cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vivo protection of cholinesterase against inhibition by TEPP and its methyl homologue by prior treatment with DDT

Abstract The in vivo effects of TEPP and its tetramethyl homologue (TMPP) on cholinesterase (ChE) have been measured in normal and DDT- or lindane-poisoned cockroaches, Periplaneta americana (L.). Dosages of TMPP normally causing about 90 per cent or more inhibition of ChE are without effect on the enzyme during DDT-prostration. This protection of ChE against inhibition first becomes evident during the hyperexcitable stage of DDT-poisoning, increases rapidly during intoxication, and is fully effective coincident with early prostration. The protective mechanism during DDT-prostration extends to TEPP as well. No protection was found during lindane poisoning.
Neuroradiological assessment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

• The addition of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to standard anatomic magnetic resonance imaging provides details that may improve diagnostic accuracy for lesions of the brain, including brain tumors. • Utilization of perfusion magnetic resonance imaging with determination of mean regional blood volume may provide data that assists in separating the histologic characteristics of intrinsic tumors from one another.
Xestoproxamines A-C from Neopetrosia proxima. Assignment of absolute stereostructure of bis-piperidine alkaloids by integrated degradation-CD analysis.

The complete stereostructures of xestoproxamines A−C, from the Bahamian sponge Neopetrosia proxima, were assigned from spectroscopic analysis, including MS, 2D NMR, and integrated degradation-CD analysis. Two new CD application protocols are described for defining absolute configuration: one for allylic methyl groups in branched chains and a second for the heterocyclic core bis-piperidine with specific applicability to other members of this class alkaloids—known for their stereoheterogeneity—and tertiary cyclic amines in general.
An eigenvalue problem arising in guided wave propagation through gyromagnetic media

A study is made of a non-self-adjoint eigenvalue problem which arises in guided wave propagation through gyromagnetic media. Specific information is given concerning the distribution of the eigenvalues, asymptotic formulas for the eigenvalues, and the eigenfunction expansion theorem. Furthermore, for the eigenfunction expansion it is shown that the orthogonality relation commonly used by several authors is not the correct one, and the correct one is given here.
Optimum optical local oscillator power levels in coherent detection systems

Use of an optical local oscillator for coherent detection with a photoconductor or a photodiode can significantly reduce the responsivity of the detector due to saturation effects. Consequently, local oscillator shot noise limited operation of the detector may not be possible. However, a local oscillator power level can be selected that maximizes the signal to noise ratio.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Infrared spectra of SiF3H, SiF3D, SiD3F and SiD3Cl*

Abstract The infrared spectra of SiF 3 H, SiF 3 D, SiD 3 F and SiD 3 Cl have been obtained under prism dispersion and an assignment of fundamental modes has been made.
Low temperature touch down and suppressing filler trapping bonding process with a wafer level pre-applied underfilling film adhesive

Flip chip bonding process of the chip touch down at 40°C and suppressing the material trapping at the joint area with the wafer level NCF (Non conductive film), which is pre applied underfilling film adhesive, has been investigated. The test vehicle wafer has 25 μm diameter and 50 μm height bumps which are 10 μm height Cu pillar and 40 μm height Sn-Ag solder cap. The bump pitch was 200 μm. The 55 μm thickness 50 wt% filler loaded NCF was laminated on the wafer and then the surface was planarized with the bump solder layer exposing by the bit cutting technique. Such prepared chip was bonded as the top chip to the bottom chip which has the 25 μm diameter pad of 3 μm Cu bottom, 2 μm Ni middle and 0.1 μm Au top. To insert the sticking step in the bonding process, which melts and flows down the NCF underneath the top chip to the bottom chip partially, the chips were held well the aligned position during the successive processes. The gang bonding possibility was also proved with the four chips together bonding. PCT (pressure cooker test, 121°C and 100%Rh for 168 hours) was performed to the gang bonded samples. By shortening the joint formation step time form 25 to 5 seconds Cu diffusion into the solder bulk area was suppressed and the durable joint to the PCT was formed. It was confirmed by the cross sectional observations.
Techniques for dilation of malignant esophageal strictures

Multiple dilating systems and numerous subtle variations of technique are available to the clinician attempting to palliate the patient with a malignant esophageal stricture. Whether red rubber Maloney bougienage, wire-guided polyvinyl dilators, or radial balloon dilating systems are used, careful attention to the details of methodology should enhance patient response while reducing risk of complications. The specific technique and dilating system used in a particular patient is determined by the characteristics of the stricture, the level of comfort, and tolerance of the patient, as well as the expense, expertise, and clinical judgement of the operator.
Texturing of mullite by templated grain growth with aluminum borate whiskers

Textured mullite was produced by templated grain growth with a mixture of mullite powder and aluminum borate (9Al 2 O 3 . 2B 2 O 3 ) whiskers. A gated doctor blade was used to align the whiskers in the c-axis in the mullite matrix during tape casting. When heated by themselves in air, aluminum borate whiskers formed α-Al 2 O 3 at > 1400 C hut were stahle enough for templated mullite growth in a TiO 2 -doped mullite sintered at 1500 C. Starting with 3 wt.% TiO 2 and 10 wt.% templates, an ∼90% textured mullite was obtained after 6 h at 1600 C. The textured mullite was 97% dense and had a FWHM of 9.6 in the [001].
Frontalis EMG feedback training: An electronic panacea?

Studies dealing with the application of frontalis EMG feedback to the treatment of a variety of disorders are reveiwed. Successful applications of frontalis EMG feedback training have been reported in the treatment of muscle contraction headaches, asthma, essential hypertension, insomnia, chronic anxiety, phobias, and cerebral palsy. While available evidence does suggest that frontalis EMG feedback training may be helpful in the treatment of these disorders, these effects are equivalent but not superior to those that can be obtained using more conventional and less costly treatment techniques such as relaxation training. In addition, there appears to be a lack of clear rationale for the use of frontalis as a training site in treatment of these disorders. It is concluded that claims made about the clinical advantages of frontalis EMG biofeedback as compared to other methods of relaxation are not scientifically justified.
Chemical plant layout via graph partitioning—II. Multiple levels

Abstract Partitioning of units into multiple groups occurs naturally in multilevel plants where equipment must be distributed onto different floors, so as to minimize material flow costs. A significant complication introduced in multilevel layout is the dependence of the cost of material flows between units on the relative levels of the respective unit locations. This feature leads to three distinct costs for downward, upward and horizontal flow between any pair of units. In this paper, we formulate this problem as an Integer Non-Linear Program. A heuristic procedure proposed for the single floor graph partitioning problem in Part I of this work is extended to address this problem. Global optima were obtained for all examples for which the exact optimal solutions were obtainable by exhaustive enumeration. Solutions for problems with up to 70 units were obtained in reasonable computation times, suggesting applicability of the procedure to chemical plants of realistic scope. Additionally, a linearization scheme is used to convert the INLP to an MILP. Continuous relaxations of the MILP are solved by Lagrangean Relaxation and Subgradient Optimization to yield good lower bounds. It is demonstrated that the linearization is sufficiently tight that, for some problem instances, solutions to the continuous relaxation are optimal. In general, the combination of upper and lower bounding procedures is effective as a means of both obtaining good solutions and estimating the deviation from the optimal solution for problems of practical scope.
Pituitary content of gonadotropins and receptors for gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and hypothalamic content of GnRH during the periovulatory period of the ewe.

Studies were undertaken to determine if the number of hypophyseal receptors for GnRH changes at the time of the preovulatory surge of LH in ewes; Concentrations of LH, FSH, progesterone, and estradiol in serum and concentrations of LH and FSH in pituitary were measured. The content of GnRH in the hypothalamus was also determined. Estrus was synchronized in 35 cross-bred ewes by injecting prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α at 0 and 4 h (7.5 mg each, im) on day 14 of a naturally occurring estrous cycle, followed 30 h later by the injection of estradiol (25 μg in safflower oil, im). Five ewes were killed at each of the following times relative to the first injection of PGF2α: 0, 24, 32, 44, 50, 56, and 96 h. Blood samples were collected throughout the course of the experiment. Concentrations of progesterone in serum decreased markedly by 8 h after PGF2α and were uniformly undetectable (<300 pg/ml) by 34 h. Concentrations of estradiol in serum increased after the injection of estradiol and returned to basal values 10 h...
Pentalenene formation mechanisms redux

Quantum chemical calculations are used to assess various means of lowering the barrier for the dyotropic rearrangement previously proposed to occur during the carbocation rearrangement process promoted by pentalenene synthase. Several means of lowering this barrier, including a stepwise pathway for dyotropic rearrangement, are uncovered.
Stepwise pyrolysis-liquid chromatography and pyrolysis-gas chromatography of polystyrene

Abstract Stepwise pyrolysis of polystyrene followed by high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis of the collected pyrolyzate provides information on the sample that is lost to pyrolysis—gas chromatography. In the case of polystyrene, the monomer, dimer, trimer, and related compounds are sufficiently volatile to be eluted from the gas chromatography; the higher homologues in the pyrolyzate are seen only by HPLC. HPLC thus becomes an additional fingerprinting technique and should aid in polymer structure elucidation, especially with cross-linked polymers, through identification of the LC peaks. Using chemical ionization mass spectrometry, over 100 compounds in the polystyrene pyrolyzate were tentatively identified. Mechanisms are proposed to account for the formation of these compounds.
Structure and dynamic organization of centromeres/prekinetochores in the nucleus of mammalian cells

Although considerable research has been focused on understanding the structure and molecular organization of the centromere-kinetochore complex of mitotic chromosomes, few reports have dealt with the centromere (prekinetochore) in the interphase nucleus. In the present study, we utilized anti-centromere antibodies from the serum of patients with the autoimmune disease, scleroderma CREST (calcinosis, Raynaud9s phenomenon, esophageal dismotility, sclerodactyly, telangiectasia), as probes to investigate the structure and morphogenesis of the centromere in interphase nuclei of three cell lines using laser scanning confocal microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy. Of particular interest were the chromosomes of the Indian muntjac (2n = 6 in females and 2n = 7 in males), whose large centromeres are thought to have evolved through the tandem fusion of smaller centromeres of a Chinese muntjac-like progenitor species (2n = 46). The various forms and patterns of centromeres observed in the nucleus correlated with stages in the cell cycle as determined by bromodeoxyuridine labeling and apparently represent stages in prereplication, replication and maturation. Immunoelectron microscopic studies using CREST antisera indicated that the high order structure of chromatin associated with each prekinetochore undergoes a regular unfolding-refolding cycle, displaying small bead-like subunits tandemly arranged along a linear thread of centromeric DNA, much like that reported for mitotic chromosomes. Individual centromeres/prekinetochores form a stable association with the 9–13 nm core filaments of the nucleoskeletal network in the nucleus that later become the chromosome scaffold of mitotic chromosomes. Our findings provide morphological support for the hypothesis that the spatial arrangements of individual centromeres within the nucleus may have influenced centromeric translocations and fusions during chromosome evolution. Therefore, the centromere-kinetochore complex, best known for its essential role in partitioning chromosomes in mitosis and meiosis, may also function in chromosome movements and associations in interphase.
Muscle Development Is Disrupted in Zebrafish Embryos Deficient for Fibronectin

After somitogenesis, skeletal muscle precursors elongate into muscle fibers that anchor to the somite boundary, which becomes the myotome boundary. Fibronectin (Fn) is a major component of the extracellular matrix in both boundaries. Although Fn is required for somitogenesis, effects of Fn disruption on subsequent muscle development are unknown. We show that fn knockdown disrupts myogenesis. Muscle morphogenesis is more disrupted in fn morphants than in a mutant where initial somite boundaries did not form, aei/deltaD. We quantified this disruption using the two-dimensional Wavelet-Transform Modulus Maxima method, which uses the variation of intensity in an image with respect to the direction considered to characterize the structure in a cell lattice. We show that fibers in fn morphants are less organized than in aei/deltaD mutant embryos. Fast- and slow-twitch muscle lengths are also more frequently uncoupled. These data suggest that fn may function to regulate fiber organization and limit fast-twitch muscle fiber length. Developmental Dynamics 237:2542–2553, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Let Us Speak for Those Who Cannot

The article discusses a management failure during the U.S. government“s response to Hurricane Katrina, then comments on how scholars can make themselves more relevant to matters of public concern. ...
Laboratory and field screening strategies for measuring volatile organic compounds in landfill gas

Distinct patterns often exist in the presence and absence of hazardous contaminants in the environment. These patterns can be used to select efficient screening tools, or groups of compounds that provide the most information on overall occurrences of a larger target group of compounds. By using these screens to indicate whether a sample is contaminated with detectable amounts of the compounds of interest, attention can be focused on those samples considered most likely to contain measurable concentrations of targeted compounds. The cost savings that result from eliminating samples that are most likely uncontaminated can be applied to obtaining additional samples that more accurately characterize the spatial or temporal variability of the environmental problem. In a retrospective application of screening techniques to the State of California's database of volatile organic compounds in landfill gas, two laboratory screening compounds, perchloroethylene and methylene chloride, represent over 95% of the total number of positive detections of a target group of 10 volatile organic compounds. Benzene and vinyl chloride, two field screening compounds that were selected using the characteristics of commercially available colorimetric detector tubes, recorded 74% of the total contaminant detections and a 52% saving in analytical costs as compared to an exhaustive analysis of every sample for all 10 volatile organic compounds. The number of detections recorded could have been improved if more sensitive and less selective field screening devices were available.
Development of the 12-Item Expectations Regarding Aging Survey

Purpose: This study describes the development of a short version of the Expectations Regarding Aging Survey (ERA-38), a 38-item survey measuring expectations regarding aging. Design and Methods: In 1999, surveys containing the ERA-38 were mailed to 588 adults aged � 65 years who were recruited through physicians; 429 individuals (73%) returned completed surveys. The mean age of participants was 77 years; 76% were White. In 2001, we surveyed 643 adults aged � 65 years recruited at 14 senior centers. The mean age of participants was 78 years; 37% were Latino and 16% were African American. With the 1999 data, we selected items for the shorter version of the ERA-38 by using qualitative criteria and by evaluating the items’ factor structure, internal consistency reliability of scales, and correlations with age and self-reported measures of health. Then, using the 2001 data, we evaluated the selected items with confirmatory factor analysis, and we reevaluated the internal consistency reliability and associations of the scales with age and self-reported measures of health. Results: The factor analyses of the ERA-12 on both samples provided support for three 4-item scales (expectations regarding physical health, expectations regarding mental health, and expectations regarding cognitive function), and one global expectations regarding aging scale combining all 12 items. In both samples, internal consistency reliability estimates for all scales exceeded 0.74, and the 12 items together explained over 88% of the variance in the ERA-38 total score. We found comparable associations of the ERA-12 scales with age and selfreported health measures in both samples. Implications: The ERA-12 demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity to estimate expectations regarding
High Temperature Characteristics of Coplanar Waveguide on R -Plane Sapphire and Alumina

This paper presents the characteristics of coplanar waveguide transmission lines on R-plane sapphire and alumina over the temperature range of 25degC-400degC and the frequency range of 45 MHz-50 GHz. A thru-reflect-line calibration technique and open circuited terminated stubs are used to extract the attenuation and effective permittivity. It is shown that the effective permittivity of the transmission lines and, therefore, the relative dielectric constant of the two substrates increase linearly with temperature. The attenuation of the coplanar waveguide varies linearly with temperature through 200degC, and increases at a greater rate above 200degC.
Quasi-species evolution in subdivided populations favours maximally deleterious mutations

Most models of quasi-species evolution predict that populations will evolve to occupy areas of sequence space with the greatest concentration of neutral sequences, thus minimizing the deleterious mutation rate and creating mutationally ‘robust’ genomes. In contrast, empirical studies of the principal model of quasi-species evolution, RNA viruses, suggest that the effects of deleterious mutations are more severe than in similar DNA-based microbes. We demonstrate that populations divided into discrete patches connected by dispersal may favour genotypes where the deleterious effect of non-neutral mutations is maximized. This effect is especially strong in the absence of back mutation and when the amount of time spent in hosts prior to dispersal is intermediate. Our results indicate that RNA viruses that produce acute infections initiated by a small number of virions are expected to evolve fragile genetic architectures when compared with other RNA viruses.
Three-dimensional patterning and morphological control of porous nanomaterials by gray-scale direct imprinting

We present a method for direct three-dimensional (3D) patterning of porous nanomaterials through the application of a premastered and reusable gray-scale stamp. Four classes of 3D nanostructures are demonstrated for the first time in porous media: gradient profiles, digital patterns, curves and lens shapes, and sharp features including v-grooves, nano-pits, and ‘cookie-cutter’ particles. Further, we demonstrate this technique enables morphological tuning and direct tailoring of nanomaterial properties, including porosity, average pore size, dielectric constant, and plasmonic response. This work opens a rapid and low-cost route for fabricating novel nanostructures and devices utilizing porous nanomaterials, with promising applications spanning diffractive and plasmonic sensing, holography, micro- and transformation optics, and drug delivery and imaging.
Quality Assessment Study of Brief Psychotherapy at a University HMO Setting

Abstract This paper describes the results of a short-term psychotherapy (four to fifteen sessions) quality assessment study conducted at the University of Massachusetts Mental Health Service. The outcome measures devised and the process of their administration are described. The positive outcome results of this study are encouraging and supportive of the impression that high quality brief psychotherapy can be provided at university counseling services. Student and health maintenance organization (HMO) member consumer evaluation opinions were positive and their utilization of services was found to be psychologically sophisticated and appropriate. A frequency table lists the most common presenting problems of this population. Practical modifications are suggested for future quality assessment research of brief psychotherapy.
DRAMATIC DECLINES IN MUSSEL BED COMMUNITY DIVERSITY: RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE?

Mussel beds along the wave-exposed coast of the eastern North Pacific Ocean serve as an important habitat, harboring a high diversity of species. A comparison of California mussel bed community diversity in 2002 to historical data (1960s to 1970s) revealed large declines (mean loss 58.9%), including some declines >141 species (approximately 80% loss). Concurrent work revealed inconsistent changes in mussel populations (biomass and bed thickness) along the California coast, suggesting that diversity declines may be related to large-scale processes rather than local habitat destruction. Potential factors causing declines in mussel community diversity are discussed, with regional climate change associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and climate change induced alterations of ecological interactions and biological processes suggested as likely causes. Although extensive literature has predicted the potential effects of climate change on global diversity, this study is one of the few examples of declines attributed to climate change.
Geriatric Veterinary Pharmacology

Geriatric dogs and cats are an important group of patients in veterinary medicine. Healthy geriatric patients have similar physiology and presumably pharmacology as healthy adult animals. Geriatric patients with subclinical organ dysfunction are overtly healthy but have some organ dysfunction that may alter the clinical pharmacology of some drugs. Geriatric patients with an overt disease are expected to have altered drug pharmacology for some drugs based on the underlying disease. Diseases including cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, osteoarthritis, neurologic, and neoplastic are expected in the geriatric population and discussed, including the effects of the underlying disease and potential drug-drug interactions.
Creating Ritual through Narrative, Place and Performance in Evangelical Protestant Pilgrimage in the Holy Land

Evangelical Protestant pilgrims come to the Holy Land to be able to feel God's presence in the Land by feeling the presence of Christ in themselves. Their understanding of the Land as the living Word of God, their capacity for embodied spiritual experience, and their rejection of traditional Christian rites and places of worship – together with the theatrical potential of the Bible – open the Evangelical Protestant pilgrims to ritual experimentation in alternative places. I use the case of an organized pilgrimage group from the American Midwest to discuss how the pastor and the tour guide, each from their different but overlapping perspectives, create a context in which Jesus is encouraged to enter the pilgrims through the performance of the biblical battle between David and Goliath in a valley southwest of Jerusalem.
Stress and Tobacco Use among African-American Adolescents: The Buffering Effect of Cultural Factors

Tobacco is a leading contributor to morbidity and mortality and a primary reason for health disparities among African Americans. In this study we explore the role of stress in smoking and cultural factors that protect against stress among African-American adolescents. Our sample consisted of 239 youth who were recruited into the study while enrolled in 8th and 12th grade. Measures of risk factors (stress, school transition stress, and community disorganization), moderator or protective factors (religious support and intergenerational connections), and 30-day tobacco use were collected. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. Intergenerational connections moderated the effect of stress on past 30-day tobacco use. Religious support moderated the effect of neighborhood disorganization on past 30-day tobacco use. Religious support also moderated the effect of stress on past 30-day tobacco use. The findings have implications for prevention efforts to consider religious beliefs and practices and also to link youth with supportive adults in their community.
Attribution Retraining as a Structured Group Counseling Intervention

The efficacy of attribution retraining as a structured group counseling intervention was tested. Participants were classified as having either an adaptive or nonadaptive attributional style. Three groups of participants were then created: Adaptive Group, Nonadaptive Group, Treatment Group (nonadaptive attributional style participants who received treatment involving attribution retraining). Results indicated that participants in the Treatment Group made relatively more adaptive attributions (similar to the adaptive Group) for an experimentally induced uncontrollable failure and reported lower levels of depressive mood than the Nonadaptive Group. Results are discussed as providing partial support for the efficacy of attribution retraining as a structured group counseling intervention.
Effects of Work on Hitting and Hurting

Researchers have documented the ways battering can impede work and impoverish women. This project looked at abuse, work, and poverty the other way around, asking, Does women's working affect abuse or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? This article reports 162 welfare recipients' subjective assessments of the effects their working had on physical violence, work-related abuse, and PTSD symptoms. For many respondents, work aggravated abuse, in which case their average wages and weeks worked were lower. Many respondents also reported that working ameliorated their symptoms. These findings explain contradictory results of previous studies and form the basis for research, policy, and practice recommendations.
Representation of the ABH blood group system in the dog.

. Agglutination-inhibition studies have shown the presence of blood group substance H activity in canine saliva, and of blood group substance A activity in the saliva of Tr+ dogs. H substance could not be demonstrated on canine red cells, indicating that the cellular A-like antigen, Tr, is formed independently of H. Nonsecretor status, and an antigen comparable to the human B antigen, have not been detected.
A heuristic approach to load shedding scheme

The authors describe some of the present problems which exist in the operation of power systems, and how an expert system can be utilized to enhance the performance of the system by implementing load shedding as one of alternatives in the restoration of a large-scale power system. The proposed method is part of an integrated package of power system restoration which helps a system operator recognize bottlenecks in the operation of the system and develop strategies for providing reliable service to customers. The governing rules for load shedding are introduced, and the proposed approach is implemented on a six-bus and the IEEE 30-bus system. >
An Argument for Teaching Deliberative Collective Action Skills in the Political Science Classroom

The roots of the political science disci pline are intertwined with developing the skills required for democratic citizen ship. Teaching and research efforts in this admirable tradition are still a promi nent focal point of our academic tradi tion, as evidenced by the work of the APSA Task Force on Civic Education, reoccurring arguments about the most effective pedagogy for promoting partici pation, and works assessing the effects of civic education interventions. Moreover, this tradition has become increasingly relevant as political participation in the United States, especially among young people, continues to decline. Panel stud ies of college freshmen indicate that young people's participation in an array of political indicators-including think ing that keeping up with politics is im portant, discussing politics with friends, and acquiring political knowledge-have all declined by about half since the 1960s (Sax et al. 2003). Far more young people voted in 2004 than in the past, as turnout by 18-24 year-olds increased from 36% in 2000 to 42%, but younger citizens' appearance at the polls still lagged behind prior cohorts of young Americans, as well as their current elders (CIRCLE 2005). Educators and policy makers have come to the conclusion that intervention through formal civic educa tion is necessary (Carnegie Corporation of New York and CIRCLE 2003; Galston 2003). Spurred on by works such as Educating Citizens (Colby, Ehrlich, Beaumont, and Stephens 2003) and Civic Responsibility in Higher Education (Ehrlich 2000), many colleges and uni versities have reinvigorated their mission of grooming students for civic leader ship. Most of the skills identified as es sential to such efforts could be labeled as deliberative communication skills. As the Colby et al. (2003) note:
CloudCast: Cloud Computing for Short-Term Weather Forecasts

CloudCast provides clients with personalized short-term weather forecasts based on their current location using cloud services, generating accurate forecasts tens of minutes in the future for small areas. Results show that it takes less than 2 minutes from the start of data sampling to deliver a 15-minute forecast to a client.
Alcoholysis of Titanium Alkoxides by Fluoroalcohols. Synthesis, Characterization and X-Ray Crystal Structure of [Ti (O-i-Pr)2{OCH(CF3)2}2]2

Abstract Reaction of 2 equiv. of hexafluoro-2-propanol in hexane with tetrakis-isopropoxy titanium (IV) results in the formation of Ti(O-i-Pr)2[OCH(CF3)2]2, a volatile complex which has been characterized by a number of techniques, including X-ray crystallography [space group P21/n; a = 9.786(3) A, b = 18.393(6) A, c = 10.755 A, β = 103.64(1)°; Z = 2]. The molecule adopts a dinuclcar structure in which oxygen atoms of isopropoxidc ligands are asymmetrically bridging [1.900(2) and 2.120(2) A] between the titanium atoms. The coordination geometry about the titanium atoms is roughly that of a trigonal bipyramid with the short interactions of the bridging alkoxtdes occupying equatorial positions and the longer interactions occupying axial positions. The Ti-O distance [1.752(2) A] of the terminal isopropoxy ligand is significantly shorter than the Ti-O distances [1.84(1) A (avg)] of the terminal fluoroalkoxide ligands. NMR data and mass spectral data suggest that this complex is monomene both in solution and i...
Charge-packet-initiated switching of metal&#8212;tunnel-oxide&#8212;silicon (MTOS) junctions

We report the switching of a bistable metal-tunnel-oxide-silicon (MTOS) junction from a low-current state to a high-current state by the insertion of a charge packet of minority carriers from a charge-coupled device input structure. For the 33-A tunnel oxide reported in this letter, a switching threshold of 630 pC for a 40 mils2device area was observed. The transient switching time is approximately 10-100 ms, depending upon the size of the injected charge packet.
Integrating Ethics into the Engineered Construction Curriculum

Equality, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, security, civic duty, justice, honor, and the rule of law are some of the widely held values in society. These are the values engineers must adopt to comply with regulations. Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness in construction education regarding how to integrate social awareness and ethical behavior into professional practice. Several challenges facing construction engineering educators are how to develop strategies that will raise the awareness of students regarding ethical issues related to construction and how to provide a framework to make ethical decisions. Social values should serve as the basis for university-level ethics instruction. The objectives of this paper are to discuss the various disciplines that are available for use in developing course material and classroom presentations, and to describe a framework for making ethical decisions. Problem solving in ethics is a skill that is very much needed by students, but is quite difficult ...
LESR CLASS: an LCS for securities trading rulesets

This paper describes the Longitudinal Evolutionary Securities Rules Classifier (LESR CLASS), a Learning Classifier System (LCS) applied to the problem of developing sets of buy and sell rules for stock trading.
Thawed Hungarian Catfish

This case is designed as an introduction to the concept of quality. Bruno Darabos, head of Customer Service for the electicity-distribution company in a city outside Budapest, Hungary, is faced with a story of poor customer service that creates a comedy of errors resulting in a "thawed Hungarian catfish". The case can be used to address the systemic nature of quality problems in this service business. The international setting and the introduction of quality-management principles in a formerly centrally planned monopolistic business add energy to the discussion.
Quantum imaging of purely phase objects

We demonstrated the quantum imaging of a purely phase object using entangled photons. We discuss the limitations of performing such an imaging using conventional light sources.
Determination of Solvation Layer Thickness by a Magnetophotonic Approach

Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) theory fails in explaining the superior stability of colloid particles in aqueous suspensions under conditions of high ionic strengths where electrostatic forces are effectively screened. Accumulating evidence shows that the formation of a thin rigid layer of solvent molecules in the vicinity of a colloidal particle surface provides an additional repulsive interaction when the interparticle distance is reduced to several nanometers. The effective determination of the thickness of the solvation layer however remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate a simple yet powerful magnetophotonic technique that can be used to study the thickness of the solvation layers formed on the colloidal silica surface in various polar solvents. A relationship between the hydrogen-bonding ability of the solvents and the thickness of solvation layer on colloidal silica surfaces has been identified; this observation is found to be consistent with the previously proposed hydrogen-bonding ori...
GeoNet: An open source software for the automatic and objective extraction of channel heads, channel network, and channel morphology from high resolution topography data

Abstract Extracting hydrologic and geomorphic features from high resolution topography data is a challenging and computationally demanding task. We illustrate the new capabilities and features of GeoNet, an open source software for the extraction of channel heads, channel networks, and channel morphology from high resolution topography data. The method has been further developed and includes a median filtering operation to remove roads in engineered landscapes and the calculation of hillslope lengths to inform the channel head identification procedure. The software is now available in both MATLAB and Python, allowing it to handle datasets larger than the ones previously analyzed. We present the workflow of GeoNet using three different test cases; natural high relief, engineered low relief, and urban landscapes. We analyze default and user-defined parameters, provide guidance on setting parameter values, and discuss the parameter effect on the extraction results. Metrics on computational time versus dataset size are also presented. We show the ability of GeoNet to objectively and accurately extract channel features in terrains of various characteristics.
Bacteremia due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: New Therapeutic Approaches

This article reviews recent clinical evidence for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia. Vancomycin remains the initial antibiotic of choice for the treatment of patients with MRSA bacteremia and endocarditis due to isolates with vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration ≤2 μg/mL, whereas daptomycin is an effective alternative, and ceftaroline seems promising. Treatment options for persistent MRSA bacteremia or bacteremia due to vancomycin-intermediate or vancomycin-resistant strains include daptomycin, ceftaroline, and combination therapies. There is a critical need for high-level evidence from clinical trials to allow optimally informed decisions in the treatment of MRSA bacteremia and endocarditis.
PTU-165 Outcomes of re-implantation of sacral neurostimulation for faecal incon-tinence are similar to those of first time implants

Introduction There is a paucity of data related to the outcome of sacral neurostimulation (SNS) device re-implantation for faecal incontinence (FI). This study aimed to determine the outcomes of re-implantation of SNS for FI. Method An IRB approved retrospective review of prospectively collected data of patients with FI receiving SNS was performed. Demographic variables, co-morbidities, operative details, reportable events, and functional outcomes were analysed. Continuous variables were assessed for Gaussian distribution. Non-parametric variables were compared with the Mann-Whitney test, and normally distributed variables were compared with an independent samples t-test. In assessing the role of each intervention in decreasing FI score (FIS) comparatively, an analysis of covariance was performed (ANCOVA). Results 115 patients (mean age 58.5 ± 15 years, 98 females) had implantation of SNS device from 2010–2014. 13% (15/115) underwent lead re-implantation. Implanted and re-implanted groups had similar demographics, co-morbidities, complication, and explantation rates. Operative time was significantly higher in the re-implanted group (first implanted 56.7 ± 17 min; re-implanted 70.1 ± 33 min; p = 0.01). Most common reason for re-implantation was lead-related in 33% (5/15). Loss of efficacy was identified in 20% (3/15) as was lack of efficacy 20% (3/15). Infection was observed in 20% (3/15) of patients, all of whom failed antibiotic therapy and were explanted. A significant decrease in FIS was seen in patients with a first time implantation (median FIS 16 to 7; p Conclusion Reimplantation of SNS is feasible and has similar outcomes as first time implantation. Failure and explantation of SNS should not preclude subsequent reimplantation. Disclosure of interest None Declared.
Spatially resolved diffuse reflectance spectroscopy of two-layer turbid media by densely packed multi-pixel photodiode reflectance probe

Spatially–resolved diffuse reflectance (SRDR) measurements provide photon path information, and enable layered tissue analysis. This paper presents experimental SRDR measurements on two-layer PDMS skin tissue-mimicking phantoms of varying top layer thicknesses, and bulk phantoms of varying optical properties using concentric multi-pixel photodiode array (CMPA) probes, and corresponding forward Monte Carlo simulations. The CMPA is the most densely packed semiconductor SRDR probe reported to date. Signal contrasts between the single layer phantom and bi-layer phantoms with varying top layer thicknesses are as high as 80%. The mean error between the Monte Carlo simulations and the experiment is less than 6.2 %.
Direct aortic access for transcatheter aortic valve replacement with a fully repositionable and retrievable nonmetallic valve system

Abstract Objective The standard procedure of transcatheter aortic valve implantation involves transfemoral access. Nevertheless, the use of this access route is limited by the vessel diameter, calcification, and tortuosity, making a subgroup of patients ineligible for peripheral access. We report the first use of direct aortic transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the Direct Flow Medical valve (Direct Flow Medical, Inc, Santa Rosa, Calif) in 15 patients at the Halle-Wittenberg University. Methods Between January 2014 and May 2015, 55 patients with severe aortic valve disease underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the Direct Flow Medical valve at the Halle-Wittenberg University. Subgroups of 15 patients were treated using direct aortic access because of small vessel diameter, excessive calcification, or extreme tortuosity of the iliofemoral vessels. Results The mean patient age was 79.1 ± 6.72 years, and 10 patients (66%) were male. The mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation was 23.4% ± 16.9%, and the mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 7.8% ± 6.8%. Access related to redo-sternotomy during transcatheter aortic valve implantation was required in 4 patients (27%). Valve retrieval was performed in 2 patients (13%). There was no conversion to surgical aortic valve replacement and no incidence of major stroke. The postimplant mean gradient was 9.3 ± 2.5 mm Hg. No patient had moderate or severe paravalvular leakage. All patients survived the first 30 days. Conclusions Direct aortic access seems to be a feasible and safe endovascular alternative for implantation of the Direct Flow Medical valve. This access provides direct and accurate control of the entire implantation procedure.
Correlation of Physical Performance and Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

Background:Functional recovery following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is assessed with patient-reported metrics, but physical performance tests may allow for a more accurate assessment of patient function. We quantified correlations between patient-reported measures and physical performance tests in patients after TAA to determine the usefulness of physical performance tests in post-TAA assessment.Methods:In total, 140 patients with end-stage ankle osteoarthritis were assessed prior to TAA and again at 12 and 24 months postoperatively. At each time point, the visual analog scale (VAS), Foot and Ankle Disability Index (FADI), American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA), and Short-Form 36 (SF-36) scores were collected, as well as walking speed, Four-Square Step Test (FSST) times, and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) balance scores.Results:All but 1 (SF-36 general health component) of the patient-reported outcomes improved significantly from ...
Diffuse pulmonary meningotheliomatosis: A literature review of a rare diffuse parenchymal lung disease with unclear clinical significance

Introduction: Diffuse pulmonary meningotheliomatosis is a rare disease, with unclear clinical significance and very few reported cases in the literature. In this study, we review the demographics, presentation, imaging, diagnostic workup, and histologic findings of the 25 patients previously published in the literature with an outline of the disease history. Materials and Methods: We conducted a review of the literature through July 2016 for studies reporting cases of diffuse pulmonary meningotheliomatosis by searching multiple scholarly databases. Results: Of the 25 cases identified 2 were male (8%), and 23 were female (92%). Ages ranged from 37 to 73 with a median age of 59.5 years at diagnosis. 15 (60%) were asymptomatic and imaging abnormalities were discovered incidentally. 8 (32%) had unexplained respiratory complaints. 11 (44%) had history of or active malignancy. 3 (12%) were diagnosed by transbronchial biopsy while the remainder had surgical lung biopsies. Conclusion: Diffuse pulmonary meningotheliomatosis should be considered in all patients with diffuse bilateral pulmonary nodules on HRCT. The condition is more prevalent in females and its clinical significance is unclear, although nearly half of those diagnosed had a history of malignancy. CT imaging and surgical lung biopsy are the modalities of choice for diagnosis but transbronchial biopsies have recently been used obtain the diagnosis. Additional research needs to be done to further characterize the nature of this condition and the clinical scenarios in which is presents.
Evidence for a strong three-body force in the triton

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the evidence for a strong three-body force in triton. The chapter utilizes the existing charge form factor data for 3He, 3H, and some assumptions to produce a model of the triton wave function compatible with the constraints. Given the wave function, the Schrodinger equation may be trivially solved for the effective local potential. The discrepancy between this potential and those predicted by pair-interaction models in the domain, where all three particles are close together, appears to provide clear evidence of a strong attractive three-body force., The chapter discusses an analysis for a broad band of possible 3H curves centered to eliminate the uncertainty introduced by extending the 3H curve. These studies indicate that the sum of all experimental uncertainties affecting the curves produces a net effect of most 4–5% in the results. The chapter discusses the structure of the model that is motivated by the results of numerous model calculations utilizing a hyperspherical basis.
Critical Autoethnography in Pursuit of Educational Equity: Introduction to the IJME Special Issue

In this introduction to the special issue of IJME , we highlight critical autoethnography’s potential for connecting the deeply personal experiences of race, gender, culture, language, sexuality, and other aspects of marginalization and privilege to the broader context of education in society. We discuss critical autoethnography as an interdisciplinary, blurred genre that transforms to fit the academic backgrounds, interests, and critical orientations of its authors. All contributors to this special issue situate their take on the genre in relevant literature and provide sociocultural critique in explicit and implicit ways.
Interfacial Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites: Role of Chain Rigidity and Dynamic Heterogeneity Length Scale

While it is known that the properties of polymer nanocomposites are largely dominated by the interfacial layer around nanoparticles, the molecular parameters controlling the interfacial layer structure and dynamics remain unknown. In this work we combine small-angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, and broadband dielectric spectroscopy to analyze the dependence of the interfacial layer thickness, lint, on polymer rigidity defined through the characteristic ratio, C∞. This analysis revealed a value of C∞ ∼ 5–7, beyond which lint increases substantially with C∞. Moreover, lint grows upon approaching the glass transition temperature from above, and the rate of this growth seems to correlate with polymer fragility. Most important, our analysis revealed that lint is comparable to the characteristic length scale of dynamic heterogeneities in the studied materials. These results provide new understandings of molecular parameters controlling the interfacial layer and are important not only for...