cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel inter-protein cross-link identified in the GGH-ecotin D137Y dimer.

In the presence of a suitable oxidizing agent, the Ni(II) complex of glycyl–glycyl–histidine (GGH) mediates efficient and specific oxidative protein cross-linking. The fusion of GGH to the N terminus of a protein allows for the cross-linking reagent to be delivered in a site-specific fashion, making this system extremely useful for analyzing protein–protein contacts in complicated mixtures of biomolecules. Tyrosine residues have been postulated to be the primary amino acid target of this reaction, and using the dimeric serine protease inhibitor ecotin, we previously demonstrated that engineering a tyrosine at the protein interface of a dimer dramatically increased cross-linking efficiency. Cross-linking increased four-fold for GGH-ecotin D137Y in comparison to wild-type GGH-ecotin, presumably through bityrosine formation at the dimer interface. Here we report the first complete structural analysis of the cross-linked GGH-ecotin D137Y dimer. Using a combination of mass spectrometric and chemical derivatization methods, a sole novel cross-link between the N-terminal glycine residues and the engineered tyrosine at position 137 has been characterized. The dimer cross-link is localized to a single site without other protein modifications, but different reaction pathways produce structurally related products. We propose a mechanism that involves covalent bond formation between the protein backbone and a dopaquinone moiety derived from a specific tyrosine residue. This finding establishes that it is not necessary to have two tyrosine residues within close proximity in the protein interface to obtain high protein cross-linking yields, and suggests that the cross-linking reagent may be of more general utility than previously thought.
Insulin at physiological concentrations increases microvascular perfusion in human myocardium.

Vascular endothelium regulates vascular tone and tissue perfusion in response to various physiological and pathological stimuli. Insulin and meal feeding increase microvascular perfusion and thus o...
Grasp Pattern Variations Seen in the Scleroderma Hand

Objectives. Therapists generaLLy describe a person's grasp in tenns of nonnal prehension patterns that have been discussed in the literature. However, the grasp pattern used by a person with a hand impair­ ment may not fit into these patterns. The purpose of this study was to describe, with qualitative class~fica­ tion systems, static grasp patterns used by hands im­ paired by scleroderma and to detennine the relation­ ship between hand impairment and variations in grasp. Methods. Seventeen subjects with sclerodenna were observed grasping a key, a coin, a glass, and a saucepan. Their grasp patterns were recorded on the basis of which fingers were used to grasp the object, the surface areas of the fingers in contact with the ob­ ject, and the position ofthejoints ofthe fingers. In ad­ dition, range ofmotion, grip and pinch strength, skin thickening, digital ulcers, calcium deposits, and ten­ don friction rubs were assessed. Results. More variations in grasp were seen with the coin, glass, and saucepan than with the key. The presence ofdigital sores indicated more difficulty holding a coin, whereas the presence ofcalcium de­ posits indicated more difficulty holding a coin, glass, and saucepan. The number offingeTS with contrac­ tures correlated with the ability to hold aLL four objects. Conclusions. Persons with sclerodenna show qualitative differences in grasp as compared to nor­ mal prehension patterns. These differences are in/lu­ enced by impairments in the sclerodenna hand. Qualitative deSCriptions ofgrasp patterns may prOVide therapists with additional means to document change after surgical or therapeutic intervention.
A current profile and assessment of north american cholecystectomy: results from the american college of surgeons national surgical quality improvement program.

Background Cholecystectomy is among the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States. The current state of cholecystectomy outcomes, including variations in hospital performance, is unclear. The objective of this study is to compare the risk factors, indications, and 30-day outcomes, as well as variations in hospital performance associated with laparoscopic (LC) versus open cholecystectomy (OC) at 221 hospitals during a 4-year period. Study Design Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database (2005−2008), patients were identified who underwent cholecystectomy and related procedures (cholangiogram and/or common bile duct exploration). Four outcomes were studied, ie, 30-day overall morbidity, serious morbidity, surgical site infections, and mortality. Forward stepwise logistic regressions yielded patient-level predicted probabilities, and hospital-level observed-to-expected ratios were determined. Results Of 65,511 patients, 58,659 (89.5%) underwent LC; 6,852 (10.5%) underwent OC. OC patients were considerably older with a higher comorbidity burden. LC patients were less likely to experience any morbidity (3.1% versus 17.8%; p Conclusions Although overall incidence of adverse events is low after LC, substantial morbidity and mortality are associated with OC. Additionally, controlling for patient- and operation-related factors, considerable variations exist in hospital performance when evaluating 30-day outcomes after cholecystectomy.
Nonvolcanic seafloor spreading and corner-flow rotation accommodated by extensional faulting at 15°N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: A structural synthesis of ODP Leg 209

Drilling during ODP Leg 209, dredging, and submersible dives have delineated an anomalous stretch of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge north and south of the 15°20′N Fracture Zone. The seafloor here consists dominantly of mantle peridotite with gabbroic intrusions that in places is covered by a thin, discontinuous extrusive volcanic layer. Thick lithosphere (10–20 km) in this region inhibits magma from reaching shallow levels beneath the ridge axis, thereby causing plate accretion to be accommodated by extensional faulting rather than magmatism. The bathymetry and complex fault relations in the drill-core suggest that mantle denudation and spreading are accommodated by a combination of high-displacement, rolling-hinge normal faults and secondary lower-displacement normal faults. These extensional faults must also accommodate corner flow rotation (up to 90°) of the upwelling mantle within the shallow lithosphere, consistent with remnant magnetic inclinations in denuded peridotite and gabbro from Leg 209 core that indicate up to 90° of sub-Curie-temperature rotation.
A spatio-temporal generalization of Canny's edge detector

Moving step edges are modeled as the product of a deterministic function in space and a stochastic function in time which captures the edge shapes and the temporal uncertainties, respectively. Under J. Canny's (IEEE Trans. on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, vol.PAMI-8, p.679-98, Nov. 1986) original optimality criteria, a set of optimal edge detectors is derived. They are in a product form, i.e., a product of a spatial function and a temporal function. The spatial function is Canny's edge detector in one dimension and the temporal function can be well approximated by the exponential function. Generalizing Canny's edge detector to the temporal domain is not only theoretically interesting, but also practically useful. The generalization of Canny's edge detectors provides better immunity to noise and can serve as one of the tools in understanding the temporal behavior of moving edges. They have been used in a data-fusion framework to detect moving edges and their normal velocities simultaneously. For completeness, the authors derive some properties of the optimal edge detectors and compare them with Gabor filters. >
Dielectric Properties of Explosively Compacted BaTiO3

Polycrystalline BaTiO3 was explosively compacted to nearly theoretical density, and its dielectric and piezoelectric properties were investigated. The compacted bodies did not exhibit dielectric hysteresis, a Curie point, or piezoelectric properties; their dielectric constant and dissipation factor increased linearly with temperature. The dielectric constant was much lower than those of similar dense bodies obtained by conventional sintering. These results may be interpreted in terms of weak intergranular bonding and increased numbers of defects generated in the shocked material. When explosively compacted bodies were sintered, normal ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties and improved microstructures were obtained.
Ownership and Immutability Inference for UML-Based Object Access Control

We propose a mechanism for object access control which is based on the UML. Specifically, we propose use of ownership and immutability constraints on UML associations and verification of these constraints through reverse engineering. These constraints inherently support software design principles, and impose requirements on the implementation that may help prevent serious program flaws. We propose implementation-level models for ownership and immutability that capture well the meaning of these concepts in design, and we develop novel static ownership and immutability inference analyses. We perform an empirical investigation on several small-to-large Java programs. The results indicate that the inference analyses are precise and practical. Therefore, the analyses can be integrated in reverse engineering tools and can help support effective reasoning about software quality and security.
Ethnicity without Groups

Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Ethnicity without Groups 2. Beyond "Identity" 3. Ethnicity as Cognition 4. Ethnic and Nationalist Violence 5. The Return of Assimilation? 6. "Civic" and "Ethnic" Nationalism 7. Ethnicity, Migration, and Statehood in Post-Cold War Europe 8. 1848 in 1998: The Politics of Commemoration in Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia Notes References Index
Legibility of Smoke-Obscured Emergency Exit Signs

Internally self-illuminated emergency exit signs were investigated to determine the effects of size and background luminance levels on overcoming the visual degradation resulting from the presence of smoke in the visual environment. The results indicate that increased size and background luminance levels can be effective, though inefficient, methods for improving legibility in the presence of dense smoke. Language: en
Glial investment of the adult and developing antennal lobe of Drosophila.

In recent years, the Drosophila olfactory system, with its unparalleled opportunities for genetic dissection of development and functional organization, has been used to study the development of central olfactory neurons and the molecular basis of olfactory coding. The results of these studies have been interpreted in the absence of a detailed understanding of the steps in maturation of glial cells in the antennal lobe. Here, we present a high-resolution study of the glia associated with olfactory glomeruli in adult and developing antennal lobes. The study provides a basis for comparison of findings in Drosophila with those in the moth Manduca sexta that indicate a critical role for glia in antennal lobe development. Using flies expressing GFP under a Nervana2 driver to visualize glia for confocal microscopy, and probing at higher resolution with the electron microscope, we find that glial development in Drosophila differs markedly from that in moths: glial cell bodies remain in a rind around the glomerular neuropil; glial processes ensheathe axon bundles in the nerve layer but likely contribute little to axonal sorting; their processes insinuate between glomeruli only very late and then form only a sparse, open network around each glomerulus; and glial processes invade the synaptic neuropil. Taking our results in the context of previous studies, we conclude that glial cells in the developing Drosophila antennal lobe are unlikely to play a strong role in either axonal sorting or glomerulus stabilization and that in the adult, glial processes do not electrically isolate glomeruli from their neighbors.
A proteomics approach identifies novel proteins involved in gravitropic signal transduction

 Premise: Plant organs use gravity as a guide to direct their growth. And although gravitropism has been studied since the time of Darwin, the mechanisms of signal transduction, those that connect the biophysical stimulus perception and the biochemical events of the response, are still not understood.  Methods: A quantitative proteomics approach was used to identify key proteins during the early events of gravitropism. Plants were subjected to a gravity persistent signal (GPS) treatment, and proteins were extracted from the infl orescence stem at early time points after stimulation. Proteins were labeled with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantifi cation (iTRAQ) reagents. Proteins were identifi ed and quantifi ed as a single step using tandem mass-spectrometry (MS/MS). For two of the proteins identifi ed, mutants with T-DNA inserts in the corresponding genes were evaluated for gravitropic phenotypes.  Key results: A total of 82 proteins showed signifi cant differential quantifi cation between treatment and controls. Proteins were categorized into functional groups based on gene ontology terms and fi ltered using groups thought to be involved in the signaling events of gravitropism. For two of the proteins selected, GSTF9 and HSP81-2, knockout mutations resulted in defects in root skewing, waving, and curvature as well as in the GPS response of infl orescence stems.  Conclusion: Combining a proteomics approach with the GPS response, 82 novel proteins were identifi ed to be involved in the early events of gravitropic signal transduction. As early as 2 and 4 min after a gravistimulation, signifi cant changes occur in protein abundance. The approach was validated through the analysis of mutants exhibiting altered gravitropic responses.
XCS: cross channel scripting and its impact on web applications

We study the security of embedded web servers used in consumer electronic devices, such as security cameras and photo frames, and for IT infrastructure, such as wireless access points and lights-out management systems. All the devices we examine turn out to be vulnerable to a variety of web attacks, including cross site scripting (XSS) and cross site request forgery (CSRF). In addition, we show that consumer electronics are particularly vulnerable to a nasty form of persistent XSS where a non-web channel such as NFS or SNMP is used to inject a malicious script. This script is later used to attack an unsuspecting user who connects to the device's web server. We refer to web attacks which are mounted through a non-web channel as cross channel scripting (XCS). We propose a client-side defense against certain XCS which we implement as a browser extension.
Strategic Jump Bidding in English Auctions

This paper solves for equilibria of sequential bid (or English) auctions with affiliated values when jump bidding strategies may be employed to intimidate one’s opponents. In these equilibria, jump bids serve as correlating devices which select asymmetric bidding functions to be played subsequently. Each possibility of jump bidding provides a Pareto improvement for the bidders from the symmetric equilibrium of a sealed bid, secondprice auction. The expanded set of equilibria can approximate either first or second-price outcomes and produce exactly the set of expected prices between those two bounds. These results contrast with standard conclusions that equate English and second-price auctions.
Finite-element analysis of a triple-TEM cell

The triple-TEM (TTEM) cell offers the possibility of alternative exposures of the electric field on the equipment under test in one setup. Traditional TEM cell design approaches cannot be applied to the TTEM cell because of the special geometric arrangement of the inner conductors. Several important characteristics of the TTEM cell, such as TEM field distributions, characteristic impedance, and cutoff frequencies of higher order modes (TE and TM) are analyzed by using the finite-element method (FEM). The high-frequency performance of the TTEM cell is investigated using a novel FEM approach-the Laplace domain finite-element method (LDFEM). Numerical results obtained thereupon are useful in the engineering design of the TTEM cell. >
The impact of hyponatremia

Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder encountered in clinical practice and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Clinical consequences of hyponatremia include neurologic dysfunction, decreased mental function, cerebral edema, gait disturbances and falls, osteoporosis, and fractures. Hyponatremia can increase hospital length of stay by 1-2 days and correlates with an increased risk of intensive care unit admission. Thus, hyponatremia is associated with substantial economic and clinical consequences, as well as an increased risk of mortality, especially in individuals with very low serum sodium concentrations.
Star Formation in High-Redshift ISM

I describe the C II* technique to measure star formation rates (SFRs) in DLAs. The gas heating rate is naturally explained by the grain photoelectric heating mechanism. The implied SFRs per unit area (comoving volume) are similar to those in the Galaxy (LBGs). I predict the presence of a two-phase medium in which C II* absorption arises in the CNM. The absence of 21 cm absorption in high-z DLAs is due to low N(H I) rather than high spin temperature.
C-SPECT cardiac SPECT/Tct system: First results from a partial section

The key to reaching SPECT's full diagnostic potential lies in optimizing the imaging geometry to maximize the system geometric efficiency (SGE) at a given resolution. The optimal geometry differs for different imaging applications, for different imaging tasks within a single application, and for different patients. The C-SPECT cardiac SPECT/Tct platform unifies innovative sub-systems in a cardiocentric system. These components enable the use of a large curved detector to acquire up to 17 simultaneous minified projections from a small field of view (FOV). C-SPECT's cost-effective modular NaI (Tl) detector relies on pixelation to yield high intrinsic spatial resolution for projection minification, and to eliminate unusable edge areas of the modules. The detector arc is matched by the slit-slat collimator capable of switching between several resolution/sensitivity and FOV modes without disturbing the patient. This supports patient positioning and adaptive imaging operations and optimizes the imaging geometry for a given patient. The high SGE for cardiac imaging is augmented by additional functionality achieved with minimal costs. The multiple simultaneous projections, combined with the small FOV, provide sufficient angular sampling without system motion. This enables dynamic imaging to be performed in the high sensitivity collimator mode. We present preliminary imaging results obtained with a section of the C-SPECT lab-prototype, which includes 3 of the ultimate 14 detector modules and a corresponding section of the collimator arc capable of two resolution/sensitivity/FOV modes. These results, combined with Monte Carlo simulations and analytic predictions, demonstrate the validity and feasibility of the C-SPECT approach to advancing the capabilities of SPECT cardiac imaging.
Hidden Files: Archival Sharing, Accountability, and the Right to the Truth

Societies undertake a variety of truth and accountability measures to deal with legacies of gross human rights violations. For those measures to be effective, courts, commissions, victims and their representatives, and the general public need access to official records and archives. Archival materials can shed light on specific acts of abuse, as well as the larger patterns of violence or repression in which those acts were embedded. In addition to domestic government archives, the classified records of “third countries” — states outside the jurisdiction in which a particular crime occurred — can be crucial in advancing truth and accountability. Nevertheless, the law seldom requires third countries to share their secret files, and voluntary disclosure remains relatively rare. This constitutes an important weak link in the international human rights regime.In this article, we argue for enhanced third-country disclosure of human rights files. We argue both for enhanced voluntary declassification and stronger legal norms to mandate the release of information about gross human rights violations, emphasizing the role of civil society organizations in driving both forms of disclosure. We use examples from Latin America and elsewhere to show the power of declassified U.S. documents and other third-country records to elucidate specific crimes and the bureaucratic systems and international cooperation behind them. We discuss the case of Libya to demonstrate the need for similar disclosure to illuminate abuses in the Middle East and North Africa and other regions suffering from droughts in truth and accountability. We then consider the benefits of disclosure to third countries and some means of addressing their national security and diplomatic concerns. We conclude by examining pathways for the development of stronger legal norms on third-country disclosure going forward.
Observation of Particle Oxidation in Diesels: Prospect for Combustion Research and Particulate Control

Etude de l'oxydation des particules solides dans un moteur diesel dans le but de comprendre la combustion et de reduire les emissions de particules
The Spermatozoa of the Scorpionfly Panorpa nuptialis: a Transmission Electron Microscope Study

The spermatozoa of Panorpa nuptialis Gerstaeker are described and compared with those of P. annexa McLachl and P. germanica L. described by other workers. Similarities occur in length, helical nuclei and tails, presence of acrosome and centriole adjunct, and 9 + 2 axial filaments opposed to 9 + 9 + 2 in most insects. The most important difference is that the axial filament of P. nuptialis attaches near the base of the nucleus. In P. annexa and P. germanica the axial filaments are reported to be helically wound around the nuclei with the centriole situated near the base of the acrosome. In P. nuptialis the B subfiber of the outer doublets of the axial filament is derived from the A subfiber. Each of the B subfibers has an arm during the early developmental stages of the axial filament, but the arm is transitory and is lost as development proceeds.
In Situ Proteolysis for Crystallization of Membrane Bound Cytochrome P450 17A1 and 17A2 Proteins from Zebrafish

Fish and human cytochrome P450 (P450) 17A1 catalyze both steroid 17α-hydroxylation and 17α,20-lyase reactions. Fish P450 17A2 catalyzes only 17α-hydroxylation. Both enzymes are microsomal-type P450s, integral membrane proteins that bind to the membrane through their N-terminal hydrophobic segment, the signal anchor sequence. The presence of this N-terminal region renders expression of full-length proteins challenging or impossible. For some proteins, variable truncation of the signal anchor sequence precludes expression or results in poor expression levels. To crystallize P450 17A1 and 17A2 in order to gain insight into their different activities, we used an alternative N-terminal sequence to boost expression together with in situ proteolysis. Key features of our approach to identify crystallizable P450 fragments were the use of an N-terminal leader sequence, a screen composed of 12 proteases to establish optimal cleavage, variations of protease concentration in combination with an SDS-PAGE assay, and analysis of the resulting fragments using Edman sequencing. Described in this unit are protocols for vector preparation, expression, purification, and in situ proteolytic crystallization of two membrane-bound P450 proteins.
The effect of lactate infusion on serum uric acid.

SummaryFour normal volunteers were given 1000 ml 1/6 M racemic sodium lactate intravenously over a 60-min period. In each subject there was a marked diminution in the renal clearance of uric acid and a concomitant rise in the serum uric acid.
A Preliminary Investigation of the Influences of Refutation Text and Instructional Design

Teachers are often tasked with changing their students’ conceptions about scientific topics. One strategy that has been found effective for conceptual change is the use of refutation text. However, reviewing the literature revealed that many practical questions around the use refutation text have not been adequately addressed. A secondary issue is that teachers often create instructional videos for their students to view outside of class, but little guidance exists on how to design these videos. This study begins to examine the intersection of refutation text, conceptual change, and instructional video design by testing (a) the effects of traditional refutation text and soft refutation text on conceptual change when presented as narration in an instructional video, (b) the effects of traditional refutation text compared to soft refutation text when presented as narration on conceptual change in an instructional video, and (c) the influence of the presence of a human hand in the instructional video on cognitive, affective, and conceptual change scores. The results indicated that traditional refutation text and soft refutation text retain their effectiveness when presented as narration in an instructional video; soft refutation text and traditional refutation text produced nearly identical conceptual change when presented as narration in an instructional video; and the inclusion of a human hand in the instructional video did not influence conceptual change, learning, or the learners’ perceptions of the instructor. The preliminary implications for theory and practice are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.
Lithium-coated polymeric matrix as a minimum volume-change and dendrite-free lithium metal anode.

Lithium metal is the ideal anode for the next generation of high-energy-density batteries. Nevertheless, dendrite growth, side reactions and infinite relative volume change have prevented it from practical applications. Here, we demonstrate a promising metallic lithium anode design by infusing molten lithium into a polymeric matrix. The electrospun polyimide employed is stable against highly reactive molten lithium and, via a conformal layer of zinc oxide coating to render the surface lithiophilic, molten lithium can be drawn into the matrix, affording a nano-porous lithium electrode. Importantly, the polymeric backbone enables uniform lithium stripping/plating, which successfully confines lithium within the matrix, realizing minimum volume change and effective dendrite suppression. The porous electrode reduces the effective current density; thus, flat voltage profiles and stable cycling of more than 100 cycles is achieved even at a high current density of 5 mA cm−2 in both carbonate and ether electrolyte. The advantages of the porous, polymeric matrix provide important insights into the design principles of lithium metal anodes. Lithium metal is a promising anode for batteries, but problems such as volume change and dendrite growth currently prevent it from practical usage. Here, the authors overcome these problems by infusing molten lithium into a polymeric matrix via a lithiophilic coating to make a stable nanoporous lithium electrode.
DEPLETION KINETICS OF MO(A7S3,A5S2,A5DJ) BY N2, SO2, CO2, N2O, AND NO

The gas phase collisional disappearance of Mo(a7S3,a5S2,a5DJ) in the presence of N2, SO2, CO2, N2O, and NO over the temperature range 294−621 K and in the total pressure range 10−600 Torr is reported. Mo atoms were produced by the 248 nm photodissociation of Mo(CO)6 and MoCl4 and detected by laser-induced fluorescence. The room temperature depletion rate constant of Mo(a5S2) + N2 is (2.3 ± 0.7) × 10-11 cm3 s-1; the depletion rate constants of the a5DJ are smaller and range from (16 ± 8) × 10-12 for Mo(a5D0) to (0.13 ± 0.04) × 10-12 cm3 s-1 for the other spin−orbit states. The depletion rate of all states of Mo by SO2 are on the order of the collision rate. Mo(a7S3) is found to be unreactive toward CO2, and the rate constant for the reaction of Mo(a7S3) with N2O is expressed as k(T) = (2.0 ± 0.5) × 10-10 exp[−(9.8 ± 0.3) kcal mol-1/RT] cm3 s-1. Termolecular kinetics are observed for Mo(a7S3) + NO with k0 = (2.6 ± 0.3) × 10-29 cm6 s-1, k∞ = (5.8 ± 0.5) × 10-11 cm3 s-1, and Fc = 0.72 ± 0.07 at 296 K; the rea...
Pim-1 kinase protects hematopoietic FDC cells from genotoxin-induced death.

The hematopoietic cell S/T kinase Pim-1 was originally discovered as a target of murine leukemia provirus integration, and when expressed at increased levels is predisposing to lymphomagenesis. Recently, Pim-1 has been shown to enhance the activities of p100, c-Myb and cdc25a, and in part this might explain reported effects on mitogenesis. In the context of cytokine withdrawal, Pim-1 also can attenuate programmed cell death (PCD). Cytokine withdrawal, however, alters signaling pathways and can complicate the dissection of mitogenic vs apoptotic responses. To better study possible effects of Pim-1 on PCD, a hematopoietic cell model was developed in which proliferation was supported efficiently by SCF plus EPO in the absence of endogenous Pim-1 gene expression. This was provided by factor-dependent FDCW2 cells that express endogenous and functional c-Kit, and were transfected stably with truncated Epo receptor form mutated at a Y343 STAT5 binding site. In proliferating cells, exogenously expressed Pim-1 was observed to efficiently inhibit PCD as induced by either Co60 or adriamycin, and the dose-dependent nature of this effect was established in several independent clones. By comparison, effects of exogenous Pim-1 on mitogenesis were nominal. In addition, in cell fractionation studies an estimated 25% of Mr 34 000 Pim-1 (but not Mr 44 000 Pim-1) was present in nuclear extracts. Thus, Pim-1 efficiently buffers hematopoietic progenitor cells against death as induced by several clinically important apoptotic agents, and may directly target nuclear effectors.
Adhesion of Reactive Ion Implanted Copper Films on Al2O3 and SiO2

Implantation of reactive ions at the Cu-Al 2 O 3 or Cu-SiO 2 interface has been explored as a means of producing adhesion of thin copper films on these otherwise inert substrates. The process may promote complex chemical bonding at the interface due to the presence of a reactive implanted species; it may also enhance adhesion by interface layer mixing. Thin copper films (400–800A) were deposited on fused quartz or sapphire substrates. After implantation and, in some cases, heat treatment thick Cu stripes were added to enable peel testing of adhesion strength. The reactive ion species implanted were oxygen (100 keV), or titanium (120 keV) or chromium (80 or 160 keV), to doses ranging from 10 15 to 10 17 ions/cm 2 . In each case, the energy was chosen to place the reactive implant at the interface region. For comparison with simple ion beam mixing, a similar set of samples was implanted with krypton ions at 2 MeV to doses of 1 or 3.6 × 10 16 ion/cm 2 . The peel strength was found to be about 0.5 gm/mm for the unimplanted Cu-sapphire samples; 1.3 gm/mm for those implanted with oxygen; 18 gm/mm for those implanted with krypton; 90 gm/mm for those implanted with chromium; and more than 200 gm/mm for the titanium implanted samples. No significant increase in adhesion was achieved for the implanted Cu-quartz samples, except for the titanium implant, which gave an average peel strength of 66 gm/mm after anneal for the dose of 5 × 10 16 Ti + /cm 2 . Studies of the interfaces and of the peeled surfaces were made, using RBS. Changes in both chemical bonding and interface morphology appear to contribute to the phenomena of enhanced adhesion.
Shakespeare's Confluence of Tragedy and Comedy: Twelfth Night and King Lear

WELFTH Night and King Lear, evidently written within four or five years of each other, are often considered Shakespeare's greatest single achievements in the two genres of comedy and tragedy, and at very least they may be said to represent his maturest dramatic practice. Here I wish to argue that these two plays draw in large part upon a common body of intellectual and thematic material, which Shakespeare's mind shapes in each case to the forms and effects appropriate to comedy and tragedy. By examining his diverse use of this common material, we may hope to know better both the terrific centrifugal power of Shakespeare's imagination, and the process by which comedy and tragedy crystallize their distinctive structures out of a single substance. An Elizabethan play is a life unto itself, of course, and any pursuit of differences between comedy and tragedy can easily become artificial and pedantic. Many of Shakespeare's solemn dramas have an admixture of comic stuff, and some of his ostensible comedies affright our risibility by their oblique seriousness. We find in the tragedies not only various shades and quantities of comic relief, but a comic posture in great men at their moments of intensest spiritual pain: Hamlet landing upright in Ophelia's grave with the announcement: "This is I,/Hamlet the Dane"; Othello eavesdropping on Iago and Cassio; or Lear bedecked with weeds speaking reason in madness. Comedies like The Merchant of Venice and Measure for Measure, on the other hand, are barely laughable and offer at best only cold comfort. And the humiliations of Shylock, Falstaff, and Malvolio are well-known instances where a comic perspective is threatened by a distorting pathos. Tragedy and comedy also share many plot devices and situations. Both rely heavily upon intrigue; and the function of that old intriguer of the Moralities, the Vice, Shakespeare assigns indiscriminately to such as Puck and Iago. The customary apparatus of intrigue-the dropped handkerchiefs and forged letters and disguised madness, the indispensable arras and play-within-a-play, the slippings in and out of clothes to disguise sex and social status-all this provides
SKYSCRAPER FUTURE VISIONS

This paper addresses two skyscraper visions: Tokyo’s Sky City and the Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid. Prompted by the dearth of land and growing urban problems in Tokyo, these skyscraper visions offer alternative built forms with revolutionary technologies in building materials, construction methods, energy generation, and transportation systems. They are designed to be self-sufficient with homes, offices, outdoor green spaces, commercial establishments, restaurants, hospitals, trains, cars, and conceivably everything that hundreds of thousands of people need during the course of their lifetimes. The promise is that creating such vertical cities would relieve Tokyo from overcrowding and replace the urban concrete "jungle" on the ground with super towers straddling expansive green spaces or the water of Tokyo Bay.
Quantity Traceability and Transfer of 1000 kV Standard Voltage Transformers

Calibration of 1000 kV capacitor voltage transformer used in ultra high voltage engineering projects needs 1000 kV standard voltage transformer,but the highest traceable voltage grade of power frequency voltage ratio standard is 500 kV in our country.SF6 standard voltage transformer has good linearity,and the high voltage capacitive bridge with current comparator has high accuracy,and both of them have quantity traceability.The system constituted by the SF6 standard voltage transformer and high voltage capacitive bridge can measure voltage coefficient of 1000 kV standard voltage transformer.The error of 1000 kV standard voltage transformer on 60% reference voltage can be traced to a 500 kV standard voltage transformer by comparison method,and the quantity traceability of 1000 kV standard voltage transformer in full measuring range can be realized by error of reference voltage and extrapolation method of voltage coefficient.Therefore,the quantity traceability of 1000 kV standard voltage transformer was accomplished by using this method.The quantity transfer of 1000 kV capacitor voltage transformer used in ultra high voltage engineering projects was realized by comparison method.The result indicates that this method is feasible and can be used for establishing standard of 1000 kV power frequency ratio standard.
Natural Stratum Corneum Antibodies and Antigens

An interesting but neglected aspect of the stratum corneum is its status as a highly antigenic structure. What we know about SCAg and their antibodies will be reviewed in this article.
A cadaveric study of robotically assisted spinal needle placement versus manual placement

To compare the ability of an experienced physician in performing perispinal nerve and facet blocks on a cadaver using a joystick-controlled robotic needle driver versus manual placement of the needle.
Lessons from HIV Lipodystrophy and Drug-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction

With the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), metabolic and body composition changes are increasingly observed among HIV-infected patients. These changes are characterized by lipoatrophy of subcutaneous abdominal, extremity and facial fat, increased visceral fat, as well as dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, and have been viewed by many to constitute an acquired lipodystrophy syndrome. The etiology of this syndrome is clearly multifactorial and it is not a homogenous syndrome, but rather exhibits significant heterogeneity depending on environmental, genetic, and treatment factors.
Measuring the Influences of Youth Participation in Ohio 4-H Camps

Findings from a multi-component 4-H camp marketing and enrollment study of Ohio 4-H camps are highlighted. Significant influencers on the camp enrollment decision (parents, other adults, peers, siblings, and the respective camper) are evaluated as well as the effectiveness of various marketing techniques. The data found in this study indicates that the decision to enroll in camp is most influenced by the respective 4-H camper; however parents are also a strong factor in the choice to participate in 4-H camps. Alumni parents report significantly higher influence in the camp enrollment decision than those parents who are not alumni of 4-H. Personal methods of promoting camps were rated the most effective in reaching potential camp audiences.
Large-scale system development in several lisp environments

ROSS [7] is an object-oriented language developed for building knowledge-based simulations [4]. SWIRL [5, 6] is a program written in ROSS that embeds knowledge about defensive and offensive air battle strategies. Given an initial configuration of military forces, SWIRL simulates the resulting air battle. We have implemented ROSS and SWIRL in several different Lisp environments. We report upon this experience by comparing the various environments in terms of cpu usage, real-time usage, and various user aids.
Media Representations of the Inter-American System of Human Rights

In contemporary society, the media have a powerful influence on the legitimacy of governmental institutions, including courts. This pilot study presents original data on newspaper coverage of the Inter-American System in several Latin American countries. The analysis shows that, in general, newspapers in Latin America pay little or no attention to the work of the system, except when a case involving the particular country is involved; and even then, coverage is sparse, and sometimes shows a certain amount of confusion. The failure of media coverage is surely a factor which helps to produce the general obscurity in which the Inter-American System labours. This obscurity is in stark contrast to media coverage of key courts in other countries and regions.
Tax Confusion and Form 1040 Turmoil

ABSTRACT: This case in the area of Individual Federal Taxation describes the dilemma faced by a young couple who were trying to file an accurate 1040. The couple had some major life events during the year and decided to have their return prepared by a national chain of walk-in tax return preparation services. They were disappointed in the result and didn't have a lot of faith in the person who worked on their return. The case picks up on the eve of April 15 with the couple trying to decide whether to file the questionable return or to try to prepare one themselves. Students review client-provided tax information and apply the tax law learned during the semester to identify the correct presentation of the items in the tax return, identify potential controversial issues that might be challenged by the IRS, and recognize where additional information is needed in order to prepare an accurate tax return.
Wrapped-around conductive traces

Most microsystem interconnections are formed using wire bonds or bump bonds. Industries and national laboratories have been jointly pursuing a partially 3D interconnect technology, which has the potential to increase the amount of circuitry per pixel by a factor of 2–3 This development effort has taken considerable time and resources, while producing very modest results due to the intrinsically difficult nature of the processing involved. In contrast, the technology presented here is less expensive, simpler, and can increase the circuitry per pixel. Fabricating wraparound conductive traces is a key element of the success of this technology.
The changing trends and profile of pneumocystosis mortality in the United States, 1999‐2014

Summary Pneumocystosis (PCP) mortality in the U.S. has received less attention in recent years. This study describes recent trends in mortality and the estimated burden of PCP in the U.S., using the national multiple cause of death data during 1999-2014. PCP mortality rates were calculated for age, sex, race and year. Demographic differences were presented for decedents with and without a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-diagnosis. Matched odds ratios (MOR) were generated to describe associations between non-HIV conditions and PCP mortality. In total, 11 512 PCP deaths occurred during 1999-2014. Annual age-adjusted PCP mortality decreased over this time period, from 0.479 to 0.154 per 100 000 population (1999 vs 2014 respectively). Over two-thirds of decedents were male and Blacks had the highest mortality as compared to Whites. HIV co-diagnosis accounted for 48% of all PCP deaths in 2014 vs 71% in 1999. Comorbid conditions such as connective tissue disorders (MOR=12.29; 95% confidence interval=[10.26, 14.71]) were associated with a PCP diagnosis. Productivity losses amounted to >$12 billion during the study period. Although widespread use of antiretroviral therapy and PCP prophylaxis for HIV infection likely contributed to the overall decline in PCP deaths during 1999-2014, a continual need exists to prevent and treat this fungal disease in immune-compromised populations that are not infected with HIV.
UNCERTAINTY IN AI SYSTEMS: AN OVERVIEW

Reasoning about any realistic domain requires that some simplifications be made. The act of preparing knowledge to support reasoning requires that many facts are left unknown, unsaid, or crudely summarized. An alternative to the extremes of ignoring or enumerating exceptions is to summarize them, i.e., provide some warning signs to indicate which areas of the minefield are more dangerous than others. Summarization is essential to find a reasonable compromise between safety and speed of movement. One way to summarize exceptions is to assign to each proposition a numerical measure of uncertainty and then combine these measures according to uniform syntactic principles, the way truth values are combined in logic. Artificial Intelligence [“AI”] provides a computational model of intelligent behavior and commonsense reasoning. Probability theory provides a coherent account of how belief should change in light of partial or uncertain information. Network representations are not foreign to AI systems. Most reasoning systems encode relevancies using intricate systems of pointers, i.e., networks of indices that group facts into structures, such as frames, scripts, causal chains, and inheritance hierarchies.
The Society for Vascular Surgery Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) classification independently predicts wound healing in diabetic foot ulcers

Abstract Objective Previous studies have reported correlation between the Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI) classification system and wound healing time on unadjusted analyses. However, in the only multivariable analysis to date, WIfI stage was not predictive of wound healing. Our aim was to examine the association between WIfI classification and wound healing after risk adjustment in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) treated in a multidisciplinary setting. Methods All patients presenting to our multidisciplinary DFU clinic from June 2012 to July 2017 were enrolled in a prospective database. A Cox proportional hazards model accounting for patients' sociodemographics, comorbidities, medication profiles, and wound characteristics was used to assess the association between WIfI classification and likelihood of wound healing at 1 year. Results There were 310 DFU patients enrolled (mean age, 59.0 ± 0.7 years; 60.3% male; 60.0% black) with 709 wounds, including 32.4% WIfI stage 1, 19.9% stage 2, 25.2% stage 3, and 22.4% stage 4. Mean wound healing time increased with increasing WIfI stage (stage 1, 96.9 ± 8.3 days; stage 4, 195.1 ± 10.6 days; P P P ≤ .04). The top three predictors of poor wound healing were WIfI stage 4 ( z score, −5.40), increasing wound area ( z score, −3.14), and WIfI stage 3 (z score, −3.11), respectively. Conclusions Among patients with DFU, the WIfI classification system predicts wound healing at 1 year in both crude and risk-adjusted analyses. This is the first study to validate the WIfI score as an independent predictor of wound healing using multivariable analysis.
Serious infections among a large cohort of subjects with systemically treated psoriasis

Background Biologic therapy is effective for treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis but may be associated with an increased risk for serious infection. Objective To estimate the serious infection rate among patients with psoriasis treated with biologic as compared with nonbiologic systemic agents within a community-based health care delivery setting. Methods We identified 5889 adult Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan members with psoriasis who had ever been treated with systemic therapies and calculated the incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for serious infections over 29,717 person-years of follow-up. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were calculated using Cox regression. Results Adjusting for age, sex, race or ethnicity, and comorbidities revealed a significantly increased risk for overall serious infection among patients treated with biologics as compared with those treated with nonbiologics (aHR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.02-1.68). More specifically, there was a significantly elevated risk for skin and soft tissue infection (aHR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.19-2.56) and meningitis (aHR, 9.22; 95% CI, 1.77-48.10) during periods of active biologic use. Limitations Risk associated with individual drugs was not examined. Conclusion We found an increased rate of skin and soft tissue infections among patients with psoriasis treated with biologic agents. There also was a signal suggesting increased risk for meningitis. Clinicians should be aware of these potential adverse events when prescribing biologic agents.
Conscientious Objection, Ethics of

This article covers the religious and philosophical grounds of conscientious objection. Ancient Jewish and Christian refusals to take up the sword are addressed. The grounds for refusal in Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are also noted. The protection of the right of conscientious objection that began in the British American colonies for members of ‘peace churches’ represents the origins of modern conscientious objection. Mass conscription in the nineteenth century posed the greatest challenge to the protection of the right. Twentieth-century recognition of the right has expanded to protect those whose objections are philosophical as well as religious. The United Nations recognizes the right of conscientious objection as implied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A contested issue is whether citizens who are not absolute objectors (i.e., pacifists) may exercise the right of conscientious objection to wars failing to meet just-war critieria.