cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical Modeling of Single Asian Dust and Marine Air Particles: A Comparison with Geometric Particle Shapes for Remote Sensing

Abstract We compare the optical properties of various geometric shapes with single atmospheric Asian dust and marine background air particles collected at Mauna Loa Observatory. Three-dimensional representations of the particles were acquired with focused ion-beam (FIB) tomography, which involves FIB milling of individual particles followed by imaging and elemental mapping with scanning electron microscopy. Particles were heterogeneous with mainly dolomite or calcite and a minor amount of iron; marine air particles contained gypsum but no iron. Extinction and backscatter fraction were calculated with the discrete dipole approximation method. Geometric shapes were grouped as ellipsoids (sphere, spheroid, ellipsoid), cuboids (cube, square prism, rectangular prism), and pyramids (tetrahedron, triangular pyramid). Each group represented a progression of shapes with 1, 2, or 3 non-identical axes. Most shapes underestimated particle extinction and overestimated the backscatter fraction. Not surprisingly, extinction and the backscatter fraction of the sphere and cube were furthest from those of the particles. While the 3-axis ellipsoid and rectangular prism were closer dimensionally to the particles, extinction and the backscatter fraction for the 2-axis spheroid and square prism, respectively, were often closer to the particles. The extinction and backscatter fraction for the tetrahedron and triangular pyramid were closer on average to the actual particles than were the other shapes. Tetrahedra have the advantage that parameterization of an aerosol model for remote sensing would not require an aspect ratio distribution. Particle surface roughness invariably decreased the backscatter fraction. While surface roughness typically contributes a minor part to overall scattering, in some cases the larger surface area of the tetrahedron and triangular pyramid sufficiently accounted for enhanced forward scattering of particles from surface roughness.
Promoting Health and Well-Being Through Mobile Health Technology (Roadmap 2.0) in Family Caregivers and Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Protocol for the Development of a Mobile Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Cancer patients who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are among the most medically fragile patient populations with extreme demands for caregivers. Indeed, with earlier hospital discharges, the demands placed on caregivers continue to intensify. Moreover, an increased number of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations are being performed worldwide, and this expensive procedure has significant economic consequences. Thus, the health and well-being of family caregivers have attracted widespread attention. Mobile health technology has been shown to deliver flexible, and time- and cost-sparing interventions to support family caregivers across the care trajectory. Objective: This protocol aims to leverage technology to deliver a novel caregiver-facing mobile health intervention named Roadmap 2.0. We will evaluate the effectiveness of Roadmap 2.0 in family caregivers of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Methods: The Roadmap 2.0 intervention will consist of a mobile randomized trial comparing a positive psychology intervention arm with a control arm in family caregiver-patient dyads. The primary outcome will be caregiver health-related quality of life, as assessed by the PROMIS Global Health scale at day 120 post-transplant. Secondary outcomes will include other PROMIS caregiver- and patient-reported outcomes, including companionship, self-efficacy for managing symptoms, self-efficacy for managing daily activities, positive affect and well-being, sleep disturbance, depression, and anxiety. Semistructured qualitative interviews will be conducted among participants at the completion of the study. We will also measure objective physiological markers (eg, sleep, activity, heart rate) through wearable wrist sensors and health care utilization data through electronic health records. Results: We plan to enroll 166 family caregiver-patient dyads for the full data analysis. The study has received Institutional Review Board approval as well as Code Review and Information Assurance approval from our health information technology services. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the study has been briefly put on hold. However, recruitment began in August 2020. We have converted all recruitment, enrollment, and onboarding processes to be conducted remotely through video telehealth. Consent will be obtained electronically through the Roadmap 2.0 app. Conclusions: This mobile randomized trial will determine if positive psychology-based activities delivered through mobile health technology can improve caregiver health-related quality of life over a 16-week study period. This study will provide additional data on the effects of wearable wrist sensors on caregiver and patient self-report outcomes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04094844; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04094844
Depression and Anxiety Are Common Among Patients With Cirrhosis.

Background & Aims Depression and anxiety can have negative effects on patients and are important to treat. There have been few studies of their prevalence among patients with cirrhosis. We aimed to characterize the prevalence and risk factors for depression and anxiety in a large multi-center cohort of patients with cirrhosis. Methods We conducted a telephone-based survey of patients with cirrhosis at 3 health systems in the United States (a tertiary-care referral center, a safety net system, and a Veterans hospital) from April through December 2018. Of 2871 patients approached, 1021 (35.6%) completed the survey. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the PHQ-9 (range 0–25) and STAI (range 20–80) instruments, with clinically significant values defined as PHQ-9 ≥15 and STAI ≥40. We performed multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with significant depression and anxiety. Results The median PHQ-9 score was 7 (25th percentile–75th percentile, 3–12) and the median STAI score was 33 (25th percentile–75th percentile, 23–47); 15.6% of patients had moderately severe to severe depression and 42.6% of patients had high anxiety. In multivariable analyses, self-reported poor health (odds ratio [OR], 4.08; 95% CI, 1.79–9.28), being widowed (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.07–4.05), fear of hepatocellular carcinoma (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.04–3.42), higher household income (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.10–0.95), and Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.33–0.97) were associated with moderately severe to severe depression. Male sex (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.51–0.98), self-reported poor health (OR, 2.73; 95% CI, 1.73–4.32), and fear of hepatocellular carcinoma (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.33–3.78) were associated with high anxiety. Conclusions Nearly 1 in 6 patients with cirrhosis have moderately severe to severe depression and nearly half have moderate–severe anxiety. Patients with cirrhosis should be evaluated for both of these disorders.
Benign Lesions in Cirrhosis

The accurate diagnosis of benign lesions in a cirrhotic liver is clearly important to avoid misdiagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or other malignancies and to direct the patient toward the most appropriate management. In this chapter we review the appearance of the most common benign lesions encountered on CT and MR imaging of a cirrhotic liver. The lesions are divided into two main groups depending on the histological composition as non-hepatocellular lesions (i.e., cysts and peribiliary cysts, hemangiomas, pseudolesions) and hepatocellular lesions (i.e., nonmalignant cirrhosis-associated nodules, focal nodular hyperplasia like nodules, and hepatobiliary hypointense nodules without arterial phase hyperenhancement).
Super-resolution optofluidic scanning microscopy

Optofluidics enables visualizing diverse anatomical and functional traits of single-cell specimens with new degrees of imaging capabilities. However, the current optofluidic microscopy systems suffer from either low resolution to reveal subcellular details or incompatibility with general microfluidic devices or operations. Here, we report optofluidic scanning microscopy (OSM) for super-resolution, live-cell imaging. The system exploits multi-focal excitation using the innate fluidic motion of the specimens, allowing for minimal instrumental complexity and full compatibility with various microfluidic configurations. The results present effective resolution doubling, optical sectioning and contrast enhancement. We anticipate the OSM system to offer a promising super-resolution optofluidic paradigm for miniaturization and different levels of integration at the chip scale.
Graduate Study at the Time of Pandemic: Notes from a Cash-Strapped Country

Since its first reported case on January 30, the Philippines has reached 5,453 cases of COVID-19. As of April 15, 349 died while 353 recovered out of the total cases since January (Buan, 2020). By mid-April, the country has the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia (ABS-CBN News). The economic strain on the government is likely to continue during the post-pandemic. Budget cuts in education spending could be expected as the government prioritises healthcare and social services. Because state universities and colleges (SUCs) would have to operate with limited funding, accountability measures should be set in place to avoid uneconomical use of resources. This paper argues that uncontrolled attrition rate in state-funded graduate programs indicates unwise use of resources. The paper suggests how graduate professors can reform graduate school culture in the face of economic impact from COVID-19.
“Aquilo que nos faz humanos”: cotidiano e resistência feminina afro-brasileira em Reza de mãe, de Allan da Rosa

In her article “Doente de Brasil” (2019), Eliane Brum reveals how Brazilians have gotten mentally and physically sick due to the increasing socio-political authoritarianism since 2016 and its consolidation with the new president. Brum discusses how to fight this state of affairs that is sickening individuals and the collectivity. Her answer argues for culture as an antidote. Not the culture of elitism, but one “that makes us human”, utilizing the word as a mediator and reestablishing ties to build community. Daily acts of resistance, so recurrent in Afro-Brazilian history, compose one of the thematic areas in Reza de mae (2016), a short story collection by Allan da Rosa. While the stories revolve around Afro-Brazilians’ harsh everyday life in poor communities in Sao Paulo, two short stories address the female reappropriation of everyday life not only as a means of resistance, but also as a search for that which “makes us human”. Given this context, this article dialogues with the theory developed by Michel de Certeau in The Practice of Everyday Life (1980) to analyze the Afro-Brazilian female characters in the stories “Pode ligar o chuveiro?” and “Reza de mae”. By granting central stage to the characters, the stories establish a locus of enunciation in which black and peripheral women become agents of their own story/history. I also raise considerations regarding the formative role of distinct literary genres, as the opening poem “Desculpa perguntar” and the apologue “O barco” provide a thematic frame for addressing oppression and resistance.
Perturbation Amplitude Effects of Polynomial plus Power Law Errors on Refraction Autofocus

Recent investigations have generated methods that apply automatic correction in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image data of the scene defocus artifacts that are induced via refraction of radar pulses in the intervening atmospheric. In particular, spatial variations of the physical parameters in the atmosphere can cause bending and delay effects in the propagation of radar pulses. Therefore, radar motion in a SAR collection can yield difficult scenarios due the differences in bending and delay effects from one radar pulse to the next. This methodology applies a signal theoretic model for the estimation of the bending and delay errors that arise for a given pulse to the next along the synthetic aperture. Specifically, this approach applies two-dimensional maximum likelihood techniques [1] in order to estimate and compensate for the error due to the bending effects, as modeled by the elevation angle θ 1 in Figure 1 , and the pulse path length delay, as shown via the variable s 1 . These autofocus methods compensate for the deleterious defocus effects of atmospheric bending and delay of the radar pulses. These techniques are an extension of Phase Gradient Autofocus (PGA) methods [2] that are used to focus SAR imagery for unknown motions of the moving radar platform.
Leading the 'Being a Leader and the Effective Exercise of Leadership: An Ontological and Phenomenological Model' Course

This article explores the authors’ experiences, challenges, and learning with leading the course Being a Leader and the Effective Exercise of Leadership: An Ontological and Phenomenological Model (see Erhard, Jensen & Granger, 2012). In what follows we write individually and collectively, all with the intention of recreating for you our as-lived experiences. We invite you to read our words from the space of a created future that has you joining us in this powerful adventure of leading the course.
The US Trade Deficit: A Disaggregated Perspective

The paper prepares new estimates for the elasticity of US trade flows using bilateral, commodity-detailed trade data for 31 countries, using measures of expenditure and trade prices matched to commodity groups, and including a commodity-and-country specific proxy for global supply-cum-variety. Using the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database (UN Comtrade) we construct bilateral trade flows for 31 countries in four categories of goods based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis's "end-use" classification system - autos, industrial supplies and materials - excluding energy, consumer goods, and capital goods. We find that using expenditure matched to commodity category yields more plausible values for the demand elasticities than does using GDP as the measure of demand that drives trade flows. Controlling for country and commodity fixed effects, we find that industrial and developing countries have demand elasticities that are statistically significant and that generally differ between development groups and across product categories. Relative prices for the industrial countries have plausible parameter values, are statistically significant and differ across product groups, but the relative prices for developing countries are poorly estimated. We find that variety is an important variable for the behavior of capital goods trade. Because the commodity composition of trade and of trading partners has changed dramatically, particularly for imports, we find that the demand elasticity for imports is not constant. Comparing the in-sample performance of the disaggregated model against a benchmark that uses aggregated data and GDP as the expenditure variable, our disaggregated model predicts exports better in-sample but does not predict imports as well as the benchmark model.
Sutton, Walter Stanborough

Walter Stanborough Sutton (1877–1916) was an American scientist who united Mendelism and cytology to establish the chromosome theory of heredity. Keywords: heredity; Mendelism; cytology; chromosomes; McClung; Boveri
Cell Expansion and Tracheary Element Differentiation Are Regulated by Extracellular pH in Mesophyll Cultures of Zinnia elegans L

The effects of medium pH on cell expansion and tracheary element (TE) differentiation were investigated in differentiating mesophyll suspension cultures of Zinnia elegans L. In unbuffered cultures initially adjusted to pH 5.5, the medium pH fluctuated reproducibly, decreasing about 1 unit prior to the onset of TE differentiation and then increasing when the initiation of new Tes was complete. Elimination of large pH fluctuations by buffering the culture medium with 20 mM 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid altered both cell expansion and TE differentiation, whereas altering the starting pH of unbuffered culture medium had no effect on either process. Cell expansion in buffered cultures was pH dependent with an optimum of 5.5 to 6.0. The direction of cell expansion was also pH dependent in buffered cultures. Cells elongated at pH 5.5 to 6.0, whereas isodiametric cell expansion was predominant at pH 6.5 to 7.0. The onset of TE differentiation was delayed when the pH was buffered higher or lower than 5.0. However, TEs eventually appeared in cultures buffered at pH 6.5 to 7.0, indicating that a decrease in pH to 5.0 is not necessary for differentiation. Very large TEs with secondary cell wall thickenings resembling metaxylem differentiated in cultures buffered at pH 5.5 to 6.0, which also showed the greatest cell expansion. The correlation between cell expansion and delayed differentiation of large, metaxylem-like TEs may indicate a link between the regulatory mechanisms controlling cell expansion and TE differentiation.
The problematic status of statistics on race and ethnicity: An "imperfect representation of reality."

This article extends Stratford's brief observations about the problematic status of racial and ethnic group statistics to a discussion of the relationship among these statistics, public policy, and the conceptual status of race and ethnicity. Federal statistics are organizational products that are socially constructed. They represent the implementation of public policies that govern political, social, and economic life. It is the interaction between politics and the subjective meaning of race and ethnicity that is responsible for the continual modification of racial and ethnic group statistics. The article discusses the premises on which racial and ethnic group statistics have been based and illustrates how they were implemented in the instructions of the decennial censuses for classifying the race and ethnicity of the population. The article then summarizes some of the empirical evidence from recent research conducted by federal agencies and social scientists to show that racial and ethnic group statistics produced by government record keeping systems have no objective status. The meaning of race and ethnicity is contextual, situational, and subjective, and, thus, how respondents and observers define these concepts has significant consequences for the quality of federal statistics.
Eye Injury and Orbital Fracture Patterns in Frontal Automobile Crashes

This paper presents the most comprehensive eye injury study to date investigating 10,770,828 weighted occupants from 22,236 cases for the years 1993 through 1999. The purpose of the study was to investigate dye injuries and orbital fractures resulting from frontal automobile crashes and to determine the effects of frontal airbags. The data obtained in this study suggested that airbags increase the overall risk of sustaining any type of eye injury but airbags due decrease the risk of sustaining more serious orbital fractures.
The Impact of the Nursing Practice Environment on Missed Nursing Care

Objective: Missed nursing care is an emerging problem negatively impacting patient outcomes. There are gaps in our knowledge of factors associated with missed nursing care. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the nursing practice environment and missed nursing care in acute care hospitals. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of cross sectional data from a survey of over 7,000 nurses from 70 hospitals on workplace and process of care. Ordinary least squares and multiple regression models were constructed to examine the relationship between the nursing practice environment and missed nursing care while controlling for characteristics of nurses and hospitals. Results: Nurses missed delivering a significant amount of necessary patient care (10%-27%). Inadequate staffing and inadequate resources were the practice environment factors most strongly associated with missed nursing care events. Conclusions: This multi-site study examined the risk and risk factors associated with missed nursing care. Improvements targeting modifiable risk factors may reduce the risk of missed nursing care.
Modelling forest dynamics with vital attributes and fuzzy systems theory

Abstract Vital attributes are the minimal autecological characteristics required to predict the behavior of plants in disturbed environments. In this paper, I modify the existing classifications of reproductive method, establishment requirements, and disturbance resistance to better simulate the behavior of complex vegetation. The vital attributes are coded into a stochastic simulation model for analysis of successional development and disturbance response with varying fire return interval and fire severity. The vegetation composition and dynamics are analyzed with fuzzy systems theory, a fuzzy set generalization of dynamical systems theory. The vegetation composition and structure define a fuzzy state space, and the system dynamics are determined by the simulated trajectory through the fuzzy state space. Model output is validated with respect to vegetation patterns of southwestern U.S. Sensitivity analysis of the model behavior with varying vital attributes is used to analyze the ecological characteristics appropriate to plants in disturbed environments, and implications of the model for plant community diversity are also analyzed.
An ab initio study of Ti-Y-O nanocluster energetics in nanostructured ferritic alloys

Abstract So-called oxide dispersion strengthened steels or nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFAs) contain nanoprecipitates which give them exceptional mechanical properties and resistance to radiation effects. However, the structure and composition of these nanoprecipitates are still uncertain. To help clarify the nature of the smallest nanoprecipitates, density functional theory calculations are used to investigate the most stable Ti, Y, and O nanocluster computational units in Fe. Two distinct methods for searching for stable nanoclusters are proposed: one in which nanoclusters are restricted to the body-centered cubic Fe lattice and one in which the nanocluster structures are strained variants of bulk Ti and Y oxides. We discovered that nanoclusters that are structurally similar to bulk Ti and Y oxides are significantly more stable than nanoclusters that are restricted to the Fe lattice. Consequently, the most stable nanoprecipitates in Ti–Y–O NFAs are more likely to be small oxide phases than coherent solute-enriched clusters.
Stability for time varying linear dynamic systems on time scales

We study conditions under which the solutions of a time varying linear dynamic system of the form xΔ(t)=A(t)x(t) are stable on certain time scales. We give sufficient conditions for various types of stability, including Lyapunov-type stability criteria and eigenvalue conditions on "slowly varying" systems that ensure exponential stability. Finally, perturbations of the unforced system are investigated, and an instability criterion is also developed.
Ocular involvement as the initial manifestation of T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Purpose To present a case of T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (T-CLL) manifesting as an intraocular lymphoma. Design Interventional case report. Methods We performed a vitreous biopsy in a 67-year-old woman who presented with blurred vision and vitreous cellular infiltration. Morphologic, immunohistochemical, flow cytometry, and molecular analysis by polymerase chain reaction of vitreous fluid, peripheral blood, bone marrow aspirate, and biopsy were performed. Results Cytofluorographic and molecular analysis of vitreous cells demonstrated a monoclonal T-cell population consistent with a T-cell intraocular lymphoma. Systemic evaluation established diagnosis of T-cell CLL. Conclusion T-CLL is a rare disease with an aggressive clinical course. We present a case of T-cell intraocular lymphoma as the initial manifestation of an otherwise asymptomatic T-CLL.
Male nonworkers: Who are they and who supports them?

Although male nonworkers have become a larger fraction of the population since the late 1960s, very little is known about who they are or who supports them. Using data from the March Current Population Survey and the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, this article fills that void. The picture that emerges is that there is a small cadre of marginal workers who often do not work for periods of a year or more. The vast majority of nonworking men (men who do not work at all during the year) receive unearned income from at least one source, and the amount of unearned income they receive varies significantly by their reason for not working. Family members provide an important alternative source of support for nonworking men who have little or no unearned income of their own.
Heat Exchanger Theory Applied to the Design of Water- and Air-Heating Flat-Plate Solar Collectors

A general method for the design of flat-plate solar collectors based on solar collector theory has been developed. It can be applied to both liquid- and air-heating solar collectors. The solar collector efficiency is determined by the product of the effectiveness (/epsilon/) and the isolation use factor (IUF). The effectiveness describes the heat transfer characteristics of the collector and is shown to be a function of a solar number of transfer units (SNTU) and a parameter psi. For an air-heating collector, the psi parameter equals the collector efficiency factor, while for a liquid-heating collector it must account for the difference between the plate and tube heat transfer areas. The effectiveness and SNTU parameters are similar to the effectiveness and NTU parameters used in heat exchanger design methods. The IUF is a measure of the operating conditions of the collector. It represents the difference between the transmittance-absorptance product and the ratio of the minimum heat loss to the isolation of the exterior cover. The relationship between the effectiveness and the SNTU parameter is general for all nonconcentrating collectors. One advantage of this method over the traditional Hottel-Whillier method is that it separates the heat transfer characteristics of the solar collector frommore » its optical properties and the operating conditions.« less
Discovering models of behavior for concurrent workflows

Understanding the dynamic behavior of a workflow is crucial for being able to modify, maintain, and improve it. A particularly difficult aspect of some behavior is concurrency. Automated techniques which seek to mine workflow data logs to discover information about the workflows must be able to handle the concurrency that manifests itself in the workflow executions. This paper presents techniques to discover patterns of concurrent behavior from traces of workflow events. The techniques are based on a probabilistic analysis of the event traces. Using metrics for the number, frequency, and regularity of event occurrences, a determination is made of the likely concurrent behavior being manifested by the system. Discovering this behavior can help a workflow designer better understand and improve the work processes they are managing.
Computational predictions of flow over a 2-D building

Abstract Transient, 2-D computations were performed to simulate the flow over the Field Test Facility Building located at Texas Tech University. Texas Tech Building is approximately 9.1 m wide 13.7 m long, and 4.0 m high. The code used to carry out these computations is based on Spalding and Patankar's Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure Linked Equations or SIMPLE. A non-uniformly distributed Cartesian grid was used to represent the building geometry and a version of the κ-ϵ model was to simulate turbulence effects. Parameters of interest include building scale, approach velocity, and turbulence profiles. Wind tunnel data were used to define the approach velocity and turbulence profiles. Computations were carried out for a 1 to 100 scale building. The computational results are compared to surface pressure data reported for the Texas Tech Building by researchers from the Civil Engineering Department and to wind tunnel pressure data reported for a 1 to 100 scale model building by researchers at the Japanese Ministry of Construction. In addition, a visual comparison of the predicted large scale vortex structures formed at the leading edge of the roof with flow visualization results for tests of a 1 to 50 scale model building in the Mechanical Engineering Department's water table is presented.
Study of ν backgrounds to nucleon decay searches using K2K 1KT detector data

Abstract A study of neutrino backgrounds to nucleon decay searches using K2K's one kiloton water Cherenkov detector ν beam data is described.
Prepalintomic metamorphosis in Hyalophysa chattoni (ciliophora, apostomatida): Cytoplasmic ultrastructure.

Summary The transformation of cytoplasmic structures during prepalintomic development in the apostome ciliate Hyalophysa chattoni was studied by transmission electron microscopy. The trophont's food mass was divided into large sectors in the swimming stages (I, II), into globular masses in the cystic stages III, IV, and finally into typical oblate pellets in stage V. The oral fiber was observed in stages I–III and the rosette was observed in stages I, II and reappeared after division (stage VI), indicating that resorption occurred in stages IV and V; however, no signs of resorption were observed in either organelle. Mitochondria showed great variability in shape in stage II. Trichocysts increased abruptly in numbers in stage III and early stage IV. The water expulsion system of this species was found to possess ampullae, radial canals, and a smooth tubular spongiome in addition to the contractile vacuole.
Complete monitoring strategy to quantify matching and performance for multiple CDSEM in advanced fab

We will present a complete example that demonstrates daily CD monitor for good CDSEM control, including sampling plan, monitoring procedure, and monitoring and matching data for multiple CDSEM. In addition, we also investigate two methods to address the carbon contamination problem. In the first method, carryover trends on three different film stacks, poly, metal, and multi-layer metal, before and after plasma clean are compared in search of ways to minimize carryover. The second method applies statistical treatment to remove the effect of carryover while maintaining sensitivity over small fluctuations in line CD monitor results. Both linear regression and exponentially weighed moving average calculated from daily monitor data are used to model the baseline carryover trend for the purpose of isolating tru tool variability. Using this method, we can easily quantify the long-term stability of each CDSEM, and with that, we are able to calculate the true long-term process variation Cp by subtracting the CDSEM variation component from the observed total Cp.
Effects of rigid platelet additions on matrix texture and microstructural development in a model platelet-reinforced composite

Abstract Composites of lithium fluoride and silicon carbide provide a unique opportunity for exploring deformation textures in soft matrix-rigid reinforcement composites. The deformation to true strains near −1.0 of unreinforced polycrystalline LiF produces substantial 110 and 100 fibre texture components in axisymmetric forging at 400°C. Additions of SiC platelets as a reinforcement phase suppress both texture components, but not to the same extent. Mechanisms in the texture development of LiF with 0, 10, 20 and 30 vol.% SiC platelets are discussed in relation to microstructural and deformation results.
Certolizumab pegol—what role does this new TNF inhibitor have in the treatment of RA?

The efficacy and safety of a new tumor necrosis factor inhibitor, certolizumab pegol, in active rheumatoid arthritis has now been assessed in three phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. This commentary focuses on the paper by Keystone et al., in which patients were followed for the longest duration. This study, which compared two doses of subcutaneous certolizumab pegol with placebo in patients with active RA receiving methotrexate, showed no advantage of 400 mg over 200 mg certolizumab pegol over 52 weeks, after induction with 400 mg. The nature of the patients enrolled in this study, trial design and possible safety issues are discussed, as is whether this trial can teach us anything about tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in general. On the basis of the results from this study, certolizumab pegol does not represent a major addition to our armamentarium, but because of the slightly different mechanism of action and structure of this drug, and the apparently acceptable therapeutic effects over one year, it is, nevertheless, welcome.
Development of long-term behavior models for radioactive waste forms

Abstract: The long-term performance of solid radioactive waste is measured by the release rate of radionuclides into the environment, which depends on corrosion or weathering rates of the solid waste form. The reactions involved depend on the characteristics of the solid matrix containing the radioactive waste, the radionuclides of interest, and their interaction with surrounding geologic materials. This chapter describes thermo-hydro-mechanical and reactive transport models related to the long-term performance of solid radioactive waste forms, including metal, ceramic, glass, steam reformer and cement. Future trends involving Monte-Carlo simulations and coupled/multi-scale process modeling are also discussed.
βA3/A1-crystallin is a critical mediator of STAT3 signaling in optic nerve astrocytes

We have previously reported that in the Nuc1 rat, which has a spontaneous mutation in Cryba1 (the gene encoding βA3/A1-crystallin), astrocytes exhibit decreased Notch signaling, leading to reduced promoter activity for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Interestingly, in both Nuc1 astrocytes and in wild type astrocytes following knockdown of Cryba1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion is decreased. This has led us to explore signaling mediators that could be regulated by βA3/A1-crystallin to modulate both GFAP and VEGF. Several studies have shown that the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is involved in the co-regulation of GFAP and VEGF. We show that STAT3 and βA3/A1-crystallin may co-regulate each other in astrocytes. Such co-regulation would create a positive feedback circuit; i.e., in the cytosol of astrocytes, βA3/A1-crystallin is necessary for the phosphorylation of STAT3, which then dimerizes and translocates to the nucleus to form DNA-binding complexes, activating transcription of Cryba1. This stoichiometric co-regulation of STAT3 and Cryba1 could potentiate expression of GFAP and secretion of VEGF, both of which are essential for maintaining astrocyte and blood vessel homeostasis in the retina. Consistent with this idea, Cryba1 knockout mice exhibit an abnormal astrocyte pattern and defective remodeling of retinal vessels.
Structure-function relationship of the Polo-like kinase in Trypanosoma brucei

Polo-like kinases (Plks) play multiple roles in mitosis and cytokinesis in eukaryotes and are characterized by the C-terminal Polo-box domain (PBD), which is implicated in binding to Plk substrates, targeting Plk and regulating Plk activity. The Plk homolog in Trypanosoma brucei (TbPLK) possesses a similar architecture, but it lacks the crucial residues involved in substrate binding and regulates cytokinesis but not mitosis. Little is known about the regulation of TbPLK and the role of the PBD in TbPLK localization and function. Here, we addressed the requirement of the kinase activity and the PBD for TbPLK localization and function through coupling RNAi of endogenous TbPLK with ectopic expression of TbPLK mutants. We demonstrate that the kinase activity and phosphorylation of two threonine residues, Thr198 and Thr202, in the activation loop (T-loop) of the kinase domain are essential for TbPLK function but not for TbPLK localization. Deletion of the PBD abolishes TbPLK localization, but the PBD itself is not correctly targeted, indicating that TbPLK localization requires both the PBD and the kinase domain. Surprisingly, the kinase domain of TbPLK, but not the PBD, binds to its substrates TbCentrin2 and p110, suggesting that TbPLK might interact with its substrate through different mechanisms. Finally, the PBD interacts with the kinase domain of TbPLK and inhibits its activity, and this inhibition is relieved when Thr198 is phosphorylated. Together, these results suggest an essential role of T-loop phosphorylation in TbPLK activation and crucial roles of the PBD in regulating TbPLK activity and localization.
WE-E-213CD-05: A Non-Rigid Image Registration Algorithm That Accommodates Organ Segmentation Error.

Purpose: To introduce a new deformable image registration algorithm based on surface matching that accommodates organ delineation error in daily Cone‐beam CTimages based on a priori knowledge of inter‐observer segmentation uncertainty. Methods: The dataset includes four prostate cancer patients who underwent primary external beam radiotherapy and had tumors that were confined to the prostate. All imaging was performed without intravenous contrast.Organ surface segmentation errors in a multiple observer‐contouring study on the pelvic organs in Fan‐beam CT (FBCT) and Cone‐beam CT(CBCT) were estimated from the training dataset. A novel deformable image registration algorithm is presented where the organ surface matching is penalized by this error. Portions of the organ surface that are delineated reliably are used to guide the registration whereas the portions that are highly uncertain are ignored. This approach reduces the impact of delineation errors in CBCT. An evaluation experiment compares three algorithms, namely intensity‐only registration (INT), equally‐weighted surface and image registration (EWSIR) and the proposed uncertainty‐ weighted surface and image registration.Results: The surface dissimilarity was reduced from 0.172 to 0.134, 0.043 and 0.044 respectively after registration. The Jacobian of the transformation found by the proposed method was closer to one than that of EWSIR in the prostate.Conclusions: In prostate external‐beam radiotherapy, slice‐by‐slice 2D manual contouring has variable spatial accuracy. For deformable image registration methods that match segmented surfaces, regions of high inaccuracy can misguide the registration. In contrast to the image registration methods where the FBCT and CBCT surfaces (or other features) are assumed to be exact, our method takes this uncertainty into account. Preliminary results show an improved registration performance suggesting a potential use in IGRT. This work was supported by National Cancer Institute Grant No. P01 CA 116602
Use of a Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope to Obtain Concentration Profiles of a Diffusant in a Polymer Film

The use of laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) to view textile substrates is a relatively new field. It has been used to determine fiber shapes and concentrations of a fluorescent dye in a fiber. However, this technique is limited to very low concentrations of strongly absorbing species. A new technique based on LSCM is developed for obtaining concentration profiles at much higher concentrations where the effects of absorption of the incident light cannot be ignored. Sample preparation is particularly simple. Although this new approach is specific to planar films, it permits the study of dye diffusion in polymers at normal dye concentrations and with dyes that are not traditionally considered fluorescent dyes. The concentration profiles are used to obtain the diffusion coefficient of C.I. Disperse Blue 3 in nylon 6,6 film.
Measurement of recovery temperature on an airfoil in the Langley 0.3-m transonic cryogenic tunnel

Experimental measurements of recovery temperature were made on an airfoil in the Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel at Mach numbers of 0.60 and 0.84 over a Reynolds number per meter range from about 15,000,000 to about 335,000,000. The measured recovery temperatures were considerably below those associated with ideal-gas ambient temperature wind tunnels. This difference was accentuated as the stagnation pressure increased and the total temperature decreased. A boundary-layer code modified for use with cryogenic nitrogen adequately predicted the measured adiabatic wall temperature at all conditions. A quantitative, on-line assessment of the nonadiabatic condition of a model can be made during the operation of a cryogenic wind tunnel by using a correlation for the adiabatic wall temperature which is only a function of total temperature, total pressure, and local Mach number on the model.
1.5 T: spectroscopy-supported brain biopsy

The technique for performing brain biopsy has evolved significantly over the last three decades. Intraoperative MRI guidance has enhanced the diagnostic rate for brain biopsy by now allowing neurosurgeons to compensate for brain shift while performing the procedure in near-real time. The development of a trajectory guide enables the neurosurgeon to determine a safe and accurate path for intraoperative MRI-guided brain biopsy and to secure the position of the needle within the target tissue. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been used to help distinguish recurrent brain tumor from the effect of previous treatments by measuring specific metabolites within the area of concern. Combining the use of a trajectory guide with MRS should enhance the diagnostic yield for MRI-guided brain biopsy.
Effect of Asphaltene Structure on Association and Aggregation Using Molecular Dynamics

The aggregation of asphaltenes has been established for decades by numerous experimental techniques; however, very few studies have been performed on the association free energy and asphaltene aggregation in solvents. The lack of reliable and coherent data on the free energy of association and aggregation size of asphaltene has imposed severe limitations on the thermodynamic modeling of asphaltene phase behavior. Current thermodynamic models either consider asphaltenes as non-associating components or use fitting parameters to characterize the association. In this work, the relations between Gibbs free energy of asphaltene association and asphaltene molecular structure are studied using molecular dynamics (MD). The free energy of association is computed from the potential of mean force profile along the separation distance between the centers of mass of two asphaltene molecules using the umbrella sampling technique in the GROMACS simulation package. The average aggregation number for asphaltene nanoaggreg...
CNT sensor arrays with P-I-N diodes

A novel active matrix array approach suitable for a compact multi-channel gas sensor platform is presented. Each sensor site utilizes carbon nanotubes (CNT) on top of a pair of interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) as the gas sensing element. The proposed active matrix sensor array utilizes an array of P-I-N diodes each connected in series with an IDE. The use of P-I-N diodes enables row and column addressing of each sensor thus significantly reducing the required wiring compared to individually addressed sensors. In this work, P-I-N diodes were implemented using either silicon-on insulator (SOI) or Low Temperature Poly-Silicon (LTPS) thin film technology thus validating that both wafer and glass based approaches can be used for the mass manufacture of proposed multi-channel sensor platforms. The functionality of 8×8 and 16×16 sensor arrays is proven with the help of a PEDOT:PSS cover. Data are also presented for the 8×8 arrays and the detection of ammonia (NH3) and chlorine (Cl2) vapor sources is demonstrated.
Contrasting styles of Archaean greenstone gold deposition: Colomac gold mine, Canadian Northwest Territories

Abstract The Colomac mine has produced >15,000 kg of gold from Archaean subvolcanic rocks of the Slave Province of the Canadian Shield. Two deposit types with distinct styles of gold ore mineralisation exist: (1) shallow, low-grade, high-tonnage deposits with primarily sulphide-hosted gold; and (2) deeper, localised, high-grade deposits comprising native gold–quartz veins. Both deposit types formed from H 2 O–CO 2 –NaCl fluids at temperatures of 250–375°C and pressures of 1–2 kbar and appear to be a part of a single mineralising system in which the mechanism of gold deposition dictated the style of mineralisation. Colomac provides an opportunity to address the basic causes of gold accumulation in the earth's crust by documenting processes leading to the formation of large, low-grade deposits (fluid–wall rock reaction) versus localised, high-grade deposits (fluid unmixing) in greenstone belts.
Diurnal and nocturnal rodents show rhythms in orexinergic neurons.

Orexin (ORX) A and B (hypocretins) are excitatory neuropeptides produced by neurons of the lateral hypothalamus that have been implicated in the regulation of the sleep–wake cycle. In rats, Fos (the product of the cfos gene) expression shows daily rhythms in areas involved in sleep and wakefulness and orexinergic neurons show elevated Fos expression during the night. The present study directly compared the daily pattern of Fos expression in orexinergic neurons in diurnal (A. niloticus; grass rats) and nocturnal (R. norvegicus; lab rats) rodents. Animals kept on a 12:12 light–dark cycle were perfused at six different Zeitgeber times (ZT), with lights on at ZT 0: 1, 5, 13, 17, 20 and 23. In both nocturnal and diurnal rodents orexinergic neurons showed rhythms in Fos expression, with more Fos seen during the active phase of each species. In the diurnal species, Fos expression in cells of the lateral hypothalamus that do not produce ORX was elevated at ZT 20, a time when these animals sleep, and was low at ZT 13, a time of peak of activity. These results provide further evidence for a link between activity in orexinergic neurons and wakefulness and that in grass rats, other neurons of the lateral hypothalamus may work in an antagonistic fashion with respect to orexinergic neurons to regulate wakefulness in this diurnal species.
Attenuation of basal and cocaine-enhanced locomotion and nucleus accumbens dopamine in cannabinoid CB1-receptor-knockout mice

Rationale Effect of cannabinoid CB1 receptor deletion on cocaine’s actions is controversial. This is partly based on findings in CB1-receptor-knockout (CB1−/−) mice with CD1 genetic background.
Reaction of ferrimyoglobin with phenols.

IF, in a haemoprotein, the haem iron atom is held by bonds to the protein on both sides of the porphyrin ring, then the most likely mechanism for complex formation with the ligands CO, NO, F−, CN−, N3 −, etc., entails breaking the weaker bond while leaving the stronger bond intact. The proton affinity of the group thus liberated would be an important factor in determining the pH variation of the equilibrium constants for complex formation. The limited extent to which such a mechanism can account for haem-linked ionizations in haemoglobin reactions, its direct application to cytochrome c reactions, and the way it can account for some of the differences found in peroxidase and catalase reactions have been discussed recently1,2. The question naturally arises whether any other functional groups in amino-acid side-chains can co-ordinate with the iron beside nitrogenous base groups, which in cytochrome c give rise to the characteristic haemochromogen and parahaematin spectra that set it apart from the other ferro- and ferri-haemoproteins. Internal complex formation is a possibility in the ferric oxidation state via—COOH, alcoholic —OH and —SH groups in the side-chains, since complexes are known to be formed between ferrihaemoglobin and formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, ethanol, hydrogen sulphide and ethyl mercaptan3–6. Furthermore, the following preliminary report on the reaction of ferrimyoglobin with phenols shows that the phenolic —OH group can be added to this list.