cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combining biochemical sensing and imaging on a microscopic scale

Optical fiber sensors have been widely used in analytical chemistry, physiology, biology and other areas.With the development of sub-micron chemical fiber optical sensors with millisecond response times, itbecomes possible to combine the capacity of biochemical sensing with well-established scanning probe
Conscious Awareness in Patients in Vegetative States: Myth or Reality?

Do vegetative state (VS) and minimally conscious state (MCS) patients experience emotions and have conscious awareness of themselves and their surroundings? Can neuroimaging clarify these questions? Neuroimaging responses to stimuli are classified into four levels: level 0 indicates no response; level 1 indicates responses limited to the primary sensory cortices; level 2 indicates activation of primary sensory cortices and higher-order associative areas; level 3 indicates activation of cortical regions to either mental imagery tasks or high-level language stimuli requiring distinction of ambiguous from unambiguous words. Level 0 or level 1 was noted in 125 of 193 VS patients (65 %) and 46 of 121 MCS patients (38 %), suggesting no evidence of conscious awareness. Level 2 or level 3 was observed in 68 of 193 VS patients (35 %) and 75 of 121 MCS patients (62 %), indicating some cognitive processing. These data may denote the presence of conscious awareness or may simply identify neuronal processing without phenomenological awareness. The pro and cons of these conflicting interpretations are discussed.
An experimental investigation of wave propagation in a rubber string impacted by a projectile

Abstract Transverse perpendicular impact on long rubber strings of 0.140 and 0.277 in. dia was studied using a special apparatus consisting of a system of oscilloscopes, stroboscopes, camera and air pressure gun. The rubbers used in tests came from two manufacturers and were classified as pure gum rubbers. Three different initial stretches λ0 were chosen for each string, and the impact velocities ranged from 1000 to 3000 in. sec. Maximum stretch, kink angles and impact velocities were measured and the following relations recorded : nominal stress vs stretch, kink angle vs impact velocity, maximum stretch λmax vs impact velocity and the difference λmax − λ0 vs non-dimensional impact velocity. Some of the results are compared with the theoretical data for the Mooney-Rivlin and the Isihara-Hashitsume-Tatibana-Zahorski materials, and others with the results of theoretical equations upon inserting experimental data.
Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Dose-Dependently Inhibits Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Remodeling

We hypothesized that a single copy of the proatrial natriuretic peptide gene ( Nppa +/− ) would not be adequate to protect heterozygous mice against exaggerated cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling after pressure-overload stress. Nppa +/+ , Nppa +/− , and Nppa −/− mice were subjected to sham surgery or transverse aortic constriction and fed a basal salt diet. Heart weight varied inversely with Nppa gene load by 1 week after either surgery. Fractional shortening did not differ among genotypes at baseline and fell in Nppa −/− mice only after transverse aortic constriction. There was a graded response in collagen deposition related to atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) expression after either surgery. A robust interstitial and perivascular fibrosis was noted in Nppa −/− and Nppa +/− but not in Nppa +/+ mice after transverse aortic constriction. Our findings are consistent with a growing body of evidence that ANP is an important modulator of cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in response to hemodynamic stress. The observation that partial ANP deficiency results in exaggerated hypertrophy and remodeling after pressure overload suggests that genetic or environmental variation in ANP levels may play a role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, remodeling, and failure in humans.
Probing transport theories via two proton source imaging

The imaging technique is applied to two-proton correlation functions to extract quantitative information about the space-time properties of the emitting source and about the fraction of protons which can be attributed to fast emission mechanisms. These new analysis techniques resolve important ambiguities that bedeviled prior comparisons between measured correlation functions and those calculated by transport theory. Quantitative comparisons to transport theory are presented here. The results of the present analysis differ from those reported previously for the same reaction systems. The shapes of the two-proton emitting sources are strongly sensitive to the details about the in-medium nucleon-nucleon cross sections and their density dependence.
Root channel macropores enhance downward movement of water in a Mojave Desert ecosystem

Abstract Macropores formed by the root systems of woody shrubs may be an important conduit for downward water movement in desert soils. An experiment with 32 1·0-m 2 plots, 16 with a previous Larrea tridentata (creosotebush) plant and 16 without, was designed to investigate the influence of dead root systems on the downward movement of water and chemical tracers in a Mojave Desert soil. The experiment also examined the influence of water application amounts, frequency of application, and initial soil profile moisture status on downward water flux. Half of the plots received a pre-application of 15 cm of water; 48 h later either 15 cm or 30 cm of water with dye and bromide (KBr) tracers (each applied at 1·0 gl −1 ) were applied to the plots in either a single pulse or in five equal volumes over a 5-day period. Each plot was then excavated in 10 cm depth increments 48 h after the final water and tracers were applied, and nine soil samples were taken at each depth using a 3×3 grid for gravimetric water and bromide contents. Gravimetric water and bromide concentration profiles with depth confirmed that water penetrated more deeply in the plots with a previous root system, and photos of the dye stained soil at each 10 cm depth confirmed that a significant percentage of the cross-sectional area was not contributing to flow at the same rate. Multiple regression analysis further indicated that the deepest depth of dye and bromide penetration, and the depth at which mean gravimetric water content was above 0·10, included the aboveground biomass of the previous Larrea shrub as a significant factor accounting for plot-to-plot variability. These results suggest that (1) shrub root systems act to increase downward water flux in desert soils via root channel preferential flow to deeper soil depths, and (2) this effect becomes more pronounced as shrubs and plant root systems become larger.
Investigating the impact of topography on pitch splitting double patterning using rigorous physical simulation

Simulation work centered on double patterning processes often assumes that the problem can be approximated by considering the summation of two simple planar simulations which exhibit no interaction. Although previous work has shown that this assumption seems reasonable for interleaved line or trench patterns, it is less clear how valid it is for stitching areas where features in the two passes deliberately overlap and impinge upon each other. This work uses rigorous optical and physical resist models to study the validity of the planar summation approximation for stitching areas in a representative LELE (Litho-Etch-Litho-Etch) double line-based front end poly-silicon level process and a LELE double trench based back-end metal level process. The results suggest that the approximation holds well for back-end processes employing metal nitride type hardmask materials (which typically exhibit BARC-like optical properties). However significant deviations in behavior are observed for the poly-silicon level process suggesting that the approximation should be used with more caution on front-end processes utilizing transparent or reflective hardmask materials. It is apparent that the optical constants of both the hardmask and BARC , in addition to the tone of the double patterned feature, contribute to deviations from the approximation. Thus it is important to determine the approximation's validity on a process by process basis.
Styrenic polymers as gate dielectrics for pentacene field-effect transistors

The effect of the chemical structure of the dielectric layer in organic thin-film transistors was examined by evaporating pentacene onto five different styrenic polymer dielectrics: poly(styrene), poly(4-hydroxystyrene), poly(4-methylstyrene), poly(4-vinylpyridine), and poly(2-vinylnaphthalene). We find that the polymer has a significant effect, with measured field-effect mobilities ranging from between 0.1 and 1cm2∕Vs. This variation appears uncorrelated with either the polymer suface morphology or the observed pentacene crystallite size. The distribution of mobility, threshold voltage, on/off ratio, and subthreshold swing observed for each of the polymer dielectrics is presented.
Estimating the Extreme-Value 1-Minute Ranifall.

Abstract This paper is concerned with the problem of estimating the probabilities of extreme-value 1-minute rainfalls when series of annual maxima for this duration are unavailable. A relationship between 1- and 5-min values from the corresponding storm and of readily available 5-min series of extremes are used to provide guidelines for estimating the 1-min probabilities Maps display the geographical distribution of both the mean and coefficient of variation from 5-min series.
GPS-Network Analysis with BLIMPBE: An Alternative to Least-Squares Adjustment for Better Bias Control

Geodetic networks, when derived solely from observed GPS baseline vectors, have an inherent datum deficiency of dimension 3 due to the respective unknown translation parameters. Thus, estimated coordinates from a (weighted) least-squares adjustment will not be unique, although the adjusted baseline vectors are. Uniqueness, without affecting the adjustment as such, can be achieved by introducing a minimum number of constraints for the coordinates, or by applying an objective function on the set of least-squares solutions (LESS) that fulfill the so-called normal equations. In both alternatives, bias control for some (or all) coordinate estimates has so far been treated only as a secondary issue. Here it is shown that the recently introduced estimator of type BLIMPBE—although generally not a LESS—can indeed be expected to be superior to all other linear estimators that minimize the bias for certain coordinates. This performance is demonstrated in a GPS network that includes GPS receivers at several continuously operating reference stations.
Information scanning technology: applications of cw AlGaAs injection lasers.

The suitability of cw room-temperature injection lasers for information retrieval systems was investigated experimentally. The results indicate that in such applications AlGaAs injection lasers compare favorably with He–Ne gas lasers.
Predictive evidence for a porin-type β-barrel fold in CHIP28 and other members of the MIP family. A restricted-pore model common to water channels and facilitators

Water channels are the subject of much current attention, as they may be central for cell functions in a host of tissues. We have analyzed the possible fold of facilitators and water channels of the MIP family based on structural predictions, on findings about the topology of CHIP28, and on the biophysical characteristics of water channels. We developed predictions for the following proteins: MIP26, NOD26, GLP, BIB, γ-TIP, FA-CHIP, CHIP28k, WCH-CD1, and CHIP28. We utilized Kyte Doolittle hydrophobicity, Eisenberg's amphiphilicity, Chou-Fasman-Prevelige propensities, and our own Union algorithm. We found that hydrophobic amphiphilic segments likely to be transmembrane were consistently shorter than required for α-helical segments, but of the correct length for β-strands. Turn propensity was high at frequent intervals, consistent with transmembrane β-strands. We propose that these proteins fold as porin-like 16-stranded antiparallel β-barrels. In water channels, from the size of molecules excluded, an extramembrane loop(s) would enter the pore and restrict it to a bottleneck with a width 4 A ⩽w ⩽5 A. A similar but more mobile loop(s) would act as gate and binding site for the facilitators of the MIP family.
Control applications in analyzing transportation system performance under dynamic constraints

A feedback dynamic model of transportation systems is presented. The dynamic method used emphasizes the long-term, delayed causal mechanisms that determine transportation demand, transportation supply and transportation resources over time. The model uses demographic and socioeconomic data and transportation system characteristics as inputs and evaluates alternative transportation management policies by analyzing their impacts on transportation system performance through time. Control variables available to the management include transit fare and transit frequency, and are subject to fuel availability and price. Performance indeces considered minimize energy consumption and passenger waiting time, and maximize load factors and system revenue.
Advancing cancer patient care by integrating circulating tumor cell technology to understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of cancer.

Preclinical Research Spatial and temporal dynamics of cancer, studied with physical science approaches at critical transition points of the disease can provide insight into the biology of cancer and the evolutionary changes that occur both naturally and in response to therapy. A very promising development in translational cancer medicine has been the emergence of circulating tumor cells (CTC) as minimally invasive “liquid biopsies.” We envision that the future utility of CTC will not simply be confined to enumeration, but also include their routine characterization using a high-content approach that investigates morphometrics, protein expression and genomic profiling. This novel approach guided by mathematical models to predict the spread of disease from the primary site to secondary site can bring the bench to the bedside for cancer patients. It is agnostic with reference to drug choice and treatment regimen, which also means that each patient is unique. The approach is Bayesian from a data collection perspective and is patient-centric rather than drug or new chemical entity–centric. The analysis of data comes from an understanding of commonalities and differences that are detected among patients with a given cancer type. Thus, patients are treated over the course of their disease with various drug regimens that reflects our real-time understanding of their evolving tumor genomics and response to treatment. This likely means that smaller cohorts of patients receive any given regimen but we hypothesize that it would lead to better patient outcomes than with the current classic approach to drug testing and development.
Effect of continuous positive airway pressure vs placebo continuous positive airway pressure on sleep quality in obstructive sleep apnea.

Study objectives: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy has become the treatment of choice for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the efficacy of CPAP therapy has not been evaluated against a suitable control. We investigated the effectiveness of CPAP therapy in improving sleep quality in patients with OSA. We hypothesized that CPAP improves sleep quality. Patients: Forty-eight CPAP-naive OSA patients were evaluated. None were receiving antihypertensive medications, and none had major medical illnesses. Design: Patients were randomized to receive either CPAP or placebo CPAP (CPAP at an ineffective pressure) for 7 days in a double-blind fashion. Forty-one patients completed the protocol. Sleep quality variables, arousals, sleep arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), and respiratory disturbance index (RDI) were assessed at baseline, after 1 day of treatment, and after 7 days of treatment. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate the effects of treatment, time, and the interaction of the two. Results: As expected, CPAP lowered RDI and number of arousals, and increased SaO2 over time (p 5 0.001). Contrary to expectations, both CPAP and placebo CPAP had comparable effects on sleep quality as assessed by sleep architecture, sleep efficiency, total sleep time, and wake after sleep onset time. Conclusions: This study confirms the effectiveness of CPAP in lowering the number of arousals and the RDI, and in raising SaO2. However, our data suggest that short-term CPAP is no different than placebo in improving sleep architecture. Further evaluation of the effectiveness of CPAP using a suitable placebo CPAP in prospective randomized studies is needed (CHEST 1999; 116:1545‐1549)
Receding horizon implementation of MILP for vehicle guidance

This paper presents MILP based techniques for trajectory optimization of unmanned aerial vehicles. To reduce the computation load associated with MILP optimization, a receding horizon controller has been developed. The combination of coarse cost map and detailed short trajectory significantly reduces the size of the MILP optimization. Several extensions that further reduce computation time and expand the capabilities of RH-MILP are presented.
Positive feedback, memory, and the predictability of earthquakes

We review the "critical point" concept for large earthquakes and enlarge it in the framework of so-called "finite-time singularities." The singular behavior associated with accelerated seismic release is shown to result from a positive feedback of the seismic activity on its release rate. The most important mechanisms for such positive feedback are presented. We solve analytically a simple model of geometrical positive feedback in which the stress shadow cast by the last large earthquake is progressively fragmented by the increasing tectonic stress.
Particle heating in magnetized plasmas with interpolation-induced divergence

Numerical effects in particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations due to the interpolation of discrete magnetic fields are examined. Heating, cooling, and/or non-physical diffusion across field lines is a concern for magnetically confinement plasmas in applications such as magnetic confinement fusion, sputtering magnetrons, and many other devices. A classical axisymmetric magnetic-mirror configuration is used to investigate the effects of magnetic-field discretization. A single particle is tracked for roughly two bounce periods. Sinusoidal fields are used to ensure truncation error exists to all orders in the numerical methods used. The magnetic field is discretized on a square grid, and linearly interpolated within the grid. The standard Runge-Kutta fifth-order accurate (RK45) solver with a continuum magnetic field is used as a control method. Electric fields are neglected, reducing the leap-frog scheme to a rotation in the standard way. Solutions from discrete-field and continuous-field distributions are compared with particular interest in energy conservation and particle-trajectory variations. A coarse grid of roughly 20×20 is found sufficient to produce the same energy-conservation results as the continuous-field solution. Time steps are found to be a more restrictive parameter than grid size in producing accurate results, with leap-frog requiring roughly ten times more computations that RK45. Due to the second-order accuracy of the leap-frog method, overall numerical energy loss (cooling) can occur with leap-frog when compared to RK45. Solutions with leap-frog are found to consistently produce an overall numerical cooling in the cases tested. Numerical heating due only to discretization of the magnetic fields is found to be negligible; however, a marked discrepancy in particle trajectories is observed for coarse meshes. This discrepancy could have implications for cross-field diffusion and particle loss, and quantification of this effect is currently being investigated.
Distributed Multipole Model for Design of Permanent-Magnet-Based Actuators

This paper presents a general method for deriving a closed-form solution for precise calculation of the magnetic field around a permanent magnet (PM) or an electromagnet (EM). The method, referred here as distributed multipole (DMP) modeling, inherits many advantages of the dipole model originally conceptualized in the context of physics, but provides an effective means to account for the shape and magnetization of the physical magnet. Three examples are given to illustrate the procedure of developing a DMP model, which derives an appropriate set of distributed dipoles from a limited set of known field points, for a general cylindrical PM, a customized PM, and a multilayer coil. The DMP modeling method has been validated by comparing simulated fields and calculated forces against data obtained experimentally and numerically; the comparisons show excellent agreement. Finally, we illustrate how the closed-form DMP models can offer an inexpensive means to visualize the effect of the EM fields on the leakage and unexpected flux paths, which have significant influences on the magnetic torque of a spherical motor.
Pioneering Inventors or Thicket Builders: Which U.S. Firms Use Continuations in Patenting?

Why do firms use continuations in the prosecution of their patents? Motivated by the widespread use of continuations by U.S. firms and the prominence of this procedure in U.S. patent policy debates, we investigate the influence of corporate and patent characteristics on the use of continuations. We employ novel data on applicants and their filings of three types of continuations---the continuation application (CAP), the continuations in part (CIP), and divisions---during 1981--2000 to distinguish among the motives for continuing patents. We find that CIPs are disproportionately filed by research and development-intensive firms that patent heavily, and that these continuations are more common in chemical and biological technologies. Patents issuing from CIPs cover relatively important inventions and their use appears consistent with a strategy of protecting “pioneering inventions.” In contrast, CAPs and divisions are associated with less important patents assigned to capital-intensive firms, particularly in computer and semiconductor fields, and appear to be used in defensive patenting strategies. We analyze the effects of the 1995 change in patent term, and find that the act reduced continuations overall and shifted the output of continuations toward less important patents.
Global environmental change and the nature of aboveground net primary productivity responses: insights from long-term experiments

Many global change drivers chronically alter resource availability in terrestrial ecosystems. Such resource alterations are known to affect aboveground net primary production (ANPP) in the short term; however, it is unknown if patterns of response change through time. We examined the magnitude, direction, and pattern of ANPP responses to a wide range of global change drivers by compiling 73 datasets from long-term (>5 years) experiments that varied by ecosystem type, length of manipulation, and the type of manipulation. Chronic resource alterations resulted in a significant change in ANPP irrespective of ecosystem type, the length of the experiment, and the resource manipulated. However, the pattern of ecosystem response over time varied with ecosystem type and manipulation length. Continuous directional responses were the most common pattern observed in herbaceous-dominated ecosystems. Continuous directional responses also were frequently observed in longer-term experiments (>11 years) and were, in some cases, accompanied by large shifts in community composition. In contrast, stepped responses were common in forests and other ecosystems (salt marshes and dry valleys) and with nutrient manipulations. Our results suggest that the response of ANPP to chronic resource manipulations can be quite variable; however, responses persist once they occur, as few transient responses were observed. Shifts in plant community composition over time could be important determinants of patterns of terrestrial ecosystem sensitivity, but comparative, long-term studies are required to understand how and why ecosystems differ in their sensitivity to chronic resource alterations.
Ru‐Oxo catalyzed epoxidations and the woodward–hoffmann rules

An analysis of the pathways and intermediates for the epoxidation of olefins using a Ru(IV)-oxo model complex is presented. Simple bonding concepts, coupled with INDO/1 semiempirical MO calculations, provide a description of the metal-oxo/olefin interaction that agrees well with experimental facts. Concerted [1 + 2] and [2 + 2] pathways are investigated and found to lead to unfavorable orbital interactions as with organic analogues. Nonconcerted process (those in which one bond is formed before the second), which connect the two concerted pathways, are preferred. A nonconcerted [1 + 2] pathway is preferred over a nonconcerted [2 + 2] pathway on the basis of less steric repulsions between the olefin and the metal ligands. Also, all open structures (those with one CO bond formed) investigated minimized to bound epoxides. In the most favorable pathway, a nonconcerted [1 + 2] pathway, radical cation character on the terminal carbon increases as the nonconcerted process is induced. Preference for the bound epoxide intermediate over the oxometallocycle is simply explained by partial charge considerations.
Leukemia-Associated Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Promotes Gαq-Coupled Activation of RhoA

Leukemia-associated Rho guanine-nucleotide exchange factor (LARG) belongs to the subfamily of Dbl homology RhoGEF proteins (including p115 RhoGEF and PDZ-RhoGEF) that possess amino-terminal regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) boxes also found within GTPase-accelerating proteins (GAPs) for heterotrimeric G protein subunits. p115 RhoGEF stimulates the intrinsic GTP hydrolysis activity of G12/13 subunits and acts as an effector for G13-coupled receptors by linking receptor activation to RhoA activation. The presence of RGS box and Dbl homology domains within LARG suggests this protein may also function as a GAP toward specific G subunits and couple G activation to RhoA-mediating signaling pathways. Unlike the RGS box of p115 RhoGEF, the RGS box of LARG interacts not only with G12 and G13 but also with Gq. In cellular coimmunoprecipitation studies, the LARG RGS box formed stable complexes with the transition state mimetic forms of Gq, G12, and G13. Expression of the LARG RGS box diminished the transforming activity of oncogenic G protein-coupled receptors (Mas, G2A, and m1-muscarinic cholinergic) coupled to Gq and G13. Activated Gq, as well as G12 and G13, cooperated with LARG and caused synergistic activation of RhoA, suggesting that all three G subunits stimulate LARG-mediated activation of RhoA. Our findings suggest that the RhoA exchange factor LARG, unlike the related p115 RhoGEF and PDZ-RhoGEF proteins, can serve as an effector for Gq-coupled receptors, mediating their functional linkage to RhoA-dependent signaling pathways. Four classes of heterotrimeric G alpha proteins, Gs, Gi, Gq, and G12, couple heptahelical G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to effectors to relay extracellular signals into eukaryotic cells (14). Each of these heterotrimeric G proteins is composed of an , , and subunit. The GDP-bound hetero
Exploiting The Waiting Time Paradox: Applications Of The Size-Biasing Transformation

We consider the transformation T that takes a distribution F into the distribution of the length of the interval covering a fixed point in the stationary renewal process corresponding to F. This transformation has been referred to as size-biasing, length-biasing, the renewal length transformation, and the stationary lifetime operator. We review and develop properties of this transformation and apply it to diverse areas.
Effect of salinity on the growth and ion content of Salicornia rubra

Salicornia rubra is a stem succulent annual halophyte, which is widely distributed in the saltpans of Northern Utah playas. This study reports the effect of salinity (0, 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mM NaCl) on the growth, succulence, osmotic and water relations of the species under greenhouse conditions. Fresh and dry weight of plants increased with an increase in salinity. Optimal growth of S. rubra plants were recorded at 200 mM NaCl and the growth declined with a further increase in salinity. Both sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) contents of plants increased with an increase in salinity, while Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ content decreased. Succulence of shoots increased at low salinity and decreased at high salinity. Water potential of plants become more negative with an increase in salinity. The Fv/Fm ratio was more affected by higher salinity and irradiation stress during growth.
On the decentralized control of large-scale systems

The design of decentralized controllers for interconnected large-scale systems is addressed. The system is modelled as a collection of independent subsystems and interconnection equations. At each subsystem level, an independent model is derived using either the control structure properties or the information contained in the interface variables. Conditions are derived for the existence of the local models. Decentralized controllers are designed using these local models. >
Three-Dimensional Photodetectors in 3-D Silicon-On-Insulator Technology

We report on the design and measurement results of three-dimensional (3-D) photodetectors in a 0.18-mum silicon-on-insulator technology. The device measurements reported here show that the photodetectors can be used for the design of high-density imaging arrays in 3-D CMOS fabrication processes. The photodiodes respond to light in the range of 1-200 000 lx with currents of 2 fA to 300 pA and can be arranged in a 3-D stack. The phototransistors respond to light intensities of 5-200 000 lx with currents from 50 fA to 2.3 muA
Vibrations and pull-in instabilities of microelectromechanical von Karman elliptic plates incorporating the Casimir force

We consider the von Karman nonlinearity and the Casimir force to first develop a reduced-order model for a prestressed clamped elliptic electrostatically actuated microplate, and then use it to study vibrations and pull-in instability. The reduced-order model is derived by taking a family of linearly independent kinematically admissible functions as basis functions for the transverse displacement. The in-plane displacement vector is expressed as the sum of displacements for irrotational and isochoric waves in a two-dimensional medium. The potentials of these two displacement vector fields satisfy an eigenvalue problem analogous to that of transverse vibrations of a linear elastic membrane. Basis functions for the transverse and the in-plane displacements are related by using the nonlinear equation governing the plate's in-plane motion. The reduced-order model is derived from the equation governing the transverse deflection of the plate. Pull-in parameters are found using the displacement iteration pull-in extraction method and by studying small vibrations of the plate about its predeformed configuration. However, the effect of inertia forces on pull-in parameters has not been analyzed. The reduced-order model for a linear elliptic micromembrane is derived as a special case of that for an elliptic plate.
Hydrologic variability and the onset of modern El Niño–Southern Oscillation: a 19 250‐year record from Lake Elsinore, southern California

There are very few terrestrial palaeoclimate archives spanning the Last Glacial Maximum through the Holocene from coastal southern California. Yet, knowledge of past climate dynamics is critical for assessing present and future constraints on the region's dwindling freshwater resources. We present initial results from two drill cores extracted from the present-day edge of Lake Elsinore, southern California's largest natural lake. Using a multiproxy approach including lithologic description, mass magnetic susceptibility, LOI 550 � C (total organic matter), and LOI 950 � C (total carbonate), we infer first-order, long-term climate change over the past 19 250 calendar years. Furthermore, we suggest possible first-order forcing mechanisms that drive this change, which include presence/absence of continental ice sheets, insolation, and complex ocean-atmosphere interactions. Our results indicate four distinct millennial-scale climate modes over the past 19 250 calendar years. These modes include a wet Last Glacial Maximum (19 250-17 120 cal. yr BP), a relatively dry late-Glacial/Holocene transition (17 120-9450 cal. yr BP), a wet early Holocene (9450-7670 cal. yr BP), and a highly variable mid-to-late Holocene climate (i.e., alternating wet/dry cycles; 7670 cal. yr BP-present). We attribute the mid-to-late Holocene climate interval to the onset of El Nino-Southern Oscillation ca. 7000 cal. yr BP and a more vigorous hydrologic system. These results are supported by a variety of regional terrestrial and marine palaeoclimate archives. Copyright 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What Drives Managerial Use of Marketing and Financial Metrics and Does Metric Use Affect Performance of Marketing-Mix Activities?

Abstract To increase marketing's accountability, Journal of Marketing, Marketing Science Institute, and the Institute for the Study of Business Markets have advocated development of marketing metrics and linking marketing-mix activities with financial metrics. Although the marketing field has made progress, researchers have paid less attention to what drives managerial use of marketing and financial metrics and whether metric use is associated with marketing-mix performance. The authors propose a conceptual model that links firm strategy, metric orientation, type of marketing-mix activity, and managerial, firm, and environmental characteristics to marketing and financial metric use, which in turn are linked to performance of marketing-mix activities. An analysis of 1287 marketing-mix activities reported by 439 U.S. managers reveals that firm strategy, metric orientation, type of marketing-mix activity, and firm and environmental characteristics are more useful than managerial characteristics in explaining...
Transition to Adulthood, Cultural Differences in

Of interest is the transition to adulthood in non-Western cultures according to culture-based mechanisms including rites of passage. Cultural markers of transition are reviewed according to those that are biologically based, those that include ceremonies and celebrations, and those that involve instruction. The changing nature of these markers is discussed in light of globalization.
Ground-state properties of strongly interacting Fermi gases in two dimensions

Exact calculations are performed on the two-dimensional strongly interacting unpolarized uniform Fermi gas with a zero-range attractive interaction. Two auxiliary-field approaches are employed which accelerate the sampling of imaginary-time paths using BCS trial wave functions and a force bias technique. Their combination enables calculations on large enough lattices to reliably compute ground-state properties in the thermodynamic limit. An equation of state is obtained with a parametrization provided, which can serve as a benchmark and allow accurate comparisons with experiments. The pressure, contact parameter, and condensate fraction are determined systematically vs ${k}_{F}a$. The momentum distribution, pairing correlation, and the structure of the pair wave function are computed. The use of force bias to accelerate the Metropolis sampling of auxiliary fields in determinantal approaches is discussed.
Implementation of TeamSTEPPS in the emergency department

Team training and practice is an essential part of emergency department workflow. TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) is a teamwork and communication systems model that has the potential to improve patient safety while also addressing aspects of staff satisfaction and morale. This article describes the experience of one emergency department's implementation of TeamSTEPPS, with a focus on methods of training faculty and staff, progression of implementation over a period of time, and evaluation of the process with recommendations for future growth. Background, history, and specific tools used within the department are described, with an emphasis on "briefs," "huddles," and "debriefs" or team "wrap-ups."
PEGylated, NH2-terminated PAMAM dendrimers: a microscopic view from atomistic computer simulations.

Poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers are promising nanocarriers in a wide range of biomedical applications including gene and drug delivery and as imaging agents. They have unique structural properties and are characterized by high size uniformity, low polydispersity, and a large number of modifiable surface groups. Drug–dendrimer systems are usually further modified through the conjugation of ligands in order to confer the carriers’ specific characteristics designed to enhance their efficacy. The chemistry and structure of the solvated ligand-conjugated dendrimer nanocarriers (DNCs) will dictate how they interact with the physiological environment and, therefore, their fate and function. Understanding the microstructures of ligand-conjugated DNCs is, therefore, of great relevance within the context of drug delivery applications. In this work, we investigate the effect of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on the microstructure of solvated, NH2-terminated PAMAM DNCs using fully atomistic molecular dynamics simul...
Lung cancer screening: Examining the issues

The goal of screening is to detect disease at a stage when cure or control is possible, thereby decreasing disease-specific deaths in the population. Many studies have attempted to demonstrate that lung cancer screening using chest radiography or computed tomography (CT) identifies patients with lung cancer and reduces cancer-related mortality. Until recently, there was no evidence confirming a reduction in disease-specific mortality with screening. Early cancer screening should result in a gradual population-wide stage shift toward earlier cancer stages over time, but stage shifting was not reported in early lung cancer screening studies. Lead-time, length-time, and overdiagnosis biases may each have an impact on screening studies reporting survival as an outcome. In this past year, the National Lung Screening Trial reported a significant reduction in cancer-related mortality as a result of screening with chest CT imaging. This will shape the direction of future screening programs.
Numerical Prediction of Planar Shock Wave Interaction with a Cylindrical Body

Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes computational fluid dynamics was used to simulate shock-boundary layer interactions on a zero-incidence cylinder incurred by an impinging planar shock wave in a supersonic Mach 3 flow. The simulations emulated the 1983 Brosh and Kussoy experimental test case conducted at NASA Ames Research Center. The simulations revealed complex and highly three-dimensional aerodynamic flow structures, such as recirculation/separation bubbles, multiple reflected shocks and expansion fans, crossflow interaction from windward to leeward sides of the cylinder and wake type flow on the leeward cylinder side. The axial and radial pressure profiles through the windward and leeward boundary layers, coupled with detailed flow visualization, revealed significant insight into the physics of the interactions. Numerical studies included varying turbulence freestream parameters, turbulence models and grid density. The various numerical models, except for one, generally compared reasonably well to experiment. The largest discrepancies occurred in regions of very low speed/separated/wake-type flow.
IFN-γ-mediated hematopoietic cell destruction in murine models of immune-mediated bone marrow failure

Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) has been reported to have both negative and positive activity on hematopoietic cells, adding complexity to the interpretation of its pleiotropic functions. We examined the effects of IFN-γ on murine hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and progenitors in vitro and in vivo by
138 NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHATE OXIDASE INHIBITION IMPROVES NEUROLOGIC FUNCTIONS IN SURGICALLY INDUCED BRAIN INJURY.

Purpose Neurosurgical procedures can result in brain injury by various means, including direct trauma, hemorrhage, retractor stretch, and electrocautery. This surgically induced brain injury (SBI) can cause postoperative complications such as brain edema following blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption. In this study, we tested whether NADPH oxidase, an important reactive oxygen species (ROS)-producing enzyme, is involved in SBI using transgenic mice lacking gp91phox subunit of NADPH oxidase (gp91-KO) and apocynin, a specific inhibitor of NADPH oxidase. Methods A mouse model of surgically induced brain injury (SBI) was used, which involves stereotaxic resection of a part of the right frontal lobe. gp91-KO and wild-type (WT, C57BL/6J) littermates were grouped into SBI and sham-surgery groups. Alternatively, mice were grouped into SBI and apocynin-treated (5 mg/kg, IP 30 minutess before surgery) groups. Neurologic function and brain edema (brain water content) were evaluated at 24-hour post-SBI. Oxidative stress indicated by lipid peroxidation (LPO) was measured at 3 and 24 hours post-SBI. Results Brain edema was observed 24-hour post-SBI in both gp91-KO and wild-type group as compared with the sham group; however, there was no significant difference between the gp91-KO and wild-type groups. Brain edema was also not affected by apocynin pretreatment. LPO levels were significantly higher in SBI group in both gp91-KO and wild-type groups compared with the sham group. LPO levels were significantly attenuated at 3-hour post-SBI by apocynin pretreatment but not at 24-hour post-SBI. A trend, although without statistical significance, was noted toward attenuation of LPO in the gp91-KO animals as comp. The gp91-KO mice and apocynin-treated mice, however, showed significantly improved neurologic scores 24-hour post-SBI compared with the wild-type and vehicle-treated mice, respectively. Conclusions Chronic and acute inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity does not affect brain edema; however, it improves neurologic functions after SBI. Further investigation is needed to find if other mechanisms, such as apoptosis or inflammation, are involved in improved neurologic functions after NADPH oxidase inhibition.
The Chinese oil market:2007 and 2008

During 2007, China produced a total of 186.657 million tons of crude oil, a year-on-year increase of 1.6%; processed a total of 326.793 million tons of crude oil, a year-on-year increase of 6.4%; and imported a net total of 183.51 tons of oil, an increase of 7.8% over the previous year. Due to factors such as the disparity between domestic and international prices, net imports of petroleum products totaled 24.16 million tons, a decrease of 22.9%; meanwhile, exports rose 16.4%. The price of oil continues to climb to new record highs; thanks in part to China's rapidly developing economy, however, domestic demand for oil continued its rapid growth, particularly with respect to gasoline, kerosene, diesel and other oil products. China's apparent oil consumption rose to 370.167 million tons in 2007, a year-on-year increase of 4.6%. Eliminating factors such as reserves, actual consumption was approximately 365 million tons, an increase of 5.4% over 2006. Due to the impact of international oil prices, domestic prices for crude oil and oil products reached a record high in 2007. The basic situation which applied to China's domestic oil market in 2007 can be expected to continue into 2008: crude oil production will increase slowly, alongside rapid growth in demand for and imports of oil; the nation will depend on imports for more than 50% of its oil; oil prices will remain high.
Cultures of Surveillance

On 30 May 1593 Christopher Marlowe, playwright and probable spy, was killed in the company of three suspicious characters - Robert Poley, Ingram Frizer, and Nicholas Skeres. Marlowe’s sudden death by knifewound to the eye, long considered the result of a drunken brawl yet now typically deemed a political assassination, is the most notorious murder in literary history. Marlowe had connections to the Cecilian regime. He was killed at a time when Cecilians were sending even Protestants to the scaffold for having the wrong ideas about the Elizabethan Church (and hence State).Marlowe was an intellectual who read books in numerous languages. He was awarded his M.A. from a reluctant Cambridge University at PC command. Marlowe was arrested in relation to a street killing in 1589. He was arrested for counterfeiting in Flushing in 1591/2, a crucial port town in the Netherlands held by England in return for supporting Dutch revolt against Spain. Meanwhile Marlowe wrote six or seven great plays in about as many years, achieving greater fame and popularity than Shakespeare at the same point in their theatrical careers (both born 1564). In brief, Marlowe had a fascinating life and death.
Echinacea Supplementation: Does it Really Improve Aerobic Fitness?

Purpose Echinacea is an herbal supplement used by endurance athletes for its performance boosting properties. It is thought that Echinacea improves the blood's oxygen carrying capacity by increasing production of erythropoietin (EPO), a glycoprotein that regulates red blood cell formation. Subsequently, these changes would lead to an overall improvement in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and running economy (RE), two markers of aerobic fitness. The purpose of this review is to briefly discuss the physiological variables associated with distance running performance and how these variables are influenced by Echinacea supplementation. Methods To determine Echinacea's ergogenic potential, human studies that used Echinacea in conjunction to analyzing the blood's oxygen carrying capacity and/or aerobic fitness were assessed. Results Taken together, the majority of the published literature does not support the claim that Echinacea is a beneficial ergogenic aid. With the exception of one study, several independent groups have reported Echinacea supplementation does not increase EPO production, blood markers of oxygen transport, VO2max or RE in healthy untrained or trained subjects. Conclusion To date, the published literature does not support the use of Echinacea as an ergogenic aid to improve aerobic fitness in healthy untrained or trained subjects.
My Heart Made Me Do It: Children's Essentialist Beliefs About Heart Transplants

Psychological essentialism is a folk theory characterized by the belief that a causal internal essence or force gives rise to the common outward behaviors or attributes of a category's members. In two studies, we investigated whether 4- to 7-year-old children evidenced essentialist reasoning about heart transplants by asking them to predict whether trading hearts with an individual would cause them to take on the donor's attributes. Control conditions asked children to consider the effects of trading money with an individual. Results indicated that children reasoned according to essentialism, predicting more transfer of attributes in the transplant condition versus the non-bodily money control. Children also endorsed essentialist transfer of attributes even when they did not believe that a transplant would change the recipient's category membership (e.g., endorsing the idea that a recipient of a pig's heart would act pig-like, but denying that the recipient would become a pig). This finding runs counter to predictions from a strong interpretation of the “minimalist” position, an alternative to essentialism.
Non-invasive fractional flow reserve estimation with coronary computed tomography angiography

Coronary computed tomography calcium score and angiography has emerged as a powerful tool in the investigation of patients with chest pain Coronary computed tomography calcium score provides both diagnostic as well as prognostic information but in the presence of intermediate coronary lesions neither coronary CT calcium score nor CT angiography is able to determine whether such a lesion is functionally significant Fractional flow reserve coronary CT angiography has emerged as a novel non invasive technique for the assessment of intermediate atherosclerotic coronary artery lesions