cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A combined experimental/theoretical investigation of the He + ICl interactions: Determination of the binding energies of the T-shaped and linear He⋯I35Cl(X,v″= 0) conformers

A simple model based on the assumption of a thermodynamic equilibrium between the populations of the T-shaped and linear He⋯I35Cl(X,v″ = 0) complexes stabilized in a supersonic expansion is utilized to estimate the relative binding energies of the ground state conformers. In this model, the relative intensities of the laser-induced fluorescence features, attributed to transitions of each conformer, are used to track changes in the populations along the expansion. The relative intensities of the features and the I35Cl(X,v″ = 0) rotational temperatures measured at each distance are fit to ratios of the quantum mechanical partition functions for the T-shaped and linear complexes. These are used to determine the difference between the binding energies of the two conformers. The linear He⋯I35Cl(X,v″ = 0) complex is estimated to be 2.5(6) cm−1 more strongly bound than the T-shaped conformer. The validity of this model was in part confirmed by performing the analysis on calculated ro-vibronic spectra of He⋯I35Cl, where the J″ = 0 binding energies of the ground state conformers are known. The results from high-resolution action and two-color pump–probe spectroscopy experiments reveal that the binding energy of the linear He⋯I35Cl(X,v″ = 0) conformer is precisely 22.0(2) cm−1. The binding energy of the T-shaped He⋯I35Cl(X,v″ = 0) conformer is then 19.5(6) cm−1.
Greater osteoblast proliferation on anodized nanotubular titanium upon electrical stimulation

Currently used orthopedic implants composed of titanium have a limited functional lifetime of only 10-15 years. One of the reasons for this persistent problem is the poor prolonged ability of titanium to remain bonded to juxtaposed bone. It has been proposed to modify titanium through anodization to create a novel nanotubular topography in order to improve cytocompatibility properties necessary for the prolonged attachment of orthopedic implants to surrounding bone. Additionally, electrical stimulation has been used in orthopedics to heal bone non-unions and fractures in anatomically difficult to operate sites (such as the spine). In this study, these two approaches were combined as the efficacy of electrical stimulation to promote osteoblast (bone forming cell) density on anodized titanium was investigated. To do this, osteoblast proliferation experiments lasting up to 5 days were conducted as cells were stimulated with constant bipolar pulses at a frequency of 20 Hz and a pulse duration of 0.4 ms each day for 1 hour. The stimulation voltages were 1 V, 5 V, 10 V, and 15 V. Results showed for the first time that under electrical stimulation, osteoblast proliferation on anodized titanium was enhanced at lower voltages compared to what was observed on conventional (nonanodized) titanium. In addition, compared to nonstimulated conventional titanium, osteoblast proliferation was enhanced 72% after 5 days of culture on anodized nanotubular titanium at 15 V of electrical stimulation. Thus, results of this study suggest that coupling the positive influences of electrical stimulation and nanotubular features on anodized titanium may improve osteoblast responses necessary for enhanced orthopedic implant efficacy.
Simple Model for Grafted Polymer Brushes

The first theories of grafted polymer brushes assumed a step profile for the monomer density. Later, the real density profile was obtained from Monte Carlo or molecular dynamics simulations and calculated numerically using a self-consistent field theory. The analytical approximations of the solutions of the self-consistent field equations provided a parabolic dependence of the self-consistent field, which in turn led to a parabolic distribution for the monomer density in neutral brushes. As shown by numerical simulations, this model is not accurate for dense polymer brushes, with highly stretched polymers. In addition, the scaling laws obtained from the analytical approximations of the self-consistent field theory are identical to those derived from the earlier step-profile-approximation and predict a vanishing thickness of the brush at low graft densities, and a thickness exceeding the length of the polymer chains at high graft densities. Here a simple model is suggested to calculate the monomer density and the interaction between surfaces with grafted polymer brushes, based on an approximate calculation of the partition function of the polymer chains. The present model can be employed for both good and poor solvents, is compatible with a parabolic-like profile at moderate graft densities, and leads to an almost steplike density for highly stretched brushes. While the thickness of the brush depends strongly on solvent quality, it is a continuous function in the vicinity of the temperature. In good and moderately poor solvents, the interactions between surfaces with grafted polymer brushes are always repulsive, whereas in poor solvents the interactions are repulsive at small separations and become attractive at intermediate separation distances, in agreement with experiment. At large separations, a very weak repulsion is predicted.
Parasitoids Attacking Larvae of a Recently Introduced Weed Biological Control Agent, Neomusotima conspurcatalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae): Key to Species, Natural History, and Integrative Taxonomy

ABSTRACT The extent to which introduced weed biocontrol agents are subject to attack by generalist natural enemies within the area of introduction is believed to be an important determinant of program success. We monitored larval populations of a recently introduced weed biocontrol agent, Neomusotima conspurcatalis Warren, at field sites in Florida to investigate parasitism by native parasitoids and to assess the overall rate of parasitism. Of six native parasitoid species reared from wild larvae of N. conspurcatalis, five, Rhygoplitis choreuti (Viereck), Stantonia pallida (Ashmead), Elasmus apanteli Gahan, Hyphantrophaga sellersi (Sabrosky), and an unidentified Cotesia sp. were primary parasitoids of the biocontrol agent. The sixth species, Mesochorus apantelis Dasch, is likely a hyperparasitoid of R. choreuti. From 1,100 N. conspurcatalis larvae collected from three sites, adult parasitoids emerged from 6.8% of those larvae and 73.6% of the N. conspurcatalis developed to adulthood. R. choreuti was the m...
Better computer vision under video compression, an example using mean shift tracking

In this paper, our goal is to understand what needs to be done to enable computer vision algorithms running on uncompressed image sequences to run as well on image sequences that have undergone compression and then decompression. The central conflict of context based computer vision algorithms versus the structured block based approach of today's codecs means that more has to be done than to simply create a divide between coding foreground preferentially and giving less importance to background. We take as example, a single computer vision algorithm, the mean shift tracker and see that its performance can be improved substantially in low bit rate scenarios, albeit some tradeoffs.
Incidence and characteristics of childhood Hodgkin's lymphoma in Greece: a nationwide study (Greece).

Objectives To estimate the incidence and epidemiological profile of childhood (0–14 years) Hodgkin’s lymphoma in Greece derived by the network of childhood Hematology–Oncology departments on the basis of all 95 newly diagnosed cases during a seven-year period. Methods Seventy-one of these cases were individually age and gender matched to an equal number of controls. Results The incidence of childhood Hodgkin Lymphoma reached a relatively high figure of 7.8 per million children-years, with an age distribution (2.2 for children 0–4; 6.3 for those 5–9 and 13.9 for those 10–14-years-old) and male to female ratio (1.7:1) similar to that reported from other cancer registries. Childhood Hodgkin’s lymphoma was more common among children living in less crowded quarters (odds ratio (OR): 6.5 and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI): 1.4–30.7), among those who have changed residence 60 to 18 months before the onset of the index disease (OR: 4.4, and 95% CI = 1.4–14.0), among those whose families owned a cat (OR: 5.5, 95% CI = 1.2–25.6) but not among those whose families owned a dog and marginally more common, among those with a history of infectious mononucleosis (OR: 5.0, 95% CI = 0.6–42.8). Conclusions Our results point to infectious agent(s) as playing an etiological role but do not allow discrimination among the delayed establishment of the herd immunity hypothesis, the population mixing hypothesis or that invoking transmission of the agent(s) from the non-human reservoir.
The safety and therapeutic effectiveness of human red cells stored at -80 degrees C for as long as 21 years.

Human red cells frozen by various methods have been stored in the frozen state at —80°C for as long as 21 years. This report discusses: red cells frozen with 42 percent weight per volume (wt/vol) glycerol in an ionic medium in a polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic bag using the Cohn method; red cells frozen with 45 percent wt/vol glycerol in a low ionic medium in a PVC plastic bag using the Huggins method; red cells frozen with 40 percent wt/vol glycerol in an ionic medium in a polyolefin plastic bag using the Meryman-Hornblower method; and red cells frozen with 40 percent wt/vol glycerol in an ionic medium in a standard 600-ml or an elongated 800-ml PVC plastic primary collection bag with an adapter port using the Naval Blood Research Laboratory (NBRL) method. After frozen storage for as long as 21 years by the four methods described above, the thawed red cells were deglycerolized with 50 to 150 ml of 12 percent sodium chloride and 1.5 to 2.0 l of sodium chloride-glucose or sodium chloride-glucose-phosphate solution. After washing and storage at 4°C for 24 hours, the red cells had a mean freeze-thaw-wash recovery value of 90 percent, a mean 24-hour posttransfusion survival value of 85 percent, a mean index of therapeutic effectiveness of 75 percent, normal or slightly impaired oxygen transport function, and minimal hemolysis. When red cells frozen by the NBRL method in the standard 600-ml or the elongated 800-ml primary collection bag for as long as 5.7 years were stored after washing at 4°C for up to 3 days, these units had a mean freeze-thaw-wash recovery value of 90 percent, a mean 24-hour posttransfusion survival value of 85 percent, a mean index of therapeutic effectiveness of 75 percent, normal or slightly impaired oxygen transport function, and minimal hemolysis. Cultures done after storage at 4°C for 1 week showed that the red cells remained sterile. The incidence of container breakage for red cells frozen in the standard 600-ml or elongated 800-ml primary collection bag was about 3 percent for units subjected to shipment and less than 1 percent for units that were not transported.
J-T characterized stress fields of surface-cracked metallic liners bonded to a structural backing - I. Uniaxial tension

Abstract Surface crack-tip stress fields in a tensile loaded metallic liner bonded to a structural backing are developed using a two-parameter J–T characterization and elastic–plastic modified boundary layer (MBL) finite element solutions. The Ramberg–Osgood power law hardening material model with deformation plasticity theory is implemented for the metallic liner. In addition to an elastic plate backed surface crack liner model, elastic–plastic homogeneous surface crack models of various thicknesses were tested. The constraint effects that arise from the elastic backing on the thin metallic liner and the extent to which J–T two parameter solutions characterize the crack-tip fields are explored in detail. The increased elastic constraint imposed by the backing on the liner results in an enhanced range of validity of J–T characterization. The higher accuracy of MBL solutions in predicting the surface crack-tip fields in the bonded model is partially attributed to an increase in crack-tip triaxiality and a consequent increase in the effective liner thickness from a fracture standpoint. After isolating the effects of thickness, the constraint imposed by the continued elastic linearity of the backing significantly enhanced stress field characterization. In fact, J and T along with MBL solutions predicted stresses with remarkable accuracy for loads beyond full yielding. The effects of backing stiffness variation were also investigated and results indicate that the backing to liner modulus ratio does not significantly influence the crack tip constraint. Indeed, the most significant effect of the backing is its ability to impose an elastic constraint on the liner. Results from this study will facilitate the implementation of geometric limits in testing standards for surface cracked tension specimens bonded to a structural backing.
Adaptive M-FSK modulation for power limited systems

We propose a variable-rate and fixed-power noncoherent M-FSK (NC-MFSK) modulation scheme for power limited systems over Nakagami fading channels. We compare the proposed system with two versions of the NC-BFSK scheme. The former is the fixed or the blind one which has no feedback information and the latter is a kind of an adaptive one wherein a feedback channel is provided to inform the transmitter whether to transmit or not. We first derive the average spectral efficiency of our proposed system as a function of the received carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR). Our results show that the adaptive scheme exhibits up to a 9 dB power gain compared to the adaptive NC-BFSK scheme for very low values of the received CNR. We also derive the average bit error rate (BER) for both the adaptive and NC-BFSK schemes. The resulting average BER for the adaptive scheme has an improvement of about four orders of magnitude compared to that of the fixed nonadaptive scheme. Finally, we derive the probability of outage for both adaptive and fixed schemes. The probability of outage for the adaptive scheme has an improvement of approximately one order of magnitude compared to that of the fixed scheme.
Lights! speed! action!: fundamentals of physical computing for programmers

The definition of "computer graphics" as used by artists in new media and kinetic areas of the arts is much more expansive than simply rendering to a screen. A visit to the SIGGRAPH 2013 Art Gallery, for example, reveals a wide variety of uses of physical computing, embedded control, sensors, and actuators in the service of art. This course is for programmers, educators, artists, and others who would like to learn the basic skills necessary to include physical components in their computing systems.The course is targeted at programmers with little or no electronics background. It begins with basic electronics concepts as they are used with physical computing components, then reviews a variety of sensors that provide information about the physical environment (light, motion, distance from objects, flex, temperature, etc.), programmer-controlled lights (LEDs), and programmer-controlled motion (servos, motors). The use of these components is described in the context of the Arduino microcontroller, but the topics are general and will transfer to a variety of other computing platforms. Although the course includes a few simple formulas, the strong focus will be on practical usage and common-sense applications in real circuits.
Institutional experience of mucormycosis over a period of 10 years - retrospective case series.

Background: Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal infection seen in immunocompromised patients. Most common presentation is face or orbital pain, headache, lethargy, visual loss, proptosis, or palatal ulcer. Because of its angioinvasive properties, it can rapidly spread to intracranial tissues and orbit. It can lead to fatal complications such as blindness, intracranial infections, convulsions and even death. Aim of current study was to diagnose this condition; a high index of suspicion is required. Blackish crusts are characteristically seen and Potassium hydroxide (KOH) staining of these crusts can give a rapid diagnosis. Methods: Study Design was retrospective review of the charts. We reviewed the charts between January 2001 and December 2010 and compiled together 60 cases of mucormycosis. Results: The most common presentation was orbital cellulitis. Some patients presented with features of acute sinusitis. The most common cause of immunosuppression was diabetes mellitus. Patients were started on amphotericin. The prognosis was bad in 7 patients who lost vision and 8 patients died. Conclusion: Diagnosis in the early stage needs a high degree of suspicion. The underlying illness, the time between the onset of the disease and the establishment of treatment, and the occurrence of cerebral ischemic events play a role in worse survival rates.
Refugees as People: The Portrayal of Refugees in American Human Interest Stories

This study combines discourse analysis and narrative analysis (Yin 2007) to examine top US newspapers’ coverage of refugees in American human interest stories. I find that the refugees are presented (a) as prior victims; (b) as in search of the American Dream; and (c) as unable to achieve the American Dream. As human-interest features, the stories provide a largely positive portrayal of individual refugees and their families. However, the human interest stories also depict refugees as current victims of the American economic crisis; deeply frustrated by their inability to achieve the American Dream. Together these discourses represent a narrative of escape, hope, and then harsh reality for refugees in America’s current economic climate.
Modeling dopamine and serotonin systems in a visual recognition network

Many studies have been performed to train a classification network using supervised learning. In order to enable a recognition network to learn autonomously or to later improve its recognition performance through simpler confirmation or rejection, it is desirable to model networks that have an intrinsic motivation system. Although reinforcement learning has been extensively studied, much of the existing models are symbolic whose internal nodes have preset meanings from a set of handpicked symbolic set that is specific for a given task or domain. Neural networks have been used to automatically generate internal (distributed) representations. However, modeling a neuromorphic motivational system for neural networks is still a great challenge. By neuromorphic, we mean that the motivational system for a neural network must be also a neural network, using a standard type of neuronal computation and neuronal learning. This work proposes a neuromorphic motivational system, which includes two subsystems — the serotonin system and the dopamine system. The former signals a large class of stimuli that are intrinsically aversive (e.g., stress or pain). The latter signals a large class of stimuli that are intrinsically appetitive (e.g., sweet and pleasure). We experimented with this motivational system for visual recognition settings to investigate how such a system can learn through interactions with a teacher, who does not give answers, but only punishments and rewards.
Accounting for Outcome Misclassification in Estimates of the Effect of Occupational Asbestos Exposure on Lung Cancer Death

In studies of the health effects of asbestos, lung cancer death is subject to misclassification. We used modified maximum likelihood to explore the effects of outcome misclassification on the rate ratio of lung cancer death per 100 fiber-years per milliliter of cumulative asbestos exposure in a cohort study of textile workers in Charleston, South Carolina, followed from 1940 to 2001. The standard covariate-adjusted estimate of the rate ratio was 1.94 (95% confidence interval: 1.55, 2.44), and modified maximum likelihood produced similar results when we assumed that the specificity of outcome classification was 0.98. With sensitivity assumed to be 0.80 and specificity assumed to be 0.95, estimated rate ratios were further from the null and less precise (rate ratio = 2.17; 95% confidence interval: 1.59, 2.98). In the present context, standard estimates for the effect of asbestos on lung cancer death were similar to estimates accounting for the limited misclassification. However, sensitivity analysis using modified maximum likelihood was needed to verify the robustness of standard estimates, and this approach will provide unbiased estimates in settings with more misclassification.
The production of alpha/beta and gamma/delta double negative (DN) T-cells and their role in the maintenance of pregnancy

The ability of the thymus gland to convert bone marrow-derived progenitor cells into single positive (SP) T-cells is well known. In this review we present evidence that the thymus, in addition to producing SP T-cells, also has a pathway for the production of double negative (DN) T-cells. The existence of this pathway was noted during our examination of relevant literature to determine the cause of sex steroid-induced thymocyte loss. In conducting this search our objective was to answer the question of whether thymocyte loss is the end product of a typical interaction between the reproductive and immune systems, or evidence that the two systems are incompatible. We can now report that “thymocyte loss” is a normal process that occurs during the production of DN T-cells. The DN T-cell pathway is unique in that it is mediated by thymic mast cells, and becomes functional following puberty. Sex steroids initiate the development of the pathway by binding to an estrogen receptor alpha located in the outer membrane of the mast cells, causing their activation. This results in their uptake of extracellular calcium, and the production and subsequent release of histamine and serotonin. Lymphatic vessels, located in the subcapsular region of the thymus, respond to the two vasodilators by undergoing a substantial and preferential uptake of gamma/delta and alpha/beta DN T- cells. These T- cells exit the thymus via efferent lymphatic vessels and enter the lymphatic system. The DN pathway is responsible for the production of three subsets of gamma/delta DN T-cells and one subset of alpha/beta DN T-cells. In postpubertal animals approximately 35 % of total thymocytes exit the thymus as DN T-cells, regardless of sex. In pregnant females, their levels undergo a dramatic increase. Gamma/delta DN T-cells produce cytokines that are essential for the maintenance of pregnancy.
Induction of heme-oxygenase 1 inhibits endothelial cell activation by endotoxin and oxidant stress.

Abstract Background. Increased oxidant stress has been implicated in a number of disease states, including systemic inflammation caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury or sepsis. We have demonstrated previously that oxidants enhance the proinflammatory response to endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide), although antioxidants inhibit this response. Heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1) is an inducible, cytoprotective enzyme, which is up-regulated under conditions of oxidant stress. We hypothesized that the induction of HO-1 protein would attenuate the proinflammatory response of endothelial cells to lipopolysaccharide and oxidant stress. Methods. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were pretreated with hemin (100 μmol/L) for 5 hours, and the induction of HO-1 was confirmed by Western blot. After hemin exposure, cells were treated for 1 hour with either diamide, buthione sulfoximine, xanthine oxidase, or glucose oxidase to induce oxidant stress or lipopolysaccharide to induce an inflammatory response. Interleukin 8 (IL-8) and prostaglandin I 2 (PGI 2 ) production were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; p38 kinase, p42/44 extracellular regulated kinase, and c-jun N terminal kinase activation were measured by Western blot. Results. HO-1 protein was increased 3-fold by exposure to hemin under all conditions. IL-8 production in response to lipopolysaccharide and xanthine oxidase was inhibited significantly by hemin exposure, although PGI 2 production was not affected. The up-regulation of HO-1 protein levels resulted in the inhibition of the lipopolysaccharide- and oxidant-induced activation of all 3 mitogen-activated protein kinases: p38 kinase, p42/44 extracellular regulated kinase, and c-jun N terminal kinase. Conclusion. The induction of HO-1 by hemin results in inhibition of the proinflammatory response of endothelial cells, as evidenced by the inhibition of IL-8 production without affecting PGI 2 production. All 3 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascades are affected, which suggests that the mechanism of this effect may be proximal in the cell signaling process. (Surgery 2003;134:146-52.)
Intercohort trends in the relationship between education and health: examining physical impairment and depressive symptomatology.

Objective: This study examines whether educational differentials in functional and mental health are greater in more recent cohorts in the United States. Method: This study utilizes latent growth-curve modeling to examine intercohort trends in physical impairment and depressive symptomatology for three educational subgroups, using panel data (1986-1994) based on a national probability sample of 3,617 U.S. adults. Results: Among those with less than a high school diploma, the 8-year newer cohort demonstrated higher physical impairment at the same age, implying an unfavorable trend. College graduates and high school graduates enjoyed favorable trends in mental health, and the trends were different across age groups within certain educational groups. Discussion: This study provides evidence that the education-based disparity in health is increasing, but there are variations in the trend depending on health outcomes. These results argue for the necessity of examining trends in education and health using diver...
Coal mining, economic development, and the natural resources curse

Abstract Coal mining has a long legacy of providing needed jobs in isolated communities but it is also associated with places that suffer from high poverty and weaker long-term economic growth. Yet, the industry has greatly changed in recent decades. Regulations, first on air quality, have altered the geography of coal mining, pushing it west from Appalachia. Likewise, technological change has reduced labor demand and has led to relatively new mining practices, such as invasive mountain-top approaches. Thus, the economic footprint of coal mining has greatly changed in an era when the industry appears to be on the decline. This study investigates whether these changes along with coal’s “boom/bust” cycles have affected economic prosperity in coal country. We separately examine the Appalachian region from the rest of the U.S. due to Appalachia’s unique history and different mining practices. Our study takes a new look at the industry by assessing the winners and losers of coal development around a range of economic indicators and addressing whether the natural resources curse applies to contemporary American coal communities. The results suggest that modern coal mining has rather nuanced effects that differ between Appalachia and the rest of the U.S. We do not find strong evidence of a resources curse, except that coal mining has a consistent inverse association with measures linked to population growth and entrepreneurship, and thereby future economic growth.
Surviving network partitioning

Applications implemented as distributed systems must withstand network partitioning faults, which split the system into two or more components. Though processes in the same component can communicate with each other, they cannot communicate with processes in other components. If processes continue to operate in the disconnected components, they might perform incompatible operations and make the application data inconsistent. A real-world business cannot stop operating if the network partitions. The authors have developed a strategy that permits processing to continue in all components of a partitioned network. The processes in the disconnected components generate and queue fulfilment transactions that record the actions taken while the network is partitioned. When communication is restored and the components remerge, the fulfilment transactions are dequeued and processed to obtain a consistent state of the application data. Fulfilment transactions allow continued operations, require little additional infrastructure, incur little additional overhead, and are programmed just like other types of transactions.
Essential Role of the fosB Gene in Molecular, Cellular, and Behavioral Actions of Chronic Electroconvulsive Seizures

The role of Fos-like transcription factors in neuronal and behavioral plasticity has remained elusive. Here we demonstrate that a Fos family member protein plays physiological roles in the neuronal, electrophysiological, and behavioral plasticity associated with repeated seizures. Repeated electroconvulsive seizures (ECS) induced isoforms of DeltaFosB in frontal cortex, an effect that was associated with increased levels of the NMDA receptor 1 (NMDAR1) glutamate receptor subunit. Induction of DeltaFosB and the upregulation of NMDAR1 occurred within the same neurons in superficial layers of neocortex. Activator protein-1 (AP-1) complexes composed of DeltaFosB were bound to a consensus AP-1 site in the 5'-promoter region of the NMDAR1 gene. The upregulation of NMDAR1 was absent in mice with a targeted disruption of the fosB gene. In addition, repeated ECS treatment caused progressively shorter motor seizures (tolerance) in both rats and wild-type mice, as well as reduced NMDA-induced inward currents in pyramidal neurons from superficial layers of the neocortex of wild-type mice. These behavioral and electrophysiological effects were also significantly attenuated in fosB mutant mice. These findings identify fosB gene products as transcription factors critical for molecular, electrophysiological, and behavioral adaptations to motor seizures.
The vehicular minimum scattering antenna

The abstract approach of C.G. Montgomery, R.H. Dicke, and E.M. Purcell (Principles of Microwave Circuits. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1948) and W.K. Kahn and H. Kurss (IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol.AP-13, p.671-5, Sept. 1965) is used to develop a theory to define a vehicle-mounted minimum-scattering antenna. Such an antenna is minimum-scattering in the sense that the scattering perturbation of the vehicle contains no more power than the power absorbed by the antenna. Scattering due to such an antenna will conform to the antenna radiation pattern. Such antennas, defined by their radiation patterns, exist for general reciprocal vehicles. >
Exploring “the World Outside and the Pictures in Our Heads”: A Network Agenda-Setting Study

This study examines the Network Agenda Setting Model, the third level of agenda-setting theory. It seeks to expand the model’s scope by testing five years (2007-2011) of aggregated data from nation...
Undermining inclusion? A critical reading of response to intervention (RTI)

In this paper, I critically examine the discourse surrounding response to intervention (RTI), a US-based education reform that has garnered a considerable amount of attention (as well as controversy) in a very short amount of time. A multi-pronged reform effort, RTI is a tiered approach to delivering instructional intervention to students at risk, an on-going and systematic model of monitoring student performance, as well as an alternative to the ability/achievement discrepancy model for identifying learning disabilities. In this paper, I argue, however, that RTI is not so much a reform but a tactic, aimed at returning to the status quo of segregated special education and reinvigorating many of the foundational assumptions of traditional special education practice.
Disk Cache Replacement Algorithm for Storage Resource Managers in Data Grids

We address the problem of cache replacement policies for Storage Resource Managers (SRMs) that are used in Data Grids. An SRM has a disk storage of bounded capacity that retains some N objects. A replacement policy is applied to determine which object in the cache needs to be evicted when space is needed. We define a utility function for ranking the candidate objects for eviction and then describe an efficient algorithm for computing the replacement policy based on this function. This computation takes time O (log N). We compare our policy with traditional replacement policies such as Least Frequently Used (LFU), Least Recently Used (LRU), LRU-K, Greedy Dual Size (GDS), etc., using simulations of both synthetic and real workloads of file accesses to tertiary storage. Our simulations of replacement policies account for delays in cache space reservation, data transfer and processing. The results obtained show that our proposed method is the most cost effective cache replacement policy for Storage Resource Managers (SRM).
RAMP: A New Metaheuristic Framework for Combinatorial Optimization

We propose a new metaheuristic framework embodied in two approaches, Relaxation Adaptive Memory Programming (RAMP) and its primal-dual extension (PD-RAMP). The RAMP method, at the first level, operates by combining fundamental principles of mathematical relaxation with those of adaptive memory programming, as expressed in tabu search. The extended PD- RAMP method, at the second level, integrates the RAMP approach with other more advanced strategies. We identify specific combinations of such strategies at both levels, based on Lagrangean and surrogate constraint relaxation on the dual side and on scatter search and path relinking on the primal side, in each instance joined with appropriate guidance from adaptive memory processes. The framework invites the use of alternative procedures for both its primal and dual components, including other forms of relaxations and evolutionary approaches such as genetic algorithms and other procedures based on metaphors of nature.
Environmental Factors that Unknowingly Increase a Consumer's Food Intake and Consumption Volume

Package size, plate shape, lighting, socializing, and variety are only a few of the environmental factors that can influence the consumption volume of food far more than most people realize. Although such environmental factors appear unrelated, they generally influence consumption volume by inhibiting consumption monitoring and by suggesting alternative consumption norms. For researchers, this review shows that redirecting our focus to the "whys" or the psychological mechanisms behind consumption will raise the profile and impact of our research. For health professionals, this review underscores how small structural changes in one's immediate environments can reduce one's unknowing over-consumption of food.
Dual wavelength digital holographic imaging of embedded layered structures

We present a three-dimensional microscopic technique based on simultaneous dual wavelength digital holography. In digital holographic microscopy, interference patterns produced by an object and reference waves are recorded by a camera. The computationally reconstructed holographic images contain the information about both amplitude and phase of the light reflected from the object. Phase is then mapped across the sample and converted into height information for each pixel. This technique was applied to imaging of electrodes embedded into glass substrates, which allowed three-dimensional reconstruction of their structure. Holographic imaging of the embedded layered structures, where each layer can be separated from the others by axial distances exceeding multiple wavelengths of imaging light, is difficult, because software phase unwrapping is practically impossible. The use of two wavelengths enables accurate axial measurements of multiple layers by comparing the phase maps produced by each individual wavelength. We demonstrated that the correct choice of wavelengths maximizes the axial range, at which an unambiguous 3D imaging can be performed. This provides not just three-dimensional structure of each layer, but also allows for height differentiation of layers. By employing wavelength cutoff filters, we were able to obtain the phase maps simultaneously, enabling fast measurements. We also developed a background removal technique, based on the quality of interference fringe pattern, which suppresses low intensity signal when no reliable phase information can be extracted. We showed that this is especially useful for multilayered embedded electrode structures, where each sample consists of both high and low reflectivity features.
Ambiguities in Powder Indexing: Conjunction of a Ternary and Binary Lattice Metric Singularity in the Cubic System

A lattice metric singularity occurs when unit cells defining two (or more) lattices yield the identical set of unique calculated d-spacings. The existence of such singularities, therefore, has a practical and theoretical impact on the indexing of powder patterns. For example, in experimental practice an indexing program may find only the lower symmetry member of a singularity. Obviously, it is important to recognize such cases and know how to proceed. Recently, we described: a binary singularity involving a monoclinic and a rhombohedral lattice in a subcell-supercell relationship anda second type of singularity-a ternary singularity-in which two of the three lattices are in a derivative composite relationship. In this work, we describe a ternary lattice metric singularity involving a cubic P, a tetragonal P, and an orthorhombic C lattice. Furthermore, there is a binary singularity, involving a hexagonal P and orthorhombic P lattice, which is characterized by a set of unique d-spacings very close to that of the ternary singularity. The existence of such singularities is more common than once thought and requires a paradigm shift in experimental practice. In addition singularities provide opportunities in material design as they point to highly specialized lattices that may be associated with unusual physical properties.
Operations management in selected nonmanufacturing organizations.

The article presents findings of a study which compared the characteristics of operations management in three non-manufacturing organizations. Three organizations were used in the study: a hospital...
Mexican Literary Periodicals of the Nineteenth Century

The Mexican literary periodicals of the nineteenth century may be roughly divided into two main classes: the purely literary and the semi-literary. To the second and more numerous group belong such periodicals as those intended primarily for women or certain social classes, and those which had for their purpose the vulgarization of useful knowledge or the dissemination of political propaganda. Of the political, the writer has disposed as follows: those of little or no literary value have been disregarded; those presenting only a few poems of intrinsic worth are mentioned cursorily in the text but not included in the ensuing bibliography; while those in which satiric and political verse is predominant are listed with details at the end of the main bibliography. Much valuable literary material is buried in the daily newspapers, only the most important of which can be considered here, even briefly. The weekly literary editions or supplements of the larger dailies, generally issued separately with volume and issue numbers of their own, are included, for their contribution is of distinct value.
Gastrointestinal bleeding in cardiac patients: epidemiology and evolving clinical paradigms.

Purpose of reviewCardiac patients are a fast emerging population vulnerable to gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) due to their use of antithrombotic medications. This review will quantify the GIB risk of cardiac patients prescribed antithrombotic medications, summarize risk-management strategies and hi
Determination of Total Radiation Level in Drinking Water

[Objective]To investigate the influencing factors of determination of total radiation level in drinking water.[Methods]The sample treatment,the choice and preparation of standard source,measuring with instruments were analyzed.[Results]241 Am,KCl as standard source,400 minutes were took to determine 2.5 L water samples,the determined total α,total β were stable.[Conclusion]This method is simple,with satisfactory results.
Open Source Software for Mapping Human Impacts on Marine Ecosystems with an Additive Model

This paper describes an easy-to-use open source software tool implementing a commonly used additive model (Halpern et al., Science , 2008) for mapping human impacts on marine ecosystems. The tool has been used to map the potential for cumulative human impacts in Arctic marine waters and can support future human impact mapping projects by 1) making the model easier to use; 2) making updates of model results straightforward when better input data become available; 3) storing input data and information about processing steps in a defined format and thus facilitating data sharing and reproduction of modeling results; 4) supporting basic visualization of model inputs and outputs without the need for advanced technical skills. The tool, called EcoImpactMapper, was implemented in Java and is thus platform-independent. A tutorial, example data, the tool and the source code are available online.
G384 Case report – nephronophthisis: The mutation is not the whole story

Aim An unusual presentation of Juvenile Nephronophthisis with severe early cystic changes and rapid disease progression. Background Nephronophthisis (NPH) – a frequent genetic cause of paediatric established renal failure (ERF) – is an autosomal recessive disorder causing chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis and cystic kidneys. It is classified by age of onset; Infantile, Juvenile or Adolescent and presents in isolation (85%) or as part of a syndrome e.g. Senior-Loken, Joubert, Jeune or Meckel-Gruber Syndrome. The infantile form (NPHP2 gene) is normally diagnosed within the first year, progressing to ERF by age 2 years. Methods Our patient – a Caucasian girl – was diagnosed with NPH (NPHP1 gene mutation, homozygous deletion: 2q13, identified 6 months after presentation). She had no extra-renal manifestations of disease (normal MRI brain scan and no clinical features to suggest a syndromic diagnosis). Results At presentation (age 4 years) she had very large cysts (Figure 1) which is unusual for the NPHP1 mutation. Her condition rapidly deteriorated with cystic expansion (Figures 2 and 3). She needed Peritoneal Dialysis 2 months after presentation and had a LRD (Live-Related Donor) renal transplant aged 5 years. Conclusion There are at least 20 genes that cause NPH. NPHP1 mutations cause Juvenile NPH (jNPH) with mild symptom onset (polyuria, polydipsia) between 4–6 years of age. Initial cystic change is minimal but small medullary cysts appear later and progression to ERF occurs in the 2nd decade (mean age 13 years). The clinical progression of our patient was more in keeping with infantile NPH despite her mutation. Furthermore, her cystic changes are unusually large and more in keeping with those seen in Medullary-Cystic kidney disease (MCKD). Although NPH and MCKD were previously considered part of the same complex due to homogeneity of clinical and histological features, MCKD is distinct from NPH due to its AD inheritance, late onset of renal failure (post 4th decade), lack of extra-renal features and identification of the MCU1 gene. Despite having a mutation consistent with jNPH our patient had a clinical course more in keeping with infantile NPH and had cystic changes in keeping with MCDK.
SU-F-T-516: Effects of Inter-Fraction Organ Displacement/deformation On the Delivered Doses to the Heart, Esophagus, and Lungs in Patients Receiving Thoracic Radiotherapy

Purpose: To quantitatively assess the effects of inter-fraction changes in organ shape and location on the delivered dose distribution to the organs at risk (OAR) in lung cancer patients. Methods: This study analyzes treatment data of 10 patients, who were treated to 60Gy in 30 fractions. In each fraction a cone beam CT (CBCT) was acquired. Each CBCT was registered with the planning CT using deformable registration tools within MIM Software. The daily setup shifts were used to translate the planned dose distribution on the deformed planning CT. The structures of lungs, esophagus and heart were re-delineated by a physician on each CBCT. The doses delivered to each OAR, reflecting changes in the position and shape variations, were recomputed. Resultant daily dose volume histograms (DVHs) for OARs were computed and compared to those from the planning CT. Results: Based on the findings of two patients and 24 CBCTs analyzed so far, higher doses are delivered to the lungs and esophagus compared to the treatment plan. The dose differences per fraction between the delivered doses and those in the treatment plan are: for patient 1, lung mean dose = 5.3±1.3cGy and esophagus mean dose = 3.4±3.5cGy. For patient 2, lung mean dose = 12.0±3.9cGy and esophagus mean dose = 34.2±7.5cGy. Regarding the maximum dose to heart, the results varied (−18.9±22.0cGy for patient1 and 53.0±62.2cGy for patient2). Conclusion: The dosimetric effects of inter-fractional anatomical variations could be estimated using deformable image registration and manual organ segmentation for each CBCT. A considerable dose distribution variation between fractions was observed for the OARs. These changes are currently not taken into account while treating the patients and these may explain cases with severe side effects even when the treatment plan looks satisfactory. These results suggest the need for automated daily dose tracking and accumulation.
Pyridostigmine-Induced Microcephaly

The association of high-dose pyridostigmine (PYD) during pregnancy with microcephaly and CNS injury in an infant is reported from the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, CA.
Parenting and Adolescents’ Psychological Adjustment: Longitudinal Moderation by Adolescents’ Genetic Sensitivity

We examined whether adolescents' genetic sensitivity, measured by a polygenic index score, moderated the longitudinal associations between parenting and adolescents' psychological adjustment. The sample included 323 mothers, fathers, and adolescents (177 female, 146 male; Time 1 [T1] average age = 12.61 years, SD = 0.54 years; Time 2 [T2] average age = 13.59 years, SD = 0.59 years). Parents' warmth and hostility were rated by trained, independent observers using videotapes of family discussions. Adolescents reported their symptoms of anxiety, depressed mood, and hostility at T1 and T2. The results from autoregressive linear regression models showed that adolescents' genetic sensitivity moderated associations between observations of both mothers' and fathers' T1 parenting and adolescents' T2 composite maladjustment, depression, anxiety, and hostility. Compared to adolescents with low genetic sensitivity, adolescents with high genetic sensitivity had worse adjustment outcomes when parenting was low on warmth and high on hostility. When parenting was characterized by high warmth and low hostility, adolescents with high genetic sensitivity had better adjustment outcomes than their counterparts with low genetic sensitivity. The results support the differential susceptibility model and highlight the complex ways that genes and environment interact to influence development.
Crisis of representation in Chile?: the institutional connection

This article analyzes the challenges to democratic representation in contemporary Chile, with an institutional focus. I argue that the post-authoritarian model of politics was deeply constrained by institutions and practices inherited by democratic authorities and reinforced by the model of transitional politics and its series of informal institutions, which first facilitated, but then hindered democratic performance. While this does not point to a regime-threatening crisis, there are deep challenges to representation and a desire for a different model of politics that is more capable of resolving conflicts and satisfying citizen demands. I posit that, until now, Chile’s formal and informal institutions have privileged stability over representation, accountability, and legitimacy. Consequently, it has fallen to social movements to set the agenda for change aimed at addressing Chile’s deeper problems of political and social inequality. I argue that institutional reforms are a necessary, yet insufficient, antidote to current challenges of representation.