cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accelerated color change in a maxillofacial elastomer with and without pigmentation.

Abstract Statement of problem. Maxillofacial prostheses require frequent replacement because the elastomer and its color additives undergo changes. Purpose. This study attempted to determine whether predictable color changes occur when 3 pigments are individually incorporated into a specific silicone elastomer. Material and methods. The materials included an RTV elastomer; 1 natural inorganic pigment, burnt sienna; and 2 synthetic organic pigments, Hansa yellow and alizarin red. Eight test groups of 10 polymerized specimens were established. Groups 1 and 2, acting as the control, involved only the elastomer. Groups 3 and 4 were composed of elastomer and burnt sienna. Groups 5 and 6 consisted of elastomer and Hansa yellow. Groups 7 and 8 comprised elastomer and alizarin red. Odd-numbered groups were assigned to a test site in Miami, Fla., whereas the even numbered groups went to Phoenix, Ariz. Specimens weathered in Miami and Phoenix received sunlight exposures of 1305.7 MJ/m 2 and 1310.2 MJ/m 2 , respectively, over time. Before and after weathering, the L* a* b* color parameter (ΔE*) of each specimen was determined spectrophotometrically. Results. Mean color changes that occurred in Arizona were larger than those produced in Florida. Specifically, these differences ranged from 0.4 (alizarin red groups) to 2.36 units for the 2 unpigmented control groups. Other differences showed significance for the unpigmented ( P =.001), burnt sienna ( P =.006), and Hansa yellow groups ( P =.001). Conclusion. Outdoor weathering tests in which documented ASTM methods were used provided a valid baseline for future research on color changes in maxillofacial prostheses. (J Prosthet Dent 2001;85:614-20.)
SU-E-T-409: What Does Gamma Dose Evaluation Criteria Mean: A Novel Method for Delivery Uncertainty Included in Dose Distribution, Plan Evaluation and Dose Prescription in Radiation Therapy

Purpose: This study focuses on the possible clinical impacts and the trustworthy of calculated dose distributions evaluated by measured gamma criteria and potential use of plan‐specific gamma value. Method and Materials:A MATLAB‐based program was developed to calculate the upper‐ and lower‐bounds of dose distributions measured by certain gamma value (e.g. 3%‐3mm) on a voxel‐by‐voxel basis. Calculated data were imported to CERR for analyses. 15 IMRT plans for prostate, lung, and head‐ and‐neck tumors (5 for each site) were analyzed using (3%‐3mm) (the standard adopted by the authors' institute). The mean dose to PTV, bladder, rectum, and parotid; maximum dose to cord, and V20 of lung are compared. Additional gamma values (2%‐3mm and 4%‐4mm) were utilized to compare the dosimetric impacts of different gamma criteria. Results: The upper‐ and lower‐ bounds vary in a wide range. For a standard gamma (3%‐3mm), the lower‐bounds of PTV‐mean are 3.01%–4.34%, 3.06%–15.6%, and 4.22%–8.28% lower than planned value for prostate, lung, and head‐and‐neck plans, respectively. The upper‐bounds increased by 2.74–7.86 Gy and 3.49–5.65 Gy for bladder‐mean and rectum‐mean doses, respectively. The cord‐max increased by 0.2–9.2 Gy and 0.74–3.02 Gy for lung and head‐and‐neck plans. The upper‐bounds of lung V20 increasing varies between 2.5% (from 4.8% to 7.3%) and 4.8% (from 62.7% to 67.6%). The upper‐bounds for parotid‐ mean increased by 0.9–9.07 Gy for head‐and‐neck plans. For various gamma applied to a lung plan, the upper‐bounds range from 39.91%–43.70% for left‐lung V20 and 27.10%–31.10% for right‐lung V20. Gamma variation for other two sites was also analyzed. Conclusion: This study provides a fast evaluation of dosimetric impact of gamma criteria to a treatment plan. The results reveal that the same gamma value can cause different dosimetric consequences for individual plan. This method can also be used to select appropriate gamma value based on the robustness of the plan.
Analytic solution for fluid stratification in a gyroscope.

The possible error induced by thermogravitational diffusion in a binary flotation fluid of a floated gyroscope is considered. An analytic expression is derived to give the species separation occurring in a narrow spherical, or cylindrical, gap when there is a uniform temperature change across the gap in the presence of a gravity field. This solution is used to estimate the possible drift rate produced by this mechanism in a gyro. The result is expressed as a function of time, geometry, and the fluid properties of the flotation mixture. The predicted drift rates are of the order of 0.1°/hr and appear to be consistent with drift rates experienced in the laboratory.
Occurrence of 12-methylgymnodimine in a spirolide-producing dinoflagellate Alexandrium peruvianum and the biogenetic implications

The novel gymnodimine congener 12-methylgymnodimine was isolated from the dinoflagellate Alexandrium peruvianum from the New River in North Carolina. In addition, the presence of 13-desmethylspirolide C was confirmed by NMR characterization. This marks the first time these two classes of cyclic imines have been found in the same organism, providing further evidence for a direct genetic relationship between the biosynthetic pathways for gymnodimines and spirolides suggested by comparison of their structures.
An online model composition tool for system biology models

Background There are multiple representation formats for Systems Biology computational models, and the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) is one of the most widely used. SBML is used to capture, store, and distribute computational models by Systems Biology data sources (e.g., the BioModels Database) and researchers. Therefore, there is a need for all-in-one web-based solutions that support advance SBML functionalities such as uploading, editing, composing, visualizing, simulating, querying, and browsing computational models.
Bitter Ocean: The Battle of the Atlantic, 1939–1945 – By David Fairbank White

The memory of allied soldiers who perished fighting in Europe during World War II has been preserved in the manicured cemeteries that cross Europe's landscape. But as journalist David Fairbank Whit...
Roll vection analysis of suggestion-induced visual field narrowing.

Instructions to simulate visual field narrowing resulted in apparently narrow visual fields when these were evaluated by means of conventional perimetry. However, when a pattern of stripes moving around the visual axis was viewed, the magnitude of the induced change in the subjective horizontal or vertical (roll vection) was unaffected. These results demonstrate that conventional perimetric techniques may in some instances be inadequate to demonstrate functional peripheral vision. Evaluation of the peripheral visual field in perimetry, the role of peripheral vision in visually guided behavior, and the effect of stressors on peripheral visual functions are discussed.
Lewis acid-catalyzed rearrangement of 2,2-dichloronorbornane to 1-chloronorbornane.

The mechanism for the unusual AlCl3-catalyzed rearrangement of 2,2-dichloronorbornane to 1-chloronorbornane in pentane has been elucidated; the reaction, which also yields four isomeric dichloronor...
Barriers to Bioweapons: Intangible Obstacles to Proliferation

Although the issue of knowledge diffusion has been at the heart of nonproliferation research and policies, no study in the political science field has thus far systematically identified the mechanisms that allow the acquisition and efficient use of specialized knowledge related to bioweapons. This analytical gap has led to the commonly held belief that bioweapons knowledge is easily transferable. Studies of past weapons programs, including the former U.S. and Soviet bioweapons programs, show that gathering the relevant information and expertise required to produce a weapon is not sufficient to guarantee success. The success of a bioweapons program is dependent on intangible factors, such as work organization, program management, structural organization, and social environment, which can enhance the advancement of a program or create obstacles to progress. When assessed within smaller state and terrorist bioweapons programs, such as those of South Africa and the terrorist group Aum Shinrikyo, these intangi...
Carbon dioxide emissions in OECD service sectors: the critical role of electricity use

From the early 1970s to mid 1990s, service sector CO2 emissions have increased significantly in OECD countries, despite marked declines in energy intensity. This development is underscored by a widespread shift from fuel use to electricity use in commercial buildings. Service sectors in countries that produce low-carbon electricity, particularly those that operate nuclear- and hydro-powered utilities, have most successfully restrained CO2 emissions. This study analyzes the impact of activity, structure, energy intensity, fuel mix, and utility mix on carbon emissions in the service sector for 13 OECD countries, and contrasts the developments before 1990 with those afterwards. The major findings of this analysis are: 1. Carbon emissions, which rose in 9 of the 13 countries investigated, were bolstered in every country by an expansion of floor area and service sector GDP, 2. Declines in energy intensity and carbon intensity lessened the magnitude of emissions increases, 3. Electricity’s share of final energy use rose in all 13 countries, but affected carbon emissions quite differently among countries, 4. After 1990, energy intensity improvements applied less downward pressure on emissions, while reductions in the average carbon content of final energy restrained emissions more strongly.
Arriesgarse para no perder el empleo: las secuelas en la salud de los obreros de la construcción del Mercosur

The most publicized construction projects in Mercosur member-countries lack references for work risks and health preventive management, in bidding documents and feasibility studies. That is why we intend to draw a picture of the current state of the debate on work risks in construction works. The aim was to interpret social determinants of the health-disease process in construction sites and to identify the ways for managing work risks. The methodology adopted was quali-quantitative, with use of secondary data (census and polls); the direct observation technique in construction sites; interviews and polls. Besides, the scope of negotiations in the 10 and 11 Mercosur subgroups are examined. Finally, limitations of cover systems and record of labor diseases and accidents are argued, within a rise in "non-registered employment" and "informal employment", from its contrast with the globalized health approach and risk management in each stage of the construction work.
Specificity of the learned helplessness model of depression

The learned helplessness model of depression was tested for its responsiveness to several types of antidepressant therapies, and to a number of psychoactive drugs which are not effective in treating depression in humans. Chronic administration of tricyclic antidepressants (imipramine, desipramine, amitryptyline, nortryptyline, or doxepin), atypical antidepressants (iprindole or mianserin), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (iproniazid or pargyline), or electroconvulsive shock was effective in reversing learned helplessness. Chronic treatment with anxiolytics (diazepam, lorazepam, or chlordiazepoxide), neuroleptics (chlorpromazine or haloperidol) stimulants (amphetamine or caffeine), or depressants (phenobarbital or ethanol) was not. Thus, this model provides a reasonable degree of specificity toward therapies which are successful in humans.
The importance of thermal conditions to recruitment success in stream-breeding frog populations distributed across a productivity gradient

Abstract Predicting the vulnerability of species to environmental change requires integrating observations of individual ecophysiological and behavioral responses with community level constraints. To assess the response of stream-breeding frogs ( Rana boylii ) to thermal stressors, such as cold water released from the depths of upstream reservoirs or warm water that results from climate change, we combined field manipulations with population censuses and environmental correlations. These frogs migrate between shaded tributaries and open canopy mainstem channels to oviposit where algal food is abundant for tadpoles. Within this context of spatial variation in aquatic primary productivity, we evaluated whether tadpole thermoregulatory behavior is a useful indicator of survival to metamorphosis and adult distribution. In a thermal gradient, tadpoles selected temperatures between 16.5–22.2 °C (mean, 19.60 ± 0.6 °C). We reared tadpoles in streams colder, warmer, or close to thermal preference. Temperature effects were mediated through algal quantity and quality. Mortality increased with increasing deviation from preferred temperatures, but the effects were ameliorated when tadpole diet was supplemented with algae ( Cladophora glomerata with epiphytic nitrogen-rich diatoms, Epithemia spp.) harvested from sun-lit channels. Distribution of frogs in free-flowing and dammed reaches within a northern California watershed was in equilibrium with tadpole thermal preference. Populations were dense (⩾125 breeding females/km) where July water temperatures averaged 17.5–19 °C in 2010, a relatively cool summer. Below 16 °C, frogs were sparse with open canopy and absent under closed canopy. Integration of thermoregulatory behavior with ecological context can thus be useful to forecast recruitment when the thermal regimes of rivers are altered by anthropogenic factors.
Ex Post Voluntary Disclosure Strategies for Insiders

Asymmetric information between corporate insiders and other market participants can lead to large bid-ask spreads or even a collapse of trade in financial markets. In this paper, we discuss how voluntary disclosure by insiders can remedy this problem. When insiders make disclosure decisions after they become informed, other market participants update their prior beliefs on the basis of both the information disclosed and the information not disclosed. Insiders then give up some or all of their information advantage to weakly increase their profits. These results do not rely on ex ante commitments on the part of the insiders.
Tax Policy and U.S. Agriculture: A General Equilibrium Analysis

This article emloys a computable general equilibrium model to analyze the effects of eliminating farm and food tax preferences in 1977. Tax differentials on capital income, labor payments, and production and sales taxes are each examined. Results indicate that these combined preferences lowered food costs by about $4.5 billion while enhancing after-tax returns to farm land, labor, and capital. The associated general equilibrium tax expenditure is estimated to have been between $5.5 and $6.6 billion.
Can insurers pay for the ''big one''? Measuring the capacity of the insurance market to respond to catastrophic losses

Abstract This paper presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of the capacity of the US property–liability insurance industry to finance catastrophic property losses in the $100 billion range. In our theoretical analysis, we show that the sufficient condition for capacity maximization, given a level of total resources in the industry, is for all insurers to hold a net of reinsurance underwriting portfolio which is perfectly correlated with aggregate industry losses. This result leads to a natural definition of industry capacity as the amount of industry resources that are deliverable conditional on an industry loss of a given size. Estimating capacity using insurer financial statement data, we find that the industry could adequately fund a $100 billion event. However, such an event would cause numerous insolvencies and severely destabilize insurance markets.
Tomographic reconstruction using 3D deformable models

We address the issue of reconstructing the shape of an object with uniform interior activity from a set of projections. We estimate directly from projection data the position of a triangulated surface describing the boundary of the object while incorporating prior knowledge about the unknown shape. This inverse problem is addressed in a Bayesian framework using the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate for the reconstruction. The derivatives needed for the gradient-based optimization of the model parameters are obtained using the adjoint differentiation technique. We present results from a numerical simulation of a dynamic cardiac imaging study. A first-pass exam is simulated with a numerical phantom of the right ventricle using the measured system response of the University of Arizona FASTSPECT imager, which consists of 24 detectors. We demonstrate the usefulness of our approach by reconstructing the shape of the ventricle from 10 000 counts. The comparison with an ML-EM result shows the usefulness of the deformable model approach.
Episulfonium ions may not be the stereodeterminants in glycosylations of 2-thioalkyl pyranosides

Abstract A mechanism invoking oxonium ions as the reactive intermediates in glycosylations of 2-thioalkyl pyranosides has been shown by theoretical methods to be a viable alternative to the postulated episulfonium intermediates.
Solitary waves of nonlinear dispersive evolution equations with critical power nonlinearities

We study the nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS), generalized Korteweg-de Vries (GKdV), and generalized Benjamin-Ono equations (GBO) with critical power nonlinearities. The ground-state solitary wave is conditionally stable modulo the group of translations in space and phase, and dilations. This is a natural extension of the result for subcritical nonlinearities, where solitary waves are stable modulo translations alone, to a case where solutions may blow up. We also present results on global existence for GBO and the structure of singularities for certain solutions of GBO, which are analogues of previous results by the author for NLS and GKdV.
Hypersomnolent and Nonhypersomnolent Patients with Upper Airway Obstruction during Sleep

When the syndrome consisting of sleep-induced apnea and hypersomnolence is due to upper airway obstruction, the hypersomnolence is believed to be the direct result of deprivation of sleep related to such obstructions. The purpose of this report is to describe a group of four asymptomatic subjects with upper airway obstruction during sleep. These subjects were matched with a group of patients with the syndrome of sleep-induced apnea and hypersomnolence. There were no significant differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic groups in terms of the absolute number of upper airway obstructions (252 vs 231), their mean duration (20.8 vs 25.9 seconds), the mean arterial carbon dioxide tension during sleep (39 vs 39 mm Hg), or the electroencephalographic patterns during sleep. The only variables that emerged as significantly different between the two groups were the weights (128 vs 90 kg; P 2 ) on waking (54 vs 80 mm Hg; P 2 during sleep (47 vs 70 mm Hg; P
Soil drainage and distribution of VAM fungi in two toposequences

Much remains unknown about the distribution and abundance of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi in natural ecosystems. Our objective was to determine whether soil drainage and position in the toposequence affect VAM fungal spore production and colonization of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) roots. Plant roots and rhizosphere soil from 24 soils, which consisted of sets of three soils each that varied in soil drainage class from four sites located in two toposequences [Clarion-Nicollet-Webster (CNW) and Sharpsburg-Macksburg-Winterset (SMW)], were sampled. Soils were analyzed for chemical properties, and numbers of VAM fungal spores per 50 g soil were determined by a wet-sieving-and-decanting technique. The percentages of root VAM fungal colonization were determined by the grid-line intersect method. The distribution of spores among locations, series and series within locations varied significantly (P < 0.001). Soil from the CNW toposequence averaged 417 spores (50 g)−1 soil, whereas soil from the SMW toposequence averaged 147 spores (50 g)−1 soil. Within the two toposequences, the poorly to somewhat poorly drained soils had higher spore counts than the well-drained to moderately well-drained soils. In the CNW toposequence, the mean spore counts of Nicollet and Webster soils (poorer drained) were 1.37-fold higher than those of Clarion soils (better drained). In the SMW toposequence, the mean spore counts of Macksburg and Winterset soils (poorer drained) were 2.06 fold higher than those of Sharpsburg soils (better drained). VAM fungal colonization of roots ranged from 74 to 88% in the CNW toposequence and from 68 to 86% in the SMW toposequence. No correlation was found between spore count and VAM fungal colonization.
Diffusion of ion implanted indium and silver in ZnO crystals

We report on diffusion behavior for ion implanted indium and silver atoms in ZnO crystals. Both In and Ag ions were implanted at room temperature at 7-10° relative to c-axis to avoid channeling effects during implantation. In ions were implanted at four different energies (40, 100, 200, and 350 keV, respectively) and doses (4.20×1013, 6.70×1013, 8.10×1013 and 3.10×1014 /cm2, respectively), resulting in a total dose of 5 ×1014 /cm2. For another set of ZnO samples, Ag ions were implanted at energies 30, 75, 150, and 350 keV at doses 3.3×1013, 4.2×1013, 8.3×1013 and 3.4×1014 /cm2, respectively, to reach a total dose of 5×1014 /cm2. Both In and Ag implants resulted in a uniform concentration profile of the implanted dopants from surface to depth ~ 150 nm. The samples were annealed for 30 minutes at temperatures between 850-1050 °C in an oxygen gas flow. The distributions of In and Ag atoms, either aligned or nonaligned along the crystalline directions, were measured by Rutherford backscattering combined with ion channeling. The diffusivities for nonaligned (interstitial) and aligned (substitutional) dopants atoms were determined to vary with annealing temperature via the Arrhenius relationship. The diffusion activation energies (Ea) along the direction for substitutional impurity atoms were lower than those for interstitial dopants atoms e.g., in the case of In, Ea ~ 1.52 eV for aligned In atoms and Ea ~ 2.61 eV for interstitial In atoms between atomic rows and in the case of Ag, Ea ~ 1.77 eV for the interstitial Ag atoms between the atomic rows and 1.11 eV for aligned Ag atoms. The diffusion activation energies showed a different trend for the two dopants as measured along the crystalline direction. For Ag implanted in ZnO, the activation energy of Ea ~ 0.91 eV for the aligned Ag atoms along direction and Ea ~ 1.55 eV were found for the interstitial Ag atoms, whereas in the case of In along the direction, the interstitial In was found to migrate with a higher activation energy (Ea ~ 1.78 eV) than the substitutional In (Ea ~1.42 eV). These results will be compared with first-principle calculations for understanding the energetics of defect formation and migration in both n- and p-type doping cases.
Towards a complete description of grasping kinematics: A framework for quantifying human grasping and manipulation

This paper proposes a framework for tracking both human hand kinematics and object contour during grasping task. The framework is based on modeling the object as point cloud and the use of marker-based tracking. We introduce how to estimate contact sites on both the hand and object, hand enclosing space, and graspable features from recorded data. Two experiments were performed to 1) verify the accuracy of contact site estimation (less than 5 mm), and 2) validate the feature extraction. Our approach can provide significant insight into how humans plan grasping and manipulation based on object recognition.
Relationships Between Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions of Literacy Acquisition and Children's Literacy Involvement and Classroom Materials

Abstract Relationships between teachers' perceptions of literacy acquisition and (a) children's involvement in literacy events and (b) the quantity and quality of classroom literacy materials were examined. The participants were 12 kindergarten teachers and 16 randomly selected students from each teacher's classroom. For data analysis purposes, responses on the Literacy Acquisition Perception Profile, verified through teacher interviews, were used to label teachers' perceptions as representing either a reading readiness skills or emergent literacy perspective. Children's voluntary involvement in literacy events was observed and recorded during a 12-week period. The Inventory of Literacy Indicators was used to assess the quantity and quality of classroom literacy materials. Children in classrooms of emergent literacy teachers participated in a higher number and greater variety of literacy events than did children in reading readiness skills classrooms, and literacy materials in classrooms of emergent liter...
Incision and differential bedrock uplift along the Indus River near Nanga Parbat, Pakistan Himalaya, from 10Be and 26Al exposure age dating of bedrock straths

Abstract Well preserved, river-cut bedrock surfaces (straths) abandoned by the progressive incision of the Indus River in northern Pakistan were dated using in situ cosmogenic 10 Be and 26 Al exposure age dating. Measurements on young and modern straths show no significant ingrowth of 10 Be and 26 Al, implying that strath exposure ages closely approximate their abandonment age. Strath exposure ages range up to 65 ka and increase with height above the river. The straths can be divided into two groups: low straths dated at about 7 ka, which yield very rapid bedrock incision rates (9–12 m/ka), and high straths >7 ka in age, which yield somewhat slower incision rates (1–6 m/ka). Incision rates for both groups increase by ∼1–3 m/ka downstream toward an active reverse fault, the Raikot fault, that forms the western border of the Nanga Parbat–Haramosh massif (NPHM). The downstream increases in incision rates for the low straths mimic downstream increases in the modern gradient, suggesting that bedrock incision rates have been proportional to stream power over the last 7 ka. Gradient increases are probably the result of the creation of knickpoints by bedrock uplift along the Raikot fault. The longitudinal profile and steep gorge of the Indus River in the study area indicate that bedrock incision appears to keep pace with differential vertical motions between the NPHM and surrounding regions. Thus, the 1–3 m/ka difference in incision rates likely reflects the differential bedrock uplift rate between the NPHM and the Skardu Basin. The differential incision rate is consistent with differential exhumation rates obtained from apatite fission track ages assuming geotherms of ≤80–90°C/km in the NPHM and 35°C/km in the Skardu Basin. This relation suggests that rapid bedrock incision of at least 1–3 m/ka has persisted within the NPHM for the last 0.5 Ma. The acceleration of incision rates throughout the study area since 15 ka is likely to be a climatic signal that records an increase in the discharge and/or sediment load of the Indus River in the study area related to deglaciation of the surrounding terrane.
Overexpression Screen in Drosophila Identifies Neuronal Roles of GSK-3β/shaggy as a Regulator of AP-1-Dependent Developmental Plasticity

AP-1, an immediate-early transcription factor comprising heterodimers of the Fos and Jun proteins, has been shown in several animal models, including Drosophila, to control neuronal development and plasticity. In spite of this important role, very little is known about additional proteins that regulate, cooperate with, or are downstream targets of AP-1 in neurons. Here, we outline results from an overexpression/misexpression screen in Drosophila to identify potential regulators of AP-1 function at third instar larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ) synapses. First, we utilize >4000 enhancer and promoter (EP) and EPgy2 lines to screen a large subset of Drosophila genes for their ability to modify an AP-1-dependent eye-growth phenotype. Of 303 initially identified genes, we use a set of selection criteria to arrive at 25 prioritized genes from the resulting collection of putative interactors. Of these, perturbations in 13 genes result in synaptic phenotypes. Finally, we show that one candidate, the GSK-3β-kinase homolog, shaggy, negatively influences AP-1-dependent synaptic growth, by modulating the Jun-N-terminal kinase pathway, and also regulates presynaptic neurotransmitter release at the larval neuromuscular junction. Other candidates identified in this screen provide a useful starting point to investigate genes that interact with AP-1 in vivo to regulate neuronal development and plasticity.
Overlay patch repair of scratch damage in carbon fiber/epoxy laminated composites

Abstract In this paper we present a numerical and experimental study on the overlay repair of scratch damage in carbon-fiber/epoxy composite laminates. The scratch damage severs several load bearing plies and results in a lack of symmetry in an originally symmetric multidirectional laminate. The ply-by-ply p-version finite element model is used to investigate the effects of the repair patch variables on the overall efficiency of the repair procedure and the lamina level stress states. The results show that interlaminar crack propagation in the direction parallel to the surface can be retarded with careful selection of repair parameters.
Multiple scale integrated modeling of deposition processes

The ability to predict feature profile evolution across wafers during processing using equipment scale operating conditions is one important goal of process engineers. We present an integrated approach for simulating the multiple length scales needed to address this problem for thermal chemical vapour deposition (CVD) processes. In this approach, continuum models on the reactor scale and mesoscopic scales are coupled tightly with ballistic transport models on the feature scale to predict micro and macro loading effects in a transient environment. As an example of this approach, the transient simulation results for thermal deposition of silicon dioxide from tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) are presented. The efficiency of the approach presented and extensions to more complex systems are briefly discussed.
Assessment of key issues in the coloration of polyester material

In a previous publication we reviewed some of the most critical issues that affect the coloration and properties of cotton-based textiles [R. Shamey and T. Hussain, Textile Progress 37(1/2) (2005) pp. 1–84]. Today, polyester is still widely regarded as an inexpensive and uncomfortable fiber, but this image is slowly beginning to fade with the emergence of polyester luxury fibers. Polyester fibers currently comprise a commanding 77% share of the total worldwide production of the major synthetic fibers [F. Ayfi, 2003–2004 Handbook of Statistics on Man-Made/Synthetic Fibre/Yarn Industry. Part One, Fibre for Better Living, Association of Synthetic Fibre Industry, Mumbai, India, 2004, p. 177]. More than 95% of all polyester fibers manufactured today is based on polyethylene terephthalate. The dyeing properties of polyester fibers are strongly influenced by many of the processing conditions to which each fiber may be subjected during its manufacturing or in subsequent handling. Significant differences in proper...
Outcomes after lobectomy using thoracoscopy vs thoracotomy: a comparative effectiveness analysis utilizing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database

OBJECTIVES: We examined the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to compare short-term postoperative outcomes following open and thoracoscopic lobectomy. Thoracoscopic (video-assisted thoracic surgery) lobectomy has been demonstrated to be associated with fewer postoperative complications compared with open thoracotomy lobectomy in several large case series. However, as no randomized trial has been performed, there are many who question this. METHODS: We examined the NIS database for all patients undergoing lobectomy as their principal procedure either via thoracoscopic or open thoracotomy from 2007 to 08. We compared the postoperative outcomes of these two groups of patients after propensity matching these groups based on several preoperative variables. RESULTS: Over a 2-year-period, 68 350 patients underwent a lobectomy by either thoracoscopy [n= 10 554 (15%)] or thoracotomy [n= 57 796(85%)]. Thirty-two percent of thoracoscopic lobectomies (n= 3421) were performed in either rural or non-teaching urban centres. Although in propensity-matched cohorts there was no difference in operative mortality, thoracoscopic lobectomy was associated with a lower incidence of postoperative complications [n= 4146 (40.8%) vs n= 13 913 (45.1%), P< 0.001] and shorter length of stay (5.0 vs 7.0 days; P< 0.001) compared with open lobectomy. Specifically, the incidences of supraventricular arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and empyema were lower. CONCLUSIONS: This large national database study demonstrates that thoracoscopic lobectomy is associated with fewer in-hospital postoperative complications compared with open lobectomy. Thoracoscopic lobectomy appears to be applicable to the wider general thoracic surgical community.
A Piecewise Model for Prediction of Large Amplitude Total Ship Roll Damping

A piecewise model is presented to model total ship roll damping, with considerations for large amplitude roll motion effects, such as bilge keel interaction with the free-surface. The model is based on the consideration of distinct ship-specific physical phenomena, such as bilge keel emergence. Abrupt physical changes occur with these events, resulting in significant changes in the damping characteristics of the system. Without these considerations, roll motion may be under-predicted. Some additional considerations needed for the practical implementation of the proposed piecewise model are also discussed.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The biocultural approach in nutritional anthropology: Case studies of malnutrition in Mali

Socioeconomic status is often cited as the most important factor influencing nutritional status and growth in children. Research in Mali, however, has shown that relative poverty is not an accurate predictor of nutritional status and growth, and that other factors may be more important. In Mali, these factors include maternal age, marital problems, untreated illness, allocation of household resources, maternal attitudes, maternal competence, support networks, and the social structure of a polygynous, patrilineal society. In this paper, case studies of children in three families illustrate how sociocultural malnutrition in young children can be viewed as an unintended consequence of the complex interactions among these factors.
Flexibility of β-Sheets: Principal Component Analysis of Database Protein Structures

Protein folds are built primarily from the packing together of two types of struc- tures: -helices and -sheets. Neither structure is rigid, and the flexibility of helices and sheets is often important in determining the final fold (e.g., coiled coils and -barrels). Recent work has quantified the flexibility of -helices using a principal component analysis (PCA) of database helical structures (J. Mol. Bio. 2003, 327, pp. 229 -237). Here, we extend the analysis to -sheet flexibility using PCA on a data- base of -sheet structures. For sheets of varying dimension and geometry, we find two dominant modes of flexibility: twist and bend. The distribu- tions of amplitudes for these modes are found to be Gaussian and independent, suggesting that the PCA twist and bend modes can be identified as the soft elastic normal modes of sheets. We consider the scaling of mode eigenvalues with sheet size and find that parallel -sheets are more rigid than antiparal- lel sheets over the entire range studied. Finally, we discuss the application of our PCA results to model- ing and design of -sheet proteins. Proteins 2004;55:
Tracing the origins of signal diversity in anole lizards: phylogenetic approaches to inferring the evolution of complex behaviour

Within species, natural and sexual selection work together to shape the design of animal communicative systems, and sometimes act differentially on alternate components to produce a single elaborate phenotype that works well in several contexts. Here, we show a similar pattern at the interspecific level, and describe how an intricate selective regime can shape diversification of a complex behaviour across species. Using four phylogenetic comparative methods, alternative phylogenetic hypotheses, and a data set compiled from over 50 different sources representing 53 taxa, we test the relative importance of different ecological variables on the evolution of anole visual displays. Our study makes use of the inherent complexity of these signals and the availability of published descriptions in the form of display-action-patterns. Results indicate that different selective forces are linked to change in different display components. Whereas evolutionary changes in display duration appear to be linked to sexual size dimorphism, measures of display complexity (number and uniformity of display components) were more tightly associated with the need to facilitate species recognition and the type of light environment in which the display is typically performed. We also found some evidence that ecomorph distinctions, a major force in morphological evolution of anoles, have had an impact on the evolution of display structure. We use our findings to highlight areas for future research and discuss the similarities and differences between display evolution in anoles and in other lizard genera.
Synthesis of nitrodienes, nitrostyrenes, and nitrobiaryls through palladium-catalyzed couplings of β-nitrovinyl and o-nitroaryl thioethers

A highly efficient, base-free, mild protocol for the palladium-catalyzed, copper-activated desulfitative couplings of vinyl and aryl β-nitrothioethers generates a wide variety of conjugated nitroorganics. Orthogonality to traditional Suzuki–Miyaura coupling is demonstrated, as well as synthetic utility, through reductive Cadogan cyclization, for the formation of indoles, carbazoles, and pyrroles.
Numerical Modeling of Stage-Discharge Relationships in Urban Streams

AbstractQuantitative relationships for converting recorded water levels to discharge records in urban streams typically have high levels of uncertainty, particularly for high flows. This problem results from the inherent difficulty in making direct discharge measurements during storms in urban watersheds with flashy runoff response. This paper describes an approach using a 2-D depth-averaged numerical model (TUFLOW) to support rating curves for stream gauges in Baltimore. Multiple forms of field-measured data are used to test and adjust the model-based curves, including surveyed water-surface profiles and high-water marks. Discrepancies between modeled curves and discharge measurements were 0.021–0.085 m3 s-1. The average of modeled and measured water-surface profiles matched to within 0.04–0.08 m of water depth. This method facilitates the generation of rating curves encompassing the full range of flows for which patterns of runoff response impede measurement of high flows allow simulation of complex fl...
Crashworthiness Simulations with DYNA3D

Current progress in parallel algorithm research and applications in vehicle crash simulation is described for the explicit, finite element algorithms in DYNA3D. Problem partitioning methods and parallel algorithms for contact at material interfaces are the two challenging algorithm research problems that are addressed. Two prototype parallel contact algorithms have been developed for treating the cases of local and arbitrary contact. Demonstration problems for local contact are crashworthiness simulations with 222 locally defined contact surfaces and a vehicle/barrier collision modeled with arbitrary contact. A simulation of crash tests conducted for a vehicle impacting a U-channel small sign post embedded in soil has been run on both the serial and parallel versions of DYNA3D. A significant reduction in computational time has been observed when running these problems on the parallel version. However, to achieve maximum efficiency, complex problems must be appropriately partitioned, especially when contact dominates the computation.
Enabling innovation in high technology organizations with fixed centralized organizational structures

The introduction of the contingency theory of organizational design, which states that the best way to organize varies depending on the nature of the environment in which the organization operates, represented a significant progression in design theory.12 In organizational theory, organizations can be classified by structural and cultural characteristics. Organizational cultures are typically classified as either organic or mechanistic, while organizational structures are classified as either centralized or decentralized. Organizational design is the process of introducing cultural and structural characteristics which support the needs of the organization. The most prominent and commonly accepted contingency design approach, put forward by organizational theoreticians Burns and Stalker, recommends selecting the organizational structure based on the demands of the environment in which the organization operates. Organizations which operate in predictable and stable environments are best suited by centralized structural forms which promote efficiency. On the other hand, organizations which operate in unstable or unpredictable environments are best suited by decentralized structural forms (such as the divisional departmentation) which promote flexibility.
Canadian Multiculturalism and the Absence of the Far Right

The far right has never been a prominent force in Canadian politics or society. Traditionally, they more resembled the North American than the West European model: ideologically dominated by right-wing populism and white supremacy, organizationally characterized by factionalism and sectarianism. The extreme right seems an almost negligible force today, in part reflecting a similar decline in the United States, while the radical right has so far been unable to build upon the recent upsurge of Islamophobia, as in Western Europe. We argue that the failure of the Canadian radical right is primarily the result of Canada's unique multiculturalism policy, which is based on a combination of selective immigration, comprehensive integration, and strong state repression of dissent on these policies. This unique blend of policies has led to a relatively low level of opposition to multiculturalism and has left little legal and political space for far right politics.
The Diabetes Education Experience of Randomly Selected Patients Under the Care of Community Physicians

The purpose of this study was to describe the diabetes education and nutritional counseling received by patients under the active care of community physicians. The study population consisted of 440 patients with diabetes from the practices of 68 primary care physicians in eight Michigan communities. Fifty-eight percent of the sample reported having received diabetes education, and the mean number of years since the most recent education was 4.15 years. Sixty-six percent reported having seen a dietitian. Patients who had received diabetes education scored higher on a basic diabetes knowledge test (70% correct vs 60%) than patients who had not received diabetes education. From 1981 to 1991, a decline was observed in the percentage of patients who reported having received diabetes education (70% to 58%). Although patient education is an integral part of comprehensive diabetes care, too few patients are receiving it. Furthermore, diabetes education often results in less-than-optimal levels of knowledge. The s...
Specification of a multipoint congram-oriented high performance internet protocol

G.M. Parulkar (Comput. Commun. Rev., vol.20, no.1, p.18-43, Jan. 1990) previously proposed a very high-speed internet (VHSI) abstraction that provides a variable grade of service with performance guarantees on top of diverse networks. An improvement component of the VHSI abstraction is a novel multipoint congram-oriented high-performance internet protocol (MCHIP). Features of this protocol include the following: support for multipoint communication; the congram as the service primitive, incorporating strengths of both connection and datagram approaches; the ability to provide a variable grade of service with performance guarantees; and suitability for high-speed implementation. The authors introduce the VHSI abstraction, focusing on the description of MCHIP. >
Why Is Canada in Afghanistan? Explaining Canada's Military Commitment

Canada's military engagement in Afghanistan can be fully explained, according to many academic accounts, government officials, and media commentators, by exclusively examining domestic or state-level factors specific to the Canadaian nation, most notably the political priorities of successive governments. This essay instead finds that Canadian external behavior must be analyzed in the context of the current unipolar international political system. The presence of only one great power, and the fact that the power in question is the United States, has and will continue to play a significant role in the formulation and execution of Canadian foreign policy pursuits, including Afghanistan.
Searching for the genes that separate species.

Hybrid mice shed new light on the interactions between regions of the genome that help drive the evolution of new species by reducing the fertility of hybrid males.
Closed-Incision Negative-Pressure Therapy Versus Antimicrobial Dressings After Revision Hip and Knee Surgery: A Comparative Study.

Abstract Background This study evaluates the efficacy of closed-incision negative-pressure therapy (ciNPT) in decreasing wound complications and surgical site infections (SSIs) after revision hip and knee surgery. Methods A retrospective quality improvement analysis of 138 consecutive revision hip and knee operations performed by a single surgeon over a 34-month period was performed. ciNPT was used selectively in higher-risk patients with multiple risk factors for SSIs over the last 15 months of the study period. Rates of wound complications, SSIs, and reoperation were compared with patients treated with a sterile antimicrobial dressing. Results Antimicrobial dressings were used in 108 patients, whereas ciNPT was used in 30 patients. Patients treated with ciNPT developed fewer overall wound complications (6.7% vs 26.9%, P = .024) and fewer total SSIs (3.3% vs 18.5%, P = .045) than patients treated with antimicrobial dressings. In addition, there were trends toward a lower rate of superficial wound dehiscence (6.7% vs 19.4%, P = .163), fewer deep periprosthetic joint infections (0.0% vs 9.3%, P = .118), and fewer reoperations (3.3% vs 13.0%, P = .191) among patients treated with ciNPT. Conclusion Our findings suggest that ciNPT may decrease wound complications and SSIs in patients undergoing revision hip and knee surgery.
Neurosurgical Care for One--Neurosurgical Care for All: Global Neurosurgical Care Has Global Benefits!

eurosurgical care typically takes place 1 patient at a time. We use the history, physical exam, and—to an N increasing extent—sophisticated technology to make the precise diagnosis in the particular patient at hand. Think magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance arteriogram, genomics, positron emission tomography. We then use equally sophisticated—and usually very costly—intraoperative techniques to treat that individual patient. Think image guidance, stereotactic radiosurgery, intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging. These neurosurgical procedures increasingly involve expensive implanted devices. Think deep brain stimulation, programmable shunts, titanium spinal hardware. Postoperative care is tailored to each patient in a high-tech intensive care unit, and rehabilitation is becoming increasingly individualized, devicedependent, and resource-intensive.