cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microlithography By Using Neutral Metastable Atoms and Self-Assembled Monolayers

Lithography can be performed with beams of neutral atoms in metastable excited states to pattern self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkanethiolates on gold. An estimated exposure of a SAM of dodecanethiolate (DDT) to 15 to 20 metastable argon atoms per DDT molecule damaged the SAM sufficiently to allow penetration of an aqueous solution of ferricyanide to the surface of the gold. This solution etched the gold and transformed the patterns in the SAMs into structures of gold; these structures had edge resolution of less than 100 nanometers. Regions of SAMs as large as 2 square centimeters were patterned by exposure to a beam of metastable argon atoms. These observations suggest that this system may be useful in new forms of micro- and nanolithography.
THE CRISIS OF 2008: LESSONS FOR AND FROM ECONOMICS

ABSTRACT The financial crisis is, in part, an embarrassment for economic theory. Economists tended to think that severe business cycles had been conquered; that free markets require no regulations to constrain self‐interest; and that large, established companies could be trusted to monitor their own behavior so as to preserve their reputational capital. These three beliefs have proved to be inaccurate. On the other hand, economists justifiably believe that as a process of creative destruction, capitalism requires institutions that allow for innovation and the reallocation of resources toward firms that have successfully innovated. This suggests that we should not condemn wholesale even the financial innovations that played a role in the crisis, which have been remarkably productive and will continue to be, given the right regulations. Nor should economists hesitate to say that political reactions to the crisis that hamper such innovation and reallocation may do far more harm than good.
Curriculum-based measurement procedures for writing meet minimal reliability and validity standards: More complex measures offer promise for secondary students1

Do curriculum-based measures of written expression meet minimal technical standards for reliability and validity? 1 Abstracted from: McMaster, K., & Espin, C. (2007). Technical features of curricul...
Microtubule patterns during meiosis in two higher plant species

A monoclonal antibody to higher plant tubulin was used to trace microtubule (MT) structures by immunofluorescence throughout mitosis and meiosis in two angiosperms,Lycopersicon esculentum andOrnithogalum virens. Root tip cells showed stage specific MT patterns typical of higher plant cells. These included parallel cortical interphase arrays oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the cell, preprophase band MTs in late interphase through prophase, barrelshaped spindles, and finally phragmoplasts. Pollen mother cell divisions exhibited randomly oriented cortical MT arrays in prophase I, pointed spindles during karyokinesis, and elongate phragmoplasts. A preprophase band was not observed in either meiotic division. MT initiation sites were seen as broad zones associated with the nuclear envelope.
Strontium-calcium concentration ratios in fish otoliths as environmental indicators

1. 1. External and internal examinations of otoliths in fishes for macrostructure and microstructure has demonstated yearly, daily and population rhythmic patterns. 2. 2. Chemical analyses (atomic absorption) of otolith carbonate from reared Fundulus heteroclitus for strontium-calcium concentration ratios demonstrated changes in chemistry related to temperature. 3. 3. Microprobe analyses made it feasible to interpret almost daily changes in temperature to provide the temperature history of an individual fish. 4. 4. A combination of microprobe analyses and daily increment analyses of otoliths can provide a life history profile for individual fish and can provide information on the environmental history of each fish. 5. 5. Such information is vital to our understanding of the processes underlying recruitment and growth rates, and would make it possible to link growth and mortality rates to environmental occurrences.
The influence of iris pigmentation on the miotic effect of thymoxamine.

We performed a randomly assigned, double-masked, placebo-controlled study in 78 patients with varied iris pigmentation to evaluate the influence of iris pigmentation on the ability of 0.1% thymoxamine to reverse mydriasis produced by 2.5% phenylephrine. Patients were chosen so that a 1.6:1 ratio of dark to light irides was obtained. Within one-half hour after medication, thymoxamine-treated nonbrown irides constricted significantly compared to their fellow placebo-treated irides (P
Gas transport in branched airways during high-frequency ventilation.

A theoretical model of high-frequency ventilation (HFV) is presented based on the physical convective exchange process that occurs due to the irreversibility of gas velocity profiles in oscillatory flow through the bronchial airways. Mass transport during the convective exchange process can be characterized by a convective exchange length,\(\bar L_E \), which depends only on the irreversibility of bronchial velocity profiles and can be measured by the experimental technique of photographic flow visualization in bronchial tree models. Using the exchange length and the molecular diffusivity, a simple model of overall bronchial mass transfer is developed. The model allows a prediction of the mean gas concentration profiles along the airways, the site of maximum mass transfer resistance, and overall flow rate of the gas of interest in or out of the lung as functions of the parameters of HFV. The results predicted by the model agree with the limited experimental data available for animals and humans. For normal unassisted ventilation, total bronchial cross-sectional area around the 15th Weibel bronchial generation is predicted to be the single most important parameter in controlling the total gas transport rate along the airways. For the breathing of room air, values of the respiratory quotient around 0.78 are predicted, which are insensitive to VT and f. The model represents a fruitful combination of fluid mechanical theory and experiment with physiologic data to yield new and deeper insight into the operation of the human respiratory system during HFV and normal breathing.
Applications of Mathematical Software Packages in Structural Engineering Education and Practice

The use of mathematical software packages provides a number of benefits to an engineering user. In general, the packages provide a platform that supports iterative design and parametric analysis through a flexible, transparent interface combined with extensive computing power. This enables an engineering user to develop design equations that are based on fundamental mechanics theories, rather than relying on the “black-box” approach of most commercial design packages. As an example, a closed-form solution for obtaining effective length factors for the design of stepped columns is presented. In the example a series of formula is used to demonstrate the transparency of Mathcad, including the ability of using real engineering units in the calculations, formulas as they may appear in textbooks or in codes, and ability to hide and password protect some areas. This facilitates easier automation of the design and design checking processes. Most commercial structural design packages can be classified as black-box...
The effect of heparin and bishydroxycoumarin (dicumarol) on cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis in cockerels.

Summary In cholesterol-oil fed cockerels, it has been demonstrated in these experiments that: (1) heparin and dicumarol are without significant effect on hypercholesterolemia and atherogenesis in the thoracic aorta and coronary arteries; (2) heparin (significantly) and dicumarol (slighly) counteract the estrogen protection of coronary atherosclerosis without influen ing the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio.
RNA polymerase I in hepatoma 3924A: Mechanism of enhanced activity relative to liver

Abstract Two major cyclic nucleotide-independent protein kinases, NI and NII, have been identified in Morris hepatoma 3924A and rat liver. When expressed per unit DNA, the activities of protein kinase NI and NII were 1.3 and 12 times greater, respectively, in the hepatoma than in liver. Protein kinase NII, but not NI, was capable of phosphorylating and activating the DNA-dependent RNA polymerases I and II. Phosphorylation of RNA polymerase I was accompanied by an increase in average size of the RNA synthesized in vitro, whereas, phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II was concomitant with an elevation in the number of RNA chains initiated. RNA polymerase I polypeptides of M r 120,000, 65,000 and 25,000 were phosphorylated by protein kinase NII; RNA polymerase II polypeptides of M r 214,000, 140,000 and 21,000 were modified by this kinase. In contrast to the purified hepatoma enzyme, RNA polymerase I activity in nuclear lysates was not affected by addition of protein kinase NII. In vitro phosphorylation of the tumor lysate followed by immunoprecipitation of RNA polymerase I polypeptides indicated little or no phosphate transfer to the 65,000 M r polypeptide of the enzyme. These data suggested that the tumor enzyme, particularly the 65,000 M r polypeptide, was highly phosphorylated in vivo , but becomes dephosphorylated during purification. Unlike the tumor enzyme, RNA polymerase I in the liver lysate responded to protein kinase addition; phosphorylation of the liver polymerase I polypeptides of M r 120,000, 65,000 and 25,000 was observed. These observations indicate that the liver enzyme is not completely phosphorylated (activated) in vivo and that the relatively rapid rate of ribosomal RNA synthesis in the rapidly growing hepatoma may result, at least in part, from a polymerase I which is maximally phosphorylated.
The phenomenon of conglomerate crystallization. XXXIII: Counter-ion effects on crystallization pathway of racemate solutions. IV: The crystal and molecular structure of racemic (H3O+)[Co(en)2ox]Cl2.H2O (I)

Abstract (H 3 O + )[Co(en) 2 ox]Cl 2 · H 2 O( I ), CoCl 2 O 6 N 4 C 6 H 21 , crystallizes as a racemate in the monoclinic space group P 2 1 /c (No. 14). Infinitely hydrogen-bond spiral strings of homochiral [Co(en) 2 ox] + cations are formed which are wrapped about the two-fold screw axis of the crystals. Adjacent spirals are held together by hydrogen bonds between the waters and chlorides and the—NH 2 hydrogens of the cations. Such an arrangement is also present in the conglomerate crystals of the [Co(en) 2 ox]Cl · 4H 2 O ( II ) and [Co(en) 2 ox] Br · H 2 O ( III ) derivatives; however, unlike II and III , which crystallize as conglomerates and all spiral strings are of the same helicity, in I adjacent spirals are of opposite helical chirality and related to one another by the inversion operation of the space group.
Learning by Doing: Performance Assessment of Information Literacy across the First-Year Curriculum

In the 2011–2012 school year, the instruction librarians at Augustana College, Illinois, changed their assessment approach in the college's required first-year sequence to focus on higher-level information literacy concepts. The librarians replaced a quantitative assessment instrument with performance assessments, which they integrated into their first-year library sessions. Although the sequence is taught by many faculty with diverse assignments, these new assessments could be applied organically across sections yet provide generalizable results. This case study describes that assessment project and its initial findings, analyzes the project's implications, and suggests how other college libraries might adopt similar qualitative assessments.
Effectively Treating Common Infections in Residents of Long‐Term Care Facilities

Clinicians involved in caring for institutionalized elderly frequently must treat common infections endemic to the setting. Numerous factors specific to these patients make accurate diagnosis and management more difficult than in healthy ambulatory adults. Three infections are commonly encountered in residents of long-term care facilities: bacterial pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and skin and soft tissue infections. More antimicrobial agents are available now than ever before; therefore, judicious administration of drugs and familiarity with current treatment recommendations are imperative.
In Defense of Fiduciary Media – A Comment, or, What’s Wrong with 'Clown' or Play Money?

In an article published in the Review of Austrian Economics, George Selgin and Lawrence H. White (1996) defend their position that people should be free “to issue and use fiduciary media of exchange” against criticisms also published in the RAE by Hans-Herman Hoppe (1994), Jesus Huerta de Soto (1995), and Jorg Guido Hulsmann (1996). Selgin and White write off in short order, and rightly so, monetary systems consisting of fractional-reserve banking systems based either on governmental fiat money or, a la Hayek (1978), on fiat-type (i.e., irredeemable, non-commodity) monies. They distinguish fiduciary media bank notes and demand deposits redeemable for a commodity money (gold specie), on the one hand when they are backed less than 100 percent by reserves of gold specie, and on the other hand when they are backed by the full 100 percent. Thereafter Selgin and White commence their defense of monetary systems with fractional-reserve banking, provided they are based on gold specie money. They argue that such systems are both ethically and economically defensible.Regarding ethicality, against the charge of fraud, they argue that, provided that the bank does not deceive depositors as to the matter of reserves, voluntary deposit contracts involving fractional-reserve deposits are not fraudulent. The only real point of contention in the literature favoring this system appears to be whether or not depositors know full well that banks engage in fractional reserve banking and thus whether or not banks have a duty to notify them and their assignees, and, if they do have such a duty, the particulars thereof. There is, of course, nothing exceptional about this.With respect to the economics of the matter, they address several issues. We consider them in the following order: instability; resource costs savings; feasibility; and, mismatching of maturities. We conclude with a discussion of the possible conflation of time and demand deposits.
Opinion-based User Profile Modeling for Contextual Suggestions

The problem of contextual suggestion is defined as finding suggested places for a user based on the temporal and geographical context of the user as well as the user's preferences on example places. Existing studies models user preferences based on the descriptive information about the suggestions and might not generalize well. In this paper, we propose to model user profiles based on the opinions about the candidate suggestions. Instead of simply building a profile about "what a user likes or dislikes", we want to build the profile based on "why a user likes or dislikes" so that we can make a more accurate prediction on whether a user would like a new candidate suggestion. In particular, we propose to leverage the opinions from the comments posted by other users to estimate a user's profile. The basic assumption is that the reason why a user likes or dislikes a place is likely to be covered by the reviews posted by other users who share the similar opinions as the user. Experiments results over a TREC collection show that the proposed opinion-based user modeling can indeed outperform the existing description-based methods.
A POTENTIALLY TOXIC DRUG INTERACTION BETWEEN PETHIDINE (MEPERIDINE) AND PHENOBARBITONE

Abstract The concomitant administration of pethidine (meperidine) and phenobarbitone results in enhanced sedation in a patient previously tolerant of pethidine. A complete analysis of pethidine kinetics and metabolism was performed in this patient, in four additional patients undergoing similar treatment but not receiving phenobarbitone, and in a volunteer after placebo and phenobarbitone pretreatment. The results indicate that phenobarbitone enhances the production of the toxic metabolite norpethidine by increasing N-demethylation.
Mesenchymal stem cells produce Wnt isoforms and TGF-β1 that mediate proliferation and procollagen expression by lung fibroblasts

Studies have been carried out previously to determine whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) influence the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Here, we asked whether MSC (derived from mouse bone marrow and human umbilical cord blood) produce factors that mediate lung fibroblast (LF) growth and matrix production. MSC-conditioned media (CM) were found by ELISA to contain significant amounts of PDGF-AA and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Proliferation was increased in a concentration-dependent manner in LF cell lines and primary cells cultured in MSC-CM, but neither anti-PDGF antibodies nor PDGF receptor-specific antibodies affected proliferation, nor did a number of other antibodies to well-known mitogenic factors. However, proliferation was significantly inhibited by the Wnt signaling antagonist, secreted frizzled related protein-1 (sFRP-1). In addition, anti-Wnt1 and anti-Wnt2 antibodies attenuated MSC-CM-induced proliferation, and increased expression of Wnt7b was identified. As would be expected in cells activated by Wnt, nuclear β-catenin was increased. The amount of TGF-β1 in MSC-CM and its biological activity were revealed by activation at acidic pH. The stem cells synthesized and released TGF-β1 that increased α1-procollagen gene expression by LF target cells. Addition of anti-TGF-β to the MSC-CM blocked upregulation of collagen gene expression. These data demonstrate that MSC from mice and humans produce Wnt proteins and TGF-β1 that respectively stimulate LF proliferation and matrix production, two hallmarks of fibroproliferative lung disease. It will be essential to determine whether these factors can play a role in attempts to use MSC for therapeutic approaches.
Control of an interconnection of nonlinear dynamical systems

The problems encountered in a highway automation project are considered. The overall system consists of N+1 vehicles (the platoon); each vehicle is driven by the same input, and the state of the k-th vehicle affects the dynamics of the (k+1)-th vehicle; furthermore, the dynamics of each vehicle is affected by its (local) state-feedback controller. Under very general conditions, it is shown that, for sufficient slowly varying inputs, the local feedbacks can be designed so that the platoon maintains its cohesion. >
Love in the Time of Neo-Liberalism Gender, Work, and Power in a Costa Rican Marriage

Households around the world have shifted structurally from a breadwinner/homemaker model to dual-income earning arrangements. What this trend means for marital power has been a contested issue among scholars. Most studies suggest that household power is determined by a complex interplay between each spouse's economic contributions to the household and existing gender norms. Few scholars, however, have examined how this interplay is worked out under particular political-economic conditions. Responding to the dearth of research on the developing world in this area, the author examines a community in Costa Rica where neo-liberal economic restructuring has led to an increase in women's informal work and a decrease in men's income-earning power. Drawing from ethnographic and interview data on married life in Costa Rica, the author analyzes the effect that these trends have on marital power and the division of household labor. The author argues that changing economic circumstances may blur the traditional gende...
The Motorization and Decline of Urban Public Transit, 1935–1950

Were intracity motor buses economically inferior to electric streetcars and electric buses in the late 1930s and l940s? The contention that they were has recently served as the basis for allegations that the decline of urban public transit was attributable, in large part, to an organized campaign intent on eliminating viable public transit. Aggregate data from trade sources allows a comparative cost and profit analysis of motor buses, electric buses, and electric streetcars for the years 1935–1950. The analysis supports the contention that motor buses were inferior. Questions regarding the applicability of criticisms of market foreclosure theory are also considered.
Alkylnitrogen Compounds: Compounds with N Halogen, N O, N S, N Se, and N Te Functional Groups

This chapter presents a review of more than 300 publications published in the last decade. The emphasis here is on new or recent modifications of the known synthetic approaches to the title compounds. N-Fluoroalkylamines and N,N-difluoroalkylamines have received much attention as highly efficient regioselective fluorinating agents. N-Alkylhydroxylamines and N,N-dialkylhydroxylamines were synthesized predominantly applying either oxidative or reductive methods. For N,N-dialkylhydroxylamines nucleophilic addition to nitrones, addition of N-alkylhydroxylamines to alkenes, rearrangements and specific methods based on nitroxides and nitro compounds were also developed. For the N-alkoxy primary and secondary amines, radical addition to oxime ethers, radical addition–cyclization, addition of organometallic reagents to oxime ethers, rearrangements and intramolecular cycloaddition in oximes, and hydrolysis of oxaziridines have been studied. 1,3-Dipolar addition of nitrones to alkenes is a regio- and stereospecific synthetic method for N-alkoxy secondary amines. Silylation of nitroalkanes is the most interesting reaction leading to N-siloxyamines. Sulfenamides were synthesized by new versions of the conventional methods. The same is true for sulfinamides, though some original applications of the Grignard and alkyllithium reagents resulted in formation of very specific structures. N-sulfonylaziridines and the other ring-opening proved to be a highly efficient method for sulfonamides as well as reactions based on sulfonimines.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF METHODS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF DNA FROM LOW‐BIOMASS SAMPLES BASED ON TOTAL YIELD AND CONSERVED MICROBIAL DIVERSITY

Despite advances in the specificity and sensitivity of molecular biological technologies, the efficient recovery of DNA from low-biomass samples remains extremely challenging. Optimal methods to purify biomolecules from such environments should (1) achieve the greatest total yield and (2) reflect the true microbial diversity of the sample. These attributes were assessed from five DNA purification regimes: a standard-manual procedure, MoBio Ultraclean and Promega Wizard kits, and an automated Axcyte AutoLyser method with and without bead-beating agitation. A homogenous mixture of known concentrations of nine distinct bacterial lineages isolated from low-biomass environments was prepared and suitable aliquots of subsamples were processed in parallel. DNA products from each of these methods were then subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA clone-library analysis. The Axcyte AutoLyser outperformed all other purification regimes examined. This automated method consistently both yielded the highest concentration of PCR-amplifiable DNA, and reported species composition most consistent with the starting solution. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This communication carefully examines the effectiveness of common DNA purification regimes as well as an automated method. Comparative analyses convincingly demonstrate that the different methods not only result in different recovery of genomic DNA, but more importantly, different estimations of microbial diversity in the sample. This report will hopefully inspire investigators from various industries (pharmaceutical, ecological, medical, semiconductor, etc.) who find themselves in the initial phases of large-scale studies to devote a significant effort into optimizing sample extraction protocols to achieve the most accurate information.
A game theory approach to constrained minimax state estimation

This paper presents a game theory approach to the constrained state estimation of linear discrete time dynamic systems. In the application of state estimators, there is often known model or signal information that is either ignored or dealt with heuristically. For example, constraints on the state values (which may be based on physical considerations) are often neglected because they do not easily fit into the structure of the state estimator. This paper develops a method for incorporating state equality constraints into a minimax state estimator. The algorithm is demonstrated on a simple vehicle tracking simulation.
The role of experimental data in chemical process technology

Experimental data have served two critical roles in chemical process technology: (1) by providing the definitive quantitative basis to evaluate competing processes, to optimize designs, and ultimately to guarantee plant performance; and (2) by guiding the form and structure of applied-thermodynamics correlations. This paper first presents two representa- tive applications to highlight the role of thermodynamic and transport properties in chemical process technology: ammonia recovery from syngas using water as solvent, and design of a caustic-guard system to eliminate small residual concentrations of SO 2 from a gas stream. These applications illustrate the first role of experimental data. The paper next studies the second role by examining the historical contribution of experimental data—over two cen- turies—in guiding the development of key concepts and correlations, such as Henry's law (1802), group-contribution methods (Kopp, 1842), Raoult's law (1878), second-virial-coeffi- cient correlation (Berthelot, 1907), surface-tension correlation (Macleod, 1923), the use of one property to estimate another (Othmer, 1940), cubic equations of state (Redlich and Kwong, 1949), electrolyte systems (van Krevelen, 1949), acentric factor (Pitzer, 1955), and highly accurate equations of state (Span and Wagner, 2003). The analysis reveals that care- ful, accurate, and wide-ranging experimental data have identified the patterns of the under- lying phenomena.
Temporal clustering of gene expression patterns using short-time segments

Temporal clustering of time series data is a powerful tool to delaminate the dynamics of transcription and interactions among genes on a large scale. Different algorithms have been proposed to organize experimental data with meaningful biological clusters; however, these approaches often fail to generate well-defined temporal clusters, especially when genes exert their functions or response to stimulation coordinately only in a short time span. In this study, we propose an algorithm using sliding windows to identify different temporal patterns based on fold changes of gene expression. The algorithm was applied to simulated data and real experimental data. Furthermore, a comparison study has been carried out with the clusters obtained from commercial software packages. The identified clusters using our algorithm demonstrated better temporal matching and consistency.
Composition and Disclosure of Unlinkable Distributed Databases

An individuals location-visit pattern, or trail, can be leveraged to link sensitive data back to identity. We propose a secure multiparty computation protocol that enables locations to provably prevent such linkages. The protocol incorporates a controllable parameter specifying the minimum number of identities a sensitive piece of data must be linkable to via its trail.
Recognizing object function through reasoning about 3-D shape and dynamic physical properties

Recent work in computer vision has demonstrated positive results in reasoning about possible object function based on analysis of only the object shape. While shape properties are important, verification of actual functionality generally requires consideration of properties beyond pure static shape. In particular, dynamic physical properties such as the degree of deformation or rigidity under applied force are essential to the function of many objects. The work described in this paper combines reasoning about object shape with reasoning about deformation under applied forces for recognizing (categorizing) an object according to its function. Initial reasoning about the static 3-D object shape provides a function verification plan. This plan is a sequence of interactions that lead to confirming or rejecting the suggested object function. The interactions involve applying test forces to elements of the object structure as identified in the reasoning about static 3-D shape. >
Radiofrequency ablation using BarRx for the endoscopic treatment of radiation proctopathy: a series of three cases

Radiation proctopathy is a complication of pelvic radiotherapy, which occurs in patients treated for carcinoma of the prostate, rectum, urinary bladder, cervix, uterus, and testes. If it presents within 6 weeks to 9 months after therapy, it is called acute radiation proctitis/proctopathy (ARP), and if it occurs 9 months to a year after treatment, it is classified as chronic radiation proctitis/proctopathy (CRP). CRP occurs in 5%-20% of patients receiving pelvic radiation, depending on the radiation dose and the presence or absence of chemotherapy. In many cases, CRP resolves spontaneously, but in some, it can lead to persistent rectal bleeding. Other symptoms of CRP include diarrhea, mucoid discharge, urgency, tenesmus, rectal pain, and fecal incontinence. Despite the availability of several therapies, many patients fail to respond, and continue to suffer in their quality of life. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a newer endoscopic technique that uses radiofrequency energy to ablate tissue. This is an emerging way to treat radiation proctopathy and other mucosal telangiectasia. We present three cases of radiation proctopathy treated with RFA at our institute and review the literature on treatment modalities for CRP. We were also able to find 16 other cases of CRP that used RFA, and review their literature as well as literature on other treatment modalities.
Late effects of acute infarct dilation on heart size: a two dimensional echocardiographic study

Abstract Dilation of the infarct zone (infarct expansion) has been shown to be a cause of regional left ventricular dilation within days of transmural anterior myocardial infarction. Whether this process stabilizes, continues or regresses thereafter, and whether uninfarcted myocardium is affected is unknown. To explore this, two to six (mean four) serial two dimensional echocardiographic studies were obtained over a 3 to 30 month period (mean 13) in 13 patients beginning 10 to 21 days after anterior transmural myocardial infarction. With use of the papillary muscles as internal left ventricular landmarks, anterior and posterior segmental dilation in each patient was assessed from the slope of the regression line of segment length versus time. Study patients were classified into those with (seven patients) and those without (six patients) infarct expansion. Infarct expansion was defined as an anterior segment length 10 to 21 days after infarction that exceeded the upper limit of normal determined from 13 age-and sex-matched normal control subjects. Ten to 21 days after infarction, the average anterior segment length in the seven patients with expansion was 65 percent greater than that in normal control subjects. The seven patients with infarct expansion showed significant and continuing dilation during long-term observation of both the infarcted anterior (p Thus, infarct expansion occurring within 3 weeks of transmural myocardial infarction appears to be the main contributor to left ventricular dilation, and is associated with impaired functional status. Moreover, a significant increase in ventricular size due to infarct expansion appears to predict chronic progressive ventricular enlargement due to lengthening of both the infarcted zone and the uninfarcted segment.
Radiation Dose and Prognosis of Ultra-Low Dose Stress-First Myocardial Perfusion SPECT in Patients with Chest Pain Using a High-Efficiency Camera

While SPECT MPI provides valuable information about patients with chest pain, there is growing concern regarding its radiation burden and lengthy duration. New high-efficiency (HE) cameras and stress-first protocols both offer potential to markedly reduce radiation. No previous study assessed outcomes and radiation doses of patients undergoing MPI on a HE-SPECT camera using an ultra-low-dose stress-first protocol. Methods: 100 patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain and candidates for stress-first MPI underwent injection of ~185 MBq (5 mCi) of Tc-99m tetrofosmin at peak stress, followed by supine and prone imaging on a HE-SPECT camera. Same-day rest imaging was performed on patients with any abnormality on post-stress imaging. Radiation effective dose was calculated from administered and residual activities. Patients were contacted 3 months after discharge and electronic records accessed to evaluate need for re-evaluation for chest pain, additional imaging, or cardiac events. Results: Stress-only imaging was performed in 69 patients, for whom radiation dose averaged 0.99mSv and study duration 117 minutes. Radiation dose averaged 2.22mSv over all patients. 96 patients were free at 3 months of major adverse cardiac events, repeat hospital chest pain evaluation, and repeat imaging or stress testing. One year after MPI and hospital discharge, all patients were living and without acute coronary syndrome. Conclusion: HE-SPECT stress-only imaging can be performed in over two thirds of chest pain patients without high pre-test probability of a stress perfusion defect, with excellent prognosis, radiation dose averaging 1 mSv, and test duration under 2 hours.
Introduction: The Journal of Transport and Land Use enters year nine

With this issue, the Journal of Transport and Land Use enters its ninth volume (and many articles from volume 10 can be found online under Forthcoming). Since our last update (Levinson 2013), JTLU has continued to grow and expand. Many of the articles in the issues in this and next volume were selected from papers presented at the 2014 World Symposium on Transport Land Use Research in Delft. We look forward to many more years of continued research and publication in this field.
Studies on accuracy of numerical simulations of emission from rough ocean-like surfaces

Numerical simulation of passive microwave remote sensing of ocean surfaces has a strict requirement of accuracy. This is because the key output of the simulations is the difference of brightness temperature between a rough surface and a flat surface. Since the difference can be as small as 0.5 K, it is important to simulate the scattering and emission accurately. The authors perform accurate simulations of transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) waves for ocean surfaces with relative permittivity=28.9541/spl plusmn/i36.8430 at 19 GHz. Because ocean permittivity is large, the authors used up to 80 points per free space wavelength. Furthermore, accurate numerical integration is also performed to obtain accurate impedance matrix elements. To ensure accuracy, a matrix equation obtained from the surface integral equation formulation is solved by matrix inversion. Conservation of energy is required to be accurate to a relative error of 0.001, which corresponds to 0.3 K in brightness temperature. Numerical results are illustrated for rough surfaces with Gaussian spectrum and bandlimited ocean spectrum and bandlimited fractal surfaces. The authors show convergence with respect to the density of sampling points and with respect to raising the upper limit of the bandlimited ocean spectrum. Comparisons are also made with results with an impedance boundary condition approximation. Numerical results indicate that fine discretization is required for ocean-like surfaces with fine scale roughness.
Probabilistic Projections of Anthropogenic Climate Change Impacts on Precipitation for the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States*

This study uses an empirical downscaling method based on self-organizing maps (SOMs) to produce highresolution, downscaled precipitation projections over the state of Pennsylvania in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States for the future period 2046‐65. To examine the sensitivity of precipitation change to the water vapor increase brought by global warming, the authors test the following two approaches to downscaling:one uses the specific humidity in the downscaling algorithmand the other does not. Applicationof the downscaling procedure to the general circulation model (GCM) projections reveals changes in the relative occupancy, but not the fundamental nature, of the simulated synoptic circulation states. Both downscaling approachespredictincreases in annualandwinterprecipitation,consistentin signwith the‘‘raw’’outputfrom the GCMs but considerably smaller in magnitude. For summer precipitation, larger discrepancies are seen between raw and downscaled GCM projections, with a substantial dependence on the downscaling version used (downscaled precipitation changes employing specific humidity are smaller than those without it). Application of downscaling generally reduces the inter-GCM uncertainties, suggesting that some of the spread among models in the raw projected precipitation may result from differences in precipitation parameterization schemes rather than fundamentally different climate responses. Projected changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are found to be significantly related to changes in winter precipitation in the downscaled results, but not for the raw GCM results, suggesting that the downscaling more effectively captures the influence of climate dynamics on projected changes in winter precipitation.
Polyester als stationÄre Phasen in der Gaschromatographie

Bei bestimmten Problemen ubertreffen flussige Polyester die bisher gebrAuchlichen stationAren Phasen in der Gaschromatographie bei weitem. Anwendungen auf die Untersuchung von homologen Reihen der FettsAuremethylester, Fettalkohole und Fettaldehyde sowie von Atherischen olen werden beschrieben.
The other kind of perceptual learning

Abstract In the present review we discuss an extension of classical perceptual learning called the observational learning paradigm. We propose that studying the process how humans develop internal representation of their environment requires modifications of the original perceptual learning paradigm which lead to observational learning. We relate observational learning to other types of learning, mention some recent developments that enabled its emergence, and summarize the main empirical and modeling findings that observational learning studies obtained. We conclude by suggesting that observational learning studies have the potential of providing a unified framework to merge human statistical learning, chunk learning and rule learning.
Automatic segmentation of clinical texts

Clinical narratives, such as radiology and pathology reports, are commonly available in electronic form. However, they are also commonly entered and stored as free text. Knowledge of the structure of clinical narratives is necessary for enhancing the productivity of healthcare departments and facilitating research. This study attempts to automatically segment medical reports into semantic sections. Our goal is to develop a robust and scalable medical report segmentation system requiring minimum user input for efficient retrieval and extraction of information from free-text clinical narratives. Hand-crafted rules were used to automatically identify a high-confidence training set. This automatically created training dataset was later used to develop metrics and an algorithm that determines the semantic structure of the medical reports. A word-vector cosine similarity metric combined with several heuristics was used to classify each report sentence into one of several pre-defined semantic sections. This baseline algorithm achieved 79% accuracy. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier trained on additional formatting and contextual features was able to achieve 90% accuracy. Plans for future work include developing a configurable system that could accommodate various medical report formatting and content standards.
Frequency-domain intrachip communication schemes for CNN

A frequency-domain scheme to share a communications channel among the cells of a CNN is proposed. The scheme is based on a modification of the wave-parallel-computing technique and addresses the problem of reducing the number of communication links. Reduction in the communication paths is achieved by frequency multiplexing. This makes it possible to have simultaneous full-parallel access to all the cells of the array. The approach also takes advantage of the parallelism inherent in wave-parallel-computing to solve part of the state equation within the same channel during a transmission operation. Moreover, with this architecture, the CNN array is not required to have a physical matrix array of cells, providing in this form even more flexibility for the hardware implementation. A system level simulation was done and operating ranges were found as an aid to propose a final system architecture of a tentative VLSI IC.
Age- and tissue-specific induction of NHE3 by glucocorticoids in the rat small intestine.

Of the two known apical isoforms of the Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) family, only the NHE3 gene is regulated by glucocorticoids. The aim of these studies was to investigate the mechanisms underlying the ...
Epigenetic Regulation of Vegetative Phase Change in Arabidopsis

Vegetative phase change in flowering plants is regulated by a decrease in the level of miR156. The molecular mechanism of this temporally regulated decrease in miR156 expression is still unknown. Most of the miR156 in Arabidopsis thaliana shoots is produced by MIR156A and MIR156C. We found that the downregulation of these genes during vegetative phase change is associated with an increase in their level of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and requires this chromatin modification. The increase in H3K27me3 at MIR156A/MIR156C is associated with an increase in the binding of PRC2 to these genes and is mediated redundantly by the E(z) homologs SWINGER and CURLY LEAF. The CHD3 chromatin remodeler PICKLE (PKL) promotes the addition of H3K27me3 to MIR156A/MIR156C but is not responsible for the temporal increase in this chromatin mark. PKL is bound to the promoters of MIR156A/MIR156C, where it promotes low levels of H3K27ac early in shoot development and stabilizes the nucleosome at the +1 position. These results suggest a molecular mechanism for the initiation and maintenance of vegetative phase change in plants.
Click-Based Libraries of SFTI-1 Peptides: New Methods Using Reversed-Phase Silica.

Performing sequential reactions for the orthogonal derivatization of peptides in solution often requires intermediate handling and purification steps. To solve these problems, we have exploited the distinct adsorption kinetics of peptides toward particulate reversed-phase (RP) C18 silica material, enabling consecutive reactions to be performed without intermediate elution. To illustrate this approach, sequential CuAAC/click reactions were used to modify an analog of the bicyclic peptide sunflower trypsin inhibitor 1 (SFTI-1), a potent scaffold for trypsin and chymotrypsin-like enzyme inhibitors. The SFTI-1 scaffold was synthesized containing both β-azido alanine and propargyl glycine residues. Despite the mutual reactivity of these groups, site isolation on RP silica enabled consecutive click reactions and associated washing steps to be performed while the peptide remained immobilized. Importantly, this approach eliminated side products that could form between two peptides or within a single peptide. Thes...
Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak: Action Items for Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response

As the Ebola outbreak in West Africa wanes, it is time for the international scientific community to reflect on how to improve the detection of and coordinated response to future epidemics. Our interdisciplinary team identified key lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak that can be clustered into three areas: environmental conditions related to early warning systems, host characteristics related to public health, and agent issues that can be addressed through the laboratory sciences. In particular, we need to increase zoonotic surveillance activities, implement more effective ecological health interventions, expand prediction modeling, support medical and public health systems in order to improve local and international responses to epidemics, improve risk communication, better understand the role of social media in outbreak awareness and response, produce better diagnostic tools, create better therapeutic medications, and design better vaccines. This list highlights research priorities and policy actions the global community can take now to be better prepared for future emerging infectious disease outbreaks that threaten global public health and security.
Review of Nearctic Deltocephalus-Like Leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

The 25 known genera of Nearctic Deltocephalus -like leafhoppers are reviewed and redescribed. A key to genera is presented. The New World species currently assigned to each genus are listed. On the basis of available evidence, the genus Cabrulus Oman is reinstated as a genus.
Relax, It’s Only Gentamicin

Aminoglycoside antibiotics and inhalational anesthetics can profoundly impair neuromuscular function in patients with underlying disease.
58 PATIENT-TO-PATIENT TELEPHONE INTERVENTION IN DIABETES.

Current models of diabetes care delivery fall short of producing excellent glycemic control, perhaps due to the brevity of clinical interaction. The goal of our Comprehensive Diabetes Improvement Program (CDIP) is to utilize the "downtime " between clinic visits. CDIP utilizes a structured telephone intervention (STI) delivered by a peer motivator (PM) to 5 fellow patients with diabetes at weekly intervals for 6 months. The STI focused on multimodality diabetes self-management, stressing the roles of monitoring, diabetes education, diet, exercise, and medication adherence. In this report, we present our initial experience with 24 diabetes patients (4 PMs and 20 motivatees). The patients9 mean age was 51.9 6 2.2 yr, BMI 35.3 6 1.2 kg/m2, duration of diabetes 8.6 6 1.4 yr; 55% were African American. The control group comprised diabetes patients not receiving structured phone calls. Based on a targeted 24 phone calls in 6 months, the mean percent phone calls received by patients in the 4 PM groups (PM-1 to PM-4) were 81.9 6 3.7%, 75.0 6 3.8%, 70.8 6 4.5%, and 58.3 6 2.3%, respectively. In a questionnaire study, the subjects overwhelmingly agreed that weekly telephone calls from fellow diabetes patients were acceptable (92.9%), helpful (80%), or improved self-management behavior (93%). No subject indicated that the calls interfered with home life. The mean changes in HbA1c (%) in the 4 groups (PM-1 to PM-4) from baseline to 6 months were 0.46 (NS), 21.6 (p
Occurrence of Fumonisins in Corn-Based Food Products†

Corn-based food products obtained from commercial outlets in three different parts of the U.S., Maryland, Nebraska, and Arizona were analyzed for total fumonisins by a commercial competitive direct enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (CD-ELISA) and for fumonisin B1 (FB1) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The highest fumonisin concentrations were found in samples collected in Maryland, where all 18 samples were found positive for fumonisins (200 to 7,450 ng/g of food) by CD-ELISA and 15 of the 18 samples (83%) were found positive for FB1 (<75 to 5,916 ng/g) by HPLC. Fumonisins were also detected by CD-ELISA in 14 of 15 samples collected in Arizona, with concentrations ranging from 200 to 1,450 ng/g, but analyses by HPLC showed that only 8 of 15 samples (53%) were positive for FB1 (<75 to 1,565 ng/g of food). Of the 23 samples collected in Nebraska, 20 (87%) were positive for fumonisins (200 to 2,500 ng/g) by CD-ELISA, but only 10 (44%) were positive for FB1 (<75 to 927 ng/g) by HPLC. The high...