cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Charcoal hemoperfusion in the treatment of medically refractory pruritus in cholestatic liver disease

Pruritus is a distressing symptom in a considerable proportion of cholestatic patients and a few of them do not respond to conventional treatment. Charcoal hemoperfusion (CH) is an extracorporeal technique that is effective in eliminating protein-bound substances which may have accumulated during cholestasis. Several case reports have shown significant reduction of bilirubin in mechanical jaundice and neonatal hemolytic jaundice. However, the published data of CH for the treatment of refractory pruritus in cholestatic patients are scarce. Procedure code “Charcoal hemoperfusion” (90997) was used to identify patients who received CH at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, from 1 January 2000 to 5 January 2015. Patients who received CH for refractory cholestatic pruritus were retrospectively reviewed. Thirteen patients were identified. A median of 5 (range 1–18) sessions for a total of 20 (1–72) h were performed. CH resulted in a significant decrease of pruritus in nine patients (69%). Two patients did not have significant relief and two patients did not pursue further treatments after having adverse reactions during the first session. Median pruritus numerical rating scale significantly decreased from 9/10 (9–10) to 4/10 (0–9) post-treatment (p = 0.004). Duration of symptom-free periods ranged from 8 to 90 days (median 18 days) in six patients who returned for follow-up. Most common adverse reactions were pain, bleeding from the catheter site and fever. CH temporarily improves the severity of medically refractory cholestatic pruritus in some patients. However, the improvement is not sustained and the short duration of benefit should be balanced with the invasive nature of the therapy and the relatively common adverse reactions.
Crop-associated virus reduces the rooting depth of non-crop perennial native grass more than non-crop-associated virus with known viral suppressor of RNA silencing (VSR)

As agricultural acreage expanded and came to dominate landscapes across the world, viruses gained opportunities to move between crop and wild native plants. In the Midwestern USA, virus exchange currently occurs between widespread annual Poaceae crops and remnant native perennial prairie grasses now under consideration as bioenergy feedstocks. In this region, the common aphid species Rhopalosiphum padi L. (the bird cherry-oat aphid) transmits several virus species in the family Luteoviridae, including Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-PAV, genus Luteovirus) and Cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV-RPV and -RPS, genus Polerovirus). The yellow dwarf virus (YDV) species in these two genera share genetic similarities in their 3'-ends, but diverge in the 5'-regions. Most notably, CYDVs encode a P0 viral suppressor of RNA silencing (VSR) absent in BYDV-PAV. Because BYDV-PAV has been reported more frequently in annual cereals and CYDVs in perennial non-crop grasses, we examine the hypothesis that the viruses' genetic differences reflect different affinities for crop and non-crop hosts. Specifically, we ask (i) whether CYDVs might persist within and affect a native non-crop grass more strongly than BYDV-PAV, on the grounds that the polerovirus VSR could better moderate the defenses of a well-defended perennial, and (ii) whether the opposite pattern of effects might occur in a less defended annual crop. Because previous work found that the VSR of CYDV-RPS possessed greater silencing suppressor efficiency than that of CYDV-RPV, we further explored (iii) whether a novel grass-associated CYDV-RPS isolate would influence a native non-crop grass more strongly than a comparable CYDV-RPV isolate. In growth chamber studies, we found support for this hypothesis: only grass-associated CYDV-RPS stunted the shoots and crowns of Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass), a perennial native North American prairie grass, whereas crop-associated BYDV-PAV (and coinfection with BYDV-PAV and CYDV-RPS) most stunted annual Avena sativa L. (oats). These findings suggest that some of the diversity in grass-infecting Luteoviridae reflects viral capacity to modulate defenses in different host types. Intriguingly, while all virus treatments also reduced root production in both host species, only crop-associated BYDV-PAV (or co-infection) reduced rooting depths. Such root effects may increase host susceptibility to drought, and indicate that BYDV-PAV pathogenicity is determined by something other than a P0 VSR. These findings contribute to growing evidence that pathogenic crop-associated viruses may harm native species as well as crops. Critical next questions include the extent to which crop-associated selection pressures drive viral pathogenesis.
Availability-aware mapping of service function chains

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is a promising technique to greatly improve the effectiveness and flexibility of network services through a process named Service Function Chain (SFC) mapping, with which different network services are deployed over virtualized and shared platforms in data centers. However, such an evolution towards software-defined network functions introduces new challenges to network services which require high availability. One effective way of protecting the network services is to use sufficient redundancy. By doing so, however, the efficiency of physical resources may be greatly decreased. To address such an issue, this paper defines an optimal availability-aware SFC mapping problem and presents a novel online algorithm that can minimize the physical resources consumption while guaranteeing the required high availability within a polynomial time. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithm can significantly improve SFC mapping request acceptance ratio and reduce resource consumption.
Strategy-Making as Artificial Evolution: Grounded Model of a Shaping-Oriented Pioneering Strategy

To investigate how firms engage with the future, I examined the processes by which a pioneering firm influenced the future of its industry over five decades. The longitudinal field study, employing...
Abstract PR02: Synthetic lethality screen identifies novel druggable targets in the MYC pathway

The MYC oncogene is frequently overexpressed in human cancers. However, targeting MYC directly has proven to be extremely difficult and MYC itself is currently considered undruggable. We sought to identify alternative genetic vulnerabilities of MYC-driven cancer by using CRISPR-based genome-wide synthetic lethality screens. The library screens were performed in a MYC-driven cancer cell line derived from our transgenic mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this cancer cell line, the level of MYC is regulated by the Tet-Off transgenic system. Using lentiviral infection, the Cas9 nuclease was delivered into the cells, followed by the CRISPR library with 130,000 guide RNAs to knock out each gene in the mouse genome. Comparison of the clonal dropouts under high MYC versus low MYC conditions lead to the identification of specific target genes that are essential to tumors with high MYC expression. Preliminary pathway analysis of our screening hits has revealed the functional landscape of the MYC oncogene. We found that several pathways that are essential for MYC function converge on RNA metabolism. Furthermore, we have identified and tested druggable targets that can be translated into therapeutics for MYC-driven cancers. Citation Format: Yulin Li, Anja Deutzmann, John Bell, Hanlee Ji, Dean Felsher. Synthetic lethality screen identifies novel druggable targets in the MYC pathway [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Opportunities and Challenges of Exploiting Synthetic Lethality in Cancer; Jan 4-7, 2017; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2017;16(10 Suppl):Abstract nr PR02.
U.S. Applications of HEMT Technology in Military and Commercial Systems

Discrete gallium arsenide (GaAs) devices have been used in an increasing number of microwave systems for about 15 years. The emergence of monolithic GaAs integrated circuits from the laboratory to use in fielded systems has taken place only within the past five years. Almost all of the current systems applications make use of ion-implanted metal-semiconductor field effect transistors (MESFETs). The improvements in basic materials, computer aided design (CAD) accuracy, patterning resolution, processing control, test speed, and packaging efficiency that have made the application of MESFET technology possible are, with very little further delay, being applied to the design and manufacture of high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) integrated circuits (ICs). Many applications being targeted for HEMT technology are in the millimeter wave range from 35 GHz to 94 GHz where MESFET performance begins to fall off. However, even in the frequency range from about 5 GHz to 35 GHz, particularly for those applications that require the lowest noise or highest efficiency circuits, HEMT technology has advantages. The particular tradeoff between cost and performance required by a system will determine which technology is chosen. As the cost and performance of available devices change with time, the system program manager’s options increase and the choice may change.
Noncatalytic Antioxidant Role for Helicobacter pylori Urease.

ABSTRACT The well-studied catalytic role of urease, the Ni-dependent conversion of urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia, has been shown to protect Helicobacter pylori against the low pH environment of the stomach lumen. We hypothesized that the abundantly expressed urease protein can play another noncatalytic role in combating oxidative stress via Met residue-mediated quenching of harmful oxidants. Three catalytically inactive urease mutant strains were constructed by single substitutions of Ni binding residues. The mutant versions synthesize normal levels of urease, and the altered versions retained all methionine residues. The three site-directed urease mutants were able to better withstand a hypochlorous acid (HOCl) challenge than a ΔureAB deletion strain. The capacity of purified urease to protect whole cells via oxidant quenching was assessed by adding urease enzyme to nongrowing HOCl-exposed cells. No wild-type cells were recovered with oxidant alone, whereas urease addition significantly aided viability. These results suggest that urease can protect H. pylori against oxidative damage and that the protective ability is distinct from the well-characterized catalytic role. To determine the capability of methionine sulfoxide reductase (Msr) to reduce oxidized Met residues in urease, purified H. pylori urease was exposed to HOCl and a previously described Msr peptide repair mixture was added. Of the 25 methionine residues in urease, 11 were subject to both oxidation and to Msr-mediated repair, as identified by mass spectrometry (MS) analysis; therefore, the oxidant-quenchable Met pool comprising urease can be recycled by the Msr repair system. Noncatalytic urease appears to play an important role in oxidant protection. IMPORTANCE Chronic Helicobacter pylori infection can lead to gastric ulcers and gastric cancers. The enzyme urease contributes to the survival of the bacterium in the harsh environment of the stomach by increasing the local pH. In addition to combating acid, H. pylori must survive host-produced reactive oxygen species to persist in the gastric mucosa. We describe a cyclic amino acid-based antioxidant role of urease, whereby oxidized methionine residues can be recycled by methionine sulfoxide reductase to again quench oxidants. This work expands our understanding of the role of an already acknowledged pathogen virulence factor and specifically expands our knowledge of H. pylori survival mechanisms.
Sewage workers: toxic hazards and health effects.

Municipal sewage workers provide an essential service in the protection of public health. The wastewater treatment process brings the worker in contact with multiple pathogens, toxic gases, chemicals, and physical hazards. Issues such as the prevalence of hepatitis A among wastewater treatment workers in the U.S. have not been well studied. There remains a controversy on the need to offer hepatitis A pre-exposure immunization. Health effects to some exposures, such as gram-negative bacteria and endotoxins, have been well studied among other workers, and preventive measures, such as permissible endotoxin levels, that have been established for these workers should be adopted for the wastewater treatment environment. Further study into mortality and morbidity rates among sewage workers and the relationship to exposures and the development of preventive measures is needed.
Game Playing: The Next Moves

Computer programs now play many board games as well or better than the most expert humans. Human players, however, learn, plan, allocate resources, and integrate multiple streams of knowledge. This paper highlights recent achievements in game playing, describes some cognitively-oriented work, and poses three related challenge problems for the AI community.
The Muon Anomalous g-Value

The muon g-2 value has played a central role in establishing that the muon obeys quantum electrodynamics (QED) and behaves like a heavy electron.1,2 The experimental value for g-2 has been determined by three progressively more precise measurements at CERN,3,4,5 the latest one achieving a precision of 7.2 ppm. The theoretical value for g-2 has steadily become better known as higher order QED radiative contributions have been evaluated, and as knowledge of the virtual hadronic contributions to g-2 has been improved both by further measurements of the relevant quantity R = σ(e+e- → hadrons)/ σ(e+e- → μ+μ-) and by calculations. The theoretical value of g-2 is now known to 1.3 ppm, a factor of 6 better than the experimental value.7 The present agreement of theory and experiment establishes that QED applies for the muon up to Q2 = 1000 (GeV/c)2 and determines the hadronic contribution to the vacuum polarization to about 12%. Futhermore, one of the most sensitive limits on muon substructure (Λ > 800 GeV) is provided, as well as limits to various speculative modern theories.
Impact of Soil Management Practices on Nitrogen Leaching

ABSTRACT Soil management practices have an important influence upon N leaching. These practices include tillage, which may vary from region to region in the united States. The influence of tillage upon the soil water regime is discussed, including the effects upon evaporation from soil surfaces, paths of water flow, and pore size distribution. Nitrate leaching is considered as a function, first of soil water behavior and second of the abundance and distribution of nitrate in the soil. Amounts and forms of N in the soil are influenced by N transformations (nitrification, denitrification, and mineralization-immobilization). Soil management of water (including irrigation, drainage, and winter cropping) are also important in influencing nitrate leaching.
Pediatric prosthetics. Current trends and future possibilities.

Prosthetists, therapists, and physicians involved with the care of children with limb deficiencies have developed management strategies that have stood up well over the years. These strategies may be challenged and overhauled as new materials, technology, and techniques are introduced and evaluated.
Muscling in on the Awesome Proliferative Power of the Terrible Teratoma.

In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Chan et al. (2018) report that in vivo differentiation of pluripotent stem cells in induced teratomas produces functional embryonic-like muscle stem cells. These purified muscle stem cells engraft with high efficiency and regenerate serially injured muscle.
Structural Correlations in Transition Metal GICs

We present here a discussion on the use of scattering measurements to provide information on structural correlations with particular reference to intercalate reflections in GICs. The real space assembly of atoms, known as the specimen function \(R(\overrightarrow r )\), which is the target for a scattering experiment (using x-rays, neutrons, or electrons), can be described by the product of a pair correlation function and a shape function,1 written as \(R(\overrightarrow r ) = \left\langle {\rho (\overrightarrow r )\rho (0)} \right\rangle S(\overrightarrow r )\). For crystalline specimens, the pair correlation function can be replaced by the convolution of \(F(\overrightarrow r )\) with \(G(\overrightarrow r )\) so that the specimen function2 is given by \(R(\overrightarrow r ) = [F(\overrightarrow r )*G(\overrightarrow r )]S(\overrightarrow r )\) where \({\text{F}}(\overrightarrow r )\) is the scattering density within a unit cell, \(G(\overrightarrow r )\) is the sum over δ functions on sites of the real lattice, and \(S(\overrightarrow r )\) is the crystal shape function, defined as \(S(\overrightarrow r )\) inside the specimen and \(S(\overrightarrow r ) = 0\) outside, and “*” denotes the convolution of the indicated functions. Taking the Fourier transform of the specimen function, we obtain for 3-dimensional crystals2 the relation \(\overline R (\overrightarrow q ) = [\overline F (\overrightarrow q )\overline G (\overrightarrow q )]*\overline S (\overrightarrow q )\) where \(\overline F (\overrightarrow q )\) is the structure amplitude and \(\overline G (\overrightarrow q )\) and \(\overline S (\overrightarrow q )\) are respectively the Fourier transforms of \(G(\overrightarrow r )\) and \(S(\overrightarrow r )\). However, what we measure is \({\left| {\overline R (\overrightarrow q )} \right|^2}\) which to a good approximation1 is given by \({\left| {\overline R (\overrightarrow q )} \right|^2} = {\left| {\overline F (\overrightarrow q )\overline G (\overrightarrow q )} \right|^2}*{\left| {\overline S (\overrightarrow q )} \right|^2}\). Since the Fourier transform ‘inverts’ dimensions, large crystals give very narrow linewidths and small crystals give very broad linewidths. Hence, the FWHM linewidth in a given direction in \(\overrightarrow k \)-space for scattering from aggregates of crystallites is the reciprocal of the average crystal dimension in that \(\overrightarrow k \) direction. If the linewidth of a reflection is governed by the specimen and not by the resolution function of the experimental set-up, then careful linewidth analysis on several reflections can provide a wealth of information on crystallite sizes and correlation lengths ξ in defective samples.
13ReasonsWhy Twitter Users are Tweeting about a Netflix Show about Teen Suicide

This study explored how Twitter users engaged with and responded to a popular Netflix series on the topic of teen suicide. This research is set within an emerging research stream focused on how people use social media to discuss issues, events, or, in this case, an entertainment product. Because this study focused on a Netflix program that released all 13 episodes on the day it premiered, it differed from previous studies that explored conversation about broadcast television series. Topics discussed by users in original tweets and retweets, the prevalence of Twitter interactivity about the show, and the communities formed were examined in this study.
Relationship Between Psychosocial Stressors and Atrial Fibrillation in Women >45 Years of Age.

Negative emotions have been linked to the development of atrial fibrillation (AF), and positive effect may be protective. However, there are few large-scale studies examining the association between psychosocial stressors that may provoke these emotions and the occurrence of AF. We examined the cross-sectional relation between psychosocial stress and AF in 24,809 women participating in the Women's Health Study. Participants answered questions about work stress (e.g., excessive work, conflicting demands), work-family spillover stress (e.g., too stressed after work to participate in activities with family), financial stress (e.g., difficulty paying monthly bills), traumatic life events (e.g., death of a child), everyday discrimination (e.g., less respect, poor service), intimate partner stress (e.g., how judgmental is your spouse/partner), neighborhood stress (e.g., neighborhood safety, trust), negative life events within 5 years (e.g., life threatening illness, legal problems), and cumulative stress (a weighted measure of the stress domains). The prevalence of confirmed AF was 3.84% (N = 953) and risk factor profiles differed by AF status. Women with AF reported significantly higher financial stress, traumatic life events, and neighborhood stress (peach
Borderland Memories: Searching for Historical Identity in Post-Mao China

In the 1980s, as China transitioned to the post-Mao era, a state-sponsored oral history project led to the publication of local, regional, and national histories. They took the form of written and transcribed personal testimonies of events that preceded the turmoil of both the Cultural Revolution and, in many cases, the Communist victory in 1949. Known as wenshi ziliao, these publications represent an intense process of historical memory production that has received little scholarly attention. Hitherto unexamined archival materials and oral histories reveal unresolved tensions in post-Cultural Revolution reconciliation and mobilization, informing negotiations between local elites and the state, and between Party and non-Party organizations. Taking the northeast Russia–Manchuria borderlands as a case study, Martin T. Fromm examines the creation of post-Mao identities, political mobilization, and knowledge production in China.
A [2Fe-1S] Complex That Affords Access to Bimetallic and Higher-Nuclearity Iron-Sulfur Clusters.

Small, coordinatively unsaturated iron–sulfur clusters are conceived as building blocks for the diverse set of shapes of iron–sulfur clusters in biological and synthetic chemistry. Here we describe a synthetic method for preparing [2Fe–1S] clusters containing two iron(II) ions, which are supported by a relatively unhindered β-diketiminate supporting ligand. The [2Fe–1S] cluster can be isolated in the presence of trimethylphosphine, and the compound with one PMe3 on each iron(II) ion has been crystallographically characterized. The PMe3 ligands may be removed with B(C6F5)3 to give a spectroscopically characterized species with solvent ligands. This species is a versatile synthon for [2Fe–2S], [4Fe–3S], and [10Fe–8S] clusters. Crystallographic characterization of the 10Fe cluster shows that it has all iron(II) ions, and the core has two [4Fe–4S] cubes that share a face in a novel arrangement. This cluster also has two iron sites that are coordinated to solvent donors, suggesting the potential for using this...
The Rhythm of the Dance

In a previous chapter, I wrote about the need for unspoken communication in team sports. This is particularly true for sports that are often free-flowing such as basketball, soccer, and ultimate Frisbee. The fast pace and relative uncertainty of where the ball or disc will be moving creates a need for a system of signals that move just as quickly. Players often speak of chemistry when they work together cohesively as opposed to a group of individuals. The chemistry has nothing to do with the sport but everything to do with the ability to predict a teammate’s future action from understated movement of a teammate’s arms and legs or even a head nod. When these teams have good chemistry or are in sync, the fluidity of game approaches that of a world class ballet. When this is missing, the ballet will have the cohesiveness of a grade school production.
A Simple Proposition for Improving Industrial Hygiene Air Sampling Methods.

Abstract When conducting an exposure assessment, the primary goal of the industrial hygienist is to fully characterize the worker's exposure during a work shift to compare it with an occupational exposure limit. This applies regardless of the duration of the work activity as an activity that is relatively short in duration can still present exposure in excess of the occupational exposure limit even when normalized over an 8-hr shift. This goal, however, is often impeded by the specification of a minimum sample volume in the published sampling method, which may prevent the sample from being collected or submitted for analysis. Removing the specification of minimum sample volume (or adjusting it from a requirement to a recommendation), in contrast, allows for a broader assessment of jobs that consist of short-duration and high-exposure activities and also eliminates the unnecessary practice of running sampling pumps in clean air to collect a specified, minimum volume.
Testing of a 3D printed hand exoskeleton for an individual with stroke: a case study.

Many individuals with stroke still have functional difficulties with their affected hand after going through a rehabilitation program. A 3D printed upper limb exoskeleton was designed for an indivi...
Gastroesophageal Reflux and Microaspiration in Lung Transplant Recipients: The Utility of a Single Esophageal Manometry and pH Probe Monitoring Study

Abstract Background Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in recipients of lung transplant (LTX) is associated with chronic allograft rejection, presumably via microaspiration that damages airway epithelium. Most LTX programs perform a single post-LTX esophageal study to evaluate for GER; the efficacy of this test is unclear. Methods Patients with 1 year of post-LTX follow-up, including routine bronchoscopies with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples as well as high-resolution esophageal manometry and pH probe monitoring (HREMpH), were evaluated. BALF samples were analyzed with competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect bile salts, which are indicative of aspiration. These results were compared to results of HREMpH studies post LTX. Results Ninety BALF samples were analyzed for bile salts and acted as disease positive for this evaluation. Of the 13 HREMpH cases, 8 were positive for GER, but only 3 were positive for bile salts via assay. Of the 5 HREMpH-negative cases, 2 experienced aspiration. A solitary HREMpH study had 60.0% sensitivity and 37.5% specificity with positive and negative likelihood ratios: 0.96 and 1.07, respectively. Conclusion Microaspiration appears to be an intermittent phenomenon, and HREMpH screening poorly correlates with BALF evidence of aspiration; which may not be adequate. As aspiration detection is crucial in this population, further analysis is warranted.
From DNA Extraction to Sequence Analysis: A Semester-Long Undergraduate Research Project on Fish Mislabeling

In recent years, providing authentic and unique research experiences for undergraduates has become increasingly important, yet many educational institutions struggle to provide their students with such experiences. Engaging students in hands-on research is meant to increase their problem-solving skills and help them learn how to work in a collaborative environment. Unfortunately, many students never receive a genuine research experience in their undergraduate biology courses. We developed a semester-long, laboratory-based research project in which students worked in groups to investigate the prevalence of fish mislabeling in local restaurants and grocery stores using DNA barcoding. During the experimental process, students learned fundamental molecular techniques like DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, and DNA sequence analysis. Students also developed soft skills linked to working in teams and science communication. Over the course of the project, students collected their own fish samples and were responsible for their team's lab workflow throughout the semester. Some groups (12/25) identified instances of mislabeling on the basis of DNA evidence. Students synthesized their results in a full scientific manuscript and ended the semester by disseminating their results in a class-wide poster symposium. Collectively, the students documented that ∼21% (26/123) of the fish samples they had collected from local restaurants and at grocery stores in the Greater Lansing area were mislabeled. This project gave students the time and space needed to master molecular techniques (often through trial and error), and it engaged them in a place-based learning setting as they investigated the incidence of fish mislabeling in their local community.
Deaths of Despair Among Healthcare Workers, Massachusetts, 2011 to 2015

Objective To explore mortality rates and trends according to the occupation of healthcare workers who died from the deaths of despair (DoD). Methods Death certificates for deaths from 2011 to 2015 due to poisonings, suicides, alcholic liver disease and cirrhosis were collected and coded based on the decedent's occupation. Mortality rates and rate ratios were calculated according to occupations for healthcare workers. Results There were 540 DoDs among Massachusetts healthcare workers, accounting for an average annual rate of 32.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. The highest mortality rate for DoDs were among medical assistants; nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides; miscellaneous; health technologists and technicians; emergency medical technicians, and paramedics. Conclusions Further research should examine factors contributing to elevated rates for DoDs among healthcare workers. Interventions targeted for these workers should be developed.
Testing Based on Behavior Specification

While “getting it right the first time” is an admirable goal, no one is able to write code that is guaranteed to work as intended without testing and debugging. Testing is the process of uncovering errors or “bugs” in code. Debugging is the process of removing them. The many books on object-oriented programming, C++ and Java in particular, tend not to deal with these issues. Books on software engineering do discuss testing as an important phase within software system development, but a good approach to testing that is tuned to the special characteristics of object orientation is not yet available. This chapter will provide the beginnings of such an approach that emerges naturally from the concepts of behavior specification that we have developed.
Flexible 3D channels and cavities formation by nanoimprinting

Nanoimprinting technique called reversal imprinting is developed to produce flexible 3-dimensional 3D nanostructures. A sealed 3D nanochannel networks is developed using sequentially stacked thermal nanoimprint lithography on planarized self-supporting dielectric sealing material over polymer sacrificial layers. Moreover, a 3D polymeric micro and nanostructures are generated using a duo-mold imprinting process. The unique patterning capabilities of this patterning technique are difficult to accomplish using conventional patterning techniques.
Package induced stress impact on transistor performance for ultra-thin SoC

Integrated Circuits continuously scale including die thicknesses to achieve lower total z-height. As has been previously reported, die thinning can impact transistor performance due to mechanical stresses generated by the package. This paper is investigating the impact on the tri-gate transistors performance for die thickness below 100μm through BGA solder board attach. Ring oscillators are used to assess transistor performance with frequency data collected at wafer level, packaged unit, and board mounted levels. PMOS and NMOS effects are extracted independently using appropriately weighted oscillators. Results show that PMOS drive current increases while NMOS drive current decreases with reductions in die thickness, consistent with FEA modeling. The impact of die over-mold thickness on the transistor saturation current shifts is also included and demonstrates the importance of considering such factors in establishing the correct balance between transistor performance impact and other characteristics such as package warpage.
Productivity, Innovation and Growth in Sri Lanka : An Empirical Investigation

This study investigates the impact of key business environment indicators on productivity, innovation, and growth in Sri Lanka through a cluster-level productivity analysis, a firm-level total factor productivity analysis, and a firm-level innovation analysis. For the cluster-level productivity analysis (as measured by output and value added per worker), it combines two established data sources in a novel way by importing average 'industry-size-location' cluster-level business environment variables from the World Bank Enterprise Survey to the comprehensive Sri Lanka Census of Industry productivity data available for similar clusters of enterprises. For the firm-level total factor productivity analysis, it compares data from the 2011 World Bank Enterprise Survey with those from 2004. For the firm-level innovation analysis, it compares findings from the 2011 World Bank Enterprise Survey with a representative sample of enterprises collected as part of the Sri Lanka Longitudinal Survey of Enterprises. The empirical findings highlight the importance -- for cluster-level productivity, firm-level total factor productivity, and innovation -- of connectivity to global knowledge (reflected by one or more of export participation, directly imported inputs, foreign ownership, and use of the internet), availability of skills, access to finance, and competition. The paper also presents evidence, under the assumption that the samples are statistically representative, that both allocative and average technical efficiency have improved, with allocative efficiency increasing roughly four-fold between 2003 and 2010, and accounting for the overwhelming share of the aggregate increase in total factor productivity over this time period. Most of the improvement in allocative efficiency has occurred among larger firms, and in large rather than small cities.
Response to Martha Nussbaum

I find much to agree with in Professor Martha Nussbaum's elegant and lucid Essay, "A Right to Marry?" However, I will not begin by responding to it directly, but will instead start my analysis by taking a step back from the debate. Many observers believe that the politics of the gay marriage issue in the United States has just passed a tipping point due to successful gains in the recognition of equal rights for gay couples.1 The recognition of gay marriage in Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa, and New York may signal a trend, which some believe is irreversible. Some high-level Republicans have given support to this view by defecting from the orthodoxy of marital absolutism that has been so central to their party's politics in recent years. These advances lead many to believe that the position in favor of same-sex marriage advocated by Professor Nussbaum will likely prevail. Is this too optimistic? Obviously there are long struggles ahead, particularly as long as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is on the books. Because so many states have amended their constitutions to prohibit gay marriage, overturning DOMA will require a vast political change. Same-sex marriage may be an issue that maps regional differences for generations to come. We might end up with a protracted crisis of federalism, in which the same-sex marriage states and the states that are constitutionally bound against gay marriage appear shaded in large blocs on the map. This situation would form new routes for gay migration. Even in the most "gay-friendly" states, marriage will continue to be something of a tease for gay people as long as it does not entail the significant entitlements that are available only at the federal level, including taxation benefits and foreign sponsorship rights for immigrant spouses. Given the generational trends in the polling data, it is possible to argue that repeal of DOMA looks inevitable in the long term, but that might be a very
A Future Foretold: Neo-Aristotelian Praise of Postmodern Legal Theory

Postmodern thinking puts severe stress on the project of legal theory. The philosophical critique of grand narratives, coupled with the radically pragmatic return to localized practices, has rendered theorizing suspect. Theory appears to be a quaint vestige of previous "bad faith" refusals to accept the finitude of human existence. But the postmodern position is even more complex, because postmodern anti-theorists tend to employ perplexing jargon and wield sophisticated and obscure concepts in their work. The postmodern puzzle is whether one can challenge theory without theorizing. Is theory defined by its practical effects, or by its refusal to become complicit in everyday practices? Is the urge to theorize a product of modernist ideology that leads us astray, or our openness to enlightenment? Although postmodern thinking has made these questions particularly pressing, they are timeless. Therefore, it should not be surprising that contemporary readings of Aristotle can provide a helpful guide for uncovering the possibilities of postmodern legal theory. I address the postmodern puzzle regarding the nature of theory and its relationship to practice by drawing from the contemporary appropriations of Aristotle's practical philosophy by Martin Heidegger, Hans-Georg Gadamer and Joseph Dunne. My goal is to outline the role that critical legal theorists can play in light of the neo-Aristotelian account of theory that emerges from this discussion. Although this account reinforces the postmodern critique by revealing that the image of the sovereign theorist who stands as expert commentator to the side of legal and social practices is an ideological myth, this does not mean that theory is irrelevant. Once theory is reconceived as a disposition within practice, its unavoidable significance becomes clear. The practical demand for judgments, combined with the normative injunction to do justice, makes law a particularly important venue for investigating the entwinement of theory and practice. I conclude by suggesting that critical legal scholarship by Bill Eskridge and Kathryn Abrams provide examples of this dynamic of theory and practice.
Identification of XV-15 Aeroelastic Modes Using Frequency Sweeps

The XV-15 tilt-rotor wing has six major aeroelastic modes that are close in frequency. To precisely excite individual modes during flight test, dual flaperon exciters with automatic frequency-sweep controls were installed. The resulting structural data were analyzed in the frequency domain (Fourier-transformed). Modal frequencies and damping were determined by performing curve fits to frequency-response magnitude and phase data. Results are given for the XV-15 with its original metal rotor blades. Frequency and damping values are also compared with predictions by two different programs, CAMRAD and ASAP.
Relationship between the Electrical (Electrocardiographic) and Mechanical (Echocardiographic) Events in Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome

Studies using epicardial mapping on patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome have demonstrated that the delta vector of the electrocardiogram is a detector of the location of at least one bypass tract In order to relate the electrical activities (preexcitation) with the mechanical activity (septal and ventricular wall motion), echocardiographic strip-chart recordings were obtained in 22 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Our studies indicated that in the majority of patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, left ventricular and septal contraction is normal, suggesting that normal activation predominates and that the determinants of abnormal septal wall motion are (1) the location (right ventricular free lateral wall or septum) and (2) the degree (duration of the QRS complex greater than 130 msec) of ventricular preexcitation.
Synergistic effects of metals and oxidants in the curing of marine mussel adhesive

Marine mussels produce an impressive adhesive material for affixing themselves to rocks in the turbulent marine environment. This glue is generated by application of proteins to the surface followed by extensive cross-linking to yield the final matrix. Prior studies have shown that simple oxidation or reactivity brought about by metal ions may be key to this protein cross-linking process. Here we have explored protein cross-linking reactivity in which combinations of metals and oxidants may display synergistic effects with respect to adhesive curing. Extracted adhesive proteins were mixed with a series of metals, oxidants, and combinations thereof. In some cases, synergistic curing was observed. For example, we found that iron(II) ions with hydrogen peroxide brought about a greater degree of protein cross-linking than the sum of the individual components. These studies were performed as part of our efforts to provide perspectives on the connections between biology, chemistry, and functional materials.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis Viruses Arise by Mutation from Endemic Feline Enteric Coronaviruses

Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) strains from six cats and three different geographic areas were compared genetically with feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) isolates obtained from cats inhabiting the same environments. Sequence comparisons were made from 1.2- to 8.9-kb segments on the 3' end of the genome. FECV/FIPV pairs from the same catteries or shelters were 97.3-99.5% related but were genetically distinct from FIPV and FECV strains obtained from cats living in geographically distinct environments. The high genetic similarity between FECVs and FIPVs from the same environment strongly suggested a common ancestry. Based on the presence of deletion mutations in the FIPVs and not in the FECVs, it was concluded that FIPVs evolved as mutants of FECVs. The mutations are deletions in the FIPVs and not insertions in the FECVs since similar sequences are present in other strains that have segregated earlier from a common ancestor. Therefore, the order of descent is form FECV to FIPV. Mutations unique to FIPVs were found in open reading frames (ORFs) 3c in 4 of 6 isolates and/or 7b in 3 of 6 isolates. When the study was extended to include 7 additional FIPV isolates, 11/13 of the FIPVs sequenced were found to have mutated 3c ORFs.
Continuum characterization of novel pseudoelasticity of ZnO nanowires

Abstract A novel pseudoelastic behavior was recently discovered in [0 1 1¯ 0]-oriented ZnO nanowires under uniaxial tensile loading and unloading. This behavior results from a reversible transformation from the parent wurtzite (WZ) structure to a previously unknown graphitic structure (HX) and is associated with recoverable strains up to 16%. In this paper, a micromechanical continuum model is developed to characterize this behavior. Using the first law of thermodynamics, the model decomposes the transformation into an elastic process of structural transitions between WZ and HX through a sequence of thermodynamically reversible phase equilibrium states and a thermodynamically irreversible process of interface propagation. The elastic equilibrium transition process is modeled with strain energy functions of the two constituent phases which are obtained from independent molecular dynamics calculations. The dissipative interface propagation process is modeled phenomenologically with a function which relates dissipation to the interfacial area between the two phases. The model captures major characteristics of the behavior of wires with lateral dimensions between 20 and 40 A over the temperature range of 100–500 K.
Criterion for burn-up conditions in gas-cooled cryogenic current leads

Abstract Superconducting magnets are energized through helium vapour-cooled cryogenic current leads operating at high ratios of current to mass flow. The high current operation where lead temperature, runaway, and eventual burn-up are likely to occur is investigated. A simple criterion for estimating the burn-up operation conditions (current, mass flow) for a given lead geometry (cross-sectional area, length, heat exchanger area) is presented. This article stresses the role played by the available heat exchanger area in avoiding burnup at high ratios of current to mass flow.
Regression of thyroid hormone induced cardiac hypertrophy: effect on cardiac beta receptors and adenyl cyclase activity.

Abstract Adrenergic mechanisms may be important in the symptomatic manifestations of hyperthyroidism. The chronic administration of thyroid hormone also results in cardiac hypertrophy and increased numbers of beta-adrenergic receptors in cardiac membranes. The roles of adrenergic mechanisms in the initiation and perpetuation of this hypertrophy has been open to speculation. Rats treated chronically with L-thyroxin were sacrificed after 7 days of treatment and 1–4 days after cessation of treatment. Hearts were removed and weighed and norepinephrine measured. In other groups of identically treated rats, membranes were prepared from the left ventricle for invitro measurements of beta-adrenergic receptor characteristics and adenyl cyclase activity. Regression of cardiac hypertrophy with a decrease in receptor number to control values was seen as early as 2 days after stopping thyroxine. Cardiac norepinephrine concentrations had also returned to control values at this time. Displacement of bound [H 3 ] dihydroalprenolol by isoproterenol was not changed from control. Basal and isoproterenol stimulated adenyl cyclase activity was not changed by thyroxine administration or its cessation. The rapid reversal of the increased beta-adrenergic receptor number and cardiac hypertrophy raises the possibility that thyroid hormone may play a regulatory role in cardiac function. Although the enhancement of myocardial contractility by thyroid hormone may be mediated through cardiac hypertrophy this effect of thyroid hormone is independent of the catecholamine sensitive adenyl cyclase system.
Instrumentation for the next generation cryogenic spaceborne far-IR observatories

We present scientific rationale, concepts and technologies for far-IR (λ=35-600 μm) instrumentation for the cryogenic single-dish space telescopes envisioned for the next two decades. With the tremendous success of Spitzer, the stage is set for larger (3-10 meter) actively-cooled telescopes and several are under consideration including SPICA in Japan, and CALISTO/SAFIR in the US. The cold platforms offer the potential for far-IR observations limited only by the zodiacal dust emission and other diffuse astrophysical foregrounds. Optimal instrumentation for these missions includes large-format direct-detector arrays with sensitivity matched to the low photon backgrounds. This will require major improvements relative to the current state of the art, especially for wavelengths beyond the 38-micron silicon BIB cutoff, We review options and present progress with one approach: superconducting bolometers. We highlight in particular the scientific potential for moderate-resolution broadband spectroscopy. The large cold telescopes can provide line sensitivities below 10 -20 W m -2 , enabling the first routine survey spectroscopy of the redshift 0.5 to 5 galaxies that produced the cosmic far-IR background. These far-IR-bright dusty galaxies account for half of the photon energy released since stars and galaxies began forming, and the new far-IR spectroscopic capability will reveal their energy sources and chart their history. We describe concepts for the background-limited IR-Submillimeter Spectrograph (BLISS) designed for this purpose. BLISS is a suite of R~1000 spectrometer modules spanning the far-IR range, and is under study for SPICA; a similar but more capable instrument can be scaled for CALISTO/SAFIR.