cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU‐E‐T‐343: Dosimetric Analysis of Catheter Displacement in High Dose Rate Prostate Brachytherapy

Purpose: To evaluate the dosimetric effect of catheter displacement on target coverage and doses to organs at risks (OARs) in high dose rate prostate brachytherapy. Methods: CT simulations from 21 prostate cancer patients treated with HDR monotherapy (7.25 Gy × 6 fractions) were used. The prostate CTV and OARs were contoured on the 3D‐CT. Treatment plans were optimized using an inverse planning simulated annealing algorithm and graphical optimization to ensure dosimetry objectives: target coverage (CTV D90=100–115%, V100 >97%, and V150 <35%) and OAR dose constraints (D0.1cc <85% (rectum), 80&–95% (bladder), and <110% (urethra)). Craniocaudal catheter movements from 1 to 10 mm in 1 mm increments were simulated by simultaneously shifting all active dwell positions in the initial treatment plan using catheter offset in the Oncentra MasterPlan (Nucletron). Target coverage (D90 and V100) and OAR doses (D0.1cc and D1cc) were evaluated and compared to no displacement plans. Results: The mean prostate CTV volume was 74.7±22.8 cc (range: 24.8–113.7 cc). Initial treatment plans provided target D90 = 107.7±2.0% (103.0–111.2%) and V100 = 98.5±0.8% (97.1–99.5%). The D0.1cc to OARs was 77.3±2.3% (rectum), 84.2±2.0% (bladder), and 106.8±1.6% (urethra). The mean target coverage was not significantly different for 1–2 mm shifts. Shifts between 3 and 6 mm still met most dosimetry objectives, but provided progressively less good target coverage and doses to OARs. Displacements of greater than or equal to 7 mm resulted in dosimetry that did not meet our dosimetry objectives. Conclusion: Small changes in catheter position Result in significant alterations in dosimetry and treatment delivery. The target coverage (D90 and V100) and bladder dose are reduced and the rectal and urethra doses are higher in direct proportion to the degree of displacement. It is essential to check and correct interstitial catheter positions before each HDR fraction to accurately deliver the planned radiation dose.
The oculomotor periphery: the clinician's focus is no longer a basic science stepchild

The study of the oculomotor periphery, the extraocular muscles and their orbital attachments, is undergoing a rapid expansion. This is an important progression for both basic and clinical communities as, for too long, the ophthalmologist has worked primarily in the periphery and the basic researcher has been occupied with study of the central components of the oculomotor system. From recent studies, it is clear that the morphology, cell and molecular biology, and genetics of the eye muscles and their corresponding motoneuron pools, and muscle attachments within the orbit are more complex than has heretofore been appreciated.
Wage Inequity, Self-Qualifications, and Productivity

Abstract This study is a critical examination and extension of Adams' work on the relationship between wage inequity and productivity. Some support was found for Adams' original hypothesis—that, if a person is paid by the hour, his production will be greater when his outcomes are perceived as too great than when identical outcomes are perceived as equitable. However, it was suggested that congruency between inputs and outcomes does not necessarily indicate lack of dissonance. Subjects in the high input (qualification)-high outcome (pay) condition produced significance more than the experimental (low input-high outcome) subjects. Another variable, the subject's perception of his qualifications, was found to be positively related to productivity. Implications of this finding for wage-inequity and self-consistency theories were discussed.
The recognition and classification of concepts in understanding scientific texts

Abstract In understanding a novel scientific text, we may distinguish the following processes. First, concepts are built from the logical form of the sentence into the final knowledge structures. This is called concept formation. While these concepts are being formed, they are also being recognized by checking whether they are already in long-term memory (LTM). Then, those concepts which are unrecognized are integrated in LTM. In this paper, algorithms for the recognition and integration of concepts in scientific texts are presented. It is shown that the integration of concepts in understanding scientific texts is essentially a classification task, which determines how and where to integrate them in LTM. In some cases, the integration of concepts results in a reclassification of some of the concepts already stored in LTM. All the algorithms described here have been implemented and are part of SNOWY, a program which reads short scientific paragraphs and answers questions.
A detailed analysis of the effective-load-carrying-capacity behavior of plug-in electric vehicles in the power grid

We performed a study of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) vehicle-to-grid (V2G) operations to characterize the behavior of effective load carrying capacity (ELCC) contributed by the PEVs. We leveraged the V2G simulation framework developed in [1] and used wider data sets in this study to perform a broader and deeper analysis.
Locating Microseismic Events With Time Reversed Acoustics: A Synthetic Case Study

We investigated the applicability of using the Time Reversed Acoustics (TRA) technique, and thus the whole waveform of the recorded signal, to locate microseismic events in a reservoir monitoring system (Lu, 2007). Reservoir monitoring has attracted a lot of attention over the last twenty years. One of the challenges in reservoir monitoring is locating the microseismic events that result from fluid injection and fracturing processes. Conventionally, a seismic event is located using the arrival times of P and S phases. The picking of arrival times could potentially be very time-consuming and difficult in certain situations, especially when the passive seismic events are continuously recorded by the monitoring systems. The retro-focusing feature of TRA can be applied to such a location problem and might provide an opportunity to locate events using the whole waveforms without picking different arrival phases. The basic concept involved in TRA is the fundamental symmetry of time reversal invariance. In the TRA approach, we first record the full seismograms at an array of stations. The traces are then time-reversed and numerically sent back into the medium at those station locations assuming an a priori velocity model. The wavefield of the back-propagation is tracked and, at the appropriate time, energy concentrates at the focal locations of each event. The TRA technique is particularly amenable at reservoir scale, in that a detailed subsurface velocity structure is usually available. We investigate TRA’s retrofocusing properties by experimenting with different receiver coverage on a 3D elastic reservoir model using full elastic finite difference simulations. The advancements in modern reservoir networks can provide a wide receiver coverage that can potentially make TRA practical. In this numerical study, we try to address issues involved in the implementation of the TRA technique in reservoir monitoring projects, such as what kind of monitoring network is suitable for good focusing, how sparse can the stations in a network be, and what is the focal resolution in different setups, etc.
Sensitivity analysis to the cost of delay model for NextGen benefits analysis

Previous studies of the US Air Transportation System have tried to identify rational airline behavior during times of significant economic and regulatory change [1]. That research indicated that even during periods of increased fuel prices and slot controls at the New York Airports, the airlines chose to reduce the size of the aircraft rather than reduce schedule and increase aircraft size [2]. This study uses delay-cost modeling to explain such behavior. This paper extends our previous analysis of airline delay costs [3] by applying that methodology to new data and examining the sensitivity of the results to such data changes. We examine the sensitivity of airline delay costs to aircraft fuel burn rates, fuel prices, crew and maintenance costs, and airline market shares. We observe that delay costs are most sensitive to fuel burn rates. We then identify the aircraft that is “best in class” and find that the current airline behavior of moving to smaller, more efficient aircraft makes good economic sense because it increases frequency while simultaneously reducing the two highest operational costs: fuel costs and crew costs. This finding has significant impact for those responsible for managing congestion in the airspace and at airports.
Measurement of Cross-Relaxation between Amide Protons in 15N-Enriched Proteins with Suppression of Spin Diffusion

A variant of two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) is described which allows one to observe cross-relaxation pathways between protons that have heteronuclear scalar couplings to nitrogen-15 or carbon-13 nuclei. In 15N-enriched proteins, it is possible to focus attention on Overhauser effects between amide protons. All Overhauser effects between amide and other protons are eliminated by inserting a bilinear rotation decoupling (BIRD) sequence in the middle of the relaxation interval. The mechanism of the suppression of cross relaxation is analogous to expts. involving selective inversion of the longitudinal magnetization of protons under investigation by quenching undesirable indirect external trouble in nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (QUIET-NOESY). The new method is therefore called QUIET-BIRD-NOESY. [on SciFinder (R)]
Small molecule macroarray construction via Ugi four-component reactions.

We report the construction of small molecule macroarrays via Ugi four-component reactions on planar cellulose supports. Array synthesis was enabled by the development of a high efficiency photocleavable linker system and the strategic use of both water- and microwave-assisted organic reactions.
Nucleotide sequence and analysis of the mgl operon of Escherichia coli K12.

The nucleotide sequence of the Escherichia coli K12 β-methylgalactoside transport operon, mgl, was determined. Primer extension analysis indicated that the synthesis of mRNA initiates at guanine residue 145 of the determined sequence. The operon contains three open reading frames (ORF). The operator proximal ORF, mglB, encodes the galactose binding protein, a periplasmic protein of 332 amino acids including the 23 residue amino-terminal signal peptide. Following a 62 nucleotide spacer, the second ORF, mglA, is capable of encoding a protein of 506 amino acids. The amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal halves of this protein are homologous to each other and each half contains a putative nucleotide binding site. The third ORF, mglC, is capable of encoding a hydrophobic protein of 336 amino acids which is thought to generate the transmembrane pore. The overall organization of the mglBAC operon and its potential to encode three proteins is similar to that of the ara FGH high affinity transport operon, located approximately 1 min away on the E. coli K12 chromosome.
Antibiotic therapy in the elderly

Although infections in the elderly are very serious and can lead to dire consequences, close atten tion by the home health care provider will aid in detection and diagnosis of the problem. Careful ...
Magnetically frozen beds

Abstract A magnetically frozen bed exists when magnetizable solids are subjected to a sufficiently high magnetic field such that they attract each other with appreciable force and the bed appears to be locked. It is an extension of the magnetically stabilized regime as the magnetic field strength is increased. The transition between the stabilized and frozen regimes was determined for pure and admixed systems by determining the conditions when a lead weight placed on the top surface of the bed would remain supported. The magnetically frozen bed could be made to flow as a slug through a containing vessel. The fluid velocity required to initiate this transport, as well as maintain the bed above a distributor, was determined as a function of the applied magnetic field strength. The magnetically frozen bed was found to have many properties similar to a packed bed. It is well suited for use as a particulates filter, with removal of the magnetic field during a regeneration cycle.
Contagion Shocks in One Dimension

We consider an agent-based model of emotional contagion coupled with motion in one dimension that has recently been studied in the computer science community. The model involves movement with a speed proportional to a “fear” variable that undergoes a temporal consensus averaging based on distance to other agents. We study the effect of Riemann initial data for this problem, leading to shock dynamics that are studied both within the agent-based model as well as in a continuum limit. We examine the behavior of the model under distinguished limits as the characteristic contagion interaction distance and the interaction timescale both approach zero. The limiting behavior is related to a classical model for pressureless gas dynamics with “sticky” particles. In comparison, we observe a threshold for the interaction distance vs. interaction timescale that produce qualitatively different behavior for the system - in one case particle paths do not cross and there is a natural Eulerian limit involving nonlocal interactions and in the other case particle paths can cross and one may consider only a kinetic model in the continuum limit.
Low Thermal Conductivity YSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings Made by the Solution Precursor Plasma Spray Process

The vast majority of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are made using 7 wt% yttria stabilized zirconia (7YSZ) due to its high thermal expansion coefficient, high fracture toughness, relatively low thermal conductivity and modest use of rare earth elements (Y). Lower thermal conductivity in TBCs is highly desirable because it would allow thinner coatings and/or improved thermal protection. By arranging the porosity in layers using the solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process it has been demonstrated that a 7YSZ coating with 15–23% porosity can be reproducibly fabricated having a thermal conductivity of about 0.6W/m·K, approximately half of the thermal conductivity of air plasma spray (APS) TBCs. Preliminary tests show that both cyclic furnace durability and erosion resistance are comparable to APS TBCs.© 2014 ASME
Query optimization via contention space partitioning and cost error controlling for dynamic multidatabase systems

A multidatabase system (MDBS) integrates information from multiple autonomous local databases. Performing global query optimization to achieve efficient query processing in such a system is challenging due to local autonomy of the data sources. Dynamic factors in the environment make the problem even more difficult. In this paper, we present two techniques, i.e., contention space partitioning and cost error controlling, to perform global query optimization in a dynamic MDBS. Both techniques generate an execution plan with multiple versions for a query in a dynamic MDBS, utilizing the multistate cost models built for the dynamic environment via our previous multistate query sampling method. The first technique partitions the contention space of a dynamic multidatabase environment into a given number of subspaces and chooses a good query execution plan version for each subspace, while the second technique selects a set of execution plan versions by using a given error tolerance to control query execution costs. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed techniques are quite promising for performing global query optimization in a dynamic MDBS. Compared with related work on dynamic query optimization, our approach has an advantage of avoiding the high overhead for modifying or re-generating an execution plan for a query based on dynamic runtime information.
Effects of Early Weaning on Cow Performance, Grazing Behavior, and Winter Feed Costs in the Intermountain West1

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the influence of early weaning (EW; approximately 130 d of age) and traditional weaning (TW; approximately 205 d of age) on cow performance, grazing behavior, and winter feed costs in a 2-yr study. Each year, 156 cow-calf pairs were stratified by calf sex, BCS, and age and assigned randomly to 1 of 2 treatments and 1 of 3 pastures. Two cows from each treatment and pasture were fitted with global positioning system collars each year to evaluate grazing behavior. After TW, EW and TW cows were separated and allotted to 1 of 6 pastures based on previous blocking criteria for winter feeding. Cows were fed to attain a similar BCS by 1 mo prior to parturition. Traditional-weaned cows lost 0.8 BCS units and 40 kg BW whereas the EW cows gained 0.1 BCS units and 8 kg BW from EW to TW (P 0.10) by treatment. However, pasture distribution by EW cows tended to be greater than that of TW cows (P = 0.08). Results indicate that EW improved cow BCS entering the winter feeding period, thereby decreasing winter feed costs. Cow grazing behavior was minimally affected by weaning treatment.
Feasibility of using real time "Live 3D" echocardiography to visualize the stenotic aortic valve.

Background: Aortic stenosis valve area (AS AVA) using the continuity equation (CE AVA) has limitations. Thus anatomic assessment of AS AVA would be useful. Method: AS AVA was measured using “live three-dimensional (3D)” echocardiography that is a two-dimensional (2D) display of a three-dimensionally acquired 2–3 cm thick pyramidal image. In 52 aortic stenosis patients with CE AVA measurements, attempts were made at measuring AS AVA using 2D echocardiography (2D AVA) and real time, Live 3D echocardiography (3D AVA). 3D AVA and 2D AVA were compared to each other and to CE AVA. Results: 2D AVA could be obtained in 30 patients (58%) and 3D AVA in 50 patients (96%). Of the 30 patients in whom 3D AVA and 2D AVA were both measured, the correlation was 0.831 (P < 0.001). 3D AVA was smaller in 19 patients. In 17 of these patients, 3D AVA was closer to CE AVA. In two patients, 2D AVA was smaller than 3D AVA and in both patients 3D AVA was closer to CE AVA. The correlations between 2D AVA and CE AVA and 3D AVA and CE AVA were 0.581 and 0.673, respectively (all P < 0.001). Conclusion: A simplified 3D technique that is a “thick slice” 2D examination, can obtain AS AVA more often than a “thin slice” 2D echocardiogram. This 3D AVA correlates well with 2D AVA but is smaller and correlates better with CE AVA suggesting that the effective AS orifice is not planar but is more of a “tunnel” than a “flat ring.” (Echocardiography 2010;27:1011-1020)
Coplanar refractive–diffractive doublets for optoelectronic integrated systems

A coplanar refractive–diffractive doublet array employing surface-relief diffractive phase elements embedded within poly(methyl methacrylate) microlenses is introduced as an optomechanical building block for optoelectronic integrated systems. The design method, fabrication technology, and results are described. Coplanarity of the quadratic- and linear-phase elements constituting the doublet can reduce optomechanical complexity in applications to unguided optical interconnects.
Determining Appropriate Criteria in the Evaluation of Correctional Mental Health Treatment for Inmates

Planners of mental health treatment programs for correctional inmates, as well as those who conduct research on such programs, have typically evaluatcd the effectiveness of such treatment by using as outcome measures the extent of adjustment within the institution and/or the rate of recidivism. Despite a changed focus regarding the goals of mental health treatment for mentally ill inmates, some prison mental health treatment programs still prefer to evaluate effects in terms of adjustment indicators. This paper discusses and critiques proposals in Ohio to use adjustment indicators as outcome measures for a new treatment program for mentally ill inmates. The paper also discusses proper outcome measures for evaluating the effectiveness of treatment for mentally ill inmates.
A Design for File Access in a Mobile Environment

Reducing communication cost is important-in a mobile enuironment, because transmission of data over the radio link is slow, expensive, and unreliable. Providing data consistencg is crucial because-many mobile applilcations are database applications which rely on consistent data. In this paper we propose a design for a fiIe access mechanism specific to a mobile environment. Our two main design goals are to reduce communication cost and to provide data consistency. We reduce the amount of communication by extensive use of caching, profile inforrnation (files the user accesses), a proxy process, delayed writes, and availability of loose-reads. We provide data consistency by using the prony services, a centralized data rnanager with callbacks, and strict-reads. Our design is general enough to suit the needs of both mobile database and office applicati,ons.
Time-stepped simulation of queueing systems

This paper discusses some fundamental issues in the time stepped simulation, which is a resolution adjustable simulation methodology. We first analyze the simulation errors for a simple queueing system. Then we study the impact of the source traffic statistics on the simulation performance in a more general setting.
Infarct healing is a dynamic process following acute myocardial infarction

Background: The role of infarct size on left ventricular (LV) remodeling in heart failure after an acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is well recognized. Infarct size, as determined by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), decreases over time. The amount, rate, and duration of infarct healing are unknown. Methods: A total of 66 patients were prospectively enrolled after reperfusion for an acute STEMI. Patients underwent a CMR evaluation within 1 week, 4 months, and 14 months after STEMI. Results: Mean infarct sizes for the 66 patients at baseline (acute necrosis), early follow-up (early scar), and late follow-up (late scar) were 25±17 g, 17±12 g, and 15±11 g, respectively. Patients were stratified in tertiles, based on infarct size, with the largest infarcts having the greatest absolute decrease in mass at early and late scar. The percent reduction of infarct mass was independent of initial infarct size. There was an 8 g or 32% decrease in infarct mass between acute necrosis and early scar (p<0.01) with a 2 g or 12% additional decrease in infarct mass between early and late scar (p<0.01). Conclusions: Infarct healing is a continuous process after reperfusion for STEMI, with greatest reduction in infarct size in the first few months. The dynamic nature of infarct healing through the first year after STEMI indicates that decisions based on infarct size, and interventions to reduce infarct size, must take into consideration the time frame of measurement.
Quantitative analysis of the Stratus optical coherence tomography fast macular thickness map reports

The cross sectional optical coherence tomography images have an important role in evaluating retinal diseases. The reports generated by the Stratus fast macular thickness scan protocol are useful for both clinical and research purposes. The centerpoint thickness is an important outcome measure for many therapeutic trials related to macular disease. The data is susceptible to artifacts such as decentration and boundary line errors and could be potentially erroneous. An understanding of how the data is generated is essential before utilizing the data. This article describes the interpretation of the fast macular thickness map report, assessment of the quality of an optical coherence tomography image and identification of the artifacts that could influence the numeric data.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEST SUCCESS AND CONCEALMENT IN TWO GROUND-NESTING PASSERINES

Abstract We examined vegetation characteristics around nest sites of the Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) and Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) for three summers in the northern-and mixed-hardwood forests of northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to test the hypothesis that nests with greater concealment are less vulnerable to depredation. Because these two ground-nesting passerines differ in terms of nest structure and behavior near the nest, they present an opportunity to examine how these two factors influence reproductive success in sympatric species. Depredation was the most common source of nest failure for both species, with Ovenbirds having higher nest success for data pooled across years. Side (but not overhead) concealment was correlated positively with nest success for the Hermit Thrush but not for the Ovenbird. Side and overhead concealment did not differ between the Hermit Thrush and Ovenbird. We found a substantial proportion of nests in ground pine (Lycopodium obscurum). Herm...
TWITTER AS A RAPID RESPONSE NEWS SERVICE: AN EXPLORATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE 2008 CHINA EARTHQUAKE

Micro-blogging websites (such as twitter), a new information channel, was widely reported as outperforming the mainstream information channels in numerous ways during the massive 2008 China earthquake, including beating the first official mainstream news released from the USGS to report the initial tremor (BBC May 12 2008). According to Twitter.com, there have been noticeable spikes of twitter usage during disasters and other large events, serving as an extremely powerful and effective fast response news service. This raises some important exploratory questions: What kind of information can micro-blogging provide regarding disaster news? Of what quality is the information provided by micro-blogging? Can the modern communication tool – micro-blogging, replace the mainstream media information channel or merely supplement it in distributing disaster news? How do twitter (and other micro-blogging services) compare with the mainstream information channels during the different timeframes in terms of information quality and collective intelligence? For this research paper, we will use Twitter as a proxy for micro-blogging in general, the mainstream media information channel as the benchmark, and the massive 2008 Sichuan earthquake as our research subject. At the time of the Sichuan earthquake, Twitter was universally available in the China mainland. The aim of this exploratory study is to shed some light on how micro-blogging can provide integrated and speedy information regarding disaster news.
Judgments about the right to property from preschool to adulthood

Legal theorists argue that the constitutional right to property is defined, in part, by the property beliefs of the community, and how they change; yet little is known about these beliefs. In each of the three present studies, subjects aged 4 to 15 years, and adults, rated story characters who refused to return objects to their previous owners. Subjects under 10 did not clearly differentiate loss or destruction of one's own from another's property (study I), or the rights of persons who acquired possession by theft, loan, finding, or gift (study II). Creative labor was considered a more legitimate basis for possession by 15-year-olds than by 10-year-olds or adults (study III). These results support the idea that children understand “own” in the same way as adults understand “on loan”.
Tracking of high bearing-rate targets with the maximum a-posteriori broadband tracker

Tracking of high bearing-rate or maneuvering targets has always been dificult with traditional sonar pro- cessing methods and, along wirh poor displays accounts for the failings of most tracking techniques. In a previous paper; a new method of integrated detection, localization, and tracking of multiple broadband signals directly from array data was presented (Maximum A-Posteriori (MAP) tracker). In this work, we explore a variation of the MAP tracker designed to follow fast-moving contacts. Spec$- ically, two methods have been developed to facilitate the tracking of slow, moderate, and fast-moving contacts simul- taneously. Thefirst approach attempts to adapt the value of the state process covariance matrix Q according to the esti- mated mean velocip and acceleration of each contact over a single "6atch" of data. The second method was devised to effectively "slow down" the object of interest by transforn- ing the measurement space in such a way as to preserve all fhe information in intermediate processing. The hvo tech- niques are then demonstrated separately or in parallel and produce good results for both synrhetic and real data.
Design of Hybrid-Electric Vehicle Architectures Using Auto-Generation of Feasible Driving Modes

Several hybrid-electric vehicle architectures have been commercialized to serve different categories of vehicles and driving conditions. Such architectures can be optimally controlled by switching among driving modes, namely, the power distribution schemes in their planetary gear (PG) transmissions, in order to operate the vehicle in the most efficient regions of engine and motor maps. This paper proposes a systematic way to identify the optimal architecture for a given vehicle drive cycle, rather than parametrically optimizing one or more pre-selected architectures. An automatic generator of feasible driving modes for a given number of PGs is developed. For a powertrain consisting of one engine, two motors and two PGs, this generator results in 1116 modes. A heuristic search is then proposed to find a near-optimal pair of modes for a given driving cycle and vehicle specification. In a study this process identifies a dual-mode architecture with an 8% improvement in fuel economy compared to a commercially available architecture over a standard drive cycle.
Cytotoxicity Comparison of Three Current Direct Pulp-capping Agents with a New Bioceramic Root Repair Putty

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the cytotoxicity of white mineral trioxide aggregate cement (AMTA, MTA-Angelus), Brasseler Endosequence Root Repair Putty (ERRM), Dycal, and Ultra-blend Plus (UBP) by using human dermal fibroblasts and a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Methods Cultured adult human dermal fibroblasts were exposed to multiple concentrations of material elutes. The test material samples were immersed and incubated in the culture medium for 2, 5, or 8 days at 37°C. The cytotoxic effects were recorded by using an MTT-based colorimetric assay. Positive and negative controls were used. The results were statistically examined by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey post tests. Results The cell viability of cultures exposed to all dilutions of AMTA, ERRM, and UBP was statistically similar to the negative control at 2 and 5 days. Only the Dycal-exposed specimens exhibited a statistically significant increase in cytotoxicity at the 2 initial evaluation periods. After exposure to the 8-day elutes, the respective percentage of cell survivability was 91% (Brasseler), 88% (MTA-Angelus), 76% (Ultra-blend Plus), and 37% (Dycal). Conclusions From the data in this in vitro study, AMTA, ERRM, and UBP had statistically similar adult human dermal fibroblast cytotoxicity levels. Relative to the negative control, only Dycal was shown to have a statistically significant cytotoxic effect to adult human dermal fibroblasts at all tested intervals.
Comparison of light- and SST-based geolocation with satellite telemetry in free-ranging albatrosses

Light-based archival tags are increasingly being used on free-ranging marine vertebrates to study their movements using geolocation estimates. These methods use algorithms that incorporate threshold light techniques to determine longitude and latitude. More recently, researchers have begun using sea surface temperature (SST) to determine latitude in temperate regions. The accuracy and application of these algorithms have not been validated on free-ranging birds. Errors in both geolocation methods were quantified by double-tagging Laysan (Phoebastria immutabilis Rothschild) and black-footed (P. nigripes Audubon) albatrosses with both leg-mounted archival tags that measured SST and ambient light, and satellite transmitters. Laysan albatrosses were captured and released from breeding colonies on Tern Island, northwestern Hawaiian Islands (23°52′N, 166°17′W) and Guadalupe Island, Mexico (28°31′N, 118°10′W) and black-footed albatrosses from Tern Island. Studies were carried out between December 2002 and March 2003. For all birds combined, the mean ± SD great circle (GC) distance between light-based locations and satellite-derived locations was 400±298 km (n=131). Errors in geolocation positions were reduced to 202±171 km (n=154) when light-based longitude and SST-based latitude (i.e. SST/light) were used to establish locations. The SST/light method produced comparable results for two Laysan albatross populations that traveled within distinctly different oceanic regions (open ocean vs more coastal) whereas light-based methods produced greater errors in the coastal population. Archival tags deployed on black-footed albatrosses returned a significantly higher proportion of lower-quality locations, which was attributed to interference of the light sensor on the tag. Overall, the results demonstrate that combining measures of light-based longitude and SST-based latitude significantly reduces the error in location estimates for albatrosses and can provide valid latitude estimates during the equinoxes, when light-based latitude measurements are indeterminate.
Cognitive and linguistic underpinnings of deixis am phantasma : Bühler's and Peirce's semiotic

Th is inquiry outlines Karl Buhle's three kinds of deixis, focusing particularly on his most advanced use – deixis am phantasma (deictics to refer to absent referents). This use is of primary import to the semiosis of index, given the centrality of the object and the interpretant in changing the function of the indexical sign in ontogeny. Employing deictic signs to refer to absent objects (some of which are mental) constitutes a catalyst from more social, conventional, uses to more internal, imaginative, ones. Buhler's analogy of mental objects as a "mimesis" serves as the genesis for the claim that static and more dynamic memories, fuelled by affect, drive deictics to refer to more dynamic objects and more dynamic interpretants, into more constructed realities. Peirce's two types of objects and three types of interpretants complete Buhler's deictic framework; they determine advances in deictic semiosis undeveloped by Buhler, and offer rationale for how it is that deictic use extends the semiosis of index.
Flow and Particle Diagnostics. Multi‐Parameter and Multi‐Point Measurements

Laser-based diagnostic techniques, developed primarily within the combustion community, offer considerable promise for nonintrusive measurements in gaseous flows relevant to industry. In this paper, we review two diagnostic methods under development in our laboratory. The first technique allows simultaneous measurement of multiple parameters through analysis of the shape and shift of fully resolved absorption lineshapes. The light source is a tunable, narrow-linewidth semiconductor diode laser, applied in the present case to either water vapor (1.39 microns) at combustion gas temperatures (to 1700 K) or to argon (800 nm) in an atmospheric pressure plasma (at temperatures to 8000 K). Parameters inferred include, for water: temperature, pressure, velocity and species density; for argon, the parameters are electron density, kinetic temperature and the population temperature for the 4 s levels of argon. The second diagnostic technique is planar laser-induced fluorescence (PL1F), which allows instantaneous measurements of a single parameter at multiple points in the flowfield. The example application to be discussed is single-shot temperature imaging in a model scramjet flowfield using a two laser-two camera imaging scheme.
Priming in macaque frontal cortex during popout visual search: feature-based facilitation and location-based inhibition of return.

In popout search, humans and monkeys are affected by trialto-trial changes in stimulus features and target location. The neuronal mechanisms underlying such sequential effects have not been examined. Single neurons were recorded in the frontal eye field (FEF) of monkeys performing a popout search during which stimulus features and target position changed unpredictably across trials. Like previous studies, repetition of stimulus features improved performance. This feature-based facilitation of return was manifested in the target discrimination process in FEF: neurons discriminated the target from distractors earlier and better with repetition of stimulus features, corresponding to improvements in saccade latency and accuracy, respectively. The neuronal target selection was mediated by both target enhancement and distractor suppression. In contrast to the repetition of features, repetition of target position increased saccade latency. This location-based inhibition of return was reflected in the neuronal discrimination process but not in the baseline activity in FEF. These results show adjustments of the target selection process in FEF corresponding to and therefore possibly contributing to changes in performance across trials caused by sequential regularities in display properties.
LEGAL ENVIRONMENT, INTERNALIZATION, AND U.S. ACQUIRER GAINS IN FOREIGN TAKEOVERS

In examining takeovers of foreign targets by U.S. firms, we investigate the effect of the target country's legal environment on acquiring firm value. Our results indicate that acquirers of target firms located in civil law countries experience significant positive abnormal returns, especially when the acquirer possesses a high level of intangibles. Furthermore, we find that acquirers with high levels of intangibles are more likely to acquire target firms in civil law countries. These findings suggest that the transfer of intangibles overseas provides relatively larger efficiency benefits for multinational corporations in cases where the alternative, contracting in external markets, is more difficult.
CoReJava: Learning Functions Expressed as Object-Oriented Programs

Proposed and implemented is the language CoReJava (constraint optimization regression in Java), which extends the programming language Java with regression analysis, i.e., the capability to do parameter estimation for a function. CoReJava is unique in that functional forms for regression analysis are expressed as first-class citizens, i.e., as Java programs, in which some parameters are not a priori known, but need to be learned from training sets provided as input. Typical applications of CoReJava include calibration of parameters of computational processes, described as OO programs. To implement regression learning, the CoReJava compiler (1) analyses the structure of the parameterized Java program that represent a functional form, (2) automatically generates a constraint optimization problem, in which constraint variables are the unknown parameters, and the objective function to be minimized is the sum of squares of errors w.r.t. the training set, and (3) solves the optimization problem using an external non-linear optimization solver. CoReJava then executes as a regular Java program, in which the initially unknown parameters are replaced with the found optimal values. CoReJava syntax and semantics are formally defined and exemplified using a simple supply chain example.
Postanesthetic Death in a Cat With Myopathy

There are few reports of naturally occurring muscular dystrophy in domestic animals. Herein, we describe a case of muscular dystrophy in a 4-year-old neutered male American domestic shorthair cat that died unexpectedly following anesthesia for an elective surgical procedure. Macroscopic muscular hypertrophy and histologic evidence of myofiber size variation, mineralization, myofiber degeneration, and necrosis were compatible with a diagnosis of muscular dystrophy. Extensive endomysial fibrosis was noted histologically in the diaphragm. A complete absence of dystrophin protein in Western blot confirmed the diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed reduced levels of dystrophin-associated proteins and an upregulation of utrophin at the sarcolemma. Anesthetic deaths can occur in dystrophin-deficient cats, and therefore muscular dystrophy and the associated cardiomyopathy should be considered in the differential diagnoses for perianesthetic death in cats.
Optical Coherency Matrix Tomography of Unconventional Beams

We present the first experimental measurement of the coherency matrix G associated with an electromagnetic beam with two binary degrees of freedom. We consider beams with polarization and a spatially varying amplitude or phase: spatial parity modes and orbital angular momentum modes, respectively.
SPERM‐MEDIATED GENE FLOW AND THE GENETIC STRUCTURE OF A POPULATION OF THE COLONIAL ASCIDIAN BOTRYLLUS SCHLOSSERI

The genetic structure of populations of sessile and sedentary organisms is often char- acterized by microgeographic differentiation in gene frequencies and deviations from panmixia. In many terrestrial botanical systems, restricted gene flow via seed and pollen dispersal may have an important role in promoting such genetic patterns. Until recently, however, limited dispersal of the sexual propagules of benthic invertebrates has not been considered to play a comparable role in aquatic systems. Based on paternity analyses in the field using rare allozyme markers, it appears that concentrations of sibling sperm of the sessile, colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri decline rapidly within 50 cm of a source colony. In combination with spatially restricted dispersal of brooded larvae, limited dispersal of sperm should enhance the potential for genetic diversification and inbreeding. However, analysis of allelic and genotypic frequencies at three independent, poly- morphic allozyme loci using F-statistics provides little evidence for microgeographic variation in gene frequencies. This lack of differentiation can be explained in terms of the absolute number (rather than concentration) of gametes and larvae dispersing from a point source, which-depending on diffusion and geometric assumptions-may actually increase with distance. In contrast to the absence of differentiation, levels of inbreeding are high, even within the confines of 25 x 25-cm quadrats. The absence of genetic diversification and presence of inbreeding caution against inferring levels and causes of gene flow from indirect analysis of genetic structure and, conversely, making predictions about genetic and breeding structure based solely on direct analysis of gene flow.
Asian germplasm in American horticulture: New thoughts on an old theme

Additional index words. cultivated flora, disjuncts, invasive species, national access, ornamentals, plant exploration Abstract. North American horticulture cultivates an astonishing diversity of ornamental species, from nearly every floristic region, but its landscapes are dominated by temperate species drawn from eastern Asia. The East Asiatic floristic region is one of the most diverse in the world with a high level of endemism across taxonomic ranks and ancient relicts of a once widespread flora. From this, a large number of ornamental genera and species have been introduced, from either a long history of cultivation in Asia or directly from the wild, where they have since become fixtures in European and American gardens. The success of Asian germplasm in American horticulture is attributable, in part, to a shared evolutionary history, climatematching, and pre-adaptability.Continuing accesstothese genetic resources isnowgovernedby nationallegislation and influenced by an evolving international regime of access and benefit-sharing influenced by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Furthermore, updated plant quarantine regulations have added additional requirements for the importation of foreign plant genetic resources. The newly created category within the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)Q37regulationsknownas''notauthorizedpendingpestriskanalysis''(NAPPRA)restrictstheimportofplantsfor planting that may harbor pests or become pests that are not already established within the United States. To this end, scientists involved in the collection or use of Asian plant genetic resources are affected by recent changes in international and national laws, regulations, and access and benefit-sharing regimes.
Teaching reform of tunnel and underground engineering course

Tunnel and underground engineering is not only a specialized and practical course,but also a very important major course in the branch of underground engineering of civil engineering.In this paper,a new teaching method combined multiple teaching means and teaching methods is discussed,the aim of which is to provoke interest,foster the innovation ability,so as to successfully realize the training objective of cultivating top-ranking engineering personnel with solid basic knowledge,practical skills as well as the ability of communication and cooperation in professional English.
A New Economic View of American History

(1981). A New Economic View of American History. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 821-825.
Monotone Drawings of 3-Connected Plane Graphs

A monotone drawing of a graph G is a straight-line drawing of G such that, for every pair of vertices u,w in G, there exists a path P uw in G that is monotone on some line l uw . (Namely, the order of the orthogonal projections of the vertices in P uw on l uw is the same as the order they appear in P uw .) In this paper, we show that the classical Schnyder drawing of 3-connected plane graphs is a monotone drawing on a grid of size f ×f (f ≤ 2n − 5 is the number of internal faces of G), which can be constructed in O(n) time. It also has the advantage that, for any given vertices u,w, the monotone line l uw can be identified in O(1) time.
The Evidence Base for the Prognosis and Treatment of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: The 2015 Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation Clinical Research Award

We present a summary of our research into the natural history and treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). This work has answered critical clinical questions and in aggregate has substantially contributed to the evidence base for the prognosis and treatment of AIS. Evidence-based practice has been defined by Straus and Sackett1 as the best research evidence when combined with clinical experience (based on knowledge and experience developed over time from practice, including inductive reasoning) and patient circumstances. The first step in pediatric evidence-based practice is to understand the natural history of the disease or condition in order to learn the adult consequences of the condition. We need to understand what we are trying to prevent with treatment. The second step is to determine the outcomes of treatments to establish that treatment has favorably altered the natural history without introducing iatrogenic complications. The focus of our research over the last thirty-eight years has been to establish the evidence base for a variety of pediatric orthopaedic conditions. We present an overview of our research contributing to the current evidence for the prognosis and treatment of AIS. Arthur Steindler, MD, cared for a large number of patients with AIS between 1932 and 1948 and kept meticulous records of their initial presentation and subsequent visits. Our research was possible because of these records and the loyalty of these patients to Dr. Steindler and the University of Iowa. AIS is characterized by a lateral curvature of the spine of 10° or greater with rotation of the vertebrae. The diagnosis is made when other causes of scoliosis have been ruled out. Two to three percent of children younger than sixteen years of age will have a curvature of 10° or greater, and 0.3% to 0.5% will have a curvature of 20°, the size at which …
The FDA pesticides program: goals and new approaches.

Evolutions du programme de la FDA portant sur le controle des residus de pesticides dans les aliments. Elles consistent a definir les procedures a utiliser pour doser les residus dans les produits ou non et une etude du comportement alimentaire global pour determiner les teneurs en pesticides absorbees