cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incidence Rates of Gynecologic Cancers in the U.S. Active Duty Military Population.

INTRODUCTION Despite an increasing number of female service members, incidence rates of gynecologic cancers (other than cervical cancer) have not been previously documented in the U.S. active duty military population. This study sought to determine the incidence rates of all gynecologic, including peritoneal, malignancies in the U.S. Active Duty population compared to the general US population as reported in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database. MATERIALS AND METHODS Gynecologic cancers diagnosed in U.S. Active Duty women aged 20-59 between 2004 and 2013 were retrospectively ascertained. Cancer cases were identified in both the Automated Central Tumor Registry and the Military Health System Data Repository. All cases in Automated Central Tumor Registry plus cases recorded in Military Health System Data Repository, but not duplicative of Automated Central Tumor Registry cases, were included. Age-specific and age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated in military and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cases. RESULTS In U.S. Active Duty women, 327 incident cases of gynecologic cancer were identified. There were 110 cases of cervical cancer, 40 cases of endometrial cancer, 152 cases of ovarian cancer, and 25 other gynecologic malignancies. Of the 327 cases, 154 were ascertained from the Automated Central Tumor Registry database and the remainder from Military Health System Data Repository claims data. The age-adjusted rate of all gynecologic cancers for U.S. Active Duty women was 49.17 per 105 (95%CI 37.58, 65.12), while the age-adjusted rate for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results -18 was 42.09 per 105 (95%CI 41.83, 42.35). The kappa coefficient assessing the overlap between the data sources was -0.1937. Though insufficient in numbers for statistical analysis, the observed proportion of ovarian to cervical cancer cases in active duty women < 45 years of age was substantially greater than in the general population. CONCLUSIONS U.S. Active Duty women exhibited a similar age-adjusted rate of gynecologic cancer as the general US population. There was suboptimal overlap between the Automated Central Tumor Registry and Military Health System Data Repository databases, indicating the necessity of using both databases in order to obtain reliable data in the active duty population. This study is the current best estimate of a baseline rate of gynecologic cancer in U.S. active duty military women. This rate might change over time as women's roles and exposures in recent and future military conflicts evolve.
Analysis of monitoring results of Keshan disease from 2007 to 2011 in Baoji City of Shaanxi Province

Objective To learn the existing state of Keshan disease and its trend in Baoji City,and to provide a scientific basis for control of the disease.Methods Feng,Qianyang,Linyou and Long Counties,the Keshan disease affected areas were selected to carry out the case study,and Keshan cases were searched from all registered cases of myocardial patients of the past three years at county-level medical institutions and hospitals of townships(towns).Thirteen villages affected by Keshan disease in Qianyang,Fengxiang,Feng,Linyou and Long Counties were selected as monitoring points to carry out a intensified monitoring.All subjects were surveyed by comprehensive clinical physical examination and 12-lead ECG tracings,and they were diagnosed according to the Keshan disease diagnostic criteria.Ten households were selected randomly in each monitoring point(village),and self-produced wheat samples and adult subject's occipital hair samples were collected for detecting selenium levels.Results Seven hundred and forty-six cardiac cases which containing 17 cases of chronic Keshan disease were discovered in 32 medical institutions,and there were no acute and subacute type of Keshan disease patients.Five thousand seven hundred and twenty-three subjects were examined in the 13 monitoring sites,and 65 cases of Keshan disease were diagnosed which including 17 cases of slow and 48 cases of potential Keshan disease,and no acute or subacute case was found.The total detection rate was 1.14％,and the detection rate ranged from 0 to 2.86％.Hair selenium mean was 0.420 mg/kg; wheat selenium mean was 0.079 mg/kg.Conclusions The Keshan disease detection rate of Baoji City is at a low level.The selenium level of local residents has reached the level of non-endemic area.Constant detection of patient with Keshan disease means various control measures should be reinforced.The comprehensive monitoring program,such as monitoring people's in vivo and in vitro selenium level and others,should be established as soon as possible. Key words: Keshan disease; Monitoring and evaluation; Selenium
Innovative Applications of MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound for Neurological Disorders.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a cutting-edge technology that is changing the practice of movement disorders surgery. Given the noninvasive and innovative nature of this technology, there is great interest in expanding the use of MRgFUS to additional diseases and applications. Current approved applications target the motor thalamus to treat tremor, but clinical trials are exploring or plan to study noninvasive lesions with MRgFUS to ablate tumor cells in the brain as well as novel targets for movement disorders and brain regions associated with pain and epilepsy. Although there are additional potential indications for lesioning, the ability to improve function by destroying parts of the brain is still limited. However, MRgFUS can also be applied to a brain target after intravenous delivery of microbubbles to create cavitations and focally open the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This has already proven to be safe and technically feasible in human patients with Alzheimer's disease, and this action alone has potential to clear extracellular pathology associated with this and other neurodegenerative disorders. This also provides a foundation for noninvasive intravenous delivery of therapeutic molecules to precise brain targets after transient disruption of the BBB. Certain chemotherapies for brain tumors, immunotherapies, gene, and cell therapies are all examples of therapeutic or even restorative agents that normally will not enter the brain without direct infusion but which have been shown in preclinical studies to effectively traverse the BBB after transient disruption with MRgFUS. Here we will review these novel applications of MRgFUS to provide an overview of the extraordinary potential of this technology to expand future neurosurgical treatments of brain diseases.
MLK Versus BLM in Changing Hearts and Minds

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught some important lessons about the long-term detrimental effects of intimidation and violence in pursuit of changing social norms. The Black Lives Matter movement could benefit from those lessons. Real social change, that is, changing hearts and minds, is imperiled, not promoted, by aggressive confrontation. King intuitively understood what today's social science tells us: One might gain the temporary social power to intimidate others to behave in particular ways but such intimidation only produces resentment and resistance that make it harder to "transform" your enemy, as King implored.
Bandwidth Enhanced Folded Unipole Antenna for VLF Measurements

folded unipole antennas have been used in AM radio communications since mid-90s. These antennas are capable of operating within a large bandwidth. Despite the history, large bandwidth and wide usage rigorous mathematical analysis and simulation results are not widely available for this antenna configuration. In this work, we present mathematical analysis and simulation results for a bandwidth enhanced folded unipole antenna which can be used effectively in the Very Low Frequency (VLF: 3 – 30 kHz) range, while keeping the antenna dimensions feasible.
Highly Underactuated Radial Gripper for Automated Planar Grasping and Part Fixturing

Grasping can be conceptualized as the ability of an end-effector to temporarily attach or fixture an object to a manipulator—constraining all motion of the workpiece with respect to the end-effector’s base frame. This seemingly simplistic action often requires excessive sensing, computation, or control to achieve with multi-fingered hands, which can be mitigated with underactuated mechanisms. In this work, we present the analysis of radial graspers for automated part fixturing and grasping in the plane with a design implementation of a single-actuator, 8-finger gripper. By leveraging a passively adaptable mechanism that is under-constrained pre-contact, the gripper conforms to arbitrary object geometries and locks post-contact as to provide form closure around the object. We also justify that 8 radially symmetric fingers with passive locking are sufficient to create robust form closure grasps on arbitrary planar objects. The underlying mechanism of the gripper is described in detail, with analysis of its highly underactuated nature, and the resulting form closure ability. We show with a wide variety of objects that the gripper is able to acquire robust grasps on all of them, and maintain maximal quality form closure on most objects, with each finger exerting equal grasp force within ±2.48 N.
Prospective Phase II Study to Evaluate Response to Two Induction Courses (12 intravesical instillations) of BCG Therapy for High-risk Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer.

Abstract Objective To test whether 2 sequential BCG-induction courses improve the response of high-risk non–muscle invasive bladder cancer. Achieving a complete response (CR) to BCG is critical to disease-free survival. Patients with preexisting BCG-specific immunity owing to prior exposure to BCG have longer disease-free survival than BCG-naive patients likely due to heterologous immunity from the initial priming of the immune system. We evaluated this hypothesis in a phase II prospective clinical trial. Methods From 2015 to 2018, we recruited patients with primary or recurrent NMIBC (high-grade Ta, T1 tumors, with or without CIS) to receive 2-induction courses (12 intra-vesical instillations) of BCG. The primary aim of the study was CR rate 6 months after start of the first BCG induction. CR was defined as no tumor at cystoscopy or TURB biopsy. No maintenance BCG was given. We targeted at least 75 evaluable patients, and a CR of 80% or better was deemed significant. Results Eighty-one patients agreed to participate. Five withdrew before starting BCG, leaving 76 evaluable patients. Sixty-three patients (83%) completed the 12 instillations on schedule. Of these, 62 patients (91%) had a CR at 6 months. None of the patients had tumor progression. Serious adverse event was seen in 1 patient (1%). Recurrence-free survival at 2 years after complete response was 85% (95% CI 77%, 95%). Conclusion The high response rate in patients with high-risk non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer justifies 2 BCG induction cycles in current practice.
The Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Young Men in Tanzania: A Latent Class Analysis of Patterns and Outcomes.

Few studies of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and sexual risk behavior among men have examined how multiple dimensions of these behaviors intersect in ways that may uniquely elevate health risks. The current study used latent class analysis to: (1) identify distinct patterns of IPV and sexual risk behavior in a sample of Tanzanian men (n = 985) and (2) examine associations between identified patterns and health outcomes. Four classes were identified: normative (64% of the sample), IPV only (14%), sexual risk only (13%), and comorbid IPV/sexual risk (5%). Compared to men in the normative subgroup, men in the comorbid group had significantly higher odds of STI infection, higher perceived HIV risk, and greater odds of substance use. Findings provide evidence that engaging in IPV and multiple sexual partnerships (i.e., a comorbid pattern) denotes elevated health risks across a range of indicators, suggesting the importance of targeted treatment and prevention efforts for men in this subgroup.
The Pacific Changes Color

With Japan, Russia and China as main actors, the Pacific stage is undergoing a process of change.
Scheduling and resource allocation in autonomous service networks

Grid computing and web services are models where organizations can charge a fee or trade resources with clients for use of services, making it possible for clients to use resources that are too expensive, too esoteric, or inefficient for individual clients to manage or maintain. Benefits of these models come with a loss of control over job execution and uncertainty about job completion: distributed services are not under client control. Clients cannot allocate resources to recover from inaccurate runtime estimates, delays, and execution hazards. We introduce “surety” as the probability that a composed program will finish execution within a deadline window forecast by the service provider. Short runtime services with a high surety (high confidence of success) are more valuable than services with long running times and lower surety. Selection of service providers depends on client valuation of time, cost, and surety, simultaneously. Earlier schedulers treated the remote service problem as a multivariate optimization accounting for only two variables: cost and time. Distributed computation schedulers often assume a cooperative environment where delays are rare, and that initial estimates are perfect. Our work addresses systems that may be rife with uncertainty, affecting the reliability of schedules generated a priori. We present a new scheduler (the Surety-Based Scheduler) that uses a statistical notion of surety to mitigate uncertainty in distributed computing environments and to select strategies to recover from runtime hazards. The scheduler takes programs composed of distributed services and completes them within client-specified soft deadlines by targeting a minimum level of surety throughout program execution. We demonstrate scheduling, runtime progress monitoring, and schedule repair. Monitoring coupled with reactive rescheduling provides clients with the surety of distributed job completion, similar to performance expected from programs running on local resources. By making programs composed of distributed services more reliable, these compositions become an increasingly viable solution for a wide range of problems, and become an appropriate solution for a larger class of clients. Our work is broadly applicable to any system where estimates may be gathered a priori and where clients may monitor runtime progress.
The Action of Polyene Antibiotics on Phospholipid-Cholesterol Structures

Artificial spherules of phospholipid were prepared with and without cholesterol present, so as to sequester anions (H2PO4- or CrO4=) or glucose. The effect of several polyene antibiotics upon release of anions or glucose was determined, and it was found that, whereas filipin and etruscomycin released similar amounts of these markers whether or not cholesterol was preincorporated into the spherules, amphotericin B and nystatin were far more effective when cholesterol was preincorporated. Ergosterol could be substituted for cholesterol. Release of anions or glucose from spherules by other membrane-active agents, such as etiocholanolone, deoxycorticosterone, diethylstilbestrol, streptolysin S, or Triton X-100, was unaffected by the presence or the absence of cholesterol. It was found that an ovolecithin to cholesterol ratio of 15:1 was optimal for release of markers both by filipin and by amphotericin B. By electron microscopy, the lamellar substructure of polyene-disrupted spherules was seen to be altered. Whereas filipin or deoxycorticosterone induced such morphological changes in spherules prepared with and without cholesterol, amphotericin B produced morphological changes only in spherules formed in the presence of cholesterol. These studies support the hypotheses that polyene antibiotics interact with purified lipids present in biological membranes and that amphotericin B and nystatin preferentially disrupt membranous structures which contain cholesterol. They also show that filipin and etruscomycin disrupt spherules of pure phospholipid prepared in the absence of cholesterol, and thereby suggest qualitative differences in the mode of action of the several polyene antibiotics.
Interaction of Ammonia Monooxygenase from Nitrosomonas europaea with Alkanes, Alkenes, and Alkynes.

Ammonia monooxygenase of Nitrosomonas europaea catalyzes the oxidation of alkanes (up to C8) to alcohols and alkenes (up to C5) to epoxides and alcohols in the presence of ammonium ions. Straight-chain, N-terminal alkynes (up to C10) all exhibited a time-dependent inhibition of ammonia oxidation without effects on hydrazine oxidation.
Esophageal electric fields are correlated to atrial defibrillation thresholds: towards patient-specific optimization of external atrial defibrillation.

Studies have investigated the effect of defibrillator paddle position on the efficacy of external electrocardioversion of atrial fibrillation, without agreeing upon an optimal placement. We wish to investigate using esophageal electric fields (EEFs) to predict atrial defibrillation thresholds (ADFTs) on a patient-specific basis. We propose to (1) investigate the relationship between EEFs and ADFTs using computer simulations, (2) develop an esophageal probe that can accurately measure three- dimensional electric fields and (3) investigate the relationship between EEFs and ADFTs values in-vivo. Sixteen anterior- anterior and eleven anterior-posterior placements were simulated yielding a negative relationship between EEFs and ADFTs (R 2 =0.91 and 0.93, respectively). An esophageal probe was developed that accurately measures EEFs. Animal studies showed a negative relationship between EEFs and ADFTs. This data suggests using EEFs to predict ADFTs on a patient- specific basis is plausible.
A Review of “International Trade and Economic Growth”

Authors Van den Berg and Lewer present a standard evaluation of trade theory evolution and conclude that, though detractors remain in evidence, mainstream economists have repeatedly countered the c...
Face recognition across pose using view based active appearance models (VBAAMs) on CMU multi-PIE dataset

In this paper we address the challenge of performing face recognition of a probe set of non-frontal images by performing automatic pose correction using Active Appearance Models (AAMs) and matching against a set of enrollment gallery of frontal images. Active Appearance Models are used as a way to register and fitting the model to extract 79 facial fiducial points which are then used to partition the face into a wire-mesh of triangular polygons which are used to warp the facial image to a frontal facial mesh pose. We extend to use View-Based Active Appearance Models (VBAAMs) which are able to represent a preset number of poses better than synthesizing a single AAM to handle all possible pose variations. We demonstrate our approach is able to achieve high performance results on the new larger CMU Multi-PIE dataset using 249 different people with 15 different pose angles and 20 different illumination variations under 2 different expressions (total of 149400 images). We show that our proposed pose correction approach can improve the recognition performance of many baseline algorithms such PCA, LDA, Kernel Discriminant Analysis (KDA) on the CMU Multi-PIE dataset.
Hierarchical place trees: a portable abstraction for task parallelism and data movement

Modern computer systems feature multiple homogeneous or heterogeneous computing units with deep memory hierarchies, and expect a high degree of thread-level parallelism from the software. Exploitation of data locality is critical to achieving scalable parallelism, but adds a significant dimension of complexity to performance optimization of parallel programs. This is especially true for programming models where locality is implicit and opaque to programmers. In this paper, we introduce the hierarchical place tree (HPT) model as a portable abstraction for task parallelism and data movement. The HPT model supports co-allocation of data and computation at multiple levels of a memory hierarchy. It can be viewed as a generalization of concepts from the Sequoia and X10 programming models, resulting in capabilities that are not supported by either. Compared to Sequoia, HPT supports three kinds of data movement in a memory hierarchy rather than just explicit data transfer between adjacent levels, as well as dynamic task scheduling rather than static task assignment. Compared to X10, HPT provides a hierarchical notion of places for both computation and data mapping. We describe our work-in-progress on implementing the HPT model in the Habanero-Java (HJ) compiler and runtime system. Preliminary results on general-purpose multicore processors and GPU accelerators indicate that the HPT model can be a promising portable abstraction for future multicore processors.
SIRT3 Is Crucial for Maintaining Skeletal Muscle Insulin Action and Protects Against Severe Insulin Resistance in High-Fat–Fed Mice

Protein hyperacetylation is associated with glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, suggesting that the enzymes regulating the acetylome play a role in this pathological process. Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), the primary mitochondrial deacetylase, has been linked to energy homeostasis. Thus, it is hypothesized that the dysregulation of the mitochondrial acetylation state, via genetic deletion of SIRT3, will amplify the deleterious effects of a high-fat diet (HFD). Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp experiments show, for the first time, that mice lacking SIRT3 exhibit increased insulin resistance due to defects in skeletal muscle glucose uptake. Permeabilized muscle fibers from HFD-fed SIRT3 knockout (KO) mice showed that tricarboxylic acid cycle substrate–based respiration is decreased while fatty acid–based respiration is increased, reflecting a fuel switch from glucose to fatty acids. Consistent with reduced muscle glucose uptake, hexokinase II (HKII) binding to the mitochondria is decreased in muscle from HFD-fed SIRT3 KO mice, suggesting decreased HKII activity. These results show that the absence of SIRT3 in HFD-fed mice causes profound impairments in insulin-stimulated muscle glucose uptake, creating an increased reliance on fatty acids. Insulin action was not impaired in the lean SIRT3 KO mice. This suggests that SIRT3 protects against dietary insulin resistance by facilitating glucose disposal and mitochondrial function.
Resistance to subsidence of an uncemented femoral stem after cerclage wiring of a fissure.

Objective To compare: (1) the force required to initiate subsidence, and (2) the relative subsidence, of femoral stems implanted into intact femora, and then into the same femora in which an induced fissure had been stabilized by cerclage. Study Design In vitro, mechanical study. Sample Population Femora (n=9) from 9 dogs. Methods Femora were prepared for implantation of an uncemented stem. Stems were implanted with continuous and impact loading. After axial loading until a fissure occurred, the stems were extracted, and the fissure stabilized with double-loop cerclage. Stems were reimplanted, and reloaded to failure. Results Mean±SD load to initiate subsidence in intact femora was 1706±584 N compared with 2379±657 N for cerclaged bones (P=.002). Mean relative subsidence of intact femora was 3.99±2.09 mm compared with 1.79±2.99 mm for cerclaged bones (P=.091). Conclusions The load to initiate subsidence is increased in femora that have fissured, then have been stabilized with double-loop cerclage, when compared with intact femora. The relative subsidence is not different between intact and stabilized specimens.
Evidence for the renal paratubular transport of glutathione

The catabolism of glutathione in various nonrenal tissues occurs through an interorgan process [ 1,2]. For example, the turnover of glutathione within rat liver is initiated by the unidirectional release of glutathione to the blood plasma [3]. The released glutathione is carried to the kidney where it is nearly quantitatively extracted and degraded to its constituent amino acids [4,5]. The glutathionemia and the pronounced glutathionuria observed in a patient who lacks detectable -r-glutamyltranspeptidase [6] and in mice treated with inhibitors of y-glutamyltranspeptidase [7,8] indicate that this enzyme catalyzes the initial reaction in glutathione catabolism. The transpeptidase is an amphipathic membrane glycoprotein [9] that is found to the greatest extent in the kidney. Within this tissue, the enzyme is primarily associated with the brush border membrane of the proximal tubule cells [lo], where it is asymmetrically orientated on the lumenal surface [ 111. the glomeruli even when the arterial glutathione concentration is increased to a value 200-fold greater than normal [5]. Therefore, the kidney may contain a mechanism for the transport of glutathione across the basolateral plasma membrane. However, small amounts of y-glutamyltranspeptidase may be associated with the glomeruli [13], with the renal microvasculature [14], or with the basolateral membrane of the proximal tubule [ 151. Thus, the apparent extraction of glutathione by the kidney may be due to its catabolism within the post-glomerular paratubular space. In order to resolve these two possibilities, we have used the procedures in [16] to study the renal paratubular handling of glutathione.
Magnetic Nanocomposite for Potential Ultrahigh Frequency Microelectronic Application

Cobalt ferrite nanocomposites were investigated as example materials for microelectronic applications in the ultrahigh frequency range. Both static magnetic properties (magnetization versus applied field curve) and dynamic properties (complex permeability and permittivity at frequencies up to 1 GHz) were studied. When the ferritic density reached a certain level, the coercivity of the composite material decreased and the permeability increased noticeably. This phenomenon indicated the establishment of magnetic coupling between particles, which is necessary for magnetic nanocomposites to be used in electronic applications. Compared to magnetic composites made of micron-sized fillers, the magnetic loss of the nanocomposites was lower. However, the permeability of the nanocomposite was also lower. Cobalt zinc ferrite nanocomposites were prepared to explore the effect of composition, which revealed that the permeability of the magnetic nanocomposite could be improved by modifying the composition.
Slag-Cement-Bentonite Slurry Walls

In both the United States and the United Kingdom, slurry walls are used as vertical barriers to control groundwater flow and to contain contaminants as part of waste containment systems. In the United States, slurry walls are commonly constructed using soil-bentonite ~SB! and the barrier typically consists of a mixture of select soil, bentonite, and bentonite-water slurry. Alternatively, in the United Kingdom, the barrier wall comprises a mixture of cement, blast furnace slag, and bentonite-water slurry. After a comparison of the two techniques, this paper presents the results of permeability and unconfined compressive strength tests on twenty-one different mixtures of slag-cement-bentonite ~slag-CB!. The slurry wall materials tested in this study were prepared using sample formulations originating in the United Kingdom and materials originating in the United States. Unconfined compression tests were performed on samples after one month of curing, while permeability tests were performed after one, two, three, six, and twelve months of curing. For the mixtures tested and cured twelve months, two mixtures ~one having 20% cementitious material with 70% slag replacement and another having 15% cementitious material with 80% slag replacement! were found to have the lowest hydraulic conductivity s2 3 10 ˛8 cm/ sd. The data show that 0 to 60% slag replacement had little effect on hydraulic conductivity of the resulting slag-CB mixtures. However, the hydraulic conductivity drastically decreases as the slag replacement increases from 70 to 80%. As expected, the unconfined compressive strength increased as the cementitious material content increased from 10 to 15 to 20%. The slag-CB consolidates rapidly and has compression characteristics similar to other high moisture materials.
A Sr-isotopic comparison between thermal waters, rocks, and hydrothermal calcites, Long Valley caldera, California

The 87Sr/86Sr values of thermal waters and hydrothermal calcites of the Long Valley caldera geothermal system are more radiogenic than those of young intracaldera volcanic rocks. Five thermal waters display 87Sr/86Sr of 0.7081-0.7078 but show systematically lighter values from west to east in the direction of lateral flow. We believe the decrease in ratio from west to east signifies increased interaction of deeply circulating thermal water with relatively fresh volcanic rocks filling the caldera depression. All types of pre-, syn-, and post-caldera volcanic rocks in the west and central caldera have (87Sr/86Sr)m between about 0.7060 and 0.7072 and values for Sierra Nevada granodiorites adjacent to the caldera are similar. Sierran pre-intrusive metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks can have considerably higher Sr-isotope ratios (0.7061-0.7246 and 0.7090-0.7250, respectively). Hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks inside the caldera have (87Sr/86Sr)m slightly heavier than their fresh volcanic equivalents and hydrothermal calcites (0.7068–0.7105) occupy a midrange of values between the volcanic/plutonic rocks and the Sierran metamorphic rocks. These data indicate that the Long Valley geothermal reservoir is first equilibrated in a basement complex that contains at least some metasedimentary rocks. Reequilibration of Sr-isotope ratios to lower values occurs in thermal waters as convecting geothermal fluids flow through the isotopically lighter volcanic rocks of the caldera fill.
Investigation of novel inspection capability for 3D NAND device wordline inspection

Migration to a 3D implementation for NAND flash devices is seen as the leading contender to replace traditional planar architectures. The new 3D NAND architectures involve the stacking of multiple cells formed inside a high aspect ratio channel hole. However, the strategy of replacing shrinking design rules for greater aspect ratios is not without its own set of challenges, especially related to defectivity. Process integration of the wordline is a particular challenge, both for integrators as well as for defect inspection and reduction. Key defects of interest are typically sub-surface (especially voids), buried in the stack, or are residues in high aspect ratio structures. In our collaboration we investigated the performance of both current optical inspection systems as well as the value of new inspection techniques identified using simulations for buried defect detection. This simulation investigation showed the potential value of near infrared wavelengths. A prototype inspection tool was investigated which lead to the development of near infrared optimized optics for a production capable inspection tool. This study validates this capability in R&D and is now being implemented as a production monitoring solution.
Exploration of correlation between environmental factors and mobility at signalized intersections

Characterizing the relationship between environmental factors and mobility is critical for developing a sustainable traffic signal control system. In this study, the authors investigate the correlation of the environmental impacts of transport and mobility measurements at signalized intersections. A metamodeling-based method involving experimental design, simulations, and regression analysis was developed. The simulations, involving microscopic traffic modeling and emission estimation with an emerging emission estimator, provide the flexibility of generating cases with various intersection types, vehicle types, and other parameters such as driver behavior, fuel types, and meteorological factors. A multivariate multiple linear regression (MMLR) analysis was applied to determine the relationship between environmental and mobility measurements. Given the limitations of using the built-in emissions modules within current traffic simulation and signal optimization tools, the metamodeling-based approach presented in this paper makes a methodological contribution. The findings of this study set up the base for extensive application of simulation optimization to sustainable traffic operations and management. Moreover, the comparison of outputs from an advanced estimator with those from the current tool recommend improving the emissions module for more accurate analysis (e.g., benefit-cost analysis) in practical signal retiming projects.
A replication study on monkey gaits

Motion pictures were taken of a subadult male barbary ape running and walking on level ground. The film recordings were analyzed to determine the timing of limb contacts. The investigation was designed to test the conclusions of an earlier study (Prost, '65). The conclusions were substantiated.
Trends in the relationship between breastfeeding and postpartum employment in the United States.

Abstract It is widely assumed that employment and breastfeeding are relatively incompatible behaviors in the United States; yet recently both the incidence of breastfeeding and the incidence of postpartum employment increased. This paper examines the relationship between these trends from 1968–86 using data from the National Surveys of Family Growth. I find that these trends result from increases in the likelihood that a woman engages in both breastfeeding and postpartum employment. There has been an increase over time in the incidence and duration of women concurrently breastfeeding and working. However, the majority of employed women did not concurrently breastfeed, suggesting that conflicts between these behaviors still exist.
Accuracy of Alternating-Current Test Instruments

The paper deals mainly with the accuracy of instruments used under maintained conditions of load. Well designed voltmeters, ammeters, and wattmeters show very small errors due to self-heating and changes in ambient temperatures. Iron-vane ammeters are described which have small errors due to direct-current hysteresis and changes in wave-forms.
Considerations in the Measurement of Pollution Effects on the Number Concentration of Cloud Condensation Nuclei

Abstract Pollution effects on cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) concentration vary widely, sometimes even decreasing the CCN. The interpretation of these pollution effects may be invalid if the nuclei are measured by expansion-type Aitken nucleus counters operated at low expansion ratios to provide a readout (with natural nuclei) equal to that of a thermal-gradient diffusion cloud chamber (TGDCC) instrument operated at 1% supersaturation. Calculations indicate that the expansion chamber operated at a ΔP of 1.4 inch Hg produces a supersaturation of 26%, allowing for vapor depletion effects during the first few hundredths of a second after expansion. The maximum supersaturation in clouds is typically 0.1–1%; therefore, 26% causes a, large positive error. Further, vapor depletion in the instrument during droplet growth limits the growth rate and size of droplets at supersaturations which are low compared to those for which the instrument is designed. Therefore, use of the standard calibration curve contribute...
Marine Environmental Quality: NOAA's National Status and Trends Program

This nation-wide monitoring and assessment program utilizes a uniform strategy to obtain sediment, bivalve mollusc, and benthic fish samples from up to 150 sites around the U.S. coastline. Uniform analytical methodology is employed to detect and quantify a set of toxic chemicals in these samples. Also, visible and histological evidence of fish disease are determined. All data are stored in a central computerized data base so that rapid evaluation and dissemination of the data are possible. Selected data generated in the past by other agencies are being collected and organized in the data base. Summaries of both the new and the old data sets are being prepared now and can be made available to others.
Velocity spectra and turbulence using direct detection lidar and comparison with thermosonde measurements

[1] Observations of turbulence have been performed in New Hampshire near Mount Washington using two independent instruments: a ground-based direct detection Doppler lidar and a balloon-borne thermosonde. The Doppler lidar measures a time series of the velocity component parallel to the laser beam for each altitude. Spectra of the velocity time series are determined using the Scargle technique. Turbulence levels are estimated from the spectra assuming Kolmogorov behavior. The thermosonde measures the temperature difference between two sensors spaced 1 m apart, computes a running RMS average, and then determines the temperature turbulence parameter, CT2, also assuming Kolmogoroff behavior. The results show that the strongest levels of turbulence exist in a Kelvin-Helmholtz layer in the altitude range of 1.2 < z < 1.9 km. This layer shows a three-tier structure consisting of a well-mixed layer in the center with strong velocity fluctuations bounded on top and bottom by layers with strong temperature fluctuations.
A Prototype View of Expert Teaching

We call for a reconceptualization of teaching expertise, one grounded in a psychological understanding of how (a) experts differ from nonexperts, and (b) people think about expertise as they encounter it in real-world settings. To this end, we propose that teaching expertise be viewed as a category that is structured by the similarity of expert teachers to one another rather than by a set of necessary and sufficient features. A convenient way of thinking about such categories is in terms of a central exemplar or prototype (Rosch, 1978), and we believe that a prototype view can contribute in important ways to a dialogue on expert teaching. Most importantly, a prototype view provides a way of thinking about expertise that incorporates standards (such that not every experienced practitioner is an expert) but also allows for variability in the profiles of individual experts. In this article, we outline a rudimentary model of prototype-based categorization and identify possible features, drawn from psychologic...
A New Reaction Involving the Formation of Unsaturated Carbenes

Abstract Treatment of 5,5-dialkyl-N-nitrosooxazolidones (1) with Lithium ethoxide (and other bases) under certain conditions yields reaction products the formation of which seems best explained by assuming that unsaturated carbenes [A] are involved.3–5
Doing prevention science: A response to Dennis M. Gorman and a brief history of the quasi-experimental study nested within the Seattle Social Development Project

The history of the quasi-experimental intervention test nested within the Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) is described in the context of the history of delinquency and drug abuse prevention studies before and after 1980. Efforts to identify and assess threats to internal validity associated with the study design are discussed. The pattern of observed results associated with the intervention test is reviewed, and our efforts to advance both prevention theory and preventive interventions in light of these findings are described.
Experimental Study and Modeling of the Intermediate Section of the Nonisothermal Constrained Vapor Bubble

The generic nonisothermal constrained vapor bubble (CVB) is a miniature, closed heat transfer device capable of high thermal conductance that uses interfacial forces to recirculate the condensate on the solid surface constraining the vapor bubble. Herein, for the specific case of a large length-to-width ratio it is equivalent to a wickless heat pipe. Experiments were conducted at various heat loads on a pentane/ quartz CVB to measure the fundamental governing parameter fields: temperature, pressure, and liquid film curvature. An intermediate section with a large effective axial thermal conductivity was identified wherein the temperature remains nearly constant. A one-dimensional steady-state model of this intermediate section was developed and solved numerically to yield pressure, velocity, and liquid film curvature profiles. The experimentally obtained curvature profiles agree very well with those predicted by the Young-Laplace model. The operating temperature of the CVB was found to be a function of the operating pressure and not a function of the heat load. Due to experimental design limitations, the fundamental operating limits of the CVB were not reached.
Online education and its operational attractions to traditional and non–traditional college students

With global recessionary pressures still applying pressures to reduce costs and make educational services more convenient, many people previously employed found unemployment more the norm. Part of this problem may be due to lacking skills to find professional employment jobs. In an effort to promote improved marketability and enhance employment skills, many people return to college to further their education. To study the needs of students and professionals, a 54–question survey was developed and used to statistically test certain assumptions concerning information technological sophistication, preferences of educational delivery systems, personal motivational factors associated with their instructional preference at two large universities open house. It was found that traditional and non–traditional students felt that they were able to do well in an online environment, but the non–traditional group felt more on–task and focused on objectives. Interestingly, students with mobile technologies (i.e., laptop...
Rationalized evaluation subgroups of a map I: Sullivan models, derivations and G-sequences

Abstract We identify the homomorphism induced on rational homotopy groups by the evaluation map ω : map ( X , Y ; f ) → Y in terms of a map of complexes of derivations constructed directly from the Sullivan minimal model of f . This allows us to characterize the rationalized n th evaluation subgroup of f and, more generally, the rationalization of the so-called G -sequence of the map f . We use these results to study the G -sequence in the context of rational homotopy theory.
Solid oxide fuel cells with bi-layered electrolyte structure

Abstract In this work, we have developed solid oxide fuel cells with a bi-layered electrolyte of 2 μm SSZ and 4 μm SDC using tape casting, screen printing, and co-firing processes. The cell reached power densities of 0.54 W cm −2 at 650 °C and 0.85 W cm −2 at 700 °C, with open circuit voltage (OCV) values larger than 1.02 V. The electrical leaking between anode and cathode through an SDC electrolyte has been blocked in the bi-layered electrolyte structure. However, both the electrolyte resistance ( R el ) and electrode polarization resistance ( R p,a+c ) increased in comparison to cells with single-layered SDC electrolytes. The formation of a solid solution of (Ce, Zr)O 2− x during sintering process and the flaws in the bi-layered electrolyte structure seem to be the main causes for the increase in the R el value (0.32 Ω cm 2 ) at 650 °C, which is almost one order of magnitude higher than the calculated value.
Fibrillins in adult human ovary and polycystic ovary syndrome: is fibrillin-3 affected in PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age. Although genetic linkage analyses have demonstrated a susceptibility locus for PCOS mapping to the fibrillin-3 gene, the presence of fibrillin proteins in normal and polycystic ovaries has not been characterized. This study compared and contrasted fibrillin-1, −2, and −3 localization in normal and polycystic ovaries. Immunohistochemical stainings of ovaries from 21 controls and 9 patients with PCOS were performed. Fibrillin-1 was ubiquitous in ovarian connective tissue. Fibrillin-2 localized around antral follicles and in areas of folliculolysis. Fibrillin-3 was present in a restricted distribution within the specialized perifollicular stroma of follicles in morphological transition from primordial to primary type [transitional follicles (TFs)]. Fibrillin-1 and −2 stainings of PCOS ovaries were similar to those of the controls. However, in eight of the nine PCOS ovaries, there was a decrease in the number of TFs asso...
Why functional assessment is enough : A response to Reiss and Havercamp

Abstract Reiss and Havercamp (1997) recently suggested that sensitivity theory offers a basis from which to assess and treat challenging behavior exhibited by people with developmental disabilities. They contended that this approach would lead to more effective and durable interventions than would reliance on functional assessment. We respond to their claim that functional assessment is “not enough.” After briefly reviewing and critiquing sensitivity theory, we outline the basic tenets of behavior analysis and describe literature on the development and use of functional assessment methodologies with individuals with developmental disabilities exhibiting challenging behavior, responding to several of Reiss and Havercamp's comments about the utility of this approach. Finally, we discuss several limitations of behavior analysis and functional assessment, providing examples of how these limitations are being addressed.
Surgical limb perfusion for extremity melanoma

For over 35 years, various centres throughout the world have surgically perfused extremities afflicted with various stages of melanoma. Throughout these years the true effectiveness of this invasive technique has remained controversial. Herein, an attempt has been made to critically survey this literature, with emphasis on reports from the past few years, to ascertain what role limb perfusion may play in the 1990s.
A residual Monte Carlo method for discrete thermal radiative diffusion

Residual Monte Carlo methods reduce statistical error at a rate of exp(-bN), where b is a positive constant and N is the number of particle histories. Contrast this convergence rate with 1/√N, which is the rate of statistical error reduction for conventional Monte Carlo methods. Thus, residual Monte Carlo methods hold great promise for increased efficiency relative to conventional Monte Carlo methods. Previous research has shown that the application of residual Monte Carlo methods to the solution of continuum equations, such as the radiation transport equation, is problematic for all but the simplest of cases. However, the residual method readily applies to discrete systems as long as those systems are monotone, i.e., they produce positive solutions given positive sources. We develop a residual Monte Carlo method for solving a discrete ID non-linear thermal radiative equilibrium diffusion equation, and we compare its performance with that of the discrete conventional Monte Carlo method upon which it is based. We find that the residual method provides efficiency gains of many orders of magnitude. Part of the residual gain is due to the fact that we begin each timestep with an initial guess equal to the solution from the previous timestep. Moreover, fully consistent non-linear solutions can be obtained in a reasonable amount of time because of the effective lack of statistical noise. We conclude that the residual approach has great potential and that further research into such methods should be pursued for more general discrete and continuum systems.
Binding energetics of T-cell receptors: correlation with immunological consequences

Abstract Recent crystal structures of the T-cell receptor (TCR) engaged with peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) ligands suggest the TCR binds to such ligands in a conserved orientation, with key Vα residues contacting the α helices. TCR mutagenesis has permitted energy measurements of these interactions. Here, Thomas Manning and David Kranz review binding energetics data that might explain the inherent reactivity of TCRs with MHC products.