cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of 4H Silicon Carbide Epitaxial Growths at Various Growth Pressures Using Dicholorosilane and Silane Gases

SiC epitaxial films grown in an inverted chimney CVD reactor using silane-propane-hydrogen and dichlorosilane (DCS)-propane-hydrogen systems are compared for growth rates and doping concentrations at various growth pressures. Parasitic depositions in the gas injector tube using these precursor gases are also compared for precursor depletion. Virtual Reactor, a commercial software, is employed to predict growth rates and compare them to experimental results for the same growth conditions using DCS and silane gases.
An imputation method for non‐ignorable missing data in studies of blood pressure

In studies with repeated measures of blood pressure (BP), particularly in trials of hypertension prevention, BP measurements often become censored once a participant commences antihypertensive medication. When prescribed by non-study physicians under uncontrolled conditions, the missing data mechanism is non-ignorable and may bias the BP effects of interest. I propose a method that models the distribution of BPs measured by non-study physicians and their relation to study BPs using random effects models. If treated for hypertension, I assume that BP measured outside the study is greater than a clinical cutpoint, such as diastolic BP > or = 90 mmHg. I then compute estimates for the missing study BPs conditional on previously observed study BPs and treatment for hypertension. Multiple imputation is used to model the variability of the BP values and adjust the standard error estimates of the parameters. Examples are given using simulated data and data from the weight loss intervention of phase I of the Trials of Hypertension Prevention.
FeCo/Graphite Nanocrystals for Multi-Modality Imaging of Experimental Vascular Inflammation

Background FeCo/graphitic-carbon nanocrystals (FeCo/GC) are biocompatible, high-relaxivity, multi-functional nanoparticles. Macrophages represent important cellular imaging targets for assessing vascular inflammation. We evaluated FeCo/GC for vascular macrophage uptake and imaging in vivo using fluorescence and MRI.
A Numerical Study of the Effect of a Vertical Temperature Difference Imposed on a Horizontal Enclosure

Abstract Results are presented for a numerical investigation of the flow and heat transfer in an enclosure subjected to comparable horizontal and vertical temperature differences. This problem is an extension of the unidirectional heat flow case and also has applications in the area of design. The regime characterized by dominant horizontal heat flow as well as that of dominant vertical heat flow are delineated. A stabilizing vertical temperature difference is found to decrease the vertical velocities next to the hot wall, but actually to increase the horizontal heat transfer. An interesting result is that for a destabilizing temperature difference, horizontal heat transfer can effectively occur from the cold wall to the hot wall if the vertical heat flux is high enough. Finally, actual heat transfer data are presented for a square enclosure and a Prandtl number of 0.71. A qualitative comparison with earlier experiments is made.
Lobbying effectively for business interests

p eriodically, various executives have decried the relative ineffectiveness of business in influencing the formulation and administration of governmental policy affecting business. In recent years, however, this perception has changed. Not only has business significantly increased the magnitude and sophistication of its effort to influence the federal government, but it is widely felt that these s t reng thened activities have achieved some notewor thy successes. An important contributor to this success has been the nature and variety of business lobbying tactics. Many firms and trade associations now demonstrate a willingness to use whatever strategies and tactics appear to be appropriate to influence government. Examination of these efforts in the r e c e n t past reveals that those who assume lobbying leadership need to influence the companies comprising their constituency, public opinion, legislators, and the president.
Localization and Characterization of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide mRNA in Rat Heart

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a product of the calcitonin/CGRP gene, is a potent vasodilating neuropeptide widely distributed throughout the cardiovascular system, particularly in the heart. Immunocytochemical studies have demonstrated CGRP-containing neurofibrils in the myocardium and in the periadventitia of coronary blood vessels. Based on these studies, it has been assumed that all of the CGRP peptide in the heart is synthesized in neurons whose cell bodies are located outside of the heart. Using Northern blot analysis and a ribonuclease protection assay, we observed in the rat heart low levels of a CGRP-like mRNA species that appeared to be identical to authentic CGRP mRNA produced in the brain and dorsal root ganglia. The ventricles contained somewhat more CGRP mRNA than did the atria. Also, whereas the dorsal root ganglia synthesized both alpha- and beta-CGRP mRNA, only the alpha-CGRP mRNA was detected in the heart. The presence of CGRP mRNA in the heart suggests that the CGRP gene is transcriptionally active in a subpopulation of heart cells, possibly neuronal, which have the potential to synthesize and secrete this neuropeptide. Given the potent coronary vasodilatory and positive chronotropic and inotropic effects of CGRP, the localized synthesis of CGRP in the heart may play a role in modulating cardiovascular function.
HIV/AIDS-specific quality of life and adherence to antiretroviral therapy over time.

Objective: To determine if HIV/AIDS-specific quality of life (QOL) predicts adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: HIV-infected outpatients on efavirenz plus 2 or 3 nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors and with HIV viral loads <75 copies/mL were followed until the censoring event of detectable viremia or 1 year of follow-up. QOL was assessed at baseline with the HIV/AIDS-Targeted Quality of Life instrument (HAT-QoL), as were depression symptoms, stress levels, social support, and substance use. Follow-up high (≥95%) versus low (<95%) adherence was measured for 90 days before the censoring event. Results: Fifty-six (48%) of 116 recruited participants had low adherence. Baseline financial worries (from the HAT-QoL) were greater in those with low versus high adherence (P = 0.02). Those with low versus high adherence also were more likely to use alcohol (P = 0.01) and other drugs (P = 0.02) currently at baseline. Regression analysis led to a model that included only current alcohol use (odds ratio [OR] = 2.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20 to 5.87)) and financial worries (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.310, for each 10-unit rise). Conclusions: Baseline financial worries were associated with antiretroviral adherence later in time. Questions about paying bills and financial ability to care for oneself may be clinically useful in identifying patients who will have suboptimal adherence.
Targeted therapy of colorectal neoplasia with rapamycin in peptide-labeled pegylated octadecyl lithocholate micelles

Abstract Many powerful drugs have limited clinical utility because of poor water solubility and high systemic toxicity. Here, we formulated a targeted nanomedicine, rapamycin encapsulated in pegylated octadecyl lithocholate micelles labeled with a new ligand for colorectal neoplasia, LTTHYKL peptide. CPC;Apc mice that spontaneously develop colonic adenomas were treated with free rapamycin, plain rapamycin micelles, and peptide-labeled rapamycin micelles via intraperitoneal injection for 35 days. Endoscopy was performed to monitor adenoma regression in vivo. We observed complete adenoma regression at the end of therapy. The mean regression rate for peptide-labeled rapamycin micelles was significantly greater than that for plain rapamycin micelles, P
Performance Enhancement of a GaAs Detector with a Vertical Field and an Embedded Thin Low-Temperature Grown Layer

Low temperature growth of GaAs (LT-GaAs) near 200 C results in a recombination lifetime of nearly 1 ps, compared with approximately 1 ns for regular temperature 600 C grown GaAs (RT-GaAs), making it suitable for ultra high speed detection applications. However, LT-GaAs detectors usually suffer from low responsivity due to low carrier mobility. Here we report electro-optic sampling time response measurements of a detector that employs an AlGaAs heterojunction, a thin layer of LT-GaAs, a channel of RT-GaAs, and a vertical electric field that together facilitate collection of optically generated electrons while suppressing collection of lower mobility holes. Consequently, these devices have detection efficiency near that of RT-GaAs yet provide pulse widths nearly an order of magnitude faster— 6 ps for a cathode-anode separation of 1.3 m and 12 ps for distances more than 3 m.
Is Search Really Necessary to Generate High-Performance BLAS?

A key step in program optimization is the estimation of optimal values for parameters such as tile sizes and loop unrolling factors. Traditional compilers use simple analytical models to compute these values. In contrast, library generators like ATLAS use global search over the space of parameter values by generating programs with many different combinations of parameter values, and running them on the actual hardware to determine which values give the best performance. It is widely believed that traditional model-driven optimization cannot compete with search-based empirical optimization because tractable analytical models cannot capture all the complexities of modern high-performance architectures, but few quantitative comparisons have been done to date. To make such a comparison, we replaced the global search engine in ATLAS with a model-driven optimization engine and measured the relative performance of the code produced by the two systems on a variety of architectures. Since both systems use the same code generator, any differences in the performance of the code produced by the two systems can come only from differences in optimization parameter values. Our experiments show that model-driven optimization can be surprisingly effective and can generate code with performance comparable to that of code generated by ATLAS using global search.
Anomaly or artifact? Comments on Bem and Honorton.

Bern and Honorton imply that the 11 autoganzfeld experiments demonstrate the existence of psi— a communications anomaly. They claim that the autoganzfeld results are consistent with previous parapsychological findings and constitute evidence for a replicable psi effect Although the autoganzfeld experiments are methodologically superior to previous parapsychological experiments, the tests of their randomization procedures were inadequate. The autoganzfeld experiments consistently produced positive hit rates, whose combined effect was highly significant. However, these experiments produced important inconsistencies with the previous ganzfeld experiments. They also showed a unique pattern in the data that may reflect a systematic artifact. Because of these unique features, we have to wait for independent replications of these experiments before we can conclude that a replicable anomaly or psi has been demonstrated. Bern and Honorton (1994) imply that if psychologists were familiar with the most recent parapsychological research, they would be more willing to accept the possibility that a communications anomaly existed. In particular, Bern and Honorton focus on the experiments that are based on the ganzfeld procedure. They "believe that the replication rates and effect sizes achieved by one particular experimental method, the ganzfeld procedure, are now sufficient to warrant bringing this body of data to the attention of the wider psychological community" (Bern & Honorton, 1994, p. 4). They review the debate between Honorton and me over the original ganzfeld experiments. Hyman (1985) found that these studies suffered from statistical, methodological, and documentation problems. Honorton (1985) responded that these flaws were not sufficient to account for the observed hit rates. Bern and Honorton (1994) review this controversy and cite reviewers who apparently agree with Honorton's position. The implication is that despite the deficiencies in the ganzfeld experiments, the results support the existence of psi—a communications anomaly. To Honorton's credit, he initiated a new series of experiments that would be free from the flaws of the earlier ganzfeld database (Honorton et al., 1990). These 11 new experiments, called the autoganzfeld studies yielded consistently positive hit rates and a highly significant overall effect. Because these new experiments showed positive results and allegedly were consistent with the earlier ganzfeld database and other psi research, Bern and Honorton implied that parapsychology had found its previously elusive repeatable experiment. Since the beginnings of psychical research in the mid-nineteenth century, its investigators have believed that they have scientific evidence sufficiently strong to place before the general scientific community. Each generation has tried to get the attention of the scientific community with findings that they claim to be irrefutable. The particular evidence put forth has changed from generation to generation. What a previous generation of
Device Thrombogenicity Emulator (DTE)--design optimization methodology for cardiovascular devices: a study in two bileaflet MHV designs.

Patients who receive prosthetic heart valve (PHV) implants require mandatory anticoagulation medication after implantation due to the thrombogenic potential of the valve. Optimization of PHV designs may facilitate reduction of flow-induced thrombogenicity and reduce or eliminate the need for post-implant anticoagulants. We present a methodology entitled Device Thrombogenicty Emulator (DTE) for optimizing the thrombo-resistance performance of PHV by combining numerical and experimental approaches. Two bileaflet mechanical heart valves (MHV) designs, St. Jude Medical (SJM) and ATS, were investigated by studying the effect of distinct flow phases on platelet activation. Transient turbulent and direct numerical simulations (DNS) were conducted, and stress loading histories experienced by the platelets were calculated along flow trajectories. The numerical simulations indicated distinct design dependent differences between the two valves. The stress loading waveforms extracted from the numerical simulations were programmed into a hemodynamic shearing device (HSD), emulating the flow conditions past the valves in distinct ‘hot-spot’ flow regions that are implicated in MHV thrombogenicity. The resultant platelet activity was measured with a modified prothrombinase assay, and was found to be significantly higher in the SJM valve, mostly during the regurgitation phase. The experimental results were in excellent agreement with the calculated platelet activation potential. This establishes the utility of the DTE methodology for serving as a test bed for evaluating design modifications for achieving better thrombogenic performance for such devices.
Premenopausal Plasma Ferritin Levels, HFE Polymorphisms, and Risk of Breast Cancer in the Nurses' Health Study II

Background: Evidence from the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII) suggests that red meat consumption is associated with increased breast cancer risk in premenopausal women. Iron may be responsible by contributing to oxidative stress or effects on immune function. Methods: We conducted a case–control study nested within the NHSII, examining prediagnostic plasma ferritin ( n = 795 cases, 795 controls), 15 hemochromatosis gene ( HFE ) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP; n = 765 cases, 1,368 controls), and breast cancer risk. Cases were diagnosed after providing blood samples between 1996 and 1999. ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for ferritin levels by conditional logistic regression and for HFE SNPs by unconditional logistic regression. Results: We did not observe a significant association between ferritin levels and breast cancer (top vs. bottom quartile multivariate OR: 1.05; 95% CI, 0.77–1.45; P Trend = 0.77). Results did not change when restricted to women who were premenopausal at blood draw, and were similar when cases were examined by hormone receptor status, and menopausal status at diagnosis. No HFE SNPs were significantly associated with breast cancer in a log-additive manner. Among controls, ferritin levels were nominally associated with SNPs rs9366637 ( P Trend = 0.04), rs6918586 ( P Trend = 0.06), and rs13161 ( P Trend = 0.07), but results did not remain significant after adjusting for multiple testing. Conclusions: Ferritin levels and HFE SNPs were not associated with breast cancer risk in this population. Impact: Components of red meat other than iron are likely responsible for its positive association with breast cancer in premenopausal women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(3); 516–24. ©2014 AACR .
Echosounder Depth Tracking with the Extended Kalman Filter

Recent degradation of coral reef habitats and the resulting loss in marine biodiversity has created an urgent need for improved characterization and monitoring including seafloor surveys. Most modern systems use sophisticated multibeam sonar and are prohibitively expensive to deploy. As part of a joint effort with The Nature Conservancy we have developed an inexpensive system for coral reef bathymetry estimation using inexpensive single-beam echosounders designed for fish finding. The depth tracking algorithms in these units are not well suited to coral reef habitats which often contain jagged structures and steep seafloor slopes. We propose to use a state-space model of the seafloor backscattering and track the depth with the extended Kalman filter. The initial results suggest that this approach produces better estimates of the depth, is intuitive to tune, has natural method of identifying and diagnosing problems, and provides a measure of confidence in the depth estimates.
Brazilian Careers and Social Structure: An Evolutionary Model and Case History

THE following paper I believe to be novel in its approach to dealing with problems of cultural evolution in an empirical way. An evolutionary sequence of two ideal types of society is presented. Given the characteristics of each, models of the consequences of acculturation between the two are deduced and are asserted to comprise generic models of social structure in so-called "underdeveloped" societies. These models, formulated as hypotheses, indicate what sorts of structures one should expect to find in a specified field situation. I was particularly concerned with the personal links, critical to the total societal web of relationships of "underdeveloped" societies, which tie positions and social bodies together in situations where contractual links are not yet normative. Field material gathered in Brazil in the summer of 1962 is compared with the expected results. In general, the hypotheses are confirmed. The social-structural data, synoptically reported here, were elicited by case studies of the careers of individuals moving through the social network. In essence, the paper attempts, on one hand, to unify evolutionary, structural, and functional understandings in a single analysis, and, on the other, to deal at once with the microcosmic elements of structure and the societal macro-
The brain as a central key organ

Sometimes progress is hard to see, when looking at the big picture, because there is very little of it. But sometimes progress is hard to see because the big picture is out of focus. When perioperative deaths ascribed to anaesthesia are in the order of 1 in 20,000 operations and even changes in major morbidity require massive sample sizes to detect, neuroanaesthesia's most emphatic yardstick of progress is too crude to measure advances that have occurred over the most recent decade. We clearly need to become more familiar with neuropsychological tests that can detect subtle changes. Today, for elective neurosurgery, we are primarily in the business of doing two things--pushing the envelope for surgical intervention to include cases that would have been considered too risky 15 years ago, and reducing the frequency of "Uncle-Joe-has-never-been-the-same-since-they-operated-on-his-brain syndrome". Both of these areas of progress are empirically measurable, but we have not made much progress towards measuring them. Of course, this measurement problem plagues anaesthesiology generally, and we need to attend to it in general. Meanwhile, saying where we are relative to the recent past and the near future involves a lot of guesswork. What follows is my guess-work about progress in neurosurgical anaesthesiology.
Eddy-current microsensor based on thin-film technology

An eddy-current microsensor for proximity measurement was developed. To achieve an optimal design, the sensor was modeled using the finite-element method. By studying the sensor response, but staying within the technological boundaries, an optimal design was reached. The sensor had a soft-magnetic core and separate excitation and pickup coils. The fabrication technologies included electroplating for core and coil and sputter deposition for insulation and seed layers. Photoresists were used for creating micromolds for electroplating both core and coil, as well as for sensor embedding. Completed sensor samples had a frequency range of 100 kHz to 2 MHz and proved their capability of performing proximity measurement.
Addition of chlorofluorocarbene to poly(1‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1‐sila‐cis‐pent‐3‐ene) and poly(1,1‐dimethyl‐1‐sila‐cis‐pent‐3‐ene): Characterization of chlorofluorocyclopropanated polymer microstructures by 1H‐, 13C‐, 19F‐, and 29Si‐NMR spectroscopy

Chlorofluorocarbene adds to the carbon-carbon double bonds of poly(1-methyl-1-phenyl-1-sila-cis-pent-3-ene) (I) and poly(1,1-dimethyl-1-sila-cis-pent-3-ene) (II) to yield poly(3,4-chlorofluoromethylene-1-methyl-1-phenyl-1-sila-cis-pent-3-ene) (CIFC-1) and poly(3,4-chlorofluoromethylene-1,1-dimethyl-1-sila-cis-pent-3-ene) (CIFC- II). Similarly, two series of random partially chlorofluorocyclopropanated polymers have been prepared. The microstructures of these adduct polymers have been determined. The T g 's depend on the extent of chlorofluoropropanation of these polymers. The polymers become less thermally stable as the extent of chlorofluorocyclopropanation increases
Today's challenge in training new engineers

An approach to training current college engineering graduates in which there is a partnership arrangement between a major chemical company and an engineering design company is described. This approach utilizes the capabilities and resources of both companies in the training. The major portion of the training is spent at the engineering design company. >
Language Deficits in Poor Comprehenders: A Case for the Simple View of Reading

Purpose To examine concurrently and retrospectively the language abilities of children with specific reading comprehension deficits (“poor comprehenders”) and compare them to typical readers and children with specific decoding deficits (“poor decoders”). Method In Study 1, the authors identified 57 poor comprehenders, 27 poor decoders, and 98 typical readers on the basis of 8th-grade reading achievement. These subgroups' performances on 8th-grade measures of language comprehension and phonological processing were investigated. In Study 2, the authors examined retrospectively subgroups' performances on measures of language comprehension and phonological processing in kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grades. Word recognition and reading comprehension in 2nd and 4th grades were also considered. Results Study 1 showed that poor comprehenders had concurrent deficits in language comprehension but normal abilities in phonological processing. Poor decoders were characterized by the opposite pattern of language abilitie...
Tablet Technologies and Education

Recently, tablet technologies have grown tremendously in popularity. They lend themselves to a myriad of learning modalities and therefore may be well suited to use in schools and universities. While teachers work to find useful applications for tablets, students have already begun using them at home and, in secondary and higher education, in classes. Unfortunately, sometimes when students use tablets for courses they play with “apps,” rather than using the technology as a useful and powerful tool. The current article addresses ways to use tablet technologies to their fullest potential as important learning devices in higher education.
Relationship of Lane Width to Safety on Urban and Suburban Arterials

This research investigated the relationship between lane width and safety for roadway segments and intersection approaches on urban and suburban arterials. The research found no general indication that the use of lanes narrower than 3.6 m (12 ft) on urban and suburban arterials increases crash frequencies. This finding suggests that geometric design policies should provide substantial flexibility for use of lane widths narrower than 3.6 m (12 ft). The inconsistent results suggested increased crash frequencies with narrower lanes in three specific design situations. Narrower lanes should be used cautiously in these three situations unless local experience indicates otherwise.
Open WorldCat and Its Impact on Academic Libraries

This paper analyzes librarians' reactions to the Open OCLC WorldCat. A detailed survey was sent to ARL libraries to explore what, if anything, the libraries are currently doing to prepare for these changes and how they plan to cope with the probability of having all their records open to the whole world. Survey findings indicate that most of the ARL member institutions are not making immediate preparations to cope with issues that have not yet emerged and they will continue to provide access to materials based on priorities dictated by current needs and available resources.
Heterostructure bipolar transistors and integrated circuits

Two new epitaxial technologies have emerged in recent years (molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)), which offer the promise of making highly advanced heterostructures routinely available. While many kinds of devices will benefit, the principal and first beneficiary will be bipolar transistors. The underlying central principle is the use of energy gap variations beside electric fields to control the forces acting on electrons and holes, separately and independently of each other. The resulting greater design freedom permits a re-optimization of doping levels and geometries, leading to higher speed devices. Microwave transistors with maximum oscillation frequencies above 100 GHz and digital switching transistors with switching times below 10 ps should become available. An inverted transistor strucure with a smaller collectors on top and a larger emitter on the bottom becomes possible, with speed advantages over the common "emitter-up" design. Double-heterostructure (DH) transistors with both wide-gap emitters and collectors offer additional advantages. They exhibit better performance under saturated operation. Their emitters and collectors may be interchanged by simply changing biasing conditions, greatly simplifying the architecture of bipolar IC's. Examples of heterostructure implementations of I2L and ECL are discussed. The present overwhelming dominance of the compound semiconductor device field by FET's is likely to come to an end, with bipolar devices assuming an at least equal role, and very likely a leading one.
The efficiency and efficacy of equivalence-based learning: A randomized controlled trial

Because it employs an emergent-learning framework, equivalence-based instruction (EBI) is said to be highly efficient, but its presumed benefits must be compared quantitatively with alternative techniques. In a randomized controlled trial, 61 college students attempted to learn 32 pairs of proprietary and generic drug names using computer-based match-to-sample presentations of auditory and written drug names. Students who received EBI experienced pairings based on stimulus equivalence theory, and they mastered the material quickly. Control-group students practiced relations drawn at random from those that the EBI group learned via training or emergence. Students in the criterion-control group required many more trials to achieve the same accuracy as the EBI group. By way of a yoking procedure, students in the trial-control group received the same number of trials as the EBI students but achieved poorer accuracy and little mastery. Thus, EBI was more efficient and effective than unstructured presentation.
Depositional environments in the Telychian Stage (Silurian) of the central Oslo region, Norway

The Telychian succession in the central Oslo region was previously interpreted as deposited in a relatively deep, calm environment showing a continuous transgressive development. A new analysis of fossil assemblages shows that sediments in the central districts were deposited at varying water depths in an environment marked by intense infaunal activity in soft substrates. Two small-scale fluctuations in sea level are attributed to eustasy. The maximum deepening events occurred during the Monograptus turriculatus and Monoclimacis crenulata graptolite zones. Previous depositional models include development of a trough to the north of the Oslo region in early Telychian time, which formed due to isostatic loading caused by an advancing thrust front of the Caledonian Orogeny. Bathymetric analysis shows a deepening in the Ringerike district in the latest Aeronian, which here is interpreted as a distal effect of the loading to the north. The local deepening led to reversal of the epicontinental slope between the northern and western districts and the central districts and the development of an east–west elongate positive area further south. The thrust front acted as a source of siliciclastic material; and when the front halted in mid-Telychian time the trough was filled in gradually by a prograding coast or delta. The diachronous Vik Formation is viewed as a distal development of this progradation. When the east–west oriented positive area subsided the Vik Formation was deposited in Skien to the south.
The Extracellular Domain of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 3 Inhibits Ligand-Independent Dimerization

Dysregulation of the ligand-independent dimerization of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), which is the first step in the activation of RTKs, leads to various pathologies. A mechanistic understanding of the dimerization process is lacking, and this lack of basic knowledge is one bottleneck in the development of effective RTK-targeted therapies. For example, the roles and relative contributions of the different domains of RTKs to receptor dimerization are unknown. Here, we used quantitative imaging Forster resonance energy transfer (QI-FRET) to determine the contribution of the extracellular domain of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) to the dimerization of the receptor. We provide evidence that the contribution of the extracellular domain of FGFR3 to dimerization is repulsive in the absence of ligand and is on the order of ~1 kcal/mol. The repulsive contribution of the extracellular domain is similar in magnitude, but opposite in sign, to the contribution of pathogenic single-amino acid mutations to RTK signaling, and is therefore likely to be important for biological function. Together, these results highlight the fine balance in the domain interactions that regulate RTK dimerization and signaling.
When Thumbnails Are and Are Not Enough: Factors Behind Users' Requests for Information from a Video Digital Library

Research questions were posed to examine users’ requests for information, beyond a keyframe, and certain influences thereof when interactively retrieving video. Laboratory-style search experiments employing 28 users from the field of science education were conducted. Users were asked to attempt six pre-designed search topics. All actions of the users and topic durations were recorded, and a post-search questionnaire was used to collect data about the topics and users’ experiences and impressions of the experimental system. Results showed that users regularly requested information about a clip, beyond a keyframe, while searching, not browsing, and that requests varied significantly across certain topic categories devised for this study. Users’ requests for information about a clip were negatively correlated with post-search satisfaction ratings, search times, and the number of actions performed. Findings also indicated that users' requests were not associated with a search topic's representation of the experimental domain. Such findings give researchers additional insight about user interface design for video digital libraries.
Angular and spatial moments for half-space albedo transport problems

Abstract Two classic problems of radiative transfer and neutron transport are solved for a spatially-uniform semi-infinite medium with isotropic scattering. General analytical equations are derived for (1) angular moments of the outward current and (2) spatial moments of the total flux within the half-space. Such moments, for example, can provide analytically explicit equations for determining the surface albedo of the medium as well as the mean depth and mean square distance of travel within the medium. The analysis is done with the Case-style eigenmode method as expressed in terms of the Chandrasekhar H -function and its moments.
Error Patterns of Bilingual Readers

A study of the developmental reading behaviors of 75 second to ninth grade Spanish-English bilingual students was conducted to ascertain a pattern of language difficulties encountered. A ‘cloze’ procedure called the GAP Comprehension Test developed by McLeod was used. The incorrect responses were categorized into the following classes of errors: 1) Illogical errors; 2) Logical errors; 3) Interference errors; 4) Other errors. A shift in type of error was evidenced between the third and fourth grade levels of reading. Illogical errors, most common in the lower primary reading levels, were replaced in number and percentage by errors in the logical category. The interference error category remained constant. Relatively few of the errors were of an interference type, suggesting that commonly held assumptions regarding the influence of L1 and L2 reading are incorrect. The percentage of interference errors seems unrelated to the reader’s increased ability to utilize psycholinguistic cues which improve as a funct...
Malignant Lesions in Follow-up Surgery after a Diagnosis of Follicular Neoplasm on Thyroid Fine Needle Aspiration

s S51 Conclusions: Incidental thyroid “non-microcarcinomas” (>1 cm) are rare and found in approximately 0.5% of resection specimens. The majority of these represent low-grade carcinomas and the incidenceoffindingoneof the common mutations (40%) is less than that for thyroid carcinomas in general (70%).
Neurologic and MRI Abnormalities in Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis and Response to Plasmapheresis

The relation between the clinical course and MRI findings and response to plasmapheresis were determined by a retrospective record review of 13 children with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) admitted to St Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA, during 1998-2003.
1994 entry-level athletic training salaries.

In this study, I examined salaries for entry-level positions in athletic training during the year 1994. An entry-level position was defined as a position to be filled with an athletic trainer certified by the NATA, with no full-time paid employment experience. According to the "Placement Vacancy Notice" (NATA, Dallas, TX) and "BYLINE" (Athletic Trainer Services, Inc, Mt Pleasant, MI), there were 432 entry-level vacancies in hospital/clinics, college/universities, and high school settings. A total of 271 surveys (63%) were returned. Overall, beginning salaries for entry-level athletic training positions were $23,228 (+/-$3,177) for a bachelor's degree and $25,362 (+/-$3,883) for a master's degree. A stipend ($4,216 +/- $2,039) was included in 86% of the high school positions. The term of contract for high school was usually a 10-month position (10.0 +/- .9 months), hospital/clinic, 12-months (11.7 +/- .7 months), while the college/university varied from 9 to 12 months (10.5 +/- 1.2 months). Also included in the study was fringe benefit information: pension (other than Social Security), life, medical, dental, and vision insurance. Continued studies are recommended to establish salary norms and trends for entry-level positions so that athletic trainers will understand what monetary compensation to expect for their services.
Vapor-liquid equilibria for R-22, R-134a, R-125, and R-32/125 with a polyol ester lubricant: measurements and departure from ideality

The effect of a polyol ester lubricant on equilibrium pressure, liquid density, and viscosity is presented for R-22, R-125, and R-134a at varying temperatures and concentrations. Preliminary vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data and miscibility observations are also presented for an R-32/R-125 blend (50%/50%) with the ISO 68 polyol ester (POE). Real-gas behavior is modeled using the vapor-phase fugacity, and vapor pressure effects on liquid fugacities are taken into account with the Poynting effect. Positive, negative, and mixed deviations form the Lewis-Randall rule are observed in the activity coefficient behavior. Departures from ideality are related to molecular size differences, intermolecular forces in the mixture, and other factors. The data are discussed in the context of previous results for other refrigerants and thermodynamic modeling of refrigerant and oil mixtures.
Metastatic Spread of Pineal Parenchymal Tumor of Intermediate Differentiation (PPTID, Grade II-III) via Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) Shunt - “Higher Grade (Ki67 70[percnt]) Than the Primary (Ki67 30[percnt])” (P3.270)

Background: Pineal parenchymal tumors are rare, accounting for <0.3[percnt] of all primary CNS tumors and up to 20-30[percnt] of all primary pineal tumors. PPTID is a rare and recently defined neoplasm, first classified by the WHO in 2000. Their clinical behavior is variable, although CNS and extraneural metastases are uncommon. So far only few cases have been reported of primary pineal tumors matastasizing through VP shunt, but to our knowledge our is the first case reporting PPTID metastasis through the VP shunt with the secondary tumor(Ki67 70[percnt]) pathologically higher grade than the primary (Ki67 30[percnt]). Clinical Case: 26y/o woman initially presented with constant pressure like bifrontal headaches with difficulty focusing vision in early 2011 that eventually lead to the diagnosis of PPTID(Grade II-III, positive for synaptophysin and focally positive for S-100). Patient underwent radical resection of the primary tumor and placement of VP shunt due to obstructive hydrocephalus in March’11. The tumor recurred locally in December’11 and the patient underwent successful radiation therapy. The patient was disease free on follow-up MRI imaging throughout 2013-14. In late 2014 she developed pelvic and left upper quadrant abdominal pain; MRI of the abdomen showed a large pelvic mass and multiple peritoneal and omental implants with ascites. On biopsy the mass was found to be Grade III neuroendocrine carcinoma positive for synaptophysin and S100 representing a metastatic spread of patient’s previously diagnosed primary PPTID . As this lesion was morphologically higher grade than the pineal primary, additional immunostaining for TTF-1 and CDX-2 was ordered to exclude lung or gastrointestinal origin, which was negative, thus favoring a metastatic spread of this patient’s pineal tumor. The metastatic tumor showed a favourable response to systemic chemotherapy, VP-16 and cisplatin/carboplatin. Discussion: We will further discuss the imaging, chemotherapeutic management of the metastatic tumor and further details on clinical course. Disclosure: Dr. Saini has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Feun has nothing to disclose.
ARE PARTIES WHAT'S WRONG WITH DEMOCRACY IN LATIN AMERICA?

Political parties express and channel citizens' interests, provide predictable choices to voters, link government to civil society, impose order on legislative processes, and discipline politicians: this is the conventional wisdom. To work well, democracy requires that these things happen. But observers contend that political parties in many of Latin America's democracies are weak or uninstitutionalized, and party systems volatile and fragmented. They also contend that these democracies suffer from citizens with ill-defined and fluctuating preferences, campaigns that fail to predict policy, tenuous links between civil society and the state, chaotic legislative processes, and incompetent and undisciplined officeholders. It is tempting to blame weak parties for the deficiencies of Latin America's democracies. In this chapter I evaluate these claims, in particular that weak political parties and uninstitutionalized party systems obstruct the fulfillment of mandates by elected governments. Before turning to this analysis, I will attempt a certain theoretical ground-clearing. Whether parties should be expected to induce officeholders to act consistently with mandates and to represent constituents' interests depends on one's view of what parties are: how they are structured and what their objectives are. Because the effect of parties is controversial – because in some theoretical traditions parties make governments more representative and in others less – it is not obvious a priori what the normative significance of strong parties will be. Parties and Democracy Parties Are Good for Democracy The purported advantages of parties are two.
California Transpressional System

The California Borderland, the Sierra Nevada, and the western margin of the Basin and Range together constitute the California transpressional system. Chapter 17 is a discussion of this structural province, which is fundamentally different from all other provinces because it is the only one that straddles a plate tectonic boundary. The origin of the San Andreas transform system is discussed, as is its relationship to uplift of the Coast Ranges and Peninsular Ranges. The timing of Sierra Nevada uplift and the significance of the Eastern California-Walker Lane Belt are also discussed. Most of the landscape is less than 10 million years old. The young landscape, however, is superimposed on a relict subduction zone landscape that still imparts partial topographic control.
Antenatal Exposure to Magnesium Sulfate Is Associated with Reduced Cerebellar Hemorrhage in Preterm Newborns

Objective To determine the association of antenatal magnesium sulfate with cerebellar hemorrhage in a prospective cohort of premature newborns evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Study design Cross-sectional analysis of baseline characteristics from a prospective cohort of preterm newborns ( Results Cerebellar hemorrhage was present in 27 of 73 newborns (37%) imaged at a mean ± SD postmenstrual age of 32.4 ± 2 weeks. Antenatal magnesium sulfate exposure was associated with a significantly reduced risk of cerebellar hemorrhage. Adjusting for postmenstrual age at MRI, and predictors of cerebellar hemorrhage, antenatal magnesium sulfate was independently associated in our cohort with decreased cerebellar hemorrhage (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.049-0.65; P = .009). Conclusion Antenatal magnesium sulfate exposure is independently associated with a decreased risk of MRI-detected cerebellar hemorrhage in premature newborns, which could explain some of the reported neuroprotective effects of magnesium sulfate.
Viable intact cryopreserved human placental membrane for a non-surgical approach to closure in complex wounds.

Objective: Advances in wound treatment have yielded successful approaches to complex wound closure through plastic surgery or other staged surgical methods. However, not all patients or wounds are candidates for such increasingly rigorous levels of interventions. The exploration of non-surgical treatment options that promote anatomical and functional tissue replacement on an outpatient basis without donor site morbidity is necessary to maximise opportunities for patient mobility and rehabilitation. The native components found in human placental membranes may offer alternative properties for the clinical management of these complex wounds. Method: A 10-month, single-centre effectiveness review was conducted on the clinical outcomes in patients (n=12) treated with Grafix, a viable intact cryopreserved human placental membrane (vCPM), for complex wounds characterised by exposed bone, tendon, muscle, or hardware. Wounds were treated with routine standard of care in addition to weekly grafting with a vCPM. Res...
Fatty acid synthesis configures the plasma membrane for inflammation in diabetes

Dietary fat promotes pathological insulin resistance through chronic inflammation. The inactivation of inflammatory proteins produced by macrophages improves diet-induced diabetes, but how nutrient-dense diets induce diabetes is unknown. Membrane lipids affect the innate immune response, which requires domains that influence high-fat-diet-induced chronic inflammation and alter cell function based on phospholipid composition. Endogenous fatty acid synthesis, mediated by fatty acid synthase (FAS), affects membrane composition. Here we show that macrophage FAS is indispensable for diet-induced inflammation. Deleting Fasn in macrophages prevents diet-induced insulin resistance, recruitment of macrophages to adipose tissue and chronic inflammation in mice. We found that FAS deficiency alters membrane order and composition, impairing the retention of plasma membrane cholesterol and disrupting Rho GTPase trafficking-a process required for cell adhesion, migration and activation. Expression of a constitutively active Rho GTPase, however, restored inflammatory signalling. Exogenous palmitate was partitioned to different pools from endogenous lipids and did not rescue inflammatory signalling. However, exogenous cholesterol, as well as other planar sterols, did rescue signalling, with cholesterol restoring FAS-induced perturbations in membrane order. Our results show that the production of endogenous fat in macrophages is necessary for the development of exogenous-fat-induced insulin resistance through the creation of a receptive environment at the plasma membrane for the assembly of cholesterol-dependent signalling networks.
Chapter 1 Large-scale optimization strategies for zone configuration of simulated moving beds

Abstract Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) processes are widely used in sugar, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical industries. However, systematic optimization of SMB, especially finding the optimal zone configuration, is still a challenging problem. This paper proposes a simultaneous, fully discretized approach with an SMB superstructure using an interior-point solver. In case studies of the linear and Li-Langmuir isotherms, optimal zone configurations have been successfully obtained without introducing discrete variables.