cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Low Copy Nuclear Gene Region, Granule Bound Starch Synthase (GBSS1), as a Novel Mini-DNA Barcode for the Identification of Different Sage (Salvia) Species.

Morphological similarity within species makes the identification and authentication of Salvia species challenging, especially in dietary supplements that contain processed root or leaf powder of different sage species. In the present study, the species discriminatory power of 2 potential DNA barcode regions from the nuclear genome was evaluated in 7 medicinally important Salvia species from the family Lamiaceae. The nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 and the exon 9 – 14 region of low copy nuclear gene WAXY coding for granule-bound starch synthase 1 were tested for their species discrimination ability using distance, phylogenetic, and BLAST-based methods. A novel 2-step PCR method with 2 different annealing temperatures was developed to achieve maximum amplification from genomic DNA. The granule-bound starch synthase 1 region showed higher amplification and sequencing success rates, higher interspecific distances, and a perfect barcode gap for the tested species compared to the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2. Hence, these novel mini-barcodes generated from low copy nuclear gene regions (granule-bound starch synthase) that were proven to be effective barcodes for identifying 7 Salvia species have potential for identification and authentication of other Salvia species.
Comparing students’ evaluations and recall for Student Pecha Kucha and PowerPoint Presentations

Two experiments compared student reaction to and memory of peer presentations using either a fast-paced, images only format (Pecha Kucha) or a traditional PowerPoint presentation. In experiment 1, students saw a prerecorded 5-minute PowerPoint, 10-minute PowerPoint, or 5-minute Pecha Kucha presentation. Students rated the presentation and wrote down main points. One week later students completed an on-line survey. There were no recall differences, but a visual purpose rating was higher for Pecha Kucha. In experiment 2, students watched two presentations (10-minute PowerPoint and 5-minute Pecha Kucha) in a counterbalanced within-subjects design (same procedures used). Although students rated the Pecha Kucha presentation more positively, there were no recall differences. Results suggest Pecha Kucha is a useful student presentation style that maintains similar levels of retention.
Regulation of host gene expression during nodule development in soybeans

The processes leading to the development of the nitrogen fixing root nodule in legumes is highly complex and involves many discrete events. In this symbiotic association between the leguminous plant and bacteria in the genus Rhizobium/Bradyrhizobium, the symbionts are in constant communication, both emitting and responding to a variety of signals that influence the progression of this association. Root nodule development is accompanied by the expression of several host and rhizobial genes. These genes are expressed in a very regulated manner at very distinct developmental stages, suggesting involvement of multiple but distinct induction signals.
The role of science and technology policy in Finland's economic development

Summary form only given. The development of Finland's technology policy from the late 1960s onwards can be divided on the basis of its content into three phases. The same conditions, instruments and operating modes of technology policy appear in each phase. The first phase, which began in the mid-1960s, can be called the period of research policy. The focus during the second phase, which began at the turn of the 1980s, was on the development of technologies and may be referred to as the period of technology policy. The latest innovation policy phase began in the early 1990s. Innovation policy involves both scientific and technological development being examined from the standpoint of innovations, taking account of innovation-promoting factors such as science and technology, and emphasising the perspectives of technology transfer, diffusion and commercialisation. The transition from technology policy to innovation policy was also shaped by economic crisis. At the beginning of the 1990s the Finnish economy experienced a dramatic dive into a deep economic crisis which was much more severe than the recession of the late 1970s. Even if the economic crisis of the early 1990s was exceptionally deep, Finland was already back on a positive growth track by 1994. Behind this sudden upturn was the fast growth of ICT (information and communications technologies) based industries.
Reply [to “Comment on ‘Teaching evolution, the Kansas School Board of Education, and the democratization of science’” The causes of anti‐science views]

I thank R. Stephen White for responding to my Eos Forum article and appreciate the opportunity to have a dialogue with him regarding these issues. He argues that populism is not the primary cause of anti-science thinking. Rather, public sentiment toward science is one of implicit acceptance. Anti-science thinking and actions are cultural anomalies, possibly the result of conservative political activism, religious schooling, or lack of intellectual rigor.
Mega-Systems-the issue of advanced systems development

A new class of software systems, the class of Mega-Systems, is discussed. The class of Mega-Systems includes the categories of Huge Systems, Package Systems, Systems of Systems and Generic Systems. The attributes and the characteristics of Mega-Systems are identified and related to traditional systems. Based on the discussion of these attributes, a new approach for the development of Mega-Systems is proposed. An adaptation of the GenSIF framework is suggested as a general model for the development of all categories of Mega-Systems. >
Pattern search methods for pendant drops: Algorithms for rapid determination of surface tension and surfactant transport parameters

Abstract In this manuscript we introduce algorithms based on the pattern search method that are used to estimate equilibrium surface tension and surfactant transport parameters from pendant drops. The pattern search method is an efficient minimization technique for estimating multiple unknown parameters. To introduce and validate the method for measuring surface tension and transport parameters we use axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA) for pendant drops of aqueous sodium oleate (SO) and aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in mineral oil, along with several other classical data sets from the literature. The data show good agreement with other studies suggesting that the pattern search method may be a robust alternative to gradient based search methods.
Toll‐like receptor 4–dependent Kupffer cell activation and liver injury in a novel mouse model of parenteral nutrition and intestinal injury

Infants with intestinal failure who are parenteral nutrition (PN)-dependent may develop cholestatic liver injury and cirrhosis (PN-associated liver injury: PNALI). The pathogenesis of PNALI remains incompletely understood. We hypothesized that intestinal injury with increased intestinal permeability combined with administration of PN promotes lipopolysaccharide (LPS)–Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling dependent Kupffer cell (KC) activation as an early event in the pathogenesis of PNALI. We developed a mouse model in which intestinal injury and increased permeability were induced by oral treatment for 4 days with dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) followed by continuous infusion of soy lipid-based PN solution through a central venous catheter for 7 (PN7d/DSS) and 28 (PN28d/DSS) days. Purified KCs were probed for transcription of proinflammatory cytokines. PN7d/DSS mice showed increased intestinal permeability and elevated portal vein LPS levels, evidence of hepatocyte injury and cholestasis (serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, bile acids, total bilirubin), and increased KC expression of interleukin-6 (Il6), tumor necrosis factor α (Tnfα), and transforming growth factor β (Tgfβ). Markers of liver injury remained elevated in PN28d/DSS mice associated with lobular inflammation, hepatocyte apoptosis, peliosis, and KC hypertrophy and hyperplasia. PN infusion without DSS pretreatment or DSS pretreatment alone did not result in liver injury or KC activation, even though portal vein LPS levels were elevated. Suppression of the intestinal microbiota with broad spectrum antibiotics or ablation of TLR4 signaling in Tlr4 mutant mice resulted in significantly reduced KC activation and markedly attenuated liver injury in PN7d/DSS mice. Conclusion: These data suggest that intestinal-derived LPS activates KC through TLR4 signaling in early stages of PNALI. (HEPATOLOGY 2012)
An electron-spin-resonance study of polymer interactions with moisture in polyaniline and its derivatives

Abstract Both experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the electronic behavior of polyaniline is sensitively dependent on moisture. For example, pumping under vacuum leads to a decrease in conductivity by an order of magnitude, decreased dielectric constant and increased Curie susceptibility. An understanding of the mechanism of conductivity enhancement and changes in the other properties due to absorbed moisture thus requires better insight into the nature of the absorbed water. It has been known for some time that molecular oxygen, through its magnetic interactions with polarons, broadens the electron-spin-resonance (ESR) signal in polyaniline. Using this property as an ESR probe, we have investigated the role played by water molecules in modifying the electronic properties of polyaniline and related polymers. A number of experiments has been performed which lead us to propose a ‘variable-size metallic island’ model. That is, protonated and highly ordered regions (metallic islands) are separated from unprotonated and amorphous regions by a less ordered region, whose width depends on the amount of moisture present in the sample. The water reduces the width of the boundary region by introducing order and thereby transforming partly localized polarons into either delocalized polarons or bipolarons. It is proposed that the conductivity enhancement is due to increased size of the metallic islands in the presence of moisture. We also show that water molecules are adsorbed at two sites: the N-site and the X-site. Furthermore, the observed ESR behaviors for polyaniline and its derivatives are interpreted as arising from the delocalized versus localized nature of the spins; water plays a crucial role in determining this behavior.
Lunar Multiring Basins and the Cratering Process

Abstract Numerous studies of the lunar gravity field have concluded that the lunar Moho is substantially uplifted beneath the young multiring basins. This uplift is presumably due to the excavation of large quantities of crustal material during the cratering process and subsequent rebound of the impact basin floor. Using a new dual-layered crustal thickness model of the Moon, the excavation cavities of some nearside multiring basins (Grimaldi and larger, and younger than Tranquillitatis) were reconstructed by restoring the uplifted Moho to its preimpact location. The farside South Pole–Aitken (SPA) basin was also considered due to its importance in deciphering lunar evolution. Restoring the Moho to its preimpact position beneath these basins resulted in a roughly parabolic depression from which the depth and diameter of the excavation cavity could be determined. Using these reconstructed excavation cavities, the basin-forming process was investigated. Excavation cavity diameters were generally found to be on the small side of most previous estimates (for Orientale the modeled excavation cavity lies within the Inner Rook Ring). Additionally, with the exception of the three largest basins (Serenitatis, Imbrium, and South Pole–Aitken) the depth/diameter ratios of the excavation cavities were found to be 0.115±0.005, a value consistent with theoretical and experimental results for impact craters orders of magnitude smaller in size. The three largest basins, however, appear to have significantly shallower depths of excavation compared to this trend. It is possible that this may reflect a different physical process of crater formation (e.g., nonproportional scaling), special impact conditions, or postimpact modification processes. The crustal thickness model also shows that each basin is surrounded by an annulus of thickened crust. We interpret this thickened crust as representing thick basin ejecta deposits, and we show that the radial variation in the thickness of these deposits is consistent with scaling laws obtained from small-scale experimental studies. If multiring basins ever possessed a terraced main crater rim, this terraced zone may be presently unrecognizable at the surface due to the emplacement of ejecta deposits that exceed a few kilometers in thickness exterior to the excavation cavity rim. We also show that the interiors of many basins were superisostatic before mare volcanism commenced. Those basins that were closest to approaching a premare isostatic state lie close to or within an anomalous geochemical province rich in heat-producing elements.
Regulation of gene expression by serine/threonine protein phosphatases.

The activation of signal transduction pathways by extracellular stimuli, such as growth factors or hormones, ultimately results in changes in the expression of specific genes. The altered pattern of expression eventually determines the resulting cellular consequences, e.g. cell growth, division, or differentiation. It has been well established that the reversible phosphorylation of proteins is a major regulatory mechanism in these processes. However, while much has been learned about the role of kinases, the involvement of protein phosphatases is less clear and has only recently begun to be investigated in more detail. This review will present some of the new findings that demonstrate a crucial regulatory function of serine/threonine protein phosphatases (PPases) in gene regulatory processes.
Identification of the interaction between the human recombinant histamine releasing factor/translationally controlled tumor protein and elongation factor-1 delta (also known as eElongation factor-1B beta).

The human recombinant histamine releasing factor (HrHRF), also known as translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP), p23 and fortilin, has been described to have both extra- and intracellular functions. To elucidate an extra- or intracellular role for HrHRF, we used the yeast two-hybrid system with HrHRF as the bait and a Jurkat T cell library. We isolated a partial cDNA clone of the human elongation factor-1 delta (EF-1δ) encoding for amino acids 12 to 281. This interaction was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Previously, both HrHRF and EF-1δ have been isolated and identified in association with malignancy in numerous studies. EF-1δ is part of the EF-1 complex responsible for kinetic proofreading in protein synthesis. Additionally, DNA microarray data classifies TCTP (HrHRF) as co-regulated with ribosomal proteins and recent structural analysis of TCTP (HrHRF) relates it to a guanine nucleotide-free chaperone. Our findings of an interaction between HrHRF and EF-1δ taken with some of the recently published information concerning the TCTP (HrHRF) mentioned above suggest a possible intracellular role for TCTP/HrHRF.
XML Security based Access Control for Healthcare Information in Mobile Environment

Mobile and wireless devices have penetrated the health care sector due to their increased functionality, low cost, high reliability and easy-to-use nature. However, in such health care applications the privacy and security of the transmitted information must be preserved. Also different personal involved in the healthcare industry must have different access privileges to the patient information. In this paper we present a protocol that will share the information securely to the intended recipient using the XML encryption and XML signature technologies.
Quantitative Angiography: The Measurement of Coronary Vasomobility in the Intact Animal and Man

Coronary arteriography was performed on 49 dogs and 85 patients before and repeatedly after administration of placebo, nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), utilizing various doses and routes of administration. The cine coronary arteriograms were then carefully measured, frame by frame, during the arterial phase of the injections. The measurements were averaged with the aid of a computer and the changes of coronary artery diameter, when present, were expressed as percentage variations above or below the baseline. This study demonstrated that: (1) the diameter of the coronary arteries can be accurately measured in intact, living subjects; (2) both canine and human coronary arteries exhibit a slow, but appreciable reduction of their diameter, probably associated with inactivity and sedatives or both; (3) both injectable, and oral nitroglycerin and injectable sublingual and oral ISDN are powerful dilators of the large coronary arteries (including the collateral branches when present), occasionally inducing vasodilatation of as much as 163 percent above the pretreated coronary artery diameter.
Review of radial dose measurement technique and data

Abstract Radial dose is the average energy deposited in a short length of cylindrical shell formed between radii r and r + dr, per unit mass. Here, r is the distance perpendicular to the trajectory of an incident charged particle. Radial dose profiles as a function of radial distance forcharged particles have been used to interpret radiobiological data. This article reviews the technique for measuring radial dose distributions and the available data.
Parenting with bipolar disorder: Coping with risk of mood disorders to children

Children of individuals with bipolar disorder (BPD) have increased risk for mood disorders and other adverse psychosocial outcomes due to genetic and environmental risk. Though parents with BPD are aware of increased risk to children, little is known about efforts undertaken in response or their perceived utility. Among parents who self-report with BPD, this study identifies key variables associated with parental coping with children’s risk of mood disorders; and explores the relationship between monitoring children’s moods and perceived coping efficacy. In this U.S. study, active parental coping with, and cognitive distancing from, child’s risk were measured using novel scales. Parents (n=266) who self-identified as having BPD completed a web-based survey. They had at least one unaffected child. Most participants endorsed monitoring their children’s moods. Monitoring was associated with increased perceived control over the child’s well-being (p<0.005), but not feeling less worried. Active parental coping with risk to children was positively associated with active coping with own illness (β=0.25, p=0.001), family history (β=0.24, p=0.001), and self-report of current depression (β=0.16, p=0.037), explaining 13.8% of the variance (F=8.81, p<0.001). Cognitive distancing from the child’s risk was positively associated with confidence in diagnosis (β=0.25, p=0.001), and negatively associated with self-report of current mania (β=−0.19, p=0.007), perceiving BPD as genetic (β=−0.26, p<0.001) and having more children (β=−0.20, p=0.004); explaining 16.2% of the variance (F=8.63, p<0.001). Parents’ adaptation to their own BPD was modestly correlated with active coping with child’s risk (r=0.15, p<.05) but not with cognitive distancing. The findings support the importance of understanding causal attributions and the value of genetic education and counseling for parents with BPD. Further research is necessary to elucidate the psychological benefits of active coping versus cognitive distancing from child’s risk, and explore additional variables that predict parental coping with children’s risk of mood disorders.
ANALYTICAL ASSESSMENT OF AN IRREGULAR RC FRAME FOR FULL-SCALE 3D PSEUDO-DYNAMIC TESTING PART I: ANALYTICAL MODEL VERIFICATION

In this paper, a detailed description of the analytical modelling of a full-scale irregular RC test structure intended for Pseudo-dynamic (PsD) testing is presented. Extensive pre-test assessment was performed to investigate the capacity and dynamic characteristics of the test structure. The use and applicability of static and dynamic analysis methods are discussed. A systematic approach to determine an earthquake scenario for the highly irregular test model was developed which satisfies three criteria: (i) collapse prevention, (ii) severe damage level for the acquisition of data on structural damage and (iii) maximum torsional response. Four pre-test models with different assumptions were compared in addition to the comparison of analytical and experimental results.
Conus perimedullary arteriovenous fistula with intracranial drainage: case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Perimedullary arteriovenous fistulae (AVFs) do not commonly present with subarachnoid hemorrhage or intracranial venous drainage causing neurological symptoms. We present a case with both of these features. The patient was inadvertently treated for an unruptured intracranial aneurysm before his true problem was recognized. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old man presented with sudden-onset lower-extremity weakness, diplopia, nausea, and dysarthria on the day of admission. A lumbar puncture documented subarachnoid hemorrhage, and imaging studies revealed a left middle cerebral artery aneurysm. It was noted during surgery that this aneurysm was unruptured, and the patient did not exhibit improvement after surgery. INTERVENTION: Spinal angiography demonstrated a spinal perimedullary AVF feeding from the left T12 radicular artery; venous drainage extended rostrally into the posterior fossa venous system. The AVF was surgically occluded via a posterior laminectomy at the level of the AVF. After surgery, the patient's symptoms began to abate. CONCLUSION: Conus perimedullary AVFs can have venous drainage that extends as far as intracranial veins, which can lead to confusing clinical findings because the symptoms may suggest an intracranial process, although the lesion is in the spine. Surgeons must be aware of this confusing presentation.
The magnetic field of Mars

The primary objective of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Magnetic Field Investigation, which began in 1997, is to establish definitively the nature of the magnetic field of Mars. Sixteen prior missions to the planet by the United States and the former Soviet Union were not able to answer the fundamental question: Is there a magnetic field of internal origin at Mars as there is on Earth?
Flow cytometric evaluation of the intracellular bacterium, Wolbachia pipientis, in mosquito cells

Conditions for flow cytometric evaluation of the intracellular bacterium, Wolbachia pipientis, in infected mosquito cells are described. This approach will streamline investigation of Wolbachia's interactions with host cells and facilitate identification of culture conditions that select for Wolbachia-infected cells.
Changes in Sexual Values and Their Sources Over the 1st Year of College

The present study identified emerging adults’ self-generated sexual values and sources of sexual values upon entering college and a year later to assess how these values and sources may have changed. Participants included 148 college students (86 women and 62 men) who were 17 to 19 years old at Time 1 (M = 18.1). Generative coding revealed seven thematic sexual values: casual versus relational criteria for sexual intercourse, respect, giving or obtaining consent, pleasure for self and partner, intimacy, trust, and physical safety. Regarding sources of values, participants reported interpersonal, intrapersonal, and societal sources. Analyses revealed few gender differences in sexual values. Valuing casual criteria for sexual intercourse increased in frequency from Time 1 to Time 2 and valuing relational criteria decreased. Peers and dating partners increased in frequency and parents decreased in frequency as sources of sexual values.
Current Prostate Cancer Treatments: Effect on Quality of Life

Patients with prostate cancer (PCa) are presented with multiple therapeutic options. However, the evidence supporting a survival benefit with current PCa therapies is often limited and data directly comparing the available options are lacking. Although dramatic improvements have been made in the treatment methods available for PCa and there has been a decline in death rates for the disease, each active intervention has potential side effects and long-term complications that can adversely affect quality of life (QOL). The cancer diagnosis and management strategies can also negatively affect the QOL of patients and their families. The healthcare costs associated with cancer treatment are another factor to consider. When determining treatment options, patients and physicians should consider the efficacy of the therapy, as well as the safety, effect on QOL, and cost. As a part of a risk reduction strategy, effective screening programs, along with possible therapeutic agents, could have a positive effect on QOL and offer a preemptive benefit to patients at increased risk of PCa.
The development of the Forbush decrease and the geomagnetic storm fields

Abstract Relationships between the development of Forbush decreases and characteristics of associated geomagnetic storm fields are examined. It is shown that the onset of a significant Forbush decrease is more closely related to the development of successive sudden impulses or world-wide geomagnetic micropulsations during geomagnetic storms than to a simple step function-like storm sudden commencement. The magnitude of the main phase decrease shows no obvious relation with the magnitude of the Forbush decrease, as discovered first by Forbush.
Overall signal sequence hydrophobicity determines the in vivo translocation efficiency of a herpesvirus glycoprotein

We have described three mutant strains of Pseudorabies virus that contain mutations in the signal sequence coding region of a nonessential envelope glycoprotein, gIII. The alterations disrupt, truncate, or eliminate the hydrophobic core domain of the signal sequence. Each mutant was assayed for its ability to promote the translocation of gIII across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and the subsequent localization of the mature form of the glycoprotein to the infected cell surface or the virus envelope. Our results confirm and extend findings in other systems that the overall hydrophobicity of the signal sequence core region is a major determinant of translocation efficiency. We were unable to correlate simply the length of the core or the average hydrophobicity of core residues with export efficiency. Because our work involved the use of infectious virus mutants, we were able to identify a virus defect associated with a complete block in gIII export. This defect will facilitate a pseudoreversion analysis of gIII signal sequence function.
Sulfur as a selective ‘soft’ oxidant for catalytic methane conversion probed by experiment and theory

The oxidation of methane to create useful feedstocks is hampered by over-oxidation when using O2. Now a process using gaseous sulfur as a ‘soft’ oxidant for selective conversion to ethylene over metal sulfide catalysts has been developed. Simulations show that both methane activation and ethylene selectivity is linearly correlated with catalyst metal-sulfur bond strength.
Structured programming: fact, fantasy, and future

The criteria for judging the quality of programs have changed along with the changes in what we expect from programs. There have been many attempts to devise methods for producing programs that satisfy the new criteria. Among these attempts, the most generally accepted principles of structured programming are the most rational. But, although they provide an introduction to good programming practices, the principles of structured programming are too narrow in their scope.I will discuss the criteria for program quality, evaluate some of the current methodologies, develop the most reasonable programming strategy, and show the skills required to use it. I will then discuss the means by which these skills are to be gained, and evaluate our capacity to attain them.
40Ar/39Ar and Pb-Pb study of individual hornblende and feldspar grains from southeastern Baffin Island glacial sediments: implications for the provenance of the Heinrich layers

Lead isotope analysis of individual feldspar grains and 40Ar/39Ar analysis of individual hornblende grains from three samples taken from Baffin Island ice-proximal till deposits are consistent with a provenance recording a two-stage geologic history including formation of continental crust in the Late Archean and partial isotopic resetting and (or) reequilibration during major Paleoproterozoic regional metamorphism and magmatism. Significantly, although the populations are small, and the two-stage Archean–Paleoproterozoic history of their sources are similar, the Pb isotope compositions of samples from Baffin Island do not match the results from Heinrich layer H2 in core HU87-033-009 from northeast of the Hudson Strait in the Labrador Sea. Specifically, in H2 samples from HU87-033-009, the 207pb/204pb is high for a given value of 206Pb/204Pb. Additionally, the range in 206Pb/204Pb is greater in HU87-033-009 samples, and there are two distinct trajectories of 208Pb/204Pb. The steeper of the 208Pb/204Pb versus 206Pb/204Pb trends is not seen in the studied Baffin Island glacial sediment samples. Samples of feldspar grains from Heinrich layers H1, H2, H4, and H5 from core V28-82 in the eastern North Atlantic have a 207Pb/204Pb versus 206Pb/204Pb relation similar to that of Baffin Island till samples, but there is also a high 208Pb/204Pb that we have not captured in this suite of glacial sediment samples. Our results highlight the strength of a combined radiogenic isotope approach to characterizing the geological history of sediment sources and provide a first step in assessing the variability in isotope character in this region of dynamic glacial events during the late Quaternary Period.
The Impact of Race on Prostate-Cancer Specific Mortality Among Men With Low-Risk Disease: Potential Implications for Active Surveillance

Purpose/Objective(s): To report the efficacy and toxicity profile of highdose-rate (HDR) interstitial brachytherapy (BRT) as monotherapy in prostate cancer patients (pts) with localized disease. Materials/Methods: Between January 2009 and December 2012 78 patients (pts) with localized prostate cancer (T1 T2c) underwent conformal HDR monotherapy. The mean age of pts was 68 years (range 49-83), mean PSA level and Gleason score were 7,985 ng/ml and 6, respectively. Three fractions of 15Gy were delivered every 3 weeks using an Iridum-192 source and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided treatment planning. Biochemical failure was defined according to the Phoenix consensus. Toxicity was evaluated using EORTC/RTOG scales. Results: The median follow-up time was 20,4 months. The 24and 48month biochemical control and metastases-free survival rates were 98 %, 95 % and 100%, 98%, respectively. Four-year overall survival was 100%. The most common acute urinary symptoms were: urinary urgency, urinary frequency, dysuria and nocturia (G1 50,2% and G2 17,6% of pts). The rectal symptoms (rectal urgency, frequency and tenesmus) were rare (4,3%). No grade 3 and 4 acute toxicities, both of genitourinary and gastrointestinal system, were reported. Two patients developed urethrostenosis needed urological intervention. Conclusions: Our results confirm that HDR-BRT as monotherapy is safe and effective modality for clinically localized prostate cancer. Author Disclosure: D. Kazberuk: None. T. Filipowski: None. A. Szmigiel-Trzcinska: None.M. Niksa: None. D. Hempel: None. B. PancewiczJanczuk: None. W. Nowik: None.
Does the Reverse Golden Section Hold

Recent research has found support for a reverse golden section hypothesis, whereby people rate stigmatized identities negatively 61.8% of the time and positively 38.2% of the time. Two golden section studies were undertaken. The first replicated a previous study in which a reverse golden section pattern was found for people rating homeless and mental patient identities. The second investigated whether the reverse golden section pattern held when mental health practitioners and trainees rated these same identities. The first study confirmed use of a reverse golden section pattern by nonprofessionals in rating homeless and mental patient identities, whereas the second study found that mental health practitioners and trainees did not use such a pattern.
Exponential smoothing of learning curve data

SUMMARY The paper investigates the effect of exponentially smoothing learning curve data plotted in the time constant model form. In the time domain, the result is a smoothed, delayed version, of the raw data. Attenuation of scatter about the trend line is predicted using the z transform method to establish the exponential smoother frequency response. The optimum time shift for trend correction is determined by an analogue method based on the Matsuburu time delay theorem, the result being identical to that obtained using the ‘ equivalent age of data ’ concept. Results for six industrial operators performing light assembly tasks confirm the optimum time delay prediction as judged by the minimization of mean square error criterion, and the frequency response analysis is confirmed on application to a learning curve describing crew performance during a simulated naval underwater mission.
Illusions in modal reasoning

According to the mental model theory, models represent what is true, but not what is false. One unexpected consequence is that certain inferences should have compelling, but invalid, conclusions. Three experiments corroborated the occurrence of such illusions in reasoning about possibilities. When problems had the heading "Only one of the premises is true," the participants considered the truth of each premise in turn, but neglected the fact that when one premise is true, the others are false. When two-premise problems had the heading "One of the premises is true and one is false," the participants still neglected the falsity of one of the premises. As predicted, however, the illusions were reduced when reasoners were told to check their conclusions against the constraint that only one of the premises was true. We discuss alternative explanations for illusory inferences and their implications for current theories of reasoning.
Online measurement system for monitoring ring tool misalignments

A new metrology technique was developed for on-line tool misalignment detection. It is an image based metrology system. It measures surface slope functions from the captured reflected image off the test surface. The measured surface slope function is then used to determine the corresponding tool misalignments in the ring grinding setup for the Opticam surface generator. A prototype detection system was built and tested on-line in the Opticam machine. The experimental results are presented in this paper.
Effects of velocity slip on the elastohydrodynamic lubrication of short, porous journal bearings

Abstract The studies of Beavers and Joseph indicated that velocity slip takes place at the permeable boundary of porous bearings. The purpose of this article is to make an analytical study of a short, porous journal bearing taking into account both the effects of velocity slip at the film-bearing interface and the flexibility of the bearing. An analytical solution for the performance of such bearings is obtained in terms of several parameters involving porosity, slip coefficient, bearing dimensions and speed.
Education for Digitization: How Do We Prepare?.

This paper examines the characteristics and variety of digitization training initiatives in North America and to a lesser extent, Europe, and the growing development of credit-bearing courses and programs within higher education relating to digitization, with a specific focus on librarianship. Information was collected in response to an inquiry posted in late July 2004 on the ARLIS, JESSE, and DIGLIB listservs, supplemented by ongoing perusal of these sources, Web searches, and suggestions from colleagues. It also briefly discusses the benefits and challenges associated with the development of digitized library resources, and the need for greater attention to professional development for those working in digitization.
Cerebral Developmental Abnormalities in a Mouse with Systemic Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Deficiency

Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex (PDC) deficiency is an inborn error of pyruvate metabolism causing a variety of neurologic manifestations. Systematic analyses of development of affected brain structures and the cellular processes responsible for their impairment have not been performed due to the lack of an animal model for PDC deficiency. METHODS: In the present study we investigated a murine model of systemic PDC deficiency by interrupting the X-linked Pdha1 gene encoding the α subunit of PDH to study its role on brain development and behavioral studies. RESULTS: Male embryos died prenatally but heterozygous females were born. PDC activity was reduced in the brain and other tissues in female progeny compared to age-matched control females. Immunohistochemical analysis of several brain regions showed that approximately 40% of cells were PDH−. The oxidation of glucose to CO2 and incorporation of glucose-carbon into fatty acids were reduced in brain slices from 15 day-old PDC-deficient females. Histological analyses showed alterations in several structures in white and gray matters in 35 day-old PDC-deficient females. Reduction in total cell number and reduced dendritic arbors in Purkinje neurons were observed in PDC-deficient females. Furthermore, cell proliferation, migration and differentiation into neurons by newly generated cells were reduced in the affected females during pre- and postnatal periods. PDC-deficient mice had normal locomotor activity in a novel environment but displayed decreased startle responses to loud noises and there was evidence of abnormal pre-pulse inhibition of the startle reflex. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that a reduction in glucose metabolism resulting in deficit in energy production and fatty acid biosynthesis impairs cellular differentiation and brain development in PDC-deficient mice.
Upper-middle-class Influence on Developmental Policy Outcomes: The Case of Transit Infrastructure

Past research on urban economic development has targeted three major lines of inquiry on determinants of policy outcomes. One focuses on the power of political actors engaged in agency processes. Another looks at institutional structure and the third emphasises physical and social 'preconditions' of urban structure. Although heavily researched, none of these approaches has produced conclusive empirical results. In part, this may be due to the research being nearly void of inquiry into the issue of 'indirect social influence'. This paper probes the thesis that variance in economic development outcomes is determined in part by agencies perceiving anonymous publics where no direct interaction is involved. It examines this with reference to an upper-middle-class lifestyle. Using infrastructure investment of 42 transit agencies across the US, regression results show a UMC factor to be more significant in explaining differences in policy outcomes than those of traditional rival theses. The paper concludes with ...
Effects of 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on fungal propagules in freshwater ponds

The effect of treatments with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on fungal propagules in man-made freshwater ponds was studied as part of a larger investigation into the effects of the herbicide on the ponds' ecology and chemistry. Myriophyllum spicatum was planted in the ponds as a target plant; the ponds were allowed to stabilize before being treated with dimethylamine (DMA) and butoxyethylester derivatives of 2,4-D (1 mg/L). Although the 2,4-D treatments were highly toxic to M. spicatum in the ponds (B. F. Scott et al., 1985a) they did not have a clear effect on fungal propagule levels in either the water column or sediment, which indicates the absence of a primary effect. The mean levels of molds and “total fungi” in both pairs of treated ponds, and of yeasts in the DMA-treated ponds, tended to be depressed relative to the control ponds, for up to 114 days after treatment. That observation was reinforced by plots of the accumulated differences between the treated and control ponds. The differences between the mean fungal levels in the control and treated ponds were erratic, however, and the study's design did not permit a thorough statistical analysis of the data, although a multiple comparison test detected some differences (p < 0.05) between propagule levels, particularly molds, in the treated and control ponds. If real, the trends were probably a result of unidentified secondary effects of the pond treatments. The results imply that applications of 2,4-D to aquatic vegetation at realistic rates do not drastically affect fungal propagule levels in the water column or sediment. © 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
An efficient protocol for RFID multigroup threshold-based classification

RFID technology has many applications such as object tracking, automatic inventory control, and supply chain management. They can be used to identify individual objects or count the population of each type of objects in a deployment area, no matter whether the objects are passports, retail products, books or even humans. Most existing work adopts a “flat” RFID system model and performs functions of collecting tag IDs, estimating the number of tags, or detecting the missing tags. However, in practice, tags are often attached to objects of different groups, which may represent a different product type in a warehouse, a different book category in a library, etc. An interesting problem, called multigroup threshold-based classification, is to determine whether the number of objects in each group is above or below a prescribed threshold value. Solving this problem is important for inventory tracking applications. If the number of groups is very large, it will be inefficient to measure the groups one at a time. The best existing solution for multigroup threshold-based classification is based on generic group testing, whose design is however geared towards detecting a small number of populous groups. Its performance degrades quickly when the number of groups above the threshold become large. In this paper, we propose a new classification protocol based on logical bitmaps. It achieves high efficiency by measuring all groups in a mixed fashion. In the meantime, we show that the new method is able to perform threshold-based classification with an accuracy that can be pre-set to any desirable level, allowing tradeoff between time efficiency and accuracy.
New network concepts using electronic hybrid circuit breakers

The electrical power industry forecasts a significant increase in demand of electrical power around the world during the next years. Old distribution and transmission systems are not designed for the load that will be expected only a few years from now. As utilities have a long view on equipment (designed is at least for 30-40 years of normal use), they are starting to request from switchgear manufacturers a viable long term solution. Fault current limiters are now requested by power utilities due to re- regulations in the US and elsewhere. Unfortunately, designs for new FCLs are still in its infancy, but many manufacturers are working on it. Plain electronic FCLs are less sophisticated that fast FCLs hybrid circuit breakers called electronic circuit breakers or e-CB. The DOE awarded a contract to EPRI to develop a 69 kV class Solid State Current Limiter. This program is planned to be completed in 2009. EPRI is subcontracting a prototype of the electronic FCL at 69 kV based on the new SGTO developed by a Pennsylvania company at 3000 A. The prototype is called a SSCL. The ultimate objective is to manufacture an e-CB at 145 kV for world wide applications. The description of the e-CB below shows that private applications on existing substations are already multiple at 15 kV and solutions from the private industry are entertained in the switchgear industry.
Time-delay estimation for deterministic transient signals in a multipath environment

The authors consider the problem of estimating the arrival times of overlapping ocean-acoustic signals from a noisy received waveform which consists of scaled and delayed replicas of a deterministic transient signal. It is assumed that the transmitted signal and the number of paths in the multipath environment are known. Previously developed tools for finding least-squares estimates of the amplitude and time delay of each path are combined to form a complete algorithm. The algorithm is a function of several data-dependent parameters, and rules for choosing these parameters are given. The algorithm is demonstrated on a synthetic four-path example in which the paths cannot be resolved by standard cross-correlation techniques. >
Viability of Sacramento River Winter-Run Chinook Salmon

The winter run of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) on the Sacramento River in Cali- fornia (U.S.A.) was the first Pacific salmon stock to be listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. We de- scribe some of the characteristics of Pacific salmon populations that require special consideration in viability analysis during development of a model specific to the Sacramento River winter run of chinook salmon. Their anadromous, semelparous life history, leads to a special definition of quasi-extinction. Random variability oc- curs primarily in spawning or early life and is reflected in the "cohort replacement rate," the number offu- ture spawners produced by each spawner, a measure consistent with the common practice of characterizing salmon population dynamics in terms of stock-recruitment relationships. We determine the distribution of co- hort replacement rates from spawning abundance data and life-history information. We then show through simulations that replacing this distribution with a lognormal distribution with the same mean and variance has a negligible effect on extinction rates, but that approximating an indeterminate semelparous life history using a determinate semelparous life history leads to inaccurate estimates of extinction rate. We derive delist- ing criteria that directly assess the effects of habitat improvement by explicitly including population growth rate (geometric mean cohort replacement rate ?1.0) in addition to abundance (?10,000 female spawners). These delisting criteria allow for the uncertainty due to limited accuracy in measuring spawner abundance and the finite number of samples used to estimate population growth rate (estimates must be based on at least 13 years of data, assuming spawner abundance is measured wvith less than 25% error). Because the probability of extinction will generally be very sensitive to the uncertainty involved in meeting delisting crite- ria, we recommend that similar uncertainty be accounted for in future recovery criteria for all endangered species.
The Hungarian Status Law and the Specter of Neo-medievalism in Europe

In 2001 Hungary passed ‘the Status Law’, which legally recognized a Hungarian nation that extended into its neighbors. This article argues that the sharp debate across Europe on the law's legitimacy and European efforts to change the law radically are a reaction to the neo-medievalist vision embedded in the law. By setting up overlapping authority over and multiple loyalty of the Hungarian communities in the neighboring states, the law violated carefully crafted and interrelated European norms on individual equality of citizens, state responsibility towards minorities, and the circumstances under which sovereignty can be violated.