cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Javelin-, Hockey Stick-, and Boomerang-Shaped Liquid Crystals. Structural Variations on p-Quinquephenyl†

The ramifications of changing molecular geometry in a series of all-aromatic liquid crystals derived from p-quinquephenyl are reported. Substituting heterocyclic rings such as thiophene, oxadiazole, oxazole, or 1,3-phenylene into the p-quinquephenylene core affects molecular shape changes via the substituent's exocyclic bond angle. In general, we found that introducing nonlinearity into molecules depresses the melting transition temperature. The symmetric (boomerang-shaped) molecules, 2,5-bisbiphenyl-4-yl-1,3,4-oxadiazole, 2,5-bisbiphenyl-4-yl-oxazole, and 1,3-bisbiphenyl-4-yl-benzene, melt into isotropic phases showing small monotropic mesophases. By contrast, the asymmetric (hockey stick-shaped) mesogens, 2-terphenyl-4-yl-5-phenyl thiophene and 2-terphenyl-4-yl-5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole, exhibit more stable enantiotropic liquid crystalline phases. The hockey stick-shaped mesogens exhibit a smectic phase as well as a nematic phase. High-temperature X-ray determination of the smectic layer spacing gives a...
Validity of the Movement Psychodiagnostic Inventory: A Pilot Study

Dance/movement therapy practice uses observation and assessment of movement as a key clinical component that guides intervention. Several movement observation systems are used by dance/movement therapists, yet few have documented information on validity and reliability for their use. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the Movement Psychodiagnostic Inventory (MPI; Davis, Guide to movement analysis methods part 2: Movement psychodiagnostic inventory, 1991) for evidence of its relationship to other measures and its potential to document patterns of movement with diagnostic utility. Results of multidimensional scaling with the data produced solutions for variables and patients in three-dimensional space. The variables solution demonstrated a clear relation of the MPI to the traditional dichotomy of excessive or reduced motility associated with movement disorder. The patient solution distinguished between two diagnostic groups, patients with personality disorders and those with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Results are discussed as they inform further research with the MPI, and the need for movement indicators used in dance/movement therapy to be thoroughly and simultaneously examined due to their coexistence in complex patterns.
Relationship between laminar topology and retinotopy in the rhesus lateral geniculate nucleus: results from a functional atlas.

The primary focus of this paper is the abrupt transition that occurs midway through the rhesus lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) from six layers posteriorly (conventionally numbered 1-6, ventral to dorsal) to four layers anteriorly. At this transition, layers 4 and 6 fuse into a single layer, as do layers 3 and 5, requiring an inversion of the stacking order of the cell categories making up layers 4 and 5. To understand the topology of this transition and its relationship to geniculate retinotopy, we have created a functional atlas of a rhesus LGN that affords three-dimensional views of morphology and retinotopy at a resolution of 25 microm. The projection of the path of the transition into visual space is highly biased toward lower visual fields, intersecting the upper vertical meridian at 6.4 degrees , the horizonal meridian at 15.4 degrees, and the lower vertical meridian at 25.0 degrees. Between inclinations of -31 degrees and 55 degrees, layers 3 and 5 merge through an elongated tear in layer 4 that subsumes the optic disk gap and extends medially and laterally; elsewhere, layers 4 and 6 merge through a tear in layer 5. These tears cause substantial violations of retinotopy and laminar integrity, so the inversion of layers 4 and 5 requires that the forces establishing retinotopy and grouping by cell class be locally overcome during morphogenesis. The transition and associated tears are evaluated in the context of recent computational models of geniculate morphogenesis. We have also used the atlas to estimate the borders of the binocular (55 approximately 62 degrees) and monocular (91 approximately 97 degrees) visual fields. Files containing the atlas are made publicly available on a website.
Freezing and glass transition phenomena in polymer-diluent mixtures

Abstract The freezing and glass transition phenomena in a binary system of polystyrene-benzene and in a multicomponent system (known as kraft black liquor) containing ionic species and polymeric lignin derivatives have been examined using differential scanning calorimetry. The experimental observations indicate that in these binary and multicomponent systems there exist a particular concentration (∼50%) at which the phenomenon occurring changes from freezing to glass transition. Using the existing theories of freezing and glass transition, the significance of this particular concentration where the change-over occurs and its dependence on the polymer-solvent interaction parameter and other characteristics of the components have been examined. Depending on the particular values used the change-over concentration for the polystyrene-benzene system has been predicted to be in the concentration range of 50–70% polymer, which is in accord with experimental observations. Comparisons of the freezing behaviour of the kraft black liquor with that of other aqueous solutions indicate that the overall effect on the freezing point results from the combined influence of the polymeric and ionic constituents of the solute.
Transient spectra of strong-field resonance fluorescence.

Working with a beam of two-level--atom--like $^{174}\mathrm{Yb}$, we have measured the temporal evolution of strong-field resonance fluorescence spectra during square-pulse excitation. In the case of resonant excitation, it is found that driving-field phase shifts transform the normal three-peaked Mollow spectrum into a transient doublet spectrum asymmetric with respect to the atomic transition frequency. This qualitatively new type of spectrum provides fundamental insight into the connection between atomic dynamics and spectra, and results from a nearly perfect polarization of the dressed atom-field states.
Banking, Nation States, and International Politics: A Sociological Reconstruction of the Present Economic Order

In order to explain the emergence of barter nothing more than the assumption of a narrowly defined self-interest is required. If and insofar as man prefers more choices and goods to fewer, he will choose barter and division of labor over self-sufficiency.
Top management team transactive memory, information gathering, and perceptual accuracy

Abstract Information gathering is routinely prescribed as a means of increasing the perceptual accuracy of a top management team (TMT), and consequently, of the performance of the firm managed by that team. Some studies, however, find that more information gathering results in better performance for some organizations but not for others, possibly because of differences in TMT information processing. This study explores this issue by examining the relations among TMT information processing structure (indicated by TMT transactive memory), information gathering, and perceptual accuracy. The results indicate that while transactive memory at time one does not influence the extent of information gathering between time one and time two, information gathering between time one and time two increases perceptual accuracy at time two for firms that have little variation in prior performance.
Septo-optic dysplasia: clinical and embryological aspects.

UMMARY Three cases of optic nerve hypoplasia and absence of the septum pellucidum are described and the embryology of this condition is discussed. Although optic nerve hypoplasia is frequently diagnosed erroneously as optic atrophy, it is characterized by a small optic disc, dark pigment surrounding the disc and normal-sized blood vessels. Optic nerve hypoplasia is probably related to a dysfunction of the anterior wall of the diencephalon early in the first trimester. RESUME Trois cas d'hypoplasie du nerf optique avec absence de septum lucidum sont decrits et l'embryologie de cet etat est discutee. Quoique l'hypoplasie du nerf optique soit frequemment prise de facon erronee pour une atrophie optique, les deux etats sont distincts: l'hypoplasie du nerf optique est caracterisee par une papule petite souvent entouree d'une aire jaunâtre avec un bord sombre pigmente, des vaisseaux sanguins de taille normale tandis que dans l'atrophie optique, la papule est de taille normale, pâle, avec des vaisseaux sanguins habituellement peu visibles. Les auteurs suggerent que l'hypoplasie du nerf optique associee a l'agenesie du septum lucidum est probablement liee a une dysfonction du mur anterieur du diencephale, precocement au cours du premier trimestre de la vie foetale. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Es werden drei Falle von Hypoplasie des N. opticus mit Fehlen des Septum pellucidum beschrieben, und die Embryologie dieser Misbildung wird diskutiert. Obwohl die Hypoplasie oft irrtumlich als Opticusatrophie diagonostiziert wird, sind diese beiden unterscheidbar: die Opticushypoplasie ist charakterisiert durch eine kleine Opticusscheibe, oft umgeben von einem gelblichen Hof und einem dunklen Pigmentrand sowie normal grosen Blutgefasen, wahrend bei der Opticusatrophie die Scheibe von normaler Grose ist, weis, und die Gefase gewohnlich verschmalert sind. Die Autoren vermuten, das die Hypoplasie des N. opticus in Verbindung mit dem Fehlen des Septum pellucidum wahrscheinlich einer Dysfunktion der rostralen Wand des Zwischenhirns im fruhen ersten Trimester zuzuordnen ist. RESUMEN Se describen tres casos de hipoplasia de nervio optico con ausencia del septum pellucidum y se discute su embriologia. Aunque la hipoplasia del nervio optico con frecuencia es diagnosticada erroneamente de atrofia optica, ambos procesos son distintos; la hipoplasia por un disco optico pequeno, a menudo rodeado de una area amarillenta y un borde obscuro de pigmento y vasos de tamano normal, mientras que en la atrofia optica la papila es de tamano normal, blanca, y los vasos habitualmente disminuidos. Los autores sugieren que la hipoplasia del nervio optico asociada a la agenesia del septum pellucidum, esta relacionada probablemente con un disfuncion de la pared anterior del diencefalo, producida precozmente en el primer trimestre.
Interleukin-1 receptors in the brain: characterization by quantitative in situ autoradiography.

Abstract Autoradiography was performed on mouse brain cryosections to localize interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptors in the mouse brain and pituitary gland and to identify the cell types expressing these receptors. lnterleukin-1 receptor binding sites were mapped in the mouse central nervous system (CNS) with [ 125 I]IL-1α and [ 125 I]IL-1β. IL-1 receptors were detected in high density in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, choroid plexus, meninges, and anterior pituitary. IL-1 receptors are also expressed in the frontoparietal cortex at very low density. Both neurons and glial cells were shown to express IL-1 receptors. An intrahippocampal injection of colchicine, a selective neurotoxin, induced the concurrent disappearance of neuronal cells and [ 125 I]IL-1α binding in the hippocampus. This treatment established that IL-1 bound to the neurons of the dentate gyrus. IL-1 receptors on glial cells were not detected in situ in the CNS under basal conditions. However, [ 125 I]IL-1α bound to glial cells at the site of astrogliosis induced by a local mechanical injury. These results suggest that activated astrocytes express IL-1 receptors. Furthermore, the results of histoautoradiography of [ 125 I]IL-1α binding on astrocyte and microglial cultures showed that astrocytes express IL-1 receptors in vitro . The biochemical characterization of IL-1 binding in the dentate gyrus was achieved by quantitative in situ autoradiography. in the dentate gyrus IL-1 bound to a single class of receptor with characteristics similar to those of the receptor expressed on immune cells ( K d = 0.3 ± 0.2 nM, B max , 60 ± 10 fmol/mg protein). Competition experiments with IL-1α and IL-1β showed that the neuronal receptor characteristics were similar to those of the type I IL-1 receptor, which binds the two isoforms of IL-1 with the same affinity. Regulation of IL-1 receptor density in the CNS and pituitary was studied after peripheral injection of LPS. Stimulation of IL-1 synthesis by LPS was shown to induce a major decrease in the number of receptors available for IL-1 binding in the CNS. A decrease of 84 ± 9% was observed in the dentate gyrus and in the choroid plexus, but no change occurred in the pituitary gland.
Polarization and collision-induced coherence in the beam-foil light source

Monatomic systems were excited by the beam-foil method in order to re-examine the possibility that a particular magnetic substate was preferentially populated. O II, Ar II and He I levels were used. The results reveal that: (1) with a tilted foil substantial polarization (up to 15%) may be achieved, (2) the polarization is due to the foil, (3) the foil induces coherence among Zeeman substates with the appearance of quantum beats among these substates and that their coherence is due to the externally applied magnetic field perpendicular to the beam direction, and (4) the angular momentum of the emitted photon is perpendicular to the ion velocity. The possibility for detecting separate effects of alignment and polarization is noted.
Use of impact fees to incentivize low-impact development and promote compact growth.

Low-impact development (LID) is an innovative stormwater management strategy that restores the predevelopment hydrology to prevent increased stormwater runoff from land development. Integrating LID into residential subdivisions and increasing population density by building more compact living spaces (e.g., apartment homes) can result in a more sustainable city by reducing stormwater runoff, saving infrastructural cost, increasing the number of affordable homes, and supporting public transportation. We develop an agent-based model (ABM) that describes the interactions between several decision-makers (i.e., local government, a developer, and homebuyers) and fiscal drivers (e.g., property taxes, impact fees). The model simulates the development of nine square miles of greenfield land. A more sustainable development (MSD) scenario introduces an impact fee that developers must pay if they choose not to use LID to build houses or apartment homes. Model simulations show homeowners selecting apartment homes 60% o...
Light-Induced Charge Separation at Sensitized Sol-Gel Processed Semiconductors

The photophysical properties of molecular sensitizers incorporated within sol-gel processed wide-bandgap semiconductors are reviewed. Excited-state interfacial electron transfer in sensitized colloids and colloidal films provides a basis for the conversion of photons into potential energy. Sol-gel processed materials with high transparency in the visible region allow charge separation and recombination processes to be quantified spectroscopically. The yields and dynamics of these processes are reviewed for a wide variety of sensitizersemiconductor assemblies. Implications for solar energy conversion and other molecular device applications are discussed.
Neuronal turnover in the Xenopus laevis olfactory epithelium during metamorphosis.

Metamorphic changes in the amphibian olfactory system present many interesting questions concerning the competing possibilities of neuronal respecification versus replacement. For example, are olfactory neurons retained during this transition with their presumed sensitivity to waterborne versus airborne stimuli respecified, or are olfactory neurons completely replaced? We address this question using the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) as a model. The water-sensing nose (principal cavity; PC) of larval X. laevis is respecified into an air-sensing cavity in adults, with changes in odorant receptor gene expression, ultrastructure, and site of innervation of the receptor neurons. The vomeronasal organ (VNO) does not appear to change function, structure, or innervation during metamorphosis. We labeled PC and VNO olfactory receptor neurons with injections of retrogradely transported fluorescent microspheres into the main and accessory olfactory bulbs. Injections were performed in larvae, and animals were allowed to survive through metamorphosis. After metamorphosis, few labeled cells were observed in the PC, whereas the VNO and the olfactory bulbs remained heavily labeled. Animals that were killed before metamorphosis always had extensive label in the PC epithelium regardless of how long the beads were present. This suggests that changes in the PC olfactory epithelium that are seen during metamorphosis are due primarily to turnover of the neurons in this epithelium rather than to respecification of existing neurons. These results also are discussed in terms of natural turnover time of olfactory receptor neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 433:124–130, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Packed and tumbled‐bed electrochemical reactors for metals recovery

A simple approach for use in the early stages of the development and screening of electrochemical reactors.
A crisis management quality improvement initiative in a children's psychiatric hospital: design, implementation, and outcome.

Behavioral crisis management, including the use of seclusion and restraint, is the most high risk process in the psychiatric care of children and adolescents. The authors describe hospital-wide programmatic changes implemented at a children’s psychiatric hospital that aimed to improve the quality of
Vestiges of Desegregation: Superintendent Perspectives on Educational Inequality and (Dis)Integration in the Post–Civil Rights Era

The purpose of this article is to extend the growing counternarrative in education research concerning the negative consequences of school desegregation and its implications for urban education, educational leadership, and policy reform in the post—Civil Rights Era. Guided by qualitative and historical research methods, this article presents the perspectives of eight retired Black school superintendents concerning the goal of integration during the civil rights movement and its disintegration in contemporary urban contexts. Findings reveal that despite desegregation efforts, schools and school systems have never truly integrated and now face a 21st-century brand of educational inequality, what I describe in this article as vestiges of desegregation, which further undermine the educational opportunities and experiences of those students school desegregation efforts were arguably intended to serve.
‘They Don't like Us’: Reflections of Turkish Children in a German Preschool:

In this article, the authors present multiple interpretations of a transcript of a discussion with a group of Turkish-German girls in a kindergarten in Berlin, Germany. These five-year-old girls ma...
Neurosecretory cells in the frontal ganglion of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta

The frontal ganglion of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.), was found to contain two neurosecretory (NS) cells (max dia = 40–45 μm). The cytoplasmic inclusions of the NS cells were stained purple with paraldehyde fuchsin, and marked fluctuations in amounts of NS material in the perikarya were observed, depending upon the developmental status of the insect. The perikarya of NS cells in the frontal ganglia of starved larvae and diapause pupae contained large accumulations of NS material, whereas feeding larvae and developing pharate adults showed relatively low amounts of neurosecretion. Electron microscopy revealed large accumulations of NS granules (dia = 80–240 nm) in the frontal ganglia of diapause pupae, but only slight accumulations of granules were seen in the NS cells of developing larvae and pharate adults. It was concluded that axonal transport and release but not synthesis is shut down during starvation and diapause, leading to accumulation of NS material in the perikarya. It is also suggested that the failure of many investigators to differentiate NS cells in the frontal ganglion of various insects may have been due to the selection of very active stages when the amount of available NS material was too low to be visualized by conventional staining techniques.
Rehabilitation of the Culturally Different: A Model of the Individual in Cultural Change

Services of rehabilitation agencies and facilities tend to be structured to the needs of the larger American culture. It is important, however, to reconsider our social service programs in view of the needs of different cultural groups when providing services that will aid these individuals to move across cultural boundaries. An attempt is made in this paper to develop a model of the individual who undergoes such cultural transition. Such a model should help define problems in service programs, assess the value of current service activities, and identify areas for developing new services that will aid the overall process of cultural transition. A model of behavior development is outlined, followed by a formulation of a model of the individual in cultural change.
A substance P receptor antagonist (SPRA) that reduces intraabdominal adhesion formation decreases peritoneal matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity

Abstract Introduction: Intraabdominal adhesions remain a significant complication of abdominal surgery. Previous data from our laboratory demonstrate that administration of a SPRA (CJ-12,255, Pfizer) reduces adhesion formation. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that dysregulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and remodeling by MMPs is a key element of adhesion formation. The aim of this study was to utilize the SPRA to determine if the proinflammatory peptide substance P (SP) modulates peritoneal MMP activity. Methods: Following laparotomy, 6 ischemic buttons were created on the peritoneum to induce adhesions in 46 rats. These rats were randomized to receive either intraperitoneal injections of a SPRA (5 mg/kg) or sterile water. Peritoneal fluid (PF) and peritoneal adhesion tissue (PT) was collected at 24 hours and 7 days and compared with 27 non-operated controls. Total MMP activity was determined by a quenched fluorescent substrate assay while the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was assessed by gelatin zymography. Results: SPRA administration resulted in significant reductions in total MMP activity at 24 hours and 7 days in PF and PT compared with both non-operated controls and operated, untreated animals. In contrast, SPRA administration was ineffective in reducing the observed increase in MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in PT and PF following laparotomy. ∗AssayPeritoneal sample24 hours7 days% of Non-operated control−SPRA+SPRA−SPRA+SPRATotal MMPPF101 ± 1266 ± 5∗ † 122 ± 734 ± 11∗ † PT171 ± 54149 ± 11409 ± 39∗273 ± 50∗ † MMP-2PF176 ± 11∗221 ± 17∗198 ± 94268 ± 78∗PTNot detectedNot detected194 ± 8∗205 ± 15∗MMP-9PF305 ± 43∗308 ± 29∗116 ± 4∗132 ± 20∗PT234 ± 26∗266 ± 36∗162 ± 10143 ± 20Data expressed as mean ± SEM.PF = peritoneal fluid; PT=peritoneal tissue.∗p Conclusions: By reducing the activation of MMPs, the SPRA may prevent early peritoneal ECM remodeling, thus reducing adhesion formation. These results suggest a prophylactic role for SPRA in adhesion prevention.
Compensatory placental growth after restricted maternal nutrition in early pregnancy.

Abstract This study examined the effects of undernutrition in pregnancy on fetal and placental growth among infants born in 1944–1946 in The Netherlands, including infants born during the war-induced Dutch famine of 1944–1945. There was an increase in placental weight, but not in birthweight, in infants whose mothers' nutrition was compromised around conception or in the first trimester of pregnancy. Therefore, the placental index was also increased. Compared to pre-famine controls, the relative increase after first trimester exposure to undernutrition was larger in the northern part of the country (5.2 per cent, 95 per cent confidence interval 1.4, 9.0) where nutritional deprivation was presumably moderate compared to the west (3.5 per cent, 95 per cent confidence interval 0.2, 7.2) where nutritional deprivation was severe. The increase in placental weight is interpreted as compensatory for the reduction in maternal caloric intake. Whereas this suggests that pregnancy undernutrition can stimulate compensatory placental growth, the latter was only seen after first trimester undernutrition, which does not affect infant size at birth. For these infants, therefore, birthweight is not an appropriate proxy measure of undernutrition in pregnancy. These factors need to be considered in future studies relating pregnancy nutrition to adult health outcomes.
Some Evidence for Active Constriction in the Human Pulmonary Vascular Bed

Continuous infusion of norepinephrine in man caused a rise in pulmonary arteriolar resistance as measured by pulmonary artery-pulmonary wedge pressure differences. Since no change in flow occurred during the procedures, the data suggest active constriction of the pulmonary vascular bed under these circumstances.
Feedback signaling controls leading-edge formation during chemotaxis.

Chemotactic cells translate shallow chemoattractant gradients into a highly polarized intracellular response that includes the localized production of PI(3,4,5)P 3 on the side of the cell facing the highest chemoattractant concentration. Research over the past decade began to uncover the molecular mechanisms involved in this localized signal amplification controlling the leading edge of chemotaxing cells. These mechanisms have been shown to involve multiple positive feedback loops, in which the PI(3,4,5)P 3 signal amplifies itself independently of the original stimulus, as well as inhibitory signals that restrict PI(3,4,5)P 3 to the leading edge, thereby creating a steep intracellular PI(3,4,5)P 3 gradient. Molecules involved in positive feedback signaling at the leading edge include the small G-proteins Rac and Ras, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and F-actin, as part of interlinked feedback loops that lead to a robust production of PI(3,4,5)P 3 .
Computing the Fredholm index of Toeplitz operators with continuous symbols

We show how to compute the Fredholm index of a Toeplitz operator with a continuous symbol constructed from any subnormal operator with compact self-commutator. We also show that the essential spectral pictures of such Toeplitz operators can be prescribed arbitrarily.
Mineralization of Sediment Organic Matter under Anoxic Conditions

Organic matter steadily accumulates in eutrophic lakes as a result of deposition of detrital tissue from algae and aquatic macrophytes and the slow rate of anaerobic decomposition. The rate of organic matter decomposition is affected by the nature of the sediment C (electron donor) and supply of electron acceptors. Batch incubation experiments were conducted to determine the rate and extent of organic matter decomposition in bottom sediments under anoxic conditions (...)
Near-Millimeter Wave Propagation Instrumentation

Instrumentation for studying the propagation of near-millimeter waves has been designed and is currently being implemented at a one mile long test site in Sandusky, Ohio. An optically pumped near-millimeter wave (NMM) laser, used as a source of radiation for frequencies near 300GHz, is located at one end of this site. The beamwidth of the laser, at the other end of the propagation path, is controlled by a two-lens optical system placed at the laser's output. The receiver, which is controlled by a 68000 microprocessor,consists of a parabolic reflector, focal plane scanner, and a fast liquid helium cooled InSb detector. Measurement of the characteristics of the received beam is based upon a quasi-optical method. Simultaneously with the propagation measurements, the temperature/humidity atmospheric stru-cture parameters and characteristics of hydrometeors in the path are obtained. These two measurements will then be correlated to provide a meteorologically well-verified propagation model for near-millimeter wavelengths.
Of Poohsticks and p‐Values: Hypothesis Testing in the Hundred Acre Wood

Summary A walk through Milne's Enchanted Forest leads to an unexpected encounter with hypothesis testing.
SU‐E‐T‐63: The Unintended Dose to Normal Tissues Resulting from Incorrect Jaw Settings Using Cones in Stereotactic Radiosrurgery (SRS)

Purpose: To report changes of cone beam properties when opened jaw field sizes were incorrectly set larger than the cone beam limiting device and to show the unintended dose to normal tissues resulting from the error in Linac‐based non‐coplanar arc treatment. Methods: The Monte Carlo code, BEAMnrc, was used to simulate the entire Linac head and circular cone beam limiting device accessory of a 6 MV beam. In addition to the correct jaw size of 5cm×5cm, two incorrect jaw sizes, 10cm×10cm and 20cm×20cm are simulated. The simulated beams were stored in phase‐space files and were analyzed to obtain the beam properties. The beams were then used to calculate dose to patient based on CTimages resulting from non‐coplanar arcs. For the same circular cones, the dose to both target and the normal tissues were compared between using correct jaw settings and incorrect ones. Results: When the jaw sizes are larger than the cone beam limiting device, significant photon fluence at off‐axis distances greater than 5cm was confirmed using film measurements. Monte Carlo dose calculations for a representative patient using a 10 mm BrainLab cone arc plan resulted in a small dose increase within the regions of less than 5cm radius and a large dose increase (20% of dose to the target) for the regions at distance greater than 5cm up to the field size of 20cm×20cm set by jaws. For 20 Gy tumor dose, this jaw size error may result in 4 Gy of unintended dose to normal tissues at distance greater than 5 cm away from the isocenter. Conclusions: The unintended doses to normal tissues are significant due to jaw setting errors. The point dose QA measurement performed at isocenter may not detect the error in jaw setting. A more robust QA protocol is warranted.
Differences in otosclerotic and normal human stapedial osteoblast properties are normalized by alendronate in vitro.

ObjectiveIdentify and compare phenotypic properties of osteoblasts from patients with otosclerosis (OSO), normal bones (HOB), and normal stapes (NSO) to determine a possible cause for OSO hypermineralization and assess any effects of the bisphosphonate, alendronate.Study DesignOSO (n = 11), NSO (n = 4), and HOB (n = 13) cultures were assayed for proliferation, adhesion, mineralization, and gene expression with and without 10–10M-10–8M alendronate.SettingAcademic hospital.MethodsCultures were matched for age, sex, and passage number. Cell attachment and proliferation + alendronate were determined by Coulter counting cells and assaying tritiated thymidine uptake, respectively. At 7, 14, and 21 days of culture + alendronate, calcium content and gene expression by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were determined.ResultsOSO had significantly more cells adhere but less proliferation than NSO or HOB. Calcification was significantly increased in OSO compared to HOB and NSO. N...
An ab Initio MO Study on the Transformation of Acetylene to Vinylidene in the Coordination Sphere of Rhodium(I). The Intra- and Intermolecular Proton Transfer Mechanism

The transformation of a rhodium(I) η2-alkyne model complex RhCl(PH3)2(HC⋮CH) (A) into the vinylidene form RhCl(PH3)2(CCH2) (E) has been examined by ab initio theoretical calculations using MP2 level geometry optimizations and localized molecular orbital (LMO) analysis. The vinylidene form E has been found to be 7.8 kcal/mol more stable than A. The previously found intraligand 1,2-hydrogen shift mechanism in the Ru(II)-coordinated alkyne−vinylidene isomerization is not relevant for the present Rh system. The reaction proceeds via the oxidative addition product RhCl(PH3)2(H)(C⋮CH) (C), followed by a bimolecular hydrogen shift from the metal to the terminal carbon of a second molecule rather than by intramolecular 1,3-hydrogen transfer. The LMO analysis of the transition state of the unimolecular 1,3-hydrogen shift indicates that the hydrogen moves as a proton while it interacts with the three centers simultaneously, i.e., Rh, Cα, and Cβ in the transition state. The hydrogen was analyzed to migrate also as a...
Program evaluation in the public interest: A new research methodology

For every social welfare or social control service program there are several parties, each with different interests: patients, clients, staff, management, and sponsors. Evaluation of such a program in the public interest must take the interests of each of these parties into account. To do so requires an untraditional methodology, that of a second-person, or communal, science, which is not above the conflict of parties and their interests in specifying the variables, staffing the research, balancing considerations of intrusion against those of bias, considering the action implications of the data, sequentially staging the research, or even publishing findings. This all makes evaluation in the public interest a highly political process often unlikely to be logically decisive about intervariable relationships, to yield generalizable results, or even to be completed.
The electrical and structural properties of gold films and mercury-covered gold films

Abstract The electrical properties and morphology of polycrystalline gold films prepared on alumina and silica substrates and epitaxial thin gold films deposited on mica are examined as a function of film thickness, substrate, structure and mercury adsorption. The resistivities were examined for these films and compared with an ideal, specular gold film in accordance with the Fuchs-Sondheimer (FS) model. According to the FS model, specular films should demonstrate optimum response to adsorbates which produce diffuse rather than specular conduction electron scatter. When the as-prepared polycrystalline films were exposed to mercury, the resistance increased for both the gold-alumina and gold-silica films, and it was found that the gold-alumina films had the greatest response and showed a pronounced thickness dependence. This is due to a rougher, more porous film produced on the polycrystalline alumina substrate which promotes diffusion of the mercury into the films' grain boundaries and the gold bulk. When the epitaxial gold films were exposed to mercury, the resistivity oscillated with increasing mercury coverage. This may be attributed to the formation of successive monolayer coverage, and a resulting oscillatory change in specularity.
Biomechanical aspects of sitting: An application to VDT terminals.

Abstract In order to avoid musculoskeleta! problems when working at a VDT terminal, biomechanical aspects of sitting and of working in a sedentary position need to be considered. This papers reviews relevant biomechanical knowledge and relates it to field studies of VDT users and their preferred workstation settings. It is concluded that even though good agreement exists between subject comfort rating and preferred postures on the one hand and biomechanical data on the other, an ergonomic work organization is necessary to achieve the best possible work conditions.
Batching and capacity models for manufacturing cells with metered flow

Abstract This paper presents two models for batching and capacity decisions applicable to manufacturing cells with metered flow. The models use radically different assumptions concerning the supply of work to be processed in the cell and the removal of finished products. Both models allow the user to determine the optimal operation time through the computation of the marginal value of the capacity. The minimum waiting time model (MWT) is a stochastic model while the full load economic capacity model (FLEC) is a deterministic model. The latter model has interesting parallelisms with the classical economic order quantity (EOQ) model. Finally, both models are contrasted by highlighting some characteristics.
High-power multiple-stripe injection lasers with channel guides

A new type of injection laser, the channel-guide (CG) structure, has been developed for use in multiple-stripe laser configurations. Leaky-mode operation of single-stripe CG lasers has been observed, and these devices produce "kink-free" outputs to pulsed powers of 180 mW (40 ns). Ten-stripe lasers fabricated using the channel-guide structure show strong leaky-mode coupling between stripes. Linear outputs to 2.8 W (40 ns) with stable far fields have been measured. Our results indicate that a real index antiguide is formed by the crowding of carriers into the channel region. The simple fabrication procedure makes the CG structure desirable for use in multiple-stripe high-power lasers.
Review of thermo-mechanical cracking and wear mechanisms in large caliber guns

Thermo-mechanical cracking has become a critical wear mechanism in modern large caliber guns, due to operational increases in severity of heating at the gun bore in order to increase gun performance. The chromium coating typically used in guns often cracks after one firing, as do tantalum coatings and ceramic liners being considered for future guns. Once small segments of coating are surrounded by cracks, rapid erosion failure is likely. In prior studies to address this problem, models have described the depth and spacing of thermal cracks that develop in bore coatings and identified the mechanism of final separation of a cracked segment of coating. The models have used finite difference calculations of near-bore temperatures and elevated temperature material properties to calculate the thermal expansion stresses which cause both the initial cracking and the final separation of a cracked segment of bore material. The current work will review prior and recent observed damage and the models developed to describe the damage, and then extend the models to a wider range of gun firing conditions and materials from recent tests. Included will be [i] recent firing damage in tantalum coated steel liners in 120 mm inner diameter guns, [ii] additional recent gun-combustion simulation of firing damage in a SiAlON bulk ceramic, and [iii] extension of thermo-mechanical and fracture models showing effects of transient cannon heating and different coating materials on the near-bore temperatures and stresses that control both initial crack formation and final segment separation.
Simultaneous wind and rain measurements from SeaWinds data

A maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method for simultaneously retrieving wind and rain from SeaWinds scatterometer data is introduced and evaluated. The new method incorporates rain backscatter and attenuation into the retrieval process via a simple wind/rain backscatter model. Two retrieval methods are examined: First, when no estimate of the rain rate is available, the new MLE method simultaneously estimates wind speed, wind direction and rain rate. Second, when an estimate of the rain is available, the wind is retrieved by directly correcting the geophysical model function using the rain/wind backscatter model. From simulation, the simultaneous wind/rain retrieval approach demonstrates improved wind vector estimates where the rain is significant. The improvement in retrieval is more pronounced in the “sweet spot” of SeaWinds’ cross track. The rain-corrected wind retrieval approach gives somewhat improved wind speed estimates for rain-contaminated wind vectors over the simultaneous wind/rain retrieval method, especially when the effect of rain is small. Validation of the SeaWinds rain data with co-located Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission precipitation radar rain rates shows that with some limitations the SeaWinds scatterometer can measure rain.
Between-Site Differences in the Scale of Dispersal and Gene Flow in Red Oak

BACKGROUND Nut-bearing trees, including oaks (Quercus spp.), are considered to be highly dispersal limited, leading to concerns about their ability to colonize new sites or migrate in response to climate change. However, estimating seed dispersal is challenging in species that are secondarily dispersed by animals, and differences in disperser abundance or behavior could lead to large spatio-temporal variation in dispersal ability. Parentage and dispersal analyses combining genetic and ecological data provide accurate estimates of current dispersal, while spatial genetic structure (SGS) can shed light on past patterns of dispersal and establishment. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In this study, we estimate seed and pollen dispersal and parentage for two mixed-species red oak populations using a hierarchical bayesian approach. We compare these results to those of a genetic ML parentage model. We also test whether observed patterns of SGS in three size cohorts are consistent with known site history and current dispersal patterns. We find that, while pollen dispersal is extensive at both sites, the scale of seed dispersal differs substantially. Parentage results differ between models due to additional data included in bayesian model and differing genotyping error assumptions, but both indicate between-site dispersal differences. Patterns of SGS in large adults, small adults, and seedlings are consistent with known site history (farmed vs. selectively harvested), and with long-term differences in seed dispersal. This difference is consistent with predator/disperser satiation due to higher acorn production at the low-dispersal site. While this site-to-site variation results in substantial differences in asymptotic spread rates, dispersal for both sites is substantially lower than required to track latitudinal temperature shifts. CONCLUSIONS Animal-dispersed trees can exhibit considerable spatial variation in seed dispersal, although patterns may be surprisingly constant over time. However, even under favorable conditions, migration in heavy-seeded species is likely to lag contemporary climate change.
Mixed-field dosimetry measurement of a target assembly for an accelerator-based neutron source for boron neutron capture therapy

Abstract The objective of this work was to measure the neutron and gamma-ray absorbed dose components for a target assembly for an Accelerator-Based Neutron Source (ABNS) for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), and to compare these measurements with MCNP calculations in order to verify the calculations of the in-air neutron and gamma-ray absorbed dose components. The measurements were made using the paired ionization chamber technique. The measured neutron and gamma-ray specific absorbed dose components agreed with calculations within experimental errors, which were approximately 10%. The measured gamma-ray specific absorbed dose rate of 140 cGy s−1 A−1 ±12% is consistent with reported yields of 478 keV gamma rays due to the 7 Li (p, p′)7Li* reaction. This specific gamma absorbed dose rate is significant and should not be neglected in moderator assembly design.
Regulation of Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II Activation by Intramolecular and Intermolecular Interactions

As its name implies, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is calcium dependent. In its basal state, the activity of CaMKII is extremely low. Regulation of intracellular calcium levels allows the neuron to link activity with phosphorylation by CaMKII. This review will briefly
Naringenin is a novel inhibitor of Dictyostelium cell proliferation and cell migration

Naringenin is a flavanone compound that alters critical cellular processes such as cell multiplication, glucose uptake, and mitochondrial activity. In this study, we used the social amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum, as a model system for examining the cellular processes and signaling pathways affected by naringenin. We found that naringenin inhibited Dictyostelium cell division in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 ~ 20 µM). Assays of Dictyostelium chemotaxis and multicellular development revealed that naringenin possesses a previously unrecognized ability to suppress amoeboid cell motility. We also found that naringenin, which is known to inhibit phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity, had no apparent effect on phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate synthesis in live Dictyostelium cells; suggesting that this compound suppresses cell growth and migration via alternative signaling pathways. In another context, the discoveries described here highlight the value of using the Dictyostelium model system for identifying and characterizing the mechanisms by which naringenin, and related compounds, exert their effects on eukaryotic cells.
Characterization of Nanoparticle Films and Structures Produced by Hypersonic Plasma Particle Deposition

There is great potential for the use of nanostructures in numerous applications. Investigation of nanoparticle films and structures is an important area of research for the production of nanoengineered devices. However, for these devices to become a reality, a production method that can yield high-rate synthesis of nanostructured powders is necessary. The hypersonic plasma particle deposition (HPPD) process has been shown to be capable of such high-rate production of nanoparticle films and structures. Versatile in its ability to manufacture nanoparticles of different chemistries HPPD also has the capability of in situ particle consolidation and assembly. In this study, chemically diverse films and structures have been produced by HPPD on a variety of substrates. Using novel specimen preparation techniques, these nanoparticles have been characterized by TEM. Fundamental issues of importance have been investigated for both the nanoparticle structure and the constituent nanoparticles. These issues include nanoparticle crystallinity and defect structure. The chemical homogeneity and structural characteristics of the deposition are also investigated. This application of microscopy to aid process development has resulted in insights into the nanoparticle formation process and the dynamics of the HPPD process.
Lesions of Spontaneous Subclinical Disease in Beagle Dogs

Postmortem examination of 1000 commercially bred Beagle dogs used in 39 drug-safety evaluations showed a spectrum of concurrent lesions of spontaneous, subclinical disease that was used to develop a profile of lesions. This profile included the gross observations and the histopathologic findings in at least 36 different tissues from 647 of these dogs. The incidence, sex distribution, and etiologic classification of 77 different spontaneous lesions and the occurrence of four species of parasites are indicated. The profile provides a means of differentiating concurrent, spontaneous lesions from those induced by experimental procedures in ‘normal’ Beagle dogs.
Recombination luminescence in irradiated silicon-effects of uniaxial stress and temperature variations.

Demonstration that luminescence in irradiated silicon consists of a spectral group between 0.80 and 1.0 eV which seems to be independent of impurities, while a lower energy group between 0.60 and 0.80 eV is seen only in pulled crystals. The small halfwidth and temperature dependence of the sharp zero-phonon lines observed in these spectra indicate that the luminescence arises from a bound-to-bound transition. A model is proposed for the transition mechanism. Stress data taken on the 0.79-eV zero-phonon line in pulled crystals can be fit by either a tetragonal 100 (in brackets) defect symmetry or by conduction-band splitting effects. It is suggested that the 0.79-eV zero-phonon line and the 0.60- to 0.80-eV spectral group arise from the EPR G-15 center. Stress data on a zero-phonon line at 0.97 eV associated with the 0.80- to 1.0-eV spectral group can be explained by a trigonal 111 (in brackets) defect. The divacancy is tentatively suggested as responsible for this luminescence spectra.