cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel via failure mechanism in an Al-Cu/Ti double level metal system

An open-circuit failure mechanism for metal-to-metal via contacts in an Al-Cu/Ti metallization system during high-temperature stressing was studied. The test chips used were fully functional state-of-the-art nonvolatile memory devices fabricated on a submicron double-poly/double-metal technology. The upper metal layer (metal 2) was a 0.9 mu m-thick film of Al-0.5% Cu on a 0.1 mu m-thick Ti barrier layer, and the lower metal layer (metal 1) was 0.40 mu m-thick Al-0.5% cu film on a 0.12 mu m-thick TiN barrier layer. The temperature effect on void formation was investigated and the activation energy of open via contacts was determined. The failure mechanism can be explained by a reaction of the titanium barrier layer in metal 2 with the aluminum film in metal 1 rather than the well-known stress-induced voiding mechanism. >
Location-based timely cooperation over social private network

The increasing use of online social networks (OSNs) in emergency situations shows us a promising future of human cooperation through OSNs. Despite this intense interest, a number of fundamental limitations still exist, such as lack of appropriate conceptual models and limitations on cooperation methods and shareable resources. To address existing limitations, we propose Whistle - a cooperation framework for OSN users which can dynamically organize an emergency community with nearby users and guarantee unrestricted cooperation and resource sharing by leveraging the Jitsi communicator and the SocialVPN. To test the feasibility and applicability of Whistle, we present an implemented prototype and demonstrate its applicability to an example use case.
The dynamics of the HSCT environment

Assessments of the impact of aircraft engine exhausts on stratospheric ozone levels are currently limited to 2D zonally-averaged models which, while completely representing chemistry, involve high parameterization of transport processes. Prospective 3D models under development by NASA-Goddard will use winds from a data-assimilation procedure; the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere behavior of one such model has been verified by direct comparison of model simulations with satellite, balloon, and sonde measurements. Attention is presently given to the stratosphere/troposphere exchange and nonzonal distribution of aircraft engine exhaust.
Kaon Identification at NA62

The NA62 experiment at the CERN SPS aims to measure the branching ratio of the very rare kaon decay K+ → π+v, collecting 0(100) events with a 10% background in 2 years of data taking. A modified CEDAR (Cherenkov Detector with Achromatic Ring focus), named KTAG (Kaon TAGger), will be used to positively identify kaons in the beam, to reduce the background from scattered pions.
Staufen1 senses overall transcript secondary structure to regulate translation

Human Staufen1 (Stau1) is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-binding protein implicated in multiple post-transcriptional gene-regulatory processes. Here we combined RNA immunoprecipitation in tandem (RIPiT) with RNase footprinting, formaldehyde cross-linking, sonication-mediated RNA fragmentation and deep sequencing to map Staufen1-binding sites transcriptome wide. We find that Stau1 binds complex secondary structures containing multiple short helices, many of which are formed by inverted Alu elements in annotated 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) or in 'strongly distal' 3' UTRs. Stau1 also interacts with actively translating ribosomes and with mRNA coding sequences (CDSs) and 3' UTRs in proportion to their GC content and propensity to form internal secondary structure. On mRNAs with high CDS GC content, higher Stau1 levels lead to greater ribosome densities, thus suggesting a general role for Stau1 in modulating translation elongation through structured CDS regions. Our results also indicate that Stau1 regulates translation of transcription-regulatory proteins.
Oestrogen and progesterone hormone receptors in Dupuytren's disease.

Abstract Dupuytren's disease is associated with alcoholism and chronic liver disease, conditions frequently associated with deranged steroid hormone metabolism. The possible influence of endogenous sex steroid hormones on the development of Dupuytren's disease has therefore been investigated. An analysis of diseased palmar fascia for oestrogen and progesterone receptors was undertaken in fifteen patients. Hormone specific receptors were not found in the palmar fascia of our patients with Dupuytren's disease, thus suggesting that other mechanisms or factors contribute to the pathogenesis of this fibrotic process.
Cyanide increases reduction but decreases sequestration of methylene blue by endothelial cells.

The mechanisms of endothelial cell transplasma membrane electron transport (TMET) have not been completely identified. Redox probes such as methylene blue (MB) can be useful tools, but the complexity of their disposition upon exposure to the cells can hinder interpretation. For example, MB is reduced on the cell surface by TMET, but after entering the cell in reduced form, it is reoxidized and sequestered within the cell. We developed a method to separately quantify the reduction and reoxidation rates such that it can be determined whether a metabolic inhibitor such as cyanide affects the reduction or oxidation process. MB was introduced at the inlet to a column filled with endothelial cell covered beads either as a short 12 s injection (bolus) or a long 45 min infusion (pulse), and its effluent concentration was measured as a function of time. The cells extracted 56% of the MB from the bolus, but only 41% during the pulse steady state. In the presence of cyanide, these extractions increased to 70% and decreased to 4%, respectively. Mathematical model results support the interpretation that these paradoxical effects on bolus and pulse extractions reflect the differential effects of cyanide on extracellular reduction and intracellular oxidation, i.e., cyanide increased the reduction rate from 7.3 to 13.0 cm s-1 x 10-5 and decreased the oxidation rate from 1.09 to 0.02 cm s-1 x 10-3.Cyanide also increased intracellular NADH by almost eight times, suggesting that TMET is sensitive to the cell redox status, i.e., NADH is a direct or indirect electron source. The cyanide-induced decrease in sequestration indicates a cyanide-sensitive intracellular oxidation mechanism. The results also demonstrate the potential utility of this approach for further evaluation of these endothelial redox mechanisms. © 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC00: 8716Dg, 8716Uv, 8230-b
A Question of Trust: Predictive Conditions for Adaptive and Technical Leadership in Educational Contexts

Recent studies have suggested that educational leaders enacting a balance of technical and adaptive leadership have an effect on increasing student achievement. Technical leadership focuses on problem-solving or first-order changes within existing structures and paradigms. Adaptive leadership involves deep or second-order changes that alter existing values and norms in an organization. Empirical evidence has also shown that several aspects of trust—benevolence, reliability, competence, integrity, openness, and respect—are strongly connected with school performance and student outcomes. However, the connections between trust and leadership are areas that are ripe for deeper study. In this article, we present the hypothesis that the multifaceted construct of trust has a predictive relationship with both adaptive and technical leadership. We tested this hypothesis by using an originally designed instrument that measures each facet of trust and the leadership behaviors of school and district central office ad...
Phosphor quenching in LED packages: measurements, mechanisms, and paths forward

Phosphors in LED packages can experience much higher temperatures (>100°C) and light fluxes (>10 W/cm2) versus traditional phosphors in fluorescent lighting. These conditions place stringent restrictions on LED phosphor selections and requires, to some extent, an understanding of the potential quenching mechanisms that occur within LED packages. In this report, we discuss flux-based and temperature-based quenching of LED phosphors, the measurements used to analyze these quenching processes, and some of the basic mechanisms behind this. It is shown that flux-based quenching in LEDs can be reasonably anticipated through simple design parameters. However, while it is more difficult to a priori predict the thermal quenching of new phosphors and their modifications, it is possible to make initial conclusions about phosphor design through a combination of spectroscopic measurements and chemical inference. This is specifically demonstrated within the Ce3+-doped garnet family of phosphors, where there is significant flexibility to modify compositions, leading to initial relationships between composition, emission color, and high temperature quenching.
Staphylococcus hominis endophthalmitis associated with a capsular hypopyon.

Purpose To report a case of Staphylococcus hominis endophthalmitis associated with a capsular hypopyon. Design Interventional case report. Methods A 51-year-old man presented with chronic postcataract extraction inflammation and underwent vitrectomy, partial capsulectomy, and intravitreal antibiotic injections, followed by explantation of the intraocular lens and capsule. Results A capsular hypopyon in the absence of an anterior chamber hypopyon was noted. Cultures of the vitreous and capsule revealed Staphylococcus hominis , a coagulase-negative gram-positive organism. Conclusions We are unaware of previous reports of endophthalmitis caused by Staphylococcus hominis , and could find none in a computerized search using MEDLINE. This case adds Staphylococcus hominis to the list of causative organisms in chronic endophthalmitis and illustrates the rare finding of a capsular hypopyon.
Differential Responses of Hippocampal Neurons and Astrocytes to Nicotine and Hypoxia in the Fetal Guinea Pig

In utero exposure to cigarette smoke has severe consequences for the developing fetus, including increased risk of birth complications and behavioral and learning disabilities later in life. Evidence from animal models suggests that the cognitive deficits may be a consequence of in utero nicotine exposure in the brain during critical developmental periods. However, maternal smoking exposes the fetus to not only nicotine but also a hypoxic intrauterine environment. Thus, both nicotine and hypoxia are capable of initiating cellular cascades, leading to long-term changes in synaptic patterning that have the potential to affect cognitive functions. This study investigates the combined effect of in utero exposure to nicotine and hypoxia on neuronal and glial elements in the hippocampal CA1 field. Fetal guinea pigs were exposed in utero to normoxic or hypoxic conditions in the presence or absence of nicotine. Hypoxia increased the protein levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and synaptophysin and decreased the neural density as measured by NeuN immunoreactivity (ir). Nicotine exposure had no effect on these neuronal parameters but dramatically increased the density of astrocytes immunopositive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Further investigation into the effects of in utero nicotine exposure revealed that both GFAP-ir and NeuN-ir in the CA1 field were significantly reduced in adulthood. Taken together, our data suggest that prenatal exposure to nicotine and hypoxia not only alters synaptic patterning acutely during fetal development, but that nicotine also has long-term consequences that are observed well into adulthood. Moreover, these effects most likely take place through distinct mechanisms.
A vacuum tube based improved solar cooker

A new type of improved solar cooker based upon the use of a single vacuum tube is presented in this paper. The proposed cooker utilizes a solar collector consisting of parallel plane rectangular glass mirror strips mounted inside a wooden frame and requiring one dimensional solar tracking through a common driver. The proposed design can be either installed over the roof top of a house or near a south facing window (in countries of northern hemisphere). Temperatures as high as 250 C are attainable, making it suitable for all types of cooking. Due to larger collector area, the design offers substantially higher cooking power compared to other conventional solar cookers. Theoretical performance analysis and comparative experimental results at different times of the year with a 1.775 m 2 collector prototype have been included along with the cost/benefit analysis.
A new strategy for clinical decision making—II. The circumscription of non-monotonicity and differential diagnosis for thyroid diseases

Abstract The physician or scientist must contend with multiple interactions in medicine. Differential diagnosis, or the determination of which of two or more diseases a patient is suffering from, arises from the complexity of these interactions. Some of these interactions can mask or inhibit the true diagnosis. These inhibiting factors are called censors. Because of censors, switching points are required in non-monotonic reasoning associated with a differential diagnosis. In order to render these censors—and non-monotonic reasoning—susceptible of computation, they must first be circumscribed. This paper examines circumscription as a form of non-monotonic reasoning augmenting first-order logic through censorship in the diagnosis of thyroid patients. This approach to circumscription is inspired by the influential work of John McCarthy at Stanford University.
Cytosol Activator Protein from Rat Reticulocytes Requires the Stimulatory Guanine Nucleotide-Binding Protein for Its Actions on Adeiiylate Cyclase*

Rat reticulocytes contain a cytosol activator protein (RCAP) that augments catecholamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity in reticulocyte membranes. A highly purified preparation of RCAP, obtained by Sephacryl S-200 chromatography, was used to elucidate further its mechanism of action. The specific activity of the S-200 fraction to augment isoproterenol responsiveness was increased approximately 1,100-fold over the starting material, from 1.2 to 1,300 nmol cAMP formed per mg RCAP. The mol wt of RCAP is approximately 20,000. The effect of RCAP to enhance isoproterenol responsiveness was apparent within 20 sec, virtually abolishing the normal lag time of hormone-activated adenylate cyclase. In addition to its effects on catecholamine-responsive adenylate cyclase, RCAP significantly increased basal [21 ± 3 (±SEM) to 41 ± 4 pmol/mg protein-30 min; P < 0.02], guanyl-5′-yl-imidodiphosphate-associated (3173 ± 213 to 4339 ± 365 pmol/mg-30 min; P < 0.03), and fluoride-associated (5152 ± 64 to 5807 ± 58 pmol/mg...
Stability of sulfur dioxide in formaldehyde absorber and its anomalous behavior in tetrachloromercurate(II)

Stability of SO2 in a buffered formaldehyde absorber has been found to be excellent (< 0.2% loss/day at 50°C) compared to mercury(II) absorbers currently in use. The anomalous oxidation pattern of S(IV) in Hg(II)-Cl(-I) media reported previously is explained in terms of an oxidation model in which Hg2+ catalyzes the oxidation of S(IV). The mercury complex involved is actually a kinetically inert sulfonic acid complex in which the formal oxidation state of sulfur is +6. The best fit value for the uncatalyzed first order rate constant for sulfite oxidation is 1.35 × 10−7 s−1 and that for the second order process catalyzed by Hg2+ is 1.10 × 1012/mol−1 s−1.
A small, high speed interferometer for aircraft, balloon, and spacecraft applications.

A high-resolution Fourier interference spectrometer capable of operating in severe environments for the near ir is described. Weight, volume, and power requirements have been reduced to make it practical for remote sensing applications, including ground-based atmospheric studies for trace constituents, airborne meteorological measurements, and planetary observations from outside the earth’s atmosphere.
Increased neonatal fat mass, not lean body mass, is associated with maternal obesity.

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare body composition measures in neonates of women who were overweight/obese (body mass index, ≥25 kg/m 2 ) versus women who were lean/average (body mass index, 2 ), all of whom had normal glucose tolerance levels. Study design Seventy-six neonates (34 female and 42 male) of singleton pregnancies of pregravid overweight/obese women and 144 neonates (67 female and 77 male) of lean/average women were assessed with anthropometric measures and total body electrical conductivity evaluation of body composition at birth. Results There was a borderline increase in birthweight (3436 ± 567 g vs 3284 ± 534 g; P = .051) but not lean body mass (3020 ± 410 g vs 2950 ± 400 g; P = .23) in the overweight/obese versus lean/average weight groups. However, there were significant increases in percent body fat (11.6% ± 4.7% vs 9.7 ± 4.3%; P = .003) and fat mass (420 ± 220 g vs 380 ± 170 g; P = .01) in neonates of overweight/obese women versus lean/average weight women. Conclusion Overweight/obese women with normal glucose tolerance levels have neonates who are heavier than lean/average weight women because of increased adiposity. We speculate that this increased obesity in offspring of obese women with normal glucose tolerance levels is a significant risk for adolescent obesity and components of the metabolic syndrome.
Incidence of heterophil antibody responses inchildren with infectious mononucleosis

Of 68 children 2 to 15 years of age who had clinical signs compatible with infectious mononucleosis, 38had serologic evidence for a primary Epstein-Barr virus infection. Using qualitative and quantitative techniques for detection of heterophil antibodies, 50% of the 38 patients had positive reactions in rapid slide agglutination tests with sheep RBC stromata, and 79% in slide tests with horse RBC. In the quantitative tests, 79% reacted in the ox cell hemolysin tests, 82% in the Paul-Bunnell-Davidsohn test, and 95% in the immune-adherence hemagglutination test. The percentages of reactors were lowest in the 2 to 5-year-old groups and highest in the 11-to 15-year-old patients. Thus, depending on the assay used, the percentage of heterophil antibody responses in the youngest patients may differ only slighty form that seen in adolescents or yong adults. Although the ranges of titers oberved with the three quantitative assays and in the three age groups were similar, the geometric mean titers incrased three-to eightforld from the youngest to the oldest group of patients. None of the 30 patients with mononucleosis-like illnesses not associated with EBV had positive heterophil reactions. Thus, rapid slide tests using horse RBC serve to confirm a diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis in the majority of pediatric patients, and EBV-specific serodiagnostic tests are needed mainly to identify heterophil negative cases of infectious mononucleosis and to separate them from mononucleosis-like illenesses caused by other agents.
Deep inelastic scattering at small x: two- and three-loop calculations

Abstract The complete order g 4 and a partial order g 6 calculation of deep inelastic scattering at small x is presented. The results agree with the conclusions of a theorem proved in an earlier paper that the total contribution to deep inelastic scattering at small x arises from a ladder diagram evaluated in a restricted region of phase. The subdominance of coupling constant renormalizations at small x is shown with the help of two- and three-loop examples.
Rapid prototyping of a real-time video encoder

We describe the rapid prototyping of a video encoder intended for transmitting compressed video data through a wireless local area network. Our work proves the feasibility of using a multiprocessor for prototyping high-data rate applications with a minimum development effort. >
Inter-judge agreement for identifying stuttered words.

Summary.-Inter-judge (n = 5) agreement for identifying stuttered words of an 18-yr.-old college woman was studied. In contrast to earlier studies, the agreement (.91) was considerable. The high agreement seems to reflect the duration, complexity, and consistency of the subject's stutterings. There are many notable disagreements among experts in che area of stuttering, not the least of which is disagreement about the basic definition of the disorder. Directly related to the absence of unanimity about the definition is the apparent inability of experts to agree on whether a moment of stuttering has occurred (Tuthill, 1940; Young, 1969a, 1969b, 1975). Wingate (1970) contends that the concern about inter-judge disagreement is overemphasized. Young (1975) argues, however, that "observer d~sagreement has considerable theoretical and practical significance (for example, In stuttering onset hypotheses and in the application of behavior modification models)." As long as the construcr, moment of stuttering, is considered viable and as long as we use judges in the measurement of stuttering, concern about disagreement is legitimate. Previous studies indicate that poor agreement may occur because there are many instances of breaks in rhythm which are ambiguous. That is, if a unit of speech is minimally disrupted, judges may not agree that a moment of stuttering has occurred. If, however, the subject's speech is characterized by relatively long prolongations, multiple repetitions and obvious physiological concomitants, e.g., disrupted breathing, tremors, and if these behaviors occur consistently, it seems likely that agreement will be greater. The present study was designed to examine inter-judge agreement when a subject was chosen whose behaviors were of sufficient duration, complexity, and consistency that agreement about the occurrence of stuttering seemed likely. ~THOD The subject was an 18-yr.-old female college freshman. The speech which was examined for inter-judge agreement was taken from the initial diagnostic interview with the subject. The sample judged represented the subject's first 102 words from the interview, during which she was asked questions about her name, home, major, year in school and the nature of her stuttering experiences. This interview was recorded on a Sony video-recorder (2200). The investigator transcribed
International efforts seek to understand convergent margins

The IBM (Izu-Bonin-Mariana) arc system (Figure 1) is an ideal place to study convergent plate margin processes and products, for both scientific and political reasons. Extending 2500 km south from near Tokyo, Japan, to beyond Guam, U.S.A., the intra-oceanic IBM arc system is one of the simplest arc systems with a well-known geologic history. The shared jurisdiction of the arc by the United States and Japan creates a favorable environment for future international collaborative studies. A workshop designed to stimulate and coordinate such studies was held July 27 to August 1, 1996, at the Shonan Village Center, Hayama, Japan. Ten U.S. and 75 Japanese scientists, as well as representatives from Germany, Britain, and Australia, attended the workshop, supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
A problem related to Earnshaw's Theorem

An alternative to Earnshaw's Theorem, based on perturbation theory, is discussed that predicts the stable or unstable behavior of classical electromagnetic physical systems in a two dimensional situation. >
Commercial Laboratory Testing of Excision Repair Cross-Complementation Group 1 Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) expression by non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been reported to predict resistance to platinum-based therapies. On this basis, several commercial laboratories have offered ERCC1 testing to facilitate clinical decision making, but the reliability of such assays has recently been called into question. Methods. First, three large commercial laboratories were queried for their cumulative ERCC1 test results in NSCLC patients to compare their independent rates of ERCC1 expression. Second, identical tumor blocks from individual NSCLC patients underwent round-robin analysis to evaluate interlaboratory concordance for ERCC1 expression. Third, a retrospective review of medical records from NSCLC patients identified those who were both highly responsive and resistant to platinum-based chemotherapies. Tumor blocks from these patients were then used in a gold standard analysis to determine individual laboratory sensitivity and specificity for ERCC1 results. Results. Significant differences were observed in independent laboratory ERRC1 expression rates (Clarient 70% vs. Genzyme 60% vs. Third Laboratory 44%, p < .0001 for all two-way comparisons). Only 4 of 18 tumors examined in round-robin analysis were fully concordant (κ ≤ 0.222 for all two-way comparisons). In preselected platinum responsive and resistant specimens, none of these three commercially marketed laboratory assays achieved a specificity of greater than 50%. Conclusion. The results of commercial laboratory testing for ERCC1 are inconsistent and unreliable. Better validation and postmarketing surveillance should be mandated before tumor biomarker assays are allowed to enter the clinical arena.
Femtosecond chemical dynamics in solution. Wavepacket evolution and caging of I2

Abstract Theoretical and experimental studies are discussed for the femtosecond wavepacket dynamics and reaction of iodine in compressed argon solution and in the collision-free gas phase limit. Classical and quantum calculations are compared with experiment and are used to demonstrate the influence of the solvent on wavepacket nuclear motion dephasing, on the caging and recombination of the separating iodine atoms, and on iodine vibrational relaxation. It is shown that these phenomena are observed on the time scale in which they occur.
Separate spheres and indirect benefits

On any plausible account of the basis for health care resource prioritization, the benefits and costs of different alternative resource uses are relevant considerations in the prioritization process. Consequentialists hold that the maximization of benefits with available resources is the only relevant consideration. Non-consequentialists do not reject the relevance of consequences of benefits and costs, but insist that other considerations, and in particular the distribution of benefits and costs, are morally important as well. Whatever one's particular account of morally justified standards for the prioritization of different health interventions, we must be able to measure those interventions' benefits and costs. There are many theoretical and practical difficulties in that measurement, such as how to weigh extending life against improving health and quality of life as well as how different quality of life improvements should be valued, but they are not my concern here. This paper addresses two related issues in assessing benefits and costs for health resource prioritization. First, should benefits be restricted only to health benefits, or include as well other non health benefits such as economic benefits to employers from reducing the lost work time due to illness of their employees? I shall call this the Separate Spheres problem. Second, should only the direct benefits, such as extending life or reducing disability, and direct costs, such as costs of medical personnel and supplies, of health interventions be counted, or should other indirect benefits and costs be counted as well? I shall call this the Indirect Benefits problem. These two issues can have great importance for a ranking of different health interventions by either a cost/benefit or cost effectiveness analysis (CEA) standard.
Relationships between body size, wing morphology, and perch height selection in a guild of Libellulidae species (Odonata)

Abstract Ten common libellulid species perch along the shoreline of lakes and ponds in South Carolina, USA. We collected individuals at five ponds throughout summer 2005, weighed them in the field, and calculated wing loading (N·m2) and wing aspect ratios from digital photographs. We measured the perch-height preferences of these species in ‘low perch’ (10, 20, 30, and 40 cm) and ‘high perch’ (20, 40, 60 and 80 cm) experiments. Flywheel anemometers recorded wind speeds at each perch height. Species differed significantly in mean body mass, spanning nearly an order of magnitude from Perithemis tenera (67 mg) to Libellula vibrans (633 mg). There were also significant differences in wing morphology that correlated with mean mass; larger species had greater wing loadings and greater wing aspect ratios that smaller species. Species also differed significantly in their perch-height prereferences in both experiments, in a manner correlating with body mass and hindwing aspect ratios. Erythemis simplicicollis and ...
Human sperm microinjection into hamster oocytes: a new tool for training and evaluation of the technical proficiency of intracytoplasmic sperm injection

Abstract Objective: To design a system for teaching intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and to provide a standardized method to assess technical competency. Setting: University andrology laboratory. Design: Prospective study of method for training ICSI and prediction of ICSI outcome. Patient(s): Male infertility candidates for ICSI and fertile donors. Intervention(s): Sperm from 14 fertile donors and 21 oligospermic patients were microinjected into hamster ova. Sperm head decondensation rates (SHD) and oocyte damage rates were measured. Hamster ICSI (HICSI) was used to train technicians, to assess competency, for quality control, and to predict ICSI fertilization. Sperm fertilization potential measured by HICSI was compared with the outcome of ICSI. Main Outcome Measure(s): Sperm head decondensation or fertilization. Result(s): Sperm head decondensation was observed in 425 of 773 hamster oocytes with a mean (± SD) rate of 60.9 ± 15.5. Consistency was shown by repetitive testing of the same donor, comparing fresh and frozen semen, and testing of the multiple frozen aliquots of the same ejaculate. Technicians have been trained with this protocol. Excellent initial ICSI success rates for new technicians were demonstrated. Oligospermic semen samples (21 men, 251 hamster ova) tested in the HICSI test exhibited SHD rates from 12% to 100%. The poor outcome of ICSI in clinical cases was predicted by HICSI. Conclusion(s): The HICSI provides a method for determining the competency for the ICSI technician and interlaboratory comparison, for the prediction of success of sperm for ICSI.
SINGLE BOOK REVIEWS

Folsom: New Archaeological Investigations of. Classic Paleoindian Bison Kill. David J. Meltzer. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006. 374 pp.
Coal chemicals: China's high-carbon clean coal programme?

The Chinese government is promoting several coal conversion technologies as a part of its clean coal action plan. All of these coal conversion technologies have very high carbon footprints. The pro...
Separation of Neuronal and Glial Cells and Subcellular Constituents

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the separation of neuronal and glial cells and subcellular constituents. The analysis of any tissue usually proceeds at two distinct levels. One is an anatomical investigation in which the tissue structure is examined with ever-increasing resolution. The other is a biochemical examination in which the molecular components of the tissue are examined and their organization into units of structure is subsequently investigated. Cellular neurobiology aims to understand the diverse cells of the central nervous system (CNS) and how they work together to process, store, and utilize information. To obtain an idea of the potentialities of various brain cells, it would be desirable to isolate relatively pure samples of specific groups of neuronal and glial cells and study their function. The principal steps in cell isolation involve methods for disaggregating cells and separating them into relatively homogeneous fractions. The issues involved in tissue disaggregation include the media used in preparation of the tissue, incubation or lack of it, and the mechanical or enzymatic means for dissociating cells. The problem of contamination is present not only in cellular CNS fractions but also in subcellular fractions derived from brain. All the general cell organelles, namely, nuclei, mitochondria, microsomes, ribosomes, lysosomes, and plasma membrane preparations, if derived from whole brain, are bound to be a heterogeneous collection from very different types of cells. The chapter discusses three methods that appear to offer promise of finding more specific cell isolation procedures: (1) affinity chromatography, (2) the use of an automated cytofluorograph to sort cells, and (3) the use of magnetic microspheres to separate cells. All these three methods utilize the specificity of defined antibodies to identify the cell or particle in question. The isolation of the particle takes place directly by means of the binding in affinity systems.
Collagen Synthesis and G14-Labeled Proline Uptake and Conversion to Hydroxyproline in Steroid-Treated Granulomas.∗

SummaryCortisone acetate and dexa-methasone administered directly into 5-day-old cotton gauze-induced granulomas significantly reduced the wet and dry weights and the total hydroxyproline (collagen) in the granulomas. The total hydroxyproline remained a constant fraction of the dry weight. The injection of hydrocortisone acetate directly into developing (2 days) Carrageenin-induced granulomas significantly reduced the granuloma wet weight and the C14-proline uptake and conversion to hydroxyproline. The hydroxyproline :proline specific activities ratio was not altered from the control value of 1.0 by steroid treatment.
Infesting Cotton with Tarnished Plant Bug (Heteroptera: Miridae) Nymphs Reared by Improved Laboratory Rearing Methods

An efficient method to infest cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., plants artificially in the field with tarnished plant bug (TPB), Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvais), nymphs was developed for host plant resistance studies. A selected number of TPB nymphs are placed in or near the plant terminal with a small artist’s brush. Damage was evaluated by plant symptoms (aborted terminals, swollen nodes, and excessive branching of the main stem) and reduction in yield (nymph-infested plots had yield reduction of 22% for the first harvest and 25% for total yield across eight cotton cultivars). Large numbers of nymphs of the same age were provided from an improved rearing technique, developed during this study, that utilized pole beans, Phaseolus vulgaris L., and Romaine lettuce, Lactuca sativa L.
Biopotency of Methionine Sources for Young Turkeys

Abstract L-Methionine (100%) and methionine hydroxy analogue-free aeid (88%) were evaluated for biopotency compared to DL-methionine (99%) in a starter diet for Large White turkeys during 7 to 28 days of age. The basal corn-soybean meal diet contained 28% protein, .87% total sulfur amino acids, and 2974 kcal metabolizable energy/kg by calculation and .865% sulfur amino acids by analysis. In Experiments 1 (males) and 2 (females), levels of methionine supplementation were 0, .04, .10, .16, .28, .44, and 1.00%. In Experiment 3 (male and female poults), supplemental methionine levels were 0, .12, .22, .32, and .44%. Level of methionine significantly affected growth and feed efficiency in all experiments. A nonlinear regression model (exponential) was used to describe the body weight response to supplemental methionine (0 to .44%) for each source and to obtain biopotency estimates relative to DL-methionine (at 100). Based on the three studies the biopotency (± SE) of L-methionine was significantly superior to DL-methionine (131 ± 10%); the biopotency of the analogue was not significantly different from DL-methionine (96 ± 7%). Feed efficiency was similar for all sources in Experiments 1 and 3. In Experiment 2, differences in feed/gain were detected among the three sources, where the mean values were in the order: analogue>DL-methionine>L-methionine.
Plasma renin activity (PRA) levels and antihypertensive drug use in a large healthcare system.

aRBs) (71%), but diuretics increased (52%, 53%, 57%, 68%), calcium channel blocker’s ( ccB) fell (56%, 53%, 51%, 42%), and β-blockers fell (77%, 61%, 49%, 41%). Moreover, systolic BP fell (146, 142, 140, 135 mm hg), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) rose (16, 17, 18, 20 mg/dl), serum uric acid rose (6.1, 6.3, 6.5, 6.9 mg/dl), and chronic kidney disease rose (22%, 22%, 23%, 27%). conclusions Polytherapy was the norm for treating hypertension. Lower PR as were associated with higher blood pressures and more medications. higher PRas were associated with lower pressures and fewer medications. The results indicate that opportunities exist to simplify antihypertensive therapy by using current ambulatory PR a levels to guide drug selections and subtractions.
Pore Solution Chemistry of Simulated Low Level Liquid Waste Incorporated Cement Grouts

Expressed pore solutions from simulated low level liquid waste cement grouts cured at room temperature, 50°C and 90°C for various duration were analyzed by standard chemical methods and ion chromatography. The solid portions of the grouts were formulated with portland cement, fly ash, slag, and attapulgite clay in the ratios of 3:3:3:1. Two different solutions simulating off-gas condensates expected from vitrification of Hanford low level tank wastes were made. One is highly alkaline and contains the species Na+, PO43-, NO2- NO3- and OH-. The other is carbonated and contains the species Na+, PO43-, NO2-, NO3- and CO32- In both cases phosphate rapidly disappeared from the pore solution, leaving behind sodium in the form of hydroxide. The carbonates were also removed from the pore solution to form calcium carbonate and possibly calcium monocarboaluminate. These reactions resulted in the increase of hydroxide ion concentration in the early period. Subsequently there was a significant reduction OH-and Na+ ion concentrations. In contrast high concentration of NO2-and NO3- were retained in the pore solution indefinitely.
Abstract 20: Dying With a Left Ventricular Assist Device as Destination Therapy

Background: Left ventricular assist devices as destination therapy (DT-LVAD) have been shown to decrease mortality compared with medical management, and can improve quality of life for many patients with advanced heart failure. However, while most patients live longer with DT-LVAD than they would have with medical therapy, deaths still occur. We sought to systematically examine the end-of-life care of patients who died with a DT-LVAD at a single center. Methods: All patients undergoing DT-LVAD at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota from January 1, 2007 through September 30, 2014 who subsequently died prior to July 1, 2015 were included. The cause of death was determined based on review of documentation in the electronic medical record, including autopsy reports, death certificates and clinical notes. Details about palliative care consultations, hospice enrollment, hospitalizations, and device deactivation at the end-of-life were obtained from the electronic medical record. Results: Of 89 patients that died with a DT-LVAD (84 HeartMate II, 3 HeartWare, 2 Heartmate XVE, mean age at death 66.1 years), the mean (standard deviation) time from LVAD implantation to death was 2.0 (1.9) years. The most common causes of death were multiorgan failure (25.9%), hemorrhagic stroke (24.7%), and progressive heart failure (20.0%). Nearly half (45.6%) of patients saw palliative care in consultation within a month prior to death. However, only 13 (15.5%) patients enrolled in hospice a median of 11 (range 1-315) days prior to death, including 4 patients with concurrent cancer, 2 with stroke, and 7 with multiorgan failure. The vast majority of patients (78.6%) died in the hospital, and of those hospitalized at death, 87.7% died in the intensive care unit. Most patients hospitalized at death transitioned to a comfort-directed approach to care within 24 hours of dying. In total, 43 (48.3%) patients had their LVAD deactivated prior to death, with all but 3 undergoing deactivation in the hospital. The vast majority of patients died within an hour of LVAD deactivation, and all within 26 hours. Conclusions: In contrast to the general heart failure population, most patients with DT-LVAD die in the hospital and very few enroll in hospice. A significant body of research has demonstrated that patients who die in the intensive care unit and the hospital, as opposed to home or with hospice assistance, experience worse quality of life, quality of death and caregiver outcomes. Potential reasons that patients with DT-LVAD may experience different end-of-life care than other patients with heart failure exist, including that they often experience sudden changes in health status prior to death from acute events such as hemorrhagic stroke. However, further work is needed to understand these differences and to determine whether patients with DT-LVAD are receiving optimal end-of-life care.
Conjunctival Biopsy to Diagnose Neurosarcoidosis in Patients with Inflammatory Nervous System Disease of Unknown Etiology (P1.339)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of conjunctival biopsy in diagnosing neurosarcoidosis in patients with inflammatory nervous system disorders of unknown etiology. BACKGROUND: Neurosarcoidosis mimics many neurologic diseases and poses a major diagnostic challenge. Blind conjunctival biopsy is often used to help diagnose neurosarcoidosis when biopsy of affected nervous system tissue is not feasible. While this test is relatively inexpensive and well tolerated, the diagnostic yield in patients with inflammatory nervous system disease of unknown etiology remained uncertain. DESIGN/METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients from January 1, 1997, through February 14, 2013 with the following inclusion criteria: 1) inflammatory neurological disease of uncertain etiology, 2) documentation from a neurologist indicating concern for neurosarcoidosis, and 3) conjunctival biopsy performed. Exclusion criteria were: conjunctival biopsy not done to evaluate possible neurosarcoidosis. Conjunctival biopsy reports were reviewed for the presence or absence of non-necrotizing granulomas consistent with ocular sarcoidosis. Neurosarcoidosis was categorized as definite (neurological tissue confirmation), probable (suggestive neurological syndrome with pathological evidence of extra-neurologic sarcoidosis) or possible (suggestive neurological syndrome without pathological confirmation). The final diagnosis was determined by the final clinical notes following conjunctival biopsy. RESULTS: Four-hundred-forty patients were included and 13 had biopsies consistent with conjunctival sarcoidosis (3[percnt]). Nine patients had both positive conjunctival biopsy and a final diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis (2[percnt]) (8 probable, 1 definite) while the remaining four with positive conjunctival biopsy had alternative neurological diagnoses. Sixty patients (14[percnt]) with negative conjunctival biopsies had a final diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis (15 definite, 22 probable, 23 possible). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that conjunctival biopsy has low diagnostic yield to discover neurosarcoidosis in patients with presumed inflammatory nervous system disease and suggests that alternative diagnostic means should be pursued. Disclosure: Dr. Pichler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Flanagan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Aksamit has nothing to disclose. Dr. Leavitt has nothing to disclose. Dr. Salomao has nothing to disclose. Caridian BCT
Does resistive loading decrease diaphragmatic contractility before task failure

While sustaining a load that leads to task failure, it is unclear whether diaphragmatic fatigue develops progressively or occurs only at task failure. We hypothesized that incremental loading produ...
Optical loss analysis of silicon solar cells using spatial resolved quantum efficiency and reflectance measurements

IQE data has long been a key analysis tool for c-Si cell research. Transitioning from single point measurements to spatially resolved measurements allows for the detailed analysis of quality and uniformity of the processes and materials used in cell manufacturing. This work explores how spatially resolved reflectance data can be analyzed to provide valuable information regarding the front surface texturing, rear surface properties, and ARC properties of completed solar cells.
Primary Care Clinic Re-Design for Prescription Opioid Management.

Background: The challenge of responding to prescription opioid overuse within the United States has fallen disproportionately on the primary care clinic setting. Here we describe a framework comprised of 6 Building Blocks to guide efforts within this setting to address the use of opioids for chronic pain. Methods: Investigators conducted site visits to thirty primary care clinics across the United States selected for their use of team-based workforce innovations. Site visits included interviews with leadership, clinic tours, observations of clinic processes and team meetings, and interviews with staff and clinicians. Data were reviewed to identify common attributes of clinic system changes around chronic opioid therapy (COT) management. These concepts were reviewed to develop narrative descriptions of key components of changes made to improve COT use. Results: Twenty of the thirty sites had addressed improvements in COT prescribing. Across these sites a common set of 6 Building Blocks were identified: 1) providing leadership support; 2) revising and aligning clinic policies, patient agreements (contracts) and workflows; 3) implementing a registry tracking system; 4) conducting planned, patient-centered visits; 5) identifying resources for complex patients; and 6) measuring progress toward achieving clinic objectives. Common components of clinic policies, patient agreements and data tracked in registries to assess progress are described. Conclusions: In response to prescription opioid overuse and the resulting epidemic of overdose and addiction, primary care clinics are making improvements driven by a common set of best practices that address complex challenges of managing COT patients in primary care settings.
Cognitive and Behavioral Effects of Topiramate Versus Carbamazepine Monotherapy

The cognitive and behavioral effects of topiramate (TPM) versus carbamazepine (CBZ) were evaluated in a multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group trial at Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, and other university centers in Korea.
Using Undergraduate Students as Computer Laboratory Consultants

During periods of rapid and expected short term growth, decision makers are faced with problems of supply and demand. When these situations occur in universities, the problem of allocating resources must be faced. How can the instructor-student ratio be maintained without either increasing the size of the faculty or limiting the number of student enrollments? Neither solution has much appeal; taking advantage of another resource, however, students as teachers, is an acceptable solution.
Andean Weavers Craft a New Aesthetic for a Changing Tourist Market

It has been 10 years since I conducted ethnographic research with six families of weavers in a remote part of the Ancash region of Peru. Times have simultaneously changed a great deal and geologica...
Sinonasal Imaging: Normal Anatomy and Pathologic Processes

The maxillary sinuses are the first of the paranasal sinuses to develop, beginning in the first trimester of gestation and usually completed by adolescence. The ethmoid air cells arise from numerous evaginations from the nasal cavity, starting with the anterior air cells and progressing to the posterior air cells. The ethmoid air cells develop between the end of the first trimester and the mid-second trimester of gestation, although their final adult proportions are usually attained during puberty. The sphenoid sinus is present by the second trimester of pregnancy, and usually finishes its growth by the time a child reaches 10 years of age. The frontal sinuses are the only sinuses that are consistently absent at birth. Their development is variable, beginning during the first few years of life, and completed in early adolescence.