cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of a predictive model for nonadherence with once-daily glaucoma medications.

Objective To develop and validate a predictive model to estimate the probability of being nonadherent to topical glaucoma medications. Design Prospective cohort study. Participants Patients being treated with once-daily prostaglandin eye drops. Methods A predictive model for nonadherence was developed from the Travatan Dosing Aid (TDA) study (n = 196) using stepwise logistic regression. The performance of the TDA-derived model was assessed using a separate cohort of subjects from the Automated Dosing Reminder Study (ADRS; n=407). The assessment was based on regression coefficients, discrimination, and calibration. We also developed a scoring system from the TDA-derived model to simplify the estimation of risk for clinical use. Main Outcome Measures Usage of drops was monitored electronically for 3 months in both studies. Adherence was calculated as the percentage of days on which a dose was taken within 4 hours of the average dosing time for that patient. Nonadherence was defined as taking ≤75% prescribed doses within a window starting 2 weeks after the baseline visit until 2 weeks before the follow-up visit. Results Six factors, including younger age, black race, worse general health status, shorter duration of glaucoma medication therapy, lower self-reported adherence, and admitting to not following doctors' orders, were associated with being nonadherent and were included in the predictive model. The coefficients for the TDA-derived and the ADRS-derived predictive models were similar. The risk scoring system developed from the TDA study had good discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.80) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, P = 0.102) when applied to the ADRS population. Conclusions The TDA-derived predictive model for nonadherence performed well in an independent population. A risk scoring system was developed using demographic data and patient responses to 4 questions to provide an estimate of the probability of being nonadherent. Financial Disclosure(s) The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Restricted Stock versus Stock Options: The Case of Jones Apparel Group, Inc.

In recent years, the structure of executive/employee compensation packages has focused less on stock options and more on restricted stock. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) characterizes both of these alternatives as stockbased compensation. The reasons for the shift are numerous and include increased scrutiny of executive pay after recent corporate scandals and a renewed emphasis on the expensing of stock options using the fair value method. In this case, we focus on the issues that led Jones Apparel Group, Inc. to change its focus from stock options to restricted stock in the compensation package of its Chief Executive Officer. Jones was not subject to any scandal or corporate malfeasance, but the case demonstrates how recent events have impacted companies that use stock‐based compensation. The case allows students to compare and contrast the corporate governance and accounting impacts of stock options and restricted stock.
A small-signal field theory analysis of crossed-field amplifiers applicable to thick beams

Various authors have presented analyses of crossed-field amplifiers. Generally, these analyses have dealt with very thin electron beams in the presence of crossed-fields or with beams in which the bulk ac charge density within the beam has been neglected. It is the purpose of this paper to develop a field-theory analysis which is applicable to both thick or thin beams and which includes the effect of space charge. In place of the usual approximate match at the input boundary plane, a rigorous variational technique is presented, which considers the effect of the cutoff waves on the amplitudes of the propagating waves. This enables one to solve the input boundary problem for the first time insofar as the amplitudes of the propagating waves are concerned, without determining the individual amplitudes of the cutoff waves implicitly. As opposed to the usual approximate match, which is only valid for a thin, unmodulated entering electron stream, this variational method is valid for both thick and thin beams, as well as unmodulated or modulated beams entering a crossed-field slow-wave interaction region or entering a crossed-field drift region. The paper presents propagation constants obtained for thick beams based on the author's model. The variational procedure, which is a valid technique for other models as well as other types of beam devices, has been applied to one numerical case involving a thin beam and the results are compared with the results of the usual approximate match. A modification of the complex amplitudes of the excited waves, even in the case of thin beams, is noted.
Fiber optic pore water pressure sensor for civil engineering applications

Low cost, rugged and reliable fiberoptic sensors are being developed to meet the needs of geotechnical engineers. The primary emphasis has been on load and pressure sensors, including pore water pressure sensors. The microbend sensors developed have been tested in the laboratory up to water pressures of 100 psi and loads of 50 lb. Accuracy of sensor measurements are within 5% and is being improved upon. Sensors with larger range or more sensitivity can easily be built without changing the basic sensor design. A semi-automated calibration and testing system was developed to characterize the sensors. In this paper we describe some of the applications for the sensors, their construction, characterization system, and experimental performance.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Summary of a high subsonic force/pressure experiment for 58 deg cambered/twisted thick delta wings

This paper summarizes the results of a force, moment, and pressure experiment involving six thick, cambered and twisted, delta wings with 58 deg leading-edge sweep. This experiment was conducted in the NASA Langley 7- by 10-foot High-Speed Tunnel at Mach numbers of 0.75, 0.80, and 0.83. The design goal was a configuration which was self-trimming at a lift coefficient of 0.25 and Mach number of 0.80. Although the design goal was not met, the configuration which came closest and which had the best overall performance was selected for further study. Wing surface pressure data and limited surface oil flow data for this configuration are presented to show the extent of attached flow at the design point. For selected cases, inviscid solutions from vortex lattice method/suction analogy, PAN AIR, FLO-28, and FLO-57 are compared with the experimental force, moment, and pressure data.
Solubility of Liquid Organic Flavor and Fragrance Compounds in Subcritical (Hot/Liquid) Water from 298 K to 473 K

The solubilities of d-limonene, carvone, eugenol, 1,8-cineole, and nerol were determined in water at temperatures ranging from 298 K to 473 K. In general, increasing the temperature up to 473 K increased solubilities by a factor of ∼25 to 60. For example, increasing the temperature from 298 K to 473 K increased the mole fraction solubility of carvone from (9.7 ± 0.8) × 10-5 to (250 ± 8) × 10-5. 1,8-Cineole exhibited an initial decrease in solubility with increasing temperature before following the trend of increasing solubility with increasing temperature. Analyses were performed to determine whether the compounds degraded at experimental conditions. Unlike α-pinene, these compounds showed no degradation, with the exception of nerol at 473 K.
The use of slow pseudo-first-order reaction to estimate the size of micro-mixed volume in a flow system

Abstract The pseudo-first-order hydrolysis reaction of acetic anhydride in water is employed as a chemically reacting tracer to measure the size of a flow system's micro-mixed volume. Unlike previous attempts to use chemical reactions for measuring the effectiveness of mixing, the present method is based on a relatively slow first-order reaction, with the reaction time and residence time distribution enabling an indirect evaluation of a micro-mixed volume without using any specific flow model. Using an electrolyte conductivity meter, a series of steady-state output concentrations of the reaction product, acetic acid, are measured at different operating temperatures. After plotting the conversion vs reaction rate constant, the slope at the zero reaction rate represents the space time that reactant spent in a micro-mixed volume. This method was demonstrated using a 0.0206 m i.d. pipe with commercial motionless mixer units inserted in the front section of the pipe. The results for Re = 5000 showed that the fraction of micro-mixed region increased from 0.87 with no mixer unit to 0.96 with two mixer units, and to 1.0 with 14 mixer units, thus providing a valuable information on the extent of usage of the internal volume.
Diffusion compensation in natural silicates

Abstract The temperature dependence of diffusion is usually found to follow the Arrhenius law: D = D0e−E/RT Winchell (1969) showed that there is commonly an inter-dependence between D0 and E (for diffusion in silicate glasses), such that diffusion of different species show a positive correlation on a log D0 vs E plot. A similar effect was noted by Hofmann (1980) for cation diffusion in basalt. This implies that diffusion rates of different species tend to converge at a particular temperature; this effect is known as the ‘compensation effect’. I will show that this effect is also present for diffusion in feldspars and olivines. The equations for the compensation lines (with E given in kcal/mol) are: basalt—E = 50 + 7.5 log D0 feldspar—E = 50.7 + 3.4 log D0 olivine—E = 78.0 + 7.5 log D0 The convergence, or crossover, temperatures for diffusion in various materials are: obsidian—3400°C basalt—1370°C olivine—1360°C feldspar—460°C Compensation plots are useful for evaluating and comparing experimental diffusion data (though of limited usefulness in a predictive sense) and for understanding ‘closure temperatures’ for diffusion in petrogenetic processes (since closure temperature, the temperature at which natural diffusion processes are frozen in, is dependent on E, log d0, and cooling rate). I show that most diffusing species in feldspar have a closure-temperature close to the crossover or convergence temperature, implying that all species in feldspars can be expected to ‘freeze-in’ simultaneously at temperatures in the range 400–600°C (for cooling rates in the range 101–105°C/myr). Closure temperatures of various species in olivine, on the other hand, span a much larger range (800°C) for a similar range in cooling rates, implying that different elements in olivine will record different time-temperature stages in petrogenetic processes.
Surface-micromachined 2D optical scanners with optically flat single-crystalline silicon micromirrors

We have developed a novel wafer-scale single-crystalline silicon micromirror bonding process to fabricate optically flat micromirrors on polysilicon surface-micromachined 2D scanners. The electrostatically actuated 2D scanner has a mirror area of 450 micrometers x 450 micrometers and an optical scan angle of +/- ±7.5 degree(s). Compared to micromirrors made with a standard polysilicon surface-micromachining process, the radius of curvature of the micromirror has been improved by 1 50 times from 1.8 cm to 265 cm, with surface roughness < 10 nm. Besides, single-crystalline honeycomb micromirrors derived from silicon on insulator (SOI) have been developed to reduce the mass of the bonded mirror.
In Vivo Hemodynamic Measurements of in Situ Saphenous Vein Bypass

The present technique of in situ bypass requires operating room angiography. A new valvulotome with pressure measurement eliminated angiography and allows detection of AV fistulas for ligation. Retrograde insertion could eliminate the long lower extremity incision
Prevalence Rates of Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), and Babesia microti (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) in Host-Seeking Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) from Pennsylvania

The etiological agents responsible for Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), human granulocytic anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum), and babesiosis (Babesia microti) are primarily transmitted by the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say. Despite Pennsylvania having in recent years reported the highest number of Lyme disease cases in the United States, relatively little is known regarding the geographic distribution of the vector and its pathogens in the state. Previous attempts at climate-based predictive modeling of I. scapularis occurrence have not coincided with the high human incidence rates in parts of the state. To elucidate the distribution and pathogen infection rates of I. scapularis, we collected and tested 1,855 adult ticks statewide from 2012 to 2014. The presence of I. scapularis and B. burgdorferi was confirmed from all 67 Pennsylvania counties. Analyses were performed on 1,363 ticks collected in the fall of 2013 to avoid temporal bias across years. Infection rates were highest for B. burgdorferi (47.4%), followed by Ba. microti (3.5%) and A. phagocytophilum (3.3%). Coinfections included B. burgdorferi+Ba. microti (2.0%), B. burgdorferi+A. phagocytophilum (1.5%) and one tick positive for A. phagocytophilum+Ba. microti. Infection rates for B. burgdorferi were lower in the western region of the state. Our findings substantiate that Lyme disease risk is high throughout Pennsylvania.
Experimental test of the self-organized criticality of vortices in superconductors.

Magneto-optical studies of the vortex dynamics in Nb films reveal stochastic jumps of flux bundles forming a rough penetration front. The scaling analysis of the width, correlation function, and the length of flux profiles behind the front retrieves the roughness exponents and Housdorff dimension characterizing the self-organized critical state. The exponents correspond to (1+1)-dimensional nonlinear diffusion in systems with quenched disorder and long-range correlations. The power spectra of the profiles confirm the self-affine character of the dynamically formed critical state.
Glucose and NADPH oxidase drive neuronal superoxide formation in stroke.

Ischemic brain injury is reduced by early reperfusion 1, 2, but reperfusion can itself contribute to brain injury 3, 4. It has long been recognized that ischemia/reperfusion injury is greatly exacerbated by hyperglycemia 5, 6, 7, despite the fact that glucose is required for normal brain function. The underlying mechanism of this “glucose paradox” remains unresolved. One widely accepted mechanism by which hyperglycemia can exacerbate injury brain is by fueling the accumulation of lactic acid in hypoxic tissues 8; however, elevated glucose concentrations also exacerbate injury in brain slice models of ischemia in which pH is tightly controlled 9, 10, and in animal models of brain ischemia in which tissue acidosis is prevented by reperfusion during hyperglycemia 11-13. Moreover, clinical studies suggest that hyperglycemia during reperfusion increases risk of hemorrhage and poor clinical outcome, independent of diabetes or pre-ischemic glucose concentrations 14, 15. These observations suggest that a mechanism other than lactic acidosis may underlie the effect of hyperglycemia on reperfusion injury. Brain reperfusion injury is mediated in part by the production of superoxide and other reactive oxygen species 16. Although neuronal superoxide production is widely attributed to mitochondria, neurons also express nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, a superoxide-generating enzyme first identified in phagocytes 17-19. Superoxide produced by neuronal NADPH oxidase is thought to function in long-term potentiation and intercellular signaling 20, 21, but superoxide can also cause oxidative stress and neuronal death 22, 23. Importantly, the activity of NADPH oxidase requires the continuous metabolism of glucose by the hexose monophosphate shunt for supply of NADPH substrate 23-25, thus suggesting a mechanistic link between glucose and neuronal superoxide production in ischemia-reperfusion (Fig. 1). Figure 1 Metabolic coupling between glucose and superoxide production Here we evaluated the contribution of NADPH oxidase to reperfusion - induced neuronal superoxide production and neuronal death, using pharmacological and genetic suppression of NADPH oxidase activity in cell culture and mouse stroke models. In the mouse model, hyperglycemia and functional hypoglycemia (produced with 2-deoxyglucose) were initiated at the time of reperfusion in order to specifically evaluate their effects on reperfusion injury. Results of these studies show that neuronal superoxide production is entirely dependent on glucose and is increased by hyperglycemia during the reperfusion period, and further show that NADPH oxidase is the primary source of neuronal superoxide production.
Interdisciplinary Teaming in Teacher Preparation

Interdisciplinary teaming has been described as the pivotal component of blended, interdisciplinary teacher preparation for early childhood. A survey was conducted as a second national examination of the practices of faculty teams in blended teacher preparation programs. A time intensive search using diverse mechanisms and sources led to the nomination of 55 potential participant programs. A final pool of 24 teacher education programs in 12 states met a specific definition for the blended approach to teacher preparation. Programs had been in operation from 1 to 12 years. Results revealed that characteristics and practices of teams have remained consistent over the last 6 years and, thus, can be described as current practice. Findings supported conclusions that frequency of team meetings is related to effectiveness and to interpersonal relationships among team members. Results confirmed that barriers to interdisciplinary teaming in higher education are related primarily to the culture of the workplace. Maj...
The Uncertainty of Preadolescents’ Chronic Health Conditions and Family Distress:

This study aims to identify the relationship between the degree of uncertainty in the preadolescent’s chronic condition and family distress. In-home interviews were conducted with 99 mothers and 86 fathers of 99 preadolescents with chronic physical health impairments. Preadolescents were divided into separate groups, first based on the predictability of their symptoms and next, based on the degree of certainty in their life expectancy. Using analysis of covariance, sex-stratified comparisons were made between the predictability groups and then between the life expectancy groups and four subscales of the Impact on Family Scale. Fathers and mothers of preadolescents with uncertain life expectancies reported significantly greater family/social disruption, emotional strain, and financial burden than parents of preadolescents with normal life expectancies. Unpredictability of symptoms was significantly associated with greater emotional strain for mothers and greater family/social disruption for fathers. Uncert...
Open research issues in multi-hop cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio networks hold the key to achieving better radio bandwidth utilization and improving the quality of wireless applications. The next step in this fast emerging paradigm is the multi-hop cognitive radio network. Well designed multi-hop cognitive radio networks can provide high bandwidth efficiency by using dynamic spectrum access technologies as well as provide extended coverage and ubiquitous connectivity for the wireless end users. However, the special features of multi-hop cognitive radio networks also raise several unique design challenges. In this article, we survey these unique challenges and open research issues in the design of multi-hop cognitive radio networks as well as discuss potential approaches to address these challenges. This article specifically focuses on the medium access control (MAC) and network layers of the multi-hop cognitive radio protocol stack. Issues considered include efficient spectrum sharing, optimal relay node selection, interference mitigation, end-to-end delay, etc.
Building Learning Communities to Increase Faculty and Preservice Teacher Use of Technology

AbstractEffective learning communities connect members so that they can share knowledge and experience. This article examines the process and out-comes of building learning communities to increase faculty and preservice teacher use of technology through PT3 funding at three institutions: National-Louis University the University of Houston, and the University of Vermont. Strategies implemented as well as achievements and challenges for each project are outlined. Recommendations include reinforcing common goals and mutual benefits, connecting distant community members through online communication, dynamic configurations for networking, and incentives for faculty participation. Successful learning communities require nurturing to reduce isolation through improved communication and active participation.
Mineral Oxidants and Porosity Enhancement: ABSTRACT

In many important hydrocarbon reservoirs, aluminosilicate framework grain dissolution constitutes an important part of the porosity (i.e., the Gulf Coast). Our experimental work has shown that difunctional carboxylic acids can increase aluminum solubility by three orders of magnitude. Oil field brines are observed to contain concentrations of monofunctional carboxylic acids up to 10,000 ppm, but only traces of difunctional acids. Oxidative degradation of kerogen is a commonly used technique in the study of kerogen structure, and results in extremely high concentrations of difunctional carboxylic acids (up to 40% of the carbon released from type 3 kerogen is in the form of oxalic acid). The reduction of mineral oxidants and consequent oxidation of organic matter may be as effective in releasing peripheral difunctional carboxylic acid groups from kerogen as thermal degradation in the natural system. The coincidence in time, temperature, and space of smectite/illite ordering (release of Fe+3 from octahedral layers) and the peak concentrations of carboxylic acids suggests a possible mechanism for the generation of difunctional carboxylic acids. This mechanism would allow highly soluble difunctional carboxylic acids to be swept through adjacent sandstones just prior to hydrocarbon generation. Thus, an ideal mechanism is available for dissolving carbonates and/or aluminosilicates out of pores and pore throats, thereby enhancing porosity and permeability in hydr carbon reservoirs. End_of_Article - Last_Page 532------------
Violence and the Trajectory of Early Modern Subjection in Lazarillo de Tormes, Fuenteovejuna, and the Soledades

Francis Barker's work, The Tremulous Private Body, provides a useful theoretical framework for the examination of violence and subjection in three canonical texts of Spanish Golden Age literature: the anonymously written picaresque novel, Lazarillo de Tormes; Lope de Vega's play, Fuenteovejuna; and Luis de Gongora's long lyric poem, the Soledades. While Fuenteovejuna affirms hegemony by incorporating the rebellion of peasants and women, the Soledades does so obliquely by incorporating the critique of the agrarian aristocracy who were Gongora's patrons. In contrast, the Lazarillo stands out as the most radical of the three in its subversion of the official discourse of church and state. All are contradictory works of transition that depict a common violence toward the body—the violence toward the older sacramental body that Barker saw as a marker for the development of early modern subjectivity—and anticipate creatively both the birth of the modern subject and its negation.
Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Catholic World

Roughly one-quarter of the world's most common neglected tropical diseases and almost all of the cases of Chagas disease occur in the Catholic majority countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This finding highlights new opportunities to lift the poorest Catholics in developing countries out of poverty.
Pharmacokinetic and clinical implications of dabigatran use in severe renal impairment for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVE:To review the literature regarding the pharmacokinetic (PK) and clinical implications of the use of dabigatran in severe renal impairment for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF).DATA SOURCES:Searches of MEDLINE (2000-April 2012) and the Cochrane Database (2000-April 2012) were conducted. Key search terms included dabigatran, renal impairment, renal failure, and renal dysfunction. Additional limits included articles written in English and those involving human subjects. Bibliographic reviews were conducted to identify other pertinent data.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Primary data were considered eligible for inclusion if they were from studies that evaluated the PKs of dabigatran in renal impairment or the effect of renal impairment on the risk for major bleeding with dabigatran.DATA SYNTHESIS:Dabigatran is an oral direct thrombin inhibitor indicated for the prevention of stroke and systemic thromboembolism in patients with nonvalvular AF, at a dose of 150 mg twice da...
A three-dimensional quantum reactive scattering study of the I + DI reaction and of the IDI– photodetachment spectrum

In this paper are presented the results of a coupled-channel hyperspherical reactive scattering calculation of bimolecular reaction probabilities for the I + DI → ID + I reaction and of Franck–Condon factors for the photodetachment of IDI–. The calculation is fully three-dimensional, but only the J= 0 partial wave is considered. The results show significant contributions of both resonances and direct scattering to the reaction dynamics. Very narrow resonances associated with transition-state quantum numbers (ν1, ν2, ν3)=(000) and (100) are found and these are in excellent agreement with bound-state calculations by Clary and Connor. Much broader excited-state resonances labelled by the quantum numbers (002), (102), (202), (302), (004), (104), (204) and (304) have also been located. The calculated photodetachment spectra show that these broad resonances play a dominant role in determining two peaks that have recently been observed experimentally by Neumark and co-workers. The narrow resonances (000) and (100) are, by contrast, overwhelmed by direct scattering threshold contributions in determining a third peak in the photodetachment spectrum. An ‘extra’ peak also appears in the calculated photodetachment spectrum that is not seen in the experiments. This peak is due to the direct reaction threshold for the I + DI(v= 1) reaction, and presumably it arises because of inaccuracies in our potential surface. Its importance should therefore provide a useful diagnostic for improvements to the surface.
Transthoracic echocardiographic predictors of left atrial appendage thrombus

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is commonly performed to detect the presence of a left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus in the setting of an embolic event or before an anticipated electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation. The predictive value of transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) findings in these patients has not been well defined. This study evaluated whether TTE findings can predict LAA thrombi using TEE as the gold standard for the identification of LAA thrombi. From November 1995 to March 2003, 10,753 patients underwent TEE to exclude LAA thrombi after embolic events or before cardioversion. Of these, 3,768 patients had complete TTE examinations performed <2 weeks before undergoing TEE. Demographics, TTE, and cardiac rhythm variables were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of LAA thrombi diagnosed on subsequent TEE. LAA thrombi were identified by TEE in 199 patients (5.3%). Several TTE variables predicted LAA thrombi by TEE, including mitral stenosis, atrial fibrillation, tricuspid regurgitation, valvular prosthesis, left ventricular dysfunction, and right ventricular dysfunction. Mitral regurgitation was associated with a reduced risk for LAA thrombi (odds ratio 0.61, p = 0.003). A structurally normal heart in sinus rhythm (n = 247, 6.9%) had a 100% negative predictive value for LAA thrombi. In conclusion, several TTE variables were found to be predictive of LAA thrombi. The likelihood of LAA thrombi being found on TEE was infinitely small in the absence of these variables and the presence of sinus rhythm.
Focus Issue: Polarity Signals--from Cell to Organism

Polarity is a broad theme, encompassing numerous biological processes. This week, Science presents a special issue that highlights this phenomenon, from single cells to whole organisms. Indeed, establishing and maintaining left and right, front and back, and top and bottom is essential not only in
Treatment of rat pancreatic islets with reactive PEG.

Covalent attachment of polymers to cells and tissues could be used to solve a variety of problems associated with cellular therapies. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is a disease resulting from the autoimmune destruction of the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Transplantation of islets into diabetic patients would be an attractive form of treatment, provided that the islets could be protected from the host's immune system in order to prevent graft rejection. If reaction of polyethylene glycol (PEG) segments with the islet surface did not damage function, the immunogenicity and cell binding characteristics of the islet could be altered. To determine if this process damages islets, rat islets have been isolated and treated with protein-reactive PEG-isocyanate (MW 5000) under mild reaction conditions. An assessment of cell viability using a colorimetric mitochrondrial activity assay showed that treatment of the islets with PEG-isocyanate did not reduce cell viability. Insulin release in response to secretagogue challenge was used to evaluate islet function after treatment with the polymer. The insulin response of the PEG-treated islets was not significantly different than untreated islets in a static incubation secretagogue challenge. In addition, PEG-isocyanate-treated islets responded in the same manner as untreated islets in a glucose perifusion assay. Finally, the presence of PEG on the surface of the islets after treatment with the amine-reactive N-hydroxysuccinimide-PEG-biotin (not PEG-isocyanate) was confirmed by indirect fluorescence staining. These results demonstrate the feasibility of treating pancreatic islets with reactive polymeric segments and provide the foundation for further investigation of this novel means of potential immunoisolation.
Near-field coupling between broadband over power line (BPL) and high-frequency communication systems

Electromagnetic coupling between a broadband over power line (BPL) system and an HF communication system is discussed in this paper. Numerical analyses using the method of moments were performed to determine the near-field coupling between the BPL and communication systems at 3.5, 7, 14, and 28 MHz. Half-wave dipole and quarter-wave vertical antennas were positioned at 1-m intervals along the power line to find the maximum and minimum signal levels caused by the BPL system. Signal levels induced into the BPL system by a 100-W HF transmitter are also presented
CONTRASTING E-COMMERCE BUSINESS MODELS: PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS FOR SMALL ENTERPRISES

Pure plays use the Internet as a market entry strategy, and brick and clicks use the Internet as an alternate channel of distribution. Theoretical frameworks from entrepreneurship, marketing, and electronic commerce are used to explore performance differences between these business models. This study uses a geographically diverse sample of 240 small enterprises engaged in Internet-based consumer marketing. Results suggest brick and clicks enjoy performance advantages over pure plays in international revenue growth. Higher Internet promotional expenditures positively impact revenue growth. Firms using the Internet for sales transactions experience negative profit expectations and revenue growth. Firms using the Internet for product distribution experience significant international sales growth. Product depth influences profit expectations and domestic revenue growth. These results should provide a basis for building theory relative to performance implications of Internet-based commerce for small enterprises.
MR T1ρ and T2 of meniscus after acute anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Summary Objective To evaluate differences in meniscal T1ρ and T2 quantification in patients with acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and to determine correlations of these differences with MR morphological grading and patient-reported outcomes. Design Bilateral knees of 52 patients with acute ACL injury and 20 healthy controls were scanned using 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T1ρ and T2 mapping in this prospective study. Quantitative analysis of the meniscus was performed in anterior and posterior horns of the lateral and medial menisci. Morphological meniscal damage was assessed using modified whole-organ MRI scores (WORMS). Measurements were compared between injured, uninjured contralateral, and control knees using a mixed-effects regression model. Correlations between meniscal T1ρ/T2, WORMS and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (KOOS) were examined using partial correlation analysis. Results Mean meniscal T1ρ and T2 values were significantly higher in ACL-injured knees compared to control and contralateral knees. Menisci of ACL-injured knees without tears, including those limited to modified meniscal WORMS grade 0, also had significantly higher T1ρ and T2 values compared to menisci of uninjured knees. Within ACL-injured knees, T1ρ and T2 values showed significant positive associations with meniscal WORMS and significant negative associations with KOOS. Conclusion Acute ACL injuries are associated with significantly increased meniscal T1ρ and T2 values in both patients with and without meniscal lesions or tears, suggesting quantitative MRI provides more sensitive measures of meniscal differences compared to traditional morphological MRI sequences. Correlation between meniscal T1ρ/T2 and KOOS suggest that quantitative MRI is reflective of the extent of patients' clinical symptoms.
Near-infrared laser desorption/ionization aerosol mass spectrometry for measuring organic aerosol at atmospherically relevant aerosol mass loadings

Abstract. A new method, near-infrared laser desorption/ionization aerosol mass spectrometry (NIR-LDI-AMS), is described for the real time analysis of organic aerosols at atmospherically relevant total mass loadings. Particles are sampled with an aerodynamic lens onto an aluminum probe. A moderate energy NIR laser pulse at 1064 nm is directed onto the probe to vaporize and ionize particle components. Delayed pulse extraction is then used to sample the ions into a reflectron time of flight mass spectrometer for chemical analysis. The soft ionization afforded by the NIR photons results in minimal fragmentation (loss of a hydrogen atom) producing intact pseudo-molecular anions at [M-H]−. The limit of detection measured for pure oleic acid particles (geometric mean diameter and standard deviation of 180 nm and 1.3, respectively) was 140 fg (or 1.7 ng m−3 per minute sampling time). As an example of the utility of NIR-LDI-AMS to measurements of atmospheric importance, the method was applied to laboratory chamber measurements of the secondary organic aerosol formation from ozonolysis of α-pinene. High quality mass spectra were recorded with a 2-min time resolution for total aerosol mass loadings ranging from 1.5 to 8.7 μg m−3. These results demonstrate the potential of NIR-LDI-AMS to allow for more accurate measurements of the organic fraction of atmospheric particulate at realistic mass loadings. Measurements at ambient-levels of SOA mass loading are important to improve parameterizations of chamber-based SOA formation for modeling regional and global SOA fluxes and to aid in remediating the discrepancy between modeled and observed atmospheric total SOA production rates and concentrations.
Rapid Phonetic Drift in Second Language Acquisition

This paper is concerned with the nature and time course of phonetic drift in one’s first language during acquisition of a second language. In a longitudinal study of native English speakers’ acquisition of Korean, 20 late learners produced the same English and Korean items at weekly intervals over the course of intensive beginning Korean language classes. Results of acoustic analyses indicate that learning Korean stops influences the production of English stops (in terms of voice onset time and/or fundamental frequency onset) in as little as one week, with the English sounds approximating the characteristics of the Korean sounds to which they are most phonetically similar. These results indicate that first-language phonological categories are affected by second language learning on a very short time scale, suggesting that the equivalence classification between first- and second-language categories that gives rise to this phonetic drift may be rather low-level in nature.
Efficiency enhancement in low-bandgap polymer solar cells by processing with alkane dithiols

High charge-separation efficiency combined with the reduced fabrication costs associated with solution processing and the potential for implementation on flexible substrates make 'plastic' solar cells a compelling option for tomorrow's photovoltaics. Attempts to control the donor/acceptor morphology in bulk heterojunction materials as required for achieving high power-conversion efficiency have, however, met with limited success. By incorporating a few volume per cent of alkanedithiols in the solution used to spin-cast films comprising a low-bandgap polymer and a fullerene derivative, the power-conversion efficiency of photovoltaic cells (air-mass 1.5 global conditions) is increased from 2.8% to 5.5% through altering the bulk heterojunction morphology. This discovery can potentially enable morphological control in bulk heterojunction materials where thermal annealing is either undesirable or ineffective.
Is Dementia with Lewy Bodies the Second Most Common Cause of Dementia

Lewy bodies were originally described in isolated brainstem nuclei in persons with Parkinson's disease. They have since been recognized as a widespread and common neuropathologic finding in individuals with dementia. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the preferred term for the dementia syndrome associated with Lewy bodies. Although DLB is acknowledged as the second most common degenerative dementia, trailing only Alzheimer's disease, its ranking with respect to vascular dementia remains controversial. Large, community-based studies of DLB with postmortem confirmation are lacking. Available data suggest that DLB is more common than pure vascular dementia but not more common than any vascular contribution to dementia.
Effects of the Isoform-specific Characteristics of ATF6α and ATF6β on Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response Gene Expression and Cell Viability

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-transmembrane proteins, ATF6 alpha and ATF6 beta, are cleaved during the ER stress response (ERSR). The resulting N-terminal fragments (N-ATF6 alpha and N-ATF6 beta) have conserved DNA-binding domains and divergent transcriptional activation domains. N-ATF6 alpha and N-ATF6 beta translocate to the nucleus, bind to specific regulatory elements, and influence expression of ERSR genes, such as glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), that contribute to resolving the ERSR, thus, enhancing cell viability. We previously showed that N-ATF6 alpha is a rapidly degraded, strong transcriptional activator, whereas beta is a slowly degraded, weak activator. In this study we explored the molecular basis and functional impact of these isoform-specific characteristics in HeLa cells. Mutants in the transcriptional activation domain or DNA-binding domain of N-ATF6 alpha exhibited loss of function and increased expression, the latter of which suggested decreased rates of degradation. Fusing N-ATF6 alpha to the mutant estrogen receptor generated N-ATF6 alpha-MER, which, without tamoxifen exhibited loss-of-function and high expression, but in the presence of tamoxifen N-ATF6 alpha-MER exhibited gain-of-function and low expression. N-ATF6 beta conferred loss-of-function and high expression to N-ATF6 alpha, suggesting that ATF6 beta is an endogenous inhibitor of ATF6 alpha. In vitro DNA binding experiments showed that recombinant N-ATF6 beta inhibited the binding of recombinant N-ATF6 alpha to an ERSR element from the GRP78 promoter. Moreover, siRNA-mediated knock-down of endogenous ATF6 beta increased GRP78 promoter activity and GRP78 gene expression, as well as augmenting cell viability. Thus, the relative levels of ATF6 alpha and -beta, may contribute to regulating the strength and duration of ATF6-dependent ERSR gene induction and cell viability.
Cost efficiency in ARL academic libraries

Examines 88 academic member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) to determine their relative cost efficiency, using stochastic frontier regression and data envelopment analysis (DEA) methods. Both methods give average ARL cost efficiencies of around 80 percent. This places academic ARL libraries in the same range of efficiency as other institutions, including for‐profit and non‐profit institutions. Many libraries are above 80 percent efficiency. For those below, some speculation is given for the lower efficiency. The lack of an output measure for the use of electronic sources may contribute to lower efficiency for a few libraries. Large staff size and a large number of serial subscriptions do predict lower efficiency, but this is not a necessary consequence. The DEA model allows us to determine increasing, constant, or declining returns to scale for research libraries. From this, it appears research libraries with expenditures between $10,000,000 and $20,000,000 are operating at the most efficient scale. Since the methods used are outside the repertoire of most LIS research, a conceptual explanation is provided.
Digital models: An introduction

Dental study models are a cornerstone in the armamentarium used by orthodontists to both classify malocclusion and formulate treatment plans. Recent technological advances have allowed the generation of digital dental models that can be saved and viewed three-dimensionally on a computer. These new digital models solve many problems encountered with conventional plaster study models. This article overviews the advent of digital models and the advantages of their use. OrthoCAD™ and emodels™ will be compared relative to the technology used to generate these models, software capabilities, additional services, and available research.
A Permutation Test for Unbalanced Paired Comparisons of Global Field Power

Global field power is a valuable summary of multi-channel electroencephalography data. However, global field power is biased by the noise typical of electroencephalography experiments, so comparisons of global field power on data with unequal noise are invalid. Here, we demonstrate the relationship between the number of trials that contribute to a global field power measure and the expected value of that global field power measure. We also introduce a statistical testing procedure that can be used for multi-subject, repeated-measures (also called within-subjects) comparisons of global field power when the number of trials per condition is unequal across conditions. Simulations demonstrate the effect of unequal trial numbers on global field power comparisons and show the validity of the proposed test in contrast to conventional approaches. Finally, the proposed test and two alternative tests are applied to data collected in a rapid serial visual presentation target detection experiment. The results show that the proposed test finds global field power differences in the classical P3 range; the other tests find differences in that range but also at other times including at times before stimulus onset. These results are interpreted as showing that the proposed test is valid and sensitive to real within-subject differences in global field power in multi-subject unbalanced data.
Robust instrumentation configurations for homing missile flight control

Modern homing m i s s i l e s r equ i r e flight cont ro l s y s t e m s ta i lored t o accompl ish in tercept ove r a p re sc r ibed flight envelope a t min imum cost. This paper examines flight cont ro l s y s t e m a l ternat ives in o r d e r of increas ing complexity and d i s c u s s e s the robustness and suitabil i ty of each a s a key e l e ment in homing m i s s i l e guidance. Miss d is tance i s the m e a s u r e of homing performance , and m i s s d is tance i s affected by the t h r e e main guidance p a r a m e t e r s effective navigation ra t io , re la t ive stabil i ty, and r e sponse t ime. The flight cont ro l sys t em ins t rumenta t ion configuration i s the s igni f icant fac tor in de termining how t h e s e guidance s y s t e m p a r a m e t e r s v a r y with knowledge of a e r o dynamic flight condition alt i tude and Mach number. The s y s t e m with the sma l l e s t m i s s deg rada tion i s the m o s t robust. Resul ts show that an open loop s y s t e m i s not robust , and i t s low damping makes it not suitable fo r r a d a r homing appl icat ions ; a r a t e gyro s y s t e m i s not robust a l so , and i t s p a r a m e t e r s v a r y widely with al t i tude, Mach number , and location of t he m i s s i l e ' s cen te r of gravi ty ; an integrated r a t e gyro s y s t e m i s robust , i t s p a r a m e t e r s a r e independent of changes in a l t i tude and m i s s i l e cen te r of gravity, but i t s r e sponse t i m e i s long; and an a c c e l e r o m e t e r s y s t e m i s m o s t robust , i t s p a r a m e t e r s a r e independent of both a l t i tude, Mach number , and cen te r of gravi ty changes and i t s r e sponse t i m e i s short . F a c t o r s indicating the applicabil i ty of each s y s t e m to the type of guidance r a d a r o r i n f r a red and t o the type of t a r g e t tank, sh ip o r a i r c r a f t a r e d iscussed.
Effect of Hot-pressing Pressure on Some Properties of Polycrystalline Graphite made from Coke Powder with addition of Boron Carbide

Polycrystalline graphites were made from a calcined pitch coke powder with boron carbide (B4C) additive in amounts varying from0to16.7wt% by hot-pressing at 2200°C under various pressures from 20 to 400 kg/cm2. The effect of hot-pressing pressure was investigated on some properties such as density, bending strength, electrical resistivity, graphitization degree and oxidation behaviour of the hot-pressed solids.It was found that the density and bending strength of the hot-pressed solids increased remarkably with increasing hot-pressing pressure. The obtained values were, however, depended on the content of B4C additive;that is, in the cases of4.8wt% and16.7wt% B4C additions, the bending strength was about900kg/cm2 and about1400kg/cm2 respectively for solids made at a maximum pressure of400kg/cm2.Electrical resistivity decreased with the increase of hot-pressing pressure and was abou 0.5-0.6×10-3 ohm-cm for all the hot-pressed solids with B4C additive made at400kg/cm2.The d (002) spacings of the hot-pressed solids expanded slightly and three dimensional disordering of graphite structure occurred with the increase of hot-pressing pressure.Their graphitization degree, however, progressed much more than those for the solids without B4C additive. The degradation behaviour of graphite structure is thought to be due to boron diffusion and its interstitial occupation between layers in addition to substitutional positions.All the hot-pressed solids made with B4C additive showed excellent resistance against air oxidation and H2SO4-HNO3acid solution, compared with those of solids without B4C additive and some conventional graphites.