cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intracatheter nitroglycerin infusion fails to prevent catheter-related venous thrombosis: A randomized, controlled trial

Objective: Catheter-related thrombosis is a common problem in the pediatric intensive care unit. Strategies that reduce the incidence of thrombosis may have significant clinical advantage. Nitroglycerin (NTG) infusions release nitric oxide (NO). NO is responsible for much of the vasodilating and antithrombotic properties of the vasculature. We hypothesized that an intracatheter NTG infusion would reduce the incidence of catheter-related thrombosis. Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Setting: Pediatric intensive care unit. Patients and participants: Children of 6 years or less with femoral venous catheters who were not on antithrombotic therapy. Interventions: Subjects were randomly assigned to NTG or control groups. NTG group patients received NTG at 0.1 mcg·kg·min in 5% dextrose; control group patients received only 5% dextrose. Infusions were delivered continuously through the catheter until the catheter was removed. Demographic data, physical and laboratory findings, catheter insertion attempts and infusate composition were recorded. Clinical evidence of vascular thrombosis or catheter malfunction was noted. Ultrasound examinations were performed within 2 days of catheter insertion and within 2 days after removal. Measurements and results: Forty-four patients (age 12.0±2.6 months) completed the study, 21 in the NTG group and 23 in the control group. Duration of catheter placement was 7.5±0.7 days. Twelve of 44 patients (27%) had thrombi: 7/21 in the NTG group; 5/23 in the control group (p= NS). There were no significant differences between children with and without thrombi in age, gender, number of insertion attempts, duration of catheter placement, clinical signs of thrombosis or infections. Conclusions: Catheter-related thrombosis is common after placement of femoral venous catheters in children. Low dose intracatheter NTG infusion does not protect against catheter-related venous thrombosis in children.
Immersion and dry ArF scanners enabling 22nm HP production and beyond

Pattern shrinks using multiple patterning techniques will continue to the 22nm half pitch (HP) node and beyond. The cutting-edge Nikon NSR-S621D immersion lithography tool, which builds upon the technology advancements of the NSR-S620D [1], was developed to satisfy the aggressive requirements for the 22 nm HP node and subsequent generations. The key design challenge for the S621D was to deliver further improvements to product overlay performance and CD uniformity, while also providing increased productivity. Since many different products are made within an IC manufacturing facility, various wafer process-related issues, including the flatness or grid distortion of the processed wafers and exposure-induced heating had to be addressed. Upgrades and enhancements were made to the S620D hardware and software systems to enable the S621D to minimize these process-related effects and deliver the necessary scanner performance. To enable continued process technology advancements, in addition to pattern shrinks at the most critical layers, resolution for less critical layers must also be improved proportionally. As a result, increased demand for dry ArF instead of KrF scanners is expected for less critical layers, and dry ArF tools are already being employed for some of these applications. Further, multiple patterning techniques, such as sidewall double patterning, actually enable use of dry ArF instead of immersion scanners for some critical layers having relaxed pattern resolution requirements. However, in order for this to be successful, the ArF dry tool must deliver overlay performance that is comparable to the latest generation immersion systems. Understanding these factors, an ArF dry scanner that has excellent overlay performance could be used effectively for critical layers and markedly improve cost of ownership (CoO). Therefore, Nikon has developed the NSR-S320F, a new dry ArF scanner also built upon the proven S620D Streamlign platform. By incorporating the Streamlign innovations, sufficient overlay accuracy for critical layers, as well as maximized productivity can be achieved. Furthermore, CoO will be significantly improved, which is the vital benefit when comparing ArF dry vs. immersion scanners. In this paper / presentation the latest S621D and S320F performance data will be introduced.
A simple current transducer for ultramicroelectrode measurements at a wide range of time scales

In this paper a simple current transducer is described which can measure pA currents at low scan rates in conjunction with a commercial potentiostat such as the one supplied by Bioanalytical Systems (BAS), and which will allow fast-scan voltammetry measurements up to 4000 V/s in conjunction with a waveform generator and a data acquisition system.
Hydrosilicates: hydration thermodynamics

Abstract Hydrosilicates are silicate glasses containing appreciable amounts of water-typically up to 20 w/o or more. The vapor pressure of steam in equilibrium with the hydrosilicate at various temperatures is a material characteristic which fully determines thermodynamic properties. Vapor pressure data were measured for one glass composition over a range of temperature, pressure, and water contents. The data fit the remarkably simple equation PEVP(T,W) = C(W) PH2O(T) where PH2O is the pressure saturated steam at temperature, T, and the factor C depends only on water content, W. Various thermodynamic properties were calculated from this equation. A theoretical understanding of the equation is presented which allows reliable extrapolation to other temperatures and suggests an easy way to characterize other glasses.
War and peace at mucosal surfaces

That we live with numerous bacteria in our gut without any adverse effects is a remarkable feat by the body's immune system, particularly considering the wealth of sensing and effector systems that are available to trigger inflammatory or innate immune responses to microbial intrusion. So, a fine line seems to exist between the homeostatic balance maintained in the presence of commensal gut flora and the necessarily destructive response to bacterial pathogens that invade the gut mucosa. This review discusses the mechanisms for establishing and controlling the 'dialogue' between unresponsiveness and initiation of active immune defences in the gut. Si vis pacem, para bellum. (If you wish for peace, prepare for war.).
Differential susceptibility of type III erythrocytes of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria to lysis mediated by complement and perforin

Previous reports have suggested that a 65 kDa membrane protein, termed homologous restriction factor (HRF), in addition to protecting erythrocytes (E) against lysis by homologous complement (C), may also be involved in protecting cytolytic lymphocytes against lysis mediated by a pore-forming protein (PFP/perforin), one of their own lytic mediators. Here, we used HRF-deficient type III E of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) to study their susceptibility to lysis mediated by homologous C and perforin, and compared it with lysis of HRF-bearing control or PNH type I E. We show that type III E of PNH patients are indeed more susceptible to lysis mediated by homologous C than control or type I E, but they are as susceptible to perforin-mediated lysis as type I E. In addition, all human E (type I or III) tested here are equally susceptible to lysis mediated by either human (homologous) or murine (heterologous) perforin. By immunoblot analysis, we confirm that type III E, in contrast to type I E, were deficient in the 65 kDa HRF. These results support the notion that homologous species restriction is seen in the C- but not in the lymphocyte perforin-system and argue against an active participation of HRF in protecting cells from perforin-mediated lysis.
Fourier coefficient harmonic analyzer

THE SEPARATION of a complex curve into its constituent sine and cosine curves of proper amplitude and phase by means of a Fourier series analysis is well known, and this method is frequently used in many branches of engineering and mathematics. All who have ever made such an analysis know that the computation for the Fourier coefficients can be very tiresome and expensive from the point of view of time and effort.
Improved performance in piezoelectric fiber composites using interdigitated electrodes

Piezoelectric fiber composites were introduced as an alterative to monolithic piezoceramic wafers for structural actuation applications. This manuscript was an investigation into the improvement of piezoelectric fiber composite performance through a non-conventional electroding scheme. An interdigitated electrode pattern introduced the major component of electric field into the plane of the structure (along the fibers) and allowed the use of the primary piezoelectric effect. Two models were developed that predict the composite properties. These models examined the trends of composite properties versus fiber volume fraction for various constituent materials. Improvement was seen by comparing the modeled piezoelectric properties of the new electrodes to the conventional arrangement for fiber composites. Several etched electrode fiber composites were manufactured and tested to validate the models. Good agreement was seen for the capacitance, but the piezoelectric constants showed good agreement at only certain fiber volume fractions.
Comparative genetic analysis of field resistance to downy mildew in the lettuce cultivars 'Grand Rapids' and 'Iceberg'

Downy mildew on lettuce is currently controlled using host resistance genes (Dm genes) that confer race-specific resistance in seedlings. Field resistance (FR) that is active in adult plants but not seedlings was identified in the cvs. Grand Rapids and Iceberg. The goal of our study was to evaluate the utility of Grand Rapids as a source of novel Bremia resistance alleles, particularly in comparison with Iceberg. To measure FR, downy mildew symptoms were evaluated following natural infection in field experiments. The responses of Grand Rapids and Iceberg were similar in many respects. Although both cultivars had a small percentage of plants exhibiting disease symptoms, the average disease ratings were as low as for cultivars with effective Dm genes. We observed no evidence for race specificity. FR was effective over 3 years of our study, despite documented variation within pathogen populations. Both cultivars lacked all known seedling resistance genes except Dm13, which was not responsible for the resistance observed in field experiments. Similar segregation of FR was observed in F2 populations for both Grand Rapids and Iceberg. The presence of highly susceptible families within Grand Rapids × Iceberg populations suggested the presence of at least one unique resistance allele in each cultivar. Preliminary genetic analysis of FR from Grand Rapids revealed a high estimate of narrow-sense heritability that suggested simple inheritance, but single gene models did not fit the observed data. Our results suggest that Grand Rapids may represent an underutilized resource for controlling downy mildew in lettuce.
Optimization of an electrolytic conductivity detector for determination of toxic nitrogen-containing food contaminants separated by open tubular column gas chromatography

The combination of open tubular column gas chromatography with electrolytic conductivity detection has been evaluated for the determination of nitrogen-containing pesticide residues in food extracts. Optimization of the column position at the column-detector interface was crucial to the successful operation of the detector. The signal-to-noise ratio and response stability of the detector are greatly influenced by the composition of the electrolyte solvent. Large volume splitless injections using retention gaps and optimized detector operating conditions enabled pesticide residues in food extracts to be determined at sub parts-per-million levels. Although the electrolytic conductivity detector is less sensitive than the thermionic ionization detector, its greater nitrogen selectivity can he crucial to the determination of nitrogen-containing contaminants in food extracts, particularly in complex mixtures where phosphorus-containing contaminants or matrix compounds are also present.
W.E.B. Du Bois's Talented Tenth: A Quantitative Assessment

The Talented Tenth is the moniker that W.E.B. Du Bois bestowed on the cadre of college-educated African Americans whom he charged with providing leadership for the African American community during...
Isoform-specific Effects of the β2 Subunit on Voltage-gated Sodium Channel Gating

Voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav) are complex glycoproteins comprised of an α subunit and often one to several β subunits. We have shown that sialic acid residues linked to Nav α and β1 subunits alter channel gating. To determine whether β2-linked sialic acids similarly impact Nav gating, we co-expressed β2 with Nav1.5 or Nav1.2 in Pro5 (complete sialylation) and in Lec2 (essentially no sialylation) cells. β2 sialic acids caused a significant hyperpolarizing shift in Nav1.5 voltage-dependent gating, thus describing for the first time an effect of β2 on Nav1.5 gating. In contrast, β2 caused a sialic acid-independent depolarizing shift in Nav1.2 gating. A deglycosylated mutant, β2-ΔN, had no effect on Nav1.5 gating, indicating further the impact of β2 N-linked sialic acids on Nav1.5 gating. Conversely, β2-ΔN modulated Nav1.2 gating virtually identically to β2, confirming that β2 N-linked sugars have no impact on Nav1.2 gating. Thus, β2 modulates Nav gating through multiple mechanisms possibly determined by the associated α subunit. β1 and β2 were expressed together with Nav1.5 or Nav1.2 in Pro5 and Lec2 cells. Together β1 and β2 produced a significantly larger sialic acid-dependent hyperpolarizing shift in Nav1.5 gating. Under fully sialylating conditions, the Nav1.2·β1·β2 complex behaved like Nav1.2 alone. When sialylation was reduced, only the sialic acid-independent depolarizing effects of β2 on Nav1.2 gating were apparent. Thus, the varied effects of β1 and β2 on Nav1.5 and Nav1.2 gating are apparently synergistic and highlight the complex manner, through subunit- and sugar-dependent mechanisms, by which Nav activity is modulated.
Integrate ERP system into business process management system

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems present a holistic view of the business from single information and IT architecture. But ERP systems are comprehensive, huge and complex systems and warrant careful planning and execution not ensure the successful implementation. A business process is set of interrelated activities which have definable inputs result in output that adds value from a custom perspective. Business Process Management (BPM) is a structured approach to understand, analyze, support, and continuously improve fundamental process. In order to improve the success rate of ERP in project implementation, enterprises often implement BPM before or during the ERP implementation. In this paper, a framework for integration ERP system into BPM system is proposed. The framework closes the gap between ERP system and BPM system, enables full life-cycle of process centric enterprise system implementation.
Continuous 500,000-year climate record from vein calcite in devils hole, nevada.

Oxygen-18 (δ18O) variations in a 36-centimeter-long core (DH-11) of vein calcite from Devils Hole, Nevada, yield an uninterrupted 500,000-year paleotemperature record that closely mimics all major features in the Vostok (Antarctica) paleotemperature and marine δ18O ice-volume records. The chronology for this continental record is based on 21 replicated mass-spectrometric uranium-series dates. Between the middle and latest Pleistocene, the duration of the last four glacial cycles recorded in the calcite increased from 80,000 to 130,000 years; this variation suggests that major climate changes were aperiodic. The timing of specific climatic events indicates that orbitally controlled variations in solar insolation were not a major factor in triggering deglaciations. Interglacial climates lasted about 20,000 years. Collectively, these observations are inconsistent with the Milankovitch hypothesis for the origin of the Pleistocene glacial cycles but they are consistent with the thesis that these cycles originated from internal nonlinear feedbacks within the atmosphere-ice sheet-ocean system.
Structural, Magnetic, and Thermoelectric Properties of Some CePd 3 -Based Compounds

Intermediate valence compounds such as CePd3 possess unusual electronic properties such as simultaneously high values of the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity, making them strong candidates for low-temperature thermoelectric applications if a method can be developed for reducing the lattice thermal conductivity without altering these desirable electronic properties. This has motivated us to systematically explore the transport properties of several novel series of CePd3-based compounds. The results of these studies have guided us to a deeper understanding of the factors controlling the various transport properties of the system, and we have successfully used this framework to achieve some modest enhancements in the thermoelectric figure of merit. We present an outline of the approaches we have taken and a summary of our results.
What Are the Prospects for Milk Products as Sources of Protein

Is milk beeonfing an obsolete luxury or specialty product? Is our formerly high-vaunted foster mother, the dairy cow, headed for oblivion as a major protein provider? Noting that per capita consumption of milk in this country has decreased by 22% in the last 17 years, I cannot help but ask these questions. But in my mind and, I hope, in yours, the answer in both cases is a clear cut and resounding NO. On the other band, an affirmative answer is not an impossibility. We all know that protein is in short supply, and we in the animal industry are in the protein business. We are reminded Mmost daily that the population is increasing more rapidly than the food supply. How can these needs be fulfilled? The answer is appaa'ently controversial. 5Iany want to bypass the animal as an inefficient and unnecessary luxury. They point out that the conversion ratio of plant to animal protein ranges from 4:1 to 10:1. They calculate protein yields per acre. They illustrate the food ladder. Animal industry does not rank well when such criteria are used. On this basis, the following solutions have been proposed :
DIRECT CARRIER TESTING IN 14 FAMILIES WITH HAEMOPHILIA B

Abstract Direct carrier testing was done in 54 at-risk female relatives of haemophilic patients by initially analysing 2·46 kb of the factor IX gene in 1 haemophiliac per family by genomic amplification with transcript sequencing. A presumptive mutation was found in all 14 haemophiliacs examined. Analyses were then done either by sequencing the appropriate region in at-risk female relatives or by detection of an altered restriction site. A simulation indicated that the mutation will be associated with an altered restriction site in about half the families. The technique has clinical application.
A system-of-systems engineering approach to leadership and innovation: Sustainable STEM education and workforce development through the Smart Cities initiative

Given the most competitive nature of a global business environment today, an effective engineering management and leadership that supports innovation and entrepreneurship is a critical requirement for all levels of an organization. In view of the ever increasing complexity of contemporary urban systems and services they provide, it is important for planners and leaders to leverage individual and organizational learning processes to assure the highest levels of organizational performance. Development of engineering competence and leadership skills are also extremely important due to a general shortage of engineering talent and the need for mobility of highly trained professionals. Two factors emerge to have the greatest impact on growth and sustainability of the future smart cities and the variety of services they will be able to provide to their citizens: improving managerial, leadership and creative (innovative) skills of city employees, and integrating the concepts of the science, technology, engineerin...
Negotiating depression treatment with older adults: Primary care providers' perspectives

Background. Primary care occupies a strategic position in the evaluation and treatment of depression in late life, yet many older patients do not initiate or adhere to treatments available in primary care.Aim. To explore how primary care providers describe the process of discussing depression care with older adults.Method. Semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 providers involved with intervention studies of depression management for older adults. We used the constant comparative method to identify themes related to negotiating the treatment of depression with older adults.Results. Providers felt that older patients often attribute depression to non-medical causes. They talked about the challenges and described the need to ‘convince’ them of the medical model of depression.Conclusion. How primary care physicians surmise patients' views of depression may influence the discussion of depression in practice. As medication is most often provided for depression treatment, some may feel compelled to convin...
Factors influencing benthic bacterial abundance, biomass, and activity on the northern continental margin and deep basin of the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract As part of a larger project on the deep benthos of the Gulf of Mexico, an extensive data set on benthic bacterial abundance (n>750), supplemented with cell-size and rate measurements, was acquired from 51 sites across a depth range of 212–3732 m on the northern continental slope and deep basin during the years 2000, 2001, and 2002. Bacterial abundance, determined by epifluorescence microscopy, was examined region-wide as a function of spatial and temporal variables, while subsets of the data were examined for sediment-based chemical or mineralogical correlates according to the availability of collaborative data sets. In the latter case, depth of oxygen penetration helped to explain bacterial depth profiles into the sediment, but only porewater DOC correlated significantly (inversely) with bacterial abundance (p
The startle response as an indicator of temporal summation

The present study assessed temporal summation of transient and sustained stimuli in the startle eyeblink response system. In two experiments, adult subjects received 95-dB(A), fast-rising broadband noise bursts of two types: (1) single stimuli varying in duration from 20 to 100 msec (Experiment 1) or 30 to 55 msec (Experiment 2) and (2) pairs of 3-msec bursts presented at interpulse intervals corresponding to the single stimulus durations. In addition, a single 3-msec pulse was used as an anchor point for both stimulus types. Though the temporal functions depended on whether startle amplitude or probability was assessed, both measures showed that temporal summation was similar for sustained stimuli and pulse pairs up to about 40 to 50 msec. Beyond this point, single stimuli maintained responding to 100 msec, whereas the second pulse of the pair quickly lost its effect. The results indicate that, although startle is influenced by summation of the sustained aspects of a stimulus, summation of transients produces an equivalent effect and does so with more acoustic efficiency (requires less energy). Response latency measures showed no significant summation with paired pulses, and only a narrow summation window for single stimuli. Thus, differential summation of sustained and transient information is demonstrated by all three response measures, but in different ways.
Optimization and scaling of a pulser-sustainer discharge excited oxygen-iodine laser

The paper discusses optimization of gain and output power and scaling of a pulser-sustainer discharge excited oxygen-iodine laser. For this, NO addition to the laser mixture and iodine vapor dissociation in an auxiliary high-voltage, nanosecond pulse duration, repetitively pulsed discharge ("side" discharge) are used. Iodine dissociation fraction generated in the side discharge and measured in the M=3 laser cavity is up to 50%. The experiments showed that additional iodine dissociation generated in the side discharge only moderately increased laser gain, by 10-15%. Parametric gain optimization by varying main discharge pressure, O 2 and NO fractions in the flow, I2 flow rate, pulsed discharge frequency, and sustainer discharge power, with the side discharge in operation produced gain up to 0.08 %/cm. Two parameters that critically affect gain are the energy loading per molecule in the discharge and the NO flow rate controlling the O atom concentration in the flow. Operation at the main discharge pressure of 60 torr resulted in significantly higher gain than at 100 torr, 0.080 %/cm vs. 0.043 %/cm, due to high discharge energy loading per molecule at the lower pressure. Laser output power measured at the gain optimized conditions is 1.4 W. Experiments with a scaled-up laser with a large volume pulser-sustainer discharge (10 cm x 10 cm x 2 cm vs. 5 cm x 5 cm x 2 cm) and longer gain path (10 cm vs. 5 cm) demonstrated stable discharge operation at discharge powers up to at least 2.9 kW. Singlet delta yield and gain measurements in the scaled-up laser are underway.
First Report of Web Blight Caused by Rhizoctonia solani on Catharanthus roseus in Louisiana.

Web (aerial) blight was observed in field plots of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (Madagascar periwinkle) during three consecutive summers at the Burden Research Center in Baton Rouge. Leaf spots formed first, followed by a general blighting of leaves and stems that resulted in circular areas of dead plants in the plots. Dead leaves were matted together but remained attached to plants. Mycelia, and occasionally small, brown sclerotia (1 to 3 mm) were observed on blighted foliage. During the first year, only prostrate-growing cultivars belonging to the Mediterranean series of C. roseus were infected, but in 2001 and 2002 upright-growing cultivars as well as those with prostrate growth habit became infected. The disease occurred in July and August during periods of hot, humid, and rainy weather. Among 52 cultivars in the 2001 trial, only 'Tropicana Pink', 'Tropicana Rose' and 'Stardust Orchid' were disease free. A Rhizoctonia sp. was consistently isolated from diseased plants and further characterized as R. solani Kuhn AG-1 based on its multinucleate cells and hyphal anastomosis with several AG-1 tester isolates. On potato dextrose agar, colonies displayed morphologies with characteristics of AG-1 IA and AG-1 IB, therefore, identification to AG subgroup was not made. Mature colonies ranged from light tan to brown and produced sclerotia, individually or in clumps, at the edge of the culture dish. Pathogenicity tests were performed by placing agar blocks, taken from the margins of 7-day-old cultures, on stems of eight healthy Madagascar periwinkle plants (15 to 20 cm tall). Inoculated and noninoculated control plants were held in a dew chamber at 26°C for 3 days and then moved to a greenhouse. Leaves on all inoculated plants developed water-soaked spots that turned dark brown or black prior to death, whereas noninoculated plants remained healthy. R. solani was reisolated from inoculated plants and its cultural characteristics were similar to those of the original isolate. Web blight occurs in Louisiana on Madagascar periwinkle used as landscape bedding plants, but has not been observed on container-grown plants. Web blight caused by R. solani AG-1 was previously reported on Madagascar periwinkle from Alabama (1). R. solani AG-1 has been reported previously as causing web blight in Louisiana on rosemary (2), dianthus (4), and verbena (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of web blight on Madagascar periwinkle (C. roseus) in Louisiana. References: (1) A. K. Hagan and J. M. Mullen. Plant Dis. 77:1169, 1993. (2) G. E. Holcomb. Plant Dis. 76:859, 1992. (3) G. E. Holcomb and D. E. Carling. Plant Dis. 84:492, 2000. (4) G. E. Holcomb and D. E. Carling. Plant Dis. 84:1344, 2000.
In Vivo Role of TLR2 and MyD88 Signaling in Eliciting Innate Immune Responses in Staphylococcal Endophthalmitis.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective mechanisms evoked by TLR2 and MyD88 signaling in bacterial endophthalmitis in vivo.
Covert biases, circularity, and apomorphies: A critical look at the North American Quaternary Herpetofaunal Stability Hypothesis

The North American Pleistocene Herpetofaunal Stability Hypothesis was established in the 1980s based on summary reviews of primary descriptive paleoherpetological literature. The hypothesis posits that North American herpetofaunas essentially were taxonomically and geographically stable throughout the Quaternary. Modern biogeographic distribution of species served as an important criterion for primary identification of the majority of fossil herpetofaunal specimens, rendering the Herpetofaunal Stability Hypothesis circular. Apomorphy-based identifications are an important and well-established alternative to the traditional approach, but are used only rarely within the Quaternary paleontology community. Preliminary applications of the apomorphy-based approach reveal that species-level resolution often is not possible for herpetofaunal remains. Lack of species-level resolution may be a consequence of poor documentation of evolutionary morphology for most herpetofaunal species lineages. Development of adequate skeletal collections and the search for apomorphies in the anatomical systems typically preserved in Quaternary deposits will yield meaningful insights into evolutionary morphology, an enhanced appreciation of Quaternary faunal dynamics, and a greater concordance with modern neontological approaches. Maintenance of traditional methods of identification will yield a false perception of clarity, erroneous interpretations of Quaternary faunal dynamics, and may perpetuate misleading data in Quaternary paleontology as well as other fields that rely on those data.
Binary mask defect printability for 130-nm ArF lithography

Recent observations indicate that wafer CD control for the 0.13-micrometers node is sensitive to non-phase defects between 0.1 micrometers and 0.25 micrometers on a 4X reticle, as a function of the location of the sub-killer defect. Since more and more small defects can be detected by today's advanced mask defect inspection tools, it is important to determine whether these detected defects can impact wafer lithography process window. The experimental result is based on a typical 0.13-micrometers process using a pre-designed Defects Sensitivity Monitor reticle to address the printability of these programmed defects.
Solitary truncal porokeratotic eccrine ostial and dermal duct nevus in a sixty-year-old man.

A sixty-year-old white man presented with a 2 × 1.5 cm lesion on his right buttock. The lesion had been present for several years, but had not been present when the patient was a child. No other family members reported having similar lesions. His past medical history was unremarkable. By history, the lesion was slowly growing, but was neither painful nor pruritic. On examination, a well defined pink nodule was noted on his right buttock. The surface of the lesion had a crateriform appearance with verrucous edges. A shave biopsy was performed. Histopathology: The specimen was cut into four pieces and sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin were examined. A low power view (Fig. 1) shows an epidermis with considerable hyperkeratosis and several focal areas of parakeratosis that fill epidermal dilated eccrine ducts. Higher magnification (Fig. 2) reveals, that these foci of parakeratosis resemble the cornoid lamellae seen in porokeratosis of Mibelli. Figure 2 also reveals that the process originates within the eccrine duct. Higher magnification demonstrates the porokeratotic column arising from dyskeratotic keratinocytes that lack a granular layer (Fig. 3). An inflammatory infiltrate consisting of lymphocytes and histiocytes is present in the underlying dermis with accentuation directly under the cornoid lamellae.
Mild postoperative acute kidney injury and outcomes after surgery for congenital heart disease.

Objective The effect of mild acute kidney injury (AKI) on outcomes after heart surgery in children is unclear. We sought to characterize the epidemiology of mild AKI associated with surgery for congenital heart disease (CHS-AKI) in children. Methods We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study of 693 patients (aged 6 days-18 years) who underwent heart surgery in 2009. The prevalence of AKI within 72 hours of surgery was determined using the 3-stage Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria. Factors associated with both hospital length of stay and AKI were used in a proportional hazards model to test the association of stage 1 AKI with hospital length of stay. Results The median age of the patients was 11.5 months (interquartile range, 3-54 months). Eighteen percent of the cohort had single ventricle heart disease and 54% underwent RACHS-1 category 3 or higher surgery. The prevalence of stages 1, 2, and 3 AKI in this cohort was 11% (n = 77), 3% (n = 19), and 1% (n = 8), respectively. Factors independently associated with AKI were prematurity, single ventricle physiology, peak postoperative lactic acid concentration, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and a history of heart surgery. Stage 2 or greater CHS-AKI was associated with hospital length of stay (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33-0.87; P = .01), but stage 1 was not (AHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.66-1.10; P = .22). Conclusions AKI occurs after surgery for congenital heart disease but may be less common than previously reported. Although moderate to severe CHS-AKI is independently associated with prolonged recovery after heart surgery, mild disease does not appear to be.
CENTS: Cortical Enhanced Neonatal Tissue Segmentation

The acquisition of high-quality magnetic resonance (MR) images of neonatal brains is largely hampered by their characteristically small head size and insufficient tissue contrast. As a result, subsequent image processing and analysis, especially brain tissue segmentation, are often affected. To overcome this problem, a dedicated phased array neonatal head coil is utilized to improve MR image quality by augmenting signal-to-noise ratio and spatial resolution without lengthening data acquisition time. In addition, a specialized hybrid atlas-based tissue segmentation algorithm is developed for the delineation of fine structures in the acquired neonatal brain MR images. The proposed tissue segmentation method first enhances the sheet-like cortical gray matter (GM) structures in the to-be-segmented neonatal image with a Hessian filter for generation of a cortical GM confidence map. A neonatal population atlas is then generated by averaging the presegmented images of a population, weighted by their cortical GM similarity with respect to the to-be-segmented image. Finally, the neonatal population atlas is combined with the GM confidence map, and the resulting enhanced tissue probability maps for each tissue form a hybrid atlas is used for atlas-based segmentation. Various experiments are conducted to compare the segmentations of the proposed method with manual segmentation (on both images acquired with a dedicated phased array coil and a conventional volume coil), as well as with the segmentations of two population-atlas-based methods. Results show the proposed method is capable of segmenting the neonatal brain with the best accuracy, and also preserving the most structural details in the cortical regions.
Importance sampling and histogrammic representations of reactivity functions and product distributions in Monte Carlo quasiclassical trajectory calculations

The application of importance sampling as a variance reduction technique in Monte Carlo quasiclassical trajectory calculations is discussed. Two measures are proposed which quantify the quality of the importance sampling used, and indicate whether further improvements may be obtained by some other choice of importance sampling function. A general procedure for constructing standardized histogrammic representations of differential functions which integrate to the appropriate integral value obtained from a trajectory calculation is presented. Two criteria for ’’optimum’’ binning of these histogrammic representations of differential functions are suggested. These are (1) that each bin makes an equal contribution to the integral value, and (2) each bin has the same relative error. Numerical examples illustrating these sampling and binning concepts are provided.
Risk factors for high herd level calf morbidity risk from birth to weaning in beef herds in the USA.

Abstract We analyzed data from a national survey of beef cow–calf producers in the USA to quantify the effects of hypothesized risk factors on herd-level calf morbidity risk from birth to weaning. The analysis included 2490 herds from 23 states. Two stepwise logistic regressions were fit to identify factors associated with ≥10% morbidity. The first model included all herds dichotomized into high-morbidity herds with ≥10% morbidity and low-morbidity herds with 70% of cows and heifers calves in confinement also increased the odds of being a high-morbidity herd (OR=1.8). The population attributable fractions for dystocia and confined calving for the model including all herds dichotomized at 10% morbidity were 0.41 and 0.11, respectively. The summary population attributable fraction for both factors was 0.46.
Towards hybrid system modeling of uncertain complex dynamical systems

In this paper we consider the problem of finding a low dimensional approximate model for a discrete time Markov process. This problem is of particular interest in systems that exhibit so-called metastable behavior, i.e. systems whose behavior is principally concentrated on a finite number of disjoint components of the state space. The approach developed here is based on a proper orthogonal decomposition and, unlike most existing approaches, does not require the Markov chain to be reversible. An example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF FLUIDIZED BEDS

Abstract Fluidized bed combustors are used as components in a variety of commercial processes. Employed as process heaters, a fluidized bed offers advantages which include the ability to use a variety of fuels and provide a high heat flux rate from the bed to submerged heat transfer surfaces. Most industrial combustion systems are designed to operate at essentially constant rates, however, upsets in process conditions do occur and the combustor is required to load follow and maintain product quality. Because of the large bed mass in a fluidized bed combustor, concern has arisen on how rapidly the combustor can follow the changes and how well behaved the combustor is during the period of change. In order to develop operating and control strategies for fluidized bed combustors employed as process heaters, the transient response of the unit to changes in operating variables must be determined. The purpose of this study is to quantify the transient response of a fluidized bed combustor to changes in the opera...
The N-terminal domain of p73 interacts with the CH1 domain of p300/CREB binding protein and mediates transcriptional activation and apoptosis

The newly identified p53 homolog p73 mimics the transcriptional function of p53. We have investigated the regulation of p73's transcriptional activity by p300/CREB binding protein (CBP). p73-p300 complexes were identified in HeLa cell extracts by cofractionation and coimmunoprecipitation assays. The p73-p300 interaction was confirmed in vitro by glutathione S-transferase–protein association assays and in vivo by coimmunoprecipitating the overexpressed p300 and p73 in human p53-free small-cell lung carcinoma H1299 or osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells. The N terminus but not the N-terminal truncation of p73 bound to the CH1 domain (amino acids [aa] 350 to 450) of p300/CBP. Accordingly, this p73 N-terminal deletion was unable to activate transcription or to induce apoptosis. Overexpression of either p300 or CBP stimulated transcription mediated by p73 but not its N-terminally deleted mutant in vivo. The N-terminal fragment from aa 19 to 597, but not the truncated fragment from aa 242 to 1700 of p300, reduced p73-mediated transcription markedly. p73-dependent transcription or apoptosis was partially impaired in either p300- or CBP-deficient human breast carcinoma MCF-7 or H1299 cells, suggesting that both coactivators mediate transcription by p73 in cells. These results demonstrate that the N terminus of p73 directly interacts with the N-terminal CH1 domain of p300/CBP to activate transcription.
Fully-integrated and electronically-controlled millimeter-wave phase modulator

We present a fully-integrated and voltage-controlled millimeter-wave phase modulator based on vanadium dioxide (VO2). It consists of a resonant reconfigurable meta-surface fabricated on a thin VO2 film integrated with voltage-controlled heating electrodes. By varying the applied voltage to the heating electrodes, the dielectric properties of the VO2 layer is controlled and the resonance frequency of the meta-surface is shifted accordingly, introducing a considerable phase shift. We experimentally demonstrate the highest reported phase shift of 60o at 85 GHz through a fully integrated, voltage-controlled device platform by varying the control voltage from 0 V to 14 V.
Holography on the Spacelab 3 mission

Spacelab 3's Fluid Experiment System, in which triglycine sulfate crystals were produced by a low temperature solution-growth technique, employs holography as its primary data-gathering system. This use of holography allows optical techniques which would be difficult to apply in orbit to be used after the holographic data is returned to ground laboratories, using an analysis of the reconstructed holographic image. The system used allows both single- and double-exposure holograms to be obtained in two separate orthogonal configurations.
Temporal trends in inflammatory bowel disease publications over a 19-years period

AIM: To determine whether temporal changes occurred in the pediatric vs adult inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), both in terms of number and type of yearly published articles. METHODS: We aimed to evaluate all PubMed-registered articles related to the field of IBD from January 1, 1993 and until December 31, 2011. We searched for articles using the key words “inflammatory bowel disease” or “Crohn’s disease” or “ulcerative colitis” or “undetermined colitis”, using the age filters of “child” or “adult”. We repeated the search according to the total number per year of articles per type of article, for each year of the specified period. We studied randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, case reports, meta-analyses, letters to the editor, reviews, systematic reviews, practice guidelines, and editorials. RESULTS: We identified 44645 articles over the 19 year-period. There were 8687 pediatric-tagged articles vs 19750 adult-tagged articles. Thus 16208 articles were unaccounted and not assigned a “pediatric” or “adult” tag by PubMed. There was an approximately 3-fold significant increase in all articles recorded both in pediatric and adult articles. This significant increase was true for nearly every category of article but the number of clinical trials, meta-analysis, and randomized controlled trials increased proportionally more than the number of “lower quality” articles such as editorials or letters to the editor. Very few guidelines were published every year. CONCLUSION: There is a yearly linear increase in publications related to IBD. Relatively, there are more and more clinical trials and higher quality articles.
An Infrared Study of the Dehydrogenation of Ethylbenzene to Styrene over Iron-Based Catalysts

Abstract The dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene over unpromoted and potassium-promoted iron catalysts has been studied using kinetic measurements and infrared spectroscopy. Both the rate of styrene production and the activation energy for its formation are dependent on potassium content. The specific rate of styrene production is highest at ∼10% potassium loading, while the apparent activation energy of the reaction is lowest at ∼30% potassium content. The activity is significantly attenuated for potassium loadings in excess of 30%. Infrared spectra of the unpromoted and potassium-promoted catalyst surfaces after reaction indicate that potassium suppresses the extent of carbonaceous deposits, and that the active sites on both unpromoted and potassium-promoted catalysts are identical. Furthermore, although pure styrene adsorbed on unpromoted Fe2O3 is bound to the surface via the aromatic ring, with the vinyl group only slightly perturbed by interaction with the surface, the styrene product of ethylbenzene dehydrogenation binds to the catalyst surface through the vinyl group.
A time tradeoff method for eliciting partner's quality of life due to patient's health states in prostate cancer.

Background. Cost-effectiveness analyses may better reflect the full costs and benefits of medical interventions if they incorporate the effects of patients’ health on their family members. Objective. To develop and apply a time tradeoff (TTO) technique to measure the impact of potential prostate cancer—related health states of the patients on the quality of life (QOL) of their partners. Methods. We developed modified TTO questions and applied them in a pilot study in which we asked the partner of the patient to tradeoff his or her own life in order to reduce the burden that he himself or she herself expects to experience if the patient developed one of the prostate cancer—related health states. We reviewed the theoretical justification for this question and carefully framed the question so as to reduce measurement error and also to avoid possible double counting with the effect on the partner’s health. Results. We collected data from 26 partners about their preferences for their own health, which is influ...
Changes in Treatment Content of Services During Trauma-informed Integrated Services for Women with Co-occurring Disorders

The experience of trauma is highly prevalent in the lives of women with mental health and substance abuse problems. We examined how an intervention targeted to provide trauma-informed integrated services in the treatment of co-occurring disorders has changed the content of services reported by clients. We found that the intervention led to an increased provision of integrated services as well as services addressing each content area: trauma, mental health and substance abuse. There was no increase in service quantity from the intervention. Incorporation of trauma-specific element in the treatment of mental health and substance abuse may have been successfully implemented at the service level thereby better serve women with complex behavioral health histories.