cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU‐FF‐T‐199: Dosimetry Validation for Spinal Cord Irradiation In Extracranial Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Purpose: A single large dose in the range of 16 to 20 Gray at 90% isodose line can be safely delivered to solitary or multiple metastases in the vertebral column via extracranial stereotactic radiosurgery. However, the spinal cord dose is usually limited to 10 Gy within the treatment segment. Thus, the dosimetry validation for the spinal cord is critical for this procedure and for further dose escalation. Methods and Materials: Bearing the challenges of the great dose gradient and irregular shape of the target around the cord, we have designed an experiment to measure the absolute dose to the cord using a farm chamber placed at the location of the spine cord inside the solid water phantom. The air‐cavity of the chamber is precisely delineated in the iPlan system (BrainLAB) and dose volume histogram for the air cavity was used for calculating the effective dose in the treatment plan. This can then be compared with measured doses by the chamber. Isodose distributions in two coronal planes through the center of tumor and through the cord are also measured with EDR2 films and compared with the planned dose distributions. Results: Our tests demonstrated that this dosimetry measurement is reliable with high accuracy and precision of < 3% deviation in such difficult dosimetry verification. Results from five spinal SRS cases show that the cord doses with IMRS plans are within 5 % from those of the treatment planned doses. Importantly, the isodose distributions at the cord and near the target volume are consistent with the planed dose distributions. Conclusions: The small discrepancies (up to 5%) for the absolute dose measurement show no gross errors in the dose delivery and dose calculation using a pencil beam algorithm in the planning system.
Ternary phase and amplitude modulations using a twisted nematic liquid crystal spatial light modulator

Ternary phase and amplitude modulations that use a reflective mode, 45° twisted nematic liquid-crystal spatial-light modulator are demonstrated. This use offers a simple method for implementation of ternary phase-amplitude filters with high resolution, high optical efficiency, and fast response time.
Estimation of the atmospheric blurring function using blind image quality metrics

The application of speckle imaging techniques to the reconstruction of scenes degraded by atmospheric turbulence requires knowledge of the underlying atmospheric blurring function. This requirement is especially important in horizontal imaging of extended objects where the use of generalized inverse filters may result in reconstruction artifacts. In this work, a variety blind image quality metrics are evaluated to the task of optimizing the blurring function used for object amplitude recovery when is used C 2 n as a free parameter. Effectiveness is evaluated by comparing the optimum images selected by each metric to the minimum mean squared error image. After establishing a baseline to the MSE using simulated imagery metrics are applied to field-acquired imagery and the results evaluated subjectively.
Nitrogen and phosphorus limitation over long-term ecosystem development in terrestrial ecosystems

Nutrient limitation to net primary production (NPP) displays a diversity of patterns as ecosystems develop over a range of timescales. For example, some ecosystems transition from N limitation on young soils to P limitation on geologically old soils, whereas others appear to remain N limited. Under what conditions should N limitation and P limitation prevail? When do transitions between N and P limitation occur? We analyzed transient dynamics of multiple timescales in an ecosystem model to investigate these questions. Post-disturbance dynamics in our model are controlled by a cascade of rates, from plant uptake (very fast) to litter turnover (fast) to plant mortality (intermediate) to plant-unavailable nutrient loss (slow) to weathering (very slow). Young ecosystems are N limited when symbiotic N fixation (SNF) is constrained and P weathering inputs are high relative to atmospheric N deposition and plant N:P demand, but P limited under opposite conditions. In the absence of SNF, N limitation is likely to worsen through succession (decades to centuries) because P is mineralized faster than N. Over long timescales (centuries and longer) this preferential P mineralization increases the N:P ratio of soil organic matter, leading to greater losses of plant-unavailable N versus P relative to plant N:P demand. These loss dynamics favor N limitation on older soils despite the rising organic matter N:P ratio. However, weathering depletion favors P limitation on older soils when continual P inputs (e.g., dust deposition) are low, so nutrient limitation at the terminal equilibrium depends on the balance of these input and loss effects. If NPP switches from N to P limitation over long time periods, the transition time depends most strongly on the P weathering rate. At all timescales SNF has the capacity to overcome N limitation, so nutrient limitation depends critically on limits to SNF.
Unusual EEG in coma after cardiac arrest

Abstract An unusual EEG in a case of deep coma following cardiac arrest has been presented. Bilateral and synchronous spike and wave discharges occurred. An electrographic seizure discharge was activated with Metrazol after 4 weeks of coma. A diffuse cortical and subcortical neuronal degeneration was found. This study supports the contention that there is no pathognomic EEG pattern in the state of coma.
Agent code: Neutron transport benchmark example and extension to 3D lattice geometry

The general methodology be hind 2D arbitrary geometry neutron transport AGENT code is the theory of R-functions, which al lows for simple modeling of complex geometries, and the method of characteristics, which solves the integral transport equation along characteristic neutron trajectories. This paper focuses on the extension of the methodology to ac count for 3D lattice geometries. Since the direct application of method of characteristics to 3D non-homogenized core con figuration may re quire a tremendous amount of memory and computing time, an alternative approximate solution based on coupling 2D method of characteristics and 1D diffusion solution is developed. The planar 2D method of characteristics and axial 1D diffusion solutions are coupled through the trans verse leak age. The use of a lower order 1D solution in the axial direction is justified by the fact that more heterogeneity in current PWR and BWR reactor cores occurs in the radial direction than in the axial one. In order to demonstrate the versatility and accuracy of the AGENT code, a 2D heterogeneous lattice problem, C5G7 is described in details. A theoretical description of the coupling methodology for 3D method of characteristics solution is followed by preliminary validation in comparison to the DeCART code.
Crime and Punishment in Sports and Society

A distinction is drawn between equity-based penalties, whose primary purpose is to restore fairness, and deterrent-based penalties, whose primary purpose is to prevent deviance. Sports are offered as an example in which deviance is successfully encapsulated by the use of equity-based penalties. Current criminal law is seen as deterrent-based rather than equity-based. Advantages of an equity-based system of justice for criminals, for victims, and for society are outlined. An equity-based system could reconcile the generally incompatible goals of deterrence and rehabilitation. While it might require an imaginative reformation of our criminal justice system, the viability of equity-based justice has already been demonstrated through its use in familial, primitive, and civil proceedings.
Quantitation of tissue properties in small volumes

The quantification of tissue properties by optical measurements will facilitate the development of noninvasive methods of cancer diagnosis and detection. Optical measurements are sensitive to tissue structure which is known to change during tumorigenesis. The goals of the work presented in this paper were to verify that the primary scatterers of light in cells are structures much smaller than the nucleus and then to develop an optical technique that can quantify parameters of structures the same size as the scattering features in cells. Polarized, elastic back-scattering was found to be able to quantify changes in scattering properties for turbid media consisting of scatterers of the size found in tissue.
The enzymatic aromatization of the b ring of Δ5,7-sterols

Abstract 1. 1. The sterols of Acanthamoeba castellanii (Neff) have been identified previously as the Δ5,7-sterols: ergosterol, 7-dehydroporiferasterol, 22,23-dihydroergosterol and 7-dehydroclionasterol. 2. 2. When homogenates of the amebas are incubated, the four sterols are enzymatically converted by loss of two hydrogen atoms to sterols with an aromatic Bring. It seems probable that the sterols retain the phenanthrene structure and that the aromatization is accompanied by a migration of the C-19 methyl group from C-10 to C-6 (or C-7). Thus, the product derived from ergosterol can tentatively be assigned the structure 6(7)-methylneoergosterol with homologous structures derived from the other three Δ5,7-sterols. 3. 3. As a consequence of these enzymatic reactions, 10–90% of the sterols of microsomes, mitochondria and plasma membrane are converted to the aromatic derivatives in the minimal time necessary for the isolation of the cell fractions.
Interface-alloy epitaxial heterojunctions

Abstract Abrupt epitaxial heterojunctions have been produced by melting the lower-melting-point semiconductor at the interface between two different semiconductors. When the temperature is reduced the melted semiconductor recrystallises, having alloyed into the higher-melting-point semiconductor. Heterojunctions between GaAs and Ge and between GaAs and GaSb have been produced. Kossel line techniques have been used to prove conclusively that the GaAs-Ge heterojunction is single crystal. Similar but less definitive results for the GaAs-GaSb couple indicate that this heterojunction is also single crystal. In the interface alloying the wafers rotate and/or tilt with respect to each other as required for single crystal regrowth, which appears to be the lowest energy method for regrowing. Electron beam microprobing shows that for the GaAs-Ge couple the transition from GaAs to Ge in the alloyed region is not monotonic, while for the GaAs-GaSb couple the transition from As to Sb is abrupt and without structure. As expected from the known electrical activity of Ge in GaAs and Ga and As in Ge the electrical characteristics of the GaAs-Ge heterojunction cannot be explained by simple heterojunction theory. A possible explanation in terms of tunneling through the barrier at the crystal interface is offered for the forward current of the GaAs-GaSb heterojunction which varies as I 0 exp( AV ).
Investigating Perceptions of Avatar Creation for Use in Educational MUVEs

The purpose of this qualitative inquiry is to extend the investigation of perceptions and experiences of users creating avatars for interactions in online learning environments. Using Linden Lab’s Second Life, volunteers created three-dimensional representations of themselves, called avatars, under the premise of participating in a hypothetical online class. Avatar creation sessions were book-ended with preand postinterviews focused on participant perceptions of various elements of self-representation and interactions as situated in online environments. Human computer interactions (HCI) of avatar creation were also explored. Findings indicate users created avatars that mirrored their respective physical appearances as closely as possible and were collectively adamant in feeling morally obliged to do so. DOI: 10.4018/jgcms.2009091503 IGI PUBLISHING This paper appears in the publication, International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, Volume 1, Issue 4 edited by Richard E. Ferdig © 2009, IGI Global 701 E. Choc late Avenue, Hershey PA 17033-1240, USA Tel: 717/533-8845; Fax 717/533-8661; URL-http://www.igi-global.com ITJ 5425
THE PHILOSOPHICAL EVALUATION OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE

It is not without irony that philosophers in the twentieth century have developed an argument for the existence of God from religious experience. Religious experience as such emerged as a philosophical concern in the nineteenth century, when it became apparent that theology had been dealt a severe blow by the skeptical philosophers of the Enlightenment, especially Hume and Kant. In an attempt to save religion Schleiermacher, in particular, distinguished it from philosophical and theological reflection and declared it to be essentially a feeling, a unique subjective experience. Thus, religion was withdrawn from a sphere in which it is bound always to appear problematic and relocated closer to its immediate sources in life, where it is quite natural. But this move, although appreciated by Otto, Eliade, and others of the phenomenological school of religious studies, has been somewhat frustrated by the tendency of modern philosophers to ask, does religious experience somehow prove the existence of God?1 In the present essay I shall show how the typical philosophical preoccupation with demonstrable knowledge, when it comes to religious matters - in this case, the matter of finding a proof for the existence of God based on religious experience - sets up a no-win situation for religion, a situation in which it can only appear false. For it takes religion to be something it is not - viz., as having cognitive content in a scientific sense - thereby making demands on it that it cannot possibly live up to. Indeed, I shall suggest that religious utterances do have cognitive content; nevertheless, they have a quite different kind than scientific sentences, due to the fact that they occur in a context of faith, a fundamentally different, but nevertheless bona fide, epistemological situation than science (faith may be opposed to science, but it is not opposed to knowledge). The basic error of the philosophical effort to evaluate religious claims - that is, to determine whether they are valid or not; there are, of course other senses in which religious experience can be evaluated - is that it removes them from their context of faith. My final position - a statement of which can only appear somewhat cryptic at this stage - is that a philosophical study of religious experience should be less concerned with whether we should accept the claims made on the basis of religious experience than why, in the context of faith, we often do.
The sedimentary flux of dissolved rare earth elements to the ocean

Abstract We determined pore fluid rare earth element (REE) concentrations in near-surface sediments retrieved from the continental margin off Oregon and California (USA). These sites represent shelf-to-slope settings, which lie above, within, and below the oxygen minimum zone of the Northeast Pacific. The sediments are characterized by varying degrees of net iron reduction, with pore fluids from the shelf sites being generally ferruginous, and the slope sediments having less-pronounced iron reduction zones that originate deeper in the sediment package. REE concentrations show maxima in shallow (upper 2–10 cm) subsurface pore fluids across all sites with concentrations that rise more than two orders of magnitude higher than seawater. These pore fluid enrichments highlight the importance of a sedimentary source of REEs to the ocean’s water column. Here we use our measurements to estimate the diffusive flux of Nd out of ocean sediments resulting in a global flux between 18 and 110 × 10 6 mol Nd yr −1 . While we do assume that our pore fluid profiles as well as the very limited data previously published are representative of a wide array of ocean environments, this calculated flux can account for the modeled missing Nd source flux (76 × 10 6 mol Nd yr −1 ) in global budgets ( Arsouze et al., 2009 ). Pore fluid normalized REE patterns show distinct variation in the middle REE and heavy REE enrichments with sediment depth and amongst sites. These patterns show that the heavy REE enrichment of pore fluids at our deep slope site (3000 m water depth) is closest to the heavy REE enrichment of seawater. This observation supports the view that REE cycling within the upper ten centimeters of deep-sea marine sediments, as opposed to shallower continental shelf and slope sediments, plays a significant role in controlling the integrated global REE flux from the pore fluids and consequently the broad-scale REE pattern in seawater.
Biogeographical and Ecological Determinants of Land Snail Diversification on Islands

Abstract: The equilibrium theory of island biogeography as originally proposed by R. MacArthur and E. O. Wilson relied on the ecological processes of colonization and extinction to determine the species diversity of islands. Although they were well aware of the potential contribution of speciation within-island to species diversity, MacArthur and Wilson's equilibrium model was purely ecological and did not incorporate the evolutionary process of diversification. This might seem surprising given that the best-known examples of adaptive radiation, the diversification of a single ancestral species into descendant species occupying a wide variety of ecological niches, are found on island systems. Recently, it has become possible to quantify the relative contribution of between-island colonization and within-island speciation to species diversity with the use of molecular phylogenies. By providing an estimate of the historical relationship among species, phylogenies can be used in combination with information ...
An improved perturbation technique for eigenvalues of continuous systems

A technique that improves the accuracy of the eigenvalue predictions as computed by a first-order uniform expansion perturbation scheme for a class of eigenvalue problems associated with linear ordinary and partial differential equations is introduced. As suggested by a comparison with the classical Ritz method, the computational accuracy of a usual perturbation technique such as strained parameters can be effectively increased by simply replacing the usual M-norms appearing in the denominator of the expressions for the first-order changes in the eigenvalues by the corresponding MP-norms, where MP is the perturbed M operator. With increasing sizes of the perturbations of the operators L and M of the class of boundary-value problems considered, this improved perturbation technique produces results of substantially increased accuracy relative to the usual first-order uniform expansion perturbation techniques. Numerical examples are presented.
Positive Solutions of Quasilinear Boundary Value Problems

Abstract This paper deals with the existence of positive solutions for the boundary value problem[formula][formula]where f is either φ-superlinear or φ-sublinear at ∞ and f ( t , 0) may be negative and p is a positive continuous function. The results extend several known results for semilinear equations. Our approach is based on fixed point theory for completely continuous operators which leave invariant a suitable cone in a Banach space of continuous functions.
Geodesy tracks plate motion

Our current understanding of the large scale movements of the Earth's great crustal plates is based mainly upon offsets of old geological features on land as well as on the ocean floor.
Damming the prairie: Human alteration of Great Plains river regimes

Summary Many studies have investigated post-impoundment hydrologic regime alteration; however, the Great Plains of the United States are often excluded from these analyses. The goal of this analysis was to evaluate the pre and post-impact hydrologic regimes of Great Plains rivers. The hydrologic records of nine large rivers were analyzed to quantify the magnitude, duration, and direction of hydrologic alteration attributable to impoundment. An additional tenth system, the Red River of the North, was included in the analysis to provide an example of a comparable regional hydrologic regime without the presence of impoundments on the main-stem of the network. Hydrologic regimes were analyzed using the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration, a model that estimates 33 hydrologic and ecologically relevant parameters. For many of the parameters, the magnitude, duration, and direction were similar across the systems. The results showed a significant increase in the 1 through 90 day minimum discharges and a significant decrease in the 1 through 90 day maximum discharge; though the magnitude of alteration decreased with increased temporal averaging. The most dramatic alterations were large increases in the number of annual hydrograph reversals and faster rise and fall rates. Results of this study are the first to quantify the widespread hydrologic alteration of Great Plains rivers following impoundment.
Animal cell cultures as a source of hormones.

Current methodology now makes it possible to establish in culture a variety of mammalian cells which perform organ-specific functions during serial propagation for periods of months or years. This report describes the results of experiments with animal and human cells that produce growth hormone, adrenocortical steroid hormones, thyrocalcitonin, and parathyroid hormone. Within the next decade it should be possible to use cell culture methods for manufacturing purposes to produce hormones and other valuable cellular products which are difficult to obtain in other ways. At first it may be necessary to use neoplastic cells for this purpose; but evidence is accumulating to suggest that it may eventually be possible to establish in culture normal, functional animal and human cells.
Reticulated Platelets following Acute Blood Loss

Summary. This report describes a previously unreported type of platelet released into the peripheral blood of dogs following acute blood loss. These cells display coarse, punctate condensations (reticulum) when stained supravitally with new methylene blue, and are probably analogous to reticulated erythrocytes. Both types of reticulated cells occur in increased numbers following acute blood loss.
High current densities above 100 K in the high-temperature superconductor HgBa 2 CaCu 2 O 6+δ

THE recent discovery1,2 of a family of mercury-based copper oxide superconductors having transition temperatures1–3 above 130 K is of considerable technological interest. But the viability of high-temperature superconductors for many applications will ultimately depend on the size of the current density, Jc, that they are able to support, not only at high temperatures, but also in high magnetic fields. For the cuprate superconductors, and in particular for Hg-based materials, the combination of high transition temperature1–3 and large mass anisotropy implies that the transport properties will be intrinsically limited by large thermal fluctuations and short superconducting coherence lengths4. Here we report that high-quality c-axis-oriented epitaxial films of the compound (Hg-1212; ref. 5) can support large in-plane current densities at temperatures higher than has been achieved for other superconductors. In low magnetic fields oriented normal to the film surface, we find Jc≳107 A cm−2 at 5 K and Jc∼ 105 A cm−2 at 110 K, at least an order of magnitude larger than for Bi- or Tl-based films6–11. For in-plane magnetic fields, the critical current (∼108 A cm−2) is close to the theoretical limit even at high fields, indicative of strong intrinsic pinning in this compound.
Individual Liability of Private Military Personnel under International Criminal Law

The article examines the present status of private military personnel under international criminal law. Perpetrators of international crimes are frequently integrated into a hierarchically structured collective, such as an army or police force. The system of order and obedience essential to the functioning of these entities, the existence of which underlies a number of principles of international criminal law, cannot be simply presumed to exist within a private military company (PMC) or between a PMC and the hiring state. As a consequence, the private nature of the company may become an issue, particularly when one considers the capacity of their personnel to commit war crimes or to incur superior or command responsibility. The article also considers problems of implementation and jurisdiction and touches briefly on the question of corporate criminal responsibility of the PMC itself. It will be argued that, in theory, international criminal law can be an efficient part of the legal regime governing the use and conduct of private military companies, although many of the legal issues discussed remain to be tested.
Neuronal injury and loss after traumatic brain injury: Time course and regional variability

We have examined regional neuronal injury after traumatic brain injury using Fluoro-Jade, an acidic dye that exhibits a marked affinity for both the degenerating neuronal cell body and its processes and have determined the extent to which early injury corresponds to regional patterns of neuronal loss. Rats (n=45) were subjected to lateral fluid percussion brain injury and euthanized at 3 h to 28 days post injury. Complementary Fluoro-Jade, silver impregnation methods and TUNEL were used to assess neuronal injury. Neuronal loss was evaluated in sections immunostained for NeuN, a neuronal specific nuclear protein. Overt neuronal cell loss was evident by 7 days post injury in the cortex, hippocampus and thalamus. Injured neurons were apparent in the ipsilateral cortex bordering the impact site, hippocampus (CA1 and dentate), thalamus, and vermis of the cerebellum as early as 3 h post injury. Degenerating neurons were maximal by 1 and 3 days in the cortex and hippocampus, by 3 and 7 days in the cerebellum, and by 7 days in the thalamus. The regional distribution of Fluoro-Jade-labeled neurons corresponded to a similar pattern of silver and TUNEL staining. Together, these findings demonstrate a regionally specific temporal pattern of neuronal injury that results in overt neuronal cell loss within both cortical and subcortical regions.
Total Synthesis of Dolabelide C: A Phosphate-Mediated Approach

The first synthesis of dolabelide C (1), a cytotoxic marine macrolide, is reported utilizing a phosphate tether-mediated approach. Bicyclic phosphates (S,S,SP)-5 and (R,R,RP)-5 serve as the central building blocks for the construction of two major 1,3-anti-diol subunits in 1 through selective cleavage pathways, regioselective olefin reduction, and cross-metathesis. Overall, phosphate-mediated processes provided copious amounts of both major subunits allowing for a detailed RCM macrocyclization study to the 24-membered macrolactone 1.
Insulin gene VNTR genotype associates with frequency and phenotype of the autoimmune response to proinsulin

Immune responses to autoantigens are in part controlled by deletion of autoreactive cells through genetically regulated selection mechanisms. We have directly analyzed peripheral CD4+ proinsulin (PI) 76–90 (SLQPLALEGSLQKRG)-specific T cells using soluble fluorescent major histocompatibility complex class II tetramers. Subjects with type I diabetes and healthy controls with high levels of peripheral proinsulin-specific T cells were characterized by the presence of a disease-susceptible polymorphism in the insulin variable number of tandem repeats (INS-VNTR) gene. Conversely, subjects with a ‘protective' polymorphism in the INS-VNTR gene had nearly undetectable levels of proinsulin tetramer-positive T cells. These results strongly imply a direct relationship between genetic control of autoantigen expression and peripheral autoreactivity, in which proinsulin genotype restricts the quantity and quality of the potential T-cell response. Using a modified tetramer to isolate low-avidity proinsulin-specific T cells from subjects with the susceptible genotype, transcript arrays identified several induced pro-apoptotic genes in the control, but not diabetic subjects, likely representing a second peripheral mechanism for maintenance of tolerance to self antigens.
Effects of dihydrotestosterone alone and combined with estrogen on bone mineral density, bone growth, and formation rates in ovariectomized rats

Androgens are associated with the greater skeletal mass and size in men compared with women and have been used as anabolic agents promoting skeletal growth and mineral accretion in both sexes, but specific effects on growth and bone formation in the female skeleton are not well understood. The effects of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) alone, and in combination with 17β-estradiol on bone and bone growth were studied in female ovariectomized (OVX) rats with established osteopenia. Eight weeks after OVX, rats were given 0.1 mg 17β-estradiol and/or 2.5 mg or 10 mg DHT administered by controlled-release pellets for 2 months. Body weights decreased with estrogen treatment but increased with DHT. Bone mineral density increased with the highest dose of DHT relative to OVX controls and the estrogen treated group. Dry and ashed bone weights and ash/dry weight ratios increased in the estrogen and DHT treated animals compared to the baseline OVX controls. Total bone calcium was greater with DHT and estrogen combined with DHT. The percent of calcium in the ash increased in all DHT treated groups. When normalized to final body weight, the total femur calcium content was significantly increased in the estrogen and estrogen with DHT groups, but not in the DHT groups compared with the baseline OVX and OVX control groups. The periosteal bone formation rates were increased with the high dose DHT alone and combined with estrogen. OVX rats had increased endochondral bone elongation rates relative to controls but this was decreased with estrogen treatment. DHT combined with estrogen increased endochondral growth rates relative to the estrogen treated group. Trabecular bone volume was decreased in all OVX groups relative to the base line group, but there were no significant effects observed with any treatments. Cancellous bone formation rates were suppressed with estrogen treatment but were partially reversed when combined with DHT. DHT treatments also increased most cancellous bone formation indices over OVX controls. While estrogen is known to preserve skeletal mass by reducing bone turnover, DHT increased skeletal mass by promoting bone growth and formation with concomitant increases in total body mass. DHT had greater effects on cortical bone and partially mitigated the suppressive effects of estrogen on bone growth and formation in the female skeleton.
Assessing the Relationship Between Police-Community Coproduction and Neighborhood-Level Social Capital

Some have argued that community policing represents a reform that is capable of increasing neighborhood social capital. Collaborative relationships between police and communities are expected to enhance the capacity of residents to collectively ameliorate neighborhood conditions. This study examines the relationship between police-community coproduction and neighborhood-level social capital using data from a survey of neighborhood leaders. Results provide partial support for the claim that community policing is related to social capital. More specifically, collective social capacity was shown to be higher in neighborhoods where residents perceive the police to be more accessible. Future considerations for the study of community policing and social capital are discussed.
Synthesis, characterization, solid-state molecular structures, and deprotonation reactions of cationic alcohol complexes of osmium nitrosyl porphyrins.

New alkoxide (OEP)Os(NO)(OR) (OEP = 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrinato dianion; R = ethyl, isopropyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl) compounds and alcohol [(OEP)Os(NO)(HOR)]+ complexes (R = methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl) have been prepared in high yields and have been fully characterized by IR, 1H NMR, and UV−vis spectroscopy, and by elemental analyses. The (OEP)Os(NO)(OEt) compound was characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The cationic aqua and alcohol [(OEP)Os(NO)(HOR)]+ complexes (R = ethyl, isopropyl, hexyl) complexes were also characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, and the latter represent the first osmium alcohol structures to be reported. The electrophilic [(OEP)Os(NO)]+ cation in the [(OEP)Os(NO)(HOR)]+ complexes renders the coordinated alcohol ligands susceptible to deprotonation by pyridine to produce the corresponding alkoxide (OEP)Os(NO)(OR) derivatives. A one-pot reaction sequence for the preparation of new (OEP)Os(NO)(OR) complexes from (OEP)Os(NO)(O...
Surface-monolayer-induced bulk alignment of liquid crystals: From nematic to smectic- A phase

The Landau--de Gennes theory of surface-induced bulk alignment of nematic liquid crystals is extended to the smectic-A case where both orientational ordering and positional ordering are present. Assuming strong surface anchoring, we find that in both nematic and smectic phases, the bulk pretilt angle is determined by the liquid crystalline order of the first liquid-crystal monolayer at surface through a biaxial surface-bulk transition layer. The smectic layer ordering tends to reduce the spatial variation of the director tilt in the transition layer, making the bulk pretilt angle somewhat closer to the director tilt angle at the surface. Experimental measurement shows results in semiquantitative agreement with theory.
Patterning organic semiconductors using "dry" poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomeric stamps for thin film transistors.

This communication demonstrates a method of transferring unreacted low molecular weight (LMW) siloxane oligomers from freshly prepared “dry” PDMS stamps for patterning organic semiconductors and conducting polymers into functional devices via selective wetting. The semiconductors were patterned onto the modified surfaces via dip-coating with well-resolved feature sizes as small as 1 μm. Functional transistor arrays exhibited field-effect mobilities as high as 0.07 cm2/Vs. The proposed printing method eliminates the need to ink SAMs for fabricating patterns and results in a simple, fast, and highly reproducible method of patterning organic semiconductors from solution. The method herein also produced a flexible transistor composed of patterned PEDOT source−drain electrodes.
Alpha-blockers in the management of acute urinary retention: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Alfuzosin 10 mg once daily increased the likelihood of successful TWOC in men with a first episode of spontaneous AUR and should be continued beyond the acute phase, as it reduced the need for BPH surgery during a 6-month treatment period.
Toxicity of Organophosphorus Pesticides to Dugesia dorotocephala

David Villar, 1'2 Mei-Hui Li, 1 and David J. Schaeffer ~ 1University of Illinois, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801 USA and 2Departamento de Pharmacologia y Toxicologia, Universidad de Cordoba, Avda, Madina Azahara, 9, 14071-Cordoba, Spain
Bus Voltage Control With Zero Distortion and High Bandwidth for Single-Phase Solar Inverters

Single-phase inverters must include an energy storage device, typically a high-voltage bus capacitor, to match the inverter constant input power to its pulsating output power. Because of its increased cost, the size of this bus capacitor must be minimized. However, when the bus capacitor is small, the bus voltage includes a high ripple at the ac line second harmonic frequency, which causes harmonic distortion. The bus voltage controller must filter this ripple, while regulating the bus voltage efficiently during transients, and must therefore balance a tradeoff between two conflicting constraints, low-harmonic distortion and high bandwidth. This paper analyzes this tradeoff, and proposes a new control method for solving it without using addition hardware. Instead of reducing the distortion by lowering the loop gain, the new controller employs a digital FIR filter that samples the bus voltage at an integer multiple of the second harmonic frequency. The filter presents a notch that removes the second harmonic ripple, enabling a design that operates with zero distortion and high bandwidth simultaneously, and is suitable for inverters with small bus capacitors. The proposed controller is tested on a microinverter prototype with a 300-W photovoltaic panel and a 20-μF bus capacitor.
Serum levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 in in vitro fertilization cycles

Objective To assess whether gonadotropin-induced changes in E 2 alter serum levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and proinflammatory cytokines. Design Prospective collection of serum in patients undergoing IVF. Setting University hospital. Patient(s) Twenty-four infertile women. Intervention(s) Serum collection at baseline, in the mid and late follicular phases, at oocyte retrieval, and in the mid and late luteal phases. Main Outcome Measure(s) Samples were assayed for sVCAM-1, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and E 2 . Result(s) The VCAM-1 was maximally suppressed in the luteal phase. Luteal sVCAM-1 levels correlated [1] positively with the patient's age, units of gonadotropins, day 3 FSH levels and [2] negatively with [a] the follicular, retrieval, and luteal E 2 levels and [b] the number of preovulatory follicles and oocytes retrieved. Similar correlations were noted in the late luteal phase. Serum TNF-α reached a peak in the mid-follicular phase and a nadir in the luteal phase. The TNF-α levels at retrieval correlated [1] positively with the patient's age and [2] negatively with E 2 and number of preovulatory follicles and retrieved oocytes. The IL-6 levels were suppressed in the follicular phase and correlated negatively with E 2 levels. Conclusion(s) Changes in E 2 levels seen during gonadotropin stimulation significantly alter VCAM-1 expression and induce changes in serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels.
Reactive hot-pressing studies of high density oxide-carbide composite ceramics

Abstract A number of brittle-brittle composites have been synthesized by reactive hot pressing. By using one inert phase and a phase formed in situ from metal hydride and a solid nonmetal, it was possible to produce microcomposites in which the reacting phase formed a continuous matrix, and isolated the grains of the inert phase. Densification rates for the reactively hot-pressed materials were appreciably higher than for the conventionally hot-pressed materials with the same nominal composition. Composites formed by Al2O3TiC, Al2O3TiB2 and B4CTiB2 exhibited high Rockwell A hardness. Reactively hot-pressed Al2O3TiC composite was tested on inconel 718 and exhibited performance better or equivalent to the commercially available Al2O3TiC tool. B4CTiB2 tested on titanium 6–4 alloy exhibited higher uniform flank wear at short cutting times than a commercial WC 6% Co cutting tool (Carboloy grade 883). However, it continued cutting to the end of the 3-min test, while the carbide tool was limited to 2 min of cutting due to gross deformation. The volume of the tool material worn showed linear dependence on cutting times at all cutting speeds higher than 200 surface feet per minute (sfm). At those speeds, the dominant wear mechanism appeared to be chemical interaction with the workpiece, while at 200 sfm, microfracturing became more prominent.
Perturbations in bouncing cosmologies: Dynamical attractor versus scale invariance

For bouncing cosmologies such as the ekpyrotic/cyclic scenarios we show that it is possible to make predictions for density perturbations which are independent of the details of the bouncing phase. This can be achieved, as in inflationary cosmology, thanks to the existence of a dynamical attractor, which makes local observables equal to the unperturbed solution up to exponentially small terms. Assuming that the physics of the bounce is not extremely sensitive to these corrections, perturbations can be evolved even at the nonlinear level. The resulting spectrum is not scale invariant and thus incompatible with experimental data. This can be explicitly shown in synchronous gauge where, contrary to what happens in the commonly used Newtonian gauge, all perturbations remain small going towards the bounce and the existence of the attractor is manifest.
Micro-Determination of Acetyl

1. A simple method is proposed for the micro-determination of acetyl in which the excess alkali of the hydrolyzing solution is titrated.
Optimal trade taxes for a large country with non-atomistic firms

Abstract The conventional prescription for a country possessing market power in world markets is an import tariff or export tax. Typically, a country will have a continuum of traders, differentiated both by size and behavior. Optimal policy then involves a structure of trade taxes, rather than a uniform tax or tariff, with larger firms generally taxed at lower rates than smaller ones. When policy is constrained to a uniform tax, optimal policy depends both on the foreign demand (or supply) elasticity and the size distribution of firms. The principles derived here are applied numerically to Indonesia's exports of nutmeg.
USES OF THE SECONDARY LEVEL ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (SLEP) TEST: A SURVEY OF CURRENT PRACTICE

The Secondary Level Proficiency (SLEP) test, offered by the SLEP School Services Program (SSP) at Educational Testing Service (ETS), measures English language listening comprehension and reading comprehension skills. It was developed for use with nonnative-English speaking students in grades 7-12. SLEP is administered and scored locally, and the SLEP program does not receive routine feedback from local test users. The work described herein was undertaken to obtain formal feedback from a sample of SLEP users by means of a survey questionnaire. Questionnaires were mailed in April, 1991, to over 300 potential SLEP-use contexts worldwide (addresses of individuals, institutions or agencies placing orders for the SLEP or related materials within the most recent 18-month period). Although the return rate was relatively low (71 usable returns), the distribution of the returns by general institutional type and location was similar to that of the total sample. Survey findings provide information regarding testing practices, purposes of testing, selected characteristics of examinees (age/grade level, language background, and so on), test-users' perceptions of the principal strengths and limitations of the SLEP and/or the SLEP Test Manual (and suggestions for modification), the extent and nature of local studies concerned with validating the SLEP, and so on. Implications of the findings for SLEP-related research and development activities are discussed.
Surface magnetism of Gd(0001): Evidence of ferromagnetic coupling to bulk.

Previous polarized electron experiments and recent ab initio calculations suggest that the surface layer magnetic moments of Gd(0001) are antiferromagnetically coupled to the bulk magnetic moments. Spin-polarized photoemission data are presented which show that the spin polarization of the magnetic surface state and the surface 4f states of Gd(0001) are coupled ferromagnetically to the bulk magnetic moment.
Psychotomimetic N-Methylated Tryptamines: Formation in Brain in vivo and in vitro

The use of a sensitive enzymatic assay demonstrates that tryptamine occurs normally in rat brain. Intracisternal administration of [ 14 C]tryptamine results in the formation of N-methyl-and dimethyltryptamine(a psychotomimetic compound)in the rat brain. An enzyme that converts tryptamine and N-methyl-tryptamine to N-methyl-and dimethyltryptamine was found to be present in rat and human brain. The N-methylation of tryptamine was inhibited by normally occurring compounds present in rat brain.
A genetic screen for replication initiation defective (rid) mutants in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

In fission yeast the intra-S phase and DNA damage checkpoints are activated in response to inhibition of DNA replication or DNA damage, respectively. The intra-S phase checkpoint responds to stalled replication forks leading to the activation of the Cds1 kinase that both delays cell cycle progression and stabilizes DNA replication forks. The DNA damage checkpoint, that operates during the G2 phase of the cell cycle delays mitotic progression through activation of the checkpoint kinase, Chk1. Delay of the cell cycle is believed to be essential to allow time for either replication restart (in S phase) or DNA damage repair (in G2). Previously, our laboratory showed that fission yeast cells deleted for the N-terminal half of DNA polymerase e (Cdc20) are delayed in S phase, but surprisingly require Chk1 rather than Cds1 to maintain cell viability. Several additional DNA replication mutants were then tested for their dependency on Chk1 or Cds1 when grown under semi-permissive temperatures. We discovered that mutants defective in DNA replication initiation are sensitive only to loss of Chk1, whilst mutations that inhibit DNA replication elongation are sensitive to loss of both Cds1 and Chk1. To confirm that the Chk1-sensitive, Cds1-insensitive phenotype (rid phenotype) is specific to mutants defective in DNA replication initiation, we completed a genetic screen for cell cycle mutants that require Chk1, but not Cds1 to maintain cell viability when grown at semi-permissive temperatures. Our screen identified two mutants, rid1-1 and rid2-1, that are defective in Orc1 and Mcm4, respectively. Both mutants show defects in DNA replication initiation consistent with our hypothesis that the rid phenotype is replication initiation specific. In the case of Mcm4, the mutation has been mapped to a highly conserved region of the protein that appears to be required for DNA replication initiation, but not elongation. Therefore, we conclude that the cellular response to inhibition of DNA replication initiation is distinct from blocking DNA replication elongation, and this difference can be exploited to identify mutants specifically defective in DNA replication initiation.
MULTILEVEL GOVERNANCE PROCESSES -CITIZENS & LOCAL BUDGETING: COMPARING BRAZIL, CHINA, & THE UNITED STATES

Modifications to policymaking processes and actors are crucial when transitioning to multilevel governance. Civic engagement in budgeting processes, where crucial policy decisions are determined, is an important component of shared governance. Understanding the new roles for citizens in the budget process, then, can extend our knowledge of multilevel governance. This research explores the ways in which the budget process incorporates citizen participation to foster an ideal of civil society in the United States, Brazil, and China. The comparative case analysis probes the extent to which institutional changes have occurred, why they have occurred, and the degree to which municipal budget processes are characterized by multilevel governance.
Fourier smoothing of radiation observations in two parts, daytime and nighttime

The problem in non-subjective smoothing of 4-minute readings concerns the elimination of the high harmonics usually needed to match the flat portion of net radiation curves at night. The higher harmonics would introduce spurious mathematical oscillations in the daytime part of the smoothed record. The conventional “reflected” pattern computer technique, which yields only a sine series, has been modified to show the times of maxima by sine and cosine series in odd harmonics. Satisfactory smoothing is obtained at the 5th harmonic of 2 π periods covering twice the time sunrise to sunset or sunset to sunrise.
Semisupervised learning from dissimilarity data

The following two-stage approach to learning from dissimilarity data is described: (1) embed both labeled and unlabeled objects in a Euclidean space; then (2) train a classifier on the labeled objects. The use of linear discriminant analysis for (2), which naturally invites the use of classical multidimensional scaling for (1), is emphasized. The choice of the dimension of the Euclidean space in (1) is a model selection problem; too few or too many dimensions can degrade classifier performance. The question of how the inclusion of unlabeled objects in (1) affects classifier performance is investigated. In the case of spherical covariances, including unlabeled objects in (1) is demonstrably superior. Several examples are presented.