cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clustering analysis of moving target signatures

Previously, we developed a moving target indication (MTI) processing approach to detect and track slow-moving targets inside buildings, which successfully detected moving targets (MTs) from data collected by a low-frequency, ultra-wideband radar. Our MTI algorithms include change detection, automatic target detection (ATD), clustering, and tracking. The MTI algorithms can be implemented in a real-time or near-real-time system; however, a person-in-the-loop is needed to select input parameters for the clustering algorithm. Specifically, the number of clusters to input into the cluster algorithm is unknown and requires manual selection. A critical need exists to automate all aspects of the MTI processing formulation. In this paper, we investigate two techniques that automatically determine the number of clusters: the adaptive knee-point (KP) algorithm and the recursive pixel finding (RPF) algorithm. The KP algorithm is based on a well-known heuristic approach for determining the number of clusters. The RPF algorithm is analogous to the image processing, pixel labeling procedure. Both algorithms are used to analyze the false alarm and detection rates of three operational scenarios of personnel walking inside wood and cinderblock buildings.
High strain-rate-induced cleavage fracture in mild carbon steel

The brittle and/or cleavage fracture behavior of 1008 carbon steel was characterized under dynamic spall loading conditions. The roles of grain size, carbide morphology, and high strain-rate plastic deformation on the spall-induced cleavage fracture were quantitatively estimated following the analysis of Linet al.
Relative knowledge in a distributed database

Let DB be a database and let u1, , um be a collection of users each having at his or her disposal a query sublanguage Lu1 generated by some view predicate Each of these users knows only as much as he can learn from the database using his or her query sublanguage. Such a knowledge is called relative knowledge in the paper and its various properties including the model and proof theory are investigated. The applications of relative knowledge in the database security and integrity are also discussed.
Reducing Set Retardation in High-Volume Fly Ash Mixtures with the Use of Limestone

High-volume fly ash (HVFA) concretes are attractive not only because they reduce cement content and the associated greenhouse gases, but also because they avoid landfilling excessive quantities of fly ash. These sustainability benefits are often tempered by practical constructability limitations that may exist for HVFA concretes: retardation and diminution of the early-age reaction, delay in setting (and finishing operations), and lower early-age strength. This paper explores the alleviation of these deficiencies in HVFA mixtures by the incorporation of fine limestone powders into ternary blends. Isothermal calorimetry and Vicat needle penetration measurements are employed to assess reaction rates and setting times, respectively. A systematic variation of the content and fineness of the limestone powder in mixtures containing either a Class C or a Class F fly ash indicates that setting times are linearly correlated with the surface area supplied by the limestone. Comparison of a limestone system to a syst...
From CT to NURBS: Contour Fitting with B-spline Curves

AbstractThis paper deals with the challenging task of computing accurate contours from CT and MRI scans using B-spline curve approximation. To date bio-modeling and visualization have been performed primarily on voxel and facet (triangle) based models. On the other hand, traditional CAD has reached a level of sophistication where just about any object can be designed, prototyped and manufactured using well-refined CAD modeling and manufacturing tools. NURBS, the de facto standard to represent geometry in CAD systems, have been the building blocks of CAD modeling and will be used in this paper to perform a critical task for bio-fabrication of human components. Although at first glance it may seem that contour fitting is a trivial task, the details presented in this paper reveal that traditional techniques are not readily adaptable to medical data and several fundamental algorithms had to be completely rewritten to account for the characteristics of human organs. The emphasis of this research is placed on a...
Evidence for general catalysis and formation of nitrobenzene in the oxidation of phenylhydroxylamine in aqueous phosphate buffer

Abstract N-Phenylhydroxylamine is oxidized in aqueous phosphate buffer to nitrosobenzene, nitrobenzene, and azoxybenzene. Degradation is O2 dependent and shows general catalysis by H 2 PO 4 − (k1 = 2.3 M−2 sec−1) and PO 4 −3 (k2 = 2.3 × 105 M−2 sec−1) or kinetically equivalent terms. Evidence is presented suggesting the intermediacy of a highly reactive species leading to these products.
Multiple Views on Family Data: The Sample Case of Adolescent, Maternal, and Paternal Perspectives on Family Differentiation Levels†

The major objective of this article is to demonstrate a data analysis technique — confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling — that can be used when the researcher has multiple perspectives on the same variables. The present data set was constructed from two samples that contained information collected on adolescents', mothers', and fathers' perspectives on family differentiation levels as measured by the Differentiation in the Family System Scale (DIFS; Anderson & Sabatelli, 1992). Results of the combined sample confirmatory factor analysis procedures indicated that the family members’ perspectives converged and could be used as a single latent variable. The methodological implications of these findings are discussed.
Gendered encounters with modernity: labor migrants and marriage choices in contemporary Thailand.

This paper explores some of the tensions that arise in the course of young Thai women's rural‐urban labor migration. The rapid expansion of urban (and especially Bangkok‐based) manufacturing in contemporary Thailand targets young rural women as its primary labor force, a process that both relies on and challenges conventional gender relations and ideals. The experience of labor mobility engages migrants not only in national and transnational relations of production but also in the negotiation of hegemonic cultural images and identities, particularly those constituted by dominant (and gendered) discourses of and about Thai modernity. Courtship and marriage choices illustrate migrant women's attempts to maneuver within and against the constraints they face as members of a cheap, mobile labor force. In the process, however, these individualized efforts serve to reproduce rather than to challenge the structural and ideological conditions of their exploitation.
MO‐E‐230C‐00: Display Evaluation Demonstration Workshop: Part II

Participants: J Charette, Barcoview, LLC; E Samei, Duke University; N Hashimoto, Eizo Nanao; K Compton, National Display Systems; A Abileah, Planar Systems; D Sorensen, Richardson Electronics / Image Systems; C Lipfert, Scanditronix Wellhofer GmbH; M Hasegawa, Totoku; H Roehrig, University of Arizona GmbH; M Hasegawa, Totoku; H Roehrig, University of Arizona Electronic display is a key component of modern medicine, providing soft‐copy viewing of medical images. Being the last component of the image chain, display quality can have a notable impact on overall accuracy and efficiency of the diagnostic process. Thus, it is necessary to ensure that the physical performance of a medical display is adequate for its intended use. Led by a task group initiative by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM TG18), new guidelines have recently been published defining objective and standardized assessment procedures and criteria for acceptance testing and quality control of medicaldisplay devices (Samei et al, Med Phys 32:1205–25, 2005). The guidelines include detailed visual and quantitative methods and specific acceptance criteria for basic display characteristics including luminance, luminance spatial and angular response, resolution, noise, veiling glare, reflection, color uniformity, geometrical distortions, and display artifacts. The TG18 guidelines are also being gradually reflected in a number of other national and international directives including those by the IEC and the ACR. The goal of this demonstration workshop is multi‐fold: 1) to present a tutorial on the TG18 guidelines and its adaptations, 2) to discuss its implementation by specific vendors, 3) to offer an opportunity for hands‐on exposure to the practical aspects of display performance evaluation, 4) to provide an opportunity to informally interact with experts and ask questions, and 5) to offer a panel discussion on the issues about which there might be less consensus among experts. Representatives from the TG18 committee and from industry will be present to demonstrate and discuss display evaluation issues. Part II: 4:00–4:10 Local and Remote QA/QC for Color Monitors, H Roehrig, Univ of Arizona 4:10–4:20 QA Luminance Measurements at Medical Displays using a Flexible Spot Luminance Meter, C Lipfert, Scanditronix Wellhofer GmbH 4:20–5:10 Hands‐on demonstration: 5:10–5:30 Plenary Q&A and panel discussion
Of brain and bone: The unusual case of Dr. A

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by progressive decline in social conduct and a focal pattern of frontal and temporal lobe damage. Its biological basis is still poorly understood but the focality of the brain degeneration provides a powerful model to study the cognitive and anatomical basis of social cognition. Here, we present Dr. A, a patient with a rare hereditary bone disease (hereditary multiple exostoses) and FTD (pathologically characterized as Pick's disease), who presented with a profound behavioral disturbance characterized by acquired sociopathy. We conducted a detailed genetic, pathological, neuroimaging and cognitive study, including a battery of tests designed to investigate Dr. A's abilities to understand emotional cues and to infer mental states and intentions to others (theory of mind). Dr. A's genetic profile suggests the possibility that a mutation causing hereditary multiple exostoses, Ext2, may play a role in the pattern of neurodegeneration in frontotemporal dementia since knockout mice deficient in the Ext gene family member, Ext1, show severe CNS defects including loss of olfactory bulbs and abnormally small cerebral cortex. Dr. A showed significant impairment in emotion comprehension, second order theory of mind, attribution of intentions, and empathy despite preserved general cognitive abilities. Voxel-based morphometry on structural MRI images showed significant atrophy in the medial and right orbital frontal and anterior temporal regions with sparing of dorsolateral frontal cortex. This case demonstrates that social and emotional dysfunction in FTD can be dissociated from preserved performance on classic executive functioning tasks. The specific pattern of anatomical damage shown by VBM emphasizes the importance of the network including the superior medial frontal gyrus as well as temporal polar areas, in regulation of social cognition and theory of mind. This case provides new evidence regarding the neural basis of social cognition and suggests a possible genetic link between bone disease and FTD.
The effect of β-particles on the crystallization of 1,1'-binaphthyl and 4,4'-dimethylchalcone

β-Particles affect the crystallization of 1,1'-binaphthyl from the molten state and 4,4'-dimethylchalcone from ethyl acetate by providing a heat source and thus convection currents in the crystallising media.
Smoothing based fast model for images of isolated buried EUV multilayer defects

A new fast-CAD imaging model for buried extreme ultra violet (EUV) mask defects is presented that exploits the smoothing process used to mitigate buried EUV multilayer defects. Since the characteristics of the smoothing process dictate nearly identical surface shapes for all defects a single parameter, the peak height of the final profile, is sufficient to predict the projection printed image for an arbitrary buried defect. Data is presented on the effect of smoothing on the reflected field and final wafer image. The degree of similarity among defects with different initial heights, widths and shapes is explored. A compact algebraic model to predict the aerial image dip strength is developed that depends only on the surface height of the EUV mask blank. This model is then integrated into a standard perturbation model for defect feature interaction, and the importance of accounting for absorber features shadowing of buried defects is demonstrated.
Motivational factors of gender, income and age on selecting a bottle of wine

Purpose – To explore the attributes of wine packaging that are enticing to consumers and the influence of age, gender and income on the wine‐buying decision.Design/methodology/approach – To evaluate how wine packaging interplays with age, gender and income to influence consumers’ decision to purchase. A self‐administered questionnaire with closed‐ended and five‐point Likert‐type scale questions was conducted in the State of Connecticut at two retail shops and five wineries. The questionnaire was pilot‐tested at a local retail wine store in Connecticut to ensure reliability and clarity of the questions.Findings – Results showed that label design and bottle closures were important to respondents and that self‐confidence was a significant factor for age and gender, with females and respondents between 31 and 40 years of age more concerned about making a wine‐buying decision.Research limitations/implications – The selection of the state of Connecticut and the testing sites may not represent the general US win...
MAP metric for blind phase sequence detection in selected mapping

Selected mapping (SLM) is a promising technique to reduce the high peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals. In this paper, we derive the optimal phase sequence detection metric for blind selected mapping (BSLM) and show that the minimum distance metric is suboptimal. We then define a certain selection criterion in the transmitter which assigns different probabilities to different mapping sequences. These probabilities are integrated into the optimal metric to achieve several dBs of SNR improvement in blind phase sequence detection.
Source-channel coding tradeoff in multiple antenna multiple access channels

We investigate channel code rates for communication of finite-dimensional analog sources over a multiple-antenna multiple access channel (MAC) so that the average end-to-end distortions are minimized. Our analysis uses the high-resolution quantization theory for the sources and the high-SNR diversity-multiplexing tradeoff for the MAC. We prove that carefully balanced channel coding rates, usually far from the boundary of the MAC capacity region, are necessary to achieve the optimal distortion exponent in a separated architecture. In particular, for the case of source vectors of equal dimension, we show that the channel interference from multiple users becomes crucial in characterizing the optimal channel coding rates if individual minimization of distortion for each user leads to a heavily loaded regime for the MAC.
The first five years of single-cell cancer genomics and beyond

Single-cell sequencing (SCS) is a powerful new tool for investigating evolution and diversity in cancer and understanding the role of rare cells in tumor progression. These methods have begun to unravel key questions in cancer biology that have been difficult to address with bulk tumor measurements. Over the past five years, there has been extraordinary progress in technological developments and research applications, but these efforts represent only the tip of the iceberg. In the coming years, SCS will greatly improve our understanding of invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance during cancer progression. These tools will also have direct translational applications in the clinic, in areas such as early detection, noninvasive monitoring, and guiding targeted therapy. In this perspective, I discuss the progress that has been made and the myriad of unexplored applications that still lie ahead in cancer research and medicine.
Neuromuscular complexity during gait is not responsive to medication in persons with Parkinson's disease.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dopaminergic therapy on neuromuscular complexity during gait and on the relationship between neuromuscular complexity and gait speed in persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Nine persons with PD walked at self-selected speed for 5 min after having withdrawn from dopaminergic medication for at least 12 h and while optimally-medicated. Electromyographic recordings were taken from eight leg muscles bilaterally. Non-negative matrix factorization was applied to reduce the dimensionality of the electromyographic signals into motor modules. We assessed neuromuscular complexity by investigating the number, structure, and timing of the modules. We also investigated the influence of dopaminergic medication on the relationships between neuromuscular complexity and gait speed. Though gait speed increased significantly after medication intake, medication did not affect neuromuscular complexity. Neuromuscular complexity was significantly associated with gait speed only while the participants were medicated. Thus, the supraspinal structures that govern neuromuscular complexity during gait do not appear to be solely dopaminergically-influenced in PD. The lack of dopaminergic influence on neuromuscular complexity may explain why persons with PD exhibit gait slowness even while medicated, and an intervention that restores neuromuscular complexity may result in gait speed improvement in PD.
Identification and Analysis of Cell Cycle Phase Genes by Clustering in Correspondence Subspaces

Correspondence analysis (CA) is a statistical method that is widely used in multiple disciplines to reveal relationships amongst variables. Among others, CA has been successfully applied for microarray data analysis. One of CA’s strengths is its ability to help visualize the complex relationships that may be present in the data. In this sense, CA is a powerful exploratory tool that takes advantage of human pattern analysis abilities. The power of CA can, however, be diluted, if the patterns are embedded in data clutter. This is because CA is a dimensionality reduction approach and not a data reduction method; thus, is powerless to remove clutter. Unfortunately, our visual analysis abilities can be overwhelmed in such conditions causing failures in identifying relationships. In this paper, we propose a solution to this problem by combining CA with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and subsequently by clustering in the low-dimensional space obtained from CA. We investigate the proposed approach using microarray data from 6200 S. cerevisiae genes and demonstrate how visual analysis is facilitated by removal of unnecessary clutter as well as facilitating the discernment of complex relationships that may be missed through application of CA alone.
ZEROS OF SECTIONS OF EXPONENTIAL SUMS

We derive the large n asymptotics of zeros of sections of a generic exponential sum. We divide all the zeros of the n-th section of the exponential sum into "genuine zeros", which approach, as n → ∞, the zeros of the exponential sum, and "spurious zeros", which go to infinity as n → ∞. We show that the spurious zeros, after scaling down by the factor of n, approach a "rosette", a finite collection of curves on the complex plane, resembling the rosette. We derive also the large n asymptotics of the "transitional zeros", the intermediate zeros between genuine and spurious ones. Our results give an extension to the classical results of Szego about the large n asymptotics of zeros of sections of the exponential, sine, and cosine functions.
Multiple-input turbo code for secure data aggregation and source-channel coding in wireless sensor networks

In wireless sensor networks, the data of neighbouring sensor nodes are often highly correlated due to that they have overlapping sensing areas. To exploit the data correlation for reducing the amount of data while transmitting data from sensor nodes to their base station, this paper introduces Multiple-Input Turbo (MIT) code to implement jointly source coding channel coding and data aggregation for wireless systems, in particular, wireless sensor networks. MIT code has multiple input sequences and employs partial interleaving to reduce the memory size and access requirements. This paper also addresses how MIT code can be used to implement security together with data aggregation and source-channel coding. The simulation results show that the Bit Error Rate (BER) performance of MIT code is slightly better than turbo codes, even if MIT code implements partial interleaving and has multiple inputs.
Relationship between γ-irradiation, life span, metabolic rate and accumulation of fluorescent age pigment in the adult male housefly, Musca domestica

The patterns of fluorescent age pigment (FAP) accumulation in response to gamma-irradiation were examined in adult male houseflies under conditions of relatively high and low levels of physical activity. Flies were exposed to 0, 20, 40, and 66 kR and their level of physical activity was altered by permitting or restricting flight activity. Under conditions of high activity the mean life span of flies exposed to 20 kR and 40 kR was greater than in the controls. The mean life span of high activity flies exposed to 66 kR and all groups of low activity irradiated flies was less than the control life span. The force of mortality as indicated by Gompertz slope was greater in high activity controls than in unirradiated flies maintained under low activity conditions. Gompertz slope was similar in corresponding high and low activity groups exposed to radiation. Radiation decreased the rate of FAP accumulation in high activity groups, but increased the rate of FAP accumulation under low activity conditions. The low activity control and low activity flies exposed to 20 kR had a lower FAP accumulation than the corresponding high activity groups at 14 days of age. At this age, low activity groups of flies exposed to 40 kR and 66 kR had concentrations of FAP that were similar to the corresponding high activity groups. These results indicate that radiation exposure decreased longevity by causing damage rather than by increasing the rate of aging.
The relationship between constructional and meal preparation skills

The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to explore the relationship between constructional abilities and meal preparation skills--a previously unstudied relationship. Fifty-four men with head injury, aged 18 to 52, in long-term rehabilitation programs, were given a battery of constructional, functional, and coordination tests: (1) the WAIS-R Block Design test; (2) a Parquetry Block test; (3) the Rabideau Kitchen Evaluation-Revised (RKE-R); and (4) two subtests of the Jebsen Hand Function Test. Results showed significant associations between constructional abilities and meal preparation skill. Pearson correlations were -0.51 (p = 0.0001) between WAIS-R Block Design test and RKE-R scores, and 0.50 (p = 0.0001) between Parquetry Block test and RKE-R scores. Partial correlations controlling for the effects of coordination also yielded significant correlations between WAIS-R Block Design test and RKE-R scores (r = -0.36, p = 0.05) and between Parquetry Block test and RKE-R scores (r = 0.39, p = 0.03). Constructional abilities, then, may contribute to meal preparation performance.
Efficient data mining for maximal frequent subtrees

A new type of tree mining is defined, which uncovers maximal frequent induced subtrees from a database of unordered labeled trees. A novel algorithm, PathJoin, is proposed. The algorithm uses a compact data structure, FST-Forest, which compresses the trees and still keeps the original tree structure. PathJoin generates candidate subtrees by joining the frequent paths in FST-Forest. Such candidate subtree generation is localized and thus substantially reduces the number of candidate subtrees. Experiments with synthetic data sets show that the algorithm is effective and efficient.
Shot noise in back biased p-n silicon diodes

Abstract An earlier calculation of the noise due to generation of carriers in the space charge region in a p-n silicon diode by Lauritzen and by Scott and Strutt is corrected for the fact that the field distribution in the space charge region of a p-n junction is linear instead of uniform. If the noise is expressed as SI(f) = 2eIΓ2, we find Γ 2 = 11 15 in a p+n or n+p junction, instead of Γ 2 = 10 15 found previously.
Specifying the Attentional Selection That Moderates the Fearlessness of Psychopathic Offenders

Our previous research demonstrated that psychopathy-related fear deficits involve abnormalities in attention that undermine sensitivity to peripheral information. In the present study, we specified this attention-mediated abnormality in a new sample of 87 prisoners assessed with Hare's Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (Hare, 2003). We measured fear-potentiated startle (FPS) under four conditions that crossed attentional focus (threat vs. alternative) with early versus late presentation of threat cues. The psychopathic deficit in FPS was apparent only in the early-alternative-focus condition, in which threat cues were presented after the alternative goal-directed focus was established. Furthermore, psychopathy interacted with working memory capacity in the late-alternative-focus condition, which suggests that individuals high in psychopathy and working memory capacity were able to maintain a set-related alternative focus that reduced FPS. The results not only provide new evidence that attention moderates the fearlessness of psychopathic individuals, but also implicate an early attention bottleneck as a proximal mechanism for deficient response modulation in psychopathy.
Topological navigation of mobile robot in a wireless sensor network

In this paper we present a novel navigation algorithm for a mobile robot to move across an open area covered by a pre-deployed wireless sensor network. The locations of the sensor nodes are unknown. We assume that from robot's starting position to the target location, there always exists a known path that the robot should move along. By using Lie derivative, we investigate the changing of signal strength difference along the vector field of robot's motion, and analytically prove that the signal strength differentiation can tell the correct direction the robot should move into. The proposed algorithm utilizes the wireless signal strength difference to guide the robot to move toward the desired sensor node at each step. The advantage of this algorithm is that the robot does not need to estimate the sensors' locations in order to topologically navigate through the unknown area and reach the target. Simulation results are included to demonstrate the proposed algorithm.
Results with an algorithmic approach to hybrid repair of the aortic arch

Objective Hybrid repair of the transverse aortic arch may allow for aortic arch repair with reduced morbidity in patients who are suboptimal candidates for conventional open surgery. We present our results with an algorithmic approach to hybrid arch repair, based on the extent of aortic disease and patient comorbidities. Methods Between August 2005 and January 2012, 87 patients underwent hybrid arch repair by three principal procedures: zone 1 endograft coverage with extra-anatomic left carotid revascularization (zone 1; n = 19), zone 0 endograft coverage with aortic arch debranching (zone 0; n = 48), or total arch replacement with staged stented elephant trunk completion (stented elephant trunk; n = 20). Results The mean patient age was 64 years, and the mean expected in-hospital mortality rate was 16.3% as calculated by the EuroSCORE II. Of operations, 22% (n = 19) were nonelective. Sternotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass, and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest were required in 78% (n = 68), 45% (n = 39), and 31% (n = 27) of patients to allow for total arch replacement, arch debranching, or other concomitant cardiac procedures, including ascending with or without hemiarch replacement in 17% (n = 8) of patients undergoing zone 0 repair. All stented elephant trunk procedures (n = 20) and 19% (n = 9) of zone 0 procedures were staged, with 41% (n = 12) of patients undergoing staged repair during a single hospitalization. The 30-day/in-hospital rates of stroke and permanent paraplegia or paraparesis were 4.6% (n = 4) and 1.2% (n = 1). Of 27 patients with native ascending aorta zone 0 proximal landing zone, three (11.1%) experienced retrograde type A dissection after endograft placement. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 5.7% (n = 5); however, 30-day/in-hospital mortality increased to 14.9% (n = 13) owing to eight 30-day out-of-hospital deaths. Native ascending aorta zone 0 endograft placement was found to be the only univariate predictor of 30-day in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 4.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-15.89; P = .02). Over a mean follow-up period of 28.5 ± 22.2 months, 13% (n = 11) of patients required reintervention for type 1A (n = 4), type 2 (n = 6), or type 3 (n = 1) endoleak. Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years were 73%, 60%, and 51%. Conclusions Hybrid aortic arch repair can be tailored to patient anatomy and comorbid status to allow complete repair of aortic pathology, frequently in a single stage, with acceptable outcomes. However, endograft placement in the native ascending aorta is associated with high rates of retrograde type A dissection and 30-day/in-hospital mortality and should be approached with caution.
The Search for Other Planets and Life

This Les Houches School offers students a wide ranging view of the field of exoplanets and the search for life beyond the solar system. Observational and theoretical opportunities abound in a new field of astronomy that will be growing for decades to come. I give a brief introduction and overview to the many detailed talks that will be presented in this volume.
Adapting a generic match algorithm to align ontologies of human anatomy

The difficulty inherent in schema matching has led to the development of several generic match algorithms. We describe how we adapted general approaches to the specific task of aligning two ontologies of human anatomy, the Foundational Model of Anatomy and the GALEN Common Reference Model. Our approach consists of three phases: lexical, structural and hierarchical, which leverage different aspects of the ontologies as they are represented in a generic meta-model. Lexical matching identifies concepts with similar names. Structural matching identifies concepts whose neighbors are similar. Finally, hierarchical matching identifies concepts with similar descendants. We conclude by reporting on the lessons we learned.
The effect of a multidisciplinary thoracic malignancy conference on the treatment of patients with lung cancer.

Introduction: There is a paucity of data evaluating whether a multidisciplinary conference coordinating surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy translates into better patient care. This article compares the experiences of patients with lung cancer before and after the formation of a prospective, multidisciplinary thoracic malignancy care conference (TMC). Methods: The records of patients with a non-small-cell lung cancer at a tertiary care hospital were reviewed for completeness of staging, multidisciplinary evaluation prior to the initiation of therapy, time from pathologic diagnosis to treatment, multimodality therapy and adherence to national treatment guidelines. The summary data of patients treated before and after the TMC were initiated, and then compared. Results: Between 2001 and 2007, 535 patients were treated prior to the initiation of the TMC and 687 patients within the TMC. The number of patients receiving a complete staging evaluation (79%/93%: p < 0.0001), multidisciplinary evaluation prior to therapy (62%/96%: p < 0.0001) and adherence to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines (81%/97%: p < 0.0001) all increased significantly while mean days from diagnosis to treatment significantly decreased (29/17: p < 0.0001) following the initiation of a TMC. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary thoracic malignancy conference increased the percentage of patients receiving complete staging, a multidisciplinary evaluation and adherence to nationally accepted care guidelines while decreasing the interval from diagnosis to treatment significantly. While the ultimate goal of treatment is to improve patient survival, the surrogate variables examined in this review indicate that patients with non-small-cell lung cancer benefit from being evaluated in a prospective, multidisciplinary care conference.
An in vivo equine forelimb model for short-term recording of peak isometric force in the superficial and deep digital flexor muscles.

Objective— To develop and test an experimental model for in vivo short-term recording of peak isometric forces of the digital flexor muscles in the forelimb of adult horses. Study Design— In vivo experimental study. Sample Population— Four healthy, anesthetized, adult Thoroughbred horses (3 to 7 years old; 527 ± 87 kg) Methods— In dorsal recumbency, ulnar and median nerves were exposed and instrumented with insulated bipolar cuff stimulation electrodes for later connection to an electrical stimulator. In left lateral recumbency, a biplanar fixator was applied to the right humerus and a custom-made, rigid, aluminum frame connected to it, to allow loading of muscles distal to the fixator. Threaded transfixation pins through the radial and metacarpal condyles were clamped to the rigid frame so that the humerus, radius, ulna, and metacarpus were fixed in position. Each digital flexor muscle insertion tendon was transected just above the metacarpophalangeal joint, extracted from the carpal canal, and secured in a metal clamp positioned at the distal myotendinous (MT) junction. Distally, the clamp was connected in series to a load cell and a pneumatic actuator to record force and to maintain muscle length during nerve stimulation. A linear potentiometer was connected in parallel to the actuator to record MT junction position. Initial trials were conducted to identify median and ulnar nerve stimulation variables to achieve maximal muscle contraction. Isometric contractions were performed at different muscle lengths and peak forces registered during 3 seconds of supramaximal dual (ulnar and median) nerve stimulation. Results— A stimulation voltage of 2.5 to 5.0 V at 50 Hz usually produced maximal force for both the superficial digital flexor (SDF) and deep digital flexor (DDF) muscles. Single ulnar and median nerve stimulation elicited force development not only in the DDF muscle but also in the SDF muscle. At voltages higher than 1 V, normalized force was greatest with combined median and ulnar nerve stimulation for both the DDF and SDF muscles; however, normalized force was greater for median nerve stimulation than ulnar nerve stimulation in the DDF muscle, and the opposite relationship was observed for the SDF muscle. Final recording of dual supramaximal nerve stimulation of SDF and DDF muscles resulted in peak isometric forces of 716 ± 192 N and 1,577 ± 203 N, respectively. Conclusions— The instrumentation technique and experimental protocol enabled recording of peak isometric forces in the SDF and DDF muscles of anesthetized adult horses. Clinical Relevance— Studies using this model will improve knowledge of SDF and DDF muscle mechanics with insight to functional implications of the complex architecture of these muscles. Knowledge of the dynamic performance of the SDF and DDF muscles would also be useful for the development of new treatment strategies for flexor deformities and tendon injuries in horses.
Impact of stray capacitance on HVDC harmonics

Stray capacitances inherent to HVDC converters are shown to cause all triplen harmonics to appear on the DC side. In particular, odd-triplen harmonics are produced which in a bipolar DC system will cause ground-mode simulation of the DC transmission line. The levels predicted by simulation can be large enough to cause significant telephone interference if the DC filtering, including both pole and neutral buses, is not designed to accommodate these harmonics. Field experience provides qualitative support for this theory. >
External and Internal Signals for Epithelial Cell Surface Polarization

Although every eukaryotic cell has some degree of polarity, in transporting epithelia, polarity is a property of the tissuc as a whole. Each cell is kept in register with neighboring cells via three specific junctions; from apical to basal poles, they are the tight junction (zonula occ\udens), the belt desmo­ some (zonula adherens), and the desmosome (macula adherens) (67, 85). Tight junctions are characteristic of epithelial cells. They constitute a "gate" (that controls the paracellular permeability to ions and macromolecules) and a "fence" (that segregates apical and basolateral proteins and lipids) [(24), see Cereijido et ai, in this volume].
Timing of Intimate Partner Violence in Relationship to Military Service Among Women Veterans.

ABSTRACT Women U.S. military veterans report higher rates of lifetime intimate partner violence (IPV) compared with women who have never served in the military. However, we know little about the timing of IPV exposure relative to military service. To begin to understand the relationship between military service and IPV experience, we conducted surveys with 249 women military veterans seeking care at a Veterans Affairs medical center about experiences of physical, psychological, and sexual IPV before, during, and after military service. Additionally, we examined the association between deployment and IPV experience during and after military service. Findings indicated that women experienced IPV during each time period (before/during/after military service), with significant overlap of experiencing IPV during more than one time period and one-third (34.6%) experiencing IPV during all three time periods. Compared to those who were not deployed, women who had been deployed reported increased odds of experienc...
Photoacoustic image-guided drug delivery in the prostate

Image guided drug delivery is a novel strategy that combines the effect of therapy and visibility into one system. Here we apply photoacoustic (PA) imaging to visualize the drug delivery process, and perform a simulation study on monitoring the photosensitizer concentration in a prostate tumor during photodynamic therapy (PDT). A 3D optical model of the human prostate is developed, and the light absorption distribution in the prostate is estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation method. The filtered back-projection algorithm is used to reconstruct PA images. PA images of transurethral laser/transrectal ultrasound are compared to those of transrectal laser/ultrasound. Results show that the transurethral laser has a better penetration depth in the prostate compared with transrectal one. Urethral thermal safety is investigated via COMSOL Multiphysics, and the results show that the proposed pulsed transurethral laser will cause no thermal damage on the urethral surface. Regression analysis for PA signal amplitude and drug concentration demonstrates that the PA technique has the potential to monitor drug distributions in PDT, as well as in other laser-based prostate therapy modalities.
EFFICACY OF RECASTS AND GESTURES ON THE ACQUISITION OF LOCATIVE PREPOSITIONS

This study investigates whether gestures can be used during recasts to enhance the saliency of a target structure (locative prepositions) and to lead to better production of the target structure. Forty-eight low-intermediate English as a second language (ESL) students partook in communicative activities during which they received either no feedback (control), verbal recasts only (R), or recasts plus gesture (RG), and a subset of participants completed a stimulated recall session. Then the pretest, immediate, and delayed posttest scores of grammar and oral production tests were used to analyze the linguistic development. The results showed that no one commented on recasts or locative prepositions during the stimulated recall session and that there were no significant changes in grammar test scores in all conditions; however, the R and RG conditions performed significantly better in the production test than the control in the immediate posttest. Furthermore, the RG condition maintained the development in the delayed posttest, whereas the R condition did not.
Examining Seasonal Trends in Sediment Source Contributions in an Intensely Cultivated Midwestern Sub-Watershed Using Bayesian Unmixing

This study aims to shed some light on the dynamics of sediment source contributions in the South Amana Sub-Watershed (SASW) in Iowa, USA, at a seasonal scale. Field studies were performed periodically from April to August 2007, in which sediment source and eroded samples were collected from the uplands and the stream network. The δ 13 C and δ 15 N signatures of the samples were obtained via mass spectrometry and used as “fingerprints” to identify the different contributing sources. For sources that were not sampled, literature values of δ 13 C and δ 15 N from similar systems in the region were adopted. Un-mixing of the eroded samples using the tracer signatures was achieved with an enhanced version of an existing Bayesian, Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) model, structured to well represent the intensely cultivated SASW system. Balance in sediment source contributions shifted between upland and in-streams sources over the season. Preliminary results from the study confirm observations from other studies that hydrological factors and sediment availability significantly affect the relative contributions of upland and in-stream sources. In addition, the study shows that canopy cover vs. bare soil plays an important role and should be taken into consideration when performing un-mixing studies designed to identify sediment sources.
Prediction of Supersonic Jet Noise

Noise radiated from a supersonic jet is computed using the Parabolized Stability Equations (PSE) method. The evolution of the instability waves inside the jet is computed using the PSE method and the noise radiated to the far field from these waves is calculated by solving the wave equation using the Fourier transform method. We performed the computations for a cold supersonic jet of Mach number 2.1 which is excited by disturbances with Strouhal numbers St=.2 and .4 and the azimuthal wavenumber m=l. Good agreement in the sound pressure level are observed between the computed and the measured (Troutt and McLaughlin 1980) results. In this work we computed the noise radiated from supersonic turbulent jets using the PSE (Parabolized Stability Equations) method. Jet noise can be divided into three categories: (1) shock-induced screech tone noise; (2) shock-induced broad band noise; and (3) turbulent mixing noise. The screech tone appears in an imperfectly expanded jet as discrete band in the front part of the jet. The screech tone phenomena is very complex and it is believed that the toroidal and helical vortices which shed at the lip of the nozzle interact with the shocks when they propagate downstream and makes the shock to oscillate and this radiates sound in the upstream direction at discrete frequency. In an imperfectly expanded jet, the shockcells formed by the oblique shocks or the expansion fans generated at nozzle lip interact with the large scale turbulence and generate broad band noise. The dominant part of the broad band shock-associated noise is comprised of a spectral peak with a relatively narrow half-width. Turbulent mixing noise is the noise component which is contributed from the largescale and small scale turbulence in the jet. For a perfectly expanded supersonic jet, the noise is completely generated by the turbulence in the jet and the predominant part of the noise is radiated in the downstream direction in the range between 25^5°. It is observed that at low Reynolds numbers the noise is radiated at a discrete frequency which is closer to the most unstable instability wave for that jet. At moderate and high Reynolds numbers there is discernible peak but they become broad band. These similarities between the noise generated from the high and low Reynolds number jets imply that the noise generation mechanisms in supersonic jets are same at different Reynolds numbers. Several experiments were performed to identify these mechanisms ( McLaughlin et al. 1975, 1977, Morrision and McLaughlin 1979, 1980, Troutt and McLaughlin 1982, Seiner et al. 1993) and it is concluded that the dominant part of the turbulent mixing noise of high Reynolds number supersonic jets is generated by the large-scale coherent structures. It is also concluded that these
Level lifetimes in the stable Zr nuclei: Effects of chemical properties in Doppler-shift measurements

The lifetime of the second excited 2${}^{+}$ state of ${}^{94}$Zr at 1671 keV was determined with the Doppler-shift attenuation method (DSAM) following the $(n,{n}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{\gamma})$ reaction on scattering samples of Zr metal and ZrO${}_{2}$ of natural isotopic abundance. The measured lifetime, $\ensuremath{\tau}={368}_{\ensuremath{-}23}^{+27}$ fs, is considerably longer than the previous measurement, as are measured lifetimes of other levels in ${}^{94}$Zr. However, lifetimes of low-lying, low-spin states in ${}^{90,91,92,96}$Zr were also determined and found to be in good agreement with measurements employing non-DSAM methods. Possible reasons for the discrepant lifetimes measured for ${}^{94}$Zr are discussed and focus on the chemical properties of the scattering sample, specifically, the effects of using amorphous materials, or those composed of small particles as scattering samples. These properties have been investigated by x-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of using these materials for lifetime measurements were investigated by employing, as scattering samples, Zr(OH)${}_{4}$ (a known amorphous material) and ZrO${}_{2}$ with various crystalline domain sizes.
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. An electron microscopic study.

Abstract One case of solitary Osler's disease with typical clinical and histopathologic pictures was examined with the electrom microscope. Most of the affected (dilated) vessels were identified as small venules in the upper submucosa or dermis. In these venules, flattened endothelial cells were junctioned by a defective overlapping of terminal villi of the extended cytoplasm. Affected venules thus showed many endothelial gaps which were stopped up with thrombi. At the edges of these gaps, intact villi of endothelial cells were present, suggesting that clear-cut separation by slipping of overlapped villous junctions formed the gaps. The lanthanum permeation method showed that the tight junctions exist between these villi. However, lanthanum often leaked into the lumen. Perivascular connective tissue showed many abnormal changes. This was thought to be an important etiologic factor because these small venules lacked other perivascular support, such as pericytes, smooth muscles, and elastic fibers.
Postoperative intussusception in 10-year-old presenting as decreased intestinal motility

Abstract Postoperative intussusception is a rare surgical complication. It typically presents as bilious emesis with abdominal pain following a symptom-free period within two weeks of either intra or extra-abdominal surgery. We present the case of a 10-year-old boy who had undergone uncomplicated open appendectomy. He developed abdominal pain, bilious vomiting and tenesmus at one week post-operatively, and postoperative intussusception was suspected. At laparotomy, he was noted to have an ileal–ileal intussusception.