cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physical and biological predictors of changes in whole-lung function following thoracic irradiation

Purpose: To develop methods of predicting the pulmonary consequences of thoracic irradiation (RT) by prospectively studying changes in pulmonary function following RT. Methods and Materials: 100 patients receiving incidental partial-lung irradiation during treatment of tumors in or adjacent to the thorax had whole-lung function assessed via symptoms and pulmonary function tests (PFTs: FEV 1 -forced expiratory volume I s; DLCO-diffusion capacity) before and repeatedly 6-48 months following RT. All had computed tomography-based three-dimensional (3D) dose calculations with lung density heterogeneity corrections for dose-volume histogram (DVH) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) calculations. Functional DVHs (DVfH) based on SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) lung perfusion scans, and serial transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β 1 ) levels were available in 50 and 48 patients, respectively. The incidence and severity of changes in whole-lung function were correlated with clinical, physical, and biological factors. Exploratory statistical analyses were performed using chi-square, Pearson correlations, logistic regression, and multiple linear regression. Results: RT-induced symptoms developed in 21 patients. In the overall group, the single best predictor for the development of symptoms was the NTCP (p 30 Gy (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The extent of alteration in whole-lung function (symptoms or PFT changes) appears to be related to both dose-volume and pre-RT PFT parameters. The data suggest that no one variable is likely to be an adequate predictor and that multivariate predictive models will be needed. Additional studies are underway to develop better predictive models that consider physical factors such as the DVH and regional perfusion, as well as biological/clinical factors such as pre-RT PFTs and TGF-β 1 .
Comparison of the spermatogenic and androgenic properties of testosterone propionate with those of pituitary ICSH in hypophysectomized 40-day old male rats.

THE ANTERIOR pituitary control of the reproductive system of the male has commonly been assumed to be exercised through the combined action of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and interstitial cell-stimulating hormone (ICSH). The interstitial tissue (or Leydig tissue) of the testis, and hence indirectly the accessory reproductive organs, were assumed to be stimulated by ICSH, and the germinative components of the testicular tubules by FSH. The injection of folliclestimulating extracts_especially the more purified FSH_has, however, failed to give adequate tubular stimulation to support this concept; likewise, the addition of FSH to pure ICSH has not given the amount of augmentation anticipated. More disturbing still was the discovery of Walsh, Cuyler and McCullagh (1934), since repeatedly confirmed, that testosterone could stimulate the germinal epithelium of the male.
Phenylisoquinolines and Hydroisoquinolines

The synthesis of some derivatives of 5-, 6-, and 7- phenylisoquinoline, 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline, and 1,2,3,4-tetrahy- droisoquinoline aredescribed. Results of preliminary pharma- cological tests are reported.
Some issues in implementing a sequential quadratic programming algorithm

In this note, we consider two of the major issues that have arisen in implementing a sequential quadratic programming (SQP) method for nonlinearly constrained optimization problems (the code NPSOL; Gill et al., 1983). The problem of concern is assumed to be of the form[EQUATION]where F(x) is a smooth nonlinear function, AL is a constant matrix, and c(x) is a vector of smooth nonlinear constraint functions. The matrix AL and the vector c(x) may be empty. Note that upper and lower bounds are specified for all the variables and for all the constraints. This from allows full generality in constraint specification. In particular, the i-th constraint may be defined as an equality by setting li = ui. If certain bounds are not present, the associated elements of l or u can be set to special values that will be treated as - ∞ or +∞.
Youths' and Parents' Views on the Acceptability and Design of a Video-Based Tobacco Prevention Intervention

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acceptability of a brief, video-based parental intervention that modeled parent-child communication about tobacco, delivered within an emergency department (ED) setting. While waiting to be seen by a physician in the ED, 20 parent-youth dyads watched the video together and then private, semi-structured focused interviews were conducted around the “take-home” message and views on the settings, actors, and content of the videos. Dyads agreed that the design, delivery, and content of the video intervention were acceptable, realistic, and useful in providing parental reinforcements about the importance of parent-youth tobacco communication, and the ED was considered to be a good setting for watching the video. Findings support the development and delivery of such an ED intervention and aids in determining content and scenarios for future intervention development.
On the genetics of rosette pattern in guinea pigs

New data on the heredity of rosette pattern in guinea pigs and a critical review of the data ofPictet andFerrero support the conclusions reached in 1916 on the genetics of the major variations of this character.
Thin film, fullerene-based materials

Abstract A review of the literature pertaining to fullerene-based thin film materials is presented. Herein, a fullerene-based thin film material is defined as a thermally evaporated and/or solution cast film, a polymeric film, a Langmuir-Blodgett film, or a self-assembled monolayer.
Assessing the Assumptions Used in Reliability Prediction Modeling

This paper is aimed at improving the reliability of Printed Circuit Board (PCB) in the electronic packaging/manufacturing industry. It summarizes the research done in the area of electronic system reliability, assesses the approaches and assumptions used in the calculation of electronic system failure rates, and proposes a method to calculate the failure rate of the system that does not rely on the assumption of independent failures. The paper starts with an introduction to reliability theory, justifies the role of reliability prediction methods, provides a historical overview, reviews the key models which are currently in use, and presents the proposed algorithm and results. A weighted-rank method is used to find the failure rate dependency (or correlation) between various components.
Lattice dynamics of fcc Ca

A large single crystal of fcc Ca was grown and was used to study the lattice dynamics of this divalent metal by coherent inelastic neutron scattering. The phonon dispersion curves were measured, at room temperature, along the [$\ensuremath{\xi}00$], [$\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremath{\xi}0$], [$\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremath{\xi}$], and [$0\ensuremath{\xi}1$] symmetry directions. The dispersion curves bear a striking resemblance to those of fcc Yb, which is also a divalent metal with an electronic band structure similar to that of Ca. In particular, the shear moduli ${c}_{44}$ and $\frac{({c}_{11}\ensuremath{-}{c}_{12})}{2}$ differ by a factor of 3.4, which implies that fcc Ca (like fcc Yb) is very anisotropic with regard to the propagation of elastic waves. The frequencies of the ${T}_{1}$[$\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremath{\xi}0$] branch for $\ensuremath{\xi}$ between approximately 0.5 and 0.8 are slightly above the velocity-of-sound line determined from the low-frequency measurements. Since a similar effect has been observed in fcc Yb, it is natural to assume that the anomalous dispersion exhibited by the ${T}_{1}$[$\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremath{\xi}0$] branches of these metals is due to an electronic effect. To provide further support for this assumption we have performed a band theoretical calculation of the generalized susceptibility $\ensuremath{\chi}(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{q}})$ of fcc Ca. The results suggest that, for $\ensuremath{\xi}$ between approximately 0.6 and 0.8, there is a relative decrease in the electronic screening of the vibrational motion of the nuclei, which may account for the positive dispersion exhibited by the ${T}_{1}$[$\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremath{\xi}0$] branch in this range of $\ensuremath{\xi}$ values. The data were used to evaluate the elastic constants, the phonon density of states, and the lattice specific heat of fcc Ca.
Personality disorder risk factors for suicide attempts over 10 years of follow-up

Identifying personality disorder (PD) risk factors for suicide attempts is an important consideration for research and clinical care alike. However, most prior research has focused on single PDs or categorical PD diagnoses without considering unique influences of different PDs or of severity (sum) of PD criteria on the risk for suicide-related outcomes. This has usually been done with cross-sectional or retrospective assessment methods. Rarely are dimensional models of PDs examined in longitudinal, naturalistic prospective designs. In addition, it is important to consider divergent risk factors in predicting the risk of ever making a suicide attempt versus the risk of making an increasing number of attempts within the same model. This study examined 431 participants who were followed for 10 years in the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study. Baseline assessments of personality disorder criteria were summed as dimensional counts of personality pathology and examined as predictors of suicide attempts reported at annual interviews throughout the 10-year follow-up period. We used univariate and multivariate zero-inflated Poisson regression models to simultaneously evaluate PD risk factors for ever attempting suicide and for increasing numbers of attempts among attempters. Consistent with prior research, borderline PD was uniquely associated with ever attempting. However, only narcissistic PD was uniquely associated with an increasing number of attempts. These findings highlight the relevance of both borderline and narcissistic personality pathology as unique contributors to suicide-related outcomes.
Effects of pH changes and charge characteristics in the uptake of norepinephrine by synaptosomes of rat brain.

Abstract The pH dependence of the initial uptake of norepinephrine by rat whole brain synaptosomes was studied short incubation times at 37°C in order to examine the possible involvement of the phenolic OH group. The pH vs. uptake profile exhibits a maximum near pH 8.2 in H 2 O medium. When the medium was changed to 2 H 2 O, the profile showed a shift of maximum corresponding to the p K a change of the phenolic OH group. The pH vs. uptake profile of tyramine was quite different from that of norepinephrine. These pH effects on uptake were explained as manifestations of the involvement of the phenolic OH group in the process. The amine and phenolic hydroxyl groups in norepinephrine were studied separately by employing two series of compounds structurally related to catecholamines, amphetamine-like and catechol0like, for their inhibitory effects on the uptake. The inhibitions were affected by changes in pH with changes in opposite directions found for the two series indicating the need for a positive charge in the side chain and suggesting an effect of the negative charge on the ring. These charge characteristics agreed with the pH profile observed in uptake. Consequently, the two groups with opposite charge characteristics in norepinephrine both appear to function in the uptake process.
LOW-TEMPERATURE SPECIFIC HEATS OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, AND HAFNIUM

The specific heats of titanium, zirconium, and hafnium were found to obey the relation $c=\ensuremath{\gamma}T+\ensuremath{\beta}{T}^{3}$ from 1.1 to 4.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K within the experimental error. As in other transition metals, the electronic term is large and for the Group IV-A metals decreases with increasing atomic number indicating a progressively larger degree of electronic interaction in the sequence titanium, zirconium, and hafnium. The Debye temperatures decrease with increasing atomic mass as would be expected from the central-force model; however, the ratio of the Debye temperatures indicate that the average atomic force constant for hafnium is some 50% larger than for titanium and zirconium in agreement with the unusually small atomic volume of hafnium.
The characterization of the alpha-subunits of 7S nerve growth factor.

: The molecular weight of the α-subunit from 7S Nerve Growth Factor was found to be 26,500 by sedimentation equilibrium and by electrophoretic analysis under denaturing conditions of the native and dimethylsuberimidate cross-linked α-subunit. The α-subunit, and each of the individual α-subunits in this preparation, contained one heavy peptide chain of molecular weight 17,200 and one light peptide chain of molecular weight 9500, held together by disulfide bridges. It is likely that the charge differences between the individual α-subunits arise from posttranslational modifications of a parent α-subunit.
Reduced integration for improved accuracy of finite element approximations

Abstract For completeness the finite element bases which are used for approximate solutions of elliptic problems of order 2p by the Ritz method must include the functions corresponding to the constant value of the pth derivative. In actual usage, to ensure a positive definite system of algebraic equations, additional interpolating functions are introduced. This leads to “multiple covering” of some of the system modes and results in overestimation of stiffness. Reduced integration techniques eliminate some of this multiple covering and thereby give improved accuracy. Selective reduced integration has been found useful in the analysis of flexural problems. In this paper we suggest the use of only the minimal covering that is sufficient for convergence. A technique for solution of the discretized system is given. Numerical performance data show remarkable improvement over conventional procedures. The proposed scheme yields good approximation even for very coarse meshes. This indicates the possibility of considerable economy in the cost of obtaining finite element solutions to complex problems, e.g. coupled field problems, three-dimensional problems, stress concentration etc.
Reducing annotation cost and uncertainty in computer-aided diagnosis through selective iterative classification

Medical imaging technology has always provided radiologists with the opportunity to view and keep records of anatomy of the patient. With the development of machine learning and intelligent computing, these images can be used to create Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) systems, which can assist radiologists in analyzing image data in various ways to provide better health care to patients. This paper looks at increasing accuracy and reducing cost in creating CAD systems, specifically in predicting the malignancy of lung nodules in the Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC). Much of the cost in creating an accurate CAD system stems from the need for multiple radiologist diagnoses or annotations of each image, since there is rarely a ground truth diagnosis and even different radiologists' diagnoses of the same nodule often disagree. To resolve this issue, this paper outlines an method of selective iterative classification that predicts lung nodule malignancy by using multiple radiologist diagnoses only for cases that can benefit from them. Our method achieved 81% accuracy while costing only 46% of the method that indiscriminately used all annotations, which achieved a lower accuracy of 70%, while costing more.
Observational learning of a conditional hue discrimination in pigeons

Abstract Three experiments examined a relationship between cooperation and observational learning in pigeons using procedures similar to Skinner (1962) . In Experiment 1, dyads cooperated by searching and pecking nearly simultaneously on the correct pair of adjacent keys of a 2 × 2 matrix. The dyads learned to search for the correct keys in a coordinated fashion, but only if they were permitted to watch one another's performance. Experiment 2 disconfirmed the hypothesis that the coordinated performance of cooperating pigeons reflects an unlearned response tendency to peck at locations close to where the other bird is pecking. Experiment 3 demonstrated that prior cooperation training involving an observer and demonstrator pigeon facilitated subsequent observational learning of a conditional hue discrimination. Cooperation training appeared to facilitate observational learning by establishing the demonstrator's peck response as an instructional stimulus which indicated the reward significance of the discriminative stimuli.
A novel dispersion relation for potential scattering

A dispersion relation for potential scattering is found which holds without restriction on momentum transfer. The price paid for this achievement is that the integral in the relation involves a completely non-physical amplitude. Nevertheless it is shown that in combination with the unitarity condition, the Born series, in the event it converges, is completely determined. The transition to the more customary relation is also carried through.
Mobilization of blood-derived stem and progenitor cells in normal subjects by granulocyte-macrophage- and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factors.

BACKGROUND: It was previously reported that the combination of granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM–CSF) and granulocyte-CSF (G–CSF) for 4 days mobilized more primitive CD34+ subsets than did either G–CSF or GM–CSF alone. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The studies determine the optimal number of days of growth factor dosing for mobilization and collection of peripheral blood progenitor cells, by increasing the days of administration of GM–CSF and/or G–CSF or employing the sequential administration of GM–CSF followed by G–CSF. Sixty normal subjects were given injections of G–CSF or GM–CSF alone; GM–CSF and G–CSF concurrently for 4, 5, or 6 days; or a sequential regimen of GM–CSF for 3 or 4 days followed by G–CSF for 2 or 3 days. A 10-L apheresis was performed 24 hours after the last dose. RESULTS: The three most efficacious mobilization regimens consisted of sequential GM–CSF for 3 days followed by G–CSF for either 2 or 3 days and G–CSF alone for 5 days. Each of these regimens resulted in the collection of significantly greater numbers of CD34+ cells by apheresis than any of the 4-day dosing regimens with G–CSF and/or GM–CSF (sequential GM–CSF/G–CSF: 3 days/2 days = 3.58 ± 0.53 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg; GM–CSF/G–CSF: 3 days/3 days = 4.45 ± 1.08 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg; G–CSF: 5 days = 3.58 ± 0.97 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg; all p < 0.05 vs. G–CSF and/or GM–CSF for 4 days). Clonogenic assays generally paralleled the level of CD34+ cells. Regimens containing GM–CSF resulted in a higher percentage of the cells from primitive CD34+/CD38–/HLA-DR+ subset than G–CSF alone. CONCLUSION: Compared with 4-day dosing regimens with G–CSF and/or GM–CSF, mobilization of CD34+ cells in normal subjects using sequential GM–CSF for 3 days followed by G–CSF for 2 or 3 days or using G–CSF alone for 5 days increased the number CD34+ cells that can be collected by a single 10-L apheresis 24 hours after the last dose of cytokine.
Effects of combining public assistance and employment on mothers and their young children

SUMMARY One goal of recent welfare reform legislation is to move welfare-dependent mothers with young children into the paid labor force. However, prior to the new legislation, many welfare-dependent women were already engaged in employment activities. In this paper we examine whether child or maternal well-being is influenced by a mother's strategy of combining work and public assistance receipt in the late 1980s. Measures of well-being include children's cognitive test scores and behavior problems, parenting behavior, and maternal mental health, social support, and coping strategies collected when children were 2 ½ to 3 years of age. Data from the Infant Health and Development Program (a sample of low birthweight, premature infants born in 8 sites in 1985) were used to identify low-income families (incomes under 200% of the poverty threshold; N = 525). Comparisons were made among mothers in the following groups: (a) Work Only, (b) Some Work-Some Welfare, (c) Some Work-No Welfare, (d) No Work-No Welfare,...
Light-Regulated Stomatal Aperture in Arabidopsis

The stomatal pores of plant leaves, situated in the epidermis and surrounded by a pair of guard cells, allow CO2 uptake for photosynthesis and water loss through transpiration. Blue light is one of the dominant environmental signals that control stomatal movements in leaves of plants in a natural environment. This blue light response is mediated by blue/UV A light-absorbing phototropins (phots) and cryptochromes (crys). Red/far-red light-absorbing phytochromes (phys) also play a role in the control of stomatal aperture. The signaling components that link the perception of light signals to the stomatal opening response are largely unknown. This review discusses a few newly discovered nuclear genes, their function with respect to the phot-, cry-, and phy-mediated signal transduction cascades, and possible involvement of circadian clock.
Nonlinear capacitance of ionic polymer-metal composites

Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) form an important category of electroactive polymers. In this paper, a nonlinear, physics-based model is proposed for IPMC actuators. A key component in the proposed model is the nonlinear capacitance of IPMC, demonstrated by the nonlinear relationship between an applied step voltage and the induced charge. A nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) is fully considered in analytical derivation of the capacitance of IPMC. The nonlinear capacitance is incorporated into a circuit model, which includes additionally the pseudo capacitance, the ion diffusion resistance, and the nonlinear DC resistance of the polymer. The model is verified in experiments.
TCDD exposure disrupts mammary epithelial cell differentiation and function.

Mammary gland growth and differentiation during pregnancy is a developmental process that is sensitive to the toxic effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). TCDD is a widespread environmental contaminant and a potent ligand for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). We demonstrate reduced β-casein protein induction in mouse mammary glands and in cultured SCp2 mammary epithelial cells following exposure to TCDD. SCp2 cells exposed to TCDD also show reduced cell clustering and less alveolar-like structure formation. SCp2 cells express transcriptionally active AhR, and exposure to TCDD induces expression of the AhR target gene CYP1B1. Exposure to TCDD during pregnancy reduced expression of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin in the mammary gland and decreased phosphorylation of STAT5, a known regulator of β-casein gene expression. These data provide morphological and molecular evidence that TCDD-mediated AhR activation disrupts structural and functional differentiation of the mammary gland, and present an in vitro model for studying the effects of TCDD on mammary epithelial cell function.
Orbitofrontal Cortex Mediates Outcome Encoding in Pavlovian But Not Instrumental Conditioning

Previous studies have implicated the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in outcome encoding. However, it remains unknown whether the OFC is selectively involved in pavlovian stimulus-outcome learning or whether it also contributes to instrumental action-outcome learning. In experiment 1, we investigated this issue by assessing the effects of bilateral lesions of the OFC on the sensitivity of instrumental lever press performance to a reduction in the incentive value of the training outcome (a test of action-outcome encoding) and to outcome-specific pavlovian-instrumental transfer (a test of stimulus-outcome encoding). We found that post-training lesions of the OFC did not affect instrumental outcome devaluation, but abolished the transfer effect. Interestingly, lesions made before training had no effect on either task. In experiment 2, we explored the involvement of the OFC in updating stimulus-outcome associations after the underlying contingency, or predictive relationship, between these two events has been degraded. Shams displayed clear contingency learning, withholding conditioned responding to a stimulus that no longer reliably predicted its outcome while continuing to respond to a control stimulus that remained a good predictor of a different outcome. In contrast, OFC-lesioned rats stopped responding to both stimuli, regardless of their predictive status. Together, these findings suggest that the OFC supports outcome encoding in pavlovian, but not instrumental conditioning.
Thermochemical hydrogen production via a cycle using barium and sulfur: Reaction between barium sulfide and water☆

The reaction between barium sulfide and water, a reaction found in several sulfur based thermochemical cycles, was investigated kinetically at 653-866 C. Gaseous products were hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide. The rate determining step for hydrogen formation was a surface reaction between barium sulfide and water. An expression was derived for the rate of hydrogen formation.
Handle and Comfort Properties of Woven Fabrics Made from Random Blend and Cotton-Covered Cotton/Polyester Yarns

Two identically constructed cotton/polyester fabrics, one made from polyester staple core/cotton-covered yarn and the other from a random blend yarn, were evaluated for their low-stress mechanical properties and hand quality, following the objective hand evaluation approach developed by Kawabata. Heat energy dissipation through the fabrics under dry and wet contact conditions and their warm-cool contact sensations were measured using Kawabata's new "Thermolabo Device." Comparison of the low- stress mechanical properties revealed that the fabric made of polyester-core/cotton covered yam is more resilient to tensile and compressive deformation and has higher bending rigidity, lower tensile elongation, and lower shear modulus. The same fabric also gives higher values for all four primary hand qualities and for total hand quality associated with a men's summer suit application. For a women's thin dress application, it gives higher values for five out of the six primary hand qualities. It also offers a cooler ...
Variations in maternal narrative styles during book reading interactions

The present study examined the narrative styles of Spanish-speaking Peruvian and English-speaking U.S. American, college-educated mothers as they shared a wordless book with their three-year old children. Results show two distinct book reading narrative styles: Storytellers, who act as the sole narrator of an engaging story with minimal child participation, and storybuilders, who co-construct the story with their young children. The two maternal styles are discussed in relation to possible differences in conceptions of oral narrative and of the roles narrator and audience play in the construction of a story. Results of the present study have implications for literacy intervention programs in culturally diverse populations.
Establishing Response and Stimulus Classes for Initiating Joint Attention in Children with Autism.

Abstract The absence of the fundamental skill of initiating joint attention reflects the social-communicative impairment characterizing autism. Initiating joint attention is related to social and communication development as well as intervention outcomes for children with autism. A behaviorally based intervention was used to teach an expanded class of responses for initiating joint attention consisting of combinations of nonverbal and verbal forms. The class of stimuli was also expanded to include routine activities involving a diverse array of events that occasion joint attention initiations during interactions with both adults and peers. The importance of addressing sophisticated forms of initiating joint attention within the context of a variety of stimuli ensuring children with autism possess skills similar to their typically developing peers is discussed.
Efficient LTL compilation for SAT-based model checking

This work describes an algorithm of automata construction for LTL safety properties, suitable for bounded model checking. Existing automata construction methods are tailored to BDD-based symbolic model checking. The novelty of our approach is that we construct deterministic automata, unlike the standard approach, which constructs nondeterministic automata. We show that the proposed method has significant advantages for bounded model checking over traditional methods.
T Cell Regulatory Circuitry: Antigen-Specific and TCR-Idiopeptide-Specific T Cell Interactions in EAE

(1993). T Cell Regulatory Circuitry: Antigen-Specific and TCR-Idiopeptide-Specific T Cell Interactions in EAE. International Reviews of Immunology: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 287-297.
Humanitarian attitudes in the early animal experiments of the royal society

(1968). Humanitarian attitudes in the early animal experiments of the royal society. Annals of Science: Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 227-238.
Using magnetic permeability bits to store information

Steps are described in the development of a new magnetic memory technology, based on states with different magnetic permeability, with the capability to reliably store large amounts of information in a high-density form for decades. The advantages of using the permeability to store information include an insensitivity to accidental exposure to magnetic fields or temperature changes, both of which are known to corrupt memory approaches that rely on remanent magnetization. The high permeability media investigated consists of either films of Metglas 2826 MB (Fe40Ni38Mo4B18) or bilayers of permalloy (Ni78Fe22)/Cu. Regions of films of the high permeability media were converted thermally to low permeability regions by laser or ohmic heating. The permeability of the bits was read by detecting changes of an external 32 Oe probe field using a magnetic tunnel junction 10 μm away from the media. Metglas bits were written with 100 μs laser pulses and arrays of 300 nm diameter bits were read. The high and low permeability bits written using bilayers of permalloy/Cu are not affected by 10 Mrad(Si) of gamma radiation from a 60Co source. An economical route for writing and reading bits as small at 20 nm using a variation of heat assisted magnetic recording is discussed.
Retrieving implicit positive meaning from negated statements

This paper introduces a model for capturing the meaning of negated statements by identifying the negated concepts and revealing the implicit positive meanings. A negated sentence may be represented logically in different ways depending on what is the scope and focus of negation. The novel approach introduced here identifies the focus of negation and thus eliminates erroneous interpretations. Furthermore, negation is incorporated into a framework for composing semantic relations, proposed previously, yielding a richer semantic representation of text, including hidden inferences. Annotations of negation focus were performed over PropBank, and learning features were identified. The experimental results show that the models introduced here obtain a weighted f-measure of 0.641 for predicting the focus of negation and 78 percent accuracy for incorporating negation into composition of semantic relations.
CO(2) Imaging with Saturated Planar Laser-Induced Vibrational Fluorescence.

We present new vibrational (infrared) planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging techniques for CO2 that use a simple, inexpensive, high-pulse-energy transversely excited atmospheric CO2 laser to saturate a CO2 absorption transition at 10.6 µm. Strong excitation by use of a CO2 laser provides increased signal levels at flame temperatures and simplifies image interpretation. Because rotational energy transfer and intramodal vibrational energy transfer are fast, vibrational distributions can be approximated by use of a simple three-temperature model. Imaging results from a 425 K unsteady transverse CO2 jet and a laminar coflowing CO/H2 diffusion flame with temperatures near 1500 K are presented. If needed, temperature-insensitive signal levels can be generated with a two-laser technique. These results illustrate the potential for saturated infrared PLIF in a variety of flows.
Use of seismoscope records to determine ML and peak velocities

More information about ground motion can be extracted from seismoscope records than a single point on a response spectrum. To demonstrate this, the relation between seismoscope response and Wood-Anderson instrument output and peak horizontal ground velocity has been studied by simulating the various responses for a range of distances and magnitudes. The simulations show that the relation used by Jennings and Kanamori (1979) to convert from peak seismoscope readings to the peak response of a Wood-Anderson instrument has a distance- and magnitude-dependent systematic error. The error is negligible, however, for modern seismoscopes at distances of a few tens of kilometers. At several hundred kilometers, the relation underestimates the Wood-Anderson response by as much as a factor of two. The spread in Jennings and Kanamori's estimate of ML for the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, recorded on seismoscopes having relatively low natural frequencies (0.26 and 0.5 Hz), is reduced by the results in this paper—the upper value, from a seismoscope in Carson City, Nevada, at 290 km from the fault, going from ML = 7.2 to ML = 7.0 and the lower value, from Yountville, California ( R ≈ 60 km), going from about 6.3 to 6.4. About 0.3 units of the remaining spread may be due to local geologic site conditions. If the 0.3 units is distributed equally between the Yountville and Carson City recordings, the estimates of ML for the San Francisco earthquake then become 6.5 and 6.8, somewhat lower than Jennings and Kanamori's final estimates of 6 3 4 to 7. Although the error in using the relation of Jennings and Kanamori to estimate Wood-Anderson response was at most a factor of 1.6 for the 1906 earthquake, the error can be substantially larger for smaller earthquakes recorded on similar low frequency seismoscopes. The relation between Wood-Anderson and seismoscope response used by Jennings and Kanamori can be combined with an empirical relation between peak horizontal velocity and Wood-Anderson response to predict peak velocity from seismocope recordings. The simulations show that this relation ( v max = 8.1 Awa , where v max is the peak horizontal velocity in centimeters/second and Awa is one-half the range of the Wood-Anderson motion in meters) forms a lower bound for estimates of peak velocity from seismoscope recordings. The relation is good for stations within about 100 km of earthquakes with moment magnitudes of about 4.5 to 6.5, and it underestimates peak velocity by factors up to 2 or 3 for larger earthquakes at distances within 100 km. An application of the simulation method to the 1976 Guatemala earthquake (moment magnitude = 7.6) results in 37 cm/sec as a lower bound to v max, with 66 cm/sec as a more likely value, from the seismocope recording in Guatemala City (approximately 25 km from the Motagua fault).
A counterexample to a conjecture of Harrison and Wein

For two station closed queueing networks, Harrison and Wein (1990) studied a reflected Brownian motion approximation of the network and arrived at a conjecture for an explicit formula for the asymptotic loss of any buffer priority policy. Here, we show by explicit solution of two examples that this formula is not correct if the network is unbalanced, even though the networks are efficient. However, if the example networks are balanced, the true asymptotic loss agrees exactly with the conjecture. Thus, while dispelling the conjecture for the general unbalanced case, the examples bolster the evidence for the conjectured form in the balanced case.
Pharmacokinetics and Radiation Dosimetry of 18F-Fluorocholine

18F-Fluorocholine (fluoromethyl-dimethyl-2-hydroxyethylammonium [FCH]) has been developed as an oncologic probe for PET. This study evaluates the kinetics and radiation dosimetry of 18F-FCH using murine and human biodistribution data. Methods: The biodistribution of 18F-FCH was obtained at time points up to 10 h after administration in control and tumor-bearing anesthetized nude mice. Human biodistribution data within the first hour after injection were obtained from attenuation-corrected whole-body PET scans of male (n = 7) and female (n = 5) cancer patients. Radiation dosimetry estimates were calculated using the murine and human biodistribution data assuming no redistribution of tracer after 1 h. Results: Rapid pharmacokinetics were observed for 18F-FCH in mice and humans. The biodistribution is nearly static after 10 min. The dose-critical organ is the kidney, which receives 0.17 ± 0.05 and 0.16 ± 0.07 mSv/MBq (0.64 ± 0.18 and 0.55 ± 0.32 rad/mCi) for females and males, respectively. The effective dose equivalent (whole body) from administration of 4.07 MBq/kg (0.110 mCi/kg) is approximately 0.01 Sv for females and males. Conclusion:18F-FCH is rapidly cleared from the circulation and its biodistribution changes very slowly at >10 min after administration. The kidney is the dose-critical organ and limits administration levels of 18F-FCH to 4.07 MBq/kg (0.110 mCi/kg) in human research studies.
Proof of the antithetic-variates theorem for unbounded functions

The method of antithetic variates introduced by Hammersley and Morton (2) is one of the most widely used Monte Carlo techniques for estimating an unknown parameter θ. The basis for this method was established by Hammersley and Mauldon(l).in the case of unbiased estimators with the form where each of the variates ξ j is required to have a uniform marginal distribution over the unit interval [0,1]. By assuming that n = 2 and that the g j are bounded Borel functions, Hammersley and Mauldon showed that the greatest lower bound of var ( t ) over all admissible joint distributions for the variates ξ j can be approached simply by arranging an appropriate strict functional dependence between the ξ j . Handscomb(3) extended this result to the case of n > 2 bounded antithetic variates g j (ξ j ). In many experiments involving distribution sampling or the simulation of some stochastic process over time, the response functions gry are unbounded. This paper further extends the antithetic-variates theorem to include the case of n ≥ 2 unbounded antithetic variates g j (ξ j ) each with finite variance.
An Agent-Driven, P2P Architecture to Enable Communities of Interests, Resource Discovery, Access, and Sharing

Ontologies are enabling the development of new object discovery and information retrieval on the Internet. We propose a user driven, ontology-based overlay architecture to enable communities of interest (Col) for structured resource access and knowledge sharing between users of similar interests. In this paper, we describe the overlay network architecture to support the basic functionalities of a Col. The basic tenet of this architecture is the use of ontologies to represent objects in order to enable semantic resource discovery and retrieval which reflect the interest of the user within a specific community. Three advertising and retrieval schemes, namely aggressive, crawler-based and minimum-cover-rule, are discussed and investigated using an emulation-based experimental framework. The results show that the minimum-cover-rule scheme exhibits higher performance than the other two schemes
Endoscopy for upper GI cancer screening in the general population: a cost-utility analysis

Background Colon cancer screening with colonoscopy is an accepted strategy; however, there are limited data regarding the cost-effectiveness of screening for upper GI cancers (esophageal adenocarcinoma with its premalignant precursor Barrett's esophagus, esophageal squamous cell cancer, gastric adenocarcinoma) in the United States. Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of screening the general population for upper GI cancers by performing an upper endoscopy at the time of screening colonoscopy. Design Decision analysis. Setting Third-party-payer perspective with a time horizon of 30 years or until death. Patients This study involved 50-year-old patients already undergoing screening colonoscopy. Intervention Comparison of two strategies: performing and not performing a screening upper endoscopy at the time of screening colonoscopy. Main Outcome Measurements Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Results One-time screening for the general population at the age of 50 for upper GI cancers required $115,664 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) compared with no screening or surveillance. A strategy of screening and surveillance for Barrett's esophagus required only $95,559 per QALY saved. In 1-way sensitivity analyses, the prevalence rates of esophageal adenocarcinoma, esophageal squamous cell cancer, or gastric adenocarcinoma would have to increase by 654%, 1948%, and 337%, respectively, to generate an ICER of less than $50,000 per QALY. Limitations Omission of premalignant conditions for squamous cell cancer and gastric adenocarcinoma. Conclusion The ICER for screening the general population for upper GI cancers with endoscopy remains high, despite accounting for reduced endoscopy costs and the combined benefits of detecting early esophageal adenocarcinoma, esophageal squamous cell cancer, and gastric adenocarcinoma. However, the ICER compares favorably with commonly performed screening strategies for other cancers.
Resistance to Cyprodinil and Lack of Fludioxonil Resistance in Botrytis cinerea Isolates from Strawberry in North and South Carolina.

Fernandez-Ortuno, D., Chen, F., and Schnabel, G. 2013. Resistance to cyprodinil and lack of fludioxonil resistance in Botrytis cinerea isolates from strawberry in North and South Carolina. Plant Dis. 97:81-85. Chemical control of gray mold of strawberry caused by Botrytis cinerea is essential to prevent pre- and postharvest fruit decay. For more than 10 years, the anilinopyrimidine (AP) cyprodinil and the phenylpyrrole fludioxonil (Switch 62.5WG) have been available to commercial strawberry producers in the United States for gray mold control. Both active ingredients are site-specific inhibitors and, thus, prone to resistance development. In this study, 217 single-spore isolates of B. cinerea from 11 commercial strawberry fields in North and South Carolina were examined for sensitivity to both fungicides. Isolates that were sensitive (53%), moderately resistant (30%), or resistant (17%) to cyprodinil were identified based on germ tube inhibition at discriminatory doses of cyprodinil at 1 and 25 mg/liter at 10 of the 11 locations. None of the isolates was fludioxonil resistant. Phenotypes that were moderately resistant or resistant to cyprodinil were not associated with fitness penalties for mycelial growth rate, spore production, or osmotic sensitivity. Detached fruit assays demonstrated cross resistance between the two AP fungicides cyprodinil and pyrimethanil, and that isolates that were characterized in vitro as moderately resistant or resistant were equivalent in pathogenicity on fruit sprayed with pyrimethanil (currently the only AP registered in strawberry as a solo formulation). This suggests that the in vitro distinction of moderately resistant and resistant isolates is of little if any field relevance. The absence of cross-resistance with fludioxonil, iprodione, cycloheximide, and tolnaftate indicated that multidrug resistance in the form of multidrug resistance phenotypes was unlikely to be involved in conferring resistance to APs in our isolates. Implications for resistance management and disease control are discussed.
The Feasibility of Creating an Item Bank from a Teacher-Made Test, Using the Rasch Model.

This study focussed on the feasibility of creating an item bank for a teacher-made test. Procedures for investigating reliability and validity at the level of the individual item are illustrated. The results indicated that the prospect of creating useful item banks for teacher-made tests would be favorable, given consistent instructional techniques and careful attention to item construction. In addition, a procedure for establishing criterion-referenced grading is discussed.
Optimal Fed-Batch Operation for Recombinant Cells with Segregational Plasmid Instability

Complete analyses of optimal solutions of fed-batch fermentation are provided for recombinant product maximization for free and fixed final times and constant and variable yield coefficients when t...
Prediction of equilibrium shapes and pedestal heights of solder joints for leadless chip components

The reliability of solder joints for surface mount components is closely related to the joint shape and "pedestal" (stand-off) height, i.e., the thickness of the fillet that separates the metallized surface of the component from the pad on the circuit board. In this paper, an analysis is presented to predict the profiles and pedestal heights of equilibrium solder joints that attach surface mount components to printed circuit boards. The common case of two-dimensional (2-D) joints with negligible solder density effects is considered. A criterion is also derived that represents the minimum critical volume of solder required to produce a "theoretically nonzero pedestal height", below which the model is inapplicable. The critical solder volume produces a convex joint. The criterion suggests that if a 2-D joint is concave and within the model simplifications, force equilibrium cannot exist on a component at a positive pedestal height. Extensions to cases in which solder density effects are significant are also discussed. The analysis results in a system of coupled nonlinear algebraic equations which are solved numerically. The sensitivity of joint shape and pedestal height to geometric and physical parameters is examined. Comparisons between the theory and experiment show good agreement.
New Resolving Power Test Chart

A new resolving power test chart has been made that embodies the features outlined by Dr. Gardner in an earlier report. A contact print of this chart is made with the aid of a small distant light source and a specially shaped diaphragm moving over the chart at constant speed. The final test chart has a continuous variation in contrast from one end of the target line to the other. This chart is to be used to determine the variation of resolving power with contrast for a given lens with a single exposure. The long lines of the target make it especially suitable for microphotometric examination of the final test images, thus bringing closer an objective method of determining the resolving power of a photographic lens.
Nonlinear mechanisms of filamentation in broad-area semiconductor lasers

There are three nonlinear mechanisms that can lead to filamentation in broad-area semiconductor lasers: gain-saturation-induced changes in the refractive index through the linewidth-enhancement factor, self-focusing due to heat-induced index changes, and self-defocusing through intensity-dependent index changes in the cladding layer. We present a theoretical model to analyze these mechanisms and their relative roles in destabilizing the laser output. We find that there exists a critical value for the linewidth-enhancement factor below which broad area lasers are stable for wide stripe widths (as wide as 250 /spl mu/m) and high pumping levels (as high as 20 times threshold). We also find that broad-area lasers are less susceptible to filamentation through self-defocusing and show how an intensity-dependent index in the cladding layer may be used to suppress filamentation caused by the linewidth-enhancement factor.