cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Micro Pulsed Plasma Thruster Technology Development

Miniaturized pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) are poised to fulfill a variety of propulsion tasks on the forthcoming generation of microsats. Indeed the fabrication and operation of micro-PPTs that use an ablating solid propellant have already been proven to be viable. This paper discusses the results of some experiments using 2-D ablative micro-PPTs. These tests were intended to illustrate the effects of thruster miniaturization upon fundamental performance characteristics. Issues that arise when pursuing reliable long-term operation of these devices are also discussed. In an effort to address and circumvent these issues, an alternative micro-PPT concept that uses a vaporizing liquid propellant is presented. The design, fabrication, and preliminary testing of a prototype based upon this concept are discussed.
Materialist, cultural and biological theories on why Yanomami make war

For decades, there have been three primary anthropological perspectives on why people make war: materialist, cultural, and biological. Each has a long history of application to the Yanomami. This paper considers these three alternatives. First, it summarizes the author's materialist models and what they are purported to explain. Second, it discusses more cultural explanations offered by several field researchers, concluding that some might be synthesized with a materialist perspective, while others seem irreconcilable. Finally, a range of hypotheses invoking evolved predispositions are considered and found to be directly contradicted by Yanomami ethnography, even if limited to the works of Napoleon Chagnon.
Violence in the Lives of Rural, Southern, and Poor White Women

Poor White single mothers and their children in non-urban communities in the American South experience high levels of domestic violence. We report selected findings from a life history study among White, low-income, unmarried mothers in South Carolina. Here, we examine how domestic violence in both childhood and adulthood may inhibit asset development by diminishing low-income single mothers' accumulation of human and social capital, thus compromising their well-being as adults and parents.
Association of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy With Survival for Head and Neck Melanoma Survival Analysis Using the SEER Database

RESULTS A total of 7266 patients with HNM meeting study criteria were identified from the SEER database. Matching of treatment cohorts was performed using propensity scores modeled on 10 covariates known to be associated with SLNB treatment or melanoma survival. Cohorts were stratified by tumor thickness (thin, >0.75-1.00 mm Breslow thickness; intermediate, >1.00-4.00 mm; and thick, >4.00 mm) and exactly matched within 5 age categories. In the intermediate-thickness cohort, 2808 patients with HNM were matched and balanced by propensity score for SLNB treatment; the 5-year DSS estimate for those treated by SLNB was 89% vs 88% for nodal observation (log-rank P = .30). The hazard ratio for melanoma-specific death was 0.87 for those undergoing SLNB (95% CI, 0.66-1.14; P = .31). In each of the other cohorts analyzed, including those with thin and thick melanomas, and cohorts with melanoma overall, no significant difference in DSS was demonstrated.
Genetic engineering to study testicular tumorigenesis

In humans, Sertoli cell tumors account for approximately 4% of all testicular tumors, and 20% of these are malignant. The mechanisms underlying Sertoli cell tumorigenesis remain largely unknown. Using gene knockout technology, we previously generated mutant mice lacking the a subunit of inhibin dimers. The inhibin α-null male mice develop testicular Sertoli cell tumors with 100% penetrance. These tumors develop as early as 4 weeks of age and cause a cachexia-like wasting syndrome. Castrated inhibin a knockout mice develop sex steroidogenic adrenal cortical tumors. These studies have identified inhibins as secreted tumor suppressors with specificity for the gonads and adrenal glands. It had been suggested that endocrine factors play roles in Sertoli cell tumorigenesis by altering cell cycle machinery of the Sertoli cells. To test the potential of these factors to function as modifiers of Sertoli cell tumorigenesis, we have employed a genetic intercross strategy, breeding inhibin a mutant mice with mutant mice deficient in endocrine signaling factors including gonadotropin releasing hormone (hypogonadal, hpg mice), follicle stimulating hormone, anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), activin receptor type II, or androgen receptor (testicular feminization, tfm mice), or mice overexpressing follistatin. We are also investigating the effects of loss of critical cell cycle regulators, such as cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p27, on Sertoli cell tumorigenesis in inhibin a knockout males. These studies clearly demonstrate the roles of these factors as modifiers of the Sertoli cell tumorigenesis. Activin signaling through activin receptor type II is responsible for the cachexia-like syndrome observed in the inhibin a knockout mice with tumors. The gonadotropin hormones are essential for testicular tumor development, but elevated FSH levels are not sufficient to cause Sertoli cell tumors. Absence of FSH, lack of androgen receptor, or overexpression of follistatin slows the tumor growth and minimizes the cachexia symptoms, thus prolonging the life span of these double mutant mice. In contrast, absence of AMH or p27 causes earlier onset and more aggressive development of testicular tumor, with an earlier death of double mutant mice. We are currently investigating roles of estrogen signaling pathways, and other cell cycle regulators, in tumor development in the inhibin a knockout mice by generating mice with double or triple mutations. Genetic engineering in mouse models provides a powerful tool to study the mechanisms of testicular tumorigenesis and define the important genetic modifiers in vivo.
Isolation and partial characterization of two distinct types of antithrombin III from rabbit

Heparin-Sepharose chromatography of rabbit plasma or serum yields two fractions of free antithrombin III (AT). The first of these elutes at a lower salt concentration, represents about 90% of the AT in plasma, and has an approximately 2000 dalton higher molecular weight by SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresis. An antibody to the lower affinity species reacts with the second form. The higher affinity AT is not formed from the lower affinity type during blood coagulation as demonstrated by approximately equal levels in plasma and serum, and lack of conversion of 125I-labelled lower affinity AT to the higher affinity form during blood coagulation. Heparin cofactor and progressive AT activities of the two forms are essentially identical when assayed by chromogenic substrates. The forms are separable by crossed immunoelectrophoresis.
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles activate the ATM-Chk2 DNA damage response in human dermal fibroblasts

The use of nanoparticles in consumer products increases their prevalence in the environment and the potential risk to human health. Although recent studies have shown in vivo and in vitro toxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nano-TiO2), a more detailed view of the underlying mechanisms of this response needs to be established. Here, the effects of nano-TiO2 on the DNA damage response and DNA replication dynamics were investigated in human dermal fibroblasts. Specifically, the relationship between nano-TiO2 and the DNA damage response pathways regulated by ATM/Chk2 and ATR/Chk1 was examined. The results show increased phosphorylation of H2AX, ATM, and Chk2 after exposure. In addition, nano-TiO2 inhibited the overall rate of DNA synthesis and frequency of replicon initiation events in DNA-combed fibres. Taken together, these results demonstrate that exposure to nano-TiO2 activates the ATM/Chk2 DNA damage response pathway.
NEW ADVANCES IN THE MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF ISCHEMIA/REPERFUSION: MAPK PATHWAYS

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is an important pathological condition frequently associated with the organ/cell transplantation response. The molecular mechanisms involved in the development and characterization of the I/R lesion are represented, in some way, by the changes occurring in the intracytoplasmic phosphorylated proteins (MAPK) which transmit the I/R signal downstream to the nucleus. The MAPKinases are at the center of these developments. As an example, one of the MAPK signaling pathways is represented by the activation of NF-kB. In this pathway, the MAPK phosphorilates the IkB fraction of the NF-kB complex, allowing this fraction to be degraded by ubiquitination and proteolytic degradation by the ubiquitin-proteome system. Free NF-kB is translocated into the nucleus, with its subsequent effect on the activation and transcription of DNA with production of RNA, which would then copy the template of certain inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL1-α, IL6), adhesion molecules (P-selectin, E-selectin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1) and chemokines (IL8) for future expression. At the same time, NF-kB can be activated by TNF-α and IL-1, which would then reach TNFR1, TRADD, TRAF2, MEK, JNK and c-Jun activation or return to the previous IkB route. MAPK pathways appear to be important in the regulation of the inflammatory response after I/R. p38, ERK and JNK are the best-known MAPK systems, and their modification has direct implications for the I/R syndrome. Inhibition of p38 MAPK has been demonstrated to have a beneficial effect after various types of ischemia. ERK inhibition might play a role in the increased production of TNF-α. The role of JNK is not as clear as the other two proteins. A better understanding of the MAPK regulatory mechanisms intervening in I/R would allow us to develop an improved and effective anti-inflammatory therapy for this pathological condition.
Electrocardiographic Abnormalities After Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Accessory Bypass Tracts in the Wolff -Parkinson-White Syndrome

Repolarization abnormalities on surface electrocardiograms have been described after loss of ventricular preexcitation in some patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Radiofrequency catheter ablation of overt accessory pathways provides a unique opportunity to study this phenomenon. In this study, serial electrocardiograms were obtained before and after radiofrequency ablation of manifest accessory pathways in 19 patients, of concealed accessory pathways in 6 and after radiofrequency atrioventricular nodal modification in 12. Seven patients undergoing manifest right-sided accessory pathway ablation had left superior frontal plane T-wave axis deviations after ablation (-42 +/- 13 degrees). No patient with a manifest left-sided or concealed accessory pathway, or atrioventricular nodal modification had T-wave abnormalities after ablation; however, left anterior fascicular block and incomplete right bundle branch block each occurred in 1 patient with left accessory pathway ablation. Repolarization abnormalities observed after ablation were similar to T-wave abnormalities during the absence of preexcitation before ablation and persisted up to 5 weeks after the procedure. Patients with repolarization abnormalities after ablation had significantly longer preexcited QRS durations than those without such changes, suggesting that the initial contribution of the pathway to ventricular activation is an important determinant of T-wave changes after ablation. The proposed mechanism for repolarization abnormalities after ablation is the phenomenon of T-wave "memory."
Ketogenic Diets and Pain

Ketogenic diets are well-established as a successful anticonvulsant therapy. Based on overlap between mechanisms postulated to underlie pain and inflammation, and mechanisms postulated to underlie therapeutic effects of ketogenic diets, recent studies have explored the ability for ketogenic diets to reduce pain. Here we review clinical and basic research thus far exploring the impact of a ketogenic diet on thermal pain, inflammation, and neuropathic pain.
Bendamustine: a new treatment option for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a slow-growing hematologic malignancy and the most common type of leukemia in the western world. The lifetime risk for developing CLL is 1 in 216 men and women. Unfortunately, CLL is considered incurable with the chemotherapeutic agents available today. Bendamustine is a new agent that was recently added to the available regimens for the treatment of CLL. It was also recently approved for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Its mechanism of action is unknown, but it contains an alkylating group similar to that of other bifunctional alkylating agents such as chlorambucil, and it also contains a benzimidazole central ring thought to exhibit antipurine-like properties. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved bendamustine based on results from an international phase III study of CLL in which bendamustine was compared with chlorambucil in treatment-naive patients. Ongoing clinical trials are assessing the utility of bendamustine in combination with other agents for the treatment of CLL, as well as for other malignancies.
Cr(VI) Reduction in Continuous-Flow Coculture Bioreactor

A continuous-flow coculture bioreactor with a phenol-degrading organism, Pseudomonas putida DMP-1, and a Cr(VI)-reducing species, Escherichia coli ATCC 33456, was developed for simultaneous removal...
Critical Role for the Cysteines Flanking the Internal Fusion Peptide of Avian Sarcoma/Leukosis Virus Envelope Glycoprotein

The transmembrane subunit (TM) of the envelope glycoprotein (Env) of the oncovirus avian sarcoma/leukosis virus (ASLV) contains an internal fusion peptide flanked by two cysteines (C9 and C45). These cysteines, as well as an analogous pair in the Ebola virus GP glycoprotein, are predicted to be joined by a disulfide bond. To examine the importance of these cysteines, we mutated C9 and C45 in the ASLV subtype A Env (EnvA), individually and together, to serine. All of the mutant EnvAs formed trimers that were composed of the proteolytically processed surface (SU) and TM subunits. All mutant EnvAs were incorporated into murine leukemia virus pseudotyped virions and bound receptor with wild-type affinity. Nonetheless, all mutant EnvAs were significantly impaired ( approximately 1,000-fold) in their ability to support infectivity. They were also significantly impaired in their ability to mediate cell-cell fusion. Our data are consistent with a model in which the internal fusion peptide of ASLV-A EnvA exists as a loop that is stabilized by a disulfide bond at its base and in which this stabilized loop serves an important function during virus-cell fusion. The fusion peptide of the Ebola virus GP glycoprotein may conform to a similar structure.
Interferon-inducible gene expression in HL-60 cells: effects of the state of differentiation.

The promyelocytic leukemia line HL-60 can be terminally differentiated in vitro to either monocyte/macrophages or granulocytes. We used this cell line to test whether the state of differentiation of a cell changes its response to interferon (IFN). The characteristics of expression of several IFN-alpha- and IFN-gamma-inducible genes in undifferentiated and differentiated HL-60 cells were examined. p67, an IFN-gamma-inducible protein, was induced similarly in three cell types, whereas another IFN-gamma-inducible protein, p56, was induced strongly only in undifferentiated cells. In contrast, two isozymes of 2,5(A)-synthetase were induced better in differentiated cells in response to either IFN. Several IFN-alpha-inducible mRNAs, e.g., 561, 6-16, 1-8, and 2A, were induced much more strongly in granulocytes than in macrophages or in undifferentiated cells. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using the IFN-stimulated response element of gene 561 and nuclear extracts of IFN-alpha-treated cells revealed the appearance of one complex and the disappearance of another one, concomitant with differentiation of the cells to granulocytes. These observations suggest that expression of IFN-inducible genes in HL-60 cells is regulated by trans-acting factors whose activity changes with the state of differentiation of the cells. Our study may have implications in the optimal clinical use of IFNs. Inducing cellular differentiation may augment the efficacy of IFNs as antitumor agents.
Laboratory seismic monitoring of supercritical CO2 flooding in sandstone cores using the Split Hopkinson Resonant Bar technique with concurrent x‐ray Computed Tomography imaging

ABSTRACT Accurate estimation of CO2 saturation in a saline aquifer is essential for the monitoring of supercritical CO2 injected for geological sequestration. Because of strong contrasts in density and elastic properties between brine and CO2 at reservoir conditions, seismic methods are among the most commonly employed techniques for this purpose. However the relationship between seismic (P‐wave) velocity and CO2 saturation is not unique because the velocity depends on both wave frequency and the CO2 distribution in rock. In the laboratory, we conducted measurements of seismic properties of sandstones during supercritical CO2 injection. Seismic responses of small sandstone cores were measured at frequencies near 1 kHz, using a modified resonant bar technique (Split Hopkinson Resonant Bar method). Concurrently, saturation and distribution of supercritical CO2 in the rock cores were determined via x‐ray CT scans. Changes in the determined velocities generally agreed with the Gassmann model. However, both the velocity and attenuation of the extension wave (Young's modulus or ‘bar’ wave) for the same CO2 saturation exhibited differences between the CO2 injection test and the subsequent brine re‐injection test, which was consistent with the differences in the CO2 distribution within the cores. Also, a comparison to ultrasonic velocity measurements on a bedded reservoir rock sample revealed that both compressional and shear velocities (and moduli) were strongly dispersive when the rock was saturated with brine. Further, large decreases in the velocities of saturated samples indicated strong sensitivity of the rock's frame stiffness to pore fluid.
A comparison of human and near-optimal task management behavior.

Objective: The primary contribution of this work is the development of an abstract framework to which a variety of multitasking scenarios can be mapped. The metaphor of a juggler spinning plates was introduced to represent an operator performing multiple concurrent tasks. Background: This allowed seeking a quantitative model for management of multiple continuous tasks instead of a model for completing multiple discrete tasks, which was considered in previous studies. Methods: The multitasking performance of 10 participants in five scenarios was measured in a low-fidelity simulator (named Tardast), which was developed based on the concept of the juggler metaphor. This performance was then compared with a normative model, which was a near-optimal solution to a mathematical programming problem found by tabu search heuristics. Results: Tabu outperformed the participants overall, although the best individual performance nearly equaled that of tabu. It was also observed that participants initially tended to manage numerous tasks poorly but that they gradually learned to handle fewer tasks and excel in them. Conclusion: This suggests that they initially overreacted to the penalization associated with poor performance in the software. Participants' strategic task management (e.g., what tasks to handle) was more significant in obtaining a good score than their tactical task management (e.g., how often to switch between two tasks). Application: Potential applications include better design of equipment, procedures, and training of operators of complex systems.
Origin of the 100,000‐year timescale in Antarctic temperatures and atmospheric CO2

[1] A new mechanism is proposed to explain the 100,000-year timescale for variations in Antarctic temperatures and atmospheric CO2 over the last 650,000 years. It starts with fluctuations in the oceanic overturning around Antarctica that release CO2 up to the atmosphere or trap it in the deep ocean. Every 50,000 years one of these fluctuations coincides with a changeover in the burial of CaCO3 in the deep ocean. The changeover alters the atmospheric pCO2 in a way that augments the tendency of the overturning. The augmented overturning then enhances the tendency of the CaCO3 burial, which augments the overturning, etc. In this way, an individual random fluctuation becomes one of the big transitions seen in the Antarctic ice cores. Alternating transitions toward the warm and cold states every 50,000 years produce the 100,000-year timescale. The 50,000-year time interval is set by the turnover time for CO3= ions in the ocean with respect to the CO2-induced weathering of silicate rocks and the burial of CaCO3 on the seafloor.
Papaya (Carica papaya, Brassicales: Caricaceae) is not a Host Plant of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (Tylcv; Family Geminiviridae, Genus Begomovirus)

Tomato is an important crop in Florida with a 2009 farm value of $520,000,000 (USDA-Agricul tural Statistics Service, 2010). Biotype B of the sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a principal pest of to mato both in Florida and in tropical/subtropical regions globally (Oliveira et al., 2001). This in vasive insect vectors many plant viruses, among of the most detrimental of which are a group of begomoviruses collectively referred to as toma to yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) (Moriones & Navas-Castillo 2000; Glick et al., 2009). Typical symptoms of tomato infected with TYLCV include chlorosis and leaf curling. A banker plant system has been developed for management of B. tabaci in greenhouses and is presently under evaluation (Xiao et al. 2011). The banker plant system relies on papaya (Carica pa paya L.) and its host-specific whitefly, Trialeurodes variabilis Quaintance to support populations of Encarsia sophia (Girault & Dodd) parasitoid wasps. The parasitoids, in turn, search greenhouse crops such as poinsettia and tomato where they control B. tabaci. However, papaya is a document ed host of B. tabaci (Costa et al. 1993; Anderson et al. 2005), so it is crucial to establish that papaya is not also a host plant for TYLCV. If papaya harbors TYLCV, this could be perceived as an unacceptable risk, impeding adoption by tomato growers of the papaya banker plant strategy. TYLCV infectivity of papaya plants was tested in 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm screened laboratory cages. Whitefiy adults used in the experiment originated from non-viruliferous and virulifer ous B. tabaci biotype B colonies maintained on tomato at the USDA-Horticultural Research
Locally optimum detection performance analysis for narrowband interference rejection in spread spectrum communications

Locally Optimum (LO) detection offers a means of reliable signal detection under high noise conditions. This technique is applied to remove first order autoregressive narrowband interference from a spread spectrum system. A new expression for output signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) is derived and compared with simulation results. A comparison of the LO detector performance and adaptive Wiener filtering based on the output SIR is presented to highlight the strengths of this technique. Further, it is shown that LOD technique is not overly sensitive to model parameter estimation error.
Gradient‐enhanced proton–fluorine NOE experiments

Uses of pulsed field gradients in the detection of 1H{19F} nuclear Overhauser effects in biological systems were examined in experiments wherein gradients were used for coherence selection and recall, as well as simply for the removal of unwanted magnetization components. Strategies for selective detection of these NOEs when the fluorine resonance is broad are proposed. Detection of 1H{19F} nuclear Overhauser effects in a carbonic anhydrase-fluorinated inhibitor complex demonstrates the methods considered and shows the superiority of the “inverse” approach to detection of fluorine-proton 1H{19} NOEs in macro-molecular systems. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Primary Hyperparathyroidism in German Shepherd Dogs: A Disorder of Probable Genetic Origin

Primary hyperparathyroidism was diagnosed in two German shepherd pups from a litter of four females. Clinical signs were apparent by two weeks of age and included stunted growth, muscular weakness, and polydipsia/polyuria. Radiography revealed diffuse reduction in bone density. Both pups had marked hypercalcemia, hypophosphatemia, increased plasma immunoreactive parathyroid hormone concentrations and increased fractional clearance of inorganic phosphate in the urine. Intravenous infusion of one affected pup with calcium gluconate failed to suppress the plasma concentration of immunoreactive parathyroid hormone, suggesting autonomous secretion of parathyroid hormone. Necropsy of the other pup at eight weeks of age revealed diffuse hyperplasia of parathyroid chief cells, nodular hyperplasia of thyroid C-cells, skeletal alterations consistent with fibrous osteodystrophy, hypercalcemic nephropathy, and extensive mineralization of the lungs and gastric mucosa. The dam and sire were half sibs. One male pup from...
Better Burst Detection

A burst is a large number of events occurring within a certain time window. Many data stream applications require the detection of bursts across a variety of window sizes. For example, stock traders may be interested in bursts having to do with institutional purchases or sales that are spread out over minutes or hours. In this paper, we present a new algorithmic framework for elastic burst detection [1]: a family of data structures that generalizes the Shifted Binary Tree, and a heuristic search algorithm to find an efficient structure given the input. We study how different inputs affect the desired structures and the probability to trigger a detailed search. Experiments on both synthetic and real world data show a factor of up to 35 times improvement compared with the Shifted Binary Tree over a wide variety of inputs, depending on the inputs.
A data management system for ab-initio nuclear physics applications

Reproducible Research lies at the very core of the scientific method: an experiment is reproducible if it can be replicated by researchers independent from those that conducted it in the first place. Provenance is an emerging concept in computational sciences. In this work, provenance is introduced to another scientific domain - ab initio nuclear physics calculations. Through a data management system, the provenance information is consistently recorded for post-processing, validation, and education purposes. Due to the large volume of data generated in each large scale simulation, the proposed data management system needs to address the high performance computing needs as compared with a traditional database management system.
Commentary on the Precocity Project

First I should like to underscore a point made by Stanley in his paper. The social value of any efforts to identify and cultivate outstanding talent should need no justification. Yet in the present humanitarian surge of interest in the mentally retarded, the brain-damaged, and the physically disabled, we may lose sight of society's continuing need for the talented. Remember that it is discoveries by talented researchers in biochemistry, neurology, psychology, and other sciences that underlie current improvements in the condition and functioning level of the handicapped. Good intentions without the requisite knowledge base are not enough. Society needs the maximum cultivation and utilization of human talent—wherever found and in all fields of human endeavor—in order to improve the quality of life for all of us.
Statistical Mechanics of Choice

We derive an equilibrium distribution for a population of decision makers, such as consumers or voters, in which each member makes choices not known with certainty. It is shown that, when the shares held by available choice alternatives are known, the MaxEnt distribution of the ensemble belongs to the product- form family.
Customized perfusion circuit for the tiny ascending aorta

Cannulating a pediatric patient with an interrupted aortic arch presents many challenges. Two cannulas are necessary to allow for proper blood flow to the head and to the extremities. This case was made more difficult by the weight of the child and the small size of the ascending aorta. The available pediatric cannulas were too large. The perfusionist adapted two 14-gauge intravenous (i.v.) catheters as arterial cannulas which were incorporated into the 1/4-inch arterial line.The 14-gauge i.v. catheters worked successfully. While on cardiopulmonary bypass, the patient was both metabolically and hemodynamically stable. The patient survived the procedure and was eventually discharged from hospital.
Silicon Field Emitter Arrays Integrated with MOSFET Devices

We report a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) controlled field emission array (FEA) device. The device uses a lateral double diffused MOSFET (LD-MOSFET) to control electron supply to the surface. The FEAs were fabricated using isotropic etch of silicon, oxidation sharpening and chemical mechanical polishing. The LD-MOSFETs have a threshold voltage of 0.48V while the FEAs have a turn-on voltage of 28V. Analysis using the FN formulation indicates that a silicon tip radius of 11 nm would fit the FEA IV data. The tip radius from the electrical data is very close to the average tip radius of 10 nm obtained from transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis. The IV characterization of the MOSFET/FEA demonstrated control of electron emission by the MOSFET gate voltage.
Micromanipulation of red blood cells using a microfabricated optical fiber into optical Tweezers

We demonstrate the micromanipulation of RBC’s into a tapered fiber-optic trap for the transport into and out of the optical tweezers trap in an orthogonal geometry.We are pursuing high-throughput transport analysis of the RBC's using this system.
Pranked by Audubon: Constantine S. Rafinesque's description of John James Audubon's imaginary Kentucky mammals

The North American naturalist Constantine S. Rafinesque spent much of the year 1818 engaged in a solo journey down the Ohio River Valley to explore parts of what was then the western United States. Along the way, he visited a number of fellow naturalists, and he spent more than a week at the Henderson, Kentucky, home of artist and ornithologist John James Audubon. During the succeeding two years, Rafinesque published descriptions of new species that resulted from his expedition, including eleven species of fishes that eventually proved to have been invented by Audubon as a prank on the credulous naturalist. Less well known are a number of “wild rats” described by Rafinesque that include one recognized species (Musculus leucopus) and ten other, imaginary “species” fabricated by Audubon (Gerbillus leonurus, G. megalops, Spalax trivittata, Cricetus fasciatus, Sorex cerulescens, S. melanotis, Musculus nigricans, Lemmus albovittatus, L. talpoides, Sciurus ruber). Rafinesque's unpublished sketches of these anim...
New words to promote communication and collaboration among the oral health care team.

Dear Dr. Alvares: Cliches abound about the power of words. Spoken words, the result of air passing over contracted laryngeal muscles producing sound waves, are far from harmless. How we interpret the words we hear or choose the words we speak or write is the result of our experiences, beliefs,
Feature issue introduction: plasmonics

Plasmonic materials and metamaterials allow light to be controlled with nanoscale precision, enabling development of on-chip lasers, modulators, and detectors; novel medical therapeutics; efficient molecular sensors; sub-diffraction-limited optical microscopies; and improved photovoltaic and photocatalytic cells, among other extraordinary applications. However, a key challenge faced by the field is materials. Current plasmonic devices predominately employ noble metals, which exhibit high optical loss and limited tunability. Additionally, they pose challenges in standard semiconductor fabrication and integration, preventing full CMOS compatibility and wide-spread utilization. The goal of this special issue is to highlight novel materials that could replace traditional plasmonic metals. These materials not only address application-specific challenges but also reveal new physics and enable new functional devices that can readily integrated with existing technologies. The 28 papers of this feature issue focus on emerging materials and fabrication technologies for plasmonics, and encompass recent advances in both passive and active components as well as linear and nonlinear plasmonic devices.
Oxygen-Derived Toxins Generated by Neutrophils and their Microbicidal Mechanisms

This review is designed as a short introduction to phagocytic cells (white blood cells) found in the peripheral circulation of mammals. Emphasis will be placed upon the oxidative chemistry and biochemistry of these cells, and will include a discussion of selected current problems in fields relating to these topics. A bibliography of recent general reviews and monographs is given for readers wishing a more encyclopedic coverage1–6 and pertinent topical reviews will be cited in the subsection headings.
Management Consultants at Work with Clients: Maintenance and Contestation of Elite Status

The modern form of management consulting first emerged in the United States in the 1930s and as such it constitutes one of the world’s newest professions (McKenna 2006). Ever since, the profession has enjoyed rapid and phenomenal growth in size and scope to become deeply embedded in all of the developed economies, and management consulting is considered to be one of the fastest growing occupations in the world. Business historian Christopher McKenna (2006) shows how management consultants have come to exert an enormous influence on the modern world and their highly priced advisory services are widely and extensively used by all kinds of corporate, public, and third-sector organizations.
Putting a Ceiling on Sealing: Conservation and Cooperation in the International Arena, 1909–1911

The biosphere presents unique challenges to the world's diplomats. Trained to operate in the realm of military might and economic influence, these women and men are now faced with an array of environmental issues which defy traditional diplomatic solutions. Natural resources, flora and fauna, and pollution rarely conform themselves to national boundaries; thus, environmental issues take on an international context. In many of these cases, the old methods of unilateral action and conflict will lead to more environmental damage. A new system, which stresses cooperation, must arise in order to solve international environmental issues. Fortunately, history provides an example of successful cooperation in handling a complex international environmental issue. As early as 1911, in the heart of the Great Power era, four nations came together to resolve a dispute over the North Pacific fur seal. Forsaking threats to wipe out the seals, the negotiators adopted the American conservationist doctrine of efficient exploitation of natural resources, which required cooperation, not conflict.' The fur seal issue was particularly complex. The seals wandered among several islands and across the North Pacific, crossing through international waters and several nations' territory. Hunters from
A new approach to the stabilization and convergence acceleration in coupled Monte Carlo–CFD calculations: The Newton method via Monte Carlo perturbation theory

Abstract This paper proposes the adoption of Monte Carlo perturbation theory to approximate the Jacobian matrix of coupled neutronics/thermal-hydraulics problems. The projected Jacobian is obtained from the eigenvalue decomposition of the fission matrix, and it is adopted to solve the coupled problem via the Newton method. This avoids numerical differentiations commonly adopted in Jacobian-free Newton–Krylov methods that tend to become expensive and inaccurate in the presence of Monte Carlo statistical errors in the residual. The proposed approach is presented and preliminarily demonstrated for a simple two-dimensional pressurized water reactor case study.
The Prevalence and Impact of Neurological Disease in Cancer

Advancements in treatment have improved life expectancy for many patients with cancer; as a consequence, cancer patients are acquiring more neurologic symptoms over the course of their disease. Neurologic complications of cancer are common and frequently treatable when the problem is diagnosed both correctly and expeditiously. Neurooncology developed into a subspecialty of neurology to address this need; it deals with the neurologic complications of primary central nervous system and systemic cancers, which manifest as neurologic deficits or pain, and occur as a direct complication of cancer itself, the indirect activity of cancer on the nervous system, or as a consequence of treatment toxicity.
SlimDB: a space-efficient key-value storage engine for semi-sorted data

Modern key-value stores often use write-optimized indexes and compact in-memory indexes to speed up read and write performance. One popular write-optimized index is the Log-structured merge-tree (LSM-tree) which provides indexed access to write-intensive data. It has been increasingly used as a storage backbone for many services, including file system metadata management, graph processing engines, and machine learning feature storage engines. Existing LSM-tree implementations often exhibit high write amplifications caused by compaction, and lack optimizations to maximize read performance on solid-state disks. The goal of this paper is to explore techniques that leverage common workload characteristics shared by many systems using key-value stores to reduce the read/write amplification overhead typically associated with general-purpose LSM-tree implementations. Our experiments show that by applying these design techniques, our new implementation of a key-value store, SlimDB, can be two to three times faster, use less memory to cache metadata indices, and show lower tail latency in read operations compared to popular LSM-tree implementations such as LevelDB and RocksDB.
Comparison of TAGteach and Video Modeling to Teach Daily Living Skills to Adolescents with Autism

The development of independent behavior, specifically for daily living skills, proves critical as individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) pass through the high school environment into adulthood. The present study examined the short-term effects of two instructional methods (i.e., TAGteach, video modeling) to improve accuracy on daily living tasks for adolescents with ASD. The experimenter implemented an adapted alternating treatments design to compare the effects of TAGteach and video modeling for teaching daily living skills (i.e., teeth brushing, face washing, applying deodorant). Participants included three 17-year-old male students diagnosed with ASD who made minimal progress acquiring these skills in the past. Results indicated that short-term instruction using both TAGteach and video modeling produced immediate improvements in performance on targeted tasks for all three students.
Exercise and the Tumor Microenvironment: Potential Therapeutic Implications

An imbalance in oxygen delivery to demand in solid tumors results in local areas of hypoxia leading to poor prognosis for the patient. We hypothesize that aerobic exercise increases tumor blood flow, recruits previously nonperfused tumor blood vessels, and thereby augments blood-tumor O2 transport and diminishes tumor hypoxia. When combined with conventional anticancer treatments, aerobic exercise can significantly improve the outcomes for several types of cancers.
Power Package Typical Assembly Process

Assembly manufacturing processes can be broken into front of line (FOL) and end of line (EOL) components, each having several process steps.
Introductory Speech for Kurt Hirschhorn

Webster’s dictionary is rich in definitions of the word “education.” Among them are two: First, the act of providing knowledge, skills, and competence, and, second, the act of rearing or bringing up. These two educational goals Dr. Hirschhorn fulfilled abundantly and with remarkable skill, organization, and energy.
Synthesis of Tin-Containing Polyimide Films

A series of tin-containing polyimide films derived from either 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride or pyromellitic dianhydride and 4,4′-oxydianiline have been synthesized and their electrical properties examined. Highest quality materials (i.e. homogeneous, smooth surface, flexible) with the best electrical properties were doped with either SnC12·2H2O or (n-Bu)2SnC12. In all cases, extensive reactivity of the tin dopant with water, air or polyamic acid during imidization is observed. Lowered electrical surface resistivities appear to be correlatable with the presence of surface tin oxide on the film surface.
A Modified Lateral Orbitotomy Approach to the Superior Orbital Fissure: A Video Case Report and Review of Anatomy.

Background The lateral orbitotomy approach (LOA) is often used for accessing the orbital contents and middle skull base; however, most prior descriptions of the LOA involve complete drilling of the lateral orbital wall. This practice requires retraction of the orbital contents and produces postoperative diplopia that the patient experiences for a limited time. Objective To describe a modified LOA with partial sparing of the lateral orbital wall for accessing lesions of the superior orbital fissure (SOF). Methods One patient with a progressively enlarging SOF lesion and visual loss underwent a modified LOA for resection. The orbital rim lateral to the SOF was removed as a bone flap, and the greater wing of the sphenoid inferior to the SOF was drilled to expose the lesion. The lateral orbital wall was thinned but was not completely removed. The orbital rim was resecured with miniplates and screws. Results Gross total resection of the SOF mass was achieved without unnecessary exposure or retraction of the orbital contents. Histopathologic analysis of the resected mass was consistent with a cavernous hemangioma. The patient had a good cosmetic outcome without complication. Conclusion Modified LOA with partial sparing of the lateral orbital wall is a feasible approach for lesions of the SOF.
Selective alkyl ether cleavage by cationic bis(phosphine)iridium complexes.

Catalysts capable of heterolytic silane activation have been successfully applied to the conversion of alkyl ethers to silyl ethers via C–O bond cleavage. The previously-reported cationic pincer-supported iridium complex for this transformation suffers from poor selectivity with regard to monodealkylation of substrate ethers. We demonstrate that a simple non-pincer iridium complex offers improved selectivity and is capable of benzylic ether cleavage in the presence of reductively-labile alkyl and aryl halide functionality. Preliminary mechanistic experiments suggest a neutral tetrahydridosilyliridium resting state which is consistent with previous mechanistic hypotheses. These experiments suggest that a pincer ligand framework is not required for activity in ether cleavage reactions and that simple cationic bis(phosphine)iridium complexes may offer improved selectivity profiles for applications to more-complex substrate molecules.
The roles of von Willebrand factor and factor VIII in arterial thrombosis: studies in canine von Willebrand disease and hemophilia A

We have studied the roles of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and factor VIII in arterial thrombosis in four canine phenotypes: normal (n = 6), hemophilia A (n = 11), von Willebrand disease (vWD) (n = 9), and hemophilia A/vWD (n = 1). vWF activity was determined by botrocetin-induced agglutination of fixed human platelets and vWF antigen (vWF:Ag) by Laurell electroimmunoassay and crossed immunoelectrophoresis. Plasma from normal dogs and those with hemophilia A had vWF activity, vWF:Ag, and a full range of vWF:Ag multimers on gel electrophoresis equivalent to normal canine plasma pool. Platelet cytosol contents were isolated by freezing and thawing, triton X-100 solubilization, or sonication of washed platelets with and without protease inhibitors and inhibitors of platelet activation. Washed platelets were also stimulated with calcium ionophore and MgCl2. There was no measurable vWF activity or vWF:Ag in platelet lysates or releasates in any dog regardless of phenotype. All dogs were studied using a standard arterial stenosis and injury procedure to induce arterial thrombosis. Thromboses were detected by cyclic reductions in Doppler blood flow velocity. Vessels were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy. Thrombosis developed in the arteries of normal (9 of 10) and hemophilia A dogs (16 of 16) but in none of the vWD dogs (0 of 10). Infusion of canine vWF cryoprecipitate into vWD dogs markedly shortened bleeding time but did not support thrombosis as seen in dogs with vWF in the plasma and subendothelium. Thrombosis, then, fails to occur when vWF is absent from the plasma and subendothelial compartments or present only in the plasma compartment. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that vWF in the plasma and subendothelium supports thrombosis. Neither plasma FVIII nor platelet vWF is essential for thrombosis in this model.
Low-temperature melting properties of strongly magnetized solid helium-3

Various equilibrium thermal properties of strongly magnetized solid3He at melting are discussed in terms of the asymptotic, isotropic, nearest-neighbor pair-exchange interaction model at temperatures above 3 mK. Experimental verification of the predictions of the model to a limited degree of approximation suggests the possibility of using solid3He, at or near melting, for the production of fractional or small fractional millikelvin temperatures. This requires its adiabatic demagnetization from currently accessible several millikelvin initial temperatures and large magnetic field strengths to final field strengths above but close to its critical magnetic field strength where its paramagnetism still prevails.
Reducing Alert Fatigue for Comfort Care and Palliative Care Hospital Patients

Hospital nurses are inundated by numerous non-actionable and false telemetry alarms from bedside monitors, central nursing stations, and, in some cases, also from alarms escalated to hospital-provi...
Using a Recurrent Kernel Learning Machine for Small-Sample Image Classification

Many machine learning algorithms, like Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), have excelled in image processing tasks; however, they have many practical limitations. For one, these systems require large datasets that accurately represent the sample distribution in order to optimize performance. Secondly, they have difficulty transferring previously learned knowledge when evaluating data from slightly different sample distributions. To overcome these drawbacks, we propose a recurrent kernel-based approach for image processing using the Kernel Adaptive Autoregressive Moving Average algorithm (KAARMA). KAARMA minimizes the amount of training data required by using the Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space to build inference into the system. The recurrent nature of KAARMA additionally allows the system to better learn the spatial correlations in the images through one-shot or near one-shot learning. We demonstrate KAARMA’s superiority for small-sample image classification using the JAFFE Face Dataset and the UCI hand written digit dataset.