cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-resolution IC inspection technique

We demonstrate a through the substrate, numerical aperture increasing lens (NAIL) technique for high-resolution inspection of silicon devices. We experimentally demonstrate a resolution of 0.2 micrometers , with the ultimate diffraction limit of 0.14 micrometers . Absorption limits inspection in silicon to wavelengths greater than 1 micrometers , placing an ultimate limit of 0.5 micrometers resolution on standard subsurface microscopy techniques. Our numerical aperture increasing lens reduces this limit to 0.14 micrometers , a significant improvement for device visual inspection (patent pending). The NAIL technique yields a resolution improvement over standard optical microscopy of at least a factor of n, the refractive index of the substrate material, and up to a factor of n 2. In silicon, this constitutes a resolution improvement between 3.6 and 13. This is accomplished by increasing the numerical aperture of the imaging system, without introducing any spherical aberration to the collected light. A specialized lens made of the same material as the substrate is placed on the back surface of the substrate. The convex surface of this lens is spherical with a radius of curvature, R. The vertical thickness of the lens, D, should be selected according to D equals $ (1 + 1/n)-X and the substrate thickness X.
Gone, going, coming: Ephemeral media ethics

(2004). Gone, going, coming: Ephemeral media ethics. Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies: Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 336-338.
Lens specific RLIP76 transgenic mice show a phenotype similar to microphthalmia

RALBP1/RLIP76 is a ubiquitously expressed protein, involved in promotion and regulation of functions initiated by Ral and R-Ras small GTPases. Presence of multiple domains in its structure enables RLIP76 to be involved in a number of physiological processes such as endocytosis, exocytosis, mitochondrial fission, actin cytoskeleton remodeling, and transport of exogenous and endogenous toxicants. Previously, we have established that RLIP76 provides protection to ocular tissues against oxidative stress by transporting the glutathione-conjugates of the toxic, electrophilic products of lipid peroxidation generated during oxidative stress. Therefore, we developed lens specific RLIP76 transgenic mice (lensRLIP76 Tg) to elucidate the role of RLIP76 in protection against oxidative stress, but these transgenic mice showed impaired lens development and a phenotype with small eyes similar to that observed in microphthalmia. These findings prompted us to investigate the mechanisms via which RLIP76 affects lens and eye development. In the present study, we report engineering of lensRLIP76 Tg mice, characterization of the associated phenotype, and the possible molecular mechanisms that lead to the impaired development of eye and lens in these mice. The results of microarray array analysis indicate that the genes involved in pathways for G-Protein signaling, actin cytoskeleton reorganization, endocytosis, and apoptosis are affected in these transgenic mice. The expression of transcription factors, Pax6, Hsf1, and Hsf4b known to be involved in lens development is down regulated in the lens of these Tg mice. However, the expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps), the downstream targets of Hsfs, is differentially affected in the lens showing down regulation of Hsp27, Hsp40, up regulation of Hsp60, and no effect on Hsp70 and Hsp90 expression. The disruption in the organization of actin cytoskeleton of these Tg mice was associated with the inhibition of the activation of Cdc42 and down regulation of cofilin phosphorylation. These mice may provide useful animal model for elucidating the mechanisms of lens development, and etiology of microphthalmia.
Places: People, Events, Loci --- the Relation of Semantic Frames in the Construction of Place

The central point of this paper concerns the way the particular contexts of people, events and loci constitute places through the pragmatics of being and acting in physical space and how this can give designers traction over place design. Although we focus here on meaning associated with the concept of "place", unlike some thinkers, we also believe that spaces have meaning. Our point is not to engage in a competition between phenomenologies, but to develop a rich description of the contribution to place of the semantic tangle of people, events, and loci as an aide in locating design alternatives. The semantic tangle consists of situated, mutually constituting resources. Patterns of moves and contexts that define and utilize those resources constitute different forms of place construction; in this paper, we focus on three: the linguistic participation of place, ritual, and ephemeral places. Approaches to CSCW may profit (1) from designing technology for multifaceted appropriation, (2) from designing specific places for specific people engaged in specific events in specific locations, or (3) by commutation, that is, a method of meaning making similar to detecting "just noticeable differences" by iteratively and self-consciously substituting related meaningful moves and contexts into the system of meaning.
Control of subretinal fluid: Experimental and clinical studies

Experimental work shows that subretinal fluid is removed both by active transport across the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and by passive hydrostatic and oncotic forces that work most effectively when the RPE barrier has been damaged. The retina will stay attached whether or not the RPE is intact--but retinal function requires the RPE barrier and thus active transport is the primary mechanism of subretinal fluid control. RPE fluid transport is normally limited by the retina (which resists water flow from the vitreous) but can be quite powerful when a reservoir of subretinal fluid is present. Clinical serous detachments are unlikely to form solely as a result of small RPE defects or leaks, since the active and passive transport systems for removing subretinal fluid are both so strong. It is suggested that the primary pathology in most serous retinopathy is a diffuse metabolic or vascular abnormality of RPE fluid transport, and that RPE defects or leaks are necessary but only secondary components of the disease. Several hypotheses for removing subretinal fluid therapeutically are considered in terms of their physiology. The subretinal space between the photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is the remnant of the embryonic optic vesicle. In the developed eye the subretinal space is of minimal size, but no tissue junctions form across it and it can re-open under pathological conditions of retinal detachment. In a sense, the title of this paper is misleading since normally there should be no subretinal fluid to control. However, ocular mechanisms are necessary to prevent an accumulation of fluid, and to remove it under conditions of stress or disease.
Study Of Conduction Band Tail States In A-Si,Ge:H,F Alloys By Electron Time-Of-Flight

The electron time-of-flight characteristics of un-alloyed a-Si:H and of a-Si,Ge:H,F alloys were studied. The log I -log t characteristics of the alloys are highly dispersive and include anomalous features. The characteristics depend strongly on measurement temperature, becoming more regular as the temperature increases. Substantial differences between low-gap alloys with comparable optical gaps are observed. Computer simulation suggests that an extra density of deep tail states, or the midgap states, are responsible for the anomalous characteristics.
Moving Protons with Pendant Amines: Proton Mobility in a Nickel Catalyst for Oxidation of Hydrogen

Proton transport is ubiquitous in chemical and biological processes, including the reduction of dioxygen to water, the reduction of CO2 to formate, and the production/oxidation of hydrogen. In this work we describe intramolecular proton transfer between Ni and positioned pendant amines for the hydrogen oxidation electrocatalyst [Ni(PCy2NBn2H)2]2+ (PCy2NBn2 = 1,5-dibenzyl-3,7-dicyclohexyl-1,5-diaza-3,7-diphosphacyclooctane). Rate constants are determined by variable-temperature one-dimensional NMR techniques and two-dimensional EXSY experiments. Computational studies provide insight into the details of the proton movement and energetics of these complexes. Intramolecular proton exchange processes are observed for two of the three experimentally observable isomers of the doubly protonated Ni(0) complex, [Ni(PCy2NBn2H)2]2+, which have N–H bonds but no Ni–H bonds. For these two isomers, with pendant amines positioned endo to the Ni, the rate constants for proton exchange range from 104 to 105 s–1 at 25 °C, de...
Impurity stabilized A 15 Nb 3 Nb - a new superconductor

We have succeeded in preparing by chemical vapor deposition essentially single-phase, $A15$ ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$Nb with the addition of small amounts of Ge or Si. The compositions and lattice parameters of the five samples reported on here are as follows: ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.92}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{0.08}$), 5.239 \AA{}; ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.82}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{0.18}$), 5.230 \AA{}; ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.71}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{0.29}$), 5.219 \AA{}; ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.61}$${\mathrm{Si}}_{0.39}$), 5.213 \AA{}; ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.46}$${\mathrm{Si}}_{0.54}$), 5.192 \AA{}. Using these compositions and lattice parameters, the lattice parameter for pure $A15$ ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$Nb is found to be 5.250 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.005 \AA{}. The low-temperature specific heat of all five samples was measured from 1.4 to 11 K, showing bulk superconduting transitions in all cases, with ${T}_{c}$ midpoint and $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}C}{\ensuremath{\gamma}{T}_{c}}$ values as follows: ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.92}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{0.08}$), 5.2 K and 1.24; ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.82}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{0.18}$), 4.15 K and 1.16; ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.71}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{0.29}$), 3.6 K and 1.27; ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.61}$${\mathrm{Si}}_{0.39}$), 5.4 K and 0.78; ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.46}$${\mathrm{Si}}_{0.54}$) 3.4 K and 1.16. Transition widths were in general quite narrow, less than 0.5 K, and for ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$(${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.71}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{0.29}$), the transition width was 0.15 K. From the specific heat measurements $A15$ ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$Nb has a ${T}_{c}$ of \ensuremath{\sim}6 K, a ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{D}$ of 270 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 10 K, equivalent to that of bcc elemental Nb, and a density of states of 1.22 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.1 states/eV atom. Microprobe analysis of the $A15$ ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$Nb samples shows no detectable oxygen, i.e., 0.2 at.%. In addition to the essentially single-phase samples, a predominantly $A15$ sample with ${a}_{0}=5.246$ \AA{} and 50% bcc Nb second phase has been prepared, with less than 3% of the $B$-site atoms occupied by Ge, showing that $A15$ Nb may be stabilized by less than 1% second-atom additions.
Approximation of power in multivariate analysis

We consider the calculation of power functions in classical multivariate analysis. In this context, power can be expressed in terms of tail probabilities of certain noncentral distributions. The necessary noncentral distribution theory was developed between the 1940s and 1970s by a number of authors. However, tractable methods for calculating the relevant probabilities have been lacking. In this paper we present simple yet extremely accurate saddlepoint approximations to power functions associated with the following classical test statistics: the likelihood ratio statistic for testing the general linear hypothesis in MANOVA; the likelihood ratio statistic for testing block independence; and Bartlett's modified likelihood ratio statistic for testing equality of covariance matrices.
Serotonin and Bulimia Nervosa

Serotonin (5HT) is one of several neuromodulators of feeding. Experimentally reducing 5HT activity in animals increases food intake, while increasing 5HT activity has the opposite effect. Studies suggest that women with bulimia nervosa show signs of reduced 5HT activity, which may be related to binge eating. Data supporting the theory that reduced central nervous system 5HT activity may play a role in the pathophysiology of bulimia nervosa is reviewed. Disturbances of 5HT activity and the relationship to other psychopathology in bulimia nervosa, such as depression, substance abuse, and impulsivity, are also reviewed.
Regional low-flow perfusion provides comparable blood flow and oxygenation to both cerebral hemispheres during neonatal aortic arch reconstruction.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to measure cerebral oxygenation, cerebral blood volume index, and cerebral blood flow velocity values in both cerebral hemispheres before, during, and after regional low-flow cerebral perfusion for neonatal aortic arch reconstruction and to test the hypothesis that cerebral blood volume index measured by near infrared spectroscopy correlates with cerebral blood flow velocity measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. Methods Bilateral near infrared spectroscopy and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography sensors were placed, and values were recorded immediately before, during, and after regional low-flow cerebral perfusion at 18°C. Cerebral oxygen saturations, cerebral blood flow velocities, and cerebral blood volume index values were compared by Mann-Whitney U test. Correlations between values of cerebral blood volume index and cerebral blood flow velocity were tested with Spearman rank order correlation. Results Twenty patients were studied. Median cerebral oxygen saturations for the right and left sides were 95% and 95% before regional low-flow cerebral perfusion, 95% and 87% during regional low-flow cerebral perfusion ( P = .054), and 93% and 94% after regional low-flow cerebral perfusion. Median cerebral blood flow velocity values did not change during regional low-flow cerebral perfusion. Cerebral blood volume index exhibited a poor correlation with cerebral blood flow velocity. Conclusions Regional low-flow cerebral perfusion provides comparable blood flows and oxygenation to both cerebral hemispheres. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography is recommended as a corroborative method with near-infrared spectroscopy to guide flow during regional low-flow cerebral perfusion, because cerebral blood volume index does not correlate with cerebral blood flow velocity.
A Review of Technology Push Product Development Models and Processes

There are many models of product development processes. The two most common classes of development are market pull (MP) and technology push (TP). TP product development differs from MP in that the development begins with a specified technology rather than a specified customer. Because TP development is generally considered more difficult and challenging, most of the product development research has focused on MP development and many researchers and practitioners favor MP development over TP development. However, successful TP development has been shown to be a source of innovation that cannot be realized through MP development and is still performed by many companies. This paper review lays the necessary foundation for building better TP models by first examining the evolution of TP models, and then reviewing deficiencies that have been attributed to MP models when they are used to accomplish TP product development. This paper also amalgamates the success factors of successfully developed TP products, and then groups them into categories that can be used to further investigate how comprehensive existing and proposed TP models are.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Hydrophobic substituent effects on proline catalysis of aldol reactions in water.

Derivatives of 4-hydroxyproline with a series of hydrophobic groups in well-defined orientations have been tested as catalysts for the aldol reactions. All of the modified proline catalysts carry out the intermolecular aldol reaction in water and provide high diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity. Modified prolines with aromatic groups syn to the carboxylic acid are better catalysts than those with small hydrophobic groups (1a is 43.5 times faster than 1f). Quantum mechanical calculations provide transition structures, TS-1awater and TS-1fwater, that support the hypothesis that a stabilizing hydrophobic interaction occurs with 1a.
Two distinctive strains of tobacco mosaic virus

Abstract A culture of tobacco mosaic virus isolated from tomato, when propagated in Nicotiana tabacum L. var. Turkish, was found to contain two different strains that differed slightly in pathogenicity in Turkish tobacco, but differed markedly in some other hosts. A strong serological relationship between the two strains and between them and several other strains of TMV was demonstrated by precipitin tests. However, absorption tests revealed antigenic differences between the two strains and a group difference between the two strains on the one hand and several common strains of tobacco mosaic virus on the other. Analyses for amino acid content, revealed many differences between the two strains, and one of the strains proved to have carboxyl-terminal serine rather than threonine, which is carboxyl-terminal in all other strains of tobacco mosaic virus so far investigated. Analysis of the nucleic acids from the two strains showed significant differences in the sequences of nucleotides in the two strains. Also both were found to differ from common tobacco mosaic virus in nucleotide sequences.
Trends in Digital Music Archiving

This article assesses changes in the mode of music consumption from record collecting to digital archiving and subscribing to a music service, and argues that the subscription model is unviable. First, it considers the change in the perceived source of value of the music commodity going from tangible to intangible formats. Then, it tracks the trade-offs made by music consumers who exchange purchasing recordings for subscribing to music download and streaming services, and notes the imbalances in favor of the intellectual property rights owners. Then, it analyzes the features that appeal to the collector's psyche enough to capture the collector into a “digital enclosure.” It concludes with an analysis of the incommensurability between the activities of the music collector and those of the music service user.
Adaptive dynamic priority scheduling for virtual desktop infrastructures

Virtual Desktop Infrastructures (VDIs) are gaining popularity in cloud computing by allowing companies to deploy their office environments in a virtualized setting instead of relying on physical desktop machines. Consolidating many users into a VDI environment can significantly lower IT management expenses and enables new features such as "available-anywhere" desktops. However, barriers to broad adoption include the slow performance of virtualized I/O, CPU scheduling interference problems, and shared-cache contention. In this paper, we propose a new soft real-time scheduling algorithm that employs flexible priority designations (via utility functions) and automated scheduler class detection (via hypervisor monitoring of user behavior) to provide a higher quality user experience. We have implemented our scheduler within the Xen virtualization platform, and demonstrate that the overheads incurred from co-locating large numbers of virtual machines can be reduced from 66% with existing schedulers to under 2% in our system. We evaluate the benefits and overheads of using a smaller scheduling time quantum in a VDI setting, and show that the average overhead time per scheduler call is on the same order as the existing SEDF and Credit schedulers.
Phytoplankton dynamics, primary productivity and community metabolism in a north-central Texas pond

Phytoplankton diversity, primary productivity and community metabolism were measured for 1 year in a 0.94 ha pond located in north-central Texas. Gross primary production ranged from 4.5 to 46.8 kcal m−2 day−1 ( $$\bar X$$ =22.0 kcal m−2 day−1) and community metabolism ranged from 7.3 to 32.4 kcal m−2 day−1 ( $$\bar X$$ =14.8 kcal m−2 day−1). Average production/respiration ratio (1.5) showed that the pond was principally autotrophic. Photosynthetic efficiency (gross primary production/0.5 total solar radiation) ranged from 0.32 to 2.8 with a mean of 1.2. Phytoplankton diversity based on numbers and biomass fluctuated greatly. Highest gross primary productivity occurred during Cyanophyta blooms in late summer-early fall when species diversity was minimal. Water temperature and turbidity, which governed light penetration, were the principal determinants of primary production.
What’s Wrong with Contextualism, and a Noncontextualist Resolution of the Skeptical Paradox

Skeptics try to persuade us of our ignorance with arguments like the following: 1. I don’t know that I am not a handless brain-in-a-vat [BIV]. 2. If I don’t know that I am not a handless BIV, then I don’t know that I have hands. Therefore, 3. I don’t know that I have hands. The BIV argument is valid, its premises are intuitively compelling, and yet, its conclusion strikes us as absurd. Something has to go, but what? Contextualists contend that an adequate solution to the skeptical problem must: (i) retain epistemic closure, (ii) explain the intuitive force of skeptical arguments by explaining why their premises initially seem so compelling, and (iii) account for the truth of our commonsense judgment that we do possess lots of ordinary knowledge. Contextualists maintain that the key to such a solution is recognizing that the semantic standards for ‘knows’ vary from context to context such that in skeptical contexts the skeptic’s premises are true and so is her conclusion; but in ordinary contexts, her conclusion is false and so is her first premise. Despite its initial attractiveness, the contextualist solution comes at a significant cost, for contextualism has many counterintuitive results. After presenting the contextualist solution, I identify a number of these costs. I then offer a noncontextualist solution that meets the adequacy constraint identified above, while avoiding the costs associated with contextualism. Hence, one of the principal reasons offered for adopting a contextualist theory of knowledge–its supposedly unique ability to adequately resolve the skeptical problem – is undermined.
Activation in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in response to maternal criticism and praise in recovered depressed and healthy control participants

Background High family levels of expressed emotion reliably predict relapse in patients with schizophrenia and mood disorders; however, the neural mechanisms linking expressed emotion and relapse are unexplored. Dysfunctional activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess focal activation changes in DLPFC in response to a novel psychosocial challenge stimulus developed from the expressed emotion construct. Methods Healthy control subjects and fully remitted unipolar depressed participants completed blood oxygen level–dependent fMRI while they heard their own mothers making critical and praising comments about them. Results Relative to control subjects, participants with a history of depression failed to activate DLPFC when they heard critical remarks. There were no differences between the two groups in their DLPFC responses to maternal praise. Conclusions Even if fully well at the time of testing, participants with a known vulnerability to depression respond differently to the psychosocial challenge of being criticized. These findings might have implications for our understanding of vulnerability to depression and to depressive relapse.
New Techniques in Global Semigroup Theory

Herein I state new results of several researchers (including myself) and present some new conjectures. Almost no proofs are given, but instead, references and (hopefully) helpful remarks. The new techniques are to be learned by studying the references. This paper is just a signpost.
Complement-fixing Activity of Fulvic Acid from Shilajit and Other Natural Sources

Shilajit has been used traditionally in folk medicine for the treatment of a variety of disorders, including syndromes involving excessive complement activation. Extracts of Shilajit contain significant amounts of fulvic acid (FA), and it has been suggested that FA is responsible for many therapeutic properties of Shilajit. However, little is known regarding the physical and chemical properties of Shilajit extracts, and nothing is known about their effects on the complement system. To address this issue, extracts of commercial Shilajit were fractionated using anion exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. One neutral (S-I) and two acidic (S-II and S-III) fractions were isolated, characterized and compared with standardized FA samples. The most abundant fraction (S-II) was further fractionated into three sub-fractions (S-II-1 to S-II-3). The van Krevelen diagram showed that the Shilajit fractions are the products of polysaccharide degradation, and all fractions, except S-II-3, contained type II arabinogalactan. All Shilajit fractions exhibited dose-dependent complement-fixing activity in vitro with high potency. Furthermore, a strong correlation was found between the complement-fixing activity and carboxylic group content in the Shilajit fractions and other FA sources. These data provide a molecular basis to explain at least part of the beneficial therapeutic properties of Shilajit and other humic extracts.
A simple and least complex KV transform coding technique with low BER performance at low Eb/No for multi-tiered applications in power and bandwidth constrained MANET/sensor networks

This paper presents a novel idea of Koay-Vaman (KV) Transform coding technique which is based on block coding technique. It provides the ability to detect errors, correct errors and identifies the remaining block error in each of the transmission ensembles. Exploiting this property will allow design of bandwidth efficient MANET and sensor networks to support provisioning of multi-service applications. Moreover, KV Transform technique permits recovery of end user information at low Eb/N0 which is typically observed in a heavy multi-path fading environment, which is suitable for both in-door and out-door real time applications. It addresses the challenges of MANETs that require bandwidth and power efficiency, Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning of multi-services and scalability. KV transform technology is based on discrete sample orthogonal and invertible transform using time-frequency variation analysis. This paper presents BER performance (< 10-7) on Rayleigh fading channel using the proposed KV transform technique with sample error correction, single selective retransmission of blocks that are in error and sample interleaving at very low Eb/No.
Content caching and scheduling in wireless broadcast networks with elastic and inelastic traffic

The rapid growth of wireless content access implies the need for content placement and scheduling at wireless base stations. We study a system under which clients are divided into clusters based on their channel conditions, and their requests are represented by different queues at logical frontends. Requests might be elastic (implying no hard delay constraint) or inelastic (requiring that a delay target be met). Correspondingly, we have request queues that indicate the number of elastic requests, and deficit queues that indicate the deficit in inelastic service. Caches are of finite size, and can be refreshed periodically from a media vault. We design provably optimal policies that stabilize the request queues (hence ensuring finite delays) and reduce average deficit to zero (hence ensuring that the QoS target is met). We illustrate our approach through simulations.
Crisp Random Numbers and Vectors

In this chapter we first discuss different ways to generate sequences of “random” numbers in some interval [a,b]. Usually the random numbers are first produced in [0,1] and then we perform a linear transformation to get them into [a,b]. Next we consider making sequences of random non-negative integers. We wish to produce sequences of random vectors v = (x 1,...,x n ) where the x i are real numbers, and the randomness here means that the v will uniformly fill the space [a,b] n . These random vectors will be used in the next chapter to generate sequences of random fuzzy numbers.
Transition density: a new measure of activity in digital circuits

Noting that a common element in most causes of runtime failure is the extent of circuit activity, i.e. the rate at which its nodes are switching, the author proposes a measure of activity, called the transition density, which may be defined as the average switching rate at a circuit node. An algorithm is also presented to propagate density values from the primary inputs to internal and output nodes. To illustrate the practical significance of this work, it is shown how the density values at internal nodes can be used to study circuit reliability by estimating the average power and ground currents; the average power dissipation; the susceptibility to electromigration failures; and the extent of hot-electron degradation. The density propagation algorithm has been implemented in a prototype density simulator which is used to assess the validity and feasibility of the approach experimentally. The results show that the approach is very efficient, and makes possible the analysis of VLSI circuits. >
Ethanol tolerance and ethanol-drug interactions in the rat.

Abstract Tolerance to the hypnotic effect of ethanol was induced with adifferent time course in adult male and female Holtzman rats by repeated ip administration of ethanol (2.5 g/kg/day). Female rats exhibited tolerance to ethanol after 10 days of treatment and males at 15 days. The extinction of ethanol tolerance was similar in both sexes. Although ethanol treatment has been reported to enhance microsomal drug metabolism in the rat, no evidence of cross tolerance between ethanol and hexobarbital, meprobamate and zoxazolamine was observed in the ethanol-tolerant male rat. Such animals were, however, cross tolerant to the effects of the minimally metabolized barbiturate, phenobarbital. Female rats, on the other hand, exhibited a cross tolerance between ethanol and hexobarbital, pentobarbital, meprobamate and zoxazolamine, but not to barbital or phenobarbital. In the female, tolerance to hexobarbital and meprobamate was present after 4 days of ethanol pretreatment, i.e. prior to the time when the animals were tolerant to ethanol itself. Plasma levels of barbiturates and zoxazolamine measured at the time of regaining of the righting reflex after administration of these drugs were elevated in the ethanol-tolerant rat of either sex. Rates of decline of plasma levels of barbital, pentobarbital and zoxazolamine were not modified by ethanol tolerance in the female rat. The findings of elevated plasma drug levels at the termination of the pharmacologic response and the similarity in plasma level decline for several drugs in the female rat tolerant to ethanol, suggest that diminished CNS sensitivity rather than altered microsomal drug metabolism may be the basis of the ethanol-drug interactions noted.
Chronic cough with eosinophilic bronchitis: examination for variable airflow obstruction and response to corticosteroid

The purpose of this study was to examine airway responsiveness, sputum cells and the effects of inhaled corticosteroid in the chronic cough syndrome associated with eosinophilic bronchitis. We studied nine consecutive referrals with chronic cough, sputum with > 10% eosinophils, normal spirometry, and normal methacholine airway responsiveness. Clinical assessment, sputum analysis, allergy skin tests and a methacholine inhalation test were performed at the first visit. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) was measured twice daily for 1 week followed by an adenosine monophosphate (AMP) inhalation test. Subjects were then treated with inhaled beclomethasone 0.4 mg twice daily for 7 days. Sputum analysis and measurement of methacholine responsiveness were then repeated. Excessive airway narrowing to methacholine was not present in any of the subjects. A methacholine plateau response was present in five subjects. Hyperresponsiveness to AMP was absent in six of the nine subjects, and PEF variability was not increased for eight subjects. Corticosteroid therapy led to a reduction in sputum eosinophil counts from 40.1 (SD 21.4)% to 4.0 (4.5)% but there was no significant change in metachromatic cell counts (0.8 SD 0.5% vs 0.6 SD 0.6%) or total cell counts. Methacholine responsiveness improved within the normal range in the three subjects in whom it could be determined. Chronic cough associated with eosinophilic airway inflammation can occur in the absence of variable airflow obstruction (asthma) and can improve after treatment with inhaled corticosteroid. This treatment can reduce the level of methacholine responsiveness within the normal range and reduces sputum eosinophils but not mast cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Molecular Diagnostic Technique for the Differentiation of the Formosan Subterranean Termite, Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) from Other Subterranean Termites by Multiplex-PCR

Summary The Formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus Shriaki; (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), is a major pest that is spreading throughout the southeastern United States. Morphological identification of worker specimens is not possible using available taxonomic keys based on morphological traits. A multiplex PCR protocol was developed that can differentiate the Formosan subterranean termite from other termite species in a single PCR reaction. This multiplex PCR protocol simplifies previous molecular diagnostic techniques.
Toxic uncertainties of a nuclear era: Anthropology, history, memoir

New narratives of toxic contamination are expanding and challenging our ethnographic sensibilities. In confronting the contamination left behind from the Cold War period, a range of disciplinary approaches, methods, and writing styles is necessary. Ethnography plays a crucial role here, but it cannot fly solo in these sorts of projects. In this review essay, I compare three books from authors belonging to distinct scholarly traditions, each one dealing with complicated cases of radioactive contamination that began in the Cold War era and that demand rethinking in the contemporary one. Anthropologists have much to learn from approaches pursued in other disciplines, particularly if the end goal is a more holistic portrait of contamination and toxicity.
Example of a formal flow violation

The confinement problem is how to constrain untrusted software in such a way that information made available to it is not passed along to unauthorized indi viduals. One type of attack on this problem is to have the supervisor or operating system control all memory accesses according to a suitable policy. The security kernel is that part of an operating system or supervisor whose correctness is supposed to be sufficient for the desired protection.
Physical inactivity: the biggest public health problem of the 21st century

There is now overwhelming evidence that regular physical activity has important and wide-ranging health benefits. These range from reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers to enhanced function and preservation of function with age. As a member of the geriatric set, I am personally delighted that there is strong emerging evidence that activity delays cognitive decline and is good for brain health as well as having extensive benefits for the rest of the body. I believe that evidence supports the conclusion that physical inactivity is one of the most important public health problems of the 21st century, and may even be the most important. This is not to deny the relevance of other health issues; and certainly we need to pay much more attention to healthful eating habits, smoking prevention and cessation programmes, and state-of-the art and evidence-based preventive medical care. My overriding concern is that the crucial importance of physical activity is undervalued and underappreciated by many individuals in public health and clinical medicine. Figure …
Pre-Pregnancy Dating Violence and Birth Outcomes Among Adolescent Mothers in a National Sample

Although infants born to adolescent mothers are at increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, little is known about contributors to birth outcomes in this group. Given past research linking partner abuse to adverse birth outcomes among adult mothers, we explored associations between pre-pregnancy verbal and physical dating violence and the birth weight and gestational age of infants born to adolescent mothers. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health Waves I (1995/1996), II (1996), and IV (2007/2008) were analyzed. Girls whose first singleton live births occurred after Wave II interview and before age 20 (N = 558) self-reported infants' birth weight and gestational age at Wave IV. Dating violence victimization (verbal and physical) in the 18 months prior to Wave II interview was self-reported. Controls included Wave I age, parent education, age at pregnancy, time between reporting abuse and birth, and childhood physical and sexual abuse. Weighted multivariable regression models were performed separately by race (Black/non-Black).On average, births occurred 2 years after Wave II interview. Almost one in four mothers reported verbal dating violence victimization (23.6%), and 10.1% reported physical victimization. Birth weight and prevalence of verbal dating violence victimization were significantly lower in Black compared with non-Black teen mothers. In multivariable analyses, negative associations between physical dating abuse and birth outcomes became stronger as time increased for Black mothers. For example, pre-pregnancy physical dating abuse was associated with 0.79 kilograms lower birth weight (p< .001) and 4.72 fewer weeks gestational age (p< .01) for Black mothers who gave birth 2 years post-reporting abuse. Physical dating abuse was unassociated with birth outcomes among non-Black mothers, and verbal abuse was unassociated with birth outcomes for all mothers. Reducing physical dating violence in adolescent relationships prior to pregnancy may improve Black adolescent mothers' birth outcomes. Intervening on long-term violence may be particularly important.
Relative influence of habitat fragmentation and inundation on brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus production in northern Gulf of Mexico salt marshes

We used a spatially explicit individual-based model to investigate the relative influ- ences of inundation and habitat fragmentation on brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus production in northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM) salt marshes. The model simulates the mortality, growth, and movement of a population of brown shrimp from their arrival in Spartina salt marsh as post-larvae in spring to their emigration as sub-adults in summer and fall. We quantified production in terms of sub- adult export, growth production (a measure of total shrimp growth), and trophic transfer (total shrimp mortality). We utilized a factorial design to simulate shrimp on all combinations of 4 maps that repre- sented an idealized progression of habitat fragmentation and 4 inundation regimes from each of 2 locations in the NGOM (Louisiana and Texas). We also quantified the configuration of the marsh landscape to determine if specific metrics could be utilized as a proxy for shrimp production within a single inundation regime. Our results indicate that inundation is more important than habitat frag- mentation for determining sub-adult export, growth production, and trophic transfer, but that marsh configuration has a strong influence on shrimp production within a single inundation regime. Inun- dation affected all 3 measures of shrimp production, primarily due to decreased mortality incurred when shrimp have access to vegetation through marsh flooding. We conclude that simple metrics of marsh configuration are capable of adequate predictions of shrimp production in static landscapes, but future research must consider the dynamic relationship between inundation and marsh fragmen- tation to fully assess how these forces affect shrimp production.
Selective vulnerability of preterm white matter to oxidative damage defined by F2-isoprostanes

Periventricular white matter injury (PWMI) is the leading cause of cerebral palsy and chronic neurological disability in survivors of prematurity. Despite the large number of affected children, the pathogenetic mechanisms related to PWMI remain controversial. Through studies of 33 human autopsy brains, we determined that early PWMI was related to oxidative damage that particularly targeted the oligodendrocyte lineage, whereas other neuronal and glial cell types were markedly more resistant. F(2)-isoprostanes, an arachidinate metabolite/lipid peroxidation marker of oxidative damage, were significantly increased in early PWMI lesions but not in cerebral cortex. That deleterious lipid peroxidation accompanied early PWMI was supported by similar increases in F(2)-isoprostanes levels in the cerebral cortex from term infants with hypoxic-ischemic cortical injury. Detection of F(4)-neuroprostanes, a neuronal-specific oxidative damage marker, confirmed that neuroaxonal elements were resistant to injury in cerebral cortex and white matter. Significant protein nitration was not detected in PWMI lesions by 3-nitrotyrosine staining. Significant cellular degeneration was confirmed in early PWMI lesions by terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling and a marked depletion of oligodendrocyte progenitors of 71 +/- 8%. Hence, the predilection of preterm infants for PWMI is related to selective lipid peroxidation-mediated injury of cerebral white matter and targeted death of oligodendrocyte progenitors.
Algebraic dual-energy magnetic analysis with application to variable reluctance motor design

The algebraic dual-energy method has been successfully employed in the calculation of static resistances, capacitances and inductances, yielding fast and accurate solutions. This paper extends the method to the thermal analysis and modeling of variable reluctance motors. Based on the analogy that exists between steady-state heat conduction and electrostatics, the existence of upper and lower thermal "energy" bounds is discussed and their analytic derivation is presented. The method is applied to the analysis of a simplified variable reluctance motor geometry and the p-convergence of the problem is discussed in detail. In addition, the problem of bounding the temperature at a point as opposed to bounding the "energy" of the whole system is addressed. A new algorithm is presented that employs the results of the algebraic dual-energy method to estimate the hot spot within the variable reluctance motor geometry. The results obtained are compared to finite element predictions.
Force Response to Width and Length Peturbations in Compressed Skinned Skeletal Muscle Fibers

Previous studies have shown that radial compression of calcium-activated skinned skeletal muscle fibers, with attendant reduction of filament lattice spacing, reduces isometric force generation. In relaxed skinned fibers, radial compression produces a marked increase in axial elastic modulus, and the response to a small amplitude length perturbation resembles that of a muscle in rigor. We interpret these results as indicating that radial compression of the myofilament lattice produces “hindered” cross-bridges which are load bearing but not force generating.
Ribosomal protein genes are highly enriched among genes with allele-specific expression in the interspecific F1 hybrid catfish

Interspecific hybrids provide a rich source for the analysis of allele-specific expression (ASE). In this work, we analyzed ASE in F1 hybrid catfish using RNA-Seq datasets. While the vast majority of genes were expressed with both alleles, 7–8 % SNPs exhibited significant differences in allele ratios of expression. Of the 66,251 and 177,841 SNPs identified from the datasets of the liver and gill, 5420 (8.2 %) and 13,390 (7.5 %) SNPs were identified as significant ASE-SNPs, respectively. With these SNPs, a total of 1519 and 3075 ASE-genes were identified. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that genes encoding cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins (RP) were highly enriched among ASE genes. Parent-of-origin was determined for 27 and 30 ASE RP genes in the liver and gill, respectively. The results indicated that genes from both channel catfish and blue catfish were involved in ASE. However, each RP gene appeared to be almost exclusively expressed from only one parent, indicating that ribosomes in the hybrid catfish were in the “hybrid” form. Overall representation of RP transcripts among the transcriptome appeared lower in the F1 hybrid catfish than in channel catfish or blue catfish, suggesting that the “hybrid” ribosomes may work more efficiently for translation in the F1 hybrid catfish.
Behavior of Levitated Bubbles Under Vibration

Gas bubbles in liquid generally rise due to buoyancy but can be forced to move downward or to be stably levitated by subjecting the liquid to vibration (Jameson, 1966; Hashimoto and Sudo, 1980; Leighton et al., 1990; Brennen, 1995; Ellenberger and Krishna, 2007). We have performed experiments in a quasi-two-dimensional test cell in which the motion of bubbles can be observed and measured. This paper presents observations and data regarding the generation and motion of levitated bubbles when the vibration conditions are varied.While bubble downward motion due to the Bjerknes force is well known at acoustic frequencies close to the bubble resonant frequency, these experiments, like those of Ellenberger and Krishna (2007), demonstrate that such effects can be observed at relatively low frequencies as well. Experiments were performed primarily in one of several thin, quasi-two-dimensional rectangular acrylic boxes partially filled with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone oil or deionized water with ambient air above. The apparatus was subjected to sinusoidal axial vibrations for frequencies of 100–300 Hz, displacements up to 200 microns and accelerations up to 35 times standard gravity. Bubbles generated either by direct injection deep in the cell or by free-surface breakup into jets and droplets can, under appropriate vibration conditions, move downward in the test cell, where they are attracted together and merge to form a large coalesced bubble at the base of the cell. That large bubble can then rise until it reaches a location of stable levitation. The bubble damps free surface breakup above it. Under some vibration conditions, the levitated-bubble interface breakup is similar to the free surface breakup into jets and droplets.© 2013 ASME
The challenges of long-term sepsis survivors: when surviving is just the beginning

A 72 year old man with uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension arrives at the emergency room due to shortness of breath. He�s diagnosed with community acquired lobar pneumonia and admitted for observation and empiric antibiotic therapy. Three days later the patient is found agitated, confused and unable to recognize his son. The shortness of breath worsens later in the morning culminating in intubation and mechanical ventilation. Following admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) he develops normocytic anemia, acute renal failure requiring dialysis, and elevation of liver enzymes. Ten days later his condition starts improving. Finally, 32 days after admission the patient is ready to be discharged. He has survived severe sepsis, and does not require further renal substitution, but is persistently weak, short of breath, and confused. What is new in our understanding of sepsis survival? What is the short and long-term prognosis? What can the medical team do to reduce mortality and improve quality of life following sepsis?