cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of isoelectronic dopants in organic light emitting diodes

Power efficiency is an important parameter for all OLEDs, and is particularly critical for lighting applications. To maximize the power efficiency one must optimize charge injection, carrier transport, and radiative quantum efficiency, while minimizing energy losses. In this work we discuss how isoelectronic dopants can be used to address these problems. It can be difficult to produce efficient electrical contacts, particularly to large energy gap organic materials, and thus the contacts often limit the performance and stability of OLEDs . Recent results by several groups have attributed improved hole injection in poly (9,9' dioctylfluorene) [PFO] based LEDs to charge trapping, but the origin of the traps is unknown. In order to understand the role of traps in improving injection we studied poly[2-methoxy, 5-(2'- ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) devices with C 60 molecules at the anode to improve hole injection. Isoelectronic dopants are used widely as recombination centers in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). In these systems one wants to maximize quantum efficiency by effectively trapping charges on the emitting dopants, while at the same time maximizing power efficiency by maintaining good charge transport. An understanding of the influence of the depth of the dopant on charge capture, and charge transport will aid in optimizing doped organic LEDs. We have looked at the OLED system consisting of the polymer PFO, and the organometallic molecule PhqIr. We show that PhqIr acts as a shallow hole trap in PFO, and that the charge transport and luminescence properties of this system are described by quasi-equilibrium statistics.
Natural sources of atmospheric CO.

METHANE is produced at the Earth's surface by various processes, chiefly biological in origin. Koyama1 estimated an annual source of 3 × 1014 g, with rice paddy fields a major contributor, but did not consider the contribution from natural swamps, and his value for the total source may be low by as much as a factor 3. The data of Bainbridge and Heidt2 suggest that they may have observed substantial methane production from the coastal marshes of Louisiana. The important atmospheric sinks for methane are3 These reactions constitute permanent destruction of CH4. Subsequent chemistry leads to formation of CO and CO2, and we shall argue that CO is more likely. The source of atmospheric CO due to CH4 is comparable with, and may be larger than, that associated with the internal combustion engine.
Detecting Ice Nuclei with a Continuous—Flow Diffusion Chamber-Some Exploratory Tests of Instrument Response

Abstract A few basic experiments were performed with artificial cloud condensation nuclei and ice-nucleating aerosols in a continuous-flow thermal gradient diffusion chamber to investigate the instrument's response. Brief pulses of ice nuclei were input to the chamber and were detected approximately 8 s later as pulses of ice crystals at the outlet. The temporal rise and fall responses were of exponential type, with time constants of about 1 s. These fast response characteristics aye due to the chamber's laminar flow and the central location of the aerosol sample. Changes in the size distribution of crystals at the outlet of the chamber were monitored in response to changes in total airflow through the chamber. The results indicated that the crystals were fewer and smaller as their residence time in the chamber decreased.
New families of solitary numbers

The abundancy of a whole number n is the ratio of the sum of divisors of n to n; for instance, all perfect numbers have abundancy two. Two numbers are called friends if they have the same abundancy; a number is said to be friendly if it has at least one friend and solitary if it has no friends. Here we find several new families of solitary numbers.
Application of traditional software testing methodologies to web accessibility

The shift in nature of Web content from static documents to dynamic Rich Internet Applications (RIA) has not been accompanied by a similar shift in testing methodology. RIAs are software applications, and as such can benefit from the testing methodologies used in the field of software development. Because this shift in nature is fairly recent, traditional software testing methodology has not been given the importance it is due within the domain of accessibility. We will attempt to show the merits of Traditional Software Testing as applied to the domain of Web accessibility, and to make the case for a shift of focus from post hoc validation to proactive testing as the preferred means of assuring accessibility for Web sites and applications.
Evaluation of the Nfocus LUNA, a new parent vessel occlusion device: a comparative study in a canine model.

BACKGROUND Parent artery occlusion is sometimes required to treat cerebrovascular lesions. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the Nfocus LUNA parent vessel occlusion (PVO) device in comparison with the Vascular Plug (AVP) used in the peripheral vasculature for large-vessel occlusion in a canine animal model. METHODS The subclavian arteries were targeted for occlusion in 7 canines. Each animal received 1 LUNA and 1 AVP device sequentially rotated between the left and right subclavian arteries. Angiographic assessment was performed serially after device placement until vessel occlusion was observed and then again immediately before the animal was killed. Three animals were euthanized at 1 month and 4 at 2 months post-implantation, after which the native artery segments containing the implanted device were harvested and preserved for subsequent histological analysis. RESULTS The LUNA PVO device and the AVP were accurately positioned and deployed in all cases. Acute occlusion times for the devices were not statistically different. In no instance was there any evidence of device migration. At 28 and 55 days, the LUNA implants showed nearly complete occlusion with small recanalization channels, whereas the AVP devices were associated with low occlusion levels and large residual vascular channels within the occluder. CONCLUSION The LUNA PVO device and delivery system can be accurately placed to occlude vessels without migration and with a performance that is similar to the AVP. The LUNA PVO device on average provided a higher degree of occlusion durability at both 1 and 2 months.
Incoherent radiative properties of an opaque body

A simple and rigorous formalism is presented for describing the incoherent radiative properties of absorption, emission, and scattering of an opaque body in local thermodynamic equilibrium; polarization, inelastic scattering, and applied-magnetic-field effects are treated in full. The radiative behavior of such a body is shown to be completely characterized by the local bispectral bidirectional reflectivity matrix. Expressions for the emitted and reflected Stokes vectors of the source radiation are given in terms of this matrix. Use is made of the most general forms of the reciprocal relations and Kirchhoff’s law; derivations are also provided.
Infection remote from the brain, neonatal white matter damage, and cerebral palsy in the preterm infant

This review synthesizes the literature supporting the hypothesis that infection during or even before pregnancy remote from the fetal brain leads to neonatal white matter damage (NWMD) and its long-term sequelae, including cerebral palsy. First, a framework of five dimensions is presented, including the spectrum of NWMD, its relationship with gestational age, its clinical spectrum, the expressions and correlates of infection, and the mother/child dyad. Second, a summary of the plethora of support for the remote infection/NWMD-hypothesis is presented by drawing on studies published over the past three decades. Although an epidemiological perspective is prominent, we invoke molecular explanations (especially the cytokine hypothesis) for observed associations. Third, the article concludes with a section on future studies needed to characterize and eliminate (pre-) pregnancy infections in the mother and to identify and evaluate potentially neuroprotective strategies in the fetus.
Facile Synthesis of PtNi Intermetallic Nanoparticles: Influence of Reducing Agent and Precursors on Electrocatalytic Activity

In this paper, a nonaqueous synthesis of PtNi nanoparticles is presented using multiple reducing agents and metal precursors. Through this investigation, it was found that all the species present in solution have an impact on the resulting nanoparticles. Metal precursor choice has a major effect on the resulting nanoparticles and their behavior. When using acetylacetonate (acac) precursors, the acac ligands bind tightly with the resulting metal particles and cannot be easily removed through washing. After annealing to nucleate the intermetallic phase, these ligands decompose into a carbonaceous coating rendering the particles inactive toward formic acid oxidation. This led to the development of a chloride precursor Li2NiCl4, not previously used for synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles, which is soluble in ether solvents unlike NiCl2 and many other metal chlorides. Using the lithium metal chloride as a precursor, the organic content of the nanoparticle products is greatly reduced as seen by lower weight lo...
The Use of a Ureteric Stone Basket for Removing Loose Bodies at Hip Arthroscopy

We present the use of a ureteric stone basket for arthroscopic removal of loose bodies from the hip joint. The technique is easy to perform and reduces the time required for loose body retrieval while minimizing the risk of iatrogenic damage to the cartilage surfaces of the joint.
Characterization of ZnO Thin Films Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition with Various Temperatures

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is utilized to grow high performance zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films, where the effects of ALD process temperature on the thin film properties are also studied in this work. Some major properties of the ALD ZnO films are characterized and compared with those of sputtered ZnO films. Significant differences are observed that the electrical resistances of the ALD ZnO films are largely improved, while the optical transmittances also increase. Nevertheless, the adhesion and mechanical properties of the ALD films are worse than the sputtered films because of the weak bonding in the ALD process. For various substrate temperatures, the ALD ZnO films with 200°C behave the best performance.
EUVL printing results of a low-thermal expansion material (LTEM) mask

Minimizing image placement errors due to thermal distortion of the mask is a key requirement for qualifying EUV Lithography as a Next Generation Lithography (NGL). Employing Low Thermal Expansion Materials (LTEMs) for mask substrates is a viable solution for controlling mask thermal distortion and is being investigated by a wide array of researchers, tool makers, photomask suppliers, and material manufacturers. Finite element modeling has shown that an EUVL mask with a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) of less than 20 ppb/K will meet overlay error budgets for <EQ 70 nm lithography at a throughput of 80 wafers per hour. In this paper, we describe the functional differences between today's photomask and EUVL masks; some of these differences are EUVL specific, while others are natural consequences of the shrinking critical dimension. We demonstrate that a feasible manufacturing pathway exists for Low Thermal Expansion Material (LTEM) EUVL masks by fabricating a wafer-shaped LTEM mask substrate using the same manufacturing steps as for fabricating Si wafers. The LTEM substrate was then coated with Mo/Si multilayers, patterned, and printed using the 10X Microstepper. The images were essentially indistinguishable from those images acquired from masks fabricated from high quality silicon wafers as substrates. Our observations lend further evidence that an LTEM can be used as the EUVL mask substrate material.
Expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I receptors, IGF-II/cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptors (CI-MPRs), and cation-dependent MPRs in polarized human intestinal Caco-2 cells.

Abstract We have analyzed the surface distribution and functional expression of the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor and the IGF-II/cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (IGF-II/CI-MPR) in the polarized human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, Caco-2. Domain-selective biotinylation of the apical and basolateral surfaces of Caco-2 cells grown on filter supports revealed a 3–4-fold enrichment of these receptors on basolateral membranes. In addition, the biotinylation studies revealed the presence of the cation-dependent MPR on both membrane surfaces, with a 3.4-fold enrichment on basolateral membranes. Binding of 125 I-IGF-I at 4°C confirmed similar higher levels of expression of the IGF-I receptor at the basolateral surface than at the apical surface. Cell surface-specific binding of the iodinated lysosomal enzyme β-glucuronidase was detected at 4°C on both plasma membrane domains. However, significant uptake of β-glucuronidase at 37°C was observed only from the basolateral surface. These results indicate that the MPRs and the IGF-I receptor are expressed in a polarized fashion in Caco-2 cells and that the IGF-II/CI-MPR present on apical membranes, unlike the IGF-II/CI-MPR expressed on the basolateral surface, is not functional in endocytosing lysosomal enzymes.
Displacement of a monochromatic light beam parallel to itself without change of polarization

A light beam can be displaced parallel to itself by two reflections from a pair of parallel mirrors. In general, this simple and often-used arrangement introduces a spurious change of polarization that accompanies the displacement. To eliminate this side effect, film coatings can be used. We show that it is possible to make the polarization changes associated with the two individual reflections mutually compensating by a single film coating of appropriate thickness for each mirror. A polarization-preserving pair of beam-displacing parallel mirrors of dielectric-coated metallic substrates is illustrated. This concept also provides a solution to the problem of design of polarization-preserving axicon reflectors.
Fracture surface analysis of ceramics

Flaw size, c, fracture mirror boundaries, r, fracture stress, σ, and critical fracture energy were measured for glasses, glass ceramics, and single and polycrystalline ceramics. The relationship σr1/2 = constant was verified for all these materials. The mirror constants, A, in these materials were shown to be directly proportional to the average critical stress intensity factor for crack propagation, KIC. Based on the A — KIC relationship, the outer mirror to flaw size ratio is shown to scatter about a value of 13∶1. Thus, the mirror constants were used to predict critical flaw sizes in these materials. The observed flaw sizes in most cases correlated well with those calculated. The cases in which poorer correlation was obtained are those in which flaw sizes were smaller than the grain size, flaws were pores or surrounded by porous regions, or where severe microcracking existed. It is shown that the elastic modulus is proportional to the mirror constant and probably to the critical fracture energy, but that the latter is highly dependent on local microstructure. The smaller inner to outer mirror ratios for polycrystalline ceramics over glasses is attributed to the difference in available paths for crack propagation.
Lithography with silicon ions

Some applications of focussed ion beams are discussed with special emphasis on the lithography aspects. Experimental data on the ranges of H+, Be+ and Si++ in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) are presented. The sensitivity of PMMA to Si++ ions is measured to be 0.35 µC/cm2. It is shown by replication through a transmission mask that Si++ ions with low to moderate incident energies, such as found in focussed ion beam systems, can be used for submicrometer lithography in single and multi-layer resist systems.
Le Juste Milieu: Alexandre Sandier, Theming, and Eclecticism in French Interiors of the Nineteenth Century

ABSTRACTThis article examines the work of the architect and decorator Alexandre Sandier (1843–1916) in the context of French interior decorating advice manuals and pattern books of Third Republic France. Following the innovations in interior decor popularized through such media, and encouraged by a new understanding of the petit salon's and the boudoir's proper decoration, Sandier replaced the traditional forms and themes of history with new, refreshing, and never-before-seen interior design combinations. His designs for private interiors occupied an intermediate position between eclectic and themed interior decor that critics labeled the “juste milieu” of interior decoration.
A model of fluid, erythrocyte, and solute transport in the lung.

A mathematical model of fluid, solute, and red cell transport in the lung has been developed that includes the effects of simultaneous changes in lung vascular and interstitial volumes. The model provides separate arterial, microvascular, and venous pulmonary regions and a systemic vascular region in addition to a pulmonary interstitial compartment. Pressure, volume, hematocrit, flow, and concentration of up to 12 solutes and tracers can be computed in each compartment. Computer code is written in the C programming language, with Microsoft Excel serving as a user interface. Implementation is currently on PC-486 microcomputer systems, but the core program can easily be moved to other computer systems. The user can select different models for the blood-interstitial barrier (e.g. multiple pore, nonlinear Patlak equation), osmotic pressure-concentration relationships (e.g., Nitta, Navar-Navar), solute reflection coefficients, interstitial macromolecule exclusion, or lymph barrier characteristics. Each model parameter or a combination of parameters can be altered with time in a predetermined fashion. The model is particularly useful in interpreting lung experimental data where simultaneous changes occur in vascular and extravascular compartments. Several applications are presented and discussed, including interpretation of optical filtration experiments, venous occlusion experiments, external detection of macromolecular exchange, and blood-lymph studies that use exogenous tracers. A number of limitations of the model are identified and improvements are proposed. A major strength of the model is that it is specifically designed to incorporate newly discovered relationships as the field of lung physiology expands.
Red Peter and the Esu: Dinaw Mengestu's AN HONEST EXIT

In the opening of Dinaw Mengestu's short story “An Honest Exit,” the unnamed narrator refers to himself as the monkey from Kafka's “A Report to the Academy”: In an imagined conversation with his re...
Effect of Pt Clusters on Methanol Adsorption and Dissociation over Perfect and Defective Anatase TiO2(101) Surface

Methanol adsorption and dissociation on the perfect and defective anatase TiO2(101) surfaces with and without Pt clusters have been studied using density functional theory periodic calculations. On...
Tyrosine aminotransferase in AKR/J albino and C57BL/6J black mouse skin.

L -Tyrosine aminotransferase is present in a high speed supernatant fraction of skin homogenate of AKR/J albino and C57BL/6J black mice. The conversion of tyrosine to p -hydroxyphenylpyruvate was shown to be catalyzed by an aminotransferase by the following observations: the reaction was partially dependent on the presence of low concentrations of α-ketoglutarate; catalase was ineffective in increasing the yield of p -hydroxyphenylpyruvate; there was potent inhibition by typical inhibitors of pyridoxal phosphate enzymes and of rat liver tyrosine aminotransferase; there was no inhibition by inhibitors of L -amino acid oxidase; and there was no oxidation of L -leucine, the best substrate for rat kidney L -amino acid oxidase. The aminotransferase was stimulated by mercaptoethanol and was inhibited by high concentrations of α-ketoglutarate. The apparent K m for tyrosine was 5 × 10 -3 M and the molecular weight, determined by sucrose density gradient centrifugation, was 150–200,000. Dopa was also transaminated by the crude enzyme. No tyrosine aminotransferase could be detected in extracts of hamster melanoma.
Laparoscopic-Guided Suction Curettage of a Cornual Ectopic Pregnancy in a Bicornuate Uterus

Background: Cornual ectopic pregnancies are implanted in the interstitial portion of the fallopian tube and, if ruptured, can cause potentially fatal hemorrhage. Traditional management is a cornual wedge resection of the cornual region of the uterus. Growing interest in conservative approaches to the management of cornual ectopic has resulted in several successful minimally invasive techniques. This is the first report of a conservatively treated cornual ectopic pregnancy in a patient with a bicornuate uterus. Case: A 29-year-old multiparous patient with a bicornuate uterus presented to Labor and Delivery triage with first-trimester vaginal bleeding. A cornual ectopic pregnancy was diagnosed by sonogram. Initially, the patient refused any surgery but agreed to a trial of methotrexate with inpatient observation. After 5 days, the ectopic pregnancy enlarged, and she then agreed to surgical management. Hysteroscopy was used to identify the ectopic in the left uterine horn. Under laparoscopic guidance, a suct...
Dynamic structure of confined shocks undergoing sudden expansion

Abstract The gas dynamic phenomenon associated with a normal shock wave within a tube undergoing a sudden area expansion consists of highly transient flow and diffraction that give rise to turbulent, compressible, vortical flows. These interactions can occur at time scales typically ranging from micro- to milliseconds. In this article, we review recent experimental and numerical results to highlight the flow phenomena and main physical mechanisms associated with this geometry. The topics addressed include time-accurate shock and vortex locations, flowfield evolution and structure, wall-shock Mach number, two- vs. three-dimensional sudden expansions, and the effect of viscous dissipation on planar shock-front expansions. Between axisymmetric and planar geometries, the flow structure evolves very similarly early on in the sudden expansion process (i.e., within the first two shock tube diameters). Both numerical and experimental studies confirm that the trajectory of the vortex formed at the expansion corner is convected into the flowfield faster in the axisymmetric case than the planar case. The lateral propagation of the vortices correlates very well between axisymmetric and planar geometries. In regard to the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) for a two-dimensional planar shock undergoing a sudden expansion within a confined chamber, calculations show that the solenoidal dissipation is confined to the region of high strain rates arising from the expansion corner. Furthermore, the dilatational dissipation is concentrated mainly at the curvature of the incident, reflected, and barrel shock fronts. The multiple physical mechanisms identified, including shock–strain rate interaction, baroclinic effect, vorticity generation, and different aspects of viscous dissipation, have produced individual and collective flow structures observed experimentally.
Basic Measurement Proficiency of Learning Disability Specialists.

Ninety-five learning disability specialists serving on pupil evaluation teams were given a 64-item test of basic measurement concepts important in test interpretation. The test was constructed to tap knowledge and ability to apply concepts related to reliability, validity, norms, measures of central tendency and variability, criterion-referenced interpretations, and interpretive aids. Results showed that, on the average, learning disability specialists answered only every other question correctly and performed significantly below a group of students' enrolled in an introductory measurement course. These results are interpreted to indicate a need to train learning disability specialists in basic measurement concepts. Recommendations for training and for further research are given.
Positive emotion dysregulation across mood disorders: How amplifying versus dampening predicts emotional reactivity and illness course

Abstract Maladaptive regulation of positive emotion has increasingly been associated with psychopathology. Little is known, however, about how individual strategies used to manage positive emotion predict concurrent emotional responding and prospective illness course across mood disorders. The present study examined the concurrent and prospective influence of amplification and dampening regulation strategies of positive emotion (i.e., self-focused positive rumination, emotion-focused positive rumination, and dampening) among remitted individuals with bipolar I disorder (BD; n = 31) and major depressive disorder (MDD; n = 31). Rumination over positive emotional states concurrently predicted increased positive emotion across both mood disordered groups during an experimental rumination induction. However, dampening positive emotion concurrently predicted increased emotional reactivity (i.e., heart rate and negative affect) and prospective increases in manic and depressive symptoms for the BD group only. This suggests that amplifying positive emotion transdiagnostically increases positive emotion across mood disordered groups, while attempts to dampen positive emotion may paradoxically exacerbate emotional reactivity and illness course in BD. For individuals with BD, negative thinking about one's positive emotion (via dampening) may be particularly maladaptive.
Estimating the cost-effectiveness of flutamide in metastatic cancer

The cornerstone therapy for advanced prostate cancer is either surgical castration (bilateral orchiectomy) or medical castration with luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) analogues. These therapies are equally effective with about 70% of patients responding. Whether adrenal androgens are an important alternate source of androgen stimulation is controversial. Many clinical trials have been initiated to address the value of maximal or combined androgen blockade using different types of anti-androgens and forms of castration. In the trial that led to the approval of flutamide in the United States of America, Crawford et al. (I) reported a 26% improvement in median survival among men treated with flutamide and leuprolide compared to leuprolide and placebo. Subsequent follow-up of the original report after 77% of all patients had died found a 20% improvement in the median survival (2). Recently, the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 30853 trial reported a similar benefit in survival with flutamide (3). Even though these large trials showed a benefit, other investigators have not found similar benefit though these later studies commonly have had methodological flaws. Flutamide has not been widely adopted in America primarily due to drug cost since Medicare does not pay for oral medications. For many men, there is a direct conflict between the immediate out of pocket financial burden and a potential benefit in survial. This report will highlight the findings of a decision analysis model that has been reported elsewhere that estimates the survival, economic impact, and cost-effectiveness of flutamide with orchiectomy or LHRH agonists compared to orchiectomy or LHRH agonists alone for minimal and severe cases of M-l prostate cancer among men with good performance status (4).
Telecommunications Power Plant Damage Assessment Caused by Hurricane Katrina - Site Survey and Follow-Up Results

This paper extends knowledge of disaster impact on the telecommunications power infrastructure. It presents results both from an on-site survey conducted in October 2005 in the area affected by Hurricane Katrina and from industry and government sources. The analysis includes observations about power infrastructure damage to wire-line networks, wireless networks, transmission links, cable TV grids, and TV and radio facilities along a wide section of the U.S. Gulf Coast. In general, the impact on centralized network elements was more severe than on the distributed portion of the grids. The main cause of outage was lack of power due to fuel supply disruptions, flooding and security issues. This work also describes the means used to restore telecommunications services and proposes ways to improve logistics, such as coordinating genset deployment between different network operators and reducing genset fuel consumption by installing permanent photovoltaic systems at certain sites where long electric outages are expected.
Stability of purified foot and mouth disease virus after freeze-drying and storage.

Summary Purified type A, strain 119, foot and mouth disease virus was subjected to the stresses of freezing, thawing, drying, and subsequent storage at various temperatures. Degradation of the virus began with the initial freezing and thawing, continued through the drying process, and after 4 weeks of storage had arrived at a point where the remaining virus had little ability to produce plaques in monolayers of cultures of calf kidney cells. No stressed purified virus was capable of inducing detectable viral neutralizing antibodies in guinea pigs because of the degraded or denatured state of the virus. A lack of infectivity of the virus for guinea pigs was probably due to nonadaptation to the species. Freezing, thawing, drying, and storage of the purified virus in the range of −80 to 37°C was not conducive to preserving infectivity of the virus. Such preparations when stored should be preserved frozen at the temperature of liquid nitrogen (−196°).
Native-Like Aggregates of Factor VIII Are Immunogenic in von Willebrand Factor Deficient and Hemophilia a Mice

The administration of recombinant factor VIII (FVIII) is the first-line therapy for hemophilia A (HA), but 25%-35% of patients develop an inhibitory antibody response. In general, the presence of aggregates contributes to unwanted immunogenic responses against therapeutic proteins. FVIII has been shown to form both native-like and nonnative aggregates. Previously, we showed that nonnative aggregates of FVIII are less immunogenic than the native protein. Here, we investigated the effect of native-like aggregates of FVIII on immunogenicity in HA and von Willebrand factor knockout (vWF(-/-)) mice. Mice immunized with native-like aggregates showed significantly higher inhibitory antibody titers than animals that received native FVIII. Following restimulation in vitro with native FVIII, the activation of CD4+ T-cells isolated from mice immunized with native-like aggregates is approximately fourfold higher than mice immunized with the native protein. Furthermore, this is associated with increases in the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-17 in the native-like aggregate treatment group. The results indicate that the native-like aggregates of FVIII are more immunogenic than native FVIII for both the B-cell and the T-cell responses.
Intrapericardial echocardiography: a novel catheter-based approach to cardiac imaging

Abstract Background Transvascular catheter-based intracardiac echocardiography has been successfully used to help guide catheter ablation and electrophysiologic procedures. It has recently been demonstrated that catheters can be safely placed into the pericardial space to allow for epicardial cardiac mapping and ablation. We evaluated the feasibility of catheter-based intrapericardial echocardiography (IPE) during such procedures to identify cardiac structures and visualize intracardiac catheters. Methods IPE was performed in 7 goats by placing a phased-array ultrasound transducer contained within a 10F steerable catheter into the pericardial space using the same transthoracic subxyphoid approach as used to map and ablate epicardial ventricular tachycardia. Images were obtained of cardiac structures and of intracardiac ablation catheters. After the procedure, the hearts were harvested to assess for possible IPE-related lesions. Results The IPE catheter could be easily placed inside the pericardial space in all animals. In 7 of 7 cases, longitudinal and short-axis views of right- and left-sided chambers and valves were obtained, similar in orientation to transesophageal echocardiography. Visualization of atrial appendages (6/7), pulmonary veins (6/7), coronary arteries (6/7), and coronary sinus (3/6) was also feasible. Assessment of intracardiac transvalvar and venous blood flow was achieved by spectral and color Doppler. The ablation catheter could be clearly visualized inside cardiac chambers. No arrhythmias were induced with IPE catheter manipulation. After harvesting the hearts, no lesions resulting from the procedure were observed. Conclusion In this experimental setting, IPE was able to provide detailed images of cardiac structures and establish the relative position of the ablation catheter.
Detecting powdery mildew of winter wheat using leaf level hyperspectral measurements

Powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis) is one of the most destructive diseases, which has a significant impact on the production of winter wheat. Detecting powdery mildew via spectral measurement and analysis is a possible alternative to traditional methods in obtaining the spatial distribution information of the disease. In this study, hyperspectral reflectances of normal and powdery mildew infected leaves were measured with a spectroradiometer in a laboratory. A total of 32 spectral features (SFs) were extracted from the lab spectra and examined through a correlation analysis and an independent t-test associated with the disease severity. Two regression models: multivariate linear regression (MLR) and partial least square regression (PLSR) were developed for estimating the disease severity of powdery mildew. In addition, the fisher linear discriminant analysis (FLDA) was also adopted for discriminating the three healthy levels (normal, slightly-damaged and heavily-damaged) of powdery mildew with the extracted SFs. The experimental results indicated that (1) most SFs showed a clear response to powdery mildew; (2) for estimating the disease severity with SFs, the PLSR model outperformed the MLR model, with a relative root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.23 and a coefficient of determination (R^2) of 0.80 when using seven components; (3) for discrimination analysis, a higher accuracy was produced for the heavily-damaged leaves by FLDA with both producer's and user's accuracies over 90%; (4) the selected broad-band SFs revealed a great potential in estimating the disease severity and discriminating severity levels. The results imply that multispectral remote sensing is a cost effective method in the detection and mapping of powdery mildew.
Epigenetic regulation of Newborns’ imprinted genes related to gestational growth: patterning by parental race/ethnicity and maternal socioeconomic status

Background Children born to parents with lower income and education are at risk for obesity and later-life risk of common chronic diseases, and epigenetics has been hypothesised to link these associations. However, epigenetic targets are unknown. We focus on a cluster of well-characterised genomically imprinted genes because their monoallelic expression is regulated by DNA methylation at differentially methylated regions (DMRs), are critical in fetal growth, and DNA methylation patterns at birth have been associated with increased risk of birth weight extremes and overweight status or obesity in early childhood. Methods We measured DNA methylation at DMRs regulating genomically imprinted domains ( IGF2/H19 , DLK1/MEG3 , NNAT and PLAGL1 ) using umbilical cord blood leucocytes from 619 infants recruited in Durham, North Carolina in 2010–2011. We examined differences in DNA methylation levels by race/ethnicity of both parents, and the role that maternal socioeconomic status (SES) may play in the association between race/ethnic epigenetic differences. Results Unadjusted race/ethnic differences only were evident for DMRs regulating MEG3 and IGF2 ; race/ethnic differences persisted in IGF2/H19 and NNAT after accounting for income and education. Conclusions Results suggest that parental factors may not only influence DNA methylation, but also do so in ways that vary by DMR. Findings support the hypothesis that epigenetics may link the observed lower SES during the prenatal period and poor outcomes such as low birth weight; lower birth weight has previously been associated with adult-onset chronic diseases and conditions that include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and some cancers.
Hospitalists in children's hospitals: What we know now and what we need to know.

he concept of hospitalists was made popular in 1996 by Robert Wachter, who defined them as physicians who spend at least 25% of their time serving as the physician of record for inpatients, during which time they accept handoffs of hospitalized patients from primary care providers (PCPs), returning the patients to their PCPs at the time of hospital ischarge. More recently, the hospitalists’ professional association, the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM), defined the ospitalist as a physician whose primary focus is the general medical care of hospitalized patients and whose responsibilities also nclude teaching, research, and leadership related to hospital care. We have conducted a review to synthesize the existing knowledge surrounding the topic of hospitalists, especially as it elates to pediatric providers. Most of the literature available focuses on research that examines the potential benefit of using a ospitalist program. This report provides an overview of over 100 articles pertaining to hospitalists published since the year 2000. he articles were classified as research—data studies, research—opinion surveys, literature reviews, case studies, and commenaries. A link is provided to a comprehensive review matrix for details on each of the individual articles (http://www.abp.org/ peds/hospitalist/hospitalist2006.pdf ).
The Chinese Restaurant Syndrome: An anecdote revisited

Abstract The Chinese Restaurant Syndrome arose from an anecdote of discomfort experienced after eating Chinese cuisine. Monosodium glutamate has been implicated
The Gender Gap in Peer-Reviewed Publications by Physical Therapy Faculty Members: A Productivity Puzzle

Background Studies of peer-reviewed article publication by faculty in higher education show men publish more than women. Part of the difference in publishing appears to be attributable directly to gender. Gender differences in publishing productivity have not been explored in physical therapy. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore effects of gender on peer-reviewed publication productivity in physical therapy. Design This was a cross-sectional study using survey methods. Methods A survey was administered to a random sample of 881 physical therapy faculty members; 459 responses were used for analysis. Results Men were more likely than women to be married, have children, hold a PhD degree, be tenured or on a tenure track, and hold the position of department chair. There was a significant difference in peer-reviewed publication rates between male and female respondents. Negative binomial regression models revealed that female gender was a negative predictor of peer-reviewed publication, accounting for between 0.51 and 0.58 fewer articles per year for women than for men over the course of a career. Reasons for the gender differences are not clear. Limitations Factors such as grant funding, laboratory resources, nature of collaborative relationships, values for different elements of the teaching/research/service triad, and ability to negotiate the academic culture were not captured by our model. Conclusions The gender gap in peer-reviewed publishing productivity may have implications for individuals and the profession of physical therapy and should be subject to further exploration.
Effects of carbon monoxide on isolated heart muscle.

The direct effects of carbon monoxide and nitrogen-induced anoxia on the isolated isometrically-contracting right ventricle of the rat were assessed and compared. Both gas stresses caused a decrease in developed tension, an increase in resting tension and a reduction in percent recovery when the preparations were reoxygenated. There was no significant difference in the decline in developed tension or the increase in resting tension between the two groups. Recovery after 10 min of reoxygenation was significantly greater in the CO-stressed muscles. Recovery from either anoxia was severely depressed when CO was present during the recovery phase. Tissue sodium levels were elevated while potassium levels were depressed by both stresses. These results indicate that CO may have a direct effect on the heart in addition to its well known hemoglobin mediated effect.
Gain fixed-pattern-noise correction via optical flow

Fixed pattern noise (FPN) or nonuniformity caused by device and interconnect parameter variations across an image sensor is a major source of image quality degradation especially in CMOS image sensors. In a CMOS image sensor, pixels are read out through different chains of amplifiers each with different gain and offset. Whereas offset variations can be significantly reduced using correlated double sampling (CDS), no widely used method exists for reducing gain FPN. In this paper, we propose to use a video sequence and its optical flow to estimate gain FPN for each pixel. This scheme can be used in a digital video or still camera by taking any video sequence with motion prior to capture and using it to estimate gain FPN. Our method assumes that brightness along the motion trajectory is constant over time. The pixels are grouped in blocks and each block's pixel gains are estimated by iteratively minimizing the sum of the squared brightness variations along the motion trajectories. We tested this method on synthetically generated sequences with gain FPN and obtained results that demonstrate significant reduction in gain FPN with modest computations.
Management of invasive bladder cancer in patients who are not candidates for or decline cystectomy

Bladder cancer is a common malignancy seen in older adults with coexisting medical illnesses. The management of patients with muscle invasive disease includes perioperative chemotherapy and radical cystectomy; however, patients may decline surgery and older patients with comorbid conditions may not be candidates for surgery and thus alternative treatment strategies are needed. Trimodality bladder preservation protocols for muscle invasive bladder cancer have generally included only those patients who are candidates for a salvage cystectomy. In this review, we discuss the current status of bladder preservation treatment options for patients with muscle-invasive disease who are not candidates for cystectomy or who decline surgery and highlight the need for clinical trials investigating novel treatment approaches in this older patient population.
Le premier effort moderne de codification du droit de la guerre - Francis Lieber et l'Ordonnance générale N o 100 (II)

M. H. Coursier, conseiller juriste au CICR, publia naguere, dans la Revue internationale, une etude sur « Francis Lieber et les lois de la guerre », ainsi qu'une traduction francaise de l'Ordonnance no 100 relative au comportement des armees des Etats-Unis en campagne (les fameuses « lois de Lieber ») dont l'objet etait de faire appliquer les principes du droit international, lors de la guerre de Secession (1861–1865). Cette Ordonnance, qui jut connue aussitot et appreciee des principaux juristes de l'epoque, eut une grande influence sur l'avenir du droit des gens, car on peut dire que le Reglement de La Haye, issu des Conferences de la Paix en 1899 et 1907, s'en est tres largement inspire, et plusieurs dispositions des Conventions de Geneve du 12 aout 1949 decoulent de la meme source. Or, ce fut a Lieber que fit appel le president des Etats-Unis, Abraham Lincoln, pour etablir ce Code qui fut promulgue en 1863, precedant d'un an la premiere Convention de Geneve.
Characterization of the Mutagenic Spectrum of 4-Nitroquinoline 1-Oxide (4-NQO) in Aspergillus nidulans by Whole Genome Sequencing

4-Nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) is a highly carcinogenic chemical that induces mutations in bacteria, fungi, and animals through the formation of bulky purine adducts. 4-NQO has been used as a mutagen for genetic screens and in both the study of DNA damage and DNA repair. In the model eukaryote Aspergillus nidulans, 4-NQO−based genetic screens have been used to study diverse processes, including gene regulation, mitosis, metabolism, organelle transport, and septation. Early work during the 1970s using bacterial and yeast mutation tester strains concluded that 4-NQO was a guanine-specific mutagen. However, these strains were limited in their ability to determine full mutagenic potential, as they could not identify mutations at multiple sites, unlinked suppressor mutations, or G:C to C:G transversions. We have now used a whole genome resequencing approach with mutant strains generated from two independent genetic screens to determine the full mutagenic spectrum of 4-NQO in A. nidulans. Analysis of 3994 mutations from 38 mutant strains reveals that 4-NQO induces substitutions in both guanine and adenine residues, although with a 19-fold preference for guanine. We found no association between mutation load and mutagen dose and observed no sequence bias in the residues flanking the mutated purine base. The mutations were distributed randomly throughout most of the genome. Our data provide new evidence that 4-NQO can potentially target all base pairs. Furthermore, we predict that current practices for 4-NQO−induced mutagenesis are sufficient to reach gene saturation for genetic screens with feasible identification of causative mutations via whole genome resequencing.
Exploiting user feedback for language model adaptation in meeting recognition

We investigate languagemodel (LM) adaptation in a meeting recognition application, where the LM is adapted based on recognition output from relevant prior meetings and partial manual corrections. Unlike previous work, which has considered either completely unsupervised or supervised adaptation, we investigate a scenario where a human (e.g., a meeting participant) can correct some of the recognition mistakes. We find that recognition accuracy using the adapted LM can be enhanced substantially by partial correction. In particular, if all content words (about half of all recognition errors) are corrected, recognition improves to the same accuracy as if completely error-free (manually created) transcriptions had been used for adaptation. We also compare and combine a variety of adaptation methods, including linear interpolation, unigram marginal adaptation, and a discriminative method based on “positive” and “negative” N-grams.
Electroless Copper Coating of Zirconia Utilizing Palladium Catalyst

Electroless Cu coating of zirconia particles using a Pd0 catalyst is investigated in this paper. Uncoated and Cu-coated ZrO2 particles are characterized by various analytical techniques to understand the mechanism of electroless Cu coating of ZrO2 particles, which involves reduction of Pd2+ on ZrO2 particle surfaces by Sn2+ to produce pure metallic Pd0 clusters, which provide catalytic sites for Cu deposition. The concept of XPS core-level binding energy shift due to small cluster size is utilized to predict the size of pure Pd0 clusters. The electroless Cu-coating process can be utilized in the future to produce Cu-doped ZrO2 particles required for various potential applications.