cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Hardware Performance Counters Detect Adversarial Inputs

Deep learning has become an integral part of modern-day applications. Recent research has shown how inputs for a Neural Network can be perturbed to disrupt its detection accuracy and lead to fatal consequences. In this paper, we investigate whether hardware performance counters available in most modern microprocessors uncover adversarial inputs constructed using perturbations to the clean input images. Our experiments on three different datasets, having real-life DNN applications ranging from traffic sign to melanoma detectors, paints an interesting picture– while the hardware performance counters show a difference (approximately 1% for some performance counters) between clean and adversarial inputs on individual samples, they do not show any significant trend to distinguish between clean and modified samples.
MAVS Deficiency Is Associated With a Reduced T Cell Response Upon Secondary RSV Infection in Mice.

Infections with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) occurs repeatedly throughout life because sustained, protective memory responses fail to develop. Why this occurs is not known. During RSV infection the recognition of the virus via the cytosolic RIG-I like receptors and signaling via the adaptor protein MAVS is crucial for mounting an innate immune response. However, if this signaling pathway is important for T cell responses during primary infection and during re-infection is not fully elucidated. We describe a second peak of pro-inflammatory mediators during the primary immune response to RSV that coincides with the arrival of T cells into the lung. This second peak of cytokines/chemokines is regulated differently than the early peak and is largely independent of signaling via MAVS. This was concurrent with Mavs -/- mice mounting a strong T cell response to primary RSV infection, with robust IFN-γ; and Granzyme B production. However, after RSV re-infection, Mavs -/- mice showed fewer CD4+ and CD8+ short term memory T cells and their capacity to produce IFN-γ; and Granzyme B, was decreased. In sum, cytosolic recognition of RSV is important not only for initiating innate anti-viral responses but also for generating or maintaining efficient, short term T cell memory responses.
Ethical Considerations of Body Donation

Dead human bodies not only teach students the structure and function of the human form but also provide a rich environment for other learning experiences, including ethical and professional development. Ethical questions especially arise from the procurement and use of bodies in anatomy. This chapter will describe the role that anatomical donation programs play in educating individuals about medical ethics. In contrast to historical anatomical body procurement, which was often coercive and discriminatory, modern anatomical gift programs focus on individual consent in each donor. Ongoing ethical challenges in body procurement include the role of not-for-profit and for-profit body donation programs, the potential monetary value of donated tissue, advertising for body donation programs, and detailed versus broad informed consent in donation. It is argued that transparent and ethical anatomical body procurement is one of the core values of a body donation program and a hallmark of all students’ ethical and professional training.
Prenatal exposure to methamphetamine in rats induces endothelial dysfunction in male but not female adult offspring.

In utero exposure to methamphetamine results in significant developmental, neurological, and behavioral deficits in offspring. However, very little is known about the cardiovascular effects of prenatal methamphetamine exposure in adult offspring. We hypothesized that prenatal methamphetamine exposure causes adverse cardiovascular effects in adult offspring. The aims of this study were to test the effects of prenatal methamphetamine exposure on blood pressure and endothelial function in male and female adult rat offspring. Pregnant rats were injected with methamphetamine (5 mg kg−1 day−1) or saline throughout pregnancy. Conscious blood pressure and vascular function in mesenteric-resistance arteries were measured in male and female adult offspring using tail cuff and myography, respectively (beginning at 8 weeks old). In adult male offspring, but not in adult female offspring, endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine was impaired in methamphetamine-exposed compared to saline-exposed rats. Vascular relaxation to diethylamine NONOate diethylammonium salt was not impacted by gender or prenatal exposure. Prenatal methamphetamine exposure had no effect on systolic blood pressure in offspring of either gender. These data suggest that prenatal methamphetamine exposure adversely affects endothelial function in a sex-dependent manner. Clinically, these data suggest that adult males with a history of prenatal methamphetamine exposure may be at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease due to endothelial dysfunction.
EFFECT OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD ON MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTY FOR INCONEL 625 SUPERALLOY

Inconel 625 is a Ni-Cr-Mo-Nb alloy which was developed primarily for high turbine applications.The elemental addition of Nb increases the solidification temperature range,which exhibits a strong propensity to form interdendritic segregation.The enrichment of elements Nb and Mo at the terminal stage of solidification leads to the formation of brittle eutectic structure,i.e.,γ+Laves phases,which becomes potential crack origin during the subsequent hot processing and application. The present work has demonstrated that,the introduction of electromagnetic field(EMF) to the solidification process of Inconel 625 alloy has the obvious effect on grain refinement.The EMF can also effectively influence the segregation ratio of Nb and Mo.However,the inappropriate application of electric current intensity and frequency will lead to more severe segregation of elements Nb and Mo, which causes the increment of eutectic structure volume fraction.Further analysis illustrates that both of the grain refinement and eutectic volume fraction control the tensile property at room temperature,increasing the yield strength and decreasing the tensile plasticity for Inconel 625 alloy.It has been proven that a proper selection of input current intensity(100 A) and frequency(8 Hz) can effectively dominate the segregation behavior during solidification process under EMF with more than 30%increase of yield strength and a minute loss of plasticity.
Single-cell transcriptomics of peripheral blood in the aging mouse

Abstract Compositional and transcriptional changes in the hematopoietic system have been used as biomarkers of immunosenescence and aging. Here, we use single-cell RNA-sequencing to study the aging peripheral blood in mice, and characterize the changes in cell-type composition and transcriptional profiles associated with age. We identified 17 clusters from a total of 14,588 single cells. We detected a general upregulation of antigen processing and presentation and chemokine signaling pathways and a downregulation of genes involved in ribosome pathways with age. We also observed increased percentage of cells expressing markers of senescence, Cdkn1a and Cdkn2a, in old peripheral blood. In addition, we detected a cluster of activated T cells that are exclusively found in old blood, with lower expression of Cd28 and higher expression of Bcl2 and Cdkn2a, suggesting that the cells are senescent and resistant to apoptosis.
LIFE AND LEGAL FICTIONS: REFLECTIONS ON MARGARET MONTOYA’S MÁSCARAS, TRENZAS, Y GREÑAS

This essay is based on a presentation made as part of “Un/Masking Power: The Past, Present, and Future of Marginal Identities in Legal Academia,” a symposium sponsored by the UCLA Chicana/o-Latina/o Law Review, April 5, 2013.
Two color pumping of the Rb D2 line laser (780 nm) through the photoassociation of Rb-Ar or Rb-Xe thermal pairs: Realization of a quantum efficiency above one

A two color process for optical pumping of the Rb D2 line laser (λ = 780 nm) in Rb vapor-rare gas mixtures is demonstrated to yield an overall quantum efficiency > 1. Combining photoexcitation of the Rb D2 line blue satellite in Rb-Xe or Rb-Ar mixtures with free ← free optical pumping of the A2Π12←X2Σ12+ transition at large internuclear separation (R > 5 A) also increases the laser efficiency and pump absorption coefficient, relative to the single color, B ← X pumped system, by a factor of 1.7 and more than an order of magnitude, respectively. Simultaneous photopumping of Rb-Xe thermal collision pairs at 760 nm (D2 satellite) and 794.3 nm results in a 780 nm (D2 line) laser with a quantum efficiency of 1.008 which corresponds to the removal of ∼102 cm–1 (12.6 meV) of thermal energy per emitted photon.
TH-EF-BRA-04: Direct Organ Dose Measurements in a Human Cadaver Scanned with Pediatric CT Protocols

Purpose: To measure pediatric organ doses and assess clinical image quality in a cadaver scanned with pediatric protocols on a clinical CT scanner. Methods: Organ doses were measured in the thoracic and abdominal regions of a small sized cadaver by inserting optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs) into various organs. The subject’s effective diameter was measured as 22.9 cm in the chest, and 22.3 cm in the abdomen, corresponding to the size of an 11-year old pediatric patient, based on AAPM Report No. 204. The subject was scanned with a pediatric chest and pediatric abdomen protocol on a Toshiba Aquilion ONE CT scanner. Scans were acquired with filtered back projection (FBP) and iterative reconstruction (IR) to quantify organ dose reduction capabilities of IR in pediatric patients. The subject was scanned with reduced dose protocols by increasing the noise tolerance level (SD) from 12.5 to 17.5 and 25.0. Image quality was assessed by a blinded observer study utilizing pediatric radiologists. Readers graded the images with a three point scale on the basis of diagnostic ability. Results: In comparing IR versus FBP reconstructed images, we measured average organ dose reductions of 25% and 32% for the chest and abdomen scans, respectively. Increasing the SD from 12.5 to 17.5 offered organ dose savings of 51% and 58% for the chest and abdomen scans. Further dose reduction was achieved by increasing the SD to 25, allowing substantial dose savings of 75% and 80% for the chest and abdomen scans. The majority of the images were found to be of acceptable image quality. Conclusion: Organ dose quantification and reduction were investigated in this clinical CT study. Iterative reconstruction algorithms provide significant dose reduction to pediatric patients undergoing CT scans. Further dose reductions can be achieved by increasing noise tolerance levels while still maintaining acceptable image quality.
Society's Child: Identity, Clothing, and Style

Society's Child: Identity, Clothing, and Style. Ruth P. Rubinstein. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2000. 297 pp.
In this issue - Technically

This is a valuable paper that develops pattern recognition methods for real-time transient stability prediction and control. The authors of the present paper have independently developed the technique of labeling all the training data points from unstable simulations as unstable. Labeling a data point as unstable refers to setting the "target" or desired output for that point to unstable.
Using Representations to Explore Perimeter and Area

n an elementary school classroom, as in reallife, the lines between the content areas shouldbe blurred, particularly between mathematicalproblem solving and mathematical situations con-textualized in good literature. For that reason, Ialways look for interesting books about mathemat-ical situations. Why use children’s literature toteach mathematics? A good story often placesmathematical problems in the context of familiarsituations and is similar to, yet a much more elab-orate version of, mathematical word problems.Assertions that children’s inability to solve wordproblems results from their inability to read or tocompute effectively simply are not true. The prob-lem is that children do not know how to choose thecorrect operation or sequence of operations tosolve the problem. To solve a problem situationpresented in words, children need to be ableto connect computational processes withappropriate calculations. Their difficultieslie in the fact that children simply do notunderstand the mathematics well enoughconceptually to make the connection with the prob-lem-solving situation. Using books with authenticproblem situations may help children see thatlearning computation serves a real-life purpose.One of the ways that we can help students makesense of mathematical problem situations is byproviding contextualized problems that are rich invarious representations of mathematical concepts.We know from research that “there are differentlogical or experiential paths that lead to the sameideas; similar experiences may lead to different yetvalid ideas; and different models help different stu-dents construct ideas” (Graeber 1999, p. 202). Byusing different representations of mathematicalconcepts, we give children many opportunities todevelop intuitive, computational, and conceptualknowledge.The ability to connect conceptual understandingto the processes for determining perimeter and area
The U.S Equity Markets

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the world's stock exchanges were a complex of separate, independent, single-product exchanges. During the first part of this century, however, these exchanges have become interconnected within and across country lines and have become multiproduct exchanges. That is, some of the world's stock exchanges have become international, multiproduct exchanges. The exchanges have and will continue to change rapidly, both diversifying and integrating. In addition to the sanctioned stock exchanges, the off-exchange markets have become much more important in their size and diversity. The U.S. stock market has become a complex of interconnected exchanges and off-exchange markets. Keywords: market structure; order driven; quote-driven; market orders; limit orders; bid quote; offer quote; pure order-driven market; natural buyers; natural sellers; continuous market; call auction; brokers; agents; dealers; market makers; principals; specialist; national best bid and offer (NBBO); hybrid markets; system orders; floor brokers; commission broker; limit order book; competitive-dealer quote-based system; off-exchange markets; alternative electronic markets; electronic communications networks (ECNs); alternative trading systems; cross networks; dark pools; fragmentation; alternative display facility (ADF); tick size; block; block trade
Reassessing Tradeoffs Inherent to Simultaneous Maintenance and Production Planning

Previous work has considered the simultaneous (as opposed to sequential) optimization of a maintenance policy and a production policy in a multi-product setting with random yield and product mix constraints. One of the sequential approaches to which the simultaneous approach is compared is a so-called first-come-first-served (FCFS) approach, i.e., an approach that generates randomized production policies that do not depend on the deterioration state of the machine. However, the model formulation for this approach does not generate policies consistent with this FCFS notion. Therefore, we present a revised FCFS model and analyze its performance using an existing experimental design. The results suggest that previous work overestimates the degree to which a FCFS approach is suboptimal, and underestimates the value of simultaneously optimizing the maintenance and production decisions. Lastly, we conduct additional experiments which suggest that the joint impact of using both simultaneous optimization and a deterioration dependent production policy is quite significant.
Exact Receptances of Nonproportionally Damped Dynamic Systems

Based on a decomposition of the damping matrix, an iteration procedure is developed. This method does not requirre matrix inversion, and completely eliminates the error caused by undamped modal data
On What Sin (and Grace) Can Teach Crime

In the Catholic moral tradition, what is expected of the person is that he inform and follow conscience; the person becomes morally perfected by responding to his God-given desire for the real and the good. A criminal law shaped by Catholic principles, therefore, would sanction the criminalization not only of (some) intentional wrongs but also of (some) negligent wrongs; it would understand negligence, however, as the person's failure to do his personal best to seek the real and the good. A Catholic criminal law would not purport to demand virtue; it would both call for and respect an individual's conscientious, diligent quest for the good.
Understanding a Microstructure Using GOS (Grain Orientation Spread) and Its Application to Recrystallization Study of Hot Deformed Al-Cu-Mg Alloys

The softening process consists of recovery and recrystallization. Despite the significant effect of recovery on the softening, recovery has not enjoyed the attention as much as recrystallizaion has mostly due to difficulties in the microstructural characterization of recovery. The present study introduced GOS qualitatively and quantitatively to gauge the microstructural evolution occurring during annealing. Then the GOS analysis was applied to discern alloying effects on recrystallization in hot deformed Al-Cu-Mg alloys. Recovery seems accountable for the retardation of recrystallization in the Mn containing alloys. By adding Zr to Al-Cu-Mg-Mn, recrystallization could be further inhibited.
Development of the Strain-to-Fracture Test for Evaluating Ductility-Dip Cracking in Austenitic Stainless Steels and Ni-Base Alloys

The strain-to-fracture test has been developed as a reproducible and robust test technique for evaluating susceptibility to ductility-dip cracking (DDC) and other elevated temperature cracking phenomena. Samples are tested over a range of temperature and strain, producing a temperature-strain “envelope” in which cracking occurs. Threshold strain for fracture (Emin) and the ductility-dip temperature range (DTR) can then be determined from these envelopes and used to compare susceptibility among materials. The test is very flexible and allows for changes in the testing parameters and material conditions that permit the factors that affect cracking to be identified. In this investigation, the weld metals of three austenitic stainless steels, two Ni-base alloys, and two Ni-base filler metals have been tested using the strain-to-fracture test. The stainless steels include type 304, type 310, and the superaustenitic grade AL-6XN. The Ni-base alloys tested were alloy 690 and C-22. Filler metal samples produced using the gas-tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process included alloys 52 and 82. Alloy 690 and filler metal 52 were found to be the most susceptible to DDC with a low threshold strain and wide DTR. Type 310 stainless steel exhibited a similar DTR to alloy 690 but had a higher threshold strain. Type 304 stainless steel was found to be the most resistant. Metallographic evaluation of strain-to-fracture samples revealed that cracking occurred preferentially along migrated grain boundaries (MGBs) in the weld metal. Cracking was most severe in the weld metals that were free of second phases or precipitates and exhibited very straight MGBs. The high resistance of type 304 was related to the presence of ferrite in the weld deposit. Recrystallization was observed at temperatures near the upper end of the DTR and was accompanied by a recovery of ductility.
Pharmacological approaches to the treatment of oxidative stress-induced cardiovascular dysfunctions

Cardiovascular diseases are a growing major global health problem. Our understanding of the mechanisms of pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases has been gaining significant advances and a wealth of knowledge implicates oxidative stress as a key causative agent. However, to date, most efforts to treat heart failure using conventional antioxidant therapies have been less than encouraging. With increasing incidences of cardiovascular disease in young as well as in aging populations, and the problem of long-term diminishing efficacy of conventional therapeutics, the need for new treatments has never been greater. In this review, [corrected] a variety of therapeutic targets and compounds applied to treat cardiovascular diseases via inhibition of oxidative stress are presented.
Issues in the Structural Reform of Chinese Agriculture

Abstract Starting in 1979, China carried out a structural reform of rural institutions which led to greatly increased farm production and income. A second stage of reforms is intended to lead to a market-oriented farm economy. However, urgent problems of both a transitional and long-term nature still require attention. The author gives his views on the remaining problems and the directions of reforms in output, price, tax, and legal structure required to complete the transition.
The Role of Subcortical Structures in Conditioned Reflexes

Anokhin has made two major points of great importance for theories of higher nervous activity. First he has emphasized that in complex, learned behaviors the cerebral cortex is not acting alone, but is in close association with subcortical systems. With the rich interchange known to exist between these systems it is appropriate to seek the mechanism of conditioned reflex formation and performance in the cortical-subcortical relationships rather than predominantly in the cortex itself. While pointing out this importance of subcortical structures, Anokhin has also clearly demonstrated that they are intricately organized and cannot be regarded simply as an indiscriminate “energizing influence” on the cortex. His experiments repeatedly and convincingly documented this second point. Together with many other facts they should convince us that the medial brain stem systems are capable of more precise action than is indicated in their diffuse or “nonspecific” effect upon the EEG. I am certainly in agreement with Anokhin on both of these points. Thus, rather than discuss details of his paper or simply restate his case, I hope it will be more valuable to offer a summary of data, for brevity and convenience taken chiefly from our laboratory, which give general support to his view and are relevant to his consideration of the role of subcortical structures in conditioned reflexes.* Using a defensive conditioned reflex (CR) in cats, we found during the course of training that EEG arousal reactions to an auditory conditional stimulus (CS) always attained a high level of consistency before the first respiratory or flexion CR appeared.’ Prima facie this indicates participation of subcortical mechanisms, although obviously the effect might be initiated from the cortex. Graphs of the per cent occurrence of these EEG arousal reactions had the form of typical “learning curves” for habituation, conditioning, and extinction. Surprisingly, however, under the conditions of these experiments “habituation” of the arousal reaction to the CS seemed to take place during the early training, even though a shock to the leg was being paired with the CS. Another unexpected finding was that the intensity of the arousal reaction diminished after the CRs became consistent, and with continuation of training a state was reached at which leg flexion CRs could be made with no apparent alteration in the electrical activity of postcruciate, marginal, and middle ectosylvian gyri. Pursuing this matter independently, Edward Beck and his colleagues a t the University of Utah2 have found with sleep-deprived cats that when such flexion CKs are made in the absence of low-voltage fast activity in the neocortex, a change in activity is still always found in certain subcortical areas. The * The original work described in this discussion was performed in the laboratories of the University of Michigan under Research Grant B-1068 from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness, Public Health Service, Bethesda, Md., and by a research grant from Foundations’ Fund for Research in Psychiatry, New Haven, Corn.
Architectural Engineering Curriculum at Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly, the University of Missouri-Rolla) began a Bachelor of Science degree program in architectural engineering in the fall of 2002. The 4-year academic program’s curriculum at Missouri S&T requires the students to complete 128 semester credit hours during a period of eight semesters, with options for technical electives in one of four focus areas: structural engineering, construction engineering and project management, environmental systems for buildings, and construction materials. This paper presents the architectural engineering curriculum at Missouri S&T. It discusses the objectives of the curriculum, the constraints upon its structure, along with challenges that faced the establishment of an architectural engineering program.
Printer technology in IBM

Major developments in printer technology have occurred during the past twenty-five years. Improvements in such areas as performance, reliability, and product cost are described in this paper, along with many of the IBM impact printer products embodying these developments, beginning with the well-known 1403 Line Printer.
Note on Kaluza-Klein theories.

Under a fairly general set of assumptions, it is shown that the parameter that determines the ``size of the internal space'' in Kaluza-Klein models must be time independent.
Use of a participatory planning process as a way to build community food security.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the multiple meanings of community food security among stakeholders with diverse interests and to assess the degree to which these stakeholders could find common ground around community food security during a participatory planning process called a search conference. The conceptual framework of citizen politics guided all aspects of the research design. In-depth, qualitative interviews were conducted with 44 participants purposefully recruited to attend a 2 1 / 2 -day search conference. Open-ended questionnaires were distributed to all participants during the search conference, and a document review was performed. Prior to the search conference, 4 community food security groups emerged: anti-hunger advocates (n=12), agricultural visionaries (n=12), food traditionalists (n=10), and agricultural entrepreneurs (n=8). Participants were able to find common ground around 6 community food security action agendas: distribution of surplus food, education, family and community values, food processing and marketing, legislative initiatives and action, and new agriculture. Other salient community food security issues emerged, but they were not included on any of the action agendas. Formal training in facilitation, negotiation, conflict resolution, and how to influence the public policy-making process will enable dietetics professionals to effectively collaborate with community-based groups that have a stake in food security issues. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002;102:962-967 .
Gravity in One Dimension: Diffusion in Acceleration

The one-dimensional gravitational system consists ofN parallel sheets of constant mass density. The sheets move perpendicular to their surface solely under their mutual gravitational attraction. When a pair has an encounter, they simply pass through each other. In this paper I consider the motion of a single sheet in an equilibrium ensemble. Under the assumption that the times separating encounters are random, I show that the acceleration and velocity(A, V) of a labeled sheet form a Markovian pair. Further, I prove that, in the limit of largeN, (1)the(A, V) process is deterministic, (2) the(A, V) process obeys Vlasov dynamics, and (3) that scaled fluctuations in(A, V) comprise a diffusion which obeys a generalized Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process with time-dependent drift and diffusion tensors.
Phototropic Inversion in Phycomyces

Transient reversed bending follows an adequate step-up in light intensity given a bending cell from any direction around its axis, yet the plane of the response is specifically that in which prior phototropic bending occurred. The cell "remembers" what it was doing and reverses this in the ensuing light-growth response. Antecedent asymmetric growth itself built the pattern for reversal.
Bacillus anthracis GrlAV96A Topoisomerase IV, a Quinolone Resistance Mutation That Does Not Affect the Water-Metal Ion Bridge

The rise in quinolone resistance is threatening the clinical use of this important class of broad-spectrum antibacterials. Quinolones kill bacteria by increasing the level of DNA strand breaks generated by the type II topoisomerases gyrase and topoisomerase IV. Most commonly, resistance is caused by mutations in the serine and acidic amino acid residues that anchor a water-metal ion bridge that facilitates quinolone-enzyme interactions. Although other mutations in gyrase and topoisomerase IV have been reported in quinolone-resistant strains, little is known regarding their contributions to cellular quinolone resistance. To address this issue, we characterized the effects of the V96A mutation in the A subunit of Bacillus anthracis topoisomerase IV on quinolone activity. The results indicate that this mutation causes an ∼ 3-fold decrease in quinolone potency and reduces the stability of covalent topoisomerase IV-cleaved DNA complexes. However, based on metal ion usage, the V96A mutation does not disrupt the function of the water-metal ion bridge. A similar level of resistance to quinazolinediones (which do not use the bridge) was seen. V96A is the first topoisomerase IV mutation distal to the water-metal ion bridge demonstrated to decrease quinolone activity. It also represents the first A subunit mutation reported to cause resistance to quinazolinediones. This cross-resistance suggests that the V96A change has a global effect on the structure of the drug-binding pocket of topoisomerase IV.
Proof of the Sendov conjecture for polynomials of degree at most eight

Abstract The well-known Sendov conjecture asserts that if all the zeros of a polynomialplie in the closed unit disk then there must be a critical point ofpwithin unit distance of each zero. A method is presented which proves this conjecture for polynomials of degreen ≤ 8 or for arbitrary degreenif there are at most eight distinct zeros.
Hepatitis E virus.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a positive-stranded RNA virus with a 7.2 kb genome that is capped and polyadenylated. The virus is currently unclassified: the organisation of the genome resembles that of the Caliciviridae but sequence analyses suggest it is more closely related to the Togaviridae. Hepatitis E virus is an enterically transmitted virus that causes both epidemics and sporadic cases of acute hepatitis in many countries of Asia and Africa but only rarely causes disease in more industrialised countries. Initially the virus was believed to have a limited geographical distribution. However, serological studies suggest that HEV may be endemic also in the United States and Europe even though it infrequently causes overt disease in these countries. Many different animal species worldwide recently have been shown to have antibodies to HEV suggesting that hepatitis E may be zoonotic. Although two related strains have been experimentally transmitted between species, direct transmission from an animal to a human has not been documented. There are four currently recognised genotypes and two of the four contain viruses isolated from swine as well as from humans. Regardless of country of origin or genotype of the virus, most, if not all, strains belong to a single serotype. A promising recombinant vaccine candidate comprised of a truncated capsid protein is currently under evaluation in Nepal.
TU‐F‐17A‐06: Motion Stability and Dosimetric Impact of Spirometer‐Based DIBH‐RT of Left‐Sided Breast Cancer

Purpose: Patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) for left-sided breast cancer have increased risk of coronary artery disease. Deep Inhalation Breath Hold assisted RT (DIBH-RT) is shown to increase the geometric separation of the target area and heart, reducing cardiac radiation dose. The purposes of this study are to use Cine MV portal images to determine the stability of spirometer-guided DIBH-RT and examine the dosimetric cardiopulmonary impact of this technique. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients with left-sided breast cancer were recruited to the IRB-approved study. Free-breathing (FB) and DIBH-CT's were acquired at simulation. Rigid registration of the FB-CT and DIBH-CT was performed using primarily breast tissue. Treatment plans were created for each FB-CT and DIBH-CT using identical paired tangent fields with field-in-field or electronic compensation techniques. Dosimetric evaluation included mean and maximum (Dmax) doses for the left anterior descending artery (LAD), mean heart dose, and left lung V20. Cine MV portal images were acquired for medial and lateral fields during treatment. Analysis of Cine images involved chest wall segmentation using an algorithm developed in-house. Intra- and inter-fractional chest wall motion were determined through affine registration to the first frame of each Cine. Results: Dose to each cardiac structure evaluated was significantly (p<0.001) reduced with the DIBH plans. Mean heart dose decreased from 2.9(0.9–6.6) to 1.6(0.6–5.3) Gy; mean LAD dose from 16.6(3–43.6) to 7.4(1.7–32.7) Gy; and LAD Dmax from 35.4 (6.1–53) to 18.4(2.5–51.2) Gy. No statistically significant reduction was found for the left lung V20. Average AP and SI median chest wall motion (intrafractional) was 0.1 (SD=0.9) and 0.5 (SD=1.1) mm, respectively. Average AP inter-fractional chest wall motion was 2.0 (SD=1.4) mm. Conclusion: Spirometer-based DIBH treatments of the left breast are reproducible both inter- and intra-fractionally, and provide a statistically and potentially clinically useful dosimetric advantage to cardiac structures.
Thermodynamic studies of La(FexAl1−x)13 alloys

Abstract The Invar alloy La(Fe x Al x−1 ) 13 with NaZn 13 -type cubic structure was prepared. Using single crystals of CaF 2 as solid electrolyte, the activity and the relative partial molar Gibbs free energy of lanthanum in La(Fe x Al 1−x ) 13 alloys were determined by the e.m.f. method over the temperature range 983–1085 K. The melting point and the phase transition temperature of two La(Fe x Al 1−x ) 13 alloys were measured by differential thermal analysis. The average molar heat capacity was measured using a high temperature microcalorimeter in the temperature range 416–610 K.
Community effects of praying mantids: a meta‐analysis of the influences of species identity and experimental design

1. Generalist arthropod predators are ubiquitous in terrestrial ecosystems but experimental studies have yielded little agreement as to their effects on prey assemblages. Drawing on results from a suite of experimental field studies, a meta-analysis was conducted of the impact of praying mantids (Mantodea: Mantidae) on arthropod assemblages in order to identify predictable and unpredictable effects of these extremely generalised predators. 2. Results across different experiments were synthesised using the log response ratio framework, with a focus on quantifying net mantid impacts on arthropod density across taxonomic orders and trophic levels of arthropods, paying special attention to the contribution of mantid species identity and experimental design variables, such as the use of cages, length of experiment, and manipulated mantid density. 3. Calculated on a per mantid-day basis, the net impacts of Tenodera sinensis on arthropod density were generally weaker but more predictable than the effects of Mantis religiosa. Mantids in general had weak negative effects on density for most taxa but exhibited strong negative and positive effects on some taxa. Tenodera sinensis tended to have negative effects on Homoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera and herbivores as a group, however M. religiosa exhibited greater variation in response of different taxa that appeared to be affected more strongly by experimental design. The effects of Stagmomantis carolina tended to be negative or non-significant. 4. Experimental cages had little influence on either the sign or magnitude of net community impacts for T. sinensis, however cage experiments reversed the sign of the mean effect for two of six taxonomic orders when the experimental predator was M. religiosa. Cages also increased the variability of effect size greatly for M. religiosa but not for T. sinensis. 5. It was concluded that it is possible to use log response ratios to determine general, predictable trends in a well-studied system. Similar meta-analyses of generalist predator effects in other systems should produce predictions of how these predators influence food webs, an important step towards defining more clearly the influences of generalist predators on community structure and dynamics.
Questionnaire evaluation and risk factor identification for nonallergic vasomotor rhinitis.

Background Chronic rhinitis, a prevalent primary care disorder associated with significant comorbidities, is often incorrectly diagnosed. As a result, inappropriate treatment leads to higher health care costs and poor clinical outcomes. Objective To verify whether responses to specific questions may help in the diagnosis of nonallergic vasomotor rhinitis (NAVMR). Methods A questionnaire listing allergic and nonallergic triggers was blindly distributed to 100 random new patients with chronic rhinitis in an allergist's office. Questionnaire and physician diagnoses were compared. Allergic triggers included cat, dog, feathers, other furry animals, and symptoms during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Nonallergic triggers included temperature changes, diesel and car exhaust, tobacco smoke, perfumes and fragrances, incense, cleaning products, newsprint, hairspray, and alcoholic beverages, spicy foods, or eating. Results The construct validity and internal consistency indicated that the questionnaire was a good tool for diagnosing NAVMR. Multivariate analysis revealed that the absence of outdoor symptoms in the spring (odds ratio [OR], 7.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-51.22; P = .03), no parental history of allergy (OR, 5.16; 95% CI, 1.05-25.20; P = .04), no symptoms around cats (OR, 3.82; 95% CI, 0.59-24.83; P = .16), the presence of symptoms around perfumes and fragrances (OR, 4.875; 95% CI, 1.05-22.60; P = .04), and age at symptom onset (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.02-1.14; P = .008) were predictive of NAVMR. Conclusions Specific questionnaire responses may help primary care physicians accurately diagnose NAVMR. Questions asked of patients by physicians to diagnose allergic rhinitis do not correlate well with physician diagnosis.
Airblast avoidance learning sets in rhesus monkeys

Five rhesus monkeys were tested across a series of object discrimination problems requiring avoidance of noxious pressurized air. Each S displayed a progressive reduction in the number of trials to reach criterion on particular problems, eventually achieving 82% and 88% correct performance on Trials 2–6 and Trial 6. respectively. Certain error factors also appearing in appetitive discrimination learning set research (stimulus perseveration and differential cue) were identified, as well as a factor of relative unimportance in appetitive set (positional responding). A most persistent appetitive error factor presumably reflecting a tendency to explore the unchosen object (response shift) did not appear. In addition, the results extend the effectiveness of aversive airblasts to a relatively complex discrimination task.
Physical parameters of near-earth asteroid 1982 DV

An account is given of visual and infrared observations made of Amor asteroid 1982 DV during its discovery apparition. Broadband visual and near-infrared photometry shows it to be an S-class asteroid. Narrowband spectrophotometry shows an absorption feature due to olivine or pyroxene or both centered at 0.93 micrometer. The asteroid is either one of the most reflective S-class asteroids known, or a significant amount of bare rock is exposed on the asteroid's surface. For the nonrotating model considered, ellipsoidal dimensions are 3.5 x 1.4 x 1.4 km.
Beyond Cynicism: A Review of the FCC's Reasoning for Modifying the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule

In 1975, the FCC established the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule prohibiting common ownership of a daily newspaper and a full-power broadcast station that serve the same city. Unpopular among owners of media conglomerates since its inception, the rule has remained at the heart of the contentious debate over media ownership consolidation. More than three years after its failed attempt to justify modification in Prometheus Radio v. FCC, the FCC has again voted to change the rule. This article reviews the Report & Order, assessing the Commission's central arguments used to justify its position and posits that these arguments are largely unsubstantiated. The Commission clings to contestable assertions and stakeholder comments, while ignoring extensive empirical data that refute each claim. The lack of empirical evidence presented to justify such a major (and unpopular) decision suggests that the FCC might have been motivated by a neo-liberal agenda and/or influenced by the corporate media lobby.
1/f noise of metals: A case for extrinsic origin.

Small multiprobe resistors have been fabricated from continuous metal films of Ag, Al, Au, Cr, Cu, Mo, Nb, Ni, Pt, and W deposited under various conditions. Each shows some reproducible level of flicker (1/f) noise. This study implicates carrier scattering by extrinsic defects or impurities as the source of the resistivity fluctuations. The noise level appears to be determined by the number of defects introduced in the film during deposition. We introduce a new quantity, ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathrm{*}}^{2}$=${\mathrm{fS}}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}$(f)${N}_{a}$, as an appropriate measure of the level of noise and relate it to the residual resistivity ratio \ensuremath{\rho}(300 K)/\ensuremath{\rho}(4.2 K), a measure of the extrinsic defect and impurity density. [Here f is the frequency in Hz, ${S}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}$(f) is the power spectral density of the resistivity fluctuations, and ${N}_{a}$ is the number of atoms in the sample.]
Prestressing effects on the ultimate flexural strength of composite box sections

Abstract Application of prestresssing as an effective means of enhancing the structural performance of composite box sections is presented. A primary objective of prestressing, in application to composite structures subjected to flexural loading, is to reduce the compressive stresses developed under critical loading conditions. This would increase the flexural strength of composite structures by delaying the prevalent compressive modes of failure. Theoretical models were developed for predicting the contributions of prestressing to the flexural performance of composites. Methodologies were developed for prestressing composite box sections. Flexure tests performed on prestressed (and similar non-prestressed) composite box sections verified the theoretical predictions. In the example composite structure considered here, prestressing produced 74% gain in flexural strength when compared with a similar non-prestressed box section (which embodied the prestressing tooling). The prestressed section produced 89% gain in flexural strength when compared with the box section without the prestressing tooling which carried 15% weight penalty.
Assessing the occurrence of child sexual abuse: An information processing, hypothesis testing approach

Mental health professionals often become concerned with the question of whether a child has been sexually abused, if only because the laws of most states stipulate that they are mandated reporters. Mental health professionals are also concerned with this question because: (a) sometimes it is the principle referral question, (b) recent epidemiological studies suggest a sufficiently high base rate for routine assessment, (c) it is relevant to the diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and (d) it is relevant to treatment planning. In recent years, investigatory interviewing has become increasingly controversial with complaints of both false positives and false negatives. This paper critically reviews investigative interviewing and statement validity analysis. A model for understanding children's reports that is grounded in developmental information processing and hypothesis testing assessment is proposed.
Physical and Mathematical Modeling of Diesel Fuel Liquid and Vapor Movement in Porous Media

Two-dimensional physical modeling of diesel fuel leaks was conducted in sand tanks to determine liquid and vapor migration characteristics. Mathematical modeling provided estimation of vapor concentrations at discrete times and distances from the vapor source and was compared to the physical experiment. The mathematical gaseous diffusion model was analogous to the Theis equation for ground-water flow, accounted for sorptive effects of the media, and was calibrated using measured concentrations from the sand tank. Mathematically different positions of the vapor source were tested to better relate observed liquid flow rates and media configuration to gaseous concentrations. The calculated diffusion parameters were then used to estimate theoretical, three-dimensional vapor transport from a hypothetical liquid leak of 2.0 1/hr for 30 days. The associated three-dimensional vapor plume, which would be reasonably detectable by commercially available vadose zone monitors, was estimated to have a diameter of 8 m with a vapor concentration of 50 ppm at the outside edge of the vapor plume. A careful application of the method and values can be used to give a first approximation to the number of vapor monitors required at a field site as well as the optimal locations for the monitors.
Influence of exogenous ethylene on ipomeamarone accumulation in black rot infected sweet potato roots

Abstract Ipomeamarone accumulation in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) roots infected with Ceratocystis fimbriata (black rot) was decreased by one-third when roots were stored under 100 ppm ethylene. This effect of ethylene was not observed when infected tissue was also treated with benzylisothiocyanate. Ethylene treatment and long term infection were associated with the accumulation of 4-ipomeanol and 1-ipomeanol.
Frequency and diurnal variation of dust storms in the contiguous U.S.A.

Abstract Studies of regional wind erosion and the translocation of suspended particles are important for accurate surveys of air pollution. This category of investigation has nationwide implications for planning and regulatory purposes. However, most regional studies of wind suspension (airborne dust) have centered around the Great Plains without much consideration given to other areas of the country. The purpose of this study is to quantitate the wind translocation problem throughout the contiguous United States by using visibility as an index. National Weather Service and military surface observations on dust were analyzed for annual, monthly and diurnal periods. Frequency of dusty periods were based on hourly weather observations from stations recording dust, blowing dust, and blowing sand when visibility was 7 miles or less. Mountainous, forested, and predominantly maritime regions are generally free from major dust storms. The highest dust frequency is in the Southern Great Plains. Secondary dust frequency maxima occur in the Western States, Northern Great Plains, southern coastal Pacific and inland valleys and the Southeast. Maximum dust frequency occurs in early and late spring months for most regions but some regions experience additional dust in summer or fall. Hourly observations show higher dust frequencies occur in the afternoon between 12.00 and 20.00 LST, or during the period of maximum thermal instability. Regional dust frequency patterns are discussed in relation to the principal factors which govern natural wind-caused suspension, i.e. (1) surface properties, (2) particle properties, and (3) meteorological conditions.