cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electronic properties of negative-curvature periodic graphitic carbon surfaces.

The electronic structures of 15 models of periodic graphitelike carbon surfaces (PGCS) with negative Gaussian curvatures are studied by a first-principles method. These models, which consist of P, D, and G surfaces of PGCS and range from 24 to 216 atoms in the unit cell, have different structural characteristics. Results on the band structures and density of states are presented. To achieve high accuracy, band-secular equations are solved at a large number of k points in the 1/48 of the Brillouin zone for each model. Of the 15 models studied, seven of them are insulating, seven are metallic, and one is a semimetal. Correlations with structural parameters of each model fail to pin down clearly the factor controlling the gap formation in PGCS, although it is found that the models containing only isolated seven- or eight-membered rings are insulating. Among all the models studied, the polybenzene model with only 24 atoms in a simple cubic unit cell is the most interesting and has the largest indirect band gap of 2.96 eV.
Using microorganisms to brew biofuels

Interest in alternative fuel sources has grown in recent years in response to a confluence of factors, including concerns over our reliance on and increasing demand for fossil fuels as well as the deleterious environmental effects of fossil fuel extraction and utilization. The use of microbe-derived fuel alcohols is a viable alternative, as they are renewable, emit fewer greenhouse gasses, and require little augmentation of current energy infrastructure as compared to other sustainable transportation options such as electric vehicles and fuel cells. Here, we present a brief overview of candidate substrates for alcohol production with a focus on lignocellulosic sources, relevant microorganisms under research for industrialization and the biotechnological techniques used to improve alcohol production phenotypes.
The need for optical imaging in the understanding and optimization of photodynamic therapy

Optical excitation of chemicals provides reactive excited states, which can initiate chemical reactions and can also relax via radiative photophysical processes, providing the basis for fluorescence diagnostics. The best-known example of the former is Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), which is now approved for the treatment of a number of neoplastic and non-neoplastic pathologies. Although the concept of the use of photodynamic agents in diagnostics is as old as their use in therapy, the focused development of this aspect has been relatively recent. Typically, photodynamic agents have high triplet yields and relatively long triplet lifetimes (microsecond range), which allows them to interact and destroy molecular targets near them either directly or indirectly by producing other toxic molecular species. Associated with a high triplet yield is the fortunate attribute of most PDT agents in having low but finite fluorescence quantum yields. Fluorescence from these molecules may be used not only for diagnostics of disease de novo but also for guided surgery, PDT dosimetry and therapeutic monitoring. Other uses of fluorescence in PDT (not necessarily from the PDT agents) include the development of technologies that allow tracking of cells during treatment in vivo, studies of sub-cellular localization of molecules for mechanistic studies and photosensitizer tracking for specific targeting. An overview of studies on these aspects from different laboratories will be presented.
Intrapericardial Left Atrial Aneurysm: Noninvasive Diagnosis

Intrapericardial aneurysm of the left atrium is a rare cardiac anomaly. We present a 10-year-old girl in whom the diagnosis was made following referral for an abnormal configuration of the left heart border seen on chest radiography. Diagnosis was made by echocardiography, but magnetic resonance imaging defined the exact morphology and the relation to adjacent structures. Surgical removal of this aneurysm is recommended because of potentially serious complications.
Family health heritage: sharing and withholding across generations

On Heritage aims to offer and promote a rich discussion at the intersection of art, performance, and culture that expands the boundaries of HCI while broadening our understanding of how things of the past come to matter in the present. Elisa Giaccardi, Editor
Oxidant Stress Stimulates Phosphorylation of eIF4E without an Effect on Global Protein Synthesis in Smooth Muscle Cells LACK OF EVIDENCE FOR A ROLE OF H2O2IN ANGIOTENSIN II-INDUCED HYPERTROPHY

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in the pathogenesis of several proliferative diseases, including atherosclerosis and cancer. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) plays an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. To gain insight into molecular mechanisms by which ROS influence the pathogenesis of these diseases, I have studied the effect of H(2)O(2), a ROS, on eIF4E phosphorylation. H(2)O(2) induced eIF4E phosphorylation in a dose- and time-dependent manner in growth-arrested smooth muscle cells (SMC). H(2)O(2)-induced eIF4E phosphorylation occurred on serine residues. PD098059, a specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase inhibited ERK activities but had no significant effect on eIF4E phosphorylation induced by H(2)O(2). Similarly, SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, although inhibiting H(2)O(2)-induced p38 MAPK activity, had no effect on H(2)O(2)-induced eIF4E phosphorylation. Calphostin C, a specific inhibitor of protein kinase C, also had no effect on H(2)O(2)-induced eIF4E phosphorylation. In contrast, trifluoperazine, an antagonist of calcium/calmodulin kinases, completely blocked H(2)O(2)-induced eIF4E phosphorylation. In addition, intracellular and extracellular Ca(2+) chelators significantly inhibited H(2)O(2)-induced eIF4E phosphorylation. Despite its ability to induce eIF4E phosphorylation, H(2)O(2) had no significant effect on protein levels and new protein synthesis as compared with control. In contrast, it induced the expression of c-Fos, c-Jun, and HSP70 in a time-dependent manner in SMC. Together, these results suggest that H(2)O(2), a ROS and a cellular oxidant, induces eIF4E phosphorylation in a manner that is dependent on Ca(2+) and Ca(2+)/calmodulin kinases and independent of ERKs, p38 MAPK, and protein kinase C. These results also suggest that enhanced eIF4E phosphorylation by H(2)O(2) appears to be an important event in SMC in response to oxidant stress and that eIF4E phosphorylation may be associated with the translation of a small subset of mRNAs such as c-fos, c-jun, and HSP70 gene mRNAs, whose products may have a critical role in cell survival.
The regulation of positive affect: Gaze aversion activity during mother-infant interaction

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine two aspects of gaze aversion activity in young infants: (a) at what level of positive affect infants employ gaze aversion, and (b) the relationship between maternal activity and gaze aversion activity. Sixty 5-month-old infants were videotaped while participating in a peek-a-boo was coded from the videotapes. Results revealed infant smiles of high intensity were associated with more frequent and longer gaze aversions. Moreover, the intensities of smiles to which infants averted their gaze were greater than those smiles to which infants did not change their gaze behavior. These same relationships were found for smile durations. Finally, moderate maternal activity level during peek-a-boo elicited the most gaze aversion activity following a smile. The functional significance of gaze aversion to increases in positive affect is discussed.
Assessing the role of interfacial electrostatics in oriented mineral nucleation at charged organic monolayers

Charged organic−aqueous interface electrostatics are assessed in order to clarify potential electrostatic contributions to oriented mineral nucleation at planar organic surfaces. Fatty acid and acidic phospholipid monolayers contacting aqueous solutions of sparingly soluble salts serve as model systems. Monolayer electrostatic parameters and ion distributions in the interfacial aqueous solution are calculated using a Gouy−Chapman−Stern electric double-layer model that incorporates the multiple, multivalent cations and anions found in mineralizing solutions. The calculations provide insight into the relationship between surface-directed crystallization and factors such as ion binding, surface charge density, and interfacial ion concentrations. Variations in crystal nucleation, phase, and morphology observed at charged monolayers are interpreted in terms of calculated departures from lattice ion stoichiometry and pH lowering within the interfacial aqueous solution. Lattice matching is addressed in terms of ...
Use of the environmentally sensitive fluorophore 4‐N,N‐dimethylamino‐1,8‐naphthalimide to study peptoid helix structures

Peptoids, oligomers of N-substituted glycine, have been valuable targets for study and diverse application as peptidomimetics and as nanomaterials. Their conformational heterogeneity has made the study of peptoid structures using high-resolution analyses challenging, limiting our understanding of the physiochemical features that mediate peptoid folding. Here, we introduce a new method for the study of peptoid structure that relies on the environmentally sensitive fluorescence properties of 4-N,N-dimethylamino-1,8-naphthalimide (4-DMN). We have prepared a 4-DMN-functionalized primary amine that is compatible with the traditional submonomer peptoid synthesis methods and incorporated it sequence-specifically into 11 of 13 new peptoids. When included as a peptoid side chain modification, the fluorescence emission intensity of 4-DMN correlates with predictions of the fluorophore's local polarity within a putative structure. 4-DMN fluorescence is maximized when the fluorophore is placed in the middle of the hydrophobic face of an amphiphilic helical peptoid. When the fluorophore is placed near the peptoid terminus or on a polar face of an amphiphilic sequence, 4-DMN fluorescence is diminished. Disruption of the peptoid secondary structure or amphiphilicity also modulates 4-DMN fluorescence. The peptoids' helical secondary structures are moderately disrupted by inclusion of a 4-DMN-modified side chain as evaluated by changes in the peptoids' CD spectral features. This new method for peptoid structure evaluation should be a valuable complement to existing peptoid structural analysis tools. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 96: 627–638, 2011.
Manganese as a Substitute for Rhenium in CO2 Reduction Catalysts: The Importance of Acids

Electrocatalytic properties, X-ray crystallographic studies, and infrared spectroelectrochemistry (IR-SEC) of Mn(bpy-tBu)(CO)3Br and [Mn(bpy-tBu)(CO)3(MeCN)](OTf) are reported. Addition of Bronsted acids to CO2-saturated solutions of these Mn complexes and subsequent reduction of the complexes lead to the stable and efficient production of CO from CO2. Unlike the analogous Re catalysts, these Mn catalysts require the addition of Bronsted acids for catalytic turnover. Current densities up to 30 mA/cm2 were observed during bulk electrolysis using 5 mM Mn(bpy-tBu)(CO)3Br, 1 M 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, and a glassy carbon working electrode. During bulk electrolysis at −2.2 V vs SCE, a TOF of 340 s–1 was calculated for Mn(bpy-tBu)(CO)3Br with 1.4 M trifluoroethanol, corresponding to a Faradaic efficiency of 100 ± 15% for the formation of CO from CO2, with no observable production of H2. When compared to the analogous Re catalysts, the Mn catalysts operate at a lower overpotential and exhibit similar catalytic ac...
WO 3 Thin Films For Practical Electrochromic Windows

It is shown that practical spectrally-selective transmittance modulation can be achieved with thin (50-100nm) WO3 films, and therefore such films should be useful for fabricating electrochromic windows. The transmittance and reflectance modulation results are compared with theoretical predictions. The results indicate an excess intraband absorptance, which is attributed to free electron scattering arising from extended defects.
Effect of early immunization during infancy on kidney, liver, and blood tests.

Summary 1. Nine infants under 6 months of age and one child 2 years of age were studied with respect to routine immunization. 2. Sedimentation rates, blood counts, kidney and liver tests were not affected to any appreciable extent.
Influence of a Supervised Mentoring Program on the Achievement of Low‐Income South Korean Students

This study examined the effectiveness of a supervised mentoring program designed to improve the academic achievement of 834 low‐income elementary and secondary school students in Seoul, South Korea. When compared to the control group, both elementary and middle school students exposed to the mentoring program improved in mathematic and reading comprehension, with an effect size .29 and .33 respectively. Additionally, the duration of the mentoring relationship affected the achievement of participating students. These findings provide support for mentoring programs as a means to reduce resource inequity in low‐income school districts and, in so doing, contribute to higher levels of achievement.
Risks and outcomes of perioperative pulmonary aspiration

A 95 kg, 34-year-old woman undergoes a laparoscopic tubal ligation. Shortly after endotracheal extubation and during transport to the PACU, she attempts to cough, and gags and vomits. As she is wheeled into the PACU, she is coughing and cyanotic. The anesthesiologist quickly reanesthetizes and reintubates her. Concerned that she may have aspirated the vomitus into her trachea, you suction her endotracheal tube and find thick bilious secretions. How important is pulmonary aspiration? What are the risk factors? When does aspiration occur during the perioperative period? How do you treat pulmonary aspiration? What went wrong here?
Natural convection in vertically and horizontally layered porous media heated from the side

Abstract The effect of nonuniform permeability and thermal diffusivity on natural convection through a porous system heated from the side is investigated numerically. The first part of the study, in Section 2, focuses on systems composed of vertical sublayers. It is shown that the heat transfer rate is influenced substantially by the thickness and permeability of the peripheral sublayers adjacent to the heated vertical walls. The heat transfer results are correlated by using the ratio of peripheral sublayer thickness divided by the boundary layer thickness based on peripheral sublayer properties. The second part of the study, in Section 3, deals with porous systems composed of horizontal sublayers with different permeabilities. It is shown that due to the lack of homogeneity the vertical walls of the system are lined by boundary layers whose thicknesses vary from one sublayer to the next. A general heat transfer scaling law for horizontally layered systems is reported.
Flow and deposition in and around a finite patch of vegetation

This laboratory study describes the flow and deposition observed in and around a finite patch of vegetation located at the wall of a channel. Two patch densities are considered with 2% and 10% solid volume fraction. The velocity field, measured in and around the patch by acoustic Doppler velocimetry, revealed three distinct zones. First, there is a diverging flow region at the leading edge of the patch, where the flow in line with the patch decelerates, and the bulk of the flow is diverted toward the open channel. Second, there is a fully developed region within the vegetation, where the velocity is uniform across the patch width and along the length of the patch. Third, a shear layer forms at the interface between the patch and adjacent open channel. The pattern of deposition in and around the vegetation was characterized by releasing 12-micron spherical, glass particles and recording net deposition on a set of glass slides. In the diverging region, net deposition increases in the stream-wise direction, as the local velocity decreases. In the fully developed region of the patch, deposition decreases with longitudinal position, as the concentration in the water column is depleted. The deposition pattern is nearly uniform across the patch width, consistent with the velocity field and suggesting that turbulent diffusive flux across the lateral edge of the patch is not a significant source of particles to the patch under the conditions studied here.
Assumptions About True-Scores and Populations in Equating

This excellent set of papers is comprehensive and very well written. The Kane et al. paper lays out the theory for linear equating with the NEAT design using a clever but simple framework. The Suh ...
Molecular characterisation of the tumour microenvironment in breast cancer.

Abstract The tumour microenvironment plays important roles in cancer initiation, growth, progression, invasion and metastasis, yet the molecular basis underlying these tumour-promoting effects is not fully delineated. Recent advances in gene expression, genetic and epigenetic profiling of stromal cells have improved our understanding of how mesenchymal–epithelial cell interactions may create a permissive microenvironment for malignancy and identified potential targets for cancer prevention and treatment including chemokine and cytokine networks. However, translating these findings into clinical practice may be difficult due to the complexity and redundancy of the interactions and the inherent ability of tumour epithelial cells to evolve and thrive in diverse environmental conditions.
Structural, optical and electrical properties of GaN and InGaN films grown by MOCVD

GaN/InN alloy system has attracted an intense interest in high-temperature and high-frequency optoelectronic applications. InGaN can provide a spectral coverage from the near UV to the near IR. Due to the large lattice mismatch between InGaN and sapphire substrates, InGaN is usually deposited on the thick GaN film previously grown on GaN buffer layer on sapphire. The growth of GaN and InGaN films was studied systematically. Crystal quality, optical and electrical properties will be reported using several post-growth analysis techniques, including Rutherford back scattering (RBS), Photoluminescence (PL), absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of temperature and buffer layer annealing time on the film properties were determined. This understanding will lead to better quality control of the optoelectronice devices.
Control of pyruvate kinase activity by glucagon in isolated hepatocytes.

Abstract Incubation of hepatocytes with 10 nM glucagon led to an increase in the K0.5 for phosphoenolpyruvate for pyruvate kinase measured in homogenates of the cells. Incubation of partially purified rat liver pyruvate kinase with protein kinase and ATP led to a similar result. In addition, both the phosphorylated enzyme and homogenates prepared from cells incubated with glucagon exhibited an apparently decreased sensitivity to stimulation by fructose diphosphate when activity was measured in the presence of physiological concentrations of ATP and alanine. These similarities suggest that the effect of glucagon to inhibit hepatocyte pyruvate kinase may be mediated at least in part by a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation mechanism.
Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia in women infected with human immunodeficiency virus-1.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the response of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN) lesions to standard treatment methods in women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We reviewed all cases of VIN over a 4-year period at an inner-city hospital. We reviewed the clinical records of these women to abstract demographic information as well as information about tobacco use, injection drug use, results of HIV testing, T cell count, stage of HIV infection, colposcopic and cytologic findings, treatment of lesions, and follow-up. Eight of the 28 women (29%) with VIN were infected with HIV. The relative risk for recurrence or persistence of VIN after treatment was 3.3 (95% confidence interval, 1.4–7.4; P = 0.01) in the HIV + compared with the HIV − group. The high rate of HIV infection among women with VIN supports recommendation of HIV testing for women with VIN. Women known to have HIV infection should be carefully examined for vulvar lesions. Further study is needed to determine the optimum treatment for VIN in women infected with HIV.
Modeling of Effects of UV-B Radiation on Animals

Animal models employed in the study of photoimmunology have centered mainly on the mouse although some recent studies have used the American opossum (Monodelphis domestica), a non-placental mammal. Evidence now exists showing that humans also exhibit UV-induced immune suppression. Indeed, the photoreceptor responsible for initiating UV immune suppression, urocanic acid (UCA), is found in the stratum corneum of both mouse and man, it undergoes similar trans-to-cis photoisomerization in both species when exposed to sunlight, and it appears to show similar dose-responsive kinetics in both species. Consequentally, the mouse seems to be an excellent model for studying UV immune suppression.
Femtosecond comb linewidths due to pulse dynamics in mode-locked laser

Measurements of the pulse dynamics in a mode-locked laser show that gain dynamics must be included. The dynamical response of the timing and phase are measured using femtosecond comb techniques, allowing prediction of the width of the comb lines due to noise.
Neurotoxicity of glycidamide, an acrylamide metabolite, following intraperitoneal injections in rats.

Acrylamide (2‐propenamide) monomer produces central‐peripheral distal axonopathy in humans and some animal species. Its neurotoxicity is characterized by abnormal sensation, decreased motor strength, and ataxia. Acrylamide forms adducts with glutathione, proteins, and DNA. Recent studies demonstrated that acrylamide is metabolized to its epoxide, glycidamide (2,3‐epoxy‐1‐propanamide). We studied the neurotoxicity potential of glycidamide in male Sprague‐Dawley rats. Animals (groups of 6) were injected ip daily with either aqueous acrylamide or glycidamide at an acrylamide‐equivalent dose of 50 mg/kg (0.70 mmol/kg). Both treatments resulted initially in the rats circling, which was followed by the onset of ataxia at 7–9 d and hindlimb paralysis at 12–14 d. Treated animals showed muscle wasting. At termination, acrylamide‐ and glycidamide‐treated rats weighed 105% and 86% of initial weight, respectively, compared to 145% for controls. Animals were anesthetized and perfused with 10% neutral phosphate‐buffere...
Estimating tunneling phenomena

Several tunneling phenomena are surveyed. A unified, rigorous treatment of them can be based on a simple technique of integration by parts coupled with growth estimates of eigenfunctions, using, for example, WKB approximations. In particular, the analysis of Harrell and Simon of the resonance widths in the hydrogen Stark effect can be simplified.
Estimating the distribution of causes of death among children age 1–59 months in high-mortality countries with incomplete death certification

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to develop a methodology to estimate causes of death among children age 1-59 months in high child mortality countries without adequate vital registration (VR) systems. METHODS: We systematically reviewed community-based studies reporting at least two causes of death among children 1-59 months of age identified from published and unpublished sources. We included (i) studies conducted after 1979 (ii) for duration of 12 months or an exact multiple (iii) with > or =25 deaths in children <5 years (iv) each death represented once and (v) <25% of deaths due to unknown causes. A study-based multinomial logistic regression model was applied to country-level data to estimate causes of child death. RESULTS: Of the 216 studies reviewed 81 were included in the analysis comprising 79 067 under-5 deaths from 25 countries. After adjusting for risk factors and intervention coverage the estimated distribution of causes of deaths in children 1-59 months of age in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia was: pneumonia (21 and 31%) diarrhoea (25 and 31%) malaria (26 and 2%) injury (3 and 4%) meningitis (3 and 4%) measles (3 and 2%) and other causes (20 and 27%) respectively. CONCLUSION: From studies reporting as few as two different causes of death statistical modelling can be used to estimate the causes of child mortality for settings with incomplete VR. Pneumonia and diarrhoea remain the leading causes of death among children 1-59 months of age in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
Commentary: What I think about Now

In a commentary in the July 2012 issue of Physics Today ( page 8), I maintain that stubborn problems in the interpretation of quantum mechanics melt away if one takes literally Niels Bohr’s dictum that the purpose of science is not to reveal “the real essence of the phenomena” but to find “relations between the manifold aspects of our experience.” 1 (See also letters and my further remarks, Physics Today, December 2012, page 8, and July 2013, page 8.)
SiC thin-film thermistors

A thermistor using an RF-sputtered SiC film has been developed as a temperature sensor for cooking products. Since the SiC film has the advantage of being able to detect temperatures over the wide range of 0-500 degrees C with a good thermal stability, the thermistor can be applied not only to a conventional oven but also to a pyrolytic self-cleaning oven. Since the thermistor can detect surface temperatures with a rapid thermal response by contacting physically with an outer surface of an object, it can be also applied to a surface cooking top. The construction, electrical properties, and forming method of the SiC thin-film thermistor and applications to cooking products are described. >
Medication administration hassles for Mexican American family caregivers of older adults

In order to take their medications at home, elders rely increasingly on their family, but little is known about the factors influencing this task. This study explored the effects of acculturation and social exchange on the hassles that Mexican American (MA) family caregivers face in administering medication to their elders. A descriptive, correlational design, with a convenience sample of 239 MA adult caregivers of elders who were on a daily prescription that was recruited in Dallas, Texas and San Diego, California, USA, was used. The caregivers' scores on the medication administration hassles scale were significantly affected by acculturation and social exchange factors that explained 36% of the variance in the scores; the social exchange block had a larger influence than did the acculturation block. Caregiving might be an outcome of dynamic family exchange relationships between the caregiving dyad. The results can help healthcare professionals to detect potentially at-risk MA families and provide them with culturally appropriate nursing interventions.
Changes in Plasma Potassium During Graded Aerobic Exercise and Two Hours of Recovery

Plasma potassium increases with exercise intensity. Subjects (n=8) were monitored for changes in plasma potassium while exercising at progressively increasing steady-state intensities and for two hours of recovery. Plasma potassium was significantly increased at 100% of VO2peak compared to 20% and 40% (p<0.01). Plasma potassium at 60 and 120 minutes of recovery from exercise was significantly higher than 6 minutes post exercise (p<0.015). These results support the supposition that high-intensity exercise may lead to hyperkalemia, and also indicates that increases in [K + ] occur up to two hours after the cessation of exercise, a newly reported phenomenon. Although, high
Identification of wild apple germplasm (Malus spp.) accessions with resistance to the postharvest decay pathogens Penicillium expansum and Colletotrichum acutatum

Penicillium expansum and Colletotrichum acutatum cause blue mold and bitter rot of apples during storage which results in significant economic losses. Resistance to these pathogens in commercial apple cultivars has not been documented in the literature. An apple germplasm collection, from the center of origin in Kazakhstan, is maintained in Geneva, New York. This collection represents a more diverse apple gene pool than commercial cultivars which was evaluated for resistance to blue mold and bitter rot. Resistance reactions were skewed toward susceptibility for both fungi and comprised the majority of accessions examined. However, resistance to P. expansum was confirmed in select accessions over multiple years. Maturation patterns and quality indices for soluble solids and acidity, which also may affect pathogenicity, were highly variable and represent the genetic diversity of the germplasm collection. Resistance in four accessions to C. acutatum and two accessions resistant to both P. expansum and C. acutatum, are reported here for the first time. Data from this study will serve as a foundation for conventional apple breeding programs and molecular genetics investigations to provide resistance against blue mold and bitter rot in commercial apple varieties.
The Size of the Viral Inoculum Contributes to the Outcome of Hepatitis B Virus Infection

The impact of virus dose on the outcome of infection is poorly understood. In this study we show that, for hepatitis B virus (HBV), the size of the inoculum contributes to the kinetics of viral spread and immunological priming, which then determine the outcome of infection. Adult chimpanzees were infected with a serially diluted monoclonal HBV inoculum. Unexpectedly, despite vastly different viral kinetics, both high-dose inocula (10(10) genome equivalents [GE] per animal) and low-dose inocula (10 degrees GE per animal) primed the CD4 T-cell response after logarithmic spread was detectable, allowing infection of 100% of hepatocytes and requiring prolonged immunopathology before clearance occurred. In contrast, intermediate (10(7) and 10(4) GE) inocula primed the T-cell response before detectable logarithmic spread and were abruptly terminated with minimal immunopathology before 0.1% of hepatocytes were infected. Surprisingly, a dosage of 10(1) GE primed the T-cell response after all hepatocytes were infected and caused either prolonged or persistent infection with severe immunopathology. Finally, CD4 T-cell depletion before inoculation of a normally rapidly controlled inoculum precluded T-cell priming and caused persistent infection with minimal immunopathology. These results suggest that the relationship between the kinetics of viral spread and CD4 T-cell priming determines the outcome of HBV infection.
Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia : Diagnosis and Management

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an immune reaction in response to platelet factor 4-heparin complexes, which results in increased platelet activation and thrombocytopenia beginning on the 4th-5th day after heparin exposure induced by IgG antibody production. Platelet activation can lead to arterial thrombosis, but more commonly platelet microparticle formation contributes to venous thrombosis. Accurate diagnosis of HIT is based on the presence of clinical features, including a 50% fall in platelet count, appropriate timing of thrombocytopenia, development of new thrombosis despite thrombocytopenia and heparin therapy, and the absence of a more likely cause of thrombocytopenia. Documentation of an anti-PF4-heparin antibody is necessary, but is not sufficient to make the diagnosis since antibody formation occurs in a variety of clinical settings without the development of thrombocytopenia or thrombosis. Once HIT is suspected or confirmed, all forms of heparin should be discontinued and an alternative form of anticoagulation should be administered until the platelet count recovers. Treatment options include intravenous administration of argatroban, lepirudin, and bivalirudin; subcutaneous administration of fondaparinux has also been described. Warfarin therapy, if indicated, should be avoided until platelet recovery. Re-exposure to heparin can be avoided by use of alternative anticoagulants for most circumstances. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) has been the focus of increasing attention over the past 15-20 years. As interventions for HIT are developed, there is a need to accurately diagnose the condition, which can be challenging especially in severely ill patients.
Evolutionary fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm

In this paper, a new approach to fuzzy clustering is introduced. This approach, which is based on the application of an evolutionary strategy to the fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm, utilizes the relationship between the various definitions of distance and structures implied in each given data set. As soon as a particular definition of distance is chosen, a particular structure in the data set is implied. Therefore, the search for a structure in given data can be viewed as a search for an appropriate definition of distance. We describe an evolutionary algorithm for determining the "best" distance for given data, where the criterion of goodness is defined in terms of the performance of the fuzzy c-means clustering method. We discuss relevant theoretical aspects as well as experimental results that characterize the utility of the proposed algorithm. >
Comparison of precision and bias of scale, fin ray, and otolith age estimates for lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) in Lake Champlain

Abstract We compared the precision, bias, and reader uncertainty of scales, dorsal fin rays, and otolith age estimates from 151 lake whitefish ( Coregonus clupeaformis ) from Lake Champlain, 2009. Mean and systematic differences in age estimates were compared among structures using consensus ages from two readers; precision of age structures was quantified through the use of age–bias plots, coefficient of variation, and percent agreement; reader confidence was indexed as a measure of overall reader uncertainty for each individual fish by structure. Mean age estimates based on otoliths were systematically higher (7.8 years) than based on scales (6.0 years) or fin rays (5.6 years). Ages determined using otoliths generated a wider range of ages and greater number of age classes (1–23 years, 20 age classes) when compared with scales (1–16 years, 15 age classes) and fin rays (1–14 years, 13 age classes). Otoliths were the most precise of the structures (CV = 4.7, compared with 7.4 for scales and 12.1 for fin rays). Percent agreement between readers indicated high precision and reproducibility of age estimates using otoliths. Percent reader uncertainty was lowest when using otoliths (7.6%) in comparison with fin rays (21.2%) or scales (26.8%). This study is the first evaluation of precision and bias of age structures for Lake Champlain's unexploited lake whitefish population and suggests that otoliths are the most appropriate structure for age estimation. However, the differences in age estimates from the three structures in this study emphasize the importance of validating aging structures to provide accurate age estimates for Lake Champlain.
A Novel Highly Integrated SPM System for Single Molecule Studies

The design and performance of a highly integrated scanning probe microscopy for single molecule studies is presented. The new approach realized tunable contact strength, stretching dynamics as well as electric potentials, which make it possible to tune and measure the single molecule electromechanic properties. The tunable contact strength is realized by a dual-feedback loop-controlled tip engagement with automatic mode switching. Electric current and stretching force of the molecular junctions are monitored simultaneously. In case of no current during the engage process, the system will automatically switch to traditional atomic force microscope force-feedback to protect the tip from crashing. The stretching dynamics is tuned by adapting programmable stretching behaviors. Tip-sample bias can also be swept when molecules are bridged in the break junctions. Applications of this system to octanedithiol (C8) molecules are also demonstrated.
Aging of magnetic recording tape

Almost all commercial magnetic recording tapes are manufactured employing a polyester urethane elastomer as the oxide binder and also as the backcoat binder on backcoated tapes. For temperature excursions encountered for ordinary tape use and storage, polyester urethanes as a general class of materials are typically susceptible to environmental degradation by hydrolysis: a chemical reaction between these materials and atmospheric water vapor. Extensive hydrolytic degradation can lead to the generation of sticky and gummy chemical products. It can be anticipated that a substantial contribution to environmental tape aging and performance characteristics might derive from the chemical behavior of ester hydrolysis. The environmental aging of a commercial magnetic recording tape was experimentally investigated, and it was found that the primary mechanism of tape aging and degradation resulted from hydrolysis of its polyester urethane binder. The chemical reaction is additionally reversible, a property which suggests a methodology for restoring and rejuvenating environmentally degraded tapes. Being a reversible reaction, there exists environmental conditions of relative humidity and temperatures which are ideal for long-term archival preservation. For the tape of this study, 24-percent relative humidity (RH) at room temperature was identified as its ideal storage humidity. This study may have significance for many industrial and government specifications which call out assorted qualifying tests involving tape exposure or tape operations at extremes of humidity and temperature. It is suggested from the findings of this work that such tests may measure and monitor the various manifestations of hydrolysis, which may bear little if any relationship to tape use at moderate ambient conditions or in hermetic environments. The results of this work further indicate that hermetic sealing of a tape may allow operations to higher temperatures than possible in air, with the upper temperature limit determined by lubricant boil-out or thermal degradation (pyrolysis) of the polymers.
A software engineering, visualization methodology for parallel processing systems

The authors focus on techniques for enhancing the feasibility of using graphic visualization in analyzing the complexities of parallel software. The central drawback to applying such visual techniques is the overhead in developing analysis tools with flexible, customized views. The PARADISE system alleviates some of this design overhead by providing an abstract, object-oriented, visual modeling environment which expedites custom visual tool development. PARADISE is a visual tool which is used to develop other visual tools, or a meta-tool. The authors complement previous work on PARADISE by describing the philosophy behind its design, and how that philosophy leads to a methodology for constructing visual models which characterize parallel systems in general. The emphasis is on the crucial issues in utilizing visualization for parallel software development, and on how PARADISE deals with these issues. >
Crack Tip Strain Distributions and Their Implications to Crack Growth Rate due to Stress Corrosion Cracking

In this paper, stress and strain distributions near a crack tip in a round compact tension specimen of elastic-plastic materials are obtained by finite element analyses. The strain distributions are used to explore the use of the crack tip strain distributions for crack growth rate models due to stress corrosion cracking in unirradiated and irradiated steels with different yield stresses and hardening behaviors. Both power-law hardening and perfectly plastic materials are considered. The computational results indicate that the critical radial distance to the tip based on the crack tip opening displacement is outside of the Hutchinson-Rice-Rosengren (HRR) dominant zone for power-law hardening materials in a round compact tension specimen under the stress intensity factor typically considered for stress corrosion cracking. For both the power-law hardening and perfectly plastic materials, the computational results show that the strain distributions are different from those of the analytical solutions for the range of the radial distance larger than the critical radial distance based on the crack opening displacement within the plastic zones. The computational results suggest that for the stress intensity factor typically considered for stress corrosion crack growth rate models, computational results are needed to estimate the strain rate for developing crack growth rate models to correlate to the experimental data.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
A cognitive theory of cultural meaning: Research on cultural discontinuities

When I was an undergraduate, I wanted to understand where people's beliefs come from, and I devised an interdisciplinary major with the awkward title, “World Views and Forces Which Shape Them,” to study this. As a graduate student in anthropology I was taught that beliefs are culturally constructed. The phrase “culturally constructed,” however, glosses over a complex process in which beliefs of very different sorts are learned from practices and discourses of very different sorts. Some of these practices and discourses are mutually reinforcing in their messages, others contradictory. Some leave us with fully formulated ideas, while others leave us something much vaguer (Sperber 1985b). Some are explicitly pedagogical, others inform only implicitly, and still others are deliberately obfuscating (Kluckhohn 1941, 1943; LeVine 1984). Some are emotionally fraught, others inform but do not engage us (Spiro 1984, 1987a). Finally, some present unrealizable ideals, others illustrate what really happens, still others suggest bygone or emerging possibilities (Williams 1977). Metaphors of culture as “structure,” “text,” or “discourse” did not do justice to this complexity. Eventually I became suspicious of theories that flattened culture and reduced it to a single kind of thing and was attracted instead to discussions of culture acquisition that took the perspective of learners exposed to a variety of practices and discourses. Such challenges to notions of culture as a tidy system were around before the current poststructuralist and postmodern critique of the culture concept; among anthropologists, for example, there was the insightful work of Barth (1975, 1983), Sperber (1975, 1985a, 1985b), and Wallace (1970).
Elliptic and Hyperelliptic Cryptosystems

Starting in about 1985, the theory of elliptic and hyperelliptic curves over finite fields has been applied to various problems in cryptography: factorization of integers, primality testing, and construction of cryptosystems. In this chapter we shall discuss the last of these. One of the main reasons for interest in cryptosystems based on elliptic and hyperelliptic curves is that these curves are a source of a tremendous number of finite abelian groups having a rich algebraic structure.
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/6 Inhibition for the Treatment of Unresectable Mature Teratoma: Long-Term Follow-Up of a Phase II Study.

Abstract Background Unresectable mature teratoma is an incurable disease associated with significant morbidity. Given the rarity of the disease, long-term outcomes for patients receiving systemic therapy have not been well described. Patients and Methods The present study was a retrospective analysis with long-term follow-up data of the patient cohort with unresectable mature teratoma treated in the nonrandomized phase II study of palbociclib for the treatment of metastatic, retinoblastoma protein-expressing refractory germ cell tumors. Patient clinical data were obtained from the medical records and by communication with the enrolled patients and referring medical providers. Major medical events for the treatment of germ cell tumor, including before, during, and after study treatment, were recorded. The major clinical events of interest included the initiation of systemic therapy, radiation therapy, surgical debulking, or other invasive procedures. The study endpoints included the prestudy period and study period clinical event rates, event-free survival, and radiographic progression-free survival. Results Long-term follow-up data were obtained for 12 patients with unresectable mature teratoma. The median prestudy period follow-up period was 19.7 months, and the median study follow-up period was 38.0 months. The median number of palbociclib treatment cycles was 11. The prestudy major clinical event rate was 2.27 events annually (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66-3.13 events), and the study period event rate was 0.62 events annually (95% CI, 0.36-1.09 events). The median progression-free survival was 5.3 months (95% CI, 1.8-22.6 months), and the median event-free survival duration was 16.2 months (95% CI, 3.0-24.3 months). Conclusion Unresectable mature teratoma is associated with significant long-term cumulative morbidity. The initiation of palbociclib might result in a clinically meaningful delay in disease-related major clinical events. These findings lend further support to the therapeutic activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibition in this incurable patient population.
An Analysis of State Data Collection Protocols for Measuring Postschool Outcomes for Students With Disabilities

Indicator 14 is a federal accountability initiative that attempts to generate data on the outcomes of students with disabilities 1 year after leaving high school. Currently, there are only two areas, postsecondary education/training and employment, mandated for examination. Ultimately, the data are used to develop specific goals for 6-year State Performance Plans. This study reports the variability of the data collection instruments in areas of inquiry and number of items in the instruments of all 50 states. Commentary is made regarding the positive and negative aspects as well as missed opportunities in the data collection process for Indicator 14.
Internal Stresses In Amorphous Mocvd SiO2 Films

Amorphous SiO2 films were deposited by the low pressure pyrolysis of organometallic precursors at temperatures of 350 to 500°C. Films were deposited on both single crystal silicon and fused quartz substrates. Intrinsic stresses in the films were measured by a curvature method as a function of deposition conditions and thermal processing conditions. As-deposited films showed significant tensile stress of the order of 400 MPa. The intrinsic stresses in the films increased as the deposition temperature decreased and deposition pressure increased. Small concentrations of dopants like B2O3 and P2O5 significantly decreased the intrinsic stress of as-deposited films. Stress reduction was also achieved by post deposition annealing. SiO2 film stress is correlated to the Si-O-Si bond angle distribution in the structure of the resultant film.
Knowledge sourcing from repositories

This paper draws on the knowledge management literature to develop hypotheses that relate key knowledge repository (KR) characteristics and psychological climate to KR knowledge sourcing behavior these hypotheses are tested using survey data from 110 technical support agents from seven companies. The results reveal that searchability (finding knowledge in the KR), actionability (applying retrieved knowledge to problem solving) and support for knowledge contribution are characteristics of a KR that predict its use. Moreover, two of these relationships are moderated by the degree to which a knowledge worker perceives a climate that is conducive to KR knowledge sourcing (high autonomy, high innovation, and low work pressure).