cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hybrid simulations of a parallel collisionless shock in the large plasma device

We present two-dimensional hybrid kinetic/magnetohydrodynamic simulations of planned laser-ablation experiments in the Large Plasma Device. Our results, based on parameters that have been validated in previous experiments, show that a parallel collisionless shock can begin forming within the available space. Carbon-debris ions that stream along the magnetic-field direction with a blow-off speed of four times the Alfven velocity excite strong magnetic fluctuations, eventually transferring part of their kinetic energy to the surrounding hydrogen ions. This acceleration and compression of the background plasma creates a shock front, which satisfies the Rankine–Hugoniot conditions and can therefore propagate on its own. Furthermore, we analyze the upstream turbulence and show that it is dominated by the right-hand resonant instability.
A Fully Automated High-Performance Image Registration Workflow to Support Precision Geolocation for Imagery Collected by Airborne and Spaceborne Sensors

Deriving precise coordinates from airborne and spaceborne imagery, with uncertainty estimates, is very challenging. Doing so is significantly more difficult when imagery is coming from one or more sensors that have questionable and/or incomplete photogrammetric metadata. Before precision geolocation activities can take place, that metadata must be complete and consistent such that images are correctly registered to one another and the Earth’s surface. This chapter describes an automated, high-performance image registration workflow that is being built at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to meet this need and focuses on the core concepts and software libraries underlying its creation. Highly encouraging initial system performance metrics are included as well.
Sparse sets in NP-P: relativizations

We construct an oracle relative to which ${\bf P} \ne \bf {NP}$ and there are no sparse sets in $\bf {NP}$–$\bf {P}$. The well-known construction of Baker, Gill and Solovay [SIAM J. Comput., 4 (1975), pp. 431–442] gives an oracle relative to which there is a sparse set in $\bf {NP}$–${\bf P}$. Together, these results show that simple modifications of conventional proof techniques cannot establish whether or not sparse sets exist in $\bf {NP}$–$\bf {P}$, even if one assumes ${\bf P} \ne \bf {NP}$.
Breast milk micronutrients and mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1.

According to the World Health Organization/United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS [1], there were 370,000 new cases of HIV infection among children in 2009. This is in addition to the estimated 2.5 million children already infected with HIV worldwide. Ninety percent of pediatric HIV infections are contracted from the mother. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV occurs during pregnancy, at delivery, or through breastfeeding in about 20–45% of babies born to HIV-infected mothers, in the absence of interventions. Because the availability of antiretroviral prophylaxis to prevent perinatal MTCT is expanding [2, 3], the number of infections through breastfeeding is increasing and their prevention remains a major challenge [2].
The Fate of the World’s Plants

A recent report assessing the world's plant species finds continuing progress in completing the taxonomic catalog. However, many undescribed species remain. The report concludes that, presently, 21% of known species risk extinction. We show this statement applies to the short-term and ignores the as-yet undescribed species, which are also likely at risk of extinction. Human actions will extirpate many more by the end of this century.
The Functions of Classification and Assessment Models in Correctional Treatment

Classification systems have been used in the field of corrections in the United States for purposes of control and punishment for many years. In the penitentiaries, inmates were separated on the basis of the level of security needed to control them. During the Reformatory Era, inmates were placed into different categories on the basis of security needed and progress made toward being rehabilitated. For example, in the Elmira Reformatory for young offenders, inmates moved from the lowest level to the prerelease level. More privileges were given with each level. During the 1960s and 1970s, classification models were developed and used to separate inmates for security and treatment needs, and several classification systems were also developed for supervising probationers and parolees. In the latter part of the twentieth century and up to the present time, the emphasis is on using evidence-based instruments to assess offenders’ potential for recidivating as well as to assess what types of treatment would be likely to assist the offender to make the desired changes in behavior and lifestyle.
Age, exercise, and the outcome of sepsis.

We report on the increasingly important need to diagnose and care for the elderly with sepsis as a distinct patient population. We share an overview of age-related changes in sepsis physiology and the potential role of exercise. See related research by Tyml et al., https://ccforum.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13054-017-1783-1
Huygens Principle and the Rubinowicz-Kirchhoff Theory of Diffraction

In discussing diffraction, we shall frequently use the language of optics and talk about a shadow boundary, an illuminated space, light sources, and screens (boffles). A block body is an ideally absorbent body. This language is natural because most of the original work has been done for light diffraction. However, there is no difference between the computations for light and for sound waves, as long as both are based on the assumption of a scalar potential. Using a scalar and a vector potential optical computations have also been performed for boundary conditiosn that apply to electrical waves. Such computations have no bearing on sound waves and are not discussed in this book.
Direct Observation of Two-Dimensional Electron Solvation at Alcohol/Ag(111) Interfaces

Time-resolved two-photon photoemission was used to investigate the two-dimensional electron solvation by methanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentanol overlayers on a Ag(111) surface. For each system at coverages higher than one monolayer, several image potential state series with time-dependent energies were observed by using two-photon photoemission indicating that multiple time-dependent local work functions can originate from multiple coverages. The time-dependent energy relaxation seen is attributed to the rotation of the adsorbate molecular dipoles to solvate the electron. This rotation lowers the electron-layer interaction energy, causing a dynamic reduction of the local work function which is a signature of the solvation of the electron by the adsorbate layer. A classical electron-disk dipole model supports the conclusion that the dynamic variation in the image potential state energies results from a local work function effect and indicates that the evolution of the energy results from the time-dependent projection of the molecular dipole onto the surface normal on the femtosecond time scale.
The flathead catfish invasion of the Great Lakes

Abstract A detailed review of historical literature and museum data revealed that flathead catfish were not historically native in the Great Lakes Basin, with the possible exception of a relict population in Lake Erie. The species has invaded Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, nearly all drainages in Michigan, and the Fox/Wolf and Milwaukee drainages in Wisconsin. They have not been collected from Lake Superior yet, and the temperature suitability of that lake is questionable. Flathead catfish have been stocked sparingly in the Great Lakes and is not the mechanism responsible for their spread. A stocking in 1968 in Ohio may be one exception to this. Dispersal resulted from both natural range expansions and unauthorized introductions. The invasion is ongoing, with the species invading both from the east and the west to meet in northern Lake Michigan. Much of this invasion has likely taken place since the 1990s. This species has been documented to have significant impacts on native fishes in other areas where it has been introduced; therefore, educating the public not to release them into new waters is important. Frequent monitoring of rivers and lakes for the presence of this species would detect new populations early so that management actions could be utilized on new populations if desired.
Lin - CCR2 + hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells overcome resistance to PD-1 blockade

Immune checkpoint blockade using anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies has shown considerable promise in the treatment of solid tumors, but brain tumors remain notoriously refractory to treatment. In CNS malignancies that are completely resistant to PD-1 blockade, we found that bone marrow-derived, lineage-negative hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSCs) that express C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2+) reverses treatment resistance and sensitizes mice to curative immunotherapy. HSC transfer with PD-1 blockade increases T-cell frequency and activation within tumors in preclinical models of glioblastoma and medulloblastoma. CCR2+HSCs preferentially migrate to intracranial brain tumors and differentiate into antigen-presenting cells within the tumor microenvironment and cross-present tumor-derived antigens to CD8+ T cells. HSC transfer also rescues tumor resistance to adoptive cellular therapy in medulloblastoma and glioblastoma. Our studies demonstrate a novel role for CCR2+HSCs in overcoming brain tumor resistance to PD-1 checkpoint blockade and adoptive cellular therapy in multiple invasive brain tumor models.
Interpreting Model Comparison Requires Understanding Model-Stimulus Relationships

Lee et al. (Computational Brain & Behavior, 2019) discuss ways to improve research practices for evaluating quantitative cognitive models. We propose the additional research practices of careful consideration, documentation, and analysis of the stimuli used to generate responses. Current modeling practice too often fails to acknowledge how the stimuli used to generate responses from research participants can influence the results of model comparisons. We recommend researchers (a) disclose how the research stimuli were selected and (b) uncover and report the diagnosticity of the stimuli for the models being tested. To demonstrate the importance of this recommendation, we present lessons learned from model testing in judgment and decision-making research. We focus on the documentation and reporting of model-stimulus relationships, specifically diagnosticity, and demonstrate how transparent documentation of diagnosticity facilitates interpretation of the evidence it generates. We conclude with recommendations regarding research tools available to achieve these goals.
Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism, posttraumatic stress disorder, and cognitive function in older U.S. veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.

Background Although the e4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been linked to cognitive dysfunction and dementia risk, it is unknown whether they interact to predict cognitive dysfunction. Methods We analyzed data from European-American (EA) veterans who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS): main sample (n = 1,386) and primary replication sample (n = 509). EAs from the Yale-Penn Study cohort (n = 948) served as a second replication sample. Multivariable analyses were conducted to evaluate the predictive effects of e4 carrier status and PTSD on cognitive functioning, with a focus on whether PTSD moderates the effect of e4 carrier status. Results APOE e4 allele carrier status (d = 0.15 and 0.17 in the main and primary replication NHRVS samples, respectively) and PTSD (d = 0.31 and 0.17, respectively) were independently associated with lower cognitive functioning. e4 carriers with PTSD scored lower than those without PTSD (d = 0.68 and 1.29, respectively) with the most pronounced differences in executive function (d's = 0.75-1.50) and attention/concentration (d's = 0.62-1.33). A significant interaction was also observed in the Yale-Penn sample, with e4 carriers with PTSD making more perseverative errors on a measure of executive function than those without PTSD (24.7% vs. 17.6%; d = 0.59). Conclusions APOE e4 allele carriers with PTSD have substantially greater cognitive difficulties than e4 carriers without PTSD. These results underscore the importance of assessing, monitoring, and treating PTSD in trauma-affected individuals who are at genetic risk for cognitive decline and dementia.
Mission-Aligned Revenue Streams and Financial Health: The Case of Arts and Cultural Nonprofits

A large number of empirical studies have focused on the effects of revenue diversification on public and nonprofit organizations, but little attention has been paid to the components of revenue por...
Analysis of the Influence of System Characteristics on Ultra-Low Frequency Oscillation

The ultra-low frequency oscillation phenomenon is not only related to the characteristics of the governor of the hydropower unit, but also closely related to the system characteristics. Based on the detailed analysis of the hydroelectric governor model, a simplified analysis model of the ultra-low frequency oscillation of the power grid is proposed. The influence of the system inertia and load frequency adjustment effect coefficient on the ultra-low frequency oscillation is analyzed. The frequency response model of the hydropower and thermal power hybrid grid is constructed. Through the analysis of the ultra-low frequency oscillation characteristics under different proportions of hydropower, the influence of system inertia on ultra-low frequency oscillation is further clarified. The correctness of the conclusion is verified based on the simulation in a simple system.
Traffic Density Modeling and Estimation on Stretched Highways: The Case for Lipschitz-Based Observers

As an alternative to installing traffic sensors on all highway segments, traffic density estimation routines can be utilized to estimate traffic state on sensor-less segments. To that end, we first derive a generalized traffic flow model for stretched highways with arbitrary number and location of ramp flows. The flow model is based on the Lighthill-Whitham-Richards (LWR) model and Greenshield's fundamental diagram. This derived model is written as a nonlinear state-space system, making it amenable to control-theoretic formulations for nonlinear dynamic networks. We then show that the nonlinearities present in the derived models are locally Lipschitz continuous by providing analytical Lipschitz constants that depend on the network parameters and topology. The analytical derivation is then used to perform traffic density estimation given a limited number of traffic sensors using a vintage Lipschitz-based state estimator. This estimator design graciously scales to thousands of highway segments. Numerical tests are given providing early confidence in the potential of the proposed methods.
Single-End-Functionalized Polycyclopentene via Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization with Concurrent Chain Transfer

Macromonomers bearing a functional group exclusively at one end are often synthesized by terminating a living polymerization with a suitable agent, at the cost of one initiator molecule per chain. ...
Structure of a nanodrop of a binary mixture on a solid surface

The structure of a nanodrop composed of the binary mixture and sitting on the smooth solid surface is examined on the basis of a nonlocal canonical ensemble density functional theory. The molecules...
Crowding, Public Image, and Bureaucracy: Issues in the Montana Outfitting Industry

Outfitters provide guiding services to individuals for their hunting and fishing experiences. Little is known about the individuals employed in this industry and the issues they must contend with. This research took a qualitative approach to data collection and identified issues in the Montana outfitting industry. Data were obtained from a statewide mail survey of licensed outfitters. Analysis revealed four major issues affecting the outfitting industry in Montana. These issues included negative public perceptions of outfitters, strained relations with resident sportsmen, overregulation of the outfitting industry, and problems associated with too many outfitters working in the state. Keywords: fishing, guiding, hunting, Montana, natural resources, outdoor recreation, outfitters
Issues in Practical Large Vocabulary Isolated Word Recognition: The IBM Tangora System

The IBM TANGORA was the first real-time PC-based large vocabulary isolated word dictation system [14]. Its development and eventual productization in the form of the IBM Personal Dictation System required substantial innovation in all areas of speech recognition, from signal processing to language modeling. This chapter describes some of the algorithmic techniques that had to be developed in order to create a dictation system that could actually be used by real users to create text.
Detection of Buildings from Monocular Images

We describe a system for detection and description of buildings in aerial scenes. This is a difficult task as the aerial images contain a variety of objects. Low-level segmentation processes give highly fragmented segments due to a number of reasons. We use a perceptual grouping approach to collect these fragments and discard those that come from other sources. We use shape properties of the buildings for this. We use shadows and walls to help form and verify the hypotheses generated by the grouping process. This latter step also provides 3-D descriptions of the buildings. Our system has been tested on a number of examples and is able to work with overhead or oblique views.
Common Information Model: Panel Session

Summary form only given, as follows. The Common Information Model (CIM) is a common standardized data structure, developed by EPRI, similar to most Energy Management Systems (EMS) proprietary data structures. There have been developed filters that will map most of the major proprietary EMS data systems to the CIM data structures. The CIM is an excellent vehicle, for example, to run EMS applications and to merge data from multiple EMS systems. By using the CIM applications can run on a variety of EMS systems without changing the data structure. The panelist will show the CIM tools, Application Programming Interfaces (API) and a variety of uses and application of the CIM. A record of the panel discussion was not made available for publication as part of the conference proceedings.
An approach to multifetal pregnancy reduction in a pregnancy of grand order (12 fetuses).

Our objective was to determine the best method to approach a multifetal pregnancy reduction of a patient with a multiple pregnancy of grand order (12 fetuses). Transvaginal ultrasound-guided reduction was performed in three stages. Successful outcome was achieved. The patient delivered twins at 37 weeks' gestation. The published and unpublished literature is reviewed and discussed in the light of this case. Our conclusion is that a multifetal pregnancy reduction of grand order can be performed in stages to achieve the desired number of fetuses.
Student Self-Assessment as a Teaching Tool: A Pilot Study of the Sequential Criterion-Referenced Educational Evaluation System*

Abstract This report discusses the use of a student self-assessment system (Sequential Criterion-Referenced Educational Evaluation) in social work education. It reports a pilot study which examines the system's reliability and validity. The results support the utility of this repeated assessment in social work education.
Development of singularities in nonlinear viscoelasticity

We discuss the motion of nonlinear viscoelastic materials with fading memory in one space dimension. We formulate the mathematical problem, survey results for global existence of classical solutions to the initial value problem if the data are sufficiently small, and discuss in detail the development of singularities in initially smooth solutions for large data.
ATP-dependent G-quadruplex unfolding by Bloom helicase exhibits low processivity

Various helicases and single stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding proteins unfold G-quadruplex (GQ) structures. However, the underlying mechanisms of this activity have only recently come to focus. We report kinetic studies on Bloom (BLM) helicase and human telomeric GQ interactions using single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (smFRET). Using partial duplex DNA (pdDNA) constructs with different 5' ssDNA overhangs, we show that BLM localizes in the vicinity of ssDNA/double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) junction and reels in the ssDNA overhang in an ATP-dependent manner. A comparison of DNA constructs with or without GQ in the overhang shows that GQ unfolding is achieved in 50-70% of reeling attempts under physiological salt and pH conditions. The unsuccessful attempts often result in dissociation of BLM from DNA which slows down the overall BLM activity. BLM-mediated GQ unfolding is typically followed by refolding of the GQ, a pattern that is repeated several times before BLM dissociates from DNA. BLM is significantly less processive compared to the highly efficient GQ destabilizer Pif1 that can repeat GQ unfolding activity hundreds of times before dissociating from DNA. Despite the variations in processivity, our studies point to possible common patterns used by different helicases in minimizing the duration of stable GQ formation.
Price Pressure from Dividend Reinvestment Activity: Evidence from Closed-End Funds

We test the price pressure hypothesis using a novel setting: open-market purchases of shares in closed-end mutual funds by dividend reinvestment plans (DRIP). Abnormal volume, returns and intraday data around dividend payment dates provide evidence consistent with upward price pressure created as DRIP agents reinvest dividends in fund shares. Our results suggest that excess demand curves for closed-end fund shares are downward sloping and that DRIP agents could improve shareholder returns by changing the timing and/or size of their buy orders related to the DRIP's needs.
Learning Decision Trees for Unbalanced Data

Learning from unbalanced datasets presents a convoluted problem in which traditional learning algorithms may perform poorly. The objective functions used for learning the classifiers typically tend to favor the larger, less important classes in such problems. This paper compares the performance of several popular decision tree splitting criteria --- information gain, Gini measure, and DKM --- and identifies a new skew insensitive measure in Hellinger distance. We outline the strengths of Hellinger distance in class imbalance, proposes its application in forming decision trees, and performs a comprehensive comparative analysis between each decision tree construction method. In addition, we consider the performance of each tree within a powerful sampling wrapper framework to capture the interaction of the splitting metric and sampling. We evaluate over this wide range of datasets and determine which operate best under class imbalance.
Effects of magnetic fields on magnetic grating free induction decay (MGFID) in a cold Rb vapor

Summary form only given. The magnetic grating free induction decay (MGFID) may be produced in a sample of room temperature (300 K) /sup 35/Rb, demonstrating the coherence between alternate magnetic sublevels. The decay rate of this coherence is dominated by the dispersal of the atoms and proportional to the most probable velocity u of the atoms. By slowing and confining the atoms in a magnetooptic trap, the decay rate may be reduced by several orders of magnitude.
High versus low-dose caffeine for apnea of prematurity: a randomized controlled trial

The optimum caffeine dose in preterm infants has not been well investigated. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of high versus low-dose caffeine citrate on apnea of prematurity (AOP) and successful extubation of preterm infants from mechanical ventilation. We compared high-dose (loading 40 mg/kg/day and maintenance of 20 mg/kg/day) versus low-dose (loading 20 mg/kg/day and maintenance of 10 mg/kg/day) caffeine citrate in preterm infants <32 weeks gestation, presented with AOP within the first 10 days of life. A total of 120 neonates (60 in each group) were enrolled. High-dose caffeine was associated with a significant reduction in extubation failure in mechanically ventilated preterm infants (p < 0.05), the frequency of apnea (p < 0.001), and days of documented apnea (p < 0.001). High-dose caffeine was associated with significant increase in episodes of tachycardia (p < 0.05) without a significant impact on physician decision to withhold caffeine. Conclusion: The use of higher, than current standard, dose of caffeine may decrease the chance of extubation failure in mechanically ventilated preterm infants and frequency of AOP without significant side effects.
The federal reserve operating procedure, 1984–1990: An empirical analysis

Abstract The operating procedure employed by the Federal Reserve has important implications for the behavior of interest rates and money growth. We present a simple theoretical model that encompasses both a Federal Funds Rate operating procedure and a Borrowed Reserves operating procedure. We then examine a VAR model of the reserve market from February 1984 through April 1990 to ascertain the actual behavior of reserves and interest rates. Comparing the alternative predictions of the theoretical model with the results of the estimated VAR model gives us another perspective on the operating procedure employed by the Federal Reserve. The evidence suggests that the Fed's operating procedure has been closer to a Borrowed Reserve than to a Federal Funds Rate procedure.
Isolation and the fluorometric, high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of tacrine

Tacrine (THA; 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9-aminoacridine) is an anticholinesterase agent which has been used clinically, most recently in the treatment of Alzheimer-type dementias. This paper describes the methodology for the isolation and quantitation of THA at therapeutic levels in serum from human subjects. Using C18 Bond Elut columns and an HPLC/fluorometry system, this assay exhibits a considerable improvement in sensitivity over previous uv methods, and allows routine testing of THA levels in serum samples of reasonable volume from human subjects.
Inactivation Or Inhibition Of Neuronal Activity In The Medial Prefrontal Cortex Largely Reduces Pup Retrieval And Grouping in Maternal Rats

Previous research suggests that the maternal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) may play a role in maternal care and that cocaine sensitization before pregnancy can affect neuronal activity within this region. The present work was carried out to test whether the mPFC does actually play a role in the expression of maternal behaviors in the rats and to understand what specific behaviors this cortical area may modulate. In the first experiment, tetrodotoxin (TTX) was used to chemically inactivate the mPFC during tests for maternal behavior latencies. Lactating rats were tested on postpartum days 7-9. The results of this first experiment indicate that there is a large effect of TTX-induced inactivation on retrieval behavior latencies. TTX nearly abolished the expression of maternal retrieval of pups without significantly impairing locomotor activity. In the second experiment, GABA-mediated inhibition was used to test maternal behavior latencies and durations of maternal and other behaviors in postpartum dams. In agreement with experiment 1, it was observed that dams capable of retrieving are rendered incapable by inhibition in the mPFC. GABA-mediated inhibition in the mPFC largely reduced retrieval without altering other indices of maternal care and non-specific behavior such as ambulation time, self-grooming, and inactivity. Moreover, in both experiments, dams were able to establish contact with pups within seconds. The overall results indicate that the mPFC may play an active role in modulating maternal care, particularly retrieval behavior. External factors that affect the function of the frontal cortical site may result in significant impairments in maternal goal-directed behavior as reported in our earlier work.
Thermal fluctuations in low-angle grain boundaries

Abstract Thermal fluctuations in a low-angle, symmetric tilt boundary composed of a series of dislocations of identical Burgers vectors are studied. At zero temperature the grain boundary is composed of equally spaced, coplanar, straight dislocations. At nonzero temperatures the dislocations are allowed to fluctuate a small distance both in and out of the zero-temperature plane. The energy of a sinusoidal fluctuation is shown to be linear in wave number for oscillations both parallel and perpendicular to the dislocations. These excitations give rise to a decrease in the ¦θ ln ¦θ ∥ term of the grain-boundary free energy, where θ is the angle of misorientation between the two grains, linearly proportional to temperature. The grain boundary considered here, with these fluctuations, is argued to be smooth, not rough.
Basic Energy Sciences Synchrotron Radiation Center Undulator Sector at the Advanced Photon Source

Abstract The Basic Energy Sciences Synchrotron Radiation Center (BESSRC) Collaborative Access Team (CAT) has designed and built a multipurpose undulator beamline at Sector 12 of the Advanced Photon Source (APS). The first optical enclosure contains all the white light components including a high performance thin, cryogenically cooled Si (1 1 1) double crystal monochromator. All the experimental stations are equipped with an exhaust for reactive gases that allows in-situ studies of chemical reactions. The monochromatic windowless beamline is used for elastic and inelastic X-ray scattering, surface scattering, small-angle scattering, and spectroscopy research. Each of these activities is in general confined to one of the three experimental stations. The end station (12-ID-D) is a monochromatic enclosure that is used for surface scattering and includes MOCVD equipment for in-situ measurements.
Effects of pesticides onEuglena gracilis. I. growth studies

The herbicides 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T were the most harmful to the photosynthetic microorganism Euglenagracilis. All of the test pesticides were harmful when concentrations of 50 to 100 ppra were used but the longer term effects, even at the high concentrations, were slight.
Equivalence of Two Estimates of Product Variance

IT is frequently necessary to know the variance of a product apart from measurement variance. Grubbs [3] has obtained an estimate of product variance by a covariance technique for the case where two or more methods are used to measure each item sampled from a population. The components of variance estimate of the product variance from the analysis of variance has occurred frequently in the literature [1]. A proof of the equivalence of Grubbs' covariance estimate and the components of variance estimate of the product variance is presented. Use of the product variance estimate by Grubbs' method is subject to the same conditions and assumptions imposed upon the general two-way model.
PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF ECG QRS SCORE IN ASYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT CLINICAL CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: INSIGHTS FROM THE MULTI-ETHNIC STUDY OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS

On a 12-lead electrocardiogram, the ECG QRS-score can be used as an index of myocardial scar. Our main objective was to assess the association of QRS-score with all-cause mortality and incident heart failure (HF) in asymptomatic individuals from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)
Beyond access and supply: Youth‐led strategies to captivate young people's interest in and demand for youth programs and opportunities

Increasing access, even increasing supply, may not be sufficient to attract young teens who do not typically participate in youth programs. Several youth mapping projects in rural and urban communities have led to these conclusions: youth do not know what is available even in their own neighborhoods, young teens have a strong voice in how they spend their discretionary time, and we need to learn how to market youth programs much more effectively. This author reviews important findings from youth community-mapping experiences and showcases a project attempting to move beyond access and supply issues to increasing young people's interest and engagement in community youth development programs.
Genetic, Molecular and Genomic Basis of Rice Defense against Insects

Rice is the world's most important staple crop, feeding more than half of the world's population. Insects and other arthropods present an important constraint in rice production. This paper begins with an introduction to major insect pests of rice and their impact, followed by a description of some of the approaches currently used in insect management programs of rice. Then the paper reviews the current understanding of rice defense mechanisms against insects at the levels of genetics, molecular biology and genomics. Some loci that confer resistance to specific type of insects have been and continue to be discovered hand-in-hand with rice breeding programs. Various natural defense strategies of rice against insects illustrate the complexity of rice defense mechanisms that have evolved during the long co-evolutionary history of rice and insects. The molecular mechanisms underlying these natural defenses continue to be elucidated. The availability of the rice genome sequence in conjunction with cutting-edge...
Syncope in advanced heart failure: High risk of sudden death regardless of origin of syncope

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess the importance of syncope as a warning sign for sudden death in advanced heart failure and to determine the relative importance of cardiac syncope and syncope from other causes. Background. Despite remarkable advances in the pharmacologic approach to advanced heart failure, 20% to 40 % of patients with advanced heart failure will die each year. In such patients, the relation between sudden death and the etiology of syncope has not been evaluated. Methods. The relation of syncope to sudden death was evaluated in 491 consecutive patients with advanced heart failure (New York Heart Association functional class III or IV), no history of cardiac arrest and a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 0.20 ± 0.07. Patients were evaluated for the presence and origin of syncope. The severity of heart failure was assessed from serum sodium levels, ejection fraction, functional class and echocardiographic and hemodynamic variables. Results. Sixty patients (12%) had a history of syncope; the condition had a cardiac origin in 29 (48%) and was due to other causes in 31 (52%). The origin of heart failure was coronary artery disease in 234 patients (48%) and dilated cardiomyopathy in 253 (51%) and its severity was similar in patients with and without syncope. During a mean follow-up interval of 365 ± 419 days, 69 patients (14%) died suddenly and 66 patients (13%) died of progressive heart failure. The actuarial incidence of sudden death by 1 year was significantly greater in patients with (45%) than in those without (12%, p < 0.00001) syncope. In the Cox proportional hazards model, syncope predicted sudden death independent of atrial fibrillation, serum sodium, cardiac index, anglotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and patient age. The actuarial risk of sudden death by 1 year was similarly high in patients with either cardiac syncope or syncope from other causes (49% vs. 39%, p = NS). Conclusions. Patients with advanced heart failure are et especially high risk for sudden death regardless of the etiology of syncope.
Optimization of organic NLO materials for integration with silicon photonic, plasmonic (metal optics), and metamaterial devices

Specific spatially-anisotropic interactions are identified that enhance noncentrosymmetric order required for electro-optic activity. Enhancement of electric-field-poling-induced noncentrosymmetric order by these specific interactions is shown to result from a reduction of lattice dimensionality from three to two dimensions. New analytical techniques for measurement of centrosymmetric and noncentrosymmetric order and lattice dimensionality are introduced. Measurement of order parameters is correlated with viscoelastic data to gain further insight into the influence of specific interactions on poling efficiency and thus material electro-optic activity. The integration of organic electro-optic materials into silicon photonic, plasmonic, and metamaterial devices is also discussed. These device structures can affect the "effective" optical nonlinearity of organic materials but care must be exercised to control optical loss.
SU-GG-I-47: How Stable are the Qualities of Medical-Grade LCD Monitors? Is the TG18 QC Test Pattern Sensitive Enough to Detect Any Quality Degradation?

Background: Medical‐grade LCD monitors have been used in PACS for nearly a decade and they have been touted as much more stable than their CRT predecessor thus might have lead some PACS users to become complacent in their monitor QC efforts. In this study, we wanted to determine the effect of extensive, long‐term clinical use upon these monitors in a large‐scale picture archiving and communications system (PACS). Additionally, we evaluated the sensitivity of sharp edged low‐contrast objects (as often contained in the AAPM TG18 test patterns) in the detection of contrast resolution degradation in monitors. Materials and Methods: A group of medical‐grade monitors were selected for this study based on their durations of operational use. The contrast‐detail (C‐D) characteristics of these monitors were measured with both a disc‐like object with sharp edges and a nodular object with fuzzy boundaries against uniform backgrounds at various luminance levels. The monitors were sorted into three groups according to their length of use, which ranged from 20 hours to ∼35,000 hours, and their C‐D curves were compared. Results: There was a trend of gradual degradation in the monitors' contrast sensitivity although the changes were not statistically significant at all object sizes and luminance levels. Contrast thresholds measured with nodular objects were higher (thus more difficult to detect) than those measured with disc‐like objects and should probably be used in the quality assessment of monitors. Conclusion: Extensive clinical use over time may cause gradual but not statistically significant changes in image quality of monitors. Sensitive measures may be needed to detect subtle deterioration in monitors used for primary diagnostic purposes.
A special technique for determining the critical length of fibre pull-out from a cement matrix

Etude de l'arrachement de fibres d'aramides (11,9 μm de diametre) et de fibres acryliques (19,7 μm de diametre)
Retinal Histopathology of an XLRP Carrier with a Mutation in the RPGR Exon ORF15

X-linked retinitis pigmentosa comprises the severe forms of RP, with early onset of night blindness, rapid constriction of visual fields and eventual loss of central acuity. Of the five distinct XLRP loci identified on the X chromosome, mutations have been found only in the RP2 and RPGR genes. Of these, mutations in RPGR are more common, particularly in a mutational hot spot that was identified in the newly discovered exon ORF15. We report on an extended family with a microdeletion in RPGR exon ORF15 and the retinal histopathology of a female carrier of this mutation. We found a 1bp deletion at position 632 in exon ORF15 in affected members of family XLRP-319. This mutation alters the reading frame of the predicted RPGR protein, resulting in a premature stop codon. The mutation segregated with disease in three generations of the family and was associated with severe early onset retinal disease in affected men. The retina from a 75 year old carrier female donor had slight photoreceptor loss in the less diseased areas. More severe atrophy with retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) migration was present in areas of the mid- and far periphery. By immunocytochemistry, loss of rhodopsin labelling in rods was found in the areas of focal atrophy and loss of uniform cone spacing was apparent even in well preserved regions. Small multifocal areas of outer retinal degeneration were present in the better preserved regions of the eye. In these foci, rod and cone loss did not coincide. The dissociation of rod and cone degeneration in areas of focal disease is consistent with random X-inactivation early in embryonic development and the occurrence of distinct patterns of radial (rod) and tangential (cone) dispersion during clonal expansion early in photoreceptor differentiation.
Miliary Tuberculosis Following Intravesical BCG Treatment

Intravesical instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin for the treatment of bladder carcinoma uncommonly causes miliary tuberculosis. We describe a case of pulmonary tuberculosis caused by BCG immunotherapy and review of 11 cases of miliary tuberculosis related to this form of treatment previously reported in the literature.
Differential radiosensitivity of stationary and migratory primitive cells in the brains of infant rats

The heads of infant rats were irradiated with 200 r X-ray. In one group the animals were injected with thymidine-3H immediately after irradiation, in the other, 24 hours before irradiation. All were killed at 3 days of age, 6 hours after irradiation and 6 or 30 hours after injection. In autoradiograms from the brains of unirradiated animals killed 6 hours after injection, the proportion of labeled cells, reflecting regional rate of cell poliferation, was determined at several brain sites. The relative reduction in the rate of cell proliferation in irradiated animals was also established. In matched stained sections the proportion of pyknotic cells, reflecting rate of cell death, was determined in the same brain regions. Finally, pyknosis index/labeling index ratios were calculated to relate radiation-induced cell death to rate of cell proliferation at different loci. It was established that migrating cells and prospective migratory cells, whether mitotic or postmitotic, are extremely radiosensitive, with a large proportion of them killed by exposure to 200 r. Relatively few of the stationary proliferating cells were killed with this dose. Stationary differentiating cells, and mature cells were not visibly affected. These results suggest that damage to the cellular mechanisms that enable primitive cells to locomote, rather than damage to DNA, is the principal cause of cell death in the nervous system exposed to low-level radiation. Moreover, the selective effect of this procedure could provide a technique for the identification of migratory cells at different brain sites during different stages of development.
Investigation of an approach to fuel identification for non-flaming sources using light-scattering and ionization smoke detector response

Smoke detector performance depends on the detector and smoke characteristics as two decoupled phenomena. In this work, smoke properties on which various smoke detection principles are based were simultaneously measured in an enclosure using existing reference smoke detection systems. The measured smoke properties were scattered light intensity, response of measuring ionization chamber (MIC), obscuration, smoke particle density, and fuel mass loss. Data were collected for conventional fuels such as wood, paper, nylon, wool, polyurethane and PMMA, and also for unconventional fuels such as cooking oil and bread. The fuels were ranked nearly consistently, but in reverse order, based on ionization and light scattering reference detector responses. Discrimination of fuels using a simplified Mie scattering theory was examined. The analysis indicates that the Mie scattering coefficients are fuel-dependent and may be essentially unique to each fuel; however, an overall classification of different fuels using these coefficients may not be practical and requires more precise measurements.
Clustering and classification techniques for the analysis of vibration signatures

A methodology is proposed for the clustering and classification of vibration signatures in the frequency domain. The technique is based on the technologies of neural networks and fuzzy clustering and it is especially suited for the problem of vibration analysis because it permits the incorporation of specific knowledge about the domain in a very simple manner, and because the system learns from actual process data. The system uses the backpropagation algorithm for classification of compressed signatures, where compression is used as a mechanism for noise removal and automatic feature extraction. The clustering system uses the Fuzzy C algorithm with a matrix of weights for the calculation of distances between patterns and centroids. The matrix is used to assign factors of importance to frequencies in the spectrum which are known to be related to particular defects. The two aspects of the analysis (clustering and classification) are complementary because in many cases the exact operating state of a machine cannot be assessed, and clustering may unveil classes of operating states that would not be discovered otherwise. Accurate results were obtained from testing the system on rolling element bearing data.
Interpreting nanoscale size-effects in aggregated Fe-oxide suspensions: Reaction of Fe(II) with Goethite

The Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox couple plays an important role in both the subsurface fate and transport of groundwater pollutants and the global cycling of carbon and nitrogen in iron-limited marine environments. Iron oxide particles involved in these redox processes exhibit broad size distributions, and the recent demonstrations of dramatic nanoscale size-effects with various metal oxides has compelled us, as well as many others, to consider whether the rate and extent of Fe(II)/Fe(III) cycling depends upon oxide particle size in natural systems. Here, we investigated the reaction of Fe(II) with three different goethite particle sizes in pH 7.5 suspensions. Acicular goethite rods with primary particle dimensions ranging from 7 by 80 nm to 25 by 670 nm were studied. Similar behavior with respect to Fe(II) sorption, electron transfer and nitrobenzene reduction was observed on a mass-normalized basis despite almost a threefold difference in goethite specific surface areas. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and sedimentation measurements all indicated that, at pH 7.5, significant aggregation occurred with all three sizes of goethite particles. SEM images further revealed that nanoscale particles formed dense aggregates on the order of several microns in diameter. The clear formation of particle aggregates in solution raises questions regarding the use of primary particle surface area as a basis for assessing nanoscale size-effects in iron oxide suspensions at circum-neutral pH values. In our case, normalizing the Fe(II) sorption densities and rate constants for nitrobenzene reduction by BET surface area implies that goethite nanoparticles are less reactive than larger particles. We suspect, however, that aggregation is responsible for this observed size-dependence, and argue that BET values should not be used to assess differences in surface site density or intrinsic surface reactivity in aggregated particle suspensions. In order to realistically assess nanoscale size-effects in environmentally relevant systems that are likely to aggregate, new methods are needed to quantify the amount of surface area accessible for sorption and reaction in wet nanoparticle suspensions, rather than assuming that this value is equivalent to the surface area determined from the characterization of dry nanoparticles.