cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two Kingdoms in a Multi-Tiered Empire: New Spain and New Galicia in the Mid-Eighteenth Century

This article casts light on the structure of the Spanish empire by focusing on the relations between two American kingdoms, New Spain and New Galicia. New Spain comprised the heartland of colonial Mexico, and New Galicia lay to its northwest. New Spain enjoyed significant status and to a degree controlled New Galicia and other dependent realms. By the mid-eighteenth century, the viceroy of New Spain sent inspectors, appointed treasury officials, and even wrested the mining camp of Bolanos from New Galicia. Yet New Galicia insisted on its autonomy. Its president resisted the viceregal interventions and finally succeeded in recovering jurisdiction over Bolanos. The relationship between the two North American kingdoms therefore differed from that between other constituent regions of the empire. The kingdom of Quito, for example, was fully subordinate to the Peruvian viceroy in Lima. The empire can therefore be described as multi-tiered and not exclusively characterized by the hegemony of Madrid/Castile over its overseas possessions. Instead, the empire consisted of uneven and overlapping ties between a group of core kingdoms and their dependent territories, and their relations changed over time.
Food safety - Salmonella update in broilers

Abstract The increase in the presence of Salmonella in the processing plants is alarming. This problem represents challenges both at the processing level and for the whole integration. Chickens are the most important input in the processing plant, so the increase of Salmonella in the plant directly suggests what is happening in the primary production. All the interventions in breeder farms, hatchery, feed mills, and broiler farms that are related to the control of Salmonella will play a crucial role in the fulfillment of the processing plants objectives. The vertical integration model for chicken meat production, should act as one of the main tools for reducing the presence of bacteria that is related to foodborne diseases. Salmonella is one of the main food safety challenges for modern poultry production. Controls and interventions established in each vertical integration step will contribute to the reduction of the unwanted presence of Salmonella in the final product.
Carrot weed management programs without linuron herbicide

Linuron herbicide has been a mainstay of carrot weed management for years, but uncertainty around regulatory registration review and an increased prevalence of herbicide-resistant weeds have spurred interest in identifying alternatives that can be readily adopted in production. With this context in mind, herbicide programs were evaluated on a coarse-textured, low organic matter soil in 2015 and 2016. Season-long weed control without compromising yield was possible with weed management programs that included prometryn POST instead of linuron. With that said, a PRE herbicide such as pendimethalin was critical to establish an early-season competitive advantage for carrot plants over weeds, and careful attention should be paid to the prometryn rate, as selectivity is marginal. Carrot is often interseeded with a grain nurse crop to mitigate risk of wind erosion. Nurse crop injury was minimal where S-metolachlor, pendimethalin, or prometryn was applied at rates labeled for PRE use in carrot, with the exception of where prometryn was applied at rates above 1.1 kg ai ha-1.Nomenclature: Linuron; pendimethalin; prometryn; S-metolachlor; carrot, Daucus carota L
Asymptotics of multivariate sequences in the presence of a lacuna.

We explain a discontinuous drop in the exponential growth rate for certain multivariate generating functions at a critical parameter value, in even dimensions $d \geq 4$. This result depends on computations in the homology of the algebraic variety where the generating function has a pole. These computations are similar to, and inspired by, a thread of research in applications of complex algebraic geometry to hyperbolic PDEs, going back to Leray, Petrowski, Atiyah, Bott and Garding. As a consequence, we give a topological explanation for certain asymptotic phenomenon appearing in the combinatorics and number theory literature. Furthermore, we show how to combine topological methods with symbolic algebraic computation to determine explicitly the dominant asymptotics for such multivariate generating functions. This in turn enables the rigorous determination of integer coefficients in the Morse-Smale complex, which are difficult to determine using direct geometric methods.
Sentimental Avatars: Gender Identification and Vehicles of Selfhood in Popular Media From Nineteenth-Century Novels to Modern Video Games:

This article examines how the embodied experience of contemporary avatar use overlaps with 19th-century American sentimental literature and cultural assumptions about gender and readerly identifica...
A discrete event simulation model for analysis of farm scale grain transportation systems

Abstract Grain transportation from the field to an on-farm storage facility is a critical component of the harvest system. A discrete event simulation model of grain transportation was developed to evaluate how truck and driver resource constraints impact material flow efficiency, resource utilization, and system throughput. Harvest rate and in-field transportation were represented as a stochastic entity generation process, and service times associated with various material handling steps were represented by a combination of deterministic times and statistical distributions. The model was applied to data collected for three distinct harvest scenarios (18 total days). Wheat and corn harvest from a large Kentucky operation was selected to evaluate the effect of different harvest rates (in wheat and corn), and corn harvest from a smaller Michigan operation was used to assess how the model handled situations where a single operator shuttled multiple trucks. The observed number of daily deliveries was within ±2 standard deviations of the simulation for 15 of the 18 input conditions examined, and on a daily basis, the median error between the simulated and observed deliveries was −4.1%. This model can be used to simulate how changes in vehicle and labor constraints impact the overall system performance. An important extension of this concept is that, given an existing equipment set and labor force, a producer can estimate how often grain transportation is the system bottleneck and simulate the impact of additional vehicles or labor on grain transportation efficiency.
Weakly Supervised Attention Networks for Entity Recognition.

The task of entity recognition has traditionally been modelled as a sequence labelling task. However, this usually requires a large amount of fine-grained data annotated at the token level, which in turn can be expensive and cumbersome to obtain. In this work, we aim to circumvent this requirement of word-level annotated data. To achieve this, we propose a novel architecture for entity recognition from a corpus containing weak binary presence/absence labels, which are relatively easier to obtain. We show that our proposed weakly supervised model, trained solely on a multi-label classification task, performs reasonably well on the task of entity recognition, despite not having access to any token-level ground truth data.
Are Managers 'Under-the-Weather' During Earnings Conference Calls?

Earnings conference calls represent an important communication channel for investors to observe managerial behavior. We examine the impact of executive temperament using seasonally-adjusted weather conditions at executive locations during these calls. Using a large sample of earnings conference calls from 2006 to 2017, we find that managers speak more negatively and with less (more) quantitative information (uncertainty) when locally-adjusted weather conditions are poor. Managers also exhibit more (less) extreme negative (moderate) language. Our results remain significant after adding controls for investor mood, separating firms from big and small states, mediation tests, firm fixed effects, executive fixed effects, using abnormal tone, and propensity score matching. Incremental to textual measurements, our findings suggest that exogenous effects of bad weather significantly impact manager temperament that the market views negatively.
Photodissociation and Theory to Investigate Uranium Oxide Cluster Cations.

Uranium oxide cluster cations of the form UnOm+ are produced by laser vaporization of a depleted uranium rod in a pulsed supersonic expansion. Ions are mass-analyzed and mass-selected with a time-of-flight spectrometer and studied with UV laser multiphoton dissociation. Cations of the stoichiometry UO2(UO3)n+ were observed as photofragments from all photodissociated cluster cations. (UO3)n+ clusters were also observed to result from dissociation of larger (UO3)n+ clusters, with UO3 neutral as a common leaving group. Electronic structure calculations were used to investigate the stability of the prominent uranium oxide cluster cations using density functional theory (DFT) with the hybrid B3LYP exchange-correlation functional and at the CCSD(T) level with cc-pVnZ-PP basis sets (n = D,T), including diffuse orbitals as computational expense and availability permitted. Clustering energies, relative energies and dissociation energies of the cations are reported. The lowest energy neutral (UO3)n clusters up to n = 3 are rings, n = 4 and 5 are chains with very low energy rings, and n = 6 is 3D. The lowest energy structures for UO2(UO3)n+ are composed of uranyl-like UO2+ units bound by bridging oxygens to other UO22+ units for n = 2 and 3, and for n = 4 a more complex 3D structure is predicted.
Liberalizing trade between developed and developing countries

Despite repeated declarations made by developed country governments of their intention to resist protectionist pressures and to roll back protection in the world trading system, new measures have been introduced to limit imports to the detriment of their own and their trading partners' economies. Also, some large developing countries have responded to external shocks and the subsequent debt crisis by increasing import protection. With this in mind, the object of this paper is to provide support for undertaking a new round of negotiations. The article considers the scope, content and modalities of such negotiations as they would affect developed and developing countries. It further addresses concerns that developing countries have raised about a new round of multilateral trade negotiations and makes recommendations as to how to address these concerns and how to promote institutional changes in support of a global liberalization effort.
Invasive Mucormycosis in an Immunocompetent Non-Diabetic with Severe Acidosis (P5.086)

Objective: To describe a case of invasive sinus mucormycosis presenting with orbital apex syndrome and vasculitis in a non-diabetic patient with severe acidosis secondary to chronic kidney disease. Background: Mucormycosis is an aggressive, opportunistic fungal infection which generally presents in the immunosuppressed. Diabetes, malignancy, transplant, chronic renal insufficiency, and iron overload are established risk factors for the infection. Design/Methods: Case Report Results: A 56-year-old right handed man without prior medical care presented with acute left eye pain and vision loss. He reported fatigue, weight loss, night sweats and dark urine for the past several months. One day prior to presentation he had a severe headache and lost vision in his left eye. Initial examination demonstrated left eye ptosis, proptosis and painful ophthalmoplegia. Imaging did not reveal significant abnormalities. A workup for infection, malignancy and autoimmune disease was negative. He had severe acidosis on admission which did not normalize despite dialysis, secondary to advanced chronic renal failure of unclear etiology, with kidneys too atrophied for biopsy. Sinus biopsy revealed broad branching hyphae extending into the bone and a diagnosis of Zygomycetes was made. Antifungals were added to the antibiotic regimen. Shortly thereafter, the patient had a subarachnoid hemorrhage and a new left internal carotid artery mycotic aneurysm was identified. Despite aggressive surgical measures his clinical status worsened and he was placed on comfort care per his family’s wishes. Conclusions: While mucormycosis has been previously reported in diabetics with ketoacidosis, we present a rare case of an individual without diabetes or malignancy with severe acidosis from kidney disease which increased his risk for invasive fungal infection. Severe acidosis can elevate free levels of iron in the serum which may facilitate mucor infection. Acidosis should be considered a risk for mucormycosis independent of diabetes. Aggressive management to correct the acid-base status may improve survival in this aggressive infection. Disclosure: Dr. Sharma has nothing to disclose. Dr. Siv has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schackmann has nothing to disclose. Dr. Davis has nothing to disclose.
Antecedents of examinee motivation during low-stakes tests: examining the variability in effects across different research designs

To understand examinee motivation, researchers have used expectancy-value theory, which posits that examinee’s perceived value of the test and self-efficacy in the test domain impact test-taking ef...
Strategic placement of an obstacle suppresses droplet break up in the hopper flow of a microfluidic soft crystal

When granular materials, colloidal suspensions, and even animals and crowds exit through a narrow outlet, clogs can form spontaneously when multiple particles or entities attempt to exit simultaneously, thereby obstructing the outlet and ultimately halting the flow. Counterintuitively, the presence of an obstacle upstream of the outlet has been found to suppress clog formation. For soft particles such as emulsion drops, clogging has not been observed in the fast flow limit due to their deformability and vanishing interparticle friction. Instead, they pinch off each other and undergo break up when multiple drops attempt to exit simultaneously. Similar to how an obstacle reduces clogging in a rigid particle system, we hypothesize and demonstrate that an obstacle could suppress break up in the two-dimensional hopper flow of a microfluidic crystal consisting of dense emulsion drops by preventing the simultaneous exit of multiple drops. A regime map plotting the fraction of drops that undergo break up in a channel with different obstacle sizes and locations delineates the geometrical constraints necessary for effective break up suppression. When optimally placed, the obstacle induced an unexpected ordering of the drops, causing them to alternate and exit the outlet one at a time. Droplet break up is suppressed drastically by almost three orders of magnitude compared to when the obstacle is absent. This result can provide a simple, passive strategy to prevent droplet break up and can find use in improving the robustness and integrity of droplet microfluidic biochemical assays as well as in extrusion-based three-dimensional printing of emulsion or foam-based materials.
Bone Health Outcomes at 1 Year after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in a Heterogeneous Pediatric Population.

ABSTRACT Impaired bone mineral density (BMD) is a known complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in adults and may lead to increased fracture risk. Less is known in children about the risks for impaired BMD and fragility (low trauma) fractures after HSCT. In this study, we evaluated the incidence of fragility fractures in a large diverse pediatric HSCT recipient population and identified risk factors for both fracture and impaired BMD. We reviewed the records of 237 patients age ≤21 years at the time of transplantation who underwent HSCT at our institution between January 2015 and March 2018. The primary endpoint was the incidence of fragility fractures, and the secondary endpoint was assessment of BMD on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). DXA studies were available for analysis in 79 of 206 patients who were alive at 1 year after HSCT, and the median height-for-age adjusted z-score for spine BMD was 0.15. Among the 237 patients in this study, 25 (10.5%) had evidence of at least 1 fragility fracture on imaging. In the patients with at least 1 fragility fracture, 18 (72%) sustained spine fractures. The median time to fracture was 5.9 months after HSCT. Mortality at 1 year was proportionally higher, although not statistically significantly so (P = .11) in patients who had at least 1 fragility fracture (24%; 6 of 25) compared with patients without a fragility fracture (12%; 25 of 212). Vitamin D status at 1 year post-HSCT was sufficient (>20 ng/mL) in 94% of the patients assessed (160 of 171). There was no difference in the incidence of fracture between vitamin D-sufficient patients and vitamin D-insufficient patients (P = 1.0). The incidence of fracture was significantly higher in patients with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) compared with those without GVHD (15% vs 6%; P = .02). There was no significant difference in fracture occurrence between patients who received reduced-intensity conditioning and those who received myeloablative conditioning. The cumulative glucocorticoid dose was significantly associated with fracture in patients exposed to glucocorticoids for >3 months (P = .03). The incidence of fragility fractures, especially vertebral compression fractures, after pediatric HSCT is striking. Furthermore, there may have been additional, asymptomatic patients in our cohort with undetected, occult fractures. The high incidence of fragility fractures seen in this study advocates for establishing bone health screening protocols with attention to spinal imaging in pediatric patients undergoing HSCT.
Favorable Simplified Bishop Score after cervical ripening associated with decreased cesarean birth rate.

Abstract Background: A favorable Simplified Bishop Score (>5) before induction of labor is associated with successful vaginal birth. Patients with an unfavorable Simplified Bishop Score ( ≤ 5) undergo cervical ripening prior to administration of oxytocin. However, data are limited regarding the utility of the Simplified Bishop Score after cervical ripening. Objective(s): The objective of this study is to determine if the Simplified Bishop Score prior to oxytocin induction, but after cervical ripening, is associated with cesarean birth. Study Design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on patients undergoing induction of labor from the Consortium on Safe Labor. Patients with a singleton term pregnancy who initially underwent cervical ripening were included. Those with a history of cesarean birth were excluded. Outcomes of patients with a favorable Simplified Bishop Score after cervical ripening were compared to those with an unfavorable Simplified Bishop Score. Primary outcome was mode of birth. Log-binomial regression was performed to calculate relative risk and control for confounders, such as admission Simplified Bishop Score and parity. Results: A total of 5,807 patients met criteria to be included in the study. 4,235 (73%) patients had a favorable cervix and 1,572 (27%) patients had an unfavorable cervix after cervical ripening. The favorable group had a decreased rate of cesarean birth compared to the unfavorable group (RR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.40). Both groups had low rates of maternal chorioamnionitis, though patients with unfavorable cervix were at higher risk. There was no significant difference in rates of postpartum hemorrhage or NICU admission. Lower rates of cesarean birth among the favorable group persisted when stratifying by parity (nulliparous: RR 0.37, 95% CI: 0.31, 0.43; multiparous: RR 0.22, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.36). After controlling for maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, parity, gestational age, and Simplified Bishop Score at admission, a favorable cervix remained significantly associated with fewer cesarean births (RR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.66). Conclusion(s): In women undergoing labor induction, a favorable Simplified Bishop Score after cervical ripening and before the start of oxytocin is associated with decreased rate of cesarean birth, even after adjusting for parity and Simplified Bishop Score on admission. Also, Simplified Bishop Score assigned after cervical ripening could be used to inform timing of oxytocin initiation. However, further research is necessary to determine the ideal endpoint of cervical ripening.
Advanced Prostate Imaging: Correlating Prostate Anatomy with MRI and MRI/Ultrasound Fusion

Conventional imaging modalities that demonstrate anatomical information fail to yield accurate information for diagnosis, staging and selection of treatment or effective monitoring of prostate cancer. Fortunately this has changed with newer imaging techniques that focus on functional and metabolic imaging, providing quantitative information and allowing investigation into changes that occur at a cellular level in prostate cancer. Multiparametric MRI combines the anatomical and functional domains of imaging to achieve this goal. Currently, the histopathological diagnosis of prostate cancer is based on transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy, which has limited sensitivity. Technical improvements in MRI have resulted in the use of MRI to target prostate biopsies. This chapter presents a perspective on the optimal role of multiparametric MRI in prostate cancer detection and its use in targeted biopsies.
Hydrostatic Adjustment in Vertically Stratified Atmospheres

Hydrostatic adjustment due to diabatic heat in two nonisothermal atmospheres is examined. In the first case the temperature stratification is continuous; in the second case the atmosphere is composed of a warm, isothermal troposphere and a colder, isothermal semi-infinitely deep stratosphere.In both cases hydrostatic adjustment, to a good approximation, follows the pattern found in the Lamb problem (semi-infinitely deep. isothermal atmosphere): Initially we have acoustic waves with the kinetic energy increasing or decreasing at the expense of available elastic energy. After this initial period the acoustic waves evolve into acoustic-gravity waves with the kinetic, available potential and available elastic energies interacting with each other. Relaxation to hydrostatic balance occurs within a few oscillations. Stratification in an atmosphere with a continuous temperature profile affects primarily the shape and amplitude of the disturbances. In the two-layer atmosphere, a certain amount of energy is trapped in the tropospheric waveguide as disturbances reflect off the tropopause and back into the troposphere. With each internal reflection a portion of this trapped energy escapes and radiates to infinity.
Determinants of Child Labor in the Modern United States: Evidence from Agricultural Workers and Their Children and Concerns for Ongoing Public Policy

Current legislative proposals consider amendments to child labor laws for U.S. agriculture. Similar amendments, however, have been unsuccessful recently. Using the National Agricultural Workers Survey, we show that child labor is still substantial in the modern U.S. despite some decreases over time, and argue that the lack of success of recent child labor policy decisions have left some young workers vulnerable. We therefore use the limited data that are available to examine determinants of farm and non-farm child labor in the U.S. and to consider relationships between child labor and propensities for families to participate in educational and welfare programs. As a majority of literature on child labor stems from the international context, this research lessens that gap by presenting the U.S. case drawn from a key industry sector while informing ongoing discussion pertaining to possible revisions to child labor laws and providing support for continued and expanded data collection.
Spatiotemporal control of small GTPases with light using the LOV domain.

Abstract Signaling networks in living systems are coordinated through subcellular compartmentalization and precise timing of activation. These spatiotemporal aspects ensure the fidelity of signaling while contributing to the diversity and specificity of downstream events. This is studied through development of molecular tools that generate localized and precisely timed protein activity in living systems. To study the molecular events responsible for cytoskeletal changes in real time, we generated versions of Rho family GTPases whose interactions with downstream effectors is controlled by light. GTPases were grafted to the phototropin LOV (light, oxygen, or voltage) domain (Huala, E., Oeller, P. W., Liscum, E., Han, I., Larsen, E., and Briggs, W. R. (1997). Arabidopsis NPH1: A protein kinase with a putative redox-sensing domain. Science 278, 2120–2123.) via an alpha helix on the LOV C-terminus (Wu, Y. I., Frey, D., Lungu, O. I., Jaehrig, A., Schlichting, I., Kuhlman, B., and Hahn, K. M. (2009). A genetically encoded photoactivatable Rac controls the motility of living cells. Nature 461 , 104–108.). The LOV domain sterically blocked the GTPase active site until it was irradiated. Exposure to 400–500 nm light caused unwinding of the helix linking the LOV domain to the GTPase, relieving steric inhibition. The change was reversible and repeatable, and the protein could be returned to its inactive state simply by turning off the light. The LOV domain incorporates a flavin as the active chromophore. This naturally occurring molecule is incorporated simply upon expression of the LOV fusion in cells or animals, permitting ready control of GTPase function in different systems. In cultured single cells, light-activated Rac leads to membrane ruffling, protrusion, and migration. In collectively migrating border cells in the Drosophila ovary, focal activation of photoactivatable Rac (PA-Rac) in a single cell is sufficient to redirect the entire group. PA-Rac in a single cell also rescues the phenotype caused by loss of endogenous guidance receptor signaling in the whole group. These findings demonstrate that cells within the border cell cluster communicate and are guided collectively. Here, we describe optimization and application of PA-Rac using detailed examples that we hope will help others apply the approach to different proteins and in a variety of different cells, tissues, and organisms.
Parenteral vitamin K therapy during the antepartum period and its effects on the infants' prothrombin levels.

Abstract In a preliminary report published in 1941, McCready, Callahan, and Grandin 1 discussed the effectiveness, particularly in infants, of parenteral vitamin K therapy administered to pregnant women before the onset of, and during labor. A summary of their findings is as follows: 1.1. Parenteral vitamin K therapy does not seem to effect the normal prothrombin level in pregnant women. 2.2. Parenteral vitamin K therapy given during labor caused definite elevation of the blood prothrombin level in 16 of 22 infants. 3.3. Elevation of the infants prothrombin level seems to occur very quickly after injection in the mother. If more than fifteen hours elapse between injection of the drug and delivery, the effect seems to be decreased. The vitamin K administered was water soluble, and from the above results we may assume that placental transmission of this substance occurs. These studies have been continued until a series of 500 cases have been accumulated, which is the substance of this report.
Two-Dimensional Clusters of Colloidal Spheres: Ground States, Excited States, and Structural Rearrangements.

We study experimentally what is arguably the simplest yet nontrivial colloidal system: two-dimensional clusters of six spherical particles bound by depletion interactions. These clusters have multiple, degenerate ground states whose equilibrium distribution is determined by entropic factors, principally the symmetry. We observe the equilibrium rearrangements between ground states as well as all of the low-lying excited states. In contrast to the ground states, the excited states have soft modes and low symmetry, and their occupation probabilities depend on the size of the configuration space reached through internal degrees of freedom, as well as a single ``sticky parameter'' encapsulating the depth and curvature of the potential. Using a geometrical model that accounts for the entropy of the soft modes and the diffusion rates along them, we accurately reproduce the measured rearrangement rates. The success of this model, which requires no fitting parameters or measurements of the potential, shows that the free-energy landscape of colloidal systems and the dynamics it governs can be understood geometrically.
SU-E-T-544: A Radiation Oncology-Specific Multi-Institutional Federated Database: Initial Implementation

Purpose: To implement a common database structure and user-friendly web-browser based data collection tools across several medical institutions to better support evidence-based clinical decision making and comparative effectiveness research through shared outcomes data. Methods: A consortium of four academic medical centers agreed to implement a federated database, known as Oncospace. Initial implementation has addressed issues of differences between institutions in workflow and types and breadth of structured information captured. This requires coordination of data collection from departmental oncology information systems (OIS), treatment planning systems, and hospital electronic medical records in order to include as much as possible the multi-disciplinary clinical data associated with a patients care. Results: The original database schema was well-designed and required only minor changes to meet institution-specific data requirements. Mobile browser interfaces for data entry and review for both the OIS and the Oncospace database were tailored for the workflow of individual institutions. Federation of database queries--the ultimate goal of the project--was tested using artificial patient data. The tests serve as proof-of-principle that the system as a whole--from data collection and entry to providing responses to research queries of the federated database--was viable. The resolution of inter-institutional use of patient data for research is still notmore » completed. Conclusions: The migration from unstructured data mainly in the form of notes and documents to searchable, structured data is difficult. Making the transition requires cooperation of many groups within the department and can be greatly facilitated by using the structured data to improve clinical processes and workflow. The original database schema design is critical to providing enough flexibility for multi-institutional use to improve each institution s ability to study outcomes, determine best practices, and support research. The project has demonstrated the feasibility of deploying a federated database environment for research purposes to multiple institutions.« less
Fabrication process development and characterization of polycrystalline diamond film resistors

Abstract Polycrystalline diamond film (PDF) may have properties suitable for use as an electronic material. The design and fabrication of a PDF passive device, such as a resistor, allow the refinement of techniques necessary for the development of diamond active devices. We have initiated fabrication technique development utilizing modified thick-film patterning and in situ solid-source doping. Although doping of polycrystalline diamond film in microwave chemical vapor deposition systems has been accomplished through use of gaseous dopant sources, this can permanently contaminate the deposition chamber. We are investigating solid-source dopants in order to avoid system contamination, and have achieved sheet resistance values as low as 800 ohms per square. Delineation of PDF into discrete resistor structures has been attained through a liftoff process derived from hybrid technology. Substrates being used include dielectric aluminum nitride and undoped polycrystalline diamond. Results of electrical and material characterization will be presented. Various metals and pastes are under investigation as possible interconnect candidates.
Interferon inhibition of the primary in vitro antibody response to a thymus-independent antigen.

Abstract Partially purified and crude mouse L cell interferon preparations inhibited the in vitro plaque-forming cell (PFC) response of mouse C57B1/6 spleen cells to the T-cell independent lipopolysaccharide antigen of Escherichia coli 0127. PFC responses of 5-day cultures were inhibited approximately 70–90% by 100–200 NIH reference units of interferon/culture. A similar inhibitory effect was obtained with spleen cells from athymic (nude) mice homozygous for the nu/nu allele. Spleen cultures depleted of adherent cells were also inhibited in their anti-0127 PFC response by interferon. Interferon, then, appears capable of inhibiting the PFC response to E. coli 0127 via direct action on B cells. Heating experiments along with the use of interferon preparations of different specific activities suggest that the inhibition was due to the interferon in the preparations.
Estradiol-Luteinizing Hormone Relationship during the Proestrous Gonadotropin Surge*

Changes in peripheral LH and estradiol (E2) concentration were examined in sequential samples taken from nonanesthetized rats from 1320–1640 h on proestrus in order to characterize the LH-E-2 relationship during the rising phase of the LH surge. At 80 min before the peak in plasma LH, plasma E> was 67 ± 4 pg/ml; at 80 min after the LH peak, plasma E-2 had fallen to 26 ± 4 pg/ml. Expressed as the change from a reference point of 120 min before the observed LH peak, plasma E2 concentration had decreased by 24% at 40 min before the LH peak; by 40 min after the LH peak, E-2 concentration had decreased by 54%. Because of this significant decrease in E2 before the peak in plasma LH in the proestrous rat, experiments were performed in which this decrease in E2 was prevented to determine the effect on LH secretion. An E2-containing Silastic, capsule was implanted at 1240 h on proestrus; sequential blood samples were collected from 1240–1800 h. When plasma E2 was maintained throughout the afternoon at levels compa...
Consideration of discrete interface traps in InGaAs/GaAs heterojunctions

Poisson's equation has been applied to model the capacitance-voltage (C-V) profile of a Schottky-barrier n-N heterojunction of Au/nIn 0.1 Ga 0.9 As/NGaAs. Interface traps, represented either as a box or sheet of charge, have been included in the calculation. Two electron accumulation peaks are observed. One, next to the region depleted of electrons, is related to the interface trap occupancy, and the other is related to the two-dimensional electron gas at the heterojunction. Qualitative agreement is obtained between the calculated and experimentally determined C-V electron profile (300 to 77 K) if a trap E C - 0.13 eV at a concentration -8 × 1010cm-2in a 300-A boxlike distribution is included in the calculation. For MBE grown nIn 0.1 Ga 0.9 As/NGaAs deep-level transient spectroscopy suggests that the interface traps are at E C - 0.13 and 0.17 eV with capture cross sections of about 2 × 10-14and 1 × 10-15is cm2.
Human gene encoding the 78,000-dalton glucose-regulated protein and its pseudogene: structure, conservation, and regulation.

ABSTRACT The isolation and characterization of a human functional GRP78 gene and a processed pseudogene are described. We present the complete primary structure of the human GRP78 gene, which spans over 5 kb and consists of eight exons. Sequence comparisons reveal that the GRP78 gene shares unusual homology among the human, rat, and hamster in the protein-coding and 3′ untranslated regions. In addition, short domains highly conserved with HSP70 isolated from human, Drosophila, Xenopus, yeast, and E. coli DNA are identified within the hydrophobic regions of GRP78. The intronless pseudogene resembles that of a processed gene. It is flanked by a short direct repeat and is embedded within an AT-rich genomic region. The highly active promoter from the functional human GRP78 gene contains a TATA box, five CCAAT sequences, and two potential binding sites for the transcriptional factor Spl. It consists of a distal domain that enhances basal level expression and a proximal domain essential for responses to calcium...
An Interactive Region-Based Image Clustering and Retrieval Platform

Content-based Image retrieval has become an important part of information retrieval technology. Images can be viewed as high dimensional data and are usually represented by their low-level features. How to effectively find the semantic meanings of images is a central challenge in the area. In this paper, we propose an interactive platform for region-based image clustering and retrieval. A Genetic Algorithm is used to perform the initial clustering. In order to further refine the clustering results, we adopt the maximum flow/minimum cut theorem from graph theory to do outlier/outlier group detection. Outlier detection can help identify misclustered image segments and is used to improve the quality of clusters in this paper. In the interactive retrieval phase, user feedback is used to dynamically locate candidate images from clusters and outliers/outlier groups. Through Relevance Feedback, more information is gathered and fed to the learning algorith - One-class SVM. Experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed platform.
Violence Against Latinas The Effects of Undocumented Status on Rates of Victimization and Help-Seeking

This study investigated whether legal status was related to interpersonal victimization and help-seeking by comparing Latina immigrants with permanent legal status with Latina immigrants who are undocumented on rates of reported interpersonal victimization, types of perpetrators, and rates of help-seeking. Data come from the Sexual Assault Among Latinas (SALAS) study, which interviewed 1,377 immigrant Latinas about their lifetime histories of sexual assault, physical assault, stalking, and threats along with help-seeking efforts. Results did not reveal significant differences between legal status and reported victimization rates or types of perpetrators. However, undocumented Latinas (n = 91) were less likely to seek formal help than those with permanent status. Results of this study indicate that undocumented status does not independently put women at risk of victimization, but that responses to violence are related to legal status.
Optimum distribution over a circular aperture for best mean-square approximation to a given radiation pattern

The distribution over a cicular aperture in a ground plane that produces the best mean-square approximation to a specified radiation pattern is derived subject to constraints on the mean-square aperture field strength. The result is derived in terms of the functions most natural for a least square fit: the eigenfunctions of a finite (circular) two-dimensional Fourier transform.
Does Our Humor Affect Us?: An Examination of a Dyad's Humor Orientation

In this article, researchers explain how individuals' similarities in humor orientation influence dyadic cohesion and satisfaction. The researchers in this study investigated the impact of communication appropriateness as a mediating variable in relationships. Relational partners (n = 151 dyads) completed measures of both self and other regarding humor orientation, cohesion, and satisfaction. A couple's humor orientation was positively correlated with both dyadic satisfaction and cohesion. Communication appropriateness was a mediating factor in both the relationship between a couple's humor orientation and dyadic cohesion, and humor orientation and satisfaction. The overall dyadic humor orientation was more important than a couple's humor discrepancy, or either partner's scores.
Permanental inequalities for correlation matrices

Let A be a positive semidefinite Hermitian matrix of order n with $|a_{11} | = \cdots = |a_{nn} | = 1$. We prove that $\operatorname{per} ( A )\geqq (1/n ) \| A \|^2 $, where $\| A \|$ is the Frobenius norm of A. This follows from a stronger result when $n = 4$, namely per $( A )\geqq \frac{1}{3} ( \| A \|^2 - 1 )$. Various corollaries are obtained.
SU-E-J-180: A Characterization of the LAP Aquarius Phantom for External LAP Laser Alignment and MR Geometric Distortion Verification for the use of SRS Patient Simulation.

Purpose: To explore additional application of the new Aquarius external laser alignment verification Phantom by LAP (Aq‐LAP Phantom) examining geometric accuracy of magnetic resonanceimages(MRI) commonly used for planning intracranial stereotactic radiation surgery (ICSRS) cases. Methods: Newly designed external patient alignment lasers were first aligned by the Aq‐LAP Phantom at a Siemens Magneton Vario 3T MR unit. The scans were then performed with the T1 Axial 3D MPRAGE protocols with 0.9 mm temporal resolution, which may be used for ICSRS. They also include FLAIR, T2 BLADE and Diffusion Axial TRACE imaging acquisitions with 1 mm temporal resolution. The MRI will be fused to 1 mm cut computerized tomography(CT)images acquired by a Siemens Somatom Sensation Open©. The geometric distortions (GD) were measured against the CT in all axial, sagital, and coronal directions at different levels. Results:MRimages of the Aquarius Phantom indicate a distinct similarity between the nonlinear GD along the z‐axis crosshair and typical magnetic field gradient nonlinearity. There is linear correlation between MR divergence datasets of distorted crosshairs (p‐values from 0.57 to 0.00), and nonlinear correlation between MR divergence datasets of the distorted crosshair with the CT divergence datasets of the cross plane (p‐values from 8.45×10‐4 to 1.38×10‐46). The margin of error exceeded no more than 0.29 mm. GDs up to about 2 mm are observed at the distal regions of the longitudinal axis in the SRStreatment planningMRimages.Conclusions: Using the Aquarius Phantom, one is able to detect GD in ICSRS planning MRI acquisitions, and align the external LAP patient alignment lasers by following the LAP QA. Based on the results, one may recommend using the Aquarius Phantom to determine if margins should be included for SRStreatment planning. The Aquarius Phantom, used for laser alignment and geometric distortion detection, was provided by LAP of America.
Creation of a Spark by a Single Subnanosecond Laser Pulse

The production of a spark by focusing a single subnanosecond laser pulse in air and other gases has been investigated. Streak photographs reveal that the plasma development is significantly different from that observed with conventional $Q$-switched laser pulses. Preliminary studies of the pressure dependence of the breakdown threshold in argon and nitrogen are reported.
Ultrafast Laser System For The Generation Of Reliable Ultrashort Light Pulses In The Mode-Locked And Q-Switched Configurations

We report on the design of a synchronously pumped dye laser using the hybrid mode-locking technique to generate subpicosecond pulses. A detailed description of the optical cavity is given. Pumped by the second harmonic pulse train from a CW mode-locked Nd: YAG laser, the dye laser has produced pulses as short as .6 psec (FNTA of the autocorrelation trace) in the R6G and styryl 9 frequency range. The efficiency of the DODC and IR 140 dyes used as saturable absorbers is discussed. The problems associated with the design of a dye laser synchronously pumped by the second harmonic train of a mode-locked, Q-switched Nd: YAG laser are examined. We report on a dye laser which has produced as much as 50 μJ in a single pulse.
Racial Differences by Ischemic Stroke Subtype: A Comprehensive Diagnostic Approach

Background. Previous studies have suggested that black populations have more small-vessel and fewer cardioembolic strokes. We sought to analyze racial differences in ischemic stroke subtype employing a comprehensive diagnostic workup with magnetic resonance-imaging-(MRI-) based evaluation including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Methods. 350 acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to an urban hospital with standardized comprehensive diagnostic evaluations were retrospectively analyzed. Ischemic stroke subtype was determined by three Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification systems. Results. We found similar proportions of cardioembolic and lacunar strokes in the black and white cohort. The only subtype category with a significant difference by race was “stroke of other etiology,” more common in whites. Black stroke patients were more likely to have an incomplete evaluation, but this did not reach significance. Conclusions. We found similar proportions by race of cardioembolic and lacunar strokes when employing a full diagnostic evaluation including DWI MRI. The relatively high rate of cardioembolism may have been underappreciated in black stroke patients when employing a CT approach to stroke subtype diagnosis. Further research is required to better understand the racial differences in frequency of “stroke of other etiology” and explore disparities in the extent of diagnostic evaluations.
Effect of fetal movement on the amniotic fluid index in diamniotic twin gestations

Fetal movement changes the size and location of amniotic fluid pockets during measurement of the amniotic fluid index. In singleton gestations, the effect of redistributing the fixed intrauterine fluid volume on the amniotic fluid index is clinically insignificant. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the index in twin pregnancies is unaffected by fetal movement. A single examiner prospectively determined the amniotic fluid index before and after three discrete episodes of movement by both fetuses of 82 diamniotic twin pregnancies referred for obstetric sonograms between 20 and 38 weeks' menstrual age. A reliable blinded examiner provided a second post-movement measurement as a control. Data were analyzed by the paired t-test. The mean change in the amniotic fluid index after fetal movement was 2.1 ± 0.2 cm and 3.7 ± 0.3 cm for post-movement determinations by the same and blinded examiners, respectively (p < .001). Interobserver variation was 3.5 cm. Intraobserver variation was 1.8 cm for the first examiner and 2.2 cm for the second examiner. Therefore, interobserved and intraobserver variation can account for the observed change in the amniotic fluid index following movement of both diamniotic twins. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 25:255–257, 1997
Additive risk model with case-cohort sampled current status data

Two-phase stratified sampling has been extensively used in large epidemiologic studies as a way of reducing costs associated with assembling covariate histories and enlarging relative sample sizes of the most informative subgroups. In this article, we investigate case-cohort sampled current status data under the additive risk model assumption. We describe a class of estimating equations, each depending on a different prevalence ratio estimate. Asymptotic properties of the proposed estimators and inference based on the “m out of n” nonparametric bootstrap are investigated. A small simulation study is employed to evaluate the finite sample performance and relative efficiency of the proposed estimators.
Resolution of syntactic category ambiguities: Eye movements in parsing lexically ambiguous sentences☆

Three experiments explored the effects of the interaction of lexical and syntactic processes during language comprehension. Subjects read sentences containing lexical items that resulted in syntactic category ambiguities (e.g., desert trains, where desert can be a noun or an adjective and trains can be a verb or a noun). During reading, eye movements were monitored as a reflection of on-line parsing activities. The experiments tested alternative hypotheses about how the processor resolves syntactic category ambiguities. All experiments supported a delay strategy in which the processor delays assigning an analysis to a categorially ambiguous string until it receives disambiguating information dictating the correct analysis of the string. The implications of the results for a general theory of sentence comprehension are discussed.