cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU-E-T-582: Monte-Carlo Study of Dosimetric Effects of Brachytherapy Seeds Presence in Lung External Beam SBRT

Purpose: In lungSBRT seeds left from a prior intraoperative brachytherapy may perturb the dose distribution near the target. We investigate the dosimetric effects of seeds present in the beam paths. Methods: BEAMnrc dosxyznrc code was used to generate 3D dose distributions for different seed arrangements using five 6 MV SBRT fields. A custom C++/Python code was developed to assign seeds of variable quantity and configuration to selected voxels with the Cs‐131 seed density. Two configurations of seed placement were considered: 1) an “odd” number of seeds per row, with the central column shadowing the isocenter, and 2) an “even” number of seeds per row without the isocenter shadowing. Results: For the “odd” configuration the isocenter dose decreased sharply with the number of seeds shadowing the isocenter (from 1.8% for 1 seed to 13.1% for 11 seeds). Adding more seeds in each row lowered the dose by additional 2.4% and this decrease was almost independent of the number of added seeds. A much smaller dose reduction (<1.8%) is observed for the “even” seed configuration, that does not shadow the isocenter directly. Conclusions: Dose reduction at the isocenter is proportional to the number of seeds that directly shadow the isocenter. Adding seeds in the beam path, without shadowing the isocenter, reduces the dose by a small amount. Since clinically the seeds are arranged in a mix of “odd” and/or “even” configurations with 1–2 rows and 1–2 columns, the isocenter dose is expected to be reduced by 0.6% to 5%.
Topological conjugacy of singularities of vector fields

ROUGHLY speaking, a smooth vector field is finitely determined for topological conjugacy at a singularity if its conjugacy class contains some finite Taylor approximation. Finite determinacy is one criterion for the existence of conjugacies between smooth planar vector fields. This criterion can fail at a singularity only if the vector field is either P-flat or not sufficiently smooth. In both situations we construct specific examples of singularities. not rotation points, that are topologically equivalent but not conjugate. In addition, we determine a useful necessary and sufficient condition for the conjugacy of a large class of singularities. This allows for a simple characterization of the resulting conjugacy classes.
Mesoscale computational study of the nanocrystallization of amorphous Ge via a self-consistent atomistic phase-field model

Abstract Germanium is the base element in many phase-change materials, i.e. systems that can undergo reversible transformations between their crystalline and amorphous phases. These materials are widely used in current digital electronics and hold great promise for the next generation of non-volatile memory devices. However, the ultra-fast phase transformations required for these applications can be exceedingly complex even for single-component systems, and a full physical understanding of these phenomena is still lacking. In this paper we study the growth of crystalline Ge from amorphous thin films at high temperature using phase-field models informed by atomistic calculations of fundamental material properties. The atomistic calculations capture the full anisotropy of the Ge crystal lattice, which results in orientation dependences for interfacial energies and mobilities. These orientation relations are then exactly recovered by the phase-field model at finite thickness via a novel parametrization strategy based on invariance solutions of the Allen–Cahn equations. By means of this multiscale approach, we study the interplay between nucleation and growth and find that the relation between the mean radius of the crystallized Ge grains and the nucleation rate follows simple Avrami-type scaling laws. We argue that these can be used to cover a wide region of the nucleation rate space, hence facilitating comparison with experiments.
The generation and application of megagauss fields at the Humboldt High Magnetic Field Center

Abstract A new multi-megagauss generator has been constructed which produces 239 and 311 T with a pulse duration of 5 μs in single turn coils with an inner diameter of 10 and 5 mm, respectively. Prominent features of the installation are the vertical coil orientation, a stripline-based lightweight/low inductance discharge circuit in modular arrangement and the galvanic separation of control panels and high-voltage units. The installation is designed as a scientific instrument including suitable cryostats, fast data acquisition systems and basic setups for spectroscopical investigations. The design and performance of the field generator as well as the supplementary equipment are discussed and demonstrated in connection with cyclotron resonance measurements at temperatures down to 5 K.
Separating the Mechanisms of Transient Responses to Stratospheric Ozone Depletion–Like Cooling in an Idealized Atmospheric Model

Previous studies have suggested that Southern Hemisphere (SH) summertime trends in the atmospheric circulation in the second half of the twentieth century are mainly driven by stratospheric ozone depletion in spring. Here, the authors show that the pattern and timing of observed trends, characterized by downward propagation of signals, can be approximately captured in an idealized atmospheric global circulation model (AGCM) by imposing ozone depletion‐like radiative cooling. It is further shown that the synoptic eddies dominantly contribute to the transient tropospheric response to polar stratospheric cooling. The authors examine three possible mechanisms on the downward influence of polar stratospheric cooling. The polar stratospheric cooling affects tropospheric synoptic eddies via (i) the direct influences on the lower-stratospheric synoptic eddies, (ii) the planetary wave‐induced residual circulation, and (iii) the planetary eddy‐synoptic eddy nonlinear interaction. It is argued that the planetary wave‐ induced residualcirculationis not the dominant mechanism and that the planetaryeddies and further nonlinear interaction with synoptic eddies are more likely the key to the downward influence of the ozone depletion‐like cooling.
Placing Women Psychologists in the Psychology of Women Course

Pedagogical techniques for incorporating information on women psychologists into the psychology of women course are suggested. Special emphasis is placed on the impact of women psychologists as role models for female students who need information on how to integrate lifestyle choices with their professional careers.
Review Do atypical antipsychotic medications favorably alter the long-term course of schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is characterized by the greatest degree of clinical deterioration in the first decade following onset of psychosis; in fact, deterioration begins even prior to the onset of frank psychotic symptomatology. While somewhat controversial, it appears that effective early antipsychotic treatment might limit the extent of such deterioration. The newer, atypical antipsychotics such as clozapine, risperidone, olanzapine and quetiapine appear to have antipsychotic efficacy at least equal to the traditional neuroleptics, but with a much more favorable side effect profile. Clozapine is also effective in treating neuroleptic-refractory schizophrenic patients. Data suggest that in comparison to conventional agents, treatment with atypical antipsychotics may be associated with a more benign course of schizophrenic illness. Whether these atypical antipsychotics are associated with greater efficacy in limiting clinical deterioration in schizophrenic illness than traditional neuroleptics is, however, unclear. The following questions will be addressed in this paper: (i) Do atypical antipsychotics differ from traditional neuroleptics in modifying the natural course of symptomatology in schizophrenic illness? (ii) Do atypical antipsychotics differ from typical neuroleptics in modifying the natural course of neurobiological and cognitive abnormalities in schizophrenic illness? (iii) Do atypical antipsychotics differ from typical neuroleptics in modifying the natural course of psychosocial dysfunction in schizophrenic illness? (iv) Are there differences between typical and atypical antipsychotics with regard to their effects on the cost of care and resource utilization? The implications of the answers to these questions for the long-term treatment of schizophrenia will be discussed.
A method to measure and predict rates of regional visual field decay in glaucoma.

PURPOSE. This study was conducted to measure the rate of visual field (VF) decay in glaucoma, to separate faster and slower components of decay, and to predict the rate of VF decay. METHODS. Patients who had primary glaucoma and 6 or more years of follow-up were included. Thresholds at each VF location were regressed with linear, quadratic, and exponential models. The best model was used to parse the VF into slower and faster rate components. Two independent cohorts (glaucoma [n 87] and cataract [n 38]) were used to determine the technique’s ability to distinguish areas of glaucomatous VF changes from those caused by cataract. VF forecasts, derived from the first half of follow-up, were compared with actual VF thresholds at the end of follow-up. RESULTS. The mean (SD) years of follow-up and number of VFs for the main cohort (389 eyes of 309 patients) were 8.2 (1.1) years and 15.7 (3.0), respectively. The proportions of best fits were linear 2%, quadratic 1%, and exponential 97%. Proportions of eyes with exponential rates of decay 10% for the entire visual field (VF), faster components, and slower components were 20%, 56%, and 4%, respectively. The difference in decay rates between the faster and slower components was greater in the independent glaucoma cohort (19% 10%) than in the cataract cohort (5% 5%; P 0.001). Test location forecasts significantly correlated with measured values (r 2 0.67; P 0.001). CONCLUSIONS. This method isolates faster and slower components of VF decay in glaucoma, can identify patients who are fast progressors, and can predict patterns of future VF loss with appropriate confidence intervals. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00000148.) (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011; 52:4765‐4773) DOI:10.1167/iovs.10-6414
Induction and selection of specific gene mutations in hordeum and pisum

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) seeds were treated with the mutagen sodium azide. The second generation (M2) seeds or seedlings were screened for physiological (nitrate reductase-deficient and chlorate-resistant) mutants and presumed single locus (waxy endosperm and vine) mutations. Nitrate reductase-deficient mutants occured at an overall frequency of 13.1 per 10,000 seedlings in barley and 3.5 per 10,000 seedlings in peas. Chlorate-resistant mutants occurred at a frequency of 6 per 10,000 seedlings in barley. Waxy endosperm mutants occurred at a frequency of 2.7 per 10,000 seeds and vine (gigas) mutants occured at a frequency of 1.0 per 10,000 seedlings in barley. These data demonstrate that specific gene or function mutations occur with high frequency in azide-mutagenized barley and peas and indicate that similar loss of function mutants could be selected for in higher plants with even relatively laborious screening techniques.
François Bordes and the Old Stone Age

This is a highly personal description of the character and work of the great French archaeologist Francois Bordes, with whom Sackett worked for over twenty years. A native of France’s Perigord region, the prehistory of which he explored for most of his career, Bordes regarded himself as a ‘journeyman field worker’ or ‘homme de terrain’. However his contributions to Palaeolithic archaeology had an impact on the whole of the prehistory of Eurasia and beyond. This was the result of his innovative approaches to excavation and to the analysis of stone tool assemblages. Bordes participated in, and enjoyed debating the controversies between archaeological method and theory – and unfortunately, he also promoted factionalism within the French archaeological community.
RESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION AND DELINQUENCY A Test of Shaw and McKay's Theory of Cultural Transmission

The impact of neighborhood cultural and institutional lye upon rates of delinquency among black male adolescents is examined. Focusing on three adjacent black neighborhoods at varying levels of black population change, this paper presents direct tests of three corollaries derived from a causal model adapted from Shaw and McKays cultural transmission theory of delinquency. The preliminary results are compatible with the model: the level of delinquency is higher in a racially changing than in two more racially stable neighborhoods. Other findings. however, fail to support the cultural transmission interpretation of these results. Contrary to Shaw and McKay, delinquency is lowest in the area where criminal influences are the most pronounced. This anomaly is discussed and interpreted in a manner consistent with De FIeur and Quinney's (1966) reformulation of differential association theory.
Journal Editorship: Mentoring, Democratic, and International Perspectives

Abstract This essay builds on a review of studies in education. Journal editorship is explored from the mentoring, democratic, and international perspectives. Trends are examined within the publishing culture around these three editorial functions. Theoretical groundwork is provided for exploring contemporary journal editorship and its challenges and breakthroughs. Results indicate that editors are taking crucial steps toward promoting democracy and equity in the education profession. Tangible examples of this social justice commitment are given.
On a characterization of the normal distribution

Abstract 1. The normal distribution is shown to be characterized by a simple identity between characteristic functions. Two consequences of this characterization are obtained.
Tuning Thermal Transport in a Crystalline Solid Using Epitaxially Embedded Nanoparticles

Since the discovery of electricity, research on charge transport in materials has pushed the extremes of tuning electrical conductivity. Today, material manipulations have only achieved a limited variation in thermal transport in a solid. In this study we theoretically demonstrated the effects of tuning thermal transport in crystalline solids by using epitaxially embedding nanoparticles. By adjusting particle size, size distributions, and concentration of nanoparticles, phonon transport in solids can be spectrally-selective scattered, and one can acquire a material with desired thermal properties. Our simulation is based on the thermal conductivity of ErAs nanoparticles epitaxially embedded inside an InGaAs alloy matrix.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Hydromagnetic stagnation point flow of a second grade fluid over a stretching sheet

Abstract We establish the existence and uniqueness results over the semi-infinite interval [0, ∞) for a class of nonlinear fourth order ordinary differential equations arising in the hydromagnetic stagnation point flow of a second grade fluid over a stretching sheet. In particular, we establish the existence and uniqueness results, and properties of physically meaningful solutions for several sets of values of the parameters M, K, s, χ and C. Then, a method of obtaining analytical solutions for this general class of differential equations is outlined. From such a general method, we are able to obtain an analytical expression for the shear stress at the wall in terms of the physical parameters of the model. Numerical results are used to illustrate the properties of the velocity field and the shear stress at the wall. We find that the viscoelastic parameter K has a smoothing effect on the flow field. Furthermore, an increase in K results in a decrease in the magnitude of the shear stress at the wall.
Evaluation of myocardial ischemia after surgical repair of anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery in a series of pediatric patients.

Objectives We sought to prospectively evaluate evidence of myocardial ischemia after surgical repair of anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery with an interarterial course (AAOCA). Background An AAOCA is a rare anomaly associated with increased myocardial ischemia and sudden death risk in children. Data evaluating ischemia after AAOCA repair are limited. Methods We included children who underwent AAOCA surgery between October 2001 and December 2006. They were prospectively assessed with exercise stress test (EST), stress echocardiogram (SE), and stress myocardial perfusion scan (MPS). Results Of 24 participating children, 15 (63%) were male, 16 (67%) had anomalous right coronary (ARCA), and 7 (29%) were asymptomatic. Median age was 12 (5 to 18) years; follow-up was 15 (2 to 48) months. All had unobstructed neo-coronary ostia by echocardiogram and were asymptomatic. One anomalous origin of left main coronary artery (ALCA) patient and 8 ARCA patients had post-operative evaluations suggestive of ischemia. The ALCA patient had reversible apical septal and mid-anteroseptal hypokinesis on SE. Of the ARCA patients, 2 had inferior ST-segment depression on EST; subsequently, 1 had normal tests, but the other developed anterolateral Q waves. Two patients had blunted blood pressure response with EST, 1 had fixed apical inferior hypokinesis on SE, 2 had reversible perfusion defects on MPS, and 1 had a fixed perfusion defect on MPS. Conclusions Subclinical changes suggestive of ischemia might occur despite patent neo-coronary ostia, notably after ARCA repair. The implication of these results on indication for surgery and subsequent sudden death risk is unknown. Serial EST, SE, and MPS are essential in evaluating ongoing ischemia risk after AAOCA repair.
Multi-mode low-dimensional models for non-isothermal homogeneous and catalytic reactors

Abstract A systematic procedure based on the Liapunov–Schmidt method of bifurcation theory is used to derive low-dimensional models for different types of non-isothermal homogeneous, catalytic and coupled homogeneous–heterogeneous reactors. These low-dimensional models are described by multiple concentration and temperature modes (variables), each of which is representative of a physical scale of the system. These “multi-mode models” capture mass and thermal micromixing as exchange of material and energy, respectively, between the modes (scales). The multi-mode models retain all the parameters and most of the qualitative features of the full convection–diffusion–reaction equations. While in the limit of vanishingly small local heat and mass diffusion times, they reduce to the classical ideal pseudo-homogeneous reactor models, they are also capable of capturing the mixing or mass (and/or heat) transfer-limited asymptotes for the case of fast reactions. We illustrate the usefulness of the multi-mode models in predicting mixing and selectivity effects on reactor performance and the influence of local transport effects on reactor runaway and bifurcation behavior for the case of non-isothermal homogeneous and catalytic reactors.
Mechanics of small damage in fiber-reinforced composite materials

Abstract In this work the new concept of small damage is examined within the framework of continuum damage mechanics. In particular, special emphasis is given to a new damage variable that is defined in terms of the elastic stiffness of the material. Only the scalar case is studied in this work. The scalar definition of the new damage variable was used recently by many researchers. The investigation of the new scalar damage variable and the new concept of small damage is carried out on fiber-reinforced composite materials. Furthermore, the two approaches to damage analysis in composite materials are re-examined in this work using the new damage variable. These are the well known overall and local approaches established in the literature of damage mechanics. It is noted that the examination of these two approaches that is presented here applies to both small and large damage mechanics. Finally, the two approaches are compared mathematically and are shown to be equivalent.
Growth and Morphology of Rod Eutectics

Abstract The formation of rod eutectic microstructure is investigated systematically in a succinonitrile–camphor alloy of eutectic composition by using the directional solidification technique. A new rod eutectic configuration is observed in which the rods form with elliptical cylindrical shape. Two different orientations of the ellipse are observed that differ by a 90° rotation such that the major and the minor axes are interchanged. Critical experiments in thin samples, where a single layer of rods forms, show that the spacing and orientation of the elliptic rods are governed by the growth rate and the sample thickness. In thicker samples, multi layers of rods form with circular cross-section and the scaling law between the spacing and velocity predicted by the Jackson and Hunt model is validated. A theoretical model is developed for a two-dimensional array of elliptical rods that are arranged in a hexagonal or a square array, and the results are shown to be consistent with the experimental observations. The model of elliptic rods is also shown to reduce to that for the circular rod eutectic when the lengths of the two axes are equal, and to the lamellar eutectic model when one of the axes is much larger than the other one.
The role of interstitial cells in the maintenance of hydra. III. Regeneration of hypostome and tentacles

Animals whose interstitial cells have been destroyed by nitrogen mustard are able to regenerate tentacles and hypostome five times over a period of 25 days. After successive regenerations, animals lack cnidoblast cells and the regenerated tentacles are completely devoid of nematocysts. It is concluded that although interstitial cells are necessary for the continued life of the Hydra they are not necessary for the initiation of regenerative events nor for the maintenance of any stage in the regeneration sequence.
Caloric Restriction in Primates

Caloric restriction (CR) remains the only nongenetic intervention that reproducibly extends mean and maximal life span in short-lived mammalian species. This nutritional intervention also delays the onset, or slows the progression, of many age-related disease processes. The diverse effects of CR have been demonstrated many hundreds of times in laboratory rodents and other short-lived species, such as rotifers, water fleas, fish, spiders, and hamsters. Until recently, the effects of CR in longer-lived species, more closely related to humans, remained unknown. Long-term studies of aging in nonhuman primates undergoing CR have been underway at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) for over a decade. A number of reports from the NIA and UW colonies have shown that monkeys on CR exhibit nearly identical physiological responses as reported in laboratory rodents. Studies of various markers related to age-related diseases suggest that CR will prevent or delay the onset of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and perhaps cancer, and preliminary data indicate that mortality due to these and other age-associated diseases may also be reduced in monkeys on CR, compared to controls. Conclusive evidence showing that CR extends life span in primates is not presently available; however, the emerging data from the ongoing primate studies strengthens the possibility that the diverse beneficial effects of CR on aging in rodents will also apply to nonhuman primates and perhaps ultimately to humans.
Preparation of Ti-Doped Sodium Aluminum Hydride from Mechanical Milling of NaH/Al with Off-the-Shelf Ti Powder

Ti-doped NaAlH4 can be directly prepared by mechanical milling a 1:1 mixture of NaH and Al together with a few mole percent of off-the-shelf metallic Ti powder under an argon or hydrogen atmosphere. The hydrogen storage materials that are produced through this process exhibit stable hydrogen capacities through 10 cycles of hydrogenation/dehydrogenation. We have conducted a systematic investigation of this new method for the preparation of Ti-doped NaAlH4. Consideration of these results, together with those previously obtained for NaAlH4 that was doped with Ti powder through milling under a hydrogen atmosphere, has provided insight into the nature of active Ti species.
Physiologic responses during an exhaustive driving test in donkeys: effect of conditioning

Abstract Improvement in performance following a 1-month conditioning period was tested in five donkeys. The two females and three geldings weighed 235 kg (SD, 54) and were 4 to 8 years old. The donkeys had previously been trained to pull a cart and were accustomed to wearing heart rate monitors. Following resting readings of heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (T), and venous lactate samples, the donkeys were driven to the cart with a draft load equal to 21% body weight, at a trot, until exhausted (defined as when they would not continue trotting). Time to exhaustion, distance and speed were measured. HR was recorded at 5-min intervals during the test and at 1, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 60 min after the test ended. T, RR and lactate were measured at 30-min intervals during the test and at 1, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 60 min post-test. The donkeys were then conditioned for 1 month by being driven 3×/week for 90 min, with a draft load equal to 15% body weight, and weekly increases in trotting time. Donkeys were then re-tested as before conditioning. Resting HR decreased significantly post-conditioning. Working HR values were lower and post-exercise HR decreased to resting rate post-conditioning. Lactate increased 3-fold pre-conditioning, but only by 50% post-conditioning. Average distance covered post-conditioning was increased by 67% (from 12.7 to 21.2 km), while time to exhaustion increased by 86% (from 84 to 155 min). Donkeys worked under conditions of high ambient temperate and humidity: temperatures ranged from 29 to 34°C while humidity ranged from 43 to 65%. Conditioning significantly increased the donkeys apparent productivity (as measured by distance covered).
THE EXPERT’S OPINION: Why We Care

Presented at ICISâ€™97 in a Panel on â€œWhat is different with information technology implementation in less developed countries and why should we care?â€™
Neil Gaiman's Lucifer: Reconsidering Milton's Satan

Abstract: Neil Gaiman’s writing often features religious themes, drawing on mythologies from around the world. One of his earlier works, the comic book The Sandman, is especially interesting because Gaiman engages in an intertextual dialogue with Milton about Satan and, more generally, Christian depictions of Hell; he replaces both with versions of Lucifer and Hell/Gehenna drawn from the Jewish tradition. His other work draws on his Jewish background far less overtly, so for readers interested in the sources Gaiman draws on, The Sandman is especially significant.
Relationship between binding affinity, retention and sensitivity of human rhabdomyosarcoma xenografts to vinca alkaloids

Xenografts of human rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) have been derived that differ in their degree of sensitivity to Vinca alkaloids. Lines Rh12 and Rh18 demonstrated, respectively, high and moderate sensitivity to vincristine (VCR), but showed little responsiveness to vinblastine (VLB) in vivo. Rh18/VCR-3, a subline of Rh18 selected for resistance to VCR under in situ conditions, was insensitive to further challenge with VCR. Resistance was associated with elimination of the agent in a biphasic manner, whereas sensitivity to VCR corresponded to very prolonged drug retention in sensitive neoplastic tissues. The initial half-times for drug retention in tumors in vivo (t1/2 alpha) correlated with the degree of sensitivity of tumors to Vinca alkaloids, decreasing t1/2 alpha being associated with decreased sensitivity. A single binding species was observed when membrane-free supernatant fractions were incubated at 37 degrees for 15 min with 10.4 nM [3H]VCR and analyzed by gel filtration HPLC. The protein eluted with a retention time of 57 min and corresponded to a molecular weight (Mr) of approximately 113,000 daltons, agreeing very closely with the Mr of dimeric tubulin (approximately equal to 110,000 daltons). Two fractions were collected and eluted on a one-dimensional denaturing gel. Proteins were transferred subsequently to nitrocellulose and probed with an 125I-labeled monoclonal antibody specific for beta-tubulins. Only the fraction containing bound [3H]VCR contained tubulin. Estimates for the dissociation constants (Kd) for the binding affinity of VCR and VLB in crude, membrane-free supernatant fractions from RMS xenografts were obtained by computer curve fitting using a mathematical binding model. Data fitted a two-site binding model, with Kd values for the high-affinity site ranging from 61 to 160 nM, and for the low-affinity site, from 42 to 94 microM. At physiologically achievable drug concentrations, the relationship between binding affinity, drug retention and tumor sensitivity was examined further. A close relationship was apparent between the Kd values for VCR in Rh12, Rh18 and Rh18/VCR-3 tumor supernatant fractions and VLB in Rh12 preparations, and t1/2 alpha values for drug retention. Prolonged drug retention correlated with a low binding constant. As t1/2 alpha decreased, binding affinity also decreased, as demonstrated by an increase in the Kd value. Consequently, the tightness of drug binding in tumors also correlated with the degree of sensitivity of the xenografts to Vinca alkaloids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The Relevance of a Connectionist Model of Reading for "The Great Debate"

Connectionist models of reading, in particular Seidenberg and McClelland's (1989) parallel distributed processing model of word recognition, are described and contrasted with the top-down, bottom-up, and interactive models of reading from the traditional, symbol-manipulation paradigm of information processing. Connectionism emphasizes: (1) a single, rather than dual, mechanism for processing words, and (2) distributed representations and weighted connections between units rather than symbolic rules for mapping letters and sounds. Implications for the teaching of reading are discussed.
Cell adhesion to borate glasses by colloidal probe microscopy.

Abstract The adhesion of osteoblast-like cells to silicate and borate glasses was measured in cell growth medium using colloidal probe microscopy. The probes consisted of silicate and borate glass spheres, 25–50 μm in diameter, attached to atomic force microscope cantilevers. Variables of the study included glass composition and time of contact of the cell to the glasses. Increasing the time of contact from 15 to 900 s increased the force of adhesion. The data could be plotted linearly on a log–log plot of adhesive force versus time. Of the seven glasses tested, five had slopes close to 0.5, suggesting a square root dependence of the adhesive force on the contact time. Such behavior can be interpreted as a diffusion limited process occurring during the early stages of cell attachment. We suggest that the rate limiting step in the adhesion process is the diffusion of integrins resident in the cell membrane to the area of cell attachment. Data presented in this paper support the hypothesis of Hench et al. that strong adhesion depends on the formation of a calcium phosphate reaction layer on the surfaces of the glass. Glasses that did not form a calcium phosphate layer exhibited a weaker adhesive force relative to those glasses that did form a calcium phosphate layer.
Large Lattice Mismatch Epitaxy

During the early stages of lattice mismatch epitaxy, island growth is observed in several systems. The evolution of this morphology is attributed to a large value of the substrate/layer interface energy. Origins of misfit and threading dislocations are also considered. Nucleation of misfit dislocations could occur either from steps present on surfaces of islands or from substrate/island edges. Arms of glide loops terminating at the surface in the first case form threading segments in the layer, whereas the coalescence of islands in which misfit dislocations are not aligned with respect to each other lead to threading dislocations in the second case. Existing approaches for lowering threading dislocation densities are also evaluated. A novel approach involving controlled, self-assembly of islands is presented to achieve the preceding objective.
A component analysis of the effects of DPAT on male rat sexual behavior

Male rat sexual behavior was examined in a variety of tests following a single acute IP injection of the serotonin1A (5-HT1A) receptor agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (DPAT). The objective was to determine the effects of 5-HT1A receptor stimulation on the components of sexual behavior (arousal/motivation, erection and ejaculation) using this prototypical 5-HT1A ligand. In the ex copula genital reflex test, DPAT dramatically inhibited ejaculation and the display of penile erections. When examined in the mating behavior test, DPAT caused a significant reduction in intromission frequency (IF), ejaculation latency (EL), intercopulatory intervals (ICI) and postejaculatory interval (PEI). The decrease in IF and EL indicated a lowering of the behavioral-ejaculatory threshold, while the reduction in ICI and PEI indicated a stimulation of two aspects of sexual arousal. Further tests, however, revealed complexities. Using the mounting test (with genital anesthesia) as an assessment of sexual arousal, no effect of DPAT was found. Collection and examination of the coagulated ejaculates resulting from mating (copulatory plugs) provided evidence of an impairment in ejaculation, as a result of DPAT treatment. The data suggests that 5-HT1A receptor stimulation lowers the behavioral-ejaculatory threshold despite inhibition of ejaculation in and ex copula; as well as stimulating specific aspects of sexual arousal. It remains to be determined whether the effects on arousal were either due to nonselectivity as currently believed or because 5-HT1A receptor stimulation affects alpha 2-adrenoceptor activity by some as yet undefined mechanism; and as a result modulates sexual arousal.
Particles and Mortality: A Clinical Perspective

AbstractIncreased levels of particulate matter in the air have been associated with increased pulmonary morbidity and mortality in epidemiologic studies. The recent mortality findings are remarkable for the demonstration of an apparent adverse effect of particles in concentration ranges below the present National Ambient Air Quality Standard. This finding warrants consideration in the context of both our understanding of clinical disease and relevant data from toxicologic studies. The elderly and persons with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPDJ would be expected to be particularly at risk; causes of acute cardiopulmonary death might be attributed to pulmonary edema, acute respiratory infection, exacerbation of COPD, or perhaps arrhythmias. Available toxicologic studies provide few clues in explaining acute mortality at low particle concentrations. Controlled clinical studies with acidic particles at concentrations greater than 20 times ambient fail to produce a pulmonary inflammatory respo...
The effect of para-chlorophenylalanine on spontaneous locomotor activity in the rat.

Abstract The effect of p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA), a depletor of serotonin, on spontaneous locomotor activity was investigated in rats. It was found that p-CPA induced large and reproducible increases in locomotor activity in a variety of situations. This hyperactivity could be reversed by 5-hydroxytryptophan, a precursor of serotonin. The heightened behavioral arousal was not simply a reflection of the insomnia known to be produced by p-CPA, since hyperactivity occurred during both phases of the normal diurnal cycle and because baseline activity returned to normal at different rates depending upon the type of behavioral measure used. It is suggested that one function of serotonin is to modulate arousal thresholds and that the hyperactivity following p-CPA was due to a decrease in these thresholds.
Evaluation of image metrics for target discrimination using psychophysical experiments

Image clutter affects the perceptual ability of any system for object detection. A procedure for conducting psychophysical experiments has been developed to test computational models for the perceptual similarity or difference of texture patterns, which contributes to image clutter. This experimental procedure is based on Thurstone’s law of comparative judgment, which is used along with the method of paired comparisons to assign relative psychological scale values to image stimuli. To facilitate consistency in the presentation of stimuli and collection of data, an X-windows testing environment has been developed called the X-based perceptual experiment testbed. Using this experimental procedure, a pilot study was conducted in which the image stimuli consisted of targets and backgrounds with texture patterns of uncorrelated Gaussian noise. With such patterns, only first-order image statistics are of significance. The psychological scale values relating the level of ‘‘target distinctness’’ in each of the image stimuli were compared to several first-order image metrics. Correlation coefficients as high as 0.9881 were found between the scale values and the image metrics.
Deficiency of Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor Promotes Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis in Mice

Background—Tissue factor initiates blood coagulation after atherosclerotic plaque disruption. Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) inhibits tissue factor activity and may reduce thrombus formation in this setting. We evaluated the effect of heterozygous TFPI deficiency on the development of atherosclerosis and thrombosis in atherosclerosis-prone mice. Methods and Results—Mice with a combined heterozygous TFPI deficiency and homozygous apolipoprotein E deficiency (TFPI+/–/apoE–/–) were generated by crossbreeding, and they were analyzed for atherosclerosis throughout the vascular tree. Compared with mice with a normal TFPI genotype (TFPI+/+/apoE–/–), mice with a TFPI deficiency exhibited a greater atherosclerotic burden involving the carotid and common iliac arteries. Staining for active tissue factor within the plaque revealed more activity in TFPI+/–/apoE–/– mice compared with TFPI+/+/apoE–/– mice. Consistent with increased plaque tissue factor activity, the time to occlusive thrombosis after photochemi...
Unsteady transonic Euler solutions using finite elements

A finite element solution of the unsteady Euler equations is presented and demonstrated for 2D airfoil configurations oscillating in transonic flows. Computations are performed by spatially discretizing the conservation equations using the Galerkin weighted residual method and then employing a multistage Runge-Kutta scheme to march forward in time. A mesh deformation scheme has been developed to efficiently move interior points in a smooth fashion as the airfoil undergoes rigid body pitch and plunge motion. Both steady and unsteady results are presented, and a comparison is made with solutions obtained using finite-volume techniques. The effects of using either a lumped or consistent mass matrix are presented; the finite element method provides an accurate solution for unsteady transonic flows about isolated airfoils.
Choosing software metrics for defect prediction: an investigation on feature selection techniques

The selection of software metrics for building software quality prediction models is a search-based software engineering problem. An exhaustive search for such metrics is usually not feasible due to limited project resources, especially if the number of available metrics is large. Defect prediction models are necessary in aiding project managers for better utilizing valuable project resources for software quality improvement. The efficacy and usefulness of a fault-proneness prediction model is only as good as the quality of the software measurement data. This study focuses on the problem of attribute selection in the context of software quality estimation. A comparative investigation is presented for evaluating our proposed hybrid attribute selection approach, in which feature ranking is first used to reduce the search space, followed by a feature subset selection. A total of seven different feature ranking techniques are evaluated, while four different feature subset selection approaches are considered. The models are trained using five commonly used classification algorithms. The case study is based on software metrics and defect data collected from multiple releases of a large real-world software system. The results demonstrate that while some feature ranking techniques performed similarly, the automatic hybrid search algorithm performed the best among the feature subset selection methods. Moreover, performances of the defect prediction models either improved or remained unchanged when over 85were eliminated. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microwell bioreactor system for cell-based high throughput proliferation and cytotoxicity assays

Abstract Cell-based high throughput proliferation and cytotoxicity assays are increasingly used in drug screening and bioprocess development. However, online monitoring of cell proliferation, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) has been a challenge in 3D cell-based assays. In this work, a 40-microwell bioreactor (40-MBR) system was developed from a 384-well plate for real-time, noninvasive monitoring of pH, DO, and cell proliferation in 3D microenvironments. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and MCF-07 breast cancer cells cultured in 40-MBR confirmed that the 40-MBR was capable of simultaneously monitoring DO and cell proliferation based on culture fluorescence and pH by measuring the absorbance of phenol red. Cytotoxicity studies of sodium butyrate on CHO cells demonstrated that 40-MBR with dynamic background fluorescence correction gave more reliable and highly reproducible growth kinetic data compared to conventional multiwells with static background correction. Furthermore, the dosage effects of two new anticancer drug candidates, 5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-8-[(E)-2-phenylethenyl]-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-4-one (DH-8P-DB) and 5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-6-[(E)-2-phenylethenyl]-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-4-one (DH-6P-DB), on HT-29 colon cancer cells were assessed using the 40-MBR, and the results indicated that DH-6P-DB would be a more potent drug in treating colon cancer than DH-8P-DB. These studies demonstrated that 40-MBR could serve as a high throughput platform for screening potential cancer drugs in early-stage drug discovery.
Dispersion of single wall carbon nanotubes by in situ polymerization under sonication

Single wall nanotube reinforced polyimide nanocomposites were synthesized by in situ polymerization of monomers of interest in the presence of sonication. This process enabled uniform dispersion of single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles in the polymer matrix. The resultant SWNT-polyimide nanocomposite films were electrically conductive (antistatic) and optically transparent with significant conductivity enhancement (10 orders of magnitude) at a very low loading (0.1 vol%). Mechanical properties as well as thermal stability were also improved with the incorporation of the SWNT.
A NEW FINITE ELEMENT‐BOUNDARY INTEGRAL PROCEDURE FOR THE SOLUTION OF THE MAGNETOSTATIC FIELD PROBLEM

A new finite element‐boundary integral procedure for the solution of the magnetostatic field problem has been introduced previously by the author and J.S. Colonias. The approach there involved a reformulation of an integral equation in the iron domain as a weak formulation combining a differential operator in the iron domain and an integral operator on the iron boundary. The reformulated problem is discretized by finite element techniques in solenoidal piecewise polynomial subspaces. In this paper we modify the above formulation to obtain one with a differential operator inside a sphere containing the iron domain and an integral operator on the boundary of the sphere. We then consider a numerical realization of our method in the two dimensional case. This new formulation considerably simplifies the computation of the discrete operator on the boundary.
Comparison of physicochemical properties and structures of sugary-2 cornstarch with normal and waxy cultivars.

ABSTRACT Starches from normal, waxy, and sugary-2 (su2) corn kernels were isolated, and their structures and properties determined. The total lipid contents of normal, waxy, and su2 corn starches were 0.84, 0.00, and 1.61%, respectively. Scanning electron micrographs showed that normal and waxy corn starch granules were spherical or angular in shape with smooth surfaces. The su2 starch granules consisted of lobes that resembled starch mutants deficient in soluble starch synthases. Normal and waxy corn starches displayed A-type X-ray patterns. The su2 starch showed a weak A-type pattern. The chain-length distributions of normal, waxy, and su2 debranched amylopectins showed the first peak chain length at DP (degree of polymerization) 13, 14, and 13, respectively; second peak chain length at DP 45, 49, and 49, respectively; and highest detectable DP of 80, 72, and 76, respectively. The su2 amylopectin showed a higher percentage of chains with DP 6–12 (22.2%) than normal (15.0%) and waxy (14.6%) amylopectins....
The unimolecular decomposition rates of energy selected methylnitrite and deuterated methylnitrite ions

The fragmentation of methylnitrite ion (CH3ONO+) involves dissociation from noninterconverting electronic states characterized by the formation of CH3O+ (m/z=31) and NO+ (m/z=30) ions. The lifetimes of the precursors of these ions have been determined from ion time‐of‐flight curves obtained by threshold photoelectron–photoion coincidence (TPEPICO) mass spectrometry. The deuterated methylnitrite ion (CD3ONO+) was also studied to examine the kinetic isotope effects on ion lifetimes. The rate constants for the reactions leading to the formation of CH3O+ and CD3O+ were found to be independent of internal energy over ∼0.2 and 0.9 eV, respectively. The isotope effect increases with increasing internal energy, contrary to that expected from the quasiequilibrium theory (QET) of mass spectra. We suggest that methylnitrite ion fragmenting to CH3O+ and NO+ occurs from noncompeting noninterconverting electronic states involving a surface crossing.
Jellyfish Lake, Palau: Early diagenesis of organic matter in sediments of an anoxic marine lake

Jellyfish Lake, a meromictic, marine lake in the Palau Islands, western Pacific Ocean, is accumulating organic matter-rich sediments (46% wt/wt) below anoxic, highly sulfidic bottom water. Elemental and stable isotope (δ13C) data indicate that the sedimentary organic matter is primarily derived from vascular plant remains (65–90%) and would form a type 2 kerogen. A bacterial layer at the oxic-anoxic interface in the water column may play an important role in the rapid recycling of algal-derived organic matter from the highly productive surface waters. The major postdepositional change in the sedimentary organic matter is carbohydrate biodegradation, as shown by 13C NMR. Lignin and aliphatic substances are preserved in the sediments. Dissolved organic matter in pore waters is primarily composed of carbohydrates, reflecting the degradation of sedimentary carbohydrates. Rate constants for organic carbon degradation and sulfate reduction in sediments of the lake are about 10 × lower than in other anoxic sediments. This may reflect the vascular plant source and partly degraded nature of the organic matter reaching the sediments of the lake. Elemental results from sediment cores and stable isotope (δ18O, δ13C) studies of shells from the sediments indicate probable climatic or ecological fluctuations affecting the depositional environment of the lake between 80 and 110 yr ago. The high sedimentation rate and stable environment of Jellyfish Lake make it a possible environment for studies of climatic fluctuations during the Holocene.