cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lattice thermal conductivities of RbBr, RbI, and RbCl from 80 to 400 K

The thermal conductivities $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ of RbBr, RbI, and RbCl were measured over the temperature range from 80 to 400 K with minimum uncertainties of \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.5% at 80 K. The data were corrected for photon radiation, but the correction uncertainties caused the over-all measurement uncertainties to increase with increasing $T$. The data disagree with results by Eucken and Kuhn by as much as a factor of 4 but the RbCl data agree well with more recent work by Rosenbaum et al. The data were compared to an approximate equation for three-phonon umklapp scattering involving only acoustic mode phonons. The deviation of experimental thermal resistance ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ values from calculated values increased smoothly with increasing mass ratio. The presence of four-phonon umklapp scattering processes in the rubidium halides cannot be excluded because of the high-temperature behavior of ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Distinct slope changes in ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ near the Debye temperatures, similar to those which occur in Si and Th${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, were not observed in any of the three compounds although the effect could have been masked by the large experimental uncertainties at high temperatures.
Pre-optic and hypothalamic neurons accumulate [3H]medroxyprogesterone acetate in male cynomolgus monkeys

Abstract Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) is a synthetic progestin that is reported to be effective in the treatment of paraphilic behavior, including paraphilic aggression, in men. The mechanisms and sites of action for its behavioral effects are not known. Thawmount autoradiography was used to help identify sites in the brain at which MPA may act in a male primate. Two adult, castrated male cynomolgus monkeys were administered [3H]MPA and killed one hour later. Radioactivity was concentrated in the nuclei of many neurons in the medial preoptic nucleus (n.), anterior hypothalamic area, ventromedial hypothalamic n., and arcuate n. Virtually no labeled cells were observed in the bed n. of the stria terminalis, lateral septal n., or amygdala. Analysis by high performance liquid chromatography of brain samples from the same animals demonstrated that 84% of the extractable radioactivity in cell nuclei from the hypothalamus and preoptic area was in the form of unmetabolized [3H]MPA. The localization of MPA-concentrating neurons in regions of the brain known to be implicated in regulating both sexual behavior and pituitary function suggests that, among other sites of action, MPA may act directly upon the brain.
Time‐dependent renewal‐model probabilities when date of last earthquake is unknown

Abstract We derive time‐dependent, renewal‐model earthquake probabilities for the case in which the date of the last event is completely unknown, and compare these with the time‐independent Poisson probabilities that are customarily used as an approximation in this situation. For typical parameter values, the renewal‐model probabilities exceed Poisson results by more than 10% when the forecast duration exceeds ∼20% of the mean recurrence interval. We also derive probabilities for the case in which the last event is further constrained to have occurred before historical record keeping began (the historic open interval), which can only serve to increase earthquake probabilities for typically applied renewal models. We conclude that accounting for the historic open interval can improve long‐term earthquake rupture forecasts for California and elsewhere.
Potential benefits of maximal exercise just prior to return from weightlessness

The purpose of this study was to determine whether performance of a single maximal bout of exercise during weightlessness within hours of return to earth would enhance recovery of aerobic fitness and physical work capacities under a 1G environment. Ten healthy men were subjected to a 10-d bedrest period in the 6-deg headdown position. A graded maximal supine cycle ergometer test was performed before and at the end of bedrest to simulate exercise during weightlessness. Following 3 h of resumption of the upright posture, a second maximal exercise test was performed on a treadmill to measure work capacity under conditions of 1G. Compared to before bedrest, peak oxygen consumption, V(O2), decreased by 8.7 percent and peak heart rate (HR) increased by 5.6 percent in the supine cycle test at the end of bedrest. However, there were no significant changes in peak V(O2) and peak HR in the upright treadmill test following bedrest. These data suggest that one bout of maximal leg exercise prior to return from 10 d of weightlessness may be adequate to restore preflight aerobic fitness and physical work capacity.
Clinical presentation of extramammary paget disease of the axilla in a male patient.

Extramammary Paget disease is a rare condition most often found in the penile and vulvar regions but is not necessarily limited to these locations. The nonspecific symptoms and visual presentation can mimic a variety of other dermatological conditions, often delaying diagnosis. Immunohistochemical staining for markers including cytokeratin 7 are becoming increasingly important in making the diagnosis. The current mainstay of therapy is surgical excision with wide margins. Multiple new modalities are being tested to reduce the need for operative definitive therapy, potentially reducing morbidity.
How Bipartisanship and Incrementalism Stitched the Child Health Insurance Safety Net (1982–1997)

Today, 96.5 percent of children and adolescents either have health insurance or are uninsured but eligible for a public plan. This proportion far exceeds the most optimistic coverage projections for adults under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The child health insurance safety net was crafted from 1982 to 1997 through several incremental, bipartisan federal and state legislative actions. It began by offering and later mandating state Medicaid eligibility expansions and culminated with the enactment of the State Child Health Insurance Program. Two-thirds of the states leveraged these laws to expand coverage beyond federal requirements. As a senior executive with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the author was directly involved or closely monitored these federal and state child health insurance expansions. This case study is a participant-observer analysis of that period, an era that stands in stark contrast to today's highly partisan times. The successive expansions of publicly funded children's health insurance during this conservative period, when many other human services programs were slashed, are attributed to public sympathy for children, political acceptability by the right and the left, manageable costs, and the relative ease of state implementation as these changes came in incremental pieces over several years.
Use of Post-acute Care Services and Readmissions After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation in Privately Insured Patients

Abstract Background Very little is known about health care resource utilization, including post–acute care use and hospital readmissions, after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Methods and Results Administrative claims from a database of multiple United States health plans were used to identify patients that received an LVAD (ICD-9 code 37.66) and survived to hospital discharge from January 1–2006, through September 30–2013. Post–acute care use was defined as a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation stay within 90 days after hospital discharge. Patients were censored at heart transplantation or end of coverage through December 31–2013. Of 583 patients (mean age 55 years, 77% male), 223 (38.3%) used post–acute care services, more commonly in patients with diabetes, who required hemodialysis, and who had LVADs implanted at hospitals in more populated areas, with more beds, and in the northeast region ( P Conclusions Use of post-acute care services varies based on hospital characteristics. We found no association between post-acute care use and readmission risk after LVAD implantation.
Tarka® (trandolapril/verapamil hydrochloride extended-release) overdose.

Abstract Background: Patients with fixed-dose combination product overdoses involving verapamil and trandolapril may present differently than sole calcium channel blocker (CCB) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) overdose alone, and may have implications for the toxicological management. The ACE-I component may confound the traditional response to antidotal and supportive therapy recommended for CCB overdoses. In such cases, it may be prudent to manage the trandolapril component concurrently while administering traditional CCB antidotes. Objectives: To report a probable case and review the toxicological management of a fixed-dose antihypertensive combination product toxicity involving verapamil and trandolapril (Tarka®). Case Report: A 60-year-old man experienced dizziness and fell after ingesting five tablets of Tarka®. Eight hours later, he was found to be hypotensive and bradycardic. Therapy for CCB toxicity was initiated, including fluids, modified hyperglycemia-euglycemia insulin therapy, calcium chloride, activated charcoal, and glucagon. The patient's blood pressure and heart rate stabilized only after the administration and titration of dopamine and episodes of profuse vomiting in response to glucagon. The patient was transferred to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit for further monitoring. He was considered stable to the point of all therapies being discontinued only 12 h post-ingestion. The patient was discharged 40 h after ingestion with no further sequelae. Conclusions: Lack of familiarity with the components of fixed-dose combination products poses a problem during overdose situations and may confound the presentation and delay resuscitation and acute stabilization.
Innate Immunity in Multiple Sclerosis: Myeloid Dendritic Cells in Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Are Activated and Drive a Proinflammatory Immune Response

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is postulated to be a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease characterized clinically by a relapsing-remitting (RR) stage followed by a secondary progressive (SP) phase. The progressive phase is felt to be secondary to neuronal degenerative changes triggered by inflammation. The status of the innate immune system and its relationship to the stages of MS is not well understood. Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional APCs that are central cells of the innate immune system and have the unique capacity to induce primary immune responses. We investigated circulating myeloid DCs isolated directly from the blood to determine whether there were abnormalities in myeloid DCs in MS and whether they were related to disease stage. We found that SP-MS subjects had an increased percentage of DCs expressing CD80, a decreased percentage expressing PD-L1, and an increased percentage producing IL-12 and TNF-alpha compared with RR-MS or controls. A higher percentage of DCs from both RR and SP-MS patients expressed CD40 compared with controls. We then investigated the polarization effect of DCs from MS patients on naive T cells taken from cord blood using a MLR assay. Whereas DCs from RR-MS induced higher levels of Th1 (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-13) cytokines compared with controls, DCs from SP-MS only induced a polarized Th1 response. These results demonstrate abnormalities of DCs in MS and may explain the immunologic basis for the different stages and clinical patterns of MS.
Empirical relationships for soil organic carbon transport from agricultural watersheds in Ohio

Improved quantification is needed for long-term soil organic carbon (SOC) transport in runoff at watershed scales. Coshocton wheel samplers were used to collect runoff samples from no-till and chisel-till watersheds in corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) rotations over 13 years. Samples were analyzed for SOC, N, P, K, and soil losses. The SOC losses, ranging from 0 to 357 kg ha−1 event−1, were correlated (r2 = 0·80–0·94) in power law relationships with N, P, K, soil loss, and runoff. Two events occurring in corn when soybean and cover crop residue were present in no-till had combined SOC transport of 460 kg ha−1, nearly double the no-till losses of a previous 11-year period and 20 times higher than chisel-till in the same events. Infrequent, extreme transport events that are not well characterized empirically, particularly in no-till, can strongly influence hydrologic C transport from agriculture watersheds. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phoenix: Detecting and Recovering from Permanent Processor Design Bugs with Programmable Hardware

Although processor design verification consumes ever-increasing resources, many design defects still slip into production silicon. In a few cases, such bugs have caused expensive chip recalls. To truly improve productivity, hardware bugs should be handled like system software ones, with vendors periodically releasing patches to fix hardware in the field. Based on an analysis of serious design defects in current AMD, Intel, IBM, and Motorola processors, this paper proposes and evaluates Phoenix -- novel field-programmable on-chip hardware that detects and recovers from design defects. Phoenix taps key logic signals and, based on downloaded defect signatures, combines the signals into conditions that flag defects. On defect detection, Phoenix flushes the pipeline and either retries or invokes a customized recovery handler. Phoenix induces negligible slowdown, while adding only 0.05% area and 0.48% wire overheads. Phoenix detects all the serious defects that are triggered by concurrent control signals. Moreover, it recovers from most of them, and simplifies recovery for the rest. Finally, we present an algorithm to automatically size Phoenix for new processors.
FIRST-PRINCIPLE CALCULATION OF STRUCTURAL AND ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OF ZINC-BLENDE ByAlxGa1-x-yN MATCHED TO AlN SUBSTRATE

The full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method (FP-LAPW) within density functional theory, using the generalized gradient approximation, is used to study the structural and electronic properties of zinc-blende ByAlxGa1-x-yN quaternary alloys that match the lattice of an AlN substrate. The range of compositions, for which the lattice of the alloy matches AlN, is determined. Our calculated band structure, density of states, electron density and lattice parameter for ByAlxGa1-x-yN allow to accurately evaluate the profound effect that the incorporation of small amounts of Boron have on structural and electronic properties of AlxGa1-xN alloys. A comparison of the ground state properties with the available experimental and theoretical data is made for the compounds related to ByAlxGa1-x-yN and of the AlxGa1-xN alloys. The results show a strong dependence of the band gap (as well as the lattice parameter) on the Boron content, which might make ByAlxGa1-x-yN materials promising and useful for optoelectronic applications.
Circular oligonucleotides: new concepts in oligonucleotide design

Recent progress in the synthesis and properties of circular oligonucleotides as ligands for DNA and RNA and as templates for polymerase enzymes is described. Small synthetic circular DNAs, RNAs, and chimeric analogues ranging from 28 to 74 nucleotides in size have been synthesized with the use of nonenzymatic ligation strategy. Some of these were designed to undergo triplex formation with single-stranded DNA and RNA targets, and many bind with affinities and sequence selectivities considerably greater than those seen for linear oligonucleotides. Design strategies and modes of binding are discussed in the light of possible use of such molecules as hybridization probes, molecular diagnostics, and sequence-specific inhibitors of gene expression. Small circular oligonucleotides have also been shown to act as unusually efficient templates for DNA and RNA polymerases, which produce long, repeating copies of the circular sequence by a rolling circle process.
Development of a Transdermal Delivery Device for Melatonin In Vitro Study

AbstractThe present study was undertaken to develop a transdermal delivery device for melatonin and to determine the effects of system design on the release of melatonin. Melatonin(MT) diffusion characteristics from 2 solvents through a series of ethylene vinyl acetate membranes with 4.5%, 9%, 19%, 28% vinyl acetate were characterized using vertical Franz® diffusion cells. The solvent used were 40% (v/v) propylene glycol (PG) and 40%(v/v) propylene glycol with 30%(w/v) 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cytrodextrin. The best release rate (Jss = 0.795 μg/h/cm2) was obtained from the 40% PG vehicle through the 28% vinyl acetate membrane. Melatonin diffusion through this membrane with an acrylate pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) with and without MT loading was also studied. The data revealed an interaction between MT and the PSA in the systems with MT-loaded adhesive. A MT transdermal delivery device was constructed based on the above data. Effect of storage time (1 day, 2 days, and 3 days) on the developed device was also...
Identification of False-Positive QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube Assays by Repeat Testing in HIV-Infected Patients at Low Risk for Tuberculosis

The QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay (QFT) is increasingly being used for latent tuberculosis screening in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States. This is a retrospective analysis of repeating positive QFT assays as a strategy to identify false-positive results in HIV-infected patients at low risk for tuberculosis.
Photoluminescence of solution processed poly n‐vinyl carbazole films

The photoluminescence (PL) of poly n-vinyl carbazole (PVK) films formed by solution processing was investigated. PVK films were formed by spincasting onto bare glass or glass covered by films of indium tin oxide (ITO) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate)ethylene (PEDOT : PSS). Some of the spincast films were redissolved in chloroform solvent and redried both in the absence or presence of an electric field (6000 V/cm). The broad aggregate PL peak near 410 nm exhibited both blue and red shifts dependent upon the processing conditions. These shifts in PL were attributed to changes in the excimer populations associated with the molecular conformation of adjacent carbazole groups. The PL data were deconvoluted into two component peaks representing two excimers associated with overlap of only one (partial or P) or full overlap (F) of both aromatic rings on adjacent carbazole groups. It was concluded that the excimer population was dependent on the amount of residual solvent left in the film after processing and upon the type of substrate. The mechanism(s) controlling the molecular configurations was discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
3D widefield microscopy with two objective lenses: experimental verification of improved axial resolution

The resolution of standard 3D optical microscopies--both confocal and widefield+deconvolution--is substantially worse in the axial direction than in the lateral plane. This weakness is caused by the fact that the objective lens in a conventional microscopy can only access light emitted within a limited angle of the optical axis. We are developing several new widefield techniques in which light is collected over a larger set of angles by using two separate, opposing objective lenses to observe and/or illuminate the sample from both sides simultaneously. This gives access to substantially more spatial information about the sample than can normally be reached. This information is in the form of relative phase correlations between the two image beams, and thus cannot be accessed by studying either beam alone, but can be detected through the interference of the two image beams if they are combined coherently on a single image detector. The added information allows computational 3D reconstruction to be made with drastically improved axial resolution compared to conventional widefield or confocal microscopies. Experimentally measured transfer functions from our prototype microscope show excellent qualitative agreement with theoretical expectations, and 3D reconstructions of test samples confirm the expected improvement in axial resolution.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A gp330/megalin-related protein is required in the major epidermis of Caenorhabditis elegans for completion of molting.

A gp330/megalin-related protein is required in the major epidermis of Caenorhabditis elegans for completion of molting.
Enhancements in Deterministic BIST Implementations for Improving Test of Complex SOCs

Innovative solutions have been proposed to reduce the test cost of SOC designs. STUMPS (self-test using PRPG and MISR structures) architecture based logic BIST (built-in self-test) is one such popular solution which attempts to reduce the cost of scan based tests by exploiting shorter scan chains in the design. To address the lower test coverage attainable through traditional random pattern logic BIST, several enhancements have been proposed. Deterministic BIST based on periodic re-seeding is one such. This paper discusses various enhancements that have been implemented in deterministic BIST, (using DBIST from SOC-BIST test suite from Synopsys Inc.), on recent complex SOC designs in Texas Instruments (India). These include (i) controller support for internal high speed shift and self-test, (ii) programmable solution for dynamic handling of Xs, (Hi) clock control methodology for reduced pattern volume of at-speed tests across multiple clock domains, and (iv) efficient diagnostics using DBIST patterns. Experimental results are presented on various designs where these features have been implemented, to illustrate the positive impact on test cost as well as test quality
Developmental trajectories of gene expression reveal candidates for diapause termination: a key life-history transition in the apple maggot fly Rhagoletis pomonella

The timing of dormancy is a rapidly evolving life-history trait playing a crucial role in the synchronization of seasonal life cycles and adaptation to environmental change. But the physiological mechanisms regulating dormancy in animals remain poorly understood. In insects, dormancy (diapause) is a developmentally dynamic state, and the mechanisms that control diapause transitions affect seasonal timing. Here we used microarrays to examine patterns of gene expression during dormancy termination: a crucial life-history transition in the apple maggot fly Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh). This species is a model system for host race formation and ecological speciation via changes in diapause regulation of seasonality. Our goal was to pinpoint the timing of the transition from diapause to post-diapause development and to identify candidate genes and pathways for regulation of diapause termination. Samples were taken at six metabolically defined developmental landmarks, and time-series analysis suggests that release from metabolic depression coincides with preparation for or resumption of active cell cycling and morphogenesis, defining the ‘end’ of diapause. However, marked changes in expression, including members of pathways such as Wnt and TOR signaling, also occur prior to the metabolic rate increase, electing these pathways as candidates for early regulation of diapause termination. We discuss these results with respect to generalities in insect diapause physiology and to our long-term goal of identifying mechanisms of diapause adaptation in the Rhagoletis system.
Adipocyte Fatty Acid–Binding Protein, aP2, Alters Late Atherosclerotic Lesion Formation in Severe Hypercholesterolemia

Objective— The adipocyte fatty acid–binding protein, aP2, has important effects on insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis. Its expression in macrophages enhances early foam cell formation and atherosclerosis in vivo. This study was designed to determine whether aP2 deficiency has a similar effect in the setting of advanced atherosclerosis and severe hypercholesterolemia. Methods and Results— Mice deficient in aP2 and apolipoprotein E (aP2−/−apoE−/− mice) and apolipoprotein E–deficient control mice (apoE−/− mice) were fed a Western diet for 14 weeks. No significant differences in fasting serum levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, or free fatty acids were found between groups for each sex. Compared with apoE−/− control mice, male and female aP2−/−apoE−/− mice had significant reductions in mean atherosclerotic lesion size in the proximal aorta, en face aorta, and innominate/right carotid artery. Feeding the Western diet in the apoE-deficient background did not cause a significant reduction in insulin sensitivity in vivo, as determined by steady-state serum glucose levels and insulin tolerance testing. Conclusions— These data demonstrate an important role for aP2 expression in the advanced stages of atherosclerotic lesion formation. Thus, aP2 provides an important physiological link between different features of the metabolic syndrome and is a potential target for therapy of atherosclerosis.
Formation and Release of Cobalt(II) Sorption and Precipitation Products in Aging Kaolinite-Water Slurries.

Abstract The uptake and release behavior of cobalt(II) was studied over thousands of hours in CO2-free aqueous suspensions of kaolinite under three pairs of total cobalt concentration (CoT) and near-neutral pH (7.5–7.8) conditions. Dissolved cobalt, aluminum, and silicon concentrations were monitored by ICPMS, and cobalt-containing products were identified by EXAFS spectroscopy. In each uptake experiment, cobalt sorbed to kaolinite as a mixture of surface-adsorbed monomers or polymers and hydrotalcite-like precipitates of the approximate composition CoxAl(OH)2x+2(An−)1/n, where 2≤x≤4 and An− is nitrate or silicate anion. Precipitate stoichiometry varied with experimental conditions, with the highest Co:Al ratio in the high CoT/high pH experiment. Cobalt surface adsorption occurred within seconds, whereas precipitation was slower and continued for the duration of the experiments. Consequently, the proportion of precipitate in the sorbed mixture increased with time in all experiments. The most rapid precipitation occurred in the high CoT/high pH experiment, where solutions were most supersaturated with respect to cobalt hydrotalcite. Precipitates incorporated some previously adsorbed cobalt, as well as cobalt from solution. Cobalt release from the solid phase was effected by lowering solution pH to 7.0. Release experiments initiated after shorter sorption times returned a larger fraction of cobalt to solution than those initiated after longer sorption times, for a fixed duration of release. In other words, sorption product stability increased with sorption time. Specifically, under the conditions of the release experiments, the hydrotalcite-like precipitates are more stable than smaller adsorbates, and precipitates that formed over longer time periods are more stable than those that formed rapidly. The latter result suggests that precipitates ripened or modified their structure or composition to become more stable over the course of the several-thousand-hour sorption experiments. Precipitates that formed over hundreds of hours or longer did not dissolve over thousands of hours at the lower pH.
Species Assemblages of Tree Canopy Myxomycetes Related to Bark pH

Abstract Acid deposition contributes to forest health concerns at high elevation sites in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). Bark samples were taken from living trees at three study sites: Abies fraseri and Picea rubens from high elevation sites near the Clingman's Dome area of Tennessee; Juniperus virginiana and Quercus alba at low elevation sites at GSMNP in the Cades Cove area and also at Pertle Springs (PS), Missouri. All trees were climbed using the doubled rope climbing method and sampled for bark at approximately 3 m increments up to 12 m. A total of 162 laboratory moist chamber cultures were prepared in Petri dishes using bark samples representing all tree species, then measured for pH, and examined for myxomycete plasmodia and fruiting bodies. Thirty-four myxomycete species were observed and identified from cultures of tree bark from GSMNP that included two new records, Physarum auriscalpium and a possible new species of Trichia. Thirty species represent new records for the state of Mis...
Development of REM sleep drive and clinical implications.

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in the human declines from ∼50% of total sleep time (∼8 h) in the newborn to ∼15% of total sleep time (∼1 h) in the adult, and this decrease takes place mainly betwee...
The Impact of High Microfinance Growth on Loan Portfolio

Most empirical studies in microfinance have disproportionately focused on its downstream effects—effects on the borrower—leaving the important question of how microfinance institutions are affected in the process, largely unanswered—upstream effects. This paper addresses this question by using panel data estimations to empirically investigate the causal effect of microfinance growth on microfinance institution loan portfolio quality. Surprisingly, we find evidence that portfolio quality improves with growth in outreach, which is contrary to the dominant view that higher growth leads to increased default risk. This result is robust across estimation methods and even after controlling for microfinance institutional characteristics and macroeconomic indicators. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of Cesium Sujcotitanates as an Alternative Waste Form

Silicotitanate ion exchangers are potential materials for the removal of radioactive Cs and Sr from tank wastes. In this paper the viability of direct thermal conversion of Cs-loaded silicotitanates to an acceptable high level waste form has been examined. Results show that in aqueous solutions, the Cs leach rates of crystalline silicotitanates (heat treated at 800°C) are 0.04, 0.18, 0.4 g/m2day for Cs loadings of 1, 5, and 20 wt%, respectively. Heating the Cs-loaded (up to 20 wt %) silicotitanates at or above 900 °C for 1 hour further reduces the Cs leach rates to approximately zero (beyond the lppm detection limits). Moreover, Cs volatilization was found to be < 0.8 wt% at temperatures as high as 1000 °C. These results suggest that thermally converted silicotitanate ion exchangers exhibit excellent chemical durability (comparable to or better than borosilicate glass) and thus, have great potential as an alternative waste form.
An Interface-Driven Stiffening Mechanism in Polymer Nanocomposites

Dynamic mechanical response in responsive and adaptive composites can be achieved either through the responsive polymer; with the chemical regulators affecting the bonding between fillers or throug...
Momentum flux in the subcloud layer of a microburst-producing thunderstorm determined from JAWS Dual-Doppler data

Dual-Doppler winds at 1647 MDT for the 14 July, 1982 convective storm collected during the Joint Airport Weather Studies (JAWS) project at Denver's Stapleton International Airport were objectively analyzed to produce a three-dimensional wind field. The domain of interest had dimensions of 10 × 10 × 8.5 km centered on the microburst. Vertical velocities were computed by integrating the anelastic continuity equation downward from the storm's top. A variational approach was then employed to adjust the derived three-dimensional wind field. Subsequently, fields of deviation perturbation pressure and virtual temperature were retrieved from a detailed wind field using the three momentum equations. These retrieved fields were subjected to internal consistency checks to determine the level of confidence before interpetation. The fields were then used to calculate the generation of the vertical transport of horizontal momentum in the subcloud layer of a microburst-producing storm during the quasi-steady mature stage. Results show that the microburst occurrence in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) enhances eddy transfer of momentum. Direct calculation of the vertical transport of u- and v-momentum reveals that momentum was being transferred downward from the mid-levels of the storm to the microburst. The dominant processes contributing to the generation/dissipation of horizontal momentum flux were the total buoyancy production, pressure effects, vertical mean wind shear and vertical transport of momentum. The above processes play an important role in maintaining the strength of the microburst outflow in the ABL during the quasi-steady mature stage of the microburst life cycle.
The Comprehensive Nutrition Action Program in Arizona.

The development of an innovative nutritional care delivery system and its component parts is described.
The Discovery of the Neutron

In the course of Rutherford’s effort to develop a plausible model of the atomic nucleus, he postulated the existence of a particle having the same mass as the hydrogen nucleus but having no electrical charge whatsoever. He conceived of this neutral particle—essentially a bound-state of a proton and an electron—in order to account for isotopes having identical atomic charges but different atomic weights (e.g. helium-3 and helium-4). Just a few years later, Rutherford’s hypothetical particle was discovered by one of his students.
The Unchartered Frontier: Preventive Cardiology Between the Ages of 15 and 35 Years.

It is well established that atherosclerosis, the pathological basis of cardiovascular disease (CVD), begins in childhood and progresses steadily between the ages of 15 to 35 years. These adolescent and young adult years are also marked by significant physiological, psychological, and sociodemographic changes that impact both CVD risk factor development and CVD prevention and treatment strategies. In this review, we highlight the importance of the primordial prevention of CVD risk factors before they ever occur and the primary prevention of CVD by treating CVD risk factors in this age group. Although the long time to first CVD event for most young people precludes the availability of clinical trials with hard end-points, findings from epidemiology, health psychology, health services research, and clinical trials with surrogate end-points are discussed to inform an evidence-based approach to CVD prevention in adolescents and young adults.
Building Visual Communication Theory by Borrowing from Rhetoric

This article shows how key conceptsfrom the classical and symbolic perspectives of rhetoric have been applied to visual means of communication, Classical rhetorical canons,figures, and arguments ar...
Lagrangian Particle Kinematics in Three-Dimensional Convection

Various incompressible stationary velocity fields can be classified using the concept of toroidal-poloidal decomposition for divergenceless vector fields. In particular, classification and visualization are made for some basic flows applying to Rayleigh-Benard convection.
Control of Flowering Using Night-Interruption and Day-Extension LED Lighting

Flowering of photoperiodic plants is regulated by the duration of the continuous night (dark) period during each 24-h period. When the natural photoperiod is short, longer days (shorter nights) may be desired by commercial growers of ornamentals and other specialty crops to promote flowering of long-day plants or inhibit flowering of short-day plants. To create short nights, electric lighting can extend the daylength (day extension, DE) or interrupt the night (night interruption, NI). Conventional lamps such as incandescent (INC), halide, and compact fluorescent (CFL) can serve this purpose, but they are energy inefficient, have a short life span, and/or emit photons at wavelengths that have little or no effect on regulating flowering. Recent advancements in solid-state lighting enable horticultural applications including regulation of flowering, especially in (semi-) controlled environments. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with customized spectra suitable for control of flowering are at least as effective as conventional lamps, last longer, and are more energy efficient. Narrowband radiation from LEDs facilitates research on the role of specific wavelengths in mediating flowering and plant morphology, which are important in commercial production of many specialty crops produced in controlled environments. In addition, applied lighting research helps elucidate how photoreceptors, such as phytochromes and cryptochromes, mediate these physiological processes in plants. LEDs will increasingly replace conventional lamps to regulate flowering of commercial photoperiodic crops as their energy efficiency increases and manufacturing costs decrease.
Fault Detection Architectures for Post-Quantum Cryptographic Stateless Hash-Based Secure Signatures Benchmarked on ASIC

Symmetric-key cryptography can resist the potential post-quantum attacks expected with the not-so-faraway advent of quantum computing power. Hash-based, code-based, lattice-based, and multivariate-quadratic equations are all other potential candidates, the merit of which is that they are believed to resist both classical and quantum computers, and applying “Shor’s algorithm”—the quantum-computer discrete-logarithm algorithm that breaks classical schemes—to them is infeasible. In this article, we propose, assess, and benchmark reliable constructions for stateless hash-based signatures. Such architectures are believed to be one of the prominent post-quantum schemes, offering security proofs relative to plausible properties of the hash function; however, it is well known that their confidentiality does not guarantee reliable architectures in the presence natural and malicious faults. We propose and benchmark fault diagnosis methods for this post-quantum cryptography variant through case studies for hash functions and present the simulations and implementations results (through application-specific integrated circuit evaluations) to show the applicability of the presented schemes. The proposed approaches make such hash-based constructions more reliable against natural faults and help protecting them against malicious faults and can be tailored based on the resources available and for different reliability objectives.
The Prognostic Significance of Cytopenia in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (CLL).

Abstract Background: Historically, CLL patients with cytopenia were thought to have a poor prognosis and cytopenia is a key feature of CLL clinical staging systems. The implications of cytopenia in CLL could have changed because of improved diagnostic accuracy, increased recognition of early stage disease, and better treatments. Newer data suggest that the etiology of cytopenia determines its prognostic importance in CLL. Patients with cytopenia caused by autoimmune disease (AID) are less likely to have the poor prognosis associated with patients with bone marrow (BM) failure. To determine the prognostic significance of cytopenia in patients with CLL, we performed an observational study at Mayo Clinic Rochester (MCR). Methods: We studied all patients with CLL seen in the Division of Hematology at MCR from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2004 (n = 1,750). Cytopenia (hemoglobin 1. extensive BM involvement by CLL ( 2. reticulocytopenia without other causes persisting > 3 months after CLL therapy. Cytopenia was attributed to AID in patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), pure red blood cell aplasia (PRCA), or autoimmune granulocytopenia (AIG). Results: Median age at diagnosis of CLL was 63.7 years (69% male). Cytopenia occured in 423 (24.2%) patients. In 303 patients, cytopenia was due to CLL (228 BM failure and 75 AID). In 120 patients cytopenia was due to CLL related factors (splenomegaly, n = 11; possible AID, n = 18; treatment of CLL, n = 16) or non CLL causes (other malignancy, n = 12; iron deficiency, n = 11; anemia of chronic disease, n = 10; renal failure, n = 6; drugs effect, n = 4; surgical blood loss n = 4). In 28 (6.6%) patients the cause of cytopenia was not definitively determined. Of the patients with BM failure, 97 (43%) had cytopenia at CLL diagnosis (70% male, median age 63.3 years [range 32–95]), The AID patients the median age of CLL diagnosis was 66.7 years (range 30–85) with 79% male. AID diagnoses were AIHA (n = 41), ITP (n= 35), PRCA (n=8), and AIG (n=3); 9 patients had > 1 AID. Survival from diagnosis of cytopenia was significantly better for patients with AID (median 9.1 years) than BM failure (median 4.4 years, p Conclusion: We show that the etiology of cytopenia in CLL patients determines its prognostic importance. Anemia and thrombocytopenia caused by BM failure, but not AID, are associated with a significantly worse prognosis. These data show the importance of accurate determination of the etiology of cytopenia in all patients with CLL. Cytopenia in patients with AID is not a marker of advanced stage disease; these patients often need different management compared to those with BM failure. Cytopenia due to AID versus BM failure can be difficult to distinguish and a BM study should be done in all patients considered for treatment. Patients with cytopenia due to AID cannot be meaningfully classified by current clinical staging systems. We believe that efforts to review the NCI-WG 96 criteria are timely and should consider the etiology of cytopenia in CLL patients.
The patient experience: Patient characteristic differences in response.

144Background: Understanding and addressing patient experience (PX) is an integral part of oncology care. The Press Ganey Outpatient Oncology instrument is used to better understand PX and performance differences at a large ambulatory oncology center. We investigated select patient characteristics of response among all eligible patients, the surveyed sample, and survey respondents. Methods: Over a six month period at a large ambulatory oncology center, 26,660 patients were eligible to report their PX. 11% of patients were identified following the center’s sampling criteria, of which Press Ganey applied their sampling strategy. Thus, 2,857 patients were randomly selected and sent the survey instrument, of which 828 patients responded. Patient characteristics of the three cohorts were compared across the center and by disease center. Results: Surveyed patients were a representative sample of eligible patients, as surveyed patients were of similar age (NS), gender (NS), education level (NS), and primary insu...
Sexual Harassment as an Ethical Issue in Academic Life

(2002). Sexual Harassment as an Ethical Issue in Academic Life. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 73, No. 5, pp. 673-676.
Solvent saturation transfer to proteins (SSTP) for structural and functional characterization of proteins

Protein structure determination using NMR is dependent on experimentally acquired distance restraints. Often, however, an insufficient number of these restraints are available for determining a protein's correct fold, much less its detailed three-dimensional structure. In consideration of this problem, we propose a simple means to acquire supplemental structural restraints from protein surface accessibilities using solvent saturation transfer to proteins (SSTP), based on the principles of paramagnetic chemical-exchange saturation transfer. Here, we demonstrate the utility of SSTP in structure calculations of two proteins, TSG101 and ubiquitin. The observed SSTP was found to be directly proportional to solvent accessibility. Since SSTP does not involve the direct excitation of water, which compromises the analysis of protein protons entangled in the breadth of the water resonance, it has an advantage over conventional water-based magnetization transfers. Inclusion of structural restraints derived from SSTP improved both the precision and accuracy of the final protein structures in comparison to those determined by traditional approaches, when using minimal amounts of additional structural data. Furthermore, we show that SSTP can detect weak protein-protein interactions which are unobservable by chemical shift perturbations.
Assessing the photovoltaic technology landscape: efficiency and energy return on investment (EROI)

This study builds on previous meta-analyses of photovoltaic (PV) systems to assess the tradeoff between efficiency and energy inputs (i.e. cumulative energy demand, CED) in the energetic performance (as measured by energy return on investment (EROI)) of PV technologies under both high-cost and low-cost balance of system scenarios. This study focuses on three existing technology groups (wafer, thin film, and organic). We find that earlier projections of third-generation (high-efficiency, low-cost), thin-film technologies have not yet emerged, since “third-generation” technologies currently have low-cost but also low-efficiency. However, we also find that the best advances in energetic performance to date come from thin film technology.
Textual demands of passages in three english/language arts common core assessments and one core literacy program for intermediate elementary grades

The Common Core has emphasized reading for comprehension, including making inferences. However, little is known about the textual demands found within assessment and instructional passages that are...
Eimeriidae in the Caniformia Family Ailuridae

Abstract This chapter summarizes what little is known about the eimeriid coccidia described from the canid carnivore family Ailuridae Gray, 1843. A brief history is given to characterize the monotypic nature of this family and its only, and endangered, species, the red panda, Ailurus fulgens . Only one (presumably) intestinal coccidian, Eimeria ailuri , is known from the red panda.
Evidence-based treatment of stuttering: II. Clinical significance of behavioral stuttering treatments.

Abstract An evidence-based framework can be described as an empirically-driven, measurement-based, client-sensitive approach for selecting treatments. It is believed that using such a framework is more likely to result in a clinically significant outcome. For this paper, a clinically significant outcome was defined as a meaningful treatment change. It was suggested that there are at least three groups for whom a treatment’s outcome is meaningful. These groups include clinicians/clinical researchers, the clients, and relevant others who have some interest in the outcome (e.g., parents of a child who stutters). The meaning and measurement of clinical significance was discussed for each of these three groups, based on research from the behavioral stuttering treatment literature. Educational objectives: The reader will learn about and be able to (1) broadly define a clinically significant outcome and identify some of the groups who are interested in such an outcome and (2) describe how clinical significance has been evaluated in stuttering treatment within an evidence-based framework.
3D Radiation Treatment Planning and Execution

Technological advances have become commercially available and widely implemented. In particular, 3D conformal therapy has become the first step in improving the targeting of dose to the tumor while sparing dose to normal tissue. The treatment planning process including beam design, treatment planning objectives, and dose calculation issues for 3D radiation treatment planning will be reviewed. Topics such as target volume definition, use of imaging, set-up uncertainties, respiration control, and normal tissue tolerance are briefly introduced.
Keeping track: Librarians, composition instructors, and student writers use the research journal

Abstract Coordinated efforts between the librarian and the composition instructor should produce more productive research and more informed writing. The journal, a proven composition tool, is one technique that can be brought into the library instruction session. On a cognitive level, the use of a research journal helps students think through what they are planning, doing, and learning, and helps them think about and question the actual process of research. On a practical level, a research journal helps students become more organized and provides a place for dialogue between the librarian, the composition instructor, and the student.