cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compositionally Modulated Magnetic Epitaxial Spinel/Perovskite Nanocomposite Thin Films

There is great interest in self-assembled oxide vertical nanocomposite films consisting of epitaxial spinel pillars in a single crystal perovskite matrix, due to their tunable electronic, magnetic, and multiferroic properties. Varying the composition or geometry of the pillars in the out-of-plane direction has not been previously reported but can provide new routes to tailoring their properties in three dimensions. In this work, ferrimagnetic epitaxial CoFe2O4, MgFe2O4, or NiFe2O4 spinel nanopillars with an out-of-plane modulation in their composition and shape are grown in a BiFeO3 matrix on a (001) SrTiO3 substrate using pulsed laser deposition. Changing the pillar composition during growth produces a homogeneous pillar composition due to cation interdiffusion, but this can be suppressed using a sufficiently thick blocking layer of BiFeO3 to produce bi-pillar films containing for example a layer of magnetically hard CoFe2O4 pillars and a layer of magnetically soft MgFe2O4 pillars, which form in different locations. A thinner blocking layer enables contact between the top of the CoFe2O4 and the bottom of the MgFe2O4 which leads to correlated growth of the MgFe2O4 pillars directly above the CoFe2O4 pillars and provides a path for interdiffusion. The magnetic hysteresis of the nanocomposites is related to the pillar structure.
Funny turns: they do mean something.

JAMA Incidence and Prognosis of Transient Neurological Attacks Michiel J. Bos, MD, MSc; Marie Josee E. van Rijn, MD, PhD; Jacqueline C. M. Witteman, PhD; Albert Hofman, MD, PhD; Peter J. Koudstaal, MD, PhD; Monique M. B. Breteler, MD, PhD Context: Transient neurological attacks (TNAs) are attacks with temporary ( Objective: To study the incidence and prognosis of focal TNAs (or TIAs), nonfocal TNAs, and mixed TNAs. Design, Setting, and Participants: The study population comprised 6062 community-dwelling Rotterdam Study participants who were aged 55 years or older and free from stroke, myocardial infarction, and dementia at baseline (1990-1993). They were followed up for events until January 1, 2005. We analyzed the associations between incident TNAs and subsequent adverse events with age- and sex-adjusted Cox regression models. Main Outcome Measures: Stroke, ischemic heart disease, or dementia. Results: During 60 535 person-years, 548 participants developed TNA (282 focal, 228 nonfocal, and 38 mixed). The incidence rate per 1000 person-years was 4.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1-5.2) for focal TNA, 3.8 (95% CI, 3.3-4.3) for nonfocal TNA, and 0.6 (95% CI, 0.4-0.9) for mixed TNA. Participants with focal TNA were at higher risk of subsequent stroke than participants without TNA (n = 46 vs 540; hazard ratio [HR], 2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.57-2.91) but had an equal risk of ischemic heart disease and dementia. Nonfocal TNA patients were at higher risk of stroke (27 vs 540; HR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.08-2.28) and dementia (30 vs 552; HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.11-2.26) than participants without TNA. Mixed TNA patients were at higher risk of stroke (6 vs 540; HR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.11-5.56), ischemic heart disease (8 vs 779; HR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.07-4.78), vascular death (8 vs 594; HR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.31-4.91), and dementia (7 vs 552; HR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.72-6.98) than participants without TNA. Conclusion: Patients who experience nonfocal TNAs, and especially those with mixed TNAs, have a higher risk of major vascular diseases and dementia than persons without TNA. JAMA. 2007;298(24):2877-2885..
The Role of Diffusion in Closing Artifically Produced Holes in Clouds

Abstract Hole closing by diffusion of water vapor and droplets is treated as a problem in classical diffusion theory with constant mixing coefficients. The results, for reasonable estimates of the variables involved, lead to closure times in the one-half to one hour range. However, the estimates of the appropriate diffusion coefficients are quite rough and it may be useful to employ cloud-dissipation techniques to estimate this variable. Further calculations show that to maintain a given area free of clouds for the maximum time possible, a hole whose width is 75–80% of the distance between the smallest useful hole and the maximum possible hole should be opened.
Suicide transport: destruction of neurons by retrograde transport of ricin, abrin, and modeccin

Certain toxic lectins, including ricin, are retrogradely transported along neuronal processes to the cell body where they inactivate ribosomes, resulting in neuronal death. This process of "suicide transport" suggests a powerful new experimental strategy for solving neurobiological problems.
Smart masks for next-generation lithography

Next generation lithograph tools, such as x-ray, ion or electron beam use thin film membrane windows for the exposure masks. Systematic aberrations due to heat distortions during exposure and other influences are inevitable. The possibility of integrating an active correction system by mechanical stretching with precision actuators is investigated. The basic idea is to measure the placement error of the mask at a finite number of precision points and use these errors measurements to stretch the membrane with in-plane actuators back to their proper locations. The actuation could be implemented by micro-actuators that are monolithically attached directly to the mask membrane. In order to implement such a system, the following are required: 1) A metrology system that precisly measures the displacement of a set of precision points; 2) Micro-actuators that can be directly attached to the mask and offer sufficient force and displacement to strain the mask; and 3) A control algorithm and system that correlates 1 with 2.
Norm Optimal Iterative Learning Identification for Linear Time-Varying Systems

This article presents a new identification method for discrete-time, single-input single-output, linear time-varying (LTV) plant utilizing the input and output data. This method applies specifically to plants that are able to repeat their trajectories. The identification learning law is determined through an optimization framework, which is similar in nature to the norm optimal design for Iterative Learning Control (ILC). Conditions for stability and convergence are obtained in the study. The design is verified using a numerical example.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Mapping-Aware Constrained Scheduling for LUT-Based FPGAs

Scheduling plays a central role in high-level synthesis, as it inserts clock boundaries into the untimed behavioral model and greatly impacts the performance, power, and area of the synthesized circuits. While current scheduling techniques can make use of pre-characterized delay values of individual operations, it is difficult to obtain accurate timing estimation on a cluster of operations without considering technology mapping. This limitation is particularly pronounced for FPGAs where a large logic network can be mapped to only a few levels of look-up tables (LUT). In this paper, we propose MAPS, a mapping-aware constrained scheduling algorithm for LUT-based FPGAs. Instead of simply summing up the estimated delay values of individual operations, MAPS jointly performs technology mapping and scheduling, creating the opportunity for more aggressive operation chaining to minimize latency and reduce area. We show that MAPS can produce a latency-optimal solution, while supporting a variety of design timing requirements expressed in a system of difference constraints. We also present an efficient incremental scheduling technique for MAPS to effectively handle resource constraints. Experimental results with real-life benchmarks demonstrate that our proposed algorithm achieves very promising improvements in performance and resource usage when compared to a state-of-the-art commercial high-level synthesis tool targeting Xilinx FPGAs.
Effects of Electron-Electron Interactions on the Integer Quantum Hall Transitions

We study the effects of the electron-electron interaction on the critical properties of the plateau transitions in the integer quantum Hall effect. We find the renormalization group dimension associated with short-range interactions to be $\ensuremath{-}0.66\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04$. Thus the noninteracting fixed point (characterized $z\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}2$ and $\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\approx}2.3$) is stable. For the Coulomb interaction, we find the correlation effect is a marginal perturbation at a Hartree-Fock fixed point ( $z\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1$, $\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\approx}2.3$) by dimension counting. Further calculations are needed to determine its stability upon loop corrections.
Toward Single-Cycle Biphotons

The paper describes a technique for the spontaneous generation of chirped biphotons and for the compression of these photons to transform limited biphotons. At maximum bandwidth the biphoton is a single-cycle in length and has the waveform of a classical single-cycle pulse. Without compression, chirped biphotons still exhibit a Hong- Ou-Mandel dip with a width approximately equal to the inverse spectral width of the biphoton.
Creating a collaboratory in cyberspace: Theoretical foundation and an implementation

Internet applications such as the World Wide Web (WWW) have created the possibility of developing global collaborative platforms for supporting interactions between professionals and academics in various disciplines. While Web browsers such as Mosaic and Netscape have revolutionized the way we use the Internet, we envision the need for a theory‐based approach to the development of Collaboratories on the Internet. Based on complementarity theory, we provide a conceptual foundation for designing Collaboratories which maximize users’ value through the judicious choice of complementary design factors. We emphasize the need for developments in the area of “open”; collaborative systems, and suggest that analyzing the design problem from a complementarity theory standpoint can lead to useful insights regarding the value users derive from the system. We also describe the design and an early implementation of an MIS Collaboratory, which uses this theoretical foundation to organize information and to provide a foru...
Arterial Ischemic Stroke in Children: Risk Factors and Etiologies

Stroke is increasingly recognized as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children, and as a financial burden for families and society. Recent studies have identified and confirmed presumptive risk factors, and have identified novel associations with childhood arterial ischemic stroke. A better understanding of risk factors for stroke in children, which differ from the atherosclerotic risk factors in adults, is the first step needed to improve strategies for stroke prevention and intervention, and ultimately minimize the physical, mental, and financial burden of arterial ischemic stroke. Here, we discuss recent advances in research for selected childhood stroke risk factors, highlighting the progress made in our understanding of etiologic mechanisms and pathophysiology, and address the future directions for acute and long-term treatment strategies for pediatric stroke.
Arabinogalactan protein and wall-associated kinase in a plasmalemmal reticulum with specialized vertices

Arabinogalactan protein and wall-associated kinase (WAK) are suspected to be regulatory players at the interface between cytoplasm and cell wall. Both WAK(s) and arabinogalactan shown likely to represent arabinogalactan protein(s) have been visualized there with computational optical-sectioning microscopy. The arabinogalactan occurs in a polyhedral array at the external face of the cell membrane. WAK, and other proteins as yet unidentified, appear to fasten the membrane to the wall at vertices of the array. Evidence is presented that the array bears an important part of the mechanical stress experienced by the membrane, and it is speculated that the architectural organization of arabinogalactan protein, WAK, and other components of the array is critical for coordination of endomembrane activities, growth, and differentiation. The array has been named the plasmalemmal reticulum.
On determining the reliability and significance of a tetrachoric coefficient of correlation

In this note are presented facilitating tables for the estimation of the standard error of a tetrachoricγ and also tables providing significant and very significant tetrachoric coefficients for various sizes of samples and various combinations of proportions in the dichotomized distributions.
Physiologic model for the pharmacokinetics of 2′deoxycoformycin in normal and leukemic mice

A flow-limited physiologic mathematical model has been developed to describe the time course of 2′deoxycoformycin (2′dCF) concentrations in the plasma and tissues of mice following iv and ip doses. Urinary excretion is modeled as a linear process involving filtration and secretion, since kidney clearance exceeded estimated glomerular filtration rate. Intracellular binding is described as the sum of linear nonspecific binding plus strong saturable binding to adenosine deaminase. Pharmacokinetic parameters are determined by a sequential optimization scheme in which each tissue is studied by means of a hybrid model. The model has been used to predict pharmacokinetic behaviour of 2′dCF in both normal and leukemic mice, and model simulations are compared with published data.
Extracting scattering coefficient and anisotropy factor of tissue using optical coherence tomography

ABSTRACT Determination of tissue optical properties is important as it will lead to better design of optical diagnostic tools, improvement in laser therapy, photo dynamic therapy dosimetry, drug pharmacokinetics, etc. We have developed a theoretical model for OCT signal using Monte Carlo simulation that allows us to fit values extracted from the OC T signal, namely, reflectance, U , and the total optical attenuation coefficient, P t , to obtain optical properties of tissue (scattering coefficient, P s , and anisotropy factor, g). Using this method we have extracted optical pr operties of different tissue types, e. g., skin, muscle, liver, and brain of mouse. 1. INTRODUCTION Determination of tissue optical properties is important for applications of light in both diagnostic and therapeutic medicine. Determining tissue optical properties will lead to better design of optical diagnostic tools, improvement in laser therapy, photodynamic therapy dosimetry, drug pharmacokinetics, etc. Some of the experimental techniques used to determine optical properties include: integrating sphere
On the existence of several New O,N,F-Compounds. A Critical Comment on the paper by SICRE and SCHUMACHER

It is shown that the infrared spectra previously attributed to the three novel compounds FONO, NO2F3, and an unknown are due to the known compounds HONO2, FONO2, and covalent N2O5, respectively. The observed chemical and physical properties agree well with this reinterpretation.
Texas Solar Radiation Database (TSRDB)

Solar radiation data have been acquired over approximately a five year period (1996 to present) at 15 sites in Texas (Texas Solar Radiation DataBase – TSRDB). These data are compared with comparable sites in the National Solar Radiation DataBase (NSRDB). Comparison of the TSRDB and NSRDB data for eleven (11) coincident or nearby locations show reasonably good agreement between the global horizontal values. Relative to the NSRDB, individual monthly average differences between the two sets range from −20 to +13%, and the annual averages varied from −9 to +8.5%, with positive values meaning the TSRDB values are higher. Overall, the TSRDB global horizontal data are about 2% lower than the NSRDB. However, there are considerable differences in the direct normal values, with the TSRDB values generally being higher. The monthly average differences ranged from −18 to +36%, and the average annual difference for the compared locations is about +5%. The greatest deviations for direct normal data are for coastal locations in the winter, with the three compared coastal locations exhibiting an average difference of about +30% for the combined months of December and January. Also, the TSRDB data for the Trans-Pecos region in west Texas exhibits significantly higher direct normal solar radiation throughout the year than does the NSRDB.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
The Epitactic Growth of Oxides on Si

The epitactic growth of oxides on Si requires structural and chemical compatibility between the substrate and film. The growth of (Ba0.7,Sr0.3)TiO3 (BST) by pulsed laser deposition on HF-cleaned Si (001) and Si with a buffer layer of CaF2 was studied. The BST can form a low misfit interface with Si and CaF2 but chemical reactions between the BST and the Si prevented the epitactic growth on Si. An x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profile indicated that the BST had reacted to form a silicate and titanium silicide. The BST on CaF2 -Si(00l) substrate was partially epitactic and formed a 45° rotated orientation relationship such that the Si (110) is parallel to the BST (100).
Evaluation of Mortgage Credit Risk

This article describes a stochastic home price appreciation (HPA) model that can be used to obtain random paths of simulated home prices that are consistent with historical behavior and with market-implied HPA. The stochastic HPA model has been integrated with Citi’s prepayment, default, term structure, and MOATS models and can be used to calculate credit-adjusted option-adjusted spread (OAS) for non-agency mortgage-backed securities and loans. The credit-adjusted OAS model is available to users via the Yield Book.
Generalized Homological Mirror Symmetry and Rationality Questions

We study geometric consequences of Homological Mirror Symmetry, with special regard to rationality questions.
Quantitative measures detect sensory and motor impairments in multiple sclerosis.

Background Sensory and motor dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) is often assessed with rating scales which rely heavily on clinical judgment. Quantitative devices may be more precise than rating scales.
Acute Renal Failure in the Neonate Two Fatal Cases Due to Group B Streptococci with Rhabdomyolysis

Two cases of fatal group B streptococcal disease complicated by rhabdomyolysis in the neonate are described. They were identified by blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures positive for group B streptococcus and by a combination of hyperkalemia, urine dipstick positive for blood without microscopic hematuria, and elevated serum muscle enzymes.
Revision of the isopod crustacean genus Mothocya Costa, in Hope, 1851 (Cymothoidae: Flabellifera), parasitic on marine fishes

The genus Mothocya is fully revised. Irona Schioedte and Meinert is placed in synonymy with Mothocya. All named species but one, including 18 new species, are described and figured in detail. A further eight undescribed species are listed. With one exception Mothocya species are all gill parasites found principally on atherinomorph fishes of the families Hemiramphidae, Belonidae, and Atherinidae. Brief accounts are given of the biogeography, biology and host-parasite interaction of the species of Mothocya. Keys to the species are provided for the different major biogeographic regions.
A finite-strain quadrilateral shell element based on discrete Kirchhoff–Love constraints

This paper improves the 16 degrees-of-freedom quadrilateral shell element based on pointwise Kirchhoff–Love constraints and introduces a consistent large strain formulation for this element. The model is based on classical shell kinematics combined with continuum constitutive laws. The resulting element is valid for large rotations and displacements. The degrees-of-freedom are the displacements at the corner nodes and one rotation at each mid-side node. The formulation is free of enhancements, it is almost fully integrated and is found to be immune to locking or unstable modes. The patch test is satisfied. In addition, the formulation is simple and amenable to efficient incorporation in large-scale codes as no internal degrees-of-freedom are employed, and the overall calculations are very efficient. Results are presented for linear and non-linear problems. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
EICOSANOIDS AND INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

The etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is unknown, although an amplification of the inflammatory response within the intestinal mucosa appears to play a significant role. Although they are not the only offending agents leading to the disease, eicosanoids, the collective group of arachidonic acid metabolites, are important in the pathogenesis of IBD. In this article, the biochemical (including the cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase) pathways of eicosanoid formation and the clinical relevance of eicosanoids to IBD are discussed. Potential strategies designed to interfere with various aspects of arachidonic acid metabolism are also outlined. Further clinical trials of newer compounds may soon prove to be effective in the management of IBD.
Hierarchical Feature Hashing for Fast Dimensionality Reduction

Curse of dimensionality is a practical and challenging problem in image categorization, especially in cases with a large number of classes. Multi-class classification encounters severe computational and storage problems when dealing with these large scale tasks. In this paper, we propose hierarchical feature hashing to effectively reduce dimensionality of parameter space without sacrificing classification accuracy, and at the same time exploit information in semantic taxonomy among categories. We provide detailed theoretical analysis on our proposed hashing method. Moreover, experimental results on object recognition and scene classification further demonstrate the effectiveness of hierarchical feature hashing.
The measurement of efficiency relative to a frontier production function.

A method is presented for estimating a frontier production function allowing economies and diseconomies of scale using linear programming techniques. The general applicability of this function is illustrated by considering the neutral and nonneutral cases. Indexes of technical, price, and economic efficiency of production of observations of equal scale are introduced. Three equivalent efficiency indexes are offered which measure the efficiency of alternative scale activities. Utilization of the efficiency indexes in determining the nature of the production function, causes of observed inefficiency, and the degree and nature of technological advance are discussed.
Cusp size sexual dimorphism, and the heritability of maxillary molar cusp size in twins.

The quantitative hierarchy for maxillary molar cusp size is established. Sexual dimorphism, not present in measures of individual cusp size, is present when the size contributions of individual cusps and ridges are summed. The twin data analyses show a low level of hereditary variability for these dental traits.
Endosomes Derived from Clathrin-Independent Endocytosis Serve as Precursors for Endothelial Lumen Formation

Clathrin-independent endocytosis (CIE) is a form of bulk plasma membrane (PM) endocytosis that allows cells to sample and evaluate PM composition. Once in endosomes, the internalized proteins and lipids can be recycled back to the PM or delivered to lysosomes for degradation. Endosomes arising from CIE contain lipid and signaling molecules suggesting that they might be involved in important biological processes. During vasculogenesis, new blood vessels are formed from precursor cells in a process involving internalization and accumulation of endocytic vesicles. Here, we found that CIE has a role in endothelial lumen formation. Specifically, we found that human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) utilize CIE for internalization of distinct cargo molecules and that in three-dimensional cultures CIE membranes are delivered to the newly formed lumen.
Demonstration of long minority carrier lifetimes in very narrow bandgap ternary InAs/GaInSb superlattices

Minority carrier lifetimes in very long wavelength infrared (VLWIR) InAs/GaInSb superlattices (SLs) are reported using time-resolved microwave reflectance measurements. A strain-balanced ternary SL absorber layer of 47.0 A InAs/21.5 A Ga0.75In0.25Sb, corresponding to a bandgap of ∼50 meV, is found to have a minority carrier lifetime of 140 ± 20 ns at ∼18 K. This lifetime is extraordinarily long, when compared to lifetime values previously reported for other VLWIR SL detector materials. This enhancement is attributed to the strain-engineered ternary design, which offers a variety of epitaxial advantages and ultimately leads to a reduction of defect-mediated recombination centers.
Psychological maltreatment: Progress achieved

The devotion of a central article in this special issue and of responses by a variety of researchers indicates that serious scholarly attention is finally being focused on psychological maltreatment. This is a topic of genuine significance to child development and psychopathology research. McGee and Wolfe's (1991) article raises important issues and applies a theoretical focus that are useful in highlighting important aspects of psychological maltreatment.
A Regional Blood Management System with Prescheduled Deliveries

The prescheduling of blood deliveries from regional blood centers can improve blood availability at all transfusion services while reducing outdating, delivery costs and inventories maintained at region blood centers. A procedure for determining optimal distribution policies that maintain the highest possible blood availability at transfusion services while holding the achievable outdating level to a small percentage of the total usage is described. The manner in which this plan is being implemented in Long Island, New York, is presented, as well as a discussion of some preliminary results.
Posterolateral fusion with interbody for lumbar spondylolisthesis is associated with less repeat surgery than posterolateral fusion alone.

Abstract Objective Posterior or transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions (PLIF/TLIF) may improve the outcomes in patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis. This study aims to compare outcomes after posterolateral fusion (PLF) only versus PLF with interbody fusion (PLF+PLIF/TLIF) in patients with spondylolisthesis. Methods We retrospectively reviewed103 patients who underwent first-time instrumented lumbar fusions for degenerative or isthmic spondylolisthesis. Anterior techniques and multilevel interbody fusions were excluded. All patients were followed for at least 2 years postoperatively. Clinical outcomes including back pain, radiculopathy, weakness, sensory deficits, and loss of bowel/bladder function were ascertained from clinic notes. Radiographic measures were calculated with Tillard percentage of spondylolisthesis. Reoperation for progression of degenerative disease, a primary endpoint, was indicated for all patients with (1) persistent or new-onset neurological symptoms; and (2) radiographic imaging that correlated with clinical presentation. Results Of the 103 patients, 56.31% were managed with PLF and 43.69% with PLF+PLIF/TLIF. On radiographic studies, spondylolisthesis improved by a mean of 13.06% after PLF+PLIF/TLIF versus 5.67% after PLF ( p p =0.011) and pseudoarthrosis/instrumentation failure ( p =0.043). In the logistical analyses, non-interbody fusion was the strongest predictor of reoperation for progression of degenerative disease. Conclusion Compared to PLF only, PLF+PLIF/TLIF were statistically significantly associated with a greater correction of spondylolisthesis. Patients with interbody fusions were less likely to undergo reoperation for degenerative disease progression compared to non-interbody fusions. However, greater listhesis correction and decreased reoperation in the PLF+PLIF/TLIF cohort should be weighed with favorable clinical outcomes in the PLF cohort.
A Solution to Hidden Terminal Problem Over a Single Channel in Wireless AD HOC Networks

In multihop wireless networks, hidden terminal problem is common and leads to collision which makes it difficult to provide the required quality for multimedia services or support priority-based services. Existing approaches to this problem either sacrifice throughput noticeably or require additional transceivers and channels. In this paper, we propose a new scheme in which a sender inserts a few dummy bits in the data frame and its intended receiver transmits short busy advertisements over the same channel to clear the floor for receiving. It only requires a single transceiver and a single channel. The performance analysis shows that the new scheme has a much higher efficiency than the existing approaches using a single channel and a single transceiver.
Optoelectronic properties of polythiophene thin films and organic TFTs fabricated by oxidative chemical vapor deposition

Fabrication of devices utilizing unsubstituted polythiophene (PT) has received limited attention because thin films of this insoluble material have been difficult to prepare using traditional solution-based methods. However, since the thiophene monomer is volatile, PT films can be readily fabricated by oxidative chemical vapor deposition (oCVD). The pressure of the oCVD process is here shown to significantly affect the optoelectronic properties of the PT films. Shifts in the Raman bands near 1500 cm−1 suggest that the lowest pressure deposition conditions (1 mTorr) result in shorter conjugation. Additionally, relative Raman peak intensities suggest that the polymer chains in these films contain more distortions than films deposited at higher pressures. UV-Vis absorption spectra of the oCVD PT films show that films deposited at the lowest pressure considered (1 mTorr) are slightly blue-shifted and demonstrate lower absorption than films deposited at higher pressures. PT films deposited at 75, 150, and 300 mTorr demonstrated similar UV-Vis absorption spectra, with absorption maxima near 515 nm. Organic thin film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated using oCVD PT as the active channel layer to analyze the effect of deposition pressure on charge transport and electrical properties. Films deposited at 150 mTorr demonstrate the greatest field effect carrier mobility of 4 × 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1.
A Luminosity Monitor at PEP

The luminosity monitor system utilized by the MKII Detector and by the PEP operators is described. This system processes information from 56 photomultipliers and calculates independent luminosities for each of the 3 colliding bunches in PEP. Design considerations, measurement techniques, and sources of error in the luminosity measurement are discussed.
Judicial Style and Judicial Reasoning in England and Germany

The author finds the English judicial style and technique more informative than the German and argues that German jurists, be they academic or practitioners, would derive some benefit by studying how the English judges craft their judgments. However, English judges would stand to benefit by looking at German substantive law and its techniques of keeping litigation under control.
Hypersensitiveness of the mucous membrane

Abstract When the ophthalmic mucous membrane is stimulated with a nonspecific excitant, histamine, and restimulated after three to seven days with a specific substance, ragweed, there is an increased vascular response in the form of vascular dilatation in 67 per cent of cases. Under similar testing conditions, restimulation of a histamine site with histamine produces no consistent change in reactivity, nor does any change in vascular response result when the initial excitation is specific.
Estrogen Regulation of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme mRNA

Estrogen replacement therapy is cardioprotective in postmenopausal women; however, the precise molecular mechanisms for this modulation are not fully elucidated. We previously showed that chronic estrogen replacement therapy reduced angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in tissue extracts and serum with an associated reduction in plasma angiotensin II. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay was developed to determine whether estrogen treatment regulates tissue ACE mRNA concentration. Total RNA was isolated from kidney cortex, kidney medulla, lung, and aorta of ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats after 21 days of chronic 17beta-estradiol replacement therapy (5 mg pellet per rat SC) or placebo. A marked decrease in densitometric intensity ratios of amplified ACE cDNA to elongation factor-1alpha control cDNA was observed in all tissues from placebo-treated rats compared with the estradiol-treated rats (renal cortex: 0.29+/-0.04 versus 0.14+/-0.02; renal medulla: 0. 37+/-0.04 versus 0.24+/-0.03; lung: 4.49+/-0.37 versus 2.49+/-0.59; and aorta: 0.41+/-0.04 versus 0.29+/-0.02; all P<0.05). A comparable reduction in ACE activity was detected in tissue extracts from kidney cortex, kidney medulla, and lung of hormone-treated animals. Incubation of purified rat lung ACE with 1 or 10 micromol/L 17beta-estradiol had no effect on enzyme activity. These results suggest that estrogen treatment regulates tissue ACE activity by reducing ACE mRNA concentrations. Thus, the beneficial cardiovascular effects of estrogen may be mediated in part by downregulation of ACE with a consequent reduction in the circulating levels of the vasoconstrictor angiotensin II, a decrease in the metabolism of the vasodilator bradykinin, and an increase in the production of the vasorelaxant angiotensin-(1-7).
Interaction of the role of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDS).

Most significant change in the evolution of the influenza virus is the rapid growth of the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) on a global scale. These industrial agricultural operations have the potential of housing thousands of animals in a relatively small area. Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) event can be considered as a shift in the pathogen–host–environment interplay characteristics described by Engering et al. (2013). These changes in the host–environment and the disease ecology are key to creating novel transmission patterns and selection of novel pathogens with a modification of genetic traits. With the development of CAFOs throughout the world, the need for training of animal caretakers to observe, identify, treat, vaccinate and cull if necessary is important to safeguard public health. The best defense against another pandemic of Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) is the constant monitoring of the livestock and handlers of CAFOs and the live animal markets. These are the most likely epicenter of the next pandemic.
Climate‐driven habitat size determines the latitudinal diversity gradient in temporary ponds

The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) has been one of the most documented patterns in ecology, typically showing decreasing species diversity with increasing latitude. Studies of these patterns also used different spatial scales and dispersal traits to better understand the underpinning ecological factors. Seasonal freshwater ecosystems are less studied and may exhibit different patterns because they are more sensitive to climatic variation, which result in an inundation-desiccation cycle. In California, precipitation increases and temperature decreases with increasing latitude and thus the LDG pattern may be associated with this climatic gradient. Using collected data and United States Fish & Wildlife Service reports across 7 degrees of latitude, analysis of California vernal pool invertebrate community (total richness and richness of passive and active dispersers) was conducted using correlations (Spearman rank and partial). Alpha diversity (total and passive dispersers) increased and beta diversity (passive dispersers) decreased with increasing latitude. Vernal pool surface area was correlated with active disperser alpha and passive disperser beta diversity. This suggests that climate-driven habitat size influences alpha and beta diversity patterns depending on dispersal ability. Active dispersers and predators exhibited higher beta diversity than passive dispersers and prey respectively. Species composition differed among counties and some of these differences were correlated with pool depth and temperature. These results suggest that seasonal habitats will have diversity patterns strongly associated with local scale characteristics (habitat size and hydroperiod) determined by climate variation along the latitudinal gradient. Understanding these diversity patterns along the gradient will also contribute to management and restoration of these ecosystems with high endemism and diversity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
United Against Gender Violence: Europeans Struggle to Provide Protections for Migrants

European Union Member States are bound by a host of regional and international human rights obligations to strengthen laws and construct networks of resources to combat the problems facing migrant domestic violence victims. This article provides background information on the sources of regional and international law mandating these protections. It defines the legal obligations inherent in European Union Membership, the European Convention on Human Rights, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, and the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, focusing on how these specific obligations support migrant domestic violence victims. It concludes that although many Member States have devised complex internal legal frameworks to support migrant domestic violence victims, success has been elusive in some instances.
Ternary WD40 Repeat-Containing Protein Complexes: Evolution, Composition and Roles in Plant Immunity.

Plants, like mammals, rely on their innate immune system to perceive and discriminate among the majority of their microbial pathogens. Unlike mammals, plants respond to this molecular dialogue by unleashing a complex chemical arsenal of defense metabolites to resist or evade pathogen infection. In basal or non-host resistance, plants utilize signal transduction pathways to detect “non-self”, “damaged-self” and “altered-self”-associated molecular patterns and translate these “danger” signals into largely inducible chemical defenses. The WD40 repeat (WDR)-containing proteins Gβ and TTG1 are constituents of two independent ternary protein complexes functioning at opposite ends of a plant immune signaling pathway. Gβ and TTG1 are also encoded by single-copy genes that are ubiquitous in higher plants, implying the limited diversity and functional conservation of their respective complexes. In this review, we summarize what is currently known about the evolutionary history of these WDR-containing ternary complexes, their repertoire and combinatorial interactions, and their downstream effectors and pathways in plant defense.
How Stationary Eddies Shape Changes in the Hydrological Cycle: Zonally Asymmetric Experiments in an Idealized GCM

Stationary and low-frequency Rossby waves are the primary drivers of extratropical weather variations on monthly and longer time scales. They take the form of persistent highs and lows, which, for example, shape subtropical dry zones and guide extratropical storms. More generally, stationary-eddy circulations, including zonally anomalous tropical overturning circulations, set up large zonal variations in net precipitation (precipitation minus evaporation, P − E). This paper investigates the response of stationary eddies and the zonally asymmetric hydrological cycle to global warming in an idealized GCM, simulating a wide range of climates by varying longwave absorption. The stationary eddies are forced by two idealized zonal asymmetries: a midlatitude Gaussian mountain and an equatorial ocean heat source. Associated with changes in stationary eddies are changes in the zonal variation of the hydrological cycle. Particularly in the subtropics, these simulations show a nearly constant or decreasing amplitude of the zonally anomalous hydrological cycle in climates warmer than modern despite the wet gets wetter, dry gets drier effect associated with increasing atmospheric moisture content. An approximation for zonally anomalous P − E, based on zonal-mean surface specific humidity and stationary-eddy vertical motion, disentangles the roles of thermodynamic and dynamic changes. The approximation shows that changes in the zonally asymmetric hydrological cycle are predominantly controlled by changes in lower-tropospheric vertical motion in stationary eddies.
Interpreting and Designing Microbial Communities for Bioprocess Applications, from Components to Interactions to Emergent Properties

Interest in microbial communities for bioprocessing has surged in recent years based on the potential to optimize multiple tasks simultaneously and to enhance process productivity and stability. The presence and magnitude of these desirable properties often result from interactions between community members. The importance of interactions has gained interest due to improving omics techniques, polymicrobial culturing approaches, and computational methods, which have made the systems-level analysis of interacting components more tractable. This review defines and categorizes natural and engineered system components, interactions, and emergent properties, as well as presents three ecological theories relevant to microbial communities. Case studies are interpreted to illustrate components, interactions, emergent properties, and theoretical context. A general foundation is laid to facilitate interpretation of current systems and to aid the design of next generation bioprocesses.
Effect of Thyroid Hormones, Food Deprivation, and Cold Exposure on Thyroid T4 Outer Ring Monodeiodinating Activity (5’MDI) in Mice

Active iodothyronine inner-ring and outer-ring monodeiodinases (5 and 5’MDI) are present in thyroid (1–3). The evidence suggests they are maintained and can be stimulated by TSH (3,4). More recently, we have shown that they are extremely sensitive to TSH stimulation and the increase is dose-dependent (5). Furthermore, we have demonstrated that LATS-rich patient serum stimulates T4 5’MDI in mouse thyroid (6), and appears to correlate well with the kinetic data (7,8) which suggest a preferential secretion of T3 from thyroid in hyperthyroid patients. The present studies examine the effect of thyroid hormones, starvation, and cold on thyroid 5’MDI in comparison with those in liver, kidney, or brown adipose tissue (BAT).
Force Spectroscopy of Self-Associating Homopolymers

This paper presents a theoretical and simulation investigation into the force–extension behavior of self-associating homopolymers. In particular, we show how long-lasting associations induce a transition in the stretching response of a single polymer from a freely jointed chain behavior (fast kinetics) to a highly dissipative unfolding pathway (slow kinetics). We identify the “shortest chain” through the associating network as the critical coordinate, and use a master equation approach to develop theory that describes the force–extension behavior of any chain. We elaborate on the properties of this theory, and consider two contrasting cases in which it applies, a random self-associating homopolymer and a self-associating helix. The theoretical predictions for both cases are in excellent agreement with the simulation results, demonstrating that the theory captures the essential physics governing the force spectroscopy of self-associating polymers. The disparate behaviors between the two topologies consider...
Addressing environmental contaminants in pediatric practice.

1. Catherine Karr, MD, MS, PhD* 1. *Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; Director, Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Recognize the basis for children's susceptibility to environmental contaminants. 2. Identify common pediatric environmental health problems. 3. Take an environmental history to discern risks. 4. Access reliable and useful resources on pediatric environmental health topics. 5. Discuss environmental exposure reduction and prevention with patients and families. The past decade has been marked by a rapid expansion of scientific inquiry, media reports, and public interest in the topic of environmental contaminants and child health. There are few pediatric environmental health specialists, and most health conditions associated with contaminants in food, water, the home environment, and the community present initially to the primary care clinician. Consequently, pediatricians are increasingly called on to answer questions about environmental health. Although standard medical education on these topics is limited and self-reported confidence among pediatric clinicians is low, extensive knowledge of toxicology is not required to suspect environmental health problems. This article reviews core concepts of pediatric environmental health, commonly encountered pediatric environmental hazards, and the environmental history. Understanding these areas of knowledge should allow the clinician to develop a degree of suspicion that is the foundation for discerning and preventing the potential adverse effects of environmental contaminants in child health. Children's susceptibility to environmental contaminants differs from that of adults. Pediatricians are familiar with the differences inherent in children across the life stages. Therapeutic interventions such as dosing based on weight or surface area is part of everyday practice. Injury prevention advice for a newborn is unique from that given during an adolescent visit. Similar concepts apply to the potential vulnerability of children to adverse consequences of exposure to environmental contaminants, reinforcing …
On the Application of Confucian Doctrine in Modern Business Administration

Market economy requires that ethics play a coordinating part in modern business administration. The Confucian ethic gives prominence to attention to humans per se and stresses humanism, outlook on righteousness and benefit, universal harmony and sense of responsibility. These notions are internalized as the ethical awareness and affect the cultivation of entrepreneurship, corporate ethics and culture. This is the reason for the existence of the Confucian ethic in business administration. Modern enterprises can translate the Confucian ethic advantage into competitive advantage and realize a win-win result for all interested parties.
Structural Aspects of Heparan Sulfate Binding to Robo1–Ig1–2

Roundabout 1, or Robo1, is a cell surface signaling molecule important in axon guidance. Its interaction with heparan sulfate (HS) and members of the Slit protein family is essential to its activity, making characterization of these interactions by structural methods, such as NMR, highly desirable. However, the fact that Robo1 is a glycosylated protein prevents employment of commonly used bacterial hosts for expression of properly glycosylated forms with the uniform 15N, 13C, and 2H labeling needed for NMR studies. Here, we apply an alternative methodology, based on labeling with a single amino acid type and high structural content NMR data, to characterize a two-domain construct of glycosylated Robo1 (Robo1–Ig1–2) interacting with a synthetic HS tetramer (IdoA-GlcNS6S-IdoA2S-GlcNS6S-(CH2)5NH2). Significant chemical shift perturbations of the crosspeak from K81 on titration with the tetramer provide initial evidence for the location of a binding site and allow determination of a 255 μM disassociation cons...
Hilbert complexes of nonlinear elasticity

We introduce some Hilbert complexes involving second-order tensors on flat compact manifolds with boundary that describe the kinematics and the kinetics of motion in nonlinear elasticity. We then use the general framework of Hilbert complexes to write Hodge-type and Helmholtz-type orthogonal decompositions for second-order tensors. As some applications of these decompositions in nonlinear elasticity, we study the strain compatibility equations of linear and nonlinear elasticity in the presence of Dirichlet boundary conditions and the existence of stress functions on non-contractible bodies. As an application of these Hilbert complexes in computational mechanics, we briefly discuss the derivation of a new class of mixed finite element methods for nonlinear elasticity.