cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Software for Mapping and Analyzing Weed Distributions: gWeedMap

The spatial pattern of weeds in a field is often patchy. This pattern can be visualized with maps created by geographical information system (GIS) software. However, this software is often difficult to use and/or expensive, especially if not all of the GIS functionality is needed. The objective of this project was to develop a means of easily and economically generating weed maps. This was accomplished by creating a PC-based Windows software tool to generate weed maps from scouting information. The scout enters weed data that has been collected in a gridded, systematic sampling protocol. From this information, the program creates a map for each weed species in the field. Scouting data can be density, percent cover, or any other type of measurement. Five data ranges are displayed on the map, with the user specifying the data values and map colors associated with each range. Various statistics are calculated, such as the average density of each species. Weed diversity in each field is determined with Shannon diversity index and evenness index. These indices are also calculated with the density data weighted by the competitiveness of each weed species. This gives the weed ecologist a quantitative measure of the competitive diversity, which is related to the impact of the weed population on yield loss.
Morphology analysis of EKG R waves using wavelets with adaptive parameters derived from fuzzy logic

Understanding of the EKG components P, QRS (R wave), and T is essential in recognizing cardiac disorders and arrhythmias. An estimation method is presented that models the R wave component of the EKG by adaptively computing wavelet parameters using fuzzy logic. The parameters are adaptively adjusted to minimize the difference between the original EKG waveform and the wavelet. The R wave estimate is derived from minimizing the combination of mean squared error (MSE), amplitude difference, spread difference, and shift difference. We show that the MSE in both non-noise and additive noise environment is less using an adaptive wavelet than a static wavelet. Research to date has focused on the R wave component of the EKG signal. Extensions of this method to model P and T waves are discussed.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mathematical olympiads in the People's Republic of China

This new series of Chinese olympiads is admittedly experimental. Chinese educators are studying the results of these contests. Building upon this acquired experience, they hope to improve and expand such competitions in the future. New standards of mathematical excellence are now being established in the PRC and future mathematical olympiads will accordingly be more demanding. It appears evident that in the near future, a team from the People's Republic of China will participate in the International Mathematical Olympiad [10].
We Are Sorry to Inform You ...

E.W. DIJKSTRA "Goto Statement Considered Harmful." This paper tries to convince us that the well-known goto statement should be eliminated from our programming languages or, at least (since I don't think that it will ever be eliminated), that programmers should not use it. It is not clear what should replace it. The paper doesn't explain to us what would be the use of the "if" statement without a "goto" to redirect the flow of execution: Should all our postconditions consist of a single statement, or should we only use the arithmetic "if," which doesn't contain the offensive "goto"? And how will one deal with the case in which, having reached the end of an alternative, the program needs to continue the execution somewhere else? The author is a proponent of the so-called "structured programming" style, in which, if I get it right, gotos are replaced by indentation. Structured programming is a nice academic exercise, which works well for small examples, but I doubt that any real-world program will ever be written in such a style. More than 10 years of industrial experience with Fortran have proved conclusively to everybody concerned that, in the real world, the goto is useful and necessary: its presence might cause some inconveniences in debugging, but it is a de facto standard and we must live with it. It will take more than the academic elucubrations of a purist to remove it from our languages. Publishing this would waste valuable paper: Should it be published, I am as sure it will go uncited and unnoticed as I am confident that, 30 years from now, the goto will still be alive and well and used as widely as it is today. Confidential comments to the editor: The author should withdraw the paper and submit it someplace where it will not be peer reviewed. A letter to the editor would be a perfect choice: Nobody will notice it there!
Direct transformation of variational problems into Cauchy systems. I. Scalar-quadratic case

This series of papers addresses three interrelated problems: the solution of a variational minimization problem, the solution of integral equations, and the solution of an initial-valued system of integro-differential equations. It will be shown that a large class of minimization problems requires the solution of linear Fredholm integral equations. It has also been shown that the solution of a linear Fredholm integral equation is identical to the solution of a Cauchy system. In this paper, we bypass the Fredholm integral equations and show that the minimization problem directly implies a solution of a Cauchy system. This first paper in the series looks only at quadratic functionals and scalar functions.
Fast evaluation of structured queries for information retrieval

Information retrieval systems are being challenged to manage larger and larger document collections. In an effort to provide better retrieval performance on large collections, more sophisticated retrieval techniques have been developed that support rich, structured queries. Structured queries are not amenable to previously proposed optimization techniques. Optimizing execution, however, is even more important in the context of large document collections. We present a new structured query optimization technique which we have implemented in an inference network-based information retrieval system. Experimental results show that query evaluation time can be reduced by more than half with little impact on retrieval effectiveness.
Determining the number of kanbans: a simulation metamodeling approach

In this paper, a method to determine the number of kanbans in a pull production system by using simulation metamodeling is described. The method is demonstrated on a two-card kanban- controlled manufacturing system. Through meta modeling, a relationship between the number of kanbans and the average time to fill a customer order is determined. Later this relationship is used in a model to determine the number of kanbans while minimizing costs.
A multiobjective evolutionary algorithm for optimizing spatial contiguity in reserve network design

Landscape fragmentation is a well-recognized threat to the long-term survivability of many plant and animal species. As a complex concept, fragmentation has multiple spatial and functional components, of which spatial contiguity is of great importance. A contiguous landscape provides physical condition and increases the opportunities for species dispersal and migration. However, in real planning situations, contiguity is either too expensive to achieve or impractical because of barriers of urban landscapes. As such, the traditional yes/no function of contiguity has been extended into a notion of relative contiguity which has the value range between zero and one. Relative contiguity measures levels of interconnectivity of landscapes based on graph theory and spatial interaction. It takes into account both inner-reserve relationship (i.e. reserve sizes) and inter-reserve spatial proximity. This paper presents a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm approach to maximizing relative contiguity in reserve network design. This approach obtains solutions that maximize the measure of relative contiguity, minimize the total acquisition area, and satisfy constraints on the coverage of individual species. Application results show the developed algorithm has significant advantages in optimizing relative contiguity and generating a variety of alternative solutions.
Decision support for lean practitioners: A web-based adaptive assessment approach

A web-based decision support tool using adaptive assessment approach is developed in this research as a guiding tool throughout the journey to lean. In the past several decades, pioneers of lean manufacturing have developed numerous useful tools and techniques to realize the waste-elimination concept. With the abundant lean tools, applying the right tools at the right time on the right spot relies on extensive knowledge and experiences. Yet, such an expertise is not always accessible or affordable. This paper presents an adaptive lean assessment approach that provides an effective way to guide the lean implementation process. Using the web-based program, an assessment model is generated adaptively for each user to evaluate the current status of the system, pinpoint the urgent targets for improvement, and identify the appropriate tools and techniques for developing action plans. With the decision support information, lean concepts can be implemented more systematically and efficiently.
Gastrointestinal disease in adolescents.

Functional gastrointestinal symptoms are identified in up to 30% of patients two thirds of whom are women. Therefore any physician who cares for women must be aware of the scope and impact of these conditions. As gynecologists we are most likely to see those gastrointestinal conditions that have an indolent or chronic course or those with vague non-specific symptoms. In adolescents gastrointestinal disease may be mistaken for gynecologic conditions and the processes of menarche may cloud the identification of primarily gastrointestinal disease. Even sexual abuse may present as vague abdominal or gastrointestinal complaints. A moderate familiarity with these conditions combined with a high degree of suspicion is required if we are to correctly diagnose and treat these complaints in our adolescent patients. (excerpt)
Production of Electric Charges on Water Drops

A RECENT communication1 by Gill and Alfrey implies that we have interpreted the potential differences accompanying the freezing of dilute aqueous solutions as contact potentials. On the contrary, we agree with Gill and Alfrey that “a contact potential difference of 230 volts seems most unlikely”. We further believe that the implied interpretation is completely untenable, because the observed potential differences cause the flow of currents of the order of 1 µamp. The statement in question is that “the potential barrier is at the water-ice interface”. This statement was intended to convey that the charge separation occurs at the interface, and that each ion involved in the charge separation must cross a potential-barrier equal in magnitude and sign to the measured potential difference between the ice and water.
Carbon and oxygen isotope composition of pedogenic CaCO3 from soil profiles in Nevada and New Mexico, U.S.A.

Abstract Stable carbon and oxygen isotope measurements have been obtained from ten calcareous soil profiles developed on noncalcareous parent materials in Nevada and New Mexico. Despite the number of variables that can affect the isotopic composition of soil carbonate, most of these profiles show remarkably little variation in δ 13C and δ 18O with depth. This tendency towards uniformity is attributed to the fact that pedogenic carbonate forms by the incremental accumulation of a large number of small aliquots of CaCO3. As the number of aliquots of CaCO3 increases, the composition of their sum, which is the calcareous horizon itself, tends to converge to the long-term average of the individual aliquots. A mathematical model is presented to show how the time required for convergence is affected by the amplitude and period of aliquot variation and the extent of dissolution and reprecipitation of previously deposited carbonate. Calculations further indicate that in some cases the variation in δ 18O of soil carbonates may be moderated by the opposing effects of temperature change on the H2OCaCO3 fractionation factor and on the extent of evapotranspiration. The data of this study indicate that soil carbonates from sites within a homogeneous climatic region show relatively little site-to-site variation in δ 18O as compared to geographical variation in δ 13C. This suggests that the δ 18O of soil carbonates is primarily controlled by broad climatic factors (rainfall composition and temperature) whereas site factors (e.g., soil CO2) have a strong effect on δ 13C. In Nevada and New Mexico the δ 18O of Pleistocene calcareous profiles is 2.0–4.0‰ lighter than that of nearby Holocene soil carbonate, suggesting that old well-developed profiles may have formed dominantly under cooler pluvial conditions.
Renormalization group fixed point with a fourth generation: Higgs-induced bound states and condensates

Abstract In the Standard Model with four generations, the two-loop renormalization group equations for the Higgs quartic and Yukawa couplings show a quasi fixed point structure which does not appear at the one-loop level. This quasi fixed point behavior indicates a possible restoration of scale symmetry above some physical cut-off scale Λ FP . We conjecture that there exists a true fixed point which is reached at a similar energy scale. If the masses of the fourth family are sufficiently large, this cut-off scale, Λ FP , is situated in the range of a few TeV to the order of 10 2 TeV , above which the Higgs quartic and Yukawa couplings become practically constant. We found that around Λ FP the strong Yukawa couplings make it possible for the fourth generation to form bound states, including composite extra Higgs doublets. In this scenario the fourth generation condensates are obtained without introducing Technicolor or other unknown interactions.
Application of the BrdU/thymidine method to flow cytogenetics: differential quenching/enhancement of Hoechst 33258 fluorescence of late-replicating chromosomes.

Discrimination between many types of isolated mammalian chromosomes can be accomplished by dual-beam flow cytometry following DNA staining with Hoechst 33258 (HO) and Chromomycin A3 (CA3). In this report, we show that the bivariate discrimination of selected late-replicating Chinese hamster M3-1 chromosomes can be improved by appropriate treatment of the cells with 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) prior to chromosome isolation and staining. Two labeling schemes are reported. In one scheme the chromosomes are collected from cells labeled with BrdU only during late S phase. The Hoechst fluorescence of the 10, 11, M2, and Y chromosomes is substantially quenched by the incorporated BrdU, thus improving their discrimination. In the other scheme, chromosomes are collected from cells labeled with thymidine (dT) during late S phase following 20 h of growth in BrdU-containing medium. The Hoechst fluorescence of the 10, 11, M2, and Y chromosomes is quenched less than the other chromosomes, again improving their discrimination. Y chromosomes from chromosome suspensions of untreated controls, of cells labeled with BrdU during late S phase, and of cells labeled with dT during late S phase following 20 h growth in BrdU were separated by dual-parameter sorting. While the purity of the sorted Y chromosome was 15% in untreated controls, it was 70–75% using the BrdU/dT labeling protocols.
Proximal junctional kyphosis following adult spinal deformity surgery

Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is a common radiographic finding following long spinal fusions. Whether PJK leads to negative clinical outcome is currently debatable. A systematic review was performed to assess the prevalence, risk factors, and treatments of PJK. Literature search was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials using the terms ‘proximal junctional kyphosis’ and ‘proximal junctional failure’. Excluding reviews, commentaries, and case reports, we analyzed 33 studies that reported the prevalence rate, risk factors, and discussions on PJK following spinal deformity surgery. The prevalence rates varied widely from 6 to 61.7 %. Numerous studies reported that clinical outcomes for patients with PJK were not significantly different from those without, except in one recent study in which adult patients with PJK experienced more pain. Risk factors for PJK included age at operation, low bone mineral density, shorter fusion constructs, upper instrumented vertebrae below L2, and inadequate restoration of global sagittal balance. Prevalence of PJK following long spinal fusion for adult spinal deformity was high but not clinically significant. Careful and detailed preoperative planning and surgical execution may reduce PJK in adult spinal deformity patients.
Early pulmonary infection, inflammation, and clinical outcomes in infants with cystic fibrosis.

A thorough understanding of the early natural history of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease is critical for the development of effective interventions in the youngest patients. We assessed the evolution of pulmonary infection, inflammation, and clinical course among 40 infants over a 2-year period through annual bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for culture and measurements of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, semiannual infant pulmonary function testing, and quarterly clinical evaluations. Both the prevalence of CF pathogens and their density in BAL fluid increased with age. Infants had neutrophilic lower airway inflammation and elevated IL-8 concentrations independent of whether CF pathogens were recovered. Total leukocyte and neutrophil densities and IL-8 concentrations increased with density of CF pathogens in BAL fluid, whether the isolated organism was P. aeruginosa or another pathogen. IL-10 concentrations were similar in CF subjects and non-CF historical controls. Infants generally had suboptimal growth (low weight and height percentiles) and obstructive lung disease (decreased expiratory flows and air trapping). Subjects from whom CF pathogens were isolated at > 10(5) cfu/mL had the worst air trapping and lowest Brasfield chest X-ray scores. Our findings provide a foundation for future studies of early intervention in CF lung disease, including antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory therapy.
Theoretical study of a three-dimensional all-sp 2 structure

We present a study of a highly symmetric crystal made of exclusively ${\mathrm{sp}}^{2}$ bonded atoms. Calculations of the structural and electronic properties are performed within the pseudopotential-density-functional approach for two different compositions made of (i) pure carbon and (ii) carbon and nitrogen compound. In both solids, one of the carbon-carbon bond lengths is found to be 1.35 \AA{}, which is considerably smaller than any carbon-carbon bond length found in other carbon solids. The bulk moduli are calculated to be 241 and 286 GPa for the pure carbon and the carbon-nitride compounds, respectively. We demonstrate that the relatively low bulk moduli, considering the short bond lengths found in the structure, is due to the disruption of the carbon \ensuremath{\pi} bonding states. This is probably unavoidable when trying to form a three-dimensional structure out of a planar configuration like the ${\mathrm{sp}}^{2}$ bonds. The calculated density of states and band structures show that the pure carbon form is metallic whereas the carbon nitride is semiconducting. When carbon atoms are added to the interstitial regions, the carbon solid becomes insulating and the bulk modulus increases to 282 GPa.
A Calibration-and-Error Correction Method for Improved Texel (Fused Ladar/Digital Camera) Images

The fusion of imaging ladar information and digital imagery results in 2.5-D surfaces covered with texture information. Called "texel images," these datasets, when taken from dierent viewpoints, can be combined to create 3-D images of buildings, vehicles, or other objects. These 3-D images can then be further processed for automatic target recognition, or viewed in a 3-D viewer for tactical planning purposes. This paper presents a procedure for calibration, error correction, and fusing of ladar and digital camera information from a single hand-held sensor to create accurate texel images. A brief description of a prototype sensor is given, along with calibration technique used with the sensor, which is applicable to other imaging ladar/digital image sensor systems. The method combines systematic error correction of the ladar data, correction for lens distortion of the digital camera image, and fusion of the ladar to the camera data in a single process. The result is a texel image acquired directly from the sensor. Examples of the resulting images, with improvements from the proposed algorithm, are presented.
Susceptibility of eastern US habitats to invasion of Celastrus orbiculatus (oriental bittersweet) following fire

Abstract Fire effects on invasive species are an important land management issue in areas subjected to prescribed fires as well as wildfires. These effects on invasive species can be manifested across life stages. The liana Celastrus orbiculatus (oriental bittersweet) is a widespread invader of eastern US habitats including those where fire management is in practice. This study examined if prescribed fire makes these habitats more susceptible to invasion of C. orbiculatus by seed at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Four treatments (control, litter removed, high and low intensity fire) were applied in six habitat types (sand savanna/woodland, sand prairie, moraine prairie, sand oak forest, beech-maple forest, and oak-hickory forest) and germinating seedlings were tracked over two growing seasons. Treatment did not have a significant effect on the germination, survival, or biomass of C. orbiculatus. However, habitat type did influence these responses mostly in the first growing season. Moraine prairie, beech-maple forest, and oak-hickory forests had the greatest peak percentage of germinants. Moraine prairie had significantly greater survival than oak forest and savanna habitats. Control plots with intact litter, and the moraine prairie habitat had the tallest seedlings at germination, while tallest final heights and greatest aboveground biomass were highest in oak forest. Thus, fire and litter removal did not increase the susceptibility of these habitats to germination and survival of C. orbiculatus. These results indicate that most eastern US habitats are vulnerable to invasion by this species via seed regardless of the level or type of disturbance to the litter layer.
Solar-fuel fired cogeneration plants—Sizing and costing model for molten salt storage systems

Abstract The large-scale utilization of solar energy will be facilitated by economical and efficient energy storage. The proposed energy storage systems have been critically reviewed, and capital cost estimates compared on a common basis. A model for sizing an energy storage system is proposed and used to determine the size range of practical interest. Based on selection criteria and relevant data two storage systems have been investigated: an all sodium system and a molten salt system. The design equations, cost estimates, and correlations indicate that, for the energy storage systems developed to date, in the capacity range of 700–2100 MWh, a molten salt, two-tank isolated-type system is the most cost effective and technically feasible for a solar, central receiver, hybrid cogeneration plant. At the extremes of the above range the unit capital cost for the molten salt storage system was found to be 22.8–26.7 $/kWh of stored energy, compared to 43.0–45.4 $/kWh for the sodium storage system.
Muscarinic cholinergic receptors activate both inhibitory and stimulatory growth mechanisms in NIH3T3 cells.

Activation of Gqprotein-coupled receptors can either stimulate or inhibit cell growth. Previously, these opposite effects were explained by differences in the cell models. Here we show that activation of m3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors ectopically expressed in NIH3T3 cells can cause stimulation and inhibition of growth in the same cell. A clonal cell line was selected from cells that formed foci agonist dependently (3T3/m3 cells). In quiescent 3T3/m3 cells, carbachol stimulated DNA synthesis. In contrast, when 3T3/m3 cells were growing, either due to the presence of serum or after transformation with oncogenic v-src, carbachol inhibited growth. This inhibition was not due to reduction of extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity because carbachol induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation in both quiescent and growing 3T3/m3 cells. Investigating the cell cycle mechanisms involved in growth inhibition, we found that carbachol treatment decreased cyclin D1 levels, increased p21cip1expression, and led to hypophosphorylation of the retinoblastoma gene product (Rb). Proteasome inhibitors blocked the carbachol-induced degradation of cyclin D1. Effects on p21cip1 were blocked by a protein kinase C inhibitor. Thus, m3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors couple to both growth-stimulatory and -inhibitory signaling pathways in NIH3T3 cells, and the observed effects of receptor activation depend on the context of cellular growth.
Three ginkgolide hydrates from Ginkgo biloba L.: ginkgolide A monohydrate, ginkgolide C sesquihydrate and ginkgolide J dihydrate, all determined at 120 K.

A low-temperature structure of ginkgolide A monohydrate, (1R,3S,3aS,4R,6aR,7aR,7bR,8S,10aS,11aS)-3-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-hexa­hydro-4,7b-di­hydroxy-8-methyl-9H-1,7a-epoxymethano-1H,6aH-cyclo­penta­[c]­furo­[2,3-b]­furo­[3′,2′:3,4]­cyclopenta­[1,2-d]­furan-5,9,12(4H)-trione monohydrate, C20H24O9·H2O, obtained from Mo Kα data, is a factor of three more precise than the previous room-temperature determination. A refinement of the ginkgolide A monohydrate structure with Cu Kα data has allowed the assignment of the absolute configuration of the series of compounds. Ginkgolide C sesquihydrate, (1S,2R,3S,3aS,4R,6aR,7aR,7bR,8S,10aS,11S,11aR)-3-(1,1-di­methyl­ethyl)-hexa­hydro-2,4,7b,11-tetrahydroxy-8-methyl-9H-1,7a-epoxy­methano-1H,6aH-cyclopenta­[c]­furo­[2,3-b]­furo­[3′,2′:3,4]­cyclo­penta­[1,2-d]­furan-5,9,12(4H)-trione sesquihydrate, C20H24O11·1.5H2O, has two independent diterpene mol­ecules, both of which exhibit intramolecular hydrogen bonding between OH groups. Ginkgolide J dihydrate, (1S,2R,3S,3aS,4R,6aR,7aR,7bR,8S,10aS,11aS)-3-(1,1-di­methyl­ethyl)-hexa­hydro-2,4,7b-tri­hydroxy-8-methyl-9H-1,7a-epoxy­methano-1H,6aH-cyclo­penta­[c]­furo­[2,3-b]furo[3′,2′:3,4]­cyclo­penta­[1,2-d]­furan-5,9,12(4H)-trione dihydrate, C20H24O10·2H2O, has the same basic skeleton as the other ginkgolides, with its three OH groups having the same configurations as those in ginkgolide C. The conformations of the six five-membered rings are quite similar across ­ginkgolides A–C and J, except for the A and F rings of ginkgolide A.
More than one way to see it move

One trail of debate surrounding the relationship between color and motion processing can be traced to the fact that motion perception is necessarily secondary to the detection of some type of contrast in the visual image; quite simply: if you can’t see it, you can’t see it move. Visible moving objects commonly contrast with their backgrounds in multiple …
The Origins of the Russian Collection at the Library of Congress (1800–1906)

This article traces the development of the Russian collection at the Library of Congress during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Library of Congress, which was intended to be a small legislative library, initially added books about Russia in English translation and on limited subjects. The purchase of the Jefferson library brought the first Russian-language books to the collection, but the Russian collection would not truly begin to grow until the 1866 Smithsonian Deposit and the development of international exchanges in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The author made heavy use of the many printed Library of Congress catalogs and supplements, as well as archival sources, in the course of this research.
Predictors of recurrence in pheochromocytoma

Background The recurrence rate of pheochromocytoma after adrenalectomy is 6.5–16.5%. This study aims to identify predictors of recurrence and optimal biochemical testing and imaging for detecting the recurrence of pheochromocytoma. Methods In this retrospective study we reviewed all patients who underwent adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma during a 14-year period at a single institution. Results One hundred thirty-five patients had adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma. Eight patients (6%) developed recurrent disease. The median time from initial operation to diagnosis of recurrence was 35 months. On multivariate analysis, tumor size >5 cm was an independent predictor of recurrence. One patient with recurrence died, 4 had stable disease, 2 had progression of disease, and 1 was cured. Recurrence was diagnosed by increases in plasma and/or urinary metanephrines and positive imaging in 6 patients (75%), and by positive imaging and normal biochemical levels in 2 patients (25%). Conclusion Patients with large tumors (>5 cm) should be followed vigilantly for recurrence. Because 25% of patients with recurrence had normal biochemical levels, we recommend routine imaging and testing of plasma or urinary metanephrines for prompt diagnosis of recurrence.
Potentiation of photodynamic therapy by heat: Effect of sequence and time interval between treatments in vivo

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) utilizing hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd) as photosensitizer and an argon-dye laser as the light source was used alone and in combination with a localized microwave hyperthermia treatment to treat the SMT-F mammary carcinoma in mice. A 30-min heat treatment at 44.5 degrees C was applied 0-8 hr before or after a standard photodynamic treatment (67.5 or 135 J/cm2, given 24 hr post-7.5 mg/kg Hpd). Potentiation of PDT by heat was found to be related to the sequence of the treatments and the time interval between them. When 44.5 degrees C for 30 min was applied immediately after a 15-min PDT treatment, significant potentiation was seen (58% long-term tumor control vs 3 and 10%, respectively, for PDT and heat alone). This potentiation decreased with increasing time between PDT and heat, with tumor control values decreasing to 36, 20, and 14%, when 2, 4, and 8 hr, respectively, were allowed between treatments. Only additive effects of the independent therapies were found when this heat treatment was applied 0-8 hr before PDT. In other experiments, mice were treated with single or fractionated 30-min PDT treatments (two 15-min treatments separated by 0-, 2-, 4- or 8-hr intervals). Decreases in tumor control were seen with increasing time interval; only minor differences in tumor control were seen when 4-8 hr was allowed between treatments compared to a single 15-min treatment.
Synthesis of Stable Polypyrrole and Polyaniline Nanospheres

One of the major obstacles associated with the synthesis of conducting polymer nanoparticles in water is their unstable nature, which is traditionally overcome through the use of soft or hard templates. Such methods use expensive surfactants, often in large amounts, and require the removal of the template, which adds complexity, expense, and environmental hazard. This study explores a facile, one-pot synthesis of stable polypyrrole and polyaniline nanospheres in water that uses ozone as the oxidant. Multiple variables were investigated in order to study the mechanism of this reaction, including monomer concentration, ozone exposure time, reaction temperature, pH, and the solvent system. Particle size measurements revealed that the size of the nanospheres, ranging from 50 nm to 500 nm in diameter, can be controlled via these reaction conditions. These self-stabilizing nanospheres were also characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and zeta potential.
A survey of the current utilization of touch by health team personnel with hospitalized patients

Resume La pratique courante de l'attouchement en tant que moyen de communication non verbale a ete analysee dans une clinique privee et dans un hopital public de Dallas, Texas. L'analyse a revele que sur 180 episodes d'observation, 101 ont comporte de 1 a 20 attouchements. Comme il s'agissait d'environ 540 patients et patientes et 900 infirmiers et infirmieres et que les attouchements se sont eleves a 452, 8 patients sur 10 ont ete touches par le personnel qui les visitait. La pratique etait plus courante chez les infirmieres diplomees, qui y recouraient presque deux fois plus souvent que le groupe qui les suivait immediatement en nombre, celui des jeunes eleves-infirmieres. L'attouchement etait pratique le plus souvent par des infirmieres blanches âgees de 18 a 25 ans et le plus frequemment sur la main, le front et l'epaule du patient. Les patients le plus frequemment touches etaient des femmes blanches âgees de 26 a 33 ans. Les departements ou la pratique etait le plus frequente etaient ceux de pediatrie, de maternite et de soins intensifs. Elle etait aussi plus frequente, de 70 p.100, envers les patients notes comme etant en bonne ou assez bonne condition qu'envers les patients plus gravement malades. Le personnel de l'hopital public pratiquait l'attouchement a un degre significativement plus eleve (niveau 0,001) que celui de la clinique privee. Les resultats indiquent qu'une majorite ecrasante de patients etaient touches de l'une ou de l'autre facon par certains membres du personnel infirmier et que cette pratique est influencee par de nombreuses circonstances, telles que l'âge, la race et le sexe, ainsi que par les conditions socio-economiques.
The Compact Steep-Spectrum and Gigahertz Peaked-Spectrum Radio Sources

I review the radio to X-ray properties of gigahertz peaked-spectrum (GPS) and compact steep- spectrum (CSS) sources, the current hypotheses for their origin, and their use to constrain the evolution of powerful radio galaxies. The GPS and CSS sources are compact, powerful radio sources with well-defined peaks in their radio spectra (near 1 GHz in the GPS and near 100 MHz in the CSS). The GPS sources are entirely contained within the extent of the narrow-line region (&1 kpc), while the CSS sources are contained entirely within the host galaxy (&15 kpc). The peaks in the spectra are probably due to synchrotron self-absorption, though free-free absorption through an inhomogeneous screen may also play a role. The turnover frequency varies with linear size l as , suggesting a simple physical relationship between these parameters. The radio 20.65 n / l m morphologies are strikingly like those of the large-scale classical doubles, though some sources can have very distorted morphologies suggestive of interactions. Radio polarization tends to be low, and in some cases the Faraday rotation measures can be extremely large. The IR properties are consistent with stellar populations and active galactic nucleus (AGN) bolometric luminosity similar to that of the 3CR classical doubles. The optical host galaxy properties (absolute magnitude, Hubble diagram, evidence for interaction) are consistent with those of the 3CR classical doubles. CSS sources at all redshifts exhibit high surface brightness optical light (most likely emission-line gas) that is aligned with the radio axis. The optical emission-line properties suggest (1) interaction of the radio source with the emission-line gas and (2) the presence of dust toward the emission-line regions. X- ray observations of high-redshift GPS quasars and a couple of GPS galaxies suggest the presence of significant columns of gas toward the nuclei. Searches for cold gas in the host galaxies have revealed large amounts of molecular gas and smaller amounts of atomic gas in several sources, though probably not enough to confine the radio sources. The main competing models for the GPS and CSS sources are that (1) they are frustrated by interaction with dense gas in their environments and (2) they are young and evolving radio sources that will become large-scale sources. Combining the bright GPS and CSS samples with the 3CR results in a sample spanning a range in source size of 10 5 that can be used to study source evolution. The number density versus linear size relation is consistent with a picture in which the sources expand with constant velocity and the radio power drops with linear size l according to . This strong evolution suggests that at least some of the 20.5 P / l GPS and CSS sources evolve to become lower luminosity FR 1 radio sources. The GPS and CSS sources are important probes of their host galaxies and will provide critical clues to the origin and evolution of powerful radio sources.
Day Care for Ill Children: An Employed Mother's Dilemma

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the process that employed mothers used to make child care decisions for children who became ill while enrolled in day care and the factors that influenced those decisions. Responding to an investigator-developed interview schedule, 20 married, employed mothers of preschoolers in day care each described a recent experience when her child was ill on a work day, her feelings, advantages and disadvantages of available options, preferences, job characteristics, and demographics. Inductive analysis of narrative data revealed themes of anxiety and decisional conflict between work and motherhood responsibilities and limited care options. These mothers usually cared for their sick children, sometimes sharing the duty with another caregiver. Data were categorized by actually selected and usually selected modes of care: mother; mother and father; mother and grandparent; mother and sitter; and mother and day care center. Influencing factors included: certainty and...
Subsidence of ash-flow calderas: Relation to caldera size and magma-chamber geometry

Diverse subsidence geometries and collapse processes for ash-flow calderas are inferred to reflect varying sizes, roof geometries, and depths of the source magma chambers, in combination with prior volcanic and regional tectonic influences. Based largely on a review of features at eroded pre-Quaternary calderas, a continuum of geometries and subsidence styles is inferred to exist, in both island-arc and continental settings, between small funnel calderas and larger plate (piston) subsidences bounded by arcuate faults. Within most ring-fault calderas, the subsided block is variably disrupted, due to differential movement during ash-flow eruptions and postcollapse magmatism, but highly chaotic piecemeal subsidence appears to be uncommon for large-diameter calderas. Small-scale downsag structures and accompanying extensional fractures develop along margins of most calderas during early stages of subsidence, but downsag is dominant only at calderas that have not subsided deeply. Calderas that are loci for multicyclic ash-flow eruption and subsidence cycles have the most complex internal structures. Large calderas have flared inner topographic walls due to landsliding of unstable slopes, and the resulting slide debris can constitute large proportions of caldera fill. Because the slide debris is concentrated near caldera walls, models from geophysical data can suggest a funnel geometry, even for large plate-subsidence calderas bounded by ring faults. Simple geometric models indicate that many large calderas have subsided 3–5 km, greater than the depth of most naturally exposed sections of intracaldera deposits. Many ring-fault plate-subsidence calderas and intrusive ring complexes have been recognized in the western U.S., Japan, and elsewhere, but no well-documented examples of exposed eroded calderas have large-scale funnel geometry or chaotically disrupted caldera floors. Reported ignimbrite "shields" in the central Andes, where large-volume ash-flows are inferred to have erupted without caldera collapse, seem alternatively interpretable as more conventional calderas that were filled to overflow by younger lavas and tuffs. Some exposed subcaldera intrusions provide insights concerning subsidence processes, but such intrusions may continue to evolve in volume, roof geometry, depth, and composition after formation of associated calderas.
Modulation of radiation response by histone deacetylase inhibition.

Purpose: Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which modulate chromatin structure and gene expression, represent a class of anticancer agents that hold particular potential as radiation sensitizers. In this study, we examine the capacity of the HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) to modulate radiation response in human tumor cell lines and explore potential mechanisms underlying these interactions. Methods and materials: Cell proliferation: Exponentially growing tumor cells were incubated in medium containing 0–10 μM of SAHA for 72 h. Cells were fixed/stained with crystal violet to estimate cell viability. Apoptosis: Caspase activity was analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy using a fluorescein labeled pan-caspase inhibitor. Cells were harvested after 48 h of exposure to SAHA (1.0 μM), radiation (6 Gy), or the combination. Whole cell lysates were evaluated for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage by western blot analysis. Radiation survival: Cells were exposed to varying doses of radiation ± 3 days pretreatment with SAHA (0.75–1.0 μM). After incubation intervals of 14–21 days, colonies were stained with crystal violet and manually counted. Immunocytochemistry: Cells were grown and treated in chamber slides. At specified times after treatment with SAHA, cells were fixed in paraformaldehyde, permeabilized in methanol, and probed with primary and secondary antibody solutions. Slides were analyzed using an epifluorescent microscope. Results: SAHA induced a dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation in human prostate (DU145) and glioma (U373vIII) cancer cell lines. Exposure to SAHA enhanced radiation-induced apoptosis as measured by caspase activity ( p Conclusion: These preclinical results suggest that treatment with the HDAC inhibitor SAHA can enhance radiation-induced cytotoxicity in human prostate and glioma cells. We are examining the capacity of HDAC inhibitors to modulate radiation response and tumor control in animal xenograft model systems to strengthen the rationale for future clinical trial exploration.
Crystal growth of compounds in the MgO-Nb205 binary system

Abstract In the system MgO-Nb 2 O 5 , four compounds are known to exist. MgNb 2 0 6 is congruently melting at 1570°C while the compounds (Mg,Nb)O 2.42 , Mg 5 Nb 4 O I5 and Mg 4 Nb 2 0 9 decompose peritectically at 1445, 1580 and 1730°C, respectively. Small crystals of all four compounds were grown by the laser-heated pedestal growth (LHPG) method. The Nb 2 0 5 -rich compounds showed some tendency to partial reduction of Nb 5+ even when grown in an 0 2 atmosphere, resulting in a bluish-black color in the as-grown crystals. In contrast to this, the MgO-rich compounds were colorless, even though they were grown at higher temperatures. We also report the luminescence and Raman spectra of the four compounds.
Solid-state decomposition of alkoxyfuroic acids in the presence of microcrystalline cellulose.

Abstract □ A solid-solid interaction between alkoxyfuroic acids and microcrystalline cellulose has been studied. The decomposition of the mixture differs from that of the drug(s) alone, in that carbon monoxide (not carbon dioxide) is the high-temperature decomposition product. A model is proposed in which interaction occurs at contact points. A liquid decomposition product, dissolving part of the alkoxyfuroic acid (to the extent of its solubility) serves as a carrier, so that the number of contact points increases, thus accelerating the reaction. Both the main and ancillary parameters have calculated values that are consistent with the model.
Experiments on the Capillary Instability of a Liquid Jet

The stability of a vertical jet of water has been examined by imposing audio frequency disturbances. Flash photographs allow a direct measurement of the growth rate of the disturbances and the complete dispersion curve has been investigated. The effects of viscosity on the stability have been examined with glycerine-water solutions and have been found to be in good agreement with Chandrasekhar’s calculations.
Research Productivity and Salaries of Academic Home Economists

The data for this study (N = 64) were collected by means of a questionnaire mailed to graduates who have earned doctoral degrees in specializations within home economics in 15 universities in the years 1970 through 1975. The first objective of this research was to examine the effect of the following variables on research productivity (measured by the total number of refereed publications): percent of time devoted to research; years of professional experience; the squared term of experience to account for diminishing returns; quality of graduate training; and a composite index measuring resources available for support of research. The standardized partial regression coefficients indicated that only the percent of time devoted to research exerted an important independent effect upon research productivity. The second objective was to determine the relationship between research productivity and salaries, controlling for other independent variables. The results revealed that there was no significant relationship between the two vari ables.
Valvuloplasty with Large Trefoil Balloons for the Treatment of Congenital Pulmonary Stenosis

ABSTRACT. Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty was performed in 16 children, 1 1/2 to 14 years old, with congenital pulmonary stenosis with the use or trefoil balloons. These balloons, which consist of 3 identical angioplasty balloons, do not interrupt completely the blood flow during inflation. The size of the trefoil balloons used was 30 to 50 % larger than the valve anulus. A dual balloon technique employing a large trefoil and a smaller single balloon was used to obtain an effective pulmonary valvuloplasty in two patients with large valve anulus. The mean prevalvuloplasty systolic gradient of 78.2 28.9 mmHg (range 40 to 140 mmHg) was reduced to 20.3±5.7 (range 10 to 30 mmHg) after valvuloplasty. No patient developed significant hypotension or bradycardia or other complications as a result of the procedure. The findings demonstrate that percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty with oversized trefoil balloons effectively treated congenital pulmonary stenosis without complications in the cases studied. The use of large trefoil instead of single balloons of a similar diameter is advantageous since they cause no significant compromise of the cardiac output during valvuloplasty.
Data locality enhancement for CMPs

As chip multiprocessors (CMPs) are being increasingly used in embedded computing, optimizing data locality considering interprocessor interactions is becoming critical. To address this problem, this paper proposes a new abstraction called the interprocessor data reuse vector, which captures the reuse distance (in terms of loop iterations) between successive accesses to a given data element from different processors. Based on this reuse vector, we then present a data locality optimization scheme. A unique characteristic of this scheme is that it allows application of different transformations to different processors of the CMP if this helps improve locality of data shared across processors. We automated our approach within an optimizing compiler and collected statistics using eight application codes. Our results indicate that the proposed code restructuring is very effective in practice (about 9% savings in performance over a standard data locality optimizer).