accumulation of lymphoid cells and only the epithelial components of the tumors were involved. These data indicate that the analogs D-Trp-6-LH-RH and RC-160 exert antitumoral effects on the experimentally-induced pancreatic cancer. It is unlikely that immunological mechanisms are involved in this response. These inhibitory effects on tumor growth could be mediated by creating a state of sex hormone deprivation of D-Trp-6-LH-RH and by inhibition of the release and/or action of gastrointestinal hormones and growth factors by the somatostain analog RC-160.
Consumer response to marketing channels: A demand-based approach

Marketing channels have faced rapid structural and functional transformations during the last few decades. While a large body of research has been devoted to understanding the supply-side aspects o...
Test Methodologies and Test-Time Compression for Emerging Non-Volatile Memory

Emerging nonvolatile memories (NVMs) are considered as suitable candidates to replace conventional memories such as static RAM (SRAM) and dynamic RAM (DRAM) due to high density, high performance, and low (static) power operation. However, NVMs bring new fault issues and call for new tests. For example, NVMs exhibit wide read and write latency distribution, incur high write current (leads to high supply noise), are susceptible to external magnetic/thermal field, show high and stochastic retention time, and are prone to endurance and reliability failures. The conventional tests either cannot capture the faults specific to emerging NVMs or they incur significant test time if implemented on emerging NVMs. In this article, we summarize fault models specific to NVMs and explain the related test issues and challenges. We also propose new tests along with necessary design-for-test techniques to characterize the failures. We further summarize NVM tests proposed in prior works and analyze their test time requirements.
Screening of non-pathogenic surrogates of Listeria monocytogenes applicable for chemical antimicrobial interventions of fresh apples

Abstract Sanitizers are commonly used in post-harvest interventions to reduce potential foodborne pathogen contamination of fresh produce. An appropriate non-pathogenic surrogate of Listeria monocytogenes is needed to verify the laboratory obtained antimicrobial intervention results in commercial facilities. The objective of this study was to identify a surrogate of L. monocytogenes to validate the sanitation efficiency of fresh apples. We evaluated and compared the behavior of Listeria innocua, Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354, Pediococcus acidilactici and Lactobacillus plantarum, to that of L. monocytogenes on apples regarding attachment, survival during storage, and resistance to various antimicrobial washes. L. monocytogenes, E. faecium and L. innocua persisted on fresh apple surfaces at 6.4–6.5 Log10 CFU/apple for 48 h at room temperature, while L. plantarum and P. acidilactici slightly decreased. All the selected surrogate candidates demonstrated comparable adhesion strength with L. monocytogenes in response to three sequential water washes. E. faecium and L. innocua showed similar or higher antimicrobial resistance than L. monocytogenes to chlorine, neutral electrolyzed water, JC9450, peroxyacetic acid (PAA), and Neo-Pure, regardless of apple variety or contact time. However, L. plantarum and P. acidilactici were significantly more susceptible to PAA and Neo-Pure than L. monocytogenes. Data, collectively, identified E. faecium as a promising non-Listeria surrogate of L. monocytogenes for in-plant validation of sanitizer interventions of fresh apples or other related fresh produce.
Optimization of a real-time high-throughput assay for assessment of Streptococcus mutans metabolism and screening of antibacterial dental adhesives

Abstract Objective The present work shows the optimization of a high-throughput bioluminescence assay to assess the metabolism of intact Streptococcus mutans biofilms and its utility as a screening method for nanofilled antibacterial dental materials. Methods The assay was optimized by monitoring changes in bioluminescence mediated by variation of the experimental parameters investigated (growth media and sucrose concentration, inoculum:D-Luciferin ratio, dilution factor, inoculum volume, luminescence wavelength, replicate and luciferase metabolic activity). Confocal microscopy was then used to demonstrate the impact of biofilm growth conditions on the 3-D distribution of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) within Streptococcus mutans biofilms and its implications as confounding factors in high-throughput studies (HTS). Results Relative Luminescence Unit (RLU) values from the HTS optimization were analyzed by multivariate ANOVA (α = 0.05) and coefficients of variation, whereas data from 3-D structural parameters and RLU values of biofilms grown on experimental antibacterial dental adhesive resins were analyzed using General Linear Models and Student–Newman–Keuls post hoc tests (α = 0.05). Confocal microscopy demonstrated that biofilm growth conditions significantly influenced the quantity and distribution of EPS within the 3-D structures of the biofilms. An optimized HTS bioluminescence assay was developed and its applicability as a screening method in dentistry was demonstrated using nanofilled experimental antibacterial dental adhesive resins. Significance The present study is anticipated to positively impact the direction of future biofilm research in dentistry, because it offers fundamental information for the design of metabolic-based assays, increases the current levels of standardization and reproducibility while offering a tool to decrease intra-study variability.
Taxing Bitcoin and Blockchains—What the IRS Told Us (and What It Didn’t)

The IRS recently issued its second description of how it will treat Bitcoin and other blockchain assets. Some of its analysis leaves open questions that invite further consideration, and important issues remain unresolved. Moreover, because the popular Bitcoin blockchain uses a "proof of work" consensus procedure, issues relating to the alternative "proof of stake" procedure have been neglected.
Factors and cost associated with atopic dermatitis in Nevada.

Objectives: Atopic dermatitis, or eczema, is an inflammatory illness that impacts individuals of all ages. The cost of treating AD and the impact on quality of life has not been well documented in ...
A discrete emotion with discrete effects: effects of anger on depth of information processing

There is relative paucity in the comprehensive study of anger and information processing. Emotions can impact the depth of information processing and anger is a powerful high-certainty emotion. Yet, the magnitude of the effects of anger on the depth of information processing has not been summarized. This scholarship performs a meta-analytic synthesis to report the effect of anger on the depth of information processing as compared to one of the four contrast groups: neutral control, sadness, happiness, and fear. A systematic search identified 26 articles with a total of 39 unique studies and 113 effect sizes. The evaluation revealed that anger did not have a significant effect on depth of information processing for any of the emotional comparison groups. Furthermore, the presence of publication bias was only found for one analysis. These complex results indicate that anger is an exceedingly nuanced emotion. The implications of the study and future scholarship are discussed.
Linking Datasets to Characterize Injury and Illness in Alaska's Fishing Industry.

Objectives: Limited research has characterized nonfatal injury/illness in Alaska’s hazardous fishing industry. This study aimed to determine (a) the utility of linking datasets to conduct surveilla...
Frequency response function estimation techniques and the corresponding coherence functions: A review and update

Abstract For a structural dynamics engineer assessing a system’s vibration characteristics, the frequency response function (FRF) is indispensable, irrespective of whether the setup being tested is experimental, numerical or analytical. This paper outlines the different FRF estimation techniques that have been developed over the years. Algorithms that compute an ordinary least squares (OLS) estimate of the FRF, assuming uncorrelated measurement noise to be present either on the output ( H 1 ) or the input ( H 2 ) signals, have been compared with those that employ total least squares (TLS) equations by making use of an augmented input–output auto and cross power ( G F F X / G X F F ) matrix at every frequency such as the H v (using eigenvalue decomposition) and H S V D (using singular value decomposition) algorithms. Another FRF estimation method based upon Cholesky decomposition ( H C D ) is also discussed. Further discussion has been included of TLS algorithms computing the FRFs for one output at a time, as historically presented in the development of the H v algorithm, with a case that evaluates the FRF matrix computed for all the outputs simultaneously. The development of the corresponding coherence functions has been presented, highlighting the method dependent paradigms that led to concepts such as virtual coherence and partial coherence while underscoring their equivalence with ordinary and multiple coherence calculations. It has been shown that some of the existing c o n d i t i o n e d coherence metrics are inconsistent from an input–output standpoint, for which the corrected interpretations have been subsequently described. This article is unique in that no previous work summarizes all of the previously developed FRF estimation and coherence algorithms and no previous paper explains the inconsistencies in the conditioned coherence functions with respect to multiple coherence.
Comparative analysis of the MyTH4-FERM myosins reveals insights into the determinants of actin track selection in polarized epithelia.

MyTH4-FERM myosins play a role in the creation and function of a variety of actin-based membrane protrusions that extend from cells. We explore the sequence determinants that allow different member...
Turning the Table: Using Bitstream Reverse Engineering to Detect FPGA Trojans

According to recent reports and surveys over the last 2 years, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) have increasingly become the prime targets for carrying out extremely sophisticated cyber-attacks. FPGAs incorporate runtime reconfiguration capabilities, which allow modular designs to be mapped. Low-end FPGAs are widely used in many networking applications where severe cost, power, and resource constraints persist. These constraints force a tradeoff for FPGA developers regarding FPGA security features such as encryption of FPGA bitstreams. As a result, critical security issues arise, such as hardware Trojan (HT) insertion. Attackers can attempt to gain control of the FPGA during run-time for Trojan insertion by bitstream reverse engineering. In this paper, we turn the tables and provide a proof of concept for an approach that utilizes bitstream reverse engineering for Trojan detection. Our approach is bottom-up: it starts with bitstream inspection, FPGA component identification from the layout, and follows up with identification of malicious configurations. Due to this bottom-up approach, any stealthy malicious circuit can be detected, which is difficult to achieve through conventional design analysis methods. We leverage open-source tools, publicly available datasets and vendor provided tools. The method is generic and can be applied to a wide range of FPGAs. An example of Trojan detection is shown for Xilinx Virtex5 VLX50T FPGA. Once a reference database is created, the Trojan detection is very fast and takes less than a minute on a general-purpose Intel Core i5 processor-based computer. The proposed Trojan detection approach is, to the best of our knowledge during publication, the only open source, software-based, low-cost alternative to time consuming design re-construction and analysis based approaches. It can be applied at the customer end without requiring any hardware alteration/IP updates from FPGA vendors.
SU-E-T-117: Analysis of the ArcCHECK Dosimetry Gamma Failure Using the 3DVH System

Purpose: To evaluate gamma analysis failure for the VMAT patient specific QA using ArcCHECK cylindrical phantom. The 3DVH system(Sun Nuclear, FL) was used to analyze the dose difference statistic between measured dose and treatment planning system calculated dose. Methods: Four case of gamma analysis failure were selected retrospectively. Our institution gamma analysis indexes were absolute dose, 3%/3mm and 90%pass rate in the ArcCHECK dosimetry. The collapsed cone convolution superposition (CCCS) dose calculation algorithm for VMAT was used. Dose delivery was performed with Elekta Agility. The A1SL(standard imaging, WI) and cavity plug were used for point dose measurement. Delivery QA plans and images were used for 3DVH Reference data instead of patient plan and image. The measured data of ‘.txt’ file was used for comparison at diodes to acquire a global dose level. The,.acml’ file was used for AC-PDP and to calculated point dose. Results: The global dose of 3DVH was calculated as 1.10 Gy, 1.13, 1.01 and 0.2 Gy respectively. The global dose of 0.2 Gy case was induced by distance discrepancy. The TPS calculated point dose of was 2.33 Gy to 2.77 Gy and 3DVH calculated dose was 2.33 Gy to 2.68 Gy. The maximum dose differences were −2.83% and −3.1% for TPS vs. measured dose and TPS vs. 3DVH calculated respectively in the same case. The difference between measured and 3DVH was 0.1% in that case. The 3DVH gamma pass rate was 98% to 99.7%. Conclusion: We found the TPS calculation error by 3DVH calculation using ArcCHECK measured dose. It seemed that our CCCS algorithm RTP system over estimated at the central region and underestimated scattering at the peripheral diode detector point. The relative gamma analysis and point dose measurement would be recommended for VMAT DQA in the gamma failure case of ArcCHECK dosimetry.
Work in progress - a hands-on Internet accessible laboratory model for electronics

A number of laboratory pedagogies have been developed to support distance learning. It has been an ongoing challenge to develop a hands-on experience for electronics courses that can be delivered via the internet. The authors have developed an online laboratory system that is used to supplement and substitute for typical onsite laboratory experiences. The Automated Laboratory Test Environment (ALTE) system allows instructors and students to conduct hands-on laboratory experiences over the Internet. The ALTE system allows student access to laboratory experiments 24/7. ALTE was pilot tested in fall 2004, and the spring and summer of 2005. During these semesters students in the pilot courses performed several experiments over the Internet using ALTE and the remainder of the experiments using the traditional method of coming to the onsite lab. This paper will present the results of both pilot tests and the conclusions reached from the data
Regge pole exchange analysis of K + p → K ∗ O π + p at 7.3 GeV/ c

Abstract A Regge pole exchange model is applied to the reaction K + p → K ∗ O (890)π + p at 7.3 GeV/c . The reaction is well described by exchanges of pion and Pomeranchuk trajectories with the Pomeranchuk exchange approximated by either a diffraction mechanism or on-mass shell π + p scattering. The model fits the production of the Q enhancement and also gives an adequate description of the virtual π + p scattering.
Necessary and Sufficient Conditions on the Observability and Identifiability of Linear Systems

A new representation of linear time-invariant systems is presented. This representation enables to generate necessary and sufficient conditions on the simultaneous state observability and parameters identifiability of linear time-invariant systems. Sufficient conditions derived from the necessary and sufficient conditions are weaker than the well known persistent excitaion conditions in the existing least square schemes. Namely, a sum of n distinct exponentials in the input to the system is almost always sufficient This is half of the quantity required in the common existing least square algorithms. These conditions apply to estimation in open and closed loop without further restrictions. Simulation results demonstrate the performance of estimation with this new approach.
Genetic polymorphisms, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and the future: are we there yet?✰

investigated the hypothesis that polymorphisms of the mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) gene are associated with infections in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The authors did not find a correlation between genetic changes and frequency of infection in a cohort of 116 patients.Patients with CLL have a highly variable clinical course: the majority will have a slowly progressive disease that will not require therapy for several years. However, a small but important minority will present with rapidly progressive disease. Continued efforts have aimed at identifying clinical and laboratory parameters that can predict the clinical evolution of CLL patients and their eventual need for treatment. Most clinicians still rely primarily on clinical staging systems (Rai and Binet) to determine the time for initial therapy. There are multiple laboratory parameters that have some degree of correlation with prognosis, including ZAP-70, the CD38 protein expression in CLL cells, and mutational status of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgV
A Combined Deficiency of Vitamins E and C Causes Severe Central Nervous System Damage in Guinea Pigs

A short period of combined deficiency of vitamins E and C causes profound central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction in guinea pigs. For this report, CNS histopathology was studied to define the nature and extent of injury caused by this double deficiency. Weanling guinea pigs were fed a vitamin E-deficient or -replete diet for 14 d. Then vitamin C was withdrawn from the diet of some guinea pigs. Four diet groups were thus formed: replete, vitamin E deficient, vitamin C deficient, and both vitamin E and C deficient. From 5 to 11 d after institution of the doubly deficient diet, 9 of 12 guinea pigs developed paralysis, and 2 more were found dead. The remaining guinea pig in the doubly deficient group and all animals in the other 3 groups survived without clinical impairment until the experiment was terminated at 13-15 d. Brains and spinal cords were serially sectioned and stained for examination. Only the combined deficiency produced damage in the CNS. The damage consisted mainly of nerve cell death, axonal degeneration, vascular injury, and associated glial cell responses. The spinal cord and the ventral pons in the brainstem were most severely affected, often exhibiting asymmetric cystic lesions. Several features of the lesions suggest that the primary damage was to blood vessels. These results indicate that the paralysis and death caused by combined deficiency of vitamins E and C in guinea pigs is caused by severe damage in the brainstem and spinal cord.
Introduction: Immigration Law and Policy in the 1990s

shaped her past and present. Consider the following facts: w During tne decade 01 tne xyous, some o.o munon people win have been admitted to the United States for legal permanent residence, and some 2.7 million more who had resided here illegally will have been legalized under the various amnesty provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRC A).1 The total of approximately 8.5 million will far exceed the 4.5 million admitted during the 1970s and will approach the almost 8.8 million who came here during the first decade of this century when immigration was essentially unrestricted and at the highest levels ever.2
Judicial Guidelines for Pretrial Release: Research and Policy Developments in the United States

: Despite the many differences in the criminal justice systems of Britain and the United States, both countries face common problems in the field of pretrial decision-making. The bail decision is a difficult, possibly high-risk, decision that occurs in a very short period of time with little reliable information. Bail information schemes recently tested in Britain suggest that policy-makers recognise the need to classify cases on something other than mere intuition. Recent bail reform in the United States has been built on this premise and has progressed to the point of developing empirically derived, voluntary judicial guidelines for pretrial release. This work has implications for pretrial decision-making in general and the bail information schemes in particular. Accordingly, this paper presents the major findings of more than a decade's work on the development, implementation and evaluation of bail guidelines. In particular, it emphasises the value of a guidelines approach to pretrial decision-making and serves to dispel the popular notion that guidelines are simply an informational tool founded on the belief that ‘more is better’.
Rational Design, Synthesis, Evaluation, and Crystal Structure of a Potent Inhibitor of Human GAR Tfase: 10-(Trifluoroacetyl)-5,10-dideazaacyclic-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic Acid

Glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GAR Tfase) has been the target of anti-neoplastic intervention for almost two decades. Here, we use a structure-based approach to design a novel folate analogue, 10-(trifluoroacetyl)-5,10-dideazaacyclic-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid (10-CF(3)CO-DDACTHF, 1), which specifically inhibits recombinant human GAR Tfase (K(i) = 15 nM), but is inactive (K(i) > 100 microM) against other folate-dependent enzymes that have been examined. Moreover, compound 1 is a potent inhibitor of tumor cell proliferation (IC(50) = 16 nM, CCRF-CEM), which represents a 10-fold improvement over Lometrexol, a GAR Tfase inhibitor that has been in clinical trials. Thus, this folate analogue 1 is among the most potent and selective inhibitors known toward GAR Tfase. Contributing to its efficacious activity, compound 1 is effectively transported into the cell by the reduced folate carrier and intracellularly sequestered by polyglutamation. The crystal structure of human GAR Tfase with folate analogue 1 at 1.98 A resolution represents the first structure of any GAR Tfase to be determined with a cofactor or cofactor analogue without the presence of substrate. The folate-binding loop of residues 141-146, which is highly flexible in both Escherichia coli and unliganded human GAR Tfase structures, becomes highly ordered upon binding 1 in the folate-binding site. Computational docking of the natural cofactor into this and other apo or complexed structures provides a rational basis for modeling how the natural cofactor 10-formyltetrahydrofolic acid interacts with GAR Tfase, and suggests that this folate analogue-bound conformation represents the best template to date for inhibitor design.
Pain in the cancer patient

In summary, the ACS has acknowledged the magnitude and severity of the cancer pain problem nationally and recognized that cancer pain can be relieved. It has identified cancer pain control as a priority and has devised programs that emphasize the importance of pain assessment, recognize the availability of pain relief programs, and encourage treatment to achieve optimum pain relief for the cancer patient.
Seismological and structural evolution of strike-slip faults

The mapped traces of strike-slip faults are commonly characterized by discontinuities that appear as steps in map-view. Here I present observations to show that the number of steps per unit length along the trace of major strike-slip fault zones in California and Turkey is a smoothly decreasing function of cumulative geological offset. When coupled with a growing body of evidence that indicates that steps in fault traces work to impede or arrest the propagation of earthquake ruptures, the apparent smoothing of fault traces with displacement is interpreted to suggest that the spatial distribution of strength properties on a fault plane is a function of cumulative geological offset. A consequence of this structural evolution is that faults may undergo a seismological evolution a well, whereby the size and frequency distribution of earthquakes is also a function of cumulative offset.
Numerical solution procedures for the morning commute problem

This paper discusses solution techniques for the morning commute problem that is formulated as a discrete variational inequality (VI). Various heuristics have been proposed to solve this problem, mostly because the analytical properties of the path travel time function have not yet been well understood. Two groups of ''non-heuristic'' algorithms for general VIs, namely projection-type algorithms and ascent direction algorithms, were examined. In particular, a new ascent direction method is introduced and implemented with a heuristic line search procedure. The performance of these algorithms are compared on simple instances of the morning commute problem. The implications of numerical results are discussed.
Variations in inspiratory:expiratory ratio and airway pressure wave form during mechanical ventilation: the significance of mean airway pressure.

Twelve neonates with severe lung disease were studied while mechanically ventilated with volume pre-setinfant ventilators, using different 1:E ratios and different airway pressure waves. While Fl O 2 , tidal volume, respiratory rate, and PEEP remained constant, I:E ratios were increased, first by reducing inspiratory flow rate, which produced a triangular pressure wave, and then by using an inspiratory time hold mechanism, which produced an inspiratory plateau or squared pressure wave. Peak inspiratory pressure, mean airway pressure, Pa O 2 , Pa CO 2 , pH, and blood pressure were measured and compared for each 1:E ratio and pressure wave combination. In all patients, increases in oxygenation appeared to be directly related to increases in MAP. Optimum oxygenation and ventilation occurred with the I:E ratio and pressure wave combination that produced the highest MAP. Because MAP changes with any alteration in PEEP, I:E ratio, or airway pressure wave, it is a clinically useful composite measure of all pressures transmitted to the airways by a mechanical ventilator.
MYCORRHIZAL OCCURRENCE IN WILLOWS IN A NORTHERN FRESHWATER WETLAND

Willows growing in a north central Michigan wetland were found to be ectomycorrhizal throughout the 1978 growing season on each of two sites (one water-saturated, one relatively drier). Each site was dominated by a mix of sedges (Carex spp.) and willows (Salix spp.). On both sites, phosphorus was added at two levels (20 or 200 kg P ha−1) to simulate potential inputs from the disposal of secondarily-treated municipal wastewater. The intensity of willow root infection was determined by scoring root tips on a 0 to 4 scale based on mantle-, intercellular hyphae-, and root epidermal cell characteristics. Infection on the wet site remained uniformly heavy in July and August when P was added, but it declined significantly during August for control plants at both sites. When water levels increased during September, the intensity of mycorrhizal infection increased on control plants on the wet site. On the drier site, mycorrhizal intensity decreased on controls and on plants exposed to the highest P levels. Between August and September samplings, mycorrhizal intensity increased considerably on dry-site controls but did not change on plants exposed to added P.
Disulfide bond effects on protein stability: designed variants of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor-V.

Attempts to increase protein stability by insertion of novel disulfide bonds have not always been successful. According to the two current models, cross-links enhance stability mainly through denatured state effects. We have investigated the effects of removal and addition of disulfide cross-links, protein flexibility in the vicinity of a cross-link, and disulfide loop size on the stability of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor-V (CMTI-V; 7 kD) by differential scanning calorimetry. CMTI-V offers the advantage of a large, flexible, and solvent-exposed loop not involved in extensive intra-molecular interactions. We have uncovered a negative correlation between retention time in hydrophobic column chromatography, a measure of protein hydrophobicity, and melting temperature (Tm), an indicator of native state stabilization, for CMTI-V and its variants. In conjunction with the complete set of thermodynamic parameters of denaturation, this has led to the following deductions: (1) In the less stable, disulfide-removed C3S/C48S (ΔΔGd50°C = −4 kcal/mole; ΔTm = −22°C), the native state is destabilized more than the denatured state; this also applies to the less-stable CMTI-V* (ΔΔGd50°C = −3 kcal/mole; ΔTm = −11°C), in which the disulfide-containing loop is opened by specific hydrolysis of the Lys44-Asp45 peptide bond; (2) In the less stable, disulfide-inserted E38C/W54C (ΔΔGd50°C = −1 kcal/mole; ΔTm = +2°C), the denatured state is more stabilized than the native state; and (3) In the more stable, disulfide-engineered V42C/R52C (ΔΔGd50°C = +1 kcal/mole; ΔTm = +17°C), the native state is more stabilized than the denatured state. These results show that a cross-link stabilizes both native and denatured states, and differential stabilization of the two states causes either loss or gain in protein stability. Removal of hydrogen bonds in the same flexible region of CMTI-V resulted in less destabilization despite larger changes in the enthalpy and entropy of denaturation. The effect of a cross-link on the denatured state of CMTI-V was estimated directly by means of a four-state thermodynamic cycle consisting of native and denatured states of CMTI-V and CMTI-V*. Overall, the results show that an enthalpy-entropy compensation accompanies disulfide bond effects and protein stabilization is profoundly modulated by altered hydrophobicity of both native and denatured states, altered flexibility near the cross-link, and residual structure in the denatured state.