cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infinity project: a high school engineering curriculum, one year later

This work-in progress paper presents an update to The INFINITY Project (http://www.infinity-project.org/), a joint effort between university educators, industrial partners, and high school teachers to introduce an engineering curriculum at the high school level. The initial pilot program (2000-2001) involved nearly 500 students at 14 different Texas (USA) high schools. Responses to the effort from teachers and students at the different high schools have been highly positive. The presentation discusses the further expansion of the program into over 40 schools during the 2001-2002 school year. An overview of the project was presented at FIE 2000. This presentation expounds findings after the first year of running the project and initial findings in the second year.
Protective Parenting After the Death of a Child

Abstract Parents in 18 of 21 couples who parented other children following a child's death said that they became more protective parents after the death. In intensive interview, the parents said that the greater protectiveness was rooted in a greater awareness of child vulnerability and of their own vulnerability to child loss. The protection took many forms, including greater vigilance, more rapid response to any sign of trouble, concealing parent grief, and subordinating personal needs in order to benefit the child. Protection or overprotection seemed typically to occur in a system in which children collaborated in their own overprotection and parents were more child focused and less spouse focused
Analysis of wavelet-based denoising techniques as applied to a radar signal pulse

The purpose of the research is to study the effects of three wavelet-based denoising techniques on the structure of a radar signal pulse. The radar signal pulse is 50 microsecond(s) ec in duration with 2.0 MHz of Linear Frequency Modulation on Pulse. The Signal-to-Noise Ratio of the signal is fixed at 0.7. The comparison is accomplished in the time-domain and the FFT domain. In addition, the output from a FM Demodulator is examined. The comparisons are performed based upon MSE calculations and a visual inspection of the resulting signals. A comparison between the results outlined above and an ideal bandpass filter is also performed. A final comparison is discussed which compares the wavelet- based results outlined above and the results obtained from a bandpass filter that are offset in center frequency. The wavelet-based techniques can be shown to provide an advantage in visually detecting the radar signal pulse in low SNR environments over the results obtained from a bandpass filter approach in which the ideal filter characteristics are not known. All work is accomplished in MATLABTM.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
New Anomalies in Three Cyprinid Genera from Southwest Virginia

Abstract Abnormal specimens of Nocomis leptocephalus with four barbels on the left side of the mouth, Campostoma anomalum with a vertebral deformity, and Notropis cerasinus with a pug head were collected during recent sampling of the ichthyofauna of the New and Roanoke River drainages in southwestern Virginia. A review of the literature revealed that no anomalies have previously been reported for these species.
Generalized fluid model of plasma outflow processes in the topside ionosphere

Abstract The classical and anomalous transport properties of a multifluid plasma are investigated in the presence of auroral field aligned return currents, using a multimoment fluid model with anomalous transport coefficients. This approach offers the possibility of simulating large scale dynamic phenomena without neglecting the important macroscopic consequences of microscopic processes such as anomalous resistivity, turbulent heating, etc. The macroscopic effects of the electrostatic ion cyclotron (EIC) instability (perpendicular ion heating) and of an EIC-related anomalous resistivity mechanism which heats the electrons are included in the present version of the model. The responses of the outflowing ionospheric plasma to the application of current, with and without instabilities, are exhibited. The simulations show that the electron drift velocity corresponding to a return current of 0.65 μA/m 2 is above the threshold for EIC waves. The onset of EIC related anomalous resistivity enhances ion heating in two ways: (1) by inhibiting the growth of the critical electron-ion drift velocity, which must be exceeded to excite the EIC instability and (2) by increasing the relative drift velocity between the electrons and the ions, through the formation of density cavities due to increased ambipolar electric field. The anomalous resistivity associated with the turbulence is limited by electron heating, so that the EIC turbulence eventually saturates, but at a substantially higher ion transverse temperature than would be the case in the absence of resistivity. This process demonstrates a positive feedback loop in the interaction between the current driven EIC instability (CDICI), anomalous resistivity, and parallel large scale dynamics in the topside ionosphere.
Understanding and managing the adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has changed the landscape of HIV disease in a way that seemed unthinkable a decade ago; from an almost uniformly fatal disease to a chronic manageable one. The first HAART regimens worked in suppressing virus, but were encumbered by a variety of short term and long term side effects. More recent regimens became simpler, easier to take, and with fewer adverse events. As we look to people living perhaps a normal life span with HIV, the increasing number of antiretroviral agents available means that individualizing treatment has become more feasible and the longer downstream adverse events related to HAART, such as its effect on cardiovascular disease and diabetes, renal and hepatic disease, have begun to dominate our choice of drugs. A knowledge of both the short and long term adverse events associated with HAART is essential for providers and for patients. For new drugs to be acceptable in the current field, they will have to pass a litmus test of tolerability. Since adverse events are often remarkably idiosyncratic, pharmacogenomics may offer a way of predicting side effects and their severity from a particular drug or drug class in individual patients. This article forms part of a special issue of Antiviral Research marking the 25th anniversary of antiretroviral drug discovery and development, Vol. 85, issue 1, 2010.
Lower urinary tract symptoms, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and obesity

Obesity has emerged as a global public health challenge. During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. In 2007, only one state had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. In this growing epidemic of national concern is an emerging relationship between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and obesity. BPH is the most common neoplastic condition afflicting men and constitutes a major factor impacting the health of the American male. Associations among obesity, physical inactivity, and BPH/LUTS resulting from epidemiological studies have not been explored via clinical trial methodology. A review of the available data appears to support a strong independent relationship between obesity and BPH/LUTS. This review also indicates that gene expression within the prostate varies with prostate size and can be affected by lifestyle modifications. Future studies may lead to office detection of a patient’s particular polymorphisms, which may help guide individual treatment and lifestyle modifications that are more likely to succeed.
Political Versus Technical Risk Deduction and The Failure of U.S. Synthetic Fuel Development Efforts

The history of synfuels suggests that sustaining long-term research and development is difficult for a political and bureaucratic system that demands a ready-arsenal of technological quick-fixes. The authors point out that synfuels has become a perennial panacea that never seems to quite pan out. There is a persistent unwillingness to invest in long-term research, while more modest demonstration programs could perfect viable options. After reviewing three major supply interruptions, the authors conclude that if there is likely to be additional short-term supply-related shocks as well as the certainty of mid-term depletion of our liquid and gaseous fuels, then the US must be prepared for the development of a very inefficient synthetic fuels industry. It is important, then, to consider how to reduce technical risk before the demonstration stage. 23 references.
Multi-Scale Adaptive Sampling with Mobile Agents for Mapping of Forest Fires

The use of robotics in distributed monitoring applications requires wireless sensors that are deployed efficiently. A very important aspect of sensor deployment includes positioning them for sampling at locations most likely to yield information about the spatio-temporal field of interest, for instance, the spread of a forest fire. In this paper, we use mobile robots (agents) that estimate the time-varying spread of wildfires using a distributed multi-scale adaptive sampling strategy. The proposed parametric sampling algorithm, "EKF-NN-GAS" is based on neural networks, the extended Kalman filter (EKF), and greedy heuristics. It combines measurements arriving at different times, taken at different scale lengths, such as from ground, airborne, and spaceborne observation platforms. One of the advantages of our algorithm is the ability to incorporate robot localization uncertainty in addition to sensor measurement and field parameter uncertainty into the same EKF model. We employ potential fields, generated naturally from the estimated fire field distribution, in order to generate fire-safe trajectories that could be used to rescue vehicles and personnel. The covariance of the EKF is used as a quantitative information measure for sampling locations most likely to yield optimal information about the sampled field distribution. Neural net training is used infrequently to generate initial low resolution estimates of the fire spread parameters. We present simulation and experimental results for reconstructing complex spatio-temporal forest fire fields "truth models", approximated by radial basis function (RBF) parameterizations. When compared to a conventional raster scan approach, our algorithm shows a significant reduction in the time necessary to map the fire field.
Spin Hamiltonian spectroscopy and spin-spin cross relaxation by optical pumping of Pr+3: LaF3

Abstract The Zeeman-quadrupole Hamiltonian spectrum of hyperfine optical ground states of Pr +3 : LaF 3 is mapped out by monitoring resonant laser transmission through a single crystal over a wide range of magnetic fields. Magnetic field sweep or rf resonance excitation applied during optical pumping produces variations in hole burning which indicate nuclear spin population transfer between Pr +3 states. Spin-spin cross relaxation between Pr +3 and F spin reservoirs and its influence on the Pr +3 NMR spectrum is detected.
Effect of multistage combustion on NOx emissions in methane–air flames

Coflow and counterflow methane–air flames are simulated over a complete partially premixed regime in order to characterize the effects of dominant combustion modes (i.e., single-, two-, and three-stage combustion) on NOx emissions. Simulations employ a comprehensive numerical model that uses detailed descriptions of transport and chemistry (GRI-2.11 mechanism) and includes radiation effects. It is demonstrated that a complete partially premixed regime, which extends from premixed flames to triple flames and then to double flames, can be simulated by suitably varying the equivalence ratios in the fuel-rich and fuel-lean streams, while maintaining the global equivalence ratio fixed. Both counterflow and coflow simulations show that NOx emissions decrease significantly from the premixed to the triple flame regime, and then increase from the triple to the double flame regime. Therefore, triple flames not only extend the rich and the lean flammability limits, but also exhibit superior NOx characteristics compared to the corresponding premixed flames and double flames, with thermal, prompt, NNH-intermediate, and N2O-intermediate routes being the important contributors (in descending order) to NOx formation. Coflow and counterflow flames exhibit qualitatively similar NOx characteristics in the entire partially premixed regime and an optimum level of partial premixing that yields the lowest NOx emission. The quantitative differences in NOx emissions between the two configurations can be attributed to geometry-dependent effects. In particular, compared to counterflow flames, the coflow flames have significantly larger flame volume and therefore lower peak temperature and NOx emission index in the triple flame regime.
Strategies for increasing the yield potential of cereals: case of rice as an example

Rice is the most important food crop. Worldwide, more than 3.5 billion people depend upon rice for more than 20% of their calories. Global rice demand is estimated to rise from 676 million tons in 2010 to 763 million tons in 2020 and to further increase to 852 million tons in 2035. This is an overall increase of 176 million tons in the next 25 years. To meet this challenge rice production on existing land must be increased. Grain production is largely influenced by the yield potential of rice varieties. Therefore, improvement in the yield potential of rice is the major strategy to increase world rice production. Various strategies to increase the yield potential include; (1) conventional hybridization and selection, (2) ideotype breeding, (3) hybrid breeding, (4) exploitation of wild species germplasm, (5) enhancement of photosynthesis, (6) genomic approaches and (7) physiological approaches. Rice has become a model plant for genetics and breeding research. Advances in molecular biology and genomics, proteomics and metabolics have opened new avenues to apply innovative approaches to rice breeding. Molecular-assisted selection (MAS) has become an integral component of germplasm improvement. A large number of genes/QTLs for various traits have been tagged with molecular markers to apply MAS for trait improvement. Genome sequence data have become an important source for detecting allelic variation. It is now possible to precisely understand the role of epigenetic changes in gene expression, thus understanding the stability of various stresses under changing environments. All these advances when integrated with conventional breeding will result in designer rice varieties to meet the challenges of rice food security in 21th century.
Fate of a Synthetic Polynucleotide Directing Cell-Free Protein Synthesis II. Association with Ribosomes.

Tritiated-poly U, when added to cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli, became associated with ribosomes. This association occurred at 3°C and did not require high-energy phosphate compounds. Small amounts of tritiated polyuridylic acid produced polydisperse ribosomal aggregates with sedimentation constants of approximately 100 to 130. C14-phenylalanine initially was incorporated into protein only on these particles, which suggests that they are the sites of polyphenylalanine synthesis.
The sensitivity of compressed sensing performance to relaxation of sparsity

Many papers studying compressed sensing consider the noisy underdetermined system of linear equations: y = Ax0+ z, with n × N measurement matrix A, n 1 -penalized l 2 minimization, in which the reconstruction x1,λ solves min min ‖y − A x ‖2 2 /2 + λ‖x‖ 1 . We study asymptotic mean-squared error (AMSE), the large-system limit of the MSE of x1, λ. Using recently developed tools based on Approximate Message Passing (AMP), we develop expressions for minimax AMSE M∗ ∊, p (δ, ξ, σ) — max over all approximately sparse signals, min over penalizations λ, where ξ measures the deviation from strict sparsity. There is of course a phase transition curve δ∗ = δ∗(e); only above this curve, δ > δ∗(e), can we have exact recovery even in the noiseless-data strict-sparsity setting. It turns out that the minimax AMSE can be characterized succinctly by a coefficient sens∗ p (є, δ) which we refer to as the sparsity-relaxation sensitivity. We give explicit expressions for sens∗ p (є, δ), compute them, and interpret them. Our approach yields precise formulas in place of loose order bounds based on restricted isometry property and instance optimality results. Our formulas reveal that sensitivity is finite everywhere exact recovery is possible under strict sparsity, and that sensitivity to added random noise in the measurements y is smaller than the sensitivity to adding a comparable amount of noise to the estimand x0. Our methods can also treat the mean q-th power loss. The methods themselves are based on minimax decision theory and seem of independent interest.
The Capture Theory of Regulations—Revisited

Amidst the rekindled interest in regulating the market that has emerged since the 2008 financial crisis, most attention has been paid to the debate between those who call for more regulation of the private sector in order to protect the public good, and those who claim that such regulations would do further damage to the economy by unduly constraining business. This essay seeks to refocus the debate about regulation by examining an alternative criticism––the theory of regulatory capture––which argues that regulations are routinely and predictably 'captured' and manipulated to serve the interests of those who are supposed to be subject to them, or the bureaucrats and legislators who write or control them. Ample evidence suggests that regulatory capture is indeed widespread and takes a variety of forms, which are reviewed here. Rather than debating whether more or less regulations are needed, the paper suggests that what is needed is a way to make regulations stronger––more capture-proof. It closes with a major policy change that would help accomplish this goal.
Seed image reconstruction using a template matching technique

One of the problems in fluoroscopy based 3D seed reconstruction for prostate brachytherapy is the clustering of seeds in the fluoroscopic images. A template matching based method is proposed in this study to reconstruct the orientations and locations of individual seed images in the cluster. An idealized projection image of implanted seeds was used as a template to reconstruct the cluster, and different optimization strategies were implemented to find the best orientation and location for individual seeds. The four search methods compared were: 1) Down hill simplex method; 2) Powell method; 3) Multi-resolution based method with exhaustive initial search; and 4) Multi-resolution based method without exhaustive initial search. These methods were applied to 10 test images. Five of the ten images had only 2-seed clusters and five had 3-seed clusters. The results demonstrate that the first two methods didn’t perform well, and that the results were dependent on the initial guesses used to start the optimization process. The third method successfully found the best configurations for all of the 10 images while the fourth method succeeded in 9 of the 10 cases. We conclude therefore that multi-resolution approaches are appropriate for the seed image reconstruction problem. Since the possible configurations of the template are pre-computed, an additional advantage is that less execution time was needed for the multi-resolution methods. When applied to the seed image reconstruction process, this method will potentially significantly improve the accuracy of the 3D reconstruction of implanted seeds from fluoroscopic images used in prostate brachytherapy.
A helical polysome model.

Abstract Sedimentation rates at infinite dilution have been determined on eleven polysomes from rat liver. Frictional ratios derived from them have been used to estimate the axial ratios of the polysomes in solution. These indicate a configuration intermediate between a random chain and an ellipsoid of revolution. Three models were used to fit the data. The first, an ellipsoid of the same length and volume as the polysome, suggested that the structure being formed became more compact with increasing polysome size, assuming no change in hydration. The last two models showed that the rate of increase of axial ratio with polysome size was consistent with a 3- or 4-ribosome/turn helix of 18 or 20° pitch, respectively, assuming an increase in hydration of the polysome. The problems encountered in the polysome configuration were shown to be analogous to those encountered in fibrinogen, also a beadlike molecule.
Loss of estrogen receptor β decreases mitochondrial energetic potential and increases thrombogenicity of platelets in aged female mice

Platelets derived from aged (reproductively senescent) female mice with genetic deletion of estrogen receptor beta (betaER) are more thrombogenic than those from age-matched wild-type (WT) mice. Intracellular processes contributing to this increased thrombogenicity are not known. Experiments were designed to identify subcellular localization of estrogen receptors and evaluate both glycolytic and mitochondrial energetic processes which might affect platelet activation. Platelets and blood from aged (22-24 months) WT and estrogen receptor beta knockout (betaERKO) female mice were used in this study. Body, spleen weight, and serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone and 17beta-estradiol were comparable between WT and betaERKO mice. Number of spontaneous deaths was greater in the betaERKO colony (50% compared to 30% in WT) over the course of 24 months. In resting (nonactivated) platelets, estrogen receptors did not appear to colocalize with mitochondria by immunostaining. Lactate production and mitochondrial membrane potential of intact platelets were similar in both groups of mice. However, activities of NADH dehydrogenase, cytochrome bc ( 1 ) complex, and cytochrome c oxidase of the electron transport chain were reduced in mitochondria isolated from platelets from betaERKO compared to WT mice. There were a significantly higher number of phosphatidylserine-expressing platelet-derived microvesicles in the plasma and a greater thrombin-generating capacity in betaERKO compared to WT mice. These results suggest that deficiencies in betaER affect energy metabolism of platelets resulting in greater production of circulating thrombogenic microvesicles and could potentially explain increased predisposition to thromboembolism in some elderly females.
Beyond “Culture Clash” Understandings of Immigrant Experiences

This article addresses the ways in which the experiences of immigrant youth and families in U.S. schools and society have been conceptualized primarily as conflicts between immigrant cultures and dominant U.S. culture. Exemplified by the discourse of culture clash or of immigrants being torn between two worlds, this prevalent understanding structures the experiences, cultures, and identities of immigrants as unchanging and fixed in time. This article illustrates the ways that culture and identity are constructed within the double movement of discourse and representation. It offers examples of how dominant representations create simplistic understandings of the identities of immigrant youth, as well as the ways youth are constructing new identities.
Mammalian myotube dedifferentiation induced by newt regeneration extract

Newts are capable of regenerating several anatomical structures and organs, including their limbs. This remarkable regenerative capacity is thought to depend on cellular dedifferentiation. Terminally differentiated mammalian cells, by contrast, are normally incapable of reversing the differentiation process. Several factors could explain the absence of cellular dedifferentiation in mammals: (i) inadequate expression of genes that initiate dedifferentiation; (ii) insufficient intracellular signaling pathways; (iii) irreversible expression of differentiation factors; and (iv) structural characteristics that make dedifferentiation impossible. To investigate the causes underlying the lack of cellular plasticity in mammalian cells, we examined the effect of an extract derived from newt regenerating limbs on terminally differentiated mouse C2C12 myotubes. Approximately 18% of murine myotubes reentered the cell cycle when treated with regeneration extract, whereas 25% of newt myotubes exhibited cell cycle reentry. The muscle differentiation proteins MyoD, myogenin, and troponin T were reduced to undetectable levels in 15–30% of treated murine myotubes. We observed cellular cleavage in 11% of the treated murine myotubes and approximately 50% of these myotubes continued to cleave to produce proliferating mononucleated cells. These data indicate that mammalian myotubes can dedifferentiate when stimulated with the appropriate factors and suggest that one mechanism preventing dedifferentiation of mammalian cells is inadequate spatial or temporal expression of genes that initiate dedifferentiation.
Ileo-caecal resection induced pancreatic growth in rats.

Abstract The effect of ileo-caecal resection on pancreatic growth was studied in rats four weeks after the operation. The results were compared with an identical control group who had undergone laparotomy alone. Pancreatic wet weight in ileo-caecal resectioned rats was 1.4 times greater than that found in control rats. Protein, DNA, RNA contents in the pancreas, pancreatic wet weight per 100 μg DNA and RNA/DNA ratio were also found significantly elevated in experimental group as opposed to the control group. Basal plasma levels of cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin were measured to delineate the influence of hormonal response on the pancreatic growth in ileo-caecal resected rats and were found not significantly increased after ileo-caecal resection. The data suggest that the enlargement of pancreas in ileo-caecal resected rats may be due to hyperplasia and hypertrophy of pancreatic cells; alternatively, the pancreatic growth may have been influenced by the bile acid deficiency and the reduction or release of an inhibitory factor present in the ileum of rats.
The adsorption and desorption of hydrogen and carbon monoxide on bimetallic RePt(111) surfaces

Abstract Bimetallic surfaces of rhenium on Pt(111) were prepared by vapor depositing rhenium on Pt(111). The adsorption and desorption behavior of CO and H 2 on bimetallic PtRe surfaces were studied using temperature programmed desorption, and compared to the behavior of CO and H 2 on the monometallic Pt(111) and Re(0001) counterparts. Depositing rhenium on a Pt(111) surface decreased the activation energy of desorption of hydrogen, and a surface composed of 0.37 monolayers of rhenium on Pt(111) showed an activation energy of hydrogen desorption that was 2.5 kcal mol less than the 19 kcal mol displayed by the monometallic Pt(111) surface. In contrast, the activation energy of desorption of CO from bimetallic surfaces depended very little on the bimetallic surface composition, and a value of 27 kcal mol was observed for low CO coverages. At saturation exposures of both H 2 and CO, maximum adsorption capacities were obtained for bimetallic surfaces. A surface composed of 0.2 monolayers of rhenium on Pt(111) adsorbed 20% more hydrogen than did Pt(111) alone, while a surface composed of 0.3 monolayers of rhenium on Pt(111) adsorbed 40% more CO than did Pt(111) alone. The results obtained show that surfaces exposing both rhenium and platinum atoms show adsorption/desorption behavior towards hydrogen and CO that is different than the behavior shown by either monometallic platinum or rhenium surfaces. Since the chemisorption behavior cannot be explained as a simple combination of the two metallic components of the surface, it is concluded that an electronic interaction between the two metals at the platinum-rhenium interface modifies the bonding of adsorbates at the mixed metal sites.
Assessing pediatric residents' clinical performance in procedural sedation: a simulation-based needs assessment.

OBJECTIVES Our primary objective in this study was to perform a needs assessment of clinical performance during simulated procedural sedation (PS) by pediatric residents. Our secondary objective was to describe reported experience and confidence with PS during pediatric residency. METHODS In this prospective observational cohort study, pediatric residents completed a survey of 15 Likert-scaled items pertaining to confidence in PS, followed by performance of a standardized, video-recorded simulated PS complicated by an adverse event (AE): apnea and desaturation. Clinical performance was evaluated according to an expert consensus-derived checklist of critical tasks. The difference in reported confidence between postgraduate years (PGY) was assessed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA); clinical checklist items were quantified descriptively. RESULTS A total of 35 PGY-1, 39 PGY-2, and 7 PGY-3 residents participated. The most frequently completed tasks by all residents are ensuring the cardiorespiratory monitor (73%) and connecting the oxygen tubing (70%) during the preparation phase and recognizing AE (97%) and administering oxygen (95%) during the AE phase. Tasks that were completed infrequently by all residents include ensuring that the shoulder roll is available (11%) and ensuring access to head-of-bed (31%) during the preparation phase and applying shoulder roll (10%) and calling for help (23%) during the AE phase. The median time to recognition of AE from onset of hypoventilation was 33 seconds and that for delivery of oxygen and PPV was 60 and 97 seconds, respectively. Median confidence scores increased by PGY (PGY-1, 2; PGY-2, 3; PGY-3, 4; ANOVA F2,82 = 75, P< 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Significant differences exist in the reported confidence and observed performance among PGY levels during simulated PS. Resident performance on this checklist demonstrates educational needs in PS training. A curriculum in PS for pediatric residents should focus on reviewing preparation steps, equipment, and potential interventions should an AE occur.
Surface-Driven Sodium Ion Energy Storage in Nanocellular Carbon Foams

Sodium ion (Na+) batteries have attracted increased attention for energy storage due to the natural abundance of sodium, but their development is hindered by poor intercalation property of Na+ in electrodes. This paper reports a detailed study of high capacity, high rate sodium ion energy storage in functionalized high-surface-area nanocellular carbon foams (NCCF). The energy storage mechanism is surface-driven reactions between Na+ and oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of NCCF. The surface reaction, rather than a Na+ bulk intercalation reaction, leads to high rate performance and cycling stability due to the enhanced reaction kinetics and the absence of electrode structure change. The NCCF makes more surface area and surface functional groups available for the Na+ reaction. It delivers 152 mAh/g capacity at the rate of 0.1 A/g and a capacity retention of 90% for over 1600 cycles.
Significant unreported earthquakes in “aseismic” regions of the western Pacific

With data recorded by a deep-ocean hydrophone array centrally located in the Northwestern Pacific Basin near Wake Island, significantly large earthquakes were found to have their epicenters within the interior of the Pacific plate. The signal/noise ratio of the largest is about 40/1 at a distance of 2268 km. Although all of these earthquakes were unreported in National Earthquake Information Service (NEIS) listings, comparisons with the Po/So phases of other earthquakes reported by NEIS indicate that these earthquakes could have body-wave magnitudes in excess of 5.0.
An analytic solution of the transient behavior of backscattering thermal protective coatings exposed to combined radiative and convective heating

An analytic solution of the material response to combined radiative and convective heating is presented. The solution includes the equations of radiative transfer (within the material), coupled to a transient energy equation which contains both radiative and convective terms. The analysis allows for unlimited spectral detail, but assumes that within the range of applicability, the various material properties do not vary significantly with temperature. Also, to facilitate development of the analytic solution, it is assumed that scattering within the material dominates absorption, and the material exposed surface does not ablate. The exposed surface boundary condition includes convective heating and spectral radiation, some of which is absorbed by the surface and some which penetrates the surface.
Direct Determination Of Conformational Disorder In Biological Membranes By FT-IR Spectroscopy

Although the determination of conformational disorder in biological membranes is an important goal of current membrane biophysics, a quantitative formulation has remained elusive. The current study describes a successful determination of trans-gauche isomerization at specific depths in phospholipid bilayers. The approach was suggested by Snyder and Poore (1) and utilizes the CD2 rocking modes of specifically deuterated hydrocarbons as conformational probes. This CD2 probe frequency is dependent on the conformation of the C-C-C skeleton of which the central carbon atom contains the CD2 moiety. The various conformations give rise to discrete (but weak) bands in the IR, as summarized below:
Postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery to the resection cavity for large brain metastases: clinical outcomes, predictors of intracranial failure, and implications for optimal patient selection.

BACKGROUND Postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases potentially offers similar local control rates and fewer long-term neurocognitive sequelae compared to whole brain radiation therapy, although patients remain at risk for distant brain failure (DBF). OBJECTIVE To describe clinical outcomes of adjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery for large brain metastases and identify predictors of intracranial failure and their implications on optimal patient selection criteria. METHODS We performed a retrospective review on 100 large (>3 cm) brain metastases in 99 patients managed by resection followed by postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery to a median dose of 22 Gy (range, 10-28) in 1 to 5 fractions (median, 3). Primary histology was nonsmall cell lung in 40%, breast cancer in 18%, and melanoma in 17%. Forty (40%) patients had uncontrolled systemic disease. RESULTS With a median follow-up of 12.2 months (range, 0.6-87.4), the 1-year Kaplan-Meier local control was 72%, DBF 64%, and overall survival 55%. Nine patients (9%) developed evidence of radiation injury, and 6 (6%) developed leptomeningeal disease. Uncontrolled systemic disease (P=.03), melanoma histology (P=.04), and increasing number of brain metastases (P<.001) were significant predictors of DBF on Cox multivariate analysis. Patients with <4 metastases, controlled systemic disease, and nonmelanoma primary (n=47) had a 1-year DBF of 48.6% vs 80.1% for all others (P=.01). CONCLUSION Postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery to the resection cavity safely and effectively augments local control of large brain metastases. Patients with <4 metastases and controlled systemic disease have significantly lower rates of DBF and are ideal treatment candidates.
Lung cancer and the left internal mammary artery graft

A patient with a left upper lobe non-small cell lung cancer involving a previous left internal mammary artery graft is presented to highlight the potential complications associated with resective lung operations in these patients. If left internal mammary artery involvement by tumor is suspected, coronary and left internal mammary artery catheterization should be added to the standard non-small cell lung cancer staging evaluation before considering surgical resection.
The first milliseconds of the pore formed by a fusogenic viral envelope protein during membrane fusion.

Abstract Fibroblasts expressing the influenza virus hemagglutinin on their plasma membrane were patch clamped while they fused to erythrocytes. An increase in the fibroblast's membrane capacitance indicated the opening of the "fusion pore," the first aqueous connection between the fusing cells. We show here that the capacitance increase is preceded by a brief current transient, generated as the erythrocyte discharges its membrane potential through the nascent fusion pore. This signal allows one to calculate the pore conductance during the first milliseconds of its existence. The pore conductance jumps from 0 to approximately 150 pS and then grows more gradually over the subsequent tens of milliseconds until growth is arrested. The initial conductance is similar to that of a large ion channel and suggests that the pore is initially only 1-2 nm wide. Hence, we are probably observing events caused by only a small number of hemagglutinin molecules.
The future of environmental medicine in Environmental Health Perspectives: where should we be headed?

In 1998, Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) began “Grand Rounds in Environmental Medicine” as a regular feature (Hu 1998; Hu and Woolf 2003). This soon led to an expanded Environmental Medicine section that aimed to regularly publish articles in the Grand Rounds format as well as reviews, commentaries, case reports, and research articles, all of relevance to environmental medicine, with a focus mainly on clinical practice. The Grand Rounds series has been a resounding success, as reflected by the wide range of environmental medicine topics, the diversity of reporting sources, and the increased physician readership of the journal. Howard Hu served as the first Medical Editor from 1996 to 2004 and was then succeeded by Brian Schwartz; also in 2004, the journal appointed two Associate Medical Editors: Howard Hu and Gary Rischitelli.
Observer performance assessment of dry laser versus traditional wet film imaging systems

This study compared diagnostic accuracy and image quality for laser imaging film from two systems: traditional 'wet' using chemical processing and the new 'DryView' system from 3M which is wet-chemistry-free. Three separate ROC studies (for CT, MRI, and US) were conducted. The 'wet' and 'dry' laser film imaging systems were connected in parallel and identical images for each case were printed on both systems. For each of the 3 studies, 10 radiologists reviewed each case, reporting diagnostic decision confidence. Evaluations of image quality (overall quality, visibility, sharpness, color, contrast) were also obtained. In all three studies, there were no major differences in diagnostic accuracy (ROC Az) for 'wet' vs 'dry' films, although performance was on average higher for the 'dry' film in all three modalities. Judgments of image quality were comparable for 'wet' and 'dry' films for all three modalities. There were no significant differences in viewing time in any of the studies. Thus, 'dry' processing represents a very useful, cost-effective and pollution-free alternative to currently used 'wet' laser imaging systems.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Optical Properties of Ultrathin Electrodeposited CdS Films Probed by Resonance Raman Spectroscopy and Photoluminescence

We report resonance Raman and photoluminescence data from ultrathin films of CdS grown on Au substrates using electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy (ECALE). Samples ranged in coverage from 25 to 200 monolayers. Quantitative analysis of resonance Raman intensities leads to several important conclusions. First, ECALE does not involve growth by random precipitation of CdS onto the Au surface; contiguous thin layers of material are deposited. Second, the electronic structure of the films in this coverage regime corresponds to that of bulk CdS. Finally, charge carriers are rapidly trapped at the surface of the semiconductor on the time scale of the Raman scattering event; the trapping rate decreases linearly as a function of CdS coverage.
Simulation of the random scission of C–C bonds in the initial stage of the thermal degradation of polyethylene

Abstract We performed molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the initial stage of the thermal degradation of polyethylene, which is dominated by the random scission reaction. The simulations were initiated from structures that were taken from previously equilibrated snapshots of the amorphous polymer and of a free-standing thin film. Isolated chains were also used for comparison. Our systems were coupled to a thermal heat bath, and the effect of different coupling constants was studied. Rate of random scission increases as the strength of the temperature coupling increases. Rates of reaction are almost similar in thin films and the bulk, whereas the rates are much faster in isolated chains. Expansion of the free-standing thin film accompanies degradation, producing fragments of various sizes. Chains of higher molecular weights than the initial chains can be produced due to recombination of fragments during the expansion of thin films. The polydispersity index of the resulting fragments is higher in thin films compared to the bulk. The bonds at the low density portion of the thin films have a higher probability of being broken.
Physique anxiety and self-efficacy influences on perceptions of physical evaluation

In the present study we integrated concepts from social cognitive and self-presentational theories to determine the relationships among social physique anxiety, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations, and state anxiety in situations of varying physical evaluation potential. These situations included scenarios considered to be high in physical evaluation, low in physical evaluation, and an exercise condition scenario, considered as high and low in physical evaluation by different individuals. Results demonstrated that the highest levels of state anxiety were found in the high physical evaluation/threat conditions and the lowest levels of anxiety were reported in the low physical evaluation/threat conditions. Additionally, the results demonstrated that being female and higher in physique anxiety resulted in greater self-reported state anxiety when encountering a physically evaluative condition of high threat potential. In exercise conditions, it was found that more efficacious individuals reported less state anxiety, however, in low physical evaluation conditions none of the variables predicted state anxiety.
Development of Faults as Zones of Deformation Bands and as Slip Surfaces in Sandstone

Three forms of fault are recognized in Entrada and Navajo Sandstones in the San Rafael Desert, southeastern Utah; deformation bands, zones of deformation bands, and slip surfaces. Small faults occur as deformation bands, about one millimeter thick, in which pores collapse and sand grains fracture, and along which there are shear displacements on the order of a few millimeters or centimeters. Two or more deformation bands adjacent to each other, which share the same average strike and dip, form a zone of deformation bands. A zone becomes thicker by addition of new bands, side by side. Displacement across a zone is the sum of displacements on each individual band. The thickest zones are about 0.5 m and total displacement across a thick zone rarely exceeds 30 cm. Finally, slip surfaces, which are through-going surfaces of discontinuity in displacement, form at either edge of zones of highly concentrated deformation bands. In contrast with individual deformation bands and zones of deformation bands, slip surfaces accommodate large displacements, on the order of several meters in the San Rafael Desert.
On active disturbance rejection based control design for superconducting RF cavities

Abstract Superconducting RF (SRF) cavities are key components of modern linear particle accelerators. The National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) is building a 3 MeV/u re-accelerator (ReA3) using SRF cavities. Lightly loaded SRF cavities have very small bandwidths (high Q) making them very sensitive to mechanical perturbations whether external or self-induced. Additionally, some cavity types exhibit mechanical responses to perturbations that lead to high-order non-stationary transfer functions resulting in very complex control problems. A control system that can adapt to the changing perturbing conditions and transfer functions of these systems would be ideal. This paper describes the application of a control technique known as “Active Disturbance Rejection Control” (ARDC) to this problem.
Perceived health status and perceived diabetes control: psychological indicators and accuracy

Abstract Objective The aim of this study is to assess the association of psychological, as well as physical and sociodemographic, indicators with patients' ratings of personal health status and diabetes control and to investigate the association of mental health and depression with errors in the perception of diabetes control. Method A sociodemographically diverse sample of 623 diabetes patients was recruited from the general medicine clinics of a county health care system and a Veterans Affairs health care system. We examined three types of determinants of patients' health perceptions: physical health indicators (symptoms, comorbid diagnoses, and glycosylated hemoglobin or HbA 1c levels), psychological health indicators (general mental health and diabetes-related worry), and sociodemographic factors (age, race, gender, income, and education). Results After controlling for patient' sociodemographic characteristics, perceived general health was associated with patients' symptom burden and emotional distress (but not with patients' HbA 1c levels). Perceived diabetes control additionally was associated with HbA 1c and diabetes-related worries. Further analyses showed that both mental health and diagnosed depression were associated with errors in personal appraisals of diabetes control, with depressed patients more often inaccurately assessing their glycemic control as poor (false-positive error) and nondepressed patients more often missing poor HbA 1c levels (false-negative error). Conclusions Findings indicate that patients use a comprehensive model for assessing their general health and that depression may lead to more accurate assessments of poor glucose control.
On the Design of Microfluidic Implant Coil for Flexible Telemetry System

This paper describes the realization of a soft, flexible, coil fabricated by means of a liquid metal alloy encased in a biocompatible elastomeric substrate for operation in a telemetry system, primarily for application to biomedical implantable devices. Fluidic conductors are in fact well suited for applications that require significant flexibility as well as conformable and stretchable devices, such as implantable coils for wireless telemetry. A coil with high conductivity, and therefore low losses and high unloaded Q factor, is required to realize an efficient wireless telemetry system. Unfortunately, the conductivity of the liquid metal alloy considered-eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn)-is approximately one order of magnitude lower than gold or copper. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate that despite the lower conductivity of liquid metal alloys, such as EGaIn, compared with materials, such as copper or gold, it is still possible to realize an efficient biomedical telemetry system employing liquid metal coils on the implant side. A wireless telemetry system for an artificial retina to restore partial vision to the blind is used as a testbed for the proposed liquid metal coils. Simulated and measured results show that power transfer efficiency of 43% and 21% are obtained at operating distances between coils of 5 and 12 mm, respectively. Further, liquid metal based coil retains more than 72% of its performance (voltage gain, resonance bandwidth, and power transfer efficiency) when physically deformed over a curved surface, such as the surface of the human eye. This paper demonstrates that liquid metal-based coils for biomedical implant provide an alternative to stiff and uncomfortable traditional coils used in biomedical implants.