cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extraction of physically realistic pore network properties from three-dimensional synchrotron X-ray microtomography images of unconsolidated porous media systems

This paper presents application of a series of algorithms used to extract pore network structure from high-resolution three-dimensional synchrotron microtomography images of unconsolidated porous media systems. These algorithms are based on the three-dimensional skeletonization that simplifies the pore space to networks in the form of nodes connected to paths. Dilation algorithms were developed to generate inscribed spheres on the nodes and paths of the medial axis to represent pore-bodies and pore-throats of the network, respectively. The end result is a physically representative pore network structure, i.e. three-dimensional spatial distribution (i.e. x-, y-, and z-coordinates) of pore-bodies and pore-throats, pore-body size distribution, pore-throat size distribution, and the connectivity. Systems analyzed in this study include different glass bead systems and natural marine sand. The media ranged in size from 0.123 to 1.0 mm, while the image volumes ranged between 7.7 and 108.9 mm3. In addition to extracting the pore network structure, the porosity, specific surface area, and representative elementary volume analysis on the porosity were calculated. Spatial correlation between pore-body sizes in the network was investigated using semivariograms and integral scale concepts. The impact of resolution on the calculated property was also investigated. In this work, we show that microtomography is an effective tool to non-destructively extract the structure of many systems. The quality of the datasets depends on photon energy, photon flux, size of the sample, type of the sample, and size of the sample ‘features’. Results show that the developed method of extracting pore network structure is applicable to ideal and natural porous media systems. The impact of resolution on the quantification of the network structure properties varies in its significance based on feature size of the system and the properties being calculated. Therefore, a thorough resolution sensitivity analysis should be carried out to determine the degree of error associated with a system imaged at a given resolution.
Admittance of the fat cylindrical antenna. Experimental study

The fat cylindrical antenna was used as a unipole over a vertical ground plane, and was driven by a slotted coaxial line carrying a current probe. The antenna was a continuation of the inner conductor of the coaxial line, and its radius was a. Admittances were measured and calculated for a/λ in the range 0.0128–0.0179, where λ is the wavelength. The experimental results are presented in rectangular plots of conductance G or susceptance B against βh, where h is the length of the unipole and β=2π/λ. There is no comparison with theoretical results, since no theory for the fat antenna is available at the present time. However, the admittances have a behaviour similar to that of the admittances of thin antennas. Curves of βh and G at resonance and antiresonance have been plotted against a/λ. The resonant and antiresonant lengths approach nπ/2 (n odd or even, respectively) as a/λ gets smaller, i.e. as the antenna gets thinner. This agrees with the predictions of the King-Middleton theory. It is expected that, as the antenna gets very fat, the difference between the resonant and antiresonant lengths on the one hand and nπ/2 on the other will be very large, showing a radical departure from the behaviour of the thin cylindrical antenna. The conductances at resonance and antiresonance remain virtually independent of a/λ for fat antennas.
Acoustic quantification of /i/-/I/ overlap in children 21 to 33 months.

This longitudinal investigation examined the temporal and spectral characteristics of the high front vowels /i/ and /I/ as produced by nine monolingual US English children from 21–33 months. Vowel overlap was quantified in two-dimensional (F1, F2) and three-dimensional (F1, F2, duration) space using Spectral Overlap Assessment Measure (SOAM). These findings were compared with the results from Support Vector Machine (SVM) vowel classification, vowel duration ratios, and measures of effect size, to determine whether a spectral/temporal trading effect existed in the early vowel productions of young children. Children between the ages of 21 and 33 months are highly variable in the way they use spectral and temporal parameters to distinguish between these two adjacent vowels. However, findings pointed to the existence of a spectral/temporal trading effect when spectral overlap values are relatively high (>60%) at 21 and 24 months of age.
Intracellular pyruvate flux in the methane-producing archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis.

During growth of the methanogenic archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis on alanine as the sole nitrogen source under H2/CO2, alanine was incorporated into amino acids derived from pyruvate including leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Thus, growth with alanine was an efficient means of labeling intracellular pools of pyruvate in this lithotroph. Cells were grown with 18% [U-13C]alanine, and the distribution of the isotope in the branched-chain amino acids was determined by 13C-NMR. Carbons derived from pyruvate contained 14.5% 13C, indicating that most of the cellular pyruvate was obtained from alanine. In contrast, carbons derived from acetyl-CoA contained only 3–5% 13C, indicating that only small amounts of acetyl-CoA were formed from pyruvate. Thus, autotrophic acetyl-CoA biosynthesis continued even in the presence of an organic carbon source. Moreover, the labeling of acetyl-CoA was lower than would be predicted if pyruvate was a C-1 donor for acetyl-CoA biosynthesis. Carbon derived from the C-1 of acetyl-CoA contained less 13C than carbon derived from the C-2 of acetyl-CoA, and this difference was attributed to the acetyl-CoA:CO2 exchange activity of acetyl-CoA synthase. No enrichment was detected for the C-1 of valine, which was derived from the C-1 of pyruvate. This result was attributed to the pyruvate:CO2 exchange activity of pyruvate oxidoreductase and may have important implications for isotope tracer studies utilizing pyruvate. Lastly, these results demonstrate that the breakdown of pyruvate by methanococci is very limited even under conditions where it is the sole nitrogen and major carbon source.
Pharmacological changes induced by repeated exposure to phenylethylamine

Abstract Mice receiving daily injections of phenylethylamine (PEA) exhibited an enhanced PEA-induced motor stimulation, beginning on day 21 of administration. The mice receiving PEA were also more sensitive to the stimulatory effect of amphetamine and PCP. There was no change in brain or hepatic monoamine oxidase activity nor in hepatic mixed function oxidase activity after this treatment, indicating that altered metabolism was not a factor in the sensitization. Striatal dopamine receptors, labelled by spiroperidol, were increased after the long-term PEA, suggesting that the sensitization may be due to increased dopaminergic receptor activity.
Solid state coordination chemistry of metal oxides: structural consequences of fluoride incorporation into the oxovanadium-copper-bisterpy-{O3P(CH2)nPO3}4- system, n= 1-5 (bisterpy = 2,2':4',4":2",2"'-quaterpyridyl-6', 6"-di-2-pyridine).

Hydrothermal reactions of a vanadate source, an appropriate Cu(II) source, bisterpy and an organodiphosphonate, H2O3P(CH2)nPO3H2 (n = 1–5), in the presence of HF, yielded a family of materials of the type oxyfluorovanadium/copper–bisterpy/organodiphosphonate. Under similar reaction conditions, variations in diphosphonate tether length n provided the one-dimensional [{Cu2(bisterpy)}V2F2O2{HO3PCH2PO3}{O3PCH2PO3}] (1) and [{Cu2(bisterpy)}V2F4O4{HO3P(CH2)2PO3H}] (3), the two-dimensional [{Cu2(bisterpy)}V2F2O2(H2O)2{HO3P(CH2)2PO3}2]·2H2O (2·2H2O), [{Cu2(bisterpy)(H2O)2}V2F2O2{O3P(CH2)3PO3}{HO3P(CH2)3PO3H} (4) and [{Cu2(bisterpy)}V4F4O4(OH)(H2O){HO3P(CH2)5PO3}{O3P(CH2)5PO3}]·H2O (9·H2O) and the three-dimensional [{Cu2(bisterpy)}3V8F6O17{HO3P(CH2)3PO3}4]·0.8H2O (5·0.8H2O), [{Cu2(bisterpy)}V4F2O6{O3P(CH2)4PO3}2] (8) and [{Cu2(bisterpy)(H2O)}2V8F4O8(OH)4{HO3P(CH2)5PO3H}2{O3P(CH2)5PO3}3]·4.8H2O (10·4.8H2O). In addition, two members of the oxovanadium/Cu2(bisterpy)/organodiphosphonate family [{Cu2(bisterpy)}V2O4{HO3P(CH2)3PO3}2] (6) and [{Cu2(bisterpy)}3V4O8(OH)2{O3P(CH2)3PO3}2{HO3P(CH2)3PO3}2]·5H2O (7·5H2O) cocrystallized from the reaction mixture which provided 5. The overall architectures reveal embedded substructures based on V/P/O(F) clusters, chains, networks, and frameworks. In contrast to the oxovanadium/Cu2(bisterpy)/ organodiphosphonate family, several of the materials of this study also exhibit the direct condensation of vanadium polyhedra to produce binuclear and/or tetranuclear building units.
A class I jumping clone places the HLA-G gene approximately 100 kilobases from HLA-H within the HLA-A subregion of the human MHC.

Abstract By the combination of cosmid cloning, chromosomal jumping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), we have fine-mapped the HLA-A subregion of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Through the isolation of a class I jumping clone, the Qa-like HLA-G class I gene has been placed within 100 kb of HLA-H. The tight physical linkage of these class I genes has been further supported by hybridizing PFGE blots with locus-specific probes. It has been found that both of the above class I genes are linked to HLA-A, with HLA-H residing no more than 200 kb from the HLA-A gene. These data support the possible existence of a Qa-like subregion composed of nonclassical HLA class I genes within the human MHC linked telomerically to the HLA-A locus.
CHAPTER 39 – Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Essential functional characteristics of the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor were first described by Katz and his coworkers in the postsynaptic membrane of the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. This receptor dwellsin three types of states: resting, open, and desensitized. In the resting state and the desensitized states, the receptor is nonconducting. In the open state, the receptor conducts Na + , K + , and Ca + , causing depolarization of the postsynaptic membrane. Binding of acetylcholine (ACh) shifts the distribution of states rapidly from resting to open, with the probability of opening being much greater when two AChs are bound than when one is bound. Normally, ACh is removed from the synapse within a few milliseconds by diffusion and by acetylcholinesterase, and the receptor returns directly to the resting state. On longer exposure to ACh, the receptor enters the desensitized state, in which the affinity for ACh is three to four orders of magnitude greater than in the resting state, and the receptor returns to the resting state when ACh is removed.
Intracellular currents of interictal penicillin spikes: Evidence from neuromagnetic mapping

To analyze the net intracellular current produced by interictal spikes, we mapped the extracranial magnetic fields of the rat brain following application of penicillin to the right or left medial cingulate cortex. Averaged interictal spikes in both the magnetoencephalogram (MEG) and in the electrocorticogram (ECoG) were composed of 4 temporal components, a biphasic spike and slow wave. Magnetic field maps for each of these components indicated a source at the location of penicillin application, with intracellular currents oriented perpendicular to the surface of the cingulate cortex, along the axis of the major pyramidal cells. The polarity of the magnetic fields for each of the components was reversed between the two cingulate groups, reflecting the respective orientation of pyramidal cells between the juxtaposed faces of the medial cingulate cortex. This neuromagnetic study of net intracellular current complements and extends the analysis of extracellular currents within the penicillin focus obtained using laminar electrodes. These data also demonstrate how animal neuromagnetometry may provide an empirical foundation for the neurogenesis of the MEG and a new unique method for the non-invasive study of population cell physiology.
A duty to use IVF

Malek and Daar (2012) argue that there is a duty for prospective parents to use preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for the medical benefit of future children if they know they are at risk for ...
VARIETIES OF LITERARY EXPERIENCE: 1984 AND GEORGE ORWELL'S ‘PROPHETIC VISIONS’

(1990). VARIETIES OF LITERARY EXPERIENCE: 1984 AND GEORGE ORWELL'S ‘PROPHETIC VISIONS’. English Studies in Africa: Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 111-130.
Radiofrequency catheter ablation of the atrioventricular junction from the left ventricle.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to describe a new technique for catheter ablation of the atrioventricular junction using radiofrequency energy delivered in the left ventricle. METHODS AND RESULTS Catheter ablation of the atrioventricular (AV) junction using a catheter positioned across the tricuspid annulus was unsuccessful in eight patients with a mean +/- SD age of 51 +/- 19 years who had AV nodal reentry tachycardia (three patients), orthodromic tachycardia using a concealed midseptal accessory pathway, atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter (two patients), or atrial fibrillation. Before attempts at catheter ablation of the AV junction, each patient had been refractory to pharmacological therapy, and four had failed attempts at either catheter modification of the AV node using radiofrequency energy or surgical and catheter ablation of the accessory pathway. Conventional right-sided catheter ablation of the AV junction using radiofrequency energy in six patients and both radiofrequency energy and direct current shocks in two patients was ineffective. The mean amplitude of the His bundle potential recorded at the tricuspid annulus at the sites of unsuccessful AV junction ablation was 0.1 +/- 0.08 mV, with a maximum His amplitude of 0.03-0.28 mV. A 7F deflectable-tip quadripolar electrode catheter with a 4-mm distal electrode was positioned against the upper left ventricular septum using a retrograde aortic approach from the femoral artery. Third-degree AV block was induced in each of the eight patients with 20-36 W applied for 15-30 seconds. The His bundle potential at the sites of successful AV junction ablation ranged from 0.06 to 0.99 mV, with a mean of 0.27 +/- 0.32 mV. There was no rise in the creatine kinase-MB fraction and no complications occurred. An intrinsic escape rhythm of 30-60 beats/min was present in seven of the eight patients. Each patient received a permanent pacemaker and has been asymptomatic during 3-13 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Catheter ablation of the AV junction can be achieved effectively and safely using radiofrequency energy delivered in the left ventricle when the conventional right-sided approach is unsuccessful.
Synthesis and melt growth of doped ZnSe crystals

Abstract Single crystals of ZnSe have been grown by the gradient freeze technique from a stoichiometric melt in a sealed hot-walled system. This allows the incorporation of dopants of high vapor pressure and maintainance of stoichiometry. Samples are subsequently shown not to be entirely self-compensated.
The Carboxysome Shell Is Permeable to Protons

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are polyhedral organelles found in an increasingly wide variety of bacterial species. These structures, typified by carboxysomes of cyanobacteria and many chemoautotrophs, function to compartmentalize important reaction sequences of metabolic pathways. Unlike their eukaryotic counterparts, which are surrounded by lipid bilayer membranes, these microbial organelles are bounded by a thin protein shell that is assembled from multiple copies of a few different polypeptides. The main shell proteins form hexamers whose edges interact to create the thin sheets that form the facets of the polyhedral BMCs. Each hexamer contains a central pore hypothesized to mediate flux of metabolites into and out of the organelle. Because several distinctly different metabolic processes are found in the various BMCs studied to date, it has been proposed that a common advantage to packaging these pathways within shell-bound compartments is to optimize the concentration of volatile metabolites in the BMC by maintaining an interior pH that is lower than that of the cytoplasm. We have tested this idea by recombinantly fusing a pH-sensitive green fluorescent protein (GFP) to ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO), the major enzyme component inside the carboxysome. Our results suggest that the carboxysomal pH is similar to that of its external environment and that the protein shell does not constitute a proton barrier. The explanation for the sundry BMC functions must therefore be sought in the characteristics of the pores that traverse their shells.
Enhanced Wear Resistance of a-Alumina by Surface Modification with Chromia and Titania

Polycrystalline α-alumina surface alloyed with chromia in lubricated sliding contact with 52100 steel was previously shown to have much better wear resistance than unalloyed α-alumina. Surface alloying with titania had the opposite effect. The present study extended the results to single crystals and to dry contacts. Wear of chromia surface alloyed alumina was three to six times less than unalloyed, alumina- under both dry and lubricated conditions. The wear resistance of titania surface alloyed α-alumina was significantly improved with single crystal samples. Grain pullout and cleavage fracture were the principal wear modes in polycrystalline while single crystal alumina showed mainly cleavage fracture. Subsurface crack propagation was also observed in both single and polycrystalline samples. The progression of wear in single crystal alumina was recorded by observing replicas of the surface taken at increasing sliding distance. Presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio May 9–12, 1988
Stereoselective synthesis of the 1,N2-deoxyguanosine adducts of cinnamaldehyde. A stereocontrolled route to deoxyguanosine adducts of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

α,β-Unsaturated aldehydes (enals) react with deoxyguanosine and have mutagenic potential. For higher enals, the reaction of deoxyguanosine gives diastereomeric 6-substituted 8-hydroxypyrimidopurinone products. These stereoisomers may have different local conformations in DNA, which may have biological consequences. We have developed a stereospecific synthesis of 1,N2-deoxyguanosine adducts of cinnamaldehyde. The key step is the synthesis is a metal-promoted intramolecular C–H insertion reaction of nitrogen of an enantiomerically pure sulfamate ester. The approach may be general for the stereocontrolled synthesis of this class of DNA adducts and can be applied to the preparation of site-specifically adducted oligonucleotides.
Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Biosensors That Detect Ran Conformational Changes and a Ran·GDP-Importin-β-RanBP1 Complexin Vitro and in Intact Cells

The Ran GTPase plays a central role in nucleocytoplasmic transport. Association of Ran x GTP with transport carriers (karyopherins) triggers the loading/unloading of export or import cargo, respectively. The C-terminal tail of Ran x GTP is deployed in an extended conformation when associated with a Ran binding domain or importins. To monitor tail orientation, a Ran-GFP fusion was labeled with the fluorophore Alexa546. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) occurs efficiently between the green fluorescent protein (GFP) and Alexa546 for Ran x GDP and Ran x GTP, suggesting that the tail is tethered in both states. However, Ran x GTP complexes with importin-beta, RanBP1, and Crm1 all show reduced FRET consistent with tail extension. Displacement of the C-terminal tail of Ran by karyopherins may be a general mechanism to facilitate RanBP1 binding. A Ran x GDP-RanBP1-importin-beta complex also displayed a low FRET signal. To detect this complex in vivo, a bipartite biosensor consisting of Ran-Alexa546 plus GST-GFP-RanBP1, was co-injected into the cytoplasm of cells. The Ran redistributed predominantly to the nucleus, and RanBP1 remained cytoplasmic. Nonetheless, a robust cytoplasmic FRET signal was detectable, which suggests that a significant fraction of cytoplasmic Ran.GDP may exist in a ternary complex with RanBP1 and importins.
Ovarian surgery in premenarchal girls.

Background Ovarian surgery in premenarchal girls can result in future fertility problems, either from removal of normal ovarian tissue or adhesion formation. In addition, the small size of the normal premenarchal ovary may make conservation of ovarian tissue more challenging. This study was undertaken to assess the indications, procedures and pathology in premenarchal girls undergoing ovarian surgery. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed of all premenarchal girls who underwent ovarian surgery at the University of Michigan from 1980–1996. All available charts (n = 52) had information extracted concerning age at time of surgery, presenting symptoms, pre- and post-operative diagnosis, procedure and pathology report. Results Of the 52 patients 50% were less than 1 year old, 31% between 1 and 8 years old, and 19% were between 8 and 12 years old. Presenting complaints in 29 patients included structural and or endocrinological abnormalities: mass on prenatal ultrasound (9), precocious puberty (5), ambiguous genitalia and other congenital anomalies (10), vaginal bleeding (1) and groin mass (5). The other 20 patients presented with abdominal complaints, including pain (13), vomiting (9), fever (6), bowel complaints (3) and urinary retention (1). The most common preoperative diagnosis was abdominal/pelvic mass (23). Others included chromosomal abnormality (9), ovarian cyst (6), hernia (5), torsion (2), appendicitis (2), malignancy (2), small bowel obstruction (1) and hematocolpos (1). The postoperative diagnosis revealed 17 torsions and 16 ovarian masses without torsion, 9 chromosomal abnormalities, 5 hernias, 4 malignancies, and 1 small bowel obstruction. Procedures include 37 salpingo-oophorectomies, 28 unilateral and 9 bilateral, 7 oophorectomies and 7 cystectomies. One patient underwent a staging procedure. Pathology reports confirmed hemorrhagic infarctions (19), abnormal gonads (8), simple cysts (7), teratomas (6), theca lutein cysts (4) fibroma (1), stromal tumor (1), mucinous cystadenoma (1), granulosa cell tumor (1), uterine neuro blastoma (1), mixed germ cell neoplasm (1), metastatic Wilms’ tumor (1), and gonadoblastoma (1). In the 7 patients with a simple cyst, three underwent a cystectomy. Conclusions Torsion was the most common diagnosis in our study group and was usually not suspected. Premenarchal ovarian surgery usually includes removal of the entire ovary, however, since malignancies are rare in this population (7.7%), a cystectomy should be considered when appropriate and technically feasible.
Everyday Creativity and the Arts

Everyday artistic creativity is downplayed in our schools, our lives, our culture. Yet here is an essential language of our lives, opening us to important ways of knowing, truth, beauty, and means for creative coping, as individuals and as cultures. Views of John Dewey and Suzanne Langer are each considered. A devaluation of artistic creativity may also reflect unacknowledged biases related to emotional “versus” intellectual knowing, gender stereotyping, science “versus” art, individualism “versus” interdependence, false stereotypes of creative “unhealth,” and eminent “versus” everyday creativity. Addressing these holds promise for our personal well-being and development, and our greater health as cultures.
How certain is the uncertainty principle

Abstract For the ground problem of Newtonian mechanics, recent work is reviewed where it is shown that there is a one-parameter family of Lagrangians all producing the same equations of motion, all non-equivalent canonically, and all satisfying Galilean covariance. The canonical momentum becomes parameter dependent and therefore ambiguous, and then so too do the canonical commutation rules and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle (e.g. the coordinate of one particle may become complementary not to its usual mechanical momentum but to the momentum of a different particle). A way of resolving the ambiguity of commutation rules, by reformulating many-particle dynamics as higher-order one-particle dynamics, is pointed out and includes as well a means to generalize relativistically a non-relativistic dynamics.
The five maxims of project satisfaction

Software development projects are notoriously poorly managed. It is not uncommon for projects to be delivered late and over budget by a factor of 50% to 100% ‐‐ in fact, in some software development organisations it is expected or even regarded as normal. The paper aims to fuse traditional project management theory with customer satisfaction principles most often applied within marketing disciplines. By thoroughly understanding the motivations of stakeholders and adopting a customer‐focused approach, a project manager can begin to effectively manage expectations and reduce overall stakeholder dissatisfaction.
Organization of periodic orbits in the driven Duffing oscillator.

The global organization of the periodic orbits in the periodically driven Duffing oscillator is described in terms of the relative rotation rates of pairs of orbits. We compare this organization with that determined by the second return of a horseshoe map and find a complete agreement, up to the global torsion, for all orbit pairs and all the regions of the bifurcation diagram studied. In addition, we characterize topologically different flows in the Duffing family by their global torsion.
Cloud top height variability of strong convective cells

Cloud top height variability of cloud domes above the cirrostratus anvil was investigated for two severe local storm occurrences over Texas on May 12 and 13, 1972. Twenty-three domes were monitored and the average maximum height was 1.6 km above the anvil. It was estimated that a dome would take a maximum of about 6 min to grow from the anvil level to peak altitude based on measurements over the last 2 min of the growth period when the upward vertical velocity averaged 4 m/sec. The extreme vertical growth rate was 27 m/sec for a 30-sec period. This vertical growth rate compared with a range of 11.4-19.4 m sec determined from a method of estimating vertical motions based on laboratory measurements. Average dome collapse was at the same rate as the average ascent for the first 90 sec after the maximum altitude was reached.
Localized endometrial proliferations associated with pregnancy: Clinical and histopathologic features of 11 cases

Eleven cases of an unusual endometrial glandular proliferation associated with early pregnancy are reported. All lesions were incidental discoveries in first-trimester gestational endometria (two elective abortions; five spontaneous abortions; three hydatidiform moles; one tubal ectopic pregnancy). Most patients (nine of 11; 82%) were older than 30 years of age; associated clinical features included oligoovulation (two), hypertension (one), and obesity (one). All lesions were small and localized, and displayed similar histological features of variable severity including glandular expansion with smooth external contours; epithelial stratification (4 to 15 layers); cribriforming (focal to extensive); mitotic activity; bland nuclear cytology; and prominent intraglandular calcifications (eight cases; 72%). Although the natural history of these distinctive pregnancy-associated endometrial lesions was unknown, nine lesions were initially classified as benign, and two were interpreted as atypical endometrial hyperplasia or focal adenocarcinoma. Follow-up for an average of 34 months (range, 18 to 56) in nine patients showed no residual endometrial lesion (seven endometrial curettages and two hysterectomies). Three patients followed by curettage have subsequently completed successful pregnancies. This unusual lesion may represent a localized, endometrial proliferation induced by pregnancy; although some endometrial lesions may display striking architectural complexity, follow-up to date suggests a benign behavior.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FEEDBACK FOR L1‐ENGLISH AND L2‐WRITING DEVELOPMENT: A META‐ANALYSIS

This research project undertook a review and synthesis of previous research on the effectiveness of feedback for individual writing development. The work plan was divided into two main phases. First, we surveyed all available studies that have investigated the effectiveness of writing feedback, including both quantitative and qualitative research, for students who have learned English as a first language (L1-English), students who have learned English as a second language (L2-English), and students who have learned second languages other than English. The results of this survey are described in a narrative overview of previous research pertaining to the role of feedback in the development of writing proficiency. The survey also identified the major theoretical constructs used in this research domain, providing the basis for subsequent statistical analysis. Second, we built on this survey to carry out a meta-analysis of empirical studies in this research area. The goal of the meta-analysis was to provide a quantitative investigation of the extent and ways in which feedback has been effective, summarizing the findings of previous quantitative studies that have employed suitable statistical measures. Several analytical steps were required for the meta-analysis: developing a coding rubric; analyzing the research design and adequacy of reporting in studies to determine if they were suitable for inclusion; coding each study for all relevant research design factors; computing effect sizes for each study; and analyzing and interpreting the general patterns that hold across this set of studies. The meta-analysis compared the gains in writing development with respect to several different kinds of feedback. Overall, feedback was found to result in gains in writing development. Beyond that, there were several predictable findings (e.g., that written feedback is more effective than oral feedback for writing development) and several other more noteworthy trends (e.g., that peer feedback is more effective than teacher feedback for L2-English students; commenting is more effective than error location; and in general, focus on form and content seems to be more effective than an exclusive focus on form).
Controlled Patterning of Diblock Copolymers by Monolayer Langmuir−Blodgett Deposition

Nonlithographic techniques for patterning structures on the nanometer scale can provide methods for direct control of particle spacing at surfaces. By using diblock copolymers, the surface density of a film can be established by the properties and area of the anchoring block, and the feature sizes can be set through the choice of free block dimensions. By depositing poly(styrene)−poly(ethylene oxide) (PS−PEO) diblock copolymers of different fractional composition of PEO on a surface by a Langmuir−Blodgett technique at different pressures, we show that the surface density of poly(styrene) aggregates can be controlled. The separation of PS aggregates on the surface is ensured by selection of the PEO composition so that its projected area is greater than that of the PS for all pressures less than that of the transition from a 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional film. The areal density of these resultant PS surface micelles can be tuned for a particular polymer composition and is linearly dependent on the depositi...
Convective diffusion to a rotating disk

Convective diffusion to a rotating‐disk electrode is investigated. A coordinate transformation is employed that removes the discontinuous nature of the surface boundary conditions at the electrode‐insulator edge and difficulties associated with the treatment of boundary conditions specified for infinite values of the radial and axial coordinates. The transformation also accounts for variations in the diffusion‐layer thickness caused by changes in stir rates or fluid properties. For the transport‐limited condition, the average current and the current distribution are functions of two dimension‐less groups only: the Schmidt and Reynolds numbers. The current response is bounded by the Levich equation for large Schmidt and Reynolds numbers and by the well‐known equation for the current response of a stationary disk in the limit of zero Schmidt or Reynolds numbers. Additional interfacial kinetic parameters are considered below the transport‐limited condition.
Effect of Strategy Instruction on Fourth-Grade Dual Language Learners' Ability to Monitor Their Comprehension of Scientific Texts

This research work examined the impact of a science-reading instructional sequence (InSciRead) on fourth-grade Spanish-English dual language learners' ability to monitor their comprehension of content-related (erosion, deposition, and transportation) texts. We used a quantitative measure of students' ability to detect incongruities in a related text, complemented with a qualitative analysis of the data. The study included 78 fourth-grade students (including eight with disabilities). The curriculum was generally successful, with significant progress shown in students' ability to monitor their comprehension after the intervention.
Interaction effects in optically dense materials

The properties of optically dense materials are influenced by interactions between elementary optical excitations (oscillators). Since such interactions are absent in the dilute limit, the resulting properties are unique to optically dense materials. While linear optical experiments can probe these effects, for example the Lorentz-Lorenz resonance shift, they are often more apparent in nonlinear experiments that are sensitive to coherence. Direct gap semiconductors are typically optically dense close to the fundamental gap and have been extensively studied using ultrafast coherent spectroscopy over the last ten years. However, their coherent optical properties are very complex because of many-body interactions among the extended excitations (electron-hole pairs or excitons). Dense atomic vapors have also been studied, but typically using frequency domain techniques. We present the results of using ultrafast techniques to study both semiconductors and dense atomic vapors. This reveals the similarities and differences of the two systems, yielding insight into the characteristics of each individually.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Synthetic-fiber deep-sea mooring cables: Their life expectancy and susceptibility to biological attack☆

Abstract From December, 1960, to the present, 126 Richardson-type buoy stations have been set. The recoveries and losses are recorded here, and the causes of failure and life expectancy are discussed in some detail. It is believed that most of the failures have been due to biological attack; evidence in support of this theory is presented.
A theory of damage in brittle materials

Abstract The present paper addresses the geometric representation of damage in brittle solids, its equation of evolution and its incorporation in the constitutive equation. The concept of a damage coordinate is introduced and a thermodynamic derivation of the evolution equation follows. A continuum damage theory ensues. The theory is applied to the case of a thin plate with a central crack under a tensile load in a direction normal to the plane of the crack. The fracture stress is calculated numerically using a finite element code for various crack lengths and a comparison is made with its observed value. Excellent agreement between the two is obtained with the aid of only one damage parameter, the damage propensity constant. A congruence between the theory and linear fracture mechanics is then shown when the damage coordinate is the crack length.
Influence of Copper on the Characteristics of Swiss-Type Cheeses,

Abstract Sufficient cupric sulfate solution was added to cheese milk to give .25 to 1ppm of copper. The resulting cheese had copper concentrations 8 to 13 times higher than that of the milk. Proteolysis increased in conventional Swiss cheese with increasing copper concentrations, but in Iowa-style Swiss, no relationship was consistent. The ratio of acetic to propionic acids was different in Iowa-style and conventional Swiss, but the amounts of these acids were not related to copper concentration. When the copper in Iowa-style Swiss cheese was increased, flavor acceptance declined, but with conventional Swiss cheese, the reverse was true. Copper increased the modulus of elasticity and coefficent of viscous traction in conventional cheese. The rate of production of carbon dioxide was decreased in Iowa-style cheese by about 11ppm of copper. The reflectance of conventional Swiss cheese decreased more or less uniformly across the visible spectrum as it ripened, but this was not affected by copper.
Evidence for cholesteric morphology in films of cellulose acetate butyrate by transmission electron microscopy

Transmission electron microscopy provides direct evidence of helicoidal cholesteric morphology in films of cellulose acetate butyrate prepared by solvent casting from liquid crystalline solutions in dimethylacetamide. We believe this is the first observation reported of cholesteric structure in a mixed cellulosic ester. Cholesteric morphology was also observed in solvent cast blended films of cellulose acetate butyrate and lignin from liquid crystalline solutions. There are indications that lignin particles may be serving as nucleating surfaces or sites of direct termination for some of the observed cholesteric fingerprint pattern.
Composable memory transactions

Writing concurrent programs is notoriously difficult and is of increasing practical importance. A particular source of concern is that even correctly implemented concurrency ions cannot be composed together to form larger ions. In this paper we present a concurrency model, based on transactional memory, that offers far richer composition. All the usual benefits of transactional memory are present (e.g., freedom from low-level deadlock), but in addition we describe modular forms of blocking and choice that were inaccessible in earlier work.
SU‐FF‐J‐106: Volumetric Visualization of Clinical Contours, Dose, High‐Definition Patient Anatomy for Four‐Dimensional Adaptive Radiotherapy Treatment Planning

Purpose: Volume rendered analysis of organ motion throughout the course of radiotherapy, investigating organ interplay during inter‐ and intra‐fraction motion and patient variation. Method and Materials: We used a two‐step process to volumetrically visualize clinical contours and dose alongside patient anatomy. First, deformable image registration methods were applied to warp physician‐drawn contours from a single phase (either end‐of‐exhale or mid‐exhale) to all other respiratory phases of a four‐dimensional treatment dataset. For this process, a b‐spline, intensity‐matching algorithm was used to deform the original physician‐drawn contours. The resultant contours were then fused onto their respective phases. Next, a High Definition® Volume Rendering engine by Fovia© Inc. was used to render and display structure contours alongside dose distributions and high‐detail anatomy. The four‐dimensional display allowed for dynamic, interactive, and intuitive visualization and qualitative assessment of treatment accuracy. A set of sample thoracic, GI, and head and neck cases were reviewed following this methodology. In addition to dose‐delivery verification, anatomical regions with reported treatment complications were scrutinized for any unusual dose patterns or organ movements/deformations. Results: Our results show agreement between the centers of mass and targets identified automatically by our deformable image registration and manually by the radiation oncologist. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses provided useful insights into the potential and limitations of four‐dimensional radiotherapytreatment planning.Conclusion: Time variation of patient physiology during radiotherapy warrants continued reassessment of the delivered treatment plan. Volume rendering allows for improved visualization of the interplay between planned treatment ports and patient anatomy, illustrating in an interactive way changes as they occur over the course of treatment.
A wide-band NMOS balanced modulator/amplifier which uses 1- mu m transistors for linearity

The saturated drain current of short-channel (1 mu m) NMOS transistors is nearly linear with gate drive. A wideband balanced modulator/amplifier which exploits this property to achieve low distortion is described. Operated with a 5-V power supply, the circuit has a gain of 10 with respect to the modulating input, an intrinsic 3-dB bandwidth near 100 MHz, and nonlinearity less than 0.5% for a voltage swing of +or-2 V. This input can serve as modulation for a square wave carrier with equally good linearity. >
Model-based reinforcement learning for approximate optimal regulation

Reinforcement learning (RL)-based online approximate optimal control methods applied to deterministic systems typically require a restrictive persistence of excitation (PE) condition for convergence. This paper develops a concurrent learning (CL)-based implementation of model-based RL to solve approximate optimal regulation problems online under a PE-like rank condition. The development is based on the observation that, given a model of the system, RL can be implemented by evaluating the Bellman error at any number of desired points in the state space. In this result, a parametric system model is considered, and a CL-based parameter identifier is developed to compensate for uncertainty in the parameters. Uniformly ultimately bounded regulation of the system states to a neighborhood of the origin, and convergence of the developed policy to a neighborhood of the optimal policy are established using a Lyapunov-based analysis, and simulation results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the developed controller.
Cloning and characterization of the multifunctional his-3 gene of Neurospora crassa

Abstract We have cloned the his -3 gene of Neurospora crassa and determined its nucleotide sequence. The gene specifies a protein of 863 amino acids (aa) and contains a 59-bp intron which interrupts aa 800, a proline residue. The 5′ end of the his -3 transcript is heterogeneous with major starts 122 and 124 bp upstream from the start codon. There are three possible polyadenylation sites, 119,120 and 121 bp after the UAA stop codon. The protein shows two regions of homology to the yeast HIS4 gene which correspond to the hisIE and hisD genes of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium . Northern analysis shows that the level of his -3 mRNA increases severalfold in cultures subjected to histidine starvation.
Granular insecticides and birds: Factors to be considered in understanding exposure and reducing risk

Granular insecticides are used extensively, and many are highly toxic to birds. Here we discuss potential routes of avian exposure to granular insecticides and factors influencing those routes, suggest possible corrective measures for reducing exposure, and identify areas of needed research. Potential routes of exposure include inhalation or dermal absorption, inadvertent ingestion of granules, ingestion of prey or plant material containing pesticide residues, mistaking granules for food, and consuming granules as a source of grit. Bird consumption of granules for grit depends on factors affecting availability, bird behavior, grit/granule characteristics preferred by birds, and grit/granule retention in the gizzard. Avian exposure to granular insecticides may be reduced by taking into account factors such as application rate/incorporation of granules, habitat-use patterns of birds, granule integrity in the field, rate of release of insecticide from the granules, and consumption of granules as a source of grit or food. Altering certain physical characteristics of insecticide granules may reduce avian exposure; these include granule size, shape and surface texture, composition, color, and insecticide load. Research needs include evaluations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's current granular risk index, the relative importance of the various potential routes of exposure, grit-use patterns of birds, and bird habitat use and behavior in treated fields.
Changes in serum levels of quinolones in rats under the influence of experimental trauma.

Administration of antibiotics is considered an important factor during, or after, operational procedures in the maxillofacial area, in order to avoid post-surgical complications. In the present study, the levels of quinolones in serum and tissues such as the parotid gland, the tongue and the bone of the jaws were estimated during traumatic injury in the oral cavity. For this purpose, two groups (A and B) of Wistar rats, consisting of 35 animals each were used. Group A (control) and group B (experimental) were divided in five subgroups (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and B1, B2, B3, B4, B5). In the experimental group, model traumatic injury was performed through the whole length of the cheek. Subjects received orally ciprofloxacin, pefloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin and cinoxacin. The concentration of quinolones in serum and in most of the tissues was significantly higher, in the experimental groups than in controls. In addition, the FFA levels and the weight of adrenals (as indicators of stress) were higher in the trauma groups. Stress seemed to affect many pathophysiological mechanisms which are responsible for the alterations observed.
Active Wireless Sensing: Space-Time Information Retrieval from Sensor Ensembles

Existing approaches for information extraction in wireless sensor networks are heavily geared towards in-network processing, which generally incurs excess delay and energy consumption due to the attendant tasks of information routing and coordination between nodes. In this paper, we introduce an alternative concept of Active Wireless Sensing in which a wireless information retriever (WIR) interrogates a select ensemble of nodes for rapid and energy-efficient retrieval of desired information. Active Wireless Sensing has two primary attributes: i) the sensor nodes are "dumb" in that they have limited computational ability, and ii) the WIR is computationally powerful, is equipped with an antenna array, and directly interrogates the sensor ensemble with wideband space-time waveforms. Our approach is based on an intimate connection between Active Wireless Sensing and wideband multi-antenna wireless channels in multipath propagation environments: the sensor nodes play the role of active scatterers and generate a multipath response to WIR's interrogation signals. We illustrate the basic communication architecture in Active Wireless Sensing and the corresponding signal processing at the WIR. Preliminary simulation results are presented to illustrate a fundamental rate versus reliability tradeoff in Active Wireless Sensing.
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Modeling Applied to Anesthetic Drugs

Several different classes of drugs are used in clinical anesthetic practice. These include muscle paralyzing drugs, potent inhalational anesthetics, intravenous hypnotics and opioids. The measurement of drug effect for each of these classes differs in complexity and resolution. Many concepts of drug pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling have been developed with anesthetic drugs. This has occurred because the drug effects are generally profound, can be quantitated in a reasonable manner and are relatively rapid in onset. Understanding anesthetic clinical pharmacology and therapeutics is intimately linked to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling concepts.
OPTIMIZATION OF BOUNDS IN TEMPORAL FLEXIBLE PLANS WITH DYNAMIC CONTROLLABILITY

A temporal flexible planning problem that involves contingent and requirement events can be formulated as a simple temporal network with uncertainty (STNU). An STNU is controllable when there is a ...