cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Charge transfer in multi-component low-dimensional materials stacks(Conference Presentation)

Advanced electronics, energy storage and harvesting, etc. applications employ devices combining nano-thick layers of dielectric, semiconductor and metal materials. Electrical characteristics of such highly-scaled materials stacks are found to be strongly influenced by the charge transfer across the layers. Charge transfer processes are controlled, to a great degree, by the interface regions, their structure and composition being modified by the inter-materials interaction affected by stack fabrication conditions. These complex systems pose new challenges for analyzing charge transfer processes, which are sensitive to even extremely small concentrations of electrically active defects. In order to identify these defects, the critical task is to link the atomic-level structural features of multicomponent ultra-thin material stacks to their electrical characteristics affected by charge transfer. We focus on analyzing oxide structural features responsible for the charge transfer by combining a variety of electrical measurement techniques with high time and spatial resolutions that allow capturing fast transient charging processes and differentiating signals from different regions through the depth of the multi-layer stacks. These data are used to fit the results of simulations of the physical processes underlying the electrical measurements in order to extract spatial and energy profiles of electrically active centers. The extracted characteristics are, in turn, compared to the atomic-level material modeling data to pinpoint atomic and energy material characteristics responsible for the electrical properties, thus, providing a helpful feedback to optimize the device fabrication process. We discuss examples of implementations of this approach for analysis and optimization of a variety of ultra-thin layers devices.
The role of aquaporins in the anti-glioblastoma capacity of the cold plasma-stimulated medium

The cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a promising novel anti-cancer method. Our previous study showed that the cold plasma-stimulated medium (PSM) exerted remarkable anti-cancer effect as effectively as the direct CAP treatment did. H2O2 has been identified as a key anti-cancer substance in PSM. However, the mechanisms underlying intracellular H2O2 regulation by cancer cells is largely unknown. Aquaporins (AQPs) are the confirmed membrane channels of H2O2. In this study, we first demonstrated that the anti-glioblastoma capacity of PSM could be inhibited by silencing the expression of AQP8 in glioblastoma cells (U87MG) or using the aquaporins-blocker silver atoms. This discovery illustrates the key intermediate role of AQPs in the toxicity of PSM on cancer cells. Because the expression of AQPs varies significantly among different cancer cell lines, this study may facilitate the understanding on the diverse responses of cancer cells to PSM or the direct CAP treatment.
Cerebral microbleeds in a neonatal rat model.

Background In adult humans, cerebral microbleeds play important roles in neurodegenerative diseases but in neonates, the consequences of cerebral microbleeds are unknown. In rats, a single pro-angiogenic stimulus in utero predisposes to cerebral microbleeds after birth at term, a time when late oligodendrocyte progenitors (pre-oligodendrocytes) dominate in the rat brain. We hypothesized that two independent pro-angiogenic stimuli in utero would be associated with a high likelihood of perinatal microbleeds that would be severely damaging to white matter. Methods Pregnant Wistar rats were subjected to intrauterine ischemia (IUI) and low-dose maternal lipopolysaccharide (mLPS) at embryonic day (E) 19. Pups were born vaginally or abdominally at E21-22. Brains were evaluated for angiogenic markers, microhemorrhages, myelination and axonal development. Neurological function was assessed out to 6 weeks. Results mRNA (Vegf, Cd31, Mmp2, Mmp9, Timp1, Timp2) and protein (CD31, MMP2, MMP9) for angiogenic markers, in situ proteolytic activity, and collagen IV immunoreactivity were altered, consistent with an angiogenic response. Vaginally delivered pups exposed to prenatal IUI+mLPS had spontaneous cerebral microbleeds, abnormal neurological function, and dysmorphic, hypomyelinated white matter and axonopathy. Pups exposed to the same pro-angiogenic stimuli in utero but delivered abdominally had minimal cerebral microbleeds, preserved myelination and axonal development, and neurological function similar to naive controls. Conclusions In rats, pro-angiogenic stimuli in utero can predispose to vascular fragility and lead to cerebral microbleeds. The study of microbleeds in the neonatal rat brain at full gestation may give insights into the consequences of microbleeds in human preterm infants during critical periods of white matter development.
Design and Development of a Small Scale Ocean Current and Wave Energy Converter

The inability to tie into the electrical power grid drives mariners to search for alternative energy sources. One such alternative energy source is to harness the vast supply of kinetic and potential energies associated with ocean currents and waves. In the Ocean Current and Wave Energy Converter, a tandem system of an underwater turbine and a wave energy buoy is designed to provide power to a standard 12 volt marine battery. Subsurface energy in the form of current flow is harvested by a helical cross-flow Gorlov turbine. Kinetic surface wave energy is harnessed through an inertial mass system. This system utilizes a 360°, bidirectional, rotating mass enclosed in a spherical buoy that converts the pitching motion into rotational motion. Both subsystems are integrated together through the charging circuit. The charging system is designed to integrate multiple energy sources to maximize the total energy harnessed. Through testing and analysis, design improvements are identified and it is determined that the design of a small scale current flow and wave energy conversion system is a feasible solution to providing power from the ocean.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Learning to Predict and Control the Physics of Our Movements

When we hold an object in our hand, the mass of the object alters the physics of our arm, changing the relationship between motor commands that our brain sends to our arm muscles and the resulting motion of our hand. If the object is unfamiliar to us, our first movement will exhibit an error, producing a trajectory that is different from the one we had intended. This experience of error initiates learning in our brain, making it so that on the very next attempt our motor commands partially compensate for the unfamiliar physics, resulting in smaller errors. With further practice, the compensation becomes more complete, and our brain forms a model that predicts the physics of the object. This model is a motor memory that frees us from having to relearn the physics the next time that we encounter the object. The mechanism by which the brain transforms sensory prediction errors into corrective motor commands is the basis for how we learn the physics of objects with which we interact. The cerebellum and the motor cortex appear to be critical for our ability to learn physics, allowing us to use tools that extend our capabilities, making us masters of our environment.
Factors associated with octreotide LAR use among elderly patients with carcinoid syndrome: A population-based analysis.

e14549 Background: Octreotide LAR is indicated for the treatment of carcinoid syndrome, diarrhea related to VIPoma, and may delay tumor growth in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The pattern of octreo...
Cervical Length in Patients at Risk for Placenta Accreta.

Objectives To evaluate cervical length measurements in women with placenta accreta compared to women with a nonadherent low-lying placenta or placenta previa and evaluate this relationship in terms of vaginal bleeding, preterm labor, and preterm birth. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study between 1997 and 2011 of gravidas with more than 1 prior cesarean delivery who had a transvaginal ultrasound examination between 24 and 34 weeks for a low-lying placenta or placenta previa. Cervical length was measured from archived images in accordance with national guidelines by a single investigator, who was blinded to outcomes and ultrasound reports. The diagnosis of placental accreta was based on histologic confirmation. For study purposes, preterm birth was defined as less than 36 weeks, and cervical lengths of 3 cm or less were considered short. Standard statistical analyses were used. Results A total of 125 patients met inclusion criteria. The cohort was divided into patients with (n = 43 [34%]) and without (n = 82 [66%]) placenta accreta and stratified by gestational age at the ultrasound examinations. Women with placenta accreta had shorter cervical length measurements during their 32- to 34-week ultrasound examinations (mean ± SD, 3.23 ± 0.98 versus 3.95 ± 1.0 cm; P < .01) and were more likely to have a short cervix of 3 cm or less (P = .001). However, these findings did not correlate with the degree of invasion (P = .3), or higher rates of vaginal bleeding and preterm labor (P = .19) resulting in preterm birth before 36 weeks (P = .64). Conclusions Women with placenta accreta had shorter cervical lengths at 32 to 34 weeks than women with a nonadherent low-lying placenta or placenta previa, but this finding did not correlate with a higher risk of vaginal bleeding or preterm labor resulting in preterm birth before 36 weeks.
Stimulated release of urine histamine in interstitial cystitis.

AbstractThe diagnosis of interstitial cystitis is primarily made based on clinical and cystoscopic findings with exclusion of other bladder diseases. Despite all of the efforts at definitive identification, interstitial cystitis lacks universal objective findings. Mast cell activation with associated histamine release has been postulated as an etiological factor leading to the symptom complex associated with interstitial cystitis. To investigate this hypothesis, a 3-step controlled prospective study was conducted.In step 1 reliability of urine histamine assay was critically examined, and the assay was established to be simple, reliable and valid. In step 2 random spot urine histamine levels (basal state) were measured in 25 noninterstitial cystitis and 15 interstitial cystitis patients (22.1 ± 0.95ng./ml. versus 19.2 ± 1.19ng./ml.). There was no significant difference in the random urine histamine levels between the 2 groups (p >0.05). In step 3 urine histamine levels were measured before and after hydrod...
Modeling the population dynamics and economics of velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) control in a corn (Zea mays)-soybean (Glycine max) rotation.

A simulation model was developed to predict the population dynamics and economics of velvetleaf control in a corn-soybean rotation. Data compiled from the literature were used to parameterize the model for two situations, one in which velvetleaf was infected by a Verticillium spp. wilt and one without infection. Verticillium was assumed to have no effect on corn or soybean yield. In the absence of control, simulated seedbank densities of a Verticillium-infected velvetleaf population were 5 to 50 times lower than for an uninfected velvetleaf population. The model was used to evaluate a threshold weed management strategy under the assumption that velvetleaf was the only weed and bentazon the only herbicide available for its control. In the absence of Verticillium, an economic optimum threshold of 2.5 seedlings 100 m−2 afforded the highest economic returns after 20 yr of simulation. Simulations in which velvetleaf was infected in 8 out of 20 randomly assigned years indicated a 6% increase in annualized net return and an 11 % reduction in the number of years that control was necessary. Sensitivity analysis indicated the parameter estimates having the greatest impact on economic optimum threshold were seedling emergence and survival, maximum seed production, and herbicide efficacy. Under an economic optimum threshold of 2.5 seedlings 100 m−2, management practices that manipulate the most sensitive demographic processes increased annualized net return by up to 13% and reduced long-term herbicide use by up to 26%. Results demonstrate that combining an economic optimum threshold with alternative weed management strategies may increase economic return and reduce herbicide use.
Evidence Regarding the Internal Structure: Confirmatory Factor Analysis

American Educational Research Association (AERA) standards stipulate that researchers show evidence of the internal structure of instruments. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is one structural eq...
Nanostructured Flexible Gas Sensors for Breath Monitoring System

Clothing is a microenvironment surrounding the human body that has the most proximity than anything else, which can be a good tool for monitoring and interfacing with the human body (Dunne, 2012). Monitoring breath gives important information about body condition simultaneously for wearers, guardians, and medical specialists to protect from hazardous situations and emergencies (Galassetti et. al., 2005).
Chemical Complexity and Landscape Geochemistry

The purpose of this chapter and the three which follow it is to examine more closely each of the four aspects of the philosophy for environmental geochemistry (outlined in Chap. 3) and to discuss each aspect in relation to landscape geochemistry. In this chapter the role of chemical complexity in environmental geochemistry is related to three aspects of chemical complexity: (1) the hierarchy of chemical complexity with respect to chemical entities studies in the environment (see Table 3.2); (2) the accuracy and precision of chemical data which was listed under the heading of scientific effort on Table 3.2; and (3) the type of data base upon which chemical information is obtained. These three will be discussed in relation to eight examples, each of which is concerned with a particular level in this hierarchy of environmental goechemistry.
Effect of storage time and temperature on the viability of E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp., Listeria innocua, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridium sporogenes vegetative cells and spores in vacuum-packed canned pasteurized milk cheese.

The effect of storage temperature and time on the viability of several foodborne bacterial pathogens inoculated into vacuum-packed canned pasteurized cow's milk cheese was investigated. Three popular cheese styles namely, a semi-soft white Monterey Jack style cheese, and two Cheddar cheeses vacuum packaged in mason jars were inoculated with a 3-strain cocktail of each of the following microbes at the mean concentrations listed: Escherichia coli O157:H7 (6.6 log CFU/g), Salmonella spp. (6.3 log CFU/g), Listeria innocua (6.4 log CFU/g), Staphylococcus aureus (3.6 log CFU/g), and Clostridium sporogenes vegetative cells (6.3 log CFU/g), and spores (6.0 log CFU/g). The effect of storage temperature (at 4.4, 10, and 21.1 °C) and the time (from 0 to 365 days) on the survival of the inoculated organisms was evaluated at different sampling times (0, 30, 60, 120,180, and 365 days). Both storage temperature and the time had a significant effect on the viability of the test organisms. Increasing the storage temperature from 4.4 to 21.1 °C and the storage time for up to 365 days increased pathogen reduction. The type of cheese also had a significant effect on the viability of the test organisms. At the same sampling times, the viability of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp., were highest in Monterey Jack-style cheese followed by the Cheddar cheeses one to which annatto had been added (Cheddar 1) and the second, a white Cheddar that has an added adjunct flavor culture (Cheddar 2). Similarly, the type of cheese and the time-temperature conditions to which the cheese was exposed had a significant effect on the viability of L. innocua. Among the tested organisms, S. aureus was most susceptible while C. sporogenes (both vegetative cells and spores) were most resistant. The findings of this challenge study indicate that vacuum packed canned cheese is not a favorable environment for the growth of bacterial pathogens. Depending upon the type of canned cheese, appropriate storage times and temperatures are critical to ensure microbiological safety.
Microstructures containing nanocapsules of unsaturated fatty acids with biopolymers: Characterization and thermodynamic properties

Abstract Unsaturated fatty acid concentrates (UFAC) were nanoencapsulated by emulsification/lyophilization using chitosan:gelatin matrices as wall material. Nanoemulsions presented droplets size between 40 and 280 nm. There was a decrease in droplets size due to gelatin addition, resulting in a decrease of encapsulation efficiency and an increase in porosity and pores volume. UFAC oxidation in chitosan capsules was slower than in free oil. Sorption isotherms were performed at 4 and 25 °C, and GAB model showed the best fit to experimental data. Differential enthalpy and entropy increased with the moisture content decrease, and the adsorption process was spontaneous. Pores radius increased with the increase of gelatin in the microstructures. The critical storage conditions of the microstructures were calculated. The range of water activity, which represents the maximum stability zone, was of 0.65–0.75 at 4 °C and of 0.73–0.85 at 25 °C. This zone hinders the oxygen diffusion through the pores, retarding oxidation.
Tibial nerve decompression for the prevention of the diabetic foot: a cost-utility analysis using Markov model simulations.

Objective To determine whether tibial neurolysis performed as a surgical intervention for patients with diabetic neuropathy and superimposed tibial nerve compression in the prevention of the diabetic foot is cost-effective when compared with the current prevention programme. Design A baseline analysis was built on a 5-year model to determine the cumulative incidence of foot ulcers and amputations with each strategy. Subsequently, a cost-effectiveness analysis and cohort-level Markov simulations were conducted with a model composed of 20 6-month cycles. A sensitivity analysis was also performed. Setting A Markov model was used to simulate the effects of standard prevention compared with tibial neurolysis on the long-term costs associated with foot ulcers and amputations. This model included eight health states. Participants Each cohort includes simulated patients with diabetic neuropathy at different levels of risk of developing foot ulcers and amputations. Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome was the long-term trends concerning the development of ulcers and amputations with each strategy. The secondary outcome measures were quality adjusted life years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness and net monetary benefits of the optimal strategy. Results When compared with standard prevention, for a patient population of 10 000, surgery prevented a simulated total of 1447 ulcers and 409 amputations over a period of 5 years. In a subsequent analysis that consisted of 20 6-month cycles (10 years), the incremental cost of tibial neurolysis compared with current prevention was $12 772.28; the incremental effectiveness was 0.41 QALYs and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $31 330.78. Survival was 73% for those receiving medical prevention compared with 95% for those undergoing surgery. Conclusion These results suggest that among patients with diabetic neuropathy and superimposed nerve compression, surgery is more effective at preventing serious comorbidities and is associated with a higher survival over time. It also generated greater long-term economic benefits.
Direct patlak reconstruction from dynamic PET using unsupervised deep learning

Direct reconstruction methods have been developed to estimate parametric images directly from the measured sinogram by combining the PET imaging model and tracer kinetics in an integrated framework. Due to limited counts received, especially for low-dose scenarios, SNR and resolution of parametric images produced by direct reconstruction frameworks are still limited. Recently supervised deep learning methods have been successfully applied to medical imaging denoising/reconstruction when large number of high-quality training labels are available. For static PET imaging, high-quality training labels can be acquired by extending scanning time. However, this is not feasible for dynamic PET imaging, where the scanning time is already long enough. In this work, we present a novel unsupervised deep learning method for direct Patlak reconstruction from low-dose dynamic PET. The training label is measured sinogram itself and the only requirement is the patients own anatomical prior image, which is readily available from PET/CT or PET/MR scans. Experiment evaluation based on a low-dose dynamic dataset shows that the proposed method can outperform Gaussian post-smoothing and anatomically-guided direct reconstruction using the kernel method.
Cadmium modification of cell growth and specific gene expression in normal rat-kidney fibroblast cells

Cadmium (Cd++, hereafter) inhibits EGF-induced ^H-Tdr incorporation in serum starved NRK-49F cells in a dose dependent pattern. The underlying mechanisms for this inhibition are largely unknown. EGF-induced mvc mRNA accumulation in NRK-49F cells and the effects of Cd++on this response were examined under conditions that result in partial or complete inhibition of EGF-induced DNA synthesis. It was found that doses of Cd++ that inhibit EGF-induced DNA synthesis do not inhibit EGF-induced protein synthesis and mvc mRNA accumulation. Cd++ doses of 0.5 uM and 1 uM were found actually to increase EGF-induced mvc mRNA accumulation and amino acid incorporation. These results show that the effect of Cd++ on EGF-induced DNA synthesis is not due to inhibition of entrance into Gl, but rather that Cd++ acts on events subsequent to mvc mRNA accumulation; that is, events associated with either G1 progression, entry into S or DNA synthesis.
Thermal transport properties at interface of fatty acid esters enhanced with carbon-based nanoadditives

Abstract There has been growing interest in the development and use of sustainable, bio-based phase change materials (PCMs), as an alternative to conventional paraffinic PCMs. Among possible choices, two fatty acid esters, i.e., methyl palmitate and methyl 9,10-dihydroxystearate, are investigated in this study. The physical properties of these two bio-based PCMs are first characterized using the molecular dynamics method. Upon validating the results with the experimental test data, the reverse non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (RNEMD) method is employed to evaluate the thermal performance of these two PCMs in both pristine and enhanced conditions. The interplay between the molecular structure and thermal properties is then determined using a radial distribution function analysis. To address the issue of low thermal conductivity of these two PCMs, the possibility of enhancing them with carbon-based nanoaddivities, such as graphene, is investigated. The interface between the PCM matrix and the graphene filler is modeled at nanoscale and the interfacial thermal conductance is characterized using the RNEMD simulations. A separate set of vibration power spectra analyses are conducted to shed light on the thermal energy transfer mechanisms across the interface of bio-based PCMs and carbon-based nanoadditives. The outcome of this study is expected to transform the design and implementation of PCMs for sustainable energy storage technologies.
3 The Dark Web Network Builders

This chapter covers Dark Web development from two primary angles. First, drawing on archives such as e-mail lists, IRC logs, and software repositories, I detail the development history of the three Dark Web projects discussed throughout this book: Freenet, the Tor Project, and the Invisible Internet Project (I2P). The histories I present here are brief and focus mainly on the development of the specific technologies in question, considering how the projects develop networks that can anonymize both readers and publishers. I also emphasize the early stages of web publishing on these networks, the practice that has become known as Dark Web publishing. Freenet, Tor, and I2P were built in the late 1990s and early 2000s in relation to previous networking technologies, including the World Wide Web. Indeed, the World Wide Web, with its ease of publishing hypertextual media, looms large in the Dark Web network builders' imaginations. These systems were strongly bent toward supporting WWW-like publishing, with the twist of anonymizing both publishers and readers and even decentralizing web hosting. A study of these network builders, even the brief one that appears in this chapter, can shed light on the technical and social roots of Dark Web practices and systems, such as markets, search engines, and social networking sites, which are covered in later chapters.
Remote Sensing for Landscape Ecology: New Metric Indicators for Monitoring, Modeling, and Assessment of Ecosystems

Introduction Goals and Objectives Significance of Research Selection of Study Sites Summary of Chapters Background and Evaluation of Landscape Metrics Landscape Ecology Metrics The Contagion Metric The Fractal Dimension Metric Introduction of Improved Metrics Potential Problems of Existing Landscape Metrics for Use with Remote Sensing Data Systematic Evaluation of Landscape Metrics Problems with Contagion Problems with Fractal Dimension Research Methods Overview of Experimental Design Capability of Metrics to Capture Changes in Landscape Pattern Sensitivity of Metrics to Spatial Resolution of Remote Sensing Data Analysis of Metrics Along a Spatial Gradient in Rhodonia, Brazil Analysis of Metrics Along a Spatial Gradient in Washington, D.C. Analysis of Metrics Along a Vertical Gradient in the Sierra Nevada Analysis of Metrics Along a Temporal Gradient in Ouro Preto, Brazil Empirical Analysis of Landscape Metrics Metric Capability in Quantifying Changes Along a Spatial Gradient in Rodonia, Brazil Sensitivity of Metrics to Landscape Pattern Variation Sensitivity of Metrics to Spatial Resolution Test of the Regression Equations for PPU and SqP Using Landsat MSS 79 Meter Data Metric Capability in Quantifying Changes Along a Spatial Gradient in Washington, D.C. Sensitivity of Metrics to Landscape Pattern Variation Sensitivity of Metrics to Spatial Resolution Metric Capability in Quantifying Changes Along a Vertical Gradient in the Sierra Nevada Sensitivity of Metrics to Landscape Pattern Variation Sensitivity of Metrics to Spatial Resolution Metric Capability in Quantifying Changes Along a Temporal Gradient in Ouro Preto, Brazil Sensitivity of Metrics to Landscape Pattern Variation Sensitivity of Metrics to Spatial Resolution Summary Conclusions and Future Work Bibliography Index
Evaluation of growth performance and carcass characteristics of beef stocker cattle grazing Tifton 85 bermudagrass supplemented with dried distillers grains with solubles then finished in the feedlot

ABSTRACT Objective The objective of this study was to determine the influence of varying rates of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) supplemented daily on performance of beef stocker cattle grazing Tifton 85 (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers. × Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst) bermudagrass pastures. Materials and Methods Steers (n = 112, 379 ± 35.5 kg of BW) were stratified by BW and randomly allocated to 16 pastures (0.7 ± 0.01 ha) during each summer of 2 yr (2014, 2015). Pastures were allocated randomly to 3 daily rates of a DDGS supplement (SUPP; 0.25, 0.5, or 1% BW) and a nonsupplemented control (PAS) for 110 d in 2014 and 112 d in 2015. Results and Discussion Steer ADG increased linearly (P Implications and Applications Supplementation of beef stocker cattle with DDGS while grazing Tifton 85 bermudagrass may be a viable management strategy to enhance gain per animal or land area.
Return of Results in Psychiatric Genetics Research: Perceptions of Best Practices in a Global Sample of Psychiatric Genetics Researchers

Many research sponsors and genetic researchers agree that some medically relevant genetic findings should be offered to participants. The scarcity of research specific to returning genetic results related to psychiatric disorders hinders the ability to develop ethically-justified and empirically-informed guidelines for responsible return of results for these conditions. We surveyed 407 psychiatric genetics researchers from 39 countries to examine their perceptions of challenges to returning individual results and views about best practices for the process of offering and returning results. Most researchers believed that disclosure of results should be delayed if a patient-participant is experiencing significant psychiatric symptoms. Respondents felt that there is little research on the impact of returning results to participants with psychiatric disorders and agreed that return of psychiatric genetics results to patient-participants may lead to discrimination by insurance companies or other third parties. Almost half of researchers believed results should be returned through a participant9s treating psychiatrist, but many felt that clinicians lack knowledge about how to manage genetic research results. Most researchers thought results should be disclosed by genetic counselors or medical geneticists and in person, however, almost half also supported disclosure via telemedicine. This is the first global survey to examine the perspectives of researchers with experience working with this patient population and with these conditions. Their perspectives can help inform the development of much-needed guidelines to promote responsible return of results related to psychiatric conditions to patients with psychiatric disorders.
Residually finite lattices in $\widetilde{\mathrm{PU}(2,1)}$ and fundamental groups of smooth projective surfaces

This paper studies residual finiteness of lattices in the universal cover of $\mathrm{PU}(2,1)$ and applications to the existence of smooth projective varieties with fundamental group a cocompact lattice in $\mathrm{PU}(2,1)$ or a finite covering of it. First, we prove that certain lattices in the universal cover of $\mathrm{PU}(2,1)$ are residually finite. To our knowledge, these are the first such examples. We then use residually finite central extensions of torsion-free lattices in $\mathrm{PU}(2,1)$ to construct smooth projective surfaces that are not birationally equivalent to a smooth compact ball quotient but whose fundamental group is a torsion-free cocompact lattice in $\mathrm{PU}(2,1)$.
Time to Completion of Breast Cancer Treatment and Survival.

Breast cancer treatment delays are common. This study was designed to examine the association between the time interval from time of diagnosis to completion of all acute breast cancer treatment modalities (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy) and survival. A retrospective analysis was performed utilizing data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to determine an association between the duration of time from diagnosis to completing all acute breast cancer treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy) and survival. Secondary survival analysis evaluated whether delay in treatment completion varied by differences in tumor receptor status. We analyzed 2010 NCDB data of stage I–III breast cancer patients. A subset of 28,284 patients received all three modalities (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation) as their acute treatment. Median follow-up was 5.8 years. Cox proportional hazards model identified a cut-off showing the risk of delaying completion of all treatment beyond 38 weeks was associated with a decrease in overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.21). This decrease in survival was significant regardless of the major tumor receptor status: triple-negative (HR 1.188, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–1.34), estrogen receptor (ER)+/progesterone receptor (PR)+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)− (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09–1.36), ER−/PR−/HER2+ (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.004–1.67), and ER+/PR+/HER2+ (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.01–1.72). Efforts to improve the efficiency of multimodality breast cancer treatment and reduce treatment delays should be a priority to optimize breast cancer patient outcomes.
Global Sourcing Practices and ISO 9000 International Quality Standards

While global sourcing gained early prominence for cost advantages, increasingly more firms are engaged in it now for reasons of strategic positioning and other competitive advantages (Swamidass 1993, Biron and Fawcett 1993). Carter and Narsimgan (1990) attributed the surge in offshore buying to i) lower costs, ii) improved quality, iii) manufacturing flexibility, and iv) access to new technology. Some recent studies, based on specific company case histories suggested interconnections between inward internationalization (global sourcing) and outward internationaliz.ation process such as exporting (Welch and Luostarinen 1993). With the growth of globalization of business, the need for harmonization of the myriad of industry-specific and national standards of quality also grew. The ISO 9000 international quality standards have been developed in response to this need, and gained critical importance with the economic integration of the European Union. The current study examined interrelationships between global sourcing, exporting, and preparation for ISO 9000 certification.
Sonar detection performance improvement using embedded watermark

Embedding of a digital watermark in a sonar waveform has been recently proposed. The detection of the watermark is subsequently used for identification and authentication. Generally, a matched filter receiver is used for the detection of unmarked pulses. However, if the pulse carries a watermark we can exploit the knowledge of the watermark to improve the detection rate of the sonar pulse itself. This operation takes place in the proposed joint detector. If the received pulse is unmarked, we show that the detection rate is virtually identical to the matched filter receiver.
Adrenalectomy during pregnancy. Case report with observations of adrenocortical function.

Abstract A woman with Cushing's syndrome was presented who was found to be pregnant at the time of adrenalectomy. Plasma and urinary steroid assays through the second and third trimesters showed no rise before or after corticotropin stimulation. The patient's subsequent course and management was uncomplicated as has been the rule in all previously reported pregnancies. This case adds further support to the available evidence that functional hypercorticism during pregnancy is not related to either placental or fetal adrenal gland activity.
Between Bodies and Pleasures: A Territory Without a Domain

Foucault’s debt to Kant is usually examined with respect to his ethos of critique. In fact, Kant’s writings on aesthetic judgment, teleological judgment, and anthropology constitute an important, if implicit, object of Foucault’s genealogical efforts to free Western culture from a scientia sexualis that oppresses sexual minorities. Comparing Foucault’s use of Kant to the use made by psychoanalytic theorists of sexual difference, this paper argues that the concept of non-teleological pleasure found in Kant’s critique of aesthetic judgment may provide grounds for queer thinkers to resist and reconfigure associations between death, knowledge, and sexuality as a function of organisms—associations inherited from the post-Kantian philosophical anthropology and biological medicine of the nineteenth century.
Fluorometric determination of aspartate, glutamate, and γ-aminobutyrate in nerve tissue using enzymic method☆

Abstract Procedures are described for the determination of 5 × 10 −12 to 5 × 10 −10 mole of asparate, 1 × 10 −11 to 5 × 10 −10 mole of γ-aminobutyrate and 1 × 10 −10 to 30 × 10 −10 mole of glutamate using enzymic methods and fluorometric measurement of pyridine nucleotide coenzymes. After an initial ethanol extraction of 1 to 30 mg of frozen nerve tissue, samples are processed and prepared as aqueous solutions to be used in the enzyme procedures, which are described in detail. Sample volumes employed in the glutamate assay correspond to 100–300 μg tissue; in the γ-aminobutyrate assay, sample volumes are equivalent to 20–400 μg tissue, whereas in the aspartate assay volumes are equivalent to 10–100 μg tissue. The coefficient of variation was less than 2% for the glutamate assay, 3% for the γ-aminobutyrate assay, and 4% for the aspartate assay.
NRC review of time-limited aging analyses for license renewal applications.

A license renewal applicant of a U.S. nuclear power plant is required to demonstrate that all the time-limited aging analyses (TLAAs) applicable to the facility are valid for the period of extended operation, or have been projected through the expiration of the period of extended operation, or that the effects of aging associated with the TLAAs will be adequately managed during the period of extended operation. Common to license renewal applications are four TLAAs: (1) reactor vessel (RV) neutron embrittlement analyses, (2) fatigue analyses of ASME Section III metal components, (3) environmental qualification analyses of safety-related electrical equipment, and (4) low-cycle fatigue analyses of reactor coolant pump flywheels. The RV neutron embrittlement analyses include the determination of neutron fluence for the RV at the end of the period of extended operation (end-of-extended-license fluence), and evaluation of the following analyses that are based on the end-of-extended-license fluence: drop in Charpy upper-shelf energy, reference temperature for nil-ductility transition, pressure-temperature limits, and BWR vessel circumferential weld examination relief and axial weld failure probability. This paper discusses these four common TLAAs and focuses on the regulatory basis for accepting them as part of the license renewal application; it also discusses the lessons learned from reviewing the license renewal applications.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
SDS‐PAGE of Proteins in Goat Milk Cheeses Ripened under Different Conditions

Proteolytic characteristics of five varieties of commercial goat milk cheeses and a cow milk Cheddar aged under different conditions were evaluated by SDS-PAGE and an advanced densitometry system. All fresh goat cheeses had distinctively lower intensities of αS1-casein (CN) bands than those of cow milk Cheddar, whereas intensities of β-CN were much greater in the goat cheeses. The PAGE patterns clearly displayed αS2-CN in all goat cheese, but it was negligible in cow milk Cheddar. The greater protein degradation in hard goat cheeses than cow milk Cheddar at 4°C and 22°C strongly correlated with water-soluble nitrogen compound concentrations and densitometric values of corresponding cheeses.
Cerebral hemispheric mechanisms in the retrieval of ambiguous word meanings.

Abstract Targets related to ambiguous primes were projected to the left and right visual fields in a lexical priming experiment with stimulus onset asynchronies (SOA) of 35 and 750 msec. Right visual field results were similar to our earlier results with central projection ( G. B. Simpson & C. Burgess, 1985 , Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance , 11, 28–39). Facilitation was found for the more frequent meaning at both SOAs and a decrease in facilitation for the less frequent meaning at the longer SOA. In contrast, left visual field results indicated a decay of facilitation for the more frequent meaning at the longer SOA, while activation for the subordinate meaning increased. Results suggest that, while automatic processing occurs in both hemispheres, only the left hemisphere engages in controlled processing of ambiguous word meanings. In addition, the present results support the idea that the right hemisphere has a special role in ambiguity resolution and that the right hemisphere lexicon possesses a richer endowment than earlier thought.
Perioperative management and reversal of antithrombotic therapy

Patients of advanced age commonly undergo invasive procedures and surgery. With the number of elderly individuals being treated with long-term anticoagulant therapy growing annually, it is not uncommon that surgery is contemplated for older adults on long-term anticoagulant therapy. This article focuses on the management of elderly patients who are on long-term anticoagulant therapy, principally with warfarin, who must undergo invasive procedures. Although no consensus has been reached regarding the perioperative management of patients on long-term anticoagulation therapy, this discussion presents the current status and some recommendations for practice.
Nonlinear dynamics and synthetic-jet-based control of a canonical separated flow

A novel flow configuration devised for investigation of active control of separated airfoil flows using synthetic jets is presented. The configuration consists of a flat plate, with an elliptic leading edge and a blunt trailing edge, at zero incidence in a free stream. Flow separation is induced on the upper surface of the airfoil at the aft-chord location by applying suction and blowing on the top boundary of the computational domain. Typical separated airfoil flows are generally characterized by at least three distinct frequency scales corresponding to the shear layer instability, the unsteadiness of the separated region and the vortex shedding in the wake, and all these features are present in the current flow. Two-dimensional Navier-Stokes simulations of this flow at a chord Reynolds number of 6 104 have been carried out to examine the nonlinear dynamics in this flow and its implications for synthetic-jet-based separation control. The results show that there is a strong nonlinear coupling between the various features of the flow, and that the uncontrolled as well as the forced flow is characterized by a variety of lock-on states that result from this nonlinear coupling. The most effective separation control is found to occur at the highest forcing frequency for which both the shear layer and the separated region lock on to the forcing frequency. The effects of the Reynolds number on the scaling of the characteristic frequencies of the separated flow and its subsequent control are studied by repeating some of the simulations at a higher Reynolds number of 1 105. © 2010 Cambridge University Press.
Communication Abilities of Managers: The Relationship to Performance

Communication competence is considered essential to managing, both in terms of its theoretical role in management and in observations of the communication behaviors of managers. Yet the specific skills and abilities or communication competencies of managers have received only limited study in organizational settings. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between managerial performance and communication competency by identifying communication skills and social cognitive abilities that are associated with managerial performance for both male andfemale managers. Female managers provided lower self-reports of skills than male managers, and results linked managerial performance primarily to communication skills.
Mechanistic studies of two amino acid racemases of broad substrate specificity from Pseudomonas striata and Aeromonas caviae

The conversion of L-[alpha-2H]alanine in H2O and unlabeled L-alanine in 2H2O into D-alanine, under nearly irreversible conditions, with the amino acid racemase from Pseudomonas striata showed significant internal transfer of the alpha-hydrogen. This result has been interpreted as being indicative of a single base mechanism for the racemization. The relative rates of deuterium incorporation into unlabeled D- and L-methionine by the two amino acid racemases of broad substrate specificity from P. striata and Aeromonas caviae, were measured in 2H2O. The results showed a markedly different pattern, dependent upon the configuration of the initial substrate; with D-methionine as substrate deuterium is incorporated into both enantiomers at approximately the same rate, but with L-methionine as substrate deuterium is incorporated considerably faster into the D than the L enantiomer. These results argue against a single base mechanism of racemization for these enzymes and are best rationalized in terms of a double base model where only one of the bases undergoes proton (deuterium) exchange with the solvent while the amino acid is enzyme-bound. The interpretation of the earlier experiment needs to be considered in light of these results.
Faster retrieval from context trees

Context trees provide a convenient way of storing data which is to be viewed as a hierarchy of contexts. This note presents an algorithm which improves on previous context tree retrieval algorithms. It is based on the observation that in typical uses context changes are infrequent relative to retrievals, so that data can be cached to speed up retrieval. A retrieval is started from the position of the previous retrieval and auxiliary structures are built up to make the search rapid. Algorithms for addition and deletion of data and for garbage collection are outlined.
Civic Engagement Patterns and Transitions over 8 Years: The AmeriCorps National Study.

Latent transition analysis was used to examine civic engagement transitions across 2 waves spanning 8 years in a sample of AmeriCorps participants and a comparison group (N = 1,344; 77% female). Latent indicators of civic engagement included volunteering, community participation, civic organizational involvement, local and national voting, civic consciousness, and perceptions of civic knowledge. Three latent statuses were identified; inactive, voting involved, and highly committed. Consistent with life cycle theories of political engagement, the inactive status was most prevalent at Wave 1 and the voting-involved status most prevalent at Wave 4. AmeriCorps members were less involved in voting at Wave 1 but, among voters, were more likely to become highly committed by Wave 4. Compared with those who did not attend college, those who did had higher levels of civic engagement initially and over time. Young participants and Asian youths demonstrated lower levels of involvement initially compared with older participants or White youths. Findings suggest that national service programs geared toward young people who are not in college may hold promise for addressing gaps in civic engagement.
Fibromyalgia and chronic rhinosinusitis: outcomes after endoscopic sinus surgery.

BACKGROUND: Limited clinical research exists concerning surgical outcomes for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and comorbid fibromyalgia. The aim of this study was to determine whether patients with CRS and concurrent fibromyalgia experience quality-of-life (QOL) improvement after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and whether this improvement is similar to that seen in patients without fibromyalgia. METHODS: An adult (> or =18 years of age) population (n = 283) with medically refractory CRS was assessed using two disease-specific QOL instruments: the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) and the Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CSS). A nested case-control analysis of matched subjects (n = 18) with and without fibromyalgia was performed to compare pre- and postoperative QOL. RESULTS: Improvement in postoperative QOL was found in patients with CRS and comorbid fibromyalgia (p < or = 0.004). After controlling for age, gender, and disease severity, this improvement was similar to that seen in patients without fibromyalgia for all RSDI subscales as well as the CSS total and CSS symptom subscales. Patients with fibromyalgia reported significantly less improvement on the CSS medication subscale than patients without fibromyalgia (p = 0.027). CONCLUSION: Patients with CRS and comorbid fibromyalgia showed similar improvements in QOL after ESS when compared with patients without fibromyalgia when controlling for age, gender, and disease severity.