cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organizational Symbolism: A Topic To Expand Organizational Analysis

Our basic purpose in this paper is twofold: (1) to call attention to “organizational symbolism,” an important aspect of all institutions that has been virtually ignored, and (2) to suggest questions for a comprehensive research program for studying this topic.
Source-channel coding of analog data for digital magnetic recording

It is hypothesized that more data can be stored by increasing the density with which bits are placed on the media and using source-channel coding to both compress the data and protect it from the resulting increased bit error rate. This paper estimates the gains achievable with this approach. Central to this work is a model for the digital magnetic recording channel that contains a linear filter representing the Lorentzian step response and additive Gaussian processes representing electronic and media noises. The model differs from previous ones in that lineal bit density, as well as track density, are parameters that may be varied. Parameters for this model that typify disk storage systems are identified and the gains in data density for the proposed approach are estimated in two ways: by estimating the capacity of the channel model and by simulating a family of source-channel codes. From capacity bounds developed in a companion paper, it is estimated that data density may ultimately be increased by a factor of 20 or more. To assess the gains achievable with a practical system, a tree-structured family of source-channel codes is proposed and analyzed. It is found that these are much simpler than optimal unstructured source-channel codes, yet have comparable performance. By simulating them on a Gaussian source and the given channel model, it is estimated that gains on the order of 3 to 4 in data density are achievable with peak detection demodulation and gains of 2 to 3 are achievable with 1-D/sup 2/ partial response maximum likelihood demodulation, each with moderate increases in bit density. Comparable gains are anticipated for speech and images. >
Misinformation and the Currency of Democratic Citizenship

Scholars have documented the deficiencies in political knowledge among American citizens. Another problem, misinformation, has received less attention. People are misinformed when they confidently hold wrong beliefs. We present evidence of misinformation about welfare and show that this misinformation acts as an obstacle to educating the public with correct facts. Moreover, wide-spread misinformation can lead to collective preferences that are far different from those that would exist if people were correctly informed. The misinformation phenomenon has implications for two currently influential scholarly literatures: the study of political heuristics and the study of elite persuasion and issue framing.
Analysis of streaming GPS measurements of surface displacement through a web services environment

We present a method for performing mode classification of real-time streams of GPS surface position data. Our approach has two parts: an algorithm for robust, unconstrained fitting of hidden Markov models (HMMs) to continuous-valued time series, and SensorGrid technology that manages data streams through a series of filters coupled with a publish/subscribe messaging system. The SensorGrid framework enables strong connections between data sources, the HMM time series analysis software, and users. We demonstrate our approach through a Web portal environment through which users can easily access data from the SCIGN and SOPAC GPS networks in Southern California, apply the analysis method, and view results. Ongoing real-time mode classifications of streaming GPS data are displayed in a map-based visualization interface
Double Balloon Technique for Percutaneous Balloon Pulmonary Valvuloplasty: Comparison with Single Balloon Technique

This study was designed to document our results of double balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty and to evaluate if the double balloon technique is preferable to single balloon valvuloplasty in the relief of isolated valvar pulmonic stenosis. Double balloon valvuloplasty in twelve patients reduced the pulmonary valvar gradient from 100.5 ± 28.0 (mean ± SD) to 26.6 ± 12.5 mm Hg (P 0.1) in another 12 patients also reduced (P < 0.001) the gradient from 96.3 ± 40.1 to 28.3 ± 17.3 mm Hg immediately following the procedure which at 6 to 13 month follow-up was 12.8 ± 9.9 mm Hg. The right ventricular peak systolic pressures (116.6 ± 24.5 vs 113.8 ± 41.5 mm Hg) and pulmonary valvar gradients (100.5 ± 28.0 vs 96.3 ± 40.1 mm Hg) prior to valvuloplasty, residual right ventricular pressures (47.4 ± 12.2 vs 54.3 ± 14.2 mm Hg) and pulmonary valve gradients (26.6 ± 12.5 vs 28.3 ± 17.3 mm Hg) immediately after valvuloplasty, and residual right ventricular pressures (43.1 ± 10.9 vs 41.1 + 12.5 mm Hg) and pulmonary valvar gradients (17.5 ± 10.2 vs 12.8 ± 9.9 mm Hg) on follow-up were similar (P ± 0.1) in both groups. These data indicate that results of double balloon valvuloplasty are excellent but not superior to single balloon valvuloplasty. It is suggested that the double balloon valvuloplasty should be used if the pulmonary valve annulus is too large to dilate with a single balloon. There is no need for double balloon valvuloplasty if the pulmonary valve can be dilated with a commercially available single balloon.
Claudins play a role in normal and tumor cell motility

Claudins are key integral proteins of the tight junction. Although they play an essential role in controlling paracellular diffusion in epithelia, increasing evidence supports a role for these proteins in non-barrier forming activities. To elucidate a potential function for claudins outside of their traditional role in tight junctions, subcellular localization of claudin-4 was determined in normal mammary epithelial cells as well as breast and ovarian cancer cell lines and the effects of a claudin mimic peptide on cell motility were determined. Immunofluorescence revealed that claudin-4 was localized along cellular projections. Using a fluorescent peptide that mimics a conserved sequence in the second extracellular loop of a set of claudin subtypes, that includes claudin-4, exposure of this loop to the extracellular environment was confirmed in non-polarized cells. This peptide inhibited cell motility when normal mammary epithelial cells as well as breast and ovarian tumor cells were subjected to a wound healing assay. Knockdown of claudin-4 also inhibited cell motility and the mimic peptide had no effect on motility in the claudin-4 knockdown cells. This effect on motility was seen when cells were grown on collagen, but not when cells were grown on non-physiological cell adhesive or fibronectin. The second extracellular loop of claudins is able to interact with the extracellular environment to promote normal and tumor cell motility when it is not associated with tight junction structures.
Kinetic analysis of interaction of BRCA1 tandem breast cancer c-terminal domains with phosphorylated peptides reveals two binding conformations.

Tandem breast cancer C-terminal (BRCT) domains, present in many DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint signaling proteins, are phosphoprotein binding modules. The best-characterized tandem BRCT domains to date are from the protein BRCA1 (BRCA1-BRCT), an E3 ubiquitin ligase that has been linked to breast and ovarian cancer. While X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy studies have uncovered the structural determinants of specificity of BRCA1-BRCT for phosphorylated peptides, a detailed kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of the interaction is also required to understand how structure and dynamics are connected and therefore better probe the mechanism of phosphopeptide recognition by BRCT domains. Through a global analysis of binding kinetics data obtained from surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy, we show that the recognition mechanism is complex and best modeled by two equilibrium conformations of BRCA1-BRCT in the free state that both interact with a phosphopeptide, with dissociation constants (Kd) in the micromolar range. We show that the apparent global dissociation constant derived from this kinetic analysis is similar to the Kd values measured using steady-state SPR, isothermal titration calorimetry, and fluorescence anisotropy. The dynamic nature of BRCA1-BRCT may facilitate the binding of BRCA1 to different phosphorylated protein targets.
Creative arch wires andclinical conclusion

When two successive couples are present, the absolute value of the momentat each bracket cannot be clinically determined. The larger moment can be identified, however, and this will show the direction of the associated equilibrium forces. If the couples at two adjacent brackets produce moments in opposite directions, the associated equilibrium forces are also in opposite directions. The net equilibrium force present at each bracket is in the direction of the equilibrium force associated with the larger moment, but the magnitude of the force is reduced by the oppositely directed equilibrium force associated with the lesser moment. If the couples at two adjacent brackets produce moments in the same direction, their associated equilibrium forces are also in the same direction and the net equilibrium force present at each bracket is the sum of the equilibrium force associated with each moment.
Improving software security with a C pointer analysis

This paper presents a context-sensitive, inclusion-based, field-sensitive points-to analysis for C, which we use to detect and prevent program security vulnerabilities. In addition to a conservative points-to analysis, we propose an optimistic analysis that assumes a more restricted C semantics reflecting common C usage in order to increase the precision of the analysis. Using the proposed pointer alias analyses, we infer the types of variables in C programs and show that most C variables are used in a manner consistent with their declared types. We show that pointer analysis can be used to reduce the overhead of a dynamic string-buffer overflow detector by 30% to 100% among applications with significant overheads. Finally, using pointer analysis, we statically discover twelve actual format string vulnerabilities in three of the 12 programs we analyze.
Functional status, referral and cost of treatment for persons with traumatic head injury.

This study was conducted to examine functional status, costs of treatment, and how function and costs are related to the referral process of persons with traumatic head injury (THI). The study attempted to answer questions such as: what portion of the THI population is not referred on for subsequent treatment? Is referral dependent upon level of function at time of discharge from acute care? What are the costs associated with different levels of treatment by different facilities? Information was gathered from medical record reviews. Data were gathered from 101 persons with traumatic head injury (PWTHI) using a survey form, a functional assessment inventory, and a performance status scale. Per subject cost statements were obtained from the treatment/service facilities. Results indicate that the factors in the referral process for further treatment and rehabilitation do not appear to be consistent. Acute care referral at discharge is dependent upon severity of residual dysfunction including other factors th...
Incentives That Induce Task-Related Effort, Helping, and Knowledge Sharing in Workgroups

Cooperation and coordination among employees can yield significant productivity gains. In this study, we explore the design of optimal incentive systems that induce task-related effort, helping, and knowledge sharing within workgroups. We identify three distinct types of employee linkages that must be accommodated in the design of effective incentive systems: (1) outcome linkages, whereby the outcome of one employee's task is influenced by that of another; (2) help linkages, whereby each employee can directly expend effort on helping another; and (3) knowledge linkages, whereby each employee can share job-related knowledge with another. We analytically investigate the effect of each type of employee linkage, and some combinations of these linkages, on the optimal design of incentive systems. Our analytical results demonstrate how, by optimally weighting individual-level and workgroup-level incentives, managers can balance the need to induce cooperation and coordination among employees with the need to manage employees' incentive-related risk. Counter to conventional wisdom, we also demonstrate that both group and individual incentives are necessary to facilitate cooperative behaviors such as knowledge sharing in workgroups. Further, we empirically test some of the insights developed from the analytical models; our empirical findings support these analytical results.
Microfluidic surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensor with monolithically integrated nanoporous gold disk arrays for rapid and label-free biomolecular detection

We present a microfluidic surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor for rapid and label-free biomolecular detection. Our sensor design mitigates a common limiting factor in microfluidic SERS sensors that utilize integrated nanostructures: low-efficiency transport of biomolecules to nanostructured surface which adversely impacts sensitivity. Our strategy is to increase the total usable nanostructured surface area, which provides more adsorption sites for biomolecules. Specifically, a nanoporous gold disk (NPGD) array, a highly effective SERS substrate, has been monolithically integrated inside a microfluidic chip. Individual NPGD is known to feature an order of magnitude larger surface area than its projected disk area. The increased surface area arises from nanoscale pores and ligaments three-dimensionally distributed in the NPGD, which manifest themselves as high-density SERS hot-spots. High-density NPGD arrays further guarantee large coverage of these hot-spots on the microchannel floor. The sensor performance has been demonstrated using Rhodamine 6G to quantify spatial uniformity and determine the shortest detection time. Next, the sensor is applied to detect two biomolecules, dopamine and urea, with unprecedented detection limit and speed compared to other existing microfluidic SERS sensors. The sensor holds great promise in point-of-care applications for various biomolecular detections. © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Thermal Transitions of Natural Actomyosin from Poultry Breast and Thigh Tissues

Abstract Natural actomyosin was isolated from broiler breast and thigh tissues, characterized by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and examined for thermal transitions (Tm) during heat-induced aggregation. Electrophoresis showed some variation in the quantity of each subunit protein present between the tissue actomyosins and, with Amido Black staining, yielded actin to myosin molar ratios of 5.71 and 6.33 for breast and thigh natural actomyosins, respectively. The heat-induced initiation of protein to protein interactions occurred at 30 to 31 C for actomyosin of breast tissue and at 42 to 44 C for actomyosin of thigh tissue. Two distinct thermal transitions were found for each actomyosin. Derivative curves from the plot of differential change in optical density or absorbance (A) as a function of temperature (T) (dA/dT) between 28 C and 70 C showed Tm1 at 49.2 C and Tm2 at 60.2 C for breast actomyosin with corresponding values of Tm at 52.6 C and 57.9 C for thigh actomyosin. The interval between Tm1 and Tm2 (ΔTm) for thigh actomyosin (5.3 C) was less than that of breast actomyosin (11.0 C). This result suggests that less thermal energy is required for aggregation of actomyosin from thigh tissue. The differences in thermal characteristics between the two actomyosins may be related to differences observed in heat-processed products prepared from breast and thigh tissues.
Microstructures of reduced graphene oxide/sulfur nanocomposites and their impacts on lithium storage performances

The lithium-sulfur (Li/S) concept has a theoretical specific capacity of 1672mAhg-1 based on the complete reduction of S into lithium sulfide (Li2S). Practically, however, a pure S electrode encounters low deliverable capacity and poor charge/discharge cycle life owing to S's electrical insulation and problems associated with polysulfide dissolution. Here, we report our studies to couple S with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) prepared via either mechanical milling or chemical precipitation. The differences of the resulting rGO/S composites with respect to morphology, structure, composition, and phase transformations are extensively studied. Thermal analyses, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopic results on the chemical rGO/S consistently confirmed the existence of amorphous/nanocrystalline S and their homogeneous distribution as well as interaction with the rGO microstructure. The electrochemical performances of chemical rGO/S revealed a marked improvement in both capacity retention and S utilization compared to those of the mechanical rGO/S.
Abstract 12673: Placement of Proximal Edge on TCFA and Calcification Correlates With Inadequate Neointimal Coverage of Struts After Drug Eluting Stent Implantation

Introduction: Inadequate neointimal coverage of the stent struts is one of the risks for late stent thrombosis, especially in DES. Using OCT, we studied the morphological characteristics of coronary segment of both proximal and distal edges, and evaluated their influence on the neointimal coverage of the strut in chronic phase. Methods: Of 111 culprit coronary lesions in 91 patients, baseline OCT tissue characteristics were evaluated at both proximal and distal edges after DES implantation. The second OCT examination was performed on 9.1 months after implantation, and neointimal coverage of struts was assessed within 5mm inner segments from each stent edge. An uncovered strut was defined as having the signal thickness less than 30 μm from the center of strut. Results: Of 10995 apposed stent struts, uncovered struts were detected in 5.3% within distal and 6.8% within proximal edges. For further statistical analysis, edge segments were classified into two categories according to the ratio of uncovered struts, as the poorly-covered group (highest quartile with % uncovered struts), and the well-covered group (the remaining lower quartiles with % uncovered struts). As to OCT tissue characteristic, 1) fibrous plaque was significantly less observed in the poorly-covered group at both distal and proximal edges (p=0.0031 and p=0.0046, respectively). 2) Lipid pool was more frequently observed in the poorly-covered group than the well-covered group at both distal and proximal edges (p=0.0037 and p=0.0061, respectively). 3) Thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) and calcification were also more frequently observed in the poorly-covered group than the well-covered group (p=0.0025 and p=0.0070, respectively) at proximal stent edge. Logistic regression analysis revealed that existence of calcification at proximal edge was an independent predictor for uncovered struts (OR: 5.48, 95%CI: 1.46-23.46, p=0.0119). TCFA at proximal edge was also an independent predictor (p=0.0044). Conclusions: TCFA and calcification at proximal edge were predictors of uncovered struts. Although mechanism should be further elucidated, placement of proximal edge on such tissue characteristics should be avoided.
One-Dimensional Phonons and "Phase-Ordering" Phase Transition in Hg 3 − δ As F 6

This paper reports elastic and inelastic neutron-scattering studies on the incommensurate linear-chain mercury compound ${\mathrm{Hg}}_{3\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}\mathrm{As}{\mathrm{F}}_{6}$. The one-dimensional phonon dispersion curve associated with the randomly phased linear Hg chains has been measured at room temperature. A transition, at 120 K, from a randomly phased interchain structure to a "phase-ordered" structure has been found and characterized.
Hawaii Electric System Reliability

This report addresses Hawaii electric system reliability issues; greater emphasis is placed on short-term reliability but resource adequacy is reviewed in reference to electric consumers' views of reliability %E2%80%9Cworth%E2%80%9D and the reserve capacity required to deliver that value. The report begins with a description of the Hawaii electric system to the extent permitted by publicly available data. Electrical engineering literature in the area of electric reliability is researched and briefly reviewed. North American Electric Reliability Corporation standards and measures for generation and transmission are reviewed and identified as to their appropriateness for various portions of the electric grid and for application in Hawaii. Analysis of frequency data supplied by the State of Hawaii Public Utilities Commission is presented together with comparison and contrast of performance of each of the systems for two years, 2010 and 2011. Literature tracing the development of reliability economics is reviewed and referenced. A method is explained for integrating system cost with outage cost to determine the optimal resource adequacy given customers' views of the value contributed by reliable electric supply. The report concludes with findings and recommendations for reliability in the State of Hawaii.
Effect of Heating on the Subsurface Inhomogeneity of the Electric and Mechanical Fields in Dielectrics

UDC 539.3 The relations of the local gradient theory of dielectrics based on the analysis of the process of local displacements of masses are used for the investigation of the stress-strain state and polarization of a hollow sphere. The surfaces of the sphere are free of force loads and may have different temperatures. It is shown that the relations of this nonlocal theory enable one to estimate the effect of the temperature gradient on the subsurface inhomogeneity of the fields of stresses, polarization, and bound electric charges. These relations also describe the pyroelectric and thermopolarization effects.
Confirmation and Characterization of Lin-/Sca-1+/CD45- Very Small Embryonic-Like Cells (VSELs) Purified from Bone Marrow

Previously published studies have identified the presence of a rare population of very small cells (< 5.0 microns in diameter) in the bone marrow of mice (Leukemia 2006 May;20(5):857-69). In additi...
Diversity and Classification of Flowering Plants

Diversity and classification of flowering plants , Diversity and classification of flowering plants , کتابخانه دیجیتالی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی و خدمات درمانی شهید بهشتی
87 Sr(t,p) reaction and the two-particle-one-hole states of 89 Sr

The $^{87}\mathrm{Sr}(t,p)^{89}\mathrm{Sr}$ reaction has been studied at a bombarding energy of 20 MeV. The lowest states excited are basically of single particle character and the corresponding ($t,p$) differential cross sections contain a mixture of $L$ values. A comparison of these cross sections to distorted wave (DW) calculations yields qualitative information concerning configuration mixing in these states based both on the magnitudes as well as the shapes of the angular distributions. Analysis of the data is made partly by a comparison of DW calculations to the observed $^{87}\mathrm{Sr}(t,p)$ differential cross section and partly by comparing experimental angular distributions of the $^{88}\mathrm{Sr}(t,p)^{90}\mathrm{Sr}$ reaction with those from $^{87}\mathrm{Sr}(t,p)$. The higher lying states observed in this experiment may be explained from the coupling of the $1{g}_{\frac{9}{2}}$ neutron hole to the multipole pairing phonons, represented by the low lying states of $^{90}\mathrm{Sr}$.
Optimal Dispatch of Residential Photovoltaic Inverters Under Forecasting Uncertainties

Efforts to ensure reliable operation of existing low-voltage distribution systems with high photovoltaic (PV) generation have focused on the possibility of inverters providing ancillary services such as active power curtailment and reactive power compensation. Major benefits include the possibility of averting overvoltages, which may otherwise be experienced when PV generation exceeds the demand. This paper deals with ancillary service procurement in the face of solar irradiance forecasting errors. In particular, assuming that forecasted PV irradiance can be described by a random variable with known (empirical) distribution, the proposed uncertainty-aware optimal inverter dispatch (OID) framework indicates which inverters should provide ancillary services with a guaranteed a priori risk level of PV generation surplus. To capture forecasting errors and strike a balance between risk of overvoltages and (re)active power reserves, the concept of conditional value-at-risk is advocated. Due to AC power balance equations and binary inverter selection variables, the formulated OID involves the solution of a nonconvex mixed-integer nonlinear program. However, a computationally affordable convex relaxation is derived by leveraging sparsity-promoting regularization approaches and semidefinite relaxation techniques.
Simulation of germanium nanobeam electro-optical 2 × 2 switches and 1 × 1 modulators for the 2 to 5 µm infrared region.

This paper proposes and analyzes resonant Si-based electro-optical modulators and switches that use Ge-on-Si3N4 nanobeams (NBs) operating at 2 to 5 µm wavelengths. The wavelength of operation can be extended to 15 µm by mounting the Ge channel waveguides on a bulk Si chip. Electrons and holes are injected into the intrinsic Ge NB cavity center via thin P- and N- doped Ge wings on the NB (a lateral PIN diode at ~0.5 V forward bias). Simulations of the carrier-induced resonance-wavelength shift-and-damping in a 1 × 1 modulator show 6 dB of extinction at ~60 fJ/bit over the mid infrared. The NB’s active length is λ-scale. The cavity uses tapered-diameter air holes. Intensity modulation at ~1 Gb/s appears feasible. High-performance 2 × 2 switching is predicted by embedding one NB in each arm of a Mach-Zehnder device. The resonance of each identical NB is shifted by the same Δλ via carrier injection. Calculations show very low insertion loss and crosstalk in both the cross and bar states; however, the cross-to-bar energy, around 8 pJ/bit, is much higher than that in the 2 × 2 version that employs PN-junction carrier depletion.
Domestic Violence Shelters’ Efforts to Prevent Teen Dating Violence: A National Survey

This research note reports data from a national survey of 213 domestic violence shelters regarding their teen dating violence (TDV) prevention efforts. More than half of the shelters reported that they provide TDV programing to at least 1/2 of the high schools in their communities; about 1/3 of shelters provide TDV programming to parents. Approximately 85% of shelters reported that they use or adapt a TDV curriculum. Shelters use information booths and Internet-based activities most often to increase public awareness, and they work through coalitions to advocate for TDV prevention efforts. This study is a first step toward documenting shelters' TDV prevention work.
An interactive web-based module to teach physician assistants about venous thromboembolism.

Objective Questions about venous thromboembolism (VTE) management result in a high number of cardiovascular consults at one large teaching hospital. However, many of these consults are deemed “inap...
Clinical pharmacy in an inpatient leukemia and bone marrow transplant service.

The clinical pharmacists on the in-patient adult leukemia and bone marrow transplant (IAL-BMT) service at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center have been practicing with the medical and nursing staffs under the institution’s clinical pharmacist practice guidelines since
Accelerated Amidization of Branched Poly(ethylenimine)/Poly(acrylic acid) Multilayer Films by Microwave Heating

Chemical cross-linking of layer-by-layer assembled films promotes mechanical stability and robustness in a wide variety of environments, which can be a challenge for polyelectrolyte multilayers in saline environments or for multilayers made from weak polyelectrolytes in environments with extreme pHs. Heating branched poly(ethylenimine)/poly(acrylic acid) (BPEI/PAA) multilayers at sufficiently high temperatures drives amidization and dehydration to covalently cross-link the film, but this reaction is rather slow, typically requiring heating for hours for appreciable cross-linking to occur. Here, a more than one order of magnitude increase in the amidization kinetics is realized through microwave heating of BPEI/PAA multilayers on indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass substrates. The cross-linking reaction is tracked using infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry to monitor the development of the cross-linking products. For thick films (∼1500 nm), gradients in cross-link density can be readily identified by infrared elli...
26 – Eicosanoids and Cerebrovascular Control

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of eicosanoids in cerebrovascular control. Eicosanoids that affect cerebral vascular smooth muscle may be produced locally or could be synthesized by more distant cells and released into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The two major determinants of eicosanoid production are the availability of substrate and the presence of general synthetic enzymes such as cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, and cytochrome P450 monoxygenases. The majority of substrate is membrane-bound esterified arachidonic acid and thus usually is not available for metabolism. Levels of free arachidonic acid levels are increased by specific activation of lipases by receptor stimulation or activation of second messenger systems and by other, nonspecific events such as membrane depolarization. This chapter also discusses prostanoids that appear to play a particularly important role in regulation of the cerebral circulation during the perinatal period. In human babies, newborn pigs, and fetal lambs, inhibitors of cyclooxygenase reduce basal flow. In addition, in both babies and piglets, indomethacin treatment inhibits cerebrovascular dilator responses to arterial hypercapnia.
Linearization of Highly-Efficient Monolithic Class E SiGe Power Amplifiers with Envelope-Tracking (ET) and Envelope-Elimination-and-Restoration (EER) at 900MHz

The linearization of highly efficient monolithic SiGe Class E power amplifiers (PAs) using both Envelope-Tracking (ET) and Envelope-Elimination-and-Restoration (EER) techniques has been studied at 900MHz. Without applying any linearization, the fully-integrated SiGe PAs achieve power-added efficiency (PAE) of 66% with no off-chip matching. The overall PAE of an ET-linearized PA system is 45% at an output power of 20dBm for an 881MHz EDGE (Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution) modulated signal. The ET-linearized PAs pass the stringent EDGE transmit spectrum mask, but the EER-linearized PAs do not. The PAE of the ET system is expected to reach ~50% with further efficiency improvement on the envelope amplifier.
Metabolic syndrome increases dietary α-tocopherol requirements as assessed using urinary and plasma vitamin E catabolites: a double-blind, crossover clinical trial

Background: Vitamin E supplementation improves liver histology in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which is a manifestation of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). We reported previously that α-tocopherol bioavailability in healthy adults is higher than in those with MetS, thereby suggesting that the latter group has increased requirements.Objective: We hypothesized that α-tocopherol catabolites α-carboxyethyl hydroxychromanol (α-CEHC) and α-carboxymethylbutyl hydroxychromanol (α-CMBHC) are useful biomarkers of α-tocopherol status.Design: Adults (healthy or with MetS; n = 10/group) completed a double-blind, crossover clinical trial with four 72-h interventions during which they co-ingested 15 mg hexadeuterium-labeled RRR-α-tocopherol (d6-α-T) with nonfat, reduced-fat, whole, or soy milk. During each intervention, we measured α-CEHC and α-CMBHC excretions in three 8-h urine collections (0-24 h) and plasma α-tocopherol, α-CEHC, and α-CMBHC concentrations at various times ≤72 h.Results: During the first 24 h, participants with MetS compared with healthy adults excreted 41% less α-CEHC (all values are least-squares means ± SEMs: 0.6 ± 0.1 compared with 1.0 ± 0.1 μmol/g creatinine, respectively; P = 0.002), 63% less hexadeuterium-labeled (d6)-α-CEHC (0.04 ± 0.02 compared with 0.13 ± 0.02 μmol/g creatinine, respectively; P = 0.002), and 58% less d6-α-CMBHC (0.017 ± 0.004 compared with 0.041 ± 0.004 μmol/g creatinine, respectively; P = 0.0009) and had 52% lower plasma d6-α-CEHC areas under the concentration curves [area under the curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC0-24h): 27.7 ± 7.9 compared with 58.4 ± 7.9 nmol/L × h, respectively; P = 0.01]. d6-α-CEHC peaked before d6-α-T in 77 of 80 paired plasma concentration curves. Urinary d6-α-CEHC 24-h concentrations were associated with the plasma AUC0-24 h of d6-α-T (r = 0.53, P = 0.02) and d6-α-CEHC (r = 0.72, P = 0.0003), and with urinary d6-α-CMBHC (r = 0.88, P < 0.0001), and inversely with the plasma inflammation biomarkers C-reactive protein (r = -0.70, P = 0.0006), interleukin-10 (r = -0.59, P = 0.007), and interleukin-6 (r = -0.54, P = 0.01).Conclusion: Urinary α-CEHC and α-CMBHC are useful biomarkers to noninvasively assess α-tocopherol adequacy, especially in populations with MetS-associated hepatic dysfunction that likely impairs α-tocopherol trafficking. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01787591.
Multimodal non-surgical treatment of a feline tracheal adenocarcinoma.

Case summaryA 10-year-old, castrated male domestic shorthair cat presented with a 2–3 month history of weight loss, lethargy and coughing. Thoracic radiographs revealed a soft tissue opacity overly...
Pediatric medical device development by surgeons via capstone engineering design programs

Abstract Background There is a need for pediatric medical devices that accommodate the unique physiology and anatomy of pediatric patients that is increasingly receiving more attention. However, there is limited literature on the programs within children's hospitals and academia that can support pediatric device development. We describe our experience with pediatric device design utilizing collaborations between a children's hospital and two engineering schools. Methods Utilizing the academic year as a timeline, unmet pediatric device needs were identified by surgical faculty and matched with an engineering mentor and a team of students within the Capstone Engineering Design programs at two universities. The final prototypes were showcased at the end of the academic year and if appropriate, provisional patent applications were filed. Results All twelve teams successfully developed device prototypes, and five teams obtained provisional patents. The prototypes that obtained provisional patents included a non-operative ureteral stent removal system, an evacuation device for small kidney stone fragments, a mechanical leech, an anchoring system of the chorio-amniotic membranes during fetal surgery, and a fetal oxygenation monitor during fetoscopic procedures. Conclusions Capstone Engineering Design programs in partnership with surgical faculty at children's hospitals can play an effective role in the prototype development of novel pediatric medical devices. Levels of evidence N/A – No clinical subjects or human testing was performed.
CHAPTER 279 – Orphan Receptor COUP-TFII and Vascular Development

Nuclear receptors belong to a large family of transcription factors, which can modulate gene expression. Since the discovery of the steroid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily, an increasing number of transcription factors with similar structural motif have been added. A majority of these newly added members have unknown ligands, thus they are classified as orphan nuclear receptors. Like the other members of the steroid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily, the orphan receptors are involved in development, differentiation, and homeostasis processes. The absence of ligand makes it more difficult to dissect the functional role of orphan receptors. However, the analysis of orphan receptor null mice will provide new insights into the physiological function of these receptors during development, organogenesis, and homeostasis. This chapter attempts to describe the functional role of orphan receptors during vascular development.
Anticoagulation Management in Patients Undergoing Gastric Bypass Procedures

Patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery are at high risk for venous thromboembolic events, especially those with a history of prior events. Limited clinical studies are available to evaluate safe anticoagulant use in the periprocedural time period so close monitoring is essential.
The Cultural Cold War on the Home Front: The Political Role of Theatres in Communist Kraków and Leipzig

Most studies of the cultural Cold War explore moments of encounter between East and West, at international festivals or on foreign tours. This chapter, by contrast, calls attention to the constant battles fought on the ‘home front’: in theatres behind the Iron Curtain. Throughout the Soviet bloc, communist officials saw theatres as battlegrounds on which to fight for the hearts and minds of ordinary East Europeans. Focusing on two major cities—Krakow in Poland and Leipzig in East Germany—this chapter shows how state-run theatres sought to promote a new ‘socialist culture’ while limiting bourgeois influences. In each city, it argues, theatre repertoires and audiences changed substantially between 1945 and 1970, reflecting major shifts in government policy. Cold War competition thus transformed both Polish and East German theatre, often in similar ways. It not only influenced national cultures but helped to forge transnational connections in the Soviet bloc.
Timing of Maternal Tobacco Exposure, Hypertension, and Risk of Singleton Small-For-Gestational Age Infants.

Objective Small-for-gestational age infants are at an increased risk for disabilities and chronic health problems. Smoking and hypertension during pregnancy pose significant risks for fetal growth restriction. The study aims to identify whether (1) the timing of tobacco use modifies the risk of small-for-gestational age, (2) there are differences in association by percentile of small-for-gestational age (3rd, 5th, and 10th percentile), and (3) the effect of tobacco exposure on small-for-gestational age outcome is mediated by hypertension. Materials and Methods Data were obtained from the 2009 Natality public use file available through the National Center for Health Statistics. Women were categorized into 11 groups depending on the trimester of tobacco exposure, the number of daily cigarettes smoked, and presence of hypertension. Multivariable log-linear regression models were performed to determine the association between percentile of singleton small-for-gestational age outcome (3rd, 5th, and 10th), trimester and degree of tobacco exposure, and hypertension. Results Hypertension and smoking worked synergistically to restrict fetal growth. Hypertensive women who smoked heavily in all three trimesters were 4.34 times more likely to give birth to a 3rd percentile small-for-gestational age infant compared with nonsmoking normotensive women. Conclusion The timing and duration of tobacco exposure mediates the risk and severity of fetal growth restriction.
“I Will Communicate With You, But Let Me Be In Control”: Understanding How Parents Manage Private Information About Their Chronically Ill Children

ABSTRACTParents have a significant role in the management of a child’s chronic condition. Parents are often the only consistent individuals managing a child’s health across his or her childhood and adolescence (e.g., present for all appointments and medical procedures). Many of the responsibilities required of parents involve communication work, where parents must strategically and actively design messages as they interact with medical professionals, other family, and friends. Using communication privacy management theory, we analyzed interviews conducted with 35 parents to understand the motivations and strategies involved in their regulation of information about their child’s chronic condition. These findings have important practical implications because parental involvement in a chronically ill child’s care has direct effects on familial adaptation and adjustment.
Dusty WDs in the WISE all sky survey ∩ SDSS

A recent cross-correlation between the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7 White Dwarf Catalog with the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) all-sky photometry at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22 μm performed by Debes et al. resulted in the discovery of 52 candidate dusty white dwarfs (WDs). However, the 6'' WISE beam allows for the possibility that many of the excesses exhibited by these WDs may be due to contamination from a nearby source. We present MMT+SAO Wide-Field InfraRed Camera J- and H-band imaging observations (0.''5-1.''5 point spread function) of 16 of these candidate dusty WDs and confirm that four have spectral energy distributions (SEDs) consistent with a dusty disk and are not accompanied by a nearby source contaminant. The remaining 12 WDs have contaminated WISE photometry and SEDs inconsistent with a dusty disk when the contaminating sources are not included in the photometry measurements. We find the frequency of disks around single WDs in the WISE ∩ SDSS sample to be 2.6%-4.1%. One of the four new dusty WDs has a mass of 1.04 M {sub ☉} (progenitor mass 5.4 M {sub ☉}) and its discovery offers the first confirmation that massive WDs (and their massive progenitor stars)more » host planetary systems.« less
The Phase Changes in CH4 + C2H6 Hydrates, and Their Impact on Oil and Gas Production

Although methane and ethane form sI hydrates by themselves, the binary gas mixtures of these components form sII hydrates at certain compositions. In our earlier work, it was reported that the hydrate structure in methane + ethane hydrates changes from sI to sII over a methane vapor composition range (yCH4) of 0.72 to 0.75. Recently, Raman spectroscopic measurements on the CH4 + C2H6 system suggested that the hydrate structure reverts to sI from sII over a yCH4 range of 0.993 to 0.994. 13C-NMR measurements on this system suggested that hydrate composition changes, by about 50%, as the hydrate structure changes from sI to sII at the lower transition point. A new hydrate prediction model suggested that the hydrate structure at pressures higher than the incipient hydrate formation conditions might be different than that at the incipient pressures. The major industrial applications of these structural transitions in the CH4 + C2H6 hydrates are discussed.
Different scenarios for inter-protein electron tunneling: the effect of water-mediated pathways.

Recent theoretical developments now allow for reliable calculation oftunneling matrix elements in unimolecular biological electron transferreactions that have been tested experimentally. Most biological ETprocesses, however, are bimolecular, or involve large-scale proteindomain motions. In this paper, initial advances in this direction bystudying the inter-protein electron transfer between cytochrome c2andthe photosynthetic reaction center. Utilizing an approach that integratesmolecular dynamics and the Pathways method, we have observed that theensemble dominant tunneling pathways in this reaction go though thetyrosine 162 or are water mediated.
Provenance summaries for answers and non-answers

Explaining why an answer is (not) in the result of a query has proven to be of immense importance for many applications. However, why-not provenance, and to a lesser degree also why-provenance, can be very large, even for small input datasets. The resulting scalability and usability issues have limited the applicability of provenance. We present PUG, a system for why and why-not provenance that applies a range of novel techniques to overcome these challenges. Specifically, PUG limits provenance capture to what is relevant to explain a (missing) result of interest and uses an efficient sampling-based summarization method to produce compact explanations for (missing) answers. Using two real-world datasets, we demonstrate how a user can draw meaningful insights from explanations produced by PUG.
Postirradiation Examination of FUTURIX-FTA metallic alloy experiments

Abstract Two different metallic nuclear fuel alloys intended for transmutation applications in fast neutron spectrum nuclear reactors have been irradiated, and their performance has been evaluated after irradiation. These alloys contained elevated levels of plutonium and other minor actinides (Am, Np) compared to historically irradiated fast reactor fuel to ascertain the impact of these isotopes on fuel performance. The irradiation of these alloys was performed at the Phenix fast reactor in France to facilitate comparisons between true fast spectrum irradiations and pseudo-fast spectrum irradiations performed at the thermal neutron spectrum Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor. The irradiation tests were designated FUTURIX-FTA DOE1 which contained a low-fertile alloy and FUTURIX-FTA DOE2 which contained a non-fertile alloy. The DOE1 fuel was irradiated to a measured burnup of 9.5% fissions per initial heavy metal atom (FIMA), and the DOE2 fuel was irradiated to a measured burnup of 12.7% fissions per initial heavy metal atom. This work reports baseline Postirradiation Examination (PIE) results for DOE1 and DOE2. Fuel swelling, fission product distribution, cladding strain, fission gas release, fuel microstructure, fuel cladding chemical interaction and minor actinide transmutation were all evaluated. Cladding strain was negligible and fission gas release was 52% for DOE1 and 69% for DOE2. The exams show the 2 pins behaved very similar to EBR-II metallic fuel experience. Minor actinides seem to not affect the performance of this candidate transmutation fuel. Performance data from these irradiations can be used to inform the feasibility of minor actinide transmutation in future reactor systems.
Critical Tax Thinking

This presentation considers the aims of critical tax studies and offers three suggestions. First, critical tax papers too often fixate on taxes as both the problem and the solution. In many cases, in particular when progressivity is the aim, public spending is the better policy lever. Second, one should not concede that taxation imposes an inexorable tradeoff between efficiency and equity goals. This again understates the importance of the spending side of things. Taxes are a necessary cost of funding spending, and spending in turn, by reaching places where markets are incomplete, can have efficiency payoffs greater than the deadweight loss of taxation. That is, even a leaky bucket can extinguish a fire. To this end, recent research has pointed to the role of well-designed government spending in encouraging an “inclusive economy,” in which growth is both faster and more broadly shared than would otherwise be the case. Finally, the presentation urges that more work be done on the rhetoric of public finance economics. Both the structure and the vocabulary of standard presentations contained unexamined biases that color the outcomes of policy debates.