cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The burden of adult asthma in the United States: evidence from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

Background It is important to have an accurate picture of the sources and extent of medical expenditures and productivity loss to understand the nature and scope of the burden of asthma in the United States (US). Objective The current study aims to provide recent nationally representative estimates of direct and productivity-related costs attributable to asthma in adults in the US. Methods The 2003 and 2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys were used to estimate the effect of asthma on medical expenditures, use, productivity, and chronic comorbidity among adults (≥18 years). Productivity-related outcome variables included employment, annual wages, missed work days, days spent sick in bed, and activity limitations. Multivariate regression was conducted, controlling for sociodemographics and comorbidity. Results Of 47,033 adults, 2,003 reported asthma. Compared with those without, subjects with asthma were significantly less likely to be employed (odds ratio, 0.78), spent 1.4 more days sick in bed annually, and were significantly more likely to have activity limitations or to be unable to work. Adults with asthma incurred an additional $1,907 (2008 US dollars) annually and experienced higher health care use and comorbidity. The total national medical expenditure attributable to adult asthma was $18 billion. Adults with asthma were more likely to be covered by Medicaid (30%) than the general adult population (10%). The largest contributors to medical expenditures for adults with asthma were prescription drugs, followed by inpatient hospitalizations and home health care. Conclusions In recent national data adult asthma is associated with a significant deleterious effect on direct and indirect costs in the US.
Enhanced interferometric detection in two-dimensional spectroscopy with a Sagnac interferometer

An intrinsically phase-stable Sagnac interferometer is introduced for optimized interferometric detection in partially collinear two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopy. With a pump–pulse pair from an actively stabilized Mach–Zehnder interferometer, the Sagnac scheme is demonstrated in broadband, short-wave IR (1–2 μm), 2D electronic spectroscopy of IR-26 dye.
Dependence of the European Muon Collaboration effect on nuclear structure

We investigate a dependence of the ``old'' European Muon Collaboration (EMC) effect on nuclear structure, namely the dependence on the location of the struck quark within a nucleus (``local'' EMC effect). The EMC effect is examined by the rescaling model and also by the nuclear binding model. We find that they give similar results in the sense that scattering from a central or deeply bound constituent gives a larger EMC effect than scattering from a surface or weakly bound constituent. If accurate experimental data become available, these interesting effects could be investigated in detail.
Evidence of thymic dysfunction in ataxia telagiectasia

Abstract Rationale There is evidence of low thymic output in patients with ataxia telangiectasia (A-T). Thymulin, a peptide hormone only secreted by thymic epithelial cells, is essential for T-lymphocyte formation and is a reproducible indicator of functional thymic tissue. We analyzed thymic output and function, using thymulin, in three children with A-T. Methods Thymic output and function were performed in three patients with A-T by the following measurements: 1) thymulin using sheep cell rosette assay; 2) the presence of TREC in PBMCs using real-time PCR; 3) peripheral blood naive T-lymphocyte (CD3+CD4+CD45RA+CD62L+ cells) phenotyping by flow cytometry; and 4) lymphocyte proliferation assays performed with phytomitogens and antigens. Results Mean age was 13 years (range 12-15 years). Thymulin levels were undetectable in two patients and 1:8 in one pt (normal 1:16-1:128). Mean TREC was 309 copies/106 cells (normal 40,000-600,000); mean CD4+ percentage was 29% (36-47%); mean absolute CD4+ cell count was 274 cells/: L (900-2,860 cells/: L); mean naive CD4+ percentage was 1% (53%); and mean absolute naive CD4+ cell count was 8 cells/: L (364 ± 200 cells/: L). Lymphocyte proliferation to mitogens was normal in all patients and lymphocyte proliferation to antigens was normal in 2 out of 3 patients. Conclusions We present the first report of diminished levels of thymulin, in addition to low thymic output, in patients with A-T. These results indicate abnormal T-lymphocyte genesis and maturation, while normal proliferation studies reveal normal T-lymphocyte function. The mechanism of the low output may be a defect in thymic.
Processing, microstructure and low-temperature properties of directionally solidified NiAl/NiAlNb alloys

Abstract A containerless levitation zone processing technique was used to directionally solidify two Ni-Al-Nb alloys in an attempt to improve the fracture strength and ductility of creep resistant, NiAl-based intermetallics through microstructural control. Directional-solidification processing was successful in producing aligned in-situ composite microstructures, while eliminating grain boundaries. One alloy consisted of an aligned eutectic microstructure composed of the intermetallic phases NiAl and NiAlNb while the other alloy consisted of globular NiAl dendrites surrounded by aligned eutectic regions. However, both alloys were brittle at room temperature and exhibited relatively low fracture strengths. The lack of ductility in these alloys was attributed to the high hardness and low toughness of both the NiAl and NiAlNb constituent phases.
Sb on Si(111) studied by branching-ratio photoelectron holography

Abstract Branching-ratio photoelectron holography has been employed to study the structure of Sb adsorbed on Si(111). The Sb 4d corelevel emission was measured as a function of emission direction, and the branching ratio between the two spin-orbit-split components was determined. The data were holographically transformed to yield an image for the atomic distributions near the Sb emitter. The results are consistent with a trimer model.
Body mass index in children and adolescents: considerations for population-based applications

Body mass index in children and adolescents: considerations for population-based applications
Computational Analysis of Hovering Hummingbird Flight

Different from large-size birds, hummingbirds are found to share more common flight patterns with insects, especially in hovering motion. Comparing to hovering insects, hummingbird wing kinematics uses apparent asymmetric motions during downstroke and upstroke. In current study, we present a direct numerical simulation of modeled hummingbird wings undergoing hover flight (Tobalske et al. JEB 2007). 3D wake structures and associated aerodynamic performance are of particular interests in this paper. Computational results are also compared with PIV experiments (Warrick et al. 2005 ).
Orientational order in dense random sphere packings.

One possible model for the structure of amorphous metals is a dense random packing of hard spheres. For equal spheres, this model yields a radial distribution function (RDF) that agrees well with the experimental RDF for amorphous ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{80}$${\mathrm{P}}_{20}$. However, since different models of the atomic structure of amorphous metals may produce different RDF's, it is important to find a way to distinguish between these models. One possibility is orientational order. Eventually experiments will determine which model is correct, but the appropriate experiments have not yet been done. Therefore we have performed a series of ``computer experiments'' on the dense random packing of hard spheres to see if there is any icosahedral (or other) orientational order. These computer experiments were performed on computer generated dense random packings of binary mixtures of hard spheres, with from 1000 to 2000 spheres, size ratios from 1.0 to 2.0, and composition fractions from 20% to 80% small spheres. We measure orientational order using two different methods. One is graphical and uses a local coordinate system for each sphere; the other is quantitative and uses a fixed reference coordinate system. The second method is the orientational order parameter formalism as defined by Steinhardt, Nelson, and Ronchetti. The graphical and quantitative methods provide complementary measures of the orientational order present in our dense random sphere packings. Both methods indicate that there is negligible icosahedral order on any scale in any of the packings.
Analysis of cell death and vertebral end plate bone mineral density in the annulus of the aging sand rat.

Abstract Background context The relationship between disc degeneration and end plate sclerosis is poorly understood. The sand rat is an excellent, economical small-animal model in which disc degeneration is age related, spontaneous, reliable, and well characterized. This model is used here to evaluate disc degeneration, disc cell viability, and vertebral end plate bone mineral density (BMD) in lumbar sites. Purpose To determine the proportion of live and dead cells and end plate bone mineral density in the aging sand rat annulus. Study design Young and old sand rats were used in work approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Outcome measures were the percentage of live/dead annulus cells in the disc and the BMD of cranial and caudal end plates of lumbar vertebrae. Methods Bone densitometry was used to obtain endplate BMD on lumbar spines of 16 young sand rats aged 2 to 6 months and 26 older animals aged 22 to 46 months. X-ray films were analyzed for wedging, end plate calcification, and disc-space narrowing. Additional discs were also harvested and incubated with fluorochromes, and the percentage of live or dead cells were determined for the outer, inner annulus, and entire annulus. Results Radiographically old animals had significantly greater incidence of lumbar wedging (p Conclusions Data are novel and show that in very aged sand rats, end plate BMD is significantly greater than that of young animals. Live/dead cell analyses showed increasing cell death in both outer and inner annulus, which correlated significantly with age and with end plate BMD.
16S rRNA Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis of Bacterial Diversity as a Biomarker of Ecological Health in Polluted Sediments from New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, USA

Abstract A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method was developed to compare bacterial diversity among environmental sites with varying degrees of anthropogenic impact. New Bedford Harbor, MA, a US Environmental Protection Agency-designated Superfund hazardous waste site, was studied to assess changes in bacterial diversity resulting from long-term inputs of organic and inorganic pollutants. Total DNA was extracted from surficial sediments sampled from four sites along a transect of decreasing contamination (Upper and Lower Acushnet Estuary, New Bedford Harbor, and Buzzards Bay, respectively). Oligonnucleotide primers specific to conserved regions of the 16S rRNA gene were used to PCR-amplify sequences from DNA extracts. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis resulted in generation of a number of unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Cluster analysis of fragment pattern data using the computer program RESTSITE ® allowed for bacterial diversity estimations, which, in agreement with standard culture techniques, showed higher bacterial diversity in New Bedford Harbor sediments, relative to Buzzards Bay. By employing bacterial diversity as a sensitive indicator of environmental stress, the method has wide applicability to many environments for the assessment of anthropogenic impact on aquatic ecosystems.
Impact of a rotating empiric antibiotic schedule on infectious mortality in an intensive care unit.

Objective: The development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. We postulated that quarterly rotation of empirical antibiotics could decrease infectious complications from resistant organisms in an intensive care unit (ICU). Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: An ICU at a university medical center. Subjects: All patients admitted to the general, transplant, or trauma surgery services who developed pneumonia, peritonitis, or sepsis of unknown origin. Interventions: A 2-yr study consisting of 1 yr of nonprotocol-driven antibiotic use and 1 yr of rotating empirical antibiotic assignment. Measurements and Main Results: Over 100 variables were recorded for each infectious episode, including patient characteristics (e.g., Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation [APACHE] II score, age, comorbidities), infection characteristics (e.g., site, organism), treatment characteristics (e.g., antibiotic, treatment duration) and outcome measures (e.g., mortality, length of stay, antibiotic cost). Of 1456 consecutive admissions to the ICU, 540 episodes of infection were treated. No differences were noted in age, APACHE II score, race, overall antibiotic utilization or duration of therapy between the 2 yrs of study. Outcome analysis revealed significant reductions in the incidence of antibiotic-resistant Gram-positive coccal infections (7.8 infections/100 admissions vs. 14.6 infections/100 admissions, p <.0001), antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacillary infections (2.5 infections/100 admissions vs. 7.7 infections/100 admissions, p <.0001), and mortality associated with infection (2.9 deaths/ 100 admissions vs. 9.6 deaths/100 admissions, p <.0001) during rotation. Logistic regression identified age (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; 95% confidence interval [Cl], 1.01-1.06), APACHE II score (OR, 1.06; 95% Cl, 1.01-1.13), solid organ transplantation (OR, 9.50; 95% Cl, 2.01-52.21), and malignancy (OR, 10.16; 95% Cl, 4.11-26.96) as independent predictors of mortality. Antibiotic rotation was an independent predictor of survival (OR 6.27, 95% Cl 2.78-14.16). Conclusion: Rotation of empirical antibiotic therapy seems to be a promising method to reduce infectious mortality in an ICU.
Effective hydraulic conductivities in unsaturated heterogeneous media by Monte Carlo simulation

When modeling flow and transport through unsaturated heterogeneous geological deposits, it may be neither computationally nor technically feasible to account for the actual heterogeneity in the simulations. One would fall short in terms of technical feasibility because there is simply no way that the entire spatial domain could be characterized (e.g., you cannot measure hydraulic conductivity at every location at a site). With respect to computational feasibility, the non-linear nature of the Richards equation (which is used to model the flow process) makes simulation of most sites extremely computationally intensive. The computational roadblock is being dismantled as computer hardware advances, but our inability to precisely characterize geological heterogeneity is expected to remain with us for a very long time. To address this problem, the analyst typically uses average or ‘effective’ properties to model flow and transport behavior through heterogeneous media. In this paper, a variety of approaches for developing effective unsaturated flow properties are assessed. Computational results have been obtained which give the hydraulic conductivity ratios (Kparallel/Knomal) for highly nonisotropic layered materials. These results are compared with analytical models. Good agreement was obtained for all soil saturation levels except for extremely dry conditions.
An African‐American woman with disabilities: the intersection of gender, race and disability

This qualitative study explores the educational experiences of an African‐American adult woman with disabilities. The intersections of gender, race and disability are theorized through the lenses of disability, feminist and critical theory. Specifically, I address the following three questions. What are the experiences of an African‐American woman with disabilities in schools? How might these experiences be theorized? Do these experiences offer new ways of understanding oppression that may contribute to empowering individuals labeled with multiple, intersecting identities?
Transferrin is a major determinant of hepcidin expression in hypotransferrinemic mice

As a central regulator of iron metabolism, hepcidin inhibits dietary iron absorption and macrophage iron recycling. Its expression is regulated by multiple factors including iron availability and erythropoietic activity. To investigate the role of transferrin (Tf) in the regulation of hepcidin expression by these factors in vivo, we employed the hypotransferrinemic (hpx) mouse. These Tf-deficient mice have severe microcytic anemia, tissue iron overload, and hepcidin deficiency. To determine the relationship of Tf levels and erythropoiesis to hepcidin expression, we subjected hpx mutant and control mice to a number of experimental manipulations. Treatment of hpx mice with Tf injections corrected their anemia and restored hepcidin expression. To investigate the effect of erythropoiesis on hepcidin expression, we suppressed erythropoiesis with blood transfusions or myeloablation with chemotherapeutic drugs. Transfusion of hpx animals with wild-type red blood cells led to increased hepcidin expression, while hepcidin expression in myeloablated hpx mice increased only if Tf was administered postablation. These results suggest that hepcidin expression in hpx mice is regulated both by Tf-restricted erythropoiesis and by Tf through a mechanism independent of its role in erythropoiesis.
EXACT SO(8) SYMMETRY IN THE WEAKLY-INTERACTING TWO-LEG LADDER

We revisit the problem of interacting electrons hopping on a two-leg ladder. A perturbative renormalization-group analysis reveals that at half-filling the model scales onto an exactly soluble Gross-Neveu model for arbitrary finite-ranged interactions, provided they are sufficiently weak. The Gross-Neveu model has an enormous global SO(8) symmetry, manifest in terms of eight real Fermion fields that, however, are highly nonlocal in terms of the electron operators. For generic repulsive interactions, the two-leg ladder exhibits a Mott insulating phase at half-filling with $d$-wave pairing correlations. Integrability of the Gross-Neveu model is employed to extract the exact energies, degeneracies, and quantum numbers of all the low-energy excited states, which fall into degenerate SO(8) multiplets. One SO(8) vector includes two charged Cooper pair excitations, a neutral $s=1$ triplet of magnons, and three other neutral $s=0$ particle-hole excitations. A triality symmetry relates these eight two-particle excitations to two other degenerate octets, which are comprised of single-electron-like excitations. In addition to these 24 degenerate ``particle'' states costing an energy (mass) $m$ to create, there is a 28-dimensional antisymmetric tensor multiplet of ``bound'' states with energy $\sqrt{3}m.$ Doping away from half-filling liberates the Cooper pairs, leading to quasi-long-range $d$-wave pair field correlations, but maintaining a gap to spin and single-electron excitations. For very low doping levels, integrability allows one to extract exact values for these energy gaps. Enlarging the space of interactions to include attractive interactions reveals that there are four robust phases possible for the weak coupling two-leg ladder. While each of the four phases has a (different) SO(8) symmetry, they are shown to all share a common SO(5) symmetry---the one recently proposed by Zhang as a unifying feature of magnetism and superconductivity in the cuprates.
Studies of electron screening effects on the electron mobility in silicon surface inversion layers

Abstract Theoretical calculations of the effects of electron screening of the randomly distributed oxide charges on the electron mobility in surface inversion layers at 4.2 K show that screening substantially enhances the mobility even in weakly inverted surface layer. Surface conductances are measured at 4.2 and 77 K on n-channel MOS transistors with 4 × 1011 ions/cm2. Threshold voltages are obtained by matching the inversion layer conductance versus gate voltage data to the theory. The observed mobility magnitude at 4.2 K is about 2000 cm2/V-s which is in excellent agreement with the theory including screening but without adjustable parameters. A conductance tail of several volts wide below the theoretical threshold voltage and a large positive threshold voltage shift are observed at low temperatures which are attributed to an areal inhomogeneous distribution of fast surface states near the silicon conduction band edge.
Understanding Cultural Diversity and Learning

Core curriculum and multicultural education are two major approaches advocated in the current school reform movement. This article argues that neither of these approaches adequately addresses the problem of those minority groups who have not traditionally done well in the public school. Core curriculum advocates falsely assume that as a result of instituting a core curriculum, demanding higher standards, and patching up supposed individual deficiencies, all students will perform as expected. Multicultural education advocates inadequately design their program to focus on cultural differences in content and form. This article contends that the crucial issue in cultural diversity and learning is the relationship between the minority cultures and the American mainstream culture. Minorities whose cultural frames of reference are oppositional to the cultural frame of reference of American mainstream culture have greater difficulty crossing cultural boundaries at school to learn. Core curriculum and multicultura...
Neuromodulatory actions of dopamine on synaptically-evoked neostriatal responses in slices

The present experiments were designed to further examine the hypothesis that receptor subtype determines the direction of dopamine's (DA) ability to modulate neostriatal neuronal responses. We have reported that DA potentiates responses mediated by activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, but attenuates responses mediated by activation of non-NMDA receptors in neocortex [Cepeda et al. (1992b) Synapse, 11:330-341] and neostriatum [Cepeda et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 90:9576-9580]. In these studies, responses to excitatory amino acids (EAAs) were evoked by microphoretic application of agonists. The present studies examined whether this differential modulation also applies to components of synaptic responses evoked by electrical stimulation of neostriatal afferents and mediated by activation of specific subtypes of EAA receptors. Using brain slices, the actions of DA and its receptor specific agonists on components of neostriatal synaptic responses that were mediated either by NMDA or non-NMDA receptors were assessed. Responses mediated by NMDA receptors were potentiated by DA while those mediated by non-NMDA receptors were attenuated. These findings provide further support for the hypothesis that the direction of modulatory action of DA is determined by the specific subtype of EAA receptor activated. In addition, the enhancement of NMDA receptor-mediated responses was mimicked by application of SKF 38393, a D1 receptor agonist. Quinpirole, a D2 receptor agonist, consistently attenuated responses mediated by activation of non-NMDA receptors. Thus, the complex modulatory actions of DA are dependent upon combinations of co-activation of specific subtypes of EAA and DA receptors. These findings are of clinical relevance since the actions of DA and EAAs have been implicated in neurological and affective disorders.
Police Organizational Commitment: The Influence of Supervisor Feedback and Support

Employee organizational commitment provides positive outcomes for any organization, including law enforcement agencies. Although organizational characteristics such as supervisor feedback and organizational support have a strong influence on increasing organizational commitment in other sorts of organizations, the police organizational environment is unique and can hamper the facilitation of these characteristics. The present study used a sample of police officers to test the influence of supervisor feedback and perceived organizational support on officer organizational commitment, net the influence of other organizational, job characteristic, and officer personal characteristic influences. The findings revealed that, in spite of the barriers faced by police managers, these characteristics and other organizational-level characteristics were strong predictors of officer organizational commitment.
Branching patterns of right pulmonary artery in cardiovascular anomalies.

The branch of the right pulmonary artery (RPA) to the upper lobe of the right lung (RUL), the truncus anterior of the RPA, and the pars anterior of the left pulmonary artery, which supplies the left upper lung lobe (LUL), were demonstrated by both dissection of postmortem specimens and angiography for 20 infants and children, by angiography only for 57, and by specimen dissection only for 59 (total 136).In posteroanterior angiograms, the RUL artery branches from the RPA near the right lateral border of the vertebral column, while the LUL artery or arteries arise more laterally, near the left midclavicular plane. This pattern is reversed in situs inversus (eight patients studied).
Cultural Issues in the Reception of Relativity

The objective of an enterprise of comparative scholarship, such as the present volume, is to set out parallel cases of the reception of a single set of ideas, in order to get an overall picture of the balance between general and culture-specific processes. The unit of analysis is the nation and there is no presumption that any one case is more normative than any other. In textbook treatments of reception, the experience of an innovation or new idea in its society of origin may be taken as a normative phenomenon against which its reception elsewhere must be weighed. In the case of paradigmatic change, the bias is even greater: national scientific communities which made no contribution to the paradigm, although receiving and adopting it, are reckoned as uninteresting or derivative. What is the interest, therefore, of the reception of relativity in a country that made no original contribution to it? There are several lines of response to this kind of question. One is to posit, as Mannheim did, that the differential receptivity of cultural or social groups to specific ideas reveals something significant about social and cultural processes. A second is to suppose that such differentiation illuminates science as a social and cultural phenomenon. A third is to challenge received views of what is normative in science by expanding the number of cases examined and broadening the basis of study to include scientific communities thought “peripheral” to mainstream science. A fourth is to change the focus of study from the internal development of ideas to social and cultural contexts of their development and diffusion. A fifth is to cast a social definition of science as ideology; to do so is to finesse the question of what is normative experience, to rid the research program of ethnocentric bias, and to even out the distinction between invention and innovation, discovery and reception. As Tzvetan Todorov has observed in another context, “the reception of … statements is more revealing for the history of ideologies than their production.”1 Of course. The proof is in the kind of enterprise this volume undertakes, because such comparisons and contrasts as the national case studies present ultimately reveal ideological distinctions (or, rather, a range of social, cultural and ideological distinctions of which the latter are most significant). Put another way, Goldberg’s “national style” involves different ways of doing science, different ways of thinking about science, the embeddedness of science in different value systems, and the attaching to science of different ideological markers. Even if ideology may not inhere in a given scientific idea as relativity, it appears as part of the baggage that ideas carry across cultural boundaries.
Gaseous slip flow analysis of a micromachined flow sensor for ultra small flow applications

The velocity slip of a fluid at a wall is one of the most typical phenomena in microscale gas flows. This paper presents a flow analysis considering the velocity slip in a capacitive micro gas flow sensor based on pressure difference measurements along a microchannel. The tangential momentum accommodation coefficient (TMAC) measurements of a particular channel wall in planar microchannels will be presented while the previous micro gas flow studies have been based on the same TMACs on both walls. The sensors consist of a pair of capacitive pressure sensors, inlet/outlet and a microchannel. The main microchannel is 128.0 µm wide, 4.64 µm deep and 5680 µm long, and operated under nearly atmospheric conditions where the outlet Knudsen number is 0.0137. The sensor was fabricated using silicon wet etching, ultrasonic drilling, deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) and anodic bonding. The capacitance change of the sensor and the mass flow rate of nitrogen were measured as the inlet-to-outlet pressure ratio was varied from 1.00 to 1.24. The measured maximum mass flow rate was 3.86 × 10 −10 kg s −1 (0.019 sccm) at the highest pressure ratio tested. As the pressure difference increased, both the capacitance of the differential pressure sensor and the flow rate through the main microchannel increased. The laminar friction constant f · Re, an important consideration in sensor design, varied from the incompressible no-slip case and the mass sensitivity and resolution of this sensor were discussed. Using the current slip flow formulae, a microchannel with much smaller mass flow rates can be designed at the same pressure ratios.
Determining the implied volatility for American options using the QAM

This paper describes an efficient numerical procedure which may be used to determine implied volatilities for American options using the quadratic approximation method. Simulation results are presented. The procedure usually converges in five or six iterations with extreme accuracy under a wide variety of option market conditions. A comparison of American implied volatilities with European model implied volatilities indicates that significant differences may arise. This suggests that reliance on European model volatilities estimates may lead to significant pricing errors.
Test-time optimization in NOC-based manycore SOCs using multicast routing

A limitation of prior work on testing of network-on-chip (NOC)-based manycore SOCs is that cores are tested using unicast packets; this approach fails to exploit the homogeneity of cores in large manycore SOCs. By leveraging the capability of modern multicast routers to fork a flit to multiple destination ports simultaneously, we present two methods to minimize time to test cores in a homogeneous SOC with many identical cores. First, we formulate the test-time minimization problem in terms of integer linear programming. Next, we add a practical constraint, model the constrained problem in terms of grid partitioning, and apply dynamic programming (DP) to optimally solve it. We present results on synthetic NOC-based SOCs constructed using cores from the ITC'02 benchmarks to show that the proposed methods significantly outperform prior methods based on unicast, and demonstrate the scalability of the DP-based approach for an SOC consisting of more than 1,000 cores.
Where's Downtown?: Behavioral Methods for Determining Referents of Vague Spatial Queries

Humans think and talk about regions and spatial relations imprecisely, in terms of vague concepts that are fuzzy or probabilistic (e.g., downtown, near). The functionality of geographic information systems will be increased if they can interpret vague queries. We discuss traditional and newer approaches to defining and modeling spatial queries. Most of the research on vague concepts in information systems has focussed on mathematical and computational implementation. To complement this, we discuss behavioral-science methods for determining the referents of vague spatial terms, particularly vague regions. We present a study of the empirical determination of downtown Santa Barbara. We conclude with a discussion of prospects and problems for integrating vague concepts into geographic information systems.
Reconfigurable Null Scanning Antenna With Three Dimensional Null Steer

A reconfigurable null scanning antenna (RNSA) capable of continuous null steering in three-dimensional space is presented. This compact antenna maintains its common impedance bandwidth through the careful combination of resonances of both the driven and parasitic patches, and the incorporation of 12 varactors enables continuous null steer. Full wave simulations predict antenna performance, whereas impedance and pattern measurements validate simulated results.
How to escape the differentiation proliferation trap

Purpose – In our hypercompetitive times, product and service differentiation may start out as value innovation but end up as too many similar choices for customers. The risk of this happening increases when several or all segments of the market are crowded with competitors seeking differentiation. This paper aims to investigate this issue.Design/methodology/approach – The paper looks at how this brand proliferation currently grips the hotel industry.Findings – The paper finds that, as illustrated by the hotel industry example, there are three primary ways that companies manage the threats from rivals who introduce similar products.Research limitations/implications – A hotel industry case is analyzed from a current and historical perspective.Practical implications – Managers who face this problem can: select certain threats to respond to; overwhelm the threats, choosing to fight on many fronts; and outflanking their rivals by opening new positions or at the extremes of the expected price line.Originality/v...
Barnacle bonding: morphology of attachment of Xenobalanus globicipitis to its host Tursiops truncatus.

Xenobalanus globicipitis, a unique type of small pseudo-stalked barnacle occurs on the appendages of cetaceans, including the common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus. In this study, we examined attach- ment structures of X. globicipitis and modifications to the skin of T. truncatus in areas of attachment compared to skin nearby an attachment site. Barnacles and their six calcareous footplates were measured for their length and width. There was a positive correlation of barnacle width and length to footplate width and length. The thickness of the stratum corneum increased significantly in areas of attachment compared to skin nearby a foot- plate. The mitotic stratum germinativum at the base of the dermal papillae did not change significantly in areas of attachment compared to skin nearby a footplate. The stratum germinativum lining the lateral walls of the dermal papillae was significantly thicker in areas of skin nearby a footplate compared to in areas of attach- ment. Skin of T. truncatus nearby a footplate, displayed dermal papillae extending from the dermis and pointing roughly perpendicular to the epidermal stratum cor- neum. At sites of X. globicipitis attachment, the dermal papillae were forced to extend laterally, parallel to the stratum corneum, and the dermal papillae length to width ratio at an attachment site was significantly higher than on skin near an attachment site. Our results show that attachment of X. globicipitis through production of footplates organized into calcareous rings, leads to a thickened stratum corneum of the epidermis, a thinner lateral mitotic stratum germinativum and dis- placed structures of the upper dermis. These resulting modifications to the epidermis and dermis of the host may add to securing barnacle attachment to its host. J. Morphol. 000:000-000, 2012. ! 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Natural Resource Abundance and Economic Growth

This paper explores whether natural resource abundance leads, other things equal, to slower growth rates. We distinguish between natural resource dependence (RD) and the natural resource endowment (RE). We estimate three models, using World Bank data on national capital stocks. In a one-equation model we show that RD has a negative effect on growth rates, apparently confirming the main results of the resource "curse" literature. RE, however, has a positive impact on growth. We then estimate a two-equation model, in which the impacts of RE are much weaker. Finally, we estimate a three-equation model, in which the impacts of natural resources on growth disappears.
The Use of Flaps and Grafts in the Treatment of Urethral Stricture Disease

The use of various grafts and flaps plays a critical role in the successful surgical management of urethral stricture disease. A thorough comprehension of relevant anatomy and principles of tissue transfer techniques are essential to understanding the appropriate use of grafts or flaps to optimize outcomes. We briefly review these principles and discuss which technique may be best suited for a given anterior urethral stricture, depending on the location and length of the stricture, the presence or absence of an intact corpus spongiosum, and the availability of adequate and healthy penile skin.
MicroRNA involvement in breast cancer multidrug resistance

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 2284 Multidrug resistance (MDR) has been frequently associated with elevated expression of one or more ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters such as three well-known drug efflux proteins: P-glycoprotein (MDR-1), multidrug resistance associated protein (MRP-1), and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). However, the regulation of these transporters remains controversial. A recently discovered class of small, functional, noncoding RNAs, named microRNAs (miRNAs), has been shown to function as regulatory molecules by inhibiting protein translation and to play an important role in development, differentiation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. More recently, a few studies have suggested that miRNA deregulation may play a role in cancer progression, but very little is currently known about how changes in certain miRNA expression levels among drug resistant tumor cells affect breast cancer multidrug resistance. To determine whether expression of certain miRNAs is altered in various breast cancer MDR cell lines (adriamycin-resistant, taxol-resistant, and mitoxantrone-resistant MCF7 breast cancer cells), we performed analyses of miRNA expression in MDR cell lines (MCF7/Adr200, MCF7/TX200, MCF7/MX100) compared to their parent cell line (MCF7) using a microarray containing 463 human mature and precursor miRNA probes. Nine of the decreased expression and 24 of the increased expression of miRNAs were observed in MDR cells compared to their parent cells. The differentially expressed miRNAs detected in the microarray screen will be confirmed by Northern blot analysis. We will modulate the levels of these confirmed miRNAs in MCF7 cells to determine whether these altered expressions of miRNAs are involved in breast cancer MDR. Our findings will be beneficial for the prediction of multidrug resistance in patients as well as in the design of personalized therapy for breast cancer patients.
MITOCHONDRIAL DEFECTS CAUSE DISTINCT NEUROENDOCRINE DISORDERS

Multisystemic neuroendocrine disorders contribute to chronic disease risk [1,2,3], but their origin is largely unknown. Our objective was to determine if defects of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system and energy transport or redox balance could promote neuroendocrine disorders by influencing the regulation of major neuroendocrine systems. Four mouse models of mitochondrial disease either lacking ANT1 (adenine nucleotide translocator 1-/-), NNT (nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase-/-), or with mtDNA point mutations in COI or ND6 genes were studied and compared to mice with normal mitochondria. Multiple neuroendocrine parameters of stress reactivity and recovery were monitored in parallel in response to restraint stress, an established model that elicits robust activation of neuroendocrine systems. ANT1 and NNT deletion had opposite effects on HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis function, including ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) secretion by the brain and corticosterone release by the adrenal glands, and ANT1 loss completely blunted SAM (sympathetic-adrenal-medullary) axis activation and catecholamine release. The ND6 mutation exaggerated corticosterone release, whereas COI caused the most profound disruption of catecholamines. Hyperglycemia and circulating amino acid profiles also varied in a genotype-dependent manner. We conclude that genetic perturbations of mitochondrial functions lead to defined neuroendocrine disorders, with implications for disease susceptibility.
Two Dimensional Simulations of a Feedback Controlled D-Cylinder Wake

Two dimensional feedback control simulations of the wake behind a D-shaped Cylinder are compared to feedback controlled circular cylinder results. A low dimensional model based on Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) in conjunction with real time Linear Stochastic Estimation (LSE) is used to estimate the flow state. At laminar Reynolds numbers of up to 300, the von Karman Vortex Street can be strengthened or weakened depending on the phase shift applied in the controller. As opposed to the circular cylinder simulations, where actuation was implemented by translating the cylinder normal to the flow, the D shaped cylinder wake is controlled using two blowing and suction slots near the base of the model. Since the D shaped cylinder features a fixed separation point, this investigation truly demonstrates that our control approach controls the wake instability and not the separation location. Results of the high resolution simulations of the feedbackcontrolled truth model show a reduction in unsteady lift force of 40%, and a reduction in drag of 10% of the unforced flow field, using linear proportional fixed gain feedback of the first POD mode.
Air Travel in Cardiorespiratory Disease: Report of the Section on Aviation Medicine Committee on Physiologic Therapy American College of Chest Physicians

We believe that a useful classification for planned air travel for patients with cardio-respiratory disease can be developed at a series of limiting altitudes ranging in 2,000 feet decrements from 10,000 feet to 2,000 feet in the cabin. By putting a limit, rather than making a recommendation of safety, it is felt that some of the objection to such a classification can be overcome. The time factor has not been accounted for at this time. A method of considering various aircraft, from the pulmonary physiologic point of view, is given together with some of the performance characteristics of certain aircraft in this regard. It is shown that respiratory acidosis and ventilatory restriction are perhaps the most important limiting factors with alveolar-capillary block as a less common consideration. It is felt that the average physician is in a position to classify patients. Such a classification moreover, could be useful to airlines accepting patients with cardio-respiratory disorders for air travel. (The partial data summarized have been selected and compiled from sources believed to be reliable, but are not guaranteed as to accuracy or completeness either by the authors, the Journal, or the American College of Chest Physicians.)
Magnitude of TGF-initiated nephron-nephron interactions is increased in SHR

We compared the tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF)-initiated nephron-nephron interaction in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Interaction strength was assessed by measuring stop-flow pressure (delta SFP) responses in pairs of nephrons, where only one nephron of the pair was microperfused. The vascular connection was determined from casts of the nephrons and vessels; length of arteriolar separation between the two glomeruli was measured on the casts. When microperfusion rate was increased from 5 to 50 nl/min, delta SFP in perfused nephrons was 10.6 +/- 0.6 and 10.2 +/- 0.7 mmHg [not significant (NS)] in SD and SHR, respectively. In the matched unperfused nephrons from the same cortical radial artery, delta SFP was 1.3 +/- 0.2 and 2.9 +/- 0.7 mmHg (P < 0.05) in SD and SHR. When the perfused and unperfused nephron originated from different cortical radial arteries, delta SFP in the unperfused nephrons was -0.1 +/- 0.2 and 0.0 +/- 0.3 mmHg (NS) in SD and SHR, respec...
Teaching and Learning in Technical IT Courses

In this chapter, I discuss my experiences applying Problem-Based Learning to technical IT courses such as mathematics and computer application design and programming. One of the hallmarks of nearly any technical concentration is a critical need to develop strong individual, and typically challenging, technical skill sets early in the program, and high dependence on these skill sets in later courses, internships, and ultimately professional work or graduate studies. Another hallmark of the IT field is a need for strong metacognitive skills to analyze complex scenarios and the ability to creatively use their technical skill sets to synthesize new solutions and create working systems, much like an artist creates new works.
Nutrient Loading through Submarine Groundwater Discharge and Phytoplankton Growth in Monterey Bay, CA

We quantified groundwater discharge and associated nutrient fluxes to Monterey Bay, California, during the wet and dry seasons using excess (224)Ra as a tracer. Bioassay incubation experiments were conducted to document the response of bloom-forming phytoplankton to submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) input. Our data indicate that the high nutrient content (nitrate and silica) in groundwater can stimulate the growth of bloom-forming phytoplankton. The elevated concentrations of nitrate in groundwater around Monterey Bay are consistent with agriculture, landfill, and rural housing, which are the primary land-uses in the area surrounding the study site. These findings indicate that SGD acts as a continual source of nutrients that can feed bloom-forming phytoplankton at our study site, constituting a nonpoint source of anthropogenic nutrients to Monterey Bay.
2D Matching Using Repetitive and Salient Features in Architectural Images

Matching and aligning architectural imagery is an important step for many applications but can be a difficult task due to repetitive elements often present in buildings. Many keypoint descriptor and matching methods will fail to produce distinctive descriptors for each region of man-made structures, which causes ambiguity when attempting to match areas between images. In this paper, we outline a technique for reducing the search space for matching by taking a two-step approach, aligning pairs one dimension at a time and by abstracting images that originally contain many repetitive elements into a set of distinct, representative patches. We also present a simple, but very effective method for computing the intra-image saliency for a single image that allows us to directly identify unique areas in an image without machine learning. We use this information to find distinctive keypoint matches across image pairs. We show that our pipeline is able to overcome many of the pitfalls encountered when using traditional keypoint and regional matching techniques on commonly encountered images of urban scenes.