cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Radiation Dose and Patient Risk Factors for Predicting Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Lung Cancer Patients.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) is a mainstay treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). Mean heart dose (MHD) and left anterior descending (LAD) receiving ≥15 Gy (LADV15) was shown to predict major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in LA-NSCLC patients receiving TRT. We aim to develop a clinically applicable MACE risk prediction score model, including both cardiac dosimetric and baseline risk factors. MATERIALS/METHODS Retrospective data from 748 consecutive patients with LA-NSCLC treated with curative intent between November 1998 to December 2013 were included. The data was split based on diagnosis dates to allow external validation. Model development was performed on 500 consecutive patients diagnosed before December 2010 using multivariable Cox-proportional hazard model; backward elimination scheme (α = 0.05) was used to select the predictors for the final model. Potential predictors were selected a priori based on prior literature: age, pre-existing coronary heart disease (CHD), Framingham Risk, hypertension (HTN), MHD, LADV15, intensity modulated RT (IMRT) use, and interaction between CHD and LADV15 (CHD:LADV15). Model performance was assessed by the Harrell's c-index and internally validated using leave-one out cross validation (LOOCV). The model was applied to the remaining 248 consecutive patients from the initial cohort as the external validation "test" dataset. RESULTS The development and test cohorts had median age 64 vs 66 years (P = 0.02), 51.0 vs. 50.4% females (P = 0.88), and 89.4 vs 89.1% stage III cancer (P = 0.91). The final model incorporated CHD, HTN, LADV15, and CHD:LADV15 (β coefficients: 2.703, 1.129, 0.043, -0.047; all P < 0.001; c-index 0.773). LOOCV Pseudo R2 = 0.0195. The c-index on the external test dataset was 0.727. Actuarial 3-year MACE rates were 10.7% for development cohort and 15.4% for test cohort. Stratifying development cohort patients into terciles based on MACE risk prediction scores yielded 3-year MACE rates of 0%, 5.7%, and 25.6% for lowest to highest risk-terciles, respectively; among test cohort, the 3-year MACE rates were 4.9%, 10.5%, and 31.9%. Respectively, the 3-year overall survival rates for lowest to highest MACE risk-terciles were 47.3%, 35.2%, and 32.8% among development cohort, and 52.3%, 43.9% and 30.6% within test cohort (both Log-rank P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The 3-year MACE rates spans 5% to 32% from lowest to highest risk groups. Both LADV15 and pre-existing cardiac risk factors are important in predicting MACE risk post-TRT. MACE risk score was associated with survival. This tool has the potential to estimate personalized LADV15 constraints based on patient risk factors and acceptable MACE risk thresholds (e.g., 5-10%), thus may help identify patients who may benefit most from the application of advanced RT techniques to further reduce LAD dose as a modifiable risk factor during RT planning.
The Use of Ordinals in the Constructive Foundations of Mathematics

Publisher Summary The chapter presents a method of analyzing formal theories by the constructive use of ordinals. Constructive foundations and reductive proof theory of mathematics are discussed in the chapter. It has become customary to encode infinite derivation trees by natural numbers in a manner similar to the encoding of the Church–Kleene constructive ordinals. It makes the metamathematics more elementary because now the domain of individuals in the metamathematics consists of natural numbers. The main emphasis, however, has been in the use of such an encoding as a technical tool. The use of encodings has led to an awareness of the continuity of the syntactical transformations employed in the process of cut-elimination. Because the mappings of the codes are defined by Kleene's recursion theorem, they are defined on all trees rather than merely on well-founded trees. Moreover these transformations can be extended to all recursive functions by employing an extensional effective operation, which maps an arbitrary recursive function into a function that defines a tree.
The Demography of Race and Ethnicity in The Netherlands: An Ambiguous History of Tolerance and Conflict

The Netherlands is known worldwide for their tolerance and multiculturalism. In addition to their permissive drug and prostitution policies and early adoption of gay marriage legislation, the country has long acted as a “Promised Land” for religious refugees and, more recently, implemented explicit multicultural policies of the 1980s and 1990s to promote immigrant immigration. Thus, The Netherlands has long been a receiving nation for immigrants, particularly those seeking religious freedom and opportunities in a thriving trade-based economy. This history, combined with the Dutch history of colonialism, resulting in migrants from former colonies, and their recruitment of “guest workers” in the 1960s and 1970s, has resulted in considerable racial diversity among the population, as well as significant stratification and conflict. Recently, like much of Europe, Dutch popular and political discourse has shifted to the right alongside a corresponding enactment of restrictive immigration policies that reversed many of their multicultural policies. This chapter highlights the history of race, racial diversity, and racism in The Netherlands that laid the foundation for its diversity today. Following this historical overview, the chapter addresses current demographic and socioeconomic trends, contemporary immigration policies, and racial attitudes and concludes with speculation of the nation’s racial future.
Action of basic narcotics and basic compounds

It has already been emphasized in the general section of this study that although the basic narcotics usually act in a rather different fashion from the non-specific narcotics, nevertheless, these two groups overlap in various ways. It therefore seems appropriate to touch on this subject briefly [1].
Activities preceding patient arrival

This chapter reviews pre-appointment preparation that should be done prior to the patient's visit in the hospital. Often neuropsychological patients are referred to other doctors by another professional who has been treating them. As such, the first step involves clarifying why the patient was referred and that the psychologist is able to provide the requested services. In some cases, however, the patient may require help with other issues, and the psychologist who is specialized in evaluating older adults must decide whether to provide these services or to refer the patient to someone who is more expert in this area. Older patients may have a voluminous medical history, and scanning these records before the patient is interviewed can help tailor the evaluation and clarify the services that may be needed. Sending patients a brief pre-evaluation letter, including an informed consent form, may alleviate these concerns and ensure informed participation in the evaluation. Reviewing upcoming referrals and clarifying both what is expected and what can be provided ensures that both the patient and the referral source will be satisfied with the outcome of the evaluation.
Learning flexible concepts: fundamental ideas and a method based on two-tiered representation

Most human concepts elude precise definition—they have fluid boundaries and context-dependent meaning. We call such concepts flexible, in contrast to crisp concepts, which are well defined and context independent. As machine learning research has concentrated primarily on learning crisp concepts, learning flexible concepts emerges as a new challenge to the field and an important research direction. This chapter describes an approach to learning flexible concepts based on a two-tiered concept representation. In such a representation, the concept meaning is defined by two components: the base concept representation (BCR), and the inferential concept interpretation (ICI). The BCR (the first tier) is an explicit description of basic concept properties, while the ICI (the second tier) characterizes allowed modifications of the concept meaning and its possible variations in different contexts. Thus, the ICI defines concept boundaries implicitly, by the results of matching procedures and inference processes. The latter can be deductive, analogical or inductive. In the method described, the initial BCR is a complete and consistent concept description, induced from concept examples by a conventional AQ inductive learning program (AQ15). This description is then simplified by the so-called TRUNC procedure, to maximize a description quality measure. The so-obtained BCR is usually much simpler than the initial description, but in a strict, logical sense is incomplete with regard to the training examples. The ICI is implemented in the form of a procedure for flexible matching, which determines a degree to which instance matches different candidate concepts and chooses the concept that makes the best match. Due to this procedure, training examples that have been “uncovered” during the description-reduction process may still be classified correctly. The method has been implemented in the learning system AQTT-15, and experimentally applied to learning diagnostic rules in a sample of medical domains. Experiments have shown that the method may produce more significantly reduced concept representations than the traditional approach and that these representations may also perform better in recognizing new concept examples. This surprising and potentially significant result calls for further research and new experiments. In particular, the method should be tested on other problems and in different domains. Other interesting topics for future work include the development of a “direct” method for learning two-tiered representations, an extension of the form of such representations, acquiring the second tier of descriptions through examples, and the development of techniques for learning hierarchically organized two-tiered representations. We have no sound notions either in logic or physics; substance, quality, action, passion, and existence are not clear notions… Sir Francis Bacon Novum Organum, First Book, Chapter 15, 1620
Transparent ATM LAN Interconnection over ISDN

Narrowband Integrated Service Digital Networks (N-ISDNs) are emerging as key services for multimedia over public networks; at the same time ATM-based hubs [1] are starting to form backbones for providing multimedia services in customer premises networks (CPNs). In this context, it is necessary to be able to interconnect CPNs not only by means of broadband services (ATM or SMDS), but also by means of N-ISDN. (This is of course different from the dual, traditional problem of supporting N-ISDN connections over ATM).
A network model of economic growth: A regional analysis

Abstract In this paper we consider a linear model of economic growth in which production and consumption occur at specific sites represented by nodes, and commodities can be shipped from one node to another along arcs. It is shown that under fairly reasonable conditions a stationary optimal growth plan will exist and that it can be computed by means of Lemke's linear complementary algorithm.
System level interconnect electrical performance characterization

In PC/Server industry, simulation process is usually separated into pre-layout and post-layout phase. The pre-layout simulation focus in finding the solution space or choosing a better topology [1], [2]. For post-layout simulation, extracting 3 or 5 pairs of the channel model and conducting the simulation analysis is widely used. However, it requires a basic understanding of the layout. Otherwise the channel which is extracted may not be the best one to represent the worst scenario in the reality. The system level interconnect electrical performance characterization, which can consider a whole interface or even multiple interfaces, become an efficient way, especially estimating the risk of an out-of-guideline design. In this paper, a process with less human interaction is demonstrated. This method can relief the burden in choosing the representative channel from the layout and allow the designer to focus in improving the layout quality in these problematic areas.
Semi-independent partitioning: a method for bounding the solution to COP's

In this paper we introduce a new method for bounding the solution to constraint optimization problems called semi-independent partitioning. We show that our method is a strict generalization of the mini buckets algorithm [1]. We demonstrate empirically that another specialization of SIP, called greedy SIP, generally produces a better answer than mini buckets in much less time.
Remarks on the nature of gamma‐ray bursts

We first recall that in radio astronomy, isotropy and source counts steeper than the Euclidean value of -1.5 provided early evidence for the cosmological nature of radio sources. We discuss briefly whether anything can be wrong with the evidence for isotropy and a nonuniform distribution of GRBs. We identify the selection of cosmic GRBs among recorded bursts and their isotropy as the weaker part of the evidence. We suggest a way to relate the various V/V(max) values to each other. We point out that the strong concentration of small V/V(max) values fits well with a uniform distribution of sources out to a redshift of about 2, but note that sources observed at these redshifts generally exhibit evolution, i.e., a nonuniform space distribution.
A Review of: “The Teaching Ministry of Congregations, By Richard Robert Osmer”

The Teaching Ministry of Congregations is a big book; more than 300 pages long. It is a complex book; theoretically comprehensive and systematic as Thomas Groome's Christian Religious Education (19...
A Positive Psychology Intervention for Patients with an Acute Coronary Syndrome: Treatment Development and Proof-of-Concept Trial

Positive psychological constructs are associated with superior outcomes in cardiac patients, but there has been minimal study of positive psychology (PP) interventions in this population. Our objective was to describe the intervention development and pilot testing of an 8-week phone-based PP intervention for patients following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Initial intervention development and single-arm proof-of-concept trial, plus comparison of the PP intervention to a subsequently-recruited treatment as usual (TAU) cohort. PP development utilized existing literature, expert input, and qualitative interview data in ACS patients. In the proof-of-concept trial, the primary outcomes were feasibility and acceptability, measured by rates of exercise completion and participant ratings of exercise ease/utility. Secondary outcomes were pre-post changes in psychological outcomes and TAU comparisons, measured using effect sizes (Cohen's d). The PP intervention and treatment manual were successfully created. In the proof-of-concept trial, 17/23 PP participants (74 %) completed at least 5 of 8 exercises. Participants rated the ease (M = 7.4/10; SD = 2.1) and utility (M = 8.1/10, SD = 1.6) of PP exercises highly. There were moderate pre-post improvements (ds = .46-.69) in positive affect, anxiety, and depression, but minimal effects on dispositional optimism (d = .08). Compared to TAU participants (n = 22), PP participants demonstrated greater improvements in positive affect, anxiety, and depression (ds = . 47-.71), but not optimism. A PP intervention was feasible, well-accepted, and associated with improvements in most psychological measures among cardiac patients. These results provide support for a larger trial focusing on behavioral outcomes.
Predicting rheology of suspensions of spherical and non-spherical particles using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD): methodology and experimental validation

The rheology of non-dilute colloidal suspensions is a complex phenomenon and predictive numerical methodologies for it are still in the emerging phases. Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD), a particle-based numerical scheme for phenomena in the mesoscopic regime, has emerged as an attractive technique to tackle this problem. In this article, a practical methodology for using DPD for quantitative prediction of the rheology of non-dilute suspensions is presented and validated with focused, specific experiments. Some pertinent issues are highlighted to make DPD more amenable to being a computational tool for practical applications. The presence of solid particles of disparate sizes and non-spherical geometries poses special challenges. Methodologies to address them are presented with validations and efficient techniques are suggested to make them computationally amenable.
Development and reversal of sensitization to amphetamine-induced hypophagia: role of temporal, pharmacological, and behavioral variables

This study shows that sensitization can develop to amphetamine-induced hypophagia and examines the stability of this effect following subsequent pharmacological and behavioral experience. Rats given 36 injections of either amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg; Group A) or saline (Group S) at 3-day intervals developed sensitization of hypophagia, as assessed by a shift to the left in the dose-response (DR) function. Group A also displayed sensitization of stereotypy, whereas Group S showed little change except at the highest dose. Subgroups from each group were then given daily injections of amphetamine (2 mg/kg) either before or after access to milk for 4 weeks. Other subgroups were given injections of saline as a control. On a final DR determination, these control groups showed no further changes in milk intake. In contrast, groups given chronic injections of amphetamineafter milk showed a loss of sensitization (DR3=DR1), whereas groups given the drugbefore milk developed tolerance that was limited to the chronic dose. These results demonstrate that (1) sensitization of amphetamine-induced hypophagia and stereotypy can develop independently; (2) sensitization of hypophagia can be reversed, without inducing tolerance, by subsequent daily exposure to the drug; and (3) prior sensitization of hypophagia does not preclude the subsequent development of tolerance if the drug is later given in the context of feeding.
In-vivo function of the thumb muscles.

Abstract Objective. The purpose of this study is to quantify the electrical activity of the thumb muscles responsible for the production of force in different directions of thumb movement. Design. The isometric forces and electromyographic activity generated by seven thumb muscles were measured on five normal healthy test subjects. Background. The thumb is very important for proper hand function. Presently available electromyographic studies of the thumb muscles provide only limited information. Most thumb muscles have more than one function. Additional studies are required to carefully examine and confirm the in-vivo relationship between the thumb muscle electromyogram and mechanical output. Methods. The direction and magnitude of the force vector generated at the interphalangeal joint and the relative electrical activity were obtained for eight directions of thumb action. The regions of function were defined for the abductor pollicis brevis, opponens pollicis, flexor pollicis brevis, adductor pollicis, flexor pollicis longus, extensor pollicis longus, and the abductor pollicis longus. Data was collected during voluntary isometric contraction, both before and after blocking the median nerve at the wrist. Results. The highest force production was obtained during flexion. The region of maximal muscle electrical activity varied for each muscle studied. The areas of maximal in-vivo muscle activity agreed with the moment arm data reported in the literature. The median nerve block eliminated the ability to produce force in abduction. Conclusions. This study has demonstrated that by combining electromyographic measurement and biomechanical analysis it is possible to confirm the relationship between in-vivo thumb muscle function and muscle mechanics in a novel manner. The findings of this study indicate the importance of the local anatomy in controlling the direction of force production.
The association of depression and neuroticism with pain reports: A comparison of momentary and recalled pain assessment

Abstract Objective Pain assessment has been shown to be affected by depression, neuroticism, and recall bias. The purpose of this study was to determine whether momentary pain assessment, compared with recalled pain reports, would diminish the influence of neuroticism and depression on the measurement of pain. Methods Patients with chronic pain (n=66) completed depression (Beck Depression Inventory II) and neuroticism (NEO Personality Inventory) questionnaires, made weekly recall pain ratings, judged their change in pain from 1 week to the next over a 4-week period, and collected momentary reports of pain intensity and pain unpleasantness over a 2-week period. Results Analyses showed that neuroticism and depression correlated with pain intensity and pain unpleasantness at low levels for both momentary and recalled pain reports. Neuroticism and depression did not influence the accuracy of recalled pain (difference between momentary and recalled data). Both neuroticism and depression were systematically associated with ratings of judged change in pain even when actual changes in pain were controlled. Specifically, for increased levels of baseline depression and neuroticism, patients displayed a pattern of judging recent pain as more severe than pain in the previous week following several weeks of symptom monitoring. Conclusion There was little evidence for neuroticism and depression affecting either recall or momentary pain ratings or influencing the accuracy of recall ratings. However, neuroticism and depression did influence pain assessment when the task involved rating change in pain—a measure widely used in clinical research.
Flip angle effects in STEAM and PRESS-optimized versus sinc RF pulses.

Abstract Flip angle dependence of the localized single-voxel 1 H NMR spectroscopic sequences STEAM and PRESS using numerically optimized Shinnar–Le Roux (SLR) and conventional sinc RF pulses has been evaluated. Phantom experiments were used to evaluate voxel profiles from MR images of the selected voxels. Information on the total excited volume was recorded from the integrated area under the water peak in the localized spectrum at different flip angles (θ = 0°–180°). The voxel profiles for both the STEAM and PRESS sequences using the SLR RF pulses were found to be identical, unlike the case for the sinc RF pulses. The SLR RF pulses in the PRESS sequence were found to be more sensitive to flip angle variations. Localized, water-suppressed 1 H NMR spectra recorded from the frontal gray matter in healthy volunteers ( n = 3) showed less lipid contamination using the SLR RF pulses compared with the sinc RF pulses.
Changes in submerged plants at the South end of Cayuga Lake following Tropical Storm Agnes

Tropical Storm Agnes produced increased suspended sediments and decreased water transparency at the southern end of Cayuga Lake for a sustained period during the early summer of 1972. The 1972 community of submerged vascular plants was severely affected. Standing crops were drastically reduced and the species composition of the plant community changed compared to 1970. In 1973, standing crop values had increased to 87% of those of 1970. However, shifts in spatial distribution had occurred and the community had further changed to one highly dominated by Myriophyllum sp. with the virtual exclussion of some previously abundant forms, especially Heteranthera dubia.
A catalytic flow reactor for kinetic studies of multicomponent reacting mixtures on supported catalysts

Our catalytic flow reactor presents several advantages for kinetic studies of heterogeneous chemistry on supported catalysts. This experimental facility enables determinations of the reaction rates of individual species at high conversion levels under isothermal conditions with multicomponent mixtures. Reaction rates are determined simultaneously for any number of species at points along supported catalysts under typical exhaust conditions, allowing detailed characterization of selectivities and inhibition effects. Tight thermal control permits the observation of species with widely varying reactivities, a situation that is typical in exhaust aftertreatment applications. The reactor is ideally suited to studying reaction kinetics under either reducing or oxidizing conditions, as demonstrated by reactant profile data measured with both lean and rich hydrocarbon exhaust streams.
On the Influence of the Supply Pressure on the Dynamic Stability of Hybrid Gas Journal Wave Bearings

Gas journal bearings are very sensitive to the hydrodynamic instability known as subsynchronous whirl motion, especially when they are unloaded. The wave bearing concept can improve the bearing stability, meaning that the wave bearing can run stably up to higher speeds than the plain bearing. In addition, when whirling motion occurs due to the fluid film instability, the orbit of this motion can be contained within the bearing clearance. Another step ahead for improving bearing stability is to pressurize the bearing. Tests were conducted to verify the threshold of subsynchronous whirl motion of bearings with a 35 mm diameter and 30 mm length. Pressurized air is admitted to the bearings through inherent compensated holes located in two planes along the bearing length. Various numbers of holes and diameters were used. The tests were conducted at speeds up to 30,000 rpm and the supply pressure was varied from zero to 0.14 MPa. The pressure was measured within a 2% precision. Two values for the wave amplitude to bearing clearance ratio were used. Pressurizing the bearing with 0.14 MPa can make the bearing run stably up to a speed of 20,000 rpm, unlike an unpressurized bearing that can experience subsynchronous motion at speeds less than 1,000 rpm. It was found that the supply pressure has a strong stabilizing effect. As a general rule, a 10% change of the value of the supply pressure can modify the stability threshold speed with more than 1000 rpm.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Low-dose dopamine does not prevent acute renal failure in patients with septic shock and oliguria

Acute renal failure is a common and serious complication in critically ill hospitalized patients. Indeed, the mortality of acute renal failure in patients treated in intensive care units has remained greater than 50%, despite improvements in renal replacement therapy and aggressive supportive care (1, 2). As low-dose dopamine (0.5 to 3 mg/kg/minute) may have several potential benefits for patients with oliguria or established acute renal failure, it has become the standard of care for preventing or ameliorating acute renal failure. However, low-dose dopamine has not been demonstrated to improve the outcome of these patients. Furthermore, the widespread use of low-dose dopamine continues despite editorials and reviews urging its discontinuation because of its lack of efficacy and potential toxicity (3–12). Among the 1,879 patients with septic shock who were treated with placebo in the NORASEPT II study (a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial comparing the administration of monoclonal antibody to human tumor necrosis factor-a with placebo), 395 patients had oliguria at the time of randomization (13). The nonrandomized use of low-dose dopamine with these patients provided the opportunity to evaluate the effects of its use on the development of acute renal failure.
Magnetic transition in thin wire of rare earth metals

Abstract Thin wires of several heavy rare earth metals (Gd, Tb, Dy and Ho) have been fabricated using a step lithographic technique with cross-section areas from 0.87 × 10 −10 cm 2 to 0.58 × 10 −9 cm 2 . The thin films of each material were deposited in a ultra-high vacuum system by thermal evaporation and they have room temperature resistivity of 85, 145, 164 and 209 μΩ-cm for Gd, Tb, Dy and Ho, respectively. The electrical resistance of thin wires was measured by the four-probe method in the temperature range from 1.5 to 300 K. With decreasing temperature, the resistivity of each material showed: (1) a decease in ϱ with a minimum, (2) a rise in ϱ with a maximum and (3) a sharp drop in ϱ below the maximum. The minimum in the resistivity for each wire is associated with the localization effect. It is believed that the sharp drop in ϱ after the maximum is due to a ferromagnetic transition in thin wires, which is severely suppressed compared to the corresponding bulk values.
A Bayesian 3D People Tracker using Multiple Cameras and a Microphone Array

In this paper, we consider the problem of tracking multiple people in a 3D world domain using a microphone array and multiple cameras. The data fusion is done using a particle filter. To support 3D tracking, we propose a new video data likelihood model using a camera calibration matrix that can be used for a moving camera without continuous camera calibration. Then we apply an independent partition particle filter for multiple objects in order to generate particles efficiently. To detect the current speaker, we use a simple cost function using the generated particles. Finally we implement this tracking algorithm as a real-time system.
Sensory Convergence Solves a Motion Ambiguity Problem

Our inner ear is equipped with a set of linear accelerometers, the otolith organs, that sense the inertial accelerations experienced during self-motion. However, as Einstein pointed out nearly a century ago, this signal would by itself be insufficient to detect our real movement, because gravity, another form of linear acceleration, and self-motion are sensed identically by otolith afferents. To deal with this ambiguity, it was proposed that neural populations in the pons and midline cerebellum compute an independent, internal estimate of gravity using signals arising from the vestibular rotation sensors, the semicircular canals. This hypothesis, regarding a causal relationship between firing rates and postulated sensory contributions to inertial motion estimation, has been directly tested here by recording neural activities before and after inactivation of the semicircular canals. We show that, unlike cells in normal animals, the gravity component of neural responses was nearly absent in canal-inactivated animals. We conclude that, through integration of temporally matched, multimodal information, neurons derive the mathematical signals predicted by the equations describing the physics of the outside world.
Structural and electrical evolution of the Al/RuO2 interface upon thermal annealing

The interfacial behavior between bilayers of aluminum and ruthernium dioxide deposited by (r.f.) magnetron sputtering has been studied after annealing at temperatures in the range 450°C–550°C for durations up to several hours by backscattering spectrometry, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and electrical four-point probe measurement of specially designed structures. An interfacial aluminum-oxygen compound layer is shown to grow with a concurrent reduction of a thin layer of RuO2. This result is independent of the various deposition conditions investigated. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy shows this interfacial layer to be polycrystalline and very non-uniform. Specially designed structures of the type 〈Si〉/SiO2/Al/RuO2/Al were annealed and measured with four-point probe setups having different probe spacings. Applying a transmission line type-model for four-point probe measurement of multilayered structures, the specific contact resistance between Al and RuO2 was derived and shown to decrease with annealing duration at 500°C. This evolution of the specific contact resistance indicates that the interfacial reaction does not lead to an insulating interface as could have been expected if the interfacial growth were pure and dense Al2O3.
IN SEARCH OF A BETTER APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PRODUCTS

According to most textbooks, the widely accepted Booz, Allen and Hamilton (BAH) conceptual framework is supposedly the best way to go through the new product development process. That is, the textbooks imply that companies will achieve the best results if they follow the BAH conceptual framework. The authors studied ten new products to identify how marketing research was utilized during their development and introduction. The actual “practice” of marketing research usage was then compared with the BAH framework. The comparison showed that marketing research usage in practice was noticeably different from the usage implied by the BAH conceptual framework, thus suggesting that the latter does not hold up perfectly. The authors offer some suggestions as to when the conceptual framework for marketing research usage should be modified, and what the nature of those modifications might be.
First metatarsal phalangeal joint flexibility: A quantitative tool for evaluation of hallux limitus

As shown in Fig. 1, lateral (P = .006) and medial heel (P = .017) PP, and MF at the lateral heel (P = .033) significantly reduced. MF at the medial heel and PTI at the medial and lateral heel showed trends towards reduction. MF (P = .012) and PTI (P = .038) in the medial arch significantly increased. Trends for increases were observed in PP at the medial arch and in PP and PTI beneath the 2nd metatarsal head.
What is an hour-lecture worth?

Abstract Background Although there are many ways to convey knowledge, attitudes, and techniques when teaching residents and students, the most optimal method (lecture, online lecture, online tutorial, simulator practice, and so on) is yet to be determined. Methods This study was designed to be a prospective analysis of change in resident behavior, and the model chosen was resident compliance with alcohol screening during admissions to the trauma service. Baseline values were determined the month before the educational “intervention,” which was planned to be a 1-hour lecture during Grand Rounds on the importance of screening for alcohol disuse syndromes. After the “intervention,” results were analyzed at 3 points in time: during the first month after the lecture and then at 3 and 12 months. Results Resident compliance with alcohol usage screening rose from 53% at baseline to 80% at 1 year. Conclusions This straightforward model of utility of a lecture showed a significant change in resident behavior.
If Simmel Were A Fieldworker: On Formal Sociological Theory And Analytical Field Research*

In this paper, an attempt is made to apply the methodological principles of Simmel’s formal sociology to fieldwork and, thus, to lay out systematically the methodological foundations of “analytical field research.” The paper centers around three major methodological principles: (a) shifting the emphasis from actual facts to the particular analytical perspectives from which they are viewed; (b) establishing concern with formal patterns which are abstracted from reality rather than with its concrete contents; (c) studying only selected aspects of concrete phenomena and makinga commitment to particular analytical concerns and foci. Based on these methodological principles, certain guidelines for analytical field researchers are then recommended. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT branches of sociology is a school generally referred to as “formal sociology.” Unfortunately, this school has not produced yet a substantial body of empirical research. Ever since the days of its founder, Georg Simmel, it has usually been associated with the armchair and the library, generally divorced of any direct contact with social reality. The theoretical work which it has generated has, therefore, generally not been empirically grounded. A number of sociologists have already called for developing empirically grounded formal sociological theories (Glaser and Strauss, 1967; Denzin, 1970; Schwartz and Jacobs,
Time interval gating for analysis of cell function using flow cytometry

We propose a method which significantly shortens the time required for both the collection and analysis of data derived from multiple sample, flow cytometric kinetic assays. We have defined the term Time Interval Gating (TIG) to describe this method. TIG effectively allows one flow cytometer to concurrently monitor several samples over the course of a kinetic assay. Data for all samples are stored in a single FCS 2.0 compatible listmode data file which we refer to as the TIG data file. TIG is adaptable to most commerical flow cytometers. Standard listmode analysis software can be used to analyze the TIG data files and correlate any combination of tubes and/or time intervals from the assay. Results for the entire assay can be displayed on a single two parameter plot. This paper describes how TIG is applied to neutrophil oxidative burst measurement using a standard EPICS Elite flow cytometer. In this assay, 11 samples were each monitored for 30 min to identify the extent to which volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) inhibited the oxidation of DCFH in stimulated neutrophils. TIG makes the oxidative burst assay practical for high volume screening by reducing the overall flow cytometer and analysis time required by a factor of ten. In addition, TIG provides an organized approach to managing data acquisition on instruments equipped with automated sampling systems.
Reliability measures for two-unit systems with a dependent structure for failure and repair times

Abstract This paper deals with reliability measures for two-unit systems with a repair facility assuming that the failure times and the repair time follow a trivariate exponential distribution of Marshall and Olkin, J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. , 1967, 62 , 30–44. The case where the system down-time is observed, is also discussed. The system reliability and system mean-time before failure are evaluated for standby and parallel systems. When the down-time is observed the system availability, steady-state availability and the system mean down-time are evaluated for standby, parallel and series systems.
Simultaneous deconvolution and wavelet inversion as a global optimization

Estimates of the source wavelet and band-limited earth reflectivity are obtained simultaneously from an optimization of deconvolution outputs, similar to minimum-entropy deconvolution (MED). The only inputs required beyond the observed seismogram are wavelet length and an inversion parameter (cooling rate). The objective function to be minimized is a measure of the spikiness of the deconvolved seismogram. I assume that the wavelet whose deconvolution from the data results in the most spike-like trace is the best wavelet estimate. Because this is a highly nonlinear problem, simulated annealing is used to solve it. The procedure yields excellent results on synthetic data and disparate field data sets, is robust in the presence of noise, and is fast enough to operate in a desktop computer environment.
Transition from Absolute to Convective Instability in a Beam-Plasma System

The electrostatic instability in a magnetoplasma, omega > omega /sub ce/ , excited by a weak electron beam is found to be either convectively unstable (amplifying) or absolutely unstable (oscillating) depending upon effective plasma electron temperature and beam density. Measurements of the transition between the two types agree with caculations.
Phenotypic and functional characterization of endothelial colony forming cells derived from human umbilical cord blood.

Longstanding views of new blood vessel formation via angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and arteriogenesis have been recently reviewed1. The presence of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were first identified in adult human peripheral blood by Asahara et al. in 1997 2 bringing an infusion of new hypotheses and strategies for vascular regeneration and repair. EPCs are rare but normal components of circulating blood that home to sites of blood vessel formation or vascular remodeling, and facilitate either postnatal vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, or arteriogenesis largely via paracrine stimulation of existing vessel wall derived cells3. No specific marker to identify an EPC has been identified, and at present the state of the field is to understand that numerous cell types including proangiogenic hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, circulating angiogenic cells, Tie2+ monocytes, myeloid progenitor cells, tumor associated macrophages, and M2 activated macrophages participate in stimulating the angiogenic process in a variety of preclinical animal model systems and in human subjects in numerous disease states4, 5. Endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) are rare circulating viable endothelial cells characterized by robust clonal proliferative potential, secondary and tertiary colony forming ability upon replating, and ability to form intrinsic in vivo vessels upon transplantation into immunodeficient mice6-8. While ECFCs have been successfully isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy adult subjects, umbilical cord blood (CB) of healthy newborn infants, and vessel wall of numerous human arterial and venous vessels 6-9, CB possesses the highest frequency of ECFCs7 that display the most robust clonal proliferative potential and form durable and functional blood vessels in vivo8, 10-13. While the derivation of ECFC from adult peripheral blood has been presented14, 15, here we describe the methodologies for the derivation, cloning, expansion, and in vitro as well as in vivo characterization of ECFCs from the human umbilical CB.
Malignancy risk and reproducibility associated with atypia of undetermined significance on thyroid cytology.

Background The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) describes several subcategories within atypia of undetermined significance (AUS), including (1) presence of focal nuclear atypia (AUS-N), (2) focal microfollicular proliferation (AUS-F), (3) focal Hurthle cell proliferation (AUS-HC), and (4) other (AUS-O). Several publications suggest that 5–15% is an underestimate of the malignancy risk for AUS, and that the underestimation is owing to the similarity between AUS-N and suspicious for malignancy (SFM). Thus, we investigated the AUS subcategories during morphologic re-review at a tertiary care center and their associated malignancy risk. Methods Of 4,827 fine-needle aspiration specimens were sent between January 2009 and August 2013 for morphologic re-review, 806 were categorized as AUS. Comparison of AUS subcategory diagnoses were made between outside and re-review results. The malignancy risk was also determined for 255 nodules with available surgical pathology. Result The outside diagnoses of the 806 cases read as AUS on second review were as follows: 5 insufficient (0.1%), 149 benign (19%), 463 AUS (57%), 124 SFN or suspicious for follicular or Hurthle cell neoplasm (15%), 56 SFM (7%), and 9 malignant (1%). Of the 463 cases in which both the outside and re-review diagnosis was AUS, the distribution of the subcategories in order of increasing frequency was 53 AUS-HC (11%), 74 AUS-O (16%), 79 AUS-F (17%), and 257 AUS-N (56%). Of the 255 resected nodules, 99 (39%) were malignant. Subcategory malignancy rates were: AUS-HC, 19% (9/47); AUS-O, 26% (14/54); AUS-F, 39% (19/49); and AUS-N, 54% (57/105). Cases in which both the referring institution and re-review agreed about the AUS-N subcategory had an even greater risk of malignancy (68%; 17/25). Conclusion Disagreement about the diagnosis of AUS between institutions is frequent. The malignancy risk for AUS is higher than originally proposed by TBSRTC and attributable to the high risk of AUS-N. Furthermore, agreement on AUS-N after re-review portends a malignancy risk that borders on that of SFM. This suggests that AUS-N may have discrete features that can provide specific morphologic predictors and enable the consolidation of AUS-N into SFM.
Neurotrophins and hearing dysfunction: Comparing models to stop nerve fiber loss

Two neurotrophins and their high affinity tyrosine kinase receptors mediate neuronal survival and fiber guidance in the developing ear. Neurotrophins are also essential for adult sensory survival. New models based on other tyrosine kinase receptor treatments may help maintain inner ear innervation beyond the apparently inevitable loss of hair cells with age, one major source of neurotrophins in the adult ear, and may improve prospects to treat hearing loss.
Consumers’ response and preparedness to ensure food safety during extended power outages: findings from a national survey

To understand consumers’ food safety attitudes, knowledge, and practices regarding emergency preparedness and response, we conducted a nationally representative survey of adults who had experienced an extended power outage (n = 502). Only 16% of respondents were fully prepared to ensure food safety during the most recent extended power outage. Many respondents did not follow recommended food safety practices. For example, 69% of respondents smelled perishable food to determine whether it was safe to eat, a potentially unsafe practice. Moreover, respondents have taken limited steps to ensure food safety during a future power outage. The findings suggest that despite widely available information on emergency preparedness and response, many Americans are not well prepared to ensure food safety during extended power outages. The overall study findings will help identify gaps in consumers’ food safety knowledge and practices, to improve existing educational materials, and ultimately to help reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Dynamic in-plane racking tests of curtain wall glass elements

Attention has been paid recently to the potentially serious life safety and economic loss issues related to the seismic performance of ‘architectural,’ or ‘non-structural’ building elements such as glass lites in curtain wall systems. In response, a pilot study was undertaken at the University of Missouri-Rolla to investigate the dynamic racking performance of a 15·6 × 12·0 ft (4·56 × 3·68 m) section of curtain wall containing three 5 × 6 ft (1·52 × 1·84 m) glass panels. The curtain wall system was a ‘wide mullion’ design that had generous 1 in (25 mm) clearances between glass edges and the aluminium glazing pocket. Dynamic racking tests were performed totally in plane; no out-of-plane or torsional motions were included. Various types of glass specimens were tested, including annealed, heat-strengthened and fully tempered glass in monolithic and laminated configurations. Dry glazed and two-side structural silicone curtain walls were tested. Test results for dry glazed specimens showed that annealed and heat-strengthened laminated glass experienced no fallout whatsoever. By contrast, annealed monolithic glass experienced frequent fallout in both small and large shards. Fully tempered monolithic glass experienced dicing, which resulted in occasional fallout of entire glass lites. Loss of rigidity in fully tempered laminated glass (when both glass plies were broken) occasionally caused entire lites to fall out. Polyester film (not anchored to the mullions) was applied to annealed monolithic glass; it prevented small shards from falling out, but sometimes contributed to entire lite fallout after the onset of severe glass cracking. Annealed laminated glass units with two-side structural silicone glazing exhibited only very minor glass damage and no glass fallout.
A direct volumetric method for the analysis of soap

Glycol, or preferably its mixture with a solvent for hydrocarbons, such as isopropyl alcohol or chloroform, possesses high solvent power for soaps, which may be directly titrated with strong acids, either potentiometrically or with the use of methyl red or methyl orange. The ionization of the organic acid is suppressed so that salts of weak acids can be directly titrated by this method. The colors of the indicators are brighter and the end-point sharper than those in alcohol or water.