cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethical and Practical Challenges Raised by an Adult Day Program's Caregiver Satisfaction Survey:

A consumer satisfaction survey was completed by 21 caregivers to persons with dementia, who participated in Silver Club, a person-centered Adult Day Service program. Two themes emerged: caregivers expressed high program satisfaction based on joint benefits to members and caregivers, and they desired more information about the nature of the members' daily participation. These findings raised two important issues for program staff. First, Adult Day Service programs are often referred to and marketed as providing caregiver respite. This approach does not acknowledge caregivers' interest in programs that meet the needs of their loved ones, and may lead to reluctance to use programs that only stress the value of respite. Second, caregivers' desires for detailed feedback about members' program participation raise ethical and practical challenges within person-centered models of care. Collecting feedback from both participants and their caregivers can help monitor and improve services provided by person-centered Adult Day Service programs.
Reductive Assays forS-Nitrosothiols: Implications for Measurements in Biological Systems☆☆☆★

Bioactive SNOs are found in many tissues. We speculated SNOs might be misidentified in conventional assays which reduce NO-3 to NO. S-Nitrosothiols were exposed to saturated VCl3 in HCl, 1% KI in acetic acid, photolysis, or CuCl and CSH in He; NO was measured by chemiluminescence. S-Nitrosothiols were readily detected in VCl3 but not in KI. Reduction in CuCl/cysteine was linear (r2 = 1.0, n = 6), sensitive to 10 pmol, and eliminated by HgCl2; it did not detect NO-2, NO-3, or 3-nitrotyrosine. S-Nitrosothiols represented approximately 2.9% of NOx assayed by VCl3 in human serum, of which <5% were low-mass species. In summary, (i) conventional assays may misidentify NO-3, but not NO-2, as SNOs; and (ii) chemiluminescence/reduction systems may be sensitive and specific as SNO assays. We suggest that assay of the SNO fraction in biological NOx may be more relevant and feasible than is now appreciated.
Predictors of Recurrent Events in Patients With Cryptogenic Stroke and Patent Foramen Ovale Within the CLOSURE I (Evaluation of the STARFlex Septal Closure System in Patients With a Stroke and/or Transient Ischemic Attack Due to Presumed Paradoxical Embolism Through a Patent Foramen Ovale) Trial

Abstract Objectives This study sought to identify predictors of recurrent ischemic neurologic events within the CLOSURE I (Evaluation of the STARFlex Septal Closure System in Patients With a Stroke and/or Transient Ischemic Attack Due to Presumed Paradoxical Embolism Through a Patent Foramen Ovale) trial. Background The CLOSURE I trial found that transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure using the STARFlex device was not superior to medical therapy in patients with cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) and PFO. Methods The CLOSURE I trial is a multicenter, randomized trial of transcatheter PFO closure compared with medical therapy in patients who presented with cryptogenic stroke or TIA and had a PFO. We identified clinical predictors of recurrent ischemic stroke or TIA during 2 years of follow-up using Cox proportional hazards regression within the pooled intention-to-treat cohort. Results In 909 patients, the incidence of recurrent events was 5.7% with 25 patients suffering a recurrent stroke and 30 a TIA. Patients who had a recurrent event had higher body mass index (30.2 ± 6.2 vs. 28.3 ± 5.8%; p = 0.03) and more frequently had diabetes (19.2% vs. 7.1%; p = 0.0016), hypertension (46.2% vs. 30.1%; p = 0.015), and ischemic heart disease (3.8% vs. 0.9%; p = 0.05). Diabetes (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.69 to 6.84; p = 0.0007), index TIA (HR vs. stroke: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.20 to 3.80; p = 0.01), and the detection of atrial fibrillation after study enrollment (HR: 4.85; 95% CI: 2.05 to 11.47; p = 0.0003) independently predicted recurrent ischemic neurologic events. Recurrent neurologic events were more frequent in subjects with RoPE (Risk of Paradoxical Embolism) score ≤5 than those with >5 (14.5% vs. 4.2%; p Conclusions These findings suggest an alternative etiology to paradoxical embolism was frequently responsible for recurrent events within the CLOSURE I trial. (Evaluation of the STARFlex Septal Closure System in Patients With a Stroke or TIA Due to the Possible Passage of a Clot of Unknown Origin Through a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) [CLOSURE I]; NCT00201461 )
(Mis)understanding in patient-health care provider communication about total knee replacement.

Objective To examine whether communication factors affect health care provider and patient agreement on the need for, risks of, and benefits of joint replacement, and also whether degree of agreement predicts patient satisfaction and intent to follow treatment recommendations. Methods Health care providers (n = 27) and patients (n = 74) with severe osteoarthritis (OA) were recruited from clinics in Houston, Texas. Patients completed a baseline survey prior to the consultation. After the visit, patients and providers completed measures of the severity of the patient's OA, the expected benefits of total knee replacement (TKR), and concern about surgical complications. Patients also completed satisfaction and intent to adhere measures. Provider communication and patient participation were measured by patient self-report and by observers' codings of audiorecordings of the consultations. Results Provider-patient agreement was modest to poor regarding severity of the patient's OA and the expected benefits and risks of TKR. Providers and patients were more aligned on the patient's OA severity when providers used more partnership building but spent less time simply giving information. Differences between providers' and patients' concerns about surgery were greater when patients were less participatory, African American, or expressed lower trust in their doctors. Patient satisfaction and intent to adhere were predicted by provider-patient agreement on the benefits of TKR. Conclusion Patients and providers often differ in their beliefs about the need for, risks of, and benefits of TKR, and these differences can affect patient satisfaction and commitment to treatment. Facilitating active patient participation might contribute to greater physician–patient agreement on the patient's concerns about OA and surgical interventions.
Response of Soybean Bulk Leaf Water Relations to Ultraviolet-B Irradiation

Summary Erosion of the stratospheric ozone layer by anthropogenic emission of halogenated compounds may lead to increased UV-B radiation at ground level. In 1990 soybeans ( Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Essex) were grown in open-top field chambers with 3 levels of UV-B replicated 3 times. UV-B treatments corresponded to changes in the total column ozone thickness of15% (low), -20% (medium) and -35% (high). Leaves were sampled during four intervals of the growing season and subjected to pressure-volume (P-V) analysis to determine symplastic volume (V o ); maximum turgor pressure ( p MAX), symplastic solute content (N s ), tissue elasticity coefficient (z), and the potential at turgor loss (TLP). Leaf conductance, average specific leaf weight (SLW), and area per leaf were measured several times during the season. During the second sampling period at 58 days after planting (DAP), V o was significantly decreased at the highest UV-B level but was not affected by UV-B treatments again. Also during the second sampling period the elasticity coefficient, z, in the medium and high UV-B treatments was significantly less than in the low UV-B treatment. In the fourth sampling period (100 DAP), z again was significantly affected by UV-B treatment; in this case, however, while z was lower in the high than the medium UV-B treatment, it did not diffet from the low UV-B treatment. The relative symplastic volume at the turgor loss potential (RSV TLP ) was the only other parameter to show a significant UV-B effect, but only at the highest treatment level and only near the end of the season. Generally, the significant changes in all P-V parameters with plant age were much larger than any treatment effects. There were no significant differences in leaf conductance, leaf area or SLW, indicating that, although the leaf P-V relationships were noticeably altered, these sporadic treatment effects had little real influence on leaf water balance.
STUDIES ON ANTIBODY PRODUCTION : IX. THE CELLULAR LOCALIZATION OF ANTIGEN MOLECULES (FERRITIN) IN THE SECONDARY RESPONSE

The physical presence of the antigen used to stimulate a secondary antibody response was demonstrated in the cells of popliteal lymph nodes. Rabbits previously injected with apoferritin (containing no iron), which was prepared from recrystallized horse ferritin, were given an injection of ferritin 5 weeks later. The antigen was traced by means of the Prussian blue reaction, by specific fluorescent antibody, and by electron microscopy. Antiferritin antibody was localized by immunofluorescence, though it was not possible to test cells simultaneously for antigen and antibody. Horse ferritin induces a rather weak primary antibody response, but a brisk secondary response characterized by the appearance in the medullary cords of numerous plasma cells containing antiferritin. Many intact ferritin molecules were found in the nucleus and cytoplasm of numerous reticular and other phagocytic cells in the sinuses. In decreasing amount, ferritin molecules were also clearly demonstrated in hemacytoblasts (plasmoblasts), and immature and mature plasmocytes.
A puzzlement: health-related organisations in the Nonprofit Almanac

Data systems created with one purpose inevitably have shortcomings when used for other purposes, so it is not surprising that a database compiled from informational tax returns has serious flaws when used to compile a statistical picture of the non-profit sector. The two-digit NTEE level of aggregation that is published in theAlmanac conceals many problems that appear when the IRS-based data are broken down to the three-digit level. Identification of the problems in the NTEE and in the use of the IRS data is a necessary step toward their correction. At this point, it is clear that the IRS-based numbers in theAlmanac should be regarded, at best, as rough approximations and as a starting point for additional work. My assessment of theAlmanac suggests that, at least as far as health care is concerned, the NTEE needs revision. Correcting the problems with the IRS data will be much, much more difficult.
Exact elasticity solution for buckling of composite laminates

Abstract An exact elasticity solution is presented for the buckling of a simplysupported orthotropic plate whose behavior is referred to as cylindrical bending. The general class of problems involving the geometric configuration of any number of orthotropic layers bonded together and subjected to an inplane compressive load is also analyzed by making use of the uniform prebuckling stress assumption which is equivalent to the membrane assumption used in plate theories. The closed-form expressions for the displacements and stresses are derived and the nonlinear eigenvalue equations are presented which are used to solve for critical loads. The results obtained from the exact solution are compared with the critical loads furnished by the classical laminate theory, the first order and the refined third order shear deformation theory. The solution provides a means of accurate assessment of existing two-dimensional plate theories.
Sliding mode control of a linearized polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell model

Abstract The well-known nonlinear fifth-order model of a proton exchange membrane (PEM, also known as polymer electrolyte membrane) fuel cell (PEMFC) appears to be pretty complex. In this paper, we introduce the linearized model of the original nonlinear system and propose a sliding mode technique to keep the pressures of hydrogen and oxygen at the desired values despite of changes of the fuel cell current. Since the equilibrium point at steady state is unique, we perform Jacobian linearization of the original model at steady state and find the state space matrices of the linearized system using the MATLAB Symbolic Tool Box. The linearized system is asymptotically stable as well as controllable and observable. In this paper we show that a sliding mode control technique copes very well with the fuel cell external disturbance (changes of the fuel cell current) and produces excellent results for hydrogen and oxygen required pressures.
Thermal stability of highly nanotwinned copper: The role of grain boundaries and texture

To study the effect of nanotwins on thermal stability, a comprehensive characterization study was performed on two types of ultrafine grained (UFG) copper samples, with and without nanotwins. The two samples were sequentially heat-treated at elevated temperatures, and the grain size, grain boundary character, and texture were characterized after each heat treatment. The as-prepared nanotwinned (nt) copper foil had an average columnar grain size of ≈700 nm with a high density of coherent twin boundaries (CTBs) (twin thickness, ≈40 nm), which remained stable up to 300 °C. In contrast, the other UFG sample had few CTBs, and rapid grain growth was observed at 200 °C. The thermal stability of nt copper is discussed with respect to the presence of the low energy nanotwins, triple junctions between the twins and columnar grains, texture and grain growth.
An analysis of the accuracy of magnetic resonance flip angle measurement methods

Several methods of flip angle mapping for magnetic resonance imaging have been proposed. We evaluated the accuracy of five methods of flip angle measurement in the presence of measurement noise. Our analysis was performed in a closed form by propagation of probability density functions (PDFs). The flip angle mapping methods compared were (1) the phase-sensitive method, (2) the dual-angle method using gradient recalled echoes (GRE), (3) an extended version of the GRE dual-angle method incorporating phase information, (4) the AFI method and (5) an extended version of the AFI method incorporating phase information. Our analysis took into account differences in required imaging time for these methods in the comparison of noise efficiency. PDFs of the flip angle estimate for each method for each value of true flip angle were calculated. These PDFs completely characterize the performance of each method. Mean bias and standard deviation were computed from these PDFs to more simply quantify the relative accuracy of each method over its range of measurable flip angles. We demonstrate that the phase-sensitive method provides the lowest mean bias and standard deviation of flip angle estimate of the five methods evaluated over a wide range of flip angles.
Theta frequency band activity and attentional mechanisms in visual and proprioceptive demand

In a companion manuscript we reported reduced electroencephalographic (EEG) activation at traditional sensorimotor areas in knee movements with high levels of task difficulty modulated by varying visual and proprioceptive sensory demands. Given that reduced cortical activity with more complex tasks is counter-intuitive, we suggested that high order cognitive-motor areas may show increased EEG activation to compensate for the observed decrease in sensorimotor regions. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated theta band activation at anterior frontal regions in a secondary analysis of our previous data. Unlike activation at sensorimotor areas, anterior frontal responses increased with each level of task difficulty as modulated by precision of visual targeting and/or proprioceptive demands from adding masses to the leg. Activity was increased as both unimodal visual and proprioceptive requirements became more demanding, but showed greater sensitivity to visual over proprioceptive processing requirements. Each level of bimodal task demands showed increasing activation, which was consistently greater when modulated through visual demands. These results are consistent with our hypothesis of increased contribution of anterior frontal regions for motor control in lower extremity movements with increasing sensory demands and further support different mechanisms for internally and externally guided movement.
Task involvement and cardiac response in young children

Abstract Of a group of 60 3-year-old children, the 10 with consistently high and stable heart rates across a variety of cognitive procedures, in contrast to 11 children with consistently low and variable heart rates, were described by their mothers as motivated for intellectual mastery and obedient toward them, and these children behaved in accord with these descriptions on selected cognitive tests and during observations at home. It is suggested that heart rate reactions in testing situations might prove helpful when included as part of a larger set of procedures designed to evaluate a young child's motivational involvement in psychological tasks.
Effects of topiramate on ethanol and saccharin consumption and preferences in C57BL/6J mice.

Background: Topiramate has recently been found to be more effective than placebo as an adjunct treatment for alcohol dependence, but it has not yet been investigated in animal models of ethanol consumption. The current experiment examined the effects of topiramate on ethanol drinking in mice using a continuous access, two-bottle choice procedure. Methods: C57BL/6J male mice were offered a 10% v/v ethanol solution versus tap water over 4 consecutive days per week. Mice were assigned to topiramate (1-50 mg/kg) or saline groups and received injections before the beginning of the dark phase of the light cycle. Topiramate dose increased over 5 successive weeks (1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 mg/kg). Fluid intake was measured 2, 4, and 23 hr after injection. Body weight and food intake were measured at the time of injection. In a second phase, mice were offered saccharin solutions (0.2 and 2.5% w/v) versus tap water after topiramate (50 mg/kg) or saline injections. Results: Results revealed that high topiramate doses (25 and 50 mg/kg) increased water intake and decreased ethanol preference. Compared with saline controls, topiramate produced dose-dependent, bidirectional effects on ethanol dose, with 25 mg/kg of topiramate increasing ethanol dose at 4 and 23 hr after injection but 50 mg/kg topiramate decreasing ethanol dose at 2 hr after injection. During saccharin exposure, topiramate decreased saccharin preference (for 2.5% w/v saccharin solution) and marginally increased water intake but did not directly alter intake of the saccharin solutions. Topiramate had no effects on body weight or daily food intakes. Conclusions: Topiramate reduced ethanol preference in C57BL/6J mice, but this effect was primarily attributable to elevated water intake. Topiramate also reduced saccharin preference, likely through marginally significant increases in water intake. Increases in water intake and bidirectional effects of topiramate on ethanol dose complicate conclusions with regard to the effects of topiramate on ethanol reward.
Philip Rieff's Moral Vision of Sociology From Positive to Negative Communities - and Back?

In this article I present Rieff as a theorist and moralist of cultural change. The trajectory of his work is from the elusively descriptive to the elusively prescriptive. Descriptively, Rieff identifies the elements of what he calls our current `negative communities' and contrasts them with moribund `positive communities' and their `therapies of commitment'. He believes that, among others, Weber and Freud both recognized that negative communities emerge once positive communities are recognized as illusory. Prescriptively, while still accepting the intellectual justification for negative communities, Rieff became transparently critical of their byproducts: a `remissive' culture incapable of distinguishing `god-terms' from `transgressive depths'. This culture produces a relativist, permissive culture, a version of the cult of the individual, alienation, consumerism and indifference to tradition. In most of his work, Rieff acknowledged the inevitability of negative community but not the inevitability of its ...
Existence of ΔS = −ΔQ leptonic decays and a model of weak interactions on the intermediate boson basis

Abstract An incorporation of ΔS = − ΔQ decays into the theory of weak interactions is discussed. To this end, a model of weak interactions is proposed on the assumption of intermediate vector boson fields of a particular kind. The fields represent two sets of positive, negative, and neutral charged bosons, the two sets being hermitian conjugates. The weak currents coupled to the fields are derived from the invariance of the weak interactions under two sets of gauge transformations, each set forming a Lie group of rank 1 and order 3. Various predictions of the model are consistent with experiment and further ways to test the model are discussed.
Local bonding and electronic structure obtained from electron energy loss scattering

Abstract Preliminary results using the new high resolution Wien filter spectrometer coupled to the scanning transmission electron microscope show that it is now possible to investigate atomic bonding, and both filled and empty electronic states in inhomogeneous materials with a 1 nm spatial resolution. We show three examples: (1) identification of a 5 nm layer of Si 2 N 2 O at a Si/Si 3 N 4 interface using core-loss near-edge fine structure, (2) observation of effects due to changes in the conduction band density of states due to Si-Si bond disorder at the Si/SiO 2 interface, and (3) identification of a filled defect electronic state associated with a single misfit dislocation at a GaAs/GaInAs interface.
The compressible, viscous, heat-conducting vortex

The plane, steady, laminar vortex flow of a viscous, heat-conducting perfect gas is treated. Simple relations are obtained for the flow quantities in the irrotational vortex, for arbitrary Prandtl numbers. When the Prandtl number is ½, the irrotational vortex is also isentropic. When the temperature dependence of the viscosity coefficient is taken into account, the vortex flow is rotational. An exact solution for the rotational vortex is obtained which is suitable for numerical evaluation by successive approximations. Distributions of velocity, temperature, pressure, density, and stagnation temperature through the rotational vortex are given for a typical case.
Diamonds, Blood, and Taxes A Revenue-Centered Framework for Explaining Political Order

This article addresses an important gap in research on the causes of civil war: the lack of a theory that explains why lootable resources like alluvial diamonds are linked to civil war in some case...
Pharmacologic observations on the neonatal withdrawal syndrome.

The relationship between a maternal dose of methadone and the incidence and severity of neonatal signs of withdrawal, placental transfer of drug, and the relationship between maternal and neonatal plasma levels of methadone were studied in 30 mothers and their infants. Plasma levels of methadone were analyzed using a gas chromatographic method. Our studies demonstrate that the relationship between maternal dose of methadone and the incidence of neonatal withdrawal symptoms is unpredictable. Time of onset of withdrawal symptoms was closely related to the last maternal dose of methadone. The ratio of neonatal to maternal plasma concentrations of methadone was 2.2:1. Neonatal withdrawal symptoms appear to be related to individual variation in maternal metabolism of the drug, placental transfer of methadone, and, most importantly, to the individual variations in the rate of excretion of methadone as reflected in the neonatal plasma 1 1/2. At plasma levels of methadone≥0.06 μg/ml, the symptomatic patients appeared to be protected from withdrawal. When the plasma concentration fell below this level, withdrawal symptoms began within 24 hours.
Studies on the Reaction Mechanism for Reductive Nitrosylation of Ferrihemoproteins in Buffer Solutions

Ferrihemoproteins in buffer solutions bind nitric oxide to yield their nitric oxide adducts. Reversible binding of NO was found for ferricytochrome c (CytIII) and metmyoglobin (MbIII) at pH values lower than ca. 7.0. The equilibrium constants were obtained as (1.6 ± 0.1) × 104 M-1 for CytIII and (1.3 ± 0.1) × 104 M-1 for MbIII. At higher pH, the reversible formation of the NO adducts is no longer observed; the NO adduct of CytIII (CytIII−NO) undergoes reduction to ferrocytochrome c, CytII, and that of MbIII (MbIII−NO) to the nitrosyl adduct of MbII (MbII−NO). Methemoglobin (HbIII) reacts readily with NO even at pH < 6 to give the nitrosyl adduct of hemoglobin (HbII−NO). The rates for the formation of CytII, MbII−NO, and HbII−NO were measured as functions of NO and OH- concentrations. Kinetic analysis indicates that CytIII−NO and MbIII−NO undergo nucleophilic attack by OH- at higher pH to yield CytII and MbII, respectively. MbII thus produced further reacts with NO to give MbII−NO. For HbIII, the nitrosyl ...
ASYMMETRIC VARIATIONAL INEQUALITY PROBLEMS OVER PRODUCT SETS: APPLICATIONS AND ITERATIVE METHODS

In this paper, we (i) describe how several equilibrium problems can be uniformly modelled by a finite-dimensional asymmetric variational inequality defined over a Cartesian product of sets, and (ii) investigate the local and global convergence of various iterative methods for solving such a variational inequality problem. Because of the special Cartesian product structure, these iterative methods decompose the original variational inequality problem into a sequence of simpler variational inequality subproblems in lower dimensions. The resulting decomposition schemes often have a natural interpretation as some adjustment processes.
A functional equations approach to nonlinear discrete-time feedback stabilization through pole-placement

Abstract The present work proposes a new approach to the nonlinear discrete-time feedback stabilization problem with pole-placement. The problem's formulation is realized through a system of nonlinear functional equations and a rather general set of necessary and sufficient conditions for solvability is derived. Using tools from functional equations theory, one can prove that the solution to the above system of nonlinear functional equations is locally analytic, and an easily programmable series solution method can be developed. Under a simultaneous implementation of a nonlinear coordinate transformation and a nonlinear discrete-time state feedback control law that are both computed through the solution of the system of nonlinear functional equations, the feedback stabilization with pole-placement design objective can be attained under rather general conditions. The key idea of the proposed single-step design approach is to bypass the intermediate step of transforming the original system into a linear controllable one with an external reference input associated with the classical exact feedback linearization approach. However, since the proposed method does not involve an external reference input, it cannot meet other control objectives such as trajectory tracking and model matching.
The Anharmonic Electron-Phonon Problem.

The anharmonic electron-phonon problem is solved in the infinite-dimensional limit using quantum Monte Carlo simulation. Charge-density-wave order is seen to remain at half filling even though the anharmonicity removes the particle-hole symmetry of the model. Superconductivity is strongly favored away from half filling but the anharmonicity does not enhance transition temperatures over the maximal values found in the harmonic limit. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
George Barlow's impact on ethology

At the conclusion of a long and distinguished career, a scientist’s contribution might be measured by the number of papers published and graduate students trained, or better yet, the influence of his landmark papers and productivity of his intellectual offspring. By any of these measures, George Barlow’s stamp on behavioural research is unmistakable. Over his career, George published 162 articles and three books, including Cichlid Fishes. Nature’s Grand Experiment in Evolution (2000). A scientist’s influence may also be demonstrated through his professional service. Here, too, George excelled, serving as the President of the Animal Behaviour Society, as the Editor of Ethology, and as a member of the editorial boards of Copeia, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, and Environmental Biology of Fishes. George was also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the California Academy of Science, and the Animal Behaviour Society. But George’s most profound impact may have been as a transitional thinker between early ethology and modern sociobiology and behavioural ecology. George came to his ideas through the study of reproductive behaviour, parental care, structure of stereotyped displays, aggression, life-history strategies, speciation, and polychromatism in a variety of fishes (Stewart et al., 2004). George was born in Long Beach, California in 1929. His family suffered a series of tragic losses. Three of George’s siblings were killed, one by the flu,
Visualizing Computational Social Science The Multiple Lives of a Complex Image

Parallel advances in communication and visualization technologies have enabled the study and visualization of human behavior at a scale and level of detail never before possible. Nowhere are these advances more evident than within the emerging field of computational social science. Using Adamic and Glance’s image of the political blogosphere as an example and social representations theory as a guiding framework, we explore how computational social science visualizations may aid and complicate public understanding of this new science. We conclude with a discussion of best practices for the production and reuse of computational social science images for public consumption.
Current Status of the EUV Engineering Test Stand

The EUV Engineering Test Stand (ETS) has demonstrated the printing of static and scanned 100nm dense features. This milestone was first achieved in 2001 with a developmental set of projection optics (P0 Box 1) and with a low power LPP source (40W drive laser). Since that time, the source has been upgraded to a 1500W (3 chains, 500W per chain) TRW drive laser. Operating with one chain (500W), the printed static images for 100nm features are comparable to those obtained with the low power source, while exposure time was decreased by a factor of 15 to 30. One hundred nanometer dense features printed in step-and-scan mode are of the same image quality as those obtained in static imaging. The stages have demonstrated combined x any y j fitter values of 2 to 4nm RMS over most of the wafer stage travel range, at the designed scanned speed of 10mm/s at the wafer. This value is less than half of the designed value and provides sufficient stability to support printing of 70nm features. EUV specific sensors at the wafer and reticle planes have been demonstrated with the TRW laser and integration will be completed later this year. The developmental projection optics (P0 Box 1) will be replaced later this year with an improved projection optics system (PO Box 2) capable of printing 70nm dense features.
Element-Based Lattice Reduction Algorithms for Large MIMO Detection

Large multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems with tens or hundreds of antennas have shown great potential for next generation of wireless communications to support high spectral efficiencies. However, due to the non-deterministic polynomial hard nature of MIMO detection, large MIMO systems impose stringent requirements on the design of reliable and computationally efficient detectors. Recently, lattice reduction (LR) techniques have been applied to improve the performance of low-complexity detectors for MIMO systems without increasing the complexity dramatically. Most existing LR algorithms are designed to improve the orthogonality of channel matrices, which is not directly related to the error performance. In this paper, we propose element-based lattice reduction (ELR) algorithms that reduce the diagonal elements of the noise covariance matrix of linear detectors and thus enhance the asymptotic performance of linear detectors. The general goal is formulated as solving a "shortest longest vector reduction" or a stronger version, "shortest longest basis reduction," both of which require high complexity to find the optimal solution. Our proposed ELR algorithms find sub-optimal solutions to the reductions with low complexity and high performance. The fundamental properties of the ELR algorithms are investigated. Simulations show that the proposed ELR-aided detectors yield better error performance than the existing low-complexity detectors for large MIMO systems while maintaining lower complexity.
Impairment variables predicting activity limitation in individuals with lower limb amputation

The purpose of this study was to determine whether measures of impairment (i.e., muscle strength, balance), personal factors (i.e., comorbidities, demographic information) and amputation specific v...
Anticipations of Progress: Historical Evidence for a Realist Epistemology

The history of science presents many examples of hypotheses and theories that were either rejected or ignored at the time of their initial publication, but which later—sometimes much later—come to be widely accepted and, especially, were seen to be true.1
Phallus preservation for urethral cancer: subcutaneous penectomy.

AbstractPurpose: We present a new alternative to amputating penectomy, subcutaneous penectomy, in the male patient with urethral cancer.Materials and Methods: The surgical management and followup of 3 men with squamous cell cancers of the urethra are reviewed.Results: At 22, 9 and 6 months postoperatively all patients were without evidence of local recurrence and were satisfied with phallic appearance. In 1 of 2 patients in whom the dorsal neurovascular bundle was not preserved there was distal glans necrosis and wound separation which resolved after conservative management. One of the 3 patients is contemplating phallus reconstruction. The patient who had pelvic lymph node metastases before penectomy died of metastatic complications without local failure 9 months postoperatively.Conclusions: Phallus preservation in men with urethral cancer can be accomplished successfully with this type of procedure. The dorsal neurovascular bundle should be preserved when feasible. We content that the cosmetic and poten...
Use of the Argyris Case Method to Develop Consulting Skills

Consulting skills can be developed and improved through the use of a unique case format and method of case analysis. The format and methodology, developed by Argyris, is based in his theory of action. Argyris argues that consultants function out of two theories, one which they espouse and another which actually guides their words and actions, their theory-in-use. A consultant's theory-in-use is often tacit and thus unavailable for self-examination or correction. The analysis is conducted in a small group using a case which the consultant has constructed from an actual dialogue he or she has had with a client. The dialogue provides the means to examine possible contradictions between the consultant's theory-in-use and the espoused theory. In addition the analysis provides insight into inferences the consultant makes about the client's words and actions which may be incorrect.
Understanding Why Health Care Professionals Continue to Smoke

This phenomenological study of the lived experience of eight health care workers who continue to smoke in spite of familiarity with the associated health risks, identifies five themes. The themes suggest that in addition to being aware of health risks associated with smoking, health care workers experience conflict regarding the double message they give clients by advising them not to smoke, while still smoking themselves. In addition, the themes suggest that concerns about withdrawal, use of rationalizations, stress associated with the workplace, and lack of a perceived adequate incentive to quit influence continued smoking.
The relationship between exposure to adolescent suicide and subsequent suicide risk

In this study we examined the relationship between the exposure of adolescents to the suicide of a peer and subsequent suicide risk. Two hundred sixty-eight high school students filled out self-report questionnaires assessing demographic information, exposure to the suicide of a peer, relationship between survivor and suicide victim, and four measures of suicide risk (suicidal ideation, past and present suicide-related behavior, depressive symptomatology, and reasons for living). The 27 individuals who had been exposed to the suicide of a peer were classified as friends or acquaintances of suicide victims. Twenty-seven controls were then matched on gender, age, and ethnicity. The results of this study failed to support any of the hypothesized differences between exposed and unexposed adolescents of differing relationship categories on measures of suicide risk or depressive symptomatology. Three possible explanations for the results are evaluated and discussed within a conceptual framework.
Oxidation of sulfur hexafluoride

Abstract Although SF 6 is extraordinarily inert toward oxygen, reaction can be initiated by the electrical explosion of extremely small masses of platinum into SF 6 O 2 mixtures. It is shown that chemically trivial amounts of exploding metal can be effective initiators of the SF 6 oxidation. Under our experimental conditions the major reaction forms SOF 4 . Sulfuryl fluoride is a minor product, but thionyl fluoride is formed to a more significant extent. The data indicate that thionyl fluoride is formed by initial pyrolysis of SF 6 to SF 4 , followed by rapid oxidation of the latter. The extreme slowness of the SF 6 oxidation is demonstrated by the very small conversion of electrical to chemical energy, and the fact that the observed products are far from equilibrium despite the initial attainment of temperatures above 5000°K in a significant volume of the reactants. Comparison of these data with previously obtained data on the methane pyrolysis initiated by metal explosions increases our understanding of the thermal model by which gaseous endothermic reactions are initiated by metal explosions, particularly with regard to the competing effect of chemical reaction rates with the rate of heat conduction to cooler zones. By contrast endothermic oxidations of SF 4 with either O 2 or NO 2 are very fast. Extremely efficient conversion of electrical to chemical energy is obtained when small metal masses are exploded in these gaseous mixtures. The predominant product is always SOF 2 , but minor amounts of SOF 4 , SO 2 F 2 , SO 2 and SF 6 form to different extents when reaction parameters are varied. SF 5 ClO 2 reactions are also fast by comparison to SF 6 oxidation, and the predominant product of SF 5 Cl oxidation initiated by metal explosions is likewise SOF 2 .
Linear closed-form methods for ideal-sinogram estimation in 2D SPECT

We derived explicit relationships between the ideal sinogram and the sinogram degraded by both attenuation and distance-dependent spatial resolution in 2D SPECT that is described by either a Cauchy or a Gaussian function. Attempts to reduce the statistical variance in the reconstructed image lead to the development of infinite classes of closed-form methods for estimation of the ideal sinogram. These methods were applied in both computer-simulation and real-data studies.
Neurocognitive impact of substance use in HIV infection

BACKGROUND—To determine how serious a confound substance use (SU) might be in studies on HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) we examined the relationship of SU history to neurocognitive impairment (NCI) in participants enrolled in the CNS HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) study. METHODS—After excluding cases with behavioral evidence of acute intoxication and histories of factors that independently could account for NCI (e.g., stroke), baseline demographic, medical, SU, and neurocognitive data were analyzed from 399 participants. Potential SU risk for NCI was determined by the following criteria: lifetime SU DSM-IV diagnosis, self-report of marked lifetime SU, or positive urine toxicology (UTOX). Participants were divided into three groups: no SU (N = 134), Non-syndromic SU (N = 131), syndromic SU (N = 134) and matched on literacy level, nadir CD4, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS—While approximately 50% of the participants were diagnosed with HAND, a MANCOVA of neurocogntive summary scores, covarying for UTOX, revealed no significant effect of SU status. Correlational analyses indicated weak associations between lifetime heroin dosage and poor recall and working memory, as well as between cannabis and cocaine use and better verbal fluency.
Effect of recombinant human growth hormone on the muscle strength response to resistance exercise in elderly men.

Normal aging is characterized by detrimental changes in body composition, muscle strength, and somatotropic function. Reduction in muscle strength contributes to frailty and risk for fracture in the elderly. Although older adults increase muscle strength as a result of resistance exercise training, the strength gains quickly level off, with only modest increases thereafter despite continued training. To investigate whether age-related deficits in the somatotropic axis limit the degree to which muscle strength can improve with resistance training in older individuals, we conducted a double blind, placebo-controlled exercise trial. Eighteen healthy elderly men (65-82 yr) initially underwent progressive weight training for 14 weeks to invoke a trained state. Subjects were then randomized to receive either 0.02 mg/kg BW.day recombinant human GH (rhGH) or placebo, given sc, while undertaking a further 10 weeks of strength training. Sequential measurements were made of muscle strength (one repetition maximum), body composition (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry), and circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-3. For each exercise, strength increased for both groups (P = 0.0001) through 14 weeks of training, with little improvement thereafter. Increases in muscle strength ranged from 24-62% depending on the muscle group. Baseline plasma IGF-I concentrations were similar in both groups (mean +/- SEM, 106 +/- 9 micrograms/L), approximately half that observed in healthy young adults. In the rhGH group, IGF-I levels increased to 255 +/- 32 micrograms/L at week 15 and 218 +/- 21 micrograms/L at week 24 (P < 0.001). In the placebo group, IGF-I increased slightly to 119 +/- 6 micrograms/L at 24 weeks. IGF-binding protein-3 also increased in the rhGH group (P < 0.05). rhGH had no effect on muscle strength at any time, and no systematic difference in muscle strength was observed between groups throughout the study. Body weight did not change in either group, but lean body mass increased, and fat mass decreased (P < 0.05) in the rhGH group. Supplementation with rhGH does not augment the response to strength training in elderly men. These results suggest that deficits in GH secretion do not underlie the time-dependent leveling off of muscle strength seen with training in the elderly and provide no support for the popular view of GH as an ergogenic aid.
Principles of Anticoagulation and New Therapeutic Agents in Atrial Fibrillation

Anticoagulation is effective in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter, to reduce the risk of thromboembolism. In this article, principles of anticoagulation are discussed. The principles of anticoagulation for both AF and atrial flutter are similar because the location and nature of the arrhythmias are similar. AF is the most common cardiac arrhythmia 1 in the general population and increases with age, placing the elderly population at increased risk. Approximately 2 million people in the United States are affected by AF, and the prevalence is expected to exceed 10 million by the year 2050. 1 About 15% of all strokes can be attributed to AF, and patients with this condition have a 5-fold greater risk of having a stroke than the general population. 2 Warfarin is known to reduce stroke risk by 68% in patients with AF and is the most effective agent for this indication, although it is not without risk. 3 Therefore, starting warfarin therapy requires a balanced decision regarding embolic and bleeding risks. 4,5
Microthermal Observations of Some Oil Shales and Other Carbonaceous Rocks

These experimental studies are planned (1) to show whether the various fossil constituents in an oil shale or other carbonaceous rock are characterized by differences in their chemical constitution that will result in differences in the temperatures at which they volatilize or undergo change of state; (2) to determine whether and how far the same kinds of fossil constituents react at the same temperatures in shales more highly carbonized by natural processes; (3) to secure such information as may be gained by the same methods as to the stages of carbonization at which the various fossil components fail to give evidence of chemical distinction; (4) to show what physical constituents of the "shale" yield oils or other condensible distillates by heat treatment; and (5) to se ure data for the determination of the proportions and qualities of the distillate (with inferences as to natural oils) that are derived from one fossil commodity or another. The methods are new and are not yet fully developed and the experimental results are but partly interpreted. For the completion of objectives 4 and 5, above listed, retort distillations of check samples and chemical examinations of the products are required to supplement the microfurnace observations.
The Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Diabetes Study: 2-Year Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Since the Diabetes Prevention Project (DPP) demonstrated that lifestyle weight-loss interventions can reduce the incidence of diabetes by 58%, several studies have translated the DPP methods to public healthfriendly contexts. Although these studies have demonstrated short-term effects, no study to date has examined the impact of a translated DPP intervention on blood glucose and adiposity beyond 12 months of follow-up. Purpose: To examine the impact of a 24-month, community-based diabetes prevention program on fasting blood glucose, insulin, insulin resistance as well as body weight, waist circumference, and BMI in the second year of follow-up. Design: An RCT comparing a 24-month lifestyle weight-loss program (LWL) to an enhanced usual care condition (UCC) in participants with prediabetes (fasting blood glucose95125 mg/dL). Data were collected in 20072011; analyses were conducted in 20112012. Setting/participants: 301 participants with prediabetes were randomized; 261 completed the study. The intervention was held in community-based sites. Intervention: The LWL program was led by community health workers and sought to induce 7% weight loss at 6 months that would be maintained over time through decreased caloric intake and increased physical activity. The UCC received two visits with a registered dietitian and a monthly newsletter. Main outcome measures: The main measures were fasting blood glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, body weight, waist circumference, and BMI. Results: Intent-to-treat analyses of between-group differences in the average of 18- and 24-month measures of outcomes (controlling for baseline values) revealed that the LWL participants experienced greater decreases in fasting glucose (4.35 mg/dL); insulin (3.01 U/ml); insulin resistance (0.97); body weight (4.19 kg); waist circumference (3.23 cm); and BMI (1.40), all p-values 0.01. Conclusions: A diabetes prevention program administered through an existing community-based