cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Class of Model Predictive Safety Performance Metrics for Driving Behavior Evaluation

This paper introduces a class of model predictive safety performance metrics for driving behavior evaluation. Through formulating the interactions of various traffic agents in the dynamic system context, a class of operational safety performance metrics can be formulated as an optimization problem with various components. The proposed framework provides a unified theory for understanding the differences and correlations among various state-of-the-art safety performance evaluation metrics both qualitatively and quantitatively. Moreover, methods that do not necessarily exist in the literature are also derived through the same framework. Various metrics are directly determined by assumptions made regarding factors such as traffic aggressiveness, participant capabilities, dynamic properties, and regulations, to name a few. Regardless of the metric design, all existing metrics and variants of the described metric induce theoretical guarantees of performance in terms of the time to an undesirable outcome per the definition of the metric. Under standard assumptions, the majority of the variants come with real-time tractable solutions formulated in a certain form of a quadratic optimization problem. A series of synthesized examples and simulated testing cases are adopted to empirically illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework. Discrepancies and correlations among variants of the described metric are also identified numerically.
Chapter 19 Thermal Denaturation Analysis of Chromatin and DNA—Nuclear Protein Complexes

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the thermal denaturation analysis of chromatin and DNA–nuclear protein complexes. Thermal denaturation of DNA complexed with proteins provides a means for measuring the transition of base pairs from a native, double-helical state to a denatured, unordered-coil state, as a function of temperature. A thermal denaturation profile (or melting profile) measures this transition through a plot of hyperchromicity against temperature. The melting profile of a DNA–protein complex is sensitive to a variety of parameters, such as type of DNA and protein, input ratio of protein to DNA, method of complex formation, type of ions, ionic strength of solutions, and pH. Because of this sensitivity, thermal denaturation has been used extensively in obtaining detailed information about chromatin, DNA–histone and other DNA–protein complexes. Both the principles and the applications of thermal denaturation to the study of chromatin structure have been reviewed in the chapter. The chapter emphasizes on the methodology of thermal denaturation techniques in studies of chromatin and DNA–nuclear protein complexes and includes a brief description of applications. Analysis of thermal denaturation data is presented in the chapter.
An extensible open-source compiler infrastructure for testing

Testing forms a critical part of the development process for large-scale software, and there is growing need for automated tools that can read, represent, analyze, and transform the application's source code to help carry out testing tasks. However, the support required to compile applications written in common general purpose languages is generally inaccessible to the testing research community. In this paper, we report on an extensible, open-source compiler infrastructure called ROSE, which is currently in development at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. ROSE specifically targets developers who wish to build source-based tools that implement customized analyses and optimizations for large-scale C, C++, and Fortran90 scientific computing applications (on the order of a million lines of code or more). However, much of this infrastructure can also be used to address problems in testing, and ROSE is by design broadly accessible to those without a formal compiler background. This paper details the interactions between testing of applications and the ways in which compiler technology can aid in the understanding of those applications. We emphasize the particular aspects of ROSE, such as support for the general analysis of whole programs, that are particularly well-suited to the testing research community and the scale of the problems that community solves.
Annulate Lamellae: A Last Frontier in Cellular Organelles

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights annulate lamellae (AL) that are porous and often stacked parallel membranes that are largely confined to the cytoplasm of cells possessing them, but in a few cell types they may also be located inside the nucleus (intranuclear annulate lamellae). The chapter discusses distribution of the organelle, its generalized structure and variations in different cell types, the nature of the pore that characterizes this organelle, the relationships of annulate lamellae to other cellular organelles and cell products, postulated mechanisms involved in the morphogenesis of annulate lamellae, experimental manipulations that have been reported to either increase or decrease the amount of these membranes in cells, and consideration of the broad array of functions proposed for this organelle. AL is partially membranous like the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and contains numerous pore complexes that are structurally similar to those in the nuclear envelope. The membranes enclose a compartment, a cisterna, and ribosomes are occasionally attached directly to the outer surface of the annulate lamellae. The AL is cyclical or transitory in some cells and variable in quantity. AL appears to be well developed in germ cells (male and female gametes), embryonic cells, and tumor and cancer cells.
Abstract 14867: Wnt11 Over-expressing Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote Cardiomyocyte Proliferation by Paracrine Signaling

Objective: The regenerative capacity of the heart is very limited and consequently, the heart cannot regenerate adequately after injury. Our previous studies showed that the paracrine factors released from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) overexpressing Wnt11 protected cardiomyocytes (CM) after myocardial infarction. Here, we hypothesized that these factors also stimulate CM proliferation. Methods and Results: MSCs harvested from rat bone marrow were transduced with Wnt11 (MSCWnt11) or EGFP empty vector (MSCGFP). Conditioned medium (CdM ) were obtained from MSCGFP (CdMGFP) or MSCWnt11 (CdMWnt11) under normal and hypoxic culture for 36 hours. CM obtained from neonatal and adult rat ventricles were cultured in CdMGFP, CdMWnt11 or CdMWnt11-H medium for 3 and 7 days. Cultured CM were stained with BrdU, Ki67, and Aurora B, respectively and identified by staining with α-actinin. Some CM were positive for these proliferative markers ( Fig. 1 ). The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin D2, Nkx2.5, b-myosin heavy chain (b-MHC), atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), troponin I type 1 (Tnni1), troponin I type 3 (Tnni3), sarco-/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2), and desmin was analysed ( Fig. 2 ). Although PCNA was downregulated in CM treated with CdM, other cardiac specific markers were significantly upregulated in CM treated with CdMWnt11 or CdMWnt11-Hobtained from MSCWnt11 exposed to hypoxia for 24 hours. Moreover, CdMWnt11 also increased adult CM mitosis, cytokinesis, and CM numbers compared to CdMGFP. In addition, CdM significantly improved the contractile dyskinesis of adult CM caused by 7 days culture in non-serum M199 medium ( Fig. 3 ). Conclusions: Our studies support the hypothesis that paracrine factors released from MSC promote CM re-entry cell-cycle and proliferation. Wnt11 may serve as a positive regulator of CM proliferation. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Cardiovascular performance with E. coli challenges in a canine model of human sepsis

We investigated cardiovascular dysfunction by injecting lethal and nonlethal bacterial challenges into conscious dogs. E. coli bacteria of varying numbers were placed in a peritoneal clot. Cardiovascular function was studied with simultaneous radionuclide scans and thermodilution cardiac outputs. In surviving animals, the number of bacteria in the clot increased as the corresponding systolic cardiac function decreased (P = 0.01). Cardiac function was measured by left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) and LV function curves [LV stroke work index (LVSWI) vs. end-diastolic volume index (EDVI), and peak systolic pressure vs. end-systolic volume index]. Furthermore, the diastolic volume-pressure relationship of survivors shifted progressively to the right [i.e., increasing EDVI (P less than 0.02) with minimal change (P = NS) in LV filling pressure]. This increase in LV size was associated with maintenance of measures of cardiac performance [stroke volume index (SVI) and stroke work index (SWI)] at similar levels. Death occurred only in the group with the highest bacterial dose. Compared with survivors receiving the same number of bacteria, nonsurvivors had a decrease in (P less than 0.05) LV size, a leftward shift (P less than 0.01) in LV diastolic volume-pressure relationship, and a decrease in both LVSWI and SVI (possibly related to volume and/or LV functional status). Data from survivors suggest that increasing the number of bacteria produces changes in myocardial compliance and contractility. These changes increase LV size (preload), a major determinant of cardiac performance that possibly enhances survival.
Incidence of New Renal Parenchymal Inflammatory Changes Following Breakthrough Urinary Tract Infection in Patients With Vesicoureteral Reflux Treated With Antibiotic Prophylaxis: Evaluation by 99MTechnetium Dimercapto-Succinic Acid Renal Scan

ABSTRACTPurpose: Breakthrough urinary tract infections (UTI) are considered an indication for surgical intervention in children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) with the goal of preventing new or progressive renal scarring. We assessed the incidence of new renal parenchymal inflammatory changes following breakthrough UTI in patients on antibiotic prophylaxis for VUR.Materials and Methods: We prospectively analyzed 38 patients (62 refluxing renal units) with VUR. All patients experienced a culture documented breakthrough UTI (greater than 100,000 cfu/ml) while taking antibiotic prophylaxis. Dimercapto-succinic acid (DMSA) scans were obtained 4 to 6 weeks after UTI to detect new renal inflammatory changes and all scans were reviewed by the same pediatric nuclear medicine specialist (MM). To avoid misinterpretation of preexistent renal scarring for acute inflammation, new pyelonephritis was confirmed by comparison to prior DMSA scan.Results: Of 38 patients 14 (38%) had preexistent renal scarring but only 1 (...
Temperature dependent fatigue-failure analysis of V-ribbed serpentine belts

Abstract The effect of temperature on fatigue life of V-ribbed serpentine belts is investigated. A predictive fatigue crack growth model to monitor progressive deterioration of initially small rib tip flaws subjected to thermal and mechanical loads is developed. The model is based on computational fracture mechanics and temperature dependent fatigue coupon tests. A global–local finite element strategy is used to compute the J -integral for a through-the-thickness crack in the rib tip. The finite element model accounts for thermal strains and temperature dependent properties of rubber. The three-dimensional global model is created with a coarse mesh using first order continuum elements while the local model for the rib crack is constructed with significantly finer mesh utilizing second order continuum elements. Maximum and minimum J -integrals calculated at two extreme configurations for a single belt running cycle is used to estimate the fatigue life of the belt. The J -integral and fatigue life estimates obtained from the analysis show that the life of the belt is significantly affected while operating at elevated temperatures.
Nonparametric multiple comparisons with more than one control

Distribution-free methods are considered for comparing the medians of k1 treatments to the medians of k2 controls in the one-way layout under the assumption of equal sample sizes within the treatments and equal sample sizes within the controls. The problem is motivated by a biomedical example. For Mann-Whitney statistics, exact one-sided tests and simultaneous confidence intervals are developed for the case of k1 = k2 = 2. Upper bounds for the Type 1 error probability are established for general k\ and k2. Asymptotic probability points and asymptotically optimal designs are developed for use with Chernoff- Savage statistics.
Multiple open-channel electroosmotic pumping system for microfluidic sample handling.

The development of a novel, fully integrated, miniaturized pumping system for generation of pressure-driven flow in microfluidic platforms is described. The micropump, based on electroosmotic pumping principles, has a multiple open-channel configuration consisting of hundreds of parallel, small-diameter microchannels. Specifically, pumps with microchannels of 1−6 μm in depth, 4−50 mm in length, and an overall area of a few square millimeters, were constructed. Flow rates of 10−400 nL/min were generated in electric-field-free regions in a stable, reproducible and controllable manner. In addition, eluent gradients were created by simultaneously using two pumps. Pressures up to 80 psi were produced with the present pump configurations. The pump can be easily interfaced with other operational elements of a micrototal analysis system (μ-TAS) device with multiplexing capabilities. A new microfluidic valving system was also briefly evaluated in conjunction with these pumps. The micropump was utilized to deliver ...
Resveratrol enhances p53 acetylation and apoptosis in prostate cancer by inhibiting MTA1/NuRD complex

Dietary compounds and epigenetic influences are well recognized factors in cancer progression. Resveratrol (Res), a dietary compound from grapes, has anticancer properties; however, its epigenetic effects are understudied. Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) is a part of the nucleosome remodeling deacetylation (NuRD) corepressor complex that mediates posttranslational modifications of histones and nonhistone proteins resulting in transcriptional repression. MTA1 overexpression in prostate cancer (PCa) correlates with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis. In this study, we have identified a novel MTA1-mediated mechanism, by which Res restores p53-signaling pathways in PCa cells. We show, for the first time, that Res causes down-regulation of MTA1 protein, leading to destabilization of MTA1/NuRD thus allowing acetylation/activation of p53. We demonstrated that MTA1 decrease by Res was concomitant with accumulation of Ac-p53. MTA1 knockdown further sensitized PCa cells to Res-dependent p53 acetylation and recruitment to the p21 and Bax promoters. Furthermore, MTA1 silencing maximized the levels of Res-induced apoptosis and pro-apoptotic Bax accumulation. HDAC inhibitor SAHA, like MTA1 silencing, increased Res-dependent p53 acetylation and showed cooperative effect on apoptosis. Our results indicate a novel epigenetic mechanism that contributes to Res anticancer activities: the inhibition of MTA1/NuRD complexes due to MTA1 decrease, which suppresses its deacetylation function and allows p53 acetylation and subsequent activation of pro-apoptotic genes. Our study identifies MTA1 as a new molecular target of Res that may have important clinical applications for PCa chemoprevention and therapy, and points to the combination of Res with HDAC inhibitors as an innovative therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PCa.
MDMA Elicits Behavioral and Neurochemical Sensitization in Rats

Rats were treated with repeated injections of saline or one of two doses of (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 5 or 20 mg/kg, SC). Rats pretreated with either of the two repeated MDMA treatment regimens demonstrated an augmented increase in motor activity to an injection of MDMA made 12 days after the last repeated injection compared with either the first MDMA injection or MDMA given to animals pretreated with repeated saline. Furthermore, animals pretreated with the highest dose of repeated MDMA revealed a greater behavioral response to cocaine (15 mg/kg, IP). Microdialysis was conducted in the nucleus accumbens and the capacity of MDMA (5 mg/kg, SC) to elevate extracellular dopamine content was augmented in rats pretreated with repeated MDMA compared with the animals pretreated with repeated saline. These data reveal repeated MDMA administration produces behavioral sensitization and enhanced dopamine transmission in the nucleus accumbens of rats.
Synthesis of 14-azacamptothecin, a water-soluble topoisomerase I poison.

14-Azacamptothecin, a potent, water-soluble analogue of the antitumor agent camptothecin, has been prepared by a convergent synthesis. The key condensation of the AB and DE rings with concomitant formation of ring C of 14-aza CPT was carried out in two stages, the latter of which involved a radical cyclization strategy.
Mechanical Dry-Feed Dispensers

(1959). Mechanical Dry-Feed Dispensers. The Progressive Fish-Culturist: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 43-44.
Mixed potential response mechanism of cobalt electrodes toward inorganic phosphate

The potentiometric response mechanism of a previously reported phosphate ion-sensitive electrode based on a surface-oxidized cobalt metal is examined. Beyond response to phosphate, the cobalt electrode is found to respond to changes in the partial pressure of oxygen in the sample solution. The potentiometric response toward phosphate ions and molecular oxygen is shown to depend on the sample stirring rate as well as the pH, ionic strength, and nature of the buffer salts present within the test solution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies of the cobalt electrodes, in conjunction with cyclic voltammetric measurements, suggest that the potentiometric response originates from a mixed potential resulting from the slow oxidation of cobalt and simultaneous reduction of both oxygen and Co2+ at the surface of the electrode. In contrast to an originally proposed host−guest mechanism, the present mixed potential mechanism more accurately explains behavior of oxidized cobalt electrodes in the presence of phosph...
Lack of effect of laboratory-provoked anxiety on plasma homovanillic acid concentration in normal subjects

The present study was undertaken to investigate if acute anxiety can affect plasma concentrations of homovanillic acid (pHVA) Since elevated pHVA levels have been associated with severity of schizophrenic symptoms, the results of this study will help determine if the pHVA elevations are directly related to psychosis or if anxiety is also a contributory factor. Anxiety was provoked in 10 young normal subjects by a combined paradigm of mental arithmetic task and threat of electrical shock. A significant increase in self-ratings of anxiety, blood pressure, and plasma levels of norepinephrine, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol and growth hormone indicated that the paradigm used was effective in provoking anxiety; however, anxiety did not affect pHVA concentrations. The results may support the notion that increased pHVA levels in severely ill schizophrenic patients are related to the schizophrenic pathophysiology rather than to anxiety.
Sun-View Angle Effects on Reflectance Factors of Corn Canopies

The bidirectional reflectance characteristics of vegetation canopies vary with time of day and through the growing season. In this study the effects of sun and view angles on bidirectional reflectance factors from corn (Zea mays L.) canopies ranging in development from the six leaf stage to harvest maturity were examined. For nadir-acquired reflectance factors there was a strong solar angle dependence in all spectral bands for canopies with low leaf area index (LAI). A decrease in contrast between bare soil and vegetation due to shadows at larger solar zenith angles appeared to be the cause of this dependence. Sun angle dependence was least for well-developed canopies with higher LAI. However, for higher LAI canopies a moderate increase in reflectance factor was observed at larger solar zenith angles and was attributed to the presence of specular reflectance. Trends of off-nadir reflectance factors with respect to sun angle at different view azimuth angles indicated that the position of the sensor relative to the sun was an important factor for determining the angular reflectance characteristics of corn canopies. Reflectance factors were maximized for coincident sun and view angles and minimized when the sensor view direction was towards the sun. View direction relative to row orientation also contributed to the variation in reflectance factors.
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF NONIDEAL GASES. II. THE STRONGLY IONIZED GAS.

The thermodynamic equilibrium properties of strongly ionized multicomponent gas mixtures are investigated by application of the free-energy minimization method. For high-temperature regions where the Coulomb interaction is the dominant perturbation, the many-body partition function is developed from quantum cluster-expansion theory. The Coulomb free energy is given as the sum of the first- and second-order direct-interaction terms, plus the first three exchange-interaction terms. All five terms are exact in the classical limit, i. e., where Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics apply. The direct terms are correct for weak electron degeneracy and include wave-mechanical effects, while the first-order exchange term is exact for all degrees of degeneracy. The theoretical model is applied to multicomponent mixtures of hydrogen and of helium in the temperature range 50-2000 eV. The combination of the ring term plus higher-order terms significantly extends the region of applicability of the model over a classical electrostatic model. Specifically, electron degeneracy, the short-range cutoff in the ring term, and the three-rung ladder (second-order direct) term all operate to produce much less divergent thermodynamic results at a given density and temperature. First-order exchange is important even at moderate values of the electron-degeneracy parameter. The thermodynamic results indicate that evaluation of the exact quantum-mechanical ring term is essential for wider application of the perturbation-expansion theory, as is the development of a second-order exchange term for arbitrary degeneracy.
Giant osteoclasts after long-term bisphosphonate therapy: diagnostic challenges

This Case Study describes a postmenopausal woman who sustained a vertebral compression fracture 1 year after discontinuing long-term alendronate therapy for osteoporosis. A bone biopsy specimen revealed numerous giant, multinucleated osteoclasts, in contrast to the current opinion that alendronate therapy reduces the number of osteoclasts. In the context of this case, the authors highlight diseases that might be associated with giant osteoclasts, and discuss how to discriminate between them in order to avoid unnecessary tests and referrals.
Indefinite Sturm-Liouville problems and half-range completeness

where the function h changes sign on I. Such problems occur in certain physical models, particularly in transport theory and statistical physics; see [2-9, 11, 131, and references therein. As for the standard eigenvalue problem, it is true under quite general conditions (and not difficult’ to prove) that there is a set of eigenfunctions {un} which is complete in an appropriate Hilbert space of functions. This is known as full-range completeness. For the physical problems the question of interest is generally that of half-range completeness. To formulate this we set
In and Out: The Dynamics of Imagination in the Engagement with Narratives

Despite the attention the topic has received in recent years, there is still little agreement on how best to characterize what is at the core of engaging with narratives, irrespective of the medium-whether novels, films, plays, and so forth. Here, I look at a portion of contemporary philosophical debate, specifically, at Noel Carroll's and Matthew Kieran's criticisms of what we can call for convenience the "participant view" of narrative engagement. 1 Such a view comprises those accounts that, albeit in rather different ways, explain narrative engagement in terms of a narrative perceiver's self-oriented responses, that is, of responses involving some sort of imaginative projection onto the narrated events or some sort of imaginative sharing in the mental states of the characters. 2 The spectrum of notions invoked by such theories goes from identification to empathy, with the latter sometimes explained as mental simulation, to that form of imagination that Richard Wollheim dubbed "central imagining."3 By contrast, the approach defended by Carroll and Kieran, hereafter called the "onlooker view," conceives of narrative engagement in terms of other-oriented responses, those typical of sympathy. 4 It privileges Wollheim's "acentral imagining" and deems a perceiver's understanding of a fictional situation from without, so to speak, as usually sufficient to explain one's engagement with a narrative.5 I argue for a partial redirection of this debate, both by pointing to what I consider the correct and most fruitful methodology in this area and by making the case for a pluralistic approach, one that acknowledges the existence of several mechanisms of engagement with narratives. I start by discussing the battery of objections raised by Carroll and Kieran against the participant view, for that will provide an excellent opportunity to correct the methodological mistakes that vitiate, I will claim, this debate, and to introduce my pluralistic approach (Section I). Then, I correct a rather prevalent misconstruction of Wollheim's notion of central imagining (Section II). Hence, I propose my own emendations to Wollheim's views on the modes of imagination, which will provide me with the conceptual structure needed further to indicate a novel direction for the investigation of narrative engagement (Section III). My positive proposal is then strengthened and clarified by applying it to passages from Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway (Section IV).
Coronary venous arterialization: acute hemodynamic, metabolic, and chronic anatomical observations.

Abstract Nine dogs that had anastomosis of the internal mammary artery (IMA) to the left anterior descending coronary vein (LADV) were studied acutely on right-heart bypass. Occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LADA) and LADV without venous arterialization resulted in a significant decline in stroke work, total coronary flow, and myocardial oxygen uptake; with reactive hyperemia an increase in lactate and pyruvate consumption resulted. Occlusion of the LADA and LADV with VA did not change these variables greatly, except for a marked increase in total coronary flow with reactive hyperemia. Chronic venous arterialization in 14 dogs was associated with a 14% mortality, while 10 controls had a 40% mortality. Dogs were killed at six weeks, and prior angiography in 9 showed patency of the IMA to the heart without filling of cardiac veins. All dogs had infarcts in the distribution of the LADA; these infarcts were smaller in dogs with venous arterialization. The anastomoses were obliterated by mature or maturing fibrous tissue, with alteration of the vein so that it was frequently not discernible, while the IMA was well preserved. Distal veins had foci of intimal proliferation, subintimal fibrosis, and medial hypertrophy. Although venous arterialization provides protection for the acutely ischemic myocardium, this effect does not persist, perhaps because of anastomotic occlusion due to fibrous proliferation.
Structural consequences of strong and weak interactions to binary benzoic acid/bipyridine supramolecular assemblies

The crystal chemistry of a family of bimolecular complexes constructed from benzoic acid/bipyridine and benzoic acid/bipyridine-N-oxide components is described. The building blocks used in this investigation follow a retrosynthetic approach based on the complementary nature of carboxyl···pyridine/pyridine-N-oxide supramolecular synthons. These strong interactions largely form predictable discrete heterotrimers; however, the weaker, no less important, secondary interactions (e.g., C−H···acceptor and π···π stacking) control alignment of each heterotrimer resulting in a variety of packing motifs. The observed interplay of strong and weak interactions supports the need to examine and design molecular frameworks based on the full range of known contacts responsible for crystal cohesion. By introducing a structural family with similar topological features, the current study provides a means of exploring the interdependency of structural features to molecular alignment in competitive crystal environments.
Gas-phase decomposition mechanisms of C-NO2, N-NO2 energetic materials: Reevaluations

The thermal decomposition mechanisms of gaseous nitromethane, methyl nitrite, dimethylnitramine and 1,3,3,-trinitroazetidine (TNAZ) have been reanalyzed using sensitivity and principal component analyses. For each system an adequate, much simplified mechanism was developed, and the fragmentation/reaction sequence leading to the final products was made transparent. The critical roles of free radicals (CH3, H, OH, HCO, HNO, CH3O, etc.) at different stages of these pyrolyses were then identified. The predicted product distributions for these compounds were calculated to facilitate the assessment of their explosive performance parameters. Comparison of the products generated by nitromethane with those produced by methyl nitrite showed that the contribution of a nitro-nitrite isomerization reaction is negligible in the nitromethane pyrolysis. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 31: 655–673, 1999
Radiosurgery target point alignment errors detected with portal film verification

Stereotactic radiosurgery with a linear accelerator requires an accurate match of the therapeutic radiation distribution to the localized target volume. Techniques for localization of the target volume using CT scans and/or angiograms have been described. Alignment of the therapeutic radiation distribution to the intended point in stereotactic space is usually accomplished using precision mechanical scales which attach to the head ring. The present work describes a technique used to verify that the stereotactic coordinates of the center of the intended radiation distribution are in agreement with the localized target point coordinates. This technique uses anterior/posterior and lateral accelerator portal verification films to localize the stereotactic coordinates of the center of the radiation distribution with the patient in the treatment position. The results of 26 cases have been analyzed. Alignment errors of the therapeutic radiation distribution in excess of 1 mm have been found using the portal film verification procedure.
Brillouin scattering measurements from plasmas irradiated with spatially and temporally incoherent laser light

Stimulated Brillouin scattering spectra have been measured from plasmas produced by spatially and temporally incoherent laser light. The measured backscatter spectra and intensities differ substantially from measurements of Brillouin scattering with coherent illumination. Backscatter is strongly suppressed and the Brillouin signature in the spectra disappears. This quenching of stimulated Brillouin scattering is observed even when the laser coherence time is much larger (10\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}) than the predicted convective saturation time of the stimulated Brillouin scattering instability.
Monitoring of comprehension: The role of text difficulty in metamemory for narrative and expository text

The effect of text difficulty on metamemory for narrative and expository text was investigated. In Experiment 1, we found an interaction between type of text and type of question (thematic or detailed). For readers of narrative texts, correlations between predicted and actual performance were highest for detailed questions, but this pattern was reversed for readers of expository texts. Next, text difficulty was explored as a possible factor affecting metamemory accuracy. In Experiments 2 and 3, metamemory accuracy was a nonmonotonic function of text difficulty. Subjects made remarkably accurate predictions of future performance (mean G > .6) for both narrative and expository texts that were of intermediate difficulty (approximately a 12th-grade reading level). We propose an optimum effort hypothesis, predicting greatest metamemory accuracy when the texts are of intermediate difficulty.
Vocalizations of the Slow Loris,Nycticebus coucang (Primates, Lorisidae)

The slow loris (Nycticebus coucang) is an Asian prosimian for which no data on vocalizations other than verbal description have been provided. Five different calls have been previously reported: a “growl” or “chatter” that the loris emits when disturbed, a “squeak,” a “quaink,” a “whistle,” and an infant click call. Calls were recorded from nine different slow lorises that were being observed in the course of another study. Vocalizations were correlated with the behavior of the calling animal as well as the behavior of its cagemate(s). A variety of methods was used to elicit sounds which were then recorded; sonagrams were made from recordings. Four types of calls were identified. They correspond to all but the quaink and the squeak calls noted above. The pant-growl’s intensity was directly proportional to the degree of disturbance exhibited by the vocalizing animal. The chitter was heard during fights or when an animal was extremely disturbed. The whistle was heard when a female was in estrus. Infant click calls, a series of high-frequency pulses, were made when the infant was separated from its mother. The four calls recorded in the present study may represent only two types: the pant-growl and chitter have similar components and appear to be parts of a graded series of vocalizations that may be derived developmentally from the infant click call; the second type, the whistle call, may be unique to an estrous for courting) animal. The vocal repertoire ofN. coucang compares in size, type, and behavioral context to those of other lorisid prosimians.
Nationwide practice patterns in the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein–2 in pediatric spine surgery as a function of patient-, hospital-, and procedure-related factors

Object Current national patterns as a function of patient-, hospital-, and procedure-related factors, and complication rates in the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein–2 (rhBMP-2) as an adjunct to the practice of pediatric spine surgery have scarcely been investigated. Methods The authors conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to calculate unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, and p values < 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant. Results The authors identified 9538 hospitalizations in pediatric patients 20 years old or younger who had undergone spinal fusion in the US in 2009; 1541 of these admissions were associated with rhBMP-2 use. By multivariate logistic regression, the following factors were associated with rhBMP-2 use: patient age 15–20 years; length of hospital stay (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.01, p = ...
Social stratification in transitional economies: property rights and the structure of markets

In transitions from state socialism, property rights are re-allocated to organizations and groups, creating new markets and new forms of economic enterprise that reshape the stratification order. A generation of research has estimated individual-level outcomes with income equations and mobility models, relying on broad assumptions about economic change. We redirect attention to the process of economic change that structures emerging markets. The process varies across market sectors, depending on the entity that is granted rights formerly exercised by state organs, and on the combination of rights they are granted. The transformation of three sectors in China—agriculture, steel manufacturing, and real estate—shows how different allocations of property rights alter the stratification order in strikingly different ways. Historical analysis of the evolution of markets and enterprises integrates insights from economic sociology into research on social stratification, providing a structural perspective on transitions from state socialism.
Educational and psychosocial needs of patients with chronic disease: A survey of preferences of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

There is increasing interest in better defining and meeting the nonmedical needs of patients with chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We surveyed patients with RA about the importance of eight psyche-social and eight educational issues, and asked patients from what source they preferred to get help with these issues and which sources they would not use. We also looked at individual variables, including sex, age, disease duration, and disease severity, to see if they affected patients' choices. The issues rated most important by patients included communicating with the doctor, understanding medication, dealing with pain, and the effects of arthritis on energy level, the future, and work. Most patients preferred to seek help from their physicians, although up to 75% were willing to attend groups, and 68% were willing to see individual counselors for some issues.
Hyperactivity and alcoholism: Familial and behavioral correlates☆

Abstract This study examined the relationship between childhood MBD/hyperactivity, familial alcoholism, and alcoholism severity, current psychopathology, and performance on three behavioral indices of impulsivity/attentional control. The subjects were 33 men VA alcoholic inpatients carefully screened to be free of complicating neurological, medical, and psychiatric problems. The findings indicated that subjects higher in MBD/hyperactivity reported considerably more psychopathology and tended to suffer more adverse effects associated with alcoholism than low MBD/hyperactivity subjects. Familial alcoholics reported significantly more childhood MBD/hyperactivity than nonfamilial alcoholics,a finding supported by higher MMPI hypomanic scores. Group differences were not found on any of the measures of impulsivity/attentional control.
The role of the subtropical gyres in the heat balance of the Warmwassersphaere

Abstract A coupled oceanic mixed layer-atmospheric subcloud layer model is used to analyze warm water mass formation in subtropical oceans. The influence of large scale circulation is parameterized by prescribing winds and currents, radiant heat gain and loss and air temperature and humidity above cloud base. Boundary layer processes, however, are fully accounted for. The resulting heat and vapor balances reduce to a second order hyperbolic equation, which can be integrated along air- and water-side characteristics. The solution fairly rapidly approach an equilibrium state, through damped “air-sea interaction waves”. Application of the model as a diagnostic tool to an idealized subtropical gyre leads to the conclusion that net oceanic heat gain (i.e. warm water mass formation) at a rate of the order of 30 W m −2 is possible as a consequence of cold water advection. This verifies meteorological calculations of oceanic heat gain in such oceans as the North Atlantic, where the Warmwassersphaere is flanked by cold surface waters. However, in a completely warm ocean, such as the Northern Indian Ocean, there is no realistic way to square meteorologically calculated heat gains of 60 W m −2 and more with boundary layer resistances to heat transfer.
The domain of set-valued feature structures

It is well-known that feature structures (Rounds and Kasper 1986) can be fruitfully viewed as forming a Scott domain (Moshier 1988). Once a linguistically motivated notion of “set value” in feature structures is countenanced, however, this is no longer possible inasmuch as unification of set values in general fails to yield a unique result. In Pollard and Moshier 1990 it was shown that, while falling short of forming a Scott domain, the set of feature structures possibly containing set values satisfies the weaker condition of forming a “2/3 SFP domain” when equipped with an appropriate notion of subsumption: that is, for any finite setS of feature structures, there is a finite setM of minimal upper bounds ofS such that any upper bound ofS is approximated by a member ofM. Unfortunately, the 2/3 SFP domains are not as pleasant to work with as Scott domains since they are not closed under all the familiar domain constructions; and the question has remained open whether the feature structure domain satisfies the added condition of profiniteness. (The profinite ω-algebraic domains with least elements are a subclass of the 2/3 SFP domains which enjoy the pleasant property of being the largest full subcategory of ω-algebraic domains that is closed under the usual domain constructions.) In this paper we resolve this question in the affirmative.
From onions to broccoli: generalizing Lewis' counterfactual logic

We present a generalization of Segerberg's onion semantics for belief revision, in which the linearity of the spheres need not occur. The resulting logic is called broccoli logic. We provide a minimal relational logic, with a bi-modal neighborhood semantics. We then show that broccoli logic is a well-known conditional logic, the Burgess-Veltman minimal conditional logic.
How can FIFA be held accountable

Abstract The Federation Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, is a non-governmental organization located in Switzerland that is responsible for overseeing the quadrennial World Cup football (soccer) competition in addition to its jurisdiction over other various international competitions and aspects of international football. The organization, long accused of corruption, has in recent years been increasingly criticized by observers and stakeholders for its lack of transparency and accountability. In 2011 FIFA initiated a governance reform process which will come to a close in May 2013. This paper draws on literature in the field of international relations to ask and answer the question: how can FIFA be held accountable? The paper's review finds that the answer to this question is “not easily.” The experience in reforming the International Olympic Committee (IOC) more than a decade ago provides one model for how reform might occur in FIFA. However, any effective reform will require the successful and simultaneous application of multiple mechanisms of accountability. The FIFA case study has broader implications for understanding mechanisms of accountability more generally, especially as related to international non-governmental organizations.
Noncompetitive mixed-type inhibition of rainbow trout CYP1A catalytic activity by clotrimazole

Over the past two decades a number of antifungal imidazole derivatives have been approved for use in agricultural. The purpose of this study was to characterize the interaction of a model antifungal imidazole compound with a cytochrome P450 isozyme in a species of fish. Clotrimazole inhibited rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) hepatic CYP1A-catalyzed ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity in vivo and in vitro. Although clotrimazole inhibited EROD activity in vivo, it did not effect CYP1A mRNA levels. Addition of clotrimazole to microsomes produced a type II binding spectrum and clotrimazole was determined to be a noncompetitive mixed-type inhibitor of EROD activity with an IC50 of 190 nM. Since antifungal imidazole compounds may be co-applied with other pesticides, inhibition of cytochrome P450 activity by antifungal imidazole compounds may lead to unexpected toxicological interactions.
F1-ATP Synthaseβ-Subunit and CytochromecTranscriptional Regulation in Right Ventricular Hemodynamic Overload and Hypertrophically Stimulated Cardiocytes

Cardiac hypertrophic growth secondary to hemodynamic pressure overload causes changes in energy requirements that may involve the transcriptional upregulation of oxidative phosphorylation genes. Therefore, two representative nuclear-encoded genes, the mitochondrial F1-ATP synthaseβ-subunit (β-subunit) and cytochromec(cytc), were examined in a feline chronic pulmonary artery banded right ventricular pressure-overload model. In the hypertrophying right ventricle,β-subunit and cytcmRNA levels increased after two and seven days, during the peak growth response. To examine cardiac transcriptional regulation, neonatal rat cardiac myocytes (cardiocytes) were transiently transfected withβ-subunit promoter constructs ranging from −1519 nucleotides (nt) upstream of transcription initiation as well as cytcpromoter constructs ranging from −726 nt. A full-length p1519β-subunit/Luc construct wasα-adrenergically inducible by 275% (±30%) with this activation being mapped to an enhancer region between −1519 to −1480 nt. Smaller constructs containing more proximal promoter elements were not inducible. Additionally, the full-length and enhancer deletedβ-subunit constructs were also inducible in electrically stimulated cardiocytes, suggesting a different mechanism of activation. Cytcconstructs containing known constitutive elements from −191 to −167 nt and −139 to −84 nt were responsible for the majority of the reporter activity of the full-length promoter but were not inducible in the presence of phenylephrine. Hence, we show that promoter regions containing elements common in other metabolism-related gene families are active in neonatal rat cardiocytes. Once more, we have identified aβ-subunit genomic region responsive toα-adrenergic and electrical stimulation.
An Environmental Education Needs Assessment Study in the Carazo Department of Nicaragua

In 1993, the Nicaraguan government mandated that environmental education be addressed through national- and departmental-level programs. To develop baseline data for programs in the Carazo Departme...
A multiple field time-lapse cinemicrography apparatus

Abstract An apparatus has been designed and constructed by means of which, using a single microscope and camera, ten separate microscopic fields were photographed in the course of a time-lapse study. The heart of the apparatus is a stage which, by means of a mechanism, was rotated about its axis in increments of about 36 angular degrees. The axis of the microscope was positioned eccentrically with the axis of the stage so that ten separate fields were presented to the microscope in succession. These fields were photographed over and over again in the course of an experiment. The successful operation of this simple apparatus illustrates that it is possible to achieve a many-fold increase in data derived from time-lapse-cinemicrography experiments in which a single camera and microscope are used.
Differentiation along arbitrary orientations: Methods are presented for numerically differentiating photomechanical-fringe patterns along arbitrarily curved and straight directions

A prevalent problem of mechanics is the differentiation of experimental information with respect to various directions, including the determination of cross derivatives. Simple methods for evaluating such derivatives along straight and curved directions are described. The concepts are demoinstrated at boundary and internal locations of in-plane and transversely loaded plates.
Synthesis and proof of structure of tritiated glucose and its use in the study of the mechanism of UPPGal-C-4-epimerase

Results are reported from an investigation of the mechanisms of UDPGal-C- 4-epimerase reactions in carbohydrate metabolism using chemically synthesized tritiated alpha -D-glucose 1-phosphate in which the position of the tritium was established through stepwise degradation of the tritiated glucose. Applications of the degradation scheme for the location of labeled positions in studies of carbohydrate metabolism using hexoses labeled with both C/sup 14/ and/or tritium are discussed. (C.H.)