cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combined Free and Forced Convection on Vertical Slender Cylinders

Analyse mathematique du transfert de chaleur par convection mixte laminaire sur des cylindres verticaux minces. Representation graphique de l'influence de la courbure de surface sur les champs de temperatures et de vitesses
Western Eisila Regio, Venus: Radar properties of volcanic deposits

The 1988 Arecibo Observatory dual-polarization radar images are presented for Western Eisila Regio, Venus. The polarization information and Pioneer-Venus Orbiter reflectivity and altimetry data are analyzed for volcanic deposits on two 400-500 km radius constructs, Sif and Gula Montes. Many of the large effusive deposits studied appear to require superposed flows or multiple vents to explain the observed progression of roughness along their length. High Fresnel reflectivity material may be present along the summit region of Gula Mons and in an embayed tessera-like region to the N. Radar-dark units on the flanks of Sif Mons are inferred to be pyroclastic deposits, but radar-dark features near the summits of both edifices are more consistent with very smooth lava flows. Higher spatial resolution Magellan data will be useful in testing these predictions.
An inexpensive modification of the laboratory computer display changes emergency physicians' work habits and perceptions

Abstract Study objective: Little is known about how the availability of laboratory data affects emergency physicians' practice habits and satisfaction. We modified our clinical information system to display laboratory test status with continuous updates, similar to an airport arrival display. The objective of this study was to determine whether the laboratory test status display altered emergency physicians' work habits and increased satisfaction compared with the time period before implementation of laboratory test status. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of emergency physicians' actual use of the clinical information system before and after implementation of the laboratory test status display. Emergency physicians were retrospectively surveyed regarding the effect of laboratory test status display on their practice habits and clinical information system use. Survey responses were matched with actual use of the clinical information system. Data were analyzed by using dependent t tests and Pearson correlation coefficients. The study was conducted at a university hospital. Results: Clinical information system use by 46 emergency physicians was analyzed. Twenty-five surveys were returned (71.4% of available emergency physicians). All emergency physicians perceived fewer clinical information system log ons per day after laboratory test status display. The actual average decrease was 19%. Emergency physicians who reported the greatest decrease in log ons per day tended to have the greatest actual decrease ( r =−0.36). There was no significant correlation between actual and perceived total time logged on ( r =0.08). In regard to effect on emergency physicians' practice habits, 95% reported increased efficiency, 80% reported improved satisfaction with data access, and 65% reported improved communication with patients. Conclusion: An inexpensive computer modification, laboratory test status display, significantly increased subjective efficiency, changed work habits, and improved satisfaction regarding data access and patient communication among emergency physicians. Knowledge of the test queue changed emergency physician behavior and improved satisfaction. [ Ann Emerg Med. 2003;41:186-190.]
Long-term mortality following fractures at different skeletal sites: a population-based cohort study

Summary Adjusting for age, sex, and precipitating cause, the relative risk of death was increased following fractures at most skeletal sites.
Low-level quantification of melamine and cyanuric acid in limited samples of rat serum by UPLC- electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

This paper reports the development and validation of a methodology for the low-level quantification of melamine and cyanuric acid in limited samples of rat serum. The methodology, based upon ion-exchange solid phase extraction (SPE) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, relies on the use of stable isotope-labeled internal standards and requires only 15 μL samples of serum. The method provides a recovery of 80-110% of melamine with a signal suppression of ca. 55%, and a recovery of 50-90% of cyanuric acid with a signal suppression ca. 40-60%, affording lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) for melamine or cyanuric acid of, respectively, 5 ppb (mean accuracy 109%; CV=4.9%) and 10 ppb (mean accuracy 96%; CV=8.6%). The small sample requirements, excellent sensitivity, accuracy and precision, and high-throughput (5 min of instrument run time) make this methodology optimal for toxicokinetic or exposure assessments studies.
High-Performance and Dynamically Updatable Packet Classification Engine on FPGA

High-performance and dynamically updatable hardware architectures for multi-field packet classification have regained much interest in the research community. For example, software defined networking requires 15 fields of the packets to be checked against a predefined rule set. Many algorithmic solutions for packet classification have been studied over the past decade. FPGA-based packet classification engines can achieve very high throughput; however, supporting dynamic updates is yet challenging. In this paper, we present a two-dimensional pipelined architecture for packet classification on FPGA; this architecture achieves high throughput while supporting dynamic updates. In this architecture, modular Processing Elements (PEs) are arranged in a two-dimensional array. Each PE accesses its designated memory locally, and supports prefix match and exact match efficiently. The entire array is both horizontally and vertically pipelined. We exploit striding, clustering, dual-port memory, and power gating techniques to further improve the performance of our architecture. The total memory is proportional to the rule set size. Our architecture sustains high clock rate even if we scale up (1) the length of each packet header, or/and (2) the number of rules in the rule set. The performance of the entire architecture does not depend on rule set features such as the number of unique values in each field. The PEs are also self-reconfigurable; they support dynamic updates of the rule set during run-time with very little throughput degradation. Experimental results show that, for a 1 K 15-tuple rule set, a state-of-the-art FPGA can sustain a throughput of 650 Million Packets Per Second (MPPS) with 1 million updates/second. Compared to TCAM, our architecture demonstrates at least four-fold energy efficiency while achieving two-fold throughput.
Akt2 Is Required for Hepatic Lipid Accumulation in Models of Insulin Resistance

Insulin drives the global anabolic response to nutrient ingestion, regulating both carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Previous studies have demonstrated that Akt2/protein kinase B is critical to insulin's control of glucose metabolism, but its role in lipid metabolism has remained controversial. Here, we show that Akt2 is required for hepatic lipid accumulation in obese, insulin-resistant states induced by either leptin deficiency or high-fat diet feeding. Lep(ob/ob) mice lacking hepatic Akt2 failed to amass triglycerides in their livers, associated with and most likely due to a decrease in lipogenic gene expression and de novo lipogenesis. However, Akt2 is also required for steatotic pathways unrelated to fatty acid synthesis, as mice fed high-fat diet had reduced liver triglycerides in the absence of hepatic Akt2 but did not exhibit changes in lipogenesis. These data demonstrate that Akt2 is a requisite component of the insulin-dependent regulation of lipid metabolism during insulin resistance.
Radiation diffusion for multi-fluid Eulerian hydrodynamics with adaptive mesh refinement

Block-structured meshes provide the ability to concentrate grid points and computational effort in interesting regions of a flow field, without sacrificing the efficiency and low memory requirements of a regular grid. We describe an algorithm for simulating radiation diffusion on such a mesh, coupled to multi-fluid gasdynamics. Conservation laws are enforced by using locally conservative difference schemes along with explicit synchronization operations between different levels of refinement. In unsteady calculations each refinement level is advanced at its own optimal timestep. Particular attention is given to the appropriate coupling between the fluid energy and the radiation field, the behavior of the discretization at sharp interfaces, and the form of synchronization between levels required for energy conservation in the diffusion process. Two- and three-dimensional examples are presented, including parallel calculations performed on an IBM SP-2.
Photoinduced ionization of arenes on laponite clay: a single-photon process

Abstract Stable pyrene, perylene, anthracene and N,N-tetramethyl phenylenediamine (TMPD) cation radicals are produced thermally or photolytically on laponite clay. The photoproduced ions are stable for hours under vacuum, but eventually recombine to reinstate the arene. The TMPD cation radical is produced mainly through a thermal channel which is unaffected by the presence of oxygen. The other cation radicals are also produced thermally but the yields are greatly increased by exposure to UV light (300 nm) under vacuum. Oxygenated samples exposed to UV radiation produce cation radicals and unknown colored products. The luminescence of pyrene, perylene and TMPD cation radicals on laponite are also reported. Time resolved pulsed laser diffuse reflectance studies show no trace of any trapped electron species within the 400–800 nm spectral range.
rseB, a chromosomal locus that affects the stability of a temperature-specific surface protein mRNA in Tetrahymeana thermaophil

Abstract In Tetrahymena thermophila, the expression of a temperature-specific surface protein known as SerH3 is primarily controlled by a temperature-dependent change in the stability of the mRNA that encodes this protein. At 30 degrees C the SerH3 mRNA displays a half-life of 60 minutes while at 40 degrees C the half-life decreases to only 3 minutes. We used a Tetrahymena mutant cell line (rseB) defective in expression of SerH3 at 30 degrees C to explore the mechanisms involved in temperature-dependent mRNA stability. The results of in vitro nuclear run-off assays and Northern and slot blot analysis of cytoplasmic and nuclear RNAs show that the rseB locus encodes a temperature-sensitive product that has no effect on SerH3 gene transcription or the steady-state levels of SerH3 nuclear RNA. However, the product of this locus does have a dramatic effect on cytoplasmic levels of the SerH3 mRNA at 30 degrees C, indicating that SerH3 gene expression is affected post-transcriptionally within the cytoplasm. To explore the possibility that the rseB locus controls SerH3 mRNA stability we developed an in vitro mRNA decay assay. This assay successfully duplicates the differential decay of the SerH3 mRNA observed in wild-type cells grown at different temperatures. The apparent half-life of the SerH3 mRNA in cytoplasmic extracts derived from cells grown at 30 degrees C is approximately 45 minutes while in cytoplasmic extracts derived from cells grown at 40 degrees C it is only 6 minutes. When similar experiments are performed using extracts prepared from the Tetrahymena rseB cell line, we find that the SerH3 mRNA is only stable in extract prepared from cells grown under conditions in which the mRNA accumulates to detectable levels in the cytoplasm. These results indicate that the product of the rseB locus is a trans-acting cytoplasmic factor that exerts its effect on SerH3 gene expression by regulating SerH3 mRNA stability.
The Solution of Qualitative Comparative Static Problems

Introduction, 278. â€” Setting up the problem for solution, 282. â€” The solution algorithm, 282. â€” Interpretation of the solution, 284. â€” Systems with more than (n + 1) variables, 285. â€” Illustration: a 5 A— 8 macromodel, 286. â€” Solutions with zero elements, 290. â€” Degenerate systems, 291. â€” Constant sign determinants, 292. â€” Appendix, 292.
A Model for the Influence of Pressure on the Bulk Modulus and the Influence of Temperature on the Solidification Pressure for Liquid Lubricants

Two pressure chambers, for compression experiments with liquids from zero to 2.2 GPa pressure, are described. The experimentally measured compressions are then compared to theoretical values given by an isothermal model of equation of state recently introduced for solids. The model describes the pressure and bulk modulus as a function of compression for different types of lubricants with a very high accuracy up to the pressure limit of the high pressure chamber used (2.2 GPa). In addition the influence of temperature on static solidification pressure was found to be a simple function of the thermal expansion of the fluid.
Pulsed Doppler echocardiographic detection of total anomalous pulmonary venous return: Resolution of left atrial line☆

Abstract During precatheterization M mode echocardiographic examination, 33 infants were identified as having findings including right ventricular enlargement and presence of a line within the left atrial portion of the M mode tracing suggesting the possibility of cor triatriatum or total anomalous pulmonary venous return. Pulsed Doppler echocardiography was used to sample blood characteristics on either side of the left atrial line to determine which line was artifactual and which was indicative of an important structure. Five patients whose blood flow characteristics were different on either side of the left atrial line were subsequently proved to have total anomalous pulmonary venous return at cardiac catheterization. In the remaining infants blood flow characteristics were identical on either side of the line, and catheterization excluded total anomalous pulmonary venous return and cor triatriatum. In all patients who had total anomalous pulmonary venous return, drainage involved a persistent left superior vena cava, and this vascular structure was identified by pulsed Doppler examination from the suprasternal notch. Pulsed Doppler echocardiography appears to be a useful technique for resolution of left atrial lines found on M mode echocardiography.
What Is Social Capital

In this book, social capital is reviewed from the standpoint of public health and epidemiology. Only glimpses of the rich and argumentative scholar reasoning are presented in the first part of book, together with a brief overview of the long history of the concept of social capital. Originally applied in the area of education, the concept was later on theoretically defined by sociologists, to finally become a useful instrument in several disciplines. Social capital has been driven through sociology and traveled from sociology through economics to health sciences, and is now acknowledged as an important determinant of health. But who discovered social capital? Intuitively, many scholars from Antiquity to the twentieth century have pointed in their texts to the significance of human social connections in a manner that resembles current, somewhat heterogeneous opinions about social capital. For instance, in his political and social theories, Aristotle presented ideas with similarities to social capital. However, he and his followers did not mention social capital in its contemporary sense.
Modeling the public as a stakeholder in environmental risk decision making

A methodology to provide a structured approach for including multiple stakeholders in risk-based decision-making in environmental restoration is developed. The public is included along with a site owner and regulatory agency as stakeholders in the methodology. Public stakeholder concerns are addressed by expanding the traditional risk assessment process to be more inclusive of risk attributes of concern to the public. The methodology treats stakeholder involvement as the conditional interaction of stakeholder decisions and influences. Studies in risk perception are used to establish the objectives of the public for decision analysis in regards to environmental risk. A conditional influence diagram is used to model and evaluate the decisions and their influence on objectives. The methodology is demonstrated with a conditional influence diagram modeling an actual groundwater contamination problem.
Rationality: A Third Dimension

I want in this paper to do two things. First, I want to respond to some studies that argue that people are often not rational: that people regularly and systematically depart from rationality. The conclusion itself does not worry me. I pressed for the same in a recent book (Schick, 1984). But the arguments seem to me wrong, and wrong in an interesting way. There may be something to be learned from seeing how and why they fail.
Use of Procalcitonin in Patients With Various Degrees of Chronic Kidney Disease Including Renal Replacement Therapy

Procalcitonin (PCT) has been shown to be a useful surrogate marker in identifying patients with various bacterial infections. PCT has been studied as a diagnostic marker in differentiating bacterial pneumonia from other respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations or viral pneumonia. Differentiating bacterial from nonbacterial pneumonia using PCT has shown to reduce antibiotic usage, length of stay, and antibiotic-related adverse effects. PCT has also been studied in patients with sepsis in an effort to reduce unnecessary antibiotic usage and decrease the length of antibiotic therapy. This article focuses on the use of PCT in patients with various degrees of chronic kidney disease in addition to various forms of dialysis, as chronic kidney disease may alter baseline levels of PCT and thus result in inappropriate use of PCT in this population.
Superconvergent extraction of flux intensity factors and first derivatives from finite element solutions

A superconvergent method for the computation of the derivatives of the solution and the coefficients of the asymptotic expansion at singular points is presented for the Laplace problem in two dimensions. The algorithm utilizes the complementary weak form on a localized small domain. Mathematical analysis demonstrates the superconvergent behavior, and numerical experiments support our analysis. This method is well suited for anisotropic multi-material singular interface problems.
CASCADE: a novel quasi all paths-based network analysis algorithm for clustering biological interactions

Quantitative characterization of the topological characteristics of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks can enable the elucidation of biological functional modules. Here, we present a novel clustering methodology for PPI networks wherein the biological and topological influence of each protein on other proteins is modeled using the probability distribution that the series of interactions necessary to link a pair of distant proteins in the network occur within a time constant (the occurrence probability). CASCADE selects representative nodes for each cluster and iteratively refines clusters based on a combination of the occurrence probability and graph topology between every protein pair. The CASCADE approach is compared to nine competing approaches. The clusters obtained by each technique are compared for enrichment of biological function. CASCADE generates larger clusters and the clusters identified have p-values for biological function that are approximately 1000-fold better than the other methods on the yeast PPI network dataset. An important strength of CASCADE is that the percentage of proteins that are discarded to create clusters is much lower than the other approaches which have an average discard rate of 45% on the yeast protein-protein interaction network. CASCADE is effective at detecting biologically relevant clusters of interactions.
Chronic corticosterone exposure persistently elevates the expression of memory-related genes in the lateral amygdala and enhances the consolidation of a Pavlovian fear memory.

Chronic exposure to stress has been widely implicated in the development of anxiety disorders, yet relatively little is known about the long-term effects of chronic stress on amygdala-dependent memory formation. Here, we examined the effects of a history of chronic exposure to the stress-associated adrenal steroid corticosterone (CORT) on the consolidation of a fear memory and the expression of memory-related immediate early genes (IEGs) in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA). Rats received chronic exposure to CORT (50 μg/ml) in their drinking water for 2 weeks and were then titrated off the CORT for an additional 6 days followed by a 2 week ‘wash-out’ period consisting of access to plain water. Rats were then either sacrificed to examine the expression of memory-related IEG expression in the LA or given auditory Pavlovian fear conditioning. We show that chronic exposure to CORT leads to a persistent elevation in the expression of the IEGs Arc/Arg3.1 and Egr-1 in the LA. Further, we show that rats with a history of chronic CORT exposure exhibit enhanced consolidation of a fear memory; short-term memory (STM) is not affected, while long-term memory (LTM) is significantly enhanced. Treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine following the chronic CORT exposure period was observed to effectively reverse both the persistent CORT-related increases in memory-related IEG expression in the LA and the CORT-related enhancement in fear memory consolidation. Our findings suggest that chronic exposure to CORT can regulate memory-related IEG expression and fear memory consolidation processes in the LA in a long-lasting manner and that treatment with fluoxetine can reverse these effects.
Myocardial Cavitational Activity During Continuous Infusion and Bolus Intravenous Injections of Perfluorocarbon-Containing Microbubbles

The 20-MHz component of broadband noise from inertial cavitation within the anterior myocardium of an open-chest dog was recorded during intravenous infusions or injections of perfluorocarbon-containing microbubbles during insonation with a 1.7-MHz harmonic transducer. Intramyocardial cavitational activity was evident even at a mechanical index of 0.2, but it increased significantly as frame rate and mechanical index were increased. The amount of myocardial contrast intensity produced by the microbubbles was increased by variables that reduced cavitational activity (eg, reducing frame rate to 1 every cardiac cycle or decreasing mechanical index). At a mechanical index of 0.2, myocardial contrast could still be observed at 10-Hz frame rates. These results confirm that intramyocardial cavitational activity is present during ultrasound imaging of microbubbles; imaging techniques that reduce cavitational activity increase the magnitude of myocardial contrast.
Real-world comparison of CPU and GPU implementations of SNPrank

Motivation: Bioinformatics researchers have a variety of programming languages and architectures at their disposal, and recent advances in graphics processing unit (GPU) computing have added a promising new option. However, many performance comparisons inflate the actual advantages of GPU technology. In this study, we carry out a realistic performance evaluation of SNPrank, a network centrality algorithm that ranks single nucleotide polymorhisms (SNPs) based on their importance in the context of a phenotype-specific interaction network. Our goal is to identify the best computational engine for the SNPrank web application and to provide a variety of well-tested implementations of SNPrank for Bioinformaticists to integrate into their research. Results: Using SNP data from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium genome-wide association study of Bipolar Disorder, we compare multiple SNPrank implementations, including Python, Matlab and Java as well as CPU versus GPU implementations. When compared with naive, single-threaded CPU implementations, the GPU yields a large improvement in the execution time. However, with comparable effort, multi-threaded CPU implementations negate the apparent advantage of GPU implementations. Availability: The SNPrank code is open source and available at http://insilico.utulsa.edu/snprank. Contact: brett.mckinney@gmail.com
Meiotic competence in horse oocytes: interactions among chromatin configuration, follicle size, cumulus morphology, and season.

Abstract Horse oocytes were collected from an abattoir over a 15-mo period. After classification of follicle size and cumulus morphology, oocytes were either fixed immediately (0 h) or matured in vitro (24 h). There was no effect of season on the number of antral follicles present on the ovaries, or on oocyte maturation rate for any class of oocyte. The proportion of oocytes having condensed chromatin at 0 h increased with increasing follicle size. The oocyte maturation rate also increased with follicle size, and for follicles ≤ 20-mm diameter, was higher for oocytes initially having expanded cumuli than for those having compact cumuli. The maturation rate was strongly correlated (r2 = 0.92) with the proportion of oocytes having condensed chromatin at 0 h. Oocytes with diffuse chromatin were found essentially only in follicles ≤ 20-mm diameter that yielded compact granulosa, indicating follicle viability. Presence of diffuse chromatin was inversely related to maturation rate. We conclude that the major si...
The sharing game: Fairness in resource allocation as a function of incentive, gender, and recipient types.

Economic games involving allocation of resources have been a useful tool for the study of decision making for both psychologists and economists. In two experiments involving a repeated-trials game over twenty opportunities, undergraduates made choices to distribute resources between themselves and an unseen, passive other either optimally (for themselves) but non-competitively, equally but non-optimally, or least optimally but competitively. Surprisingly, whether participants were told that the anonymous other was another student or a computer did not matter. Using such terms as “game” and “player” in the course of the session was associated with an increased frequency of competitive behavior. Males were more optimal than females: a gender-by-incentive interaction was found in the first experiment. In agreement with prior research, participants whose resources were backed by monetary incentive acted the most optimally. Overall, equality was the modal strategy employed, although it is clear that motivational context affects the allocation of resources.
Fiction access points across computer-mediated book information sources: A comparison of online bookstores, reader advisory databases, and public library catalogs

Abstract One of a librarian's more difficult jobs may be helping patrons in an elusive search for a "good book." A variety of online sources are now available to help readers and librarians in their search, but the descriptive capabilities of the resources vary widely. Library and information science (LIS) literature has suggested many schemes and access points for fiction classification. This study compared the records for identical books in a variety of computer-mediated book information sources (CMBIS) in order to find out which resources utilized the access points identified in LIS literature. Results from this study suggest that online bookstores may be effective tools for librarians helping patrons find "good" books because of their increased use of access points. However, reader advisory databases, which contain reviews and subject headings, are occasionally more effective than online bookstores for identifying books published prior to the1990s.
Independent Sources of Quantal Variability at Single Glutamatergic Synapses

Variability in the size of single postsynaptic responses is a feature of most central neurons, although the source of this variability is not completely understood. The dominant source of variability could be either intersynaptic or intrasynaptic. To quantitatively examine this question, a biophysically realistic model of an idealized central axospinous synapse was used to assess mechanisms underlying synaptic variability measurements. Three independent sources of variability were considered: stochasticity of postsynaptic receptors (“channel noise”), variations of glutamate concentration in the synaptic cleft (q), and differences in the potency of vesicles released from different locations on the active zone [release-location dependence (RLD)]. As expected, channel noise was small (8% of the total variance) andq was the dominant source of variability (58% of total variance). Surprisingly, RLD accounted for a significant amount of variability (36%). Our simulations show that potency of release sites decreased with a length constant of100 nm, and that receptors were not activated by release events300 nm away, which is consistent with the observation that single active zones are rarely300 nm. RLD also predicts that the manner in which receptors are added or removed from synapses can dramatically affect the nature of the synaptic response, with increasing receptor density being more efficient than merely increasing synaptic area. Saturation levels and synaptic geometry were also important in determining the size and shape of the distribution of amplitudes recorded at different synapses.
Vulvar tumor in children due to prolapse of urethral mucosa

Abstract Prolapse of the urethral mucosa in childhood most often presents as a painless vulvar mass appearing to be vaginal in origin. The etiologic factors most likely include lack of estrogen, redundancy of the mucosa and laxness of the supporting urethral tissues, and increased intra-abdominal pressure from stress. The diagnosis is made by observing the nature of the protruding mass and establishing its relationship to the vagina and/or urethra by observing voiding and eventually by urethral catheterization. In our hands, the best treatment was simple excision of the prolapsed portion of the urethral mucosa at the external urethral meatus and precise approximation of the urethral mucosal edge to the vestibular mucosa with interrupted sutures. Two thirds of the 12 patients were Negroes. The average age was 5.3 years. In addition to the painless vulvar mass present in all, the next most common symptom was bleeding.
Electromagnetic interference and interaction with complex helicopter structures

Electromagnetic interference and interaction with complex helicopter structures is examined using general purpose electromagnetic codes such as the numerical electromagnetics code (NEC), surface patch (ESP) code and a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) code. The geometry of a generic NASA helicopter model (7:1 scale) is processed using the GEOM which is a general geometry preprocessing code that was developed at Arizona State University. Initially, the interference effect of using two wire antennas on the helicopter is analyzed by examining their effect on the far-field radiation pattern, using the NEC and ESP. Then the FDTD is applied for the simulation of plane wave penetration into the helicopter fuselage which was assumed partially conducting/partially composite. >
Materials' impact on interconnect process technology and reliability

We explain how the manufacturing technology and reliability for advanced interconnects is impacted by the choice of metallization and interlayer dielectric (ILD) materials. The replacement of aluminum alloys by copper, as the metal of choice at the 130-nm technology node, mandated notable changes in integration, metallization, and patterning technologies. Those changes directly impacted the reliability performance of the interconnect system. Although further improvement in interconnect performance is being pursued through utilizing progressively lower dielectric constant (low-k) ILD materials from one technology node to another, the inherent weak mechanical strength of low-k ILDs and the potential for degradation in the dielectric constant during processing pose serious challenges to the implementation of such materials in high-volume manufacturing. We consider the cases of two ILD materials, carbon-doped silicon dioxide and low-k spin-on-polymer, to illustrate the impact of the ILD choice on the process technology and reliability of copper interconnects.
The Effects of Negative Life Events on Alcohol Consumption among older Men and Women

We examined the effect of selected negative life events on changes in alcohol consumption in a prospective cohort study of community-dwelling persons 65 years of age and older. Using the Tension Reduction Hypothesis (TRH) as a framework, we tested the hypothesis that exposure to negative life events leads to increased alcohol consumption at follow-up (1985) after controlling for baseline alcohol consumption (1982) and covariates found to be associated with alcohol use. In addition, we modeled the interaction between exposure to events and baseline alcohol consumption. Among men, four of the eleven events tested were associated with higher alcohol consumption but only as interaction effects. Another two events were associated with decreased alcohol consumption. Among women, four significant interaction effects and two main effects were found in the expected direction. Two additional events were found to be associated with decreased drinking at follow-up. In general, alcohol consumption declined in the aggregate over the three-year period. Implications for the TRH are discussed.
Lipopolysaccharide induces cytokine production and decreases extravillous trophoblast invasion through a mitogen-activated protein kinase-mediated pathway: possible mechanisms of first trimester placental dysfunction

methods and results: In our model of inflammation, EVT cells, isolated following first trimester pregnancy terminations (n ¼ 6) were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS induced a dose-dependent increase in interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-6 protein production (P , 0.01) and decreased EVT invasion (P ¼ 0.01) versus control. The LPS-mediated changes in cytokine production (P , 0.001) and invasion (P , 0.001) were reversed by dexamethasone (DEX). Exposure to LPS resulted in an increase in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway phosphorylation, including p44/42 MAPK (P , 0.01), p38 MAPK (P , 0.05), MAPK extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) (P , 0.01) and stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK; P , 0.001), which was reversed by DEX (P , 0.05) for all MAPKs except p38. MAPK-specific inhibitors to MEK1/2 (U0126), p38 MAPK (SB 202190) and JNK (SP 600125) significantly reversed the LPS-mediated increase in IL-6 (P , 0.001) and IL-8 (P , 0.001) production. While U0126 reversed the LPS-induced decrease in EVT invasion (P , 0.001), SB 202190 (P , 0.001) and SP 600125 (P , 0.001) decreased EVT invasion, further indicating that MEK1/2 phosphorylation may be inflammation dependent while p38 MAPK and JNK phosphorylation occurs independently of an inflammatory stimulus. conclusions: LPS increased IL-8 and IL-6 and decreased EVT invasion through activation of MAPK signaling. MEK1/2 activation may contribute to placental dysfunction, in the setting of inflammation-associated adverse obstetrical outcomes.
Phycornyces: TURGOR PRESSURE BEHAVIOR DURING THE LIGHT AND AVOIDANCE GROWTH RESPONSES

The turgor pressure of the stage 4b sporangiophore of Phycornyces blakesleeanus was continuously measured with a pressure probe before and during a period of increased elongational growth rate elicited by a step-up in blue light fluence rate (a positive light growth response) or by a double-barrier stimulus (avoidance growth response). In these and other experiments it was found that a step-up in turgor pressure between 0.02 and 0.05 MPa may elicit an increase in growth rate that is comparable to those of the light and avoidance growth responses. The results of the present work demonstrate that the turgor pressure does not increase during these growth responses, indicating that the increased growth rate is solely the result of altered cell wall mechanical properties. Further- more, very small decreases in turgor pressure could be detected during the period of increased growth rate. This turgor pressure depression is predicted by the Growth Equations, and provides further support for the conclusion that the light and avoidance growth responses are solely the result of changes in cell wall mechanical properties.
A new approach to cross-layer optimization of multimedia systems

In recent years, cross-layer multimedia system design and optimization has garnered significant attention; however, there is no existing rigorous methodology for optimizing two or more system layers (e.g. the application, operating system, and hardware layers) jointly while maintaining a separation among the decision processes of each layer. Moreover, existing work often relies on myopic optimizations, which ignore the impact of decisions made at the current time on the system's future performance. In this paper, we propose a novel systematic framework for jointly optimizing the different system layers to improve the performance of one multimedia application. In particular, we model the system as a layered Markov Decision Process (MDP), which enables each layer to make autonomous and foresighted decisions that optimize the system's long-term performance.
Using hydraulic conductivity and micropetrography to assess water flow through peat-containing wetlands

Abstract This study focuses on research designed to assess water flow through peat-containing wetlands using hydraulic conductivity (HC) and micropetrography. These goals were accomplished by examining a series of cores taken in a transect through a peat-containing wetland located at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, and comparing these results with similar measurements from a selected suite of samples from a sample bank of highly characterized peats from other localities. The hydraulic conductivity of all samples was measured using ASTM method D4511-00. In addition, all samples were processed into oriented thin sections to determine porosity and other micropetrographic parameters. The results of this study demonstrate that differences in composition of peat layers found with depth in a peatland can affect water flow through the peatland. In general, the highest hydraulic conductivities tended to be found where the peat layers were high in fiber (fibric to hemic) and light in color (e.g., Nymphaea -dominated aquatic peats). For all core samples, a strong positive correlation was seen between hydraulic conductivity and percentages of macropores (pores >50 μm). The equation found in this study to produce the best prediction of hydraulic conductivity from macropore percentage was y =0.0002 x −0.0027, where y =hydraulic conductivity (cm/s) and x =percentage of macropores. This study further suggests that the percentages of macropores in peats could be a very useful tool in developing models to predict both direction and speed of water transport through in situ, multi-layered peatlands; whereas either total porosity or macroporosity could be equally useful as predictors of hydraulic conductivity in: (a) the upper 25 cm of peatlands, (b) in shallow constructed wetlands where peats are not greatly compacted by burial, or (c) in peat-based artificial filtering systems. Some applications of these relationships might include predicting flow of ground water in engineered wetlands used for acid mine drainage, predicting past or present flow through more deeply buried peat deposits, or predicting flow of water or gases through lignites or other low rank coal beds.
Reaching the Excluded Responsibly: The MasterCard Foundation's Strategy for Financial Inclusion

innovations / volume 10, number 1-2 © 2015 Ann Miles Anyone working in international development knows that there is no magic solution for reducing poverty and improving the lives of people affected by it. The story of development is one of persistent and incremental change that enables people living in poverty to overcome barriers and inequities and empowers them to prosper. Financial inclusion is a critical element of such change. What drives that incremental change? While there are many factors, innovation is prime among them. Finding, fostering, and spreading the word about new initiatives that are shown to be effective, including financial inclusion initiatives, is essential. This usually involves putting end-users, the ultimate beneficiaries of financial inclusion programs, at the center of all planning. That is why we at The MasterCard Foundation have client-centered innovation at the heart of our programs, particularly those that promote financial inclusion. The challenges of financial inclusion are well known, as the most recent Global Findex report attests: some two billion people in the world, mostly in developing countries and emerging economies, have no access to the basic financial products and services that many of us take for granted. For people living in poverty, not having the ability to save, borrow, or move money reliably, easily, and inexpensively is a significant impediment to improving their lives1. The good news is that ever more people are finding themselves financially included. While the Findex report outlines the work that still needs to be done, the number of people around the globe who have access to financial products and services has increased by about 20 percent in the past three years—some 700 million adults—bringing the rate of the world’s banked from 51 percent to 62 percent. Why is that good news? Because access to basic financial services is a fundamental necessity that helps people achieve their economic and personal goals: opening a new
The dividend initiation decision : theory and evidence

This paper develops and empirically tests a dynamic sequential equilibrium model of corporate cash payout policy that endogenizes a firm’s dividend initiation decision, and its extreme reluctance to subsequently cut dividends in a sequential equilibrium. After payment of dividends, all excess cash is disgorged via stock repurchases that elicit no price reactions. The theoretical model generates results consistent with many stylized facts related to dividend initiations, including: a positive dividend-initiation announcement effect; a larger (in absolute value) negative announcement effect for a dividend cut/omission than for an initiation; and a probability of dividend initiation that is increasing in the firm’s profitability and assets in place, and decreasing in the personal tax rate on dividends relative to capital gains. The model also generates additional novel predictions: (i) the probability of dividend initiation is decreasing in managerial ownership of the firm, and this effect is stronger the weaker is (external) corporate governance; (ii) the dividend initiation probability is decreasing in the potential loss in value from the “two-audience-signaling” information disclosure costs associated with secondary equity issues. These new predictions are tested empirically using a predictive logit model of dividend initiations, and additional empirical support for the informationdisclosure result is found using a regression discontinuity design.
Vidding: Remix as Affective Media Literacy

This essay explores the relationship between contemporary remix culture and inherited traditions of fan authorship: more specifically, fan-created music videos or “vids” and the practice of vidding. Through the individual and collective process of vidding, fans showcase their own media literacy, educate their viewers about how to read media, and demonstrate how to engage with and speak back to media and culture. Vids model an affective transmedia literacy, a mode of reading that is simultaneously investigative, critical, and engaged.
Trans-national virtual higher education: trends and lessons learned from a decade of practice

Trans-national education, according to UNESCO [1] is education in which the learners are located in a country different from the one where the awarding institution is based. This paper examines the trends in transnational online higher education, as well as lessons learned in the university stampede to jump on the Internet bandwagon a decade or more ago. Despite getting off to a rocky start, traditional and for-profit institutions continue to refine and expand their offerings. International policies and practices continue to embrace trans-national education. Human rights organizations continue to see the potential for reaching disenfranchised people and equalizing education access. Though it all, the world's people continue to demand accessible, relevant, convenient, lifelong learning opportunities and demographics indicate this demand will continue far into the future. The seduction of jumping on the elearning bandwagon is compelling but it is easy to fall off. Any institution getting into this field should be aware of the challenges to success.
the conformation of 4.5-substituted aporphine alkaloids.

Par l'etude des rotations optiques, des spectres de l'ultraviolet, et des modeles moleculaires des alcaloides de l'aporphine, il a ete demontre que dans les aporphines substituees en positions 4 et 5 le systeme biphenyl est rigide et tordu.
Studies on herpes simplex virus. III. The effects of roentgen radiation, cortisone and gastric mucin upon the infectivity of herpes simplex virus for laboratory mice.

It has seemed reasonable to assume that the pathogenesis of recurrent herpetic infection is determined by an alteration in host resistance. The immunological investigation reported previously1 provided no evidence that fluctuations in the titer of autogenous virus or of the antibody circulating in its host influenced the course of infection. Hence, it was of interest to inquire whether herpes simplex virus infection was susceptible to the action of agents capable of altering the natural resistance of the host.
Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder in Veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom in Comparison With Those Veterans of Other Conflicts

ABSTRACTLimited research exists on comparing psychiatric symptomatology in veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) and other conflicts. The present study investigated psychiatric symptoms in 238 treatment-seeking veterans. After controlling for demographic differences, participants from OEF/OIF demonstrated a significantly smaller percentage of full diagnosis post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), smaller percentage of comorbid depression, and less severe self-reported PTSD intrusions than veterans from other conflicts. The present findings may help to explain previously identified differences in treatment outcome in veterans from OEF/OIF and other conflicts.
Defining Quality Indicators for Special Education Technology Research

Historically, the use of technology in special education has been advanced on the basis of marketplace innovations and federal policy initiatives rather than on a compelling research base. This art...