cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU‐E‐T‐243: The Utilization of a Head‐And‐Neck IMRT QA Benchmark to Identify the Cause of Individual Imrt Qa Failure

Purpose: In this work, a H&N IMRT QA plan was created and then utilized as the benchmark to monitor all subsequent IMRT processes. This benchmark plan is delivered as a consistency check on the same day when a Patient Specific QA (PSQA) fails the passing criteria. The establishment of such an QA benchmark allows to determine whether the failure of a PSQA is due to the TPS or MLC performance. Methods: A changeling QA plan was generated as benchmark for a 7‐beam IMRT for H&N cancer in Pinnacle TPS. Prior to benchmarking of this QA case, the accelerator is serviced to ensure MLC positioning accuracy and output calibration. The composite dose distribution of the benchmark plan was measured with IMRTrix® and then compared with the fluence map generated from TPS. This plan is delivered to check the consistency of imrt process whenever a PSQA fails the passing criteria. Results: For the baseline measurement, the point dose discrepancy was found to be 2.5% and Gamma passing rate was 97.3% and is then setup as our benchmark for IMRT process consistency check. 74 PSQA have been analyzed since the establishment of the benchmark. Seven cases failed the passing criteria. the benchmark plan was delivered to check the system consistency. Of the two cases, the benchmark case passed, thus required replanning. For the other five cases, the benchmark was substantially lower than the initial passing rate, thus the MLC performance may cause the failure and required MLC recalibration. Conclusions: We have established a benchmark QA plan for consistency check of IMRT process. The IMRT consistency check can be performed as a periodic QA check (monthly QA), after mlc recalibration or whenever a PSQA failure occurs. This will help to maintain the best performance of IMRT process.
Using anaerobic digestion of organic wastes to biochemically store solar thermal energy

Abstract Solar energy is the most abundant energy resource with the potential to become a major component of a sustainable global energy solution. However, unsteady energy flow and low energy density make it difficult to collect, convert, and store solar energy, which is why current solar power generation technologies have limited applications. This paper comprehensively studied the integration of solar thermal collection with different anaerobic digestion operations to form solar-bioreactor systems in order to realize biological storage of solar energy and solve the issues that solar energy generation encounters. The experimental comparison of manure digestion and co-digestion concluded that co-digestion had a better methane yields with a minimum difference between mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The energy analysis of solar-bioreactor systems with both manure digestion and co-digestion at different bioreactor sizes further concluded that solar-bioreactor systems with mesophilic co-digestion was the preferred system to store solar energy into methane biogas. The optimal solar-storage efficiencies for the three systems of 10, 100, 1000 m3 were 67%, 68% and 70%, respectively. The corresponding solar-bioreactor system efficiencies were 82%, 88%, and 89%.
An experimental coprocessor for implementing persistent objects on an IBM 4381

In this paper we describe an experimental coprocessor for an IBM 4381 that is designed to facilitate the exploration of persistent objects.
Incorporation of copper nanoparticles into paper for point-of-use water purification

As a cost-effective alternative to silver nanoparticles, we have investigated the use of copper nanoparticles in paper filters for point-of-use water purification. This work reports an environmentally benign method for the direct in situ preparation of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) in paper by reducing sorbed copper ions with ascorbic acid. Copper nanoparticles were quickly formed in less than 10 min and were well distributed on the paper fiber surfaces. Paper sheets were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Antibacterial activity of the CuNP sheets was assessed for by passing Escherichia coli bacteria suspensions through the papers. The effluent was analyzed for viable bacteria and copper release. The CuNP papers with higher copper content showed a high bacteria reduction of log 8.8 for E. coli. The paper sheets containing copper nanoparticles were effective in inactivating the test bacteria as they passed through the paper. The copper levels released in the effluent water were below the recommended limit for copper in drinking water (1 ppm).
Unilateral Cervical and Segmental Uterine Horn Aplasia With Endometrial Hyperplasia, Mucometra, and Endometritis in a Domestic Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Abstract An adult female rabbit was presented for routine ovariohysterectomy. The preanesthetic evaluation was unremarkable. During surgery, it was noted that the right uterine horn was distended and discontinuous with the vagina owing to the absence of the right cervix. The left uterine horn was enlarged and both ovaries appeared normal. The ovariohysterectomy was performed, and the reproductive tract was submitted for histopathology. The rabbit recovered uneventfully from surgery and was still doing well 6 months after surgery. A diagnosis of cervical and segmental uterine aplasia with mucometra was made in the right uterine horn, with endometrial hyperplasia and mild endometritis present in both uterine horns. Segmental uterine aplasia is a rare developmental disorder resulting from a defect in the formation of paramesonephric ducts during embryological development. Segmental uterine aplasia can be an incidental finding at presentation, as is in this case. However, associated complications and concurrent developmental defects can result in overt clinical signs.
Activity, selectivity and stability of high-silica faujasites in the cracking of neohexane

It is known that, in solutions of liquid superacids, neopentane (2,2-dimethylpropane) is transformed into cracking and isomerization products, depending on the reaction conditions, with the cleavage of C-C and C-H bonds respectively [1]. At the same time, in the presence of Y and ZSM zeolites, only C-C bonds of neopentane enter the reaction, while C-H bonds at the primary carbon atoms are extremely stable, on account of which there are virtually no isoand n-pentanes in the reaction products [2, 3]. In the present work, the results of cracking neohexane (2,2-dimethylbutane), which differs from neopentane in the presence of a secondary carbon atom and corresponding C-H bonds, on high-silica faujasites (HSF) having greater acidity than initial Y-type zeolites [4] are discussed.
Ethnicity and analgesic practice

Abstract Study Objective: We previously reported that Hispanic ethnicity was an independent risk factor for inadequate analgesic administration among patients presenting to a single emergency department. We then attempted to generalize these findings to other ethnic groups and EDs. Our current study objective is to determine whether black patients with extremity fractures are less likely to receive ED analgesics than similarly injured white patients. Methods: We conducted the following retrospective cohort study at an urban ED in Atlanta, GA. All black and white patients presenting with new, isolated long-bone fractures over a 40-month period were studied. After abstracting demographic information from the medical record and subsequently removing ethnic identifiers, we submitted the medical record to a physician who recorded characteristics of the patients' injury and treatment. We then submitted the records to a nurse, again blinded to ethnicity, who recorded analgesic administration. We used multiple logistic regression to determine the independent effect of ethnicity on analgesic use while controlling for multiple potential confounders. Our main outcome measure was the proportion of black versus white patients receiving ED analgesics. Results: The study group consisted of 217 patients, of whom 127 were black and 90 were white. White patients were significantly more likely than black patients to receive ED analgesics (74% versus 57%, P =.01) despite similar records of pain complaints in the medical record. The risk of receiving no analgesic while in the ED was 66% greater for black patients than for white patients (relative risk 1.66, 95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 2.50). This effect persisted after controlling for multiple potential confounders. Conclusion: Black patients with isolated long-bone fractures were less likely than white patients to receive analgesics in this ED. No covariate measured in this study could account for this effect. Our findings have implications for efforts to improve analgesic practices for all patients. [Todd KH, Deaton C, D'Adamo AP, Goe L. Ethnicity and analgesic practice. Ann Emerg Med. January 2000;35:11-16.]
HMPAO spect brain imaging in treatment-resistant depression

Abstract 1. 1. There is little published research on brain function in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This study examined regional cerebral blood flow using 99m Technetium-hexamethylpropanolamine oxime (HMPAO) single photon emission computed tomography in 8 patients with a history of TRD, 13 depressed patients without TRD (non-TRD) and 16 normal controls. 2. 2. Relative HMPAO activity in selected brain regions revealed a significant increase in hippocampus-amygdala activity in TRD patients compared to non-TRD patients and healthy controls. The mean value of relative HMPAO activity did not differ in any other brain region, nor were there any differences in right-left symmetry among the subject groups. 3. 3. The observation of increased hippocampus-amygdala HMPAO activity in TRD patients suggests that functional abnormalities in limbic circuitry may play a role in the pathophysiology of treatment-resistance.
A positive/negative pressure monitor for use in neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

The following is a design for a simple, inexpensive combination positive/negative pressure monitor, with applications in neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).Negative (venous) pressure in the ECMO tubing circuit is monitored in the traditional reservoir volume-sensing manner, with a 5cc reservoir and associated sensing circuitry. Positive (arterial) pressure is measured by any manufacturer's blood pressure transducer/amplifier combination. The analogue signal relating to this pressure is routed from the amplifier to the ECMO pressure monitor for comparison to a reference value. If the positive pressure exceeds this reference value (indicating an overpressure situation) or the pillow collapses (indicating excess negative pressure), respective audible and visual alarms are activated and power to the blood (roller) pump is removed. When the alarm situation is remedied, power is automatically restored to the pump.The ECMO pressure monitor affords great sensitivity, accuracy and dependability. I...
Contradictions of interaction for wives of elderly husbands with adult dementia

The researchers used a dialectical framework to examine interviews with wives whose elderly husbands experienced adult dementia from Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD), centering on how wives coped communicatively with their husbands' illness. These "married widows" experienced a primary contradiction between their husbands' physical presence and cognitive/emotional absence. Interwoven with the presence-absence contradiction were three additional contradictions: certainty-uncertainty, openness-closedness, and past-present. Results describe the ways these wives communicatively negotiated the web of contradictions as they interacted in the present with husbands they once knew. Applications for practitioners and caregivers working with ADRD patients and their wives, including formal and informal support, understanding, and managing contradictions, and ways to more effectively interpret ADRD patients' communication, are discussed.
Rotational-echo double-resonance NMR-restrained model of the ternary complex of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase.

The 46-kD enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase catalyzes the condensation of shikimate-3-phosphate (S3P) and phosphoenolpyruvate to form EPSP. The reaction is inhibited by N-(phosphonomethyl)-glycine (Glp), which, in the presence of S3P, binds to EPSP synthase to form a stable ternary complex. We have used solid-state NMR and molecular modeling to characterize the EPSP synthase–S3P–Glp ternary complex. Modeling began with the crystal coordinates of the unliganded protein, published distance restraints, and information from the chemical modification and mutagenesis literature on EPSP synthase. New inter-ligand and ligand-protein distances were obtained. These measurements utilized the native 31P in S3P and Glp, biosynthetically 13C-labeled S3P, specifically 13C and 15N labeled Glp, and a variety of protein-15N labels. Several models were investigated and tested for accuracy using the results of both new and previously published rotational-echo double resonance (REDOR) NMR experiments. The REDOR model is compared with the recently published X-ray crystal structure of the ternary complex, PDB code 1G6S. There is general agreement between the REDOR model and the crystal structure with respect to the global folding of the two domains of EPSP synthase and the relative positioning of S3P and Glp in the binding pocket. However, some of the REDOR data are in disagreement with predictions based on the coordinates of 1G6S, particularly those of the five arginines lining the binding site. We attribute these discrepancies to substantive differences in sample preparation for REDOR and X-ray crystallography. We applied the REDOR restraints to the 1G6S coordinates and created a REDOR-refined xray structure that agrees with the NMR results.
Molecular mechanisms of antifibrotic effect of interferon gamma in bleomycin-mouse model of lung fibrosis: downregulation of TGF-beta and procollagen I and III gene expression.

The present study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism for the antifibrotic effect of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in the bleomycin (BL)-mouse model of lung fibrosis. The expression of transforming growth factor (TGF-β) and procollagen I and III and their mRNAs was investigated in the BL-mouse model of lung fibrosis with and without IFN-γ treatment by Northern and slot blot analyses. Temporal changes in the content of procollagen and TGF-γ mRNAs in the lungs of mice receiving saline or BL by intratracheal route, with and without IFN-γ treatment by intramuscular route, were quantitated. The level of TGF-γ mRNA increased rapidly and peaked at day 5, whereas the levels of mRNAs for procollagens α1(I) and α1 (III) peaked at 10 days after BL instillation. The peak levels of these mRNAs in BL-treated animals were five- to sevenfold higher than those of the control. The increase in TGF-β mRNA in the lungs of BL-treated mice preceded the increase in the synthesis of type I and type III procollagen mRNAs. BL trea...
What infant memory tells us about infantile amnesia: long-term recall and deferred imitation.

Abstract Long-term recall memory was assessed using a nonverbal method requiring subjects to reenact a past event from memory (deferred imitation). A large sample of infants ( N = 192), evenly divided between 14- and 16-months old, was tested across two experiments. A delay of 2 months was used in Experiment 1 and a delay of 4 months in Experiment 2. In both experiments two treatment groups were used. In one treatment group, motor practice (immediate imitation) was allowed before the delay was imposed; in the other group, subjects were prevented from motor practice before the delay. Age-matched control groups were used to assess the spontaneous production of the target acts in the absence of exposure to the model in both experiments. The results demonstrated significant deferred imitation for both treatment groups at both delay intervals, and moreover showed that infants retained and imitated multiple acts. These findings suggest that infants have a non-verbal declarative memory system that supports the recall of past events across long-term delays. The implications of these findings for the multiple memory system debate in cognitive science and neuroscience and for theories of infantile amnesia are considered.
Some considerations of elastic analyses of discrete models of solids

Abstract The possibility is examined of studying the behavior of elastic solids on the basis of a model which considers them to be made up by a very large number of elementary particles arranged in a regular lattice array. Some of the simplifications which are needed (e.g. the neglect of surface tension) to make the analysis practical are examined, first in general terms and then for the simple case of a bar in tension.
Physical properties of bedding that may increase risk of sudden infant death syndrome in prone-sleeping infants

Soft bedding has been shown in epidemiologic studies to increase the risk for sudden, unexpected death in prone-sleeping infants. We compared the physical properties of conventional bedding to bedding from two sources: 1) bedding that covered the airways of victims of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) lying prone and face down at the time of death; and, 2) bedding associated with increased risk for SIDS in case-control studies (i.e. bedding filled with ti tree bark). Using simple mechanical models and the head from an infant mannequin, we measured the resistance to airflow, malleability, and capacity to limit CO2 dispersal of the bedding. We also describe a technique for quantifying bedding softness. The resistance and malleability were similar for the conventional bedding, the ti tree bedding, and the bedding from SIDS deaths (analysis of variance, p = 0.85 and 0.16). The ti tree bedding and the other bedding from SIDS cases differed from conventional bedding in two physical properties. Both groups were softer (p < or = 0.005) and limited CO2 dispersal to a greater degree (p < or = 0.009). The finding that increased capacity to limit CO2 dispersal is a consistent property of the bedding covering the airways of these SIDS victims and of bedding shown to be an epidemiologic risk factor for SIDS supports rebreathing of expired air as a mechanism underlying the association of certain kinds of bedding with SIDS.
SU‐DD‐A2‐06: TG‐43 Parameterization of a Novel Brachytherapy Source Design of Multi‐Radioisotope

Purpose: Applications of I‐125 and Pd‐103 sources in brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancers, with long and short doubling time, respectively, are well established. However, for treatment of prostate cancer composed of cells with different doubling time, a brachytherapy source with mixture of I‐125 and Pd‐103 radioisotopes might be more desirable. In this project, dosimetric characteristics of a novel brachytherapy source, composed of a mixture of I‐125 and Pd‐103 radioisotopes, has been determined following AAPM TG‐43U1 protocol. Method and Materials: A new brachytherapy source model, ADVANTAGE™ HYBRID PdI, has been designed by IsoAid™, LLC for treatment of prostate cancer. A dose calculation model was developed to determine the dosimetric characteristics of this source design. In this model, the Monte Carlo simulated parameters from each isotope of the source were individually determined assuming 50% dose contribution from each isotope. These values were then utilized for determination of the parameters of the mixed source. The outcomes of these investigations have been incorporated in the VariSeed planning system for the evaluation of an actual clinical case. Results: The results of these investigations indicated that the dose rate constant of a source with 50% dose contribution from each isotope is 0.699 cGy/hr/U. The radial dose function, 2D‐ and 1D‐ anisotropy function of the new source design have been tabulated for clinical applications. The tolerance of each parameter was evaluated for isotope variation within the source. The percent variation of V100 and D90 were found to be less than 1% and 4%, respectively, which are within the acceptable range. Conclusion: The TG‐43 dosimetric parameters of a multi‐isotope source have been determined for clinical applications in the treatment of prostate cancer with tumors composed of cells with variety of potential doubling times. This project is partially sponsored by IsoAid™, LLC.
Detection-based object labeling in 3D scenes

We propose a view-based approach for labeling objects in 3D scenes reconstructed from RGB-D (color+depth) videos. We utilize sliding window detectors trained from object views to assign class probabilities to pixels in every RGB-D frame. These probabilities are projected into the reconstructed 3D scene and integrated using a voxel representation. We perform efficient inference on a Markov Random Field over the voxels, combining cues from view-based detection and 3D shape, to label the scene. Our detection-based approach produces accurate scene labeling on the RGB-D Scenes Dataset and improves the robustness of object detection.
Incidence, Depth and Severity of Children in Poverty

Recently, the first ever estimate of the number of children living poverty in developing countries was undertaken. The incidence of child poverty was estimated by establishing how many children suffer severe deprivation in at least one out of seven indicators which are internationally recognized as their rights as well as constitutive of poverty. This is a major step forward in the analysis of poverty. In this paper, we generalize these findings on the incidence of children living in poverty by exploring how to estimate the depth and severity of child poverty. Two countries can have the same proportion of children living in poverty, however, the actual plight of children could be very different depending on how many deprivations, on average, children suffer. In addition, even if they suffer from the same average number of deprivations, these deprivation could be the same for all children or be very unevenly distributed. We show how these considerations can be used to estimate the depth and severity of poverty. We use regional data to provide applied examples of this methodology. The method proposed in this paper is similar to the one used to estimate the incidence, depth and severity of income poverty. The paper also offers some possible generalizations and ways forward for future research.
Anxious and avoidant attachment styles and indicators of recovery in schizophrenia: associations with self-esteem and hope

Objectives Having an insecure attachment style in schizophrenia has been linked to treatment response and symptom severity in schizophrenia. This study sought to further examine whether attachment style is related to subjective indicators of recovery including hope and self-esteem, independent of symptom level and secondly, whether attachment style in schizophrenia differs from attachment style of persons facing adversity in the form of a prolonged non-psychiatric medical illness. Design Participants were 52 men with schizophrenia, and 26 with HIV/AIDS who had no history of experiencing severe mental illness. These groups were compared in terms of their endorsement of attachment style. Methods All participants were administered the Experiences in Close Relationships measure of adult attachment style. The schizophrenia group was also given the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to assess self-esteem, the Beck Hopelessness Scale as a measure of hope, and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, as an assessment of symptoms. Results Avoidant attachment in the schizophrenia group was linked with higher levels of hopelessness while anxious attachment was linked to lower levels of self-esteem. The association between anxious attachment and self-esteem persisted after controlling for severity of positive, negative, and depressive symptoms in a stepwise multiple regression analyses. Compared to the HIV/AIDS group, participants with schizophrenia had significantly higher levels of anxious attachment but not avoidant attachment style. Conclusions Attachment style may impact attainment of key subjective domains of recovery in schizophrenia such as self-esteem, independent of symptom severity. Practitioner points If self-esteem and/or hopelessness are identified as a focus of treatment, focusing on attachment style may be an important treatment component. Therapist understanding of patients' attachment style may allow for a better understanding of resistance in the therapeutic relationship. Helping persons with schizophrenia to recognize and change how they tend to relate to others may promote gains in subjective elements of recovery.
Informal Communication in Collaboratories

This study examines how collaboratories affect informal scientific communication. Collaboratories are virtual organizations, where various information technologies are adopted to support distributed scientific work. In this paper, a framework to understand factors affecting informal communication are presented and how these factors play out in collaboratories are discussed. The results of data analysis suggest that collaboratories bring about new opportunities, but there are also barriers to informal communication in collaboratories. Peripheral scientists encounter more barriers than their partners in US and Europe. The paper concludes with a discussion of areas for future research and implications of this study.
Analysis of pathogenicity mutants of a bacteriocin producing Xanthomonas perforans

Abstract Since the initial discovery of Xanthomonas perforans on tomato in 1991, it has completely displaced Xanthomonas euvesicatoria as the bacterial spot of tomato pathogen in Florida. Previous research has shown that X. perforans produces at least three different bacteriocin-like compounds (BcnA, BcnB, BcnC) antagonistic toward X. euvesicatoria strains. In this study pathogenicity-attenuated, bacteriocin-producing mutants of X. perforans were created to determine their potential as biological control agents for control of X. euvesicatoria. Several candidate genes were chosen based on previous studies in which mutant phenotypes exhibited reduced virulence in either X. perforans (OpgHXcv) or the closely related X. euvesicatoria strain 85-10 (hpaB, hpaC, xopA, xopD, avrBs2 and gumD). Each candidate gene in X. perforans was amplified and PCR-assisted deletion mutagenesis was performed in the wild-type (wt) X. perforans strain to create potential attenuation mutants. Each mutant was tested for growth rate, disease severity and antagonism toward X. euvesicatoria strains. Three mutants, XopA, opgH, and gumD were significantly less pathogenic than the wild-type strain with the opgH mutant reaching significantly lower internal populations than all other mutants except hpaC. The opgH-strain was the most affected in its ability to grow internally in plant tissue while inhibiting X. euvesicatoria populations equal to or more than the other mutant strains. This mutant strain could potentially be used as part of an effective biological control strategy.
Histone patterns during early embryogenesis in the echiuroid Urechis caupo

Histones were isolated from nuclei of Urechis caupo unfertilized eggs and embryos from early cleavage through gastrula. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed the presence of a slow migrating H1s fraction in the egg which was replaced by a faster migrating H1 during development. Radioactive labelling showed no synthesis of H1s from fertilization up to gastrula and a high rate of synthesis of H1 relative to the other histones during cleavage and blastula stages.
Representational singularities in the torque optimization problem of an active closed loop mechanism

Resolution of actuation redundancy in active mechanisms that include a closed kinematic loop is addressed here. The minimization of the active effort in these mechanisms is explored here instead of the more frequently studied problem of optimization of the contact force conditions in the presence of multiple frictional contacts. This minimal effort problem is relevant if these mechanisms are performing tasks where slipping at the frictional contacts is extremely unlikely, or if the mechanisms do not include frictional contacts. An analytical formulation is presented using a spatial notation that is an extension of the screw representation of motion and force systems. Representational singularities (singularities that have no physical significance) that arise during the algorithmic development of the problem are presented. It is also shown that different representational singularities arise if the solution for the active effort is arrived at with different manipulation of the equations governing the active closed loop mechanism.
A Hybrid Fuzzy Simplex Genetic Algorithm

This paper presents a novel hybrid genetic algorithm that has the ability of the genetic algorithms to avoid being trapped at local minimum while accelerating the speed of local search by using the fuzzy simplex algorithm. The new algorithm is labeled the hybrid fuzzy simplex genetic algorithm (HFSGA). Standard test problems are used to evaluate the efficiency of the algorithm. The algorithm is also applied successfully to several engineering design problems. The HFSGA generally results in a faster convergence toward extremum.
Targeted therapies: Any surprises from selective oestrogen-receptor modulators?

The marriage of medicinal chemistry, molecular biology and medicine is perhaps best exemplified by the evolution of selective oestrogen-receptor modulators (SERMs). Translational studies might be useful for predicting the myriad clinical responses to SERMs, contributing to improvements in women's health.
Pulmonary function of a paediatric cohort of patients with postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans. A long term follow-up

Background Postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is a chronic respiratory disease that usually follows a severe adenovirus infection. Objective To determine the evolution of pulmonary function and clinical outcome of children with postinfectious BO during childhood. Methods The study included patients diagnosed with postinfectious BO in whom at least two spirometries were performed within a minimum interval of 3 months. Results 46 met the inclusion criteria. The mean (±SD) follow-up period was 12.5 (±3.5) years. 197 spirometries and 41 plethysmographies were performed. Initial (9±3 years old) lung function was as follows (z score, mean±SD): forced vital capacity (FVC) �3.8±1; forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) �4.4±1; FEV1/FVC �2.2±1; forced expiratory flow (FEF)25–75 �3.7±1; total lung capacity (TLC) 120±26%; residual volume (RV) 309±108%; and RV/TLC 55±13. During childhood, FVC and FEV1 increased by a mean of 11%/year (95% CI 9.3% to 12.6%; p<0.0001) and 9%/year (95% CI 7.7% to 10.2%; p<0.0001), and the FEV1/FVC ratio decreased by 1.9%/year (95% CI 1% to 2.8; p<0.001). The z score for FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC decreased by 0.07 z score/year (95% CI 0.1 to 0.01; p<0.05), 0.09 z score/year (95% CI 0.1 to 0.05; p<0.01) and 0.04 z score/year (95% CI 0.09 to 0.001; p<0.02), respectively. During the follow-up period, 69% of patients required at least one hospital readmission and five required mechanical ventilation. Nine patients developed a thoracic deformity, and seven whose bronchiectasis did not respond to clinical treatment underwent a lobectomy. Conclusions After a 12 year follow-up period, pulmonary function remained severely impaired, showing an obstructive pattern with air trapping that slowly improved during childhood. An unequal growth of lung parenchyma over the airways suggests dysinaptic growth. Patients required frequent readmission due to recurrent respiratory infections, and hypoxaemia improved slowly over time.
Kinetic insights into the reactivity of the intermediates generated from hydrogen peroxide and diiron(III) complex with tris(picolyl)amine (TPA).

Two intermediates (2 and 3) are formed consecutively in the reaction of a diiron(III) complex [FeIII2(μ-O)(OH)(H2O)(TPA)2](ClO4)3 (TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, tris(picolyl)amine) with H2O2 in CH3CN at −40 °C. Low-temperature stopped-flow studies showed that both species are kinetically competent in oxidation of phosphines and phenols. The first intermediate (2) reacts with substrates very rapidly (second-order rate constants reach 105–106 M−1 s−1 for substituted triarylphosphines and 103–105 M−1 s−1 for substituted phenols), in keeping with a diiron(IV)–oxo formulation. The second intermediate (3), a mixed-valent Fe(III)Fe(IV) species, is more stable than 2, and reacts with substrates more slowly (second-order rate constants range from 150 to 550 M−1 s−1 for triaryl phosphine oxidation, and from 18 to 790 M−1 s−1 for phenol oxidation). Reaction rates increase with increasing electron donating abilities of substituents, indicating that both 2 and 3 act as electrophilic oxidants.
A Quantal Model for Psychological Magnitude and Differential Sensitivity

The model assumes a series of quantal elements, divided into successive subseries. Within each subseries, the quanta are equal in psychological magnitude. Between subseries, they may differ in magnitude; if they differ, they do so by some integral ratio. The quanta of any subseries may thus be converted into the units of the subseries with the smallest quanta. The total converted value of all of the quanta excited determines the psychological magnitude. The converted value of any quantum divided by the total converted value of all of the preceding quanta in the series determines the relative differential sensitivity; this ratio is analogous to the Weber fraction. When the ratio is plotted against its denominator, analogous to a plot of ΔR/R against R, the result is a set of reciprocal functions that resemble visually a Weber-law plot. The model also has consequences for the measurement of magnitudes, for the relations governing latency and confidence, and for certain issues in systematic psychology.
The effect of assigning a metadata or indexing term on document ordering

The assignment of indexing terms and metadata to documents, data, and other information representations is considered useful, but the utility of including a single term is seldom discussed. The author discusses a simple model of document ordering and then shows how assigning index and metadata labels improves or decreases retrieval performance. The Indexing and Metadata Advantage (IMA) factor measures how indexing or assigning a metadata term helps (or hurts) ordering performance. Performance values and the associated IMA expressions are computed, consistent with several different assumptions. The economic value associated with various term assignment decisions is developed. The IMA term advantage model itself is empirically validated with computer software that shows that the analytic results obtained agree completely with the actual performance gains and losses found when ordering all sets of 14 or fewer documents. When the formulas in the software are changed to differ from this model, the predictions of the actual performance are erroneous.
Comparison of Prophylactic or Therapeutic Dietary Administration of Capsaicin for Reduction of Salmonella in Broiler Chickens

In three experiments the effects of prophylactic or therapeutic dietary inclusion of capsaicin, the pungent component of peppers, were evaluated as a nonantibiotic alternative for reduction of Salmonella in broiler chickens through culture and morphologic assessment of cecal tissue. Expt. 1 evaluated the effects of 0 or 10 ppm purified capsaicin (CAP) in the starter phase (days 1-16) on chicks challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) on day of age. Therapeutic inclusion of 10 ppm purified CAP increased (P < 0.05) liver/spleen (L/S) and ceca positive results for SE. In Expt. 2, capsaicin oleoresin (CO) was included in the finisher diet (days 30-37) at 0, 5, or 20 ppm with SE challenge on day 31. Inclusion of 5 ppm CO increased ceca positive results for SE, and a linear decrease in cecal lamina propria thickness of SE-challenged birds was observed with increased CO concentration in the diet. Expt. 3 evaluated prophylactic CO treatment at 0, 5, or 20 ppm in starter, grower, and finisher diets for resistance to SE or Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) challenge on day 14 or 29. With challenge on day 14, 5 and 20 ppm prophylactic CO feeding reduced ceca SE positive results by 37% and 26%, respectively, and ST culture rate was reduced similarly with 5 ppm CO. Lamina propria thickness of the ceca increased with 5 ppm CO feeding in SE-challenged birds, whereas a decrease was observed in nonchallenged birds fed 5 ppm CO. Challenge on day 29 of birds fed 20 ppm CO resulted in reduced L/S positive results for SE. Lamina propria thickness decreased with 5 ppm CO and SE or ST challenge compared with nonchallenged birds fed 5 ppm. An increase was observed in ST- or SE-challenged birds fed 20 ppm CO compared with nonchallenged birds fed 20 ppm CO. No differences were observed in mast cell number in either Expt. 2 or 3. These data provide evidence that prophylactic or therapeutic dietary capsaisin differentially affects broiler susceptibility to Salmonella.
RETHINKING PROTOCOL ANALYSIS FROM A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE

Some form of verbal report — that is, a research participant's concurrent or retrospective verbal account of thought processes during problem-solving activities — has been used throughout this century as the data base from which psychologists have developed theories of human mentation. Newell and Simon (1972) and Ericsson and Simon (1980, 1993) have provided extensive justification for use of one such method, protocol analysis, to investigate cognition from an information processing (IP) perspective. They have characterized protocol analysis as a methodology capable of providing evidence of the cognitive processes used when people attend to information stored in short term memory (STM) in order to solve problems. Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), with its concern for the mediation of human development by culturally- and historically-grounded signs and tools based on the work of Vygotsky (1987), Leont'ev (1981), and others, suggests a different view of protocol analysis. In this chapter I outline a CHAT perspective that accounts for protocol analysis along three key dimensions: (a) the relationship between thinking and speech from a representational standpoint; (b) the social role of speech in research methodology; and (c) the influence of speech on thinking during data collection. The purpose of this discussion is to illustrate how use of verbal reports can be viewed through a CHAT lens and to identify alternative assumptions necessary to use it from a CHAT perspective.
Extensible optimization in overlay dissemination trees

We introduce XPORT, a profile-driven distributed data dissemination system that supports an extensible set of data types, profile types, and optimization metrics. XPORT efficiently implements a generic tree-based overlay network, which can be customized per application using a small number of methods that encapsulate application-specific data filtering, profile aggregation, and optimization logic. The clean separation between the "plumbing" and "application" enables the system to uniformly support disparate dissemination-based applications.We first provide an overview of the basic XPORT model and architecture. We then describe in detail an extensible optimization framework, based on a two-level aggregation model, that facilitates easy specification of a wide range of commonly used performance goals. We discuss distributed tree transformation protocols that allow XPORT to iteratively optimize its operation to achieve these goals under changing network and application conditions. Finally, we demonstrate the flexibility and the effectiveness of XPORT using real-world data and experimental results obtained from both prototype-based LAN emulation and deployment on PlanetLab.
A Modified Particle Swarm Optimizer for Pipe Route Design

Pipe route design (PRD) is to design an appropriate route meeting various constraints and objectives from various candidates, which is a time-consuming and difficult task even to a skilled designer. This paper proposes a new method for PRD based on the grid method and particle swarm optimization (PSO). First, a modified particle swarm optimization (MPSO) is proposed to improve the performance of PSO. Next, the paper adopts the grid theory to establish the workspace model and designs a novel fixed-length encoding mechanism based on grid to overcome the shortcomings of variable-length encoding, then puts forward the evaluation function for PRD. Finally, the paper adopts MPSO to find the optimal path. Simulation results show this method is feasible and effective.
The Montana 2013 Biennium Budget: Updated May 2012

DOI 10.1515/cjpp-2013-0026 Calif. J. Politics Policy 2013; 5(3): 459–480 Jeffrey D. Greene* The Montana 2013 Biennium Budget: Updated May 2012 Abstract: This report provides a brief update on Montana’s 2013 Biennium Budget. There was not a legislative session in 2012; Montana’s legislature meets once every other year and has a biennium budget. Despite the state of the economy and the condition of most state budgets, Montana managed to balance its budget and leave a surplus. This does not reflect the “best of economic times” for the state – Montana has a history of being frugal with its finances and both politi- cal parties tend to keep state and local government small. This is just part of the political culture of the state. Keywords: budget; FY 2012–2013; governor; legislature; Montana. *Corresponding author: Jeffrey D. Greene, Department of Political Science, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59808, USA, e-mail: Jeffrey.greene@umontana.edu 1 Update on 2013 Biennium Budget Montana’s legislature, which meets once every other year and has a biennium budget, did not have a legislative session in 2012. Despite the state of the economy and the condition of most state budgets, Montana managed to balance its budget and leave a surplus. This does not reflect the “best of economic times” for the state – Montana has a history of being frugal with its finances and both politi- cal parties tend to keep state and local government small. This is just part of the political culture of the state. There were a number of events in 2011 that could have helped the state’s economy. The Keystone Pipeline was supposed to run through Montana and help provide a much needed economic boost, but President Obama brought the project to an end; at least for now. This was a disappointment for both Democrats and Republicans in the state – both parties strongly supported the pipeline project while the state’s environmental groups considered President Obama’s decision to be a victory. Yet another hope for the state is to develop its oil reserves. Eastern Montana has oil reserves similar to those currently being developed in North Dakota, which have created a boom for their economy. But parts of Montana are restricted and
A kernel approach to estimating the density of a conditional expectation

Given uncertainty in the input model and parameters of a simulation study, the goal of the simulation study often becomes the estimation of a conditional expectation. The conditional expectation is expected performance conditional on the selected model and parameters. The distribution of this conditional expectation describes precisely, and concisely, the impact of input uncertainty on performance prediction. In this paper we estimate the density of a conditional expectation using ideas from the field of kernel density estimation. We present a result on asymptotically optimal rates of convergence and examine a number of numerical examples.
Rarefied Compressible Two-Dimensional Jet Plume Impingement on a Flat Plate

In this paper, we investigate rarefied jet gas flows out of a two-dimensional slit and impinges on a flat plate which is set vertically to the plume flow direction. With a relation between velocity-directions and geometry-positions, we obtain several analytical collisionless flow property distributions in front of the plate. This study further provides near-plate collisionless flow properties including density, slip velocity, temperature, pressure, shear stress and heat flux. Numerical simulation results obtained with the direct simulation Monte Carlo method validate the analytical collisionless flow solutions. In general, the comparisons between the exact analytical solutions and the numerical ones are virtually identical. Further, the analytical results, which are derived for the collisionless flow situation, are applicable for finite Knudsen number in the range Kn� 1. These analytical results can provide first order predictions for engineering applications with minor inaccuracies.
A separable ternary decision diagram based analysis of generalized phased-mission reliability

This paper considers the reliability analysis of a generalized phased-mission system (GPMS) with two-level modular imperfect coverage. Due to the dynamic behavior & the statistical dependencies, generalized phased-mission systems offer big challenges in reliability modeling & analysis. A new family of decision diagrams called ternary decision diagrams (TDD) is proposed for use in the resulting separable approach to the GPMS reliability evaluation. Compared with existing methods, the accuracy of our solution increases due to the consideration of modular imperfect coverage; the computational complexity decreases due to the nature of the TDD, and the separation of mission imperfect coverage from the solution combinatorics. In this paper, the TDD-based separable approach is presented, and compared with existing methods for analyzing the GPMS reliability. An example generalized phased-mission system is analyzed to illustrate the advantages of our approach.
Multiple epitope interactions in the two-step sandwich immunoassay.

Abstract The ‘hook’ effect as related to the two-step sandwich immunoassay has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The multiple epitope interactions between the analyte and the labeled antibody cause a ‘hook’ in the two-step sandwich immunoassay. Three different analytes and monoclonal antibodies were chosen to carefully demonstrate the effect of the analyte characteristics on this immunoassay. Two monoclonal antibodies against two different epitopes of biosynthetic human growth hormone (hGH) was the simplest model for this study. The sandwich immunoassay for hGH shows no ‘hook’ effect. The non-covalent dimeric form of hGH (D-hGH) possesses two repeating epitopes which is the simplest model for an analyte having a discrete number of repeating epitopes. The D-hGH assay demonstrated a ‘hook’ effect in the two-step sandwich immunoassay if the labeled antibody was allowed to interact with more than one epitope. In a third system multiple epitope interactions with the labeled antibody were observed using ferritin. The effect of the analyte concentration and the liquid-phase antibody have been examined to elucidate the nature of these various interactions. The cause of the ‘hook’ effect in the two-step sandwich immunoassay is attributed to the desorption of the bound analyte due to a conformational change after the labeled antibody interacts with several epitopes of the adsorbed analyte.
Combining independent component analysis with geometric information and its application to speech processing

In this paper, we propose two approaches for combining geometric information with ICA algorithm to solve permutation problem under the scenario where a rough information about the direction of the desired source is known. The first approach is a new blind extraction algorithm with a soft quadratic geometric constraint. The desired source is guaranteed to be conveyed to the output with little distortion by the quadratic constraint and the negentropy maximization criterion is used to ensure that the other sources get suppressed at the output. The second approach employs a quadratic geometric test as a post-processing step to pickup the desired source after ICA processing. An advantage of the proposed two approaches is that they do not require accurate knowledge of the number of sources in the mixtures to recover the desired source, in contrast, other geometric ICA approaches usually fail if the number of sources is not known accurately.