cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced photoluminescence from InAs/GaAs surface quantum dots by using a Si-doped interlayer

Photoluminescence (PL) of InAs/GaAs surface quantum dots (QDs) is enhanced by implanting a silicon-doped GaAs interlayer beneath surface QDs. It is observed that setting the doping concentration to 2.3 ? 1017?cm?3 in the doped GaAs interlayer spaced 10?nm from the surface QDs results in optimal QD PL, i.e., highest intensity and narrowest linewidth. This improvement is attributed to the effective enhancement of the photo-excited carrier capture into the surface QDs and a filling of surface states due to free-carrier transfer from the doped GaAs layer to the surface QDs.
Evolution of the sapphire industry: Rubicon Technology and Gavish

A. Verneuil developed flame fusion to grow sapphire and ruby on a commercial scale around 1890. Flame fusion was further perfected by Popov in the Soviet Union in the 1930s and by Linde Air Products Co. in the U.S. during World War II. Union Carbide Corp., the successor to Linde, developed Czochralski crystal growth for sapphire laser materials in the 1960s. Stepanov in the Soviet Union published his sapphire growth method in 1959. Edge-Defined Film-Fed Growth (EFG), which is similar to the Stepanov method, was developed by H. Labelle in the U. S. in the 1960s and 1970s. The Heat Exchanger Method (HEM), invented by F. Schmid and D. Viechnicki in 1967 was commercialized in the 1970s. Gradient solidification was invented in Israel in the 1970s by J. Makovsky. The Horizontal Directional Solidification Method (HDSM) proposed by Kh. S. Bagdasorov in the Soviet Union in the 1960s was further developed at the Institute for Single Crystals in Ukraine. Kyropoulos growth of sapphire, known as GOI crystal growth in the Soviet Union, was developed by M. Musatov at the State Optical Institute in St. Petersburg in the 1970s and 1980s. At the Institute for Single Crystals in Ukraine, E. Dobrovinskaya characterized Verneuil, Czochralsky, Bagdasarov, and GOI sapphire. In 1995, she emigrated to the United States and joined S&R Rubicon, founded near Chicago by R. Mogilevsky initially to import sapphire and ruby. Mogilevsky began producing sapphire by the Kyropoulos method in 1999. In 2000 the company name was changed to Rubicon Technology. Today, Dobrovinskaya is Chief Scientist and Rubicon produces high quality Kyropoulos sapphire substrates for solid-state lighting. In 1995, H. Branover of Ben Gurion University and a sole investor founded Gavish, which is Hebrew for "crystal." They invited another veteran of the Ukrainian Institute for Single Crystals, V. Pishchik, to become Chief Scientist. Under Pishchik's technical leadership and J. Sragowicz's business leadership, Gavish now makes finished products for the semiconductor and medical industries from HDSM, Stepanov, and Kyropoulos sapphire.
On Tangent Spaces to Schubert Varieties, II

Abstract We prove the results on the tangent spaces to Schubert varieties announced in [V. Lakshmibai, Math. Res. Lett.2 (1995), 473–477] for G classical. We give two descriptions of the tangent space to a Schubert variety at id. The first description is in terms of the root system, and the second one is in terms of multiplicities of certain weights in the fundamental representations of G.
7164 Endoscopic sphincterotomy is safe and well tolerated in orthotopic liver transplantation (olt) patients.

Introduction Biliary complications such as bile leak (BL) and anastomotic strictures (AS) occurs in 15-20% of patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplant(OLT), and can be treated successfully by endoscopic techniques of stent placement and dilation, respectively. Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) is commonly performed during therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to facilitate repeated cannulation and stent placement. Given concerns for bacterial contamination and stasis at the anastomotic site, some endoscopists avoid ES in these immunocompromised patients. Aim To determine the safety and clinical outcome of ES in OLT patients(“ES Group”) and to compare their course to OLT patients who underwent ERCP without ES (“No ES Group”) Methods Patients who received OLT between 1994-98 and required ERCP were included in the study. Patient demographics, ERCP indications, complications and post- ERCP course were analyzed. Complications of ERCP were catagorized as procedure-related and delayed(=30 days). Late adverse events recorded were related to biliary tract disease. Results Twenty-seven post OLT patients(17M, 10F, mean age 49 yrs, range 31-68) who required ERCP were studied. Mean follow up was 30 mos. in the ES group, and 35 mos. in the No ES group. ERCP indications, complications and clinical course are noted in the table below. Most (14/15) patients in the ES group underwent multiple ERCPs with stents and dilation for AS as per our protocol. Delayed ERCP complications occurred in 3 of 15 in the ES group(20%); all 3 had stones or sludge which predated ERCP/ES. The 3 patients who suffered late adverse events had recurrence of AS without new stones or sludge. No deaths were attributable to ES. Conclusion Endoscopic sphincterotomy in orthotopic liver transplant patients undergoing ERCP is safe, with a complication rate comparable to published data for non-OLT patients. Delayed complications and late adverse events (Stent occlusion, restenosis, death) in these patients appear to be unrelated to sphincterotomy per se, but common to all OLT patients.
Multisensory enhancement of localization under conditions of induced myopia

Enhanced behavioral performance mediated by multisensory stimuli has been shown using a variety of measures, including response times, orientation behaviors, and even simple stimulus detection. However, there has been little evidence for a multisensory-mediated improvement in stimulus localization. We suggest that this lack of effect may be a result of the high acuity of the visual system. To examine whether normal visual acuity may be masking any potential multisensory benefit for stimulus localization, we examined the ability of human subjects to localize visual, auditory and combined visual-auditory targets under conditions of normal and degraded vision. Under conditions of normal vision, localization precision (i.e., variability) was equivalent for visual and multisensory targets, and was significantly worse for auditory targets. In contrast, under conditions of induced myopia, visual localization performance was degraded by an average of 25%, while auditory localization performance was unaffected. However, during induced myopia, multisensory (i.e., visual-auditory) localization performance was significantly improved relative to visual performance. These results show a multisensory-mediated enhancement in human localization ability, and illustrate the cross-modal benefits that can be obtained when spatial information in one sense is compromised or ambiguous.
Observations on braided thin wire nucleate boiling in microgravity

Abstract A microgravity experiment was conducted on the Space Shuttle Endeavor (STS-108) to observe sustained nucleate boiling of water. Subcooled water was boiled with a single strand and a braid of three 0.16 mm diameter and 80 mm long Nichrome resistive wires. A CCD video camera recorded the experiment while six thermistors recorded the temperature of the fluid at various distances from the heating element. This paper reports experimental results in observations, measurements, and data analysis. Bubble explosions were found to take place shortly after the onset of boiling for both the single and braid of wires. The explosion may produce a high heat transfer rate, as it generates a cloud of microbubbles. The number, size, and departure rate of the bubbles from the heater wire were measured and compared with theoretical models as a function of time. The temperature measurements revealed a complex temperature distribution in the fluid chamber due to bubbles ejected from the wire that carried thermal energy close to the temperature sensors. Drag forces on departing bubbles were calculated based on bubble movement and used to predict bubble propagation. Results from this experiment provided further understanding of nucleate boiling dynamics in microgravity for the eventual design and implementation of two-phase heat transfer systems in space applications.
Stochastic programs for identifying critical structural collapse mechanisms

Abstract An important task in structural analysis is the identification of critical structural collapse mechanisms, that is, given a structural design and loading configuration, determine which failure mechanisms will occur first. In this work we extend traditional deterministic optimization models for failure mode identification to stochastic forms by considering external loads and structural member plastic moment capacities as correlated random variables. A hybrid model is first developed that contains both chance constrained programming and stochastic linear programming features. A purely chance constrained model is then described. Both models represent nonconvex programming problems. Computational experience with the models is described through an application to the analysis of a portal frame.
Modulation of microvascular growth and morphogenesis by reconstituted basement membrane gel in three-dimensional cultures of rat aorta: A comparative study of angiogenesis in Matrigel, collagen, fibrin, and plasma clot

Rings of rat aorta cultured in Matrigel, a reconstituted gel composed of basement membrane molecules, gave rise to three-dimensional networks composed of solid cellular cords and occasional microvessels with slitlike lumina. Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies showed that the solid cords were composed of endothelial sprouts surrounded by nonendothelial mesenchymal cells. The angiogenic response of the aortic rings in Matrigel was compared to that obtained in interstitial collagen, fibrin, or plasma clot. Morphometric analysis demonstrated that the mean luminal area of the microvascular sprouts and channels was significantly smaller in Matrigel than in collagen, fibrin, or plasma clot. The percentage of patent microvessels in Matrigel was also markedly reduced. Autoradiographic studies of3H-thymidine-labeled cultures showed reduced DNA synthesis by developing microvessels in Matrigel. The overall number of solid endothelial cords and microvessels was lower in Matrigel than in fibrin or plasma clot. A mixed cell population isolated from Matrigel cultures formed a monolayer in collagen or fibrin-coated dishes but rapidly reorganized into a polygonal network when plated on Matrigel. The observation that gels composed of basement membrane molecules modulate the canalization, proliferation, and organization into networks of vasoformative endothelial cells in three-dimensional cultures supports the hypothesis that the basement membrane is a potent regulator of microvascular growth and morphogenesis.
A comprehensive method for the determination of total potato glycoalkaloids

A method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of total glycoalkaloids (TGA) in potato tubers. The method consists of TGA extraction by suitable solvent mixtures followed by hydrolysis of the glycosides and extraction of the aglycones. The aglycones are then quantitated by nonaqueous titration. The advantages of this method over those previously described are the inclusion of glycoalkaloids that are not measured by other methods, and the simplicity, safety, and rapid nature of the procedure. This method has been applied to the TGA analysis of potato tubers subjected to a variety of storage and treatment conditions.
Loss of heterozygosity on the short arm of chromosomes 1 and 3 in sporadic pheochromocytoma and extra-adrenal paraganglioma.

Abstract Pheochromocytomas and extra-adrenal paragangliomas are tumors of the paraganglia with similar histological characteristics. We examined 12 sporadic pheochromocytomas and 5 extra-adrenal paragangliomas for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in chromosomes 1p and 3p using a microdissection technique. Chromosomes lp34-36, 3p21 and the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene locus (3p25) were analyzed. LOH of a selected region on chromosome lp was detected in 5 of 11 (45%) informative pheochromocytoma cases and in 0 of 5 (0%) informative extra-adrenal paraganglioma cases. LOH of the chromosome 3p25 VHL gene locus was detected in 5 of 9 (45%) informative pheochromocytoma cases and in 0 of 3 (0%) informative extra-adrenal paraganglioma cases. LOH of 3p21 was detected in 2 of 4 (50%) informative extra-adrenal paraganglioma cases. The allelic deletions in chromosomes 1p and 3p appear to be separate events. In conclusion, significant deletions were found at lp34-36 and 3p25 in sporadic pheochromocytomas but not in extra-adrenal paragangliomas. These findings suggest (1) that multiple genetic factors may be involved in pheochromocytoma tumorigenesis, and (2) extra-adrenal paragangliomas may have a different genetic mechanism of tumorigenesis compared with pheochromocytomas.
Chemical effects in the K-shell photoionizations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and sulfur carbonyl

Abstract The asymmetry parameter β has been calculated using the multiple scattering model for K-shell ionization for both carbon and oxygen for the three molecules CO, CO 2 and OCS near threshold. The effect of the anisotopic nature of the molecular potential on the asymmetry parameter is seen in the calculations. The calculated differences in the value of β as a function of energy are large enough to suggest that they will be easily differentiated by experiment. These results indicate that the asymmetry parameter, β, can provide a “finger-print” of molecular environment.
Kondo insulators: are simple theories good enough?

Abstract We briefly summarize the basic concepts behind the terms “Kondo insulator”. We point out the importance of including band structure effects in calculating excitation spectra. A discussion of a mid-gap impurity band induced by depants leads to the suggestion of a low-temperature magnetic phase caused by departure from stoichiometry in samples of CeNiSn. This could provide an explanation for the 1/T1 ∝ T3 behavior in NMR for this material.
Scattering of 10-30 Mev Negative Pions by Hydrogen

Fifty-seven ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}p$ scattering events in the energy range 10-30 Mev have been observed in a hydrogen bubble chamber. The $S$-wave scattering length $\frac{1}{3}{\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}(2{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1}+{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{3})=0.077\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.011$ is found to give the best fit to the data assuming ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{13}={\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{31}={\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{11}=0$, ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{33}=0.235{\ensuremath{\eta}}^{3}$. This result is combined with the results of other low-energy scattering experiments to give estimates of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1}$ and ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{3}$.
Estimating background precipitation quality from network data.

Abstract Assessments of the relative merits of alternative acid-rain control strategies revolve around considerations of potential benefit per unit effort and/or cost. A question that often arises concerns the changes in deposition that would follow if all industrial (or societal) emissions were eliminated, in which case precipitation chemistry would be dominated by emissions from natural sources. Estimates of the ‘natural background’ of precipitation chemistry can be based on (a) measurements made at distant locations, (b) reducing emissions to zero in numerical simulations, or (c) examinations of existing data. Each alternative is flawed because (a) of the assumption that natural emissions in one location are like those in another, (b) no existing model contains descriptions of chemical processes involving all of the chemical species of importance, and (c) all contemporary data records or relevance are affected by precisely the emissions we wish to reduce. Here, the third alternative is explored in detail, using event precipitation chemistry data from North America. The analysis reveals a background pH level that varies from site to site, but always lies in the range 5·0–5·3.
BDNF May Play a Differential Role in the Protective Effect of the mGluR2/3 Agonist LY379268 on Striatal Projection Neurons in R6/2 Huntington's Disease Mice

We have found that daily subcutaneous injection with a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 (20mg/kg) beginning at 4 weeks dramatically improves the phenotype in R6/2 mice. For example, we observed normalization of motor function in distance traveled, speed, the infrequency of pauses, and the ability to locomote in a straight line, and a rescue of a 15-20% striatal neuron loss at 10 weeks. As acute LY379268 treatment is known to increase cortical BDNF production, and BDNF is known to be beneficial for striatal neurons, we investigated if the benefit of daily LY379268 in R6/2 mice for striatal projection neurons was associated with increases in corticostriatal BDNF, with assessments done at 10 weeks of age after daily MTD treatment since the fourth week of life. We found that LY379268 increased BDNF expression in layer 5 neurons in motor cortex, which project to striatum, partly rescued a preferential loss of enkephalinergic striatal neurons, and enhanced substance P (SP) expression by SP striatal projection neurons. The enhanced survival of enkephalinergic striatal neurons was correlated with the cortical BDNF increase, but the enhanced SP expression by SP striatal neurons was not. Thus, LY379268 may protect the two main striatal projection neuron types by different mechanisms, enkephalinergic neurons by the trophic benefit of BDNF, and SP neurons by a mechanism not involving BDNF. The SP neuron benefit may perhaps instead involve the anti-excitotoxic action of mGluR2/3 receptor agonists.
Spectral studies of novel lanthanide-containing polymers by near-infrared and FT-Raman spectroscopy

Abstract The near-infrared absorption and FT-Raman spectra, taken with a near-infrared Nd:YAG source, were measured for two novel lanthanide ionomer systems. These ionomers are lanthanide exchanged copolymers based on two types of acid copolymer. One is organic and includes ethylene copolymers with acrylic or methacrylic acid; the other is inorganic and consists of carboxylated polysiloxane copolymers. The FT-Raman spectra of these systems differ greatly. Those based on organic copolymers exhibit strong lanthanide absorption frequency-dependent fluorescence, while those based on carboxylated polysiloxane do not. This difference is discussed in terms of the extent of lanthanide ion association in the ionomers.
Evaluation of an After-Hours Call Center: Are Pediatric Patients Appropriately Referred to the Emergency Department?

BACKGROUND There is concern that after-hours nurse telephone triage systems are overwhelming the emergency department (ED) with nonemergent pediatric referrals. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to critically review a nonpediatric hospital-based call center with the aim of identifying the algorithms responsible for the majority of nonessential referrals. METHODS This is a retrospective observational study performed at a tertiary medical care facility over 1 year. Telephone triage forms of children and adolescents younger than 18 years, exclusively referred by triage nurses using the Barton Schmitt protocols, were reviewed, and their ED course was evaluated by consulting the electronic medical record. "Essential" referrals to the ED were classified as presentations warranting immediate evaluation or referrals requiring "essential interventions" such as serum laboratory tests, imaging, complex procedures, intravenous medications, subspecialty consultation, or admission. RESULTS A total of 220 patients were included in this study. Of these, 73 (33%) were classified as nonessential, whereas 147 (67%) were classified as essential. Nonessential patients were significantly younger compared with essential referrals (P < 0.05). They also had lower triage scores (P = 0.026) and shorter ED stays (P < 0.0001). The algorithms for "fever-3 months or older" (12.3%), "vomiting without diarrhea" (8.2%), "trauma-head" (8.2%), "headache" (6.8%), and "sore throat" (5.5%) were determined most likely to result in a nonessential referral. CONCLUSIONS Our study identifies that a third of unnecessary pediatric visits to the ED occurred as a result of the nurse triage telephone system in question. We recommend review of the algorithms stated to reduce strain on local ED resources.
A Trap for Handling Adult Anadromous Salmonids at Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River, Washington

Abstract During the winter of 1995 and spring of 1996, the trapping facility in the fish ladder at Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River was modified to create a system that permits processing large numbers of adult fish while minimizing stress caused by handling. This was accomplished primarily by incorporating a gravity-flow dewatering system into the trap. Adults passing up the fish ladder can be sampled randomly or with the use of diversion systems that sample for coded wire or passive integrated transponder tags. About 13% of the 1,060,059 adult Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. and steelhead O. mykiss that passed through the facility from 1996 through 2001 were diverted for various research collections and observations.
Life-threatening hyperkalemia from chewing tobacco in a hemodialysis patient

Abstract Hyperkalemia is potentially lethal, and possibly more so in patients with end-stage renal disease, because of underlying cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of chewing tobacco on serum potassium levels in an adult maintenance hemodialysis patient. The patient was asked to discontinue the use of chewing tobacco for 3 weeks. Serum potassium levels were drawn during this time period and compared with values before tobacco discontinuation. The potassium content of the tobacco was measured at 570 mg/oz. Serum potassium values decreased after elimination of the chewing tobacco and there were no hospitalizations for hyperkalemia compared with the four hospitalizations for hyperkalemia that occurred over a 6-month period before discontinuation. Chewing tobacco contains a significant amount of potassium. In this first report of the effect of chewing tobacco use on serum potassium levels in a patient with end-stage renal disease, improved potassium levels occurred once the tobacco was eliminated. The use of chewing tobacco should be used in a screen of unexplained hyperkalemia.
Balanced Contribution to the Intensification of a Tropical Cyclone Simulated in TCM4: Outer-Core Spinup Process*

Abstract The balanced contribution to the intensification of a tropical cyclone simulated in the three-dimensional, nonhydrostatic, full-physics tropical cyclone model version 4 (TCM4), in particular the spinup of the outer-core circulation, is investigated by solving the Sawyer–Eliassen equation and by computing terms in the azimuthal-mean tangential wind tendency equation. Results demonstrate that the azimuthal-mean secondary circulation (radial and vertical circulation) and the spinup of the midtropospheric outer-core circulation in the simulated tropical cyclone are well captured by balance dynamics. The midtropospheric inflow develops in response to diabatic heating in mid–upper-tropospheric stratiform (anvil) clouds outside the eyewall in active spiral rainbands and transports absolute angular momentum inward to spin up the outer-core circulation. Although the azimuthal-mean diabatic heating rate in the eyewall is the largest, its contribution to radial winds and thus the spinup of outer-core circul...
Impact of renal impairment on eligibility for adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

BACKGROUND. Perioperative cisplatin-based chemotherapy has shown benefit in patients with high-risk localized urothelial bladder cancer, but it is not widely used. Renal impairment may be a major factor limiting its use. The current study was designed to determine the proportion of patients ineligible to receive adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy based on inadequate renal function alone. METHODS. Patients who underwent radical cystectomy for urothelial cancer of the bladder with evidence of extravesical disease (≥pT3 or any N+) were identified. Patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were excluded. Serum creatinine immediately before and nadir serum creatinine after cystectomy were used to calculate creatinine clearance (CrCl) or glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using the Cockroft-Gault (CG), Jelliffe, and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study formulas. A cutoff of CrCl <60 mL/min or GFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was used to determine ineligibility for cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The proportion of patients ineligible by each formula was compared by univariate logistic regression. Univariate linear regression was performed to determine the effect of age on CrCl or GFR. RESULTS. Most patients were pT3 or greater; 39% were lymph node-positive. The overall proportion of patients ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy was 28% by the CG formula, 52% by Jelliffe, and 24% by MDRD. Concordance between formulas was low. With all formulas the probability of ineligibility increased with age: by the CG equation, >40% of patients age >70 years were ineligible. CONCLUSIONS. The widespread use of cisplatin-based perioperative chemotherapy in patients with high-risk localized bladder cancer may be significantly limited by the high prevalence of baseline renal insufficiency in this population. This finding is most striking in the elderly. Better selection of patients who may safely receive cisplatin and more effective regimens devoid of cisplatin are required to optimize outcomes in this group of patients. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Nursing management of postoperative pain: use of relaxation techniques with female cholecystectomy patients

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of two different relaxation techniques in the management of postoperative pain. The sample consisted of 40 women between the ages of 21 and 65 years who were undergoing elective cholecystectomy. Using an experimental design, participants were randomly assigned to four groups: an experimental group who received a taped recording of a rhythmic breathing exercise (RB); an experimental group who received a taped recording of Benson's Relaxation Technique (BRT); an attention-distraction control group (CA) who received a taped recording of a history of the hospital; and a standard control (CB) group who had only the routine perioperative care which all groups received. Data were collected on postoperative sensation and distress at five time points during the first 72 postoperative hours, number of doses of analgesic medication during the same time period, and number of postoperative hospital days. Data were analysed using multivariate and univariate analyses of variance. The BRT group was significantly different from the CA group on a combined sensation and distress factor (P = 0.011). No significant differences were found among groups for doses of analgesics (P = 0.068) or postoperative hospital days (P = 0.56).
The Drosophila Sp8 transcription factor Buttonhead prevents premature differentiation of intermediate neural progenitors

Whereas the majority of cells in the brain are unable to divide to produce new cells, neural stem cells can divide numerous times and have the potential to become many different types of brain cells. However, in between these two extremes there is another group of cells called neural progenitors. These cells can give rise to multiple types of neurons but, in contrast to stem cells, they can undergo only a limited number of divisions. Many of the molecular mechanisms by which stem cells give rise to progenitors are similar in mammals and in the fruit fly Drosophila. In the brains of fruit fly larvae, neural stem cells called neuroblasts give rise to ‘intermediate neural progenitors', each of which can divide between four and six times. Every division generates a replacement intermediate progenitor and a cell called a GMC, which divides one last time to produce two brain cells. Intermediate progenitors must be tightly regulated to ensure that they undergo an appropriate number of divisions: too few divisions will result in a shortage of cells, disrupting brain development, whereas too many divisions will result in the formation of tumors. Now, using Drosophila brains in the laboratory, Xie et al.—and, independently, Komori et al.—have shown that a protein called ‘Buttonhead’ is responsible for maintaining this balance. Xie et al. show that deletion of the gene for Buttonhead gene caused the progenitor cells to become GMCs before they had undergone the correct number of divisions. Further experiments revealed that Buttonhead prevents this problem by suppressing a protein called Prospero. The mammalian equivalent of Buttonhead—a protein called Sp8—can substitute for Buttonhead in Drosophila neural progenitors, suggesting that the observed mechanisms may also apply to mammals. Further work is required to test this possibility directly and to examine the involvement of Sp8 in brain development and tumor formation.
X-Ray crystallographic and EPR spectroscopic characterization of a pyrrolidine adduct of Y3N@C80.

Crystallographic data for the pyrrolidine adduct Y3N@C80C4H9N·2.5CS2 reveals a slightly pyramidalized Y3N unit with idealized mirror symmetry that straddles the site of addition but does not directly interact with the addend.
Ac-Globulin (Factor V): Preparation of a Practical Product

Abstract A procedure for the preparation of large quantities of very potent, high yield, partially pure bovine Ac-globulin concentrate, free of other clotting factors, is described. The isolation procedure involves a plasma recalcification step followed by ion exchange chromatography on a fully quaternized, amino ethyl cellulose. The resulting practical product is stable and represents virtually 100% yield with a purification of over 2000 times from bovine adsorbed plasma.
A digital filtration technique for scatter-glare correction based on thickness estimation

In order to quantitate anatomical and physiological parameters such as vessel dimensions and volumetric blood flow, it is necessary to make corrections for scatter and veiling glare, which are the major sources of nonlinearities in videodensitometric digital subtraction angiography (DSA). A convolution filtering technique has been investigated to estimate scatter-glare distribution in DSA images without the need to sample the scatter-glare intensity for each patient. This technique utilizes exposure parameters and image gray levels to assign equivalent Lucite thickness for every pixel in the image. The thickness information is then used to estimate scatter-glare intensity on a pixel-by-pixel basis. To test its ability to estimate scatter-glare intensity, the correction technique was applied to images of a Lucite step phantom, anthropomorphic chest phantom, head phantom, and animal models at different thicknesses, projections, and beam energies. The root-mean-square (rms) percentage error of these estimates was obtained by comparison with direct scatter-glare measurements made behind a lead strip. The average rms percentage errors in the scatter-glare estimate for the 25 phantom studies and the 17 animal studies were 6.44% and 7.96%, respectively. These results indicate that the scatter-glare intensity can be estimated with adequate accuracy for a wide range of thicknesses, projections, and beam energies using exposure parameters and gray level information. >
Heavy traffic multiplexing behavior of highly-bursty heterogeneous sources and their admission control in high-speed networks

Highly bursty heterogeneous sources, their heavy traffic multiplexing behavior, and their admission control in high-speed networks are discussed. The mathematical model used consists of a discrete-time queue which is fed by the superposition of the nonidentical three-state ternary Markov sources, where each source is characterized by its utilization and the first two moments of its burst period. A simple characterization of the tail of the queue length distribution in the heavy traffic is obtained. This characterization provides a simple metric for call admission control in high-speed networks where the network resources are shared by different sources with highly different characteristics. The proposed metric for call admission control is ideal for real-time operation in a high-speed environment. >
Foreign Body Embedded in the Schneiderian Membrane

Introduction: Foreign bodies have been reported in the maxillary sinus. It has been suggested that asymptomatic foreign bodies do not require removal. The effect of such retained foreign bodies on sinus-elevation procedures is unknown.Case Presentation: This case report documents the management of an asymptomatic foreign body embedded in the Schneiderian membrane. The foreign body was left in situ while elevating the membrane for a sinus-augmentation procedure. A staged approach with delayed implant placement was used. Leaving the foreign body in situ did not seem to adversely affect the healing or clinical success of the augmentation procedure.Conclusions: From this short-term follow-up case, a retained foreign body in the maxillary sinus consistent with periapical endodontic filling material could be left in place in conjunction with maxillary sinus grafting based on a lack of symptoms. Long-term clinical success has yet to be confirmed.
Framing Latina/o Immigration, Education, and Activism

Although Latinas/os have a long history in the USA and represent a growing percentage of the population, they remain largely invisible or stereotyped in dominant images and discourses. Such representations are often ahistorical, and they camouflage the effects of US power and inequality. However, the spring 2006 immigrant rights demonstrations disturbed dominant conceptions. The demonstrators called attention to the contradictory US practices that disrupt home countries, recruit labor migrants, and deny immigrants full participation. Likewise, the role of students in these demonstrations spurred reflections on why youth would walk out of their schools for immigrant rights. Inspired by these demonstrations, we combine materials from multiple disciplines to emphasize the significance of US imperialism, exploitation, and exclusion on Latina/o migration, education, and activism. Key to this article is a reframing of how the media, K-12 curriculum, and popular discourse often engage in a cultural cover-up that sustains inequality.
Huygens' 'Traite de la Lumiere' and Newton's 'Opticks': Pursuing and Eschewing Hypotheses

Writing in December 1688 to his brother Constantyn, who had only recently arrived in England with the court of William III, Christiaan Huygens expressed a wish to be in England, ‘ only to make the acquaintance of Mr. Newton whom I exceedingly admire for the beautiful inventions that I found in the work [the Principia ] that he sent m e’ (1). Less than six months later, on 12 June 1689,.the two met in London for the first time at a meeting of the Royal Society which has by now passed into legend. ‘Mr Hugens of Zulichen’, according to the Society’s Journal Book, ‘being present gave an account that he himself was now about publishing a Treatise concerning the Cause of Gravity, and another about Refractions giving amongst other things the reasons of the double refracting Island Chrystall’. While ‘Mr Newton considering a piece of the Island Chrystall did observe ’ and describe the two sorts of refraction (2). It is a commonplace to observe the irony of Huygens lecturing Newton on gravity and Newton lecturing Huygens on double refraction. Ironies do abound in the relation of the two titans, but we should take the event for what it was: the two had chosen to challenge each other directly and defend each his own way of doing science. To be sure, they had much in common, a genuine mutual esteem; a firm grounding in Cartesian natural philosophy that they both outgrew, though in different ways; and the aim of creating a mathematical physics based on experiment and observation. Yet where Huygens remained faithful to Descartes’ requirement that all physical explanations be in terms of contact action between particles of matter, Newton transcended the confines of the mechanical philosophy and introduced attractive and repulsive forces;
The Agreeableness Asymmetry in First Impressions: Perceivers' Impulse to (Mis)judge Agreeableness and How It Is Moderated by Power

Prior research shows that perceivers can judge some traits better than others in first impressions of targets. However, questions remain about which traits perceivers naturally do infer. Here, the authors develop an account of the “agreeableness asymmetry”: Although perceivers show little ability to accurately gauge target agreeableness in first impressions, they find that agreeableness is generally the most commonly inferred disposition among the Big Five dimensions of personality (agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, and emotional stability). Using open-ended impressions based on photographs, videos, and face-to-face encounters, three studies show agreeableness as the most prevalently judged of the Big Five, although it is also poorly judged in both absolute and relative terms. The authors use interpersonal power to reveal an underlying mechanism. Manipulating the power of perceivers relative to targets substantially shifts impression content, suggesting that habitual interaction an...
Creating Speech and Language Data With Amazon's Mechanical Turk

In this paper we give an introduction to using Amazon's Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform for the purpose of collecting data for human language technologies. We survey the papers published in the NAACL-2010 Workshop. 24 researchers participated in the workshop's shared task to create data for speech and language applications with $100.
Accelerated Adoption of Advanced Health Information Technology in Beacon Community Health Centers

Background: To complement national and state-level HITECH Act programs, 17 Beacon communities were funded to fuel community-wide use of health information technology to improve quality. Health centers in Beacon communities received supplemental funding. Methods: This article explores the association between participation in the Beacon program and the adoption of electronic health records. Using the 2010–2012 Uniform Data System, trends in health information technology adoption among health centers located within and outside of Beacon communities were explored using differences in mean t tests and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Electronic health record adoption was widespread and rapidly growing in all health centers, especially quality improvement functionalities: structured data capture, order and results management, and clinical decision support. Adoption lagged for functionalities supporting patient engagement, performance measurement, care coordination, and public health. The use of advanced functionalities such as care coordination grew faster in Beacon health centers, and Beacon health centers had 1.7 times higher odds of adopting health records with basic safety and quality functionalities in 2010–2012. Discussion: Three factors likely underlie these findings: technical assistance, community-wide activation supporting health information exchange, and the layering of financial incentives. Additional technical assistance and community-wide activation is needed to support the use of functionalities that are currently lagging.
The syntheses and biological activities of o-aminophenylalanine and related compounds.

Abstract o -Nitrophenylalanine was prepared by the acid hydrolysis of the condensation product resulting from the interaction of o -nitrobenzyl chloride with ethyl acetamidomalonate in the presence of sodium ethylate and subsequently hydrogenated to yield o -aminophenylalanine. Catalytic hydrogenation of ethyl 2-acetamido-2-( o -nitrobenzyl)malonate, followed by acid hydrolysis, yielded 3-aminohydrocarbostyril instead of o -aminophenylalanine. The latter compound in acidic medium readily cyclizes to form 3-aminohydrocarbostyril. Growth inhibition of Escherichia coli 9723 by o -aminophenylalanine is reversed in a competitive manner by phenylalanine over a 100-fold range of increasing concentrations with an inhibition index of 300–1000, whereas the toxicity of 3-aminohydrocarbostyril is not reversed by phenylalanine in a competitive manner.
Primal sketch: Integrating structure and texture

This article proposes a generative image model, which is called ''primal sketch,'' following Marr's insight and terminology. This model combines two prominent classes of generative models, namely, sparse coding model and Markov random field model, for representing geometric structures and stochastic textures, respectively. Specifically, the image lattice is divided into structure domain and texture domain. The sparse coding model is used to represent image intensities on the structure domain, where edge and ridge segments are modeled by image coding functions with explicit geometric and photometric parameters. The edge and ridge segments form a sketch graph whose nodes are corners and junctions. The sketch graph is governed by a simple spatial prior model. The Markov random field model is used to summarize image intensities on the texture domain, where the texture patterns are characterized by feature statistics in the form of marginal histograms of responses from a set of linear filters. The Markov random fields in-paint the texture domain while interpolating the structure domain seamlessly. A sketch pursuit algorithm is proposed for model fitting. A number of experiments on real images are shown to demonstrate the model and the algorithm.
Robot kinematics based model to predict compensatory motion of transradial prosthesis while performing bilateral tasks

In order to perform activities of daily living (ADL), a person with an amputation(s) must use a greater than normal range of movement from other anatomical body joints to compensate for the loss of movement caused by the amputation, this is called compensatory motion. By studying the compensatory motion of prosthetic users the mechanics of how they adapt to the loss of range of motion in a given limb for can be analyzed for select tasks. The purpose of this study is to create a robotic based kinematic model that can simulate the compensatory motion of a given task using given subject data. This paper reviews the use of the model to simulate compensatory motion of a transradial amputee performing two bilateral tasks: turning a steering wheel, and lifting a box. The simulation operates by changing a set of prosthetic configurations that are represented by parameters that consist of the joint degrees of freedom (DoF) provided by each prosthesis in the set. The task information is inputted into the model by defining a trajectory which the hand or prosthesis must follow to perform the task. The inclusion of the ability to model bilateral tasks is accomplished by giving control of the proximal joints to the prosthetic side. Analysis of tasks is completed by running the simulation with prosthetic and anatomical constraints attached to the left arm of the model, the right arm maintains an anatomical configuration. By running the model through this simulation the compensatory motions can be determined. Results obtained from the model can be used to select the best prosthesis for a given user, design prostheses that are more effective at selected tasks, further analyze previous studies, or to determine areas of interest for further human study.
Cold adaptation overrides developmental regulation of sarcolipin expression in mice skeletal muscle: SOS for muscle-based thermogenesis?

Neonatal mice have a greater thermogenic need than adult mice and may require additional means of heat production, other than the established mechanism of brown adipose tissue (BAT). We and others recently discovered a novel mediator of skeletal muscle-based thermogenesis called sarcolipin (SLN) that acts by uncoupling sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA). In addition, we have shown that SLN expression is downregulated during neonatal development in rats. In this study we probed two questions: (1) is SLN expression developmentally regulated in neonatal mice?; and (2) if so, will cold adaptation override this? Our data show that SLN expression is higher during early neonatal stages and is gradually downregulated in fast twitch skeletal muscles. Interestingly, we demonstrate that cold acclimation of neonatal mice can prevent downregulation of SLN expression. This observation suggests that SLN-mediated thermogenesis can be recruited to a greater extent during extreme physiological need, in addition to BAT.
Peer-Mediated Instruction: A Review of Potential Applications for Special Education.

The purpose of this article is to describe an alternative teaching approach in which students serve as instructional agents for their peers. This teaching approach, referred to commonly as peer‐mediated instruction, incorporates the same basic features of effective instruction that have been delineated in the empirical literature. However, in these programs children serve as mediators in the delivery of instructional content. We describe a few peer‐mediated instructional approaches that have been used effectively with students who encounter academic and behavioral difficulties and discuss some of the relative advantages and disadvantages in the use of these methods. In addition, we propose a variety of ways in which these approaches can be used in general and in special education classrooms and review many of the pragmatic concerns associated with their implementation.
Missing the forest for the trees in biomedical research: the example of noma.

Month after month passed after the outbreak of the epidemic, without the higher governmental authorities taking the least notice of its occurrence. Autumn had gone, winter was approaching and with it the spectres of hunger and cold—nothing was done. Finally, small sums of money were granted for direct distribution to the needy, but the red tape of the bureaucracy was such, even in this, that they requested detailed receipts on the distribution of the money which was supposed to be given out in the smallest of amounts, so as to be able to submit them to the general auditing chamber. Finally, the press began to broadcast, through Prussia and the whole of Germany, the inconceivable and incredible happenings in Upper Silesia. –Rudolf Virchow, “Report on the Typhus Epidemic in Upper Silesia” 1 Thus Rudolf Virchow describes the German government’s response to the epidemic of “typhus” in Upper Silesia in the 1840s. Virchow, the polymath pathologist (who is most famous for developing the cell theory of disease) was a political activist who fought on the barricades during the European revolutions of 1848. He argued that the essential cause of this epidemic that affected tens of thousands was the Prussian government’s inaction and cultural mandates imposed on a foreign, colonized people. As Howard Waitzkin notes, “Virchow argued that defects of society formed a necessary condition for the emergence of epidemics. According to this analysis, inadequate social conditions increased the population’s susceptibility to climate, infectious agents and other specific causal factors—none of which alone was sufficient to produce an epidemic. For the prevention and eradication of epidemics, social change was as important as medical intervention, if not more so.” 2 Ironically, despite being a founder of the modern cell theory of disease, Virchow criticized