cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Constitutional Isomers of Dendrimer-like Star Polymers: Design, Synthesis, and Conformational and Structural Properties

The design, synthesis, and solution properties of six constitutional isomers of dendrimer-like star polymers is described. Each of the polymers have comparable molecular weights (∼80 000), narrow polydispersities (<1.19) and an identical number of branching junctures (45) and surface hydroxyl functionalities (48). The only difference in the six isomers is the placement of the branching junctures. The polymers are constructed from high molecular weight poly(e-caprolactone) with branching junctures derived from 2,2‘-bis(hydroxylmethyl) propionic acid (bis-MPA) emanating from a central core. The use of various generations of dendritic initiators and dendrons coupled with the ring-opening polymerization of e-caprolactones allowed a modular approach to the dendrimer-like star polymer isomers. The most pronounced effects on the physical properties/morphology and hydrodynamic volume was for those polymers in which the branching was distributed throughout the sample in a dendrimer-like fashion. The versatility of...
Pluralism to-come and the debates on Islam and secularism

The article seeks to advance the debate on Islam and secularism, not by thinking of secularism in terms of whether there is or should be state neutrality toward religion, but rather by proposing that we think in terms of a state neutrality that is anchored in pluralism to-come. The latter is not a future pluralism that will one day arrive but is rather characterized by a structural promise of openness to futurity which thus exposes us to absolute surprise simultaneously of the best and the worst in plurality, the one never coming without opening the possibility of the other. The analysis is developed via a critical examination of the presuppositions of Abdullahi A. An-Na‘im’s book, Islam and the Secular State, supplemented with key ideas from Jacques Derrida’s political philosophy. I specifically propose to shift the debate on the question of Islam and state neutrality in two ways. First, I propose that instead of thinking in terms of secularism and its mechanism – civic reason – for sustaining pluralism ...
In the Line of Sight

In the Line of Sight is a light installation that uses 100 computer-controlled tactical flashlights to project low-resolution video footage of suspicious human motion into the exhibition space. Each flashlight projects a light spot on the wall. All flashlights combined create a ten-by-ten matrix representation of the source footage, featured on a video monitor in an adjacent part of the gallery. In the Line of Sight is an artistic exploration of low-resolution video projections exploring electronic images not as simulations of reality but as objects anchored in the physical space.
The role of reflex hypotension in pulmonary embolism.

16 dogs which survived a unilateral lung autografting procedure and regained normal pulmonary function were selectively embolized on the denervated transplant or the control lung. Embolization of the control lung with 2 g of glass microspheres 50±10 micra in diameter gave a typical embolization response with pulmonary hypertension, tachypnea, and systemic hypotension. The denervated lung did not respond to embolization. Doubling the number of glass emboli killed 2 out of 4 dogs embolized on the control lung; the same dose of emboli injected into the denervated lung produced a significant rise of pulmonary artery pressure, but all animals survived. It is concluded that the autonomic nervous system plays a major role as the afferent pathway in the reflex response to pulmonary embolism.
The kinetics of lumichrome in skim milk using nonlinear regression analysis

Abstract The kinetics of the formation and subsequent degradation of lumichrome, a photodegradation product of riboflavin, were studied and correlated to the degradation of riboflavin in skim milk. High performance liquid chromatography was used to monitor the riboflavin and lumichrome concentrations. Lumichrome concentration in skim milk increased, then leveled off with continued light exposure. A nonlinear regression model was used to estimate the rates of lumichrome formation and degradation. A yield factor representing the amount of riboflavin that converts to lumichrome was estimated at 23% for the experimental conditions used in this study.
Breakdown Voltage Scaling Characteristics of an Argon Hollow Cathode Discharge

Paschen curves are presented for hollow cathodes with diameters varying from 5 mm to 1.5 mm. The curves obey similar functions of (pd), where p is the argon gas pressure and d is the hollow diameter. The curves exhibit similar properties in terms of the location of the breakdown voltage minima. The breakdown voltage increases monotonically for decreasing hollow diameter. The shapes of the various curves and the (pd) minima location are unaffected by aspect ratio.
Pancreaticogastrostomy following pancreaticoduodenectomy: review of 102 consecutive cases.

Disruption of the pancreatic anastomosis with resultant sepsis is the cause of nearly 50% of deaths following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Traditionally, the pancreatic remnant is anastomosed to the jejunum. Pancreaticogastrostomy (PG) was introduced as an alternative by Waugh and Clagett in 1946 and by Park, Mackie, and Rhoads in 1967. The purpose of this retrospective review was to assess the safety of PG at a single institution. Between 1986 and 1998 a total of 102 patients underwent PG following PD. The indications for PD were periampullary carcinoma (n= 89), pancreatitis (n= 7), and miscellaneous (n= 6). Altogether, 80 patients underwent the traditional Whipple procedure and 22 the pylorus-preserving Whipple (PPW) procedure. The PG was performed by a single-layer invagination technique to the posterior gastric wall using interrupted silk sutures. Leaks from the pancreatic anastomosis were detected by measuring amylase in fluid obtained from surgically placed drains. Operative mortality was 3.9% (4/102). The cause of death was uncontrolled upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, sepsis, pulmonary embolus, and cardiac failure secondary to myocardial infarction. The mean operating time was 6.8 hours. Blood transfusion was given in 43 patients (42%), and the mean amount of the transfusion was 2.6 units. Nonfatal complications occurred in 35 patients (34%), and included leaks from the pancreatic anastomosis in 9 (8.8%), leaks from the biliary-enteric anastomosis in 4 (3.9%), and gastric paresis 7 (6.9%). Other complications included abscess, wound infection, colitis, delirium tremens, and hyperbilirubinemia. Discharge occurred 6 to 47 days (median 12 days) postoperatively and was prolonged in patients suffering from a complication. PD is associated with significant morbidity. PG is a safe alternative to pancreaticojejunostomy for managing the pancreatic remnant.
The uptake of cysteine in cultured primary astrocytes and neurons

Abstract One of the vitally important functions of glutathione (GSH) is to adequately protect cells against toxic chemicals, reactive oxygen metabolites and free radical species. The amino acid, cysteine, is the key rate-limiting substrate for the biosynthesis of GSH, and the maintenance of adequate intracellular GSH levels is dependent upon the extracellular availability and transport of cysteine into cells. In the present study, primary cultures of astrocytes and neurons were employed to characterize cysteine transport systems. Both astrocytes and neurons used Na+-dependent systems as the major route for cysteine uptake (80–90% of total), while Na+-independent uptake represented a minor component of total transport (10–20% of total). Among the Na+-dependent systems, XAG− was the major contributor (approx. 80–90%) for cysteine uptake in both neurons and astrocytes, with a minor contribution from the ASC transport system (Na+-dependent neutral amino acid transport system for alanine, serine, and cysteine). In the Na+-independent transport systems (10–20% of total cysteine transport), multifunctional ectoenzyme/amino acid transporter γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), and the neutral amino acid l -system contributed approximately equally towards cysteine uptake, in both neurons and astrocytes. The present studies demonstrate that astrocytes and neurons accumulate cysteine by both Na+-dependent and Na+-independent uptake systems, with major uptake occurring through the XAG− system and minor uptake via the ASC, GGT and l -systems.
Occurrence patterns of riparian plants and their significance to water resource development

Abstract Data were collected on an alluvial floodplain in Central California to evaluate relationships between streamflow and distribution of common plant species. Analysis showed that species differed in location on the floodplain and tolerance to the effects of flooding. Three floodplain zones each had characteristic species. Water resource development may affect the streamflow regime in these zones and consequently may affect the distribution and abundance of different species.
Mefloquine effects on the lens suggest cooperative gating of gap junction channels

Mefloquine (MFQ) selectively blocks exogenously expressed gap junction channels composed of C×50 but not C×46. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate MFQ effects on wild-type (WT) mouse lenses that express both C×50 and C×46 in their outer shell of differentiating fibers (DFs). Lenses in which C×46 was knocked into both C×50 alleles (KI) were used as controls; MFQ had no effect on coupling in these lenses. When WT lenses were exposed to MFQ, the DF coupling conductance decreased significantly, suggesting that C×50 contributes about 57% of the coupling conductance in DF and C×46 contributes 43%. Remarkably, in the presence of MFQ, the 43% of the channels that remained open did not gate closed in response to a reduction in pH, whereas in the absence of MFQ, the same pH change caused all the DF channels to gate closed. Since MFQ is a selective blocker of C×50 channels, it appears that C×46 channels lack pH-mediated gating in the absence of functional C×50 channels but are pH-sensitive in the presence of C×50 channels. These results suggest the two types of channels interact and gate cooperatively.
Node reordering and matrix partial refactorization study

Abstract Sparse matrix operation is one of the most important areas in the study of power systems. However, its performance is greatly affected by the number of fill-ins. Excessive fill-ins can be reduced through better node reordering. A new method, dealing with the node reordering, is presented in this paper. This method considers the impacts of the locations of the fill-ins and the number of fill-ins. It is not only able to handle any noncluster problem but some cluster problems too. Partial refactorization methods update the LU factors of a matrix to reflect changes in some of its elements. The applications of partial refactorization power system problems are numerous. A new method is also presented in this paper to deal with partial refactorization problems. It does not require a path graph. The coding of the new method is very simple. It reduces the number of calculations and required computer memory storage to a minimum. Detailed discussions about the abilities of the new methods to work under a wide variety of network conditions are presented in the paper. Several examples are implemented and solved. The results are also compared with those of existing methods.
Patient demographic characteristics and disease stage as drivers of disparities in mortality in prostate cancer patients who receive care at a safety net academic medical center.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of patient demographic characteristics and tumor stage at diagnosis on mortality in prostate cancer patients who receive care at a safety net, academic medical center with a diverse patient population. Patients and Methods Eight hundred sixty-nine patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer at our institution between August 2004 and October 2011. Patient demographic characteristics were determined as follows: race and/or ethnicity, primary language, insurance type, age at diagnosis, marital status, income (determined by zip code), and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor stage. Fisher exact or Pearson χ2 test was used to test for differences in categorical variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors related to mortality recorded at the end of follow-up in March of 2012. Results Mortality was significantly decreased in patients who spoke Haitian Creole (odds ratio [OR], 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04-0.74; P = .017). Distribution of insurance type, age, income, and prostate-specific antigen level differed between English and Haitian Creole speakers. Increased mortality was observed in patients who were single (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.06-3.73; P = .032), older than 70 (OR, 15.5; 95% CI, 3.03-79.45; P = .001), had Medicaid and/or free care (OR, 4.98; 95% CI, 1.72-14.4; P = .003), or had AJCC stage IV cancer (OR, 9.56; 95% CI, 4.89-18.69; P Conclusion In this retrospective study, prostate cancer patients who spoke Haitian Creole had a lower incidence of mortality compared with English speakers. Consistent with similar large-scale studies, being single or having Medicaid and/or free care insurance predicted worse outcomes, reinforcing their roles as drivers of disparities.
First, Do No Harm

Healy et al1 are to be commended for their continued study of fluconazole resistance, one of the potential negative effects of systemic antifungal prophylaxis. In this issue of Pediatrics , the authors provide modest new evidence to support fluconazole use, provided that we first correctly investigate the risks and benefits of fluconazole prophylaxis. All drugs cause harm to at least a small proportion of children who receive them. Some drugs reduce or cure disease in children, and very few drugs benefit more children than are harmed by their use. The pressing public health concern regarding the adoption of fluconazole prophylaxis hinges on this risk/benefit ratio. Although antifungal prophylaxis has reduced candidiasis in the high-incidence setting, some questions remain unanswered by investigators (1) Does prophylaxis reduce neonatal mortality?, (2) Is prophylaxis beneficial … Address correspondence to Daniel K. Benjamin, Jr, MD, PhD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Duke Clinical Research Institute, PO Box 17969, Durham, NC 27715. E-mail: danny.benjamin{at}duke.edu
Synthesis of tetraorganylborate salts: Photogeneration of tertiary amines

We report the synthesis of a series of new ammonium tetraorganylborates strategically designed to, upon photolysis, generate tertiary amines. Experiments in acetonitrile show amine formation in reasonably high quantum yield that depends on the photoreactive acceptor, the borate, and the substituents on the nitrogen atom. The reactive triplet state is reduced by the borate, and this is followed by rapid homolysis of the carbon−nitrogen bond.
Modular, Portable, Reconfigurable, and Wireless Sensing System for the Aircraft Cabin

This paper describes the design and prototyping of a modular, portable, reconfigurable, and wireless multipurpose sensor system for monitoring and recording environmental conditions in aircraft cabins. The objective of this small, portable embedded sensing system is to record aircraft cabin conditions on flights of convenience to generate a large database for determination of normal conditions. By designing a sensor system that can be easily reconfigured for different needs (with the ability and flexibility to accommodate different/extra sensors), the system can be used to measure parameters that meet multiple research requirements. Through design considerations such as generalized signal interface and hierarchical code structure that can be easily reworked for new sensors, this sensor system has been developed for optimum usefulness in aircraft environment research. In the current setup, the system is configured with temperature, humidity, sound level, carbon dioxide, and pressure sensors. The system has been calibrated in the laboratory without the use of a pressure chamber. Data from six flights are presented in this report.
Renewal of the gonads in Styela clava (Urochordata: Ascidiacea) as revealed by autoradiography with tritiated thymidine

Abstract DNA-synthesizing cells in the gonads of the ascidian Styela clava were labeled with tritiated thymidine and detected with autoradiography. In the testis, spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes are labeled after 1 hr. Labeled spermatozoa occur in the lumen of the testis follicles after 10 days and in the sperm ducts after 20 days. In the ovary, only germ cells (oogonia and pre-leptotene primary oocytes) and follicle cells are labeled after 1 hr. By 60 days, oocytes with basophilic cytoplasm (15–65 μ in diameter) are labeled; test cells embedded in larger eosinophilic oocytes (150 μ in diameter) are also labeled. Germ cells give rise to both oocytes and follicle cells. Through continued cell division, follicle cells give rise to test cells.
MATα1 protein, a yeast transcription activator, binds synergistically with a second protein to a set of cell-type-specific genes

We show by electrophoresis mobility shift and by DNAase I footprinting assays that the alpha 1 product of the yeast alpha mating-type locus binds to homologous sequences within the control regions of the three known alpha-specific genes. Binding requires both alpha 1 and a second yeast protein(s) (called PRTF) that is present in all three cell types (a, alpha, and a/alpha); neither protein binds alone. Binding and competition experiments using synthetic oligonucleotides indicate that PRTF binds to only part of the homology found at alpha-specific genes and imply that alpha 1 binds to the remainder. Our results suggest that alpha 1 renders gene expression alpha-specific by creating a binding site for PRTF. Similar experiments lead to the idea that PRTF also plays a role in transcription of a-specific genes. Perhaps a-specificity is achieved through the occlusion of the PRTF binding site by alpha 2, the negative regulator encoded by the alpha mating-type locus.
Facile Intermolecular Aryl−F Bond Cleavage in the Presence of Aryl C−H Bonds: Is the η2-Arene Intermediate Bypassed?

The complex TpW(NO)(PMe3)(η2-benzene) cleanly inserts into the C−F bond of fluorobenzene to form the seven-coordinate complex TpW(NO)(PMe3)(F)(Ph) (confirmed by X-ray diffraction), while no C−H insertion is detected. Treatment of this product with triethyl- or phenyldimethylsilane results in liberation of benzene and the corresponding silyl fluoride. DFT calculations suggest a low-energy reaction pathway for C−F activation involving a fluorine-bound σ-complex that does not require the presence of an η2-arene intermediate. As the fluorine content of the benzene increases, or the benzene is replaced by fluoronaphthalene, C−F addition is no longer observed, and either C−H addition or η2-coordination dominates. Two species thought to be η2-silanes are also reported.
Management of thyroid dysfunction in Graves’ Orbitopathy

Graves’Orbitopathy (GO), generally associated with hyperthyroidism, may develop also before or after the onset of hyperthyroidism, or even in hypothyroid Hashimoto’s patients. The course and treatment modalities/outcomes of the thyroid disease may alter GO expression and severity. Restoration of euthyroidism with antithyroid drug (ATD) usually improves ocular conditions. However, recurrence of hyperthyroidism after ATD withdrawal, may favour GO progression. Therefore, radical treatment with radioiodine (RAI) or thyroidectomy, should be considered in relapsing patients with GO. RAI leads to a progression of GO in 15-37% of patients. Several factors are predictive: a) pre-existing ‘active’ GO, b) severity of hyperthyroidism, c) high serum TSH-R Ab levels, d) cigarette smoking and e) occurrence of uncorrected post-radioiodine hypothyroidism with elevated serum TSH. Progression of GO can be prevented by glucocorticoid (GC) therapy, 0.5 mg/Kg BW initially gradually withdrawn over 10-12 weeks. In patients with inactive GO nor other risk factors, GC coverage is not necessary. In patients with ‘moderate-severe and active GO’, if radical treatment with RAI is indicated, GO should be treated concomitantly with iv GC and/or orbital radiotherapy. Thyroidectomy is ‘neutral’ for GO. Total thyroid ablation (total thyroidectomy + RAI) might even be beneficial for GO. Iatrogenic hypothyroidism, whatever the treatment, is a significant risk factor of occurrence or progression of GO which warrants close control, and prompt correction, of thyroid function during ATD or after radical treatment. In conclusion, learned treatment strategy and close management of thyroid function are mandatory in Graves’ disease patients. In patients with GO, the combined endocrinological-ophthalmological approach is the prerequisite for efficient global management.
Brief paper: Localized adaptive bounds for approximation-based backstepping

Recent research has established the utility of adaptive bounds on model uncertainty in adaptive approximation-based control. Such bounds have utility both for robust control law design and for self-organizing approximators that could adjust the number of basis elements N by adding additional approximation resources in the regions where the approximation error bound is large. Existing adaptive bounding methods utilize algorithms with global forgetting. In this article, we investigate methods to develop bounds on approximation accuracy that involve local forgetting. The importance of local versus global forgetting is motivated in the text and illustrated with an example.
The canonical coloring graph of trees and cycles

For a graph G and an ordering of the vertices π , the set of canonical k -colorings of G under π is the set of non-isomorphic proper k -colorings of G that are lexicographically least under π . The canonical coloring graph Can π k ( G ) is the graph with vertex set the canonical colorings of G and two vertices are adjacent if the colorings differ in exactly one place. This is a natural variation of the color graph C k ( G ) where all colorings are considered. We show that every graph has a canonical coloring graph which is disconnected; that trees have canonical coloring graphs that are Hamiltonian; and cycles have canonical coloring graphs that are connected.
Applying the TNI to system certification and accreditation

Department of Defense systems that process sensitive (including classified) information must undergo formal technical assessment and approval before they are allowed to operate. The technical assessment and approval processes are called certification and accreditation, respectively. The author presents issues involved in certifying and accrediting networks with respect to the two network views, the Single Trusted System (STS) view and the Interconnected Accredited AIS (IAA) view, presented in the Trusted Network Interpretation of the Trusted Computer Security Evaluation Criteria, NCSC-TG-005. Certification and Accreditation procedures differ significantly between the STS view and the IAA view of networks. >
Experimental performance assessment of Pb, Li[NiCoMn]O 2 and LiFePO 4 batteries for road vehicles

In this paper the performance figures of lead acid and lithium ion batteries with two different cathode materials (Li[NiCoMn]O 2 and LiFePO 4 ) were compared from the point of view of their application on road vehicles. The experimental tests were performed in stationary and dynamic conditions using a cycle tester, based on an AC/DC converter, and supplying an electric power train. The experiments on the power train were carried out on a laboratory test bench provided with an electric brake, in order to simulate the real vehicle behavior and road characteristics on predefined driving cycles. The obtained results evidenced the advantages of using lithium batteries, especially when the load conditions require high values of battery currents, with different behavior between the two cathode materials.
Optical imaging and tumor angiogenesis

Tumor angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and progression. Therefore, targeting tumor blood vessels is a promising approach for cancer therapy. Angiogenesis, the formation of blood vessels, is a multistep process, and strongly influenced by the microenvironment. There are no in vitro assays that can resemble this dynamic process in vivo. For this reason, animal models and imaging technologies are critical for studying tumor angiogenesis, identifying therapeutic targets as well as validating the targets. Non-invasive molecular imaging in animal models presents an unprecedented opportunity and ability for us to perform repetitive observations and analysis of the biological processes underlying tumor angiogenesis and tumor progression in living animals in real time. As we gain a better understanding of the fundamental molecular nature of cancer, these techniques will be an important adjunct in translating the knowledge into clinical practice. This important information may elucidate how the tumor blood vessels behave and respond to certain treatments and therapies. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Rapidly Prototyped Orthotweezers for Automated Microassembly

We describe the design, fabrication, and testing of an ultra-low cost orthotweezers system for microassembly. By utilizing rapid prototyping technology, compliant mechanisms, and commodity-grade actuators and sensors, we significantly reduce the complexity and cost of the previous Orthotweezers system without sacrificing functionality. With a force resolution of 0.7mN and a worst case mean positioning repeatability of 23 mum, the system is capable of dexterously manipulating rectangular parts with dimensions 200 mum times 200 mum times 100 mum. Such blocks can then be temporarily attached to thin, delicate, or oddly shaped parts to enable handling and ultimately assembly of micromechanical structures. Strategies for using compliance to compensate for uncertainty introduced by less expensive fabrication methods, actuators, and sensors are also discussed.
Robust fusion of location information

A sensor fusion problem for location data using statistical decision theory (SDT) is studied. The contribution of this study is the application of SDT to obtain a robust test of the hypothesis that data from different sensors is consistent and a robust procedure for combining the date which pass this preliminary consistency test. Here, robustness refers to the statistical effectiveness of the decision rules when the probability distributions of the observation noise and the a priori position information associated with the individual sensors are uncertain. Location data refers to observations of the form Z= theta +V, where V represents additive sensor noise and theta denotes the sensed parameter of interest to the observer. The paper focuses on epsilon -contamination models, which allow one to account for heavy-tailed deviations from nominal sampling distributions. >
Arbitrary jamming can preclude secure communication

We investigate the effect of certain active attacks on the secrecy capacity of wiretap channels by considering arbitrarily varying wiretap channels. We establish a lower bound for the secrecy capacity with randomized coding of a class of such channels and an upper bound for that of all such channels. We show that if the arbitrarily varying wiretap channel possesses a bad “averaged” state, namely one in which the legitimate receiver is degraded with respect to the eavesdropper, then secure communication is not possible.
Apoptosis and Stroke Pathogenesis

To the Editor: The articles by Kitagawa et al1 and Pulera et al2 in the same issue of Stroke permit one to make some generalizations about publications implicating apoptosis in the pathogenesis of “stroke” or the “response” to cerebral ischemia. Numerous publications fail to make a clear distinction between infarction, which is total necrosis of the affected area, and delayed neuronal necrosis in areas of selective vulnerability. In the latter there is frequently no pannecrosis of tissue, only loss of neurons with, perhaps, reactive astrocytosis. These two different consequences of ischemic hypoxia, and also of hypoxic hypoxia, may overlap3 ; however, this fact should not obscure the fact that different as well as identical pathogenetic (ie, biochemical) factors may be involved in each outcome, so that therapies reported to be of value in models of delayed neuronal death in restricted brain area might not, in fact, be useful in treating or preventing infarction. I would suggest that the potential limitations of an experimental report could best be “flagged” by insisting that all reports concerned with delayed necrosis in selectively vulnerable areas include the words “selective necrosis” or “selectively vulnerable neurons” in their title. This could then be paralleled with the word “infarction” in the title of articles dealing with that subject. I believe this would be of particular importance for neurologists and other nonneuropathologists who may not be attuned to the distinction. The article by Kitagawa et al1 clearly deals with selective death of neurons in a limited area of temporal lobe even though global ischemia was used. The brains were examined 7 days later, and the findings correspond to delayed neuronal cell death.3 In the study of Pulera et al,2 there was apparently both infarction in the frontotemporal brain and also selective, delayed …
Z-axis interconnects using fine pitch, nanoscale through-silicon vias: Process development

A through-silicon via (TSV) process provides a means of implementing complex, multichip systems entirely in silicon, with a physical packing density many times greater than today's advanced MCMs. This technology overcomes the RC delays associated with long, in-plane interconnects by bringing out-of-plane logic blocks much closer electrically, and provides a connection density that makes using those blocks for random logic possible by even small system partitions. TSVs and 3-D stacking technology have the potential to significantly reduce the average wire length of block-to-block interconnects by stacking logic blocks vertically instead of spreading them out horizontally. However, even though TSVs have great potential, there are many fabrication issues that must be considered. The rationale for systems based on TSVs, and a fabrication process development plan for the creation of these structures, was presented by S. Spiesshoefer et al. (see ECTC Proc., p.631-33, 2003). The development plan included five main areas for TSV fabrication: formation of the blind vias, deposition of the insulation and seed layers, copper plating, wafer thinning, and wafer backside processing. The project goal is to create high aspect ratio vias four to six microns in diameter on 20-micron pitch in wafers that are subsequently thinned to a thickness of 15 to 20 microns. This paper will discuss the results obtained during the TSV fabrication in detail and explain the process development decisions that were made.
A visual information management system for the interactive retrieval of faces

The complex nature of two-dimensional image data has presented problems for traditional information systems designed strictly for alphanumeric data. Systems aimed at effectively managing image data have generally approached the problem from two different views: They either possess a strong database component with little image understanding, or they serve as an image repository for computer vision applications, with little emphasis on the image retrieval process. A general architecture for visual information-management systems (VIMS), which combine the strengths of both approaches, is presented. The system utilizes computer vision routines for both insertion and retrieval and allows easy query-by-example specifications. The vision routines are used to segment and evaluate objects based on domain-knowledge describing the objects and their attributes. The vision system can then assign feature values to be used for similarity-measures and image retrieval. A VIMS developed for face-image retrieval is presented to demonstrate these ideas. >
Alterations in angiotensin converting enzyme during rodent aortic aneurysm formation.

Background The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been implicated in vessel wall remodeling. This investigation tested the hypothesis that the RAS is altered during experimental rodent aneurysm formation. Materials and methods Rat aortas were perfused with saline (controls, N = 45) or elastase (6 U/ml, N = 45). At 4, 7, and 14 days after aortic perfusion, aortic diameters were measured ( n = 15/time point/group) and aortic wall mRNA and protein were extracted. Real time polymerase chain reation (PCR) measured RNA levels of angiotensin, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT 1 ), and angiotensin II receptor 2 (AT 2 ). Western blot analysis measured ACE protein levels. Immunohistochemical studies localized ACE within the aortic wall. Statistical analyses were performed with the unpaired t -test and ANOVA. Results Elastase perfusion significantly increased aortic diameter ( P P 1 , AT 2 , or An mRNA levels, although ACE mRNA was elevated in controls after 7 days of perfusion compared to elastase perfused aortas ( P Conclusions Experimental aortic aneurysm formation may be associated with increased aortic wall ACE protein levels. The mechanisms by which these proteins contribute to, or serve as markers of, aneurysm formation in vivo requires further intervention.
Microbes and mucosal immune responses in asthma

Summary The substantial increase in the worldwide prevalence of asthma and atopy has been attributed to lifestyle changes that reduce exposure to bacteria. A recent insight is that the largely bacterial microbiome maintains a state of basal immune homoeostasis, which modulates immune responses to microbial pathogens. However, some respiratory viral infections cause bronchiolitis of infancy and childhood wheeze, and can exacerbate established asthma; whereas allergens can partly mimic infectious agents. New insights into the host's innate sensing systems, combined with recently developed methods that characterise commensal and pathogenic microbial exposure, now allow a unified theory for how microbes cause mucosal inflammation in asthma. The respiratory mucosa provides a key microbial interface where epithelial and dendritic cells interact with a range of functionally distinct lymphocytes. Lymphoid cells then control a range of pathways, both innate and specific, which organise the host mucosal immune response. Fundamental to innate immune responses to microbes are the interactions between pathogen-associated molecular patterns and pattern recognition receptors, which are associated with production of type I interferons, proinflammatory cytokines, and the T-helper-2 cell pathway in predisposed people. These coordinated, dynamic immune responses underlie the differing asthma phenotypes, which we delineate in terms of Seven Ages of Asthma. An understanding of the role of microbes in the atopic march towards asthma, and in causing exacerbations of established asthma, provides the rationale for new specific treatments that can be assessed in clinical trials. On the basis of these new ideas, specific host biomarkers might then allow personalised treatment to become a reality for patients with asthma.
The organization of human postural movements: A formal basis and experimental synthesis

A scheme for understanding the organization of human postural movements is developed in the format of a position paper. The structural characteristics of the body and the geometry of muscular actions are incorporated into a three-dimensional graphical representation of human movement mechanics in the sagittal plane. A series of neural organizational hypotheses limit a theoretically infinite number of combinations of muscle contractions and associated movement trajectories for performing postural corrections: (1) Controls are organized to use the minimum number of muscles; (2) frequently performed movements are organized to require a minimum of neural decision-making.These hypotheses lead to the prediction that postural movements are composed of muscle contractile strategies derived from a limited set of distinct contractile patterns. The imposition of two mechanical constraints related to the configuration of support and to requirements for body stability with respect to gravity predict the conditions under which individual movement strategies will be deployed.A complementary organizational scheme for the senses is developed. We show that organization of postural movements into combinations of distinct strategies simplifies the interpretation of sensory inputs. The fine-tuning of movement strategies can be accomplished by breaking down the complex array of feedback information into a series of scalar quantities related to the parameters of the movement strategies. For example, the magnitude, aim, and curvature of the movement trajectory generated by an individual strategy can be adjusted independently.The second half of the report compares theoretical predictions with a series of actual experimental observations on normal subjects and patients with known sensory and motor disorders. Actual postural movements conform to theoretical predictions about the composition of individual movement strategies and the conditions under which each strategy is used. Observations on patients suggest how breakdowns in individual steps within the logical process of organization can lead to specific movement abnormalities.Discussion focuses on the areas needing further experimentation and on the implications of the proposed organizational scheme. We conclude that although our organizational scheme is not new in demonstrating the need for simplifying the neural control of movement, it is perhaps original in imposing discrete logical control upon a continuous mechanical system. The attraction of the scheme is that it provides a framework compatible with both mechanical and physiological information and amenable to experimental testing.
Methoxychlor may cause ovarian follicular atresia and proliferation of the ovarian epithelium in the mouse

Methoxychlor (MXC) is currently used to protect agricultural products from insects. Previous studies show that MXC adversely affects the ovary, but the target cells were not revealed by those studies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that MXC induces ovarian changes by adversely affecting the antral follicles and the ovarian surface epithelium in the mouse. To test this hypothesis, cycling female CD-1 mice (39 days) were dosed with MXC (8, 16, or 32 mg/kg/day), kepone (KPN, 8 mg/kg/day, positive control), or sesame oil (vehicle control) via intraperitoneal injection for 10 or 20 days. Estrous cyclicity was evaluated daily via vaginal lavage. After dosing, ovaries were collected for histological evaluation of follicle numbers, atresia, and surface epithelial height. The results indicate that at the 20-day time point, MXC (32 mg/kg) and KPN (8 mg/kg) increased the percentage of atretic antral follicles (n= 4-9,p<or= 0.001). MXC (32 mg/kg) also increased the height of the ovarian surface epithelium compared with controls (n= 7-10,p<or= 0.045), and KPN increased the percentage of days in estrus (n= 6-10,p<or= 0.0001). These data suggest that MXC and KPN increase antral follicle atresia, MXC increases surface epithelial height, and KPN affects vaginal cytology.
Lysozyme Transgenic Goats' Milk Influences Gastrointestinal Morphology in Young Pigs

Transgenesis provides a method of expressing novel proteins in milk to increase the functional benefits of milk consumption. Transgenic goats expressing human lysozyme (hLZ) at 67% of the concentration in human breast milk were produced, thereby enhancing the antimicrobial properties of goats' milk. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of pasteurized milk containing hLZ on growth, the intestinal epithelium, and an enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) infection in young weaned pigs. Pigs were placed into 4 groups and fed a diet of solid food and either control (nontransgenic) goats' milk or milk from hLZ-transgenic goats. Growth was assessed by weight gain. Nonchallenged pigs were necropsied after 6 wk, whereas the remaining pigs were necropsied at 7 wk following bacterial challenge. We determined the numbers of total coliforms and E. coli and examined small intestinal histology for all pigs. Complete blood counts were also determined pre- and postchallenge. Challenged pigs receiving hLZ milk had fewer total coliforms (P = 0.029) and E. coli (P = 0.030) in the ileum than controls. hLZ-fed pigs also had a greater duodenal villi width (P = 0.029) than controls. Additionally, nonchallenged hLZ-fed pigs had fewer intraepithelial lymphocytes per micron of villi height (P = 0.020) than nonchallenged controls. These results indicate that the consumption of pasteurized hLZ goats' milk has the potential to improve gastrointestinal health and is protective against an EPEC in young weaned pigs. These same benefits may occur in young children if they were to consume milk from hLZ-transgenic goats.
Understanding the applications and limitations of time-lapse gravity for reservoir monitoring

There is a strong need in our industry for advancing the understanding and applications of multiple geophysical techniques for time-lapse problems, such as for CO2–H2S sequestration and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects. Currently, monitoring efforts for such activities are dominated largely by 4D seismic, and there are numerous developments and successful applications throughout the geophysical literature to justify this state of affair (e.g., Lumley, 2010). The primary advantage of 4D seismic for these endeavors is that it can provide a high-resolution imaging tool that allows better reservoir management decisions and improved production efficiency.
The evolutionary history of division of labour

Functional specialization, or division of labour (DOL), of parts within organisms and colonies is common in most multi-cellular, colonial and social organisms, but it is far from ubiquitous. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the evolutionary origins of DOL; the basic feature common to all of them is that functional differences can arise easily. These mechanisms cannot explain the many groups of colonial and social animals that exhibit no DOL despite up to 500 million years of evolution. Here, I propose a new hypothesis, based on a multi-level selection theory, which predicts that a reproductive DOL is required to evolve prior to subsequent functional specialization. I test this hypothesis using a dataset consisting of the type of DOL for living and extinct colonial and social animals. The frequency distribution of DOL and the sequence of its acquisition confirm that reproductive specialization evolves prior to functional specialization. A corollary of this hypothesis is observed in colonial, social and also within multi-cellular organisms; those species without a reproductive DOL have a smaller range of internal variation, in terms of the number of polymorphs or cell types, than species with a reproductive DOL.
A signal-detection approach to subception: Concomitant verbal and finger-latency responses in metacontrast

Metacontrast conditions were created by the onset of flanking lights designed to mask the prior blink of an otherwise steady center light. For pseudometacontrast trials, the center light did not blink in advance of the flanking lights. Responses were an immediate finger-key release to the first detectable change in the visual display followed by a statement of whether the center light had been doused. A signal-detection analysis was used to avoid both threshold and response-criterion problems. Verbal report was, on the average, more sensitive than finger latency in detecting the masked blinks. However, there were large and consistent individual differences; reaction time was the more sensitive for a few subjects. Data analysis revealed that each response system showed detection with the other system “partialed out.” A model was offered in which verbal- and finger-response systems act in parallel, with uncorrelated variability between systems accounting for the subception effect.
Observational constraints on entrainment and the entrainment interface layer in stratocumulus

Abstract. Aircraft sampling of the stratocumulus-topped boundary layer (STBL) during the Physics of Stratocumulus Top (POST) experiment was primarily achieved using sawtooth flight patterns, during which the atmospheric layer 100 m above and below cloud top was sampled at a frequency of once every 2 min. The large data set that resulted from each of the 16 flights document the complex structure and variability of this interfacial region in a variety of conditions. In this study, we first describe some properties of the entrainment interface layer (EIL), where strong gradients in turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), potential temperature and moisture can be found. We find that defining the EIL by the first two properties tends to yield similar results, but that moisture can be a misleading tracer of the EIL. These results are consistent with studies using large-eddy simulations. We next utilize the POST data to shed light on and constrain processes relevant to entrainment, a key process in the evolution of the STBL that to-date is not well-represented even by high resolution models. We define "entrainment efficiency" as the ratio of the TKE consumed by entrainment to that generated within the STBL (primarily by cloud-top cooling). We find values for the entrainment efficiency that vary by 1.5 orders of magnitude, which is even greater than the one order magnitude that previous modeling results have suggested. Our analysis also demonstrates that the entrainment efficiency depends on the strength of the stratification of the EIL, but not on the TKE in the cloud top region. The relationships between entrainment efficiency and other STBL parameters serve as novel observational contraints for simulations of entrainment in such systems.
Leveraging call context information to improve confidence classification

This paper describes how speech recognition confidence estimation in a typical Directory Assistance scenario can be improved by taking dialog context into account and recalibrating the original recognition confidences using a statistical classifier that employs classification features extracted from this context. We look at several types of classification features and investigate their utility with respect to semantic and sentence error rates with a view to an improved application behavior, but also with a long term goal of a more efficient semi-supervised selection of model training material. The method leads to significantly better tradeoffs between correct and false recognitions with respect to both error metrics.