cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production control of shallow trench isolation (STI) at the 130-nm node using spectroscopic ellipsometry-based profile metrology

Shallow Trench Isolation (STI), is a critical process module in the manufacture of advanced CMOS devices. To achieve proper control of the STI process, multiple parameters such as film thickness, etched trench depth, and critical dimension (CD) must be measured with a high degree of precision and accuracy. Historically, these varied parameters were required to be measured independently using different metrology techniques/tools. Film thickness required measurement via reflectometry or ellipsometry, etched trench depth required measurement via profilometer or Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), and CD required measurement via low voltage Scanning Electron Microscope (CD-SEM). This paper will demonstrate the use of Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, via KLA-Tencor’s SpectraCD tool, to simultaneously provide all critical parameters of interest for the STI process, with a single in-line measurement. This metrology technique has been developed and evaluated for process control and product disposition at STI etch, on 130nm generation logic devices manufactured in two Texas Instruments’ fabrication facilities -- the DMOS 5 200mm facility and the DMOS 6 300mm facility. A brief description of the SpectraCD measurement theory and STI profile measurement solution for both dense and isolated structures will be given. Details will be provided on the use of real time regression to accelerate metrology model development. This will be followed by data generated from actual STI production material. Precision-to-tolerance (P/T) ratios well below 0.1 will be demonstrated for all parameters of interest on the STI etch measurements. Measurement matching across multiple SpectraCD tools, well within 130nm node process tolerances, will be demonstrated. Correlation of these measurements to other baseline metrology techniques (profilometer, Spectroscopic Ellipsometer or SE, CD-SEM) will also be presented. Finally, a discussion of the Return-on-Investment (ROI) that may be realized from combining three separate measurements into a single measurement will be provided.
Sandwich Elisa for detection of picogram quantities of interleukin-8

A sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for interleukin-8 (IL-8), a neutrophil chemoattractant and activator. A polyclonal antibody to recombinant human IL-8 was raised in rabbits, and the IgG was isolated from the antisera using a protein A column. Native and biotinylated forms of this antibody served as the capture antibody and developing antibody for the ELISA, respectively, and avidin-conjugated horse radish peroxidase provided the means for enzymatic color development. The lower limit of sensitivity for the assay was found to be 84 +/- 20 pg/ml IL-8 (mean +/- SD for 10 determinations). An inter-assay variability of 15-29% and an intra-assay variability of 12% were observed. The assay was able to detect IL-8 when the samples were prepared in either normal saline, RPMI, or human plasma. The development of this rapid, sensitive assay should provide a means to more fully evaluate the role of this cytokine in diverse disease states.
Thermodynamics and Folding Pathways of Trpzip2: An Accelerated Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

In this paper, we apply an enhanced sampling method introduced earlier to study the folding mechanism of a β-hairpin, trpzip2, using an all-atom potential for the protein and an implicit model for the solvent. The enhanced sampling method allows us to obtain multiple protein folding and unfolding trajectories in relatively short simulations. The sufficient sampling of folding and unfolding events of trpzip2 makes possible a more detailed investigation of its folding landscape and thermodynamics, leading to the identification of folding pathways. The analysis of the thermodynamics involved in the folding of trpzip2 showed that this polypeptide folds by two stages: a downhill hydrophobic collapse followed by formation of native hydrogen bonds. During the hydrogen bond formation, a transition state can be identified with only one native hydrogen bond being formed, which is more consistent with a ‘zip-out’ mechanism. To address the dynamics in a more reliable way, explicit solvent was used for the estimation ...
Dinoflagellate gamete formation and environmental cues: Observations, theory, and synthesis

For some species of cyst-producing dinoflagellates, the sexual life cycle is well studied in laboratory cultures. Dinoflagellate blooms in stratified waters, vertical migration of vegetative cells, and the accumulation of populations within thin layers are well-documented phenomena in nature. We propose a conceptual model that places these phenomena in a functional, ecological context: vegetative cells of a dinoflagellate population display vertical migration, but at the end of the bloom, environmental or internal cues shift the cell cycle to gamete formation. Then the vertical migrations cease, and cells accumulate in a layer at the pycnocline where gametes fuse to form zygotes, which then sink to the sediment as resting cysts. We support this conceptual model with experimental and environmental evidence.
T. R. O’Flahertie's Copy of Donne's Letters

This paper is part of a Literature Compass panel cluster arising from the The Texas A&M John Donne Collection: A Symposium and Exhibition. Comprising an introduction by Gary Stringer and three of the papers presented at the symposium, this cluster seeks to examine the current state of Donne Studies and aims to provide a snapshot of the field. The symposium was held April 6–7, 2006. The cluster is made up of the following articles: ‘Introduction: Three Papers from The Texas A&M John Donne Collection: A Symposium and Exhibition,’ Gary A. Stringer, Literature Compass 4 (2007), 10.1111/j.1741-4113.2007.00420.x. ‘Donne and Disbelief: The Early Prose,’ Ernest W. Sullivan, Literature Compass 4 (2007), 10.1111/j.1741-4113.2007.00421.x. ‘The Cultural Significance of Donne's Sermons,’ Jeanne Shami, Literature Compass 4 (2007), 10.1111/j.1741-4113.2007.00422.x. ‘T. R. O’Flahertie's Copy of Donne's Letters,’ Donald R. Dickson, Literature Compass 4 (2007), 10.1111/j.1741-4113.2007.00423.x. This article offers a description of the Cushing Library copy of 1654 issue of Donne's Letters to Severall Persons of Honour, formerly owned by the Rev. T. R. O’Flahertie, with an analysis of his extensive annotations and glosses. Details of O’Flahertie's life are presented along with an assessment of his role in Donne studies in the mid-nineteenth century.
Massive Interfacial Reconstruction at Misfit Dislocations in Metal/Oxide Interfaces

Electronic structure calculations were performed to study the role of misfit dislocations on the structure and chemistry of a metal/oxide interface. We found that a chemical imbalance exists at the misfit dislocation which leads to dramatic changes in the point defect content at the interface – stabilizing the structure requires removing as much as 50% of the metal atoms and insertion of a large number of oxygen interstitials. The exact defect composition that stabilizes the interface is sensitive to the external oxygen partial pressure. We relate the preferred defect structure at the interface to a competition between chemical and strain energies as defects are introduced.
ON THE RELIABILITY OF DECISIONS IN DOMAIN‐REFERENCED TESTING

Several writers (Carver, 1970; Hambleton & Novick, 1973) indicate that the reliability of criterion-referenced tests might most appropriately be viewed from the standpoint of consistency of decisions across repeated testings. The proposal in anchored in the presumption that a primary purpose of criterion-referenced testing is to classify examinees into achievement statuses which are usually taken as mastery and nonmastery (Millman, 1974). Swaminathan, Hambleton, and Algina (1974), in turn, suggest the coefficient kappa (K) (Cohen, 1960) as an index of reliability for criterion-referenced tests. Operationally, this index is defined as the ratio K = (p pc)/(l Pc), where p is the proportion of consistent decisions based on test and retest data and pc is the proportion of consistent decisions expected by chance alone (see Figure 1 for a visual display of these two proportions). Under the mild assumption of exchangeability, Huynh (1976b) proves that K varies from 0 to I inclusive. The lower limit is realized when test information do not contribute to the accuracy of the decision-making process. On the other hand, the upper bound is reached when equivalent data produce exactly the same classifications. Since kappa is defined by means of a retest (with the same test form or an equivalent one), it cannot be readily obtained from a single test administration. Because practical situations frequently make repeated testing impossible, it would be desirable to have ways to estimate the reliability of decisions on the basis of a single testing. This study deals mainly with tests measuring a single trait. In addition it is assumed that a probability sampling procedure is used to select items from a welldefined universe. Such tests are referred to as domained-referenced (Millman, 1974).
Specific cytolytic activity of lymphocytes: effect of antibodies against complement components C2, C3, and C5.

Abstract The role of complement in the specific cytolytic activity of immune lymphoid cells has been directly evaluated. Rabbit antisera monospecific for guinea pig C 2 , C 3 , and C 5 were added to a mixture of “sensitized” guinea pig lymphocytes and the mastocytoma “target” cells (P815 of the DBA/2 strain) with which the guinea pigs had previously been immunized. The target cells were labeled internally with 51 Cr and target cell destruction assessed by 51 Cr release. Addition of an excess of anti C 2 , C 3 , and C 5 to the reaction medium had no demonstrable effect on lymphocyte-mediated cytolysis, but at identical concentrations effectively inhibited lysis of the same target cells by antibody in the presence of complement. These results provide no evidence that complement participation is a prerequisite of the immune lysis of target cells by lymphocytes.
Improvements to REDCRAFT: a software tool for simultaneous characterization of protein backbone structure and dynamics from residual dipolar couplings

Within the past two decades, there has been an increase in the acquisition of residual dipolar couplings (RDC) for investigations of biomolecular structures. Their use however is still not as widely adopted as the traditional methods of structure determination by NMR, despite their potential for extending the limits in studies that examine both the structure and dynamics of biomolecules. This is in part due to the difficulties associated with the analysis of this information-rich data type. The software analysis tool REDCRAFT was previously introduced to address some of these challenges. Here we describe and evaluate a number of additional features that have been incorporated in order to extend its computational and analytical capabilities. REDCRAFT’s more traditional enhancements integrate a modified steric collision term, as well as structural refinement in the rotamer space. Other, non-traditional improvements include: the filtering of viable structures based on relative order tensor estimates, decimation of the conformational space based on structural similarity, and forward/reverse folding of proteins. Utilizing REDCRAFT’s newest features we demonstrate de-novo folding of proteins 1D3Z and 1P7E to within less than 1.6 A of the corresponding X-ray structures, using as many as four RDCs per residue and as little as two RDCs per residue, in two alignment media. We also show the successful folding of a structure to less than 1.6 A of the X-ray structure using {Ci−1–Ni, Ni–Hi, and Ci−1–Hi} RDCs in one alignment medium, and only {Ni–Hi} in the second alignment medium (a set of data which can be collected on deuterated samples). The program is available for download from our website at http://ifestos.cse.sc.edu .
Highly Sensitive and Miniaturized Fluorescence Detection System with an Autonomous Capillary Fluid Manipulation Chip

This paper presents a novel, highly sensitive and ultra-small fluorescent detection system, including an autonomous capillary fluid manipulation chip. The optical detector integrates a LED light source, all necessary optical components, and a photodiode with preamplifier into one package of about 2 cm × 2 cm × 2 cm. Also, the low-cost and simple pumpless microfluidic device works well in sample preparation and manipulation. This chip consists of capillary stop valves and trigger valves which are fabricated by lithography and then bonded with a polydimethylsiloxane-ethylene oxide polymer polydimethylsiloxane (PEO-PDMS) cover. The contact angle of the PEO-PDMS can be adjusted by changing the concentration of the PEO. Hence, the fluidic chip can achieve functionalities such as timing features and basic logical functions. The prototype has been tested by fluorescence dye 5-Carboxyfluorescein (5-FAM) dissolved into the solvent DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide). The results prove a remarkable sensitivity at a pico-scale molar, around 1.08 pM. The low-cost and miniaturized optical detection system, with a self-control capillary-driven microfluidic chip developed in this work, can be used as the crucial parts in portable biochemical detection applications and point of care testing.
Overview of the treatment of heart failure.

Short-term goals of heart failure management are directed toward relieving symptoms such as shortness of breath, decreased exercise tolerance, and lower-extremity edema and improving functional capacity and quality of life. Long-term goals include decreasing mortality and slowing or reversing the underlying cardiac structural abnormalities of heart failure. Improvement in symptomatic endpoints (e.g., exercise tolerance) does not necessarily correlate with endpoints for improved survival (e.g., left ventricular ejection fraction). It is therefore important to evaluate the effects of drugs on these distinct endpoints separately. Symptoms of heart failure are commonly managed with the use of diuretics, vasodilators, and positive inotropes or digoxin. Ideally, therapy should consist of a diuretic plus vasodilator (e.g., angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitor or isosorbide dinitrate plus hydralazine), with or without digoxin. Prevention of further left ventricular dysfunction can be accomplished by inhibiting neurohormonal processes and ventricular remodeling that occur in heart failure using ACE inhibitors, nitrates and hydralazine, or β blockers. Significant therapeutic advances have been made with respect to symptom relief, hospitalizations, and mortality reduction in patients with congestive heart failure. Despite these advances, patient morbidity and mortality remain high and underscore the necessity for optimal use of existing therapies along with research directed at achieving further improvements in both quality of life and life expectancy.
Strain fields and energies of grain boundary triple junctions

Abstract We compute the strain fields and the interactions between dislocations at the junctions of classical small-angle grain boundaries. It is shown that, in contrast with the results for infinite small-angle boundaries, there are always forces acting on the dislocations in the arrays that define the grain boundaries, and that there is also a long-range strain field and consequently an excess elastically stored energy associated with the triple junction (TJ). We explore the variations of the forces on the dislocations, and the excess stored energy of the TJ, with the dihedral angles formed by the grain boundaries and also with their misorientations. We find that the “equilibrium” dihedral angle based upon the Herring equation and the energies of the individual grain boundaries does not generally correspond to any kind of force or energy minimum. This relates to an unwarranted assumption in Herring’s original derivation, that no interactions occur between the grain boundaries that make up a TJ.
Hormone Binding and Co-regulator Binding to the Glucocorticoid Receptor are Allosterically Coupled

The glucocorticoid receptor initiates the cellular response to glucocorticoid steroid hormones in vertebrates. Co-regulator proteins dock to the receptor in response to hormone binding and potentiate the transcriptional activity of the receptor by modifying DNA and recruiting essential transcription factors like RNA polymerase II. Hormones and co-regulators bind at distinct sites in the ligand binding domain yet function cooperatively to mediate transcriptional control. This study reveals and quantifies energetic coupling between two binding sites using purified components. Using a library of peptides taken from co-regulator proteins, we determine the pattern of co-regulator binding to the glucocorticoid receptor ligand binding domain. We show that peptides from co-regulators differ in their effects on hormone binding and kinetics. Peptides from DAX1 and SRC1 bind with similar affinity, but DAX1 binding is coupled to hormone binding, and SRC1 is not. Mechanistic details of co-regulator binding and coupling to the hormone binding pocket are uncovered by analysis of properties endowed by mutation of a key residue in the allosteric network connecting the sites.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of lithium thio-germanate thin films

In this study, the compositions of and chemical speciation in lithium thio-germanate thin films grown by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering were determined by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Three different targets, nLi2S + GeS2 (n = 1, 2, and 3) for RF sputtering were prepared. Thin films of ∼1 μm thickness were grown on single crystal Si [111] substrates using 50 W power and ∼3.3 Pa Ar gas atmospheres. As is commonly observed for RF sputtered non-oxide films, the surfaces of these lithium thio-germanate films were contaminated with both C and O at ∼10 at %. Etching the top surface of the films with Ar removed all of the surface carbon and reduced the oxygen contamination down to an average value of ∼5 at %. After such surface etching, the compositions of the films were found to agree very closely with the nominal composition of the target from which it was made. The Li2GeS3 (n = 1) thin film was found as expected to exhibit a 2 : 1 non-bridging sulfur (Ge–S−Li+, NBS) to bridging sulfur (Ge–S–Ge, BS) ratio. As the Li2S content increased, the Li4GeS4 and Li6GeS5 thin films, n = 2 and 3, exhibited as expected, 100% NBS. For the S2p core peaks, the binding energy of S in GeS2 is the highest due to the nearly covalent bonding in the BS structure, Ge–S–Ge. As the Li2S content increased, the binding energy of S in the thin films progressively decreased due to the progressive increase in the fraction (and number) of NBS (more ionic), Ge–S−Li+, in the films.
An analytical approach to bundling in the presence of customer transition effects

Service product bundling is a widespread practice in current e-commerce environment. While many studies have examined optimal bundling and pricing in a static time domain, there has been a lack of attention to the dynamic nature of customer transition among bundles and the consequent long-term strategy. This paper considers subscription-based service bundling problem. In this context, an existing customer can choose the same bundle or switch to another bundle, whereas a new customer can adopt any of the bundles that are being offered. An analytical model that explicitly captures the customer transition over multiple time periods is developed using a dynamic systems approach. Using this model, we analyze the effect of adoption, retention, and switching simultaneously on optimal bundle configuration and pricing. We discuss several managerial insights, along with numerical examples and validating simulations, which are relevant to bundling strategy. We provide analytical results which enable an effective and efficient decision support tool to predict future demand stream for different bundles. We present a monotonicity property for the optimality condition which significantly reduces the computational burden.
Inappropriate transcription from the 5′ end of the murine dihydrofolate reductase gene masks transcriptional regulation

Abstract Using the nuclear run-on assay we found that in proliferating cells the transcription rate in the 5' end of the murine dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene was approximately ten-fold higher than in the 3' end of the gene, suggesting transcriptional attenuation within the dhfr gene. However, when the transcription rate was measured by pulse-labeling, the rate was uniform throughout the gene, and the 5' dhfr signal was approximately ten-fold lower relative to a control gene signal than in the run-on assay. Previously, the activity of a dhfr promoter linked to a luciferase reporter gene was shown to increase about ten-fold at the G1/S-phase boundary following stimulation of serum-starved cells. To determine if the run-on procedure would detect growth regulation of the endogenous dhfr gene, serum-starved and -stimulated NIH 3T3 cells were analyzed. Using a dhfr 5' end probe no difference in transcription rate between these growth states was detected and the dhfr 3' end probe did not detect signal above background. In a cell line that was amplified at the dhfr locus, the transcription rate in the 5' end of the gene increased less than two-fold in stimulated cells, but the rate in the 3' end of the gene increased five- to seven-fold. Therefore, the dhfr gene is growth regulated at the level of transcription, but the nuclear run-on assay was only able to detect a difference in transcription rate in the 3' end of the gene in amplified cells. We suggest that isolation of nuclei may activate dhfr transcription complexes that normally are activated only at the G1/S-phase boundary.
The hares and the foxes

A wonderful problem in chemical kinetics is routinely ignored in physical chemistry courses because it deals with population and ecology rather than chemistry. In this paper, this Volterra‐Lotke problem is discussed in detail, with enough mathematical details filled in to provide a reasonable basis for including this marvellous example in standard courses.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Neuropsychological Perspective Towards DSM-V

Neuropsychological methods and techniques have much to offer in the evaluation of the individual suspected as having Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). After a review of the historical evolution of the ADHD concept, incidence and prevalence, and DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis, especially as regards omission related to gender differences, and other associated cultural, familial, socioenvironmental, and subject influences, this paper describes a number of dilemmas and obstacles encountered in clinical practice. Included are the confounds associated with the wide range of possible comorbidities, the insufficiency of current DSM-IV criteria, the emergence of subtype differentiation and its impact on diagnosis and treatment. The complex relationship between neuropsychological constructs and ADHD, and obstacles to valid assessment are also addressed. The complexities associated with a thorough ADHD evaluation are viewed within an impressive and expansive existing scientific framework and recommendations are made for future directions.
Adhesion at Diamond /Metal Interfaces: A Density Functional Theory Study

To understand the basic material properties required in selecting a metallic interlayer for enhanced adhesion of diamond coatings on the substrates, the interfaces between diamond and metals with different carbide formation enthalpies (Cu, Ti, and Al) are studied using density functional theory. It is found that the work of separation decreases, while the interface energy increases, with the carbide formation enthalpy ΔHf (Ti Cu>Al), is needed to achieve a higher overall interface strength. In addition, when the surface energy is larger than the interface energy, a wetted diamond/metal interface is formed during diamond nucleation, providing the strongest adhesion compared to other growth modes. These results indicate that a strong carbide-forming abili...
Flexible modeling tools for pre-requirements analysis: conceptual architecture and research challenges

A serious tool gap exists at the start of the software lifecy-cle, before requirements formulation. Pre-requirements analysts gather information, organize it to gain insight, en-vision possible futures, and present insights and recom-mendations to stakeholders. They typically use office tools, which give great freedom, but no help with consistency management, change propagation, or information migration to downstream tools. Despite these downsides, office tools are still favored over modeling tools, which are constrain-ing and difficult to use. We introduce the notion of flexible modeling tools, which blend the advantages of office and modeling tools. We propose a conceptual architecture for such tools, and outline research challenges to be met in realizing them. We briefly describe the Business Insight Toolkit, a prototype tool embodying this architecture.
Transformations of the chemical compositions of high molecular weight DOM along a salinity transect: Using two dimensional correlation spectroscopy and principal component analysis approaches

Abstract In a study of chemical transformations of estuarine high-molecular-weight (HMW, >1000 Da) dissolved organic matter (DOM) collected over a period of two years along a transect through the Elizabeth River/Chesapeake Bay system to the coastal Atlantic Ocean off Virginia, USA, δ 13 C values, N/C ratios, and principal component analysis (PCA) of the solid-state 13 C NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectra of HMW-DOM show an abrupt change in both its sources and chemical structural composition occurring around salinity 20. HMW-DOM in the lower salinity region had lighter isotopic values, higher aromatic and lower carbohydrate contents relative to that in the higher salinity region. These changes around a salinity of 20 are possibly due to introduction of a significant amount of new carbon (autotrophic DOM) to the transect. PC-1 loadings plot shows that spatially differing DOM components are similar to previously reported 13 C NMR spectra of heteropolysaccharides (HPS) and carboxyl-rich alicyclic molecules (CRAM). Applying two dimensional correlation spectroscopy techniques to 1 H NMR spectra from the same samples reveals increases in the contribution of N -acetyl amino sugars, 6-deoxy sugars, and sulfated polysaccharides to HPS components along the salinity transect, which suggests a transition from plant derived carbohydrates to marine produced carbohydrates within the HMW-DOM pool. In contrast to what has been suggested previously, our combined results from 13 C NMR, 1 H NMR, and FTIR indicate that CRAM consists of at least two different classes of compounds (aliphatic polycarboxyl compounds and lignin-like compounds).
The B2 Alternatively Spliced Isoform of Nonmuscle Myosin II-B Lacks Actin-Activated MgATPase Activity and in Vitro Motility

Abstract We report the initial biochemical characterization of an alternatively spliced isoform of nonmuscle heavy meromyosin (HMM) II-B2 and compare it with HMM II-B0, the nonspliced isoform. HMM II-B2 is the HMM derivative of an alternatively spliced isoform of endogenous nonmuscle myosin (NM) II-B, which has 21-amino acids inserted into loop 2, near the actin-binding region. NM II-B2 is expressed in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum as well as in other neuronal cells [X. Ma, S. Kawamoto, J. Uribe, R.S. Adelstein, Function of the neuron-specific alternatively spliced isoforms of nonmuscle myosin II-B during mouse brain development, Mol. Biol. Cell 15 (2006) 2138–2149]. In contrast to any of the previously described isoforms of NM II (II-A, II-B0, II-B1, II-C0 and II-C1) or to smooth muscle myosin, the actin-activated MgATPase activity of HMM II-B2 is not significantly increased from a low, basal level by phosphorylation of the 20 kDa myosin light chain (MLC-20). Moreover, although HMM II-B2 can bind to actin in the absence of ATP and is released in its presence, it cannot propel actin in the sliding actin filament assay following MLC-20 phosphorylation. Unlike HMM II-B2, the actin-activated MgATPase activity of a chimeric HMM with the 21-amino acid II-B2 sequence inserted into the homologous location in the heavy chain of HMM II-C is increased following MLC-20 phosphorylation. This indicates that the effect of the II-B2 insert is myosin heavy chain specific.
Neonatal organ dysfunction among newborns at gestational age 34 weeks and umbilical arterial pH<7.00.

Purpose. Among newborns at 34 weeks or more with umbilical arterial pH < 7.00, we endeavoured to determine the pH threshold and risk factors for neonatal organ injury within 72 hours of birth.Study design. Retrospectively, all non-anomalous newborns delivered over 6 years near term with a low pH were identified. Each case of a newborn with injury was compared with the next four neonates with a pH below 7.00 and no injury. A receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and unconditional logistic regression was used.Results. Of the 87 newborns with pathologic acidosis, 16% had neonatal organ system injury. Inspection of the ROC curve indicates that a pH of 6.92 is the threshold that identifies newborns who will have damage to organs. Unconditional logistic regression analysis indicates that the significant risk factors for morbidity were an Apgar score ⩽ 7 at 5 minutes, an UA pH ⩽ 6.92, a sentinel event, and a history of maternal seizures among those at 37 weeks or more.Conclusions. Among newborns at ⩾ 37 ...
Mortality in acute cerebral infarction in young adults--a ten-year experience

We reviewed the one-month mortality among 213 patients aged fifteen to forty-five years (mean thirty-five) with acute cerebral infarction (CI) evaluated during the period July 1, 1977, to February 1, 1988. Atherosclerotic cerebral infarction (ACI) was diagnosed in 59 (27.7%) patients, 53 (24.9%) had non-atherosclerotic vasculopathies (NAV); 46 (21.6%) had cardioembolic infarcts (CEI). Hematologically related disorders were diagnosed in 30 (14.1%) patients; the cause of CI could not be established in 25 (11.7%) patients. Fourteen patients (9 men, 5 women, mean age 34.8 years), (6.6%) died within thirty days of their CI: 7 had CEI (7/46,15.2%); 4 had ACI (4/59, 6.7%); and 3 had NAV (3/53, 5.6%). Our data suggest that young patients with acute CI have a thirty-day mortality rate lower than older patients. Deaths were most common in patients with CEI. Brain edema and herniation accounted for 6 (43%) of the deaths.
Production and playback of human figure motion for 3D virtual environments

We describe a system for off-line production and real-time playback of motion for articulated human figures in 3D virtual environments. The key notions are (1) the logical storage of full-body motion in posture graphs, which provides a simple motion access method for playback and (2) mapping the motions of higher DOF figures to lower DOF figures using slaving to provide human models at several levels of detail, both to geometry and articulation, for later playback. We present our system in the context of a simple problem: animating human figures in a distributed simulation, using DIS protocols for communicating the human state information. We also discuss several related techniques for real-time animation of articulated figures in visual simulation.
Natural Killer (NK) Cells in Hamsters and Their Modulation in Tumorigenesis

Natural killer (NK) cells have been reported in several species including mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, miniature swine, chickens and humans (1–14). These normal unsensitized lymphocytes exhibit cytolytic activity against a variety of targets including tumors and virus-infected cells (15–18). NK cells that have been studied extensively in mice and humans are small, non-adherent, non-phagocytic lymphocytes that originate in the bone marrow (14,19–22). NK cells lack conventional levels of T- and B-cell surface markers. Human NK cells have readily detectable Fc receptors on their surface, whereas mouse NK cells may express only low concentrations of Fc receptor, which are difficult to demonstrate (23). Recently it has been shown that NK cells of both mice and humans may have a low level of T-cell markers such as theta antigen and E rosette receptors, respectively (24,25). NK-cell activity is age-related (1,2) and genetically controlled (26, 27).
Developmental variation in amylase allozyme activity associated with chromosome inversions in Drosophila persimilis.

The amylase locus in Drosophila persimilis is polymorphic for allozymes, two of which show associations with naturally occurring chromosome 3 inversions. Amy1.09 occurs at high frequencies only in Whitney (WT), while the other common arrangements—Standard (ST), Klamath (KL) and Mendocino (MD)—are predominantly Amy 1.00. We have examined numerous strains, representing various electromorphs and inversions, for variation in cis-specific activity expression in both third-instar larvae and adults. Comparisons of these two life stages also allows the survey of developmental variation in amylase activities. The amount of activity variation exceeds electrophoretic variation at this locus. Moreover, this variation is largely nonrandom and reveals more genic divergence among inversions. The 1.00 allozyme of MD is more active than 1.00 KL in larvae and adults and shows a different developmental pattern. The activity of the 1.00 allozyme of KL is greater than 1.00 allozyme of ST in larvae and adults, but these two arrangements have similar developmental patterns. WT 1 with a 1.00 allele is dramatically different from the 1.00 allozymes of other arrangements in its developmental pattern. The 1.09 allozyme has high activity in WT and KL, but these arrangements differ in their developmental pattern of expression, WT being more active in adults. F2 segregational analyses are consistent with the variation being due to either structural enzyme variants or closely linked cis-acting regulatory elements. We argue that the suppression of recombination between arrangements has allowed the divergence in amylase activity among inversions.
Use of Non-Aspirin Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs and the Risk of Cardiovascular Events:

Objective:To review published evidence on the use of nonselective, non-aspirin nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NANSAIDs) and the risks of cardiovascular events and examine the justification for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in recommending that a cardiovascular risk warning statement be included in all NANSAIDs' product information inserts.Data Sources:Peer-reviewed articles in MEDLINE (1966–August 2006) and Current Contents were identified using the key words NSAID, naproxen, ibuprofen, heart diseases, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular events. Citations from available articles and related FDA Web sites were reviewed for additional references.Study Selection and Data Extraction:No randomized, placebo-controlled studies have been published evaluating this subject. Epidemiologic evidence published in English was examined. Sixteen relevant studies were identified (5 cohort, 3 nested case–control, 8 case–control).Data Synthesis:Six of the 16 studies demonstrated increased risk for one or mor...
Signal Recognition Particle-dependent Targeting of Ribosomes to the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum in the Absence and Presence of the Nascent Polypeptide-associated Complex

Proteins with RER-specific signal sequences are cotranslationally translocated across the rough endoplasmic reticulum through a proteinaceous channel composed of oligomers of the Sec61 complex. The...
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis)

Serum samples from 697 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) from North America were examined for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by the modified agglutination test incorporating mercaptoethanol and formalin-fixed tachyzoites. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 25 of 697 (3.6%) sheep in titers of 1:25 (8 sheep), 1:50 (4 sheep), 1:100 (7 sheep), 1:200 (1 sheep), 1:400 (1 sheep), 1:800 (1 sheep), and 1:1,600 (3 sheep). This is the first record of T. gondii exposure in bighorn sheep.
A Diagnostic Study of an Explosively Developing Extratropical Cyclone and an Associated 500-hPa Trough Merger

Abstract This paper presents a diagnosis of an explosively developing cyclone (1.3 Ber) that occurred in conjunction with a 500-hPa synoptic-scale trough merger over the eastern United States in November 1999. The explosive development occurred in response to cyclonic vorticity and warm air advections that maximized in the 250–200-hPa layer and latent heat release. Explosive development commenced 12 h before trough merger began and then accelerated through the 12-h merger period. During merger, development was enhanced by increased warm air advection above 300 hPa and reduced adiabatic cooling. Finally, comparison of this case with other explosive cyclogenesis–trough merger cases suggests that at the synoptic scale trough merger is an evolutionary process that requires as little as 12 h to complete and that, although trough merger is not required to initiate explosive cyclogenesis, the occurrence of merger can be expected to increase the development rate.
Epistatic repression of PHANTASTICA and class 1 KNOTTED genes is uncoupled in tomato

Class 1 KNOTTED genes (KNOX) and PHANTASTICA (PHAN) are both central to meristem establishment and maintenance and, in maize and Antirrhinum, it has been proposed that PHAN acts as an epigenetic repressor of KNOX. In tomato, a distinct spatial distribution of Tkn2 KNOX transcripts compared to Antirrhinum and maize suggests either a different spatial distribution of tomato PHAN (Le-phan) transcripts, or that PHAN alone is insufficient for KNOX repression in tomato. We established the pattern of Le-phan expression, including a first demonstration of PHAN expression in healthy roots, and found Le-phan and Tkn2 transcripts to be temporally and spatially coincidental, with PHAN exhibiting an expression pattern in tomato distinct from that in plants with simple leaves. Our results imply that the expression of Le-phan is insufficient for the repression of Tkn2 in tomato and suggest an expanded role for either gene in the establishment of cell identity in plant development.
Reply from authors re: Cora N. Sternberg, Richard Sylvester. Thoughts on a systematic review and meta-analysis of adjuvant chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Eur Urol 2014;66:55-6.

We thank Sternberg and Sylvester for their editorial comments [1] on our recently updated systematic review and meta-analysis of adjuvant chemotherapy trials for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) [2]. We acknowledge several major limitations of our study, most important, that this was a study-level, not a patientlevel, meta-analysis. Results from an updated individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis, including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) study of 273 patients (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00028756), are eagerly anticipated. Although IPD meta-analysis may be considered the gold standard of meta-analysis statistical techniques [3], it may not necessarily equate with reduction of heterogeneity within and between studies. The same limitations within each study still apply, and this been pointed out. In addition, although meta-regression may not be as robust as IPD regression analyses that adjust for the same covariates across all studies, it is considered adequate when examining studylevel covariates to estimate single pooled treatment effects, which may obviate the need for IPD [3]. We have done so using available covariates, such as gender and lymph node status. The utility of pathologic nodal staging has also been confirmed in a recent analysis of 4335 patientswith no prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy; this tool can be used to aid decision making regarding adjuvant chemotherapy [4]. The upcoming IPD meta-analysis could confirm this and further examine number of lymph nodes removed, number of positive lymph nodes, and lymph node density [5–7]. Dealing with between-study heterogeneity is always an issue when performing any meta-analysis. We chose to use a random-effects model using inverse-variance weighting to pool estimates from selected studies because it assumes random variation of the underlying effect of chemotherapy across studies, allowing it to better account for heterogeneity between trials [8]. The substantial heterogeneity in the hazard ratio (HR) across different trials highlights the controversial role of adjuvant chemotherapy despite nine
Host Defense Functions of Pulmonary Surfactant

Surfactant is a complex of lipids and proteins that reduces surface tension at the air/liquid interface of the lung and regulates immune cell function. Surfactant immune function is primarily attribut
Learning digital design using design automation tools

This paper describes the development of using design automation tools at the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Platteville. A realistic design environment has been created. Students use the extensive facilities in this laboratory to undertake the design and integration of digital systems. Starting with the "Logic and Digital Design", in four digital courses, students use schematic capture tools (Orcad, Maxplus II, WorkView), hardware design language (AHDL, VHDL), implement EPLD, FPGA digital devices (Altera, Xilinx). This paper describes the environment in which the laboratory operates, the continuously support received from tool design and chip manufacturing companies, the available equipment and the accomplishments of the student projects during the two academic years from September 1994 to May 1996.
RNA Stability of the E2A-Encoded Transcription Factor E47 Is Lower in Splenic Activated B Cells from Aged Mice

We have demonstrated previously that DNA binding and protein expression of the E2A-encoded transcription factor E47 are lower in nuclear extracts of activated splenic B cells from old mice. In the present study, we address how E47 protein expression is regulated in aging. Results herein show that E2A mRNA levels were decreased in stimulated splenic B cells from old as compared with young mice. RNA stability assays showed that the rate of E2A mRNA decay was accelerated in stimulated splenic B cells from old mice, but E47 protein degradation rates were comparable in young vs aged B cells, indicating that the regulation of E47 expression in activated splenic B cells occurs primarily by mRNA stability. The rates of decay of other mRNAs showed that the increased mRNA degradation in aged splenic activated B cells is not a general phenomenon but restricted to a subset of mRNAs. We next investigated the signal transduction pathways controlling E2A mRNA expression and stability and found that p38 MAPK regulates E2A mRNA expression through increased mRNA stability and is down-regulated in aged activated B cells. Results show that inhibition of p38 MAPK significantly reduces E2A mRNA stability in both young and old B cells, further stressing the role of p38 MAPK in E2A RNA stabilization. These studies demonstrate that the transcription factor E2A, critical for many aspects of B cell function, is regulated by a novel mechanism in aging.
Evidence for new quarks and new currents

The quark-parton model is used to study neutrino scattering in the case where the mass of a heavy, produced quark is not neglected. Evidence for right-handed currents is found in the charged-current neutrino scattering data. The masses of produced heavy quarks are estimated. (AIP)
Genetics and Evolution of Human Immunoglobulin A

In contrast to all other immunoglobulin classes which occur predominantly in serum, IgA occurs as the most preponderant class in exocrine secretions(1). This makes the evolutionary study of IgA of particular interest since IgA may encounter some pressure from natural selection not encountered by other immunoglobulins.
Evidence for the Need to More Closely Examine School Effects in Value-Added Modeling and Related Accountability Policies.

Value-added approaches for attributing student growth to teachers often use weighted estimates of building-level factors based on “typical” schools to represent a range of community, school, and other variables related to teacher and student work that are not easily measured directly. This study examines whether such estimates are likely to be accurate in “outlier” schools where building-level characteristics, such as demographics and faculty qualifications, are at the outer edges of the distribution of schools on which the “typical school” estimates are based. We examined whether building-level factors correlate with grade-level ratings in one of the most widely used approaches to value-added modeling, thus impacting interpretation of value-added ratings of teachers. Urban schools may be particularly affected by findings that reliable interpretation of a model using typical school estimates is affected by aspects of the school, even when using a weighted model. More correlations were found than would be expected by chance, many fairly large. Correlations tend to cluster around particular variables,
CDK inhibitors p18(INK4c) and p27(Kip1) mediate two separate pathways to collaboratively suppress pituitary tumorigenesis.

INK4 and CIP/KIP are two distinct families of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors implicated in mediating a wide range of cell growth control signals. We have created p18INK4c-deficient mice. These mice develop gigantism and widespread organomegaly. The pituitary gland, spleen, and thymus are disproportionately enlarged and hyperplastic. T and B lymphocytes develop normally in p18-deficient mice, but both exhibit increased cellularity and a higher proliferative rate upon mitogenic stimulation. Loss of p18, like that of p27, but not other CDK inhibitor genes, leads to a gradual progression from intermediate lobe pituitary hyperplasia in young mice to an adenoma by 10 months of age with a nearly complete penetrance. Mice lacking both p18 and p27, like mice chimeric for Rb deficiency, invariably died from pituitary adenomas by 3 months. Hence, p18 and p27 mediate two separate pathways to collaboratively suppress pituitary tumorigenesis, likely by controlling the function of Rb.
Investigation of convective heating in a polymer fiber drawing process

Polymer optical fibers are drawn from a preform rod in a manufacturing process that requires heating. A polymer preform in a tubular furnace enclosure receives energy from the furnace wall via natural convection and thermal radiation. Natural convection, in comparison to radiation, contributes a smaller fraction of the total energy required during the transient heating of the preform and also during the fiber drawing. Based on numerical predictions, natural convection and radiation contribute approximately equal heating to the preform when it is initially introduced at room temperature into a preheated furnace. As the preform temperature rises, the fraction of convective heating decreases as a result of weakening of gas-phase circulation cell(s) between the furnace wall and preform. These findings are supported by the measured temperature histories in the interior of the preforms that, for all of the cases studied, differed by less than 1.3°C from numerical predictions. Although radiation contributes a larger fraction of the total required energy, natural convection can nevertheless have a strong and detrimental effect on the fiber quality. Specifically, convective instabilities caused air temperature oscillations of 0.3 to 2°C with frequencies from 0.01 to 0.30 Hz. Experimental observations show that these gas phase temperature oscillations promote unwanted diameter variations during fiber drawing.
Transmission line modeling of CPW-slotline transitions and CPW butterfly filters

This paper presents theoretical analyses of CPW-slotline transitions and CPW butterfly filters using the transmission line models. Accurate modeling of non-uniform CPW and slotline radial stubs was developed using tandem connected uniform lines. Measured results of various transitions and filters agree very well with calculation. Design curves for practical applications are also presented. >