cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Meta-Analytical Review of Empirical Mobile Usability Studies

In this paper we present an adapted usability evaluation framework to the context of a mobile computing environment. Using this framework, we conducted a qualitative meta-analytical review of more than 100 empirical mobile usability studies. The results of the qualitative review include (a) the contextual factors studied; (b) the core and peripheral usability dimensions measured; and (c) key findings in the form of a research agenda for future mobile usability research, including open and unstructured tasks are underutilized, interaction effects between interactivity and complexity warrant further investigation, increasing research on accessibility may improve the usability of products and services for often overlooked audiences, studying novel technology and environmental factors will deepen contextual mobile usability knowledge, understanding which hedonic factors impact the aesthetic appeal of a mobile device or service and in turn usability, and a high potential for neuroscience research in mobile usability. Numerous additional findings and takeaways for practitioners are also discussed.
Estimation algorithms with noisy frame coefficients

The Rangan-Goyal (RG) algorithm is a recursive method for constructing an estimate x N ∈ R d of a signal x ∈ R d , given N ≥ d frame coefficient measurements of x that have been corrupted by uniform noise. Rangan and Goyal proved that the RG-algorithm is constrained by the Bayesian lower bound: lim inf N→∞ N 2 E || x − x N || 2 > 0. As a positive counterpart to this, they also proved that for every p x ∈ R d , the RG-algorithm satisfies lim N→∞ N p || x − x N || = 0 almost surely. One consequence of the existing results is that one "almost" has mean square error E || x − x N || 2 of order 1/ N 2 for random choices of frames. It is proven here that the RG-algorithm achieves mean square error of the optimal order 1/ N 2 , and the applicability of such error estimates is also extended to deterministic frames where ordering issues play an important role. Approximation error estimates for consistent reconstruction are also proven.
HISTAMINE RECEPTOR-MEDIATED CHANGES IN NUCLEAR CHROMATIN OF CULTURED ENDOTHELIAL AND SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS

Histamine, acting via membrane receptors, modulates a number of potentially important processes within the vascular wall. Histamine receptor activation affects cellular activities such as contractility, movement, growth, and metabolism. The present study entails a characterization of endothelial (EC) and smooth muscle cell (SMC) histamine receptors with respect to cytochemical indices of DNA content and chromatin dispersion.Both EC and SMC exhibited functionally active H1 and H2 receptors. Activation of either receptor type resulted in a substantial ploidy shift in EC but not in SMC cultures. The physico-chemical state of chromatin as assessed by Feulgen reactivity was altered in both cell types. H2 receptor activation elevated Feulgen reactivity in 2C nuclei, while in 4C nuclei both H1 and H2 receptors were active in this regard. Elevation of Feulgen reactivity of EC and SMC nuclear chromatin in response to histamine receptor agonists presumably represents a “chromatin activation reaction” reflecting alterations in the conformation of the deoxyribonucleoprotein (DNP) complex and accompanying changes in template activity. Disparity between agonist effects on 2C and 4C populations may reflect the cell cycle regulation of histamine receptors.
Constitutive Activation of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Signaling Pathway Down-regulates TLR4-mediated Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Release in Alveolar Macrophages from Asymptomatic HIV-positive Persons in Vitro*

Alveolar macrophages represent critical effector cells of innate immunity to infectious challenge in the lungs and recognize bacterial pathogens through pattern recognition receptors such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinse (PI3K) regulates TLR-mediated cytokine release, but whether HIV infection influences PI3K signaling pathway and alters TLR4-mediated macrophage response has not been investigated. In the current study, surface TLR4 expression were similar but TLR4 activation (lipid A, 10 μg/ml) resulted in lower TNF-α release by HIV+ human macrophages compared with healthy cells. Pharmacological inhibition of PI3K (LY294002) normalized TNF-α release in HIV+ macrophages and augments ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation in response to lipid A. Importantly, HIV+ macrophages demonstrated increased constitutive phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate formation, increased phosphorylation of downstream signaling molecules Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) at Ser9, and reduced PTEN protein expression. As a functional assessment of GSK-3β phosphorylation, TLR4-mediated interleukin-10 release was significantly higher in HIV+ human macrophages compared with healthy cells. Incubation of human macrophages with exogenous HIV Nef protein induced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β (whereas phosphorylation was reduced by PI3K inhibition) and promoted interleukin-10 release. Taken together, these data demonstrate increased constitutive activation of the PI3K signaling pathway in HIV+ macrophages and support the concept that PI3K activation (by HIV proteins such as Nef) may contribute to reduced TLR4-mediated TNF-α release in HIV+ human macrophages and impair host cell response to infectious challenge.
Reduction in Grain Yield Attributable to Neckblast (Pyricuhria oryzae) Infection in Liberia

Abstract The loss in grain yield due to neckblast (Pyricularia oryzae) in rice cultivars IR5 and C22 was determined by using fungicides to control the disease in two different experiments made in two consecutive seasons. Yield increases, obtained as a result of fungicide treatments compared with the control plots ranged from 9.5 % with cv. IR5 on Benlate treated plots to 117.4 % with cv. C22 in PP389 treated plots. The percentage neckblast-reducing efficiency obtained for PP389 varied from 58.3 % with IR5 to 66.7 % with C22. The increases in yield over the control achieved by fungicide treatment depended largely on the neckblast-reducing efficiency of the fungicide. Zusammenfassung Eine Reduzierung des Kornertrages in Liberia, der einem Pyricularia oryzae-Befall zuzuschreiben war Auf einen Befall mit Pyricularia oryzae zuruckzufuhrende Kornertragsverluste wurden bei zwei Reissorten IR5 und C22 mit Hilfe von Fungiziden, die die Krankheit in zwei verschiedenen Versuchen und in zwei aufeinanderfolgenden Saisons bekampften, untersucht. Ertragssteigeningen gegenuber der Kontrolle, die durch den Fungizideinsatz entstanden, streuten zwischen 9,5 % bei der Sorte IR5 nach einer Benomylbehandlung bis zu 117,4 % bei der mit PP389 behandelten Sorte C22. Der P. oryzae-Befall wurde durch die Anwendung von PP389 um 58,3 % bzw. 66,7 % bei der Sorte IR5 bzw. C22 reduziert. Verglichen mit der Kontrolle hingen die Ertragssteigerungen, die auf eine Fungizidanwendung zuruckzufiihren waren, hauptsachlich von der Wirksamkeit der Fungizide gegen P. oryzae ab.
An Elective Pharmaceutical Care Course to Prepare Students for an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience in Kenya

Objective. To develop a prerequisite elective course to prepare students for an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) in Kenya. Design. The course addressed Kenyan culture, travel preparation, patient care, and disease-state management. Instructional formats used were small-group discussions and lectures, including some Web-based presentations by Kenyan pharmacists on disease states commonly treated in Kenya. Cultural activities include instruction in conversational and medical Kiswahili and reading of a novel related to global health programs. Assessment. Student performance was assessed using written care plans, quizzes, reflection papers, a formulary management exercise, and pre- and post-course assessments. Student feedback on course evaluations indicated that the course was well received and students felt prepared for the APPE. Conclusion. This course offered a unique opportunity for students to learn about pharmacy practice in global health and to apply previously acquired skills in a resource-constrained international setting. It prepares students to actively participate in clinical care activities during an international APPE.
Unidirectional retrograde atrioventricular nodal block in man: determinants of reversibility by vagal antagonism.

Abstract The mechanism of unidirectional retrograde atrioventricular (AV) nodal block remains largely unknown. In this study, factors determining the reversal of the unidirectional block by atropine were evaluated in 12 patients who had no demonstrable ventriculoatrial (VA) conduction during ventricular pacing. Six patients demonstrated 1:1 VA conduction after atropine (group I), while the remaining six patients continued to show VA block (group II). During the control study there was no significant difference in the sinus cycle length and AH interval between the two groups. The percent decrease in sinus cycle length after atropine was also similar in groups I and II (i.e., 23 ± 12 and 26 ± 6, respectively). The effect on antegrade AV nodal conduction (i.e., the percent decrease in AH interval), however, was significantly greater in group I (24 ± 9) as compared to group II (9 ± 5) ( p
The effect of 3-mercaptopicolinic acid and substrate interactions on the incorporation of lipogenic precursors into glyceride-glycerol, glyceride-fatty acids and nonesterified fatty acids in bovine adipose tissue.

Abstract The effects of 3-mercaptopicolinic acid, an inhibitor of phospho enol pyruvate carboxykinase. were studied in bovine subcutaneous adipose tissue slices in vitro. Lactate and glucose stimulated the incorporation of [U- 14 C]acetate into total lipids and nonesterified fatty acids. 3-Mercaptopicolinic acid abolished the stimulatory effect of lactate on total synthesis but had no effect on that from glucose. The inhibitor decreased glyceride-glycerol and glyceride-fatty acid synthesis from l -[U- 14 C]lactate by 90 and 30%, respectively; glyceride-glycerol synthesis from d -[U- 14 C]glucose was refractory to inhibition by 3-mercaptopicolinic acid, whereas the inhibitor tended to increase glyceride-fatty acid synthesis from glucose. The presence of lactate plus glucose in the incubation media elicited a greater than additive stimulation of acetate incorporation into total lipids. Glucose doubled the incorporation of lactate into glyceride-fatty acids, but had no effect on the net incorporation of lactate into nonesterified fatty acids. Lactate, but not glucose, stimulated the incorporation of [1- 14 C]palmitate into glyceride-fatty acids; 3-mercaptopicolinic acid increased this rate for all substrate combinations studied, although this was opposite to expected results. As determined with 3 H 2 O, lactate and glucose stimulated the synthesis of total lipids, and 3-mercaptopicolinic acid decreased the stimulatory effects of lactate and glucose on 3 H 2 O incorporation. The results suggest that lactate, and possibly glucose, stimulate the incorporation of acetate into fatty acids by increasing the availability of α-glycerophosphate.
Turbopropulsion Combustion Research Needs

The research needs in turbopropulsion combustion are itemized, based on a broad survey of the U.S. aircraft engine manufacturers conducted by a joint Air Force – Navy – Army technology assessment team during the Fall of 1978. Much of this research is basic in nature, involving fluid and solid mechanics, heat transfer, and combustion. This brief review of the findings is directed to members of the fundamental research community as a way of further aligning their interests with industry needs.Copyright © 1980 by ASME
Rehabilitation of Ventilator-Dependent Subjects with Lung Diseases: The Concept and Initial Experience

Sixteen ventilator-dependent patients were enrolled in an in-patient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program in a university medical center with the goals of achieving independent self-care, mobility and discharge home. Ten patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and six had restrictive respiratory disorders. PR by a multi-disciplinary team consisted of five phases: 1) stabilization; 2) evaluation; 3) rehabilitation planning including motivation by allowing speech and mobility; 4) rehabilitation training encouraging independent performance of activities of daily living (ADL); and 5) discharge planning with training of patients and families in home respiratory care techniques. A key aspect of the program is improving independence early in the program through the use of mobile ventilators. Periods of weaning from ventilatory support for two or more hours per day were of great importance in improving patient mobility and independence in ADL. Twelve patients were discharged home; except for two individuals who were severely limited by neuromuscular disease, all patients were largely independent in ADL in the home. This preliminary report demonstrates the feasibility of training ventilator-dependent persons to be independent and to participate in their own care in the home.
Low-carbohydrate diet alters intracellular glucose metabolism but not overall glucose disposal in exercise-trained subjects

Dietary composition has been strongly implicated as an important determinant of in vivo insulin sensitivity. However, the metabolic alterations associated with extreme changes in diet have not been well described. We compared glucose metabolism after a standard diet ([STD] 35% fat, 51% carbohydrate, and 14% protein) with the effects of a 3-week adaptation to a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet ([LCD] 75% fat, 8% carbohydrate, and 17% protein). Ten healthy men were studied using the euglycemic clamp technique, indirect calorimetry, and percutaneous vastus lateralis muscle biopsies for analysis of glycogen synthase (GS) and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activities in the basal and insulin-stimulated states. Insulin-stimulated glucose disposal was unchanged (STD 46.1 +/- 4.3 v LCD 46.0 +/- 4.3 mumol/kg.min, P = NS), but marked alterations in the routes of glucose disposal were noted. Insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation (Gox) was markedly reduced following LCD (STD 18.6 +/- 1.9 v LCD 8.23 +/- 1.9 mumol/kg.min, P = .0001), and nonoxidative glucose metabolism (Gnox) was enhanced by LCD (STD 24.9 +/- 0.9 v LCD 38.9 +/- 4.3 mumol/kg.min, P = .03). Following LCD, both the total and active forms of PDH (PDHt and PDHa) were significantly depressed. After LCD, GS activates (FV0.1, %I, and A0.5) were unaffected in the basal state, but were greater than for STD (P = .004) after insulin stimulation. The apparent increase in the sensitivity of GS to activation by insulin following LCD correlated strongly with maximal O2 consumption ([VO2max] r = .97, P = .001), suggesting that physical conditioning interacted with the metabolic impact of LCD. In summary, LCD did not induce changes in net glucose disposal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Pore-Scale Study of Transverse Mixing Induced CaCO3 Precipitation and Permeability Reduction in a Model Subsurface Sedimentary System

A microfluidic pore structure etched into a silicon wafer was used as a two-dimensional model subsurface sedimentary system (i.e., micromodel) to study mineral precipitation and permeability reduction relevant to groundwater remediation and geological carbon sequestration. Solutions containing CaCl2 and Na2CO3 at four different saturation states (Ω = [Ca2+][CO32−]/KspCaCO3) were introduced through two separate inlets, and they mixed by diffusion transverse to the main flow direction along the center of the micromodel resulting in CaCO3 precipitation. Precipitation rates increased and the total amount of precipitates decreased with increasing saturation state, and only vaterite and calcite crystals were formed (no aragonite). The relative amount of vaterite increased from 80% at the lowest saturation state (Ωv = 2.8 for vaterite) to 95% at the highest saturation state (Ωv = 4.5). Fluorescent tracer tests conducted before and after CaCO3 precipitation indicate that pore spaces were occluded by CaCO3 precipi...
A scalable gaussian process analysis algorithm for biomass monitoring

Biomass monitoring is vital for studying the carbon cycle of earth's ecosystem and has several significant implications, especially in the context of understanding climate change and its impacts. Recently, several change detection methods have been proposed to identify land cover changes in temporal profiles (time series) of vegetation collected using remote sensing instruments, but do not satisfy one or both of the two requirements of the biomass monitoring problem, that is, operating in online mode and handling periodic time series. In this paper, we adapt Gaussian process (GP) regression to detect changes in such time series in an online fashion. While GP have been widely used as a kernel-based learning method for regression and classification, their applicability to massive spatiotemporal data sets, such as remote sensing data, has been limited owing to the high computational costs involved. We focus on addressing the scalability issues associated with the proposed GP based change detection algorithm. This paper makes several significant contributions. First, we propose a GP based online time series change detection algorithm and demonstrate its effectiveness in detecting different types of changes in Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data obtained from a study area in IA, USA. Second, we propose an efficient Toeplitz matrix based solution which significantly improves the computational complexity and memory requirements of the proposed GP based method. Specifically, the proposed solution can analyze a time series of length t in O(t2) time while maintaining a O(t) memory footprint, compared to the O(t3) time and O(t2) memory requirement of standard matrix manipulation based methods. Third, we describe a parallel version of the proposed solution which can be used to simultaneously analyze a large number of time series. We study three different parallel implementations: using threads, Message Passing Interface (MPI), and a hybrid implementation using threads and MPI. Experimental results show that the hybrid implementation scales better than the multithreaded and MPI based implementations. The application of the proposed scalable algorithm is demonstrated in analyzing massive remote sensing observation data. The hybrid implementation, using 1536 computing cores, can analyze an NDVI data set for the Iowa study area in nearly 5 s, while a serial algorithm, using standard Cholesky decomposition based routines, takes several days to process the same data set. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 4: 430–445, 2011 © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optical monitor for microbial metabolism for hazardous waste application

A remote detection system for in-situ monitoring of the bioluminescence produced by a microbial "reporter" strain grown in rotary film bioreactors has been developed. Two systems were developed: one using a low-temperature photomultiplier (PMT), and one using an avalanche photodiode. The photodiode system was preferred for its sensitivity and portability. Testing was performed on a recombinant constitutive light producing strain. The results indicate that the optical monitor is sensitive enough for direct microbial detection for hazardous waste application.
Superior imaging resolution in scanning helium-ion microscopy: A look at beam-sample interactions

Scanning helium-ion microscopy (SHIM) offers high-resolution imaging at the subnanometer scale. We employ Monte Carlo simulations to show the characteristics of the beam-sample interaction involved in SHIM, and compare it with those of scanning electron microscopy and scanning gallium-ion microscopy. We discuss the electronic and nuclear stopping powers and demonstrate that helium ions in matter possess a distinctive “electronic loss phase” in which inelastic collisions strongly dominate. This allows for large penetration depth, localized secondary electron emission, and high signal-to-noise ratio. We investigate the energy dependence of the interaction volume and show that for SHIM, spatial resolution can be further increased with energies beyond the customary 30keV level. This paper provides a better understanding of the physics of SHIM and its conditions for high performance.
Pinning and Promotion: How Local Television Stations Are Using Pinterest for Branding and Audience Connectivity

Over the past decade, social media have become an increasingly important component in the ways broadcasters communicate with their audiences. A relative newcomer to that mix is the social network Pinterest, which enables followers to post photos and other types of visuals based on topics of interest. A content analysis examined how 85 local television stations are using that social network for promotion and branding. Results showed that, rather than promotion, use of Pinterest primarily revolves around lifestyle content, including postings by stations and interactivity by followers.
Quantum communication and complexity

In the setting of communication complexity, two distributed parties want to compute a function depending on both their inputs, using as little communication as possible. The required communication can sometimes be significantly lowered if we allow the parties the use of quantum communication. We survey the main results of the young area of quantum communication complexity; its relation to teleportation and dense coding, the main examples of fast quantum communication protocols, lower bounds, and some applications.
apobec-1, the Catalytic Subunit of the Mammalian Apolipoprotein B mRNA Editing Enzyme, Is a Novel RNA-binding Protein

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) mRNA editing is mediated by an enzyme complex which includes the catalytic subunit, apobec-1. Recombinant GST/APOBEC-1 binds with high specificity to a rat apoB RNA template as demonstrated by UV cross-linking and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). ApoB RNA binding was competed by poly(U), poly(A,U), and tRNA, but not by poly(A) or other homopolymeric ribonucleotides. UV cross-linking of GST/APOBEC-1 to an apoB RNA template was uninfluenced by the binding of proteins of ~60 and ~44 kDa, present in S100 extracts prepared from different sources. The binding of these proteins was similarly uninfluenced by the simultaneous binding of GST/APOBEC-1. Moreover, the inclusion of heterologous S100 extracts in the RNA binding reactions completely abrogated the competitive displacement of GST/APOBEC-1 by tRNA. EMSA revealed the onset of RNA binding within 1-2 min, and its specificity was confirmed by a supershift with anti-GST/APOBEC-1 antisera. The structural specificity for apoB RNA binding, as inferred from EMSA, appears to be distinct from apoB RNA editing since wild-type chicken apoB RNA, which is not editable, and several mutant chicken apoB RNAs containing clustered mutations within the minimal apoB RNA editing cassette, bound with efficiency similar to the rat apoB RNA template. In conclusion, while the data suggest that apobec-1 binds AU-rich templates, the importance of this observation in the context of mammalian apoB mRNA editing remains unknown.
Improving the diffraction of full-length human selenomethionyl metavinculin crystals by streak-seeding

Metavinculin is an alternatively spliced isoform of vinculin that has a 68-residue insert in its tail domain (1134 total residues) and is exclusively expressed in cardiac and smooth muscle tissue, where it plays important roles in myocyte adhesion complexes. Mutations in the metavinculin-specific insert are associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in man. Crystals of a DCM-associated mutant of full-length selenomethionine-labeled metavinculin grown by hanging-drop vapor diffusion diffracted poorly and were highly sensitive to radiation, preventing the collection of a complete X-ray diffraction data set at the highest possible resolution. Streak-seeding markedly improved the stability, crystal-growth rate and diffraction quality of DCM-associated mutant metavinculin crystals, allowing complete data collection to 3.9 A resolution. These crystals belonged to space group P43212, with two molecules in the asymmetric unit and unit-cell parameters a = b = 170, c = 211 A, α = β = γ = 90°.
Impact of plasma response on plasma displacements in DIII-D during application of external 3D perturbations

The effects of applied 3D resonant magnetic perturbations are modelled with and without self-consistent plasma response. The plasma response is calculated using a linear two-fluid model. A synthetic diagnostic is used to simulate soft x-ray (SXR) emission within the steep gradient region of the pedestal, 0.98 > ψ > 0.94. Two methods for simulating the SXR emission given the perturbed fields are considered. In the first method, the emission is assumed to be constant on magnetic field lines, with the emission on each line determined by the penetration depth into the plasma. In the second method, the emission is taken to be a function of the perturbed electron temperature and density calculated by the two-fluid model. It is shown that the latter method is more accurate within the plasma, but is inadequate in the scrape-off layer due to the breakdown of the linearized temperature equation in the two-fluid model. The resulting synthetic emission is compared to measured SXR data, which show helical m = 11 ± 1 displacements around the 11/3 rational surface of sizes up to 5 cm, depending on the poloidal angle. The helical displacements around the 11/3 surface are identified to be directly related to the kink response, caused by amplification of non-resonant components of the magnetic field due to plasma response. The role of different plasma parameters is investigated, but it appears that the electron rotation plays a key role in the formation of screening and resonant amplification, while the kinking appears to be sensitive to the edge current density. It is also hypothesized that the plasma response affects the edge-localized-mode (ELM) stability, i.e. the discharge's operational point relative to the peeling–ballooning stability boundary.
San Francisco’s ‘Pay Or Play’ Employer Mandate Expanded Private Coverage By Local Firms And A Public Care Program

In 2008 San Francisco implemented a pay-or-play employer mandate that required firms operating in the city to provide health insurance coverage for employees or contribute to the city’s “public option” health access program, Healthy San Francisco. Using data from our Bay Area Employer Health Benefits Survey, we found that in the first two years after implementation, more employers offered insurance and provided employee health benefit coverage relative to employers outside San Francisco not subject to the mandate. Sixty-seven percent reported in 2009 that they had expanded benefits since 2007. Although 22 percent of firms responding to the survey reported contributing to Healthy San Francisco for some employees, we observed no crowd-out of private insurance. Premium changes between 2007 and 2009 were similar in San Francisco and surrounding areas, but more of the burden of premium contributions in San Francisco shifted from workers to employers. Overall, 64 percent of firms responding to the survey suppor...
Observation of beam-beam deflections at the interaction point of the SLAC Linear Collider.

We report the first direct observation of the electromagnetic deflection of high-energy electron and positron beams as they pass each other with small impact parameters. Measurements of the deflection amplitude are found in agreement with theoretical expectations. This phenomenon, which is sensitive both to the relative position of the two beams and to their transverse sizes, has been used successfully to optimize and maintain collisions at the interaction point of the SLAC Linear Collider.
Ethics and social capital for global well-being

Social capital is associated with considerable benefits for individuals and communities. Because some social capital is non-excludable, people may be disinclined to undertake activities that will create it. This is especially likely when the norm of self-interest is prominent. In addition, given the birds of a feather phenomenon, social capital appears to thrive in homogenous networks, and to languish in the face of diversity. I argue that social capital meets the criteria of a moral concept and that treating it as such can address these vulnerabilities. In particular, as a moral principle, social capital would be more demanding than mere self-interest and the moral requirement of universality would trigger a duty to act impartially with respect to networks. Since market interactions can create social capital, and social capital is a moral good, market interactions are in part constitutive of the good. I also argue that global social capital is important for both global well-being and sustainable globalization. Given the benefits of social capital, including it in the choice architecture as a moral principle will be worth the investment.
Characterizing and understanding stray tilt: the next major contributor to CD SEM tool matching

Measurement using electron beam tilt has recently been highlighted as holding the promise of future sidewall angle and thickness determinations in the CD SEM in a manufacturing environment. But even before robust tilted beam measurements can be made, a thorough understanding of stray tilt, its characterization and control, is needed to provide the foundation for tilt calibrations and measurements. Stray tilt is the amount of unintended angular deviation of the electron beam from the normal to the specimen's (wafer) surface. Stray tilt is common to all SEMs used in manufacturing due to the following contributors: mechanical tolerances, acting both within the SEM column and between the SEM column and the chamber and the sample holder; and also residual and parasitic magnetic and electrostatic fields - these fields are generated both within and outside of the SEM integrated stand-alone unit. Past characterization attempts addressed this issue through an asymmetry specification. Recent data has suggested that stray tilt errors can have significant negative effects on today's critical dimension measurements, especially on a fleet of CD SEM tools with different amounts of stray tilt. This paper explores the measurement, monitoring and minimizing of stray tilt and the consequences on tool matching.
Spreading of intergranular corrosion on the surface of sensitized Al-4.4Mg alloys: A general finding

Abstract Intergranular corrosion (IGC) of sensitized AA5083 was investigated in 0.6 M NaCl solution. Corrosion of a finite fraction of the anodically active β-phase (Al3Mg2) precipitates triggers the spreading of IGC to other precipitates, resulting in formation of large clusters of corroded grain boundaries. Such IGC spreading is observed only for highly sensitized AA5083 at potentials above a critical spreading potential. The total length of corroded β-phase clusters is less than the total length of β-phase available. The breakdown potential in short-term upward potential scans, often attributed to the isolated attack of less noble phases [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] , is linked to IGC spreading.
One Year Follow-up to Modular Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Pediatric Anxiety Disorders in an Elementary School Setting

The current study sought to evaluate the relative long-term efficacy of a modularized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program for children with anxiety disorders. Twenty four children (5–12 years old) randomly assigned to modular CBT or a 3-month waitlist participated in a 1-year follow-up assessment. Independent evaluators blind to treatment condition conducted structured diagnostic interviews, and caregivers and children completed symptom checklists at pre- and post-, and 1 year follow-up assessments. Analyses revealed that 71.4% of children who received CBT demonstrated a positive treatment response 1 year following treatment, and 83.3% were free of any anxiety diagnosis at 1 year follow-up. Analyses further revealed robust effects of intervention on diagnostic outcomes, caregiver- and child-report measures of anxiety at 1 year follow-up. Results provide evidence of an ongoing advantage on anxiety-specific outcomes for this modularized school-based CBT program 1 year post-treatment.
Cytotoxic effect of adriamycin in vivo on synchronized murine fibrosarcoma cellst

Abstract The cytotoxic effect of Adriamycin (ADR) on synchronized fibrosarcoma (FSa) cells lodged in the lungs of specific pathogen free C3Hf/Bu mice was determined. FSa cells from primary asynchronous cultures were separated and synchronized on the basis of cell size by centrifugal elutriation. Cell cycle parameters were determined by flow micro-fluorometry (FMF). Viable tumor cells from each elutriator fraction were injected intravenously into recipient mice. Twenty minutes later, ADR (10 mg/kg) was administered intravenously into half of the animals in each group. After fourteen days the animals were killed, and the resulting lung colonies were counted. Under these conditions, the S-phase enriched populations were found to be the most sensitive to ADR. Cell survival ranged from a maximum of 8% to a minimum of 0.3% for the Gi and S-phase enriched populations, respectively. Dose response curves were also determined for selected populations treated in vivo. While no great difference in Do was observed between the survival curves representing each of these populations (range, 0.65–0.71 mg/kg), the extrapolation numbers varied from 0.41 (51% S-phase) to 2.1 (9% S-phase).
Propensity score estimates in multilevel models for causal inference.

Background Teenage obesity is a national epidemic that requires school- and community-based initiatives to support healthy behaviors of students regarding exercise and nutrition to decrease the prevalence. Objectives The aim of this study was to demonstrate a methodology for an estimation of causal effects of the adoption of healthy behaviors with a potential outcomes approach within a multilevel treatment setting of school program adoption of a socially supportive environment. Methods Propensity score estimates within a multilevel model provided causal estimates of the impact of the adoption of health habits by students within supportive school environments (SSEs) and non-SSEs. A potential outcomes approach to causal modeling was shown with a secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health study. The student participants consisted of 13,854 adolescent students, with an accompanying sample of 164 school administrators. Results The effect of healthy eating habits in an SSE was a statistically nonsignificant decrease in body mass index (BMI). The effect of healthy eating habits in a non-SSE was a statistically nonsignificant increase in BMI. The difference between the healthy habit practices for students in supportive and nonsupportive schools was a resultant difference in BMI of 0.3484. Discussion The results demonstrate a difference in causal effects of eating habits in different school settings. Further research regarding causal effects of student habits and school programs is indicated.
Neurosurgical management for complicated catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome.

Abstract Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune condition involving arterial and venous thrombosis. An unusual APS variant, catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS), includes rapid multi-organ failure from widespread small vessel thrombosis. Central nervous system complications arise in one-third of CAPS patients. In rare cases, CAPS co-manifests with cerebellar hemorrhage presenting a neurosurgical emergency. We present a 65-year-old woman with CAPS-related cerebellar hematoma, co-morbid idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, deep vein thrombosis and altered mental status, with treatment complicated by thrombocytopenia. The patient suddenly deteriorated, secondary to a cerebellar subdural hematoma, and underwent decompression and excision of the hematoma. After recovery in the intensive care unit, she developed a new spontaneous epidural hematoma requiring additional surgery. Management of these patients is hematologically complex and often requires a multi-disciplinary team of physicians. This patient provides an important learning point for clinicians – consider CAPS when hemorrhage and thrombosis are present.
Mechanical Analysis of the Human Cadaveric Thoracic Spine with Intact Rib Cage

The goal of this study was to characterize the overall in-plane and basic coupled motion of a cadaveric human thoracic spine with intact true ribs. Researchers are becoming increasingly interested in the thoracic spine due to both the high prevalence of injury and pain in the region and also innovative surgical techniques that utilize the rib cage. Computational models can be useful tools to predict loading patterns and understand effects of surgical procedures or medical devices, but they are often limited by insufficient cadaveric input data. In this study, pure moments to ±5 Nm were applied in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation to seven human cadaveric thoracic spine specimens (T1-T12) with intact true ribs to determine symmetry of in-plane motion, differences in neutral and elastic zone motion and stiffness, and significance of out-of-plane rotations and translations. Results showed that lateral bending and axial rotation exhibited symmetric motion, neutral and elastic zone motion and stiffness values were significantly different for all modes of bending (p<0.05), and out-of-plane rotations and translations were greater than zero for most rotations and translations. Overall in-plane rotations were 7.7±3.4° in flexion, 9.6±3.7° in extension, 23.3±8.4° in lateral bending, and 26.3±12.2° in axial rotation. Results of this study could provide inputs or validation comparisons for computational models. Future studies should characterize coupled motion patterns and local and regional level biomechanics of cadaveric human thoracic spines with intact true ribs.
Predicting Field Permeability from Testing Hot-Mix Asphalt Specimens Produced by Superpave Gyratory Compactor

This study was conducted to develop laboratory and field permeability testing procedures for design and quality control of Superpave® mixtures in Wisconsin. Sixteen mixes including fine-graded and coarse-graded mixes were evaluated. The in-place field permeability was measured by using the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) device, field cores were taken for measuring permeability in the laboratory by using the ASTM D5084 method, and laboratory compaction was used to prepare and test samples from loose mixtures recovered from the field. Two compaction procedures called Method A and Method B were used in this study to produce Superpave gyratory compacted (SGC) specimens that have thickness, air voids, and aggregate orientation similar to the field cores. Result indicates that Method B, based on the use of Ndesign gyrations for different sample sizes, can be used to produce samples that give permeability values similar to values measured for field cores. Results of this study also indicate a good relationship between field permeability (using the NCAT device) and lab permeability measured on field cores of fine-graded mixes with the amount passing No. 8 sieve (P8) higher than 45%. However, the relationship between field permeability and lab permeability measured on field cores of coarse-graded mix (P8 lower than 40%) is poor. It is concluded that the NCAT permeability device could possibly be used in the field for fine-graded mix (with P8 higher than 45%). However, to measure the field permeability of coarse-graded mix (P8 lower than 40%), there appears to be no current alternative better than taking field cores and testing them in the laboratory. For estimating permeability during mixture design, a simple method for preparing and testing permeability of SGC specimens and interpolating based on expected field density is introduced.
Effect of maturation and storage on asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) cell wall composition

Changes in the cell wall composition of stems of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L. cv. Connovor Collossus) during maturation and during storage in modified atmospheres were investigated. Alcohol-insoluble residues from portions of stems were analysed for changes in alkali-soluble phenolics and in the constituent sugars and their glycosidic linkages. Maturation-related changes down the stem involved increased levels of (l–4)-linked xylosyl residues from xylans, cellulose and phenolics, which arise from the lignified vascular and sclerenchyma tissues, and a decrease in the levels of (l–5)-linked arabinosyl residues from pectic arabinans from the parenchy-matous tissues. Storage under aerobic conditions permitted stem elongation in the apical sections and secondary thickening in the basal sections. This was due to continued tissue maturation. Storage under anaerobic conditions inhibited such changes. In accordance with these effects of storage on stem physiology, maturation-related changes in cell wall components were enhanced by storage only under aerobic conditions. However, levels of (1–4)-linked galactosyl residues which remained relatively constant during maturation, decreased substantially (ca 50%) in all stem sections during both aerobic and anaerobic storage.
Code generation techniques for developing light-weight XML Web services for embedded devices

This paper presents specialized code generation techniques and runtime optimizations for developing light-weight XML Web services for embedded devices. The optimizations are implemented in the gSOAP Web services development environment for C and C++. The system supports the industry-standard XML-based Web services protocols that are intended to deliver universal access to any networked application that supports XML. With the standardization of the Web services protocols and the availability of toolkits such as gSOAP for developing embedded Web services, new opportunities emerge to integrate embedded systems into larger frameworks of interconnected applications and systems accessing dynamic resources on the Web ranging from hand-held and embedded devices to databases, clusters, and Grids.
Successful transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation in a patient with polycystic liver disease.

T he tnansjugulan intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has become an accepted therapy for many patients with end-stage liver disease and portal hypertension. Indications include vaniceal bleeding, intractable ascites, and some forms of the Budd-Chiani syndrome [1-3]. Generally accepted contraindications to TIPS include portal vein occlusion, polycystic liver disease (PCLD), right heart failure, severe hepatic failure, or severe encephalopathy [1-3]. For unclear reasons, PCLD has been cited as a relative and absolute contraindication to TIPS [ 1-3]. The presence of multiple large cysts may distort the hepatic parenchyma and vasculature and can make creation of the TIPS parenchymal tract difficult. This case report summarizes the creation of a TIPS in a patient with PCLD and refractory ascites.
Beyond videotex: The library of congress pilot project in page image retrieval and transmission digital optical disk

This paper arrived late and can be found published in full on pages 257-260 of this Proceedings.
Constructive Conflict Management and Social Problems: An Introduction

The goals of this special issue on constructive conflict management are (1) to highlight the feasibility of using constructive conflict management to deal with conflicts arising as a consequence of interpersonal or intergroup diversity; (2) to promote understanding of how to manage conflict more constructively through the presentation of theoretical pieces, case histories, and empirical studies; and (3) to identify the conflict areas most urgently requiring research and policy attention. A brief background of social conflict research and a summary of each article is provided.
3D Numerical Simulation of Contaminant Distribution in an Aircraft

Indoor air quality studies are very important as they allow designers to verify that a comfortable and healthy environment is being provided before it is physically constructed. It can be especially important on the closed confines such as a commercial aircraft which may carry a high density of people from various parts of the world. In this study, 3-D contaminant dispersion simulation within an aircraft is conducted by using Finite Volume Methods. Effects of two types of air distribution systems on contaminant dispersion are analyzed. The preliminary results show that the Under Floor Air Distribution system performs better in the overall air quality provided to the passengers of the aircraft than the Ceiling Air Distribution system.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Heteromeric assembly of human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) 1a/1b channels occurs cotranslationally via N-terminal interactions.

Alternate transcripts of the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG1) encode two subunits, hERG 1a and 1b, which form potassium channels regulating cardiac repolarization, neuronal firing frequency, and neoplastic cell growth. The 1a and 1b subunits are identical except for their unique, cytoplasmic N termini, and they readily co-assemble in heterologous and native systems. We tested the hypothesis that interactions of nascent N termini promote heteromeric assembly of 1a and 1b subunits. We found that 1a and 1b N-terminal fragments bind in a direct and dose-dependent manner. hERG1 hetero-oligomerization occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum where co-expression of N-terminal fragments with hERG1 subunits disrupted oligomerization and core glycosylation. The disruption of core glycosylation, a cotranslational event, allows us to pinpoint these N-terminal interactions to the earliest steps in biogenesis. Thus, N-terminal interactions mediate hERG 1a/1b assembly, a process whose perturbation may represent a new mechanism for disease.
#62-S ecological study of bladder cancer in counties with high levels of arsenic in drinking water

Abstract PURPOSE: Bladder cancer incidence and mortality in US counties were studied to determine the excess risk associated with drinking water with arsenic concentrations above the new USEPA MCL of 10 ppb. METHODS: Rural counties, where the majority of the population obtains drinking water from groundwater with high arsenic concentrations (>10 ppb), were identified from databases compiled by the EPA, state agencies and local water utilities. Age-specific bladder cancer mortality rates for the period 1982 to 1998 were obtained for these 33 ‘exposed’ counties and 105 adjacent ‘unexposed’ rural counties in 11 states. A standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for the aggregate ‘exposed’ population was calculated using reference rates from the aggregate ‘unexposed’ population and compared to SMRs calculated using national and state reference rates. SMRs were also calculated for exposed populations in individual states. Standardized Incidence Ratios (SIRs) were calculated in a similar manner for exposed counties in States included in the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results cancer registry program. RESULTS: Calculated SMRs and SIRs depended on the choices of exposed and reference populations. Risk of bladder cancer mortality for white males was not elevated for the population drawn from the 33 exposed counties (SMR = 0.93; 95%CI = 0.85, 1.02) or for the exposed population drawn from Utah, irrespective of the reference population. Risks of bladder cancer incidence for exposed populations in New Mexico, however, were slightly elevated compared to unexposed reference populations drawn from adjacent counties within the state (SIR = 1.20; 95%CI = 1.13, 1.26). CONCLUSION: A small but statistically significant excess risk for bladder cancer may be attributed to exposure to arsenic at levels >10 ppb in some populations in New Mexico. Additional analyses to examine potential confounding by ethnicity and smoking prevalence are required. The results demonstrate the potential sensitivity of bladder cancer risks from arsenic exposure on a variety of factors. The study illustrates the potential limitations of ecological studies and risk assessment in US populations exposed to high levels of arsenic in drinking water.