cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrated ultra-thin-film gas sensors

Abstract The fabrication and performance of an ultra-thin-film integrated gas sensor for detecting impurities in semiconductor process gases are described. Detector reponses are based on gas-induced resistance changes in an ultra-thin Ti-P film mounted on a thin dielectric window supported by a silicon rim. The window temperature can be shifted several hundred degrees Celsius in less than one second. Gas-induced resistance changes are composed of thermal and Chemical components. The gas concentration and its thermal conductivity determine the thermal contribution, whereas the chemical interactions between the gas and the sensor surface create a superimposed change of resistance, which can be observed when the detector is operated at constant temperature. Pretreament of the as-deposited Ti-Pt thin films under controlled environmental conditions allows tailoring of the electrical, sensing, and microstructural characteristics of the films. One such pretreatment scheme allows the creation of films that, when operated at 150 °C, respond chemically to O 2 from 1000 torr down to the 10 −7 torr level without any evidence of hysteresis or long-term drift over hundreds of cycles of temperature and gas. There is no chemical response to CF 4 , which allows detection of sub-ppm levels of O 2 in CF 4 . Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of O 2 is shown to be a control requirement for dynamic sensing.
Population level assessment of hospital based outcomes following laparoscopic versus open partial nephrectomy during the adoption of minimally invasive surgery.

Purpose: The comparative outcomes of laparoscopic and open partial nephrectomy remain incompletely defined. Therefore, we used population based data to examine resource use and short-term outcomes among patients with kidney cancer treated with laparoscopic vs open partial nephrectomy.Materials and Methods: Using linked SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results)-Medicare data we identified patients with kidney cancer treated with laparoscopic or open partial nephrectomy from 2000 through 2007. We then used Medicare claims to identify several postoperative outcomes including intensive care unit care, length of stay, rehospitalizations, operative mortality and postoperative complications. We fit multivariate logistic regression models to estimate the association between each outcome and surgical approach (ie laparoscopic partial nephrectomy vs open partial nephrectomy), adjusting for patient and tumor characteristics.Results: We identified 651 (28%) and 1,670 (72%) patients treated with laparoscopic ...
Whipple's disease of the central nervous system.

Whipple's disease presenting as a neurological disease without gastrointestinal symptoms is an unusual occurrence. A 40 year old man suffered hypersomnia, memory loss and progressive ophthalmoplegia for 6 months prior to death. The nature of his disease was not established during life. Extensive granulomatous inflammation affecting the hypothalamus, hippocampus and periaqueductal gray matter of the brain was found to represent Whipple's disease by electron microscopy. Characteristic lesions were also present in spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, small intestine and myocardium. Bacillary bodies and membranous inclusions similar to those seen in visceral lesions of Whipple's disease were present in macrophages. The findings supported the theory of direct involvement of the central nervous system by bacilli rather than a metabolic origin for the lesions.
Neighborhood dialogues of black and white 5-year-olds

Abstract This study employed linguistic and dialogue measures to examine the language used by black, low-income and white, middle-income 5-year-old boys and girls in their neighborhood. Results showed no differences between white and black children on any linguistic or dialogue measure. Black boys, however, talked more than black girls. Correlational analysis revealed a positive relationship between language use in the neighborhood and the school language measures for the white, middle-income group, but not for the black, low-income group. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to previous studies—particularly laboratory studies—which have found substantial language differences between black and white children and to the possible cultural and societal influences which might have affected the relationship between linguistic skill and school success in the black, low-income group.
Effects of diet and feed withdrawal on the sensory descriptive and instrumental profiles of broiler breast fillets

Effects of diet and feed withdrawal times on the sensory profile and shear values of broiler breast meat were determined. Feeds were formulated with 3 dietary carbohydrate sources (corn, milo, and wheat). Birds (n = 192) were processed between 42 and 52 d of age. Feed was withdrawn for 0 or 8 h prior to pilot plant processing under simulated commercial conditions. Pectoralis major muscles were removed 4 h postmortem and frozen until evaluated. Thawed breast fillets were cooked in heat-seal bags immersed in 85 degrees C water until an internal temperature of 80 degrees C was reached. Color, shears, and sensory profiles (18 attributes) were determined. Meat from corn-fed birds required significantly less force to shear (6.0 kg) than meat from birds fed milo (6.7 kg) or wheat (7.1 kg). Feed withdrawal did not affect the flavor profile; however, meat from birds at 0 h feed withdrawal were darker and redder. Diet significantly affected the sensory profile. Brothy scores were significantly higher in meat from corn-fed birds than in meat from birds fed wheat or milo. Diet and feed withdrawal significantly affected sensory texture. Meat from wheat-fed birds was harder, more cohesive, and more chewy and exhibited larger particle size than meat from birds fed corn or milo. Moisture release values were lower and toothpack values were higher in meat from birds processed at 0 h feed-withdrawal time compared with meat from birds held 8 h without feed. Dietary carbohydrate source appears to have a measurable impact on flavor and texture of broiler breast meat.
Ensuring the safety of HIV/AIDS generics.

Welcome news on the international HIV/AIDS front arrived recently when the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Aspen Pharmacare’s triple-antiretroviral regimen. Tentative FDA approval for this South African company qualifies its triple combination therapy for purchase with funds allocated by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). But the continuing criticism of generic drugs to treat HIV and the ongoing imbroglio around the use of single-dose nevirapine for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission reminds us that life-saving medicine remains politicised in a realm where politics has no place. Late last year Indian manufacturer Ranbaxy withdrew its antiretrovirals from WHO’s list of prequalified drugs. This decision followed two other incidents in which WHO was forced to remove HIV generics produced in India from its list because of non-compliance with clinical and laboratory procedures and data-handling at the contracted research organisation. Although nothing to date has suggested that the drugs themselves were ineffective these incidents have contributed to a climate of uncertainty about the quality of available generic drugs. (excerpt)
Two-Photon Excitation Profiles in Cylindrical Capillaries:

Poor detection limits of two-photon excited fluorescence in cylindrical capillaries are attributed to photothermal expansion and beam astigmatism. Photothermal expansion is demonstrated for excitation in a 1 cm cell and is inferred for the larger diameter capillaries. Astigmatism is caused by focal differences between rays in a plane longitudinal to the capillary and rays in a plane transverse to the capillary. Data were obtained by integrating the fluorescence from variously sized cylindrical and square capillaries, and by photographing the fluorescence within a 1 cm cell.
Current and emerging strategies for the management of sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. Although any organ may be involved, the lungs are most frequently affected. The clinical course of the disease is highly variable, with up to two-thirds of untreated patients experiencing spontaneous remission within 12 – 24 months of onset of symptoms. When therapy is required, corticosteroids are considered standard, but studies demonstrating their ability to modify the long-term outcome in this disease are lacking. Often, the myriad of adverse side effects of corticosteroids necessitate the addition of immunosuppressants, cytotoxic agents or biologic therapies to maintain disease remission. Unfortunately, optimal therapeutic regimens have not been described. Patients who do not respond to therapy often experience progressive fibrotic changes and end-organ damage, which ultimately may result in significant morbidity or death. Agents commonly used to treat patients with sarcoidosis and emerging therapeutic options are discussed.
Analytical prediction of the unsteady lift on a rotor caused by downstream struts

A two-dimensional, inviscid, incompressible procedure is presented for predicting the unsteady lift on turbomachinery blades caused by the upstream potential disturbance of downstream flow obstructions. Using the Douglas-Neumann singularity superposition potential flow computer program to model the downstream flow obstructions, classical equations of thin airfoil theory are then employed, to compute the unsteady lift on the upstream rotor blades. The method is applied to a particular geometry which consists of a rotor, a downstream stator, and downstream struts which support the engine casing. Very good agreement between the Douglas-Neumann program and experimental measurements was obtained for the downstream stator-strut flow field. The calculations for the unsteady lift due to the struts were in good agreement with the experiments in showing that the unsteady lift due to the struts decays exponentially with increased axial separation of the rotor and the struts. An application of the method showed that for a given axial spacing between the rotor and the strut, strut-induced unsteady lift is a very weak function of the axial or circumferential position of the stator.
Phosphorylation of Platelet Pleckstrin Activates Inositol Polyphosphate 5-Phosphatase I

Pleckstrin is the major substrate phosphorylated on serine and threonine in response to stimulation of human platelets by thrombin (Abrams, C. S., Zhao, W., Belmonte, E., and Brass, L. F. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 23317-23321). We now show that pleckstrin in platelets is in a complex with inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase I (5-phosphatase I). This enzyme hydrolyzes the 5-phosphate from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate and thus serves as a calcium signal-terminating enzyme, since the substrates but not the products mobilize intracellular calcium. Pleckstrin co-immunoprecipitates with 5-phosphatase I in homogenates of platelets. Platelet homogenates fractionated by anion exchange chromatography show co-elution of pleckstrin and 5-phosphatase I. Fractions containing phosphorylated pleckstrin have 7-fold greater 5-phosphatase activity than those containing unphosphorylated pleckstrin. Mixing experiments with recombinant 5-phosphatase I and pleckstrin in vitro show that they form a stoichiometric complex. A mutant form of pleckstrin, in which the serine and threonine residues that are phosphorylated by protein kinase C are substituted with glutamic acid (pseudophosphorylated pleckstrin), activates recombinant 5-phosphatase I 2-3-fold while native unphosphorylated pleckstrin does not stimulate the enzyme. Thus pleckstrin functions to terminate calcium signaling in platelets when it is phosphorylated by binding to and activating 5-phosphatase I.
Rubidium absorption by corn root tissue after a brief period of water stress and during recovery

Intact and excised samples of corn root tissue were subjected to water stress either by incubation in solutions of osmotica or by desiccation, after which they were transferred to CaSO4 solution for various time periods for recovery. Osmotic agents used were either mannitol or polyethylene glycol 6000 at concentrations adequate to depress rubidium absorption to less than 30% of that of controls. During 6 h following release from osmotic stress, rubidium absorption by samples from intact seedlings treated with mannitol increased to 44% of that of controls, while those treated with polyethylene glycol increased to 79% of that of controls. Recovery of root samples excised prior to stress was very nearly the same as that of samples from intact roots. When water stress was produced by desiccation, recovery was about the same as from polyethylene glycol, attaining a rate of 76% of that of controls after 8 h. Whereas desiccated samples almost completely regained their water content during recovery, none showed correspondingly complete recovery of ion absorption capacity. Finally, during the recovery period, the submerged controls, but not controls in humid air, showed an increase in ion absorption capacity with time, confirming that the widely observed “aging effect” or “washing effect” is due to submersion and not to time per se.
Sensory transduction in cough-associated nerves

Before a tussive stimulus in the airways can evoke a cough reflex it must first cause action potential discharge in cough-associated vagal sensory nerves. This is initiated by the stimulus first interacting with the receptors and ion channels in the terminal membrane of the sensory fiber in a manner that leads to membrane depolarization. If the stimulus-induced membrane depolarization, referred to as a generator potential, is of sufficient magnitude, action potentials are elicited that are then conducted to the central nervous system. If the action potentials are of sufficient number and frequency, a cough is evoked. The most common tussive stimuli include mechanical perturbations, anosmotic solutions, acidic solutions, and various chemical agents. The mechanisms underlying the transduction of most of these tussive stimuli into a generator potential are only partially understood. In general terms, chemical stimuli interact directly with receptors that are classified as either ligand gated ion channels or metabotropic receptors (e.g. G-protein coupled receptors). Ligand gated receptors are those in which the receptor protein also serves as the ion channel. The metabotropic receptors indirectly modulate the ion channels activity via various signal transduction schemes. Mechanical stimuli are thought to interact with mechanically gated ion channels, and acid can interact with acid sensing ion channels in addition to the capsaicin receptor TRPV1. In this overview some of the specific receptors and ion channels involved in the tussive stimulus-induced generator potentials in vagal afferent nerve terminals are discussed.
Development of force field parameters for molecular simulation of polylactide

Polylactide is a biodegradable polymer that is widely used for biomedical applications, and it is a replacement for some petroleum-based polymers in applications that range from packaging to carpeting. Efforts to characterize and further enhance polylactide-based systems using molecular simulations have to this point been hindered by the lack of accurate atomistic models for the polymer. Thus, we present force field parameters specifically suited for molecular modeling of PLA. The model, which we refer to as PLAFF3, is based on a combination of the OPLS and CHARMM force fields, with modifications to bonded and nonbonded parameters. Dihedral angle parameters were adjusted to reproduce DFT data using newly developed CMAP dihedral cross terms, and the model was further adjusted to reproduce experimentally resolved crystal structure conformations, melt density, volume expansivity, and the glass transition temperature of PLA. We recommend the use of PLAFF3 in modeling PLA in its crystalline or amorphous states...
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE OF DIVING SEALS

![Figure][1] Since the initial studies by Irving and Scholander in the 1940s, the focus of research on diving in marine animals has been on the classical `dive response'. This reflex serves to conserve oxygen by lowering heart rate and decreasing peripheral blood flow to preserve stored O2
Experimental evidence for high-temperature felsic melts formed during basaltic intrusion of the deep crust

Basaltic intrusion into the continental crust was simulated with melting experiments on layered charges of high-alumina olivine tholeiite (HAOT) and metapelite, at 11 kbar. Rapid diffusion of CaO and Na 2 O into the metapelite and H 2 O, K 2 O, SiO 2 , and Al 2 O 3 into the basalt resulted in spectacular changes in the phase assemblage. Garnet megacrysts crystallized profusely across the basalt layer, cumulate assemblages closely resembled rocks found in underplating localities, and glass compositions graded from dacite to rhyolite, even at temperatures as high as 1150 °C. Silicic melts can be generated during interaction of basalt with metapelite, at temperatures well above the H 2 O-saturated granite minimum. Calculations based on these results and comparison with natural occurrences suggest that high-temperature felsic melts with 2 O can form and segregate at rates of ∼1 cm/yr.
POLYPLOIDY IN DALEA FORMOSA (FABACEAE) ON THE CHIHUAHUAN DESERT

Dalea formosa consists of diploids (n = 7), tetraploids (n = 14), and hexaploids (n = 21), the polyploids restricted to the Chihuahuan Desert region or its immediate borders. There is very little morphological differentiation between the three chromosome races and, therefore, the polyploids are assumed to be primarily autoploid. Tetraploids discovered were few and were very similar to hexaploids; the two ploidy levels were combined as “polyploids” for analyses of geographically and cytologically correlated morphological variation. Pollen length generally was found to be greater in known polyploids than in known diploids. Through the use of pollen length and geographic origin, chromosomally unknown specimens were estimated as to ploidy level. This produced four groups, known diploids and polyploids, and putative diploids and polyploids, which were then subjected to stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA) to search for other morphological characters that might indicate ploidy level, to evaluate the assignments to putative ploidy level in unknown plants, and to assess correlation of these plants of putative ploidy level to geographic regions. SDA also indicated that pollen length, among ten morphological features, is the primary discriminator between ploidy levels, and that putative polyploids are confined primarily to the Chihuahuan Desert. Chromosomally unknown specimens that were originally assigned to one ploidy level, but were classified by SDA as another, are viewed as indicative of areas where further cytological sampling is particularly needed. These areas are southeastern Arizona, where pollen among known diploids is comparatively large, northeastern New Mexico, where polyploids might occur off the Chihuahuan Desert, east edge of the Chihuahuan Desert in Texas, a cytologically poorly sampled contact zone between diploids and polyploids, and central Coahuila, where no cytological sampling has been done. Canonical variate analysis is used to aid in the visualization of the general morphological relationship between diploids and polyploids.
Spontaneous coating of graphite electrodes by amino ferrocenes

Abstract Conditions are described under which β-ferrocenylethylamine and some other ferrocene derivatives spontaneously bind to the surface of certain types of pyrolytic graphite electrodes. The resulting coatings are long-lived and amount to several monolayers containing electroactive ferrocene centers. The coatings appear to consist of polymeric condensation products resulting from reactions between oxygen-containing groups on the graphite (probably carbonyl) and the amine. The quantity of material attached to the surface as measured electrochemically is larger in acetonitrile as solvent than in water. The possibility that primary aliphatic amines may serve as general linking reagents at oxidized graphite surfaces is discussed.
Comparison of recombination in vitro and in E. coli cells: Measure of the effective concentr ation of DNA in vivo

Despite the extremely high concentration of DNA in nucleoid/nuclear regions, chromosomal dimerization and entanglement are avoided. To help understand this, we measured the effective concentration of DNA in E. coli, a value that reflects the functional impact of the cellular milieu on DNA site reactivity. We used as probes plasmid fusion reactions by two site-specific recombinases. The normalized extents and rates of fusion in these systems were much lower in vivo than in analogous in vitro reactions. We calculate that the effective concentration of plasmid DNA is about one order of magnitude lower than the chemical concentration. We suggest that in bacterial cells DNA accessibility is highly restricted and that this dominates the forces that increase DNA activity, such as macromolecular crowding.
Manufacturing of high aspect-ratio 3-dimensional PolyFerroCNT nanocomposite polymer electrodes

We present the preparation, micro-patterning, and electrical property characterization of 3-dimensional PolyFerroCNT electrodes (minimum feature size of 200 ± 10 μm, with a height of approximately 200 μm) comprised of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), ferrofluid, and graphetized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (G-CNT) for the purpose of creating thermally stable, flexible, conductive, semi-transparent, and biocompatible electrodes with magnetically inducible "active" microstructures. We performed electrical characterizations for different weight percentage of G-CNTs, PDMS, and ferrofluid and demonstrated resistivity as low as 1 KΩ-cm. The electrical property of our nanocomposite electrodes was shown to be a function of not only the weight percentage of its constituents; but also the cure temperature and cure time during the baking step. Further, we have demonstrated successful attachment of oligonucleotides to PolyFerroCNT electrodes opening a possibility of using such electrodes in molecular diagnostics and related areas.
Analytic differentiation by computer

During the past few years a major portion of the work in computer applications has been concentrated in the two closely related fields of automatic programming and symbol manipulation. The results of this effort have been a wealth of new computer languages, a better understanding and definition of the basic principles and problems of symbol manipulation, and a growing body of algorithms and techniques for use in the applications.
The spectrum of quantum dust black holes

Abstract Using either conformal gauge or proper-time gauge, a reduced system describing homogeneous dust filled universes is quantized. Solving the Schrodinger-Wheeler-DeWitt equation, we find a discrete energy spectrum. Applying the results to the Oppenheimer-Snyder collapsing star, we show that the surface area of the corresponding black hole is an integral multiple of the Planck area.
Implementation of a fast tool servo with repetitive control for diamond turning

The integration of a fast tool servo (FTS) with piezoelectric actuation on a diamond turning machine (DTM) is presented. The intent of this research is to monitor improvements in surface quality in the areas of surface roughness and waviness observed in the facing of an aluminum work piece. Performance is compared between the utilization of a polynomial controller with position feedback of the tool, a repetitive controller that uses position feedback of the tool in conjunction with position feedback of the spindle face via and eddy current probe, and legacy performance of the DTM with no active control methodology.
Variable Stabilities Along the Myosin Coiled Coil Revealed by Free Fall Force Spectroscopy

The striated muscle myosin coiled coil is known to contain regional variations in its functions, such as the polymerization competent light meromyosin (LMM) and the flexible hinge regions. Variations in the structural stability of the coiled coil are an integral part of these functions. To ascertain the variability in stability along the myosin coiled coil, four different regions were analyzed using Free Fall Force Spectroscopy to reversibly pull the two α-helices apart in each location. The targeted regions analyzed were the LMM, and two S2 locations just C-terminal to the S1/S2 hinge defined by site-specific antibodies. Additionally, the S1/S2 hinge was tested by exploiting the rigor bond to impart forces N-terminally to its hinge. As expected, the S1/S2 hinge reversibly unraveled to the greatest extent under less force than the other regions. Regions more C-terminal to the S1/S2 hinge required increasing amounts of force to unravel, and the LMM was the most rigid. A plausible explanation for the variations in stability is that the coiled coil can be pulled apart more readily near its end. In particular, it is observed that regions furthest from a terminus require a high amount of initial force application to separate compared end regions. However, as the strands begin to separate at a site close to the N-terminus, the force-distance curve shapes suggest that the N-terminal part of the coiled coil has completely unraveled and only the C-terminal coiled coil continues to provide resistance. By using the Free Fall Force Spectroscopy, these fine mechanics can be investigated with piconewton to subpiconewton amounts of applied force. It also demonstrates reversibility of the unraveling under repeated cycles of force application on a single molecule. (sponsored by NSF ARRA)
Identifying sequence determinants of reduction potentials of metalloproteins.

The reduction potential of an electron transfer protein is one of its most important functional characteristics. Although the type of redox site and the protein fold are the major determinants of the reduction potential of a redox-active protein, its amino acid sequence may tune the reduction potential as well. Thus, homologous proteins can often be divided into different classes, with each class characterized by a biological function and a reduction potential. Site-specific mutagenesis of the sequence determinants of the differences in the reduction potential between classes should change the reduction potential of a protein in one class to that of the other class. Here, a procedure is presented that combines energetic and bioinformatic analysis of homologous proteins to identify sequence determinants that are also good candidates for site-specific mutations, using the [4Fe–4S] ferredoxins and the [4Fe–4S] high-potential iron–sulfur proteins as examples. This procedure is designed to guide site-specific mutations or more computationally expensive studies, such as molecular dynamics simulations. To make the procedure more accessible to the general scientific community, it is being implemented into CHARMMing, a Web-based portal, with a library of density functional theory results for the redox site that are used in the setting up of Poisson–Boltzmann continuum electrostatics calculations for the protein energetics.
Aging Effects In Extruded Polycrystalline Thallium Bromo-Iodide Fibers

Optical aging in bulk and extruded fibers of thallium bromo-iodide is discussed. In particular, changes in optical attenuation with age are correlated with the physical properties of the material.
Acoustic and Visual Display Behavior of Gekkonid Lizards

Visual and acoustic mechanisms of communication are compared. Their properties are found to be similar except that acoustic systems function more efficiently when light levels are low. The ability of geckos to receive and produce visual and acoustic messages is discussed. Geckos are found to have excellent vision and good hearing. They also possess the visual attributes and sound producing mechanisms necessary for complex displays. The display behavior of geckos is reviewed. Display types are categorized according to the display mechanism used. Visual displays are found to utilize color, pattern, posture, and movement. These displays are used in predator threat as well as in intraspecific social contexts such as aggression and courtship. Combined visual-acoustic displays involve color, pattern, postures, movement, and sound. Combined displays are used in predator threat and in intraspecific aggressive encounters. Acoustic displays have little or no visual component and involve sounds that may be single chirps or temporally patterned multiple chirps. The single chirps are associated with distress while the multiple chirp calls are heard in intraspecific social contexts. The displays of diurnal and nocturnal geckos are compared and it is found that differences are correlated with differences in their diel activity cycles. In conclusion, it is pointed out that many areas remain to be studied before gecko display behavior is well understood.
Successful Treatments of Two Human Avian Influenza Chinese Children and Follow-Up

Background and aims: Human H5N1 avian influenza caused worldwide attention in 1997 when the first case was found in Hong Kong, our present study is to summarize the clinical characteristics, diagnostic and therapeutic experiences of the first human case and the youngest case with human H5N1 avian influenza pneumonia Chinese children in mainland of China and further provide effective strategies for the prevention and cure of future such children.
Dynamic Integration of Reward and Stimulus Information in Perceptual Decision-Making

In perceptual decision-making, ideal decision-makers should bias their choices toward alternatives associated with larger rewards, and the extent of the bias should decrease as stimulus sensitivity increases. When responses must be made at different times after stimulus onset, stimulus sensitivity grows with time from zero to a final asymptotic level. Are decision makers able to produce responses that are more biased if they are made soon after stimulus onset, but less biased if they are made after more evidence has been accumulated? If so, how close to optimal can they come in doing this, and how might their performance be achieved mechanistically? We report an experiment in which the payoff for each alternative is indicated before stimulus onset. Processing time is controlled by a "go" cue occurring at different times post stimulus onset, requiring a response within msec. Reward bias does start high when processing time is short and decreases as sensitivity increases, leveling off at a non-zero value. However, the degree of bias is sub-optimal for shorter processing times. We present a mechanistic account of participants' performance within the framework of the leaky competing accumulator model [1], in which accumulators for each alternative accumulate noisy information subject to leakage and mutual inhibition. The leveling off of accuracy is attributed to mutual inhibition between the accumulators, allowing the accumulator that gathers the most evidence early in a trial to suppress the alternative. Three ways reward might affect decision making in this framework are considered. One of the three, in which reward affects the starting point of the evidence accumulation process, is consistent with the qualitative pattern of the observed reward bias effect, while the other two are not. Incorporating this assumption into the leaky competing accumulator model, we are able to provide close quantitative fits to individual participant data.
On the time‐dependent effects in advancing tunnels

A finite element study is presented of the short-term effects that develop when a tunnel is driven in a ground showing viscous behaviour associated with the deviatoric deformations. Axisymmetric conditions around the tunnel centreline are assumed and the process of excavation is simulated by means of a step-by-step time incremental technique. The Kelvin model is used to approximate the medium creep behaviour and a simple procedure is presented that allows the determination of the creep model constants from the laboratory test data. Various rates of advancing the presence of an unsupported zone close to the tunnel face and the temporary interruption of the excavation process are considered. For the viscous model and the anlaytical technique used, simple, approximate relationships are presented for the displacements around the tunnel and the overexcavation volume as functions of the rate of excavation advancing. /Author/
Growing Our Workforce Through Business and Education

In 2004, Central Community College established the Mechatronics Education Center, a regional center of excellence, to help Nebraska address the shortage of skilled technicians in the area of industrial automation. The main components include an AAS degree program in Mechatronics/Industrial Technology, short-term technical training, and educator professional development and outreach.
Surface segregation in alloys: Dilute solid solutions of Cr, Fe and Ni in Pt

Abstract The equilibrium surface compositions of dilute solid solutions of ~2 at% Cr, Fe, and Ni in Pt were measured using Auger electron spectroscopy. No surface segregation was found in any of these systems. This result casts serious doubts on the validity of the widely used simple theories of surface segregation, based on heats of sublimation or size differences. The results are compared with the predictions of more sophisticated theoretical models.
Anticoagulation of children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass is overestimated by current monitoring techniques.

Hypothesis: Children who undergo cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are proportionally more hemodiluted than adults who undergo CPB. Current methods of monitoring high-dose heparin sulfate anticoagulation are dependent on fibrinogen level. Because of the decreased fibrinogen levels in children, current methods of monitoring heparin anticoagulation overestimate their level of anticoagulation. Design: Prospective controlled trial. Main Outcome Measure: Production of thrombin (adequacy of anticoagulation). Methods: Children and adults undergoing cardiac surgery who received CPB were anticoagulated in the standard fashion as directed by activated clotting time (ACT) results. Each subject had blood sampled at baseline; heparinization; start of the CPB; CPB at 30, 60, and 90 minutes; and at termination of CPB. Samples were used to assess anticoagulation with the Heparin Management Test (less dependent on fibrinogen level than ACT). We also assessed 2 subclinical markers of thrombosis, thrombin-antithrombin complexes and prothrombin fragment F1.2; a marker of procoagulant reserve, fibrinogen; the natural antithrombotic, anti-thrombin; and heparin concentration. Results: Ten children and 10 adults completed the study. Children had lower fibrinogen levels than adults throughout CPB (P<.05). All adults had both therapeutic ACT and Heparin Management Test levels measured throughout CPB. Although children had therapeutic ACT levels, their Heparin Management Test levels were subtherapeutic while undergoing CPB. The children had significantly higher thrombin-antithrombin complexes and prothrombin fragment F1.2 than adults, indicating ongoing thrombin production (P<.01). The increases in thrombin-antithrombin complexes and prothrombin fragment F1.2 in children were inversely proportional to their weight. Conclusions: Children undergoing CPB with heparin dosing adjusted to optimize the ACT manifest inadequate anticoagulation (ongoing thrombin formation). High-dose heparin anticoagulation therapy in children undergoing CPB should be directed by tests (like the Heparin Management Test) that are less dependent on fibrinogen level than ACT.
Using handhelds for wireless remote control of PCs and appliances

Abstract This article provides an overview of the capabilities that we are developing as part of the Pebbles research project for wireless handheld devices such as mobile phones and palm-size computers like Palm Organizers and PocketPCs. Instead of just being used as a phone or organizer, handheld devices can also be used as remote controls for computers and household and office appliances.
Performance of multi-reference CI method in calculations of weakly bonded Sr2 and Ba2 molecules

It is shown that excited configurations in configuration expansions of the ground state wave functions of Sr2 and Ba2 molecules have relatively large coefficients and are very important for correct descriptions of their potential curves. Therefore, post Hartree-Fock methods of multi-reference type are more suitable for ab initio calculations of such molecules. The present MRCI calculations of Ba2 molecule give a new estimation of dissociation energy equal to 1090 ± 30 cm−1.
Interleukin-7: from bench to clinic.

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) was initially isolated more than 10 years ago.[1-4][1] Nevertheless, the complete set of physiologic roles for this cytokine, especially those involving lymphocyte homeostasis, have only recently been elucidated. After the initial descriptions of effects on B-cell precursors,
A generalized time domain multipath channel and its application in ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless optimal receiver design-Part II: physics-based system analysis

This paper has established a new theoretical framework that allows us to analyze the ultra-wideband system performance using the closed form formulations. A new generalized time-domain multipath channel based on the geometric theory of diffraction/uniform theory of diffraction (GTD/UTD) framework is incorporated into the system bit-error rate and signal-to-noise ratio by modifying the existing system model. Closed form expressions for important geometric configurations are derived in the time domain for the first time. Some interesting insights into the physical mechanisms and system analysis are observed through explicit expressions and numerical results.
Switched-words skepticism: A case study in semantical anti-skeptical argument

Semantically based arguments play a crucial role in responding to a certain sort of skeptical strategy, a strategy that is widely generalizable, and which is otherwise peculiarly difficult to answer. The anti-skeptical arguments we have been studying do this while avoiding reliance on the insupportable linguistic claims of co-optionism. Instead, they rely on the prevalence of a certain plausible general feature of the semantics of our language. Not surprisingly, this epistemologically important feature is itself frankly epistemological: in essence, we must (typically) be able to tell what a word refers to, in a way independent of the beliefs we use the word to express. In addition to rendering valuable anti-skeptical service, then, the arguments we have been studying display an additional dimension of interest, for they help to illuminate the ways in which our knowledge of the world at large is bound up with our knowledge of a particular part of that world — the language we use to describe it.
A transvaginal sling procedure with bone anchor fixation.

Urethral sling procedures have become increasingly popular in the treatment of female stress incontinence. Until recently, the use of this procedure in the urologic community has been limited by technical difficulties and complications (e.g., urinary retention, urethral injury, urge frequency). Many modifications of the original sling procedure recently have been described to decrease surgical morbidity. This article describes a minimally invasive sling procedure performed completely through the vagina, with the aid of bone anchor fixation. The potential advantages of this operation include a rapid return to full activity and normal voiding. It should be noted that neither the long-term safety nor the efficacy has been established.
Field Control Type Current Regulator for Electromagnets

A system is described for regulating current in electromagnets of more than 1 H inductance and requiring more than 50 kW of power. Current stability of better than 1 part in 50,000 has been realized using this system with the main magnet coils of the Argonne 60-inch cyclotron. Design is based on the classical approach in which current through the generator load is controlled by the current through its field rather than the presently popular use of series transistor design.It incorporates advantages of developments in the fields of feedback control and solid state devices to provide a simple, reliable and flexible system. During startup, to minimize overshoot and consequent hysteresis effects, a voltage loop is used for control. For precise, long term regulation, a current loop is added in which the current through the magnet is controlled by a pre-set current reference signal or a magnetic field reference signal obtained from a nuclear magnetic resonance probe.
Mitral valve repair for congenital mitral valve disease: impact of the use of a biodegradable annuloplasty ring.

Background This study compares the midterm results of mitral valve repair using the biodegradable ring versus repair with non-ring annuloplasty techniques for congenital mitral valve disease in young children where it was not possible to use standard commercial rings. Methods Between February 2006 and November 2011, 68 patients underwent mitral valve repair for congenital mitral valve disease. Thirty-nine (57%) patients underwent concomitant annuloplasty using the biodegradable ring (group A) and 29 (43%) patients using non-ring annuloplasty techniques (group B). The median age of repair was 2 years (range 1 month to 14 years). Results There were no hospital deaths or major postoperative morbidity. At a median follow-up of 3.8 years (range, 2 months to 5.1 years), overall survival at 5 years was 97% ± 3% for group A and 88% ± 8% for group B ( p = 0.29). Freedom from valve failure was 90% ± 7% in group A and 74% ± 9% in group B ( p = 0.026). The freedom from reoperation was 100% in group A and 84% ± 9% in group B ( p = 0.04). The mean transmitral gradients were 4.3 ± 1.8 mm Hg in group A and 4.2 ±1.7 mm Hg in group B ( p = 0.77). Conclusions Mitral valve repair using the biodegradable ring for congenital mitral valve disease was superior compared with non-ring annuloplasty repair. Excellent survival benefit, freedom from reoperation, and valve failure without significant elevation of transmitral gradients, suggests its important role in young children with smaller annular sizes where standard commercial rings are not available or recommended.
Assessment of Written Expression for Students in Compensatory and Special Education Programs

This study used eight methods to objectively score 6-minute writing samples from students in compensatory and specialized educational programs. Each sample was also evaluated subjectively by four trained judges, using a holistic judgment of communicative effectiveness. Direct counts were made of the number of words: (a) written, (b) written legibly, (c) spelled correctly, (d) written in correct sequence, and (e) written in continuous correct sequences (averaged over sequences). Secondary calculations produced the percentage of words: (a) written legibly, (b) spelled correctly, and (c) written in correct sequence. In both a cluster analysis and factor analysis of the eight measures, two factors were identified, with the first four measures clustering together (representing a production-dependent factor) and the latter four measures clustering together (reflecting a production-independent factor). Regression of holistic ratings on objective scores produced moderately strong results for two production-indepe...
Primordial chemistry and enzyme evolution in a hot environment

Ever since the publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species, questions have been raised about whether enough time has elapsed for living organisms to have reached their present level of complexity by mutation and natural selection. More recently, it has become apparent that life originated very early in Earth’s history, and there has been controversy as to whether life originated in a hot or cold environment. This review describes evidence that rising temperature accelerates slow reactions disproportionately, and to a much greater extent than has been generally recognized. Thus, the time that would have been required for primordial chemistry to become established would have been abbreviated profoundly at high temperatures. Moreover, if the catalytic effect of a primitive enzyme (like that of modern enzymes) were to reduce a reaction’s heat of activation, then the rate enhancement that it produced would have increased as the surroundings cooled, quite aside from changes arising from mutation (which is itself highly sensitive to temperature). Some nonenzymatic catalysts of slow reactions, including PLP as a catalyst of amino acid decarboxylation, and the CeIV ion as a catalyst of phosphate ester hydrolysis, have been shown to meet that criterion. The work reviewed here suggests that elevated temperatures collapsed the time required for early evolution on Earth, furnishing an appropriate setting for exploring the vast range of chemical possibilities and for the rapid evolution of enzymes from primitive catalysts.
Fluctuations in monatomic gases

The problem of calculating distribution‐function autocorrelations of the form 〈f(x1, v1, t1) f(x2, v2, t2)〉 is treated for a dilute monatomic gas. Two‐time probability distributions of the type introduced by Rostoker for the plasma case are used. A perturbation expansion in the density is performed on the generalized BBGKY hierarchy which results. It is shown that the problem of determining the fluctuation spectra can be reduced to solving for a function which obeys the linearized kinetic equation for a dilute neutral gas with a particular choice of initial conditions, a result previously obtained by van Leeuwen and Yip, using diagrammatic perturbation theory. In the limit of infinite wavelengths and hard‐sphere interactions, this equation reduces to the linearized Boltzmann equation.
Relationship Quality with Parent, Daughter Role Salience, and Self-Esteem of Daughter Caregivers

This study examined the effects of two aspects of relationship quality with parent (relationship strain and affective closeness) on daughter caregivers' self-esteem, and whether their effects are moderated by daughter role salience. Cross-sectional data from 137 married daughter caregivers with children were analyzed. Hierarchical regression analysis shows that relationship strain has negative effects on the daughters' self-esteem, regardless of daughter role salience, whereas the positive effects of affective closeness on self-esteem are stronger for daughters whose daughter role is salient than for those less salient. The findings have implications for how practitioners can help married daughters manage relationship strain with their parents, examine the personal meaning of their daughter role, and bolster their own self-esteem while engaged in parent care.
The residential preferences of blacks and whites: A four‐metropolis analysis

Abstract Three hypotheses seek to explain the persistence of residential segregation between blacks and whites in the United States: economic differentials, discrimination in housing and lending markets, and neighborhood preferences. The preferences hypothesis posits that both races wish to live in racially homogeneous neighborhoods. This article examines the preferences hypothesis by using recent interview data from metropolitan Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, and Los Angeles. Race continues to be significant in the residential decision‐making process. Whites’ willingness to move into a neighborhood is inversely related to the density of blacks living there. Blacks prefer integrated neighborhoods, but ones with a substantial representation of blacks. Preferences differ significantly from one metropolis to another, with Detroit representing the extreme. In the other three metropolises, the preferences of blacks and whites do overlap sufficiently to offer hope for a decline in segregation, provided that the infl...