cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 256kb Sub-threshold SRAM in 65nm CMOS

A 256kb sub-threshold SRAM operates below 400mV from 0 to 85degC and is implemented in 65nm CMOS technology. For the same 6sigma static-noise margin, the sub-threshold SRAM at 0.4V achieves 2.25-times lower leakage power and 2.25-times lower active energy than its 6T counterpart at 0.6V. The SRAM uses a 10T bitcell to enable sub-threshold functionality
Eschatological perspectives on aging

Focus is on the reality of aging as the concrete expression of our common human experience of ourselves as temporal beings. The analysis appeals to resources from a philosophical interpretation of temporality and a Christian theological interpretation of the central symbols of eschatology. Both resources provide positive approaches and clarifications of that aging process. Three eschatological symbol systems are noted: the traditional (past-orientation); the prophetic (present-orientation) and the apocalyptic (future-orientation). Each is analyzed as articulating a distinct authentic possibility for a person or a culture involved in the aging process. Symbols help orientate us in a positive way toward the process of aging.
Analytical Modeling of Composite Sandwich Panels under Blast Loads

Analytical solutions were derived for the transient response and damage initiation of a foam-core composite sandwich panel subjected to blast loading. The panel response was modeled in two consecutive phases: (1) a through-thickness wave propagation phase leading to permanent core crushing deformations and (2) a transverse shear wave propagation phase resulting in global panel deflections. The predicted transient deformation of a sandwich panel consisting of E-glass vinyl ester facesheets and H100 PVC foam core compared well with ABAQUS predictions. Analytical predictions of the critical impulse for damage initiation in several foam sandwich panels also compared well with ABAQUS predictions.
Search for chargino/neutralino pairs inpp-collisions in theSU(2) L ×SU(2) R ×U(1) B−L supersymmetric model

An extension of the supersymmetric standard model to the supersymmetricSU(2) L ×SU(2) R ×U(1) B−L model with Higgs triplets is considered. We study in detail production of chargino and neutralino pairs at the LHCpp-collider of centre of mass energy $$\sqrt s = 16$$ TeV. A numerical analysis for different sets of mass values of charginos and neutralinos is considered. The analysis shows that the signatures are an increase of the total cross sections $$\sigma _T (pp \to \tilde \chi _1^ + \tilde \chi _1^ - ,\tilde \chi _1^0 \tilde \chi _1^0 + X) > \sigma _T (pp \to \tilde \chi _2^ + \tilde \chi _1^ - ,\tilde \chi _2^0 \tilde \chi _1^0 + X) > \sigma _T (pp \to \tilde \chi _2^ + \tilde \chi _2^ - ,\tilde \chi _2^0 \tilde \chi _2^0 + X)$$ , in the region of the transverse momentum,k t . The analysis also shows that the experimental signatures depend essentially on the mixing matrix parameters of theL−R SUSY model.
Rehearsing the revolution: The staging of Marat's death. 1793–1797

(1986). Rehearsing the revolution: The staging of Marat's death. 1793–1797. History of European Ideas: Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 417-418.
Infrared transform spectral imager

A dispersive transform spectral imager named FAROS (FAst Reconfigurable Optical Sensor) has been developed for high frame rate, moderate-to-high resolution hyperspectral imaging. A programmable digital micromirror array (DMA) modulator makes it possible to adjust spectral, temporal and spatial resolution in real time to achieve optimum tradeoff for dynamic monitoring requirements. The system’s F/2.8 collection optics produces diffraction-limited images in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) spectral region. The optical system is based on a proprietary dual-pass Offner configuration with a single spherical mirror and a confocal spherical diffraction grating. FAROS fulfills two functions simultaneously: one output produces two-dimensional polychromatic imagery at the full focal plane array (FPA) frame rate for fast object acquisition and tracking, while the other output operates in parallel and produces variable-resolution spectral images via Hadamard transform encoding to assist in object discrimination and classification. The current version of the FAROS spectral imager is a multispectral technology demonstrator that operates in the MWIR with a 320 x 256 pixel InSb FPA running at 478 frames per second resulting in time resolution of several tens of milliseconds per hypercube. The instrument has been tested by monitoring small-scale rocket engine firings in outdoor environments. The instrument has no macro-scale moving parts, and conforms to a robust, small-volume and lightweight package, suitable for integration with small surveillance vehicles. The technology is also applicable to multispectral/hyperspectral imaging applications in diverse areas such as atmospheric contamination monitoring, agriculture, process control, and biomedical imaging, and can be adapted for use in any spectral domain from the ultraviolet (UV) to the LWIR region.
Computational Modeling of PEM Fuel Cells With PBI Membranes

A parametric model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) operating with a polybenzimidazole (PBI) membrane is presented. The model is three dimensional and applicable for PEMFCs operating at intermediate temperatures (120–150 °C). It accounts for all transport and polarization phenomena, and the results compare well with published experimental data for equivalent operating conditions. Results for oxygen concentration and temperature variations are presented. The model predicts the oxygen depletion, which occurs in the catalyst area under the ribs, and which gives an indication of the catalyst utilization. Results also predict that for an output power density of 1 kW m−2 , a cell temperature rise of up to 30 K can be expected for typical laboratory operating conditions. Parametric analyses indicate that significant gain in fuel cell performance can be expected by increasing the conductivity of the PBI membrane. Further, results demonstrate that when the catalyst region is well utilized, increasing the catalyst activity results in only a small improvement in performance.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Exploring End‐of‐Life Care in Veterans Affairs Community Living Centers

Objectives To compare quality of end-of-life (EOL) care indicators and family evaluation of care in community living centers (CLCs) with that of EOL care in acute, intensive, and hospice and palliative care units. Design Retrospective chart review and survey with next of kin of recently deceased inpatients. Setting Inpatient Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers (N = 145), including 132 CLCs, across the United States. Participants The chart review included all individuals who died in VA inpatient units (n = 57,397). Family survey results included data for 33,497 veterans. Measurements Indicators of optimal EOL care: palliative consultation in the last 90 days of life, contact with a chaplain, family contact with a chaplain, and emotional support given to family after death. The main outcome was a single Bereaved Family Survey item in which respondents provided a global evaluation of quality of EOL care (excellent to very good, good, fair to poor). Results Family evaluations of overall EOL care and quality of EOL care indicators for veterans who died in CLCs were better than those of veterans dying in acute or intensive care units but worse than those dying in hospice or palliative care units. Conclusion Care in CLCs can be enhanced through the integration of palliative care practices. Future research should identify critical elements of enhancing EOL care in nursing homes.
Hypoosmotic exposure of canine pancreatic digest as a means to purify islet tissue.

The development of more effective means to separate pancreatic islets from the unwanted exocrine tissue would greatly advance the field of clinical islet allotransplantation in the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Recent experiments with hamster islets have demonstrated a selective destruction of dissociated single exocrine cells when exposed to hypotonic conditions. It was the aim of this study to extend these observations to the canine model with collagenase dissociated pancreatic tissue and to evaluate the treatment's effect on islet function. Pancreases from five mongrel dogs were digested using an automated protocol of intraductal delivery of collagenase, and gentle dissociation. Duplicate samples of pancreatic digest were removed for insulin and amylase determination prior to and immediately following exposure to 50 mOsm/kg salt solution for a period of 30, 60, or 300 s before returning the digest to isoosmotic conditions. The remaining digest was cultured for a period of 48 h at 37°C before the tissue was recombined, washed, and a third sample removed for insulin and amylase. In vitro viability was then assessed using a static incubation assay with insulin content measured using a double-antibody radioimmunoassay, and amylase was determined using a colorimetric assay system. No difference in the insulin or amylase levels between the experimental groups was observed immediately following the hypotonic exposure; however, a significant decrease in the amylase content was observed following the 48-h culture period in digest that had been hypoosmotically exposed for 60 or 300 s compared with the pretreatment group (2.83 ± 0.41 IU amylase/mg pancreas vs. 1.29 ± 0.21 and 0.83 ± 0.12, mean ± SEM, p < 0.05). Insulin content was also significantly reduced in the 300-s exposure group compared with nontreated controls (3.2 ± 0.6 mU insulin/mg pancreas vs. 2.0 ± 0.2). The insulin/amylase ratio (I/A), a measure of islet and exocrine content, was 1.1 ± 0.13 following pancreas dissociation and 1.34 ± 0.21 for control tissue cultured for 48 h. The I/A ratio increased following hypoosmotic exposure to 1.50 ± 0.31 for tissue exposed for 30 s, 1.77 ± 0.19 for 60-s exposure, and 2.54 ± 0.13 for tissue exposed for 300 s (p < 0.05, vs. pretreatment group). In vitro insulin secretion was equivalent with the exception of the tissue exposed for 300 s, which had an increased basal level of insulin resulting in a significantly decreased stimulation index (3.8 ± 0.5 vs. 8.1 ± 1.2 for the purified islet control group, p < 0.05). These results suggest that a brief hypotonic exposure to pancreatic digest can alter the insulin/amylase ratio; however, there is a functional impairment on subsequent islet function after a period of in vitro tissue culture.
Redirection of metabolism in the flesh fly, Sarcophaga bullata, following envenomation by the ectoparasitoid Nasonia vitripennis and correlation of metabolic effects with the diapause status of the host

The rate of O2 consumption in nondiapausing, pharate adults of Sarcophaga bullata steadily increased as development progressed toward adult eclosion, and this elevation was accompanied by increases in the total body content of pyruvate and oxaloacetate and decreases in carbohydrate (trehalose and glycogen), lipid and protein. In contrast, when nondiapausing pharate adults were envenomated by the ectoparasitoid Nasonia vitripennis, the rate of O2 consumption dropped sharply and the total body content of oxaloacetate, trehalose and glycogen steadily declined. Hemolymph amino acid concentrations, most notably alanine, increased following envenomation, but this did not appear to be the result of increased protein hydrolysis or pyruvate metabolism. Pyruvate levels initially increased following envenomation but declined rapidly 3–4 days later. The decline of this keto acid occurred concurrently with an increase in total body lipid, suggesting an increase in the rate of host lipogenesis. In diapausing hosts, the rate of O2 consumption was 110−115 of the lowest rate observed in nondiapausing hosts, total body protein and lipid levels were much higher, pyruvate content was lower, and oxaloacetate was not detectable. Envenomation did not alter the rate of O2 consumption or levels of trehalose, glycogen, lipid, alanine or protein. Pyruvate briefly increased, but the onset and duration of this elevation did not coincide with the changes observed in pharate adults that were envenomated. The failure of diapausing hosts to respond to envenomation by redirecting metabolism may account for the lower production of adult parasitoids on such hosts.
Effect of neutral lipids on coexisting phases in monolayers of pulmonary surfactant

We previously established that compression of monolayers containing the lipids in pulmonary surfactant, with or without the surfactant proteins, initially leads to phase separation. On further compression, however, phase coexistence terminates at a critical point that requires the presence of cholesterol. The studies reported here address the changes in the phospholipid phase diagram produced by cholesterol. We used the two systems of the lipids from calf surfactant with and without the surfactant proteins. For both systems, we began with the postulate that cholesterol had no effect on the composition of other constituents in the two phases, and then used the known behavior of interfacial tension at a critical point to test the two extreme cases in which the cholesterol partitions exclusively into condensed domains or into the surrounding film. Measurements of surface potential along with the fraction of the nonfluorescent area and the radius of the domains, both obtained by fluorescence microscopy, for films with and without cholesterol allowed calculation of the interfacial tension between the two phases. Only the model that assumes the presence of cholesterol within the domains accurately predicts a decreasing line tension during film compression toward the critical point. That model, however, also predicts an unlikely decrease during compression of the dipole moment density for the condensed phase. Our results are best explained in terms of cholesterol partitioning predominantly into the condensed domains, with a resulting partial redistribution of the phospholipids between the two phases.
Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity after Severe Brain Injury

Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is characterized by the rapid onset and paroxysmal cycling of agitation and dystonia in association with autonomic symptoms. These symptoms may include the following: tachycardia, hypertension, tachypnea, fever, pupil dilation, decreased level of consciousness, diaphoresis, and ventilator dyssynchrony. In a critically ill patient, these are all nonspecific symptoms that may reflect impending sepsis, seizure, or a number of other complications. This can confound and delay the diagnosis and treatment of PSH. While this phenomenon has been frequently observed in the traumatic brain injured population, management is highly variable, prompting this review of the literature. This article aims to outline the evidence base for the management of PSH, as well as to describe an algorithm for management developed at our institution.
INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE UPON THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF TESTOSTERONE BY RABBIT TESTIS IN VITRO.

Steriod biosynthesis, as measured by incorporation of acetate-l-14C into testosterone-14C in vitro, and incorporation in vitro of L-lysine-U-14C into material precipitated by trichloroacetic acid, were found to be maximal at 38 C in slices of rabbit testis. Both steroid biosynthesis and lysine incorporation were significantly lower at 40 than at 38 C, temperatures which were found to be close to those recorded in the abdomen and testis, respectively, of the rabbit. An important difference in the temperature of maximal incorporation of L-lysine-U-14C into testicular protein by the rat, as opposed to the rabbit, was also revealed. (Endocrinology 76: 396, 1965)
Relationship Processes in Youth Psychotherapy: Measuring Alliance, Alliance Building Behaviors, and Client Involvement

This study explores hypothesized associations among therapist engagement strategies, therapeutic alliance, client involvement, and treatment outcome in a randomized clinical trial comparing cogniti...
Soft-tissue amyloidoma of the extremities: a case report and review of literature

Amyloidosis is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by extracellular deposition of unique protein fibrils. Amyloidosis may be hereditary or acquired, and the deposits may be focal, localized, or systemic in distribution. The least common presentation of an amyloid deposition is as a discrete mass called amyloidoma or amyloid tumor. Although described at various body sites, soft-tissue amyloidoma in an extremity is exceedingly rare. We report such a case of a large amyloidoma in the thigh, which simulated a soft-tissue sarcoma. In spite of attaining a very large size over a course of more than 20 years, the clinical course and the histology of this lesion were benign. Awareness of this entity will allow this rare diagnosis to be considered, prevent confusion with malignant disease, and allow appropriate management and patient reassurance. A review of literature on soft-tissue amyloidomas of extremities is also being presented.
Directing the self-assembly of block copolymers

Recently, a new spotlight has been focused on block copolymers, thoroughly studied for nearly half a century, because of their potential use in numerous nanotechnologies. This renewed interest is a consequence of the self-assembled microdomains characteristic of these materials. The size, shape, and arrangement of these nanoscopic structures are all tunable through synthetic chemistry of the constituent molecules. Capturing the vast technological potential of block copolymers will, in many cases, require precise control over the orientation and alignment of the microdomains. This review summarizes extant applications and alignment techniques and provides an outlook toward the future. In an effort to provide a practical resource for researchers, the article is structured to identify the reported alignment approaches for a given polymer morphology rather than sorting by alignment technique. Specific materials have also been deemphasized because the alignment methods, with few exceptions, are general to a specific morphology or set of morphologies. In addition to a detailed summary of traditional methodologies, some very recent results such as optical alignment of liquid crystalline block copolymers, lithographic chemical patterning, and alignment in pores are highlighted.
Modern sector enlargement or traditional sector enrichment

This paper considers how GNP would change if development resources are allocated in alternative ways, taking account of induced migration. The preferred allocation of development resources between sectors is shown to depend on the amounts of modern sector enlargement and traditional sector enrichment that could be achieved under alternative resource allocations and the labor market effects of each.
Biodegradable toughened polymers from renewable resources: blends of polyhydroxybutyrate with epoxidized natural rubber and maleated polybutadiene

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biodegradable bacterial polyester emerging as a viable substitute for semi-crystalline synthetic non-biodegradable polymers. Novel toughened polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) based green materials were successfully developed through reactive extrusion of PHB and functionalized natural rubber followed by injection molding. Natural rubber and epoxidized natural rubber were investigated as impact modifiers. Significant differences in the melt viscosity of PHB and the rubber phase established the need for a compatibilizer to improve the toughness. Theoretical modeling of the blend behavior by Takayanagi models also ascertained the positive effect of a compatibilizer. Maleated polybutadiene with high grafting and low molecular weight was determined to be an efficient compatibilizer for the PHB–rubber blend system thereby improving the toughness of PHB by 440%. The toughened PHB materials were characterized through thermo-mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry showing the influence of the elastomer in reducing the PHB crystallinity. Morphological analysis through polarized optical microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy also confirmed the ability of the compatibilizer to successfully reduce the rubber particle size and to create interphase bonding. The resultant toughened PHB exhibited impact strength (124 J m−1) superior to a specific grade of thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) and a high-impact polystyrene (HIPS).
X-ray-stimulated incorporation of [3H]thymidine triphosphate into DNA of toluenized Bacillus subtilis

Abstract X-ray exposure of Bacillus subtilis strains made permeable to nucleoside triphosphates by toluene treatment stimulates a repair-type DNA synthesis and inhibits semiconservative DNA synthesis. The X-ray-stimulated repair-type synthesis is primarily due to polymerase I activity, since a mutant lacking polymerase I showed a greatly reduced response. The observed X-ray response requires the presence of the four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and ATP for full expression. Following irradiation, the DNA synthesized in Pol+ cells appeared to consist of longer runs than the DNA observed in Pol− cells.
DO SPATIAL EFFECFS REALLY MATTER IN REGRESSION ANALYSIS

ABSTRACT A substantial hotly of applied statistical and econometric analysis in regional science and geography deals with data collected for aggregate spatial units of observation. These data are typically affected by a variety of measurement problems, resulting in spatial dependence and spatial heterogeneity. However, most of the empirical work fails to take this into account. In this paper, we address the issue of the extent to which spatial effects matter in applied regression analysis. An overview of the formal methodological problems is given, and related to the literature in spatial statistics and spatial econometrics.
Gender stereotypes and dimensions of effective leader behavior.

Research has consistently found that effective leadership is perceived as characterized by traits similar to those associated with masculine gender roles. These perceptions would appear to be at odds with extensive research indicating that effective leadership requires “consideration” and “structuring” behaviors—behaviors that seem to represent both masculine and feminine styles. In two separate studies, the correspondence between gender stereotypes and dimensions of effective leadership were assessed. Results indicate that consideration behaviors are perceived to be feminine, while structuring behaviors are perceived to be masculine. Similarly, qualities that characterize the masculine gender role are perceived to be consistent with structuring, while qualities associated with the feminine gender roles are perceived to be consistent with consideration. It is suggested that an increased awareness of the “androgynous” nature of effective leadership behaviors might weaken the biases in favor of male leaders.
Some q-analogues of the Schröder numbers arising from combinatorial statistics on lattice paths

Abstract We present enumerative results concerning plane lattice paths starting at the origin, with steps (1,0), (1,1) and (0,1). Such paths with a specified endpoint are counted by the Delannoy numbers, while those paths which in addition do not run above the line y=x are counted by the Schroder numbers. We develop q-analogues of the Delannoy and Schroder numbers derived from several combinatorial statistics: the number of diagonal steps, the area under the path, and the major index. We investigate the symmetry and unimodality of the resulting polynomials, and determine the asymptotic behavior of the expected number of diagonal steps and area under a path. Using the number of diagonal steps statistic, we describe the ƒ-vector of the associahedron in terms of lattice paths counted by the Schroder numbers.
Design of a decentralized framework for collaborative product design using memetic algorithms

This paper proposes a generalized bi-level decentralized framework to model collaborative design problems over autonomous stakeholders with each having different objectives. At the system level, a system solution derived from the Pareto concept is created. A facilitator agent is introduced to search for Pareto optimal solutions based on a Memetic Algorithm (MA). At the design disciplinary level, design agents representing design teams are introduced to optimize their own objectives. The proposed framework will guide the collaborative designers to converge to Pareto optimal solutions given any forms of design utility functions. The only information exchanged between the two levels is numerical values instead of utility functions. Therefore sensitive (private) design information can be protected. Three comparison experiments are conducted to evaluate the solution quality and explore the applicability of the proposed framework to collaborative design problems.
Regulatory role for a novel human thioredoxin peroxidase in NF-κB activation

Reduction-oxidation (redox) plays a critical role in NF-kappaB activation. Diverse stimuli appear to utilize reactive oxygen species (e.g. hydrogen peroxide) as common effectors for activating NF-kappaB. Antioxidants govern intracellular redox status, and many such molecules can reduce H2O2. However, functionally, it does appear that different antioxidants are variously selective for redox regulation of certain transcription factors such as NF-kappaB. For NF-kappaB, thioredoxin has been described to be a more potent antioxidant than either glutathione or N-acetylcysteine. Thioredoxin peroxidase is the immediate enzyme that links reduction of H2O2 to thioredoxin. Several putative human thioredoxin peroxidases have been identified using recursive sequence searches/alignments with yeast or prokaryotic enzymes. None has been characterized in detail for intracellular function(s). Here, we describe a new human thioredoxin peroxidase, antioxidant enzyme AOE372, identified by virtue of its protein-protein interaction with the product of a proliferation association gene, pag, which is also a thiol-specific antioxidant. In human cells, AOE372 defines a redox pathway that specifically regulates NF-kappaB activity via a modulation of IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation in the cytoplasm. We show that AOE372 activity is regulated through either homo- or heterodimerization with other thiol peroxidases, implicating subunit assortment as a mechanism for regulating antioxidant specificities. AOE372 function suggests thioredoxin peroxidase as an immediate regulator of H2O2-mediated activation of NF-kappaB.
sonic hedgehog is required in pulmonary endoderm for atrial septation

The genesis of the septal structures of the mammalian heart is central to understanding the ontogeny of congenital heart disease and the evolution of cardiac organogenesis. We found that Hedgehog (Hh) signaling marked a subset of cardiac progenitors specific to the atrial septum and the pulmonary trunk in the mouse. Using genetic inducible fate mapping with Gli1(CreERT2), we marked Hh-receiving progenitors in anterior and posterior second heart field splanchnic mesoderm between E8 and E10. In the inflow tract, Hh-receiving progenitors migrated from the posterior second heart field through the dorsal mesocardium to form the atrial septum, including both the primary atrial septum and dorsal mesenchymal protrusion (DMP). In the outflow tract, Hh-receiving progenitors migrated from the anterior second heart field to populate the pulmonary trunk. Abrogation of Hh signaling during atrial septal progenitor specification resulted in atrial and atrioventricular septal defects and hypoplasia of the developing DMP. Hedgehog signaling appeared necessary and sufficient for atrial septal progenitor fate: Hh-receiving cells rendered unresponsive to the Hh ligand migrated into the atrium in normal numbers but populated the atrial free wall rather than the atrial septum. Conversely, constitutive activation of Hh signaling caused inappropriate enlargement of the atrial septum. The close proximity of posterior second heart field cardiac progenitors to pulmonary endoderm suggested a pulmonary source for the Hh ligand. We found that Shh is required in the pulmonary endoderm for atrial septation. Therefore, Hh signaling from distinct pulmonary and pharyngeal endoderm is required for inflow and outflow septation, respectively. These data suggest a model in which respiratory endoderm patterns the morphogenesis of cardiac structural components required for efficient cardiopulmonary circulation.
Replantation and transplantation of the canine lung

Summary Autotransplantation of the left lung was successfully performed in nine dogs. Study of these animals showed no severe reaction to operation, an almost normal chest x-ray, and a grossly normal appearance of the lung at necropsy. The bronchograms, angiograms and histologic appearance of the autografted lungs were normal. The pulmonary function of the transplanted lung, as determined by contralateral pneumonectomy in one animal, was satisfactory. Homograft of the left lung was done in eight pairs of animals. Study of these animals showed a progressively severe reaction to operation after the second day, characterized by listlessness, cough, and thin, foamy, serous sputum. Progressive homogeneous density in the left lung field beginning on the third or fourth day progressed to total opacification of the left chest by the seventh postoperative day. At necropsy these lungs were slightly swollen, wet, heavy and dark red. Histologic study of the pulmonary tissue at two days was normal except for slight perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration. By the fourth day, pulmonary edema was marked and the inflammatory cell reaction was greatly increased. Severe necrosis was present after the seventh day.
High‐Throughput Mapping of the Electrochemical Properties of (Ni‐Fe‐Co‐Ce)Ox Oxygen‐Evolution Catalysts

Discovering improved electrocatalysts is critical for many technologically important processes and for the development of new clean-energy technologies. High-throughput methods for measuring fundamental electrochemical properties are demonstrated through the investigation of oxygen-evolution catalysis by using 665 oxide compositions containing nickel, iron, cobalt, and cerium. The behavior of each composition is characterized in 1.0 M NaOH(aq) by using a scanning drop three-electrode cell to perform chronopotentiometry (CP) and cyclic voltammetry experiments. CP measurements at different current densities identify different composition–performance trends, owing to underlying variations in fundamental electrochemical behavior. We report systematic, coincident, composition-dependent trends in the Tafel slopes and the reversible redox potentials of the catalysts. Applying high-throughput electrochemical methods provides insight into composition–property–performance relationships and motivates new directions for the study of catalyst mechanisms by using informatics and theory.
ULTRAVIOLET INACTIVATION OF THE MIDI VARIANT OF Qβ‐RNA. DETERMINATION OF QUANTUM YIELD AND LESIONS PRODUCED

Abstract. –MDV-1 RNA is a sequenced variant of Q/β RNA. This study analyzed the ultraviolet photosensitivity of the RNA with respect to its activity as template for the Q/β replicase reaction. An assay to measure the template activity is described and the quantum yield for inactivation of the template activity is shown to be 1.1 × 10-3. Both uridine hydrates and pyrimidine dimers were found in the irradiated RNA. 1.4 hydrates were produced per lethal hit while less than 0.2 dimers were present per lethal hit. The production of uridine hydrates paralleled ultraviolet inactivation. It was concluded that hydrates were the significant lesion in irradiated MDV-1 RNA.
Missed Opportunities for Colorectal Cancer Screening

Our goal was to examine colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, referral, and follow-up practices in a population of Chinese and Latino immigrant patients. We conducted a nested cohort study within a larger randomized trial in a primary care clinic of a large municipal hospital. Participants were patients born in China and Latin America, new to the clinic and eligible for screening colonoscopy. The main outcome measures were physician referral for screening colonoscopy and patients’ adherence to referral. One hundred and forty-six (146) patients met inclusion criteria; 92 were born in Latin America and 54 in China. Of those born in Latin America, 27% received a referral for screening colonoscopy and 80% adhered to the provider referral. Of those born in China, 24% received a referral for colonoscopy and 92% of those adhered to it. No significant associations were found between patient characteristics, referral for colonoscopy and completion of screening. Rates of CRC screening among Chinese and Latino patients...
Development of the City-County (Public) Hospital

Prior to 1966, the United States had a two-tiered system of health care. 1-4 Those patients who could afford the cost of medical care were treated by private physicians in their offices and in private hospitals. For patients who could not afford care, ie, the indigent and retirees over 65 years of age who developed catastrophic illnesses, the city and county (public) hospitals provided the only health care available. All counties assumed responsibility for their indigent patients, and all but the smallest counties had their local hospital. In the larger cities, these hospitals developed teaching programs and affiliations with medical schools that provided a volunteer teaching faculty ( Table ) (John G. Raffensperger, unpublished data, 1991; John E. Salvaggio, unpublished data, 1989). 5-11 The smaller county hospitals relied on a few full-time generalists, but primarily they depended on volunteer physicians from the community to provide patient care. With the passage of federal
The Evolving Role of Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Movement Disorders

Significant advances have allowed diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evolve into a powerful tool in the field of movement disorders that can be used to study disease states and connectivity between brain regions. Diffusion MRI is a promising potential biomarker for Parkinson’s disease and other forms of parkinsonism, and may allow the distinction of different forms of parkinsonism. Techniques such as tractography have contributed to our current thinking regarding the pathophysiology of dystonia and possible mechanisms of penetrance. Diffusion MRI measures could potentially assist in monitoring disease progression in Huntington’s disease, and in uncovering the nature of the processes and structures involved the development of essential tremor. The ability to represent structural connectivity in vivo also makes diffusion MRI an ideal adjunctive tool for the surgical treatment of movement disorders. We review recent studies using diffusion MRI in movement disorders research and present the current state of the science as well as future directions.
Statistical Analysis of Wear Rate of Phosphate-Grinding Mill

Abstract A statistical Box-Behnken design (BBD) of experiments was performed to evaluate effects of individual operating variables and their interactions on the wear rate of grinding ball mills used in the phosphate industry. The wear tests were conducted using a specially designed grinding mill. The variables examined in this study included grinding time, solution pH, rotation speed, mill crop load, and solids percentage. The most significant variables and optimum conditions were identified from a statistical analysis of the experimental results using response surface methodology. Experimental results show that solution pH has the most significant effect on the wear rate for both Type 1018 (UNS G10180) carbon steel (CS) and a high-chromium alloy. The optimum process parameters for minimum wear rate were solution pH at 7.36, rotation speed at 70.31 rpm, a solid percentage at 75.50, and a crop load at 71.94% for Type 1018 CS; for the high-chromium alloys, they include a solution pH at 8.69, rotation speed ...
Designing e-Health Interventions for Low-Health-Literate Culturally Diverse Parents: Addressing the Obesity Epidemic

Child and adolescent obesity is a significant problem contributing to long-term trends in adult obesity. Educating parents about strategies for raising healthy children is complicated by the problem of low health literacy. E-health provides new opportunities to educate lowhealth-literate audiences, and this project was intended as formative research to guide design of interventions for low-health-literate parents. Focus groups were conducted with African American, Hispanic, and white parents (n = 43), 18 years of age or older, and at or below median income for the region. Each focus group included the following: a discussion of parents' general use of the Internet for health information, the demonstration of a Web site designed specifically for low-health-literate users, and asking participants about ideas under consideration for future interventions. Participants use search engines to look for health information and use heuristics, such as position in search results, to evaluate Web site quality. Some participants avoid information from .edu and .gov domains due to perceived complexity, and there was an almost-universal lack of trust in the government for health information. University researchers, by contrast, were trusted sources as information providers. Content and usability that meet the needs of extremely low-literate audiences may be perceived as slow and lacking depth by more literate and Internet-savvy users. E-health can be used to educate low-health-literate audiences, but interventions designed for these users must be layered in terms of content and usability to meet varying levels of functional and media literacy.
Thermodynamic and kinetic characterization of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide binding to a structured mRNA.

Antisense oligonucleotides act as exogenous inhibitors of gene expression by binding to a complementary sequence on the target mRNA, preventing translation into protein. Antisense technology is being applied successfully as a research tool and as a molecular therapeutic. However, a quantitative understanding of binding energetics between short oligonucleotides and longer mRNA targets is lacking, and selecting a high-affinity antisense oligonucleotide sequence from the many possibilities complementary to a particular RNA is a critical step in designing an effective antisense inhibitor. Here, we report measurements of the thermodynamics and kinetics of hybridization for a number of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) complementary to the rabbit β-globin (RBG) mRNA using a binding assay that facilitates rapid separation of bound from free species in solution. A wide range of equilibrium dissociation constants were observed, and association rate constants within the measurable range correlated strongly with binding affinity. In addition, a significant correlation was observed of measured binding affinities with binding affinity values predicted using a thermodynamic model involving DNA and RNA unfolding, ODN hybridization, and RNA restructuring to a final free energy minimum. In contrast to the behavior observed for hybridization of short strands, the association rate constant increased with temperature, suggesting that the kinetics of association are related to disrupting the native structure of the target RNA. The rate of cleavage of the RBG mRNA in the presence of ribonuclease H and ODNs of varying association kinetics displayed apparent first-order kinetics, with the rate constant exhibiting binding-limited behavior at low association rates and reaction-limited behavior at higher rates. Implications for the rational design of effective antisense reagents are discussed.
Optical Spectrum Characteristics of Phase-Only Sampled Chirp Gratings with Manufacturing Errors

Due to strong coupling among multi-channels of phase-only sampled gratings, the effects of manufacturing errors on sampled grating are different from fiber gratings with a single reflection peak. The influence was investigated by numerical simulation. When group delay and reflectivity ripples are caused by random phase and amplitude errors, inside a grating channel, the ripple amplitude at short wavelength is larger than the one at long wavelength, and this phenomenon was qualitatively explained using the principle that the reflecting position varies with the wavelength of incident light in a chirp grating. The sub-grating length of the transfer matrix method, which is decided by the accuracy of phase mask and UV writing, exerts an influence on the ripple amplitude. For multi-channel fiber gratings, stitch error impairs the periodicity of sampling function, so this kind of fabrication error leads to unequal performance reduction in different channels, and the reduction is more serious for channels at two sides.
Photo- and electro-luminescence of a-Si:H and mixed-phase alloys

Abstract In this paper, we review recent work on photoluminescence in the transition materials from hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) to microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) and silicon-germanium alloy (a-SiGe:H). Also, the electroluminescence is reviewed as transport-controlled recombination. We focus on the new materials such as hydrogen-diluted a-Si:H, a-Si:H prepared by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition, high-growth rate films, and the new findings concerning the electronic structure in relation to the material microstructures and to the solar cell performance such as open voltage (Voc).
Operating Results from SPEAR

Initial operating experience with the SLAC electron-positron storage ring SPEAR is described. A luminosity of 1.2 × 1031 cm-2 sec-1 has been achieved and two-beam interaction effects are described. A single-beam coherent instability, which can be suppressed either by control of the ring chromaticity or by feedback, has been observed. Current-dependent bunch lengthening and widening have been observed, and experiments indicate that these phenomena may be associated with an increase in the energy spread of the beam. Procedures to increase the luminosity to the design value are discussed. Plans to increase the maximum beam energy of SPEAR to 4.5 GeV are described.
A test of parallel versus serial processing applied to memory retrieval

Abstract Townsend has identified necessary and sufficient conditions that reaction time distributions meet if they are produced by two underlying processes that are parallel and within-stage independent. This paper describes an attempt to use one of these conditions to assess the assumption of independent parallel memory retrieval in Anderson's ACT theory. In the experimental test, subjects studied profession-location pairs, with each profession and location included in two pairs. One pair had a high frequency of presentation and the other had low. When cued with a profession (or location), subjects responded with the first of the two studied locations (or professions) that came to mind. The reaction times to these responses were used to test the ACT assumption of independent parallel search. The problems encountered in trying to apply Townsend's abstract test to a concrete situation included the need to consider mixtures and convolutions of distributions and empirical, rather than theoretical, distributions. These difficulties are discussed at length and some formal analyses concerning their effect on the test are given. Despite these problems, we were able to use Townsend's test and the results of the experiment support the within-stage independent parallel assumption of ACT.
Neutrophil function screening in patients with chronic granulomatous disease by a flow cytometric method

Neutrophils from patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) fail to produce a significant oxidative burst following stimulation. We have evaluated the use of flow cytometry and the dye 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF) for routine screening for deficiencies of neutrophil oxidative burst. A range for DCF fluorescence for phorbol myristate acetate stimulated and non-stimulated neutrophils was established based on data from 52 healthy adults. Samples from three patients with suspected neutrophil dysfunction, three patients with X-linked CGD, and one patient with autosomal recessive (AR) CGD were evaluated with both the DCF assay and the quantitative nitroblue tetrazolium dye reduction (NBT) test. For the DCF test, the ratio of mean fluorescence intensity of stimulated to non-stimulated neutrophils was less than 5 for CGD patients and from 16 to greater than 50 for healthy individuals. With the DCF test, two populations of neutrophils could be identified in samples from four carriers of X-linked CGD, although two carriers of AR CGD had NBT and DCF results in the normal range. Our data suggest the DCF test is a sensitive and convenient method for detecting CGD.
Nosy Neighbors Third-Party Actors in Central American Conflicts

Scholars argue that third parties make rational calculations and intervene to influence interstate dispute outcomes in favor of their own objectives. Third parties affect not only conflict outcomes but also escalation and duration. Theories of third-party involvement are applied to understand the dynamics of intrastate war. An analysis of event data for three Central American conflicts (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua) from 1984 to 2001 is used to examine transnational actors’ influence on the dynamics of civil war. Findings show that transnational third parties often alter levels of cooperation among domestic adversaries, and that consistency affects the strength and direction of third-party influence.
Computationally simple estimation and improved efficiency for special cases of double truncation.

Doubly truncated survival data arise when event times are observed only if they occur within subject specific intervals of times. Existing iterative estimation procedures for doubly truncated data are computationally intensive (Turnbull 38:290–295, 1976; Efron and Petrosian 94:824–825, 1999; Shen 62:835–853, 2010a). These procedures assume that the event time is independent of the truncation times, in the sample space that conforms to their requisite ordering. This type of independence is referred to as quasi-independence. In this paper we identify and consider two special cases of quasi-independence: complete quasi-independence and complete truncation dependence. For the case of complete quasi-independence, we derive the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator in closed-form. For the case of complete truncation dependence, we derive a closed-form nonparametric estimator that requires some external information, and a semi-parametric maximum likelihood estimator that achieves improved efficiency relative to the standard nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator, in the absence of external information. We demonstrate the consistency and potentially improved efficiency of the estimators in simulation studies, and illustrate their use in application to studies of AIDS incubation and Parkinson’s disease age of onset.