cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for the HIV-1 phenotype switch as a causal factor in acquired immunodeficiency

Both cellular and humoral immunodeficiency develop in vivo after prolonged infection with HIV-1, but the mechanisms are unclear1. Initial infection with HIV-1 is transmitted by macrophage (M)-tropic/non-syncytia-inducing (NSI) viruses2,3, which hyperactivate the immune system4,5, and, in one view, cause immunodeficiency by “exhaustion”4,6 of lymphoid tissue. An alternative hypothesis is that immunodeficiency is caused by the replacement of M-tropic viruses by T cell (T)-tropic/syncytia-inducing (SI) viruses, which are known to be highly cytopathic in vitro and emerge late in infected individuals around the time of transition to AIDS (refs. 1, 7–9). To test these two possibilities, we have developed an ex vivo model of humoral immunity to recall antigens using human lymphoid tissue. This tissue suppo rts productive infection with both M- and T-tropic HIV-1 isolates when cultured ex vivo10,11. We found that specific immune responses were enhanced by productive infection of the tissue with M-tropic/NSI HIV-1 isolates, but were blocked by T-tropic/SI HIV-1 isolates. The mechanism involves specific irreversible effect on B-cell activity. Our results support the hypothesis that the phenotype switch to T-tropic viruses is a key determinant of acquired humoral immunodeficiency in patients infected with HIV.
The nilpotent-centralizer method for spectrally arbitrary patterns

This paper introduces a new criterion for an n×n sign-pattern (respectively, zero–nonzero pattern), A to be spectrally arbitrary; that is to have the property that for each monic real polynomial r(x) of degree n there exists a matrix with sign-pattern (respectively, zero–nonzero pattern) A that has r(x) as its characteristic polynomial. To date, analytic properties of a certain polynomial map associated with A have been used to prove that A is spectrally arbitrary. In this paper, we derive a method that uses the algebraic structure of a certain nilpotent matrix to show that a sign-pattern (respectively, zero–nonzero pattern) is spectrally arbitrary.
Adsorption of thermal D atoms on Sn/Pt(111) surface alloys

Abstract The adsorption of D atoms on Pt(111) and two, well-defined Pt–Sn surface alloys – the p(2×2) Sn/Pt(111) with ΘSn=0.25 ML and ( 3 × 3 ) R30° Sn/Pt(111) with ΘSn=0.33 ML – has been investigated by using TPD in order to probe the influence of alloyed Sn on Pt–D interactions. Because these alloys do not dissociatively chemisorb room-temperature, ground-state D2 under UHV conditions, adsorption of thermal D atoms on the alloys was achieved by using a resistively heated Pt tube source operated at 1300 K. Alloying with Sn decreases the saturation coverage of D adatoms from 0.95 ML on the Pt(111) surface to 0.68 and 0.51 ML on the two alloys, respectively, with increasing Sn concentration. The D atom initial sticking coefficient also decreases from 1 to 0.33 to 0.18 in the same series with increasing Sn concentration in these two Pt–Sn surface alloys. Alloying Sn into the Pt(111) surface initially has no effect on the Pt–D bond dissociation energy, D(Pt–D), with D(Pt–D)=252 kJ mol−1 on both Pt(111) and the (2×2) alloy, but increasing the surface Sn concentration to 0.33 ML and removing the pure-Pt threefold sites in forming the ( 3 × 3 ) R30° alloy causes a 10% decrease in the Pt–D bond energy to 232 kJ mol−1.
Measurements of atmospheric nitrate and nitric acid: The denuder difference experiment

The denuder difference experiment is a relatively simple method of measuring fine particulate nitrate and gaseous nitric acid in the atmosphere while avoiding losses of particulate nitrate caused by sampling artifacts. Results of a field trial in a rural area are presented and show excellent reproducibility and precision even at low ambient concentrations. Values for samples collected over 23 h runs were in the range 0.8–2.1 μm −3for nitric acid and 0.6–1.2 μm−3 for particulate nitrate. During the field test gaseous nitric acid showed strong diurnal changes and particle nitrates did not. Mean day and night-time concentrations for nitric acid were 3.4 and 0.7 μg m−3, respectively; mean day- and night-time concentrations for pariculate nitrate were 1.2 and 0.9 μg m−3, respectively. We also made measurements of nitrate artifacts occurring during collection of aerosols using Teflon and glass fiber filters. In most cases, more than half of the particulate nitrate was lost from Teflon filters. Glass fiber filters collected substantial but varying amounts of nitric acid.
Sub-national cultural policy--where the action is: Mapping state cultural policy in the United States

Abstract This paper argues that cultural policy analysts should turn their analytical attention towards the cultural policies of sub-national levels of government. State level cultural policy has become an increasingly important locus of interest for those who are concerned with the health and stability of the arts, culture, and humanities in American life, and the same is undoubtedly true elsewhere. This rise in the importance of cultural policy at the state level has not been accompanied by a similarly evolving understanding of the cultural policy system that has developed at this sub-national level. Cultural policy at the level of an American state has been the sum total of the more or less independent, uncoordinated activities of a variety of state agencies and allied organizations and institutions. This paper lays out a number of hypotheses concerning what we might be likely to find in such an inquiry and reports some preliminary findings from a cultural policy mapping project in the State of Washington.
Replicating polymer micro-fluidic devices using laser-fabricated glass-ceramic stamps

Laser-based mass production of micro structures may not be suitable in many cases because it is a serial process: devices are fabricated one by one only. Replication techniques for fabricating nano/micro structures have been investigated and developed for a long time and in our work, we present replicating micro structures in polymers using laser fabricated glass-ceramic stamps. A micro stamping process applying heat and pressure, also referred to as hot embossing, can replicate micro structures on polymer surfaces. By reforming thermoplastics, micro features can be transferred to polymer surfaces. Hot embossing normally employs metal and or silicon stamps. In this work, we use a glass-ceramic stamp which can be easily and quickly fabricated with a laser-based pattern transferring technique. In addition, a micro stamping device has been designed and developed for this process. Many micro structures such as micro channels, capillaries, and micro diffusers are produced and the advantages of this process are discussed.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
MIMO Radar Waveforms and Cancellation Ratio

The performance of adaptive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar waveforms is examined. We begin by defining a metric, called "MISO cancellation ratio", for numerically screening MIMO waveforms so as to assess their clutter cancellation performance. Next, we evaluate the MISO cancellation ratio levels provided by a number of MIMO waveform classes. Finally, we describe a new MIMO waveform approach, called "dithered DDMA" (Doppler division multiple access), which enables high performance clutter cancellation over a large range-Doppler region without introducing ambiguous ranges or blind speeds, and without increasing the computational load on the MIMO processor.
The t-discrepancy of a poset

Linear discrepancy and weak discrepancy have been studied as a measure of fairness in giving integer ranks to the points of a poset. In linear discrepancy, the points are totally ordered, while in weak discrepancy, ties in rank are permitted. In this paper we study the t-discrepancy of a poset, which can be viewed as a hybrid between linear and weak discrepancy, in which at most t points can receive the same rank. Interestingly, t-discrepancy is not a comparability invariant while both linear and weak discrepancy are. We show that for a poset P and positive integers t and k, the decision problem of determining whether the t-discrepancy of P is at most k is NP-complete in general; however, we give a polynomial time algorithm for computing the t-discrepancy of a semiorder. We also find the t-discrepancy for posets that are the disjoint sum of chains.
Safety of incomplete incision patterns in femtosecond laser-assisted penetrating keratoplasty.

Purpose To evaluate the wound integrity of incomplete contoured corneal incisions created with a femtosecond laser at a refractive surgery center followed by subsequent patient transfer to a separate surgical facility for penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). Setting Private tertiary referral center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Methods This retrospective consecutive interventional case series comprised 46 eyes that had femtosecond laser PKP. Incomplete contoured incisions were created in the recipient cornea at a refractive surgery center. Patients were then transferred to an ambulatory surgical center for PKP. Results The indications for PKP included keratoconus, corneal scarring, bullous keratopathy, corneal dystrophy, and failed graft. Three incision contours were used: top hat (n = 26), mushroom (n = 13), and zigzag (n = 7). The incomplete portion of the incision was 70.0 to 300.0 μm in length. Leaving 150.0 to 300.0 μm of the lamellar ring cut incomplete did not ensure wound stability, whereas leaving 70.0 to 75.0 μm of the anterior side cut or posterior side cut incomplete provided excellent wound stability. In all eyes, the partial-thickness incisions enabled safe transport of the patient to the operating room without wound rupture, even with subsequent placement of a retrobulbar injection and a Honan balloon. Conclusion Incomplete femtosecond laser incision patterns that left some collagen lamellae intact maintained sufficient corneal strength to allow safe movement of the patient to a surgical facility for PKP.
Relating probability amplitude mechanics to standard statistical models

Abstract The probabilities assessed for an event by a more detailed experiment (e.g., one which measures both a particle's position on a detection screen and which of several slits it traversed to reach that screen) may differ from the probabilities assessed for that same event by a less detailed experiment (e.g., one which only measures the particle's position on the detection screen.) As this paper shows, probability amplitude mechanics writes the detailed experiment probabilities as a weighted average of the less detailed experiment probabilities and some factor measuring the variability overlooked by the less detailed experiment.
Campaigning for Hearts and Minds: How Emotional Appeals in Political Ads Work

Campaigning for Hearts and Minds: How Emotional Appeals in Political Ads Work. By Ted Brader. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006. 280p. $60.00 cloth, $24.00 paper. This book examines the effects of emotions aroused by televised ads in political campaigns. Its psychological theorizing about emotion goes beyond the now-familiar portrait of a “cold-hearted citizen” borrowed from cognitive psychology and rational choice theories. But it also goes beyond the tradition in political behavior research on party identification, candidate evaluations, online processing, and the like of treating affect simply in terms of positive or negative valence. Rather, this research takes seriously the unique features of qualitatively different emotions, building off the “affective intelligence” model of George E. Marcus and colleagues.
Unraveling A Trap-and-Trigger Mechanism in the pH-Sensitive Self-Assembly of Spider Silk Proteins.

When the major ampullate spidroins (MaSp1) are called upon to form spider dragline silk, one of nature’s most amazing materials, a small drop in pH must occur. Using a state-of-the-art simulation t...
Hormone Replacement Therapy and Risk for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Over the past two decades, there has been a significant amount of research investigating the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with regards to neurodegenerative disease. Here, we review basic science studies, randomized clinical trials, and epidemiological studies, and discuss the putative neuroprotective effects of HRT in the context of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder. Findings to date suggest a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and improved cognitive functioning of postmenopausal women who use 17β-estradiol. With regards to Parkinson's disease, there is consistent evidence from basic science studies for a neuroprotective effect of 17β-estradiol; however, results of clinical and epidemiological studies are inconclusive at this time, and there is a paucity of research examining the association between HRT and Parkinson's-related neurocognitive impairment. Even less understood are the effects of HRT on risk for frontotemporal dementia and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder. Limits to the existing research are discussed, along with proposed future directions for the investigation of HRT and neurodegenerative diseases.
Renal and Extrarenal Actions of Klotho

Klotho is a single-pass transmembrane protein highly expressed in the kidney. Membrane Klotho protein acts as a co-receptor for fibroblast growth factor-23. Its extracellular domain is shed from the cell surface and functions as an endocrine substance that exerts multiple renal and extrarenal functions. An exhaustive review is beyond the scope and length of this article; thus, only effects with pertinence to mineral metabolism and renoprotection are highlighted here. Klotho participates in mineral homeostasis via interplay with other calciophosphoregulatory hormones (parathyroid hormone, fibroblast growth factor-23, and 1,25-[OH]2 vitamin D3) in kidney, bone, intestine, and parathyroid gland. Klotho also may be involved in acute and chronic kidney disease development and progression. Acute kidney injury is a temporary and reversible state of Klotho deficiency and chronic kidney disease is a sustained state of systemic Klotho deficiency. Klotho deficiency renders the kidney more susceptible to acute insults, delays kidney regeneration, and promotes renal fibrosis. In addition to direct renal effects, Klotho deficiency also triggers and aggravates deranged mineral metabolism, secondary hyperparathyroidism, vascular calcification, and cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. Although studies examining the therapeutic effect of Klotho replacement were performed in animal models, it is quite conceivable that supplementation of exogenous Klotho and/or up-regulation of endogenous Klotho production may be a viable therapeutic strategy for patients with acute or chronic kidney diseases.
Speaking of flowers: student movements and the making and remembering of 1968 in military Brazil

The era of the Sixties in the USA and Europe has been the subject of a veritable cottage industry of scholarship for more than a decade. The plentitude of memoirs, oral histories and biographies ha...
Phylogenetic distribution of components of the overflow pathway tol-phenylalanine within the enteric lineage of bacteria

The enteric lineage of prokaryotes (traditional enteric bacteria,Aeromonas, andAlteromonas) encompasses closely related genera that share many common character states of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. For example, they uniformly employ the tightly regulated bifunctional P-protein (chorismate mutase: prephenate dehydratase) to forml-phenylalanine via phenylpyruvate. A second, unregulated pathway to phenylalanine, originally termed the overflow pathway inPseudomonas aeruginosa, consists of a monofunctional chorismate mutase (CM-F) and a cyclohexadienyl dehydratase. The evolution of the overflow pathway has been dynamic in the enteric lineage.Serratia marcescens, Erwinia herbicola, Erwinia amylovora, and several otherErwinia species possess an intact pathway.Salmonella, Klebsiella, andErwinia carotovora possess an incomplete overflow pathway, whileEscherichia, Proteus, Aeromonas, andAlteromonas lack it altogether.
A Multidisciplinary Model of Voluntary Employee Turnover.

Abstract This paper proposes a model of employee turnover based upon the existing literature from psychological, sociological, and economic perspectives. Voluntary turnover is posited to have three major classes of determinants: characteristics of the individual employee, work-related factors, and the states of certain economic variables. The model proposes that economic factors serve to control the degree to which individual and work-related factors can explain variation in turnover. It is hypothesized that individual and work-related variables will be more predictive of turnover under prosperous economic conditions than when the economy is strained. The model also proposes four classes of consequences of turnover: individual, organizational-social, organizational-economic, and societal. Recommendations for future turnover research are discussed.
Pair interaction of metal atoms on a metal surface

Pair interactions of tungsten and iridium adatoms on the W {110} plane are studied by measuring two-dimensional pair distributions with two adatoms on a plane. Each distribution contains from 600 to 950 field-ion-microscopy observations. Pair energies over a distance range of \ensuremath{\sim}2.5 to \ensuremath{\sim}50 \AA{} are derived by comparing the experimentally measured pair distributions with the calculated pair distributions for two noninteracting atoms. It is found that Ir-Ir pair interaction exhibits an attractive region at \ensuremath{\sim}5 \AA{} and a repulsive region around 8 \AA{}. If an oscillatory structure exists, its amplitudes decay already to less than \ensuremath{\sim}10 meV beyond 10 \AA{}. The plane edge seems to repel Ir adatoms with a weak long-range force. The W-Ir interaction at a short range is weaker than the Ir-Ir interaction. However, the interaction extends to larger distances. From \ensuremath{\sim}950 observations at 330 K with two adatoms, we derive a pair energy which exhibits two attractive and two repulsive regions, thus strongly suggesting an oscillatory structure. The pair energies derived beyond 25 \AA{} are erratic for both Ir-Ir and W-Ir interactions, most probably because of the limited amount of data available. However, this work represents the first time statistically reliable amounts of data have been obtained for two-dimensional pair distributions with only two adatoms on a plane. The nonmonotonic behaviors of adatom-adatom interaction on the smooth W {110} plane are clearly established.
Iterative procedure for designing two-dimensional FIR filters

We describe a new iterative method to design two-dimensional linear-phase FIR filters with arbitrary magnitude characteristic. The procedure is simple and can be used easily in designing filters of large order. This method is based on the use of the method of projection on to convex sets and can be implemented using the FFT algorithm.
Agrin isoforms and their role in synaptogenesis

Agrin is thought to mediate the motor neuron-induced aggregation of synaptic proteins on the surface of muscle fibers at neuromuscular junctions. Recent experiments provide direct evidence in support of this hypothesis, reveal the nature of agrin immunoreactivity at sites other than neuromuscular junctions, and have resulted in findings that are consistent with the possibility that agrin plays a role in synaptogenesis throughout the nervous system.
Spontaneous Resolution of Atrioventricular Dissociation In Utero

Fetal atrioventricular dissociation is a dysrhythmia associated with significant antenatal and postnatal morbidity and mortality. We present a case of a 19-week-old fetus with atrioventricular dissociation, which spontaneously resolved. The mother had no signs of autoimmune disease. The fetus had an uneventful gestation and, after delivery, had a normal cardiac and transesophageal electrophysiological evaluation.
Robust static and moving object detection via multi-scale attentional mechanisms

Real-time detection of objects in video sequences captured from an aerial platforms is a key task for surveillance applications. It is common to perform expensive frame to frame registration as preprocessing to moving object detection in this type of application, and there is no principled approach to the detection of stationary targets.We explore the Spectral Residual algorithm, 6 a fast linearithmic run time saliency model which requires no training and has no temporal dependencies, and is capable of detecting proto-objects in a single image. In this paper we describe methods for enhancing the Spectral Residual saliency algorithm to generate candidate object detections from video sequences captured from moving platforms. These object candidates can then be passed to a classification module for further processing. We describe a method that makes the Spectral Residual algorithm more robust to natural variances in color images, and a pyramidal approach to make the processes more robust to objects of varying size. Furthermore we describe a technique for processing the resulting saliency map into a set of tight bounding boxes suitable for extracting image regions for classification. These methods result in a system that is fast, robust, and efficient with reliable performance for low SWaP surveillance platforms.
Some considerations on the evolution of current knowledge of tuberculosis in infants and children.

From an early age as a medical man Wallgren was interested in the clinical picture of tuberculosis. Through his numerous publications in this field he has exerted a great influence on current conceptions of tuberculosis in childhood. His largest work, with Miller as a co-author, is “Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Adults and Children” (New York, 1939). The Editorial Committee is happy to have a review in this field presented by Dr Waldo E. Nelson of Philadelphia.
Evolutionary Theory and Self‐perception: Sex Differences in Body Esteem Predictors of Self‐perceived Physical and Sexual Attractiveness and Self‐Esteem

Responses to the body esteem scale (Franzoi & Shields, 1984) and multiple regression were used to determine if evolutionary biological theory is relevant to an understanding of self-perceived physical and sexual attractiveness and selfesteem and to determine if physical and sexual attractiveness are the same construct. It was hypothesized that regression models of physical and sexual attractiveness would differ within and across sex groups and that models of self-esteem would differ across sex groups in accordance with evolutionary theory. These hypotheses were supported. Attributes of the body related to fecundity and successful mothering characteristics predicted for women and attributes of the body related to strength and dominance predicted for men. In addition, attributes of the body dealing with sexual maturity were stronger predictors of sexual attractiveness. Physical and sexual attractiveness are not the same constructs. This research indicates that evolutionary bological theory can provide relev...
Development of a bioartificial pancreas: II. Effects of oxygen on long-term entrapped βTC3 cell cultures

Tissue-engineered pancreatic constructs based on immunoisolated, insulin-secreting cells are promising in providing an effective, relatively inexpensive, long-term treatment for type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes. An in vitro characterization of construct function under conditions mimicking the in vivo environment is essential prior to any extensive animal experimentation. Encapsulated cells may experience hypoxic conditions postimplantation as a result of one or more of the following: the design of the construct; the environment at the implantation site; or the development of fibrosis around the construct. In this work, we studied the effects of 3- and 4-day-long hypoxic episodes on the metabolic and secretory activities and on the levels of intracellular metabolites detectable by phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance ((31)P NMR) of alginate/poly-L-lysine/alginate entrapped betaTC3 mouse insulinomas continuously perfused with culture medium. Results show that, upon decreasing the oxygen concentration in the surrounding medium, the encapsulated cell system reached a new, lower metabolic and secretory state. Hypoxia drove the cells to a more anaerobic glycolytic metabolism, increased the rates of glucose consumption (GCR) and lactate production (LPR), and reduced the rates of oxygen consumption (OCR) and insulin secretion (ISR). Furthermore, hypoxia reduced the levels of intracellular nucleotide triphosphates (NTP) and phosphorylcholine (PC) and caused a rapid transient increase in inorganic phosphate (P(i)). Upon restoration of the oxygen concentration in the perfusion medium, all parameters returned to their prehypoxic levels within 2 to 3 days following either gradual unidirectional changes (ISR, NTP, PC) or more complicated dynamic patterns (OCR, GCR, LPR). A further increase in oxygen concentration in the perfusion medium drove OCR, ISR, NTP, PC, and P(i) to new, higher levels. It is concluded that (31)P NMR spectroscopy can be used for the prolonged noninvasive monitoring of the bioenergetic changes of encapsulated betaTC3 cells occurring with changes in oxygen tension. The data also indicate that the oxygen-dependent states might be related to the total number of viable, metabolically active cells supported by the particular oxygen level to which the system is exposed. These findings have significant implications in developing and non-invasively monitoring a tissue-engineered bioartificial pancreas based on transformed beta cells, as well as in understanding the biochemical events pertaining to insulin secretion from betaTC3 insulinomas.
The Past and Present Cultural Experiences of Adopted Korean American Adults

This study used a mixed-method approach to examine the past and present cultural life experiences of Korean adult adoptees. Open-ended responses across four developmental periods (childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and adulthood) were qualitatively analyzed and categorized into seven categories of cultural activities. We then quantitatively investigated the relationship between these domains and ethnic identity. Ethnic identity was positively correlated with only cultural experiences from young adulthood. The practical relevance of the research findings to adopted adults and adoptive families is discussed.
Transport coefficients for the equilibration of spatial interaction processes

Abstract In a neighborhood of the equilibrium solution of a doubly constrained gravity model of spatial interaction, or of a transportation problem, feasible solutions can be linearly approximated with the use of phenomenological (transport) coefficients. Paths to equilibrium can then be projected. Procedures for computing these coefficients—second-order derivatives of the entropy or the energy with respect to attractivity, emissivity, and distance deterrence parameters— are discussed.
Launching GUPPI: the Green Bank Ultimate Pulsar Processing Instrument

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is launching the Green Bank Ultimate Pulsar Processing Instrument (GUPPI), a prototype flexible digital signal processor designed for pulsar observations with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT). GUPPI uses field programmable gate array (FPGA) hardware and design tools developed by the Center for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research (CASPER) at the University of California, Berkeley. The NRAO has been concurrently developing GUPPI software and hardware using minimal software resources. The software handles instrument monitor and control, data acquisition, and hardware interfacing. GUPPI is currently an expert-only spectrometer, but supports future integration with the full GBT production system. The NRAO was able to take advantage of the unique flexibility of the CASPER FPGA hardware platform, develop hardware and software in parallel, and build a suite of software tools for monitoring, controlling, and acquiring data with a new instrument over a short timeline of just a few months. The NRAO interacts regularly with CASPER and its users, and GUPPI stands as an example of what reconfigurable computing and open-source development can do for radio astronomy. GUPPI is modular for portability, and the NRAO provides the results of development as an open-source resource.
Evaluating single-case research data for systematic review: A commentary for the special issue

The purpose of this commentary is to provide observation on the statistical procedures described throughout this special section from the perspective of researchers with experience in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of single-case research to address issues of evidence-based practice. It is our position that both visual and statistical analyses are complimentary methods for evaluating single-case research data for these purposes. Given the recent developments regarding the use of single-case research to inform evidence-based practice and policy, the developments described in the present issue will be contextualized within the need for a widely accepted process for data evaluation to assist with extending the impact of single-case research. The commentary will, therefore, begin with providing an overview of the conceptual underpinnings of a systematic review of single-case research and will be followed by a discussion of several features that are essential to the development of a conceptually sound and widely used statistical procedure for single-case research. The commentary will conclude with recommendations and guidelines for the use of both visual and statistical analyses within primary research reports and recommendations for future research.
Chemical-mechanical polishing of PECVD silicon nitride

This paper presents results of our study of the chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) silicon nitride with both alumina-powder-based and colloidal-silica-based slurries. The polish rate, polish rate uniformity and nitride surface condition were used as primary metrics, with nitride surface chemistry from ex-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface roughness from atomic force microscopy for more detailed evaluation. Excellent CMP results (polish rate of 70 nm min−1, 4% uniformity across 125 mm diameter wafers, little change in nitride surface chemistry, as low as 0.2 nm average surface roughness) were obtained with a colloidal silica-based slurry and commercial pads. PECVD nitride stacks such as SiNx/SiO2/Si and SiNx/Ta/SiO2/Si demonstrate a three-fold increase in polish rate with thick metal underlayers. Colloidal silica-based slurries used for polishing oxides are a viable starting slurry chemistry for nitride polishing, with additional oxidizers improving both uniformity for thin remaining nitride (< 150 nm) and surface roughness.
When Users Interfere with Protocols: Prospect Theory in Wireless Networks using Random Access and Data Pricing as an Example

Game theoretic models have found widespread use in the analysis and engineered system design of radio resource management algorithms for a wide variety of systems such as cellular, ad hoc and sensor networks. The fundamental principle behind such models and much of game theory has been the reliance on Expected Utility Theory (EUT). Motivated by the increasing amount of end-user control afforded in programmable radio devices, we envision a scenario where end-user actions essentially "interfere" with the underlying engineered system design. As an exemplary scenario, we consider in this paper wireless random access where players follow the precepts of Prospect Theory (PT), a theory developed by Kahneman and Tversky to explain real-life decision making that often deviates from the behavior expected under EUT. Specifically, we consider a game where selfish players adjust their transmission probabilities over a random access channel under throughput rewards, delay penalties and energy costs. By analyzing the Nash Equilibrium achieved, we prove under mild conditions that deviations from EUT results in degradation of system throughput while increasing delay and energy consumption. Finally, we consider a data pricing model and study the impact of end-user decision-making (i.e., players service choices) at the NE on wireless network performance.
Effects of feeding corn modified wet distillers grain plus solubles co-ensiled with direct-cut forage on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and diet digestibility of finishing steers.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding corn modified wet distillers grain plus solubles (MWDGS) co-ensiled with direct-cut forage (DC) to beef steers, on feedlot performance and total tract digestibility. In Exp. 1, sixty-four crossbred Angus steers (n = 64; 329 ± 43 kg) were blocked by BW and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments: 1) corn-silage and soybean meal (CON), 2) DC co-ensiled with MWDGS (CO-EN), 3) haylage mixed with MWDGS at feeding (H+WDG), and 4) haylage mixed with dry distillers grains plus solubles at feeding (H+DDG). Steers were harvested when they reached an endpoint of 1.1 cm of 12th-rib back fat. In Exp. 2, four ruminally cannulated beef steers (initial BW = 556 ± 31 kg) were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square to evaluate digestibility of diets used in Exp. 1. Experimental periods were 14 d in length with 10 d for diet adaptation and 4 d for sample collection. Three linear orthogonal contrasts were used to compare effects of 1) CON vs. diets containing distillers grains (DGD), 2) CO-EN vs. diets where distillers grains were mixed at feeding (MIX), and 3) H+WDG vs. H+DDG. In Exp. 1, DMI was less (P 0.10) in DM, OM, or N intakes were observed. Apparent total tract DM (P = 0.01) and N (P = 0.02) digestibility were greatest in steers fed CON compared with all others. Steers fed DGD had less (P = 0.02) rumen NH(3) concentrations compared with CON. The CON diet resulted in greater molar concentrations of VFA (P = 0.03) and decreased acetate to propionate ratio (P = 0.03) compared with all DGD. These data suggest that feeding MWDGS co-ensiled with direct-cut forage results in reduced diet digestibility but equal or greater feedlot performance and similar carcass and characteristics when compared with a corn diet supplemented with soybean meal and diets where MWDGS and DDGS were added at the mixer.
Core Formation in Earth's Moon, Mars, and Vesta

Abstract Stimulated by new experimental results on metal/silicate partitioning of elements at elevated temperatures and pressures, we have revisited the question of core formation in Earth's Moon, Mars, and Vesta (the probable source of the eucritic meteorites). Earlier studies suggested metal/silicate equilibrium in Mars, but led to the paradox that Mars accreted homogeneously while the Earth accreted heterogeneously. Using new elevated pressure and temperature metal/silicate partition coefficients, we show that abundances of the moderately siderophile elements in the mantles of the Moon, Mars and Vesta are consistent with early magma oceans on these bodies. The most successful model for explaining the lunar mantle siderophile element abundances requires a core of 5% of the mass of the Moon (500-km radius). Siderophile element abundances in Mars are consistent with intermediate pressure metal–silicate equilibrium, as has also been recently suggested for the Earth. The most successful model for explaining the martian siderophile element abundances requires a bulk planetary composition that has greater than CI chondritic abundances of the moderately siderophile elements, and a core of 30% of the mass of Mars. Siderophile element abundances in the mantle of Vesta are consistent with low pressure liquid metal–liquid silicate equilibrium, as expected for an asteroid-sized body, and a core of 10% of the mass of Vesta. Comparison of our best-fit oxygen fugacities for Vesta with thermodynamic calculations of oxygen fugacity for silicate-bearing iron meteorites indicates that parts of the inner solar system were homogeneous with respect to redox state at 4.5 Ga, approximately 2 log fO2units below the Fe–FeO buffer—much higher than estimates for the solar nebula. Similar comparisons for Mars and the Earth indicate that these bodies have undergone oxidation since 4.5 Ga, because the oxygen fugacities associated with metal–silicate equilibrium in both Mars and the Earth–Moon system are much lower than those recorded in martian and terrestrial basaltic and periodotitic samples. The oxidation on Mars is most likely due to atmospheric effects, whereas Earth's much wider range of oxygen fugacities must be due to both atmospheric and plate tectonic effects.
The impact of depot GnRH agonist on AMH levels in healthy reproductive-aged women.

Context: GnRH agonists (GnRHa) are being used experimentally in an attempt to preserve fertility in young female cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) produced by ovarian granulosa cells may serve as a marker of ovarian reserve, but it is not clear whether this marker is useful during GnRHa treatment. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a depot GnRHa on AMH levels. Design: Depot leuprolide (3.75 mg) was administered in the midluteal phase (MLP) in healthy women. Assessments of AMH, FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone were performed in the early follicular phase (EFP) and MLP before GnRHa treatment and approximately 7, 14, and 30 days after GnRHa administration. Setting: The study was conducted in a university research center. Patients: Participants were 33 healthy, premenopausal women aged 18 to 45 years old with regular menses. Results: EFP and MLP AMH levels were similar before GnRHa administration. Relative to MLP AMH levels, AMH decrease...
Phentolamine but not propranolol blocks the immunopotentiating effect of cold stress on antigen-specific IgM production in mice orally immunized with sheep red blood cells.

Abstract The effect of cold stress on immunocompetence was investigated in mice intragastrically intubated with sheep red blood cells. Cold stress was found to consistently augment total IgG and IgM production by splenic lymphocytes. In addition, antigen-specific IgM production by cultured splenic lymphocytes obtained from cold stressed animals was enhanced compared to unstressed mice. However, serum levels of total and antigen-specific immunoglobulins were suppressed or unaltered following cold stress. The α-adrenoceptor antagonist, phentolamine, could block the effects mediated by cold stress while the β-adrenoceptor antagonist, propranolol, potentiated the action of cold stress. Taken together, the data indicate cold stress-mediated enhancement in immunoglobulin production by orally immunized animals takes place through the activation of α-adrenergic pathways. The results also suggest α- and β-adrenergic pathways independently regulate antibody production following oral administration of antigen. These observations illustrate the integrative nature of the immune and neuroendocrine systems.
Transforming growth factor-β1 serves as an autocrine inhibitor of human endothelial cell/lymphocyte adhesion

Other investigators have shown that exogenously administered transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) inhibits lymphocyte adherence to vascular endothelial cells (VEC). We examined the role of TGF-beta 1 as an autocrine mediator of lymphocyte adhesion to adult human VECs. VECs were harvested from eight saphenous or cadaveric iliac veins using 0.2% collagenase. Low-passage VECs in MCDB + 0.1% BSA were pretreated for 24 hr with monoclonal anti-TGF-beta 1 antibody (5 micrograms/ml), LPS (5 micrograms/ml), or IL-1 (10 U/ml). Adherence of fluorescently labeled lymphocytes to pretreated VECs was quantitated and results were expressed as relative adhesion compared to untreated control. Total mRNA from LPS- or IL-1-treated VECs was subjected to Northern analysis to determine relative TGF-beta 1 expression. Total TGF-beta 1 protein concentration in supernatants from LPS- or IL-1-treated VECs was determined by ELISA. Data (means +/- SEM) were analyzed by ANOVA with a Newman-Keuls posttest. Neutralizing endogenous TGF-beta 1 with anti-TGF-beta 1 antibody significantly increased adhesion of lymphocytes to VEC monolayers compared to control (125 +/- 3 vs 101 +/- 2%, P < 0.01, n = 8). The level of adhesion was equivalent to that seen with IL-1 stimulation (131 +/- 6%). Spearman correlation of lymphocyte adherence to IL-1- or LPS-treated VECs vs TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression or vs relative TGF-beta 1 protein concentration showed significant inverse relationships (r = -0.82, P < 0.001, and r = -0.87, P < 0.001, respectively). Endogenous TGF-beta 1's inhibitory effect on lymphocyte adhesion was blocked by a specific neutralizing antibody. VEC TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression and TGF-beta 1 production were inversely proportional to lymphocyte adhesion, suggesting down-regulation of TGF-beta 1 in response to proinflammatory cytokines. Together, these observations support the hypothesis that TGF-beta 1 has an autocrine inhibitory role in regulation of lymphocyte adhesion to VECs.
Application of logotherapy in small sharing groups.

During the past five years I have been leading small sharing groups, applying the principles of logotherapy as developed by Viktor E. Frankl.1 The groups met at the First Unitarian Church of Berkeley and at Unitarian summer conferences; at growth centers, such as Esalen, in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas; as part of extension classes for the University of California at Berkeley and San Francisco and the California State College at Sonoma; for the California Human Services Organization; and for suburbanites who planned to join in experiments in communitarian living. Logotherapy, as developed by Frankl in the thirties and tested in the merciless laboratory of Nazi concentration camps, is based on three assumptions: that life has meaning under all, even the most hopeless, circumstances; that every person has a will to meaning that goes deeper than does Freud's will to pleasure and Adler's will to power; and that everyone has, within obvious limits, the freedom to find meaning.2 Logotherapy is translated as "healing through meaning." In the sharing groups I interpret "healing" in the widest possible sense: the participants are not "sick," but simply frustrated, trapped by circumstances, unfulfilled, caught in unwanted patterns, unhappy, not living up to their potentials, or suffering from an inner emptiness that Frankl has termed the "existential vacuum." Healing takes place when they fill their vacuum with the specific meanings of their lives rather than accepting their emptiness in despair or filling it with popular surrogates such as hedonistic pleasures, alcohol, drugs, "busyness," power, money, or prestige. "Meaning" is interpreted on two levels. The first?Meaning with a capital M?is seen as an awareness that, in spite of apparent chaos, there is order in the universe; while chance exists, things somehow hang together, even if I, as an individual, cannot always perceive the connections; I am part of that order, and it is my decision to partake in, ignore, or resist that order; it does, therefore, make a difference what I decide to do or not do. My participation in the universal order may take place within the framework of any belief?religious, atheistic, or humanistic. It makes no difference whether the order is called "God," "life force," "nature," or?to use a modern
Preterm premature rupture of the membranes is associated with a reduction in neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of preterm premature rupture of the membranes on the frequency of respiratory distress syndrome among singleton pregnancies that are complicated with preterm delivery. Study Design: We performed a retrospective analysis of singleton pregnancies that were delivered between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation. Patients were categorized on the basis of membrane integrity into two groups: ruptured versus intact. All patients received prophylactic antibiotics and a single course of antenatal betamethasone. Data were analyzed with the Student t test, the χ 2 test, and the Fisher exact test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the effect of possible confounding variables that were considered risk factors for respiratory distress syndrome. Probability values of Results: A total of 366 patients were included (99 patients in the preterm premature rupture of the membranes group and 267 patients in the intact membranes group). Patients were delivered at 30.7 ± 2.9 and 30.1 ± 2.7 (mean ± SD) weeks of gestation, with birth weights of 1620 ± 594 and 1417 ± 501 g, respectively. The frequency of respiratory distress syndrome in the neonate was significantly lower in the preterm premature rupture of the membranes group than in their intact counterparts (17% vs 39%, P Conclusion: In the clinical setting of delivery before 34 weeks of gestation, preterm premature rupture of the membranes is associated with a significant decrease in the frequency of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:268-72.)
Influence of Inspection of a Visually Curved Field on Kinesthetic Figural After-Effects:

The occurrence of figural afcer-effects in kinesthesis has been demonstrated (Gibson, 1933; Nachmias, 1953). Jaffe (1956) has shown that stimulation in one sensory modality (vision) can lead to figural after-effects in a second modality (kinesthesis). In his study, the tactual perception of the width of a strip of metal was altered depending upon the width of a previously perceived visual stimulus. The present experiment also examines intermodality (visual upon kinesthetic) figural afcer-effects of shape or curvacure. Procedure.-For 14 min. 24 undergraduates, 12 men and 12 women, inspected a white visual field upon which were straight horizontal black lines. Ss wore 25 prism dioprer lenses. For half of the Ss the lenses curved the bladc lines in a convex direction, and for the other half the lenses curved the lines in a concave direction. Upon removal of the lenses after 14 min., Ss looked at the lines and were given 3 trials, during each of which they ran both hands over the length of a flat metal rod which was in front of them but hidden from view. S reported curvature and direction of such curvature for each trial. Unknown to S, even though E appeared to be adjusting the metal rod, the rod was straight for all three trials. Following the three trials, S reported any curvature and direction of curvacure in the black-lined field. Rera1ts.-Ss' three tactual judgments were combined into one score; up, down, or straight. Any directional tendency for the combined three judgments was scored in the appropriate direction (i.e., up, straight, up, was scored "up," down, up, down, was scored "down," etc.). Complete variability in the three judgments (up, straight, down) was scored as "no direction." A test for sex differences revealed no significant differences (x2 = .02, p = .90 > .80), hence Ss were combined into one group. Experiments have shown that figural after-effects are displaced away from the previously satiated locus, and it was expected that the curvacure in the kinesthetic figural after-effect would be in the opposite direccion from the visually perceived curvature. Each S's score (up, down, or no direction) was, therefore, converted into a score in the expected direction (opposite to the visual curvature), in the opposite direction (the same as the visual curvature) or left as a "no direction" score. Table 1 indicates that 12 of the 24 Ss reported an effect in the expected direction, 1 S reported an effect in the opposite direccion, and 11 Ss reported no effect. A one-tailed sign test, corrected for continuity and splitting the "no effect" Ss into the expected and opposite direction groups, was used to test for