cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimized Focused Ion Beam Inspection And Repair Of Wafer Scale Interconnections

Wafer scale interconnections offer an approach for improved wiring in ultrahigh speed digital systems. Conventional packaging introduces excessive parasitics such as coupling, stray inductance and capacitance, and excessive delay. Fabrication of large amounts of wafer scale wiring (hundreds of meters of wiring) will require automated inspection and repair strategies. The focused ion beam (FIB) is uniquely suited to some of these tasks. In this paper, a high yield lift-off process is employed to fabricate the wafer wire. Residual defects in this process have been categorized and found amenable to detection and repair by using the ion milling capabilities of the focused ion beam. However, special steps are required to enhance the milling rates. Secondary electron imaging permits the inspection of surface defects, but precautions must be taken to neutralize charge build-up on insulators.
Movement of Elongation Factor G between Compact and Extended Conformations

Previous structural studies suggested that ribosomal translocation is accompanied by large interdomain rearrangements of elongation factor G (EF-G). Here, we follow the movement of domain IV of EF-G relative to domain II of EF-G using ensemble and single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer. Our results indicate that ribosome-free EF-G predominantly adopts a compact conformation that can also, albeit infrequently, transition into a more extended conformation in which domain IV moves away from domain II. By contrast, ribosome-bound EF-G predominantly adopts an extended conformation regardless of whether it is interacting with pretranslocation ribosomes or with posttranslocation ribosomes. Our data suggest that ribosome-bound EF-G may also occasionally sample at least one more compact conformation. GTP hydrolysis catalyzed by EF-G does not affect the relative stability of the observed conformations in ribosome-free and ribosome-bound EF-G. Our data support a model suggesting that, upon binding to a pretranslocation ribosome, EF-G moves from a compact to a more extended conformation. This transition is not coupled to but likely precedes both GTP hydrolysis and mRNA/tRNA translocation.
Incidence of soft-tissue cancers in blacks and whites in New York State.

Incidence rates for several histologic types of soft-tissue cancers were compared between black and white residents of New York State during 1976-81, using data from the population-based New York State Cancer Registry. Incidence rates for leiomyosarcoma, neurofibrosarcoma and malignant neurolemmoma were higher for blacks than for whites in almost all age groups. Black-white differences in malignant mesenchymoma, while not statistically significant, were similar to those from other population-based studies. There was no evidence for black-white differences in certain other histologic types (e.g., blood-vessel cancers, lymphangiosarcoma). Black-white differences in leiomyosarcoma included higher rates for the uterus in black than in white females, and higher rates for the stomach in blacks of both sexes. Possible explanations for these differences in soft-tissue cancer incidence were discussed, along with comparisons with limited data on black populations in Africa.
A TG—DSC investigation of the thermal dissociation of selected guanidinium salts

Abstract The TG and DSC curves of guanidinium acetate, carbonate, chloride, chromate, nitrate, sulfate and thiocyanate are reported for the temperature range 25–500°C. Except for guanidinium carbonate, the TG curves were characterized by a single-step mass-loss reaction, involving thermal dissociation and/or vaporization processes. The DSC curves, with the exception of guanidinium chromate, consisted of two or more endothermic peaks, the lowest temperature peak of which corresponded to the fusion of the compound. Exothermic peaks were found only in the DSC curve of guanidinium chromate.
The effects of naphthalene on the ultrastructure of the hepatopancreas of the fiddler crab, Uca minax

Abstract The hepatopancreas of the red-jointed fiddler crab, Uca minax, is a bilateral evagination of the midgut, composed of numerous blind-ending tubules. Groups of these tubules empty into collecting ducts which join to form the main hepatopancreatic duct. Ultrastructural examination of tubules from the hepatopancreas of adult fiddler crabs revealed four major cell types, designated as E, R, B, and F cells. The E cells were found at the apex of the tubule and were assumed to serve as meristematic tissue. The R cells were most numerous and were scattered along the length of the tubule. Characterized by extensive smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum and abundant lipid and glycogen reserves, the R cell was assumed to function in absorption and storage of the organic products of digestion. The B cells were recognized by the presence of a single, large apical vacuole that likely functioned in the secretion of digestive enzymes into the lumen of the hepatopancreas. The F cells, which contained extensive amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum, were believed to be responsible for the synthesis of digestive enzymes. Electron microscopy of the hepatopancreas of crabs exposed to naphthalene for 5 days revealed that those cells with abundant membrane lipids (F cells) and abundant storage lipids (R cells) were most altered while those cells having little membrane or storage lipids (B and E cells) were only slightly altered. Furthermore, alterations in the F and R cells were not uniform along the length of the tubule, but increased in severity toward the proximal end.
The clam embryo protein cyclin A induces entry into M phase and the resumption of meiosis in Xenopus oocytes

Fertilized clam embryos synthesize several new cell-cycle-related proteins. The cloned cDNA and derived amino acid sequences of one of these, cyclin A, are presented here. Immunoblots with an anti-cyclin A antibody reveal that cyclin A is undetectable in oocytes, appears within 15 min of fertilization, and is destroyed near the end of each meiosis and mitosis. We directly tested the ability of cyclin A to induce M phase by injecting SP6 cyclin A mRNA into Xenopus oocytes, which are arrested at the G2/M border of first meiosis. The injected mRNA was translated, with the result that the Xenopus oocytes entered meiosis. These findings indicate that the rise in cyclin A plays a direct and natural role in driving cells into M phase.
Beyond the basics: Refills by electronic prescribing

Abstract Introduction E-prescribing is part of a new generation of electronic solutions for the medical industry that may have great potential for improving work flow and communication between medical practices and pharmacies. In the US, it has been introduced with minimal monitoring of errors and general usability. This paper examines refill functionality in e-prescribing software. Methods A mixed method study including focus groups and surveys was conducted. Qualitative data were collected in on-site focus groups or individual interviews with clinicians and medical office staff at 64 physician office practices. Focus group participants described their experiences with the refill functionality of e-prescribing software, provided suggestions for improving it, and suggested improvements in office procedures and software functionality. Results Overall, ∼50% reduction in time spent each day on refills was reported. Overall reports of refill functionality were positive; but clinicians and staff identified numerous difficulties and glitches associated managing prescription refills. These glitches diminished over time. Benefits included time saved as well as patient convenience. Potential for refilling without thought because of the ease of use was noted. Clinicians and staff appreciated the ability to track whether patients are filling and refilling prescriptions. Discussion E-prescribing software for managing medication refills has not yet reached its full potential. To reduce work flow barriers and medication errors, software companies need to develop error reporting systems and response teams to deal effectively with problems experienced by users. Examining usability issues on both the medical office and pharmacy ends is required to identify the behavioral and cultural changes that accompany technological innovation and ease the transition to full use of e-prescribing software.
Examining the Penalty Resolution Process Building Loyalty Through Gratitude and Fairness

In this research, we develop a comprehensive theoretical model of the consumer response to penalties and the penalty resolution process. Two mechanisms of consumers’ response to penalty resolution ...
Continuous monitoring of nitric oxide release from human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Abstract Direct measurement of nitric oxide (NO) release is pivotal for understanding its role in the regulation of vascular tone. However, data on the direct measurement of NO have been scarce. Recent description of NO-selective electrode has prompted us to examine NO release from endothelial cells using this approach. In the present study, we continuously monitored [NO] in the incubation medium conditioned by cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) with an amperometric NO-sensor. The HUVEC released NO on stimulation with several agonists such as α-thrombin, bradykinin, L-arginine and ionomycin; the responses were characterized by an initial rise and a subsequent sustained increase. Activation of Ca/calmodulin system resulted in a robust elevation in [NO], occasionally displaying an oscillatory component. Calmidazolium pretreatment attenuated the ionomycin-induced response. Pretreatment with phorbol ester suppressed the ionomycin-induced NO release from HUVEC. Forskolin pretreatment did not modify NO release elicited by ionomycin. These findings indicate that the synthesis/release of NO in endothelial cells is a Ca/calmodulin dependent step. Activation of protein kinase C interferes with the Ca/calmodulin-induced activation of NOS in endothelial cells. Thus, the present study shows that NO synthase is a substrate for phosphorylation by different kinases which modulate the activity of the enzyme as determined by continuous monitoring of NO release from endothelial cells using a specific NO-sensor.
Application of Lubrication Theory and Study of Roughness Pitch During Laminar, Transition, and Low Reynolds Number Turbulent Flow at Microscale

This work aims to experimentally examine the effects of different roughness structures on internal flows in high-aspect-ratio rectangular microchannels. Additionally, a model based on lubrication theory is compared to these results. In total, four experiments were designed to test samples with different relative roughness and pitch placed on the opposite sides forming the long faces of a rectangular channel. The experiments were conducted to study (i) sawtooth roughness effects in laminar flow, (ii) uniform roughness effects in laminar flow, (iii) sawtooth roughness effects in turbulent flow, and (iv) varying-pitch sawtooth roughness effects in laminar flow. The Reynolds number was varied from 30 to 15,000 with degassed, deionized water as the working fluid. An estimate of the experimental uncertainty in the experimental data is 7.6% for friction factor and 2.7% for Reynolds number. Roughness structures varied from a lapped smooth surface with 0.2 μ m roughness height to sawtooth ridges of height 117 μ m....
Structural analogs of lα,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol: Preparation and biologial assay of 1α-hydroxypregnacalciferol

Abstract The synthesis of lα-hydroxypregnacalciferol, a side chain analog of lα,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3), is described. Pregnenolone acetate was converted in five steps to 5-pregnen-lα,3β-diol. Conversion of the diol to pregna-5,7-diene-lα,3β diol diacetate followed by ultraviolet irradiation gave the corresponding provitamin derivative. Thermal isomerization, hydrolysis and chromatography then furnished the desired analog, lα-hydroxypregnacalciferol. The compound was tested in vivo for its effect on intestinal calcium transport, serum calcium and phosphate levels and bone calcification, and in vitro for its effect on bone resorption. When given to intact rats, either as a single dose or in repeated daily doses, the analog even at high dose levels, exhibited no biological activity. The compound stimulated bone resorption in vitro , but only at high concentrations.
The Metabolic and Hemodynamic Effects of Prolonged Bed Rest in Normal Subjects

Investigation in six normal subjects of the effects of chronic bed rest on the interrelationships between cardiovascular hemodynamics, catecholamine metabolism, vascular reactivity, renin and aldosterone activity, and electrolyte and fluid balance. Negative sodium and potassium balances and reductions in plasma volume were observed in all subjects, but plasma renin activity and aldosterone secretory rate showed no significant change. Other findings included the observation that major decreases in sodium balance and plasma volume occurred in the early bed rest period and did not correlate closely with the degree of orthostatic intolerance.
The Elastic Viscous Plastic Sea Ice Dynamics Model in General Orthogonal Curvilinear Coordinates on a Sphere—Incorporation of Metric Terms

Abstract A new discretization for the elastic–viscous–plastic (EVP) sea ice dynamics model incorporates metric terms to account for grid curvature effects in curvilinear coordinate systems. A fundamental property of the viscous–plastic ice rheology that is invariant under changes of coordinate system is utilized; namely, the work done by internal forces, to derive an energy dissipative discretization of the divergence of the stress tensor that includes metric terms. Comparisons of simulations using an older EVP numerical model with the new formulation highlight the effect of the metric terms, which can be significant when ice deformation is allowed to affect the ice strength.
A constitutive model for flow-induced anisotropic behavior of viscoelastic complex fluids

Abstract Flow-induced structural anisotropy could result when a complex fluid system is removed from equilibrium by means of hydrodynamic forces. In this paper, a general theory is developed to model flow-induced anisotropic behavior of complex viscoelastic systems such as polymer solutions/melts and suspensions. The rheological properties are characterized by viscosity and relaxation time tensors. We consider a second-rank tensor as a measure of the microstructure. We consider the effect of the flow on the structural changes, i.e. the evolution of the microstructure tensor is governed by a relaxation-type differential equation. We also propose that the viscosity and the relaxation time tensors depend on the second-rank microstructure tensor, that is as the microstructure tensor changes with the applied rate of deformation, the viscosity and relaxation time tensors evolve accordingly. As an example we consider the elongational flows of two complex fluids.
A New Theory for Fourier Analysis. V. Generalized Multiplication and Convolution on the Dual Space

Abstract Definitions for the multiplication and convolution of fairly arbitrary pairs of elements in the dual to the space of "exponentially decreasing" analytic test functions are presented. These definitions greatly extend previous definitions and are shown to be consistent with suitably defined products and convolutions on other topological vector spaces. Basic properties of multiplication and convolution are demonstrated and simple examples are given.
Permeation Equipment for High-Pressure Gas Separation Membranes

This paper describes the development of a constant volume, variable pressure permeation system for use in testing membrane materials up to pressures of 276 bar with both a vacuum and pressurized downstream. In addition, a membrane masking technique that is well-suited for use with this system in high-pressure applications is also described. To illustrate the utility of the equipment, permeation and selectivity results for a commercially available polyimide, Matrimid, under pure and mixed gas conditions are presented and discussed in relation to studies reported at lower feed pressures with more conventional systems.
Alkali emission accompanying fracture of sodium silicate glasses

Measurements of atomic Na emission accompanying the fracture of sodium trisilicate glass and a soda lime glass in vacuum were made by quadrupole mass spectroscopy and surface ionization techniques. Peak Na° emission intensities occur some 3–6 ms after the fracture event and decay over tens of milliseconds. This behavior is attributed to the diffusion of Na+ ions into a layer of damaged material at the surface where the ions are subsequently neutralized and thermally emitted as Na°. Charge carriers generated during fracture and subsequently trapped at defect sites apparently play important roles in charge compensating Na+ diffusion and in neutralizing Na+. During the first 300 ms following fracture, we also observe intense, short lived (400 μs) bursts in Na° emission which may be associated with catastrophic relaxation of residual stresses. The kinetics of Na emission suggest that the relaxation of newly formed glass surfaces involves rather complex surface physical and chemical processes.
Polarizability anisotropy relaxation in nanoconfinement: Molecular simulation study of water in cylindrical silica pores

We report the results of a molecular simulation study of polarizability anisotropy relaxation for water confined in approximately cylindrical silica pores, with diameters in the range from 20 to 40 A. In our calculations, we use a polarizability model that includes molecular and interaction-induced components. In agreement with optical Kerr effect experimental data, we find strong confinement effects on the relaxation rate of water polarizability anisotropy. Given that water molecular polarizability anisotropy is small, much of the intensity of the polarizability anisotropy response comes from the interaction-induced component. However, we find that, at longer times, the relaxation properties of this component strongly resemble those of collective reorientation, the mechanism by which the molecular polarizability anisotropy relaxes. We also find that the relevant collective orientational relaxation differs considerably from single molecule reorientation and that this difference varies with the extent of confinement. Our investigation of the effects of axial-radial pore anisotropy indicates that these effects play a minor role in water polarizability anisotropy relaxation in this pore diameter range.
Predictors of academic and social integration of college students

This study extended earlier research based on Tinto's 1975 model of student college attrition by investigating patterns of student social and academic integration across institutional types. This study found that different college types were characterized by different patterns of student participation in the social and academic life of the college. Personal characteristics and overall climate associated with each institutional type explained statistically significant but modest amounts of the variance in student participation in specific campus activities that help define campus life. Moreover, several personal characteristics were related to students' campus behavior differently across institutional types. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for student recruitment and retention.
Religion and African American Political Life

Religion is a central force in the lives of the overwhelming majority of African Americans. However, psychology has been conspicuously silent about the role of religion in African American political life. This work endeavors to challenge the longstanding argument that religiosity promotes an escapist, apolitical stance among African Americans. Particular attention is paid to the ways in which our understanding of the link between religion and African American political behavior is complicated by expanded definitions of what is political and by increased attention to various forms of religious participation. Future directions for research are discussed. African Americans have had a long tradition of political activism and protest. This community also has had a long and deep tradition of religiosity. However, mainstream political psychology research has paid relatively little attention to integrating these two traditions. Consequently, although work conducted in sociology, political science, and black church studies clearly demonstrates that religion plays a central role in structuring African Americans' political life (see Calhoun
Kinetics of enzymes with isomechanisms: britton induced transport catalyzed by bovine carbonic anhydrase II, measured by rapid-flow mass spectrometry.

Abstract Induced transport of13CO2to H13CO−3by bovine carbonic anhydrase II in the presence of excess H12CO−3at pH 6.35 causes a temporary decrease in the concentration of13CO2from 0.169 to 0.092 ± 0.003 mM, measured in less than half a second with a new rapid-flow, membrane-inlet mass spectrometer. From this perturbation, a value of 83 ± 0.3 M−1is calculated for the α term in Eq. [26] of H. G. Britton (Biochem. J.133, 255–261, 1973). Combining α with theKmfor bicarbonate (32 ± 1 mM) and Eqs. [7] and [21] of K. L. Rebholz and D. B. Northrop (Methods Enzymol.249, 211–240, 1995) yields a ratio of less than 0.57 ± 0.04 for the apparent rate constants representing the isomerization segment and chemical conversion segment, respectively, of the enzyme-catalyzed dehydration of bicarbonate. These results provide proof positive for the previously inferred (but unproven despite universal acceptance) isomechanism for the carbonic anhydrases. Moreover, the data and new equations quantify the proposed internal proton transfer to be 64 ± 4% rate-limiting for the bovine type II isoenzyme, a value similar to but more precise than estimates based upon solvent isotope effects and product inhibition kinetics.
Social disparities communication inequalities and HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes in India.

Promoting awareness, increasing knowledge, and eliminating stigma is important for stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS. The relation of social determinants and communication inequalities with HIV/AIDS-related cognitive processes has not been studied previously in India. Gender-stratified Poisson regression models of 123,459 women and 73,908 men in the 2005-2006 National Family Health Survey were used to calculate relative risk estimates and 95% confidence intervals for these associations. Results indicated that there are significant inequalities in mass media use among different social classes. Education and wealth are strongly and positively associated with awareness of HIV/AIDS and knowledge about prevention and transmission of AIDS and negatively associated with HIV/AIDS-related stigma. These associations attenuated when use of various mass media types were added to the models with television showing the strongest effect. Mass media may be helpful in reducing social disparities in HIV/AIDS outcomes.
Growth of graphene from solid carbon sources

The past few years have seen spectacular growth of interest in graphene, the carbon monolayer with novel electronic properties. Efforts to produce large sheets of monolayer (or few-layer) graphene could receive a welcome boost from a simple new procedure. Just by baking various solid carbon sources deposited on a metal catalyst substrate at a relatively modest 800 °C, it is possible to produce either pristine graphene or doped graphene in a single step. Suitable starting materials include polymer films and various small molecules. The past few years have seen a spectacular growth of interest in graphene. Efforts to produce large sheets of monolayer (or few-layer) graphene could receive a welcome boost from the simple procedure reported by these authors. They show how baking various solid carbon sources (for example polymer films) deposited on a metal catalyst substrate can produce either pristine graphene or doped graphene in a single step. Monolayer graphene was first obtained1 as a transferable material in 2004 and has stimulated intense activity among physicists, chemists and material scientists1,2,3,4. Much research has been focused on developing routes for obtaining large sheets of monolayer or bilayer graphene. This has been recently achieved by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of CH4 or C2H2 gases on copper or nickel substrates5,6,7. But CVD is limited to the use of gaseous raw materials, making it difficult to apply the technology to a wider variety of potential feedstocks. Here we demonstrate that large area, high-quality graphene with controllable thickness can be grown from different solid carbon sources—such as polymer films or small molecules—deposited on a metal catalyst substrate at temperatures as low as 800 °C. Both pristine graphene and doped graphene were grown with this one-step process using the same experimental set-up.
Complementarity of Intensity and Optical Force Measurements in Scanning Probe Microscopy

We demonstrate that intensity and optical force gradient maps provide complementary measures of the near-field light distribution in scanning probe microscopy (SPM). Sensitivity of metal coated SPM probes to magnetic fields is shown.
Learning Shape Features for Document Enhancement

In previous work we showed that shape descriptor features can be used in Look Up Table (LUT) classifiers to learn patterns of degradation and correction in historical document images. The algorithm encodes the pixel neighborhood information effectively using a variant of shape descriptor. However, the generation of the shape descriptor features was approached in a heuristic manner. In this work, we propose a system of learning the shape features from the training data set by using neural networks: Multilayer Perceptrons (MLP) for feature extraction. Given that the MLP maybe restricted by a limited dataset, we apply a feature selection algorithm to generalize, and thus improve, the feature set obtained from the MLP. We validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach via experimental results.
Applying the 3M All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups Grouper to measure Inpatient severity in the VA

Objectives To assess the severity level of acute inpatient care in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) using the 3M All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRGs) Grouper and compare severity levels in the six study sites with other Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. Methods Acute inpatient stays were generated based on bedsection movement information in VA Inpatient Medical SAS data sets from federal fiscal years 1997 and 1998. All nonacute bedsections were excluded. The APR-DRG Grouper generated APR-DRG and severity level for each acute inpatient stay using relevant VA data in a fixed format. Severity and length of stay (LOS) within each major APR-DRG (those accounting for at least 0.5% of all acute inpatient stays or days) were compared between study sites and other centers using z scores. Results Of 315 APR-DRGs, 63 major groups accounted for more than two thirds of all stays and days of care in both years. The study sites were similar in average patient severity and LOS to other centers for most APR-DRGs. For those with significant differences, the six centers had shorter LOS and higher severity. The magnitude of differences was large in LOS and small in severity. Conclusions The study sites are generally representative of the overall VA acute inpatient stays. Some adjustments were needed to reflect that the six sites had relatively sicker patients and lower LOS in some of APR-DRGs when resource utilization estimations in the six sites were generalized to the entire VA system. The severity measure of the 3M APR-DRG Grouper can be adapted to the VA controlling for the complicated nature of VA inpatient care.
Pulmonary blastoma: An ultrastructural study emphasizing intestinal differentiation in lung tumors

Features of intestinal differentiation, including the presence of brush borders, have been described previously in a pulmonary blastoma following xenotransplantation in athymic nude mice. This paper reports similar findings in a pulmonary blastoma subjected directly to electron microscopic study. Ultrastructural manifestations of intestinal differentiation in other types of primary lung tumors are also discussed.
A theoretical reason to expect inviscid western boundary currents in realistic oceans

Abstract The conventional picture of an ocean gyre, based on an ocean with vertical sidewalls, assumes a balance between an input of vorticity by wind stress curl, and a viscous flux of vorticity through the boundary at the same latitude, resulting from a viscous western boundary current which may be significantly modified by nonlinear terms. Potential interactions with topography are also commonly acknowledged as a possible complicating factor. In this idealized picture, the zonal momentum balance is taken to be geostrophic, as numerous model analyses confirm. A theoretical argument is given here which shows that, in an ocean with sloping sidewalls, this geostrophic balance results in bottom pressure torques which balance the wind stress curl at each latitude. This removes the requirement for a viscous western boundary current at each latitude suggesting that the dynamics within a western boundary current may be essentially inviscid. While inviscid western boundary currents have already been found in certain idealized systems, and in one set of diagnostics from an eddy permitting model, the generality of the argument presented here gives a strong reason to believe that these are not special cases. Inviscid western boundary currents are in fact the rule, and the vertical sidewall case is an unrealistic exception.
Contributions of age, sex and degree of fatness on preferences and magnitude estimations for sucrose in humans.

Abstract Comparisons of magnitude estimate scaling for six suprathreshold concentrations (0.056–1.0 M) of sucrose by fifth graders, college students, and elderly persons revealed a steeper function for the children but no differences between the other two groups. Higher preferences were reported by males than by females for the sweeter concentrations and degree of fatness was inversely correlated with preference. These data suggest that deficits in sensory coding are not produced by old age and that important differences in sweet preference exist between human males and females.
Biological fate of -103Pd in rats following different routes of exposure.

Abstract The retention, tissue distribution, and excretion of 103 Pd in adult rats was determined following oral, intravenous (iv), and intratracheal admission. The highest retention was obtained following iv dosing, and lowest retention (less than 0.5%) occurred after oral dosing. Tissues containing the highest concentrations of 103 Pd were the kidney, spleen, liver, lung, and bone. Following a single oral dose, almost all of the 103 Pd was excreted in the feces due to nonabsorption, whereas after iv dosing, similar quantities were excreted in both the urine and feces. In pregnant rats following iv dosing, 103 Pd did not readily move across the placental barrier, and statistically significant amounts of 103 Pd were not found in all the fetuses. Furthermore, 103 Pd was transferred to suckling rats via the dam's milk.
Keeping it together: stigma, response, and perception of risk in relationships between drug injectors and crack smokers, and other community residents.

Abstract Sexual relations between drug injectors (IDUs) and crack smokers (CS), and non-drug users are a major means of HIV spread to the broader population. However there is little literature describing community processes that regulate sexual and social partnerships among these groups. We describe these relationships in Bushwick, a low-income, mainly Latino neighbourhood in Brooklyn, NY. In this community, IDU and CS are heavily stigmatized, both by non-users and by some users. Known IDU/CS may find it harder to start and maintain social and sexual relationships, and to get jobs or support. Partially as a result of this stigma, IDU/CS attempt to ‘keep it together’ and hide either their drug use or its extent from other residents. Nevertheless, other residents believe, sometimes falsely, that they can distinguish users from nonusers. We describe some potential negative consequences of these beliefs and interactions, including their effects on risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
The dynamics of deductive reasoning: An fMRI investigation

Although the basis for deductive reasoning has been a traditional focus of philosophical discussion, the neural correlates and mechanisms that underlie deductive reasoning have only recently become the focus of scientific investigation. In syllogistic deductive reasoning information presented in two related sequential premises leads to a subsequent conclusion. While previous imaging studies have identified frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital complexes that are activated during these reasoning events, there are substantive differences among the findings with respect to the specific regions engaged in reasoning and the contribution of language areas. Further, little is known about the various stages of information processing during reasoning. Using event-related fMRI and an auditory and visual conjunction technique, we identified a long-range supramodal network active during reasoning processes including areas in the left frontal and parietal regions as well as the bilateral caudate nucleus. Time courses of activation for each of these regions suggest that reasoning processes emerge during the presentation of the second premise, and remain active until the validation of the conclusion. Thus, areas within the frontal and parietal regions are differentially engaged at different time points in the reasoning process consistent with coordinated intra-network interactions.
Vertical transmission of TnSNPV, TnCPV, AcMNPV, and possibly recombinant NPV in Trichoplusia ni.

Abstract Four viruses were tested for vertical transmission in Trichoplusia ni: T. ni nucleopolyhedrovirus (TnSNPV), T. ni cypovirus (TnCPV), Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), and AcMNPV engineered to express a scorpion toxin (AcMNPV.AaIT). Fifth instars were exposed to each virus, the survivors were reared and mated, and second-generation (F1) insects were examined for infection. TnSNPV was transmitted to offspring at a prevalence rate of 15.4%, TnCPV at 10.2%, and AcMNPV at 10.1%. Only one of 2484 F1 insects was infected with AcMNPV.AaIT; this experiment was repeated, and none of 4774 insects was infected. Thus, vertical transmission is unlikely to contribute to AcMNPV.AaIT contacting non-target organisms after its field release. There was evidence that TnCPV and possibly TnSNPV were activated to overt infections by ingestion of a different virus. TnCPV, but not the NPVs, routinely infected 0.3–1.7% of non-treated insects, probably indicating that it is vertically transmitted at enzootic levels.
Strontium Ranelate Treatment Improves Trabecular and Cortical Intrinsic Bone Tissue Quality, a Determinant of Bone Strength

Beside its influence on determinants of bone strength (geometry, microarchitecture), which is likely to be related to a cellular effect, strontium ranelate improves bone tissue quality as evaluated by nanoindentation, increasing elastic modulus, hardness, and dissipated energy in vertebrae of rats treated for 104 wk with daily dose from 0 to 900 mg/kg. Introduction: We previously showed that strontium ranelate treatment improves the mechanical properties of the vertebral body and long bone midshaft in intact rats. The increased energy to failure obtained with strontium ranelate is essentially caused by an increase in plastic energy, suggesting that bone formed during treatment can withstand greater deformation before fracture. In the bone mineral phase, strontium is mainly located in the hydrated shell and could thus potentially influence intrinsic bone tissue quality. Materials and Methods: To study whether strontium ranelate treatment could positively influence intrinsic bone tissue quality (elastic modulus, hardness, and dissipated energy), nanoindentation tests were performed at the level of trabecular nodes and cortex under physiological or dry conditions in vertebrae of rats treated for 104 wk with strontium ranelate at a daily dose of 0, 225, 450, or 900 mg/kg (n = 12 per group). Ex vivo μCT measurements and axial compression tests of adjacent vertebral bodies were also performed. Significance of difference was evaluated using ANOVA. Results: In agreement with previous results, strontium ranelate (900 mg/kg/d) significantly increased versus controls in maximal load (+23%), total energy (+71%), and plastic energy (+143%). At the level of trabecular bone, strontium ranelate treatment resulted in a significant increase in elastic modulus (+15.1%, p < 0.01), hardness (+11.5%, p < 0.05), and dissipated energy (+16.2%, p < 0.001) versus controls in physiological, but not in dry, conditions. The effect was less pronounced in cortex. Conclusions: These results show for the first time a direct action of strontium ranelate on bone tissue quality. Beside its shown influence on classical determinants of bone strength (geometry, microarchitecture), which is likely to be related to a cellular effect, strontium ranelate improves bone tissue quality. This could contribute to the increase in bone strength and thus be involved in the reduction of fracture risk in postmenopausal osteoporotic patients treated with strontium ranelate.
Lifelong Impact: Adult Perceptions of Their High School Speech and/or Theatre Participation

This study sought first to determine in what ways participation in high school theatre/speech classes and/or related extracurricular activities may have positively influenced and affected adults after graduation, and secondly, it sought to identify and advocate the potentially beneficial and “lifelong” impacts that speech/theatre participation during adolescence can contribute to adulthood. A mixed-methods survey was purposively distributed to North American adults who participated in these activities; 234 responses were received and analyzed. The key assertion of this study is: Quality high school theatre and speech experiences can not only influence but even accelerate adolescent development and provide residual, positive, lifelong impacts throughout adulthood.
Light-induced electrical effects in a retinal bilayer lipid membrane.

1. 1. Ionic selectivity of all-trans-retinal bilayer lipid membranes was established: proton transport can satisfactorily account for the development of the observed dark membrane potentials and no other ionic species or mechanisms are required. 2. 2. The time course of photopotentials showed a biphasic mode which, under appropriate experimental conditions, was quite similar to that of early receptor potentials. 3. 3. The initial fast photoresponse (R1) could be best explained as a redox potential due to the photoexcited electrons and holes which interact with water molecules and/or other electron acceptors or donors. This potential was not influenced by the concentration gradient of K+, Na+, and Cl− to any extent, indicating the non-ionic origin of this photoresponse. The second slow photoresponse (R2) was identified as the diffusion potential of H+. 4. 4. A detailed mechanism is proposed to account for the observed light-induced biphasic responses.
Attachment in adolescence: A narrative and meta-analytic review

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature that has examined adolescent attachment relations with parents, and any association between attachment and adolescent development or adjustment. The paper begins with a review of traditional attachment theory and concepts. The organizational perspective advanced by Sroufe and his colleagues is described in addition to other extensions of the study of attachment. The study of adolescent attachment is one extension of the attachment literature that has received increasing attention in recent years. A narrative review of studies of adolescent attachment is presented in which conceptualizations of adolescent attachment, methodologies, and results are described. The narrative review is followed by a metaanalytic review of this literature. The paper concludes by discussing the results of the reviews, the current state of adolescent attachment research, and some recommendations for further advancing the empirical and theoretical literature on adolescent attachment and adaptation.
Robust blind watermarking mechanism for motion data streams

The commercial reuse of 3D motion capture (Mocap) data in animation and life sciences raises issues with respect to its copyright. In order to improvise content protection of Mocap data, we devise a substitutive blind watermarking technique. This technique visualizes 3D Mocap data as a series of non-intersecting cluster of triangles. Bits are encoded inside the triangles by using an extended substitutive bit encoder in spatial domain. The encoding supports watermark imperceptibility and develops robustness against affine transforms (rotation, translation, scaling), noise addition, reordering and sample loss attacks. Security of the scheme can be enhanced by adding secret embedding distances between clusters, which are based on a secret key used for watermarking purpose.
Adherence of low-income women to cancer screening recommendations.

BACKGROUND: African-American and low-income women have lower rates of cancer screening and higher rates of late-stage disease than do their counterparts.
Joint k-coverage and data gathering in sparsely deployed sensor networks -- Impact of purposeful mobility and heterogeneity

Coverage is one of the fundamental concepts in the design of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) in the sense that the monitoring quality of a phenomenon depends on the quality of service provided by the sensors in terms of how well a field of interest is covered. It enables the sensors to detect any event that may occur in the field, thus, meeting the application-specific requirements. Several applications require k-coverage, where each point in the field is covered by at least k sensors, which helps increase data availability to ensure better data reliability. Achieving k-coverage of a field of interest becomes a more challenging issue in sparsely deployed WSNs. Though the problem of coverage in WSNs has been well studied in the literature, only little research efforts have been devoted to the case of sparsely deployed WSNs. Thus, in this article, we investigate the problem of k-coverage in sparse WSNs using static and mobile sensors, which do not necessarily have the same communication range, sensing range, and energy supply. Precisely, we propose an optimized, generalized framework for k-coverage in sparsely deployed WSNs, called k-SCHEMES, which exploits sensor heterogeneity and mobility. First, we characterize k-coverage using heterogeneous sensors based on Helly's Theorem. Second, we introduce our energy-efficient four-tier architecture to achieve mobile k-coverage of a region of interest in a field. Third, on top of this architecture, we suggest two data-gathering protocols, called direct data-gathering and forwarding chain-based data-gathering, using the concept of mobile proxy sink. We found that the second data-gathering protocol outperforms the first one. For energy-efficient forwarding, we compute the minimum transmission distance between any pair of consecutive mobile proxy sinks forming the forwarding chain as well as the corresponding optimum number of mobile proxy sinks in this chain. We corroborate our analysis with several simulation results.
Effects of urbanization on watershed hydrology: The scaling of discharge with drainage area: COMMENT AND REPLY: REPLY

We thank Criss and Winston (2007) for their interest in and analysis of our manuscript on the interaction between discharge and drainage area. We feel that their points help strengthen the conclusions of our original article ([Galster et al., 2006][1]). ‘k’ Values : Criss and Winston begin by
Wear behavior of bulk oriented and fiber reinforced UHMWPE

Abstract A study of the friction and wear properties of isotropic, fiber reinforced, and bulk oriented ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was conducted on a reciprocating wear tester. The tests were carried out with a cobalt–chromium alloy cylinder sliding against a flat sample of UHMWPE in bovine serum at 1.5 Hz for over a million cycles. In the fiber reinforced material, layers of woven UHMWPE fibers were embedded in a UHMWPE matrix. Bulk orientation of UHMWPE was produced by channel die compression of standard UHMWPE. The fiber-reinforced samples were tested in one configuration and three different degrees of consolidation. The less consolidated samples failed catastrophically, and the more consolidated sample had a wear rate twice that of the unreinforced, standard UHMWPE. The channel die oriented samples were tested in various configurations and degrees of anisotropy. They all showed similar wear behavior as the standard, with a wear rate of approximately 1×10 −7 mm 3 /N m. The average values of the coefficient of friction of all the samples ranged from 0.08 to 0.11.
Constrained spectral clustering through affinity propagation

Pairwise constraints specify whether or not two samples should be in one cluster. Although it has been successful to incorporate them into traditional clustering methods, such as K-means, little progress has been made in combining them with spectral clustering. The major challenge in designing an effective constrained spectral clustering is a sensible combination of the scarce pairwise constraints with the original affinity matrix. We propose to combine the two sources of affinity by propagating the pairwise constraints information over the original affinity matrix. Our method has a Gaussian process interpretation and results in a closed-form expression for the new affinity matrix. Experiments show it outperforms state-of-the-art constrained clustering methods in getting good clusterings with fewer constraints, and yields good image segmentation with user-specified pairwise constraints.
Perceptions of colorectal cancer in a socioeconomically disadvantaged population.

This study examined 500 low socioeconomic adults' perceptions and practices regarding bowel cancer. At least 20 percent of respondents incorrectly believed homosexual men are more likely to develop bowel cancer, exercising regularly will not affect bowel cancer, bowel cancer does not run in families, and eating foods high in fat does not increase bowel cancer risks. Approximately 7 in 10 respondents did not perceive themselves as more susceptible to developing bowel cancer even though the same number of respondents acknowledged that poor people are more likely to develop bowel cancer, it will kill you. The majority of respondents did not believe that fecal occult blood tests could help save their lives if they had bowel cancer since 90 percent perceived bowel cancer as incurable even if found early. The main barriers to screening for bowel cancer identified by the respondents were: being too embarrassed to have a proctoscopic exam (77%), not wanting to know if they had bowel cancer (78%), preferring to die rather than have their bowel removed for cancer (80%), and trouble with transportation (81%). Thirty percent of the respondents had personally done a stool occult blood test and the same number claimed they had a proctoscopic exam. The results of this survey indicate that there is considerable room for improvement in knowledge, perceptions, and practices of economically disadvantaged subjects regarding bowel cancer.