cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The LSST sensor technologies studies

The LSST project has embarked on an aggressive new program to develop the next generation of silicon imagers for the visible and near-IR spectral regions. In order to better understand and solve some of the technology issues prior to development and mass-production for the huge LSST focal plane, a number of contracts have been written to imager firms to explore specific areas of technology uncertainty. We expect that these study contracts will do much toward reducing risk and uncertainty going into the next phase of development, the prototype production of the final large LSST imager.
Magnetic force microscopy of superconductors

The interaction between a magnetized probe tip and a sample provides the basis for the imaging technique of magnetic force microscopy (MFM). This paper addresses MFM modelling for superconductors, for both direct and inverse problems. In the direct problem, material properties are assumed, while in the inverse problem the sample characteristics are to be extracted from the force measurements. Some of the challenges and benefits of solving MFM problems for superconductors are described. Understanding of the direct problem can be useful for materials optimization and device fabrication, while solution of the inverse problem could be used as a means of contactless quality assessment. Developments in the latter area could provide a new method of characterizing superconducting crystals and films.
Demographics And Assessments Of Career Satisfaction Of Foreign Language Teaching Professionals

This article reports the initial results of a survey based upon a questionnaire which appeared in the December 1987 Foreign Language Annals. The authors report on the demographics of the respondent foreign language teaching professionals, including their work experience, area and gender based differences among them, and the number, identity and frequency of the foreign languages they teach. Foreign language teaching professionals are compared to the teaching profession in general with respect to their assessments of their profession and their careers.
Site preference for Mn substitution in spintronicCuMIIIX2VIchalcopyrite semiconductors

The quest for combining semiconducting with ferromagnetic properties has recently led to the exploration of Mn substitutions not only in binary (GaAs, CdTe), but also in ternary semiconductors such as chalcopyrites AB I I I X V I 2. Here, however, Mn would substitute any of the two metal sites A or B. The site preference of Mn doping in CuM I I I X V I 2 chalcopyrite is crucial because it releases different type of carriers: electrons for substitution on the Cu sites, and holes for substitution on the M I I I sites. Using first-principles calculation we show that Mn prefers the M I I I site under Cu-rich and III-poor conditions, and the Cu site under III-rich condition. We establish the chemical potential domains for pure CuAlS 2 , CuGaS 2 , CuInS 2 , CuGaSe 2 , and CuGaTe 2 stability. We show that the solubility of Mn on the M I I I (Cu) site increases (decreases) as the Fermi level moves toward the conduction-band minimum (n-type conditions). It is further found that domains of chemical stability of all these chalcopyrites may be largely reduced by Mn incorporation.
Searching for Kummer congruences in an infinite slope family

We consider powers of a grossencharacter, the corresponding L-functions twisted with quadratic Dirichlet characters, and their central critical values. We state several conjectures concerning Kummer-type congruences between these numbers for a ramified prime and describe specific numerical data in support of these conjectures.
Neglected Numerators, Drifting Denominators, and Fractured Fractions: Determining Participation Rates for Students with Disabilities.

Current educational reform efforts seek to ensure accountability for educational results for all of our nation's students and, thus, there is increasing interest in the extent to which current large-scale assessment practices and programs include students with disabilities. Developing accurate procedures for reporting on the participation of students with disabilities in such assessment programs has proven to be difficult, due to a lack of data, differing definitions of eligible testing populations, and the misalignment of data collection efforts and data management responsibilities. Specific recotnmendations are offered for both policymakers and local practitioners and administrators to address these issues, and to assist in improving our ability to accurately report the participation of students with disabilities in educational assessment programs.
A new approach to deriving packaging system statistical eye diagram based on parallel non-linear transient simulations using multiple short signal bit patterns

The eye diagram simulation is very important for checking the signal quality of channels in electronic packaging systems. Most existing simulation tools for creating eye diagram are based on convolution using a single-step response of the channel and require that the I/O devices are modeled as linear time-invariant circuits. However, I/O devices do contain nonlinear elements and some applications have strongly nonlinear I/O devices. We need an alternative eye diagram simulation methodology to simulate these non-linear applications. In this paper, we propose a new approach to deriving the packaging system statistical eye diagram based on nonlinear transient simulations. This is achieved by taking advantage of the ready availability of multi-core networked computers and breaking the bit patterns into many short signal bit patterns and running these simulations in parallel. This can be done with any transient circuit simulator. This approach gives a practical way to overcome the time required to run the more compute intensive non-linear transient simulations. A major advantage of this approach is the capability to include the nonlinear effect of the actual I/O devices. The statistical eye diagram and the BERT scan eye diagram by the proposed approach includes the non-ideal channel characteristics including inter-symbol interference (ISI), the crosstalk from nearby aggressor channels, the random jitter, and duty cycle distortion. The proposed approach is illustrated with the simulation an actual channel from an IBM server. The statistical eye diagram is compared between this approach and the commonly used linear convolution methods.
Acidobacteria Phylum Sequences in Uranium-Contaminated Subsurface Sediments Greatly Expand the Known Diversity within the Phylum

The abundance and composition of bacteria of the phylum Acidobacteria were surveyed in subsurface sediments from uranium-contaminated sites using amplification of 16S rRNA genes followed by clone/sequence analysis. Analysis of sequences from this study and public databases produced a revised and greatly expanded phylogeny of the Acidobacteria phylum consisting of 26 subgroups.
Determination of captopril in biological samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with ThioGlo 3 derivatization.

Captopril, a well-known angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, is widely used for treatment of arterial hypertension. Recent studies suggest that it may also act as a scavenger of free radicals because of its thiol group. Therefore, the present study describes a rapid, sensitive and relatively simple method for the detection of captopril in biological tissues with reverse-phase HPLC. Captopril was first derivatized with ThioGlo™3 [3H-Naphto[2,1-b]pyran,9-acetoxy-2-(4-(2,5-dihydro-2,5-dioxo-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)phenyl-3-oxo-)]. It was then detected by fluorescence-HPLC using an Astec C18 column as the stationary phase and a water:acetonitrile:acetic acid:phosphoric acid mixture (50:50; 1 mL/L acids) as the mobile phase (excitation wavelength, 365 nm; emission wavelength, 445 nm). The calibration curve for captopril was linear over a range of 10–2500 nM and the coefficient of variation acquired for the within- and between-run precision for captopril was 0.5 and 3.8%, respectively. The detection limit of captopril with this method was found to be 200 fmol/20 µL injection volume. Its relative recovery from biological samples was determined to the range from 93.3 to 105.3%. Based on these results, we believe that our method is advantageous for captopril determination. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Abbreviations used: ACE angiotensin converting enzyme PBPB P-bromophenylbromide ROS reactive oxygen species
Membranous nephropathy in children: clinical presentation and therapeutic approach

The approach to the pediatric patient with membranous nephropathy (MN) can be challenging to the practitioner. The clinical presentation of the child with this histologic entity usually involves some degree of proteinuria ranging from persistent, subnephrotic-ranged proteinuria to overt nephrotic syndrome. Patients often have accompanying microscopic hematuria and may have azotemia or mild hypertension. Children presenting with nephrotic syndrome are often steroid resistant; as such, their biopsy for steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome results in the diagnosis of MN. The practitioner treating MN in the pediatric patient must weigh the risks of immunosuppressive therapy against the benefits. In general, the child with subnephrotic proteinuria and normal renal function can likely be treated conservatively with angiotensin blockade (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers) without the need for immunosuppressive therapy. Those with nephrotic syndrome are usually treated with steroids initially and often followed by alkylating agents (cyclophosphamide or chlorambucil). Calcineurin inhibitors may also be useful, but the relapse rate after their discontinuation remains high. The absence of controlled studies in children with MN makes treatment recommendations difficult, but until they are available, using the patient’s clinical presentation and risk of disease progression appears to be the most prudent approach.
Fabrication and characterization of chalcogenide glass for hollow Bragg fibers

Low- and high-refractive-index chalcogenide glasses are studied for their potential use in the fabrication of one-dimensional hollow Bragg fibers. The low-index glasses are based on the GeSe-glass systems with indices varying from 2.0 to 2.5, while the high-index glasses are formed from the AgAsSe glasses with indices ranging from 2.8 to 3.8. High-purity elemental starting materials are distilled and the surface oxides removed prior to mixing in a rocking furnace. The refractive indices of the AgAsSe glasses, measured using a CO2 laser reflectometer, were near 3.10 for the compositions most compatible with the low-index Ge20Se80 glass (n=2.46). Spectral measurements show impurity absorption bands between 12 and 16 μm. The loss at 10.6 μm for the Ag25As40Se35 glass measured using CO2 laser calorimetry was 1.16×10−3 cm−1.
Virtual patients: a critical literature review and proposed next steps.

CONTEXT The opposing forces of increased training expectations and reduced training resources have greatly impacted health professions education. Virtual patients (VPs), which take the form of interactive computer-based clinical scenarios, may help to reconcile this paradox. METHODS We summarise research on VPs, highlight the spectrum of potential variation and identify an agenda for future research. We also critically consider the role of VPs in the educational armamentarium. RESULTS We propose that VPs' most unique and cost-effective function is to facilitate and assess the development of clinical reasoning. Clinical reasoning in experts involves a non-analytical process that matures through deliberate practice with multiple and varied clinical cases. Virtual patients are ideally suited to this task. Virtual patients can also be used in learner assessment, but scoring rubrics should emphasise non-analytical clinical reasoning rather than completeness of information or algorithmic approaches. Potential variations in VP design are practically limitless, yet few studies have rigorously explored design issues. More research is needed to inform instructional design and curricular integration. CONCLUSIONS Virtual patients should be designed and used to promote clinical reasoning skills. More research is needed to inform how to effectively use VPs.
Cultural competency in diagnostic imaging1

This observational essay on cultural competency attempts to define cultural competency, its significance and relevance to radiology, and concludes with some reflections on the ethics of cross-cultural competency. The common perception that radiologists do not experience physician–patient interaction reflects a dated and incomplete understanding of the many roles that radiologists fulfill in a modern imaging department. For this observational essay on cultural competency, we studied a range of radiological subspecialties at a tertiary care medical center (Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville, Tennessee). Significant radiologist–patient interactions, especially in the areas of interventional radiology and women’s imaging, were readily apparent. Furthermore, a significant cross-cultural interaction was also present within the department as a whole in its dealings with a culturally diverse patient population. The staff of the radiology department in general was aware of the term “cultural competency,” but members of the staff had difficulty in articulating its full meaning, significance, and relevance to radiology. Practitioners of most radiological subspecialties were practicing a form of cultural competence without fully realizing it.
Clinical implementation of intrafraction cone beam computed tomography imaging during lung tumor stereotactic ablative radiation therapy.

Purpose To develop and clinically evaluate a volumetric imaging technique for assessing intrafraction geometric and dosimetric accuracy of stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR). Methods and Materials Twenty patients received SABR for lung tumors using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). At the beginning of each fraction, pretreatment cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was used to align the soft-tissue tumor position with that in the planning CT. Concurrent with dose delivery, we acquired fluoroscopic radiograph projections during VMAT using the Varian on-board imaging system. Those kilovolt projections acquired during millivolt beam-on were automatically extracted, and intrafraction CBCT images were reconstructed using the filtered backprojection technique. We determined the time-averaged target shift during VMAT by calculating the center of mass of the tumor target in the intrafraction CBCT relative to the planning CT. To estimate the dosimetric impact of the target shift during treatment, we recalculated the dose to the GTV after shifting the entire patient anatomy according to the time-averaged target shift determined earlier. Results The mean target shift from intrafraction CBCT to planning CT was 1.6, 1.0, and 1.5 mm; the 95th percentile shift was 5.2, 3.1, 3.6 mm; and the maximum shift was 5.7, 3.6, and 4.9 mm along the anterior-posterior, left-right, and superior-inferior directions. Thus, the time-averaged intrafraction gross tumor volume (GTV) position was always within the planning target volume. We observed some degree of target blurring in the intrafraction CBCT, indicating imperfect breath-hold reproducibility or residual motion of the GTV during treatment. By our estimated dose recalculation, the GTV was consistently covered by the prescription dose (PD), that is, V100% above 0.97 for all patients, and minimum dose to GTV >100% PD for 18 patients and >95% PD for all patients. Conclusions Intrafraction CBCT during VMAT can provide geometric and dosimetric verification of SABR valuable for quality assurance and potentially for treatment adaptation.
Ibn Al Nafis: His Seminal Contributions to Cardiology

Ibn Al Nafis, born 1213, was the first to discover the “circulation lesser” and describe the blood flow from the right ventricle to the lungs then back to the left ventricle 300 years before William Harvey. He bravely rejected the theory of Galen (130–200 AD) and Avicenna (980–1037 AD) which stated that the blood from the right ventricle passes through “invisible” holes in the ventricular septum to the left ventricle. Also was the first to note that the nourishment of the heart muscle is coming from the coronary arteries rather than from the inside of the ventricular cavity as described by earlier scholars.
An electronic patient record for image assisted minimally invasive spinal surgery

Recent developments in medical imaging informatics have improved clinical workflow in Radiology enterprise but gaps remain in the clinical workflow from diagnosis to surgical treatment through post-operative follow-up. One solution to bridge this gap is the development of an electronic patient record (ePR) that integrates key imaging and informatics data during the pre, intra, and post-operative phases of clinical workflow. We present an ePR system based on standards and tailored to the clinical application for imageassisted minimally invasive spinal surgery (IA-MISS). The ePR system has been implemented in a clinical environment for over a year.
Fathers’ Methods of Child Discipline: Does Incarceration Lead to Harsh and Physical Punishment? A Research Note

Using Data from Wave 9 of the Fragile Families and Child Well Being Study (2011) this study examines predictors of fathers’ use of harsh physical child discipline methods. Central to the investigation is the question of whether fathers who have been incarcerated experience a brutalization effect of imprisonment which is manifested in harsh physical means of child discipline. Also examined are measures of demographics, scope and quality of interactions with child(ren), interactions with mother, attitudes/beliefs about the fathering role and degree of satisfaction derived from parenting. Results show that the most influential measures are those regarding scope and quality of interactions with child(ren). Whether or not a father has been incarcerated shows no statistically significant effect on methods of child discipline.
An asymptotic formula for the number of classes of sets of n indistinguishable elements

Abstract Letting X be a finite set and P the power set operation on a set, an approximation for the number of members of Pd(X), for d⩾2, is derived, where two members are considered identical if some permutation on X can transform one into the other. The approximation is asymptotic to the expected lower bound |Pd(X)|/|X|!
The crystallography of clean surfaces and chemisorbed species as determined by low-energy electron diffraction

Abstract Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) is a valuable technique for determining not only two-dimensional translational periodicities of surface atoms but also their detailed locations via an analysis of LEED intensities. We outline the experimental diffraction intensity data and various methods of theoretical analysis including dynamical calculations, data averaging, and data inversion methods needed for such structural determinations. The relative merits of the dynamical analysis of either azimuthal intensity distributions at fixed energy, I (φ), or the energy dependence of the intensity, I(E) , to determine surface crystallography are examined via model calculations. Dynamical analysis of the I(E) spectra of the oxygen (2 × 1) overlayer and the hydrogen (1 × 2) overlayer structures on Ni(110) are presented. We determine that the oxygen atoms in the (2 × 1) structure reside in the twofold bridge sites on top of 〈1 1 0〉 rows of the Ni(110) surface and are located 1.92 ± 0.04 A from the two adjacent Ni atoms. For the casee of hydrogen on Ni(110) we find that little agreement is found between calculated and experimental I(E) spectra for simple hydrogen adsorption models. A surface distortion model is found to best describe the experimental data where adjacent 〈1 1 〉 rows of Ni atoms are alternately attracted or repelled 0.1 ± 0.05 A together or apart and compressed into the bulk by 0.1 ± 0.05 A. The chemical trends of these and other recent LEED determinations as well as the future directions of surface crystallography are briefly discussed.
When Do Symptoms Become a Disease

Although biological and clinical factors set some boundaries for which symptoms might plausibly be linked in a disease concept, social influences largely explain which symptom clusters have made it...
Black Women's Ambivalence About Marriage: A Voice-Centered Relational Approach

The authors examine singlehood among heterosexual Black women in the United States. The decline in marriage rates is most prevalent in the U.S. Black community. The evolution of marriage from being an institution—associated with familism—to individual growth and personal fulfillment, means groups that value familism may experience a tension between individual pursuits and the collective good. Knudson-Martin's 1996 reframed concept of differentiation was utilized in this study to better understand how single Black women manage the tension between individuality and togetherness. Findings from in-depth interviews of five Black women demonstrate how gendered power imbalance contributes to the ambivalence about marriage. These results extend the literature on Black families in the United States and can better inform clinical practice.
Antegrade Venography Identifies Parallel Venous Duplications in the Majority of Adolescents with Varicocele

Purpose: We performed intraoperative antegrade venography to assess the prevalence of internal spermatic venous malformations in adolescents with varicocele.Materials and Methods: During a 2-year period 58 adolescent males with visible or palpable varicocele underwent antegrade venography before varicocele surgery. Antegrade venography was performed through a scrotal incision. A vein within the pampiniform plexus was cannulated and up to 1.75 mg/kg iohexol 300 mg/ml was injected to outline the entire length of the internal spermatic vein. The radiographs were reviewed and classified according to Bahren and Murray criteria.Results: Of the patients 43 (74.1%) demonstrated parallel duplications (Murray classification type P) of the internal spermatic vein. This rate is higher than the 2% reported based on retrograde venography. Of the patients with parallel duplications 21 (48.8%) showed duplications arising superior to the iliac crest (subtype A) and 22 (51.2%) had a combination of proximal duplications (su...
The identification and management of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer in a large Jordanian family

The management of families with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer is challenging as screening for cancer in CDH1 mutation carriers is insufficiently sensitive and the commonly recommended option, prophylactic total gastrectomy, is associated with certain morbidity and even potential mortality. We describe the particular challenges associated with the diagnosis and management of a large Jordanian family with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer. A preliminary pedigree enabled DNA testing for CDH1 mutation, denoted as c.1137G → A, on 4 family members; all were identified as mutation carriers. A family information service was then conducted in Amman, Jordan, where 40 family members gathered and we provided education and counseling. Signed permission enabled DNA collection for CDH1 germline mutation studies. Non-attendees were contacted and provided detailed information. Twenty-three family members have been tested for CDH1; 13 were positive and 10 were negative. The proband, a CDH1 mutation carrier, has undergone successful prophylactic total gastrectomy. We are hopeful that this model can be repeated throughout Jordan as well as other emerging countries where knowledge and action about hereditary cancer is lacking.
Lymph node status after neoadjuvant radiotherapy for rectal cancer is a biologic predictor of outcome.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node (LN) status after surgery for rectal cancer is affected by preoperative radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to perform a population-based evaluation of the impact of pathologic LN status (ypN) after neoadjuvant radiotherapy on survival. METHODS: Patients undergoing radical resection for rectal adenocarcinoma were identified from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results registry (1991-2004). Patient characteristics, overall survival, and cancer-specific survival (CSS) by ypN stage after surgery and use of preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy were compared. RESULTS: Of the 23,809 patients identified, 12,513 received preoperative (n = 5367) or postoperative (n = 7146) radiotherapy and resection. Preoperative patients were more likely to be younger (P < .001) and histopathologically free of detectable nodal metastasis (ypN0) than postoperative (51.8% vs 31.7%, P < .001). Median total numbers of LNs (6 vs 10) and positive LNs (2 vs 3) were lower among preoperative than postoperative (P < .001 for both). OS and CSS were similar among pN0 patients. However, on proportional hazards regression, ypN+ stage was associated with an increase in relative risk for death by 21% overall (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.21; 95% confidence interval 1.09-1.35, P < .001) and 23% cancer-specific (HR = 1.23; P = .001) for preoperative compared with postoperative. CONCLUSIONS: Pathologic LN status after neoadjuvant radiotherapy for rectal cancer is a biologic marker of prognosis. Patients who are ypN+ after preoperative are a subgroup of LN positive patients with adverse outcome. These high-risk patients should be targeted for studies of novel multidisciplinary approaches, including expanded chemo- and biologic therapies. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Emission Line Properties of GPS/CSS Galaxies

We present initial results from a program that we have begun, aimed at increasing the number of GPS and CSS sources for which good spectroscopic data are available for a variety of emission lines. We combine new observational data with previously published results to investigate whether there are any relationships between the excitation state of the gas and the radio properties of the sources, retaining distinctions between GPS and GSS galaxies and quasars. In scenarios where the youngest, most compact sources interact most strongly with the gas, it is perhaps to be expected that this can have an effect on the overall excitation state of the gas, which could therefore correlate with radio properties such as turnover frequency that plausibly trace the source size and age. However, we find a degree of scatter between the turnover frequency and gas excitation state that is several times larger than the characteristic degree of uncertainty in our line ratio measurements. This would suggest that either there is no underlying relationship between turnover frequency and excitation state, or alternatively that any potential relationship is completely diluted by variations in the intrinsic properties of the gas from one source to the next, which would thus be an important factor in determining the source properties.
Application of infrared line models in the detection of atmospheric pollutants

The total absorptions of the three line profiles, Lorentz, Doppler, and Voight, are compared for a range of intervening parameters. It is found that, for the intermediate path lengths, the use of the combined Lorentz-Doppler (Voight) line profile is essential in calculating the atmospheric transmittance. The line-by-line model transmittance expression is incorporated in the atmospheric radiative flux equation. This equation, in turn, is utilized to determine the pollutant concentration in the atmosphere from the data obtained by the radiation measurement from an aircraft- or satellite-mounted instrument.
Delayed Clinical and Pathological Signs in Twitcher (Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy) Mice on a C57BL/6 × CAST/Ei Background

Abstract Modifier genes may account for the phenotypic variability observed in the late-onset forms of globoid cell leukodystrophy (GCL) in humans. In order to begin a search for modifier genes, the effect of genetic background on the clinical and pathological manifestations of GCL was investigated in twitcher mice. Twitcher mice on a C57BL/6 × CAST/Ei background had an increased life span (61.4 ± 2.5 vs 37.0 ± 0.6 days), a delayed onset of tremor (24 vs 21 days), and a delayed decline in walking ability compared to C57BL/6 twitcher mice. Pathologically, C57BL/6 × CAST/Ei twitcher mice had fewer lectin-positive globoid cells, less gliosis, and a greater preservation of myelin compared to C57BL/6 twitcher mice under moribund conditions. Similar concentrations of psychosine, the toxic species that accumulates in GCL, were measured by tandem mass spectrometry between moribund C57BL/6 twitcher mice (286.5 pmol/mg protein), 40-day C57BL/6 × CAST/Ei twitcher mice (276.5 pmol/mg), and moribund C57BL/6 × CAST/Ei twitcher mice (247.0 pmol/mg), suggesting that the milder phenotype in CAST/Ei × C57BL/6 twitcher mice did not correlate with less psychosine. In summary, the introduction of modifier genes from the wild, inbred CAST/Ei strain had a phenotypic effect resulting in a significantly slower disease course.
Subjectivity and plant domestication: Decoding the agency of vegetable food crops

Seeds of domesticated plants are a literature, a hard drive and a coded record of past information. Historically speaking, breeding is a special kind of alteration that has made domesticated plants among the most ancient of technical products. In this process of domesticating plants, kinship can be profoundly disrupted and transformed into intellectual property, only to escape, and revert to illicit relationships that are formed in the same agricultural fields that are attempting to tame them. Attention has turned in some quarters to challenging the notions of subjectivity of traditionally ignored subjects. In this paper I want to bring domesticated vegetables to the table. Domesticated plants created by selectionist plant breeding are testimonies to the benefits of cross-species cooperation that have been occurring for generations. Exploring the status of plants as subjects suggests that the controversies surrounding breeding practices need to be reconsidered.
Detection of three-photon relaxation of an atom near a phase conjugator through absorption measurements.

Spontaneous excitation of an atom near a phase conjugator should be amenable to experimental verification through a measurement of the atomic probe absorption profile. It is shown that the absorption decreases quickly with increasing reflectivity, due to a population of the excited state. The responsible physical process is a three-photon event.
Comparison of Chemically and Electrochemically Synthesized Polyaniline Films

The electrochemical growth of thick ({approximately}2 mm) emeraldine, polyaniline (PANI{sup E}) films from solutions containing 2 M HBF{sub 4} and 0.25 M aniline is demonstrated. Electrochemically and chemically prepared PANI{sup E} films, cast from formic acid solutions, are compared. The combination of electrochemical results with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic data indicates that pure and homogeneous standard material can be reproducibly prepared electrochemically.
Conversion of cellulosic materials to ethanol

The plant cell wall can be regarded as a giant bag-like macromolecule in which crystalline bundles of cellulose are embedded in a covalently linked matrix of hemicellulose and lignin. This heterologous polymer represents the dominant form of biomass on earth and a formidable challenge for solubilization and bioconversion. Bioconversion of lignocellulose requires the saccharification of both the hemicellulose and cellulose. Hemicellulose is composed of a mixture of sugars and can be readily hydrolysed by dilute acid at 140°C to produce a syrup containing pentoses and hexoses. However, no organisms in nature rapidly and efficiently convert both pentoses and hexoses into a single product of value. Our laboratory has developed such an organism by genetic engineering. Recombinant strains of Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli or Klebsiella oxytoca or Erwinia sp.) have been constructed in which genes encoding the ethanol pathway from Zymomonas mobilis (pdc and adh) were inserted into the chromosome. These strains now efficiently convert all of the component sugars of hemicellulose and (cellulose) into ethanol. The saccharification of cellulose is more difficult and more complex. An enzymatic approach is preferred but at least three classes of enzymes are needed: endoglucanase, exoglucanase, and β-glucosidase. Klebsiella oxytoca and Erwinia sp. possess the native ability to transport and metabolize cellobiose (also cellotriose, xylobiose, and xylotriose), minimizing the need for added β-glucosidase. K. oxytoca strain P2, an ethanol-producing recombinant, has been evaluated in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation experiments to determine optimal conditions and limits of performance. Temperature was varied between 32 and 40°C over a pH range of 5.0–5.8 with 100 g 1−1 of crystalline cellulose (Sigmacell 50, Sigma Chemical Company, St. Louis, MO) as the substrate and commercial cellulase (Spezyme CE; Genencor, South San Francisco, CA). A broad optimum for fermentation was observed which allowed the production of over 44 g ethanol 1−1 (82–87% of the maximum theoretical yield). Two optimal saccharification and fermentation conditions were identified for fermentation yield, pH 5.2 at 35°C and pH 5.5 at 32°C, which produced 47 g ethanol 1−1 in 144 h (0.48 g ethanol (g cellulose) −1). Although yields were reduced at the lowest cellulase levels tested (2–5 filter paper units (g cellulose)−1), ethanol production per unit enzyme was much higher.
Solid-surface room-temperature phosphorescence detection for high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract In the present study, we have optimized the use of a two nebulizer system for solid-surface room-temperature phosphorescence (SSRTP) as a selective, permanent record detector for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The chromatographic parameters and the analytical figures of merit of five well known phospho-rescent compounds were compared to those obtained by ultraviolet detection. Calibration curves with satisfactory linear dynamic ranges and limits of detection in the nanogram and subnanogram level showed the feasibility of the SSRTP detector for HPLC. In addition, overlapped compounds were individually identified demonstrating that the selectivity of the proposed detector can be a useful feature in case of incomplete chromatographic separations of complex mixtures.
Anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) based nanowells for hydrogen detection

A nanostructured sensing element based on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanowells was fabricate and assessed for hydrogen gas sensing. AAO nanowells with an average diameter of 73 nm and depth proportional to the anodization time were immersed in a surfactant solution and coated with an 8 nm film of palladium nanoparticles. The electrical resistance change of the nanostructure with hydrogen gas exposure was used as the sensing parameter. The AAO nanowells-Pd nanostructures were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and contact angle test. Hydrogen concentrations as low as 0.05 vol% (500 ppm) can be detected at room temperature. Response times as fast as 1.15 seconds were obtained. Compared to current devices and nanostructures in development, the AAO nanowell-Pd nanostructure is found to be considerably fast without compromising sensitivity and selectivity.
Central nervous system receptors in neuropsychiatric disorders

Abstract 1. Introduction of radioligand binding techniques has opened new possibilities in the study of the biological basis of psychiatric disorders. 2. The possible role of CNS receptors in schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, Huntington's disease and Alzheimer's dementia is discussed. 3. Data are presented in a systematic manner starting with the identification of receptors which appear to be the primary locus of action of drugs currently used in the treatment of these disorders. 4. A review of the data on the changes in receptor levels and/or affinity that might be associated with the respective disease follows. 5. Changes in receptor number and/or affinity after chronic drug therapy are outlined and the possible utilization of radioligand binding techniques in drug plasma level determination is discussed.
Intermediate-velocity atomic collisions. IV. Ar K-shell ionization and capture by C5+ and C6+ ions.

Ar K x rays produced by 22- and 42-MeV ${\mathrm{C}}^{5+}$ and ${\mathrm{C}}^{6+}$ ions were measured in coincidence with the various emergent charge states resulting from the collision process. Single-electron K-shell capture and ionization cross sections are obtained through an analysis based on the independent-particle model (IPM). The comparison among various theoretical models and the present experiment shows that the present theoretical description of the electron capture is more precarious than that of ionization in the intermediate-velocity regime studied. The IPM analysis also allows one to obtain estimates of the probability of ${\mathrm{C}}^{5+}$ electron loss for small-impact-parameter collisions.
Relationship between structure and conductivity in liquid carbon

We have performed extensive simulations of liquid carbon at various densities, using a highly transferable tight-binding model of carbon. In contrast to some recent theoretical suggestions, we show that the low-density liquid is primarily twofold bonded. Such a bonding arrangement leads to a low conductivity, compared to the primarily ${\mathit{sp}}^{2}$ bonded liquid that occurs at intermediate densities. This is in qualitative agreement with experiments that show that for pressures less than 100 kBar, the conductivity of liquid carbon increases with density. At high densities, the liquid is mainly tetrahedrally bonded, and the conductivity then decreases with increasing density.
Parameters for direct cortical electrical stimulation in the human: histopathologic confirmation.

Abstract Safe parameters for electrical cortical stimulation in humans are difficult to estimate from the animal experimental literature. We therefore examined the light microscopic histology at a total of 11 sites of direct subdural electrical stimulation, taken as part of anterior temporal lobectomies in 3 patients. Stimulations had been done through 3.175 mm diameter electrodes, with 0.3 msec square wave pulses of alternating polarity at 50 pulses/sec. In 2 patients, one site each had been used as a common reference for stimulation, receiving over 251 stimulation trials, most of 2–5 sec duration, at currents of 12.5–15.0 mA, 1 day prior to resection. The maximum charge per phase was 4.0–4.4 μC; the maximum charge density was 52–57 μC per geometric cm2 per pulse at the electrode surfaces. Comparison of hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, and cresyl violet-stained material from the electrode sites with that from other regions did not show any histologic abnormalities attributable to the electrical stimulation. The relatively brief and intermittent periods utilized for human stimulation testing do not appear to cause strcutural damage at the light microscopic level at charge densities that exceed the threshold for damage established in animal studies with more continuous, chronic stimulation schedules.
Spatio-temporal analysis of the relationship between WNV dissemination and environmental variables in Indianapolis, USA

This study developed a multi-temporal analysis on the relationship between West Nile Virus (WNV) dissemination and environmental variables by using an integrated approach of remote sensing, GIS, and statistical techniques. WNV mosquito cases in seven months (April-October) of the six years (2002–2007) were collected in Indianapolis, USA. Epidemic curves were plotted to identify the temporal outbreaks of WNV. Spatial-temporal analysis and k-mean cluster analysis were further applied to determine the high-risk areas. Finally, the relationship between environmental variables and WNV outbreaks were examined by using Discriminant Analysis. The results show that the WNV epidemic curve reached its peak in August for all years in the study area except in 2007, where the peak was reached in July. WNV dissemination started from the central longitudinal corridor of the city and spread out to the east and west. Different years and seasons had different high-risk areas, but the southwest and southeast corners show the highest risk for WNV infection due to their high percentages of agriculture and water sources. Major environmental factors contributing to the outbreak of WNV in Indianapolis were the percentages of agriculture and water, total length of streams, and total size of wetlands. This study provides important information for urban public health prevention and management. It also contributes to the optimization of mosquito control and arrangement of future sampling efforts.
Computed tomography and three-dimensional reconstruction in the evaluation of occipital condyle fracture

Two cases of a rare Anderson type III occipital condyle fracture are presented. In any patient sustaining craniovertebral injury an occipital condyle fracture may be missed because plain films can be unremarkable. It is important to include computed tomography or coronal hypocycloidal tomography for all suspect cases of craniovertebral junction injury. Although three-dimensional reconstruction did not alter therapy for this injury, spatial localization of the fracture fragment was enhanced by this method. Serious neurological deficits are possible if this unusual injury is not treated.
The sepsis syndrome. Definition and general approach to management

Sepsis is the systemic response to severe infection in critically ill patients. Sepsis, sepsis syndrome, and septic shock represent the increasingly severe stages of the same disease. Severe sepsis and septic shock occur in persons with preexisting illness or trauma. If sepsis is not diagnosed and treated early, it can become self-perpetuating, and elderly persons, in particular, are at a greater risk of death from sepsis.
Fermion field on a random lattice

On etudie les modes zeros d'une action fermion sur un reseau aleatoire. On calcule les valeurs propres basses de l'action et on discute leur distribution
A conversation analytic study of yes/no questions which convey reversed polarity assertions

Abstract Some “conducive” yes/no questions are treated by recipients as conveying an assertion of the opposite polarity to that of the grammatical form of the question. A study of these “reversed polarity questions (RPQs)” within a conversation analytic framework suggests that the interpretation of the questions as RPQs, rather than as ‘real’ questions, is not dependent on the design of the question alone, but on the actions which the questions are being used to perform and on the displayed knowledge state or epistemic strength from which the questions are asked. I will show in detail how this interpretation is interactionally accomplished with a type of yes/no question used by teachers in problem-solving sequences in one-on-one second language writing conferences at the post-secondary level. These questions, all of which are affirmative yes/no questions, reverse their polarity from affirmative to negative by conveying a negative assertion which shows what is problematic about a portion of student text or talk and, in the process, points to a possible solution.
Appropriate Technology in an Introductory Engineering Design Experience

EGR 200, Introduction to Engineering Design, provides transfer students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham an introductory engineering experience, including a 5-week design project. This year, the authors led a project that involved the design of crutches for use in a developing nation that featured the use of “appropriate technology” regarding materials and construction techniques. The target country was Zambia, Africa, which is one of the poorest countries in the world. In Zambia, the majority of the population lives on less than $2 USD per day [1]. Lack of medical facilities and doctors leads to many serious health issues. Infection often leads to amputation, creating a need for low cost crutches.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Optimal pupil size in the human eye for axial resolution

A computer model that incorporates the monochromatic aberrations of the eye is used to determine the optimal pupil size for axial and lateral resolution as it applies to retinal imaging instruments such as the confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope. The optimal pupil size for axial resolution, based on the aberrations of 15 subjects, is 4.30 mm±1.19 mm standard deviation (sd), which is larger than that for lateral resolution [2.46 mm±0.66 mm (sd)]. When small confocal pinholes are used, the maximum detected light is obtained with a pupil size of 4.90 mm±1.04 mm sd. It is recommended to use larger pupil sizes in imaging applications where axial resolution is desired.
Antenna Subset Selection with Bit Allocation for Multicarrier Spatial Diversity Transceivers

In this paper, two novel algorithms are presented that simultaneously perform bit allocation and antenna subset selection for multicarrier spatial diversity transceivers. The goal of the bit allocation is to increase overall system throughput while ensuring that the system remains below a specified error rate. One of the proposed algorithms uses the same signal constellation across all subcarriers, while the other varies the signal constellation. To reduce hardware costs, power consumption, and complexity, the proposed algorithms also employ antenna subset selection and a reduced set of radio frequency (RF) chains. However, unlike previously published algorithms, the proposed algorithms choose array configurations that vary across the subcarriers, yielding even further increases in the overall throughput. The results show that the proposed algorithms employing both multiple antennas and bit allocation will increase the overall throughput of the system. Furthermore, the reduced hardware costs due to a smaller number of RF chains is achieved with a negligible throughput penalty.
Performance Evaluation of a MIMO-Assisted MPR-MAC over Lossy Channels

Coping with collisions is one of the biggest challenges in the design of MAC algorithms for wireless networks. Recent advances in MIMO communications have provided the possibility of simple detection of colliding packets. In this paper, we introduce a new MIMO/MPR-aware cross-layer MAC/PHY design that is capable of combating collisions through the use of a multiple packet reception technique. Analytical and simulation results show that the proposed MAC design can considerably improve the throughput of a WLAN operating over lossy links.
Experiential tasks and therapist bias awareness

All therapists have values, assumptions, and beliefs about groups of people who are different from the dominant culture. How the therapeutic process is shadowed by therapists' assumptions and attitudes toward ethnic minorities is discussed. The author provides experiential techniques such as visualization, role playing, role reversal, family sculpturing, and a written assignment as a vehicle to heighten a family therapists' awareness of underlying assumptions and biases toward clients of an ethnic minority.
Single Precision Computation of the Sign of Algebraic Predicates

Abstract We simplify and improve our techniques of the association of long integers with polynomials for computations in the ring of integers and apply these techniques to the computation of the signs of matrix determinants, Sturm sequences, and other algebraic and geometric predicates.