cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Increase Fertility Behavior

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), implemented in August 1993, grants job-protected leave to any employee satisfying the eligibility criteria. One of the provisions of the FMLA is to allow women to stay at home for a maximum period of 12 weeks to give care to the newborn. The effect of this legislation on the fertility response of eligible women has received little attention by researchers. This study analyzes whether the FMLA has influenced birth outcomes in the U.S. Specifically, I evaluate the effect of the FMLA by comparing the changes in the birth hazard profiles of women who became eligible for FMLA benefits such as maternity leave, to the changes in the control group who were not eligible for such leave. Using a discrete-time hazard model, results from the difference-in-differences estimation indicate that eligible women increase the probability of having a first and second birth by about 1.5 and 0.6 % per annum, respectively. Compared to other women, eligible women are giving birth to the first child a year earlier and about 8.5 months earlier for the second child.
Measurement of police cynicism: A factor scaling approach

Abstract Niederhoffer's police cynicism index is assessed in an attempt to identify and refine specific dimensions of police cynicism. Through a principal component factor analysis, a three-factor structure was identified. Three factor scales were developed, and their internal consistency, reliability, and predictive validity were compared with those of the original index. Overall, although less reliable, the factor scales proved to be more powerful predictors of salient criterion variables and to offer greater conceptual clarity in studying the effects of police cynicism.
A surgeon's view of the role of radionuclide imaging in evaluating trauma.

Radionuclide imaging for injuries of the liver, spleen, and urinary tract has become an essential tool for the surgeon. It has arrived at this point of importance because of 24-hr availability and a high degree of accuracy.
Risk-based sensing in support of adjustable autonomy

Current unmanned systems are typically tele-operated and manpower intensive relying on human operators and their decision-making capabilities to perform platform and mission tasks. We envision a future where unmanned platforms have greater decision making abilities and autonomous behaviors are the norm. For example, unmanned autonomous systems will be deployed as teams along with their human supervisor. The UAS will interact with the supervisor at a high level, then take on an expanded role in mission planning, resource allocation and route planning. Toward this end, we have developed a risk-based adjustable autonomy system with a task directed adaptive sensing technology concept to allow system autonomy operation at a level in which an operator has confidence of success. We test our idea in simulation for a natural disaster recovery task. We present experimental results verifying the utility of our technology.
Computer electronics meet animal brains

Although digital computers and nerve tissue both use voltage waveforms to transmit and process information, engineers and neurobiologists have yet to cohesively link the electronic signaling of digital computers with the electronic signaling of nerve tissue in freely behaving animals. Recent advances will finally let us link computer circuitry to neural cells in live animals and, in particular, to reidentifiable cells with specific, known neural functions. By enabling neuroscientists to better understand the neural basis of behavior, these devices may someday lead to neural prosthetics, hardware-based human-computer interfaces, and artificial systems that incorporate principles of biological intelligence.
A decision theory for partially consonant belief functions

Partially consonant belief functions (pcb), studied by Walley, are the only class of Dempster-Shafer belief functions that are consistent with the likelihood principle of statistics. Structurally, the set of foci of a pcb is partitioned into non-overlapping groups and within each group, foci are nested. The pcb class includes both probability function and Zadeh's possibility function as special cases. This paper studies decision making under uncertainty described by pcb. We prove a representation theorem for preference relation over pcb lotteries to satisfy an axiomatic system that is similar in spirit to von Neumann and Morgenstern's axioms of the linear utility theory. The closed-form expression of utility of a pcb lottery is a combination of linear utility for probabilistic lottery and two-component (binary) utility for possibilistic lottery. In our model, the uncertainty information, risk attitude and ambiguity attitude are separately represented. A tractable technique to extract ambiguity attitude from a decision maker behavior is also discussed.
Surgical reconstruction of peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis in Williams and Alagille syndromes.

Objectives Peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis is a rare congenital heart defect frequently found in association with Williams and Alagille syndromes. Controversy exists regarding the optimal treatment of peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis, with most centers favoring catheter-based interventions. In contrast, we have preferentially used surgical reconstruction of peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis. The purpose of the present study was to review our experience with surgical reconstruction of peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent surgical reconstruction of peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis. A total of 16 patients were identified: 7 had Williams syndrome, 6 had Alagille syndrome, and 3 had no identifiable syndrome. Detailed pulmonary angiography was performed in all patients to define stenoses at the main, branch, lobar, and segmental arterial levels. The mean preoperative right ventricular/left ventricular pressure ratio was 0.88 ± 0.07. The surgical approach was a median sternotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass. All peripheral stenoses were augmented with pulmonary artery homograft tissue. The median age at surgery was 14 months, and concomitant procedures were performed in 9 of the 16 patients. Results There was 1 operative mortality (6%). The mean right ventricular/left ventricular pressure ratio decreased to 0.40 ± 0.04 postoperatively ( P Conclusions The data have demonstrate that this comprehensive surgical approach to the treatment of peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis was associated with low early and no late mortality. Surgical reconstruction of the peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis resulted in a significant decrease in right ventricular pressure. We hypothesize that this reduction in right ventricular pressures will confer a long-term survival advantage for this cohort of patients.
Neurologic preservation by Na+-H+ exchange inhibition prior to 90 minutes of hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Background The effects of pretreatment with cariporide (HOE 642 Aventis Pharma, Strasbourg - Cedex, France), a Na + –H + exchanger (NHE) blocker, were studied in a cerebral ischemia–reperfusion model of hypothermic arrest. Methods Fifteen Yorkshire-Duroc pigs (37.1 ± 4.2 kg) underwent femoral–jugular bypass and 90 minutes of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest at 19°C. Ten animals were untreated, whereas 5 received 5 mg/kg of intravenous cariporide before cooling. After rewarming and off cardiopulmonary bypass, the pigs were weaned from anesthesia and followed for 24 hours. A standardized neurologic scoring system assessed brain functional recovery. Biochemical markers were used to analyze cellular injury. Control studies without circulatory arrest were done in 2 animals that underwent similar cooling and rewarming. Results Neurologic recovery was rapid and complete in the nonischemic controls and in all pretreated animals. Conversely, at 24 hours, all untreated pigs exhibited a cloudy or stuporous level of consciousness, abnormal positioning, and with only one exception, could not sit or stand. The gradation of neurologic score (evaluating central nervous system, motor and sensory functions, respiration condition, level of consciousness, and behavior) was 0 ± 0 (0 = normal, 500=brain death) in the treated group, compared with 124 ± 59 in the untreated animals. Biochemical analysis showed every variable of whole-body injury (including conjugated dienes ( p p p p Conclusions NHE function alters experimental brain ischemia–reperfusion damage. These observations imply that NHE inhibition therapy before ischemia may improve neurologic protection in adult and infant patients undergoing cerebral ischemia during procedures that use hypothermic circulatory arrest.
Mentoring Graduate Students in Research and Teaching by Utilizing Research as a Template.

We have designed a unique guided-inquiry-inspired course for entry-level graduate students using chemical research as a mechanism to teach research-oriented problem-solving skills. The course has been designed for flexibility around a shared research experience. The curriculum can be modified each year by incorporating a new research project into the framework of the course. Advanced graduate students and postdoctoral scholars serve as course instructors, providing significant teaching and mentoring opportunities for them. The benefits of the inquiry-driven approach have been reinforced through careful selection of instructors and students. We have been able to create a positive learning environment and a highly beneficial award system for students and instructors by offering an opportunity to publish class results in a scholarly journal. The course serves as a template for the implementation of similar graduate coursework at comparable research institutions.
ABO blood group influences transfusion and survival after cardiac surgery

ABO dependent variation in von Willebrand factor (vWf) and procoagulant factor VIII (FVIII) is a plausible mechanism for modulating perioperative hemostasis and bleeding. Group AB has the highest and group O the lowest vWf and FVIII levels. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that ABO blood group is associated with perioperative transfusion and subsequent survival after coronary revascularization. This retrospective study combined demographic, operative, and transfusion data, including follow-up for a median of 2,096 days, for consecutive aortocoronary bypass (CABG) and CABG/valve procedures from 1996–2009 at a tertiary referral University Heart Center. Between group differences were compared by a Kruskall Wallis test, and hazard ratios [95 % confidence intervals] are reported for mortality risk-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. From 15,454 patients, follow-up records were available for 13,627 patients: 6,413 group O, 5,248 group A, 1,454 group B, and 435 group AB. Packed red blood cells were the most commonly transfused blood product (3 [0–5] units), while group AB received 2 [0–5] units (Kruskall Wallis Chi squared value for between group differences = 8.2; p = 0.04). Group AB favored improved long-term, postoperative survival (Hazard ratio = 0.82 [95 %CI 0.68–0.98]; p = 0.03), which became evident approximately a year after surgery. In conclusion, the procoagulant phenotype of blood group AB is associated with fewer transfusions and improved late survival after cardiac surgery. Whether this finding is related to fewer perioperative transfusions, a reduction in later bleeding or other mechanisms remains speculative.
Analytical solution to the three-compartment pharmacokinetic model

Simulations of pharmacokinetic models in software usually rely on discrete approximation of the continuous differential equations describing the system, but this need not be the case. Here, the analytical equations describing the temporal behavior of the three-compartment open pharmacokinetic model are derived, and an algorithm for their use in pharmacokinetic simulations is given. >
Terrestrially Enhanced Neutrino Oscillations

The effect of Wolfenstein neutrino-oscillation enhancement on atmospheric neutrinos is considered. The effect of these neutrino oscillations on data from proton-decay experiments is discussed. It is found that for ..delta..M-italic/sup 2/--10/sup -3/--10/sup -4/ eV/sup 2/ and sin/sup 2/(2theta)> or =3 x 10/sup -2/, ..nu../sub e-italic/bold-arrow-left-right..nu../sub ..mu../ oscillations might be detectable.
A LOOK AT TWO UNDERUTILIZED METHODS FOR OPTIMUM STRUCTURAL DESIGN

Abstract The paper presents a closer examination of two infrequently used optimization algorithms, in relation to their applicability in large-scale structural synthesis. The geometric programming approach and the Gauss constrained method are recognized as extremely efficient solution strategies. The former approach reduces the solution of a nonlinearly constrained problem to one with strictly linear constraints, and, under special conditions, to a solution of linear algebraic equations. The Gauss constrained method provides a robust approach for optimum design that does not require a step-size determination, and is thus useful in problems where functional evaluations are computationally demanding. An efficient implementation of these methods for structural synthesis can be attained by a recourse to well-documented approximation concepts.
Bluntness and wear of rolling disk cutters

Abstract A technique is proposed for determining bluntness and wear of rolling disk cutters. This technique involves making successive measurements of cutter diameter during cutting experiments and comparing them with the original cutter diameter. One half of the difference between these two values in millimeters is defined as bluntness. Further, wear indicator is defined as the increase in bluntness in millimeters due to abrasive wear or clip formation. Other cutter wear indicators, such as damage type and population, are presented and discussed. Cutter tip bluntness was found to have significant effects on muck weight, groove depth, groove width, chip size, fineness modulus, cutting coefficient, and specific energy. The results show that tip bluntness was one of the primary controlling factors in wear of the cutters.
On the transient dynamics of a multi-degree-of-freedom friction oscillator: a new mechanism for disc brake noise

In this paper, we examine the dynamics of a simple model for a braking process. The 4 dof model is designed to capture some of the dynamics of a set of brake pads halting a rotor. We find from our model that the motion of the system transverse to the direction of braking experiences a sharp change in excitation when the slip velocity in the braking direction is low. This change results in a complicated vibration which occurs at low slip speeds. In addition, there is often no correlation between the frequencies of the resulting vibration and the natural frequencies of system in the absence of friction. Based on the results from our numerical investigations we are able to propose a new mechanism for disc brake squeal. This mechanism is similar to previously proposed mechanisms in that we view squeal as a friction-induced phenomenon. However, in contrast to the majority of these mechanisms, we are able to encompass the transient, dissipative nature of a braking process.
DOG1, p63, and S100 protein: a novel immunohistochemical panel in the differential diagnosis of oncocytic salivary gland neoplasms in fine-needle aspiration cell blocks

Introduction DOG1 is a calcium-activated chloride channel protein that may have a potential role in secretory cells of salivary glands and tumors derived from them. Its role in cytologic specimens is not well documented. This study was performed to evaluate its utility in separating acinic cell carcinoma (AciCC) from other closely related differential diagnoses on cytologic samples. In addition, an immunohistochemical panel consisting of DOG1, p63, and S100 protein to assist in the subclassification of these salivary gland neoplasms with oncocytic differentiation was also investigated. Materials and methods Thirty-one fine-needle aspiration cell blocks (CBs) of oncocytic salivary gland neoplasms (16 Warthin tumors [WTs], 10 AciCCs, 3 mucoepidermoid carcinomas [MECs], and 2 oncocytomas [ONCs]), and 75 salivary gland resections (7 WTs, 27 AciCCs, 36 MECs, 2 high-grade adenocarcinomas, 2 ONCs, 1 papillary cystadenoma) were immunostained for DOG1, p63, and S100. Results DOG1 and p63 were very useful in distinguishing AciCC from WT on CB, because 100% of WTs were DOG1-negative and 87.5% were p63-positive, whereas 70% of AciCCs were DOG1-positive and 100% were p63-negative. The resection results correlated with those on CBs: 100% of WTs were DOG1-negative and 86% were p63-positive, whereas 93% of AciCCs were DOG1-positive and 89% were p63-negative. S100 and DOG1 were negative in both WTs and ONCs, with Conclusions DOG1 was very helpful in separating AciCC from WT, MEC, and ONC. In summary, an immunohistochemical panel including DOG1, p63, and S100 can significantly improve the accuracy of diagnosing oncocytic salivary gland neoplasms on CBs.
Localization of CAM II Kinase‐α, GAD, GluR2 and GABAA Receptor Subunit mRNAs in the Human Entorhinal Cortex

The human entorhinal cortex (ERC) is an important relay between neocortical association areas and the hippocampus. Pathology in this area, including disturbances in its unique cytoarchitecture and alterations in neurotransmitter receptor binding, has been implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders but details of the patterns of gene expression for molecules involved in the major neurotransmitter systems in this cortex have been lacking. We used in situ hybridization histochemistry to localize the mRNAs for several proteins which are involved in excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the human ERC. Labelling of mRNA for a glutamate receptor subunit (GluR2) and for a marker of glutamatergic cortical neurons (alpha type II calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase) were distributed in a laminar manner which matched the cellular packing seen on the Nissl sections, with particularly high levels of labelling in the layer II (pre-alpha) cell clusters characteristic of this cortex. Cells labelled for the mRNA of 67 kDa glutamic acid decarboxylase, the synthesizing enzyme of GABA, were distributed diffusely throughout all layers, not concentrated in the cell clusters, and were present in higher numbers in layer III. The labelling of mRNAs for the alpha1, beta2 and gamma2 subunits of the GABA(A) receptor, however, was distributed in a laminar pattern similar to that for GluR2 and CAM II kinase mRNAs, implying a high concentration of inhibitory synapses on the excitatory cells which express these mRNAs.
Life-history evolution in uncertain environments: bet hedging in time.

Abstract: Many vertebrates, forest herbs, and trees exhibit both variable age at maturity and iteroparity as adaptations to uncertain environments. We analyze a stochastic model that combines these two life‐history adaptations with density‐dependent fertility. Results for a model with only iteroparity are consistent with previous work; environmental uncertainty favors adult survival over juvenile survival. This holds true even if there is a moderately strong convex trade‐off between adult survival and fecundity, but the direction of selection can depend on which life‐history trait is considered a random variable. A life history with only developmental delay favors juvenile survival in uncertain environments, consistent with previous models of seed banks. When both developmental delay and iteroparity are included in the model, both adaptations are favored in uncertain environments. Our simulations show that selection is not necessarily a runaway process in which either developmental delay or iteroparity is...
Factors influencing colonisation and antibiotic-resistance patterns of gram-negative bacteria in hospital patients.

Abstract A total of 300 cultures were obtained from the hands and throats of fifty-six patients admitted to a medical ward. Gram-negative organisms were found in 51% of hand-cultures and 35% of throat-cultures. Klebsiella species were the most commonly isolated organisms (20% of hand and 19% of throat cultures). Compared with colonisation-rates on admission, serial cultures showed an almost fourfold increase in the percentage of hands and more than a twofold increase in the percentage of throats which were positive for klebsiella after two weeks in hospital. This increase in colonisation with klebsiella occurred almost entirely in those patients receiving antibiotics. A quarter of the klebsiella strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics. Of these 15 resistant strains, 14 were isolated from patients receiving antibiotics, and more than a half contained episomal-resistance-transfer factors (R factors). The frequency of R factors was greatest among klebsiella, less among enterobacter, and least among Escherichia coli strains. This study demonstrated the acquisition of resistant gram-negative organisms by patients receiving antibiotics within a hospital environment, and implicates transferable episomes as mediators of antibiotic resistance in a significant proportion of these organisms.
Time-resolved images of electron-hole droplets produced by intense pulsed-laser excitation of germanium

Abstract We have examined the spatial evolution of electron-hole droplets in Ge created in Ge by an intense pulse of 100 ns duration. The resulting electron-hole droplet cloud is remarkably different in anisotropy and size from a CW-excited cloud, providing new insights into the droplet transport process. Sharp anisotropies and prolonged expansion of the cloud imply a localized phonon source which exists for 1–2 micros after the laser pulse.
The current status of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Marked changes have occurred in the practice of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) since the first survivor in 1975. Coagulation management has been markedly refined, new catheters allow ECMO to be done either in a venoarterial or venovenous (VV) mode, depending on cardiac function in the infant. A new design of the VV catheter will allow this technique to be used in more infants in the future. New therapies for respiratory failure have changed the complexion of the population being treated with ECMO. The 34 to 36 week gestation infant with respiratory distress syndrome and/or pulmonary hypertension rarely needs ECMO therapy due to the effectiveness of surfactant and high frequency oscillation. Present day survival for infants treated with ECMO for many diagnostic categories ranges between 90% to 100%. The effects of new interventions must be evaluated with regard to their effect on morbidity when being considered prior to ECMO. Neurodevelopmental outcome is encouraging, but does indicate that ECMO and the near-miss ECMO patients need to be followed closely into school age. The number of patients being treated per ECMO center has dropped significantly over the last 10 years from 18 to 9. This brings forward the question about regional needs for ECMO Centers and how to assure that centers have enough patients to maintain their clinical competencies. The challenge for the future is where to place ECMO as a therapy. Should it remain a rescue therapy? Or should there now be a trial comparing ECMO to conventional therapies, with morbidity and cost of care as the outcome variables?
Automatic vector impedance measurement with minimum hardware

A computer-based technique for vector impedance measurement is described. An alternating voltage of specified frequency is impressed across a series combination of the unknown impedance Z and a reference resistance R0,; the voltage to ground and the phase angle at the nodal connection are then measured and recorded. Measurements are repeated after interchanging Z and R0, and the magnitude and phase of Z and R0 are automatically calculated. Alternatively, Z and R0 are not interchanged, so that the amount of hardware is reduced at the expense of a software algorithm for determining |Z| and θ. This trade-off simplifies the design and makes it more cost effective.
A new look at coding for APD-based direct-detection optical channels

Coding for avalanche photodiode (APD)-based direct-detection optical channels is investigated using a simple channel model that clearly points out the difference between the signal-dependent optical noise channel model and additive white Gaussian noise channel model. Coding and modulation are viewed as a single entity and the coding/modulation gain (CMG) is used to analyze and construct good codes for APD-based optical receivers. It is shown that the structure of block codes, when used in conjunction with on-off keying signaling, renders these codes fairly inefficient with respect to obtaining reasonable CMG on the optical channel. In contrast, codes (or modulations) that use fewer channel ones (pulses) than information ones per block can offer substantial CMG on the optical channel. For bandwidth-constrained applications, the authors propose using pulse-position modulation with more than one pulse per word to obtain reasonable CMG while consuming small amounts of bandwidth. >
Wavelet data compression for neural network preprocessing

Preprocessing is beneficial before classification with neural networks because eliminating irrelevant data produces faster learning due to smaller datasets and due to a reduction of confusion caused by irrelevant data. In this paper we demonstrate a further benefit due to smoothing that may be accomplished at the same time. A common trade off with neural networks is between accuracy of classification of training sets versus accuracy of classification of testing sets not used for training. Classification of testing sets requires the network to interpolate. We show that the smoothing obtained by data compression, by omitting low frequency components of the wavelet transform, can enhance interpolation, thus producing improved classification on testing data sets. A wavelet transform decomposes a signal obtained from a radar simulator into frequency and spatial domains using a Mexican hat wavelet. Varying cut-off frequencies are used in omitting higher frequency components of the wavelet transform. An inverse wavelet transform shows the lest square degradation in signal due to smoothing. We demonstrate that omitting high frequency terms results in faster computation in neural network learning and provides better interpolation, that is increases classification performance with testing data sets. The reasons are explained. The wavelet compression results are compared with using low pass filtering.
Optical Absorption in an Electric Field

The effect of an external electric field on the optical absorption associated with a direct transition between bands is studied. Expressions are given for the absorption constant for photon energies below and above the band gap. The formation of discrete levels in the presence of the electric field produces oscillations in the absorption.
A quantitative look at the demise of a basaltic vent: the death of Kupaianaha, Kilauea Volcano, Hawai'i

The Kupaianaha vent, the source of the 48th episode of the 1983-to-present Pu'u 'O'o–Kupaianaha eruption, erupted nearly continuously from July 1986 until February 1992. This investigation documents the geophysical and geologic monitoring of the final 10 months of activity at the Kupaianaha vent. Detailed very low frequency (VLF) electromagnetic profiles across the single lava tube transporting lava from the vent were used to determine the cross-sectional area of the molten lava within the tube. Combined with measurements of lava velocity, these data provide an estimate of the lava output of Kupaianaha. In addition, lava temperatures (calculated from analysis of quenched glass) and bulk-rock chemistry were obtained for samples taken from the tube at the same site. The combined data set shows the lava flux from Kupaianaha vent declining linearly from 250 000 m3/day in April 1991 to 54 000 m3/day by November 1991. During that time surface breakouts of lava from weak points along the tube occurred progressively closer to the vent, consistent with declining efficiency in lava transport. There were no significant changes in lava temperature or in bulk MgO content during this period. Another eruptive episode (the 49th) began uprift of Kupaianaha on 8 November 1991 and erupted lava concurrently with Kupaianaha for 18 days. Lava flux from Kupaianaha decreased in response to this new episode, but the response was delayed by approximately 1 day. After 14 November 1991, lava velocities were no longer measurable in the tube because the lava stream beneath the skylight had crusted over; however, the VLF-derived electrical conductances documented the decreasing flux of molten lava through the tube. Kupaianaha remained active, but output continued to decrease until early February 1992 when the last active surface flows were seen. In November 1991 we used the linearly decreasing effusion rate to accurately predict the date for the death of the Kupaianaha vent. The linear nature of the decline in lava tube conductance and the delayed and slow response of the Waha'ula tube conductances to the 49th eruptive episode led us to speculate that (a) the Kupaianaha vent shut down because of a decrease in driving pressure and not because of a freeze-up of the vent, and (b) that Pu'u 'O'o, episode 49, and Kupaianaha were fed nearly vertically from a source deep within the rift zone.
School Climate: Research, Policy, Practice, and Teacher Education

Background/Context: Educators have written about and studied school climate for 100 years. School climate refers to the quality and character of school life. School climate is based on patterns of people’s experiences of school life and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures. However, school climate is more than individual experience: It is a group phenomenon that is larger than any one person’s experience. A sustainable, positive school climate fosters youth development and learning necessary for a productive, contributive, and satisfying life in a democratic society. This climate includes norms, values, and expectations that support
Phase equilibria for fluid mixtures from monte-carlo simulation

Abstract The Gibbs-ensemble Monte-Carlo simulation method is extended for simulation of systems containing polyatomic molecules. This extension is used to predict phase-equilibria in systems containing pure and mixed lower alkanes. To describe interactions between different groups, we use OPLS potential energy functions. We also give results for the simulated vapor-liquid coexistence curve of water, using a TIP4P potential function.
Nano-aluminum-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon

Abstract This paper reports the successful fabrication of smooth, polycrystalline silicon films with very large crystallites produced by nanometer thick aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and the effect of annealing temperature ramp up time on grain size. The study shows that, compared to traditional AIC, nano-AIC produces much smoother polycrystalline silicon films with very large crystallites. In addition, unlike traditional AIC, the grain sizes produced by nano-AlC increase considerably with annealing temperature ramp-up time.
Preparation of a recombinant cDNA library from poly(A+) RNA of the Alzheimer brain. Identification and characterization of a cDNA copy encoding a glial-specific protein

Preparation of a recombinant cDNA library from poly(A+) RNA of the Alzheimer brain. Identification and characterization of a cDNA copy encoding a glial-specific protein. NEUROBIOL AGING 9(2) 163-171, 1988.-Studies were undertaken to assess the extent to which messenger RNA prepared from the postmortem Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain can be used for the successful preparation of a recombinant cDNA library. Initial experiments focused on the glial-specific marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) since GFAP expression appeared to be a model for further studies on mRNAs that may continue to be expressed at high levels in the vicinity of lesioned sites in the AD brain. An AD cDNA library, prepared in the λagt11 expression vector system contained GFAP-specific recombinants. One of these was sequenced and the insert was shown to exhibit 88% homology with the similar sequence from mouse GFAP. As established by Northern blots, the size of the GFAP mRNA prepared from the routinely acquired postmortem AD cortex, approximately 2.7 kb, was the same as from a neurologically normal control brain. These results agree with earlier studies on GFAP mRNA from fresh mouse brain. The results demonstrate that in the postmortem AD brain, astroglial-specific mRNA remains sufficiently stable for molecular genetic analysis and may serve as a useful model for examining the genetic expression of mRNAs that may be related to the molecular pathogenesis and the etiology of AD.
Induction Therapy with Bortezomib Followed by Bortezomib-High Dose Melphalan and Stem Cell Transplantation for Light Chain Amyloidosis: Results of a Prospective Clinical Trial

Abstract The depth of hematologic response has been shown to correlate with survival and organ responses for patients with light chain (AL) amyloidosis. We conducted a prospective trial of 2 cycles of induction with bortezomib and dexamethasone on a twice a week schedule followed by conditioning with bortezomib and high-dose melphalan (HDM) and autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT). The objectives were hematologic responses, tolerability, and survival. Thirty-five patients were enrolled from 2010 to 2013. Of these, 30 proceeded with SCT, whereas 5 did not because of clinical deterioration during induction (n = 3) or complications after stem cell collection (n = 2). Two patients developed features of an autologous graft-versus-host disease–like syndrome post-SCT, which responded to steroids; no other unusual complications were seen. Treatment-related mortality occurred in 8.5% (3/35). Hematologic responses were achieved by 100% of the 27 assessable patients (63% complete response, 37% very good partial response [VGPR]) who completed the planned treatment. By intention-to-treat, hematologic responses occurred in 77% of patients (49% complete response, 29% VGPR). With a median follow-up of 36 months, the median overall survival and progression-free survival were not reached. In conclusion, incorporating bortezomib into induction and conditioning yielded a high rate of hematologic responses after HDM/SCT in patients with AL amyloidosis.
Distribution functions for fluids in random media

A random medium is considered, composed of identifiable interactive sites or obstacles equilibrated at a high temperature and then quenched rapidly to form a rigid structure, statistically homogeneous on all but molecular length scales. The equilibrium statistical mechanics of a fluid contained inside this quenched medium is discussed. Various particle-particle and particle-obstacle correlation functions, which differ from the corresponding functions for a fully equilibrated binary mixture, are defined through an averaging process over the static ensemble of obstacle configurations and application of topological reduction techniques. The Ornstein-Zernike equations also differ from their equilibrium counterparts.
The effects of winter nutritional stress on maternal and neonatal behavior in penned white-tailed deer

Abstract This study was designed to determine the effect of winter nutritional stress on maternal and neonatal behavior during the first 3 days after parturition. A total of 45 penned deer were subjected to three levels of winter nutrition at 7–10, 19–22, and 31–34 months of age. Parturition occurred when does were about 24 and 36 months old. Maternal and fawn behaviors were observed during parturition and during random 1-h periods up to 3 days after birth. The most common form of postnatal fawn mortality resulted from a maternal rejection syndrome including failure to lick fawns at birth, fear of neonates, failure to eat the afterbirth, and refusal to nurse fawns despite the presence of milk in the udder. Since winter nutritional stress in common for deer on northern ranges, this behavioral syndrome may function as an effective method of population control.
Word-based characterization of promoters involved in human DNA repair pathways

DNA repair genes provide an important contribution towards the surveillance and repair of DNA damage. These genes produce a large network of interacting proteins whose mRNA expression is likely to be regulated by similar regulatory factors. Full characterization of promoters of DNA repair genes and the similarities among them will more fully elucidate the regulatory networks that activate or inhibit their expression. To address this goal, the authors introduce a technique to find regulatory genomic signatures, which represents a specific application of the genomic signature methodology to classify DNA sequences as putative functional elements within a single organism. The effectiveness of the regulatory genomic signatures is demonstrated via analysis of promoter sequences for genes in DNA repair pathways of humans. The promoters are divided into two classes, the bidirectional promoters and the unidirectional promoters, and distinct genomic signatures are calculated for each class. The genomic signatures include statistically overrepresented words, word clusters, and co-occurring words. The robustness of this method is confirmed by the ability to identify sequences that exist as motifs in TRANSFAC and JASPAR databases, and in overlap with verified binding sites in this set of promoter regions. The word-based signatures are shown to be effective by finding occurrences of known regulatory sites. Moreover, the signatures of the bidirectional and unidirectional promoters of human DNA repair pathways are clearly distinct, exhibiting virtually no overlap. In addition to providing an effective characterization method for related DNA sequences, the signatures elucidate putative regulatory aspects of DNA repair pathways, which are notably under-characterized.
Diet-induced changes in hepatic betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase activity are mediated by changes in the steady-state level of its mRNA

Abstract Liver betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.5) activity fluctuates with changes in the dietary intake of sulfur amino acids, choline, and betaine. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dietary-induced changes in the activity of hepatic betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase are mediated by changes in the level of its mRNA. The hepatic activity and mRNA content of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase were measured in rats fed one of five amino acid–defined diets: basal (1 g/kg methionine, 3 g/kg cystine, 1.25 g/kg choline bitartrate), control (basal plus 2 g/kg methionine), betaine supplemented (basal plus 3 g/kg betaine), cystine supplemented (basal plus 3 g/kg cystine), or betaine and cystine supplemented (basal plus 3 g/kg betaine plus 3 g/kg cystine). The basal diet was deficient solely in methionine, and the control diet was adequate in all nutrients. When compared with rats consuming the control diet, rats fed the methionine-deficient diet exhibited a 4-fold increase in the steady-state level of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase mRNA (p
Erratum: Multiple Pulse Laser-Induced Bulk Damage In Crystalline And Fused Quartz At 1.064 And 0.532 Ãµm

We report bulk damage measurements on single crystal quartz and two types of fused silica under single and multiple pulse laser irradiation at 1.064 um and 0.532 um. Whereas the single pulse damage threshold varies little among the materials or with wavelength, the multiple pulse induced damage behavior depends strongly upon material and wavelength. Laser calorimetry and measurements of light scattered during irradiation give no evidence of change prior to the pulse on which macroscopic damage occurs. However, the distribution of the number of pulses needed to produce macroscopic damage as a function of intensity is indicative of an accumulation process in which some minimum intensity is required to initiate the accumulation of microscopic damage.
Does Prophylactic Biologic Mesh Placement Protect Against the Development of Incisional Hernia in High-risk Patients?

Background The purpose of this study was to determine whether the prophylactic use of a biologic prosthesis protects against the development of incisional hernia in a high-risk patient population.
The apologia, 1971 genre

This article addresses itself to the following three questions: What are the distinguishing features of apologiae, past and present, created for the mass media? What variables explain Edward Kennedy's recent failure to succeed with this genre? What implications does the Senator's failure have for future rhetorical discourses of this nature?
Interactive synthesis of human-object interaction

We present an interactive motion editing tool for creating dynamic scenes with human and object interaction. Our approach solves for an optimal control problem that leverages methods for physics-based rigid body control and kinematics-based human motion editing. Because the humans and the objects are coupled via physical contacts, our interface allows the animator to directly change the trajectories of humans or objects and simultaneously render the effect of the edits on the entire scene. Consequently, the animator can efficiently create complex interaction that requires precise synchronization, such as juggling. Our framework is generic to the choice of human motion editing method, as long as the differential information of the motion can be computed.
Cooperation and quality in wikipedia

The rise of the Internet has enabled collaboration and cooperation on anunprecedentedly large scale. The online encyclopedia Wikipedia, which presently comprises 7.2 million articles created by 7.04 million distinct editors, provides a consummate example. We examined all 50 million edits made tothe 1.5 million English-language Wikipedia articles and found that the high-quality articles are distinguished by a marked increase in number of edits, number of editors, and intensity of cooperative behavior, as compared to other articles of similar visibility and age. This is significant because in other domains, fruitful cooperation has proven to be difficult to sustain as the size of the collaboration increases. Furthermore, in spite of the vagaries of human behavior, we show that Wikipedia articles accrete edits according to a simple stochastic mechanism in which edits beget edits. Topics of high interest or relevance are thus naturally brought to the forefront of quality.
Effects of parylene coating on the thermal fatigue life of solder joints in ceramic packages

A study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of a thin layer (9.4 mu m in thickness) of a chemical vapor deposited polymer, parylene, in enhancing the solder lifetime of a ceramic package containing large-DNP (distance to neutral point) test chips. Both coated and uncoated (control) packages with chips joined via C4 Pb/Sn solder technology were thermally cycled near room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature (-196 degrees C) until solder failure was first noticed in coated packages. The number of cycles to first failure for coated packages was found to be twice the corresponding number for uncoated packages. To interpret this twofold solder life enhancement, an elasto-plastic finite-element model was developed. Based on the results provided by this model and a low-temperature solder lifetime model, it was possible to attribute the extended solder life to the modification of the strain and stress fields in the solder joints by the parylene coating. The model also suggests that the solder life can be prolonged significantly with a parylene coating as thin as 3 mu m. >
Use of locomotor performance capacities reflects the risk level associated with specific cue types in two cursorial spider species

Understanding when and how animals use their performance capacities can yield insights into the selection pressures driving high performance. Using two species of cursorial spiders, Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz 1844) and Rabidosa rabida (Walckenaer 1837) (Araneae: Lycosidae), we investigated the escape speeds exhibited by individuals of various body sizes in response to three aversive stimuli (jets of air, seismic cue, prodding) to determine how individuals use their performance capacity in response to different stimuli. We found that large individuals of both species exhibited their highest observed escape speeds in response to jets of air, whereas smaller individuals exhibited their fastest observed escape performances in response to prodding. We hypothesized that differences in escape behavior may reflect differences in risk associated with each cue type: fast moving jets of air may announce the arrival of an avian predator, and large individuals may be at greater risk of avian predation owing to their more conspicuous body size; whereas smaller individuals may be more susceptible to arthropod predators, which attack from the level of the spider, similar to a prod. We then performed an unreplicated mark-recapture, avian-exclosure experiment for both species, where we tracked individuals' persistence for 30 d. Consistent with our predictions, we found that larger individuals enjoyed greater persistence in our avian exclosure treatment, but their advantage was lost when avian predators were allowed to enter. Our results suggest that these spiders express their highest performances in only their most dire situations.
Adenylate Energy Charge in Escherichia coli During Growth and Starvation

The value of the adenylate energy charge, [(adenosine triphosphate) + ½ (adenosine diphosphate)]/[(adenosine triphosphate) + (adenosine diphosphate) + (adenosine monophosphate)], in Escherichia coli cells during growth is about 0.8. During the stationary phase after cessation of growth, or during starvation in carbon-limited cultures, the energy charge declines slowly to a value of about 0.5, and then falls more rapidly. During the slow decline in energy charge, all the cells are capable of forming colonies, but a rapid fall in viability coincides with the steep drop in energy charge. These results suggest that growth can occur only at energy charge values above about 0.8, that viability is maintained at values between 0.8 and 0.5, and that cells die at values below 0.5. Tabulation of adenylate concentrations previously reported for various organisms and tissues supports the prediction, based on enzyme kinetic observations in vitro, that the energy charge is stabilized near 0.85 in intact metabolizing cells of a wide variety of types.
Axial and reformatted four-chamber right ventricle-to-left ventricle diameter ratios on pulmonary CT angiography as predictors of death after acute pulmonary embolism

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to retrospectively compare right ventricular-to-left ventricular (RV/LV) diameter ratios measured on the standard axial view versus the reformatted four-chamber view as predictors of mortality after acute pulmonary embolism (PE). MATERIALS AND METHODS. Six hundred seventy-four consecutive patients (mean age, 58 years; 372 women) with a diagnosis of acute PE on pulmonary CT angiography were considered. The axial and reformatted four-chamber RV/LV diameter ratios were compared as predictors of 30-day all-cause and PE-related mortality. RESULTS. Ninety-seven patients (14%) died within 30 days; 39 deaths were PE related. There was no significant difference in the univariate hazard ratios (HRs) of axial and four-chamber RV/LV diameter ratios greater than 0.9 for both all-cause (HR, 2.13 [95% CI, 1.29-3.51] vs HR, 1.95 [95% CI, 1.22-3.14]; p = 0.74) and PE-related (HR, 19.6 [95% CI, 2.70-143] vs HR, 21.8 [95% CI, 2.99-158]; p = 1.0) mortality. Axial and four-chamber mul...