cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rare Decays and the Fourth Generationa

Rare decays are quite sensitive1 to physics beyond the Standard Model (SM), due to the effects of virtual, new, heavy particles (i.e., a fourth generation, SUSY, charged Higgs, E6 exotic fermions,…). These new contributions can either enhance or suppress (sometimes quite substantially) the rates for rare processes compared to the corresponding SM predictions. Current experiments are already closing in on the SM rates for some processes and are starting to be able to probe the possible contributions from new physics. With the advent of K and B factories, as well as with detector improvements, future experiments expect to actually observe the predicted SM rate for several decays and may be able to rule out some extended models. In this case, rare processes may hold a rare advantage over collider physics, as they will be able to explore new higher energy regimes in the near future.
Imaging of rat cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury using99mTc-labeled duramycin

Objectives Prompt identification of necrosis and apoptosis in the infarct core and penumbra region is critical in acute stroke for delineating the underlying ischemic/reperfusion molecular pathologic events and defining therapeutic alternatives. The objective of this study was to investigate the capability of 99mTc-labeled duramycin in detecting ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat brain after middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion.
Update of stereotactic radiosurgery for brain tumors.

Purpose of review This paper will review the recent publications of stereotactic radiosurgery for brain tumors. Recent advances Despite its controversial beginning, stereotactic radiosurgery has rapidly gained acceptance among neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, and neuro-oncologists as a valuable treatment option for patients with certain benign and malignant brain tumors. Over the past year, a number of publications have confirmed the efficacy and safety of this treatment modality as the sole treatment modality or as part of the multimodality management of brain tumor patients. These publications ranged from the first multi-institutional phase III trial of radiosurgery for patients with brain metastases to numerous retrospective papers about treatment outcomes. Also, a number of these publications have explored the use of newer imaging modalities to improve treatment outcomes while others reported on the rare complication of radiation-associated second tumors. Summary Recent publications of stereotactic radiosurgery have increased our understanding of the use of this technology. Future studies are needed to further improve outcomes, minimize toxicities and increase our understanding of this treatment modality.
Progression of cimetidine-treated reflux esophagitis to a Barrett's stricture

A patient is described who developed a peptic stricture of the esophagus associated with Barrett's epithelium while receiving continuous cimetidine therapy. At this time, the role of cimetidine in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux is evolving and, although it may provide symptomatic relief on some occasions, this report suggests that its role in improving the histological changes related to esophagitis or influencing complications of this disease has not been clarified.
The propagation of surge voltages through large turbo-alternators with two parallel windings

The paper extends an earlier study of the propagation of a surge through an alternator with a single winding per phase to include large turbo-alternators with two windings in parallel–a type of winding used in machines carrying currents exceeding about 700 amp.It is usual to construct machines of this type with a short-chorded winding, in order to reduce the proportion of harmonics in the generated voltage. From a consideration of the winding arrangements in a machine of this type, it is shown that the impulse-voltage distribution in the two halves of the unimpulsed phases is not the same with a single-phase impulse. Similarly, the two halves of either of the impulsed phases have a different voltage distribution when an impulse is applied to two phases. It can, however, be shown that in these cases one half-winding from one phase may be paired with a halfwinding from the other phase. These deductions are confirmed by test results on a 50-MVA alternator winding. Test results for other machines are given to illustrate the relationships which were derived from theoretical considerations.
Plasma Energy Deposition from the Nuclear Elastic Scattering of Tritons on Tritons

The rate of energy loss in a triton plasma suffered by tritons from nuclear forces elastic scattering plus nuclear Coulomb interference is calculated up to 3.5-MeV triton energy.
An empirical test of the man-in-the-middle hypothesis among executives in a hierarchical organization employing a unit-set analysis

Abstract An empirical test was made of the hypothesis that, like foremen and middle managers, executives in a hierarchical organization are men-in-the-middle regarding the conflicting evaluations of their behaviors by their superiors and by their members. Specifically, the superiors were hypothesized to evaluate highly the executive's structuring of his unit's activities, his dominance over his unit, and his superior influence over the functioning of his unit. In contrast, the executive's people were hypothesized as evaluating highly less structuring, less dominance, more considerate behavior, and more influence of the members on unit operations. Results showed that although leadership style tended to be evaluated somewhat differently by superiors and unit members, the over-all situation was one of agreement between these two sources.
Nurse Practitioner Acceptance in Private Ob/Gyn Practice

One of the ways to help meet consumer demands is by utilizing nurse practitioners in private Ob/Gyn practices. To determine consumer satisfaction with a nurse practitioner in one such practice, patients were asked to fill out a response sheet after their examination by the nurse practitioner. The 86 patients felt they received a good medical examination and would be willing to see the nurse practitioner on future visits. The physician and nurse practitioner found this change in delivery of health care to be a positive experience for both patient and professional.
Duty hours and perceived competence in surgery: are interns ready?

Abstract Background A fundamental shift in the structure of many surgical training programs has occurred after the July 2011 rule changes. Our intern didactic program was intensified in 2011 with targeted lectures, laboratories, and clinical cases as well as direct supervision until competency was achieved for basic clinical problems. We sought to compare interns' perceived preparedness throughout and at the end of the academic years before and after July 2011. Materials and methods Intern perceptions of preparedness to manage common clinical scenarios and perform procedures in general surgery were serially surveyed in academic years ending in 2011 and 2012 based on the Residency Review Committee supervision guidelines. Results Interns felt less prepared across all measured domains from 2011–2012. Interns felt significantly less prepared to manage hypotension (3.00/4 points to 2.67/4 points; P = 0.04), place a tube thoracostomy (2.45/4 points to 1.92/4 points; P = 0.04), or perform an inguinal hernia repair (1.91/4 points to 0.92/4 points; P = 0.01) without supervision. Interns were also significantly less likely to agree that they were able to gain clinical skills based on experience (4.31/5 points versus 4.15/5 points; P = 0.02). Longitudinal analysis throughout internship demonstrated improved preparedness to manage common clinical problems and perform procedures between the second and the fifth months of internship. Conclusions First-year residents after July 2011 felt less prepared in the topics surveyed than those before July 2011. Interns made the greatest gains in preparedness between months 2 and 5, suggesting that despite planned interventions, no substitute currently exists for actual clinical experience. Planned educational interventions to improve intern preparedness are also indicated.
Counting measures, monotone random set functions

This paper arose from work on random processes whose values are measures or more general set functions. Secs. 1–3, which have nothing specifically “random”, discuss two topologies for certain sigma-finite measures. One, applicable only to counting measures, is a quotient topology which is useful in the finite case but excessively weak in the infinite case. Making use of a well-known result of P. Hall on sets of representatives, we describe this topology and show that it can be enlarged to the stronger one generated by a modification of the Levy-Prohorov (L-P) metric. Sec. 4 gives a property of the L-P metric for finite integer valued counting measures. The rest of the paper deals with a random monotone non-negative set function Ω in a separable metric space X. If X is complete and if Ω is subadditive and right continuous1 in probability on certain classes of sets, we show the existence of a version of Ω with right-continuous sample functions. If X is locally compact and Ω is left continuous in probability on a certain class of open sets, there is a left-continuous version. With appropriate additional assumptions, we obtain versions that are measures or capacities. In the latter case, a 0–1 valued set function represents a random closed or compact set. The form of integer-valued strongly subadditive set functions is described for certain cases.
Biocatalytic resolution of DL-propranolol. A successful example of computer-aided substrate design

Abstract An approach entailing computer-aided substrate design was taken to develop biocatalytic resolution of racemic propranolol. This strategy provided useful insight into potential steric factors within the substrate, which might be crucial to the catalytic turnover and enantiomeric selection.
Carrier-selective, passivated contacts for high efficiency silicon solar cells based on transparent conducting oxides

We describe the design, fabrication and results of passivated contacts to n-type silicon utilizing thin SiO 2 and indium tin oxide. High-temperature silicon dioxide is grown on both surfaces on an n-type Si wafer to a thickness 0,contact , and a non-ohmic, high contact resistance. However, after a forming gas anneal, the passivation quality and the contact resistivity improve significantly. The contacts are characterized by measuring the recombination parameter current density of the contact (J 0,contact ) and the specific contact resistivity (ρ contact ) using a transmission line method (TLM) pattern. The best ITO/SiO 2 passivated contact in this study has J 0,contact = 93.5 fA/cm2 and ρ contact = 11.5 mOhm-cm2. These values are placed in context with other passivating contacts using an analysis that determines the ultimate efficiency and the optimal area fraction for contacts for a given set of (J 0,contact , ρ contact ) values. The ITO/SiO 2 contacts are found to have a higher J 0,contact , but a similar ρ contact compared to the best reported passivated contacts.
Pediatric lisinopril ingestions reported to Texas poison control centers

Lisinopril is not recommended for use by young children. This study attempted to identify factors associated with serious outcomes in pediatric lisinopril ingestions. Cases for this study were lisinopril ingestions by children age 4 mg/kg (RR: 2.54, CI: 0.05-25.62), or >80 mg (RR: 7.85; CI: 1.73-29.29), or five or more tablets (RR: 8.18; CI: 2.73-22.54), or the patient was already at or en route to a health care facility when the poison control center was contacted (RR: 13.93; CI: 3.68-77.78), or referred to a health care facility by the poison control center (RR: 33.49; CI: 9.04-194.94). The management of patients with severe outcomes was more likely to involve health care facilities. This information is useful for drafting triage guidelines for the management of pediatric lisinopril ingestions.
Effect of Oxytocin and Epinephrine on the Conception Rate of Cows

Summary The effect on conception rate of injecting oxytocin just after, or epinephrine just before, natural mating and artificial insemination was tested with three groups of normal cows and two groups of "hard-to-settle" cows. Intravenous injections of 15 I.U. oxytocin within 5min. after natural mating brought about a significant increase in conception in one group of normal cows (56 vs. 84% actual calvings). A similar trend (not statistically significant) was found with a second group of normal cows (48 vs. 56%) and with both groups of hard-to-settle cows (39 vs. 52% and 21 vs. 58%). An intravenous injection of 2ml. of a 1/1000 solution of epinephrine within 5min. before natural mating in one experiment resulted in an increase in the per cent of cows that conceived (controls 48 vs. treated 58%, not significant). The increase was similar to that shown by oxytocin injections. Neither oxytocin nor epinephrine treatment significantly affected conception rate in one group of artificially inseminated cows as compared to controls (controls 73 vs. oxytocin 67 vs. epinephrine 68%, 60- to 90-day nonreturns to service).
The operating room dashboard.

The operating room (OR) represents a key engine of performance and growth for most hospitals, and its success is vital to the financial viability of the parent institution. Yet, the OR can also be a considerable drain on the hospital’s finances, because surgical procedures are becoming increasingly complex and technologically-intensive, with the arrival of robotic surgery, navigation systems, and hybrid rooms with intraoperative imaging capabilities far beyond the conventional X-rays. The OR is an arena where the interests and drives of many diverse stakeholders converge and compete for limited resources. Thus, sound decision making for management of the OR is imperative. An emerging best practice among leading hospitals is the OR dashboard—an enabling management tool that presents objective information to guide OR decision makers. The dashboard captures data elements from a myriad of sources, helps to analyze them, and highlights what is operationally meaningful in an intuitive format.
Exploratory Study of Black Psychological Health

Three groups of black men and women (primarily student groups) participated in this exploratory study which was designed to help participants define psychological health or wellbeing for themselves. Spirituality and religion were cited as being primary components of psychological health for all groups. However, the results are only suggestive given the small number of subjects. Finally, I discuss a distinction between spirituality and religion, developmental implications, and the role of oppression in defining black psychological health.
Characterization of monoclonal antibodies to serum galactosyltransferase.

Abstract Monoclonal IgG and IgM antibodies (mAbs) directed against serum galactosyltransferase (GalTase) activities were prepared and characterized for their relative specificity for GalTase isoenzymes I and II (GalTase I and GalTase II). After immunization of mice with purified GalTase, 7 of 1680 fusion products screened were positive for anti-GalTase activity in a solid-phase assay; of these 7, 2 were found to bind GalTase I in a somewhat selective manner while 1 (C6) was relatively specific for GalTase II. The Ka for anti-GalTase mAbs ranged from 2.7 X 10(7) to 1.1 X 10(8) M-1. Enzymatically active GalTase could be recovered from an affinity column of C6 coupled to Sepharose 4B following application of a cell extract from a human colon cancer cell line, confirming that the mAb is directed against GalTase. A sandwich RIA was developed to measure soluble GalTase II in serum by using a combination of two isoenzyme nonspecific mAbs (F5 and V10) coated on a solid-phase support followed by the addition of antigen and GalTase II-specific 125I-labeled C6. This assay was specific for GalTase II with a sensitivity of approximately 10 ng/ml. Evaluation of 240 sera demonstrated higher levels of GalTase II in patients with gastrointestinal cancer (48 ng/ml). However, in contrast to previous results with a radiochemical assay, some normal sera contained GalTase II (mean, 14 ng/ml) and some patients with liver disease had elevated levels (mean, 23 ng/ml). These studies demonstrate the production of moderate-affinity antibodies directed to serum GalTase isoenzymes and the development of an RIA useful in the study of GalTase.
EEG of rhesus monkeys following prolonged low-level feeding of pesticides.

Abstract Rhesus monkeys have been dosed for 18 mo with low levels of 4 pesticides (DDT, dieldrin, parathion, and carbaryl) and have been periodically evaluated by means of anesthetic-induced sleep electroencephalograms. Several characteristics of the EEG patterns have been visually quantitated. No specific alteration has been found to be characteristic of any one pesticide. DDT- and parathion-treated animals have shown a statistically significant reduction in the abundance of high amplitude slow waves; a reduction in the amount of low amplitude fast waves was seen in all groups. Bilateral synchrony between right and left hemispheres was increased in all the treatment groups. The significance of these findings remains to be determined.
Judgments of Disfluency by Mothers of Stuttering and Normally Fluent Children

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between selected aspects of speech disfluency and perceptual judgments of these events by mothers of young stutterers and mothers of age- and s...
Effectiveness of pyridostigmine in reversing neuromuscular blockade produced by soman

The effects of pyridostigmine pretreatment on the neuromuscular blockade produced by soman in anaesthetized, atropinized animals have been studied on the soleus and anterior tibialis muscle (rhesus monkeys, cats and rabbits) and the gastrocnemius muscle (guinea-pigs and rats). Pyridostigmine pretreatment produced a complete recovery of neuromuscular function following blockade by soman; the rate of recovery was similar in all the species, suggesting a common mechanism of action. In the absence of pyridostigmine or if pyridostigmine was delayed until after blockade by soman, there was no recovery of neuromuscular function. Detailed studies in the guinea-pig showed that the recovery of neuromuscular function was related to the dose of soman and to the degree of carbamoylation of blood cholinesterase at the time of nerve agent challenge, i.e. to the dose of pyridostigmine and the time interval between the administration of pyridostigmine and soman. It is suggested that the effectiveness of pyridostigmine pretreatment is due to the carbamoylation of a portion of the tissue acetylcholinesterase, which protects it against irreversible inhibition by soman: after poisoning spontaneous decarbamoylation produces sufficient free acetylcholinesterase to restore normal function.
Intraductal aspiration for cytodiagnosis in pancreatic malignancy

Endoscopic pancreatic cytology was successfully performed in 11 of 14 consecutive patients with proven pancreatic malignancy. It was performed immediately following radiography after washing out the x-ray contrast material with normal saline. Cytology was positive in 8, equivocal in 2, and negative in 1. It was not performed in 3 patients in whom radiography was negative or unsuccessful. There was no associated morbidity. Endoscopic pancreatic cytology following radiography using a saline wash-out step is proposed as a rational and effective technique.
Antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity: cytotoxicity mediated by non t-lymphocytes.

Abstract The cytotoxic capacity of human lymphocytes in antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is mediated by non T-lymphocytes. Evidence is presented that purified peripheral blood T-lymphocytes as well as human thymus cells are inefective in ADCC. By contrast, lymphocytes bearing a receptor for immunoglobulin (Ig) effectively mediated this function.
Preliminary studies of a fast screening method for cocaine and cocaine metabolites in urine using hollow fibre membrane solvent microextraction (HFMSME).

A simple and efficient screening method for cocaine and cocaine metabolites has been developed using an inexpensive, disposable hollow fibre membrane. Drug extraction was achieved using hollow fibre membrane solvent microextraction (HFMSME). Extraction and separation, using a gas chromatograph, was achieved in less than 7.5 min. Using HFMSME, concentrations below 0.050 μg mL−1 were measurable. Good reproducibility was achieved when an internal standard was used, producing relative standard deviation values averaging 5.4%. The effects of various adulterants and interferents on the screening technique were studied and a direct comparison to drop solvent microextraction was made.
On certain sums of Hilbert cubes

Abstract Sufficient conditions are given for the union of two Hilbert cube (manifolds) intersecting in a Hilbert cube (manifold) to be a Hilbert cube (manifold). The corollaries include a non-stabilized mapping cylinder theorem for embeddings between Hilbert cube manifolds and a sum theorem for Keller cubes.
Bladder cancer in the elderly: clinical outcomes, basic mechanisms, and future research direction

The association between aging and cancer is well exemplified by bladder cancer: with advancing age, the risk of developing bladder cancer increases, and patients' clinical presentation and outcomes worsen. Care for elderly patients with bladder cancer requires specific knowledge of many key geriatric clinical issues in order to determine optimal treatment plans. While numerous studies have tried to address the role of urologic intervention for elderly patients with bladder cancer, many studies fail to incorporate a component of true functional assessment. Evaluation tools that incorporate comorbidities, disabilities and functional status will need to be developed, as chronological age is a poor predictor of treatment outcomes. Additionally, further research is necessary to better understand the basic mechanisms that predispose elderly patients to develop this costly and life-threatening disease. This Review examines the current literature evaluating the clinical and mechanistic interactions between aging and bladder cancer, and suggests the formulation of a research agenda to address the issues raised.
Petrophysical characteristics of holocene beachrock

Beachrocks from the Bahamas, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Mediterranean, southern Caribbean, and Great Barrier Reef (Australia) were classified into six groups on the basis of lithologic and petrophysical characteristics, as follows: Group A—oolitic grainstone, Group B—skeletal grainstone, Group C—packstone, Group D—dolostone, Group E—terrigenous beach-rock, and Group F—Halimeda grainstone. Because for most purposes, groups B and F can be merged, this study recognizes five petrofacies among beachrocks. Cementation is the diagenetic process exerting the most control over the petrophysical characteristics of the beachrocks. Cements were emplaced progressively. They range from scarce, discontinuous pore-rimming and meniscus cements to one- and two-generation continuous porerimming cements, and even to third-generation pore filling. With increasing cementation, porosity decreases significantly. The petrophysical parameters (as shown by the various bivariate plots and capillary-pressure curves obtained through mercury porosimetry) express this decrease. Each of the five beachrock petrofacies possesses consistent petrophysical characteristics. For the most part, the samples tested generated capillary-pressure curves as follows: Groups A, B and F, concave; Group C, intermediate and polymodal; Group D, convex; and Group E, gently sloping and polymodal. With few exceptions, recovery efficiencies relate to porosity. Porosity and median throat size show an approximate positive correlation, but recovery efficiency exhibits an invese relationship with median throat size. This study included a prograding sequence of beachrocks from the southern Caribbean. The porosity of the oldest rock (1135±70 years BP) from this sequence is the highest, whereas that of the youngest rock (910±70 years BP) is the lowest.
Laptops in class: What are they good for? What can you do with them?

This chapter describes Clemson University's Laptop Faculty Development Program and its assessment, offering the program as one model for designing faculty development to successfully implement laptop mandates. The chapter also acquaints readers with the many types of in-class, laptop-based activities that meet best-practice criteria for effective teaching.
Effect of Addition of Penicillin to the Hen’s Ration on Biotin and Folic Acid Content of Eggs

Abstract OF THE theories that have been advanced to explain the mode of action of dietary antibiotics in promoting growth, the most plausible, on the basis of available evidence, is that the antibiotic modifies the intestinal microflora to provide the host with a more abundant supply of essential nutritive factors. Evidence in support of this theory, has been presented by Groschke et al. (1950), Linkswiler et al. (1951), and Sunde et al. (1951). Since the hen’s egg has been used previously as a means of studying the over-all effect of the balance between synthesis and utilization of vitamins in the intestinal tract resulting from different nutritional regimens (Couch, Cravens, Elvehjem and Halpin, 1948), it appeared that the same procedure might be applied in determining the effect of dietary antibiotics on vitamin availability to the animal. The effect of penicillin in the diet of the hen on the biotin and folic acid . . .
Decomposition of tree leaf litter on pavement: implications for urban water quality

Leaf litter may be an important source of nutrients to stormwater and ultimately contribute to eutrophication of surface waters associated with urbanization. Thus, understanding decomposition and nutrient release from leaf litter that falls on impervious surfaces is important for stormwater management. However, few studies have examined leaf litter decomposition in the unique urban environment of the street gutter. We compared decomposition of leaf litter of five street tree species in a parking lot gutter in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. In contrast to our expectations, comparisons with past studies revealed that litter decomposed more rapidly in the gutter than in nearby natural areas. And decomposition rates were as rapid as those measured in other urban settings (forests and streams), with most species losing 80 % of their initial mass after 1 year. Litter of most species had retained more than half of its initial N and P after 1 year. However, in contrast to N, litter P dynamics largely were uncoupled from litter mass dynamics, with litter P increasing and decreasing unpredictably over the year. Short-term (24 h) laboratory studies revealed that litter had the potential to lose a high fraction of its initial P, with high variation among species (from 27 to 88 %), and a smaller fraction of its initial N (<10 %) via leaching. Thus, street tree species may differ in their potential contributions to nutrients that are released during decomposition. Our results suggest that careful selection of street tree species and timely removal of litterfall have significant potential to reduce nutrient fluxes from streets to storm drains, particularly for P.
Effect of gas-phase thermal expansion on stability of deflagrations in porous energetic materials

Deflagration waves propagating through porous energetic materials are known to be subject to intrinsic diffusional/thermal instabilities that are associated with the onset of various oscillatory modes of combustion. A few theoretical analyses to explain these combustion phenomena have been published in the literature, and the present contribution extends these results. In particular, we reconsider our previous asymptotic analysis of non-steady, non-planar deflagration, which postulated a constant-density gas phase, to take into account the effects of quasi-steady thermal expansion of an ideal gas. With relative motion between gaseous and condensed phases included, a time-dependent, multidimensional asymptotic model is derived through the application of activation-energy asymptotics. Analyzing this model, an explicit solution corresponding to steady, planar deflagration is obtained as a special case, and a dispersion relation is derived describing its linear stability. In the plane defined by the non-dimensional activation energy and the disturbance wavenumber, a pulsating neutral stability boundary is calculated, beyond which non-steady, non-planar solutions are expected. The effects of porosity and gas-phase thermal expansion are shown to be generally destabilizing, suggesting that degraded propellants, which exhibit greater porosity than the pristine material, may be more readily subject to combustion instability and non-steady deflagration.
Importance of temperature in modeling food web bioaccumulation in large aquatic systems

In present food web bioaccumulation model formulations, the exposure temperature of a food web is typically defined using a single spatial compartment. This essentially assumes that the predator and prey of a food web are exposed to the same environmental temperature. This study investigates the impact of this homogeneous approach of exposure temperature on the model outputs for a food web where the exposure temperature varies among species. Using a bioenergetics-based chemical bioaccumulation model as a case study, the temperature sensitivity of the model equation is first analyzed without consideration of the aggregated effect of food web interactions. The result shows that the model for highly hydrophobic chemicals is very sensitive to temperature. For less hydrophobic chemicals, the sensitivity is marginal. The model is then examined for its temperature sensitivity on a food web basis. The actual lake trout food web at Saugatuck, Michigan is selected for this examination, and the model responses to different exposure temperatures are compared. The result shows that the PCBs bioaccumulations in top predator (lake trout) obtained with the exposure temperatures for all species being represented by surface water temperature can be substantially higher than those obtained with the exposure temperatures being represented individually with species-specific values. A multi-compartment modeling approach is proposed that allows the exposure temperature of each species be defined independently.
Analysis of hybrid electric/thermofluidic inputs for wet shape memory alloy actuators

A wet shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator is characterized by an SMA wire embedded within a compliant fluid-filled tube. Heating and cooling of the SMA wire produces a linear contraction and extension of the wire. Thermal energy can be transferred to and from the wire using combinations of resistive heating and free/forced convection. This paper analyzes the speed and efficiency of a simulated wet SMA actuator using a variety of control strategies involving different combinations of electrical and thermofluidic inputs. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is used in conjunction with a temperature?strain model of the SMA wire to simulate the thermal response of the wire and compute strains, contraction/extension times and efficiency. The simulations produce cycle rates of up to 5?Hz for electrical heating and fluidic cooling, and up to 2?Hz for fluidic heating and cooling. The simulated results demonstrate efficiencies up to 0.5% for electric heating and up to 0.2% for fluidic heating. Using both electric and fluidic inputs concurrently improves the speed and efficiency of the actuator and allows for the actuator to remain contracted without continually delivering energy to the actuator, because of the thermal capacitance of the hot fluid. The characterized speeds and efficiencies are key requirements for implementing broader research efforts involving the intelligent control of electric and thermofluidic networks to optimize the speed and efficiency of wet actuator arrays.
Studies on the tetramerization of substituted monopyrroles to type I porphyrins

Investigation of the tetramerization of pyrroles bearing two different electron-donating groups as substituents led to the rapid preparation under slightly acidic conditions of a porphyrin analog family with a high ratio of type I isomer for enzymatic activity studies.
A Novel Predicted Bromodomain-Related Protein Affects Coordination Between Meiosis and Spermiogenesis in Drosophila and Is Required for Male Meiotic Cytokinesis

Temporal coordination of meiosis with spermatid morphogenesis is crucial for successful generation of mature sperm cells. We identified a recessive male sterile Drosophila melanogaster mutant, mitoshell, in which events of spermatid morphogenesis are initiated too early, before meiotic onset. Premature mitochondrial aggregation and fusion lead to an aberrant mitochondrial shell around premeiotic nuclei. Despite successful meiotic karyokinesis, improper mitochondrial localization in mitoshell testes is associated with defective astral central spindles and a lack of contractile rings, leading to meiotic cytokinesis failure. We mapped and cloned the mitoshell gene and found that it encodes a novel protein with a bromodomain-related region. It is conserved in some insect lineages. Bromodomains typically bind to histone acetyl-lysine residues and therefore are often associated with chromatin. The Mitoshell bromodomain-related region is predicted to have an alpha helical structure similar to that of bromodomain...
Effect of Annealing and Etching on Machining Damage in Structural Beryllium

Machining damage can seriously degrade the mechanical properties of beryllium. In this study substantial machining damage was introduced in two different structural grades of beryllium. Two methods of relieving the machining damage were studied: annealing at various temperatures and etching away various amounts of surface material. For the depth of damage introduced in the study (approximately 100 Σm (0.004 in.)), removing the machining damage in the first 25 to 50 Σm (0.001 to 0.002 in.) by either etching or annealing restored the mechanical properties of the beryllium. Microhardness was useful for ascertaining the extent of machining damage.
Tolerating Temporal Correlated Failures from Cyclic Dependency in High Performance Computing Systems

Correlated failures have recently gained more attention in the research of failures in large scale systems. Recent studies have pointed out the negative effect of ignoring such failures when designing a fault tolerant scheme for large scale systems. In this paper, we explore the behaviors of temporal correlated failures arising from cyclic dependency among task nodes via an abstract model. Using this model, we find that fast failure propagation and slow recovery from failures are two dominant factors which make recovering from such failures much difficult. To efficiently stop failure propagation and shorten the total recovering time, we propose a recovery protocol called GCCTS (group-based coordinated checkpointing and task suspending) against temporal correlated failures.
Compensating for camera translation in video eye-movement recordings by tracking a representative landmark selected automatically by a genetic algorithm

Abstract It is common in oculomotor and vestibular research to use video or still cameras to acquire data on eye movements. Unfortunately, such data are often contaminated by unwanted motion of the face relative to the camera, especially during experiments in dynamic motion environments. We develop a method for estimating the motion of a camera relative to a highly deformable surface, specifically the movement of a camera relative to the face and eyes. A small rectangular region of interest (ROI) on the face is automatically selected and tracked throughout a set of video frames as a measure of vertical camera translation. The specific goal is to present a process based on a genetic algorithm that selects a suitable ROI for tracking: one whose translation within the camera image accurately matches the actual relative motion of the camera. We find that co-correlation , a statistic describing the time series of a large group of ROIs, predicts the accuracy of the ROIs, and can be used to select the best ROI from a group. After the genetic algorithm finds the best ROIs from a group, it uses recombination to form a new generation of ROIs that inherit properties of the ROIs from the previous generation. We show that the algorithm can select an ROI that will estimate camera translation and determine the direction that the eye is looking with an average accuracy of 0.75°, even with camera translations of 2.5 mm at a viewing distance of 120 mm, which would cause an error of 11° without correction.
Investigation of Inter-Layer Dielectric (ILD) Failure by Hygroscopic Swelling

Hygro-mechanical stresses arise in an electronic package when the polymeric materials swell upon absorbing moisture while the adjacent non-polymeric materials, such as silicon chip, solder bump, and other metal interconnect do not experience swelling. The coefficient of hygroscopic swelling is a material property to characterize the dimensional change with moisture absorption. Current hygroscopic swelling characterization techniques use an averaged approach based on the averaged moisture content. However, the moisture distribution is not uniform across the test specimen during measurement. This introduces analysis errors in determining the hygroscopic material property. In the first part of this study, a locally accurate coefficient of hygroscopic swelling is obtained based on actual moisture distribution using diffusion law and the corresponding hygroscopic deformation. Results showed that the ratio of the averaged coefficient of hygroscopic swelling to the accurate coefficient of hygroscopic swelling by present method could be as large as 2.5. The mathematical formulation is then transformed to analyze the experimental data to obtain the true material hygroswelling property. Based on the locally accurate coefficient of hygroscopic swelling analysis, the second part of this paper investigates the impact of hygroscopic deformation on ILD structure under HAST condition using finite element analysis. FEA simulation results revealed the significance of contribution of hygroswelling-induced stresses under bump region. The major focus is on the impact of combined thermal and hygro-mechanical stresses from different underfills. Total of five kinds of underfills are evaluated. Experimental results and failure analysis show the ILD cracking/delamination during HAST. A strong correlation between the hygroscopic swelling and normal stresses exerted on ILD region was found. The moisture expansion by moisture absorption, i.e., the product of the coefficient of hygroscopic swelling and saturated moisture concentration, plays a key role in reliability performance. Finite element results give a good guideline on the underfill material selection, and also give an insight of the failure mechanism associated with moisture absorption
Estimation of illumination for color correction

The reproduction of color images often requires color correction. The original image may have been recorded under one illumination while the reproduction is to be viewed under another or made to appear as if it were recorded under another. Since it is often the case that the original illumination is unknown to the image scientist, it is necessary to estimate. Two methods are presented for estimating the illuminant. The sensitivity of the methods to various assumptions is discussed. >
Raman Enhancement Factor of a Single Tunable Nanoplasmonic Resonator

We have developed a novel technique to precisely determine the Raman enhancement factor in single nanoplasmonic resonators (TNPRs). TNPRs are lithographically defined metallodielectric nanoparticles composed of two silver disks stacked vertically, separated by a silica layer. At resonance, the local electromagnetic fields are enhanced at the TNPR surface, making it an ideal surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active substrate. The ability to control the dimensions of the metallic and dielectric layers offers the unique advantage of fine-tuning the plasmon resonance frequency to maximize the enhancement of the Raman signal. Furthermore, by selective shielding of the outer surface of the metallic structure, the efficiency can be further enhanced by guiding the molecular assembly to the locations that exhibit strong electromagnetic fields. We experimentally demonstrate SERS enhancement factors of (6.1 ± 0.3) × 1010, with the highest enhancement factor being achieved by using an individual nanoparticle. ...
Fabrication of Nanostructured ZnO UV Sensor

In this paper, we describe the fabrication of nanostructure based ZnO ultra violet sensor by a simple route without involving the clean room processing of inter digitized electrodes. The ZnO nanostructures consist of micro spheres of dimension 600 nm- 2 µm embedded in the network of nanowires of dimension 40 nm. The optical properties are studied by Photoluminescence spectroscopy that revealed the exciton band gap of 3.2 eV at 383 nm. The ultra violet sensors exhibited 2 orders of UV to visible rejection ratio. The photo response of ZnO ultra violet sensors is studied.
Chlormethiazole: an old friend revisited

In 1987 the Committee on Safety of Medicines issued a statement warning doctors of a fatal interaction between chlormethiazole and alcohol. This combination was reported to be responsible for 50 deaths a year. As a consequence it was recommended that chlormethiazole should only be used under close hospital supervision. This, in turn, has generated a shift away from its use in the Community detoxification process which, in our opinion, is detrimental to patients. In this article we attempt to redress the balance which currently discriminates the use of chlormethiazole in the community, challenging the statistics quoted for fatalities and highlighting the beneficial characteristics that make the use of this agent ideal in the community. We conclude that with close clinical supervision of clients by a specialist nurse working as part of a hospital team, chlormethiazole may safely be used in detoxification programmes in the community.
Plastome Mutator–Induced Alterations Arise in Oenothera Chloroplast DNA Through Template Slippage

The plastome mutator of Oenothera hookeri strain Johansen causes deletions and duplications at target sites defined by direct repeats in the plastid genome. Previous studies characterized the mutations long after they had occurred and could not discriminate between the possibilities that the plastome mutator acted through unequal homologous recombination or template slippage. From the known hotspots, the rRNA spacer in the large inverted repeat was chosen for this study because it contains both direct and indirect repeats. Identical deletions were recovered from independently derived plants; the altered regions were always flanked by direct repeats. The regions in which the deletions occurred have the potential to form secondary structures that would stabilize the intervening sequence. Of the two affected regions, the one with the stronger potential secondary structure was altered more frequently. Because no duplication products or inversions were recovered, it is proposed that the plastome mutator acts through template slippage rather than through a recombination mechanism.
Demographic and clinical factors associated with benzodiazepine prescription at discharge from psychiatric inpatient treatment.

Abstract Objective We sought to characterize diagnostic and treatment factors associated with receiving a prescription for benzodiazepines at discharge from a psychiatric inpatient unit. We hypothesized that engaging in individual behavioral interventions while on the unit would decrease the likelihood of receiving a benzodiazepine prescription at discharge. Method This is an observational study utilizing medical chart review (n= 1007) over 37 months (2008–2011). Descriptive statistics characterized patient demographics and diagnostic/prescription frequency. Multivariate regression was used to assess factors associated with receiving a benzodiazepine prescription at discharge. Results The sample was 61% female with mean age=40.5 (S.D.= 13.6). Most frequent diagnoses were depression (54.7%) and bipolar disorder (18.6%). Thirty-eight percent of participants engaged in an individual behavioral intervention. Benzodiazepines were prescribed in 36% of discharges. Contrary to our hypothesis, individual behavioral interventions did not influence discharge benzodiazepine prescriptions. However, several other factors did, including having a substance use disorder [odds ratio (OR)=0.40]. Male sex (OR=0.56), Black race (OR=0.40) and age (OR=1.03) were nonclinical factors with strong prescribing influence. Conclusion Benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed at discharge. Our results indicate strong racial and sex biases when prescribing benzodiazepines, even after controlling for diagnosis.
Population growth rate of a common understory herb decreases non-linearly across a gradient of deer herbivory

Overabundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are a significant management problem in North America that exerts unprecedented herbivory pressure on native understory forest communities. Conserving understory plant populations requires quantifying a sustainable level of deer herbivory. To date, most population projection models consider only deer presence and absence. To estimate population growth rate along a gradient of herbivory, we focused on Trillium grandiflorum because it is a common understory species and a bellwether of deer effects and forest decline. We used matrix population models, and employed both prospective and retrospective analyses using a regression life table response experiment (LTRE). Deer affect size, stage and population dynamics of T. grandiflorum. Because deer target flowering and large non-flowering stages of T. grandiflorum, these individuals do not produce seed in the year they are browsed and are more likely to regress in stage and size in the following growing season relative to nonbrowsed plants. Importantly, sustained high browse levels result in populations dominated by small, non-flowering individuals. Our LTRE revealed a significant negative and decelerating relationship between herbivory and l. This non-linearity occurs at the highest herbivory levels because highly browsed populations become dominated by stages that deer do not consume and are thus buffered from rapid decline. However, population extinction is expected when herbivory is greater than the pivotal value of � 15%. Our study demonstrates that levels of deer herbivory commonly experienced by forest understory perennials are sufficient to cause the loss of T. grandiflorum and likely other co-occurring palatable species.
PDE5 inhibitors enhance the lethality of standard of care chemotherapy in pediatric CNS tumor cells

We determined whether clinically relevant phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors interacted with clinically relevant chemotherapies to kill medulloblastoma cells. In medulloblastoma cells PDE5 inhibitors interacted in a greater than additive fashion with vincristine/etoposide/cisplatin to cause cell death. Knockdown of PDE5 expression recapitulated the combination effects of PDE5 inhibitor drugs with chemotherapy drugs. Expression of dominant negative caspase 9 did not significantly inhibit chemotherapy lethality but did significantly reduce enhanced killing in combination with the PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil. Overexpression of BCL-XL and c-FLIP-s suppressed individual and combination drug toxicities. Knockdown of CD95 or FADD suppressed drug combination toxicity. Treatment with PDE5 inhibitors and chemotherapy drugs promoted autophagy which was maximal at ~12 h post-treatment, and in a cell type-dependent manner knockdown of Beclin1 or ATG5 either suppressed or enhanced drug combination lethality. PDE5 inhibitors enhanced the induction of chemotherapy-induced DNA damage in a nitric oxide synthase-dependent fashion. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that the combination of PDE5 inhibitors with standard of care chemotherapy agents for medulloblastoma represents a possible novel modality for future treatment of this disease.