cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of ion mobility to the gas-phase conformational analysis of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS)

Abstract Ion mobility experiments and molecular modeling calculations were used to investigate the gas-phase conformational properties of various polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) cationized by sodium. POSS, (RSiO 3/2 ) n , has a rigid SiO cage with organic substituents attached to each Si atom. Na + POSS ions were formed by electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and their collision cross-sections were measured in helium using ion mobility methods. Calculated cross-sections of theoretical models of the POSS ions, generated by molecular mechanics (MM) calculations, were compared to experiment for conformational identification. The calculations predict that the Na + ion remains outside of the SiO cage and binds to one to two oxygen atoms in the cage or interacts with two neighboring organic substituents. Cross-sections of X-ray structures were also compared to the experimental and theoretical data to determine if any changes occur to POSS in the gas phase (compared to the condensed phase) and to provide a check for the geometries predicted by theory (which used untested Si parameters). Several types of POSS compounds were investigated that had different SiO cage sizes (Si 6 O 9 , Si 8 O 12 , Si 10 O 15 , Si 12 O 18 , …) and different “R” substituents such as cyclohexyl, cyclopropyl, vinyl, and phenyl groups. Experimental, theoretical, and X-ray cross-sections differed by
How do stream organisms respond to, and influence, the concentration of titanium dioxide nanoparticles? A mesocosm study with algae and herbivores

The biologically active properties of many nanomaterials, coupled with their rapidly expanding production and use, has generated concern that certain types of nanoparticles could have unintended impacts when released into natural ecosystems. In the present study, the authors report the results of an experiment in which they grew three common species of stream algae as monocultures and together as polycultures in the biofilms of stream mesocosms that were exposed to 0, 0.1, or 1.0 ppm nanoparticle titanium dioxide (nTiO2). The nTiO2 did not alter the growth trajectory of any algal biofilm over 10þ generations. However, Ti accrual in biofilms not only differed among the algal species but was also higher in polycultures than in the average monoculture. Variation in accrual among species compositions was readily predicted by differences in the total biomass achieved by the different biofilms. When biofilms were fed to the herbivorous snail Physa acuta at the end of the experiment, initial concentrations of nTiO2 did not alter short-term rates of herbivory. However, because of differences in palatability among the algae, biofilm composition influenced the amount of nTiO2 that accumulated in the herbivore tissue. The results have important implications for understanding how efficiently nTiO2 is removed from surface waters and the potential transfer of nanomaterials to higher trophic levels. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012;31:2414-2422. # 2012 SETAC Keywords—Nanoparticle TiO2 Metal oxide Stream Physa acuta
Murine CD9 is the receptor for pregnancy-specific glycoprotein 17.

Pregnancy-specific glycoproteins (PSGs) are a family of highly similar secreted proteins produced by the placenta. PSG homologs have been identified in primates and rodents. Members of the human and murine PSG family induce secretion of antiinflammatory cytokines in mononuclear phagocytes. For the purpose of cloning the receptor, we screened a RAW 264.7 cell cDNA expression library. The PSG17 receptor was identified as the tetraspanin, CD9. We confirmed binding of PSG17 to CD9 by ELISA, flow cytometry, alkaline phosphatase binding assays, and in situ rosetting. Anti-CD9 monoclonal antibody inhibited binding of PSG17 to CD9-transfected cells and RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, PSG17 binding to macrophages from CD9-deficient mice was significantly reduced. We then tested whether PSG17 binds to other members of the murine tetraspanin family. PSG17 did not bind to cells transfected with CD53, CD63, CD81, CD82, or CD151, suggesting that PSG17–CD9 binding is a specific interaction. We have identified the first receptor for a murine PSG as well as the first natural ligand for a member of the tetraspanin superfamily.
Comment on "Inverse Solutions of the Prandtl-Meyer Function"

'Ozcan, O., Edis, F. O., Asian, A. R., and Pinar, L, "Inverse Solutions of the Prandtl-Meyer Function,' Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 31, No. 6, 1994, pp. 1422-1424. Hayes, W. D., and Probstein, R. F., Hypersonic Flow Theory, Academic, New York, 1959, p. 264. 'Probstein, R. F., "Inversion of the Prandtl-Meyer Relation for Specific Heat Ratios of 5/3 and 5/4," Journal of the Aeronautical Sciences, Vol. 24, 1957, pp. 316, 317, 632.
Joint semi-blind channel and timing estimation for generalized UWB transmitted reference systems

Synchronization is one of the most critical issues in ultra-wideband communications due to the short duration of the pulses. In this work, a semi-blind synchronization scheme based on maximum-likelihood techniques to recover both symbol and frame timing is developed. The proposed algorithm performs joint timing and channel estimation and is thus robust against moderate timing errors. The probability of acquisition is computed based on correlated Gaussian random variables and analytical results are shown to be accurate for moderate to high SNR values relative to simulated performance. The results reveal that the proposed algorithm achieves a significant performance gain in terms of mean-squared error and bit-error-rate in comparison to proposed frame rate (FR) based algorithms. The impact of a low resolution analog-to-digital converter is shown to be marginal
Association of Plasma Levels of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 RNA and Oropharyngeal Candida Colonization

The pathophysiology of oropharyngeal candidiasis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 is poorly understood. Association between oropharyngeal yeast carriage and various clinical factors in HIV-1-infected patients was studied in 83 patients with no clinical evidence of thrush and no recent antifungal use. Of the clinical factors measured, the only correlate of yeast colonization was with plasma HIV-1 RNA levels (P=.001), whereas the correlation with CD4 cell count was poor (P=.36). By multivariable regression modeling, plasma HIV-1 RNA was the only parameter that correlated with the extent of colonization with Candida infection (P=.003). These data indicate that the presence and amount of asymptomatic oropharyngeal yeast carriage in persons with HIV-1 infection is more significantly correlated with plasma HIV-1 RNA levels than with CD4 cell count. Further studies on the effect of HIV-1 on oropharyngeal yeast colonization, infection, and local immunity are warranted.
Effects of cocaine rewards on neural representations of cognitive demand in nonhuman primates

Rationale Investigations of the neural consequences of the effects of cocaine on cognition have centered on specific brain circuits including prefrontal cortex, medial temporal lobe and striatum and their roles in controlling drug dependent behavior and addiction. These regions are critical to many aspects of drug abuse; however recent investigations in addicted individuals have reported possible cognitive deficits that impact recovery and other therapeutic interventions.
Forest clearing and regional landsliding

The influence of forest clearing on landsliding is central to longstanding concern over the effects of timber harvesting on slope stability. Here we document a strong topographic control on shallow landsliding by combining unique ground-based landslide surveys in an intensively monitored study area with digital terrain modeling using high-resolution laser altimetry and a coarser resolution regional study of 3224 landslides. As predicted by our digital terrain‐based model, landslides occur disproportionately in steep, convergent topography. In terrain predicted to be at low risk of slope failure, a random model performs equally well to our mechanism-based model. Our monitoring shows that storms with 24 hr rainfall recurrence intervals of less than 4 yr triggered landslides in the decade after forest clearing and that conventional monitoring programs can substantially underestimate the effects of forest clearing. Our regional analysis further substantiates that forest clearing dramatically accelerates shallow landsliding in steep terrain typical of the Pacific Northwest.
Automatic ARIMA time series modeling for adaptive I/O prefetching

Inadequate I/O performance remains a major challenge in using high-end computing systems effectively. To address this problem, we present TsModeler, an automatic time series modeling and prediction framework for adaptive I/O prefetching that uses ARIMA time series models to predict the temporal patterns of I/O requests. These online pattern analysis techniques and cutoff indicators for autocorrelation patterns enable multistep online predictions suitable for multiblock prefetching. This work also combines time series predictions with spatial Markov model predictions to determine when, what, and how many blocks to prefetch. Experimental results show reductions in execution time compared to the standard Linux file system across various hardware configurations.
Peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP22) modulates alpha 6 integrin expression in the human endometrium

Background: PMP22, a member of the GAS3 family of tetraspan proteins, is associated with a variety of neurological diseases. Previous studies have shown that PMP22 is expressed in proliferative endometrium, but its function within this tissue is poorly understood. In this study, we first characterized the expression of PMP22 in the human menstrual cycle and began to characterize its function in the endometrium. Methods: Using a combination of immunohistochemistry and quantitative PCR, we characterized the expression of PMP22 in both proliferative and secretory endometrium. Differences in PMP22 expression between proliferative and secretory endometrium were determined using a Mann-Whitney U test. In order to investigate the influence of PMP22 on a6 integrin expression, cells were created that ectopically overexpressed PMP22 or expressed a siRNA to inhibit its expression. These cells were analyzed for changes in integrins and binding to extracellular matrices. Results: In this study, we show that PMP22 expression is higher in proliferative phase than secretory phase. Functionally, we have begun to characterize the functional significance of this expression. Previous studies have suggested a link between PMP22 and a6 integrin, and therefore we asked whether PMP22 could associate or potentially modulate the expression of a6 integrin. Expression of both PMP22 and a6 integrin were detectable in endometrial epithelial and stromal cells, and we show that both proteins can associate and colocalize with each other. To understand if PMP22 directly altered the expression of a6 integrin, we examined cell lines with modulated levels of the protein. Overexpression of PMP22 was sufficient to increase a6 integrin surface expression with a concominant increase in binding to the extracellular matrix laminin, while a reduction in PMP22 suppressed a6 integrin surface expression. Conclusion: These findings suggest a physiologic role for PMP22 on the expression of a6 integrin. We predict that this may be important for the maintainence of endometrial integrity and to the disease biology associated with altered levels of a6 integrin expression in the endometrium.
An Evaluation of Select Test Variables Potentially Affecting Acute Oil Toxicity

In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon incident (2010) in the Gulf of Mexico, an abundance of research studies have been performed, but the methodologies used have varied making comparisons and replication difficult. In this study, acute toxicity tests with mysids and inland silversides were performed to examine the effect of different variables on test results. The toxicity test variables evaluated in this study included (1) open versus closed static test chambers, (2) natural versus artificial diluent, (3) aerated versus nonaerated test solution, and (4) low versus medium energy water-accommodated (WAF) mixing energies. The use of tests using natural or artificial diluent showed no difference in either toxicity test or analytical chemistry results. Based on median lethal concentrations (LC50) of WAFs of unweathered oil (MASS), mysid tests performed in closed chambers were approximately 41 % lower than LC50 values from open-chamber studies, possibly a result of the presence of low-molecular weight volatile aromatics (i.e., naphthalenes). This research also showed that using a medium-energy WAF (with a 20–25 % vortex) increases the number of chemical components compared with low-energy WAF, thus affecting the composition of the exposure media and increasing toxicity. The comparison of toxic units as a measure of the potential toxicity of fresh and weathered oils showed that weathered oils (e.g., Juniper, CTC) are less toxic than the unweathered MASS oil. In the event of future oil spills, these variables should be considered to ensure that data regarding the potential toxicity and environmental risk are of good quality and reproducible.
Thermal detection contrast of human targets

Work on automatic detection systems based on the thermal contrast and motion of human intruders has shown that detection is sometimes difficult, depending on solar and other environmental conditions. The conditions and energy transfer mechanisms that lead to difficult thermal detection are discussed. The infrared search and track concept is described. Detection limitations due to noise and poor contrast, and detection as a function of background are discussed. The advantages of high resolution detection systems are considered. The heat flux balance equation can be used in an iterative computer program to predict the surface temperatures of both the background and the target. The main problem with this approach is that the results are only as good as the quality and the detail of the model. Since the difference between successful detection of a target and no detection is only 1 or 2 degrees C, small errors in the input information can easily result in incorrect conclusions. The big advantage is that doing heat flux balance calculations gives the researcher a good idea which terms are the most important for a given situation. >
Software Productivity of Field Experiments Using the Mobile Agents Open Architecture with Workflow Interoperability

We analyzed a series of ten systematically developed surface exploration systems that integrated a variety of hardware and software components. Design, development, and testing data suggest that incremental buildup of an exploration system for long-duration capabilities is facilitated by an open architecture with appropriate-level APIs, specifically designed to facilitate integration of new components. This improves software productivity by reducing changes required for reconfiguring an existing system.
Transplacental naphthalene poisoning.

Abstract The diagnosis of hemolytic anemia in a newborn infant secondary to maternal ingestion of moth balls is reported. The acute hemolytic anemia seen in this child apparently originated in utero due to transplacental migration of naphthalene and/or its oxidation products. Often the diagnosis of naphthalene poisoning depends primarily on an accurate history as it did in this case.
Underutilized time for health education of hospitalized patients

BACKGROUND: Our anecdotal observations suggested that hospitalized patients had considerable time during the day when they were not occupied with diagnostic testing or other activities. Accordingly, we sought to quantify the fraction of free time that hospitalized patients had available to participate in health educational activities and if and when during their hospitalization they were interested in participating in these activities and felt capable of doing so. METHODS: From June 25 through August 15, 2005, randomly selected consenting patients admitted to the Internal Medicine service of an academic safety-net hospital became subjects of a time-motion study that was conducted from admission to discharge or to hospital Day 6. Another randomly selected group received daily surveys, and patients in a third group were interviewed on Day 2 or 3 of their hospitalization. RESULTS: Time-motion data, surveys, and interviews were obtained from 13, 138, and 15 patients, respectively. Of the 316 patient-hours observed, 71% were classified as downtime. More than 80% of patients either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that they were interested in and capable of being educated on all days of their hospitalization. The themes generated from the interviews included the desire to know more about self-management, prevention of disease recurrence or progression, and their primary illness. CONCLUSIONS: Adult medical inpatients have considerable time and strong motivation to participate in health educational activities throughout their hospitalization. The current structure for educating hospitalized patients should be supplemented to take these findings into account. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2008;3:238–246. © 2008 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Respiratory inhibition after crying or gastroesophageal reflux and feeding hypoxemia in infants.

AbstractObjective: The objective of this study is to present information on respiratory inhibition after crying (RIAC), feeding hypoxemia, and respiratory inhibition after gastroesophageal reflux (RIGER) to medical staff caring for infants.Methods: The author reviewed investigations of these conditions.Results: These conditions have been observed in full-term healthy infants, and they are accompanied clinically by central cyanosis and a decrease in SpO2 to less than 70%. These conditions are easily diagnosed using pulse oximetry. Among Japanese infants with a gestational age of 36 weeks or older, the incidence of RIAC and feeding hypoxemia is 24% and 32%, respectively. The incidence of RIGER is approximately 4%. Feeding hypoxemia occurs significantly more often during bottle-feeding than during breastfeeding. RIAC, feeding hypoxemia, and RIGER are significantly associated with each other. The risk factors are maternal smoking during pregnancy, threatened premature labor, twin gestation, asymmetric intraut...
Improving SVM classification on imbalanced time series data sets with ghost points

Imbalanced data sets present a particular challenge to the data mining community. Often, it is the rare event that is of interest and the cost of misclassifying the rare event is higher than misclassifying the usual event. When the data is highly skewed toward the usual, it can be very difficult for a learning system to accurately detect the rare event. There have been many approaches in recent years for handling imbalanced data sets, from under-sampling the majority class to adding synthetic points to the minority class in feature space. However, distances between time series are known to be non-Euclidean and non-metric, since comparing time series requires warping in time. This fact makes it impossible to apply standard methods like SMOTE to insert synthetic data points in feature spaces. We present an innovative approach that augments the minority class by adding synthetic points in distance spaces. We then use Support Vector Machines for classification. Our experimental results on standard time series show that our synthetic points significantly improve the classification rate of the rare events, and in most cases also improves the overall accuracy of SVMs. We also show how adding our synthetic points can aid in the visualization of time series data sets.
The spanning number and the independence number of a subset of an abelian group

Let A = {a 1, a 2, …, a m } be a subset of a finite abelian group G. We call A t-independent in G, if whenever $$ \lambda _1 a_1 + \lambda _2 a_2 + ... + \lambda _m a_m = 0 $$ for some integers λ1, λ 2,…, λ m with $$ |\lambda _1 | + \lambda _2 | + ... + |\lambda _m | \leqslant t, $$ we have λ 1 = λ 2 = … = λ m = 0, and we say that A is s-spanning in G, if every element g of G can be written as $$ g = \lambda _1 a_1 + \lambda _2 a_2 + ...\lambda _m a_m $$ for some integers λ 1, λ 2, …, λ m with $$ |\lambda _1 | + |\lambda _2 | + ... + |\lambda _m | \leqslant s. $$
trans activation of human alcohol dehydrogenase gene expression in hepatoma cells by C/EBP molecules bound in a novel arrangement just 5' and 3' to the TATA box.

Abstract A promoter sequence between nucleotide -51 and nucleotide -10 in the human alcohol dehydrogenase gene ADH2 has been shown to bind the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP). A series of 5'-end deletions of the ADH2 promoter was cotransfected with a C/EBP expression plasmid in a human hepatoma cell line, and trans activation by C/EBP was seen when at least 171 base pairs of 5'-flanking DNA was present. Mutations in the ADH2 promoter indicate that the mechanism of C/EBP trans activation involves two binding sites, one located just upstream of the TATA box and one located in an unusual location between the TATA box and the transcription start point.
Simultaneous anaerobic transformation of tetrachloroethene and carbon tetrachloride in a continuous flow column.

Abstract Tetrachloroethene (PCE) and carbon tetrachloride (CT) were simultaneously transformed in a packed column that was bioaugmented with the Evanite culture (EV). The data presented here have been obtained over a period of 1930 days. Initially the column was continuously fed synthetic groundwater with PCE (0.1 mM), sulfate (SO 42 −) (0.2 mM) and formate (2.1 mM) or lactate (1.1 mM), but not CT. In these early stages of the study the effluent H 2 concentrations ranged from 7 to 19 nM, and PCE was transformed to ethene (ETH) (81 to 85%) and vinyl chloride (VC) (11 to 17%), and SO 42 − was completely reduced when using either lactate or formate as electron donors. SO42 − reduction occurred concurrently with cis-DCE and VC dehalogenation. Formate was a more effective substrate for promoting dehalogenation based on electron donor utilization efficiency. Simultaneous PCE and CT tests found CT (0.015 mM) was completely transformed with 20% observed as chloroform (CF) and trace amounts of chloromethane (CM) and dichloromethane (DCM), but no methane (CH4 ) or carbon disulfide (CS 2). PCE transformation to ETH improved with CT addition in response to increases in H2 concentrations to 160 nM that resulted from acetate formation being inhibited by either CT or CF. Lactate fermentation was negatively impacted after CT transformation tests, with propionate accumulating, and H2 concentrations being reduced to below 1 nM. Under these conditions both SO42 − reduction and dehalogenation were negatively impacted, with sulfate reduction not occurring and PCE being transformed to cis-dichloroethene (c-DCE) (52%) and VC (41%). Upon switching to formate, H2 concentrations increased to 40 nM, and complete SO42 − reduction was achieved, while PCE was transformed to ETH (98%) and VC (1%), with no acetate detected. Throughout the study PCE dehalogenation to ethene was positively correlated with the effluent H2 concentrations.
Inactivation of Estrone in Normal Adult Male Rats

Summary and ConclusionsPellets of estrone were implanted in the subcutaneous tissues, the spleen, and the transplanted ligated spleen, respectively, of groups of normal adult male rats. At the time of implantation of the pellet the right testis was removed in half the number of animals of each group. Marked atrophy occurred in the testes and related genital organs when the pellet was present in the subcutaneous tissues or in the transplanted ligated spleen. No changes occurred in these organs when the pellet was present in the normally situated spleen, indicating that when the absorbed estrone passes through the liver of normal adult male rats before reaching the organs it specifically affects, it is inactivated.
Neutron Reflection Measurement of Near-Surface Structural Change in an Oil-Water-Surfactant System

The interfacial characteristics of an oil-water-surfactant sample were studied using the thermal neutron reflectometer at the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center (RINSC). The sample was a mixture of deuterated octane with H{sub 2}O and non-ionic surfactant (C{sub 10}E{sub 4}), spread onto an H{sub 2}O substrate. A mixture of low surfactant concentration was used so that it could demix into a lamellar oil-water structure, stabilized by a monolayer of surfactant intervening at each oil-water interface. The reflectivity data showed a clearly visible difference between 25.2 C and 30.2 C, indicating that the significant increase of interfacial tension between these two temperatures induced a structural transition.
PCB contamination in surface sediments in the coastal waters of Costa Rica.

This paper describes the initial investigation of PCB concentrations in four geographical regions (three on the Pacific and one in the Caribbean) of coastal Costa Rica: Bahia Culebra, Golfo Dulce, Golfo de Nicoya, and Limon. Overall total concentrations of PCB were low in all areas except around the port of Golfito (Golfo Dulce). Overall average concentration is 2.80 ng/g dw, with a standard deviation of 2.75. The low concentration could be due to lack of contamination or the subsequent degradation in the warm climate, or the low sorptive capacity of the sediment. Further investigation is ongoing.
Study on remote cooperation design system based on workflow management

Multi-layer multi-group design tasks and design processes can be managed and con-trolled effectively with workflow technology. Based on the idea of workflow management, acollaborative design model centred in project and task is built. The model is composed ofprocess model, organization model, resource model and data model. A system architecturefor cooperation design based on workflow management is presented. Further more, a pro-totype system of cooperation design is developed and can meet the demand of remoteproject collaboration.
Clinical Predictors of Outcome in Ischemic Stroke

Stroke is the most common neurologic disorder of adults and one of the three leading causes of death in North America. Results of a study suggest that inexpensive and easily obtained clinical variables can be used to predict which patients with stroke will do well and which will not. This capability is invaluable to physicians, patients with stroke and their families, and future investigators
Radiative transport and scattering of entangled two-photon states

We consider the scattering of entangled two-photon states from random media. We show that the Wigner transform of the two-photon amplitude obeys an equation that is analogous to the radiative transport equation for classical light. Article not available.
The best medicine? The influence of physical activity and inactivity on Parkinson's disease

The incidence of Parkinson's disease (PD) is expected to increase as our population ages and will likely strain the projected capacity of our health care system. Despite being the most common movement disorder, there have been few noninvasive therapeutic advances for people with PD since the first levodopa clinical trial in 1961. The study of PD pathogenesis, combined with an appreciation for the biochemical mechanisms by which physical activity and exercise may impact physiology, has resulted in emerging hypotheses for new modifiable risk factors for PD. Physical activity and exercise as a means of preventing PD, or maintaining the functionality of people with PD, are a promising area of investigation. Conversely, physical inactivity is implicated in many disease states, some of which are also correlated with the development of PD, such as metabolic syndrome. The primary relationship between these diseases is likely rooted in heightened inflammation and oxidative stress at the cellular level. Physical activity and exercise as a means of attenuating inflammation have led to increased interest in related potential therapeutic targets for PD. Ultimately, these findings may translate into low-cost, universally available therapies for PD disease modification or prevention. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
SEntinel-1A TOPS Interferometry application over the Dead Sea

Comparing with its former C-band fellows ERS and Envisat, Sentinel data is favored for its short revisit days (12 days) and free distribution policy. Moreover, TOPS mode can cover a much larger monitoring area (250 km in azimuth) while maintaining a relative high range/ azimuth resolution (4m*20m in general). The advantages of TOPS mode made it become the default mode for Sentinel-1. This paper describes the general processing chain for sentinel-1A TOPS mode from importing, coregistration to generating interferograms and its application in monitoring ground subsidence over the Dead Sea region. The data that comes from TOPS's steering antenna will require some additional processing steps comparing with the stripmap mode. In this paper we apply the TOPS data over the Dead Sea region. A number of interferograms are generated to monitor the local ground subsidence and sinkholes. Distinct ground subsidence is clearly visible on TOPS interferograms.
Environmental friendly package development by using copper wirebonding

This paper focuses on the 1.0 mil Cu wire development and its reliability performance mainly at component level of a BGA wire bond package which consists of 2 metal layer organic substrate more than 500 pin counts. This paper covers package reliability tests such as THB (Temperature and Humidity Biased test), unbiased HAST, TCB (temperature cycling B), high temperature storage tests on BGA laminate with 1.0 mil 4N bare Cu wire. Selection of best package BOM was based on component reliability test and also assembly process data collected during the evaluation. Therefore selection of BOM is not solely based on reliability performance but also its process feasibility and manufacturability. Comprehensive experimental analysis has been carried out to determine the bill of materials for the most robust Cu wire bonding process and reliability performance. Failure analysis on the unbiased HAST failure unit was carried out to understand the failure mechanism and benchmark to the industrial finding. Final reliability validation based on the selected BOM and process condition was conducted and results have been covered in this paper. In addition, comprehensive ongoing reliability monitoring program and yield monitoring have been established to ensure flawless production implementation and package reliability of Altera's Cu wirebond BGA laminate package.
Nanoporous Metal Components Bonded with Sputtered Solder for Equation-of-State Laser Targets

Targets were fabricated at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and were shot on the Omega laser to study the equation of state of nanoporous copper. The targets had a planar configuration and co...
Modulated phononic crystals: Non-reciprocal wave propagation and Willis materials

Abstract Research on breaking time-reversal symmetry in wave phenomena is a growing area of interest in the field of phononic crystals and metamaterials aiming to realize one-way propagation devices which have many potential technological applications. Here we investigate wave propagation in phononic crystals, periodic laminates in particular, where both elastic moduli and mass density are modulated in space and time in a wave-like fashion. The modulation introduces a bias which breaks time-reversal symmetry and reciprocity. A full characterization of how the dispersion curve transforms due to wave-like modulations is given in analytical and geometrical terms for both low (subsonic) and high (supersonic) modulation speeds. Theoretical findings are supported by numerical simulations. More specific to low frequencies, the macroscopic constitutive law of 1, 2 and 3D modulated laminates is proven to be of the Willis type with a non-negligible Willis coupling in the strictly scale-separated homogenization limit. The existence of a macroscopic stress-velocity and momentum-strain Willis coupling is in fact directly related to the breaking of reciprocity. Finally, closed form expressions of the macroscopic constitutive parameters are obtained and some elementary yet insightful energy bounds are derived and discussed.
Effects of metformin on pancreatic cancer survival among Medicare beneficiaries.

e14691 Background: Evidence from preclinical models suggests that metformin may have antitumor activity against pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The effect in humans has not been well-described. A recent...
Dynamic modeling of the tight junction pore pathway

Claudins define paracellular permeability to small molecules by forming ion-selective pores within the tight junction. We recently demonstrated that claudin-2 channels are gated and open and close on a submillisecond timescale. To determine if and how the ensemble behavior of this unique class of entirely extracellular gated ion channels could define global epithelial barrier function, we have developed an in silico model of local claudin-2 behavior. This model considers the complex anastomosing ultrastructure of tight junction strands and can be scaled to show that local behavior defines global epithelial barrier function of epithelial monolayers expressing different levels of claudin-2. This is the first mathematical model to describe global epithelial barrier function in terms of the dynamic behavior of single tight junction channels and establishes a framework to consider gating kinetics as a means to regulate barrier function.
Virtue Ethics, Earnestness, and the Deciding Lawyer: Human Flourishing in a Legal Community

Over the past few decades, academic scholarship in the field of legal ethics has closely examined, and reached widely divergent conclusions about, the moral challenges lawyers face because of their ethical position as individuals owing competing professional duties to clients, the courts, and other persons who are affected by the actions of lawyers and their clients. In addition, scholars have explored the moral challenges lawyers confront as persons ethically situated in law practices of varying natures (e.g., civil or criminal litigation, or transactional work) and settings (i.e., small or solo firm, government practice, or large firm). In this article, I intend to take a step back from those issues and then endeavor to take a few steps forward, to examine the ethical position of the lawyer and a lawyer’s decisions and conduct from the standpoint of moral philosophy. What does “good character” mean for a lawyer? What obstacles do lawyers, especially new ones, face in forming and maintaining a “good character” for the practice of law? What does it mean for lawyers in a particular geographic setting to live “in legal community,” and how can this community promote human flourishing for its members amidst the moral hazards found in the daily decisions of law practice?
Quantum physics: a ménage à trois laid bare.

Quantum bodies that can't settle down together in pairs get on fine in a cosy threesome. This startling claim about the private life of particles has just seen its first experimental confirmation.
Detection of optical activity with diode-integrated hyperbolic metasurfaces

We present an analytical technique for designing integrated polarized light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and polarization-sensitive photodiodes (PD) based on hyperbolic metasurfaces (HMS) for the detection of optical activity. Leveraging effective medium theory and the scattering matrix method, we first derive the conditions for optimizing the transmission efficiency of an LED-integrated HMS and the absorption efficiency of a PD-integrated HMS. We then propose using a differential detection technique with orthogonally oriented PD-integrated HMS to measure optical activity in an extremely compact volume. Finally, we perform an estimation of system performance and find that, relative to state-of-the-art polarimeters, a reduction of complexity can be achieved without sacrificing resolution. The results hold merit for reducing the size and cost of polarimeters and associated polarimetric sensing systems, which play vital roles in the pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences.
Pragmatics: Tools for a Multimedia Development Environment

In the preceding four chapters we described the syntax of multidimensional languages to specify the presentation of multimedia applications, and the semantics of the teleaction objects to specify the activities performed by multimedia applications. In this chapter we give an overview to a software engineering environment referred to as the Multimedia IC Development Environment (MICE), and its associated tools. The details of the MICE tools will be presented in Chapter 8.
Trends in high-intensity statin use and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control among patients enrolled in a clinical pharmacy cardiac risk service.

Background Although high-intensity statin therapy (HIST) is recommended for most patients between 21 and 75 years of age with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), several recent analyses examining contemporary statin use trends have identified a clinical care gap in the utilization of HIST. Objective The objective of this study was to assess secular trends in lipid management for patients with ASCVD enrolled in a clinical pharmacy program within an integrated health care delivery system. Methods We performed serial cross-sectional studies over time, comprising 18,006 adults with both acute and chronic ASCVD, to assess trends in statin use and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels from 2007 to 2016. Results Although the use of statin therapy (any intensity) remained relatively consistent throughout the 10-year study period (89% in 2007, 87% in 2016), the proportion of patients receiving HIST increased over time (44% in 2007, 67% in 2016; P Conclusions Among adults with ASCVD enrolled in a clinical pharmacy cardiac risk reduction service, guideline-directed use of HIST significantly increased over the past 10 years and coincided with decreased population LDL-C levels.
The superficial antigenic mosaic of Methanobrevibacter smithii: Identification of determinants and isolates by monoclonal antibodies

A panel of six different monoclonal antibodies (6A to F) was generated using Methanobrevibacter smithii strain PS as immunogen. The antibodies were characterized and calibrated by standard techniques and with a novel application of the slide immunoenzymatic assay (SIA) for determination of the l-chain type of the monoclonal antibody molecule. Five (and possibly six) determinants were identified with the antibodies. Each antibody recognized one determinant exclusively, except for antibodies 6B and 6F which might recognize the same determinant, although some data suggest that antibody 6F recognizes a sixth determinant different from the other five. The determinant for antibody 6A involves Glu, Lys and Orn. It is most likely located in the region of the peptide moiety of pseudomurein which is typical of strain PS. The six antibodies reacted with whole bacterial cells unfixed or formalinized and/or heat-fixed, but did not react with the other M. smithii reference strain ALI, or with any other reference methanogen tested. However, the antibodies did react with a number of isolates from human feces considered M. smithii from morphologic, physiologic and immunologic information, and were instrumental for grouping the isolates.
Studies on Cyclic Treatments of Alkali Pulp Spent Liquor and Semichemical Pulp Spent Liquor (7)

This paper reports the combustion and smelt production of semichemical pulp spent liquors (solid matter content 54.9%) as using heavy oil of auxiliary fuel by spray method and the calorific value's estimation of mixture of spent liquor solids and lignin as auxiliary fuel. Semichemical pulp spent liquors were burnt well and smelts were produced and flowed out successfully. The principal components of smelts are Na2C03, Na2S and sulfidity of white liquor will become 2430%, if Na2CO3 in green liquors are caustisated. It was estimated that the calorific value of mixture is equal to, or more than kraft pulp black liquor solids.
Ecophysiology of mammals

Ecophysiology is a relatively recent interdisciplinary field, and although active prior to the 75th anniversary of the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM), it has grown in breadth since then. This growth is in part a result of advances in technology that have reduced the size and improved the portability of key instrumentation, and also made sequencing of proteins and nucleic acids faster and less expensive. Here, we demonstrate the breadth of recent research on the ecophysiology of mammals, quantify the research activity of the past 25 years, and consider future research needs. Some of the most active areas of research have related to maintenance of homeostasis, associations of physiological traits with the evolution of varied life styles and life histories, and reproductive physiology. Key findings involve allometry and scaling, energetics and thermoregulation, phenotypic plasticity and epigenetics, and the importance of microbial symbionts. With respect to predictions of trends in mammalian ecophysiology, the strongest themes relate to conservation biology, in large part related to rapid climate change, habitat destruction, and other anthropogenic factors. How our mammalian fauna adapts (or not) to these changes will be of great interest, and has the potential to affect the science of mammalogy in the future.
Correctness Verification of Neural Networks.

We present the first verification that a neural network produces a correct output within a specified tolerance for every input of interest. We define correctness relative to a specification which identifies 1) a state space consisting of all relevant states of the world and 2) an observation process that produces neural network inputs from the states of the world. Tiling the state and input spaces with a finite number of tiles, obtaining ground truth bounds from the state tiles and network output bounds from the input tiles, then comparing the ground truth and network output bounds delivers an upper bound on the network output error for any input of interest. Results from a case study highlight the ability of our technique to deliver tight error bounds for all inputs of interest and show how the error bounds vary over the state and input spaces.
Endoscopic management of benign cystic lesions of the thalamus with fenestrated stent placement.

Abstract Benign intracranial cystic lesions of the thalamus are an uncommon clinical entity rarely requiring operative decompression. In combination with cyst fenestration, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow diversion or fenestrated stent placement may be performed at the time of surgery. We describe a method of treatment of these cysts using endoscopic cyst fenestration with fenestrated transventricular stent placement. Three patients with benign cystic lesions were treated with stereotactic-guided, endoscopic fenestration and fenestrated stent placement. All 3 had radiographic and clinical improvement. There were no complications. Endoscopic fenestration and transventricular fenestrated stent placement is a minimally invasive, effective, and safe method to decompress benign, symptomatic cystic lesions of the thalamus.
The Evolution of Color Pattern in Butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae)

Coral reef fishes constitute one of the most diverse assemblages of vertebrates on the planet. Color patterns are known to serve a number of functions including intra- and inter-specific signaling, camouflage, mimicry, and defense. However, the relative importance of these and other factors in shaping color pattern evolution is poorly understood. Here we conduct a comparative phylogenetic analysis of color pattern evolution in the butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae). Using recently developed tools for quantifying color pattern geometry as well as machine learning approaches, we investigate the tempo of evolution of color pattern elements and test whether ecological variables relating to defense, depth, and social behavior predict color pattern evolution. Butterflyfishes exhibit high diversity in measures of chromatic conspicuousness and the degrees of fine versus gross scale color patterning. Surprisingly, most diversity in color pattern was not predicted by any of the measures of ecology in our study, although we did find a significant but weak relationship between the level of fine scale patterning and some aspects of defensive morphology. We find that the tempo of color pattern diversification in butterflyfishes has increased toward the present and suggest that rapid evolution, presumably in response to evolutionary pressures surrounding speciation and lineage divergence, has effectively decoupled color pattern geometry from some aspects of ecology. Machine learning classification of color pattern appears to rely on a set of features that are weakly correlated with current color pattern geometry descriptors, but that may be better suited for the detection of discrete components of color pattern. A key challenge for future studies lies in determining whether rapid evolution has generally decoupled color patterns from ecology, or whether convergence in function produces convergence in color pattern at phylogenetic scales.
Xanthohumol and Structurally Related Prenylflavonoids for Cancer Chemoprevention and Control

Humans are almost exclusively exposed to the prenylated hop chalcone, xanthohumol, by consumption of beer and hop-derived dietary supplements. Its spontaneous isomerization into the flavanone, isoxanthohumol, in conjunction with gut microbial and hepatic metabolism, produces several xanthohumol-derived prenylated flavonoids that exert bioactivities relevant to cancer chemoprevention. The mechanisms by which these prenylflavonoids may act to counter tumorigenesis, as well as carcinogenesis and metastasis, include detoxifying carcinogens, reducing inflammation and inflammation-driven angiogenesis, and promoting apoptotic cell death. Following our discoveries that xanthohumol has the ability to inhibit cytochrome P450 enzymes that metabolically activate procarcinogens and induce the carcinogen-detoxifying quinone reductase, other researchers have investigated the effects of xanthohumol on the activity of these metabolic enzymes in various cancer cell lines using carcinogenic substrates as well as its effects on transcriptional activation of metabolic genes in animal models. Another group of metabolic enzymes, glutathione S-transferases, detoxify electrophilic carcinogens and appear to be transcriptionally induced by xanthohumol via activation of Nrf2. Various human malignancies have in common that they activate the pro-inflammatory NFκB pathway to induce the expression of inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and anti-apoptotic genes. Many researchers, including our laboratory, have shown that xanthohumol and related flavonoids inhibit NFκB activation in various cancer cell lines. Furthermore, xanthohumol can inhibit tumor growth in vivo by inhibiting the pro-angiogenic NFκB and Akt pathways. Tumor cells differ from normal cells by their increased metabolic rate and demand for oxygen, which forces them to switch from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis to meet energy demands while coping with increased oxidative stress and apoptotic risk. Acting as mild mitochondrial uncouplers, prenylated flavonoids lower the mitochondrial inner membrane potential thereby promoting apoptosis, counteracting anti-apoptotic pathways in tumor cells, and decreasing the metastatic potential of cancer cells. While xanthohumol and other prenylated flavonoids have low potential for use as effective cancer therapeutics by themselves, they hold promise for combination therapy because tumor cells cannot develop resistance against the mitochondrial uncoupling effects of prenylated flavonoids.