cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization of GaAs amplification photodetectors for 700% quantum efficiency

We investigate the device physics of novel GaAs waveguide photodetectors with integrated photon multiplication. Such detectors have the potential to achieve simultaneously high saturation power, high speed, high responsivity, and quantum efficiencies above 100%. Our device design vertically combines a bulk photodetector ridge waveguide region with laterally confined quantum wells for amplification. Measurements on the first device generation show quantum efficiencies of only 56%. Advanced device simulation is employed to analyze these devices and to reveal performance limitations. Excellent agreement between simulations and measurements is obtained. Device design optimization is proposed, promising more than 700% efficiency.
Radiolabeled antibodies, albumin and antimony sulfide colloid: a comparison as lymphoscintigraphic agents.

The kinetics of lymph node and systemic uptake of members of three different classes of lymphoscintigraphic agents were studied in normal laboratory rats. 99mTc antimony trisulfide colloid (TcSbC), 99mTc human serum albumin (TcHSA), 125I 5G6.4 (a murine IgG2ak monoclonal antibody), 125I 763.24T (a murine IgG1), and 125I FT166 ( a murine IgM monoclonal) all current or potential lymphoscintigraphic agents, were injected subcutaneously into the hind foot pads of healthy rats. Ipsilateral and contralateral popliteal lymph nodes were sampled up to 4 h post-injection. Subcutaneous injection resulted in far higher nodal uptake for all agents than i.v. delivery with ipsilateral popliteal node/blood ratios 1 h postsubcutaneous injection of: for TcSbC (1900) greater than 125I IgM (497) greater than TcHSA (72) greater than 125I Intact IgG2a or 125I IgG1 at approximately 10. Thus, while all agents achieve popliteal node/blood ratios far greater than unity, TcSbc has the greatest absolute and relative nodal accumulation, greater than the 125I IgM monoclonal antibody and TcHSA. Uptake of the intact 125I IgG antibodies is lowest. These data suggest that TcSbC in particular, as well as TcHSA and IgM may be most useful as non-specific nodel imaging agents, while the lower background activity of the IgGs may make targeting specific antigen in nodes more feasible.
Application of lumped R/sub th/C/sub th/ and approximate steady-state methods for reducing transient analysis solution time

Three-dimensional, transient computational fluid-dynamic (CFD) models require finite-volume grids in the spatial as well as temporal domain. The grid can become extremely large, even for component-level problems. This initially results in long computation times during grid optimization, even with high-speed and parallel processing computers. It also results in extremely long computation times once the grid has been optimized. Solution times are further increased when the transient load is cyclic in nature. To reduce computation time, lumped resistance-capacitance (R/sub th/C/sub th/) methods developed by Larson and Li [2000] were benchmarked at the component level, then the system level. Next, the use of root-mean-squared current (I.) as a steady-state approximation was benchmarked at both the component and system level. Finally, both methods were applied to streamline the analysis of automotive electronic controls. Limitations of both the R/sub th/C/sub th/ and steady-state methods are discussed. Cycle time reduction values for both component and system level are presented.
Surveillance for endoleaks: How to detect all of them

Endovascular aneurysm repair has proven to be a valuable alternative to open repair in selected patients. This less invasive procedure, however, requires long-term surveillance for its own set of potential complications, including perigraft leakage, or endoleak. This article focuses on the detection of these leaks, first defining and classifying endoleaks and then describing various means of detecting them, including computed tomographic angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, color-flow duplex ultrasonography, and conventional angiography.
The effect of the menstrual cycle on affective modulation of pain and nociception in healthy women

Research indicates pain may be influenced by the menstrual cycle. While the mechanisms underlying these effects are unclear, it is possible that menstrual phase-related changes in endogenous pain modulation contribute. The present study used well-validated methods to study affective modulation of pain and the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) in healthy women during two menstrual phases (mid-follicular vs. late-luteal). Women (N = 41) tracked their menstrual phases for three complete cycles and were asked to attend two laboratory testing sessions in the second and third cycles to assess affective modulation of pain and nociception (testing order counterbalanced). Menstrual phase was assessed from daily diaries, luteinizing hormone tests, and basal body temperature. At each session, emotionally charged pictures were presented and suprathreshold electrocutaneous stimulations were delivered during and in between pictures. Subjective and physiological emotional reactions were recorded in response to each picture and pain ratings and NFRs were recorded in response to each suprathreshold stimulus. Results suggested pictures effectively manipulated emotion in both menstrual phases. Moreover, arousing unpleasant pictures enhanced pain and NFR, whereas arousing pleasant pictures inhibited pain and NFR. These modulatory effects were similar in both menstrual phases. Together, these findings suggest that affective engagement of corticospinal mechanisms does not differ across these phases of the menstrual cycle. However, future research is needed to directly assess the relationship between affective modulation of pain/nociception and inter- and intra-individual differences in ovarian hormones and to extend these findings to women who suffer from menstrual cycle-related pain (e.g., premenstrual dysphoric disorder, fibromyalgia).
Microsatellite markers in the western prairie fringed orchid, Platanthera praeclara (Orchidaceae)

Premise of the study: Primers for 31 microsatellite-containing loci were developed for the threatened orchid Platanthera praeclara to enable characterization of the population genetics of this tallgrass prairie native. Methods and Results: Sixteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were identified from four populations. Six of these loci were not in linkage disequilibrium. The average number of alleles per locus per population ranged from 6.4 to 8.9. Conclusions: The results indicate that six of the polymorphic loci will be useful in future studies of population structure, gene flow, and genetic diversity.
A Formal Total Synthesis of Roseophilin: Cyclopentannelation Approach to the Macrocyclic Core

[formula: see text] The formal total synthesis of the macrocyclic core of roseophilin 4 has been accomplished in 12 steps from 5-hexenal 8. The cyclopentannelation reaction was used to form the aliphatic five-membered ring of 3. Diene 2 was assembled by means of a Stetter reaction. Ring-closing metathesis of 2, reduction, and Knorr reaction of the 1,4-diketone 5 gave the ketopyrrole 3.
STUDIES ON PERMEABILITY OF MEMBRANES VIII. THE BEHAVIOR OF THE DRIED COLLODION MEMBRANE TOWARD BIVALENT CATIONS.

A study of the behavior of the dried collodion membrane toward the bivalent calcium ion showed that: 1. There is almost no potential difference established across a membrane separating two calcium chloride solutions of 0.1 and 0.01 N concentrations. 2. The transfer numbers of chlorine and calcium, as measured in electrical transfer experiments, are both close to 0.5. 3. A sample of membrane in equilibrium with a solution of calcium chloride has an extremely high electrical resistance, greater than is observed with solutions of the chlorides of any of the monovalent cations. 4. The total electrolyte content of a membrane in equilibrium with a solution of calcium chloride was only 20 per cent of that observed when the solution was lithium chloride and 10 per cent of that found when the solution was potassium chloride. In explaining these various results it is supposed that (1), (2) and (3) are all the result of (4), that is, of the inability of the calcium ion to penetrate any but the largest of the membrane pores. As the total quantity of electrolyte able to penetrate the membrane is very small the electrical conductivity must also be very small. Moreover, the few larger pores that are large enough to transport the hydrated calcium ion are too large to exert any appreciable effect in decreasing the mobility of the anion. Thus the membrane has no effect in modifying the potentials established across concentration chains with CaCl2 and the transfer numbers determined experimentally are what one would expect if no membrane were present.
Real-time Interactions and Synchronization of Voxel-based Collaborative Virtual Environments

Collaborative virtual environments (C-VE) facilitate team-oriented training on virtual reality-based surgical simulators. Many C-VEs replicate the VE on each user's machine to allow for real-time interactions. However, this solution does not work well when modifying voxel-based C-VEs because large and frequent volumetric updates make it difficult to synchronize the C-VE. This paper describes a hybrid depth-buffered image (DBI) and geometry-based rendering method created to simulate visual interactions between local virtual bone cutting tools and remotely maintained volumetric bone material for a craniotomy simulator. For real-time interactions, users only store a DBI of the volumetric C-VE and composite it with rendered images of surgical tools. Additionally, we describe methods to combat network bandwidth/latency to remotely simulate haptic and bone drilling interactions between users' tools and the volumetric VE. For haptic feedback, a multi-rate solution (Cavusoglu and Tendick, 2000) allows users to construct a local approximation of the volumetric C-VE to compute new forces. Only 2D DBI updates are required to synchronize different users when the bone changes due to drilling. Our approach provides an improved performance over a replicated VE that uses 3D model-based updates
Signal requirements for T lymphocyte activation. I. Replacement of macrophage function with phorbol myristic acetate.

Analysis of the kinetics of the interaction between PMA, lectins, and T cells revealed that these compounds could be added to the T cells independently and in any order and still induce activation. However, maximal T cell proliferation required that PMA and lectin be added within the first 4 hr of culture. In addition, both agents were capable of exerting their effects after a brief (1 hr) exposure. The results of this study indicate that PMA can replace macrophages as a source of the second signal that is required to induce T cell proliferation in vitro. This agent may prove to be extremely valuable in the analysis of both the biochemical alterations involved in the process of T cell activation, and the mechanism by which macrophages induce these alterations.
Midterm Results of Replacement of Synthetic Graft and Arterial Infection in the Groin With Femoropopliteal Vein

OBJECTIVE: Infection of synthetic grafts or femoral arteries in the groin is a challenging problem to treat. Femoro-popliteal vein (FPV) is an ideal conduit but extensive replacement of infected aortic grafts with FPV has been associated with significant morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate early and long-term outcome of limited replacement with FPV of infected femoral arteries/grafts in the groin.
Online recognition of handwritten mathematical expressions with support for matrices

We present an online system for recognizing handwritten mathematical matrices in the context of an interactive computational tool called MathPaper. Automatic segmentation and recognition of multiple expressions are supported based on a spacing algorithm that leverages recognized symbol identities, sizes, and relative locations of individual symbols. Matrices with ellipses can be recognized and instantiated with non-ellipsis elements. Both well- and non-well-formed matrices can also be recognized. Matrix elements can be any general mathematical expressions including imbedded matrices. Our recognizer also addresses the poor column alignment problem of handwritten matrices, and allows for slight horizontal overlaps between elements in neighboring columns and different rows.
Discrete bathtub failure rate and upside‐down bathtub mean residual life

The concepts of a bathtub-shaped failure rate and upside-down bathtub-shaped mean residual life for discrete lifetime distributions are considered. The relationship between these concepts is established. The discrete counterparts of IFRA and DFRA classes discussed in the continuous case are combined into the class of a bathtub-shaped failure rate average. The relationship between bathtub-shaped failure rate and bathtub-shaped failure rate average is also given. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Subjective and objective quantification of physician's workload and performance during radiation therapy planning tasks.

Abstract Purpose To quantify, and compare, workload for several common physician-based treatment planning tasks using objective and subjective measures of workload. To assess the relationship between workload and performance to define workload levels where performance could be expected to decline. Methods and Materials Nine physicians performed the same 3 tasks on each of 2 cases ("easy" vs "hard"). Workload was assessed objectively throughout the tasks (via monitoring of pupil size and blink rate), and subjectively at the end of each case (via National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index; NASA-TLX). NASA-TLX assesses the 6 dimensions (mental, physical, and temporal demands, frustration, effort, and performance); scores > or ≈ 50 are associated with reduced performance in other industries. Performance was measured using participants' stated willingness to approve the treatment plan. Differences in subjective and objective workload between cases, tasks, and experience were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The correlation between subjective and objective workload measures were assessed via the Pearson correlation test. The relationships between workload and performance measures were assessed using the t test. Results Eighteen case-wise and 54 task-wise assessments were obtained. Subjective NASA-TLX scores ( P P > .1), were significantly lower for the easy vs hard case. Most correlations between the subjective and objective measures were not significant, except between average blink rate and NASA-TLX scores ( r = −0.34, P = .02), for task-wise assessments. Performance appeared to decline at NASA-TLX scores of ≥55. Conclusions The NASA-TLX may provide a reasonable method to quantify subjective workload for broad activities, and objective physiologic eye-based measures may be useful to monitor workload for more granular tasks within activities. The subjective and objective measures, as herein quantified, do not necessarily track each other, and more work is needed to assess their utilities. From a series of controlled experiments, we found that performance appears to decline at subjective workload levels ≥55 (as measured via NASA-TLX), which is consistent with findings from other industries.
Piston Ring-Cylinder Bore Friction Modeling in Mixed Lubrication Regime: Part II—Correlation With Bench Test Data

A bench friction test system for piston ring and liner contact, which has high stroke length and large contact width has been used to verify the analytical mixed lubrication model presented in a companion paper (Part 1). This test system controls the speed, temperature and lubricant amount and records the friction force, loading force, crank angle signal and contact temperature data simultaneously. The effects of running speed, applied normal load, contact temperature and surface roughness on friction coefficient have been investigated for conventional cast-iron cylinder bores. Friction coefficient predictions are presented as a function of crank angle position and results are compared with bench test data. Analytical results correlated well with bench test results.
Risk factors for non-fatal myocardial infarction and cardiac death in incident dialysis patients

Background. The risks of major cardiac events in patients initiating long-term dialysis related to prior coronary disease and various other factors are not well known. Methods. We used United States Renal Data System data to analyse the outcomes of non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiac death in incident dialysis patients from years 1997 through 2001 (n = 214 890). The presence of established coronary artery disease was determined from the Medical Evidence form, non-fatal MI events were determined from Medicare claims’ data and cause of death was determined from the Death Notification form. Multivariable analyses were performed employing Cox proportional hazards models using demographics, co-morbidities, laboratory variables, prior erythropoietin use, body mass index and type of dialysis. Results. In patients with prior coronary disease as comparedtothosewithout,theadjustedrelativeriskofnon-fatal MIwas1.57(95%CI,1.5–1.65)andcardiacdeathwas1.16 (95% CI, 1.14–1.18). The 5-year cumulative incidence of non-fatal MI was 8.1 and 6% and cardiac death was 48.3 and 40.2%, in patients with and without prior coronary disease, respectively. Amongst important factors, blacks had a lower risk of non-fatal MI and cardiac death as compared to whites. A history of hypertension conferred a lower independent risk of cardiac death events. Lower haemoglobin, higher albumin and higher creatinine values each conferred a lower independent risk of non-fatal MI and cardiac death. Conclusions.Incident dialysis subjects with prior coronary disease have a risk of non-fatal MI greater by 57% and cardiac death by 16% as compared to subjects without prior coronary disease. In both populations, the competing risk ofcardiacdeathisseveral-foldgreaterthanthatofnon-fatal MI. There are several factors suggesting reverse epidemiology phenomena with respect to major cardiac events in the dialysis population.
The Physiology of Global Change: Linking Patterns to Mechanisms

Global change includes alterations in ocean temperature, oxygen availability, salinity, and pH, abiotic variables with strong and interacting influences on the physiology of all taxa. Physiological stresses resulting from changes in these four variables may cause broad biogeographic shifts as well as localized changes in distribution in mosaic habitats. To elucidate these causal linkages, I address the following questions: What types of physiological limitations can alter species' distributions and, in cases of extreme stress, cause extinctions? Which species are most threatened by these physiological challenges—and why? How do contents of genomes establish capacities to respond to global change, notably in the case of species that have evolved in highly stable habitats? How fully can phenotypic acclimatization offset abiotic stress? Can physiological measurements, including new molecular (“-omic”) approaches, provide indices of the degree of sublethal stress an organism experiences? And can physiological...
What are the environments of lens galaxies

Using measured tangential shear profiles and number counts of massive elliptical galaxies, the halo occupation distribution of strong lensing galaxies is constrained. The resulting HOD is then used to populate an N-body simulation with lens galaxies, in order to assess the importance of environment for strong lensing systems. Typical estimated values for the convergence and shear produced by nearby correlated matter are kappa = gamma = 0.03, with much stronger events occurring relatively infrequently. This implies that estimates of quantities like the Hubble constant are not expected to be significantly biased by environmental effects. One puzzle is that predicted values for the external shear at lens galaxies are far below the values obtained by modeling of strong lensing data.
Preparation of thin Film YBa2CU3O6+X Ceramic Superconductors by the Sol-Gel Process

High Tc superconducting powders and thin films on silicon have been fabricated by the sol-gel process. Both powder and film preparation involved the synthesis of metal alkoxides, followed by the complexation of yttrium, barium, and copper alkoxides in a common solvent. Bulk gels were then vacuum dried and fired at 700 and 950 °C in flowing oxygen. Thin films on (100) silicon were fired at 700 °C in flowing oxygen. Susceptibility vs temperature measurements showed that the thin films on silicon had a Tc of 40 K while the bulk gels fired under the same conditions had a Tc of 75 K. The sample fired at 950 °C was superconducting at 90 K.
Adiponectin-deficient mice are protected against tobacco-induced inflammation and increased emphysema

Adiponectin is a cytokine with both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties that is expressed in epithelial cells in the airway in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-emphysema (COPD-E). To determine whether adiponectin modulates levels of lung inflammation in tobacco smoke-induced COPD-E, we used a mouse model of COPD-E in which either adiponectin-deficient or wild-type (WT) mice were exposed to tobacco smoke for 6 mo. Outcomes associated with tobacco smoke-induced COPD-E were quantitated including lung inflammation [bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and total and differential cell count], lung mediators of inflammation (cytokines and chemokines), air space enlargement (i.e., linear intercept), and lung function (tissue elastance) in the different groups of mice. Whereas exposure of WT mice to tobacco smoke for 6 mo induced significant lung inflammation (increased total BAL cells, neutrophils, and macrophages), adiponectin-deficient mice had minimal BAL inflammation when exposed to tobacco smoke for 6 mo. In addition, whereas chronic tobacco-exposed WT mice had significantly increased levels of lung mediators of inflammation [i.e., TNF-α, keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC), and adiponectin] as well as significantly increased air space enlargement (increased linear intercept) and decreased tissue elastance, exposure of adiponectin-deficient mice to chronic tobacco smoke resulted in no further increase in lung mediators, air space enlargement, or tissue elastance. In vitro studies demonstrated that BAL macrophages derived from adiponectin-deficient mice incubated in media containing tobacco smoke expressed minimal TNF-α or KC compared with BAL macrophages from WT mice. These studies suggest that adiponectin plays an important proinflammatory role in tobacco smoke-induced COPD-E.
Region-based video coding with embedded zero-trees

Summary form only given. In this paper, we describe a region-based video coding algorithm that is currently under investigation for inclusion in the emerging MPEG4 standard. This algorithm was incorporated in a submission that scored highly in the MPEG4 subjective tests of November 1995 (Talluri et al. 1997). Good coding efficiency is achieved by combining motion segmented region-based coding with the Shapiro's embedded zero-tree wavelet (EZW) method.
Utilization of E-Health Services Among U.S. Adults With Diabetes

Electronic health (e-health) services have become increasingly important as a method to improve access to health care, including online renewal of prescription medications and making appointments. Healthy People 2020 includes objectives related to e-health to improve population health outcomes and to reduce health disparities, particularly to improve shared decision-making processes between patients and health care professionals (1). E-health services have been encouraged as part of the strategy to improve diabetes care and prevention (2,3). The adoption of these services among health care professionals has improved the quality and efficiency of care (4). However, e-health services may be underutilized among patients with diabetes. While research related to e-health services has been conducted in clinical and managed care settings (5), there are no national population estimates or trends for the utilization of e-health …
Reconfigurable Memristor Fabrics for Heterogeneous Computing

Device scaling and performance limits in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology are leading to a rapid proliferation of novel computing paradigms for information processing. To this end, CMOS/memristor hybrid technology, where memristive devices are integrated in 3D, is extremely promising. These technologies are emerging under the joint efforts of industry and academe, with innovations in fabrication processes, materials, devices, and circuits. A prime advantage of such computing technology is its ability to offer tera-bit densities with ultra low power and long data retention times. These unique characteristics motivate the development of computational fabrics that can dynamically transform over time to perform heterogeneous computing based on system requirements, with the technological objective of superseding classical CMOS architectures. This book chapter discusses the different models of memristors which can be used for implementing memristors as memory, sensing, logic and nueromorphic units.
Automatic thresholding for defect detection by background histogram mode extents

Abstract Automatic thresholding is a popular segmentation technique that is widely used for automated visual inspection of defects. Many methods have been proposed for appropriate selection of the threshold value. However, most of these methods perform well for images where defects and background have distinguishable histogram modes and select a threshold close to a valley between the two modes which is usually very hard to locate except for the clearly bi-modal histograms. Additionally, where defect detection requires bi-level segmentation, these methods require a prior knowledge of the number of thresholding levels. In this paper, a new approach for threshold selection is taken that aims to find the threshold value at the boundary of the intensity ranges of defects (object) and background by comparing the histogram modes of the background and defective regions. The proposed method automatically detects defective regions as well as defect-free regions or background. By study of the histogram of the background region, appropriate threshold values are automatically selected at the extents of the background histogram mode. The proposed method proved very effective on several standard images of surface defects. The significance of the method's efficiency is well seen in successfully segmenting defects in images with non-uniform background and with no visible bi- or multi-modal behavior. Another significance of the technique is segmentation of defects comprising of two intensity regions (such as bumps and pits) without specifying the number of threshold levels.
The Two Unanswered Questions of Illinois v. Caballes: How to Make the World Safe for Binary Searches

This Article discusses the recent Supreme Court decision Illinois v. Caballes, which held that the Fourth Amendment does not bar the use of drug-detection dogs, even in the absence of reasonable suspicion. It argues that the Caballes case paves the way for widespread and indiscriminant use of a new type of surveillance known as a binary search. A binary search is defined as a search which provides the law enforcement official with no information about the subject other than whether or not illegal activity is present. Drug-detection dogs are one example of a binary search, but there are many others which are being developed, such as portable gun detectors or software protocols that sift through all e-mails passing through an internet service provider looking for child pornography. Since the Caballes case did very little in the way of defining binary searches and discussing the appropriate limitations (if any) on their use, the Article seeks provide some guidance to courts in evaluating the constitutionality of binary searches in the future. The Article begins by discussing the history of the binary search doctrine, focusing on its application to drug-detection dogs, which up until now have been the most common form of binary search in use. The Article then analyzes the Caballes decision itself, examining what it does and does not resolve about the constitutionality of binary searches. Finally, the Article attempt to resolve the important unanswered questions in Caballes: first, how accurate does a surveillance technique have to be in order to be considered a binary search, and second, how does the Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable seizures limit or prevent the widespread use of binary searches?
MR Evaluation of Early Myelination Patterns in Normal and Developmentally Delayed Infants

This study demonstrates the ability of MR imaging to show progression of myelination in 64 infants and young children (ages 4 days to 36 months). T2-weighted spin-echo pulse sequences, frequently used for routine screening of intracranial disease, were used. Gray-white matter differentiation was seen in all patients, and changes occurring with age were documented. Three distinct patterns were seen, and age ranges were established for each pattern in developmentally normal children: (1) infantile (birth–6 months); (2) isointense (8–12 months); and (3) early adult (10 months onward). There was a statistically significant difference between the age ranges of the normal and developmentally delayed children showing all three patterns. These data should be helpful for identifying and following sequentially both infants with clinically suspected developmental delay and those with dysmyelinating or demyelinating disease.
Coordinating Development: Can Income-Based Schemes Eliminate Pareto Inferior Equilibria?

Individuals' inability to coordinate investment may significantly constrain economic development. In this paper we study a simple investment game characterized by multiple equilibria and ask whether an income-based incentive scheme can uniquely implement the high investment outcome. A general property of this game is the presence of a crossover investment point at which an individual's incomes from investment and non-investment are equal. We show that arbitrarily small errors in the government's knowledge of this crossover point can prevent unique implementation of the high investment outcome. We conclude that informational requirements are likely to severely limit a government's ability to use income-based incentive schemes as a coordination device.
RU-486 and freedom of scientific inquiry

RU-486 mifepristone is an orally-ingested compound produced and widely used in France over the past 2 years to induce abortion in over 48000 pregnant women. Produced by Roussel Uclaf RU-486 is a progesterone antagonist which stops the pregnancy-sustaining effects of progesterone without evidence of harmful effects. Non-invasive posing no risk of infection and requiring no anaesthesia the compound is soon to be marketed in Great Britain and Scandinavia. RU-486 is however available neither for personal nor research use in the U.S. due to pressure from and the threat of commercial boycotts by anti-abortion groups. Anti-abortionists have succeeded in gaining a ban from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration against the importation of RU-486 for personal use while political ferment over abortion in the U.S. has discouraged Roussel from trying to obtain a U.S. marketing license for the product. Though temporarily removed from French markets due to French domestic pressure from antiabortion groups the French government subsequently ordered Roussel to make RU-486 available as the moral property of women. RU-486 remains banned and otherwise unavailable in the U.S. despite its proven role and benefits in inducing abortion and its potential effects in treating hormone-responsive breast cancers and Cushings syndrome meningioma and modulating viral infections. Clinical trials testing RU-486s potential role to treat breast cancer and AIDS have therefore been stymied. Joining other American scientists the American Medical Association the American Public Health Association the National Association of Breast Cancer Organizations and pro-choice groups the author supports work to secure RU-486 in America and making it available on the basis of proven scientific study rather than political and moral debate.
Novel Treatment Strategies for Brain Metastases in Non-small-cell Lung Cancer

Brain metastases are common in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and due to associated poor prognosis, this field is an important area of need for the development of innovative medical therapies. Therapies including local approaches through surgical intervention and/or radiation and evolving systemic therapies have led to improvements in the treatment of brain metastases in patients with lung cancer. Strategies that consider applying advanced radiation techniques to minimize toxicity, intervening early with effective systemic therapies to spare radiation/surgery, testing radiosensitization combinations, and developing drug penetrant molecules have and will continue to define new practice patterns. We believe that in carefully considered asymptomatic patients, first-line systemic therapy may be considered before radiation therapy and small-molecule targeted therapy may provide an opportunity to defer radiation therapy for recurrence or progression of disease. The next several years in oncology drug development will see the reporting on of brain penetrant molecules in oncogene-defined non-small cell lung cancer. Ongoing studies will evaluate immunotherapies in patients with brain metastases with associated endpoints. We hope that continued drug development and carefully designed clinical trials may afford an opportunity to improve the lives of patients with brain metastases.
Implementing Strengths-Based Teaching Strategies in a Policy Practice Course

ABSTRACTA host of frameworks for policy analysis are available when teaching policy practice to social work students. Masters of Social Work (MSW) students typically have much apprehension about policy advocacy and practice. Applying the strength-based and empowerment approach with students when teaching policy practice may help with this trepidation. It is important to tap into and highlight students’ existing skill sets and help them understand that they already have what it takes to inspire social action. From experience teaching policy practice to hundreds of social work student, this paper highlights some innovative teaching strategies, identifies lessons learned, and offers recommendations for instructors.
Novel Approach for Evaluating Secondary Organic Aerosol from Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Unified Method for Predicting Aerosol Composition and Formation

Innovative secondary organic aerosol (SOA) composition analysis methods normalizing aerosol yield and chemical composition on an aromatic ring basis are developed and utilized to explore aerosol formation from oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons. SOA yield and chemical composition are revisited using 15 years of University of California, Riverside/CE-CERT environmental chamber data on 17 aromatic hydrocarbons with HC:NO ranging from 11.1 to 171 ppbC:ppb. SOA yield is redefined in this work by normalizing the molecular weight of all aromatic precursors to the molecular weight of the aromatic ring Yield′=Yieldi×MWiMWAromatic ring, where i is the aromatic hydrocarbon precursor. The yield normalization process demonstrates that the amount of aromatic rings present is a more significant driver of aerosol formation than the vapor pressure of the precursor aromatic. Yield normalization also provided a basis to evaluate isomer impacts on SOA formation. Further, SOA elemental composition is explored relative to the...
Potential impact of climate change on distribution of Larix genus of northeastern China

In order to explore the impact of climate change on the larch species of nrothestern China,this paper predicted the potential distribution of three Larch species current and future by logistic regression model and GIS.Result show that dahurian larch will retreat northwestward 200 kilometers,and retreat northwestward more than 300 km in 2100yr.Korean larch will expand northwestward 200 km in 2050yr;and more 200km in 2100yr.Prince Rupprecht larch will expand northeastward about 280 kilometers in 2050yr,and more 470 km in 2100yr.The change of climate would have great influence on the distribution of larch species.In future,Korean larch and Prince Rupprecht larch would replace the dominant position of Dahurian larch.
Transient localist representations in critical branching networks

ABSTRACTThere is a long-standing debate between localist and distributed representations in neural network research. Different connectionist models have employed one or the other type of representation, but all such models assume that representations are either always stable, or stable after learning converges. The present article explores an alternate possibility, which is that representations continually shift and change, even on relatively fast timescales, and even after learning has stabilised. This possibility of transient representation is demonstrated in a spiking neural network model, along with supporting neuroscientific evidence. The model learns localist representations that change over a wide range of timescales. Representations are made transient because synaptic connections are continually enabled and disabled to regulate spike propagation to a homeostasis of critical branching. Experiments and models suggest that so-called grandmother cells may shift on relatively fast timescales between di...
Case 5-2017. A 19-Year-Old Man with Hematuria and a Retroperitoneal Mass

A 19-year-old man presented with a 2-day history of hematuria, without pain, after hiking. Imaging revealed a well-circumscribed 4.6-cm retroperitoneal mass. A procedure was performed.
Study on structure variations of incommensurately modulated labradorite feldspars with different cooling histories

The incommensurately modulated structures of three intermediate plagioclase feldspars with compositions of ~An 51 are determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The samples selected cover a range of different cooling rate, from relatively fast to extremely slow. The structures show various ordering states that are directly correlated with the cooling histories of the samples. The slowest cooled sample shows an e 1 structure with strong density modulation, along with nanoscale exsolution lamellae. The fastest cooled sample displays an e 2 structure, without second-order satellite reflections ( f -reflections) and density modulation. The sample with intermediate cooling rate shows a less ordered e 1 structure with weak density modulation, but the modulation period and orientation are the same as in e 2 structure. The comparison of the structures with the same composition reveals the ordering process and phase transitions during the cooling of plagioclase within the compositional range of Boggild intergrowth. New parameters from modulation waves can be used for quantifying the ordering state of plagioclase feldspars. Proposed phase relationship and T-T-T diagram for ~An 51 plagioclase feldspars are illustrated for explaining the relationship among C 1, e 1 and e 2 structures, and relative cooling rates of their host rocks.
How Predictable Are Human Stratum Corneum Lipid/Water Partition Coefficients? Assessment and Useful Correlations for Dermal Absorption.

Abstract Partition coefficients between human stratum corneum lipids and water ( K sclip/w ) are collected or deduced from a variety of sources in a manner that approximately doubles the available data compared to the current state-of-the-art model (Hansen et al., Adv Drug Deliv Rev . 2013;65(2):251-264). An additional datum for water itself in porcine SC that considerably extends the molecular size and lipophilicity range of the data set is considered. The data are analyzed in terms of an extended linear free energy relationship involving octanol/water partition coefficients, Abraham solvation parameters, and a secondary, power law molecular weight dependence. The optimum fit to log K sclip/w for the full data set reduces the standard error of prediction from 0.50 for a Hansen-like model to 0.39; corresponding multiplicative errors in K sclip/w are reduced from a factor of 3.1 to one of 2.5. The difference in performance is driven by the water datum, which requires a more complex dependence on molecular size than that afforded by Abraham parameters. In the absence of the water value, the Hansen-like model, which does not include a dependence on molecular size, is essentially optimum. A comparison is presented to fluid-phase phospholipid–water systems, which have a demonstrably different structure–property relationship.
Resilience of tall steel moment resisting frame buildings with multi-hazard post-event fire

Abstract Infrastructure resilience is the ability of an infrastructure asset to limit the effect and duration of damaging extreme events. The four main components of the concept of resilience are robustness, resourcefulness, recovery and redundancy most of which are very difficult to be quantified. In addition to this difficulty, a careful study of extreme event cases can demonstrate that it is very common for an extreme event scenario to include cascading multi-hazard events such as blast, floods, earthquake, and fire. This paper studies the resilience of a multi-story steel frame with multi-hazard considerations which include a post-event fire scenario. The initiating extreme event is simulated through the threat-independent alternate load path method of analysis and a post-event fire is considered following the extreme event. The work in the paper combines previous work by the authors on stability-induced collapse of damaged steel structures and closed-form solutions for temperature predictions of wide-flange components during a fire scenario. For the purposes of the fire scenarios, new fire time-temperature curves are developed based on experimental data from the well-known Cardington fire tests. The results show that even when a structure can withstand an extreme event scenario, a post-event fire consideration is highly critical to evaluate the remaining time of survival of the structure before collapse. It is shown that the sequential method of multi-hazard analysis can lead to very short available time periods before the post-event fire leads to the complete collapse.
Antiferromagnetic structure of exchange-coupled L a 0.7 S r 0.3 Fe O 3 thin films studied using angle-dependent x-ray absorption spectroscopy

The magnetic structure of exchange-coupled antiferromagnetic (AF) layers in epitaxial $\mathrm{L}{\mathrm{a}}_{0.7}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{r}}_{0.3}\mathrm{Mn}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (LSMO)/$\mathrm{L}{\mathrm{a}}_{0.7}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{r}}_{0.3}\mathrm{Fe}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (LSFO) superlattices grown on (111)-oriented $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ substrates was studied using angle-dependent x-ray absorption spectroscopy utilizing linearly polarized x rays. We demonstrate the development of the measurement protocols needed to determine the orientation of the LSFO antiferromagnetic spin axis and how it responds to an applied magnetic field due to exchange interactions with an adjacent ferromagnetic layer. A small energy difference exists between two types of AF order: the majority of the AF moments cant out-of-the-plane of the film along the 110 or 100 directions depending on the LSFO layer thickness. In response to an applied magnetic field, these canted moments are aligned with a single 110 or 100 direction that maintains a nearly perpendicular orientation relative to the LSMO sublayer magnetization. The remaining AF moments lie within the $(111)$ plane and these in-plane moments can be reoriented to an arbitrary in-plane direction to lie parallel to the LSMO sublayer magnetization. These results demonstrate that the magnetic order of AF thin films and heterostructures is far more complex than in bulk LSFO and can be tuned with orientation, thickness, and applied magnetic field.
Mechanics of Bistable Two-Shelled Composite Booms

The phenomenon of bistability in single-walled composite cylindrical shells or slit tubes has been extensively studied with detailed models that represent the mechanics of these structures as they undergo large deformations from the extended to the stored state and vice versa. This study focuses on the mechanics of bistable composite booms that are formed by coupling or bonding two thin shells. A two-parameter inextensional analytical model is used to describe the behavior of the various two-shelled structures and find laminates and shell geometries of interest that induce bistability. The natural coiled diameters of all boom types are predicted analytically and compared with preliminary experimental data. Using the derived model, parametric analysis is conducted to determine optimal boom geometries that maximize stiffnesses and meet system requirements while retaining bistability.
Interact of the tractor driving wheels with the soil by considering the rheological properties of soils

Abstract The work offers a mathematical model of interaction of the tractor driving wheels with the soil. A rheological model is used as a law of shear deformation of soils as the principal law of linear deformation. Calculation formulae of tangential force and traction coefficient of the driving wheels are deduced. A numerical example and graphs are used to demonstrate that the theoretical results are quite close to the experimental data. Dependence of the traction coefficient of the deformable wheel with the ground allows analyzing the impact of rheological indicators of grounds and geometric and regime parameter of a wheel rolling and using a more grounded approach to the analysis of the problematic issues of dynamics of wheeled tractors. As it can be seen from formulae the tangential traction force and traction coefficient of an elastic wheel necessary to overcome the forces of friction, shear and ground cutting depend on normal load mg, acting on the wheel, wheel parameters rheological properties of the ground and movement regime.
Clinical and ocular motor complications of extraocular muscle extirpation for infantile nystagmus syndrome.

Purpose To describe the effects of extraocular muscle extirpation performed after previous eye muscle surgery in a 20-year-old woman with infantile nystagmus syndrome (INS) for whom we have 19 years of follow-up data. Methods Clinical examinations were performed. Eye movement data analysis was carried out using the eXpanded Nystagmus Acuity Function (NAFX) and longest foveation domain (LFD). Results The patient re-presented to the authors at age 20, 2 years after bilateral anterior myectomy of the horizontal rectus muscles, bilateral anterior nasal transposition of the inferior oblique muscle, and bilateral superior oblique recessions. Evaluation revealed deterioration in nystagmus at lateral gaze angles, new incomitant strabismus with severe loss of convergence, limited ductions, saccadic hypometria, slow saccades, and hypo-accommodation. Also, there was a pre- to post-extirpation minimal change of 21% in her peak NAFX, a 50% decrease in LFD, plus a predominant, asymmetric, multiplanar oscillation. Conclusions It appears that in this patient, horizontal extirpation failed to abolish the nystagmus and caused significant, new, symptomatic deficits interfering with many of the patient's visual functions.