cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitigating impacts of workload variation on ring oscillator-based thermometers.

Thermal issues have resulted in growing concerns among industries fabricating semiconductor devices such as Chip Multiprocessors (CMP) and reconfigurable hardware devices. To reduce passive cooling costs and eliminate the need to package for worst-case temperatures, dynamic thermal management (DTM) techniques are being devised to combat thermal effects. Reliable runtime measurement of device temperature is necessary for implementing DTM techniques. Ring oscillators have often been used for on-chip Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) temperature measurement due to their strong linear temperature dependence and compact design using available spare reconfigurable resources. A major problem in using ring oscillators to measure temperature, however, is that their frequency of oscillation is affected by changes in device core voltage and current distribution, induced by changes in application workload. The need, then, is to have a workload-compensated ring oscillator-based thermometer for reconfigurable devices. This work performs a characterization of the ideal as well as non-ideal effects of workload variation on ring oscillator frequency response. Where non-ideal refers to impacts on ring oscillator oscillation frequency due to phenomena other than the workload’s impact on device temperature. The data obtained from this characterization is used to compensate for these non-ideal effects. A complete hardware-software solution is implemented to collect temperature and power related data along with ring oscillator frequency response to varying workload configurations. The characterization results show an error of approximately 1◦C in the estimated temperature for every 8.6mA change in current drawn from the supply on a Xilinx Virtex-5 LX110T FPGA, with respect to the current draw measured while running a baseline workload during thermometer callibration. This lead to a maximum error of ∼74◦C for the workloads evaluated. The compensation technique implemented is shown to reduce this error to ∼2◦C.
TARDIS: time and remanence decay in SRAM to implement secure protocols on embedded devices without clocks

Lack of a locally trustworthy clock makes security protocols challenging to implement on batteryless embedded devices such as contact smartcards, contactless smartcards, and RFID tags. A device that knows how much time has elapsed between queries from an untrusted reader could better protect against attacks that depend on the existence of a rate-unlimited encryption oracle. The TARDIS (Time and Remanence Decay in SRAM) helps locally maintain a sense of time elapsed without power and without special-purpose hardware. The TARDIS software computes the expiration state of a timer by analyzing the decay of existing on-chip SRAM. The TARDIS enables coarse-grained, hourglass-like timers such that cryptographic software can more deliberately decide how to throttle its response rate. Our experiments demonstrate that the TARDIS can measure time ranging from seconds to several hours depending on hardware parameters. Key challenges to implementing a practical TARDIS include compensating for temperature and handling variation across hardware. Our contributions are (1) the algorithmic building blocks for computing elapsed time from SRAM decay; (2) characterizing TARDIS behavior under different temperatures, capacitors, SRAM sizes, and chips; and (3) three proof-of-concept implementations that use the TARDIS to enable privacy-preserving RFID tags, to deter double swiping of contactless credit cards, and to increase the difficulty of brute-force attacks against e-passports.
Cable TV Franchises as Barriers to Video Competition

Traditionally, municipal cable TV franchises were advanced as consumer protection to counter natural monopoly video providers. Yet historical evidence has demonstrated that franchise regulation - fraught with conflicts and delays, while ultimately proving ineffective in constraining rates - failed to improve consumer welfare. Now, marketplace changes render even this weak traditional case moot. First, local rate controls are, since the 1996 Telecommunications Act, pre-empted by federal law. Second, video rivalry has proven viable, with inter-modal competition from satellite TV and local exchange carriers (LECs) offering triple play services. Third, a community's interest in protecting local rights-of-way from excessive or disruptive use, best achieved through generic liability rules, are already in force for LEC video entrants under the terms of their telephone licenses. For these new rivals, which exploit scope efficiencies in entering video markets, cable franchises do not establish parity but duplicate existing regulation. Indeed, cable operators entered voice and data markets via video franchises, avoiding regulatory burdens such as build-out requirements. Eliminating the double taxation of overlapping regulatory structures improves economic efficiency by reducing a substantial barrier to competition. Were head-to-head wireline video rivalry, now offered to just under five percent of U.S. households, to extend nationwide, annual benefits to consumers are estimated to approximate $9 billion, with overall economic welfare increasing about $3 billion per year.
Culturally Competent Responses to the Effects of Armed Conflict on the Well-Being of Refugee Women

Armed conflict is often conceptualized as a gendered activity where fighters are men, and where women and children suffer, often differently and disproportionately. Sadly, “Violence is no longer merely the business of male combatants and trained militaries” (Rajasingham-Senanayake, 2004, p. 145). The postmodern wars and armed conflicts in the Balkans and in Africa that targeted and involved large number of civilians, including women and girls, present a fundamental challenge to how we conceptualize war and peace (Rajasingham-Senanayake, 2004) and analyze the effects of these “new wars” (Kaldor, 1999) on their survivors. Girl soldiers, women suicide bombers and women in battle fatigues carrying guns begin to blur both gender roles and conventional distinctions between military and civilian actors. As evidenced by the violence in Rwanda and Bosnia, for example, civilians can be both victims and perpetrators, sometimes seemingly in equal measure.
Robotic colloids: Engineered self-propulsion at the microscale (and smaller)

Abstract This chapter describes micro- and nanometer-scale devices that move autonomously in fluids, often called active colloids, which are increasingly discussed in the context of robotics. Although self-propulsion has been happening in biology for millions of years, since the 21st century began scientists and engineers have been developing synthetic particles that can propel themselves through liquids by extracting energy from their surroundings. A variety of propulsion mechanisms have been demonstrated, most of which involve the particles taking chemical energy from the surrounding fluid and converting it to kinetic (mechanical) energy. Robotic colloids are being developed for a wide range of applications, including environmental remediation, targeted drug delivery, and others. Herein, we review the rich physics underlying the motion of such active colloids and summarize recent research efforts to develop active colloids for specific applications. We close by highlighting some important research directions for the coming years.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Secreting Adenoma (TSHoma)

Pituitary thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) hypersecreting adenomas are rarer than any other hypersecretory pituitary adenoma. The etiology of these tumors is not known. TSHomas cause central hyperthyroidism, with elevation of the thyroid hormones without suppression of TSH. Although reported to occur at most ages, there is a higher prevalence with increasing age.
Reported Cases of Medical Malpractice in Direct-to-Consumer Telemedicine.

In response to physicians’ concerns about exposure to malpractice risk in direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine, this study reviews the LexisNexis legal case database for reported cases of medical malpractice related to DTC telemedicine services or their health care professionals.
How Should Well Differentiated Thyroid Cancer with Distant Metastatic Disease Be Managed

Well differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC) usually presents with cancer confined to the thyroid gland with or without spread to regional lymph nodes of the central or lateral neck. The patients with thyroid cancer who present with distant metastatic disease have worse outcomes including higher morbidity and mortality. Distant metastatic disease can be divided into metastatic pulmonary disease and metastatic extra-pulmonary disease, which can include primarily skeletal and brain disease. The purpose of this chapter was to review the current recommendations for managing patients with WDTC with distant metastatic disease at initial diagnosis and to present institutional experience. An aggressive management strategy is recommended by national and international guidelines which includes locoregional control with surgical intervention and postoperative radioactive iodine treatment. Institutional practice at our facility is to resect all detectable disease by performing total thyroidectomy and locoregional control with central and lateral neck lymph node dissection when indicated. Surgical resection of distant metastasis is recommended when the lesion is amenable to surgical intervention and when the patient performance status is amenable for undergoing the intervention. Radioactive iodine therapy is recommended for avid lesions, whereas non-avid lesions are a therapeutic dilemma and an area of research interest.
A High Torque Density Halbach Rotor Coaxial Magnetic Gear

This paper presents the design, analysis, and experimental testing results for a 5.67:1 Halbach rotor magnetic gearbox with a ferromagnetic back support. Using 3-D finite element analysis software the Halbach magnetic gearbox was calculated to achieve a volumetric torque density of 284N.m/L with only an active region outer diameter of 120mm. The experimental prototype obtained an active region volumetric torque density of 261.4N.m/L
Standardizing a Non-Lethal Method for Characterizing the Reproductive Status and Larval Development of Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionida)

Actively monitoring the timing, development, and reproductive patterns of endangered species is critical when managing for population recovery. Freshwater mussels are among the most imperiled organisms in the world, but information about early larval (glochidial) development and brooding periods is still lacking for many species. Previous studies have focused on the complex life history stage when female mussels are ready to parasitize host fish, but few studies have focused on the brooding period and timing of larval development. The protocol described here allows researchers to non-lethally evaluate the state of gravidity for female mussels. The results of this study show that this method does not affect a female mussel’s ability to stay gravid or become gravid again after sampling has been performed. The advantage of this method may permit its use on federally threatened or endangered species or other populations of high conservation concern. This protocol can be adapted for use on both preserved or live individuals and was tested on a variety of mussel species. The database provided is a repository for a breadth of information on timing of reproductive habits and will facilitate future freshwater mussel research, conservation, and recovery efforts.
The Impact of Multiple Comorbid Mental Health Disorders on Health-related Quality of Life Following ACDF.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective comparative study. OBJECTIVE The goal was to determine whether comorbid depression and/or anxiety influence outcomes after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for patients with degenerative cervical pathology. BACKGROUND DATA The role preoperative mental health has on patient reported outcomes after ACDF surgery is not well understood. METHODS Patients undergoing elective ACDF for degenerative cervical pathology were identified. Patients were grouped based on their preoperative mental health comorbidities, including patients with no history, depression, anxiety, and those with both depression and anxiety. All preoperative medical treatment for depression and/or anxiety was identified. Outcomes including Physical Component Score (PCS-12), Mental Component Score (MCS-12), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Visual Analogue Scale neck pain score (VAS Neck ), and Visual Analogue Scale arm pain score (VAS Arm) were compared between groups from baseline to postoperative measurements using multiple linear regression analysis-controlling for factors such as age, sex, and body mass index, etc. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS A total of 264 patients were included in the analysis, with an average age of 53 years and mean follow-up of 19.8 months (19.0-20.6). All patients with a diagnosis of depression or anxiety also reported medical treatment for the disease. The group with no depression or anxiety had significantly less baseline disability than the group with 2 mental health diagnoses, in MCS-12 (P=0.009), NDI (P<0.004), VAS Neck (P=0.003), and VAS Arm (P=0.001) scores. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that increasing occurrence of mental health disorders was not a significant predictor of change over time for any of the outcome measures included in the analysis. CONCLUSIONS Despite more severe preoperative symptoms, patients with a preoperative mental health disorder(s) demonstrated significant improvement in postoperative outcomes after ACDF. No differences were identified in postoperative outcomes between each of the groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III.
Imaging Amphotericin B orientation in Candida spp. through polarization stimulated Raman scattering microscopy (Conference Presentation)

Candidemia remains the fourth most common cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections. For more than a half-century, amphotericin B (Amp B) has been the last line of defense in the treatment of life-threatening fungal infections. However, during the past several years, severe infections due to Amp B-resistant Candida spp. isolates have been increasingly reported. Here, through polarization stimulated Raman scattering microscopy, Amp B was found to accumulate largely in the cell membrane of Candida spp. in a highly orientated approach, and the interaction between Amp B and ergosterol was investigated as well. Moreover, we found that the correlation between Amp B and ergosterol in Amp B-susceptible Candida spp. is different from that of Amp B-resistant Candida spp., which provides us important information to understand the working mechanism of Amp B, and to achieve fast determination of the Amp B susceptibility of Candida spp.
Ureteral Reimplantation, Psoas Hitch, and Boari Flap

Introduction: Ureteral reimplantation is indicated for patients with congenital distal ureteral strictures, for iatrogenic intraoperative distal ureteral injuries, and for those who require distal ureterectomy for transitional cell carcinoma. Methods: Using the da Vinci system from Intuitive, we demonstrate distal ureterectomy with reimplantation. Both a refluxing extravesical reimplant and nonrefluxing extravesical reimplant are shown. We also demonstrate modifications, including psoas hitch and Boari flap. Results: Robotic ureteral reimplantation with psoas hitch and Boari flap are demonstrated in a reproducible manner. Additional topics covered include the delineation of diseased ureter vs healthy ureter, the applications of indocyanine green, and the use of interoperative ureteral stents. Conclusions: Robotic ureteral reimplantation is safe and feasible when performed with proper technique. Ureteroscopy and near-infrared fluorescence technology facilitate improved detection of diseased ureteral segments. Key points include the maintenance of principles of open surgery such as a tension-free, watertight, and stented anastomosis.
Designing the Hairline

Creating a natural hairline is important to a successful hair transplant. Modern hair transplantation techniques favor the exclusive use of follicular unit (FU) grafts to achieve recipient-site density and refinement. A better understanding of the characteristics that make up a normal hairline has resulted in significant advances in hairline design. The anterior frontal hairline is recreated exclusively with single-hair FUs to establish a natural “feathering” transition zone (TZ) between the forehead and the higher density central scalp. Posterior to this hairline transition zone, two-, three-, and four-hair FUs are used to provide density throughout the restoration area. It is important to follow the original hair direction and exit angle precisely when creating the recipient openings in order to maintain a natural hair growth pattern and to prevent transection of preexisting native hair or previously transplanted follicles. It is important to explain to the patient that the donor area has a finite number of grafts and that we do not have an unlimited donor supply. If there is any concern about graft supply and potential for further hair loss, it is better to be conservative and not place the hairline too low.
Potential Involvement of a Substantia Nigra Circuit in Opioid Reinforcement.

A long-held tenet in the pharmacology of drug abuse is that, despite marked differences in cellular targets, addictive drugs reinforce drug taking by increasing dopamine (DA) transmission in the Nucleus accumbens (NAc; [Di Chiara and Imperato, 1988][1]). Opioid-evoked DA release in the NAc has been
Changes in Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Associated With the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States.

This cross-sectional study evaluates the change in rates of pregnancy complications during the COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women with commercial health insurance across the US.
Reinfection Rates Among Patients Who Previously Tested Positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background Protection afforded from prior disease among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is unknown. If infection provides substantial long-lasting immunity, it may be appropriate to reconsider vaccination distribution. Methods This retrospective cohort study of 1 health system included 150 325 patients tested for COVID-19 infection via polymerase chain reaction from 12 March 2020 to 30 August 2020. Testing performed up to 24 February 2021 in these patients was included. The main outcome was reinfection, defined as infection ≥90 days after initial testing. Secondary outcomes were symptomatic infection and protection of prior infection against reinfection. Results Of 150 325 patients, 8845 (5.9%) tested positive and 141 480 (94.1%) tested negative before 30 August. A total of 1278 (14.4%) positive patients were retested after 90 days, and 62 had possible reinfection. Of those, 31 (50%) were symptomatic. Of those with initial negative testing, 5449 (3.9%) were subsequently positive and 3191 of those (58.5%) were symptomatic. Protection offered from prior infection was 81.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76.6-85.8) and against symptomatic infection was 84.5% (95% CI, 77.9-89.1). This protection increased over time. Conclusions Prior infection in patients with COVID-19 was highly protective against reinfection and symptomatic disease. This protection increased over time, suggesting that viral shedding or ongoing immune response may persist beyond 90 days and may not represent true reinfection. As vaccine supply is limited, patients with known history of COVID-19 could delay early vaccination to allow for the most vulnerable to access the vaccine and slow transmission.
Lifestyle Modification and Fibromyalgia

Due to the complex interplay between physical, social, and psychological factors, the pain from fibromyalgia is extremely difficult to predict, prevent, or manage. Despite their efficacy, a number of challenges prevent the broader adoption of lifestyle interventions to treat fibromyalgia. A comprehensive management plan may involve using cognitive, behavioral, and physical therapeutic strategies in addition to the judicious use of medications. Lifestyle modification strategies for patients with fibromyalgia may include recommendations for increasing physical activity, dietary changes, weight reduction, improving the quality of sleep, and eliminating cigarette smoking.
Functions and Applications of RNA‐Guided CRISPR‐Cas Immune Systems

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs), together with CRISPR-associated sequences (cas) constitute the CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune system in bacteria and archaea. Adaptive immunity is built into CRISPR arrays through the uptake of small pieces of invasive nucleic acids, such as viruses and plasmids. Acquired immunity is subsequently mediated by small interfering RNAs transcribed from these loci, that guide specific cleavage of complementary sequences by nucleases. Studies have established that CRISPR loci and their RNA-guided interference machinery can be exploited for a broad array of applications. Adaptive immunity can be built against viruses, or to preclude the uptake of undesirable sequences. The inheritable and hypervariable nature of these loci can be used to track the phylogenetic path of an organism and reveal the evolutionary interplay between hosts and their viruses. Recently, a new customizable genome editing system was developed based on these versatile interfering RNAs to specifically guide nucleases for sequence cleavage. Keywords: Cas; Cas9; Cascade; CRISPR; crRNA; Interference
DIAGNOSIS OF PANCREATIC DISEASE BY A SYNTHETIC PEPTIDE: A New Test of Exocrine Pancreatic Function

Abstract N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl- p -aminobenzoic acid, a synthetic peptide, is specifically cleaved by the pancreatic endopeptidase chymotrypsin; the released p -aminobenzoic acid (P.A.B.A.) is absorbed and excreted in the urine. To evaluate its diagnostic value, the urinary excretion of P.A.B.A. after oral administration of this peptide was examined in patients with pancreatic disease (chronic pancreatitis with pancreatic insufficiency and pancreatic carcinoma). Recovery of P.A.B.A. in the urine was significantly lower in patients with pancreatitis (40%) and pancreatic carcinoma (56%) than in the control group (75%) (P
Rateless and pollution-attack-resilient network coding

Consider the problem of reliable multicast over a network in the presence of adversarial errors. In contrast to traditional network error correction codes designed for a given network capacity and a given number of errors, we study an arguably more realistic setting that prior knowledge on the network and adversary parameters is not available. For this setting we propose efficient and throughput-optimal error correction schemes, provided that the source and terminals share randomness that is secret form the adversary. We discuss an application of cryptographic pseudorandom generators to efficiently produce the secret randomness, provided that a short key is shared between the source and terminals. Finally we present a secure key distribution scheme for our network setting.
A Decentralized Approach to Minimum-Energy Broadcasting in Static Ad Hoc Networks

Due to the limited resources of most wireless ad hoc and sensor networks, minimizing the cost of commonly used broadcasts is of utmost importance. This has led to work in the minimum energy broadcasting problem. Most solutions require global topology knowledge, however, this information is typically not available in ad hoc applications. Decentralized approaches have been unable to match the energy efficiency of centralized methods. Previous approaches have also relied upon locality information to estimate link cost, which is unreliable. In this paper, we will describe a new distributed approach to the minimum energy broadcasting problem which targets multi-packet broadcast sessions. It constructs a broadcast tree in a distributed fashion using link quality measurements to more accurately estimate link cost. We show by simulation, and confirm through experimentation, that our protocol is capable of constructing a tree that is near to centralized approaches in energy cost.
Characterization of Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Envelope Glycoprotein Epitopes Recognized by Neutralizing Antibodies from Infected Monkeys

We characterized human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein epitopes recognized by neutralizing antibodies from monkeys recently infected by molecularly cloned simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) variants. The early neutralizing antibody response in each infected animal was directed mainly against a single epitope. This primary neutralizing epitope, however, differed among individual monkeys infected by identical viruses. Two such neutralization epitopes were determined by sequences in the V2 and V3 loops of the gp120 envelope glycoprotein, while a third neutralization epitope, apparently discontinuous, was determined by both V2 and V3 sequences. These results indicate that the early neutralizing antibody response in SHIV-infected monkeys is monospecific and directed against epitopes composed of the gp120 V2 and V3 variable loops.
Implications of the Revised Criteria for Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous disease. It comprises several distinct pathophysiologic disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, each of which ultimately manifests with hyperglycemia. Although the prevalence of the disease is unknown, >13 million people are estimated to have diabetes in the US (1). The severe complications (renal, retinal, and cardiovascular) associated with the disease contribute to the $92 000 000 000 in annual healthcare costs in the US (1992 estimate) (2). Therefore, the recent Report of the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus that recommends new classification and diagnostic criteria for diabetes (3) merits contemplation. Since the advent of blood glucose assays, the exclusive criterion for the diagnosis of diabetes has been hyperglycemia, either fasting or postprandial. For many years diabetes was diagnosed by the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), the cutoff having been established as 2SD above the mean of the glucose concentrations in healthy volunteers. In 1975 Siperstein estimated that more than half the population older than 60 years was abnormal by these criteria (4). However, those values had more statistical than clinical significance, as follow-up for 10 years revealed that a substantial proportion of these individuals did not develop diabetes and many returned to normal glucose tolerance. Moreover, there was considerable variability among diabetologists in the diagnostic criteria used in practice (5). To resolve these issues, in 1979 the National Diabetes Data Group (6) proposed criteria that were based on the bimodal distribution of blood glucose concentrations in populations with a high prevalence of diabetes, such as Pima Indians and Nauruans. Optimal separation between nondiabetic and diabetic subjects in these groups is at 11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dL, 2000 mg/L) 2 h after an oral glucose load and at 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL) for fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Thus, the diagnostic criteria were (a) classic …
Echocardiographic diagnosis and prognosis of fetal left ventricular noncompaction.

Background Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) has rarely been described in the fetus. Methods The presence of associated congenital heart disease and rhythm disturbance was identified and the presence of heart failure was assessed using the cardiovascular profile score in all fetuses with LVNC presenting from January 1999 to July 2010. The left ventricle was divided into 12 segments—four segments each at the base, midpapillary, and apical regions—in the short-axis view to calculate the noncompaction/compaction ratio for each segment. Results Of 24 fetuses with LVNC included in the study, 22 had significant congenital heart disease, and 15 had complete heart block. Of the 16 patients with adequate follow-up and not electively terminated, 12 (81%) died or progressed to heart transplantation. The average noncompaction/compaction ratios were 2.02 in patients who died or underwent heart transplantation and 1.67 in survivors ( P = .2034). Fifty-seven of 93 measured segments (61%) of the left ventricle in the patients who died or underwent heart transplantation had noncompaction/compaction ratios ≥ 2 compared with five of 17 measured segments (29%) in survivors ( P = .0837). The average cardiovascular profile score was 6. The apical region had greater involvement of noncompaction than the midpapillary and basal regions, with ratios of 2.27, 2.14, and 1.10, respectively ( P = .00035). Conclusions Fetuses with LVNC have a poor prognosis that may be related to associated congenital heart disease, increased segmental involvement of noncompaction, and complete heart block and can be predicted by the cardiovascular profile score.
Chronic Exposure to Zinc Chromate Induces Centrosome Amplification and Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Bypass in Human Lung Fibroblasts

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) compounds are known human lung carcinogens. Solubility plays an important role in its carcinogenicity with the particulate or insoluble form being the most potent. Of the particulate Cr(VI) compounds, zinc chromate appears to be the most potent carcinogen; however, very few studies have investigated its carcinogenic mechanism. In this study, we investigated the ability of chronic exposure to zinc chromate to induce numerical chromosome instability. We found no increase in aneuploidy after a 24 h exposure to zinc chromate, but with more chronic exposures, zinc chromate induced concentration- and time-dependent increases in aneuploidy in the form of hypodiploidy, hyperdiploidy, and tetraploidy. Zinc chromate also induced centrosome amplification in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in both interphase and mitotic cells after chronic exposure, producing cells with centriolar defects. Furthermore, chronic exposure to zinc chromate induced concentration- and time-dependent ...
General Equations of Symmetrical Ellipsometer Arrangements

Simplified equations for two commonly used ellipsometer arrangements are derived, where the compensator is placed either before or after the specimen and, at fixed compensator azimuth, polarizer and analyzer azimuths are adjusted for null. The symmetry in the equations, which arises from the similar function which characterizes either the compensator or the specimen, is clearly evident. In addition to the considerable simplification of certain working equations, the analysis shows that the measurement of the specimen attenuation ratio is independent of either compensator properties or azimuth. Also, and of considerable practical interest, unambiguous determination can be made of the angular range of the specimen retardation, whether 0≤Δ≤π or π≤Δ≤2π.
Anticoagulation in the acute and long-term management of Kawasaki disease

Abstract Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology, usually affecting infants and young children, with a predilection for the coronary arterial system. Without treatment, approximately 20% of affected children will develop either coronary artery aneurysms or ectasia. The incidence of coronary artery changes decreases to about 5% when patients are treated with appropriate doses of intravenous gamma globulin and aspirin prior to the 10th day of the illness. The combination of disease-induced coagulation abnormalities and abnormal flow dynamics in the affected coronary arteries makes anticoagulation therapy necessary during the acute phase of the disease. The need for anticoagulation therapy is life-long in patients with persistent coronary artery abnormalities. During the acute phase of the illness in the uncomplicated child, aspirin is used for anticoagulation therapy. More aggressive anticoagulation therapy is recommended for those patients with giant (>8 mm) coronary artery aneurysms. Although the results are mixed, thrombolytic therapy is frequently used for those patients who develop coronary artery thrombi. Aspirin remains the mainstay of long-term anticoagulation therapy in patients with persistent coronary artery abnormalities, with warfarin added in those patients with giant aneurysms. As experience with new antiplatelet agents increases and they are shown to be safe and effective in preventing thrombi in adults with coronary artery disease, the potential choices for both acute and long-term anticoagulation in children with Kawasaki disease may also increase. In this review, coagulation abnormalities in children with Kawasaki disease, anticoagulation in the acute phase of the disease, thrombolytic therapy in patients with coronary artery thrombi, and long-term anticoagulation in patients with persistent coronary artery changes will be summarized.
Radical redesign of a tandem array of four R67 dihydrofolate reductase genes yields a functional, folded protein possessing 45 substitutions.

R67 dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is a plasmid-encoded, type II enzyme. Four monomers (78 amino acids long) assemble into a homotetramer possessing 222 symmetry. In previous studies, a tandem array of four R67 DHFR gene copies was fused in frame to generate a functional monomer named Quad1. This protein possessed the essential tertiary structure of the R67 “parent”. To facilitate mutagenesis reactions, restriction enzyme sites were introduced in the tandem gene array. S59A and H362L mutations were also added to minimize possible folding topologies; this protein product, named Quad3, possesses 10 substitutions and is functional. Since R67 DHFR possesses a stable scaffold, a large jump in sequence space was performed by the further addition of 45 amino acid substitutions. The mutational design utilized alternate sequences from other type II DHFRs. In addition, most of the mutations were positioned on the surface of the protein as well as in the disordered N-terminal sequence, which serves as the linker bet...
Thermal stress fracture mode of CO2 laser cutting of aluminum nitride

A thermal stress fracture mode of material removal by laser cutting was conducted in 1-mm thick wafers of aluminum nitride (AlN) using a continuous wave CO2 laser with a defocused beam. In this mode, a thin layer (10–20 μm) of AlN surface was melted in an oxygen environment to form aluminum oxide. Solidification of the melt layer coupled with thermal expansion mismatch generated thermal stresses that in turn created a crack along the middle path of the laser beam, resulting in material separation. Thermochemical modeling of laser heating, oxide forming, and subsequent cooling of AlN was performed to validate the formation of cracks as well as material separation through unstable crack propagation. A comparison with the conventional “evaporation/melt and blow” laser cutting method showed that the thermal stress method offers significant benefits such as improved precision, better cut quality, higher cutting speed, and lower energy losses.
High open-circuit voltage, high fill factor single-junction organic solar cells

We demonstrate a high open circuit voltage (Voc), high fill factor, single-junction organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell consisting of tetraphenyldibenzoperiflanthene (DBP) as the donor and pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole- 1,4-dione, 3,6-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2, 5-dihydro (DPP) as the acceptor in a vapor-deposited, fullerene free organic solar cell. Under one sun illumination, the DBP/DPP based planar heterojunction solar cell exhibits a Voc of 1.19 V with a fill factor of 0.67, leading to a final power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.2%. Our achieved Voc is the highest value reported thus far for a single-junction, high fill factor organic solar cell. A planar-mixed device architecture allows for high exciton generation while maintaining high exciton dissociation, leading to a PCE of 3.2%. The DBP and DPP interface creates a high interface energy gap (ΔEDA) and relatively low saturation current (JS) due to poor coupling across the donor-acceptor interface. These results support earlier theories that high Voc values are dependent on large ΔEDA and low JS for a given donor-acceptor combination in OPVs.
Auditory Event-Related Potentials to Tone Stimuli in Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract This study attempted to replicate findings of abnormal auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of Vietnam combat veterans. Veterans with combat-related PTSD, divided into unmedicated (unmed-PTSD, n = 12) and medicated (med-PTSD, n = 22) groups, and veterans without PTSD (non-PTSD, n = 10) completed a three-tone “oddball” target detection task while ERPs were measured. Individuals with comorbid panic disorder (PD) were excluded from the primary analyses. Parietal P3 amplitude to the target tone was significantly smaller in unmed-PTSD compared to med-PTSD and non-PTSD groups. These differences did not remain significant when an adjustment was made for level of depression. Parietal P3 amplitude was also negatively correlated with state anxiety. Secondary analyses within the unmed-PTSD group indicated that participants with comorbid PD ( n = 3) had the largest parietal P3 amplitudes to target tones. Results are consistent with attentional or concentration deficits in PTSD and highlight the importance of considering comorbid diagnoses. The absence of ERP differences between med-PTSD and non-PTSD participants suggests that psychotropic medication may normalize these deficits.
INCREASING RECYCLING IN ACADEMIC BUILDINGS: A SYSTEMATIC REPLICATION

We placed recycling receptacles in two locations in academic buildings and studied recycling behavior within an ABA multiple baseline design. During baseline, recycling receptacles were placed in a central location. During the intervention, receptacles were moved into classrooms where beverages were primarily consumed. Baseline conditions were then reinstated. The percentage of cans recycled daily increased during intervention and returned to near-baseline levels during withdrawal. The percentage of cans discarded daily in the trash decreased during the intervention and increased to near-baseline levels during withdrawal. Implications of this study include making recycling more convenient in institutional settings.
The Feasibility of Organ Salvage From Non—Heart-Beating Trauma Donors

Background: Blunt trauma patients without vital signs on admission are potential non—heart-beating donors. Objective: To review the feasibility of postmortem visceral perfusion and organ donation in blunt trauma patients without vital signs. Design: A retrospective case series of blunt trauma victims who were declared dead in the emergency department. Setting: A level I trauma center. Main Outcome Measures: Factors potentially precluding donation and potential donor yield. Results: The mean trauma-to-death interval was 71 minutes ( Conclusions: The potential organ yield from non—heart-beating, blunt trauma victims is low, which highlights the ethical and legal problems of this approach. Arch Surg. 1996;131:929-934
Nonunion of a Fracture of the Sustentaculum Tali Causing a Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome: A Case Report

A middle-aged man sustained an isolated sustentaculum tali fracture that formed a stable nonunion. Subsequently, tarsal tunnel syndrome developed when this sustentacular fragment migrated superiorly to cause tibial nerve impingement. The patient presented with a history of longstanding foot and ankle pain. He was painfree 2 weeks after excision of the bony mass encased in fibrous tissue.
A Tour of Modern Image Filtering: New Insights and Methods, Both Practical and Theoretical

In this article, the author presents a practical and accessible framework to understand some of the basic underpinnings of these methods, with the intention of leading the reader to a broad understanding of how they interrelate. The author also illustrates connections between these techniques and more classical (empirical) Bayesian approaches. The proposed framework is used to arrive at new insights and methods, both practical and theoretical. In particular, several novel optimality properties of algorithms in wide use such as block-matching and three-dimensional (3-D) filtering (BM3D), and methods for their iterative improvement (or nonexistence thereof) are discussed. A general approach is laid out to enable the performance analysis and subsequent improvement of many existing filtering algorithms. While much of the material discussed is applicable to the wider class of linear degradation models beyond noise (e.g., blur,) to keep matters focused, we consider the problem of denoising here.
AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION OF CAPITAL BUDGETING TECHNIQUES: IMPACT OF INVESTMENT TYPES AND FIRM CHARACTERISTICS

ABSTRACT This study reports the results of a survey of project evaluation techniques used in capital budgeting. Using the Friedman Two-Way ANOVA, this study compares four types of evaluation techniques over three types of investments. Not only does the study confirm the increasing popularity of discounted cash flow techniques as suggested by previous surveys, it also finds a wide use of non-financial techniques in evaluating competing projects. Furthermore, using the Friedman ANOVA and the Mann-Whitney U test, this study examines the impact of investment types and firm characteristics and provides explanations for practical variations in the use of capital budgeting techniques.
The impact of prepolarization on Earth’s field laboratory nuclear-magnetic-resonance relaxation experiments

ABSTRACTTo advance our understanding, and the application of surface nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), we need to conduct Earth’s magnetic field (EF) laboratory NMR measurements of the acquired relaxation times. In EF laboratory NMR, prepolarization is used to achieve detectable signal levels. This involves exposing the sample to a static magnetic field to increase the equilibrium magnetization associated with the nuclear spins of protons in the pore fluid. We found that prepolarization can also have a significant impact on the commonly measured relaxation time T2*. We studied this impact on T2* using a set of sand samples taken from boreholes in the U.S. High Plains aquifer. Using rock-magnetic measurements, we found that prepolarization at 25 mT increased the magnetization of the solid phase of the samples up to a factor of 10. For these samples, we observed T2* that decreased from 30 to 3 ms with increasing magnetization. Surface NMR data collected at the borehole site indicate significantly longer T2*...
Quantitative direct probe method for the detection of parvovirus B19.

Parvovirus B19 infection is associated with anemia and spontaneous abortions. While many qualitative assays are available, a few molecular-based quantitative methods have been described. This study reports the development and optimization of a quantitative direct-probe method for the detection of Parvovirus B19 DNA. Different concentrations of RNA probes were used to identify the optimal conditions for hybridizing to the target DNA. Detection of DNA was linear between concentrations of 2 ng/ml to 200 pg/ml. Because this method requires no enzymatic amplification, it is not susceptible to amplifier contamination or enzymatic inhibitors, and it can be applied to serum samples or paraffin-embedded tissue.
Self-Assembly of CdSe−ZnS Quantum Dot Bioconjugates Using an Engineered Recombinant Protein

A novel and direct method is described for conjugating protein molecules to luminescent CdSe−ZnS core−shell nanocrystals (Quantum Dots) for use as bioactive fluorescent probes in sensing, imaging, immunoassay, and other diagnostics applications. The approach makes use of a chimeric fusion protein designed to electrostatically bind to the oppositely charged surface of capped colloidal quantum dots (QDs). Preparation of protein-modified QD dispersions with high quantum yield, little or no particle aggregation, and retention of biological activity was achieved. Combining the advantages of lipoic acid capped CdSe−ZnS quantum dots (photochemical stability, a wide range of size-dependent emission wavelengths, and aqueous compatibility) with facile electrostatic conjugation of bioactive proteins, this type of hybrid bioinorganic conjugate represents a powerful fluorescent tracking tool for diverse applications. The design and preparation of a model QD/protein conjugate based on E. coli Maltose Binding Protein is...
Trace Metal Discharges of the Grand Calumet River

Abstract Trace metal contamination of water and sediment of the polluted Grand Calumet River system was assessed for one year. Levels of cadmium, lead, zinc and iron in sediment generally exceeded literature values, while total levels in the water were less markedly elevated. Total discharge of metal from the river showed the following descending order of discharge: Fe > Zn > Pb > Cd. Significant amounts of the filterable fraction of lead, about 10 tons/year, are discharged through the Indiana Harbor Canal into Lake Michigan.
Unified performance and power modeling of scientific workloads

It is expected that scientific applications executing on future large-scale HPC must be optimized not only in terms of performance, but also in terms of power consumption. As power and energy become increasingly constrained resources, researchers and developers must have access to tools that will allow for accurate prediction of both performance and power consumption. Reasoning about performance and power consumption in concert will be critical for achieving maximum utilization of limited resources on future HPC systems. To this end, we present a unified performance and power model for the Nek-Bone mini-application developed as part of the DOE's CESAR Exascale Co-Design Center. Our models consider the impact of computation, point-to-point communication, and collective communication individually and quantitatively predict their impact on both performance and energy efficiency. Further, these models are demonstrated to be accurate on currently available HPC system architectures. In this paper, we present our modeling methodology and performance and power models for the Nek-Bone mini-application. We present validation results that indicate the accuracy of these models.
Understanding context-dependency in plant-microbe symbiosis: The influence of abiotic and biotic contexts on host fitness and the rate of symbiont transmission

Understanding the dynamics of a hereditary symbiosis requires testing how ecological factors alter not only the fitness consequences of the symbiosis, but also the rate of symbiont transmission to the next generation. The relative importance of these two mechanisms remains unresolved because studies have not simultaneously examined how the ecological context of the symbiosis influences both costs/benefits and the rate of vertical transmission. Fungal endophytes in grasses have provided particularly tractable systems for investigating the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of hereditary symbiosis. Here we examine interactions between a fungal endophyte, Epichloe amarillans, and its grass host, Agrostis hyemalis, under altered abiotic and biotic contexts: a gradient of water availability and in the presence versus absence of soil microbes. We show that benefits of the symbiosis were strongest when water was limiting. Symbiotic plants at the lowest watering level produced ∼40% more inflorescences and greater seed mass than non-symbiotic plants, while at the highest watering level, symbiotic and non-symbiotic plants did not significantly differ in reproductive fitness. Benefits appear to accrue by allowing hosts to escape from drought, a response that has not been previously reported to be endophyte-mediated. Symbiotic plants at the lowest watering level flowered 9 days earlier than non-symbiotic plants. Interestingly, our results suggest the symbiosis may be costly in the presence of soil microbes, as on live soil, the biomass of symbiotic plants was lower than the biomass of symbiont-free plants. We detected no effect of either the biotic or abiotic context on the rate of symbiont vertical transmission, suggesting that the context-dependent benefits of the symbiosis are the more important driver of variation in symbiont frequency in this system.