cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Transcontinental 'a' Train? Foreign Mergers Under Section 368(A)(1)(A)

In this article, I address the tax consequences to U.S. investors from mergers between foreign corporations. The combination of the increasingly international capital markets and the global merger movement has highlighted the inequity of Treasury's current stance to deny such transactions the benefit of tax-free reorganization status under Section 368(a)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code. The article argues that permitting foreign mergers to qualify as "A" reorganizations is faithful to the original intent of 368(a)(1)(A) and uses this historical perspective to provide a framework for developing a federal tax law definition of "merger or consolidation." The article concludes that broadly applying such a tax-centered conception of the phrase can also help resolve the inequity between foreign and domestic transactions.
Manipulation testing based on density discontinuity

In this article, we introduce two community-contributed commands, rddensity and rdbwdensity, that implement automatic manipulation tests based on density discontinuity and are constructed using the...
Evaluation of curcumin, a natural product in turmeric, on Burkitt lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia cancer stem cell markers.

Aim Curcumin, a bioactive compound from turmeric, eliminates cancer stem cells (CSCs) in some cancers. This study evaluates the effects of curcumin on CSC markers in Burkitt lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia cells. Methods Cells were treated with increasing concentrations of curcumin, followed by an ALDEFLUOR assay, colony formation assay and western blot analysis for the CSC-associated proteins, Gli-1, Notch-1 and Cyclin D1. Results Markers associated with CSCs were decreased in cells treated with curcumin. This included a decrease in the percentage of ALDH-positive cells, a decrease in colony formation and the downregulation of Gli-1, Notch-1 and Cyclin D1. Conclusion These results indicate that curcumin decreased CSC markers in lymphoma/leukemia cells, potentially through inhibiting self-renewal.
Survivor experience and the norm of self-making: comments on Rape and Resistance

This paper considers Linda Martin Alcoff’s discussion of sexual agency and sexual violation in Rape and Resistance. It is argued that Alcoff’s move away from ‘sexual violence’ to ‘sexual violation’ to address the harms of rape and rape culture is significant with regard to conceiving of a feminist sexual ethic more generally and to understanding the harm of rape and sexual assault in particular. More specifically, this paper focuses on Alcoff’s norm of self-making and considers the way it can interrupt racialized heterosexist sex and sexuality and normative feminine subjectivity vis-a-vis temporality.
Mutant GTF2I induces cell transformation and metabolic alterations in thymic epithelial cells

The pathogenesis of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) is poorly understood. Recently we reported the frequent occurrence of a missense mutation in the GTF2I gene in TETs and hypothesized that GTF2I mutation might contribute to thymic tumorigenesis. Expression of mutant TFII-I altered the transcriptome of normal thymic epithelial cells and upregulated several oncogenic genes. Gtf2i L424H knockin cells exhibited cell transformation, aneuploidy, and increase tumor growth and survival under glucose deprivation or DNA damage. Gtf2i mutation also increased the expression of several glycolytic enzymes, cyclooxygenase-2, and caused modifications of lipid metabolism. Elevated cyclooxygenase-2 expression by Gtf2i mutation was required for survival under metabolic stress and cellular transformation of thymic epithelial cells. Our findings identify GTF2I mutation as a new oncogenic driver that is responsible for transformation of thymic epithelial cells.
Quantum Grover search-based optimization for innovative material discovery

Advances in data analysis, machine learning, and combinatorial optimization have accelerated the discovery of new materials with desired properties; this paradigm is commonly referred to as Materials 4.0. Quantum computing represents a new computing framework that uses the principles of quantum mechanics such as entanglement and superposition. Quantum algorithms such as Grover search has been proven to have quadratic speedup over the classical search methods. This paper considers the application of Grover search-based combinatorial optimization for material discovery. In particular, this paper considers the identification of the Nickel-Titanium (Ni-Ti) based shape memory alloy of the composition, Ti 50 Ni$_{\mathrm {{50-x-y}}}$ Cu x Fe y that has the minimum thermal hysteresis associated with the austenite-martensite transformations. The paper details the construction of quantum circuits to carry out the optimization analysis, and demonstrates the analysis on a simulation platform using the Python Qiskit package.
A game-theoretic model of Monkeypox to assess vaccination strategies

Monkeypox (MPX) is a zoonotic disease similar to smallpox. Its fatality rate is about 11% and it is endemic to the Central and West African countries. In this paper, we analyze a compartmental model of MPX dynamics. Our goal is to see whether MPX can be controlled and eradicated by voluntary vaccinations. We show that there are three equilibria-disease free, fully endemic and previously neglected semi-endemic (with disease existing only among humans). The existence of semi-endemic equilibrium has severe implications should the MPX virus mutate to increased viral fitness in humans. We find that MPX is controllable and can be eradicated in a semi-endemic equilibrium by vaccination. However, in a fully endemic equilibrium, MPX cannot be eradicated by vaccination alone.
Distributed long-term hourly streamflow predictions using deep learning – A case study for State of Iowa

Abstract Accurate streamflow forecasting has always been a challenge. Although there were many novel approaches using deep learning models, accuracy of these models is often limited to a short lead time. This study proposes a new deep recurrent neural network approach, Neural Runoff Model (NRM), which has been applied on 125 USGS streamflow gages in the State of Iowa for predicting the next 120 h. We use a semi-distributed model structure with observation and forecast data from the model output of upstream stations as additional input for downstream gages. The proposed model outperforms the streamflow persistence, ridge regression and random forest regression on majority of the gages. Our model has shown strong predictive power and can be used for long-term streamflow predictions. This study also shows that the semi-distributed structure in NRM can improve the streamflow predictions by integrating water level data from upstream stream gauges.
Functional Strength Training In Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy

To find out functional strength training exercise on improving gross motor function among the children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy children. Single group pre-experimental research design. The most common cause of movement disability in infancy is cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy patients have impairments such as spasticity, low muscle strength and selective motor control in their body function. Such deficiencies may limit activity performance and participation in everyday life. Improving and optimising activities and involvement are crucial treatment objectives. Functional strength workouts are vital to overcoming obstacles to improving the functionality of children with neurological issues. 92 subjects of spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsied aged 4-8, male and female with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy were selected under purposive sampling technique and received functional strength training exercise for a period of ten weeks. To assess the gross motor function (functional independence) pre and post the exercise program, Gross motor functional measure was used. Results: The pre and post measurements shows significant changes in the gross motor function among children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. The results of the post-test mean values show improvement in gross motor functions after functional strength training program (p<0.05). The functional strength training program proves that increased gross motor function and thereby improvement in functional abilities among children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy after ten weeks of intervention.
$D_4\dot{+} T^2$ Mode Interactions and Hidden Rotational Symmetry

Bifurcation problems in which periodic boundary conditions or Neumann boundary conditions are imposed often involve partial differential equations that have Euclidean symmetry. As a result the normal form equations for the bifurcation may be constrained by the ``hidden'' Euclidean symmetry of the equations, even though this symmetry is broken by the boundary conditions. The effects of such hidden rotation symmetry on $D_4\dot{+} T^2$ mode interactions are studied by analyzing when a $D_4\dot{+} T^2$ symmetric normal form $\tilde{F}$ can be extended to a vector field ${\rm \cal F}$ with Euclidean symmetry. The fundamental case of binary mode interactions between two irreducible representations of $D_4\dot{+} T^2$ is treated in detail. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given that permit $\tilde{F}$ to be extended when the Euclidean group ${\rm \cal E}(2)$ acts irreducibly. When the Euclidean action is reducible, the rotations do not impose any constraints on the normal form of the binary mode interaction. In applications, this dependence on the representation of ${\rm \cal E}(2)$ implies that the effects of hidden rotations are not present if the critical eigenvalues are imaginary. Generalization of these results to more complicated mode interactions is discussed.
The Syndrome of Exchange-Rate-Based Stabilization and the Uncertain Duration of Currency Pegs

This paper shows that some key stylized facts of exchange-rate-based stabilization plans can be explained by the uncertain duration of the plans themselves. Uncertain duration is modeled to reflect evidence showing that devaluation probabilities are higher when the plans are introduced and abandoned than in the period in between. If contingent-claims markets are incomplete, this uncertain duration distortion introduces temporary fiscal cuts with large wealth effects. Investment and employment are also distorted, and the resulting supply-side effects play a critical role. Stabilizations of uncertain duration entail large welfare costs, but they are preferred to persistent high inflation. Mexico's experience is examined in the light of these predictions.
The role of goal-generalization processes in the effects of grounded procedures

This commentary provides an interpretation of the effects of grounded procedures in terms of the goal-generalization processes involved in coping with negative feelings and identifies some implications that might not yet have been considered.
Urban Infrastructures & Environmental Risk in Medieval England

Medieval city walls, bridges, and harbours stood at the interface between the worlds of man and nature. Wind, ice, rainwater, scour, tidal flows, littoral drift, erosion, silting, micro-organisms, ...
To hum or not to hum: Neural transcriptome signature of male courtship vocalization in a teleost fish.

For many animal species, vocal communication is a critical social behavior and often a necessary component of reproductive success. Additionally, vocalizations are often demanding motor acts. Wanting to know whether a specific molecular toolkit might be required for vocalization, we used RNA-sequencing to investigate neural gene expression underlying the performance of an extreme vocal behavior, the courtship hum of the plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus). Single hums can last up to two hours and may be repeated throughout an evening of courtship activity. We asked whether vocal behavioral states are associated with specific gene expression signatures in key brain regions that regulate vocalization by comparing transcript expression levels in humming versus non-humming males. We find that the circadian-related genes period3 and Clock are significantly upregulated in the vocal motor nucleus and preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus, respectively, in humming compared to non-humming males, indicating that internal circadian clocks may differ between these divergent behavioral states. In addition, we identify suites of differentially expressed genes related to synaptic transmission, ion channels and transport, and neuropeptide and hormone signaling, and metabolism and antioxidant activity that together may support the neural and energetic demands of humming behavior. Comparisons of transcript expression across regions stress regional differences in brain gene expression, while also showing coordinated gene regulation in the vocal motor circuit in preparation for courtship behavior. These results underscore the role of differential gene expression in shifts between behavioral states, in this case neuroendocrine, motor and circadian control of courtship vocalization.
Associations between sinus tachycardia and adverse cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in cancer patients

Background Sinus tachycardia in cancer reflects a significant multi-system organ stressor and disease, with sparse literature describing its clinical significance. We assessed cardiovascular (CV) and mortality prognostic implications of sinus tachycardia in cancer patients. Methods We conducted a case-control study of 622 cancer patients at a U.S. urban medical center from 2008 to 2016. Cases had ECG-confirmed sinus tachycardia [heart rate (HR) ≥100 bpm] in ≥3 different clinic visits within 1 year of cancer diagnosis excluding a history of pulmonary embolism, thyroid dysfunction, left ventricular ejection fraction 180 bpm. Adverse CV outcomes (ACVO) were heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), HF with reduced EF (HFrEF), hospital admissions for HF exacerbation (AHFE), acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Regression analyses were conducted to examine the effect of sinus tachycardia on overall ACVO and survival. Results There were 51 cases, age and sex-matched with 571 controls (mean age 70±10, 60.5% women, 76.4% Caucasian). In multivariate analysis over a 10-year follow-up period, sinus tachycardia (HR ≥100 vs. 0.05) compared with controls. Sinus tachycardia was a significant predictor of overall mortality after adjusting for significant covariates (HR 2.9, 95% CI 1.8-5; P<0.001). Conclusions Independent of typical factors that affect cardiovascular disease, sinus tachycardia around the time of cancer treatment is associated with increased ACVO and mortality in cancer patients at 10 years of follow-up.
In Vivo Porcine Aged Deep Vein Thrombosis Model for Testing Ultrasound-based Thrombolysis Techniques.

Abstract As blood clots age, many thrombolytic techniques become less effective. To fully evaluate these techniques for potential clinical use, a large animal aged-clot model is needed. Previous minimally invasive attempts to allow clots to age in an in vivo large animal model were unsuccessful because of the clot clearance associated with relatively high level of cardiac health of readily available research pigs. Prior models have thus subsequently used invasive surgical techniques with the associated morbidity, animal stress and cost. We propose a method for forming sub-acute venous blood clots in an in-vivo porcine model. The age of the clots can be controlled and varied. By using an intravenous scaffold to anchor the clot to the vessel wall during the aging process, we can show that sub-acute clots can consistently be formed with a minimally invasive, percutaneous approach. The clot formed in this study remained intact for at least 1 wk in all subjects. Therefore, we established a new minimally invasive, large animal aged-clot model for evaluation of thrombolytic techniques.
Modelling long-term COVID-19 impacts on the U.S. workforce of 2029.

While ensuring employment opportunities is critical for global progress and stability, workers are now subject to several disruptive trends, including automation, rapid changes in technology and skill requirements, and transitions to low-carbon energy production. Yet, these trends seem almost insignificant compared to labor impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While much has been written about the pandemic’s short-term impacts, this study analyzes anticipated long-term impacts on the labor force of 2029 by comparing original 2029 labor projections to special COVID-adjusted projections recently published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Results show that future demand for nearly every type of labor skill and knowledge will increase, while the nature of work shifts from physical to more cognitive activities. Of the nearly three million jobs projected to disappear by 2029 due to COVID, over 91% are among workers without a bachelor’s degree. Among workers with a degree demand shifts primarily from business-related degrees to computer and STEM degrees. Results further show that the socialness of labor, which is important for both innovation and productivity, increases in many more industries than it decreases. Finally, COVID will likely accelerate the adoption of teleworking and slightly decrease the rate of workforce automation. These impacts, combined with a shift to more cognitive worker activities, will likely impact the nature of workforce health and safety with less focus on physical injuries and more on illnesses related to sedentary lifestyles. Overall, results suggest that future workers will need to engage more often in training and skill acquisition, requiring life-long learning and skill maintenance strategies.
Business Models and Compatibility Incentives

This paper examines the compatibility incentives of two competing networks in a setting where the networks can choose fee-based or ad-sponsored business models and the sources of differentiation come from both network products and their users. In contrast to the prior literature, we find that the networks have no incentives to be compatible when they are both fee-based. The networks prefer compatibility when they are both ad-sponsored and the prevailing ad rate is high. Interestingly, after endogenizing the choices of business models, we find that the networks choose ad-sponsored business models in equilibrium even when they do not profit from ads. In addition, compatibility does not always improve user welfare. We also find that asymmetric choices of business models appear in equilibrium when one network has a significant installed-base advantage and the prevailing ad rate is low. In this case, the bigger network adopts a fee-based model, whereas the other adopts an ad-sponsored model, and the two networks stay incompatible.
Properties of Probabilistic Pushdown Automata (Extended Abstract)

Properties of probabilistic as well as “probabilistic plus nondeterministic” pushdown automata and auxiliary pushdown automata are studied. These models are analogous to their counterparts with nondeterministic and alternating states. Complete characterizations in terms of well-known complexity classes are given for the classes of languages recognized by polynomial time-bounded, logarithmic space-bounded auxiliary pushdown automata with probabilistic states and with “probabilistic plus nondeterministic” states. Also, complexity lower bounds are given for the classes of languages recognized by these automata with unlimited running time. It follows that, by fixing an appropriate mode of computation, the difference between classes of languages such as P and PSPACE, NL and SAC1, PL and Diff>(#SAC1) is characterized as the difference between the number of stack symbols; that is, whether the stack alphabet contains one versus two distinct symbols.
Purification and Characterization of the L Component of Streptococcus zymogenes Lysin

By utilizing conventional techniques of pressure ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography, diethylaminoethyl cellulose chromatography, and preparative polyacrylamide electrophoresis, the L component of the group D lysin produced by Streptococcus zymogenes strains has been purified to a state of homogeneity as determined by the techniques of disc-gel electrophoresis at pH 9.3 and 4.3 and isoelectric focusing. The L component was found to be a protein possessing a molecular weight of 11,000 with a slight net negative charge at physiological pH.
Mucosal Immunity in the Male and Female Reproductive Tract and Prevention of HIV transmission

This Workshop entitled ‘Reproductive tract mucosal immunity and the prevention of HIV transmission’ was sponsored by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, in collaboration with the Dartmouth Medical School, took place at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, in Lebanon NH, USA from June 30 to July 2, 2010. The overall objective of this meeting was to emphasize the importance of mucosal immunity in the male and female reproductive tract for transmission of HIV and to identify the means whereby the mucosal immune system can be optimized to achieve protection against HIV acquisition. This meeting would not have been possible without help from an excellent Scientific Organizing Committee consisting of Drs Geetha P. Bansal, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine; Susan Cu-Uvin, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University; Charu Kaushic, McMaster University; Jiri Mestecky, University of Alabama at Birmingham; and Robin Shattock, St George’s, University of London, who worked with us in preparing this Workshop. We also express our appreciation to Dr William Green, Dean of Dartmouth Medical School, for his support and commitment to the success of this Workshop.
Doping dependence of the a - b -plane optical conductivity of single-crystal La 2 − x Sr x NiO 4 + δ

Results of room-temperature a-b-plane optical-reflection studies of ${\mathrm{La}}_{2\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{NiO}}_{4+\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$ (\ensuremath{\delta}=0.0; x=0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.21, and \ensuremath{\delta}=0.085; x=0) are presented and cover the photon energy range 0.0056 eV. A Kramers-Kronig analysis is used to compute the optical conductivity \ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\omega}) and energy-loss function Im(-1/\ensuremath{\varepsilon}(\ensuremath{\omega})). The doping dependence of the TO and LO a-b-plane phonon modes, anomalous midinfrared absorption (mid-IR band), and interband transitions are discussed. The mid-IR band (band maximum ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{m}}$\ensuremath{\sim}0.5 eV) is found to be similar to that observed in the isostructural materials ${\mathrm{La}}_{2\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$, and is identified with photon-assisted hopping of small polarons. A microscopic theory developed by Reik is used to obtain polaron parameters whose values are compared to those obtained similarly for other small-polaron materials.
SU‐E‐P‐47: Evaluation of Improvement of Esophagus Sparing in SBRT Lung Patients with Biologically Based IMRT Optimization

Purpose: To study the potential of improving esophageal sparing for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) lung cancer patients by using biological optimization (BO) compared to conventional dose-volume based optimization (DVO) in treatment planning. Methods: Three NSCLC patients (PTV (62.3cc, 65.1cc, and 125.1cc) adjacent to the heart) previously treated with SBRT were re-planned using Varian Eclipse TPS (V11) using DVO and BO. The prescription dose was 60 Gy in 5 fractions normalized to 95% of the PTV volume. Plans were evaluated by comparing esophageal maximum doses, PTV heterogeneity (HI= D5%/D95%), and Paddick’s conformity (CI) indices. Quality of the plans was assessed by clinically-used IMRT QA procedures. Results: By using BO, the maximum dose to the esophagus was decreased 1384 cGy (34.6%), 502 cGy (16.5%) and 532 cGy (16.2%) in patient 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The maximum doses to spinal cord and the doses to 1000 cc and 1500 cc of normal lung were comparable in both plans. The mean doses (Dmean-hrt) and doses to 15cc of the heart (V15-hrt) were comparable for patient 1 and 2. However for patient 3, with the largest PTV, Dmean-hrt and V15-hrt increased by 62.2 cGy (18.3%) and 549.9 cGy (24.9%) respectively for the BOmore » plans. The mean target HI of BO plans (1.13) was inferior to the DVO plans (1.07). The same trend was also observed for mean CI in BO plans (0.77) versus DVO plans (0.83). The QA pass rates (3%, 3mm) were comparable for both plans. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the use of biological models in treatment planning optimization can substantially improve esophageal sparing without compromising spinal cord and normal lung doses. However, for the large PTV case (125.1cc) we studied here, Dmean-hrt and V15-hrt increased substantially. The target HI and CI were inferior in the BO plans.« less
Microtox® toxicity test: Detoxification of TNT and RDX contaminated solutions by poplar tissue cultures

Abstract Poplar ( Populus deltoides × nigra DN34) tissue cultures removed 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) from an aqueous solution in five days, reducing the toxicity of the solution from highly toxic Microtox ® EC value to that of the control. 1,3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) was taken up by the plant tissue cultures more slowly, but toxicity reduction of the solution was evident. The measurement of toxicity reduction of aqueous solutions containing TNT and RDX was performed using a novel methodology developed for use with the Microtox ® testing system. Radiolabeled TNT and RDX were used to confirm removal of explosives from hydroponic solutions containing plant tissue cultures and to verify that toxicity did not change in solutions where no plant cultures were present (positive controls). High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Liquid Scintillation Counter (LSC) measurements confirmed removal of TNT and RDX from solutions containing poplar plant tissue cultures and constancy of the plant-free controls. In addition, metabolites were identified in remediated solutions by HPLC, confirming the mechanism by which plants can remediate groundwater, surface water, and soil solutions.
Perovskite Solid Solutions along the NaNbO3−SrTiO3 Join: Phase Transitions, Formation Enthalpies, and Implications for General Perovskite Energetics

Perovskite solid solutions along the NaNbO3−SrTiO3 join have been synthesized using the sol−gel and solid-state sintering methods. XRD analysis indicates that as Sr+Ti content increases, the perovskite structure changes from the orthorhombic to tetragonal and to cubic. The enthalpies of formation from the constituent oxides (ΔH and from the elements (ΔH ) have been determined by drop solution calorimetry into molten 3Na2O·4MoO3 at 974 K. The formation enthalpy ΔH becomes less exothermic with increasing Sr+Ti content, suggesting a destabilization effect of the substitution, Na+ + Nb5+ → Sr2+ + Ti4+ on the perovskite structure with respect to the constituent oxides. The trend of decreasing thermodynamic stability with decreasing structural distortion (relative to the ideal cubic structure) is opposite to that seen in most ABO3 perovskites. We interpret this behavior in terms of the dominance of acid−base chemistry, expressed by the ionic potential ratio of B to A cation (z/r)B/(z/r)A, in determining phase s...
Phase I trial of hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiotherapy with temozolomide chemotherapy for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme.

Purpose To determine the maximal tolerated biologic dose intensification of radiotherapy using fractional dose escalation with temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme. Methods and Materials Patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme after biopsy or resection and with adequate performance status, bone marrow, and organ function were eligible. The patients underwent postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with concurrent and adjuvant TMZ. All patients received a total dose of 60 Gy to the surgical cavity and residual tumor, with a 5-mm margin. IMRT biologic dose intensification was achieved by escalating from 3 Gy/fraction (Level 1) to 6 Gy/fraction (Level 4) in 1-Gy increments. Concurrent TMZ was given at 75 mg/m 2 /d for 28 consecutive days. Adjuvant TMZ was given at 150–200 mg/m 2 /d for 5 days every 28 days. Dose-limiting toxicity was defined as any Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3, Grade 3-4 nonhematologic toxicity, excluding Grade 3 fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. A standard 3+3 Phase I design was used. Results A total of 16 patients were accrued (12 men and 4 women, median age, 69 years; range, 34–84. The median Karnofsky performance status was 80 (range, 60–90). Of the 16 patients, 3 each were treated at Levels 1 and 2, 4 at Level 3, and 6 at Level 4. All patients received IMRT and concurrent TMZ according to the protocol, except for 1 patient, who received 14 days of concurrent TMZ. The median number of adjuvant TMZ cycles was 7.5 (range, 0–12). The median survival was 16.2 months (range, 3–33). One patient experienced vision loss in the left eye 7 months after IMRT. Four patients underwent repeat surgery for suspected tumor recurrence 6–12 months after IMRT; 3 had radionecrosis. Conclusions The maximal tolerated IMRT fraction size was not reached in our study. Our results have shown that 60 Gy IMRT delivered in 6-Gy fractions within 2 weeks with concurrent and adjuvant TMZ is tolerable in selected patients with a T 1 -weighted enhancing tumor
Zinc absorption and exchangeable zinc pool sizes in breast-fed infants fed meat or cereal as first complementary food.

BACKGROUND The aims of this study were to compare the absorption efficiency of zinc from rice cereal and meat, with and without human milk, in 7-month-old breast-fed infants and to compare the size of exchangeable zinc pools in the infants according to the assigned complementary food. METHODS Fractional absorption of zinc was measured in male infants using extrinsic labeling with a stable isotope of zinc in a test meal of either pureed beef (n = 9) or iron-fortified infant rice cereal (n = 9). The effect on fractional absorption of the addition of human milk to each complementary food was measured in each infant with a second oral zinc isotope. Fractional absorption was measured using fecal monitoring of isotope excretion, and exchangeable zinc pool size was calculated from isotopic enrichment in urine. RESULTS Fractional absorption of zinc did not statistically differ between the beef (0.41 +/- 0.11) and cereal (0.36 +/- 0.05) test meals, although the trend showed that beef had higher fractional absorption than cereal. The higher intake of zinc from the beef versus cereal test meal resulted in a 16-fold greater amount of absorbed zinc ( P = 0.0002). The addition of human milk caused significant decreases in fractional absorption of zinc (0.07 +/- 0.02, P = 0.01) and absorbed zinc (0.04 +/- 0.01 mg, P < 0.0001). The size of the exchangeable zinc pool did not differ according to group but was strongly correlated with mean daily zinc intake ( r = 0.72, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS These results confirm that meat as a complementary food for breast-fed infants can provide a rich source of dietary zinc that is well absorbed. The significant positive correlation between zinc intake and exchangeable zinc pool size suggests that increasing zinc intake positively affects metabolically available zinc.
Measurement of sediment resuspension rates in Long Island Sound

Resuspension rates have been measured on Long Island Sound sediments (New York/Connecticut, USA) under an oscillating grid, using a flume, and in place, using high frequency acoustics, transmissometers, and sediment traps. Despite differences, the results compare favorably. The methods all provide an order-of-magnitude estimate of the resuspension rate and increases under storm conditions can be estimated.
A Photoelectric Method for the Determination of the Parameters of Elliptically Polarized Light

The given beam of elliptically polarized light traverses a phase compensator plate and rotating analyzer and enters a photoelectric cell suitably connected to an amplifier circuit and detecting device. The azimuth γ, of the polarizer producing the elliptically polarized light, and ϕ, that of the planes of polarization of the compensator (or the azimuth ϕ, and α, the phase difference introduced by the compensator) are adjusted until the detector (headphones) shows no modulation of the cell current. Tan γ, the ratio of the components of the elliptically polarized light, and Δ, the phase difference between them, can be calculated from the formulae; cos 2γ=±sin α sin 2ϕ and cot Δ=tan α cos 2ϕ. The method has been tested in the visible spectrum through a wide range of intensities. The sensitivity increases with the light flux in the cell and is practically independent of stray light. An accuracy of 1 part in 4000 or 5000 or less than 1 minute of arc in azimuthal readings is easily obtained. Polaroid plates can be used instead of Nicol prisms with no serious loss in sensitivity.
Lexicographic egalitarian solution and uncertainty in the disagreement point

We analyze bargaining situations in which the feasible set is known but the disagreement point is uncertain. By requiring that all agents, generally, be affected by the uncertainty in the same way, we characterize thelexicographic egalitarian solution.
Faulty protocols yield contaminated samples, unconfirmed results

LeCompte et al. (1) reported abundant magnetic microspherules from three Younger Dryas Boundary (YDB) sites, which they concluded are consistent with those interpreted by Firestone et al. (2) as markers of extraterrestrial impacts or airbursts. LeCompte et al. argued that the negative results of Surovell et al. (3)—who did not observe microspherules—must have been because of a deviation from an analytical protocol of A. West that is required to observe them. A. West developed and refined various protocols that enabled him to prepare samples in which putative impact markers have been reported. Samples collected by others have failed to reproduce his findings.
Do Homosexual Teachers Pose a Risk to Pupils

Abstract Questionnaires were completed by 5,182 adults derived from one-wave area cluster samples in 6 metropolitan areas: 56% of homosexuals and 18% of heterosexuals reported having had a homosexual teacher; 12% of the men and 4% of the women said that the teacher made sexual advances toward them. A fifth of those with a homosexual teacher said they were influenced to regard homosexuality as socially acceptable; 4% said that the teacher influenced them to try homosexuality. About 1% of the sample reported that, as pupils, they had sexual relations with at least one of their elementary or secondary teachers. Eight respondents reported their first sexual experience was with an elementary or secondary teacher and that one of these experiences was homosexual. Of 49 other reported sexual experiences with teachers, 12 were homosexual. The findings that homosexuals more frequently claimed to have had homosexual teachers and more frequently reported homosexual sex with teachers tend to fit the contagion model of...
An unsteady-state two-phase kinetic model for corn stover fluidized bed steam gasification process

Abstract A complex unsteady-state two-phase kinetic model including reaction kinetics and fluid dynamics was developed for corn stover fluidized bed steam gasification process. The gasification model included an unreacted core shrinking model for char–gas reactions, and a pyrolysis model considering the effect of the particle size on the pyrolysis time and pyrolysis products. In this model, fuel particles stay in the fluidized bed and take part in chemical reactions until their size decreases to a critical size, and then are entrained out of the bed. The kinetic model developed in this study is capable of predicting concentration profiles of gas in the bubble phase and the emulsion phase along the height of the reactor, the evolution of particles in the bed with time, and the particle size distribution in the fluidized bed under different operating conditions (temperature, steam/biomass ratio, and gas superficial velocity). Results show that the water–gas shift reaction and the residence time play important roles in determining the gasification results in terms of the gas volumetric fraction and yields of char and dry tar-free gas.
Automata-Based Verification of Security Requirements of Composite Web Services

With the increasing reliance of complex real-world applications on composite web services assembled from independently developed component services, there is a growing need for effective approaches to verifying that a composite service not only offers the required functionality but also satisfies the desired non-functional requirements (NFRs). In high-assurance applications such as traffic control, medical decision support, and coordinated response to civil emergencies, of special concern are NFRs having to do with security, safety and reliability of composite services. Current approaches to verifying NFRs of composite services (as opposed to individual services) remain largely ad-hoc and informal in nature. In this paper we develop techniques for ensuring that a composite service meets the user-specified NFRs expressible in the form of hard constraints e.g., “response time has to be less than 5 minutes.” We introduce an automata-based framework for verifying that a composite service satisfies the desired NFRs based on the known guarantees regarding the non-functional properties of the component services. We further show how to improve the efficiency of verifying that a composite service indeed satisfies a desired set of NFRs by: (i) Exploiting information about the applicability of specific NFRs (e.g., security) only to certain subsets of the component services that make up a composite service to minimize the verification effort and (ii) Identifying inconsistencies between NFRs with overlapping scopes. We illustrate how our approach can be used to verify the security requirements for an Emergency Management System. We also show how the approach can be used to verify whether a composite service satisfies any desired set of NFRs that can be expressed in the form of hard constraints of a quantitative nature.
Professionalism and academic medicine: the Mayo Clinic program in professionalism

Public trust in the medical profession has declined and with it physician morale and well being. This has undesirable consequences for patients, physicians and for medical education and training at academic medical centers. The recent upsurge of interest in professionalism may be attributed in part to a desire to regain public trust and restore the image and morale of the profession. The importance of professionalism led to a formal program being established at Mayo clinic that informs clinical practice, conducts educational initiatives and supports novel research into the topic. It may serve as a guide and template for the establishment of similar programs promoting professionalism within academic medical centers.
Scenes from a Friendship: On the Epistolary Exchange between Gershom Scholem and Siegfried Unseld

Gershom Scholem had already had contact with Peter Suhrkamp at the Suhrkamp publishing house. It was Suhrkamp's successor Siegfried Unseld, however, who established a close relationship between the press and this important scholar of Jewish religion. Under Unseld's direction, Scholem's work was published or reissued by Suhrkamp, and Scholem served as an adviser to Suhrkamp's publication list in philosophy and Jewish Studies. Largely through Scholem's insistence, Suhrkamp embarked on a long-term project to edit the work and letters of Scholem's close friend, the critic Walter Benjamin, who had died in 1940. Unseld and Scholem were both strong personalities; their correspondence documents a friendship that would bridge West Germany and Israel and instigate books and projects; it is rich with information about friends and rivals.
Isolation of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from fresh produce using STEC heart infusion washed blood agar with mitomycin-C.

The ability to detect and isolate Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) remains a major challenge for food microbiologists. Although methods based on nucleic acids and antibodies have improved detection of STECs in foods, isolation of these bacteria remains arduous. STEC isolation is necessary for matching food, environmental, and clinical isolates during outbreak investigations and for distinguishing between pathogenic and nonpathogenic organisms. STEC heart infusion washed blood agar with mitomycin-C (SHIBAM) is a modification of washed sheep blood agar prepared by adding mitomycin-C and optimizing both the washed blood and base agar to better isolate STECs. Most STEC isolates produce a zone of hemolysis on SHIBAM plates and are easily distinguishable from background microbiota. Here, we present data supporting the use of SHIBAM to isolate STECs from fresh produce. SHIBAM was tested for accuracy in identifying STECs (365 of 410 STEC strains were hemolytic, and 63 of 73 E. coli strains that did n...
Hydrocarbon acidities calculated with MINDO/3, MNDO, and AM1

Acidities of 32 hydrocarbons have been calculated using MINDO/3, MNDO, and AM1. All three semiempirical procedures have systematic errors and reproduce experimental acidities poorly. A linear correlation, however, does exist between the calculated and experimental results. Correction of the AM1 or MNDO acidities leads to good agreement with literature values even for acids, such as methane and ethylene, whose conjugate bases are small localized anions. Predictions for several hydrocarbons are given.
Reliability assessment of a rod photoreceptor outer segment grading system.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of a rod photoreceptor outer segment (PR-OS) grading system based on the analysis of 1 μ m thick retinal sections obtained from Xenopus laevis whole-eye organ cultures. Digitally captured images, representative of the entire spectrum of rod PR-OS organization levels, were selected and coded numerically. A total of 102 individual rod PR-OS profiles were graded according to a six-step classification scheme based on the percentage of rod PR-OS membrane organization. Unweighted (exact agreement) and weighted kappa (κ) coefficients (for use with ordered categorical rating scales) were calculated. Differences between κ coefficients were tested for by chi-square analysis. To investigate the intra- and inter-rater variability and the possible presence of an interaction of the measurements with time, a repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed. The overall unweighted and weighted intra-rater κ coefficients were 0.78 and 0.92, respectively. The overall unweighted and weighted inter-rater κ coefficients were 0.73 and 0.90, respectively. There was no significant difference between raters or between first and second reading, nor was interaction between raters and time of rating documented. Individual κ coefficients were equivalent both between raters and between sessions. Intra- and inter-rater agreement was within one step in 100% of cases. The estimated values of the κ coefficients are consistent with a good to excellent degree of reliability and reproducibility of this rod PR-OS grading system. This system will be useful in the assessment of rod PR-OS morphology in studies of photoreceptor physiology and pathology.
An approximate method for numerical solution of fractional differential equations

This paper presents a numerical solution scheme for a class of fractional differential equations (FDEs). In this approach, the FDEs are expressed in terms of Caputo type fractional derivative. Properties of the Caputo derivative allow one to reduce the FDE into a Volterra type integral equation. Once this is done, a number of numerical schemes developed for Volterra type integral equation can be applied to find numerical solution of FDEs. In this paper the total time is divided into a set of small intervals, and between two successive intervals the unknown functions are approximated using quadratic polynomials. These approximations are substituted into the transformed Volterra type equation to obtain a set of equations. Solution of these equations provides the solution of the FDE. The method is applied to solve two types of FDEs, linear and nonlinear. Results obtained using the scheme presented here agree well with the analytical solutions and the numerical results presented elsewhere. Results also show that the numerical scheme is stable.
Characterizing a zooplankton neighbourhood: small‐scale patterns of association and abundance

SUMMARY 1 This study compares small-scale (i.e. neighbourhood) associations among distributions of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and zooplankton grazing rates using a combination of correlations and analyses of spatial patchiness. 2 All zooplankton and phytoplankton populations had patchy distributions. On average, individuals experienced members of their same taxon at a density that was 42% greater than the mean sample density. 3 The various zooplankton taxa experienced different average neighbourhoods, even within the same stratum of the lake. For example, Daphnia galeata mendotae (Birge) experienced phytoplankton concentrations that were nearly 50% greater than those experienced by Daphnia pulicaria (Forbes) at the same depth. 4 The distributions of the various phytoplankton taxa were positively correlated with each other, but the distributions of zooplankton were negatively correlated, or more often, unrelated to each other. 5 Phytoplankton abundance was negatively correlated with zooplankton grazing rates. 6 We hypothesize that while phytoplankton distributions are driven by common external factors, the factors that determine horizontal distributions of zooplankton are species specific. In addition, zooplankton grazing appears at least partially responsible for the generation of patchiness in the distribution of phytoplankton.
A workload-adaptive and reconfigurable bus architecture for multicore processors

Interconnection networks for multicore processors are traditionally designed to serve a diversity of workloads. However, different workloads or even different execution phases of the same workload may benefit from different interconnect configurations. In this paper, we first motivate the need for workload-adaptive interconnection networks. Subsequently, we describe an interconnection network framework based on reconfigurable switches for use in medium-scale (up to 32 cores) shared memory multicore processors. Our cost-effective reconfigurable interconnection network is implemented on a traditional shared bus interconnect with snoopy-based coherence, and it enables improvedmulticore performance. The proposed interconnect architecture distributes the cores of the processor into clusters with reconfigurable logic between clusters to support workload-adaptive policies for inter-cluster communication. Our interconnection scheme is complemented by interconnect-aware scheduling and additional interconnect optimizations which help boost the performance of multiprogramming and multithreaded workloads. We provide experimental results that show that the overall throughput of multiprogramming workloads (consisting of two and four programs) can be improved by up to 60% with our configurable bus architecture. Similar gains can be achieved also for multithreaded applications as shown by further experiments. Finally, we present the performance sensitivity of the proposed interconnect architecture on shared memory bandwidth availability.