cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electron and ion magnetohydrodynamic effects in plasma opening switches

Preliminary results are presented of a numerical code designed to investigate electron and ion magnetohydrodynamic effects in plasma erosion opening switches. The present model is one-dimensional and resolves effects such as the J×B deformation of the plasma, and the penetration of magnetic field either by anomalous resistivity or electron magnetohydrodynamics (Hall effect). Comparisons with exact analytic results and experiment are made.
SiGe and SiGeC surface alloy formation using high dose implantation and solid phase epitaxy

SiGe is a promising alloy system for VLSI technology. In this study, surface SiGe and SiGeC alloys were formed using high-dose germanium and carbon implantation and subsequent solid phase epitaxial growth (SPEG). RBS channeling spectra and cross-sectional TEM studies show that high quality SiGe and SiGeC alloys were formed with germanium concentration up to 8 at.%, while extended defects were formed in the alloys with 16 at.% germanium. X-ray diffraction experiments show that carbon reduces the lattice strain in SiGe alloys. However, no significant crystallinity improvement was observed under RBS channeling spectra or XTEM observations. Excessive carbon dose also introduces polycrystalline layer formation. Deep level states were found in carbon implanted wafers using temperature dependent Hall effect measurements.
The Internet Library: case studies of library internet management and use

Services: "Electronic Reserve: The Library Goes to the People," Tom Delaney "BARD and the Bodleian Library," Richard Gartner "Implementing PC Gopher in a College Library," Steven J. Herro "Planning Basics for a Library FTP Site: The 'Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge' at Smithsonian Institution Libraries," Martin R. Kalfatovic "Internet Access to ILL at Colorado State University," Jane Smith. Settings: "ABARE Library and AARNet/ Internet," Stephen Benson, Leanne Hoctor, and Paul Morgan "The Internet and the One-Person Special Library," Trudy Katz "The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: Saving Internet Access," Lynda Williams. Training: "Internet Training at the Ohio State University: The Process, the Product, the Potential," Karen Diaz and Helena Vonville "The Electronic Researcher and the School of Computing Sciences at the University of Technology, Sydney," Mireille Eid "Teaching the Internet: An Undergraduate Liberal Arts College Experience," Jeanne Stevens and Terri Fisher "Moving Towards Internet Literacy on the University Campus," Warren-Wenk "An Internet Workshop for Lebanon Valley College Faculty and Staff: 'Striking it Rich with the Internet," Michael C. Zeigler and Donna L. Miller.
Hybrid micro- and nanobiomechanical systems: a control perspective

Control issues pertaining to the integration of hybrid systems consisting of micro- and nanofabricated structures and biological pails are presented. Our research has ranged from the biomolecular level (with focus oil the use of the ATPase as a motor structure) to micrometer-scale muscle tissue integration. This integration makes it possible to incorporate biological complexity in the resulting systems, ultimately leading to the realization of systems that had never before been feasible, with applications that can include medical implants, autonomous sensors, and portable bioanalysis systems.
Critique of “Preventing and treating periodontal disease with the Keyes technique: A preliminary assessment”

Abstract Drs. Scheffler and Rovin attempted to convert a descriptive compilation of case reports into something more. In so doing they chose to ignore the results of longitudinal controlled and descriptive studies which are available in the literature. They made more of their data than they should have, while at the same time they did not collect or report on information which should have been available from retrospective chart review. Their suggestion for a randomized clinical trial misses the main point. This presentation, therfore, may do the Keyes technique an injustice.
Ceramics, kinship, and space: A Kalinga example

Abstract Kalinga household pottery inventory data are used to evaluate relationships between social and spatial relations. Two objectives guide the research discussed in this paper: (1) to examine assemblage variability in pottery-producing and pottery-consuming villages; and (2) to explore differences in ceramic patterning between households in two pottery-consuming villages. These disparities reflect separate sets of social relations that each pottery-consuming village has with the two pottery-producing villages. We discuss archaeological implications of our distributional analysis in our concluding comments.
Growth of YBa2Cu3O7−δ on alkaline earth flouride substrates and thin films

Abstract The growth and characterization of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ (YBCO) thin films grown by laser ablation on MgF 2 (100), CaF 2 (100), SrF 2 (100), and BaF 2 (100) substrates, and on CaF 2 and BaF 2 thin films on LaAlO 3 (100) substrates, are described. High quality superconducting YBCO films could be grown directly only on the BaF 2 substrates and thin films. YBCO films grown directly on MgF 2 or CaF 2 substrates were insulating and showed clear signs of interdiffusion and reaction, as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Superconducting YBCO films could be grown on SrF 2 and CaF 2 substrates and thin films only with an yttria-stabilized zirconia buffer layer and/or with a low YBCO growth temperature, while YBCO grown on MgF 2 yielded insulating films for all growth conditions investigated. The highest quality YBCO films were obtained on BaF 2 substrates ( T c =87.6 K, ΔT c =0.3 K). These results are discussed in terms of the thermodynamic stability of possible reaction products and the temperature dependence of the ionic mobilities.
Detecting early glaucomatous visual field changes with a blue stimulus.

We used a blue stimulus on the Friedmann visual field analyzer for static spot-checking for glaucomatous defects. In the 60 eyes tested, the blue stimulus was not more sensitive in detecting glaucomatous defects than the white stimulus.
Women's health research agenda for the next decade. A report by the Women's Health Expert Panel of the American Academy of Nursing.

Abstract Research in women’s health has regained momentum with the recent release of several reports from various institutes and organizations. The Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) of the National Institutes of Health and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) both reported on women’s health research. Within a year, Congress enacted the Affordable Care Act, stipulating support for clinical preventive services for women, prompting further reports focused on clinical care for women. These two research-dominant reports (NIH ORWH and the IOM) are the subject of this manuscript. The purpose is to outline and critically analyze the reports from a grounded nursing perspective and to propose a complementary and expanded agenda for furthering research in women’s health. A separate manuscript analyzes and makes recommendations based on additional reports about clinical services and policies that will benefit the health status of women.
Resonant absorption of Alfvenic surface waves and the heating of solar coronal loops

A first-order mass- and energy-balance model is developed for steady-state EUV 'coronal rain' loops that are not associated with postflare events and are often seen over sunspot umbrae. The model disregards variations in a loop's thermodynamic and magnetic properties along magnetic-field lines and yields average properties of the resonant absorption sheath, the boundary layer, and the loop's interior. Both irreversible heating by Alfvenic surface waves and energy transport via induced boundary-layer convection are taken into account in the analysis. Results that include predictions of the temperatures of the sheath and the boundary-layer plasma, the temperature of the interior plasma, the radiative output of the loop, and the filling factor associated with this radiation are given in terms of the period and velocity amplitude of the relevant surface wave as well as various parameters that characterize a typical 'coronal rain' loop. These results are shown to be consistent with the observed minimum and maximum temperatures as well as the radiative output of typical 'coronal rain' loops.
Representing Ocean Eddies in Climate Models

Numerical models of the Earth`s atmosphere and oceans are used to simulate the behavior of the climate system, to assess likely impacts of greenhouse warming, and recently, to predict some aspects of climate fluctuations on time scales up to a year. Typically, the ocean is represented by a large number of grid boxes some hundreds of meters deep. The equations of motion are marched forward in time for each grid box, in steps whose length must be decreased if the grid length is decreased. As a result, cutting grid length in half in every direction increases computational cost by an order of magnitude. Developing models that are fast enough, even on massively parallel computers, to run long climate simulations with smaller grid size is thus widely regarded as one of the grand challenges for scientific computing. But there is an even greater challenge to increasing the fidelity of climate models: improving the representation of the aggregate effect of processes that occur at scales smaller than the model grid size. This perspective article discusses work in the area of ocean eddies and their relationship to climate. 11 refs.
Absorption of slow negative kaons in hydrogen and deuterium

The transition probabilities for the competing reactions resulting from the absorption of slow negative kaons in hydrogen and deuterium have been calculated on the basis of a simple model. Computations were carried out for scalar and pseudoscalar coupling of the kaon from the Is and2p orbitals of the appropriate K-mesio atom. The absorption from the2p state is enhanced with respect to the pion case because of the smaller size of the orbit. This effect tends to reduce the possibility of distinguishing between the scalar and pseudoscalar character of the kaon coupling in strong interactions. The emission of a single pion is favoured for deuterium as well as for hydrogen. Qualitative conclusions are drawn concerning the relative importance of the other modes of kaon absorption in both hydrogen and deuterium.
An electronic visual stimulator

A group of circuits is described that produce various patterns on an oscilloscope screen that are useful in studying vision. These patterns are: a flashing bar, a drifting bar, a flashing grating, and a drifting grating. The circuits have controls for: contrast, velocity, width, position, and orientation with respect to the vertical. This article describes the principles of design and use of these circuit modules as a precise electronic visual stimulator.
Spinal cord compression in beta-thalassemia: case report and review of the literature.

Study design: A case report of thoracic spinal cord compression in a 34-year-old male with beta-thalassemia is reported. Objectives: In patients with thalassemia, neurologic complaints should lead to a high index of suspicion for spinal cord compression from marrow expansion, ectopic bone formation and resultant stenosis. Initial presentation, diagnosis, radiographic findings, surgical treatment and follow-up are reviewed. Setting: This case is reported from Chicago, Illinois. Method: A chart review is performed for the purposes of this case report. Results: Patient underwent decompressive laminectomy with good surgical outcome. Conclusion: Rapid diagnosis and treatment of such a condition is essential to optimize the chances of recovery.
Water Bridges in Electropermeabilized Phospholipid Bilayers

Pulsed electric field permeabilization of living cell membranes forms the basis for widely used biotechnology protocols and an increasing number of therapeutic applications. Experimental observations of artificial membranes and whole cells and molecular and analytical models provide evidence that a membrane-spanning, hydrophilic, conductive pore can form in nanoseconds. An external electric field lowers the energy barrier for this stochastic process, reducing the mean time for pore formation and increasing the pore areal density. Molecular dynamic simulations reveal the key role played by interfacial water in electropermeabilization. These model systems, validated in the laboratory, are deepening our understanding of the factors governing pore initiation, construction, and lifetime, knowledge that will translate to enhanced utilization of this method in biomedicine and bioengineering.
From engineering diagrams to engineering models: Visual recognition and applications

We present a computational recognition approach to convert network-like, image-based engineering diagrams into engineering models with which computations of interests, such as CAD modeling, simulation, information retrieval and semantic-aware editing, are enabled. The proposed approach is designed to work on diagrams produced using computer-aided drawing tools or hand sketches, and does not rely on temporal information for recognition. Our approach leverages a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) as a trainable engineering symbol recognizer. The CNN is capable of learning the visual features of the defined symbol categories from a few user-supplied prototypical diagrams and a set of synthetically generated training samples. When deployed, the trained CNN is applied either to the entire input diagram using a multi-scale sliding window or, where applicable, to each isolated pixel cluster obtained through Connected Component Analysis (CCA). Then the connectivity between the detected symbols are analyzed to obtain an attributed graph representing the engineering model conveyed by the diagram. We evaluate the performance of the approach with benchmark datasets and demonstrate its utility in different application scenarios, including the construction and simulation of control system or mechanical vibratory system models from hand-sketched or camera-captured images, content-based image retrieval for resonant circuits and sematic-aware image editing for floor plans.
Treatment of a hypodermic needle phobia by in vivo systematic desensitization

Abstract This article reports on the successful treatment of a hypodermic needle phobia in 10 sessions, using in vivo systematic desensitization. A description of the procedure is given. It is suggested that this treatment is well suited to the alleviation of pain when the experience of pain is compounded by fear and anxiety.
Negative correlation of cigarette smoking and dysmenorrhea: reduced prostaglandin synthesis due to beta-endorphin, nicotine, or acrolein antagonism.

Abstract It is suggested that the mechanism for decreased incidence of dymsenorrhea in female cigaretter smokers may lie in the possible inhibition of algesic prostaglandins smoking induced stimulation of beta-endorphin, nicotine, or acrolein.
Volume regulation in response to hypo-osmotic stress in goldfish retinal ganglion cell axons regenerating in vitro

Abstract Goldfish retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons regenerating in vitro were used to investigate the volume regulatory response to hypo-osmotic stress. Reducing the tonicity of the bathing medium to half strength caused an immediate swelling of axons; however, within 1 min a progressive volume reduction ensued which stabilized at near control volume over a period of 10 min. This regulatory volume decrease (RVD) was attenuated by elevated [K+]o, Ca2+-activated K+ channel antagonists, and calmidazolium, a potent calmodulin inhibitor. Inclusion of ATP-γS in the hypotonic bathing medium led to a loading of stressed axons which resulted in an excessive volume reduction that reflected an overshooting of the RVD response. The latter suggested the importance of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation reactions in the RVD response pathway. Cytochalasin D and colchicine had no effect on the development of the typical RVD response, providing no evidence of involvement of actin or microtubule cytoskeletons in the volume reduction mechanism of these immature axons. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that hypo-osmotic stress activates a calcium/calmodulin dependent membrane pathway, which probably involves transient phosphorylation, leading to a loss of cellular K+ and osmotically obligated water which restorates normal axonal volume.
Vertical restraints in Japan

Abstract Resale price maintenance (r.p.m), exclusive dealing stipulations, and customer restrictions are all widespread in Japan, particularly for consumer products. Analysis of specific antitrust cases demonstrated that standard economic arguments can account for vertical restraints by Japanese makers. The models that apply include the maker cartel and wholesaler cartel theories of r.p.m., the successive monopoly theory of maker-imposed maximum resale price, the price discrimination theory of r.p.m., and the protection of maker investment theory of exclusive theory of exclusive dealing. Claims that marketing practices in Japan are based on culture and tradition rather than economic logic should be regarded with skepticism.
Heterogeneity in phase I clinical trials: prior elicitation and computation using the continual reassessment method.

Heterogeneity in a phase I clinical trial patient population may lead to distinctly different dose-response relationships along covariate values. For a given target probability of toxicity, this implies different maximum tolerated doses (MTDs) for each distinct subpopulation. Within the framework of O'Quigley, Pepe and Fisher's (1990) continual reassessment method, we propose the notion of average and patient-specific MTDs by augmenting the dose--response model with other covariates to account for such differences. A method to elicit prior distributions on the dose and other covariate parameters are proposed, based on the predictive approach of Ibrahim and Laud (1994), Laud and Ibrahim (1995), and Ibrahim, Ryan and Chen (1998). This approach relies on prior predictions for the response vector y(0) and a quantity a(0) specifying uncertainty in y(0). Then, y(0) and a(0) are used to specify a prior for the regression coefficients in a semi-automatic fashion. The elicitation scheme for y(0) uses results from previous phase I cancer clinical trials. The average and patient-specific MTDs and an elicitation method are demonstrated in logistic regression examples.
Efficient realization of random demodulator-based analog to information converters

Reducing power consumption of radio receivers is becoming more critical with the advancement of biomedical portable and implantable devices due to the stringent power requirements in such applications. Compressive sensing promises to tremendously reduce the power of radio receivers by allowing the reconstruction of sparse signals from measurements acquired at a sub-Nyquist rate. In this paper, we present efficient implementations of random demodulator-based analog to information converters. We propose the use of frequency division multiplexing to generate random sequences that allow the use of clocks with sub-Nyquist rates and a two integrator design to provide an efficient and practical realization of the random demodulator.
Basic mechanisms of myocardial dysfunction: Cellular pathophysiology of heart failure

Many studies published in 1994 significantly added to our understanding of the pathophysiology of heart failure at the cellular and subcellular level. This field continues to advance using different but complementary approaches. One approach is to study human myocardium, thereby providing data that is directly relevant to clinical disease. Another approach is to study mouse myocardium, taking advantage of transgenic technology to alter gene expression and directly study cause-and-effect relationships. Additionally, other animal models of heart failure (eg, pressure overload, volume overload, and paced tachycardia) continue to provide important information. Abnormalities of calcium cycling, myofilament sensitivity to calcium, cross-bridge kinetics, the myocyte cytoskeleton, and energetics have all been observed in animal models or failing human myocardium. The cellular and molecular basis for these abnormalities is now being explored. This understanding is essential for developing novel treatment strategies that may one day include gene therapy.
Reducing Korean Heritage Language Learners' Orthographic Errors: The Contribution of Online and In-Class Dictation and Form-Focused Instruction.

Heritage learners comprise a substantial proportion of second language learners, including L2 Korean learners. Previous studies have shown that the vast majority of heritage language learners display weakness in orthographic accuracy. Due to their previous extended exposure to oral discourse and limited experience in written language, heritage speakers tend to write the way they would speak, which results in frequent spelling errors. This study describes the construction and implementation of a dictation programme in a college Korean language classroom and discusses the use of dictation as a learning device to overcome orthographic errors. The online, computerised dictation programme and in-class dictation activities employed proved to be effective in sensitising heritage learners to written forms of the target language and helping them make connections between spoken sounds and written forms. Feedback provided by learners was positive and suggested that the approach had the intended effect on learning pr...
Progress toward tissue-engineered heart valves.

In this issue of the Journal , Driessen-Mol et al. [(1)][1] from Zurich present their latest work in a long series of investigations into the feasibility of tissue-engineered heart valves. The Zurich tissue engineering heart valve program dates back over a decade with pioneering work with stem cell
Magnetic-field-induced metal-insulator transition in two dimensions.

We carried out magnetotransport measurements and scaling analysis to report on a new magnetic-field-induced metal-insulator transition in two dimensions, where the separatrix between insulating and conducting states appears at a critical magnetic field. In the insulating state, a giant magnetoresistance is observed over a wide range of magnetic field. At the transition, the resistance remains nearly constant over two decades of temperature. In the conducting state a quantum Hall plateau is observed at h/2${\mathit{e}}^{2}$. The critical exponent is in agreement with those of similar transitions in the quantum Hall regime, possibly reflecting a symmetry between the delocalization processes in 2D.
Unilateral MRI using a rastered projection.

Abstract Unilateral magnetic resonance techniques, where magnet and radio frequency (RF) coil are placed on one side of the sample, can provide valuable information about a sample which otherwise cannot be accommodated in conventional high spectral resolution magnetic resonance systems. A unilateral magnetic resonance imaging approach utilizing the stray field from a disc magnet and a butterfly geometry RF coil is described. The coil excites spins in a volume centered around an arc through the sample. Translating the RF coil relative to the magnet and recording the signal at each translational location creates a projection of the signal in a tomographic slice through the sample. Rotating the RF coil relative to the sample and repeating the translation creates projections through the sample at different angles. Backprojecting this information yields an image. A proof of concept device operating on this principle at 12.4 MHz was constructed and characterized. Projections through three phantoms are presented with a 1.2–4 cm field of view, thickness of 102 μm, and at a distance of 3 mm from the RF coil and 14 mm from the magnet. The edge spread function (ESF) was measured resulting in a 4 mm full width at half maximum (FWHM) line spread function (LSF) estimation using a Gaussian model. An example of one reconstructed image is presented.
COPD: new developments and therapeutic opportunities.

The meeting revealed several classes of drug in development for treatment of COPD. An important aim is to develop drugs to prevent the relentless progression of airflow obstruction. As cigarette smoking accounts for ∼90% of cases, treatments that help people to stop smoking are the most effective means of preventing COPD. Martin Jarvis (University College London, UK) highlighted encouraging results with bupropion, which is now available in some countries.Better understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms in COPD is crucial for the identification of therapeutic targets. Why only ∼15% of cigarette smokers develop COPD is likely to be determined by genetic factors and identification of polymorphisms could be important in highlighting mechanisms.There are promising developments in the search for more effective therapies, and the potential for the PDE4 inhibitor Ariflo is encouraging if early clinical results are confirmed [Anthony Rebuck (SmithKline Beecham, Collegeville, PA, USA)]8xCompton, C.H. et al. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 1999; 159: A806PubMedSee all References8. Drugs that alter the natural history of the disease need testing in large clinical trials, necessitating numerous patients to detect the rate of decline in lung function. Surrogate markers of disease activity are needed so that only compounds with high therapeutic potential progress to these expensive trials. COPD is an eminently preventable and treatable condition that accounts for considerable suffering, with a high medical and social cost. Development of new drugs is urgently needed.
Nuclear Data Sheets for A=233*

Abstract The available nuclear structure information for all nuclei with mass number A=233 is presented. Various decay and reaction data are evaluated and compared. Adopted data, levels, spin, parity, and configuration assignments are given
A simple proximity heuristic allows tracking of multiple objects through occlusion

Moving objects in the world present a challenge to the visual system, in that they often move in and out of view as they are occluded by other surfaces. Nevertheless, the ability to track multiple objects through periods of occlusion is surprisingly robust. Here, we identify a simple heuristic that underlies this ability: Pre- and postocclusion views of objects are linked together solely by their spatial proximity. Tracking through occlusion was always improved when the postocclusion instances reappeared closer to the preocclusion views. Strikingly, this was true even when objects’ previous trajectories predicted different reappearance locations and when objects reappeared “too close,” from invisible “slits” in empty space, rather than from more distant occluder contours. Tracking through occlusion appears to rely only on spatial proximity, and not on encoding heading information, likely reappearance locations, or the visible structure of occluders.
Economical wireless optical ratiometric pH sensor

The development and application of a portable, wireless fluorescence-based optical pH sensor is presented. The design incorporates the MSP430 microcontroller as the control unit, an RF transceiver for wireless communication, digital filters and amplifiers and a USB-based communication module for data transmission. The pH sensor is based on ratiometric fluorescence detection from pH sensitive dye incorporated in a peel-and-stick patch. The ability of the instrument to detect the pH of the solution with contact only between the sensor patch and the solution makes it partially non-invasive. The instrument also has the ability to transmit data wirelessly, enabling its use in processes that entail stringent temperature control and sterility. The use of the microcontroller makes it a reliable, low-cost and low-power device. The luminous intensity of the light source can be digitally controlled to maximize the sensitivity of the instrument. It has a resolution of 0.05 pH. The sensor is accurate and reversible over the pH range of 6.5–9.
MRI changes due to early-delayed conformal radiotherapy and postsurgical effects in patients with brain tumors.

Purpose: Discernment of radiotherapy (XRT) effects vs. tumor activity is difficult in brain tumor patients during the months after XRT when white matter hyperintensities sometimes emerge. We examined brain scans in XRT-treated vs. untreated patients for early-delayed post-XRT effects. Methods and Materials: Brain regions susceptible to XRT injury were examined on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for T2-weighted hyperintensities and atrophy in 37 adults with low-grade primary brain tumors (13 nonirradiated and 24 irradiated). Cases evidencing recurrence/growth over the study period were censored. Interactions with age, mood, fatigue, medications, tumor type and grade, extent of resection, and laterality of MRI changes were examined. Results: Hyperintensity and atrophy ratings over time for the treated and untreated groups were not significantly different. White matter atrophy increased unrelated to XRT. In all patients combined, white matter atrophy and hyperintensities were greater at all time points and more lateralized in surgically treated patients. Conclusions: Radiotherapy status was not related to changes in MRI ratings during the weeks/months after XRT. Findings contradict assumptions about radiographically evidenced early-delayed XRT effects. Increases in T2-weighted hyperintensities during the 1‐6-month period postconformal radiotherapy for low-grade tumors are likely not related to early-delayed XRT effects. © 2005 Elsevier Inc. Treatment complications, Radiation therapy, Brain tumor, Neuro-oncology, MRI.
The Great Journey: The Peopling of Ancient America

How, where, when, and why did human beings take the first steps in their journey to populate North America? First published in 1987, The Great Journey tells the story of Brian Fagan's search for the first Americans - one of archaeology's great controversies. An enhanced edition of this dramatic narrative and real-life mystery follows the trail of evidence from the Old World to the New, beginning with an update on the debates and discoveries that have taken place since the late 1980s. Fagan presents the latest archacological findings on both sides of the Bering Strait, new genetic and linguistic research that amplifies earlier theories, and he assesses the importance of global warming to first settlement. The saga of how Asians came across the Bering Sea land bridge begins with the emergence of modern humans in tropical Africa some 150,000 years ago. Fagan describes the great Homo sapiens diaspora, which included the settlement of America, during the late Ice Age. He evaluates the various routes that brought Stone Age hunter-gatherers from Siberia into North America and beyond.
De novo correction of mass measurement error in low resolution tandem MS spectra for shotgun proteomics.

We report an algorithm designed for the calibration of low resolution peptide mass spectra. Our algorithm is implemented in a program called FineTune, which corrects systematic mass measurement error in 1 min, with no input required besides the mass spectra themselves. The mass measurement accuracy for a set of spectra collected on an LTQ-Velos improved 20-fold from –0.1776 ± 0.0010 m/z to 0.0078 ± 0.0006 m/z after calibration (avg ± 95 % confidence interval). The precision in mass measurement was improved due to the correction of non-linear variation in mass measurement accuracy across the m/z range.
Measurements of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in a supersonic shear layer

Experiments have been performed in a new supersonic shear layer facility in which two streams of air are produced in adjacent supersonic sliding block nozzles. Each stream is about 2.5 cm high and 12.5 cm wide. In the present experiments, the high-speed Mach number ranges from 3 to 4 whereas the low-speed stream was held to M=1.2. Running at low-to-moderate Reynolds numbers allows the mixing layer to be studied in the laminar to turbulent transition region as well as under fully turbulent conditions. Low dynamic pressures permit the use of standard hot-wire anemometry without damage to the fragile sensors. Also, the low pressure in the test section permits the use of glow discharge techniques as a means of exciting the shear layer
Multispectral excitation of time-resolved fluorescence of biological compounds: variation of fluorescence lifetime with excitation and emission wavelengths

We investigated the time-resolved fluorescence spectra of tissue structural proteins elastin and collagen I for different excitation wavelengths to assess the usefulness of multispectral excitation for characterization of fluorescent structural proteins in tissue. Laser excitation pulses (4 ns FWHM) at wavelengths between 337 nm and 422 nm were directed to the samples with a multifiber fluorescence probe. The fluorescence emission was measured with a photomultiplier and deconvoluted from the emission pulse with an algorithm based on the Laguerre expansion of kernels technique. A multiexponential approximation of the intrinsic fluorescence decay was computed using a global approach in which the decay constants were held fixed across wavelengths of emission.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The cloud imaging and particle size experiment on the Aeronomy of Ice in the mesosphere mission: Instrument concept, design, calibration, and on-orbit performance

Abstract The Cloud Imaging and Particle Size Experiment (CIPS) is one of three instruments aboard the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere spacecraft. CIPS provides panoramic ultraviolet images of the atmosphere over a wide range of scattering angles in order to determine the presence of polar mesospheric clouds, measure their spatial morphology, and constrain the parameters of cloud particle size distribution. The AIM science objectives motivate the CIPS measurement approach and drive the instrument requirements and design, leading to a configuration of four wide-angle cameras arrayed in a ‘+’ arrangement that covers a 120° (along orbit track)×80° (across orbit track) field of view. CIPS began routine operations on May 24, 4 weeks after AIM was launched. It measures scattered radiances from PMCs near 83 km altitude to derive cloud morphology and particle size information by recording multiple exposures of individual clouds to derive PMC scattering phase functions and detect nadir horizontal spatial scales to approximately 3 km. This paper describes the instrument design, its prelaunch characterization and calibration, and flight operations. Flight observations and calibration activities confirm performance inferred during ground test, verifying that CIPS exceeds its measurement requirements and goals. These results are illustrated with example flight images that demonstrate the instrument measurement performance.
Patterns of spontaneous bioelectric activity during maturation in culture of fetal rodent medulla and spinal cord tissues

Microelectrode recordings in explants of fetal rodent medulla and spinal cord demonstrate that a variety of organotypic temporal patterns of spontaneous bioelectric discharges occur during maturation of these CNS tissues in culture. The spontaneous activities include repetitive barrages of spike potentials, as well as stereotyped slow-waves. These discharges last up to several sec, and they may occur at regular intervals of the order of 1–10 sec, although activity patterns are often much more irregular. Some explants also show clear periodicity in the recurrence of phases of relative activity and inactivity, with cycle times ranging up to about 10 min. Correlations between the network excitability properties of the CNS tissues and their patterned spontaneous discharges were obtained by electrophysiologic analyses of responses to microelectrode stimulation. These complex, yet stereotyped, spontaneous bioelectric discharge patterns in cultures of organized CNS tissues show remarkable mimicry of rhythmic activities which occur in the embryonic CNS in situ, as determined by electrophysiologic and behavioral motility studies in the intact animal. Organotypic CNS explants provide, therefore, a valuable model system for further analyses of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying early development of behavior.
Grid-Flux Method for Learning the Solvent Contribution to the Mechanisms of Reactions

We present a trajectory-based method with which to learn information about the qualitative role that solvent molecules play in dynamic simulations of reactions that occur in solution. A spatial grid is superimposed on the system being simulated, and average fluxes of solvent molecules between cells on the grid are calculated along reactive trajectories. The average solvent fluxes form a much smaller set of variables and provide a much simpler description of the reaction under study than the full list of atomic positions and momenta. The feasibility and utility of the method are demonstrated by producing reduced descriptions of the mechanisms of the dissociation reaction of NaCl in water and of the rearrangement of the alanine dipeptide in water. Comparisons between our method and other possible data reduction techniques are discussed.
Dynamics of cytokine production during coccidial infections in chickens: colony-stimulating factors and interferon.

We assayed two classes of immunoregulatory cytokines, colony-stimulating factors (CSF) and interferon (IFN), during and immediately after a primary coccidial infection in chickens. Coccidial infection induces significant alterations in serum colony-stimulating activity (CSA) and these alterations immediately precede the characteristic biphasic leukocytosis. CSA rose sharply during the first 24 h post-inoculation (PI), but returned to control levels by 48 h PL. At this time, we detected an increase in peripheral blood leukocytes which peaked at 96 h PI. A second phase of CSA increase began 96 h PI and peaked at 120–144 h PI which again preceded the second phase of leukocytosis. We also examined the production of IFN during the first 20 days PI. Splenic T cells from Eimeria maxima-infected chickens produced significantly less IFN on day 5 PI compared to T cells from the coccidia-free controls. By days 10 and 15 PI, there was no significant difference in IFN production between the T cells of infected and non-infected chickens. However, by day 20 PI, IFN production by the T cells of the infected birds produced significantly more IFN than the control T cells. The results of our studies indicated the differential production of two different cytokines by chickens during and following a primary coccidial infection. Based on these experiments, CSF may be some of the first cytokines produced during an E. maxima-infection, while IFN may be one of the later cytokines produced.
Fabric Whiteness as Affected by Selected Laundry Treatments and Environmental Factors

Information in predicting how certain fabrics will perform is important for the consumer. This investigation provides information concerning the changes in whiteness and fluorescence of specific fabrics as a result of various laundry treatments, with and without exposure to en vironmental factors. Results indicated that changes in whiteness and fluorescence were ob served when the fabrics were exposed to selected laundry treatments involving differences in wash temperature and drying procedures as well as environmental factors, especially solar radiation.
Using Micro-Raman Spectroscopy to Assess MEMS Si/SiO2 Membranes Exhibiting Negative Spring Constant Behavior

We introduce a novel micro-mechanical structure that exhibits two regions of stable linear positive and negative stiffness. Springs, cantilevers, beams and any other geometry that display an increasing return force that is proportional to the displacement can be considered to have a “Hookean” positive spring constant, or stiffness. Less well known is the opposite characteristic of a reducing return force for a given deflection, or negative stiffness. Unfortunately many simple negative stiffness structures exhibit unstable buckling and require additional moving components during deflection to avoid deforming out of its useful shape. In Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices, buckling caused by stress at the interface of silicon and thermally grown SiO2 causes tensile and compressive forces that will warp structures if the silicon layer is thin enough. The 1 mm2 membrane structures presented here utilizes this effect but overcome this limitation and empirically demonstrates linearity in both regions. The Si/SiO2 membranes presented deflect ~17 μm from their pre-released position. The load deflection curves produced exhibit positive linear stiffness with an inflection point holding nearly constant with a slight negative stiffness. Depositing a 0.05 μm titanium and 0.3 μm layer of gold on top of the Si/SiO2 membrane reduces the initial deflection to ~13.5 μm. However, the load deflection curve produced illustrates both a linear positive and negative spring constant with a fairly sharp inflection point. These results are potentially useful to selectively tune the spring constant of mechanical structures used in MEMS. The structures presented are manufactured using typical micromachining techniques and can be fabricated in-situ with other MEMS devices.
Dealloyed Pt−Cu Core−Shell Nanoparticle Electrocatalysts for Use in PEM Fuel Cell Cathodes

We report the synthesis, characterization, and single fuel cell testing of a novel class of nanostructured Pt−Cu alloy particle materials for use as oxygen reduction electrocatalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The active phase of the Pt alloy nanoparticle catalysts is prepared by electrochemical dissolution (voltammetric dealloying) of Cu surface atoms from Cu-rich Pt−Cu alloy precursors. Bulk and surface structural and compositional characterization suggests that the dealloyed active catalyst phase consists of a core−shell structure in which a multilayer Pt rich shell is surrounding a Pt-poor alloy particle core. The electrocatalytic Pt mass activity of the dealloyed core−shell particles for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) exceeds that of state-of-the art Pt electrocatalyst by more than a factor of 4 and thus meets performance targets for fuel cell cathodes [Gasteiger, H. A.; Kocha, S. S.; Sompalli, B.; Wagner, F. T. Appl. Catal. B: Environ. 2005, 56, 9−35].1 It is hypothesized that ...
Adenomatoid tumor of epididymissimulating benign cyst on scrotal ultrasound

Abstract A case in which an adenomatoid tumor of the epididymismimicked a benign extratesticular cyst on scrotal ultrasound is presented.
Some effects of parathyroid hormone on the metabolism of Sr85 and Ca45 by embryonic chick bone cultured in vitro.

Embryonic chick bone was cultured in vitro in a synthetic medium (N.C.T.C.-109) to test the effect of parathyroid extract (PTE) on the metabolism of Ca45 and Sr85 by this tissue. When contrasted with the control bones, PTE at levels of 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 units/ml of medium led to less accumulation of Sr85 and Ca45 in the bone and increased Observed Ratio (bone/medium). The low levels of PTE increased, while the very high levels of PTE decreased, both the growth and mass of the bones. The short term uptake of Sr85 and Ca45 was unaffected by pretreatment of the bone with PTE except at a level of 10 units/ml. PTE at 0.1 and 1.0 unit/ml did not change the proportion of labile to nonlabile Sr85 and Ca45 in the bones. The nonlabile fraction could be readily mobilized by the addition of PTE into the medium, with 0.1 and 1.0 unit/ml having an apparently equal effect. Sustained PTE treatment of the bones increased the mobility of the nonlabile fraction over that observed after a relatively short exposure to the h...
Outcomes of posterior wall fractures of the acetabulum. Surgical technique.

BACKGROUND: The Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (MFA) is a validated, reliable, self-administered questionnaire that is useful for determining functional status. The Merle d'Aubigne score is a clinical measure of hip function. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the outcome information provided by these two instruments after operative treatment of elementary posterior wall fractures of the acetabulum. METHODS: Forty-six patients who had been followed for a minimum of two years after operative treatment of an elementary posterior wall fracture of the acetabulum were included in the study. Functional outcomes were assessed with use of the ten individual indices and total score of the MFA, and clinical outcomes were evaluated with use of the Merle d'Aubigne score. The MFA scores were compared with previously reported normative values and with previously reported values for similar patients with hip injuries. The duration of follow-up ranged from two to fourteen years (mean, five years). RESULTS: The mean Merle d'Aubigne score was 17 (standard deviation, 1; range, 14 to 18), indicating overall good-to-excellent clinical results. However, the mean total MFA score was 23.17, which was significantly worse than the normative mean of 9.26 (p < 0.001). All MFA indices except hand/fine motor were similarly significantly worse than expected norms. The mean MFA total score was statistically similar to that reported by others for patients with hip injuries. The emotional category of the MFA score was found to be an important determinant of the total score. The Spearman rho correlation coefficient between the Merle d'Aubigne score and the MFA score was 0.62 (p < 0.001). However, the Merle d'Aubigne score data were asymmetric, demonstrating a ceiling effect (crowding of the scores at the upper end of the scale, limiting the ability of the score to demonstrate differences between patients with supposedly better clinical outcomes). CONCLUSIONS: The total MFA scores for patients with a posterior wall fracture of the acetabulum were significantly worse than normative reference values. Thus, complete recovery after a posterior wall fracture of the acetabulum is uncommon, with residual functional deficits involving wide-ranging aspects of everyday living that do not necessarily have an obvious direct connection to hip function. Although the modified Merle d'Aubigne score may be useful for evaluating isolated hip function in patients who have been treated for an acetabular fracture, its shortcomings limit its usefulness as a method for evaluating functional outcome in these patients. Research efforts should be directed toward the identification of the psychosocial and other underlying determinants of functional outcome and potential related treatment interventions.
Nevus‐cell aggregates in lymph nodes: Fine‐needle aspiration cytologic findings and resulting diagnostic difficulties

We report a case of nodal nevus present in enlarged lymph nodes with changes of dermatopathic lymphadenopathy sampled by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology prior to clinical evaluation of the patient. This lymph node pathology was established later by lymph node excisional biopsy, by which along with a skin biopsy the dermatopathic lymphadenopathy was tentatively attributed to early mycosis fungoides. The FNA revealed fairly atypical melanotic tissue from the dermatopathic lymphadenopathy along with nodules of uniform melanocytic nevoid cells, the presence of which in combination with the dermatopathic atypical tissue provided a tentative diagnosis of metastatic melanoma of unknown primary, with the diagnosis of nodal nevus presented as a less likely possibility. This is to our knowledge the first cytologic report on FNA of nodal nevus, which besides presenting cytologic findings of this entity highlights some of the problems related to providing an accurate diagnosis, if this exceptionally unusual pathologic entity is encountered in lymph nodes sampled for enlargement from pathologies unrelated to this entity. The subject of nevus changes in lymph nodes is briefly discussed. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2004;31:180–184. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.