cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Focused ion beam repair of 193-nm reticle at 0.18-μm design rules

In this paper, the performance of the focused ion beam repair for a 193 nm DUV reticle is studied via wafer level data. The lithography tool used for wafer exposure is 193 nm Microstepper with NA of 0.6. The resist process used is the top surface imaging resist process. In the study, two different repair tools from different manufacturers were used to perform clear intrusion mask defect repairs. We found that in the case of a clear defect repair, due to the combination of defused carbon and gallium staining near the repair region, the effective mask critical dimension (CD) in that region is larger under the 193 nm exposure as compared to the actual repaired mask CD. As a result, a well controlled edge repair, i.e., the repaired patch lined-up well with a line or a contact edge, actually will induce a CD variation in the resist. For example, in the case of a 0.22 micrometer contact (1x), 6 nm (1x) constant CD reduction in resist throughout a range of focus and exposure dose was observed in a good repair as compared to that of a defect-free same size contact. When the repair patch is recessed slightly from the edge, the CD change is reduced as compared to the perfect edge alignment case. Based on this study, we found that it is preferable to recess the repaired patch slightly from the line edge in the case of clear defect repair.
Effects of Acute Confinement Stress-induced Hypothalamic-pituitary Adrenal Axis Activation and Concomitant Peripheral and Central Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Measures in Nonhuman Primates:

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a multifunctional cytokine with anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and neuroprotective properties. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and immune system exert bidirectional influences on each other, via cortisol and TGF-β1, but the exact nature of the interaction is not well characterized. The current study examined the effects, in bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata), of two consecutive acute confinement stress periods in an unfamiliar room while mildly restrained, first without and then with dexamethasone pretreatment (0.01 mg/kg IM). Preceding the confinement studies, a non-stress control condition obtained contemporaneous levels of cortisol and TGF-β1 in both plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to match the confinement stress studies. Subjects were reared under either normative or variable foraging demand (VFD) conditions. Since there were no rearing effects at baseline or for any of the conditions tested -- either for cortisol or TGF-β -- the study analyses were conducted on the combined rearing groups. The stress condition increased both plasma and CSF cortisol levels whereas dexamethasone pretreatment decreased cortisol concentrations to below baseline levels despite stress. The stress condition decreased TGF-β1 concentrations only in CSF but not in serum. Together the data suggested that stress-induced reductions of a centrally active neuroprotective cytokine occurs in the face of HPA axis activation, potentially facilitating glucocortoid-induced neurotoxicity. Stress-induced reductions of neuroprotective cytokines prompts exploration of protective measures against glucocorticoid-induced neurotoxicity.
Caveolin-1 and Prostate Cancer Progression

Caveolin-1 was identified in the 1990s as a marker of aggressive prostate cancer. The caveolin-1 protein localizes to vesicular structures called caveolae and has been shown to bind and regulate many signaling proteins involved in oncogenesis. Caveolin-1 also has lipid binding properties and mediates aspects of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism and can elicit biological responses in a paracrine manner when secreted. Caveolin-1 is also present in the serum of prostate cancer patients and circulating levels correlate with extent of disease. Current evidence indicates that increased expression of caveolin-1 in prostate adenocarcinoma cells and commensurate downregulation of the protein in prostate stroma, mediate progression to the castration-resistant phase of prostate cancer through diverse pathways. This chapter summarizes the current state of our understanding of the cellular and physiologic mechanisms in which caveolin-1 participates in the evolution of prostate cancer cell phenotypes.
3D reconstruction of ablations in shear wave elastography using the matérn kernel

Radiofrequency and microwave ablation procedures are commonly used for treating hepatocellular carcinoma in patients that are not candidates for surgical resection. Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure which involves insertion of an ablation needle (electrode) into the tumor which produces localized heating to kill the surrounding cancerous cells. Ultrasound can be a valuable tool for real-time monitoring of this procedure, not only to guide the needle into the tumor (using B-mode imaging) but also to monitor the volume of the ablated tissue using tissue elasticity imaging. This work proposes using the ablation needle to produce a pulse displacement with an external actuator and tracking the shear wave velocity (SWV) in the image plane. A 3D reconstruction algorithm is proposed here that uses a Matern kernel to capture the smooth transition zone between the stiff ablated region and the surrounding untreated tissue. The estimated SWV values provided a contrast-to-noise ratio of over 5 dB between the stiff and the soft regions provided better image quality than standard nearest neighbors interpolation.
Mental models of audit and feedback in primary care settings.

Audit and feedback has been shown to be instrumental in improving quality of care, particularly in outpatient settings. The mental model individuals and organizations hold regarding audit and feedback can moderate its effectiveness, yet this has received limited study in the quality improvement literature. In this study we sought to uncover patterns in mental models of current feedback practices within high- and low-performing healthcare facilities. We purposively sampled 16 geographically dispersed VA hospitals based on high and low performance on a set of chronic and preventive care measures. We interviewed up to 4 personnel from each location (n = 48) to determine the facility’s receptivity to audit and feedback practices. Interview transcripts were analyzed via content and framework analysis to identify emergent themes. We found high variability in the mental models of audit and feedback, which we organized into positive and negative themes. We were unable to associate mental models of audit and feedback with clinical performance due to high variance in facility performance over time. Positive mental models exhibit perceived utility of audit and feedback practices in improving performance; whereas, negative mental models did not. Results speak to the variability of mental models of feedback, highlighting how facilities perceive current audit and feedback practices. Findings are consistent with prior research in that variability in feedback mental models is associated with lower performance.; Future research should seek to empirically link mental models revealed in this paper to high and low levels of clinical performance.
Toward a Normative Conception of Difference in Public Deliberation

The historical and conceptual exclusions of the bourgeois public sphere have prompted theorists to consider alternative models. The three non-deliberative models examined in this article reinscribe...
LAP (NF-IL6) Modulates Hepatoma Cell Proliferation

LAP, a liver-enriched activator protein, in addition to its role as a transactivator of liver-specific genes (Descombes et al., 1990; Poli et al., 1990; Cao et al., 1991; Williams et al., 1991), consistently arrests the progression of the cell cycle from G1 to S-phase in HepG2 hepatoma cells (Buck et al., 1994). Alternatively, LAP may induce entry of hepatoma cells into G0. In addition, a relatively low LAP/LIP ratio, as well as the disruption of the LAP leucine zipper, abolishes the inhibitory effect of LAP on hepatoma cell proliferation. By contrast, C/EBPα did not affect HepG2 cell proliferation
The role of intrasyllabic units in learning to read and spell.

Many investigators have proposed that children's knowledge of spoken language plays an important role in their acquisition of printed language. This chapter focuses on one particular aspect of spoken language structure, phonological units that are intermediate in size between syllables and phonemes. It reviews the linguistic status of intrayllabic units. The chapter then discusses the role of these units in the development of phonological awareness in children. It considers the effects of intrasyllabic units on the way that children learn to read and spell. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how children's awareness of intrasyllabic units might be put to use in the teaching of reading and spelling. Many researchers have investigated children's awareness of the phonological units of spoken language. Many young children can divide spoken syllables at the onset/rime boundary in a variety of phonological awareness tasks.
Transparent Polyelectrolyte Complex Thin Films with Ultralow Oxygen Transmission Rate.

Limiting oxygen permeation through plastic films is important for extending the shelf life of food and flexible electronic devices. Polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) thin films can be used to reduce small molecule diffusion through commodity plastic films. PEC thin films are frequently applied using layer-by-layer assembly, which often requires many processing cycles to deposit a film with desired thickness. An aqueous solution of poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride) and poly(acrylic acid) can be deposited in a single-step to quickly fabricate a high-oxygen barrier thin film. These films have an ionically bonded network that forms after polyelectrolyte deposition and exposure to buffer. Increasing buffer concentration and adding salt increases film cohesion and improves transparency by reducing surface roughness. When deposited onto a 178 μm poly(ethylene terephthalate) film, a ∼1.9 μm thick PEC coating imparts a 2 orders of magnitude reduction in oxygen transmission rate. Achieving this level of gas barrier...
Modeling and Experimental Calibration of the Corrosion of Rha Steel in Immersion and Salt-Fog Environments

An investigation into the general and pitting corrosion rates of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) steel in immersion and salt-fog environments is presented. Although the mechanical properties of RHA...
Developing and Using Narratives in Community-Based Research

Within this chapter, we explore several foundational ideas about using narrative to understand experiences, ourselves and communities, and how to apply these ideas to researching community issues and collective invasive animals management in particular. We learn that: Stories help us make sense of the world and our place in it. Narratives are relational acts, as narrators place themselves and issues within time and space, within relationships to others, and within larger cultural and institutional narratives. Stories have power in our minds and communities, as they impact which actions and outcomes we see as possible and as they allow opportunities for people to come together to coordinate thoughts and actions. Narratives can create frames through which people view an issue; and frames can influence the narratives people create about an issue. Narrative inquiry is an effective research method for interpreting social experiences. Narratives can provide insights to deepen understandings of complex issues in ways that positivist approaches to science cannot. Narrative inquiry is used in this study to reveal tensions and complexity, to offer wisdom and to prompt reflection about approaching community pest management problems. Stories offer ways to focus on approaches rather than pre-prescribed, universal solutions since working with people is fundamentally relational and context-specific. Pest management requires collective action, and narratives offer ways for communities to reach shared visions and shared action commitments. The narratives in this book are windows into practitioners and communities’ experiences that can prompt reflection and offer practical insight useful to people working in communities.
Turning strategies for plunging elastic plate propulsor

Complex actuation of a caudal fin can generate turning moments enabling underwater swimmer navigation. A numerical study explores the hydrodynamics resulting from two actuation strategies leading to pitching and yaw moments.
Safety in numbers: Cost-effective endangered species management for viable populations

Author(s): Donovan, P; Bair, LS; Yackulic, CB; Springborn, MR | Abstract: We develop a bioeconomic model to identify the cost-effective control of an invasive species (rainbow trout) to achieve a population viability goal for an endangered species (humpback chub) in the Grand Canyon of the U.S. Southwest. Solving the population viability problem is difficult since avoiding a threshold with a given confidence imposes a probabilistic restriction on joint outcomes (survival) over many periods. We develop a novel dynamic programming solution approach that is fast and forgoes the simulation method requirement of imposing structure on the policy function. We also investigate an adaptive management model that incorporates learning about uncertain biological dynamics. (JEL Q22, Q57).
Personalized Professional Learning and Teacher Self-Efficacy for Integrating Technology in K–12 Classrooms

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of personalized professional learning in teachers’ comfort level and their self-efficacy toward information and communications technology (IC...
Decision Quality Among Parents Who Are Offered Ventilation Tube Insertion for Their Children

Objective:To develop a Decision Quality (DQ) tool to measure parents’ DQ concerning ventilation tube (VT) insertion in their children.Method:Parental survey during 2017 to 2018 in a tertiary care p...
Enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration with neurotrophic factors and bioengineered scaffolds: A basic science and clinical perspective

Despite the peripheral nervous systems (PNS) capacity to regenerate, functional restoration is highly variable following peripheral nerve injury (PNI), oftentimes leading to persistent functional deficits. In the preclinical arena, advances in the therapeutic use of exogenous neurotrophic factors and synthetic neural scaffold technology hold promise in augmenting endogenous PNS regeneration following PNI. Clinical trials utilizing neurotrophic factors for other indications (eg, peripheral neuropathy) may provide insight into their role in PNI. Here we provide an updated review of progress made toward enhancing regeneration after PNI with a focus on neurotrophic factors and bioengineered scaffolds.
Unconventional Monetary Policy Surprises: Delphic or Odyssean?

Central bank communication could be interpreted in two ways, either as central bank's commitment to a future action, known as Odyssean guidance, or its forecast of future economic conditions, known as Delphic guidance. The empirical literature has identified the Delphic and Odyssean components of forward guidance policies. I show that another unconventional policy tool, large-scale asset purchases, can also be empirically decomposed into Delphic and Odyssean components, and these two components have opposing impacts on macroeconomic expectations in the US along with other advanced and emerging market economies. Finally, I estimate the asset price responses to Delphic and Odyssean policies.
A Network Perspective on the Vectoring of Human Disease

Blood-sucking insects are important vectors of disease, with biting Diptera (flies) alone transmitting diseases that cause an estimated 700 000 human deaths a year. Insect vectors also bite nonhuman hosts, linking them into host-biting networks. While the major vectors of prominent diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue, and Zika, are intensively studied, there has been limited focus on the wider interactions of biting insects with nonhuman hosts. Drawing on network analysis and visualisation approaches from food-web ecology, we discuss the value of a network perspective for understanding host–insect–disease interactions, with a focus on Diptera vectors. Potential applications include highlighting pathways of disease transmission, highlighting reservoirs of infection, and identifying emerging and previously unrecognised vectors.
An uncertainty quantification framework for multiscale parametrically homogenized constitutive models (PHCMs) of polycrystalline Ti alloys

Abstract This paper develops an uncertainty quantified, parametrically homogenized constitutive model (UQ-PHCM) for microstructure-sensitive modeling and simulation at the structural scale. The PHCMs are thermodynamically consistent, macroscopic constitutive models, whose parameters are explicit functions of Representative Aggregated Microstructural Parameters or (RAMPs) that represent statistical distributions of morphological and crystallographic descriptors of the microstructure. The forms of the PHCM equations are chosen to reflect the fundamental deformation characteristics of aggregated response of crystal plasticity finite element model (CPFEM) simulations of microstructural statistically equivalent RVEs. Machine learning tools operate on datasets generated by CPFEM to obtain these functional forms. Significantly reduced number of solution variables in the PHCM simulations, compared to direct numerical simulations of micromechanical models, make them several orders of magnitude more efficient with good accuracy. The UQ-PHCM framework is built from computational homogenization of CPFE simulations performed on a large set of microstructures and load paths, followed by Bayesian inference from these results to derive probabilistic microstructure-dependent constitutive laws of the macroscopic material response. The framework addresses three sources of uncertainty that accrue at the model development and response prediction stages, viz: (i) model reduction error (MRE), (ii) data sparsity (DS), and (iii) microstructural variability (MSV) of the material. A series expansion-based uncertainty propagation (UP) method, which is much more efficient than Monte Carlo sampling, is developed to propagate uncertainties to the material response variables. The UQ-PHCM framework is validated by comparing the stochastic predictions with a collection of CPFEM-based results and limited experimental data on the α -phase Ti alloy, Ti-7Al. Finally the UQ-PHCM is used to simulate an engine blade under operating conditions to test its viability in real applications. Results are discussed from the perspective of extreme values and microstructure-informed predictions of fatigue nucleation.
Why do U.S. public companies continue to join the UN global compact: Ethics or economics?

Not long after the formation of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in 2000, two opposing theories emerged regarding its efficacy and why organizations continue to join UNGC. The critics take ...
Compassion Inequities and Opioid Use Disorder: A Matched Case-Control Analysis Examining Inpatient Management of Cancer-Related Pain for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder.

Abstract Context The opioid epidemic spurred guidelines intended to reduce inappropriate prescribing. Although acute cancer-related pain was excluded from these recommendations, studies demonstrate reduced opioid prescribing for patients hospitalized with advanced cancer. Objectives We performed a matched case-control analysis to determine how a history of opioid use disorder (OUD) affects inpatient management of cancer pain. Methods Charts of patients with OUD admitted for cancer pain from 2015-2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Hospitalizations were matched 1:1 by patient age and sex. Home milligram-morphine equivalent per day (MME/day) was calculated from the home medication list. Admission MME/day was the average MME/day administered during hospitalization. Results A total of 80 hospitalizations (40:40) were matched for 25 patients with a history of OUD and 31 patients with no history of OUD. Cancer was metastatic/relapsed for 70% of admissions. The median overall survival was 2.3 months (95% CI 0-5.21, P = 0.13). Patients with OUD had a significantly lower change from Home to Admission MME/day (-3 vs. 37, P Conclusion Our results suggest that patients with OUD receive lower quality inpatient management of cancer-related pain. Provider education and early involvement of pain specialists are crucial in delivering equitable and compassionate end-of-life care for patients with OUD.
The Underperforming State of Zimbabwe—A Case Study on Tobacco Contract Farming

This chapter analyzes the inadequacy of state policies to assist small-scale tobacco contract farming in peripheral/communal areas in Zimbabwe. The paper is based on interviews and archival research. Random sampling research method was used in three peripheral communities in Zimbabwe with large numbers of farmers who grow tobacco under contract and those who do not. Access to statistical data from the Tobacco Information and Marketing Board (TIMB) in Zimbabwe was also obtained. Tobacco contract farming in Zimbabwe became a common farming practice after the 2000 fast-track land reform program. The paper explores the constraints that the absence of state policies causes in the contract farming industry and suggests improvement possibilities. These can be considered peripheral communities’ developmental strategies. This chapter argues that the failure of the state to develop policies that shield farmers from exploitation and foster development causes the small-scale farmers to be linked to the world market from a highly exploitative position. There is a power imbalance between the two parties involved in a contract: the farmers and the foreign investors. The state fails to play a role in regulating this imbalance, such as mediating between the two opposing interest groups. A developmental state strategy in the tobacco industry of Zimbabwe could help small-scale farmers and improve the performance of the tobacco industry.
Moral Panic and Other Unintended Consequences in Ghana’s Paradigm Shift to Address HIV Among Men Who Have Sex with Men

In 2011, Ghana made a historic shift in its national HIV response by including men who have sex with men in the 2011–2015 HIV National Strategic Plan for the first time, marking a paradigm shift. This chapter examines how the criminalization and stigmatization of male same-sex sexual activities have shaped HIV prevention and care activities within this new paradigm. It explores how the legal and social context has informed and constrained HIV stakeholders’ response to the epidemic among men who have sex with men and discusses the unintended consequences of prevention and care activities within the new paradigm. Through an analysis of social, political and media developments, it demonstrates how approaches and initiatives to address HIV among men who have sex with men have contributed to the politicization of homosexuality in Ghana and reshaped the context in which stakeholders develop and implement HIV policies and programs for members of this population.
496 Reliable identification of endometrial precancers through Pax2, β-catenin, and Pten immunohistochemistry

Introduction/Background* The diagnosis of endometrial atypical hyperplasia/endometrioid intraepithelial neoplasia (AH/EIN) remains challenging and subjective in some cases, with variable histologic criteria and differences of opinion among gynecologic pathologists, potentially leading to under/overtreatment. There has been growing interest in the use of specific immunohistochemical markers as adjuncts in AH/EIN diagnosis. For example, the WHO 2020 Classification lists loss of Pten, Pax2, or mismatch repair proteins as desirable diagnostic criteria. Other markers, most notably b-catenin and Arid1a, are also aberrantly expressed in some AH/EIN. However, the performance of these markers individually—and more importantly as a group—has not been rigorously explored, raising critical questions as to which marker(s) or combination(s) thereof is the most efficient and reliable in practice. Methodology Inclusion criteria was a diagnosis of AH/EIN on an endometrial tissue sample based on histologic features. Formalin-fixed/paraffin-embedded tissue sections from n=111 patients were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for 6 markers: Pax2, Pten, Mlh1, b-catenin, Arid1a, and p53. Aberrant expression consistent with an underlying molecular defect was tabulated for each case and marker. An additional set of n=79 normal endometria was also analyzed to define optimal criteria for marker aberrance. The performance characteristics of each marker, the entire panel, and subsets thereof were statistically analyzed. Result(s)* In order of number of cases detected, the most frequently aberrant markers in AH/EIN were Pax2 (82.0% of cases), Pten (51.4%), b-catenin (47.7%), Arid1a (7.2%), Mlh1 (4.5%), and p53 (2.7%). The great majority of cases showed aberrant expression of ≥2 markers. The 6 markers together identified 92.8% of cases. Arid1a and Mlh1 proved to be robust and readily-scored markers, but all cases showing aberrant expression of either of these two markers was also detected by b-catenin, Pax2, or Pten. Conclusion* A limited panel of only 3 markers (Pax2, Pten, and b-catenin) showed optimal performance characteristics as a diagnostic adjunct in the histopathologic diagnosis of AH/EIN. Use of this panel was practicable and robust, with at least one of the 3 markers being aberrant in 92.8% of AH/EIN.
Asymptotic Properties of Stationary Solutions of Coupled Nonconvex Nonsmooth Empirical Risk Minimization

This paper has two main goals: (a) establish several statistical properties—consistency, asymptotic distributions, and convergence rates—of stationary solutions and values of a class of coupled non...
Basic Types (Float, Boolean, Subtypes, Record)

This lesson desCribes the basiC Ada types (Float, Boolean, and enumeration) and meChanisms for Combining types (arrays and reCords). It also explains how to Create your own types so you Can determine what operations apply to your own types.
How Does Regulation Fair Disclosure Affect Pre-Fair Disclosure Selective Disclosers?:

This paper investigates the impact of Regulation Fair Disclosure (hereafter Reg FD) by examining its influence on firms that relied on selective disclosures in the pre-FD period. I construct a proxy for the extent of a firm's reliance on selective disclosures and identify public disclosers and selective disclosers prior to Reg FD. Because Reg FD affects selective disclosers, whereas confounding events around the passage of Reg FD affect all firms, I compare changes in information metrics around Reg FD between these two groups of firms. The differences in their changes indicate Reg FD's effects. I find that Reg FD is associated with reductions in the number of analysts following a firm and the informational efficiency of stock prices prior to earnings announcements, and with increases in analysts' forecast error, their forecast dispersion, and the abnormal trading volume at earnings announcements for pre-FD selective disclosers. This study helps us better understand and evaluate the impact of Reg FD.
Transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking of fibrinogen by human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Abstract The interaction of endothelial cells with soluble or substrate-immobilized 125I-labeled fibrinogen (125I-FGN) was analyzed. Binding experiments involved incubation of 125I-FGN with cell suspensions at 4 degrees C. Bound ligand was quantitated by centrifugation of cells through silicone oil followed by scintillation analysis of the cell pellet. Calcium-dependent binding of 125I-FGN reached a maximum after 3 h and represented about 60% of the total. Half-maximal saturation occurred at 60 nM, and about 9 x 10(4) molecules were bound/cell at saturation (approximately 100 nM). Calcium-dependent binding was completely inhibited by unlabeled fibrinogen, partially inhibited by a monoclonal antibody (7E3) against glycoprotein IIb-IIIa, but not inhibited by fibrinogen fragments D or E, an anti-glycoprotein IIIa polyclonal antibody, or the Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser tetrapeptide. In contrast, the Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser tetrapeptide as well as the monoclonal antibody 7E3 markedly inhibited attachment of endothelial cells to substrate-immobilized fibrinogen, whereas fragment D or E did not. Both in suspension and monolayer, the 125I-FGN underwent cross-linking involving principally the A alpha chain. The transglutaminase inhibitors putrescine, histamine, and cystamine interfered with 125I-FGN binding and cross-linking by suspended cells. Since cross-linking in suspension was limited to bound 125I-FGN and since transglutaminase activity was not detectable in the binding buffer, cross-linking may have been mediated by a cell-associated transglutaminase.
Mechanisms of mutation formation with long‐wave ultraviolet light (UVA)

Long-wave ultraviolet (UV) A light is able to damage DNA, to cause mutations, and to induce skin cancer, but the exact mechanisms of UVA-induced mutation formation remain a matter of debate. While pyrimidine dimers are well established to mediate mutation formation with shortwave UVB, other types of DNA damage, such as oxidative base damage, have long been thought to be the premutagenic lesions for UVA mutagenesis. However, pyrimidine dimers can also be generated by UVA, and there are several lines of evidence that these are the most important premutagenic lesions not only for UVB- but also for UVA-induced mutation formation. C-->T transition mutations, which are generated by pyrimidine dimers, are called UV-signature mutations. They cannot be interpreted to be solely UVB-induced, as they are induced by UVA as well. Furthermore, there is no consistent evidence for a separate UVA-signature mutation that is only generated with UVA. We hypothesize that a weaker anti-mutagenic cellular response, but not a different type of DNA damage, may be responsible for a higher mutation rate per DNA photoproduct with UVA, as compared with UVB.
Searching for services on the semantic web using process ontologies

The ability to rapidly locate useful on-line services (e.g. software applications, software components, process models, or service organizations), as opposed to simply useful documents, is becoming increasingly critical in many domains. As the sheer number of such services increases it will become increasingly more important to provide tools that allow people (and software) to quickly find the services they need, while minimizing the burden for those who wish to list their services with these search engines. This can be viewed as a critical enabler of the 'friction-free' markets of the 'new economy'. Current service retrieval technology is, however, seriously deficient in this regard. The information retrieval community has focused on the retrieval of documents, not services per se, and has as a result emphasized keyword-based approaches. Those approaches achieve fairly high recall but low precision. The software agents and distributed computing communities have developed simple 'frame-based' approaches for 'matchmaking' between tasks and on-line services increasing precision at the substantial cost of requiring all services to be modeled as frames and only supporting perfect matches. This paper proposes a novel, ontology-based approach that employs the characteristics of a process-taxonomy to increase recall without sacrificing precision and computational complexity of the service retrieval process.
Optimization of Industrial Processes Involving Radiant Heating, Through Non-Linear Programming

Radiant enclosures are often used in manufacturing processes; examples include the rapid thermal processing of semiconductor wafers, automotive paint curing, and baking food products. In these processes, infrared radiant heaters are used to impose a specified temperature history on the product. In order to ensure the homogeneity of the final product and to avoid deformation due to thermal stresses, a uniform temperature must also be maintained over the entire product throughout the process. This paper presents an optimization methodology that determines the optimal transient heater settings by minimizing an objective function defined as the sum of the variance of the temperature from the desired temperature evaluated at discrete locations on the product surface, integrated throughout the duration of the process. The radiation heat transfer analysis is first carried out using an infinitesimal-area technique. The objective function is then minimized using a quasi-Newton method incorporating an active set method in order to enforce design constraints derived from the heater characteristics. This design methodology is demonstrated by solving two industrially-relevant design problems.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Modulation of specific active immunization against murine melanoma using recombinant cytokines

Specific active immunization with tumour cells and IL-1β or IL-2 was examined in a murine model. Mice were treated with irradiated B16 melanoma, IL-1/β or IL-2 only, or with B16 plus cytokines prior to i.v. challenge with viable B16. Lung metastases were recorded after 28 days. Treatment with cytokine alone was not protective. Treatment with B16 alone afforded moderate protection. Treatment with B16 in combination with either cytokine resulted in a significant level of B16 specific protection which was dependent on the dose of cytokine used. Multiple immunizations with B16 provided limited protection which was significantly improved with IL-2. Immunization with B16 in combination with both cytokines at doses that alone failed to enhance immunity resulted in significant protection, suggesting that the two cytokines act at least additively. These studies demonstrate the significant benefit of specific active immunization with tumour cells in combination with low doses of IL-1/β or IL2.
End-stage juvenile nephronophthisis on MRI.

A 10-year-old boy was referred to our institution from his general practitioner with abnormal gait and severe lower limb weakness. Basic admission blood tests revealed severe renal failure and anaemia. Renal US showed bilateral slightly small-for-age kidneys with generalised increase in echogenicity and loss of normal corticomedullary differentiation. A few small cysts were also identified. Noncontrast-enhanced MRI showed additional small cysts mostly at the corticomedullary junction and in the medulla (Figs. 1 and 2). The history and radiological appearances are typical of end-stage juvenile nephronophthisis (JN), in this case presenting with weakness secondary to renal osteodystrophy.
SU‐GG‐T‐220: Comparison of RapidArc and IMRT Peripheral Doses for Pediatric Patients Based on Measured and TPS Doses

Purpose: To evaluate RapidArc and IMRT pediatric plans in peripheral regions based on measured and TPS doses. Method and Materials:IMRT and RapidArc plans for six pediatric patients were created and delivered to a solid water phantom containing a 2D ion chamber array ‐ MatriXX. A correction technique was developed to correct for MatriXX dose errors in the peripheral regions. Thus corrected MatriXX doses were evaluated against TPS plans. Results: (1) MatriXX, with corrections, shows good agreement with a reference Exradin A12 ion chamber and EBT film, allowing for accurate measurements of low doses; (2) In the peripheral regions without direct beams, TPS was found to underestimate the dose by as much as 7cGy (prescription 200cGy); (3) The mean TPS dose error was smaller for RapidArc in five of the six cases and comparable in the other; (4) The error shows clear dependence on the equivalent square jaw size due to MLCscatter; (5) The distance to agreement (DTA) was smaller for RapidArc in all six cases (1 – 100cGy); (6) The impact of TPS dose error on VxGy was evaluated along y‐axis in low‐dose regions. Disagreement between MatriXX and TPS was found to be insignificant ( 5Gy, independent of RapidArc or IMRT. For jaw size >15cm, as large as 6 and 4.2cm were observed in V1Gy and V2Gy, respectively, for IMRT. The corresponding values were 2.6 and 0.6 cm for RapidArc. The disagreement in VxGy was smaller for RapidArc in all six cases. Conclusion: In terms of TPS error in peripheral dose, its impact on VxGy or DTA, RapidArc was found to be better than IMRT from our study of six pediatric patients. Our method can be useful in determining the best plan based on accurate assessment of the TPS doses in the peripheral regions through measurements.
INHIBITION OF TUMOR GROWTH BY DIETARY RESTRICTION OF SODIUM

Previous animal studies have shown that generalized malnutrition results in the inhibition of tumor growth. We have developed an animal model in which restriction of dietary sodium in growing animals results in retardation of normal protoplasmic growth. This study evaluates the growth of a solid tumor during dietary sodium restriction. Thirty 6 wk. BDF mice were injected subcutaneously with approximately 107 viable B16 melanoma cells as determined by trypan blue exclusion technique. A salt deficient diet (less than 3μeq Na/gm) was provided ad-libitum. The drinking solution for the control group was half normal saline and for the experimental group the solution was distilled water. The animals were sacrificed 24 days after the injection of the melanoma cells. Tumor size was determined by triplicate measurements of the X and Y axes of the tumor mass. The means of the X and Y were calculated and tumor mass determined by.
Evaluating Web Sites Featuring Primary Sources on United States History 61

Abstract Most library Web sites offer lists of recommended Web sites for primary sources with only cursory summaries of the sites. While many of the resources listed are outstanding, too many are dubious in quality, often referring to dead URLs or sites containing no information on their sponsor, source of material, or other information needed to evaluate the accuracy of the information being offered. As student researchers use the Web more and more as their sole means of obtaining primary sources, they need to know how to evaluate the quality of a Web site. This paper discusses a fivestep method for evaluating Web sites and uses this method to review several Web sites offering primary sources on United States history.
Implications for tooth eruption of the effect of interleukin-1α on nuclear factor-κB gene expression in the rat dental follicle

Tooth eruption is a localized event and a cascade of molecular signals generated in the dental follicle and stellate reticulum appears to initiate its onset. Consequently, mononuclear cells are recruited into the follicle and, in turn, fuse to become osteoclasts needed to resorb the alveolar bone to form an eruption pathway. One of the transcription factors involved in the sequence of molecular signalling may be nuclear factor (NF)kappaB. This study shows that NFkappaB is expressed and synthesized by cultured dental follicle cells. Moreover, its transcription, activation and translocation were enhanced by interleukin (IL)-1alpha, a potential eruption molecule. The enhancement of transcription of the NFkappaB gene by IL-1alpha was blocked by a tyrosine-specific kinase inhibitor, suggesting that the enhancement may require the phosphorylation of the NFkappaB complex. In vivo, NFkappaB is maximally expressed in the dental follicle of the rat first mandibular molar at day 3 postnatally, the age at which there is a peak influx of mononuclear cells into the follicle. Thus, a transcription factor apparently required for eruption (NFkappaB) is present in the tissue required for eruption, the dental follicle, and its gene expression is maximal at a critical time in eruption.
Caveolin-3 Undergoes SUMOylation by the SUMO E3 Ligase PIASy SUMOYLATION AFFECTS G-PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTOR DESENSITIZATION

Caveolin (Cav) proteins in the plasma membrane have numerous binding partners, but the determinants of these interactions are poorly understood. We show here that Cav-3 has a small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) consensus motif (ΨKX(D/E, where Ψ is a hydrophobic residue)) near the scaffolding domain and that Cav-3 is SUMOylated in a manner that is enhanced by the SUMO E3 ligase PIASy (protein inhibitor of activated STAT-y). Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that the consensus site lysine is the preferred SUMOylation site but that mutation of all lysines is required to abolish SUMOylation. Co-expression of a SUMOylation-deficient mutant of Cav-3 with β-adrenergic receptors (βARs) alters the expression level of β2ARs but not β1ARs following agonist stimulation, thus implicating Cav-3 SUMOylation in the mechanisms for β2AR but not β1AR desensitization. Expression of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (NOS3) was not altered by the SUMOylation-deficient mutant. Thus, SUMOylation is a covalent modification of caveolins that influence the regulation of certain signaling partners.
Transforming sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract This article provides an analysis of my personal experience and research on the need for sub-Saharan African economic transformation. It contains relevant references to econometric modeling which are consistent with this analysis. After presenting the causes of African failures, ranging from the alleged role of slavery and colonization, to trade composition and relative decline, to present day problems of governance, low level of foreign investment in Africa, and mass unemployment, the article concludes with an agenda for the transformation of sub-Saharan Africa.
Xenon as a probe for minority sites on solid surfaces

Atomic-level microscopies have proved useful to map solid-surface sites directly, but, because of their lack of chemical specificity, they are less adept at identifying unique chemical activity on those sites. Here we present a dual-titration approach developed to probe minority sites on solid surfaces with unique chemical properties of potential relevance to heterogeneous catalysis. Our methodology involves the initial dosing of a chemical probe such as carbon monoxide or ammonia to drive its selective adsorption onto specific sites with particular chemical activity, and the subsequent adsorption of xenon to help identify the nature of those sites. A combination of photoelectron and temperature-programmed desorption spectroscopies are used to characterize the Xe adsorption. The chemistry of oxygen-modified Ni(110) single crystals was probed to test this technique. It was observed that whereas CO does not discriminate among the various sites present on those surfaces, ammonia binds preferentially to the end of -Ni-O rows and modifies their local electrostatic potential. In addition, it was determined that adsorbed CO aids in a reversible surface reconstruction involving the coalescence of fragmented surface -Ni-O rows at high (>350 K) temperatures.
Understanding their options: determinants of hospice discussion for older persons with advanced illness.

BACKGROUND Clinicians’ discussions about hospice with patients and families are important as a means of communicating end-of-life options.
On adjustments based on the signed root of the empirical likelihood ratio statistic

SUMMARY The standard multivariate normal approximation to the distribution of the signed root of the empirical likelihood ratio statistic is considered in cases where inference is required for a smooth function of the mean of the distribution from which the sample is drawn. The error in this approximation is of order O(n-2), where n is the sample size, and it is shown that the error can be reduced to order O(n-1) by using a mean adjustment. When a scalar parameter is of interest, use of the mean adjustment produces confidence intervals whose endpoints each have coverage error of order O(n-1). This is in contrast to use of the unadjusted signed root, or equivalently, use of the chi-squared approximation for the empirical likelihood ratio statistic, which produces one-sided limits having coverage error of order 0(n-2). For a vector parameter of interest, a procedure asymptotically equivalent to the mean adjustment is developed that avoids explicit calculation of the signed square root. It is argued for the scalar parameter case that the coverage error of one-sided limits can be further reduced to O(n-312) by use of both mean and variance adjustments. The variance adjustment is given in the case when a scalar mean is of interest. The coverage accuracy of confidence limits obtained by the various methods is illustrated by simulation.
Optically triggered Cr:YAG Q-switched Nd:YAG laser

The method of optical triggering using a brass board architecture for a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser by direct bleaching of a Cr:YAG saturable absorber was determined to be effective in reducing the pulse-to-pulse timing jitter. A miniaturized triggering setup was employed to enable the brass board operation of the optically triggered laser. A 3mm wide minilaser diode bar (1024nm) with collimated emission was mounted on a compact heat sink and used to bleach the Cr:YAG saturable absorber from a direction orthogonal to the lasing axis. A compact 300A pulse driver, with <0.5 μs rise time and 3-5 μs duration, was developed for pulsing the 3mm diode bar. These components were combined to demonstrate a compact brassboard implementation of the optically triggered passively Q-switched laser.
Laser-flash-activated electron paramagnetic resonance studies of primary photochemical reactions in chloroplasts

Electron paramagnetic resonance studies of the primary reactants of Photosystems I and II have been conducted at cryogenic temperatures after laser-flash activation with monochromatic light.P-700 photooxidation occurs irreversibly in chloroplasts and in Photosystem I fragments after activation with a 730 nm laser flash at a temperature of 35 degrees K. Flash activation of chloroplasts or Photosystem II chloroplast fragments with 660 nm light results in the production of a free-radical signal (g = 2.002, linewidth approximately 8 gauss) which decays with a half-time of 5.0 ms at 35 degrees K. The half-time of decay is independent of temperature in the range of 10-77 degrees K. This reversible signal can be eliminated by preillumination of the sample at 35 degrees K with 660 nm light (but not by 730 nm light), by preillumination with 660 nm light at room temperature in the presence of 3-(3',4'-dichlorophenyl)-1,1'-dimethylurea (DCMU) plus hydroxylamine, or by adjustment of the oxidation-reduction potential of the chloroplasts to - 150 mV prior to freezing. In the presence of ferricyanide (20-50 mM), two free-radical signals are photoinduced during a 660 nm flash at 35 degrees K. One signal decays with a half-time of 5 ms, whereas the second signal is formed irreversibly. These results are discussed in terms of a current model for the Photosystem II primary reaction at low temperature which postulates a back-reaction between P-680+ and the primary electron acceptor.
Effects of Inservice Teacher Training on Correct Implementation of Assessment and Instructional Procedures for Teachers of Students With Profound Multiple Disabilities

A multicomponent training package (live training, video modeling, role playing, and feedback) was used to train teachers to conduct assessment and to instruct students with profound multiple disabi...
Religious brand loyalty and political loyalties

Numerous works have detailed the breakdown of brand loyalty within society over the last forty years and its results. Whether examining political loyalties, religious loyalties, or loyalties to brands such as Lucky Strike cigarettes, each study has noted a lowering of traditional barriers to switching brands and the creation of a nation of individualist choosers (Friedman 1990). Here I attempt to suggest some connections between religious and political loyalties. Using the 1993 General Social Survey. I operationalize religious loyalty in four ways and suggest three mechanisms through which religious loyalty is connected to political loyalty: psychological ties, social ties, and social circumstances. I find significant effects of different conceptions of religious loyalty encouraging party loyalties, steadfast voting, and loyalty to one party's presidential candidates across two elections.