cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Meisenheimer complexes bonded at carbon and at oxygen.

The carbon-bonded gas-phase Meisenheimer complex of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and the nitromethyl carbanion CH2NO2− (m/z 60) is generated for the first time by chemical ionization using nitromethane as the reagent gas. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the Meisenheimer complex furnishes deprotonated TNT, a result of the higher gas-phase acidity of TNT than nitromethane. The formation of Meisenheimer complexes with CH2NO2− in the gas phase is selective to highly electron-deficient compounds such as dinitrobenzene and trinitrobenzene and does not occur with organic molecules with lower electron-affinity such as methanol, methylamine, propionaldehyde, acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform, toluene, m-methoxytoluene, and even nitrobenzene and p-fluoronitrobenzene. As such, the reaction allows selective detection of TNT in mixtures. Meisenheimer complexes between CH2NO2− and the three dinitrobenzene isomers display distinctive fragmentations. The oxygen-bonded σ-complex of TNT with the deprotonated hemiacetal anion CH3OCH2− (m/z 61), represents a different type of Meisenheimer complex. It displays characteristic fragmentation involving loss of HNO2 upon CID. The combination of a selective ion/molecule reaction (Meisenheimer complex formation) followed by a characteristic CID process provides a second novel and highly selective approach to the detection of TNT and closely related compounds in mixtures. The assay is readily implemented using neutral loss scans in a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Gas-phase reactions of denitrosylated TNT with benzaldehyde produce the corresponding dihydrofuran in an aldol condensation, a result that parallels the corresponding condensed-phase reaction.
Time-Multiplexed Beamforming for Noninvasive Microwave Hyperthermia Treatment

A noninvasive microwave beamforming strategy is proposed for selective localized heating of biological tissue. The proposed technique is based on time multiplexing of multiple beamformers. We investigate the effectiveness of the time-multiplexed beamforming in the context of brain hyperthermia treatment by using a high-fidelity numerical head phantom of an adult female from the Virtual Family (IT'IS Foundation) as our testbed. An operating frequency of 1 GHz is considered to balance the improved treatment resolution afforded by higher frequencies against the increased penetration through the brain afforded by lower frequencies. The exact head geometry and dielectric properties of biological tissues in the head are assumed to be available for the creation of patient-specific propagation models used in beamformer design. Electromagnetic and thermal simulations based on the finite-difference time-domain method are used to evaluate the hyperthermia performance of time-multiplexed beamforming and conventional beamforming strategies. The proposed time-multiplexing technique is shown to reduce the unintended heating of healthy tissue without affecting the treatment temperature or volume. The efficacy of the method is demonstrated for target locations in three different regions of the brain. This approach has the potential to improve microwave-induced localized heating for cancer treatment via hyperthermia or heat-activated chemotherapeutic drug release.
Current Procedural Terminology Coding: Do the Experts Agree?

During the past decade, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has revised the current procedural terminology (CP1) coding guidelines in an effort to clarify the work of physicians. In today's climate of health care regulation, the accuracy of how physicians use CPT coding to define their evaluation and management (ElM) services is receiving more attention. Because coding is tied to reimbursement, there is concern that financial incentives might lead to coding inaccuracies. Inaccuracies in coding, however, might also stem from the complexity of the revised coding systems rather than a financial motivation to overcode. Ultimately a physician's coding accuracy is judged by experts who audit physician charts and examine whether the coding level reflects the documented services provided. Despite the financial and legal implications of coding appropriately, there is little research examining the agreement among expert coding specialists in their interpretation of HCFA guidelines. Previous studies have focused on physicians' coding.14 In this pilot study, we sought to examine the level of agreement among expert coding specialists in their evaluations of the intensity of services provided during physician office visits using the Medicare CPT FJM coding guidelines.
Screening for linkage using a multipoint identity-by-descent method.

The multipoint identity-by-descent method (MIM) was used to analyze simulated data for quantitative traits from GAW9. A two-stage method of implementation was used. First, polymorphic markers spaced 6-12 cM apart were used to identify chromosomes of interest for each trait Q1-Q4; and second, for each of these chromosomes, markers spaced 2 cM apart were used to confirm the linkage detected and refine the region for the susceptibility loci. MIM performed well at both levels of mapping, correctly detecting major genes for trait Q3 on chromosome 2, trait Q2 on chromosome 1, and trait Q4 on chromosome 5. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Relativistic charge currents in oblique electric and magnetic fields

Runaway processes on neutron stars leading to the sudden release of large quantities of energy (up to of order 1040 erg) on time scales as short as a fraction of a second involve plasma heating and particle acceleration in superstrong magnetic fields H (of order 1012 G). These transient events are interesting from a theoretical standpoint because they require knowledge of particle transport properties in low-density plasmas (ee ≲ 1025 cm−3) threaded by both electric (E) and magnetic fields. The evaluation of matrix elements involving solutions to the Dirac equation for such a field configuration is often difficult and sometimes impossible, since no completely normalized wave function has yet been found. Here it is shown that, in the special case of E/H ≲ 10−4, a simplification of the overlap integrals permits an analytical integration that yields explicit expressions for the relativistic charge currents needed in the computation of the anisotropic conductivity tensor when E.H ≠ 0. The application of these results to the evaluation of the conductivity is briefly discussed. Among other things, this work is relevant to a theory of resistive magnetic tearing instabilities in a quantizing field.
Extracellular Matrix Proteins in Hemostasis and Thrombosis

The adhesion and aggregation of platelets during hemostasis and thrombosis represents one of the best-understood examples of cell-matrix adhesion. Platelets are exposed to a wide variety of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins once blood vessels are damaged and basement membranes and interstitial ECM are exposed. Platelet adhesion to these ECM proteins involves ECM receptors familiar in other contexts, such as integrins. The major platelet-specific integrin, αIIbβ3, is the best-understood ECM receptor and exhibits the most tightly regulated switch between inactive and active states. Once activated, αIIbβ3 binds many different ECM proteins, including fibrinogen, its major ligand. In addition to αIIbβ3, there are other integrins expressed at lower levels on platelets and responsible for adhesion to additional ECM proteins. There are also some important nonintegrin ECM receptors, GPIb-V-IX and GPVI, which are specific to platelets. These receptors play major roles in platelet adhesion and in the activation of the integrins and of other platelet responses, such as cytoskeletal organization and exocytosis of additional ECM ligands and autoactivators of the platelets.
Purpose in Life as a System That Creates and Sustains Health and Well-Being: An Integrative, Testable Theory

Purpose—a cognitive process that defines life goals and provides personal meaning—may help explain disparate empirical social science findings. Devoting effort and making progress toward life goals provides a significant, renewable source of engagement and meaning. Purpose offers a testable, causal system that synthesizes outcomes including life expectancy, satisfaction, and mental and physical health. These outcomes may be explained best by considering the motivation of the individual—a motivation that comes from having a purpose. We provide a detailed definition with specific hypotheses derived from a synthesis of relevant findings from social, behavioral, biological, and cognitive literatures. To illustrate the uniqueness of the purpose model, we compared purpose with competing contemporary models that offer similar predictions. Addressing the structural features unique to purpose opens opportunities to build upon existing causal models of “how and why” health and well-being develop and change over time. What do volunteer services, social support, pet care, and religious attendance have in common? Recent studies indicate that people participating in these activities live longer than those who do not. Volunteers had a 60% lower mortality rate compared with nonvolunteers (Oman, Thoresen, & McMahon, 1999). Providers of social support had a 50% lower mortality rate than those who neither received nor provided social support (S. Brown, Nesse, Vinokur, & Smith, 2003). Hypertensive people who owned pets had lower blood pressure and lived longer, as compared with non–pet owners (Allen, Shykoff, & Izzo, 2001). Finally, frequent religious service attendees had longer lifespans compared with nonattendees or infrequent attendees (Strawbridge, Cohen, Shema, & Kaplan, 1997). What these findings have in common appears to be longevity; however, purpose may link these behaviors. We hypothesize that purpose leads to longer life span, fewer health care problems, and greater life satisfaction. Purpose, from our perspective, is not something merely to attain, but rather is an important predictive variable of physical health and mental health. Furthermore, our conceptualization of purpose does not rule out other routes to healthy living. However, when present, purpose is central to a person’s life narrative. Neglecting its presence can lead to erroneous conclusions about “how” and “why” people behave as they do.
Stress engineering for 32nm CMOS technology node

Various aspects of the influence of scaling on stress engineering for 32 nm node are reviewed. Numerical simulations of width effect of embedded SiGe (e-SiGe) induced stress and the physical mechanism of stress memorization technique (SMT) are presented in this paper. A novel SMT scheme to further improve performance of PMOSFET is reviewed and demonstrated using numerical simulations.
The Influence of Certain Ionoshperic Phenomena on Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) Propagation

A number of phenomena that may cause irregularities in extremely low frequency (ELF) ionospheric propagation are suggested. Geomagnetic anisotropy, path asymmetry due to different ionospheric characteristics on the darkened and sunlit hemispheres, effects of strong boundary discontinuities such as the twilight zone or northern latitude sporadic E , and the effects of geophysical trauma such as solar particle fluxes are considered. A primitive analysis of ELF propagation data illustrates that an association can be drawn between the effects of solar charged particle emissions and coincident ELF propagation irregularities. Paths that pass through the auroral zone appear to be most severely affected.
Masquerade detection augmented with error analysis

A masquerade attack, in which one user impersonates another, may be one of the most serious forms of computer abuse. Automatic discovery of masqueraders is sometimes undertaken by detecting significant departures from normal user behavior, as represented by a user profile formed from system audit data. A major obstacle for this type of research is the difficulty in obtaining such system audit data, largely due to privacy concerns. An immense contribution in this regard has been made by Schonlau et al., who have made available UNIX command-line data from 50+ users collected over a number of months. Most of the research in this area has made use of this dataset, so this paper takes as its point of departure the Schonlau et al. dataset and a recent series of experiments with this data framed by the same researchers . In extending that work with a new classification algorithm, a 56% improvement in masquerade detection was achieved at a corresponding false-alarm rate of 1.3%. In addition, encouraging results were obtained at a more realistic sequence length of 10 commands (as opposed to sequences of 100 commands used by Schonlau et al.). A detailed error analysis, based on an alternative configuration of the same data, reveals a serious flaw in this type of data which hinders masquerade detection and indicates some steps that need to be taken to improve future results. The error analysis also demonstrates the insights that can be gained by inspecting decision errors, instead of concentrating only on decision successes.
Interpersonal Congruency Theory Revisited: A Revision and Extension

While the basic premise of interpersonal congruency theory - that stability and change in persons' behaviour are a function of stability and change in their relations with others - remains tenable, a number of modifications to this approach to personality seem warranted. The theory suffered from an overemphasis on the effects of the views of others on the self and on the role of various congruency-producing processes in maintaining stability while neglecting their role in self-creation and change. Furthermore, the focus was on the individual's unilateral attempt to maintain congruency rather than on viewing the resulting relationship and the identities therein as unique products of both partners' attempts to create, maintain and at times change themselves and the character of their relationship. The revised theory rectifies those defects and places greater emphasis on self presentation and altercasting. Both of these processes are given expanded meaning and are viewed as occurring in the conduct of both p...
4-Methylpyrazole alters phenobarbitone hypnotic concentrations in rats.

— The liver alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor, 4-methylpyrazole, has been tested for its ability to change the hypnotic concentrations of phenobarbitone (phenobarbital) in rats. Following a single dose of 1 mmol kg−1 i.v., administered 60 min before phenobarbitone, 4-methylpyrazole shortened the onset time and reduced the dose of phenobarbitone required to produce loss of righting reflex. Consistent with this, phenobarbitone concentrations in serum (both total and free), brain and in cerebrospinal fluid at onset of hypnosis were about half in 4-methylpyrazole compared with saline-treated rats. These results suggest that acute 4-methylpyrazole pretreatment increases the central nervous system sensitivity to phenobarbitone and presumably other barbiturates; an effect apparently distinct from its inhibition of liver alcohol dehydrogenase.
The University Library as Learning Organization for Innovation: An Exploratory Study.

This study examines an innovating university library as a learning organization and explores the mechanisms by which organizational learning facilitates innovation. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are applied. Three levels of library activity—individual, departmental, and organizational—are studied. Three aspects of a learning organization model are considered: continuous learning, team learning, and shared vision. Internet use serves as the outcome variable, representing innovation. Through qualitative analysis, a series of vehicles for organizational learning is identified, and partial support for the model was established through quantitative analysis.
Mechanisms of signal loss in magnetic resonance imaging of stenoses

Some of the factors affecting the signal losses that occur in magnetic resonanceimages at a stenosis or other region of complex flow have been evaluated. The important determinants of dephasing within a volume element are the net gradient moments, which can be kept small even at long echo times. For compact gradient wave forms, the echo time by itself is unimportant and does not affect signal losses. Reducing the fraction of echo sampled is an alternate method to velocity compensation for reducing gradient moment dephasing that keeps higher moments small. The effects of reducing the fraction of echo sampled on the signal losses in flow distal to a stenosis have been measured experimentally. Another source of signal loss at a stenosis is the variation of the mean phase within a volume element that occurs for flow that varies from one phase encoded view to another. Changes in flow behavior between acquisitions lead to signal displacement in the image. These view to view changes have also been quantified.
European impact on fire regimes and vegetation dynamics at the steppe-forest ecotone of southern Patagonia

A macroscopic charcoal, pollen and peat macrofossil record from Rio Rubens Bog in southern Patagonia, covering the last c. 1200 years, provides detailed evidence concerning European impact on veg- etation and e re frequency. Based on 210Pb and 14C chronologies, we demonstrate that the e rst introduction of the weed Rumex acetosella occurred during early European contact in the sixteenth century or shortly thereafter. Thus, the e rst occurrence of this pollen type should not be used as a time marker for permanent European settlement in the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. Local e res did not occur for more than 900 cal. yr prior to European contact, and became frequent, with e re-return intervals on the order of 100 cal. yr, after c. ad 1600. Without an independent chronology, the onset of high e re activity would have been erroneously attributed to the initiation of European settlement in the late nineteenth century, based on the presence of Rumex acetosella . The coincidence between weed introduction and e res, in combination with wet climate, favours a change in human ignition frequency as the driving factor for frequent e res after c. ad 1600. We speculate that Europeans may have impacted e re frequency by indirectly ine uencing aboriginal hunting through the introduction of horses. Whereas changes in forest vegetation during early European contact were small, subsequent European settlement initiated a period of severe forest destruction through burning, logging and grazing. The most rapid and severe phase of deforestation has been associated with large-scale, export- orientated logging since the 1980s.
Comparative dose response using the intravenous versus enteral route of administration for potassium replenishment

Summary Objective To compare the change in potassium concentration (dose–response) using the intravenous versus enteral route for potassium replenishment. Research Methodology/Design Cross-sectional analysis of individual potassium chloride doses with resulting changes in plasma potassium concentrations in intensive care patients. Potassium chloride was administered according to potassium replenishment protocols. For inclusion, doses were required to have pre- and post-dose plasma potassium concentrations obtained within 8 hours of administration. Setting Medical and surgical intensive care units of a United States Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome was the dose–response slope for intravenous versus enteral potassium administration as estimated by linear regression analysis. Multivariable linear regression was employed to adjust for potential confounders. Results The sample had 278 potassium chloride doses administered to 142 patients. The potassium concentration change per 20 mmol of potassium chloride was similar for intravenous and enteral routes, 0.25 mmol/L (95% confidence interval 0.16–0.33) versus 0.27 mmol/L (0.15–0.39) respectively (p = 0.73). Multivariable linear regression did not alter results. The success of achieving a minimum potassium concentration defined by the specific protocol was similar for intravenous (61%) and enteral (59%) administration. Overall, 77% of potassium chloride doses were administered at a time when patients were eligible to receive an enteral dosage form. Conclusion The enteral route was as effective as the intravenous route in increasing the plasma potassium concentration. The enteral route was widely available for potassium replenishment. Despite enteral route availability and the well-known reliability of potassium chloride absorption, the majority of doses were administered intravenously.
Comparability Problems in Culture-Fair Cognition Tests

Rationale: Assessing cognition in populations is an indispensable component of a comprehensive health measurement effort. Valid performance measures of cognition should provide comparable results across individuals and socio-cultural groups. Although substantial progress has been made in recent years to develop and adapt culturally fair instruments for measuring cognitive function in diverse settings, prior research on a small number of cognitive tests raises doubts about the potential for measured tests to eliminate response incomparabilities across populations. Objective: The goal of this paper was to examine the comparability of a set of low-cost and ostensibly culture-fair cognitive performance tests that can be administered in a survey setting. Methodology: A multi-country survey study provided data on a set of three cognitive tasks including category fluency (animal naming), word recall, and shape cancellation. Variations in the average performance on the tasks across 13 developing countries was measured. Fixed-effects ordinary least squares regression models were run with the measured test scores as dependent variables and sex, years of schooling, age, and self-reported presence of depressive mood as explanatory variables. Standardized coefficients for sex and years of schooling were compared across countries. Results: Among the three cognitive tasks we found that the category fluency test produced the greatest cross-country variation, with the average number of animals named deviating by more than 30% from the pooled average in 5 of 13 countries. In contrast to the other two tasks, measured performance on the animal naming task varied significantly by sex after controlling for other individual characteristics in 10 of the 13 countries. Likewise, years of schooling was a significant predictor of variation in performance on the animal naming task after controlling for other covariates, but much less influential on performance in the other tasks. Based on the regression results, the independent effect of sex was more than 15 times greater than that for a single year of age in 9 of 13 countries for the animal naming task, whereas the sex effect was less than 5 times as high as the age effect in 10 of 13 countries for the shape cancellation task. The effect of years of schooling was up to 11.5 times higher than the effect of years of age for animal naming, whereas the ratio of the schooling effect to age effect had a maximum of 3.3 across countries for shape cancellation. Conclusion: A large sex difference in test performance, high variability across countries and highly variable impact of schooling on test results all suggest that an animal naming task, despite its popularity among clinicians and researchers, may not be appropriate for cross-cultural studies on cognition. This result challenges the view that measured performance tests provide the gold standard for comparable health assessments in various domains. Further research is needed to identify batteries of low-cost, culture-fair cognitive performance tests.
Electron Correlations in Coulomb Systems in 2 and 3 Dimensions

In this overview, the recent theoretical (and some experimental) works on a variety of physical properties that arise from correlations among electrons interacting via Coulomb interactions in three and two-dimensional systems will be discussed. The subject matter has a long 70 year history which we meander through in this brief presentation, even after exclusion of several important aspects of the problem. The astrophysical and nuclear physics aspects of these problems will not be discussed. The main focus will be concerning issues of condensed matter physics. Also not discussed in this presentation is the important works on the electron correlations based on the Slater-Hubbard model (with a relatively shorter 40-year history) which is central in the recent discussions of strongly coupled systems such as high temperature superconductors and magnetic materials. Excluded also from discussion here is the effects of disorder, which is a separate topic in itself. Included in this talk will be spin-polarization as well as finite temperature effects, in both bulk and semi-infinite situations, and electron-hole plasmas. Interesting physical situations of two-dimensionality occuring in Mosfets, semiconductor heterojunctions, and electrons on cylindrical surfaces as in carbon nanotubules, will be briefly touched upon as they possess rich consequences of correlations. The effects of quantizing magnetic fields and the relativistic situations will only be mentioned in passing. Theoretical techniques used fall basically into five categories in my classification: (1) wave function methods-variational and nonvariational, (2) phenomenological/intuitive methods subsumed by diagrammatic techniques, (a) collective excitation theory of Bohm-Pines leading to Boson formulation, (b) dielectric formulation of Singwi and coworkers, (c) Fermi liquid theory of Landau, culminating in diagrammatic perturbation theory of Gell-Mann and Brueckner which in various forms contains all these and had important off-shoots, (3) Quantum Monte Carlo methods, (4) the method of Green functions, and finally, (5) density-functional method of Kohn and coworkers.
The Mass Termination of Black Veteran Teachers in New Orleans: Cultural Politics, the Education Market, and Its Consequences

AbstractThis article chronicles the mass firing of veteran teachers in New Orleans, most of them African American, following Hurricane Katrina. The role of Teach for -America in providing inexperienced White teacher recruits from outside the community is critiqued. Countering the ahistorical discourse that blames Black veteran teachers for the shortcomings of New Orleans public schools, the author reveals what is lost if the culture of the community is replaced by the culture of the market.
30-day readmissions after sleeve gastrectomy versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Abstract Background Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is gaining popularity over laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) within the United States. Data on readmissions after bariatric procedures are mostly based on LRYGB, with limited evidence regarding etiology of readmissions after SG. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare 30-day readmission rate and etiology after SG and LRYGB. Setting American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) participating facilities Methods Patients undergoing elective laparoscopic SG and LRYGB in 2012 and 2013 were identified from the ACS-NSQIP Participant Use Data File. Demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, and 30-day readmissions were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis evaluated variables with P Results A total of 34,983 patients underwent bariatric surgery (46.0% SG, 54.0% LRYGB). Readmission was reported in 1773 (5.1%) patients. Readmission was more common after LRYGB compared with SG (6.1% versus 3.8%, P Conclusions Hospital readmissions are more common after LRYGB than SG. Reasons for readmission differ between procedures. Given the progressive increase in the proportion of bariatric patients undergoing SG, hospital programs that aim to decrease readmissions after bariatric surgery need to focus on prevention and control of postoperative nausea and dehydration.
The monotonic and fatigue behavior of CFCCs

Continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic-matrix composites are currently being considered for advanced aerospace and nuclear applications. Developing an understanding of the damage and toughening mechanisms in these materials under monotonic and cyclic loading is crucial before they can find actual structural applications. This article provides an overview of the progress made in the last two decades in understanding the mechanical behavior of these composites.
Quantitative Uncertainty Analysis for a Mechanistic Multistage Fatigue Model

A quantitative approach is pre sented to evaluate the uncertainty of a microstructurebased multistage fatigue (MSF) model for fatigue life predictions and fatigue damage estimations. The microstructurally-based MSF model manifests the varying mechanisms of fatigue damage incubation, microstructurally and physically small crack growth, and long crack growth. The MSF model also incorporates the effects of microstructur al features in fatigue damage progression: 1) the size and morphology of discontinuities, such as intermetallic particles and casting pores, 2) primary and secondary dendrites in cast alloys, and 3) grain size and texture in wrought alloys. The MSF model lays a foundation to evaluate the stochastic symbiosis of fatigue cracks with microstructural features that induce large scatter in the fatigue life. The quantitative uncertainty analysis demonstrates analytically the sensitivity of the MSF model parameters, random microstructural features to the fatigue life and uncertainty propagation of each parameter with respect to the fatigue life. The uncertainty magnification factor and uncertainty percentage contribution of each model parameter are quantified to provide understanding of each parameter’s contribution to the overall fatigue behavior. This paper demonstrates that a mechanistic multistage fatigue model, with multiple parameters related directly to microstructur al features , induces less uncertainty in the results. The MSF model is a true high fidelity model that possesses great potential in structural prognosis in various applications.
Water Saturation Calculation for Marine Facies Carbonate Reservoir in Northeast Sichuan

Calculation of gas saturation in marine facies carbonate reservoir is always difficult.The porosity and pore structure are primary control factors for the calculation.Integrated analysis of pore types in different reservoirs and establishment of suitable interpretation models are very necessary in accurately identifying gas reservoir and improving calculation precision of reservoir parameters.Based on petrophysical-electrical experiments combining regional geological features,as well as analyses of pore type and pore structure,diverse average cementation exponent m and average saturation exponent n,which are suited to different formation water salinities closing to the reservoir water salinities,are calculated;resistivities of formation water are determined by data of water finding and sealed core analysis.Established is the well logging interpretation model of formation water saturation suiting to the objective marine facies reservoir.Hereby,the precision of interpretation has been improved.
Investigation on critical thickness dependence of ALD TiN diffusion barrier in MOL

Titanium nitride (TiN), a refractory material is actively been used as a diffusion barrier in Middle-of-the-Line (MOL) contacts. In the typical MOL stack (titanium (Ti)/TiN/tungsten(W)), it acts as a fluorine (F) diffusion barrier and also as an adhesion layer to W. During W deposition, F from W precursor chemistry can react with Ti to form a highly resistive titanium fluoride (TiFx) compound. The formation of TiFx creates >200% volume expansion which can result in cracks on the TiN layer or W delamination. In order to be an effective diffusion barrier layer, TiN has to be dense which demands a critical thickness. In this work, we study the materials properties of ALD TiN as a function of thickness in the range 11–35 Â. We found a linear increase in resistivity of TiN on Ti with thickness. Columnar structured microstructure was observed for TiN films with thickness 30.4 and 34.7 Â. These films were also found to be slightly denser. TEM electron diffraction indicated that the 34.7 Â film is preferentially oriented along [111]. The roughness of the film increases with thickness. Three roughness zones with different crystallization modes have been identified which indicates thickness dependent crystallization. From our study, it is clear that in addition to density, the formation of preferential orientation of TiN might play a role for critical thickness requirement.
A Statistical Assessment of the Stochastic Modeling of Torsional Vibratory Loads in Internal Combustion Engines

A statistical assessment of the stochastic modeling of torsional vibratory loads in internal combustion engines is performed, based on (temperature) factory testbed data, for each cylinder of four 16-cyl Colt-Pielstick PC2V type engines at various speeds. Several statistical tests are carried out to examine the hypothesis that the random variables describing the cylinder-to-cylinder variability in marine diesel engine shafting systems are independent and identically (normally) distributed, as assumed in previous work of the authors and other researchers. It is concluded that these assumptions cannot be rejected. Finally, point estimators are derived for the coefficient of variation of the cylinder-to-cylinder variability, and their values are compared to the values proposed elsewhere, which are found to be rather high
Archaeology: Digital maps illuminate ancient trade routes.

How did the relationship between human societies and their surrounding terrain shape the formation of long-distance trade networks such as the Silk Road? Digital mapping and computer modelling offer insights. See Article p.193 The Silk Road refers to a network of ancient trade routes that have crossed central Asia since time immemorial. But how did it get started? Conventional models usually start by inferring the easiest paths between sites already known to be part of the network. This introduces a circular argument as it biases the results towards what is already known. Here Michael Frachetti and colleagues take a different approach to show that the network emerged from hundreds of years of interactions between pastoralists moving their livestock between higher and lower elevations in response to the seasons in this generally mountainous region. They suggest that the Silk Road network therefore materialized slowly from the long-established, local mobility patterns of nomadic herders. This finding may encourage archaeologists to seek more nuanced explanations for the evolution of ancient connectivity.
Ancient' mining near Great Zimbabwe

In proposing reasons for the geographical location of Great Zimbabwe, the paper re-examines the popular assumption that Zimbabwe is comparatively remote from the known areas of 'ancient' gold-mining. The lack of 'ancient' workings in the neighbourhood of Zimbabwe is pointed out, and it is suggested that the mining of placer deposits of gold may have played some part in the development of Zimbabwe on its particular site.
The Geek as Rake: Roving Masculinity in Contemporary Film

Focusing on the fusion of the geek figure and the rake—the libertine male—in select science fiction and comedy films by Generation X filmmakers, Wardell argues that this mixing rewrites both figures and speaks to the apparently fluid, yet relatively rigid, nature of contemporary masculinity. Using a theoretical approach drawn from gender and sexuality studies and genre studies, the chapter focuses on the comedy Superbad (Mottola, 2007), the comedy/science fiction hybrid Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Wright, 2010), and the science fiction films Star Trek (Abrams, 2009) and Star Trek: Into Darkness (Abrams, 2013) to explore the implications of this fusion, tracing key similarities between the geek and rake that make this fusion less unexpected than it would initially appear.
Development of the PHAST model: generating standard public health services data and evidence for decision-making.

Objective Standardized data regarding the distribution, quality, reach, and variation in public health services provided at the community level and in wide use across states and communities do not exist. This leaves a major gap in our nation's understanding of the value of prevention activities and, in particular, the contributions of our government public health agencies charged with assuring community health promotion and protection. Public health and community leaders, therefore, are eager for accessible and comparable data regarding preventive services that can inform policy decisions about where to invest resources. Methods We used literature review and a practice-based approach, employing an iterative process to identify factors that facilitate data provision among public health practitioners. Results This paper describes the model, systematically developed by our research team and with input from practice partners, that guides our process toward maximizing the uptake and integration of these standardized measures into state and local data collection systems. Discussion The model we developed, using a dissemination and implementation science framework, is intended to foster greater interest in and accountability for data collection around local health department services and to facilitate spatial exploration and statistical analysis of local health department service distribution, change, and performance. Conclusion Our model is the first of its kind to thoroughly develop a means to guide research and practice in realizing the National Academy of Medicine's recommendation for developing systems to measure and track state and local public health system contributions to population health.
Tumor Thrombus Arising from Osteosarcoma

Tumor thrombus is a rare finding in patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma. A patient presented to our hospital with left knee pain and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Several months later, because of acute left foot swelling, a unilateral lower extremity venous duplex exam was performed and the patient was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). After further surgeries and tests, the previously diagnosed DVT was realized to be tumor thrombus. Although tumor thrombus mimics DVT on ultrasound, it is important to note subtle differences that may assist in making the correct diagnosis.
Interdisciplinary Community-Based Oral Health Program for Women and Children at WIC.

Objectives To evaluate the women, infants, and children (WIC) Oral Health Program in a county in Florida. Methods The non-traditional interdisciplinary program of the current study was designed to reach at-risk populations with untreated dental diseases and limited access to care; it provides oral health education, dental screenings, preventive dental services, and referrals for women, children, and families at WIC offices. We evaluated the health status of patients enrolled in the program and the services provided. Results From 2013 to 2016, the program provided dental screenings for 576 children and 180 women. Caries prevalence for 3–5 year olds was 46.0%. Only 6.6% (12/114) of pregnant women were eligible for comprehensive dental care under Medicaid (< 21 years). Further, 71.2% (47/66) of all pregnant women had unmet dental care needs. Conclusions for Practice Our results suggested that many children and women had untreated dental diseases and need preventive services and dental care. Also, many pregnant women were not covered by Medicaid. This program demonstrates that collaboration with the WIC program can improve access to oral health services for underserved populations.
The Role of Expert and Decision Support Systems in Composites Design and Manufacturing

The production of reliable, cost-effective composite structures requires consideration of the intricate coupling between design and manufacturing early in the decision process. This requires that the design-production team have expertise in a variety of specialty areas such as materials, configuration, stress analysis, manufacturing processes etc. However, decision making for such complex materials systems is difficult since it often demands that the engineer make the correct choice from a large set of alternatives. Decision makers often do not have sufficient expertise in one or more of the disciplines needed for this. This paper describes a scheme whereby decisions concerning the materials transformation process can be aided through a deselection process resident on a decision support system (DSS), through the use of a hierarchical system that incorporates the major discriminators such as shape, material and form. The DSS can be linked to a set of analysis modules that permit the simulation of specific instances. The scheme emphasizes the use of simulation and intelligent deselection to arrive at the optimum design space for a process or structure.
The Magnetic Inverse Problem for NDE

A major motivation for the use of SQUID magnetometers for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is the need to increase the sensitivity or reliability of detection of particular types of flaws, such as hidden cracks or corrosion in the aluminum structure of aircraft. SQUID NDE holds promise over existing NDE techniques because of the combination of sensitivity, spatial resolution, accuracy, noise rejection and frequency response offered by SQUID magnetometers. However, in order to compete commercially with other NDE techniques, it is important that SQUID NDE provide quantitative images that are visually comparable to those provided by ultrasound, x-ray or thermal imaging. This chapter describes how maps of magnetic fields can be converted through a solution to the inverse problem into images of current or magnetic susceptibility. Inverse imaging approaches that have been examined for SQUID NDE include Fourier-transform spatial filtering, lead field analysis, alternating projections and blind deconvolution. More advanced tomographic techniques also are under development: the application of the current from two or more directions, with appropriate analysis algorithms, can provide maps of the conductivity distribution throughout the sample. Similarly, magnetic susceptibility tomography may allow three-dimensional magnetic imaging of diamagnetic and paramagnetic objects.
X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy

The new field of x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) offers an unprecedented opportunity to extend the range of length scales over which a material’s low frequency dynamics can be studied down to interatomic spacings. The ctitical decelopment which has now made XPCS a feasible technique is the high brightness of insertion devices at second and third generation synchrotron sources. In this talk, I will describe the principles of the XPCS technique and how it is practiced, as well as its potential use for a. variety of important problems in the low frequency dynamics of condensed matter systems, such as complex fluids, glasses, surfaces and metallic alloys. Illustrations will be drawn from our recent results on using XPCS to study the Brownian motion of a gold colloid as well as recent results of others.
Opportunities in precision psychiatry using PET neuroimaging in psychosis.

Abstract With the movement toward precision medicine in healthcare, recent studies of individuals with psychosis have begun to explore positron emission tomography (PET) as a tool to test for biochemical signatures that may distinguish subtypes of psychosis that guide subtype-specific therapeutic interventions. This review presents selected PET findings that exemplify early promise in using molecular imaging to predict treatment response, provide rationale for new therapeutic targets, and monitor target engagement in biomarker-defined subtypes of psychosis. PET data, among other data types, may prove useful in the scientific pursuit of identifying precision strategies to improve clinical outcomes for individuals with psychosis.
Development and Validation of the Achieving Effective & Safe Opioid Prescribing-Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (AESOP-APRN) Survey: A Pilot Study.

Abstract Background Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are essential partners in the management of pain, both in primary care and in pain specialty practices. One of the more controversial treatment practices surrounds the use of opioid analgesic medication for the relief of pain in persons with chronic pain. Although several guidelines have been developed, the extent and impact of APRN knowledge, attitudes, and values about pain management and opioid prescribing practices are not known. In addition, regulatory mandates may encumber APRN scope of pain management practice. Aims This manuscript describes the development and pilot testing of the Achieving Effective & Safe Opioid Prescribing–APRN (AESOP-APRN) Survey conceptualized to address these topics. Design Instrument development. Participants/Subjects Advanced practice registered nurses. Methods Phase I addressed development, content validity determination, and survey refinement. APRN-focused discussion groups, expert review, and analysis of content were conducted. In phase II, pilot testing was conducted to determine reliability. Results APRNs are aware of regulatory restrictions to practice and potential implications on patient outcomes. The Initial Content Validity Index suggested refinement of survey questions. After content revision, final ratings were acceptable. A sample of APRNs (N = 23) completed the survey. Cronbach's α range (.65-.91) suggests acceptable internal consistency for a new survey. Conclusions Even at this initial phase, the newly developed AESOP-APRN Survey accurately represents the underlying thematic concepts of interest; however further psychometric analyses are required, and instrument refinement is possible. Additional study should include analysis of members from a variety of health care disciplines, as was the intention of the development of the Core Competencies for Pain Management from which many items were derived.
Incorporating Process Safety into Heat Exchanger Network Synthesis and Operation

Abstract The development of heat exchanger networks (HEN) has fundamentally changed the way processes are designed. By allowing process plants the ability to recover waste energy, the profitability of a process can be greatly increased. While there exists considerable research on further improving HEN, little attention has been paid to analyzing the safety of a HEN. Failing to consider safety in the design of HEN may result in an increased risk to a facility. This work examines overpressure analysis and the potential for overpressure of heat exchanger networks. A safety metric for heat exchangers and HEN is used to assess the risk of overpressure resulting in failure of the equipment. An application of this metric and its relevance is shown by comparing two HEN designs. Areas throughout the lifecycle of an exchanger in which an exchanger can be modified to reduce the severity of overpressure is discussed. An optimization formulation is then developed which incorporates an overpressure safety metric for heat exchangers. The results obtained indicate a Pareto-like curve relating the safety of an exchanger with its cost.
Discussion: “Meadow Restoration Increases Baseflow and Groundwater Storage in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California” by Luke J.H. Hunt, Julie Fair, and Maxwell Odland

We discuss a recent paper which evaluated the hydrologic changes resulting from a pond-and-plug meadow restoration project in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. In the study, measurements of streamflow into and out of the meadow suggested late-summer baseflow increased as much as five-fold when compared with prerestoration conditions. However, the volume of streamflow attributed to the restored meadow (49,000–96,000 m3 over four months) would require that 2.5–4.8 m of saturated meadow soils drain during summer months. The groundwater data from this meadow record only 0.45 m of change over this timeframe, which is less than might be expected from plant use alone (0.75 m), suggesting this restored meadow may be acting as a water sink throughout summer rather than a source.