cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exact Multiple-Scattering Analysis of Low-Energy Elastic K − − d Scattering with Separable Potentials

A calculation of the ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}d$ low-energy elastic-scattering cross sections is carried out with the intent of determining the importance of multiple scatterings. Under the assumption that the two-body interactioins are $S$-wave nonlocal separable potentials of the Yamaguchi form, an expression for the scattering amplitude in terms of a set of one-dimensional in tegral equations for each partial wave is derived. The derivation does not take into account Coulomb forces or the $n\ensuremath{-}p$ and ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}{\overline{K}}^{0}$ mass differences. A transformation from real to complex dummy variables that allows a rapid numerical computation of the solution to the integral equations for the scattering amplitude is presented and discussed. With the use of the Humphrey and Ross kaon-nucleon scattering lengths, the elastic angular distribution and cross section, as well as the total cross section, are calculated for incident kaon lab momenta of 105, 194, and 300 MeV/c. The results of the multiple-scattering calculation for the elastic cross section are two to three times smaller than the impulse approximation results throughout this momentum range. The multiple-scattering corrections to the impulse approximation for the total cross section are small (\ensuremath{\lesssim}10%) only at the largest momentum used.
Flexible associations between Pocillopora corals and Symbiodinium limit utility of symbiosis ecology in defining species

Corals in the genus Pocillopora are the primary framework builders of eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) reefs. These corals typically associate with algal symbionts (genus Symbiodinium) in clade C and/or D, with clade D associations having greater thermal tolerance and resistance to bleaching. Recently, cryptic "species" delineations within both Pocillopora and Symbiodinium have been suggested, with host–symbiont specificity used as a supporting taxonomic character in both genera. In particular, it has been suggested that three lineages of Pocillopora (types 1–3) exist in the ETP, of which type 1 is the exclusive host of heat-tolerant Symbiodinium D1. This host specificity has been used to support the species name "Symbiodinium glynni" for this symbiont. To validate these host–symbiont relationships and their taxonomic utility, we identified Pocillopora types and their associated Symbiodinium at three sites in the ETP. We found greater flexibility in host–symbiont combinations than previously reported, with both Pocillopora types 1 and 3 able to host and be dominated by Symbiodinium in clade C or D. The prevalence of certain combinations did vary among sites, showing that a gradient of specificity exists which may be mediated by evolutionary relationships and environmental disturbance history. However, these results limit the utility of apparent host–symbiont specificity (which may have been a result of undersampling) in defining species boundaries in either corals or Symbiodinium. They also suggest that a greater diversity of corals may benefit from the thermal tolerance of clade D symbionts, affirming the need to conserve Pocillopora across its entire geographic and environmental range.
Experimental and Analytical Studies of Hydrocarbon Yields under Dry, Steam, and Steam-Propane Distillation

Abstract This paper presents experimental studies to confirm and understand oil production accelerated when propane is used as additive during steam injection. Distillation experiments were performed using seven-component synthetic oil consisting of equal weights of alkanes. For comparison purposes, three different distillations were investigated: dry, steam, and steam-propane distillation, the latter at a propane-steam mass ratio of 0.05. Based on the experimental results, it is noted that the components appear to boil off at lower temperatures with steam-propane injection than with pure steam injection (with reference to dry distillation). Lowering of hydrocarbon boiling points by steam-propane injection appears to be the fundamental phenomenon that can explain: (1) higher yields during distillation of the synthetic oil, and (2) production acceleration, reduction in produced oil density and viscosity, and improved steam injectivity during steam-propane displacement of crude oils. Also, a thermodynamic d...
A Methodological Investigation of Risk Exposure of Bank Off-Balance Sheet Loan Commitment Activities

Abstract This study provides further empirical evidence of capital market reactions to the growth and riskiness of bank off-balance sheet loan commitment activities. Previous studies have ignored the impact of regulation on the measurement of bank risk. In this research Ronn-Verma (1986) and Gorton-Santomero (1990) option pricing models are employed to calculate implied asset risk from bank equity and subordinated debt. This approach incorporates the nonlinearity of contingent claims valuation models, deposit insurance and regulatory closure rules. This research reports strong evidence that loan commitments reduce bank risk. In addition, decreases in equity risk, subordinated debt default risk and implied asset risk resulting from increases in loan commitments activities implies that loan commitments may contribute to the overall diversification of bank portfolio risk. It, therefore, may be inappropriate to include loan commitments in a risk-based capital calculation.
OPTIMAL LINEAR QUADRATIC GAUSSIAN DIGITAL CONTROL OF AN ORBITING TETHERED ANTENNA/REFLECTOR SYSTEM

Analysis and design of linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) optimal digital controllers and estimators are presented for a flexible orbiting tethered shell system. Emphasis is placed on mathematical models of the dynamics, influence of the number of actuators and their locations, methods of measurement of the state variables, and design of LQG optimal digital controllers and observers. Attitude and shape control is accomplished using point actuators and tether tension. A new practical method is presented to measure the tether transverse motion. Actuator and sensor placements are obtained by means of the concept of the degree of controllabili ty and observability, as well as related simulations. The analysis and design of the optimal LQG digital control system for the tethered shell has been validated by simulation. After maximizing the degree of controllabili ty and observability, the best combination of the controller and observer pole locations is found by carefully selecting the weighting matrices. Typical figures show satisfactory transient response under LQG control laws.
Hunter-gatherer tobacco smoking: earliest evidence from the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America

Chemical analysis of residue extracted from stone pipes and pipe fragments excavated at sites in the southern Pacific Northwest Coast of North America demonstrate that hunter-gatherers smoked the psychostimulant tobacco (Nicotiana sp.) by at least AD 860. Non-farming ethno-historic Native Americans throughout the west gathered and sometimes cultivated tobacco for ritual and religious purposes, but until now the antiquity of the practice on this part of the continent was unknown. Method validation includes chemical characterization of a suite of smoke plants and experimental reproduction of “smoked” pipe chemistry; results indicate biomarkers are traceable for several species commonly smoked by ethnographic native peoples, including tobacco (nicotine, cotinine), tree tobacco (anabasine), and kinnikinnick (arbutin). Developed methods—where residue is extracted directly from the stone or clay matrix of whole and fragmentary archaeological pipes—may be applied in similar studies investigating the spread and use of ritual smoke plants in the ancient Americas and elsewhere.
Solvent extraction of fish offal

Data are given which show the effect of the various extraction variables on the extraction of fish meal in both the laboratory and pilot plant. The use of wetting agents, although promising in the laboratory, does not appear to be of much value for pilot plant operation. A higher percentage of the oil components is removed by trichloroethylene under a given set of extracting conditions than with hexane. The mechanism of the extraction is believed to be one of surface-washing for short extractions, and for longer extractions this washing process is supplemented by diffusion.
Calorie restriction can reverse, as well as prevent, aging cardiomyopathy

Calorie restriction (CR) is the most widely studied intervention protecting from the adverse effects of aging. Almost all prior studies have examined the effects of CR initiated in young animals. Studies examining the effects of CR on development of aging cardiomyopathy found only partial prevention. The major goal of this study was to determine whether CR initiated after aging cardiomyopathy developed could reverse the cardiomyopathy. Aging cardiomyopathy in 2-year-old mice was characterized by reduced left ventricular (LV) function, cardiac hypertrophy, and increased cardiac apoptosis and fibrosis. When short-term (2 months) CR was initiated after aging cardiomyopathy developed in 20-month-old mice, the decrease in cardiac function, and increases in LV weight, myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis were reversed, such that the aging hearts in these mice were indistinguishable from those of young mice or mice where CR was initiated in young mice. If apoptosis was the mechanism for protecting against aging cardiomyopathy, then total myocyte numbers should have reverted to normal with CR, but did not. However, the alterations in cytoskeletal proteins, which contribute to aging cardiomyopathy, were no longer observed with CR. This is the first study to demonstrate complete prevention of aging cardiomyopathy by CR and, more importantly, that instituting this intervention even later in life can rapidly correct aging cardiomyopathy, which could have important therapeutic implications.
Picosecond ultrasonic measurements of attenuation of longitudinal acoustic phonons in silicon

We report ultrafast optical measurements of the attenuation of 50 and 100 GHz longitudinal acoustic-phonon pulses in Si. Picosecond acoustic measurements were made at temperatures $50lTl300\text{ }\text{K}$ on thinned ($50\text{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\mu}\text{m}$-thick) wafers. The measured phonon lifetimes at 300 K, $\ensuremath{\approx}5--7\text{ }\text{ns}$, are an order of magnitude less than expected based on three-phonon scattering rates derived from thermal conductivity data. We find instead that relaxational damping is the dominant mechanism in this frequency and temperature range. This attenuation sets an intrinsic limit on the quality factor of nanomechanical resonators that operate near room temperature.
Social media usage and acculturation

Social media usage affects Hispanics' acculturation into the American society.Use of social media in English and Spanish leads to different effects.Use of English social media helps Hispanics assimilate to the American culture.Use of Spanish social media reinforces Hispanics' ethnic cultural identification.Hispanics with various demographic characteristics use social media differently. Dominating the media landscape today, social media are cultural institutions that influence users' cultural orientation. This study focused on how using social media might strengthen or weaken people's tendency toward certain cultural value systems. Specifically, how English and Spanish social media usage affected Hispanic users' acculturation into the American culture was examined. Through a survey of 996 self-identified Hispanic respondents in the U.S., it was found that English social media usage helped them develop strong orientation toward the mainstream American culture, while Spanish social media consumption reinforced their ethnic Hispanic cultural identification. This study further examined whether Hispanics with various demographic characteristics used social media differently and acculturated into the American society to different degrees.
Laser-enhanced plating and etching: mechanisms and applications

We have developed experimental electroplating, electrodeless plating, and etching techniques that use a focused laser beam to define the localized plating or etching region. Enhancements in plating (etching) rates up to ≅1O3 to 1O4, compared to background rates, have been observed in the region of laser irradiation. A thermal model has been developed to describe the observed effects over the entire overpotential (polarization) curve. In the low overpotential region the enhancement is dominated by the increase in the local charge-transfer kinetics due to the local increase in temperature produced by absorption of the laser energy by the cathode (anode). At higher overpotentials, in the mass-transport-limited region, the main enhancement occurs due to hydrodynamic stirring caused by the the large local temperature gradients. Examples of gold, nickel, and copper electroplating are described to illustrate the value of this technique for micron-sized circuit personalization and repair. Additional examples of electroless laser-enhanced plating and exchange plating are also described.
The effect of glucose on the growth hormone response to glucagon and propranolol-glucagon in normal subjects.

The mean (± SE) peak level of serum growth hormone (GH) after intramuscular injection of glucagon in ten normal adult men was 15.1 ± 2.1 ng/ml; glucose infusion suppressed the mean peak GH to 9.6 ± 3.7 ug/ml (p < 0.05). Pretreatment of eight of these subjects with propranolol caused a modest increase in the mean peak GH after glucagon (19.4 ± 2.8 ng/ml) but did not improve the mean peak GH after glucagon when glucose was infused (8.7 ± 2.8 ng/ml). Individual analysis of the peak GH showed that glucose infusion did not uniformly suppress the peak GH after glucagon; in seven subjects the peak GH was suppressed but in three it was not. Conclusions: (1) The GH response after glucagon is usually due to a fall in serum glucose after the initial rise in serum glucose induced by glucagon. (2) Nevertheless, since glucose does not consistently inhibit the GH response after glucagon, a second mechanism probably exists by which glucagon stimulates GH secretion. (3) Glucose completely suppresses the propranolol-induced increase in the GH response to glucagon; an adrenergic mechanism may be involved in the control of GH secretion by glucose.
Left Ventricular Outflow Obstruction Induced by Tamponade in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Echocardiographic abnormalities of valvular movement described in patients with pericardial effusions have included systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve. Published illustrations have shown, however, "pseudo-SAM" rather than true SAM. We report a patient with asymmetric septal hypertrophy whose echocardiogram during tamponade showed true SAM, which was no longer apparent and could not be provoked following resolution of tamponade. Two prior cardiac catheterizations revealed no intraventricular pressure gradients in either normal or postextrasystolic beats. Tamponade was the only stimulus that provoked signs of obstruction in this patient with asymmetric septal hypertrophy.
Continuous Tracking of Behavioral Development in Infants

Infant development scales provide a one time measure of the number of scale items an infant performs and his standing relative to his age group. Repeated assessment indicates how many more items he can perform and whether his relative status has altered but does not measure actual changes in the same behaviors as development progresses. This paper discusses the importance of continuously measuring the same behavior over time as an alternative strategy. The developmental information is exemplified by the behavioral records of two infants observed over a 25-week period for changes in frequency and duration of three prone position motor responses.
Pipeline rendering: interactive refractions, reflections and shadows

Abstract A coordinated use of hardware-provided bitplanes and rendering pipelines can create ray-trace quality illumination effects in real time. We provide recursive reflections through the use of secondary viewpoints, and present a method for using a homogeneous 2D projective image mapping to extend this method for refractive surface. We extend the traditional use of shadow volumes to provide reflected and refracted shadows as well as reflected and refracted lighting. A shadow blending technique is demonstrated, and the shadow and lighting effects are incorporated into our recursive viewpoint paradigm. Finally, we incorporate material properties including a translucency model to provide a general framework for creating physically approximate renderings. These techniques are immediately applicable to area such as 3D modelling, animation and interactive environments to produce more realistic images in real time.
Structure of a feruloylated arabinoxylan tetrasaccharide that contains the β-D-Xylp-(1 2)-α-L-Araf element by 1H and 13C NMR spectrocopy†

The determination of the structure of {[5-O-(E)-feruloyl] [O-β-D -xylopyranosyl-(1 2)]-O-α-L arabinofuranosyl-(1 3)}-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 4)-D-xylopyranose, a compound isolated from the cell walls of Gramineae, is presented. Use is made of 1D HOHAHA and 2D 1H, 13C 1H-detected HMQC to assign the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of the individual residues. The 2D 1H, 13C 1H-detected HMBC and 1H, 1H ROESY, in comparison with 1H, 1H COSY, experiments are used to establish the inter-residue linkages. This is the first report of a feruloylated arabinoxylan that contains the β-D-Xylp-(1 rarr; 2)-α-L-Araf element.
QUANTUM-CLASSICAL TRANSITION OF THE ESCAPE RATE OF A UNIAXIAL SPIN SYSTEM IN AN ARBITRARILY DIRECTED FIELD

The escape rate $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ of the large-spin model described by the Hamiltonian $\mathcal{H}=\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{DS}}_{z}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{H}_{z}{S}_{z}\ensuremath{-}{H}_{x}{S}_{x}$ is investigated with the help of the mapping onto a particle moving in a double-well potential $U(x)$. The transition-state method yields $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ in the moderate-damping case as a Boltzmann average of the quantum transition probabilities. We have shown that the transition from the classical to quantum regimes with lowering temperature is of the first order $(d\ensuremath{\Gamma}/dT$ discontinuous at the transition temperature ${T}_{0})$ for ${h}_{x}$ below the phase boundary line ${h}_{x}{=h}_{\mathrm{xc}}{(h}_{z})$, where ${h}_{x,z}\ensuremath{\equiv}{H}_{x,z}/(2SD)$, and of the second order above this line. In the unbiased case ${(H}_{z}=0)$ the result is ${h}_{\mathrm{xc}}(0)=1/4$, i.e., one fourth of the metastability boundary ${h}_{\mathrm{xm}}=1$, at which the barrier disappears. In the strongly biased limit $\ensuremath{\delta}\ensuremath{\equiv}1\ensuremath{-}{h}_{z}\ensuremath{\ll}1$, one has ${h}_{\mathrm{xc}}\ensuremath{\cong}{(2/3)}^{3/4}(\sqrt{3}\ensuremath{-}\sqrt{2}){\ensuremath{\delta}}^{3/2}\ensuremath{\cong}0.2345{\ensuremath{\delta}}^{3/2}$, which is about one half of the boundary value ${h}_{\mathrm{xm}}\ensuremath{\cong}(2\ensuremath{\delta}{/3)}^{3/2}\ensuremath{\cong}0.5443{\ensuremath{\delta}}^{3/2}$. The latter case is relevant for experiments on small magnetic particles, where the barrier should be lowered to achieve measurable quantum escape rates.
Using an immunization registry: effect on practice costs and time.

Introduction.—Immunization registries can consolidate immunization records scattered among different providers, allowing immunization documentation for legal purposes, generation of needed-immunization lists, inventory management, and outreach for underimmunized children. They have been endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and health professionals as a means of sustaining high immunization rates. However, some providers perceive the cost of registry use as a barrier to participation. We sought to determine the effects of registry use on cost and time. Methods.—We used a pre-post design and a cost-accounting approach to measure labor costs and time for immunization-related activities possibly affected by registry use before development of a regional registry in Colorado and after the registry was being fully used. Two rural family practices, 2 rural community health centers (CHCs), 3 urban pediatric practices, and 2 rural public health agencies participated in both periods. Results.—Cost per shot increased slightly in the postregistry period for private practices and CHCs ($0.56 per shot in 2001 dollars) and public health agencies ($0.38). Since costs can increase for several reasons, including salary increases above inflation, we analyzed time spent per shot and found that staff time decreased for private practices and CHCs but increased substantially for public health agencies. Conclusions.—The study findings suggest to private practices that registry participation can provide a net benefit by making the vaccination process more efficient and, absent above-average salary increases, less costly. Public health agencies, however, would have to rely exclusively on the registry and eschew the use of paper vaccination records to realize efficiencies seen by other practice types.
Core services: Reward bioinformaticians

Biological data will continue to pile up unless those who analyse it are recognized as creative collaborators in need of career paths, says Jeffrey Chang.
Ocean current variability and the spawning season of Hawaiian reef fishes

The spawning patterns of four Hawaiian reef fishes with similar reproductive habits, but different biogeographic distributions were studied from September 1980 to October 1981. Two species are Hawaiian endemics [Centropyge potteri (Pomacanthidae) and Chaetodon multicinctus (Chaetodontidae)] and the other two have pan-tropical Pacific distributions [Ctenochaetus strigosus and Zebrasoma flavescens (Acanthuridae)]. All showed increased spawning activity from January to July, the prevalent pattern among a majority of coastal marine fishes in Hawaii. Environmental correlatives to the period of peak reproduction include cycles of (a) daylight length and temperature which probably function as proximate cues and (b) seasonal variations in ocean current patterns which may ultimately affect survival of larvae and dispersal. Peak reproduction takes place during months when (1) mesoscale eddies most likely occur, and (2) the probability is greatest of drifting objects remaining near the islands.
Amplitude- and velocity-dependency of rigidity measured at the wrist in Parkinson's disease

Objective Quantify the effects of increased amplitude and rate of muscle stretch on parkinsonian rigidity.
Structure Determination of Functional Membrane Proteins using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) with Small, Mixed-Lipid Liposomes: Native Beef Heart Mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase Forms Dimers

The low-resolution three-dimensional structure of purified native beef heart mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX) in asolectin unilamellar liposomes has been measured by small-angle neutron scattering under the conditions where the protein remains fully functional. From a neutron scattering perspective, the use of mixed-lipid liposomes provided for a more homogeneous matrix than can be achieved using a single lipid. As a result, the measurements were able to be performed under conditions where the liposome scattering was essentially eliminated (contrast-matched conditions). The protein structure in the membrane was modeled as a simple parallelepiped with side lengths of (59 × 70 × 120) A with uncertainties, respectively, (11, 12, 20 A). The molecular mass calculated for a typical protein with this volume is estimated to be (410 ± 124) kDa, which indicates the mass of a COX dimer. The longest dimension has some uncertainty due to intermolecular scattering contributing to the data. Nevertheless, that length was estimated using an average protein density and the known dimer molecular mass. Using the same cross sectional dimensions for the structure, the length is estimated to be 120 A. However, the measured scattering curve of the dimer in the liposome differs significantly from that calculated from the X-ray structure of the dimer in a crystal of mixed micelles (PDB 3AG1). The calculated SANS scattering from the crystal structure was fit with a parallelepiped, measuring (59 × 101 × 129) A with fitting uncertainties, respectively, (2, 3, 3 A). Our results suggest that COX is a functional dimer when reconstituted into mixed-lipid liposomes.
The EPS method: A new method for constructing pseudospectral derivative operators

We develop a new type of derivative matrix for pseudospectral methods. The norm of these matrices grows at the optimal rate O(N^2) for N-by-N matrices, in contrast to standard pseudospectral constructions that result in O(N^4) growth of the norm. The smaller norm has a big advantage when using the derivative matrix for solving time dependent problems such as wave propagation. The construction is based on representing the derivative operator as an integral kernel, and does not rely on the interpolating polynomials. In particular, we construct second derivative matrices that incorporate Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions on an interval and on the disk, but the method can be used to construct a wide variety of commonly used operators for solving PDEs and integral equations. The construction can be used with any quadrature, including traditional Gauss-Legendre quadratures, but we have found that by using quadratures based on prolate spheroidal wave functions, we can achieve a near optimal sampling rate close to two points per wavelength, even for non-periodic problems. We provide numerical results for the new construction and demonstrate that the construction achieves similar or better accuracy than traditional pseudospectral derivative matrices, while resulting in a norm that is orders of magnitude smaller than the standard construction. To demonstrate the advantage of the new construction, we apply the method for solving the wave equation in constant and discontinuous media and for solving PDEs on the unit disk. We also present two compression algorithms for applying the derivative matrices in O(NlogN) operations.
Gain-tailored SBS suppressing photonic crystal fibers for high power applications

We present experimental studies of PM Yb-doped photonic crystal fibers possessing acoustic and Yb-ion concentration tailoring. In the initial design, the concentration of dopants in two regions of the core were selected such that the corresponding Brillouin shifts were sufficiently separated to allow for further stimulated Brillouin scattering suppression through thermal effects. The Yb-ion concentration was maintained uniformly throughout the entire core. When this fiber was utilized in a counter-pumped amplifier configuration, ~500 W of single-frequency (kHz linewidth) output was obtained in a 10 m long fiber. Further power scaling with good beam quality beyond 500 W was limited by modal instabilities. A second fiber design was developed in which the Yb-ion concentration was modified to have preferential overlap with the fundamental mode as well as reduced pump absorption. The onset of the modal instabilities was sufficiently suppressed to allow for an output of 990 W with a nominal linewidth of 300 MHz and good beam quality.
FETAL GROWTH RETARDATION (FGR) AND HYPERINSULINISM: EVIDENCE FOR AN ABERRANT INTRACELLULAR RESPONSE TO INSULIN

FETAL GROWTH RETARDATION (FGR) AND HYPERINSULINISM: EVIDENCE FOR AN ABERRANT INTRACELLULAR RESPONSE TO INSULIN
Irradiation-induced amorphization of AlPO4

Abstract AlPO 4 , in the mineral form berlinite , is isostructural with α-quartz. We have investigated the irradiation-induced amorphization of hydrothermally-grown berlinite and found that — like quartz and other silicas but unlike most other phosphates — it undergoes solid-state radiolyis, with an efficiency fifty times that of quartz at room temperature, and amorphizes at an absorbed ionization dose of about 1 GGy. High-resolution TEM revealed that — unlike quartz in which small amorphous inclusions nucleate — electron-irradiated AlPO 4 proceeds uniformly to an aperiodic state, much as do cristobalite and tridymite, and 20 times faster. It was found also to amorphize under 1.5 MeV Kr + ion irradiation at a collisional energy density (10 eV/atom) similar to that for quartz and in keeping with the degree of structural freedom afforded by its tetrahedral network structure. The critical ion fluence for amorphization was found to increase by a factor of 5 between 300 and 600 K. Radial distribution functions derived from energy-filtered electron diffraction patterns from regions amorphized by electrons resemble those of electron-amorphized quartz with some additional features.
Phase 1 Oncology Clinical Trials for Related Subpopulations: The Power Walk Design*

This paper addresses designing a Phase 1 trial where the dose-response curve differs across patient subpopulations. We examine a design which “power walks” through clinically ineffective dose levels, accruing from either subpopulation, until dose limiting toxicity appears. The design then splits into two Phase 1 trials for each subpopulation. We performed simulation studies of 10000 Phase 1 trials comparing the “power walk” design to the alternatives. The power walk design correctly estimates the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) up to 20% more often. The power walk design performs best with a steep dose-response curve, and overestimates the MTD roughly 10% of the time. The power walk design is appropriate to obtain MTDs for separate patient subpopulations where the initial dose is clinically ineffective or substantially below the MTD. A power walk design study involves fewer patients and achieves the correct MTD more often. The power walk design is not recommended when the initial dose level is near the MTD.
A Layered Finite Element Method for High-Capacity Electromagnetic Analysis of High-Frequency ICs

This paper proposes a high-capacity electromagnetic solution, layered finite element method, for large-scale high-frequency IC analysis. In this method, first, the matrix system of the original 3D problem is reduced to that of 2D layers. Second, the matrix system of 2D layers is further reduced to that of a single layer. Third, a special excitation and extraction technique is proposed to further speed up the analysis. This technique limits the field unknowns needed for the final circuit extraction to those on a single layer only, and hence eliminating the need of recovering field solutions in other layers as well as simplifying the matrix reduction significantly. The entire numerical procedure is rigorous without making any approximation. The computational complexity only involves solving a single layer no matter how large the original problem is. Hence, the proposed method is equipped with a high capacity to solve large-scale IC problems. Numerical results are given to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method
Corticotropin‐Releasing Factor and Interleukin‐1 Receptors in the Brain‐Endocrine‐Immune Axis Role in Stress Response and Infection

CRF and IL-1 receptors were identified, characterized, and localized in brain, endocrine, and immune tissues. CRF receptors with comparable kinetic and pharmacological characteristics were localized in the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary, in brain areas involved in mediating stress responses, and in the macrophage-enriched marginal zones of the spleen. The discrete localization of IL-1 receptors in neurons of the hippocampus provides further support for the role of IL-1 as a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator/growth factor in the CNS. The neuroendocrine effects of IL-1 may be mediated through actions of the cytokine in brain. However, given the high densities of IL-1 receptors in the anterior pituitary and testis, direct effects of the cytokine at the pituitary or gonadal levels seem highly likely. Overall, these data support a role for IL-1 and CRF in coordinating and integrating the brain-endocrine-immune responses to physiological, pharmacological, and pathological stimuli.
Brother-Sister Marriage in Roman Egypt: a Curiosity of Humankind or a Widespread Family Strategy?

Scholars over the last few decades have been unable to find a convincing explanation for the widespread practice of brother-sister marriage among the common people in Roman Egypt, a social practice seemingly disregarding one of the most fundamental taboos. This paper now argues that these ‘incestuous’ marriages were in fact marriages between a biological child and an adopted one, a practice documented also for other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean. Due to the severe mortality regime before the demographic transition, up to 30 per cent of all fathers did not have a male heir, and therefore adopting the son-in-law was a common succession and inheritance strategy in many pre-modern societies.
Semantic query optimization for tree and chain queries

Semantic query optimization, or knowledge-based query optimization, has received increasing interest in recent years. The authors provide an effective and systematic approach to optimizing queries by appropriately choosing semantically equivalent transformations. Basically, there are two different types of transformations: transformations by eliminating unnecessary joins, and transformations by adding/eliminating redundant beneficial/nonbeneficial selection operations (restrictions). A necessary and sufficient condition to eliminate a single unnecessary join is provided. We prove that it is /spl Nscr//spl Pscr/-/spl Cscr/omplete to eliminate as many unnecessary joins as possible for various types of acyclic queries with the exception of the closure chain queries whose query graphs are chains and all equi-join attributes are distinct. An algorithm is provided to minimize the number of joins in tree queries. This algorithm has an important property that, when applied to a closure chain query, it will yield an optimal solution with the time complexity O(n*m), where n is the number of relations referenced in the chain query, and m is the time complexity of a restriction closure computation. >
Adjusting Educational Practice to Increase Female Persistence in the Sciences

The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of university programs designed to support, encourage, and retain female undergraduates enrolled in math, science, and engineering (MSE) majors. Interviews and roundtable discussions with thirty-two junior and senior female MSE majors revealed numerous factors within the university setting that contributed to female MSE retention and graduation. Four factors are discussed within the scope of this article: support networks and university acclimation, faculty associations, financial assistance, and university support programs that created a more personalized educational experience.
Preventing diabetes and obesity in American Indian communities: the potential of environmental interventions

Obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related chronic diseases persist in American Indians at rates that are significantly higher than those in other ethnic minority populations. Environmental interventions to improve diet and increase physical activity have the potential to improve these health outcomes, but relatively little work has taken place in American Indian communities. We reviewed the experiences and findings of the following 3 case studies of intervention trials in American Indian communities: the Pathways trial, which was a school-based trial that focused on children; the Apache Healthy Stores program, which was a food-store program that focused on food preparers and shoppers; and the Zhiwaapenewin Akino'maagewin trial, which was a multiinstitutional trial for First Nations adults that worked with food stores, elementary schools, and health and social services agencies. All 3 trials showed mixed success. Important lessons were learned, including the need to focus on supply and demand, institutional and multilevel approaches, and the identification of institutional bases to sustain programs.
Chromosome 1 replacement increases brain orexins and antidepressive measures without increasing locomotor activity

Abstract Decreased orexin level has been well demonstrated in patients suffering from narcolepsy, depression accompanied with suicide attempt; obstructive sleep apnea and comorbidity were also demonstrated in these diseases. As C57BL/6J (B6) mice are more “depressed” and have lower brain orexins than A/J mice, B6 mice having chromosome 1 replacement (B6A1 mice) might have restored orexin levels and less depressive behavior. We studied the behavior of 4–6 month old B6, A/J and B6A1 mice with forced swim, tail suspension, and locomotor activity tests. The animals were then sacrificed and hypothalamus and medullas dissected from brain tissue. Orexins-A and -B were determined by radioimmunoassay. Compared with A/J mice, B6 mice displayed several signs of depression, including increased immobility, increased locomotors activity, and decreased orexin A and -B levels in both the hypothalamus and medulla. Compared to B6 mice, B6A1 mice exhibited significantly higher levels of orexins-A and -B in both brain regions. B6A1 mice also exhibited antidepressive features in most of measured variables, including decreased locomotor activity, decreased immobility and increased swim in tail suspension test; compared with B6 mice, however. B6A1 mice also reversed immobility in the early phase of the swim test. In summary, B6 mice exhibited depressive attributes compared with A/J mice, including increased locomotor activity, greater immobility, and decreased brain orexins, these were largely reversed in B6A1 mice. We conclude that orexin levels modulate these B6 behaviors, likely due to expression of A/J alleles on Chromosome 1.
Finance and Risk Bearing in Agriculture

Ongoing structural change in agriculture is significantly affecting the nature of risks faced by agricultural producers, the menu of available risk management practices, and the distributions of risk and returns within the food system (Boehlje and Lins 1998). A tri-model structure has emerged in production agriculture characterized by the co-existence of large industrialized units, commercial-scale family operations, and small, part-time or limited resource farms (see Economic Research Service 2000) for a more extensive typology). The industrialized component is characterized in part by large size, high levels of vertical coordination between agricultural production and other stages of the food system, and internalization of numerous risk management functions and other services (e.g., legal, accounting, communications, government relationships). Small farms, while numerous, make limited contributions to overall economic activity, are heavily dependent on non-farm income, and engage in minimal risk management.
History in the study of suicide.

Historical analysis can contribute to the study of suicide as a form of human behaviour by providing perspective. Examining suicide in relation to changing social conditions, value systems, institutions and ideologies at different periods and in various societies may suggest ways of looking at suicide in our society. Materials presented here also indicate possibilities for further investigation.
Psychometric models of student conceptions in science: Reconciling qualitative studies and distractor-driven assessment instruments

We stand poised to marry the fruits of qualitative research on children's conceptions with the machinery of psychometrics. This merger allows us to build upon studies of limited groups of subjects to generalize to the larger population of learners. This is accomplished by reformulating multiple choice tests to reflect gains in understanding cognitive development. This study uses psychometric modeling to rank the appeal of a variety of children's astronomical ideas on a single uniform scale. Alternative con- ceptions are captured in test items with highly attractive multiple choice distractors administered twice to 1250 8th through 12th-grade students at the start and end of their introductory astronomy courses. For such items, an unusual psychometric profile is observed—instruction appears to strengthen support for alterna- tive conceptions before this preference eventually declines. This lends support to the view that such ideas may actually be markers of progress toward scientific understanding and are not impediments to learning. This method of analysis reveals the ages at which certain conceptions are more prevalent than others, aid- ing developers and practitioners in matching curriculum to student grade levels. This kind of instrument, in which distractors match common student ideas, has a profoundly different psychometric profile from conventional tests and exposes the weakness evident in conventional standardized tests. Distractor-driven multiple choice tests combine the richness of qualitative research with the power of quantitative assess- ment, measuring conceptual change along a single uniform dimension. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 265-296, 1998.
Ontogeny of feline temporal lobe epilepsy. III: Spontaneous sleep and arousal disorders in amygdala-kindled kittens.

Summary: We report the ontogeny and persistence of sleep and arousal disorders in amygdala-kindled kittens. We also identify procedural differences that may explain discrepancies in the literature on postkindling sleep disorders. The study population consisted of 12 preadolescent kittens kindled between 2.5 and 6.5 months of age, 8 of which were followed to adulthood (≥1 year), and 8 unkindled implanted control animals. Sleep and seizure patterns were monitored on 12-24-h polygraphic or split-screen video recordings of EEG and behavioral activity. Kindled kittens displayed spontaneous seizure and interictal sleep anomalies that persisted to adulthood, as follows. As compared with neurosurgical controls, kindled kittens exhibited slow-wave sleep (SWS) and REM sleep insomnia at least 1 year after kindling and 1–5 months after convulsions, regardless of postictal recording delay. Sleep and arousal defects in kindled kittens were similar to but more pronounced than those in kindled adult cats, possibly because kittens spontaneously became epileptic. Detection of postkindling SWS insomnia could be masked by brief scoring epochs (less than the preferred 1-min epoch for cats); recurrent behavioral arousals after kindling frequently aborted 1-min SWS epochs but often did not interrupt 30-s SWS epochs (based on 1-min vs. 30-s minimum duration scoring criteria). Detection of postkindling REM sleep insomnia could be masked in kittens with alternating patterns of REM loss and REM rebound; all these kittens showed periodic bouts of REM onset from waking after kindling. Different data collection and analysis procedures influence detection of sleep and arousal disorders in amygdala-kindled cats when replication of findings is attempted. We conclude that these differences explain some controversies regarding the nature and prevalence of sleep disturbances in the kindling literature in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
Preventing fire and smoke in power supplies

Leakage current through a printed circuit board epoxy has a strong Arrhenius dependence on temperature. Fire and smoke occurrences can be prevented by monitoring the leakage current between a ground plane and an adjacent test plane and shutting off power if the leakage current rises above a predetermined critical value.
Planning technology for intelligent cognitive orthotics

The aging of the world's population poses a challenge and an opportunity for the design of intelligent technology. This paper focuses on one type of assistive technology, cognitive orthotics, which can help people adapt to cognitive declines and continue satisfactory performance of routine activities, thereby potentially enabling them to remain in their own homes longer. Existing cognitive orthotics mainly provide alarms for prescribed activities at fixed times that are specified in advance. In contrast, we describe Autominder, a system we have designed that uses AI planning and plan management technology to carefully model an individual's daily plans, attend to and reason about the execution of those plans, and make flexible and adaptive decisions about when it is most appropriate to issue reminders. The paper concentrates on one of Autominder's three main components, the Plan Manager; other papers in this volume describe its other components (Colbry, Peintner, & Pollack 2002; McCarthy & Pollack 2002).
Concomitant Medical Conditions and Therapies Preclude Accurate Classification of Children With Severe or Severe Complicated Clostridium difficile Infection

Severe and severe complicated Clostridium difficile infections (SCDI/SCCDI) were retrospectively assessed in a pediatric cohort. Underlying medical conditions and concomitant medical therapy preclude accurate classification of children with SCDI/SCCDI, using current CDI severity definitions. Revised CDI definitions in children should focus on more objective, age-appropriate, and CDI-specific markers of severity.
The Financial Status of International CHRIE Members: Part I

Abstract To what extent have hospitality faculty members in the United States prepared for their retirement? The results of a survey addressing several financial issues related to retirement are provided and discussed.
Shifts in Propylthiouracil and Methimazole Prescribing Practices: Antithyroid Drug Use in the United States from 1991 to 2008

Context: The thionamide antithyroid drugs methimazole and propylthiouracil are the mainstay of pharmacologic therapy for Graves’ disease. However, little is known about the rate of use of these drugs and the prescribing practices of physicians treating hyperthyroidism. Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the frequency of methimazole and propylthiouracil use from years 1991 to 2008. Methods: The data were acquired by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Division of Epidemiology through two databases: IMS National Sales Perspectives and the Surveillance Data, Inc. Vector One: National database. Results: There was a 9-fold increase in the annual number of methimazole prescriptions during the study period, from 158,000 to 1.36 million per year. There was a 19% increase in the annual number of propylthiouracil prescriptions, from 348,000 to 415,000 per year. Propylthiouracil, which held two thirds of the market from 1991 to 1995, was surpassed by methimazole in 1996. Patient demographic dat...
Effects of feeding on state and cardiac regulation in the infant.

The effects of feeding on polygraphic state patterns and associated cardiac rates were examined in 8 normal infants using data collected during 12-hr continuous monitoring sessions at 1 week and at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 months of age. The distribution of states and corresponding heart rate values were tabulated for each minute during 2-hr periods preceding and following wakenings with and without feedings. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was significantly more prevalent immediately following a waking accompanied by feeding than waking alone. Moreover, a distinct relationship was demonstrated between feeding periods and the ongoing sleep cycle. In younger infants (1 week to 1 month), heart rates in quiet sleep (QS) and REM were higher after feeding than before, suggesting a general arousal influence. This was not the case with nonfeeding wakenings. In older infants (2–3 months), heart rates were higher after nonfeedings periods than before, but similar before and after feeding periods.