cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance evaluation of multiversion database systems

A description is given of a detailed simulation study of the performance of multiversion database systems. The characteristics and the extent to which they provide performance benefits over their single-version counterparts are investigated. First, the structure of a software prototyping environment for the evaluation of distributed database systems is presented. Using this environment, the authors shows that for specific workloads, multiversion database systems offer performance improvements despite additional CPU and I/O costs involved in accessing old versions of data. It is also shown that transaction size is one of the most critical parameters affecting the system performance. >
Interactive computer modules for undergraduate chemical engineering instruction

Interactive computer modules have been developed for four of the core courses in the Chemical Engineering curriculum: Introduction to Chemical Engineering, Fluids/Transport, Separations, and Kinetics. These modules generally consist of a review of the material, followed by an interactive problem-solving session, which may include a computer simulation of the processes involved. The problem is often presented as part of a scenario, to capture the student's interest, and hints are available to guide the student. This study examines the components of these modules, as well as considerations that educators should take into account when developing interactive computer modules.
Hydroxyl radical "footprinting" of RNA: application to pre-mRNA splicing complexes.

Abstract We present an adaptation of the hydroxyl radical DNA "footprinting" technique that permits high-resolution mapping of protected regions of RNA. Hydroxyl radical cleaves RNA independently of base sequence and secondary structure of the RNAs examined and allows resolution of protected regions at the single nucleotide level. By using this technique, we show that several regions of the 3' splice site of mRNA precursors are protected during the formation of splicing-specific ribonucleoprotein complexes in an in vitro splicing system. These regions include the 3' intron/exon junction and a portion of the adjacent exon, the polypyrimidine tract, and the site of branch formation. These protections appear to be due to splicing specific complexes since their formation is sensitive to point mutations at crucial residues and requires ATP and incubation. The formation of these protected regions is independent of the presence of a 5' splice site.
The Political Economy of Globalism in South America: Strategic Implications for Foreign Direct Investment:

Abstract In recent years, many South American countries have moved from policies embracing neo-liberal, market-based economic policies to those supporting nationalization of industries and the re-institution of trade barriers (to protect domestic industries). This paper first addresses the concept of "globalism", efforts at globalization of trade, and development of free markets in South America since the 1980s. Second, it reviews regional trade agreements, with a focus on Mercosur, the most important regional trade organization. Third, it discusses recent trends in South America's nationalization of industries. Fourth, a political risk analysis of future free trade and foreign direct investment in the region is undertaken. Fifth, conclusions and recommendations are offered, including: 1) the effects of increased government control of the economy may result in full-member status countries in Mercosur becoming less attractive as host nations for foreign direct investment, while conversely, non-full members...
Optical properties of CR3+ in fluoride hosts☆

Abstract We will present information which suggests that the lattice relaxation around a Cr 3+ impurity must be accounted for when interpreting the optical spectra of the ion. Special attention is given to fluoride lattices in which the cation radius is larger than that of Cr 3+ .
Diversity of alpha and beta subunits of T-cell receptors specific for the H4 minor histocompatibility antigen

The mouse H4 minor histocompatibility antigen (HA) includes a single H2Kb-bound peptide that stimulates rejection of skin allografts and generation of cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL). We evaluated the diversity of the CTL response to this single minor HA peptide by sequencing alpha and beta chains of T-cell receptors (Tcr) from H4-specific CTLs as a first step toward understanding the diversity of Tcrs specific for single minor HA. We selected H4-specific CTL clones from short-term lines that were restricted by Kb (19 clones), Kbm5 (7 clones), and Kbm11 (10 clones). Whereas multiple Vα and Vβ family members were identified in the panel of Kb-restricted CTLs, five VB genes and one VA subfamily were predominant in CTLs derived from multiple individuals. Similar distributions were observed with Kbm5- and Kbm11-restricted CTLs, suggesting that these two mutants did not alter Tcr gene usage observable at the VA and/or VB gene levels. Negatively charged residues were present in the CDR3 regions of 12/13 unique Kb-restricted beta chains. A comparable observation was made with Kbm5-restricted CTLs, and the distributions of these residues among CDR3 positions were similar in the two CTL panels. However, the Kbm11 mutation dramatically altered the distribution of these residues resulting in their presence in positions 10–12 of CDR3 regions in all CTLs. These results indicate that the Tcrs expressed by CTLs specific for this single minor HA peptide are oligoclonal and characterized by the presence of negatively charged residues in beta CDR3 regions, the distribution of which is profoundly altered by the Kbm11 mutation.
Ingestion of fumonisin B1-containing culture material decreases cardiac contractility and mechanical efficiency in swine.

Fumonisins are mycotoxins produced primarily by Fusarium verticillioides, a fungus that commonly contaminates corn. Fumonisin ingestion increases plasma and tissue sphingosine and sphinganine concentrations and causes porcine pulmonary edema, which has been attributed to acute left-sided heart failure or increased vascular permeability. We investigated the effect of short-term ingestion of fumonisin B1-containing culture material on cardiac function in pigs. Treated male pigs (n = 7) received fumonisin-containing culture material which was mixed into the grower diet at 20 mg fumonisin B1/kg body weight each day, while control pigs (n = 7) were fed only the grower diet on the same schedule as the treated pigs. Pigs were anesthetized after 3 days of receiving either diet and instrumented to accurately characterize the cardiovascular effects of fumonisin ingestion. Fumonisin-treated pigs had lower cardiac outputs and heart rates than control pigs. Fumonisin-treated pigs also had a marked reduction in cardiac contractility, as indicated by decreased values for end-systolic elastance (the gold standard in vivo measure of cardiac contractility), V(0) (the intercept value for the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship), and mechanical efficiency. These data indicate that in pigs, short-term ingestion of fumonisin B1-containing culture material produces negative inotropic and chronotropic effects and decreases mechanical efficiency of the left ventricle. Theses cardiovascular effects are consistent with fumonisin-induced, sphingosine-mediated l-type Ca(2+) channel blockade and suggest that pulmonary edema in pigs fed fumonisin is primarily due to acute left-sided heart failure instead of increased vascular permeability.
Data, data use, and scientific inquiry: two case studies of data practices

Data are proliferating far faster than they can be captured, managed, or stored. What types of data are most likely to be used and reused, by whom, and for what purposes? Answers to these questions will inform information policy and the design of digital libraries. We report findings from semi-structured interviews and field observations to investigate characteristics of data use and reuse and how those characteristics vary within and between scientific communities. The two communities studied are researchers at the Center for Embedded Network Sensing (CENS) and users of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data. The data practices of CENS and SDSS researchers have implications for data curation, system evaluation, and policy. Some data that are important to the conduct of research are not viewed as sufficiently valuable to keep. Other data of great value may not be mentioned or cited, because those data serve only as background to a given investigation. Metrics to assess the value of documents do not map well to data.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of men with chronic prostatitis: the national institutes of health chronic prostatitis cohort study.

Purpose: We describe the study design of the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Cohort (CPC) study characterizing men with chronic prostatitis/the chronic pelvic pain syndrome.Materials and Methods: All 488 men screened into the CPC study before close of recruitment on August 22, 2001 were selected for analysis. The National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, including subscores, was used to measure symptoms. A comprehensive history, physical examination and demographic profile were obtained from each participant. Generalized Mantel-Haenszel procedures were used to investigate baseline associations between selected factors and symptoms.Results: Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is a chronic syndrome affecting men over a wide age range. The majority of CPC study participants are white, well educated and affluent. However, lower education, lower income and unemployment were associated with more severe symptoms. Patients most frequently reported pain in the ...
Corrugated and nanoporous silica microspheres: synthesis by controlled etching, and improving their chemical adsorption and application in biosensing

Corrugated and nanoporous silica microspheres were synthesized by simple controlled etching of smooth spherical silica microspheres of various sizes with aqueous KCN or KOH solution. The smooth silica microspheres were prepared by the Stober method. The structure and morphology of the etched microspheres were controlled by varying the type and concentration (pH value) of the etchants and the etching time. Upon etching the original silica microspheres with a higher concentration of etchant for a longer time, highly corrugated and hollow silica microspheres were obtained. Shorter etching time and a lower concentration of etchant have resulted in only moderately corrugated microspheres. Comparative studies revealed that the etching with KCN solution proceeds more slowly due to the milder concentration of OH− ions it generates compared to a similar concentration of KOH solution. By optimizing the etching process, silica microspheres with increased adsorption capacity for chemicals such as rhodamine 6G can be obtained. By encapsulating gold nanoparticles and horseradish peroxidase into the etched microspheres having optimized corrugated structures and then casting the resulting nanocomposite materials on a glassy carbon electrode, sensitive electrochemical biosensors for the detection of micromolar concentrations of H2O2 were fabricated. The correlations between the microspheres' size, the etchant's concentration and the etching time with the structures and shapes of the etched microspheres, their adsorption properties to chemicals, and their potential in biosensing application were established. The synthetic method also proved to be applicable in producing corrugated/hollow titania microspheres. This controlled etching synthetic method to produce corrugated metal oxide microspheres is versatile and is useful for controlling nanomaterials' structure and morphology, enhancing their surface area and adsorption capacity of chemicals and drug molecules, as well as making sensitive electrochemical biosensors.
Electrocatalytic O2 Reduction by Covalently Immobilized Mononuclear Copper(I) Complexes: Evidence for a Binuclear Cu2O2 Intermediate

A CuI complex of 3-ethynyl-phenanthroline covalently immobilized onto an azide-modified glassy carbon surface is an active electrocatalyst for the four-electron (4-e) reduction of O2 to H2O. The rate of O2 reduction is second-order in Cu coverage at moderate overpotential, suggesting that two CuI species are necessary for efficient 4-e reduction of O2. Mechanisms for O2 reduction are proposed that are consistent with the observations for this covalently immobilized system and previously reported results for a similar physisorbed CuI system.
Location and color as cuing dimensions in contingent classification.

The contingent classification task is one in which stimuli in a classification task are simultaneously cued by the addition of another dimension so that the classification is reduced to a discrimination of only two stimuli. The contingencies are arranged so that the cuing dimension itself provides no response information. Four experiments were carried out in which location and color were the cuing dimensions for contingent stimuli that were either letters or lines. These stimuli were considerably more difficult to perceive than those used in earlier experiments. Location provided effective contingent classification for both letters and lines, but color was ineffective with both types of stimuli. It is suggested that in order for a cuing dimension to provide effective contingent classification, its levels must in effect provide information channels, much as modalities do. Location seems to have a special status in providing such visual channels, whereas color does not. Discriminability of the levels on the cuing dimension cannot be dismissed as a factor in the different effectiveness, since the two locations were more discriminable than were the two colors. Since color was maximally discriminable, however, location still has a special status in that it can provide greater discriminability, even possibly through its ability to act as a channel.
Using randomized routing to counter routing table insertion attack on Freenet

As privacy becomes an increasingly important issue on today's Internet, attacks on anonymous tools gain more attention. In this paper, we investigated countermeasures to a routing table insertion (RTI) attack on Freenet. We analyzed the key factors supporting the RTI attack, and proposed a simple randomized routing method to mitigate the RTI or similar attacks. We implemented the proposed method on the Freenet Thynix simulator. Our results show that the proposed method works well on small world topologies and thus a feasible choice to deal with the RTI attack on Freenet. We are further investigating more effective countermeasures based on these results.
Cell specificity in the developmental regulation of acid hydrolases by temporal genes

The cell specificity of expression of three distinct trans acting temporal gene systems determining the developmental control of α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase and β-glucuronidase was tested in mouse liver. For α-galactosidase and β-galactosidase, expression was limited to hepatocytes; no effect was seen in nonhepatocytes. For β-glucuronidase the data suggest that expression of the Gus-t temporal locus is also limited to hepatocytes, and that the smaller enzyme reduction seen in nonhepatocytes of some strains is due to a separate systemic regulatory locus that is also present in the [Gus] gene complex. We conclude that the temporal gene-determined timing mechanisms initiating switches in rates of enzyme synthesis are intrinsic to the cells themselves and are not communicated to adjacent cells. This conclusion applies to the temporal locus for β-glucuronidase that is proximate to its structural gene as well as those for α-galactosidase and β-galactosidase that are distant from the structural genes that they regulate.
Calcium deficient diet, acetazolamide and gas exchange characteristics of avian eggshells

Abstract The effects of calcium deficient diet and acetazolamide on the gas exchange characteristics of avian eggshells were independently investigated in two groups of unmated hens ( Gallus domesticus ). In one group, eggs were collected during both a normal diet (3.00% Ca) and a calcium deficient diet (0.34% Ca). In another group, eggs were collected both before and after acetazolamide administration (200 mg/kg) per os . Eggshell water vapor conductance (G H 2 O ) increased 30% during the calsium deficient diet and was accompanied by a 21% decrease in eggshell thickness (L). Eggshell G H 2 O increased 200% one day after acetazolamide administration and was not only accompanied by a 36% decrease in L, but also by an 89% increase in total functional pore area (A p ). We conclude that a calcium deficient die increases G H 2 O by eggshell thinning with litle effect on A p . On the other hand, acetazolamide profoundly increases G H 2 O , not only by eggshell thinning but also by a remarkable increase in A p .
Product identification of ameloblastomas: an immunohistochemical study

Twenty-nine solid, plexiform and follicular ameloblastomas and control human developing teeth al different stages of maturation were formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded and sectioned for the study of laminin, fibronectin, and mannosyl, glucosyl, and galactosyl residues using the peroxidase antiperoxidase (PAP) and avidin-biotin peroxidase complex (ABC) staining methods, respectively. Monospecific antibodies to laminin and fibronectin and the affinity of the lectins for mannosyl, glucosyl, and galactosyl residues with RCA-I. Laminin is present during the stage of morphodifferentiation of normal tooth development within the basement membrane. Following cytodifferentiation and calcified matrix deposition, laminin is not detectable. Laminin is also found in the basement membrane of both follicular and plexiform ameloblastomas. In contrast, fibronectin is reactive only up to the stage of morphodifferentiation among the mesenchymal cells and at the epithelial-mesenchymal interface, and it becomes unreactive upon differentiation of odontoblasts and mesenchymal pulp tissue as well. Unlike laminin, fibronectin is unreactive in the basement membrane of plexiform follicular and ameloblastomas.
Abnormal Heart Rate Characteristics Preceding Neonatal Sepsis and Sepsis-Like Illness

Late-onset neonatal sepsis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and early detection could prove beneficial. Previously, we found that abnormal heart rate characteristics (HRC) of reduced variability and transient decelerations occurred early in the course of neonatal sepsis and sepsis-like illness in infants in a single neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We hypothesized that this finding can be generalized to other NICUs. We prospectively collected clinical data and continuously measured RR intervals in all infants in two NICUs who stayed for >7 d. We defined episodes of sepsis and sepsis-like illness as acute clinical deteriorations that prompted physicians to obtain blood cultures and start antibiotics. A predictive statistical model yielding an HRC index was developed on a derivation cohort of 316 neonates in the University of Virginia NICU and then applied to the validation cohort of 317 neonates in the Wake Forest University NICU. In the derivation cohort, there were 155 episodes of sepsis and sepsis-like illness in 101 infants, and in the validation cohort, there were 118 episodes in 93 infants. In the validation cohort, the HRC index 1) showed highly significant association with impending sepsis and sepsis-like illness (receiver operator characteristic area 0.75, p < 0.001) and 2) added significantly to the demographic information of birth weight, gestational age, and days of postnatal age in predicting sepsis and sepsis-like illness (p < 0.001). Continuous HRC monitoring is a generally valid and potentially useful noninvasive tool in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and sepsis-like illness.
Mechanistic biomarkers for clinical decision making in rheumatic diseases.

The use of biomarkers is becoming increasingly intrinsic to the practice of medicine and holds great promise for transforming the practice of rheumatology. Biomarkers have the potential to aid clinical diagnosis when symptoms are present or to provide a means of detecting early signs of disease when they are not. Some biomarkers can serve as early surrogates of eventual clinical outcomes or guide therapeutic decision making by enabling identification of individuals likely to respond to a specific therapy. Using biomarkers might reduce the costs of drug development by enabling individuals most likely to respond to be enrolled in clinical trials, thereby minimizing the number of participants required. In this Review, we discuss the current use and the potential of biomarkers in rheumatology and in select fields at the forefront of biomarker research. We emphasize the value of different types of biomarkers, addressing the concept of ‘actionable’ biomarkers, which can be used to guide clinical decision making, and ‘mechanistic’ biomarkers, a subtype of actionable biomarker that is embedded in disease pathogenesis and, therefore, represents a superior biomarker. We provide examples of actionable and mechanistic biomarkers currently available, and discuss how development of such biomarkers could revolutionize clinical practice and drug development.
Altered Composition of Cerebral Microvessel Membrane Phosphoglycerides from Senescent Mouse

Phosphoglyceride and fatty acid composition was determined in the cellular membranes of isolated cerebral microvessels and brain parenchymal cells (neurons and glia) taken from 10-, 20-, and 27-30-month-old C57BL6/NNIA mice. Lipids were extracted from each fraction and the fatty acid profiles of ethanolamine, choline, serine, and inositol phosphoglycerides analyzed by gas chromatography. The results suggest that membrane phosphoglycerides from cerebral microvessels are significantly more affected by the aging process than are those of the brain parenchyma. Relative percentage for fatty acids in cerebral microvessels indicate an overall decline in membrane unsaturation with a concomitant elevation in the level of saturation. The decline in unsaturation is reflected primarily in the loss of precursor fatty acids for arachidonic (18:2n-6 and 20:3n-6) and docosahexaenoic (20:5n-3 and 22:5n-3) acids. Levels of arachidonic (20:4n-6) and docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3) acids in each phosphoglyceride remained unchanged with age; however, mol% for ethanolamine plasmalogen, a major source of these fatty acids, was significantly reduced in 27-30-month-old mice. Conversely, mol% for choline phosphoglyceride increased with age. The age-related changes in fatty acid profile for microvessel membrane phosphoglycerides are reflected by increased saturation/unsaturation ratios and decreased unsaturation indices. These parameters were not affected by aging in parenchymal membranes.
Studies on the spinal interaction of morphine and the NMDA antagonist MK-801 on the hyperesthesia observed in a rat model of sciatic mononeuropathy

This study evaluated the effects of intrathecally coadministered morphine and the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist (+)5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzocyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate (MK-801) on the thermally evoked hindpaw withdrawal latency (PWL) in rats with one paw (ipsilateral) rendered hyperesthetic by the unilateral application of loose ligatures to the sciatic nerve (ΔPWL (±S.D.) = PWLhyperesthetic paw − PWLnormal paw = − 3.1 ± 1.2 s). Intrathecal morphine produced a dose-dependent (0.1–10 μg; P < 0.0001) elevation in the thermal response latency of both the contralateral (normal) and ipsilateral (hyperesthetic) paw. ΔPWL did not vary with morphine, indicating that the dose-response curves were parallel but shifted to the right for the hyperesthetic paw. For the normal paw, MK-801 (10 μg) was without effect upon the response latency; whereas, the response latency of the hyperesthetic paw was elevated to the same as the normal paw, i.e. the hyperesthesia was selectively abolished (ΔPWL (±S.D.) = − 0.067 ± 2.73). Co-administration of MK-801 with morphine did not alter the effects of morphine in the normal paw, but reduced the ΔPWL for each dose of morphine. These results suggest that NMDA antagonism (1) does not alter the thermal sensitivity in the normal paw, (2) selectively abolishes the hypersensitivity of the hyperesthetic paw and (3) has a simple additive interaction with the antinociceptive effects of morphine in the hyperesthetic paw.
Child growth and the economic value of children in rural Bolivia.

Previous investigations have yielded contradictory conclusions concerning the importance of the economic contribution of children to households in agricultural societies. The present study evaluates the significance of children 's economic input in rural Ancoraimes, Bolivia by using child growth as an indirect indicator of the economic value of children. Children whose households differed in size and age composition were compared on the basis of five anthropometric measurements. Children from households with many young, nonproducing children were found to be significantly smaller for their age than children from households with few nonproducing children. Absolute household size had no major effect on child growth. While young children have a negative effect on the growth of children in the household, the positive effect of children as they grow older appears to make up for this loss. In terms of child growth, children are neither a net liability nor a net asset to agricultural households in Ancoraimes.
A Changing of the Guard: Emerging Trends in Public Library Security

With the advent of the Internet and the growth of online resources, perceptions and use of public libraries have changed dramatically in the last twenty years. Along with those changes, new security risks have emerged. This article identifies new security threats for libraries and offers solutions for preventing them. Security officers and library staff are encouraged to create opportunities for positive interactions with patrons through programs and services that foster strong community connections.
Renin–angiotensin system expression in rat bone marrow haematopoietic and stromal cells

The existence of a bone marrow renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is evidenced by the association of renin, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), and angiotensin (Ang) II and its AT(1) and AT(2) receptors with both normal and disturbed haematopoiesis. The expression of RAS components by rat unfractionated bone marrow cells (BMC), haematopoietic-lineage BMC and cultured marrow stromal cells (MSC) was investigated to determine which specific cell types may contribute to a local bone marrow RAS. The mRNAs for angiotensinogen, renin, ACE, and AT(1a) and AT(2) receptors were present in BMC and in cultured MSC; ACE2 mRNA was detected only in BMC. Two-colour flow fluorocytometry analysis showed immunodetectable angiotensinogen, ACE, AT(1) and AT(2) receptors, and Ang II, as well as binding of Ang II to AT(1) and AT(2) receptors, in CD4(+), CD11b/c(+), CD45R(+) and CD90(+) BMC and cultured MSC; renin was found in all cell types with the exception of CD4(+) BMC. Furthermore, Ang II was detected by radioimmunoassay in MSC homogenates as well as conditioned culture medium. The presence of Ang II receptors in both haematopoietic-lineage BMC and MSC, and the de novo synthesis of Ang II by MSC suggest a potential autocrine-paracrine mechanism for local RAS-mediated regulation of haematopoiesis.
Adjuvant Versus Salvage Radiotherapy for High-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients

Radiotherapy (RT) after prostatectomy may potentially eradicate any residual localized microscopic disease in the prostate bed. The current dilemma is whether to deliver adjuvant RT solely on the basis of high-risk pathology (pT3 or positive margins), but in the absence of measurable prostate-specific antigen, or whether early salvage radiotherapy (SRT) would yield equivalent outcomes. Although the results of current randomized trials answering this very question remain years away, the best evidence to date supports early SRT as the better strategy. In terms of SRT, the pooled evidence reveals that one should initiate RT at the lowest prostate-specific antigen possible to maximize results. Similarly, the pooled data suggest that there is a dose–response favoring doses >70 Gy to the prostate bed. The evidence regarding the role of androgen deprivation therapy and the use of elective pelvic nodal RT is weak, and ongoing randomized trials are underway. Several clinical scenarios are presented for discussion.
Overview of advances in cardiovascular disease treatment and prevention: the evolving role of antiplatelet therapy.

Purpose. The role of antiplatelet therapy in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease is reviewed. Summary. Cardiovascular disease, especially coronary heart disease, contributes to substantial morbidity and mortality in the United States and raises healthcare costs. Current guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, in conjunction with the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, recommend percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and stent placement to improve cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome, which encompasses unstable angina and myocardial infarction. Following stent placement, dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and a thienopyridine (clopidogrel or ticlopidine) significantly reduces the incidence of early major adverse cardiac events and mortality compared with aspirin alone or in combination with warfarin, and is the current standard of care for patients undergoing PCI. Maintenance therapy should be continued for at least one month after placement of a bare-metal stent, and at least three months or six months after placement of a sirolimus- or paclitaxel-eluting stent; ideally, therapy should be continued for one year following PCI. Even utilizing this standard, however, adverse clinical events do occur. In addition, treatment is often discontinued within the first year after stent placement by either the healthcare provider or the patient. Conclusion. Premature discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes and can be avoided through better understanding of these risks by healthcare professionals and improved patient education.
Improvement of Depth of Focus Control using Wafer Geometry

For several decades, the semiconductor industry has been controlling site flatness of the starting wafer material by defining tight specs on industry-standard site flatness metrics such as SFQR (Site Frontsurface-referenced least sQuares/Range) and ESFQR (Edge Site Frontsurface-referenced least sQuares/Range) that scale with technology nodes. The need for controlling site flatness of the starting material stems from previous research that shows that site flatness directly impacts lithography defocus. The wafer flatness variation changes significantly due to wafer processing downstream such as CMP, etch, and film deposition. Hence, for 2X nm and smaller technology nodes with very stringent focus process windows, it is critical to control wafer flatness variations at critical steps along the semiconductor process flow. In this paper, the capability of an interferometer-based patterned wafer metrology tool to predict lithography defocus is validated by comparison to scanner leveling data. The patterned wafer metrology tool is used to characterize the impact of near-edge flatness changes on the critical dimension (CD) of the contact holes due to different edge CMP process conditions. The results of the characterization illustrate how a site flatness specification or threshold can be developed for critical patterning steps. The paper also illustrates how the patterned wafer metrology tool can be used to identify processes causing site flatness variations. Finally, the site flatness variation at these processes can be monitored using the pattern wafer metrology tool to detect process drifts and excursion before patterning.
Changes in transcapillary protein flux by permeative and convective mechanisms as functions of increasing transcapillary water flux.

Abstract This study consists of a theoretical description of the separation of permeative ( D ) and convective ( B ) protein transport across capillaries during increasing transcapillary water flow ( L ). The analysis expresses changes in D, B, total protein transport, mean membrane concentration ( C C p and fractional permeative transport ( Fr D ) as functions of the smallest numbers of variables possible: R = lymph plasma protein concentration and a modified Peclet number γ = L(1 − σ) PS , where σ and PS are reflection coefficient and permeability-surface area product respectively. The theory used is standard Hertzian (G. Hertz, 1922, Phys. Z. 23, 433–434; 1923 , Z. Phys. 19, 35–42) or irreversible thermodynamics as modified by K. S. Spiegler and O. Kedem (1966 , Desalination 1, 297–326). Comparisons are made between theory and actual membrane transport characteristics from previous studies. For loose membranes (low σ or high γ) elevations in J v produce large changes in B but little increase in D . This results because increases in J v produce an increase in C C p , and because B = J v (1 − σ) C C p . Hence the effects of increased J v are synergistic upon B because of increasing C C p . For intermediate and tight membranes (higher σ or lower γ), increased J v produces a decrease in C C p , so elevations in J v produce less of an effect upon B and a greater effect upon D . At any given γ, a critical R can be defined which divides regions of the Rγ relationship into zones where increasing L produces a rise in C C p or decrease. These studies show that the knowledge of γ and R allow one to predict changes in D, B, C C p , and Fr D as L increases.
Intracranial tuberculomas and the CAT scan

Tuberculomas of the brain are rare in the United States. Although CAT (computerized axial tomography) scanning cannot distinguish these infections from other intracranial mass lesions, it provides a non-invasive technique with which to follow the course of presumptive lesions during medical therapy, and with which to search for clinically unsuspected infections. The necessity for and timing of surgery can be considered more easily with this technique. Two cases are presented with their CAT scans, including one example of the disappearance of a presumptive tuberculoma, during appropriate medical therapy.
Maximum and minimum of one-dimensional diffusions

Abstract Let M t be the maximum of a recurrent one-dimensional diffusion up till time t . Under appropriate conditions, there exists a distribution function F such that | P ( M t ⩽ x ) − F t ( x )|→0as t and x go to infinity. This reduces the asymptotic behavior of the maximum to that of the maximum of independent and identically distributed random variables with distribution function F . A new proof of this fact is given which is based on a time change of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. Using this technique, the asymptotic independence of the maximum and minimum is also established. Moreover, this method allows one to construct stationary processes in which the limiting behavior of M t is essentially unaffected by the stationary distribution. That is, there may be no relationship between the distribution F above and the marginal distribution of the process.
GABA Synapses Mediate Neuroprotection after Ischemic and εPKC Preconditioning in Rat Hippocampal Slice Cultures

Delayed neuroprotection against ischemic challenges is conferred by both ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and preconditioning by activation of the epsilon-isoform of protein kinase C (epsilonPKC-PC). In vivo, ischemic preconditioning enhances GABA release and ameliorates glutamate release during lethal cerebral ischemia. We tested the hypothesis that IPC and epsilonPKC-PC confer neuroprotection by GABA synapses in rat organotypic hippocampal slices. Ischemic preconditioning or epsilonPKC-PC was induced with 15 mins oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) or psiepsilonRACK, a selective epsilonPKC activator; and test ischemia consisted of 40 mins OGD. At the time of peak neuroprotection (48 h after preconditioning), we recorded GABA(A) receptor-mediated miniature postsynaptic currents (GABA mPSCs) in vulnerable CA1 pyramidal neurons using whole-cell voltage clamp techniques. The frequency and amplitude of GABA mPSCs significantly increased 48 h after IPC. In contrast, epsilonPKC-PC enhanced only the amplitude of GABA mPSCs with no effect on frequency. We next asked if neuroprotection depended on these changes in GABA synapses. Weak antagonism of the GABA(A) receptor with bicuculline (100 nmol/L) decreased the amplitude of GABA mPSCs by 20.9+/-6.1%. When applied during test ischemia, 100 nmol/L bicuculline abolished neuroprotection conferred by either IPC or epsilonPKC-PC. We conclude that neuroprotection conferred by preconditioning depends on functional modifications of GABA synapses.
Sun tides: an unexplored astronomical approach to climate cycles and trends

Numerical indices expressing the strength of postulated sun tides and dependent solar energy output were computed from the heliocentric positions and radius vectors of the major planets at 8 or 10 day intervals for the years 1855–1980 on the University of Oklahoma IBM 650; from which accordant Global Index and Northern Hemisphere Zonal Clear Sky Insolation Indices were derived. The resulting numerical series display very complex though orderly quasiperiodic variations. Cyclic recurrences appear in the index patterns at intervals of 118.5 days, the mean hemi-synodic period of Jupiter and Venus; 12 years, caused by the recurrent orientation and alignment of Jupiter, Venus, and Earth; and 59–60 and 83–84 years in which the outer planets and Mercury are also involved. The validity of the energy relation assumptions made in computing the index models is supported by: Adem, J., (1964), A positive r = 0.88968 SE 0.07698 correlation during the last solar cycle, 1954–1965, between the December–January Zonal Clear Sky Insolation Index for latitude 45° N and December–January normalized nucleon intensity monitored at 11,000 feet on Mt. Washington by Lockwood & Kaplan; Birot, Pierre, (1965) June and July precipitation 1900–1960 at White River, Ontario, Bismarck, North Dakota, and Edmonton, Canada, are also positively correlated with the May–June–July 7 planet index for 45° N Latitude. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1968.tb00381.x
Modal analysis of musical instruments with holographic interferometry

Holographic interferometry is a useful technique for studying the vibrational modes of both separate vibrating elements and complete instruments. Spatial resolution is excellent and studies can be made at small amplitudes. Time-average holographic interferograms of handbells Chinese two-tone bells Caribbean steel drums snare drum shells cymbals and guitars are shown. 1 .© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Tense and the structure of clause types

Abstract Generative grammarians hypothesize that intuitively unacceptable syntactic forms violate rules and filters in the speaker/hearer's language-generating mechanism. This article considers a case in point, the acceptability of root and embedded clause forms of English. Filters needed to explain the data multiply to the point of differentiating a single word whether. A theoretical alternative is offered in which a sentence is an entity signifying mediation between otherwise incommensurable domains: subject and predicate. The mediating link is tense. Consequently any syntactic form which for whatever reason does not constitute two internally consistent domains and a tense element does not constitute an acceptable sentence. Such a model gives a principled explanation of the behavior of English root and embedded clauses. It also allows a workable semantic characterization of subject-auxiliary inversion and of sentence complementizers.
In silico modeling of aerosol deposition in lungs

The mathematical representation of particle transport in the airflow within the pulmonary system is of interest in a wide range of fields: from inhalation toxicology to infectious disease proliferation to drug delivery. The complexities of the airway geometry, the highly non-constant nature of the airflow involving inhalation–exhalation cycles, intermittent turbulence and the shedding of turbulent vortices into otherwise non-turbulent flows, complicated moving boundaries in the deep lung with heretofore undetermined mechanics, and the complex interaction with the surfactant layer and its own flows, all of which are coupled with significant variability from patient to patient, all point to a problem that is computationally intractable today. Yet, the physics of each of these complicating factors is well understood, and, in fact, models of most of them have already been implemented into sophisticated CFD codes. Thus, the overall modeling problem appears to really be one of identifying which physical phenomena are involved, including their in silico representations from an existing library. The simulation problem of porting this model to appropriate hardware and mining it to extract meaningful results is the open challenge today. Given Moore's law of the doubling of computational power every 18–24 months, it does appear to be only a matter of time before this happens. The potential for improved understanding of pulmonary particle deposition patterns, on an individual-by-individual basis, with its attendant implications for personalized medicine is enormous.
Determination of carrier concentration and mobility from persistent acoustoelectric currents

Abstract Several methods are discussed of utilizing the persistent acoustoelectric current as a criterion for determining the current density at which the drift velocity is equal to the appropriate piezoelectric sound velocity in semiconductors. Since the sound velocity is well-known, the carrier concentration and mobility can be determined by application of the criterion.
Conservation Tillage Systems for Cotton in the Tennessee Valley

Yield reductions from no-tillage cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) jeopardized adoption of conservation systems in the Tennessee Valley region of north Alabama in the early 1990s. We conducted a study from 1995 to 1999 on a Decatur silt loam (fine, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Paleudults) to develop a practical conservation tillage system with competitive yields for the region. Treatments included a factorial combination of fall ridging (ridged and nonridged) and fall non-inversion deep tillage (none, in-row subsoiling, paratilling), along with spring strip tillage and conventional tillage (fall chisel-spring disk). All treatments, except conventional tillage, were established with a rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop. Tillage systems were evaluated for soil temperature, penetration resistance, a soil compaction index, soil water, plant population, and seed cotton yield. Paratilling reduced soil compaction index 29 and 31% compared with conventional tillage and no-tillage, respectively. Subsoiling reduced the compaction index 12 and 15% compared with conventional tillage and no-tillage, respectively. Soil water content was decreased with the fall paratilled and subsoiled conservation tillage systems, compared with conventional tillage and no-tillage, suggesting increased rooting. Fall non-inversion deep tillage, either paratilling or in-row subsoiling with a narrow-shanked subsoiler, resulted in the highest seed cotton yields; 16% greater than conventional tillage (2660 kg ha -1 ), and 10% greater than strict no-tillage (2810 kg ha -1 ) across a 4-yr duration. In this region, non-inversion deep tillage under the row in fall, coupled with a rye cover crop to produce adequate residue for moisture conservation and erosion control, is a highly competitive and practical conservation tillage system.
Mating-type loci segregate aberrantly in Phytophthora infestans but normally in Phytophthora parasitica: implications for models of mating-type determination

In the oomycete, Phytophthora infestans, mating type is determined by a locus that segregates in a non-Mendelian manner consistent with its linkage to a system of balanced lethals. The significance of this unusual phenomenon was addressed by studying the segregation patterns of DNA markers linked to mating type in the related species, P. parasitica. This was done using loci identified by either RAPD analysis of P. parasitica crosses or by cross-hybridization with RFLP markers linked to mating type in P. infestans. The resulting data revealed that, unlike P. infestans, mating type in P. parasitica was regulated by a locus displaying Mendelian segregation. An improved model for mating-type determination in Phytophthora is presented.
An efficiently computable metric for comparing polygonal shapes

A method for comparing polygons that is a metric, invariant under translation, rotation, and change of scale, reasonably easy to compute, and intuitive is presented. The method is based on the L/sub 2/ distance between the turning functions of the two polygons. It works for both convex and nonconvex polygons and runs in time O(mn log mn), where m is the number of vertices in one polygon and n is the number of vertices in the other. Some examples showing that the method produces answers that are intuitively reasonable are presented. >
Mobile large area confocal scanner for imaging tumor margins: Initial testing in the Pathology Department

Surgical oncology is guided by examining pathology that is prepared during or after surgery. The preparation time for Mohs surgery in skin is 20-45 minutes, for head-and-neck and breast cancer surgery is hours to days. Often this results in incomplete tumor removal such that positive margins remain. However, high resolution images of excised tissue taken within few minutes can provide a way to assess the margins for residual tumor. Current high resolution imaging methods such as confocal microscopy are limited to small fields of view and require assembling a mosaic of images in two dimensions (2D) to cover a large area, which requires long acquisition times and produces artifacts. To overcome this limitation we developed a confocal microscope that scans strips of images with high aspect ratios and stitches the acquired strip-images in one dimension (1D). Our “Strip Scanner” can image a 10 x 10 mm 2 area of excised tissue with sub-cellular detail in about one minute. The strip scanner was tested on 17 Mohs excisions and the mosaics were read by a Mohs surgeon blinded to the pathology. After this initial trial, we built a mobile strip scanner that can be moved into different surgical settings. A tissue fixture capable of scanning up to 6 x 6 cm 2 of tissue was also built. Freshly excised breast and head-and-neck tissues were imaged in the pathology lab. The strip-images were registered and displayed simultaneously with image acquisition resulting in large, high-resolution confocal mosaics of fresh surgical tissue in a clinical setting.
Response variation in instrumental extinction in rats with fornix transections

The present experiment examined spatial and response variation interpretations of the large difference in magnitude between operant and instrumental extinction deficits seen in hipocampally damaged animals. Latency measures and detailed behaviors of rats with fornix transections were compared to those of control rats during acquisition and extinction in an enriched spatial runway. Control rats, in comparison to rats with fornix transections, exhibited larger increases in start box, runway, and goal box latencies, but no spatial gradients were found. Control rats also exhibited less goal persistence and more response variation following the transition to extinction. The results suggest no fundamental difference between operant and instrumental deficits following hippocampal damage, but an interaction between strategies employed and traditional response measures.