cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low‐Cost, Damage‐Free Patterning of Lead Zirconate Titanate Films

The ability to pattern piezoelectric thin films without damage is crucial for the development of microelectromechanical systems. Direct patterning of complex oxides through microcontact printing was explored as an alternative to subtractive patterning. This process utilized an elastomeric stamp to transfer a chemical solution precursor of a piezoelectric material onto a substrate in a desired pattern. Polyurethane-based stamps improved wetting of polar solutions on the stamp. This allowed for high-fidelity patterning over multiple stamping cycles. Microcontact printing deposited patterned PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 layers from 0.1 to 1 μm in thickness. The lateral feature sizes attained varied from 5 to 500 μm. Upon crystallization at 700°C, the features formed phase-pure perovskite PZT. The printed features had comparable electrical and electromechanical properties to those of continuous PZT films of similar thicknesses. For example, 1 μm thick PZT features had a permittivity of 1050 and a loss tangent of 0.02 at 10 kHz. The remanent polarization was 30 μC/cm2, and the coercive field was 45 kV/cm. The piezoelectric coefficient e31,f was −7 C/m2. These values indicated that the microcontact printing process did not adversely affect the PZT crystallization or properties for the thicknesses explored in this work.
Conidial morphology and ecological characteristics as diagnostic tools for identifying Claviceps purpurea from salt-marsh habitats

Claviceps purpurea associated with grass hosts in salt-marsh habitats, also known as G3 ergot, can be differentiated from C. purpurea infecting grasses in other habitats, using genetic, chemical, and morphological criteria. However, only morphological analysis can be preformed on herbarium specimens, which should not be destroyed, or older samples that cannot be grown in culture. To determine if conidial characteristics could be employed to identify the three infraspecific groups of C. purpurea (G1–G3), sclerotia from terrestrial grasses (G1), moist habitats (G2), and salt-marsh habitats (G3) were examined. All G1 sclerotia sank in water. All G3 sclerotia floated in water, except those from Washington State, which had variable buoyancy characteristics. Group 2 sclerotia did not float in water, except those collected from Calamagrostis nutkaensis and Ammophila breviligulata. Based on the length of conidia derived from a plant host, G1 samples are indistinguishable from G2 samples but are significantly diff...
The Political Color Line in America: Many "Peoples of Color" or Black Exceptionalism?

Despite the successes of the civil rights movement, a largely impermeable color line continues to restrict African Americans from assimilation into the broader American society. In the meantime high rates of immigration have produced an increasingly culturally diverse population. A "people of color" hypothesis suggests that the color line the new immigrants face resembles that imposed on African Americans. A "black exceptionalism" hypothesis suggests instead that the color line will be more porous for them, allowing for greater assimilation over successive generations, including a gradual weakening of politi cized racial and ethnic group consciousness. Using data from Los Angeles County Social Surveys, we find that the largest new immigrant group, Latinos, like blacks, show strongly group-interested policy preferences and strong group consciousness. However; both effects are strongerfor recent Latino immigrants than for the U.S. -born. We conclude that the new immigrant groups are increasingly likely to assimilate politically into the broader society in future generations, whereas a rather strict color line will continue to restrict blacks and maintain their distinctiveness.
Image and perceived risk: A study of Uganda and its official tourism website

Abstract Increasingly, perceived risk is part of a destination’s image. This is particularly true for Africa. This study investigated images and risks associated with Uganda and whether exposure to Uganda’s official tourism website could induce image change. A classic two group randomized experimental design was used. Exposure to Uganda’s official tourism website was the intervention. Pre-test images, formed prior to website exposure were negative for both groups, and Uganda was perceived as a risky destination. Post-test images for the experimental group, formed after exposure to the website, were significantly more positive and perceived risk was reduced. Post-test images and perceived risk for the control group remained the same. Five underlying dimensions of perceived risk in Uganda were identified. It appears that by addressing these underlying dimensions, African destinations could use the web to better manage image and perceived risk. More integration between the image and risk literatures is recommended.
Scannable plasmonic trapping using a gold stripe.

Using counterpropagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on a gold stripe, we demonstrate a scannable integrated optical tweezer. We demonstrate the trapping of individual fluorescent beads on the stripe, which supports a single quasi-transverse magnetic (TM) mode at the metal−water interface. The beads are localized to the stripe center, with a standard deviation of 51 nm transverse to the stripe, corresponding to a trap stiffness of 1.7 pN/μm. The localization along the stripe is achieved by balancing the scattering forces from the two counterpropagating SPPs excited by prism coupling. The particle position along the stripe can be controlled by varying the relative intensity of the two input beams. This work adds an important new capability to plasmonic optical tweezers, that of scanning. We anticipate that this will broaden the range of applications of plasmonic optical manipulation.
Diabetes’s ‘Health Shock’ To Schooling And Earnings: Increased Dropout Rates And Lower Wages And Employment In Young Adults

Despite a growing diabetes crisis, the nonmedical implications for young adults have gone virtually unexplored. We investigated the effects of diabetes on two key outcomes for this age group—schooling and earnings—and found that it delivers an increasingly common “health shock” to both. We identified effects in several measures of educational attainment, including a high school dropout rate that was six percentage points higher than among young adults without the disease. We also found lower employment and wages: A person with diabetes can conservatively expect to lose more than $160,000 over his or her working life, compared to a peer without the disease. For young adults with diabetes, having a parent with diabetes also leads to poorer outcomes than if one more parents do not have the disease—for example, reducing the likelihood of attending college by four to six percentage points, even after the child’s health status is controlled for. These results highlight the urgency of attacking this growing heal...
Stochastic Mutation Algorithm in Multi-objective Design Optimization

The design of integrated multiple objective systems is, a complex problem involving the work of various disciplines, each dependent on the other. The computation or prediction of plane wave backscattered field is one of the primary design disciplines of future spacecraft and weapon systems. The task of computing the electromagnetic backscattered field of a spacecraft structure is by no means a new endeavor. Whereas predicting a minimal backscattered field return under the manipulation of airframe geometry in the context of multi-objective design is considered the most exhaustive approach to obtain the optimal solution and is a new endeavor. The purpose of this paper is to develop a mathematical method to couple the backscattered field with the defined aerodynamic performance constraints in the design process of future spacecraft.
Methane Dissociation in Pulsed dc Discharges at High Reduced Electric Field

High-speed discharge imaging, current/voltage characteristic, and time-resolved emission spectroscopic measurements were performed on fast-rise (20 ns), short-pulsed (400 ns), high-voltage (4-8 kV) dc discharges into CH 4 and pure H 2 flows at 50 torr as functions of discharge gap (0.25-1.00 cm). Additionally, the discharges were spectrally imaged using plasma emissions from the C 2 bands near 516 nm and the CH band at 431 nm. The dependence of discharge homogeneity on discharge gap at constant pressure and discharge gas preionization are documented. current/voltage measurements with variable gap give a sheath voltage drop of 300 V and an average E/N of 80 Townsends during the steady-state portion of the discharges, and up to 300 Td during the early part of the discharge pulse (5-kV drive voltage). Under conditions that enhance discharge inhomogeneity, C 2 emissions are substantially brighter (factor of 7) than when the discharge is diffuse. This suggests that the buildup of carbon clusters on the discharge electrodes plays a role in the formation of highly inhomogeneous discharge geometries. Time-resolved measurements of H α radiation in CH 4 and H 2 discharges suggest significant H-atom production (∼10 1 4 H atoms/cm 3 ) during a single discharge pulse into CH 4 with 5.6-mJ (0.70-mJ/cm 3 ) pulse energy.
Achieving Ideal Cardiovascular and Brain Health: Opportunity Amid Crisis Presidential Address at the American Heart Association 2010 Scientific Sessions

Good afternoon, and welcome to Scientific Sessions 2010. I am honored to be here with so many skilled and passionate professionals dedicated to scientific research and the fight against cardiovascular diseases and stroke. I would like to extend a special welcome to those of you who made the journey from any of the >100 nations represented here today. Our community is a global one, so this meeting belongs to all of us. I stand here today as the first neurologist to serve as president of the American Heart Association (AHA). And that is no accident. We are the AHA/American Stroke Association, and we are committed to conquering all cardiovascular diseases and stroke. I am excited to be part of an organization with members from so many backgrounds, disciplines, and interests, and one that merges the passions of so many clinicians, basic scientists, and population investigators. It is a testament to the diverse and talented membership of the AHA—the real power behind our multidisciplinary fight against cardiovascular diseases and stroke. We each bring a unique perspective, and our collective wisdom is an enormous resource. Today, my goal is to convince you that we are facing a global crisis that is attacking both our hearts and our brains. We must work together to improve the health of our patients, the public … even ourselves. I will focus on the AHA's newest weapon in this fight. It is our 10-year goal to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20% by the year 2020, while reducing cardiovascular and stroke deaths by 20%.1 To achieve this ambitious goal, we first needed to define “ideal cardiovascular health.” We have done that, and using that definition, we all need …
Dynamic nature of electrocardiographic waveform predicts rescue shock outcome in porcine ventricular fibrillation

Abstract Study objective: Survival decreases with duration of ventricular fibrillation, and it is possible that failed rescue shocks increase myocardial damage. Structure in the ECG signal during ventricular fibrillation can be quantified by using the scaling exponent, a dimensionless measure that correlates with ventricular fibrillation duration. This study examined whether the scaling exponent could predict rescue shock success and whether unsuccessful rescue shocks altered the structure of the ventricular fibrillation waveform and the responsiveness to subsequent rescue shocks. Methods: Ventricular fibrillation was electrically induced in 44 anesthetized swine, which were randomly assigned to receive 70-J biphasic rescue shocks at 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 minutes. If rescue shocks failed, up to 2 subsequent rescue shocks were performed at 2-minute intervals. The scaling exponent was calculated at 1-second intervals from ECG to quantify the organization of the ventricular fibrillation waveform. Results: A total of 92 rescue shocks were delivered, of which 23 successfully converted ventricular fibrillation to an organized rhythm (immediate success). After these 23 rescue shocks, 14 swine sustained organized rhythms for more than 30 seconds (sustained success). Lower scaling exponent values were associated with increased probability of successful rescue shocks. Receiver operating characteristic curves had an area under the curve of 0.86 for immediate rescue shock success and 0.93 for sustained rescue shock success. Failed rescue shocks increased the rate of scaling exponent increase over time but did not appear to affect subsequent rescue shock success when the scaling exponent was taken into account. Conclusion: Highly deterministic ventricular fibrillation, reflected by a low scaling exponent, predicted rescue shock success regardless of antecedent failed rescue shocks. In addition, unsuccessful rescue shocks might decrease post-rescue shock ventricular fibrillation waveform organization. [ Ann Emerg Med. 2003;42:230-241.]
Price Controls And Global Pharmaceutical Progress

ABSTRACT: This Perspective reviews critically the work on price control impacts by Darius Lakdawalla and colleagues. It argues that the innovation elasticity of 3.0 emphasized by the authors is too...
Fast method of correlation measurement of planar particle fields

A new correlation algorithm, which combines filtering with correlation, is proposed to extract displacement fields for particle image velocimetry (PIV) and holographic particle velocimetry (HPV). In addition, an integrated circuit (IC) design is proposed to substitute for dedicated floating point processors used in PIV systems. This breakthrough eliminates dedicated processors from PIV. >
The Impact of Non-audit Services on Capital Markets

The framers of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOA) presume that non-audit services lower the quality of financial statements, so they have prohibited auditors from offering most non-audit services. In addition, regulators believe that non-audit services (NAS) may cause the auditor to be perceived as dependent in appearance, thus increasing information risk, even if they have no impact on the quality of financial statements. I investigate two hypotheses using pre-SOA data. First, I ask whether the proportion of non-audit services fees to total fees has a positive or negative association with the ability of financial statements to predict a firm's future cash flows, which can be considered a measure of the quality of the statements. Second, I ask whether the proportion has a negative or positive association with the cost of capital and the bid/ask spread, controlling for the predictive ability. The cost of capital and the bid/ask spread serve as proxies of information risk. Contrary to the proponents of prohibiting NAS, I find that the proportion of non-audit services fees to total fees has a positive association with the predictive ability. If we control for the quality of financial statements, non-audit services still have a negative association with the cost of capital and the bid/ask spread as proxies for information risk. These findings suggest that there are benefits from non-audit services, both to the quality of financial statements and to reducing information risk.
Randomized Trial of Prolonged Exposure for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with and without Cognitive Restructuring: Outcome at Academic and Community Clinics.

Female assault survivors (N=171) with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomly assigned to prolonged exposure (PE) alone, PE plus cognitive restructuring (PE/CR), or wait-list (WL). Treatment, which consisted of 9-12 sessions, was conducted at an academic treatment center or at a community clinic for rape survivors. Evaluations were conducted before and after therapy and at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Both treatments reduced PTSD and depression in intent-to-treat and completer samples compared with the WL condition; social functioning improved in the completer sample. The addition of CR did not enhance treatment outcome. No site differences were found: Treatment in the hands of counselors with minimal cognitive- behavioral therapy (CBT) experience was as efficacious as that of CBT experts. Treatment gains were maintained at follow-up, although a minority of patients received additional treatment.
Java programming for high-performance numerical computing

First proposed as a mechanism for enhancing Web content, the JavaTM language has taken off as a serious general-purpose programming language. Industry and academia alike have expressed great interest in using the Java language as a programming language for scientific and engineering computations. Applications in these domains are characterized by intensive numerical computing and often have very high performance requirements. In this paper we discuss programming techniques that lead to Java numerical codes with performance comparable to FORTRAN or C, the more traditional languages for this field. The techniques are centered around the use of a high-performance numerical library, written entirely in the Java language, and on compiler technology. The numerical library takes the form of the Array package for Java. Proper use of this package, and of other appropriate tools for compiling and running a Java application, results in code that is clean, portable, and fast. We illustrate the programming and performance issues through case studies in data mining and electromagnetism.
Finding the fifth base: Genome-wide sequencing of cytosine methylation

Complete sequences of myriad eukaryotic genomes, including several human genomes, are now available, and recent dramatic developments in DNA sequencing technology are opening the floodgates to vast volumes of sequence data. Yet, despite knowing for several decades that a significant proportion of cytosines in the genomes of plants and animals are present in the form of methylcytosine, until very recently the precise locations of these modified bases have never been accurately mapped throughout a eukaryotic genome. Advanced "next-generation" DNA sequencing technologies are now enabling the global mapping of this epigenetic modification at single-base resolution, providing new insights into the regulation and dynamics of DNA methylation in genomes.
Analysis of factors influencing lipid oxidation in hazelnuts (Corylus spp.)

Significant genotypic variability was found in total fat, fatty acid and alpha-tocopherol contents and lipoxygenase (LOX) activity of kernels of Corylus avellana cultivars Barcelona, Ennis, Tonda Gentile Delle Longe (TGDL) and a wild hazelnut, Corylus cornuta. Relationships existed between shelf-lives for kernels/nuts of these cultivars and polyunsaturated fat, alpha-tocopherol and LOX activity levels. Barcelona and Ennis, previously shown to be less resistant to oxidative deterioration (shorter shelf-lives), were higher in polyunsaturated fat and LOX activity. Conversely, the antioxidant alpha-tocopherol was present in higher concentrations in the more stable TGDL than in the other cultivars. There was no apparent relationship between shelf-life and mineral or protein content.
Evaluating SEDCAD Model Performance on Reclaimed Coal Mine Lands in East Tennessee

AbstractThe Sediment, Erosion, Discharge by Computer Aided Design (SEDCAD) program is extensively used in the mining industry for engineering site layout plans with best management practices (BMPs) for erosion control. Although SEDCAD is the primary BMP design tool used in this industry, very limited published information is available on its performance estimating site runoff and sediment yields. This study compared sediment yields from three surface coal mining sites in east Tennessee with SEDCAD modeled outputs. Study sites included active mining operations on steep slopes (>20°) where after mining, approximate natural hillslope contours were reconstructed by using loose spoil materials on top of slope, at shallow depths of 1–2 m, following the Forest Reclamation Approach. The SEDCAD model inputs included the site-derived hydrologic curve number (CN) of 59 and average erodibility K factors ranging from 0.001–0.034 Mg·ha·h·ha−1·MJ−1·mm−1 varying on the basis of pre- and postrill development periods and ...
Docs and cops: a collaborating or colliding partnership?

Abstract [Hargarten SW, Waeckerle JF. Docs and cops: a collaborating or colliding partnership? Ann Emerg Med. October 2001;38:438-440.]
Beta blockade to prevent atrial dysrhythmias following coronary bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter (AF) frequently complicate coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and increase hospital stay as well as morbidity. Studies of drug prophylaxis to prevent AF with β-adrenergic blocking agents administered in fixed doses have had conflicting results. METHODS: One hundred patients were randomized to receive metoprolol or placebo following CABG. A dosing algorithm was used to achieve clinically significant β-adrenergic blockade. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the incidence of AF in the metoprolol (24%) and placebo (26%) groups. However, the incidence of AF in all patients having CABG at this institution declined over the period of the study from 31% to 23% (P <.025), in association with the adoption of a continuous technique of cardioplegia delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Metoprolol is not efficacious for the prevention of post-CABG AF even when dosage is titrated to achieve clinical evidence of β blockade. It is likely that the adoption of a continuous cardioplegia technique caused a reduction in our incidence of post-CABG AF.
Response of arthropod biodiversity to foundation species declines: The case of the eastern hemlock

Widespread declines of foundation species, such as many corals, kelps, and overstory trees, are of grave concern because, by definition, these species create and maintain habitat that supports other species. Nevertheless, past responses to their declines, many of which were caused by invasive species, have been late and ineffective, underscoring the need to predict changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function associated with species invasions and foundation species losses. One predictive, but under-used, approach is to compare the species and functions associated with the afflicted foundation species to its projected replacement communities. The taxa associated with the foundation species and subsequent successional stages would be expected to decline and increase, respectively. We used this approach to generate hypotheses for how arthropod diversity might change in response to extensive losses of eastern hemlock trees caused by the invasive, hemlock woolly adelgid (insect: Hemiptera, Adelgidae). Our all-strata survey of the arthropods in an eastern hemlock forest and its expected replacement climax community in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, mixed hardwood forest, suggests that eastern hemlock losses might initiate increases in arthropod abundance, alpha diversity, and 23 arthropod taxa, might produce no change in evenness or composition of arthropod functional groups, but might trigger decreases in beta diversity and seven hemlock indicator taxa. These predictions are consistent with observed trends in arthropod responses to hemlock losses in other studies, and thus might be useful for targeting early monitoring, management, and conservation efforts. This research is exploratory, however, and tests of these predictions across larger spatial scales will be necessary to determine the generality of the findings.
Accommodation coefficients for water vapor at the air/water interface

The accommodation of water vapor at the air/water interface is studied using classical molecular dynamics computer simulations. From 250 initial conditions of a gas phase water molecule approaching the surface of liquid water with a thermal impact velocity, the thermal and mass accommodation coefficients are determined to be 1.0 and 0.99, respectively, at 300 K. When the approaching water molecule is 5 A above the liquid, it is accelerated towards the surface, which is followed by a slight rotational excitation upon impact. Within 4 ps of striking the surface, the total kinetic energy is equilibrated and the equilibrium number of water molecules in the first and second solvent shells is obtained.
The disproportionation of Cu(I)X mediated by ligand and solvent into Cu(0) and Cu(II)X2 and its implications for SET-LRP

Disproportionation of Cu(I)X is the major step in Single-Electron Transfer Living Radical Polymerization (SET-LRP). The disproportionation of Cu(I)X mediated by Me-6-TREN in various solvents was studied through UV-vis spectroscopy and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). UV-vis experiments reveal that disproportionation is dependent on both solvent composition and concentration of Me-6-TREN, consistent with a revised equilibrium expression and corroborated by mathematical models. Electrochemistry data do not accurately predict the extent of disproportionation in the presence of Me6-TREN. Exemplified by DMSO, a favored solvent for SET-LRP, LTV-vis spectroscopy shows that under certain conditions disproportionation is four-orders of magnitude greater than the value reported from electrochemistry experiments. Through LTV-vis and DLS analysis, it was demonstrated that DMSO, DMF, DMAC, and NMP, stabilize colloidal Cu(0), while acetone, EtOH, EC, MeOH, PC, and H2O facilitate agglomeration of Cu(0) particles. Additionally, for colloidal Cu(0) stabilizing solvents, the amount of ligand and solvent composition decide the particle size distribution. Therefore, the kinetics of SET-LRP are cooperatively and synergistically determined by the complex interplay of solvent polarity, the extent of disproportionation in the solvent/ligand mixture, and the ability of that mixture to stabilize colloidal Cu(0) or control particle size distribution. The implications of these results for SET-LRP are discussed. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47:5606-5628, 2009
Fracture of the neck of the femur after surface arthroplasty of the hip.

BackgroundThere are two main modes of failure of the femur following surface arthroplasty of the hip: femoral neck fracture and aseptic loosening. The purpose of the present study was to present our experience with femoral neck fractures that occurred after metal-on-metal hybrid surface arthroplasty
Phylogeny and biogeography in Solanaceae, Verbenaceae and Bignoniaceae: a comparison of continental and intercontinental diversification patterns

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies of Solanales and Lamiales show that Solanaceae, Verbenaceae and Bignoniaceae all diversified in South America. Estimated dates for the stem lineages of all three families imply origins in the Late Cretaceous, at which time South America had separated from the united Gondwanan continent. A comparison of clades in each family shows (1) success in most clades at dispersing to, and diversifying in, North America and/or the Caribbean, (2) a mix of adaptation to novel ecological zones and niche conservation, (3) limited dispersal to continents outside of the western hemisphere, and, where this has occurred, (4) no association between long-distance dispersal and fleshy, animal-dispersed fruits. Shared patterns among the three families contribute to a better understanding of the in situ diversification of the South American flora. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, ●●, ●●–●●.
Predicting pathogen growth during short-term temperature abuse of raw pork, beef, and poultry products: use of an isothermal-based predictive tool.

A computer-based tool (available at: www.wisc.edu/foodsafety/meatresearch) was developed for predicting pathogen growth in raw pork, beef, and poultry meat. The tool, THERM (temperature history evaluation for raw meats), predicts the growth of pathogens in pork and beef (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella serovars, and Staphylococcus aureus) and on poultry (Salmonella serovars and S. aureus) during short-term temperature abuse. The model was developed as follows: 25-g samples of raw ground pork, beef, and turkey were inoculated with a five-strain cocktail of the target pathogen(s) and held at isothermal temperatures from 10 to 43.3°C. Log CFU per sample data were obtained for each pathogen and used to determine lag-phase duration (LPD) and growth rate (GR) by DMFit software. The LPD and GR were used to develop the THERM predictive tool, into which chronological time and temperature data for raw meat processing and storage are entered. The THERM tool then predicts a Δ log CFU value for the desired pathog...
Prevention of Skin Carcinogenesis by the β-Blocker Carvedilol

The stress-related catecholamine hormones and the a -a nd b-adrenergic receptors (a -a ndb-AR) may affect carcinogenesis. The b-AR GRK/b-arrestin biased agonist carvedilol can induce b-AR–mediated transactivation of the EGFR. The initial purpose of this study was to determine whether carvedilol, through activation of EGFR, can promote cancer. Carvedilol failed to promote anchorage-independent growth of JB6 P þ cells, a skin cell model used to study tumor promotion. However, at nontoxic concentrations, carvedilol dose dependently inhibited EGF-induced malignant transformation of JB6 P þ cells, suggesting that carvedilol has chemopreventive activity against skin cancer. Such effect was not observed for the b-AR agonist isoproterenol and the b-AR antagonist atenolol. Gene expression, receptor binding, and functional studies indicate that JB6 P þ cells only express b2-ARs. Carvedilol, but not atenolol, inhibited EGF-mediated activator protein-1 (AP-1) activation. A topical 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced skin hyperplasia model in SENCAR mice was utilized to determine the in vivo cancer preventative activity of carvedilol. Both topical and oral carvedilol treatment inhibited DMBA-induced epidermal hyperplasia (P < 0.05) and reduced H-ras mutations; topical treatment being the most potent. However, in models of established cancer, carvedilol had modest to no inhibitory effect on tumor growth of human lung cancer A549 cells in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, these results suggest that the cardiovascular drug carvedilol may be repurposed for skin cancer chemoprevention, but may not be an effective treatment of established tumors. More broadly, this study suggests that b-ARs may serve as a novel target for cancer prevention. Cancer Prev Res; 1–10. � 2014 AACR.
Impact of "optimized" treatment planning for tandem and ring, and tandem and ovoids, using high dose rate brachytherapy for cervical cancer.

Abstract Purpose: Different treatment techniques are used in high dose rate (HDR) remote afterloading intracavitary brachytherapy for uterine cervical cancer. We have investigated the differences between "optimized" and "nonoptimized" therapy using both a tadem and ring (T/R) applicator, and a tandem and ovoids (T/Q), applicator. Methods and Materials: HDR afterloading brachytherapy using the Madison System for Stage IB cervical cancer was simulated for 100 different for 10 different patients using both a T/R applicator and a T/O applicator. A treatment course consists of external beam irradiation and five insertions of HDR afterloading brachytherapy. Full dosimetry calculations were performed at the initial insertion for both applicators and used as a reference for the following four insertions of the appropriate applicator. Forty dosimetry calculations were performed to determine the dose delivered to point M (similar to Point A), Point E (obturator lymph nodes), vaginal surface, bladder, and rectum. "Optimized" doses were specified to Point M and to the vaginal surface. "Nonoptimized" doses were specified to Point M only. Using the linear-quandratic equation, calculations gave been performed to convert the delivered dose using HDR to the biologically equivalent doses at the conventional low dose rate (LDR) at 0.60 Gy/h/ Results: Major differences between "optimized" and "nonoptimized" LDR equivalent doses were found at the vaginal surface, bladder, and rectum. Overdoses at the vaginal surface, bladder, and rectum were calculated to the 208%, nil, and 42%, respectively, for the T/R applicator with "nonoptimization". However, for the T/O applicator, the overdoses were smaller, being nil, 32%, and 27%, respectively, with "nonoptimization". Conclusion: Doses given in high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy border on tissue tolerance. "Optimization" of either applicator decreases the risk of a dose that may have potential for complications. Optimization of a tandem and ovoids best ensures that the doses are not dominished at the treatment sites, and that the potential for overdose is reduced.
Prostatectomy at high-volume centers improves outcomes and lowers the costs of care for prostate cancer.

Prostatectomy at high-volume centers improves outcomes and lowers the costs of care for prostate cancer
CO2 Adsorption on Anatase TiO2 (101) Surfaces in the Presence of Subnanometer Ag/Pt Clusters: Implications for CO2 Photoreduction

Using density functional theory calculations, we show how CO2 adsorption on perfect and reduced anatase TiO2 (101) surfaces can be substantially modified by the presence of surface Ag and Pt octamer clusters. We find that adsorption is affected even at sites where the adsorbate is not in direct contact with the octamer, which we attribute to charge donation to CO2 from the Ag/Pt-modified surface, as well as an electrostatic competition between attractive (Ti–O) and repulsive (Ti–C) interactions. In addition, TiO2-supported Pt octamers offer key advantages that could be leveraged for CO2 photoreduction, including providing additional stable adsorption sites for bent CO2 species and facilitating charge transfer to aid in CO2– anion formation. Electronic structure analysis suggests these factors arise primarily from the hybridization of the bonding molecular orbitals of CO2 with d orbitals of the Pt atoms. Our results show that, for adsorption on TiO2-supported Pt octamers, the O–C–O bending and C–O asymmetr...
Circuit Design of Wireless Alarm System for Medical Refrigerator and Cold Storage

A simple and high-efficiency wireless alarm system for medical refrigerator and cold storage was designed. This paper introduced the circuit design of the extension set in the aspects of coding circuit, transmission circuit, detection circuit for door opening of the refrigerator and so on as well as the circuit design of the main engine in the aspects of receiving circuit, decoding circuit and so on. The results of fault response tests for the system were also discussed in this paper.
Alternative techniques of intraoperative radiotherapy.

AIMS The article reviews current techniques for the delivery of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT). METHODS Various techniques have been developed to allow for IORT to be given as an adjuvant to surgical resection in the operating room during surgery. This article reviews these different techniques including: dedicated IORT units, intraoperative high dose rate brachytherapy and mobile IORT units such as the Mobetron. RESULTS IORT may be safely delivered by various methods during operation. Mobile linear accelerators, such as the Mobetron, may allow wider applications of IORT. Preliminary results of IORT at various institutions show promising results. CONCLUSIONS Widespread applications for IORT are feasible due to improvements in the technology. Future studies should define the proper role for IORT at various disease sites.
Nonmelanoma Cutaneous Malignancies

The nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC) are the most common human cancer type. More than half of all cancers diagnosed in the United States are NMSC. In the year 2003, more than 1.3 million new cases of NMSC will be diagnosed.1 One in 5 Americans born in 2003 will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Recent publications and articles in the lay press have labeled nonmelanoma NMSC as “today’s epidemic.” The incidence of NMSC has been rising since the 1960s at 4% to 8% per year.3 Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) account for 96% of new cases of NMSC. The remaining 4% consists of many other types of NMSC, but given their low incidence, discussion of these lesions is beyond the scope of this chapter.
On Fatigue and Fracture Behavior of Si-Alloyed Pyrolytic Carbon

A chemical vapor deposited, silicon alloyed, isotropic pyrolytic carbon (PyC) has been widely regarded as the primary candidate for the structural material for components of mechanical heart valve prostheses. The biocompatibility of PyC, in particular its thromboresistance, together with its resistance to degradation in the biological environment, has made it the material of choice[l]. The design of the valve and the choice of material must provide for survival for lifetimes of the order of 109 cycles.
Abstract 5020: Associations of clinical, molecular and immunohistochemical parameters in five different types of uterine smooth muscle tumors

Objective: To evaluate clinical, molecular and pathologic factors associated with 5 types of uterine smooth muscle tumors. Materials and Methods: Seventy-nine patients with leiomyosarcoma [31 (39.2%) LMS], smooth muscle tumors of undetermined significance [10 (12.7%) STUMP], atypical leiomyoma [19 (24.1%) ALM], mitotically active leiomyoma [5 (6.3%) MALM], and cellular leiomyoma [14 (17.7%) CLM] treated from 1997-2015 were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA, chi-square and logrank tests. Results: Mean age (years) differed across histologies: 54 (LMS), 36 (STUMP), 41 (ALM), and 47 (CLM/MALM) (p Of 6 gene markers examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC), ER and PR expression were significantly lower in LMS than in other types (p Conclusions: ER/PR and Ki67 IHC are valuable biomarkers in differentiating histology and predicting clinical recurrence in uterine smooth muscle tumors. Smoking cessation is key to decreasing recurrence. Citation Format: Margaux J. Kanis, Jennifer L. Bender, Anna E. Strohl, Denise Scholtens, Dachao Liu, John Lurain, Shohreh Shahabi, Jian-Jun Wei. Associations of clinical, molecular and immunohistochemical parameters in five different types of uterine smooth muscle tumors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 5020.
Establishing derived categorical responding in children with disabilities using the PEAK‐E curriculum

The purpose of the study was to evaluate a procedure to generate derived categorical responding by three children with disabilities and to promote the emergence of untrained intraverbal categorical responses. In the study, three 4-member equivalence classes including three stimuli (A, B, and C) and a category name (D) for each class were trained using a match-to-sample procedure. Test probes were conducted for categorical responding, including both a trained (D-A) and two derived (D-B, D-C) relational responses, as well as the emergence of untrained intraverbal categorical responding (D-A/B/C) throughout the study. Relational training was effective at promoting the emergence of categorical responding, and two of the three participants demonstrated the emergence of additional intraverbal responding without prior training. The results provide further evidence supporting the practical utility of stimulus equivalence as well as the PEAK-E curriculum.
Dispatchability conditions for schedules with consumable resources

Earlier work on scheduling by autonomous systems has demonstrated that schedules in the form of simple temporal networks, with intervals of values for possible event-times, can be made "dispatchable", i.e., executable incrementally in real time with guarantees against failure due to unfortunate event-time selections. In the present work we show how the property of dispatchability can be extended to networks that include constraints for consumable resources. We describe conditions that can be placed on resource use by activities during execution to avoid oversubscription while insuring schedule dispatchability. This involves preventing interactions between resource use and scheduling per se, that can compromise dispatchability. We also describe strategies that can be used in conjunction with these conditions to increase flexibility of resource allocation. This work indicates that flexible handling of resource use can be safely extended to the execution layer to provide more effective deployment of consumable resources.
Mature neurons dynamically restrict apoptosis via redundant premitochondrial brakes

Apoptotic cell death is critical for the early development of the nervous system, but once the nervous system is established, the apoptotic pathway becomes highly restricted in mature neurons. However, the mechanisms underlying this increased resistance to apoptosis in these mature neurons are not completely understood. We have previously found that members of the miR-29 family of microRNAs (miRNAs) are induced with neuronal maturation and that overexpression of miR-29 was sufficient to restrict apoptosis in neurons. To determine whether endogenous miR-29 alone was responsible for the inhibition of cytochrome c release in mature neurons, we examined the status of the apoptotic pathway in sympathetic neurons deficient for all three miR-29 family members. Unexpectedly, we found that the apoptotic pathway remained largely restricted in miR-29-deficient mature neurons. We therefore probed for additional mechanisms by which mature neurons resist apoptosis. We identify miR-24 as another miRNA that is upregulated in the maturing cerebellum and sympathetic neurons that can act redundantly with miR-29 by targeting a similar repertoire of prodeath BH3-only genes. Overall, our results reveal that mature neurons engage multiple redundant brakes to restrict the apoptotic pathway and ensure their long-term survival.
Non-Boolean Computing Benchmarking for Beyond-CMOS Devices Based on Cellular Neural Network

This paper presents a uniform benchmarking methodology for non-Boolean computation based on the cellular neural network (CNN) for a variety of beyond-CMOS device technologies, including charge-based and spintronic devices. Three types of CNN implementations are investigated using analog, digital, and spintronic circuits. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to quantify the impact of the input noise, thermal noise, and the number of bits representing the weights of synapses on the overall recall probability and delay. The results demonstrate that the recall probability improves significantly as the number of synapses increase. Using a 4-b resolution for synapse weights provides the best tradeoff between the required numbers of synapses and synapse bits for a target recall rate. Finally, three types of CNN implementations with various device technologies are benchmarked for a given input noise and recall accuracy target. It is shown that spintronic devices are promising candidates to implement CNNs, where up to 3× energy-delay product improvement is predicted in domain wall devices compared to its conventional CMOS counterpart.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Foot Osteomyelitis

Abstract Background: Conflicting studies exist regarding the impact of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on increased time to wound healing, future need for surgical procedures, an...
Transcriptional Activation of Mdm2 in Germinal-Center B Cells Is Induced by IRF8.

The transcription factor, interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8), is expressed at low levels in both naive and terminally differentiated B cells but at high levels in germinal center (GC) B cells where it contributes to transcriptional activation of two genes critically involved in the GC reaction: BCL6 , a BTB/POZ-zinc finger transcriptional repressor; and AICDA (also known as AID) a single stranded DNA deaminase (Lee et al. J. Exp. Med.201(1):63–72, 2006). AID is responsible for the generation of double stranded DNA breaks (DSDB) that occur physiologically in B cells during the processes of somatic hypermutation (SHM) of immunoglobulin (Ig) gene variable region sequences and Ig class switch recombination (CSR). The response of most cell types to DSDB is marked by activation of p53 (also termed TP53) that induces cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. p53 also functions at a critical checkpoint to prevent aberrant repair of DSDB in Ig genes that can result in chromosomal translocations that activate proto-oncogenes. GC B cells, however, must be able to tolerate these breaks without experiencing p53-dependent apoptosis. Recent studies showed that functional inactivation of p53 in GC cells is governed in part by transcriptional repression of the p53 gene by BCL6 (Phan and Dalla-Favera Nature432(7017):635–639, 2004). Here we report that IRF8 also suppresses p53 function via transcriptional activation of MDM2. MDM2 is a p53-binding protein and E3 ubiquitin ligase that blocks the transcriptional activity of p53 and stimulates p53 degradation. The levels of both Mdm2 mRNA and its encoded protein were decreased in GC B cells of Irf8 knockout mice as well as in a B lymphoma cell line with siRNA-induced knockdowns of IRF8 expression. Conversely, MDM2 protein levels were increased in cells induced to overexpress IRF8. Transfection of a B lymphoma cell line with an IRF8 expression vector resulted in marked activation of a Mdm2 promoter reporter construct. Oligonucleotide pull-down assays using sequences from the Mdm2 promoter similar to the interferon stimulated response element, a known IRF8 target sequence, were found to bring down IRF8. IL-21, produced by GC T helper cells, promotes the differentiation of B cells activated through the BCR, while inducing apoptosis of unengaged cells. Studies of a B lymphoma cell line treated with IL21 showed that the rate of apoptosis was significantly increased when IRF8 expression was suppressed by siRNAs. The same pattern was true for cells treated with etoposide, a drug that induces DSDB. These results indicate that IRF8 shepherds B cells through the GC reaction by stimulating expression of BCL6 and MDM2 thereby suppressing p53-mediated cell cycle arrest or death in response to DNA breaks.
Coherency based online wide area control of wind integrated power grid

This paper introduces a novel method of designing Wide Area Control (WAC) based on a discrete Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) and Kalman filtering based state-estimation that can be applied for real-time damping of inter-area oscillations of wind integrated power grid. The main advantages of the proposed method are that the architecture provides a) online coherency grouping that properly characterizes real-time changes in the power grid b) online wide-area signal selection based on residue method for proper selection of the WAC signals. The proposed architecture thus accurately monitors changes in the power grid and select the appropriate control signal for more effectively damping the inter-area oscillation when compared to the conventional local signal based Power System Stabilizers (PSS) or offline based WAC designs. The architecture is tested on a wind integrated IEEE two area system and IEEE 39 bus system that shows the capability of the proposed method.
New and Novel Treatment Delivery Techniques for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

A variety of potential and novel modalities have been presented as treatment delivery techniques for APBI. Some of these approaches have already been used clinically, while others are still being developed at the benchtop. Just as conventional APBI techniques have advanced over the past decade to include interstitial HDR 192Ir needles and the MammoSite system, it is anticipated that some of these new and novel treatment delivery techniques may eventually have a role for administering APBI.