cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Na-Cl-Br systematics of fluid inclusions from Mississippi Valley-type deposits, Appalachian Basin: Constraints on solute origin and migration paths

Abstract This study evaluated Na-Cl-Br systematics of fluid inclusion-hosted brines in Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits from the Appalachian Basin. Unlike other geochemical tracers such as lead and strontium isotopes which constrain metal sources, Na-Cl-Br systematics identify sources of brine salinity. Saline formation waters can vary systematically within and between basins with regard to their Na-Cl-Br compositions depending on the importance of halite dissolution relative to retention of subaerially evaporated seawater for the halogen budget. Oil field brine compositions from the Illinois and Appalachian basins are quite distinct in their Na-Cl-Br systematics. Compositions of saline fluid inclusions in MVT deposits generally are consistent with these regional differences. These results shed new light on the extent of regional flow systems and on the geochemical evolution of saline fluids responsible for mineralization. Nearly all fluid inclusions analyzed from the Appalachian MVT deposits have Na/Br and Cl/Br ratios less than modern seawater, consistent with ratios observed in marine brines involved in halite precipitation. The Na-Cl-Br systematics of the brines responsible for Appalachian MVT deposits may be inherited from original marine brines refluxed into the porous carbonate shelf sediments that host these deposits. The Cl/Br and Na/Br ratios of most fluid inclusion-hosted brines from Appalachian MVT sphalerites and fluorites fall into two compositional groups, one from the Lower Cambrian paleoaquifer and another from the Lower Ordovician paleoaquifer. Leachates from most MVT barite deposits form a third compositional group having lower Na/Br and Cl/Br ratios than the other two. Appalachian MVT leachate compositions differ significantly from those in MVT deposits in the Cincinnati arch-midcontinent region suggesting that these two MVT provinces formed from brines of different origin or flow path.
Temperature dependence of the thin dead layer avalanche photodiode for low energy electron measurements

Abstract We have investigated the temperature dependence of the Hamamatsu spl 6815 Avalanche Photodiode (APD) response, when used as an low energy electron detector, over the temperature range from - 9 to 30 ∘ C . In order to make precise measurements, relevant to the particles of interest, electrons were actually used to calibrate the APD response. The gain variation over the temperature was - 1.2 % / K at 10 ∘ C for a nominal bias voltage. Although a slight dead layer effect was found, the linearity of the response was excellent over all measured temperatures, and the variation of the energy resolution was acceptably small to maintain good performance. The temperature effects can be readily canceled out with an active bias voltage control based on the ambient temperature so long as the internal gain is maintained between 15 and 20.
Overexpression of the gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase transgene does not alter the gamma irradiation sensitivity of the IB3–1 normal bronchoepithelial or A549 human lung carcinoma cell line

We investigated the effect of overexpression of the gene for gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP) on the gamma irradiation sensitivity of human bronchoepithelial cell line IB3–1 or A549 lung carcinoma cells. The enzyme has been considered a putative radioprotector because it is the only enzyme capable of degrading extracellular glutathione to ultimately provide cysteine for resynthesis of intracellular glutathione. Clonal sublines of each cell line were isolated after transfection with a plasmid containing both the rat GGTP cDNA and neor gene, and selected in G418. Each transfected clone demonstrated a different degree of GGTP enzymatic expression by biochemical analysis. The D0 of parent IB3–1 cells was 1.434 ± 0.138 Gy, n 2.331 ± 0.685, and was unchanged by GGTP overexpression, D0 1.932 ± 0.690 Gy (P = 0.133), n 2.916 ± 2.7 (P = 0.628). In contrast, overexpression of the MnSOD transgene in IB3–1 cells increase the shoulder on the irradiation survival curve for IB3–1 cells, showing significant increase in the shoulder, D0 1.239 ± 0.1 Gy (P = 0.079), n 7.276 ± 0.1 (P < 0.001). Lung cancer cell line A549 was subcloned after expression of the GGTP transgene, and clonal subline 22 demonstrated stably increased GGTP activity and protein production by Western analysis. The parental A549 line was also redoned by limiting dilution. A series of clonal sublines of clonal line 22 expressed up to a 97-fold increase in GGTP expression compared to control clones. In clonogenic cell survival assays in the presence or absence of added glutathione, no difference in irradiation sensitivity was detected between parent or GGTP transfected and overexpressing subclones despite an increase in GGTP activity. The D0 of the subclone 10 of parent A549 cells was 1.6 ± 0.40 Gy and n was 4.8 ± 3.0, α 0.13 ± 0.10, β 0.052 ± 0.02; while the D0 for GGTP overexpressing clone 17, a subclone of line 22, was 1.3 ± 0.05 Gy, n 2.6 ± 0.18, a 0.279 ± 0.01, p 0.059 ± 0.01. The cell lines were not significantly different with respect to D0 (P = 0.55), indicating no significant effect of GGTP overexpression on radiosensitivity. Thus, GGTP overexpression in either normal lung bronchoalveolar cell line IB3–1 or lung cancer cell line A549 does not induce radioresistance in vitro. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Clines with partial panmixia in an unbounded unidimensional habitat.

Abstract In geographically structured populations, global panmixia can be regarded as the limiting case of long-distance migration. The effect of incorporating partial panmixia into diallelic single-locus clines maintained by migration and selection in an unbounded unidimensional habitat is investigated. Migration and selection are both weak. The former is homogenous and isotropic; the latter has no dominance. The population density is uniform. A simple, explicit formula is derived for the maximum value β 0 of the scaled panmictic rate β for which a cline exists. The former depends only on the asymptotic values of the scaled selection coefficient. If the two alleles have the same average selection coefficient, there exists a unique, globally asymptotically stable cline for every β ≥ 0 . Otherwise, if β ≥ β 0 , the allele with the greater average selection coefficient is ultimately fixed. If β β 0 , there exists a unique, globally asymptotically stable cline, and some polymorphism is retained even infinitely far from its center. The gene frequencies at infinity are determined by a continuous-time, two-deme migration-selection model. An explicit expression is deduced for the monotone cline in a step-environment. These results differ fundamentally from those for the classical cline without panmixia.
The Development of Endodontic Micro Robot

Endodontic therapy, better known as root canal treatment, is a procedure performed to remove damaged and/or infected tissue from the inner canals of teeth and seal the canals to prevent the teeth from being a source of infection. Each year more than 24 million teeth receive endodontic treatment in the United States. A typical procedure includes access preparation (opening crown with drills), root canal shaping and cleaning, and then root canal filling. This treatment is expensive, time-consuming, and prone to human error. The outcome relies on the clinician’s skill, which is gained through years of training and practice. The success quotient of this treatment is 60–65% for general dentists and 90% for specialists (endodontists). There is a need for advanced endodontic technology innovation. This paper will describe the process of mechanical design of computer-controlled micro machine, which will perform the automatic probing, drilling, cleaning, and filling of the root canal. The paper will also discuss the innovations involved from the traditional way endodonticsts treat root canal to science and technology based automation.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Cell-Level Dosimetry and Biologic Response Modeling of Heterogeneously Distributed Radionuclides: A Step Forward

See page [926][1] Historically, clinical response to internal radionuclides has been related to the macroscopic (i.e., whole-tumor or whole-organ) absorbed dose, implicitly assuming uniform distributions of activity and energy deposition ([1][2],[2][3]). However, the actual biologic response among
Measuring the X-ray quantum efficiency of a hybrid CMOS detector with 55Fe

Charge coupled devices (CCDs) are currently the workhorse focal plane arrays operating aboard many orbiting astrophysics X-ray telescopes, e.g. Chandra, XMM-Newton, Swift, and Suzaku. In order to meet the count rate, power, and mission duration requirements defined by next-generation X-ray telescopes, future detectors will need to be read out faster, consume less power, and be more resistant to radiation and micrometeoroid damage than current-generation devices. The hybrid CMOS detector (HCD), a type of active pixel sensor, is currently being developed to meet these requirements. With a design architecture that involves bump bonding two semiconductor substrates together at the pixel level, these devices exhibit both the high read speed and low power consumption of CMOS readout circuitry and the high quantum efficiency (QE) of a deeply depleted silicon absorber. These devices are expected to exhibit the same excellent, high-energy quantum efficiency (QE) as deep-depletion CCDs (QE>0.9QE>0.9 at 6 keV), while at the same time exhibiting superior readout flexibility, power consumption, and radiation hardness than CCDs. In this work we present a QE model for a Teledyne Imaging Sensors HyViSI HCD, which predicts QE=96% at ^(55)Fe source energies (5.89 and 6.49 keV). We then present a QE measurement of the modeled device at the same energies, which shows QE=97±5% and is in good agreement with the model.
Patty Smith Hill, gifted early childhood educator of the progressive era

This article chronicles the development of Patty Smith Hill, eminent educator of the Progressive Era. Patty Smith Hill was largely responsible for adding the kindergarten as an essential part of a well‐articulated elementary school curriculum, an accomplishment unprecedented in the history of American education. She is also one of the authors of the most widely sung song in the world, “Happy Birthday to You,” a song she wrote as part of her work in kindergarten education. A member of the Woman's Suffrage Movement and a free‐spirited, humanitarian thinker, her story should be added to the history of education in America.
Automatic acquisition of a 3D eye model for a wearable first-person vision device

A wearable gaze tracking device can work with users in daily-life. For long time of use, a non-active method that does not employ an infrared illumination system is desirable from safety standpoint. It is well known that the eye model constraints substantially improve the accuracy and robustness of gaze estimation. However, the eye model needs to be calibrated for each person and each device. We propose a method to automatically build the eye model for a wearable gaze tracking device. The key idea is that the eye model, which includes the eye structure and eye-camera relationship, impose constraints on image analysis even when it is incomplete, so we adopt an iterative eye model building process with gradually increasing eye model constraints. Performance of the proposed method is evaluated in various situations, including different eye colors of users and camera configurations. We have confirmed that the gaze tracking system using our eye model works well under general situations: indoor, outdoor and driving scene.
Price Recollection and Perceived Value in Restaurants

Abstract This study looks at the relationship of restaurant customers' recollection of what they paid for a meal and their perceived value of that dining experience. For instance, those who experienced the dining occasion as less than adequate remember the amount of the check as less reasonable than it actually was. Customers who thought the restaurant gave them good value recall paying close to what they actually paid.
Parametric studies of electric propulsion systems for orbit transfer vehicles

The present parametric tradeoff study for OTV electric propulsion systems encompasses ammonia and hydrogen arcjets as well as Xe-ion propulsion systems with performance characteristics currently being projected for 1993 operation. In all cases, the power source is a nuclear-electric system with 30 kg/kW(e) specific mass, and the mission involves the movement of payloads from lower orbits to GEO. Attention is given to payload capabilities and associated propellant requirements. Mission trip time is identified as the key parameter for selection; while arcjets are preferable for shorter trip times, ion propulsion is more advantageous for longer trip times due to reduced propellant mass fraction.
Optical properties of porous silicon

Abstract The optical properties of porous Si films produced by electrochemical dissolution of Si are reviewed. From measurements of the optical absorption spectra an inverse relationship between the optical gap energy and the average nanoparticle size has been obtained demonstrating the quantum confinement of electron-hole pairs in Si nanocrystallites. There is also good agreement with theoretical predictions for Si quantum dots. A number of different sources of photoluminescence in anodized Si have been tentatively identified, and at least the red emission appears to be principally due to confinement in Si nanocrystallites.
The relationship of ADHD symptoms to gambling behaviour in the USA: results from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health

The study utilizes data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to test the extent to which retrospectively reported ADHD symptoms are associated with gambling behaviour in young adults. Results from linear probability and logistic regression models using data from 6145 survey respondents indicate that youths who reported symptoms consistent with Hyperactive-Impulsive type ADHD in childhood were significantly more likely than other youths to report clinical characteristics of disordered gambling, large past-year losses and/or multiple forms of gambling as young adults. The Combined type ADHD had no significant relationship to the gambling indicators, while the Inattentive type ADHD symptoms have a significant negative relationship to the gambling indicators. These findings provide preliminary support in a large, nationally representative sample for the relationship of ADHD and gambling and underscore the importance of addressing gambling-related issues in education, preventi...
Freeze probability of Florida in a regional climate model and climate indices

[1] Severe freezes impacting agriculture in Florida were associated with some major climate patterns, such as El Nino and Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). In this study, we examined whether seasonal ensemble integrations of a regional model could capture the tendencies of freezes in the Florida peninsula during each ENSO or NAO phase. Mean excess values of minimum temperatures from thresholds on the basis of the Generalized Pareto Distribution (GPD), which represents the extreme data in a dataset, were used to analyze the freezes in the regional model. According to previous studies, El Nino winters are assumed to obtain fewer freezes than the other phases. Although ensembles of only 19 winters were simulated, the ensembles found similar variability patterns in minimum temperatures in each climate phase to the findings in the previous studies based on observed data.
The role of surface functional groups in calcium phosphate nucleation on titanium foil: a self-assembled monolayer technique

Surface functional groups play important roles in nucleating calcium phosphate deposition on surgical titanium implants. In this study, various functional groups were introduced onto the surface of commercially pure titanium foils using a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) technique. An organic silane, 7-oct-1-enyltrichlorosilane (OETS) was used and -OH, -PO4H2, -COOH groups were derived from its unsaturated double bond. Ti foils were first oxidized in concentrated H2SO4/H2O2. ESCA and contact angle measurements were used to characterize the SAM surfaces and confirm the presence of various functional groups. A fast calcium phosphate deposition experiment was carried out by mixing Ca2+- and (PO4)(3-)-containing solutions in the presence of the surface-modified Ti samples at pH 7.4 at room temperature in order to verify the nucleating abilities of these functional groups. SEM, Raman spectroscopy, XRD and ATR-FTIR results showed that poorly crystallized hydroxyapatite (HA) can be deposited on the SAM surfaces with -PO4H2 and -COOH functional groups, but not onto the SAM with -CH=CH2 and -OH. -PO4H2 exhibited a stronger nucleating ability than that of -COOH. The oxidized Ti sample also showed some calcium phosphate deposition but to a lesser extent as compared to SAM surfaces with -PO4H2 and -COOH. The pre-deposited HA can rapidly induce biomimetic apatite layer formation after immersion in 1.5 SBF for 18 h regardless of the amount of pre-deposited HA. The results suggested that the pre-deposition of HA onto these functionalized SAM surfaces might be an effective and fast way to prepare biomimetic apatite coatings on surgical implants.
Correlative study of thermospheric gravity waves and tropospheric vorticity area index

Based on the occurrence frequency of wave-like structures in 23,691 individual measurements of thermospheric density, it is demonstrated that there is no significant hemispherical correlation between satellite-measured thermospheric wave-like structures and the tropospheric vorticity area index in the epoch 1974-1976. However, in the northern polar zone, (60-90 deg) N, wave occurrence frequency is greater for large values of the 500 mb vorticity area index.
A Family Member's Job Loss as a Risk Factor for Smoking Among Adolescents.

Life events are associated with an increased likelihood of adolescent smoking. This study examined a family member's job loss as a predictor of smoking initiation over a 1-year period. Southern California students completed surveys in 6th and 7th grade. Of the 2,168 students, 252 (12%) reported that an adult in the household had lost a job within the past 6 months. Controlling for demographic, socioeconomic. educational, and parenting characteristics. 6th-grade never-smokers who reported a job loss were significantly more likely to have tried smoking by 7th grade and to have smoked in the past 30 days. Job loss for a household member is a risk factor for adolescents' involvement in problem behaviors such as smoking.
Influence of heat treatment on the fatigue crack growth rates of a secondary hardening steel

The relationships between microstructure and fatigue crack propagation behavior were studied in a 5Mo-0.3C steel. Microstructural differences were achieved by varying the tempering treatment. The amounts, distribution, and types of carbides present were influenced by the tempering temperature. Optical metallography and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the microstructures. Fatigue fracture surfaces were studied by scanning electron microscopy. For each heat treatment the fatigue crack growth properties were measured under plane strain conditions using a compact tension fracture toughness specimen. The properties were reported using the empirical relation of Paris [da/dN = CoΔKm]. It was found that secondary hardening did influence the fatigue crack growth rates. In particular, intergranular modes of fracture during fatigue led to exaggerated fatigue crack growth rates for the tempering treatment producing peak hardness. Limited testing in a dry argon atmosphere showed that the sensitivity of fatigue crack growth rates to environment changed with heat treatment.
Preparation and Characterization of pH-Responsive Poly(methacrylic acid-g-ethylene glycol) Nanospheres

Poly(methacrylic acid-g-ethylene glycol) (P(MAA-g-EG)) has been studied extensively in our laboratory due to its extremely promising applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. It exhibits pH-responsive interpolymer complexes that make it a promising candidate as an oral carrier for peptide and protein drug. We have developed a photoinitiated free-radical precipitation polymerization method to produce P(MAA-g-EG) nanospheres with relatively narrow size distributions. The influence of various reaction parameters, such as total monomer concentration in water, comonomer molar feed ratios, cross-linking agent concentration, and polymerization time, on the particle size and size distribution was investigated. P(MAA-g-EG) nanospheres with a relatively narrow size distribution could be produced in the size range 150−650 nm depending on the monomer concentration and comonomer molar feed ratio. The P(MAA-g-EG) nanospheres exhibited a pH-responsive swelling behavior. Increasing the concentration of th...
IL-3 is required for increases in blood basophils in nematode infection in mice and can enhance IgE-dependent IL-4 production by basophils in vitro

Basophils represent potential effector and immunoregulatory cells, as well as a potential source of IL-4, during the immune response elicited by infection with the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (N.b.), and in other settings. However, the factors which regulate the numbers of blood basophils in mice, or the ability of these cells to produce IL-4, are not fully understood. We found that infection of mice with the nematodes N.b. or Strongyloides venezuelensis (S.v.) induced substantial increases in the numbers of blood basophils (to as high as 18% of circulating blood leukocytes). Experiments in IL-3−/− vs IL-3+/+ mice, and in IL-3-treated IL-3−/− mice, showed that essentially all of the increases in blood or bone marrow basophils during N.b. or S.v. infection were IL-3 dependent. Many of the blood, bone marrow or liver-derived basophils from IL-3−/− or IL-3+/+ mice expressed intracellular IL-4 upon stimulation with anti-IgE in vitro. However, after incubation of the cells with exogenous IgE in vitro, blood- or liver-derived basophils from IL-3+/+ mice exhibited higher levels of intracellular IL-4 after stimulation with anti-IgE than did basophils derived from IL-3−/− mice. Thus, IL-3 is a major regulator of the marked increases in blood basophil levels observed during infection of mice with N.b. or S.v. and also can enhance levels of intracellular IL-4 upon activation of basophils with anti-IgE in vitro.
Regional Renal Nitric Oxide Release in Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Abstract Diminished nitric oxide (NO) production has been implicated in the pathogenesis of salt-sensitive hypertension. We questioned whether such a defect is responsible for the malignant hypertension and nephrosclerosis in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) fed a high-salt/stroke-prone diet (S) versus a regular diet (R). NO release from 30-minute incubates of cortex and outer and inner medulla were studied in SHRSP at 10, 12, and 16 weeks of age on the S diet versus R diet. SHRSP-S (n=16) exhibited a marked age-dependent increase in NO release, especially in the cortex. Increases were only modest in SHRSP-R (n=21). At 16 weeks, cortical NO was 93±25 versus 6±1 pmol/mg tissue in SHRSP-S versus SHRSP-R ( P N ω -nitro-l-arginine (15 mg/kg per day) in SHRSP-S (n=6) abrogated the increase in cortical NO but further augmented the hypertension and accelerated lesion development. Wistar-Kyoto rats at 16 weeks on the R diet (n=8) had NO levels similar to those of SHRSP-R, showed increased cortical NO to only 28±10 pmol/mg on the S diet (n=9) ( P
Linear and Nonlinear Effects of Habitat Structure on Composition and Abundance in the Macroinvertebrate Community of a Large River

Abstract We used an experiment and regression analyses to quantify effects of spatial variation in habitat structure abundance on a riverine macroinvertebrate community under winter conditions. Concrete slabs (0.21 m2; n = 24) with different numbers of stones (mean individual stone surface area = 6.44 cm2) attached to upper faces were placed in the James River and retrieved after 28 d. Macroinvertebrate abundance and taxonomic richness on slabs were significantly positively related to stone abundance. Total macroinvertebrate abundance and abundance of oligochaetes (Nais spp.), Asiatic clams (Corbicula fluminea), caddisflies (Leptoceridae), riffle beetles (Elmidae) and stoneflies (Strophopteryx sp.) were linearly related to stone abundance. However, nonlinear relationships occurred between stone abundance and macroinvertebrate taxonomic richness and between stone abundance and abundance of dragonflies (Erpetogomphus sp.), caddisflies (Hydropsychidae), chironomids (Eukiefferiella spp.), mayflies (Ephemerell...
Prediction and Identification of a Permissive Epitope Insertion Site in the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Glycoprotein

We developed a rational approach to identify a site in the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) glycoprotein (G) that is exposed on the protein surface and tolerant of foreign epitope insertion. The foreign epitope inserted was the six-amino-acid sequence ELDKWA, a sequence in a neutralizing epitope from human immunodeficiency virus type 1. This sequence was inserted into six sites within the VSV G protein (Indiana serotype). Four sites were selected based on hydrophilicity and high sequence variability identified by sequence comparison with other vesiculovirus G proteins. The site showing the highest variability was fully tolerant of the foreign peptide insertion. G protein containing the insertion at this site folded correctly, was transported normally to the cell surface, had normal membrane fusion activity, and could reconstitute fully infectious VSV. The virus was neutralized by the human 2F5 monoclonal antibody that binds the ELDKWA epitope. Additional studies showed that this site in G protein tolerated insertion of at least 16 amino acids while retaining full infectivity. The three other insertions in somewhat less variable sequences interfered with VSV G folding and transport to the cell surface. Two additional insertions were made in a conserved sequence adjacent to a glycosylation site and near the transmembrane domain. The former blocked G-protein transport, while the latter allowed transport to the cell surface but blocked membrane fusion activity of G protein. Identification of an insertion-tolerant site in VSV G could be important in future vaccine and targeting studies, and the general principle might also be useful in other systems.
Annotation of metagenome short reads using proxygenes

Motivation: A typical metagenome dataset generated using a 454 pyrosequencing platform consists of short reads sampled from the collective genome of a microbial community. The amount of sequence in such datasets is usually insufficient for assembly, and traditional gene prediction cannot be applied to unassembled short reads. As a result, analysis of such datasets usually involves comparisons in terms of relative abundances of various protein families. The latter requires assignment of individual reads to protein families, which is hindered by the fact that short reads contain only a fragment, usually small, of a protein. Results: We have considered the assignment of pyrosequencing reads to protein families directly using RPS-BLAST against COG and Pfam databases and indirectly via proxygenes that are identified using BLASTx searches against protein sequence databases. Using simulated metagenome datasets as benchmarks, we show that the proxygene method is more accurate than the direct assignment. We introduce a clustering method which significantly reduces the size of a metagenome dataset while maintaining a faithful representation of its functional and taxonomic content. Contact: vmmarkowitz@lbl.gov
Impact of pulmonary hypertension on outcomes after aortic valve replacement for aortic valve stenosis

Objective The presence of pulmonary hypertension historically has been considered a significant risk factor affecting early and late outcomes after valve replacement. Given the number of recent advances in the management of pulmonary hypertension after cardiac surgery, a better understanding of its impact on outcomes may assist in the clinical management of these patients. The purpose of this study was to determine whether pulmonary hypertension remains a risk factor in the modern era for adverse outcomes after aortic valve replacement for aortic valve stenosis. Methods From January 1996 to June 2009, a total of 1080 patients underwent aortic valve replacement for primary aortic valve stenosis, of whom 574 (53%) had normal systolic pulmonary artery pressures (sPAP) and 506 (47%) had pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension was defined as mild (sPAP 35–44 mm Hg), moderate (45–59 mm Hg), or severe (≥ 60 mm Hg). In the group of patients with pulmonary hypertension, 204 had postoperative echocardiograms. Results Operative mortality was significantly higher in patients with pulmonary hypertension (47/506, 9%, vs 31/574, 5%, P = .02). The incidence of postoperative stroke was similar ( P = .14), but patients with pulmonary hypertension had an increased median hospital length of stay (8 vs 7 days, P = .001) and an increased incidence of prolonged ventilation (26% vs 17%, P P = .02). Those with persistent pulmonary hypertension postoperatively had decreased survival. Five-year survival (Kaplan–Meier) was 78% ± 6% with normal sPAP and 77% ± 7% with mild pulmonary hypertension postoperatively, compared with 64% ± 8% with moderate and 45% ± 12% with severe pulmonary hypertension ( P Conclusions In patients undergoing aortic valve replacement, preoperative pulmonary hypertension increased operative mortality and decreased long-term survival. Patients with persistent moderate or severe pulmonary hypertension after aortic valve replacement had decreased long-term survival. These data suggest that pulmonary hypertension had a significant impact on outcomes in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement and should be considered in preoperative risk assessment.
Predictive value of response to steroid therapy on response to splenectomy in children with immune thrombocytopenic purpura

Background Many but not all studies suggest that a favorable response to preoperative steroid therapy predicts a successful outcome after splenectomy in children with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The purpose of this study is to further examine the relationship between steroid response and outcome after splenectomy in children. Methods After institutional review board approval, records of children undergoing splenectomy for ITP were reviewed. Patients’ responses were determined by platelet counts and grouped by complete response (CR; ≥150,000/μL), partial response (PR; 149,999– ≥50,000/μL), or no response (NR; Results Thirty-seven children were identified. After steroid therapy, 20 patients (54%) had CR, 9 (24%) had PR, and 8 (22%) had NR. After splenectomy, 31 patients (84%) had CR, 6 (16%) had PR, and 0 had NR. Of the 20 patients that had a CR to steroid therapy, 18 (80%) had CR and 2 (20%) had PR to splenectomy. Of the 9 patients that had PR to steroids, 7 (78%) had CR to splenectomy and 2 (22%) had PR. Of the 8 patients that had NR to steroids, 6 (75%) had CR and 2 (25%) had PR to splenectomy. Response to splenectomy was not associated with response to steroids ( P = .59). Conclusion These data suggest that response to splenectomy in children with ITP is unrelated to previous response to steroids.
Improved group off-the-record messaging

Off-the-Record Messaging (OTR) is an online analogy of face-to-face private chat -- messages are confidential and authenticated at the time of the conversation, but cannot later be used to prove authorship. The original OTR protocol is limited to two parties, and is extended by multi-party OTR (mpOTR) to the group chat setting. In doing this, mpOTR unintentionally weakens the security properties provided by its two-party predecessor. We propose an improved group OTR (GOTR)protocol that provides unconditional repudiability, and show how to obtain data origin authentication given this level of repudiability.GOTR resists network failure, colluding and independent malicious insiders, and provides efficient and flexible membership management. We analyze the security properties and performance of GOTR, and present measurement results of a proof-of-concept implementation of GOTR.
Growth and Characterization of Bulk GaN Crystals at High Pressure and High Temperature

We report the growth and characterization of bulk GaN single crystals by temperature-gradient recrystallization at high pressure and high temperature (HPHT), using apparatus adapted from that used to synthesize gem-grade diamond crystals. The bulk crystals are grown on seeds that were synthesized by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) and subsequently removed from their sapphire substrate. Our largest crystals to date are 15×18 mm in diameter; however, the process is scalable to 50 mm and above. The crystals are transparent and well faceted, and dislocation densities below 100 cm−2 have been achieved. Additional characterization of the GaN crystals is also presented.
New power MOSFET technologies optimized for efficient and reliable telecommunication power system

The world is gradually facing with severe energy crisis and global warming. Under the rapidly changing circumstances that encouraging energy saving, most industry experts agree that new power technologies can play a critical role in the power conversion area. Higher efficiency, power density, and system reliability are always crucial factor for server/telecom power system. The phase-shifted full-bridge and LLC resonant converters are widely used for medium or high power applications and a synchronous rectifier is an essential building block for secondary side of DC-DC converters. In this paper, new high voltage fast recovery super junction MOSFETs and medium voltage shielded gate trench MOSFETs are introduced. In this paper, power MOSFET parameters of newly developed devices and their impact on reliability and efficiency of DC-DC converter is analyzed. Evaluation results in LLC resonant converter with synchronous rectification are showed from experiment results.
Growing polymers from peptides and proteins: a biomedical perspective

This review covers the development of the in situ growth of polymers from biomolecules, also termed the “grafting from” conjugation methodology. We trace the evolution of this field of research, with an emphasis on recently developed methods to synthesize polymer conjugates of peptides and proteins with control over the site of conjugation, the stoichiometry of the conjugate, and the chain length and polydispersity of the polymer. We highlight the functional properties and potential biomedical applications of the peptide/protein–polymer conjugates, including conjugates with more advanced architecture and self-assembly behaviour.
Designing sampling plans to capture rare objects

This article focuses on two-phase sampling designs for a population with unknown number of rare objects. The first phase is used to estimate the number of rare or potentially rare objects in a population, and the second phase to design sampling plans to capture a certain number or a certain proportion of such type of objects. A hypergeometric-binomial model is applied to infer the number of rare or potentially rare objects and Monte Carlo simulation based approaches are developed to calculate needed sample sizes. Simulations and real data applications are discussed. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 37: 417–434; 2009 © 2009 Statistical Society of Canada Cet article se concentre sur deux phases d'echantillonnage pour une population de nombre inconnu d'une rare objets. La premiere phase est utilisee pour estimer le nombre d'especes rares ou potentiellement des objets rares dans une population, et la deuxieme phase de la conception des plans d'echantillonnage pour capturer un certain nombre ou une certaine proportion de ce type d'objets. A hypergeometriques-modele binomial est applique pour en deduire le nombre d'especes rares ou potentiellement des objets rares et de simulation de Monte Carlo des approches sont developpees pour calculer la taille de l'echantillon necessaire. Des simulations et des donnees reelles applications sont discutees. La revue canadienne de statistique 37: 417–434; 2009 © 2009 Societe statistique du Canada
Packets with Deadlines: A Framework for Real-Time Wireless Networks

With the explosive increase in the number of mobile devices and applications, it is anticipated that wireless traffic will increase exponentially in the coming years. Moreover, future wireless networks all carry a wide variety of flows, such as video streaming, online gaming, and VoIP, which have various quality of service (QoS) requirements. Therefore, a new mechanism that can provide satisfactory performance to the complete variety of all kinds of flows, in a coherent and unified framework, is needed. In this book, we introduce a framework for real-time wireless networks. This consists of a model that jointly addresses several practical concerns for real-time wireless networks, including per-packet delay bounds, throughput requirements, and heterogeneity of wireless channels. We detail how this framework can be employed to address a wide range of problems, including admission control, packet scheduling, and utility maximization. Table of Contents: Preface / Introduction / A Study of the Base Case / Admission Control / Scheduling Policies / Utility Maximization without Rate Adaptation / Utility Maximization with Rate Adaptation / Systems with Both Real-Time Flows and Non-Real-Time Flows / Broadcasting and Network Coding / Bibliography / Authors' Biographies
Heat transfer in the critical boundary layer

Abstract In near-critical liquids, thermal advection enhances the mass and heat transfer; near a boundary the advective heat conductivity depends on the distance from the boundary. We study the temperature profile in the boundary layer of a near-critical liquid with a temperature gradient. The thermal resistance of this critical boundary layer increases near the critical point; the difference δT between the actual boundary temperature and the one obtained by linear extrapolation from the bulk yields a scaling law δT = const × ( T − T c ) 0.08 .
High throughput processing of CdTe/CdS solar cells with thin absorber layers

This paper presents deposition and post-deposition processing methods amenable for rapid processing of large area CdTe-based photovoltaic modules. A process optimization rationale is given for superstrate CdS/CdTe solar cells. CdTe films with sub-micron thickness were deposited by vapor transport (VT) on commercially available soda-lime glass substrates and treated in CdCl 2 vapor with processing time of 2 min per plate. CdTe film thickness was reduced by lowering source temperature, and treatment temperatures were selected based on 3D modeling of CdS diffusion into polycrystalline CdTe films. The CdTe microstructure and optical properties for 0.3 to 3 μm film thickness are quantified for films deposited in N 2 /O 2 ambient at 550°C and growth rates ∼10 μm/min and are compared to baseline samples with 5 μm CdTe. Solar cells with 1.5 μm and 0.8 μm VT CdTe processed with 2 min vapor CdCl 2 treatment and mild etching have conversion efficiencies of 11% and 8%, respectively.
Respiratory Failure and Airway Management in Congenital Cardiovascular Diseases: Some Practical Observations

Progress in anesthesiology and surgery has allowed partial and total cor rection of cardiovascular lesions previously considered inoperable. Based on definite criteria, half of the patients two years and under develop respiratory failure immediately before or after operation (fewer when those with uncomplicated PDA are included). Many of those in res piratory failure may be saved by mechanical ventilation through a suit able airway such as an orotracheal, nasotracheal, or tracheostomy tube. The problems common to all artificial airways are here discussed in detail.
Evaluation of cardiovascular disease burden and therapeutic goal attainment in US adults with chronic kidney disease: an analysis of national health and nutritional examination survey data, 2001-2010.

For chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, national treatment guidelines recommend a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal <100 mg/dL and blood pressure (BP) target <130/80 mmHg. This analysis assessed the current status of cardiovascular (CV) risk factor treatment and control in US adults with CKD. Weighted prevalence estimates of CV-related comorbidities, utilization of lipid- and BP-lowering agents, and LDL-C and BP goal attainment in US adults with CKD were assessed among 9,915 men and nonpregnant women aged ≥20 years identified from the fasting subsample of the 2001–2010 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). Analyses were performed using SAS survey procedures that consider the complex, multistage, probability sampling design of NHANES. All estimates were standardized to the 2008 US adult population (≥20 years). Data were stratified by CKD stage based on presence of albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. Stage 3 CKD was subdivided into 3a (eGFR 45–59 mL/min/1.73 m2) and 3b (eGFR 30–44 mL/min/1.73 m2); Stage 5 CKD and dialysis recipients were excluded. Of the 9,915 NHANES participants identified for analysis, 1,428 had CKD (Stage 1–4), corresponding to a prevalence estimate for US adults aged ≥20 years of 10.2%. Prevalence of CV-related comorbidities increased markedly with CKD stage, with a ~6–12-fold increase in cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and congestive heart failure between CKD Stage 1 and 4; prevalence of diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension increased by ~1.2–1.6-fold. Use of lipid-lowering agents increased with CKD stage, from 18.1% (Stage 1) to 44.8% (Stage 4). LDL-C goal attainment increased from 35.8% (Stage 1) to 52.8% (Stage 3b), but decreased in Stage 4 (50.7%). BP goal attainment decreased between Stage 1 and 4 (from 49.5% to 30.2%), despite increased use of antihypertensives (from 30.2% to 78.9%). Individuals with CKD have a high prevalence of CV-related comorbidities. However, attainment of LDL-C or BP goals was low regardless of disease stage. These findings highlight the potential for intensive risk factor modification to maximize CV event reduction in CKD patients at high risk for CHD.
Kidney in Hypertension: Guyton Redux

Regulation of blood pressure is a complex integrated response involving a variety of organ systems including the central nervous system (CNS), cardiovascular system, kidneys, and adrenal glands. These systems modulate cardiac output, fluid volumes, and peripheral vascular resistance, the key determinants of blood pressure. More than 40 years ago, Guyton and Coleman1 developed computer models of arterial pressure control, attempting to incorporate the known variables impacting blood pressure homeostasis. The conclusion of this analysis was that regulation of sodium excretion by the kidney and consequent effects on body fluid volumes made up the critical pathway determining the chronic level of intra-arterial pressure. Our own studies of the physiology of blood pressure regulation have focused on the renin-angiotensin (Ang) system (RAS) using genetically modified mouse models. Highly conserved through phylogeny, the RAS is an essential regulator of blood pressure and fluid balance. This biological system is a multienzymatic cascade in which angiotensinogen, its major substrate, is processed in a 2-step reaction by renin and Ang-converting enzyme (ACE), resulting in the sequential generation of Ang I and Ang II. Along with its importance in maintaining normal circulatory homeostasis, abnormal activation of the RAS can contribute to the development of hypertension and target organ damage. The importance of the RAS in clinical medicine is highlighted by the impressive efficacy of pharmacological agents that inhibit the synthesis or activity of Ang II.2–5 At the cellular level, responsiveness to Ang II is conferred by expression of Ang receptors. Ang receptors can be divided into 2 pharmacological classes: type 1 (AT1) and type 2, based on their differential affinities for various nonpeptide antagonists.6,7 Studies using these antagonists suggested that most of the classically recognized functions of the RAS are mediated by AT1 receptors. Gene targeting studies confirmed these conclusions.8 AT …
Response to prostaglandin E2 mediates connecting tubule glomerular feedback

We thank Elijovich and Laffer1 for their interest in our article. First, we clarify that prostaglandin E2 is not the only mediator of connecting tubule glomerular feedback (CTGF). We had previously reported that about half of the CTGF response is mediated by epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, with the other half attributable to a prostaglandin,2 which …
Intermediate disturbance in a late-successional hemlock-northern hardwood forest

Summary 1 An old-growth mesic forest in northern Michigan, USA, experienced an unusually intense storm in July 2002. Permanent inventory plots and a 2.9-ha mapped stand allow comparison of effects of this rare disturbance with patterns of ‘baseline’ mortality. 2 Tree mortality attributable to immediate effects of the storm was of similar magnitude to mortality over the previous decade, amounting to about 9% of basal area and 7% of stem density (mean of 88 inventory plots). 3 Storm mortality differed from baseline mortality in patterns related to species and size. Tsuga canadensis suffered little mortality of either type. Betula alleghaniensis had high baseline mortality in all size classes, but very low storm mortality. Acer spp. and Fagus grandifolia showed similar overall levels of baseline and storm mortality, but storm mortality was higher for larger stems. 4 Spatial patterns of mortality differed between baseline and storm-caused disturbance, with storm mortality patterns related to composition and to substrate variation over the stand. Baseline canopy mortality was hyperdispersed at local scales, but mortality due to the storm was strongly clustered at distances up to 30 m. 5 Properties of rare, intermediate disturbances cannot be predicted by simply scaling up patterns due to frequent, less intense, events. They may have distinctive influences on community dynamics, countering trends towards dominance by shade-tolerant species, generating demographic and spatial structure in the canopy, and distinctively affecting understorey environment. 6 These results suggest that climate change may induce changes in forest ecosystems by changing disturbance patterns even when species are not close to limits of physiological tolerance. Forest management for natural regeneration may need to take the effects of rare, intermediate disturbance into account.
The groups of the generalized Petersen graphs

1. Introduction. For integers n and k with 2 ≤ 2k < n, the generalized Petersen graph G(n, k) has been defined in (8) to have vertex-setand edge-set E(G(n, k)) to consist of all edges of the formwhere i is an integer. All subscripts in this paper are to be read modulo n, where the particular value of n will be clear from the context. Thus G(n, k) is always a trivalent graph of order 2n, and G(5, 2) is the well known Petersen graph. (The subclass of these graphs with n and k relatively prime was first considered by Coxeter ((2), p. 417ff.).)