cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation of the Inflammatory Effects of Inhaled Ozone in Rats by Subcutaneous Prolactin-Secreting, Pituitary-Derived Tumors☆

Modulation of the Inflammatory Effects of Inhaled Ozone in Rats by Subcutaneous Prolactin-Secreting, Pituitary-Derived Tu- mors. Gunnison, A. F., Bowers, A., Nadziejko, C, and Adler, R. A. (1997). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 37, 88-94. Rats are more sensitive to ozone-induced pulmonary inflamma- tion and damage during late pregnancy and throughout lactation than in pre- or early pregnancy or post lactation. This window of sensitivity coincides with a period of elevated levels of pituitary- derived prolactin or placenta! lactogen. In this study, we investi- gated the hypothesis that prolactin exerts an enhancing effect on ozone-induced pulmonary inflammation and damage, thus pre- senting a plausible explanation for the sensitivity profile observed in rats. Hyperprolactinemia was achieved by using rats with subcu- taneous tumors that were derived from the MMQ tumor model previously described by Adler and co-workers (Adler, R. A., Krieg, R. J., Farrell, M. E., Deiss, W. P., and MacLeod, R. M., Metabolism 40, 286-291, 1991). A variant of the MMQ tumor, the MMQr tumor, which appeared spontaneously from a single passage of MMQ tumor tissue, produced elevated levels of corticosterone in addition to high levels of prolactin. These two subcutaneous tu- mors had markedly different effects on adrenal, thymus, and spleen weights because of the different hormonal milieu they gen- erated. There was also a significant difference between MMQ- and MMQr-bearing rats in their inflammatory response to acute ozone exposure as assessed by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in the airways. Rats with MMQ tumors were not significantly differ- ent from non-tumor-bearing controls in their baseline level of air- way PMNs and PMN inflammation following ozone exposure, whereas MMQr-bearing rats had significantly elevated baseline PMNs in their airways and a greater PMN response to inhaled ozone. The hormonal milieu and elevated PMNs in the airways of both unexposed and ozone-exposed rats with MMQr tumors were similar to levels observed in lactating rats. The role of corticoste- rone in pulmonary inflammation in this model was investigated further by treating MMQ tumor-bearing rats with dexamethasone. Dexamethasone was effective in producing changes in organ ' This research was supported by NIEHS Grant ES 05939 and McGuire Research Institute and is part of a center program supported by NIEHS Grant ES 00260. weights similar to those observed in MMQr rats, but did not elicit higher airway PMN concentrations in unexposed rats as observed in the MMQr rats. We conclude that in this animal model prolactin did not significantly elevate airway PMN inflammation induced by ozone, and supplementation with exogenous glucocorticoid did not duplicate the endogenous airway PMNs numbers observed in MMQr-bearing rats or lactating rats, c IW society or
Phylogeographic analysis and environmental niche modeling of the plain-bellied watersnake (Nerodia erythrogaster) reveals low levels of genetic and ecological differentiation

Species that exhibit geographically defined phenotypic variation traditionally have been divided into subspecies. Subspecies based on phenotypic features may not comprise monophyletic groups due to selection, gene flow, and/or convergent evolution. In many taxonomic groups the number of species once designated as widespread is dwindling rapidly, and many workers reject the concept of subspecies altogether. We tested whether currently recognized subspecies in the plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster are concordant with relationships based on mitochondrial markers, and whether it represents a single widespread species. The range of this taxon spans multiple potential biogeographic barriers (especially the Mississippi and Apalachicola Rivers) that correspond with lineage breaks in many species, including other snakes. We sequenced three mitochondrial genes (NADH-II, Cyt-b, Cox-I) from 156 geo-referenced specimens and developed ecological niche models using Maxent and spatially explicit climate data to examine historical and ecological factors affecting variation in N. erythrogaster across its range. Overall, we found little support for the recognized subspecies as either independent evolutionary lineages or geographically circumscribed units and conclude that although some genetic and niche differentiation has occurred, most populations assigned to N. erythrogaster appear to represent a single, widespread species. However, additional sampling and application of nuclear markers are necessary to clarify the status of the easternmost populations.
Mechanical Derivation of Fused Multiply–Add Algorithms for Linear Transforms

Several computer architectures offer fused multiply-add (FMA), also called multiply-and-accumulate (MAC) instructions, that are as fast as a single addition or multiplication. For the efficient implementation of linear transforms, such as the discrete Fourier transform or discrete cosine transforms, this poses a challenge to algorithm developers as standard transform algorithms have to be manipulated into FMA algorithms that make optimal use of FMA instructions. We present a general method to convert any transform algorithm into an FMA algorithm. The method works with both algorithms given as directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) and algorithms given as structured matrix factorizations. We prove bounds on the efficiency of the method. In particular, we show that it removes all single multiplications except at most as many as the transform has outputs. We implemented the DAG-based version of the method and show that we can generate many of the best-known hand-derived FMA algorithms from the literature as well as a few novel FMA algorithms.
Determining the fleet size of mobile robots with energy constraints

As robotics technologies improve, mobile robots can be used in many applications. A fundamental question is to decide the number of robots needed (i.e., the "fleet-size problem") to accomplish tasks. Previous studies did not consider the energy constraints of the fleet size problem. In this paper, we present a probabilistic method to decide the fleet size for serving random requests. A simplification method is provided for fast computation. Our method is computationally efficient, with an average of 4% errors validated by an event-driven simulator.
Contactless radio frequency probes for high-temperature characterisation of microwave integrated circuits

The first ever demonstration of a viable contactless radio frequency (RF) probing technique at elevated temperatures is presented. The design utilises an inverted microstrip design for the probe, which is suspended over and placed in close proximity to the input/output microstrip lines of the device under test to couple signals in and out. To demonstrate the efficacy of the contactless RF probing technique, three example circuits, namely, a microstrip spurline bandstop filter, a microstrip pin diode series switch and a monolithic microwave integrated circuit amplifier mounted on a microstrip line were designed, fabricated and performance measured against temperature up to 200°C.
Indentation Cracking of Composite Matrix Materials

Composite restorative materials wear by a fatigue mechanism in the occlusal contact area. Here, tooth cusps and food debris cyclically indent the restoration. Modeling this phenomenon requires an understanding of material response to indentation. The question in this study was whether material response depends on indenter size and geometry, and also, whether polymers used in restorative materials should be considered elastic and brittle, or plastic and ductile for modeling purposes.Three resins used as matrices in proprietary restorative composites were the experimental materials. To ascertain the influence of glass transition temperature, liquid sorption, and small amounts of filler on indentation response, we prepared materials with various degrees of cure; some samples were soaked in a 50/50 water/ethanol solution, and 3 vol% silica was added in some cases. Indentation experiments revealed that no cracking occurred in any material after indentation by Vickers pyramid or spherical indenters with diamete...
Observed Instability of T7 RNA Polymerase Elongation Complexes Can Be Dominated by Collision-induced “Bumping”

T7 RNA polymerase elongates RNA at a relatively high rate and can displace many tightly bound protein-DNA complexes. Despite these properties, measurements of the stability of stalled elongation complexes have shown lifetimes that are much shorter than those of the multisubunit RNA polymerases. In this work, we demonstrate that the apparent instability of stalled complexes actually arises from the action of trailing RNA polymerases (traveling in the same direction) displacing the stalled complex. Moreover, the instability caused by collision between two polymerases is position dependent. A second polymerase is blocked from promoter binding when a leading complex is stalled 12 bp or less from the promoter. The trailing complex can bind and make abortive transcripts when the leading complex is between 12 and 20 bp from the promoter, but it cannot displace the first complex since it is in a unstable initiation conformation. Only when the leading complex is stalled more than 20 bp away from the promoter can a second polymerase bind, initiate, and displace the leading complex.
Translational polygon containment and minimal enclosure using mathematical programming

A new algorithm is given for the two-dimensional translational containment problem: find translations for k polygons which place them inside a polygonal container without overlapping. Both the polygons and the container can be non-convex. The algorithm is based on mathematical programming principles. The containment algorithm is generalized to solve minimal enclosure problems: find the minimal area enclosing square or minimal area enclosing rectangle for k translating polygons. The containment algorithm consists of new algorithms for restriction, evaluation, and subdivision of two-dimensional configuration spaces. Restriction establishes lower bounds through relaxation and the solution of linear programs. Evaluation establishes upper bounds by finding potential solutions. Subdivision branches, when necessary, by introducing a cutting plane. The algorithm shows that either the upper bound of the objective (overlap) is exactly zero or the lower bound is greater than zero. Hence, it gives an exact solution to the containment problem. Experiments show that new containment algorithm clearly outperforms purely geometric containment algorithms. For data sets from the apparel industry, it can solve containment for up to ten non-convex polygons in practice. An implementation of the algorithm given in this paper has been licensed by Gerber Garment Technologies, the largest provider of textile CAD/CAM software in the US, and they are incorporating it into an existing CAD/CAM software product.
Verification codes for deletions

We demonstrate new deletion codes based on low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes using the verification code framework, introduced in [l]. (Similar ideas were suggested by Metzner [5].) Verification codes are designed to work with data organized as packets; packets could be thousands of bits (Internet packets) or simply represent a thirty-two bit integer. Deletions are assumed to occur at the packet level. Verification codes for deletions (VCDs) have polynomial time encoding and decoding algorithms and can be analyzed asymptotically using standard LDPC techniques. Variations of VCDs are also robust against transpositions, random insertions, and random substitution errors.
Schizotypy An Organizing Framework for Schizophrenia Research

Schizophrenia is the most devastating form of psychopathology known to humankind, and it has been slow to yield clues to its origins. Meehl's (1962, 1990) model detailed the nature of the latent liability for schizophrenia known as schizotypy and provided a major organizing function for research on schizophrenia. The schizotypy model integrates genetic and environmental contributions to liability as well as accounting for a range of clinical outcomes, all deriving from a genuine liability for the illness. Schizotypy, as a latent personality organization that harbors the liability for schizophrenia, provides a framework for detecting fundamental features of liability to schizophrenia prior to the onset of clinical illness. The schizotypy model is reviewed, the strategic benefits of it are discussed, and methods for detecting schizotypy are presented. A focus on perceptual aberrations—a schizotypic feature—in individuals unaffected by schizophrenia has yielded valuable clues to preclinical disturbances in n...
Examining Groundtrack Geometry Transitions by Evaluating the Number of Longitude-Rate Zeros

T HE mission of an Earth observation satellite is closely linked to its groundtrack, the projection of its orbit onto the surface of the Earth. Previous work has evaluated examples of useful groundtracks (Molniya, geosynchronous, repeating groundtracks, etc.), their applications, and performing orbit maintenance to sustain these orbits [1,2]. Although there are resources that explain the general groundtrack variations that result from changing orbital elements, there has been little systematic study of these variations [3]. The research presented in this paper addresses this problem by analyzing some simple properties of groundtrack geometry. Specifically, solving for zero values in the speed of the groundtrack in the longitude, or east–west direction, is examined. This analysis is important because reversals in longitude help define the possible shapes of a groundtrack over an orbit period. This paper will outline the method used in solving this problem, including the relevant two-body orbit groundtrack equations, the method used to find the zero values, the method of analysis, and the results of the analysis.
A model for polymer fatigue

Attempts to use low-cycle fatigue techniques derived from the work of Coffin and Manson to predict the fatigue performance of six diverse structural plastics are discussed. Through an analysis of dynamic property and thermal behavior studies of polymer samples in reversed-tension fatigue, an improved model for the polymer fatigue process has been proposed. Laboratory test data are presented illustrating the relationship between the various models.
Robotic-Assisted Surgery for Primary or Recurrent Oropharyngeal Carcinoma

Objective To determine the feasibility of robotic-assisted salvage surgery for oropharyngeal cancer. Design Retrospective case-controlled study. Setting Academic, tertiary referral center. Patients Patients who underwent surgical resection for T1 and T2 oropharyngeal cancer between 2001 and 2008 were classified into the following 3 groups based on type of resection: (1) robotic-assisted surgery for primary neoplasms (robotic primary) (n = 15), (2) robotic-assisted salvage surgery for recurrent disease (robotic salvage) (n = 7), and (3) open salvage resection for recurrent disease (n = 14). Main Outcome Measures Data regarding tumor subsite, stage, and prior treatment were evaluated as well as margin status, nodal disease, length of hospital stay, diet, and tracheotomy tube dependence. Results The median length of stay in the open salvage group was longer (8.2 days) than robotic salvage (5.0 days) ( P = .14) and robotic primary (1.5 days) resection groups ( P P = .06). A greater proportion of patients who underwent open salvage procedures also remained tracheotomy tube dependent after 6 months (7%) compared with robotic salvage or robotic primary patients (0%) ( P = .48). No complications were reported in the robotic salvage group. Two patients who underwent open salvage resection developed postoperative hematomas and 2 developed wound infections. Conclusion When feasible, robotic-assisted surgery is an acceptable procedure for resection of both primary and recurrent oropharyngeal tumors. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00473564
Electrochemical characterization of a polypyrrole/Co0.2CrOx composite as a cathode material for lithium ion batteries

Polypyrrole/Co0.2CrOx, (PPy/Co0.2CrOx) composites were synthesized by polymerizing pyrrole onto the surface of cobalt chromium oxide (CrOx) in acidic media. The PPy/Co0.2CrOx composites increase the reversible capacity of the electrochemically active material up to 20%. At C/10 rate, a reversible capacity of 215 mAh/g was obtained for PPy/Co0.2CrOx composite, compared to 178 mAh/g for the virgin material, an increase of over 21%. Conductivity experiments corroborated the galvanostatic cycling tests, with the composite cathode material showing high electronic conductivity than bare material. Fitting the impedance results to an equivalent circuit reveals that addition of polypyrrole reduces the ohmic resistance due to the better conductivity and the inclusion of electrochemically active polypyrrole in the composite. Finally, the composite electrodes also showed very good rate capability and better cycling behavior compared to that of the bare material. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Hardware/Software Approach to Molecular Dynamics on Reconfigurable Computers

With advances in re configurable hardware, especially field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), it has become possible to use reconfigurable hardware to accelerate complex applications, such as those in scientific computing. There has been a resulting development of reconfigurable computers - computers which have both general purpose processors and reconfigurable hardware, as well as memory and high-performance interconnection networks. In this paper, we study the acceleration of molecular dynamics simulations using reconfigurable computers. We describe how we partition the application between software and hardware and then model the performance of several alternatives for the task mapped to hardware. We describe an implementation of one of these alternatives on a reconfigurable computer and demonstrate that for two real-world simulations, it achieves a 2 times speed-up over the software baseline. We then compare our design and results to those of prior efforts and explain the advantages of the hardware/software approach, including flexibility
Minimal Text Structuring to Improve the Generation of Feedback in Intelligent Tutoring Systems.

The goal of our work is to improv ethe Natural Language feedback provided by Intelligent Tutoring Systems. In this paper, we discuss how to make the content presented by one such system more fluentandcom prehensible, and we show how we accomplish this by using relatively inexpensive domain-independent text structuring techniques. W esho who wspecifi crhetoricalrelations can be introduced based on the data itself in a bottom-up fashion rather than being planned top-down by the discourse planner.
Export from Pericentriolar Endocytic Recycling Compartment to Cell Surface Depends on Stable, Detyrosinated (Glu) Microtubules and Kinesin

A significant fraction of internalized transferrin (Tf) concentrates in the endocytic recycling compartment (ERC), which is near the microtubule-organizing center in many cell types. Tf then recycles back to the cell surface. The mechanisms controlling the localization, morphology, and function of the ERC are not fully understood. We examined the relationship of Tf trafficking with microtubules (MTs), specifically the subset of stable, detyrosinated Glu MTs. We found some correlation between the level of stable Glu MTs and the distribution of the ERC; in cells with low levels of Glu MTs concentrated near to the centriole, the ERC was often tightly clustered, whereas in cells with higher levels of Glu MTs throughout the cell, the ERC was more dispersed. The clustered ERC in Chinese hamster ovary cells became dispersed when the level of Glu MTs was increased with taxol treatment. Furthermore, in a temperature-sensitive Chinese hamster ovary cell line (B104-5), the cells had more Glu MTs when the ERC became dispersed at elevated temperature. Microinjecting purified anti-Glu tubulin antibody into B104-5 cells at elevated temperature induced the redistribution of the ERC to a tight cluster. Microinjection of anti-Glu tubulin antibody slowed recycling of Tf to the cell surface without affecting Tf internalization or delivery to the ERC. Similar inhibition of Tf recycling was caused by microinjecting anti-kinesin antibody. These results suggest that stable Glu MTs and kinesin play a role in the organization of the ERC and in facilitating movement of vesicles from the ERC to the cell surface.
Extramedullary (skin) presentation of acute monocytic leukemia resembling cutaneous lymphoma: morphological and immunulogical features

Acute monocytic leukemia has been noted to exhibit a predilection for extramedullary involvement (gums, skin, and lymph nodes) at presentation. More unusual is the occurrence in an extramedullary site in the absence of bone marrow involvement. A case is reported with initial presentation in skin preceding a subsequent evolution to a leukemic phase by one year. The skin tumor was initially diagnosed and treated as a lymphoma. A second skin tumor, biopsied one year later was immunophenotyped as a T cell lymphoma using a screening panel of antisera (OKT4 positive, OKMI negative). Shortly thereafter a monocytic leukemia (M5) was discovered. Using a larger panel of antisera and enzyme markers on the second skin biopsy confirmed the monocytic rather than lymphocytic nature of the skin tumor. This case illustrates the importance of using an expanded panel of monoclonal antisera in certain hematopoietic tumors.
On a Fragment Approach to Structure-activity Correlations

In searching for better structure-activity correlations frequently one considers various fragments as the underlying key elements for improving the correlation. We address here the search for useful fragments and discuss some criteria for their selection. The approach, which is essentially a graph theoretical one, is based on characterization of fragments by suitably weighted paths. As an illustration we re-examined the correlation between the antiviral activity of a series of alkyl substituted benzimidazoles and their structures represented by connectivity indices. Fragment path numbers provide an alternative representation which allows additional discussion and additional conclusions concerning QSAR applications.
Branch growth and gas exchange in 13-year-old loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) trees in response to elevated carbon dioxide concentration and fertilization

We used whole-tree, open-top chambers to expose 13-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees, growing in soil with high or low nutrient availability, to either ambient or elevated (ambient + 200 micromol mol-1) carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) for 28 months. Branch growth and morphology, foliar chemistry and gas exchange characteristics were measured periodically in the upper, middle and lower crown during the 2 years of exposure. Fertilization and elevated [CO2] increased branch leaf area by 38 and 13%, respectively, and the combined effects were additive. Fertilization and elevated [CO2] differentially altered needle lengths, number of fascicles and flush length such that flush density (leaf area/flush length) increased with improved nutrition but decreased in response to elevated [CO2]. These results suggest that changes in nitrogen availability and atmospheric [CO2] may alter canopy structure, resulting in greater foliage retention and deeper crowns in loblolly pine forests. Fertilization increased foliar nitrogen concentration (N(M)), but had no consistent effect on foliar leaf mass (W(A)) or light-saturated net photosynthesis (A(sat)). However, the correlation between A(sat) and leaf nitrogen per unit area (N(A) = W(A)N(M)) ranged from strong to weak depending on the time of year, possibly reflecting seasonal shifts in the form and pools of leaf nitrogen. Elevated [CO2] had no effect on W(A), N(M) or N(A), but increased A(sat) on average by 82%. Elevated [CO2] also increased photosynthetic quantum efficiency and lowered the light compensation point, but had no effect on the photosynthetic response to intercellular [CO2], hence there was no acclimation to elevated [CO2]. Daily photosynthetic photon flux density at the upper, middle and lower canopy position was 60, 54 and 33%, respectively, of full sun incident to the top of the canopy. Despite the relatively high light penetration, W(A), N(A), A(sat) and R(d) decreased with crown depth. Although growth enhancement in response to elevated [CO2] was dependent on fertilization, [CO2] by fertilization interactions and treatment by canopy position interactions generally had little effect on the physiological parameters measured.
Characterization of Mechanoluminescent Composites and Their Applications for SHM of Polymer Composites

Mechanoluminescence (ML) is a property of inorganic and organic materials that describes the emission of light due from the application of force. Inorganic crystals (mostly phosphors) and certain organic macromolecules exhibit elastico-ML and are a natural fit for structural health monitoring (SHM) of composite structures. Composites with particulate ML crystals enable the visualization of stress distribution over a plane and over contoured surfaces in a spatially continuous manner. Imaging ML composites with affordable high-resolution imaging methods further enables the creation of high-resolution validation method for computational methods. Also, with the embedding of suitable photo-detectors for signal detection, the need for additional wiring, sensor electronics and high-level electronics is eliminated. In this conference proceedings technical publication, the application of commercially available ZnS:Cu, Mn phosphors for SHM of polymer composites will be presented via experimental and structural simulation. Results demonstrate the dependence of intensity of elastico-ML (in cd/cm2) on strain rate, strain and composition (w/w of ML particulates). The experiments show methods to fabricate elastic coupons of phosphors in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and subsequent methods for application in SHM. The structures are excited at 5Hz to 17.5Hz to develop empirical relationships between strain rate and EML intensity and it is shown that the intensity increases nonlinearly with the magnitude of stress/strain rate. A range of stresses transferred to the EML particles by the PDMS matrix is also numerically predicted. The numerical simulations show the importance of interfacial binding in the transfer of stress and subsequent EML emission. These results also provided a basis for validation and improvement of structural simulation models.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Adaptation of the Transverse Carpal Ligament Associated with Repetitive Hand Use in Pianists

The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) plays a critical role in carpal tunnel biomechanics through interactions with its surrounding tissues. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vivo adaptations of the TCL’s mechanical properties in response to repetitive hand use in pianists using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging. It was hypothesized that pianists, in comparison to non-pianists, would have a stiffer TCL as indicated by an increased acoustic shear wave velocity (SWV). ARFI imagining was performed for 10 female pianists and 10 female non-pianists. The median SWV values of the TCL were determined for the entire TCL, as well as for its radial and ulnar portions, rTCL and uTCL, respectively. The TCL SWV was significantly increased in pianists relative to non-pianists (p < 0.05). Additionally, the increased SWV was location dependent for both pianist and non-pianist groups (p < 0.05), with the rTCL having a significantly greater SWV than the uTCL. Between groups, the rTCL SWV of pianists was 22.2% greater than that of the non-pianists (p < 0.001). This localized increase of TCL SWV, i.e. stiffening, may be primarily attributable to focal biomechanical interactions that occur at the radial TCL aspect where the thenar muscles are anchored. Progressive stiffening of the TCL may become constraining to the carpal tunnel, leading to median nerve compression in the tunnel. TCL maladaptation helps explain why populations who repeatedly use their hands are at an increased risk of developing musculoskeletal pathologies, e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome.
Rongibbsite, Pb2(Si4Al)O11(OH), a new zeolitic aluminosilicate mineral with an interrupted framework from Maricopa County, Arizona, U.S.A.

A new zeolitic aluminosilicate mineral species, rongibbsite, ideally Pb 2 (Si 4 Al)O 11 (OH), has been found in a quartz vein in the Proterozoic gneiss of the Big Horn Mountains, Maricopa County, Arizona, U.S.A. The mineral is of secondary origin and is associated with wickenburgite, fornacite, mimetite, murdochite, and creaseyite. Rongibbsite crystals are bladed (elongated along the c axis, up to 0.70 × 0.20 × 0.05 mm), often in tufts. Dominant forms are {100}, {010}, {001}, and {101}. Twinning is common across (100). The mineral is colorless, transparent with white streak and vitreous luster. It is brittle and has a Mohs hardness of ~5; cleavage is perfect on {100} and no parting was observed. The calculated density is 4.43 g/cm 3 . Optically, rongibbsite is biaxial (+), with n α = 1.690, n β = 1.694, n γ = 1.700, c Z = 26°, 2 V meas = 65(2)°. It is insoluble in water, acetone, or hydrochloric acid. Electron microprobe analysis yielded an empirical formula Pb 2.05 (Si 3.89 Al 1.11 )O 11 (OH). Rongibbsite is monoclinic, with space group I 2/ m and unit-cell parameters a = 7.8356(6), b = 13.913(1), c = 10.278(1) A, β = 92.925(4)°, and V = 1119.0(2) A 3 . Its structure features an interrupted framework made of three symmetrically distinct TO 4 tetrahedra (T = Si + Al). The framework density is 17.9 T per 1000 A 3 . Unlike many known interrupted frameworks in zeolite-type materials, which are usually broken up by OH or F, the framework in rongibbsite is interrupted by O atoms. There are various corner-shared tetrahedral rings in the framework of rongibbsite, including two types of 4-membered, three 6-membered, and one 8-membered rings. The extraframework Pb and OH reside alternately in the channels formed by the 8-membered rings. The Pb cations are disordered over two split sites, Pb and Pb′, with site occupancies of 0.8 and 0.2, respectively, and a Pb-Pb′ distance of 0.229 A, providing a structural explanation for the two strong Raman bands (at 3527 and 3444 cm −1 ) attributable to the O-H stretching vibrations. The average bond lengths for the T1, T2, and T3 tetrahedra are 1.620, 1.648, and 1.681 A, respectively, indicating that the preference of Al for the three tetrahedral sites is T3 >> T2 > T1. Rongibbsite represents the first natural aluminosilicate with Pb as the only extraframework cation.
New Green functions for nearfield acoustical holography in aircraft fuselages

This paper presents a new set of Neumann Green functions for the interior of a cylindrical cavity which are based on evanescent wave expansions instead of the usual normal mode expansions. The new expansion capitalizes on the known physics of the shellfluid interaction providing terms which decay exponentially from the surface of the fuselage when the vibration these is subsonic. Due to this decay the convergence of the new Green functions is much faster than the conventional Neumann Green function. Furthermore, these evanescent Green functions can be inverted in a fairly straightforward way, to provide the foundations for solving the inverse holography problem, that is, the reconstruction of the normal fuselage velocity from a measurement of the pressure in the interior. Simulations of nearfield acoustical holography (NAH) are carried out using the evanescent Green functions, with inversion provided by the singular value decomposition technique applied to the resulting matrix relating the interior pressure to the surface velocity. After demonstrating the accuracy of the velocity reconstruction, we reconstruct the complete interior acoustic intensity to demonstrate another useful tool resulting from this technique.
Skin Reactions in Sensitized, Infected and Normal Rabbits with Filarial and other Nematode Antigens

This paper, which is part of a larger plan that has been temporarily interrupted, was originally designed to assay the antigenic values of filarial and other nematodes and their possible interactions. Thus, it would cover the question of whether under controlled conditions filarial antigens (particularly extracts of Dirofilaria immitis) reacted in animals sensitized to common nematodes such as Ascaris and Trichinella, which forms the subject of the present study.
Insights into granulosa cell tumors using spontaneous or genetically engineered mouse models

Granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are rare sex cord-stromal tumors that have been studied for decades. However, their infrequency has delayed efforts to research their etiology. Recently, mutations in human GCTs have been discovered, which has led to further research aimed at determining the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease. Mouse models have been important tools for studying GCTs, and have provided means to develop and improve diagnostics and therapeutics. Thus far, several genetically modified mouse models, along with one spontaneous mouse model, have been reported. This review summarizes the phenotypes of these mouse models and their applicability in elucidating the mechanisms of granulosa cell tumor development.
Advances and Prospects in Remediation Technology and Large-scale Applications for Petroleum Contaminated Soil

On the analysis of current Chinese situation of petroleum-contaminated soil,some methods for remediation technologies of the contaminated field were presented such as physical,chemical remediation and bioremediation,etc.The research direction and key research work were prospected according to technical principles of the methods,advantages and disadvantages of each remediation technology,developing trend and research work in the field of China.
Efficacy of Prophylactic Antibiotics in Simple Knee Arthroscopy

Purpose To determine the association between the use of preoperative antibiotics and the risk of postoperative infection after simple knee arthroscopy. Methods The electronic medical records of a large integrated health care organization were used to identify patients who underwent simple knee arthroscopy between 2007 and 2012. Patient demographics, potential infection risk factors, and antibiotic administration data were extracted. Simple knee arthroscopy included debridement, meniscectomy, meniscus repair, synovectomy, microfracture, and lateral release. Complex knee arthroscopy, septic knees, and cases involving fractures were excluded. Deep infection was defined as a positive synovial fluid culture or signs and symptoms of infection and gross pus in the knee. Superficial infection was defined as clinical signs of infection localized to a portal site and treatment with an antibiotic. Results Of 40,810 simple knee arthroscopies, 32,836 (80.5%) received preoperative antibiotics and 7,974 (19.5%) did not. There were 25 deep infections in the antibiotic group (0.08%) and 11 in the no-antibiotics group (0.14%) (risk ratio = 0.55, 95% confidence interval: 0.27 to 1.12, P = .10). There were 134 superficial infections in the antibiotic group (0.41%) and 32 in the no-antibiotics group (0.40%) (risk ratio = 1.01, 95% confidence interval: 0.29 to 1.49, P = .93). Conclusions In our large sample of patients who underwent simple knee arthroscopy, there was no association between preoperative antibiotic use and postoperative deep or superficial infection rates at the 95% confidence level ( P = .05). There was an association between preoperative antibiotic use and a decreased deep infection rate at the P = .10 level. Level of Evidence Level IV, case series.
Beyond the Text: A Voiding Interpretation in International Marketing Cases

While cases provide useful infonnation for analyzing and making decisions and provide good exercises in rational decision-making for students, detailed descriptions of the decision-making context provided in the case are also infonnative about specific finns, industries and the business environment of nations. For example, a wellwritten case on a specific decision-making problem faced by a specific finn, say, the Virtual Bookstore, may provide useful historical infonnation not only about the finn but also some details on the nature of the industry, competition and other relevant situational details on, as in this case, electronic retailing. This is also true for international marketing cases, wherein the contextual background of the case often provides details on the economic, social and political-legal environment of business in other countries as well as infonnation on specific finns and industries
Finding the Vacuum Wave Function in Supersymmetric Matrix Theories

Several examples of solvable cases of extended supersymmetric matrix theories are discussed with a special emphasis on the ground state.
Engineering secure software by modelling privacy and security requirements

Requirements are individual statements, usually expressed in a form of natural language, specifying the behaviour and constraints of a proposed system. Due to the intrinsic value of correct requirements, it is therefore essential for the process to be implemented correctly and that the requirements themselves reflect the true needs of the proposed system. The majority of developed systems introduce the concerns of privacy and security, however, traditional requirements engineering techniques have not addressed these issues appropriately. Further, the concepts of privacy, security, and the interrelated concept of trust, have not been accurately defined in terms of requirements engineering. Natural language is shown to be the most prevalent form of knowledge used to represent requirements, however, natural language introduces a number of inherent problems which can lead to ambiguity and specifications open to interpretation. When reasoning with privacy and security concerns the resulting specification should be both clear and concise in the stipulation of requirements. Therefore, before attempting to model privacy and security at the requirements engineering level, it is essential to have an understanding and appreciation of the issues involved. Consideration is given to the various concerns that would effect methodology development and once assessed a possible approach to modelling privacy and security requirements is highlighted.
CMOS compatible MIM decoupling capacitor with reliable sub-nm EOT high-k stacks for the 7 nm node and beyond

We demonstrate a record-low EOT (equivalent oxide thickness) of 0.8 nm for a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) decoupling capacitor, which is compatible with back-end-of-line (BEOL) processing. This results in 2-plate MIM capacitance density of 43 fF/um2, and leakage current density (J g ) of 5 fA/um2 at 1V, 125 oC. Moreover, we identify that symmetry of CV/IV/TDDB characteristics for both positive and negative bias polarities is a key consideration for stacking more than one MIM capacitor for further capacitance density increase. We develop a novel tri-layer high-k stack with buffer layers between HfO2 and metal electrodes, which substantially improves the electrical bias symmetry, and achieve V use = 1.32 V (10 yr/1 ppm/1 cm2/125 oC) at EOT = 0.8 nm. These results should support record stacked-MIM (> 2-plate) capacitance densities, with sub-nm EOT, for the 7 nm node and beyond.
Medicare Part D low-income subsidy and disparities in breast cancer treatment.

2 Background: Breast cancer outcomes are worse among black than white women, but the role of income and out-of-pocket costs (OOPCs) in these disparities is understudied. The Medicare D program provided medication insurance for older women and also included a low-income subsidy (LIS) which eliminated or reduced OOPCs among women with low assets and limited income (based on federal poverty level). We examined differences in adherence to HT by race/ethnicity among a Medicare D population, hypothesizing that LIS might reduce racial disparities in HT adherence. Methods: With data collected from a national sample of women enrolled in Medicare Parts A, B, and D, we identified Medicare Part D enrollees ≥65 years diagnosed with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy or breast conserving surgery in 2006-07 and received either tamoxifen or an AI (anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane) within one year of surgery. Nonadherence rates (medication possession rate of >0.80) were calculated by race and LIS status for each ...
Correction to Reparameterization of Solute-Solute Interactions for Amino Acid-Sugar Systems Using Isopiestic Osmotic Pressure Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

AMBER/GLYCAM and CHARMM are popular force fields for simulations of amino acids and sugars. Here we report excessively attractive amino acid–sugar interactions in both force fields, and corrections to nonbonded interactions that match experimental osmotic pressures of mixed aqueous solutions of diglycine and sucrose. The modified parameters also improve the ΔGtrans of diglycine from water to aqueous sucrose and, with AMBERff99SB/GLYCAM06, eliminate a caging effect seen in previous simulations of the protein ubiquitin with glucose.
Sparing of normal tissues with volumetric arc radiation therapy for glioblastoma: single institution clinical experience.

Patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) require radiotherapy as part of definitive management. Our institution has adopted the use of volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) due to superior sparing of the adjacent organs at risk (OARs) compared to intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Here we report our clinical experience by analyzing target coverage and sparing of OARs for 90 clinical treatment plans. VMAT and IMRT patient cohorts comprising 45 patients each were included in this study. For all patients, the planning target volume (PTV) received 50 Gy in 30 fractions, and the simultaneous integrated boost PTV received 60 Gy. The characteristics of the two patient cohorts were examined for similarity. The doses to target volumes and OARs, including brain, brainstem, hippocampi, optic nerves, eyes, and cochleae were then compared using statistical analysis. Target coverage and normal tissue sparing for six patients with both clinical IMRT and VMAT plans were analyzed. PTV coverage of at least 95% was achieved for all plans, and the median mean dose to the boost PTV differed by only 0.1 Gy between the IMRT and VMAT plans. Superior sparing of the brainstem was found with VMAT, with a median difference in mean dose being 9.4 Gy. The ipsilateral cochlear mean dose was lower by 19.7 Gy, and the contralateral cochlea was lower by 9.5 Gy. The total treatment time was reduced by 5 min. The difference in the ipsilateral hippocampal D100% was 12 Gy, though this is not statistically significant (P = 0.03). VMAT for GBM patients can provide similar target coverage, superior sparing of the brainstem and cochleae, and be delivered in a shorter period of time compared with IMRT. The shorter treatment time may improve clinical efficiency and the quality of the treatment experience. Based on institutional clinical experience, use of VMAT for the treatment of GBMs appears to offer no inferiority in comparison to IMRT and may offer distinct advantages, especially for patients who may require re-irradiation.
Reaction mechanisms in 28Si+24Mg--> alpha +24Mg+24Mg and alpha +20Ne+28Si.

We have studied the $^{28}$Si${+}^{24}$Mg system leading to the three-body final states \ensuremath{\alpha}${+}^{24}$Mg${+}^{24}$Mg and \ensuremath{\alpha}${+}^{20}$Ne${+}^{28}$Si. Full momentum reconstruction on an event by event basis allows us to obtain all kinematic quantities, and perform a comparison of competing reaction mechanisms. A search reveals very little evidence for the population of high-spin states in $^{48}\mathrm{Cr}$ corresponding to resonances observed in the $^{24}$Mg${+}^{24}$Mg system, via the $^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$${(}^{28}$Si,\ensuremath{\alpha}${)}^{48}$${\mathrm{Cr}}^{\mathrm{*}}$${(}^{24}$Mg) and $^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$${(}^{28}$Si,\ensuremath{\alpha}${)}^{48}$Cr*${(}^{20}$Ne) reactions. Instead, we find that the dominant processes that occur involve inelastic heavy-ion scattering to \ensuremath{\alpha}-particle unbound states in $^{28}\mathrm{Si}$ and $^{24}\mathrm{Mg}$.
Loud Music Exposure and Cochlear Synaptopathy in Young Adults: Isolated Auditory Brainstem Response Effects but No Perceptual Consequences.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that listeners with frequent exposure to loud music exhibit deficits in suprathreshold auditory performance consistent with cochlear synaptopathy. Young adults with normal audiograms were recruited who either did (n = 31) or did not (n = 30) have a history of frequent attendance at loud music venues where the typical sound levels could be expected to result in temporary threshold shifts. A test battery was administered that comprised three sets of procedures: (a) electrophysiological tests including distortion product otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem responses, envelope following responses, and the acoustic change complex evoked by an interaural phase inversion; (b) psychoacoustic tests including temporal modulation detection, spectral modulation detection, and sensitivity to interaural phase; and (c) speech tests including filtered phoneme recognition and speech-in-noise recognition. The results demonstrated that a history of loud music exposu...
The performance of piezoelectric materials under stress

Abstract The performance variation of piezoelectric materials under large stress fields is discussed in this chapter. The variation relates microscopically to polarization reorientation and phase transitions and manifests macroscopically in changes in bulk material properties. The ferroelectric phase with the perovskite structure and the phase diagram with polarization reorientation are first described. A model is introduced to explain the phase transition with an energy function on polarization based on stabilization as the fundamental driving force. Then stress effects are described theoretically in relation to multidomains for piezocrystal and piezoceramics. Quasistatic and resonance techniques are described for experimental characterization of material property variation under uniaxial compressive pressure, with results presented for both piezocrystal and piezoceramics.
Design and Analysis of a Neural Network Inference Engine Based on Adaptive Weight Compression

Neural networks generally require significant memory capacity/bandwidth to store/access a large number of synaptic weights. This paper presents design of an energy-efficient neural network inference engine based on adaptive weight compression using a JPEG image encoding algorithm. To maximize compression ratio with minimum accuracy loss, the quality factor of the JPEG encoder is adaptively controlled depending on the accuracy impact of each block. With 1% accuracy loss, the proposed approach achieves $63.4{\times }$ compression for multilayer perceptron (MLP) and $31.3 {\times }$ for LeNet-5 with the MNIST dataset, and $15.3 {\times }$ for AlexNet and $10.2 {\times }$ for ResNet-50 with ImageNet. The reduced memory requirement leads to higher throughput and lower energy for neural network inference ( $3 {\times }$ effective memory bandwidth and $22 {\times }$ lower system energy for MLP).