cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photoluminescence and conductivity studies of anthracene-functionalized ruthenium nanoparticles.

Carbene-stabilized ruthenium nanoparticles were functionalized with anthryl moieties by olefin metathesis reactions with 9-vinylanthracene, at a surface concentration of about 19.7%, as estimated by 1H NMR spectroscopic measurements. Because of the conjugated metal–ligand interfacial bonding interactions, UV-vis measurements of the resulting nanoparticles showed a new broad absorption band centered at 612 nm, in addition to the peaks observed with monomeric vinylanthracene. FTIR measurements depicted apparent red-shifts of the aromatic vibrational stretches as compared to those of the monomeric vinylanthracene, suggestive of decreasing bonding order of the aromatic moieties as a result of extended conjugation between the particle-bound anthracene groups. Photoluminescence measurements confirmed the notion that effective intraparticle charge delocalization occurred by virtue of the conjugated metal–ligand interfacial bonding interactions, with apparent red-shifts of the excitation peaks and blue-shifts of the emission features, as compared to those of the monomeric vinylanthracene. The diminishment of the Stokes shift was, at least in part, attributed to the different chemical environments surrounding the anthryl moieties on the nanoparticle surface. Electronic conductivity measurements showed that because of the conjugated RuC π bonds, the activation energy for interparticle charge transport was about one order of magnitude lower than that observed with particles passivated by alkanethiolates. Additionally, whereas the original carbene-stabilized nanoparticles exhibited a semiconductor–metal transition within the temperature range of 100 to 320 K, anthracene-functionalized nanoparticles displayed apparent semiconducting behaviors with the ensemble conductivity increasing monotonically with temperature, most likely due to the disordering within the nanoparticle solids that arose from the different structures of the carbene ligands and anthryl moieties. These studies indicate that anthracene functionalization may be exploited as an effective route towards the manipulation of nanoparticle optoelectronic properties.
Proton radiation testing of digital micromirror devices for space applications

Scientists are interested in using digital micromirror devices (DMD) as slit-masks in multiobject spectrometers on future space missions. A favored orbit is at the second Lagrangian point (L2). A requirement for mission planning is to determine how long such microelectrical mechanical systems devices would remain operational given the L2 radiation environment, which is primarily composed of solar protons and cosmic rays. To this end, we initiated DMD proton testing. Three DMDs were irradiated with high-energy protons (35 to 50 MeV) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88 in. Cyclotron. Assuming a typical spacecraft shielding of 100 mils of aluminum, our tests imply that DMDs remain fully operable in a five-year mission at L2 with a margin of safety of 4.5.
Where Does the Ground Water in Small Watersheds Come From

Surface water and ground water watersheds commonly do not coincide. This condition is particularly relevant to understanding biogeochemical processes in small watersheds, where detailed accounting of water and solute fluxes commonly are done. Ground water watersheds are not as easily defined as surface watersheds because (1) they are not observable from land surface; (2) ground water flow systems of different magnitude can be superimposed on one another; and (3) ground water divides may move in response to dynamic recharge and discharge conditions. Field studies of relatively permeable terrain in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska indicate that lakes and wetlands in small watersheds located near the lower end of extensive ground water flow systems receive ground water inflow from shallow flow systems that extend far beyond their surface watershed, and they may also receive ground water inflow from deeper regional flow systems that pass at depth beneath local flow systems. Field studies of mountainous terrain that have low-permeability deposits in New Hampshire and Costa Rica also indicate that surface water bodies receive ground water inflow from sources beyond their local surface watersheds. Field studies of lakes and wetlands in North Dakota, Nebraska, and Germany indicate that ground water divides move in response to changing climate conditions, resulting in a variable source of ground water inflow to those surface water bodies.
The Diffusion Kernel Filter Applied to Lagrangian Data Assimilation

Abstract The diffusion kernel filter is a sequential particle-method approach to data assimilation of time series data and evolutionary models. The method is applicable to nonlinear/non-Gaussian problems. Within branches of prediction it parameterizes small fluctuations of Brownian-driven paths about deterministic paths. Its implementation is relatively straightforward, provided a tangent linear model is available. A by-product of the parameterization is a bound on the infinity norm of the covariance matrix of such fluctuations (divided by the grid model dimension). As such it can be used to define a notion of “prediction” itself. It can also be used to assess the short time sensitivity of the deterministic history to Brownian noise or Gaussian initial perturbations. In pure oceanic Lagrangian data assimilation, the dynamics and the statistics are nonlinear and non-Gaussian, respectively. Both of these characteristics challenge conventional methods, such as the extended Kalman filter and the popular ensem...
Psychopolitical literacy for wellness and justice

Wellness and justice have attracted recent attention in psychology. Both within our discipline and within society at large, more needs to be done to elucidate the link between the two while taking into account the role of power and context. We suggest that wellness is achieved by the balanced and synergistic satisfaction of personal, relational, and collective needs, which, in turn, are dependent on how much justice people experience in each domain. We explore how affective, polarized, acquired, situated, and invested cultural distortions misrepresent the two realms as isolated from each other. To help counter these negative outcomes, we propose psychopolitical literacy and psychopolitical validity. The more youth are exposed to these antidotes, the better equipped they will be to resist cultural distortions and enhance both wellness and justice. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cognitive Mobilization and Partisan Dealignment in Advanced Industrial Democracies

Theories of mass politics have stressed the value of partisanship in providing citizens with cues for political decision making. The expanding political skills and resources of contemporary elector...
Polymers for high performance interconnects

It is well-known that capacitance in the metallization is becoming too great to allow the continued use of SiO/sub 2/ as the intermetal dielectric below about the 0.25 /spl mu/m technology node. One of many possible replacements for SiO/sub 2/ are organic polymers. Organic polymers are not drop-in replacements, however, and their successful integration into functional circuits requires new fabrication procedures and integration schemes. The embedded dielectric scheme offers a sound evolutionally path for their successful integration into a subtractive etch, aluminum-based integrated circuit. The embedded dielectric scheme effectively lowers total capacitance and the line-line/total capacitance ratio while minimally changing the rest of the metallization fabrication processes including via formation. Vapor deposited polymers which are conformably deposited like Parylene-n are more easily integrated into the embedded dielectric scheme than nonconformal spin-on dielectric films. Parylene-n copolymers with dielectric permittivities as low as 2.3 also are excellent candidate materials for use in the embedded dielectric scheme and they also have equivalent thermal stability as the homopolymer. New copolymers with comonomers of different functionality should improve both the adhesion and thermal stability of the intermetal dielectric.
Hemiarch replacement at 28°C: an analysis of mild and moderate hypothermia in 500 patients.

Background During the past decade, use has increased of moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest with antegrade cerebral perfusion for cerebral protection during aortic arch operations. This study examined the use of mild hypothermia in conjunction with unilateral selective antegrade cerebral perfusion (uSACP) for hemiarch replacement for proximal aortic arch reconstruction. Methods A retrospective review of the Emory Aortic Database identified 708 patients who underwent aortic arch replacement between 2004 and 2011. Of these, 500 underwent hemiarch replacement at temperatures of 22°C or higher with uSACP. Outcomes were analyzed and compared between 277 patients undergoing hemiarch at a temperature of 28.6°C (mild) and 233 undergoing hemiarch at a temperature of 24.3°C (moderate). Propensity scores were generated and analyzed between the groups to adjust for confounding factors such as selection bias. Results Operative mortality was equivalent between mild and moderate groups in elective (4.2% vs 4.8%, p = 0.80) and emergency (7.7% vs 11.7%, p = 0.43) settings. No differences occurred in the incidence of temporary neurologic dysfunction, dialysis-dependent renal failure, or mediastinal reexploration for bleeding between mild and moderate patients. The incidence of permanent neurologic deficit was significantly reduced in mild (2.5%) vs moderate patients (7.2%, p = 0.01), which was confirmed by the propensity score analysis (adjusted odds ratio, 0.28; p = 0.02). Conclusions Hemiarch replacement can be safely performed at 28°C with uSACP in emergency and elective settings. Mild hypothermia with uSACP offers adequate levels of neurologic protection compared with deeper levels of hypothermia.
Influence of variability of irrelevant features on concept transfer in children

Influence of variability of irrelevant information upon concept transfer was investigated in first and fourth graders. Pictures of faces were presented and children placed them into teams based on the shape of the ears. Shape of the eyes and moustache varied and were irrelevant. In acquisition, the MV group had three different moustaches and the MC group had one moustache. In transfer, shapes of moustaches, ears, and eyes were either old or new ones. The task was similar to acquisition but faces with new ears were to be designated “new team.” Errors in which faces from the “old team” were called “new” were analyzed. For fourth graders, the MC condition, but not MV, increased errors with the new moustache. For first graders, new moustaches increased errors in both MC and MV conditions. Results supported the hypothesis that older children are differentially influenced by variability of irrelevant stimuli.
Design of pseudo-random spreading sequences for CDMA systems

Pseudo-random sequences with good correlation properties and large linear complexity are widely used in code-division multiple-access (CDMA) communication systems and cryptology for reliable and secure information transmission. In this paper sequences with long period, large complexity, balance statistics and low correlation properties are constructed from addition of m-sequences with pairwise-prime periods (AMPP). Using m-sequences as building blocks, the proposed method proved to be an efficient and flexible approach to construct long period pseudo-random sequences with desirable properties from short period sequences. Applying the proposed method to two Gold sequences, a signal set ((2/sup n/ - 1) (2/sup m/ - 1), (2/sup n/ + 1)(2/sup m/ + 1), (2/sup (n+1)/2/ + 1)(2/sup (m+1)/2/ + 1)) is constructed.
Risk factors for respiratory failure following femoral fractures: the role of multiple intramedullary nailing.

Summary Controversy exists on the relationship between intramedullary nailing (IMN) and the timing of fixation in the development of respiratory failure (RF) following femoral fractures. The purpose of this study is to identify risk factors for RF and evaluate the role of multiple IMN in the above setting. We prospectively observed 126 consecutive patients with femoral fractures for the development of RF. Twenty-one patients (17%) developed RF. This occurred before fracture fixation in 11 patients and after IMN in 10 patients; five after multiple IMN and five after a single IMN procedure. Patients who underwent multiple IMN demonstrated a significant increase of RF after fracture fixation (5/8,) compared to patients with one IMN procedure (5/114, 4.4%, p Thoracic injury and multiple IMN procedures are independent risk factors for RF in patients with femoral fractures, and the combination of the above conditions is highly predictive of the development of RF.
Particle Motion in the Stable Region Near an Edge of a Linear Half-Integer Stopband

This paper studies the motion of a particle whose tune is inside and near a linear half-integer stopband. Results are found for the tune and beta functions in the stable region close to an edge of the stopband. It is shown that the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions of the transfer matrix are real inside the stopband. All the results found are also valid for small accelerators where the large accelerator approximation is not used.
Verification and Analysis of Formulation 4 of Langley for the Study of Noise From High Speed Surfaces

There are several approaches to the prediction of the noise from sources on high speed surfaces. Two of these are the Kirchhoff and the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings methods. It can be shown that both of these methods depend on the solution of the wave equation with mathematically similar inhomogeneous source terms. Two subsonic solutions known of Formulation 1 and 1A of Langley are simple and efficient for noise prediction. The supersonic solution known as Formulation 3 is very complicated and difficult to code. Because of the complexity of the result, the computation time is longer than the subsonic formulas. Furthermore, it is difficult to assess the accuracy of noise prediction. We have been searching for a new and simpler supersonic formulation without these shortcomings. In the last AIAA Aeroacoustics Conference in Toulouse, Farassat, Dunn and Brentner presented a paper in which such a result was presented and called Formulation 4 of Langley. In this paper we will present two analytic tests of the validity this Formulation: i) the noise from dipole distribution on the unit circle whose strength varies radially with the square of the distance from the center and ii) the noise from dipole distribution on the unit sphere whose strength varies with the cosine of the angle from the polar axis. We will discuss the question of singularities of Formulation 4.
A passivity approach to game-theoretic CDMA power control

This paper follows a game-theoretical formulation of the CDMA power control problem and develops new decentralized control algorithms that globally stabilize the desired Nash equilibrium. The novel approach is to exploit the passivity properties of the feedback loop comprising the mobiles and the base station. We first reveal an inherent passivity property in an existing gradient-type algorithm, and prove stability from the Passivity Theorem. We then exploit this passivity property to develop two new designs. In the first design, we extend the base station algorithm with Zames-Falb multipliers which preserve its passivity properties. In the second design, we broaden the mobile power update laws with more general, dynamic, passive controllers. These new designs may be exploited to enhance robustness and performance, as illustrated with a realistic simulation study. We then proceed to show robustness of these algorithms against time-varying channel gains.
The Future of Health Care: We Are Our Own Worst Enemies

Mobile medical applications are increasingly taking center-stage in the health care industry and more importantly, in the patient-doctor relationship. Yet, as technological prevalence continues its upward trend, regulatory initiatives will also continue their march to the forefront of the discussion. This can lead to only one ultimate conclusion: an impasse between the potential for technological innovation and governmentally enforced restrictions. The first, of what will most likely prove to be many, federal regulation controlling mobile medical applications was recently enacted by the Food and Drug Administration. Overbearing governmental regulations such as these stifle innovation in the health care field and operate to the detriment of the public as a whole by restricting society's ability to advance in the health care industry. Before implementing any governmental regulation, a cost-benefit analysis should always be performed to ensure that it is truly worth it. In the situation where health care is on one side of the equation, we simply can't afford to stifle our own future. This can be, quite literally, a matter of life or death. * J.D. Candidate, May 2015, DePaul University College of Law 166 DEPAUL JOURNAL OF HEALTH CARE LAW [VOL. 16.2:165
A General Approach to Decision Making with Evidential Knowledge

We discuss the problem of selecting an optimal alternative in the face of uncertain knowledge about the state of nature. We then introduce a general framework for representing the knowledge about the state of nature. This general framework is based upon the use of fuzzy sets, possibility theory and the Dempster–Shafer mathematical theory of evidence. We then suggest an approach to the selection of an optimal alternative in this more general framework.
North Atlantic Atmosphere–Ocean Interaction on Intraseasonal Time Scales

The authors examine wintertime atmosphere‐ocean interaction on weekly time scales over the North Atlantic sector. Consistent with previous results, it is found that the strongest interactions between the ocean and atmosphere occur when the atmosphere leads. However, the authors also find a spatially coherent and statistically significant pattern of sea surface temperature anomalies over the Gulf Stream extension region that precedes changes in the leading mode of Northern Hemisphere atmospheric variablilty by ;2 weeks.
Ryanodine receptor expression is associated with intracellular Ca2+ release in rat parotid acinar cells

The ryanodine receptor mediates intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in muscle and nerve, but its physiological role in nonexcitable cells is less well defined. Like adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate...
Modification of Shape Memory Polymer Foams Using Tungsten, Aluminum Oxide, and Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles

Shape memory polymer (SMP) foams were synthesized with three different nanoparticles (tungsten, silicon dioxide, and aluminum oxide) for embolization of cerebral aneurysms. Ultra-low density SMP foams have previously been utilized for aneurysm occlusion, resulting in a rapid, stable thrombus. However, the small cross section of foam struts can potentially lead to fracture and particulate generation, which would be a serious adverse event for an embolic device. The goal of this study was to improve the mechanical properties of the system by physically incorporating fillers into the SMP matrix. Thermal and mechanical characterization suggested minimal changes in thermal transition of the SMP nanocomposites and improved mechanical strength and toughness for systems with low filler content. Actuation profiles of the three polymer systems were tuned with filler type and content, resulting in faster SMP foam actuation for nanocomposites containing higher filler content. Additionally, thermal stability of the SMP nanocomposites improved with increasing filler concentration, and particulate count remained well below accepted standard limits for all systems. Extraction studies demonstrated little release of silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide from the bulk over 16 days. Tungstun release increased over the 16 day examination period, with a maximum measured concentration of approxiately 2.87 μg/mL. The SMP nanocomposites developed through this research have the potential for use in medical devices due to their tailorable mechanical properties, thermal resisitivity, and actuation profiles.
P131 : PLATELET SUPPORT FOLLOWING HAPLOIDENTICAL STEM CELL TRANSPLANT: BLURRED LINES BETWEEN SELF AND NONSELF

As mismatched hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) becomes more common for treatment of hematologic malignancies, interpretation of HLA sensitization has become more complex. The patient is a 19 year old male with persistent, refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), and a history of thrombocytopenia since one week of age. He was found to have a RUNX1 mutation, and a diagnosis of Familial Thrombocytopenia with Predisposition to AML (FT-AML). The patient was referred to St. Jude for haploidentical HSCT and NK cell therapy, using his mother as the donor. Although refractory to platelets, he was negative for anti-HLA antibodies prior to transplant. On day 62 post-HSCT, the patient had engrafted and his peripheral blood chimerism was 100% donor. However, platelet consumption was suspected, and a serum sample at that time was clearly positive for antibodies to B42, 82, 7, 81, 55, 54, 27, 56 (B7 CREG), B49, 62, 50 (B5 CREG), plus B67 and A36. The patient also had antibody to Cw8, and to 5 different DR4 specificities (DRB1 ∗ 04:01, 04:02, 04:03, 04:04, and 04:05). HLA Class I Cw and class II antigens are not expressed on platelets, but may be important in the setting of current or future HSCT. Importantly, the patient’s father has HLA-A1, B56, and DR4. The patient did not have antibodies to his own HLA antigens, or the unshared antigens from his donor, illustrating tolerance to those “self” antigens. The treatment team desired HLA-matched platelets, but these were unavailable, based on the patient’s original HLA type. Compatible platelets were selected based on his original HLA type and excluding donors with HLA antigens to which he had demonstrated antibody. Once HLA-compatible platelets were selected, the patient was no longer refractory and his condition improved. Questions arose during this process regarding which antigens should or should not be considered “self,” considering that this patient was mismatched with his donor at HLA-A, B, DR, and DQ loci. Selection of HLA-compatible platelets in the context of haploidentical HSCT is complex, given that a patient will potentially have multiple unshared donor HLA antigens expressed on blood-derived cells and his original HLA antigens on other body cells. Traditional algorithms for searching platelet donor registries may not be adequate, and may require additional manual review.
Observation of anomalously large blueshift of donor-acceptor pair transition peak in GaAs/AlGaAs coupled quantum wells with low residual impurity densities

As excitation (laser) intensity increases, the average distance between the occupied donors and acceptors decreases. As a result, due to the decrease of Coulomb interaction energy between the recombined donors and acceptors, the donor-acceptor pair (DAP) transition energy shifts to high energy (i.e., blueshift) [1].
Monte Carlo Simulations of Effective Diffusivities in Three-Dimensional Pore Structures

A hybrid discrete/continuum Monte Carlo technique combining random walk simulations with first passage time (FPT) concepts is developed here in order to estimate diffusion properties of randomly-assembled sintered porous structures. This work combines the creation of realistic porous solid structures with controlled pore size, shape, and tortuosity features with the application of an efficient algorithm for calculating effective diffusivities in all diffusion regimes (Knudsen, transition, and molecular). The hybrid simulation technique consists of creating a “protective” boundary layer surrounding solid surfaces within which discrete random motion simulations are performed while continuum FPT results are used in the remaining pore space. The boundary layer thickness reflects a characteristic length scale, of the order of a few mean free paths, over which the FPT approximation breaks down. This procedure significantly reduces the computations required to cover statistically representative regions of the porous structure,a serious shortcoming in previous studies of gas diffusion through porous solids; it leads to effective diffusivity estimates that are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements.
Effect of ions on binding of the thiazide-type diuretic metolazone to kidney membrane.

The effect of a number of ions on the binding of the thiazide-type diuretic metolazone (MTZ) to rat renal cortical membranes was studied to elucidate the mechanism of NaCl transport in the kidney d...
Isolated Left Subclavian Artery From the Pulmonary Artery Masked by Pulmonary Hypertension

Isolated subclavian artery arising from the pulmonary artery is exceedingly rare. Most cases are associated with other forms of congenital heart disease and typically present with subclavian or pulmonary steal syndromes. We report the case of a patient with pulmonary hypertension which masked the isolated subclavian artery, allowing it to masquerade as another common congenital heart lesion.
Septic shock. Evaluation of the intradermal epinephrine test in diagnosis and of the effects of human plasma in potentiating coliform endotoxin.

Abstract The presence of endotoxin in blood may be of critical importance in patients with septic shock. Douglas, Beller, and Debrovner1 suggested that necrosis following intradermal injection of epinephrine in rabbits given plasma from patients with septic shock denotes circulating endotoxin. In the present study only 2 of 15 rabbits gave positive intradermal tests after injection of serum from patients with endotoxin shock. Of 4 animals given serum from patients with gram-negative infection but no hypotension, one gave a positive intradermal test. No positive tests were encountered in the 10 controls. The study did not confirm that the intradermal epinephrine test was of value in patients with septic shock. The second part of this study confirmed that when endotoxin is mixed with human plasma, its toxic effect is significantly increased.
The Concept of Sustainability: A Critical Approach

Although expressed in different ways, the goal of sustainability has most often been the physical preservation of human societies and their cultures, institutions, social orders and regimes. Cultural factors psychological, behavioral, and institutional have influenced the ways in which humans understand and implement their economic and environmental affairs and the need for sanative sustainable goals and practices. In the modern world (e.g. since AD 1600) science has been a powerful cognitive influence on perceptions of the environment. The consequences have been contradictory. Science perceived as a servant and generator of technological innovation has led to notable improvements in human life, but has also strongly reinforced the concept of “conquest of nature”, which too often has resulted in degradation of the natural environment through exploitation by misapplied technologies. Science perceived as teacher opens the way to understanding how the world of nature works, but has been less successful in explaining human behavior. The sustainability of human society in the future depends upon the ability and willingness of humans to order their behavior and institutions toward maintaining ecological integrity in human relationships with earth. To this end, an informed and rational concept of sustainability needs to be internalized in the ethos and ethics of human society and applied critically to concepts of growth, development, and the environment
Selective stimulation of facial muscles with a penetrating electrode array in the feline model

Objectives/Hypothesis Permanent facial nerve injury is a difficult challenge for both patients and physicians given its potential for debilitating functional, cosmetic, and psychological sequelae. Although current surgical interventions have provided considerable advancements in facial nerve rehabilitation, they often fail to fully address all impairments. We aim to introduce an alternative approach to facial nerve rehabilitation. Study Design Acute experiments in animals with normal facial function. Methods The study included three anesthetized cats. Four facial muscles (levator auris longus, orbicularis oculi, nasalis, and orbicularis oris) were monitored with a standard electromyographic (EMG) facial nerve monitoring system with needle electrodes. The main trunk of the facial nerve was exposed, and a 16-channel penetrating electrode array was placed into the nerve. Electrical current pulses were delivered to each stimulating electrode individually. Elicited EMG voltage outputs were recorded for each muscle. Results Stimulation through individual channels selectively activated restricted nerve populations, resulting in selective contraction of individual muscles. Increasing stimulation current levels resulted in increasing EMG voltage responses. Typically, selective activation of two or more distinct muscles was successfully achieved via a single placement of the multi-channel electrode array by selection of appropriate stimulation channels. Conclusion We have established in the animal model the ability of a penetrating electrode array to selectively stimulate restricted fiber populations within the facial nerve and to selectively elicit contractions in specific muscles and regions of the face. These results show promise for the development of a facial nerve implant system. Level of Evidence N/A.Laryngoscope, 2016 127:460–465, 2017
‘Black bronchoscopy’: a case of active mycobacterial tuberculosis

A 63-year-old male presents with chronic cough and hemoptysis. Computed tomography of the chest revealed a left lower lobe (LLL) area of consolidation with prominent ipsilateral hilar lymphadenopathy. Bronchoscopic airway examination revealed black mucosal discoloration and airway narrowing at the superior segment of the LLL. Bronchoalveolar lavage from the corresponding site grew mycobacterial tuberculosis. The patient's symptoms subsided with anti-tuberculous therapy with a significant decrease in the size of the LLL mass.
Optical constants of Bi 2 Te 3 and Sb 2 Te 3 measured using spectroscopic ellipsometry

In this work, we present the optical constants of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3), and antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) determined using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The spectral range of the optical constants is from 404 nm to 740 nm. Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 films with different thicknesses were grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Multiple sample analysis (MSA) technique was employed in order to eliminate the parameter correlation in the SE data analysis caused by the presence of the overalyer on top of Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 films. Optical constants and thicknesses for both Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 overlayers were also determined. Independent Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 samples were used to check the results obtained. In addition, SE analysis was performed on two Sb2Te3 samples after being etched in diluted NH4OH solution in order to characterize the overlayer and confirm the reliability of the results.
A fully coupled fluid-structure-muscle-electrophysiology model in heart development

The vertebrate heart begins to pump when its morphology is nothing more than a valveless tube, composed of an outer layer of myocardial cells surrounding an inner layer of endocardial cells. It has been proposed that the purpose of the embyronic heartbeat is to aid in the growth and shaping of the heart itself in organogenesis, rather than the delivery of oxygen and nutrients [1]. These heart tubes have been described as peristaltic and impedance pumps. Impedance pumping assumes a single actuation point of contraction, while traditional peristalsis assumes a traveling wave of actuation. In addition to differences in flow, this inherently implies differences in the conduction system. It is possible to transition from one pumping mechanism to the other with a change in the diffusivity of the action potential. Using an open source implementation of the immersed boundary method, \textit{IB2D} [2], we developed a fully coupled fluid-structure-muscle-electrophysiology model of the embryonic heart. We find that differences in the resulting pumping behavior, greatly affects the advection and diffusion of a chemical gradient within the heart tube. These chemical gradients, e.g., morphogens, could serve as an essential epigenetic signal required for proper cardiogenesis [3]
Solid-State Integrated Optics for Large-Scale Trapped-Ion Quantum Information Processing

We discuss a scalable approach to implementing the classical optics and electronics re-quired for large-scale trapped-ion quantum information processing, emphasizing our groups’ recent and current experimental work on components for integrated optical addressing and readout.
Effects of Freezing on Erythrocyte-derived Optical Nanoprobes

Freezing of erythrocyte-derived nanoparticles can provide a method to extend their storage life and enable rapid deployment for clinical applications. We found that key physical properties of the particles remained unaffected after one freeze-thaw cycle.
Bridging the gap across program management, systems engineering, and plant modeling

Several technical and management disciplines are involved with complex system development and product life cycle management. Often they work in isolation leading to inconsistencies in product specifications, information, and challenges in decision-making. Differences across disciplines in their respective practices, techniques, tools, system metrics, and lack of a common platform for exchanging information have contributed to this gap. Attempts to bridge the gap between systems engineering and project management have been sought through project management methods and through imposing practices from one discipline onto another. It is proposed that a more rigorous approach to bridging this gap be investigated to better enable optimization of objectives, collaboration and cooperation amongst the multiple disciplines. The disciplines of interest in this study are plant modeling, systems engineering, and program management. In bridging the gap, both leveraging techniques and management tools from the different disciplines and adopting six sigma statistical methods are investigated. Common and unique system performance measurements are investigated in working toward a common language. Shared outcome-based measurements such as system and component operational capability levels, predicted and achieved, are also proposed. Options to bring together models from each discipline include multi-disciplinary system design optimization. The different management platforms and visualization techniques are explored with the goal to adopt a common platform to share information. The governance structure that would enable sharing of information across the disciplines forms part of this research.
Enhancing antiangiogenic therapy by blocking “anti-antiangiogenic” phenotype

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 49 While antiangiogenic therapy is emerging as a potentially promising anticancer modality, how tumor vascular endothelial cells (EC) respond to antiangiogenic drugs is still poorly understood. Optimization of antiangiogenic therapy requires a better understanding of the molecular pathways regulating the biological response to antiangiogenic therapy. Our previous studies have found that while endothelium-targeting antiangiogenic drugs, such as endostatin, angiostatin or SU6668, inhibited vascularization and growth of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the inhibition was only partial. One possibility is that these tumors might develop mechanisms that counteract the antiangiogenic therapies. In the present study, we began to test this hypothesis by addressing whether SCC cells can confer EC resistance to antiangiogenic drugs and investigating the cellular/molecular mechanisms involved in regulating such resistant response. We found that conditioned medium of cultured SCC protected EC from apoptosis induced by endostatin, SU6668 or camptothecin, reducing EC apoptosis 17-, 14- and 10-fold, respectively, suggesting an “anti-antiangiogenic” phenotype of the SCC cells. Since the EGFR pathway plays important roles in sustaining the malignant phenotype in SCC, including angiogenesis, we further examined whether the “anti-antiangiogenic” phenotype could be attributed to EGFR signaling. Our data demonstrated that inhibition of EGFR signaling in SCC cells, using either selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor or antisense oligonucleotides, reversed the aforementioned endothelium protective phenotype, resulting in robust increases of endothelial apoptosis induced by the antiangiogenic drugs. This suggests that the EGFR signaling might be a key pathway that confers SCC cells the “anti-antiangiogenic” phenotype. Gene array profile showed that EGFR inhibitors greatly downregulated multiple angiogenic factors including VEGF, IL-8, MMp-2 and MMP-9. ELISA assays further confirmed reduction of these proteins in conditioned medium of SCC cells treated with EGFR inhibitors. However, transfection of VEGF to SCC cells only partially compensated EGFR inhibition, indicating that other molecules downstream to EGFR signaling also contribute to the EGFR-mediated “anti-antiangiogenic” phenotype. In vivo experiments demonstrated that when EGFR signaling was inhibited, SCC tumors responded more profoundly to antiangiogenic therapies (endostatin or SU6668), leading to almost complete eradication of SCC xenografts. Thus, our data has uncovered that solid tumors can counteract antiangiogenic therapy and that in SCC, the EGFR signaling pathway is key to such an “anti-antiangiogenic” phenotype. Therefore, combinations of a direct antiangiogenic therapy and an approach inhibiting the “anti-antiangiogenic” phenotype, such as EGFR targeting approaches, might enhance the overall antiangiogenic efficacy.
Implementation of a pediatric behavioral staffing algorithm in an acute hospital: a best practice implementation project.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYBackground:A progressive decline in acute psychiatric facility beds has led to a steadily increasing number of pediatric psychiatric patients hospitalized on acute care medical-surgical units. Clinical nurses in this environment feel ill-equipped to provide quality behavioral health
Extended Length of Stay in Elderly Patients After Lumbar Decompression and Fusion Surgery May Not Be Attributable to Baseline Illness Severity or Postoperative Complications.

Background Hospital leaders are seeking ways to improve resource utilization and minimize long postoperative hospital stays. Common explanations for extended length of stay (LOS) are baseline patient illness, postoperative complications, and physician practice differences. The degree to which extended LOS represents illness severity or postoperative complications is unknown. We investigated influence of postoperative complications and patient comorbidities on extended LOS after lumbar spine surgery in elderly patients. Methods This retrospective cohort study from 2008 to 2014 analyzed data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for elderly patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery. Patient demographics, comorbidities, LOS, and complications were recorded. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine odds ratio for risk-adjusted LOS. Primary outcome was the degree extended LOS represented patient illness or postoperative complications. Results Of 9482 patients, 1909 (20.13%) had extended LOS. A few patients with extended LOS had a history of relevant comorbidities, including diabetes (21.76%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (8.17%), congestive heart failure (0.94%), myocardial infarction (0%), acute renal failure (0.47%), and stroke (2.23%). Of patients with normal LOS, 93% had no complications, 5.19% had 1 complication, and 1.69% had >1 complication. Among patients with extended LOS, 73.65% had no complications, 18.96% had 1 complication, and 7.39% had >1 complication (P Conclusions Our study suggests that much of the variation in LOS for elderly patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery is not attributable to baseline patient illness or postoperative complications and most likely represents differences in practice style or surgeon preference.
Application of PIXE, RBS and High Energy Proton Microbeams to the Elemental Analysis of Coal and Coal Waste

Several developing techniques of elemental analysis based on nuclear technology are becoming more actively applied to research in the earth science and fossil fuel research.1 This paper will present a brief description of several relatively new analytical methods which, together with more established techniques such as the scanning electron microprobe, provide a comprehensive array of methods for materials analysis. These methods, which are being used in a continuing study of the elemental constituency and integrity of coal waste products, include proton and x-ray induced fluorescent x-ray analysis (PIXE and XRF), alpha particle backscattering (Rutherford backscattering, RBS), proton microbeam analysis and electron microprobe analysis.
Buprenorphine-Sustained Release Alters Hemodynamic Parameters in a Rat Burn Model.

Abstract Background It has been previously shown that anesthesia and analgesia can affect outcomes in the rat burn model and that buprenorphine alleviated pain without drastically altering the outcomes of interest. Recently, the use of a sustained release (SR) formulation of buprenorphine has been promoted over conventional buprenorphine. In this study, we assessed whether buprenorphine-SR altered hemodynamic parameters in our rat model of severe burn injury. Materials and methods Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive either conventional buprenorphine (0.05 mg/kg) or buprenorphine-SR (1 mg/kg). Buprenorphine-SR was administered 24 h before the experiment. Buprenorphine was administered on the day of experiment. These groups were further randomized to control or scald burn (60% of total body surface area). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) and heart rate (HR) were measured using a noninvasive blood pressure system before receiving analgesia and after 72 h. Results As expected, HR was significantly higher after burn injury regardless of analgesic (P Conclusions These data indicate that buprenorphine-SR alters the hemodynamic response to injury and may not be an appropriate choice for a model of severe burn injury. If this analgesic is used, investigators must cautiously form conclusions, especially in experimental conditions that would be expected to alter cardiac hemodynamics.
Distributed Implementation and Verification of Hybridizable Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for Nonhydrostatic Ocean Processes

Nonhydrostatic, multiscale processes are an important part of our understanding of ocean dynamics. However, resolving these dynamics with traditional computational techniques can often be prohibitively expensive. We apply the hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) finite element methodology to perform computationally efficient, high-order, nonhydrostatic ocean modeling by solving the Navier-Stokes equations with the Boussinesq approximation. In this work, we introduce a distributed implementation of our HDG projection method algorithm. We provide numerical experiments to verify our methodology using the method of manufactured solutions and provide preliminary benchmarking for our distributed implementation that highlight the advantages of the HDG methodology in the context of distributed computing. Lastly, we present simulations in which we capture nonhydrostatic internal waves that form as a result of tidal interactions with ocean topography. First, we consider the case of tidally-driven oscillatory flow over an abrupt, shallow seamount, and next, the case of strongly-stratified, oscillatory flow over a tall seamount. We analyze and compare our simulations to other results in literature.
Electrode Kinetic and Electrocatalytic Aspects of Electrochemical Energy Conversion

NASA’s Space Programs stimulated the initiation of fuel cell research and development in the late 1950s.(1–7) The types of fuel cells that were focused on in the 1960s for space applications were the ones using solid polymer and alkaline electrolytes. The General Electric Company was responsible for developing the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells, and United Technologies Corporation (Pratt and Whitney Division) for developing the alkaline fuel cells. The initial difficulties regarding the stability of the proton-conducting membrane, polystyrene sulfonic acid, for the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells used in the Gemini flights and the excellent performance of the alkaline fuel cells are the reasons for the choice of the latter system as a power source for the Apollo, space shuttle, and other space flights. The fuel cell performance is best with the “pristine” reactants hydrogen and oxygen. These reactants, stored cryogenically, are the logical ones for space flights. In the 1970s, with the invention of a highly stable and conducting solid polymer electrolyte, Nafion, by the Du Pont Company, there was a breakthrough in fuel cell technology using such electrolytes. By the substitution of the polystyrene sulfonic acid with Nafion, General Electric Company showed a significant improvement in the performance of solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The Dow Chemical Company has developed a membrane which is more promising than Nafion in respect to conductivity and water management characteristics. These advances make the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell a strong competitor of the alkaline fuel cell, particularly for the lunar-and Mars-based missions of NASA.
Nondestructive Detection of Targeted Microbubbles Using Dual-Mode Data and Deep Learning for Real-Time Ultrasound Molecular Imaging

Ultrasound molecular imaging (UMI) is enabled by targeted microbubbles (MBs), which are highly reflective ultrasound contrast agents that bind to specific biomarkers. Distinguishing between adherent MBs and background signals can be challenging in vivo . The preferred preclinical technique is differential targeted enhancement (DTE), wherein a strong acoustic pulse is used to destroy MBs to verify their locations. However, DTE intrinsically cannot be used for real-time imaging and may cause undesirable bioeffects. In this work, we propose a simple 4-layer convolutional neural network to nondestructively detect adherent MB signatures. We investigated several types of input data to the network: “anatomy-mode” (fundamental frequency), “contrast-mode” (pulse-inversion harmonic frequency), or both, i.e., “dual-mode”, using IQ channel signals, the channel sum, or the channel sum magnitude. Training and evaluation were performed on in vivo mouse tumor data and microvessel phantoms. The dual-mode channel signals yielded optimal performance, achieving a soft Dice coefficient of 0.45 and AUC of 0.91 in two test images. In a volumetric acquisition, the network best detected a breast cancer tumor, resulting in a generalized contrast-to-noise ratio (GCNR) of 0.93 and Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic (KSS) of 0.86, outperforming both regular contrast mode imaging (GCNR = 0.76, KSS = 0.53) and DTE imaging (GCNR = 0.81, KSS = 0.62). Further development of the methodology is necessary to distinguish free from adherent MBs. These results demonstrate that neural networks can be trained to detect targeted MBs with DTE-like quality using nondestructive dual-mode data, and can be used to facilitate the safe and real-time translation of UMI to clinical applications.