cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attention capture in birds performing an auditory streaming task.

Numerous animal models have been used to investigate the neural mechanisms of auditory processing in complex acoustic environments, but it is unclear whether an animal’s auditory attention is functionally similar to a human’s in processing competing auditory scenes. Here we investigated the effects of attention capture in birds performing an objective auditory streaming paradigm. The classical ABAB… patterned pure tone sequences were modified and used for the task. We trained the birds to selectively attend to a target stream and only respond to the deviant appearing in the target stream, even though their attention may be captured by a deviant in the background stream. When no deviant appeared in the background stream, the birds experience the buildup of streaming process in a qualitatively similar way as they did in a subjective paradigm. Although the birds were trained to selectively attend to the target stream, they failed to avoid the involuntary attention switch caused by the background deviant, especially when the background deviant was sequentially unpredictable. Their global performance deteriorated more with increasingly salient background deviants, where the buildup process was reset by the background distractor. Moreover, sequential predictability of the background deviant facilitated the recovery of the buildup process after attention capture. This is the first study that addresses the perceptual consequences of the joint effects of top-down and bottom-up attention in behaving animals.
A revolution in Chile. But where is it headed

The following essay is an attempt to unify and contextualize much of the media coverage on Chile's protest waves throughout the end of 2019. Information was drawn from Chilean, Brazilian, and international English-speaking publications. After establishing a coherent timeline and narrative to the protests, I set out to understand the composition and dynamics of the protests. Finally, I explore possible causes and precedents to the Chilean crisis in education, healthcare, pensions, poverty and inequality.
Single- and dual-objective light-sheet microscope architectures for cleared tissues: a simulation-based performance comparison

Light-sheet microscopy (LSM) is a powerful technique for rapid volumetric imaging of optically cleared specimens. Given the range of possible LSM configurations, designers would benefit from a systematic evaluation of the tradeoffs between different architectures. We present a simulation-based analysis of single- and dual-objective LSM designs for open-top, cleared-tissue imaging. System resolution and contrast are evaluated as functions of the crossing angle between the illumination and collection beams and each beam’s numerical aperture (NA). Our analysis reveals several key tradeoffs to guide designers in addition to potential advantages of a non-orthogonal dual-objective (NODO) architecture for moderate resolution imaging.
Deformable Superoleophobic Surfaces with High Mechanical Resilience

We report the first superoleophobic surface made of two materials that shows high resilience to mechanical compression, bending, stretching, and twisting. By heterogeneously bonding of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate with micropillars and SU-8 caps with doubly re-entrant structures, the resulted surface repelled liquids without additional coatings. Unlike the micro/nanostructures on existing superhydrophobic surfaces, our hybrid surface structures were found able to recover from various mechanical deformations, including the extreme cases where surface structures were pushed into the substrate with a distance that is several times of their height. With resilient surface structures, the reported surface maintained its repellency to a wide range of fluids such as water and isopropyl alcohol before and after the mechanical tests.
Structural Basis for the Diminished Ligand Binding and Catalytic Ability of Human Fetal-Specific CYP3A7.

Cytochrome P450 3A7 (CYP3A7) is a fetal/neonatal liver enzyme that participates in estriol synthesis, clearance of all-trans retinoic acid, and xenobiotic metabolism. Compared to the closely related major drug-metabolizing enzyme in adult liver, CYP3A4, the ligand binding and catalytic capacity of CYP3A7 are substantially reduced. To better understand the structural basis for these functional differences, the 2.15 A crystal structure of CYP3A7 has been solved. Comparative analysis of CYP3A enzymes shows that decreased structural plasticity rather than the active site microenvironment defines the ligand binding ability of CYP3A7. In particular, a rotameric switch in the gatekeeping amino acid F304 triggers local and long-range rearrangements that transmit to the F-G fragment and alter its interactions with the I-E-D-helical core, resulting in a more rigid structure. Elongation of the β3-β4 strands, H-bond linkage in the substrate channel, and steric constraints in the C-terminal loop further increase the active site rigidity and limit conformational ensemble. Collectively, these structural distinctions lower protein plasticity and change the heme environment, which, in turn, could impede the spin-state transition essential for optimal reactivity and oxidation of substrates.
The Visual Culture of Revelation: Visions and the Images that Reveal Them:

It is often thought that since remote, rare, and ephemeral events such as apparitions are not available to the direct observation of scholars, the question of their nature as events must be set asi...
Site Fidelity is Associated with Food Provisioning and Salmonella in an Urban Wading Bird

Food provisioning can change wildlife pathogen dynamics by altering host susceptibility via nutrition and/or through shifts in foraging behavior and space use. We used the American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), a wading bird increasingly observed in urban parks, as a model to study synergistic relationships between food provisioning and infection risk across an urban gradient in South Florida. We tested whether Salmonella prevalence was associated with changes in ibis diet (stable isotope analysis), space use (site fidelity via GPS tracking), and local density (flock size). We compared the relative importance of these mechanisms by ranking candidate models using logistic regression. We detected Salmonella in 27% of white ibises (n = 233) sampled at 15 sites. Ibises with diets higher in anthropogenic food exhibited higher site fidelity. Salmonella prevalence was higher at sites where ibises exhibited greater site fidelity and Salmonella was more prevalent in soil and water. Overlap in Salmonella serotypes between ibises and soil or water also was more likely at sites where ibises exhibited higher site fidelity. Our results suggest that repeated use of foraging areas may increase Salmonella exposure for birds if foraging areas are contaminated from animal feces, human waste, or other bacterial sources. Limiting wildlife feeding in parks—perhaps best achieved through understanding the motivations for feeding, education, and enforcement—may reduce health risks for wildlife and the public.
“An art, not a science”? LIS, digital humanities, and the call to undiscipline

The origin date of digital humanities (DH) is as contested as virtually everything else about it, but the contexts in which I first heard the term were laced with disciplinary anxiety, despair, and derision. I’d started an English PhD amid 2009’s economic doomscape, and peers on the market were seeing “digital humanities” appear in job postings in vague, seemingly incongruous ways. What did a “secondary specialization in digital humanities” entail, and how could it possibly pertain to subdisciplines spanning Medieval Studies and global Anglophone literatures and Victorian fiction? Facing this quandary, some dismissed DH wholesale as a gimmicky way to court STEM funding without doing any “real” humanities work, while others made Moby Dick word clouds in desperate bids to qualify themselves for those postings.
The structure analysis of β-rhombohedral boron

Abstract A detailed discussion of the analysis of the structure of β-rhombohedral boron, β-B105, is presented. Several formulations of the icosahedral framework structure are fully elaborated and detailed variations in bond lengths and bonding geometries are discussed. Perturbations of the ideal structure are effected through partial occupancies, substitutional atoms, and local disorders in framework and interstitial sites.
Photoemission as a Tool to Study Solids and Surfaces

During the last 15 years, photoemission has been established as a very powerful tool for studies of the bulk and surface electronic structure of materials. Different aspects of photoemission spectroscopy have been treated in a series of review articles (1–24) Synchrotron radiation with its continuous spectral distribution from infrared to x-ray radiation has opened up new avenues in studies of solids and surfaces and strengthened the applicability of the photoemission technique tremendously. In this paper, we will try to review the most prominent advances that have been made since the advent of synchrotron radiation as an excitation source.
Love and Tears in Russia: An Ethnographic Approach to the Study of Socialization of Gender Roles and Gender Relationships in Contemporary Urban Russia

During the past several years as communications have eased with the (former) Soviet Union, an increasing number of works have appeared describing gender roles and relationships within the various ethnic groups in the region. This article presents an experiment with the new forms of ethnographic interpretation in an attempt to describe the socialization of gender roles in Russian urban society in 1989-90, using story and allegory to describe the reasserting of traditional gender inequality during perestroika and the inequality of relations between Russia and the West. During the past several years as communications have eased with the (former) Soviet Union, an increasing number of works have appeared detailing the double burden faced by Soviet women (Clements, Engel and Worobec, 1991; Fischer, 1983; DuPlessix Gray, 1989), presenting the voices of Soviet women (Hanson and Liden, 1983; Lapidus, 1978; Mamanova, 1984), depicting male-female relations in Soviet society (Attwood, 1990; Stern and Stern, 1980), the workings of the Soviet family (Juvelier, 1966), and describing the role of women in various age groups in the society (Bystydzienski, 1989; Riordan, 1989). A variety of works, many of them historical, have also appeared to detail the particular roles and attitudes of women in the Soviet Union's more than 100 ethnic groups (Engelstein, 1990; Massell, 1974). These studies have usually presented a statistical portrait of the plight of Russian women, have provided an opportunity for selected women to describe their lives and their concerns, or have reviewed the place of Soviet women in the society as reflected in literature and other cultural texts. The form of these studies has tended to reflect the disciplinary paradigms of their authors, with anthropological interpretation of contemporary gender roles and relations absent from the literature. What anthropology has to offer the field is the ability to capture some of the
Application specific small-scale reconfigurability

Fixed logic circuit design and fabrication is the preferred implementation route for applications with exacting performance, area, and/or power requirements. However, the resulting fixed logic application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) lack the flexibility to adapt to faults and other runtime events, to changing design specifications and process parameters, or for multi-function execution. Traditional approaches for achieving hardware flexibility with programmable processors or large-scale, general-purpose reconfigurable fabrics (e.g. field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)) impose significant area, delay, and power penalties compared to fixed logic ASICs. Small-scale reconfigurability (SSR) is a new design technique that minimizes these penalties by finely integrating into a primarily fixed logic circuit only the amount of reconfigurable logic and interconnect that is required for a particular application, at a gate-level granularity. SSR circuits have the necessary flexibility with ASIC-like efficiency due to the fine integration and application-specific implementation. This dissertation introduces SSR and methodologies for applying SSR to the implementation of flexible systems for three major applications: flexible multi-mode system synthesis, low complexity fine-grained heterogeneous redundancy for online testing and fault tolerance, and yield- and reliability-aware flexible design. Results of applying SSR to these application areas reveal the efficacy of this technique in bridging the efficiency/flexibility gap between traditional fixed logic ASICs and general-purpose reconfigurable fabrics.
Complex causes of amphibian population declines

Amphibian populations have suffered widespread declines and extinctions in recent decades. Although climatic changes, increased exposure to ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation and increased prevalence of disease have all been implicated at particular localities, the importance of global environmental change remains unclear. Here we report that pathogen outbreaks in amphibian populations in the western USA are linked to climate-induced changes in UV-B exposure. Using long-term observational data and a field experiment, we examine patterns among interannual variability in precipitation, UV-B exposure and infection by a pathogenic oomycete, Saprolegnia ferax. Our findings indicate that climate-induced reductions in water depth at oviposition sites have caused high mortality of embryos by increasing their exposure to UV-B radiation and, consequently, their vulnerability to infection. Precipitation, and thus water depth/UV-B exposure, is strongly linked to El Nino/Southern Oscillation cycles, underscoring the role of large-scale climatic patterns involving the tropical Pacific. Elevated sea-surface temperatures in this region since the mid-1970s, which have affected the climate over much of the world, could be the precursor for pathogen-mediated amphibian declines in many regions.
Evaluating bis(2-ethylhexyl) methanediphosphonic acid (H2DEH[MDP]) based polymer ligand film (PLF) for plutonium and uranium extraction

This paper describes a new analyte extraction medium called polymer ligand film (PLF) that was developed to rapidly extract radionuclides. PLF is a polymer medium with ligands incorporated in its matrix that selectively and quickly extracts analytes. The main focus of the new technique is to shorten and simplify the procedure for chemically isolating radionuclides for determination through alpha spectroscopy. The PLF system was effective for plutonium and uranium extraction. The PLF was capable of co-extracting or selectively extracting plutonium over uranium depending on the PLF composition. The PLF and electrodeposited samples had similar alpha spectra resolutions.
Logical Zeros for the Seven-Qubit Quantum Error Correction Code

ABSTRACT Inthisworkwecomparetheaccuracyoftwomethodsusedtocon structa logicalzerostate appropriateforthe [7;1;3] CSSquantum error correction code in a non-equiprobablePauli o perator error environment. The r st method is to apply errorcorrection, via syndrome measurement, on seven physical qu bits all in the state zero. To do the syndrome measurementsin a fault-tolerant fashion requires the construction of fo ur qubit Shor states. These Shor states are also assumed to beconstructedin anon-equiprobablePaulioperatorerrorenv ironmentandit is these thatareusedtoimplementthe syndro memeasurement. The second construction method is to implemen t the [7;1;3] encoding gate sequence, also in the non-equiprobable Pauli operator error environment. The d elit y of the output states is calculated for each of these methods .With respect to the Shor state construction we n d that the im plementation of (noisy) parity based veric ations does notnecessarily raise the d elity of the resulting Shor state. W e also n d that the second logical zero construction methodoutputs a seven qubit state with a respectfully higher d eli ty than the r st (fault tolerant) method. However, the d eli ty ofthe single qubit of stored informationhas almost equivalen td elity from the two constructionmethods.Keywords: cluster state, entanglement,decoherence,superoperator
The association of lichen planus of the penis with squamous cell carcinoma in situ and with verrucous squamous carcinoma.

. Two cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the penis, one verrucous type and one in situ, arising in association with an inflammatory dermatosis most consistent with lichen planus, are described. Although SCC has previously been reported to have arisen from lichen planus of the oral mucosa, these are the first reported cases of the coexistence of these processes on the penis.
Two-dimensional lattice hamiltonian for surface reconstruction

Abstract We demonstrate that the strong coupling surface structural phase transition as observed on the (001) face of bcc group transition metals can be studied with an effective two-dimensional lattice Hamiltonian. This Hamiltonian provides an accurate description of the zero temperature properties and is convenient for a detailed study of the finite temperature phase diagram and critical fluctuation properties of the structural phase transition.
Free will, responsibility and the promise of forensic psychiatry.

Skepticism and mystery surround forensic psychiatric hearings. Experts from both camps testify with equal fervor concerning the sanity of the defendant. Abstruse conceptions of insanity and mental illness are bandied about the courtroom as religious incantations are bandied about a temple. Like religious ceremonies, these hearings appear more concerned with ritual than with truth. Describing the structure and purpose of forensic psychiatric evaluations reveals that this appearance is deceptive. ~ On the view presented in this article, forensic psychiatric evaluations are interpretive judgments that provide evidence germane to legal responsibility. An agent is legally responsible when he acts autonomously. If we cannot plausibly interpret an individual's behavior as autonomous, then we have evidence that he is not a responsible agent and should not be punished by the state. Autonomy and responsibility are two sides of the same coin of moral agency. Moral agency jointly refers to what motivated the individual's behavior as well as to what societal or legal judgments follow from his acting on that type of motivation. Autonomy involves the idea of the individual as an author or source of his own behavior. 2 A person acts autonomously when his behavior is motivated by certain kinds of motivational f ac to r s such as reasons, desires,
Synthesis, spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of ruthenium-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-benzoxazole complexes. Crystal structure of [Ru(terpy)(HPB)Cl]

Abstract Ruthenium(II) complexes utilizing both the 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (terpy) and the Schiff base ligand, 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)-benzoxazole (HPB) were synthesized. The complex, Ru(terpy)(HPB)C1, was found to be formed in two isomeric forms, [Ru(terpy)(HPB)C1]·H2O (1) and [Ru(terpy)(HPB)C1] (2). The isomers of the chloro complex result from the placement of the imine nitrogen or the phenolic oxygen of HPB trans to the chloro ligand. The structure of complex 2 has been determined by use of X-ray crystallography. The isomers exhibit similar electronic absorption patterns, but one isomer absorbs more into the visible region. Cyclic voltammetry of the complexes show a one electron Ru(III)/Ru(II) reversible couple, with complex 2 oxidized at a more positive potential than the complex 1. The aqua complexes, [Ru(terpy)(HPB)(H2O)](PF6)2·2H2O (3) and Ru(terpy)(HPB)(H2O)]PF6·H2O (4) were also synthesized. In the presence of tert-butylhydroperoxide, the aqua complexes catalyzed the oxidation of diphenyl sulfide to diphenyl sulfoxide and phenyl methyl sulfide to phenyl methyl sulfoxide.
Sex differences in the electrocommunication signals of Sternarchogiton nattereri (Gymnotiformes: Apteronotidae)

In this study we examined electrocommunication behavior in Sternarchogiton nattereri (Apteronotidae), a weakly electric fish from South America. We focused on variation between females and males lacking external dentition and used playbacks of simulated conspecifics to elicit chirps (modulations of their electric organ discharge, EOD). Chirp responses were not affected by the frequency of the playback stimulus. EOD frequency, chirp rate, and chirp duration were not sexually dimorphic; however, the amount of chirp frequency modulation was significantly greater in toothless males than in females. These results reinforce that sex differences in chirp structure are highly diverse and widespread in the Apteronotidae.
Development of a Lap Joint Fretting Apparatus

An experimental apparatus designed specifically for fretting experiments on mechanical lap joints is presented. A piezoactuator is used to impose fretting motion, and a tri-axial load cell is used to measure tangential force as well as possible misalignment forces. A laser nanosensor is employed to measure the relative motion between the joint halves. No post-processing and filtering of the data is needed to obtain the fretting response using this apparatus. Instead, raw data obtained from experiments with monolithic and 1-bolt aluminum and steel joints under various loading conditions suggest that noise, misalignment, stiffness and damping associated with the apparatus are minimal, and thus the fretting behavior of the mechanical lap joints is accurately captured. Analyses of typical fretting loops obtained by the proposed apparatus suggest that normal preload and maximum tangential displacement influence the critical joint parameters of stiffness and damping. Aluminum joints show a more compliant behavior with more energy dissipation compared to steel joints.
Simulating the effects of the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act

Abstract Available studies of the impacts of the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act have suffered from lack of data on all the forces influencing the behavior of output per man day in underground coal mining. This study takes an alternative approach of using an established computer program for simulating performance of underground mines and simulates the impact of several major requirements of the Act on such performance. Since the performance is measured on a physical output basis and does not explicitly consider the manpower inputs, problems arise in converting the simulation results into measures of cost impacts. Estimates, therefore, were made of the range of cost impact under assumptions reflecting the range of possibilities considered plausible. This examination suggests that at a minimum the Act imposed costs on society of $700 million per year in Appalachia alone and the Appalachian cost could be triple this minimum estimate
Neuropsychological acclimatization to high altitude

Abstract Subjects acclimatized to high altitudes manifest improved manual dexterity as well as trunkal and distal limb co-orbination over un-acclimatized subjects. There is no change in reaction time. Improved attentiveness may contribute to the improved performance, as well as the ability to adapt behaviorally to the numerous physiological consequences of hypoxia. From an ecological and perhaps evolutionary standpoint it matters little whether the adjustment to hypoxia involves intrinsic changes in tissue metabolism (physiological), or results from learning compensatory strategies at altitude (behavioral).
Optimal Behavior of Consecutive Chemical Reactions A⇔B⇔C†

We analyze the maximum obtainable yield of B, starting from A in the consecutive chemical reactions A⇔B⇔C. We use the temperature as the control variable for a given process duration. We show that all optimal paths start with a branch at infinite temperature and derive a curve on which switching from this temperature to lower temperatures is possible. We also show that the production rate of B at the end of the reaction is equal to the incremental gain of B when the path is re-optimized for increased duration. Finally, we show that for a given set of parameters, there is a unique “maximum useful time” which may be infinite. If a duration longer than this “maximum useful time” is specified, then all reactions should be shut off for that excess amount of time, a situation that makes most optimization routines become unstable.
The non-Australian species of "Calolampra" (Dictyoptera, Blattaria: Blaberidae)

The genus Calolampra Saussure is restricted to Australia. The non-Australian species that have been placed in Calolampra belong to other genera, as follows: C. characterosa (Walker) (India, Ceylon), is a Calolamprodes Bey-Bienko; C. guttifera Hanitsch (Sarawak) is a Princisola Gurney and Roth; C. marginata (Brunner) (Burma) belongs to Juxtacalolampra, n.gen.; C. obscurifron (StAl) is a Howintoniella, n.gen. — Based on its description, Calolampra simlansis Baijal and Kapoor (India) is assigned to the genus Rhabdoblatta, Kirby. Three species, viz., Calolampra limbata Hanitsch (Singapore), C. nitida Hanitsch (Sarawak), and ?Calolampra malaisei (Princis) (Burma) are considered to be incertae sedis. — A key is given to the genera discussed and the following species are redescribed: Calolamprodes laevis (Brunner), Calolamprodes characterosa (Walker), Juxtacalolampra marginata (Brunner), Princisola guttifera (Hanitsch), Howintoniella obscurifrons (StAl), Calolampra limbata Hanitsch, and ?Audreia malaisei Princis.
Let Freud rest in peace

Erdelyi's version of repression – trying successfully not to think about something – is no longer recognizably Freudian. Erdelyi fails to cite directed forgetting experiments involving psychiatric patients that indicate that the motivation to forget threatening material seldom translates into an ability to do so. The early Freud of the seduction theory of hysteria did inspire the recovered memory fiasco.
Nutritional considerations in pediatric oncology.

Objectives: To summarize the characteristics of a nutrition care plan for pediatric patients, specifically pediatric screening, assessment, and treatment protocols. Data Sources: Review articles, manuals, and textbooks. Conclusions: Nutritional support of pediatric patients with cancer differs from adults because of their unique nutritional needs, their wide age range (infants to adolescents), and the psychosocial aspects of treating the entire family. Implications for Nursing Practice: To participate in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in the pediatric patient with cancer, nurses require an understanding of nutrition care in this specialized population.
Alzheimer’s disease biomarker discovery in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients: Experimental approaches and future clinical applications

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. Current treatments for AD are not as effective as needed, nor is there any definitive antemortem diagnostic. Understanding the biological processes that occur during AD onset and/or progression will improve disease diagnosis and treatment. Recent applications of microarray technologies for analysis of messenger (m) RNA expression profiles have elucidated distinct changes in the brain as a function of AD dementia initiation and progression. However, mRNA analysis underestimates post-transcriptional modifications and therefore provides only a partial view of the molecular changes in the AD brain. Combining mRNA studies with protein expression analysis may provide a more global picture of the biological processes associated with AD dementia. Information gathered could lead to the development of select biological indices (biomarkers) for guiding AD diagnosis and therapy. We will provide a brief background on AD, followed by a review on the applications of microarray, proteomics, as well as microRNA expression profile analysis to develop novel diagnostic strategies that may be useful for the diagnosis AD and for monitoring disease progression. The availability of biomarkers that promote early disease diagnosis, particularly among asymptomatic patients, will lead to the application of personalized medicine in AD.
Distinguishing unloading- versus reloading-induced changes in rat soleus muscle.

Previously, solei from rats orbited 12.5 days aboard Cosmos 1887 biosatellite were biopsied 48–56 hours postflight. These atrophic muscles showed severe pathology. Designing a ground-based model of that space flight, we tested the hypothesis that 48 hours of postflight muscle reloading induced pathological changes. Rats were subjected to 12.5 days of hindlimb suspension unloading and biopsied immediately after suspension or after returning to normal weightbearing 12, 24, or 48 hours. Soleus morphological changes were quantitated on histochemically and immunohistochemically stained cross-sections. Solei from 0-hour reloaded rats showed significantly decreased wet weights, diminished myofiber cross-sectional area, angular myofibers, myofiberil disruption, and more myofibers expressing fast myosin. Compared with suspension alone (0-hour reloading), reloading 12–48 hours induced slightly increased soleus wet weights, myofiber swelling, significant interstital tissue edema, macrophage activation, and monocyte infiltration. These results suggest the degree and type of muscle degenerative changes observed postflight depend on the duration of gravity readaptation before biopsy and not solely on exposure to microgravity. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
SU-E-T-353: Decoding the Beam Complexity in Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Plans

Purpose: Modern IMRT relies on computers to generate treatment plans of varied complexity. A highly complex treatment plan may use a large number of small and irregular beam apertures in order to achieve high dose conformity. However, excessive beam complexity can increase dosimetric uncertainty, prolong treatment time, and increase susceptibility to target or organ motion. In this study we sought to develop metrics to assess the complexity of IMRT beams and plans. Methods: Based the information of leaf positions and MU for each beam segment, we calculated the following beam complexity metrics: aperture area, shape irregularity, and beam modulation. Then these beam complexity metrics were averaged to obtain the corresponding plan complexity metrics, using the beam MUs as weighting factors. We evaluated and compared the beam and plan complexity scores for 65 IMRT plans from 3 sites (prostate, head and neck, and spine). We also studied how the plan complexity scores were affected by adjusting inverse planning parameters. Results: For prostate IMRT, the lateral beams had large MUs and smaller shape irregularity, while the anterior or posterior beams had larger modulation values. On average, the prostate IMRT plans had the smallest shape irregularity and beam modulation; the HN IMRT plans had the largest aperture area, shape irregularity, and beam modulation; and the spine stereotactic IMRT plans often had small aperture area, which may be associated with relatively large discrepancies between calculated and measures doses. The plan complexity increased as the number of optimization iterations and the number of beam segments increased and as the minimum segment area decreased. Conclusion: Complexity of IMRT beams and plans were quantified in terms of aperture area, shape irregularity and beam modulation. The complexity metrics varied among IMRT plans for different disease sites and were affected when the planning parameters were adjusted.
Transurethral cystotomy repair

We present a novel transurethral technique for cystotomy repair. This method can be used for immediate bladder repair following limited bladder injury and avoids the morbidity associated with laparotomy.
Towards Measuring Young’s Modulus by Electronic Probing

We propose an accurate and precise method for measuring the Young’s modulus of MEMS with comb drives by electronic probing of capacitance. The electronic measurement can be performed off-chip for quality control or on-chip after packaging for self-calibration. Young’s modulus is an important material property that affects the static or dynamic performance of MEMS. Electrically-probed measurements of Young’s modulus may also be useful for industrial scale automation. Conventional methods for measuring Young’s modulus include analyzing stress-strain curves, which is typically destructive, or include analyzing a large array of test structures of varying dimensions, which requires a large amount of chip real estate. Our method measures Young’s modulus by uniquely eliminating unknowns and extracting the fabricated geometry, displacement, comb drive force, and stiffness. Since Young’s modulus is related to geometry and stiffness that we find using electronic measurands, we are able to express Young’s modulus as a function of electronic measurands. We verify our method by using it to predict the Young’s modulus of a computer model. We treat the computer model as we would treat a true experiment by depending only on its electronic measurands. We find good agreement in predicting the exactly known Young’s modulus in a computer model within 0.1%.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Determination of time-reversal symmetry breaking lengths in an InGaAs interferometer array

Quantum interference oscillations due to the Aharonov–Bohm phase were measured in a ring interferometer array fabricated on a two-dimensional electron system in an InGaAs/InAlAs heterostructure. Coexisting oscillations with magnetic flux periodicity h/e and h/2e were observed and their amplitudes compared as function of applied magnetic field. The h/2e oscillations originate in time-reversed trajectories with the ring interferometers operating in Sagnac-type mode, while the h/e oscillations result from Mach–Zehnder operation. The h/2e oscillations require time-reversal symmetry and hence can be used to quantify time-reversal symmetry breaking, more particularly the fundamental mesoscopic dephasing length associated with time-reversal symmetry breaking under applied magnetic field, an effective magnetic length. The oscillation amplitudes were investigated over magnetic fields spanning 2.2 T, using Fourier transforms over short segments of 40 mT. As the magnetic field increased, the h/2e oscillation amplitude decreased due to time-reversal symmetry breaking by the local magnetic flux in the interferometer arms. A dephasing model for quantum-coherent arrays was used to experimentally quantify effective magnetic lengths. The data was then compared with analytical expressions for diffusive, ballistic and confined systems.
Does rosiglitazone adversely affect bone formation and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women

Does rosiglitazone adversely affect bone formation and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women?
Electron velocity overshoot and nonequilibrium phonons in a GaAs-based p-i-n nanostructure studied by transient subpicosecond Raman spectroscopy

Transient subpicosecond Raman spectroscopy has been used to study electron velocity overshoot as well as nonequilibrium phonons in a GaAs-based p-i-n nanostructure under the application of high electric fields. Both electron distribution functions and nonequilibrium phonon populations were directly obtained in the velocity overshoot regime for a variety of electric field intensities and for different electron densities. All of our experimental results are compared with ensemble Monte Carlo calculations and good agreement is achieved. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Spatiotemporal variability of total column ozone derived from TOMS using rotated principal component analysis

The spatiotemporal variability of total column ozonederived from TOMS using rotated principal component analysisSharon K. LeDuc*, Brian K. Eder*, Lawrence Truppi*Atmospheric Sciences Modeling DivisionAir Resources LaboratoryNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationResearch Triangle Park, NC USAABSTRACT
Geographical aspects of cancer incidence in Southeast Asia.

Abstract Based on limited information for incidence and mortality from one population based registry (Singapore) and a number of hospital registries there are important differences in cancer incidence between Southeast Asian countries. Cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, and liver have high incidence throughout the region; cancer of the nasopharynx in Chinese. Cancers of the oesophagus and stomach have high relative incidence in Burma and in Singapore, and cancer of the lung in Singapore. Cancer of the uterine cervix is the most important female cancer in the region except in the Philippines and Singapore. Cancer of the breast has its highest Southeast Asian incidence in the Philippines and its lowest in Singapore. The importance of cancer as a cause of illness and death is increasing in Southeast Asia as a function of its changing age structure and the continued improvement in conditions that extend life expectancy and suppress communicable diseases.
TU-E-BRB-01: Surface Based Distance Measures with Treatment Technique Specific Gradient Factor for IMRT QA Tolerances Determination

Purpose: To investigate surface based distance measurement method with prior knowledge of dose gradient for dose comparison and IMRT QA. Method and Materials: A dose distribution can be viewed as a surface in the hyper‐space. The generalized distance between two dose surfaces can be calculated by introducing a dose gradient factor α, which is defined as the multiplicative inverse of the average gradient of a dose distribution. Ten regular IMRT and 5 spine IMRTSRS patient plans were studied to determine the average dose gradient factors for these two applications. Spatial and dose shifts were applied to 10 regular cases, distance and γ ‐ index between the original and shifted distributions were calculated. The distance between plans and measurements were then calculated for all test cases. The distribution of distance was analyzed and patient statistics were evaluated, and 90 percentile (D90) results were used to determine the pass criteria for γ ‐ index method. Results: The mean of dose gradient factors for 10 regular plans and 5 SRS plans are 1.031 mm/% and 0.337 mm/%, respectively. 48% of the shifted distributions that satisfy γ 3mm. The 95% confidence interval (CI) of D90 was [2.43, 3.73] mm for regular cases, and [0.80, 1.42] mm for SRS cases. The DTA and DD limits for γ ‐ index were determined to be 3.73 mm and 3.73% for regular IMRT, and 1.42 mm and 4.73% for SRS respectively. Conclusion: Distance and dose gradient information can be used to quantify the difference between two dose distributions and determine the tolerance for a specific treatment delivery technique. The current use of γ index underestimates the difference between two dose distributions. Tolerance values should be determined for different applications based on patient statistics and population studies.
THE INFLUENCE OF ORGANIZED OPTIONS TRADING ON STOCK PRICE BEHAVIOR FOLLOWING LARGE ONE-DAY STOCK PRICE DECLINES

In this study I examine the effect of organized options trading on stock price behavior immediately following stock price declines of 10 percent or more. A matched-pair sample of National Market System option and nonoption firms are analyzed from June 1985 through December 1992. After controlling for the bid-ask bounce, firm size, share price, return standard deviation, and beta, I find that three-day cumulative abnormal returns for option firms are approximately 1.57 percent less than those for nonoption firms. Thus, options trading enhances stock market efficiency and/or liquidity. However, no profitable trading strategies are indicated.
Endocytic function of von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein regulates surface localization of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 and cell motility.

The tumor suppressor VHL (von Hippel-Lindau protein) serves as a negative regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor-α subunits. However, accumulated evidence indicates that VHL may play additional roles in other cellular functions. We report here a novel hypoxia-inducible factor-independent function of VHL in cell motility control via regulation of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) endocytosis. In VHL null tumor cells or VHL knock-down cells, FGFR1 internalization is defective, leading to surface accumulation and abnormal activation of FGFR1. The enhanced FGFR1 activity directly correlates with increased cell migration. VHL disease mutants, in two of the mutation hot spots favoring development of renal cell carcinoma, failed to rescue the above phenotype. Interestingly, surface accumulation of the chemotactic receptor appears to be selective in VHL mutant cells, since other surface proteins such as epidermal growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, IGFR1, and c-Met are not affected. We demonstrate that 1) FGFR1 endocytosis is defective in the VHL mutant and is rescued by reexpression of wild-type VHL, 2) VHL is recruited to FGFR1-containing, but not EGFR-containing, endosomal vesicles, 3) VHL exhibits a functional relationship with Rab5a and dynamin 2 in FGFR1 internalization, and 4) the endocytic function of VHL is mediated through the metastasis suppressor Nm23, a protein known to regulate dynamin-dependent endocytosis.
Mechanisms of Vitamin Deficiencies in Alcoholism

Chronic alcoholic patients are frequently deficient in one or more vitamins. The deficiencies commonly involve folate, vitamin B6, thiamine, and vitamin A. Although inadequate dietary intake is a major cause of the vitamin deficiency, other possible mechanisms may also be involved. Alcoholism can affect the absorption, storage, metabolism, and activation of many of these vitamins. Possible factors which cause alterations in the absorption, storage, and metabolism of these vitamins are discussed. Suggestions for management of vitamin deficiencies in chronic alcoholics are also discussed.
Collagenase. Its effectiveness as a dispersing agent for embryonic chick thyroid and heart.

Summary The effectiveness of tetraphenylboron, pronase and collagenase was tested on embryonic chick thyroid and heart. The relative dispersing efficiency was judged by number of cells released and their viability in monolayer culture. Tetraphenylboron was not effective because it killed the cells. Pronase and collagenase both released large numbers of cells but collagenase treatment resulted in greater survival. Tests of proteolytic activity of collagenase as a means of explaining the results revealed that all commercial preparations contain some activity under the conditions used for dissociation.
Density matrix model for polarons in a terahertz quantum dot cascade laser

A density matrix based method is introduced for computation of steady-state dynamics in quantum cascade systems of arbitrary size, which incorporates an optical field coherently. The method is applied to a model terahertz quantum dot cascade laser system, where a means of treating coherent electron-optical-phonon coupling is also introduced. Results predict a strong increase in the upper state lifetime and operating temperature as compared to traditional well-based terahertz quantum cascade lasers. However, new complications also arise, including multiple peaks in the gain spectrum due to strong electron-phonon coupling, and strong parasitic subthreshold current channels that arise due to reduced dephasing. It is anticipated that novel design schemes will be necessary for such lasers to become a reality.
Engineering a β-sheet protein toward the folding speed limit

Recent experimental studies have shown that alpha-helical proteins can approach the folding "speed limit", where folding switches from an activated to a downhill process in free energy. beta-sheet proteins are generally thought to fold more slowly than helix bundles. However, based on studies of hairpins, folding should still be able to approach the microsecond time scale. Here we demonstrate how the hPin1 WW domain, a triple-stranded beta-sheet protein with a sharp thermodynamic melting transition, can be engineered toward the folding "speed limit" without a significant loss in thermal denaturation cooperativity.
Histamine induced cardiovascular lesions

Abstract 1. 1. Data have been presented showing that the intraperitoneal administration of histamine acid phosphate in rabbits, guinea pigs, and rats produces an inflammatory reaction in the vascular system of the lung and the heart and in the endo- and myocardium. 2. 2. Certain lesions are identical both in location and type in all 3 species, such as edema of the endocardium, inflammatory cell collections in the myocardium, edema of the heart valves, perivascular edema, and inflammatory cell exudate about the blood vessels. 3. 3. As between the species, some types of lesion vary, although the location is the same. In the lung, the rabbit shows perivascular inflammatory cell exudate with slight perivascular edema and an occluding proliferation of inflammatory cells within the lumen of both veins and arteries. The rat shows perivascular infiltration with inflammatory cells and some edema. The guinea pig shows a very marked perivascular edema and some perivascular inflammatory cell exudate and in addition, a marked thickening of the muscular coat of the arteries leading to final occlusion of the lumen. There is little or no proliferation within the lumen. The guinea pig additionally presents peribronchial inflammatory reaction. All 3 species show atelectasis of irregular areas in the lung. These various lesions are most intense and extensive in the guinea pig, least so in the rat, with the rabbit in the mid-position. 4. 4. Up to a certain point the extent and intensity of the lesions increase with the amount of histamine administered. Beyond this, additional amounts of histamine do not increase the severity of the reaction. It is apparent that the animals develop a tolerance to histamine.
Analysis of the anticancer drugs VP 16-213 and VM 26 and their metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A rapid and convenient high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for the analysis of the clinically useful anticancer agents VP 16-213 and VM 26 is described. The drugs, which are semi-synthetic derivatives of the natural product podophyllotoxin, are extracted from plasma with chloroform. The extracts are evaporated to dryness, reconstituted in methanol, and chromatographed on a reversed-phase microparticle C18 column using isocratic elution with a mixture of methanol—water (60:40). Each drug is used as the internal standard for the other. Quantitation to 500 ng/ml (0.85 nmole/ml) plasma is based on peak height ratios using UV detection at 254 nm. Patient plasma concentration vresus time data agree well with previously published data obtained using radiolabelled drug. Investigations into the nature of the hydroxy acid metabolite of VP 16-213, carried out using paired-ion chromatography with tetrabutylammonium bromide and fluorescence detection, are described. Also, a unique separation of VP 16-213 and a possible metabolite, the isomer, picro VP 16-213, is described.