cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
False positive reduction of microcalcification cluster detection in digital breast tomosynthesis

Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is a new modality that has strong potential in improving the sensitivity and specificity of breast mass detection. However, the detection of microcalcifications (MCs) in DBT is challenging because radiologists have to search for the often subtle signals in many slices. We are developing a computer-aided detection (CAD) system to assist radiologists in reading DBT. The system consists of four major steps, namely: image enhancement; pre-screening of MC candidates; false-positive (FP) reduction, and detection of MC cluster candidates of clinical interest. We propose an algorithm for reducing FPs by using 3D characteristics of MC clusters in DBT. The proposed method takes the MC candidates from the pre-screening step described in [14] as input, which are then iteratively clustered to provide training samples to a random-forest classifier and a rule-based classifier. The random forest classifier is used to learn a discriminative model of MC clusters using 3D texture features, whereas the rule-based classifier revisits the initial training samples and enhances them by combining median filtering and graph-cut-based segmentation followed by thresholding on the final number of MCs belonging to the candidate cluster. The outputs of these two classifiers are combined according to the prediction confidence of the random-forest classifier. We evaluate the proposed FP-reduction algorithm on a data set of two-view DBT from 40 breasts with biopsy-proven MC clusters. The experimental results demonstrate a significant reduction in FP detections, with a final sensitivity of 92.2% for an FP rate of 50%.
Relative bioavailability of magnesium sources for ruminants as measured by urinary magnesium excretion

Abstract Three experiments were conducted with lambs to study the relative bioavailability of inorganic magnesium (Mg) sources, including reagent-grade (RG) Mg sulfate, magnesite and five Mg oxides. Lambs were fed a practical corn-soybean meal-cottonseed hull diet (1252–1277 mg Mg kg−1) for a 10 day adjustment period, then fed experimental diets for 10 days, and total urine was collected daily. Urinary Mg excretion on Days 4 and 5 following the switch to the experimental diets was used to calculate the relative bioavailability of the sources. In Experiment 1, six lambs each were fed diets supplemented with 0, 1000, 2000 or 3000 mg Mg kg−1 as RG anhydrous sulfate or 1000 or 3000 mg kg−1 as raw magnesite. When urinary Mg resulting from the basal diet was accounted for, the resulting bioavailability estimate for magnesite-Mg was less than zero. In Experiments 2 and 3, five feed-grade Mg oxides fed to five lambs each at 1400 mg Mg kg−1 were compared with RG sulfate fed at 700, 1400 and 2100 mg Mg kg−1. One product was a seawater MgO and was used in both experiments, while the others were calcined magnesite products. Based on a mean comparison (corrected for basal diet Mg) of urinary Mg excretion on Days 4–5, Mg from the seawater product was 77.9% and 73.8% as available as that in MgSO4 in Experiments 2 and 3, respectively, and the other four MgO products ranged from 59.9 to 67.3% availability.
Thermal conductivity of the ternary eutectic LiNO3-NaNO3-KNO3 salt mixture in the solid state using a simple inverse method

Low melting point eutectic salt mixtures are developed as potential candidate for thermal energy storage applications. Thermal conductivity of the ternary eutectic LiNO3–NaNO3–KNO3 salt mixture in the solid state was determined using a simple inverse method. The inverse method was verified for two metal alloys and a HITEC® heat transfer salt, and the thermal conductivities were in excellent agreement with those of the literature data. Thermal conductivity of the ternary eutectic salt mixture in the solid state showed a non-linear behavior with temperature.
Modulator and VCSEL-MSM smart pixels for parallel pipeline networking and signal processing

TRANslucent Smart Pixel Array (TRANSPAR) systems perform high performance parallel pipeline networking and signal processing based on optical propagation of 3D data packets. The TRANSPAR smart pixel devices use either self-electro- optic effect GaAs multiple quantum well modulators or CMOS- VCSEL-MSM (CMOS-Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser- Metal-Semiconductor-Metal) technology. The data packets transfer among high throughput photonic network nodes using multiple access/collision detection or token-ring protocols.
Taxonomy and cranial capacity of Olduvai hominid 7 (continued).

PILBEAM rejects1 my recent estimate of cranial capacity for Homo africanus2. As I understand his comment, he disputes treatment of Olduvai hominid 7 with the South African gracile australopithecines as one statistical population because they may belong to separate subspecies.
Turbulent Communisms: Raqs Media Collective's The Last International

Raqs Media Collective’s The Last International performance evoked a sense of communism as a cacophonous gathering of incommensurabilities and a convivial assembly of distances.
Analysis of quantization error in high-precision continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry

High-precision isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) systems are equipped with digitizers that deliver effective maximum digitization depths of 16 to 24 bits; however, there are no analyses of the proper board depth required to retain high precision in continuous-flow techniques. We report an experimental and theoretical evaluation of quantization error in continuous-flow IRMS (CF-IRMS). CO2 samples (100 pmol-30 nmol) were injected into a gas chromatography combustion IRMS system (GC-CIRMS). The analog signal was digitized by high precision, 24-bit ADC boards at 10 Hz, and was post-processed to simulate 12, 14, and 16-bit data sets. Delta13Cpdh values were calculated for all data sets by the conventional "summation" method or by curve-fitting the chromatographic peaks to the exponentially modified Gaussian (EMG) function. Benchmarks of S.D.(delta13Cpdh) = 0.3, 0.6, and 1.0/1000 were considered to assess precision. In the presence of significant quantization noise, curve-fitting required several-fold less CO2 than the summation method to reach a given benchmark. We derived an equation to describe the theoretical limitations of precision for the summation method as a function of CO2 admitted to the source and the step size of the boards. Theory was in close agreement with the observed lower limit of precision for the simulated 16-bit data set. Curve-fitting achieved a precision of S.D. <0.3/1000 for injections 20-fold smaller than summation for CO2 samples collected on an IRMS with 16-bit resolution. By mitigating the impact of quantization noise, curve-fitting expands the dynamic range within a single run to include lower analyte levels, and effectively reduces the need for high pumping capacities and high precision ADC boards.
Electrochemical detection of DNA hybridization via bis-intercalation of a naphthylimide-functionalized viologen dimer.

The synthesis and DNA binding properties of a bis-naphthyl imide tetracationic diviologen compound NI(CH2)3V2+(CH2)6V2+(CH2)3NI (where V2+ = 4,4‘-bipyridinium and NI = naphthyl imide, NIV) are described. Binding to thiolated ssDNA and dsDNA immobilized at Au electrodes was characterized using the electrochemical response for reduction of the V2+ state to the V+ (viologen radical cation) state. Isotherms and binding constants for this molecule to both forms of immobilized DNA were generated in this fashion. The character of the binding isotherm for dsDNA suggests bis-intercalation. Under high saline conditions, the diviologen molecule dissociated 160 times slower from dsDNA compared to ssDNA. Slow dissociation kinetics from dsDNA (kd =7.0 × 10-5 s-1) allow this molecule to be used as an effective DNA hybridization indicator.
LASER-BASED TRANSIENT SURFACE ACCELERATION OF THERMOELASTIC LAYERS

Abstract The removal of particles from elastic substrates has been an important practical problem in the electronics industry especially as the sizes of electronic units shrink. In recent years, there has been an interest in removingsubmicron level particles from surfaces. The use of traditional surface cleaning methods, such as ultrasonically induced fluid flow, vibrational methods, centrifugal techniques, is limited to particles that require surface acceleration lower than 107m/s2. For the effective removal of submicron particles, a higher level surface acceleration is needed since the adhesion forces (mainly van der Waals force for dry surfaces) are related to the particle size and increase approximately linearly as the characteristic radius of small particles that are to be removed decreases. In current work, based on the generalized dynamic theory of thermoelasticity reported, a transfer matrix formulation including the second sound effect is developed for a thermoelastic layer. The transfer matrix for axisymmetric wave propagation in a thermoelastic layer is obtained by adopting a double integral transform approach. The second sound effect is included to eliminate the thermal wave travelling with infinite velocity as predicted by the diffusion heat transfer model, and, consequently, the immediate arrival of waves. Using the current formulation and the periodic systems framework, a transfer function formulation for calculating the accelerations is developed for transient analysis. A double integral transform inversion method is used for transient response calculations. Acceleration levels, sufficient for submicron particle removal, are reported. Various processes such as thermoelastic stresses, surface evaporation, and optical breakdown may be responsible for surface acceleration components and particle removal. In current work, only the surface acceleration due to transient thermoelastic wave propagation is under investigation.
BUDGETING IN VIRGINIA: ASSESSING INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE IN A STATE LEGISLATURE

The purpose of this paper is to explain the major institutional developments in the Virginia budget process from the 1960s. During this time the budget process within the legislature became more open, participatory, and partisan. Meanwhile, conflict between the governor and the General Assembly grew more intense. These developments are explained by a combination of institutional reforms that strengthened the legislature, changes in political conditions that enhanced the role of the Republican party in a traditionally Democrat-dominated institution, and fiscal constraints. We draw some preliminary comparisons with legislatures in other states.
Portraying the Global: Cross‐national Trends in Textbooks’ Portrayal of Globalization and Global Citizenship

Many have noted the rise of the global in academic and popular discourse. We ask how this global frame of reference has been incorporated into secondary social science textbooks, a realm traditionally dominated by nationalist discourse. Utilizing a data set from more than 500 secondary school textbooks from around the world, spanning 1970�2008, we describe the incorporation of mentions of globalization and global citizenship into textbooks over time and then use a multilevel model to determine the textbook and country-level variables associated with mentions of each. We find that globalization and global citizenship are both predicted by the textbook content's reflection of the external world, including international events and mentions of human rights. However, no cross-national economic or political differences systematically predict incorporation of these topics. We argue that mentions of globalization and global citizenship in textbooks are two manifestations of a world culture that increasingly emphasizes interconnectedness in postnational society.
Host responses and persistence of vector genome following intrabronchial administration of an E1(-)E3(-) adenovirus gene transfer vector to normal individuals.

Abstract Adenovirus (Ad)-mediated gene transfer to the respiratory epithelium of experimental animals and to nasal and airway epithelium of individuals with cystic fibrosis is followed by transient gene expression. Extensive studies in experimental animals are consistent with the concept that local cellular host anti-vector immune responses account for this short-term expression, and systemic and local [lung epithelial lining fluid (ELF)] anti-Ad neutralizing antibodies are generated following Ad vector administration to the respiratory epithelial surface. To determine if this paradigm holds in normal humans, a first-generation Ad vector (Ad GV CD.10, an E1 − E3 − Ad serotype 5-based vector coding for the Escherichia coli cytosine deaminase gene) was sprayed locally in escalating doses (8 × 10 8 –8 × 10 10 particle units (pu), n = 2/group) into the lung airway epithelium of six normal individuals. Serum, ELF, and endobronchial biopsies were obtained at baseline and at various time points following vector administration. In contrast to the observations in experimental animals in which lung administration of first-generation Ad vectors is followed by strong systemic and local host response, bronchial spray administration of the Ad vector to normal humans showed: (1) minimal inflammation in bronchial biopsies, bronchial brushing, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid; (2) no blood lymphocyte proliferation in five of six individuals in response to in vitro stimulation with Ad antigens; and (3) no significant increase from baseline in blood or lung ELF anti-Ad neutralizing antibodies. Despite this minimal normal human anti-Ad host response, dose-dependent levels of vector DNA in the airway epithelium were transient. Vector DNA in the targeted airway epithelial cells peaked in a dose-dependent fashion at 0.007 to 1.1 copies/cell at day 7 and declined thereafter, reducing to 10 pu to airway epithelium of healthy individuals elicits minimal to no detectable systemic and mucosal humoral and cellular immune responses, an observation diametrically opposed to the host responses measured in experimental animals. These findings suggest that, while adaptive anti-Ad immune responses likely play some role in the disappearance of the vector DNA following vector administration to the human lung, other mechanisms may also be involved in the response of humans to Ad gene transfer vectors.
Molecular characterization of AML: A significant advance or just another prognostic factor?

Although there have been several major laboratory advances which have been helpful diagnostically and in the general classification of risk groups, they have not resulted in improvement in the overall outcome for patients with AML and, with occasional exceptions, have not provided clues about new therapeutic directions. Gene expression profiling and the identification of a number of unique mutations in leukemia cells may help discriminate among the heterogeneous outcomes observed both in patients with the same karyotypic abnormality and in patients with normal cytogenetics. However, the mechanism(s) by which these new molecular markers affect prognosis are poorly understood, and as more mutations and other patient subgroups are discovered, identifying new, non-empiric therapies and designing efficient clinical trials, becomes even more complicated.
The Elderly Offender and Sentencing Leniency.

(1989). The Elderly Offender and Sentencing Leniency. Journal of Offender Counseling Services Rehabilitation: Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 125-140.
Divisibility of Codes Meeting the Griesmer Bound

We prove that if a linear code overGF(p),pa prime, meets the Griesmer bound, then ifpedivides the minimum weight,pedivides all word weights. We present some illustrative applications of this result.
EVOLUTIONARY CHANGE IN THE MORPHOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY OF THE MAMMALIAN VERTEBRAL COLUMN

The notion that morphological complexity increases in evolution is widely accepted in biology and paleontology. Several possible explanations have been offered for this trend, among them the suggestion that it has an active forcing mechanism, such as natural selection or the second law of thermodynamics. No such mechanism has yet been empirically demonstrated, but testing is possible: if a forcing mechanism has operated, the expectation is that complexity would have increased in evolutionary lineages more frequently than it decreased. However, a quantitative analysis of changes in the complexity of the vertebral column in a random sample of mammalian lineages reveals a nearly equal number of increases and decreases. This finding raises the possibility that no forcing mechanism exists, or at least that it may not be as powerful or pervasive as has been assumed. The finding also highlights the need for more empirical tests.
Experiences of African American Parents Following Perinatal or Pediatric Death: A Literature Review

A child's death is one of life's most difficult experiences. Little is known about the unique factors that influence the grief experience for bereaved African American parents. Through an integrative review of 10 publications, the authors describe the grief responses, outcomes, and implications for African American parents who experience the death of a child. Four themes emerged: (a) emotional response to loss; (b) factors that added to the burden of loss; (c) coping strategies; and (d) health consequences of grief. Healthcare providers, administrators, and policymakers should be sensitive to the unique needs of African American parents following a child's death.
A Numerical Study of the Development of Claud-Street Spacing

Abstract Two-dimensional numerical computations of the developing boundary layer with a positive surface heat flux are presented. The model incorporates moisture phase-change effects; we are particularly interested in the cloud-street formation. The results show that cloud streets with large aspect ratios of about 10 can develop under certain conditions, and cloud top entrainment is identified as a crucial feature. Runs without phase change indicate roll merging to a certain extent, but do not product aspect ratios greater than 4.
Transmission of human T-lymphotrophic virus type I infection to a neonatal infant by transfusion of washed and irradiated red cells.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type I and/or II (HTLV-I/II) may be transmitted by the transfusion of blood and blood components. Several factors are critical to the efficiency of transmission. These include the number of contaminating white cells, the component volume, and the age of the component. After look-back notification, there was an investigation of the HTLV-I/II serostatus of three patients who had received blood from a donor now found to be positive for HTLV-I antibodies by enzyme immunoassay and Western blot. The donor red cell unit was group O negative and cytomegalovirus antibody negative; it was washed and irradiated at 2800 cGy and aliquoted into six small-volume transfusions for four neonatal infants. Three of the four patients were available for testing 3.5 years after their exposure. The fourth neonatal infant died on Day 11 of life. The three tested infants received 14, 14, and 44 mL of component, respectively. HTLV-I seroconversion was documented by enzyme immunoassay and Western blot (p19, p24) and occurred only in the patient receiving 44 mL. On the basis of quality control data, it is estimated that the affected infant received 8 × 10(7) white cells in the 44-mL aliquot. Washing and irradiation will not necessarily eliminate HTLV-I transmission.
EBIS charge breeder for radioactive ion beams at ATLAS

The construction of the Californium Rare Isotope Breeder Upgrade (CARIBU) for the Argonne National Laboratory ATLAS facility is completed and its commissioning is being performed. In its full capacity, the CARIBU facility will use fission fragments from a 1 Curie (Ci) {sup 252}Cf source. The ions will be thermalized and collected into a low-energy ion beam by a helium gas catcher, mass analyzed by an isobar separator, and charge bred to higher charge states for acceleration in ATLAS. To reach energies E/A 10 MeV/u, one should inject ions with charge-to-mass ratio (q/A) {ge} 1/7 into the ATLAS linac. In the first stage, the existing Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) ion source will be used as a charge breeder. The maximum intensity of radioactive ion beams at the output of the gas catcher will not exceed 10{sup 7} ions per second. A charge breeder based on an Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS) has significant advantages over the ECR option for ion beam intensities up to about 10{sup 9} ions per second, providing 3-4 times higher efficiency and significantly better purity of highly charged radioactive ion beams for further acceleration. The proposed EBIS project for CARIBU will heavily utilize state-of-the-art EBIS technology recentlymore » developed at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This will allow us to reduce both the project cost and timescale, simultaneously insuring reliable technical realization of the cutting-edge technology. Several parameters of the CARIBU EBIS charge breeder (EBIS-CB) will be relaxed with respect to the BNL EBIS in favor of higher reliability and lower cost. Technical performance of the CARIBU charge breeder will not suffer from such a relaxation and will provide high efficiency for a whole range of radioactive ion beams. The goal of this paper is to present the initial design of the EBIS charge breeder for radioactive ion beams at ATLAS.« less
Magnetic susceptibility anisotropy: A new petrofabric tool in migmatites

[1] The rheological behavior of the lower to middle continental crust during orogenic deformation is poorly understood. Migmatite, common at this crustal level, remains difficult to analyze from a structural viewpoint because of pervasive recrystallization. We present new anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) data from 217 specimens of migmatites of the Superior Province in Minnesota with the aim of investigating its potential as a petrofabric tool. Quarry exposures provide the ideal sampling playground for such a study. The migmatites are coarse grained, are granitic to tonalitic in composition, and display a centimeter-scale compositional layering. The layering and the regional foliation are subhorizontal to shallowly dipping to the NE. Mineral lineations are difficult to observe due to recrystallization but trend around 70°N with gentle plunges. Magnetic properties are carried mainly by multidomain (MD) primary magnetite grains ranging in size from 20 to 200 μm. The magnetic susceptibilities are generally high, around (5–10) × 10−3 SI. The degree of magnetic anisotropy is large, between 1.2 and 1.3. The principal axes of the AMS ellipsoids coincide with those of the finite strain, and the degree of anisotropy broadly correlates with the mineral fabric intensity. This study is the first detailed investigation of magnetic fabrics in migmatites. These preliminary results suggest that the AMS technique is an easy and powerful tool for the petrofabric analysis of migmatites.
Cell cycle studies based upon quantitative image analysis

When cell cycle studies are performed following cell cycle synchronization, it is possible that critical properties of an actively cycling cell will be overlooked. For this reason past studies have not revealed critical aspects of cell cycle control; such as how a cell determines when to exit the cell cycle, or how rapidly it should cycle. To address these challenging questions we have developed a procedure to quantitate fluorescent stains in a monolayer culture, where nuclear fluorescence and cell cycle history can be assessed with accuracy on a cell by cell basis. The cell cycle position of each cell can be determined by analyzing DNA and BrdU levels. The behavior of cells in a given cell cycle position can then be studied by quantitating up to two other stained markers. When the microinjection of siRNA, neutralizing antibodies, and expression plasmids are coupled with quantitative image analysis, these cell cycle studies can be conducted following alterations in the expression levels of selected cellular targets. With these techniques we have discovered critical aspects of cell cycle control; including how cyclin D1 levels vary through the cell cycle, the molecular mechanisms governing these changes, and the biological implications of changes in cyclin D1 concentration in various cell cycle stages. Our studies with cyclin D1, coupled with similar studies of p27Kip1, form the basis of an entirely new model of cell cycle control proposed here. This model explains how cell cycle progression is terminated, and how the length of the cell cycle is regulated.
A priority scheme for the IEEE 802.14 MAC protocol for hybrid fiber-coax networks

In order to support quality-of-service (QoS) for real-time data communications such as voice, video and interactive services, multiaccess networks must provide an effective priority mechanism. The context of this work is the IEEE 802.14 standard for hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) networks which has a shared upstream channel for transmissions from stations to the headend. This work presents a multilevel priority collision resolution scheme, which separates and resolves collisions between stations in a priority order, thereby, achieving the capability for preemptive priorities. We present a set of simulation scenarios which show the robustness and efficiency of the scheme, such as its ability to isolate higher priority traffic from lower priorities and to provide quick access to high-priority requests. In March 1998, a framework for handling priorities in the collision resolution process, which adopts a semantics similar to the semantics of our scheme, was included in the 802.14 standard.
Developmental expression of potassium-channel subunit Kv3.2 within subpopulations of mouse hippocampal inhibitory interneurons.

The developmental expression of the voltage-gated potassium channel subunit, Kv3.2, and its localization within specific mouse hippocampal inhibitory interneuron populations were determined using immunoblotting and immunohistochemical techniques. Using immunoblotting techniques, the Kv3.2 protein was weakly detected at postnatal age day 7 (P7), and full expression was attained at P21 in tissue extracts from homogenized hippocampal preparations. A similar developmental profile was observed using immunohistochemical techniques in hippocampal tissue sections. Kv3.2 protein expression was clustered on the somata and proximal dendrites of presumed inhibitory interneurons. Using double immunofluorescence, Kv3.2 subunit expression was detected on subpopulations of GABAergic inhibitory interneurons. Kv3.2 was detected in ∼100% of parvalbumin-positive interneurons, 86% of interneurons expressing nitric oxide synthase, and ∼50% of somatostatin-immunoreactive cells. Kv3.2 expression was absent from both calbindin- and calretinin-containing interneurons. Using immunoprecipitation, we further demonstrate that Kv3.2 and its related subunit Kv3.1b are coexpressed within the same protein complexes in the hippocampus. These data demonstrate that potassium channel subunit Kv3.2 expression is developmentally regulated in a specific set of interneurons. The vast majority of these interneuron subpopulations possess a “fast-spiking” phenotype, consistent with a role for currents through Kv3.2 containing channels in determining action potential kinetics in these cells. Hippocampus 2002;12:137–148. Published 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy with mutilating ulcerations suspicious of a factitial origin

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) is a poorly understood posttraumatic pain syndrome associated with dysfunction of the sympathetic nervous system. Pain is often out of proportion to the extent of injury. Progression of the disease may lead to dystrophic and atrophic changes resulting in total disability of an affected limb. Skin findings are highly variable and nonspecific and may rarely include bullae and ulcerations. We describe a mutilating case of RSD with unusual and severely disfiguring ulcerations that necessitated amputation of the right arm. Shortly after the amputation, ulcerations began appearing on the left arm. We suspect a factitial component but have been unable to prove or disprove it. We propose that some ulcerations in patients with RSD may be factitial in origin.
A genetic dimension to deep-sea biodiversity

Our knowledge of deep-sea biodiversity is based almost entirely on morphological distinctions at the species level. Here, we use haplotype variations in the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal gene to assess biodiversity at the genome level in four deep-sea molluscan morphospecies. Genetic divergence levels among populations of the morphospecies fall within the range of interspecific divergence found in coastal marine and aquatic molluscan genera. Results indicate a rich population structure at the genetic level in deep-sea mollusks, and suggest the possibility that some seemingly coherent morphospecies are composed of cryptic species.
Effect of cutting date and frequency on yield and quality of kudzu in the southern United States.

Kudzu [Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi.], a vigorous, perennial warm-season legume, grows widely throughout the south-eastern United States, predominantly as a volunteer species. It is tolerant of drought and acidic, infertile soils and may have potential as a low-input forage for livestock. A field experiment was undertaken to determine the effects of cutting date and frequency on yield and nutritive value of kudzu (20-year-old stand with no fertilizer or lime inputs) in central Georgia. The cutting treatments included an uncut control, and plots cut once (September), twice (July and September), and three times (June, July, and September) during the 1994 growing season. Dry matter (DM) production and forage quality were determined for total herbage, leaf and stem tissues from quadrat samples taken on all plots in June, July, September, and November (after a killing frost) in 1994, and in June, 1995. Total herbage and leaf DM production was highest for the three-harvest system and lowest in the no-cut control plots in 1994, but these results were reversed in the harvest made in 1995. Total herbage production and crude protein concentrations were similar in kudzu cut in the initial summer harvest (either June, July, or September) during the first year. Whole plant and stem in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) in these samples declined throughout the growing season, while leaf IVDMD was unchanged until the first frost. Kudzu has the potential to be a low-input forage for livestock, particularly as supplemental drought feed, or as a protein bank for summer or autumn grazing.
Optimal Whereabouts Search

An optimal whereabouts search maximizes the probability of correctly stating, at the end of a search costing no more than some budget C, which box contains the object. This can be accomplished either by finding the object in the search or by guessing, at the end of an unsuccessful search, which box contains the object. Generalizing work of Tognetti, this paper shows that an optimal whereabouts search never searches the box to be guessed, and gives an algorithm for finding an optimal whereabouts-search strategy. Finally, whereabouts search is compared to a similar problem proposed by Bellman.
Online administration of questionnaires assessing psychological, physical, and sexual aggression: Establishing psychometric equivalence

Objective: The study of intimate partner violence has long been a funding priority and a focus of research, necessitating the assessment of aggression with large samples. In response, online assessment has become increasingly common, particularly when studying college students. However, it is unclear whether measures of partner aggression can be reliably and validly administered online. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychometric equivalence of written and Internet formats of questionnaires commonly used in the study of partner aggression to inform researchers considering a transition to online data collection. Method: Self-report questionnaires assessing psychological and physical aggression as well as measures of related interpersonal and intrapersonal constructs were administered to 169 young adults in committed dating relationships. The same measures were administered twice via written and/or online methods over a 2-week period. Method order was counterbalanced among participants and temporal stability was controlled. Results: Measures of aggression generally demonstrated psychometric equivalence across methods with few exceptions. Conclusions: Results support the use of online versions of the CTS2 and MDEAS, and highlight the utility of collecting aggression data online. Results suggest that participants may provide more reliable and dependable responses under conditions of perceived anonymity afforded by online administration of aggression questionnaires.
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is based on the nuclear reaction that occurs when boron-10, is irradiated with low energy-thermal neutrons to yield high linear energy transfer alpha particles and recoiling lithium-7 nuclei. Clinical interest in BNCT has focused primarily on the treatment of high grade gliomas, and either cutaneous primaries or cerebral metastases of melanoma, and more recently head and neck and liver cancer. Neutron sources for BNCT currently are limited to nuclear reactors and these are available in the United States, Japan, several European countries, and Argentina. Accelerators also can be used to produce epithermal neutrons and these are being developed in a number of countries, but none are currently being used for BNCT. Two boron drugs have been used clinically, sodium borocaptate or “BSH” (Na2B12H11SH), and a dihydroxyboryl derivative of phenylalanine, referred to as boronophenylalanine or “BPA”. The major challenge in the development of boron delivery agents has been the requirement for selective tumor-targeting in order to achieve boron concentrations (∼ 20 μg·g−1 tumor) sufficient to deliver therapeutic doses of radiation to the tumor with minimal normal tissue toxicity. Over the past 20 years, other classes of boron-containing compounds have been designed and synthesized that include boron-containing amino acids, biochemical precursors of nucleic acids, DNA binding molecules, and porphyrins derivatives. High molecular weight delivery agents include MoAbs and their fragments, which can recognize a tumor-associated epitope, (e.g., EGF) and liposomes. However, it is unlikely that any single agent will target all or even most of the tumor cells, and most likely combinations of agents will be required and their delivery will have to be optimized. Current or recently completed clinical trials have been carried out in Japan, Europe, and the United States. The vast majority of patients have had high grade gliomas. Treatment has consisted first of “debulking” surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible followed by BNCT at varying times after surgery. Both BSH and BPA have been used as the boron delivery agents, administered intravenously. The best survival data from these studies are at least comparable to those obtained by current standard therapy for glioblastomas (GBM), and the safety of the procedure has been established. Critical issues that must be addressed include the need for more selective and effective boron delivery agents, the development of methods to provide semiquantitative estimates of tumor boron content prior to treatment, improvements in clinical implementation of BNCT, and finally, a need for randomized clinical trials with an unequivocal demonstration of therapeutic efficacy. If these issues are adequately addressed, then BNCT could move forward as a treatment modality. Keywords: boron neutron; capture theory; brain tumors; targeting agents
Pathophysiology of Coronary Artery Disease

During the past decade, our understanding of the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease (CAD) has undergone a remarkable evolution. We review here how these advances have altered our concepts of and clinical approaches to both the chronic and acute phases of CAD. Previously considered a cholesterol storage disease, we currently view atherosclerosis as an inflammatory disorder. The appreciation of arterial remodeling (compensatory enlargement) has expanded attention beyond stenoses evident by angiography to encompass the biology of nonstenotic plaques. Revascularization effectively relieves ischemia, but we now recognize the need to attend to nonobstructive lesions as well. Aggressive management of modifiable risk factors reduces cardiovascular events and should accompany appropriate revascularization. We now recognize that disruption of plaques that may not produce critical stenoses causes many acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The disrupted plaque represents a "solid-state" stimulus to thrombosis. Alterations in circulating prothrombotic or antifibrinolytic mediators in the "fluid phase" of the blood can also predispose toward ACS. Recent results have established the multiplicity of "high-risk" plaques and the widespread nature of inflammation in patients prone to develop ACS. These findings challenge our traditional view of coronary atherosclerosis as a segmental or localized disease. Thus, treatment of ACS should involve 2 overlapping phases: first, addressing the culprit lesion, and second, aiming at rapid "stabilization" of other plaques that may produce recurrent events. The concept of "interventional cardiology" must expand beyond mechanical revascularization to embrace preventive interventions that forestall future events.
Sufficiency model-action clarification for simulation optimization applied to an election system

Many inputs for simulation optimization models are assumed to come from known distributions. When such distributions are obtained from small sample sizes, the parameters of these distributions may be associated with an "uncertainty set" or ranges. The presence of this uncertainty means that one or more solutions may be optimal depending on which parameters from the set are used. In this paper, we present a graphical methodology that combines bootstrap sampling and cross-evaluation techniques to visualize the data driven support for alternative solutions for problems in which distribution parameters are estimated using small sample sizes. We illustrate the methodology using a voting machine allocation problem.
A CNS multifocal disease: Important diagnostic considerations regarding multiple sclerosis

A 20-year-old woman was referred to our CNS demyelinating disease clinic for assessment of seizures, cognitive decline and multifocal CNS disease. The patient had a history of seizures and leukoencephalopathy of undetermined etiology. She recently experienced worsening of clinical symptoms with progressive cognitive impairment and imbalance. She had been advised to reduce the dose of her anti-epileptic medications for concern about drug toxicity as the etiology. After reducing the antiepileptic dosage she developed status epilepticus requiring intubation and medication-induced coma for approximately 48 h. She recovered without further clinical or electrographic seizures, and she was referred to our clinic. The family reported cognitive and behavioral changes, for approximately 1 year prior to the current presentation. She had had gradually increasing difficulty with memory, frequent word-finding problems, and a reduced attention span. They described she required frequent repetition of even simple instructions. The family also noted flattened affect, describing her as apathetic and disengaged. Further,
A compact VLSI design for recursive neural networks with hardware annealing capability

In this paper, we present a compact CMOS VLSI design for recursive neural networks with the capability of hardware annealing. Locally-connected recursive neural networks are a class of analog nonlinear networks which can solve many important optimization, and signal processing problems and is suitable for VLSI implementation because of its low demand on inter-cell connections. Hardware annealing, which is a paralleled version of effective mean-field annealing in analog networks, is a highly-efficient method to find global optimal solutions of recursive neural networks. A two-neuron prototype chip to demonstrate the functionality of hardware annealing is designed, analyzed and implemented in 2.0 /spl mu/m CMOS technology using mixed-signal design methodology through MOSIS. For circuit reliability and compactness, a unit current of 6 /spl mu/A is used. The cell density is 505 cells/cm/sup 2/ and the cell time constant time is designed to be 0.3 /spl mu/s. Laboratory experimental results to show the behavior of this two neuron chip was produced with annealing control signals from a function generator.
Algorithms and incentives for robust ranking

Spam in the form of link spam and click spam has become a major obstacle in the effective functioning of ranking and reputation systems. Even in the absence of spam, difficulty in eliciting feedback and self-reinforcing nature of ranking systems are known problems. In this paper, we make a case for sharing with users the revenue generated by such systems as incentive to provide useful feedback and present an incentive based ranking scheme in a realistic model of user behavior which addresses the above problems. We give an explicit ranking algorithm based on user feedback. Our incentive structure and ranking algorithm ensure that there is a profitable arbitrage opportunity for the users of the system in correcting the inaccuracies of the ranking. The system is oblivious to the source of inaccuracies (benign or malicious), thus making it robust to spam as well as the problems of eliciting feedback and self-reinforcement.
Cost of Quality

The understanding of costs of quality has evolved considerably over the past few decades. Traditionally, quality costs were thought of as prevention, appraisal, internal failures, and external failures. We also thought there was an optimal level of quality where costs were minimized. Newer thinking of quality costs has questioned the concept of optimum level, added the concept of quadratic loss, and explored many other costs associated with the costs of poor quality. Often, these new costs are far, far greater than the traditional costs. Keywords: measurement systems; costs of quality; appraisal; prevention; customers' costs; loss to society; failure costs; internal failure costs; external failure costs; hidden costs; traditional quality costs; quadratic loss
Analytical reference points for age-structured models: application to data-poor fisheries

Brooks, E. N., Powers, J. E., and Cortes, E. 2010. Analytical reference points for age-structured models: application to data-poor fisheries. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 165-175.Analytical solutions for biological reference points are derived in terms of maximum lifetime reproductive rate. This rate can be calculated directly from biological parameters of maturity, fecundity, and natural mortality or a distribution for this rate can be derived from appropriate metadata. Minimal data needs and assumptions for determining stock status are discussed. The derivations lead to a re-parameterization of the common stock-recruit relationships, Beverton-Holt and Ricker, in terms of spawning potential ratio. Often, parameters in stock-recruit relationships are restricted by tight prior distributions or are fixed based on a hypothesized level of stock resilience. Fixing those parameters is equivalent to specifying the biological reference points. An ability to directly calculate reference points from biological data, or a meta-analysis, without need of a full assessment model or fisheries data, makes the method an attractive option for data-poor fisheries. The derivations reveal an explicit link between the biological characteristics of a species and appropriate management. Predicted stock status for a suite of shark species was compared with recent stock assessment results, and the method successfully identified whether each stock was overfished.
Symbolic guided search for CTL model checking

CTL model checking of complex systems often suffers from the state-explosion problem. We propose using Symbolic Guided Search to avoid difficult-to-represent sections of the state space and prevent state explosion from occurring.Symbolic Guided Search applies hints to guide the exploration of the state space. In this way, the size of the BDDs involved in the computation is controlled, and the truth of a property may be decided before all states have been explored. In this work, we show how hints can be used in the computation of nested fixpoints. We show how to use hints to obtain overapproximations useful for greatest fixpoints, and we present the first results for backward search. Our experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Role of myocardial contractility and autonomic control in the hypotensive response to a limited access ethanol paradigm in SHRs.

Background: Previous experimental studies that evaluated the chronic hemodynamic effect of ethanol employed the continuous exposure protocol of ethanol, which does not mimic the pattern of alcohol consumption in humans. This study dealt with the long-term hemodynamic and cardiovascular autonomic effects of ethanol, in a limited-access regimen in telemetered spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Methods: Changes in blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), myocardial contractility (dP/dtmax), and spectral cardiovascular autonomic profiles during the ethanol exposure period (2.5 or 5% w/v, 8 h/d, 8:30 am till 4:30 pm) were followed for 12 weeks. Results: Compared with control pair-fed SHRs, body weight and urine output, osmolality, and potassium levels were decreased in SHRs receiving 5% but not 2.5% ethanol. Blood pressure showed progressive falls during ethanol-feeding periods with a maximum effect observed at week 5. The peak hypotensive effect was maintained thereafter in SHRs receiving 5% ethanol in contrast to steady rises in BP in the 2.5% ethanol group to near-control levels by the conclusion of the study. Heart rate was slightly but significantly increased by ethanol 5% whereas dP/dtmax showed persistent reductions. Power spectral analysis showed that ethanol attenuated the baroreflex gain of HR as suggested by the reductions in index α, the spectral index of spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). Conclusions: It is concluded that limited access ethanol drinking in SHRs elicited hypotension that was concentration dependent and mediated, at least partly, through reductions in myocardial contractility. Baroreflex sensitivity attenuation by ethanol appeared to have limited the tachycardic response to ethanol and perhaps its capacity to offset the evoked hypotension.
Temperature-Dependent Reproductive Development of Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

ABSTRACT Recent studies to elucidate relationships between the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus Knight, and injury to cotton (Gossypium spp.) have identified important differences in feeding behaviors among adults of different gender and reproductive states. These findings suggest a need for improved knowledge of L. hesperus temperature-dependent reproductive development. We used nonlinear biophysical development rate models to describe the reproductive development of adult L. hesperus held under constant temperatures from 12.8 to 35.0°C. In addition, abdominal coloration was measured as a nondestructive indicator of reproductive maturity. The nonlinear models indicated most stages of ovary, seminal vesicle, and medial accessory gland development were subject to mild high-temperature inhibition, except for the stage of filled seminal vesicles. Development of filled seminal vesicles was subject to minor low-temperature inhibition and severe high-temperature inhibition. Estimated development time...