cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of an auto adaption unit for reconfigurable analog to digital converters

This paper shows an auto adaption unit for reconfigurable ADC that is designed for low power operation with the transistor being operated in weak inversion region. The presented adaptation unit separates high frequency bio-signals from low frequency bio-signals and configures the ADC in the correct mode of operation. The adaptive mechanism provides technological flexibility in order to reconfigure the analog to digital converter (ADC) resolution and sampling rate regardless of the direction of the converter. It produces control bits toconfigure the ADC, based on the frequency and amplitude of the input signal. The reconfigurable ADC along with a auto adaptation circuitis designed for bio-mpedance monitoring systems. The paper consists of pre-amplifier and utilized models of FVC and Schmitt trigger concepts to design auto adaptation unit. The adaption unit consumes 89 $$\upmu$$ W with a supply voltage of 0.8 V. Simulation results found the frequency of input signals 1 to 10 MHz for the 10 KHz input signal, the DC voltage produced by the frequency-to-voltage converter is − 691 mV.The entire circuitry is designed, simulated and analyzed by using Cadence EDA tool with 18nm Fin-FET technology.
Organometallic chemical vapor deposition and characterization of ZnGe−xSixP2-Ge alloys on GaP substrates

Abstract In this paper, we report the epitaxial growth of ZnGe 1− x Si x P 2 -Ge alloys on GaP substrates by open tube OMCVD. The chemical composition of the alloys characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy shows that alloys with x up to 0.13 can be deposited on (001) GaP. Epitaxial growth with mirror smooth surface morphology has been achieved for x ≤ 0.05. TEM micrographs of these alloys show specular epitaxy and the absence of microstructural defects indicating a defect density of less than 10 7 cm -2 . Selected area electron diffraction pattern of the alloy shows that the epitaxial layer crystallizes in the chalcopyrite structure with relatively weak superlattice reflections indicating certain degree of randomness in the cation sublattice. Hall measurements show that the alloys are p-type, like the unalloyed films; the carrier concentration, however, dropped about 10 times from 2 × 10 18 to 2 × 10 17 cm -3 . Absorption measurements indicate that the band tailing in the absorption spectra of the alloy has been shifted about 0.04 eV towards shorter wavelength as compared to the unalloyed material. Diodes fabricated from the n + -GaP/p-ZnSiP 2 -ZnGeP 2 -Ge heterostructure at x = 0.05 have a reverse break-down voltage of -10.8 V and a reverse saturation current density of ∼ 6 × 10 -8 A/cm 2 .
New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (NORSE) as a Recurrence of Anti-Neuronal Nuclear Antibody 2 (ANNA-2) Encephalitis After Immune Checkpoint Inhibition Therapy.

Paraneoplastic encephalitis from anti-neuronal nuclear antibody 2 (ANNA-2), usually associated with breast cancer, can cause seizures. We report a case of recurrent paraneoplastic encephalitis due to ANNA-2 presenting with new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) one month after receiving checkpoint inhibitors therapy. A 69-year-old female was diagnosed with opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome (OMS) secondary to ANNA-2, which led to a diagnosis of breast cancer. OMS improved with surgical resection and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Three years later, she was diagnosed with metastatic cancer to the liver and spine. She underwent immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. One month later, she was admitted with NORSE. Opsoclonus was seen at the physical exam. Brain MRI and infectious work-up were unremarkable. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed pleocytosis with lymphocytic predominance. She was treated with corticosteroids and immunoglobulins, and she had symptomatic improvement. ANNA-2 test was positive in a lower titration than three years earlier. Opsoclonus in a patient with NORSE can be the hint of ANNA-2 positivity. Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy should be carefully reconsidered in patients with a history of paraneoplastic encephalitis for ANNA-2 as it could precipitate NORSE.
Glenoid Bone Loss After First-Time Posterior Instability Events: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objectives: To prospectively determine the amount of bone loss associated with posterior instability and to determine predisposing factors based on pre-instability imaging.
A Temperature-Dependent Model for Ultimate Bearing Capacity of Energy Piles in Unsaturated Fine-Grained Soils

AbstractThis study presents an analytical framework to estimate the change in ultimate bearing capacity of energy piles in unsaturated fine-grained soils under drained mechanical loading conditions...
Emergency Care of the Abused

Any general practitioner, pediatrician, or emergency physician will appreciate the easy-to-read, accessible information available in this book which will assist the health care practitioner in managing the acute care of abused patients. It is not intended to be an exhaustive study of each topic, but a quick reference and practical guide for those in the clinical arena who see such patients. Covering a wide range of the abuse that a health care practitioner may see from domestic violence and child abuse to trafficking and torture, topics which are not commonly included in textbooks, it also discusses the cultural influences on managing and investigating abuse. Each chapter has goals and objectives to maximize educational reading on the topic, photographs and tables to assist the clinician, legal aspects of the emergency situation, and quick reference pages to assist the practitioner dealing with an abused patient in an emergency.
Chemical and physical aspects of self-healing materials

The concept of self-healing synthetic materials emerged a couple of decades ago and continues to attract scientific community. Driven primarily by an opportunity to develop life-like materials on one hand, and sustainable technologies on the other, several successful approaches to repair mechanically damaged materials have been explored. This review examines chemical and physical processes occurring during self-healing of polymers as well as examines the role of interfaces in rigid nano-objects in multi-component composites. The complex nature of processes involved in self-healing demands understanding of multi-level molecular and macroscopic events. Two aspects of self-healing are particularly intriguing: physical flow (macro) of matter at or near a wound and chemical re-bonding (molecular) of cleaved bonds. These events usually occur concurrently, and depending upon interplay between kinetics and thermodynamics of the processes involved, these transient relations as well as efficiency are critical in designing self-healing materials. This review examines covalent bonding and supramolecular chemistry in the context of molecular heterogeneities in repair processes. Interfacial regions in nanocomposites also facilitate an opportunity for supramolecular assemblies or covalent bonding which, if designed properly, are capable of self-repairs.
On the analysis of the 12C(d,τ)11B reaction at 80 MeV

Abstract The 12 C ( d ,τ) 11 B angular distribution data of Aspelund et al. are reanalyzed and found to be consistent with a negative β 2 value for 11 B.
Stimulatory effect of oral administration of green tea or caffeine on ultraviolet light-induced increases in epidermal wild-type p53, p21(WAF1/CIP1), and apoptotic sunburn cells in SKH-1 mice.

Pretreatment of SKH-1 mice with p.o.-administered 0.6% green tea (6 mg of lyophilized tea solids/ml) or 0.044% caffeine (0.44 mg/ml; concentration present in 0.6% green tea) for 2 weeks enhanced UV-induced increases in the number of p53-positive cells, p21(WAF1/CIP1)-positive cells, and apoptotic sunburn cells in the epidermis. These effects of p.o.-administered green tea or caffeine on early adaptive responses to UV provide the first demonstration of in vivo up-regulation of a tumor suppressor gene by a chemopreventive agent. The stimulatory effect of green tea and caffeine on UV-induced increases in the number of p53-positive cells, p21(WAF1/CIP1)-positive cells, and apoptotic sunburn cells may play a role in the inhibitory effects of tea and caffeine on UV-induced carcinogenesis.
Liquidity and Counterparty Risk in OTC Markets

I study dispersion of CDS premia in a theoretical over-the-counter (OTC) economy. Agents have heterogeneous expectations about counterparty and reference entity default rates. In equilibrium, spreads of CDS contracts vary based on counterparty characteristics even if reference entity risk is fixed. Price distortions from counterparty risk are more pronounced in markets with less liquidity. Heterogeneous beliefs imply agents do better than break-even from trade in expectation. I derive an equilibrium pricing kernel that allocates expected gains from trade between counterparties based on their beliefs and relative bargaining power. The model suggests central clearing counterparties will have more impact on prices in markets that are less liquid. I show the widely-used risk-neutral CDS spread is a special case of the spread obtained in the search model.
Why does renal resistive index predict mortality in chronic kidney disease

See related article, pp 382–388 Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important public health problem because it is common, expensive, and is associated with a high burden of morbidity and mortality.1 Although some people with CKD will progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), more commonly they die before they reach dialysis. The major cause of death is cardiovascular, but it is now being increasingly recognized that compared with the general population, infection-related and cancer-related deaths are also tremendously elevated in people with CKD.2,3 Many risk factors are associated with death in people with CKD but the search for prognostically important risk factors continues. Ultrasound evaluation of the kidneys is an important part of the evaluation of the patient with CKD and prognostic markers derived from this commonly performed test have received little attention. One such ultrasound-based measurement that is potentially useful for the evaluation of a variety of acute and CKDs is called the renal resistive index (RRI).4 RRI is obtained using a pulsed-wave Doppler sample volume in the distal intrarenal vessels such as the arcuate arteries (at the corticomedullary junction) or interlobar arteries (along the border of the medullary pyramids) to calculate the peak systolic velocity and the end diastolic velocity.5 RRI is calculated as the ratio of peak systolic velocity minus minimum diastolic velocity to peak systolic velocity. An elevated RRI may indicate either an elevated renal vascular resistance or an impaired vascular compliance.6 In this issue of Hypertension , Navaneethan,7 who led a collaboration of individuals from quantitative health sciences, cardiovascular medicine, and nephrology from the Cleveland Clinic, reports the prognostic value of RRI in an important cohort study. In this cohort study, enrolled from an electronic registry of patients with CKD were 1962 individuals seen at the Cleveland …
A Modular Approach to Business Ethics Integration: At the Intersection of the Stand-Alone and the Integrated Approaches

While no one seems to believe that business schools or their faculties bear entire responsibility for the ethical decision-making processes of their students, these same institutions do have some burden of accountability for educating students surrounding these skills. To that end, the standards promulgated by the Association to Advance Collegiate School of Business (AACSB), their global accrediting body, require that students learn ethics as part of a business degree. However, since the AACSB does not require the inclusion of a specific course to achieve this objective, it may be satisfied by establishing a stand-alone course in ethical decision-making, by integrating ethical decision-making into the existing curricula, by some combination of the two strategies, or through some alternative mechanism. Notwithstanding the choice of delivery process, though, the institution must ensure that it is able to demonstrate the students’ achievement of learning with regard to ethics, a bar that was raised, or arguably simply modified, in 2003. With learning objectives designed precisely to measure the student delta based on content, process and engagement in a particular class, those programs that have opted for stand-alone ethics courses may be (though not necessarily are) more prepared to respond to assessment-related inquiries regarding their programs or satisfaction of the standards. The relevance of the AACSB standards modification to the current efforts at ethics integration in business programs is instead a re-examination of how to create a program of integration that is designed to ensure the most effective learning results possible, while responding to the challenges presented by the integrated approach. The purpose of this article is to explore some of those challenges that may be somewhat universal to business school programs implementing the integrated approach, and to share one large university’s response to those challenges, along with lessons learned.
A high incidence of parasitism ofHeliothis SPP. [Lep.: Noctuidae] larvae in cotton in Southeastern Arkansas

During 1981 and 1982, bollworm,Heliothis zea (Boddie), and tobacco budworm,H. virescens (F.), larvae (n=3,666) were collected from 41 cotton fields near Portland, Arkansas (USA) to assess the occurrence of parasitism. Three strategies were employed to controlHeliothis spp. in these fields: (1) release ofTrichogramma pretiosum Riley; (2) insecticidal control; or (3) inaction (check). Insecticide use in nonchemical control fields was reduced, but not eliminated.Heliothis spp. larvae collected in cotton had higher parasitism rates in 1981 (30.9%) and 1982 (50.1%) than had been reported for cotton since the advent of organochlorine insecticide usage. Four species of larval parasites and 1 species of larval-pupal parasite were recorded. The larval parasiteMicroplitis croceipes (Cresson) comprised 90.6% and 94.5% of all parasitic insects reared from field collectedHeliothis spp. in 1981 and 1982, respectively. No difference (P>0.05) in level of parasitism existed betweenH. zea andH. virescens. Differences between treatments occurred only in 1982 whenH. zea larvae were parasitized at a greater (P<0.05) rate in check fields (68.3%) than in insecticidal control fields (44.3%). Higher levels of larval parasitism in cotton fields may be a consequence of reduced insecticide usage and changes in materials applied, particularly the pyrethroids.
Cannabis sativa: Ultrastructural changes in organelles of neurons in brain septal region of monkeys

Ultrastructural studies of layer V pyramidal neurons of the septal region of rhesus monkeys exposed to smoke of active marihuana and of those exposed to intravenous delta-9-THC revealed low volume density and various degrees of fragmentation and disorganization of rough endo-plasmic reticulum. In contrast, no changes were observed in these neurons of the septal region of control monkeys (unexposed monkeys and one monkey exposed to smoke of inactive marihuana). There were no significant differences in volume density of mitochondria or golgi apparatus between exposed animals and controls.
Kant's Conception of Respect and African American Education Rights.

Immanuel Kant envisioned a kind of respect in which one recognizes each human (1) as being not fully comprehensible by any human understanding, (2) as being an end in him- or herself, and (3) as being a potential source of moral law. In this essay, Gregory Lewis Bynum uses this conception of respect as a lens with which to examine African American education rights on three levels: the individual level (the level of individual persons' moral experience and moral significance), the community level (the level of the formation and sustaining of social groups that have value for humanity), and the global level (the level of a universal community of humanity). Bynum's goal in this examination is to strengthen our practical understanding of African Americans' right to education defined, in accordance with international human rights documents, as the right to an education that supports the full development of the human personality in a manner that respects students' “cultural identity, language, and values.”
Finite-element analysis of flows of non-Newtonian fluids in three-dimensional enclosures

Abstract A finite-element model based on the penalty function formulation of the Navier-Stokes equations governing flows of unsteady, incompressible, non-isothermal, non-Newtonian fluids in three-dimensional enclosures is presented. Power-law and Carreau constitutive relations are used, and the viscosity is assumed to be temperature dependent. The resulting non-linear equations are solved by Picard's method (i.e. direct iteration). The finite-element model is used to analyze several problems, such as flows through circular pipe, cubical cavity, and tubular and square contractions. Wherever possible, comparisons are made between present numerical solutions and available analytical or numerical solutions. The present results are in good agreement with other solutions. The finite-element model developed here can be modified to accommodate other forms of constitutive relations.
Health Plan Competition For Medicaid Enrollees Based On Performance Does Not Improve Quality Of Care

Incentives to improve the quality of care provided in Medicaid managed care plans are increasingly common and take many forms. One is a pay-for-performance program that automatically assigns new enrollees to better-performing Medicaid plans in California. Our qualitative and quantitative study of this program examined the expected and actual impacts of the performance incentive on all areas of care. We compared quality outcomes in plans included in the pay-for-performance, “auto-assignment” incentive and comparable outcomes in plans that were not included. We found that quality did not improve significantly faster in plans included in the incentive scheme. Combined with some evidence of negative impact on other areas of care, the findings raise questions about the usefulness of this program in California Medicaid, and about similar programs in other states.
Regulation of mucosal B cell immunoglobulin secretion by intestinal epithelial cell-derived cytokines.

Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) secrete a variety of cytokines and, because of their close proximity to B cells in the lamina propria, may affect local antibody production via these cytokines. However, studies have not yet addressed which and to what extent these IEC-derived cytokines may affect B cell antibody production. In this study, rat mesenteric lymph node B cells were cultured with culture supernatants from the rat IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cell line to determine their effect on immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion. Unstimulated IEC-6 cells were found to secrete sufficient levels of IL-6 to enhance IgA, IgG and IgM secretion by unstimulated B cells. However, culture of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated B cells with the unstimulated IEC-6 supernatant resulted in an enhancement of IgA secretion while IgM secretion was significantly suppressed. Depletion of the IEC-6 supernatant using cytokine specific antibodies revealed that both interleukin 6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) were responsible for the enhanced IgA secretion while TGF-beta suppressed IgM secretion. More importantly, culture supernatants from LPS stimulated IEC-6 cells contained enhanced levels of IL-6 which enhanced both IgG and IgA production and partially overcame the suppressive effect of TGF-beta on IgM secretion. These results suggest that intestinal epithelial cells may secrete IL-6 and TGF-beta to regulate local B cell antibody secretion and their effect may be highly dependent upon the activation state of the epithelial cells.
Reliability and survivability of wireless and mobile networks

The world is becoming more dependent on wireless and mobile services, but the ability of wireless network infrastructures to handle the growing demand is questionable. As wireless and mobile services grow, weaknesses in network infrastructures become clearer. Failures not only affect current voice and data use but could also limit emerging wireless applications such as e-commerce and high-bandwidth Internet access. As wireless and mobile systems play greater roles in emergency response, including 911 and enhanced 911 services, network failures take on life-or-death significance. Therefore, in addition to directing some attention to designing survivable wireless and mobile networks, developers must also keep in mind that increasingly pervasive and demanding services will further escalate the importance of reliability and survivability requirements. The authors explain several options providers must consider to decrease the number of network failures and to cope with failures when they do occur.
Effect of Peptides and Amino Acids on Efficiency of Rumen Bacterial Protein Synthesis in Continuous Culture

Five species of rumen bacteria were grown in continuous culture to study effects of peptides and amino acids on efficiency of energy utilization for microbial protein synthesis. Decreasing the source of amino acids from .5 g/liter to 0 g/liter with glucose at .5 g/liter caused the yield of bacterial protein to decrease, but the most dramatic effects were from concentrations of amino acid source below .062 g/liter. Whereas the highest concentration of peptides and amino acids always resulted in the highest yields of bacterial protein, conversion of amino acids to cell protein was usually poor. Amino acids were converted most efficiently to bacterial protein at concentrations of amino acid source below .031 g/liter. Concentrations of dietary protein needed to maximize synthesis of rumen bacterial protein may not be associated necessarily with the most efficient utilization of dietary protein in the ruminant animal.
Evaluation of a bioresorbable hyaluronate-carboxymethylcellulose membrane for prevention of experimentally induced abdominal adhesions in horses.

Objective— To evaluate the efficacy of a bioresorbable hyaluronate-carboxymethylcellulose membrane (HA-membrane) for prevention of experimentally induced abdominal adhesions in horses. Study Design— Experimental study. Animal Population— Twelve healthy adult horses. Methods— The effect of an HA-membrane on adhesion formation was evaluated in 12 healthy horses using an established model of serosal trauma to induce adhesions. A ventral median celiotomy and two jejunal resections and end-to-end anastomoses were performed. Two separate jejunal areas were abraded, and three 2–0 chromic gut sutures placed in the abraded areas. In treated horses (n = 6), HA-membranes were applied to the jejunum to completely cover the anastomoses and abraded areas of jejunum. Nontreated horses (n = 6) served as controls. All horses were killed 10 days after surgery. The abdominal cavity was evaluated for adhesion formation. The frequency of intra-abdominal adhesions between groups was compared with a x2 test with statistical significance set at P < .05.. Results— All control horses had intra-abdominal adhesions; fibrous adhesions were associated with both jejunal abrasion sites in 5 horses. One treated horse developed adhesions. There were significantly fewer adhesions in the HA-membrane-treated group (P < .0034). Conclusions— In this experimental model, application of an HA-membrane to a localized area of serosal trauma reduced the frequency of intra-abdominal adhesion formation. Clinical Relevance— Application of an HA membrane may decrease the frequency of adhesions in horses at an increased risk of postoperative adhesion formation.
Multidisciplinary analysis and design of printed wiring boards

Modern printed wiring board design depends on electronic prototyping using computer-based simulation and design tools. Existing electrical computer-aided design (ECAD) tools emphasize circuit connectivity with only rudimentary analysis capabilities. This paper describes a prototype integrated PWB design environment denoted Thermal Structural Electromagnetic Testability (TSET) being developed at Georgia Tech in collaboration with companies in the electronics industry. TSET provides design guidance based on enhanced electrical and mechanical CAD capabilities including electromagnetic modeling testability analysis thermal management and solid mechanics analysis. TSET development is based on a strong analytical and theoretical science base and incorporates an integrated information framework and a common database design based on a systematic structured methodology.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Divine guidance and an accidentally necessary future: a response to Hunt

In his reply to my original essay, David Hunt maintains that I do not discuss how his defence of providentially useful simple foreknowledge violates the Metaphysical Principle. Further, he claims that I try to force him into both affirming and denying the accidental necessity of future events and their role in explaining divine advice-giving. In this response, I attempt to articulate more fully why Hunt's defence of simple foreknowledge implies that dependency loops could unfold.
Geologic implications of the oxygen isotope profile of the Toa Baja Drill Hole, Puerto Rico

The whole-rock O-isotopic compositions of volcanic and volcaniclastic samples from the Toa Baja drill hole demonstrate that low-temperature (<200°C) processes have strongly enriched the island arc materials in 18O. Subsequent to eruption, processes such as subaerial weathering, alteration during transport and deposition in volcaniclastic aprons, submarine weathering, burial diagenesis, and prograde regional metamorphism through the beginning of the prehnite-pumpellyite facies have raised average whole-rock δ18O values by ∼4‰ for basalt and andesite lava flows, and by ∼8‰ for volcaniclastic sandstones. These O-isotopic disturbances were probably caused by oxygen exchange with regionally circulating seawater under rather high water/rock conditions. The processes associated with “ageing” of volcanic and volcaniclastic materials in the oceanic environment are probably more important to the global budgets of the oxygen isotopes than has been assumed in the past. Integration of these results into global models for the oxygen isotopes awaits analysis of more varied oceanic terranes, to determine the generality of the O-isotopic conclusions preferred here, and to more carefully evaluate the relative sizes of volcanic, volcaniclastic, and oceanic oxygen reservoirs and their variabilities in time.
A one-step l-amino acid oxidase assay for intestinal peptide hydrolase activity

Abstract A rapid one-step assay for intestinal peptide hydrolase activity in mucosal homogenates, and in cytosol and particulate fractions prepared from homogenates is described. Peptide hydrolysis, and estimation of liberated l -amino acids by use of l -amino acid oxidase, peroxidase, and a chromogen are achieved by a single incubation step. The most suitable peptide substrates are dipeptides composed of one amino acid which reacts strongly and rapidly with the l -amino acid oxidase reagent and one which does not react. Brush border peptide hydrolase activity may also be estimated with this assay by performing the incubation in the presence of p -hydroxymercuribenzoate.
Bifurcation to pear-shaped equilibria of pressurized spherical membranes

Abstract We study the problem of non-spherical, axisymmetric equilibria of an inflated, spherical membrane. We model the membrane as a two-dimensional elastic body characterized by a general class of strain-energy functions, and we consider a general class of loading devices, including (soft) pressure control and (hard) control of the total mass of gas enclosed by the membrane as special cases. Employing tools of modern bifurcation theory, we illuminate the precise necessary and sufficient conditions for bifurcation from the spherical state to an axisymmetric “pear-shaped” state, and we perform a local post-bifurcation analysis. In particular, for a large class of physically reasonable strain-energy functions, we demonstrate the existence of an isola bifurcation (closed loop of non-spherical solutions), which is consistent with experimental observations.
The use of wire chambers in structural biology

Abstract Position-sensitive neutron detectors with high detection efficiency and high spatial resolution are essential for neutron protein crystallography as well as for small-angle neutron scattering on large biological assemblies. Here we report on the performance of two wire chambers recently developed by the Brookhaven Instrumentation Division. Both detectors have a spatial resolution of about 1.3 mm, a detection efficiency of about 80%, and excellent differential and integral linearities. Using small-angle data as an example, we show that the new detectors, furthermore, have excellent temporal stability and can provide difference spectra of unparalleled accuracy. The Biology small-angle spectrometer, because of its location on the constrained reactor floor, has a short secondary flight path of 2 m. High detector resolution is therefore essential to preserve the ability to measure at small angles and to record narrowly spaced diffraction fringes. In addition, we demonstrate in detail that the state-of-the-art detector makes it possible to extend the precision and resolution of a protein single-crystal data set. By measuring beam divergence, wavelength spread, and the crystal mosaic in auxilliary experiments, a set of parameters is obtained for the calculation of a spatial filter for each diffraction spot.
Private-enterprise broadcasting and accelerating dependency: Case studies from Nigeria and Uganda

This paper shows how political economy transformations in sub-Saharan Africa have led to the proliferation of privately-owned, commercial broadcasting stations. Despite assumptions that political e...
Rapid and reliable assessment of the contrast sensitivity function on an iPad.

Correspondence: Michael Dorr,Schepens Eye Research Institute,Massachusetts Eye and Ear Inﬁrmary,Department of Ophthalmology,Harvard Medical School, 20 StanifordStreet, Boston, MA 02114;michael.dorr@adaptivesensorytech.com.Submitted: January 25, 2013Accepted: September 17, 2013Citation: Dorr M, Lesmes LA, Lu Z-L,Bex PJ. Rapid and reliable assessmentof the contrast sensitivity function onan iPad. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.2013;54:7266–7273. DOI:10.1167/iovs.13-11743
The functional oculomotor network and saccadic cognitive control in healthy elders.

Decline in executive function is the most common age-associated cognitive deficit and may be a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease. The antisaccade (AS) task involves inhibition of a prepotent visuomotor response and is a well-validated executive function test in aging and neurodegeneration. We investigated the functional connectivity of the cortical oculomotor network during successful AS performance in healthy elders. Elevated BOLD activity in the right lateral frontal eye field (rlatFEF), a region linked to volume loss in individuals with impaired AS performance, was associated with worse AS performance and weaker network efficiency. In contrast, hub integrity of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) was associated with better AS performance. These data suggest that while several right lateral frontal regions are central nodes in the oculomotor network, the rlatFEF demonstrates early neural aberrations and the rDLPFC and rACC continue to support inhibitory cognitive control in healthy elders. We conclude that alterations in AS task functional connectivity, quantified as hub and network efficiency, may be clinically-relevant biomarkers of cognitive decline in executive functioning.
Planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging of the spatial vapor distribution around a monodisperse acetone droplet stream exposed to asymmetric radiant heating

Abstract The development of liquid fuelled microcombustors faces many challenges, one of which being high asymmetric heat flux across the combustion chamber. Typically, thin walls provide little resistance to convective heat transfer and therefore, allowing high heat loss rates. Insulating the walls results in high wall temperatures, which increases the likelihood that radiation plays an important role. Both of these effects have the potential to induce asymmetries and strong temperature gradients in the gas flow, relative to the more uniform environment of a conventional combustor. This investigation uses planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) to reveal the spatial vapor distribution around a monodisperse acetone droplet stream that is exposed to asymmetric radiant heating. Droplets with diameters from 117 to 222 μm flow past a single-sided array of radiant heating elements to provide the asymmetric heating. A frequency-quadrupled Nd:YAG laser provides a 266 nm light sheet to excite the acetone vapor around the droplets, which are exposed to different experimental conditions by varying parameters such as the droplet diameter and temperature of the radiating elements for a fixed exposure time of the droplets in the heated region. A CCD camera captures the fluorescence of the excited acetone vapor molecules over a broadband wavelength range between 350 and 550 nm, to give the radial and axial vapor concentration around each droplet. After processing the PLIF images, we obtain contour plots of the spatial acetone vapor concentration around the droplets which depict asymmetric vapor distribution. The potential impacts on vaporization, combustion and pollutant formation are discussed.
The analysis of sampled data servomechanisms performed on the IBM Type 650

Because of the need for more accurate and versatile control capabilities than can be obtained economically with continuous systems, discrete filters (digital computers) are being substituted as control elements in many applications. The exact response of linear systems which combine continuous and discrete filters can be obtained for discrete values of time by a series of well-defined mathematical processes. Since these processes require many computations of a repetitive nature to obtain complete response data, manual methods of computing are often not practicable and general-purpose digital computers such as the IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) type 650 are used to assist in the analysis of these systems.
The Effect of Perpetrator Motive and Dispositional Attributes on Enjoyment of Television Violence and Attitudes Toward Victims

Previous research (Zillmann & Bryant, 1975) suggests that over-retributive and under-retributive violent acts are deemed unjust, enjoyed less, and influence attitudes toward perpetrators and victims of violence. This study extends this research to examine how disposition and motive influence enjoyment and liking of victims and perpetrators. An experiment manipulating perpetrator disposition and motive for violence showed that liking for neutral targets is decreased by incongruous perpetrator disposition and motive, whereas liking for perpetrator was affected only by motive. Balance Theory is offered to explain how dispositional considerations influence the evaluation of characters and other features of a story line.
Charge Transfer Chemistry of Benzo[2,1-c:3,4-c‘]bis(1,2,3-dithiazole) (BT). Preparation and Structural Characterization of [BT][ClO4] and [BT]3[X]2 (X = ClO4- and FSO3-)

The heterocyclic π-donor benzo[2,1-c:3,4-c‘]bis(1,2,3-dithiazole) (BT) can be prepared in 60% yield by the condensation of 1,4-diaminobenzene-2,3-dithiol with sulfur monochloride. BT is also formed, in low yield, along with its 5-chloro and 5,6-dichloro derivatives, in the reaction of p-phenylenediamine with sulfur monochloride. Cyclic voltammetry on BT reveals two reversible oxidation waves at 0.61 and 1.10 V (in CH3CN, ref SCE). The ESR signal (g = 2.0175) of the radical cation BT+ [in SO2(l)] exhibits a 1:2:3:2:1 hyperfine structure with aN = 0.161 mT. BT forms radical ion salts by electro-oxidation in the presence of inorganic counterions. In addition to a 1:1 salt [BT][ClO4], the structure of which consists of a simple ionic arrangement of BT+ radical cations and ClO4- anions, BT also forms 3:2 salts, i.e., [BT]3[X]2, with X = ClO4- and FSO3-. The crystal structures of these 3:2 salts consist of triple-decker units of radical cation dimers, i.e., [BT2]2+, and neutral BT molecules. These units are pac...
Teaching patient wellness to first-year medical students: the impact on future ability to perform the history of present illness.

Objectives Curriculum innovations to improve clinical skills have been implemented at many American medical schools. A current curricular change at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine involves teaching wellness to students in the first year rather than the more traditional focus on disease processes. It is unknown, however, if focusing on wellness detracts from students’ future ability to perform the history of present illness (HPI) which requires students to focus on disease processes. Design The current study examined this issue by comparing two cohorts’ clinical skills (n=156), with one class participating in a traditional curriculum during their first year and the other in a revised curriculum teaching wellness during the first year. Each class was evaluated at the beginning of their second year to determine their level of clinical competence. Setting University of Connecticut School of Medicine Subjects Second-year medical students. Results Analyses suggested that teaching wellness did not detract from future ability to perform an HPI, and in fact students taught wellness had significantly higher history-taking scores. Conclusions Curricular innovations which stress wellness and prevention early in medical education do not detract from and may enhance students’ ability to perform the history of present illness later during medical training.
Changing men's involvement in reproductive health and family planning

The shift in focus on men's reproductive health was influenced by the 1994 Cairo (ICPD) Action Plan to promote gender equality and equity, empower women, and improve family health in society. Changing and improving the way in which men are involved in reproductive health can only have a positive impact on women's, men's, and children's health. Educating and counseling men about contraceptive choices is essential if they are to be supportive of women's reproductive health. Research on new male contraceptive methods must continue if the bias of women shouldering the major responsibility for contraception is to be eliminated.
Defining death: when physicians and families differ

Whether the law should permit individuals to opt out of accepted death standards is a question that must be faced and clarified While media coverage of the Terri Schiavo case in Florida has recently refocused public attention on end of life decision making, another end of life tragedy in Utah has raised equally challenging—and possibly more fundamental—questions about the roles of physicians and families in matters of death. The patient at the centre of this case was Jesse Koochin, a six year old boy suffering from “inoperable and incurable” brain cancer. He had been undergoing care at Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City since September 15, 2004 when “his tumor pushed his brain stem down through the skull”.1 Subsequently, two physicians independently determined that the child was “brain dead” and informed his parents that they would order life support removed within twenty four hours. Steve and Gayle Koochin overtly rejected the hospital’s definition of death. The couple, relying on traditional notions of cardiopulmonary death, obtained a restraining order to keep Jesse on a ventilator and ultimately removed the brain dead child from the hospital. The ongoing case raises the complex question of whether patients’ families should be permitted to opt out of widely accepted definitions of death in favour of their own standards. The definition of death has evolved rapidly in the United States over the past thirty five years. Until the middle of the twentieth century, the medical community, the legal system, and an overwhelming majority of the public understood death to …
Changes in phenolic acids and abscisic acid in sugar pine seed coats during stratification

The phenolic acids and abscisic acid (ABA) of sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Dougl.) seeds coats, separated by high-pressure liquid chromatography, were analyzed during 90 days stratification of the seeds. Although levels of seed coat phenolic acids and ABA declined significantly during, stratification, this decrease did not appear to be responsible for the loss of dormancy due to stratification. Lack of improved germination following washing, cracking, or removal of the seed coats, plus additional evidence, did not support a significant role for the seed coat in the dormancy of sugar pine seeds.
Postembryonic development of the central complex and protocerebral bridge of Phormia regina meigen (diptera: Calliphoridae)

Abstract The postembryonic development of the central complex and protocerebral bridge of Phormia regina Meigen was studied, using reduced silver nerve stains. The elements responsible for the development of the central body, ellipsoid body and protocerebral bridge are neuroblasts located in the larval cortex as isolated cells. These neuroblasts form the imaginal ganglion cells of these regions by a series of asymmetric and symmetric divisions. The central complex develops during the larval and pupal stages. The ellipsoid body appears first, followed later by the central body and ventral tubercles. Two isolated neuroblasts participate in the formation of the ellipsoid body, and 12 in the development of the central body. No neuroblasts were observed to participate in the development of the ventral tubercles. The central body develops from 14 nodules and cap of transverse fibers which later fuse to form the imaginal central body. The protocerebral bridge develops during the late larval and early pupal stages. It first appears as 2 nodules connected by a transverse commissure. Eight additional nodules are added to the bridge during development. These nodules fuse to form the imaginal protocerebral bridge. Each nodule is formed from the fibers of imaginal ganglion cells produced by one neuroblast. These same neuroblasts participate in the development of the central body.
Synthesis and C−C Coupling Reactivity of a Dinuclear Ni^I−Ni^I Complex Supported by a Terphenyl Diphosphine

Mono- and bimetallic complexes of nickel supported by a terphenyl diphosphine have been synthesized. The reported complexes show diverse metal−arene interactions in the solid state. Reactions of an o,o′-biphenyldiyl dinickel complex with CO and dichloroalkanes lead to fluorene derivatives, indicating the formation of carbon−carbon bonds at a bimetallic moiety.
State-specific dynamics of D2 desorption from Cu(111) : the role of molecular rotational motion in activated adsorption-desorption dynamics

We report state-specific kinetic energy distributions for ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ desorbed from Cu(111), which we have analyzed to obtain state-specific functions for adsorption probability versus kinetic energy. The dependence of these functions on vibrational state is in agreement with previous adsorption measurements. The dependence of the adsorption functions on rotational state J reveals a complex dynamical role for rotation in activated adsorption. As a function of J, the translational energy required for adsorption first increases slightly as J increases from 0 to 5 and then decreases markedly with higher J.
Registered nurses' choices regarding the use of intradermal lidocaine for intravenous insertions: the challenge of changing practice.

After a policy change that required that lidocaine be offered to every patient before an intravenous (IV) insertion, registered nurses (RNs) in this rural acute care hospital were interviewed to determine whether they had changed their practice. This study reports on the percentage of RNs who offered lidocaine before IV insertion and explores the perceived and actual barriers for those nurses who did not routinely offer patients this option. The study sample of 30 represents 8% of the RN inpatient staff. Of the sample, 30.0% said that they always offer intradermal lidocaine and reported a decrease in patients' pain, fear, and anxiety as advantages. Another 23.3% of the RNs indicated they offered lidocaine only in specific circumstances based on patients' behavior and condition and the IV site to be used. The remaining 46.7% responded that they do not offer lidocaine. The reasons for not offering lidocaine included the perception that it made the procedure more difficult, an acknowledgment that it was not a part of their routine, or they did not think of it. Both the RNs who used the lidocaine and the RNs who did not use it referred to the fact that there was poor staff knowledge and skill about how to use intradermal lidocaine successfully. Recommendations are made for addressing the identified barriers.
Multi-Ion Distributions in the Cytoplasmic Domain of Inward Rectifier Potassium Channels

Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels act as cellular diodes, allowing unrestricted flow of potassium (K+) into the cell while preventing currents of large magnitude in the outward direction. The rectification mechanism by which this occurs involves a coupling between K+ and intracellular blockers—magnesium (Mg2+) or polyamines—that simultaneously occupy the permeation pathway. In addition to the transmembrane pore, Kirs possess a large cytoplasmic domain (CD) that provides a favorable electronegative environment for cations. Electrophysiological experiments have shown that the CD is a key regulator of both conductance and rectification. In this study, we calculate and compare averaged equilibrium probability densities of K+ and Cl− in open-pore models of the CDs of a weak (Kir1.1-ROMK) and a strong (Kir2.1-IRK) rectifier through explicit-solvent molecular-dynamics simulations in ∼1 M KCl. The CD of both channels concentrates K+ ions greater than threefold inside the cytoplasmic pore while IRK shows an additional K+ accumulation region near the cytoplasmic entrance. Simulations carried out with Mg2+ or spermine (SPM4+) show that these ions interact with pore-lining residues, shielding the surface charge and reducing K+ in both channels. The results also show that SPM4+ behaves differently inside these two channels. Although SPM4+ remains inside the CD of ROMK, it diffuses around the entire volume of the pore. In contrast, this polyatomic cation finds long-lived conformational states inside the IRK pore, interacting with residues E224, D259, and E299. The strong rectifier CD is also capable of sequestering an additional SPM4+ at the cytoplasmic entrance near a cluster of negative residues D249, D274, E275, and D276. Although understanding the actual mechanism of rectification blockade will require high-resolution structural information of the blocked state, these simulations provide insight into how sequence variation in the CD can affect the multi-ion distributions that underlie the mechanisms of conduction, rectification affinity, and kinetics.
Fabrication of sub-25 nm diameter pillar nanoimprint molds with smooth sidewalls using self-perfection by liquefaction and reactive ion etching

Self-perfection by liquefaction (SPEL) was used to fabricate nanoimprint molds with an array of sub-25 nm diameter pillars (200 nm period), resulting in nearly perfect cylindrical shape and smooth sidewalls. SPEL turned an array of irregularly shaped Cr polygons into an array of nearly perfect circular dots with small diameter. The Cr dot arrays were then transferred to SiO2 or Si pillar arrays by means of reactive ion etching to produce imprint molds. High-fidelity nanoimprint lithography using the pillar molds was also demonstrated.