cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“That Guy is Gay and Black. That’s a Red Flag.” How HIV Stigma and Racism Affect Perception of Risk Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men

Young Black men who have sex with men’s (YBMSM) attitudes and personal beliefs about themselves and their risk for HIV can be modified as a result of experiences with racism and HIV stigma. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 HIV-negative YBMSM, aged 18–24, in North Carolina and Maryland. Data were thematically analyzed to capture participants’ experiences and thoughts related to stigmatizing experiences and their perception of risk for HIV. Participants reported experiencing HIV stigmatizing and blatant racist commentary related to their identities as YBMSM. Participants described diverse strategies to distance themselves from these negative stereotypes and decrease their sexual risk for HIV. The findings highlight that HIV stigma and racial stereotypes are one of the many types of discrimination that YBMSM experience within the Black and gay communities and in society; leading to psychological distress and an altered perception of self and sexual risk.
A TESOL Practicum in the USA

The present chapter explores the complexity and diversity of the TESOL practicum offered through second language teacher education programmes in the United States. The TESOL practicum is seen here as a mediating tool necessary for student teachers to begin theorizing practice and making sense of who they are as teachers and members of a professional community of practice. Unique to the US is the multiple and varied opportunities for field experiences throughout a TESOL teacher education programme. To exemplify the design and implementation of these practical experiences, this chapter presents the case of an MA TESOL Program at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont. After situating TESOL teacher education in the context of English language learning and teaching in the US, the chapter explores the ways in which the TESOL practicum in this case is designed, supervised, and evaluated. Strengths, such as the variety of field experiences and opportunities for students to join a community of practice are highlighted. In addition, key challenges such as identifying cooperating teachers and ensuring that teacher educators engage in ongoing professional development are explored. The chapter concludes with future directions and trends for TESOL educators to consider in light of the reflection on this programme.
A Controlled Slip: Training Propulsion via Acceleration of the Trailing Limb

Walking function, which is critical to performing many activities of daily living, is commonly assessed by walking speed. Walking speed is dependent on propulsion, which is governed by ankle moment and the posture of the trailing limb during push-off. Here, we present a new gait training paradigm that utilizes a dual belt treadmill to train both components of propulsion by accelerating the belt of the trailing limb during push off. Accelerations require subjects to produce greater propulsive force to counteract inertial effects, and increase trailing limb angle through increased belt velocity. We hypothesized that exposure to our training p rogram would produce after effects in propulsion mechanics and, consequently, walking speed. We tested our protocol on healthy subjects at two acceleration magnitudes-Perceptible (PE), and Imperceptible, (IM)-and compared their results to a third control group (VC) that walked at a higher velocity during training. Results show that the PE group significantly increased walking speed following training (mean {+/-} s.e.m: 0.073 {+/-} 0.013 m/s, p < 0.001). The change in walking speed in the IM and VC groups was not significant at the group level (IM: 0.032 {+/-} 0.013 m/s; VC: -0.003 {+/-} 0.013 m/s). Responder analysis showed that changes in push-off posture and in neuro-motor control of ankle plantar-flexor muscles contributed to the larger increases in gait speed measured in the PE group compared to the IM and VC groups. Analysis of the effects during and after training suggest that changes in neuromotor coordination are consistent with use-dependent learning.
A Non-Reciprocal Surface Acoustic Wave Filter Based on Asymmetrical Delay Lines and Parametric Interactions

In this work, we demonstrate a novel topology combining the large delays available in acoustic devices with parametric amplification to obtain non-reciprocal propagation of forward and reverse RF signal. The device can operate in a phase-coherent degenerate mode for an optimum gain of 12.7dB and an isolation of 18.3dB. In a degenerate phase incoherent mode, the device is capable of 3.1 dB of gain and 5.2 dB of isolation.
Evidence for skin-deep resilience using a co-twin control design: Effects on low-grade inflammation in a longitudinal study of youth.

Abstract This study tested the skin-deep resilience hypothesis – that low socioeconomic status (SES) youth who are working hard to succeed in life experience good psychological and educational outcomes but at a cost to their physical health – in a sample of monozygotic (MZ) twins. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) contained a sample of 226 MZ twin pairs at Wave 1 (M age = 16 years), of whom 141 pairs completed the Wave 4 assessment 13 years later (M age = 29 years). Family SES was measured at Wave 1 via income, education, and occupation. Conscientiousness was measured at Wave 4 as an indicator of those who were working hard to succeed in life. Outcomes measured at Wave 4 included low-grade inflammation (C-reactive protein, CRP), mental health (depression, problematic alcohol use), and academic success (educational attainment). A co-twin control design was utilized which directly compared within-twin differences in the association between conscientiousness and life outcomes. Main effects of between-twin conscientiousness were found such that higher levels of conscientiousness were associated with higher educational attainment, fewer symptoms of depression, and less problematic alcohol use, across all SES groups. An interaction between family SES and within-twin difference in conscientiousness was found for CRP, such that, among twins growing up in lower SES households, the twin with higher levels of conscientiousness had higher levels of CRP. These patterns provide support for the phenomenon of skin-deep resilience using a twin methodology that reduces the possibility of confounding by shared genetic and environmental factors.
A Geometric Theory for Robotic Manipulators Represented as Singular Control Systems

In this article, dynamics of the constrained robotic manipulators have been investigated with the use of a geometric approach. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of the solutions were derived for such systems. The proposed approach can be utilized for the dynamic investigations of the constrained robotic systems that are in contact with rigid frictionless surfaces in their working regime. The robotic manipulators were modeled as singular (semi-state, descriptor) systems so that dynamics originated from the environment interactions could be incorporated. The controllability condition of the system state implied that it was possible to steer the system from any initial to any final position within a predefined time window. The sufficient controllability conditions of such systems were based on the generalized Lyapunov equation that was derived while the geometric approach was used. The sufficient algebraic conditions were derived for controllability testing. The presented methodology could be used as a foundation for further investigations of the nonlinear time-variable and time-discrete singular systems.
Good Robots, Bad Robots: Morally Valenced Behavior Effects on Perceived Mind, Morality, and Trust

Both robots and humans can behave in ways that engender positive and negative evaluations of their behaviors and associated responsibility. However, extant scholarship on the link between agent evaluations and valenced behavior has generally treated moral behavior as a monolithic phenomenon and largely focused on moral deviations. In contrast, contemporary moral psychology increasingly considers moral judgments to unfold in relation to a number of moral foundations (care, fairness, authority, loyalty, purity, liberty) subject to both upholding and deviation. The present investigation seeks to discover whether social judgments of humans and robots emerge differently as a function of moral foundation-specific behaviors. This work is conducted in two studies: (1) an online survey in which agents deliver observed/mediated responses to moral dilemmas and (2) a smaller laboratory-based replication with agents delivering interactive/live responses. In each study, participants evaluate the goodness of and blame for six foundation-specific behaviors, and evaluate the agent for perceived mind, morality, and trust. Across these studies, results suggest that (a) moral judgments of behavior may be agent-agnostic, (b) all moral foundations may contribute to social evaluations of agents, and (c) physical presence and agent class contribute to the assignment of responsibility for behaviors. Findings are interpreted to suggest that bad behaviors denote bad actors, broadly, but machines bear a greater burden to behave morally, regardless of their credit- or blame-worthiness in a situation.
Progression of behavioral deficits during periadolescent development differs in female and male DISC1 knockout rats

Mutations in the disrupted in schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) gene are associated with an increased risk of developing psychological disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Assessing the impact of knocking out genes, like DISC1, in animal models provides valuable insights into the relationship between the gene and behavioral outcomes. Previous research has relied on mouse models to assess these impacts, however these may not yield as reliable or rich a behavioral analysis as can be obtained using rats. Thus, the goal of the present study was to characterize the behavioral effects of a biallelic functional deletion of the DISC1 gene in the Sprague Dawley rat. Female and male wild type and DISC1 knockout rats were assessed beginning just prior to weaning and during the post-weaning periadolescent period. The primary outcomes evaluated were activity, anxiety, responses to novel objects and conspecifics, and prepulse inhibition. These behaviors were selected as analogous indices of psychological dysfunction in humans. The DISC1 knockout had significant effects on behavior, although the kind and magnitude of deficits was different for females and males: in females, effects included hyperactivity, aversion to novelty, and a modest prepulse inhibition deficit; in males, effects in anxiety and neophobia were mild but their prepulse inhibition deficit was large. These data confirm that the DISC1 knockout rat model is an excellent way to reproduce and study symptoms of psychological disorders and provides compelling evidence for differential consequences of its dysfunction for females and males in the progression and emergence of specific behavioral deficits.
Quantum theory of a bandpass Purcell filter for qubit readout

The measurement fidelity of superconducting transmon and Xmon qubits is partially limited by the qubit energy relaxation through the resonator into the transmission line, which is also known as the Purcell effect. One way to suppress this energy relaxation is to employ a filter which impedes microwave propagation at the qubit frequency. We present semiclassical and quantum analyses for the bandpass Purcell filter realized by E. Jeffrey et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 190504 (2014)]. For typical experimental parameters, the bandpass filter suppresses the qubit relaxation rate by up to two orders of magnitude while maintaining the same measurement rate. We also show that in the presence of a microwave drive the qubit relaxation rate further decreases with increasing drive strength.
The role of nonconserved amino acid residues of the transmembrane (TM) regions in functional modulation of human P-glycoprotein

591 ATP-dependent drug transport by the human P-glycoprotein (Pgp, ABCB1) contributes to cellular resistance against and poor bioavailability of many anticancer and antimicrobial agents. Successful pharmacological intervention of the drug transport function of Pgp could lead to improved efficacy of many therapeutic agents that are otherwise ineffective being substrates of the efflux pump. For strategic designing of such compounds, it is essential to understand the mode of action and sites of interaction of Pgp inhibitors (also called modulators) from the existing repertoire. Towards achieving that goal, we have generated a library of Pgp mutants with single amino acid substitutions (with alanine) in the transmembrane (TM) regions replacing the residues that are not strictly conserved among its mammalian homologs and less likely to be involved in the normal functioning of the protein. The mutant proteins were expressed in insect cells using a baculovirus-mediated expression system, and studied for their ability to interact with modulators of diverse chemical origin. Effect on substrate binding, as well as, ATP hydrolysis were studied in inside-out membrane vesicles. Initial characterization of the mutants allowed us to group the residues under three different classes. Some of the residues contribute to modulation in a selective manner, replacement of which with alanine affected modulatory potential of either the thioxanthenes (such as flupentixol) or the antiarythmics (verapamil), but not both. Whereas, the second group represents residues that play a more general role in modulation, substitution of which by alanine affect modulatory potential of both classes of modulators. Interestingly, the third group comprises amino acid residues that have a selective role, either contributing to modulation of ATP hydrolysis or to substrate interaction, suggesting distinct pathways of communication with the ATP- and the substrate- sites. A more detailed analysis of the effect of thioxanthene derivatives reveals that the residues in TM12 are most likely involved in modulator recognition, where as those in TM6 seem to be responsible for translating the modulatory effects. We are currently extending our studies to correlate the observed effect of the mutations on modulation of ATP hydrolysis and substrate binding to inhibition of drug transport.
Abstract 20: Honokiol radiosensitizes squamous cells carcinoma of head and neck by down-regulation of survivin

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Background: Overexpression of survivin is associated with resistance to radiotherapy and poor survival in many cancer types. However, in squamous cells carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN), previous studies have revealed diverging results regarding survivin's role in clinical outcome. In this study, we aim to 1) evaluate the clinical significance of survivin expression in SCCHN; 2) identify the function of survivin on DNA damage repair following ionizing radiation (IR) in SCCHN cells; 3) investigate the potential of using honokiol, a nature compound, to enhance radiation therapy through down regulation of survivin. Methods: Protein expression of survivin in SCCHN patient primary tissues (n = 99) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinical parameters. IR-sensitive (JHU-022), IR -insensitive (PCI-15A, Tu212), and IR acquired resistance (PCI-15A-R) SCCHN cell lines were used to evaluate the role of survivin in DNA double strain break repairer following RT. The in vitro effects of and potential molecular targets of honokiol were also evaluated using those cell lines. Results: Overexpression of survivin is significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, worse overall survival and worse disease free survival in patients receiving radiation therapy (n = 65) and in all patients with SCCHN (n = 99). In SCCHN cells, depletion of survivin by siRNA inhibited, whereas overexpression of survivin increased, clonogenic survival following IR. IR induces nuclear accumulation of survivin and complexation with γ-H2X, and DNA-PKCs, suggesting survivin is involved in DNA damage response and repair induced by IR. Further, honokiol significantly reduces survivin expression and increases DNA damage induced by IR, as demonstrated by higher amount of DNA breaks and an increased amount of γ-H2X foci post IR. Conclusions: Survivin is a negative prognostic factor in SCCHN, and is involved in DNA damage response and repair induced by IR in SCCHN cells. Down regulation of survivin by honokiol enhances the efficacy of IR, and may provide a novel therapeutic approach to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy in SCCHN. (This research was supported by the National Cancer Institute award P50 CA128613, and GCC Distinguished Cancer Scholar to Dong M. Shin, Zhuo (Georgia) Chen, and Jonathan J Beitler) Citation Format: Xu Wang, Jonathan J. Beitler, Wen Huang, Guoqing Qian, Kelly Magliocca, Jun Zhang, Sreenivas Nannapaneni, Sungjin Kim, Zhengjia Chen, Saba F. Nabil, Zhuo G. Chen, Jack L. Arbiser, Dong M. Shin. Honokiol radiosensitizes squamous cells carcinoma of head and neck by down-regulation of survivin. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 20. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-20
Vector Bundles and Chern Classes

We will construct, for any vector bundle E on a scheme X, Chern class operations $$c_{i}\left ( E \right)\cap \_:A_{k}\,X\rightarrow A_{k-i}\,X,$$ satisfying properties expected from topology. From the special case of line bundles done in § 2.5, we first construct inverse Chern classes, or Segre classes, which are then inverted to produce Chern classes. The first Chern class operations are also used to describe A * E and A * P (E) in terms of A * X.
Molecular basis for differential modulation of BK channel voltage-dependent gating by auxiliary γ subunits

Large conductance Ca2+- and voltage-activated potassium (BK) channels are comprised of pore-forming α subunits and various regulatory auxiliary subunits. The BK channel auxiliary γ (BKγ) subunits are a newly identified class of proteins containing an extracellular leucine-rich repeat domain (LRRD), a single transmembrane (TM) segment, and a short cytoplasmic C-terminal tail (C-tail). Although each of the four BKγ proteins shifts the voltage dependence of BK channel activation in a hyperpolarizing direction, they show markedly different efficacies, mediating shifts over a range of 15–145 mV. Analyses of chimeric BKγ subunits created by swapping individual structural elements, and of BKγ deletion and substitution mutants, revealed that differential modulation of BK gating by the four BKγ subunits depends on a small region consisting of the TM segment and the adjacent intracellular cluster of positively charged amino acids. The γ1 and γ2 TM segments contributed approximately −100 mV, and the γ1 and γ3 C-tails contributed approximately −40 mV, to shifting the voltage dependence of BK channel activation, whereas the γ3 and γ4 TM segments and the γ2 and γ4 C-tails contributed much less. The large extracellular LRRDs were mainly functionally interchangeable, although the γ1 LRRD was slightly less effective at enhancing (or slightly more effective at attenuating) the shift in BK channel voltage-dependent gating toward hyperpolarizing potentials than those of the other BKγ subunits. Analysis of mutated BKγ subunits revealed that juxta-membrane clusters of positively charged amino acids determine the functions of the γ1 and γ3 C-tails. Therefore, the modulatory functions of BKγ subunits are coarse- and fine-tuned, respectively, through variations in their TM segments and in the adjacent intracellular positively charged regions. Our results suggest that BK channel modulation by auxiliary γ subunits depends on intra- and/or juxta-membrane mechanisms.
The application of novel environmentally friendly batteries in HV substations

Currently most existing transmission and distribution substations are equipped with lead-acid batteries. These batteries are used as an emergency power supply for critical loads and therefore play a crucial role in substation availability. However the lead-acid batteries are big, heavy, and require regular maintenance. These disadvantages inhibit substation development in areas which have limited space and also need more emergency capability due to having more DC motors and actuators connected. With technology development and cost reduction requirement, relative to lead-acid, lithium-ion batteries now offer an attractive combination of “greener” materials, compact, light, maintenance free, long life and high power and energy density. This paper presents the lithium-ion battery characteristics and the integration of lithium-ion batteries into substations. Simulation and experimental results presented show that the application of lithium-ion batteries is a better choice for substation back up power. It can reduce substantially the substation footprint, eliminate the some of the routine maintenance, and is more environmentally friendly than lead acid.
Stability of frame-based maximal weight matching algorithms with reconfiguration delays

It has been shown that maximal weight matching algorithms for input-queued switches are stable under any admissible traffic conditions with a speedup of 2. As link speeds increase, the computational complexity of these algorithms limits their applicability in high port-density switches and routers. In frame-based maximal weight matching (FMWM), a new scheduling decision is generated once every several packet times, as opposed to on a packet-by-packet basis. Between new scheduling decisions, the configuration of the crossbar switch remains unchanged. We show that the FMWM algorithm is also stable with a speedup of 2 and obtain the speedup required for stability in systems with non-negligible reconfiguration delays. Simulation results illustrate the impact of the frame size on the delay experienced by arriving packets under different traffic scenarios.
Modernization of Legacy Application Software

Legacy application software is typically written in a dialect of Fortran, and must be reprogrammed to run on today’s microprocessor-based multicomputer architectures. We describe our experiences in modernizing a legacy direct numerical simulation (DNS) code with the KeLP software infrastructure. The resultant code runs on the IBM SP2 with higher numerical resolutions than possible with the legacy code running on a vector mainframe.
Sleep duration and endometrial cancer risk

Recent data indicate that night shift work is associated with increased endometrial cancer risk, perhaps through a pathway involving lower melatonin production. Melatonin is an antiestrogenic hormone, with production in a circadian pattern that is dependent on presence of dark at night. Sleep duration is positively associated with melatonin production and may be an indicator of melatonin levels in epidemiologic studies. We evaluated associations between self-reported sleep duration and endometrial cancer risk using publicly available prospective data on 48,725 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study, among whom 452 adjudicated incident cases of endometrial cancer were diagnosed over approximately 7.5 years of follow-up. Sleep duration was self-reported at baseline. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for endometrial cancer risk with adjustment for potential confounders. Most women reported sleeping ≤6 (33.3%) or 7 (38.5%) h each night; fewer reported sleeping 8 (23.4%) or ≥9 (4.8%) h each night. In adjusted analyses, there was an indication of reduced risk associated with longer sleep duration, though no statistically significant association was observed. Women who slept ≥9 h had a nonsignificant reduced risk of endometrial cancer compared with women who slept ≤6 h (HR = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.51–1.46). We found weak evidence of an association between sleep duration and endometrial cancer risk. Self-reported sleep duration may not adequately represent melatonin levels, thus further studies utilizing urinary melatonin levels are necessary to establish the mechanism by which night shift work increases endometrial cancer risk.
Time-resolved infrared spectroscopy on the U12IR beamline at the NSLS

A facility for performing time-resolved infrared spectroscopy has been developed at the NSLS, primarily at beamline U12IR. The pulsed IR light from the synchrotron is used to perform pump-probe spectroscopy. We present here a description of the facility and results for the relaxation of photoexcitations in both a semiconductor and superconductor.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Some Effects of Colchicine on Lampbrush Chromosomes

ISOLATED lampbrush chromosomes from the oocytes of many vertebrates have been subjected to various treatments to obtain information about the basic structure and organization of chromosomes. Lamp-brush chromosomes are ideally suited for studies of this kind for they are long (350–850µ), easily isolated and can be treated without fixation and viewed immediately with an inverted phase microscope system1,2. This enables the experimenter to observe the action of the reagents upon the chromosomes soon after treatment and with minimum handling.
Remote web browsing via the phone with teleweb

TeleWeb is an assistive voice-enabled application empowering users to remotely access the Web through the most ubiquitous device - the phone. The uniqueness of the technology is that it enables users to gain access to information from almost anywhere via a plain, old-fashioned telephone. TeleWeb users will be able to call their own personal numbers, authenticate themselves, and then use speech and phone key-pad to remotely browse the Web on their own PCs. TeleWeb may especially appeal to people with vision loss, as well as older adults who may find the phone interface to be more familiar and easier to use. In this paper, I describe the TeleWeb approach and the interface.
Selecting the appropriate setting for management of maxillofacial trauma.

Abstract Maxillofacial trauma patients at the extremes of age, with complex medical problems, who are hemody-namically unstable or who possess concomitant neurologic, cardiothoracic, visceral, or extremities injury, are not candidates for management in an ambulatory facility. Patients with complex maxillofacial injuries that are multiple; adjacent to the globe, neurocranium or paranasal sinuses; or involve specialized tissues are also not candidates for management in an ambulatory facility. Some types of ambulatory facility offer certain advantages over others but also possess certain drawbacks. The simplest procedures are most efficiently, most easily, and most inexpensively treated in the office or emergency room. More complex injuries require more advanced types of ambulatory facility. It must be understood that cost containment and convenience do not necessarily equate with quality care. As surgeons, we must remember to treat the patient and not the price.
Gas chromatography ofCis‐Trans fatty acid isomers on nitrile silicone capillary columns

Three nitrile silicone polymers have been evaluated as liquid phases for gas chromatographic separation of the geometric isomers of methyl oleate, methyl linoleate, and methyl linolenate on capillary columns. A polymer of β-cyanoethylmethylsiloxane proved the most effective. This liquid phase separated oleate from elaidate, resolved the four geometric isomers of linoleate into three peaks, and divided the eight geometric isomers of linolenate into six peaks. Two other copolymers of dimethylsiloxane and β-cyanoethylmethylsiloxane gave poorer resolution ofcis-trans isomers, but showed different elution patterns for the geometric isomers of linoleate and linolenate.
Fingerprinting petroporphyrin structures with vibrational spectroscopy. Part 7. Calculations using density functional theory of the molecular structures and structure-sensitive vibrational modes of type II nickel(II) cycloalkanoporphyrins

Abstract We report density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level on nickel(II) complexes of the geochemically significant cycloalkanoporphyrins, Ni(CAP5–7), that contain a five-, six-, or seven-membered alicyclic ring (E) fused to the pyrrole-β and methine bridge aromatic carbon atoms. The structure of each Ni(CAP) is optimized, with no symmetry constraints, by considering different orientations of the peripheral ethyl groups. The ground state structures demonstrate that the shortening of the nickel–nitrogen bonds is accommodated by out-of-plane ruffling of the porphinato skeleton, in good agreement with the experimental data available. Our results reveal Ni(CAP5) to be slightly ruffled, with an angle between the planes of opposite pyrrole rings of 7.7°, but Ni(CAP6) and Ni(CAP7) have a severe ruffling of the macrocycle, with the corresponding angle of respectively 35.1° and 39.7°. The DFT and scaled quantum mechanical force-field method (DFT–SQM) have been used to calculate the vibrational frequencies of Ni(CAP5–7) in the gas phase. The trends in the DFT–SQM vibrational shifts of the porphyrin structure-sensitive modes (1400–1700 cm −1 ) upon varying the length of the meso ,β-alkano chain are analyzed and compared with those observed previously by us for the solution resonance Raman spectra of Ni(CAP5–7). We are able to verify by theory that the observed frequency downshifts with ring E size are driven by the increasing out-of-plane ruffling distortion.
Electron Emission of Metals in Electric Fields II. Field Dependence of the Surface Photo-Effect

The photoelectric current emitted under the influence of an applied electric field is found to contain a term analogous to the Schottky term for thermionic emission and also a term periodic in the field intensity similar to that recently found and explained for thermionic emission. If frequencies near the threshold are used, then for fields of 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{5}$ volts ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ the periodic term has a magnitude of about four percent of the nonperiodic part of the current. If the photoelectric threshold frequency for zero field is used to eject the electrons, the resultant plot of the nonperiodic part of the photo-current against the field is a straight line for high field intensities. This line gives the most convenient reference system for observing the periodic term; in addition, the use of the zero field threshold gives the fractional magnitude of the periodic term a relatively large value.
Site dependence of the apparent shape of a molecule in scanning tunneling micoscope images: Benzene on Pt{111}

We present scanning tunneling microscope images of benzene adsorbed on the Pt{111} surface. We find three distinct types of images for isolated benzene molecules, depending upon the benzene adsorption site. This site dependence is in agreement with recent theoretical calculations, and may limit the usefulness of the scanning tunneling microscope in elucidating the structures of adsorpted molecules.
Percutaneous Access of the Epicardial Space for Mapping Ventricular and Supraventricular Arrhythmias in Patients With and Without Prior Cardiac Surgery

Percutaneous Epicardial Access. Introduction: There is a paucity of data on the success rates of achieving percutaneous epicardial access in different groups of patients. Methods and Results: Percutaneous epicardial access was attempted in 137 patients having 149 procedures; 19 patients had supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), 25 patients had idiopathic VT and 93 patients had scar-related ventricular tachycardia (VT). Ten patients had prior cardiac surgery. Successful epicardial access was achieved in 133 of 149 (89.3%) procedures. Access was achieved in 17 of 19 (89.5%) patients with SVT, all patients with idiopathic VT, 80 of 93 (86.0%) patients with scar-related VT and in 2 (20%) patients with prior cardiac surgery. Attempted access failed in 16 patients; 8 had prior cardiac surgery and 3 had prior pericarditis. After an initial procedure, repeat access was attempted in 15 patients, 5.1 ± 5.4 months after initial epicardial mapping and ablation. Access was successful in 13 (86.7%) and failed in 2 patients who had pericarditis after their first procedure. Only 4 patients were given intrapericardial glucocorticoid at their first epicardial procedure. Prior cardiac surgery and a history of pericarditis predicted unsuccessful access (P < 0.01). Complications (9 patients) included pericardial bleeding (80–250 mL) and intraabdominal bleeding. Conclusions: In patients without prior cardiac surgery, percutaneous epicardial access can be obtained in the majority of patients. Prior cardiac surgery precludes access in the most patients and when possible adhesions may limit catheter movement. Repeat access is possible in the majority of patients without the installation of intrapericardial glucocorticoid at the first procedure. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 406–411, April 2010)
Multiple Sclerosis Disease Progression and Paradichlorobenzene A Tale of Mothballs and Toilet Cleaner

Importance Environmental factors are thought to be critical in the initiation and perpetuation of multiple sclerosis disease activity. Observations We describe the case of a woman in her late 30s with a diagnosis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, who continued to accumulate neurological disability despite long-term natalizumab treatment. The patient continued to have visual symptoms, left leg weakness, and gait instability. In addition, she subacutely developed an encephalopathy. Our investigations revealed that the patient had a long-standing history of chewing on toilet bowl deodorizing cakes. The main ingredient in this product is 99.9% paradichlorobenzene, which is also used in mothballs. Conclusions and Relevance This case illustrates that environmental causes for neurological deterioration should be investigated in patients with multiple sclerosis who display a rapidly progressive disease course and in whom potent pharmacotherapies fail. One possible cause is the ingestion of paradichlorobenzene-containing mothballs and toilet cleaners.
Clinical utility of the resistive index in atherosclerotic renovascular disease

Objective This retrospective study examines the relationship between the renal resistive index (RI) and blood pressure and renal function response after open and percutaneous intervention for atherosclerotic renovascular disease (AS-RVD). Methods From March 1997 to December 2005, 86 patients (46 women, 40 men; mean age, 68 ± 10 years) underwent renal duplex sonography (RDS), including main renal artery and hilar vessel Doppler interrogation, before treatment of AS-RVD. Of these, 56 patients had open operative repair, and 30 had percutaneous intervention. The RI (1–[EDV/PSV]) was calculated from the kidney with the highest peak systolic velocity (PSV). Hypertension response was graded from preprocedural and postprocedural blood pressure measurements and medication requirements. Renal function response was graded by a ≥20% change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated from the serum creatinine concentration. Results Comorbid conditions, baseline blood pressure, and preoperative renal function were not significantly different between open and percutaneous groups. Baseline characteristics that differed between the percutaneous vs open group were higher mean age (71 ± 11 years vs 67 ± 9 years; P = .05), kidney length (11.3 ± 1.3 cm vs 10.7 ± 1.2 cm; P = .02), proportion of patients with RI ≥0.8 (50% vs 21%; P = .01), and proportion of bilateral AS-RVD (37% vs 80%; P P = .003) and percutaneous intervention ( P = .008) were considered. Specifically, eGFR declined from preprocedure to postprocedure in the patients with RI ≥0.8 after percutaneous repair and in the group analyzed as a whole. Neither systolic nor diastolic pressure after intervention demonstrated an association with RI. Considering all patients and both groups, multivariable proportional hazards regression models demonstrated that RI was predictive of all-cause mortality. RI was the most powerful predictor of death during follow-up (hazard ratio, 6.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.6-17.2; P Conclusion After intervention for AS-RVD, RI was associated with renal function, but not blood pressure response. A strong, independent relationship between RI and mortality was observed for all patients and both treatment groups.
Heat Transfer Enhancement by Delta-Wing-Generated Tip Vortices in Flat-Plate and Developing Channel Flows

Using delta wings placed at the leading edge of a flat plate, streamwise vortices are generated that modify the flow; the same wings are also used to modify a developing channel flow. Local and average measurements of convection coefficients are obtained using naphthalene sublimation, and the structure of the vortices is studied using flow visualisation and vortex strength measurements. The pressure drop penalty associated with the heat transfer enhancement of the channel flow is also investigated. In regions where a vortex induces a surface-normal inflow, the local heat transfer coefficients are found to increase by as much as 300 percent over the baseline flow, depending on vortex strength and location relative to the boundary layer Vortex strength increases with Reynolds number, wing aspect ratio, and wing attack angle, and the vortex strength decays as the vortex is carried downstream. Considering the complete channel. surface, the largest spatially averaged heat average heat transfer enhancement is 55 percent: it is accompanied by a 100 percent increase in the pressure drop relative to the same channel flow with no delta-wing vortex generator.
Privacy, the news media, and the courts

Abstract This article is concerned with the conflict between the news media's position that the public has a ‘'right to know'’ under the free press provision of the First Amendment and the right to privacy under the tort law. The constitutional issue is raised whenever the media print or broadcast accurate, but often embarrassing, facts about a person, or whenever personal information is publicized which an individual prefers not to share with the general public. In unwanted publicity and public disclosure cases, the courts have accorded greater weight to the defendant defenses of consent, news‐worthiness, and media privilege than to the plaintiff's invasion of privacy claim. To remedy this inequity, a two‐tier judicial model is proposed that would have courts balance the two competing interests in such a manner as to enhance individual privacy without diminishing the informational function of the news media.
Selection of Design Parameters for Sealed Lead-Acid Batteries

Sealed batteries offer many advantages over conventional flooded batteries. Design considerations for sealed lead-acid batteries are discussed with emphasis on batteries for telecommunications applications. Charge, discharge and water loss characteristics are also discussed.
Differences in diagnostic evaluation and clinical outcomes in the care of patients with chest pain based on admitting service: The benefits of a dedicated chest pain unit

Background Chest pain is one of the most common complaints of patients presenting at emergency departments. However, the most appropriate diagnostic evaluation for patients with chest pain but without acute coronary syndrome remains controversial, and differs greatly among institutions and physicians. At our institution, patients with chest pain can be admitted to an internist-run hospitalist service, a private attending service, or a cardiologist-run Chest Pain Unit. The goal of the present study was to compare the management and outcomes of patients admitted with chest pain based on admitting service.
Family-group names for termites (Isoptera), redux

Forty-eight family-group names are identified for insects among the Isoptera (termites), representing a nearly 19% increase since the last compilation less than 10 years ago. Accordingly, these names are newly catalogued, including various updates from the original summary. The name Reticulitermitidae is recognized as a nomen nudum while Caatingatermitinae is newly considered a nomen invalidum, and neither is available in zoological nomenclature. A catalogue of the suprafamilial names for Isoptera is appended. The name Xylophagodea is formally proposed for the Isoptera + Cryptocercidae clade.
Effects of Reduced Bit-Depth on Phase Data in Common-Path Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract We report the effects of reduced digitization resolution on phase data in a common-path SD-OCT system. Nuances of common-path systems lead to different responses to bit-depth than in non-common-path systems.
Collisionless multiphoton energy deposition and dissociation of S F 6

We have made careful absolute measurements of the collisionless multiphoton energy deposition in S${\mathrm{F}}_{6}$ for C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ laser pulses of varying duration and energy fluence. Likewise, we have also measured the absolute dissociation yields. An experimental plot of yield versus energy deposition shows that the energy distribution function is nearly thermal, becoming somewhat broader than thermal for the longer pulse durations. A "bottlenecking effect" of molecules in the discrete level region is held responsible for this smearing of the population distribution function.
SAR by MS: Discovery of a New Class of RNA-Binding Small Molecules for the Hepatitis C Virus: Internal Ribosome Entry Site IIA Subdomain

A new class of small molecules that bind the HCV RNA IRES IIA subdomain with sub-micromolar affinity is reported. The benzimidazole ‘hit' 1 with a KD ∼100 μM to a 29-mer RNA model of Domain IIA was...
Image degradation in PACS

For PACS to be clinically desirable, transmiued imagery must be optimized for the various clinical and research tasks. There are several processes that potentially degrade the diagnostic utility of the iransmitted imagery. We examined our CommView PACS system at San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) to determine if imagery was altered from the original during passage into and through PACS, and whether the alteration had any discernable effect on current or projected clinical utility of the imagery. Related operational considerations were also examined. This limited review of our CommView system indicates that the attenuation of the image data by frame-grabbing and inability of the workstation to work with processed rather than formatted data from computed radiography limits the potential capabilities of the workstation. The reversible compression algorithm for imagery archival functioned well, but serious high frequency aliasing was introduced in imagery reduced for transmission to remote viewing stations.
PARENTERAL NUTRITION IN ACUTE TUBULAR NECROSIS AND ANOREXIA NERVOSA

A sixteen year old girl sustained a 35% weight loss (52 to 34 kg) secondary to anorexia nervosa over a 5 month period. Acute renal failure occurred after two consecutive episodes of hypovolemic and hypoglycemic shock. Acute tubular necrosis was confirmed by kidney biopsy. Parenteral feeding with 50% dextrose and 2.1% synthetic amino acid solution at 300 ml per m2 per day plus replacement of urine output was instituted. Intravenous feeding was maintained for 15 days. Diuresis began on the 22nd day and she went on to complete recovery. To investigate the endogenous acid production under the dual impact of starvation and total intravenous feeding, the technique of estimating endogenous acid production by Relman et al (JCI 40: 1921, 1961) was applied. Mean values for the patient and controls (in brackets) are presented in uEq/min/1.73m2: sulfuric acid production, 7.8 ± 0.8 (25.9 ± 3.5); hydrogen ion production incident to organic anion excreation, 7.8 ± 0.8 (25.9 ± 3.5); urinary sulfur, 1.3 ± 0.1 (7.6 ± 3.8) and the infusate sulfur 2.5 ± 0.5 (7.9 ± 0.1). The data indicate retention by the patient of 50% of the sulfur infused; this suggests that the sulfur was utilized in new tissue formation for this severely malnourished patient.
Weaver mutation has differential effects on the dopamine- containing innervation of the limbic and nonlimbic striatum.

Ungerstedt1 observed that the dopamine-containing innervation of the forebrain can be divided into two parts: a nigrostriatal system, originating mainly in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra and innervating the caudoputamen; and a mesolimbic system arising mainly in the ventral tegmental area and innervating the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle. This classification has since been modified and extended with the discovery of the mesocortical dopamine system2,3. The original distinction between nigrostriatal and mesolimbic systems nevertheless was pivotal in suggesting that the basal ganglia are related to limbic as well as to sensorimotor functions, and remains of interest because dopaminergic mechanisms may be implicated not only in the aetiology of sensorimotor impairments such as those of Parkinson's disease4, but also in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia5–7. The striatal targets of the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal systems are now known to be distinct also in terms of forebrain connections, despite some overlap of fibre projections18,19. The nucleus accumbens–olfactory tubercle region and abutting caudoputamen (together called the ‘ventral’ or ‘limbic’ striatum) are characteristically related to limbic parts of the forebrain, whereas the large remainder of the caudoputamen (the ‘dorsal’ or ‘non-limbic’ striatum) is most closely related to sensorimotor regions19,20,34. We report here evidence that the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal systems are differentially affected in the mutant mouse weaver, and in particular that dopamine is severely depleted in the dorsal striatum of weaver but relatively spared in the ventral striatum. We conclude that dopamine-containing fibre systems innervating the limbic and non-limbic striatum can be influenced separately in genetic disease and that genetic control, whether direct or indirect, may be exerted at the single-gene level.
Liquid drops on vertical and inclined surfaces: II. A method for approximating drop shapes

In this article, a new method is proposed to approximate the shapes of liquid drops on vertical and inclined surfaces. Based on observations from Part I, the profile of a drop at a given azimuthal angle is approximated by two circles sharing a common tangent at the maximum height. The drop volume is obtained by integrating all profiles over the circumference of the base. The volume is thus described as a function of the contact angles and the three-phase contact line. The new method accurately predicts the volumes of drops tested in Part I and independent measurements from the literature. Simplifying the drop shape to a spherical cap can lead to a 75% error in drop-volume prediction. The proposed method is used to study the effect of drop parameters on volume prediction. The two-circle geometry can also be used to measure contact angles from profile images.