cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward morally sensitive robotic communication

As robots become more capable, they will become increasingly useful in a widening variety of contexts and applications. t Non-roboticists in these diverse contexts will need to interact with their new robotic colleagues to facilitate productive human-robot teaming and comfortable coexistence in social environments. Natural language provides a medium for these interactions that will allow direct and fluid communication between robots and nearly all humans, without requiring specialized protocols or hardware. Indeed, many researchers have been actively investigating the problems of natural language understanding and generation in robots for some time [1]--[3].
Attention-Deficit, Hyperactivity Disorder and Cognition

Deficits in attention and executive function appear to be fundamental aspects of attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder, although impairment in executive function might not occur in all individuals who have attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder. A crucial aspect of attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder, though, is impairment in inhibitory response. Deficits in working memory, an aspect of executive function, are also associated with attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder. Other cognitive deficits in addition to attention, inhibitory response, and working memory are associated with attention-deficit, hyperactivity disorder. These additional areas of deficits can include intellectual function and language.
Mark Vareschi, Everywhere and Nowhere: Anonymity and Mediation in Eighteenth-Century Britain

Review by Gerald Egan (California State University, Long Beach) of Mark Vareschi, Everywhere and Nowhere: Anonymity and Mediation in Eighteenth-Century Britain . Minneapolis & London: University of Minnesota Press, 2018. Pp. 222. $25. ISBN 9781517904074.
Machine learning tools to estimate the severity of matrix effects and predict analyte recovery in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.

Abstract Supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods are used to evaluate matrix effects caused by carbon and easily ionizable elements (EIEs) on analytical signals of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). A simple experimental approach was used to produce a series of synthetic solutions with varying levels of matrix complexity. Analytical lines (n = 29), with total line energies (Esum) in the 5.0–15.5 eV range, and non-analyte signals (n = 24) were simultaneously monitored throughout the study. Labeled (supervised learning) and unlabeled (unsupervised learning) data on normalized non-analyte signals (from plasma species) were used to train machine learning models to characterize matrix effect severity and predict analyte recoveries. Dimension reduction techniques, including principal component analysis, uniform manifold approximation and projection and t-distributed stochastic neighborhood embedding, were able to provide visual and quantitative representations that correlated well with observed matrix effects on low-energy atomic and high-energy ionic emission lines. Predictive models, including partial least squares regression and generalized linear models fit with the elastic net penalty, were tuned to estimate analyte recovery error when using the external standard calibration method (EC). The best predictive results were found for high-energy ionic analytical lines, e.g. Zn II 202.548 nm (Esum = 15.5 eV), with accuracy and R2 of 0.970 and 0.856, respectively. Two certified reference materials (CRMs) were used for method validation. The strategy described here may be used for flagging compromising matrix effects, and complement method validation based on addition/recovery experiments and CRMs analyses. Because the data analysis workflows feature signals from plasma-based species, there is potential for developing instrument software capable of alerting users in real time (i.e. before data processing) of inaccurate results when using EC.
Association between nurse work environment and severe maternal morbidity in high-income countries: A systematic review and call to action

AIM To identify evidence related to association between the nurse work environment and severe maternal morbidity in high-income countries. DESIGN Quantitative Systematic review. DATA SOURCES Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed/Medline, and Scopus were systematically searched for studies published in English from January 1990-December 2019. Studies were selected based on a priori eligibility criteria. REVIEW METHODS Two independent reviewers used a two-phase screening process. First, the reviewers assessed the eligibility of studies based on titles and abstracts; followed by assessing the full text of all remaining studies based on the eligibility criteria. An adapted version of the Joanna Briggs Institute data extraction tool was created to extract relevant information from studies reviewed during the second screening phase. RESULTS Of the 535 de-duplicated articles examined by two independent reviewers, there were no eligible empirical studies that assessed the association between nurse work environment and severe maternal morbidity. CONCLUSION There is a critical gap in knowledge regarding how characteristics of the nurse work environment may influence severe maternal morbidity in high-income countries. Future directions for nursing research include using available maternal health surveillance hospital-level data, conducting high-quality studies, and using evidence-based frameworks to guide future studies. Future directions for nursing practice include leveraging professional learning communities for nursing education and training and leveraging quality improvement initiatives. IMPACT As the first known systematic review of its kind, this 'empty review' provides evidence of a lacking body of literature on the association between nurse work environment, as a modifiable organizational characteristic and preventable severe maternal morbidity in high-income countries. This article provides a call to action in the form of five recommendations for future nursing research and practice, which could serve to elucidate research, practice, and policy opportunities to reduce preventable severe maternal morbidity in high-income countries.
Showing professionalism: edTPA, technology-mediated observation, and visual politics in teacher education

Abstract Today, teachers are required to “show” the evidence of teaching performance as a new professional skill. This article explores how the integration of technology and the changed practices of observation create new conditions for teachers to visualize, digitize, and archive teaching performance as evidence. It draws upon interviews, anecdotes, and documents regarding Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA). Interweaving qualitative data with poststructural groundings, it questions the role of visuality in teacher education. Despite the promise of technology that underscores transparency and authenticity of observation data, its unexpected outcome is to constitute the teacher with showing professionalism that is enclosed by representational truth and pre-bounded possibilities.
#Menopause on Instagram: a mixed-methods study.

Objective The aims of this study were to: (1) characterize the menopause transition (MT) on social media and (2) determine if concordance or discordance exists when comparing MT-focused social media posts and biomedical research literature. Methods We analyzed 440 sequential Instagram posts with the hashtag #menopause over 2 weeks from January to February 2019. Posts were composed of 299 unique accounts, resulting in an average of 1.7 posts per account (standard deviation [SD] 1; range 1-9; median 1 and interquartile range [IQR] 1-2). Each account had an average of 2,616 followers (SD 11,271; range 3-129,000; median 421.5 and IQR 177-1,101). Content and thematic analyses were completed for posts, images, and videos to identify codes related to the MT. The top 15 codes were then searched along with the key term "menopause" in PubMed to ascertain the level of concordance between Instagram content and peer-reviewed literature on the MT. Results We identified 69 codes in our corpus of Instagram content, resulting in 9 categories: physical health, mental health, complementary and integrative health, advertising, social, advice, self-care, nature, and self-expression (kappa 0.95-1.00). The most prevalent codes were related to weight loss/fitness (20.5%) and hormones (18.4%). The majority of frequent codes identified in Instagram posts were infrequently listed in biomedical literature related to menopause. However, there were two codes, Weight loss/Fitness and Hot flashes, that were frequently discussed in Instagram posts and the biomedical literature. Conclusions The examination of #menopause on Instagram provides novel insights for researchers and clinicians. Our findings provide a better understanding of the experiences and support needs of individuals experiencing menopause. Furthermore, codes related to menopause have low prominence in the biomedical literature, suggesting key topics that could be explored in the future.
Diagnosing odontogenic sinusitis of endodontic origin: A multidisciplinary literature review.

Abstract Purpose Endodontic disease is one of the most common causes of bacterial odontogenic sinusitis (ODS). Diagnosing ODS of endodontic origin involves otolaryngologists confirming sinusitis, and dental specialists confirming endodontic sources. The purpose of this study was to conduct a multidisciplinary literature review to highlight clinical and microbiological features of ODS, and the most optimal diagnostic modalities to confirm endodontic disease. Methods An extensive review of both medical and dental literature was performed by rhinologists, endodontists, and an infectious disease specialist. Frequencies of various clinical and microbiological features from ODS studies were collected, and averages were calculated. Different endodontic testing and imaging modalities were also evaluated on their abilities to confirm endodontic disease. Results ODS patients most often present with unilateral sinonasal symptoms for over 3 months, purulence on nasal endoscopy, and overt dental pathology on computed tomography (CT). Subjective foul smell, and maxillary sinus cultures demonstrating anaerobes and α-streptococci (viridans group) may be more specific to ODS. For endodontic evaluations, cold pulp testing and cone-beam CT imaging are most optimal for confirming pulpal and periapical disease. Conclusion Diagnosing ODS requires collaboration between otolaryngologists and dental specialists. Clinicians should suspect ODS when patients present with unilateral sinonasal symptoms, especially foul smell. Patients will generally have purulent drainage on nasal endoscopy, and both sinus opacification and overt dental pathology on CT. However, some patients will have subtle or absent dental pathology on CT. For suspected endodontic disease, endodontists should be consulted for at least cold pulp testing, and ideally cone-beam CT.
Primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective Endometrial cancer uncommonly presents at an advanced stage and little prospective evidence exists to guide the management thereof. We aimed to summarize the evidence about primary cytoreductive surgery in the treatment of advanced stage endometrial cancer. Data Sources MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched from inception to September 11, 2020, using search terms representing the themes “endometrial cancer,” “advanced stage,” and “primary cytoreductive surgery.” Study Eligibility Criteria We included full-text, English reports that included ≥10 patients undergoing primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced stage endometrial cancer and that reported on the outcomes of primary cytoreductive surgery and survival rates based on the residual disease burden. Methods Two reviewers independently screened the studies and with disagreements between the reviewers resolved by a third reviewer. Data were extracted using a standardized form. The percentage of cases reaching maximal (no gross residual disease) and optimal ( Results From 1219 unique records identified, 34 studies were selected for inclusion. Studies consisted of single or multi-institutional cohorts of patients collected over a period of 6 to 24 years and included various mixes of histologies (endometrioid, serous, clear cell, and carcinosarcoma) and disease stages (III or IV). In a meta-analysis of the extent of residual disease after primary cytoreductive surgery, we found that 52.1% of cases reached no gross residual disease status (n=18 studies; 1329 patients) and 75% reached Conclusion Among cases of advanced stage endometrial cancer undergoing primary cytoreductive surgery, a significant proportion of patients are left with residual disease, which is associated with worse survival outcomes. Further investigations about the roles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and primary cytoreductive surgery in prospective trials is warranted in this population.
Ultraviolet light stimulated water desorption effect on emission performance of gated field emitter array

The performance of silicon gated field emission arrays (GFEAs) was characterized before and after ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. Emission and gate leakage currents were measured on 1000 × 1000 tip arrays by sweeping the gate voltage to 40 V DC with a fixed DC collector voltage of 100 V DC. UV light exposure was used to desorb water molecules from the GFEA surfaces. It was found that, before UV exposure, the gate current was 6 mA at 40 V, whereas after 70 min of UV exposure, the gate current decreased to 0.46 mA, indicating a more than ten times reduction in leakage current between the gate and the emitter. Similarly, the observed collector current was 94 μA at 40 V before exposure, and after UV exposure, the collector current increased to 1.33 mA, indicating an improvement of more than 14 times. During the experiments with UV light, residual gas analyzer measurements showed that the partial pressure for water increased by greater than ten times after 60 min of exposure and then decreased by 1 order of magnitude after 100 min of exposure. The emission and leakage current changes remained even after turning off the UV lamps for several tens of minutes; however, upon the exposure to the atmosphere for a few days, those changes reversed. The enhancement could again be observed after additional UV exposure indicating that the adsorbates (mainly water along with others) on the surface affected the leakage between gate and emitter and field emission. Based on analysis of the IV characteristics before and after UV exposure, the work function of the emitter surfaces increases while the portion of the array tips that emits expands resulting in a decrease in the calculated array tip sharpness as duller tips now emit.
Ethics at the End of Life – Part II

We turn now from the beginning of life and reproductive ethics to the other end of the spectrum, when physical life nears its conclusion. The care of terminal patients is often complicated and ethically challenging, as the focus of the healthcare interaction must necessarily change from cure to comfort.
Red Tape? The Revenue Impact of the VAT Filing Thresholds

Value-added tax systems across the world are afflicted with size-dependent regulations. The benefit of such regulations to the tax authority is unclear. In this paper, we use an administrative dataset from the state of Delhi in India to first show that a policy which mandated different frequencies of filing based on self-reported turnover resulted in bunching of firms below the thresholds at all levels. Using the subsequent change in these reporting policies, we provide evidence that such sharp bunching indeed occurs due to the VAT reporting frequency thresholds. We document that such bunching partly occurs due to revenue shifting and underreporting, provide evidence that the observed bunching has no growth consequences for the bunching firms - and find that bunching occurs to similar degree across industries. Second, we calculate the VAT revenue losses due to such bunching. Third, the subsequent withdrawal of the policy allows us to show that in a regime with size-dependent reporting requirements, more frequent reporting is not associated with greater VAT collection. Finally, according to our back of the envelope welfare analysis, the sized-based filing policy is welfare improving if a welfare-maximizing government’s objective function assigns important weights to small- and medium-sized enterprises.
Orlando Fals Borda: Aporias of a Thought Without Disillusion

Critical profile to Orlando Fals Bordas effort outside of the biographical approach of a singular perspective of thought and its particular praxis.
Extracapsular spread and adjuvant therapy in human papillomavirus-related, p16-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Extracapsular spread (ECS) is commonly used to justify adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer. The role of ECS as a prognosticator and adjuvant therapy determinant in surgically resected, human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), however, has never been determined. METHODS: Of 210 oropharynx patients in a prospective transoral laser microsurgery database, 152 patients who had p16-positive primary OPSCC and pathologically positive necks were eligible for the study. ECS was measured from routine reporting (ECSreport) and by using a novel histologic grading system (ECSgraded). Proportional hazards models and matched analyses were used to compare the impact of ECS and adjuvant therapy on disease-free survival (DFS). Patients with and without graded ECS were matched for T-stage, surgical margins, and adjuvant therapy. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 43 months, the presence of ECS was not associated with poorer DFS in multivariate analyses (ECSreport: hazard ratio [HR], 3.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-25.88; P = .23; ECSgraded: HR, 2.54; 95% CI, 0.88-7.34; P = .09). T-stage and high-grade ECS, ie soft tissue metastasis (STMgraded) were prognostic. Overall and in the presence of ECS or even STM, adjuvant CRT was not associated with better DFS over radiotherapy alone (HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.06-1.13; P = .07). In addition, matched analyses demonstrated no significant reduction in DFS for the presence of ECS versus the absence of ECS or reduced DFS for the administration of adjuvant radiotherapy alone versus CRT in ECS-positive patients. CONCLUSIONS: Routinely reported ECS was not prognostic in this study. Adjuvant CRT versus radiotherapy alone produced no improvement in DFS for ECS-positive patients. The authors propose that de-escalated adjuvant therapy should be considered for patients with p16-positive OPSCC who undergo surgery and that routinely reported ECS should not be used to justify adjuvant chemotherapy. Cancer 2012;3519–3530. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Rapidly progressive cutaneous Rhizopus microsporus infection presenting as Fournier's gangrene in a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia.

Zygomycetes are ubiquitous in nature and can cause fulminant infections in the immunocompromised host. Known risk factors include hematologic malignancy, neutropenia, diabetes mellitus, steroid use, and trauma (1). A recent increase in the incidence of zygomycosis compared with candidiasis or aspergillosis may be explained by increasing use of antifungal agents lacking activity against Zygomycetes, in addition to the increasing numbers of higher risk bone marrow transplants (2). Organisms in the genus Rhizopus cause the majority of human infections. They typically manifest as cutaneous, rhino-cerebral, pulmonary, or gastrointestinal infection and may progress to disseminated disease. Cutaneous disease may arise either from direct inoculation of the skin, or less commonly, from hematogenous dissemination. Genital infection is exceedingly uncommon and only 4 cases involving the penis have been reported in the medical literature (3–6). Our case illustrates the diagnostic challenge of penile infection caused by Rhizopus. One of the key diagnostic dilemmas is that the appearance of skin lesions secondary to Rhizopus may be confused with viral eruptions, cutaneous leukemia, and bacterial necrotizing infection. The anatomy, physiology, and lymphatic drainage of the penis and perineum may predispose to rapid dissemination into the deep tissues of the pelvis with nearly universally fatal results. Current management strategies including novel adjuvant therapies are discussed.
No imagination effect on boundary extension

Boundary extension (BE) occurs when people falsely remember perceiving beyond the edges of a presented scene. Theorists argue that BE occurs because people mistakenly attribute information they have generated to the study stimulus-that is, they make a source memory error. Inspired by this idea, in six experiments we tested whether scene details resulting from explicit imagination would be misremembered as actual visual perceptions, resulting in increased BE as compared with standard instructions. In four experiments, undergraduates completed a BE task with separate study and test blocks; in two further experiments, undergraduates completed a trial-by-trial BE task (N = 290). Half of the participants elaborated on the study pictures (imagined smells and sounds, or what was to the left and right of the scene, or what a photographer would see by zooming in or out). Robust BE was found in all experiments, but none of the elaborations modified the size of BE; therefore, BE is not to be affected by explicit elaboration and may be related to spatial rather than visual imagery ability.
Cochlear implant fixation using a subperiosteal tight pocket without either suture or bone‐recess technique

Objectives/Hypothesis To assess the complication and migration rates associated with the fixation of cochlear implant receiver-stimulators using a subperiosteal tight pocket without either suture fixation or bone recession. Study Design Dual-institution retrospective case review. Methods A retrospective case review was conducted at two tertiary referral centers. All patients who underwent cochlear implantation with device fixation using a subperiosteal tight pocket without suturing over the device or recessing of the receiver stimulator in bone were identified. There was a minimum follow-up period of 6 months. Outcome measures included intraoperative and postoperative complications, including evidence of device migration associated with interference with external device use or the need for revision surgery. Other outcome measures included soft tissue flap complications. Results Sixty-two patients were identified with a mean age of 39 years, (range 1.5–5 years). The average follow-up period was 32.6 months (range 6–120 months). Device manufacturers included Cochlear Corporation (Denver, CO) (n = 44), MED-EL (Durham, NC) (n = 12), and Advanced Bionics (Valencia, CA) (n = 6). There were no associated intraoperative complications related to subperiosteal pocket fixation of the receiver stimulator, and no cases of migration were identified. Conclusion Fixation of the cochlear implant receiver stimulator using a subperiosteal tight pocket without either suture fixation or bone recession has been demonstrated to be feasible across a range of patient demographics and cochlear implant devices. This method of fixation appears to allow for an efficient and minimally invasive approach without compromising patient safety or device performance. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 124:1674–1677, 2014
A new approach to all-pairs shortest paths on real-weighted graphs

We present a new all-pairs shortest path algorithm that works with real-weighted graphs in the traditional comparison-addition model. It runs in O(mn + n2 log log n) time, improving on the long-standing bound of O(mn + n2 log n) derived from an implementation of Dijkstra's algorithm with Fibonacci heaps. Here m and n are the number of edges and vertices, respectively.Our algorithm is rooted in the so-called component hierarchy approach to shortest paths invented by Thorup for integer-weighted undirected graphs, and generalized by Hagerup to integer-weighted directed graphs. The technical contributions of this paper include a method for approximating shortest path distances and a method for leveraging approximate distances in the computation of exact ones. We also provide a simple, one line characterization of the class of hierarchy-type shortest path algorithms. This characterization leads to some pessimistic lower bounds on computing single-source shortest paths with a hierarchy-type algorithm.
GaAs MESFET digital integrated circuits fabricated with low temperature buffer technology

High-performance digital integrated circuits have been fabricated with low-temperature buffer GaAs MESFET technology. The materials structure eliminates side-gating and light sensitivity, and improves FET performance. Individual transistors with a 0.2-mm gate length have a transconductance g m of 600 mS/mm and an extrapolated cutoff frequency f T of 80 GHz. Static SCFL frequency dividers fabricated in this technology exhibit a maximum clock rate of 22 GHz
A cluster-randomized trial of a primary care informatics-based system for breast cancer screening.

BACKGROUND Information technology offers the promise, as yet unfulfilled, of delivering efficient, evidence-based health care.
Effects of Long-Term Tracheostomy on Spectral Characteristics of Vowel Production.

This study investigated the effects of long-term tracheostomy on the development of speech. Eight children who underwent tracheotomy during the prelingual period were compared to matched controls o...
Do normative perceptions of drinking relate to alcohol use in U.S. Military veterans presenting to primary care

Abstract Objective The current cross sectional study sought to examine whether perceived social normative beliefs are associated with indicators of alcohol use in a sample of alcohol misusing veterans. Method A sample of 107 U.S. Military Veterans presenting to primary care that screened positive for alcohol misuse on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption Items (AUDIT-C) was recruited. Assessment measures were used to examine social normative beliefs and alcohol-related concerns as they relate to indicators of alcohol use at baseline. Results Our findings indicate mixed support for our two hypotheses in that perceived descriptive norms were associated with alcohol use indicators in the predicted direction; however, this was not the case for alcohol-related concerns. For perceived norms, we found that higher quantity beliefs were significantly related to greater alcohol consumption on a drinking day (p Summary Findings of the current study suggest that social normative beliefs, specifically misperceptions about descriptive norms, are significantly associated with alcohol consumption in a sample of alcohol misusing veterans presenting to primary care.
Properties of compression-molded, acetylated soy protein films

Abstract The demand for biodegradable polymers produced from renewable natural resources continues to grow as environmental concerns increase. The objective of this study is to examine how acetylated soy protein isolate performed as a thermoplastic and how the properties of films made from it are affected by composition and morphology. SUPRO® 620 and 660 were modified and acetylated to produce SY7 and SY23 thermoplastic films. These films were formed under various compression-molding conditions to form films of two thicknesses and relative molecular weights. No plasticizer was used in forming these films. Molded films were then evaluated for total and volatile solids, nitrogen content, chemical oxygen demand, flow rate, solubility, X-ray diffraction, 1 H and 13 C NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared analysis, tensile properties, oxygen and water vapor permeability. A comparison of melt flow index values, nitrogen content, total solids, volatile solids, and chemical oxygen demand demonstrated no statistical differences between films, but significant differences from SUPRO® 620 the base material used to form SY7. The SY7 films had lower solubility, lower ‘wet’ tensile strength, and higher oxygen permeability than the SY23 films. Both the SY7 and SY23 films formed at higher compression molding temperatures had higher tensile strengths, increased ‘wet’ elongation, and lower water vapor permeability than the films formed at lower compression molding temperatures. X-Ray diffraction, 1 H and 13 C NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and infrared analysis exhibited slight or no differences between the SY7 and SY23 films. Compression molded thermoplastics produced from acetylated SUPRO® 620 and 660 appear similar and a possible commercial thermoplastic.
Measurements on Superconducting Contacts

The contact resistance between crossed wires has been measured as a function of the current at various temperatures in the liquid helium range. Most contacts were stable enough to establish a "diagram of state," i.e., determine curves of constant resistance in $I\ensuremath{-}T$ space. The following facts have been established: 1. The critical temperature of contacts between clean wires of tin is suppressed by about 0.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K due to the pressure on the contact.2. The addition of a copper layer on one or both of the wires reduces the critical currents, but hardly influences the critical temperature. This can be understood if one assumes that the density of the superconducting electrons decreases in the copper layer, thus producing an increase in the penetration depth. At layer thicknesses of several hundred angstroms the penetration depth becomes large compared to the contact radius, and the critical current vs temperature curve approaches that of a very thin wire.3. Contacts between tin and copper wires below the critical temperature and at low currents show a constant resistance, which rises sharply at a critical current. Graphs of this quasicritical current as a function of the temperature have been obtained.4. Clean contacts between tin and indium usually behave as one would expect from the foregoing. In one case out of three, however, the resistance was strongly dependent on the current at a temperature as high as 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Plotting the low-current values of the resistance as a function of the temperature showed a behavior as if one of the contact materials had a critical temperature of 5 to 6\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. A search of the literature revealed that the Sn-In system has two intermetallic compounds. The compound ${\mathrm{In}}_{6}$${\mathrm{Sn}}_{2}$ has been prepared, and was found to have a critical temperature of about 5.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Since the contacts were closed at 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and no possibility of transfer of metal from one side to the other existed, it must be assumed that the proximity of the tin to the indium is sufficient to produce partial superconductivity by way of long-range correlation of the electronic wave functions.
RADIATION EXPOSURE TO THE CORPOREAL BODIES DURING 3-DIMENSIONAL CONFORMAL RADIATION THERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER

Purpose: Radiation therapy for prostate cancer is associated with the development of post-treatment erectile dysfunction. Use of 3-dimensional (D) conformal delivery techniques has reduced delivery of radiation to periprostatic tissues. However, the exact magnitude of radiation that the corporeal bodies are exposed to using this delivery technique is currently unknown. This study was undertaken to calculate the radiation dose delivered to the corporeal bodies during 3-D conformal radiotherapy.Materials and Methods: Ten patients with proven prostate adenocarcinoma who underwent pre-therapy computerized tomography simulation and radiation delivery planning had the proximal corporeal bodies outlined on axial computerized tomography. The dose to the proximal penile tissues was then calculated using computer modeling.Results: The total dose of radiation administered to the prostate and seminal vesicles was 73.8 Gy. Mean radiation delivered to the most proximal 2 cm. of the corporeal bodies was 31 ± 12.8 Gy., e...
Multiunit normalized cross correlation differs from the average single-unit normalized correlation

As the technology for simultaneously recording from many brain locations becomes more available, more and more laboratories are measuring the cross-correlation between single-neuron spike trains, and between composite spike trains derived from several undiscriminated cells recorded on a single electrode (multiunit clusters). The relationship between single-unit correlations and multiunit cluster correlations has not yet been fully explored. We calculated the normalized cross-correlation (NCC) between single unit spike trains and between small clusters of units recorded in the rat somatosensory cortex. The NCC between small clusters of units was larger than the NCC between single units. To understand this result, we investigated the scaling of the NCC with the number of units in a cluster. Multiunit cross-correlation can be a more sensitive detector of neuronal relationship than single-unit cross-correlation. However, changes in multiunit cross-correlation are difficult to interpret uniquely because they d...
Characterization Of Phosphoinositide Monolayers By Infrared Spectroscopy And Epifluorescence Microscopy At The Air/water Interface

Phosphoinositides have been shown to mediate a large variety of important physiological processes by affecting the activity and the localization of membrane associated proteins. Phosphoinositide properties are largely determined by the characteristics of their headgroup, which at physiological pH is highly charged but is also capable of hydrogen bond formation. For phosphoinositide mediated signaling events to occur, it requires the local enrichment of phosphoinositides, which depend on the interchange between attractive and repulsive forces. Factors expected to affect mutual phosphoinositide interaction are pH, cations, or positively charged proteins. We have characterized the structural properties of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylinositol mono-, bis- and trisphosphate monolayer films at the air/water interface by infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) as well as by direct visualization of domain formation of each phosphoinositide derivative by epifluorescence microscopy in the presence of low and high monovalent salt concentrations. It has been observed that on pure water subphases the surface pressure/area (Π/A) isotherms for all phosphoinositide derivatives were characteristic for a condensed monolayer whereas a monolayer expansion was found for medium (10 mM) and high salt concentrations (150 mM). IRRAS measurements showed that this was associated with a larger molecular tilt angle and a reduced acyl chain order. Using epifluorescence microscopy, domain formation has been observed for each phosphoinositide derivative as the monolayer goes from a liquid phase to the liquid condensed phase. In addition, membrane organization can be affected by the binding and interaction of various proteins or peptides to the lipids. Surface pressure/time experiments along with epifluorescence microscopy will investigate these interactions for each phosphoinositide monolayer highlighting the distinct properties of phosphoinositide/protein interactions.
β-Adrenergic involvement in acquisition vs. extinction of a classically conditioned eye blink response in rabbits

Beta-adrenergic involvement in classical conditioning and extinction was investigated. Five groups of rabbits (saline, 1, 3, 5 or 10 mg kg(-1) of the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol) were trained with a tone conditioned stimulus (CS) paired with a corneal air puff unconditioned stimulus (US). Both 5 mg kg(-1) and 10 mg kg(-1) propranolol delayed acquisition of conditioned responses but all groups were able to learn the task to criterion. Consistent changes were not seen during extinction.
The establishment of cell lines from imaginal wing discs of Spodoptera frugiperda and Plodia interpunctella

Abstract Continuous cell cultures were established from imaginal wing discs of 2 Lepidoptera, Spodoptera frugiperda and Plodia interpunctella. The S. frugiperda line (IAL-SFD1) grows as multicellular vesicles and responds morphologically and biochemically to the insect hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone. In contrast, the P. interpunctella cells (IAL-PID2) grow as attached monolayers of small spindle-shaped cells and do not appear to have specific responses to 20-hydroxyecdysone, although growth rates are slowed in these cells upon exposure to the hormone.
Variations on variability: effects of display composition on same–different discrimination in pigeons

Discriminating same from different multiitem arrays can be represented as a discrimination between arrays involving low variability and arrays involving high variability. In the present investigation, we first trained pigeons with the extreme values along the variability continuum (arrays containing 16 identical items vs. 16 nonidentical items), and we later tested the birds with arrays involving intermediate levels of variability; we created these testing arrays either by manipulating the combination of same and different items (mixture testing) or by changing the number of items in the same and different arrays (number testing). According to an entropy account (Young & Wasserman, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes 23:157-170, 1997), the particular means of changing variability should have no effect on same-different discrimination performance: Equivalent variability should yield equivalent performance. In this critical test of an entropy account, we found that entropy could explain a large portion of our data, but not the entire collection of results.
Low-energy approximation for inner-shell ionization during nuclear resonance scattering

A calculation of the amplitude for inner-shell ionization accompanying the resonant scattering of a proton from the atomic nucleus is presented which accounts for higher-order correction terms not included in previous treatments of this problem. The correction terms arise from the use of a more accurate asymptotic representation of the scattering wave functions which appear in the distorted-wave Born approximation for the amplitude. The energy transferred to the electron plays the role of a small parameter in the analysis of the accuracy of the approximation. Some techniques used in a previous derivation of a low-frequency approximation for bremsstrahlung are directly applicable to the closely analogous problem considered here. Numerical estimates of the correction terms are obtained using a very simple model of the ionization process.
Matrilysin (Matrix Metalloproteinase-7) Regulates Anti-Inflammatory and Antifibrotic Pulmonary Dendritic Cells That Express CD103 (αEβ7-Integrin)

The E-cadherin receptor CD103 (αEβ7-integrin) is expressed on specific populations of pulmonary dendritic cells (DC) and T cells. However, CD103 function in the lung is not well understood. Matrilysin (MMP-7) expression is increased in lung injury and cleaves E-cadherin from injured lung epithelium. Thus, to assess matrilysin effects on CD103-E-cadherin interactions in lung injury, wild-type, CD103−/−, and Mmp7−/− mice, in which E-cadherin isn’t cleaved in the lung, were treated with bleomycin or bleomycin with nFMLP to reverse the defect in acute neutrophil influx seen in Mmp7−/− mice. Pulmonary CD103+ DC were significantly increased in injured wild-type compared with Mmp7−/− mice, and CD103+ leukocytes showed significantly enhanced interaction with E-cadherin on injured wild-type epithelium than with Mmp7−/− epithelium in vitro and in vivo. Bleomycin-treated CD103−/− mice had persistent neutrophilic inflammation, increased fibrosis, and increased mortality compared with wild-type mice, a phenotype that was partially recapitulated in bleomycin/nFMLP-treated Mmp7−/− mice. Soluble E-cadherin increased IL-12 and IL-10 and reduced IL-6 mRNA expression in wild-type bone marrow-derived DC but not in CD103−/− bone marrow-derived DC. Similar mRNA patterns were seen in lungs of bleomycin-injured wild-type, but not CD103−/− or Mmp7−/−, mice. In conclusion, matrilysin regulates pulmonary localization of DC that express CD103, and E-cadherin cleavage may activate CD103+ DC to limit inflammation and inhibit fibrosis.
WE-C-AUD-10: A Comparison of DPM and VMC++ Mont Carlo Codes Applied to Heterogeneous Media

Purpose:Monte Carlo(MC) techniques are physically sound to provide accurate dose distributions. However, they take a large amount of CPU time compared to EGS4. Several fast MC algorithms have been developed, including VMC++ (Voxel Monte Carlo) and DPM (Dose Planning Method). For these fast MC codes, the simplifications of the underlying physics, variance reduction, and random number generation may not be equivalent. Moreover, implementation issues are complex and therefore testing and quality assurance is important. We compared these two codes as applied to heterogeneous media a quality assurance check. Methods and Materials: In this research, we conducted calculations for both codes on a standard open field water phantom, a water phantom with an air cavity, and a 5‐beam conformal therapy plan computed based on a CT‐scan of a heterogeneous anthropomorphic thorax phantom. The results were either compared with BEAM results, the Treatment Planning System (TPS; Pinnacle 7.6c), film or TLD measurements. The MC codes were integrated with CERR to facilitate CT‐based calculations. Results: In the water phantom, for 6MV 5×5cm2field size at 100cm SSD, DPM and VMC++ agreed within 1%, except in the penumbra region. For 0.5×0.5cm2field size of the air cavity test, they differed at the interface of air and water. For the 5‐beam 3D conformal plan on a thorax phantom, they agreed within 1% RMS ([STD of the difference larger than 5%Dmax]/Dmax); Most regions had a difference much less than 3% except at the buildup region for the two beams. Conclusions Carefully designed tests were conducted comparing DPM and VMC++. Water phantom results were almost identical. The air‐cavity‐heterogeneity results gave agreement within 1% except for the water‐air‐cavity interface. DPM appeared to be somewhat more sensitive to local material changes in the thorax phantom results.
Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma (KHE): Not just a bruise

Abstract Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma is a rare, but potentially fatal vascular tumour of childhood. We present a case that highlights the diagnostic and management challenges of this condition, particularly when associated with Kasabach–Merritt phenomenon, and supports the use of sirolimus in its treatment.
Maximum likelihood estimation and the multivariate Bernoulli distribution: An application to reliability

We investigate systems designed using redundant component configurations. If external events exist in the working environment that cause two or more components in the system to fail within the same demand period, the designed redundancy in the system can be quickly nullified. In the engineering field, such events are called common cause failures (CCFs), and are primary factors in some risk assessments. If CCFs have positive probability, but are not addressed in the analysis, the assessment may contain a gross over-estimation of the system reliability. We apply a discrete, multivariate shock model for a parallel system of two or more components, allowing for positive probability that such external events can occur. The methods derived are motivated by attribute data for emergency diesel generators from various U. S. nuclear power plants. Closed form solutions for maximum likelihood estimators exist in some cases; statistical tests and confidence intervals are discussed for the different test environments considered.
A front propagation formulation for under-resolved reaction fronts

A method to simulate propagating reaction fronts on under-resolved grids is presented. The proposed method prevents the spurious propagation of under-resolved reaction fronts by introducing a front propagation form of the chemical reaction term. The front propagation formulation adopts a regularized Delta function to discretely preserve the total reaction rates on computational grids. By introducing the regularized Delta function that reproduces the physical mechanism of front propagation, the present method allows for the simulation of reaction fronts with variable thicknesses on under-resolved grids. Applications to isothermal reaction fronts, laminar premixed flames, and large eddy simulation of turbulent premixed flames are presented.
Union of capillary high-performance liquid chromatography and microcoil nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy applied to the separation and identification of terpenoids.

Abstract This paper describes the first coupling of a commercial capillary HPLC system with a diode array spectrophotometric detector and a custom-built nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) flow microprobe. The eluent from a 3-μm diameter C 18 HPLC column is linked to a 500 MHz 1 H-NMR microcoil probe with an observe volume of 1.1 μl. The separation and structurally-rich detection of a mixture of terpenoids under both isocratic and gradient solvent elution conditions is presented. The lowest limits of detection yet reported for capillary HPLC on-line measurement (i.e., 37 ng for α-pinene) are achieved with this system. The complementary nature of diode array and NMR detection allows stopped-flow data collection from analytes which would otherwise go unnoticed in continuous-flow NMR. Moreover, stopped-flow NMR data is presented for the detection of a trace (sub-nmol) impurity in the sample mixture. Since NMR signals degrade and shift during solvent gradients, flow injection analysis studies are conducted with injected solvent plugs differing in mobile phase composition. The NMR signal degradation accompanying these injections is largely due to the variance in chemical shift with the solvent composition rather than to changes in magnetic susceptibility of the solvent. Characterization of such effects enables the development of improved NMR probes for the coupling of capillary HPLC and NMR.
COLICIN K : VIII. THE IMMUNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF MITOMYCIN-INDUCED COLICIN K

Partially purified colicin K (mCol K) has been obtained from cultures of Escherichia coli K235 induced with mitomycin C. Unlike colicin K (Col K) derived from noninduced cultures of E. coli K235, mitomycin-induced colicin K (mCol K) is not associated with the type O-specific antigen of the colicinogenic bacillus. mCol K elicits in rabbits specific antibodies which precipitate and neutralize the homologous bacteriocin. These colicin-specific antibodies are not precipitated by the colicin-O antigen complex derived from noninduced bacteria. Colicin-neutralizing antibodies can be separated by zone electrophoresis into fractions having different electrophoretic mobilities. The antibodies with lower mobility strongly precipitate the homologous antigen mCol K; those with higher mobility neutralize the bacteriocin and form soluble antigen-antibody complexes.