cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The critical role of heterogeneous catalysis in lignocellulosic biomass conversion

Lignocellulosic biofuels have a tremendous potential to reduce problems caused by our dependence on fossil fuels. The current roadblock with biofuels is the lack of economical conversion technologies. Heterogeneous catalysis offers immense potential in helping to make lignocellulosic biofuels a commercial reality. In this article we discuss the central role of heterogeneous catalysis in biomass conversion. We review the science of catalysis and the different routes to make biofuels. During the last several decades multiple new spectroscopic, theoretical, and synthesis tools are available that allow us to study catalysis at a molecular level. These new tools will allow us to rapidly develop new catalytic processes for the production of cost-efficient lignocellulosic biofuels.
Permeability of Endothelial and Astrocyte Cocultures: In Vitro Blood–Brain Barrier Models for Drug Delivery Studies

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a major obstacle for drug delivery to the brain. To seek for in vitro BBB models that are more accessible than animals for investigating drug transport across the BBB, we compared four in vitro cultured cell models: endothelial monoculture (bEnd3 cell line), coculture of bEnd3 and primary rat astrocytes (coculture), coculture with collagen type I and IV mixture, and coculture with Matrigel. The expression of the BBB tight junction proteins in these in vitro models was assessed using RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. We also quantified the hydraulic conductivity (Lp), transendothelial electrical resistance (TER) and diffusive solute permeability (P) of these models to three solutes: TAMRA, Dextran 10K and Dextran 70K. Our results show that Lp and P of the endothelial monoculture and coculture models are not different from each other. Compared with in vivo permeability data from rat pial microvessels, P of the endothelial monoculture and coculture models are not significantly different from in vivo data for Dextran 70K, but they are 2–4 times higher for TAMRA and Dextran 10K. This suggests that the endothelial monoculture and all of the coculture models are fairly good models for studying the transport of relatively large solutes across the BBB.
On Testing for the Degree of a Polynomial

Two methods are presented for deciding upon the proper degree of a polynomial regression function. One is based on a sequential F test and the other uses a two sample procedure. Both methods assume that the classical regression model is applicable. These methods enable one to realize desired guarantees against choosing either too small or too large a degree, which is not true for current fixed size sample methods.
Control of Hippelates Gnats with Soil Treatments Using Oregano-chlorine Insecticides

The initial and long-term effectiveness of six organochlorine insecticides applied to soil were determined in the field against Hippelates gnats. The field trials were aimed mainly at controlling H. collusor (Townsend), the predominant species in California and the Southwest. Other species controlled were H. hermsi Saurosky, H. pusio Loew, and H. dorsalis Loew. But the latter two species maintain very low population densities in the Coachella Valley of southern California, where these investigations were carried on, and consequently are not a problem in that area. H. hermsi is not considered pestiferous. In a young citrus grove, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, toxaphene, DDT, and DDT+toxaphene sprays were applied on the basis of equal cost per acre and effectiveness of these materials was ascertained over a period of 4 seasons. Excellent control of Hippelate collusor was obtained for 2 seasons with the DDT and DDT+toxaphene treatments, but the other materials provided only poor-to-fair control. In the third season, only the DDT treatment still gave significant reduction of the eye gnats. During the fourth season, DDT produced no appreciable control of the gnats. In other tests also, DDT sprays were effective against H. collusor , as well as against H. pusio and H. hermsi . In trials in two date gardens, endrin, applied at rates of 2 to 6 pounds per acre in both spray and granular forms, yielded erratic results and poor control of Hippelates collusor . Various concentrations of DDT granules produced poorer control of H. collusor and H. hermsi , 3 months after treatment than the sprays of approximately the same dosage. As the concentration of DDT in the formulation increased, the degree of control decreased. Shell Development Company compound SD-4402 (1,3,4,5,6,7,8,8 octachloro 3a,4,7,7a-tetrahydro-4,7-methanophthalan) applied as sprays (2 to 10 pounds per acre) gave good-to-excellent initial control of Hippelate collusor and H. hermsi but less control after 3 months. Only the 10-pounds-per-acre teatment yielded excellent control of H. collusor 3 months after application. Twelve months after treatment the 10-pounds-per-acre treatment produced excellent control of H. collusor . The 5-pounds-per-acre treatment also resulted in good control of this species 12 months after treatment. Both these dosages yielded moderate-to-good control of H. hermsi 12 months after treatment. Sixteen months after treatment the 10-pounds-per-acre rate of SD-4402 yielded excellent control of H. collusor and moderate control of H. hermsi . However, the emergence of both species was low and the residual activity of SD-4402 cannot be assessed clearly after this period.
Nanometer-size dispersions of iron in sapphire prepared by ion implantation and annealing

Abstract Some of the metal ions implanted into sapphire (single crystal α-Al2O3) are often present as metallic colloids or dispersions. Nano-composites consisting of iron particles in sapphire were prepared by implantation of 160 keV 56Fe at room temperature. The colloids were coarsened by annealing in the temperature range of 973–1673 K in a reducing atmosphere. Rutherford backscattering-ion channeling (RBS-C) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to determine the lattice damage as well as the nature, size and distribution of the iron. A range of particle sizes and shapes can be obtained by choice of implantation and/or annealing parameters.
Community Supported Agriculture Programs: A Novel Venue for Theory-Based Health Behavior Change Interventions

Local foods programs such as community supported agriculture programs (CSAs) and farmers' markets have increased greatly in popularity. However, little research has been conducted regarding the effect of involvement in local foods programs on diet-related attitudes and behaviors. A series of focus groups was conducted to identify the motives that propel individuals to join a CSA, the experiences of belonging to a CSA, and the diet-related outcomes of CSA membership. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a framework to categorize findings, data suggest the potential of CSAs as a viable intervention strategy for promoting healthful diets and behaviors.
Harmonic generation in the free-electron laser. Theory of the quasiperiodic wiggler

Free-electron lasers, except for those using helical wigglers, are predicted in most cases to generate higher harmonics of the fundamental optical frequency. The basic equations describing this process are derived and applied in particular to the linearly polarized wiggler.
Tracheostomy Care: A Clinician's Guide

Tracheostomies have become a typical component of the management of patients with prolonged respiratory failure. There are, however, relatively few studies from which to establish an accepted standard of care with regard to the specific features, daily care, and removal of tracheostomy tubes. Consequently, these decisions are sometimes guided by myth and misconception. In this article, we review the different types of tracheostomy tubes with their respective advantages and disadvantages, basic principles of care, recognition of complications, speech with a tracheostomy tube, and the process by which they may sometimes be removed.
Work in progress — Enhancing students learning through instructional videos during hands-on laboratories on renewable energy sources

At the University of California Santa Cruz, a renewable energy sources course is a theory based course that includes six hands-on laboratory experiments. The course is designed for engineering and non-engineering undergraduate students and does not require any advanced mathematics or physics background. Each laboratory experiment introduces a miniature version of an energy conversion device that mimics the insights and workings of a real scale device. The hands-on laboratory experiments illustrate principles of the; solar pathfinder, flywheel, hydroelectricity, wind turbine, thermoelectricity and a fuel cell. In the past, each laboratory consisted of paper based instructions, pre and post questionnaires and a laboratory kit. Since many students in the class were non-science majors and had difficulty following the paper based instructions, we substituted the paper based instructions with instructional videos to ease the kit assembly and enhance student learning by providing more time to focus on the data gathering and analysis processes by minimizing the assembly time. The instructional videos demonstrate the experimental set-up and a method for collecting the data during each hands-on experiment. This work in progress paper presents description of our methods.
Differential Diagnosis of Prostatism: a 12-year Retrospective Analysis of Symptoms, Urodynamics and Satisfaction with Therapy

AbstractPurpose: We determined the incidence of voiding symptoms, urodynamic etiology and satisfaction with therapy in a large cohort of men with prostatism during a 12-year period.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 2,845 consecutive men who underwent urodynamic evaluation between January 1982 and December 1994. Patients were divided into groups 1 and 2 according to the years of study (between 1982 and 1988, and between 1989 and 1994, respectively). Parameters of evaluation included prevalence and distribution of voiding symptoms, urodynamic etiology of symptoms and satisfaction with therapy (medical or surgical).Results: There was 843 evaluable patients 50 to 94 years old (mean age 63.2). Group 2 patients were younger, and had a 22 percent higher prevalence of nocturia and a 12 percent higher prevalence of daytime frequency. The prevalence of all other symptoms was the same in both groups. On urodynamics 523 patients (62 percent) had demonstrable evidence of bladder outlet ...
Midpoint Summation: A Method for Accurate and Efficient Summation of Series Appearing in Electromagnetics

A novel approach for fast approximation of a summation to an integral with midpoint summation (MPS) has been developed, which requires one term less than the existing Euler-Maclaurin formula (EMF) for obtaining the same order of accuracy. Also, a recursive relation to evaluate the coefficients has been derived. The approach has been applied to the acceleration of the infinite series summation in the shielded microstrip problem using the spectral domain approach (SDA) for obtaining accurate solution to the propagation constant. The speedup in evaluating the elements of the Galerkin matrix is achieved by asymptotic expansions for the Green's function and the Bessel's function and approximating the infinite summation using MPS. Thus, there is no need for evaluating complex coefficients or numerical integration.
Beyond advance directives: importance of communication skills at the end of life.

Patients and their families struggle with myriad choices concerning medical treatments that frequently precede death. Advance directives have been proposed as a tool to facilitate end-of-life decision making, yet frequently fail to achieve this goal. In the context of the case of a man with metastatic cancer for whom an advance directive was unable to prevent a traumatic death, I review the challenges in creating and implementing advance directives, discuss factors that can affect clear decision making; including trust, uncertainty, emotion, hope, and the presence of multiple medical providers; and offer practical suggestions for physicians. Advance care planning remains a useful tool for approaching conversations with patients about the end of life. However, such planning should occur within a framework that emphasizes respondingtopatientandfamilyemotionsandfocusesmore on goals for care and less on specific treatments.
Educational research priorities in engineering

The purpose of this study was to determine the research priorities and publication trends in engineering education in the USA over the interval of 1996 to 2006, through an examination of the key peer-reviewed journals, professional organizations, government documents, and interviews with experts in the field. Analysis of the data identified engineering epistemologies, learning mechanisms, learning systems, diversity and inclusiveness, and assessment as the research priorities of the field of engineering education over the last decade. Analysis of the publication record of three key journals in the field revealed that the publication trends over that time interval were: 1) teaching, learning and assessment processes, 2) teachers and learners, and 3) courses, laboratories, curricula, instructional materials, and learning technologies. A comparison of research priorities versus publishing trends identified the following areas as deficiencies in the research base: 1) educational management and goal systems, 2) political, economic, and social influences on engineering education, and 3) diffusion of educational innovations.
Relations between continuous and discrete models of excitable media

The authors derived a general eikonal equation describing the evolution of a wavefront propagating in an excitable medium this equation implements the relation between the propagation speed and the wavefront curvature known from a more detailed theory. The authors used an approximate solution to obtain equations linking the excitation time scale /spl tau/ and diffusion constant D of a continuous reaction rate model with the excitation parameters of a discrete cellular automaton model on a randomized lattice.
Variants of the Adiponectin and Adiponectin Receptor 1 Genes and Breast Cancer Risk

Breast cancer risk is higher among obese women and women with diabetes. Adiponectin is a protein exclusively secreted by adipose tissue, circulating levels of which have been associated with breast cancer risk. Whether genetic variants within the adiponectin pathway are associated with breast cancer risk is unknown. To explore the association of genetic variants of the adiponectin ( ADIPOQ ) and adiponectin receptor 1 ( ADIPOR1 ) genes with breast cancer risk, we conducted a case control study of female patients with breast cancer and healthy female controls from New York City recruited between 1999 and 2004. We genotyped 733 hospital-based breast cancer cases and 839 controls for 10 haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of ADIPOQ and ADIPOR1 . Two ADIPOQ SNPs (rs2241766 and rs1501299), which have been associated with circulating levels of adiponectin, were associated with breast cancer risk [rs1501299*GG: odd ratios (OR), 1.80; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.14–2.85; rs2241766*TG: OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.46–0.80]. One ADIPOR1 SNP (rs7539542), which modulates expression of adiponectin receptor 1 mRNA, was also associated with breast cancer risk (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.28–0.92). Based on the known function of rs2241766 and rs1501299, we categorized individuals by adiponectin signaling status and found that, when compared with high signalers, intermediate signalers had a 4.16-fold increase in breast cancer risk (95% CI, 0.49–35.19), and low signalers had a 6.56-fold increase in breast cancer risk (95% CI, 0.78–54.89; P trend = 0.001). This is the first report of an association between functionally relevant variants of the adiponectin pathway and breast cancer risk. The results warrant further studies of the adiponectin pathway in breast cancer. [Cancer Res 2008;68(9):3178–83]
Passive acoustic knock tracking for interactive windows

We describe a novel interface that locates and characterizes knocks and taps atop a large glass window. Our current setup uses four contact piezoelectric pickups located near the sheet's corners to record the acoustic wavefront coming from the knocks. A digital signal processor extracts relevent characteristics from these signals, such as amplitudes, frequency components and differential timings, which are used to estimate the location of the hit and provide other parameters, including the rough accuracy of this estimate, the nature of each hit (e.g., knuckle knock, metal tap, or fist bang), and the strike intensity. This system requires only simple hardware, needs no special adaptation of the glass pane, and allows all transducers to be mounted on the inner surface, hence it is quite easy to deploy as a retrofit to existing windows. This opens many applications, such as an interactive storefront, with projected content controlled by knocks on the display window.
Do Legal Origins Have Persistent Effects Over Time? A Look at Law and Finance around the World c. 1900

How persistent are the effects of legal institutions adopted or inherited in the distant past? A substantial literature argues that legal origins have persistent effects that explain clear differences in investor protections and financial development around the world today (La Porta et al, 1998, 1999 and passim). This paper examines the persistence of the effects of legal origins by examining new estimates of different indicators of financial development in more than 20 countries in 1900 and 1913. The evidence presented does not yield robust results that can sustain the hypothesis of persistence effects of legal origin, but it is not powerful enough to reject it either. Then the paper examines if there were systematic differences in the extent of investor protections across countries, since that is the main channel through which legal origin affects financial development, and shows that all the evidence supports the idea of relative convergence in corporate governance practices across legal families circa 1900. The paper concludes that, if the evidence presented is representative, the variation observed in financial development around the world today is likely a product of events of the twentieth century rather than a consequence of long-term (and persistent) differences occasioned by legal traditions.
Charge and Magnetization Inhomogeneities in Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors

It is predicted that III-V diluted magnetic semiconductors can exhibit stripelike modulations of magnetization and carrier concentration. This inhomogeneity results from the strong dependence of the magnetization on the carrier concentration. Within Landau theory, a characteristic temperature T* below the Curie temperature is found so that below T* the equilibrium magnetization shows modulations, which are strongly anharmonic. The wavelength and amplitude of the modulation rise for decreasing temperature, starting from zero at T*. Above T*, the equilibrium state is homogeneous, but the coupling between charge and magnetization leads to the appearance of an electrically charged layer in domain walls.
Simple, rapid, and micro high-pressure liquid chromatographic determination of plasma griseofulvin levels.

Abstract A rapid high-pressure liquid chromatographic assay is described for the quantitative determination of griseofulvin in plasma. An aliquot (25-100 μl) of plasma was deproteinized by a simple procedure involving the addition of 2.5 volumes of acetonitrile, vortex mixing for a few seconds, and centrifugation for 1 min. The clear supernate, 50 μl, was injected into the high-pressure liquid chromatograph. A reversed- phase column was used with a mobile phase of distilled water-acetonitrile (1:1) at a flow rate of 2 ml/min and was operated at ambient temperature. A fluorescent detector with an excitation wavelength of 260 nm was employed to monitor the column effluent. Griseofulvin had a retention time of 3.8 min. This procedure yields reproducible results with high sensitivity; plasma concentrations as low as 50 ng/ml can be measured. Several commonly used drugs do not interfere. Analysis of plasma samples collected from a rabbit injected with griseofulvin indicated that the procedure is suitable for pharmacokinetic studies and clinical monitoring of plasma concentrations in patients. Assay turnaround time is less than 6 min. For clinical monitoring of plasma griseofulvin concentrations, a sample volume as small as 10 μl can be used.
Optimal Development in Adolescence Where Do We Go from Here

Optimal development in adolescence constitutes an important area of investigation, one that has significant implications for the study of adolescent development, the training of psychologists for work with this population, and the provision of psychological services intended to enhance functioning beyond the elimination or reduction of problem behaviors. Although the difficulties inherent in defining this abstract concept are recognized, a concrete example, Ms. Amber Coffman, is presented as a means of stimulating psychologists' thought and activity concerning this important topic.
Longitudinal Progression of Cognitive Decline Correlates with Changes in the Spatial Pattern of Brain 18F-FDG PET

Evaluating the symptomatic progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) caused by Alzheimer disease (AD) is practically accomplished by tracking performance on cognitive tasks, such as the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale’s cognitive subscale (ADAS_cog), the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), and the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ). The longitudinal relationships between cognitive decline and metabolic function as assessed using 18F-FDG PET are needed to address both the cognitive and the biologic progression of disease state in individual subjects. We conducted an exploratory investigation to evaluate longitudinal changes in brain glucose metabolism of individual subjects and their relationship to the subject’s changes of cognitive status. Methods: We describe a method to determine correlations in 18F-FDG spatial distribution over time. This parameter is termed the regional 18F-FDG time correlation coefficient (rFTC). By using linear mixed-effects models, we determined the difference in the rFTC decline rate between controls and subjects at high risk of developing AD, such as individuals with MCI or the presence of apolipoprotein E (APOE)–e4 allele. The association between each subject’s rFTC and performance on cognitive tests (ADAS_cog, MMSE, and FAQ) was determined with 2 different correlation methods. All subject data were downloaded from the Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Results: The rFTC values of controls remained fairly constant over time (−0.003 annual change; 95% confidence interval, −0.010–0.004). In MCI patients, the rFTC declined faster than in controls by an additional annual change of −0.02 (95% confidence interval, −0.030 to −0.010). In MCI patients, the decline in rFTC was associated with cognitive decline (ADAS_cog, P = 0.011; FAQ, P = 0.0016; MMSE, P = 0.004). After a linear effect of time was accounted for, visit-to-visit changes in rFTC correlated with visit-to-visit changes in all 3 cognitive tests. Conclusion: Longitudinal changes in rFTC detect subtle metabolic changes in individuals associated with variations in their cognition. This analytic tool may be useful for a patient-based monitoring of cognitive decline.
Pb phase coarsening in eutectic Pb/Sn flip chip solder joints under electric current stressing

Experimental research on the Pb phase coarsening of eutectic Pb/Sn flip chip solder joint under current stressing is reported. Phase growth is observed under different current densities and temperatures. Higher current density leads to faster grain coarsening. Based on the test results, a grain coarsening equation including the influence of current density
PILE UPHOLSTERY FABRICS–CONSTRUCTION CHARACTERISTICS AND ABRASION RESISTANCE

Pile fabrics are currently enjoying a renewed popularity. They are not only an important upholstery fabric but also are gaining importance in other textile end-uses such as apparel, footwear, toys and accessories. Pile fabrics are made in both natural and synthetic fibres as well as natural and synthetic fibre blends. The study was an attempt to develop a procedure to evaluate the physical properties of pile fabrics to determine their suitability for specific end-uses. The study defined and tested different pile fabric samples which were representative of the 1979 interior textile fabric lines. Six pile fabrics, each with different fibre contents were subjected to seven separate tests and the results reported. The tests included fibre identification, fabric weight determination, fabric thickness determination, breaking load determination, tearing strength determination, and abrasion resistance determination. The results found that pile upholstery fabrics of different generic fibres performed differently when subjected to physical testing. The results obtained from the physical properties tests gave results which can be used to compare pile fabrics of different generic fibre content.
Design tool integration using object-oriented database views

CAD systems utilize a central design database (DDB) to achieve the integration of diverse design information into one model. A global DDB represents a serious bottleneck for the CAD system; it prevents the extensibility of the CAD system over time and forces all design tools to work on the same comprehensive data model. As a solution, we propose to utilize the object-oriented view mechanism, called MultiView, for declaratively specifying customized tool interfaces (design views) on the CAD database. A design view contains a subset of relevant information from the DDB organized in a fashion most suitable to the needs of a particular tool. MultiView automatically maintains the mapping between the global data model and local design views, thus freeing individual design tools from this burden. The resulting CAD environment assures the consistent integration of design data from different tools, while providing each tool with a customized view of the integrated data. This paper gives numerous examples that demonstrate MultiView and its advantages for tool integration in behavioral synthesis.
Experimental verification of a zero-index near-infrared metamaterial

In this paper, we present a free-standing optical zero-index metamaterial (ZIM) with a symmetric structure in the direction of wave propagation. The metamaterial consists of a gold-polyimide-gold tri-layer stack perforated by air holes to form a fishnet geometry. With the aid of a genetic algorithm (GA), this structure is optimized to exhibit a near-zero refractive index with low absorption loss and a good impedance match to free space. The ZIM was fabricated and characterized. The measured results are found to be in strong agreement with the simulation predictions.
GABA is involved in spatial unmasking in the frog auditory midbrain

Real-world listening situations comprise multiple auditory objects. Sounds originating from different objects are summated at the eardrum. The auditory system therefore must segregate the streams of sounds associated with the different objects. One listening strategy in complex environments is to attend to signals originating from one spatial location. In doing so, signal detection is compromised when a masker is present at close proximity, and detection is improved if the masker is spatially separated from the signal. A recent study has shown that, in frogs, spatial unmasking is more robust at the midbrain than at the periphery, indicating the importance of central mechanisms for this process. In this study, we investigated spatial unmasking patterns of single neurons in the frog inferior colliculus (IC) before and during iontophoretic application of bicuculline, a GABAA receptor antagonist. We found that drug application markedly decreased the strength of spatial unmasking such that even large angular separation of signal and masker sources produced only a weak masking release. Under the drug, the strength of spatial unmasking of midbrain neurons approximated that of auditory nerve fibers. These data show that GABAergic interactions in the auditory midbrain play an important role in spatial unmasking. Analysis of the effect of the drug on the direction sensitivity of the units shows that for the majority of IC units, bicuculline degrades binaural processing involved in directional coding, thereby compromising spatial unmasking. For other IC units, however, the decline in the strength of spatial unmasking is attributable to the effects of bicuculline on different central auditory processes.
PROGESTERONE INDUCED ACUTE RELEASE OF PROLACTIN IN ESTROGEN PRIMED OVARIECTOMIZED WOMEN

Progesterone (10 mg) administered intramuscularly induces a concurrent release of prolactin as well as gonadotropin in estrogen-primed women. The time course of pituitary release of all three of these hormones appears to include a latent phase of 4 hrs and is maintained for at least 5 hrs. It is considered that this effect of progesterone may be mediated through a reduction of hypothalamic dopamine.
Blastocyst implantation in the chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus)

Embryonic development of the Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) was studied from the onset of implantation to the formation of the parietal yolk sac placenta. Implantation began on day 6 of pregnancy, when the embryo became fixed to the uterine luminal epithelium. At this time there was no zona pellucida, and microvilli of the trophoblast and uterine epithelium were closely apposed. Stromal cells immediately adjacent to the implantation chamber began to enlarge and accumulate glycogen. By day 7 the mural trophoblast penetrated the luminal epithelium in discrete area. The trophoblast appeared to phagocytize uterine epithelial cells, although epithelium adjoining the points of penetration was normal. In other areas nascent apical protrusions from the uterine epithelium indented the surface of the trophoblast. The epiblast had enlarged and both visceral and parietal endoderm cells were present. The well-developed decidual cells were epithelioid and completely surrounded the implantation chamber. On day 8 the uterine epithelium had disappeared along the mural surface of the embryo. The embryonic cell mass was elongated and filled the yolk sac cavity. Reichert's membrane was well developed. The uterine epithelial basal lamina was largely disrupted, and the trophoblast was in direct contact with decidual cells. Primary and secondary giant trophoblast cells were present and in contact with extravasated maternal blood. The mural trophoblast formed channels in which blood cells were found in close proximity to Reichert's membrane. Decidual cells were in contact with capillary epithelium and in some cases formed part of the vessel wall. Structural changes occurring in the embryo and endometrium during implantation in the Chinese hamster are described for the first time in this report and are compared to those described for some other myomorph rodents.
Geographic scale matters in detecting the relationship between neighbourhood food environments and obesity risk: an analysis of driver license records in Salt Lake County, Utah

Objectives Empirical studies of the association between neighbourhood food environments and individual obesity risk have found mixed results. One possible cause of these mixed findings is the variation in neighbourhood geographic scale used. The purpose of this paper was to examine how various neighbourhood geographic scales affected the estimated relationship between food environments and obesity risk. Design Cross-sectional secondary data analysis. Setting Salt Lake County, Utah, USA. Participants 403 305 Salt Lake County adults 25–64 in the Utah driver license database between 1995 and 2008. Analysis Utah driver license data were geo-linked to 2000 US Census data and Dun & Bradstreet business data. Food outlets were classified into the categories of large grocery stores, convenience stores, limited-service restaurants and full-service restaurants, and measured at four neighbourhood geographic scales: Census block group, Census tract, ZIP code and a 1 km buffer around the resident9s house. These measures were regressed on individual obesity status using multilevel random intercept regressions. Outcome Obesity. Results Food environment was important for obesity but the scale of the relevant neighbourhood differs for different type of outlets: large grocery stores were not significant at all four geographic scales, limited-service restaurants at the medium-to-large scale (Census tract or larger) and convenience stores and full-service restaurants at the smallest scale (Census tract or smaller). Conclusions The choice of neighbourhood geographic scale can affect the estimated significance of the association between neighbourhood food environments and individual obesity risk. However, variations in geographic scale alone do not explain the mixed findings in the literature. If researchers are constrained to use one geographic scale with multiple categories of food outlets, using Census tract or 1 km buffer as the neighbourhood geographic unit is likely to allow researchers to detect most significant relationships.
The Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Report of Survival and Modifying Factors

The adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a form of acute lung injury characterized by arterial hypoxemia, reduced thoracic compliance, normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and diffuse infiltrates on chest roentgenograms. Mortality remains high and has been associated with sepsis, organ failure, age, and predisposing factors. We prospectively identified 215 ARDS patients over 34 months to examine how these factors influence outcome. One hundred two (47 percent) of 215 patients survived. Age 65 years or older was associated with a survival of 34 percent, which was statistically different from the 53 percent survival of those patients younger than 65 years (p = 0.02). Aspiration pneumonia as a predisposing factor of ARDS was associated with a better survival (p = 0.04). Survivors had statistically less organ failure and sepsis than did nonsurvivors (p
Previous experience with older adults positively affects nutrition students' attitudes toward this age group.

Abstract Objectives To explore: (1) dietetic and nutritional science students’ attitudes toward working with older adults and the factors affecting those attitudes; (2) the differences in attitudes between students who preferred to work with older adults and those who did not; (3) factors affecting self-efficacy to work with them; and (4) factors influencing current preference to work with older adults. Design Triangulated qualitative research methods (focus groups and in-depth interviews). Setting Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at a land grant university in the north central United States. Participants Upper-level dietetics and nutritional sciences students (N=27), half of whom preferred to work with older adults and half who did not. Main Outcomes Attitudes and preference for working with older adults and influencing factors. Analysis Transcripts from audiotapes and field notes were analyzed using open and axial coding methods. Results Students who preferred working with older adults had more positive attitudes toward working with older adults compared to those who did not. Previous experience with older adults was strongly associated with comfort level, self-efficacy to work with them, attitudes toward this age group, and preference for working with them. Implications for Research and Practice Direct and positive interaction with older adults is likely a key intervention to improving students’ attitudes toward working with this age group.
Fast static timing analysis of real-time systems

An extremely fast timing analysis algorithm has been developed to determine whether a rule-based expert system has bounded response time. Its capability has been demonstrated by the successful analysis of a number of industrial real-time expert systems developed by NASA and Mitre. Since state space graphs can be used to represent rule-based systems as well as many non-rule-based time-critical systems, the analysis technique is also applicable to the analysis of the latter. The paper reports on the application of this analysis algorithm to expedite the evaluation of non-rule-based real-time software prototypes in safety critical domains. >
Leiomyosarcoma of the esophagus.

Summary One case of esophageal leiomyosarcoma is added to the 38 reported cases. Marked regression of the lesion and excellent subjective improvement occurred following supervoltage irradiation. The role of radiotherapy in the management of this tumor is discussed.
Tuberculosis Knowledge, Awareness, and Stigma Among African-Americans in Three Southeastern Counties in the USA: a Qualitative Study of Community Perspectives

To inform strategies to address the tuberculosis (TB) excess among US-born African-Americans, we sought to understand the TB experience in the most highly affected southeastern communities. We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups in three communities with a TB excess-urban (Georgia and Tennessee) and rural (North Carolina). Participants from five groups provided diverse perspectives-African-Americans: patients with TB disease or latent TB infection (LTBI), or at high risk of contracting TB; and local community leaders and TB program staff. Few differences emerged between sites. Many participants demonstrated low levels of knowledge and awareness and held many misconceptions about TB. Patients expressed a preference for verbal communication of medical information. Patients reported fear of stigmatization and shunning, but few experienced discrimination. Patient trust for TB program staff was high, though community leaders often assumed the opposite. The findings will help guide interventions to improve knowledge and awareness regarding TB, including specific attention to the role of public and private health care providers in dispelling persistent misinformation about TB. The insight from these communities will help build the scientific foundation required to effectively eliminate health inequities.
Memristor PUF—A Security Primitive: Theory and Experiment

Physical unclonable functions (PUFs) have emerged as a promising hardware security primitive, but existing CMOS PUFs suffer from issues related to reliability and susceptibility to modeling attacks. Memristors, leveraging nanotechnology fabrication process and highly nonlinear behavior, pose as an interesting alternative. In this paper, we report the first demonstration of memristor based PUFs. The six memristors we fabricated show a 50% uncertainty of PUF response and high reliability upon repeated interrogation. A physics based circuit model of memristors was also implemented to accurately determine the simulation time required for randomly selected polyominoes from a 3-D array of memristors. The proposed model provides higher degree of complexity and results in seven orders of increase in simulation time for an attacker than that reported by Rajendran , 2012.
Unveiling 3D Deformations in Polymer Composites by Coupled Micro X-Ray Computed Tomography and Volumetric Digital Image Correlation

A new method combining micro-X-ray computed tomography (μXCT) and volumetric digital image correlation (V-DIC) in conjunction with in-situ mechanical testing was used to probe three-dimensional (3D) deformation behavior in a friction stir blind rivet (FSBR) joint of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite. Intrinsic microstructural features such as fibers, pores and metal inclusions enabled accurate volumetric strain calculation of dense fiber reinforced polymer composites using V-DIC without the need for high-contrast additives. Deformation calculated with V-DIC was employed to determine variation of local mechanical properties within the FSBR altered stir-zone microstructure. Unique deformation mechanisms such as internal interfacial shear and microstructure-dependent local buckling were observed in situ. The obtained 3D microscale strain maps revealed that the deformation behavior in joint-affected zones was fundamentally different from that of the bulk composite. Combined μXCT and V-DIC were shown to be effective for understanding 3D microscale deformations in composites.
Stable Nanocapsules Formed from Headgroup Polymerization of Natural Phospholipids

Formation of lipid based hollow, spherical nanocapsules is reported. N-acylphosphotidylethanolamine (egg) derivatives equipped with divinylbenzoyl functionality in their headgroup region were synthesized to explore their polymerization behavior in vesicles. Polymerizable phospholipids alone produced vesicles as an aqueous dispersion and produced stable nanocapsules upon polymerization at room temperature. These structures survived a redispersed cycle following lyophilization and maintained their structural integrity in non-aqueous solvent.
Induction of cyclo-oxygenase-2 in non-small cell lung cancer cells by infection with ΔE1, ΔE3 recombinant adenovirus vectors

Infection of epithelial-derived cells by adenovirus vectors has myriad effects on cellular behavior and function. Some are relevant to the desired effect of the encoded transgene and therapeutic goals of gene therapy approach. The current experiments describe the induction of COX-2 protein and PGE-2 production by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells following infection with a first generation (ΔE1, ΔE3) Ad vector. COX-2 overexpression by malignant cells has been shown to enhance cellular invasion, induce angiogenesis, regulate anti-apoptotic cellular defenses and augment immunologic resistance through production of PGE-2. Data show ΔE1, ΔE3, Ad5 vector infection induces dose-dependent increases in PGE-2 production by NSCLC cell lines. Data with UV/psoralen inactivated vectors and control vectors show this effect is dependent on Ad vector gene expression, but independent of the transgene expressed. Selective blockade of ERK with PD98029 abrogated induction of PGE-2 by Ad vectors. Consistent with these data, detectable increases in COX-2 protein were seen at 48 h after infection by Western blot that were paralleled by increases in the phosphorylation of ERK-1/2. UV/psoralen-inactivated vector did not induce COX-2 protein or ERK phosphorylation at 48 h. Further, an inhibitor of NF-kappa B (NFκB) translocation to the nucleus, SN50, had no effect on PGE-2 levels. In contrast, Ad vector infection did induce NFκB activity measured by NFκB-luciferase reporter plasmid, transfected into a NSCLC cell line. Collectively the data indicate ΔE1, ΔE3, Ad5 vector infection leads to ERK phosphorylation with parallel increases in COX-2 protein and PGE-2 production. These effects appear unrelated to NFκB and are dependent on gene expression by the vector. This information may need to be considered when defining targets for cancer gene therapy and/or the choice of viral vector.
Report on a Zero-Knowledge Protocal Tabletop Exercise.

This report summarizes the discussion and conclusions reached during a table top exercise held at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque on September 3, 2014 regarding a recently described approach for nuclear warhead verification based on the cryptographic concept of a zero-knowledge protocol (ZKP) presented in a recent paper authored by Glaser, Barak, and Goldston. A panel of Sandia National Laboratories researchers, whose expertise includes radiation instrumentation design and development, cryptography, and arms control verification implementation, jointly reviewed the paper and identified specific challenges to implementing the approach as well as some opportunities. It was noted that ZKP as used in cryptography is a useful model for the arms control verification problem, but the direct analogy to arms control breaks down quickly. The ZKP methodology for warhead verification fits within the general class of template-based verification techniques, where a reference measurement is used to confirm that a given object is like another object that has already been accepted as a warhead by some other means. This can be a powerful verification approach, but requires independent means to trust the authenticity of the reference warhead - a standard that may be difficult to achieve, which the ZKP authors do not directly address. Despitemore » some technical challenges, the concept of last-minute selection of the pre-loads and equipment could be a valuable component of a verification regime.« less
Special Considerations: Management of Common Bile Duct Stones in the Bariatric Patient

After bariatric surgery, patients are at increased risk for gallstone formation and subsequent common bile duct stones. Patients who have undergone sleeve gastrectomy or placement of a restrictive gastric band may be managed in the standard fashion with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Those who have undergone a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or a duodenal switch require specialized techniques to treat their common bile duct stones. These complex techniques require specialized equipment and training and typically are performed at large referral centers. The choice of technique depends on the available expertise and urgency of biliary intervention.
Self-Cleaning, Thermoresponsive P(NIPAAm-co-AMPS) Double Network Membranes for Implanted Glucose Biosensors

A self-cleaning membrane that periodically rids itself of attached cells to maintain glucose diffusion could extend the lifetime of implanted glucose biosensors. Herein, we evaluate the functionality of thermoresponsive double network (DN) hydrogel membranes based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and an electrostatic co-monomer, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS). DN hydrogels are comprised of a tightly crosslinked, ionized first network [P(NIPAAm-co-AMPS)] containing variable levels of AMPS (100:0-25:75 wt% ratio of NIPAAm:AMPS) and a loosely crosslinked, interpenetrating second network [PNIPAAm]. To meet the specific requirements of a subcutaneously implanted glucose biosensor, the volume phase transition temperature is tuned and essential properties, such as glucose diffusion kinetics, thermosensitivity, and cytocompatibility are evaluated. In addition, the self-cleaning functionality is demonstrated through thermally driven cell detachment from the membranes in vitro.
Thought about Improving the Reading Abilities of the College Students

Reading is a complicated process of language and thinking reacting on each other .It is the main method of mastering language knowledge ,laying the fundation of language, and gaining the information. Then how to improve the reading abilities of the college students quickly and efficiently? The author offers her own approach after the teaching practice. Only by strengthening the language knowledge(to guide the students to have a lot of extracurricular reading, to make a forecast rhe meaning of the words) and grasping the reading skills(the skill of the fast-reading,the ability of forecast, the ability of analyzation about the article, etc) ,can students improve their reading abilities completely.
Exploring the Empathic Method

This chapter will look at the mental processes involved in doing psychodynamically informed studies of world events. These processes turn out to be deeply rooted in the basic nature of the human mind. A key element in this type of investigation is a process called “empathy.”
On Properties of Q Charts for Variables

The sensitivity of four tests on Shewhart type Q charts and of specially designed EWMA and CUSUM Q charts to detect one-step permanent shifts of either a normal mean or standard deviation has been studied. The usual test that signals for one point beyon..