cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of processing conditions on apparent viscosity and system parameters during extrusion of distiller's dried grains-based snacks.

A combination of different levels of distillers dried grains processed for food application (FDDG), garbanzo flour and corn grits were chosen as a source of high-protein and high-fiber extruded snacks. A four-factor central composite rotatable design was adopted to study the effect of FDDG level, moisture content of blends, extrusion temperature, and screw speed on the apparent viscosity, mass flow rate or MFR, torque, and specific mechanical energy or SME during the extrusion process. With increase in the extrusion temperature from 100 to 140°C, apparent viscosity, specific mechanical energy, and torque value decreased. Increase in FDDG level resulted in increase in apparent viscosity, SME and torque. FDDG had no significant effect (p > .5) on mass flow rate. SME also increased with increase in the screw speed which could be due to the higher shear rates at higher screw speeds. Screw speed and moisture content had significant negative effect (p < .05) on the torque. The apparent viscosity of dough inside the extruder and the system parameters were affected by the processing conditions. This study will be useful for control of extrusion process of blends containing these ingredients for the development of high-protein high-fiber extruded snacks.
A Tamao–Fleming oxidation route to dipeptides bearing N,O-acetal functionality

Abstract Tamao–Fleming oxidation of the N-dimethylphenylsilylmethyl group linked to the nitrogen of a peptide bond enables access to dipeptide N,O-acetal functionality. The N-silylmethyl functionality serves as a latent form of the N,O-acetal which is revealed after peptide bond construction.
Situational HIV stigma and stimulant use: A day-level autoregressive cross-lagged path model among HIV-positive gay and bisexual men.

Abstract Background Data on the association between HIV stigma and drug use are scarce, but some research suggests that internalized HIV stigma may be associated with increased drug use and that this association may be at least partially mediated by emotion dysregulation. We sought to test this hypothesis with event-level data to more accurately tease out the co-occurrence of these phenomena. Methods We conducted a 21-day, twice-daily ecological momentary assessment study with a sample of 52 HIV-positive gay and bisexual men. We utilized multivariate multilevel path analysis to test an autoregressive cross-lagged model of the direct and indirect effects of situational-level internalized HIV stigma and emotion dysregulation on non-prescription stimulant drug use. Results As hypothesized, we observed significant concurrent effects of internalized HIV stigma on emotion dysregulation as well as autoregressive associations of internalized HIV stigma and emotion dysregulation with themselves across the day. Furthermore, findings revealed direct effects of internalized HIV stigma on later emotion dysregulation and increased likelihood of stimulant use, but no direct effect of emotion dysregulation on stimulant use. Conclusions Situational increases in internalized HIV stigma appear to exert a direct risk-enhancing effect on the likelihood of daily stimulant drug use and do not appear to do so through emotion dysregulation. Future research is needed to more carefully examine distinct affective experiences and regulation strategies to better understand what mechanism links internalized HIV stigma with drug use behaviors.
IgG half-molecules: clinical and immunologic features in a patient with plasma cell leukemia

The clinical manifestations and immunologic features of a patient with plasma cell leukemia who produced k, IgG half-molecules are described. His serum contained both 7S myeloma protein and 4.3S half-molecules, whereas his urine contained predominantly half-molecules. The half-molecules were discovered because the serum and urine formed double precipitin lines when analyzed by commercially available IgG radial immunodiffusion plates that contained antibodies to determinants on both the Fab and Fc fragments. Immunoelectrophoresis also revealed double precipition lines with such antisera. In contrast, when antisera specific for the IgG Fc fragment were used, the serum showed only a single line formed by intact IgG, and the urine failed to react, indicating that the half-molecule was antigenically deficient in the Fc fragment. The half-molecule consisted of one covalently linked heavy and light chain, both having about normal molecular weights, suggesting that they did not have a large deletion which could have caused the half-molecule production. Comparison of the clinical manifestations of the patient with those of four other known patients who produced half-molecules suggested that half-molecule formation is not associated with a distinct clinical syndrome.
Freedom and the Value of Games

This essay explores the features in virtue of which games are valuable or worthwhile to play. The difficulty view of games holds that the goodness of games lies in their difficulty: by making activities more complex or making them require greater effort, they structure easier activities into more difficult, therefore more worthwhile, activities. I argue that a further source of the value of games is that they provide players with an experience of freedom, which they provide both as paradigmatically unnecessary activities and by offering opportunities for relatively unconstrained choice inside the ‘lusory’ world that players inhabit.
Diffusion of agricultural information within social networks: Evidence on gender inequalities from Mali

Abstract Social networks are an important mechanism for diffusing information when institutions are missing, but there may be distributional consequences from targeting only central nodes in a network. After implementing a social network census, one of three village-level treatments determined which treated nodes in the village received information about composting: random assignment, nodes with the highest degree, or nodes with high betweenness. We then look at how information diffuses through the network. We find information diffusion declines with social distance, suggesting frictions in the diffusion of information. Aggregate knowledge about the technology did not differ across targeting strategies, but targeting nodes using betweenness measures in village-level networks excludes less-connected nodes from new information. Women farmers are less likely to receive information when betweenness centrality is used in targeting, suggesting there are important gender differences, not only in the relationship between social distance and diffusion, but also in the social learning process.
Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist Confidence Index

Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist confidence in the Bay Area entrepreneurial environment rose in the final quarter of 2017. The upward change in direction of sentiment was levered to increasing amounts of available funding to support entrepreneurs working to introduce breakthrough technologies that aim to transform industries and change the trajectory of business. Macroeconomic metrics, particularly those tied to recent changes in corporate tax policy, also suggest a dynamic business environment where more corporate resources may be deployed to the development and acquisition of innovation. Record public stock market valuations also provide corporations a richer share currency to acquire innovation, thus providing additional exit opportunities and incentives for entrepreneurs and their venture capital backers.
Cancer Theranostics with Carbon-Based Nanoplatforms

Theranostics, integrating both therapy and diagnosis into a single platform, opens up new prospects for personalized medicine and diagnostic therapy for individual patients. Carbon nanomaterials are desirable nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics, because of their unique physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. Most of these materials, such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carbon dots, have intrinsic near-infrared (NIR) optical absorbance that can allow for photothermal ablation of tumors. Meanwhile, they can also be visualized with multiple techniques such as photoacoustic imaging and NIR photoluminescence/fluorescence. In addition, the high aspect ratio and surface area of these carbon nanomaterials can facilitate the attachment of various theranostic moieties, such as imaging labels (radioisotopes, fluorescent dyes, etc.), targeting ligands (peptides, antibodies, etc.), therapeutic agents (drug, genes, etc.), as well as various polymers (e.g., polyethylene glycol) to enhance their water solubility and biocompatibility. This chapter summarizes the current state-of-the-art of cancer theranostics with carbon nanomaterials, detailing their unique characteristics which may revolutionize cancer treatment and patient management.
The CLIOSjre Process: A Flexible Multicriteria, Multistakeholder Decision Framework for Transportation Planning under Uncertainty:

Transportation investments determine the long-term success or failure of a transportation provider. It is therefore vital for decision makers to have an in-depth understanding of the alternatives available before they choose to invest. However, often, the process of evaluating alternatives is lengthy, costly, and contentious, particularly for transportation infrastructure investment decisions that are large, complex, and interconnected with other economic development and sustainability goals. Furthermore, transportation investments involve many decision makers, each with different priorities and expertise. Therefore, there is a need for transparent, accurate, flexible, and practicable decision-making aids that can handle the complex challenges facing the decision-making bodies of transportation providers and planning organizations. This paper introduces a new decision aid—the CLIOSjre Process—that combines insights from multicriteria decision analysis, multistakeholder negotiation theory, and uncertainty ...
Ovariectomy without Obesity and Obesity without Hyperadipocytocity: Supermarket Dietary and Ovariectomy-induced Obesities compared in Weanlings and Adult Rats

Supermarket diet (SMD) and/or ovariectomy (OVEX) administered to weanling rats produced delayed excess weight and elevated obesity indices, but via different mechanisms. Only in the SMD groups was there excess body fat. Also supporting the conclusion that there are separate mediating mechanisms, the treatments were found to be additive in respect to body weight, and each procedure elicited excess body weight with a different temporal delay. When these same manipulations were administered to adult rats OVEX again elicited excess body weight and elevated obesity indices that overestimated the actual percent body fat. The treatments given to weanlings had opposing influences upon adipocyte number, OVEX preventing and SMD tending to stimulate proliferation. Identical treatments given to adults had no effect upon adipocyte number, which supports the concept of a critical age for regulation of adipocyte number. Nevertheless, high adipocyte number did not potentiate obesity and low adipocyte number did not impede obesity.
Scheler’s Perspectivism and Life

My aim here is to explore the relevance of Scheler’s perspectivism to the theme of life in his thought. From time to time I have reexamined Scheler’s theory under the influence of the new forms of relativism grouped under the catch-all term, “post-modernism.” What has struck me is the importance of trying to clarify and rethink this situation so that in academic and other public discourses we might avoid misconstruing or even demonizing various positions. Scheler’s position, while not always clear, constitutes an early effort to think through the problem of relativism. The current vogue comes primarily, it would appear, from Nietzsche’s usage where perspectivism represents the equivalent of a radical, skeptical (and for some, pernicious) relativism. Perspectivism is opposed, by Nietzsche, to a single, changeless meaning “in-itself “ as in repeated passages like the following: “Is meaning not necessarily relative meaning and perspective?” or “... it (knowledge) has no meaning behind it but countless meanings, — ‘perspectivism.’”1 The implication is that we are cut off from reality by our own perspective on it. It is amplified by linguistic positions in which, e.g., truth is described as an “army of metaphors.” Nietzsche’s perspectivism may indeed, as Danto and others have pointed out, entail a positive metaphysical position — one that describes the world as consisting of points of origin for perspectives.
Exploring Data-driven Worked Examples for Block-based Programming

Empirical studies show that worked examples (WEs) are effective in improving students' learning efficiency in a variety of domains. I aim to create and evaluate data-driven intelligent WEs for novices using the Snap! block-based programming environment. First, I will design and evaluate WEs with self-explanation prompts in Snap!. Then I will develop a data-driven method to generate WEs based on student solutions and compare it with manually-curated WEs.
Associations between Classroom Language Composition, Teacher Social-Emotional Support, and Dual Language Learning Preschoolers' Social Behavior.

This secondary analysis explored longitudinal associations between the concentration of shared-language peers and the development of prosocial and problem behavior in dual language learning (DLL) p...
Multiplexed tunable holographic phase masks for generation of vortex beams (Conference Presentation)

Vortex beams with different helical modes are used for optical computing, free space optical communications, laser machining, and micro manipulating. We demonstrate holographic vortex phase masks produced in photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass. PTR glass is a photosensitive silicate glass that enables permanent refractive index change after UV exposure and thermal development. It is extensively used for recording of volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) and phase masks. A master phase mask is recorded by exposure of a PTR glass plate to UV radiation with a spatial intensity profile produced by a digital micromirror device. It provides a proper phase profile in a transmitted UV beam. This master phase mask is placed in one of the legs of an interferometer used for recording of a transmitting volume Bragg grating (VBG). Therefore, an additional phase profile is holographically encoded into the VBG resulting in the same phase profile in a diffracted beam. Such a device is a holographic phase mask (HPM) that enabled two exceptional features. First, it is tunable and could be used for different wavelengths. Second, holograms in PTR glass could be multiplexed and several HPMs could be fabricated in the single volume of glass. Owing to exceptionally low absorption of PTR glass and high thermal stability of holograms, holographic phase masks recorded in PTR glass can be used for mode conversion of high power laser beams. Such multiplexed HPM can split an incident Gaussian beam into several diffracted beams with different modes encoded.
Association between access to social service resources and cardiometabolic risk factors: a machine learning and multilevel modeling analysis

Objectives Interest in linking patients with unmet social needs to area-level resources, such as food pantries and employment centres in one’s ZIP code, is growing. However, whether the presence of these resources is associated with better health outcomes is unclear. We sought to determine if area-level resources, defined as organisations that assist individuals with meeting health-related social needs, are associated with lower levels of cardiometabolic risk factors. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Data were collected in a primary care network in eastern Massachusetts in 2015. Participants and primary and secondary outcome measures 123 355 participants were included. The primary outcome was body mass index (BMI). The secondary outcomes were systolic blood pressure (SBP), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). All participants were included in BMI analyses. Participants with hypertension were included in SBP analyses. Participants with an indication for cholesterol lowering were included in LDL analyses and participants with diabetes mellitus were included in HbA1c analyses. We used a random forest-based machine-learning algorithm to identify types of resources associated with study outcomes. We then tested the association of ZIP-level selected resource types (three for BMI, two each for SBP and HbA1c analyses and one for LDL analyses) with these outcomes, using multilevel models to account for individual-level, clinic-level and other area-level factors. Results Resources associated with lower BMI included more food resources (−0.08 kg/m2 per additional resource, 95% CI −0.13 to −0.03 kg/m2), employment resources (−0.05 kg/m2, 95% CI −0.11 to −0.002 kg/m2) and nutrition resources (−0.07 kg/m2, 95% CI −0.13 to −0.01 kg/m2). No area resources were associated with differences in SBP, LDL or HbA1c. Conclusions Access to specific local resources is associated with better BMI. Efforts to link patients to area resources, and to improve the resources landscape within communities, may help reduce BMI and improve population health.
Influence of subsidies and promotional strategies on outcomes in a beneficiary-based commercial weight-loss programme.

To determine whether initial engagement, continued participation, and weight loss vary by subsidy and promotional strategies in a beneficiary-based, commercial weight-loss programme. We conducted a retrospective analysis of data from 2013 to 2016. Our dependent variables included initial engagement (≥1 calls; ≥2 weights), coach calls and weight change. Our independent variables were subsidy strategy (total subsidy (n = 9) vs cost sharing (n = 3)) and combination of promotional-subsidy strategies (mixed campaign + total subsidy (n = 6) vs mass media + total subsidy (n = 3)). We used logistic and linear regression analyses adjusted for beneficiary factors and clustering by organization. From 12 participating organizations, 26 068 beneficiaries registered of which 6215 initially engaged. Cost sharing was associated with significantly greater initial engagement as compared to total subsidy (OR 3.73, P < 0.001); however, no significant between-group differences existed in calls or weight change. Mass media + total subsidy group had significantly greater calls and weight loss at 12 months compared to mixed campaign + total subsidy (-2.6% vs -1.8%, P = 0.04). Cost sharing may promote greater initial engagement, although does not contribute to better participation or weight loss relative to total subsidy. If organizations elect total subsidy, then pairing this strategy with a mass media campaign may promote greater participation and weight loss among beneficiaries.
History of Zebrafish Research

Abstract Why did zebrafish become an important biomedical model? Here I review the background and history leading to the popularity of zebrafish as a genetic model for investigating vertebrate embryonic development and preview how zebrafish research has expanded into other areas.
Incorporating economy hardware into a computer design and architecture course

Adding hardware to a course in Computer Design and Architecture has a number of challenges. These challenges include an already crammed computer science curricula, costs associated with the hardware and a lack of interest among some computer science students. Presented here is an approach to overcome these challenges by carefully selecting the hardware used and providing the proper amount of scaffolding. By doing so, it is possible to successfully incorporate economy hardware into a single semester course on Computer Design and Architecture targeted for computer science students. In particular, the approach makes use of and extends students' prior knowledge of HDL through a HDL-to-VHDL syntax translator. This eases to process of designing synthesizable circuits which can be implemented on field programmable gate arrays. In addition to the syntax translator, several tutorials, videos and on-line resources have been developed to aid students through the construction of their own designs. These resources allow students to implement their own projects with limited guidance. Sample student projects include a 7-segment display decoder and simple arithmetic unit.
Shared neural recruitment across working memory and motor control tasks as a function of task difficulty and age.

Past research suggests that working memory (WM) and motor control may engage similar cognitive and neural mechanisms in older adults, particularly when task difficulty increases. However, much of t...
Chapter 3 – Packaging and Sterilization of UHMWPE

Publisher Summary Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) components for total joint replacement (TJR) are packaged and sterilized before the external distribution to the clinic. The choice of packaging and sterilization method falls within the purview of the implant designer. Although the implant designer is responsible for selecting the packaging and sterilization methods for a particular type of orthopedic component, the actual packaging and sterilization processes themselves may be amenable to outsourcing. A wide range of choices is currently available to the implant designer for packaging and sterilization of the UHMWPE implants. There are many types of barrier packaging currently in use by the orthopedic industry. The details about current packaging systems for orthopedic components are proprietary; however, it consists of evacuating the air from the packaging and backfilling with an inert gas. When sterilized using gamma radiation, UHMWPE components are contained in a barrier package with a reduced oxygen environment. Gas plasma and ethylene oxide-sterilized implants are packaged in gas-permeable packaging to allow access of the sterilizing medium to the UHMWPE surface.
Technical Perspective: Checking Invariant Confluence, In Whole or In Parts

Never make a promise - you may have to keep it. - Neil JordanDatabase systems were known to provide strong consistency guarantees. As an example, database textbook defines the ACID guarantees as "four important properties of transactions to maintain data in the face of concurrent access and system failures" [2]. Beyond atomicity, consistency, and durability, the "I" in ACID is loosely defined as "Users should be able to understand a transaction without considering the effects of other concurrently executing transactions, even if the DBMS interleaves the actions of several transactions for performance reasons" [2]. In the resulting model called serializable execution, each transaction operates like it has the database to itself, and the result of running a set of transactions is equivalent to some serial execution of these transactions.
AIDS in Connecticut

In order to understand the epidemiology of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Connecticut, it is important to review the demographic features that underlie the manner in which the data have been analyzed.
The Cross-Sectional Variation of Stock Prices

In this paper, I decompose prices over a set of 21 variables across seven categories. I test a firm-specific version of the Campbell and Shiller (1988b) model against these categories and show expected returns and change in cash-flows explain 5% or less of modeled price variation while an often-ignored time-series constant explains over 70%. Approximately 50% to 70% of modeled cross-sectional variation is explained by efficient market variables, with the remainder explained by market frictions. I find institutional ownership and share repurchases show a significant ability in the cross-section to explain next-period prices, while transaction costs and some traditional market risk-factors fail to translate well to a price setting.
A prosocial manipulation produces increases in positive affect and prosocial behavior, including those high in borderline traits

Abstract This study examined the effects—on mood and subsequent prosocial behavior—of a prosocial behavioral manipulation in individuals who varied in levels of borderline personality disorder traits. Female undergraduate participants (n = 230) were randomly assigned to either write an encouraging letter to a person experiencing hardship (“prosocial” condition) or to write a letter describing their typical day (control condition). Baseline measurements of mood were taken and compared with those obtained postmanipulation. Subsequent prosocial behavior was measured in two laboratory tasks. As expected, participants in the prosocial condition experienced more positive mood and more prosocial behavior after the manipulation, compared to the control manipulation, regardless of their level of borderline traits.
Supervised Bayesian learning for breast cancer detection in terahertz imaging

Abstract This paper proposes a supervised multinomial Bayesian learning algorithm for breast cancer detection using terahertz (THz) imaging of freshly excised murine tumors. The proposed algorithm utilizes a multinomial Bayesian probit regression approach, which establishes the link between THz data and classification results by using two different models, a polynomial regression model and a kernel regression model. Such a model-based learning approach employs only a small number of model parameters, thus it requires much less training data when compared with alternative deep learning methods. The training phase of the algorithm is performed by using the histopathology results of formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) samples as ground truth. There is usually a considerable shape mismatch between the freshly excised sample and its FFPE counterpart due to sample dehydration, and such mismatch negatively impacts the quality of the training data. We propose to address this challenge by using an innovative reliability-based training data selection method, where the reliability of the training data is quantified and estimated by using an unsupervised expectation maximization (EM) classification algorithm with soft probabilistic output. Experiment results demonstrate that the proposed multinomial Bayesian probit regression models with reliability-based training data selection achieve better performance than existing methods. Overall, these results demonstrate that the proposed supervised segmentation models represent a promising technique for the region detection with THz imaging of freshly excised breast cancer samples.
Ebselen Not Only Inhibits Clostridioides difficile Toxins but Displays Redox-Associated Cellular Killing

Ebselen, a reactive organoselenium compound, was shown to inhibit toxins TcdA and TcdB by covalently binding to their cysteine protease domains. It was suggested that ebselen lacked antimicrobial activity against Clostridioides difficile. However, this perception conflicts with C. difficile having essential cysteine-containing enzymes that could be potential targets and the reported antimicrobial activity of ebselen against other species. Hence, we reevaluated the anti-C. difficile properties of ebselen. Susceptibility testing revealed that its activity was either slightly reduced by pyruvate found in Wilkins-Chalgren agar or obliterated by blood in brucella agar. In brain heart infusion (BHI) agar, ebselen inhibited most C. difficile strains (MICs of 2 to 8 μg/ml), except for ribotype 078 that was intrinsically resistant (MIC = 32 to 128 μg/ml). Against C. difficile R20291, at concentrations below its minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC), 16 μg/ml, ebselen inhibited production of toxins and spores. Transcriptome analysis revealed that ebselen altered redox-associated processes and cysteine metabolism and enhanced expression of Stickland proline metabolism, likely to regenerate NAD+ from NADH. In cellular assays, ebselen induced uptake of cysteine, depleted nonprotein thiols, and disrupted the NAD+/NADH ratio. Taken together, killing of C. difficile cells by ebselen occurs by a multitarget action that includes disrupting intracellular redox, which is consistent with ebselen being a reactive molecule. However, the physiological relevance of these antimicrobial actions in treating acute C. difficile infection (CDI) is likely to be undermined by host factors, such as blood, which protect C. difficile from killing by ebselen. IMPORTANCE We show that ebselen kills pathogenic C. difficile by disrupting its redox homeostasis, changing the normal concentrations of NAD+ and NADH, which are critical for various metabolic functions in cells. However, this antimicrobial action is hampered by host components, namely, blood. Future discovery of ebselen analogues, or mechanistically similar compounds, that remain active in blood could be drug leads for CDI or probes to study C. difficile redox biology in vivo.
Leukoencephalopathy Following Combines Therapy of Central Nervous System Leukemia and Lymphoma

We report a form of disseminated necrotizing leukoencephalopathy observ. d. in five children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma, who receiv. d. systemic chemotherapy, brain radiation, and intrathecal (IT) methotrexate, cytosine arabinoside and hydrocortisone because of meningeal tumor involvement. Three children developed a progressive neurologic disease at the end of IT therapy or shortly thereafter. The lesions consisted in discrete, apparently coalescent foci of coagulative necrosis in the white matter, with a remarkable absence of inflammatory cells, little or no tissue breakdown, and striking axonal swellings. The adjacent tissue showed status spongiosus and moderate astrocytic hypertrophy. Vascular lesions were few and inconstant.
FDG PET CT for the evaluation of primary & secondary pancreatic malignancies in children

531 Objectives To identify & characterize findings on FDG PET CT of pancreatic involvement in pediatric patients (pts) with malignancies. Methods Pts with pancreatic tumors who underwent FDG PET/CT examinations were identified by an institutional database search. Whole body FDG PET/CT scans were acquired ~1 hr after injection of 0.15mCi/kg 18F-FDG (min 2, max 12). SUVmax was determined by ROIs placed on the tumors. Contrast enhanced CT scans were reviewed for comparison. Results 15 pts had pancreatic involvement (primary n=3, metastatic n=12). Primary tumors were pancreatoblastoma, adenocarcinoma, & solid-pseudopapillary tumor. In the 1st pt, FDG PET CT was useful in demonstrating liver metastases at diagnosis and pulmonary metastases following extensive organ transplantation. In the 2nd pt, FDG PET CT was useful in demonstrating liver metastases & directing biopsy. In the 3rd pt, FDG PET CT confirmed absence of disease following resection. 12 pts (6 ♂, 6 ♀, age 1-22 years) had secondary pancreatic involvement: osteosarcomas (n=3), Burkitt lymphomas(n=3), other NHL (n=2), rhabdomyosarcomas (n=2), malignant rhabdoid tumor (n=1) & Ewing sarcoma (n=1). 7 of the 12 presented with pancreatic metastases, & 5 developed pancreatic involvement from disease progression. Metastases to the pancreas were hypermetabolic assisting use of FDG PET/CT for response evaluation. All pancreatic involvement was confirmed on anatomic imaging. SUVmax ranged from 4.1 to 21.1. Conclusions Pancreatic involvement in malignant diseases in children is uncommon. Unlike adults, tumors in the pancreas usually represent metastases. FDG PET CT is useful for the evaluation of pediatric patients with malignancies involving the pancreas, assisting in selection of sites for biopsy, determination of response to therapy, & search for metastatic disease. Research Support Methodist University of Tennessee Department of Radiology and ALSAC (American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities)
Oxidative degradation of bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)dithiophosphinic acid in nitric acid studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Samples of bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)dithiophosphinic acid (Cyanex-301) were analyzed using direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Positive ion spectra of standard and stereo-pure acids displayed ions typical of the unmodified compound, cationized monomeric and dimeric cluster ion species. In addition, a significant ions 2 u less than the dimeric clusters were seen, that correspond to an oxidatively coupled species designated Cyx2 that is observed as H- or Na-cationized species in the electrospray analyses. Based on uncorrected ion intensities, Cyx2 is estimated to account for about 20% of the total in the standard materials. When samples that were contacted with 3 M HNO3 were analyzed, the positive ion spectrum consisted nearly entirely of ions derived from the oxidatively coupled product, indicating that the acid promotes coupling. The negative ion spectra of the standard acids consisted nearly entirely of the conjugate base that is formed by deprotonation of the acids, and cluster ions containing multiple acid molecules. The negative spectra of the HNO3-contacted samples also contained the conjugate base of the unmodified acid, but also two other species that correspond to the dioxo- and perthio- derivatives. It is concluded that HNO3 contact causes significant oxidation, forming at least three major products, Cyx2, the perthio-acid,more » and the dioxo-acid.« less
Entanglement of a pair of atomic qubits near a carbon nanotube

We investigate the entanglement of quasi-one-dimensional atomic polariton states formed by atoms (ions) located close to or encapsulated inside carbon nanotubes and strongly coupled to the nanotube virtual photonic modes. Small-diameter metallic nanotubes are shown to result in sizable amounts of two-qubit atomic entanglement, which persists with no damping for very long times.
Antiguided VCSELs and VCSEL phase-locked arrays

Coherent emission from the surface makes vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) very attractive light sources for many applications. As an efficient means to increase the coherent output power from a large emission aperture, antiguided structures have been studied for the last few years. Antiguides have demonstrated high-power, single-mode operation, from edge-emitting lasers and, more recently, have been implemented in VCSELs. The advantage of an antiguide structure is that it provides strong lateral radiation losses, which are highly-mode dependent, thus filtering out higher-order spatial modes In addition, a large index-step provides for mode stability against carrier- and thermally-induced index variations. This paper discusses recent developments of large aperture antiguided VCSELs; simplified antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (S-ARROW-type) VCSELs and two-dimensional phase-locked antiguided VCSEL arrays. Both structures are fabricated by a selective chemical etching process and two-step MOCVD growth.
Chemical Anatomy of Dorsal Root Ganglion Cells

The term “chemical anatomy” indicates cells that contain enough neuroactive material or express enough receptors to be identifiable by virtue of these markers. This field has exploded in the last few years.
Diagnostics and Prediction of Anomalous River Discharge in Northern South America

Abstract The annual cycles of rainfall and river discharge in northern South America are dominated by the seasonal latitude migration of the intertropical convergence zone. The catchments in the west (Madden. Magdalena and Orinoco) have their high stands between August and December, while those of the Guyanas (Cuyuni, Essequibo, Suriname, Maroni and Oyapock) peak between May and July. Anomalously abundant discharge is in almost all catchments (except Orinoco) associated with the high SO phase (defined by anomalously high/low pressure at Tahiti/Darwin), weakened Caribbean tradewinds. and accelerated cross-equatorial southerly flow over the eastern Pacific. In a series of experiments a sharp distinction was kept between a “dependent” dataset (1940–70, or the part available in the river series) used as training period and an “independent” portion of the record (1971–87) reserved for prediction. Stepwise multiple regression models for bimonthly “seasons” used as input river discharge as regressand, and as reg...
Effects of proteolytic enzymes on structural and mechanical properties of cartilage.

Cartilage has a great capacity to resist compressive force. This quality is related to its unique composition of proteinpolysaccharide in a mesh-work of collagen fibers. Although cartilage is not grossly altered in appearance in vitro by incubation with enzymes which can deplete proteinpolysaccharide, it becomes less stiff and more flexible. When slices of canine cartilage were incubated in 0.1M Tris-HCl, pH 7.6, 37°C, without prior freezing or addition of detergents, they spontaneously lost 60% of proteinpolysaccharide by the third day without concomitant loss of collagen. Specimens incubated with trypsin were depleted of 75% proteinpolysaccharide by the first 24 hours and, over a 1-week period, 20% of the collagen, although less than 2% was released during the last 2 days of incubation. Bacterial collagenase resulted in loss of approximately 9% of the total collagen during each day's incubation for 1 week, but the proteinpolysaccharide depletion followed a curve similar to controls. Functional studies, measuring strain under load, indicated that during 24-hour incubations of cartilage treated with trypsin or hyaluronidase these samples had much more evidence of strain than did collagenase-treated specimens. The latter lost actual thickness, however, while the trypsin-treated samples and controls remained the same size, suggesting that collagen has the primary role in determining form of cartilage and may be capable of significant water binding in the absence of proteinpolysaccharide. It is proposed that measurement of compressibility of articular cartilage is a suitable index of its effective proteinpolysaccharide content, and the total volume or thickness can be diminished only by agents capable of removing collagen.
A model for the seismic reliability assessment of electric power transmission systems

A comprehensive model to evaluate the seismic reliability of electric power transmission systems is presented. The model provides information on the probability of structural failure of critical equipment at the major substations, from which the corresponding probabilities of power disruption to a given service area are determined. With the proposed methodology earthquake ground motions are defined as stochastic processes, and seismic capacities of electrical equipment are determined on the basis of available test data and simple modeling, from which fragility functions of critical equipment and specific substations are developed. Probabilities of power disruption resulting from network disconnectivity and abnormal power flow are assessed through Monte Carlo simulation. As a case study, the proposed model is applied to the electric power network in San Francisco and vicinity under the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and the probabilities of power interruption are contrasted with the actual power failures observed during that earthquake.
Effects of crop residues in soil on phymatotrichum root rot of cotton

The effects of cropping pea or barley and the decomposition of their residues on Phymatotrichum root rot of cotton were studied for five years. Little or no changes occurred in pH, content of carbon or moisture in the soil, but there were significant increases in populations of competitive microflora. Best control was obtained in infested soil which was cropped to either pea or barley in winter or in soil which received the higher tonnage of Papago pea plants. Reduction in incidence of root rot may be attributed to premature germination of overwintering propagules making hyphae vulnerable to the chemicals of decomposition and to competition of microflora in the soil.
Tenderness of broiler breast fillets from carcasses treated with electrical stimulation and extended chilling times

Postmortem electrical stimulation (ES) (450 V, 450 mA, 2 s on, 1 s off for five pulses) has been shown to decrease the toughness associated with early deboning. Most studies involving this system have been concerned with obtaining "acceptable" tenderness in fillets deboned at about 1 h postmortem, the time of carcass exit from an immersion chiller. However, the effects of ES combined with deboning at 2 h postmortem needs to be evaluated because some processors are considering extended immersion chilling and those already using air chilling require approximately 2 h for this process. Two 32-bird trials were conducted to compare tenderness in broiler breast fillets from ES-treated carcasses deboned at 1 and 2 h postmortem and fillets from control (C) carcasses deboned at 1 and 4 h postmortem. The Allo-Kramer shear value means of ES-2 h and C-4 h fillets were not different from each other and were significantly lower than that of the ES-lh fillets, which was significantly lower than the C-lh fillets. There was no significant difference among treatments associated with thaw loss or cook loss. The ES-2 h, ES-1 h, and C-4 h samples had significantly higher R-values and lower pH values than the C-1 h samples, indicating more advanced rigor development. These results indicate that deboning fillets from ES-treated carcasses at 2 h postmortem yields meat with a tenderness equivalent to the value reached with 4 h aging on the carcass. This is a 50% reduction in the time needed to achieve this level of tenderness.
A Quaternion Framework for Color Image Smoothing and Segmentation

In this paper, we present feature/detail preserving models for color image smoothing and segmentation using the Hamiltonian quaternion framework. First, we introduce a novel quaternionic Gabor filter (QGF) which can combine the color channels and the orientations in the image plane. We show that these filters are optimally localized both in the spatial and frequency domains and provide a good approximation to quaternionic quadrature filters. Using the QGFs, we extract the local orientation information in the color images. Second, in order to model this derived orientation information, we propose continuous mixtures of appropriate exponential basis functions and derive analytic expressions for these models. These analytic expressions take the form of spatially varying kernels which, when convolved with a color image or the signed distance function of an evolving contour (placed in the color image), yield a detail preserving smoothing and segmentation, respectively. Several examples on widely used image databases are shown to depict the performance of our algorithms.
Optimal Balanced-Energy Formation Flying Maneuvers

Spacecraft formation flying has recently been proposed and examined in the space systems community as a promising alternative to monolithic and often large space structures. Optimal balanced-energy control of such distributed space systems potentially increases their lifetime and can serve as an important baseline in mission feasibility studies. In this paper, an optimal balanced-energy control strategy for two- and three- spacecraft distributed space systems is proposed. Along the way, we will delineate relevant mission scenarios in deep space, as well as those that operate in Earth's gravitational sphere of influence. Simulation results demonstrating the ramifications of our theoretical analysis are also provided.
Photoinduced electron transfer quenching of rhodamine B in polymer films

Abstract Photoinduced electron transfer reactions of rhodamine B with several redox quenchers in solution-cast films of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) have been investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy. The quenching of the rhodamine B fluorescence has been used to examine the efficiency of photo-induced electron transfer in a rigid amorphous polymer matrix. The data obtained show that the electron transfer efficiency is a function of the free energy of the transfer and depends on the redox potential of the quencher. The data are analyzed using theories of electron transfer in solid media and are correlated with the redox potentials of the quenchers to derive the distance dependence of the excited state transfer. Photoinduced electron transfer between rhodamine B and both donor and acceptor quenchers in the cast polymer films is observed to occur at distances of up to about 15 A for this system.
Relation of lower hematocrit to progression from asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction to symptomatic heart failure (from the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction Prevention trial).

The relation between hematocrit and progression from asymptomatic left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction to symptomatic heart failure (HF) was examined in 2,821 patients from the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction Prevention trial. Patients in the lowest hematocrit quartile (hematocrit ≤40%) were at increased risk for the development of HF symptoms (hazard ratio [HR] 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37 to 2.34), first HF hospitalization (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.52 to 3.62), and death or the development of HF symptoms (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.99) compared with patients in the highest hematocrit quartile (hematocrit >46%).
Six Sigma: A goal-theoretic perspective

Abstract Six Sigma is a phenomenon that is gaining wide acceptance in industry, but lacks a theoretical underpinning and a basis for research other than “best practice” studies. Rigorous academic research of Six Sigma requires the formulation and identification of useful theories related to the phenomenon. Accordingly, this paper develops an understanding of the Six Sigma phenomena from a goal theoretic perspective. After reviewing the goal theory literature, these concepts, when applied to Six Sigma, suggest some propositions for future research. This paper can help serve as a foundation for developing scientific knowledge about Six Sigma.
SU‐FF‐I‐87: High Frequency Ultrasound To Monitor Murine Orthotopic Bladder Cancer Model : An Alternative To Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Purpose: The study of human bladder cancer is often performed using subcutaneous xenograft models. But, a more relevant model is the orthotopic approach where tumors are grown in their native host environment. Studying the growth kinetics of these intraabdominal tumors is much more difficult as they are not accessible for caliper measurements. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of high frequency ultrasound(US)imaging as an efficient and time saving alternative to magnetic resonance(MR) in longitudinal monitoring of an orthotopic bladder cancermodel.Method and Materials: Eleven athymic nude mice underwent orthotopic injection of 10 6 253‐J B‐V cells into their bladder walls. MRimaging was performed weekly on a 4.7 T small animal MRscanner (Bruker Biospin). Axial T1 weighted spin‐echo and T2 weighted fast spin‐echo acquisitions (TR: 700ms,TE: 8.5ms,FOV: 4.0cm × 3.0cm,Matrix:256 × 192,duration:45–50 minutes) were performed. 3D US data (step size:0.25mm, range:12mm, duration:5–10 minutes) was collected using a Vevo 660 (Visualsonics) system operating at 40 MHz. Tumor size at necropsy was measured with a caliper, and volume calculated with the formula π 6 (a×b×c) , where a, b, c are the tumor dimensions. Results: The MR volume measurements were made from the fused T1 and T2 images, as done in previous experiments. Two independent observers made the MR and US measurements. There was very good correlation between the MR and 3D US volume measurements with Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.987 (p<0.05). The correlation between the US volume and the specimen measurements was 0.793 (p<0.05). Conclusion: High frequency ultrasound can effectively monitor murine intraabdominal tumor growth. It is a cheaper and faster modality than CT and MR. Extensions of this technology in the future could include orthotopic injections under US guidance, Power Doppler and harmonic imaging with microbubbles for evaluation of tumor vascularity.