cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low frequency traveling waves in the human cortex coordinate neural activity across spatial scales

Abstract Traveling waves of oscillatory activity are thought to influence neuronal spiking, providing a spatiotemporal frame-work for neural communication. However, no direct link has been established between traveling waves and single unit spiking in humans. We examined traveling waves in the human lateral temporal lobe by using recordings from intracranial electrodes implanted in twenty participants for seizure monitoring as they performed a paired-associates verbal memory task. We observed ubiquitous low frequency traveling waves across the temporal lobe. Long-range alpha waves were more likely to occur during word pairs that were subsequently remembered relative to those that were not. In a subset of participants with microelectrode recordings, macro-scale waves co-occurred with micro-scale waves, which in turn were temporally locked to single unit spiking. This temporal coordination between traveling waves at different spatial scales and between waves and neuronal spiking in the human brain suggests a role for traveling waves in neural communication.
MLMVN in Speckle Noise Filtering

In this paper, we use the multilayer neural network with multi-valued neurons (MLMVN) as an intelligent tool for speckle noise filtering. MLMVN is a complex-valued feedforward neural network, which was successfully used for solving various problems including classification, prediction and additive noise filtering. Here, we apply MLMVN containing a single hidden layer for speckle noise filtering by processing overlapping patches taken from a noisy image. A resulting image is obtained by averaging the resulting intensities over all overlapping pixels. To train MLMVN, a learning set created of randomly selected patches from various images is used. A network is trained to transform a noisy patch into a clear one. To make a learning process more efficient, an incremental approach is used. A learning set is divided into batches, and a network is trained by sequentially going over all of them. In terms of PSNR, this approach significantly outperforms Lee filter – traditionally used for speckle noise filtering, and the BM3D filter – commonly recognized as one of the best nonlinear filters ever.
Mentorship in pediatric surgery: A need for structure?

Abstract Introduction Mentorship in surgical training is critical but differs greatly from the early apprenticeship model and often spans generations. This study evaluates the current state of and desire for structured mentorship in pediatric surgical training from the perspective of program directors (PDs) and trainees. Methods A survey addressing demographics, presence of or desire for structured mentorship, and proposed mentoring topics was emailed to pediatric surgery PDs (n = 58) and trainees completing fellowship in 2018–2020 (n = 72). Results The response rate was 38.5%. 50% of trainees were female versus 15% of PDs (p = 0.02). 19% of trainees reported having a structured mentorship program versus 26% of PDs (p = 0.72). The majority, 83%, of trainees felt a structured mentorship program is warranted versus 40% of PDs (p = 0.002). There were differing opinions between trainees and PDs regarding important components of a mentoring program. Trainees felt the following were more important: transition to practice, job negotiation, CV review, financial planning and performance review. PDs felt the following were more important: quality improvement projects and work/life balance. Both agreed academic development and job search were important. Conclusions The majority of pediatric surgery trainees desire structured mentorship programs; however, few institutions have them. Training programs and program directors warrant a response to this gap. Level of Evidence IV
Network Attack Surface Simplification for Red and Blue Teams

Network port scans are a key first step to developing a true understanding of a network-facing attack surface. However in large-scale networks, the data resulting from such scans can be too numerous for Red Teams to process for manual and semiautomatic testing. Indiscriminate port scans can also compromise a Red Team seeking to quickly gain a foothold on a network. A large attack surface can even complicate Blue Team activities like threat hunting. In this paper we provide a cluster analysis methodology designed to group similar hosts to reduce security team workload and Red Team observability. We also measure the Internet-facing network attack surface of 13 organizations by clustering their hosts based on similarity. Through a case study we demonstrate how the output of our clustering technique provides new insight to both Red and Blue Teams, allowing them to quickly identify potential high-interest points on the attack surface.
The 2002-China WTO Roundtable: Introduction and Overview

Temple Law School's Institute for International Law and Public Policy is committed to developing innovative means for fostering international legal dialogue and scholarship. Pursuant to this commitment, the Institute initiated a unique series of "Round-table" seminars bringing together leading scholars and practitioners from around the globe to engage in scholarly research and dialogue on cutting-edge international issues. In July and August, the Institute hosted eight leading Chinese legal scholars and practitioners at Temple's Philadelphia campus for its inaugural Round-table: the 2002 U.S.-China WTO Round-table. These carefully selected Chinese scholars participated in an intensive five-week period of multi-dimensional study, engaging in dialogue with North American and other academics, government officials, and practitioners. The Chinese visitors used this time to conduct research on legal issues arising from one of the most important recent developments in China: China's accession to the WTO. The culmination of the five-week period of intensive study was a two-day round-table discussion in Philadelphia, at which the Chinese presented scholarly papers to a group of specially selected North American scholars, trade negotiators, and trade policy analysts. The papers that follow represent the fruits that endeavor.
Obligation of Eldercare in the Context of Pentecostal Charismatic Churches

A variety of researchers have linked engagement in Pentecostal Charismatic Churches (PCCs) to affordances for neoliberal individualism in West African (and other Global South) settings. Neoliberal individualist understandings of relationality have an association with a sense of voluntary connection and freedom from obligation. This chapter investigates the extent to which engagement with Pentecostal Charismatic Churches (PCCs) is associated with individualistic understandings of care and obligation to an elderly parent. Participants (N = 30) in public spaces at a variety of Ghanaian locations responded to semi-structured interview questions about understandings of care and obligation to an elderly parent. Analyses of responses indicated that evidence of individualistic understandings of obligation was greater among participants who attended PCCs than among participants who attended Traditional Western Orthodox Churches (TWOC). Results are consistent with the idea of PCCs as a cultural force for neoliberal individualism. The discussion of the work in this chapter locates it within a broader project of “Theory from the South” that considers experience of relationality and love in African settings as an epistemic foundation for reconsideration of standard knowledge forms in hegemonic psychological science.
Trend in Human Gene Patent Litigation

Previous studies have attempted to count the number of gene patents, or the number of human gene patents, or to gauge the effect of human gene patents on research or diagnostic testing. However, empirical research on the judicial enforcement of human gene patents has been lacking. To address this gap, I conducted a study to identify all instances in which a human gene patent was asserted in an infringement lawsuit and to track the results of these litigations. A total of 31 human gene patent litigations were identified, dating back to 1987. All 31 involved an alleged infringer engaged in substantial commercial activities focused specifically on the single gene that is the subject of the asserted patent, the antithesis of a patent thicket scenario. Sixteen of the litigations were brought in the context of therapeutic proteins, with the patents serving a function analogous to that of drug patents in the traditional pharmaceutical industry. Litigation outcome tends to vary depending on the nature of the alleged infringement. Six of the 16 therapeutic protein cases were litigated to a final, unappealable judicial decision (a seventh is currently on appeal), with the patentee prevailing in two cases and losing in the other four. In contrast, the litigations that did not involve a therapeutic protein all either settled or were dismissed before the case could be appealed to a higher court. The results of this study provide little empirical support for legislative part of the patenting of genes are DNA.
The long-run elasticity of labor supply: New evidence for New York City taxicab drivers

Abstract I study how New York City taxicab drivers change their work hours in response to a permanent wage change. Exploiting the effective wage increase induced by a regulatory change in fares, I estimate the long-run elasticity of labor supply to be -0.5. I show that the data limitations may have biased the estimates in a previous study that also use data for New York City taxicab drivers. Since the drivers are almost exclusively males, the estimate likely represents male labor supply elasticity. The negative elasticity is consistent with rising wages and declining work hours per worker observed over many decades, and is useful evidence for policymakers to improve tax/ transfer systems.
Predictors of postpartum family planning uptake in Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE Combination of beneficiary and supply side factors for determining what influences Postpartum family planning use in Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. METHODS A facility-based survey was conducted among 1690 married women of reproductive age (MWRA - i.e. married women between the ages of 15 and 49 years) visiting public facilities in six districts across Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan. RESULTS Half (53%) of the interviewed women used postpartum contraceptives. Participants who used PPFP were: 55% more likely to be from Punjab than Sindh, 39% more likely to be between 25 to 34 year of age than under 25 years. After adjusting for all variables in the model, women who delivered in the private sector remained to have lower odds of PPFP use compared to those who delivered in public facilities. Women who had four or more sons were nearly 20 time more likely to use PPFP compared to women with no sons, and the PPFP use increases with the number of sons. On the contrary, women who had four or more daughters were 16 times less likely to use PPFP compared with women with no daughters. CONCLUSIONS Postpartum women are among those with the greatest unmet need as a result of a combination of beneficiary and supplier side factors. The health system's response to meet the contraceptive needs of postpartum women should work along the continuum of care from pregnancy to postpartum, with expanded method choice and alternative service delivery outlets.
Molecular Adaptation in the Lactose Operon

Modern studies of molecular evolution are dominated by sequence comparisons among homologous genes of present day species. This approach, which enables the construction of gene phylogenies that reflect the historical relations among species, has been crowned with the spectacular discovery of a new kingdom — the archaebacteria (Woese, 1987).
The metabolism of galactose

Abstract 1. 1. The human female, in health, has a series of definite assimilation limits for galactose, the fluctuations of which are seemingly associated with changes of physiologic activity of ovarian function. 2. 2. Starting at a low level in prepubertal years, with the onset of puberty the tolerance rises to a level in maturity double the first, and maintains this until the cessation of the catamenia is accompanied by a recession of moderate degree. 3. 3. To those whose level is superior to the prepubertal, the act of menstruation usually determines a slight depression in the tolerance. 4. 4. Castration of the adult lowers the sugar tolerance to the prepubertal level, and functional failure exhibits the same tendency, the degree of the depression correlating with the severity of the impairment. 5. 5. The mammary glands are shown to have an important but apparently secondary influence in determining assimilation limits. 6. 6. The menstrual relationships consititute a possible exception, but presumably are more closely associated with the events of the reproductive cycle, which are not considered in this paper. 7. 7. In the main, the results of the study are in harmony with Frank's observations and his theory of the female sex hormone. Equally, the results could be explained by other endocrine formulas wholly independent of the foregoing. 8. 8. The interstitial glands, at least during adult years, seemingly have only a secondary influence, if any, on the regulation of galactose tolerance. 9. 9. The reproductive phase is to be considered independently in a subsequent paper.
Maximizing Adaptivity in Hierarchical Topological Models Using Cancellation Trees

We present a highly adaptive hierarchical representation of the topology of func- tions defined over two-manifold domains. Guided by the theory of Morse–Smale complexes, we encode dependencies between cancellations of critical points using two independent struc- tures: a traditional mesh hierarchy to store connectivity information and a new structure called cancellation trees to encode the configuration of critical points. Cancellation trees provide a powerful method to increase adaptivity while using a simple, easy-to-implement data struc- ture. The resulting hierarchy is significantly more flexible than the one previously reported (IEEE Trans. Vis. Comput. Graph. 10(4):385–396, 2004). In particular, the resulting hierar- chy is guaranteed to be of logarithmic height.
The Ongoing Binomial Revolution

The Binomial Theorem has played a crucial role in the development of mathematics, algebraic or analytic, pure or applied. It was very important in the development of calculus, in a variety of ways, and has certainly been as important in the development of number theory. It plays a dominant role in function field arithmetic. In fact, it almost appears as if function field arithmetic (and a large chunk of arithmetic in general) is but a commentary on this amazing result. In turn, function field arithmetic has recently returned the favor by shedding new light on the Binomial Theorem. It is our purpose here to recall the history of the Binomial Theorem, with an eye on applications in characteristic p, and finish by discussing these new results.
The chiral determinant and the eta invariant

For {∂y},ye∈, a one parameter family of invertible Weyl operators of possibly non-zero index acting on spinors over an even dimensional compact manifoldX, we express the phase of the chiral determinant det ∂−∞† ∂∞ in terms of the η invariant of a Dirac operator acting on spinors over ℝ ×X.
Intra-Arterial Papaverine for the Treatment of Cerebral Vasospasm

Cerebral vasospasm continues to be the leading treatable cause of morbidity and mortality following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. In this preliminary anecdotal series of 15 patients who were candidates for balloon angioplasty, vasospasm was treated instead with intra-arterial papaverine. Ten patients had marked angiographic reversal of the arterial narrowing following the papaverine infusion. Five of these patients showed dramatic reversal of profound neurologic deficits following papaverine treatment. Two patients clinically deteriorated five days after the initial successful papaverine infusions. In both, repeat angiograms demonstrated severe recurrent vasospasm which was partially reversed with a second intra-arterial papaverine treatment. Three patients developed focal neurologic deficits during papaverine infusion which spontaneously resolved over several hours after cessation of the intraarterial infusion. Arterial narrowing in the posterior circulation and middle cerebral artery distribution appeared to be more responsive to papaverine infusion than spasm in the anterior cerebral arteries. The infusion of 300 mg of papaverine over one hour seemed to be an adequate and safe dose to effect these angiographie and clinical improvements.
Coarctation of the aorta

Controversy still exists in the literature regarding definitive therapy for repair of coarctation of the aorta. Major factors involve not only the timing of repair, but also the method of repair, whether surgical or by percutaneous transluminal balloon dilatation. Results and complications of coarctation repair using various methods of classification present a diversity of results. This report will focus on these issues and attempt to dispel the statement that either one method or the other is the "choice method" of repair for any and all types of coarctation. Also presented is a proposed classification we believe will assist in clarifying the choice of therapy and perhaps improve not only the reporting of results, but also the results themselves. Methods of repair are discussed to provide the surgeon with a complete armamentarium of operations that the surgeon would tailor to the individual anatomicopathological patterns of the patient who presents at the time of surgery. Copyright 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company
A Chemical Kinetic Mechanism for 2-Bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (2-BTP) Flame Inhibition

In this work, we report a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism to describe the flame inhibition chemistry of the fire-suppressant 2-bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (2-BTP), under consideration as a replacement for CF3Br. Under some conditions, the effectiveness of 2-BTP is similar to that of CF3Br; however, like other potential halon replacements, it failed an U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) qualifying test for its use in cargo bays. Large overpressures are observed in that test and indicate an exothermic reaction of the agent under those conditions. The kinetic model reported herein lays the groundwork to understand the seemingly conflicting behavior on a fundamental basis. The present mechanism and parameters are based on an extensive literature review supplemented with new quantum chemical calculations. The first part of the present article documents the information considered and provides traceability with respect to the reaction set, species thermochemistry, and kinetic parameters. In additional work, presented more fully elsewhere, we have combined the 2-BTP chemical kinetic mechanism developed here with several other submodels from the literature and then used the combined mechanism to simulate premixed flames over a range of fuel/air stoichiometries and agent loadings. Overall, the modeling results qualitatively predicted observations found in cup-burner tests and FAA Aerosol Can Tests, including the extinguishing concentrations required and the lean-to-rich dependence of mixtures. With these data in hand, in a second phase of the present work, we perform a reaction path analysis of major species under several modeled conditions. This analysis leads to a qualitative understanding of the ability of 2-BTP to act as both an inhibitor and a fuel, depending on the conditions and suggests areas of the kinetic model that should be further investigated and refined.
Teaching shared memory parallel concepts with OpenMP (abstract only)

Curriculum 2013 brings parallelism into the CS curricular mainstream. This hands-on workshop is intended for faculty with little or no background in parallel computing. OpenMP is a platform independent, industry-standard library for shared-memory parallel programming supported by all modern C and C++ compilers. The workshop introduces the basics of OpenMP multithreading using parallel patterns, including single program multiple data (SPMD) execution, fork-join threading, and pragmas for parallel loops, parallel blocks, mutual exclusion, etc. The workshop includes: (i) an overview of OpenMP, (ii) self-paced hands-on experimentation with the OpenMP programs, and (iii) a discussion of how these may be used to achieve the goals of Curriculum 2013. Workshop materials will be distributed from csinparallel.org. Participants will receive and explore 15 short programs designed to help students understand multithreading concepts, plus longer programs that use OpenMP to solve significant problems. A participant may explore these programs on their own laptop, provided it has installed a C/C++ compiler that supports OpenMP (e.g., gcc 4.2 or later; Visual Studio 2008 or later). Those comfortable with the command-line may explore the programs on our remote servers using a laptop or tablet with a suitable SSH client. Laptop recommended.
Disease models: Statins give bone growth a boost.

The development of stem-cell-based models of two diseases that cause dwarfism reveals that statins — drugs that are used to treat high levels of blood cholesterol — may also promote cartilage formation and bone growth. See Article p.507 Some of the most common causes of dwarfism or skeletal dysplasia in humans are the result of gain-of-function mutations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene (FGFR3). Noriyuki Tsumaki and colleagues have reprogrammed fibroblasts from patients with two such conditions — thanatophoric dysplasia type 1 (TD1) and achondroplasia (ACH) — to produce induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Chondrogenic differentiation of TD1 iPSCs resulted in the formation of degraded cartilage. A screen for molecules with the ability to rescue chondrogenically differentiated TD1 iPSCs from the degraded cartilage phenotype identified statins — drugs normally used to reduce blood cholesterol levels — as the most effective. Statins were included as candidate molecules because they have been reported to have anabolic effects on chondrocytes. In addition, statin treatment led to significant recovery of bone growth in a mouse model of ACH. These findings suggest that statins may have potential as a medical treatment for infants and children with TD1 and ACH.
Creatinine and cystatin C: what are the values?

Recent studies indicate that serum cystatin C is a better marker of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and is a stronger predictor of cardiovascular disease and mortality than serum creatinine. Before cystatin C can gain wide acceptance, information about factors that affect generation, elimination, and analysis is needed. Stevens et al. analyze non-GFR–related factors associated with cystatin C and creatinine levels. The results will be useful in interpreting cystatin C levels in research and clinical practice.
An active interference filter as an optical maser amplifier

Approximate theoretical expressions for gain, bandwidth, and root gain-bandwidth are derived by introducing negative absorption into equations for a Fabry-Perot interference filter. Resuits of gain vs frequency calculations are given for a 10-cm maser with high single-pass gain and a 100-cm maser with low single-pass gain. Root gain-bandwidth is shown to be a constant for a given cavity as long as the cavity bandwidth is much smaller than the Doppler or fluorescent linewidth of the maser transition. Frequency drift due to temperature variations and the necessity for precise control of single-pass gain are two practical problems. These must be solved in order to make a stable amplifier with high gain.
Anatomy of a masterpiece: A close textual analysis of Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address

Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address is a recognized rhetorical masterpiece. This essay accounts for this recognition by examining the text microscopically. Through the method of close textual analysis that explores the inner workings of the text, we discover the complexity of Lincoln's masterwork.
Maternal mortality in Africa: 1980-87.

Abstract African women of reproductive age have the highest death risk from maternal causes of any women in the world. The lifetime chance of maternal death is 1 in 21 in Africa as compared to 1 in 54 in Asia, which ranks second. Using published data, this paper examines the level and correlates of maternal mortality ration (MMR) in Africa. The data indicates that MMR greatly differs among the countries of Africa. High MMR is found in most countries of sub-Saharan Africa, while countries of Northern Africa are characterized by relatively low maternal death. Reasons for high MMR in sub-Saharan Africa are explored in detail. Analysis using multiple regression suggest that the MMR in Africa is strongly influenced by population size, crude birth rate (CBR), crude death rate (CDR), calorie supply as a percentage of requirements, access to safe water, and percentage of urban population. Some cultural and behavioral factors, such as female circumcision and infibulation, are also associated with a high MMR. Future programs aimed at reducing the maternal mortality in African countries may benefit from the findings of this study.
Life-Span of Rat and Mouse Erythrocytes in the Rat–Mouse Chimera

THE secondary disease observed in irradiated animals treated with foreign bone marrow is of general interest and importance. The basic question which remains unanswered is whether immunologically competent cells in the chimera originate from the donor, the host, or a combination of both. Erythrocyte life-span studies might be expected to throw light on whether this secondary reaction, in so far as it is reflected in red cell survival, is of host or of donor origin.
New Developments in the Localized Hybrid Method of Stress Analysis

Developments of the localized hybrid method which combines an experimental technique, moire interferometry, and a numerical method, finite-element analysis, are presented. In this localized hybrid method, the displacement fields which the moire experiments provide in some local regions of interest are used as input data for finite-element stress analyses. Based on finite-element theory, several variations on this localized hybrid method, associated with different displacement boundary conditions, are developed. Applications and limitations of the localized hybrid method are discussed in detail. In particular, applications of the localized hybrid method of stress analysis are presented for three-dimensional problems in the mechanics of solids. It is shown that this localized hybrid analysis not only provides a powerful and efficient technique for the reduction of moire experimental data, but also gives a good insight into the mechanics of the experimental observations.
Symplectic integrators for discrete nonlinear Schrödinger systems

Abstract Symplectic methods for integrating canonical and non-canonical Hamiltonian systems are examined. A general form for higher order symplectic schemes is developed for non-canonical Hamiltonian systems using generating functions and is directly applied to the Ablowitz–Ladik discrete nonlinear Schrodinger system. The implicit midpoint scheme, which is symplectic for canonical systems, is applied to a standard Hamiltonian discretization. The symplectic integrators are compared with an explicit Runge–Kutta scheme of the same order. The relative performance of the integrators as the dimension of the system is varied is discussed.
Light‐induced chromatid damage in human skin fibroblasts in culture in relation to their neoplastic potential

Skin fibroblasts from ataxia telangiectasia and xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) donors and from the XP sib (possible heterozygote), all genetically predisposed to a high risk of cancer, show an increased susceptibility to light-induced chromatid breaks after culture in vitro. Light-induced chromatid breaks were shown previously to result from generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) during light exposure. The level of susceptibility attained is significantly higher than that observed in 13 lines of fibroblasts from normal skin of donors ranging in age from 3 days to 92 years or from fetal skin tested at various population doubling levels. Two lines of normal skin fibroblasts transformed by chemical carcinogens to neoplastic cells also show a significant increase in susceptibility as compared with their untransformed controls. These data indicate for human cells, as reported earlier for mouse cells, an association between enhanced susceptibility to light-induced chromatid damage and neoplastic potential; this association is further supported by the high susceptibility of cells derived from a human adenocarcinoma. Two observations are consistent with the concept that the increased susceptibility does not result from greater initial damage to the DNA of the neoplastic cells. First, activities of the ubiquitous H2O2 scavenging enzyme, glutathione peroxidase, are similar in the paired normal and neoplastic cell populations. Second, cells of the paired lines are equally sensitive to DNA breakage by exogenous H2O2. The enhanced susceptibility associated with neoplastic potential may result from an impaired capacity to repair DNA rather than a greater initial sensitivity of the neoplastic cells to the damaging agent.
Immunogenic response of the venoms of fer-de-lance, Bothrops atrox asper, and la cascabella, Crotalus durissus durissus, following photooxidative detoxification

Abstract : Photooxidation of crude B. atrox asper and C. durissus durissus venom by visible light in the presence of methylene blue resulted in the detoxification of these venoms and a considerable reduction of some enzymatic activities. Immunization of rabbits with the photooxidized venoms and isolation of their gamma-globulins revealed that the immunoglobulins obtained with B. atrox asper venom did not protect mice from the effects of this venom while the gamma-globulins from C. durissus durissus animals gave a very high degree of protection. The possible cause of this discrepancy is discussed. (Author)
A general Farkas Lemma and characterization of optimality for a nonsmooth program involving convex processes

In this paper, a generalization of the Farkas lemma is presented for nonlinear mappings which involve a convex process and a generalized convex function. Using this result, a complete characterization of optimality is obtained for the following nonsmooth programming problem: minimizef(x), subject to − ∈H(x) wheref is a locally Lipschitz function satisfying a generalized convexity hypothesis andH is a closed convex process.
Effect of deformable registration on the dose calculated in radiation therapy planning CT scans of lung cancer patients.

Purpose: To characterize the effects of deformable image registration of serial computed tomography (CT) scans on the radiation dose calculated from a treatment planning scan. Methods: Eighteen patients who received curative doses (≥60 Gy, 2 Gy/fraction) of photon radiation therapy for lung cancer treatment were retrospectively identified. For each patient, a diagnostic-quality pretherapy (4–75 days) CT scan and a treatment planning scan with an associated dose map were collected. To establish correspondence between scan pairs, a researcher manually identified anatomically corresponding landmark point pairs between the two scans. Pretherapy scans then were coregistered with planning scans (and associated dose maps) using the demons deformable registration algorithm and two variants of the Fraunhofer MEVIS algorithm (“Fast” and “EMPIRE10”). Landmark points in each pretherapy scan were automatically mapped to the planning scan using the displacement vector field output from each of the three algorithms. The Euclidean distance between manually and automatically mapped landmark points (d{sub E}) and the absolute difference in planned dose (|ΔD|) were calculated. Using regression modeling, |ΔD| was modeled as a function of d{sub E}, dose (D), dose standard deviation (SD{sub dose}) in an eight-pixel neighborhood, and the registration algorithm used. Results: Over 1400 landmark point pairs were identified,more » with 58–93 (median: 84) points identified per patient. Average |ΔD| across patients was 3.5 Gy (range: 0.9–10.6 Gy). Registration accuracy was highest using the Fraunhofer MEVIS EMPIRE10 algorithm, with an average d{sub E} across patients of 5.2 mm (compared with >7 mm for the other two algorithms). Consequently, average |ΔD| was also lowest using the Fraunhofer MEVIS EMPIRE10 algorithm. |ΔD| increased significantly as a function of d{sub E} (0.42 Gy/mm), D (0.05 Gy/Gy), SD{sub dose} (1.4 Gy/Gy), and the algorithm used (≤1 Gy). Conclusions: An average error of <4 Gy in radiation dose was introduced when points were mapped between CT scan pairs using deformable registration, with the majority of points yielding dose-mapping error <2 Gy (approximately 3% of the total prescribed dose). Registration accuracy was highest using the Fraunhofer MEVIS EMPIRE10 algorithm, resulting in the smallest errors in mapped dose. Dose differences following registration increased significantly with increasing spatial registration errors, dose, and dose gradient (i.e., SD{sub dose}). This model provides a measurement of the uncertainty in the radiation dose when points are mapped between serial CT scans through deformable registration.« less
Material defects, gas purity and hydrogen embrittlement

Abstract The fact that the fracture resistance of numerous ferrous alloys is markedly reduced when the alloy is exposed to gaseous hydrogen is well established. Laboratory tests have also demonstrated large-scale, hydrogen-induced reductions in J jc and/or tearing modulus in a variety of mild steels, even in steels which have been successfully used in hydrogen containing service environments. The lack of a hydrogen-induced fraction in such systems has been attributed to the inhibiting effect of oxygen, water vapor, carbon monoxide and other gases in the service environment. Because such gases minimize the deleterious effects of hydrogen under laboratory tests, there is an increasing tendency to believe that gas-phase inhibition can eliminate the portent for hydrogen damage. This is not the case. Hydrogen gas, even in a very impure environment that contains large quantities of inhibitors, can diffuse through a steel component, localize at this mechanical interface between a defect, such as a large inclusion, and the crystalline lattice. The hydrogen at this interface is very pure and interactions between the defect, applied stress, and localized hydrogen environment can cause large-scale hydrogen-induced reductions in the fracture resistance. This paper presents details of the experimental and analytical basis for hydrogen-induced failure in a hydrogen-gas system which is thought to be resistant to embrittlement because of the presence of gas-phase inhibitors.
β‐Lactam regimens for the febrile neutropenic patient

A total of 535 evaluable febrile episodes in neutropenic patients were randomly assigned to treatment with ticarcillin-clavulanate plus vancomycin (TV), ceftazidime plus vancomycin (CV), or all three antibiotics (TCV). The TCV regimen was significantly more effective than TV, considering all evaluable episodes, documented infections, gram-negative infections, and infections in patients with persistent severe neutropenia (less than 100 neutrophils/mm3). The results with CV were intermediate between TV and TCV. The toxicities were similar with all three regimens and consisted primarily of skin rashes. The TCV regimen is effective for empiric therapy of fever in neutropenic patients and probably should be utilized in preference to CV or TV, although its superiority over CV in this study was inconclusive.
Phase offset indicator (POI); a study of phase shift versus offset and fluid content

There is limited published experimental and theoretical work related to offset‐dependent reflection and phase changes at the interface between porous media. An appropriate relationship between seismic parameters and phase shift has not been well‐established. This investigation measures variations of phase for nonnormal incidence reflection as a function of frequency at the interface of a horizontally layered porous (perforated) medium, using a two‐dimensional Plexiglas model. In both parts of this study, phase‐matched filters (PMF) are used to analyze the data. Phase‐matched filters previously have been applied to digital records of Rayleigh waves and Love waves. The purpose of the first part of the study is to demonstrate application of the PMF process to reflected compressional waves and to use this technique in discriminating multiples from primaries. By using this linear process, the complex spectrum of the primary signal can be recovered from the multiple arrivals. The reduction of reflected compress...
The impact of the EPA's TRI disclosure program on state environmental and natural resource expenditures

Abstract My study examines whether the EPA's disclosure of toxic releases into the environment on a state-by-state basis influenced subsequent state spending on environmental and natural resource programs. Based on arguments from the public policy literature (see, e.g., Peters, 1996. pp. 131–132; Treadway, 1985. pp. 11–15; Gray, 1983. pp. 3–26) it is hypothesized that states with a greater apparent pollution problem would be more likely to increase resource allocations for the environment as a result of the information disclosure. An analysis of expenditure information from Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports for 42 states found that, controlling for differences in states' environmental responsiveness and major increases in environmental spending in the year previous to the analysis period, states with a greater apparent pollution problem based on 1988 TRI disclosures, increased their 1989 and 1990 resource allocations to environmental and natural resource programs more than states with lesser apparent problems.
Status on Updated NASA Standard: "Terrestrial Environment (Climatic) Criteria Handbook for Use in Aerospace Vehicle Development"

This paper addresses the updating of NASA's Terrestrial Environment (Climatic) Criteria handbook for Use in Aerospace Vehicle Development. This handbook covers the primary terrestrial environment factors with which the design and operation of an aerospace vehicle is concerned. It is intended as a source document for the development of terrestrial environment design requirements and, in this regard, provides consistent and coordinated information for this purpose. The handbook and its predecessors have been used in the design, development, and operation of many NASA flight vehicles, payloads and related activities.
Response of macroinvertebrate communities to remediation-simulating conditions in Pennsylvania streams influenced by acid mine drainage.

We compared naturally alkaline streams with limestone lithology to freestone streams with and without acid mine drainage (AMD) to predict benthic macroinvertebrate community recovery from AMD in limestone-treated watersheds. Surrogate-recovered (limestone) and, in many cases, freestone systems had significantly higher macroinvertebrate densities; diversity; taxa richness; Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa; EPT/chironomid ratios; scraper/collector–gatherer ratios; herbivores; collector–filterers; and scrapers. AMD-influenced systems had significantly greater numbers of Diptera and collector–gatherers. An entire trophic level (herbivores) was “restored” in surrogate-recovered streams, which also showed greater trophic specialization. Indicator analysis identified seven taxa (within Crustacea, Diptera, Nematoda, Trichoptera, and Ephemeroptera) as significant indicators of limestone systems and six taxa (within Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Tricoptera, Coleoptera, and Mollusca) as significant freestone indicators, all useful as biological indicators of recovery from AMD.
PRAD1, a candidate BCL1 oncogene: mapping and expression in centrocytic lymphoma.

Abstract Rearrangement of the BCL1 (B-cell lymphoma 1) region on chromosome 11q13 appears to be highly characteristic of centrocytic lymphoma and also is found infrequently in other B-cell neoplasms. Rearrangement is thought to deregulate a nearby protooncogene, but transcribed sequences in the immediate vicinity of BCL1 breakpoints had not been identified. PRAD1, previously designated D11S287E, was identified on 11q13 as a chromosomal breakpoint region rearranged with the parathyroid hormone gene in a subset of parathyroid adenomas; this highly conserved putative oncogene, which encodes a novel cyclin, has been linked to BCL1 and implicated also in subsets of breast and squamous cell neoplasms with 11q13 amplification. We report pulsed-field gel electrophoresis data showing BCL1 and PRAD1 to be no more than 130 kilobases apart. PRAD1 mRNA is abundantly expressed in seven of seven centrocytic lymphomas (Kiel classification), in contrast to 13 closely related but noncentrocytic lymphomas. Three of the seven centrocytic lymphomas had detectable BCL1 DNA rearrangement. Also, two unusual cases of CLL with BCL1 rearrangement overexpressed PRAD1, in contrast to five CLL controls. Thus, PRAD1 is an excellent candidate "BCL1 oncogene." Its overexpression may be a key consequence of rearrangement of the BCL1 vicinity in B-cell neoplasms and a unifying pathogenetic feature in centrocytic lymphoma.
Prospective evaluation of a small caliber upper endoscope for colonoscopy after unsuccessful standard examination

Colonoscopy is unsuccessful in some patients because of a fixed sigmoid loop or anatomical stenoses. We prospectively evaluated 1600 patients undergoing colonoscopy at Virginia Mason Medical Center from December 1, 1986 to November 31, 1987. Thirty-one procedures (1.9%) failed to reach the splenic flexure because of functional or anatomic stenoses. Attempt at pancolonoscopy with a 9.8-mm diameter, 102-cm length endoscope (Olympus XQ) was successful to the right colon in 73% and cecum in 60% of these patients. Two thirds of the successfully intubated patients had clarification of radiographic abnormalities or delineation of additional colon pathology. There were no complications or instrument damages, but limitations included short scope length and small suction channel. We conclude that small diameter upper endoscopes can be used safely and effectively for colonoscopy in a subset of patients in whom conventional colonoscopy is unsuccessful.
SERS Biosensor for Label Free Monitoring of Environmental Stress

The increasing threat of environmental contamination with toxins has led to substantial advances in biosensor techniques. So far, there is no label free portable dynamic sensor, which can replace standard ELISA to monitor the levels of toxins intracellular in living cells or organisms. Our group has developed a silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) based Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) sensor to detect levels of stress protein (RAD54) expressed by a human surrogate (yeast) in response to environmental toxins (H2O2 and U.V.). The fabricated SERS sensor allowed label-free and rapid detection over the ELISA and showed good correlation in extracellular detection of RAD54. In our progress towards intracellular detection, we tested three possible techniques (active, passive and peptide facilitated) for efficient delivery of AgNPs. TAT-HA2 facilitated delivery resulted in increased and rapid uptake of AgNPs as compared to passive diffusion. Dynamic monitoring of RAD54 marker expressed by living cells in response to environmental stress using multiplex SERS sensor with targeting and delivery moieties is in progress.
The impact of religiosity on the sexual behaviors of college students

Abstract Sexuality is considered by most religious traditions to represent general temptation, procreation or a way to strengthen emotional bonds. The purpose of this study was to determine if frequency of religious attendance and perceived degree of religiosity could distinguish between those students who have and have not participated in selected sexual behaviors. Data were collected from a convenience sample of undergraduate students (n = 408) at a southeastern university. Students voluntarily completed a questionnaire in a regular classroom setting. The questionnaire elicited information regarding the frequency of attendance at religious services, perceived strength of religious feelings, perception of God's view of sex, and participation in the following sexual behaviors: sexual intercourse (ever, last year and last month), giving oral sex (ever and last month), receiving oral sex (ever and last month), and anal sex (ever). Data were analyzed using both univariate analysis (chi-square and analysis of...
Incorporating Estimates of Group Size in Sightability Models for Wildlife

Sightability models have been used to estimate population size of many wildlife species; however, a limitation of these models is an assumption that groups of animals observed and counted during aerial surveys are enumerated completely. Replacing these unknown counts with maximum observed counts, as is typically done, produces population size estimates that are negatively biased. This bias can be substantial depending on the degree of undercounting occurring. We first investigated a method-of-moments estimator of group sizes. We then defined a population size estimator using the method-of-moments estimator of group sizes in place of maximum counts in the traditional sightability models, thereby correcting for bias associated with undercounting group size. We also provide associated equations for calculating the variance of our estimator. This estimator is an improvement over existing sightability model techniques because it significantly reduces bias, and variance estimates provide near nominal confidence interval coverage. The data needed for this estimator can be easily collected and implemented by wildlife managers with a field crew of only 3 individuals and little additional flight or personnel time beyond the normal requirements for developing sightability models.
EDP auditing instruction using an interactive generalized audit software

Abstract Most auditing curricula do not provide students with experiential reinforcement of auditing and/or computer auditing concepts. This paper reports on an interactive generalized audit software package that has been designed to fill this educational void. The TREAT package consists of four different modes of operation with four audit eases that enable students to gain hands-on audit experience. The features of the TREAT package are similar to many accounting firms generalized audit software packages. Students using the package and its audit cases have proven TREAT to be an effective and efficient pedagogical tool.
Control of protein adsorption: molecular level structural and spatial variables.

The adsorption of fibrinogen (Fb) and bovine serum albumin onto polycrystalline Au coated with HS(CH2)3O(CH2CH2O)5CH3 was determined by surface plasmon resonance from bare Au (0% coverage) to the complete (∼100% coverage) self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Both proteins exhibit similar adsorption curves with common onset (∼60% coverage) and range (∼60% to 80% coverage) of minimal protein adsorption. Reflection−absorption infrared spectroscopic data show that widespread order is not present in the films over this range of coverage, indicating loosely packed, bound oligomers that are uniformly distributed and fully screen the underlying substrate. On the basis of our data, we propose a mechanism of protein rejection by oligo(ethylene oxide) (OEO)-modified surfaces in terms of changes in free energy (ΔGsystem; system = protein + surface) due to oligomer conformational constriction over an area greater than the contact area. Minimal protein adsorption corresponds to the maximum ΔGsystem for a given compression. ...