cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fabrication and characterization of aerosol-jet printed strain sensors for multifunctional composite structures

Traditional multifunctional composite structures are produced by embedding parasitic parts, such as foil sensors, optical fibers and bulky connectors. As a result, the mechanical properties of the composites, especially the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), could be largely undermined. In the present study, we demonstrated an innovative aerosol-jet printing technology for printing electronics inside composite structures without degrading the mechanical properties. Using the maskless fine feature deposition (below 10 μm) characteristics of this printing technology and a pre-cure protocol, strain sensors were successfully printed onto carbon fiber prepregs to enable fabricating composites with intrinsic sensing capabilities. The degree of pre-cure of the carbon fiber prepreg on which strain sensors were printed was demonstrated to be critical. Without pre-curing, the printed strain sensors were unable to remain intact due to the resin flow during curing. The resin flow-induced sensor deformation can be overcome by introducing 10% degree of cure of the prepreg. In this condition, the fabricated composites with printed strain sensors showed almost no mechanical degradation (short beam shearing ILSS) as compared to the control samples. Also, the failure modes examined by optical microscopy showed no difference. The resistance change of the printed strain sensors in the composite structures were measured under a cyclic loading and proved to be a reliable mean strain gauge factor of 2.2 ± 0.06, which is comparable to commercial foil metal strain gauge.
Thorium sorption in the marine environment: Equilibrium partitioning at the hematite/water interface, sorption/desorption kinetics and particle tracing

Thorium(IV) sorption onto hematite (α-Fe2O3) was examined as a function of pH and ionic strength. Sorption behaved Langmuirian over an eleven order of magnitude range in adsorption densities, Γ: 10−12 to 10−1 moles Th sorbed per mole hematite sites, indicating that the overall free energy of Th adsorption is independent of adsorption density. Modeling of Th sorption was conducted with the Triple Layer Model of Davis and Leckie; reactions considered included solution-phase hydroxy and carbonato complexes of thorium, and carbonate/hematite surface complexes. The entire Th sorption isotherm can be modeled with a single surface complex formation reaction $$ \equiv Fe - OH + Th^{4 + } \mathop = \limits^{*K_{Th}^{int} } \equiv Fe - OTh^{3 + } + H^ + $$ Inverse modeling of pH-fractional Th adsorption data yielded a value of *K Th int of 21.2. The relatively large value of the surface complex formation constant is required for hematite surface sites to effectively compete against solution-phase hydroxide and carbonate ions at high system pHs. Insensitivity of fractional thorium sorption to changes in ionic strength suggests the formation of inner-sphere surface complexes. Sorption and desorption rate experiments showed: (1) Th sorption onto hematite suspended in a simple electrolyte solution is rapid with equilibrium attained within a few minutes; (2) sorption is irreversible on the time scale of the experiments (4 days). Coagulation and sedimentation experiments demonstrate the utility of Th isotopes asin situ ‘coagulometers’: even at relatively low particle concentrations (e.g., 5 ppm), Th acts as a surrogate for particle mass transfer.
Food Intolerances, Food Allergies, and Restaurants

Twelve million consumers in the United States have a food allergy. This research was designed to see whether restaurants are prepared to respond to the needs of consumers with food intolerances or food allergies. It is apparent that the respondents have little awareness of their needs. The majority did not have printed materials available, were not aware of potential legislation, and did not have defined personnel responsible for identifying allergens. Given the increased attention to food allergen and food intolerance issues among consumers of food and within the food product development community, this is unfortunate, because restaurants may find themselves unable to adequately meet the needs of such customers.
Fringe-adjusted joint-transform-correlation-based hetero-associative multiple target-tracking

A technique has been formulated based on hetero-associative target detection strategy that recognizes and tracks multiple dissimilar or hetero-associative targets from gray-scale image sequences taken from a moving aircraft in real time. Fringe-adjusted joint transform correlation combined with the proposed hetero-associative filter is used to enhance the correlation performance and thus ensures strong and equal cross-correlation peak for each element of the selected class. Tracking is accomplished by combining the analysis of single image frame with the determination of the motion from consecutive image frames. For efficient performance, the desired targets are identified prior to be tracked by correlating successive frames using the proposed filter which is an enhanced version of the fringe-adjusted filter. The optimality of the tracking performance is tested by MATLAB software.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Spatial and temporal patterns of stream channel incision in the loess region of the Missouri River.

Stream channel incision is severe in the loess-dominated region of western Iowa and eastern Nebraska, with recent incision related to sediment capture by reservoirs on the Missouri River. This study confirms that the temporal pattern of incision follows the rate law proposed by Graf (1977) with half-lives ranging from two to nine years and stream channels throughout the affected watersheds approaching a new dynamic equilibrium in one to three decades. The resulting spatial pattern of incision on tributaries is demonstrated to follow a simple rule of base-level lowering at the outlet multiplied by a flow-length ratio (R 2 = 0.71). This rule is used to estimate depth of channel incision along all tributary streams of the Nebraska reach of the Missouri River and confirms that Missouri River degradation, along with other local disturbances such as channelization, is an important cause of tributary stream incision in the study area. Using the flow-length ratio rule, a spatial model of stream channel incision i...
Real-time compensation for tool form errors in turning using computer vision

Deviations from the circular shape of the cutting edge of a single-point turning tool cause form errors in the workpiece during contour cutting. One can compensate for these tool-form errors by determining the size of the effective deviation at a particular instant during cutting and then adjusting the position of the cutting tool accordingly. An algorithm for the compensation of tool-nose-radius errors in real time has been developed and implemented on a CNC turning center. A previously developed computer-vision-based tool- inspection system is used to determine the size of the deviations. 1 Information from this system is fed to the error compensation computer which modifies the tool path in real time. Workpieces were cut utilizing the compensation system and were inspected on a coordinate measuring machine. Significant improvements in workpiece form were obtained. 1.
Differential Forms in Geometric Calculus

Geometric calculus and the calculus of differential forms have common origins in Grassmann algebra but different lines of historical development, so mathematicians have been slow to recognize that they belong together in a single mathematical system. This paper reviews the rationale for embedding differential forms in the more comprehensive system of Geometric Calculus. The most significant application of the system is to relativistic physics where it is referred to as Spacetime Calculus. The fundamental integral theorems are discussed along with applications to physics, especially electrodynamics.
Delphi Technique Used in Laser Incident Surveillance

There are several data sources for collecting laser incidents. All reviewed sources collect information differently for varying purposes. An effort was undertaken to combine laser exposure reporting data into a single database so that trends in laser incidents could be identified. A review of available datasets revealed significant disparities in laser exposure reporting. As a result, utilizing the existing database to predict personnel at increased risk for laser exposure and injury is challenging if not impossible. For example, many of the data sources do not contain information about physical examinations, diagnosis, or medical follow-up, which are important for studying laser injury outcomes. This study proposes using the Delphi Technique to identify relevant fields that should be collected for a laser incident database based on the experiences of three groups of United States Air Force (USAF) professionals: (1) Engineers (Bioenvironmental Engineers), (2) Health Physicists, and (3) Physicians (Ophthalmologists and Flight Surgeons). In broad terms, these three professional groups coordinate laser incident analyses and investigations. Knowing what information is most important for studying laser incidents is the first step in establishing an effective database that will assist in identifying occupations that are at high-risk for laser injury. Robust data sets obtained for analysis by these healthcare professionals can be an effective tool for laser injury prevention and management.
Safety of Regional Citrate Hemodialysis in Acute Renal Failure

Regional citrate anticoagulation is an alternative to heparin anticoagulation for hemodialysis of patients at increased risk of bleeding. We report the successful use of this technique in 326 dialyses in 49 high bleeding risk patients with acute renal failure. Systemic anticoagulation did not occur as a result of any dialysis procedure, and in no instance was bleeding observed. Dialysis was effective, as judged by removal of creatinine. The safety of this procedure is demonstrated by the lack of bleeding complications and the small incidence of electrolyte and acidbase abnormalities. In addition we document the absence of citrate intoxicaton by serial measurements of serum citrate levels. Regional citrate anticoagulation is a safe and effective method of performing hemodialysis in patients with acute renal failure at increased risk of bleeding.
Atomic-force-regulated near-field scanning optical microscope

The design and theory of operation of a new form of near field scanning optical microscope are presented. In this system, the tip/sample distance regulation is achieved in a feedback system utilizing the topography information derived from the attractive force sensed between the tip and the sample. The technique affords the possibility of correlative microscopy. Results are presented on imaging blood smears and thin film integrated circuits.
Overexpression of antimicrobial lytic peptides protects grapevine from Pierce’s disease under greenhouse but not field conditions

Pierce’s disease (PD) caused by Xylella fastidiosa prevents cultivation of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and susceptible hybrids in the southeastern United States and poses a major threat to the grape industry of California and Texas. Genetic resistance is the only proven control of X. fastidiosa. Genetic engineering offers an alternative to heretofore ineffective conventional breeding in order to transfer only PD resistance traits into elite cultivars. A synthetic gene encoding lytic peptide LIMA-A was introduced into V. vinifera and a Vitis hybrid to assess in planta inhibition of X. fastidiosa. Over 1050 independent transgenic plant lines were evaluated in the greenhouse, among which nine lines were selected and tested under naturally-inoculated field conditions. These selected plant lines in the greenhouse remain disease-free for 10 years, to date, even with multiple manual pathogen inoculations. However, all these lines in the field, including a grafted transgenic rootstock, succumbed to PD within 7 years. We conclude that in planta production of antimicrobial lytic peptides does not provide durable PD resistance to grapevine under field conditions.
Design of an insulin analog with enhanced receptor binding selectivity: rationale, structure, and therapeutic implications.

Insulin binds with high affinity to the insulin receptor (IR) and with low affinity to the type 1 insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptor (IGFR). Such cross-binding, which reflects homologies within the insulin-IGF signaling system, is of clinical interest in relation to the association between hyperinsulinemia and colorectal cancer. Here, we employ nonstandard mutagenesis to design an insulin analog with enhanced affinity for the IR but reduced affinity for the IGFR. Unnatural amino acids were introduced by chemical synthesis at the N- and C-capping positions of a recognition α-helix (residues A1 and A8). These sites adjoin the hormone-receptor interface as indicated by photocross-linking studies. Specificity is enhanced more than 3-fold on the following: (i) substitution of GlyA1 by d-Ala or d-Leu, and (ii) substitution of ThrA8 by diaminobutyric acid (Dab). The crystal structure of [d-AlaA1,DabA8]insulin, as determined within a T6 zinc hexamer to a resolution of 1.35 A, is essentially identical to that of human insulin. The nonstandard side chains project into solvent at the edge of a conserved receptor-binding surface shared by insulin and IGF-I. Our results demonstrate that modifications at this edge discriminate between IR and IGFR. Because hyperinsulinemia is typically characterized by a 3-fold increase in integrated postprandial insulin concentrations, we envisage that such insulin analogs may facilitate studies of the initiation and progression of cancer in animal models. Future development of clinical analogs lacking significant IGFR cross-binding may enhance the safety of insulin replacement therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Simultaneous confidence intervals for the logistic distribution

The problem of putting confidence bands on a logistic cumulative distribution function is considered. One and two-sided confidence bands on the entire cumulative distribution function and simultaneous confidence intervals for the interval probabilities under the distribution are constructed using Kolmogorov—Smirnov-type statistics. Small sample and asymptotic distributions of the relevant statistics arc provided so that the construction can be carried out in any practical situation.
Digital Image Processing Algorithm for Determination and Measurement of In-Focus Spherical Bubbles

A novel image processing algorithm has been designed in MATLAB to analyze digital images of spherical bubbles which are backlit. The algorithm possess a series of steps to determine which bubbles are in focus, remove out of focus bubbles and record measurements of bubble size and location. Specifically, the algorithm relies on self-adaptive user determined thresholds, gradient detection, correlation determination, and multiple confirmation strategies. The results are capable of handling variations in bubble appearance due to inconsistent background and overlapping. This paper describes the details of the algorithm and its use in recording bubble measurements from images of varying bubble size and bubble number density. Results from the algorithm as compared with bubble measurements from the same image sets determined via the manual line drawing method.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Operation Status of the Nevis Synchrocyclotron

The Nevis Synchrocyclotron (S.C.) has been running on a fairly regular basis since October, with peak beam intensity of 2.2 ..mu..A. It had also run from late January through mid-April 1976. The current operating status of the accelerator is reported, and new developments of the past year are outlined.
The addition of a nurse practitioner to an inpatient surgical team results in improved use of resources.

Background Resident work hour restrictions and changes in reimbursement may lead to an adverse effect on the continuity of care of a patient after discharge. This study analyzes whether adding a nurse practitioner (NP) to a busy inpatient surgery service would improve patient care after discharge. Methods In 2007, a NP joined a team of 3 surgery attendings. She coordinated the discharge plan and communicated with patients after discharge. We reviewed the records of patients 1 year before ( N = 415) and 1 year after ( N = 411) the NP joined the team. The discharge courses of the patients were reviewed, and an unnecessary emergency room (ER) visit was defined as an ER visit that did not result in an inpatient admission. Results The 2 groups were statistically similar with regard to age, race, acuity of the operation, duration of hospital stay, and hospital readmissions. Telephone communication between nurses and discharged patients was 846 calls before the NP and 1,319 calls after the NP, representing an increase of 64% ( P P P = .001). Conclusion Adding a NP to our inpatient surgery service led to an overall improvement in the use of resources and a 50% reduction in unnecessary ER visits. This study shows that the addition of a NP not only improves continuity of care on discharge but also has the potential to yield financial benefits for the hospital.
"Polywater": A Hydrosol?

Measurements of the dielectric constant and the effective parallel conductance of a specimen of anomalous water suggest that anomalous water is a hydrosol consisting of finely divided particulate matter suspended in ordinary water. Scanning electron micrography confirms the presence of particulate matter. These new experimental data provide an alternative explanation for the properties of anomalous water.
Investigating performance insights of segment-based proxy caching of streaming media strategies

In general, existing segment-based caching strategies target one of the following two performance objectives: (1) reducing client startup delay by giving a high priority to cache the beginning segments of media objects, or (2) reducing server traffic by caching popular segments of media objects. Our previous study has shown that the approach targeting the second objective has several advantages over the first one. However, we have also observed that the effort of improving server traffic reduction can increase client startup delay, which may potentially offset the overall performance gain. Little work so far has considered these two objectives in concert. In this paper, we first build an analytical model for these two types of typical segment-based caching approaches. The analysis on the model reveals the nature of the trade-off between two performance objectives and the bounds of each are given under certain circumstances. To provide a feasible way to evaluate different strategies, we propose a new comprehensive performance metric based on the analysis. To understand this performance trade-off, we restructure the adaptive-lazy segmentation strategy with a heuristic replacement policy to improve overall performance. The evaluation results confirm our analysis and show the effectiveness of our proposed new performance metric.
The Effects of an Oxide Layer on the Kinetics of Metal-Induced Crystallization of a-Si:H

The effect of a native silicon dioxide layer on metal-induced crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) was investigated. Several samples, deposited by the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique, were exposed to different ambients for different times to allow for the growth of SiO 2 layers of different thicknesses. Then, aluminum was used to crystallize the samples using metal-induced crystallization at temperatures far below the solid-phase crystallization temperature of a-Si. In this study, we focused on the effects of the native oxide layer on crystallization and crystallization rates of the samples, as determined by X-ray diffraction. Following crystallization, scanning electron microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used to examine and compare the morphology and chemical composition of the surface of the different samples. Finally, an explanation of the findings is presented.
Ultrasound evaluation of american burkitt's lymphoma

Burkitt's lymphoma is a childhood disease that characteristically produces large, bulky abdominal tumors. Although these are potentially curable, chemotherapy can produce rapid tumor lysis, with subsequent life-threatening metabolic abnormalities, especially in those patients with large tumors or those who have compromised renal function. Twenty-two patients with proven Burkitt's lymphoma were evaluated by ultrasound. Thirteen patients had abdominal masses. These masses tended to be large, solitary, and acoustically homogeneous. Although most of these tumors were found in the pelvis, upper abdominal and retroperitoneal tumors were also encountered. None of the patients had the typical paravertebral mantle of enlarged nodes seen in other types of lymphoma. In 11 patients with abnormal intravenous pyelograms, ultrasound successfully distinguished between renal lymphoma, hydronephrosis, and, by exclusion, metabolic renal disease. The absence of lymph node disease and the presence of bulky homogeneous extranodal tumor are characteristic ultrasound findings in Burkitt's lymphoma. By locating and quantifying tumor mass and distinguishing between renal lymphoma and hydronephrosis, ultrasound proved to be clinically useful in the management of this disease.
RNA amplification of bromodeoxyuridine labeled newborn neurons in the monkey hippocampus.

Abstract Neurogenesis has been demonstrated in the adult mammalian hippocampus by the immunohistochemical identification of cells co-labeled with the neuronal marker NeuN and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), a marker for DNA synthesis. Whether these newly born neurons exhibit a genetic signature similar to that of existing hippocampal cells remains unknown. Recent advances in single cell RNA amplification techniques provide a unique method for profiling the mRNA complement of cells developed during adult neurogenesis. Standard protocols for identifying BrdU-positive cells requires an acid denaturation step that may preclude the amplification of cellular RNA for expression analysis. We first tested whether the BrdU reaction product was visible in monkey hippocampal tissue following treatment with dilutions of HCl (2–0.2 M) or citric acid (1.0–0.1 M). BrdU-labeled cells were visible only in tissue sections treated with 2 M HCl. RNA amplification was not compromised in cells dual-labeled for BrdU and NeuN using the 2 M HCl acid denaturation step. These cells express mRNAs encoding a wide variety of functional protein subclasses including glutamate receptors. The present study demonstrates for the first time that BrdU immunohistochemisty is compatable with gene array technology in the primate hippocampus to evaluate subclasses of genes in newborn neurons.
Stonewall Jackson (1824-63) and 'The Old Man's Friend'.

In May 1863 at the Battle of Chancellorsville in the American Civil War, Lieutenant General Thomas J ‘Stonewall’ Jackson received three gunshot wounds and subsequently underwent amputation of his left arm. Four days after his operation Jackson developed pneumonia and died three days later. Some modern physicians have challenged the diagnosis of pneumonia and have suggested other diseases as the being the likely cause of his death. Reviewing the accounts of Jackson's course of illness in the context of 19th-century medical knowledge supports the original diagnosis of pneumonia as the cause of his death.
A foundation for logarithmic measures of fluctuating intensity in pattern recognition.

Independent analyses using Fisher information, optimal filtering, and information theory show that matched filtering images with hypothetical patterns in the logarithmic domain provides an optimal method for pattern recognition in the presence of signal-dependent noise arising from complex Gaussian fluctuations in the received fields. This provides a mathematical justification for the use of logarithmic units (i.e., decibels) in a variety of engineering applications.
Autoimmune myocarditis : concepts and questions

There has been a resurgence of interest in immunologically-mediated heart disease, culminating in a recent meeting. This interest was sparked off by new experimental models of autoimmune myocarditis that have served two useful functions: first, as good models of human myocarditis and second, as paradigms of infection-induced autoimmune disease.
The roles of FGFs in the early development of vertebrate limbs

‘‘Fibroblast growth factor’’ (FGF) was first identified 25 years ago as a mitogenic activity in pituitary extracts (Armelin 1973; Gospodarowicz 1974). This modest observation subsequently led to the identification of a large family of proteins that affect cell proliferation, differentiation, survival, and motility (for review, see Basilico and Moscatelli 1992; Baird 1994). Recently, evidence has been accumulating that specific members of the FGF family function as key intercellular signaling molecules in embryogenesis (for review, see Goldfarb 1996). Indeed, it may be no exaggeration to say that, in conjunction with the members of a small number of other signaling molecule families [including WNT (Parr and McMahon 1994), Hedgehog (HH) (Hammerschmidt et al. 1997), and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) (Hogan 1996)], FGFs are responsible for inducing and/or regulating the subsequent development of most organs in the vertebrate body. The purpose of this review is to discuss the functions performed by members of the FGF family in one of the best-studied vertebrate developmental systems—limb formation. It focuses initially on what is known about FGF function in the established limb bud and then discusses the mechanisms by which the signaling centers that control outgrowth and patterning of the established limb bud are formed, emphasizing possible roles played by FGFs in these processes. Finally, it discusses the potential role of FGFs in the induction of limb development. The insights into the requirement for FGF signaling in bone development that have been gained from analyses of mutations in human and mouse FGF receptor (FGFR) genes will not be discussed, as those studies have been the subject of several recent reviews (Wilkie et al. 1995; Yamaguchi and Rossant 1995; De Moerlooze and Dickson 1997; Webster and Donoghue 1997).
Neuropsychiatry of 18q- Syndrome

Our understanding of neuropsychiatric abnormalities in patients with deletions of the long arm of chromosome 18 (18q- syndrome) is based mainly on sporadic case reports. We characterized the neuropsychiatric phenotype in 27 patients across a wide age range (2-47 years) with breakpoints ranging from 18q22.3-18q21.2. Adaptive behavior scores (Vineland Composite) were significantly higher in females than in males (62 +/- 5 vs. 43 +/- 3). Intelligence ranged from borderline to severely deficient (IQ, 73- < 40), with academic achievement similarly impaired. Performance in specific neuropsychological functions, including attention, novel problem solving, memory, language, visuomotor integration, and fine motor dexterity, was consistently in the moderately-to-severely impaired range. Behavioral problems were common in both sexes, including aggressivity, hyperactivity, and temper tantrums. Contrary to the few previous reports, we found no evidence of psychosis in any patients. In a subset of patients selected on the basis of no prior knowledge of behavioral problems, 1 of 16 patients (6%) had autism, as defined by the Autistic Diagnostic Interview--Revised (ADI-R) [Lord et al., 1994: J Autism Dev Disord 24:659-685]. Thus, the prevalence of autism in 18q- syndrome is probably no greater than that in other developmental disabilities with a similar level of cognitive impairment. In contrast to what has been believed since 18q- was first described 30 years ago, we found no relationship between chromosome deletion size and any measure of cognition or behavior; nor were there any correlations between any of these measures with the presence or absence of abnormalities on MRI or somatosensory-evoked potentials.
Predictors for persistent cytomegalovirus reactivation after T-cell-depleted allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation occurs in up to 60% of CMV-seropositive recipients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The incidence of CMV disease among T-cell-depleted HSCT patients has been reported from 5–15%. The incidence of reactivation refractory to antivirals in this population is not well studied. Methods. In this retrospective study we characterized the outcome of CMV reactivation in a cohort of 255 adult and pediatric patients who underwent T-cell-depleted HSCT at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from September 1999 through August 2004. CMV infection was monitored by the pp65 antigenemia assay (CMV Ag). Persistent reactivation was defined as antigenemia positivity >21 days on antiviral therapy. Results. Of 118 CMV-seropositive recipients, 69 (58.4%) had reactivated CMV. Twenty of 69 (29%) developed persistent reactivation at first episode of reactivation, and 7 (10%) in subsequent episode. All patients with persistent reactivation received ≥2 antivirals and CMV hyperimmune globulin; 45% received combination antiviral therapy. The median duration of persistent reactivation was 98 days, range 31–256 days. In multivariate analysis, maximum CMV Ag >25 cells/slide was associated with persistent reactivation (odds ratio 16.2%, 95% confidence interval 4–64, P<0.0001). CMV disease occurred in 6/27 (22%) patients with persistent reactivation. Patients with persistent reactivation had lower CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte counts compared with those with non-persistent reactivation at day +90 post HSCT (P=0.01 and 0.02, respectively). Conclusions. Persistent reactivation occurred in 39% of T-cell-depleted HSCT despite treatment with currently available antivirals. Maximum CMV Ag >25 cells/slide was associated with persistent CMV reactivation. More effective treatment modalities are needed for this high-risk population to reduce CMV-associated morbidity and mortality.
Aerobic Oxidation of Methyl p-Tolyl Sulfide Catalyzed by a Remarkably Labile Heteroscorpionate Ru(II)−Aqua Complex, fac-[RuII(H2O)(dpp)(tppm)]2+

fac-[RuII(Cl)(dpp)(L3)]+ (L3 = tris(pyrid-2-yl)methoxymethane (tpmm) = [1A]+ and tris(pyrid-2-yl)pentoxymethane (tppm) = [1B]+ and dpp = di(pyrazol-1-yl)propane) rapidly undergo ligand substitution with water to form fac-[RuII(H2O)(dpp)(L3)]2+ (L3 = tpmm = [2A]2+ and tppm = [2B]2+). In the structure of [2A]2+, the distorted octahedral arrangement of ligands around Ru is evident by a long Ru(1)−O(40) of 2.172(3) A and a large ∠ O(40)−Ru(1)−N(51) of 96.95(14) °. The remarkably short distance between O(40) of H2O and H(45a) of dpp confirms the heteroscorpionate ligand effect of dpp on H2O. [2B]2+ aerobically catalyzes methyl p-tolyl sulfide to methyl p-tolyl sulfoxide in 1,2-dichlorobenzene at 25.0 ± 0.1 °C under 11.4 psi of O2. Experimental facts in support of this aerobic sulfide oxidation are the absence of H2O2 and the oxidative reactivity of the putative Ru(IV)−oxo intermediate toward methyl p-tolyl sulfide, 2-propanol, and allyl alcohol. This study provides the first documented example of aerobic-sulfi...
Regional variation in the incidence and outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States

Background—Regional variation in the incidence and outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is not well studied and may have important health and policy implications. Methods and Results—We used the 2003 to 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases to identify patients ≥18 years of age who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification procedure codes 99.60 and 99.63) for IHCA. Regional differences in IHCA incidence, survival to hospital discharge, and resource use (total hospital cost and discharge disposition among survivors) were analyzed. Of 838 465 patients with IHCA, 162 270 (19.4%) were in the Northeast, 159 581 (19.0%) were in the Midwest, 316 201 (37.7%) were in the South, and 200 413 (23.9%) were in the West. Overall IHCA incidence in the United States was 2.85 per 1000 hospital admissions. IHCA incidence was lowest in the Midwest and highest in the West (2.33 and 3.73 per 1000 hospital admissions, respectively). Comp...
Frequency response of pre-stressed structures with nonlinear cohesive interfaces

Abstract This paper explores two different methods to extract information about localized nonlinear shear cohesive behavior of interfaces from linear elastodynamic response. Both formulations are based on the concept of loading a cohesive interface statically into the nonlinear region and then superposing small amplitude vibrations or wave motions on the statically pre-loaded state. To a first order approximation the cohesive interface’s small amplitude dynamic behavior is assumed to be linearly compliant with the stiffness interpreted as the local slope of the cohesive law at the static pre-load level. The first investigation considers the vibrations of a beam made up of two sections partially bonded together through the depth of the beam to create a cracked interface. The dependence of the natural frequencies on the spring stiffnesses of a beam with the cracked interface replaced by bending and shear springs is calculated using first order beam theory. The dependence of the spring stiffnesses used in the vibration analysis on crack length, static pre-load, and yield stress of a Dugdale–Barenblatt cohesive zone in the interface is determined through a 2D elasto-static boundary element analysis of a cracked beam element, which treats the boundary nonlinearities directly. The second investigation concerns the dispersion relations for time-harmonic guided waves in a layer connected to a rigid substrate by a very thin interface layer of material with nonlinear and softening behavior. The interfacial spring stiffness which, is directly included in the dynamic layer boundary conditions, is again interpreted as the local slope of the cohesive law at the static pre-load level. The spring stiffnesses inferred from the dispersion relations of either SH or generalized Rayleigh–Lamb waves from a series of measurements taken at multiple pre-load levels could then be integrated to obtain the cohesive law.
The Effect of Peer and Professor Gender on College Student Performance

The effects of peer and professor gender on student performance have been examined separately but not in conjunction. We augment previous research by including peer and professor gender, as well as their interaction, in estimations of student performance. After controlling for both student and faculty fixed effects we find that female students typically perform better than males, but this performance gap varies depending on the gender of the professor and of the classroom. Overall the effect of professor gender on student performance is small at best if classrooms are predominantly female and much larger if classrooms are predominantly male.
Mechanical analysis for solid cylindrical fuel elements of nuclear reactors

Abstract A theoretical, mechanical analysis for strain and stress distributions in long, solid cylindrical fuel elements of nuclear reactors is presented. In the analysis primary effects of thermal-cycling growth, irradiation growth, swelling, creep and neutron flux levels developed in the fuel material are taken into account. The equations for the components of strain and stress are derived from some basic assumptions. From the results of an illustrative example the order of magnitude of neutron flux, degree of irradiation, thickness, or properties of the cladding are found to have important effects on strain and stress distributions produced in the fuel elements.
Human ecology and behavior and sexually transmitted bacterial infections.

Abstract The three direct determinants of the rate of spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are sexual behaviors, the mean duration of infectiousness, and the mean efficiency of sexual transmission of each STD. Underlying ecological and behavioral factors that operate through one or more of these direct determinants lie on a continuum, ranging from those most proximate back to those more remote (in time or mechanism) from the direct determinants. Most remote and least modifiable are the historical stages of economic development that even today conspicuously influence patterns of sexual behavior. Next are the distribution and changing patterns of climate, hygiene, and population density; the global population explosion and stages of the demographic transition; and ongoing changes in human physiology (e.g., menarche at younger age) and culture (e.g., later marriage). More proximate on the continuum are war, migration, and travel; and current policies for economic development and social welfare. Most recent or modifiable are technologic and commercial product development (e.g., oral contraceptives); circumcision, condom, spermicide, and contraception practices; patterns of illicit drug use that influence sexual behaviors; and the accessibility, quality, and use of STD health care. These underlying factors help explain why the curable bacterial STDs are epidemic in developing countries and why the United States is the only industrialized country that has failed to control bacterial STDs during the AIDS era.
Approximation of Function Evaluation Over Sequence Arguments via Specialized Data Structures

Abstract This paper proposes strategies for maintaining a database of computational results of functions f on sequence arguments x → , where x → is sorted in non-decreasing order and f ( x → ) has greatest dependence on the first few terms of x → . This scenario applies also to symmetric functions f, where the partial derivatives approach zero as the corresponding component value increases. The goal is to pre-compute exact values f ( u → ) on a tight enough net of sequence arguments, so that given any other sequence x → , a neighboring sequence u → in the net giving a close approximation can be efficiently found. Our scheme avoids pre-computing the more-numerous partial-derivative values. It employs a new data structure that combines ideas of a trie and an array implementation of a heap, representing grid values compactly in the array, yet still allowing access by a single index lookup rather than pointer jumping. We demonstrate good size/approximation performance in a natural application.
Near ultraviolet optically pumped vertical cavity laser

Optically pumped near ultraviolet vertical cavity laser operation (VCSEL) has been obtained under quasi-continuous wave conditions at room temperature near 383 nm from shallow InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs). Low loss optical resonators were fabricated by using in-situ grown (Al,Ga)N distributed Bragg reflectors that featured strain engineering design for high optical morphology, in combination with low-loss dielectric multilayer mirrors.
Effect of fluorine substitution on the agonist specificity of norepinephrine

Substitution of fluorine for hydrogen in position 2, 5, or 6 of the aromatic ring of norepinephrine markedly alters the alpha- and beta-adrenergic agonist properties of norephinephrine. The 6-fluoro isomer is an beta-adrenergic agonist with virtually no beta agonist activity, while the 2-fluoro isomer is a beta-adrenergic agonist with little alpha activity. The 5-fluoro isomer is equipotent with norepinephrine as an alpha agonist and significantly more potent as a beta agonist. The possible physiochemical basis for these differences is discussed.
New York City Attorneys and Ambulance Chasing in the 1920S

(1996). New York City Attorneys and Ambulance Chasing in the 1920S. The Historian: Vol. 59, No. 2, pp. 291-310.
Improvements to a small scale linear transformer driver

A linear transformer driver (LTD) is being constructed at Texas Tech University's Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics with the goal to achieve roughly 100 ns pulse width into an 18 Ohm load and energy densities similar to or greater than a previously designed and built 500 J compact Marx generator. A single experimental LTD stage, previously constructed, tested, and reported on by TTU, has undergone several improvements as well as the inclusion of additional diagnostics. Testing at a charging voltage of 14 kV into a 1.7 Ω resistive load has experimentally achieved a 10% to 90% risetime of ∼60 ns, peak voltage of 9.2 kV, peak current of 5.5 kA, and instantaneous power of 50.6 MW. Simulations of the LTD stage correlate closely with the experimental results. Extrapolating the simulations to the final desired charging voltage indicate peak voltages and peak currents exceeding 15 kV and 10 kA respectively, with instantaneous power greater than 150 MW from a single LTD stage. The design for a multi-stage LTD using magnetic cores with a flux swing of 6 kV-µs will be presented. Improvements in diagnostics and modeling of the LTD will also be discussed as well.
MB-29DISSECTING THE ROLE OF EPIGENETIC MODULATORS IN SHH-DRIVEN MEDULLOBLASTOMA

The Repressor Element-1 Silencing Transcription Factor (REST) negatively regulates neurogenesis. It epigenetically silences the expression of neuronal differentiation genes through modulation of histone acetylation and histone methylation. REST levels are elevated in over 80% of human medulloblastomas, and spans all four molecular sub-groups. Interestingly, a subset of patients with sonic hedgehog (Shh)-driven medulloblastomas with high REST expression (+3/ + 4 on a scale of 0-4) had a significantly elevated incidence of metastatic disease compared to patients with low-REST or no-REST expressing Shh-driven tumors. To understand if REST is a driver of metastatic disease, we generated a novel REST knock-in (RESTKI) mouse model in which transgene expression is conditionally elevated in cerebellar granule neuron progenitors (GNPs), the cells of origin of Shh-driven medulloblastomas. RESTKI mice were then crossed with mice exhibiting constitutive activation of Shh signaling (Ptc +/−), and REST transgene expression was induced in the progeny (RESTKI/Ptc +/−) on postnatal day 2. While RESTKI mice exhibited pre-neoplastic lesions, both Ptc +/− and RESTKI/Ptc +/− mice formed cerebellar tumors. However, a significant increase in tumor penetrance (100%) was seen in RESTKI/Ptc +/− mice compared to 20% in Ptc +/− mice. A substantial decrease in tumor latency (10-40 days) was also observed in RESTKI/Ptc +/− in contrast to 3-7 months in Ptc +/− mice. Histopathological analyses of mice brains revealed leptomeningeal and infiltrative medulloblastoma with significant changes in the tumor microenvironment in RESTKI/Ptc +/− mice. In contrast, cerebella of Ptc +/− mice exhibited localized disease. Importantly, RESTKI/ Ptc +/− tumors expressed very high levels of neural stem cell (NSC) markers such as Nestin, GFAP and Vimentin when compared with Ptc +/− tumors, suggesting that REST elevation in GNPs may have resulted in their de-differentiation into a more primitive state, and driven medulloblastoma genesis in the context of Shh hyperactivation. Our studies implicate REST in the modulation of the oncogenic potential of Shh signaling and medulloblastoma development.
The role of cancer information seeking behavior in developing and disseminating effective smoking cessation strategies: A comparison of current smokers, former smokers, and never smokers

AbstractConsumers seeking information about their health may use various resources available and may process information differently. Although behavioral and pharmacological methods are effective in reducing smoking behavior, it is unclear how individual characteristics related to cancer seeking information behavior would be useful in developing and disseminating effective smoking cessation programs. The study used the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 2007 survey in which data were collected from 7674 respondents. We used separate multinomial regressions to assess differences in trust of doctors and family/friends across smoking status, race/ethnicity, age, and education. Current smokers will likely be the most skeptical about the information presented to them; however, they trust doctors the most, followed by family/friends. Non-Hispanic Blacks have higher proportions of current smokers and lack of trust in information sources. Age and education were significant predictors overall for th...
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Flexural Deformation of Nickel Nanowires

We study the flexural dynamic deformation behavior of nickel (Ni) nanowire beams due to flexural bending via molecular dynamics simulations. Molecular model configurations of Nickel nanowires are analyzed. The deformational vibration frequencies obtained from molecular dynamics simulations are compared with the natural frequencies based on classical beam theory. The tensile deformation behavior under various strain rates of the Ni nanowires are also analyzed to obtain the required Young's Modulus for such comparisons. The frequency of flexural vibration obtained from molecular dynamics simulation was found to be independent of the magnitude of loading for the two boundary conditions studied. This is consistent with the classical beam theory. The magnitude of frequency based on the continuum classical beam theory was about an order higher compared to the frequency computed from the time displacement data obtained from the molecular dynamics simulations. These computational simulations provide an effective means of understanding the mechanical deformation and structural stability of the metallic nanowires.
Single op-amp proportional-integral compensator with antiwindup

The authors describe an extremely simple, single op-amp proportional+integral compensator that has an inherent antiwindup function. During saturation, it not only stops and resumes the integrator but resets it according to the amount of overload, so under certain circumstances it has better overload handling. Originally, the circuit was developed as the output stage of a proportional-integral-derivative (PID)-type temperature controller. >
Derivation of contact states from geometric models of objects

An efficient algorithm is presented to identify the topological contacts between two contacting polytopes from their geometric models. The algorithm extends the result of the polytope distance algorithm by Gilbert et. al (1988) by exploring local topological information. Its worst-case time complexity is O(N+n/sub e/v//sup 2/), where N is the total number of vertices of two contacting polytopes and n/sub e/v/ is the average number of edges at one vertex. The algorithm is fully implemented and used in a computer simulation system for a contact-based fine motion planning scheme. With its great efficiency and effectiveness, the algorithm can be used in any computer modeling and simulation environment which require reasoning about topological contacts.