cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interleukin‐10‐induced gene expression and suppressive function are selectively modulated by the PI3K‐Akt‐GSK3 pathway

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an immunosuppressive cytokine that inhibits inflammatory gene expression. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) -mediated signalling regulates inflammatory responses and can induce IL-10 production, but a role for PI3K signalling in cellular responses to IL-10 is not known. In this study we investigated the involvement of the PI3K-Akt-GSK3 signalling pathway in IL-10-induced gene expression and IL-10-mediated suppression of Toll-like receptor-induced gene expression in primary human macrophages. A combination of loss and gain of function approaches using kinase inhibitors, expression of constitutively active Akt, and RNA interference in primary human macrophages showed that expression of a subset of IL-10-inducible genes was dependent on PI3K-Akt signalling. The effects of PI3K-Akt signalling on IL-10 responses were mediated at least in part by glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3). In accordance with a functional role for PI3K pathways in contributing to the suppressive actions of IL-10, PI3K signalling augmented IL-10-mediated inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-1, IL-8 and cyclo-oxygenase-2 expression. The PI3K signalling selectively modulated IL-10 responses, as it was not required for inhibition of tumour necrosis factor expression or for induction of certain IL-10-inducible genes such as SOCS3. These findings identify a new mechanism by which PI3K-mediated signalling can suppress inflammation by regulating IL-10-mediated gene induction and anti-inflammatory function.
Mode equalization at megameter ranges

Low frequency underwater sound propagation over ranges of 3.5 megameters or more has a complicated multipath arrival structure with early steep angle-arrivals, followed by an energetic finale composed of the lower order acoustic modes. Internal waves produce time-varying multipath and induce frequency-selective fading in the received signals. The low mode arrivals are strongly affected by internal waves, making it difficult to obtain precise travel time measurements for these signals. An equalizer along with suitable spatial filters, mitigates the multipath of the lower order modes. The signal to noise ratio (SNR) measured at the output of the equalizer is used as an observable to localize modes, make time of arrival (TOA) measurements and measure the multipath spread of the modes. Results for the new mode equalizer on a simulated channel are presented. The mode equalizer is also tested on one of the North Pacific Acoustic Laboratory (NPAL) receptions
Chronic Familial Hyperbilirubinemia:Hepatic defect(s) associated with occult hemolysis

Summary A patient is presented who exhibits Rotor's syndrome of chronic idiopathic jaundice with direct hyperbilirubinemia, Bromsulphalein (BSP) retention, and normal liver histology. He also has a slightly shortened red blood cell survival. The apparent onset of jaundice was coincident with a well documented episode of viral hepatitis. Studies of the patient's bilirubin metabolism and BSP excretion are presented and compared with findings in previously reported cases. Three of the patient's 5 children were found to have slight shortening of red blood cell survival, indirect-reacting hyperbilirubinemia out of proportion to the degree of hemolysis, and elevated BSP retention. It is postulated that the patient's defects in bilirubin and BSP uptake, as well as the low grade hemolytic process, were transmitted to the children, probably as an autosomal dominant. At the present time the children do not show an excretory defect.
A general approach for the stability analysis of time-domain finite element method

Considerable attention has been devoted to time-domain numerical methods for simulating electromagnetic transient phenomena. A general approach based on discrete system analysis is developed for investigating the stability behavior of time-domain finite element methods (TDFEM). This approach is applied to a variety of recently developed TDFEM schemes. These include: (1) time-domain finite element modeling of dispersive media; (2) time-domain finite element-boundary integral (FE-BI) method; (3) higher-order time-domain finite element schemes; and (4) orthogonal time-domain finite element method. Numerical results demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach for stability analysis.
N‐(Carboxymethyl)‐N‐methyl‐glycine

[4408-64-4] CH3N(CH2CO2H)2 (MW 147.13) InChI = 1S/C5H9NO4/c1-6(2-4(7)8)3-5(9)10/h2-3H2,1H3,(H,7,8)(H,9,10) InChIKey = XWSGEVNYFYKXCP-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagent utilized as a robust protecting group for boronic acids1-7 and as a general chelating agent for a variety of metals8, 9) Alternate Names: N-methyliminodiacetic acid, MIDA; 2,2′-(methylazanediyl)diacetic acid. Physical data: mp 223–225 °C (decomp).10 Solubility: soluble in H2O; sparingly soluble in DMSO. Form Supplied in: colorless crystalline solid. Analysis of Reagent Purity: titration with NaOH, 1H NMR (D2O), elemental analysis. Prepatative Methods: prepared via the Eschweiler–Clarke reaction11 of iminodiacetic acid with formaldehyde and formic acid,7, 10, 12 or by addition of methylamine to chloroacetic acid.13 Purification: precipitated from H2O by the addition of EtOH.7 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: may be harmful if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. Causes eye irritation. N-(Carboxymethyl)-N-methyl-glycine is biodegradable as demonstrated by Warren and malec14 and is stable under ambient benchtop conditions.
A user friendly system for ultrasound carotid intima-media thickness image interpretation

Assessment of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) by B-mode ultrasound is a technically mature and reproducible technology. Given the high morbidity, mortality and the large societal burden associated with CV diseases, as a safe yet inexpensive tool, CIMT is increasingly utilized for cardiovascular (CV) risk stratification. However, CIMT requires a precise measure of the thickness of the intima and media layers of the carotid artery that can be tedious, time consuming, and demand specialized expertise and experience. To this end, we have developed a highly user-friendly system for semiautomatic CIMT image interpretation. Our contribution is the application of active contour models (snake models) with hard constraints, leading to an accurate, adaptive and user-friendly border detection algorithm. A comparison study with the CIMT measurement software in Siemens Syngo® Arterial Health Package shows that our system gives a small bias in mean (0.049 ±0.051mm) and maximum (0.010 ± 0.083 mm) CIMT measures and offers a higher reproducibility (average correlation coefficients were 0.948 and 0.844 in mean and maximum CIMT respectively (P <0.001)). This superior performance is attributed to our novel interface design for hard constraints in the snake models.
Autoreactive T cells in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by infiltration of T lymphocytes and macrophages into white matter leading to demyelination [1-2]. This pathology is frequently associated with disability of neurological function, in particular sensory deficits, visual problems and paralysis. The acute MS plaques are markered by the presence of activated T cells expressing the IL-2 receptor as well as activated, class II MHC positive macrophages [3-4]. In addition, cytokines such as TNF and oligoclonal immunoglobulin have been found in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with MS [5-7]. This active inflammatory process is confined to the CNS, not affecting either the peripheral nervous system or other organs. Although it is generally accepted that this CNS inflammatory process causes demyelination and the resulting neurologic disability in MS, the mechanism(s) by which the inflammation is initiated and maintained is unknown.
Calculation of the thermal conductivity of a normal metal in contact with a superconductor

The thermal conductivity of a normal metal in contact with a superconductor has been calculated, based on the model of de Gennes and Saint James. The temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity increases more rapidly than linearly in temperature in contrast to the calculation of Andreev. The effects of mean free path, normal metal thickness, and nonzero pair potential in the normal metal are considered.
Developing More Adaptive, Innovative, and Interactive Organizations.

This chapter presents an overview of benchmarking as well as dashboard indicators for higher education.
Health behavior change models and theories: contributions to rehabilitation

Purpose. This article highlights the importance of health behavior change (HBC) theory, and its relevance to rehabilitation research and practice.Method. An extensive review of HBC-related literatu...
Sublethal effects and safe levels of carbon dioxide in seawater for Atlantic salmon postsmolts (Salmo salar L.): ion regulation and growth

Abstract Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) postsmolts (0.17–0.26 kg) were exposed to four different levels of carbon dioxide partial pressure for 43 days in an open flow system: 0.6 mm Hg (control), 4.9 mm Hg (low), 12 mm Hg (medium), and 20 mm Hg (high). The water temperature was 15–16°C and the salinity 34‰. In the low carbon dioxide group ( P CO 2 =4.9 mm Hg; 10.6 mg/l), no significant differences were found in blood parameters (haematocrit, plasma chloride and plasma sodium) or in growth parameters (weight, length and condition factor) when compared to the control group. After 43 days, the mean plasma chloride concentration for the medium group ( P CO 2 =12 mm Hg; 26 mg/l) was significantly reduced, while weight and condition factor were slightly, although not significantly, lowered. For the high carbon dioxide group ( P CO 2 =20 mm Hg; 44 mg/l) plasma sodium and plasma pH were significantly increased and plasma chloride, oxygen consumption, weight, length and condition factor were significantly reduced at the end of exposure. There was no mortality in the control group or in the low carbon dioxide group. The mortalities in the medium and high carbon dioxide groups were 1.1 and 4.3%, respectively. Nephrocalsinosis was not observed in any of the groups. The results of the present investigation indicate that the CO 2 concentration of the low group may represent a safe level for Atlantic salmon postsmolts when the temperature is 15–16°C and the oxygen level is 6–7 mg/l. Further studies are required.
Evaluation of several degree-day estimation methods in California climates

Procedures for estimating degree-day accumulations are frequently employed instead of the more accurate method of calculating degree-days from hourly temperature data because on-site temperature data are commonly restricted to daily minimum and maximum temperature records. Data from seven methods of estimating degree-days at each of nine locations during 2 years in California were compared by month to degree-day values calculated by hourly summation. Methods included three sine-wave approaches, three triangulation approaches and the averaging (i.e., rectangle) method. Results of the double-sine and corrected-sine (i.e., corrected for day length) methods were nearly identical to those of the single-sine method. The double triangulation and corrected triangulation methods produced very similar results to the single triangulation method. The averaging method and sine-wave methods deviated to a greater extent from degree-day accumulations calculated from hourly temperatures from November through February than did the triangulation methods. Degree-day estimations from the late spring and summer months were more similar to one another for all estimation methods than during the cooler months of the year. Since no advantages were noted in the more complicated double and corrected methods, the single triangulation method or the sine-wave method is preferred as they are less complicated procedures. Of the various temperature threshold cut-off methods evaluated, error levels were unaffected when estimating degree-days using the sine-wave method. The employment of a horizontal cut-off with the triangulation method did not significantly increase the amount of error in the estimation of degree-days. However, an increase in error was observed when employing the intermediate cut-off and vertical threshold cut-off techniques with the triangulation method for computing degree-days.
Structures and molecules involved in generation and regulation of biological rhythms in vertebrates and invertebrates.

Melatonin from the retina and the pineal gland functions in neuroendocrine hierarchies. Photoreceptors — eyes and extraretinal — detect light. Oscillators — pineal and suprachiasmatic nuclei — act as pacemakers. Driven neuroendocrine rhythms carry temporal hormone signals throughout the body. Light controls melatonin: light sets the phase of the melatonin rhythm and determines the duration of melatonin synthesis. By these means, circadian rhythms (e.g. in locomotor activity and body temperature) and seasonal rhythms (e.g. in reproduction) are controlled.
A pressure-shear plate impact experiment for studying the rheology of lubricants at high pressures and high shearing rates

Etude de la rheologie des lubrifiants a de hautes pressions et de forts taux de cisaillement
Superior Oblique Muscle Involvement in Thyroid Ophthalmopathy

Background: Rectus muscle involvement in thyroid ophthalmopathy is well documented. The inferior rectus is the most frequently involved, followed by the medial, superior, and infrequently the lateral rectus. This study reports involvement of the superior oblique muscle as a contributory cause of restrictive strabismus in patients with thyroid ophthalmopathy. Methods: This is a retrospective review of four patients with known thyroid ophthalmopathy who presented with incomitant vertical strabismus, A-pattern, overdepression in adduction, underelevation in adduction, and incyclotorsion. All patients underwent preoperative orbital imaging. Two of the four patients had previous orbital decompressions. All patients underwent surgery on the SO muscle. Results: Preoperative scans showed enlargement of one or both SO muscles in all patients and intraoperative forced duction testing revealed restriction to elevation in adduction in all cases. Preoperative A-pattern ranged from to 6 to 22 prism diopters. All subjects had preoperative incyclotorsion, ranging from 2 and 14 degrees. Improvement of the versions, hypertropia, and cyclotorsion followed surgical weakening procedures on the SO muscle. Conclusion: Thyroid ophthalmopathy may involve the SO muscle. Clinical manifestations include preoperative A-pattern strabismus, incyclotorsion, and restrictive limitation to elevation in adduction. Orbital imaging documents SO muscle enlargement. Awareness of SO involvement in thyroid ophthalmopathy assists the surgeon to develop a more precise surgical strategy to correct the hypotropia.
Discovering critical edge sequences in E-commerce catalogs

Web sites allow the collection of vast amounts of navigational data -- clickstreams of user traversals through the site. These massive data stores offer the tantalizing possibility of uncovering interesting patterns within the dataset. For e-businesses, always looking for an edge in the hyper-competitive online marketplace, this possibility is of particular interest. Of significant particular interest to e-businesses is the discovery of Critical Edge Sequences (CES), which denote frequently traversed subpaths in the catalog. CESs can be used to improve site performance and site management, increase the effectiveness of advertising on the site, and gather additional knowledge of customer interest patterns on the site.Using traditional graph-based and web mining strategies to find CESs could turn out to be expensive in both space and time. In this paper, we propose a method to compute the most popular paths bewteen node pairs in a catalog, which are then used to discover CESs. Our method is both space-efficient and accurate, providing a vast reduction in the storage requirement with a minimum impact on accuracy. This algorithm, executed off-line in batch mode, is also practical with respect to running time. As a variant of single-source shortest-path, it runs in log linear time.
The acoustic radiation damping of the modes of a rectangular panel

The acoustic damping for single modes of a finite rectangular panel, simply supported in an infinite baffle, is theoretically determined from the ratio of the acoustic energy radiated per cycle to the vibratory energy of the panel. Asymptotic solutions for the low‐frequency region are presented for a panel mode driven at an arbitrary frequency and for a panel mode vibrating at its natural frequency. Curves of acoustic damping for a panel mode vibrating at resonance, as a function of the panel thickness‐to‐length ratio, are presented for various panel aspect ratios. For panels vibrating below the critical frequency, the damping depends on the aspect ratio with square panels developing the smallest value. For panels vibrating above the critical frequency, the damping is nearly independent of the aspect ratio.
Synthesis of mesoporous TiO2 nanowire film for high performance PbS/TiO2 heterojunction photovoltaic devices

We report on the fabrication of mesoporous TiO2 nanowire film for PbS/TiO2 heterojuction solar cells. We achieved improved short circuit current and a remarkable power converting efficiency of 5.5% under 8.5 mW/cm2 white light illumination.
Twinned domains in epitaxial ZnO/SnO2-cosubstituted In2O3 thin films

Abstract Zn0.3In1.4Sn0.3O3−δ (ZITO) thin films were grown by computer-controlled pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on (0 0 0 1) Al2O3 substrate. Cross-section and plan-view transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the ZITO films were composed of twin-related domains with their (2 2 2) planes parallel to (0 0 0 1) planes of the Al2O3 substrate. ZITO { 5 5 ¯ 0 } planes fitted well to Al2O3 { 3 3 ¯ 0 0 } planes with a lattice mismatch of approximately 2.8%. Remarkable enhancement of electrical conductivity, about one order of magnitude higher than that of bulk ZITO, was found. The formation of twin-related domains and its effects on electrical and optical properties of ZITO films were also discussed.
Lipase-catalyzed Optical Resolution of 2, 2, 2-Trifluoro-1-(1-naphthyl)ethanol

The optical resolution of the title compound (TFNE) was achieved by lipase LIP-catalyzed enantioselective acetylation (E value > 100) with vinyl acetate in octane. S-TFNE acetate and R-TFNE were obtained with high optical purity.
A 13C nuclear magnetic resonance study of the interaction of ligands with arginine residues in dihydrofolate reductase

Abstract 13C nmr spectra of Streptococcus faecium dihydrofolate reductase containing [13C-guanidino] arginine and ligand complexes with the labeled enzyme are reported. The spectrum of the native enzyme shows 5 well-resolved resonances (the enzyme contains 8 Arg) with a chemical shift range of 1.2 ppm. Addition of ligands to the enzyme produces distinct changes in the enzyme spectrum, and demonstrates that 13C nmr of labeled protein can be used in studies of protein-ligand interactions. An example of the use of 13C-depleted material is also presented.
Conjugated linoleic acid-rich soy oil triacylglycerol identification.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-rich soy oil has been produced by soy oil linoleic acid (LA) photoisomerization, but CLA-rich oil triacylglycerol (TAG) characterization was not described. Therefore, the objectives were to identify and quantify new TAG fractions in CLA-rich oil by nonaqueous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (NARP-HPLC). Analytical NARP-HPLC with an acetonitrile/dichloromethane (ACN/DCM) gradient and an evaporating light scattering detector/ ultraviolet (ELSD/UV) detector was used. New TAG peaks from LA-containing TAGs were observed. The LnLL, LLL, LLO, and LLP (Ln, linolenic; L, linoleic; O, oleic; and P, palmitic) peaks reduced after isomerization with an increase in adjacent peaks that coeluted with LnLnO, LnLO, LnOO, and LnPP. The newly formed peaks were wider than those of the original oil and absorbed at 233 nm, suggesting the possibility of various CLA containing TAGs. The HPLC profile showed five fractions of mixed TAGs, and fatty acid analysis showed that CLA isomers were found predominately in fractions 2 and 3, which originally contained most LA. The CLA isomers were 70-80% trans,trans and 20-30% cis,trans and trans,cis.
Database hash-join algorithms on multithreaded computer architectures

As the performance gap between main memory and modern processors widens, database algorithms must be adapted to be "architecture-aware" for optimal performance. We address this issue using the computation of hash join, one of the most important operations in database query processing, to study the impact of simultaneous multithreading (SMT) and main-memory latency (cache misses) on performance.Prior work [8] has studied cache misses on a simulation based on the Compaq ES40. Our results are obtained by measuring the performance of actual hardware (Intel Pentium and Xeon, and AMD Opteron) first for the single-threaded version of the hash-join algorithm used in the prior work and a new version designed for multiple threads.We found that hardware prefetching from main-memory data into CPU cache as implemented in the architectures we tested significantly reduces the real-world benefit of software prefetching (contrary to prior work on simulated systems). We found that SMT achieved significant speedup for our thread-aware hash join algorithm when compared with a single-threaded execution on the same single processor. Software prefetching also proved beneficial in this environment.
Continuing development in the regime of decreased atmospheric column OH at Fritz Peak, Colorado

A new regime of reduced hydroxyl (OH) column abundances at Fritz Peak Observatory, first observed in the fall of 1991, continues to develop. Beginning in 1991, morning OH abundances in the fall season at Fritz Peak (40°N, 105°W) were found to be about 15% lower than the previous 1980–1990 average. Measurements for July–October 1997 indicate a continued regime of depressed (25–30%) OH abundances. The August-October afternoon abundances were also low in 1997, yielding a PM-AM asymmetry of about 6% which is near the annual average for Fritz Peak. This is the first occasion since 1980 that the fall PM-AM difference of about 35% has not appeared. The winter season maximum of 15%, a persistent feature of the 1980–1990 measurement record, also failed to appear in 1996–97.
Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by bovicin HC5, a bacteriocin produced by Streptococcus bovis HC5.

Cattle can be infected with Listeria monocytogenes by consuming contaminated plant materials, soil or silage, and farmers have sought ways of preventing this contamination. Recent work indicated that Streptococcus bovis HC5 produced a bacteriocin (bovicin HC5) that could inhibit a variety of gram-positive bacteria, and we examined the ability of bovicin HC5 to inhibit 10 strains of L. monocytogenes that had been isolated from plant materials, soil, silage and infected cattle. Growth experiments indicated that all of the L. monocytogenes strains were inhibited by 100 activity units (AU) of bovicin HC5 ml 1 . L. monocytogenes cultures that were transferred with sublethal doses (12.5 AU ml 1 ) could be adapted in stepwise fashion to higher doses of bovicin HC5. However, even 'adapted' cultures did not grow if 400 AU ml 1 was added. The effect of bovicin HC5 on L. monocytogenes was bactericidal, and viability decreased 5-7 logs after only 2 h of exposure. Bovicin HC5 caused a nearly complete efflux of intracellular potassium in 15 min but only if the pH was less than 6.0. When the pH was greater than 6.0, the cells maintained their potassium pool. L. monocytogenes cells that were acid-adapted (final pH of 4.6) were as sensitive to bovicin HC5 as those that were not acid-adapted (final pH of 6.3). These results support the idea that bovicin HC5 could be effective in controlling listeria in contaminated silages. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
The appeal of appearing green: Soviet-American ideological competition and Cold War environmental diplomacy

This paper argues that the Cold War, for all its environmental costs, brought in its train a hidden benefit: the creation of an international ideological competition that made meaningful environmental agreements more likely. After reviewing the history of Soviet environmental initiatives, the paper discusses the rise of international environmental agreements and the abrupt decline after 1991.
SECONDARY NUCLEATION OF SUCROSE BY FLUID SHEAR IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

The motivation for this work was based on two hypotheses: subcritical nuclei of sucrose may be generated by secondary nucleation using a fluid shear field acting on the surface of a growing seed crystal in aqueous solutions, and a near-dynamic equilibrium distribution of embryos may be attained. These were supported experimentally. The value of a σ-based model parameter, a, was obtained by describing the system by a Boltzman- like distribution model. The number concentration of subcritical nuclei was well described by the model. Despite differences in experimental method and in the basic nature of the solute, sucrose, the behavior of the system and results were similar to those obtained in the earlier work using aqueous salt solutions [Sung et al. (1973), Jagannathan et al. (1980)].
The effect of the Maharishi Student Rasayana food supplement on non-verbal intelligence

Abstract Research shows that IQ is a strong predictor of student academic performance. Previous studies have found that increasing the in-take of vitamins and minerals improves non-verbal intelligence. The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of a herbal food supplement—Maharishi Ayur-Ved Student Rasayana (MA-SR)—on non-verbal intelligence. The 5-month study consisted of 34 third-grade students who were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a placebo group. The MA-SR group exhibited a 9.83 point increase in IQ compared to 4.88 points for the placebo group. Analysis of the data indicated that a significant proportion of students in the MA-SR group (78%) compared to that of the placebo group (50%) showed an improvement in IQ which exceeded that of the test-retest effect. Additional statistical analysis further indicated that taking MA-SR improves IQ. Possible mechanisms are discussed.
RAIM Availability of GPS Augmented with Loran‐C and Barometric Altimeter for Use in Nonprecision Approach1

Prior to the adoption of the Wide-Area Augmentation System (WAAS) as the primary radionavigation system for the future, a number of different augmentation techniques for providing enhanced integrity and availability of GPS for use in the National Airspace System were analyzed. This paper examines the availability of Loran-C augmented GPS with receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) for use in nonprecision approach. Availability of the augmented system is calculated at approximately 2300 airports over the continental United States. It is demonstrated that GPS availability is significantly enhanced with Loran-C and barometric altimeter augmentation. The percentage of time augmented GPS is unavailable for nonprecision approach is reduced by at least two orders of magnitude relative to nonaugmented GPS. Loran-C is by itself an approved supplemental nonprecision approach landing system that can function as a stand-alone backup if GPS is degraded or unavailable. It is demonstrated that the augmented system represents an improved, redundant, and generally more robust supplemental navigation system; however, the Loran-C augmented system cannot satisfy the requirements for a primary navigation system.
Year in review: National Pressure Ulcer Long-Term Care Study (NPULS).

Included in this study were 95 long-term care (LTC) facilities in the United States associated with six LTC providers; providers nonrandomly selected based on willingness to participate, provide company personnel for purposes of study, coordination, and collect data from 150 residents each; 1524 residents, age 18 years, length of stay 14 days, Braden score 17; and no pressure ulcer (PU) at the start of the trial; residents in LTC facilities some time between February 1, 1996, and October 31, 1997.
Stability and electronic properties of amorphous silicon p-i-n devices fabricated using ECR plasma enhanced chemical deposition

vi L INTRODUCTION 1 A. Structural and Electro-Optical Properties of Amorphous Silicon 3 1. Band-gap States 4 2. Doping in a-Si:H 10 3. Optical Absorption 12 4. Metastability 16 B. Devices 18 1. Device Models 19 2. Device Stability 21 C. Growth Chemistry 25 n. SAMPLE PREPERATION 29 A. Deposition System 31 1. Fundamentals of ECR Process 31 2. Description of ECR reactor 34 B. PECVD Processing 35 m. CHARACTERIZATION 41 A. Plasma 41 1. Langmuir Probe Theory 41 2. I-V Curve Generation and Interpretation 43 3. Determination of Plasma Parameters 45 B. Materials 47 1. Film Thickness 47 2. Photo and Dark Conductivity 48
Reliability in Digital Systems with Asymmetrical Failure Modes

Most present-day reliability schemes using redundancy to mask the failure of individual logic modules employ majority voting with the assumption that the replicated modules have symmetrical failure characteristics. An analysis is presented of such schemes when the modules exhibit asymmetrical failure modes; that is, the probability that a module fails with a 0 output is not equal to the probability that it fails with a 1 output. A general expression is presented which gives the reliability of a network consisting of n identical modules feeding a k-out-of-n voter. It is shown that a simple majority element does not always represent the optimal choice. Plots illustrating the results are included.
Corporate Social and Financial Performance Re-Examined: Industry Effects in a Linear Mixed Model Analysis

In this research, we shed new light on the empirical link between corporate social performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) via the application of empirical models and methods new to the CSP–CFP literature. Applying advanced financial models to a uniquely constructed panel dataset, we demonstrate that a significant overall CSP–CFP relationship exists and that this relationship is, in part, conditioned on firms’ industry-specific context. To accommodate the estimation of time-invariant industry and industry-interaction effects, we estimate linear mixed models in our test of the CSP–CFP relationship. Our results show both a significant overall CSP effect as well as significant industry effects between CSP and CFP. In conflict with expectations, the unweighted average effect of CSP on CFP is negative. Our industry analysis, however, shows that in over 17% of the industries in our sample, the effect of CSP on CFP for socially responsible firms is positive. We also examine the multidimensional nature of the CSP construct in an industry context by exploring the CSP dimension–industry nexus and identify dimensions of social performance that are associated with either better or worse financial performance. Our results confirm the existence of disparate CSP dimension–industry effects on CFP, thus our results provide important and actionable information to decision makers considering whether and how to commit corporate resources to social performance.
In vivo efficacy of HAT therapy against transplantable murine myelomas resistant to purine analogs.

Abstract The therapeutic efficacy of antineoplastic purine analogs can be jeopardized by the emergence of drug-resistant mutant subpopulations of tumor cells. To determine whether such mutant populations might be eradicable in vivo with the type of HAT combination (hypoxanthine + an antifolate + thymidine) known to be selectively cytotoxic to them in vitro, 2 thioguanine-resistant BALB c murine myeloma lines were transplanted into BALB c mice to produce tumors capable of progressive growth in the absence of therapy. Treatment of these mice with a modified HAT regimen induced permanent tumor regressions in 37 44 mice; the same treatment was ineffective against tumors produced by a non-mutant myeloma line from which one of the mutant sublines had been derived.
A daily process examination of the bidirectional relationship between craving and alcohol consumption as measured via interactive voice response.

Background Craving is a central component to alcohol use disorders, although there are contradictory findings in the literature regarding the importance of craving in alcohol use. The study goal was to examine the bidirectional relationship between craving and alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers. Methods Participants received brief alcohol interventions from their primary care physicians and then were asked to make daily reports of craving and alcohol consumption to an interactive voice response (IVR) telephone system for 180 days. The study sample included 246 participants (166 men) with mean age of 46. Ninety-seven percent were Caucasian and 66% met criteria for alcohol dependence. Analysis used generalized estimating equations (GEE) to evaluate whether craving intensity predicted next day alcohol consumption and whether alcohol consumption predicted next day craving intensity. Significant interactions with gender led to stratified analyses. Results GEE analyses revealed a significant bidirectional relationship between craving and drinking, where craving intensity predicted next day total drinks consumed (p = 0.001), and total drinks predicted next day craving intensity (p = 0.02). Exploratory analysis found that gender significantly moderated the craving–drinking relationship (p = 0.002) with men increasing next day alcohol use more (b = 0.19) than women (b = 0.08). Conclusions Findings suggest a bidirectional relationship between craving and drinking may contribute to the development or maintenance of heavy drinking, particularly for men. Based on our findings, we recommend that during brief interventions, physicians address both drinking and craving and provide advice for coping with craving.
Characterization and corrosion behavior of duplex-chromized steel for the sulfur container in NaS cells☆

Abstract A chromium-rich diffusion coating was developed for low carbon steels used in the containment of molten sulfur and sodium polysulfides. The coating, which was obtained by pack-chromizing methods, promises to meet the corrosion, conductivity and cost requirements for the high temperature NaS battery. This paper presents information on the preparation, structure and behavior of this new coating/substrate system.
Risk of endophthalmitis and other long-term complications of trabeculectomy in the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study (CIGTS).

Purpose To report the risk of endophthalmitis and other long-term complications in patients randomized to trabeculectomy in the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study. Design A longitudinal cohort study using data collected from a multicenter, randomized clinical trial. Methods Long-term postoperative complications in the 300 patients randomized to trabeculectomy in the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study were tabulated. Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to estimate the time-related probabilities of blebitis, hypotony, and endophthalmitis. Results Two hundred eighty-five patients were included in the final trabeculectomy cohort after accounting for declining treatment assignment and other early events. Patients were followed up for an average of 7.2 years. One hundred sixty-three patients (57%) received 5-fluorouracil during surgery. Of the 247 patients with at least 5 years of follow-up, 50 required further treatment for glaucoma. Cataract extraction was performed in 57 patients (20%). Forty patients (14%) required bleb revision at least once. Bleb-related complications included bleb leak (n = 15), blebitis (n = 8), and hypotony (n = 4). Three patients were noted to have endophthalmitis, although the diagnosis in 2 patients was presumptive. The occurrences of blebitis, hypotony, or endophthalmitis were not significantly associated with 5-fluorouracil use. The Kaplan-Meier calculated risks of blebitis and hypotony at 5 years were both 1.5%, whereas the risk of endophthalmitis was 1.1%. Conclusions The potential efficacy of trabeculectomy must be weighed against the long-term risk of complications, especially endophthalmitis, when selecting treatments for patients with open-angle glaucoma. We report a low 5-year risk of endophthalmitis (1.1%) and other bleb-related complications in the trabeculectomy cohort of the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study.
Microculture System for Studying Monolayers of Functional β-Cells

A method is described for growing monolayers of newborn rat β-cells in microculture trays. After disruption of the pancreas with collagenase, islets were isolated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, trypsinized to obtain individual cells, and plated in 96-well tissue culture trays. The cells were incubated for the first 3 days in growth medium containing 0.1 mm 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine to promote monolayer formation. The cultures could be maintained in a functional state, as defined by their responsiveness to known modulators of insulin secretion, for at least 2 weeks. As few as 1 × 103 islet cells/well gave results that were reproducible within ±10%. It is suggested that the microculture system for islet cells might prove to be a rapid and reproducible screening technique for studying drugs, viruses, or other agents that affect β-cell function. (Endocrinology 106: 1070, 1980)
Diamagnetic levitation for nonlinear vibration energy harvesting: Theoretical modeling and analysis

Abstract This paper provides theoretical modeling and analysis of applying diamagnetic levitation for nonlinear vibration energy harvesting in detail by first identifying potential merits as well as limitations. Based on a magnetic dipole model, analytical analysis is conducted by providing simplified analytical expressions of restoring forces and electromagnetic damping which are then transformed into a hardening spring model and results in a Duffing equation with strong nonlinearity. In addition, constraints on physical geometry are discussed and derived in the view of practical energy harvester design. More importantly, the derivation and discussion extended to multi-well potential suggest that diamagnetic levitation may enable designing an energy harvester that subject to cross-well chaos with a compact volume and wideband responses. Without mechanical damping in any form, diamagnetic levitation may be considered as a promising mechanism for developing vibration energy harvesters with great performance, and the paper provides a technology push on the possibility.
A contemporary and evidence-based view of canine protected occlusion.

Dentists and orthodontists at one time or another have been exposed to the gnathological concept of occlusion. Certainly, a well-known and advocated precept of gnathology is that of “canine (mutually) protected occlusion (CPO).” The basic premise of CPO is that, on laterotrusive movements of the mandible, only the canines (possibly first premolars) contact and therefore protect the remaining dentition from adverse occlusal torsion forces on contacts to and from centric occlusion (and/or centric relation). Furthermore, it is contended that CPO is the optimal (ideal) type of functional occlusion for the natural dentition vis-a-vis dentures and is the functional occlusion type toward which restorative and orthodontic treatments should be directed. It is also argued that orthodontists who do not obtain canine protected functional occlusions are doing a disservice to their patients and possibly not practicing state-of-the-art orthodontics. That is, gnathologists maintain that orthodontists who do not establish a gnathologic finish, including CPO, potentially predispose patients to temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and orthodontic tooth relapse. However, many past notions in dentistry and orthodontics, particularly related to gnathology, have not withstood the test of time or the rigors of science. And, with the recent emphasis for dentists to practice evidence-based decision making, it makes sense to fully investigate and evaluate the concept of CPO. The purpose of this article is to discuss past and present knowledge and information on the general topic of functional occlusion (particularly regarding CPO and orthodontics) and relate it to logical considerations
Amino-acid composition of ascitic fluid and blood plasma from mice bearing Ehrlich-Lettre tumour.

WHEN an in vitro incubation system for amino-acid incorporation and protein synthesis by Ehrlich ascites tumour cells (unpublished results) was in development there was a need to find a natural environmental supply of amino-acids on which a synthetic medium could be based. For this reason the amino-acids of the ascitic fluid around the cells, the plasma of mice bearing ascitic tumour and the plasma of normal controls were analysed. The results give an added insight into the protein nutritional state of the tumour-bearing mouse.
‘They don't look at what affects us’: the role of ecodevelopmental factors on alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities

Objectives. Latinos with disabilities disproportionately report substance use, including binge drinking and drug use. Ecodevelopmental factors, including socioeconomic patterning of poverty, social exclusion, and post-colonial racism, have been shown to impact alcohol and drug use. However, this line of research remains underdeveloped among Latinos with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to obtain rich descriptions of the role of ecodevelopmental factors, including family and community, on alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities. Methods. We utilized a community-based participatory research design, in conjunction with an innovative methodology referred to as photovoice. Three rounds of photography and focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 17 focus groups. Reflections in each focus group interview were aloud and digitally audiotaped. A total of 28 participants 19-35 years of age (mean age = 27.65, SD = 5.48) participated in each round of photography and focus group interviews. Data analyses followed the tenets of descriptive phenomenology. Results. Findings highlight ecodevelopmental family and community risk and protective factors. At the family level, participants reflected on the ways in which family functioning, including family support, communication, and cohesion, can serve as risk and promotive factors for alcohol and drug use. Additionally, participants described in detail how experiences of poverty, stigma and discrimination, violence, accessibility to alcohol and drugs, accessibility for persons with disabilities, transportation, community support and cohesion, and access to health and mental health services constitute risk and promotive factors at the community level. Conclusion. Findings are suggestive of how ecodevelopmental family and community factors might increase the risk of alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities. From this qualitative research, we derive a series of testable hypotheses. For example, future studies should examine the impact of family functioning on alcohol and drug use among Latinos with physical disabilities over time. Study findings may have great utility to inform the development of preventive interventions for this at-risk group.
Expert panel assessment of acute liver injury identification in observational data

Abstract Background Observational data are useful for studying drug safety; however, to be effective, accurate outcome measurement is paramount. Objectives This study compared alternative outcome definitions for acute liver injury (ALI) and explored opportunities for improving ALI identification in observational data. Methods The Truven MarketScan® Lab Database (MSLR) was used to identify patients meeting at least 1 of 4 ALI definitions, including definitions based on diagnosis codes, laboratory measures, or combinations of diagnoses, procedures, and/or laboratory measures. Expert panelists reviewed patient data using a Web dashboard. Panelists determined whether they believed the patient had ALI and identified factors influencing their decision. Logistic regression models explored which factors were influential in case determination. Results Overall, only 37 of 208 reviewed patients (17.8%) were classified as cases. The diagnosis-based definition yielded no positive cases and the laboratory-based definition yielded the most positive cases (31 of 60). The most influential factors in case classification were occurrence of procedures after the index date (OR = 13.2, 95% CI = 5.3–32.9), no occurrence of drug treatments before the index date (OR = 4.6; 95% CI = 1.6–13.2), occurrence of drug treatments before the index date (OR = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.1–0.6), and no drug treatments after the index date (OR = 0.2; 95% CI = 0.0–0.5). Conclusions Comparing ALI definitions illustrated tradeoffs between the number of plausible cases identified and the likelihood of cases being classified as positive. Future research should refine ALI case definitions, considering the import of laboratory results, procedures, and drugs in defining a case.
Evaluation of commercial ResPlex II v2.0, MultiCode-PLx, and xTAG respiratory viral panels for the diagnosis of respiratory viral infections in adults.

Abstract Background Commercial multiplex PCR panels for respiratory viruses (PRV) have been recently developed. ResPlex II Panel v2.0 (Qiagen), MultiCode®-PLx (EraGen Biosciences), and xTAG® (Luminex) PRV's were studied. All assays detect influenza A and B, adenovirus, parainfluenza 1–3, respiratory syncytial virus A and B, human metapneumovirus and human rhinovirus. The ResPlex II additionally detects coronavirus (229E, OC43, NL63, HKU1), coxsackie/echo virus, bocavirus and differentiates adenoviruses (B, E). The MultiCode-PLX assay detects 229E, OC43, and NL63, differentiates parainfluenza 4a, 4b and adenoviruses (B, C, E). The xTAG additionally subtypes influenza A as seasonal H1 and H3. Study design 202 specimens collected from adult patients with signs of respiratory infection from November, 2008 to May, 2009 were used for evaluating the performance of the three commercial PRV assays. Viral culture and xTAG were used as the standards to assess sensitivity and specificity. Results The PRV assays detected more viruses than culture. When compared to culture, the xTAG PRV showed a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 91%, compared to MultiCode-PLx with 89% and 87%, and ResPlex II with 89% and 94%, respectively. Co-infection was detected in a small subset of patient specimens. Each panel showed differences in sensitivities for individual viruses. Conclusions While the ResPlex II and MultiCode-PLx offer a broader virus detection range and greater ease of use, the xTAG PRV showed increased sensitivity to common viral targets represented in the assays, and also had the ability to differentiate human from non-human influenza A H1.
Separation of morphine analgesia from physical dependence

Intravenous infusion of morphine sulfate in rats for 24 hours produced marked opioid dependence, manifested by a series of well-documented signs appearing after injection of the opiate antagonist naloxone. Treatment of rats with naloxonazine significantly reduced the analgesia associated with the morphine infusions for more than 24 hours. Furthermore, 14 of 16 withdrawal signs observed in naloxonazine-treated rats were virtually identical to those in rats that received morphine alone. These results raise the possibility that different receptor mechanisms mediate morphine analgesia and many of the withdrawal signs associated with morphine dependence.