cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of PET/CT acquisition parameters in Ga-68 Dotatate imaging.

2146 Objectives: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are slow growing tumors that are difficult to diagnose due to their nonspecific symptoms. Ga-68 Dotatate is a radiolabeled DOTA-conjugated somatostatin analogue that binds to somatostatin receptors and is overexpressed in NETs. Ga-68 Dotatate PET/CT scans are valuable in the detection and staging of neuroendocrine tumors. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of reduced acquisition time on image quality and lesion detection for Ga-68 Dotatate scans. Methods: Currently, a standard 5min/bed image is acquired for all patients. For this study, an additional 5 minute list-mode (single bed) acquisition was performed on each patient. The list-mode data for each patient was then reconstructed into 3, 4 and 5 min/bed static images. Overall image quality, lesion detectability and interpretation confidence for each time point was scored on a 1-5 scale. The SUVs of at least two lesions per patient were analyzed for all three reconstructions. Results: With the limited data available, 3 min/bed reconstructions appear to contain more noise, as anticipated. Visual analysis suggested all relevant lesions could be identified in the 3, 4 and 5 min/bed reconstructed data. Conclusions: Despite the limited data available reduction of acquisition time per bed appears to not adversely affect lesion detectability (despite increased image noise). Inclusion of up to 15 additional data sets may allow stratification of acquisition parameters based on patient BMI.
Correlation of Side Impact Dummy/Cadaver Tests

This paper is part of a four year study to systematically define side impact injury in terms of the kinetic response of a suitable anthropomorphic dummy. Last year a paper was presented at the Experimental Safety Vehicle Conference in Germany which analyzed side impact dummy response and injury prediction based on cadaver data generated by the Highway Safety Research Institute. These subjects were generally older than those discussed in the current paper. This paper includes data from a number of University of Heidelberg cadaver sled tests-- including padding tests which we recently found to be (1) critical for a definitive analysis and (2) previously not available. Two advanced dummies, whose design specifications are based upon biomechanical data, are currently being evaluated by the biomechanical community. The two dummies are (1) a Side Impact Dummy (SID) designed by the Highway Safety Research Institute (HSRI) and (2) the Association Peugeot-Renault (APR) dummy from France. The performance of these two candidate dummy designs is compared by a variety of techniques in seven identical tests using cadavers. These tests are chosen for use in evaluating biofidelity, repeatability, and dummy/ padding interaction. Among these techniques is a cumulative variance analysis--similar to a root-mean-square analysis-- of the acceleration signal for the seven unique sled/pendulum tests where acceleration response data exists for APR dummy, SID, and cadavers. This cumulative variance approach allows an objective comparison of the response of each dummy design with respect to the cadaver data.
Rollout Algorithms for Combinatorial Optimization

We consider the approximate solution of discrete optimization problems using procedures that are capable of magnifying the effectiveness of any given heuristic algorithm through sequential application. In particular, we embed the problem within a dynamic programming framework, and we introduce several types of rollout algorithms, which are related to notions of policy iteration. We provide conditions guaranteeing that the rollout algorithm improves the performance of the original heuristic algorithm. The method is illustrated in the context of a machine maintenance and repair problem.
On the Mechanism of Erythropoietin-induced Differentiation IX. INDUCED SYNTHESIS OF 9 S RIBONUCLEIC ACID AND OF HEMOGLOBIN

Erythropoietin induces the synthesis of 9 S RNA and hemoglobin by cultured bone marrow cells derived from polycythemic rats and mice in which hemoglobin synthesis has been suppressed. Synthesis of 9 S RNA starts within 1 hour (rat cells) and 4 hours (mouse cells) of addition of erythropoietin to the medium, while hemoglobin synthesis is not initiated until 8 to 10 hours later. These findings indicate that there is another regulatory step between transcription, initiated by erythropoietin, and translation. Under conditions in which no hemoglobin synthesis occurs, bone marrow cells still synthesize a very small amount of 9 S RNA which may be a messenger for a protein other than globin. Comparison of stimulated hemoglobin synthesis by cells from normal animals with cells from polycythemic animals indicates that erythropoietin has an effect on some differentiated cells in the former population as well as on the undifferentiated cells in the latter population.
Assessing vulnerability to suicide

Three hundred members of the American Association of Suicidology (30% of those who apparently received the questionnaire) participated in a survey in which case histories of two men who had committed suicide and two who had not were presented. Respondents assessed the vulnerability to suicide of each man, recorded their levels of confidence in their assessments, and provided information about themselves. The two men who killed themselves were rated as less vulnerable to suicide than the other two men, and as less vulnerable than one would expect by chance. Respondent characteristics that predicted to accuracy in assessing vulnerability were gender and level of involvement in research. The findings are discussed in terms of the limitations of theoretical models as well as characteristics of the respondents and nature of the study design.
Cannabinoids: is there a potential treatment role in epilepsy?

Cannabinoids have been used medicinally for centuries, and in the last decade, attention has focused on their broad therapeutic potential particularly in seizure management. While some cannabinoids have demonstrated anticonvulsant activity in experimental studies, their efficacy for managing clinical seizures has not been fully established. This commentary will touch on our understanding of the brain endocannabinoid system’s regulation of synaptic transmission in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions, and review the findings from both experimental and clinical studies on the effectiveness of cannabinoids to suppress epileptic seizures. At present, there is preliminary evidence that non-psychoactive cannabinoids may be useful as anticonvulsants, but additional clinical trials are needed to fully evaluate the efficacy and safety of these compounds for the treatment of epilepsy.
Disease Trials in Reproductive Diseases

Historically, studies in reproductive medicine have been of limited quality mainly because of the challenging group of subjects, the limited effective study design, and the lack of standards advised for clinical trials. In addition, reproductive medicine has classically received limited funding for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Because of the importance of reproductive health issues, the NIH has developed programs to increase translational and clinical research. In addition, research has encouraged standards for reproductive research to assure high-quality clinical trials. This article will review the classic limitations of studies in reproductive medicine, the standards that have improved the quality of research, and it will describe NIH funded programs to promote knowledge and optimize patient care. Keywords: randomized clinical trials; reproductive medicine; infertility; Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD); Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials (CONSORT); Reproductive Medicine Network (RMN)
Outage probabilities of wireless systems with beamforming

Summary form only given. Recent years, beamforming techniques have received great interests and it can achieve performance and capacity enhancement without the need for additional power or spectrum. They can be implemented through conventional beamforming, minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) beamforming, and linear constrained minimum variance (LCMV) beamforming. In conventional beamforming, the antenna mainlobe is steered toward the desired signal. In MVDR beamforming, an antenna pattern is formed to maximize the output SNR while maintaining a constant gain in the direction of the desired signal. The LCMV beamforming is developed from MVDR beamforming with additional linear constraints to improve its robustness. While multiple interferers are considered, the LCMV beamforming can be implemented by putting nulls in the directions of interferers. This poster investigates the outage probability of a wireless system with conventional beamforming using a uniform linear array (ULA) beamformer. A simplified beamforming model is used in deriving closed-form outage probability expressions and its accuracy is examined by simulation. Fading statistics of Rayleigh, Rician, and Nakagami are used to characterize the desired signal, whereas interferers are assumed to be subject to Rayleigh fading.
Research in site-specific propagation modeling for PCS system design

Some of the work being done for site-specific propagation modeling at the Virginia Tech Mobile and Portable Radio Research Group (MPRG) is described. Ray tracing and diffraction propagation models that utilize site-specific building information are used to predict path loss and multipath power delay profiles.
Reproducibility of hohlraum-driven implosion symmetry on the National Ignition Facility

Indirectly driven Symcap capsules are used at the NIF to obtain information about ignition capsule implosion performance, in particular shape. Symcaps replace the cryogenic fuel layer with an equivalent ablator mass and can be similarly diagnosed. Symcaps are good symmetry surrogates to an ignition capsule after the peak of the drive, radiation-hydrodynamics simulations predict that doping of the symcaps vary the behavior of the implosion. We compare the equatorial shapes of a symcap doped with Si or Ge, as well as examine the reproducibility of the shape measurement using two symcaps with the same hohlraum and laser conditions.
From the Periphery: Values, Culture, and Imagination

A. M. Hocart. Imagination and Proof: Selected Essays of A. M. Hocart. Edited and with an Introduction by Rodney Needham. The Anthropology of Form and Meaning (series). Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1987. ix plus 130 pp, front. $19.95 (cloth).
The Importance of Client-Satisfaction Ratings in Residential Treatment Outcome Measurement: A Response

ABSTRACT This paper concurs with Davidson-Methot's assertion of the importance of outcome data in RTC program planning and evaluation. However, it seeks to add to his discussion. Specifically, it contends that the elaboration of the rationale for selection of particular indicators is as important as elaboration of the rationale for collecting data in the first place. It is true that calibration of instruments is extremely important to determine precise direction, with the ultimate goal of reaching the correct destination. Nevertheless, knowledge of whether or not one has achieved the desired goal is also contingent on the nature of the data used for calibration. We believe that the most effective program evaluations incorporate multiple components, including objective and subjective indicators, as well as positive and negative indicators. The inclusion of life satisfaction ratings as a part of a comprehensive RTC program evaluation offers unique information for the benefit of agencies in their journeys to...
Standardization of neural network terminology

Outlined are the initial activities of an ad hoc standards committee established by the IEEE Neural Networks Council to pursue this effort. A proposed list of frequently used terms to be considered by the committee is presented. Several proposed definitions are presented. >
Viral influenza in women

Abstract Viral influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by strains of the orthomyxovirus. The influenza viruses are negative-stranded RNA viruses of three major antigenic types—A, B, and C. Influenza A and B viruses are most important in human disease and have been studied far more extensively than influenza C viruses. Influenza A and B viruses are characterized based on their hemagglutinin and neuraminidase antigens. Immunity to these antigens, especially to the hemagglutinin, reduces the likelihood of infection and lessens the severity of disease if infection occurs. Because of this antigenic variation, major epidemics of respiratory disease caused by new variants of influenza continue to occur. The antigenic characteristics of circulating strains provide the basis for selecting the virus strains included in each year’s vaccine. Viral influenza may cause serious morbidity, especially in adults, and result in prolonged absences from work. Mortality may occur as a result of secondary infection with bacterial pneumonia or other complications, such as myocarditis, pericarditis, aseptic meningitis, and postinfection neuritis. Two measures available that can reduce the impact of influenza are immunoprophylaxis with inactivated vaccine and chemoprophylaxis or therapy with an antiviral drug such as amantadine or rimantadine. Intensive supportive therapy with antipyretics, analgesics, and fluid repletion also is important. Nonpregnant patients may be treated with amantadine to reduce the severity of symptoms. Amantadine or rimantadine are relatively contraindicated in pregnancy. The best method of prevention in pregnant women is the influenza vaccine.
Limited generation of activated protein C during infusion of the protein C activator thrombin analog W215A/E217A in primates

Summary. Anticoagulation with activated protein C (APC) reduces the mortality of severe sepsis. We investigated whether the circulating protein C (PC) pool could be utilized for sustained anticoagulation by endogenous APC. To generate APC without procoagulant effects, we administered the anticoagulant thrombin mutant W215A;E217A (WE) to baboons. In preliminary studies, administration of high dose WE (110 μg kg−1 i.v. bolus every 120 min; n = 2) depleted PC levels by 50% and elicited transient APC bursts and anticoagulation. The response to WE became smaller with each successive injection. Low dose WE infusion (5 μg kg−1 loading + 5 μg kg−1 h−1 infusion; n = 5) decreased plasma PC activity by 15%, from 105% to 90%, to a new equilibrium within 60 min. APC levels increased from 7.5 ng mL−1 to 86 ng mL−1 by 40 min, then declined, but remained elevated at 34 ng mL−1 at 240 min. A 22-fold higher dose WE (n = 5) decreased PC levels to 60% by 60 min without significant further depletion in 5 h. The APC level was 201 ng mL−1 at 40 min and decreased to 20 ng mL−1 within 120 min despite continued activator infusion. Co-infusion of WE and equimolar soluble thrombomodulin (n = 5) rapidly consumed about 80% of the PC pool with significant temporal increase in APC generation. In conclusion, low-grade PC activation by WE produced sustained, clinically relevant levels of circulating APC. Limited PC consumption in WE excess was consistent with the rapid depletion of cofactor activity before depletion of the PC zymogen. Reduced utilization of circulating PC might have similar mechanism in some patients.
Electron radiation effects on time-dependent dielectric breakdown in SiO2 films

An experiment testing the effect of ionizing radiation on breakdown characteristics of SiO2 films is presented. Silicon wafers were oxidized and metallized, and a capacitor array was etched into a control sample while the rest were first irradiated with 1 MeV electrons and then etched. Time-dependent dielectric tests were made on all the capacitors, and the average characteristics of 96 capacitors are illustrated graphically. The curves are consistent with the model of holes trapped in the SiO2 film during irradiation leading to a retarding field for positive ion emission and drift toward the interface. It is shown how an externally applied field is reduced by the trapped charge, and that changes in the dielectric breakdown properties of the SiO2 film after irradiation depend on the positive trapped charge near the metal interface.
Visceral representation within the nucleus of the tractus solitarius in the pigeon, Columba livia.

This study describes the distribution of organ-specific populations of vagal afferent fibers within the nucleus of the solitary tract (nTS) in the pigeon. The central projections of vagal sensory neurons were visualized by the centripetal and trans-ganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase from either the central cut ends of peripheral vagal branches or from HRP injection sites in peripheral vagal target tissues. This paper also includes a detailed description of the cytoarchitectural organization of the nTS in the pigeon based on studies of Nissl-stained material. Vagal afferent fibers that innervate different peripheral target organs are partially segregated within cytoarchitecturally distinct subnuclei of the nTS. Gastrointestinal afferents, for example, project primarily to medial subnuclei. On the other hand, pulmonary, and on the basis of earlier studies, cardiovascular afferents, project primarily to lateral subnuclei, Moreover, the rostral to caudal distribution of gastrointestinal afferents corresponds to the rostrocaudal topography of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, our data demonstrate a projection of gastrointestinal afferents to the lateral descending tract of the trigeminal nerve that appears to terminate in the external cuneate nucleus. The cytoarchitectural organization of visceral representations within the pigeon nTS corresponds closely to recent descriptions of this cell group in mammals. Comparison of our results with studies of the central connections of nTS neurons suggests that the subnuclear distribution of organ-specific vagal afferents within nTS plays a critical role in the organization of ascending and descending visceral afferent pathways.
Optical diffusion of focused beam wave pulses in discrete random media

In this paper we present a theoretical study of focused beam wave pulse propagation and diffusion in highly scattering discrete random media. By using Wigner distributions, we calculate an explicit closed-form expression for the reduced intensity of focused beam waves. From this analysis, we find that the extent to which the reduced intensity focuses depends upon the attenuation it experiences from scattering and absorption. We then solve the diffusion equation for continuous wave sources and delta function input pulses to examine the spatial and temporal spreading of beam wave pulses. Through numerical approximations to the obtained solutions, we find that focusing effects of the diffuse intensity are negligible. Finally, we compare these results to those of collimated beam waves and pulsed plane waves. Through these comparisons, we determine that the spatial spreading of focused beams is similar to that of collimated beams, and the temporal spreading of the focused beam wave pulse is similar to that of plane wave pulses.
THEORETICAL STUDY OF VALENCE ISOMERIZATION IN THE HOCL2 SYSTEM

Abstract Hartree-Fock level and post Hartree-Fock level molecular orbital calculations are reported for the HOOCl and HOClO molecules. The calculations indicate that the HOOCl isomer is more stable than the HOClO form. Geometries have been determined at the HF/6-311G(d,p) level, together with vibrational frequencies, rotational constants and electrical moments. A discussion of the chemical bonding within the molecules is presented.
Minijet corrections to Higgs-boson production.

We study higher-order corrections to Higgs-boson production with an associated jet at SSC energies, using the resummation of the leading logarithmic contributions to multiple gluon emissions due to Lipatov and collaborators. We find a considerable enhancement of Higgs-boson production at large transverse momenta.
Uses and Gratifications and Exposure To Public Television A Discrepancy Approach

A consistent problem with uses and gratifications research has been the failure to distinguish between gratifications sought and gratifications obtained. This study tested a discrepancy model constrasting gratifications sought from television in general with gratifications respondents perceived they obtained (or would obtain) from public television. The model successfully predicted level of exposure to PTV content among respondents who made their own decisions concerning what programs to watch. Level of exposure was unrelated to the discrepancy measure among those who let others make the viewing decision. When each gratification was considered individually, the discrepancy model successfully discriminated between viewers and nonviewers of PTV on 8 of 11 gratification items. The results also indicate the importance of social determinants of the viewing decision and perceptions of PTV content as predictors of PTV consumption.
CGRP immunoreactivity and NADPH-diaphorase in afferent nerves of the rat penis.

Abstract Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactive afferent nerve fibers are abundant in the rat penis. In addition, NADPH-diaphorase, which stains for nitric oxide synthase, has been localized within both autonomic and sensory dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and may be part of an important biochemical pathway involved in penile tumescence. The purpose of this study was: 1) to examine the circuitry of afferent nerves that are CGRP immunoreactive from the L6 DRG, 2) to examine the possibility that there are NADPH-diaphorase-positive afferent fibers from the L6 DRG to the rat penis, and 3) to examine the localization and colocalization of CGRP and NADPH-diaphorase within L6 DRG afferent perikarya. Calcitonin gene-related peptide immunostaining in the penis was eliminated following a bilateral transection of the pudendal nerves, but was unchanged following a bilateral transection of the pelvic splanchnic or hypogastric nerves. The NADPH-diaphorase staining was not altered by any of the nerve transections. Injection of the retrograde axonal tracer fluorogold (FG) into the dorsum penis labeled perikarya in the L6 DRG. Although the majority of FG-labeled perikarya contained neither CGRP nor NADPH-diaphorase, small subpopulations of perikarya contained either CGRP immunoreactivity, NADPH-diaphorase, or both. A unilateral pudendal nerve transection virtually eliminated (>99%) FG labeling in the ipsilateral L6 DRG. These data suggest that NADPH-diaphorase and CGRP are present, either together or separately, within a subpopulation of penile afferent perikarya. In addition, CGRP-immunoreactive afferent nerve fibers reach the penis primarily via the pudendal nerves. Finally, NADPH-diaphorase-positive penile afferents may be another important source of nitric oxide (NO) for penile tumescence.
Novel precursors for organometallic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract During the development of organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) for the growth of III/V semiconductor materials, the choice of group III and group V source molecules has been limited: (1) only trimethyl- and triethyl- group III and antimony compounds, developed for other applications, were available; (2) the hydrides were the only As and P sources capable of producing device quality material. The hazard posed by the hydride sources, due to their extreme toxicity as well as their storage in high pressure cylinders, was a major motivation for the development of new precursor molecules. This led to the realization that many features of the OMVPE process could be improved by the development of “designer” source molecules. This paper will emphasize the tertiary butyl-As, P, and Sb precursors C 4 H 9 AsH 2 , C 4 H 9 Sb(CH 3 ) 2 . However, recent results using alternate In precursors, such as triisopropylindium (C 3 H 7 ) 3 In, will be included. The fundamental aspects of the design of source molecules, including pyrolysis routes, will be mentioned; however, the focus is on the practical results obtained using these precursors for the OMVPE growth of III/V semiconductors.
Partial-match retrieval using indexed descriptor files

In this paper we describe a practical method of partial-match retrieval in very large data files. A binary code word, called a descriptor, is associated with each record of the file. These record descriptors are then used to form a derived descriptor for a block of several records, which will serve as an index for the block as a whole; hence, the name “indexed descriptor files.”First the structure of these files is described and a simple, efficient retrieval algorithm is presented. Then its expected behavior, in terms of storage accesses, is analyzed in detail. Two different file creation procedures are sketched, and a number of ways in which the file organization can be “tuned” to a particular application are suggested.
Ovine placentome morphology: Effect of high altitude, long-term hypoxia

Abstract The effect of high altitude, long-term hypoxaemia on placentome morphology in the sheep was examined using singleton and twin pregnant ewes. Normoxic twins had lower fetal and placental weights (3.7 ± 0.2 kg and 215 ± 26 g, respectively) than normoxic singleton fetuses (4.3 ± 0.2 kg and 336 ± 17 g, respectively). Fetal and placental weights were similar in normoxic singleton and high altitude (3820 m) hypoxic singleton fetuses (4.3 ± 0.2 and 4.4 ± 0.4 kg, 336 ± 17 and 342 ± 62 g, respectively). The distribution of placentome types was classified into four major categories (A-D) and for normoxic singletons was as follows: A=76 ± 4, B=22 ± 3, C=1 ± 2, and D=1 ± 1. Normoxic twins tended to have more type B (type A=63 ± 10, B=33 ± 8, C=2 ± 1, and D=2 ± 1). High altitude hypoxic singletons had significantly fewer type A (33 ± 4) and more type B (50 ± 3), C (10 ± 7), D (7 ± 1) placentomes than normoxic singletons. In addition, in the sea-level control group, five animals were found to be spontaneously hypoxic with a placentome distribution similar to that of the high altitude hypoxic fetuses. In conclusion, both high altitude, long-term hypoxia and low altitude spontaneous hypoxia lead to a significant change in placentome distribution with less type A and increases in types B, C and D. Physiologically, the change in the several placentome types with high altitude hypoxia suggests an acclimatization response to optimize transplacental exchange efficiency.
The type three ordinary chondrities: A review

The ordinary chondrites are the largest group of meteorites, and the type 3 ordinary chondrites are those which experienced only very mild parent metamorphism; their study provides a unique means of studying the first solid material to from in the early solar system which is either free from the effects of mild metamorphism, or in which the effects of mild metamorphism can be distinguished from primary, nebular effects. In this paper we list all known type 3 ordinary chondrites and references to their study, their compositional data and data relating to the metamorphic history. We review current theories on their formation and the effects of metamorphism, with emphasis on quantitative considerations. Studies on the thermoluminescence properties of these meteorites, which have provided many new insights into their metamorphic history, are reviewed. Some of the least metamorphosed meteorites show evidence for aqueous alteration, which provides a link between the type 3 ordinary chondrites and objects containing water in various forms the carbonaceous chondrites, comets and planets with ‘wet’ mantles.
Calculation of exchange-broadened NMR lineshapes I. Relaxation times and direct coupling

Abstract The general theory of exchange-broadened NMR lineshapes developed by Binsch (1) is applied to three problems. First, a two-spin system in which the nuclei have different relaxation times exhibits an NMR spectrum in which the line width of the slowly relaxing nucleus depends on the relaxation rate of the rapidly relaxing nucleus. This dependence increases with both the coupling between the nuclei and the exchange rate. Second, a two-spin system with direct coupling is compared to a two-spin system with indirect coupling. The relative sign of the coupling constants can be obtained over a range of exchange rates. Third, the NMR spectrum of partially oriented dimethylacetamide-de is examined over a range of exchange rates comparable in magnitude to the chemical shift between the methyl groups.
Radiologic evaluation in chest malignancies. A review of imaging modalities

Radiologic evaluation of the patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) includes chest radiographs for detecting nodules, computed tomography (CT) for further characterizing them, CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the mediastinum, and extrathoracic imaging of bones, the adrenal gland, the central nervous system, and liver. The current practice standards for each are reviewed. Asymptomatic solitary pulmonary nodules, which are usually detected on chest radiographs obtained for other indications, inevitably require a precise diagnosis. The radiologic characteristics that differentiate benign from malignant pulmonary lesions are given. Mediastinal CT is the preferred modality for examining the mediastinum in patients with NSCLC. Magnetic resonance imaging is used selectively, eg, in patients with superior sulcus tumors who are candidates for surgery. When evaluation for N2/N3 disease is requested, mediastinoscopy should replace CT using the latter as a "roadmap." The role of extrathoracic imaging in evaluating asymptomatic patients with NSCLC at initial presentation is equivocal. Computed tomographic scanning of the head is reasonable in most patients with lung cancer, given the significant incidence of occult brain metastases in this population and that solitary brain lesions may be resected in some protocol settings. Routine liver and adrenal gland scanning is similarly controversial. Bone scans do not appear to be useful in patients with NSCLC unless they have clinical signs, symptoms, or laboratory findings to indicate possible metastases. Although heavily affected by local practice, radiologic evaluation of the patient with NSCLC should attempt to provide accurate determination of local disease and a search for distant metastases.
Toward attosecond x-ray pulses from the FEL

We propose the use of a ultra-relativistic electron beam interacting with a few-cycle, intense laser pulse and an intense pulse of the coherent x-rays to produce a multi-MW intensity, x-ray pulses approximately 100 attoseconds in duration. Due to a naturally-occurring frequency chirp, these pulses can be further temporally compressed.
Nimbus 7 satellite measurements of the springtime Antarctic ozone decrease

Farman et al.1 have reported a rapid decrease, since their measurements started in 1957, of the total column amount of ozone in late winter and early spring over the Halley Bay station in Antarctica (76° S, 27° W). The decrease was most pronounced in October, early spring in the Southern Hemisphere. They attributed the decrease to the increase in stratospheric chlorine due to chloro-fluorocarbon release, and proposed that the unique conditions of extreme cold and low sunlight in the Antarctic winter and spring enhanced the effect. We report measurements from the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) instrument and the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) aboard the Nimbus 7 satellite, a Sun-synchronous polar-orbiting satellite which passes any given point on the dayside near local noon. These provide global measurements of ozone from November 1978 to the present which confirm the reported decline of total ozone and show the phenomenon to be regional in extent. The decrease occurs during September as the Sun rises, reaching a minimum in mid-October. Seven years (1979–1985) of October monthly means show a 40% decrease in the ozone minimum and a 20% decrease in the surrounding ozone maximum.
Configuration and dynamics of an interstitial-impurity complex in a dilute Al-Li alloy

Ultrasound has been used to study interstitial-impurity complexes in electron-damaged Al-Li. In the {ital C}{prime} elastic mode, immediately following irradiation, a small relaxation peak centered about {similar to}20.5 K at 11.8 MHz was observed. This peak annealed out near 120 K together with the diaelastic effect. No peaks were detected in the {ital C}{sub 44} mode. Al-Li was chosen for this study because it presents a favorable case for comparison with the only theoretical calculations available that stem from first principles. These calculations predict that the most stable interstitial-impurity complex in Al-Li should exhibit trigonal symmetry. The experimental results rule out the predicted trigonal symmetry.
Growth and production of the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) in a restored salt marsh

The mummichog,Fundulus heteroclitus, is one of the most important macrofaunal components of salt marsh surfaces and an important link to subtidal areas of the adjacent estuary along the east coast of the U.S. We estimated growth, population size, and production of the mummichog in a restored marsh in order to improve our understanding of the role of this resident fish and to evaluate the success of the restoration. The restored marsh, covering 234 ha, was a former salt hay farm located in the mesohaline portion of Delaware Bay that was restored to tidal influence in August 1996. We separated the mummichog population into two components based on life history stage and summer habitat use patterns. One component, consisting of adults and large young-of-the-year (YOY), exhibited tidal movements to and from the marsh surface and the subtidal creeks. These were examined with an intensive mark and recapture program using coded wire tags. Another component, consisting of small YOY, remained on the marsh surface throughout the tidal cycle. Throw traps were used to sample these small YOY. The mean annual population density of adults and large YOY for the entire marsh was approximately 1.2 fish m−2 and mean monthly density peaked at 2.9 fish m−2. The mean annual density of small YOY on the marsh surface was 15.1 fish m−2 and mean monthly density peaked at 41.4 fish m−2. Size and season influenced the growth rate of individual fish and instantaneous growth rates ranged from 0.03 to 2.26 mo−1. Total annual mummichog production was estimated to be 8.37 g dw m−2 yr−1, with adults and large YOY contributing 28.4% (2.38 g dw m−2 yr−1) and small YOY on the marsh surface contributing 71.6% (5.99 g dw m−2 yr−1). The seasonal use and population densities were comparable to previous studies in natural marshes while growth and production of mummichog in this restored marsh appeared to be higher. Coupled with the results of other studies on the feeding, movement, and habitat use of this species in this restored marsh, the species has responded well to the restoration.
A twenty‐one‐year record of surface change on a Namib linear dune

Repeated surveying of two sites on a Namib linear dune between 1980 and 2001 provides a 21-year record of dune surface change. The surveys conﬁrm the view that the dunes are not inactive relics but are responding to the present-day wind regime. They also provide no evidence that the dunes are migrating laterally. Examination of wind data for the survey period provides some evidence that the form of the crest of the dunes is actively responding to the natural year-by-year climate variability, such that an increase in the frequency of easterly winds leads to the development of a double-crested form while fewer easterly winds lead to a single-crested form. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of passage familiarity on intelligibility estimates of dysarthric speech.

Abstract Speech pathologists often estimate intelligibility as dysarthric speakers read standard passages. The first phase of this study compared estimates of intelligibility made by speech pathologists with transcription scores made by judges unfamiliar with the speech passages. Results indicated that speech pathologists consistently overestimated intelligibility. It was hypothesized that judge familiarity with the speech sample contributed to these inflated scores. Therefore, during the second phase of the study the influence of speech sample familiarity on estimates of intelligibility was investigated. Groups of listeners judged mild, moderate, and severely dysarthric speakers under three conditions of familiarity—Unfamiliar (passage unknown), Partially Familiar (passage read twice by a normal speaker), and Most Familiar (script of the passage available). For mild and severely dysarthric speakers, passage familiarity did not significantly influence judges' estimates. For the moderately dysarthric speakers, estimates of intelligibility increased markedly with increasing passage familiarity. Clinical implications of these results are discussed.
Chiral topological superconductor from the quantum Hall state

The chiral topological superconductor in two dimensions has a full pairing gap in the bulk and a single chiral Majorana state at the edge. The vortex of the chiral superconducting state carries a Majorana zero mode which is responsible for the non-Abelian statistics of the vortices. Despite intensive searches, this superconducting state has not yet been identified in nature. In this paper, we consider a quantum Hall or a quantum anomalous Hall state near the plateau transition and in proximity to a fully gapped $s$-wave superconductor. We show that this hybrid system may realize the chiral topological superconductor state and propose several experimental methods for its observation.
Overseas relief organizations: a guide for health care providers.

Spending time overseas providing health care to people in disaster or famine-related situations can be a very rewarding experience. This article presents lists of various organizations available for health care professionals who wish to spend time in relief work. The lists include qualifications and/or professional needs, locations, lengths of service, and focuses of the organizations. Some of these organizations provide a stipend for the relief worker. In others, the entire cost of the experience must be paid for by the volunteer. Guidelines are given to assist the prospective relief worker in looking for an appropriate agency, such as to obtain a complete job description; know the details of living arrangements; make sure you have compatible philosophies; ask about health concerns; find out if adequate health insurance is provided; and gain knowledge of the culture (e.g., especially about customs, relationships of nationals to relief workers, and religious beliefs). Interested health care providers can write to any of the organizations to obtain further information.
Calcium- versus G protein-mediated phosphoinositide. Hydrolysis in rat cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes.

: The role of calcium and sodium in stimulating phosphoinositide hydrolysis in brain was investigated in rat cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes. In buffer containing 136 mM sodium and various concentrations of added calcium (0–1.0 mM), basal, potassium-stimulated, and norepinephrine -stimulated formation of 3H-inositol phosphates decreased with decreasing extracellular calcium. Potassium- and norepinephrine-stimulated formation of 3H-inositol phosphates was reduced to basal levels by addition of EGTA. Isosmotically replacing sodium with choline chloride or N-methyl-d-glucamine to disrupt Na+/Ca2+ exchange resulted in a large increase in the formation of 3H-inositol phosphates. Measurement of cytosolic calcium with fura-2 revealed that the cytosolic calcium concentration was sensitive to changes in the extracellular calcium concentration and increased on resuspension of synaptoneurosomes in sodium-free rather than sodium-containing medium. In the absence of sodium, potassium-stimulated formation of 3H-inositol phosphates was reduced or eliminated, depending on the extracellular calcium concentration. Subtraction of basal formation of 3H-inositol phosphates from that in the presence of 1 mM carbachol or 100 μM norepinephrine revealed that the carbachol-stimulated component was the same in the presence and absence of sodium, whereas the norepinephrine-stimulated component was reduced in the absence of sodium. Addition of the protein kinase C activator 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate inhibited norepinephrine- and, to a lesser extent, carbachol but not basal or aluminum fluoride-stimulated formation of 3H-inositol phosphates in sodium-free medium. These results suggest that an increase in intracellular calcium, via disruption of Na+/Ca2+ exchange or depolarization-induced calcium influx, may explain previous demonstrations that agents that stimulate Na+ influx can also stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis. These results also support previous evidence of two separate and distinct pathways for stimulating phosphoinositide-linked phospholipase C (PLC) activity in brain: One pathway appears to involve a phosphoinositide-associated guanine nucleotide binding protein-PLC coupling process, and the other a direct activation of PLC by an increase in intracellular calcium.
Drosophila stimulatory G protein alpha subunit activates mammalian adenylyl cyclase but interacts poorly with mammalian receptors: implications for receptor-G protein interaction.

Abstract Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins) transduce signals from cell-surface receptors to intracellular effector proteins. Two forms of stimulatory G protein (Gs) alpha-like subunit have been described in Drosophila melanogaster. To examine the function of these subunits we have used vaccinia virus vectors to express both proteins in cyc- cells, a murine S49 cell line deficient for Gs alpha activity. Receptor-independent activation of each Drosophila Gs alpha has demonstrated that both forms are capable of activating mammalian adenylyl cyclase and thus have the activity expected of stimulatory G proteins. However, the Drosophila Gs alpha subunits interact poorly with mammalian Gs-coupled receptors. These observations have helped to identify a region of high variability in Gs alpha proteins that may be important for receptor interactions.
Modeling of ash deposition in large-scale combustion facilities burning pulverized coal

Traditional approaches to the prediction of the deposition behavior of a coal usually involve the use of empirical indices and ASTM ash fusion temperatures. These approaches, however, can give misleading results and are often unreliable. In recent years, considerable effort has been made in the development of models which overcome some of the deficiencies of the traditional approaches, as reviewed in the first part of this paper. In spite of advances, these models still fail to describe the effect of deposition on boiler operation. The second part of this paper documents the efforts in the Advanced Combustion Engineering Research Center (ACERC) to integrate an ash deposition model with a comprehensive 3D coal combustion model. An ash deposition submodel, which includes the effects of both ash chemistry and operating conditions on slagging deposits, has been incorporated into the comprehensive combustion code, PCGC-3. The submodel includes a statistically-based particle cloud model for determination of impaction rates of fly ash on boiler walls. The fraction of impacting particles that stick to the surface is determined from the physical characteristics (viscosity) of both the particles and the deposit surface. The model includes a description of deposit growth which approximates both the physical properties and chemistry of the deposit as a function of combustion conditions (operating conditions). A key feature of the model is its ability to account for the effect of deposition on operating conditions in the boiler. Simulations of deposition in both pilot-scale and utility-scale combustion facilities are reported in the paper.
Local inhomogeneity and filamentary superconductivity in Pr-doped CaFe2As2.

We use multiscale techniques to determine the extent of local inhomogeneity and superconductivity in ${\mathrm{Ca}}_{0.86}{\mathrm{Pr}}_{0.14}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$ single crystal. The inhomogeneity is manifested as a spatial variation of the praseodymium concentration, local density of states, and superconducting order parameter. We show that the high-${T}_{c}$ superconductivity emerges from cloverlike defects associated with Pr dopants. The highest ${T}_{c}$ is observed in both the tetragonal and collapsed tetragonal phases, and its filamentary nature is a consequence of nonuniform Pr distribution that develops localized, isolated superconducting regions within the crystals.
The American Grotesque

The nightmare visions described by early American writers such as William Bradford, Mary Rowlandson, and Cotton Mather, with their allusions to a terrifying wilderness and its even more terrifying inhabitants, represent the nascent elements of the American grotesque, a tradition that emerged in full force in the early nineteenth century with writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Herman Melville. While the interest in this genre has varied over the years, it has been a consistent stream in American literature up to the present day, one evident in the work of authors as diverse as Frederick Douglass, Emily Dickinson, William Faulkner, and John Irving. Taking a wide variety of forms, including the comic grotesque, the frontier grotesque, and the southern grotesque, it has proved an enduring genre for examining social and cultural concerns, as well as issues of race, gender, and class.
Stacking the Deck by Piling Up Sanctions: Is Intermediate Punishment Destined to Fail?

Abstract: Intermediate punishment as referred to in the United States or intermediate sanctions as referred to in England ad Wales are emerging as major crime control refonn strategies despite the absence of empirical justification for these strategies. The essential goal underlying these strategies is to provide more proportionate and tough sentencing alternatives to prisons and nominal probation. This paper provides an assessment of several salient operational natures of a Florida intermediate punishment programme especially in relation to the programme's demonstrated tendency to file up sanctions' on participating offenders. Various sanctioning agent perceptions, associated decision making and programme outcomes are explored in relation to the ‘piling up of sanctions’ process. The paper concludes with a discussion of several policy implications raised by the reported findings for programmes in England and Wales and the United States.
Activation of the Met Receptor by Cell Attachment Induces and Sustains Hepatocellular Carcinomas in Transgenic Mice

Overexpression is the most common abnormality of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in human tumors. It is presumed that overexpression leads to constitutive activation of RTKs, but the mechanism of that activation has been uncertain. Here we show that overexpression of the Met RTK allows activation of the receptor by cell attachment and that this form of activation can be tumorigenic. Transgenic mice that overexpressed Met in hepatocytes developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the human tumors in which Met has been implicated previously. The tumorigenic Met was activated by cell attachment rather than by ligand. Inactivation of the transgene led to regression of even highly advanced tumors, apparently mediated by apoptosis and cessation of cellular proliferation. These results reveal a previously unappreciated mechanism by which the tumorigenic action of RTKs can be mediated, provide evidence that Met may play a role in both the genesis and maintenance of HCC, and suggest that Met may be a beneficial therapeutic target in tumors that overexpress the receptor.