cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Processing of rf-sputtered lead zirconate titanate thin films on copper foil substrates

Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin films on copper foils were fabricated via rf magnetron sputtering and ex situ crystallized in a forming gas atmosphere. The PZT/Cu system is interesting due to the low oxygen partial pressure (pO2) required during crystallization to prevent Cu oxidation, as well as the mismatch of substrate and film coefficients of thermal expansion. The formation of a Cu2O interlayer at pO2 levels not thermodynamically predicted suggests that the film and substrate cannot be thought of as being in equilibrium. It was expected that thicker films would provide a stronger barrier to oxygen diffusion from the ambient to the substrate, but instead Cu2O formation was found to increase with PZT film thickness. Therefore, the PZT film likely plays an active role in substrate oxidation, perhaps as a source of oxygen. Cu oxidation was significantly minimized by wrapping the films in a sacrificial copper envelope during crystallization. This likely resulted in a gettering of oxygen, which buffered the local pO2 inside the envelope near the—Cu–Cu2O thermodynamic equilibrium curve during heating. Two distinct mechanisms may be responsible for the oxidation of the Cu substrate. These can explain the film thickness and crystallization temperature dependence of the Cu2O interlayer formation, as well as justify the use of a Cu envelope. The dielectric response and hysteresis are shown for samples with varying amounts of the Cu2O interlayer. A dielectric relaxation near 1 kHz was correlated to the presence of the interlayer.
Release of Lipoprotein Lipase Activity from Isolated Fat Cells II. EFFECT OF HEPARIN

Abstract Addition of heparin to isolated fat cells incubated at 23° resulted in a 3-fold increase in release of lipoprotein lipase activity into the incubation medium. This increase in medium lipoprotein lipase activity was not due to enhancement or stabilization of lipase activity present in the medium. The maximum increase in lipoprotein lipase activity was obtained on addition of 0.1 unit of heparin per ml to the cells. The heparin-stimulated release of lipoprotein lipase was almost completely inhibited by the metabolic inhibitors, sodium cyanide and Antimycin-A. When protein synthesis was blocked with cycloheximide, and heparin added to the incubation medium, neither the release of lipoprotein lipase activity nor the intracellular enzyme activity was affected for 120 min. At the end of this 120-min incubation there was approximately 5 times as much lipoprotein lipase activity in the medium as in the cells initially. These studies suggest that intracellular lipoprotein lipase undergoes activation in association with heparin-stimulated release from fat cells.
Selling Citizenship: A Defence

Many people think that citizenship should not be for sale. On their view, it is morally wrong for states to sell citizenship to foreigners. In this article, I challenge this view. I argue that it is in principle permissible for states to sell citizenship. I contend that, if states can permissibly deny foreigners access to citizenship in some cases, then states can permissibly give foreigners the option of buying citizenship in these cases. Furthermore, I defend the permissibility of selling citizenship against the objections that selling citizenship values citizenship in the wrong way, corrupts civic norms, and unfairly discriminates against poor foreigners. I conclude by noting that, although selling citizenship is not intrinsically wrong, it could still be wrong for states to sell citizenship in practice. If existent immigration restrictions are unjust, then it may be impermissible for states to sell citizenship in the real world.
Thermal epiglottitis after swallowing hot beverages

Two young children who sustained thermal injuries to the epiglottis (or "thermal epiglottitis") after swallowing hot beverages are reported. Findings, clinically and radiologically, in both children were similar to acute infectious epiglottitis. Children with these injuries are at risk for significant upper airway obstruction which may progress for several hours. Children in whom thermal epiglottitis is suspected should be approached with the same caution and preparedness for emergency airway management and pediatric intensive care afforded those with acute infectious epiglottitis.
An online proof-producing decision procedure for mixed-integer linear arithmetic

Efficient decision procedures for arithmetic play a very important role in formal verification. In practical examples, however, arithmetic constraints are often mixed with constraints from other theories like the theory of arrays, Boolean satisfiability (SAT), bit-vectors, etc. Therefore, decision procedures for arithmetic are especially useful in combination with other decision procedures. The framework for such a combination is implemented at Stanford in the tool called Cooperating Validity Checker (CVC) [SBD02]. This work augments CVC with a decision procedure for the theory of mixed integer linear arithmetic based on the Omega-test [Pug91] extended to be online and proof producing. These extensions are the most important and challenging part of the work, and are necessary to make the combination efficient in practice.
PERFORMANCE OF METHANOL-GASOLINE BLENDS IN A STRATIFIED CHARGE ENGINE VEHICLE

A series of driveability and chassis dynamometer tests were performed using various blends of methanol and gasoline in a stratified charge engine vehicle. The vehicle used was a 1975 Honda Civic CVCC. This vehicle is powered by a prechamber type stratified charge spark ignition engine. The test program was separated into two phases. The first phase was to determine the effect of methanol-gasoline blends on the driveability of the stratified charge engine vehicle. Blends containing 10% to 40% by volume of methanol in gasoline were tested. A weighted demerit system was used to evaluate driveability. Emissions and fuel economy of the vehicle operating on base fuels and base fuels blended with methanol were evaluated using a chassis dynamometer and the federal urban driving schedule. General conclusions are that the CVCC vehicle tested suffered only slight degradation in driveability using a 10% methanol-gasoline fuel and vehicle emissions and fuel economy are not significantly changed by use of the 10% methanol blend.
Differing mechanisms of early and late B cell hyporesponsiveness induced by mixed chimerism.

Mixed hematopoietic chimerism induced via nonmyeloablative bone marrow transplantation (BMT) leads to unresponsiveness of anti-Galα1,3Galβ1,4G1cNAc (Gal) natural antibody (NAb)-producing cells in α1,3-galactosyltransferase deficient (GalT−/−) mice. We analyzed the mechanisms of anti-Gal-producing B cell unresponsiveness induced by Gal+/+ BMT. C57BL/6 (B6) GalT−/− mice received 3Gy whole-body irradiation and BMT from B6-CD45 congenic mice. BMT led to marked reductions in serum anti-Gal IgM levels and in the numbers of splenic anti-Gal-producing cells by 2 weeks post-BMT. B cells with anti-Gal Ig receptors were present in the spleens of 2-week but not 12-week chimeras. In vitro studies and adoptive transfer studies using B6 GalT−/−B cell-deficient recipients showed that B cell hyporesponsiveness to Gal at 2 weeks, but not 12 weeks, depended on persistent Gal antigen. Thus, pre-existing B-1 cells are anergic when there is continuous exposure to Gal, whereas long-term unresponsiveness does not require persistent antigen, implicating clonal deletion and/or receptor editing. These results have implications for the potential use of mixed hematopioetic chimerism as an approach to performing organ transplantation in recipients with pre-existing anti-donor IgM antibodies.
Letter in Response to Fraas & Lutter Article: “Uncertain Benefits Estimates for Reductions in Fine Particle Concentrations”

In their article, Fraas and Lutter argue that the U.S. EPA can, and should, do more to characterize uncertainty in its benefits estimates—and to that end, they pilot an array of quantitative uncertainty analyses.(1) We agree that additional probabilistic uncertainty analysis is desirable and commend the authors for their creativity in identifying new approaches. However, we find that the article does not: (1) accurately depict EPA’s current methods for uncertainty analysis; (2) rely on data, but instead makes specious assumptions; and (3) document clearly their analytical approach. Taken together, these limitations undermine the utility of their preferred approach to characterizing uncertainty. We argue that the central premise of the article—that the Agency has done too little to respond to the 2002 National Research Council (NRC) report—is not supported by the historical record.(2) In the decade since the report was first issued, the Agency has made significant improvements to how it estimates and characterizes both the human health benefits of air quality improvements and the attendant uncertainties in those estimates. In addition to the ground-breaking expert elicitation of PM mortality noted in the article, the Agency also performed a preliminary influence analysis.(3,4) This assessment, which the Agency undertook in direct response to the NRC report, was a first step toward identifying the analytical inputs that posed the strongest impact on the overall size of the benefits estimates.
tRNA-guanine transglycosylase from Escherichia coli. Overexpression, purification and quaternary structure.

Abstract tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (TGT) is the enzyme responsible for the post-transcriptional modification of specific tRNAs (Asn, Asp, His and Tyr) with queuine. In E. coli this modification occurs via a two-step reaction: (1) TGT-catalyzed base exchange of guanosine-34 with preQ1 (7-aminomethyl-7-deazaguanine) and (2) addition of a cyclopentenediol moiety to the preQ1-34 tRNA. E. coli TGT is normally expressed at very low levels (≊ 1 mg from 500 g cells). The sequence of the queuine operon of E. coli has recently been reported by Reuter et al. (1991). We have cloned the tgt gene into an overexpressing vector in order to provide a more efficient preparation of TGT. A simple, four-step purification scheme yields 78 mg of homogeneous TGT per liter of cell culture (A600=5 to 6). Amino-terminal protein sequencing confirms the identity of the recombinant protein and indicates that the initiator methionine is retained in the mature form. Native-PAGE of TGT and SDS-PAGE of cross-linked TGT are most consistent with a hexameric quaternary structure for the enzyme. The cross-linking data also suggests that the enzyme exists as a dimer of trimers of identical 42·5 kDa subunits (total M1=255 kDa. The enzyme is inactivated by cross-linking with the bisimidoester, dimethylsuberimidate. Substrate (tRNA) protects the enzyme against cross-linking and inactivation by dimethylsuberimidate and against inactivation by modification with ethylacetimidate, a monofunctional, imidoester. This indicates that the enzymic residues (presumably lysines) that are involved in cross-linking and the inactivation are the active site of the enzyme.
A Charge-Sensitive Readout Technique for Infrared Photoconductors

Publisher Summary Current astronomical spectrophotometric systems for use in the 10 pm spectral region employ detector arrays made up of a small number of detectors operating in parallel, each with its own preamplifier. Multiplexed readout schemes have become available in the form of monolithic doped silicon charge-coupled device (CCD) and CID arrays and are described as hybrid readout techniques. One of the most serious problems for ground-based infrared astronomy is the large background photon fluxes encountered when working in the thermal infrared region of the spectrum. This environment poses a serious data rate problem for IR detector arrays if the on-chip integrating capacity is small. For workable storage voltages of less than 1V, this corresponds to less than l0 7 electrons. For these reasons, the investigation of hybrid detector focal planes employing large storage capacities might prove extremely useful.
Rapid volumetric T1 mapping of the abdomen using three-dimensional through-time spiral GRAPPA.

Purpose To develop an ultrafast T1 mapping method for high-resolution, volumetric T1 measurements in the abdomen. Methods The Look-Locker method was combined with a stack-of-spirals acquisition accelerated using three-dimensional (3D) through-time spiral GRAPPA reconstruction for fast data acquisition. A segmented k-space acquisition scheme was proposed and the time delay between segments for the recovery of longitudinal magnetization was optimized using Bloch equation simulations. The accuracy of this method was validated in a phantom experiment and in vivo T1 measurements were performed with 35 asymptomatic subjects on both 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3T MRI systems. Results Phantom experiments yielded close agreement between the proposed method and gold standard measurements for a large range of T1 values (200 to 1600 ms). The in vivo results further demonstrate that high-resolution T1 maps (2 × 2 × 4 mm3) for 32 slices can be achieved in a single clinically feasible breath-hold of approximately 20 s. The T1 values for multiple organs and tissues in the abdomen are in agreement with the published literature. Conclusion A high-resolution 3D abdominal T1 mapping technique was developed, which allows fast and accurate T1 mapping of multiple abdominal organs and tissues in a single breath-hold. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Filtered models for bidisperse gas-particle flows

Using the microscopic multi-fluid model as a starting point we perform fine grid simulations of bidisperse gas–particle flows to examine the dependence of the filtered fluid–particle drag coefficient, particle–particle drag coefficient, and particle phase stress on the volume fractions and sizes of the particles and the filter size. Scalings are identified for the filtered fluid–particle drag coefficient, particle–particle drag coefficient, and particle phase pressure that capture the dependence of each filtered correction on the size and volume fraction ratios of the bidisperse assembly.
Robust Sideslip Angle Estimation for Lightweight Vehicles Using Smooth Variable Structure Filter

In the design of vehicle stability control (VSC) systems for ground vehicles, sideslip angle plays a vital role and its estimation has long been an active research topic. Accurate estimation of sideslip angle is more difficult for lightweight vehicles (LWVs) because their parameters are prone to significant changes with loading conditions — the amount and position of the payload. In this paper, a robust sideslip angle estimator based on a recently emerging smooth variable structure filter (SVSF) is presented. This sideslip angle estimator is suitable for LWVs because it is almost non-sensitive to the changes of the system parameters. A four-state vehicle lateral dynamic model including a pseudo-Burckhardt tire model is employed in the filter design. Compared with the widely utilized extended Kalman filter (EKF), the SVSF shows much better robustness against modeling errors. It is also more favorable in terms of tuning effort and computational speed. Simulation studies were conducted based on a high-fidelity vehicle model in CarSim®, where the vehicle took the form of a lightweight electric ground vehicle with independent in-wheel motors. The performance of the SVSF was shown by comparisons against the EKF under different settings for model parameters.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Review of prophylactic knee bracing in athletes: Does it work?

Review of the literature, primarily articles published in the last few years, revealed that the subject of prophylactic (protective) knee bracing in athletes is highly complex and controversial. Published results of studies on knee bracing strongly suggest that it is ineffective in preventing ligamentous knee injuries, that it is time-consuming and often expensive, and most dramatically that it may contribute to a higher incidence of injury than when no external support is applied to healthy knees. Possible reasons for this include placing undue stress on the MCL (preloading), especially in varus knees, twisting or slipping of the brace during use, and changing directions of force as the knee moves during impact. Functional and rehabilitative knee braces, on the other hand, seem to have almost universal approval when combined with physical therapy and conditioning designed to prevent recurrence of knee injuries. The authors conclude that a need exists for effective prophylactic knee bracing and believe that, with continuing research, improved design, and rigorous testing, achieving this goal is possible.
Mutations and expression of the p53 gene in rat bladder carcinomas and cell lines.

Abnormalities of the p53 gene are frequently observed in human tumors, including urinary bladder carcinoma, suggesting that p53 plays an important role in human carcinogenesis. However, its role in rat bladder carcinogenesis is unclear. We investigated p53 gene mutations and expression in rat urinary bladder carcinogenesis in vivo and in Vitro. Fifteen urothelial cell lines, including six untransformed (nontumorigenic) ones, six transformed (tumorigenic) in vitro, and three derived from tumors induced in vivo, were examined for p53 expression by immunochemical analysis and for p53 mutations; in addition, 81 rat bladders were analyzed immunohistochemically for p53 expression, and 23 rat bladder tumors were analyzed for p53 mutations. Four cell lines had mutations in the p53 gene. Two of these were missense point mutations, and the other two were splicing mutations. On the other hand, no mutations were found in the bladder tumors induced in rats. By immunoprecipitation with PAb240, which is supposed to be specific for mutant p53, we detected mutations in three of the cell lines; PAb240 did not react with wild-type p53. However, in all cell lines and in growing populations of primary cultured bladder urothelial cells, p53 expression was detected immunohistochemically or by western blotting using PAb240 or PAb 421 monoclonal antibodies. In a high percentage of transitional cell carcinomas, wild-type p53 expression was detected by immunohistochemical analysis with PAb240. These results suggest that p53 gene mutations may not occur frequently in rat bladder carcinogenesis in vivo but may occur in vitro and that p53 overexpression detected immunohistochemically is common and may be related to cell proliferation rather than to the presence of mutations in rat bladder carcinogenesis. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Does capitalism produce an entrepreneurial class

Abstract This paper probes the conditions under which we might expect an entrepreneurial middle class of independent shopkeepers, merchants, professionals, and small manufacturers to expand or decline with capitalist development. We highlight the predictions offered by structural and Marxist accounts of middle class formation and apply them critically to four cases, including the early American Republic, industrializing England, Tsarist Russia, and the U.S. South during the antebellum–postbellum transition. Our empirical analyses and review of the historical literature suggest that the exogenous imposition of capitalist institutions often fails to propel entry into entrepreneurial activity and may even backfire, as cooptation or resentment among traditional elites generates barriers to small business proprietorship. When middling entrepreneurs exhibit greater agency with respect to the creation of capitalist institutions, their prospects tend to improve but the ability of scholars to draw causal linkages between structural change and the middle class are impaired, owing to problems of endogeneity. Paralleling institutional studies of organizations, the paper also underscores the importance of myth and ceremony – over mere numerical prevalence – in the ‘making’ of an entrepreneurial middle class.
A comparative study of a tool-based approach for teaching formal specifications

The use of formal methods in software engineering has been shown to be an effective way to improving the dependability of developed systems. The difficulty of writing, reading, and understanding formal specifications, which is an essential component of formal verification, remains one of the main obstacles in the adoption of formal methods in industry. It is, thus, essential that undergraduate students in computing programs learn how to specify formal system properties. This paper outlines an instructive component that uses a tool to support the teaching of formal approaches and languages, and it presents educational outcomes from using such a component in undergraduate courses. The component uses a model checking-based tool LTLV to teach Linear Temporal Logic (LTL), a well-known specification language. In addition, this paper describes two experiments that compare the effectiveness of the new approach to that of the traditional lecture-based approach. The results of the experiments show promise that the tool-based approach can be effective in teaching formal specifications. The paper provides analysis of the results of the studies, as well as lessons learned from the experiments.
On the queueing behavior of Gilbert-Elliott channels in the rare-transition regime

This article considers the performance of random block codes over the Gilbert-Elliott channel and characterizes the queueing performance under maximum-likelihood decoding. The probability of decoding failure is upper bounded using an approximation that works well in the rare-transition regime and the bound is used to perform a queueing analysis. A Poisson arrival process is chosen to allow fair comparisons between different block lengths and code rates. A Markov chain, based on the queue length and channel state, is constructed and used to analyze the tail probability of the queue. Our methods are used to evaluate both the probability of decoding failure, under a constraint of the probability of undetected error, and the queueing performance. The main result is that, for random coding on the Gilbert-Elliott channel, the performance analysis based on upper bounds provides a very good estimate of both the system performance and the optimum code parameters.
A phase II trial of a differentiating agent (tRA) with cisplatin-VP 16 chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

The prognosis for advanced non-small cell lung cancer remains poor. Response to chemotherapy is infrequent and overall survival is low. Trans-retinoic acid (tRA), a differentiating agent whose mechanism of action is thought to be different from conventional chemotherapy has activity in preclinical models and low but definite activity in the clinical setting. Its use has been hampered by decrease in bioavailability during continuous administration. We used an interrupted dosing schedule with a drug holiday for tRA that has since been confirmed to restore blood levels in combination with chemotherapy (Cisplatin-VP 16) in 20 patients with stage IIIB and IV non-small cell lung cancer. Ten patients had partial responses among 19 evaluable pts (53%; 95% confidence interval 30-75%) and 4 had minor responses. Neutropenia was the most common acute toxicity-grade 3/4 neutropenia occurring in 90% of patients at some point in the treatment course. Median survival was 25.5 weeks. This regimen of trans-retinoic acid given with drug holiday and chemotherapy has significant activity in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, is fairly well tolerated and is worthy of confirmation in a larger, multi-institutional setting.
The Efficacy of Acamprosate and Naltrexone in the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence: A Relative Benefits Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Random controlled trials on the efficacy of naltrexone and acamprosate in the treatment of alcohol dependence were reviewed, using a Relative Benefit (RB) analysis approach. A total of 42 studies were included, showing acamprosate use demonstrated a modest improvement, with a RB of 1.76 at three month follow-up. Short-term administration of naltrexone significantly reduced the relapse rate, but was not associated with modification in the abstinence rate. There was insufficient data available to ascertain the efficacy of naltrexone and acamprosate over prolonged periods of time, or the effectiveness of the medications relative to each other.
The ASTROCULTURE(TM) flight experiment series, validating technologies for growing plants in space.

Abstract A flight experiment, ASTROCULTURETM-1 (ASC-1), to evaluate the operational characteristics and hardware performance of a porous tube nutrient delivery system (PTNDS) was flown on STS-50 as part of the U.S. Microgravity Laboratory-1 mission, 25 June to 9 July, 1992. This experiment is the first in a series of planned ASTROCULTURETM flights to validate the performance of subsystems required to grow plants in microgravity environments. Results indicated that the PTNDS was capable of supplying water and nutrients to plants in microgravity and that its performance was similar in microgravity to that in 1g on Earth. The data demonstrated that water transfer rates through a rooting matrix are a function of pore size of the tubes, the degree of negative pressure on the ‘supply’ fluid, and the pressure differential between the ‘supply’ and ‘recovery’ fluid loops. A slightly greater transfer rate was seem in microgravity than in 1g, but differences were likely related to the presence of hydrostatic pressure effects at 1g. Thus, this system can be used to support plant growth in microgravity or in partial gravity as on a lunar or Mars base. Additional subsystems to be evaluated in the ASTROCULTURETM flight series of experiments include lighting, humidity control and condensate recovery, temperature control, nutrient composition control, CO2 and O2 control, and gaseous contaminant control.
Longitudinal predictors of maternal stress and coping after very low-birth-weight birth.

Objective To determine longitudinal outcomes and contributors to parental stress and coping in mothers of very low-birth-weight (VLBW) children. Design Prospective cohort follow-up of high-risk VLBW children (n = 113), low-risk VLBW children (n = 80), and term children (n = 122) and their mothers from birth to 14 years. Setting Recruitment from level III neonatal intensive care and term nurseries in a large Midwestern region with follow-up at an academic medical center. Participants A total of 315 mother-infant dyads enrolled from November 8, 1989, to February 22, 1992. Main Exposures High-risk VLBW infants had bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Comparison groups were demographically similar low-risk VLBW children (without bronchopulmonary dysplasia) and term children. Main Outcome Measures Child IQ and self-report measures of parenting stress, family impact, maternal coping, education, and social support. Results After VLBW birth, mothers attained fewer additional years of education than term mothers ( P = .04). Mothers of high-risk VLBW children felt more personal stress ( P = .006) and family stress ( P = .009) under conditions of low social support and had greater child-related stress than term mothers; however, they also expressed the highest levels of parenting satisfaction at 14 years. They became less likely to use denial ( P = .02) and mental disengagement ( P = .03) as coping mechanisms over time. Except for education attainment, mothers of low-risk VLBW infants did not differ from mothers of term children and at 14 years reported the lowest stress. Conclusions Parenting a VLBW child had both positive and negative outcomes, dependent on child medical risk, child IQ, social support, and maternal coping mechanisms, suggesting that mothers experience posttraumatic growth and resilience after significant distress post partum.
Electronic device aspects of neural network memories

The basic issues related to the electronic implementation of the neural network model (NNM) for content addressable memories are examined. A brief introduction to the principles of the NNM is followed by an analysis of the information storage of the neural network in the form of a binary connection matrix and the recall capability of such matrix memories based on a hardware simulation study. In addition, materials and device architecture issues involved in the future realization of such networks in VLSI-compatible ultrahigh-density memories are considered. A possible space application of such devices would be in the area of large-scale information storage without mechanical devices.
Accuracy of Reference Evapotranspiration Estimation by Two Irrigation Controllers in a Humid Climate

AbstractIncreasing municipal water demand has led to new innovations in water-saving technology. Evapotranspiration-based irrigation controllers, also known as weather-based irrigation controllers, are a technology that use evapotranspiration (ET) estimates to schedule irrigation. Although real-time on-site data collection could help improve data quality, limited data parameters collected or simplified reference evapotranspiration (ETo) estimation methods from an on-site sensor could potentially have an impact on estimated ETo values for stand-alone controllers. Conversely, collection of data from off-site weather stations that are not representative of the local conditions could lead to inaccurate ETo estimations for local irrigation sites. The Weathermatic SL1600 and Toro Intelli-sense controllers were selected for testing because of the different methods of data collection and ETo estimation. This study was conducted in two locations: Wimauma and Gainesville, Florida. In Wimauma the Weathermatic contro...
General-relativistic simulations of binary black hole-neutron stars: Precursor electromagnetic signals

We perform the first general relativistic force-free simulations of neutron star magnetospheres in orbit about spinning and nonspinning black holes. We find promising precursor electromagnetic emission: typical Poynting luminosities at, e.g., an orbital separation of $r=6.6{R}_{\mathrm{NS}}$ are ${L}_{\mathrm{EM}}\ensuremath{\sim}6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{42}({B}_{\mathrm{NS},\mathrm{p}}/{10}^{13}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{G}{)}^{2}({\mathrm{M}}_{\mathrm{NS}}/1.4{\mathrm{M}}_{\ensuremath{\bigodot}}{)}^{2}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{erg}/\mathrm{s}$. The Poynting flux peaks within a broad beam of $\ensuremath{\sim}40\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ in the azimuthal direction and within $\ensuremath{\sim}60\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ from the orbital plane, establishing a possible lighthouse effect. Our calculations, though preliminary, preview more detailed simulations of these systems that we plan to perform in the future.
Differences among Campus Groups on a Measure of Self-Actualization

To investigate differences in self-actualization among campus groups the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) was administered to 192 Ss. The POI scale scores were factor analyzed. Three factors were identified and the following groups were compared on the basis of mean factor scores: Group 1—Black students (N = 51); Group 2—white majority (N = 72); Group 3—white, overt, non-conformists (N = 31); Group 4—white, covert, non-conformists (N = 22); Group 5—white, non-affiliated (N = 16). Groups 1 and 2 scored significantly higher on Factor I (self-actualization feelings), no significant differences were found on Factor II (self-actualization thinking), and Group 1 scored significantly higher than Group 5 on Factor III (tentatively identified as a measure of self-concept).
WE-E-203-05: Medical Physics Teaching Opportunites in an ITunes World

Introduction: Today's students have come up in a world where online audio and video content is widely available. Through the use of television production and iTunes, increased opportunities for out of the classroom learning are available. Method and Materials: During the last three years at the University of Arizona, we have used the medical TV resources in our institution to record our medical physics courses. The class studio is equipped with computers, pad camera and video players. An integrated teaching environment is achieved where one may transfer from traditional “chalk board” (pad camera) methods to advanced computational and video presentations. In class lectures proceed as normal with the inclusion of microphones for recording. Lectures are then placed on University iTunes with in a few days of class. Recordings of past years lectures are made available to the students in addition to the current instructor's lectures. Video podcasts of advanced topics not covered in lectures can also be made available which may allow for instructors to maintain course schedules. Other laboratory podcasts may also be developed for QA, machine engineering and machine operation. These will allow for students to participate in labs independently outside of normal clinic hours. Results: Students have multiple opportunities to review the lecture and other material regardless of class time. Content that may have been missed due to illness or other absence may still be covered. Additionally, competing course schedules may now be accommodated without rescheduling class times. Use of the TV/iTunes system has allowed for students in any semester to view the same topic from multiple instructors. This has given a diversity of presentation which may allow for students to better understand topics. Conclusion: Use of video lectures and podcasts in an integrated iTunes environment allows for increased opportunities for learning for medical physics students.
Analytical model of traffic delays under bus signal preemption: Theory and application

Abstract Major emphasis has been placed in recent years on the improvement of the operations of existing transportation facilities, using Transportation Systems Management strategies. Accordingly, preferential treatment of high occupancy vehicles is playing an increasing role in transportation projects. This paper deals with one of these strategies, the priority treatment of buses at signalized intersections. Such treatment is aimed at improving the capacity of intersections. The paper develops an analytical model of delays at signalized intersections under a bus preemption scheme. The analysis is presented for the simplest case, i.e., two intersecting one-way streets. The results suggests that the benefits of bus preemption can be increased by properly adjusting several design parameters such as cycle and phase duration of the preempted phases as well as the non-preempted parameters. The model outlined in this paper is applicable to any situation in which stochastic variation is introduced into the signal cycle as well as to bus preemption. Consequently, other potential applications of the model include the design/analysis of traffic actuated signals, and pedestrian actuated signals.
Congressional influence on U.S. monetary policy: A reconsideration of the evidence

Abstract One of the few works that finds strong evidence of congressional influence on U.S. monetary policy is Grier (1991), which finds a direct relationship between the liberalism of the Senate oversight committee leadership and monetary base growth. We extend this analysis by considering a longer sample period and by considering the preferences of House oversight committee leaders, in addition to Senators. Grier's evidence is not robust to these extensions. Where we do find correlation between congressional preferences and monetary base growth, increased liberalism of congressional oversight committees is associated with lower monetary base growth.
Nimble as cats, dependable as dogs: subject-based technical services teams and acquisitions

L'article decrit comment la bibliotheque de l'University of Minnesota Twin Cities a restructure les unites de services techniques afin de s'adapter aux fluctuations du travail d'acquisition. Le personnel a ete organise en equipes librement fondees sur le sujet plutot que sur la fonction, afin que chaque membre soit a la fois plus flexible tout en demeurant fiable dans ses fonctions propres.
The role of translationally excited species in atmospheric reactions

Abstract The reaction cross section for a particular atmospheric process can be a complicated function of the total energy of the reacting pair. As a result, the translational energy of the system can change the reaction rate for an atmospheric reaction in a drastic way. The reaction of H + N2O is among the most difficult to understand since it displays a curved Arrhenius plot, presumably due to a change in mechanism as the kinetic energy of the system increases. Detailed theoretical investigations of the potential energy surface for this reaction along with scattering calculations support this general view. These types of predictions can be tested in the laboratory by changing the translational energy of the H atoms and the vibrational energy of the polyatomic involved in the reaction while measuring the reaction cross section and product state distributions. Our experimental studies reveal that the general features predicted by theory are correct for H + N2O although the reaction cross section does not increase with translational energy as strongly as theory predicts. While the calculated threshold for reaction appears correct, the measured cross section is at least ten times smaller than predicted near threshold and about four times smaller than predicted at 35 kcal/mol. This implies that the geometry in the transition state for the reaction is more constrained than calculated. This conclusion is also supported by a model that uses the lambda doublet ratios in product OH to understand the collision geometry of H + N2O.
Superantigens and Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Detection of Staphylococcal Exotoxins in Nasal Polyps†

Objective/Hypothesis: The role of infectious agents in the etiology of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) remains unclear. Recent studies have provided indirect evidence of exposure to staphylococcal exotoxins in the blood and polyp tissue of patients with CRSwNP. These exotoxins have the capacity to act as superantigens, bypassing normal antigen processing and directly stimulating a massive inflammatory response. The objective of the study was to analyze mucus and polyp tissue samples from patients with CRSwNP for the presence of staphylococcal exotoxins. Study Design: Prospective study. Methods: Tissue and mucus samples were obtained from 42 patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis and 11 normal control patients. Twenty-nine of 42 patients had chronic rhinosinusitis with bilateral nasal polyposis, 2 had antrochoanal polyps, and 11 had chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps. Eleven patients without chronic rhinosinusitis or polyps served as normal control patients. Specimens were analyzed for the presence of five staphylococcal exotoxins (SEA, SEB, SEC, SED, and toxic shock syndrome toxin type 1 [TSST-1]) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histological analysis of specimens and mean eosinophil counts were correlated with the presence of toxin. Results: At least one toxin was detected in 14 of 29 patients with bilateral nasal polyposis. Nine of the 14 patients also had positive findings for additional toxins. The dominant histological pattern in the CRSwNP patient group was polypoid mucosa with edema, which was found in both ELISA-positive and ELISA-negative patients. Mean eosinophil counts tended to be higher in ELISA-positive patients with polyps compared with patients without toxin detection. No toxin was detected in the 11 specimens taken from normal control patients. Only 1 of the 13 patients with CRS without polyps had positive ELISA results for toxin. Conclusion: The current study demonstrates the presence of superantigen toxins in 14 of 29 patients with CRSwNP, with SEB and TSST-1 being the most common. Further studies are necessary to correlate the presence of toxin with the pathological changes present in polyp tissue.
Evaluation of perennial pepperweed ( Lepidium latifolium ) management in a seasonal wetland in the San Francisco Estuary prior to restoration of tidal hydrology

Herbicide applications have shown potential for control and management of invasive perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium) in rangelands and tidal wetlands. However, reported efficacy of management methods varies widely, and the effects of more recently registered aquatic herbicides on non-target vegetation in riparian corridors and seasonal wetlands are poorly understood. In a replicated field experiment, we applied two registered aquatic herbicides to control L. latifolium upstream of a sensitive tidal wetland reserve as a preliminary step towards hydrologic restoration of a degraded ephemeral creek channel and associated seasonal wetlands. Herbicide treatments (imazapyr, 2,4-d) were applied at flower bud stage in May 2007 and monitored at 1 and 2 years following application. Two years of 2,4-d application were not effective in controlling L. latifolium (<1% control) but had minimal non-target impacts on the native plant community. Imazapyr reduced L. latifolium cover by more than 90% after 1 year of treatment as compared to untreated controls although non-target impacts on the native plant community were severe and persistent over the 2 years of observation. These results provide important information about the response of L. latifolium to management trials in a seasonal wetland and will be used to develop an integrated and adaptive management strategy for weed control as a component of a proposed tidal marsh restoration plan.
Template and active contour matching for automated left ventricular boundary detection

ABSTRACT This paper presents an algorithm that extracts accurate left ventricular (LV) boundaries from a two-dimensional (2-D)echocardiographic (echo) sequence covering a cardiac cycle. Unlike user-dependent, manual or semi-automatic techniques,the key feature of this algorithm is its truly automated processing for estimation. First, the algorithm performs smoothing ofthe image in the LV target area, followed by enhancement of intensity differences and edge detection. In order to bestlocalize the position of the LV boundary, the algorithm uses a deformable template model derived from prior knowledge ofLV shape and an edge map obtained from boundary estimation. The deformable template model is matched to the target byminimizing an energy function induced by the difference between edge locations and tangents of the template and those ofthe current frame edge map. Since the shape of the endocardial boundary will vary between temporally distinct frames, acontrolled continuity spline, a snake, is then used to implement refined active contour matching to the current frame LVboundary. Frame-to-frame tracking of the LV boundary is incorporated by using the boundary estimate from one frame toinitialize and help with the estimation in the subsequent frame, which leads to faster and more accurate LV estimationthroughout the image sequence. Test results of this algorithm show that the combination of approximate template matchingwith smoothness constraints in snakes produces good LV boundary extraction even with significant false and/or missing edgeinformation caused by poor contrast and noise.Keywords: 2-D Echocardiography, Medical Ultrasound Imaging, Endocardial Boundary Detection, Deformable TemplateMatching, Active Contour Matching
Quantitation of urinary carnitine esters in a patient with medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency: Effect of metabolic state and l-carnitine therapy

Urinary carnitine esters were quantitated in an infant with medium-chain acylcoenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency by means of a highly sensitive and specific radioisotopic exchange high-pressure liquid chromatography method. During fasting, the excretion of free carnitine and of acetylcarnitine, octanoylcarnitine, and hexanoylcarnitine was increased. The fractional tubular reabsorption of free carnitine was decreased, suggesting a renal leak of free carnitine. In the symptom-free, fed state, only minor amounts of free carnitine and of short-chain acylcarnitine, octanoylcarnitine, and hexanoylcarnitine were present in urine, and carnitine loss occurred in the form of "other" carnitine esters not exceeding that of control subjects. During L-carnitine therapy, the excretion of free carnitine, short-chain acylcarnitine, octanoylcarnitine, and hexanoylcarnitine, and particularly of "other" carnitine esters, was increased, suggesting a possible detoxifying effect of administered carnitine that is not confined to the elimination of octanoic and hexanoic acids. The employed method detects very low urinary concentrations of octanoylcarnitine and hexanoylcarnitine (less than 1 mumol/L) characteristic of medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency and may be useful in screening for this disease, which has been associated with sudden infant death.
A Numerical Study of the Hydrometeorological Dryline in Northwest India During the Monsoon

This objective of this study is to elucidate the processes that govern the space-time persistence of the hydrometeorological dryline in Northwest India. The working hypothesis is that orographic forcing and land-atmosphere interactions via soil moisture and vegetation processes lock the hydrometeorological line to the Aravalli range and the Thar Desert (a.k.a. the Great Indian Desert). For this purpose, simulations of active and break phases of the 2001 monsoon season were conducted using a mesoscale model (MM5). During the active phases of the monsoon, southeasterly depressions from the Bay of Bengal propagate over northern India, maintaining sustained convergence of moist available energy east of the Aravalli range, leading to increased rainfall and cloudiness patterns consistent with deep convective activity. Drier air originating from the Arabian Sea in the Western Indian Ocean is constrained to the west. During monsoon break phases, moisture convergence from the Bay of Bengal to the Northern India Convergence Zone (NICZ) decreases dramatically, weakening regional circulations east of the Aravalli range. This allows ventilation of the central portion of the NICZ through penetration of westerly dry air, leading to reduced rainfall, lower soil wetness, decrease of latent heat fluxes, and finally lower CAPE and humidity in the lower troposphere. Whereas the inland propagation of monsoon depressions from the Bay of Bengal triggers the onset (demise) of active and break periods, the sustainability of either regime requires strong feedbacks between humidity and stability in the lower troposphere and the surface energy balance: negative in the case of monsoon breaks, positive in the case of active periods. This study shows that, albeit relatively modest (<600 m average elevation), the Aravalli provides sufiicient lift (upwind) and descend (downwind) to organize the spatial distribution of updrafts westward (active phase) and eastward (break phase) of the topographic divide in such a way that low level updrafts are nearly suppressed over the Thar Desert. Sensitivity experiments with modified soil and vegetation cover show that daytime latent heat fluxes (and evapotranspiration) play an important role in the spatial orgnization of CAPE and in triggering light rainfall processes in the semi-arid regions of northwest India, whereas the occurrence of heavy rainfall to the east of the Aravalli range is controlled by large-scale monsoon dynamics.