cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bias stability of OC48 x-cut lithium-niobate optical modulators: four years of biased aging test results

Long-term 100/spl deg/C and 85/spl deg/C biased aging tests on OC48 x-cut lithium-niobate optical intensity modulators have been run for four years. The 100/spl deg/C test results clearly show that the bias voltage does not exhibit the conventional catastrophic growth curve, but rather peaks between 10 000 and 35 000 h at levels well below typically used bias voltage rails (/spl plusmn/12 V). This promises a very high reliability for these x-cut lithium-niobate modulators for long-term bias-drift failure mode. Using the data, a bias-drift failure rate under ordinary operation conditions, 20 years at 40/spl deg/C, is estimated to be <1 failures in time with activation energy of 1.2 eV.
A simple physical picture of tensor Green's function in source region

A simple physical picture is given for a tensor Green's function when it is used to compute the electric field in a source region. The principal value of the integral and the correction term to the electric field are derived based on this simple picture.
Low-threshold lasers fabricated by alignment-free impurity induced disordering

An Si/SiN/sub x//Si trilayer diffusion source and mask is described and applied to an alignment-free process for fabricating lasers by impurity-induced disordering (IID). Edge-emitting lasers with continuous wave threshold currents of 4.8 mA were achieved, and folded-cavity surface-emitting lasers with Si disordered waveguides were demonstrated for the first time with a threshold of 11 mA. The process that makes possible self-aligned-metallization on a diffusion defined stripe will be useful in fabricating narrow stripe IID lasers and simplify processing for integration of IID waveguide devices. >
Theory-guided intervention for preventing diabetes-related amputations in African Americans

A disproportionate number of individuals of African American descent undergo lower extremity amputations because of complications from diabetes mellitus (American Diabetes Association 2001). It is estimated that up to 85% of lower extremity amputations can be prevented through programs for preventing and treating foot ulcers, preventing reoccurrence of ulcers, and educating patients about proper foot care (American Diabetes Association 2001). The primary purpose of this article is to describe a church-based educational intervention that was developed to assist individuals of African American descent in the prevention of lower extremity amputations resulting from diabetes. The intervention was designed with the Health Belief Model as the framework. The secondary purpose of this article is to demonstrate the feasibility of using the Roy Adaptation Model as a framework for the same intervention. A comparison of the two frameworks is intended to support the use of the Roy Adaptation Model as a useful guide in the development of community-based nursing interventions. The current nursing literature (based on a search in CINHAL 1995–2003 and MEDLINE 1995–2003) exhibits an abundance of use of health behavior theories not authored by nurses that are used to guide interventions. The comparison of a health promotion model such as the Health Belief Model and a nursing theory is essential to address the relative lack of presence of the use of nursing theories in the realm of health-promoting interventions by nurses.
Japan's Security Policy in East Asia

Japan's strategic thinking has been driven by three main factors: a fear of isolation, calculation of the geopolitical strength of China (and to a lesser extent, Korea), and accommodation to the prevailing international power structure. During the Cold War Japan aligned with Washington, but maintained sufficient distance to explore a mutually beneficial relationship with China based on Japan's dominant economic position. As Chinese power has grown and Japan's own economic tools for statecraft have slowed, Tokyo has moved closer to the United States to balance Chinese power. Japan has also had to seek new ways to shape the security environment in Asia, turning to multilateral diplomacy such as the Changmai Initiative. Where Japan's diplomacy in Asia in the 1980s and 1990s emphasized Japan's unique ability to champion “Asian” values with the West, increasingly Tokyo has emphasized its unique ability to champion universal values of democracy and rule of law in Asia. This theme has been used by conservative governments to improve Japan's brand over China, but also builds on a tradition of Japanese diplomatic efforts to take a lead in rule-making in the region. Prime Minister Koizumi's assertive foreign policy helped to reinvigorate Japan's international position, but he moved from the traditional three part formulation of Japan's orientation – the U.S. alliance, the UN system and Asia – to a simpler two part formulation of “the U.S.-Japan alliance and international cooperation.” The lack of focus on Asia has contributed to growing tensions with South Korea and China over history issues, even as Japan's global and broader regional standing has increased according to most opinion polls. These regional challenges will continue to confront future Prime Ministers well past Koizumi.
The role of the manuscript reviewer in the peer review process

Peer review of submitted manuscripts is recognized as a critical component of the publication process in all major medical journals. It lends respectability and scientific credibility to those journals that have adopted the process [1]. This function is delegated to a group of persons who perform the task selflessly and without compensation. Of the many facets of the peer review process, the selection of manuscript reviewers and their subsequent interaction with both editors and authors may be so poorly understood by aspiring authors that certain misconceptions ensue. Authors of rejected manuscripts may fear that reviewers have acted in an arbitrary and possibly censorial fashion [2, 3]. Conversely, authors of accepted manuscripts who face a mountain of revisions may wonder if such an effort is likely to improve their manuscript [4, 5]. The following questions come to mind: Where do the reviewers come from? What do they do, and what constitutes a good reviewer? What power do they have? How is reviewer performance measured? Can the editor recognize publicly the good reviewer? Are reviewers really blinded? How does one become a good reviewer? Who will be the reviewers of the future? While looking at these questions, we should consider objective approaches of assessing reviewer quality and wonder whether they would improve the quality of the published manuscript.
Active learning for human protein-protein interaction prediction

Biological processes in cells are carried out by means of protein-protein interactions. Determining whether a pair of proteins interacts by wet-lab experiments is resource-intensive; only about 38,000 interactions, out of a few hundred thousand expected interactions, are known today. Active machine learning can guide the selection of pairs of proteins for future experimental characterization in order to accelerate accurate prediction of the human protein interactome. Random forest (RF) has previously been shown to be effective for predicting protein-protein interactions. Here, four different active learning algorithms have been devised for selection of protein pairs to be used to train the RF. With labels of as few as 500 protein-pairs selected using any of the four active learning methods described here, the classifier achieved a higher F-score (harmonic mean of Precision and Recall) than with 3000 randomly chosen protein-pairs. F-score of predicted interactions is shown to increase by about 15% with active learning in comparison to that with random selection of data. Active learning algorithms enable learning more accurate classifiers with much lesser labelled data and prove to be useful in applications where manual annotation of data is formidable. Active learning techniques demonstrated here can also be applied to other proteomics applications such as protein structure prediction and classification.
Effects of Urinary Macromolecules on Hydroxyapatite Crystal Formation

Particle size analysis was combined with titration data obtained in constant-composition, hydroxyapatite (HA)-seeded, crystal growth assays. With addition of large amounts of HA (250 microg), titration rates were linear, new crystal formation was minimal, and aggregation effects could be detected. With addition of small amounts of HA (62.5 microg), nucleation of new HA was observed. The effects of urinary macromolecules, i.e., osteopontin (OPN), recombinant glutathione-S-transferase-OPN (G-OPN), Tamm-Horsfall protein, chondroitin sulfate, human serum albumin, mixed urinary macromolecules from a stone-former (SFU1), mixed urinary macromolecules from a normal individual (NU1), and polyaspartic acid (PA), were examined in this system. Crystal growth inhibition, as measured by the slope of linear titration curves in this system, was observed with PA, G-OPN, OPN, SFU1, and NU1. All of the macromolecules tested inhibited aggregation, including Tamm-Horsfall protein, which did not inhibit growth. As reflected by the ratio of the final number of particles to the initial number in the 62.5-microg seed addition, the macromolecules that were most effective in inhibiting growth, i.e., OPN, G-OPN, PA, SFU1, and NU1, actually increased secondary nucleation. Recombinant G-OPN demonstrated less inhibitory activity than did OPN isolated from cell culture. Chondroitin sulfate and human serum albumin exhibited no significant effects on the various components of HA crystallization under these conditions. SFU1 and NU1 slowed growth and increased secondary nucleation to similar degrees, and neither exhibited any measurable effect on aggregation. Therefore, crystal surface sites that participate in nucleation, growth, and aggregation processes are affected independently by macromolecules, presumably because of differences in their structural features. These results illustrate the utility of combining these techniques to provide a much greater understanding of crystallization behavior than that possible with either analysis alone.
Annotation: the development of antisocial behavior: an integrative causal model.

In this paper we have described an integrative causal model of the development of antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. The present model primarily integrates several previous models, but offers some new testable hypotheses. We believe that stable individual differences in propensity to antisocial behavior reflect variations in a number of dimensions of predisposing temperament and cognitive ability, each with its own genetic and environmental influences. The dimensions of predisposing temperament include oppositionality, harm avoidance, and callousness. Genetic influences are predicted to have only indirect effects on antisocial behavior via their influence on predisposition and on the youth's social environment. Environmental influences are expected to be important contributors to antisocial propensity, but these environmental influences reflect, in part, the genetic influences on the dimensions of predisposition (i.e. genotype-environment covariance). We also hypothesize that the levels of influence of the factors that determine individual differences in antisocial propensity change with development, such that genetic influences are of greater magnitude in early childhood and social influences contribute more strongly during later childhood and adolescence (both through independent effects and genotype-environment covariance). However, low levels of heritable predisposing child characteristics may protect against peer influences at all ages.
Morphology of polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends: Effects of carbon nanotubes aspect ratio and surface modification

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with aspect ratios (ARs) ranging from 94 to 474 were incorporated into polystyrene (PS)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends using solution mixing and melt mixing. Also, two functionalized MWCNTs were prepared from the nanotubes having AR 94: one was oxidized by nitric acid while the other was further modified with amine-terminated PS attached to carboxyl groups to form amides. The two functionalized MWCNTs (1 wt %) were used to show that which phase the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were located in could be controlled with nanotube surface chemistry. When nanotubes were confined to the minor phase, the size of the minor domain first decreased with adding low AR CNT as expected due to the increased viscosity of the minor phase. However, at higher ARs, the size increased beyond the size for the minor domain with no nanotubes, and at high enough AR, the shape of the minor domain changed from spherical to an elongated irregular shape. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 3500–3510, 2015
Epiphytism of dinoflagellates associated with the disease ciguatera: substrate specificity and nutrition

Five dinoflagellate species associated with the disease ciguatera were found in abundance in the Florida Keys on one seagrass and 15 species of macro algae in the divisions Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta ...
Example-based volume illustrations

Scientific illustrations use accepted conventions and methodologies to effectively convey object properties and improve our understanding. We present a method to illustrate volume datasets by emulating example illustrations. As with technical illustrations, our volume illustrations more clearly delineate objects, enrich details, and artistically visualize volume datasets. For both color and scalar 3D volumes, we have developed an automatic color transfer method based on the clustering and similarities in the example illustrations and volume sources. As an extension to 2D Wang tiles, we provide a new, general texture synthesis method for Wang cubes that solves the edge discontinuity problem. We have developed a 2D illustrative slice viewer and a GPU-based direct volume rendering system that uses these non-periodic 3D textures to generate illustrative results similar to the 2D examples. Both applications simulate scientific illustrations to provide more information than the original data and visualize objects more effectively, while only requiring simple user interaction.
A Dynamic General Equilibrium Model of Phased Korean Reunification

This paper constructs a dynamic specific factors model to examine the impact of the economic reunification of North and South Korea. We focus on changes in real wages and output as a result of several kinds of reunification and/or reform. We are interested in the differential impacts on wages of skilled and unskilled workers. As a baseline we assume autarky with internal market reforms in the North, and free trade in most goods for the South. Using both the long-run steady state and the short-run transition to it, we compare this baseline to a scenario where policies are phased in slowly over time leading from the status quo to full economic integration. We find that skilled wages in the South are most volatile in non-traded sectors. Wages in the North rise dramatically in almost every case.
Design Parameters for Impact Research in Science Education: A Multistate Analysis

The Common Guidelines for Education Research and Development were created as a joint effort between the Institute of Education Science and the National Science Foundation in an effort to streamline education research and contribute to an accumulation of knowledge that will lead to improved student outcomes. One type of research that emerged in the guidelines is impact research. In order to achieve the level of rigor expected for an impact study, it is common that a research team will employ a cluster randomized trial (CRT). This article provides empirical estimates of design parameters necessary for planning adequately powered CRTs focused on science achievement. Examples of how to use these parameters to improve the design of science impact studies are discussed.
A Note on Redistributive Politics

The evidence for this statement is an analysis utilizing multiple-partial correlation coefficients. The multiple-partial correlation between the redistributive ratio and twelve political variables, controlling for six socioeconomic variables is .46, but when the socioeconomic variables are correlated with the ratio controlling for the political variables, the correlation is only .27. (See Table 1.) The obvious defect in this analysis is that the authors used twice as many political as socioeconomic variables. Fry and Winters are aware of this problem and claim to solve it by selecting only the five most powerful variables from each class; they state that virtually similar results are obtained with equal numbers of political and socioeconomic variables. Yet this procedure really does not solve the problem: It involves comparing the best five of twelve variables with the best five of six variables. The crucial question then becomes whether the results would have been different if twelve socioeconomic variables had been compared with twelve political variables, or if the best five of twelve had been compared with the best five of twelve.
Abstract A94: ABO blood group and risk of renal cell cancer

Background: The genetic determinants of sporadic renal cell cancer (RCC) are largely unknown. Previous studies have suggested associations between the ABO blood group and risk of various cancers, however, its relationship to RCC remains unclear. Methods: We prospectively evaluated the association between the ABO blood group and risk of RCC in two large independent cohorts of women (the Nurses9 Health Study) and men (the Health Professionals Follow-up Study) from 1996 to 2008. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment for other risk factors for RCC including obesity, smoking, and hypertension. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: During 12 years of follow-up of 77,242 women and 29,548 men, 163 cases of incident RCC were documented in women and 84 cases in men. After multivariate adjustment, non-O blood group (combined group of A, AB, and B) was associated with a 1.5-fold elevated risk of RCC (95% CI 1.09–2.09) than O blood group in women. In contrast, no significant associations were observed between the ABO blood group and risk of RCC in men. The associations between the ABO blood group and RCC were consistent across strata of known risk factors including obesity, smoking status, and history of hypertension (Pinteraction ≥ .58) in both cohorts. Conclusion: We show for the first time that non-O blood group is significantly associated with a higher risk of RCC compared with blood group O in women. Further studies that elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying this association are warranted. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):A94.
The influence of the red corpuscles upon the viscosity of the blood

The method by means of which the following determinations of the viscosity were made has been described in Pfluger's Archiv, Vol. 82, p. 464.Having determined the coefficient for fresh ox serum at ...
Reply tO Levin

My evidence that he holds (b) is that he says he does in his first paragraph ("Opportunity Right!" PhilosophicalQuarterly, Oct. '82 p. 361). My evidence that he holds (b') is that he thinks it germane to claim that job chances exist for a certain job only when an employer has laid down criteria for that job and only until that job is awarded. I cannot see the relevance of this unless Levin does think, his disclaimer notwithstanding, that an employer does have certain obligations to the best qualified candidate, but wishes to restrict these obligations to avoid the consequences I adduced ("Opportunity Rights?" ibid. p. 360-1). Since both (a) and (b), and (a) and (b') represent possible replies to my objection, I shall consider them in turn, without inquiring which best represents Levin's position. First, then, (a) and (b). These claims look inconsistent: we should normally take a job-chance to be affected by, if not wholly dependent on, a potential employer's attitudes. To be entitled to the best job chance would, then, just be to be entitled to the highest ranking by a potential employer against other candidates for a job. The consequences I adduced in my reply would then need to be addressed directly. Levin seems to want to avoid these consequences by construing job chances in such a way that (a) and (b) are consistent he wants to hold that individuals have rights to their job chances, that employers have the right to hire whomever they wish, and that these rights do not conflict. I cannot see any plausible way of interpreting 'job chance' that will make (a) and (b) consistent. If the attitudes of employers are not to figure in the assessment of job chances, someone could have the highest job chance compatibly with it being known in advance that he will not get a certain job, or any job for which he is qualified (because, say, of employers' stupidity or prejudice). On this reading of 'job chance' it is neither true nor, afortiori, analytic that 'The one with the best chance will probably get the job,' and it is hard to see what could recommend this notion to anyone not committed to the peculiar amalgam of meritocratic and libertarian views to which Levin seems attracted. Let us return to the full strength notion of a "right to a job chance", on which
A New Algorithm of Artificial Neural Network with Trust Region Strategy for Solving Nonlinear Programming

Artificial Neural Networks(ANNs)have the merits of their rapidness and accuracy.This paper describes a new algorithm.It can solve the constrained Nonlinear Programming(NLP)problems by a new Hopfield network and Trust Region(TR)strategy.Using the Successive Quadratic Programming(SQP)technology,the original NLP problems will be converted into a series of quadratic programming subproblems.Then the TR strategy can harmonize the conflict of the rapidness and accuracy;the Hopfield network can solve the subproblems.In the final,the algorithm will get the optimal solution of the orginal NLP problem.The effectiveness of the algorithm is demonstrated by simulation results.
Abstract IA10: Extracellular RNA: A next frontier of biomarker research for precision medicine

Development of effective, minimally invasive biomarker approaches for cancer is critical for enabling precision oncology. Whereas circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is one such approach that is now beginning to reach the clinic after an extended period of development, circulating extracellular RNA (exRNA) is a more recent discovery and represents a new frontier for precision medicine biomarker development. I will review the recent history of extracellular circulating RNA, beginning with the discovery of circulating microRNAs and extending to consider other classes of RNA found in human plasma. I will compare and contrast ctDNA and exRNA approaches, and highlight current challenges as well as possibilities for development of circulating exRNAs as biomarkers for precision oncology. Citation Format: Muneesh Tewari. Extracellular RNA: A next frontier of biomarker research for precision medicine. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Integrating Clinical Genomics and Cancer Therapy; Jun 13-16, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2016;22(1_Suppl):Abstract nr IA10.
Targeting Hyaluronic Acid Family for Cancer Chemoprevention and Therapy

Hyaluronic acid or hyaluronan (HA) is perhaps one of the most uncomplicated large polymers that regulates several normal physiological processes and, at the same time, contributes to the manifestation of a variety of chronic and acute diseases, including cancer. Members of the HA signaling pathway (HA synthases, HA receptors, and HYAL-1 hyaluronidase) have been experimentally shown to promote tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis, and hence each of them is a potential target for cancer therapy. Furthermore, as these members are also overexpressed in a variety of carcinomas, targeting of the HA family is clinically relevant. A variety of targeted approaches have been developed to target various HA family members, including small-molecule inhibitors and antibody and vaccine therapies. These treatment approaches inhibit HA-mediated intracellular signaling that promotes tumor cell proliferation, motility, and invasion, as well as induction of endothelial cell functions. Being nontoxic, nonimmunogenic, and versatile for modifications, HA has been used in nanoparticle preparations for the targeted delivery of chemotherapy drugs and other anticancer compounds to tumor cells through interaction with cell-surface HA receptors. This review discusses basic and clinical translational aspects of targeting each HA family member and respective treatment approaches that have been described in the literature.
Biochemical Activities and Genetic Functions of the Drosophila melanogaster Fancm Helicase in DNA Repair

Repair of DNA damage is essential to the preservation of genomic stability. During repair of double-strand breaks, several helicases function to promote accurate repair and prevent the formation of crossovers through homologous recombination. Among these helicases is the Fanconi anemia group M (FANCM) protein. FANCM is important in the response to various types of DNA damage and has been suggested to prevent mitotic crossovers during double-strand break repair. The helicase activity of FANCM is believed to be important in these functions, but no helicase activity has been detected in vitro. We report here a genetic and biochemical study of Drosophila melanogaster Fancm. We show that purified Fancm is a 3ʹ to 5ʹ ATP-dependent helicase that can disassemble recombination intermediates, but only through limited lengths of duplex DNA. Using transgenic flies expressing full-length or truncated Fancm, each with either a wild-type or mutated helicase domain, we found that there are helicase-independent and C-terminal-independent functions in responding to DNA damage and in preventing mitotic crossovers.
Developing a comportment and communication tool for use in hospital medicine

BACKGROUND An exceptional experience in a hospital is largely influenced by the quality and performance of the hospitalist physician. We set out to establish a metric that would comprehensively assess hospitalists' comportment and communication to establish norms and expectations. METHODS The chiefs of hospital medicine divisions at 5 hospitals were asked to identify their "most clinically excellent" hospitalists. An investigator observed each hospitalist during a routine clinical shift and recorded behaviors believed to be associated with excellent comportment and communication using the hospital medicine comportment and communication tool (HMCCOT). Content, internal structure, and relation to other variables validity evidence were established. Analysis of the data for every single patient encounter allowed for the iterative revision of the HMCCOT and the calculation of scores. The mean HMCCOT score of each provider was compared to their Press Ganey (PG) scores. RESULTS The mean age of the 26 participating physicians was 38 years, 13 (50%) were female, and 16 (62%) were of nonwhite race. The mean HMCCOT score was 61 (interquartile range = 37-80). HMCCOT score and PG were moderately correlated (adjusted Pearson correlation = 0.45, P = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS This study represents a first step to specifically characterize comportment and communication in hospital medicine. Because hospitalists spend only a small proportion of their clinical time in direct patient care, it is imperative that excellent comportment and communication be established as a goal for every encounter. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;11:853-858. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Temperature-assisted solute focusing with sequential trap/release zones in isocratic and gradient capillary liquid chromatography: Simulation and experiment.

Abstract In this work we characterize the development of a method to enhance temperature-assisted on-column solute focusing (TASF) called two-stage TASF . A new instrument was built to implement two-stage TASF consisting of a linear array of three independent, electronically controlled Peltier devices (thermoelectric coolers, TECs). Samples are loaded onto the chromatographic column with the first two TECs, TEC A and TEC B , cold. In the two-stage TASF approach TECs A and B are cooled during injection. TEC A is heated following sample loading. At some time following TEC A ’s temperature rise, TEC B ’s temperature is increased from the focusing temperature to a temperature matching that of TEC A . Injection bands are focused twice on-column, first on the initial TEC, e.g. single-stage TASF, then refocused on the second, cold TEC. Our goal is to understand the two-stage TASF approach in detail. We have developed a simple yet powerful digital simulation procedure to model the effect of changing temperature in the two focusing zones on retention, band shape and band spreading. The simulation can predict experimental chromatograms resulting from spatial and temporal temperature programs in combination with isocratic and solvent gradient elution. To assess the two-stage TASF method and the accuracy of the simulation well characterized solutes are needed. Thus, retention factors were measured at six temperatures (25–75 °C) at each of twelve mobile phases compositions (0.05-0.60 acetonitrile/water) for homologs of n -alkyl hydroxylbenzoate esters and n -alkyl p- hydroxyphenones. Simulations accurately reflect experimental results in showing that the two-stage approach improves separation quality. For example, two-stage TASF increased sensitivity for a low retention solute by a factor of 2.2 relative to single-stage TASF and 8.8 relative to isothermal conditions using isocratic elution. Gradient elution results for two-stage TASF were more encouraging. Application of two-stage TASF increased peak height for the least retained solute in the test mixture by a factor of 3.2 relative to single-stage TASF and 22.3 compared to isothermal conditions for an injection four-times the column volume. TASF improved resolution and increased peak capacity; for a 12-min separation peak capacity increased from 75 under isothermal conditions to 146 using single-stage TASF, and 185 for two-stage TASF.
Explicit (global) parametrization of all stabilizing compensators and observers for linear feedback systems

An explicit global parametrization of all stabilizing feedback laws (guaranteeing the internal stability of the closed-loop system) and observers for a linear system defined over a field are developed. The global stabilizing compensators and observers are obtained as linear systems over rings of multivariable polynomials (in real variables, if the original system is defined over real numbers). Substitutions of certain values to these parameters yield the individual stabilizing compensators and observers. Explicit formulae are given, that require solution of only linear equations over the base field (e.g. real numbers) for the first time for the construction of such compensators and observers. The results are applicable to both direct dynamic output feedback configurations, and observer and state-feedback configurations. The results established here can be readily complemented by certain parameter optimization techniques in the literature to obtain a general purpose control system design technique that tak...
Implications of Crystal Structure on Organotin Carboxylate Photoresists

A series of five organotin carboxylates of the type [RSn(O)O2CR’]6 containing n-butyl ligands and carboxylates ranging in size from formate to diphenylacetate were synthesized and examined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal and packing structures of each compound were compared with regards to the steric and intermolecular forces of the varying carboxylate groups in order to aid the understanding of how these same factors relate to irradiation trends in EUV lithography of thin films. The trends found are compared to other factors that may also dictate resist formation in order to elucidate a fuller picture of the chemical transformations that occur when patterning inorganic materials.
A Panel on Ethics: Introduction

Imagining this panel, I have had the hope that a dialogue about psychoanalysis among analysts with overlapping and different perspectives could thrive in these pages. I feel this hope has been deep...
High-Performance Biogas Upgrading Using a Biotrickling Filter and Hydrogenotrophic Methanogens

This research reports the development of a biotrickling filter (BTF) to upgrade biogas, which is achieved by adding H2 to reduce CO2. H2 and CO2 (80:20% vol.) were fed to a bench-scale BTF packed with polyurethane foam (PUF) and inoculated with hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Maximum CH4 production rates recorded were as high as 38 m3 CH4 m−3 reactor day−1, which is 5–30 times faster than earlier reports with other kinds of bioreactors. The high rates were attributed to the efficient mass transfer and high density of methanogens in the BTF. The removal efficiencies for H2 and CO2 were 83 and 96%, respectively. 5-Cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride/DAPI staining revealed that 67% of cells were alive near the gas entrance port, while only 8.3% were alive at the exit. Furthermore, DNA sequencing showed that only 27% of the biomass was composed of Euryarchaeota, the phylum which includes methanogens. These two observations suggest that optimizing the methanogen density and activity could possibly reach even higher biogas upgrading rates.
BLINDED LATE GADOLINIUM ENHANCEMENT QUANTIFICATION OF AGE MATCHED ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT BECKER AND DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY CARDIOMYOPATHY

Becker Muscular Dystrophy(BMD) cardiomyopathy varies widely in regards to onset, severity, and progression. Evidence-based treatment of myocardial fibrosis attenuates fibrosis progression associated with left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) decline. However, a lack of early natural history
Aortic Stenosis Percutaneous Interventions

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is a disruptive technology for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis. It has allowed for the treatment of high-risk and potentially inoperable aortic stenosis patients. The safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement has been evaluated rigorously in multiple pivotal randomized clinical trials. Advancements in the technology with significant improvement in clinical outcomes and safety of the procedure have allowed for the expansion of indications to lower-risk groups. Future development will focus on patient selection and continued device refinement and technique with further expansion to low-risk patients and other clinical indications.
Long-Term Consequences of Acute Kidney Injury in Children.

AKI has become a common complication in hospitalized children ([1][1],[2][2]). It has garnered much attention of late because of its association with higher mortality, longer hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) lengths of stay, and prolonged mechanical ventilation courses ([1][1]). Although AKI
Ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration at time of laparotomy in a patient with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome.

Objective To demonstrate a unique case of direct ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration at time of a laparotomy in a patient with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome. Design Video presentation. Setting Academic fertility center Patient(s) A 32-year-old gravida 0 with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome and bilateral ovarian masses presented as a fertility preservation consult from gynecologic oncology due to the possibility of bilateral oophorectomy. Due to the appearance and size of the left ovary oncology planned to perform an exploratory laparotomy and left oophorectomy, with possible right oophorectomy. The patient and her partner desired embryo cryopreservation with plans for future use in a gestational carrier. She had previously undergone vaginal dilator therapy, however her ovaries were inaccessible transvaginally due to their cephalad location and small caliber of the vaginal pouch. The plan was made to proceed with controlled ovarian stimulation and concurrent ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration of the right ovary at the time of laparotomy following left oophorectomy. Intervention(s) Ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration in vivo at time of laparotomy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Successful controlled ovarian stimulation, oocyte retrieval and embryo cryopreservation. Result(s) The patient underwent a long agonist protocol and received a total of 2,525 units of gonadotropin with a peak estradiol of 3,264 pg/ml. She required a total of 9 days of stimulation. The normal right ovary responded as expected, and the left ovary remained unchanged. Following laparotomy and left oophorectomy, direct application of the transvaginal ultrasound probe was used to aspirate all visible follicles on the right side in vivo. Twenty-four oocytes were retrieved, 15 were mature and 5 blastocysts were cryopreserved. Final pathology of left ovary returned as serous cystadenoma. The right ovary was examined by gynecologic oncology prior to and following retrieval and was thought to be normal and remained in situ. Conclusion(s) Although the approach described here is not feasible in most cases, this video demonstrates a unique and successful fertility preservation technique by direct ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration in vivo at the time of laparotomy in a Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome patient and to our knowledge, is the first description of its kind. This retrieval would have otherwise been limited by lack of access transvaginally and limited visualization transabdominally. This combined approach should be considered in future patients with mullerian anomalies and similar complicating factors necessitating laparotomy.
Imagined Temporal Groupings Tune Oscillatory Neural Activity for Processing Rhythmic Sounds

Temporal patterns within complex sound signals, such as music, are not merely processed after they are heard. We also focus attention to upcoming points in time to aid perception, contingent upon regularities we perceive in the sounds’ inherent rhythms. Such organized predictions are endogenously maintained as meter— the patterning of sounds into hierarchical timing levels that manifest as strongand weakevents. Models of neural oscillations provide potential means for how meter could arise in the brain, but little evidence of dynamic neural activity has been offered. To this end, we conducted a study instructing participants to imagine two-based or three-based metric patterns over identical, equally-spaced sounds while we recorded the electroencephalogram (EEG). In the three-based metric pattern, multivariate analysis of the EEG showed contrasting patterns of neural oscillations between strong and weak events in the delta (2–4 Hz) and alpha (9–14 Hz), frequency bands, while theta (4–9 Hz) and beta (16–24 Hz) bands contrasted two hierarchically weaker events. In two-based metric patterns, neural activity did not drastically differ between strong and weak events. We suggest the findings reflect patterns of neural activation and suppression responsible for shaping perception through time.
Teacher Participation in Content-Focused Professional Development & The Role of State Policy

Background/ContextRecent research has demonstrated the potential for teacher professional development to enhance teacher learning, improve instruction, and increase student achievement. Nevertheles...
Quality Oversight: Medical Record Review

For many years, physicians and other health care professionals have reviewed written medical records to assess outcomes. Medical record review is widely used for oversight, both internally by hospitals and other facilities and by oversight agencies (e.g., peer review organizations acting for third party payers, insurance companies and governmental bodies.)
Overview: cheese chemistry and rheology.

Cheese is the generic name of a group of cultured fermented products represented world-wide in well over 500 varieties. More than 700 varieties are described in USDA Handbook No. 54 (Walter and Hargrove, 1969). Cheese represents perhaps one of the oldest means of food preservation and is made wherever animals are milked, whether the animal is a cow, buffalo, reindeer, goat, sheep, horse, camel, ass, yak or llama. Cheese is highly nutritious because it contains almost all of the protein, usually most of the fat, essential vitamins and minerals and other nutrients of milk in a concentrated form.
Genetic Family Histories: An Aid to Social Work Assessment:

The focus, depth, and use of genetic family histories vary depending on the agency purpose and the client's presenting problem. Failure to obtain genetic family histories can result in inaccurate a...
RILEM and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) over the past 50 years

There has been a long partnership in the materials science of building materials between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States and the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures (RILEM). This paper discusses on the technical contributions NIST has made to RILEM, focusing on the articles published in Materials and Structures, whose 50-year anniversary is being celebrated in this issue. Since 1968, NIST has had a name change and a building materials division was formed, merged, and renamed since the 1970s, while RILEM has stayed constant in its name and organization, although its technical committee structure is purposely fluid. Many NIST personnel have contributed to the partnership between RILEM and NIST in more than one material type. This overview briefly covers these areas.
Pectin or chitosan coating fortified with eugenol reduces Campylobacter jejuni on chicken wingettes and modulates expression of critical survival genes.

Campylobacter jejuni infection in humans is strongly associated with the consumption of contaminated poultry products. With increasing consumer demand for minimally processed and natural product, there is a need for novel intervention strategies for controlling C. jejuni. Antimicrobial coatings are increasingly being used for preventing food contamination due to their efficacy and continuous protection of product. This study investigated the efficacy of pectin and chitosan coating fortified with eugenol to reduce C. jejuni on chicken wingettes. Pectin, chitosan, and eugenol are generally recognized as safe status compounds derived from berries, crustaceans, and cloves respectively. Each wingette was inoculated with a mixture of 4 wild-type strains of C. jejuni (approximately 107 CFU/sample) and randomly assigned to controls, pectin (3%), chitosan (2%), eugenol (0.5, 1, or 2%), or their combinations. Following 1 min of coating, wingettes were air-dried, vacuum sealed, and sampled on 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 d of refrigerated storage for C. jejuni and aerobic counts (n = 5 wingettes/treatment/d). In addition, the effect of treatments on wingette color and expression of C. jejuni survival/virulence genes was evaluated. All 3 doses of eugenol or chitosan significantly reduced C. jejuni and aerobic bacteria from 0 d through 7 d. Incorporation of 2% eugenol in chitosan improved coating efficiency and reduced C. jejuni counts by approximately 3 Log CFU/sample at the end of 7 d of storage (P < 0.05). Similarly, the antimicrobial efficacy of pectin was improved by 2% eugenol and the coating reduced C. jejuni by approximately 2 Log CFU/sample at 7 d of storage. Chitosan coating with 2% eugenol also showed greater reductions of total aerobic counts as compared to individual treatments of eugenol and chitosan. No significant difference in the color of chicken wingettes was observed between treatments. Exposure of C. jejuni to eugenol, chitosan, or combination significantly modulated select genes encoding for motility, quorum sensing, and stress response. Results demonstrate the potential of pectin or chitosan coating fortified with eugenol as a postharvest intervention against C. jejuni contamination on poultry products.
Abstract 042: Gender Differences in Response to Chronic Angiotensin-(1-7) Treatment in Obesity

Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) is a vasodilatory hormone of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) that has recently been shown to play a role in glucose homeostasis. Our previous study showed that obese male...
Amantadine Use for Postconcussion Syndrome

The development of postconcussion syndrome after traumatic brain injury can result in a wide range of potentially debilitating symptoms that includes headaches, cognitive dysfunction, and mood disorders. Unfortunately, data on helpful medications are quite limited, particularly on the treatment of persistent headaches attributed to trauma. This retrospective medical record review used data collected from patients with a diagnosis of postconcussion syndrome in Mayo Clinic's Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient clinics to evaluate the response of postconcussive symptoms to amantadine. A complete trial of amantadine was defined as 100 mg twice per day for 2 months. Thirty-three patients were prescribed amantadine for postconcussive syndrome after traumatic brain injury. One-third of patients discontinued the medication because of adverse effects. However, posttraumatic headaches were improved in 80% of patients who completed a full trial of amantadine. Surprisingly, patients had improvement in headaches even if the medication was prescribed years after the initial trauma. Little improvement was noted in other symptoms such as poor memory, dizziness, and personality changes. Although additional research is certainly needed, amantadine may be a reasonable medication to consider for the treatment of persistent headaches attributed to trauma, even if the initial injury is remote.
John Calvin’s quarrel with civil recourse theory

This essay traces in skeletal form a history of the Christian critique of litigation, with a focus on the well-articulated argument of the Reformation theologian John Calvin. Most of contemporary private law theory focuses on the idea of liability. For law and economics liability is a price placed on certain conduct in order to create optimal incentives. For moral theorists, such as partisans of corrective justice theory in tort law, liability is the manifestation of a duty of repair that the law imposes on wrong doers. Missing from these theories is the agency of the plaintiff, yet this is precisely the feature of private litigation that Christianity has criticized through the centuries. In contrast to other contemporary approaches to private law, civil recourse theory emphasizes the way that private law empowers plaintiffs to act against those that have wronged them. In contrast to much of contemporary private law theory, Calvin’s argument is indifferent to the scope of duties and liabilities. Rather, like civil recourse theorists, he focuses on the agency of plaintiffs. Calvin’s argument, however, is critical of key assumptions of those theorists. First, it suggests that generally speaking instituting a suit is immoral. Second, Calvin’s argument suggests that revenge and “the right to be punitive,” which civil recourse theorists have offered as the basis for punitive damages, cannot be proper reasons for the law. Finally, and most controversially, Calvin seems to reject the “right to reparation” on which some civil recourse theorists have sought to normatively ground private law.