cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Lingering Academic Deficits of Low Birth Weight Children

Objective. To estimate the influence of low birth weight (LBW; <2500 g) on academic achieve- ment in reading and mathematics in 12th grade in 2 socioeconomically and racially disparate, geographically defined communities. Methods. Representative samples of LBW and nor- mal birth weight (NBW) children who were born in 1983-1985 and were from the inner city of Detroit and nearby middle class suburbs were assessed longitudi- nally. Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery- Revised standardized tests of reading and mathematics were used at ages 11 and 17 (n 773). Multiple regression analysis applying generalized estimating equations was used to assess the independent effects of LBW on test scores. Results. Compared with NBW children, LBW chil- dren manifested deficits of 3 to 5 points in age-standard- ized tests of academic achievement at age 17 that had persisted with little change from age 11. LBW-related deficits were similar in urban and suburban communi- ties and were independent of family factors. At age 17, LBW children were 50% more likely than NBW chil- dren to score below the standardized population mean in both reading and mathematics. The LBW-related deficits in academic achievement in adolescence were largely accounted for by LBW-related deficits in general cogni- tive abilities, measured by IQ tests at age 6. Conclusions. Interventions to address the lingering effects of LBW on the acquisition of core academic skills during the school years should focus on preschool LBW children in both inner city and suburban communities. Pediatrics 2004;114:1035-1040; low birth weight, longitu- dinal study, academic achievement, urban and suburban communities, epidemiology.
High-precision microcontact printing of interchangeable stamps using an integrated kinematic coupling

Microcontact printing (µCP) is a rapid, inexpensive way to create microscale chemical or biochemical patterns on a target surface. This microstamping method can be used to selectively modify a wide array of surface properties, from wettability and protein adsorption to chemical etch susceptibility. However, controlling the absolute location of features created with microcontact printing is difficult; this lack of precision makes it challenging to integrate with other microfabrication methods or to create complex, multi-chemical patterns on a single surface. In this research, we demonstrate a novel method of controlling the placement of microcontact printing stamps by using an integrated kinematic coupling device. This technique relies on mechanical reference points for rapid, optics-free registry of the stamp and allows µCP stamps to be quickly removed and replaced or even exchanged with submicron repeatability.
A tale of two motors

Abstract Eukaryotic molecular motors constitute two families, one actin-based and the other microtubule-based. More than 25 members of these two families have been identified. Primary structure reveals that each member consists of a conserved motor unit attached to a unique tail. The tail probably directs the cellular localization of the motor and regulates its function.
Analytical approach to the single-domain-to-vortex transition in small magnetic disks

An analytical model to determine the stable configuration of thin ferromagnetic disks as a function of their thickness and diameter is presented. The vortex core energy is fully taken into account. The model includes materials with nonvanishing anisotropy. We find very good agreement with micromagnetic simulations provided that the energy of the finite difference calculation is corrected for the dipolar contribution arising from the discreetness at the edge.
Solely σ-Atop Site Bonding of Phenyl Isocyanide on Au(111)? Comparison with on Cu(111)

The interfacial bonding and electronic structure of 4-methylphenyl isocyanide (CH3C6H4NC, mPNC) on Au(111) dosed at 160 K have been studied using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry and X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS), in comparison with that on Cu(111). The TPD profiles for Au(111) show a multilayer peak at 200 K and two comparable sub-monolayer peaks at 305 and 375 K, direct evidence of two different chemisorbed binding structures on Au. No evidence of dissociation was observed from TPD, XPS, and UPS. For Cu(111), a multilayer and a broad major sub-monolayer peaks were observed at 210 and 360 K, respectively. A weak minor peak was also observed at 290 K. On the basis of the N(1s) XPS binding energies, 400 eV for Au(111) and 398 eV for Cu(111), we conclude that the σ-bonded linear N⋮C form is dominant for Au(111), and the σ/π-bonded bent NC form is dominant for Cu(111). For 1.0 monolayer mPNC on Au(111) and on Cu(111), the work fun...
Randomized, placebo controlled, double blind trial evaluating early pregnancy phytonutrient supplementation in the prevention of preeclampsia.

Daily provision of pregnant patients with dietary supplements containing antioxidants and phytonutrients, if initiated in the first trimester of pregnancy and continued throughout the gestation, may significantly decrease the incidence of preeclampsia. We conducted a single center, randomized, placebo-controlled investigation in which women were randomized by their risk status and assigned to daily ingestion of a supplement consisting primarily of a blended fruit and vegetable juice powder concentrate or placebo. Of the 684 patients randomized to the trial, 267 (39.0%) completed it. The final analysis is based on those participants who completed the study. For the primary outcome of preeclampsia, there was no difference observed between the phytonutrient supplement group and the placebo group: 15.9% vs 16.3%, respectively, (R.R. 0.97 (0.56–1.69)). Non-significant trends toward lower placenta-related obstetrical complications were observed in the supplement group compared with the placebo cohort (8.3% vs 15.5%, respectively, (R.R. 0.57 (0.29–1.14). Those infants born to mothers taking the supplement in the high-risk stratified group demonstrated non-significant trends toward lower rates of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS); 5.3% in the supplement group vs 15.4% in the placebo group: R.R. 0.34 (0.12–1.01). Initiation of antioxidant/phytonutrient supplementation in the first trimester did not decrease rates of preeclampsia. Non-significant trends toward lower incidences of placental derived morbidity in those mothers taking the supplement in addition to decreased rates of RDS in infants born to supplemented mothers considered to be high-risk for preeclampsia, warrant further investigation.
Production of XeO* in a CW microwave discharge

A low-power CW microwave discharge at 2.45 GHz was used to produce XeO* excimer molecules. It was found that a total gas pressure between 5 and 20 Torr, absorbed power of about 20–100 W, and an oxygen-to-xenon ratio of 1∶100 maximized the XeO(1S−1D) green emission at 5200 to 5600 A. The XeO* emission appeared in the cooler parts of the discharge near the containment tube walls and in the electric field nodes of the TM012 resonant mode.
The likelihood approach for the comparison of medical diagnostic system with multiple binary tests

Detection (diagnosis) techniques play an important role in clinical medicine. Early detection of diseases could be life-saving, and the consequences of false-positives and false-negatives could be costly. Using multiple measurements strategy is a popular tool to increase diagnostic accuracy. In addition to the new diagnostic technology, recent advances in genomics, proteomics, and other areas have allowed some of these newly developed individual biomarkers measured by non-invasive and inexpensive procedures (e.g. samples from serum, urine or stool) to progress from basic discovery research to assay development. As more tests become commercially available, there is an increasing interest for clinicians to request combinations of various non-invasive and inexpensive tests to increase diagnostic accuracy. Using information regarding individual test sensitivities and specificities, we proposed a likelihood approach to combine individual test results and to approximate or estimate the combined sensitivities an...
Myocardial protection with postconditioning is not enhanced by ischemic preconditioning.

Abstract Background Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) has been used in off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) to reduce potential injury secondary to ligation of the target vessel. Previous studies have shown that a brief period of repetitive coronary occlusion applied at the onset of reperfusion, postconditioning (postcon), attenuates myocardial injury. This study tested the hypothesis that coincident application of IPC and postcon would provide more cardioprotection than either intervention alone by inhibiting oxidant-mediated injury after ischemia and reperfusion. Methods Four groups of open-chest canines endured 60 minutes coronary occlusion followed by 3 hours reperfusion: control (n = 10), no intervention; IPC (n = 9), 5 minutes left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion preceded 10 minutes of reperfusion before prolonged occlusion; postcon (n = 10), 3 cycles of 30 seconds reperfusion-30 seconds reocclusion were imposed immediately upon reperfusion; IPC+postcon (n = 8), IPC and postcon algorithms were combined. Results Collateral blood flow during ischemia was similar in all groups. Compared to control (24% ± 2%), infarct size was comparably reduced in IPC (13% ± 2%* [* denotes p less than 0.05 compared with control]), and postcon (10% ± 1%*), consistent with a reduction in plasma creative kinase activity in these groups; infarct size was not further reduced by IPC+postcon (12% ± 3%*). Tissue water content in ischemic myocardium was comparably reduced in IPC, postcon, and IPC+postcon compared to control. Superoxide anion generation detected by dihydroethidium staining in area at risk myocardium was comparably reduced in all intervention groups relative to control. Plasma malondialdehyde (μM), a lipid peroxidation byproduct of oxidant injury, was less at 1 hour of reperfusion in IPC (2.2 ± 0.2*), postcon (2.1 ± 0.2*), and IPC+postcon (2.5 ± 0.2*) relative to control (3.3 ± 0.2). Ventricular fibrillation occurred less often in all intervention groups. Conclusions No additive cardioprotective effects by IPC and postcon were observed in a canine model of regional ischemia and reperfusion. The potent attenuation of myocardial injury by postcon may suggest a clinically applicable strategy during some surgical revascularization procedures (ie, OPCAB).
Alexandrite Laser Amplifiers

Recent performance of alexandrite single- and double-pass amplifiers is described. Amplification factors of 5x per pass are reported at pulse energies of several Joules/pulse and pulse powers exceeding 100 MW.
Insights into the Deactivation of Neutral Nickel Ethylene Polymerization Catalysts in the Presence of Functionalized Olefins

A study on the products of reaction between a neutral nickel(II) olefin polymerization catalyst and methyl acrylate is presented. A deactivation mechanism involving hydrogen transfer from substrate to catalyst is suggested.
ASSESSMENT OF 3-D EFFECTS IN THE KEY WEST LWAD EXPERIMENT

The role of 3-D effects has long been debated in the ocean acoustics community. Typically, 3-D problems are handled in an approximation that uses a fan of bearing lines to build up a 3-D image of the acoustic field with many 2-D slices. This is the so-called N by 2-D approach and it is probably safe to say it is adequate for simple calculations of the SONAR range-of-the-day. On the other hand, acoustic models are now finding an important role in matched-field processing (MFP) where they are integrated with the signal processing to correct for the channel effects. These applications demand much more from the models but, somewhat surprisingly, recent broadband experiments have revealed that the models are up to the task. The main features of the echo patterns are well-predicted by such models and can be reliably exploited, at least in areas where the ocean bottom is fairly flat. The challenge now is to push MFP to more realistic scenarios with complicated topography and potential 3-D effects. One phase of the December 1997 Key West LWAD (Littoral Warfare Advance Development) experiment was designed to address exactly this issue. We use this Key West scenario as a backdrop to discuss modeling approaches combining beams and modes and the impact of the resulting 3-D variation on MFP for towed arrays.
Response of an Axially-Loaded Terfenol-D Rod to a Harmonic Base Excitation

Performance characteristics of the giant magnetostrictive alloy, Terfenol-D, have been studied by many researchers for actuation, sensing and energy harvesting applications. Mathematical models characterizing the magneto-elastic behavior and describing the effects of bias conditions — compressive prestress and magnetic bias — on the material performance, have been developed. For the most part, the models used to describe the material are linear models that can hide essential features of the dynamic performance. While nonlinear constitutive models of Terfenol-D exist, such models have not been utilized to study the dynamic frequency response characteristics that are essential towards a comprehensive understanding of its performance in actuation, sensing or energy harvesting. To address this problem, this effort investigates the role of empirically determined material nonlinearities in the dynamic performance of Terfenol-D. Towards that objective, a polynomial type stress-strain relation is used to construct a nonlinear distributed-parameters model for a Terfenol-D rod fixed at one end and mass loaded at the other while being subjected to a sinusoidal base excitation. Additionally, the model accounts for the rod being subjected to an axial prestress prior to excitation. Using the method of multiple scales, the nonlinear frequency response of the rod is investigated by obtaining analytical expressions for the steady-state response amplitude. It is demonstrated that the axial prestress results in a shift in the fundamental vibration frequencies of the rod and a change in the effective nonlinearity of the system. A qualitative analysis of the solution reveals that, the magnitude of axial load can be used to maximize the response amplitude over a larger bandwidth of frequencies.© 2013 ASME
Variables correlated with the risk of lymph node metastasis in early rectal cancer

To ascertain the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) from early rectal cancer, the authors retrospectively analyzed 154 patients with pT1 or pT2 rectal cancer treated by radical resection. Gross and microscopic pathologic characteristics of the primary tumor were examined as predictors of LNM. Comparisons were done by Fisher's test; significance was defined as a P value of less than 0.05. The incidence of LNM for T1 and T2 tumors was 3 of 26 (12%) and 28 of 128 (22%), respectively. LNM occurred significantly less often in well-differentiated cancers (0 of 12, 0%). The incidence of LNM for T1/T2 tumors without lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) or blood vessel invasion (BVI) (20 of 119, 17%) was significantly less than that for T1/T2 tumors with LVI or BVI (10 of 32,31%). None of the T1 tumors without LVI or BVI had LNM. There was a trend toward decreased LNM for sessile nonulcerated tumors compared with nonpolypoid, exophytic, or ulcerated lesions (P = 0.06). Tumor size and colloid histologic characteristics were not significant predictive features for LNM. The data suggest that local excision alone is adequate for well-differentiated or moderately differentiated T1 rectal cancer in the absence of LVI or BVI and for well-differentiated T2 tumors. Radical resection or local excision combined with pelvic radiation therapy may be more appropriate for the remainder of early cancers.
Task-specific deficits in reversal performance following superior colliculus lesions in rats.

Abstract Rats with lesions of the superior colliculus or control operations were tested in acquisition, extinction and reversal performance of operant visual tasks in four experiments. The tasks used in the experiments were: a simultaneous choice task (Experiment 1), a successive choice task (Experiment 2), a simultaneous go/no-go task (Experiment 3) and a successive go/no-go task (Experiment 4). Acquisition discrimination performance was affected by lesions only in Experiment 3, where in contrast with previous reports animals with lesions performed better than controls. Reversal performance of animals with lesions was impaired in Experiments 1 through 3, but not in Experiment 4. Effects on extinction performance were minimal in all experiments. The data are interpreted to indicate a role of the superior colliculus in the processing of spatial information.
THERMOGRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS OF LIMESTONE AGGREGATES FOR PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE

Durability of coarse aggregate has a major impact on the durability of portland cement concrete. Over the past years, there has been an increasing interest in developing and improving test techniques that provide a more accurate durability assessment, which ultimately leads to a better prediction of pavement performance. Thermogravimetric analysis is a relatively rapid technique that has shown good potential for use in the analysis of carbonate aggregates. Thermogravimetric technique (TG) was used to analyze 31 limestone aggregates. The specimens were heated to temperatures above 1000°C using two rates of temperature increase. The weight loss and the change in weight loss as a function of temperature were recorded. Results show a correlation between the slope before calcite transition and some durability aspects of limestone. Moreover, the TG output can be used to calculate the percent acid insoluble (AI) and the pavement vulnerability factor (PVF). Therefore, TG may be considered as a rapid method for AI...
Participation in Interscholastic and Intramural Sport Programs in Middle Schools: An Exploratory Investigation of Race and Gender:

Although school-sponsored extracurricular sport remains one of the most popular and effective ways to increase adolescents' physical activity levels, it is designed to include a small number of a s...
Search for Nanosecond Optical Pulses from Nearby Solar-Type Stars

With "Earth 2000" technology we could generate a directed laser pulse that outshines the broadband visible light of the Sun by 4 orders of magnitude. This is a conservative lower bound for the technical capability of a communicating civilization; optical interstellar communication is thus technically plausible. We have built a pair of systems to detect nanosecond pulsed optical signals from a target list that includes some 13,000 Sun-like stars, and we have made some 16,000 observations totaling nearly 2400 hr during five years of operation. A beam splitter-fed pair of hybrid avalanche photodetectors at the 1.5 m Wyeth Telescope at the Harvard/Smithsonian Oak Ridge Observatory (Agassiz Station) triggers on a coincident pulse pair, initiating measurement of pulse width and intensity at subnanosecond resolution. An identical system at the 0.9 m Cassegrain at Princeton's Fitz-Randolph Observatory performs synchronized observations with 0.1 μs event timing, permitting unambiguous identification of even a solitary pulse. Among the 11,600 artifact-free observations at Harvard, the distribution of 274 observed events shows no pattern of repetition, and is consistent with a model with uniform event rate, independent of target. With one possible exception (HIP 107395), no valid event has been seen simultaneously at the two observatories. We describe the search and candidate events and set limits on the prevalence of civilizations transmitting intense optical pulses.
Determination of Fracturing Mechanisms in Ice using Pulsed Power

Summary form only given. The destruction of solid materials by electrical means has only recently come under the scrutiny of research. Ice serves as an especially attractive test medium due to its accessibility, its service as a model solid, and its applicability in real-world problems such as ice-breaking ships or even the extraction of water from possible ice sheets on non-Earth environments. The experiments described herein utilize exploding wires and surrogate exploding wires in direct contact with conventional ice cubes in order to determine the influence of fusing waveshape and method of contact on the fracturing of ice. The surrogate exploding wire used consist of a layer of polypropylene with ~100 Aring aluminum coating, and are referred to as metallized polypropylene film (MPPF). While the MPPF acts like a fuse just as a thin wire does, its properties can be manipulated to produce a controlled characteristic voltage-current wave shape for the desired application. This allows the determination of what waveform aspects, if any, result in the fracturing of ice. Then, the placement of the wire or MPPF with respect to the ice was varied to determine the best configuration.
TopBP1 and DNA polymerase-α directly recruit the 9-1-1 complex to stalled DNA replication forks

TopBP1 and the Rad9–Rad1–Hus1 (9-1-1) complex activate the ataxia telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related (ATR) protein kinase at stalled replication forks. ATR is recruited to stalled forks through its binding partner, ATR-interacting protein (ATRIP); however, it is unclear how TopBP1 and 9-1-1 are recruited so that they may join ATR–ATRIP and initiate signaling. In this study, we use Xenopus laevis egg extracts to determine the requirements for 9-1-1 loading. We show that TopBP1 is required for the recruitment of both 9-1-1 and DNA polymerase (pol)-α to sites of replication stress. Furthermore, we show that pol-α is also directly required for Rad9 loading. Our study identifies an assembly pathway, which is controlled by TopBP1 and includes pol-α, that mediates the loading of the 9-1-1 complex onto stalled replication forks. These findings clarify early events in the assembly of checkpoint signaling complexes on DNA and identify TopBP1 as a critical sensor of replication stress.
Progression of diffuse myocardial fibrosis assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance T1 mapping

To evaluate long-term changes in diffuse myocardial fibrosis using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and T1 mapping. Patients with chronic stable cardiomyopathy and stable clinical status (n = 52) underwent repeat CMR at a 6 month or greater follow up interval and had LGE and left ventricular (LV) T1 mapping CMR. Diffuse myocardial fibrosis (excluding areas of focal myocardial scar) was assessed by post gadolinium myocardial T1 times. Mean baseline age of 52 patients (66 % male) was 35 ± 19 years with a mean interval between CMR examinations of 2.0 ± 0.8 years. CMR parameters, including LV mass and ejection fraction, showed no change at follow-up CMR (p > 0.05). LVT1 times (excluding focal scar) decreased over the study interval (from 468 ± 106 to 434 ± 82 ms, p = 0.049). 38 Patients had no visual LGE−, while 14 were LGE+. For LGE− patients, greater change in LV mass and end systolic volume index were associated with change in T1 time (β = −2.03 ms/g/m2, p = 0.035 and β = 2.1 ms/mL/m2, p = 0.029, respectively). For LGE+ patients, scar size was stable between CMR1 and CMR2 (10.7 ± 13.8 and 11.5 ± 13.9 g, respectively, p = 0.32). These results suggest that diffuse myocardial fibrosis, as assessed by T1 mapping, progresses over time in patients with chronic stable cardiomyopathy.
Magnetic structure of calcium vanadite

Abstract Three possible collinear models have been obtained for the antiferromagnetic structure of CaV 2 O 4 at 4.2°K, using neutron diffraction. The magnetic unit cell is doubled along the b and c directions of the chemical space group Pnam . The vanadium moment is 1.06 μ B ±0.06 and is parallel to b . The structure determination and final models are discussed in terms of magnetic space groups.
Assessing health and economic outcomes of interventions to reduce pregnancy-related mortality in Nigeria

Background: Women in Nigeria face some of the highest maternal mortality risks in the world. We explore the benefits and cost-effectiveness of individual and integrated packages of interventions to prevent pregnancy-related deaths. Methods: We adapt a previously validated maternal mortality model to Nigeria. Model outcomes included clinical events, population measures, costs, and cost-effectiveness ratios. Separate models were adapted to Southwest and Northeast zones using survey-based data. Strategies consisted of improving coverage of effective interventions, and could include improved logistics. Results: Increasing family planning was the most effective individual intervention to reduce pregnancy-related mortality, was cost saving in the Southwest zone and cost-effective elsewhere, and prevented nearly 1 in 5 abortion-related deaths. However, with a singular focus on family planning and safe abortion, mortality reduction would plateau below MDG 5. Strategies that could prevent 4 out of 5 maternal deaths included an integrated and stepwise approach that includes increased skilled deliveries, facility births, access to antenatal/postpartum care, improved recognition of referral need, transport, and availability quality of EmOC in addition to family planning and safe abortion. The economic benefits of these strategies ranged from being cost-saving to having incremental cost-effectiveness ratios less than $500 per YLS, well below Nigeria’s per capita GDP. Conclusions: Early intensive efforts to improve family planning and control of fertility choices, accompanied by a stepwise effort to scale-up capacity for integrated maternal health services over several years, will save lives and provide equal or greater value than many public health interventions we consider among the most cost-effective (e.g., childhood immunization).
Atrial septostomy using a butterfly stent in a patient with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension

We describe a patient with severe pulmonary artery hypertension and refractory right heart failure who underwent "butterfly" stent atrial septostomy guided by intracardiac ultrasound. This technique may be superior to previously reported blade and balloon septostomy because it allows creation of an atrial septal defect of a precise predetermined diameter. The patient's systemic blood flow and clinical status improved significantly after the procedure, allowing her to be accepted as a candidate for lung transplantation.
Constructing an RNA world

Abstract A popular theory of life's origins states that the first biocatalysts were not made of protein but were made of RNA or a very similar polymer. Experiments are beginning to confirm that the catalytic abilities of RNA are compatible with this ‘RNA world' hypothesis. For example, RNA can synthesize short fragments of RNA in a template-directed fashion and promote formation of peptide, ester and glycosidic linkages. However, no known activity fully represents one presumed by the ‘RNA world' theory, and reactions such as oxidation and reduction have yet to be demonstrated. Filling these gaps would place the hypothesis on much firmer ground and provide components for building minimal forms of RNA-based cellular life.
An improved and broadly accurate local approximation to the exchange–correlation density functional: The MN12-L functional for electronic structure calculations in chemistry and physics

We report a new local exchange–correlation energy functional that has significantly improved across-the-board performance, including main-group and transition metal chemistry and solid-state physics, especially atomization energies, ionization potentials, barrier heights, noncovalent interactions, isomerization energies of large moleucles, and solid-state lattice constants and cohesive energies.
Assessing Childrearing Attitudes: Validation of a Shortened Version of the Parenting Questionnaire

SYNOPSISObjective. This study investigated the feasibility and validity of the parenting questionnaire, a measure designed to assess attitudes toward acceptable and unacceptable parenting practices in parents of young children. In addition, the study aimed to reduce the number of items in the parenting questionnaire to increase the utility of the measure. Design. Participants were ethnically diverse parents (N = 420) of children between the ages of 2 and 6 living in an urban, Midwestern city. Both principal components analysis and principal axis factoring were conducted to reduce redundant items and to examine the factor structure of the questionnaire. Correlations between the parenting questionnaire factors and independent scales of constructs similar to the parenting questionnaire factors were examined to assess convergent and discriminant validity. Results. The shortened (30-item) parenting questionnaire accounted for a moderate amount of total variance, retained the same factor structure as the longer...
Stress Corrosion Cracking of High-Purity Carbon Steel in Carbonate Solutions

Abstract Slow strain rate tests (SSRT) were performed on a high-purity 0.02% C steel in ammonium carbonate ([NH4]2CO3) solutions at 70°C as a function of applied electrochemical potential. As in previous studies, a narrow critical potential range for fatal cracking in the active-to-passive transition of a rapidly developed polarization curve was observed. At potentials slightly active to the critical potential range, transgranular (TG) and intergranular (IG) fissuring were observed. At potentials noble to the critical range, IG fissuring was observed. Fatigue precracking had no effect on the extent or rate of stress corrosion cracking (SCC), nor did hydrogen embrittlement (HE). Results supported previous theories that IGSCC of carbon steels is the result of a very specific interaction between grain-boundary chemistry and the micromechanics of near-boundary interactions.
Propagation and excitation of perturbations in electron beams with velocity shear

A theoretical investigation of the influence of a spatially varying drift velocity on the perturbations in magnetically focused electron beams is presented. The wave propagation on such beams, focused by infinite magnetic fields, is studied under the small-wave assumption. The dispersion relation for slow waves is derived and solved for different transversal boundary conditions. Two sets of infinitely many propagating modes are found in a beam with small velocity shear. In a beam with sufficiently large velocity shear only two eigenfunctions exist. Since it is not possible to match the two eigenfunctions on arbitrary longitudinal boundary conditions, additional solutions (which cannot be written in form of a plane wave) must exist. The excitation of perturbations by ideal grids is solved by introducing the Laplace transform analysis. Additional solutions are ascertained which lead to a spatial decay of the perturbations according to a power law z-α. This damping, arising from the spatially varying drift velocity, is similar to the Landau damping in electron beams with velocity distribution. Such damping effects are of great practical importance in conjunction with noise reduction in traveling-wave tubes.
The Effects of Traditional Compiler Optimizations on Superscalar Architectural Design

One approach to reducing execution time for general-purpose workloads is to exploit instruction-level parallelism. Superscalar processors with pipelined function units are gaining use in high-performance designs for this very reason. Compiler research emphasis is being placed on code generation and code scheduling for superscalar instruction streams. Optimizations intended for scalar processors are being applied to superscalar processors without careful analysis of their impact. There remains significant doubt as to whether scalar optimizations still have a place in superscalar compilation.
Materialization Strategies in a Column-Oriented DBMS

There has been renewed interest in column-oriented database architectures in recent years. For read-mostly query workloads such as those found in data warehouse and decision support applications, "column-stores" have been shown to perform particularly well relative to "row-stores" In order for column-stores to be readily adopted as a replacement for row-stores, however, they must present the same interface to client applications as do row stores, which implies that they must output row-store-style tuples. Thus, the input columns stored on disk must be converted to rows at some point in the query plan, but the optimal point at which to do the conversion is not obvious. This problem can be considered as the opposite of the projection problem in row-store systems: while row-stores need to determine where in query plans to place projection operators to make tuples narrower, column-stores need to determine when to combine single-column projections into wider tuples. This paper describes a variety of strategies for tuple construction and intermediate result representations and provides a systematic evaluation of these strategies.
Animated Subject Maps for Book Collections

Of our two primary textual formats, articles by far have received the most fiscal and technological support in recent decades. Meanwhile, our more traditional format, the book, seems in some ways to already be treated as a languishing symbol of the past. The development of OPACs and the abandonment of card catalogs in the Eighties and Nineties is the seminal evolution in print monograph access, but little else has changed. To help users locate books by call number and browse the collection by subject, animated subject maps were created. While the initial aim is a practical one, helping users to locate books and subjects, the subject maps also reveal the knowledge organization of the physical library, which it displays in a way that can be meaningful to faculty, students, and other community members. We can do more with current technologies to assist and enrich the experience of users searching and browsing for books. The subject map is hopefully an example of how we can do more in this regard.
Lymphoid-Tissue Stromal Cells Coordinate Innate Defense to Cytomegalovirus

During mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection, the first wave of type I interferon (IFN-I) production peaks at ≈ 8 h. This IFN-I emanates from splenic stromal cells located in the marginal zone (MZ) and requires B cells that express lymphotoxin. The amount of IFN-I produced at these initial times is at least equivalent in magnitude to that produced later by dendritic cells (≈ 36 to 48 h), but the relative roles of these two IFN-I sources in regulating MCMV defense remain unclear. Here we show that IFN-I produced by MZ stromal cells dramatically restricts the first measurable burst of viral production, which occurs at ≈ 32 h. This primary innate control by IFN-I is partially mediated through the activation of natural killer (NK) cells, which produce gamma interferon in an IFN-I-dependent fashion, and is independent of Ly49H. Strikingly, MCMV production in the spleens of immunocompetent mice never increases at times after 32 h. These results highlight the critical importance of lymphoid-tissue stromal cells in orchestrating the earliest phase of innate defense to MCMV infection, capping replication levels, and blocking spread until infection is ultimately controlled.
Aortic Arch Plaques and Risk of Recurrent Stroke and Death

Background— Aortic arch plaques are a risk factor for ischemic stroke. Although the stroke mechanism is conceivably thromboembolic, no randomized studies have evaluated the efficacy of antithrombotic therapies in preventing recurrent events. Methods and Results— The relationship between arch plaques and recurrent events was studied in 516 patients with ischemic stroke who were double-blindly randomized to treatment with warfarin or aspirin as part of the Patent Foramen Ovale in Cryptogenic Stroke Study (PICSS), based on the Warfarin-Aspirin Recurrent Stroke Study (WARSS). Plaque thickness and morphology were evaluated by transesophageal echocardiography. End points were recurrent ischemic stroke or death over a 2-year follow-up. Large plaques (≥4 mm) were present in 19.6% of patients; large complex plaques (those with ulcerations or mobile components) were seen in 8.5%. During follow-up, large plaques were associated with a significantly increased risk of events (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.12; 95% conf...
Pulmonary hypertension in congenital heart disease: irreversible vascular changes in young infants.

Among 280 infants under 1 year of age with congenital heart disease autopsied at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center between 1959 and 1978, there were six instances of grade IV1 pulmonary artery hypertension. Five were patients with ventricular septal defect (four associated with other cardiovascular malformations). The sixth was a patient with atrioventricular canal. The youngest was 21/2 months of age. Advanced degrees of pulmonary hypertensive arteriopathy (grade IV or more) have been said to be rare in infants, especially under the age of 1 year. The fact that all of these cases occurred within the last few years of the study suggests the possibility of improved supportive care leading to the prolonged survival of infants who might otherwise have died prior to developing severe disease. In addition, the role of altitude in accelerating the arteriopathy must be considered in the present series. In any case, this unexpected increase in the frequency of severe pulmonary hypertensive arterio...
Deriving executable models of biochemical network dynamics from qualitative data

Progress in advancing our understanding of biological systems is limited by their sheer complexity, the cost of laboratory materials and equipment, and limitations of current laboratory technology. Computational and mathematical modeling provide ways to address these obstacles through hypothesis generation and testing without experimentation—allowing researchers to analyze system structure and dynamics in silico and, then, design lab experiments that yield desired information about phenomena of interest. These models, however, are only as accurate and complete as the data used to build them. Currently, most models are constructed from quantitative experimental data. However, since accurate quantitative measurements are hard to obtain and difficult to adapt from literature and online databases, new sources of data for building models need to be explored. In my work, I have designed methods for building and executing computational models of cellular network dynamics based on qualitative experimental data, which are more abundant, easier to obtain, and reliably reproducible. Such executable models allow for in silico perturbation, simulation, and exploration of biological systems. In this thesis, I present two general strategies for building and executing tokenized models of biochemical networks using only qualitative data. Both methods have been successfully used to model and predict the dynamics of signaling networks in normal and cancer cell lines, rivaling the accuracy of existing methods trained on quantitative data. I have implemented these methods in the software tools PathwayOracle and Monarch, making the new techniques I present here accessible to experimental biologists and other domain experts in cellular biology.
Synthesis of a Functionalized Chiral Molecular Tweezer

Molecular tweezers are an emerging class of receptors characterized by two functional motifs or “pincers” separated by a rigid spacer to produce a cavity or molecular cleft into which a guest can fit. Seminal and extensive contributions in this area have come from the labs of Zimmermann who produced a series of molecular tweezers which are achiral.1
Seed Selection by the Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Laboratory

Ninety–sixspecies and varieties of seeds in 28 families were presented to laboratory colonies of Solenopsis invicta Buren. Small seeds were moved and subsequently damaged more often than large seeds. Although generally more resistant to damage, some species with large seeds such as com, Zea mays L., were susceptible to S. invicta damage. Seed coats protected some seed species from ant damage. Presence of repellent and attractant surface chemical swas also demonstrated for some seeds. Although chemicals could be extracted from seeds that could be considered attractive, some seeds appeared to be protected from S. invicta predation by repellents (predation means the seed is damaged so extensively that it can no longer germinate). Many species of seeds were susceptible to some degree of S. invicta predation, and most were transported to new locations. We also soaked seeds, which in general increased their susceptibility to predation, although seed removal was reduced. Seeds that were beginning to germinate were difficult to characterize: some germinated seeds were more susceptible to predation, but other germinated seeds were less susceptible to predation. Of resistant and susceptible seeds, Fabaceae seeds were most resistant and Labiatae seeds were most susceptible to S. invicta movement and damage. Seeds may play an important role as a food resource for S. invicta , and, as a result, S. invicta may be serious seed predators and competitors of animals for which seeds represent an important resource.
Replicate ice-coring system architecture: electrical, electronic and software design

The drilling of a deep borehole in ice is an undertaking that spans several seasons. Over recent decades such drilling has become widespread in both polar regions. Owing to the remoteness of the drill sites, considerable cost is associated with the drilling of a deep borehole of several thousand meters. The replicate coring system allows re-drilling of ice core at select depths within an existing parent borehole. This effectively increases the yield of the existing borehole and permits re-sampling of ice in areas of high scientific value. The replicate coring system achieves this through the combination of actuators, motors, sensors and a computerized control system. The replicate coring drill is a further development of the deep ice-sheet coring (DISC) drill, extending the capabilities of the DISC drill to include replicate coring.
The connectivity domain: Analyzing resting state fMRI data using feature-based data-driven and model-based methods

Spontaneous fluctuations of resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI) have been widely used to understand the macro-connectome of the human brain. However, these fluctuations are not synchronized among subjects, which leads to limitations and makes utilization of first-level model-based methods challenging. Considering this limitation of rsfMRI data in the time domain, we propose to transfer the spatiotemporal information of the rsfMRI data to another domain, the connectivity domain, in which each value represents the same effect across subjects. Using a set of seed networks and a connectivity index to calculate the functional connectivity for each seed network, we transform data into the connectivity domain by generating connectivity weights for each subject. Comparison of the two domains using a data-driven method suggests several advantages in analyzing data using data-driven methods in the connectivity domain over the time domain. We also demonstrate the feasibility of applying model-based methods in the connectivity domain, which offers a new pathway for the use of first-level model-based methods on rsfMRI data. The connectivity domain, furthermore, demonstrates a unique opportunity to perform first-level feature-based data-driven and model-based analyses. The connectivity domain can be constructed from any technique that identifies sets of features that are similar across subjects and can greatly help researchers in the study of macro-connectome brain function by enabling us to perform a wide range of model-based and data-driven approaches on rsfMRI data, decreasing susceptibility of analysis techniques to parameters that are not related to brain connectivity information, and evaluating both static and dynamic functional connectivity of the brain from a new perspective.
Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Linear Block Copolymers: Rapid Access by Reversible-Deactivation Radical Polymerization and Self-Assembly into Large Domain Nanostructures

Block copolymer (BCP) derived periodic nanostructures with domain sizes larger than 150 nm present a versatile platform for the fabrication of photonic materials. So far, the access to such materials has been limited to highly synthetically involved protocols. Herein, we report a simple, “user-friendly” method for the preparation of ultrahigh molecular weight linear poly(solketal methacrylate-b-styrene) block copolymers by a combination of Cu-wire-mediated ATRP and RAFT polymerizations. The synthesized copolymers with molecular weights up to 1.6 million g/mol and moderate dispersities readily assemble into highly ordered cylindrical or lamella microstructures with domain sizes as large as 292 nm, as determined by ultrasmall-angle X-ray scattering and scanning electron microscopy analyses. Solvent cast films of the synthesized block copolymers exhibit stop bands in the visible spectrum correlated to their domain spacings. The described method opens new avenues for facilitated fabrication and the advancemen...
Urgent neurological consultation in children with systemic cancer

Neurologic complications are common in children with cancer but the literature dealing with this subject is sparse. Utilizing a symptoms and signs approach we review the most common causes for requesting an urgent neurologic evaluation for this population. The spectrum of neurologic symptoms in children with cancer differs from adults and requires the consulting neurologist to have a thorough knowledge of childhood cancer and its effects on the nervous system.
Early Onset Scoliosis-A Comprehensive Guide from the Oxford Meetings (2015).

Early Onset Scoliosis—A Comprehensive Guide from the Oxford Meetings is a comprehensive multidisciplinary review of early onset scoliosis, covering deformity of the growing spine from birth to age ...
Should the Dead Sea Be Sustainable?: Investigating Environmental Issues Using a Case Study.

ABSTRACTMany students leave the environmental science classroom with misconceptions centered on the availability of natural resources such as water. This article presents a case study where students assume the roles of various stakeholders and articulate their position on whether or not to pipe water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. Additionally, students develop an awareness of local environmental issues.
The Swans to Worry About Are Gray

For almost a decade now, since the publication of Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s brilliant, discursive rumination The Black Swan, conventional wisdom has been that strategy—in national security as well as areas like finance—has most to fear from the sudden and the unexpected. A black swan is, at its core, a shock, a surprise. It is an “outlier,” Taleb writes, “as it lies outside the realm of regular expectations, because nothing in the past can convincingly point to its possibility.”1 He goes on to claim that such events are the engines of history. “A small number of Black Swans explain almost everything in our world,” he argues. Social life “is the cumulative effect of a handful of significant shocks.”2
A constant-transfer-function widely-tunable VHF modular field-programmable filter array (FPFA) with IIP3 of 38–52 dBm

A 3D modular field-programmable filter array (FPFA) with high third-order input intercept point (IIP3) capable of delivering a constant transfer function through an octave tuning range is presented in this paper. An RF design methodology to fulfill the concept of an FPFA in a modular configuration is reported for the first time. The theoretical concept and its associated practical RF design considerations for IIP3 improvement in an octave tuning range are discussed. This modular FPFA allows for hardware extension at will, addressing the needs of next generation RF front-ends with multi-standard operability. An experimental 3D four-resonator FPFA has been designed, built and measured for proof-of-concept demonstration purposes. It functionalizes transfer functions with variable: i) order, ii) center frequency and iii) bandwidth. Furthermore, within an octave tuning range (98–194 MHz), the IIP3 was measured between 38–52 dBm.