cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Online matching with blocked input

In this paper, we examine the problem of "blocked online bipartite matching". This problem is similar to the online matching problem except that the vertices arrive in blocks instead of one at a time. Previously studied problems exist as special cases of this problem; the case where each block contains only a single vertex is the standard online matching problem studied by Karp et al. (1990), and the case where Mere is only one block (containing al/ vertices of the graph) is the offline matching problem (see, for example, the work by Aho et al. (1985)). The main result of this paper is that no performance gain (except in low-order terms) is possible by revealing the vertices in blocks, unless the number of blocks remains constant as n (the number of vertices) grows. Specifically, we show that if the number of vertices in a block is k = o ( n ), then the expected size of the matching produced by any algorithm (on its worst-case input) is at most (1 — 1/e) n + o ( n ). This is exactly the bound achieved in the original online matching problem, so no improvement is possible when k = o(n). This result follows from a more general upper bound that applies for all k = n ; however, the bound does not appear to be tight for some values of k which are a constant fraction of n (in particular, for k = n /3). We also give an algorithm that makes use of the blocked structure of the input. On inputs with k = o ( n ), this algorithm can be shown to perform at least as well as using the algorithm from Karp et al. (1990) and ignoring blocking. Hence, by the upper bound, our algorithm is optimal to low-order terms for k = o ( n ), and in some cases considerably outperforms the algorithm of Karp et al. (1990). The algorithm also trivially has optimal performance for k = n ; furthermore, it appears to have optimal performance for k = n /2, but a proof of this performance has not been found. Unfortunately, the algorithm does not meet the upper bound for all block sizes, as is shown by a simple example with block size n /3. We conjecture that the algorithm we present is actually optimal, and that the upper bound is not tight.
Growth and Characterization of GaPNAs on Si

The dilute nitrogen alloy GaPNAs can be lattice matched to silicon with band gaps ranging from 2.3 eV to less than 1.7eV making it of special interest for photovoltaic applications. We have studied the growth and structural quality of the alloy grown on vicinal Si(001) and GaP(001) substrates by MOCVD. Using a particular nucleation scheme, we have deposited 1-μm thick layers that are crack-free and exhibit narrow x-ray line widths. The FWHM of the (004) x-ray reflection from a GaP 1−x N x epilayer decreases dramatically from ∼300 arcsec for x=0 to 18 arcsec for x = 0.021. The band gap of this alloy is 1.96 eV. With the addition of As (and more N), the x-ray line widths tend to increase slightly to 27 arcsec.
Modeling of stiffness degradation of the interfacial zone during fiber debonding

The frictional nature of fiber pullout is a major reinforcing mechanism in brittle matrix composites. The objective of present work is to develop an interface failure model for use as a closing pressure formulation. A fracture mechanics model for the debonding of a fiber from a cementitious matrix is used to calculate the stiffness degradation due to propagation of a stable debonding zone. A formulation based on the growth of a mode II crack along an elastic-perfectly plastic 1-D interface is used. The crack growth criterion is defined using the strain energy release rate of a partially debonded interface. It is assumed that the fracture toughness of the interface increases as a function of the debonded length in the form an an R-Curve approach. In addition, a frictional shear stress of constant magnitude acts over the debonded length. The R-Curve parameters are obtained by numerical solution of the resulting differential equations. The load-slip response is obtained from the R-Curves, and a parametric study of fiber type, length, and interface properties are conducted. Results are compared with a finite element model based on Coulomb frictional models.
An Overview of Document Management and Document Processing

Document management is increasingly being viewed as a significant area of opportunity for applying information technology to improve the drug development and approval process. This article examines document management from several perspectives, including the strategic uses in research and development (R&D), the components of a document management system, the development of an architecture or framework for implementing document management, and issues to consider when dealing with vendors of document management systems and products.
Quality Health Outcomes Model

Purpose: Donabedian's 1966 framework of structure, process, and outcome has guided three decades of study in the United States of the elements needed to evaluate and compare medical care quality. Donabedian's perspective was essentially linear, assuming that structures affect processes, which in turn affect outcomes. Patient characteristics are sometimes considered as mediating outcomes and clinical interventions are considered to be processes. A model is presented in the following article that relates multiple factors affecting quality of care to desired outcomes. It extends previous models by positing dynamic relationships with indicators that not only act upon, but reciprocally affect the various components. Scope and Sources: The proposed model was derived from a synthesis of the authors' experience in quality of care practice and research, as well as selected previous theories. Conclusions: The quality health outcomes model is sufficiently broad (a) to guide development of databases for quality improvement and outcomes management, (b) to suggest key variables in clinical intervention research, and (c) to provide a framework for outcomes research and outcomes management that compares not only treatment options, but organizational or system level interventions. The model also has several policy implications.
Distribution of the Hermit Crabs Clibanarius vittatus and Pagurus maclaughlinae in the Northern Indian River Lagoon, Florida: A Reassessment After 30 Years

Abstract The present distribution of two hermit crabs, Clibanarius vittatus and Pagurus maclaughlinae, was assessed for comparison with a study done more than 30 yr ago on decapods of the region. Clibanarius vittatus presently occurs in low or moderate density only at Sebastian Inlet. Retreat of C. vittatus from sites that it formerly occupied is attributed to intolerance of its larvae to low salinities recorded in the lagoon during recent reproductive seasons. Pagurus maclaughlinae remains the most abundant and widespread hermit crab in the lagoon. Its present distribution seems unchanged from the reference study despite prolonged periods, sometimes years, during which salinities declined to 12-25 in many areas distant from inlets.
ECUADOR: ESTABILIDAD INSTITUCIONAL Y LA CONSOLIDACIÓN DE PODER DE RAFAEL CORREA

Despues de seis anos en el poder, 2012 marco el pinaculo de la acumulacion de poder politico para Rafael Correa. Ademas de una politica exterior asertiva y un dominio sobre el poder legislativo, el Presidente logro ejercer amplio control sobre la rama judicial y los medios. Bajo el liderazgo de Correa, el Ecuador se ha beneficiado de un aumento en los gastos sociales, logrando una reduccion en la pobreza y el desempleo. Sin embargo, estas politicas han aumentado el deficit fiscal que el pais esta financiando a traves de vinculos comerciales con la China. Este y otros sucesos, como las manifestaciones en zonas petroleras del Oriente, presagian posibles limites a la sostenibilidad de las politicas actuales. No obstante, el corto plazo brilla para Correa, gracias a sus logros economicos, la debilidad de una oposicion creible y su control sobre las instituciones estatales. El exito de la Revolucion Ciudadana se manifesto en las elecciones de 2013, que resultaron en la reeleccion y en una mayoria legislativa abrumadora para el Presidente.
The Political Economy of Public Values A Case for the Public Sphere and Progressive Opportunity

During the years that have elapsed since the publication of Moore’s and Bozeman’s quite different theories of public value, a great deal of attention has been focused on the public value(s) topic. In this essay, we discuss the evolution of the respective approaches, but particular attention is given to the criteria Bozeman established as “public values failure criteria,” a set of ideas juxtaposed against and influenced by market failure criteria. We suggest two new criteria worth adding to the original Bozeman model. The first of these is related to Moore’s work on the “public sphere.” We offer a somewhat different definition of “public sphere,” one that seems compatible with public values failure criteria. The second criterion pertains to “progressive opportunity,” a criterion taking into account the injurious potential of social inequities. We show the two criteria are especially relevant to the concerns in contemporary political economy disputes and that the two desiderata reinforce one another.
Cyclooxygenase-2 transactivates the epidermal growth factor receptor through specific E-prostanoid receptors and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α converting enzyme

Abstract Cyclooxygenase-2 is often highly expressed in epithelial malignancies and likely has an active role in tumor development. But how it promotes tumorigenesis is not clearly defined. Recent evidence suggests that this may involve transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor through E-prostanoid receptors, but reports differ about the mechanism by which this occurs. We found that E-prostanoid receptors 2–4, but not 1, transactivated the epidermal growth factor receptor. This required metalloproteinase activity, leading to release of growth factors from the cell surface. Both transforming growth factor-α and amphiregulin were released in response to over-expression of cyclooxygenase-2, but betacellulin and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor were not. The metalloproteinase tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme was required for proteolytic release of transforming growth factor-α. We also found that addition of epidermal growth factor receptor ligands to HEK293 cells induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression, suggesting that by activating epidermal growth factor receptor signaling, cyclooxygenase-2 potentially creates a self-perpetuating cycle of cell growth. Consistent with this, inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 reduced growth of epidermal growth factor receptor over-expressing MCF-10A breast epithelial cells in three-dimensional culture.
Policing the Social Boundaries of the American Medical Association, 1847-70

In May 1870 the American Medical Association (AMA) voted to deny the admission of black delegates and their white colleagues to the national meeting in Washington, D.C. Historians of race and medicine have customarily viewed this decision as marking a crucial milestone in the formation of the nexus between racism and the development of the American medical profession in the era after the Civil War (1861-64). This study recasts this narrative by locating the 1870 decision in relation to the antebellum practices of the association and their social consequences for American medicine. It argues that the viability of the AMA as the national voice of the profession was critically dependent on rejecting racial equality. Indeed, at a moment when the question of the abolition of slavery polarized the nation, the AMA was founded in 1847 to create a voluntary professional organization, national in scope, dedicated to raising the standards of medical training and practice. To this end, the AMA elected presidents and selected host cities for annual meetings in the North, South, and West. Seven out of the fourteen meetings and six out of fourteen presidents were from slave and/or border states. These institutional practices together with the representation of blacks as different and enjoying an appropriate status as slaves grounded the national identity of the profession in black subordination. Similarly, the gendered discourses about healing and practices of female exclusion privileged medical authority as male by drawing on and reinforcing patriarchy. In the wake of the war, leaders hoped to restore the national character of the organization by resuming antebellum practices. In response to the new possibilities for blacks in medicine--as represented by the biracial National Medical Society--the AMA took steps to vigorously police the racial boundaries of the national profession. As this study will show, the 1870 decision reflected the logic of the racial politics at the heart of the association's antebellum past and would loom large in its future.
Use of Random Response to Estimate Angler Noncompliance with Fishing Regulations

Abstract We assessed noncompliance with angling regulations on three Idaho waters using random response, a technique designed to quantify embarrassing or criminal behavior. We searched for associations between positive random response answers and angler regulation awareness across a number of demographic variables. Illegal use of bait and creeling of westslope cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi within two catch-and-release zones ranged from –0.4 to 3.0%. Creeling of illegal-sized cutthroat trout was a more common violation (5 to 8%) in two zones managed with a minimum size regulation. Estimated noncompliance with barbless hook regulations for the same zones was high (29%), but nearly 75% of these violations were accidental. Noncompliance with harvest restrictions was greatest on Henrys Lake where 9.5% of anglers violated the two-trout creel limit each day. We observed statistically significant associations between the types of regulations and angler ability to correctly recite them on a given stre...
Low mortality after treatment for esophageal perforation: a single-center experience.

Background Historically, esophageal perforation has been associated with significant mortality. Improvements in diagnosis, critical care, and surgical and endoscopic techniques may lead to lower mortality rates in the modern era. We reviewed our experience with the management of esophageal perforation to determine whether outcomes have improved. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all cases of esophageal perforation from 1997 through 2008 at our institution. Univariate and propensity-matching analysis were performed. Results We reviewed the charts of 147 patients, and 97 met eligibility criteria. There were 45 women, (46.4%); mean age was 60.7 ± 15.6 years. Etiologies included iatrogenic in 50 (51.6%), spontaneous in 23 (23.7%), and idiopathic in 22 (22.7%). Treatment within 24 hours of presentation occurred in 55.2% of patients; 22.7% of patients were septic on presentation. Treatment included surgery in 72 patients (74.2%) and nonoperative management in 25 (25.8%). Forty-one patients (42.3%) underwent primary repair, 5 (6.9%) underwent esophageal resection, 4 (5.6%) underwent exclusion, and 22 (22.7%) underwent drainage or stent placement. Thirty-day mortality rate for the entire cohort was only 8.3% (8 patients). The mortality rate for the primary repair patients was 7.7%, and none of the resection patients died. There was similar in-hospital mortality rate between operative and nonoperative treatment groups (p = 0.96). Propensity-matching analysis showed equal morbidity (p = 0.74) and 30-day mortality (p = 0.35) between operative and nonoperative treatment groups. Conclusions Our study represents a large series of patients treated for esophageal perforation. The results demonstrate that the overall mortality from esophageal perforation can be less than 10%. Primary repair should be considered as first-line treatment when appropriate even in patients who present more than 24 hours after perforation. Nonoperative management, in appropriate patients, can also lead to good success rates and low mortality.
Enhanced emission of fluorophores on shrink-induced wrinkled composite structures

We introduce a manufacturable and scalable method for creating tunable wrinkled ferromagnetic-metallic structures to enhance fluorescence signals. Thin layers of nickel (Ni) and gold (Au) were deposited onto a pre-stressed thermoplastic (shrink wrap film) polymer. Heating briefly forced the metal films to buckle when the thermoplastic retracted, resulting in multi-scale composite ‘wrinkles’. This is the first demonstration of leveraging the plasmons in such hybrid nanostructures by metal enhanced fluorescence (MEF) in the near-infrared wavelengths. We observed more than three orders of magnitude enhancement in the fluorescence signal of a single molecule of goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate, FITC, (FITC-IgG) by two-photon excitation with these structures. These large enhancements in the fluorescence signal at the nanoscale gaps between the composite wrinkles corresponded to shortened lifetimes due to localized surface plasmons. To characterize these structures, we combined fluctuation correlation spectroscopy (FCS), fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), and two-photon microscopy to spatially and temporally map the hot spots with high resolution.
Co‐evolution of HAD phosphatase and hotdog‐fold thioesterase domain function in the menaquinone‐pathway fusion proteins BF1314 and PG1653

The function of a Bacteroidetes menaquinone biosynthetic pathway fusion protein comprised of an N-terminal haloacid dehalogenase (HAD) family domain and a C-terminal hotdog-fold family domain is described. Whereas the thioesterase domain efficiently catalyzes 1,4-dihydroxynapthoyl-CoA hydrolysis, an intermediate step in the menaquinone pathway, the HAD domain is devoid of catalytic activity. In some Bacteroidetes a homologous, catalytically active 1,4-dihydroxynapthoyl-CoA thioesterase replaces the fusion protein. Following the gene fusion event, sequence divergence resulted in a HAD domain that functions solely as the oligomerization domain of an otherwise inactive thioesterase domain.
East and Central European Countries and the Iraq War: The choice between “soft balancing” and “soft bandwagoning”

Abstract This study argues that the new concept of “soft balancing” adds to our ability to explain the decisions of East and Central European countries to support the US in the Iraq War. Moreover, it suggests that by emphasizing soft rather than hard bandwagoning we gain a more subtle understanding of the degrees of support that countries offered the US. This approach reminds us that we should not only emphasize the similarities between the foreign policies of these countries but also their differences.
Measuring the site-specific recreation benefits resulting from improved water quality: an upper bound approach.

Summary The estimation of the value of recreation benefits resulting from improved water quality is required for many purposes. In particular, the Water Pollution Control Act of 1980 requires the consideration of the reasonableness of costs of reducing water pollution in relation to benefits to be derived from establishing effluent standards (Clean Water Act of 1977). Recreation is often the most important benefit resulting from water quality improvement. Current methods used to calculate recreation benefits are either not site-specific or are expensive and controversial. This paper presents a relatively simple, inexpensive, and less controversial method of calculating site-specific recreation benefits resulting from improved water quality. It does this by producing an upper bound estimate which often is adequate for the relevant decision. The upper bound estimates is based on two assumptions: 1) there are alternative equivalent substitute sites for the newly augmented water quality site, and 2) the new augmented recreation opportunities at the site will be used to their maximum supply capacity. Clearly, if an upper bound benefit estimate in a cost-benefit ratio does not produce a favorable ratio, no other benefit estimate will. In cases where this estimate produces an ambiguous result resort must be had to other more precise methods of estimation.
Magnetic Structures of Mn2As and Mn2Sb0.7As0.3

Neutron diffraction has been performed on powder specimens of Mn2As and Mn2Sb0.7As0.3. Mn2As has the antiferromagnetic structure found in Mn1.9Cr0.1Sb below the exchange inversion temperature. The atomic moments are 3.7 and 3.5 Bohr magnetons for Mn(I) and Mn(II), respectively. The moments lie perpendicular to the tetragonal axis. The magnetic structure of Mn2Sb0.7As0.3, which undergoes exchange inversion over the 35° to 115°C temperature range, is the same as that of Mn2As at room temperature and is the same as that of ferrimagnetic Mn2Sb at 150°C. The atomic moments at room temperature (antiferromagnetic) are 2.3 and 2.8 Bohr magnetons, respectively, for Mn(I) and Mn(II). The moments are perpendicular to the tetragonal axis at room temperature and parallel to it at 150°C.
Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide: IV dependence of the Faradaic efficiency and current density on the microstructure and thickness of tin electrode

Abstract Central to the conversion of CO 2 in a full electrochemical cell is its cathode microstructure, which governs gas diffusion, charge exchange and transfer, and subsequently carbon dioxide reduction reaction. In this article, we report the effects of microstructure of Sn catalyst layer on the Faradaic efficiency towards formate formation as a function of Nafion loading, thickness of the catalyst layer, and catalyst particle size. Electrode with 17–20 wt.% Nafion was found to exhibit the highest partial current density towards the formation of formate when the average particle size of Sn catalysts ranged from 100 nm to 1.5 μm. This Nafion fraction is lower than what was reported, 30–36 wt.%, in the cathode of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Moreover, the partial current density for formate formation was observed to increase with the thickness of catalyst layer, but eventually saturated because the reaction zone was limited by mass transfer. The Faradaic efficiency towards the formation of formate exhibited nearly thickness-independence due to the counteractive effects caused by increasing local proton concentration and decreasing electrical field when catalyst layer thickness was increased.
Effects of irrelevant colors on reading of color names: A controlled replication of the “reversed Stroop” effect

Gumenik & Glass (1970) claimed to have shown a reversed form of Stroop interference in which implicit naming responses to irrelevant colors delayed the reading of color words combined with the colors. In their study, a legibility reduction that did not affect color visibility was interpreted as increasing this interference from color naming to the “weakened” reading response. However, their results could have been only the result of lower legibility for the colored words compared to the control black words. The legibility reduction would be expected to increase any initial legibility difference between colored and black words. In the present study, a neutral word condition and a reduced legibility control condition were included, and evidence was obtained for a bona fide “reversed interference” that was not the result of legibility differences or naming practice. The results were discussed in terms of a symmetrical failure of selective attention to focus on either the color or word analyzer.
Sentence recall game: a novel tool for collecting data to discover language usage patterns

Recently we ran a simple memory test experiment, called sentence recall, in which participants were asked to recall sentences that they had just seen on the screen. Many participants, especially non-native English speakers, made various deviations in their recalled sentences. Some deviations represent alternative ways to express the same meaning, but others suggest that there are missing pieces in the participants' language knowledge. The deviation data, on the one hand, can provide individual users valuable feedback on their language usage patterns that they may never notice, on the other hand, can be used as training data for automatically discovering language usage patterns in a subpopulation of language learners. This paper presents our attempts to create an enjoyable sentence recall game for collecting a large amount of deviation data. Our results show that the game is fun to play and the collected deviation data can reveal common language usage patterns among non-native speakers.
Fuel consumption in optimal control

A method has been developed for comparing three optimal control strategies based on fuel consumption. A general cost function minimization procedure was developed by applying two theorems associated with convex sets. Three cost functions associated with control saturation, pseudofuel, and absolute fuel are introduced and minimized. The first two cost functions led to the bang-bang and continuous control strategies, and the minimization of absolute fuel led to an impulsive strategy. The three control strategies were implemented on two elementary systems and a comparison of fuel consumption was made. The impulse control strategy consumes significantly less fuel than the continuous and bang-bang control strategies. This comparison suggests a potential for fuel savings in higher-order systems using impulsive control strategies. However, since exact solutions to fuel-optimal control for large-order systems are difficult if not impossible to achieve, the alternative is to develop near-optimal control strategies.
CT or EUS for the initial staging of esophageal cancer? A cost minimization analysis.

Background: Patients with advanced (T4 and/or M1) esophageal cancer are offered palliative therapy. Computed tomography (CT) is sensitive for distant metastases but is less sensitive than endosonography for T4 disease and celiac lymphadenopathy. The aim of this study was to determine whether initial CT or endosonography costs less to diagnose advanced esophageal cancer. Methods: A decision model compared the costs of the 2 strategies. Sensitivity analysis and threshold analysis were used to identify the most important determinants of the overall cost of identifying advanced disease. Results: Initial CT is the least costly strategy if the probability of finding advanced disease by initial CT is greater than 20%, if the probability of finding advanced disease by initial endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is less than 30%, or if the cost of EUS is greater than 3.5 times the cost of CT. However, in our referral center population, endosonography found advanced disease more frequently than CT (44% vs. 13%; p < 0.0001) and the least costly strategy was initial endosonography (expected cost $804 vs. $844). Conclusion: CT remains as the initial staging test of choice in most clinical settings. However, in referral centers, initial EUS may be reasonable, but individualized model inputs must be obtained before reliable conclusions can be drawn. (Gastrointest Endosc 2000;52:715-20.)
All Titration Indicators are Not Created Equal—A Lecture Demonstration

This demonstration provides a simple method for emphasizing the importance of indicator selection to determine the end point of a titration involving the common weak base household ammonia. By using phenolphthalein and methyl red as the indicators in the titration of two samples of aqueous household ammonia with hydrochloric acid, students can discover that there is a difference between the two apparent termination points. There is clearly a visible difference in the sharpness of the color changes that take place, and the presence of ammonia at the apparent phenolphthalein endpoint is also detected by olfactory means. By showing the different termination ranges on a titration curve, the students can readily see that phenolphthalein does a poor job of showing the proper termination point,; whereas methyl red shows the proper titration end point.
Variations in the pain reactions of hospital patients

The tenability of an exclusively "medical model" explanation of pain is called into question. The pain experience is a "mediated" one; the brain regulates the pain experience through its electrochemical activities and attentiveness to pain stimuli. The latter is largely the result of conditioning processes, many of which are related to ethno-cultural attitudes. Zborowski found differential pain responses among American patients of Yankee, Italian and Jewish ancestry. Sternbach and Tursky discovered differing reactions to electric shock among American housewives of Yankee, Irish, Italian and Jewish ancestry. Chapman and Jones studied the pain responses of American negroes, and Caucasian Americans of Northern European, Italian, and Russian Jewish ancestry and concluded that differences in pain sensitivity and reaction exist which are related to ethno-cultural origins. These ethno-cultural differences are discussed and some speculative explanations are offered. The implications of these observations for hospital staff, particularly nurses, are examined and some specific remedies for related problems are presented.
The effect of norepinephrine infusion on oxygen delivery and consumption in the canine model

Norepinephrine (NE) is used clinically to increase oxygen delivery (DO2) by increasing cardiac output (CO). The rate of administration of NE is usually based on frequent measurements of blood pressure (BP) and infrequent measurements of CO with little regard for oxygen delivery or consumption dynamics. Although the ultimate goal of an inotropic drug is to increase DO2 in excess of metabolic requirements (VO2), the effect of NE on the DO2/VO2 ratio has not been previously studied. In the present investigation, healthy anesthetized dogs were infused with various doses of intravenous NE. These dosages were chosen to span the range used clinically. NE administration caused a significant primary increase in VO2 which was dose dependent (P < 0.001). A similar dose-dependent increase in DO2 was observed (P < 0.001). However, the increase in DO2 minimally exceeded the increase in VO2 at lower doses of NE and the relative increase in VO2 exceeded the change in DO2 at a dose of 0.04 μg/kg/min. Minimal advantage to oxygen utilization physiology at low doses of NE and a potential deleterious effect at a dose of 0.04 μg/kg/min were observed, therefore, despite associated increases in mean systemic blood pressure. The effectiveness of NE administration could be most effectively monitored by the mixed venous oxygen saturation (SVO2), rather than by intermittent assessment of BP, CO, or DO2. Even though values for SVO2 and CO do track closely for the dose of drug administered, SVO2 is a more accurate summation of all components of oxygen consumption and delivery and can be easily and continuously monitored.
Quantum resolved studies of electron-stimulated reactions on adsorbate covered Pt(111) surfaces

Abstract Using laser resonance-enhanced ionisation spectroscopy, we have studied electron (6–350 eV) stimulated dissociation of NO2 coadsorbed with up to 0.75 monolayer of atomic O on Pt(111). Several dramatic effects on NO2 dissociation occur due to the presence of O. There is a large ( × 26) enhancement in the specific dissociation yield, a narrowing of the NO translational energy distributions, and a distinct propensity ( > 4:1 at low J) for populating the upper Ω = 3 2 NO spin-orbit level over the Ω = 1 2 level. The spin-orbit state distribution of the O ( 3 P J ) dissociation fragment is (5.0): (2.5): (1.0) for J = 2, 1 and 0, which is within experimental error of the statistical (T → ∞) 2J + 1 limit. The enhanced yield probably results from an increased excited state lifetime due to a reduction in substrate charge-transfer screening. We have also detected O ( 3 P J = 2,1,0 ) and NO X 2 Π 3 2 , 1 2 (v = 5) above an electron (6–350 eV) beam irradiated Pt(111) surface containing coadsorbed O2 and NO at 90 K. We conclude that both O ( 3 P J ) and NO (v = 5) are laser-induced photodissociation fragments of NO2desorbates. The NO2 is probably the reaction product of a collision between an O atom (created by electron-stimulated dissociation of adsorbed O2) and an NO(a). We correlate the 10 eV NO2 production threshold with the dissociative ionization of the 3σg molecular bonding orbital of O2(a).
The structure of the termini of the Epstein-Barr virus as a marker of clonal cellular proliferation

The linear virion form of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA has variable numbers of direct tandem 500 bp repeats at each terminus. The terminal restriction endonuclease fragments and the fused terminal fragments in the intracellular episomal form are heterogeneous in size, and vary by increments of 500 bp. The structure of the termini of EBV in carcinomas of the nasopharynx and the parotid gland was compared with the EBV termini in monoclonal and polyclonal tissues or cell lines. A single band representing the EBV joined termini was detected in each of the carcinomas and in the monoclonal lymphoid proliferations. Polyclonal cell lines contained multiple forms of the joined termini. The detection of a homogeneous episomal population suggests that EBV-associated epithelial malignancies are clonal expansions of a single EBV-infected progenitor cell.
Determination of the standard enthalpy of formation of Ni2.55P by high-temperature drop calorimetry

We have determined ΔfHom(Ni2.55P, cr, 298.15 K) by high-temperature drop calorimetry using two methods. In the first procedure, we measured ΔrHm for 2.55 N i ( c r ) + P ( r e d , a m ) = N i 2.55 P ( m i x ) at 298.15 K by drop calorimetry at a reference temperature of 907 K. The designation “mix” indicates a mixture of Ni3P, Ni2.55P, and Ni12P5 with an overall composition of Ni2.55P. We then used solution drop-calorimetry at a reference temperature of 1181 K to determine ΔrHm for N i 2.55 P ( m i x ) = N i 2.55 P ( c r ) at 298.15 K. These results were combined to give the result for ΔrHm of the reaction: 2.55 N i ( c r ) + P ( r e d , a m ) = N i 2.55 P ( c r ) at 298.15 K of −(188 ± 5) kJ · mol−1. In our second procedure, we used solution drop-calorimetry alone to determine a value for ΔrHm for the reaction: 2.55 N i ( c r ) + P ( r e d , a m ) = N i 2.55 P ( c r ) at 298.15 K of −(181 ± 5) kJ · mol−1. We have taken the mean of these values and applied a correction for ΔfHom(P, red, am, 298.15 K) to obtain a value for ΔfHom(Ni2.55P, cr, 298.15 K) of −(180 ± 8) kJ · mol−1 where the reference state of phosphorus is P(black, orthorhombic).
Engineered heterostructures of 6.1-Angstrom III-V semiconductors for advanced electronic and optoelectronic applications

Heterostructures formed from III-V semiconductors with the 6.1 angstroms lattice spacing (InAs, GaSb, AlSb and related alloys) have attracted significant interest because of their potential to define a new `state of the art' in applications including 100 GHz high-speed logic circuits, terahertz transistors, sensitive infrared detectors and mid-infrared semiconductor lasers. In this paper, we describe the ongoing work at the Naval Research Laboratory to develop the materials growth and fabrication technology for a variety of 6.1 angstroms-based devices which have the potential to revolutionize infrared optoelectronics and low-power, high- speed electronics.
The phoenix and the flames: Death, rebirth and the imperial landscape of Rome

This article argues that the Roman emperor Hadrian, known for his attention to the arts and, in particular, the architecture of Rome, chose a site for his Mausoleum with dynastic claims in mind. Sitting beside the Tiber on the Vatican Plain, the tomb is not only visible from afar, but is placed within a network of sightlines between pre-existing landmarks and buildings, both in the immediate vicinity and at some distance across the city. These sightlines emphasise the emperor's dynastic lineage, and also suggest his eventual apotheosis, in order to ensure his successors the requisite divine parentage for peaceful accession to the throne.
Bone age: its contribution to the prediction of maturational or biological age.

The bone age of normal children was determined by both the method of Wilkins and the method of Greulich and Pyle. In boys, the mean of the difference between the bone age and the chronological age was significantly greater than zero with the Wilkins method but not with the Greulich and Pyle method. In normal children of both sexes, bone age determined by the Greulich and Pyle method proved to be an important component in equations designed to assess progress along the pathway of growth (Biological Age). These equations combine information concerning body growth, cell growth and body composition. Bone age determined by the Wilkins method, however, was not a significant component in such equations. Biological age equations that include the Greulich and Pyle bone age have been applied to children with a number of diseases that affect growth. In comparison to chronological age, biological age was advanced in obese girls and retarded in boys with both severe congenital heart disease and pituitary dwarfism. Following seven months of therapy with human growth hormone, the latter group showed evidence of catch up growth.
Cardiorespiratory and Conjunctival Oxygen Tension Monitoring During Crystalloid Resuscitation After Hemorrhage

Conjunctival oxygen tension (Pcj02) monitoring provides a continuous, noninvasive assessment of tissue oxygenation and perfusion. In this study, the relationship between Pcj02 and standard cardiorespiratory variables was examined during sequential, stepwise crystalloid resuscitation after acute hemorrhage to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 40 mm Hg. Posthemorrhage values for Pcj02 were approximately 5% of prehemorrhage values. Blood pressure rose rapidly during the early stages of resuscitation, and after 40% of the shed blood volume had been replaced with crystalloid was no longer significantly different from prehemorrhage values. Pcj02 rose in a linear manner during resuscitation and achieved values that were not significantly different from control when 70% of the shed blood volume had been replaced with crystalloid. When all of the shed blood volume had been replaced with crystalloid, cardiac index, left and right cardiac work index, and oxygen delivery remained significantly less than control levels. These results indicate that PcjO2 normalizes before crystalloid resuscitation is complete, but after blood pressure and other noninvasively measured parameters return to prehemmorrhage levels.
Choice between sequences of fixed-ratio schedules: effects of ratio values and probability of food delivery.

Pigeons were exposed to schedules of food delivery that consisted of two sequential fixed ratios. When alternative sequences provided two food deliveries per 50 responses, the schedule with the shorter initial fixed-ratio value was consistently preferred. Progressively reducing from 1.0 to .25 the probability of food delivery following completion of the second fixed ratio of the sequence with the shorter initial fixed ratio did not reduce preference for this sequence. Moreover, the sequence with the shorter initial fixed ratio also was preferred when the probability of food delivery following completion of the initial ratio in that sequence was progressively reduced from 1.0 to .5, although preference shifted to the alternative when the probability was reduced to 0. These findings suggest that the length of the initial fixed ratio was a primary determinant of choice. Subsequent manipulations demonstrated, however, that when the initial fixed ratios of the two alternatives were equal, changes in the ratio value and probability of food delivery following completion of the second fixed ratio lawfully affected choice.
Enforced isolation processes and data

This paper highlights the problem of run-time execution correctness of high consequence applications in conventional Von Neumann computer architectures. It proposes an approach - trusted objects - in which the application program and data are cryptographically encapsulated in their own environment. The remainder of this paper is organized as follows: after the authors present a description of trusted objects, their creation, and their execution, their potential applications are described. Finally, issues and problems requiring further research are discussed.
Expression of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase in enlarged prostates from men with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Abstract Objectives. Cellular senescence is a unique cellular response pathway thought to be closely associated with the aging process. The senescent phenotype is characterized by the loss of a cell's ability to respond to proliferative and apoptotic stimuli even while normal metabolic activity and vitality is maintained. Recently, a novel biomarker, senescent-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-β-gal), was found to identify cells with the senescent phenotype. In the present study, we examined whether human prostatic epithelial cells adopt a senescence-associated phenotype after prolonged culture and analyzed a series of human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) specimens to determine whether the cellular senescence process might be a factor in the development of BPH. Methods. A primary culture of epithelial cells was established from the normal tissue of the peripheral zone of a radical prostatectomy specimen and was serially passaged until senescence. Forty-three human prostate specimens were obtained subsequent to radical prostatectomy or transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy. The cultured cells and tissue specimens were histochemically stained to reveal the expression of SA-β-gal, the cellular senescence biomarker. Results. As has been reported for other types of cultured cells, human prostatic epithelial cells demonstrated widespread expression of the cellular senescence marker, SA-β-gal, on prolonged culture. In our survey of hypertrophied human prostate tissues, 17 specimens (40%) of the 43 analyzed demonstrated positive staining for SA-β-gal. In these tissues, SA-β-gal expression was noted only in the epithelial cells. No statistical correlation ( P = 0.42) between the chronologic age of the patient donor and SA-β-gal expression was found. However, a high prostate weight (greater than 55 g) was found to correlate strongly with the expression of the SA-β-gal biomarker ( P = 0.0001). Conclusions. Cultured prostatic epithelial cells expressed SA-β-gal on reaching replicative senescence in vitro. The survey of human BPH specimens for the senescent marker showed that prostatic epithelial cells in patients with BPH with more advanced enlargement of the prostate (greater than 55 g prostate weight) expressed SA-β-gal, and the prostates from patients with BPH that weighed less than 55 g tended to lack senescent epithelial cells. On the basis of these results, we propose that the accumulation of senescent epithelial cells may play a role in the development of the prostatic enlargement associated with BPH.
Techniques for cubic algebraic surfaces

A survey of some techniques that may have potential for free-form modeling with algebraic surfaces is continued. Classical results as well as several recent innovations are included. Specific attention is paid to cubic algebraic surfaces, although many of the ideas presented have application to algebraic surfaces of any degree. Topics addressed include piecewise constructions, interpolation to points and space curves, and parameterization. >
“Comfort to Our Adversaries”? Partisan Ideology, Domestic Vulnerability, and Strategic Targeting

Recent research on strategic conflict avoidance and targeting in the American case shows that states avoid militarily challenging presidents whose domestic situations might be improved by diversionary conflict, and that congressional opposition to presidential foreign policy invites increased challenges by decreasing other states' perceptions of likely American resolve. This article seeks to refine these lines of research by considering the intervening effects of partisan ideology. As previous scholarship indicates that diversion is a more attractive option for conservative than for liberal governments, there are likely greater incentives for other states to strategically avoid Republicans given lagging economic conditions. Conversely, the relative liberal aversion to military ventures means that the resolve-undermining effects of congressional opposition are likely more pronounced for Democrats. Analyses of the American foreign policy experience from 1949 to 2001 provide support for these hypotheses, as increases in the misery index are related to substantial decreases in the militarized targeting of Republican administrations and congressional foreign policy opposition acts are related to substantial increases in the militarized targeting of Democratic administrations.
A post-compensation scheme for peak-detect channel

A postcompensation procedure for peak detection in disk-drive systems has been tested using a software channel on
IMMUNOCYTOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF VARIED INOCULA OF INFLUENZA VIRUS

Variation in the amount and quality of influenza virus injected into the amniotic sac of the chick embryo led to differences not only in the yield of virus but also in the immunofluorescent cytology of the infection. The production of infectious virus was associated with a predominance of cells in which the virus antigens were first detected along the cell surface in contact with the amniotic fluid, later deeper in the cytoplasm, and finally, though to a lesser extent, in the nucleus. When the virus yield was primarily non-infectious hemagglutinin the virus antigens appeared in reverse sequence; i.e., nucleus first, then adjacent cytoplasm, and ultimately throughout the entire cell. Under conditions of "autointerference," the immunofluorescence seen in some of the cells failed to progress beyond the nuclear or early cytoplasmic stage, while many other cells remained unreactive throughout the experimental period. With the largest dose used a pale intranuclear reaction was localized 1 hour after injection but the embryo died shortly thereafter.
Innovations in Product Functionality: When and Why Are Explicit Comparisons Effective?

Abstract The authors investigate the effects of explicit comparisons in differentiating innovations that offer new functionalities to the consumer. Although marketing communications commonly employ explicit comparisons in launching new product functionalities, the authors suggest that such comparisons are not always helpful. The authors show that an explicit comparison of a new functionality with an existing functionality is effective only when the new functionality is offered in a device or physical product that is atypical of the existing functionality. However, when the new functionality is offered in a product that is typical of the existing functionality, explicit comparisons tend to backfire because they merely facilitate the assimilation of the new functionality to the prior functionality. The results of three studies provide significant support for the predictions, and a fourth study demonstrates how the backfire effect might be avoided. The authors discuss implications for communication tactics, ...
Contraction-relaxation coupling: determination of the onset of diastole.

Left ventricular relaxation is dependent on afterload conditions during systole. An abrupt increase in afterload while the ventricle is actively contracting prolongs the duration of systole. An inc...