cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Branched titania nanotubes through anodization voltage control

Abstract Titania nanotubes are attractive for many applications such as energy generation, storage and delivery, gas sensing, and water purification. Here, we demonstrate branched titania nanotube formation during potentiostatic anodization of titanium films or foils in a single electrochemical bath by stepping down the anodization voltage Vanod below a threshold value. The linear dependence on the titanium nanotube diameter with Vanod and the lack of nanotube formation for Vanod V 2 ≤ V 1 2 − V 0 , where V1 and V2 are the initial and final anodization voltages and V0 is a voltage offset dependent on the anodization bath chemistry. Our technique circumvents the constraints of multi-bath and multi-temperature methods for branching, and provides a versatile means for creating hierarchically sized and/or interconnected titania nanotubes for applications.
Diffuse Holographic Interferometry System For Rocketdyne Hypersonic Shock Tunnel

A flexible and versatile holographic interferometry system is being developed for the Rocket-dyne Hypersonic Flow Laboratory (RHYFL) which will be a free-piston shock tunnel operating in the reflected shock mode. The RHYFL's large test section allows testing of full scale engine components, simulating a true hypersonic flight speeds up to re-entry conditions. The holographic system incorporates a diffuse back-lighting along with both double plate and rapid double pulse methods to provide 3-D visualization of the flow field inside the test section, and it has been designed to obtain the qualitative data on mixing rates and density structures as well as the location and shape of the shock waves.
Teaching Students How to Write to Avoid Legal Liability

Business commmtmication often has significant legal consequences. Students thus need to learn how to avoid legal liability in their writing. Teaching such skills provides a practical and interesting application of key business commu nication principles and encourages students to improve their ability to analyze audiences by looking at the language of business messages "through the eyes of the prosecution."
Orogeny can be very short.

In contrast to continent/continent collision, arc–continent collision generates very short-lived orogeny because the buoyancy-driven impedance of the subduction of continental lithosphere, accompanied by arc/suprasubduction-zone ophiolite obduction, is relieved by subduction polarity reversal (flip). This tectonic principle is illustrated by the early Ordovician Grampian Orogeny in the British and Irish Caledonides, in which a wealth of detailed sedimentologic, heavy mineral, and geochronologic data pin the Orogeny to a very short Arenig/Llanvirn event. The Orogeny, from the initial subduction of continental margin sediments to the end of postflip shortening, lasted ≈18 million years (my). The collisional shortening, prograde-metamorphic phase of the Orogeny lasted 8 my, extensional collapse and exhumation of midcrustal rocks lasted 1.5 my, and postflip shortening lasted 4.5 my. Strain rates were a typical plate-boundary-zone 10-15. Metamorphism, to the second sillimanite isograd, with extensive partial melting, occurred within a few my after initial collision, indicating that conductive models for metamorphic heat transfer in Barrovian terrains are incorrect and must be replaced by advective models in which large volumes of mafic/ultramafic magma are emplaced, syn-tectonically, below and into evolving nappe stacks. Arc/continent collision generates fast and very short orogeny, regional metamorphism, and exhumation.
Right hemicolectomy for mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix: just right or too much?

The surgical management of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix (MA) is controversial, given its infrequent nodal metastases and its propensity for peritoneal dissemination compared to nonmucinous adenocarcinoma. We sought to identify the appropriateness of a right hemicolectomy (RH) for MA in staging and treatment of these tumors. We queried all patients with MA captured in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 1973 to 2007. Demographics, and tumor and therapy characteristics were extracted. Overall and disease-specific survival was compared by Cox regression analyses. Of 2,101 patients with MA, the median age was 59 (range 49–72) years; 55 % were women (n = 1,151). Tumor, node, metastasis staging revealed that tumors were frequently T3 (33 %) or T4 (46 %), N0 (80 %), and M1 (46 %). Fifty-one percent (n = 666) of patients underwent an appendectomy. In patients with complete staging information who underwent RH, nodal metastases were less frequent than the nonmucinous adenocarcinoma group (odds ratio 0.63, p = 0.003). Well-differentiated tumors had a low likelihood of nodal metastases (6 % T1, 0 % T2, 7 % T3, 22 % T4). Adjusted survival for patients undergoing appendectomy was similar to those undergoing a RH (hazard ratio 0.93, p = 0.52). Median survival for both groups was similar with positive nodes (28 [appendectomy] vs. 26 months [RH], p = 0.26) or metastatic disease (52 [appendectomy] vs. 43 months [RH], p = 0.28). There does not appear to be a therapeutic benefit to a RH in the setting of known node-positive or metastatic disease. Benefits of a staging operation can be individualized on the basis of the probability of nodal metastases, which is lower than nonmucinous tumors.
The neonatal nurse specialist--new techniques for the asymptomatic newborn.

In conventional obstetric practice about half of the asymptomatic newborns who will have serious problems during the neonatal period are not recognized until pediatric examination, perhaps many hours after birth. The Neonatal Nurse Specialist (NNS) focuses on subtle abnormal signs during four defined phases within the first six hours of life. The NNS is trained and equipped for emergency intervention, maintains close surveillance, performs serial examinations, orders appropriate laboratory studies, and counsels parents. Refined assessment methods detect high‐risk infants, permitting adjustment to avert disaster. This primary care role for Registered Nurse entails major responsibilities for early detection of disease and prevention of death. Those willing to acquire NNS training can extend modern neonatal evaluation and intervention, especially to hospitals without house staff, in any type of community.
Estimates of Species Diversity of Free-Living Marine Isopod Crustaceans on Coral Reefs

A core group of isopod crustacean genera appears to be present at many coral reef sites. Within these genera, however, species show high local endemicity. Based on the estimated percentage of endemism for the Atlantic (19% for individual sites, 90% for the tropical western Atlantic as a unit), the Indian Ocean (50%), the eastern-central Pacific (80%), and the western Pacific (40%), it is estimated that there are some 5,000 to 13,000 isopod species in the world’s coral reefs, and that some 2,000 to 6,000 of these are endemics. (At present, approximately 4,400 species of marine and 560 species of freshwater isopods have been described.) Based on the crudely estimated relative abundances of other peracaridan crustaceans in coral reefs (compared to isopods), the total diversity of reef amphipods, tanaidaceans, cumaceans, and mysidaceans is approximately 54,500 species.
Singularities in optimal structural design

Singularity conditions that arise during structural optimization can seriously degrade the performance of the optimizer. The singularities are intrinsic to the formulation of the structural optimization problem and are not associated with the method of analysis. Certain conditions that give rise to singularities have been identified in earlier papers, encompassing the entire structure. Further examination revealed more complex sets of conditions in which singularities occur. Some of these singularities are local in nature, being associated with only a segment of the structure. Moreover, the likelihood that one of these local singularities may arise during an optimization procedure can be much greater than that of the global singularity identified earlier. Examples are provided of these additional forms of singularities. A framework is also given in which these singularities can be recognized. In particular, the singularities can be identified by examination of the stress displacement relations along with the compatibility conditions and/or the displacement stress relations derived in the integrated force method of structural analysis.
Differences in compensatory vessel enlargement, not intimal formation, account for restenosis after angioplasty in the hypercholesterolemic rabbit model.

BACKGROUND In de novo human atherosclerosis, compensatory vessel enlargement limits the effect of intimal plaque formation on lumen narrowing. We hypothesized that arterial remodeling may also play an important role in determining the chronic lumen size after angioplasty and tested this hypothesis using the hypercholesterolemic rabbit iliac artery angioplasty model. METHODS AND RESULTS Morphometric analysis of histological cross-sectional areas of vessels from animals killed immediately after angioplasty (acute group, n = 11) were compared with the same areas from animals killed 4 weeks after the procedure (chronic group, n = 37), when restenosis occurs in this model. The area circumscribed by the internal elastic lamina (IEL) increased by 20% from acute to 4 week follow-up after angioplasty (acute group, 2.36 +/- 0.45 mm2, chronic group, 2.84 +/- 0.89 mm2). Over the same time period, intimal area increased by 0.82 mm2. Despite this increase in intimal area, lumen area decreased by only 0.34 mm2 because of the compensatory enlargement of the IEL area. In the chronic group, polynomial regression analysis revealed a quadratic relation between intimal area and lumen area (R2 = .35, P 0.45 mm2). By definition, there was a significant difference in lumen area between the two subgroups (0.15 +/- 0.15 mm2 for restenotic; 0.73 +/- 0.18 mm2 for nonrestenotic). Surprisingly, the intimal areas in the two subgroups were virtually identical (2.41 +/- 0.92 mm2 for restenotic, 2.49 +/- 0.69 mm2 for nonrestenotic, P = NS). The difference in the lumen area between restenotic and nonrestenotic vessels was a result of the significantly greater IEL area in the nonrestenotic subgroup (3.22 +/- 0.83 mm2 for nonrestenotic, 2.56 +/- 0.84 mm2 for restenotic, P 1, limiting the effect of intimal plaque on luminal narrowing. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that the iliac artery in an atherosclerotic rabbit model compensates for intimal formation after angioplasty by vessel enlargement. Furthermore, the degree of vessel enlargement is more important than intimal area in determining the chronic lumen size.
Methodology standards associated with quality reporting in clinical studies in pediatric surgery journals

Abstract Background/Purpose: Reports of clinical trials often lack adequate descriptions of design and analysis; recent attention has focused on improving this omission so readers can properly assess the strength of the findings and draw their own conclusions. Similar analysis of study design and methodologic standards associated with quality reporting has not been carried out for pediatric surgery journals. Methods: All studies (n = 642) published in 1998 in Journal of Pediatric Surgery (JPS) and Pediatric Surgery International (PSI) , were reviewed for demographic data and study design. The frequency of reporting of 11 basic elements of design and analysis was evaluated in randomized clinical trials (RCT), nonrandomized clinical trials (NRCT), and retrospective cohorts (RC) from JPS by consensus of 2 assessors. Results: Of the 642 studies, 17% of articles (111 of 642) were classified as clinical studies. Sixty-three were comparative studies and consisted of RC (n = 48), NRCT (n = 12), and RCT (n = 3). Two-thirds of articles published were either case reports or case series (431 of 642), and 16% were basic science articles. Demographic analysis showed a wide range of topics addressed, 4 authors per article, and multiple country of origin of authors. More than 66% of all RCT in JPS reported on eligibility criteria, admission before allocation, random allocation, method of randomization, patients' blindness to treatment, treatment complications, statistical analyses, statistical methods, loss to follow-up, and statistical methods; 2 elements of design and analysis, however, were poorly reported: blind assessment of outcome (33%) and power (17%). Conclusions: There were few randomized, controlled trials in pediatric surgery journals, and further attention should be given to evaluate the causal factors. Nine elements of quality reporting were well reported; however, 2 others were poorly reported; this may improve if editors of pediatric surgical journals provide authors with guidelines on how to report clinical trial design and analysis. J Pediatr Surg 36:1160-1164. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.
The selective functionalization of saturated hydrocarbons. Part 44. Measurement of size of reagent by variation of steric demands of competing substrates using Gif chemistry

Abstract Cyclohexane has been co-oxidized with a number of aromatic compounds of varying steric requirements. The oxidant was hydrogen peroxide with FeIII-picolinic acid in a Gif type solvent of pyridine and acetonitrile. Both the cyclohexane and the aromatic derivatives were reacting with the same iron species. From the steric requirements for the hydroxylation of the aromatic partner, it can be deduced that the iron species is of significant size. For this reason, and also because of known pulse radiolysis results, hydroxyl radicals are not involved.
Persistent Alteration of Pituitary-Adrenal Function in the Rat by Prepuberal Corticosterone Treatment

The possible existence of periods of sensitivity to elevated levels of corticosterone in the postnatal development of the pituitary-adrenal axis was investigated. Long-Evans rats were implanted ip with corticosterone (25 mg/100 g body wt) mixed with an equal amount of cholesterol on postnatal days 3, 6, 12 or 18. Eight blood samples were obtained from each animal at various ages by cardiac puncture. Steroid treatment during the first postnatal week resulted in lowered adult basal levels of plasma corticosterone without affecting the diurnal rhythm. Males treated on day 3 had lowered peak (PM) and trough (AM) levels of the steroid as adults, while males treated on day 6 showed only a lowered PM level. A similar reduction in basal levels of plasma corticosterone was observed in immature females, but did not persist into adulthood. Steroid treatment at day 12 had no effect on basal or diurnal pituitary-adrenal activity. Treatment at day 18 reduced the amplitude of the adult diumal rhythm in both sexes and de...
A multi-institutional analysis of the socioeconomic determinants of breast reconstruction: a study of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

The utilization of preventive services and common surgical procedures is higher among patients with higher socioeconomic status (SES), while lower SES is associated with nonelective “last resort” procedures.1 The etiology of these disparities in healthcare utilization has not been explained; however, access to care has often been hypothesized as a major contributor. Since breast reconstruction is largely an elective high-cost procedure, one can hypothesize that higher SES is associated with a higher likelihood of reconstruction. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is a coalition of 19 U.S. comprehensive cancer centers. The NCCN facilitates multi-institutional, prospective data collection on patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer as part of the NCCN Outcomes Project. This data can be used to analyze current practice patterns within these institutions. The NCCN database contains detailed socioeconomic, demographic, and clinical data that can only be gathered by individual chart review and cannot be found in administrative databases. Because all patients in this database are treated at comprehensive cancer centers, access to care will not explain any observed socioeconomic variations in the receipt of breast reconstruction. This study uses the NCCN Outcomes Project database: 1) to determine the current rates and patterns of reconstruction in NCCN institutions; and 2) to evaluate the role of SES in the utilization of reconstruction following mastectomy in a cohort of patients with similar access to care.
OLFACTOMETRIC STUDIES ON PATIENTS AFTER TUMOR THERAPY IN THE AREA OF THE NOSE AND PARANASAL SINUSES

Nach einem kurzen uberblick uber das Krankengut von 34 Patienten mit Nasen- und Nebenhohlentumoren (Altersverteilung, Lokalisation der Tumoren, Behandlungsart, histologischer Befund) wird uber die Ergebnisse der Prufungen von Geruchsschwelle, Geruchsunterscheidungsvermogen und Geruchsermudung berichtet. 6 Patienten (18%) mit Siebbeintumoren hatten eine Anosmie, 4 Patienten (12%) erhebliche einseitige Schwellenerhohungen auf der operierten Seite. Bei 9 Patienten (27%) waren die Schwellenwerte und die Werte des Geruchsunterscheidungsvermogens trotz groserer Eingriffe normal. Der Rest der Patienten zeigte geringgradige einseitige oder doppelseitige Schwellenerhohungen. Storungen des Geruchsunterscheidungsvermogens bei Patienten im hohen Alter wurden nicht als Folge des Tumorgeschehens bzw. der therapeutischen Masnahmen, sondern als Ausdruck der Altersinvolution der Hirnrinde gewertet.
The role of precipitins in allergic lung disease.

Abstract Using an experimental model of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in rabbits wherein depressions in arterial ozygen tension are monitored following aerosol challenge with antigen, an attempt was made to determine the effect of humoral antibody on the pulmonary physiologic impairment. Rabbits that had been passively immunized with large quantities of anti-human serum albumin (HSA) serum failed to respond with depressions in Pa02 following aerosol challenge with antigen as opposed to actively immunized animals. Rabbits that were actively immunized with HSA by the aerosol route did respond with various patterns of pulmonary physiologic impairment with time following subsequent challenge, but these defects could not be correlated with the presence of precipitins.
Unitarity, Absorptive Processes, and Single-Particle Exchange Models at High Energies

A modified single-particle exchange model, which takes into account absorptive effects, is discussed. This model is applied to an analysis of data on the p + p yields LAMBDA + LAMBDA and p + p yields N* + N* reactions. The results show remarkable improvement in the angnlar distribution dependence of the reaction cross sections and changes in the supposed reaction mechanism and behavior of vertex functions involving the exchanged particles. (L.B.S.)
Small representations of the relation algebra ɛn+1(1, 2, 3)

Applying combinatorial methods, we prove that the symmetric relation algebra ɛn+1(1, 2, 3) ofn+1 atoms is finitely representable for alln ≳ 1, on at most (2+o(1))n2 elements asn → ∞. We explicitly construct a representation of size 4.5n2, for every n >1.
Angiotensin II Induces Tumor Necrosis Factor Biosynthesis in the Adult Mammalian Heart Through a Protein Kinase C–Dependent Pathway

Background— Previous studies suggest that angiotensin II (Ang II) upregulates the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in nonmyocyte cell types; however, the effect of Ang II on TNF expression in the adult mammalian heart is not known. Methods and Results— To determine whether Ang II was sufficient to provoke TNF biosynthesis in the adult heart, we examined the effects of Ang II in isolated buffer-perfused Langendorff feline hearts. Ang II (10−7 mol/L) treatment resulted in a time- and dose-dependent increase in myocardial TNF mRNA and protein biosynthesis in the heart as well as in cultured adult cardiac myocytes. The effects of Ang II on myocardial TNF mRNA and protein synthesis were mediated through the angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R), insofar as an AT1R antagonist (AT1a) blocked the effects of Ang II, whereas an angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) antagonist (AT2a) had no effect. Stimulation with Ang II led to the activation of nuclear factor-κB and activator protein-1 (AP-1), two transcription...
An implantable biochip to influence patient outcomes following trauma-induced hemorrhage

Following hemorrhage-causing injury, lactate levels rise and correlate with the severity of injury and are a surrogate of oxygen debt. Posttraumatic injury also includes hyperglycemia, with continuously elevated glucose levels leading to extensive tissue damage, septicemia, and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. A temporary, implantable, integrated glucose and lactate biosensor and communications biochip for physiological status monitoring during hemorrhage and for intensive care unit stays has been developed. The dual responsive, amperometric biotransducer uses the microdisc electrode array format upon which were separately immobilized glucose oxidase and lactate oxidase within biorecognition layers, 1.0–5.0 μm thick, of 3 mol% tetraethyleneglycol diacrylate cross-linked p(HEMA-co-PEGMA-co-HMMA-co-SPA)-p(Py-co-PyBA) electroconductive hydrogels. The device was then coated with a bioactive hydrogel layer containing phosphoryl choline and polyethylene glycol pendant moieties [p(HEMA-co-PEGMA-co-HMMA-co-MPC)] for indwelling biocompatibility. In vitro cell proliferation and viability studies confirmed both polymers to be non-cytotoxic; however, PPy-based electroconductive hydrogels showed greater RMS 13 and PC12 proliferation compared to controls. The glucose and lactate biotransducers exhibited linear dynamic ranges of 0.10–13.0 mM glucose and 1.0–7.0 mM and response times (t 95) of 50 and 35–40 s, respectively. Operational stability gave 80% of the initial biosensor response after 5 days of continuous operation at 37 °C. Preliminary in vivo studies in a Sprague–Dawley hemorrhage model showed tissue lactate levels to rise more rapidly than systematic lactate. The potential for an implantable biochip that supports telemetric reporting of intramuscular lactate and glucose levels allows the refinement of resuscitation approaches for civilian and combat trauma victims.
A heterogeneous multiscale modeling framework for hierarchical systems of partial differential equations

This paper presents a heterogeneous multiscale method with efficient interscale coupling for scale-dependent phenomena modeled via a hierarchy of partial differential equations. Physics at the global level is governed by one set of partial differential equations, whereas features in the solution that are beyond the resolution capability of the coarser models are accounted for by the next refined set of differential equations. The proposed method seamlessly integrates different sets of equations governing physics at various levels, and represents a consistent top-down and bottom-up approach to multi-model modeling problems. For the top-down coupling of equations, this method provides a variational residual-based embedding of the response from the coarser or global system equations, into the corresponding local or refined system equations. To account for the effects of local phenomena on the global response of the system, the method also accommodates bottom-up embedding of the response from the local or refined mathematical models into the global or coarser model equations. The resulting framework thus provides a consistent way of coupling physics between disparate partial differential equations by means of up-scaling and down-scaling of the mathematical models. An integral aspect of the proposed framework is an uncertainty quantification and error estimation module. The structure of this error estimator is investisated and its mathematical implications are delineated.
Spermidine: an indirect precursor of the pyrrolidine rings of nicotine and nornicotine in Nicotiana glutinosa

Abstract Spermidine, which was labeled asymmetrically in its four-carbon moiety ([6-14C]-1,5,10-triazadecane), was administered to Nicotiana glutinosa plants. After 7 days the plants were harvested, yielding radioactive nicotine (0.43 % incorporation) and nornicotine (0.07 % inc.). A systematic degradation of the alkaloids indicated that they were labelled equally at C-2′ and C-5′ of their pyrrolidine rings. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that spermidine is degraded to putrescine prior to its incorporation into the pyrrolidine rings of nicotine and nornicotine.
Feeding after nutrient infusions: effects of hypothalamic lesions and vagotomy.

Abstract Normal rats, and rats with lesions in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), or with subdiaphragmatic vagotomies were duodenally infused with nutrient solutions representative of all three macronutrients, and the effect on food intake for a period up to 3 hr was assessed. Glucose reduced consumption in the control and VMH controls, but not in the LHA or vagotomized groups. Amino acids decreased intake in the control and LHA groups and showed a trend toward a decrease in the VMH group, but not in the vagotomized group. Fat suppressed intake significantly in control, VMH and LHA groups and there was a trend toward suppression in vagotomized rats. The subcutaneous injection of insulin to the same animals elicited eating in all but LHA animals. These results suggest that different nutrients reduce food consumption in the short term through different anatomical substrates involving the peripheral and central nervous system.
Thermodynamic modeling and experimental investigations of the CsClCaCl2PuCl3 system

Abstract The CsCl-CaCl 2 -PuCl 3 ternary diagram was calculated from the known binary diagrams. The various principle features, ternary eutectics and peritectics, were verified experimentally by differential thermal analysis. Also, the phase boundaries lying in the polythermal section between a PuCl 3 mole fraction of 0.4 on the CsCl-PuCl 3 binary and CaCl 2 were determined experimentally in some detail. Because the measurements agree well with the prediction, it is assumed that the calculation together with the experimental verification of some of the points has established the entire ternary phase diagram. In addition, d -spacing data from the X-ray diffraction pattern of the compound CsPu 2 Cl 7 are reported.
Runtime Security Verification for Itinerary-Driven Mobile Agents

We present a new approach to ensure the secure execution of itinerary-driven mobile agents, in which the specification of the navigational behavior of an agent is separated from the specification of its computational behavior. We empower each host with an access control policy so that the host will deny the access from an agent whose itinerary does not conform to the host?s access control policy. A host uses model checking algorithms to check if the itinerary of the agent conforms to its access control policy written in ?-calculus, and if so, grant access permission. In order to address the state explosion problem for model checking itineraries, we propose an approach called Model Generation Code. In this approach, instead of verifying the itinerary itself, a host actually checks the conservative models of a mobile agent. If a conservative model does not satisfy the host?s access control policy, the mobile agent will provide refined models for further verification. Our preliminary results show that this is a practical and promising approach to ensure the secure execution of mobile agents.
Refractive-index measurements in freezing sea-ice and sodium chloride brines

Sea ice contains numerous pockets of brine and precipitated salts whose size and number distributions change dramatically with temperature. Theoretical treatment of scattering produced by these inclusions requires information on refractive-index differences among the brine, salts, and surrounding ice. Lacking specific data on refractive-index variations in the brine, we carried out laboratory measurements in freezing-equilibrium solutions between -2 and -32 °C. Index values at 589 nm increased from 1.341 to 1.397 over this temperature range, corresponding to salinities of 35 and 240 parts per thousand (ppt). Spectral data were also taken at 50-nm intervals between 400 and 700 nm in nonequilibrium solutions with salinities ranging up to 300 ppt. Spectral gradients increased slightly with salinity but showed no measurable dependence on temperature between +12 and -16 °C. The Lorentz-Lorenz equation, combined with data on density, molar refractivities, and brine composition, yielded temperature-dependent index predictions in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Similar index and density measurements in freezing sodium chloride brines yielded values nearly identical to those in the sea-ice brines. The absence of mirabilite crystals in sodium chloride ice, however, will cause it to have higher transmissivity and lower reflectivity than sea ice above -22 °C.
Spatial Fluctuations of Helical Dirac Fermions on the Surface of Topological Insulators

Helical Dirac fermion states in topological insulators could enable dissipation-free spintronics and robust quantum information processors. A study of the influence of disorder on these states shows that although they are resilient against backscattering by magnetic impurities, fluctuations caused by charge impurities could cause problems for such applications.
Data Acquisition System for Doppler Radar Vital-Sign Monitor

Automatic gain control (AGC) units increase the dynamic range of a system to compensate for the limited dynamic range of analog to digital converters. This problem is compounded in wireless systems in which large changes in signal strength are effects of a changing environment. These issues are evident in the direct-conversion Doppler radar vital- sign monitor. Utilizing microwave radar signals reflecting off a human subject, a two-channel quadrature receiver can detect periodic movement resulting from cardio-pulmonary activity. The quadrature signal is analyzed using an arctangent demodulation that extracts vital phase information. A data acquisition (DAQ) system is proposed to deal with issues inherent in arctangent demodulation of a quadrature radar signal.
A tribute to sulfur

Recent progress in a number of areas of biochemistry and biology has drawn attention to the critical importance of sulfur in the biosynthesis of vital cofactors and active sites in proteins, and in the complex reaction mechanisms often involved. This brief review is intended as a broad overview of this currently rapidly moving field of sulfur biochemistry, for those who are interested or are involved in one or the other aspect of it, a synopsis by one who has stumbled into this field from several directions in the course of time. Only for iron are metal-sulfur relationships discussed in detail, as the iron-sulfur subfield is one of the most active areas.
Modeling of Dislocation Loop Growth and Transient Enhanced Diffusion in Silicon for Amorphizing Implants

It has been observed that dislocation loops form and grow during annealing of silicon wafers implanted at doses above the amorphization threshold. Dislocation loops can act to store interstitials for prolonged periods of anneals, sustaining an interstitial super-saturation and thus causing substantial transient enhanced diffusion (TED). We have developed a comprehensive model which, in combination with a model and parameters for {311} defects from previous work, accounts for the formation and evolution of dislocation loops during ion implant annealing, as well as giving the correct TED behavior.
Unique molecular identification using two-dimensional response

Nanostructured graphite (NG) layer prepared through mechanical abrasion on a variety of substrates has been investigated as a highly sensitive, versatile, and low-cost sensing material. NO2 concentration down to 60 ppb was detected in ambient conditions using the NG layer. Simultaneous conductance (G) and surface work function (phi) change transients measured using the NG layer indicated much faster response for the later, which is attributed to its dependence solely on molecular adsorption at the surface. Simultaneous measurements of these two parameters have been performed to detect several gaseous analyte molecules, and it was observed that the gradient of Deltaphi versus DeltaG/G0 plot for a specific analyte molecule is constant irrespective of its concentration or fractional occupancy of the surface adsorption sites. Changes in phi and G were found to be uncorrelated for different molecules resulting in unique gradients that can be used as 2-dimensional signatures for molecular identification.
How Does One Become a Jewish Philosopher? Reflections on a Canonical Status

Many recent journal articles and monographs by students of Jewish philosophy have been dedicated to the question of definition: what is Jewish philosophy, and how can it be distinguished from its others, such as Jewish thought, non-philosophical Judaism, and non-Jewish philosophy, philosophical theory of religion, etc. In this essay, I take a somewhat playful alternative approach by asking about philosophers rather than philosophies. The first parts compares the status of philosophers in different cultures. In comparison with the high regard for philosophy and philosophers, philosophers were not regarded highly by the Jews, at least not since the rabbinic tradition made Hellenism appear contemptible. Conversely, Hellenizing Greeks and Jews considered Judaism not just compatible with the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle but itself a philosophy and regarded the Jews as a race of philosophers (Theophrastus). The canon of Jewish philosophers wavers between none and all, depending on who establishes such a canon. In the final section, I follow the intuitions of Gillian Rose, whose death-bed conversion may, to some, put her beyond the pale of Jewish philosophers and who contributes a useful mode of decanonization to the discussion of who is a Jewish philosopher.
AutoAlbum: clustering digital photographs using probabilistic model merging

Consumers need help finding digital photographs in their personal collections. AutoAlbum helps users find their photos by automatically clustering photos into an album. The albums are presented in an easy-to-use browsing user interface. AutoAlbum uses the time and order of photo creation to assist in clustering: albums consist of temporally contiguous photos. The content based clustering algorithm is best-first probabilistic model merging, which is fast and yields clusters that are often semantically meaningful.
Laboratory Studies of the Spectra of Interstellar Molecules

During the last twenty years many studies have been carried out in our laboratory which were aimed at establishing the exact positions of possible sharp interstellar lines of various diatomic and polyatomic molecules. In addition we have been trying to see whether the diffuse interstellar lines cannot be explained as produced by some molecule or molecular ion in the interstellar gas.
Renal failure due to combined cast nephropathy, amyloidosis and light-chain deposition disease

Renal dysfunction commonly occurs in multiple myeloma (MM) and is caused by deposition of abnormal light chain within various compartments of the kidney. Renal pathologic findings are diverse and include cast nephropathy (CN), amyloidosis and light-chain deposition disease (LCDD). We report a case of renal failure in a patient with MM caused by concurrent CN, amyloidosis and LCDD which has not been previously described.
Redox signaling via lipid raft clustering in homocysteine-induced injury of podocytes.

Abstract Our recent studies have indicated that hyperhomocysteinemia (hHcys) may induce podocyte damage, resulting in glomerulosclerosis. However, the molecular mechanisms mediating hHcys-induced podocyte injury are still poorly understood. In the present study, we first demonstrated that an intact NADPH oxidase system is present in podocytes as shown by detection of its membrane subunit (gp91 phox ) and cytosolic subunit (p47 phox ). Then, confocal microscopy showed that gp91 phox and p47 phox could be aggregated in lipid raft (LR) clusters in podocytes treated with homocysteine (Hcys), which were illustrated by their colocalization with cholera toxin B, a common LR marker. Different mechanistic LR disruptors, either methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MCD) or filipin abolished such Hcys-induced formation of LR-gp91 phox or LR-p47 phox transmembrane signaling complexes. By flotation of detergent-resistant membrane fractions we found that gp91 phox and p47 phox were enriched in LR fractions upon Hcys stimulation, and such enrichment of NADPH oxidase subunits and increase in its enzyme activity were blocked by MCD or filipin. Functionally, disruption of LR clustering significantly attenuated Hcys-induced podocyte injury, as shown by their inhibitory effects on Hcys-decreased expression of slit diaphragm molecules such as nephrin and podocin. Similarly, Hcys-increased expression of desmin was also reduced by disruption of LR clustering. In addition, inhibition of such LR-associated redox signaling prevented cytoskeleton disarrangement and apoptosis induced by Hcys. It is concluded that NADPH oxidase subunits aggregation and consequent activation of this enzyme through LR clustering is an important molecular mechanism triggering oxidative injury of podocytes induced by Hcys.
Delta abstractions: A technique for managing database states in runtime debugging of active database rules

Delta abstractions are introduced as a mechanism for managing database states during the execution of active database rules. Delta abstractions build upon the use of object deltas, capturing changes to individual objects through a system-supported, collapsible type structure. The object delta structure is implemented using object-oriented concepts such as encapsulation and inheritance so that all database objects inherit the ability to transparently create and manage delta values. Delta abstractions provide an additional layer to the database programmer for organizing object deltas according to different language components that induce database changes, such as methods and active rules. As with object deltas, delta abstractions are transparently created and maintained by the active database system. We define different types of delta abstractions as views of object deltas and illustrate how the services of delta abstractions can be used to inspect the state of active rule execution. An active rule analysis and debugging tool has been implemented to demonstrate the use of object deltas and delta abstractions for dynamic analysis of active rules at runtime.
Lacustrine stable isotope record of precipitation changes in Nicaragua during the Little Ice Age and Medieval Climate Anomaly

Discerning the infl uences of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on drought variability in the tropics during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and Little Ice Age (LIA) will help to improve our understanding of climate system responses to internal and external forcing. Sediments from Lago El Gancho, Nicaragua, provide an ~1400 yr record of water balance (precipitation and evaporation) changes from a region that is sensitive to teleconnected Pacifi c and Atlantic ocean-atmosphere dynamics. Oxygen isotope values of ostracod carapaces (! 18 O ostracod ) are consistently low in El Gancho sediments between ca. A.D. 950 and 1250, indicating that wetter conditions prevailed during the MCA, a period of La Nina‐like mean state conditions in the tropical Pacifi c, and a positive mean state of the NAO. The ~150 yr period between the MCA and LIA was marked by an abrupt shift to persistently drier conditions at a time of highly variable Pacifi c sea-surface temperatures, and a transition toward a more negative NAO phase. In sediment from ca. A.D. 1450 to the present, ! 18 O ostracod values increase, suggesting that drier conditions persisted through most of the LIA, a time of a relatively negative NAO phase and El Nino‐like mean state conditions in the tropical Pacifi c. The long-term precipitation trends inferred from the El Gancho data are not entirely consistent with modern associations between precipitation in the circum-Caribbean region and the NAO, suggesting that present-day hydroclimatic shifts resulting from variability in synoptic climate patterns are dissimilar to changes resulting from teleconnected ocean-atmosphere dynamics that operated during the MCA and LIA.
Assessment of boundary layer variations in the Tampa Bay Area during the Bay Region Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (BRACE)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Air Resources Laboratory (ARL), using the NOAA Twin Otter aircraft, made meteorological and chemical measurements during 21 flights in May 2002 in and around the Tampa Bay, Florida area as part of the Bay Region Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (BRACE). One or more vertical profiles were flown during each flight both over land and over the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA's Environmental Technology Laboratory (ETL; now part of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL)) deployed three surface-based 915-MHz radar wind profilers equipped with radio acoustic sounding systems (RASS) at Ruskin, Sydney, and St. Petersburg. The National Weather Service Office in Tampa (NWS/TBW) released rawinsondes twice daily from the Ruskin site. The measurements of temperature, dew point, potential temperature, ozone, and condensation nuclei acquired during the aircraft profiles are analyzed, and in combination with the profiler and sounding data, are used to determine the structure of the boundary layer over the Tampa Bay region and the temporal and spatial changes that occurred in that structure during representative flights.
Oxidation protective barrier coatings for high-temperature polymer matrix composites

Three coating techniques (metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering, and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition) were employed to deposit different coating materials (alumina, a superalloy, and silicon nitride) on graphite-fiber-reinforced polyimide composites to protect against oxidation at elevated temperatures. Adhesion and integrity of the coatings were evaluated by isothermal aging (371 °C for 500 h) and thermal cycling (25 to 232 °C for 1000 cycles and −18 to 232 °C for 300 cycles). Best results were achieved with a plasma-deposited, amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN: H) coating, which withstood stresses from 0.18 to −1.6 GPa. The major factors affecting the suitability of a-SiN: H as an oxidation protective coating are the surface finish of the polymer composite and the presence of a sizable hydrogen content in the coating.
Parent–Professional Partnerships in Early Education: Relationships for Effective Inclusion of Students with Disabilities

The increasing enrollment of children with disabilities and developmental delays in inclusive settings requires reconsiderations of the scope and depth of early childhood professional development. In this study, a phenomenological research design was used to gain the perspectives of 13 parents and child care providers about their participation in an in-service training guided by the Partnerships in Early Education: Relationships with Supports (PEERS) model, which was designed to promote inclusive practices in early childhood child care settings. The analysis of collected interview data indicates that the training model has various components that participants found useful for the implementation of inclusive practices. Implications for the development of statewide collaborative in-service trainings on inclusive education for young children with special needs are discussed.
Examining a Public Montessori School’s Response to the Pressures of High-Stakes Accountability

In order to succeed in the current school assessment and accountability era, a public Montessori school is expected to achieve high student scores on standardized assessments. A problem for a public Montessori elementary school is how to make sense of the school’s high-stakes assessment scores in terms of its unique educational approach. This case study examined a public Montessori elementary school’s efforts as the school implemented the Montessori Method within the accountability era. The research revealed the ways the principal, teachers, and parents on the school council modified Montessori practices, curriculum, and assessment procedures based on test scores. A quality Montessori education is designed to offer children opportunities to develop both cognitive skills and affective components such as student motivation and socio-emotional skills that will serve them beyond their public school experiences. Sadly, the high-stakes testing environment influences so much of public education today. When quality education was measured through only one narrow measure of success the result in this school was clearly a restriction of priorities to areas that were easily assessed.
Time Allocation between Innovation and Education

The innovation rate does not rise with the level of education of the population because the opportunity cost to innovate is high in places where human capital is abundant. I elaborate this argument by means of an endogenous growth model that studies how the pay-off structure of the economy affects the decision of a representative individual to split his or her non-leisure time between production, innovation and human capital formation. The premise is that technological change is a necessary condition for the formation of productive human capital, but that innovation may spring even in places where human capital is lacking. The analysis suggests that in the long-run a decentralized economy allocates too little time to innovation and too much time to education relative to the social optimum.
Hazardous drinking and weight-conscious drinking behaviors in a sample of college students and college student athletes

ABSTRACTBackground: “Weight-conscious drinking” refers to behaviors to restrict calories in conjunction with consuming alcohol and is associated with numerous negative consequences. This behavior has been observed in the college student population but has not been examined among college student athletes. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed drinking, hazardous drinking levels (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test—Consumption [AUDIT-C] sum score), and weight-conscious drinking behaviors (for weight loss purposes and for intoxication purposes) using a paper-and-pencil survey that was completed by students at a large, private university in the Southwest United States. The sample for this study included college student nonathletes (n = 482; 212 males and 270 females) who completed the survey in 1 of 34 classes and college student athletes (n = 201; 79 males and 122 females) who completed the survey during practice. These analyses examined whether hazardous drinking level and other personal covari...
Interleukin-1β Mediates β-Catenin-Driven Downregulation of Claudin-3 and Barrier Dysfunction in Caco2 Cells

Background IL-1β is a cytokine involved in mediating epithelial barrier dysfunction in the gut. It is known that IL-1β mediates activation of non-muscle myosin light chain kinase in epithelial cells, but the precise mechanism by which epithelial barrier dysfunction is induced by IL-1β is not understood.