cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The electronic isotope shift in diatomic molecules and the partial breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation

Abstract The exact rovibronic Hamiltonian of a diatomic molecule is derived, and expressions for the eigenfunctions and eigenvalues are obtained in the adiabatic approximation. This is an improvement over the results obtained using the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. The best possible potential curve of an electronic state of a diatomic molecule is defined and it is shown how this varies with isotopic substitution. The theoretical expression for the electronic isotope shift of a transition is determined from the expressions for the best possible potential curves. This theoretical result is shown to be in good agreement with the observed isotope shifts of the Lyman bands of H 2 , HD, and D 2 . Since the theoretical determination of an electronic isotope shift demands the ab initio calculation of several expectation values, an approximate expression is derived and shown to give good agreement with experiment. The accuracy of the experimental determination of an electronic isotope shift is also discussed.
On the suppression of dynamic embrittlement in Cu–8wt%Sn by an addition of zirconium

Abstract The alloy Cu–8wt%Sn alloy is subject to dynamic embrittlement caused by the stress-induced diffusion of surface-segregated tin into grain boundaries that intersect the surface. It is shown here that the cracking caused by this phenomenon can be suppressed by the addition of 0.04wt% zirconium, which can also eliminate the tendency for this alloy to crack during hot rolling (hot shortness).
Visualizing time and geography of open source software with storygraph

Free/Libre and Open source software are generally maintained by a group of developers contributing to the software voluntarily without the presence of any governing institution. Online collaboration platforms and sub-version systems allow developers from all over the world with the necessary skills to contribute to the software. Recently, there has been much interest in analyzing the developers' geographic location since it also serves as a socio-economic marker. In this paper we present our spatio-temporal visualization technique called Storygraph that shows the developers, developer locations and the frequency of commits based on the commit log in one integrated view. We also apply our techniques to the VCS of Rails, Homebrew and D3.js obtained from GitHub.
All-for-one and one-for-all?: a multi-level analysis of communication patterns and individual performance in geographically distributed software development

It is well established that distributed software projects benefit from informal communication. However, it is less clear how patterns of informal communication impact the performance of the individual developers. In a study of communication networks in a large commercial software project, we found that individuals performed better when they were central within a team's communication network but their performance worsened if they were central within the communication for the whole project. On the other hand, individuals embedded in a dense communication cluster at the team and at the project level perform better than those who were not embedded. The effects for both network positions were maintained even after controlling for formal role, individual differences in communication, workload and other factors that drive communication. We discuss the implications of the results for intra- and inter-team communication and for the inclusion of network structure into the design of collaborative and awareness tools.
The Village Enlightenment in America: Popular Religion and Science in the Nineteenth Century

A fascinating investigation into how nineteenth-century religions attempted to justify their movements and beliefs by falling back on the "enlightened irrefutability" of science.
Coherence properties of wideband satellite signals caused by ionospheric scintillation

Radio scintillation on satellite signals caused by small-scale irregularities in F-region ionospheric electron density can be an important limitation on earth-satellite communication and navigation systems. Scintillation imposes distortion in both amplitude and phase on wideband signals. In the present work, the shallow-modulated phase screen theory is developed in terms of coherence bandwidth including a model based on a turbulent-like power-law description of the irregularities. The model results usually show a greater coherence bandwidth in the signal phase than in the signal amplitude. Therefore, systems that require phase coherence over a large bandwidth should be less affected than those requiring amplitude coherence.
Electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations and electron coherence.

The coupling of the quantized electromagnetic field to coherent electrons is investigated. The effects both of photon emission and of the electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations upon electron interference are analyzed. The modifications of the vacuum fluctuations due to a conducting plate lead to a decrease in the amplitude of the interference oscillations. The possibility of observing this effect is discussed. It is also shown that there is an analogue of the Aharonov-Bohm effect in which electron interference is sensitive to vacuum fluctuations in regions from which the electrons are excluded.
TH‐E‐M100A‐02: Performance Specification for New Equipment Purchases: CT‐Simulators and PET/CT

Imaging equipment for radiation therapy (RT) has undergone significant changes during the past decade. Historically, imaging equipment has been designed almost exclusively for diagnostic radiology. Computed tomography(CT) and positron emission tomography(PET)scanners did not have any features which were specifically indented for imaging of RT patients. These scanners were used for radiationimaging often with modifications and largely were not suited well for the task. Today, the situation is different and all major scanner manufacturers offer devices which are designed specifically for RT imaging or which have features designed for RT. This paradigm change in how scanner manufacturers view RT imaging needs has resulted in significant increase in imaging equipment choices available to RT departments. The change in scanner manufacturer approach towards RT is mainly driven by the increased need for CT and multimodality imaging(PET, MR, SPECT) in RT. The vast majority of radiationoncology departments have a CTscanner, some have more than one, and many have PETCTscanners. The scanners found in radiationoncology are also no longer predominantly low end models but more commonly state of the art scanners capable of diagnostic quality imaging. For CTscanners, there are several gantry aperture sizes available with varying number of detector configurations. All manufacturers offer solutions for respiratory correlated imaging. Similarly, PET/CT scanners are indented to be used for RT treatment planningimaging and there are multiple options available on the market for this equipment as well. Understanding features of CT and PET/CT scanners that are available for RT imaging and selecting the scanner which best suits the needs and workflow of an individual department can significantly affect treatment planning and radiation delivery process. This presentation is designed to address features of CT and PET/CT scanners which are important for RT imaging and which are commercially available. The presentation will also address typical needs of individual radiationoncology facilities and how modern CT and PET/CT scanners are meeting these needs. Educational Objectives: 1. Describe features available on commercial CTscanner (simulators). 2. Describe features available on commercial PET/CT scanners (simulators). 3. Describe how available CT and PET/CT scanner features can meet the needs of modern radiationoncology practice.
On the cumulant-neglect closure method in stochastic dynamics

Abstract This paper examines the efficacy of cumulant-neglect closure methods for complex dynamical systems. Previous efforts to employ this method were limited by the complicated and lengthy nature of the governing moment equations. To address this difficulty, an algorithm was developed and is presented herein for the efficient and automated generation of the moment equations for dynamical systems with an arbitrary number of states and closed at an arbitrary level (limited only by available computational resources). Both stationary and non-stationary moment responses were obtained through solution of the closed set of moment equations. The Duffing oscillator subjected to additive Gaussian white noise and the linear oscillator subjected to the square of a Gaussian process were examined in order to demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the algorithm. A number of additional systems were examined to determine the range of applicability of the cumulant neglect closure method. Some general observations regarding stability and performance of cumulant-neglect closure methods are given.
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) Of A Diamond-Turned Surface And A Grating Replica

The technique of scanning tunneling microscopy has been applied to topographic mapping of two optical surfaces -- a ruled grating replica and a diamond-turned gold mirror. By taking measurements with both a scanning tunneling microscope and a conventional stylus instrument, we have compared profiles and power spectral density (PSD) functions calculated from the profiles of a grating replica. Furthermore, surface structure was observed and PSD's were calculated for a diamond-turned surface measured with a STM. No structure was detected by the stylus instrument due to the spacing of the grooves on the diamond-turned sample. These measurements yield information necessary to gaining a better understanding of the diamond-turning process.
MAMMARY GLAND GROWTH IN HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED CASTRATED GUINEA PIGS1,2

AREVIEW of the recent literature reveals that the mechanism of growth of the mammary glands has been attributed to a number of factors (for review of literature, I). Although the majority of evidence establishes quite conclusively that the anterior hypophysis exercises a controlling influence upon the mammary glands, there is some disagreement among investigators as to the role played by the anterior hypophysis in mammary growth. On the basis of an extensive series of experiments in a variety of hypophysectomiz,ed animals, it is suggested that the initiation and maintenance of mammary growth is under the control of the ‘mammogen’ secretion of the anterior hypophysis (2–6). Similar evidence has been interpreted by others to indicate that anterior hypophyseal secretions or certain extracts of the anterior hypophysis, especially those containing growth-promoting activity, are essential for mammary growth stimulation by estrogens (7, 8, 9).
Genetic analysis of Pten and Ink4a/Arf interactions in the suppression of tumorigenesis in mice

Dual inactivation of PTEN and INK4a/ARF tumor suppressor genes is a common feature observed in a broad spectrum of human cancer types. To validate functional collaboration between these genes in tumor suppression, we examined the biological consequences of Pten and/or Ink4a/Arf deficiency in cells and mice. Relative to single mutant controls, Ink4a/Arf−/−Pten+/− mouse embryonic fibroblast cultures exhibited faster rates of growth in reduced serum, grew to higher saturation densities, produced more colonies upon low density seeding, and showed increased susceptibility to transformation by oncogenic H-Ras. Ink4a/Arf deficiency reduced tumor-free survival and shortened the latency of neoplasias associated with Pten heterozygosity, specifically pheochromocytoma, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, and endometrial hyperplasia. Compound mutant mice also exhibited an expanded spectrum of tumor types including melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Functional synergy between Ink4a/Arf and Pten manifested most prominently in the development of pheochromocytoma, prompting an analysis of genes and loci implicated in this rare human neoplasm. The classical pheochromocytoma genes Ret, Vhl, and Nf-1 remained intact, a finding consistent with the intersection of these genes with pathways engaged by Pten and Ink4a/Arf. Notably, conventional and array-comparative genomic hybridization revealed frequent loss of distal mouse chromosome 4 in a region syntenic to human chromosome 1p that is implicated in human pheochromocytoma. This study provides genetic evidence of collaboration between Pten and Ink4a/Arf in constraining the growth and oncogenic transformation of cultured cells and in suppressing a wide spectrum of tumors in vivo.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Hospital-Wide QA Programs

Summary Implementation of a hospital-wide Quality Assurance (QA) program to comply with the new Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH) requirements was studied at hospitals in central and southern Illinois. A telephone interview was conducted with the person responsible for administration of the QA plan at 65 acute care hospitals. One objective of the study was to survey the perceptions of the QA Managers/Coordinators concerning the strengths and weaknesses of the hospital-wide QA program effort. “Improved communication” was the most frequently reported strength in the QA program; the most frequently reported weakness was “a need for more hospital-wide orientation to the new QA concept.”
Barrier technology for DyBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ junctions and related structures

Layered structures which include the high-temperature superconductor DyBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ have been fabricated using molecular beam epitaxy with ozone as the activated oxygen source. A c-axis-oriented DyBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ thin film with a T/sub c/ of 74 K has been grown on a layer of the rare earth sesquioxide Dy/sub 2/O/sub 3/ on a
Meatpacking and the Transformation of Rural Communities: A Comparison of Brooks, Alberta and Garden City, Kansas*

North America's meatpackers have relied upon immigrants to staff their plants from the earliest days of the industry in the late nineteenth century when packinghouses were located in urban areas adjacent to stockyards. A hundred years later the industry remains dependent on an immigrant labor force, but now most of its plants are located in rural areas. This means rural communities are transformed with the arrival of immigrants to staff their plants. But Canada and the United States have different immigration policies, which means they draw upon different immigrant sources. Canada favors the recruitment of highly skilled labor while the United States emphasizes family reunification. This paper examines whether this difference affects the labor force composition of a Canadian and U.S. meatpacking plant, and the associated transformation of the plants' host communities.
A ‘reset’ of NATO–Russia relations: real or imaginary?

Abstract This article discusses Russian perceptions of and attitudes toward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Russia has historically disliked and mistrusted NATO, seeing it as the primary threat to its international aspirations; in practice Russia pursues a dual policy. Its harsh condemnation of NATO has not stopped it from cooperating in selected areas of mutual interest. The most important among them is support for NATO's military operations in Afghanistan. The recent rejuvenation of relations between the west and Moscow is known as the strategic ‘reset’, meaning a return to diplomatic contacts and limited cooperation regardless of disagreements over the invasion of Georgia and Moscow's other recent international transgressions. The reset in NATO–Russia relations has only tactical significance, however. Cooperation will take place on a limited basis, but a genuine reset in mutual relations must wait for a reset in Russia's political and strategic priorities.
Using reflectance spectroscopy to predict beef tenderness.

Abstract A study was conducted to determine if reflectance measurements made in the near-infrared region of the spectrum were additive to reflectance measurements made in the visible region of the spectrum for predicting Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) values. Eighty seven strip loins were collected following fabrication over 3 d at a commercial beef processing facility from heifer carcasses with Slight or Traces marbling scores. Spectroscopic measurements were made at approximately 50 h postmortem using a Hunter-Lab UltraScan. Subsequently, all strip loins were aged for 14 d, cooked to an internal temperature of 70 °C, and sheared to obtain WBSF values. Reflectance measurements obtained in the near-infrared region of the spectrum were correlated with WBSF values, however, these measurements were not additive to the predictive ability of reflectance measurements (R2 values did not differ) made in the visible portion of the spectrum when the use of broad-band wavelength filters were simulated. It was therefore determined, that both the visible and near-infrared spectra measure reflectance and that both methods are acceptable methods of tenderness prediction.
Structure of a fluid interface near the critical point.

The structure of the liquid-liquid interface of three very different mixtures (carbon disulfide + methanol, methanol + cyclohexane + deuterated cyclohexane, and nitrobenzene + n-decane) has been studied using ellipsometry in the reduced temperature range between 0.0009 and 0.042. Although the elliptical thickness varies by an order of magnitude between these mixtures, the data from all three mixtures can be scaled to the same universal constant by a combined mean-field plus capillary-wave model of the interface. The universal constant determined experimentally is significantly less than the theoretical value.
Nitrogen Deficiency and Fluoride Susceptibility of Bean Seedlings.

Groups of bean seedlings (Phaseolus vulgaris) were grown concurrently in cleaned and fluoride-containing (4 to 7 ..mu..g of F/sup -/ per cubic meter) air in plant-growth chambers for 10 and 20 days with six water-culture treatments: Hoaglund's formulation and Hoaglund's minus potassium, calcium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron. An inadvertent 15-hour exposure on day 15 (at 42 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/) produced foliar fluorosis symptoms only on the nitrogen-deficient plants fumigated 20 days, although higher fluoride concentrations were present in the foliage of similar plants grown in the other nutrient-deficient solutions. 6 references, 1 figure.
Thermochemical comparison of deprotonation in KAPA (potassium 3-aminopropanamide) and potassium DMSYL

Abstract Heats of deprotonation in solutions of the potassium salt of 1,3-diaminopropane in the parent amine as solvent indicate that it is over a million times more basic than the potassium salt of DMSO.
Insulin amyloid fibrillation at above 100°C: New insights into protein folding under extreme temperatures

To investigate the folding behavior of amyloidogenic proteins under extreme temperatures, the kinetics of fibrillation and accompanying secondary structure transitions of bovine insulin were studied for temperatures ranging up to 140 degrees C. The presence of extreme heat stress had traditionally been associated with irreversible denaturation of protein while the initial steps of such a denaturation process may be common with a fibril formation pathway of amyloidogenic proteins. The present work demonstrates the ability of insulin to form amyloid fibrils at above 100 degrees C. Amyloid formation was gradually replaced by random coil generation after approximately 80 degrees C until no amyloid was detected at 140 degrees C. The morphology of insulin amyloid fibrils underwent sharp changes with increasing the temperature. The dependence of amyloid formation rate on incubation temperature followed non-Arrhenius kinetics, which is explained by temperature-dependent enthalpy change for amyloid formation. The intermediate stage of amyloid formation and random coil generation consisted of a partially folded intermediate common to both pathways. The fully unfolded monomers in random coil conformation showed partial reversibility through this intermediate by reverting back to the amyloid pathway when formed at 140 degrees C and incubated at 100 degrees C. This study highlights the non-Arrhenius kinetics of amyloid fibrillation under extreme temperatures, and elucidates its intermediate stage common with random coil formation.
Antitoxin MqsA Helps Mediate the Bacterial General Stress Response

Although it is well recognized that bacteria respond to environmental stress through global networks, the mechanism by which stress is relayed to the interior of the cell is poorly understood. Here we show that enigmatic toxin-antitoxin systems are vital in mediating the environmental stress response. Specifically, the antitoxin MqsA represses rpoS, which encodes the master regulator of stress. Repression of rpoS by MqsA reduces the concentration of the internal messenger 3,5-cyclic diguanylic acid, leading to increased motility and decreased biofilm formation. Furthermore, the repression of rpoS by MqsA decreases oxidative stress resistance via catalase activity. Upon oxidative stress, MqsA is rapidly degraded by Lon protease, resulting in induction of rpoS. Hence, we show that external stress alters gene regulation controlled by toxin-antitoxin systems, such that the degradation of antitoxins during stress leads to a switch from the planktonic state (high motility) to the biofilm state (low motility).
Endocannabinoid structure-activity relationships for interaction at the cannabinoid receptors.

Summary Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine) was the first ligand to be identified as an endogenous ligand of the G-protein coupled cannabinoid CB1receptor.Subsequently, two other fattyacid ethanolamides,N-homo-g-linolenylethanolamine and N-7,10,13,16-docosatetraenylethanolamine were identified as endogenous cannabinoid ligands. A fatty acid ester, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), and a fatty acid ether, 2-arachidonyl glyceryl ether also have been isolated and shown to be endogenous cannabinoidligands.Recent studies have postulated the existence of carrier-mediated anandamide transport that is essential for termination of the biological effects of anandamide. A membrane bound amidohydrolase (fatty acid amide hydrolase, FAAH), located intracellularly, hydrolyzes and inactivates anandamide and other endogenous cannabinoids such as 2-AG. 2-AG has also been proposed to be an endogenous CB2 ligand.Structure^activity relationships (SARs) forendocannabinoidinteraction with the CB receptors are currently emerging in the literature.This review considers cannabinoid receptor SAR developed to date for the endocannabinoids with emphasis upon the conformational implications for endocannabinoid recognition at the cannabinoid receptors. & 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Work, Family, and Class Values in the Nineteenth Century: Colloquium on Denis Poulot's Le Sublime

Denis Poulot (b. 1832) was a worker who became a small-time employer in the Parisian metal trades. His Le Sublime, ou le travailleur comment il est en 1870 et ce qu'il peut ?tre offers remarkable insights into the lives, labor, and families of his former comrades. Considered a classic by social and labor historians, Le Sub lime has recently been republished by Editions Maspero with an introduction by Alain Cottereau. This new edition served as the basis of discussion at a one-day colloquium in New Haven on March 27, 1981 sponsored by the Council on West European Studies and the Department of History at Yale University. The partici pants included France specialists as well as historians of other European countries and the United States. The gathering signified the increasing interest of students of nineteenth century workers' movements in the world of the mid-century middle class and its relationship to working class experience. Christopher Johnson began the morning session with remarks on Poulot's manipulation of the artisan ideologies of the eighteen forties in Le Sublime. Johnson demonstrated how Poulot reoriented artisan ideology away from its origi nal cooperative, fraternal mold and set it in a competitive one while retaining al most all the old panaceas: political democracy, generalized primary education fol lowed by solid vocational training in state-financed schools, chambres syndicales, organized hiring practices through craft-run hiring halls, the institutions and values of the compagnonnages, reformed Conseils des Prudhommes, and the linchpin, cooperation of production financed by cooperative banques du travail. Johnson went on to suggest that Poulot presented "a remarkably coherent progressive capi talist program for what John Foster calls 'liberalization,' " and concluded by questioning the extent to which Poulot's ideology of management had triumphed in France in this period.
Can the imaginary part of permeability be negative

When new composite optical materials are developed experimentally or studied in numerical simulations, it is essential to have a set of fundamental constraints that the optical constants of such materials must satisfy. In this paper I argue that positivity of the imaginary part of the magnetic permeability may not be one of such constraints, particularly in naturally occurring diamagnetics and in artificial materials that exhibit diamagnetic response to low-frequency or static magnetic fields.
Junctional ectopic tachycardia: Current strategies for diagnosis and management

Abstract Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) is a unique type of supraventricular arrhythmia defined by narrow QRS complex and atrioventricular (AV) dissociation or retrograde atrial conduction in a 1:1 pattern. JET has two forms of presentations: occurring immediately after surgery (post-operative) or a primary idiopathic form presenting in infancy (congenital). Post-operative JET is a potential life threatening tachycardia that mainly occurs after surgical correction of congenital heart defects. In general, it is a self-limiting disorder that usually resolves within one week. However, it can be a potentially serious arrhythmia, associated with hemodynamic compromise and a high morbidity and mortality. Congenital JET occurs in the first six months of life and is usually persistent and sometimes sporadic. Mortality with congenital JET has also been reported to be high. It is thought that both the presentations are due to abnormal automaticity of the AV node or proximal bundle of His. However, the risk factors, etiology and management of these two forms of JET are different. This manuscript reviews the literature on the incidence and risk factors of both forms of JET and current strategies for the diagnosis and management of each form.
Maintenance of psychosocial attitudes in medical students.

Abstract Attitudes of medical students towards the psychosocial aspects of illness is of serious concern to medical educators. It is thought that medical students are overwhelmingly disease-oriented and not sufficiently sensitive to the role of the psychological, emotional, sociological and economic factors in the etiology and management of illness. In the present study the ATSIM (Attitudes Towards Social Issues in Medicine) was presented to third year medical students and compared with their responses obtained 2 years previously when they were first year students. The data suggest that third year medical students have positive attitudes towards certain psychosocial issues (the importance of social factors as determinants of health of illness, the role of preventive medicine in maintaining health, the role of physician-patient interactions in patient care). These attitudes were positive during the students' first year and have been maintained during the course of medical school. These finding are contrary to previous studies which indicate a deterioration in attitudes during the course of medical school.
Case Study: Development of an implementation plan for a geographic information system: case of Lincoln County

Many small to mid-size public agencies are facing a problem of how to develop and implement Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies in their operations. Since most of the information in government agencies has a spatial context, GIS has significant capabilities to integrate data from disparate databases and display information in new and unique ways for decision-making. GIS technologies can have applications and benefits across the enterprise; however, this enterprise-wide nature often hinders implementation. Local government agencies face significant organizational issues including serving a diversity of interests for data quality and database integration, oversight by publicly elected officials, and a lack of resources and technical expertise. This fictional and normative case describes a typical situation in a mid-size county. The case portrays an organizational environment that provides the basis for students to put themselves in the role of a County Administrator to develop a GIS implementation plan. This plan requires an analysis of the formal and informal organization. Major investigation areas include insight into the organizational issues of personnel relationships, GIS project identification and resource prioiritization. Above all, the goal is to plan development of a functional GIS that will be integrated into ongoing Lincoln County operations to improve organizational efficiencies and to increase services to various stakeholder groups.
Self-sustainability of optical fibers in airborne communications

A large number of communications technologies co-exist today in both civilian and military space with their relative strengths and weaknesses. The information carrying capacity of optical fiber communication, however, surpasses any other communications technology in use today. Additionally, optical fiber is immune to environmental effects and detection, and can be designed to be resistant to exploitation and jamming. However, fiber-optic communication applications are usually limited to static, pre-deployed cable systems. Enabling the fiber applications in dynamically deployed and ad-hoc conditions will open up a large number of communication possibilities in terrestrial, aerial, and oceanic environments. Of particular relevance are bandwidth intensive data, video and voice applications such as airborne imagery, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, surveillance and communications disaster recovery through surveillance platforms like Airships (also called balloons, aerostats or blimps) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Two major considerations in the implementation of airborne fiber communications are (a) mechanical sustainability of optical fibers, and (b) variation in optical transmission characteristics of fiber in dynamic deployment condition. This paper focuses on the mechanical aspects of airborne optical fiber and examines the ability of un-cabled optical fiber to sustain its own weight and wind drag in airborne communications applications. Since optical fiber is made of silica glass, the material fracture characteristics, sub-critical crack growth, strength distribution and proof stress are the key parameters that determine the self-sustainability of optical fiber. Results are presented in terms of maximum self-sustainable altitudes for three types of optical fibers, namely silica-clad, Titania-doped Silica-clad, and carbon-coated hermetic fibers, for short and long service periods and a range of wind profiles and fiber dimensions.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An Empirical Comparison of DDF Detection Methods for Understanding the Causes of DIF in Multiple-Choice Items

This study compared and illustrated four differential distractor functioning (DDF) detection methods for analyzing multiple-choice items. The log-linear approach, two item response theory-model-based approaches with likelihood ratio tests, and the odds ratio approach were compared to examine the congruence among the four DDF detection methods. Data from a college-level mathematics placement test were analyzed to understand the causes of differential functioning. Results indicated some agreement among the four detection methods. To facilitate practical interpretation of the DDF results, several possible effect size measures were also obtained and compared.
Evaluation of photovoltaic materials within the Cu-Sn-S family

Next-generation thin film solar cell technologies require earth abundant photovoltaic absorber materials. Here we demonstrate an alternative approach to design of such materials, evaluating candidates grouped by constituent elements rather than underlying crystal structures. As an example, we evaluate thermodynamic stability, electrical transport, electronic structure, optical and defect properties of Cu-Sn-S candidates using complementary theory and experiment. We conclude that Cu2SnS3 avoids many issues associated with the properties of Cu4SnS4, Cu4Sn7S16, and other Cu-Sn-S materials. This example demonstrates how this element-specific approach quickly identifies potential problems with less promising candidates and helps focusing on the more promising solar cell absorbers.
Iododeoxyuridine uptake in proliferating smooth muscle cells in vitro.

Purpose Iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) is a halogenated pyrimidine recognized as the thymidine substitute in DNA. When labeled with iodine 125, IUdR can be used as a carrier to incorporate the isotope into DNA and target the dividing cells. The purpose of this study was to assess the maximum uptake of IUdR by proliferating smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in vitro to determine the optimal concentration to be administered in an in vivo experiment. The long-term goal is to use radioactive IUdR to inhibit SMC proliferation and recurrent stenosis of arteries after balloon angioplasty in vivo. Materials and methods Porcine vascular SMCs were cultured in 5% fetal bovine serum medium and stimulated to proliferate by adding a medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum and insulin. IUdR was added to the proliferating SMCs at concentrations of 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 μmol/L on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 of incubation. One group of cells—the control group—did not receive IUdR. The SMCs were harvested and double-stained with an anti-IUdR antibody and propidium iodide, and fluorescence-activated cell scanning was performed to determine the ratio of IUdR-labeled cells to the total cell population for each IUdR concentration and at each time point. The data were measured three times at each time point. The doubling times, growth curve, and cell density of the proliferating SMCs were investigated by using the Coulter particle counter and digital microscopy. Results The percentage of proliferating SMCs that showed IUdR uptake increased from 1 to 5 days incubation with all concentrations of IUdR; the incorporation rate reached a peak value at day 5 and then decreased by day 7. IUdR uptake on day 5 was higher with concentrations of 10 and 20 μmol/L. When compared with that of the control group, the doubling times increased with an increase in IUdR concentration, whereas the proliferating cell number and density decreased significantly by days 5 ( P P Conclusions IUdR uptake peaked on day 5, and the optimal concentration of IUdR for in vitro uptake in proliferating SMCs was 10–20 μmol/L. IUdR inhibited the proliferation of the SMCs, and the inhibitory effect was related to the concentration.
The American occupation of Japan and okinawa: Literature and memory

Preface. Introduction: Burned-Out Ruins and Barbed-Wire Fences. The Occupation of Japan as History. The Occupation in Mainland Japanese Literature and Criticism. Okinawa: From Premodern Kingdom to Japanese Prefecture. The Battle of Okinawa and the American Occupation (1945-1972). Chapter Summaries. Notes Chapter One: Roads to No-Man's Land. Language,Landscape and Gender in "The American School". Gender, History and the Construction of Victimhood in The Cocktail Party. Fact and Fiction. Notes Chapter Two: A Base Town In The Literary Imagination. An Okinawan Boy. "The Town That Went Pale". "Children of Mixed Blood" and the Remaking of Koza. Notes Chapter Three: A Darker Shade of Difference. Representing Blacks in Postwar Japan. Race and Narrative Ambivalance in "Prize Stock". Reporting Truth, Imagining Motives: "Painting on Black Canvas". Poetry of Protest: Arakawa Akira's "The Coloured Race". Notes Chapter Four: Female Floodwalls. The Recreation and Amusement Association. Prostitution After the RAA. Prostitution and the Japanese Publishing Industry. The Chastity of Japan. Female Floodwall. Notes Chapter Five: Ambivalent Allegories. The Generational Logic of "Guests From Afar". Prostitution and Other Honest Jobs: "The Only Ones". Caste and Outcasts: "Women of a Base Town". Marriage, Money and Desire: "The Women of Chitose, Hokkaido". Notes Chapter Six: The Occupier Within. Reproducing The Occupation: "Human Sheep". Style as Story: Narrative Technique and Memory in "American Hijiki". Notes Epilogue: Occupation Literature in the Post-Vietnam Era. Okinawan Literature Since the Vietnam War. Saegusa Kazuko's A Winter's Death. Notes.
Models for boundary effects on molecular rotation in membranes

Rotational and wobbling diffusion coefficients for spherical and long-chain molecules in membranes are calculated using a simple hydrodynamic model. Estimates of the contributions to the diffusion coefficients arising from hydrodynamic interactions between molecules and membrane interfaces are obtained and found to be small. For molecules containing polar head groups, we show that the presence of a membrane interface can produce a significant reduction in the wobbling diffusion coefficient over what would be obtained in an isotropic fluid.
Ascorbate in Aqueous Humor Augments Nitric Oxide Production by Macrophages

Immunosuppressive molecules within the aqueous humor (AqH) are thought to preserve ocular immune privilege by inhibiting proinflammatory NO production by macrophages (MΦs). Consistent with previous observations, we observed that although MΦs stimulated in the presence of AqH expressed NO synthase 2 (NOS2) protein, nitrite concentrations in culture supernatants, an indirect measure of NO production, did not increase. Interestingly, NOS2 enzymatic activity, as measured by the conversion of L-arginine (L-Arg) into L-citrulline, was augmented in lysates of MΦs stimulated in the presence of AqH. These data suggested that intracellular L-Arg may have been limited by AqH. However, we observed increased mRNA expression of the L-Arg transporter, cationic amino acid transporter 2B, and increased L-Arg uptake in MΦs stimulated in the presence of AqH. Arginases were expressed by stimulated Ms, but competition for L-Arg with NOS2 was excluded. Expression of GTP cyclohydrolase, which produces tetrahydrobiopterin (H(4)B), an essential cofactor for NOS2 homodimerization, increased after M stimulation in the presence or absence of AqH and NOS2 homodimers formed. Taken together, these data provided no evidence for inhibited NOS2 enzymatic activity by AqH, suggesting that a factor within AqH may have interfered with the measurement of nitrite. Indeed, we observed that nitrite standards were not measurable in the presence of AqH, and this effect was due to ascorbate in AqH. Controlling for interference by ascorbate revealed that AqH augmented NO production in MΦs via ascorbate, which limited degradation of H(4)B. Therefore, AqH may augment NO production in macrophages by stabilizing H(4)B and increasing intracellular L-Arg.
Intensity measurements in the 4·54μ fundamental of CH3D at low temperatures☆

MONODEUTERATED methane (CHxD) has been discovered recently in the atmosphere of Jupiter by an identification”’ of the lines P(2) through P(12) in its vibration-rotation band at 2200 cm-‘. A quantitative interpretation”’ of the observed spectrum”’ that could lead to an estimate of the abundance of CH,D and of the D/H ratio in the atmosphere of Jupiter requires intensity data at the relevant planetary temperatures for this band. Therefore, we have measured in our laboratory the intensities of J-multiplets between P(12) and R(4) and of the fully blended Q-branch, at lOO”K, lSO”K, 200”K, 250°K and 298°K. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The experimental apparatus is essentially the same as discussed in Ref. (3) for the 2vX-band of methane. The different spectral region considered in the present paper required the use of an infrared glower, 144 l/mm grating and an InSb detector with which we were able to obtain a spectral resolution ranging between 0.15 cm-’ and 0.2 cm-’ and a signal-to-noise ratio of 200 : 1. The time constant of the lock-in-amplifier was set at 100msec. Several mixtures, with the amount of CH,D in Hz ranging from 0.117 to 4 per cent (by volume), were prepared. The gases were allowed to mix for at least a couple of days in lecture bottles before the mixture was introduced into the absorption cells. The sample of CH,D was supplied by the isotope division of Merck, Sharp and Dohme Canada, Limited, with the following batch analysis: 97.46% of CH,D and 2.54% of CH, with no detectable trace of CH2Dz according to mass analysis by the supplier. With the spectral resolution available to us, it has not been possible to measure the intensities of the individual lines (K-components) of each J-multiplet. The procedure we have adapted for deriving multiplet-intensities, S, (cm-’ atm-‘), from measured equivalent widths is quite similar to that described in our paper”’ on the 2v3-band of methane. Construction of curves-of-growth for blended .I-multiplets required (i) the assumption of theoretical formulae@’ for the relative line strengths, SJK (cm-’ atm-I), of individual lines of a J-multiplet, and (ii) the assumption that all of the lines in the band have the same hydrogen-broadened half-width, Y&,+~~ = (3OO/T)“‘O.O75 cm-’ atm-‘, as the rotational lines in the v3 band of methane.“” On theoretical
Synthesis and Evaluation of GdIII‐Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agents for Molecular Imaging of Prostate‐Specific Membrane Antigen

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is advantageous because it concurrently provides anatomic, functional, and molecular information. MR molecular imaging can combine the high spatial resolution of this established clinical modality with molecular profiling in vivo. However, as a result of the intrinsically low sensitivity of MR imaging, high local concentrations of biological targets are required to generate discernable MR contrast. We hypothesize that the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), an attractive target for imaging and therapy of prostate cancer, could serve as a suitable biomarker for MR-based molecular imaging. We have synthesized three new high-affinity, low-molecular-weight Gd(III) -based PSMA-targeted contrast agents containing one to three Gd(III) chelates per molecule. We evaluated the relaxometric properties of these agents in solution, in prostate cancer cells, and in an in vivo experimental model to demonstrate the feasibility of PSMA-based MR molecular imaging.
Oxidation, friction reducing, and low temperature properties of epoxy fatty acid methyl esters

The use of oleochemicals as biobased lubricants is of significant interest. This article presents the oxidative stability of synthesized epoxidized methyl oleate (EMO), epoxidized methyl linoleate (EMLO), and epoxidized methyl linolenate (EMLEN), as well as that of a commercial epoxidized soybean oil, and epoxidized 2-ethylhexyl soyate. The epoxides show increased stability over olefinic oleochemicals by both pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) and thin film micro oxidation (TFMO). Also reported are the viscosity indices, pour point, and cloud point of the compounds. All of the data indicate that some of these epoxides have significant potential to be used as a fuel additive or lubricating fluid, important areas in the replacement of petrochemicals with environmentally friendly biobased alternatives.
Weight Disparities Between Female Same-Sex Romantic Partners and Weight Concerns: Examining Partner Comparison

In the current study, we investigated the relevance of women’s own and their romantic partners’ weight status to the development of weight concerns. Seventy-two female same-sex couples (n = 144 women) completed the Weight Concerns Scale and a researcher measured their height and weight to compute body mass index as a measure of weight status. Using the Actor–Partner Interdependence Model, which accounts for the dependency in these data, analyses revealed a significant link between women’s own weight status, their weight concerns, and their partners’ weight status and their weight concerns. Further, an interaction indicated that women who were heavier and who had thinner female partners were most at risk of experiencing weight concerns. These findings are discussed as evidence for the importance of partner comparisons in the context of romantic relationships and should inform research examining links between romantic relationships and health, particularly among sexual minority couples. Clinical implication...
Real and composite emission lines as internal standards in the determination of As, Se and Sb by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

A method that enlarges the pool of potential internal standards for axially viewed inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry has been developed and evaluated. This method is based upon the visualization of the similarity of matrix-induced behavior among emission lines by principal component analysis according to the procedure suggested by Grotti et al. (J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2003, 18, 274). For a certain analytical line, more choices of internal standards are provided from composite spectral lines created by combining real spectral lines in such a way as to integrate their characteristic behaviors. The method was applied in the determination of As, Sb and Se in solutions that modelled plant and food sample digests, to compensate for the matrix effect due to the presence of nitric or hydrochloric acids as well as a variety of matrix elements including aluminium, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur, and zinc. Under robust plasma conditions, the matrix-induced errors, which averaged between 8 and 23%, were decreased to an average of between 2 and 5% by the composite internal standards procedure. The methodology was validated by the accurate analysis of two certificated reference materials (DORM-2 and DOLT-3).
Heterogeneous Hierarchical Segmentation Method for Improved Prostate Cancer Imaging In Diffuse Optical Tomography: Simulation Study

We report a heterogeneous hierarchical segmentation method to image prostate cancer without prior cancer information, using combined Trans-rectal ultrasound and diffuse optical tomography. The method is validated by computer simulations
The structure of continuous piecewise-linear functions

Continuous piecewise-linear functions from R/sup n/ to R/sup m/ are characterized by the geometry of their region boundaries. The notions of the nonlinearity component and of the order of boundary intersections are introduced. The theory developed makes it possible to determine the exact number of independent parameters for a given class of setups. >