cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alternative method for variable aspect ratio vias using a vortex mask

Historically IC (integrated circuit) device scaling has bridged the gap between technology nodes. Device size reduction is enabled by increased pattern density, enhancing functionality and effectively reducing cost per chip. Exemplifying this trend are aggressive reductions in memory cell sizes that have resulted in systems with diminishing area between bit/word lines. This affords an even greater challenge in the patterning of contact level features that are inherently difficult to resolve because of their relatively small area and complex aerial image. To accommodate these trends, semiconductor device design has shifted toward the implementation of elliptical contact features. This empowers designers to maximize the use of free device space, preserving contact area and effectively reducing the via dimension just along a single axis. It is therefore critical to provide methods that enhance the resolving capacity of varying aspect ratio vias for implementation in electronic design systems. Vortex masks, characterized by their helically induced propagation of light and consequent dark core, afford great potential for the patterning of such features when coupled with a high resolution negative tone resist system. This study investigates the integration of a vortex mask in a 193nm immersion (193i) lithography system and qualifies its ability to augment aspect ratio through feature density using aerial image vector simulation. It was found that vortex fabricated vias provide a distinct resolution advantage over traditionally patterned contact features employing a 6% attenuated phase shift mask (APM). 1:1 features were resolvable at 110nm pitch with a 38nm critical dimension (CD) and 110nm depth of focus (DOF) at 10% exposure latitude (EL). Furthermore, iterative source-mask optimization was executed as means to augment aspect ratio. By employing mask asymmetries and directionally biased sources aspect ratios ranging between 1:1 and 2:1 were achievable, however, this range is ultimately dictated by pitch employed.
Vorteile von parallelen Strömen bei Rektifikation, Absorption und Extraktion

Pour certaines conditions, on peut ameliorer la separation en divisant une phase en plusieurs courants paralleles, ce qui diminue le nombre de plateaux, la perte de charge, le poids de l'appareil ou la consommation d'energie
Parallel Solution of Sparse One-Dimensional Dynamic Programming Problems

Parallel computation offers the potential for quickly solving large computational problems. However, it is often a non-trivial task to effectively use parallel computers. Solution methods must sometimes be reformulated to exploit parallelism; the reformulations are often more complex than their slower serial counterparts. We illustrate these points by studying the parallelization of sparse one-dimensional dynamic programming problems, those which do not obviously admit substantial parallelization. We propose a new method for parallelizing such problems, develop analytic models which help us to identify problems which parallelize well, and compare the performance of our algorithm with existing algorithms on a multiprocessor.
“Get Up Offa That Thing”: African American Middle School Students Respond to Literature to Develop a Framework for Understanding Social Action

The use of children's literature in urban social studies classrooms to facilitate students' engagement in literate behaviors and simultaneously develop a framework for understanding social action is an under -researched area. This paper discusses the use of literature for children and young adults in an urban middle school language arts and social studies block as a pedagogical strategy to facilitate understandings of social action. The African American students' responses to literature supported a development of a working definition of social action and ideas about action/inaction in their urban community contexts. These issues and others offer guidance for how literature can be used as an extension of citizenship education with the development of critical consciousness, political identity, and social action as the objectives.
Phosphorus Kinetics of Freshwater Microcosms

Laboratory microcosms were designed to study phosphorus exchange among lake water, diatoms (Nitzschia palea), snails (Physa sp.), and sand. Mathematical models describing the movement of 32P were used to simulate phosphorus behavior in microcosms of varying complexities. The single and combined effects of diatoms, snails, and sand on rate of 32P transfer were tested by factorial analysis. Phosphorus behavior varied both among microcosms of different complexities and among microcosms containing the same quantities but different compositions of compartments. All rate transfer constants involving water and one other compartment were significantly affected by another single compartment, by an interaction between two other compartments, or by both a single compartment and its interaction with another. Turnover of phosphorus was compared among different microcosms. Water generally maintained a higher turnover rate of phosphorus than any other compartment. The mean hourly turnover rate of 32P in water ranged from 0.00029 in microcosms containing water and a snail to 0.1035 in the four—compartment microcosms. Snails and diatoms tended to maintain high concentrations of 432P although there was an active exchange of 32P between each biotic compartment and water. A major exception occurred in the four—compartment systems wherein diatoms steadily lost 32P after about 24 h following inoculation of 32P, into the water. Diatoms and sand competed for, and dominated the movement of, 32P, as compared to snails which had a generally less dynamic effect on the cycle. Despite the active exchange of 32P between water and sand, the slow diffusion of 32P resulted in a net flow of 32P into sand.
p34cdc2 kinase activity is maintained upon activation of the replication checkpoint in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Abstract All eukaryotes use feedback controls to order and coordinate cell cycle events. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, several classes of checkpoint genes serve to ensure that DNA replication is complete and free of error before the onset of mitosis. Wild-type cells normally arrest upon inhibition of DNA synthesis or in response to DNA damage, although the exact mechanisms controlling this arrest are unclear. Genetic evidence in fission yeast suggests that the dependence of mitosis upon completion of DNA replication is linked to the regulation of the p34cdc2 cyclin-dependent kinase. It has been hypothesized that inhibition of DNA synthesis triggers down-regulation of p34cdc2 kinase activity, although this has never been shown biochemically. We analyzed the activity of p34cdc2 in wild-type and checkpoint-defective cells treated with a DNA synthesis inhibitor. Using standard in vitro assays we demonstrate that p34cdc2 kinase activity is maintained in wild-type cells arrested at the replication checkpoint. We also used a novel in vivo assay for p34cdc2 kinase activity, in which we expressed a fragment of the human retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein in fission yeast. Phosphorylation of this fragment of the human retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein is dependent on p34cdc2 kinase activity, and this activity is also maintained in cells arrested at the replication checkpoint. These data suggest that the mechanism for cell-cycle arrest in response to incomplete DNA synthesis is not dependent on the attenuation of p34cdc2 activity.
Comparison of Monkeypox Viruses Pathogenesis in Mice by In Vivo Imaging

Monkeypox viruses (MPXV) cause human monkeypox, a zoonotic smallpox-like disease endemic to Africa, and are of worldwide public health and biodefense concern. Using viruses from the Congo (MPXV-2003-Congo-358) and West African (MPXV-2003-USA-044) clades, we constructed recombinant viruses that express the luciferase gene (MPXV-Congo/Luc+and MPXV-USA-Luc+) and compared their viral infection in mice by biophotonic imaging. BALB/c mice became infected by both MPXV clades, but they recovered and cleared the infection within 10 days post-infection (PI). However, infection in severe combined immune deficient (SCID) BALB/c mice resulted in 100% lethality. Intraperitoneal (IP) injection of both MPXV-Congo and MPXV-Congo/Luc+resulted in a systemic clinical disease and the same mean time-to-death at 9 (±0) days post-infection. Likewise, IP injection of SCID-BALB/c mice with MPXV-USA or the MPXV-USA-Luc+, resulted in similar disease but longer (P<0.05) mean time-to-death (11±0 days) for both viruses compared to the Congo strains. Imaging studies in SCID mice showed luminescence in the abdomen within 24 hours PI with subsequent spread elsewhere. Animals infected with the MPXV-USA/Luc+had less intense luminescence in tissues than those inoculated with MPXV-Congo/Luc+, and systemic spread of the MPXV-USA/Luc+virus occurred approximately two days later than the MPXV-Congo/Luc+. The ovary was an important target for viral replication as evidenced by the high viral titers and immunohistochemistry. These studies demonstrate the suitability of a mouse model and biophotonic imaging to compare the disease progression and tissue tropism of MPX viruses.
Measuring the effectiveness of casino promotions

Abstract There is a lack of published research on the effectiveness of promotions in the leisure services industries. The substantial costs of promotions along with the lack of research prompted this study of casino promotions over a 6-month period. Data are examined via simultaneous regression analysis to determine the effectiveness of large-scale promotions. Promotional periods fail to significantly influence slot volume. The magnitude of prize money is positively related to slot volume, but fails to generate an economically significant impact. The methodology and results of this study will help the managers of leisure service businesses evaluate the effectiveness of their promotions.
Cytochrome P-450 lowering effect of alkyl halides, correlation with decrease in arachidonic acid

Abstract Treatment of male rats with carbon tetrachloride, bromotrichloromethane, chloroform, 1,2-dibromoethane, 1-bromo-2-chloroethane, and 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane results in a decrease in cytochrome P-450 content and alterations in the relative content of fatty acids in hepatic microsomes. A high correlation was found between the loss of cytochrome P-450, the decrease in arachidonic acid (r=0.93), and the increases in linoleic (r=−0.91) and oleic acids (r=−0.89).
Nucleic acid junctions and lattices

Abstract It is possible to generate sequences of oligomeric nucleic acids which will preferentially associate to form migrationally immobile junctions, rather than linear duplexes, as they usually do. These structures are predicated on the maximization of Watson-Crick base pairing and the lack of sequence symmetry customarily found in their analogs in living systems. Criteria are presented which oligonucleotide sequences must fulfill in order to yield these junction structures. The generable junctions are nexi, from which 3 to 8 double helices may emanate. Each junction may be treated as a macromolecular “valence cluster”, and the individual clusters may be linked together directly, or with pieces of linear DNA interspersed between them. This covalent linkage can be done with enormous specificity, using the sticky-ended ligation techniques currently employed in genetic engineering studies. It appears to be possible to generate covalently joined three-dimensional networks of nucleic acids which are periodic in connectivity and perhaps in space.
Basal melting of snow on early Mars: A possible origin of some valley networks

[1] Valley networks appear to be cut by liquid water, yet simulations suggest that early Mars could not have been warmed enough by a CO2-H2O greenhouse to permit rainfall. The vulnerability of an early atmosphere to impact erosion, the likely rapid scavenging of CO2 from the atmosphere by weathering, and the lack of detection of weathering products all support a cold early Mars. We explore the hypothesis that valley networks could have formed as a result of basal melting of thick snow and ice deposits. Depending on the heat flow, an early snowpack a few hundred meters to a few kilometers thick could undergo basal melting, providing water to cut valley networks.
Effects of nucleoside analogues on the expression of herpes simplex type 1-induced proteins.

Abstract Exposure of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-infected Vero cells to the nucleoside analogues 5-iodo-5′-amino-2′,5′-dideoxyuridine (AIdUrd), 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine (IdUrd) or 5′-amino-2′,5′-dideoxythymidine (5′-AdThd) resulted in altered expression of HSV-1-induced proteins. Infected cell proteins (ICPs) synthesized in the presence of the nucleoside analogues were compared by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to ICPs from non-drug-treated cells and it was found that there was no effect on HSV-1-induced α proteins but β and γ proteins were reduced as much as 60%. There were three exceptions: ICP 35 ( M r = 46,000) and ICP 39 ( M r = 36,000) were not reduced and ICP 36 ( M r = 42,000) was increased during drug treatment. Progeny virions were isolated from drug-treated infected Vero cells and were compared to progeny isolated from control cells with respect to their polypeptide make-up and for their ability to induce HSV-1 proteins in non-drug-treated Vero cells. The progeny virus from drug-treated cells exhibited altered protein patterns on SDS-polyacrylamide gels with respect to control HSV-1. The progeny virions from AIdUrd- or IdUrd- but not from 5′-AdThd-treated cells were defective in their abilities to induce proteins upon subsequent infection of non-drug-treated Vero cells. Two unusual phosphoproteins were detected; one with an apparent molecular weight of 30,000 was induced by progeny virus from AIdUrd-treated cells and another at approximately 69,000 was induced by progeny virus from 5′-AdThd-treated cells.
Prevalence of dog intestinal nematode parasites in south central West Virginia, USA

Coprological examination was used to determine prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes in a sample of 231 dogs (117 females and 114 males) during the summer of 2009 at a veterinary clinic in south central West Virginia, USA. Clinical signs (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, weight gain or loss) were noted in addition to a history of anthelmintic usage. A total of 79 dogs (33.6%) were infected with one or more intestinal nematodes. Most dogs (58) were parasitized with a single species, 19 were parasitized with 2 species, and 2 were parasitized by 3 species. There was no significant difference (i.e., X(2) 0.05) in prevalence of infection between female and male dogs for any of the identified nematode species. The chi-square test for equality of proportions was used to determine prevalence of infection in 3 age categories of dogs (females and males combined): young dogs (≤12 months of age); mature dogs (13-83 months); and old dogs >83 months. Prevalences of infection for Ancylostoma caninum and Toxocara canis were significantly (P 0.05) in prevalence by age category for Trichuris vulpis. Dogs exhibiting clinical signs were no more likely to harbor intestinal nematodes than dogs that were asymptomatic. Additionally, dogs receiving heartworm treatment were significantly less likely to be parasitized than dogs receiving no heartworm prophylaxis.
Diffraction theory of optical interference Moiré and a device for production of variable virtual reference gratings : a Moiré microscope

Optical interference moire methods are analyzed using Fraunhoffer diffraction theory to relate general large surface deformations to the fringes observed. This analysis determines the Almansl strain in the current configuration from the gradients of the fringe number function. The analysis shows the advantages of an experimental scheme that allows the virtual reference grating to be varied. The ability to vary the virtual reference grating results in a larger dynamic range and the ability to maintain a fringe spacing for maximum accuracy. A moire microscope has been constructed which has this ability. Digital image processing coupled with optical filtering and phase control is used to enhance the accuracy of the fringe measurements. The variable virtual-reference-grating capability is demonstrated by using it to highlight several aspects of the deformation field near a crack tip in a single crystal of iron-silicon.
A generalized procedure for the constrained optimization problem

Abstract The necessary and the sufficient conditions for the solution of the equality constrained optimization problem with N variables and (N−1) constraints are first derived and generalized to N variables and m constraints. Directional derivatives are used in the approach. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the problem with N−1 constraints are shown to be equivalent to the unconstrained one-variable problem, when the ordinary derivatives are replaced by the corresponding directional derivatives of the objective function in the direction tangent to the intersection of the constraints. The general equality constrained optimization problem of N variables and m constraints is then analysed using the directional derivative approach. Feasible direction vectors are defined and obtained in terms of first partial derivatives of the constraints. Necessary and sufficient conditions in terms of directional derivatives are derived and their equivalent with results in the literature. Sufficient conditions hi...
The effect of zinc on insulin metabolism

Experiments were designed to study the effect of Zn on in vivo and in vitro insulin metabolism. The in vivo experiments involved pretreating mice with either Zn or Na, followed by ip [125I]iodoinsulin injection. Pretreatment of mice with Zn resulted in an accelerated and increased magnitude of binding of [125I]iodoinsulin to the liver compared to mice pretreated with Na. Results are submitted which support the probability that the changes in the amounts of intact and degraded insulin in circulation with time are related to the binding and degradation of insulin in the liver rather than in the kidney. In vivo ip injected insulin was demonstrated to preferentially bind to the plasma membrane of the liver. Liver plasma membranes isolated from mice pretreated with Zn bound more [125I]iodoinsulin than plasma membranes of Na-pretreated mice. In vitro experiments employing isolated liver plasma membranes demonstrated that added Zn increased the binding and inhibited the degradation of insulin. Evidence is presented that supports the concept that two receptors exist, one at which degradation of [125I]iodoinsulin occurs and another at which degradation does not occur.
Improved protein detection on an AC electrokinetic quartz crystal microbalance (EKQCM).

Microscale electrodes supplied with an AC field can generate rotational fluid patterns known as AC electroosmosis. In the present study, this effect was used to improve antibody binding on a biosensor surface. Antibodies, like many other large, slow moving biomolecules, tend to suffer from transport limitations during a reaction with a surface-bound receptor. Stirring such reactions with AC electroosmosis can alleviate this transport limitation by bringing fresh reagent to the surface. For the first time, the use of this phenomenon was used to improve the capture of protein on a sensor. Directly adsorbed antibodies were bound to the surface of specially modified quartz crystal microbalances, known as electrokinetic QCMs (EKQCMs) and the signal was enhanced by about 5.6 times. Modification of the QCM resulted in little reduction of quality factor (from ∼5.3k to ∼4.6k) and an increased sensitivity to viscosity changes (151%). Full immunoassays performed on electrodes fabricated on glass surfaces were used to ensure antibody function was not significantly degraded by the enhancement technique.
Three-dimensional architecture of the bacteriophage φ29 packaged genome and elucidation of its packaging process

The goal of the work reported here is to understand the precise molecular mechanism of the process of DNA packaging in dsDNA bacteriophages. Cryo-EM was used to directly visualize the architecture of the DNA inside the capsid and thus to measure fundamental physical parameters such as inter-strand distances, local curvatures, and the degree of order. We obtained cryo-EM images of bacteriophage that had packaged defined fragments of the genome as well as particles that had partially completed the packaging process. The resulting comparison of structures observed at intermediate and final stages shows that there is no unique, deterministic DNA packaging pathway. Monte Carlo simulations of the packaging process provide insights on the forces involved and the resultant structures.
Cancer: EUS evaluation linked to improved survival in pancreatic cancer.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is the diagnostic modality of choice for various pancreatic pathologies. A recent study has suggested that EUS evaluation during diagnostic workup is a predictor of increased survival in patients with pancreatic cancer owing to improved pancreatic cancer staging and selection of suitable candidates for surgery.
Vibrational Photoacoustic Tomography: Chemical Imaging beyond the Ballistic Regime.

Proof-of-concept of vibrational photoacoustic tomography is demonstrated with a home-built Raman laser generating greater than 100 mJ of energy per pulse at a 1197 nm wavelength. We employed this system for excitation of the second overtone transition of C–H bonds. The vibrational photoacoustic signal from a C–H-rich polyethylene tube phantom placed under 3 cm thick chicken breast tissue was obtained with a signal-to-noise ratio of 2.5. Further, we recorded a photoacoustic image of a polyethylene ring placed under 5 mm chicken tissue with excellent contrast. This development opens new opportunities of performing label-free vibrational imaging in the deep tissue regime.
Dopamine: mediator of brain polysome disaggregation after L-dopa.

The disaggregation of brain polysomes which is produced by giving large doses of L -dopa to rats is not reproduced by administering its metabolite, 3- O -methyldopa, by giving D -dopa, which also depletes the brain of S -adenosylmethionine but is not converted to catecholamines, or by giving the L -dopa after a decarboxylase inhibitor. Polysome disaggregation is potentiated by the prior administration of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, indicating that formation of a catecholamine is an obligatory requirement. These observations suggest that the mechanism by which L -dopa disaggregates brain polysomes involves its conversion to dopamine within the majority of brain cells.
Infectivity of reovirus adsorbed to homoionic and mixed-cation clays

Abstract Studies on the desorption of reovirus from clay minerals with a natural mixed complement of cations indicated that more virus was bound to montmorillonite (M) than to kaolinite (K), and X-ray diffractometry showed that the virus did not intercalate M. Approximately 100% of the input virus population was recovered from M and K homoionic to Na and from K either homoionic to Mg or with a natural mixed complement of cations; 150% was recovered from M homoionic to Mg, but only 78% was recovered from M with a mixed complement of cations. The infectivity of the adsorbed and bound virus was retained, and the infectivity titer of the K- but not of the M-virus complex was greater than that of free virus. Virus infectivity decreased as the bulk pH of the suspension approached the isoelectric point (pH 3.8) of the reovirus. More virus was adsorbed by the clays, especially by K, below pH 4, indicating that electrostatic interactions occurred between the net negatively-charged clays and the net neutral or positively-charged virus. Loss of reovirus infectivity in synthetic estuarine and distilled water containing M or K was less than in either water alone. However, infectivity after 24 weeks in synthetic estuarine water maintained at 4°C was greater than in either water containing clays and maintained at 24°C.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN THE ATHLETE'S HEART AND RELATED CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

The anatomic and physiologic changes that occur as a consequence of exercise training have been well described in athletes participating in a variety of different sports. 1,5,10,25,41,43,57 It has been established that athletic training is often associated with modest increases in left ventricular chamber size, wall thickness, and mass. Moreover the relative degree of chamber enlargement and hypertrophy appears to be related to the level and intensity of training as well as the type of activity performed (i.e., isometric versus isotonic exercise). It also appears that for given levels and types of training, some individuals show more marked morphologic changes. In this regard, it has been speculated that the cardiac alterations that occur with athletic conditioning may be due, in part, to genetic factors that exist independent of training (i.e., the morphologic changes observed in athletes may be influenced by genetic disposition). 35,37,43 Related to this issue is the possibility that racial (or biologic) differences in cardiac response to exercise may also exist and may, in part, explain the morphologic variability encountered among athletes. There are few actual data to support racial differences in cardiac response to exercise; however, the concept that cardiac morphology per se may be influenced by race is not without precedent. For example, substantial evidence suggests that racial differences in the cardiac response may occur in systemic hypertension. 19,20,27,28,39 This article reviews the available data that address racial differences in the cardiac response to exercise and to left ventricular pressure overload and evaluates the implications of these findings in the athlete's heart.
Occult giant cell arteritis: ocular manifestations.

Purpose To report the incidence, visual symptoms, and ocular signs of occult giant cell arteritis in patients who initially presented with visual symptoms and ocular signs of giant cell arteritis. Occult giant cell arteritis was defined as ocular involvement by giant cell arteritis without any systemic symptoms and signs of giant cell arteritis. Methods In a prospective study from 1973 to 1995, we investigated 85 patients who had ocular involvement caused by giant cell arteritis and whose diagnosis of giant cell arteritis was confirmed on temporal artery biopsy. At the initial visit, patients were questioned specifically on systemic and ocular symptoms and signs of giant cell arteritis at or before the onset of visual disturbance. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (Westergren) and C-reactive protein level were evaluated before the start of systemic corticosteroid therapy. Results Eighteen (21.2%) of 85 patients had occult giant cell arteritis. There was no significant difference in age and sex distribution between patients with and without systemic symptoms of giant cell arteritis. Although both groups of patients had abnormal erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level, there was a significant difference in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P Conclusions Because occult giant cell arteritis is a potential cause of blindness, its early diagnosis is the key to preventing blindness; it is important to recognize that 21.2% of patients with giant cell arteritis and visual loss do not have any systemic symptoms of giant cell arteritis. Thus, in persons older than 55 years, amaurosis fugax or visual loss, development of an acute ocular ischemic lesion (particularly arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy), and abnormal C-reactive protein level, with or without elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and systemic symptoms, should raise a high index of suspicion for giant cell arteritis.
Effect of testosterone replacement on trabecular architecture in hypogonadal men.

We evaluated the effect of testosterone treatment on trabecular architecture by μMRI in 10 untreated severely hypogonadal men. After 2 years, μMRI parameters of trabecular connectivity improved significantly, suggesting the possibility that testosterone improves trabecular architecture. Introduction: Osteoporosis, characterized by low BMD and diminished bone quality, is a significant public health problem in men. Hypogonadal men have decreased BMD and deteriorated trabecular architecture compared with eugonadal men, and testosterone treatment improves their BMD. We tested the hypothesis that testosterone replacement in hypogonadal men would also improve their trabecular architecture. Materials and Methods: We selected 10 untreated severely hypogonadal men and treated them with a testosterone gel for 24 months to maintain their serum testosterone concentrations within the normal range. Each subject was assessed before and after 6, 12, and 24 months of testosterone treatment by magnetic resonance microimaging (μMRI) of the distal tibia and by DXA of the spine and hip. The μMRI parameters reflect the integrity of the trabecular network and include the ratio of all surface voxels (representing plates) to curve voxels (representing rods) and the topological erosion index, a ratio of topological parameters expected to increase on trabecular deterioration to those expected to decrease. The higher the surface-to-curve ratio and the lower the topological erosion index, the more intact the trabecular network. Results: Serum testosterone concentrations increased to midnormal after 3 months of treatment and remained normal thereafter. After 24 months of testosterone treatment, BMD of the spine increased 7.4% (p < 0.001), and of the total hip increased 3.8% (p = 0.008). Architectural parameters assessed by μMRI also changed: the surface-to-curve ratio increased 11% (p = 0.004) and the topological erosion index decreased 7.5% (p = 0.004). Conclusions: These results suggest the possibility that testosterone replacement of hypogonadal men improves trabecular architecture.
Measurements of CsI band-gap closure to 93 GPa.

Infrared-absorption measurements to a peak pressure of 93 GPa document the pressure-induced closure of the band gap of CsI to about 4450 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ (0.55 eV). In accord with previous spectroscopic measurements to 60 GPa, our data show that the band gap of CsI decreases continuously with pressure, and metallization (complete closure of the gap) is expected to occur above 100 GPa. A recent claim that CsI becomes metallic at 65\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5 GPa is therefore spurious.
A dose-escalation study of large doses of naloxone for treatment of patients with acute cerebral ischemia

A dose-escalation study was performed in 27 patients to determine the highest safe and potentially optimal dose of naloxone for treatment of acute cerebral ischemia. All patients received a bolus of naloxone followed by a continuous 24 hour infusion at an hourly rate 50% of the bolus. Loading doses ranged from 2.5 to 200 mg/m2. Total patient doses ranged from 52.3 to 4978 mg. No major dose-related side effects occurred. This study was not designed to determine naloxone's efficacy in stroke, but transient or sustained improvement was observed in 13 patients. Three patients' neurological condition worsened within three hours after the naloxone was discontinued. Our experience suggests that further therapeutic trials of naloxone are worthwhile.
Some Comments in Reply Analysis, Synthesis, and Contemporary Social Psychology

The authors briefly respond to several of the issues raised in the articles commenting on their analysis of research traditions in social psychology and specifically on their treatment of dissonance theory. The authors' goal was not to engage in a protracted debate but to highlight some overarching issues in contemporary social psychology in order to encourage social psychologists to consider how they conduct their science.
Cyclic Actuator Behavior of Ferrogels

Ferrogels are low modulus polymer materials with embedded magnetic powder filler giving them the capability to strain in a magnetic field. The large strains, high energy densities, and fast response that have been reported make these materials attractive for actuator applications, however, a full understanding of the dynamic behavior is lacking. In this work the following behaviors are characterized: (1) the effect of gravity is determined by comparing behavior in two configurations, (2) the effect of compositions is investigated for 9 samples of different matrix and filler compositions, (3) the effect of frequency is determined for sinusoidal inputs between 0.1 and 80 Hz and, (4) the instantaneous and long-term strain behavior is discussed based on the ferrogel response to step inputs of magnitudes up to 2200 Gauss. It was found that the highest strains are achieved for the most flexible samples with the highest amount of magnetic filler tested in a configuration in which gravity acts in opposition to the magnetic attraction. Lower frequencies allow for larger strains because more time is allowed for visco-elastic motion. Finally, the step response shows that the strain occurs in two types. First, is an instantaneous strain; second, is a visco-elastic deformation that takes place over an extended period of time.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Building the foundation for culture change through the design, implementation, and assessment of an interprofessional education intervention

Introduction: The current state of our nation’s healthcare delivery system, including inefficiencies in healthcare delivery, health disparities, and wasteful costs, accentuates the call for responsive action. Interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) has emerged as an innovative strategy for addressing many of these inadequacies through the restructuring of healthcare delivery systems and health professions education within the United States. This project was a five-week long course in a clinic setting on interprofessional education (IPE) that supplied basic knowledge of the field of IPECP and offered opportunities to apply knowledge gained in an interprofessional, collaborative manner. The project question was: Will learners exhibit a measurable change in attitudes underpinning a clinic-based culture after exposure to an IPE intervention aimed at guiding and shaping collaborative practice? Methods: This was a systems change project that implemented and assessed a pilot IPECP program. The IPE intervention consisted of a course comprised of two face-to-face sessions and five online modules for 15 pre- and post-licensure learners. Objectives were defined, and mixed methods were used for measurement and assessment, including a pre- and post- test design. Results: Pre-licensure learners showed high levels of engagement in the learning activities; post-licensure learners failed to meet online engagement objectives. All course learners demonstrated a shift in readiness to engage in IPECP. Quantitative findings were consistent with the qualitative data generated. Discussion: Findings suggested the beginnings of a shift in attitudes underpinning organizational culture. Findings also revealed barriers to IP learning and practice, including participant attitudes related to professional identity, assumptions about teamwork, and notions about hierarchy.
Surgical management of noncirrhotic portal hypertension.

Surgery in NCPH is reserved for patients with PH complications who fail medical and endoscopic treatments. Surgery aims to disrupt esophagogastric collateral circulation through devascularization procedures or to decrease portal pressure by creating portoportal or PSS. Devascularization procedures are useful in patients with esophageal varices and unfavorable anatomy for a shunt. The only portoportal shunt is the mesenterico‐left portal vein bypass (Rex shunt) and it restores the normal portal flow to the liver in EPVO. Decompressive PSS (including nonselective, selective, and partial) prevent rebleeding from esophageal and gastric varices but they may complicate with portosystemic encephalopathy, occlusion, and subsequent rebleeding. Results after shunt surgery depend on the specific disease (with EPVO showing the best long‐term results), preoperative liver function status, and postoperative patency of the shunt.
Creating positive out-group attitudes through intergroup couple friendships and implications for compassionate love:

Building personal relationships with out-group members is an important catalyst of positive intergroup attitudes. In a 2 × 2 experimental design, Caucasian and African American individuals and couples were randomly assigned to interact in either cross-race or same-race individual dyads and couple pairs. Participants completed pretest measures of race attitudes and engaged in a high self-disclosure closeness-induction task with an in-group or out-group race member in pairs of couples or individuals and completed measures of self-disclosure and intergroup attitudes. These results suggest that intergroup contact in the presence of romantic partners may be particularly effective for improving intergroup attitudes. We explore the implications of these results for developing compassionate love toward out-groups.
The BUDDY (Bedside Ultrasound to Detect Dehydration in Youth) study

Prior research suggests that the ratio of the ultrasound-measured diameter of the inferior vena cava to the aorta correlates with the level of dehydration in children. This study was designed to externally validate this and to access the accuracy of the ultrasound measured inspiratory IVC collapse and physician gestalt to predict significant dehydration in children in the emergency department. We prospectively enrolled a non-consecutive cohort of children ≤18 years old. Patient weight, ultrasound measurements of the IVC and Ao, and physician gestalt were recorded. The percent weight change from presentation to discharge was used to calculate the degree of dehydration. A weight change of ≥5% was considered clinically significant dehydration. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for each of the ultrasound measurements and physician gestalt. Sensitivity (SN) and specificity (SP) were calculated based on previously established cutoff points of the IVC/Ao ratio (0.8), the IVC collapsibility index of 50%, and a new cut off point of IVC collapsibility index of 80% or greater. Intra-class correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the degree of inter-rater reliability between ultrasound observers. Of 113 patients, 10.6% had significant dehydration. The IVC/Ao ratio had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.72 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.91) and, with a cutoff of 0.8, produced a SN of 67% and a SP of 71% for the diagnosis of significant dehydration. The IVC collapsibility index of 50% had an AUC of 0.58 (95% CI 0.44 to 0.72) and, with a cutoff of 80% collapsibility, produced a SN of 83% and a SP of 42%. The intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.83 for the IVC/Ao ratio and 0.70 for the IVC collapsibility. Physician gestalt had an AUC of 0.61 (95% CI 0.44 to 0.78) and, with a cutoff point of 5, produced a SN of 42% and a SP of 65%. The ultrasound-measured IVC/Ao ratio is a modest predictor of significant dehydration in children. The inspiratory IVC collapse and physician gestalt were poor predictors of the actual level of dehydration in this study.
Inter-annual sea-ice dynamics and micro-algal biomass in winter pack ice of Marguerite Bay, Antarctica

The geographic remoteness, the lack of remote sensing capabilities, and the lack of appropriate environmental sensors make the detection of seasonal trends or inter-annual variations in sea-ice microbial biomass or production processes within the pack ice of the Antarctic extremely rare. The evaluation of their inter-annual variability in the context of ice dynamics and trends in regional climate has not been possible. During the late winters of 2001 (July–August) and 2002 (August–September) we assessed sea-ice dynamics, sea-ice characteristics, and biomass of sea-ice microbiota along the Western Antarctic Peninsula. These two winters were marked by large contrasts in the dates of initial ice formation (late June in 2001 and April in 2002), which resulted in differences in the physical pack-ice characteristics. Chlorophyll a (chl a) content in ice cores differed between the study years, with 2002 having 10-fold higher chl a content. The difference in ice-core chl a content is best explained by the timing of ice formation that leads to less phytoplankton scavenging from the water column and a lack of transfer of solar energy into the pack-ice ecosystem. Such a tractable atmosphere ocean–ice–biota coupling may help in evaluating underlying processes responsible for long-term trends in recruitment cycles of upper trophic levels as well as future projections on the response of the Antarctic marine ecosystems to variability in local climate.
READING AND LANGUAGE PROCESSING. John M. Henderson, Murray Singer, & Fernanda Ferreira (Eds.). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 1995. Pp. iv + 351. $34.50 paper.

This volume sets forth an excellent overview of cutting-edge research in reading and language processing and illuminates many of the controversial issues related to human cognition. Readers will find, as an example, apt commentaries on the tension between connectionist modeling and the antecedent symbolic processing, and the subsequent efforts of researchers to resolve paradigmatic conflicts. As a result, several hybrid models, incorporating elements of a symbolic system and an activation-based connectionist mechanism, have emerged. Similarly, the logic and value of relevant research procedures are debated. Methodological scrutiny, in fact, is a prominent theme throughout the volume. Among other things, a variety of online measures, such as technologically enhanced procedures for eye-movement tracking, pupillometry monitoring, and moving-window display techniques, are discussed.
L-Carnitine decreases DNA damage and improves the in vitro blastocyst development rate in mouse embryos

Objective To optimize the L-carnitine (LC) concentration as a supplement in embryo culture medium and to investigate the effect of LC on developing embryos. Design Experimental study. Setting Reproductive research center at a tertiary hospital. Intervention(s) To optimize the LC concentration, 420 mouse embryos were divided into seven groups and incubated with different LC concentrations (0, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, 2.5, 5.0, and 10 mg/mL). To investigate the effect of LC on the developing embryos, 500 mouse embryos were divided into three groups and incubated with either actinomycin-D (AD; 0.005 μg/mL), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ; 500 μmol/L), or tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α; 500ng) with and without LC 0.3 or 0.6 mg/mL. Blastocyst development rate (%BDR) and DNA damage were examined for all groups. Main Outcome Measure(s) Effect of LC on embryogenesis. Result(s) Significant improvement in %BDR was seen at LC 0.3 mg/mL compared with the control (p = 0.006). L-Carnitine at 0.3 and 0.6 mg/mL significantly reduced the blocking effect of AD, H 2 O 2 , and TNF-α and significantly decreased the level of DNA damage. Conclusion(s) Embryo culture medium supplementation with LC may offer a novel and a cost-effective technique to improve the embryogenesis of cultured embryos. This may be beneficial in improving IVF outcomes.
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Children After the Fontan Operation

Background Previous studies of patients after the Fontan operation have reported IQ scores lower than population norms. In the past decade, changes have occurred both in surgical methods used and in the patient population undergoing Fontan palliation. The present study examined the impact of these changes on neurodevelopmental outcomes after Fontan. Methods and Results Neuropsychological tests were administered to 27 five-year-old children after Fontan. Mean age at repair was 2 years 4 months. The present sample was compared with an earlier Fontan group (EFG) of 133 patients who underwent surgery in the 1970s and 1980s. Mean age at repair for the EFG was 7 years 3 months. Compared with EFG, the present study sample was younger at Fontan (P=0.0001) and more likely to have undergone a Norwood procedure (P=0.02), a pre-Fontan bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis (P<0.001), and Fontan fenestration (P=0.001). Although mean full-scale, verbal, and performance IQ scores were within 1 SD (15 points) of the pop...
A case of respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma

We report a case of a 70-year-old man diagnosed with a respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma (REAH) of the nasal cavity after a past sinus surgery and associated with nasal polyposis. REAH is a recently described pathologic entity that can present with nasal obstruction, congestion, rhinorrhea, epistaxis, hyposmia, and headaches. It is a rare lesion of nasal and paranasal sinuses, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis because it is a benign lesion and complete surgical resection is curative.
The effect of myofascial release (MFR) on an adult with idiopathic scoliosis

Summary Background: The lack of evidence of conservative treatment has led to an interest in exploring myofascial release (MFR) as an effective means of controlling spinal curvature progression in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. Objective: The purpose of this case study is to measure the effects of MFR as a manual therapy technique in the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis. Methods: One 18-year-old female subject underwent 6 weeks of MFR treatment consisting of two sessions each week for 60min. Pain, pulmonary function, and quality of life were measured. Six goniometric measurements were taken encompassing trunk flexion, extension, and rotation. Results: The subject improved with pain levels, trunk rotation, posture, quality of life, and pulmonary function. Conclusions: The results suggest further investigation is needed using MFR, as an effective manual therapy treatment for idiopathic scoliosis. & 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Current systemic therapy for metastatic melanoma

Metastatic melanoma remains a lethal disease with a long-term remission rate of less than 10%. Despite many years of research, there has not been a new drug approved in this disease in over two decades. Single-agent chemotherapy is palliative in some patients and there is no advantage of combination chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy in randomized trials. High-dose bolus IL-2 produces some long-term remissions and is available for highly selected individuals at selected centers in the USA but is impractical for most patients. Research is ongoing in exploring novel immunotherapeutic and targeted approaches. The status of recently completed and ongoing trials is discussed in this review.
Spatial constraints on learning in visual search: Modeling contextual cuing.

Predictive visual context facilitates visual search, a benefit termed contextual cuing (M. M. Chun & Y. Jiang, 1998). In the original task, search arrays were repeated across blocks such that the spatial configuration (context) of all of the distractors in a display predicted an embedded target location. The authors modeled existing results using a connectionist architecture and then designed new behavioral experiments to test the model's assumptions. The modeling and behavioral results indicate that learning may be restricted to the local context even when the entire configuration is predictive of target location. Local learning constrains how much guidance is produced by contextual cuing. The modeling and new data also demonstrate that local learning requires that the local context maintain its location in the overall global context.