cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiation treatment of soft palate squamous cell carcinoma

Background To report our institution's experience treating soft palate squamous cell carcinoma with radiotherapy alone or combined with adjuvant chemotherapy and/or neck dissection for residual disease. Methods We analyzed 159 patients treated curatively between 1963 and 2016. Median follow-up was 4 years. Results The 5-year local control rates were T1, 90%; T2, 90%; T3, 70%; and T4, 59%. The 5-year cause-specific survival (CSS) rate was nearly identical for patients with stage I-III disease (88%, 86%, and 88%, respectively) compared to stage IVA/B (58%). Five-year overall survival was similar between patients with stage I-III disease (50%, 57%, and 54%, respectively) and approximately double that of patients with stage IVA/B disease (26%). Thirteen patients (8%) had severe complications related to radiotherapy. Conclusions The likelihood of cure after definitive radiotherapy is relatively high in patients with stage I-III disease with soft palate carcinoma. Patients with stage IVA/B disease have a lower cure rate but with a 5-year CSS exceeding 50%.
Cryptographic algorithms to spatial circuit transformation in an active learning module to enhance the information assurance and security curriculum

Spatial circuit derivation from algorithms and equations is an important concept to introduce in computer and information system security courses. Often students have difficulties mastering cryptographic algorithms. They learn system security concepts more effectively if they know how to transform equations and high level programming language constructs onto spatial circuits or special purpose hardware. This paper describes an active learning module developed to help students understand algorithms related to encryption, decryption, hash and random number generation with function or algorithm into spatial circuit transformations. These course materials can also be used in computer organization and architecture classes to help students understand special purpose circuitry for security.
Influence of Optical Thickness on the Melting of a Phase Change Material in a Thermal Energy Storage Module

Thermal energy storage using phase change material (PCM) is needed for renewable power generation using solar energy. In the present investigation, the discrete-ordinate method is used to numerically investigate the radiative transport in a two-dimensional finned cylinder containing an absorbing-emitting PCM. The enthalpy-porosity method is used to track the melting-solidification interface. This study investigated the effects of the optical thickness of the phase change material and the temperature at the outer surface of the finned cylinder on the melting process. The results obtained show that thermal radiation decreases the melting time and accelerates the phase transition process. Besides, the results showed that the use of fins along with a radiation absorber in the PCM decreases the melting time by 65% compared with only fins.
Nurse Health: The Influence of Chronotype and Shift Timing:

Extreme chronotype and circadian disrupting work hours may increase nurse disease risks. This national, cross-sectional study of nurses (N = 527) had three hypotheses. When chronotype and shift times are incongruent, nurses will experience increased likelihood of (1) obesity, (2) cardiovascular disease/risk factors, and (3) obesity or cardiovascular disease/risk factors when theoretically linked variables exist. Chronotype mismatched nurses' (n = 206) average sleep (6.1 hours, SD = 1.2) fell below 7-9 hours/24-hours sleep recommendations. Proportion of male nurses was significantly higher chronotype mismatched (12.3%) than matched (6.3%). Analyses found no direct relationship between chronotype match/mismatch with outcome variables. Exploratory interaction analysis demonstrated nurses with mismatched chronotype and above average sleep quality had an estimated 3.51 times the adjusted odds (95% CI 1.52,8.17; p = .003) of being obese. Although mechanism is unclear, this suggests sleep quality may be intricately associated with obesity. Further research is needed to inform nurses on health risks from disrupted sleep, chronotypes, and shift work.
Experimental Study of ModSecurity Web Application Firewalls

Risks related to web security are too important to be ignored. The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) document maintains a rating of the top 10 common threats. Although not an official standard, is widely acknowledged in the classification of vulnerabilities. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of ModSecurity web application firewall with OWASP Core Rule Set (CRS) version 3.2 released in September 2019 to detect known web security risks. This paper proposes to provide insight on detection capability of ModSecurity with CRS v.3.2 at default level, how well it can protect web server against Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, and performance on web server in terms of Throughput (the average amount of bytes transmitted every second), Transaction rates (the amount of hits), Concurrency (the average number of parallel connections and increases as server efficiency declines). In addition, provides recommendation on areas of improvement and future research areas.
Follow the Smoke: The Pollution Haven Hypothesis in Global Sourcing

In this study, we empirically examine the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH) in the context of global sourcing. We argue that firms may not only directly invest in establishing operations in countrie...
Competition for Electric Transmission Projects in the USA: FERC Order 1000

Historically, high voltage electric transmission facilities in the USA have been owned and operated primarily by incumbent utilities subject to state and federal certification, siting, and cost-of-service regulation. Federal and state regulation of transmission as a natural geographic monopoly continued after vertical and horizontal restructuring, the creation of competitive wholesale electricity markets, and the formation of independent system operators (ISO/RTO) (There is little difference between an RTO and an ISO. I will simply refer to both as an ISO in this paper. https://www.ferc.gov/industries/electric/indus-act/rto.asp.) to operate these markets and the associated transmission networks. The possibility of extending competition into the development, ownership, and operation of high voltage transmission projects has been a subject of interest to economists and other students of electricity sector restructuring for many years. A theoretical merchant transmission model where transmission investments are supported by tradeable transmission rights whose value reflects the difference in locational prices, attracted a lot of attention and excitement as restructured wholesale electricity markets matured in the 1990s. While this merchant transmission model is elegant, and in some ways, remarkable, when more realistic assumptions are introduced, the attractive attributes of the merchant model are seriously undermined. More importantly, this model has attracted very little interest in practice, especially in the US FERC Order 1000 issued in 2011 has stimulated increased interest in and use of competitive transmission procurement programs in the USA. This paper discusses the provisions of Order 1000, its application by ISOs, and examines the evidence to date regarding the use and attributes of the competitive transmission procurement model in the USA. The limited evidence to date is promising, though the diffusion of transparent head-to-head competitive procurement programs has been slow. Refinements can help to secure more of the potential benefits of competition in the future.
Better But Not Well: Mental Health Policy in the United States since 1950

The past half-century has been marked by major changes in the treatment of mental illness: important advances in understanding mental illnesses, increases in spending on mental health care and support of people with mental illnesses, and the availability of new medications that are easier for the patient to tolerate. Although these changes have made things better for those who have mental illness, they are not quite enough. In Better But Not Well, Richard G. Frank and Sherry A. Glied examine the well-being of people with mental illness in the United States over the past fifty years, addressing issues such as economics, treatment, standards of living, rights, and stigma. Marshaling a range of new empirical evidence, they first argue that people with mental illness-severe and persistent disorders as well as less serious mental health conditions-are faring better today than in the past. Improvements have come about for unheralded and unexpected reasons. Rather than being a result of more effective mental health treatments, progress has come from the growth of private health insurance and of mainstream social programs-such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, housing vouchers, and food stamps-and the development of new treatments that are easier for patients to tolerate and for physicians to manage. The authors remind us that, despite the progress that has been made, this disadvantaged group remains worse off than most others in society. The "mainstreaming" of persons with mental illness has left a policy void, where governmental institutions responsible for meeting the needs of mental health patients lack resources and programmatic authority. To fill this void, Frank and Glied suggest that institutional resources be applied systematically and routinely to examine and address how federal and state programs affect the well-being of people with mental illness.
Anomalous orbital admixture in ammine complexes

Abstract A detailed orbital analysis of two seemingly ordinary classes of complexes of group 12 dications, [M(NH3)4]2+ and [M(PH3)4]2+, M = Zn, Cd, Hg, holds a surprise. The PH3 complexes are text-book examples of tetrahedral bonding, but in the ammine complexes calculations reveal a remarkable degree of mixing between occupied M (n-1)d and NH3 σπ orbitals. A perturbation-based Fock matrix examination traces the origin of this mixing to an energy resonance and improved overlap of interacting orbitals for NH3 ligands. The possibility of probing this anomalous mixing with valence-to-core X-ray emission spectroscopy (V2C XES) is discussed.
Estimation of River Discharge

River discharge, the volume flow rate through a river cross section, is perhaps the most important single hydrologic quantity. It is a major link in the global hydrologic and geologic cycles and a critical component of climate, and represents the rate at which nature makes water available for human use and management. In the form of floods, it constitutes one of the most destructive natural hazards. Measurement of river discharge thus provides vital information for science and society. Measurement by conventional ground-based methods is expensive and is declining globally. Using various combinations of active and passive imagery and sensors mounted on satellites or aircraft, it is possible to obtain direct quantitative information on several hydraulic variables, including channel configuration and the area, width, elevation, and velocity of the water surface. Computations using conventionally obtained data indicate that this information can be used in various combinations with statistical models and topographic information to generate quantitative time- and location-specific estimates of discharge. Thus, it appears feasible to produce useful river-discharge information via remote sensing, especially for locations that are remote or otherwise difficult to observe conventionally. However, it is likely that this capability will be useful only for relatively large rivers and that, even for these, measurement accuracy will be considerably lower than is possible with ground-based measurements. Given the scientific and societal importance of river-discharge observations, and the present discharge-measurement network and unlikely prospects for its expansion, further development and testing of these approaches, development of concurrent sets of pertinent remotely sensed variables, and a more complete evaluation of the spacing and timing of observations possible with satellite systems is warranted. Keywords: river discharge; streamflow; discharge measurement; remote sensing; hydrologic cycle
[Cluster headache: its diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment].

Introduccion. La cefalea en racimos (CR) es el subtipo de cefalea trigeminal con sintomas autonomicos (CTA) mas frecuente; sin embargo, a pesar de su caracteristico perfil clinico continua siendo pobremente reconocida y mal controlada. Objetivos. Aprender a identificar los correctos criterios diagnosticos de la CR y los diagnosticos diferenciales respectivos; comprender la fisiopatologia de la CR, su tratamiento y pronostico mediante la revision de la literatura. Desarrollo y conclusiones. La CR es una entidad caracterizada por la presencia de dolor agudo o extremadamente agudo, unilateral, de corta duracion, generalmente de ubicacion retroocular y/o temporal, acompanada de sintomas autonomicos ipsilaterales (principalmente inyeccion conjuntival). La CR se puede diferenciar de otras CTA por la frecuencia de presentacion y duracion del dolor (promedio de menos de cinco crisis por dia de mas de 30 minutos a 3 horas), asi como por la respuesta a los tratamientos. La fisiopatologia de la CR involucra multiples vias neuronales. Se sugiere la activacion del sistema trigeminovascular y del sistema parasimpatico, y disfuncion del sistema simpatico craneal. Por otro lado, hay evidencias de alteracion funcional y estructural en el hipotalamo. El tratamiento de la CR se basa en la correcta implementacion farmacologica de terapias abortiva, de transicion y profilactica. Los procedimientos quirurgicos se recomiendan en pacientes con dolor estrictamente unilateral en la division oftalmica del nervio trigemino refractarios a multiples terapias, y/o con mala respuesta y/o contraindicaciones al tratamiento farmacologico. Factores geneticos, de funcionamiento cerebral, medioambientales, al igual que la forma de presentacion (episodica o cronica), determinan el pronostico de la CR.
EFFICACY OF VARIOUS MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES (Ab) AGAINST E. COLI (EC)

The morbidity and mortality associated with neonatal EC infections have remained significant despite advances in antimicrobial chemotherapy. To investigate the feasibility of immunotherapeutic approaches, we evaluated 3 different murine monoclonal IgM Ab against a K1 EC strain in the newborn rat model: (1) Ab to group B meningococcal carbohydrate (K1 Ab), (2) Ab to the LPS of the same K1 EC(LPS Ab), and (3) Ab to lipid A. At 5 days of age, each litter was divided into 4 groups. Each group received intraperitoneally one of the above or murine IgM monoclonal Ab to the LPS of P.aeruginosa (control) in a dose of 50 ul/10 gm and subcutaneously EC (LD100). Blood and CSF specimens were obtained daily and mortality recorded for 5 days. Results are summarized as protective efficacy against death. K1 and LPS Ab provided 100% protection neat and at 10-1. All control animals died. These studies indicate that monoclonal Ab to K1 polysaccharide and Ab to the LPS of EC are highly protective against K1 EC and combinations of these two further enhance the efficacy.
Techniques of Hypnotic Induction by G. Gafner

In recent years, George Gafner, MSW, LCSW, has written several books on hypnotic induction and clinical applications. This present volume is his latest, and, as the title indicates, it is another o...
How Might the Rule of Law Be Developed in Non-Democratic Settings? The Colonial Path to the Rule of Law in Sudan, 1898-1956

The paper examines how the British brought the Sudanese under colonial control by promoting the rule of law and seeking to create an independent judiciary. A close analysis of the British experience in colonial Sudan (the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium, 1898-1956) shows how authoritarian regimes in general can deploy the rule of law to perpetuate their authority. The British instituted courts, legal procedures, and standard methods of appeal in order to deter crime, resolve private disputes, address individual grievances, and moderate the exercise of state power. The rule of law was strong enough to be taken seriously (and later adopted wholesale) by Sudanese intellectuals and major political and religious figures. In the long-term, Sudanese elites received a first-class education in the rule of law at the hands of colonial oppressors and ultimately used those laws and institutions to rid themselves of colonial authority. Research is based on 18 months of field research in Sudan since 2005 as well as on archival research in England and Egypt, Sudan's colonial masters.
Investigation of incipient conditions leading to the failure of distribution system apparatus

Electric power distribution circuits are complex systems. Each circuit consists of the interconnection of literally thousands of discrete components. Each member of the body (i.e., insulators, arrestors, switches, transformers, etc.) must function properly for the body to be healthy as a whole. A broken finger, or in this case, a broken insulator, causes great pain and suffering and affects the whole body. Work at Texas A&M University (TAMU) seeks to better understand the failure processes and mechanisms of distribution system equipment, with the ultimate goal of improving overall health and performance. TAMU researchers have instrumented dozens of distribution circuits as part of a long-term effort, with the intent of building a comprehensive database of high-quality measurements that represent distribution system behavior before, during, and after the failure of various components. To date, this effort has yielded a significant number of such measurements.
Comparison of fetal scalp, carotid, and jugular blood gas values and oxygen consumption in the lamb

Abstract Scalp pH, Po 2 , Pco 2 , and base-deficit values in the fetal lamb are compared to the same values in fetal carotid arterial and jugular venous blood and to fetal cephalic blood flow, oxygen consumption, blood pressure, and heart rate during control, hypoxia, and recovery periods. Scalp Po 2 levels correlated well with carotid arterial levels while scalp Pco 2 , pH, and base deficit did not. Oxygen consumption paralleled Po 2 levels.
公共机构与投资者赔偿：以SEC和CFTC为范本的研究 (Public Agencies and Investor Compensation: Examples from the SEC and CFTC)

Investor compensation by financial regulators hits the headlines when an agency has been the white knight, recovering and distributing funds to injured investors. Rarely do the papers laud financial regulators when they provide the judges in the financial market equivalent of small claims court. The SEC’s and CFTC’s approaches to compensation track these two alternatives. The SEC’s Fair Fund power allows it to distribute money-penalty amounts to injured investors. In contrast, the CFTC’s longstanding “Reparations Program” resolves disputes between private parties (individual shareholders and financial professionals) in a role akin to that of an arbitrator or judge. This essay suggests revisiting the unglamorous business of resolving disputes between customers and brokers and recasting it as a potentially valuable source of industry information to the agencies tasked with enforcing securities and commodities laws. It also provides concrete case studies of public agencies’ involvement in the often private domain of compensatory remedies. Translation by Chan-pong Wong, graduate of CUFE( the Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China).The English version of this paper can be found at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2031000
Extending inductive methods to create practical tools for building expert systems

Induction programs make several assumptions that limit their practical utility. Research to overcome the limitation of working within a fixed vocabulary is reported. A recently reported phenomenon in machine learning is that there is a tradeoff between the simplicity of concept descriptions and coverage of training instances, and a learning system cannot have both. It is argued that if a learning system can generate new terms, it can achieve both simplicity and coverage. A method for generating one new kind of terms, comparative terms, is given. The experimental results on a mushroom classification task show that a single comparative term can achieve 90% predictive accuracy. >
Quantitative analysis of sharp-force trauma: an application of scanning electron microscopy in forensic anthropology

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has occasionally been used by anthropologists and forensic scientists to look at morphological characteristics that certain implements leave on bone. However, few studies have addressed techniques or protocols for assessing quantitative differences between tool marks on bone made by different bladed implements. In this study, the statistical variation in cut mark width was examined between control and test samples on bone using a scalpel blade, paring knife, and kitchen utility knife. Statistically significant differences (p
Affinity Purification of Natural Ligands

Immobilization of proteins, nucleic acids, and other "bioligands" requires selection of the proper bioligand for the specific application. This decision influences all others: the matrix is chosen and activated by the method that is most appropriate for this specific application and the ligand is coupled under conditions dictated by the activation method and the nature of the ligand (e.g., is it a labile protein or a sturdy enzyme cofactor?). There are many matrices and activation and coupling methods, and new ones are constantly being developed. This unit provides three protocols for activating and coupling proteins and other nucleophilic ligands to beaded agarose gel: cyanogen bromide, p-nitrophenyl chloroformate, and tresyl chloride.
Methotrexate regulates ICAM-1 expression in recipients of rat cardiac allografts

The means by which methotrexate (MTX) mediates immunosuppression at low doses remains to be elucidated. MTX has been shown to inhibit the adherence of neutrophils and fibroblasts to endothelial cells in vitro. The hypothesis that MTX treatment may affect cellular adherence by downregulating cell adhesion molecule expression formed the rationale for these studies. Previous studies of rat cardiac transplant recipients in our laboratory demonstrated that low-dose MTX treatment alone significantly inhibits the expression of the leucocyte beta 2 integrin subunit, CD18. These investigations have addressed whether low-dose MTX treatment might also affect the expression of the beta-integrin counter-receptor, ICAM-1, a cell adhesion molecule which may be induced on endothelial cells during an immune response. The degree to which low-dose cyclosporine A and low-dose MTX treatment alone, and in combination, impact cell adhesion molecule expression has been studied in Brown Norway (BN) to Lewis (Lew) rat accessory cervical heart allografts. According to both Northern blot and immunohistochemical analysis, ICAM-1 expression was upregulated in graft regional lymph nodes and in the spleen of untreated cardiac allograft recipients within 6 h post-transplantation. Despite induction of VCAM-1 expression, ICAM-1 expression remained low or undetectable in cardiac allograft tissue as measured both by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical analysis. These data suggest that ICAM-1 may function in leucocyte trafficking through lymphoid organs, such as the lymph nodes and spleen, but not directly in graft leucocyte recruitment during BN to Lew rat cardiac allograft rejection. Despite prolonged allograft survival with cyclosporine A alone and combination cyclosporine A/MTX, these treatments did not result in diminished steady-state ICAM-1 mRNA levels in regional lymph nodes or spleen of cardiac allograft recipients. MTX treatment alone, however, substantially diminished ICAM-1 expression in allograft recipient lymphoid tissues. These studies demonstrate for the first time in vivo using a rat model of acute allograft rejection that MTX but not cyclosporine treatment downregulates cell adhesion molecule expression. Low-dose MTX treatment alone, however, is not sufficient to result in prolonged BN to Lew rat cardiac allograft survival. The means by which combination low-dose cyclosporine A and MTX treatment results in prolonged rat cardiac allograft survival over low-dose cyclosporine treatment alone remain(s) to be clarified.
W.E.B. Du Bois and Charles S. Johnson: Differing Views on the Role of Philanthropy in Higher Education

Philanthropy is typically defined as a charitable act, a gift, or an organization that dispenses such gifts. Rarely do we think negatively about gifts. However, as the literature in this area tells us, there is much mistrust of philanthropy and those behind it. Some critics have pointed toward the ulterior motives underlying the gifts of philanthropists. Is it really a gift or does it serve the philanthropist more than the recipient? Others have drawn attention to the unethical business practices of the corporations behind the philanthropies. How can “tainted” money promote good? Still others have questioned the amount of control that many philanthropists gain once their benefactors become dependent on them. Are philanthropists giving money just to extend the reach of their power? Despite these criticisms, philanthropy, in the words of Robert Bremner, “has been one of the principal methods of social advance.”
Identifying robustness in the regulation of collective foraging of ant colonies using an interaction-based model with backward bifurcation.

Abstract Collective behaviors in social insect societies often emerge from simple local rules. However, little is known about how these behaviors are dynamically regulated in response to environmental changes. Here, we use a compartmental modeling approach to identify factors that allow harvester ant colonies to regulate collective foraging activity in response to their environment. We propose a set of differential equations describing the dynamics of: (1) available foragers inside the nest, (2) active foragers outside the nest, and (3) successful returning foragers, to understand how colony-specific parameters, such as baseline number of foragers, interactions among foragers, food discovery rates, successful forager return rates, and foraging duration might influence collective foraging dynamics, while maintaining functional robustness to perturbations. Our analysis indicates that the model can undergo a forward (transcritical) bifurcation or a backward bifurcation depending on colony-specific parameters. In the former case, foraging activity persists when the average number of recruits per successful returning forager is larger than one. In the latter case, the backward bifurcation creates a region of bistability in which the size and fate of foraging activity depends on the distribution of the foraging workforce among the model׳s compartments. We validate the model with experimental data from harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) and perform sensitivity analysis. Our model provides insights on how simple, local interactions can achieve an emergent and robust regulatory system of collective foraging activity in ant colonies.
Antecedents of private label attitude and national brand promotion attitude: similarities and differences

Abstract A model that addresses the similarities and differences in conceptual antecedents of attitudes toward private label grocery products and national brand promotions is proposed and tested. The proposed model is tested using a sample of 300 consumers who were recruited from grocery stores, provided behavioral data from sales receipts of their shopping trip, and responded to a survey that contained multi-item construct measures. We predict and find in the study that both price and nonprice related constructs impact both private label attitude and national brand promotion attitude, but the directionality and strength of several of these relationships differ. Implications of these findings for retailers and national manufacturers are discussed.
Survey of carboplatin dosing strategies in oncology practices

Abstract Objectives To identify variations in carboplatin dose calculations at oncology institutions and practices in the southeastern United States. Methods 500 surveys were mailed to oncology practices in the southeastern United States to assess variations in carboplatin doses. The survey sought to determine assumptions that are made regarding carboplatin calculations and if different carboplatin doses result when participants are given the same data and patient characteristics. Results The survey had a response rate of 12% (n = 56 of 467). The majority of responses used actual serum creatinine and actual body weight. The Cockcroft-Gault creatinine clearance formula was used most commonly. The doses calculated in the case example of an AUC (area under the curve) 6 dose of carboplatin ranged from 110 to 1,811mg (mean 987 mg, median 963 mg). We determined a correct dose of 721mg for the case example. Conclusion The majority of responses to the case example indicated overdosing of carboplatin. Participants provided inconsistent doses, and their interpretation of the variables in the equations varied. More research is needed, and efforts should be made to have a universal modified Calvert formula with standardized assumptions to achieve consistent dosing across practices.
An analysis of sequences stimulating frameshifting in the decoding of gene 10 of bacteriophage T7

The signals necessary for the translational frameshift in the gene 10 message of bacteriophage T7 include the previously identified frameshift site and the 3' non-coding region, over 200 bases downstream. The functional components of the frameshift site are identified in this study and show that the site most probably operates by the retroviral type two site mechanism. However, the base pairing requirements for the first tRNA are much more relaxed after the slip than is seen in other examples. The element at the 3' end of the gene, also necessary for frameshifting, is examined but only the extreme 5' side of the transcriptional terminator stem-loop structure in the 3' non-coding region seems to be required. No simple secondary structural model can explain the involvement of this sequence. The T7 frameshift site can be replaced with either a T3 site or a E. coli dnaX site. Both show higher levels of frameshifting than with the T7 site.
Glomus jugulare tumor: Tumor control and complications after stereotactic radiosurgery

Background We evaluated toxicity and long-term efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with symptomatic or progressive glomus jugulare tumors. Methods Twenty-five consecutive patients (age, 30–88 years; 17 women, 8 men) who underwent stereotactic radiosurgery with the Leksell Gamma Knife (dose, 12–18 Gy) were prospectively followed. MRI and clinical examinations were performed at 6 months and 1, 2, and 3 years, and then every 2 years. Results None of the tumors increased in size, 17 were stable, and 8 decreased (median imaging follow-up, 35 months; range, 10–113 months). Symptoms subsided in 15 patients (60%); vertigo occurred in 1, but balance improved with vestibular training (median clinical follow-up, 37 months; range, 11–118 months). No other new or progressive neuropathy of cranial nerves V–XII developed. Conclusions Stereotactic radiosurgery can achieve excellent tumor control with low risk of morbidity in the treatment of glomus jugulare tumors. The lower cranial nerves can safely tolerate a radiosurgical dose of 12 to 18 Gy. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 24: 332–339, 2002; DOI 10.1002/hed.10005
Apoptosis of neurons in rats with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS). In MS and EAE, calpain expression is increased in cells of the central nervous system including astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia; as well as infiltrating macrophages and T cells. However, calpain expression in neurons has not previously been reported in the EAE model. Since degeneration of neurons has been demonstrated in progressive cases of MS, and calpain has been implicated in cell death in EAE, it is hypothesized that neurons expressing increased levels of calpain may undergo apoptosis. To test the hypothesis, spinal cords were collected from control and EAE rats from 4 to 12 days after challenge with guinea-pig myelin and complete Freund's adjuvant. Apoptosis in neurons was determined by combined TUNEL and immunoflourescent staining using a neuron-specific marker (NeuN). Calpain expression in neurons was determined using double-immunoflourescent staining with antibodies specific for calpain and NeuN. At 8 and 9 days postchallenge, neither apoptosis nor increased calpain expression were detected in neurons in control or 9 day EAE spinal cord sections. In contrast, at 11 days postinduction neurons in acute EAE were TUNEL-positive, indicating that cells underwent apoptosis. Further studies are in progress to determine if and when oligodendrocytes in EAE rats are apoptotic. By correlating cell-specific increases in calpain expression with apoptosis in EAE, a better understanding of the role of calpain in EAE and MS might be achieved. This increased knowledge could suggest a potential benefit of calpain inhibitors in the treatment of EAE and MS. Acknowledgements: Supported in part by grants from NIH-NINDS.
SU-GG-I-70: Dosimetric Benefits of the Imaging Dose Incorporation (IDI) Method for Megavoltage Cone Beam CT (MVCBCT) in Head and Neck Patients

Purpose: To determine the range of expected increases in spared parotid and integral dose in head and neck cancer patients as a function of daily MVCBCT imaging dose managed with the IDI method. The IDI method includes imaging dose in the treatment planningoptimization process, enabling the explicit management of dose received by organs at risk (OAR) from imaging beams. Materials and Methods: For 10 head and neck cancer patients, IDI and non‐IDI treatment plans were created for MVCBCT imaging doses ranging from 10–40 cGy per fraction. Unrealistically high imaging doses were considered in order to produce generalized results. For the IDI plans, cold spots in the target volumes were avoided by constraining the dose volume histograms to remain above or equal to those corresponding to 0 cGy imaging dose. Brainstem and spinal cord overdose was avoided with IDI by constraining the maximum doses to 45 Gy or less. Results: The IDI method reduced the increase in spared parotid dose above the zero imaging dose case by 40% or more relative to the non‐IDI case (p < 0.041). The IDI method reduced the increase in integral dose above the zero imaging dose case by 50% or more relative to the non‐IDI case (p < 0.03). For the non‐IDI cases the brain stem and spinal cord maximum doses increased above the 45 Gy tolerance for 95% of the cases in which imaging dose was above 20 cGy per fraction or greater. Conclusions: Even for unrealistically high daily MVCBCT imaging doses for head and neck cancer patients, the IDI method successfully constrains brainstem and spinal cord maximum doses to 45 Gy or less. IDI vs. non‐IDI increases in integral dose and spared parotid dose fall within predictable intervals that are dependent upon imaging dose.
Rod length in protein-stripped tobacco mosaic virus☆

Abstract Studies of the detergent-stripping of protein subunits from tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) show that the stripping rate is enhanced by pH's above 7.0 and by temperatures above 62°. Variations in virus concentrations between 100 and 200 μg/ml do not affect the rate of protein stripping, but the rate is reduced at higher concentrations. Treatment at 65°, in 0.02% Duponol, 0.01 M citrate buffer, pH 7.4, and 0.01 M ethylenediamine tetraacetate (EDTA) yields preparations of shortened rods of greatly improved homogeneity with respect to rod length, at a readily controllable rate. Under these conditions most of the virus RNA remains attached to the stripped rod. Part of the natural short rods separated from a TMV preparation by ultracentrifugation on a sucrose gradient are more resistant than full-length rods to removal of protein. There is a tendency of rods of about one-sixth monomer length to accumulate when a short rod preparation is treated.
High-frequency resonant-tunneling oscillators

Advances in high-frequency resonant-tunneling-diode (RTD) oscillators are described. Oscillations up to a frequency of 420 GHz have been achieved in the GaAs/AlAs system. Recent results obtained with In0.53Ga0.47As/AlAs and InAs/AlSb RTDs show a greatly increased power density and indicate the potential for fundamental oscillations up to about 1 THz. These results are consistent with a lumped-element equivalent circuit model of the RTD. The model shows that the maximum oscillation frequency of the GaAs/AlAs RTDs is limited primarily by series resistance, and that the power density is limited by low peak-to-valley current ratio.
Effect of nerve growth factor on the elongation of neurites from axotomized rat embryonic septal-basal forebrain neurons: an in vitro analysis.

The administration of nerve growth factor (NGF) into the brain of a fornix-fimbria lesioned rat can rescue many cholinergic, septal-basal forebrain (SBF) neurons from imminent cell death. Unfortunately, it is unclear if NGF can stimulate regenerative growth from axotomized, SBF neurons. In the present study, we used an in vitro model system to determine if NGF could affect neurite outgrowth from nonaxotomized and/or axotomized, embryonic SBF neurons. Axotomized neurons were obtained by severing the neuritic fields surrounding embryonic day (E) 15 SBF explants maintained in primary culture. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemistry was used to assess the effects of NGF on cholinergic neurites. We report that 1) neurite outgrowth on type I collagen from E15 SBF neurons in primary culture (nonaxotomized neurons) was not affected by NGF. 2) NGF enhanced the outgrowth (regeneration) of axotomized, SBF neurons on a collagen substratum; however, neurons had to be treated with NGF both before and after axotomy to stimulate regeneration effectively. Application of NGF either before or after axotomy did not enhance regenerative neurite outgrowth. 3) SBF neurons had to be axotomized for NGF to facilitate neurite outgrowth. This is supported by the observation that SBF explants, initially maintained in NGF-supplemented medium in suspension culture, did not demonstrate enhanced neurite outgrowth in the presence of NGF when plated onto a substratum. 4) The regenerative growth of AChE-negative, as well as AChE-positive, neurites was facilitated by NGF treatment. In addition to data concerning neurite outgrowth, we also found that the NGF receptor, as recognized by the antibody 192-IgG, expands its distribution as time in culture progresses; i.e., staining, originally confined to cell bodies and proximal processes within the explant, later included neurites that emanated from the explant. Thus, our results demonstrate that NGF can stimulate regenerative growth from axotomized, but not nonaxotomized, embryonic SBF neurons. We hypothesize that, given the appropriate substratum for axon elongation in vivo, NGF can stimulate the regeneration of SBF neurons in the injured adult brain.
College physical chemistry students' conceptions of equilibrium and fundamental thermodynamics

Hour-long structured interviews were conducted with 16 volunteer students from four undergraduate physical chemistry classes. Many student alternative conceptions and nonconceptions were expressed about important material covering equilibrium and thermodynamics. Twenty-nine of these were prevalent (present in >25% of the students.) The student conceptions expressed in their interviews were compared with those expressed by experts in textbooks and rated using a 6-point rubric. These ratings were averaged into a rating in each of four subjects and an overall rating. Correlation indices were computed. The “quality of student conception” rating was best predicted by an aggregated t score for the results on instructor-designed in-class exams. This result indicates that instructor's exams and grades do in fact demonstrate the level of a student's understanding of this course material. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 35: 1151–1160, 1998.
Constant amplitude and variable load history fatigue test results and predictions for cruciform and lap welds

Abstract Cruciform and lap welds were fatigue tested under constant amplitude axial load and SAE Bracket spectrum load conditions. For the cruciform joints, fatigue cracks generally initiate at the root but may initiate at the toe if higher bending stresses are induced by joint distortion. For lap welds, the stress ratio ( R ) and weld shape are the major factors influencing the fatigue crack initiation site. The fatigue test results were compared with predictions made using an analytical model developed by the authors, and good agreement between experiment and theory was observed. The model for the predictions assumes that the fatigue crack initiation period, which is the number of cycles for the initiation of a fatigue crack and its early growth and coalescence into a dominant fatigue crack, is the main portion of the total fatigue life at long lives.
Synthesis and miscoding specificity of oligodeoxynucleotide containing 8-phenyl-2'-deoxyguanosine.

Aryl radicals and arenediazonium ions are suspected to react with cellular DNA, resulting in C8-arylguanine adducts. 8-Phenyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-PhdG) was synthesized as a model adduct by reacting dG with benzenediazonium chloride and incorporated into oligodeoxynucleotides using phosphoramidite techniques. A site-specifically modified oligodeoxynucleotide containing a single 8-PhdG was then used as a template for primer extension reactions catalyzed by the intact (exo+) or 3'-->5' exonuclease-free (exo-) Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I and mammalian DNA polymerase alpha (pol alpha). Although primer extensions catalyzed by the Klenow fragments were retarded at the position of 8-PhdG, most of the primer extension passed the lesion to form the fully extended products. In contrast, primer extensions catalyzed by pol alpha were strongly blocked opposite the lesion. The fully extended products formed during DNA synthesis were analyzed to quantify the miscoding specificities of 8-PhdG. The exo- Klenow fragment incorporated primarily dCMP, the correct base, opposite 8-PhdG, along with small amounts of incorporation of dAMP. Two-base deletions were also observed. In contrast, the exo+ Klenow fragment incorporated dCMP opposite the lesion. When pol alpha was used, 8-PhdG promoted small amounts of misincorporation of dAMP and dGMP as well as one- and two-base deletions. The duplex containing 8-PhdG.dG was thermally and thermodynamically more stable than dG.dG. The duplex containing 8-PhdG.dA was thermodynamically more stable than dG.dA. We conclude that 8-PhdG is a weak miscoding lesion, capable of generating G-->T and G-->C transversions and deletions in cells.
Conformational analysis of clostridium difficile toxin B and its implications for substrate recognition

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause potentially lethal hospital-acquired infections. The cellular damage that it causes is the result of two large clostridial cytotoxins: TcdA and TcdB which act by glucosylating cytosolic G-proteins, mis-regulation of which induces apoptosis. TcdB is a large flexible protein that appears to undergo significant structural rearrangement upon accommodation of its substrates: UDP-glucose and a Rho-family GTPase. To characterize the conformational space of TcdB, we applied normal mode and hinge-region analysis, followed by long-timescale unbiased molecular dynamics. In order to examine the TcdB and RhoA interaction, macromolecular docking and simulation of the TcdB/RhoA complex was performed. Generalized Masked Delaunay analysis of the simulations determined the extent of significant motions. This combination of methods elucidated a wide range of motions within TcdB that are reiterated in both the low-cost normal mode analysis and the extensive MD simulation. Of particular interest are the coupled motions between a peripheral 4-helix bundle and a small loop in the active site that must rearrange to allow RhoA entry to the catalytic site. These extensive coupled motions are indicative of TcdB using a conformational capture mechanism for substrate accommodation.
Correction of radiation sensitivity in ataxia telangiectasia cells by a truncated I kappa B-alpha

Cells from patients with ataxia telangiectasia (AT) are hypersensitive to ionizing radiation and are defective in the regulation of DNA synthesis. A complementary DNA that corrects the radiation sensitivity and DNA synthesis defects in fibroblasts from an AT group D patient was isolated by expression cloning and shown to encode a truncated form of I kappa B-alpha, an inhibitor of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) transcriptional activator. The parental AT fibroblasts expressed large amounts of the I kappa B-alpha transcript and showed constitutive activation of NF-kappa B. The AT fibroblasts transfected with the truncated I kappa B-alpha expressed normal amounts of the I kappa B-alpha transcript and showed regulated activation of NF-kappa B. These results suggest that aberrant regulation of NF-kappa B and I kappa B-alpha contribute to the cellular defect in AT.
Public Ethnic Regard and Perceived Socioeconomic Stratification: Associations with Well-Being among Dominican and Black American Youth.

As the U.S. Latino population continues to diversify, it is necessary to understand their experiences of minority status and its implications for well-being. The present cross-sectional study investigates early adolescents' perceptions of public regard for their ethnic group and perceptions of the extent to which opportunity is differentiated by their socioeconomic background (perceived socioeconomic stratification). A comparative approach is taken to examine the extent to which the experiences of Dominican American youth (n = 103) mirrored those of their Black American peers (n = 129). For all youth, more positive public ethnic regard is associated with fewer somatic symptoms, whereas more perceived socioeconomic stratification is associated with more somatic symptoms. For Black youth, in contrast to Dominican youth, lower public regard is associated with higher self-esteem among those who perceives more socioeconomic stratification. Implications for Dominican and Black American youths' experiences of mi...
Single-crystal X-ray refinement of wilkinsonite, Na2Fe42+Fe23+Si6O20

This is the first structural refinement of the mineral wilkinsonite, Na2Fe42+Fe23+Si6O20. Wilkinsonite is a member of the aenigmatite group and consists of bands of Fe octa­hedra connected to eight-coordinated Na polyhedra forming sheets parallel to (011), which are inter­connected by chains of [Si6O18]∞ and Fe octa­hedra. The site occupancies of the different valence states of Fe have been determined from bond distances and bond valence
Effects of nitrogen source on crude oil biodegradation

The effects of NH4Cl and KNO3 on biodegradation of light Arabian crude oil by an oil-degrading enrichment culture were studied in respirometers. In poorly buffered sea salts medium, the pH decreased dramatically in cultures that contained NH4Cl, but not in those supplied with KNO3. The ammonia-associated pH decline was severe enough to completely stop oil biodegradation as measured by oxygen uptake. Regular adjustment of the culture pH allowed oil biodegradation to proceed normally. A small amount of nitrate accumulated in all cultures that contained ammonia, but nitrification accounted for less than 5% of the acid that was observed. The nitrification inhibitor, nitrapyrin, had no effect on the production of nitrate or acid in ammonia-containing cultures. When the culture pH was controlled, either by regular adjustment of the culture pH or by supplying adequate buffering capacity in the growth medium, the rate and extent of oil biodegradation were similar in NH4Cl- and KNO3-containing cultures. the lag time was shorter in pH-controlled cultures supplied with ammonia than in nitrate-containing cultures.