cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tobacco Tracker: A New Tool to Support College Smoke and Tobacco Free Policies.

INTRODUCTION University community members are critical to the success of their smoke and tobacco free (STF) policies. The present study evaluates changes in social enforcement-related attitudes and behaviors following introduction of a new online Tobacco Tracker tool in two university settings. METHODS Campus wide surveys were administered to current students, faculty, and staff at two California public universities with 100% STF policies before (November 2018; N = 5078) and after (December 2019-January 2020; N = 4853) introduction of Tobacco Tracker in February 2019. Prospective surveillance reports over 12 months from Tobacco Tracker, a GIS tool for the campus community to report tobacco use and related litter that displays crowdsourced maps of hotspots, were analyzed. Outcomes included awareness and self-reported use of a tobacco reporting tool, readiness for policy social enforcement, an Intellectual Social Affective (ISA) Engagement scale, and environmental surveillance reports from Tobacco Tracker. RESULTS In campus surveys, awareness of a tobacco reporting tool doubled (8.0%-16.9%, p < .0001), use of an online reporting tool tripled (1.1%-3.2%, p < .0001), and readiness to enforce the policy increased (p = .0008). ISA engagement did not change (p = .72). In Tobacco Tracker campus reports (N = 1163), active tobacco use was reported more frequently than tobacco-related litter. CONCLUSIONS Tobacco Tracker is a promising tool for college communities to support STF policy. Introduction of Tobacco Tracker was associated with an increase in campus awareness and utilization of a reporting tool, readiness to enforce policy, and campus tobacco surveillance. Future research should determine how Tobacco Tracker may improve policy compliance. IMPLICATIONS Tobacco Tracker is a promising tool for college communities to support smoke and tobacco free (STF) policy through active surveillance of smoking, vaping, and related litter on campus. Introduction of Tobacco Tracker was associated with changes in social enforcement-related attitudes and behaviors critical to realizing the preventive potential of STF policies. A crowdsourcing-based tool for monitoring tobacco use on college campuses can address a major barrier to social enforcement: discomfort confronting tobacco users. Further, it provides an alternative to punitive enforcement approaches and promises a sustainable solution to an infrastructure issue faced by many universities lacking resources to collect data on campus tobacco use and related litter.
The measurement of edema following burns.

Abstract An accurate, rapid, and reproducible method (thermal analysis) of measuring edema was investigated in white Wistar rats subjected to second degree thermal contact burns. Skin samples taken one through 96 hours following burn or anesthesia (controls) were analyzed with the use of differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), mass spectrometry, and histologic studies. TGA provided an accurate measurement of water content of the tissue. Control skin showed a slight increase in water content from one through 96 hours, while burn skin peaked at 4 hours and returned toward control levels by 48 hours. DTA thermograms showed a characteristic 3 endothermal peak pattern in controls, due to different binding energies of the water in the sample. This also reflected the amount of each type of water present. Burned skin showed 2 different endotherms which reflected the early increase in "free" water due to edema. After 24 hours, the thermograms of burned skin suggested tissue healing with return toward the 3 endothermal peak pattern of the controls. Thermal analysis is an accurate method for measuring edema following burns and could be of value in monitoring burn therapy.
Paul Deheuvels: Mentor, Advocate for Statistics, and Applied Statistician

Paul Deheuvels is best known internationally as a theoretical statistician, but he has made many other contributions. Here I give a brief overview of his work as a mentor of many doctoral students, as an advocate for the discipline of statistics, particularly in the context of his work as the only statistician member of the French Academie des Sciences, and as an applied statistician.
Unexpected readmission after lung cancer surgery: A benign event?

Abstract Objective The study objective was to study the incidence, predictors, and implications of unanticipated early postoperative readmission after lung resection for non–small cell lung cancer. Methods Patients undergoing surgery for clinical stage I to III non–small cell lung cancer were abstracted from the National Cancer Database. Regression models were fitted to identify predictors of 30-day readmission and to study the association of unplanned readmission with 30-day and long-term survival. Results Between 1998 and 2010, 129,893 patients underwent resection for stage I to III non–small cell lung cancer. Of these, 5624 (4.3%) were unexpectedly readmitted within 30 days. In a multivariate regression model, increasing age, male gender, preoperative radiation, and pneumonectomy (odds ratio, 1.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.56-2.00) were associated with unexpected readmissions. Longer index hospitalization and higher Charlson comorbidity score were also predictive of readmission. The 30-day mortality for readmitted patients was higher (3.9% vs 2.8%), as was the 90-day mortality (7.0% vs 3.3%, both P P Conclusions Unplanned readmissions are not rare after resection for non–small cell lung cancer. Such events are associated with a greater risk of short- and long-term mortality. With the renewed national focus on readmissions and potential financial disincentives, greater resource allocation is needed to identify patients at risk and develop measures to avoid the associated adverse outcomes.
Chapter 30. Oligonucleotide Inhibitors of Gene Expression in Living Cells: New Opportunities in Drug Design

Publisher Summary This chapter describes some of the oligomers and experiments in which they have been used to control gene expression at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level, particularly in living cells. It appears that this concept could be exploited to develop clinically useful drugs to control the growth of viruses or malignant cells. Present day drugs that bind or intercalate in the minor groove of DNA have their limited ability to recognize specific nucleic sequences. In that way, they cannot take full advantage of the sequence information available in DNA, and thus are unable to inhibit expression of specific genes. The preparation, introduction, and expression of anti-sense RNAs require rather sophisticated molecular biology techniques. They can be prepared in the laboratory and then introduced into cells by microinjection or expressed in cells after transfection with plasmids carrying an anti-sense gene. The control of gene expression can, in theory, be achieved by single-stranded nucleic acids, that can specifically read complementary mRNA sequences via Watson–Crick base-pairing interactions. There exists a simpler approach that involves the use of short anti-sense oligonucleotides or oligonucleotide analogs prepared by chemical synthesis. There are three types of oligonucleotides that are oligodeoxyribonucleotides, oligomers having modified sugar–phosphate backbones, and oligomers derivatized with specific functional groups. Little is known about the stability, distribution, acute and/or chronic toxicity, or immunogenicity of compounds in vivo belonging to the anti-sense oligonucleotides or oligonucleotide analogs class. The promising results obtained in cell culture studies suggest that anti-sense oligonucleotide analogs offer a unique approach for the rational design of drug.
A novel nociceptin receptor antagonist inhibits feeding behavior in rodents (656.1)

Background: Nociceptin is a 17 amino acid peptide that produces physiological effects through activation of the ORL1 (NOP) receptor. We have identified a novel NOP antagonist (Cpd 1) and found it t...
Approximation and Analysis of a Queueing System with Flexible and Specialized Servers

We describe an approximation procedure to estimate the performance of a queueing system with two types of customers and two server categories. Specialized servers can process only one customer type, while flexible servers handle both types. The procedure divides the system's state space into regions, and simple approximate models find the conditional system performance within each region. Performance measures generated by the procedure are sufficiently accurate for many service system design decisions, such as setting telephone call center staffing levels and long-term capacity planning. The procedure also converges quickly, and numerical tests demonstrate that its running time is orders of magnitude faster than traditional numerical methods for finding an exact solution. We employ the procedure to demonstrate the benefits of server flexibility in a particular telephone call center.
Hybrid Controllers for Hierarchically Decomposed Systems

We consider hybrid systems consisting of a lower-level component with time-driven dynamics interacting with a higher-level component with event-driven dynamics. These typically arise in manufacturing environments where the lower-level component represents physical processes and the higher-level component represents events related to these physical processes. We formulate an optimization problem which aims at jointly optimizing the performance of both hierarchical components and present a hybrid controller for accomplishing this task. A numerical example is given to illustrate the operation of the hybrid controller.
Use of administrative records to describe longitudinal patterns of health services use among veterans

Administrative records of the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and the National Death Index were linked to create a four-year longitudinal database that describes the clinical status, hospital and nursing home use, and mortality for a nationwide cohort of persons admitted to DVA nursing homes (n = 23,039). Using Social Security Numbers as identifiers, the records of only 6% of these persons had logically inconsistent or implausible patterns. Nineteen percent of the remaining records had correctable logical errors. Information on the creation, consistency, and potential uses of this database may prove useful to health services researchers interested in describing longitudinal patterns of health care use across multiple settings within and outside the DVA.
Tongue swelling as a sign of internal carotid artery dissection

Keywords: carotid artery; dissection; hypoglossal nerve; magnetic resonance imaging; tongue
Crossing boundaries: How social hierarchy impedes economic mobility

Abstract How important are social hierarchies in explaining durable economic inequality? Using novel data from rural Pakistan on the caste composition of village hamlets and the location of primary schools, we investigate the impact of caste-based hierarchies on human capital accumulation, a key determinant of socio-economic mobility. We find that social stigma greatly discourages school enrollment among low-caste children, with low-caste girls, the most educationally disadvantaged group, being the worst affected. Our results imply that a policy of prioritizing school availability in settlements dominated by low-caste households would be a cost-effective way of increasing overall school enrollment.
Cell-Mediated Immunity in Humans During Viral Infection I. Effect of Rubella on Dermal Hypersensitivity, Phytohemagglutinin Response, and T Lymphocyte Numbers

Phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphocyte deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis, dermal hypersensitivity, and peripheral blood thymus-derived lymphocyte numbers were assessed in nine men with experimentally induced rubella infection. Five of these men and two additional volunteers received treatment with tilorone dihydrochloride, an antiviral drug. Response to phytohemagglutinin was not changed during rubella; T lymphocyte numbers in peripheral blood were not influenced by the viral illness. However, dermal hypersensitivity was markedly impaired in all volunteers during the height of the illness. Tilorone alone, or with rubella, had no effect on any of the parameters studied.
A novel approach to bilateral hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Purpose Laparoscopic nephrectomy in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is technically challenging. We describe our technique and present our experience with a transperitoneal hand-assisted laparoscopic (HAL) technique using a standard vacuum curettage system to reduce the size of the kidneys thereby facilitating nephrectomy.
A Novel On-Chip Diagnostic Method to Measure Burn Rates of Energetic Materials

ABSTRACT A novel on-chip diagnostic method has been developed to measure burn rates of energetic materials patterned on a 1 inch × 3 inch glass chip. The method is based on time-varying resistance (TVR) of a sputter-coated thin platinum (Pt) film, in which resistance of the film changes because of the propagation of ignition of the nanoenergetic material over it. The corresponding voltage differential is captured by a high-speed data acquisition system (1.25 × 106 samples/s). We have measured burn rates as high as 504 m/s for thermites of copper oxide (CuO)/aluminum (Al) and 155 m/s for bismuth oxide (Bi2O3)/Al nanoparticles using this method. We have provided an explanation for the change of resistance upon ignition, based on the microstructural characterization and energy dispersive spectroscopy.
Delineation of extended lengths of coronary arteries by multiplane transesophageal echocardiography

Abstract Objectives . The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of multiplane transesophageal echocardiography in assessing the coronary artery tree. Background . Evaluation of coronary disease with single-plane and biplane transesophageal echocardiography is limited to the very proximal vessels. The numerous views provided by multiplane imaging may enhance visualization of coronary arteries and detection of their abnormalities. Methods . Intraoperativc multiplane transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 45 consecutive adults who had recently undergone angiography. Recordings were reviewed in blinded manner. Results . We describe the coronary segments visualized with the diferent imaging planes and define new views. The left main coronary artery with its bifurcation was visualized in all 45 patients. Sensitivity and specificity for detection of coronary narrowings were 100% when results were compared with angiographic data. Visualization of proximal, mid and distal segments of the left anterior descending coronary artery was possible in 69%, 31% and 16% of patients, respectively. Among patients in whom the proximal segment was visualized, sensitivity and specificity for detection of significant narrowings were 80% and 100%. Proximal, mid and distal portions of the left circumflex coronary artery were visisalized in 80%, 51% and 20% of patients. Among patients in whom the proximal portion was well seen, sensitivity and specificity were 89% and 100%. The proximal, mid and distal portions of the right coronary artery were visualized in 84%, 16% and 11% of patients. Among patients in whom the proximal segment was visualized, sensitivity and specificity were 82% and 100%. Color Doppler examination was less useful because it detected only 52% of all patients with proximal stenosis. Conclusions . Multiplane transesophageal echocardiography allows enhanced visualization of extended lengths of coronary arteries and the reliable identification of coronary artery abnormalities.
Hormonal regulation of temperature acclimation in catfish hepatocytes

Protein synthesis (measured by 3H-leucine incorporation) by catfish hepatocytes in culture was enhanced when trace amounts of catfish serum were added. Serum from 15°C-acclimated fish was significantly more effective than serum from 25°C-acclimated fish.
Autologous and allogeneic mixed-lymphocyte responses following thermal injury in man: The immunomodulatory effects of interleukin 1, interleukin 2, and a prostaglandin inhibitor, WY-18251

A group of 30 burn patients with 36-87% total body surface area (TBSA) burns was studied at 24-48 hr postburn. These included studies of (1) autologous and allogeneic mixed-lymphocyte reactions (MLR); (2) the immunoregulatory influence of mitomycin C-treated T cells, non-T cells, and unfractionated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) on allogeneic MLR; and (3) correlation between the proportions of T-cell subsets defined with monoclonal antibodies (OKT4 and OKT8) and autologous MLR. Studies concerning adherent cell production of thromboxane, prostaglandin E2, and prostaglandin F2a and the immunomodulatory effects of Interleukin 1 (IL-1), Interleukin 2 (IL-2), and a prostaglandin inhibitor, WY-18251, on autologous MLR are presented. The autologous mixed-lymphocyte reaction was depressed in 60% of the burn patients tested. This depressed response correlated closely to the extent of third-degree injury (P less than 0.025) and to TBSA injury greater than 60% (P less than 0.025). A linear correlation was observed between the depression in autologous MLR and a decrease in both the percentage of OKT4+ T cells and the OKT4+/OKT8+ ratio. The response of T cells from burn patients in allogeneic MLR was normal. Age, sex, TBSA of the burn, and size of second-degree burn did not correlate with the abnormalities observed in MLR. Mitomycin C-treated mononuclear cells, purified T cells, or non-T cells from burned patients did not demonstrate any suppressive influence on MLR in normals. Monocyte number and arachidonic acid metabolism were investigated. In addition to increased numbers of monocytes following thermal injury, adherent cells produced increased quantities of thromboxane, prostaglandin E2, and prostaglandin F2a. The effects of Interleukin 1, Interleukin 2, and a prostaglandin inhibitor, WY-18251, were studied in autologous MLR (AMLR) of burned and normal patients. Interleukin 1 and WY-18251 did not induce any significant changes in proliferation in burned patients or normal controls. When compared to cultures without exogenous IL-2, an increase in AMLR was observed following the addition of IL-2 to burn patient cultures at Day 6 and Day 7 of culture. Although the addition of IL-2 did increase proliferation in AMLR of normal controls at Day 6 and Day 7, the enhancement observed for the burn patient cultures represented a restoration to the level of normal control cultures without IL-2. A dose-dependent increase in AMLR was observed in T cells isolated from normal and burned patients in the presence of purified Interleukin 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Practical Clinical Application of Biochemical Markers of Bone Turnover: Consensus of an Expert Panel

Abstract Biochemical markers of bone turnover have emerged as powerful tools to aid in managing osteoporosis. The newer bone markers have been intensively studied for more than a decade. As a result, we can now confidently report their clinical utility in assessing risk of rapid bone loss and fracture, and monitoring therapy in postmenopausal women with or at risk of osteoporosis. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive foundation for this utility. While there are still questions remaining to be answered, bone marker technology has matured to play an essential role in patien management. We will describe, in practical terms, how bone markers can be appropriately incorporated into clinical practice today.
A Model of Public Policy toward Office Relocation

When an office activity moves voluntarily in response to incentives provided by public policy, there is a presumption that the move benefits the relocating activity. But other activities may have to travel farther for face-to-face contact with the relocating activity; the resulting increases in transportation costs should be included in the system-wide effects of the relocation policy. A numerical example demonstrates that increases in system-wide costs can outweigh the benefits to the relocating activity.Empirical calibration of the model requires some modification of the contact diaries developed by Thorngren, Tornqvist, and others. Diary information is needed from activities which initiate contact with the relocating activity. Diary information on transportation costs for face-to-face contacts and for the journey to work can be used to conduct simulations of alternative relocation policies.
Electro-Fishing for Small Fish in Lakes

Abstract An electric seine for use on small fish in shallow water was designed to use interrupted direct current from a 2,500-watt direct current portable generator. An electronic circuit activated a relay in the seine supply circuit. A square wave with duty cycle of 0.50 to 0.90 was formed at frequencies of 20 to 300 per minute. Tests made in a webbing enclosure in a lake showed 240 interruptions per minute at 230 volts was most effective for catching fish. The seine was boat-mounted and embodied a double row of vertical electrodes. Electrotactic response was low but the seine is satisfactory if efficiency levels can be determined for water quality, orientation of operation, and other variables encountered in normal field work.
High-frequency waves detected in the solar atmosphere

A spectrum of weakly guided waves in the solar atmosphere at frequencies as high as 100 mHz (10 s period) has been detected with high-cadence solar image sequences from the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) spacecraft. The waves are visible in the TRACE 1600 A far-UV passband and were detected as faint ridges in an energy spectrum produced by Fourier transformation of subfields of TRACE image sequences. They have phase speeds as high as 1 Mm s-1 and group speeds of ~100 km s-1. From the 1600 A data alone, it is not possible to determine whether the waves are in the chromosphere or transition region. The waves are not energetically significant to the chromosphere but may be significant in the transition region. Two possible excitation mechanisms, small-scale magnetic reconnection or chromospheric shock formation, are identified and will guide future work. The waves may prove to be a useful probe into local conditions and energy release into the solar atmosphere.
XMM-Newton Observations of the Enigmatic Long Period Eclipsing Binary Epsilon Aurigæ: Constraining the Physical Models

We report on an XMM-Newton observation of the unusual, long period (F0 supergiant + cool disk companion) eclipsing binary star Aurigae observed in X-rays prior to the onset of the 2009-2011 eclipse phase. While it appears certain that a disk-like body is obscuring the star, it remains unclear what kind of object is at the center of the disk. The XMM-Newton observation had a duration of ~25 ks. The X-ray image does not show a source at the optical position of the star. We have determined a limiting X-ray flux of about 2.5 × 10–15 erg cm-2 s–1. This flux is equivalent to a luminosity of about log LX ~ 29.3-29.7 erg s–1 for an unabsorbed source at the assumed distance, estimated to be between 650 and 1300 pc. The direct emission from an otherwise unobscured primary is excluded at a level above LX ~ 4 × 1029 erg s–1. We explore the physical constraints that these limits put on the primary and several proposed models for the system secondary. For a black hole, we find that the direct absorption required by the disk is approximately N H ≥ 1025 cm–2. While not unreasonable for a protoplanetary disk, the lack of secondary X-rays makes this model unlikely. For high-mass models, in which the disk harbors pre-main-sequence stars, we find a minimum disk absorption of N H ≥ 1023 cm–2. Since this is not unlikely for a protoplanetary disk, this is not a significant constraint. For low-mass models, in which the disk harbors older stars, the known line-of-sight absorption is nearly enough to account for the non-detection. The data do not discriminate between these models.
Effect of grid transparency and finite collector size on determining, ion temperature and density by the retarding potential analyzer

The analysis of ion data from retarding potential analyzers (RPA's) is generally done under the planar approximation, which assumes that the grid transparency is constant with angle of incidence and that all ions reaching the plane of the collectors are collected. These approximations are not valid for situations in which the ion thermal velocity is comparable to the vehicle velocity, causing ions to enter the RPA with high average transverse velocity. To investigate these effects, the current-voltage curves for H+ at 4000 K were calculated, taking into account the finite collector size and the variation of grid transparency with angle. These curves are then analyzed under the planar approximation. The results show that only small errors in temperature and density are introduced for an RPA with typical dimensions; and that even when the density error is substantial for non-typical dimensions, the temperature error remains minimal.
An electron microscopic determination of the Rothamsted tobacco necrosis protein crystal structure.

The structure of slowly grown crystals of the Rothamsted tobacco necrosis protein, determined from electron micrographs depicting shadowed carbon replicas of dry crystals, can be described by the monoclinic tetramolecular unit cell a0 = 165 , b0 = c0 = 241 , α = 74°34′ and β = γ = 90°. The diameter of the protein particle in these crystals was measured as D = 146 . This is a close packed structure of spheres in which the average volume per molecule in the crystal is 75% of the largest possible for close packing, 0.75 D3. This structure is in reasonably good agreement with that found from X-ray analysis by Cowan and Hodgkins (2) for dry crystals and in fair agreement with the structure of the wet protein crystals determined from X-ray analysis by Crowfoot and Schmidt (1).
Simulation Analysis of the Sensitivity in Magnetic Induction Tomography Based on Perturbation Theory

Magnetic induction tomography (MIT) is a noninvasive and contactless imaging modality which aims at the reconstruction of the electrical conductivity in objects from alternating magnetic fields. Filtered back projection reconstruction algorithm is widely used in biomedical imaging field, and tried to use in MIT. Finite element analysis model has been established based on Scharfetter coil-coil model and perturbation theory, then simulated coaxial coil system by ANSYS software, the perturbation aroused by a target object moving on vertical coil axis. The sensitivity of a target object moves in vacuum and a salt solution were calculated respectively, the characteristics of the perturbation sensitivity in a salt solution were analyzed. The conditions of filtered back projection reconstruction algorithm in MIT were discussed.
Modeling and Analysis of Power Distribution Networks in 3-D ICs

This paper addresses the modeling and analysis problems for power distribution networks (PDNs) in 3-D ICs. An on-chip distributed model is proposed for 3-D power grids, in which the details of metal layers are considered. The distributed model is demonstrated to be essential to identifying the unique noise behavior of 3-D PDNs. A lumped model is proposed based on the distributed model. The lumped model features the connection impedance between tiers and is proven to be useful for designers to understand the global effects of 3-D PDNs. Based on the models, an analysis flow is designed for 3-D PDNs in both frequency domain and time domain. With the analysis flow, the electrical characteristics of 3-D PDNs are studied systematically for the first time. The frequency-domain analysis identifies the global and local resonance phenomena in 3-D PDNs that are distinct from those in 2-D PDNs. The physical mechanisms behind the resonance phenomena are investigated. The time-domain analysis predicts the worst-case supply noise based on distributed current constraints. The “Rogue Wave” concept is introduced to explain the spatial and temporal relations of the worst-case on-chip noise responses in 3-D PDNs.
Trilinear mode effects on transport coefficients

Abstract The effects of tri-linear modes on transport coefficients is illustrated by explicit calculations for the self-diffusion constant. In two dimensions the form of the asymptotic time behavior of the velocity autocorrelation function is changed from t-1 (bilinear modes) to (t log t)-1 (trilinear modes). Thus, no finite mode calculation in two dimensions can yield the correct asymptotic form. A heuristic self-consistent calculation including all mode orders yields the form [t log 1 2 t]-1. In three dimensions, the form of the asymptotic time behavior is not changed when higher-order modes are included.
Stress analysis of thin polyimide films using holographic interferometry

It is proposed that the residual stresses due to curing in a spin-coated polyimide film can be determined using the solution to the problem of a vibrating membrane. The membrane is biaxially constrained and supported on a metal washer or copper substrate. A piezoelectric transducer is used to excite the sample. The membrane vibrates uniformly in response to its resonant frequencies. The vibration pattern is recorded using time-average holographic interferometry. The pattern produced is indicative of the mode of vibration. The biaxial stress in the film can be calculated from measuring the characteristic frequency, the density of the material, and the mode of vibration. The effect of mass loading of air on the apparent stress in these membranes is also investigated. Measurements made in vacuum appear to resolve this problem. The stresses calculated are on the order of 10 MPa.
Integrated 85V rated complimentary LDMOS devices utilizing patterned field plate structures for best-in-class performance in network communication applications

This paper presents complimentary 85V-rated LDMOS devices integrated in a 180nm power management technology platform. The devices are fabricated using a design technique which utilizes tapered dielectric regions in combination with patterned floating field plated structures. The performance of the new structures are compared to conventional LDMOS structures and it shown that the floating field plated structures have superior BVds-Ron, sp, HCI reliability, and forward safe operating area figures-of-merit. These devices exhibit best-in-class BVds-Ron, sp figure-of-merit (NLDMOS : BVds=130V/Ron, sp=195mΩ.mm2 and PLDMOS : BVds=140V/Ron, sp=530mΩ.mm2) and hot carrier reliability in excess of 10 years analog lifetime for rated VDS = 85V and full range of VGS. These devices enable cost effective integration of PoE systems with multiple interface channels and auxiliary switching regulators.
Quinazolines. VII. Synthesis of 1,3‐Diamino‐5,6‐dihydrobenzo[f]quinazolines

Eighteen new 1,3-diamino-5,6-dihydrobenzo[f] quinazolines (6, R. = alkyl, Cl, MeO) were synthesized via the condensation of appropriate 2-tetralones with cyanoguanidine under fusion conditions. Methods were developed for the preparation of a number of heretofore undescribed 2-tetralones as precursors. The final products can be viewed as conformationally rigid analogs of pyrimethamine (2), and are of interest as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase and as potential antimalarial and antitumor agents.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: 1 year later.

On February 17, 2009, the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Designed to stimulate the ailing economy, the $787 billion legislation included a $10.4 billion allocation to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These monies were intended to support
Stereoisomeric effects on mass spectral fragmentations of chloronorbornanones

Stereoelectronic factors allow facile Cl˙ atom loss from the exo-6-chloro-2-norbornanone radical cation but not from the endo-6-epimer. The predominant primary reaction in the endo-6 and in the exo-5 and endo-5 compounds is HCl elimination. While CI˙ elimination occurs with skeletal reorganization, HCl loss, at least in part, does not. The 5-chloro isomers undergo a regiospecific McLafferty rearrangement which occurs relatively slowly in competition with Cl˙ and HCl loss. The use of energy-resolved forms of tandem mass spectrometry provides considerable detail regarding the unimolecular fragmentations of these gaseous ions.
Spiritual Gatekeepers: Time and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

This article addresses the process of initiation into the Catholic Church by analyzing in-depth interviews with parish-based professional initiation coordinators. The formal title given to this process of initiation by the Church since Vatican II is the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Since the RCIA’ s promulgation, the Church has hired a host of lay and religious professionals to coordinate its implementation at the parish level. Our analysis focuses on the temporal sequencing and the problem of duration of initiation. The data show that both city and suburban coordinators adapted the Church’ s mandated length of time for initiation in different ways as they negotiated covenantal and contractual social relations among RCIA participants. Status passages, as Glaser and Strauss (1968, 1971) analyzed so well, “ take time” in at least two ways: they require duration because they are processes rather than events, and persons involved in the passages must attend to time as a social object. Accordingly, we can conceptualize status passages generically as temporal activities designed to transform persons undergoing movement from one status to another. In some instances, a status passage involves the formal participation of a “ coach,” or “ someone [who] seeks to move someone else along a series of steps” (Strauss 1969:112). Our analysis focuses on the activities of one type of coach who works to move people through a series of rituals designed to transform non-Catholic adults into Catholics. The set of rituals is known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), and the coaches are parish-level professionals known as RCIA coordinators who in many ways function as spiritual gatekeepers. In the course of conducting our study, we discovered early on that these coordinators inevitably faced a problem of time— how to organize, dee ne, and coordinate the duration of event sequences for those going through the RCIA.
Direct inhibitory projection of pause neurons to nystagmus-related pontomedullary reticular burst neurons in the cat.

Brainstem pause neurons (PNs) exhibit a tonic discharge during the slow phase of horizontal vestibular nystagmus and pause prior to and during the quick phase in both directions. One type of pontomedullary burst neurons, burst inhibitory neurons (BINs), show a high frequency burst of spikes before and during the quick phase to the ipsilateral side and this burst directly inhibits contralateral abducens motoneurons, terminating the slow phase firing of these motoneurons. The present study focused on synaptic relations between PNs and BINs.
Vascular deposition patterns for nanoparticles in an inflamed patient-specific arterial tree

Inflammation, a precursor to many diseases including cancer and atherosclerosis, induces differential surface expression of specific vascular molecules. Blood-borne nanoparticles (NPs), loaded with therapeutic and imaging agents, can recognize and use these molecules as vascular docking sites. Here, a computational model is developed within the isogeometric analysis framework to understand and predict the vascular deposition of NPs within an inflamed arterial tree. The NPs have a diameter ranging from 0.1 to \(2.0\,\upmu \)m and are decorated with antibodies directed toward three endothelial adhesion molecules, namely intravascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin, whose surface density depends on the local wall shear stress. Results indicate VCAM-1 targeted NPs adhere more, with ICAM-1 directed NPs adhering least efficiently, resulting in approximately an order-of-magnitude lower average particle surface density. ICAM-1 and E-selectin directed \(0.5\,\upmu \)m NPs are distributed more uniformly (heterogeneity index \(\approx \) 0.9 and 1.0, respectively) over the bifurcating vascular branches compared to their VCAM-1 counterparts (heterogeneity index \(\approx \) 1.4). When the NPs are coated with antibodies for VCAM-1 and E-selectin in equal proportions, a more uniform vascular distribution is achieved compared with VCAM-1-only targeted particles, thus demonstrating the advantage of NP multivalency in vascular targeting. Furthermore, the larger NPs (\(2\,\upmu \)m) adhere more (\(\approx \) 200 %) in the lower branches compared to the upper branch. This computational framework provides insights into how size, ligand type, density, and multivalency can be manipulated to enhance NP vascular adhesion in an individual patient.
Early Results of a Simplified Method of Mitral Valve Annuloplasty

Background We hypothesized that a simple, unmeasured posterior annuloplasty technique (two thirds of a 27-mm Duran ring) offered advantages of standardization and ease of insertion. Methods and Results A consecutive series of all patients (n=418; median age, 67 years) having mitral valve repair performed by two surgeons was analyzed to determine the outcome of three different annuloplasty techniques: commissural annuloplasty (n=124), complete ring annuloplasty (n=113), and an unmeasured, posterior, partial ring annuloplasty (n=181). Intraoperatively, before repair, severity of mitral regurgitation as measured by double sampling dye curves and transesophageal echocardiography was similar in all three groups; after mitral valve repair, intraoperative assessment showed a similar degree of reduction in regurgitation in the three annuloplasty groups. Before hospital dismissal, transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated that the mean mitral valve areas and gradients were similar in the three groups; more patients having commissural annuloplasty were classified as having grade II or greater regurgitation. Mortality (n=7, 1.7%) and need for reoperation (n=8, 1.9%) was low in all groups despite the fact that additional procedures were performed in 48.8% of patients. Durations of cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamping were significantly less in patients having commissural or posterior annuloplasties compared with those receiving a complete ring annuloplasty. Conclusions These early results indicate that the posterior annuloplasty method is reproducible and expeditious. Postoperative valve function as assessed by degree of regurgitation, transvalvular gradient, and valve area was similar to that obtained by measured, complete ring annuloplasty and superior to that found in patients having commissural annuloplasty.
Poems about the Bird—A Comparative Study of Ode to a Nightingale and Sailing to Byzantium

Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats in 1819 and Sailing to Byzantium by W. B. Yeats in 1928 both employ the image of a bird to express the poets’ longing for an ideal and immortal world. Yeats mirrors some tradition from Keats in writing the poem, but their disparate experiences construct varied descriptions about their ideal worlds. The nightingale, a natural bird, puts Keats in question—“do I wake or sleep” and delivers a tone of mournfulness; whereas the golden bird, an artificial object, guides Yeats through “what is past, or passing, or to come” and delivers a message of hope in the end.
Rejuvenating experimental computer science: a report to the National Science Foundation and others

This report is based on the results of an NSF sponsored workshop held in Washington, D.C. on November 2, 1978. The co-authors of the report are: Gordon Bell, Digital Equipment Corporation; Bernard A. Galler, University of Michigan; Patricia Goldberg, IBM Corporation; John Hamblen, University of Missouri at Rolla; Elliot Pinson, Bell Telephone Laboratories; and Ivan Sutherland, California Institute of Technology. Also participating in the workshop were representatives of NSF and other government agencies. In addition to the authors, a number of other people have contributed to the contents of this report. In preparation for the original workshop, all doctorate-granting computer science departments in the nation were asked for comments and suggestions on the problems of experimental computer science. A version of the current report dated January 15 was circulated to these departments and to a number of industrial and government groups for criticism. The editors and authors of this final version gratefully acknowledge the contribution of a large number of other people at all stages in the preparation of the report. [Note: Following this presentation of the report, there is a position paper on the crisis in experimental computer science written by the ACM Executive Committee.]
EPR Spin-Trapping of a Myeloperoxidase Protein Radical

Abstract Incubation of myeloperoxidase (MPO) with H2O2 in the presence of the spin trap DBNBS (3,5-dibromo-4-nitrosobenzenesulfonic acid) results in the EPR-detectable formation of a partially immobilized protein radical. The radical was only formed in the presence of both MPO and H2O2, indicating that catalytic turnover of the protein is required. The changes in the EPR spectrum of the adduct upon treatment with pronase confirm that the spin trap is bound to a protein residue. These results establish that MPO, like lactoperoxidase [Lardinois, O. M., Medzihradszky, K. F., and Ortiz de Montellano, P. R. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 35441–35448], reacts with H2O2 to give a protein radical intermediate. The protein radical may have a catalytic role, may be related to covalent binding of the prosthetic heme group to the protein, or may reflect a process that leads to inactivation of the enzyme.
West Ford Dipole Belt: Optical Detection at Palomar.

Optical detection of the West Ford orbiting dipole belt was accomplished on at least four occasions during the second week in May 1963. The maxi-mum surface brightness was about 4 percent of the night sky radiation at an effective wavelength of λ = 4400 A The density of the belt has evidently decreased because it was not detected in a second observation period during the third week in June.
Coactivation of thalamic and cortical pathways induces input timing-dependent plasticity in amygdala

Long-term synaptic enhancements in cortical and thalamic auditory inputs to the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LAn) mediate encoding of conditioned fear memory. It is not known, however, whether the convergent auditory conditioned stimulus (CSa) pathways interact with each other to produce changes in their synaptic function. We found that continuous paired stimulation of thalamic and cortical auditory inputs to the LAn with the interstimulus delay approximately mimicking a temporal pattern of their activation in behaving animals during auditory fear conditioning resulted in persistent potentiation of synaptic transmission in the cortico-amygdala pathway in rat brain slices. This form of input timing-dependent plasticity (ITDP) in cortical input depends on inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP(3))-sensitive Ca(2+) release from internal stores and postsynaptic Ca(2+) influx through calcium-permeable kainate receptors during its induction. ITDP in the auditory projections to the LAn, determined by characteristics of presynaptic activity patterns, may contribute to the encoding of the complex CSa.
Employing FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenase within a glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cell operating in human serum.

Abstract Flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (FAD-GDH) is emerging as an oxygen-insensitive alternative to glucose oxidase (GOx) as the biocatalyst for bioelectrodes and bioanodes in glucose sensing and glucose enzymatic fuel cells (EFCs). Glucose EFCs, which utilize oxygen as the oxidant and final electron acceptor, have the added benefit of being able to be implanted within living hosts. These can then produce electrical energy from physiological glucose concentrations and power internal or external devices. EFCs were prepared with FAD-GDH and bilirubin oxidase (BOx) to evaluate the suitability of FAD-GDH within an implantable setting. Maximum current and power densities of 186.6 ± 7.1 μA cm− 2 and 39.5 ± 1.3 μW cm− 2 were observed when operating in human serum at 21 °C, which increased to 285.7 ± 31.3 μA cm− 2 and 57.5 ± 5.4 μW cm− 2 at 37 °C. Although good stability was observed with continual near-optimal operation of the EFCs in human serum at 21 °C for 24 h, device failure was observed between 13–14 h when continually operated at 37 °C.
A novel PPAR response element in the murine iNOS promoter.

The nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferation activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a modulator of inflammation including down-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) production. PPARγ agonists reduce iNOS expression and NO production in a dose-dependent manner in macrophages, mesangial cells and other inflammatory cells. However, the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of iNOS expression by PPARγ and its agonists are not fully understood. Here we show that the PPARγ agonist ciglitazone dose-dependently inhibited a murine iNOS-luciferase reporter construct by up to 50% in transfected mesangial cells. Blocking de novo protein synthesis in mesangial cells had no effect on PPARγ agonist activity, indicating that ciglitazone acts directly to inhibit iNOS transcription. We identified a novel PPAR response element (PPRE) in the murine iNOS promoter that is homologous to the PPRE consensus sequence. In binding assays PPARγ directly binds to this response element in vitro and can function as a positive element in response to PPARγ agonists when placed in front of a reporter gene. Site-directed mutagenesis of this PPRE in a murine iNOS promoter/reporter construct did not block the inhibitory activity of a synthetic PPARγ agonist on the iNOS promoter/reporter construct in transfected mesangial cells. However, the mutated construct exhibited lower basal expression, and higher expression in response to inflammatory stimuli compared to the intact construct. These data suggest that the iNOS PPRE contributes to positive basal expression and negative expression of iNOS in response to inflammatory stimuli. The PPRE is not necessary, however, for synthetic PPARγ agonists to inhibit iNOS expression.
Therapeutic communication skills and student nurses in the clinical setting

Abstract Patients facing life-altering medical conditions with anxiety, depression, and anger present barriers to optimal care. This article suggests that the nursing student be facilitated through a process of connecting to patients using role playing, cognitive/behavioral techniques, and specific didactic information on how to interpret patient barriers to care. Teaching therapeutic communication using this model could help students respond to the distressed patient, depersonalizing negative messages, and formulating goal-driven relationships within their two-year clinicals.
Not Every Recurrent Pelvic Mass in a Female Is a Leiomyoma

Desmoid tumors are rare neoplasms. They occur mostly in females in their reproductive age and may present with pelvic pain and intestinal obstruction. These connective tissue neoplasms are because of uncontrolled proliferation of differentiated myofibroblasts. The cells may synthesize vast amounts of collagen fibers in response to various stimuli. We describe a case of a pelvic desmoid tumor simulating a uterine leiomyoma recurrence. We review the literature on the epidemiology and the treatment options for desmoid tumors and suggest a strong index of suspicion when a new pelvic mass arises in an adult with previous pelvic surgery. We advise a planned multidisciplinary treatment approach at the first hint of the diagnosis of desmoid tumor.