cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Negative ion measurements in ECR plasmas

Summary form only given, as follows. The presence of negative ions can have big effects on the plasma potential, spatial plasma profiles and plasma density. Negative ions also serve as the precursor for particle formation. Significant concentrations of negative ions have already been identified in low power-high pressure capacitively coupled fluorocarbon plasmas. The main goal of this study is to determine what conditions (microwave power, pressure, etc.), if any, give rise to significant negative ion densities in fluorocarbon plasma in an ECR tool. For this purpose, a redesigned omegatron mass spectrometer was employed in an ECR etching plasma, operated at pressures of 0.2-5 mTorr. The modified geometry provides differential pumping with pressures inside the omegatron below the 10/sup -4/ Torr range reducing collisional effects and insulating film deposition, while the neutral pressure in the bulk plasma is in a few mTorr range. The main directions of this experiment are (1) to investigate the geometric effect (collector size, location, etc.) to maximize the resolution of the omegatron and (2) to study the microwave power and neutral pressure dependence for the negative ion species in ECR fluorocarbon etching plasmas. Preliminary results show F/sup -/, F/sub 2//sup -/, CF/sup -/, CF/sub 2//sup -/, CO/sup -/ negative ions in CF/sub 4/, 1000 W ECR plasma. Recent experiments which varied pressure and power are described.
Predicting treatment response in depressed and non-depressed chronic pain patients

Although it has often been observed that chronic pain and depression are associated, there have been few systematic comparisons of chronic pain patients with and without depression. In the study reported in this article, depressed and non-depressed chronic pain patients were found to be quite similar with respect to demographic, pain-related, and treatment response variables. The primary aim of the study, however, was to examine the hypothesis that treatment response in these two groups of patients would be predicted by different patterns of variables. In non-depressed patients, beneficial response to treatment was related to a greater number of treatment visits, not receiving workmen's compensation, fewer previous types of treatment, and low back pain. As predicted, a different pattern of predictors of treatment response was found for the depressed patients, who were more likely to benefit when they were employed at the beginning of treatment and when their pain was of shorter duration. These results suggest that activity and active involvement in treatment are particularly important with chronic pain patients who are depressed. In addition, they suggest that the best prediction of treatment response in future research on chronic pain patients may be achieved by dividing patients into groups based on psychological characteristics.
The damped self-interaction

A self-interaction with damped off-diagonal coefficients is used to illustrate techniques for dealing directly with Hamiltonians in strange representations of the CCR.
AN IMPLICIT 2-D DEPTH-AVERAGED FINITE-VOLUME MODEL OF FLOW AND SEDIMENT TRANSPORT IN COASTAL WATERS

An implicit depth-averaged 2-D finite volume model has been developed to simulate sediment transport and bed morphological changes under actions of currents and waves near coastal inlets. The model computes the depth-averaged 2-D shallow water flow and non-equilibrium transport of total-load sediment, accounting for the effects of wave radiation stresses and turbulent diffusion induced by currents, waves and wave breaking. The model uses a quadtree rectangular mesh to locally refine the mesh around structures of interest or where the topography and/or flow properties change rapidly. The grid nodes are numbered by means of an unstructured index system for more flexibility of mesh generation. The SIMPLEC algorithm is used to handle the coupling of water level and velocity and the Rhie and Chow’s (1983) momentum interpolation method is adopted to determine the intercell fluxes on non-staggered grid. Well-developed longshore current and wave setup determined with the reduced 1-D momentum equations are used as the cross-shore boundary conditions. The model has been tested in several laboratory and field cases, showing good performance. In particular, it can use a long time step and is efficient in computation on a PC platform. It has a potential for simulation of long-term coastal morphodynamic processes.
THE PROBLEMS AND PITFALLS OF DEVELOPING A VIRTUAL DISSOLVED OXYGEN METER

ABSTRACT This poster concerns the development of a virtual dissolved oxygen meter, as well as its use and usefulness in laboratory and field settings. The problem of signal coupling was solved by modifying an instrumentation amplifier to include a path to ground through a 1 MW resistor. The advantages of computer-aided data acquisition of multiple dissolved oxygen probes include increased confidence in the measurements. Modifying a virtual instrument to acquire and process data from a multiplicity of analog devices is easy once the parameters of the device are understood
Wilms' tumor and exposures to residential and occupational hazardous chemicals

This case-control study examines the association between residential and occupational exposures to hazardous chemicals and the risk of Wilms' tumor. The study included 303 cases recruited from six state cancer registries, who were diagnosed between January 1, 1992 and December 31, 1995. A total of 575 controls selected through random digit dialing were frequency matched to the cases. A standard questionnaire was administered to participants during a telephone interview. Parental residential addresses and locations of US Environmental Protection Agency National Priority List (NPL) sites were geocoded and analyzed, along with occupational exposure information. There were no cases of Wilms' tumor found in individuals living within one-half mile distance of a hazardous waste site. However, elevated odds ratios were found for using hairdressing chemicals, motor oil, paint, paint stripper, and pesticides during the pregnancy term and during the 2-year period prior to birth. The findings do not support the hypothesis that Wilms' tumor is associated with residing near an NPL site.
A dispenser for minimizing solvent evaporation during repeated pipetting.

Abstract A dispenser is described that minimizes carrier solvent evaporation during repeated pipetting.
Influence of Stirring on Incorporation of Particles during Solidification

Abstract The critical freezing rate Vc was measured for glass beads suspended in naphthalene by using the tilt rotating zone melting technique. In horizontal operation with a large gas bubble sweeping along the interface during rotation, Vc increased dramatically with increasing tube rotation rate and decreasing mass of beads. Tilting the tube prevented the bubble from contacting the freezing interface and very stongly increased Vc . Siliconized glass beads were pushed as well as nontreated beads, both in horizontal operation with tube rotation and in vertical operation without stirring. Teflon particles were pushed to very high freezing rates in the horizontal rotating configuration. These results differ from those of Omenyi and Neumann, who predicted and observed that both Teflon and siliconized glass beads are not pushed by freezing naphthalene at any freezing rate.
Comparison of intravenous ciprofloxacin and intravenous cefotaxime for antimicrobial prophylaxis in transurethral surgery

Intravenous ciprofloxacin has been investigated in the treatment of serious infections, including those of the urinary tract. In this double-blind, randomized study, its effectiveness as a prophylactic agent in men undergoing transurethral surgical procedures was compared with that of another intravenous agent, cefotaxime. One hundred six men with genitourinary tract obstruction were enrolled in the study. The 102 men evaluable for determination of efficacy (53 in the ciprofloxacin group and 49 in the cefotaxime group) received a single intravenous infusion of either 300 mg ciprofloxacin or 1,000 mg of cefotaxime prior to resection of the prostate for benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostatic carcinoma or internal urethrotomy for urethral stricture. A mean of 32.1 and 40.3 minutes for the ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime groups, respectively, elapsed between the end of the intravenous infusion and the onset of surgery; all but one patient in the ciprofloxacin group underwent catheterization after surgery, of which the mean duration was 3.7 days for both groups. At the time of hospital discharge, patients were evaluated clinically; 50 patients in the ciprofloxacin group (94 percent) and 45 in the cefotaxime group (92 percent) had no bacteriologic evidence of genitourinary tract infection. At follow-up two to six weeks after surgery for the patients with no bacteriologic evidence of genitourinary tract infection, fewer patients in the ciprofloxacin group (8 percent) than in the cefotaxime group (16 percent) remained without evidence of infection. Both drugs were well tolerated. This study demonstrated that a single intravenous dose of ciprofloxacin was as effective as a single dose of cefotaxime in reducing the incidence of infection following transurethral surgical procedures.
Monitoring drought effects on vegetation water content and fluxes in chaparral with the 970 nm water band index

Abstract The goal of this study was to explore the utility of the 970 nm water band index (WBI) in estimating evapotranspiration and vegetation water status for a semiarid shrubland ecosystem. Between 2001 and 2003, spectral reflectance coupled with CO2 and water flux data were collected at Sky Oaks Biological Field Station, a chaparral-dominated ecosystem in southern California, and one of the sites within the SpecNet network. The reflectance data were collected either by walking along a 100 m transect or by using a semi-automated tram system installed later at the site along the same 100 m transect. CO2 and water flux data were gathered with an eddy covariance flux tower adjacent to the tram system. The 970 nm WBI and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were derived from the spectral reflectance. The two indices were expressed both as points approximately a meter apart along the transect and as whole-transect averages, where all of the reflectance values along the transect were averaged together, simulating a large pixel. This study encompassed a wet year with normal precipitation (2001), a 100-year record drought (2002), and a recovery year (2003), allowing for comparison over time and between precipitation regimes. Species-specific responses to wet and dry periods were evident in the reflectance spectra, providing a basis for separating species based on their optical properties. The WBI was significantly correlated with the NDVI revealing a strong link between canopy water content and green canopy structure; however this relationship varied with species and water status, providing evidence for the independence of these two optical indices. The WBI was also strongly linked to surface–atmosphere fluxes, explaining 49% of the variance in the water vapor flux, and 24% of the carbon dioxide fluxes. These results suggest that WBI or other similar water status indices may be useful variables in modeling CO2 and water fluxes when combined with other physiological, environmental, and atmospheric factors.
The impact of the crisis on corporate responsibility: the case of UN global compact participants in the USA

Purpose – This paper seeks to understand what impact the current economic and financial crisis has had on the business and non‐business sector's corporate responsibility (CR) efforts, as well as to describe the critical obstacles being reported to such efforts. It proposes to do this by examining one key CSR initiative, namely, the United Nations Global Compact (GC).Design/methodology/approach – A two‐part empirical investigation was conducted on a sample of GC participants (US signatories). The first method comprises a comprehensive survey completed mainly by company CEOs. The second approach involves content analysis of CEO statements (extracted from CSR reports – fiscal years 2007‐2009), which describe new strategies for managing under challenging economic and financial times.Findings – It was found that the CSR efforts of participants of the GC that have integrated their CSR into their policies, programs, performance, and goals, and those with lesser conformity with the active principles of the GC wil...
Outer planet satellite ephemeris development.

Discussion of the possible effectiveness of an earth-based ephemeris development program for the outer planet natural satellites. Technologies for obtaining and reducing photographic plates are available and new satellite theories needed for data processing are being developed. It is shown that satellite ephemeris accuracies could be reduced to hundreds of km by the end of the 1970s. An earth-based program would have great benefits to future outer planet missions requiring this level of accuracy.
Attention and communication in Rett Syndrome

The study of selective attention and its influence on communication in patients with Rett Syndrome (RS), in which communication abilities are impaired is particularly relevant. The aim of this study was to analyse attention and communication abilities in RS. A sample of 20 children (10 girls with RS and 10 control girls, matched on mental age) were tested on both attention and non-verbal communication abilities. Results showed that girls with RS have specific deficits in the ability to attend selectively to the relevant sources of information, and that they pay attention to irrelevant stimuli. Results related to non-verbal communication partially show specific impairment in girls with RS. Educational implications are discussed.
Networks and Frontiers in Colonial Tanzania

The development of environmental and Africanist history-Africanist referring to the scholarly study of African history in universities in, or modeled on, those of the West-as distinct and important historical fields have moved in parallel directions since the 196os. They often examine similar issues, but they are rarely linked together. Environmental history has sought to understand how human action shapes the physical world. It usually concentrates on "scientific" evidence and the documentary record left by historical actors primarily of western origin, but often only tangentially touches the practices of local populations. While the limits of scientific evidence created by Westerners poses few problems in works such as those of Fernand Braudel, much environmental history has taken as its subject the contest for control over the physical world between western and nonwestern peoples., Far too often, cross-cultural approaches to environmental history structure themselves so that knowledge of and created by the "other" appears exoticized.2 Africanist historians have always done environmental history, for nothing is more central to understanding Africa than the relationships between humans and the physical world. Yet Africanist studies have long been limited by boundaries of ethnicity, language, and arbitrary political boundaries designed by colonial conquerors. These foci, arising from the field's ethnographic origins and from modern political contexts, limit Africanist scholarship. This is particularly true in the study of the past two centuries, precisely the juncture where environmental and Africanist history have the most to say to each other.3 During these centuries, Africa and its peoples were conquered and Africa's landscapes transformed. As environmental history, in both its grand forms and its case studies, concentrates on such transformations, so Africanist scholarship concentrates on the "cross-cultural" contact of imperialism and cultural change, largely by relying on evidence from local actors and information culled from "science" and the colonial record. The artificial boundaries imposed by colonial rule transformed African landscapes. Benedict Anderson speaks of the drawing of colonial boundaries in the modern world as the "concretion" of "possibilities." The power represented by lines on maps eventually transformed space and consciousness. This may seem an odd departure point for an examination of environmental change in eastern Af-
Warfarin-associated intraventricular hemorrhage.

Abstract Objective: In this study, we have reviewed our experience with anticoagulation-associated intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). Our goal was to determine if IVH is also an independent prognosticator of fatal outcome in patients with anticoagulation-associated intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of medical records and computed tomographic imaging. Eighty-eight patients with warfarin-associated ICH were analysed, including eight patients with predominant IVH. Results: There was a very low rate of hemorrhage extension in patients with predominant IVH. Despite that, those patients had 50% 30 day mortality. Overall patients with ICH had 45% 30 day mortality. Ventricular extension raised mortality in ICH patients to 75%, while the absence of ventricular extension carried only 23% 30 day mortality. IVH was significantly associated with 30 day mortality (p<0.001). Panventricular extension was uniformly fatal in patients with ICH and carried 75% 30 day mortality in...
Fluorescence enhancement of fluorophores tethered to different sized silver colloids deposited on glass substrate.

We studied fluorescence enhancements of fluorescein tethered to silver colloids of different size. Thiolated 23-mer oligonucleotide (ss DNA-SH) was bound selectively to silver colloids deposited on 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS)-treated quartz slides. Fluoresceinlabeled complementary oligonucleotide (ss Fl-DNA) was added in an amount significantly lower than the amount of unlabeled DNA tethered to the colloids. The hybridization kinetics, observed as an increase in fluorescence emission, on small (30-40 nm) and large (> 120 nm) colloids were similar. However, the final fluorescence intensity of the sample with large colloids was about 50% higher than that observed for the sample with small colloids. The reference sample without ss DNA-SH was used to estimate the fluorescence enhancements of fluorescein tethered to the small colloids (E = 2.7) and to the large colloids (E = 4.1) due to its steady fluorescence signal. The proposed method, based on controlled hybridization with minimal amount of fluorophore labeled ss DNA, can be used to reliably estimate the fluorescence enhancements on any silver nanostructures.
Paying the rent: languaging particularity and novelty

Issues of plagiarism and originality have been revivified by the internet in two distinct ways. First, the internet has provided new resources for both school learning and school cheating - raising values of individual responsibility, academic integrity and institutional policing. Second, the internet has heightened the tension between intellectual property and the cultural commons - raising values of economic reward and ownership versus those of cultural heritage, communal creativity, and critical comment. A Bakhtinian way of sorting through these two important sets of issues, without conflating the distinct sets of concerns, is to recognize how deeply we are always embedded in the language of others, using and responding to utterances that proceeded ours, while also recognizing the supplement of originality, freshness, or situational specificity expected in particular tasks. When we analyze academic and other situations from this perspective we find that the expected reliance on the cultural commons and the expected supplement varies from task to task, and a procedure which is considered cheating or a failure of originality in one situation is expected and appropriate in another. In educational settings we would do well to identify with greater specificity how students should use the cultural commons in each task and the specific forms of fresh or novel work we also expect them to accomplish. We should then calibrate our identification of plagiaristic cheating in relation to the specific expected originality appropriate to the task.
Sequence and Stacking Dependence of 8-Oxoguanine Oxidation: Comparison of One-Electron vs Singlet Oxygen Mechanisms

The oxidation of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG)-containing oligodeoxynucleotides has been investigated using a variety of oxidants, including one-electron oxidants (Ir(IV), Fe(III), NiCR/KHSO5, ...
Control of Hairpin Formation via Proline Configuration in Parallel β-Sheet Model Systems

The simplest strategy for creation of parallel β-sheet model systems is to link adjacent peptide strands via their N-termini or via their C-termini. This connectivity requires unnatural linking segments. We describe dipeptide mimics that can serve as N-to-N or C-to-C linkers, and we demonstrate their efficacy by conformational analysis of tetrapeptide analogues in chloroform. The tetrapeptide analogues can adopt strand−loop−strand (“hairpin”) conformations in which the residues at each end, l-valine and l-leucine, engage in parallel sheet hydrogen bonding interactions. Our linkers contain proline residues, to impart a preferred local twist. We show that linkers containing d-proline promote parallel sheet interactions between the strand l-residues, while linkers containing l-proline do not promote parallel sheet interactions. The preference for one linker twist is presumably related to the right-handed twist displayed by strands in protein β-sheets (parallel and antiparallel); analogous linker twist prefer...
Effect of two opaquing techniques and two metal surface conditions on metal-ceramic bond strength.

The optimal conditions for opaquing techniques during porcelain application have not been confirmed. In this study the metal-ceramic bond strength was measured among one porcelain and three dental alloys, namely a gold-platinum-palladium alloy, a silver-free gold-palladium alloy, and a base metal alloy, with two opaquing techniques (a single masking layer versus a thin overfired layer followed by a second masking layer). In addition, the opaque porcelain was fired over an oxidized and nonoxidized alloy surface for the silver-free gold-palladium alloy. No significant differences in bond strength were recorded between the two opaquing techniques with the gold-platinum-palladium and base metal alloys. There were no substantial differences between the two opaquing techniques when opaque was applied over an oxidized gold-palladium alloy surface and bond strengths were substantially greater over an oxidized surface. However, when the opaque was applied to a nonoxidized gold-palladium surface the two-layer technique created a significantly greater bond strength.
A single degree of freedom ‘lollipop’ model for carbon nanotube bundle formation

Abstract Current carbon nanotube (CNT) synthesis methods include the production of ordered, free-standing vertically aligned arrays, the properties of which are partially governed by interactions between adjacent tubes. Using material parameters determined by atomistic methods, here we represent individual CNTs by a simple single degree of freedom ‘lollipop’ model to investigate the formation, mechanics, and self-organization of CNT bundles driven by weak van der Waals interactions. The computationally efficient simple single degree of freedom model enables us to study arrays consisting of hundreds of thousands of nanotubes. The effects of nanotube parameters such as aspect ratio, bending stiffness, and surface energy, on formation and bundle size, as well as the intentional manipulation of bundle pattern formation, are investigated. We report studies with both single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and double wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) with varying aspect ratios (that is, varying height). We calculate the local density distributions of the nanotube bundles and show that there exists a maximum attainable bundle density regardless of an increase in surface energy for nanotubes with given spacing and stiffness. In addition to applications to CNTs, our model can also be applied to other types of nanotube arrays (e.g. protein nanotubes, polymer nanofilaments).
Air-plasma spraying colloidal solutions of nanosized ceramic powders

Coatings prepared from nanosized powders were obtained by spraying ethanol-based colloidal solutions into a plasma plume. The powders investigated included 40 nm γ-Al2O3, 75 nm 8 wt% Y2O3-ZrO2, and 750 nm 25 wt% CeO2-ZrO2. Spray distances from approximately 50 to 63 mm were required to achieve significant coating deposition. As observed in the TEM, the typical lamella morphology of air plasma sprayed oxide coatings was not observed in coatings fabricated from 40 nm γ-Al2O3, which was comprised of spherical powders that had partially sintered. However, lamellae were observed in the coatings prepared with both nanosized zirconia powders. The characteristic size of the lamella and the grains that comprised the zirconia coatings were nominally a few nanometers.
Bupropion reduces methamphetamine-induced subjective effects and cue-induced craving

Bupropion is an antidepressant with stimulant properties, which inhibits the reuptake of dopamine (DA) and norepinepherine, and is purported to enhance DA neurotransmission. Bupropion is considered an appealing candidate medication for the treatment of methamphetamine dependence. The current laboratory study was set forth to assess the impact of bupropion treatment on the subjective effects produced by methamphetamine in the laboratory. We also assessed the effects of bupropion treatment on craving elicited by exposure to videotaped methamphetamine cues. A total of 26 participants were enrolled and 20 completed the entire study (n=10 placebo and n=10 bupropion, parallel groups design). Bupropion treatment was associated with reduced ratings of 'any drug effect' (p<0.02), and 'high' (p<0.02) following methamphetamine administration. There was also a significant bupropion-by-cue exposure interaction on General Craving Scale total score (p<0.002), and on the Behavioral Intention subscale (p<0.001). Overall, the data reveal that bupropion reduced acute methamphetamine-induced subjective effects and reduced cue-induced craving. Importantly, these data provide a rationale for the evaluation of bupropion in the treatment of methamphetamine dependence.
Linear Analysis of Shallow Water Wave Propagation in Open Channels

Flood wave movement in an open channel can be treated as disturbances imposed at the upstream and downstream boundaries of a channel to an initially steady uniform flow. Linearized, cross sectionally integrated continuity and momentum equations are introduced to describe one-dimensional, unsteady, gradually varied flow in open channels. The Laplace transform method is adopted to obtain first-order analytical spatio-temporal expressions of upstream and downstream channel response functions. These expressions facilitate a critical comparison among different wave approximations in terms of their mathematical properties and physical characteristics. One or two families of characteristic waves, parameterized by an attenuation factor and a wave celerity, are found for various wave approximations. The effects of the downstream boundary condition on different wave approximations are discussed and compared. Wave translation, attenuation, reflection, distortion, and configuration from the analyses are further inves...
Explaining the Variation in Short-Term Sales Response to Retail Price Promotions

This study focuses on the short-term sales response to price promotions in retail grocery stores and attempts to explain its variation using frequency of price promotions and the consecutive scheduling of price promotions. Retail managers’ expectations and tenets from behavioral theories provide the basis for the hypotheses that the frequency of price promotions and consecutive scheduling of price promotions affect short-term response to price promotions. The hypotheses are tested on three frequently purchased product categories, using store-level data from retail chains in three major markets. The analysis is validated with additional data on the same product categories and markets. A variety of managerial implications are drawn from the results and suggestions for future research are offered.
Heterogeneity among depressed outpatients considered to be in remission.

More than a decade ago, a consensus panel recommended that remission be defined on the 17-item version of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) as a cutoff of less than 7. Recently, some investigators have suggested that this threshold to define remission may be too high. If true, this means that heterogeneity exists within the group of treatment remitters accounting for variance in psychosocial function and relapse risk. In the present report from the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services project, we examined whether there is heterogeneity within the group of patients that are typically classified as remitters. Three hundred three depressed psychiatric outpatients were rated on the Standardized Clinical Outcome Rating for Depression, an index of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition remission status, and the 17-item HAM-D. Approximately half of the patients completed a measure of psychosocial impairment. Treatment responders were divided into 2 groups, remitters (HAM-D or =8). The treatment remitters were further subdivided into 2 groups, remitters with and without mild residual symptoms (HAM-D 3-7 vs 0-2). We refer to these 3 nonoverlapping groups as responders, partial remitters (ie, remitters with mild residual symptoms), and full remitters (remitters without residual symptoms). Responders scored statistically significantly higher, indicating greater psychosocial impairment, than the entire group of remitters, and the partial remitters scored significantly higher than the full remitters. Among the responders, the correlation between remission status and functioning was -.49 (P < .01). Among the remitters, the correlation between residual symptom status and functioning was nearly as high (-.42, P < .05). These results suggest that there is as much heterogeneity among patients who are typically considered to be in remission as there is among responders. This supports recommendations to lower the cutoff on the HAM-D to define remission.
Yugoslavia and US Foreign Policy in the 1960–1970s of the 20th Century

The article is devoted to the role of Yugoslavia in the foreign policy of the United States of America in the region of Eastern Europe in the 1960's and 1970's. The author underlines the importance of Yugoslavia to the United States in its “wedge strategy” directed towards the Soviet Bloc countries. It points out the role of economic relations and humanitarian cooperation in the achievements of the United States foreign policy aims during the Cold War era. The author describes the role of Yugoslavia in the process of encouragement of economic and political reforms towards liberalization in other Eastern European countries and defines the factors which justified the special role of Yugoslavia in American foreign policy. The author also analyses the role of Yugoslavian immigration in the development of American-Yugoslavian relations and defines the main directions of American foreign policy towards Yugoslavia after the withdrawal of J.B Tito from the political arena.
Urban mockingbirds quickly learn to identify individual humans

Practically all animals are affected by humans, especially in urban areas. Although most species respond negatively to urbanization, some thrive in human-dominated settings. A central question in urban ecology is why some species adapt well to the presence of humans and others do not. We show that Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) nesting on the campus of a large university rapidly learn to assess the level of threat posed by different humans, and to respond accordingly. In a controlled experiment, we found that as the same human approached and threatened a nest on 4 successive days, mockingbirds flushed from their nest at increasingly greater distances from that human. A different human approaching and threatening the nest identically on the fifth day elicited the same response as the first human on the first day. Likewise, alarm calls and attack flights increased from days 1–4 with the first human, and decreased on day 5 with the second human. These results demonstrate a remarkable ability of a passerine bird to distinguish one human from thousands of others. Also, mockingbirds learned to identify individual humans extraordinarily quickly: after only 2 30-s exposures of the human at the nest. More generally, the varying responses of mockingbirds to intruders suggests behavioral flexibility and a keen awareness of different levels of threat posed by individuals of another species: traits that may predispose mockingbirds and other species of urban wildlife to successful exploitation of human-dominated environments.
Role of efflux pump(s) in intrinsic resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: resistance to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and norfloxacin.

Most strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are significantly more resistant, even in the absence of R plasmids, to many antimicrobial agents, including beta-lactams, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and fluoroquinolones, than most other gram-negative rods. This broad-range resistance has so far been assumed to be mainly due to the low permeability of the P. aeruginosa outer membrane. The intrinsic-resistance phenotype becomes further enhanced in "intrinsically carbenicillin-resistant" isolates, which were often assumed to produce outer membranes of even lower permeability. It has been shown, however, that this hypothesis cannot explain the beta-lactam resistance of these isolates (D.M. Livermore and K.W.M. Davy, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 35:916-921, 1991). In this study, we examined the uptake of tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and norfloxacin by intact cells using strains showing widely different levels of intrinsic resistance. Their accumulation and the response to the addition of a proton conductor showed that even relatively susceptible strains of P. aeruginosa actively pump out these compounds from the cell and that the efflux activity becomes much stronger in strains showing higher levels of intrinsic resistance. We conclude that the efflux mechanism(s) are likely to contribute significantly to the intrinsic resistance of P. aeruginosa isolates to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and fluoroquinolones, as does the low permeability of the outer membrane. This conclusion is supported by the observation that the hypersusceptibility to various agents of the mutant K799/61 (W. Zimmermann, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 18:94-100, 1980) was apparently caused by the lack of active efflux. Although the hypersusceptibility of this mutant has hitherto been assumed to be solely due to its higher outer membrane permeability, its outer membrane was shown to have a coefficient of permeability to cephaloridine that was not significantly different from that of the parent, resistant strain K799/WT. The strains with elevated intrinsic resistance overproduced two cytoplasmic membrane proteins and one outer membrane protein; at least two of these proteins appeared different from the proteins overproduced in the recently described mutant with a derepressed multidrug efflux system, MexA-MexB-OprK (K. Poole, K. Krebes, C. McNally, and S. Neshat, J. Bacteriol. 175:7363-7372, 1993). Images
The dialectic of death and immortality

(1964). The dialectic of death and immortality. Pacific Philosophy Forum: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 70-79.
A feasibility study to calculate unshielded fetal doses to pregnant patients in 6-MV photon treatments using Monte Carlo methods and anatomically realistic phantoms

A Monte Carlo-based procedure to assess fetal doses from 6-MV external photon beam radiation treatments has been developed to improve upon existing techniques that are based on AAPM Task Group Report 36 published in 1995 M. Stovall et al., Med. Phys. 22, 63–82 1995. Anatomically realistic models of the pregnant patient representing 3-, 6-, and 9-month gestational stages were implemented into the MCNPX code together with a detailed accelerator model that is capable of simulating scattered and leakage radiation from the accelerator head. Absorbed doses to the fetus were calculated for six different treatment plans for sites above the fetus and one treatment plan for fibrosarcoma in the knee. For treatment plans above the fetus, the fetal doses tended to increase with increasing stage of gestation. This was due to the decrease in distance between the fetal body and field edge with increasing stage of gestation. For the treatment field below the fetus, the absorbed doses tended to decrease with increasing gestational stage of the pregnant patient, due to the increasing size of the fetus and relative constant distance between the field edge and fetal body for each stage. The absorbed doses to the fetus for all treatment plans ranged from a maximum of 30.9 cGy to the 9-month fetus to 1.53 cGy to the 3-month fetus. The study demonstrates the feasibility to accurately determine the absorbed organ doses in the mother and fetus as part of the treatment planning and eventually in risk management. © 2008 American Association of Physicists in Medicine. DOI: 10.1118/1.2938519
Regional, interannual and size-related variation of age 0 year walleye pollock whole body energy content around the Pribilof Islands, Bering Sea

Mean whole energy content (E wb ) of age 0 year walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma was 19.928 KJ g -1 dry mass in 3943 fish collected from different habitats around the Pribilof Islands frontal structure, south-east Bering Sea, during September 1994-1996 and 1999. It varied, however, with habitat type. Fish residing offshore had higher E wb than fish residing inshore of the frontal regions. Age 0 year walleye pollock E wb changed in a non-linear fashion with fish size, with larger juveniles typically having higher E wb . Size thresholds were identified at which the relationship between age 0 year walleye pollock E wb and L s changed. One such threshold was found at 46 mm where E wb reached a local minimum. Another threshold was found at 80 mm beyond which E wb tended to remain constant with size. Overall mass-length and E wb -length residuals were highly correlated with each other (r=0.73, P«0.0001). The slope of the regression, however, was higher for smaller fish. Possible mechanisms are proposed to explain the observed ontogenetic variation in nutritional status and the role of age 0 year walleye pollock late summer E wb on survival over their first critical winter of life.
Object-oriented ACR-NEMA data dictionary in C++

An object-oriented data dictionary for the ACR-NEMA standard has been developed using the C++ object- oriented language. The dictionary consists of an object of class Dictionary which contains objects of class Dictionary Entry. Dictionary entry objects contain all the information in a single entry of the ACR-NEMA version 2.0 data dictionary. Each entry object has internal representation of the dictionary definitions and a set of public methods whereby that information may be accessed, for example for the purpose of parsing and displaying messages in an imaging workstation or construction ACR-NEMA images from proprietary format image data on a modality. The dictionary constructor reads a copy of the dictionary from hard disk and creates an instance of a dictionary object which contains dictionary entry objects in a form which provides for efficient lookup. The dictionary class library is intended to be part of a more general object- oriented class library for ACR-NEMA 3.0 (DICOM) applications.
Heart development in Drosophila and vertebrates: conservation of molecular mechanisms.

Vertebrate and insect (Drosophila) hearts look and function quite differently from each other. Nevertheless, during embryogenesis their mesodermal origin and initial assembly into a linear heart tube are comparable in many respects. In the past few years, numerous gene functions have been identified that are utilized by both vertebrates and Drosophila for the specification and differentiation of the heart progenitor cells. These studies have begun with the discovery of the homeobox gene tinman in Drosophila and its vertebrate counterparts. By now, there is also evidence that MEF2 transcription factors and TGF-b signaling have cardio- genic functions in both these systems. Perhaps in a few years, the GATA and HAND transcription factors and Wnt signaling, which currently only have a demon- strated cardiogenic function in one of the systems, may also be part of this group. One of the pressing but still wide open questions is if the spectrum of targets for these transcrip- tion factors and signaling pathways is also conserved. Dev. Genet. 22:181-186, 1998. r 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Prediction of peak flows on small watersheds in Oregon for use in culvert design

: Using data from 80 Oregon watersheds that ranged in size from 0.54 km2 to 27.45 km2, equations were developed to predict peak flows for use in culvert design on forest roads. Oregon was divided into six physiographic regions based on previous studies of flood frequency. In each region, data on annual peak flow from gaging stations with more than 20 years of record were analyzed using four flood frequency distributions: type 1 extremal, two parameter-log normal, three parameter-log normal, and log-Pearson type III. The log-Pearson type III distribution was found to be suitable for use in all regions of the State, based on the chi-square goodness-of-fit-test. Flood magnitudes having recurrence intervals of 10, 25, 50, and 100 years were related to physical and climatic characteristics of drainage basins by multiple regression. Drainage basin size was the most important variable in explaining the variation of flood peaks in all regions. Mean basin elevation and mean annual precipitation were also significantly related to flood peaks in two regions of western Oregon. The standard error of the estimate for the regression relationships ranged from 26 to 84 percent.
BGP Rerouting Solutions for Transient Routing Failures and Loops

During the routing convergence processes of BGP system, the end-to-end reachability can be temporarily disrupted due to transient routing failures or loops in the forwarding paths. This could lead to severe performance degradation and even service disruption, especially for the real-time interactive applications. In this paper, we explore feasible modifications of BGP to eliminate transient routing failures and loops. First, we find that the existing BGP convergence acceleration solutions, such as ghost-flushing and EPIC, can eliminate transient forwarding loops but exacerbate transient routing failures. Then we propose an indicative re-routing scheme, which enable BGP to piggyback an indicator of alternative paths with each route, to improve route visibility and thus eliminate transient routing failures. However, we find that it might worsen transient forwarding loops at the same time. Finally, we exploit the synergy of the combination of the two types of schemes and propose an indicative+EPIC rerouting scheme. It is found capable of eliminating both transient forwarding failures and loops.
ESR spectra of sodium hydrogen halide complexes in argon matrices

Abstract ESR spectra are reported for the previously unobserved Na+HCl− complex. In an argon matrix at ≈ 30 K, the ESR spectra are isotropic and characteristic of a motionally averaged radical. The experimental parameters are g0 = 2.0008(3) with hf splitting constants aH = 417.01(8) G and aCl = 40.18(3) G for hydrogen and 35Cl, respectively. As with the isovalent K+HCl− complex, the unpaired electron is entirely delocalized in a σ∗ orbital on HCl−. The influence of the cation is indicated by a substantial increase in spin population on hydrogen as Na+ → K+.
Types and correlates of blood/injury-related vasovagal syncope

Abstract This study investigated by interview, the initial syncopal episode of 103 blood/injury-related vasovagal fainters in order to examine two competing hypotheses concerning their origins. Graham (Circulation, 23, 901–906, 1961) postulated that the faint resulted when sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity ceased on termination of a threat, leaving parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activation unopposed. Engel [Fainting (2nd edn), 1962; Annals of Internal Medicine, 89, 901–906. 1978] proposed that when in the face of threat with SNS activation, escape is blocked, the PNS becomes activated as the conservation-withdrawal reponse, leading to syncope. We found cases clearly conforming to each of these formulations as well as some with characteristics of both, and some who fainted in response to blood or injury but with no perception of threat. The Graham and Engel types did not differ in terms of fear or avoidance of blood, injury, or medically-related situations nor did they differ in the frequency with which their parents reported blood/injury-related syncopal episodes. It is proposed that both may be activated by a common psychological mechanism involving cessation of a defensive posture. In contrast, the non-threat fainters showed significantly less medically-related avoidance and had a greater percentage (94%) of parents with positive faint histories.
Cancer in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), inclusive—predisposes one to an increased risk of gastrointestinal malignancies. Identifying those patients at greatest risk of malignancy for cancer surveillance will allow the clinician to make the largest impact in lowering the cancer-related mortality in IBD. The approach to cancer surveillance for patients with long-standing IBD, though, is controversial.
Fluorinated compounds for advanced IC interconnect applications: a survey of chemistries and processes

Abstract The semiconductor industry is now in the early stages of an unprecedented change in materials set for the integrated circuit (IC) interconnect structure. The traditional layers of aluminum conductors and silicon dioxide dielectrics are being replaced by copper thin films and a variety of low k candidates, respectively. In many cases, fluorine confers desirable properties on either the precursors or the final films. At the same time, fluorine presents some potentially adverse effects, which have led to a so-called “fear-of-fluorine” in interconnect applications. This paper will review the proposed uses of fluorinated compounds in the interconnect structures, covering both precursors and the resulting thin films. Both the status of technical studies, and the prospects for commercial implementation, will be addressed.
LEAD TETRAACETATE OXIDATION OF CIS- OR TRANS-TETRAHYDROFURAN-2,5-DICARBOXYLIC ACIDS

(1980). LEAD TETRAACETATE OXIDATION OF CIS- OR TRANS-TETRAHYDROFURAN-2,5-DICARBOXYLIC ACIDS. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 12, No. 5, pp. 305-308.
Viscoelastic behaviour in indium alloys: InSn, InBi, InCd and InSnCd

Experimental studies of dynamic and transient viscoelastic response were conducted at 24 °C on the indium alloys InSn, InBi, InCd and InSnCd. The experiments were conducted in torsion using an instrument capable of determining viscoelastic properties over ten decades of time and frequency. The damping, tan δ, followed a ν−n dependence at higher frequency ν and was essentially constant at low frequency. Creep at long times followed a power law dependence upon time: t m. The damping is attributed to a dislocation-point defect mechanism.