cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Manchester Encoding for Non-Coherent Detection of Ambient Backscatter in Time-Selective Fading

Simplifying the detection procedure and improving the bit error rate (BER) performance of a non-coherent receiver in ambient backscatter is vital for enhancing its ability to function without the channel state information (CSI). In this work, we analyze the BER performance of Manchester encoding which is implemented at the transmitter for data transmission, and demonstrate that the optimal decision rule is independent of the system parameters. Further, through extensive numerical results, it is shown that the ambient backscatter system can achieve a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) gain with Manchester encoding compared to the commonly used uncoded direct on-off keying (OOK) modulation, when used in conjunction with a multi-antenna receiver employing the direct-link cancellation.
Santeria: Its Growth and Changes as a Result of its Major Relocations

In lieu of an abstract, below is the article's first paragraph. Santeria is a religion native to Cuba. Santeria is a very spiritual religious way of life. Followers believe that everything has a spirit to it which must be honored and appeased in order to remain in that spirit's good graces. Each spirit, or orisha, has his/her own special likes, dislikes, colors, herbs, foods, dances, etc. These must be presented in order to honor the orisha. Santeria stems from the African religion Yoruba and was forced to come to the New World because of the slave trade. The Yoruba religion and it's followers survived the massive upheaval and adapted to the new environment it was forced into. The result was the formation of Santeria. The orisha believers are now facing their second major upheaval with their movement away from Cuba. Each of these translocations has opened up a whole new world of problems and obstacles that need to be overcome in order for believers to continue their traditions. Followers have adapted, and their religious beliefs have evolved to meet the demands and pressures of their new environments. A look into the history of the religion explains why an air of secrecy surrounds the religion, its beliefs and its rituals. Believers are reluctant to talk about, or reveal information about Santeria to outsiders for fear of persecution, which has followed the religion ever since it landed in the New World. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol1/iss1/4 Santeria: Its Growth and Changes as a Result of its Major Relocations
Random vibration peaks in rotorcraft and the effects of nonuniform gusts

The analysis of random blade vibrations is extended 1) to include the average number of peaks above arbitrary thresholds, and 2) to the case of both longitudinally and laterally nonuniform or completely nonuniform vertical turbulence over the rotor disk. This extended analysis provides a means of assessing the validity of uniform and partially nonuniform (nonuniform only in the longitudinal direction) approximate turbulence models used earlier. Further, it exactly identifies threshold ranges above which peak distribution functions (PDF) over one rotor revolution can be approximated by the statistics of threshold upcrossings. This PDF over one revolution directly gives the probability that any maxima or peaks in one revolution are less than or equal to the required thresholds. For illustrative purposes, the selected problem refers to random flap bending at high advance ratios. The general turbulence theory includes cross correlation between inputs from different blade stations. In the numerical evaluation only one representative station at 0.7 radius is used. Numerical results demonstrate that the average number of threshold upcrossings and peaks per unit time differ significantly for all values of response levels and azimuth positions. Consequently, the approximation of PDF conditional on the occurrence of a peak at any instant by threshold upcrossing expectations is not satisfactory. Two other important findings are 1) the effects of nonuniform turbulence are negligible, justifying the previously made assumption according to which all parts of the rotor-disk experience at a given instant basically the same turbulence velocity, and 2) the formulation of approximating the PDF over one rotor revolution by corresponding threshold-crossing statistics is satisfactory for rotor applications. After having ascertained by the extended analysis the approximate validity of these two findings, the computation of vibration statistics in the linear range is no more involved than computing response histories to individual gusts.
English as a Second Language in Math Education

Not all bilingual children receive bilingual instruction. Most bilingual children are in traditional English-only classrooms for all but a portion of the day when they are ‘pulled out’ for educational assistance from trained personnel. Consequently, subject matter instruction is often the responsibility of the regular monolingual teacher. It is necessary, therefore, for training to be provided to all teachers with whom the limited English proficient students come into contact. This article focuses on the math teacher. After discussing the processes of learning a first and a second language and the conditions necessary for learning a second language, the article provides suggestions for accommodating the limited English proficient student in the regular mathematics classroom.
Chapter 5 - Phonon Transport in Low-Dimensional Structures

The chapter demonstrates the fundamental differences between phonon heat transport in nanostructures and that in macrostructures. Interfaces and surfaces play a pivotal role for the thermal conductivity reduction. For heat flow parallel to interfaces, diffuse interface scattering is the key to reduce thermal conductivity along the film-wire plane. It discusses that for heat conduction perpendicular to interfaces, phonon reflection, particularly total internal reflection reduces the heat transfer and thermal conductivity. The chapter explores that defects, particularly dislocations, create a large thermal conductivity reduction. The mismatch in the lattice constants among different materials in nanocomposite structures creates high dislocation density that decreases the lattice thermal conductivity. Low-dimensionality offers the possibility to increase high figure-of-merit ZT through enhancing the power factor and reducing the lattice thermal conductivity. Opportunity windows may exist to simultaneously increase the power factor while decreasing the thermal conductivity.
Necrotizing Tracheobronchitis With Progressive Airflow Obstruction Associated With Paraneoplastic Pemphigus

Paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) is an autoimmune disease associated with leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A patient with stage IVB poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma developed characteristic upper and lower airway involvement with profound mucocutaneous erosion and tracheobronchial epithelial desquamation. Immunofluorescence testing confirmed autoantibody deposition along the basement membrane of bronchial epithelium. Disruption of the cellular adhesion mechanisms, including desmosomes, hemidesmosomes, and possibly the integrin subunits, is presumed to have led to disruption and desquamation of the tracheobronchial epithelial barrier, severe obstruction of the airways and hypoxia, and possibly bacterial superinfection. As far as can be determined, the feature of airflow obstruction occurring in association with PNP has not been described. Physicians should be aware that these complications of PNP may rapidly lead to hypoxic respiratory failure and death.
Twelve-year planetary ephemeris: 1995-2006

Accurate geocentric positions and physical ephemerides are tabulated for the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto for the 12-year period 1995 through 2006. The frequency interval is 2 days for the Sun and classical planets. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are tabulated at 4-day intervals. Because of its rapid apparent motion, the Moon's ephemeris is given daily.
Outsider Jurisprudence and the Electronic Revolution: Will Technology Help or Hinder the Cause of Law Reform?

Early article examining the convergence of two movements in the legal arena: the electronic dissemination of legal research and outsider scholarship, e.g., critical legal studies, critical race theory, feminist jurisprudence. Describes both movements briefly and offers some predictions on what might happen should they merge in the future.
Coronary microvascular dysfunction is associated with baseline QTc prolongation amongst patients with chest pain and non-obstructive coronary artery disease ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Background Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) causes ischemia and is linked to adverse cardiovascular events. Acute transmural ischemia is associated with QT prolongation, but whether CMD affects repolarization is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine if CMD is associated with prolongation of resting heart rate corrected QT interval (QTc). Methods In patients presenting to the catheterization laboratory with chest pain and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) at angiography, coronary flow reserve (CFR) in response to intracoronary adenosine was measured and compared to baseline to give a CFR ratio. The Bazett’s-derived QTc was manually derived from patients’ 12-lead ECG obtained prior to the procedure. QTc was compared between patients with normal and abnormal (CFR ratio ≤ 2.5) coronary microvascular function. Results Of the 926 patients included in this study, 281 patients (30%) had CMD (mean age 53.2 years [SD 12.7], 25% male). QTc was significantly longer in those with an abnormal CFR response to adenosine (median [Q1, Q3] ms: 420 [409, 438] vs. 416 [405, 432]; p value p Conclusion Our data suggest that CMD may be associated with an increase in baseline QTc, however the precise clinical relevance of this finding needs to be better investigated in larger clinical studies.
Hospital Costs for Neonates and Children Supported with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Objective To assess the characteristics associated with high hospital cost for patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to identify a cohort of high-resource users. Study design Cost for hospitalization, during which ECMO support was used, was calculated from hospital charges reported in the 2012 Health Care Cost and Use Project Kid's Inpatient Database. Patients were categorized into 6 diagnostic groups: (1) cardiac surgery; (2) nonsurgical heart disease; (3) congenital diaphragmatic hernia; (4) neonatal respiratory failure; (5) pediatric respiratory failure; and (6) sepsis. We categorized cost into 4 groups based on quartiles. We compared ECMO cost with hospital cost for bone marrow, liver, and kidney transplants performed during the same year. Results Median hospital cost for children supported with ECMO (n = 1465) was $230 425 (IQR: $126 599-$420 960). In a multivariable model, lower cost was associated with neonatal respiratory failure (OR: 0.19) and sepsis (OR 0.53) compared with cardiac surgery (OR: 1.88), whereas greater cost was associated with smaller hospital bed-size 400 beds, hospital location (Midwest [OR: 1.74] and West [OR 2.18] compared with North-East), and complications such as renal failure (OR: 3.77) and thromboembolic complications (OR 1.60). Hospital cost per survivor was greater for ECMO ($519 450) than bone marrow transplantation ($207 212), liver ($231 755), or kidney transplantation ($82 008) groups. Conclusions Hospitalization cost for children supported with ECMO is high. Diagnosis, hospital characteristics, and presence of complications are associated with increased cost.
Metabolic Heat Dissipation and Internal Solute Levels of Artemia Embryos During Changes in Cell-Associated Water

Embryos (cysts) of the brine shrimp Artemia enter a profound, yet reversible, state of metabolic arrest in response to cellular dehydration. We have monitored metabolic activity during this transition in embryos from the Great Salt Lake population by using microcalorimetric measurements of heat dissipation. Embryo hydration states can be precisely controlled by immersing cysts in solutions of varying ionic strength. When developing embryos were incubated in a 2.0moll −1 NaCl solution, heat dissipation fell after 20 h to 1.13 mWg −1 dry mass, or 21 % of the value obtained when embryos were in control solutions of 0.25 moll −1 . At higher ionic concentrations, heat dissipation declined to as low as 3% of control values. Recovery from dehydration was rapid. Energy flow increased to 135% of control values within 2h after returning cysts to the control medium. These metabolic transitions were correlated with embryo hydration levels measured across the same dehydration series. Total cyst water ranged from 112±2.6 gH 2 O 100 g −1 dry mass in 0.25 mol l −1 NaCl to 46±0.6 gH 2 O 100 g −1 dry mass in 5.0 mol l −1 NaCl. At the first point where heat dissipation was markedly suppressed (the 2.0 mol l −1 incubation), cyst water content was 72.8 ±0.9 gH 2 O 100 g −1 dry mass. This water content is similar to the ‘critical’ hydration level required to suppress carbohydrate catabolism and respiration in San Francisco Bay Artemia embryos (Clegg, 1976 a,b ). However, hydration characteristics of the two populations differed in solutions of lower ionic concentration. Total osmotic pressure in fully hydrated cysts was 1300 mosmol kg −1 H 2 O. A comprehensive inventory of the internal osmolytes indicated that inorganic ions (Na + , K + , Cl − , Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Pi) accounted for 21% of the osmotic activity and 1.48% of embryo dry mass. Organic solutes (trehalose, glycerol, ninhydrinpositive substances, and trimethylamine- N -oxide+betaine) contributed 60% of the osmotic pressure and 22% of the dry mass. Macromolecular components (protein, lipids, glycogen and DNA) were also quantified and formed the bulk of embryo mass. Taken together, 97.4% of the cyst dry mass was identified. At the cellular dehydration state promoting metabolic arrest, the concentrations of inorganic and organic osmolytes were 480–590 mmol kg −1 H 2 O and 1200–1480 mmol kg −1 H 2 O, respectively. The influence of these osmolyte concentrations is considered in the context of macromolecular assembly and metabolic control.
Magnetic Properties of Nanostructured Materials

Understanding the correlation between magnetic properties and nanostructure involves collaborative efforts between chemists, physicists, and materials scientists to study both fundamental properties and potential applications. This article introduces a classification of nanostructure morphology according to the mechanism responsible for the magnetic properties. The fundamental magnetic properties of interest and the theoretical frameworks developed to model these properties are summarized. Common chemical and physical techniques for the fabrication of magnetic nanostructures are surveyed, followed by some examples of recent investigations of magnetic systems with structure on the nanometer scale. The article concludes with a brief discussion of some promising experimental techniques in synthesis and measurements.
Genetic polymorphism of vitamin B12 binding (R) proteins of human saliva detected by isoelectric focusing

Genetic polymorphism of the vitamin B12 binding (R) proteins of parotid saliva is determined by autosomal inheritance of codominant alleles. This hypothesis is supported by studies in 43 families including 152 children. For randomly collected salivas from 143 whites, 104 blacks, and 75 Chinese, gene frequencies are as follows: for whites, Rs1=0.88, Rs2=0.12; for blacks, Rs1=0.94, Rs2=0.06; for Chinese, Rs1=1.00. This genetic marker is also shared by R proteins of milk, tears, and leukocytes. In the Rs 1–2 salivary type there is less labeling of the protein products of Rs2 v. Rs1 with 57Co B12 as assessed by the intensity of the bands on the autoradiogram. There is no evidence for close linkage (θ<0.01) between Rs and TC II (transcobalamin II) or between Rs and salivary protein locus Pr, Db, Gl, or Ps.
Intravenous gestational cocaine in rats: Effects on offspring development and weanling behavior

Pregnant rats were injected with cocaine (CN; 6 mg/kg) or an equal volume of saline (SAL), via the tail vein, on gestation days 8-20. A third group was untreated (UT). Maternal weight gain was not affected by dam treatment despite slight differences in food intake. Litter characteristics (e.g., litter size, pup weight) did not differ among groups. Indices of fetal mortality were not affected by the treatments. Developmental tests, initiated on postnatal day (PND) 2, indicated slight delays in the negative geotaxic response and eye opening in cocaine-exposed pups. Open-field and tail-flick tests were performed on PND 21. Pups were acutely injected with cocaine (10 mg/kg, IP), saline, or received no treatment before placement in a novel open field; morphine (1.5 mg/kg, SC) or saline was injected prior to the tail flick test. Pups from CN dams exhibited a significant decrease in spontaneous exploratory behavior compared to both controls, and a time-dependent increase in rearing compared to pups from UT dams. The acute cocaine injection prior to placement in the open field did not alter locomotion or rearing among dam treatment groups. However, the acute cocaine injection did increase stereotypy ratings for female pups from CN dams compared to similarly treated males, and females from SAL and UT dams. No differences were observed among groups in the tail-flick test. These data suggest that the IV route of administration provides a viable method of cocaine delivery in pregnant rats, and provides further evidence of the developmental and behavioral teratogenicity of prenatal cocaine exposure.
Relationship between gingival crevicular fluid levels of aspartate aminotransferase and active tissue destruction in treated chronic periodontitis patients

Data from several sources demonstrate that disease-active and disease-inactive periodontal pockets exist, and that disease progression occurs in bursts of activity. Currently used diagnostic procedures do not distinguish between disease-active and disease-inactive sites at any given point in time. We report the results of studies aimed at determining whether levels of the enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) are associated with disease activity as assessed by the level of gingival inflammation and probing attachment loss. 25 previously treated periodontitis patients participating in a quarterly recall maintenance program, who had experienced recurrent periodontal deterioration, served as experimental subjects. Patients were evaluated at 3-month intervals for 2 years. Values for plaque index, gingival index, and probing attachment level were recorded, and 30-second samples of gingival fluid harvested from the mesiobuccal aspect of the 4 first molars and the distal of the 4 lateral incisors. GCF volume was measured using a Periotron 6000, and AST activity was measured by a standard method. Sites were ranked in a hierarchy based on the degree of certainty of attachment loss as well as the severity of gingival inflammation, and the relationship of the values to AST levels was determined. Three models were used to analyze the resulting data, and all led to the same conclusion. Maximum enzyme level was significantly elevated at sites with confirmed disease activity as assessed by attachment loss, with maximum AST levels 725 units higher at these sites, on average, than at other sites (p < 0.0001). Maximum AST values were also associated with severe gingival inflammation (p < 0.005) where values were about 600 units higher than at sites with mild or with no gingival inflammation. Our data support the idea that an objective diagnostic test, based on levels of AST in GCF, that distinguishes between disease-active and disease-inactive sites may be possible.
One state's response to the growing need for campus child care: A New York partnership involving state government, New York City, colleges, universities, and unions

Abstract The Governor of New York, the State Legislature, New York City, the unions, the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) have combined resources to support campus child care as important to the mission of the New York public higher education systems. The State Legislature has appropriated $21,500,094 since 1979 for child care for state employees, of which over $2 million has been allocated to state campuses, and $23,529,200 since 1984 for child care for students at New York public colleges and universities. All of the need is not being met, nor is funding enough to provide stability and security to all campus child care operations. However, even in a difficult budget year, state allocations for campus child care were increased slightly and support is expected to grow.
The spatial distribution of cross-overs inX-chromosome tetrads ofDrosophila Melanogaster

The relations have been studied between (a) the tetrad exchange frequencies in theX-chromosome ofDrosophila melanogaster calculated by Weinstein (1936) from strand cross-over data of Bridges (1935b), and (b) distances along the salivary maps of theX-chromosome (Painter, 1934a; Bridges, 1935a). It has been found that: (1) Theaverage position of the exchange, in tetrads where only one exchange occurs, is approximately the midpoint of the chromosome. (2) The average positions of the left and right exchanges, in tetrads where two exchanges occur, are approximately the midpoints of the left and right halves of the chromosome. (3) For any particular position of one exchange, in two-exchange tetrads, the average distance to the next exchange is about five-eighths of the total distance beyond the first exchange. (4) The average positions of the exchanges in three-exchange tetrads are approximately the midpoints of the left, central and right thirds of the chromosome. (5) The general characteristics of the relation between exchange frequency and chromosome position are fairly well reproduced by Pearson Type II smooth distributions of the general form,y=x 2 (1 −x)2, wherey represents the relative frequency of exchange in a short chromosome section andx and (1 −x) the distances from the section to the chromosome ends or adjacent exchange points. (6) The data used do not support the conclusion of Mather (1936) that there is a temporal seriation in the formation of chiasmata, starting at the spindle attachment point.
On the amount of free volume in gas–polymer mixtures

Using sorption and dilatation data, the molar volumes of CO 2 and CH 4 that are inaccessible for diffusion were determined for silicone rubber. These values were used to calculate the mobile gas concentration for CO 2 and CH 4 in glassy polycarbonate assuming that an iso-free-volume state exists below the T g . The analysis presented here suggests an alternative view of the concept of partial immobilization that is independent of the dual mode sorption model. Those molecules that contribute to maintaining the iso-free-volume glassy state are mobile while those that do not are completely immobile
Stress-induced cognitive dysfunction: hormone-neurotransmitter interactions in the prefrontal cortex.

The mechanisms and neural circuits that drive emotion and cognition are inextricably linked. Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis as a result of stress or other causes of arousal initiates a flood of hormone and neurotransmitter release throughout the brain, affecting the way we think, decide, and behave. This review will focus on factors that influence the function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region that governs higher-level cognitive processes and executive function. The PFC becomes markedly impaired by stress, producing measurable deficits in working memory. These deficits arise from the interaction of multiple neuromodulators, including glucocorticoids, catecholamines, and gonadal hormones; here we will discuss the non- human primate and rodent literature that has furthered our understanding of the circuitry, receptors, and signaling cascades responsible for stress-induced prefrontal dysfunction.
Supraventricular tachycardia associated with methylphenidate treatment in a heart transplant recipient.

Received July 31, 2003; revision received Aug. 7, 2004; accepted Sept. 13, 2004. From Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston; and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Shapiro, 622 W. 168 St., Box 427, New York, NY 10032; pas3@columbia.edu (e-mail). Copyright 2005 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. The safety of stimulants in patients with cardiac disease is a matter of concern for psychiatrists. We present a case of supraventricular tachycardia associated with the initiation of methylphenidate treatment in a heart transplant recipient.
Attraction of fall armyworm males (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to host strain females.

ABSTRACT Attraction of wild male fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), was compared in trapping experiments during 2005–2009 in Florida. Traps were baited either with a commercial sex pheromone lure or corn and rice strain females obtained from laboratory colonies. Over 6,900 male moths were collected, and a large subset (>1,500) of these moths was analyzed for their host strain identity. The pheromone lure attracted over four times more males than virgin corn or rice strain females. Almost 60% of males attracted to the pheromone lure were identified as corn strain. However, both corn and rice strain females attracted a higher percentage of rice strain males, providing evidence that the commercial lure used in our study is biased to attract corn strain males and underestimates rice strain population numbers relative to corn strain numbers. Corn and rice strain males were attracted more to corn strain females than rice strain females, although there was variation in response according to loca...
Combustion and extinction in the stagnation-point boundary layer of a condensed fuel

Abstract The combustion and extinction phenomena in the stagnation point boundary layer of a condensed fuel is studied experimentally and theoretically with emphasis on the near-limit flame. The numerical analysis assumes a second-order forward overall chemical reaction in the gas phase, with gas-phase activation energy and modified frequency factor, determined by comparison with the experimental results. The effect of external radiation on the extinction limit is computed using a simplified model. Burning rates and extinction data are determined from measurements taken on polymethylmethacrylate samples in an opposed-jet diffusion flame apparatus. Favorable agreement between experimental extinction data and theoretical predictions is obtained for a gas-phase activation energy of 30 kcal/mole and a modified frequency factor of 5.2 × 107 sec−1.
Impact Behavior of Thermomechanically Fatigued Sn-Based Solder Joints

Impact behavior of Sn-3 wt.%Ag-0.5 wt.%Cu (SAC 305) solder joints subjected to thermomechanical fatigue in different temperature regimes was investigated. This study was aimed at understanding the roles of distributed cracks that develop near the solder/substrate interface region during early stages of thermal excursions. Two specimen geometries were employed to evaluate mode I and mode II types of fracture under impact in solder joints several hundred microns thick. The peak stress that could be withstood in mode I fracture under impact decreased with increasing number of thermomechanical fatigue cycles, while mode II fracture was insensitive to the same. No observable influence on the impact strength due to the temperature regimes was noted. However, the fracture surfaces of specimens subjected to thermal excursions at the lower-temperature regime were predominantly along the Cu6Sn5/solder interface, while specimens subjected to the higher-temperature regime predominantly fractured along the Sn-Sn grain boundaries. These observations are consistent with the findings of prior studies dealing with damage accumulation in the early stages of thermal excursions in these temperature regimes.
Bladder neck involvement in pathological stage pT4 radical prostatectomy specimens is not an independent prognostic factor.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Bladder neck invasion by prostate cancer in radical prostatectomy specimens is uncommon and, thus, its influence on disease recurrence has not been well defined. Consequently the classification of bladder neck invasion in the TNM staging system is controversial. We studied our cohort of patients with stage pT4 disease and bladder neck invasion to clarify the true clinical behavior and prognostic significance of bladder neck invasion in radical prostatectomy specimens.Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 4,090 consecutive patients treated with radical prostatectomy at one of our institutions between 1983 and 2001. Median followup was 53.1 months (range 1 to 189). After excluding from analysis patients treated with neoadjuvant androgen withdrawal or preoperative irradiation 72 of the remaining 2,571 (2.8%) with bladder neck invasion were classified with stage pT4 disease and their specimens were reviewed. Progression-free probability was determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis. U...
Discovery of pyrano[3,4-b]indoles as potent and selective HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitors

A novel series of HCV NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitors containing a pyrano[3,4-b]indole scaffold is described leading to the discovery of compound 16, a highly potent and selective inhibitor that is active in the replicon system.
The origin of the microlensing events observed towards the LMC and the stellar counterpart of the Magellanic stream

We introduce a novel theoretical model to explain the long-standing puzzle of the nature of the microlensing events reported towards the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) by the MACHO and OGLE collaborations. We propose that a population of tidally stripped stars from the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) located ~4-10 kpc behind a lensing population of LMC disk stars can naturally explain the observed event durations (17-71 days), event frequencies and spatial distribution of the reported events. Differences in the event frequencies reported by the OGLE (~0.33 /yr) and MACHO (~1.75 /yr) surveys appear to be naturally accounted for by their different detection efficiencies and sensitivity to faint sources. The presented models of the Magellanic System were constructed without prior consideration of the microlensing implications. These results favor a scenario for the interaction history of the Magellanic Clouds, wherein the Clouds are on their first infall towards the Milky Way and the SMC has recently collided with the LMC 100-300 Myr ago, leading to a large number of faint sources distributed non-uniformly behind the LMC disk. In contrast to self-lensing models, microlensing events are also expected to occur in fields off the LMC's stellar bar since the stellar debris is not expected to be concentrated in the bar region. This scenario leads to a number of observational tests: the sources are low-metallicity SMC stars, they exhibit high velocities relative to LMC disk stars that may be detectable via proper motion studies, and, most notably, there should exist a stellar counterpart to the gaseous Magellanic Stream and Bridge with a V-band surface brightness of > 32 mag/arcsec^2. In particular, the stellar Bridge should contain enough RR Lyrae stars to be detected by the ongoing OGLE survey of this region.
Simulation of the Hot-pressing of a Multi-layered Wood Strand Composite

A mathematical model of the hot-pressing consolidation process for manufacturing a multi-layered oriented strand composite is developed and tested. Such a process model requires independent physical properties and user-specified structure for each layer of the mat. The model uses two-dimensional (slow variation is assumed in the third dimension) heat- and mass-transfer theory and a viscoelastic compression model. The through-the-thickness (vertical) density profile (VDP) was found to be highly dependent on the initial moisture content gradient, internal mat strand properties, and hydrothermal compressive response of the mat. The VDP predicted by the model showed good agreement with experimental results. The proposed mathematical model thus shows promise as a tool to analyze optimally design-oriented strand composites.
Associations of allostatic load with sleep apnea, insomnia, short sleep duration, and other sleep disturbances: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005 to 2008

Purpose To examine whether allostatic load (AL), a measure of cumulative physiologic dysregulation across biological systems, was associated with sleep apnea, insomnia, and other sleep disturbances.
Proteomic Profiling Identifies Pathways Dysregulated in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and an Inverse Association of AMPK and Adhesion Pathways with Recurrence

Introduction The identification of key pathways dysregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is an important step toward understanding lung pathogenesis and developing new therapeutic approaches. Methods Toward this goal, reverse-phase protein lysate arrays (RPPA) were used to compare signaling pathways between NSCLC tumors and paired normal lung tissue from 46 patients and assess their association with clinical outcome. Results After RPPA quantification of 63 proteins and phosphoproteins, tissue pairs were randomized to a training set (n = 25 pairs) and test set (n = 21 pairs). In the training set, 15 protein markers were differentially expressed between tumors and normal lung (p ≤ 0.01), including markers in the PI3K/AKT and p38 MAPK signaling pathways (e.g., p70S6K, S6, p38, and phospho-p38), as well as caveolin-1 and β-catenin. A four-protein signature (p70S6K, cyclin B1, pSrc(Y527), and caveolin-1) independent of histology classified specimens as tumor versus normal with a predicted accuracy of 83%, sensitivity of 67%, and specificity of 100%. The signature was validated in the test set, correctly classifying all normal tissues and 14 of 21 tumor tissues. RPPA results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry for caveolin-1 and p70S6K. In tumors from patients with resected NSCLC, expression of proteins in the energy-sensing AMPK pathway (pLKB1, AMPK, p-Acetyl-CoA, pTSC2), adhesion, EGFR, and Rb signaling pathways was inversely associated with NSCLC recurrence. Conclusions These data provide evidence for dysregulation of several pathways including those involving energy sensing and adhesion that are potentially associated with NSCLC pathogenesis and disease recurrence.
CTLA-4: a key regulatory point in the control of autoimmune disease

Chronic autoimmune disease in humans is the result of a failure to control autoreactive immune cells in the periphery. This control is largely achieved by inhibition of newly activated and memory cells. A number of negative immune regulatory pathways have been characterized. The cell surface coreceptor cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) has emerged as a critical attenuator of T-cell activation and an essential component of the regulatory systems that serve to maintain peripheral tolerance. CTLA-4 expression is induced on the surface of T cells after they have received a costimulatory signal from antigen-presenting cells (APCs) via engagement of CD28 on the T-cell surface. CTLA-4 attenuates this costimulation by competing for CD28 ligands and through direct effects on APCs via the same ligands utilized by CD28. A large number of genetic association studies suggest that the CTLA-4 gene is a locus of susceptibility to autoimmune disease. However, specific functional defects in the CTLA-4 gene in patients have not been identified to date. Elucidating the role of CTLA-4 in immune tolerance has also led to a number of therapeutic applications, particularly in the treatment of malignancy and autoimmune disease.
Smart polymeric coatings—recent advances

There is an ever-growing number of developments that aim to bring novel functionalities to polymer-coating systems with nanotechnology being one of them. This article will cover recent advances in the field of smart polymeric structures that are used in protective coatings in terms of stimulus and response, sensing mechanisms, and current or potential applications. Such structures are commonly based on polymers modified through organic or inorganic additives. Emphasis is placed on smart sensors used for detecting the onset of corrosion on polymer coated ferrous and nonferrous substrates. Examples of self-healing and repair through the action of microcapsules are also presented. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 26:1–13, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20083
Time-resolved photoluminescence of Zn(OH)2 and its composites with graphite oxides.

Time-resolved photoluminescence is used to determine carrier recombination through radiative and nonradiative processes in zinc hydroxide Zn(OH)2 and its porous composites with graphite oxide (GO). The decay times, measured by a streak camera, are found to be larger for zinc hydroxide (∼1215±156 ps) than its composites (∼976±81 ps for ZnGO-2 and 742±59 ps for ZnGO-5), but no significant changes in rise times (from 4.0 to 5.0 ps) are recorded. The dominant mechanism for the radiative process is attributed to free carrier recombination, while microporous networks present in these materials are found to be pathways for the nonradiative recombination process via multiphonon emission.
PATHOLOGIC CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH MUCOUS RETENTION CYSTS OF MINOR SALIVARY GLANDS.

Abstract The microscopic findings in 125 cases of mucous retention cyst are presented. Three morphologic patterns are described. In thirty-one cases it was possible to establish a direct continuity between a minor salivary gland duct and the cyst. In an additional twenty-two cases a definitive partial or complete epithelial lining was noted. These results have been compared with studies of this problem by other investigators, and the possible significance of the findings in establishing the pathogenesis of mucous retention cysts has been discussed.
The search for the site of visual adaptation.

Hecht’s hypothesis was swept away by a series of experiments which directly measured the variables in question. Rushton had designed and built an instrument, the retinal densitometer, for objectively measuring pigment concentration in the living human eye (Campbell and Rushton, 1955). Measurements of the regeneration of visual pigment after exposure to a bright light were correlated with the recovery of an observer’s ability to detect a dim stimulus. From these data, at every instant of time in the dark, the relationship between the concentration of visual pigment and psychophysically determined visual threshofd could be inferred. Rather than the proportional relationship ‘required by the photochemical theory of Hecht, the correct law, or so Rushton argued, was
Electromagnetic Bloch waves at the surface of a photonic crystal

We find that electromagnetic modes are localized at the interface between air and a photonic crystal. General arguments that surface modes must always exist for some termination of any surface of a photonic crystal are presented, and the importance of the surface band structure for semiconducting laser systems is discussed.
Determination of cross regulation in multioutput resonant converters

The determination of the cross-regulation characteristics in multioutput resonant converters is examined. The steady-state cross-regulation characteristics are derived using the state-plane techniques, illustrated by the example of a two-output clamped series resonant converter with clamped capacitor voltage. This technique can be applied to any multioutput resonant converter, thus it can serve as an important design tool and a criterion for selecting the optimal topology. The intuition gained from the analysis can be used to reduce the cross regulation in the multioutput power supplies. The theoretical results are verified by simulations and experimental measurements. >
Exclusive semileptonic decays of b baryons into protons.

We present a QCD-based calculation of the exclusive semileptonic decay {Lambda}{sub {ital b}}{r_arrow}{ital p}{ital l}{bar {nu}}{sub {ital l}}. Using the ideas of heavy quark effective theory we discuss the factorization of the amplitude. Further, resummed Sudakov effects are put in to ensure a consistent perturbative expansion. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
The Structure and Dynamics of EmrE in Liposomes

Site-directed spin labeling and electron paramagnetic resonance were used to investigate the structure and conformational dynamics of the small multidrug resistance transporter EmrE from Escherichia coli. The data set consists of the mobilities, solvent accessibilities of 110 spin labeled residues as well as selected pairwise distances. These parameters were interpreted as constraints on the local steric environment, the orientation of helices in the lipid phase and packing of the transmembrane helices in each monomer as well as across the dimer interface. The data collectively suggest that in liposomes, ligand-free EmrE average structure is not compatible with the crystal structure and an EM-based model. Spin label pairs at the dimer interface located at opposite sides of helix 3 reveal dipolar interaction between the spins separated by less than 15A which contradicts their inverted relative orientation in the crystal structure. Furthermore, distances between spin labels along helix 4 are not consistent with its tight packing at the dimer interface. The spectroscopic data is supported by an expanded topological analysis of EmrE-GFP chimeras which reveals that the previous interpretation of Rapp et al is not unequivocal. Binding of tetraphenyl phosphonium (TPP+) to EmrE increases the structural order as manifested by a narrowing of spin label distance distributions but does not lead to major conformational rearrangements. The EPR-based constraints are being used to generate a model of EmrE in liposomes.
TCT-72 Timing of Intra-aortic Balloon Therapy in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Cardiogenic shock (CS) occurs in up to 25% of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Use of peripheral ventricular assist device (p-VAD) such as intra aortic balloon pump (IABP) is recommended in these patients. However, there is conflicting evidence regarding the timing of
A clinical comparison of epinephrine in oil and epinephrine in gelatin

Abstract 1.1. Two types of slowly absorbed epinephrine preparations are compared as to their relative clinical merits. 2.2. The advantages and disadvantages of each are reported. 3.3. Two unusual reactions following the injections of these preparations are described.
Pupillary neuro-ophthalmic analysis in patients with intraocular lenses.

Abstract Many of the currently used lens implants are iris fixated and change pupillary shape. Concomitant iris surgery and posterior synechiae can make evaluation of pupillary responses difficult in the implanted patient. Pupillary evaluation is critical to neuro-ophthalmic diagnosis, and the presence or absence of a Marcus Gunn pupil is the most common clinical entity likely to be evaluated in the age group of patients with intraocular lenses. A Marcus Gunn pupil can be diagnosed when only one pupil is functional.
Distribution of Local Open-Circuit Voltage on Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Mixed-Phase Si:H and SiGe:H Solar Cells

Local open-circuit voltage (Voc) distributions on amorphous and nanocrystalline mixed-phase silicon solar cells were measured using a scanning Kelvin probe microscope (SKPM) on the p layer of an n-i-p structure without the top ITO contact. During the measurement, the sample was illuminated with a laser beam that was used for the atomic force microscopy (AFM). Therefore, the surface potential measured by SKPM is the sum of the local Voc and the difference in workfunction between the p layer and the AFM tip. Comparing the SKPM and AFM images, we find that nanocrystallites aggregate in the amorphous matrix with an aggregation size of ~0.5 mum in diameter, where many nanometer-size grains are clustered. The Voc distribution shows valleys in the nanocrystalline aggregation area. The transition from low to high Voc regions is a gradual change within a distance of about 1 mum. The minimum V oc value in the nanocrystalline clusters in the mixed-phase region is larger than the Voc of a nc-Si:H single-phase solar cell. These results could be due to lateral photo-charge redistribution between the two phases. We have also carried out local Voc measurements on mixed-phase SiGe:H alloy solar cells. The magnitudes of Voc in the amorphous and nanocrystalline regions are consistent with the J-V measurements
Ribosomal translocation: EF-G turns the crank

Recent results from cryo-electron microscopy have shown that substantial structural rearrangements in both elongation factor EF-G and the ribosome occur during tRNA translocation. The observed sites of interaction between EF-G and the ribosome are consistent with molecular mimicry models for EF-G function.
Structure and dynamics of particle monolayers at a liquid–liquid interface subjected to shear flow

The effect of shear flow on the structure and dynamics of monodisperse spherical polystyrene particles suspended at the interface between decane and water was observed. While undisturbed, the particles arrange themselves on a hexagonal lattice due to strong dipole-dipole repulsion resulting from ionizable sulfate groups on their surfaces. As the interface is subjected to shear flow, however, the lattice adopts a new semi-ordered, anisotropic state for which two distinct regimes are observed. At low particle concentrations or high shear rates, nearest neighbors in the lattice align in the flow direction and create strings of particles that slip past each other fairly readily. This results in a stretching of the overall structure and achievement of a steady state orientation in the system. In contrast, at high concentrations or low shear rates, the interparticle forces gain importance and tend to keep the particles more strongly in their lattice positions. As a result, domains within the lattice are forced to rotate, thus giving rise to movement of particles perpendicular to the flow direction. Thus a rotation, in addition to stretching, of the structure is apparent in this case.