cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The financial impact of an acute asthma emergency department visit on low-income families in Los Angeles

Abstract Rationale Many studies have addressed the societal costs of asthma care, but few have assessed costs from the patient's perspective, though cost to patient may influence use of health services. We evaluated the costs experienced by families seeking ED care for their children's asthma. Methods Costs and income data were available for 195 of 234 children in a longitudinal study of low-income families using the ED for acute asthma care. We analyzed families' costs over the course of the month following the visit. Results Descriptive analyses showed that families spent a median 6% of monthly household income on acute asthma care, and 27% of per capita monthly income. Insured families spent 19% per capita, while uninsured families spent 43% per capita. Bivariate analyses showed that overall costs were higher for those patients that were uninsured or were hospitalized after the index visit. Amount spent on transportation and child care costs did not differ significantly between insured and uninsured families at 78% of total costs. Child care was a major component of cost for hospitalized families. 28% of families report no expenses related to asthma care. Conclusions The expenses patients incur for acute asthma care impose a substantial burden on low-income families, especially those who are uninsured. Medical insurance appears to adequately indemnify most medical, but not secondary, expenses. Since expenses tend to be large in proportion to income, it appears likely that families' visits to the ED are driven by perceived medical need.
A Novel Technique for Gynecologic Oncology Surgery in the Presence of Abdominal Wall Mesh Prosthesis

Incisional herniae are relatively frequent complications of abdominal incisions. Hernia repair techniques have taken advantage of the strength provided by prosthetic mesh grafts. Subsequent surgery in these patients must incorporate a strategy for managing the mesh material. The goals are adequate exposure for surgery and a closure that restores wound strength. The current technique describes lateral dissection of the mesh prosthesis allowing for retraction of the mesh and adherent bowel, providing excellent surgical exposure. The mesh is reattached to the abdominal wall during closure. This technique allowed for staging procedures in a case of endometrial cancer and a case of ovarian cancer.
The coordination chemistry of gold surfaces: Formation and far-infrared spectra of alkanethiolate-capped gold nanoparticles

Abstract We find that hydrogen is formed (slowly) in the reaction of “naked gold” with thiols in toluene, thereby establishing the fate of a significant fraction of the thiol H when thiols react with gold nanoparticles to yield monolayer-protected clusters. The far-infrared spectra of 2-nm alkane–thiolate-capped Au nanoparticles have been determined in order to probe the binding of alkanethiols (pentane, hexane, decane, dodecane, hexadecane, and octadecane) to the particle surface. Bands due to the Au–S stretch were observed in the range 170–270 cm −1 , with most samples exhibiting two bands in this region. The Au–S stretch frequencies observed here are similar to those found from HREELS of alkanethiol SAMs on Au(1 1 1) (J. Phys. Chem. B 106 (2002) 9655) and are consistent with recent descriptions of the surface as being stabilized by Au(I)-bridged thiolate “staples” (Science 318 (2007) 407).
Monoamines and their metabolites in the amphibian (Ambystoma tigrinum) brain: Quantitative changes during metamorphosis and captivity

Abstract 1. 1. Monoamine neurotransmitters (epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin and some of their metabolites (DOPEG, MHPG, DOPAC, 5-HIAA) were measured by HPLC in extracts from telencephalon (TEL) and diencephalon-midbrain (DM) before, during and at the end of metamorphosis. 2. 2. During metamorphosis MHPG increased and 5-HIAA decreased in TEL and DM while DOPEG decreased only in DM. 3. 3. Monoamine levels were greater in the TEL and a larger increase in MHPG occurred there. 4. 4. Captivity without metamorphosis also caused a significant depression of 5-HIAA in TEL and depression of DOPEG, MHPG and DOPAC in DM.
Farnesylation and Proteolysis Are Sequential, But Distinct Steps in the CaaX Box Modification Pathway

Abstract Membrane localization of Ras proteins requires posttranslational modification of a conserved C-terminal sequence motif known as the CaaX box (C is Cys, a is any aliphatic amino acid, and X is the carboxyl terminal residue). The modification steps include farnesylation, removal of the three C-terminal amino acids, carboxylmethylation, and palmitoylation. In yeast, the farnesyltransferase (FTase) is encoded by the RAM1(DPR1) and RAM2 genes, and the methyltransferase is the product of STE14. The gene encoding the protease(s) that is responsible for modification of the CaaX has not been identified. We have used in vitro-synthesized Ras2p and synthetic peptide substrates to investigate the relationship between farnesylation and proteolysis. Addition of yeast cytosolic extracts to rabbit reticulocyte extracts programmed to synthesize Ras2p led to prenylation of Ras2p and a change in electrophoretic mobility similar to that observed during Ras maturation in vivo. However, it was not possible to determine if the mobility shift is the result of prenylation, proteolysis or a combination of both steps. Therefore, we examined the relationship between farnesylation and proteolysis directly using extracts prepared from bacteria overexpressing the genes for the yeast FTase (RAMI and RAM2) and synthetic CaaX box peptides. Extracts from bacteria expressing RAM1/RAM2 efficiently prenylate CaaX box peptides, but do not proteolyze the -aaX residues. However, addition of yeast extracts from wild type, ram1, or ste14 mutants resulted in the removal of the -aaX residues from prenylated CaaX box peptides.
The function of Ca2+ in the action of mammalian collagenases

Abstract The removal of extrinsic Ca2+ from human skin, rat skin, and postpartum rat uterus collagenases results in a reversible loss of enzymatic activity, which becomes irreversible with increasing length of Ca2+-free incubation at physiological temperature and pH. Ca2+ is necessary for thermostabilization both in the presence and absence of the collagen substrate. Enzymes from all three sources display linear rates of reaction at Ca2+ concentrations from 0.5 to 20 m m and are half-maximally activated at 0.5 m m Ca2+. The increase in collagenase activity with increasing Ca2+ concentration is associated with an increase in thermostabilization. Ba2+ and Sr2+ are effective substitutes for Ca2+ in human skin collagenase but not in the collagenases from rat tissues. These studies also indicate that Ca2+ plays no role in the binding of collagenases to their substrate.
Effects of urea-thermal denaturation on the high-performance cation-exchange chromatography of α-chymotrypsinogen-A

Abstract Retention parameters of α-chymotrypsinogen-A were determined by isocratic elution for a series of concentrations of calcium acetate and sodium acetate both in the presence and absence of urea. Under non-denaturing conditions of temperature and urea concentration, urea facilitated elution. Under reversible denaturing conditions a sharp drop inchromatographic retention was observed over a narrow temperature range which could be correlated with equilibrium measurements of the protein fluorescence. Retention of both native and denatured protein could be fit to a non-mechanistic retention model by plotting the log k ′ against log salt concentration. Conventional interpretation of these findings indicates that, while the number of ions displaced during binding is greater for the denatured protein, the affinity per ion decreases since the retention of denatured protein is much less than native. Elution profiles obtained under partially denaturing conditions showed a strong flow-rate dependence. We attribute these observations to a rate of equilibration between native denatured protein that is on the timescale of the chromatographic rate processes.
A review of recent observations concerning the synaptic organization of the basilar pontine nuclei

Ultrastructural studies are described that have identified in the basilar pontine nuclei (BPN), the synaptic boutons formed by the corticopontine, cerebellopontine, tectopontine, and dorsal column nucleipontine afferent projection systems. In addition, immunocytochemical studies visualized neuronal somata, dendrites, and synaptic boutons that contain immunoreactivity for GABA or the synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). Based upon differences in the mode of degeneration and postsynaptic locus of degenerative synaptic boutons in the BPN, it is suggested that two types of cortical neurons and three classes of deep cerebellar nuclear cells project to the BPN. For similar reasons, it appears that two types of neurons in the dorsal column nuclei project to the BPN while only one type of afferent synaptic bouton takes origin from the superior colliculus. Furthermore it appears that the population of BPN neurons projecting to the paramedian lobule receives convergent inputs from the cutaneous periphery and the corresponding region of sensorimotor cortex. Studies employing GAD immunohistochemistry indicate that GABA-ergic neurons and axon terminals are present in the BPN and thus support the suggestion that a local inhibitory interneuron is present within the BPN. Taken together these observations suggest that basilar pontine neurons might play a more active role in the integration of various types of information destined for the cerebellar cortex than has previously been recognized.
Modeling gasoline fate and transport in the unsaturated zone

Abstract Gasoline and gasoline constituents are a common source of subsurface contamination, as a result of surface spills or leaks from underground storage tan The current work is focussed on defining the fate and transport processes of a gasoline phase from the point of spillage or leakage through the unsatur
Relative Presence of Business-to-Business Research in the Marketing Literature

Relative to its contribution to the U.S. and other developed countries economies, industrial and business-to-business marketing have been underrepresented in the marketing literature. To determine the extent of this underrepresentation, the authors have evaluated thirty-one marketing journals beginning with the initial publication of the Journal of Marketing in 1936. Without the introduction of journals whose specific focus is industrial marketing, the underrepresentation would have been even more severe than it is currently. Six general research areas were also looked at to determine what trends in industrial marketing research have existed. These areas are: buyer behavior, sales management, marketing relationships, innovation and new product development, marketing strategy, and channels of distribution.
Eicosanoids and preterm labour

Products of arachidonic acid metabolism (eicosanoids, e.g. some prostaglandins and leukotrienes) have important roles in the maintenance of pregnancy, and certain diseases of pregnancy such as pregnancy-induced hypertension and the machanism(s) of parturition both at term and before term. The volume of literature describing these last relationships dictates that the present review has to be focused rather than global in nature. Only studies of preterm labour in women and the use of human tissues will be discussed in detail despite the limitations in experimental designs that are imposed on such studies. Emphasis will be placed on studies of cyclo-oxygenase and to a lesser extant lipoxygenase pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism mentioning only briefly the pathways for catabolism of these eicosanoids. It should be noted also that eicosanoids from the epoxygenase pathways and those not derived from arachidonic acid will not be discussed here. The review of literature will not be comprehensive but rather selective in order to focus on specific issues of importance or controversy. In developing concepts of regulation I have emphasized studies with amnion since this tissue has received most attention experimentally. The significance of the eicosanoids in the mechanisms of labour at term and before will be described primarily in a section in which I have attempted to deleneate those regulatory mechanisms that are considered most significant in, or specific to, pregnancy and parturition. Studies of labour at term will be freely interspersed with studies specific to preterm labour since the latter are limited, and we need a ‘strandard’ for comparison; moreover, results from one series of studies helps the development of concepts for the other. Finally, the reader is directed to several excellent reviews that concentrate on areas not emphasized in this review.1–7
Remote pair programming (RPP) in massively open online courses (MOOCs) (abstract only)

Pair programming, a form of collaborative learning where two programmers work on the same computer, enhances learning in novice programmers and improves code quality in experienced programmers. Remote pair programming (RPP) brings the pedagogical technique of pair programming to the distributed online environment of Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs). UC BerkeleyX's CS169 Software as a Service MOOC successfully uses a Google+ community for students to generate their own RPP events or join events created by their peers. We will examine survey results summarizing the RPP experiences and RPP technologies of student pairings in the Fall 2013 offering of CS169, as well as analyze RPP sessions. In the future, the aim is to generalize RPP methodology, expand its applications to other MOOCs and traditional classrooms, and compare its effectiveness to in-person pair programming.
Coupled-mode description of a nonuniform transmission line

Coupled-mode analysis provides a conceptually simple technique for the analysis of nonuniform transmission lines and nonuniform coupled systems. The variable series and shunt elements couple backward and forward traveling waves. Reflection coefficients are derived for an exponential and linear taper by this technique.
A study of the initial reaction of water vapor with Fe(001) surface

LEED and AES have been used to study the structural changes and kinetics of the initial interaction between Fe(001) and water vapor at temperatures from 298 to 473 K. A disordered c(2 × 2) structure was formed at all temperatures, and only 80% of the total number of sites were filled at saturation. The initial sticking coefficient was 0.56 ± 0.03, and the reaction rate increased with increasing temperature. A model was proposed that successfully accounted for these experimental observations. Irreversible chemisorption of water is proposed to take place via a precursor of physically adsorbed water molecules. The precursor, which is adsorbed on both bare surface and surface covered by chemisorbed species, is mobile and retains most of its degrees of rotational freedom. Water molecules in the precursor state can either desorb or dissociate, and the difference in activation energies for these reactions was found to be 5.7 ± 0.5 kcalmol. Only 80% of the available c(2 × 2) sites are filled and the surface layer is disordered because the chemisorbed species are immobile, and because each one blocks four nearest neighbor sites for further adsorption. The chemisorbed species occupy the fourfold symmetric sites either above the iron atoms or above the interstitial “holes” betweeh iron atoms.
MOEM scan engine for bar code reading and factory automation

ABSTRACT Rockwell is in the state of technology transfer to manufacturing of a micro-opto-electro-mechanical (MOEM) scan enginewith superior scanning performance for bar code reading and factory automation. The scan engine consists of three maincomponents: actuator, mirrors, and control electronics. The first two components are fabricated on a silicon cantilever beamwhile the control electronics are presently hybrid. The actuator comprises of a bimorph layer covered with two metal layers.The mirror has a large area (several mm2) and it is micromachined with a surface flatness better than X/2. Actuator scan-angles greater than 22° with high repeatability in performance are achieved. The scan engine was integrated with an existingRockwell commercial bar code reader/decoder and successfully proven to read a two-character code 39 bar code. The systemwas capable of decoding the 13-mil label at 360 scans per second with a 100% successful read performance. Environmentaltesting of the device indicates that the scanner can operate at elevated temperatures up to 70°C with minor fluctuations infrequency and scan angle. The scanner has also gone through a lifetime cycle test and it has survived more than 8 billioncycles during a period of 1 8 months. To increase the yield and the performance level of the device, theoretical study as wellas dynamic simulation by finite elements modeling (FEM) have been investigated and will be reported separately.Key words: micro-optics, laser diode, bimorph, optical scanner, microelectromechanical systems, micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems, microlens, bar code reader, object detection, automation
Comparative Analysis of Pulmonary Irritation by Measurements of Penh and Protein in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid in Brown Norway Rats and Wistar Rats Exposed to Irritant Aerosols

The object of this study was to compare in two strain of rats (Brown Norway and Wistar) that were acutely exposed (1 x 6 hrs) to aerosols of polymeric methylenediphenyl-4,4'-diisocyanate (MDI), the relative sensitivity of the functional endpoint "enhanced pause (Penh)" with endpoints in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) indicative of lower respiratory tract irritation. This approach included an analysis of both the concentration-response and the time-course of effects. Penh was measured repeatedly prior to (baseline) and during a stepped methacholine (MCh) bronchoprovocation challenge in barometric plethysmographic chambers on postexposure days 1, 3, and 7. Results show that total protein in BALF was a sensitive endpoint to probe early effects caused by exposure to irritant polyisocyanate aerosol. Baseline Penh increased in a concentration-dependent manner and paralleled closely the magnitude of increased BALF-protein on postexposure day 1. The time-course of changes in Penh complemented those of BALF-protein observed in previous studies. The incremental increase of Penh during a stepped MCh-challenge was attenuated with increasing baseline Penh values. In summary, these data show that the exposure to irritant concentrations of this aerosolized polyisocyanate caused a transient perturbation of the blood/air-barrier, which can suitably be probed by measurements of protein in BALF. Although Penh appears to parallel these changes, it displays substantially greater variability. The increase in Penh is apparently more related to changes in breathing patterns either caused by stimulation of receptors or changes in the mechanical properties of lung parenchyma. In regard to Penh and BALF-protein, both strains of rats were equally susceptible, although some endpoints displayed a higher variability in Brown Norway rats when compared to Wistar rats. This supports the conclusion that Wistar rats afford a higher diagnostic resolution than BN rats.
Reclaimed water as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes: distribution system and irrigation implications.

Treated wastewater is increasingly being reused to achieve sustainable water management in arid regions. The objective of this study was to quantify the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in recycled water, particularly after it has passed through the distribution system, and to consider point-of-use implications for soil irrigation. Three separate reclaimed wastewater distribution systems in the western U.S. were examined. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to quantify ARGs corresponding to resistance to sulfonamides (sul1, sul2), macrolides (ermF), tetracycline (tet(A), tet(O)), glycopeptides (vanA), and methicillin (mecA), in addition to genes present in waterborne pathogens Legionella pneumophila (Lmip), Escherichia coli (gadAB), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ecfx, gyrB). In a parallel lab study, the effect of irrigating an agricultural soil with secondary, chlorinated, or dechlorinated wastewater effluent was examined in batch microcosms. A broader range of ARGs were detected after the reclaimed water passed through the distribution systems, highlighting the importance of considering bacterial re-growth and the overall water quality at the point of use. Screening for pathogens with qPCR indicated presence of Lmip and gadAB genes, but not ecfx or gyrB. In the lab study, chlorination was observed to reduce 16S rRNA and sul2 gene copies in the wastewater effluent, while dechlorination had no apparent effect. ARGs levels did not change with time in soil slurries incubated after a single irrigation event with any of the effluents. However, when irrigated repeatedly with secondary wastewater effluent (not chlorinated or dechlorinated), elevated levels of sul1 and sul2 were observed. This study suggests that reclaimed water may be an important reservoir of ARGs, especially at the point of use, and that attention should be directed towards the fate of ARGs in irrigation water and the implications for human health.
Sustained low levels of fibroblast growth factor-1 promote persistent microvascular network formation

Abstract Background Therapeutic neovascularization using high growth factor concentrations may lead to transient vessel formation and abnormal microvascular structure. The goal of this study was to quantify temporal and concentration effects of fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) on the persistence and morphology of microvascular networks. Methods Endothelial cells were incubated in suspension culture forming aggregates that were embedded in fibrin glue (FG) and stimulated with varying concentrations of FGF-1 with of heparin. Capillary networks formed were quantified for 21 days. Results High FGF-1 concentrations resulted in rapid and intense sprout formation, with excessive branching. At later times, these vessels regressed, with cellular debris in former vessel locations. At later times, the 1-ng/mL group surpassed the high concentration groups with continuous sprout growth and complete FG vascularization by 23 days. Conclusion Sustained low levels of FGF-1 maintained a persistent microvascular network response, whereas higher levels resulted in abnormal phenotype followed by vessel regression.
Spinoza and the Dictates of Reason

Spinoza presents the “dictates of reason” as the foundation of “the right way of living”. An influential reading of his position assimilates it to that of Hobbes. The dictates of reason are normative principles that prescribe necessary means to a necessary end: self‐preservation. Against this reading I argue that, for Spinoza, the term “dictates of reason” does not refer to a set of prescriptive principles but simply the necessary consequences, or effects, of the mind's determination by adequate ideas. I draw on this conclusion in highlighting an abiding tension in Spinoza's notion of the preservation of one's being, which reinforces his divergence from Hobbes.
The "corporatization" of U.S. hospitals: what can we learn from the nineteenth century industrial experience?

While broad parallels have been noted between the current "corporatization" of health care and developments in U.S. manufacturing in the late 19th century, there has been little in-depth analysis of these parallels. This article explores trends in the industrial organization of the hospital industry from the perspective of the manufacturing experience. Efforts to use corporate managerial techniques to rationalize hospitals have played an important role in the development of the modern structure of the hospital industry since the 1920s. But the emergence of multihospital systems is a new phenomenon. Some significant similarities exist between current conditions in the hospital industry and conditions in manufacturing at the time of the great industrial merger boom at the turn of the century. The subsequent experience of multiplant manufacturing firms created during the great industrial merger boom varied considerably. The characteristics of successful industrial consolidations are not present in the hospital industry; but motives for consolidation exist that were not present in manufacturing, while changes in the organization of production loom in the future.
DUSTY-GAS PARAMETERS OF ACTIVATED CARBON ABSORBENT PARTICLES

Industrial gas phase adsorption processes often operate in the transition region of transport and the currently employed effective pore diffusion models cannot describe accurately the mass fluxes in this transport regime. The dusty-gas model provides appropriate constitutive equations for the mass fluxes in the transition region of transport, and it is expected to replace in the future the models currently used to describe mass transfer in porous adsorbent particles. In order to use the dusty-gas model estimates of the viscous, Knudsen diffusion, and molecular diffusion permeability constants of the adsorbent must be known. Gas flow and Wicke-Kallenback experiments were performed and from the experimental data and the dusty-gas expressions, the viscous, Knudsen diffusion, and molecular diffusion permeability constants of activated carbon adsorbent particles were, for the first time, calculated
Performance evaluation of manufacturing systems: a spreadsheet model

Abstract In this paper, we describe the spreadsheet modeling of manufacturing systems which are represented by multi-server and multi-product open networks. The spreadsheet software is characterized by easy data manipulation, on-screen numerical and visual feedback, fast calculation (what-if analysis), and its availability. So far, most spreadsheet models of this type have been used to solve static and deterministic problems in manufacturing systems, ignoring most of the uncertainties. We propose here that a spreadsheet can be implemented for capturing not only static features but also stochastic behaviour of manufacturing systems. The experiments show that the results from the spreadsheet model are reasonably close to those from the other existing approaches. The proposed spreadsheet model could be applied by an engineer to the modeling of manufacturing systems, especially for a first-cut design stage, utilizing his/her own spreadsheet software.
Surface detonation in type Ia supernova explosions

We explore the evolution of thermonuclear supernova explosions when the progenitor white dwarf star ignites asymmetrically off-center. Several numerical simulations are carried out in two and three dimensions to test the consequences of different initial flame configurations such as spherical bubbles displaced from the center, more complex deformed configurations, and teardrop-shaped ignitions. The burning bubbles float towards the surface while releasing energy due to the nuclear reactions. If the energy release is too small to gravitationally unbind the star, the ash sweeps around it, once the burning bubble approaches the surface. Collisions in the fuel on the opposite side increase its temperature and density and may - in some cases - initiate a detonation wave which will then propagate inward burning the core of the star and leading to a strong explosion. However, for initial setups in two dimensions that seem realistic from pre-ignition evolution, as well as for all three-dimensional simulations the collimation of the surface material is found to be too weak to trigger a detonation.
A linear algorithm for determining relative orbital state using angle data

Linear algorithms for determining spacecraft relative orbital state using angle data with digital computer
Influence of concrete time-dependent effects on the performance of top-down construction

AbstractThe influence of time-dependent concrete behavior on the performance of top-down excavations is evaluated in light of the observed responses during construction of One Museum Park West (OMPW), a 53-story reinforced concrete tower. Performance during construction was recorded at five instrumentation stations, which included strain gauges in the concrete floor slabs used as lateral bracing during the top-down excavation sequence and inclinometers adjacent to the walls. Top-down construction was simulated with a 3D numerical model of the basement system in which concrete material time-dependent effects were considered, but not the stress relief caused by excavation or other construction activities. Time-dependent concrete response in the floor slabs and the passive resistance developed by the soil as the wall deforms due to concrete time-dependent effects are included in the model. The concrete time-dependent properties related to shrinkage, creep, and aging of the material used in the basement floor...
The aftermath of disaster: Children in crisis

This article uses examples from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the hurricane disasters of Katrina and Rita to illustrate the impact of crisis in the lives of children and adolescents. The author reviews children's responses to loss and crisis. Therapeutic approaches that facilitate integration of crisis and loss are provided, including illustrations of self-care, comfort strategies, and developmental, traditional, and nontraditional methods.
Acoustic emissions produced by anticrack faulting during the olivine→spinel transformation

Anticrack faulting during the phase transformations of olivine to its denser polymorphs is a principal contender for the mechanism of deep-focus earthquakes. The original work on Mg2GeO4 established that initiation of faulting by this mechanism is not due to brittle fracture and subsequent experiments on olivine of mantle composition showed that it can operate at pressures of at least 14 GPa. Here we report acoustic emissions accompanying anticrack faulting in Mg2GeO4, thereby confirming that this mechanism involves a dynamic instability accompanied by elastic radiation.
Improvements In Photolithography Performance By Controlled Baking

Experimental tests were conducted on the hot plate of a 4-inch single-wafer baking oven in order to characterize the dynamics of the wafer temperature during baking, and a factorial experiment was carried out to investigate the significance of these thermal effects on photolithography performance. The purpose was to quantify the effect of temperature overshoot on the critical dimensions, the resist photosensitivity value, and the film thickness, which are the three most significant photolithography outputs. The experimental results indicate that the baking ovens commonly exhibit temperature overshoot by exceeding the prescribed processing temperature. Levels of overshoot of 3°C and 4°C at both the soft-bake and post-exposure bake steps are responsible for statistically significant deviations in critical dimensions and in photosensitivity, with respect to a reference population of films processed under controlled temperature overshoots of 1°C or less. A temperature overshoot of 3°C in the soft-bake cause a small, but statistically significant, increase in CD of 0.011 pm, an increase in ET of 7.5 msec, and a thinning. in resist thickness of 78A. Also, an overshoot of 4°C or greater at post-exposure bake causes an increase in CD's of 0.024 pm, and an increase in ET of 17.5 msec. Further, if overshoots of 3°C or greater at both SB and at PEB occur, then the total CD mean shift is 0.035 μm and the ET mean shift is 25 msec. These output deviations produce a loss in process capability quantitatively measured by the reduction of the process capability index Cpk.
Adoption assistance under P.L. 96-272: A policy analysis

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of state implementation of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act (P.L. 96-272) of 1980. One of the major outcomes of this law was the establishment of a mechanism through which federal matching funds could be appropriated to states for subsidies to support the adoption of children who are eligible for either Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These children fall under the categorization of having special needs. This study examines state implementation of P.L. 96-272 on the following aspects: children's eligibility for adoption subsidy support; the adequacy of this subsidy in providing a quality of life for these children; and, the security of this support throughout childhood.
Increase in a focal population of juxtaglomerular cells in the olfactory bulb associated with early learning

Young rats learn to approach an odor that had been experienced in the presence of reinforcing tactile stimulation. Subsequent presentation of the conditioned odor also evokes an enhanced focal uptake of 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) in the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb, and the glomerular-layer width of such foci increases in conditioned pups. In the present study, we determined whether an increase in the glomerular-layer cell population contributes to this structural and functional change. We therefore counted and measured glomerular-layer cells in Nissl-stained sections from focal regions of radiolabeled 2-DG uptake. While cell size did not differ between groups, conditioned pups had a 19% increase in the number of glomerular-layer cells associated with the 2-DG foci compared to controls. The increase in cell number may contribute to the enhanced 2-DG uptake in glomerular-layer foci.
How golden is silence? Teaching undergraduates the power and limits of RNA interference.

It is hard and getting harder to strike a satisfying balance in teaching. Time dedicated to student-generated models or ideas is often sacrificed in an effort to “get through the syllabus.” I describe a series of RNA interference (RNAi) experiments for undergraduate students that simultaneously explores fundamental concepts in gene regulation, develops cutting-edge laboratory skills, and embraces student-directed learning. Students design a small interfering RNA (siRNA) against luciferase, add it to cells expressing this gene, and then quantitatively assess the siRNA's effect on both intended and unintended targets, using a luciferase assay and a DNA microarray. Because both RNAi and microarray technologies are relatively new, with no clear consensus on their analysis or limitations, students are encouraged to explore different approaches to the design of their reagents and interpretations of their data. The ability to creatively formulate a hypothesis-driven experimental approach to a scientific question and to critically evaluate collected data is stressed. Equally important, this experiment emphasizes how modern scientific ideas emerge, are debated, tested, and decided.
Nonmetric clustering: new approaches for ecological data

Ecological studies and multispecies ecotoxicological tests are based on the examination of a variety of physical, chemical and biological data with the intent of finding patterns in their changing relationships over time. The data sets resulting from such studies are often noisy, incomplete, and difficult to envision. We have developed machine learning and visualization software to aid in the analysis, modelling, and understanding of such systems. The software is based on nonmetric conceptual clustering, which attempts to analyze the data into clusters that are strongly associated with several measured parameters. Our analysis and visualization tools not only confirmed suspected ecological patterns, but revealed aspects of the data that were unnoticed by ecologists using conventional statistical techniques. >
Rock Classification from Conventional Well Logs in Hydrocarbon-Bearing Shale

This paper introduces a rock typing method for application in hydrocarbon-bearing shale (specifically source rock) reservoirs using conventional well logs and core data. Source rock reservoirs are known to be highly heterogeneous and often require new or specialized petrophysical techniques for accurate reservoir evaluation. In the past, petrophysical description of source rock reservoirs with well logs has been focused to quantifying rock composition and organic-matter concentration. These solutions often require many assumptions and ad-hoc correlations where the interpretation becomes a core matching exercise. Scale effects on measurements are typically neglected in core matching. Rock typing in hydrocarbon-bearing shale provides an alternative description by segmenting the reservoir into petrophysically-similar groups with k-means cluster analysis, which can then be used for ranking and detailed analysis of depth zones favorable for production. A synthetic example illustrates the rock typing method for an idealized sequence of beds penetrated by a vertical well. Results and analysis from the synthetic example show that rock types from inverted log properties correctly identify the most organic-rich sections better than rock types detected from well logs in thin beds. Also, estimated kerogen concentration is shown to be the most reliable property in an under-determined inversion solution. Field cases in the Barnett and Haynesville shale gas plays show the importance of core data for supplementing well logs and identifying correlations for desirable reservoir properties (kerogen/TOC concentration, fluid saturations, and porosity). Qualitative rock classes are formed and verified using inverted estimates of kerogen concentration as a rock-quality metric. Inverted log properties identify 40% more of a high-kerogen rock type over well-log based rock types in the Barnett formation. A case in the Haynesville formation suggests the possibility of identifying depositional environments as a result of rock attributes that produce distinct groupings from k-means cluster analysis with well logs. Core data and inversion results indicate homogeneity in the Haynesville formation case. However, the distributions of rock types show a 50% occurrence between two rock types over 90 ft vertical-extent of reservoir. Rock types suggest vertical distributions that exhibit similar rock attributes with characteristic properties (porosity, organic concentration and maturity, and gas saturation). The interpretation method considered in this paper does not directly quantify reservoir parameters and would not serve the purpose of quantifying gas-in-place. Rock typing in hydrocarbon-bearing shale with conventional well logs forms qualitative rock classes which can be used to calculate net-to-gross, validate conventional interpretation methods, perform well-to-well correlations, and establish facies distributions for integrated reservoir modeling in hydrocarbon-bearing shale.
Quantum information: Circuits that process with magic.

Practical quantum computation will require a scalable, robust system to generate and process information with precise control. This is now possible using a superconducting circuit and a little quantum magic.
Follow-up after gastric electrical stimulation for gastroparesis.

Background Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is used to treat medically refractory gastroparesis. However, there are few large series with outcomes beyond 12 months. This study reports surgical outcomes of GES for patients up to 8 years receiving treatment from a single institution. Study Design A prospective database was reviewed from 2003 to 2013 for patients undergoing GES. Baseline patient characteristics were recorded, including age, sex, cause of gastroparesis, gastric emptying, and Hgb A1C. Outcomes variables included nutrition supplementation, additional operations, 30-day morbidity, and mortality. Pre- and postoperative pain and function scores are analyzed over time using generalized estimating equations. Patient outcomes in terms of reoperation rates and types of operations are also reviewed. Results Seventy-nine patients underwent GES with a mean ± SD age of 43 ± 11 years and a BMI of 27 ± 8 kg/m 2 . Symptom scores were available for 60 patients: 60 patients at baseline, 52 patients at 1 year, 14 patients during years 2 to 3, and 18 patients during years 4 to 8. Symptom scores decreased considerably in all categories. At 1-year follow-up, 44% and 31% of patients had at least a 25% reduction in symptom distress for functional and pain symptoms, respectively. Preoperatively, 9 patients required nutrition supplementation. After implantation, 34 (43%) patients underwent additional operations, with a mean of 2.15 operations per patient. Generator-related causes were the most common indication for reoperation, including battery exchanges and relocation. Other operations included 8 gastrectomies and 7 median arcuate ligament releases. Postoperatively, 4 patients required supplemental nutrition. There were no 30-day mortalities, but 11 patients died during the study period. Conclusions Gastric electrical stimulation was significantly associated with reductions in both functional and pain-related symptoms of gastroparesis. Patients who undergo GES have a high likelihood of additional surgery.
Improved bipolar transistor performance in a VLSI CMOS process

Bipolar n-p-n transistors have been successfully fabricated on a high-performance n-well VLSI CMOS process incorporating an additional mask and implant step. A double active-base implant was utilized to control the base surface concentration and the transistor characteristics separately. High forward common-emitter current gain and collector-emitter breakdown voltage can be achieved by this process. n-p-n transistors with β f = 100, BV CE0 = 9.0 V, and BV CB0 = 23 V can be easily fabricated on this scaled VLSI CMOS process.
A 1.6-mm, metal tube ultrasonic motor

A miniaturized metal tube ultrasonic motor, the dimensions of which are 1.6 mm in diameter and 6 mm in length, was developed. Two flattened surfaces with 90 degrees were ground on the outer surface of the stator. Two PZT-based piezoelectric ceramics were bonded onto these flat surfaces. The asymmetrical surface of the stator developed the split of the two degenerated orthogonal bending modes, resulting in a wobble motion. The working frequency of the 1.6-mm motor with 6 mm in length was 130 kHz. A torque of 0.5 mNm was reached at a maximum power of 45 mW with a speed of 45 rad/sec. The maximum efficiency was 16%.
Effect of Trichloroethylene and Its Metabolites, Dichloroacetic Acid and Trichloroacetic Acid, on the Methylation and Expression of c-Jun and c-Myc Protooncogenes in Mouse Liver: Prevention by Methionine

Trichloroethylene (TCE), dichloroacetic acid (DCA), and trichloroacetic acid (TCA) are environmental contaminants that are carcinogenic in mouse liver. 5-Methylcytosine (5-MeC) in DNA is a mechanism that controls the transcription of mRNA, including the protooncogenes, c-jun and c-myc. We have previously reported that TCE decreased methylation of the c-jun and c-myc genes and increased the level of their mRNAs. Decreased methylation of the protooncogenes could be a result of a deficiency in S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), so that methionine, by increasing the level of SAM, would prevent hypomethylation of the genes. For 5 days, female B6C3F1 mice were administered, daily by oral gavage, either 1000 mg/kg body weight of TCE or 500 mg/kg DCA or TCA. At 30 min after each dose of carcinogen, the mice received, by ip injection, 0-, 30-, 100-, 300-, or 450-mg/kg methionine. Mice were euthanized at 100 min after the last dose of DCA, TCA, or TCE. Decreased methylation in the promoter regions of the c-jun and c-myc genes and increased levels of their mRNA and proteins were found in livers of mice exposed to TCE, DCA, and TCA. Methionine prevented both the decreased methylation and the increased levels of the mRNA and proteins of the two pro-tooncogenes. The prevention by methionine of DCA- TCA-, and TCE-induced DNA hypomethylation supports the hypothesis that these carcinogens act by depleting the availability of SAM. Hence, methionine would prevent DNA hypomethylation by maintaining the level of SAM. Furthermore, the results suggest that the dose of DCA, TCA, or TCE must be sufficient to decrease the level of SAM in order for these carcinogens to be active.
A comparative, long-term assessment of four soft tissue substitutes.

Background The ideal product for soft tissue replacement is durable, nonimmunogenic, and noninfectious. AlloDerm (LifeCell Corp., Branchburg, New Jersey), Enduragen (Stryker Corp., Kalamazoo, Michigan), and DermaMatrix (Synthes, Inc., West Chester, Pennsylvania) are frequently used for soft tissue replacement, but comparative analysis of these materials over an extended time period has not been reported. DuraMatrix (bovine tendon matrix; Stryker Corp.) is also promising, demonstrating desirable properties not only as a dural substitute but also for soft tissue replacement. Objectives The authors analyze in vivo gross and microscopic changes over time with four commercially available dermal matrices, utilizing the murine model for a controlled environment. Methods AlloDerm, Enduragen, DermaMatrix, and DuraMatrix implants measuring 1 × 1 cm were each implanted in 40 adult mice, in individual dorsal submuscular pockets. The mice were then sacrificed in groups of 10 at three, six, nine, and 12 months. The implants and surrounding tissues were excised and evaluated for gross and microscopic appearance. Results Histological analysis of the specimens demonstrated similar encapsulation, implant infiltration, and surrounding inflammation over time. Enduragen implants demonstrated the least amount of host cell infiltration, whereas AlloDerm demonstrated the most. Grossly, Enduragen maintained its original shape and became firmer over time, whereas AlloDerm became spherical and softer. DermaMatrix and DuraMatrix both maintained their original shape and consistency. Implant migration, explantation, infection, or allergic reactions were not noted. Conclusions All of the materials studied demonstrated high levels of host tolerance and tissue integration. AlloDerm demonstrated signs of resorption, whereas Enduragen maintained its size and became firmer in consistency. Together with the histological results, this suggests a proportional relationship between the amount of host cell integration and implant resorption.
Research in agricultural economics - is anyone listening? Discussion

The common thread running through these three papers is the quest for relevance in agricultural economics. Zilberman (DZ) is looking for acceptance and relevance in interdisciplinary research, Robison and Colyer (R&C) are looking for relevance in the professional journals, and Skees (JS) tells us how we can do relevant economic research for the policy process. I will discuss each paper in turn and then try to draw a relevant conclusion.
Relationship of Vibrio Species Infection and Elevated Temperatures to Yellow Blotch/Band Disease in Caribbean Corals

The bacterial and temperature factors leading to yellow blotch/band disease (YBD), which affects the major reef-building Caribbean corals Montastrea spp., have been investigated. Groups of bacteria isolated from affected corals and inoculated onto healthy corals caused disease signs similar to those of YBD. The 16S rRNA genes from these bacteria were sequenced and found to correspond to four Vibrio spp. Elevating the water temperature notably increased the rate of spread of YBD on inoculated corals and induced greater coral mortality. YBD-infected corals held at elevated water temperatures had 50% lower zooxanthella densities, 80% lower division rates, and a 75% decrease in chlorophyll a and c2 pigments compared with controls. Histological sections indicated that the algal pyrenoid was fragmented into separate segments, along with a reconfiguration and swelling of the zooxanthellae, as well as vacuolization. YBD does not appear to produce the same physiological response formerly observed in corals undergoing temperature-related bleaching. Evidence indicates that YBD affects primarily the symbiotic algae rather than coral tissue.