cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Convenient Untruth: Fact and Fantasy in the Doctrine of Odious Debts (with response: Reflections on 'a Convenient Untruth')

The few years since the U.S. incursion into Iraq in 2003 have witnessed an explosion in the literature on odious debts - that is, debts incurred (a) without the consent of the people (e.g., by a despotic regime); (b) from which no benefits accrued to the people; and (c) when the creditors had knowledge of the foregoing. The key question in the literature is whether successors to the despotic regime are obligated to pay the debts of the despot. That is, whether the newly democratic nation of Iraq is obligated to pay the debts of Saddam Hussein. The starting point for almost every discussion - scholarly or popular - of this doctrine is an obscure legal scholar named Alexander Nahum Sack, variously described as the pre-eminent scholar on public debts of his time, a former minister to Tsar Nicholas II, and a Russian professor of law who penned the doctrine of odious debts while teaching in Paris. This Article excavates the background of Alexander Sack, separating the reality of his life from the myth perpetuated in the odious debts literature. Instead of the heroic and eminent Tsarist exile, the evidence reveals a peripatetic legal scholar who taught in five different universities on two continents, and after being fired from a tenured position, ended his life penniless. We are left then with these questions: What does the reality of Sack mean for the legal status of the odious debts doctrine? And how is it that he achieved this iconic status when even minimal inquiry would have revealed a far more murky reality?
A Review of “Global Perspectives in the Geography Curriculum: Reviewing the Moral Case for Geography”: Standish, Alex. 2009. London: Routledge. 209 pp. with notes, illustrations, and index. $42.95, paperback

This conclusion will show that Global Perspectives in the Geography Curriculum amounts to much more than a reflection on a post-national world. Indeed, its deconstruction of the nation state, its p...
When lack of practice helps: Retrieval following single presentations of categorized lists

Subjects were given a single presentation of a list of 8, 12, or 16 words, taken from one conceptual category. After attempting to recall the list words, they were given a reaction time retrieval test. Positive probes were taken from the list, and negative probes were taken from outside the list category. Reaction time did not differ with the number of memory list words for either type of probe. This is in contrast with results of previous experiments, which stressed careful memorization of the memory list and found increases in reaction time with number of memory words. The results suggest a holistic retrieval process.
Axonal degeneration in the peripheral optic pathway of the cat.

Abstract Various unilateral optic nerve operations were performed intraorbitally in 26 cats; postoperative survival ranged from 4 days to 15 months. Unilateral lesions of the optic tract were made in four cats which were allowed to survive 7–14 days. In two other cats both optic tracts were destroyed 6 and 9 months after each had undergone transection of one optic nerve, and they were allowed to live for an additional 14 days. Paraffin sections of the optic nerve were prepared with Bodian's method to study the resultant degeneration as well as the normal fibers in different nerve segments. The results suggest that Wallerian disintegration of cat afferent (centripetal) optic fibers begins at the seventh day and is complete within 2 months after injury. Overt retrograde dissolution of afferent fibers takes place only after 3 months, and the process is not complete even after 15 months postoperatively. Our data suggest that efferent (centrifugal) optic fibers do not exist in the cat. Retraction bulbs and “preserved” fibers may well have resulted in mistaken identification of mammalian efferent fibers as reported in the literature.
Meta-analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer.

Background. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a minimally invasive way to diagnose axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases in breast cancer. The most important features are ability to identify the SLN (I.D. rate), how often the SLN and ALN pathology match (concordance), and how often the SLN is negative for cancer when the ALNs are positive (false negative). Technique and patient criteria for SLNB vary among studies. This study performed meta-analysis of published studies to determine the I.D., concordance, and false negative rate (1) overall and for (2) both blue dye and radiocolloid, (3) the injection method, (3) palpable and nonpalpable ALNs, and (4) invasive and in situ disease. Methods. Inclusion criteria were patients with breast cancer who had SLNB followed by ALN dissection with H&E staining. Meta-analysis was performed using analysis of variance with each observation weighted inversely to its variance. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results. Eleven studies (n = 912) met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 762 (84%) SLNs were identified, concordance was 747/762 (98%), and 15/296 (5%) were falsely negative. Highest I.D. rates (P < 0.05) were reported with albumin radiocolloid or dye + radiocolloid (97 and 94%, respectively), with injection around an intact tumor (96%), with invasive cancer (95%), and in the clinically negative axilla (96%). Concordance and false negative rates did not vary. Conclusions. The SLN can be identified in over 97% of patients if certain techniques and inclusion criteria are used. SLNB reflects the status of the axilla in 97% of cases and has a 5% false negative rate.
Field Studies on the Effect of Pesticides on the Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and Parasitism by Diadegma insulare (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

The effects of pesticides on the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), and parasitism by Diadegma insulaTe (Cresson) was studied at the Michigan State University Entomology Research Farm during July and August 1990. The range of diamondback moth parasitism from three different locations in Michigan was 60.8–83.3%. Pesticides used were Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki (Berliner), thiodicarb, thiodicarb + B. thuringiensis , chlorpyrifos, permethrin, ICIA 0321 (pyrethroid), and esfenvalerate. Diamondback larval moth mortality was not Significantly different among the treated plots but was significantly higher than in untreated plots 3 d after spraying. The change in number of diamondback moth larvae (0 versus 3 d), and diamondback moth and D. insulare pupae (0 versus 6 d) was similar in all treatments. Parasitism by D. insulare in treated plots was not affected 6 d after spraying with any pesticide tested. Mean percentage parasitism by D. insulare in guard rows was also not different. However, the percentage parasitism in cages 3 d after treatment with permethrin, azinphosmethyl, or B. thuringiensis or untreated was 7.8, 13.3, 81.5, and 79.4%, respectively. Parasitism by D. insulare of the diamondback moth larvae seems to be influenced by the vegetation or refuge plants present outside the experimental plots. Diamondback moth parasitism by D. insulare may not be affected severely if pesticides are judiciously used.
Changes of Headspace Volatiles in Milk with Riboflavin Photosensitization

Effects of fluorescent light, riboflavin, ascorbic acid, sodium azide, and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) on the volatiles in milk at 4 degrees C were determined using a combination of headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME), gas chromatography (GC), and mass spectrometry (MS). Pentanal, hexanal, heptanal, and dimethyl disulfide were formed only in the milk stored under light and increased significantly as the duration of light exposure increased from 0 to 8 h and the concentration of added riboflavin increased from 5 to 50 ppm (P 0.05). Sodium azide prevented the formation of dimethyl disulfide in milk, implying that dimethyl disulfide can be formed through singlet oxygen oxidation (type II pathway). Addition of ascorbic acid and BHA reduced the formation of hexanal, heptanal, and dimethyl disulfide significantly (P < 0.05). Generation mechanisms of pentanal seem to be different from those of hexanal and heptanal in milk. Both singlet oxygen oxidation (type II pathway) and free radicals (type I pathway) play important roles in the formation of light-induced volatiles in milk.
In-plane all-photonic transduction with differential splitter using double-step rib waveguide for photonic microcantilever arrays.

We report a differential splitter consisting of an asymmetric double-step multimode rib waveguide and a Y-branch splitter for in-plane photonic transduction of photonic microcantilever deflection. Arrays of photonic microcantilevers are integrated with differential splitters and an optical waveguide network to demonstrate uniformity and sensitivity of transduction. Measurement results from multiple arrays indicate a sensitivity of 0.32×10−3 nm−1 and minimum detectable deflection of 141 pm for a 3.5 Hz measurement bandwidth.
Leveraging partnerships to internationalize the liberal arts college: Campus internationalization and the faculty

Liberal arts colleges face particular challenges in using institutional partnerships as a vehicle for internationalization.
Scleromyxedema: a complete response to prednisone.

Scleromyxedema is a disorder characterized by a typical rash due to the accumulation of mucin in the dermis. It is always associated with a monoclonal protein in the serum and can have a wide variety of systemic manifestations. We describe a 40-year-old woman who had scleromyxedema associated with a monoclonal G λ protein. Severe systemic symptoms included fatigue, esophageal dysmotility, and myopathy. Symptoms resolved completely with oral prednisone therapy, and she remained in clinical remission 24 months after use of prednisone was discontinued. Scleromyxedema is commonly treated with alkylating agents, which have been associated with pronounced morbidity and mortality. We suggest that oral corticosteroid therapy may be a reasonable initial choice for treating this disease and that alkylating agents be beserved for corticosteroid-refractory disease.
Global-local duality in eternal inflation

We prove that the light-cone time cutoff on the multiverse defines the same probabilities as a causal patch with initial conditions in the longest-lived metastable vacuum. This establishes the equivalence of two measures of eternal inflation which naively appear very different (though both are motivated by holography). The duality can be traced to an underlying geometric relation which we identify.
Optimization of stimulus parameters for selective peripheral nerve stimulation with multi-contact electrodes

This study describes a method for optimizing selective stimulus parameters for multi-contact peripheral electrodes. Overlap between pairs of contacts is quantified by the deviation in their combined response from linear addition of their individual responses. Mathematical models are fit to recruitment and overlap data, and a cost function is defined to maximize recruitment and minimize overlap between all contacts. Results are presented for two four-contact nerve-cuff electrodes stimulating bilateral femoral nerves of one human subject with spinal cord injury. Knee extension moments between 11.6 and 17.2 Nm are achieved through two contacts of each nerve-cuff with less than 10% overlap between each pair of contacts. These results suggest that optimization can provide an automated means of determining stimulus parameters to achieve strong, selective muscle contractions through multi-contact peripheral nerve electrodes.
CHARACTERIZATION OF A BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS) KIDNEY EPITHELIAL CELL LINE

Abstract: An epithelial cell line, Carvan dolphin kidney (CDK), isolated from a prematurely born female bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, exhibited growth characteristics not previously reported for cetacean cells in culture. CDK cells were cytokeratin positive and demonstrated a maximum doubling time of 1.31 days, with plating and colony forming efficiencies approaching 100% for the early population doublings. Despite an unusually efficient colony-forming ability and rapid growth, these cells were neither transformed nor immortal, displaying normal contact inhibition, anchorage dependence, and the requirement for high concentrations of fetal bovine serum in the growth medium. CDK cells exhibited age-dependent changes in growth rate, colony-forming efficiency, and cytoplasmic profile, and showed a finite lifespan of about 50 population doublings and a stable 2N = 44 karyotype which correlates with previously reported cytogenetic analyses. Velocity sedimentation analysis showed that CDK cells contained nuclear aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ah), indicating their potential to be induced for cytochrome P450. These data suggest that CDK cells may have utility as an in vitro toxicological model for evaluating hydrocarbon contaminant effects on Tursiops truncatus, a protected marine mammal.
Sjögren's syndrome and its relation to connective tissue diseases

Abstract The immunological, clinical, histopathological, radiological, and other laboratory features that characterize Sjogren's syndrome have been described. The description was based on a study of 57 cases of Sjogren's syndrome at the National Institutes of Health, together with numerous reports from the literature. The association with other connective tissue diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma, and certain changes which these disorders and Hashimoto's thyroiditis share in common with Sjogren's syndrome were discussed. The pathogenetic implication of the unusual frequency of circulating auto-antibodies and of the aggregation of these antibodies among first degree relatives was speculated upon. The answer to this challenging question must await acceptable laboratory evidence which, it is hoped, future studies will produce.
Objective and subjective assessment of physician labor and resource utilization in maintenance percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of nonthrombosed hemodialysis arteriovenous fistulas versus arteriovenous grafts.

Abstract Purpose To complement prior studies that have shown that arteriovenous fistula (AVF) thrombectomies require more time and equipment than arteriovenous graft (AVG) thrombectomies by measuring work via established instruments to determine whether there is also a difference in maintenance percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of nonthrombosed AVFs versus AVGs. Materials and Methods PTA procedures performed on a consecutive cohort of 42 patients with AVFs and 27 patients with AVGs were prospectively compared. To quantify resource utilization, procedure time and disposable equipment were measured. Established instruments developed by the American Medical Association for Current Procedural Terminology code valuation were used to measure subjective "physician work," including mental effort and judgment, technical skill, physical effort, and psychological stress. These items were scored by 1 of 12 attending interventional radiology physicians performing the procedure. Results Mean PTA procedure time was 74 minutes (range, 18–183 minutes) for AVFs and 71 minutes (range, 28–204 minutes) for AVGs; hemostasis time was 12 minutes for AVFs and 11 minutes for AVGs. There was no significant difference in equipment use between groups. "Physician work" for AVFs scored significantly higher in four categories ( P ≤ .05). Conclusions Using established subjective instruments, maintenance PTA of AVFs was scored as more cognitively, physically, and psychologically demanding than maintenance PTA of AVGs. However, there was no significant difference in resource utilization between maintenance PTA of AVFs versus AVGs, as has been previously shown with thrombectomy of thrombosed AVFs and AVGs.
Surface segregation of PdAg alloys induced by ion bombardment

Abstract A Pd-rich phase has been observed to segregate on the surface of PdAg alloys under the influence of 500 eV Ar + and N 2 + bombardment. By examining the X-ray photoemission spectra of these surfaces, we report changes in the structure of the Pd 3d peaks which are specifically linked to this phase. Studies of the spectral changes with Ar + dose show that one Pd 3d 5 2 peak arises from electrons originating from the altered overlayer and a second Pd 3d 5 2 peak arises from the underlying alloy with a binding energy dependent on the underlying concentration. The altered layer is found to vary in thickness between one and five layers, depending on the bulk alloy concentration. The thickness of this layer is also dependent on the nature of the primary ion since a different altered layer thickness is found using nitrogen ion bombardment.
Charge Structure and Dynamics in Thunderstorms

The electrical structure inside thunderstorm clouds and the changes with time of this structure are fundamental parameters for atmospheric electricity studies on Earth. This paper gives a review of the current state of knowledge about thunderstorm charge structure based primarily on in-cloud vertical profiles through different types of deep convective clouds, cirriform anvil clouds, and stratiform precipitation regions associated with mid-latitude mesoscale convective systems. Results on the dynamical evolution of the vertical charge structure during the early and decay stages from series of balloon soundings through small thunderstorms are described, along with recent findings regarding the importance of the charge structure in determining the current contribution of small and large thunderstorms to the Earth’s global electrical circuit.
Precambrian Scotland as a Laurentia-Gondwana link: Origin and significance of cratonic promontories

Refinement of the supercontinental reconstruction for the latest Precambrian that places the Labrador-Greenland promontory of Laurentia within the Arica embayment along the margin of the Gondwana craton juxtaposes the Rockall microcontinent and northwestern British Isles with the continental margin of Peru. The conjugate cratonic margin to the northwest Caledonian foreland, the Hebridean shield, may have been Amazonia. Possible South American correlatives of the Precambrian Moinian and Dalradian complexes of the Scottish Highlands can be identified in the reconstruction; notably, there are possible equivalents of the "older granites" within the Moinian and of Dalradian glacial deposits. Therefore, the well-studied Precambrian rocks of the Scottish Highlands provide critical tests for the suggested reconstruction. The latest Precambrian setting of the Arequipa massif with respect to the Gondwana craton margin and the Paleozoic intracratonic basin of Peru-Bolivia bears a striking similarity to the early Mesozoic setting of the Rockall Plateau and northwestern British Isles with respect to the European continental margin and the North Sea-Western Approaches graben system. In each case rifting appears to have been controlled by the youngest, and presumably weakest, lithosphere, but the extremity of the Labrador-Scotland-Greenland promontory was detached during final continental separation in Vendian to earliest Cambrian time to form the Arequipa massif and in Jurassic time to form the Hebridean shield. The promontory may have played an important tectonic role through at least 1 b.y. of Earth history including influence on the development of the Andean Cordillera. Features of this type likely have played a major role in the development of orogenic belts of all ages.
The Energy Levels of a Rotating Vibrator

The energy levels of a rotating vibrator are calculated in considerable detail by means of the Wentzel-Brillouin-Kramers method. The new terms determined are ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{e}z$ and a set of correction terms which appear in the earlier members of the equation. These correction terms enter in such a way that ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{e}$ is not exactly the coefficient of ($v+\frac{1}{2}$); ${B}_{e}$ is not exactly the coefficient of $K(K+1)$, etc. However the differences are small and are detectable only in the case of light molecules. The correction terms are of the magnitude of $\frac{{{B}_{e}}^{2}}{{{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{e}}^{2}}$. Formulas for the effect of the correction terms on isotope shifts are given, and for the calculation of the correction terms themselves. Also a method is given for obtaining actual potential functions from band spectrum data, based on Morse's potential function. Finally the numerical magnitude of the correction terms for several states of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ and for NaH is discussed.
“I have a tutorial for this”: the language of online peer support in the scratch programming community

Millions of kids are visiting and communicating in online sites and communities. While some concerns have been raised unsupervised and potentially harmful communication, a number of studies have identified great potential in kids' online talk, especially when related to feedback on user-generated content. Yet little research has been done at scale to show whether or not positive communication practices are broadly engaged in or supported online. This paper focuses on the informal peer support present in the online Scratch community, a youth programming site. Drawing on a random sample of 8,000 comments from over 5,000 random participants on the Scratch website gathered from January to March 2012, our analysis focuses on the quality of comments about projects and identifies their constructive, emotional and functional foci In the discussion, we address what these findings tell us about productive participation, potential for future research, and opportunities for scaffolding broader and richer participation.
Bisexuality and Schooling: Erasure and Implications for Health

It has long been known that schooling in the United States emphasizes and reproduces heteronormativity. With increasing frequency, gay and lesbian issues are being raised—given the presence of Gay-Straight Alliances in schools, the political discourse about gays and lesbians in the U.S. military, and the deeply contested politics of same-sex marriage. The focus of school culture in general, at best, is on either side of the continuum (i.e., heterosexuality or homosexuality), with bisexuality and sexual fluidity being largely erased. This long-standing institutional erasure has had a negative health impact on bisexual youth. Using a multidimensional model of health, I theorize about how harm is done not only to bisexual youth and school personnel but also to the general population in and out of schools. Besides general health costs due to erasure, I address the negative impacts erasure has on sexual health more specifically as well as how to stem the tide of bi-erasure and explicitly bring bisexuality into...
The existence of a fixed point for the sum of two monotone operators

Let A and H be two operators defined in an ordered Banach space such that $$H(tx)\, \geq\, tHx\, \quad \,{\text for\, all}\, t\,\in\, (0,1)$$ , and $$A(tx)\, \geq\, t^{\alpha}\, Ax\, \quad\, {\text for\, all} \,t\,\in\, (0,1),$$ , where \(\alpha\,\in\,(0,1)\). This paper discusses the conditions which will guarantee the existence of an asymptotically attractive fixed point for T = A + H.
Antifreeze protein modulates cell survival during cryopreservation: mediation through influence on ice crystal growth.

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are extremely efficient at inhibiting ice recrystallization in frozen solutions. Knight and Duman [Knight, C. A. & Duman, J. G. (1986) Cryobiology 23, 256-263] have proposed that this may be an important function of the proteins in freeze-tolerant organisms. We have tested this proposal in vitro by characterizing the influence of AFP on the recovery of cryopreserved cells, which often can survive cooling and yet subsequently be damaged by ice crystal growth during warming. Relatively low concentrations (e.g., 5-150 micrograms/ml) of winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) AFP enhance survival of red blood cells cryopreserved in hydroxyethyl starch solutions. This effect is most apparent in samples warmed at suboptimal rates, i.e., where ice recrystallization would be exaggerated. Cryomicroscopy demonstrates that AFP inhibits ice recrystallization in the extracellular regions during the latter stages of the warming cycle. AFP concentrations that enhance survival of red cells confer partial inhibition of recrystallization. Relatively high concentrations of AFP (e.g., 1.54 mg/ml) are much more effective at inhibiting extracellular recrystallization. However, extensive growth of ice around the cell, and concomitant cell damage, is noted. The mechanism for this AFP-induced ice growth is unknown. We propose that there is a delicate balance between AFP-induced enhancement of cell preservation and AFP-induced enhancement of cell preservation and AFP-induced enhancement of cell damage and that this balance hinges on the degrees of inhibition of ice recrystallization and of preferential growth of ice around the cells. We conclude that, under appropriate conditions, one of the proposed functions of AFPs in nature can be emulated, and perhaps have application, in cryopreservation of materials of biomedical interest.
Neriifolin and 2’-Acetylneriifolin: Insecticidal and Cytotoxic Agents of Thevetia thevetioides Seeds

A bioassay procedure utilizing the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), has been used to guide the phytochemical fractionation of active extracts of the seeds of a yellow oleander, Thevetia thevetioides (HBK.) K. Schum. (Apocynaceae). The known cardiotonic glycosides, neriifolin and 2’-acetylneriifolin, were crystallized as the active insecticidal agents, giving LD50 determinations of 30 ppm and 192 ppm, respectively, when incorporated into the corn borer diet. These compounds also exhibited cytotoxic activities of 2.2×10−2 and 3.3 × 10−2 μg/ml, respectively, in the KB (human nasopharynx epidermoid carcinoma) in vitro system. The glucoside of β-sitosterol also was isolated but it lacked insecticidal activity.
Where do good query terms come from

This paper describes a framework for investigating the quality of different query expansion approaches, and applies it in the HARD TREC experimental setting. The intuition behind our approach is that each topic has an optimal term-based representation, i.e. a set of terms that best describe it, and that the effectiveness of any other representation is correlated with the overlap that it has with the optimal representation. Indeed, we find that, for a wide number of candidate topic representations, obtained through various query-expansion approaches, there is a high correlation between standard effectiveness measures (R-P, P@10, MAP) and term overlap with what is estimated to be the optimal representation. An important conclusion of comparing different query expansion approaches is that machines are better than humans at doing statistical calculations and at estimating which query terms are more likely to discriminate documents relevant for a given topic. This explains why, in the HARD track of TREC 2005, the overall conclusion was that interaction with the searcher and elicitation of additional information could not over-perform automatic procedures for query improvement. However, the best results are obtained from hybrid approaches, in which human relevance judgments are used by algorithms for deriving terms representations. This result suggest that the best approach in improving retrieval performance is probably to focus on implicit relevance feedback and novel interaction models based on ostention or mediation, which have shown great potential.
Does delivery improve maternal condition in the respiratory-compromised gravida?

Objective To describe the effect of delivery on respiratory status and outcome in the respiratory-compromised pregnant woman. Methods During 1990–1994, 10 patients requiring intubation for respiratory compromise who delivered during ventilatory support were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Charts were reviewed retrospectively for cardiorespiratory variables and outcome. Result Pneumonia led to intubation in all but one case. The onset of labor was spontaneous in eight. Three were delivered by cesarean. Mechanical ventilation was used for a median (range) of 7 (2–22) days in surviving patients. Fraction of inspired oxygen requirements decreased an average of 28% by 24 hours after delivery. Positive end-expiratory pressure requirements remained unaltered. Surviving patients remained intubated for a median (range) of 2.6 (1–19) days postpartum. Three women died, all after vaginal delivery (days 4–14). Conclusion Delivery of respiratory-compromised gravidas resulted in a 28% reduction in fraction of inspired oxygen requirement within 24 hours after delivery. Although most patients were then able to be maintained below critical fraction of inspired oxygen requirement levels (under 0.6), dramatic improvement in overall respiratory function was not observed uniformly. Given the limited benefit of delivery on maternal oxygenation, along with the inherent risks of labor induction in this critically ill population, caution should be exercised in initiating the induction process electively.
Stochastic analysis of a controlled bulk queueing system with continuously operating server: continuous time parameter queueing process

Abstract Stochastic processes in a bulk single-server queue with continuously operating server, semi-Markov modulated compound Poisson input process and general state dependent service process are studied. The authors treat the queueing process with continuous time parameter as a semi-regenerative process and obtain its stationary probability distribution. The authors also study the input and output processes and establish ergodic theorems for some functionals of these processes. The results obtained in the article are illustrated by various examples.
Development of surface micromachining technologies for microfluidics and bioMEMS

In the last decade, examples of devices manufactured with SUMMiT(TM) technology have demonstrated the capabilities of polysilicon surface micromachining. Currently we are working on enhancements to this technology that utilize additional structural layers of silicon nitride to enable Microfluidics and BioMEMS applications. The addition of the silicon nitride layers allows the fabrication of microfluidic flow channels that are transparent (allowing observation of cellular motion) and insulating (allowing the placement of polysilicon electrodes at arbitrary locations in the flow channels). The goal of this technology development effort is to ultimately provide functionality that is not feasible with other microfabrication technologies. The enhancements build on the key features of surface micromachining: manufacturability and compatibility with CMOS processing, which allow us to leverage the investment already made in the microelectronics processing technology. In this paper we will present examples of devices fabricated using this new enhanced surface micromachining technology. These devices include pumps, valves, and a cell manipulator.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Ecology of Virtual Human Resource Development

This article explores the ecology of virtual human resource development (VHRD). It argues VHRD can be conceptualized as a subset of Virtual HR, and thus, requires strategic integration, adaptation, and attention to the interrelations within the system to promote a healthy ecology. VHRD is a powerful combination of people and technology, presenting not only opportunities for learning and innovation but also the need for critique. VHRD is driving a paradigm shift in the field of HRD, necessitating new skills, policies, and new theories that explain phenomena in virtual environments.
Characterization and comparison of human nuclear and cytosolic editomes.

We developed a robust computational statistical framework to identify RNA editing events from RNA-Seq data with high specificity. Our approach handles several outstanding challenges of genome-wide editing analyses, including the effect of editing on read alignment and the utilization of redundant reads. By applying this framework, we characterized the nuclear and cytosolic editomes of seven human cell lines. We found that 93.8–99.2% of the editing events are A-to-G (or A-to-I). Nuclear transcriptomes contain many more editing events than cytosolic transcriptomes. Most of the sites exhibiting nucleus-specific editing are in introns or novel intergenic transcripts that are preferentially localized in the nucleus regardless of their editing status, arguing against the role of editing in nuclear retention. In contrast, many sites that exhibit cytosol-specific editing show comparable nuclear and cytosolic expression, suggesting the differential subcellular compartmentalization of the edited and the unedited alleles. We found that RNA editing is globally associated with the modification of microRNA regulation in 3′ untranslated regions, whereas editing events in coding regions are rare and tend to be synonymous. Interestingly, A-to-G editing at derived alleles in the human lineage tends to result in reversion back to the ancestral forms at the RNA level. This suggests that editing can mediate RNA memory on evolutionary time-scales to maintain ancestral genetic information.
Programmatic Impact of SDRAM SEFI

The Elpida EDS5104(08)ABTA 512Mb SDRAM is examined for programmatic impact of SEE. Use cases for the devices including EDAC and mode register reload are examined. Results indicate some SEE mitigation methods require careful application to achieve system-level benefits, while some event types are essentially mitigated by the application use. In the studied devices, MBE and SEFI are identified and investigated as mechanisms requiring special consideration.
Identifying ''best'' applicants in recruiting using data envelopment analysis

Abstract Selecting the most promising candidates to fill an open position can be a difficult task when there are many applicants. Each applicant achieves certain performance levels in various categories and the resulting information can be overwhelming. We demonstrate how data envelopment analysis (DEA) can be used as a fair screening and sorting tool to support the candidate selection and decision-making process. Each applicant is viewed as an entity with multiple achievements. Without any a priori preference or information on the multiple achievements, DEA identifies the non-dominated solutions, which, in our case, represent the “best” candidates. A DEA-aided recruiting process was developed that (1) determines the performance levels of the “best” candidates relative to other applicants; (2) evaluates the degree of excellence of “best” candidates’ performance; (3) forms consistent tradeoff information on multiple recruiting criteria among search committee members, and, then, (4) clusters the applicants.
First order phase transition in ND4Cl

We have measured the order-parameter in the meighborhood of the order-disorder transition in deuterated ammonium chloride as a function of temperature, at atmospheric pressure, by performing structure analysis at each temperature using 1.25Awavelength neutrons. The order-parameter is discontinuous at the transition temperature (∼ 249°K). Measurement of the intensity of the (221) reflection for increasing and decreasing temperature scans reveals hysteresis (‡ Tc≈0.035°K) establishing that the transition is first-order, as in NH4Cl.
Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance.13C chemical shifts and13C199Hg coupling constants for some organomercury compounds

Abstract The13C shieldings and13C 199Hg coupling constants of fourteen phenyl- and seven alkyl- and alkenyl-mercury compounds have been obtained. Substituent effects on the13C shieldings are similar to those in nonmercurated phenyl compounds, with a similar relationship between13C shieldings and Hammett σ+ values of para substituents. For phenylmercuric salts of carboxylic acids, the shieldings are insensitive to the particular anion. Trends in13C shieldings for a given compound type parallel199Hg shielding trends. Directly-bonded13C 199Hg coupling constants range from 1186 to 3196 Hz, two-bond coupling constants from 72 to 126 Hz and three-bond coupling constants from 101 to 221 Hz in the phenylmercury compounds. An alternation in the magnitude of JCHg, with the number of intervening bonds is apparent. The dihedral angle dependence of 3JChg in 2-norbornylmercury compounds is confirmed. No correlation was observed between the directly-bonded carbon-mercury coupling constant 1JCHg and the shielding of the mercury-bonded carbon, but this coupling increases significantly with increases in the 199Hg shielding.
20. The Case for PET/CT. Experience at the University of Pittsburgh.

Purpose: Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) with [F-18]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is an important tool in the management of patients with cancer. While the sensitivity of FDG PET for tumor localization is most often reported to be >/= 85%, the specificity is frequently found to be lower. One limitation of whole-body PET imaging is the confounding effect of normal physiologic FDG accumulation in kidneys, ureters, bladder, stomach and bowel. Also, highly metabolically active tissues such as brain and muscle can mask detection of adjacent abnormalities. Interpretation of functional PET images can be improved by correlation with anatomic imaging, e.g. CT or MRI. The utility of both visual comparison and retrospective fusion of PET with previously acquired morphologic studies may be, however, limited by the time interval between image acquisition and patient positioning differences.Results: In our experience with over 150 examinations using a unique combined PET/CT scanner, we have frequently found that the direct registered images were critical to correct study interpretation. In this work, we review the beneficial results of a combined PET/CT tomograph for diagnosis/staging and localization of malignancy. We will further present specific examples of clinical questions uniquely addressed by PET/CT, and their impact on patient management.Conclusion: Acquisition of co-registered PET and CT images in the same scanning session may enable physicians to more precisely discriminate physiologic uptake and tumor. Our initial experience suggests that this combined PET/CT device may improve the accuracy of PET, and in so doing, enhance the value of diagnostic PET in oncologic applications.
High concentrations of ice particles in a layer cloud

CONCENTRATIONS of ice particles in clouds, greatly in excess of those expected from ice nucleus measurements have been reported1,2. Most of these observations have been made, however, in cumulus or other complex cloud systems, which increases difficulties in interpretation. Here I describe measurements of high concentrations of ice crystals in a simple, non-convective cloud layer.
Androgenic steroid complexes with p-bromophenol.

ONE of the major problems encountered in using the heavy atom X-ray method1 to determine the structure of steroids2,3 (or any other molecule) is the possibility that the direct attachment of a heavy atom to the molecule will cause distortion. Theoretically, the amount of distortion is determined by steric factors and the stability of the electronic configurations adjacent to the site of attachment. For example, when a bromine atom is covalently attached to carbon four of an aromatic A-ring of the steroid nucleus, it is reasonable to expect that the resulting distortion would be insignificant, because of the stability imparted to the A-ring by the aromatic system. Experimental evidence supporting this expectation was obtained in the molecular-structure determinations of 4-bromoestrone2 and 4-bromoestradiol3. In these brominated steroids, the A-rings are extremely planar (non-planarity coefficients 0.02 A in both cases) despite the covalently attached bromine.
Thromobolysis for acute ischemic stroke: is intra-arterial better than intravenous? A treatment effects model.

Background Three randomized trials of intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) for acute ischemic stroke ≤6 hours were conducted without intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) treatment of patients in the control groups now known to benefit. Methods The effect of IV-tPA treatment on 130 control subjects in the Prolyse in Acute Cerebral Thromboembolism (PROACT), PROACT II, and Middle Cerebral Artery Embolism Local Fibrinolytic Intervention Trial (MELT) studies was modeled using linearly weighted time-dependent odds ratios (ORs) from pooled IV-tPA trials. In the PROACT trials, the model assumed that 50% (36/73) were treated at 4.5 hours, the median time to arteriography. For MELT, the model assumed treatment at arrival plus 90 minutes based on hospital arrival times obtained from the principal investigator. The OR of 1.31 for all 130 controls (91 presumed treated ≤4.5 hours; OR 1.44) was applied to the original control data to derive the adjusted control outcome, and this was compared to the IAT group. Sensitivity analyses were performed. Results Meta-analysis of the original data revealed a statistically significant benefit for IAT ( P = .03). After adjustment for the effect of IV-tPA in controls, there was no longer a significant treatment benefit for IAT ( P = .26). Loss of significant IAT treatment benefit persisted if either the OR for benefit of IV-tPA or the number of treated controls was more than halved. These 3 randomized trials of IAT for acute ischemic stroke ≤6 hours would not likely have shown a benefit if eligible controls had been treated with IV-tPA. Conclusions Whether IAT is superior to IV-tPA in IV-tPA–eligible patients or better than placebo in IV-tPA–ineligible patients remains to be determined.
Carbonate cements indicate channeled fluid flow along a zone of vertical faults at the deformation front of the Cascadia accretionary wedge (northwest U.S. coast)

To understand the relation between fluid seeps and structures, sedimentary rocks were collected with the DSRV Alvin from a vertical fault zone that transects the deformation front of the Cascadia accretionary wedge. The rocks contained diagenetic carbonate cement that was precipitated from fluids expelled during accretion. Carbon, oxygen, and strontium isotope data are consistent with a fluid source at >2 km depth. Most carbon isotopes range from -1‰ to -25‰ (PDB [Peedee belemnitel] standard) consistent with a thermogenic methane source. Oxygen isotopes show extreme 18 O depletions (-4‰ to -13‰ PDB) that are consistent with precipitation from fluids with temperatures as high as 100 °C. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values of 0.70975 to 0.71279 may be due to strontium in fluids derived from clay-rich parts of the stratigraphic section. The ubiquity of carbonate precipitates and the isotope data indicate that the vertical fault zone is an efficient conduit for fluid dewatering from deep levels of the accretionary wedge.
Postural Effects on the Baselines of Ventricular Performance

In both dogs and human subjects, fully relaxed in the horizontal position, the ventricular dimensions and stroke volume are generally at or near maximal levels. During exertion the stroke volume does not progressively increase, indeed it rarely exceeds recumbent control values. On sitting or standing the ventricular size and stroke volume diminish to a new lower control level. When control values are measured during quiet standing, exertion produces a slight but consistent increase in stroke volume approximately to the level found in recumbency. This difference in the baseline for control values must be considered in evaluating the cardiovascular response to exercise.
Conformal conservation laws for second-order scalar fields

We consider an action integral over space-time whose Lagrangian depends upon a scalar field and upon derivatives of the field function up to second order. From invariance identities obtained by the authors in an earlier work it is shown how a new proof of Noether's theorem for this second-order problem follows in the multiple integral case. Finally, conservation laws are written down in the case that the given action integral be invariant under the fifteen-parameter special conformal group.
Morphological evidence for brainstem involvement in infantile autism

Previous neurophysiological and neuroanatomic studies suggest brainstem dysfunction in infantile autism. Therefore, we investigated the brainstem structure of autistic patients by planimetric analysis of midsagittal magnetic resonance imaging scans. We found the entire brainstem and one component--the pons--to be statistically significantly smaller in the autistic group when compared with medical controls. We also noted no correlation between brainstem size and age in the autistic group--a correlation that was found in the control group. These data present morphological evidence of brainstem involvement in the infantile autism syndrome.
Vascular mapping of the leg with multi-detector row CT angiography prior to free-flap transplantation.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively evaluate multi–detector row computed tomographic (CT) angiography in determining donor- and recipient-site arterial suitability for successful vascularized free-flap transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The institutional review board granted approval; informed consent was waived, and the study was HIPAA compliant. Lower extremities of 20 (12 male, eight female; mean age, 51 years; range, 10–84 years) patients undergoing vascularized free-flap procedures were examined at multi–detector row CT angiography. In five patients, legs were assessed as potential fibular free-flap donors for mandibular, maxillary, or radial reconstruction. In 15 patients, legs were assessed as recipient sites for free flaps. Vascular maps obtained with volume rendering, maximum intensity projections, and curved planar reformations were generated, and assessment was made in the depiction of calf vessels and presence of stenosis, occlusion, and anatomic anomaly. Findings of CT angiography, physical exam...
Postradiotherapy 2-year prostate-specific antigen nadir as a predictor of long-term prostate cancer mortality.

Purpose To report the influence of posttreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir response at 2 years after external beam radiotherapy (RT) on distant metastases (DM) and cause-specific mortality (CSM). Methods and Materials Eight hundred forty-four patients with localized prostate cancer were treated with conformal RT. The median duration of follow-up was 9.1 years. A fixed landmark time point at 2 years was used to assess the influence of nadir PSA value as a time-dependent variable on long-term outcomes. Results Multivariate analysis demonstrated that nadir PSA ≤1.5 ng/mL at the landmark was an independent predictor of progression-free survival after adjusting for T stage, Gleason score, pre-RT PSA value, and RT dose ( p = 0.03). The 5- and 10-year cumulative incidences of DM were 2.4% and 7.9%, respectively, in those with nadir PSA levels ≤1.5 ng/mL at the 2-year landmark, and were 10.3% and 17.5%, respectively, in patients with higher nadir values. Multivariate analysis showed that the higher nadir PSA value at the 2-year landmark ( p = 0.002), higher Gleason scores ( p p = 0.03) were predictors of DM after adjusting for pre-RT PSA values and RT dose. Multivariate analysis also showed that higher Gleason scores ( p = 0.002), and higher nadir PSA values at the 2-year landmark ( p = 0.03) were risk factors associated with CSM after adjusting for T stage and pre-RT PSA value. Conclusions Nadir PSA values of ≤1.5 ng/mL at 2 years after RT for prostate cancer predict for long-term DM and CSM outcomes. Patients with higher absolute nadir levels at 2 years after treatment should be evaluated for the presence of nonresponding disease, and earlier salvage treatment interventions should be considered.