cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU-FF-T-230: Clinical Implementation of the First RapidArc Treatment Within MOSAIQ Environment: Dosimetric Validation and QA Considerations

Purpose: QA and dosimetry validation safeguard the accurate delivery of RapidArc™ treatments within MOSAIQ RV Varian isocenter cube with 2mm ball assembly were used in CBCT position accuracy calibration. For RapidArc™ dosimetric validation, an in‐house designed dosimetric validation and QA system was constructed with solid water blocks, ion chamber and MapCheck. Total 11 clinical plans generated in Eclipse were measured by using this system. Both half‐arc (90°–270°) and full arc were delivered. Both point dose measurements and 2D dose distributions were compared with calculated value. Results:CBCT position alignment QA was done by comparing manual and automatic shift matching under different settings in imaging acquisition. All shifts were reviewed and found to be matched in MOSAIQ. Clinical optimal CBCT setting using small cube was determined to be 10×10cm fields and 1mm slice thickness. Position matching accuracy was obtained within 1mm in all directions. For our first 11 RapidArc plans, ion chamber measurements for full arc treatment delivery agree with the treatment plan by 0.47% (SD=1.71%) while 1.20% (SD=1.14%) for partial arc delivery. 2D dose distributions were measured using MapCheck sandwiched by solid water blocks. Due to the angular dependences of diode's response, which results under‐dose for full arc's measurement from MapCheck, only profiles from half‐arc were analyzed. For gamma function analysis (3% absolute dose/3mm DTA), average agreement is 97.24% with standard deviation of 2.46%. Conclusions: RapidArc™ is an advanced technique to create a more efficient, faster treatment. Accuracy of the treatment can only be achieved with CBCT or other imaging guidance tools. Our approach to the QA process was based on the belief that not only each component has to be checked but also complete system QA is essential. Both the point dose and dose distribution must agree with the treatment planning.
Parenting and child psychosocial adjustment in single-parent African American families: Is community context important?

This study addressed two questions about single-parent African American families: Are parenting strategies associated with perceived risks in the environmental context? and Does the association between parenting and child adjustment depend on the context in which parenting occurs? Families (N = 277) resided in 2 communities that differed in violence-related risk: one rural (low risk) and one urban (high risk). Mother-reported monitoring and warm, supportive mother-child relationships and child-reported internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and social competence were examined. Mothers monitored their children more in the urban than the rural community. The warmth and supportive nature of the mother-child relationship did not differ across contexts. A warm, supportive mother-child relationship was associated with fewer internalizing and externalizing child behaviors in both contexts. Monitoring was associated with fewer problem behaviors only in the urban community.
Effect of Medical Therapy on Survival of Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Few studies have been conducted that focus on survival as the end point of medical therapy of CHF. No vigorous studies have been conducted in dogs. It is generally accepted that diuretic therapy is an essential component of the therapy of CHF in cardiomyopathic dogs. Significant symptomatic improvement is afforded by diuretics, and acute death may be prevented. In this context diuretics can be said to improve survival. However, diuretics do not alter the natural progression of cardiomyopathy and in this context do not favorably influence long-term survival. Digitalis glycosides have been shown in humans to improve various parameters of CHF in a subset of patients with either atrial fibrillation or third heart sounds. In dogs, these gallop heart rhythms due to third heart sounds are usually associated with myocardial failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy. In spite of symptomatic improvement, no study has demonstrated an unequivocal favorable effect of digoxin on survival of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Likewise, there is no convincing evidence of an adverse effect on survival. Newer, powerful inotropes, such as milrinone, often demonstrate impressive short-term improvements in left ventricular function, clinical signs, and exercise tolerance in patients with CHF. However, their long-term benefits are much less impressive, they are arrhythmogenic, and they have not been shown to prolong survival. In fact, long-term milrinone therapy in humans has had an unfavorable influence on mortality. Vasodilators offer the potential advantage of increasing left ventricular performance without an associated increase in myocardial oxygen demand and cardiac rhythm disturbances. The only vigorous survival study that unequivocally demonstrated improved survival of patients with advanced CHF due to myocardial failure, including dilated cardiomyopathy, was the Consensus Trial. Survival of patients receiving enalapril was significantly better than those receiving placebo. In fact, the trial was stopped prematurely by the ethical review committee when it became obvious that the results favored the enalapril group. Although the use of beta-adrenergic blocking drugs in cardiomyopathic patients with CHF is controversial and associated with a risk of short-term deterioration of left ventricular function, their use in human medicine is gaining acceptance. Although hemodynamic and clinical evidence of improvement has been demonstrated along with withdrawal-associated deterioration, the only study purporting a beneficial effect on survival used retrospective controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
p53 gene mutations with chromosome 17 abnormalities in chronic myelogenous leukemia blast crisis patients persist in long-term cell lines but may be acquired in acute myeloid leukemia cells in vitro.

Altered p53 tumor suppressor genes have been described in various human malignancies, including in chronic myelogenous leukemias (CML) and acute myelogenous leukemias (AML), as well as their derivative cell lines. It has been proposed that this gene mutation may be less frequent in myeloid leukemia patients than in myeloid leukemia cell lines and that the latter acquire these mutations during growth in vitro. We investigated this possibility by studying p53 gene alterations in matched samples of fresh leukemic cells and their respective derivative cell lines obtained from two CML blast crisis and one AML patient. No gross structural abnormalities were detected in the p53 gene in any of the samples analyzed. Discrete mutations in the gene in the two CML blast crisis samples and in all three derivative cell lines were, however, detected by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analyses and DNA sequencing. Cytogenetic analyses revealed either numerical or structural, as well as numerical, abnormalities of chromosome 17 in their karyotypes. Cells from the two CML blast crisis patients had two different mutations which were maintained as the sole mutations in the cell lines. The mutation detected in the AML cell line was, however, not detectable in the parental fresh leukemic cells. Our findings demonstrate that p53 mutations and chromosome 17 abnormalities occurring in CML blast crisis patients persist in long-term cell lines but that mutations not detectable in AML patients may indeed be acquired in cell lines established from them in vitro.
Modeling and Analysis of Solar Radiation Potentials on Building Rooftops

The active application of photovoltaic for electricity generation could effectively transform neighborhoods and commercial districts into small, localized power plants. This application, however, relies heavily on an accurate estimation of the amount of solar radiation that is available on individual building rooftops. While many solar energy maps exist at higher spatial resolution for concentrated solar energy applications, the data from these maps are not suitable for roof-mounted photovoltaic for several reasons, including lack of data at the appropriate spatial resolution and lack of integration of building-specific characteristics into the models used to generate the maps.To address this problem, we have developed a modeling framework for estimating solar radiation potentials on individual building rooftops that is suitable for utility-scale applications as well as building-specific applications. The framework uses light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data at approximately 1-meter horizontal resolution and 0.3-meter vertical resolution as input for modeling a large number of buildings quickly. One of the strengths of this framework is the ability to parallelize its implementation. Furthermore, the framework accounts for building specific characteristics, such as roof slope, roof aspect, and shadowing effects, that are critical to roof-mounted photovoltaic systems. The resulting data has helped us to identify the so-called “solar panel sweet spots” on individual building rooftops and obtain accurate statistics of the variation in solar radiation as a function of time of year and geographical location.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Photorefractive material for mid-IR applications based on LiF color center crystal

γ-irradiated LiF:CC crystals proposed as novel material for volumetric Bragg grating (VBG), operating in mid-IR spectral range. Diffraction on a periodic structure at 1.56 μm is a demonstration of these materials for mid-IR VBG applications.
Ultrafast electronic disordering during femtosecond laser melting of GaAs.

We have observed an ultrarapid electronic phase transformation to a centrosymmetric electronic state during laser excitation of GaAs with intense femtosecond pulses. Reflection second-harmonic intensity from the upper 90 atomic layers vanishes within 100 fs; reflectivity rises within 0.5 ps to a steady value characteristic of a metallic molten phase, long before phonon emission can heat the lattice to the melting temperature.
Salvage of an ischemic limb by laser angioplasty: Description of a New Technique

A 62-year-old male with severe claudication and rest pain of the left leg resulting from a totally occluded superficial femoral artery and a 95 % stenosis of the deep femoral artery was treated with laser angioplasty after attempts at surgical revascularization were unsuccessful. A 200 μU silica fiber was inserted through a catheter and advanced into the lesion using 2 watts of delivered energy from an argon laser source. The fiber was then withdrawn from the lesion using 7 watts of energy to enlarge the lumen. No complications occurred, and posterior tibial blood flow was reestablished, as shown by Doppler flow measurements and resolution of clinical symptoms. We report a new technique of transcatheter fiberoptic-directed argon laser radiation (laser angioplasty) for the treatment of occlusive vascular disease.
Visualizing typical and exotic Internet traffic data

The threat of cyber attacks motivates the need to monitor Internet traffic data for potentially abnormal behavior. Due to the enormous volumes of such data, statistical process monitoring tools, such as those traditionally used on data in the product manufacturing arena, are inadequate. ''Exotic'' data may indicate a potential attack; detecting such data requires a characterization of ''typical'' data. We devise some new graphical displays, including a ''skyline plot,'' that permit ready visual identification of unusual Internet traffic patterns in ''streaming'' data, and use appropriate statistical measures to help identify potential cyberattacks. These methods are illustrated on a moderate-sized data set (135,605 records) collected at George Mason University.
Loneliness: Forms and Components

The article examines the forms and components of the sentiment of loneliness as experienced by widows living in an American metropolis. The forms include loneliness for the deceased husband as: an individual, an object of love, the person making the woman an object of love, a companion, someone whose presence organizes time and work, a partner in the division of labor, a source of status, and a source of life style. Loneliness is also experienced by widows because of strains in relations with married friends and of an inability to convert secondary relations into ones of greater depth. The very lonely are women socialized into passive membership in automatically encompassing groups, who now lack such relations. Other widows continue close relations or build new life styles solving many of the problems of loneliness.
Vegetable oils and animal fats as renewable resources for plastics and coatings applications

Abstract Total production for synthetic rubber, synthetic fibers, and plastics in the United States amounted to 3.7 × 1010 lb in 1973 [1]. Petrochemicals supplied by far the greater part of the required intermediates and added up to 5 to 6% of the total petroleum oil demand. However, the cost of imported oil will ever be increasing as petroleum reserves dwindle. For example, projected prices for petrochemicals compared to 1972 are: 20 cents/lb for ethylene by 1980 [2], an increase of 570%; 30 cents/lb for butadiene by 1984 [3], an increase of 290%; and 14 cents/lb for benzene by 1977 [4], an increase of 400%.
Perceptions of social mobility: development of a new psychosocial indicator associated with adolescent risk behaviors

Social class gradients have been explored in adults and children, but not extensively during adolescence. The first objective of this study was to examine the association between adolescent risk behaviors and a new indicator of adolescent relative social position, adolescent “perceived social mobility.” Second, it investigated potential underlying demographic, socioeconomic and psychosocial determinants of this indicator. Data were taken from the 2004 urban adolescent module of Oportunidades, a cross-sectional study of Mexican adolescents living in poverty. Perceived social mobility was calculated for each subject by taking the difference between their rankings on two 10-rung ladder scales that measured (1) projected future social status and (2) current subjective social status within Mexican society. Adolescents with higher perceived social mobility were significantly less likely to report alcohol consumption, drinking with repercussions, compensated sex, police detainment, physical fighting, consumption of junk food or soda, or watching ≥ 4 hours of television during the last viewing. They were significantly more likely to report exercising during the past week and using a condom during last sexual intercourse. These associations remained significant with the inclusion of covariates, including parental education and household expenditures. Multiple logistic regression analyses show higher perceived social mobility to be associated with staying in school longer and having higher perceived control. The present study provides evidence for the usefulness of perceived social mobility as an indicator for understanding the social gradient in health during adolescence. This research suggests the possibility of implementing policies and interventions that provide adolescents with real reasons to be hopeful about their trajectories.
Structure and function of voltage-sensitive ion channels

Voltage-sensitive ion channels mediate action potentials in electrically excitable cells and play important roles in signal transduction in other cell types. In the past several years, their protein components have been identified, isolated, and restored to functional form in the purified state. Na+ and Ca2+ channels consist of a principal transmembrane subunit, which forms the ion-conducting pore and is expressed with a variable number of associated subunits in different cell types. The principal subunits of voltage-sensitive Na+, Ca2+, and K+ channels are homologous members of a gene family. Models relating the primary structures of these principal subunits to their functional properties have been proposed, and experimental results have begun to define a functional map of these proteins. Coordinated application of biochemical, biophysical, and molecular genetic methods should lead to a clear understanding of the molecular basis of electrical excitability.
An extension of the von mises distribution

Directional distribution theory is very useful for the estimation of directional spectra needed for the analysis of time series data. A four parameter directional exponential family is discussed. Depending on the values of its parameters this distribution can be unimodal symmetric, bimodal symmetric, unimodal non-symmetric, or bimodal non-symmetric. The moments of this distribution are found, and equations leading to maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters along with an outline on numerical procedures for solving these equations are given. FORTRAN subroutines implementing these procedures are available from the authors. Finally, some applications of the new directional density are given.
Implementation of the Standards: Lessons from a Systemic Initiative

Data collected as a part of Ohio's Systemic Initiative suggest that some existing attitudes and practices of principals and teachers may provide a strong foundation for National Science Education Standards implementation. However, some data suggest that reformers have a long way to go before the Standards are fully understood and supported both by teachers and principals.
Hypoxic reperfusion to remove ischaemic catabolites prior to arterial reperfusion does not limit the size of myocardial infarcts in dogs

Study objective – Although timely reperfusion limits myocardial infarct size, it has been postulated that reperfusion itself may lull some myocytes which were alive at the end of an episode of ischaemia (lethal reperfusion injury). The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that ischaemic catabolites may “prime” myocardium for such injury and that preliminary hypoxic washout of such catabolites, prior to arterial reperfusion, would limit myocardial infarct size. Design – Dogs underwent a 40 min occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery, followed by 4 d reperfusion. In a treated group, a 5 min episode of coronary artery perfusion with hypoxic buffer was instituted at the end of this ischaemic episode, before blood reperfusion was restored. Control dogs received a similar volume of hypoxic buffer intravenously. Systemic fluid overload was attenuated by haemofiltration. The effect of this preliminary hypoxic washout on myocardial infarct size was assessed. Experimental material – 18 anaesthetised, open chest dogs were used. After the acute study they recovered from surgery for 4 d and were then killed for further study. Measurements and main results – Infarct size, determined by microscopic evaluation, was not significantly different in the two groups, at (control) 31.3 (SEM 6.2)% v (hypoxic reperfusion) 25.8(3.9)% of the vascular area at risk. In control dogs, infarct size was inversely related to the amount of collateral blood flow (measured using microspheres); hypoxic reperfusion did not shift this relation (analysis of covariance, F = 0.236, NS). Conclusions – The washout of ischaemic catabolites by hypoxic perfusate prior to reoxygenation did not limit infarct size.
Radiation Analysis Approaches for Reflectarray Antennas [Antenna Designer's Notebook]

This paper compares two basic methods for analysis of the radiation performance of reflectarray antennas. Two different approaches - array theory and aperture field - are first described, and numerical results are then presented for various reflectarray configurations. The advantages and limitations for each method are discussed, and the numerical results are compared with each other, showing very good agreement. Comparison with full-wave simulations showed that these approaches are time-efficient methods that can accurately calculate the reflectarray antenna's pattern shape, main-beam direction, beamwidth, and sidelobe and cross-polarization levels. As such, these methods can be efficient tools for antenna engineers for designing and analyzing reflectarray antennas.
Syntheses, Structures, and Reactivities of Heteroleptic Magnesium Amide Thiolates

The syntheses and characterizations of a family of novel heteroleptic magnesium amide thiolates are presented. The compounds are synthesized by ligand redistribution chemistry involving reactions of equimolar amounts of magnesium amides and magnesium thiolates. Utilization of the smaller thiolates [Mg(SPh)2]n and [Mg(S-2,4,6-iPr3C6H2)2]n results in the isolation of dimeric species, [Mg(THF)(N(SiMe3)2)(μ-SR)]2 (R = Ph (1), 2,4,6-iPr3C6H2 (2)), with four-coordinate metal centers and bridging thiolate functions. The sterically more encumbered thiolate S-2,4,6-tBu3C6H2 induces the formation of the four-coordinate, monomeric species Mg(THF)2(N(SiMe3)2)(S-2,4,6-tBu3C6H2) (3)). Careful choice of reaction conditions allows the successful syntheses of pure heteroleptic compounds; however, it remains difficult to obtain the compounds in high yields, since a tendency toward product symmetrization and ligand redistribution under re-formation of the starting materials is prevalent. One of these symmetrized products is...
OnS-duality in Abelian gauge theory

U(1) gauge theory onR4 is known to possess an electric-magnetic duality symmetry that inverts the coupling constant and extends to an action ofSL(2,Z). In this paper, the duality is studied on a general four-manifold and it is shown that the partition function is not a modular-invariant function but transforms as a modular form. This result plays an essential role in determining a new low-energy interaction that arises whenN=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory is formulated on a four-manifold; the determination of this interaction gives a new test of the solution of the model and would enter in computations of the Donaldson invariants of four-manifolds with b2+≤1. Certain other aspects of abelian duality, relevant to matters such as the dependence of Donaldson invariants on the second Stieffel-Whitney class, are also analyzed.
Neurons that Fire Together Also Conspire Together: Is Normal Sleep Circuitry Hijacked to Generate Epilepsy?

Brain circuits oscillate during sleep. The same circuits appear to generate pathological oscillations. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of how epilepsy co-opts normal, sleep-related circuits to generate seizures.
Hedonic usage of product virtualization technologies in online apparel shopping

– The purpose of this study is to investigate whether online apparel shoppers' adoption of product virtualization technologies is facilitated more by hedonic motivations than functional motivations due to the hedonic nature of the product virtualization technologies., – In addition to the focus group interview, two separate online surveys with links to a stimulus web site containing one of the two product virtualization technologies was conducted to a national online shopper sample. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling by comparing the structural coefficients of hedonic and functional motivations on the attitude toward using the product virtualization technologies. The linear combination of functional and hedonic roles of each technology was examined using discriminant function analysis to see if the results were consistent., – The results showed that the hedonic motivation had a stronger positive relationship than functional motivations with the attitude toward using product virtualization technologies. The empirical findings of this study confirm our proposition that perceived entertainment value is a stronger determinant of attitude toward using product virtualization technologies than perceived usefulness., – The findings of the paper support the idea that the direction of technology acceptance model related research should be drawn by the (functional or hedonic) purpose of the technology/system. Based on the current findings, it seems likely that the predictive importance of the hedonic or functional benefits on attitude toward using a particular technology/system will depend, to a large extent, on the primary purpose of the system/technology.
Surface plasmon excitation and non-zero induced surface current density

We study the general conditions for the surface plasmon excitation at the interface between two media with non-zero input electromagnetic fields. Using the boundary conditions for electromagnetic waves allowing for non-zero induced surface charge and surface current densities, we recover the same surface plasmon resonance condition for the cases of dielectric-metal interfaces, but with non-zero surface current densities and therefore discontinuous tangential components of the magnetic field across the boundary. This is in sharp contrast to the conventional understanding of the surface plasmon where the tangential components of both the electrical and magnetic fields are continuous across the boundary. The similarities and differences between the excited surface plasmon involving non-zero surface current densities and the traditional self-sustained surface plasmon are discussed and a united picture is provided.
1064 CHRONIC HYPONATREMIA AND MIDFACIAL HYPOPLASIA (MFH)

Persistent hyponatremia (Na 126 mEq/L) was found in a 30 month old girl with typical features of MFH. Hyponatremia, serum hypoosmolality (250 mOsm/L), urine hyperosmolality (U/P osm 3:1) and continued urinary sodium excretion suggested the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). Renal, adrenal, pulmonary and drug etiologies for SIADH were excluded. 5 mEq/kg hypertonic Na Cl resulted in less than expected rise in serum Na (115 to 120 mEq/L) and marked increase in urine Na excretion (26 to 95 mEq/L). Water loading (25 ml/kg D5W) leading to serum osmolality fall from 250 to 227 mOsm/L or volume expansion (25 ml/kg 0.9% Na Cl iv) did not lead to formation of dilute urine (lowest U osm 686 mOsm/L). Also plasma ADH measured by radioimmunoassay did not fall to 0 (lowest value 1.4 μlU/ml). These findings suggested resistance of hypothalamic center to afferent stimuli from volume and osmoreceptors which normally inhibit ADH release. Only fluid restriction (40 ml/kg/24h) successfully raised serum Na to normal. Serum Na returned to hyponatremic levels on 3 days ad lib diet. MFH has been associated with deficiencies of anterior and posterior pituitary hormones. This report documents persistent ADH excess and further suggests hypothalamic abnormalities in MFH.
The effect of treatment with 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate on changes in cervical length over time.

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine whether women who were treated with 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-OHPC) to prevent recurrent preterm birth experienced a change in cervical shortening over time, compared with women who were not treated. Study Design We conducted a retrospective exposure cohort study of women who were enrolled in a prematurity prevention clinic from 1999-2008 with a singleton pregnancy with ≥1 previous spontaneous preterm births ( Results Of 200 women, 105 women received treatment with 17-OHPC; 95 women did not. Women who were treated with 17-OHPC were more likely to have experienced a previous preterm birth (26.0 vs 27.8 weeks; P = .01) than those who were not treated with 17-OHPC. There was no difference in the average weekly change in cervical length among women treated with 17-OHPC, compared with those who were not, after adjustment for covariates (0.79 mm/week; 95% confidence interval, –1.18 to 2.76). Conclusion There was no difference in the average weekly change in cervical length measurements over time in women who underwent 17-OHPC treatment, compared with those who were not treated.
Formation of plutonium/IV/ colloid from plutonyl cations

Solutions of plutonyl cations in dilute acids gradually form Pu/IV/ polymer under the influence of alpha radiations. These systems have properties that can be illuminated by assuming conditions to be near equilibrium and constrained by mass conservation.
Equilibrium temperatures of aerosol particles in outdoor exposure chambers

Abstract It has been suggested that radiational heating of atmospheric soot particles could affect the stability of organic compounds on the aerosols as these systems age in the atmosphere. To investigate this possibility, we introduce a simple equation for calculating the equilibrium temperature of atmospheric particles. The results show that under typical conditions, the temperature difference between the particles and the surrounding air is less than 0.01 K.
Organization, structure, and function of 95 kb of DNA spanning the murine T-cell receptor CαCδ region

We have analyzed the organization, structure, and function of the murine T-cell receptor C alpha/C delta region. This region spans 94.6 kb of DNA and contains the C alpha and C delta genes, as well as the V delta 5, J delta 2, and 50 different J alpha gene segments. Within this sequence we have identified 15 new J alpha gene segments, 40 new 5' RNA splice signals, and 40 new DNA rearrangement signals for the J alpha gene segments. The murine C alpha/C delta sequence contains an exceptionally high level of coding sequence with over 5.7% of the total sequence found in the exons. This is much more than that found in the beta-globin locus and the HPRT locus. Using the sequence data obtained from the C alpha/C delta region, we have designed simple assays to test for J alpha gene segment transcription and to determine the level of polymorphism for simple repeat sequences among different inbred strains of mice using the polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, comparisons of this 95 kb of sequence with the available sequence from homologous regions of other species have led to the identification of a highly conserved sequence that is present throughout vertebrates and in the mouse binds lymphocyte-specific nuclear proteins. Comparisons of a 10-kb region, which includes the C alpha gene in human and mouse, average 66% sequence similarity. These studies support the contention that large-scale DNA sequencing projects of homologous regions of mouse and human will provide powerful new tools for studying the biology and evolution of loci such as the T-cell receptor and for identifying and posing new questions about the functions of conserved sequences.
Evidence of Striatal Autoimmunity in Cerebrospinal Fluid in a Child with a Movement Disorder

Evidence of Striatal Autoimmunity in Cerebrospinal Fluid in a Child with a Movement Disorder
Techniques for measuring the effective source reflection coefficient of two-resistor power splitters

Three techniques for measuring the effective source reflection coefficient of a two-resistor power splitter are discussed. Computing the coefficient from measured S parameters is sensitive to small measurement errors. Descriptions are given of two direct measurement methods that avoid such sensitivities. The more convenient one uses a passive open circuit on the input port of the splitter during measurements at the output ports. It yields acceptable results in many cases. Better results are obtained in all situations by injecting the proper signal at the input port. The three techniques are compared experimentally for two typical power splitters.
Spectra of cyclopentadienylalkali and cyclopentadienylmagnesium compounds in tetrahydrofuran

Dicyclopentadienylmagnesium, cyclopentadienylmagnesium chloride, cyclopentadienylmagnesium bromide, cyclopentadienyllithium and cyclopentadienylsodium were examined by UV, IR, and PMR spectroscopy in tetrahydrofuran. None of them exhibited UV maxima at >210 nm. All of their infrared spectra indicated D5h, D5d or C5v symmetry. All of their PMR spectra consisted of sharp single peaks at room temperature. The results are interpreted in terms of metal cyclopentadienide ion pairs in which the metal atom lies on or near the C5 axis of the cyclopentadienide ion.
Is sapwood area a better predictor of loblolly pine crown biomass than bole diameter

Regression equations were developed to predict the biomass of planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) crown components. The data were obtained from 112 trees sampled from 12 thinned and unthinned stands in central Louisiana ranging in site index (base age 25) from 15 to 23 m. Sample trees ranged from 13 to 53 cm in outside-bark diameter at breast height, 14 to 29 m in total height, and 15 to 55 years in age. The primary explanatory variables tried were outside-bark diameter and sapwood cross-sectional area at breast height (DBH, SWBH) and at the base of the full live crown (DBLC, SWBC). Total height, and the distance from breast height to the crown midpoint, were also used as concomitant variables. For various variable combinations in a logarithmic model the results suggest the DBH was as good or better than any of the other variables for predicting foliage weight, but SWBC, SWBH or DBLC were slightly better for predicting branch weight. Since the latter three variables are difficult to measure in practice, DBH is the most convenient variable for prediction of loblolly pine crown component biomass.
Luminescent Properties of Surface Functionalized BaTiO3 Embedded in Poly(methyl methacrylate)

As-received BaTiO3 nanopowders of average grain sizes 50 nm and 100 nm were functionalized by (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and mixed with poly(methyl methacrylate)/toluene solution. The nanocomposite solution was spin coated on Si substrates to form thin films. The photoluminescence spectrum of the pure powder was composed of a bandgap emission at 3.0 eV and multiple bands centered about 2.5 eV. Surface functionalization of the BaTiO3 powder via APTES increases overall luminescence at room temperature while only enhancing bandgap emission at low-temperature. Polymer coating of the functionalized nanoparticles significantly enhances bandgap emissions while decreasing emissions associated with near-surface lattice distortions at 2.5 eV.
‘On the Diseases of the Head’ in the Scale of Medicine by Muhammad Akbar Arzānī [d. 1722]

This Classic Text examines the Mīzān-e Tibb (Scale of Medicine), an influential medical text by Muhammad Akbar Arzānī which circulated widely throughout South Asia. The success of Arzānī’s text rests in its simple prose and the translation of Graeco-Arabic medical knowledge into Persian, the language of educated discourse throughout South Asia. His chapter ‘Dar Amrāḍ-e Ras’ (On the Diseases of the Head) presents the classification and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders within South Asian, Islamic medicine. The excerpt below is taken from a critically edited text published in 2001 in Iran.
Wilhelm Klingenberg, 1924–2010

Ein von personlichen Erfahrungen gepragter Nachruf auf den Menschen, Lehrer und Wissenschaftler Wilhelm Klingenberg. Schlusselworte seines wissenschaftlichen Werkes sind Geometrie, Krummung und Topologie, Geodatische Linien.
Iterative visual clustering for unstructured text mining

This paper proposes the iterative visual clustering (IVC) on unstructured text sequences to form and evaluate keyword clusters, based on which users can use visual analysis, domain knowledge to discover knowledge in the text. The text sequence data are broken down into a list representative keywords after textual evaluation, and the keywords are then grouped to form keyword clusters via an iterative stochastic process and are visualized as distributions over the time lines. The visual evaluation model provides shape evaluations as quantitative tools and users' interactions as qualitative tools to visually investigate the trends, patterns represented by the keyword clusters' distributions. The keyword clustering model, guided by the feedback of visual evaluations, step-wisely enumerates newer generations of keyword clusters and their patterns, therefore narrows down the search space. Then the proposed IVC is applied onto nursing narratives and is able to identify interesting keyword clusters implying hidden knowledge regarding to the working patterns and environment of registered nurses. The loop of producing next generation of keyword clusters in IVC is driven and controlled by users' perception, domain knowledge and interactions, and it is also guided by a stochastic search model. So both semantic and distribution features enable IVC to have significant applications as a text mining tool, on many other data sets, such as biomedical literatures.
Bidding Strategies and Consumer Savings in NYOP Auctions

Abstract We investigate how bidding strategies of successful bidders influence the savings they derive from a Name Your Own Price (NYOP) retailer relative to buying the same product from a retailer who posts prices. Utilizing bidding data for hotel room purchases we demonstrate that consumer savings rate depends positively on consumer decision to haggle (# bids ≥3) and on the shape of the bid function. Relative to non-hagglers (# bids ≤2), hagglers who employ a constant bid increment (i.e., a linear) strategy and a decreasing bid increment (i.e., concave) strategy save more, while those who employ an increasing bid increment strategy (i.e., convex) fare no better. A post hoc analysis also shows that hagglers place many bids in the pursuit of higher quality products, while non-hagglers save friction costs by sacrificing quality (e.g., targeting lower star hotels and adjusting the days of travel).
Host genetic regulation of acute MHV-4 viral encephalomyelitis and acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in (BALB/cKe × SJL/J) recombinant-inbred mice*

Summary In the present report we provide the strain distribution patterns of susceptibility to acute mouse hepatitis virus type-4 (MHV-4) encephalomyelitis, acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) and vasoactive amine sensitivity (VAAS) for 9 (CXJ) recombinant-inbred strains between BALB/cKe (C) and SJL/J (J) mice. We confirm that susceptibility to MHV-4 is not linked to the H-2 complex, and that all strains susceptible to acute EAE have both a responder H-2 haplotype (H-2s or H-2d) and induced (B. pertussis) VAAS. In addition, we provide evidence that susceptibility to acute EAE induction is controlled by an additional presently unmapped locus and that an EAE-like histopathological disease does not usually follow MHV-4 infection intracerebrally in animals susceptible to MHV-4, acute EAE and induced VAAS.
A century of progress in pediatric surgical airway management

Abstract Background: Tremendous technological advances have occurred in pediatric airway management within the past century. Pediatric surgeons have been involved in the technological progress and have also evolved as concerned care-givers. Methods: A short history reveals a few outstanding physicians who not only contributed to the technological triumphs but also to promoting “high touch.” Conclusion: Pediatric surgeons must be involved in the rapidly progressing technologies but must not allow high technology to outpace high touch.
Pyrimidine dimer splitting in covalently linked dimer—arylamine systems

Abstract Cyclobutadipyrimidines (pyrimidine dimers) undergo photosplitting which is sensitized by electron donors. We prepared a series of compounds in which a dimer is directly linked to an arylamine, which acts as sensitizer for dimer splitting. Two diastereomers of the dimer—arylamine exhibited very different splitting efficiencies. Also studied were N -methyl, ring methoxy, as well as deuterated derivatives of the sensitizer. These dimer—arylamines had an absorption band with λ max ≈ 300 nm. In each case intramolecular photosensitization of dimer splitting was highly dependent on the solvent, ranging in one instance from Φ spl =0.02 in water to a high value of 0.31 in the least polar solvent mixture examined (1,4-dioxane: isopentane, 1:99). A mechanism is proposed which involves photoinduced electron transfer from arylamine to dimer and splitting of the dimer radical anion. The dependence of splitting on the solvent was rationalized on the basis of retardation of back electron transfer due to Marcus inverted behavior of the charge-separated species. Photolyases might achieve their high efficiency of dimer splitting in part by employing a hydrophobic active site to slow back electron transfer in a similar manner.
Characterization and localization of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors in the adult female sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus

Quantitative in vitro autoradiography was used to characterize and localize putative GnRH receptors in the anterior pituitary of the adult female sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus. Pituitaries were sectioned at 20 microns and incubated for 3 h at 4 C with DAla6,Pro9 NEt mammalian GnRH as both the labeled and unlabeled ligand. Scatchard analysis revealed two classes of high affinity binding sites with Kds of 1.5 x 10(-12) M and 5 x 10(-9) M. Binding to the GnRH receptors was saturable, reversible, tissue specific, and time and temperature dependent. Displacement studies showed that labeled peptide could be displaced by chicken GnRH-I, chicken GnRH-II, synthetic mammal, salmon, lamprey GnRH-I, lamprey GnRH-III, DAla6,Pro9 NEt mammalian GnRH and DPhe2,6,Pro3 lamprey GnRH. The proximal pars distalis region of the anterior pituitary contained most of the GnRH binding sites with slight binding in the rostral pars distalis. These data provide direct evidence of GnRH activity on the Agnathan pituitary and are the f...
The house of quality in a design process

The product development process is subject to randomness of duration of design activities and a path followed through the network of activities. In this paper, the qualitative relationships between various attributes of the design process and the corresponding design process variables are captured using the house of quality and then transformed into quantitative relationships. The impact of the process control variables on the design process attributes is discussed. The problem of determining optimal values of the design process variables to maximize the combined quality index of the critical design activities is modelled as a geometric programming problem.
MCDM Approach for Generating and Evaluating Alternatives in Requirement Analysis

Determining user requirements and generating alternative system solutions to meet these requirements are two critical steps in the requirement analysis phase of the system development life cycle. Much of the MIS research in the requirement analysis phase has been devoted to the topic of requirement determination and its verification. Alternative generation and evaluation is left, to a significant degree, to the judgment and expertise of an analyst. This paper proposes a multiple criteria decision making MCDM approach for generating and evaluating alternatives when the user requirements are expressed in terms of certain operational criteria such as time, cost, risk, etc. These alternatives form the basis for the user to make the necessary trade-offs.
Biomechanical response targets for physical and computational models of the pediatric trunk.

Objectives: This paper quantifies pediatric thoracoabdominal response to belt loading to guide the scaling of existing adult response data and to assess the validity of a juvenile porcine abdominal model for application to the development of physical and computational models of the human child. Methods: Table-top belt-loading experiments were performed on 6, 7, and 15 year-old pediatric post-mortem human subjects (PMHS). Response targets are reported for diagonal belt and distributed loading of the anterior thorax and for horizontal belt loading of the abdomen. Results: The pediatric PMHS exhibited abdominal response similar to the swine, including the degree of rate sensitivity. The thoraces of the PMHS were as stiff as, or slightly more stiff than, published adult corridors. Conclusions: An assessment of age-related changes in thoracic stiffness suggests that the effective stiffness of the chest increases through the fourth decade of life and then decreases, resulting in stiffness values similar for ...
Testosterone for low libido in postmenopausal women

Use of testosterone in older woman with hypoactive sexual-desire disorder (HSDD) is controversial. One concern about existing testosterone therapies for HSDD is the common recommendation to concomitantly administer estradiol because of the known risks of such therapy in postmenopausal women. This large, year-long, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of testosterone therapy in postmenopausal women examined the hypothesis that testosterone alone would be efficacious in improving HSDD. The results of this trial confirm the improvement in sexual function for postmenopausal women seen in earlier studies using testosterone in combination with estradiol, implying that estradiol administration may not be essential for the beneficial effects of testosterone. However, this study raised some concerns regarding testosterone therapy on the risk of breast and endometrial cancer, highlighting the need for further long-term trials to better assess the long-term safety of this approach for the treatment of HSDD in women.
Self-clocked 80 Gbits/s optical time-domain multiplexing transmission with clock distribution based on amplitude discrimination.

Conventional all-optical feedback-based clock recovery techniques for optical time-domain multiplexing (OTDM) networks place restrictions on the allowed data patterns that can be transmitted. We propose a data-independent clock distribution solution based on amplitude discrimination and experimentally demonstrate it in an 80 Gbits/s self-clocked OTDM transmission. According to the method a single OTDM subchannel is used for exchanging clock information. All processing is performed all optically in low latency nonlinear-optical-loop-mirror-based switches with short (~10 m) nonlinear elements.
Visualization, pattern recognition, and forward search: effects of playing speed and sight of the position on grandmaster chess errors

A new approach examined two aspects of chess skill, long a popular topic in cognitive science. A powerful computer-chess program calculated the number and magnitude of blunders made by the same 23 grandmasters in hundreds of serious games of slow (“classical”) chess, regular “rapid” chess, and rapid “blindfold” chess, in which opponents transmit moves without ever seeing the actual position. Rapid chess led to substantially more and larger blunders than classical chess. Perhaps more surprisingly, the frequency and magnitude of blunders did not differ in rapid versus blindfold play, despite the additional memory and visualization load imposed by the latter. We discuss the involvement of various cognitive processes in human problem-solving and expertise, especially with respect to chess. Prior opposing views about the basis of general chess skill have emphasized the dominance of either (a) swift pattern recognition or (b) analyzing ahead, but both seem important and the controversy appears currently unresolvable and perhaps fruitless.
Theory is as Theory Does: Scientific Practice and Theory Structure in Biology

Using the context of controversies surrounding evolutionary developmental biology (EvoDevo) and the possibility of an Extended Evolutionary Synthesis, I provide an account of theory structure as idealized theory presentations that are always incomplete (partial) and shaped by their conceptual content (material rather than formal organization). These two characteristics are salient because the goals that organize and regulate scientific practice, including the activity of using a theory, are heterogeneous. This means that the same theory can be structured differently, in part because theory presentations (as idealizations) intentionally depart from different features known to be present in a theory. Since there are diverse and potentially incompatible theory structures derived from heterogeneous goals found in scientific practices, a question arises about the absence of a unifying theory structure in the background. The notion of a “theory facade” offers a fruitful perspective on this potentially unsettling result.