cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THERMAL AND CATALYTIC REGENERATION OF DIESEL PARTICULATE TRAPS

Thermal and catalytic techniques for regenerating particulate traps were assessed. The thermal technique used a burner which heated engine exhaust to the ignition temperature of the particulates to achieve over 90% regeneration effectiveness. HC, CO and particulate emissions resulting from combustion of particulates and burner exhaust were 25 to 50% of the allowable vehicle emissions for one CVS cycle. The fuel consumed by the burner was 9% of the fuel consumed by a vehicle over one CVS cycle. Problems with burner nozzle clogging, ignition reliability, trap durability and control system requirements were identified. In the catalytic technique, diesel fuel containing .5 gm/gal lead and .25 gm/gal copper lowered the ignition temperature of the particulates by 425 deg F so that periodic regeneration occurred. The trap collected nearly all of the lead and copper resulting in limited trap life, and deposits on the engine fuel nozzles tended to increase HC emissions.
Structure and function of electrosensory neurons in the torus semicircularis of Eigenmannia: morphological correlates of phase and amplitude sensitivity.

Structure-function relations in the electrosensory system of Eigenmannia were examined by labeling physiologically characterized neurons of the dorsal torus semicircularis. The sensitivity of cells to modulations in amplitude (AMs) and modulations in differential phase was determined. Approximately half of the 48 cell types defined by Golgi studies (Carr, C.E., and L. Maler (1985) J. Comp. Neurol. 235: 207–240) were identified in this manner. The majority of the neurons located in laminae (8a, b, c, and d, and 9 exhibited sensitivity to differential phase. In laminae 5 and 7, however, in addition to neurons which were sensitive to differential phase, many cells were found that were purely AM sensitive. Differential phase sensitivity originates in the small cells of lamina 6 (Heiligenberg, W., and G. Rose (1985) J. Neurosci. 5: 515–531), the exclusive termination site of phase-coding afferents from the electrosensory lateral line lobe. Cells that had dendritic extensions into the neuropil of lamina 6 exhibited sensitivity to differential phase, whereas neurons lacking dendrites in this lamina were only excited by AMs. These findings support the notion of a relationship between the morphology and laminar position of a neuron and its function.
Avenues to Professional Learning Online: Technology Tips and Tools for Professional Development in Gifted Education.

The use of online methods for professional development activities is on the rise, with more schools exploring creative ways of providing teacher learning opportunities. Online professional development offers a promising direction for providing increased learning opportunities, promoting professional collaboration, and supporting teacher facility with technology resources. In gifted education, online activities may present effective ways of connecting gifted education professionals across multiple schools and districts and providing professional learning experiences in gifted education for colleagues in general education. In this article, the authors discuss key features of professional development and considerations for applying them in an online learning context. The authors emphasize the importance of coherence with the curriculum, active engagement, sustained attention, and administrative support. They then discuss five avenues or approaches for implementing online professional development, representin...
Constraint Modeling in the Context of Academic Task Assignment

We explore fundamental issues of the modeling, implementation, and processing of non-binary constraints. General techniques for reformulating non-binary constraints (i.e., hidden variable, dual graph [1]) are not practical for high-arity constraints [4]. In our study, we motivate our need to express practical requirements as non-binary constraints, then we explore reformulation methods to deal with them since the conventional methods [1] become impractical. Our work builds on the work of Gent et al. [2], while we motivate and anchor our investigations in the practical context of a real-world application. This is the assignment of graduate teaching assistants to courses in our department. This task is a critical responsibility that our department’s administration has to drudge through every semester. The idea for this particular application is borrowed from Rina Dechter, at the UC Irvine. We model this application using 4 types of unary constraints, one type of binary constraint, and 3 types of non-binary constraints. Since in our application problems are over-constrained, a satisfactory assignment is one that maximizes the number of courses covered. For this purpose, we adopt a new consistency checking mechanism that allows variables to be assigned a null value during search. For two assignments that cover the same number of courses, we further discriminate between them by choosing the one of highest quality, obtained by a combination of the value of the preferences in each assignment. We experiment with two different criteria to maximize preferences. We establish that two of our non-binary constraints are decomposable into equivalent networks of binary constraints, which significantly improves the performance of search [3]. Our efforts have resulted in a prototype system under field-test since August 2001. This system has effectively reduced the number of conflicts, thus yielding a commensurate increase in course quality. It has also decreased the amount of time and effort spent on making the assignment and gained the approval and satisfaction of our staff, faculty and student body.
Significance of the concentration gradients associated with dunite bodies in the Josephine and Trinity ophiolites

Detailed transects were sampled across dunite bodies in the Josephine and Trinity ophiolites. The major peridotite lithologies sampled in the Josephine transect are a sequence of dunite and harzburgite and in the Trinity transect a sequence of dunite, harzburgite, lherzolite, and plagioclase lherzolite (DHL-PL). Major, minor, and selected trace element abundances in olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and spinel were measured. The composition profile from the Josephine transect has revealed a concentration gradient near the dunite-harzburgite contact. The composition profile from the Trinity transect has revealed several concentration gradients: two within the dunite, one in the harzburgite, and at least two in the plagioclase lherzolite. The composition profiles record complex histories of melt transport, melt-rock reaction, and subsequent subsolidus reequilibration. Analyses of closure distance suggest that compositional variation trends for a majority of major and minor elements in olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and spinel reported in this study were magmatic in origin. Subsolidus reequilibration may reduce the range or magnitude of variations for the 2+ cations such as Fe and Mg in olivine and spinel and significantly redistribute Ca and Li in coexisting minerals. Numerical simulations exploring the coupling of diffusion and advection in a porous matrix were used to explain compositional variations across the peridotite sequences. Melt flow from the host harzburgite into the dunite produces composition gradients near the dunite-harzburgite contacts similar to those from the Josephine transect. In contrast, melt flow from the dunite into the surrounding peridotite lithologies can produce concentration gradients similar to those observed in the Trinity transect. At least two chemically distinct episodes of melt flow within the same dunite channel system are proposed. Results from this study show that concentration gradients developed around the dunite-harzburgite and DHL-PL sequences can be used to infer part of the melt flow history of the dunite channel systems in the mantle. Results from this study and those from other ophiolite studies also demonstrate that concentration profiles in dunite and the surrounding peridotite lithologies are highly variable even among differing peridotite sequences within the same ophiolite, suggesting that the composition of instantaneous melt flowing through individual dunite channels is quite variable and the mantle source regions are heterogeneous.
Further understanding the systemic effects of childhood sexual abuse: a comparison of two groups of clinical couples.

ABSTRACT This study addressed the impact of traumatic experiences on dyadic relationships by comparing general stress and trauma symptoms and relationship impairment measures between two clinical groups: female childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors (n = 15) and their male partners, and a control group of couples who reported no CSA (n = 17). Both female CSA survivors and their partners reported higher symptoms of stress, suggesting support for the theory of secondary traumatic stress. Relationship impairment results did not support the hypothesis that CSA would negatively impact the dyadic functioning of couples. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are provided.
Further consideration of phenobarbital effects on cytochrome P-450 activity in the killifish, Fundulus Heteroclitus

1. Ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity, aldrin epoxidase (AE) activity, cytochrome P-450 content, and levels of cytochrome P-450E (the major BNF-inducible P-450 form and primary EROD catalyst in scup) or its homologues were measured in hepatic microsomes isolated from Fundulus heteroclitus, scup (Stenotomus chrysops) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) treated with β-naphthoflavone (BNF) or phenobarbital (PB). 2. In all three teleost species, BNF treatment caused expected increases in P-450 content, EROD activity and P-450E level; but either no change or a slight decrease in AE turnover rate (nmol/min/nmol P-450). 3. Polyclonal antibodies to P-450E did not inhibit AE activity in microsomes from BNF-treated scup, confirming that this major BNF-inducible P-450 form does not catalyze AE activity in fish. 4. In contrast, PB treatment did not affect hepatic AE activity, P-450 content or levels of “P-450E” in F. heteroclitus, but did variably affect EROD activity which was suppressed in one experiment and elevated in another. 5. The results indicate that (i) contrary to previous reports, neither PB nor MC-type inducers increase AE activity in F. heteroclitus, (ii) MC-type inducers do not affect AE activity in the other teleost species examined, and (iii) AE activity is not a reliable indicator of P-450 induction by environmental chemicals. 6. We emphasize the need to establish the mechanism of PB action, and the nature of any fish P-450 forms analogous to PB-inducible forms in mammals, in order to conclusively evaluate PB-responses in fish.
Changes in alpha rhythm asymmetry during learning of verbal and visuospatial tasks.

Abstract Alpha activity in the two cortical hemispheres was examined during learning and overlearning of a verbal and a visuospatial task. Compared to a pretask baseline condition, the amount of alpha activity during the tasks was decreased. An increase in alpha activity was found from learning to overlearning in both hemispheres for both tasks. A greater amount of alpha was found in the right hemisphere for both tasks. In addition, no difference in the degree of alpha asymmetry was found between the tasks. This was discussed in light of prior contrary findings. A significant positive correlation was found between change in learning rate and change in alpha asymmetry during the verbal task. An interpretation of this finding was offered in terms of the level of hemispheric activation reflecting the degree of task engagement.
Broken conformal symmetry and hadronic scaling

Abstract High energy, large momentum transfer hadronic reactions are studied in the framework of broken conformal symmetry. Hadrons lie on almost linear Regge trajectories. Inclusive cross section scale as ∼s −2 ( q 2 T s) −4 . Large rates of heavy particle production are predicted.
Mechanism of Superoxide Dismutase/H2O2-Mediated Nitric Oxide Release from S-Nitrosoglutathione— Role of Glutamate

S-Nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), a physiologically relevant nitric oxide ((*)NO) donor, exhibits antioxidant, anti-ischemic, and antiplatelet properties. The exact mechanism of (*)NO release from GSNO in biological systems has not been determined. Both copper ions and copper-containing enzymes have been shown to catalyze (*)NO release from GSNO. In this study we observed that copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu,ZnSOD) in the presence of H(2)O(2) caused a rapid decomposition of GSNO, forming oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and (*)NO. The cupric ions (Cu(2+)) released from Cu,ZnSOD were bound to the glutamate moiety of GSNO, yielding a 2:1 (GSNO)(2)Cu(2+) complex. Strong chelators of cupric ions, such as histidine and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, inhibited the formation of (GSNO)(2)Cu(2+) complex, GSSG, and (*)NO. GSSG alone inhibited Cu(2+)-induced decomposition of GSNO. This effect is attributed to complexation of copper by GSSG. We conclude that binding of copper to GSNO is obligatory for (*)NO release from GSNO; however, the rate of this reaction was considerably slowed due to binding of Cu(2+) by GSSG. The glutamate moiety in GSNO and GSSG controls copper-catalyzed (*)NO release from GSNO. Cu,ZnSOD and H(2)O(2) enhanced peroxidation of unsaturated lipid that was inhibited by GSNO. The antioxidant function of GSNO is related to the sequestering of copper by GSNO and its ability to slowly release (*)NO. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to GSNO-induced cardioprotection and to neuropathological processes.
Thermal stimuli in dentinal sensitivity.

Current thinking on thermal stimuli and dentinal sensitivity are reviewed in this manuscript. There are two schools of thought: 1) following the Hydrodynamic Theory, thermal stimuli evoke dentinal sensitivity by changing physical properties of the dentin, namely, tubular radius and dentinal fluid viscosity, and 2) thermal stimuli evoke dentinal stimuli by altering physiological properties of the pulp, namely, pulpal microcirculation, which in turn causes excitation of pulpal sensory nerves by an increased tissue pressure.
Flameless atomic absorption spectrometry determination of gallium in biological materials

The application of flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry to the quantitation of gallium in urine, serum and tissues is described. The method can be used to detect gallium concentrations as low as 100--200 ppb in fluids and tissues. Significant interference with the gallium atomization signal was caused by CaCl2; however, the interference could be completely prevented by using the chelating agent EDTA. This method makes feasible the quantitative determination of the pharmacokinetic parameters of gallium administration as an anticancer drug in animals and humans.
Sense of Coherence as a Mediator of Stress for Cancer Patients and Spouses

In a path analysis for cancer patients and spouses, sense of coherence was the only significant direct predictor of psychological stress. However, spiritual resources and family strengths had significant indirect paths through sense of coherence as the mediator. Refined path models eliminated spiritual resources as a predictor for spouses but retained spiritual resources as an indirect predictor through sense of coherence for patients. The variable, accumulated demands, was not a direct predictor of stress for either patients or spouses. This result was contrary to a hypothesis in McCubbin and Patterson's Double ABCX model. Unlike a pathogenic model, in which stress is viewed as a threat to homeostasis, the nonpathogenic ABCX model emphasizes how sense of coherence is an organizer for the constant stresses of living.
Effect of temperature and water content on the shear viscosity of the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide as studied by atomistic simulations.

Atomistic simulations are conducted to examine the dependence of the viscosity of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide on temperature and water content. A nonequilibrium molecular dynamics procedure is utilized along with an established fixed charge force field. It is found that the simulations quantitatively capture the temperature dependence of the viscosity as well as the drop in viscosity that occurs with increasing water content. Using mixture viscosity models, we show that the relative drop in viscosity with water content is actually less than that that would be predicted for an ideal system. This finding is at odds with the popular notion that small amounts of water cause an unusually large drop in the viscosity of ionic liquids. The simulations suggest that, due to preferential association of water with anions and the formation of water clusters, the excess molar volume is negative. This means that dissolved water is actually less effective at lowering the viscosity of th...
Vegetation and microbial indicators of nutrient status: Testing their consistency and sufficiency in restored calcareous wetlands

Abstract Various indicators have been used to diagnose nutrient status of an ecosystem, but their consistency among different ecosystem components (e.g., soil microbes and plants) remains rarely examined. In this study, we selected three sites with a gradient of phosphorus (P) concentrations, i.e., two P-enriched restored sites and an oligotrophic, P-limited reference site in the Hole-in-the-Donut of Florida Everglades, USA. Three sets of indicators for plants, soils microbes, and periphyton were measured in February, 2010. For vegetation indicators, TN:TP ratio indicates P-limitation but N use and resorption efficiency suggest N limitation at the two restored sites. For soil microbial indicators, N- and P-acquiring enzyme activities (i.e., leucine aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase) indicate N and P limitation at the restored sites and the reference sites, respectively. For periphyton indicators, significantly higher nitrogenase activities suggest N limitation at the restored sites. Overall, soil microbial and periphyton indicators consistently showed N limitation at the two restored sites. Furthermore, the microbial enzyme activities were significantly correlated with soil/periphyton chemical properties (e.g., soil extractable inorganic and organic N and P, and TN:TP ratio of soil and periphyton) and were more powerful in diagnosing the nutrient status. The inconsistency between vegetation-based indicators and microbial indicators not only suggests the insufficiency of a single indicator, but also indicates the heterogeneity in nutrient limitation of different components of an ecosystem. It is important to evaluate those indicators in order to give implications for restoration, in particular in those ecosystems that are sensitive to even small changes of nutrient availability.
International Intellectual Property Law and the Public Domain of Science

The TRIPS Agreement can be read to reflect a static view of the structure of intellectual property law. In this paper, we address wither - and how - the TRIPS Agreement can, on the other hand, be read with more fluidity, and thus to allow adjustments in national intellectual property regimes designed to reflect the the dynamic nature of information production. To focus that inquiry, we concentrate on efforts to ensure a broader public domain for 'upstream' inventions by modifying various elements of US patent law. The paper considers three stylized examples and asks whether each approach could be adopted by the United States without falling afoul of the TRIPS Agreement as it is currently understood. Our purpose is to identify interpretive approaches that allow member states to keep their laws attuned to the development and needs of science. But in so doing, we also raise broader questions regarding the level of formalism generated by the WTO dispute settlement system, and the extent to which the TRIPS Agreement allocates power between supranational and national institutions, and between international and national laws.
CHAETOPHLEPSIS NASELLENSIS , A DIPTEROUS PARASITOID OF THE WESTERN HEMLOCK LOOPER (LEPIDOPTERA: GEOMETRIDAE)

Preserved material from 1962 field studies provided information on the habits and morphology of the tachinid parasitoid Chaetophlepsis nasellensis Reinhard. Parasitization of the larvae of the western hemlock looper, Lambdina fiscellaria lugubrosa (Hulst), continues over a 30- to 40-day period. Maggots issue from the host larvae and drop to the ground to pupate. The pupae normally overwinter, with adults emerging the following spring or summer. The early first-instar larva differs markedly from the late first-instar. The three instars can be distinguished on the basis of body length and the structure and form of the buccopharyngeal apparatus. The first and third larval instars and the puparium are distinctive enough to permit easy identification during studies of the western hemlock looper and associated loopers.
The effect of bretylium tosylate on the electrophysiologic properties of ventricular muscle and purkinje fibers

Abstract Preparations of papillary muscle and Purkinje fibers were obtained from dog hearts, perfused with oxygenated Tyrode solution in a tissue chamber, and observed both under control conditions and during exposure to bretylium tosylate in concentrations from 1 × 10−7 M to 1 × 10−4 M. Transmembrane voltage was recorded from both ventricular muscle and Purkinje fibers in spontaneously beating and in electrically driven preparations. Bretylium did not suppress phase 4 depolarization or spontaneous firing in Purkinje fibers. After application of bretylium to spontaneously firing Purkinje fibers, the rate initially increased by 20 percent; in quiescent fibers, bretylium often induced spontaneous firing. Since neither effect was seen in preparations obtained from dogs treated with reserpine, each was attributed to bretylium-induced release of catecholamines from the adrenergic nerve terminals in the preparations. In concentrations of less than 1 × 10−4 M, bretylium did not alter the resting transmembrane voltage or the action potential amplitude and overshoot; concentrations of 1 × 10−4 M caused a decrease in each of these variables. Bretylium, Over a wide range of stimulation rates (30 to 150/min), bretylium caused a large increase in action potential duration and effective refractory period of both ventricular muscle and Purkinje fiber cells without lengthening the effective refractory period relative to action potential duration. Since bretylium lacked most of the electrophysiologic properties associated with antiarrhythmic drugs, its antiarrhythmic action against ventricular arrhythmias may, to a large extent, be due to its effect on adrenergic nerve terminals.
West Indian Workers in Costa Rican Radical and Nationalist Ideology 1900-1950

By now it has perhaps become a commonplace that the “rural democratic model” of Costa Rican history–the idea that Costa Rican democracy is based on a heritage of racially homogenous, egalitarian small holders–is an ideology and should be studied as such, rather than accepted as an accurate portrayal of Costa Rica's history. Recent studies have focused on the Liberal (1880-1900) and Liberacionista (post-1948) periods in which the ideology was formulated and then reformulated, and emphasized its conservative nature. During the period between 1900 and 1948, however, this ideology was far from hegemonic. This period saw much of the militant labor activism and social struggle that Costa Rica's new social historians are trying to uncover.
The optimal lag selection and transfer function analysis in Granger causality tests

Abstract The conventional selection of lag lengths through the final prediction error criterion is shown to be inadequate in the test of Granger causality. In this paper, lag terms are selected optimally in the most efficient forecast equations that are obtained from univariate and transfer function analyses. The reduction in the forecasting error variances from the two analyses is used to test Granger causality. The new procedure is applied to test for the causality between the industrial production and the leading indicator and that between the consumer price index and the producer price index in the United States.
Initiating End-of-Life Discussions With Seriously Ill Patients Addressing the "Elephant in the Room"

Discussions about end-of-life issues are difficult for clinicians to initiate. Patients, their families, and clinicians frequently collude to avoid mentioning death or dying, even when the patient's suffering is severe and prognosis is poor. In addition to determining from observational research when and where communication problems exist, much can be learned from in-depth discussions with patients, family members, and physicians who are facing these issues together. Using segments of interviews with a patient with advanced pulmonary fibrosis, his son, and his primary care physician, this article illustrates and explores some of these communication issues, including the who, what, when, why, and how of end-of-life discussions. Studies from the medical literature, the patient's and physician's particular experience together, and the author's clinical experience provide practical insights into how to address these issues. Initiating end-of-life discussions earlier and more systematically could allow patients to make more informed choices, achieve better palliation of symptoms, and have more opportunity to work on issues of life closure. JAMA. 2000;284:2502-2507.
Antibody Binding of Deletion Mutants of Asp f 2, the Major Aspergillus fumigatus Allergen

Asp f 2, a 268 amino acid major allergen from Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) demonstrated nine linear IgE binding regions. It is not known whether any of these linear epitopes are also conformatory epitopes. Hence, we constructed deletion mutants of Asp f 2 devoid of one or more epitopes, and the IgE binding of these proteins with sera from patients with ABPA was compared with the full-length Asp f 2 expressed in E. coli and Pichia. The Pichia expressed protein reacted weakly with IgE, but strongly with IgG of ABPA sera compared to E. coli expressed Asp f 2. Weak IgE binding only was seen when the C-terminal or N-terminal was deleted, while depletion of both ends negated all reactivity. The monoclonal antibody IL-B8 and IgE and IgG of ABPA sera bound significantly to the Asp f 2 E-4 fragment indicating that the major B-cell epitope is located at the N-terminal end of Asp f 2.
Inflammation and preneoplastic lesions in benign prostate as risk factors for prostate cancer

Benign changes ranging from atrophy and inflammation to high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) are common findings on prostate core needle biopsies. Although atrophy and inflammation may be precursors of prostate cancer, only HGPIN is currently recommended to be included in surgical pathology reports. To determine whether these benign findings increase prostate cancer risk, we conducted a case-control study nested within a historical cohort of 6692 men with a benign prostate specimen collected between 1990 and 2002. The analytic sample included 574 case-control pairs comprised of cases diagnosed with prostate cancer a minimum of 1 year after cohort entry and controls matched to cases on date and age at cohort entry, race, and type of specimen. The initial benign specimen was reviewed for presence of HGPIN, atrophy (simple, lobular, and partial) and inflammation (glandular and/or stromal). HGPIN significantly increased risk for prostate cancer (odds ratio (OR)=2.00; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.25-3.20). Inflammation within the stromal compartment was associated with decreased risk (OR=0.66; CI=0.52-0.84), and diffuse stromal inflammation of severe grade had the strongest inverse association with risk (OR=0.21; CI=0.07-0.62). In a model adjusted for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at cohort entry and inflammation, simple atrophy was associated with a 33% increased prostate cancer risk that was marginally significant (P=0.03). Clinicians should consider patterns and extent of inflammation when managing high-risk patients with negative biopsy results. Identifying benign inflammatory processes that underlie high PSA levels would help to reduce the number of unnecessary repeated prostate biopsies.
TU‐E‐BRC‐02: A Novel Framework of Treating Moving Tumors Using Min‐IP Based PTV and Variable Respiratory‐Synchronized Dose Rates

Purpose: To improve the robustness and duty cycle of treating a moving tumor, the minimum intensity projection (min‐IP) is used as the basis of planning target volume (PTV). Variable dose rates synchronized to the respiratory signal are adapted to overcome the dose heterogeneity resulted from the non‐uniform probability density function (PDF). Methods: 4DCT of a lungcancer patient with gross tumor volume of 43 cm3 is used to compute both maximum intensity projection (MIP) and min‐IP. Two RapidArc plans were generated based on MIP and min‐IP based PTVs. The tumor dose is the prescription dose in the case of MIP plan. For the min‐IP based plan, 3 PDFs, including a linear, a sinusoidal and an actual patient PDF were included in computing the tumor dose. In order to achieve prescription, which is 60 Gy to 95% of the tumor, the dose of the min‐IP plan is first renormalized. In the second method, variable dose rate synchronized to the respiratory signal is assumed. The dose rate is inversely proportional to the dwell time or PDF.Results: Compared with the plan based on MIP, significantly less lung volume is treated by the primary beam with the min‐IP plan, resulting in 62% lower mean lung dose without renormalization. However, with uniform renormalization, the change in mean lung dose is −33%, −8% and 3% respectively for the 3 different PDFs. More significant gains at 28.3% and 25.2% for the sinusoidal and actual patient PDFs in the mean lung dose were observed when variable dose rates were used. Conclusions: Instead of chasing the tumor using a moving aperture, we tested a novel approach to instead let the tumor pass through a smaller static aperture. Variable dose rates synchronized to the respiratory signal substantially improved lung sparing without compromising tumor dose. NIH 1R21CA144063
Cognitive development among children with early-treated phenylketonuria

Previous research supports the notion that children with early‐treated classical phenylketonuria (PKU) have specific cognitive deficits in executive function skills. These deficits may relate to depressed levels of dopamine, due to defective tyrosine synthesis. We investigated whether deficits reported for preschoolers with early‐treated PKU are manifested also among school‐age children with PKU, and whether cognitive performance among the latter group is related to phenylalanine level at time of testing. Seventeen children with PKU and 17 age‐, sex‐, and IQ‐matched controls were tested individually on measures of executive functions. The results demonstrate that executive function deficits reported for preschoolers with PKU were not manifested in the school‐age PKU children included in this study. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for theories of the development of executive function skills.
Radar Waveforms for Suppression of Extended Clutter

A common problem in waveform design is to adapt the transmitted signal to the target environment in order that the interference from extended fields of scatterers is reduced. This problem is investigated here for the special case of detection of a single target in the ``vicinity'' of an extended clutter space. The paper considers the possibility of confining the matched-filter response in delay and Doppler, or ambiguity function, to a narrow strip with arbitrary orientation in the delay-Doppler plane. It is shown that strict confinement of the response is achievable only with waveforms that are unlimited in both time and frequency domain. With practical waveforms, which are necessarily of finite extent, one merely can trade close-target separability against detectability in the background clutter. Thus, one form of the resolution problem is exchanged against the other. The paper examines these effects quantitatively.
Unequal cleavage and the differentiation of echinoid primary mesenchyme

The role of unequal cleavage in echinoid micromere determination was investigated by equalizing the fourth and fifth cleavages with brief surfactant treatment. The surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate was found to be effective in equalizing fourth cleavage when generally applied to 4-cell stage embryos of all species tested. Embryos of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus developed normally when equalized at the fourth and fifth cleavages by surfactant treatment, as did untreated equally cleaving embryos of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis. Embryos of the sea urchins Lytechinus pictus and S. purpuratus were animalized by the treatment but were capable of forming spicules after treatments which equalized the fourth cleavage. In addition, orientation of the fourth division spindles was found to have no effect on differentiation of the primary mesenchyme in D. excentricus. The results confirm that micromere determination in echinoids does not depend upon a strict cleavage pattern at the 16-cell stage.
An investigation of two approaches to basin hopping minimization for atomic and molecular clusters

Abstract We have carried out potential energy minimization searches for atomic and molecular clusters using two variants of the basin hopping strategy. We find that the significant structures basin hopping (SSBH) performs better than the raw structures basin hopping (RSBH) when both use optimized step sizes. The SSBH was able to locate previously-identified global minima for (LJ) n ( n =19, 30, 38) and (benzene) n ( n =6, 10) The (benzene) 14 cluster minimum presented here is a new result.
On the coronae of rapidly rotating stars. II. A period-activity relation in G stars.

Observational evidence supporting the contention that coronal activity in G stars obeys the same relation with angular velocity as that observed in RS CVn systems is presented. It is found, however, that the level of the quiescent coronal activity, as measured by the ratio of the X-ray luminosity to the bolometric luminosity, at a given angular velocity is approximately one order of magnitude lower in G stars than in the RS CVn systems. Data on additional K stars indicate that these stars are indistinguishable from the K components of RS CVn systems. No evidence is found that the surface gravity has any appreciable effect on the level of coronal activity. The observation that the ratio of the X-ray luminosity to the bolometric luminosity is directly proportional to the product of the angular velocity and some function of the depth of the convective zone is seen as supporting a dynamo mechanism for the generation of the stellar magnetic flux.
A simulation to analyze feature selection methods utilizing gene ontology for gene expression classification

Display Omitted HighlightsWe determine the conditions where Gene Ontology (GO) benefits Feature Selection (FS).We develop a simulation that generates gene expression datasets from GO.We define BCAL to quantify the notion of connectedness of a biological condition.If BCAL?0.696 then GO improves FS; if BCAL≤0.389 then GO does not improve FS.If 0.389
Molecular mechanisms of cAMP-regulated gene expression

The ability of many genes to be induced by cAMP is dependent on the presence of enhancers located in the regions of DNA upstream of the start sites to the genes. The two best characterized enhancers are the CRE (5′-TGACGTCA-3′) and the AP-2 site (5′-CCCCAGGC-3′). The activity of the CRE is modulated by sequences adjacent to the consensus sequence as well as by promoter context and cell type. The complex control of the CRE is reflected in the large number of cloned CRE binding proteins that arise both from unique genes and from splice variants. These factors are leucine zipper proteins that must dimerize before binding to DNA. Although all of the factors isolated can form active homodimers, many, are also able to form heterodimers. The, amino termini of these proteins contain consensus phosphorylation sites through which these factorstrans-activate their cognate promoters. The diversity of thetrans-acting factors and theircis-acting sequences reflects the precise control that cells require in the modulation of gene expression by cAMP.
Teaching Children with Autism to Read for Meaning: Challenges and Possibilities

The purpose of this literature review is to examine what makes reading for understanding especially challenging for children on the autism spectrum, most of whom are skilled at decoding and less skilled at comprehension. This paper first summarizes the research on reading comprehension with a focus on the cognitive skills and processes that are involved in gaining meaning from text and then reviews studies of reading comprehension deficits in children on the spectrum. The paper concludes with a review of reading comprehension interventions for children on the spectrum. These children can especially benefit from interventions addressing particular cognitive processes, such as locating antecedent events, generating and answering questions, locating referents, and rereading to repair understanding.
Blood pressure parameters and risk of fatal stroke, NHANES II mortality study.

Background Recent studies have suggested that systolic blood pressure (BP) is a better predictor of stroke than diastolic BP in apparently healthy white men. Whether these relationships are similar for women and African Americans remains unclear. Methods We used data from 6667 (3205 men; 3462 women) adults from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Mortality Study to examine whether the relative risk of fatal stroke was associated with a 10 mm Hg increase in BP parameters (systolic BP, diastolic BP, pulse pressure, and mean arterial pressure). Results During a median of nearly 15 years of follow-up, 113 fatal strokes (62 men; 51 women) occurred. Systolic BP was associated with an increased risk of fatal stroke for men (relative risk [RR] = 1.19), women (RR = 1.15), whites (RR = 1.17), and African Americans (RR = 1.28) after multivariable adjustment (all, P ≤ .05). Results for other BP parameters were not consistent; simultaneous consideration of two parameters did not improve prediction of fatal stroke over systolic BP alone. Conclusions Our results agree with previous studies that indicate systolic BP is an important predictor of stroke risk for all groups within the population and provide further evidence of the need to control systolic BP in the population.
Heat transfer and diffusion in wedge flows with rapid mass transfer

Abstract Boundary-layer solutions are given for the flow of binary constant-property mixtures over planes and wedges, with heat and mass transfer through the boundary surface. Exact numerical solutions are given for Prandtl and Schmidt numbers from 0.1 to 10. Asymptotic solutions are given for Prandtl and Schmidt numbers outside this range, and also for high rates of mass transfer toward the surface.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING: AN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE

America is a country worried about its excess of life's necessities. While many other countries are concerned about satisfying minimum daily nutritional needs, we worry about overeating or improper diet. So, too, while others fight illiteracy, we discuss overeducation or misdirected schooling. This is not a paper about cholesterol but about a system or lack of one which makes the school-leaving decision almost entirely that of the student and which places so great an emphasis on college education as a means of achievement ('college' and 'university' will be used interchangeably hereafter) that among the 1985 high school graduating class 58 per cent went on to further education (Cohany, 1986).
The stacking-fault tetrahedron

Abstract From symmetry arguments it is concluded that what is called a stacking-fault tetrahedron is really a self-inclusion in which a portion of the same crystal is shifted by 1/4 〈111〉 relative to the enclosing matrix. The included crystal has fewer atoms than would have been required to fill the hole in the matrix crystal with perfect material, and this is a way of accommodating clusters of vacancies. Symmetry shows that, for this shift, the energy is at an extremum and that the form of the inclusion must conform to the point group 43m (tetrahedral). This is a simpler model than the usual description, and even the unrelaxed version has lower energy for small sizes. For intermediate sizes it would relax to the same description as the relaxed version of the defect as conventionally described, and at large sizes the stacking-fault tetrahedra are unstable with respect to the formation of Frank loops.
A Review of Current and Future Technology for Telerehabilitation

Telecommunications technologies spanning a wide range of functionality and cost offer valuable resources for supporting independent living and rehabilitation services. In this article, we review the technology that is used today and explore some potential directions for telerehabilitation. Because telemedicine and telerehabilitation are often closely associated with interactive videoconferencing, we include a discussion of videoconferencing options. However, with the convergence of voice, video, and data in the telecommunications industry, networking benefits go far beyond videoconferencing and point-to-point communications. Although some health care applications may demand greater network performance than can be supported on the Internet today, the federal government's Next Generation Internet Initiative is addressing many of these limitations. This article includes a brief discussion on what the Next Generation Internet can bring to telerehabilitation.
Surface plasmons as a probe of the electrochemical interface

Abstract Surface plasmons (SP) or surface electromagnetic waves were excited at the silver-aqueous electrolyte interface with visible light using an attenuated total reflection arrangement. SP resonances were observed as a function of potential in perchlorate and halide electrolytes. At fixed wavelength, the resonance shifts to smaller wave vector as the electrode potential becomes more positive. Various contributions to this shift will be discussed: changes in electron density at the metal surface, ion adsorption and changes in the optical properties of the ionic double layer. Halide ion adsorption shifts the reflectivity: potential curve to more negative potentials.
Average transmission distance from mitral-tufted to granule cells in olfactory bulb.

Abstract The EEG waves and averaged evoked potentials (AEPs) in the olfactory bulb oscillate sinusoidally at frequencies between 40 and 80 c/sec. The mechanism in negative feedback interaction between a mass of excitatory neurons (the mitral-tufted cells) and a mass of inhibitory neurons (the granule cells) in the bulb. The time required for each synaptic action is one quarter of a cycle of the oscillation or 3–6 msec. Thus a maximum in activity of inhibitory neurons, which is manifested by a maximum of surface-negative potential in the EEG or AEP, is preceded 3–6 msec earlier by a maximum in firing rates of mitral-tufted cells and is followed 3–6 msec later by a maximum in firing rates of mitral-tufted cells. In this study the distance was measured for the spread of activity during two successive synaptic events comprising one half cycle. A focal response was evoked in the bulb by electrical stimulation of the primary olfactory nerve (PON) and localized by recording the AEP at the bulbar surface. Preceding the first negative peak (N1) of the AEP there was a focus of mitral-tufted cells excited by the PON volley. Following N1 there was a larger focus of inhibited mitral-tufted cells. The foci were identified by measuring poststimulus time histograms of neurons at multiple sites in and around the foci. The mean (± S.E.) difference between the radii of the excitatory and inhibitory foci was 569 ± 35 μ. It is inferred that the mean radius of spread from any part of a focus to its surround for each quarter cycle of activity is on the order of 270 μ. For a typical focus 2 mm in radius and lasting 4 or 5 cycles, the effects of inout to any part of the focus may quickly appear in all parts of the focus. If olfactory information is processed in this distributed manner rather than by networks of small numbers of neurons, the distance of spread is a crucial parameter in the mechanism.
Distributed and collaborative traffic monitoring in software defined networks

Network traffic monitoring supports fundamental network management tasks. However, monitoring tasks introduce non-trivial overhead to network devices such as switches. We propose a Distributed and Collaborative Monitoring system, named DCM, with the following properties. First, DCM allows switches to collaboratively achieve flow monitoring tasks and balance measurement load. Second, DCM is able to perform per-flow monitoring, by which different groups of flows are monitored using different actions. Third, DCM is a memory-efficient solution for switch data plane and guarantees system scalability. DCM uses novel two-stage Bloom filters to represent monitoring rules using small memory space. It utilizes the centralized SDN control to install, update, and reconstruct the two-stage Bloom filters in the switch data plane. We study how DCM performs two representative monitoring tasks, namely flow size counting and packet sampling, and evaluate its performance. Experiments using real data center and ISP traffic data on real network topologies show that DCM achieves highest measurement accuracy among existing solutions given the same memory budget of switches.
Reflection of signals from a randomly oscillating conducting plane

The problem of signal reflection from a conducting plane in random oscillation is considered. The mean reflected signal is found to depend, in general, on the characteristic function of the stochastic process that describes the random oscillation of the conducting plane. Asymptotic expressions for the mean reflected signal are derived. For a monochromatic signal it is shown that the amplitude of the reflected signal depends on the ratio between the wavelength and the rms displacement of the conducting plane from its mean position. Also, from the mean reflected signal, information about the statistical properties of the random oscillation may be obtained under certain conditions.
Optically based quantification of absolute cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) with high spatial resolution in rodents

Measuring oxygen delivery in brain tissue is important for identifying the pathophysiological changes associated with brain injury and various diseases such as cancer, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease. We have developed a multi-modal imaging system for minimally invasive measurement of cerebral oxygenation and blood flow in small animals with high spatial resolution. The system allows for simultaneous measurement of blood flow using Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography, and oxygen partial pressure (pO2) using either confocal or multiphoton phosphorescence lifetime imaging with exogenous porphyrin-based dyes sensitive to dissolved oxygen. Here we present the changes in pO2 and blood flow in superficial cortical vessels of Sprague Dawley rats in response to conditions such as hypoxia, hyperoxia, and functional stimulation. pO2 measurements display considerable heterogeneity over distances that cannot be resolved with more widely used oxygen-monitoring techniques such as BOLD-fMRI. Large increases in blood flow are observed in response to functional stimulation and hypoxia. Our system allows for quantification of cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) with high spatial resolution, providing a better understanding of metabolic dynamics during functional stimulation and under various neuropathologies. Ultimately, better insight into the underlying mechanisms of neuropathologies will facilitate the development of improved therapeutic strategies to minimize damage to brain tissue.