cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Informing Policy Change: A Study of Rapid Repeat Pregnancy in Adolescents to Increase Access to Immediate Postpartum Contraception.

Background: Rapid repeat pregnancy (RRP) is common among adolescents and is associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Despite evidence that use of long-acting forms of contraception bef...
Statistical Analysis for Component Shift in Pick and Place Process of Surface Mount Technology

Abstract The placed electronic component can shift on the wet solder paste in pick and place (P&P) process of surface mount technology (SMT). It does not usually attract much attention, because the shift is considered to be negligibly small and the following self-alignment effect in the solder paste reflow soldering process could also make it up. However, with the decreasing size of the electronic components and the increasing demand for the low defective rate of PCB, the component shift in P&P process is becoming more and more important in quality control of SMT industries. Though a few papers are related to the component shift in P&P process, there is no earlier research using the data from the real production line. In this paper, we study two basic and important issues: the behavior of the component shift in P&P process and the contributing factors to it. Several statistical methods are used to explore the behavior component shift based on the data from a complete state-of-the-art SMT assembly line. Main effects and regression analysis are implemented to pinpoint the contributing factors. In order to investigate the issues comprehensively, six types of electronic components and multiple potential factors are considered in this work, e.g., solder paste properties (position, volume, area, height), designed position of the component, placement pressure. The results indicate that component shift cannot be ignored. Also, the position of solder paste, designed position of component and component type are the top three most important factors to study the component shifts in P&P process.
The impact of weight change on intra-abdominal and hernia volumes.

Abstract Background Weight loss is often encouraged or required before open ventral hernia repair. This study evaluates the impact of weight change on total, intra-abdominal, subcutaneous, and hernia volume. Methods Patients who underwent open ventral hernia repair from 2007 to 2018 with two preoperative computed tomography scans were identified. Scans were reviewed using 3D volumetric software. Demographics, operative characteristics, and outcomes were evaluated. The impact of weight change on intra-abdominal, subcutaneous, and hernia volume was assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficients and linear regression models. Results A total of 250 patients met the criteria with a mean defect area of 155.6 ± 155.4 cm2, subcutaneous volume of 6,800.0 ± 3,868.8 cm3, hernia volume of 915.7 ± 1,234.5 cm3, intra-abdominal volume equaling 4,250.2 ± 2,118.1 cm3, and time between computed tomography scans 13.9 ± 11.0 months. Weight change was associated with change in hernia, intra-abdominal, total, and subcutaneous volume (Spearman’s correlation coefficients 0.17, 0.48, 0.51, 0.45, respectively, P ≤ 0.03 all values) and not associated in hernia length, width, or area (P ≥ 0.18 all values). A Δ5 kg was significantly associated with Δintra-abdominal volume (164.1 ± 30.0 cm3/Δ5 kg,P Conclusion Weight change is linearly correlated with intra-abdominal and subcutaneous fat gain or loss. Males show greater abdominal-related response to weight gain or loss. Hernia dimensions increase over time regardless of weight change.
Transformation Inspired from the Margins

Literature on international study and civic engagement acknowledges multiple conditions through which students may achieve personal and intellectual transformation. Less is written about student and faculty transformation when courses reside at intersecting disciplinary margins. Funded by the Luce Initiative on Asian Studies and the Environment (LIASE), two co-located, month-long, off-campus study courses situated faculty and student development within the thematic context of environmentalism in Japan. During the month available, by teaching at the margins, or in other words, beyond familiar lifestyles and areas of knowledge, we examined powerful common-sense assumptions regarding proper questions and answers about environmental challenges. Paired natural and social-science courses explored grassroots efforts to achieve environmental sustainability at the margins, in terms of socio-cultural structures, geography and place, normal life and crisis, cross-cultural and cross-language communication, and between wealthy and developing economies. This article contributes to our knowledge of transformative experiential learning by (1) documenting our processes in and products from co-designing and co-teaching these courses, and (2) reporting on learning resultant from the courses in the words of participating students and faculty, with their consent.
Flexible Architectures for Concurrent Reception of Multiple RF Carriers and Compressed-Sampling Signal Detection in Frequency and Direction-of-Arrival

The modulated-clock downconversion mixer (MC-DM) and the antenna-weight-modulated phased-array (AWM-PA) are explored as key enablers of ambient-aware, opportunistic receivers in emerging 5G deployments. The benefits of the MC-DM is demonstrated first with an out-of-channel interferer reflecting, inter-band carrier aggregation receiver architecture where the RF carrier combination is selected simply by programming the frequency of the CW waveform used to modulate the mixer clock. Second, a wideband spectrum scanner architecture utilizing pseudo-random modulation of the downconversion mixer clock and Compressed-Sampling (CS) DSP is explored where a few large interferers are detected in ns time. The benefits of the AWM-PA is demonstrated with a phased-array architecture utilizing pseudo-random modulation of the antenna weights and CS DSP where a few large DoAs are detected in us time.
Corticosteroid choice and clinical outcomes for asthma exacerbations in the primary care setting.

To evaluate clinical outcomes in young children with acute asthma exacerbations treated with prednisone/prednisolone versus dexamethasone in the primary care setting. Retrospective cohort study of ...
Pre-service teachers’ difficulties in reasoning about sampling variability

Past studies have documented some pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) difficulties in reasoning about sampling variability. This study adds to the body of literature by investigating the ideas that PSTs employ in reasoning about sampling variability, and by conjecturing what is behind the difficulties especially during the contextuality episodes. This issue was studied in the context of a content course on statistics and probability for elementary and middle grade PSTs at a Midwestern American university. An analysis of a PST’s video and screen records of a task-based interview was guided by techniques of knowledge analysis (diSessa et al., 2016), and focused on two clear contextuality episodes that have caused disequilibrium in the PST’s knowledge system. The analysis described at a moment-by-moment level the cognitive dynamics of the transitions that occurred in the PST’s knowledge system and highlighted some of the difficulties that arise from the activation of less-productive knowledge elements over others. The significance of this study is in its use for the techniques of knowledge analysis from the field of cognitive science to provide a fine-grained description of PSTs’ difficulties in reasoning about sampling variability that went beyond the traditional description of these difficulties as misconceptions.
Adventures with Marx1

An account of my journey from an English schoolboy interested in landscapes to academic geographer, and the role that my engagement with Marx has played in that intellectual odyssey.
Partial dependence through stratification

Abstract Partial dependence curves (FPD) are commonly used to explain feature importance once a supervised learning model has been fitted to data. However, it is common for the same partial dependence algorithm to give meaningfully different curves for different supervised models, even when the algorithm is applied to the same data. As a result, it is difficult to distinguish between model artifacts and true relationships in the data. In this paper, we contribute metods for computing partial dependence curves, for both numerical ( StratPD ) and categorical explanatory variables ( CatStratPD ), that work directly from training data rather than the predictions of a fitted model. Our methods provide a direct estimate of partial dependence, and rely on approximating the partial derivative of an unknown regression function. We investigate settings where contemporary partial dependence methods – including FPD, Accumulated Local Effects (ALE), and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) methods – give biased results. We demonstrate that our approach works correctly on synthetic data and plausibly on real data sets. This work motivates a new line of inquiry into nonparametric partial dependence that provides robust information about the variables considered in a supervised learning task.
Foreign Investments: Politics and International Law

The unfriendly attitude toward North American companies assumed by various Latin American Governments has manifested itself in various ways, politically and legally. The modern version started with the "expropriation" of the International Petroleum Company in Peru, but it has expanded gradually to some countries of the Andean bloc, and even to countries outside the bloc, principally Venezuela and Argentina. In our country, even though the instances of harassment have not been as marked, there has developed a negative political attitude towards foreign capital. This attitude has been reflected in different legal enactments dating from June 1970; in court decisions evidencing strong nationalistic tendencies; and, in political acts intended to let public opinion know the feelings of the government.
Using Eye Blinking for EOG-Based Robot Control

This paper proposes a new approach to real-time robot controlling by integrating an Electrooculography (EOG) measuring device within human-robot interaction (HRI). Our study focuses on controlling robots using EOG for fulfilling elementary robot activities such as basic motor movements and environment interaction. A new EOG-based HRI paradigm has been developed on the specific defined problem of eye blinking. The resulted model is tested using biometric capturing equipment. We propose a simple algorithm for real-time identification and processing of signals produced by eyes during blinking phases. We present the experimental setup and the results of the experiment. We conclude by listing further research issues.
Modules for a digitally controlled analog VLSI processor with highly reconfigurable architecture

The architecture of a modular VLSI signal processor with highly reconfigurable architecture is discussed. The processor has three types of modules: function modules; interconnection modules; and signal generation/nonlinear function generation modules. Signals are represented as currents. Multiplying transconductance amplifiers are used to implement linear and nonlinear programmable building blocks. >
Energy drinks: what is all the hype? The dangers of energy drink consumption.

Purpose: To describe the adverse effects associated with energy drink consumption among adolescents and young adults. Data sources: Review of literature utilizing Medscape, the Internet, MD Consult, and CINAHL. The following search terms were used: Energy drinks, caffeine, guarana, taurine, ginseng, sugar, and caffeine toxicity. Search was limited to English language sources from 2005 to 2010. Conclusions: The popularity of energy drinks and the rapid growth of their excessive consumption among adolescents and young adults have brought about great concern in regards to overall health and well-being. Caffeine, which is readily available to minors, is the most commonly used psychoactive substance in the world and imposes a potentially harmful influence on health, academic performance, and personal adjustments. Teens and young adults account for nearly $2.3 billion of energy drink sales. Adolescents and young adults are often unaware that various products, such as energy drinks, herbal medications, and various other medications that promote alertness, contain caffeine. When these products are taken together, caffeine toxicity and severe adverse effects can occur. Implications for practice: Practitioners need to be aware of the consequences of energy drink consumption and be prepared to provide appropriate patient education.
The female bladder and urethra before and after correction for stress incontinence.

Abstract The selection of twelve patients with urinary stress incontinence forms the basis of this study. Simple vesicourethral suspension as described by Marshall and his co-workers was the procedure used to correct their complaint. An evaluation of the clinical and anatomical findings observed before correction, particularly with the aid of cystography, showed that failure of the pelvic floor, especially of the levator ani, to support the vesical sphincter mechanism was most frequently associated with loss of urinary control. Cystography postoperatively revealed the striking degree of elevation of the bladder and its outlet effected by the operation. It further demonstrated that the procedure fixes the urethra to the posterior surface of the symphysis without distortion. Although suprapubic vesicourethral suspension is not meant to supplant the standard vaginal operations for the relief of stress incontinence, some of the advantages are enumerated. It is indicated, as a result of this study, that the mechanism of the operation's success lies in the fact that it restores a relatively firm point of attachment to the sphincter mechanism of the vesical neck, a major requirement for the normal function of any sphincter.
Age- and sex-dependent susceptibility to phenobarbital-resistant neonatal seizures: role of chloride co-transporters.

Ischemia in the immature brain is an important cause of neonatal seizures. Temporal evolution of acquired neonatal seizures and their response to anticonvulsants are of great interest, given the unreliability of the clinical correlates and poor efficacy of first-line anti-seizure drugs. The expression and function of the electroneutral chloride co-transporters KCC2 and NKCC1 influence the anti-seizure efficacy of GABAA-agonists. To investigate ischemia-induced seizure susceptibility and efficacy of the GABAA-agonist phenobarbital (PB), with NKCC1 antagonist bumetanide (BTN) as an adjunct treatment, we utilized permanent unilateral carotid-ligation to produce acute ischemic-seizures in postnatal day 7, 10 and 12 CD1 mice. Immediate post-ligation video-electroencephalograms (EEGs) quantitatively evaluated baseline and post-treatment seizure burdens. Brains were examined for stroke-injury and western blot analyses to evaluate the expression of KCC2 and NKCC1. Severity of acute ischemic seizures post-ligation was highest at P7. PB was an efficacious anti-seizure agent at P10 and P12, but not at P7. BTN failed as an adjunct, at all ages tested and significantly blunted PB-efficacy at P10. Significant acute post-ischemic downregulation of KCC2 was detected at all ages. At P7, males displayed higher age-dependent seizure susceptibility, associated with a significant developmental lag in their KCC2 expression. This study established a novel neonatal mouse model of PB-resistant seizures that demonstrates age/sex-dependent susceptibility. The age-dependent profile of KCC2 expression and its post-insult downregulation may underlie the PB-resistance reported in this model. Blocking NKCC1 with low-dose BTN following PB treatment failed to improve PB-efficacy.
Achalasia in Mother and Daughter

Achalasia in parent and offspring has been documented for the first time. The familial occurrence of achalasia has been reviewed. The occurrence of this disorder in family groups permits speculation that genetic factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of achalasia.
Promoting “Healthy Futures” to Reduce Risk Behaviors in Urban Youth: A Randomized Controlled Trial

There is increasing evidence of the interconnection between educational and health outcomes. Unfortunately wide disparities exist by both socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity in educational and vocational success. This study sought to promote urban youths’ career readiness as a way to reduce involvement in risk behaviors. Two hundred primarily African-American youth (ages 14–21) were recruited from a pediatric primary care clinic. Youth randomized to the intervention received three motivational interviewing sessions focused around expectations and planning for the future. Baseline and 6-month follow-up assessments included measures of career readiness and risk behavior involvement (i.e., physical fighting, alcohol and marijuana use). At 6-months, youth randomized to the intervention condition showed increased confidence in their ability to perform the behaviors needed to reach their college/career goals. Additionally, youth randomized to the intervention arm showed decreased fighting behavior (adjusted rate ratio: .27) and marijuana use (adjusted rate ratio: .61). Assisting urban youth in thinking and planning about their future holds promise as a way to reduce their involvement in risk behaviors. This study also demonstrated that motivational interviewing could be used to promote positive behaviors (i.e., career readiness).
Boas's Changes in Bodily Form: The Immigrant Study, Cranial Plasticity, and Boas's Physical Anthropology

In two recent articles, we and another set of researchers independently reanalyzed data from Franz Boas's classic study of immigrants and their descendants. Whereas we confirm Boas's overarching conclusion regarding the plasticity of cranial form, Corey Sparks and Richard Jantz argue that Boas was incorrect. Here we attempt to reconcile these apparently incompatible conclusions. We first address methodological differences between our reanalyses and suggest that (1) Sparks and Jantz posed a different set of questions than we did, and (2) their results are largely consistent with our own. We then discuss our differing understandings of Boas's original argument and of the concept of cranial plasticity. In particular, we argue that Sparks and Jantz attribute to Boas a position he explicitly rejected. When we clarify Boas's position and place the immigrant study in historical context, Sparks and Jantz's renalysis supports our conclusion that, on the whole, Boas got it right. [Keywords: Franz Boas, plasticity, anthropometry, heritability, immigrant study]
Weight Goals, Perceptions, and Practices among Hispanic and Anglo College Females.

This study explored the weight management practices, rates overweight and obesity, perceptions of body weight, and weight management goals in a large sample (N = 467) of Hispanic (n = 421) and Anglo (n = 46) female college students on the U.S.-Mexico border. Women self-reported their height and weight, weight perceptions, and weight management goals and practices. About one third of the sample was overweight and many reported using weight management methods, most notably exercise and restraint dieting. The only significant difference between Anglos and Hispanics was for exercise, where Hispanics reported exercising more frequently. Although most weight control practices positively intercorrelated, exercise and restraint dieting were negatively correlated. Path analyses showed that weight perceptions and weight management goals mediated associations between body mass index and weight management practices. Results suggest that weight management interventions emphasize increasing exercise and controlling cal...
Fluorescence Analysis of Galactose, Lactose, and Fucose Interaction with the Cholera Toxin B Subunit

The cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) recognizes ganglioside GM1 receptors on target cells to facilitate entry of the toxin's A1 polypeptide into the host cytoplasm. GM1 binding to the CTB homopentamer occurs cooperatively with the most prominent interactions involving the terminal galactose residue of the ganglioside. Here, it is shown that association of galactose, lactose, or fucose (6-deoxy-galactose) with CTB is readily monitored using fluorescence spectroscopy. In many respects, however, the formation of CTB complexes with these small sugar analogues of GM1 greatly differs from the formation of complexes with the ganglioside itself. Each of these monosaccharides has a much weaker affinity for CTB than does GM1 and none of the sugars appear to be bound cooperatively. Moreover, GM1 binding conveys a stabilizing effect to CTB which is not seen upon binding of galactose or lactose. These data indicate that CTB-GM1 interactions involving sites other than the terminal galactose of the ganglioside serve prominently in the proper placement of CT on the target cell surface.
Comments on "S-plane to Z-plane mapping using a simultaneous equation algorithm based on the bilinear transformation" by F.D. Groutage, et al

The commenter directions attention to a conveniently implementable scheme for implementing the bilinear transformation used in the above mentioned paper (ibid., vol.AC-32, no.7, p.635-7, July 1987), which is based on the use of the Q/sub n/ matrix. He suggests that the overall advantages in the use of Q/sub n/ matrix cannot be matched by the authors' approach. >
Identification of parameters by the distribution of the maximum random variable: The general multivariate normal case

LetX 1,X 2, ...,X r ber independentn-dimensional random vectors each with a non-singular normal distribution with zero means and positive partial correlations. Suppose thatX i =(X i1 , ...,X in ) and the random vectorY=(Y 1, ...,Y n ), their maximum, is defined byY j =max{X ij :1≦i≦r}. LetW be another randomn-vector which is the maximum of another such family of independentn-vectorsZ 1,Z 2, ...,Z s . It is then shown in this paper that the distributions of theZ i 's are simply a rearrangement of those of theZ j 's (and of course,r=s), whenever their maximaY andW have the same distribution. This problem was initially studied by Anderson and Ghurye [2] in the univariate and bivariate cases and motivated by a supply-demand problem in econometrics.
Further Development of the Multidimensional School Anger Inventory: Construct Validation, Extension to Female Adolescents, and Preliminary Norms:

The responses of 1,166 students in Grades 9 through 12 to the Multidimensional School Anger Inventory (MSAI) were used in four analyses to further examine and extend its psychometric properties. In...
Amino acid supplementation of grain.

Statistics indicate a rapid increase in world population, especially in the developing countries. Increasing demand for foods has come into existence in parallel with the growth of population. Amino acid supple-mentation of oil seed protein and grain is both practical and economical and can play a very important role in the campaign to improve the quality of world protein supplies. This paper reviews not only the nutritional significance but also the practical aspects of amino acid supplementation of foods and feedstuffs. Production of important amino acids is also reviewed.
No binary quadratic residue code of length 8m-1 is quasi-perfect

The class of binary quadratic residue (QR) codes of length n=8m-1 contains two perfect codes. These are the (7,4,3) Hamming code and the (23,12,7) Golay code. However, it is proved in the present paper that there are no quasi-perfect QR codes of length 8m-1. Finally, this result is generalized to all binary self-dual codes of length N>72. >
Central administration of neuropeptide Y induces precocious puberty in female rats

To examine the role of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the regulation of puberty, the effects of various doses of NPY or saline injected into the 3rd ventricle of peripubertal female rats were determined. A single injection of NPY at a dose range of 10-20 micrograms into the 3rd ventricle of 30-day-old female rats advanced the time of vaginal opening (VO) and first ovulation by 4 days, as compared to saline-treated controls. Ova number and ovarian, adrenal and uterine weights at first estrous were similar in all animals regardless of treatment. The NPY-treated precocious animals showed lower body weight than did the VO-matched controls, but showed similar body weight as that of age-matched controls. Determination of plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in the peripubertal female rats revealed that plasma LH was increased transiently immediately after NPY administration. Also, NPY-treated rats which had precocious puberty showed elevated pituitary and plasma LH levels on the day of VO. These results suggest that NPY can activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis to precociously initiate puberty.
On the state of the art: risk communication to decision-makers

Abstract This paper reviews the state of the art on risk communication to decision-makers, with an emphasis on issues involved in communicating technical results. In particular, the paper discusses the treatment of uncertainty, variability, and dependence. It also reviews suggestions from the literature regarding the appropriate format of risk communication messages to decision-makers. Due to the lack of detailed empirical investigations and definitive results about this topic, the paper is not intended to be a comprehensive review, but rather as an exploration of key issues in this area.
The SAPHO Syndrome

Objective To review the epidemiology, presentation, diagnosis, treatment, pathogenesis, and genetics of the syndrome known under the acronym of SAPHO for Synovitis, Acne, Pustulosis, Hyperostosis, and Osteitis to heighten awareness of this entity. Methods We conducted a Medline search using SAPHO syndrome, chronic recurrent multifocal osteitis/osteomyelitis, and related terms as keywords and extracted further relevant articles from the retrieved references. Results The SAHPO acronym identifies a syndrome encompassing a variety of osteoarticular disorders that are frequently accompanied by dermatoses characterized by neutrophilic pseudoabscesses, but can also occur in isolation. SAPHO syndrome is rare, although probably underrecognized because its diagnosis may be challenging because of the wide variability in its musculoskeletal and cutaneous manifestations. This is especially true when atypical sites are involved and when specific skin lesions are absent. There are no standardized treatment protocols available. Current treatments are empirical and have the objective of providing relief from the at times debilitating pain associated with SAPHO syndrome. They include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics as first-line agents. Systemic corticosteroids, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, biologicals targeting tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1, and bisphosphonates have all been beneficial in some patients, but ineffective in others. This suggests that the pathogenesis of SAPHO syndrome is multifactorial, but this aspect remains poorly explored, although bacteria and immunological dysfunction are hypothesized to play a role. Conclusions The early recognition, diagnosis, and prompt treatment of SAPHO syndrome can prevent the unnecessary use of long-term antibiotics or invasive procedures, while rapidly alleviating pain in a majority of affected patients.
The influence of natural variation at the foraging gene on thermotolerance in adult Drosophila in a narrow temperature range.

Poikilothermic organisms such as insects have mechanisms to protect neural function under high temperature stress. Natural variation at the foraging (for) locus of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, encoding a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), influences neural thermotolerance in Drosophila larvae. The current study re-examines thermotolerance of adult flies to account for inconsistencies in the documented role of for during hyperthermia. We found that adult for R (rover) flies with high PKG activity were incapacitated faster under hyperthermic conditions of 39°C compared to their lower PKG activity counterparts for s and for s2 (sitters), but not at higher temperatures. This indicates that lowered PKG activity promotes tolerance to heat stress, and that the for gene influences thermotolerance for a narrow range of temperatures in adult flies.
Selective and Irreversible Inhibitors of Aphid Acetylcholinesterases: Steps Toward Human-Safe Insecticides

Aphids, among the most destructive insects to world agriculture, are mainly controlled by organophosphate insecticides that disable the catalytic serine residue of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Because these agents also affect vertebrate AChEs, they are toxic to non-target species including humans and birds. We previously reported that a cysteine residue (Cys), found at the AChE active site in aphids and other insects but not mammals, might serve as a target for insect-selective pesticides. However, aphids have two different AChEs (termed AP and AO), and only AP-AChE carries the unique Cys. The absence of the active-site Cys in AO-AChE might raise concerns about the utility of targeting that residue. Herein we report the development of a methanethiosulfonate-containing small molecule that, at 6.0 µM, irreversibly inhibits 99% of all AChE activity extracted from the greenbug aphid (Schizaphis graminum) without any measurable inhibition of the human AChE. Reactivation studies using β-mercaptoethanol confirm that the irreversible inhibition resulted from the conjugation of the inhibitor to the unique Cys. These results suggest that AO-AChE does not contribute significantly to the overall AChE activity in aphids, thus offering new insight into the relative functional importance of the two insect AChEs. More importantly, by demonstrating that the Cys-targeting inhibitor can abolish AChE activity in aphids, we can conclude that the unique Cys may be a viable target for species-selective agents to control aphids without causing human toxicity and resistance problems.
Vibronic Spectroscopy of Individual Molecules in Solids

Inhomogeneous broadening is a ubiquitous feature of condensed phase molecular spectroscopy. While spectral hole burning, fluorescence line narrowing, photon echoes, and other related techniques have enjoyed varying degrees of success in exposing the underlying homogeneously broadened spectra and dynamics, complete unraveling of the effects of environmental disorder requires the ability to perform meaningful spectroscopic measurements on individual members of the ensemble.1 Over the past few years, three groups have demonstrated the feasibility and utility of several types of electronic spectroscopy at the single- molecule level.2 We have recently extended these studies into the realm of single-molecule vibrational spectroscopy, which should allow much more detailed probing of the local environment of individual chromophores in disordered solids.3-5
Recipes for writing algorithms for atmospheric corrections and temperature/emissivity separations in the thermal regime for a multispectral sensor

This paper discusses the algorithms created for the Multi-spectral Thermal Imager (MTI) to retrieve temperatures and emissivities. Recipes to create the physics based water temperature retrieval, emissivity of water surfaces are described. A simple radiative transfer model for multi-spectral sensors is developed. A method to create look-up-tables and the criterion of finding the optimum water temperature are covered. Practical aspects such as conversion from band-averaged radiances to brightness temperatures and effects of variations in the spectral response on the atmospheric transmission are discussed. A recipe for a temperature/emissivity separation algorithm when water surfaces are present is given. Results of retrievals of skin water temperatures are compared with in-situ measurements of the bulk water temperature at two locations are shown.
Gender-Dependence of Bone Structure and Properties in Adult Osteogenesis Imperfecta Murine Model

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a dominant skeletal disorder characterized by bone fragility and deformities. Though the oim mouse model has been the most widely studied of the OI models, it has only recently been suggested to exhibit gender-dependent differences in bone mineralization. To characterize the impact of gender on the morphometry/ultra-structure, mechanical properties, and biochemical composition of oim bone on the congenic C57BL/J6 background, 4-month-old oim/oim, +/oim, and wild-type (wt) female and male tibiae were evaluated using micro-computed tomography, three-point bending, and Raman spectroscopy. Dramatic gender differences were evident in both cortical and trabecular bone morphological and geometric parameters. Male mice had inherently more bone and increased moment of inertia than genotype-matched female counterparts with corresponding increases in bone biomechanical strength. The primary influence of gender was structure/geometry in bone growth and mechanical properties, whereas the mineral/matrix composition and hydroxyproline content of bone were influenced primarily by the oim collagen mutation. This study provides evidence of the importance of gender in the evaluation and interpretation of potential therapeutic strategies when using mouse models of OI.
Ion-atom collisions of fusion interest

Abstract The current needs of plasma fusion development for new ion-atom collisions data are discussed briefly. It is noted that there is some decline in need for new data because of declining development of neutral atomic beams for plasma heating. However, interest in ion-atom processes is fundamental to plasma physics and specific needs for improved data and understanding in the design and interpretation of plasma diagnostics remains strong. Some of these specific diagnostic needs are discussed. In addition, new applications of ion-atom collisions in fusion development are likely to evolve and may come directly from atomic physicists.
Highly Reactive and Regenerable Fluorinating Agent for Oxidative Fluorination of Aromatics

A newly synthesized copper aluminum fluoride of nominal composition CuAl2F8 exhibits excellent reactivity towards direct oxidative fluorination of aromatic compounds, as well as fluorodechlorination of chloroaromatics. The spent CuAl2F8 reagent can be regenerated by treatment with O2 and HF, and the fluorination process has been demonstrated to retain high conversions through 20 reaction cycles. The main advantages of this new process are safety, minimal waste, and potentially low cost.
First hyperpolarizabilities of ionic octupolar molecules: structure–function relationships and solvent effects

Abstract We present a quantum-chemical analysis of the first hyperpolarizabilities of a series of ionic octupolar molecules and comparison of their characteristics with corresponding neutral molecules. The molecular geometries are obtained via BL3YP/6-31G (d,p) optimization including SCRF/PCM approach, while the dynamic NLO properties are calculated with the ZINDO/CV method including solvent effects. The effect of donor or acceptor substitution and elongation of the conjugation path length are established to demonstrate the engineering guidelines for enhancing molecular optical non-linearities. The solvent induced effect on the NLO properties are studied using ZINDO/CV/SCRF method. It was found that solvents play a significant role on the first hyperpolarizabilities of ionic octupolar molecules.
Bipartite Graphical Integration of Dielectrophoresis Process Models for Assembly of Carbon Nanotubes

Dielectrophoresis is the process where nonuniform electric field causes the translational motion of uncharged, polarized particles. Recently dielectrophoresis has become the most widely used process in the field of nanomanufacturing as the translational motion of a carbon nanotube caused by the dielectrophoresis assembles it in the spacing between the electrodes. This process enables engineers to replace the traditional metal (copper or aluminum) wire with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the miniature electronic devices. Various process models have been developed and parametric studies have been carried out to understand the process better and to improve the quality and reliability of assembly of CNTs. We consolidate the scattered knowledge of the dielectrophoresis process and represent the integrated knowledge in the form of a complex network by connecting the process parameters based on the relationships they shares. We find that the bipartite relationships exist between some of the process parameters and we represent them in the form of bipartite graphs. We also represent these graphs as incidence matrices and verify whether each graph fulfills the condition of being bipartite. We apply the shortest path algorithm to find an even length path between the any two process parameters which turns out to be an efficient method to estimate the unknown state variables of the process and to access the real time state of the assembly process quickly and efficiently. One can also use bipartite graph to identify the non-contributing variables and eliminate the over constraint situation by applying Gauss elimination method.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Low Dose Ketoconazole With Replacement Doses of Hydrocortisone in Patients With Progressive Androgen Independent Prostate Cancer

Purpose: High-dose (400 mg.) oral ketoconazole 3 times daily with replacement doses of hydrocortisone has become a standard treatment option for patients with advanced prostate cancer which progresses after androgen deprivation. However, toxicity can hinder the ability to deliver treatment and the cost of the regimen can be substantial. Therefore, a prospective phase II study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of a regimen of low dose (200 mg.) oral ketoconazole 3 times daily with replacement doses of hydrocortisone in men with androgen independent prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: The study included 28 patients with progressive prostate cancer despite anorchid levels of testosterone and ongoing testicular androgen suppression. Treatment consisted of low dose ketoconazole and replacement doses of oral hydrocortisone (20 mg. every morning and 10 mg. at bedtime). At the time of disease progression patients were treated with high dose ketoconazole and continued on the same dose of hydrocort...
Pharmacological characterization of 40 human melanocortin-4 receptor polymorphisms with the endogenous proopiomelanocortin-derived agonists and the agouti-related protein (AGRP) antagonist.

The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) that is expressed in the central nervous system and has a role in regulating energy homeostasis and obesity. Up to a remarkable 6% of morbidly obese adults and children studied possess single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the MC4R. Upon stimulation by agonist, the MC4R signals through the intracellular adenylate cyclase signal transduction pathway. Posttranslational modification of the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene transcript results in the generation of several endogenous melanocortin receptor agonists including α-, β-, γ-melanocyte stimulating hormones (MSH) and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) ligands. The endogenous MC4R antagonist, agouti-related protein (AGRP), is expressed in the brain and is only one of two naturally occurring antagonists of GPCRs identified to date. Herein, we have generated 40 hMC4 polymorphic receptors and evaluated their cell surface expression by flow cytometry as well as pharmacologically characteriz...
The New-Trier Stochastic Model of Brand Choice

This paper presents a description and an empirical evaluation of a new stochastic model of brand choice, the new-trier model, developed to model the purchasing process following the first purchase of an unfamiliar to the purchaser brand. Empirical analysis and model refinement yields several interesting insights into consumer decision processes. Several managerial applications of the model are considered.
A similarity study between the query mass and retrieved masses using decision tree content-based image retrieval (DTCBIR) CADx system for characterization of ultrasound breast mass images

We are developing a Decision Tree Content-Based Image Retrieval (DTCBIR) CADx scheme to assist radiologists in characterization of breast masses on ultrasound (US) images. Three DTCBIR configurations, including decision tree with boosting (DTb), decision tree with full leaf features (DTL), and decision tree with selected leaf features (DTLs) were compared. For DTb, the features of a query mass were combined first into a merged feature score and then masses with similar scores were retrieved. For DTL and DTLs, similar masses were retrieved based on the Euclidean distance between the feature vector of the query and those of the selected references. For each DTCBIR configuration, we investigated the use of the full feature set and the subset of features selected by the stepwise linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and simplex optimization method, resulting in six retrieval methods. Among the six methods, we selected five, DTb-lda, DTL-lda, DTb-full, DTL-full and DTLs-full, for the observer study. For a query mass, three most similar masses were retrieved with each method and were presented to the radiologists in random order. Three MQSA radiologists rated the similarity between the query mass and the computer-retrieved masses using a ninepoint similarity scale (1=very dissimilar, 9=very similar). For DTb-lda, DTL-lda, DTb-full, DTL-full and DTLs-full, the average Az values were 0.90±0.03, 0.85±0.04, 0.87±0.04, 0.79±0.05 and 0.71±0.06, respectively, and the average similarity ratings were 5.00, 5.41, 4.96, 5.33 and 5.13, respectively. Although the DTb measures had the best classification performance among the DTCBIRs studied, and DTLs had the worst performance, DTLs-full obtained higher similarity ratings than the DTb measures.
SU-E-CAMPUS-T-01: Analysis of the Precision of Patient Set-Up, and Fidelity of the Delivered Dose Distribution in Proton Therapy of Ocular Tumors

Purpose: To quantify daily set-up variations in fractionated proton therapy of ocular melanomas, and to assess the effect on the fidelity of delivered distribution to the plan. Methods: In a typical five-fraction course, daily set-up is achieved by matching the position of fiducial markers in orthogonal radiographs to the images generated by treatment planning program. A patient maintains the required gaze direction voluntarily, without the aid of fixation devices. Confirmation radiographs are acquired to assess intrafractional changes. For this study, daily radiographs were analyzed to determine the daily iso-center position and apparent gaze direction, which were then transferred to the planning system to calculate the dose delivered in individual fractions, and accumulated dose for the entire course. Dose-volume metrics were compared between the planned and accumulated distributions for the tumor and organs at risk, for representative cases that varied by location within the ocular globe. Results: The analysis of the first set of cases (3 posterior, 3 transequatorial and 4 anterior tumors) revealed varying dose deviation patterns, depending on the tumor location. For anterior and posterior tumors, the largest dose increases were observed in the lens and ciliary body, while for the equatorial tumors, macula, optic nerve and disk, weremore » most often affected. The iso-center position error was below 1.3 mm (95%-confidence interval), and the standard deviation of daily polar and azimuthal gaze set-up were 1.5 and 3 degrees, respectively. Conclusion: We quantified interfractional and intrafractional set-up variation, and estimated their effect on the delivered dose for representative cases. Current safety margins are sufficient to maintain the target coverage, however, the dose delivered to critical structures often deviates from the plan. The ongoing analysis will further explore the patterns of dose deviation, and may help to identify particular treatment scenarios which are at a higher risk for such deviations.« less
On the Cauchy problem for hyperbolic differential equations with multiple characteristics

A priori estimates leading to existence results for the Cauchy problem are obtained for a class of linear variable coefficient hyperbolic operators with multiple characteristics. These estimates provide an extension of the energy inequalities known for strictly hyperbolic operators.
What is the Relevance of the Gmat Analytical Writing Assessment for Management Education?: A Critical Analysis, Part 1

This commentary is the first of two articles on the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), a new component in the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Here, we examine the AWA's historical significance and address questions regarding the relevance of the new writing test for management education. A comparison of what the AWA measures with GMAC's claims and business schools' expressed needs suggests that the AWA furnishes new information indicating MBA applicant's academic abilities, especially critical thinking and analytical writing abilities. However, as a writing test the AWA predicts students' performance in only one mode of writing required by MBA studies, and it is of little relevance to management writing in the workplace. Overall, we find the AWA to be a limited academic writing assessment that will meet only some of the expectations of management educators.
Characterization of the lactococcal group II intron target site in its native host

Abstract The Lactococcus lactis group II intron (Ll.ltrB) retrohomes into the ltrB gene at high efficiency. To date, the critical DNA bases recognized in vivo by the Ll.ltrB ribonucleoprotein (RNP) have been exclusively elucidated in Escherichia coli. However, recent evidence indicates host-dependant differences in Ll.ltrB mobility, raising the possibility of limitations of the current model for RNP-homing site recognition in the native L. lactis host. In this work, intron retargeting experiments in L. lactis have demonstrated that adherence to specific target site critical bases is not sufficient to predict success or failure of chromosomal invasion, as in E. coli. Accordingly, a quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) assay was developed to test target site nucleotides previously demonstrated as critical for homing in E. coli, for relevance in its native host. This two-plasmid QPCR homing assay is highly sensitive and, unlike previous E. coli-based assays, resolves differential homing efficiencies in the absence of selection. As in E. coli, deviation from wild type at target site positions −23, −21, −20, −19, and +5 resulted in lower homing efficiencies in L. lactis. Furthermore, the same trends are observed when assaying select variants in Enterococcus faecalis. Our results suggest that these target site positions are critical in both E. coli and L. lactis.
On the theory of homogeneous Lipschitz spaces and mean oscillation spaces

In this paper the equivalence between the mean oscillation spaces and the homogeneous Lipschitz spaces will be shown through the use of elementary and constructive means. The mean oscillation spaces have been previously defined by Ricci and Taibleson for the case where the dimensionn=1. These spaces are extended here in a natural way to IR n .
The Youth Self Report: Applicability and Validity Across Younger and Older Youths

The Youth Self Report (YSR) is a widely used measure of youth emotional and behavioral problems. Although the YSR was designed for youths ages 11 to 18, no studies have systematically evaluated whether youths younger than age 11 can make valid reports on this measure. This study thus examined the reliability and validity of the YSR scales scores for younger (ages 7-10; n = 184) and older (ages 11-14; n = 147) youths. Results demonstrated that younger youths were able to provide reliable reports on the YSR broad band (Internalizing, Externalizing) scales, though less so on the narrow band scales. Across all scales, the externalizing scales performed more favorably than the internalizing scales among both younger and older youth. Younger youths' DSM-oriented scales corresponded significantly with DSM diagnoses.