cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimates of induced abortion in urban North Carolina.

In 1965, Warner developed an interviewing procedure designed to eliminate evasive answer bias when questions of a sensitive nature are asked. He called the procedure ‘randomized response.’ The authors have been studying the technique for several years and, in this paper, are reporting some of the estimates of induced abortion in urban North Carolina using randomized response. Estimates of the proportion of women having an abortion during the past year among women 18–44 years of age are reported. For the study population indices were developed relating induced abortion to total conceptions for whites and nonwhites. The illegal abortion rate per 100 conceptions was estimated to be 14.9 for whites and 32.9 for nonwhites. Estimates of the proportion of women having an abortion during their lifetime among women 18 years old or over are also shown. Among ever married women, the proportion having an abortion during their lifetime declined as education increased. Estimates were high for women with 5 or more pregnancies. Most of the respondents stated that they were satisfied that the randomized response approach would not reveal their personal situation. Furthermore, they did not think their friends would truthfully respond to adirect question regarding abortion.
The reconstruction of mutilated english texts

The ability of human operators to correct mutilations in printed English texts was studied for a variety of mutilations. The average person, given limited time to work, will not be able to correct passages perfectly if more than 10% of the characters are mutilated; the job is most difficult if the mutilation consists of random substitutions of erroneous characters. With superior persons and unlimited time, however, it is possible to abbreviate passages as much as 50%, either by omitting alternate characters or by omitting all the vowels and the space between words. These results correspond to a lower bound of 60% for the redundancy of printed English.
Occurrence of ectomycorrhizal fungi on the forefront of retreating Lyman Glacier (Washington, USA) in relation to time since deglaciation

Glacier forefronts provide a unique system for studying primary succession of plants and fungi. We constructed a chronosequence of ectomycorrhizal fungus occurrence on the forefront of Lyman Glacier in the North Cascades mountain range in Washington, USA. The plant communities established on non-vegetated substrate as patchily distributed plant individuals and de- veloped towards complex vegetation with a variety of ectomycorrhizal hosts, including Salix commutata, S. phylicifolia, Abies lasiocarpa, Larix lyallii, Pinus con- torta, Tsuga mertensianaand additional infrequent taxa. A most probable number assay of non-vegetated sub- strates over the chronosequence indicated that ectomy- corrhizal propagules were few or absent in the non-vege- tated areas adjacent to the glacier terminus but increased with time since deglaciation. Ectomycorrhizal fungus sporocarps occurred as soon as the first host plants of substantial size were present. However, none were ob- served with the most recently established hosts - small A. lasiocarpa seedlings. Only four species ( Cortinarius decipiens, C. tenebricus, Inocybe lacera, and Laccaria cf. montana) occurred on substrate deglaciated for less than 40 years. Three of these species ( C. tenebricus, I. lacera, and L. cf. montana) occurred along the chrono- sequence to the terminal moraine on substrate deglacia- ted for 70-100 years. An additional five species (one un- identified species each of Cortinarius and Lactarius, Cortinarius mutabilis, Lactarius uvidus var. montanus, and Suillus cavipes) occurred only on the oldest sub- strate. Our results support the current "early- and late- stage" model of ectomycorrhizal fungus succession in that additional species enter the community over time. However, we hypothesize that diversification of the my- corrhizal fungus community in this primary successional habitat resulted from an increasing diversity of host plants along with changing habitat attributes.
Breaking down the barriers: siRNA delivery and endosome escape

RNA interference (RNAi)-based technologies offer an attractive strategy for the sequence-specific silencing of disease-causing genes. The application of small interfering (si)RNAs as potential therapeutic agents requires safe and effective methods for their delivery to the cytoplasm of the target cells and tissues. Recent studies have shown significant progress in the development of targeting reagents that facilitate the recognition of and siRNA delivery to specific cell types. However, most of these delivery approaches are not optimized to enable the intracellular trafficking of the siRNAs into the cytoplasm where they must associate with the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) to direct the cleavage of mRNAs bearing complementary binding sites. In particular, the trafficking of siRNAs from endosomes into the cytoplasm represents a major rate-limiting step for many delivery approaches. This Commentary focuses on novel strategies designed to enhance endosomal escape and thereby increase the efficacy of siRNA-mediated gene silencing.
Is Britney Spears Spam

seek to redefine spam and the role of the spam filter in the context of Social Networking Services (SNS). SNS, such as MySpace and Facebook, are increasing in popularity. They enable and encourage users to communicate with previously unknown network members on an unprecedented scale. The problem we address with our work is that users of these sites risk being overwhelmed with unsolicited communications not just from e-mail spammers, but also from a large pool of well intending, yet subjectively uninteresting people. Those who wish to remain open to meeting new people must spend a large amount of time estimating deception and utility in unknown contacts. Our goal is to assist the user in making these determinations. This requires identifying clear cases of undesirable spam and helping them to assess the more ambiguous ones. Our approach is to present an analysis of the salient features of the sender's profile and network that contains otherwise hard to perceive cues about their likely intentions. As with traditional spam analysis, much of our work focuses on detecting deception: finding profiles that mimic ordinary users but which are actually commercial and usually undesirable entities. We address this within the larger context of making more legible the key cues presented by any unknown contact. We have developed a research prototype that categorizes senders into broader categories than spam/not spam using features unique to SNS. We discuss our initial experiment, and its results and implications.
Increased heat waves with loss of irrigation in the United States

A potential decline in irrigation due to groundwater depletion or insufficient surface water would not only directly affect agriculture, but also could alter surface climate. In this study we investigated how loss of irrigation affects heat wave frequency, duration, and intensity across fifteen heat wave indices (HINs) using a regional climate model that incorporated dynamic crop growth. Averaged across all indices, loss of irrigation increased heat wave frequency, duration, and intensity. In the United States, irrigation effects on heat waves were statistically significant over irrigated cropland for the majority of HINs, but in non-irrigated regions, the effects were significant only for a few HINs. The heat index temperature metrics that include humidity were less sensitive to loss of irrigation due to the trade-off between increased temperature and decreased humidity. Using the same temperature metric but different temperature thresholds resulted in qualitatively similar effects on heat waves. Regions experiencing strong groundwater depletion, such as the southern high plains, may suffer more and longer heat waves with reduced irrigation.
A genetic analysis of dicentric minichromosomes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We have developed an assay in S. cerevisiae in which clones of cells that contain intact dicentric minichromosomes are visually distinct from those that have rearranged to monocentric minichromosomes. We find that the instability of dicentric minichromosomes is apparently due to mitotic nondisjunction accompanied by occasional structural rearrangements. Monocentric minichromosomes arising by rearrangement of the plasmid are rapidly selected in the population since dicentric minichromosomes depress the rate of cell division. We show that the ability of one centromere to compete with another in dicentric minichromosomes requires the presence of both of the conserved structural elements, CDE II and CDE III. Dicentric minichromosomes can be stabilized if one of the centromeres on the molecule is functionally hypomorphic because of mutations in CDE II even though these mutant centromeres are highly efficient in monocentric molecules. Stable dicentric molecules can also be produced by decreasing the space between two wild-type centromeres on the same molecule. These results suggest plausible pathways for changes in chromosome number that accompany evolution.
The Effect of Stress in the PdGe Mediated Solid Phase Epitaxial Growth of Ge on GaAs

The residual stress and the microstructure associated with it were studied in connection with the Pd-Ge ohmic contact formation on GaAs. Evaporated Pd (20 nm) / Ge (150 nm) / Pd (50 nm) thin film stacks on GaAs were annealed at various temperatures and the resulting microstructures were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Micro-cantilever beam structures were fabricated with a focused ion beam (FIB) workstation and the residual stress present was calculated from the deflection magnitude. It was found that Ge solid phase epitaxial (SPE) growth on GaAs is associated with a stress relaxation of the thin film system. A new model that suggests the tensile stress induced by the intermediate layer may play an important role in the SPE growth mechanism is proposed. Other cases of solid phase heteroepitaxial growth with an intermediate medium, such as Ge/Au/Si, Co/Ti/Si (the TIME method) and Co/SiOx/Si (the OME method) are discussed in light of this newly proposed model. Also, the possibility of using controlled stress to engineer new methods for growing SPE based heterostructures will be presented.
Inequality in Intercollegiate Athletics: Origins, Trends and Policies

In this paper, the author provides an overview of economic inequality in intercollegiate athletics, tracing it from its origins in the late 19th century, through home rule, the introduction of the NCAA’s national broadcasting policy and its subsequent regionalization after Oklahoma v. NCAA, conference realignments, RSNs, the BCS and NCAA distribution policies. The paper argues that the current economic situation and the growing inequality is unsustainable and that policies to reverse the course are necessary. Policies to moderate inequality will not only assist in promoting financial stability but will also blunt the all-out drive to win and thereby help to reestablish the primacy of education in intercollegiate athletics.
A Strong and Damage‐Tolerant Oxide Laminate

A novel laminar oxide composite was developed. This oxide laminate, which was fabricated by hot pressing, consisted of three types of layers, which were stacked in a repeating sequence of YPO4, yttria-stabilized ZrO2, 30 vol% yttria-stabilized ZrO2-70 vol% Al2O3, and yttria-stabilized ZrO2. The behavior of the oxide laminate was evaluated by four-point flexural testing and the indentation technique. The flexural strength from one test was 358 MPa, and the load-displacement curve of this test displayed a graceful failure. Pronounced interfacial delamination contributed to a high work of fracture and damage tolerance. These properties have rarely been observed in oxide composites and are comparable to those of non-oxide composites, such as SiC/graphite, SiC/BN, and Si3N4/BN laminates.
A single exogenous stimulus activates resident rat macrophages for nitric oxide production and tumor cytotoxicity.

Based on experiments with mouse cells, it appears that macrophage activation for cytotoxicity requires two exogenous signals. One signal primes or sensitizes the cells, while the second activates them for killing. The present studies were designed to analyze the capacity of rat macrophages to be activated for nitric oxide production and for cytotoxicity by different inflammatory stimuli. We found that both resident alveolar macrophages (AMs) and resident peritoneal macrophages (PMs) from Sprague-Dawley rats produced nitric oxide in response to relatively low doses of a single exogenous activating stimulus [interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)]. Resident PMs treated with either of these agents alone also exhibited nitric oxide-mediated cytotoxicity toward xenogeneic and allogeneic tumor targets. In contrast to results reported previously with both resident and elicited PMs from mice, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) exerted only a small enhancing effect on IFN-gamma-induced nitric oxide production by resident rat PMs. In addition, although some level of cooperativity between IFN-gamma and LPS was observed at low concentrations of LPS ( or = 10 ng/ml) on nitric oxide production by PMs. In contrast to PMs, AMs had a strong synergistic response to combinations of IFN-gamma and LPS or TNF-alpha but also only at relatively low concentrations of IFN-gamma and LPS. Furthermore, maximum nitric oxide production induced by IFN-gamma in these cells could be enhanced by TNF-alpha or low doses of LPS. However, as observed with PMs, combinations of IFN-gamma and higher doses of LPS did not significantly augment maximum nitric oxide production induced in AMs by LPS alone. Thus, our data suggest that resident rat PMs and AMs resemble elicited mouse PMs in their ability to respond to a single activating stimulus. However, PMs and in some respects AMs differ from the latter by their reduced responsiveness to combinations of activators. Taken together, our results suggest that two exogenous stimuli are not required for full activation of resident macrophages from Sprague-Dawley rats.
Drug detailing in academic medical centers: regulating for the right reasons, with the right evidence, at the right time.

In this month's issue of AJOB, Huddle recapitulates several arguments against prohibiting drug detailing in academic medical centers. Briefly stated, Huddle argues that empiric data on the effects of detailing are not definitive, and that restricting interaction with sales representatives does not rise to the level of an “unqualified ethical imperative.” As a result, Huddle argues that professional ethics do not mandate an opposition to detailing, and that policy responses should be “prudential.” In recommending a blanket prohibition on detailing and framing the issue as one of professional ethics, Huddles believes the AAMC overstepped its bounds. While Huddle outlines the reasoning for each of these arguments in more detail than is often articulated, the conclusions of each of these arguments are nonetheless incorrect.
Metabotropic suppression of excitation in murine autaptic hippocampal neurons

Depolarization-induced suppression of excitation (DSE) and inhibition (DSI) are forms of short-term neuronal plasticity involving postsynaptic release of an endocannabinoid and the activation of presynaptic cannabinoid CB1 receptors. We have recently reported that CB1-dependent DSE can be elicited in autaptic cultures of excitatory hippocampal neurons of the mouse. We now report that the same preparation exhibits a parallel Gq-coupled receptor-dependent production of endocannabinoids causing retrograde inhibition, also via CB1 receptors, which we will refer to as metabotropic suppression of excitation (MSE). We tested a spectrum of Gq-coupled receptor agonists and found that both muscarinic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (group I) mediate retrograde inhibition via CB1 receptors in autaptic hippocampal neurons. Thus these neurons possess not only the pre- and postsynaptic machinery necessary for DSE but also that for MSE. This permitted a closer examination of MSE and its interaction with other aspects of the endocannabinoid retrograde signalling machinery: MSE mimics and occludes DSE and is itself occluded by the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), consistent with 2-AG as a likely mediator of MSE. In contrast to DSE, MSE undergoes heterologous desensitization over the time course of minutes. In keeping with data reported for metabotropic suppression of inhibition (MSI) and DSI in the hippocampus, subthreshold MSE and DSE act synergistically. We additionally found that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which has been shown to attenuate DSE, antagonizes MSE. Finally, we have distinguished a neuronal subpopulation that exhibits DSE and a differential complement of MSE-mediating Gq-coupled receptors, making possible contrasting studies of MSE. Autaptic endocannabinoid signalling is rich, robust and complex in a deceptively simple package, including a previously unreported postsynaptic mechanism of adaptation in addition to known presynaptic CB1 desensitization. These adaptive sites offer novel targets for modulation of endogenous cannabinoid signalling.
Cellular Processes Limiting Leaf Growth in Plants under Hypoxic Root Stress

The effects of root hypoxia on leaf growth of a Populus trichocarpa x deltoides hybrid have been assessed. Clonal plants were subjected to hypoxic root conditions in pot culture by flooding and in solution culture by gassing with nitrogen. The rate of leaf expansion declined within 8 h and was suppressed for the duration of the treatment. Final leaf size was reduced by 35% to 60% compared to aerated plants. Final epidermal cell size and number depended both on the developmental stage of the leaf at the onset of stress and on the duration of the treatment. No differences in bulk leaf water potential were measured between the hypoxic and aerated plants. Cell wall extensibility was lower, leaf solute potential was more negative and turgor potential was higher in leaves of hypoxia-treated plants than of aerated plants. These data suggest that leaf growth of hypoxia-stressed plants is limited by cell wall extensibility. The mechanism by which the root stress induces changes in leaf cell wall characteristics is not known.
Equivalence Classes for the μ-Coefficient of Kazhdan–Lusztig Polynomials in Sn

We study equivalence classes relating to the Kazhdan–Lusztig μ(x, w) coefficients in order to help explain the scarcity of distinct values. Each class is conjectured to contain a “crosshatch” pair. We also compute the values attained by μ(x, w) for the permutation groups S 10 and S 11.
[99mTc]MAG3-mannosyl-dextran: a receptor-binding radiopharmaceutical for sentinel node detection

Technetium-99m-labeled benzoyl-mercaptoacetylglycylglycyl-glycine-mannosyl-dextran ([(99m)Tc]MAG(3)-mannosyl-dextran) is a receptor-binding radiotracer that binds to mannose-binding protein, a receptor expressed by recticuloendothelial tissue. This agent is composed of a 10.5-kilodalton molecule of dextran and multiple units of mannose, and benzoyl-mercaptoacetylglycylglycyl-glycine (BzMAG(3)). The tetraflorophenol-activated ester of BzMAG(3) and the imidate of thiomannose were used to covalently attach BzMAG(3) and mannose to an amino-terminated conjugate of dextran. This yielded a 19-kilodalton macromolecule consisting of 3 BzMAG(3) and 21 mannose units per dextran. Dynamic light scattering was used to measure a mean diameter of 5.5 nanometers for BzMAG(3)-mannosyl-dextran and 0.28 microns for filtered Tc-99m sulfur colloid. A preliminary sentinel node detection study employing right fore and hind footpad injections of [(99m)Tc]MAG(3)-mannosyl-dextran and left fore and hind footpad injections of filtered Tc-99m sulfur colloid demonstrated greater sentinel lymph node uptake by the receptor-binding agent.
Design of a 16 T Nb/sub 3/Sn twin bore accelerator dipole with a window-frame conductor layout

A simplified design study of a 16 T Nb/sub 3/Sn twin bore accelerator dipole magnet is presented. The philosophy behind the study is to design a high field magnet with a coil structure optimized for a reasonable Lorentz-load and ease of construction. The coils are of the rectangular window-frame type with modular flat pancake windings, thus eliminating the need for complex coil return ends. The magnetic and structural design is presented and a comparison is made with existing cell layouts for high field magnets. >
The Evolution of Distance Learning and Online Education

Over the past 30 years, a revolution has taken place, but no troops took to the battlefield, and no shots were fired. This revolution has been electronic and has had a profound impact on citizens o...
Investigation of Radar Propagation in Buildings: A 10-Billion Element Cartesian-Mesh FETD Simulation

Large-scale full-wave simulations are performed to investigate radar wave propagation inside buildings. In principle, a radar system combined with sophisticated numerical methods for inverse problems can be used to determine the internal structure of a building. The composition of the walls (cinder block, rebar) may effect the propagation of the radar waves in a complicated manner. In order to provide a benchmark solution of radar propagation in buildings, including the effects of cinder block and rebar, we performed large-scale full-wave simulations using a finite-element time domain (FETD) method. This particular FETD implementation is tuned for the special case of an orthogonal Cartesian mesh and hence resembles finite-difference time domain (FDTD) in accuracy and efficiency. The method was implemented on a general-purpose massively parallel computer. In this paper we briefly describe the radar propagation problem, the FETD implementation, and we present results of simulations that used over 10-billion elements.
Tibialis anterior architecture, strength, and gait in individuals with cerebral palsy.

Introduction: The relationship of tibialis anterior (TA) muscle architecture, including muscle thickness (MT), cross-sectional area (CSA), pennation angle (PA), and fascicle length (FL), to strength and ankle function was examined in ambulatory individuals with CP and unilateral foot drop. Methods: Twenty individuals with CP participated in muscle ultrasound imaging, unilateral strength testing, and three-dimensional gait analysis. Results: Muscle size (MT and CSA) was positively related to strength, fast gait velocity, and ankle kinematics during walking. Higher PA was related to a more dorsiflexed ankle position at initial contact and inversely with fast gait velocity. FL was related to strength, fast velocity, and step length at a self-selected speed. Conclusions: Muscle architecture partially explains the degree of impairment in strength and ankle function in CP. Treatments to increase TA size and strength may produce some gait improvement, but other factors that may contribute to ankle performance deficits must be considered. Muscle Nerve, 2011
Improving HIV/AIDS Knowledge Management Using EHRs

Background: A primary goal for the development of EHRs and EHR-related technologies should be to facilitate greater knowledge management for improving individual and community health outcomes associated with HIV / AIDS. Most of the current developments of EHR have focused on providing data for research, patient care and prioritization of healthcare provider resources in other areas. More attention should be paid to using information from EHRs to assist local, state, national, and international entities engaged in HIV / AIDS care, research and prevention strategies. Unfortunately the technology and standards for HIV-specific reporting modules are still being developed. Methods: A literature search and review supplemented by the author’s own experiences with electronic health records and HIV / AIDS prevention strategies will be used. This data was used to identify both opportunities and challenges for improving public health informatics primarily through the use of latest innovations in EHRs. Qualitative analysis and suggestions are offered for how EHRs can support knowledge management and prevention strategies associated with HIV infection. Results: EHR information, including demographics, medical history, medication and allergies, immunization status, and other vital statistics can help public health practitioners to more quickly identify at-risk populations or environments; allocate scarce resources in the most efficient way; share information about successful, evidenced-based prevention strategies; and increase longevity and quality of life. Conclusion: Local, state, and federal entities need to work more collaboratively with NGOs, community-based organizations, and the private sector to eliminate barriers to implementation including cost, interoperability, accessibility, and information security. Key Words: Usability of Health Information, Information Technology, Health Promotion / Disease Prevention MeSH Headings: HIV, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Public Health Informatics, Electronic Health Records, Knowledge Management
A single-system account of semantic and lexical deficits in five semantic dementia patients

In semantic dementia (SD), there is a correlation between performance on semantic tasks such as picture naming and lexical tasks such as reading aloud. However, there have been a few case reports of patients with spared reading despite profound semantic impairment. These reports have sparked an ongoing debate about how the brain processes conceptual versus lexical knowledge. One possibility is that there are two functionally distinct systems in the brain-one for semantic and one for lexical processing. Alternatively, there may be a single system involved in both. We present a computational investigation of the role of individual differences in explaining the relationship between naming and reading performance in five SD patients, among whom there are cases of both association and dissociation of deficits. We used a connectionist model where information from different modalities feeds into a single integrative layer. Our simulations successfully produced the overall relationship between reading and naming seen in SD and provided multiple fits for both association and dissociation data, suggesting that a single, cross-modal, integrative system is sufficient for both semantic and lexical tasks and that individual differences among patients are essential in accounting for variability in performance.
Increasing Incidence of Linezolid-Intermediate or -Resistant, Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Strains Parallels Increasing Linezolid Consumption

Clinical enterococcal resistance to linezolid is defined by the presence of the G2576T mutation. We evaluated the incidence of genetically proven linezolid resistance among vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains and linezolid consumption for a possible association. A relationship was found (r2 = 0.73, P = 0.03) and predicts increasing resistance with current trends of linezolid use.
Flame stabilization in high-velocity heterogeneous fuel-air mixtures

Weak-extinction data obtained from an experimental apparatus designed to simulate the characteristics of practical afterburner combustion systems are presented. The apparatus supplies heterogeneous fuel-air mixtures of varied temperature, velocity, and degree of prevaporization to V-gutter flameholders of various widths and shapes similar to those found in jet engine systems. The fuel employed is a hydrocarbon whose chemical composition and physical properties correspond to those of aviation kerosene JP 5. An analysis that accounts for heterogeneous physical transport processes is described. This analysis extends a previously derived homogeneous stability analysis, based on stirred-reactor theory, to include the characterization of bluff-body systems supplied with nonuniform, heterogeneous, fuel-air mixtures. The ability of the analysis to capture observed experimental trends indicates that a stirred-reactor approach, coupled with appropriate heterogeneous transport models, provides a framework for predicting the lean-blowout limits of practical flameholder systems.
Additional notes on the genus Phlugis (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) with the descriptions of two new arboreal species from Costa Rica

Abstract Fourteen new species of the predaceous katydid genus Phlugis Stal, 1860 (Meconematinae), collected using pesticide-fogging methods, were recently described from northern Peruvian rainforest canopies. This paper reports the presence of 2 new species of Phlugis from rainforest canopies in Costa Rica. Although most of our representation of Phlugis species in museums consists primarily of easily collected understory species, the occurrence of a very diverse fauna in rainforest canopies, suggests that many species of this genus are yet to be discovered.
India's Approach to Great-Power Status

Although often overshadowed by the rise of China, India’s ascent toward great-power status over the past two decades has been one of the most dramatic developments in the international system. In the late 1980s, India was the world’s most populous nation but had an economy barely one-third the size of Italy’s and an outdated military dependent largely on Soviet hand-me-downs. 1 Today, India’s economy is the world’s fourth largest in terms of purchasing-power parity; it will soon overtake Japan for third place if current trends continue. 2 It has risen to become the world’s ninth-largest source of industrial output, slightly ahead of Brazil. 3 India has also become a more modern, sophisticated military power, and with the passage of the Indo-U.S. civil nuclear agreement in 2008, India received a key endorsement as a legitimate member of the “nuclear club.” Becoming a “great power” has not always been an explicit objective of Indian foreign policy, and the pursuit of a stronger global role has been controversial in a state with immense domestic needs. However, India’s recent rise—particularly in economic terms—has led an increasing number of officials and members of the public to embrace this idea. Leaders of both of India’s leading political parties—the ruling Congress Party and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—have stated openly in recent years that they seek great-power status for their country. 4
Modeling self-heating in nanoscale devices

In this paper, a review is presented on the self-heating modeling efforts performed at Arizona State University. In the analysis, first simple SOI Devices are being considered from different technology generations to illustrate what we call “Thermal Landauer picture”. Namely, it is demonstrated via numerical simulations that in the shortest devices the hot spot does not occur in the channel (as it was speculated in previous works), but occurs in the drain contact due to the largely ballistic nature of the carrier transport. Impact of self-heating effects is also examined in dual-gate devices and silicon nanowire transistors.
Can Depression Be Managed Appropriately in Primary Care

This review considers the necessary conditions for appropriate management of depression in primary care. While discussion of primary care management has often focused on the recognition of depression, recognition alone is not sufficient. Recent research demonstrates that primary care management of depression frequently fails to meet recommended standards for intensity of treatment and follow-up. Several recent randomized trials show that effective treatment of depression in primary care is possible but will require significant changes in current practice. Prerequisites for more effective management of depression in primary care include appropriate patient education, systematic monitoring of care processes and outcomes, and easy access to the full range of psychiatric consultation services.
Abstract T MP96: Trends and Variation in Inpatient Discharge to Hospice Among High Stroke Volume Hospitals

Background: In recent years, individuals with acute ischemic stroke accounted for approximately 4% of all inpatients discharged to hospice, yet little is known about current practices and trends in discharge to hospice care for stroke admissions within US hospitals. Methods: We examined rates of hospice discharge for adult acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to acute care facilities in the top quartile of annual stroke volume between 2001 and 2010 in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. These high volume hospitals account for nearly 75% of stroke admissions in the dataset. Only those with available information on hospice discharge were considered. Compound annual growth rate was used to examine changes in utilization over time. Hospice trends were evaluated using the Cochran-Armitage test. Results: Among 1,935 high volume hospitals there were 455,372 hospitalizations for acute ischemic stroke from 2001 to 2010, 12,036 (2.6%) of which were discharged to hospice (30% to home; 70% to medical facility). The absolute number of discharges to hospice care grew at 29% per year over the ten-year period (P Trend<0.001). Discharge rates to hospice care per 100 stroke admissions increased from an average of 0.5 (SD=1.3) in 2001 to 4.3 (SD=3.0) in 2010 (P Trend<0.001). ![][1] Inter-hospital variation in rates of hospice discharge remained large from year to year, and ranged from zero to 15.6 per 100 stroke admissions (Median=3.8; Interquartile Range=3.7) in 2010. Conclusions: The average rate of discharge to hospice care for acute ischemic stroke inpatients admitted to high volume hospitals has grown substantially in the past decade; variation in this practice across these hospitals remains large. [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
The "Praxis" Side of the Equation: Club Women and American Public Administration

While the participation of women from settlement houses and the Bureau of Municipal Research in the founding of Public Administration has already been documented, the contributions of a much larger group, American club women, remain largely unrecognized. The purpose of this paper is to document the activities of the hundreds of local women's clubs, specifically in the Western half of the nation, in the development of governance structures in cities and counties. Western club women were instrumental in founding public services and governance structures for their communities. Although most of them lacked the professional training of the settlement house workers, club women looked around their towns, saw what needed to be done, and helped to create libraries, health clinics, schools, sanitation systems, and decent roads. In doing so, they developed skills that made them the first generation of women to be elected and appointed in significant numbers to local and statewide offices.
Luminescence from low-energy He + /Xe charge-transfer reactions

Optical emissions produced by collision of 100-eV He/sup +/ ions with Xe atoms have been studied over the spectral range from 40 to 900 nm. All of the major lines in the emission spectrum can be assigned to transitions in Xe II resulting from charge-transfer reactions. Emission cross sections for the major lines in the vacuum-ultraviolet and visible spectral regions are reported and the importance of cascading is assessed. The kinetic energy dependence is discussed for several of these lines.
Effect of Cyclic Nucleotide on Coronavirus Replication

SummaryThe effects of the cyclic nucleotide, dibutyryl cyclic AMP on growth of the human coronavirus OC43 were evaluated. Systems used were the permissive cell line BS-C-1, and WI-38. There was no effect of the nucleotide when cell culture adapted virus was grown in BS-C-1. However, enhancement of growth in the presence of cyclic AMP was observed when the virus used was non-cell culture adapted and when WI-38 was employed. Such enhancement may be of value in attempts at growing non-adapted coronaviruses in cell cultures.
The effect of intravenous hyperalimentation on erythrocyte lipids.

SummaryLipid analyses of erythrocytes from patients undergoing intravenous hyperalimentation therapy are presented herein. The amount of membrane cholesterol and phospholipid remained normal during the 4-month therapy and so did individual phospholipids. Phospholipid fatty acids, however, showed variations with a tendency toward increased percentages of palmitic and oleic acids and decreased percentages of linoleic and arachidonic acids. 5,8,11-Eicosatrienoic acid, characteristic of essential fatty-acid deficiency, increased markedly as the therapy progressed. Similar changes were observed in plasma fatty-acid phospholipids. The results suggested that during intravenous hyperalimentation, cell-membrane phospholipids became responsive to altered plasmalipid concentrations. The exchange of phospholipids between red blood cells and lipoproteins in man is less selective in essential fatty-acid deficiency resulting from intravenous hyperalimentation than from other causes.The authors are very much indebted to ...
QT Prolongation and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

Background Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) has been associated with repolarization abnormalities including QT prolongation and acquired long QT syndrome. However, the association between QT prolongation and clinical outcomes in patients with TCM remains unclear. The aim of this study is to examine the association between QT prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, and death in patients with TCM. Methods Forty-six patients with TCM met our inclusion criteria in an ongoing prospective cohort database from 2010 to May 2015. We assigned the patients to a long QT group or a normal QT group, and created a composite outcome consisting of ventricular arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, or death. Results The mean age of the participants was 59.7 ± 16 years, 67% were women, and 63% had hypertension. Median follow-up time was 3.1 years (interquartile range: 2.0-3.8), with a total of 133.8 person-years. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction at diagnosis was 27.2% ± 1.4%. The mean QTc on diagnosis was 484 ms ± 10.2 ms for men, and 488 ms ± 8.6 ms for women. The long QT group had a 4.1-times higher odds of having the composite clinical outcome as compared to the normal QT group (95% confidence interval: 1.1, 16.1, P = 0.04) after adjusting for age and race in logistic regression. Conclusion Patients with TCM who have a long QT interval or develop acquired long QT syndrome due to TCM may be more likely to be intubated; require vasopressors; and develop shock, ventricular arrhythmias, and death than those with a normal QT interval.
Agenda Setting in the Partisan TV News Context: Attribute Agenda Setting and Polarized Evaluation of Presidential Candidates Among Viewers of NBC, CNN, and Fox News

This study examines the agenda setting of candidates’ attributes and its relationship with polarized candidate evaluation among TV news viewers. Content analyses of candidates’ affective attributes during the 2012 presidential election indicate partisan imbalance from CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Fox’s Special Report. NBC Nightly News was relatively balanced. Watching a particular program was positively associated with attribute agenda setting by each program. Also, agenda setting by the Fox program was positively related to viewers’ polarized candidate evaluations, whereas agenda setting by the NBC program was negatively associated. Implications of the partisan TV news context for agenda-setting theory are discussed.
Three-Dimensional Time-Domain Finite-Element Simulation of Dielectric Breakdown Based on Nonlinear Conductivity Model

Dielectric breakdown during high-power operation is hazardous to electric and electronic devices and systems. During the breakdown process, the bound charges break free and are pushed to move by the force of high-intensity fields. As a result, a reduction in the resistance of an insulator can be observed, and a portion of the insulator becomes electrically conductive. Such a process can be described as the change of conductivity of the dielectric, which in this case, is a nonlinear function of the electric field. In this paper, the nonlinear conductivity is incorporated into Maxwell’s equations, and the resulting nonlinear equation is solved using the time-domain finite-element method together with Newton’s method (NM). The Jacobian matrix required in the NM is analytically derived to obtain a numerical solution with good accuracy and efficiency. A fixed-point method is also presented to provide numerical solutions as a validation for the NM. Several numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the capability of the proposed algorithm and the nonlinear effect caused by the nonlinear conductivity.
User's Guide for RESRAD-OFFSITE

The RESRAD-OFFSITE code can be used to model the radiological dose or risk to an offsite receptor. This User’s Guide for RESRAD-OFFSITE Version 3.1 is an update of the User’s Guide for RESRAD-OFFSITE Version 2 contained in the Appendix A of the User’s Manual for RESRAD-OFFSITE Version 2 (ANL/EVS/TM/07-1, DOE/HS-0005, NUREG/CR-6937). This user’s guide presents the basic information necessary to use Version 3.1 of the code. It also points to the help file and other documents that provide more detailed information about the inputs, the input forms and features/tools in the code; two of the features (overriding the source term and computing area factors) are discussed in the appendices to this guide. Section 2 describes how to download and install the code and then verify the installation of the code. Section 3 shows ways to navigate through the input screens to simulate various exposure scenarios and to view the results in graphics and text reports. Section 4 has screen shots of each input form in the code and provides basic information about each parameter to increase the user’s understanding of the code. Section 5 outlines the contents of all the text reports and the graphical output. It also describes themore » commands in the two output viewers. Section 6 deals with the probabilistic and sensitivity analysis tools available in the code. Section 7 details the various ways of obtaining help in the code.« less
Antibiotic use and its consequences for the normal microbiome

Anti-infectives, including antibiotics, are essentially different from all other drugs; they not only affect the individual to whom they are given but also the entire community, through selection for resistance to their own action. Thus, their use resides at the intersection of personal and public health. Antibiotics can be likened to a four-edged sword against bacteria. The first two edges of the antibiotic sword were identified immediately after their discovery and deployment in that they not only benefit an individual in treating their infection but also benefit the community in preventing the spread of that infectious agent. The third edge was already recognized by Alexander Fleming in 1945 in his Nobel acceptance speech, which warned about the cost to the community of antibiotic resistance that would inevitably evolve and be selected for during clinical practice. We have seen this cost mount up, as resistance curtails or precludes the activities of some of our most effective drugs for clinically important infections. But the fourth edge of the antibiotic sword remained unappreciated until recently, i.e., the cost that an antibiotic exerts on an individual's own health via the collateral damage of the drug on bacteria that normally live on or in healthy humans: our microbiota. These organisms, their genes, metabolites, and interactions with one another, as well as with their host collectively, represent our microbiome. Our relationship with these symbiotic bacteria is especially important during the early years of life, when the adult microbiome has not yet formed.
“Adopt-a-Professor” — A model for collaboration in STEM between K-12 and higher education

Adopt-a-Professor is a program coordinated by Educational Renewal Zone (ERZ) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS). The program pairs K-12 teachers with UAFS faculty/staff. The partners collaborate to plan three learning engagements during one school semester. The engagements can take place at a K-12 or higher education institution, local industry, or in the community. The main objective of the program is to strengthen K-12 student learning outcomes in all subject areas with a special focus on STEM fields. The participating UAFS faculty and staff offer up-to-date content knowledge in their areas of specialization and also provide access to university's laboratory/equipment resources. The K-12 teachers bring their experience of current school practices. The partnerships not only improve understanding of the subject areas by K-12 students but also builds their connection to higher education. This paper discusses the details of the Adopt-a-Professor program. The paper also lays out program implementation in a STEM field with focus on learning engagements in Industrial Electronics and Automation.
SolidNoise: Tools For Making Musical Robots

This Interactivity Demonstration submission describes new tools and techniques aimed to simplify the development and use of musical robots. We describe these tools and techniques as utilized to produce an event known as SolidNoise. The event showcased a series of automated instruments and musical compositions created for the robotic ensemble. Our developments are motivated by historical examples of automated instruments and our vision for musical robots in the future. We will demonstrate our musical robots and the platform used to make them, at CHI.
Device to circuit reliability correlations for metal gate/high-k transistors in scaled CMOS technologies

Abstract Metal gate/high-k stacks are in CMOS manufacturing since the 45 nm technology node. To meet technology performance and yield targets, gate stack reliability is constantly being challenged. Assessing the associated reliability risk for CMOS products relies on a solid understanding of device to circuit reliability correlations. In this paper we summarize our findings on the correlation between device reliability and circuit degradation and highlight areas for future work to focus on.
Rituximab treatment of pemphigus in women of childbearing age: experience with two patients

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune blistering disorder treated with systemic steroids and immunosuppressive agents. Treatment of this disorder in young women of childbearing age must take into consideration the patient's desire for pregnancy and effects of the treatment on both mother and child. We report two young women with pemphigus, initially treated with standard immunosuppressive medications, who expressed their wishes for pregnancy. The immunosuppressive agents were tapered and both patients were treated with Rituximab and IVIG, permitting discontinuation of other medications, conception and pregnancy without any oral steroids or immunosuppressive agents. Both patients maintained normal pregnancies and delivered healthy babies, supporting the use of this treatment early in the disease course of this population.