cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The surface chemistry of hexafluoroacetylacetone on clean and oxygen pre-covered Cu(210): a temperature-programmed desorption study

Abstract The surface chemistry of hexafluoroacetylacetone (Hhfac) on clean and oxygen pre-covered Cu(210) has been investigated by temperature-programmed desorption. On the clean surface, the Hhfac decomposes to form ten products desorbing in 13 desorption states, including a CF 3 COCOCF 3 fragment which could only form via Hhfac disproportionation or polymerization. In contrast, on the oxygen pre-covered (oxidized) surface, there were only six fragments and much simpler chemistry. Some of the Hhfac is oxidized, while the remainder reacts to form Cu(hfac) 2 at 425 K. Our results show that low-temperature copper etching can occur on an oxidized Cu(210) surface. However, it is important to keep oxygen on the surface or else polymerization of the Hhfac, and subsequent contamination will occur.
In Situ Assessment of Interlayer Systems to Abate Reflective Cracking in Hot-Mix Asphalt Overlays

A method to investigate the effectiveness of interlay systems in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlays to retard reflective cracking is introduced. Significant research has been conducted on developing techniques to reduce reflective cracking in HMA overlays. Many interlayer systems have been used in the field; some showed no structural or economical benefits, while others could reduce reflective cracking in the short term. However, longterm and quantitative benefits for many of these techniques have not been realized. Hence, this research fulfills the need to quantify the effectiveness of interlayer systems in delaying or abating reflective cracking—it proposes a systematic approach to identify reflective cracking and a conceptual index to evaluate interlayer systems. Ground-penetrating radar and a video integration system are used to detect surface cracks in overlays as well as joint opening and dowel bars in existing portland cement concrete pavements. Transverse cracks that exist over a joint are classified ...
Optical Coherence Tomography

Case presentation : A 56-year-old man presented to the hospital with chest pain and a non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Thrombotic plaque rupture in the left anterior descending coronary artery was treated with an everolimus-eluting stent. After stent deployment, angiography demonstrated the presence of a hazy opacity at the distal edge of the stent, and there was concern about a possible edge dissection. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of the opacity showed residual thrombus and no dissection. Subsequent aspiration thrombectomy and balloon dilation effectively treated the lesion without deployment of an additional stent. OCT is an intravascular imaging modality that utilizes near-infrared light to generate cross-sectional blood vessel images. OCT is similar to intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), and both OCT and IVUS provide information about intravascular anatomy that far exceeds the level of detail obtained from conventional contrast cineangiography. With the use of light rather than ultrasound reflectance, OCT generates in vivo images of coronary arteries and deployed stents with up to 10 to 15 μm of spatial resolution compared with the 100- to 200-μm resolution of IVUS. Although the spatial resolution of OCT is markedly superior to that of IVUS, near-infrared light does not penetrate tissue as effectively as sound, and therefore OCT imaging depths range from 1 to 3 mm into the vessel wall, whereas IVUS imaging depths range from 4 to 10 mm (Table). Additionally, near-infrared light is scattered by red blood cells, and therefore OCT imaging requires transient blood clearing during image acquisition. View this table: Table. Comparison of FD-OCT and IVUS The speed of light was initially a central challenge to developing a “clinically friendly” OCT system. Light travels too quickly for direct measurement of differential reflectance caused by vascular structures, and the original time delay OCT (TD-OCT) systems utilized a moving reference mirror to calibrate reflected light waves for image …
Peritoneal dialysability of "uraemic substances".

Small- and middle-molecular substances were studied for dialysability in patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis. The peritoneum, as a “dialysis membrane”, was found to be passed readily by middle-molecular substances held responsible for the “toxic symptoms” of uraemia. Peritoneal dialysis is regarded on these grounds as an efficient procedure in the management of renal failure.
Upper bound on scaled Gromov-hyperbolic δ

Abstract The Gromov-hyperbolic δ or “fatness” of a hyperbolic geodesic triangle, defined to be the infimum of the perimeters of all inscribed triangles, is given an explicit analytical expression in term of the angle data of the triangle. By a hyperbolic extension of Fermat’s principle, the optimum inscribed triangle is easily constructed as the orthic triangle, that is, the triangle with its vertices at the feet of the altitudes of the original triangle. From the analytical expression of the optimum perimeter δ , a Tarski–Seidenberg computer algebra argument demonstrates that the δ , scaled by the diameter of the triangle, never exceeds 3/2 in a Riemannian manifold of constant nonpositive curvature. As probably the most important corollary, a finite metric geodesic space in which the ratio δ /diam is (strictly) bounded from above by 3/2 for all geodesic triangles exhibits the same metric properties as a negatively curved Riemannian manifold. The specific applications targeted here are those involving such very large but finite graphs as the Internet and the Protein Interaction Network. It is indeed argued that negative curvature is the precise mathematical formulation of their visually intuitive core concentric property.
Sensitivity "hot spots" in the direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry of nerve agent simulants.

Presented here are findings describing the spatial-dependence of sensitivity and ion suppression effects observed with direct analysis in real time (DART). Continuous liquid infusion of dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP) revealed that ion yield “hot spots” did not always correspond with the highest temperature regions within the ionization space. For instance, at lower concentrations (50 and 100 μM), the highest sensitivities were in the middle of the ionization region at 200 °C where there was a shorter ion transport distance, and the heat available to thermally desorb neutrals was moderate. Conversely, at higher DMMP concentrations (500 μM), the highest ion yield was directly in front of the DART source at 200 °C where it was exposed to the highest temperature for thermal desorption. In matching experiments, differential analyte volatility was observed to play a smaller role in relative ion suppression than differences in proton affinity and the relative sampling positions of analytes. At equimolar concentrations sampled at the same position, suppression was as high as 26× between isoquinoline (proton affinity 952 kJ mol–1, boiling point 242 °C) and p-anisidine (proton affinity 900 kJ mol–1, boiling point 243 °C). This effect was exacerbated when sampling positions of the two analytes differed, reaching levels of relative suppression as high as 4543.0× ± 1406.0. To mitigate this level of relative ion suppression, sampling positions and molar ratios of the analytes were modified to create conditions in which ion suppression was negligible.
An EMG Integrator for Muscle Activity Studies in Ambulatory Subjects

A portable digital integrator is described for the measurement of electromyographic activity in the natural environment. integrated muscle activity exceeding an adjustable threshold is accumulated and displayed on a seven digit LED readout in ?V·s. Technical specifications, schematic diagram, and application examples are provided.
Time to default and other sensitivities of credit ratings

We utilize the Markov chain dynamics of the credit ratings migration phenomenon initially proposed by Jarrow et al. (1997) as our basic framework. We construct a complete probability distribution o...
The moduli space of flat SU (2) and SO (3) connections over surfaces

All the connected components of the moduli space of flat connections on SU (2) and SO (3) (trivial and non-trivial) bundles over closed oriented surfaces are determined. The symplectic structure and volumes of the non-maximal strata of the moduli space are also determined.
Psycholinguistic complexity in codeswitching

The functional element effect (Muysken, 1997) refers to the systematic favoritism of certain grammatical categories to appear in one language versus the other during codeswitched speech. The current paper explores whether this effect, often observed in production, is replicated in on-line comprehension results. As a preliminary test, we compared the results of published frequency counts involving Spanish-English codeswitches with comprehension-timed experimental results. Two syntactic sites were analyzed: switches between a noun and its determiner and switches between a complementizer and its IP. Production frequencies for these sites were taken from Milian (1996, cited in Myers - Scotton & Jake, 1997) and Sankoff and Poplack (1981). Comprehension data were taken from Dussias (1997). Comparisons of the two sets of data show that corpus frequency and comprehension complexity are inversely related to each other in that the more frequent a codeswitch is in corpora, the less difficult it is to process.
The Detection of Nitro Pesticides in Mainstream and Sidestream Cigarette Smoke Using Electron Monochromator-Mass Spectrometry

Over the past decade, electron monochromator-mass spectrometry (EM-MS) has been shown to be a selective and sensitive technique for the analysis of a wide variety of electrophilic compounds in complex matrixes. Here, for the first time, three different dinitroaniline pesticides, flumetralin, pendimethalin, and trifluralin, have been shown to be present in both mainstream and sidestream tobacco smoke using an EM-MS system. A number of cigarettes were tested that included three pure-tobacco-type cigarettes, an experimental reference cigarette, and 11 commercial cigarettes. Due to the complexity of the smoke particulate matter, the pesticides were identified only after each sample was subjected to a multistep cleanup process that included phenyl solid-phase extraction; an acid wash; aminopropyl solid-phase extraction; and finally, normal phase LC fractionation. All cigarette types tested showed the presence of the three pesticides in the tobacco smoke, with flumetralin ranging from trace levels up to 37 (± 9...
FUNCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF PHAGOCYTIC ACTIVITY OF THE SPLEEN

The improvement of phagocytic activity of the spleen was studied in rats by using 99m Tc sulfur colloid uptake. This function was measured in the newborn; 1, 2, 3, 4, weeks old baby and adult rats. Organ distribution of the radionucleide showed very marked phagocytic activity of liver including the newborn period. But improvement of phagocytic activity by age expressed as “phagocytic index” was much more prominent in the spleen compared to lung kidney and liver.
Regulation of α7 Integrin Expression during Muscle Differentiation

Expression of the laminin-binding alpha7 integrin is tightly regulated during myogenic differentiation, reflecting required functions that range from cell motility to formation of stable myotendinous junctions. However, the exact mechanism controlling alpha7 expression in a tissue- and differentiation-specific manner is poorly understood. This report provides evidence that alpha7 gene expression during muscle differentiation is regulated by the c-Myc transcription factor. In myoblasts, alpha7 is expressed at basal levels, but following conversion to myotubes the expression of the integrin is strongly elevated. The increased alpha7 mRNA and protein levels following myogenic differentiation are inversely correlated with c-Myc expression. Transfection of myoblasts with the c-Myc transcription factor down-regulated alpha7 expression, whereas overexpression of Madmyc, a dominant-negative c-Myc chimera, induced elevated alpha7 expression. Functional analysis with site-specific deletions identified a specific double E-box sequence in the upstream promoter region (-2.0 to -2.6 kb) that is responsible for c-Myc-induced suppression of alpha7 expression. DNA-protein binding assays and supershift analysis revealed that c-Myc forms a complex with this double E-box sequence. Our results suggest that the interaction of c-Myc with this promoter region is an important regulatory element controlling alpha7 integrin expression during muscle development and myotendinous junction formation.
Permeable sites in the firefly lantern tracheal system: Use of osmium tetroxide vapor as a tracer.

Flashing fireflies were permitted to breathe osmium tetroxide vapor, after which the lanterns were removed and the sites of absorption of the osmium into the tissues were detected in two ways: (1) by sonication to remove soft tissues, that is, those that had not been fixed by the osmium gas, and (2) by intensification with thiocarbohydrazide and silver nitrate, in a modification of the osmium-thiocarbohydrazide-osmium (OTO) stain technique. The results of both procedures indicate that the gas first enters into the tissues at the level of the tracheoles. These findings may be interpreted as underscoring the importance of the tracheolar cell and the tracheal end organ in the control of oxygen entry into the lantern tissues, and the implications of the results in the oxygen regulation theory of flash control are discussed.
Mcl-1 overexpression leads to higher viabilities and increased production of humanized monoclonal antibody in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Bioreactor stresses, including nutrient deprivation, shear stress, and byproduct accumulation can cause apoptosis, leading to lower recombinant protein yields and increased costs in downstream processing. Although cell engineering strategies utilizing the overexpression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL potently inhibit apoptosis, no studies have examined the use of the Bcl-2 family protein, Mcl-1, in commercial mammalian cell culture processes. Here, we overexpress both the wild type Mcl-1 protein and a Mcl-1 mutant protein that is not degraded by the proteasome in a serum-free Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line producing a therapeutic antibody. The expression of Mcl-1 led to increased viabilities in fed-batch culture, with cell lines expressing the Mcl-1 mutant maintaining ∼90% viability after 14 days when compared with 65% for control cells. In addition to enhanced culture viability, Mcl-1-expressing cell lines were isolated that consistently showed increases in antibody production of 20–35% when compared with control cultures. The quality of the antibody product was not affected in the Mcl-1-expressing cell lines, and Mcl-1-expressing cells exhibited 3-fold lower caspase-3 activation when compared with the control cell lines. Altogether, the expression of Mcl-1 represents a promising alternative cell engineering strategy to delay apoptosis and increase recombinant protein production in CHO cells. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009
Decoder selection based on cross-entropies

The authors generalize the maximum likelihood and related optimization criteria for training and decoding with a speech recognizer. The generalizations are constructed by considering weighted linear combinations of the logarithms of the likelihoods of words, of acoustics, and of (word, acoustic) pairs. The utility of various patterns of weights are examined. >
Sonographic Evaluation of Arteritis

Arteritis is an inflammation of the arterial wall that can lead to stenosis or occlusion of the affected vessels. Symptoms vary and depend on the arteries involved. Diagnosis is based on multiple factors consisting of the size of the arteries involved, patient age, clinical symptoms and history, laboratory results (blood and/or biopsy), and diagnostic examination analysis. Sonography is a valuable diagnostic tool, especially in large artery involvement.
Expression of a Dominant Negative Inhibitor of NF-κB Protects MIN6 β-Cells from Cytokine-Induced Apoptosis☆

Abstract Background. Islet graft injury by cytokines released from inflammatory cells (macrophages) that infiltrate the transplant site is an important mechanism of early islet transplant dysfunction. This detrimental “cytokine effect” is thought to be mediated by NF-κB-dependent up-regulation of iNOS gene expression and increased nitric oxide (NO) production by the islet. We attempted to make a β-cell resistant to cytokine-induced apoptosis by transfecting the parent line with a dominant negative inhibitor of NF-κB. Methods. A flag-tagged IκBαM cDNA subcloned into an SFFV-neo vector was used to transfect parent β-Cell line MIN6. MIN6 and the resultant mutant (2Bm) were cultured for 24 h in a cytokine mixture including IL-1β (50 units/mL), TNF-α (1000 units/mL), and IFN-γ (750 units/mL) and cotreated with either the iNOS inhibitor L-NMMA (1 mM) or the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD (0.1 mM). NF-κB translocation was determined by gel shift. Nitrite production was determined by the Griess reaction. Apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Results. When treated with cytokine 2Bm demonstrated significantly less NF-κB nuclear translocation, nitrite production, and apoptosis than parent MIN6. The rate of apoptosis in cytokine-treated 2Bm was a third less than that for cytokine-treated MIN6 and was similar to MIN6 cotreated with L-NMMA. Z-VAD cotreatment completely eliminated apoptosis in both MIN6 and 2Bm. Conclusions. Cytokine-induced cell death in the MIN6 β-cell line involves mechanisms that are, in part, NF-κB and NO dependent. Inhibition of NF-κB and NO production by the dominant negative inhibitor of NF-κB is cytoprotective. This type of genetic modification may prove to be one avenue for improving efficacy of islet transplantation.
Distribution of total and non-freezable water contents of galactosemic rat lenses.

Galactosemic cataracts were induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by keeping them on a 507. ga lactose diet for 36 days. The galactosemic rat lenses as well as normal rat lenses were sliced into 0.50 mm sections and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TGA) measurements were performed.The TGA measurements gave the total water content. This was much higher in cataractous lenses than in normal lenses. The total water content also showed different gradients in normal and cataractous lenses. In normal lenses the percentage of water decreases as one proceeds from cortex to nucleus. In galactosemic cataractous lenses the trend is the opposite.The non-freezable (bound) water content was obtained as the difference between the total and freezable (DSC measurements) water content. In both cataractous and normal lenses the non-freezable water content increases when one proceeds from cortex to nucleus. It seems that most of the water influx generated by the accumulation of galactitol ends up as fr...
Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition of Polycrystalline Silicon and Silicon Dioxide by Rapid Thermal Processing

Low-pressure chemical vapor deposition of polycrystalline silicon and silicon dioxide in a lamp-heated cold-wall rapid thermal processor have been investigated. Silicon dioxide films have been deposited by thermal decomposition of tetraethylorthosilicate known as TEOS. The technique can be used for rapid deposition of good quality thick passivation layers at moderate temperatures. Polycrystalline silicon depositions have been accomplished using silane (SiH4) diluted in argon as the reactive gas. Surface roughness and resistivity of the films deposited at temperatures above 700°C are comparable in quality to films deposited in a conventional LPCVD reactor at 610°C. In this temperature range, deposition rates as high as 4000A/min can be obtained.
Cognitive endophenotypes of psychosis within dimension and diagnosis

This study sought to characterize the psychosis phenotype, contrasting cognitive features within traditional diagnosis and psychosis dimension in a family sample containing both schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar I disorder. Seventy-six probands with psychosis [44 probands with schizophrenia, 32 probands with psychotic bipolar I disorder] and 55 first-degree relatives [30 relatives of schizophrenia probands, 25 relatives of bipolar probands] were recruited. Standardized clinical and neuropsychological measures were administered. No differences in cognitive performance emerged between probands with schizophrenia and probands with psychotic bipolar disorder, or between relatives of probands with schizophrenia and relatives of probands with bipolar disorder in the domains of working and declarative memory, executive function and attention. Relatives overall showed higher cognitive performance compared to probands, as expected. However, when we segmented the probands and relatives along a psychosis dimension, independent of diagnostic groups, results revealed lower cognitive performance in probands compared to relatives without psychosis spectrum disorders, whereas relatives with psychosis spectrum disorders showed an intermediate level of performance across all cognitive domains. In this study, cognitive performance did not distinguish either probands or their first-degree relatives within traditional diagnostic groups (schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar disorder), but distinguished probands and relatives with and without lifetime psychosis manifestations independent of diagnostic categories. These data support the notion that schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar disorder present a clinical continuum with overlapping cognitive features defining the psychosis phenotype.
Ferromagnetic Resonance Detection for Magnetic Microbead Sensors

This paper presents a novel detection scheme for magnetic beads used to label target molecules in immunoassay based sensors. The beads are detected inductively using a microwave circuit consisting of a slotline and coplanar waveguide (CPW) fabricated in a single metal layer. The waveguides are terminated at a short-circuited junction that serves as the active sensor area. When the slotline is excited by an input radio frequency (RF) signal, ac magnetic fields are generated at the junction. These fields are orthogonal to the propagation mode allowed in CPWs. As a result, the signal from the slotline does not nominally couple into the CPW. In the presence of a bead immobilized at the junction, fields from the slotline are distorted and the signal is coupled to the output at the CPW. The output signal is further enhanced by exciting ferromagnetic resonance in the bead. Simulation results indicate a single bead to be detectable with a sensitivity of 1-10 muV/V depending on its location in the active sensor area and the waveguide geometry. The distinctive advantages of this detection technique are ease of implementation, requiring simple and inexpensive fabrication processes; and suitability for integration in lab-on-a-chip systems.
Performance of achromatic lattice with combined function sextupoles at Duke Storage Ring

The 1 GeV Duke Storage Ring was very successfully commissioned with performance exceeding initial specifications. In this paper we present design and performance data of its unique achromatic lattice with combined function magnets in the ring arcs.
Triptolide Inhibits MDM2 and Induces Apoptosis in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells through a p53-Independent Pathway

Triptolide, a natural product derived from the Chinese plant Tripterygium wilfordii, is reported to exhibit antitumor effects in a broad range of cancers. The antitumor activity of triptolide is associated with its biological activities, as it inhibits various pro-proliferative or anti-apoptotic factors that are dominantly expressed in given types of cancer cells. Herein, we demonstrate that triptolide induced apoptosis in a subgroup of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells overexpressing the MDM2 oncoprotein, by inhibiting MDM2 expression. More specifically, we found that triptolide inhibited MDM2 at the transcriptional level by suppressing its mRNA synthesis. This MDM2 inhibition led in turn to increased levels of p53 protein; however, p53 functionality was not activated, due to the fact that triptolide-treated cells lacked induction of p21 and PUMA as well as in G1 cell-cycle arrest. Triptolide-mediated downregulation of MDM2 increased inhibition of XIAP, its translational target, in a manner distinct from reactions to cellular stress and DNA-damaging agent ionizing radiation (IR) that induce XIAP due to p53-activated MDM2. These results suggest that increased inhibition of XIAP due to downregulation of MDM2 may play a critical role in triptolide-induced apoptosis in MDM2-overexpressing cancers.
Purity matters more than harm in moral judgments of suicide: response to Gray (2014).

Many people judge suicide to be immoral. We have found evidence that these moral judgments are primarily predicted by people’s belief that suicide taints the soul and by independent concerns about purity. This finding is inconsistent with accounts that define morality as fundamentally based upon harm considerations. In this commentary, we respond to a critique of our finding, and we provide further support for our original conclusions. Even when applying new exclusion criteria to our data, an examination of effect sizes demonstrates that concerns about purity robustly and meaningfully explain variance in moral judgments of suicide. While harm concerns sometimes predict moral judgments of suicide alongside purity concerns, they reliably explain a much smaller proportion of the variance than do purity concerns. Therefore, data from six studies continue to suggest that the relevance of harm concerns for moral judgments of suicide is substantially overshadowed by the contribution of purity concerns.
Initial and subsequent growth of the fast ion ("ion hose") instability

The fast ion instability is considered for a distribution of ion bounce frequencies. Because of the spread in bounce frequencies, the instability initially grows exponentially with propagation distance. When the initial growth saturates, the instability grows exponentially with the square root of the propagation distance; the saturated growth equals that calculated when the spread in ion bounce frequencies is neglected. For a broad distribution of ion bounce frequencies, instability may be prevented by a betatron damping rate that exceeds the incoherent betatron frequency shift induced by ions at the tail of the bunch train.
Antigen Detection, Rabies Virus Isolation, and Q-PCR in the Quantification of Viral Load in a Natural Infection of the North American Beaver (Castor canadensis)

All mammals are believed susceptible to rabies virus infection, yet transmission from nonreservoir hosts to humans is uncommon. However, interactions between nonreservoir hosts and humans occur frequently and risk of exposure increases where rabies is enzootic. We describe rabies and apparent pantropism of rabies virus in a beaver (Castor canadensis).
Are Two Course Management Systems Better Than One

Can an institution with a large student enrollment and a broad array of disciplines satisfy the disparate needs of students, faculty and administrators with a single Course Management System (CMS)? Under what conditions are two CMSs functionally better than one? For over a decade, Michigan State University (MSU) has supported on-line learning with a mix of systems, split between proprietary systems that facilitate discussion-based, collaborative learning and open source systems, offering individualized assessments to facilitate quantitative problem-based learning. In the 2005-06 academic year a commercial system was used by 65,000 students for tasks ranging from accessing class announcements and readings to contributing to message boards. During the same period, the open-source LON-CAPA system was used for 18,000 students, principally for its capabilities in the creation and delivery of individualized homework problems and examinations, mostly in science and math classes, including prerequisites for engineering majors. Although there is typically large overlap in functionalities offered by CMSs, there can also be large differences, thus making a combination desirable.
A Review of: "Suing the Gun Industry: A Battle at The Crossroads of Gun Control and Mass Torts"

For some two decades, victims of firearm violence in the United States have used the tort litigation system to make claims not just against gun offenders but also against gun dealers and manufactur...
Time windows: an approach to automated abstraction of continuous-time models into discrete-event models

The automated generation of time windows from continuous system simulation models is described. Time windows can be used to automatically generate equivalent discrete-event models at a coarser granularity level and they are also instrumental to the design of event-based control systems. The generation of time windows represents one facility in the knowledge-based multifaceted modeling and simulation environment DEVS/Scheme. In this environment, continuous-time and discrete-event models can coexist, and they can be amalgamated with AI techniques. The usefulness of these concepts is demonstrated by means of a model of a robot controlled fluid handling laboratory for space station Freedom to be used for research in life sciences, microgravity sciences and space medicine. >
Spectroscopy of metal “superatom” nanoclusters and high- T c superconducting pairing

A unique property of metal nanoclusters is the ``superatom'' shell structure of their delocalized electrons. The electronic shell levels are highly degenerate and therefore represent sharp peaks in the density of states. This can enable exceptionally strong electron pairing in certain clusters composed of tens to hundreds of atoms. In a finite system, such as a free nanocluster or a nucleus, pairing is observed most clearly via its effect on the energy spectrum of the constituent fermions. Accordingly, we performed a photoionization spectroscopy study of size-resolved aluminum nanoclusters and observed a rapid rise in the near-threshold density of states of several clusters $(\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_{37,44,66,68})$ with decreasing temperature. The characteristics of this behavior are consistent with compression of the density of states by a pairing transition into a high-temperature superconducting state with ${T}_{c}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}100\text{K}$. This value exceeds that of bulk aluminum by two orders of magnitude. These results highlight the potential of novel pairing effects in size-quantized systems and the possibility to attain even higher critical temperatures by optimizing the particles' size and composition. As a new class of high-temperature superconductors, such metal nanocluster particles are promising building blocks for high-${T}_{c}$ materials, devices, and networks.
The impact of physician training on child maltreatment reporting: a multi-specialty study.

BACKGROUND: Past studies have suggested that physicians underreport suspected child maltreatment (CM) cases, possibly because of a lack of knowledge of the subject. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the amount, format, and content of CM training received in residency (graduate medical education) and continuing medical education (CME), and to compare its relationship to the likelihood of reporting CM. METHODS: A total of 482 U.S. Air Force emergency physicians, family practice physicians, and pediatricians were surveyed regarding the amount/type of CM training received as well as their CM reporting practices. RESULTS: Pediatricians report receiving more CM training during CME than either emergency physicians or family practice physicians, whereas during residency, both pediatricians and emergency physicians received more training than family practice physicians. Two-thirds of the training related solely to physical and sexual abuse, with little attention paid to other forms of CM. Regression analysis indicated that the only factor associated with the likelihood of reporting maltreatment was the amount of CME received. CONCLUSION: CME seems to positively influence physician reporting practices for CM cases, suggesting a need for universal training protocols. Language: en
Nine-Tenths of the Law: Title, Possession & Sacred Obligations

As part of a symposium celebrating the publication of the 2005 edition of Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law, this article examines the Supreme Court's recent opinion in City of Sherrill v. Oneida Indian Nation of New York, which held that the Oneida Nation is subject to local property taxation when it reacquires land from a non-Indian possessor even though the Oneida Nation had never lost the title to that land. A federal statute passed in 1790 and still in effect today (called the Nonintercourse Act) prohibits the alienation of Indian lands without the consent of the United States. In 1795, the State of New York illegally took lands belonging to the Oneida Indian Nation, and under the Nonintercourse Act, the transfer of title was not valid. When the Oneida Nation repurchased the land, it argued that it had united title and possession, that the land had been Indian country and that Congress had never extinguished the tribal title or diminished the Oneida Reservation, and that the land therefore was subject to tribal sovereignty and immune from local property taxation. The Supreme Court rejected the claim on the ground that the Oneida Nation had waited too long to sue and that reliance interests had developed on the part of non-Indian owners and the state, and these reliance interests must be protected to prevent the piecemeal loss of state sovereignty to the Haudenosaunee nations. This article criticizes the Supreme Court's ruling by arguing that it is wrong to blame the Oneida Nation for failing to sue to recover its lands until 1970 when more than half a dozen jurisdictional (and other) legal barriers barred suit until 1966 and would even bar the lawsuit today. Further, the Court adds insult to injury by blaming the Oneida Nation for the failure of the United States to act expeditiously to protect its rights under the Nonintercourse Act and under the trust obligation of the United States toward the Oneida Nation. The Supreme Court's ignorance of these jurisdictional barriers (or unwillingness to focus on them) suggests the importance of the publication of the new edition of Cohen's Handbook.
Unique plasma metabolomic signatures of individuals with inherited disorders of long-chain fatty acid oxidation

Blood and urine acylcarnitine profiles are commonly used to diagnose long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders (FAOD: i.e., long-chain hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase [LCHAD] and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 [CPT2] deficiency), but the global metabolic impact of long-chain FAOD has not been reported. We utilized untargeted metabolomics to characterize plasma metabolites in 12 overnight-fasted individuals with FAOD (10 LCHAD, two CPT2) and 11 healthy age-, sex-, and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls, with the caveat that individuals with FAOD consume a low-fat diet supplemented with medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) while matched controls consume a typical American diet. In plasma 832 metabolites were identified, and partial least squared-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) identified 114 non-acylcarnitine variables that discriminated FAOD subjects and controls. FAOD individuals had significantly higher triglycerides and lower specific phosphatidylethanolamines, ceramides, and sphingomyelins. Differences in phosphatidylcholines were also found but the directionality differed by metabolite species. Further, there were few differences in non-lipid metabolites, indicating the metabolic impact of FAOD specifically on lipid pathways. This analysis provides evidence that LCHAD/CPT2 deficiency significantly alters complex lipid pathway flux. This metabolic signature may provide new clinical tools capable of confirming or diagnosing FAOD, even in subjects with a mild phenotype, and may provide clues regarding the biochemical and metabolic impact of FAOD that is relevant to the etiology of FAOD symptoms.
Anisotropic Linear Response in Block Copolymer Lamellar Phases

We examine the linear response of a lamellar block copolymer phase in the weak segregation regime and focus on those effects that arise from the uniaxial symmetry of the phase. The classical two fluid model of a polymer solution is extended to allow for anisotropic monomer diffusion as well as hydrodynamic flows. The latter include constitutive laws for the stress that also reflect the symmetry of the phase. Transverse relaxation of weakly perturbed lamellae is the slowest mode, and is subdiffusive, in contrast to diffusive decay of longitudinal perturbations. Anisotropic diffusion can both enhance or reduce the rate of relaxation of long wavelength perturbations of lamellae depending on the relative magnitude of longitudinal and transverse mobilities. Hydrodynamic flows at the scale of the lamellae are negligible for most situations of interest, but not long ranged flows as would appear in, for example, multidomain configurations. We find that such flows accelerate linear decay, and even dominate diffusi...
Desolvation of BSA-ligand complexes measured using the quartz crystal microbalance and dual polarization interferometer.

By taking advantage of their unique difference in hydration sensitivity, we have shown that dual polarization interferometer (DPI) and quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D...
Doubly resonant intra-cavity sum-frequency yellow-green laser at 554.8nm

An all-solid-state continuous-wave yellow-green laser at 554.8 nm made by fiber coupled LDA pumping Nd:YAG and Nd:YVO4 crystals at the same time was studied. The yellow-green laser was obtained by nonlinear sum-frequency of 946 nm and 1 342 nm laser, 946 nm wavelength was obtained from 4F3/2-4I9/2 transition in Nd:YAG and 1 342 nm wavelength was obtained from 4F3/2-4I13/2 transition in Nd:YVO4. The yellow-green laser of 1.13 W output at 554.8 nm was obtained by using a double cavity, type -II critical phase matching KTP crystal intra -cavity sum -frequency to 946 nm and 1 342 nm, and incident pumped power of 30 W in Nd:YAG and 20 W in Nd:YVO4.It was reported that this was the maximum power output at the wavelength and its M2 factor was less than 1.22. The experimental results show that the Nd:YAG and Nd:YVO4 crystals intra -cavity sum -frequency is an effective method for yellow -green laser and it can be applied to the other two laser crystals to obtain more all -solid -state lasers with different wavelengths.
Design and evaluation of SiC-based high power density inverter, 70kW/liter, 50kW/kg

This paper introduces the development and experimental performance of SiC-Based high power density inverter. The Power density of the developed inverter is about 70kW/litter in volumetric, 50kW/kg in gravimetric. The inverter is forced air cooled 2-level voltage source inverter. In order to achieve higher power density than conventional inverters, we need to reduce losses of inverters or improve cooling systems of inverters. First, we developed small light-weight SiC-MOSFET power module which has good thermal conductivity. We also developed gate driver to reduce switching losses and switching delay time. The prototype high power density inverter is developed with the developed power module and the proposed gate driver. The volume of the prototype inverter is about 0.5 liter and the weight is about 660g. Experimental results confirmed that the prototype inverter is able to operate up to 35kW, which means the power density of the prototype inverter is about 70kW/liter and 50kW/kg. The efficiency of the prototype inverter is more than 98%.
State-sponsored Persecution of Baha’is in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The largest non-Muslim minority in Iran, the Baha’i community, has been subjected to systematic religious persecution under the current Islamic regime. This article examines the nature of this pers...
Der Mechanismus der Ionisierung von Gasen durch Röntgenstrahlen und durch Radiumstrahlen

Was geschieht, wenn ein Gas ionisiert wird ? Die einzigen Versuche bis zum Jahre 1908, welche auf diese Frage einiges Licht warfen, waren diejenigen von Townsend aus dem Jahre 19001).
Conceptual comparison of two computer models of corpuscle sectioning and of two algorithms for correction of ploidy measurements in tissue sections.

OBJECTIVE To compare two computer models of corpuscle sectioning and two algorithms for correction of ploidy measurements in tissue sections. STUDY DESIGN Two models of corpuscle sectioning (the computed corpuscle sectioning program [CCSP] [Analyt Quant Cytol Histol 1997;19:376-386] and the ellipsoid sectioning program [ESP]) were run on a personal computer to generate synthetic corpuscle section data that model the sectioned nuclei in a tissue section. These synthetic data were analyzed by two algorithms for correction of ploidy measurements in tissue sections: the reference curve method (RCM) (Analyt Quant Cytol Histol 1997;19:376-386) and the method of McCready and Papadimitriou (MMP) (Analyt Quant Cytol 1983;5:117-123) for a variety of choices of section thickness and of nuclear section profile selection criteria. RESULTS Previous recommendations (Analyt Quant Cytol Histol 1999;21:103-112) for optimization of ploidy analysis in tissue sections (selection of only center-containing sections of nuclei in ultrathin sections with a selection bias in favor of elliptical nuclear section profiles) are valid regardless of which corpuscle sectioning model and correction algorithm are employed. Perimeter correction may be desirable or necessary in some cases. The RCM has very significant advantages over the MMP, and the CCSP is more applicable to actual ploidy analysis than is the ESP. CONCLUSION The RCM always should be used to correct ploidy measurements in tissue sections. The MMP should not be used as the sole method but, when used, should be used with and interpreted in the context of the RCM.
Nanostructure-enhanced Chemical Reactivity and Detonation in Energetic Materials.

Scientific impact: The project supports the investigation of energetic materials. This work is providing fundamental insight into initiation mechanisms in energetic materials.
The role of insulin-sensitising drugs in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome

Insulin-sensitising agents are frequently used in the treatment of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This chapter explores the use of insulin sensitisers, primarily metformin, for varying indications related to PCOS and discusses the evidence to develop a risk/benefit ratio for their use. These drugs were developed to treat type 2 diabetes and have been adapted as treatments for the symptoms of PCOS. Metformin has been proposed to prevent early first-trimester miscarriage. Randomised trials, primarily from one group in Spain, have shown that metformin improves many aspects of premature pubarche, including slowing the onset of puberty, reducing total and visceral fat, improving circulating lipid levels and lowering testosterone levels. There are not enough data to conclude whether insulin-sensitising agents improve hirsutism. The rationale for the use of metformin in infertility is that it lowers both circulating insulin levels and testosterone levels, and leads to increased ovulation.
Cruising through the stacks: Developing tools to rapidly and economically mass-produce stack end signage: A case study

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to describe a case study that addresses issues related to stack end signage in a university library. Poor stack end signage can negatively influence patrons' ability to navigate the library and locate physical materials. At the Monsignor William Barry Memorial Library, a tool was developed using Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word to quickly and inexpensively mass-produce effective and user-friendly stack end signage. This article details the specific steps taken to develop, implement, and utilize this instrument.
Mapping Neighborhood Health Geomarkers To Clinical Care Decisions To Promote Equity In Child Health

Health disparities, which can be understood as disadvantages in health associated with one’s social, racial, economic, or physical environment, originate in childhood and persist across an individual’s life course. One’s neighborhood may drive or influence these disparities. Information on neighborhoods that can characterize their risks—what we call place-based risks—is rarely used in patient care. Community-level data, however, could inform and personalize interventions such as arranging for mold removal from the home of a person with asthma from the moment that person’s address is recorded at the site of care. Efficient risk identification could lead to the tailoring of recommendations and targeting of resources, to improve care experiences and clinical outcomes while reducing disparities and costs. In this article we highlight how data on place-based social determinants of health from national and local sources could be incorporated more directly into patient-centered care, adding precision to risk ass...
Almost Quantum Theory

Modal quantum theory (MQT) is a “toy model” of quantum theory in which amplitudes are elements of a general field. The theory predicts, not the probabilities of a measurement result, but only whether or not a result is possible. In this paper we review MQT and extend it to include mixed states, generalized measurements and open system dynamics. Even though MQT does not have density operators, superoperators or any concept of “positivity”, we can nevertheless establish a precise analogue to the usual representation theorem for CP maps. We also embed MQT in a larger class of modal theories. We show that the possibility assignments for separate measurements on a bipartite system in MQT are always weakly consistent with some probability assignment that respects the no-signaling principle.
A two-phase software reliability modeling involving with software fault dependency and imperfect fault removal

Abstract Most existing software reliability growth models (SGRMs) often assume software faults are mutually independent and the detected faults can be perfectly removed. However, those two assumptions are not realistic in practice since the dependent faults can also exist in the program. At the same time, it is unlikely to correct all the detected faults in the testing phase due to the limitation of testing resource, the skill and experience of the programmer, and multi-release consideration for software organization. This paper presents a new non-homogeneous Poisson process (NHPP) software reliability model with a pioneering idea by considering software fault dependency and imperfect fault removal. In order to clearly explain software fault dependency, some facts and examples are discussed in Section 1. Two types of software faults are defined, Type I (independent) fault and Type II (dependent) fault, according to fault dependency. Two phases debugging processes, Phase I and Phase II, are proposed according to the debugged software fault type. A small portion of software faults that software testers are not able to remove is also considered in both phases in the proposed model. The illustration of the model effectiveness is based on the three datasets collected from industries. Some limitations of the proposed model are also discussed in the last section.
Normalized Convective Characteristics of Tropical Cyclone Rapid Intensification Events in the North Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific

AbstractThe relationship between tropical cyclone (TC) convective characteristics and TC intensity change is explored using infrared and passive microwave satellite imagery of TCs in the North Atla...