cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distal tips for hollow glass waveguide delivery systems

Hollow glass waveguides are an increasingly popular fiber- based delivery system for IR laser power. They are low loss and can be bent to radii less than 3 cm while maintaining an excellent modal distribution. The additional loss due to bending has been shown to scale linearly with the inverse of bending radius. For small bending radii however, this bending loss has bene shown to increase beyond this trend due to mode mixing. Oscillating modes have been observed by varying the radius of curvature for a waveguide bent into a single compete loop. Curved HGW distal tip prototypes of bore sizes 530 and 320 micrometers , were made and exhibited a 0.56 and a 0.17 dB increase in loss respectively over the straight waveguides.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Exemplary and Surrogate Models: Two modes of representation in biology

Biologists use models in two distinct ways that have not been clearly articulated. A model may be used either as an exemplar of a larger group, or as a surrogate for a specific target. Zebrafish serve as an exemplary model of vertebrates in developmental biology; rodents are both exemplary vertebrates and specific surrogates for humans in biomedical research. The distinction between exemplary and surrogate models is important, because the criteria for and implications of model choice diverge in significant ways, depending on which role the model is to serve. So, too, do the kinds of conclusions we can legitimately draw from model-based research. The divergence derives in part from the use of the two sorts of models to answer different kinds of questions: exemplary models most often serve basic research, while surrogate models are used when the target species we ultimately want to learn about is inaccessible or difficult to study, as in medical research. There are many reasons to consider exemplary and surrogate models separately: they are suited to different tasks and contexts, rest on different assumptions, and, finally, they have unique limitations.
Anticonvulsant Use and Outcomes After Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— There are few data on the effectiveness and side effects of antiepileptic drug therapy after intracerebral hemorrhage. We tested the hypothesis that antiepileptic drug use is associated with more complications and worse outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods— We prospectively enrolled 98 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and recorded antiepileptic drug use as either prophylactic or therapeutic along with clinical characteristics. Antiepileptic drug administration and free phenytoin serum levels were retrieved from the electronic medical records. Patients with depressed mental status underwent continuous electroencephalographic monitoring. Outcomes were measured with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and modified Rankin Scale at 14 days or discharge and the modified Rankin Scale at 28 days and 3 months. We constructed logistic regression models for poor outcome at 3 months with a forward conditional model. Results— Seven (7%) patients had a clinical seizur...
Penile Curvatures and Aneurysmal Defects with the Ultrex Penile Prosthesis Corrected with Insertion of the AMS700CX

AbstractPurpose: We reviewed our series of patients with an AMS700 Ultrex* penile prosthesis whose erectile deformities were corrected by replacement with AMS700CX cylinders.American Medical Systems, Minnetonka, Minnesota.Materials and Methods: Ultrex cylinders were replaced by AMS700CX cylinders in 7 men with erectile deformities.Results: Deformities were corrected successfully in all 7 patients. The penis is completely straight in 6 patients, while a mild 30-degree ventral curvature is present in 1.Conclusions: Erectile deformities with the AMS700 Ultrex penile prosthesis can be repaired successfully by replacement with the AMS700CX cylinders.
A substructure analogy for plasticity

Abstract A substructure analogy for plasticity is developed based on the interpretation of plastic deformation as an internal, generalized degree of freedom. The analogy allows concepts and procedures used in plasticity to be interpreted in terms of common methodology for structural analysis with nonlinear substructures. The analogy is used to develop the tangent, elastoplastic stiffness and flexibility matrices. Several numerical integration algorithms used for state determination in plasticity are developed and discussed in terms of standard structural analysis procedures. The role of the analogy is primarily conceptual, and may be of particular interest to those who are more familiar with structural analysis methodology than computational plasticity.
Medium‐Term Outcomes for Peripheral Pulmonary Artery Stenting in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Objective: We describe our medium-term outcomes for peripheral pulmonary artery stenting in adults with congenital heart disease. Background: Improved outcomes in congenital heart disease have lead to the evolution of transcatheter therapies in adults aimed at maintaining normal hemodynamics. Stenting for pulmonary artery narrowing is effective in children, however little is known about outcomes in adults. Methods: Retrospective data analysis and follow-up review of our complete experience with peripheral pulmonary artery stenting in adults. Results: Over a 9-year period we carried out 15 procedures, implanting 23 stents (11—left pulmonary artery) in the pulmonary arteries of 12 adult patients (7 female). Eleven patients had previous cardiac surgery. Median age at implantation was 32.5 years (range, 18.7–56.7 years) with median weight of 71.3 kg (range, 44.5–95 kg). Six patients underwent bilateral pulmonary artery stenting. Median procedure time was 140 minutes (range, 76–263 minutes) and 4 patients had other interventions performed during the same procedure. Median systolic pressure gradient across the narrowing's of 24 mmHg (range, 11–61 mmHg) was reduced to 3 mmHg (range, 0–17 mmHg) postprocedure (P < 0.001). Three patients had acute stent embolization, one of whom required surgical removal. No aneurysm formation or significant stent fractures have been noted on median follow-up of 27.4 months (range, 1–97 months). Two patients required reintervention with further stent implantation. Conclusions: Pulmonary artery stenting provides effective relief of narrowing in adults with congenital heart disease. Bilateral and/or multiple stenting are often required. Stent embolization may occur particularly in patients with associated significant pulmonary regurgitation. (J Interven Cardiol 2011;24:373–377)
Stability Properties of a Nonlinear Coherent Atomic-Molecular Poulation Trapping State

We take the Bogoliubov approach and study various low-temperature instabilities of a coherent population trapping state in an atom-molecule system involving an effective optical field and a Feshbach resonance
Granular computing for Intelligent Social Network modeling and cooperative decisions

Our objective here is to take a step toward the development of intelligent social network analysis using granular computing. In particular one can start by expressing in a human focused manner concepts associated with social networks then formalize these concepts using fuzzy sets and then evaluate these concepts with respect to social networks which have been represented using set based relational network theory. We capture this approach in what we call the paradigm for intelligent social network analysis, ISNA. Using this paradigm we provide definitions of a number of concepts related to social networks.
Obtaining and reasoning about good enough software

Software systems often exhibit a surprising flexibility in the range of execution paths they can take to produce an acceptable result. This flexibility enables new techniques that augment systems with the ability to productively tolerate a wide range of errors. We show how to exploit this flexibility to obtain transformations that improve reliability and robustness or trade off accuracy in return for increased performance or decreased power consumption. We discuss how to use empirical, probabilistic, and statistical reasoning to understand why these techniques work.
Energy efficient scheduling for hard real-time systems with fixed-priority assignment

In this paper, we study the problem of reducing the energy consumption for hard real-time systems based on fixed-priority (FP) scheme. To balance the static and dynamic energy consumption, the concept of critical speed was proposed. Moreover, when combined with the processor shutdown strategy, the critical speed was widely used as the lower bound for voltage scaling in literature. In this paper, we show that the critical speed strategy might not always be more energy efficient than the traditional DVS strategy and there is a tradeoff between these two strategies. Based on it, we propose an off-line approach to set up the energy efficient static speed schedule for real-time tasks. The simulation results demonstrate that our proposed techniques can effectively reduce the energy consumption for hard realtime systems.
Elementary Edge Waves and the Physical Theory of Diffraction

ABSTRACT A more general and rigorous form of the physical theory of diffraction (PTD) is presented. This theory is concerned with the field scattered by perfectly conducting bodies whose surfaces have sharp edges and whose linear dimensions and curvature radii are large in comparison with a wavelength. The PTD proposed here is based on the conception of elementary edge waves (EEWs). These are the waves scattered by the vicinity of an edge infinitesimal element. Their high-frequency asymptotics are given. Various definitions of EEWs (Maggi, Bateman, Rubinowicz, Mitzner, Michaeli) are discussed. Total edge waves (TEWs) scattered by the whole edge are found to be a linear superposition of all EEWs. PTD enables one to determine correctly the first (leading) term in the high-frequency asymptotic expansions for primary and multiple TEWs both in ray regions and diffraction regions such as caustics, shadow boundaries, and focal lines. Some examples of these asymptotics are given. The connection of PTD with other ...
Design considerations for the switched reluctance motor

Analytical design equations are developed to predict the performance and to guide the design of the switched reluctance motor (SRM). The use of these analytical equations to trade-off different SRM attributes is discussed. The various approximations and simplifications used in the development of the analytical design equations are justified using results obtained from a detailed computer model of the SRM and by using experimental results from a high power density SRM designed for an aircraft engine fuel pumping application. Comparisons of predicted and measured machine performance parameters for this 90 kW 25000 r/min machine, such as flux linkage curves, back EMF, electromechanical power converted, and inverter voltampere requirements are presented. It is also shown that there exists a fundamental maximum torque density that is attainable with the SRM and an estimate of this maximum torque density limit is given. The power factor for an SRM is defined and the machine parameters that determine its value are presented. This power factor is compared to the similarly defined power factor for an AC machine and found to be smaller. >
Color Display for Hyperspectral Imagery

This paper investigates RGB color composition schemes for hyperspectral imagery display. A three-channel composite inevitably loses a significant amount of information contained in the original high-dimensional data. The objective here is to display the useful information as distinctively as possible for high-class separability. To achieve this objective, it is important to find an effective data processing step prior to color display. A series of supervised and unsupervised data transformation and classification algorithms are reviewed, implemented, and compared for this purpose. The resulting color displays are evaluated in terms of class separability using a statistical detector and perceptual color distance. We demonstrate that the use of the data processing step can significantly improve the quality of color display, whereas data classification generally outperforms data transformation, although the implementation is more complicated. Several instructive suggestions for practitioners are provided.
The continuous ranked probability score for circular variables and its application to mesoscale forecast ensemble verification

An analogue of the linear continuous ranked probability score is introduced that applies to probabilistic forecasts of circular quantities. This scoring rule is proper and thereby discourages hedging. The circular continuous ranked probability score reduces to angular distance when the forecast is deterministic, just as the linear continuous ranked probability score generalizes the absolute error. Furthermore, the continuous ranked probability score provides a direct way of comparing deterministic forecasts, discrete forecast ensembles, and post-processed forecast ensembles that can take the form of probability density functions. The circular continuous ranked probability score is used in this study to assess predictions of 10 m wind direction for 361 cases of mesoscale, short-range ensemble forecasts over the North American Pacic Northwest. Reference probability forecasts based on the ensemble mean and its forecast error history over the period outperform probability forecasts constructed directly from the ensemble sample statistics. These results suggest that short-term forecast uncertainty is not yet well predicted at mesoscale resolutions near the surface, despite the inclusion of multi-scheme physics diversity and surface boundary parameter perturbations in the mesoscale ensemble design. 1
Sutureless avascular meniscal repair with a photoactive naphthalimide compound: a preliminary animal study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of 2 new photoactive naphthalimide compounds to repair a lesion in the avascular zone of the meniscus. Type of Study: In vivo animal study. Methods: Ten Barbados sheep were used as the animal model. Under anesthesia, the left knee joint was opened and 2 identical lesions were produced in the avascular zone of the medial meniscus. The posterior horn lesion was left alone and used as the control and the lesion in the anterior horn was repaired using the photoactive laser technique. The photoactive laser technique involved placing small amounts of a naphthalimide compound into the lesion and then irradiating the site with a laser (457 nm and 1.8 W/cm 2 ) for 6 minutes. Two different versions of the naphthalimide compound were produced and divided between the 10 animals. The joint was then flushed with normal saline and closed in layers with resorbable sutures. Four animals were euthanized at the end of 1 month and 6 animals were euthanized at the end of 3 months. After death, the medial meniscus was exposed, dissected free, and then placed in 10% buffered formalin for histologic preparation and staining. Results: At 1 month, the control lesions grossly showed no repair and the photochemically repaired lesions appeared to be bonded. The photochemically repaired lesions showed some bridging by an eosinophilic amorphous-appearing substance. The previous cleft within the fibrocartilaginous structure had disappeared, and early formation of connective tissue fibers was identified. However, some reduction in cellularity was seen in these tissue sections. At 3 months, again the control lesions did not show any repair response, while the photochemically repaired lesions showed results similar to the animals at 1 month, but with a less consistent pattern of tissue bonding and remodeling. The reduced tissue cellularity was still noted. There was no discernible difference between the naphthalimide compounds. Conclusions: These preliminary results demonstrate the potential usefulness of this photochemical bonding for the treatment of avascular meniscal lesions. Additional research will be necessary to fully understand the mechanism of this repair and optimize its use before any human trials. Clinical Relevance: This is a preliminary animal study investigating the short-term in vivo effects of a novel photochemical compound for the repair of meniscal lesions. This repair may someday be valuable in the repair of avascular meniscal lesions.
Delta Send-Recv for Dynamic Pipelining in MPI Programs

Pipelining is necessary for efficient do-across parallelism but the use is difficult to automate because it requires send-receive analysis and loop blocking in both sender and receiver code. The blocking factor is statically chosen. This paper presents a new interface called delta send-recv. Through compiler and run-time support, it enables dynamic pipelining. In program code, the interface is used to mark the related computation and communication. There is no need to restructure the computation code or compose multiple messages. At run time, the message size is dynamically determined, and multiple pipelines are chained among all tasks that participate in the delta communication. The new system is tested on kernel and reduced NAS benchmarks to show that it simplifies message-passing programming and improves program performance.
Phased-array antenna system for the MESSENGER deep space mission

MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) is the latest NASA Discovery mission managed by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. MESSENGER is a mission to orbit the least explored terrestrial planet, Mercury. MESSENGER's high-data-rate downlink will use the first electronically scanned phased-array antenna for a deep-space telecommunication application. Measured results for the lightweight phased-array antenna and the high-efficiency solid state power amplifiers (SSPAs) are presented. Two functional amplifiers within the X-band SSPAs provide output power that is scalable from 11 to 15 watts without major design changes. Five different hybrid microcircuits, including high-efficiency HFET amplifiers and MMIC phase shifters have been developed for use within the SSPAs. A highly efficient packaging approach enables the integration of a large number of hybrid circuits into a SSPA with a mass less than 450 g. The hybrids and the hermetic package are generic and are suitable for a wide range of space applications beyond the MESSENGER program.
Ventricular assist device implantation improves skeletal muscle function, oxidative capacity, and growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 axis signaling in patients with advanced heart failure

Background Skeletal muscle dysfunction in patients with heart failure (HF) has been linked to impaired growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 signaling. We hypothesized that ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation reverses GH/IGF-1 axis dysfunction and improves muscle metabolism in HF. Methods Blood and rectus abdominis muscle samples were collected during VAD implantation and explantation from patients with HF and controls. Clinical data were obtained from medical records, biomarkers measured by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and gene expression analyzed by reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Grip strength was assessed by dynamometry. Oxidative capacity was measured using oleate oxidation rates. Muscle fiber type and size were assessed by histology. Results Elevated GH (0.27±0.27 versus 3.6±7.7 ng/ml in HF; p=0.0002) and lower IGF-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 were found in HF (IGF-1, 144±41 versus 74±45 ng/ml in HF, p<0.05; and IGFBP-3, 3,880±934versus1,935±862ng/mlinHF,p=0.05).TheGH/ IGF-1 ratio, a marker of GH resistance, was elevated in HF (0.002±0.002 versus 0.048±0.1 pre-VAD; p<0.0039). After VAD support, skeletal muscle expression of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 increased (10-fold and 5-fold, respectively; p<0.05) accompanied by enhanced oxidative geneexpression (CD36, CPT1, and PGC1α) and increased oxidation rates (+ 1.37-fold; p<0.05). Further, VAD implantation increased the oxidative muscle fiber proportion (38 versus 54 %, p=0.031), fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) (1,005±668 versus 1,240± 670 μm 2 , p<0.001), and Akt phosphorylation state in skeletal muscle. Finally, hand grip strength increased 26.5±27.5 % at 180 days on-VAD (p<0.05 versus baseline). Conclusion Our data demonstrate that VAD implantation corrects GH/IGF-1 signaling, improves muscle structure and function, and enhances oxidative muscle metabolism in patients with advanced HF.
A frequency domain analysis of respiratory variations in the seismocardiogram signal

The seismocardiogram (SCG) signal traditionally measured using a chest-mounted accelerometer contains low-frequency (0-100 Hz) cardiac vibrations that can be used to derive diagnostically relevant information about cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary health. This work is aimed at investigating the effects of respiration on the frequency domain characteristics of SCG signals measured from 18 healthy subjects. Toward this end, the 0-100 Hz SCG signal bandwidth of interest was sub-divided into 5 Hz and 10 Hz frequency bins to compare the spectral energy in corresponding frequency bins of the SCG signal measured during three key conditions of respiration-inspiration, expiration, and apnea. Statistically significant differences were observed between the power in ensemble averaged inspiratory and expiratory SCG beats and between ensemble averaged inspiratory and apneaic beats across the 18 subjects for multiple frequency bins in the 10-40 Hz frequency range. Accordingly, the spectral analysis methods described in this paper could provide complementary and improved classification of respiratory modulations in the SCG signal over and above time-domain SCG analysis methods.
Formation of nano surfaces on endotracheal tubes using bacterial lipase solutions

Prevention of infection in endotracheal tubes is part of a nationwide effort to reduce the complications associated with patient intubation. By creating nano-rough surfaces on the endotracheal tubes, the adhesion of infectious bacteria can be decreased. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) endotracheal tubes were treated here with lipases from C. cilindracea and R. arrhisus in an effort to produce such nano-scale surfaces. The surfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to examine the dimensions of surface features produced after 24 or 48 hours of soaking. After 48 hours, nano structures were clearly observed on PVC in either lipase solution, therefore providing promise to reduce bacterial attachment.
Infectivity-Neutralizing and Hemagglutinin-Inhibiting Antibody Responses to Respiratory Coronavirus Infections of Cattle in Pathogenesis of Shipping Fever Pneumonia

Respiratory bovine coronaviruses (RBCV) emerged as an infectious agent most frequently isolated from respiratory tract samples of cattle with acute respiratory tract diseases. Infectivity-neutralizing (IN) and hemagglutinin-inhibiting (HAI) antibodies induced by RBCV infections were monitored in sequential serum samples collected from cattle during a naturally evolving and experimentally monitored epizootic of shipping fever pneumonia (SFP). Cattle nasally shedding RBCV at the beginning of the epizootic started with low levels of serum IN and HAI antibodies. An increase in serum IN antibody after day 7 led to reduction of virus shedding in nasal secretions by the majority of the cattle between days 7 and 14. A substantial rise in the serum HAI antibody was observed during the initial phase among the sick but not the clinically normal cattle which were infected with RBCV. The RBCV isolation-positive cattle that developed fatal SFP had minimal serum IN and HAI antibodies during the course of disease development. Cattle that remained negative in RBCV isolation tests entered this epizootic with high levels of serum IN and HAI antibodies, which dramatically increased during the next two weeks. Protection against SFP was apparently associated with significantly higher levels of serum IN antibodies at the beginning of the epizootic. The RBCV-neutralizing activity is associated with serum immunoglobulin G (IgG), particularly the IgG2 subclass, while RBCV-specific HAI antibody is related to both serum IgG and IgM fractions.
Integrating Chemical Information Instruction into the Chemistry Curriculum on Borrowed Time: The Multiyear Development and Evolution of a Virtual Instructional Tutorial

The impetus to incorporate instruction on the efficient and responsible practice of chemical information literacy into the undergraduate chemistry curriculum has become exceptionally urgent. At Rider University, Chemical Information Instruction (CII) has accordingly evolved from face-to-face sessions into online modules to embed information literacy skills into an Organic Chemistry II course. Through multiple methods of evaluation and assessment of student learning, the e-tutorial grew from a series of seven modules narrated by the science librarian, hosted on the University Libraries intranet, and created with labor intensive e-learning authoring software, into a series of 14 modules complete with detailed storyboards, narrated by the Organic Chemistry professor, hosted freely on the Internet, and created with simpler user-friendly software. This article describes the technological development, feedback-driven revisions, and assessment of student learning outcomes of this virtual tutorial series, while a...
LOOKING FOR HIGH FREQUENCY APPLICATIONS OF RESONANT TUNNELING DIODES: TRIGGERING

Resonant tunneling diodes (RTD’s) have been compared to Esaki tunnel diodes for high frequency applications. Resonant tunneling diodes (RTD’s) monolithically integrated with coplanar transmission lines have been used for pulse formation, with as low as 6 psec measured rise times. Triggering at 60 GHz was performed by using the RTD pulser structures as trigger circuits.
Theory of Calculation of Images of Thick Specimens

This chapter describes the theory of calculating transmission electron microscope image of thick specimens (more than a few atoms thick), including the effects of multiple (or plural) scattering. Two popular methods are presented; Bloch wave methods and multislice methods. These approximations are typically good for specimens up to a few thousand Angstroms thick.
Le changement climatique et la sécurité humaine (Climate Change and HumanSecurity)

Not infrequently, legal approaches to fighting climate change and other forms of environmental degradation adopt a post hoc litigation approach. Taking a different tack is his essay, based on the author’s presentation at a 2008 session entitled La Qualite du climat et l’internalisation du droit “Climate Quality and the Internationalization of Law” at the College de France de Paris. The essay proposes an ex ante human security approach to tackling climate change, then cites developments in international and transnational law that support such an approach.
Measuring laser power as a force: a new paradigm to accurately monitor optical power during laser-based machining operations

In laser manufacturing operations, accurate measurement of laser power is important for product quality, operational repeatability, and process validation. Accurate real-time measurement of high-power lasers, however, is difficult. Typical thermal power meters must absorb all the laser power in order to measure it. This constrains power meters to be large, slow and exclusive (that is, the laser cannot be used for its intended purpose during the measurement). To address these limitations, we have developed a different paradigm in laser power measurement where the power is not measured according to its thermal equivalent but rather by measuring the laser beam’s momentum (radiation pressure). Very simply, light reflecting from a mirror imparts a small force perpendicular to the mirror which is proportional to the optical power. By mounting a high-reflectivity mirror on a high-sensitivity force transducer (scale), we are able to measure laser power in the range of tens of watts up to ~ 100 kW. The critical parameters for such a device are mirror reflectivity, angle of incidence, and scale sensitivity and accuracy. We will describe our experimental characterization of a radiation-pressure-based optical power meter. We have tested it for modulated and CW laser powers up to 92 kW in the laboratory and up to 20 kW in an experimental laser welding booth. We will describe present accuracy, temporal response, sources of measurement uncertainty, and hurdles which must be overcome to have an accurate power meter capable of routine operation as a turning mirror within a laser delivery head.
Enhanced suppression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by combination chemotherapy with duazomycin-A and 6-mercaptopurine.

SummaryExperimental allergic encephalomelitis (EAE) in rats was used to study the immunosuppressive properties of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and a glutamine antagonist, Duazomycin A (DZM), alone and i...
Some Species of Plasmopara on Composites from Guatemala

In recent investigations of Plasmopara on composites from Guatemala and Illinois, the writer has observed a wide variation in the morphology in apparently the same species of Plasmopara. On different hosts, however, clearly discernible variations were found which appear to be sufficiently constant to warrant the separation of these fungi as distinct species. Cross inoculation experiments will be undertaken with those of which fresh material is available. Only those from Guatemala, of which fresh material is not available for inoculation, will be considered here.
Neural decoding of spoken vowels from human sensory-motor cortex with high-density electrocorticography

We present the first demonstration of single-trial neural decoding of vowel acoustic features during speech production with high performance. The ability to predict trial-by-trial fluctuations in speech production was facilitated by using high-density, large-area electrocorticography (ECoG) combined with an adaptive principal components regression. In experiments from two human neurosurgical patients with a high-density 256-channel ECoG grid implanted over speech cortices, we demonstrate that as much as 81% of the acoustic variability across vowels could be accurately predicted from the spatial patterns of neural activity during speech production. These results demonstrate continuous, single-trial decoding of vowel acoustics.
Ultrafast Photoemission Spectroscopy of the Uranium Dioxide UO 2 Mott Insulator: Evidence for a Robust Energy Gap Structure

Time-resolved photoemission spectroscopy utilizing a probe energy of 32.55 eV and a pump energy of 3.1 and 4.65 eV with 30 fs temporal resolution is used to study the carrier dynamics in the $5f$ Mott insulator uranium dioxide (${\mathrm{UO}}_{2}$). The Mott gap and on-site Coulomb interaction energies are measured directly as ${E}_{\text{gap}}=2.5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$ and ${U}_{C}=5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$, respectively, and the dynamics of the upper Hubbard band is mapped. The $f\text{\ensuremath{-}}f$Mott-Hubbard dynamics involves subpicosecond fluence-dependent relaxation, followed by decay via coupling to the lattice upon formation of excitonic polarons. Instead of an expected metallic transition, we observe a robust Mott gap structure, even at high pump fluences.
Disorders of Purine Metabolism

Abstract Inherited defects of purine and pyrimidine metabolism have been well documented in 11 different syndromes, many of which are associated with neurologic abnormalities. Lesch–Nyhan disease is the most common and best studied of these disorders. The defect is a lack of activity of the enzyme hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). Affected patients have an enormous overproduction of purines, hyperuricemia, uricosuria and all of the complications of gout, including arthritis, tophi, renal calculi, and renal failure resulting from the deposition of urate in renal parenchyma. The neurologic disease has often been diagnosed as cerebral palsy; patients are spastic and hyperreflexic, and they are impressively dystonic. The movement disorder may also be choreic or athetoid. The behavior has been classified as a behavioral phenotype. Its most striking characteristic is self-injury, particularly through biting. Partial amputations have been seen. Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase abnormality is another hyperuricemic disorder coded for by a gene on the X chromosome. In this situation, the abnormal enzyme is overactive. Sensorineural deafness is another characteristic. Some patients have been mentally retarded, but our patient was thought to be retarded until it was realized he was deaf. The hyperuricemic features of both diseases are effectively treated by xanthine oxidase inhibitors.
Students' perceptions of a blended learning experience in dental education

Introduction “Flipped” instructional sequencing is a new instructional method where online instruction precedes the group meeting, allowing for more sophisticated learning through discussion and critical thinking during the in-person class session; a novel approach studied in this research. Purpose The purpose of this study was to document dental students' perceptions of flipped-based blended learning and to apply a new method of displaying their perceptions based on Likert-scale data analysis using a network diagramming method known as an item correlation network diagram (ICND). In addition, this article aimed to encourage institutions or course directors to consider self-regulated learning and social constructivism as a theoretical framework when blended learning is incorporated in dental curricula. Materials and Methods Twenty (second year) dental students at a Northeastern Regional Dental School in the United States participated in this study. A Likert scale was administered before and after the learning experience to obtain evidence of their perceptions of its quality and educational merits. Item correlation network diagrams, based on the intercorrelations amongst the responses to the Likert-scale items, were constructed to display students' changes in perceptions before and after the learning experience. Results Students reported positive perceptions of the blended learning, and the ICND analysis of their responses before and after the learning experience provided insights into their social (group-based) cognition about the learning experience. The ICNDs are considered evidence of social or group-based cognition, because they are constructed from evidence obtained using intercorrelations of the total group responses to the Likert-scale items. Conclusions The students positively received blended learning in dental education, and the ICND analyses demonstrated marked changes in their social cognition of the learning experience based on the pre- and post-Likert survey data. Self-regulated learning and social constructivism are encouraged as useful theoretical frameworks for a blended learning approach.
Autonomous CaMKII Activity as a Drug Target for Histological and Functional Neuroprotection after Resuscitation from Cardiac Arrest.

Summary The Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a major mediator of physiological glutamate signaling, but its role in pathological glutamate signaling (excitotoxicity) remains less clear, with indications for both neuro-toxic and neuro-protective functions. Here, the role of CaMKII in ischemic injury is assessed utilizing our mouse model of cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR). CaMKII inhibition (with tatCN21 or tatCN19o) at clinically relevant time points (30 min after resuscitation) greatly reduces neuronal injury. Importantly, CaMKII inhibition also works in combination with mild hypothermia, the current standard of care. The relevant drug target is specifically Ca 2+ -independent "autonomous" CaMKII activity generated by T286 autophosphorylation, as indicated by substantial reduction in injury in autonomy-incompetent T286A mutant mice. In addition to reducing cell death, tatCN19o also protects the surviving neurons from functional plasticity impairments and prevents behavioral learning deficits, even at extremely low doses (0.01 mg/kg), further highlighting the clinical potential of our findings.
Characterization of Rh Oxide on γ-Al2O3

Three different and complementary techniques, EPR, IR and selective chemisorption, were used to study the change of oxidation states and the adsorption properties of Rh ions in different surface phases. EPR spectra show the occurrence of a disproportionation reaction, 2 Rh 3+ → Rh 2+ + Rh 4+ , in the dispersed phase and diffusion of Rh 2+ ions into the γ-Al2O 3 , support. Only the Rh 2+ ions in the dispersed phase chemisorbed O 2 and CO. The Rh 4+ ions in the dispersed phase situated in the saturated and octahedrally coordinated sites do not chemisorb. Both doubly adsorbed and bridged CO species were observed in the CO chemisorption on a reduced sample, but only the doubly adsorbed CO species were present on an oxidized sample. From these results, the relative abundances of Rh 3+ , Rh 2+ , and Rh 4+ ions were estimated.
Assessing mitochondrial swelling due to apoptosis via optical scatter imaging and a digital Fourier holographic microscope

A digital Fourier holographic microscope collects light scattered by cells undergoing apoptosis. Scattered light at the Fourier plane is spatially filtered as a means of monitoring mitochondrial swelling via optical scatter imaging.
UMAMI: a recipe for generating meaningful metrics through holistic I/O performance analysis

I/O efficiency is essential to productivity in scientific computing, especially as many scientific domains become more data-intensive. Many characterization tools have been used to elucidate specific aspects of parallel I/O performance, but analyzing components of complex I/O subsystems in isolation fails to provide insight into critical questions: how do the I/O components interact, what are reasonable expectations for application performance, and what are the underlying causes of I/O performance problems? To address these questions while capitalizing on existing component-level characterization tools, we propose an approach that combines on-demand, modular synthesis of I/O characterization data into a unified monitoring and metrics interface (UMAMI) to provide a normalized, holistic view of I/O behavior. We evaluate the feasibility of this approach by applying it to a month-long benchmarking study on two distinct large-scale computing platforms. We present three case studies that highlight the importance of analyzing application I/O performance in context with both contemporaneous and historical component metrics, and we provide new insights into the factors affecting I/O performance. By demonstrating the generality of our approach, we lay the groundwork for a production-grade framework for holistic I/O analysis.
Reconfigurable Silicon Photonic Interconnect for Many-Core Architecture

In the context of declining Moore and Dennard Laws, efficient utilization of chip area and transistor is more than ever required. The portion of transistors devoted to compute operations can be maximized by off-loading as much as possible data-storage onto memory chips. This, however, requires wide off-chip IO bandwidth, and furthermore increases Network-on-chip (NoC) traffic. In this paper, we first present a concept of optically connected memory modules, delivering enough bandwidth to allow for cache reduction and memory externalization. Second, we show that connecting these memory modules in a reconfigurable interconnect permit to substantially offload NoC traffic.
Medical Decision-Making for Adults Who Lack Decision-Making Capacity and a Surrogate: State of the Science:

Background:Adults who lack decision-making capacity and a surrogate (“unbefriended” adults) are a vulnerable, voiceless population in health care. But little is known about this population, including how medical decisions are made for these individuals.Objective:This integrative review was to examine what is known about unbefriended adults and identify gaps in the literature.Methods:Six electronic databases were searched using 4 keywords: “unbefriended,” “unrepresented patients,” “adult orphans,” and “incapacitated patients without surrogates.” After screening, the final sample included 10 data-based articles for synthesis.Results:Main findings include the following: (1) various terms were used to refer to adults who lack decision-making capacity and a surrogate; (2) the number of unbefriended adults was sizable and likely to grow; (3) approaches to medical decision-making for this population in health-care settings varied; and (4) professional guidelines and laws to address the issues related to this pop...
Middle School Bullying: Student Reported Perceptions and Prevalence

Content analysis of 463 student surveys was used to uncover the nature and prevalence of bullying behaviors within volunteer middle schools across the Southern United States. After completing a tra...
Virtual Transfer Price Negotiations:Unintended Interactions with Incentive Systems

Despite decades of research concerning the impact of computer-mediated communication (CMC) on decision-maki ng, the potential interaction with the organization's management control system has just recently received attention. Media naturalness theory is used to develop hypotheses concerning the interactions of communication medium with the incentive pay scheme, a ubiquitous aspect of management control .systems. A laboratory experiment was used to examine the interactions between two treatments: face-to-face negotiations versus virtual (computer-mediated) negotiations and ctxiperative versus competitive incentive pay schemes. Buyer-seller dyads negotiated the price and quantity of the transferred goods. Results indicate that while virtual negotiations are more efficient in terms of time than face-to-face negotiations, there is not a significant interaction with the incentive pay scheme for efficiency. However, results also indicate that virtual negotiations are less effective in terms of optimal quantity (organizational profit) than face-to-face, and that there is a significant interaction with the incentive pay scheme. Virtual negotiations have the unintended consequence of reducing the effectiveness (organizational profitability) of the negotiations.
Moral, Medical, and Financial Issues

A number of medical, economic, and moral issues involved in the health-care system have been considered. Some of the major proposals for health-care reform that were presented during 1993–1994 were discussed in Chapters 10 and 12, and it was argued that the McDermott-Wellstone single-payer proposal best meets the needs of the country. Unfortunately, a great deal of energy and rhetoric has been devoted to obscure the facts and issues through negative and misleading advertising, political posturing, and slogan-mongering. In this chapter, an attempt will be made to reduce the confusion to focus on the major moral, medical, and financial issues.
Supercritical Fluids as Particle Formation Media

There exist two routes to particle formation with supercritical fluids: rapid expansion (RESS), and the anti-solvent process (SAS). RESS is used to form fine particles of substances that are soluble in a supercritical solvent. SAS is used for sparingly soluble materials. Together, these techniques allow the processing of a wide range of materials into solid phases with useful properties and morphologies. In RESS, use is made of the sensitivity of a supercritical fluid’s solvent power to small changes in pressure, to trigger precipitation mechanically. The resulting large supersaturation, coupled with the rapid attainment of uniform conditions, leads to small particles with a narrow size distribution. In SAS, the supercritical fluid is used as an anti-solvent. The solid of interest is dissolved in a liquid, and a supercritical fluid is added to precipitate the solid. Promising applications of RESS and SAS include the formation of composite drug-polymer microparticles (controlled release of drugs), of biologically active protein microparticles (controlled release of peptides and enzymes), and of molecularly oriented polymer microfibers (high performance fibers).
Incidence and Kinds of Epizoans on the Shells of Live Nautilus

Like the shells of other mollusks, the shells of Nautilus are subject to marine fouling. Seilacher (1982) observed epizoans on four live specimens of N. pompilius and N. macromphalus and one drift shell of N. pompilius. Landman (1983a) documented the occurrence of a large barnacle, Chirona tenuis, that grew on a juvenile specimen of N. pompilius while the Nautilus was still alive. Hamada (1964,1983) reported epizoans on drift shells and live specimens of N. pompilius.
County‐Level Hispanic Ethnic Density and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality

Background Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, and little is known about how Hispanic ethnic population density impacts cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) mortality. Methods and Results We examined county-level deaths for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites from 2003 to 2012 using data from the National Center for Health Statistics' Multiple Cause of Death mortality files. Counties with more than 20 Hispanic deaths (n=715) were included in the analyses. CVD deaths were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), I00 to I78, and population estimates were calculated using linear interpolation from 2000 and 2010 census data. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the association of Hispanic ethnic density with Hispanic and non-Hispanic white age-adjusted CVD mortality rates. County-level age-adjusted CVD mortality rates were adjusted for county-level demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare factors. There were a total of 4 769 040 deaths among Hispanics (n=382 416) and non-Hispanic whites (n=4 386 624). Overall, cardiovascular age-adjusted mortality rates were higher among non-Hispanic whites compared with Hispanics (244.8 versus 189.0 per 100 000). Hispanic density ranged from 1% to 96% in each county. Counties in the highest compared with lowest category of Hispanic density had 60% higher Hispanic mortality (215.3 versus 134.2 per 100 000 population). In linear regression models, after adjusting for county-level demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare factors, increasing Hispanic ethnic density remained strongly associated with mortality for Hispanics but not for non-Hispanic whites. Conclusions CVD mortality is higher in counties with higher Hispanic ethnic density. County-level characteristics do not fully explain the higher CVD mortality among Hispanics in ethnically concentrated counties.
The Competitive Effects of Performance-Enhancing Drugs: MLB in the Posttesting Era:

Using estimates of Major League Baseball (MLB) financials from Forbes, we conduct a cost–benefit analysis of performance-enhancing drug (PED) testing. Player PED suspensions are shown to have lower...