cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of an Informational Option on the Fundamental Attribution Error

The present study investigated the fundamental attribution error (FAE) using a new paradigm and a repeated-measures design. Subjects were asked to attribute the actual impressions held by targets who had been shown photographs and had been asked to record impressions under conditions varying in constraint. The FAE was substantial when the target's impression responses were shown but was sharply reduced-to nonsignifcance in a condition of maximal constraint-when the photographs were also provided. Subjects thus displayed a capacity to recognize "worthless" information and to discount the behavior of a highly constrained target but only when given an informational option relevant for the required attributional judgment. These findings, indicating that the perceived diagnosticity of information about a constrained target may be highly dependent upon the judgmental context, were interpreted as identifying a significant cognitive boundary condition for the FAE.
Solubilization of “guest” molecules into polymeric aggregates

The solubilization capacity of block copolymer aggregates in aqueous solutions for hydrophobic guest molecules is reviewed in this paper. Experimental results on the solubilization of a number of hydrocarbons and mixtures of hydrocarbons, and hydrophobic molecules with varying degrees of polarity are first summarized. We then describe in detail a predictive molecular thermodynamic theory of solubilization formulated in our earlier studies. Explicit analytical expressions are provided for the standard state free energy change associated with solubilization of hydrocarbons in aggregates having spherical, cylindrical and lamellar shapes. Utilizing these free energy expressions and using only molecular constants, the core size, corona thickness, and aggregation number of the polymeric aggregates and the volume fraction of the hydrocarbon solubilized in the core have been predicted. The characteristics of aggregates formed from diblock and triblock copolymers and their solute uptake capacity are compared and related to the molecular properties of the guest molecules and the block copolymers. Further, theoretical results from a systematic study of solubilization of several hydrocarbons by aggregates formed of the family of Pluronic® triblock copolymers are discussed. Very interestingly, solubilization is shown to induce a transition in aggregate shapes from spheres to cylinders and then to lamellae. The origin of such shape transitions is identified in terms of the different free energy contributions. Finally, a few applications of solubilization in block copolymer aggregates are briefly mentioned. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Strength-based practice and parental engagement in child welfare services: An empirical examination

Abstract Child welfare policy and practice increasingly emphasize the use of strength-based practice in concert with efforts to reduce identified risks to child safety. Compared with strategies for assessing risk, however, strength-based child welfare interventions lack a robust empirical foundation. Using data from a linked sample of primary caregivers (n = 679) and child welfare caseworkers (n = 327), the present study used path analysis to examine the relationship between parent report of workers' use of strength-based practice and parent investment in child welfare services. The study also examined the role of worker characteristics, organizational factors, child placement status, and parent risk factors. As hypothesized, parents' perceptions regarding their workers' use of strength-based practices robustly predicted their buy-in to services. Furthermore, those parents with a child in out-of-home placement, compared to those receiving in-home services, were less likely to perceive their worker as strength-based or to engage in services. The only significant organizational variable was workers' positive challenge, directly influencing strength-based practices and indirectly affecting parent engagement. Further, parents who reported using substances and those experiencing more economic hardship were more likely to buy-in to services. The findings provide empirical support for the link between parents' willingness to engage in services and the use of strength-based interventions, and contribute to current discussions regarding the appropriate balance between reducing risks to child safety and strengthening family capacities.
Comparison of clinical evaluation of genitourinary symptoms in female adolescents among primary care versus emergency department physicians.

Abstract Objective To compare clinical approaches to assessment and treatment of female adolescents with genitourinary symptoms among primary care and emergency department (ED) physicians. Design A chart review was performed of the evaluation and treatment of 472 patients presenting between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006. Setting Suburban and tertiary care EDs and primary care settings. Participants Female patients age 13–21 years with genitourinary symptoms. Interventions None. Outcome Measures Physician assessment of sexual history, performance of pelvic exam and sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests, empiric treatment of suspected STIs. Results Patients seen in primary care settings were more likely to be asked about sexual history, including contraceptive use, than patients in the ED ( P P = 0.001), and STI testing ( P = 0.002) than younger patients. There was no significant difference in empiric treatment of patients with positive STI tests between ED and primary care sites or across the age spectrum. Conclusions ED physicians should obtain sexual histories on patients with genitourinary symptoms. Both primary care and ED clinicians should consistently test for STIs in sexually active patients who have genitourinary symptoms. Physicians in both settings should have a low threshold for testing and empirically treating adolescents with symptoms or physical exam findings consistent with STIs.
SEMICLASSICAL ASPECTS OF TRANSFER REACTIONS

Semiclassical analysis of heavy ion induced transfer reactions are discussed for the quasielastic region. Some unique aspects of these reactions are shown, the variety of features which can be understood semiclassically is demonstrated, and some open problems are indicated. 28 refs., 16 figs. (LEW)
Age and task complexity variables in motor performance of children with articulation-disordered, stuttering, and normal speech

Abstract Twenty-four matched triads of young children with articulation-disordered, stuttering, and normal speech were tested for reaction time on a series of 1, 2, or 3 component vocal and manual tasks. Effects of age and task complexity on vocal/manual performance were assessed. Data suggest that the slowness of reaction-time (RT) performance is not “stutterer specific.” Children with stuttering and articulation disorders had significantly slower RTs than children with normal speech. Vocal and manual RTs followed a parallel course of improvement with age for all groups. Young stutterers (aged 3 and 4 years) showed significantly more response variability of RT than articulation-disordered children on simple manual tasks and on complex vocal tasks.
Spatial and temporal patterns of temperature, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen and conductivity in an oligo-mesotrophic, deep-storage reservoir in central Texas

Impoundment behavior was determined for alkalinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity from stations located along the length of a bottom-draining, oligo-mesotrophic, hardwater, deep-storage reservoir located in central Texas. The epilimnion deepened the length of the reservoir throughout the summer as a result of drawdown. Bicarbonate alkalinity and conductivity exhibited both longitudinal and vertical stratification. Alkalinity and conductivity in the epilimnion decreased from the riverine reach downreservoir to the dam. This longitudinal progression was attributed to inflow and photosynthetically induced epilimnetic decalcification.
The human spleen as revealed by scanning electron microscopy.

The three-dimensional world of the spleen was explored by scanning electron microscopy on both arterially perfused and nonperfused specimens, as well as on plastic corrosion casts of splenic vasculatures. Of 25 spleens studied, 18 were examples of hypersplenism. These were contrasted to 7 essentially normal spleens taken from children being staged for treatment of Hodgkin's disease whose spleens proved to be uninvolved in the pathologic process. Splenic sinuses in all 25 spleens were typified by a degree of porosity. RBC were caught in the act of entering sinuses from splenic cords. These sinus windows thus represent one end of an “open” circulatiion pathway. In casts of microvasculature, direct arteriovenous connections were demonstrated, thus establishing an anatomical basis for an often disputed “closed” circulation pathway. Spleens from 7 patients with hereditary spherocytosis had a super abundance of red pulp. Splenic cords were thickened and crowded with spherocytes, many of which presented slightly wrinkled membranes, as were also noted on the peripheral blood RBC. It is possible that these membrane features are unique for HS and reflect the intrinsic membrane abnormality in protein composition. The 7 spleens from chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura had white pulp as the predominant region. Germinal centers were frequent. Lymphocytes and plasma cells with well-developed microvilli were suggestive that relese of antiplatelet antibody might be occurring in white pulp. Platelets were especially notable in peripheral white pulp and marginal zones. Platelet clumps were observed, generally adjacent to splenic macrophages.
Antibody-mediated synergy and interference in the neutralization of SARS-CoV at an epitope cluster on the spike protein.

Incomplete neutralization of virus, especially when it occurs in the presence of excess neutralizing antibody, represents a biological phenomenon that impacts greatly on antibody-mediated immune prophylaxis of viral infection and on successful vaccine design. To understand the mechanism by which a virus escapes from antibody-mediated neutralization, we have investigated the interactions of non-neutralizing and neutralizing antibodies at an epitope cluster on the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The epitope cluster was mapped at the C-terminus of the spike protein; it consists of structurally intertwined epitopes recognized by two neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), 341C and 540C, and a non-neutralizing mAb, 240C. While mAb 341C binds to a mostly linear epitope composed of residues 507PAT509 and V349, mAb 240C binds to an epitope that partially overlaps the former by at least two residues (P507 and A508). The epitope corresponding to mAb 540C is a conformational one, involving residues L504 and N505. In neutralization assays, non-neutralizing 240C disrupted virus neutralization by mAb 341C and/or mAb 540C, whereas a combination of mAbs 341C and 540C blocked virus infectivity synergistically. These findings indicate that the epitope cluster on the spike protein may serve as an evolutionarily conserved platform at which a dynamic interplay between neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibodies occurs, thereby determining the outcome of SARS-CoV infection.
Using virtual scans to improve alignment performance in robot mapping

We present a concept and implementation of a system to integrate low level and mid level spatial cognition processes for an application in robot mapping. Feedback between the two processes helps to improve performance of the recognition task, in our example the alignment of laser scans. The low level laser range scan data ('real scans'), are analyzed with respect to mid level geometric structures. The analysis leads to generation of hypotheses (Virtual Scans) about existing real world objects. These hypotheses are used to augment the real scan data. The core mapping process, called Force Field Simulation, iteratively aligns the augmented data set which then in turn is re analyzed to confirm, modify, or discard the hypotheses in each iteration. Experiments with scan data from a Rescue Robot Scenario show the applicability and advantages of the approach.
Moderate Now, Win Votes Later: The Electoral Consequences of Parties' Policy Shifts in 25 Postwar Democracies

A central tenet of spatial modeling and political representation studies is that, to the extent that citizens vote prospectively, they evaluate the policies that political parties are currently proposing. Yet research on issue evolution and macropartisanship suggests that significant time periods often elapse before voters update their perceptions of parties’ policy positions. We report cross-national, time-series analyses on the relationship between parties’ policy programs and election outcomes in 25 postwar democracies, which suggest that parties’ policy promises exert lagged effects on their electoral support: namely, parties gain votes at the current election when they moderated their policies at the previous Election. By contrast, we find only weak and inconsistent evidence that parties’ support responds to their current policy programs. Our findings have important implications for spatial modeling and for studies on political representation.
Investigating the structure–diffusion–bioactivity relationship of strontium containing bioactive glasses using molecular dynamics based computer simulations

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations have been used to study the effect of SrO/CaO substitution and composition on the glass structure and ionic diffusion behaviors of bioactive glasses. The glass compositions studied include three bioactive glass compositions with silica content ranging from 46 to 65 mol% that covers a wide range of bioactivity. The local environments around modifier cations such as strontium, calcium and sodium and the network structures such as Q n distribution and network connectivity of these glasses were determined as a function of composition. Ionic diffusion was studied by calculating the mean square displacement (MSD) to obtain self-diffusion coefficients and studying diffusion at different temperatures to obtain diffusion energy barriers. The ionic diffusion properties, together with the glass structure features, were used to understand the difference in dissolution and bioactivities of these glasses. It was found that sodium ions had a much higher diffusion coefficient and lower diffusion energy barrier than calcium and strontium ions and the diffusion coefficient of modifier cations decreases by several orders of magnitude with increasing silica content and decreasing bioactivity. The preexponential factor was found to dominate the values of cation diffusion coefficients while diffusion energy barriers are relatively insensitive to composition change in the glasses studied.
Effects of acclimation on metabolic rate and thermal tolerance in the carpenter frog, Rana vergatipes.

1. 1. Metabolic rate and critical thermal maximum (CTM) were studied in three groups of carpenter frogs, Rana virgatipes, acclimated to 5, 15 and 25°C, respectively. 2. 2. Metabolic rate increased with test temperature in all acclimation groups and, over the range of temperatures tested (5–25°C), Q10 was positively correlated with acclimation temperature. 3. 3. Acclimation produced no statistically significant differences in the metabolic performance of the three groups at test temperatures of 5 and 15 °C; at 25°C, the group acclimated to that temperature had a significantly higher rate of metabolism than the other two groups. 4. 4. CTM varied directly with acclimation temperature and was significantly different among the three groups. 5. 5. The inconsistency between metabolic rate data and CTM data as indices of thermal acclimation suggests that the physiological adjustments which mediate acclimation in one process are not identical to those which induce acclimation in the other.
Rate avalanche: Effects on the performance of multi-rate 802.11 wireless networks

Abstract Originally designed to deal with the hidden node problem, the Request-to-Send/Clear-to-Send (RTS/CTS) exchange is often turned off in most infrastructure-based 802.11 networks with the belief that the benefit it brings might not even be able to pay off its transmission overhead. While this is often true for networks using fixed transmission rate, our investigation leads to the opposite conclusion when multiple transmission rates are exploited in WLANs. Through extensive simulations using realistic channel propagation and reception models, we found out that in a heavily loaded multi-rate WLAN, a situation that we call rate avalanche often happens if RTS/CTS is turned off: high collision rates not only lead to retransmissions but also drive the nodes to switch to lower date rates; the retransmissions and the longer channel occupation caused by lower rates will further deteriorate the channel contention, which yields more collisions. This vicious circle could significantly degrade the network performance even no hidden node presents. Our investigation also reveals that, in the absence of effective and practical loss differentiation mechanisms, simply turning on the RTS/CTS could effectively suppress the rate avalanche effect. Various scenarios/conditions are extensively examined to study the impact of RTS/CTS on the network performance. Our study provides some important insights about using the RTS/CTS exchange in multi-rate 802.11 WLANs.
Graph building as a mining activity: finding links in the small

Many analysis of data proceed by building a graph out of the data set and then using social network theory and similar tools on the result. However, there is no theory concerning the construction of the graph itself, even though this is a very important process. In this paper, we attempt to provide a framework in which the graph building process is formalized and studied. We show the parameters (choices) involved in constructing a graph from raw data, and propose some new ways to combine and analyze the data. We also argue the importance of this approach in several domain applications, including criminal/terrorist investigations.
Impact of Transceiver RFIC Impairments on MIMO System Performance

This paper addresses the performance degradation of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems due to MIMO wireless transceiver radio frequency integrated circuits (RFIC) imperfections. The effects of signal coupling in RF front-end, frequency synthesizer phase noise, and the gain imbalance between different radio paths are investigated. These issues are explored by analytical derivations and results are verified by Monte Carlo simulations. The analytical model achieves a good agreement with the simulation results. The conclusion can serve as a useful reference for MIMO RFIC designers.
Regulation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein production by human luteinizing granulosa cells cultured in defined medium.

The production of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBPs) by human luteinizing granulosa cells obtained at oocyte harvest for in vitro fertilization was studied in defined medium. Three species of IGFBP were noted on Western ligand blotting of conditioned medium. A 31-33 kilodalton (kDa) doublet identified as IGFBP-2 by immunoprecipitation was consistently seen and was shown by metabolic labeling to be synthesized de novo. IGFBP-2 production was inhibited by hCG (100 ng/mL) to 32 +/- 8% of levels in control cultures; a similar inhibition was seen with dibutyryl cAMP and forskolin, but not with FSH. IGFBP-2 production was also inhibited by IGF-II and [Leu27]IGF-II (ED50 for both 3 ng/mL) but not by IGF-I at up to 30 ng/mL. In addition to IGFBP-2, a 35-45 kDa IGFBP identified by immunoprecipitation as IGFBP-3 was variably present on ligand blots of control conditioned medium and was consistently found in medium from cells treated with IGF-I or IGF-II (ED50 3 ng/mL) but not with insulin at...
Impact of proximal and distal pocket site-directed mutations on the ferric/ferrous heme redox potential of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase

Cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP) contains a five-coordinate heme active site. The reduction potential for the ferric to ferrous couple in CCP is anomalously low and pH dependent (Eo = ~−180 mV vs. S.H.E. at pH 7). The contribution of the protein environment to the tuning of the redox potential of this couple is evaluated using site-directed mutants of several amino acid residues in the environment of the heme. These include proximal pocket mutation of residues Asp-235, Trp-191, Phe-202, and His-175, distal pocket mutation of residues Trp-51, His-52, and Arg-48; and a heme edge mutation of Ala-147. Where unknown, the structural changes resulting from the amino acid substitution have been studied by X-ray crystallography. In most cases, ostensibly polar or charged residues are replaced by large hydrophobic groups or alternatively by Ala or Gly. These latter have been shown to generate large, solvent-filled cavities. Reduction potentials are measured as a function of pH by spectroelectrochemistry. Starting with the X-ray-derived structures of CCP and the mutants, or with predicted structures generated by molecular dynamics (MD), predictions of redox potential changes are modeled using the protein dipoles Langevin dipoles (PDLD) method. These calculations serve to model an electrostatic assessment of the redox potential change with simplified assumptions about heme iron chemistry, with the balance of the experimentally observed shifts in redox potential being thence attributed to changes in the ligand set and heme coordination chemistry, and/or other changes in the structure not directly evident in the X-ray structures (e.g., ionization states, specific roles played by solvent species, or conformationally flexible portions of the protein). Agreement between theory and experiment is good for all mutant proteins with the exception of the mutation Arg 48 to Ala, and His 52 to Ala. In the former case, the influence of phosphate buffer is adduced to account for the discrepancy, with evidence for phosphate binding in the distal pocket, and measurements made in a bis–tris propane/2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid buffer system agree well with theory. For the latter case, an unknown structural element relevant to His-52 and/or solvent influence in the mutant akin to anion binding in the distal pocket (though lacking proof that it is, and in this case lacking a phosphate effect) manifests in this mutant. The use of exogenous (sixth) ligands in dissecting the contributions to control of redox potential is also explored as a pathway for model building.
A search for methylene in the Orion nebula

A deep search for the J = 4-3 and 5-4 fine-structure components of the N(KK) = 4(04)-3(13) rotational transition of methylene toward the hot core of the Orion KL nebula is conducted. An approximate 4-sigma emission feature which is frequency-coincident with a hyperfine blend of the J = 4-3 component is detected, and weak features (about 2-3 sigma) frequency-coincident with the resolved F = 6-5 and 5-4 hyperfine components of the J = 5-4 component are observed. The relative intensities of these spectral features and their observational repeatability suggest that assignment to interstellar CH2 is likely correct, although the result must be confirmed.
A particle assembly/constrained expansion (PACE) model for the formation and structure of porous metal oxide deposits on nuclear fuel rods in pressurized light water reactors

Abstract A new model is proposed for the structure and properties of porous metal oxide scales (aka Chalk River Unidentified Deposits (CRUD)) observed on the nuclear fuel rod cladding in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR). The model is based on the thermodynamically-driven expansion of agglomerated octahedral nickel ferrite particles in response to pH and temperature changes in the CRUD. The model predicts that porous nickel ferrite with internal {1 1 1} surfaces is a thermodynamically stable structure under PWR conditions even when the free energy of formation of bulk nickel ferrite is positive. This explains the pervasive presence of nickel ferrite in CRUD, observed CRUD microstructures, why CRUD maintains its porosity, and variations in porosity within the CRUD observed experimentally. This model is a stark departure from decades of conventional wisdom and detailed theoretical analysis of CRUD chemistry, and defines new research directions for model validation, and for understanding and ultimately controlling CRUD formation.
Dependence of the equatorial anomaly and of equatorial spread F on the maximum prereversal E × B drift velocity measured at solar maximum

[1] The relation of equatorial bubbles to the equatorial anomaly is important because scintillation that is most disruptive to transionospheric RF propagation occurs when it passes through the intersection of the two. However, measurement of the relation between the two and of the electric field from which both arise is difficult because of large separations in space and time. This first attempt to perform these measurements employs a latitudinal array of ionospheric sounders spanning 0° to 40° dip latitude (DLAT) in the Western American sector. Measured on each day of a solar maximum year are the following: (1) the maximum electron density of the postsunset equatorial anomaly, Ne, at 16° and at 20.3° DLAT at 2100 LT, the time when the anomaly crest is at its maximum latitude; (2) equatorial spread F (ESF), detected by the occurrence of macroscopic bubbles and of bottomside spread F (BSSF), the latter recorded at levels of none, weak and strong; (3) Kp averaged over the 6 hours before sunset. Ne and ESF are considered functions of the maximum prereversal F layer drift E × B drift velocity measured by the Jicamarca incoherent scatter radar also during solar maximum and at the same longitude. Parameters are averaged over two levels of Kp for the three seasons, the E months (March, April, September, and October), D months (November–February), and J months (May–August) to yield the following results: (1) Ne measured at 16°, at 20.3° DLAT or at the anomaly crest are linearly dependent on maximum E × B drift velocity. (2) Occurrence of each level of ESF increases with Ne approximately linearly during the E and J months but not during the D months. (3) ESF occurrence is dependent on and increases approximately linearly with maximum E × B drift velocity during the E and J months. During the D months this dependence is absent. Except for the D months, these results indicate that scintillation increases with maximum prereversal E × B drift velocity: at L-band at the bubble-anomaly intersection because bubble occurrence increases, Ne increases, and the latitudinal extent of the anomaly increases; and at VHF/UHF near the equator because the occurrence of strong BSSF increases.
A Procedure for Measuring Biaxial Viscoelastic Behavior of Thermoplastics

In order to accurately simulate the thermoforming or blowmolding manufacturing processes using finite elements or some other suitable computational procedure, it is necessary to know the constitutive behavior of the material being formed. In this study, an apparatus was developed to measure the large deformation behavior of thermoplastic sheet at elevated temperatures. The specifications of the test apparatus, as well as sample data measurements are presented. Biaxial viscoelastic material properities of ABS sheets were determined at forming temperatures. In particular, the nonlinear stress-strain relationship of the material was experimentally measured at various temperatures above the glass transition temperature and the data correlated to a time and strain separable viscoelastic material model. The results of this study show that it is possible to recover the underlying nonlinear elastic response of heated ABS sheet material, at finite strains, from tests exhibiting significant viscoelastic behavior.
High-spin and low-spin iron(II) complexes with facially-coordinated borohydride ligands.

Rare examples of monometallic high-spin and low-spin L3Fe(H3BH) complexes have been characterized, where the two L3 ligands are [TpPh2] and [PhBP3] ([TpPh2] = [HB(3,5-Ph2pz)3]− and [PhBP3] = [PhB(CH2PPh2)3]−). The structures are reported wherein the borohydride ligand is facially coordinated to the iron center in each complex. Density functional methods have been employed to explain the bonding in these unusual iron(II) centers. Despite the differences in spin states, short Fe–B distances are observed in both complexes and there is significant theoretical evidence to support a substantial bonding interaction between the iron and boron nuclei. In light of this interaction, we suggest that these complexes can be described as (L3)Fe(η4-H3BH) complexes.
The ontogeny of germ plasm during oogenesis in Drosophila

Abstract Primordial germ cells can be induced at both the anterior and ventral region of the Drosophila egg by transplanted posterior polar plasm. Two questions arise from these results: (1) Is fertilization required for germ plasm to be functional, and (2) at what stage during oogenesis does the posterior polar plasm become established as a germ-cell determinant? Polar plasm from unfertilized eggs and from oocytes at stage 10 to 14 of Drosophila melanogaster was implanted into the anterior region of cleavage embryos. Some injected embryos were analyzed at the ultrastructural level during blastoderm formation. Polar plasm from unfertilized eggs and from oocytes of stages 13 and 14 was found to be integrated into several anterior cells that resembled morphologically normal pole cells. The formation of such cells, however, could not be detected in embryos injected with polar plasm from oogenetic stages 10 to 12. Experimentally induced pole cells proved to be capable of differentiating into functional germ cells when cycled through the germ line of genetically different host embryos. About 5% of the flies developing from these embryos produced progeny that originated from the induced pole cells. Germ-line mosaicism in those flies also could be detected histochemically in their gonads. No germ cells were recovered with polar plasm transplants from oogenetic stages 10 to 12. The results show that posterior polar plasm of the unfertilized egg is functional in germ-cell determination, and that prior to egg maturation this cytoplasm has already acquired its determinative ability. This is the first demonstration that specific developmental information stored in the cytoplasm can be traced back to a particular region of the oocyte.
Early clinical outcomes for 3 radiation techniques for brain metastases: focal versus whole-brain

Abstract Purpose To present our novel technique for brain metastases (low-dose whole brain radiation therapy [WBRT] with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) and focal, frameless stereotactic intensity modulated radiotherapy [IMRT]) in the context of patterns of failure, dosimetry, acute toxicity, and overall survival for 3 different radiation techniques. Methods and Materials We retrospectively reviewed 92 patients undergoing radiation for brain metastases via the following: (1) "prophylactic" WBRT to a low dose (median 30 Gy) with an SIB to the gross tumor volume plus 2-3 mm margin (median dose 45 Gy) in 10-15 fractions; (2) focal, frameless image-guided stereotactic IMRT (S-IMRT) in 5 fractions to tumor only (median 30 Gy); or (3) conventional (c)WBRT using 2 lateral opposed beams in 10-15 fractions (30-37.5 Gy). The primary endpoints were local (LBC), distant (DBC), and total brain control (TBC) for each of the 3 types of brain radiation. Survival, toxicity, and dosimetry were reported as secondary endpoints. Results LBC was achieved in 72%, 78%, and 56% for SIB, S-IMRT, and cWBRT, respectively. DBC (ie, no new brain metastases) was observed in 92%, 67%, and 81% for SIB, S-IMRT, and cWBRT, respectively. TBC (LBC + DBC) was 72%, 67%, and 56% for SIB, S-IMRT, and cWBRT, respectively. No statistical difference in overall survival was observed (P = .067), and only 1 patient experienced biopsy proven radionecrosis. Conclusions TBC after low-dose WBRT with SIB was acceptable and at least comparable to S-IMRT and cWBRT. SIB seems to be a safe and effective treatment strategy for patients with brain metastases and may efficiently combine the benefits of cWBRT and stereotactic radiosurgery.
Improving efficiency when deriving numerous products from software product lines simultaneously

In-car infotainment systems must allow for product differentiation and the adaption to the needs of different markets. Product line approaches are applied because large numbers of different product variants need to be developed simultaneously. During development, updated versions of each projected product variant need to be derived from the product line assets repeatedly. Current build tools create each of the numerous product variants one after another. Accordingly, the creation process can take much time. This paper presents an approach to abbreviate this creation process based on the fact that multiple product variants created at once can have parts in common. To benefit from this optimization potential the workflow that creates an individual product variant is subdivided into multiple fragments. Whenever a set of such product variants needs to be created, an optimization algorithm then calculates an individual execution order of the fragments for this set. This order minimizes the total execution time by a systematic reuse of workflow fragment's results for the creation of multiple different product variants.
Experiments over ONRAMP: a reconfigurable optical access network

The integration of electronic routing functions with WDM functions in network elements capable of reconfiguration over short time scales enables access networks to efficiently service time varying demand. An effective coordination of electronic and WDM network functions allows traffic to bypass electronic to optical conversion within the access network. The cost benefits derived from reduced transponder use due to this coordination can result in lower cost access for end users. The transparency of WDM also allows heterogeneous traffic formats to be carried over a common fiber. In this paper, we describe a reconfigurable WDM access network testbed that incorporates features outlined above. This testbed was used in demonstrating network functions such as dynamic lightpath provisioning, packet flow-switching, and remote amplification for supporting large numbers of end users. The testbed network incorporates protection switching and network control capabilities. The testbed network also provides connectivity to an in-ground long haul network. The testbed architecture and description of networking experiments demonstrating its capabilities are presented. The throughput degradation due to optical flow switching for Transport Control Protocol (TCP) data transmissions over large bitrate-delay product links is characterized. Adding the Eifel Algorithm to the TCP implementation restored performance. The performance of a remotely pumped EDFA for serving many users in the collection/distribution network is also presented.
PUBLIC AND POSTCOLONIAL PRACTICES IN LATIN AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY: ENGAGING WITH NON-DESCENDANT COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN BELIZE

Las aldeas de San Estevan y de Progresso, Belice, estan situadas en y alrededor de sitios arqueologicos. Los materiales culturales antiguos mayas conforman parte de una realidad cotidiana para los residentes de las aldeas, sin embargo, los residentes no tienen vinculo ancestral o etnico a los restos arqueologicos. En este ensayo se reflexiona sobre la experiencia de hacer una investigacion arqueologica en las dos comunidades nodescendientes, asi como sobre los esfuerzos de participacion publica en el transcurso de la investigacion. Se muestra la evolucion de las ideas de una arqueologa que busca descolonizar sus practicas de investigaciones futuras.
Localized release of perivascular heparin inhibits intimal proliferation after endothelial injury without systemic anticoagulation

Segmental endothelial desquamation of the common carotid artery was produced in 30 rats using a balloon catheter technique which produces consistent proliferation of intimal smooth muscle cells from 5 to 20 days after injury. Immediately after endothelial injury, 15 animals were treated with periadventitial application of heparin contained in a continuous-release drug-delivery system using the polymer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and PVA alone applied in a similar fashion to 15 control rats. Animals were killed at 5, 10 and 20 days, respectively, after surgery by intracardiac perfusion-fixation, and vessels were prepared for light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry with antibodies directed against actin. At all time periods, there was a significant reduction in intimal cross-sectional area in heparin/PVA-treated vessels compared to control vessels. Scanning electron microscopy showed complete absence of endothelial cells from the luminal surface in both control and treated arteries at all time periods without evidence of significant platelet aggregation. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the presence of immunoreactive actin in the proliferating myointimal cells. Femoral venous prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time were unchanged in heparin/PVA-treated animals compared to controls at 1, 5, and 10 days. Continuous-release polymer drug delivery can be used to apply heparin selectively to the adventitial surface of vessels and effect changes in the vessel wall over periods of up to 3 weeks. By this means, smooth muscle proliferation and subsequent vessel narrowing after endothelial injury were inhibited without systemic anticoagulation. This technique may be applicable to both clinical and research applications related to the pathophysiology of arterial injury.
Reaction pathway and free energy profile for prechemical reaction step of human butyrylcholinesterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of (-)-cocaine by combined targeted molecular dynamics and potential of mean force simulations.

Combined targeted molecular dynamics (TMD) and potential of mean force (PMF) simulations have been carried out to uncover the detailed pathway and determine the corresponding free energy profile fo...
Determination of Uranium in GSJ, CRPG, and CCRMP Reference Samples by Delayed Neutron Assay

Uranium concentrations were determined in 30 reference materials from Japanese, French, and Canadian agencies using delayed neutron assay methods. Many of these materials are new and have few previously reported values for uranium.
Redox regulation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase signaling : Kinase versus phosphatase inactivation

Many components of cellular signaling pathways are sensitive to regulation by oxidation and reduction. Previously, we described the inactivation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) by direct oxidation of a reactive cysteine in the activation loop of the kinase. In the present study, we demonstrate that in HeLa cells PKA activity follows a biphasic response to thiol oxidation. Under mild oxidizing conditions, or short exposure to oxidants, forskolin-stimulated PKA activity is enhanced. This enhancement was blocked by sulfhydryl reducing agents, demonstrating a reversible mode of activation. In contrast, forskolin-stimulated PKA activity is inhibited by more severe oxidizing conditions. Mild oxidation enhanced PKA activity stimulated by forskolin, isoproterenol, or the cell-permeable analog, 8-bromo-cAMP. When cells were lysed in the presence of serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor, NaF, the PKA-enhancing effect of oxidation was blunted. These results suggest oxidation of a PKA-counteracting phosphatase may be inhibited, thus enhancing the apparent kinase activity. Using an in vivo PKA activity reporter, we demonstrated that mild oxidation does indeed prolong the PKA signal induced by isoproterenol by inhibiting counteracting phosphatase activity. The results of this study demonstrate in live cells a unique synergistic mechanism whereby the PKA signaling pathway is enhanced in an apparent biphasic manner.
High levels of dietary advanced glycation end products transform low-density lipoprotein into a potent redox-sensitive mitogen-activated protein kinase stimulant in diabetic patients

Background— LDL modification by endogenous advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is thought to contribute to cardiovascular disease of diabetes. It remains unclear, however, whether exogenous (diet-derived) AGEs influence glycoxidation and endothelial cell toxicity of diabetic LDL. Methods and Results— Twenty-four diabetic subjects were randomized to either a standard diet (here called high-AGE, HAGE) or a diet 5-fold lower in AGE (LAGE diet) for 6 weeks. LDL pooled from patients on HAGE diet (Db-HAGE-LDL) was more glycated than LDL from the LAGE diet group (Db-LAGE-LDL) (192 versus 92 AGE U/mg apolipoprotein B) and more oxidized (5.7 versus 1.5 nmol malondialdehyde/mg lipoprotein). When added to human endothelial cells (ECV 304 or human umbilical vein endothelial cells), Db-HAGE-LDL promoted marked ERK1/2 phosphorylation (pERK1/2) (5.5- to 10-fold of control) in a time- and dose-dependent manner compared with Db-LAGE-LDL or native LDL. In addition, Db-HAGE-LDL stimulated NF-κB activity significantly in ...
Feasibility of a home-based self-management program for chronic fatigue

Purpose: This study evaluated the feasibility of a 12-week home-based self-management program for unexplained chronic fatigue (UCF) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Methods: Self-report outcomes included measures of fatigue impact, physical function, depression, and global change. A web diary measured daily compliance with self-management activities. Results: Study withdrawals (20.8%) were due to time constraints, confidentiality concerns, or illness recovery. Subjects (N = 19) showed excellent compliance (62.3%) on the web diary. Participant feedback indicated high satisfaction. Effect sizes were large for fatigue severity, physical functioning, and depression. Conclusions: A home-based self-management program for UCF and CFS may offer improved patient access to treatment that may be unavailable, inconvenient, or costly.
Evolution of Atomic Motion in an Intense Standing Wave

We have investigated the effect of the dipole force and its fluctuation on the motion of Li atoms in an intense, one-dimensional, near-resonant standing light wave. The duration of the interaction of the atoms with the standing wave was varied from several tens of spontaneous-emission lifetimes to several hundreds. For a standing-wave frequency blue detuned from resonance, diffusive heating can dominate the time-averaged dissipative dipole force so that there is no steady-state momentum distribution. However, for sufficiently large blue detunings, the rate of diffusion is so slow that the resulting distribution approaches a quasisteady state. For red detunings, the diffusion is balanced with the force and a true steady state is achieved. We apply a Monte Carlo method based on the density-matrix equations in the dressed-state representation to simulate the atomic motion. The dynamics of atom channeling is discussed.
Status Behaviors in Mother-Child Dyads in Normal and Clinic Samples:

20 mother-child pairs divided between a child psychiatry clinic population and a non-disturbed control group with all children in the age range from 4 to 6 yr. showed 3 significant results when the frequency of mother's high status (dominant) behaviors was correlated with the frequency of the child's high and low status (submissive) behaviors. In the control sample the boys' high-status behaviors and the girls' low-status behaviors were correlated with the mothers' high status. In the clinic group the boys showed low-status behaviors. Some hypotheses are offered in regard to the findings.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Applicability of Neutral Polyhydroxy Phospholane Derivatives and Their Rhodium(I) Complexes for Reactions in Organic and Aqueous Media

Two different protocols for the preparation of water-soluble, enantiomerically pure polyhydroxybisphospholanes from acid-labile acetal and tert-butyldimethylsilyl-protected derivatives are reported. These procedures circumvent two of the commonly encountered limitations in the synthesis of these potentially important ligands: (a) formation of phosphonium salts from the highly basic phosphine under acidic conditions, and (b) the need to start with preformed, fully protected cationic metal complex. Thus, cationic Rh complexes of these ligands have been prepared in a separate step, and they have been found to be excellent catalysts for organic and aqueous phase hydrogenation of dehydroamino acids. The viability of catalyst recovery has been demonstrated in three different systems, including two cases where > 99% ee can be achieved under recycling conditions.
Desorption Electrospray Ionization in a Small Pressure-Tight Enclosure

Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) is made easier to implement, more robust, and exposure of the analyst to the sample is reduced by a novel DESI interface. This features a small, pressure-tight enclosure with fixed spatial relationships between the sprayer, surface, and sampling capillary. There is no loss in signal using this configuration, which provides improved safety and ease of use. Performance is largely independent of the geometrical configuration of the spray and inlet. Enclosed DESI sources with the incident and collection capillaries set at various angles were compared to the conventional optimized geometry open DESI source. Comparable results were obtained in all cases for typical proteins, peptides, and small molecules. With the spray and collection capillaries set parallel and at an angle perpendicular to the surface, the new DESI source allows for easy and direct analysis of the contents of standard 96-well plates. The effects of various operating parameters for the new source such ...
Optical-Image Correlation With A Binary Spatial Light-Modulator

The use of a binary, magneto-optic spatial light modulator as an input device and as a spatial filter in a VanderLugt correlator is investigated. The statistics of the correlation that is obtained when the input image or the spatial filter is thresholded are estimated. Optical correlation using the magneto-optic device at the input and Fourier planes of a VanderLugt correlator is demonstrated experimentally.
Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems to Delineate Fine-Scale Wetland Vegetation Communities

Remote sensing of wetlands has primarily focused on delineating wetlands within a non-wetland matrix. However, within-wetland changes are arguably just as important as loss of wetland area, particularly in a time of accelerated climate change. Remote sensing is a critical source of data for ecological models that explain and predict landscape changes, but data specifications, including spatial and temporal resolution, must be appropriate for applications. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) can be used to collect fine spatial resolution data with a temporal resolution more tailored to application need, instead of satellite orbital times or flight schedules. We used data collected from an UAS to acquire true color data within a wetland landscape and tested our ability to automatically classify plant communities from fine-resolution data. Classification accuracies were low for certain classes when nine vegetation communities were mapped, but the overall accuracy was on par with other remote sensing analyses. We demonstrate that classification data derived from UAS fine-resolution imagery is reasonably accurate and discuss the benefits and challenges of using UAS for wetland mapping.