cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A MEMS Nanocalorimeter for Biomolecular Characterization

This paper presents an integrated MEMS nanocalorimeter with nanowatt thermal power sensitivity and on-chip control of calorimetric chamber temperatures for measuring structural transitions of biomolecules in solution. The device features two identical polymeric freestanding membranes, resistive temperature sensors and heaters, and a low-noise thermopile differential temperature sensor between the two membranes. With the integrated resistive heaters and temperature sensors, on-chip feedback temperature control is achieved to allow varying temperatures with prescribed rates. During measurements, the temperatures of the liquid sample and reference materials are scanned over a continuous range with on-chip temperature control, and the differential thermal response is monitored by the thermopile. By using low-noise thermopile temperature sensor and optimized thermal structures, we obtain sensitivity at about 50 nanowatt. Integrated with PDMS microfluidic channels and chambers, the calorimeter allows efficient handling and measurements of small volumes (~1 ?l) of liquid samples. We have used the device to measure protein denaturation at low concentrations.
Expression of feline xenotropic RNA tumor virus in hybrids between permissive human and non-permissive mouse cells

Somatic cell hybrids were generated by fusing human (A549) cells, cloned after infection with the feline xenotropic CCC virus, to mouse (3T3) cells which are non-permissive for this virus. Hybrid clones were found to be capable of expressing infectious virus. CCC virus expression, however, was regulated in the hybrid cells in such a way that 20-200 times less virus was released into the culture fluid than by the human parental line. Thus human permissiveness for this virus is co-expressed with murine restriction. Markers for twenty human chromosomes were assayed in the hybrid clones. No single human chromosome was found to be essential and sufficient for CCC virus production, since none of them was consistently present or lost in virus-positive and virus-negative clones, respectively.
Bounding Estimates for Critical Events When Directly Disposing Highly Enriched Spent Nuclear Fuel in Unsaturated Tuff

This paper examines the possibility of criticality in a nuclear waste repository. The estimated probabilities are rough bounds and do not entirely dismiss the possibility of a critical condition; however, they do point to the difficulty of creating conditions under which a critical mass could be assembled (i.e., corrosion of containers, separation of neutron absorbers from the fissile material, and collapse or precipitation of the fissile material). In addition, should a criticality occur in or near a container, the bounding consequence calculations showed that fissions from one critical event are quite small (<˜1020 fissions, if similar to aqueous and metal accidents and experiments). Furthermore, a reasonable upper bound of total critical events of 1028 fissions corresponds to only 0.1% of the number of fissions represented by the spent nuclear fuel inventory in a repository containing 70,000 metric tons of heavy metal (MTHM) (the expected size for the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada).
Imaging of the injured child: important questions answered quickly and correctly

Diagnostic imaging has assisted dramatically in the care of the injured child. The avoidance of unnecessary laparotomy in 35-85% of cases depending on the series reviewed is a major improvement in care. Additionally, non-operative treatment has clearly decreased the number of splenectomies children significantly undergo. Further improvements will only result in more accurate and focused interventions and continue to improve results. Physicians must remember, however, that trauma in children remains a surgical disease. Advances in imaging techniques have reduced operative intervention, but now children are exposed to far more potential risks and morbidity. Diagnoses evolve with time and the surgeon must be ready to take any injured child to the operating room for treatment when warranted at a moment's notice.
Serosorting Sexual Partners by Gay and Bisexual Men to Prevent HIV Infection: Implications for Public Health Clinicians

The most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention epidemiological statistics in the United States demonstrate that gay and bisexual men are at most risk for acquiring new HIV infections. While public health campaigns aimed at gay and bisexual males have resulted in improved HIV screening and greater awareness of the need for safer sex practices, barebacking has become a practice of increasing incidence. This act carries the highest risk of HIV transmission and acquisition; and data suggest HIV disease burden is higher among ethnic minorities. Serosorting-purposely seeking HIV serocordant partners--to help lower risk of HIV infection is common. While this can be a positive step in preventing the spread of HIV, it carries serious threats that must be acknowledged. The purpose of this article was to explore the positive and negative aspects of serosorting in the prevention of HIV, describe ways in which health care providers can approach the topic with clients, provide clinical practice implications, and suggest some direction for future research.
Impact of Oenococcus oeni on Wine Hydroxycinnamic Acids and Volatile Phenol Production by Brettanomyces bruxellensis

The ability of commercial strains of Oenococcus oeni to degrade tartaric acid ester-bound hydroxycinnamic acids (TAE-HCAs) and their impact on the production of volatile phenols by Brettanomyces bruxellensis was investigated. Of 10 commercial O. oeni strains evaluated, only one strain, O. oeni Viniflora Oenos (VFO), was able to degrade TAE-HCAs during growth in a Pinot noir wine. This degradation resulted in an increase in the corresponding free forms of the hydroxycinnamic acids in the wine. As a result, growth of B. bruxellensis UCD-2049 in Pinot noir wine where malolactic fermentation (MLF) was conducted by VFO resulted in higher concentrations of 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol in this wine than in wine that did not undergo MLF or underwent MLF with O. oeni strains that did not degrade TAE-HCAs. While wineries must continue to use sound winemaking practices to prevent the growth of Brettanomyces spp. in their wines, minimizing the amount of free hydroxycinnamic acids in the wine will reduce the production of volatile phenols if growth of Brettanomyces spp. does occur. The use of an O. oeni strain that cannot degrade TAE-HCAs is a simple and practical strategy to help achieve this.
Export Performance in Africa and Asia's Manufacturing: Evidence from Firm‐level Data

Asia's share of manufacturing export to gross domestic product in the 1990s was more than five times that of Sub‐Saharan Africa. While explanations abound in the literature as to why Africa has failed, recent empirical work suggests that the reason for Africa's dismal export performance lies in a low skill‐to‐land ratio, which causes its comparative advantage to lie in primary exports. This result is derived from a basic 2 × 2 Hecksher–Ohlin model. However, the aggregation inherent in the industry or national level data sets that are used for testing this theory hides substantial heterogeneity. Input intensity heterogeneity violates the assumptions of the factor proportions framework and casts doubts on the reliability of estimation results. Moreover, measurement error on the skill variable at the aggregate level causes biases in Ordinary Least Squares estimation. This paper uses a combined micro‐ and macro‐level data set for investigating the determinants of export performance in Asia and Africa's manufacturing. Tobit estimations find no robust association between skill intensity and export performance in the textile and garment industries in Ghana, Kenya and India. Africa and Asia's significant performance gap might be better explained by there being poorer institutions in Africa as measured by the Knack and Keefer (1995) index and Kaufman et al.'s (1999) ‘rule of law’ composite index.
Stability of Sotalol in Two Liquid Formulations at Two Temperatures

BACKGROUND:Sotalol is used in certain pediatric patients to treat, suppress, or prevent the recurrence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. However, it is commercially unavailable in a liquid dosage form. The use of an extemporaneously prepared liquid dosage form must be supported by the documentation of the chemical and physical stability of sotalol.OBJECTIVE:To determine the stability of sotalol hydrochloride extemporaneously prepared from tablets in 2 oral suspensions stored at 2 temperatures.METHODS:Five bottles contained Ora Plus: Ora Sweet (1:1) and the other 5 bottles had 1% methylcellulose:simple syrup NF (1:9), with a sotalol concentration of 5 mg/mL. Three samples were collected from each bottle at 0, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, and 91 days and analyzed by a stability-indicating HPLC analytical method (n = 15).RESULTS:At 4°C, the mean concentration of sotalol was at least 98.9% of the original concentration in Ora Plus: Ora Sweet suspension and 95.5% of the initial concentration in 1% methylc...
A new analytical technique for designing provably efficient MapReduce schedulers

With the rapid increase in size and number of jobs that are being processed in the MapReduce framework, efficiently scheduling jobs under this framework is becoming increasingly important. We consider the problem of minimizing the total flowtime of a sequence of jobs in the MapReduce framework, where the jobs arrive over time and need to be processed through both Map and Reduce procedures before leaving the system. We show that for this problem for non-preemptive tasks, no on-line algorithm can achieve a constant competitive ratio (defined as the ratio between the completion time of the online algorithm to the completion time of the optimal non-causal off-line algorithm). We then construct a slightly weaker metric of performance called the efficiency ratio. An online algorithm is said to achieve an efficiency ratio of γ when the flow-time incurred by that scheduler divided by the minimum flow-time achieved over all possible schedulers is almost surely less than or equal to γ. Under some weak assumptions, we then show a surprising property that, for the flow-time problem, any work-conserving scheduler has a constant efficiency ratio in both preemptive and nonpreemptive scenarios. More importantly, we are able to develop an online scheduler with a very small efficiency ratio (2), and through simulations we show that it outperforms the state-of-the-art schedulers.
Neurobiology of Violence, Viewed as a Chronic Brain Disorder

In summary, although there are many socio-cultural explanations for violent behavior, it is critical that health care providers adopt a stress-vulnerability model that carefully weighs the biologic factors contributing to violence as well as the environmental influences. In this way new and effective psychobiological interventions will offer hope and safety to the individual who is affected and the family and society that are at risk from that individual's violent behavior. Violence must be approached holistically, including spiritual interventions and complementary therapies that should be administered. In the future gene therapy may even offer hope of a cure. All of the therapies have the potential to alter brain chemistry and help heal this chronic brain disorder that involves inappropriate and potentially dangerous behavior.
LOS SERVICIOS DE CUIDADO INFANTIL EN AMÉRICA LATINA Y EL CARIBE

Los servicios de cuidado infantil para ninos menores de cuatro anos de edad han expandido su cobertura de forma importante en America Latina y el Caribe. Esta expansion ha buscado primordialmente facilitar el acceso de las mujeres al mercado laboral. El enfasis en la calidad de los servicios de cuidado durante los primeros anos de la vida es fundamental. Este articulo sistematiza informacion sobre el diseno, la gestion, el financiamiento y la calidad de los servicios de cuidado infantil en la region. Entre sus principales hallazgos se encuentran los siguientes: i) existe evidencia de una inconsistencia entre el objetivo que mayoritariamente declaran perseguir estos programas —el desarrollo infantil integral— y el diseno de los servicios que brindan; ii) los programas que dependen de los municipios se destacan por tener mejores variables estructurales (asociadas, en general, con una mejor calidad del servicio), en comparacion con aquellos de escala nacional, asi como por un mayor nivel de inversion por nino atendido; y iii) existe variabilidad en el costo unitario de atencion, lo cual es consistente no solo con una considerable heterogeneidad en el servicio sino tambien con diferencias en el costo-efectividad de distintos modelos de provision y de gestion. Asegurar servicios de cuidado de calidad para todos los ninos que acuden a ellos y garantizar que la oferta publica de estos servicios alcance a los ninos de las familias mas pobres son dos prioridades importantes y todavia pendientes en la agenda de la politica social regional
Enhanced Q-learning algorithm for dynamic power management with performance constraint

This paper presents a novel power management techniques based on enhanced Q-learning algorithms. By exploiting the submodularity and monotonic structure in the cost function of a power management system, the enhanced Q-learning algorithm is capable of exploring ideal trade-offs in the power-performance design space and converging to a better power management policy. We further propose a linear adaption algorithm that adapts the Lagrangian multiplier ? to search for the power management policy that minimizes the power consumption while delivering the exact required performance. Experimental results show that, comparing to the existing expert-based power management, the proposed Q-learning based power management achieves up to 30% and 60% reduction in power saving for synthetic workload and real workload, respectively while in average maintain a performance within 7% variation of the given constraint.
Dose effects of dietary phytosterols on cholesterol metabolism: a controlled feeding study

Background: Phytosterol supplementation of 2 g/d is recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program to reduce LDL cholesterol. However, the effects of different intakes of phytosterol on cholesterol metabolism are uncertain. Objective: We evaluated the effects of 3 phytosterol intakes on whole-body cholesterol metabolism. Design: In this placebo-controlled, crossover feeding trial, 18 adults received a phytosterol-deficient diet (50 mg phytosterols/2000 kcal) plus beverages supplemented with 0, 400, or 2000 mg phytosterols/d for 4 wk each, in random order. All meals were prepared in a metabolic kitchen; breakfast and dinner on weekdays were eaten on site. Primary outcomes were fecal cholesterol excretion and intestinal cholesterol absorption measured with stable-isotope tracers and serum lipoprotein concentrations. Results: Phytosterol intakes (diet plus supplements) averaged 59, 459, and 2059 mg/d during the 3 diet periods. Relative to the 59-mg diet, the 459- and 2059-mg phytosterol intakes significantly (P < 0.01) increased total fecal cholesterol excretion (36 ± 6% and 74 ± 10%, respectively) and biliary cholesterol excretion (38 ± 7% and 77 ± 12%, respectively) and reduced percentage intestinal cholesterol absorption (−10 ± 1% and −25 ± 3%, respectively). Serum LDL cholesterol declined significantly only with the highest phytosterol dose (−8.9 ± 2.3%); a trend was observed with the 459-mg/d dose (−5.0 ± 2.1%; P = 0.077). Conclusions: Dietary phytosterols in moderate and high doses favorably alter whole-body cholesterol metabolism in a dose-dependent manner. A moderate phytosterol intake (459 mg/d) can be obtained in a healthy diet without supplementation. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00860054","term_id":"NCT00860054"}}NCT00860054.
Synthesis and characterization of 3-phenylethynyl endcapped matrix resins

The synthesis of 3-phenylethynylphenol, and its applicability as a high temperature crosslinking endcap for high T g polyarylene ethers is described. It was synthesized in high yields and purity using the palladium catalyzed coupling reaction between the protected 3-bromo or iodo phenol and phenylacetylene. The yield of the reaction was found to be highly dependent on the structure of the halide used, the reaction temperature, and the concentration of phenylacetylene. The use of the protected phenol in the palladium catalyzed reaction was also extended to the high yield synthesis of 3-ethynylphenol and protected 4-ethynylphenols. The complete synthesis of 3-phenylethynylphenol, 3-ethynylphenol, and protected 4-ethynylphenol in high yields has been demonstrated and is discussed herein. Three new phenylethynyl functionalized arylene ether matrix resins have been synthesized in high yields and purity by reacting 3-phenylethynylphenol with 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone, 4,4'-difluorobenzophenone, and bis(4-fluorophenyl)phenyl phosphine oxide, via nucleophilic poly(arylene ether) synthesis conditions. These low molecular weight materials undergo thermally induced chain extension/branching to yield an insoluble three-dimensional network at reaction temperatures of around 380°C. The low molecular weight arylene ethers endcapped with the phenylethynyl group demonstrate excellent flow characteristics and a wide processing window of about 250°C. Crosslinking of the 4,4'-bis(3-phenylethynyl phenoxy)diphenyl sulfone system for 30 min at 350°C in air afforded a T g value of 265°C by differential scanning calorimetry measurements. Trace metal analysis for palladium and copper showed absence of these metals that would otherwise detract from the excellent thermal stability. The synthesis and characterization of these phenylethynyl endcapped arylene ether matrix resins is discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
YycH and YycI Interact To Regulate the Essential YycFG Two-Component System in Bacillus subtilis

The YycFG two-component system is the only signal transduction system in Bacillus subtilis known to be essential for cell viability. This system is highly conserved in low-G+C gram-positive bacteria, regulating important processes such as cell wall homeostasis, cell membrane integrity, and cell division. Four other genes, yycHIJK, are organized within the same operon with yycF and yycG in B. subtilis. Recently, it was shown that the product of one of these genes, the YycH protein, regulated the activity of this signal transduction system, whereas no function could be assigned to the other genes. Results presented here show that YycI and YycH proteins interact to control the activity of the YycG kinase. Strains carrying individual in-frame deletion of the yycI and yycH coding sequences were constructed and showed identical phenotypes, namely a 10-fold-elevated expression of the YycF-dependent gene yocH, growth defects, as well as a cell wall defect. Cell wall and growth defects were a direct result of overregulation of the YycF regulon, since a strain overexpressing YycF showed phenotypes similar to those of yycH and yycI deletion strains. Both YycI and YycH proteins are localized outside the cytoplasm and attached to the membrane by an N-terminal transmembrane sequence. Bacterial two-hybrid data showed that the YycH, YycI, and the kinase YycG form a ternary complex. The data suggest that YycH and YycI control the activity of YycG in the periplasm and that this control is crucial in regulating important cellular processes.
An Inquiry Into Latino Caregivers' Experience Caring for Older Adults With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias:

The literature on the experiences of Latino caregivers of older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD) is scarce. Shedding light on ethnocultural influences may facilitate pro...
Quantification theory and empty individual-domains

In a recent paper by Mostowski [1] we find an investigation of those formulas of quantification theory which are valid in all domains of individuals, including the empty domain. Mostowski gives a complete set of axioms for such a first order functional calculus (the system is called “”) and a comparison is made with a form of the usual calculus, Church's in [2]. It is pointed out that is much less elegant; in particular, the distributivity laws for quantifiers (e.g., (x){A . B) .{x)A . (x)B) do not hold in general, and likewise the rule of modus ponens does not preserve validity in all cases.In this paper we show that a not inelegant system is obtained if one modifies Mostowski's approach in two respects; and once this is done a somewhat neater proof of completeness can be given.The first respect in which we diverge from Mostowski is in the treatment of vacuous quantifiers. For him if p has no free x, then (x)p and (∃x)p are both to have the same value (interpretation) as p1. But this is not the only way to assign values to vacuous quantifications. For when universal quantification is viewed as a generalized conjunction, the formula (x)Fx has the significance of Fa . Fb…. for as many conjunctands as there are individuals in the domain, and if Fx should have the “constant” value p, then (x)p is to mean the conjunction of p with itself for as many times as there are individuals in the domain (compare the arithmetical ).
Homework Success for Children with ADHD: A Family-School Intervention Program

HOMEWORK SUCCESS FOR CHILDREN WITH ADHD : A family_school intervention program , HOMEWORK SUCCESS FOR CHILDREN WITH ADHD : A family_school intervention program , کتابخانه مرکزی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی تهران
Lane Selection Model for Urban Intersections

A lane choice model for urban arterial intersections is presented. This model replaces the rule-based heuristics to assign vehicles in their subsequent lanes used in state-of-the-art microscopic traffic simulators. The lane choice at intersections is modeled as a two-step process: target lane choice and immediate lane selection based on the selected target lane. The target lane is one that the driver perceives as the best to be in, considering a wide range of factors and goals. These include path plan considerations and lane-specific attributes and can vary with the planning capability and aggressiveness of the driver. However, a maneuver to the target lane may not be possible immediately. The observed trajectories consist only of the immediate lane choices of the drivers. The choice of immediate lane is conditional on the target lane selection and affected by maneuverability considerations and aggressiveness of the driver. The parameters of the target lane and immediate lane choice models are jointly estimated with detailed vehicle trajectories. The heterogeneities of the driver population, for both planning capability and aggressiveness, are explicitly taken into account in the model formulation. The estimated model is compared with a single-level intersection lane choice model to demonstrate the improvements in the goodness of fit. The improvements are further strengthened by validation studies within the microscopic traffic simulator MITSIMLab, where the simulation results using the proposed model yield better matches with observed data compared to the rule-based models.
Cyclic motion detection using spatiotemporal surfaces and curves

Cyclic motion is formally defined as repeating curvature values along a path of motion. A procedure is presented for cyclic motion detection using spatiotemporal (ST) surfaces and ST curves. The projected movement of an object generates ST surfaces. ST curves are detected on the ST surfaces, providing an accurate, compact, qualitative description of the ST surfaces. Curvature scale-space of the ST curves is then used to detect intervals of repeating curvature values. The successful detection of cyclic motion in two data sets is presented. >
Electron-hole plasmas in semiconductors

Summary form only given, as follows. Electron hole plasmas are found in high speed, high power semiconductor switches and oscillators. Their properties are used to describe the operation of high-gain photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSS), resonant tunneling diodes, Read diodes, impact ionization avalanche transit time (IMPATT) devices, and Gunn oscillators. Models for electronic polarizability, plasma resonances, transit time effects, and plasma cooling in diodes, transistors, 2-dimensional field effect transistors (FET), and quantum wires must reach beyond single particle interactions and include collective, many-body effects and hydrodynamic equations to obtain reasonable agreement with measurements. Despite the radical differences between the physics of semiconductors and gases, the current filaments in high gain PCSS are strikingly similar to those found in gas breakdown switches. Gas plasmas constitute the active region in gas discharge lasers. In a very similar way, we have produced a new type of semiconductor laser that is based on the electron hole plasma in semiconductor current filaments. Comparisons and contrasts are made of the properties and fundamental phenomena of these switches and lasers. This presentation focuses on the plasma properties of current filaments in PCSS that we have measured, such as carrier densities, plasma frequencies, transit times, and rates of formation. The understanding and development of 2 and 3 dimensional plasmas in semiconductors is important for the production of higher bandwidth (0.1-10 THz) devices because plasma wave frequencies and transit times are not limited by saturation velocities and device sizes. Potential uses for semiconductor plasmas include THz sources, sensors, and lasers for high bandwidth communication, semiconductor and plasma diagnostics, and bio-medical applications.
Coupled effects of nonlinear, rate-limited sorption and biodegradation on transport of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in soil

The transport and fate of many contaminants in subsurface systems can be influenced by several coupled processes, such as nonlinear, rate-limited sorption and biodegradation. We investigated the transport in soil of a model organic compound, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), influenced by nonlinear, rate-limited sorption and biodegradation. Miscible displacement and batch sorption experiments were conducted using a wide range of solute concentrations to investigate the impact of concentration-dependent behavior on transport. The sorption isotherm was approximately linear at a low concentration, and nonlinear over the extended range of concentrations. Results from the transport experiments, with the fitted N values approaching 1 at low input concentrations, were consistent with the batch sorption study. Nonlinear sorption significantly influenced the position of the breakthrough curves because of concentration-dependent retardation. However, although both nonlinear and rate-limited sorption influenced the shape of the breakthrough curves, the impact of rate-limited sorption was greater. The effective travel time of 2,4-D transport is influenced by synergistic interactions between sorption and biodegradation. For example, the sequential rightward shift of the breakthrough curves with decreasing input concentration, due to nonlinear sorption of 2,4-D, is enhanced by biodegradation.
Cingulate cortex : a closer look at its gut-related functional topography

Earlier studies have documented activation of the cingulate cortex during gut related sensory-motor function. However, topography of the cingulate cortex in relationship to various levels of viscer...
Cytoskeletal disruption and small heat shock protein translocation immediately after lengthening contractions

The purposes of this study were to determine whether, immediately after lengthening contractions, 1) levels of specific force-transmitting cytoskeletal elements are reduced in skeletal muscle cells...
RAKE receiver structures for differential and pilot symbol-assisted detection of DS-CDMA signals in frequency-selective Rayleigh fading channels

The capacity of a CDMA system is a function of the bit error rate performance of individual users. Therefore it is important to optimize the individual links before proceeding to system level analysis. This is particularly true for operating in a fading channel where the performance without diversity reception is rather poor. This paper compares the BER performance of differential detection and pilot symbol-assisted coherent detection of a direct-sequence spread spectrum signal on a frequency-selective Rayleigh fading channel using RAKE reception. Both equal gain and maximal ratio combining are considered, and the effect of convolutional coding with interleaving is studied. >
Impact of Subsurface Temperature Variability on Surface Air Temperature Variability: An AGCM Study

Abstract Anomalous atmospheric conditions can lead to surface temperature anomalies, which in turn can lead to temperature anomalies in the subsurface soil. The subsurface soil temperature (and the associated ground heat content) has significant memory—the dissipation of a temperature anomaly may take weeks to months—and thus subsurface soil temperature may contribute to the low-frequency variability of energy and water variables elsewhere in the system. The memory may even provide some skill to subseasonal and seasonal forecasts. This study uses three long-term AGCM experiments to isolate the contribution of subsurface soil temperature variability to variability elsewhere in the climate system. The first experiment consists of a standard ensemble of Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP)-type simulations in which the subsurface soil temperature variable is allowed to interact with the rest of the system. In the second experiment, the coupling of the subsurface soil temperature to the rest of th...
The Relentless Attack on Teachers: Andrew Hartman interviews Mark Naison

Mark Naison, Professor of African American Studies at Fordham University, has become one of the foremost outspoken critics of the so-called education reform movement. In this interview, Naison discusses the problems with the movement, the effect its had on the profession of teaching, and what is to be done.
Following RNA Folding From Local and Global Perspectives

A significant driving force to RNA folding is the localized neutralization of the highly electronegative charge of the phosphodiester backbone by cations. Thus, the folding of RNA molecules into biologically active three-dimensional structures is marked by global compaction resulting from this charge neutralization and the formation of the numerous local noncovalent interactions that stabilize discrete structures. Understanding the relative contribution to folding of sequence nonspecific charge neutralization and formation and breaking of sequence specific noncovalent interactions are critical to understanding molecular mechanisms of RNA folding. This article explores the concomitant use of techniques that track global and local changes in RNA conformation in order to partition nonspecific and specific contributions to the folding process.
The maximum background earthquake for the Basin and Range province, western North America

The maximum background earthquake (MBE) is the largest earthquake not associated with significant primary surface rupture. The MBE is estimated for the Basin and Range province considering 22 earthquakes from the province and a simple physical model of a circular rupture in the seismogenic zone. In the Basin and Range province, the number of historical earthquakes in the magnitude range 6 to 6.6 without significant surface rupture is clearly greater than the two events below magnitude 6.6 with primary surface rupture. Based on the historical record, the MBE for the Basin and Range province is magnitude 6.6, but given the various uncertainties involved, the usage of a magnitude value of 6.5 may be more reasonable for seismic hazard studied.
Future of Analogue Integrated Circuit Design

Analogue integrated circuit design has played an important role in the development of integrated circuit technology. As the level of integration increased in integrated circuit technology, digital circuit implementation became more desirable than analogue circuit implementation because of its robustness and simplicity of design. However, an all-digital implementation of complex integrated circuits is only found in certain types of applications such as memories and microprocessors and even in these integrated circuits, various types of analogue circuits are used. At the present time, a typical applications specific integrated circuit (ASIC) might contain 80% digital and 20% analogue circuits. The focus of this book represents techniques for achieving higher performance in analogue circuits in the face of VLSI technologies. Current mode analogue signal processing offers some important speed advantages over voltage signal processing.
The Significance of Various Factors Associated with Hemorrhagic Transformation in Patients Treated with Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Acute Stroke

Intracranial bleeding is the principal safety concern and use-limiting factor related to the application of thrombolytic agents in acute stroke. Several recent studies, using intravenously administered recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) for carotid and vertebrobasilar territory stroke, have documented intracranial bleeding in the form of hemorrhagic infarction (HI) and parenchymatous hematoma (PH) [2, 4, 11, 16, 19]. That intracranial bleeding is not limited to the use of thrombolytic agents in stroke patients has been amply documented in studies of patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with these agents where a small but consistent incidence has been noted in the range of approximately 0.5% (Table 1) [6, 7, 9, 10, 14, 15, 18]. The purpose of this discussion is to examine several factors presumed to be associated with intracranial bleeding in stroke patients treated with thrombolytic agents using data from the rt-PA Acute Stroke Study Group trial [4] and other recent trials [2, 8, 11, 16, 19]. A preview of this analysis suggests that many of the long and firmly held views regarding influences and effects of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) are not supported by recent information.
Density functional theory study of alkane-alkoxide hydride transfer in zeolites

A solid acid catalyst for the production of alkylation gasoline is sought to replace hazardous strong liquid acids currently used. An optimal catalyst for this application must be able to readily promote hydride transfer between alkyl groups to facilitate sustained activity. Herein, periodic density functional theory (DFT) is used to evaluate the energetics of hydride transfer over acidic mordenite for various combinations of hydride donor and acceptor substitution. Dispersion corrections to DFT (DFT-D) are implemented to better represent non-bonding interactions between the reactive species and the zeolite framework. DFT predicts an increasingly endothermic energy to incorporate the alkane into the zeolite pore as the hydride-donor molecule size increases. However, the inclusion of dispersion energy corrections shifts these energies to exothermic values, and a non-monotonic trend indicates a size dependent competition between attractive dispersion interactions and steric repulsion. The transition states ...
ERRATUM: CREATING NEW FLUORESCENT PROBES FOR CELL BIOLOGY

Nature Rev. Mol. Cell Bio. 3, 906–918 (2002) The address list shown was incorrect and should have read as above.
Monte Carlo simulation of O2 and N2 adsorption in nanoporous carbon (C168 schwarzite)

The adsorption of O2 and N2 in nanoporous carbon (NPC) has been investigated by the grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation. The gases are represented as diatomic molecules, and the NPC is represent...
Properties of Poly- and Oligopentacenes Synthesized from Modular Building Blocks

We describe a facile route to well-defined, solution-processable pentacene oligomers (2 to 7) and homopolymer using Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. Because this synthetic strategy leads to regioisomers, regiopure syn- and anti-trimers were also synthesized, revealing minimal changes in solution properties but significant changes in the solid state arising from differing levels of crystallinity. The materials were characterized by steady state absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry to study their electronic structure. The steady state absorption spectra exhibit a new high-energy transition in the oligomers, which intensifies as a function of oligomer length, thus increasing the range of absorption to include the entire visible spectrum. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the new peak results directly from the oligomerization. Solid state UV–vis suggests that while the monomer is amorphous, bricklayer packing in the higher oligomers significantly alters the solid state abs...
Application of CST Soft Start Technology on High-power Scraper Conveyor

This paper introduces in detail the CST structure and work principle and hydraulic system,and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of CST device.CST soft start technology is applied to the scraper conveyor.The conveyor can be realized soft start,overload protection,multi-drive powerbalance.
Spatial-temporal scan statistic on scarlet fever cases in Taizhou,2005-2013

Objective To understand the spatial and temporal distribution and clustering areas of scarlet fever in Taizhou from 2005 to 2013, and provide evidence for the disease prevention and control. Methods The spatial-temporal scan statistic was conducted with Sa TScan9.2 software and scarlet fever cluster were showed with Arc GIS10.2 software. Results The most likely cluster was found in central Taizhou from January 2005 to June 2009 by spatial-temporal statistic with statistical significance(LLR=390.12,RR=7.21, P0.001). Conclusion Spatial-temporal scan statistic can display the clusters of scarlet fever in Taizhou intuitively and comprehensively by geographic information system, which could provide valuable information for the disease prevention and control.
Human Megakaryocyte Production: Cell Biology and Clinical Considerations

Advances in the methodologic study of megakaryocytopoiesis are discussed, and their effect on the understanding of the production of platelets is included. This knowledge has led to a better understanding of disorders of megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production. Specific diseases discussed are congenital megakaryocyte hypoplasia, acquired amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenic purpura, myeloproliferative disorders, reactive thrombocytosis, megakaryoblastic leukemia, and megakaryocyte and marrow fibrosis.
Scientists in the newsroom

Have you ever squirmed when reading coverage of science news in the media? Rolled your eyes when you saw a headline summing up a sophisticated science result in one line? Do you ever come to the conclusion that some complex subject matter has been condensed to the point where it may collapse in on itself, forming a mini black hole that will trap the real scientific understanding forever? And most importantly, have you ever asked why things might be like this, and what you could do about it?
Single cell dynamic phenotyping

Live cell imaging has improved our ability to measure phenotypic heterogeneity. However, bottlenecks in imaging and image processing often make it difficult to differentiate interesting biological behavior from technical artifact. Thus there is a need for new methods that improve data quality without sacrificing throughput. Here we present a 3-step workflow to improve dynamic phenotype measurements of heterogeneous cell populations. We provide guidelines for image acquisition, phenotype tracking, and data filtering to remove erroneous cell tracks using the novel Tracking Aberration Measure (TrAM). Our workflow is broadly applicable across imaging platforms and analysis software. By applying this workflow to cancer cell assays, we reduced aberrant cell track prevalence from 17% to 2%. The cost of this improvement was removing 15% of the well-tracked cells. This enabled detection of significant motility differences between cell lines. Similarly, we avoided detecting a false change in translocation kinetics by eliminating the true cause: varied proportions of unresponsive cells. Finally, by systematically seeking heterogeneous behaviors, we detected subpopulations that otherwise could have been missed, including early apoptotic events and pre-mitotic cells. We provide optimized protocols for specific applications and step-by-step guidelines for adapting them to a variety of biological systems.
Antimicrobial Stewardship and Environmental Decontamination for the Control of Clostridium difficile Transmission in Healthcare Settings

We implement an agent-based model for Clostridium difficile transmission in hospitals that accounts for several processes and individual factors including environmental and antibiotic heterogeneity in order to evaluate the efficacy of various control measures aimed at reducing environmental contamination and mitigating the effects of antibiotic use on transmission. In particular, we account for local contamination levels that contribute to the probability of colonization and we account for both the number and type of antibiotic treatments given to patients. Simulations illustrate the relative efficacy of several strategies for the reduction of nosocomial colonizations and nosocomial diseases.
Enhanced efficacy of combination heat shock targeted polymer therapeutics with high intensity focused ultrasound

Combination of polymer therapeutics and hyperthermia has been shown to enhance accumulation in selectively heated tumor tissue. The additional use of heat shock (HS)-targeting towards tumor tissues can further enhance accumulation and retention, and improve therapeutic outcomes. In this work, high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) was used to generate hyperthermia in prostate tumor tissue. Upregulation of the cell surface HS receptor glucose regulated protein 78 kDa (GRP78) was observed after treatment with HIFU hyperthermia which was then targeted by specific HS-targeting peptides. We used the peptide sequence WDLAWMFRLPVG attached to the side chains of water-soluble N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers containing docetaxel (DOC) conjugated via a lysosomally degradable linker. It was shown that HIFU-mediated HS-targeted copolymer-DOC conjugates improved treatment efficacy in a murine prostate tumor xenograft model. These results show that the use of HIFU hyperthermia in combination with HS-targeted polymer-drug conjugates has potential to improve therapeutic outcomes in prostate cancer treatment.
Ontology instance linking: towards interlinked knowledge graphs

Due to the decentralized nature of the Semantic Web, the same real-world entity may be described in various data sources with different ontologies and assigned syntactically distinct identifiers. In order to facilitate data utilization and consumption in the Semantic Web, without compromising the freedom of people to publish their data, one critical problem is to appropriately interlink such heterogeneous data. This interlinking process is sometimes referred to as Entity Coreference, i.e., finding which identifiers refer to the same real-world entity. In this paper, we first summarize state-of-the-art algorithms in detecting such coreference relationships between ontology instances. We then discuss various techniques in scaling entity coreference to large-scale datasets. Finally, we present well-adopted evaluation datasets and metrics, and compare the performance of the state-of-the-art algorithms on such datasets.
Further Developments In the Electrophysiology of Induced Stem-Cell Derived Human Cardiomyocytes

Production of human cardiac cells by genetic reprogramming offers exciting possibilities for tissue repair, artificial organs and the testing of new drugs. The electrophysiological behavior of the artificial cells is important and must be understood for all of these applications. This review summarizes the findings of a large number of experimental papers that have appeared in the last ten years. Recurring themes in this review are the use of tissue culture factors to "program" the specialized differentiation of cardiac cells, the use of adenoviruses to add specific genes to the cardiomyocyte transcriptome, and the ability of transplanted cells to cause favorable and lasting "paracrine effects" even when the transplanted cells to do not permanently survive within the host tissue. Electrophysiological effects can include up-regulation of ion channels that hyperpolarize the membrane, which reduces beat frequency, or up-regulation of depolarizing ion channels, which increases beat frequency. Evidence that transplanted myocytes can sometimes align and couple with the host myocytes, and thereby augment contractile force is discussed. Most of the studies reviewed here involve animal research, although promising clinical studies have already been reported.
The ND EarlyQPM program: developing the next generation of healthier maize ( Zea mays L.) products

There is a need to develop the next generation of healthier crop products for an improved human and animal nutrition. Maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars with improved amino acid profiles are essential to diets focused on this crop. Breeders have added crop value with the development of quality protein maize (QPM). However, QPM cultivars have never been an option to farmer and ranchers in short-season environments. The objectives of this research were: (1) to adapt QPM genotypes to the northern U.S. through the North Dakota (ND) EarlyQPM Program, and (2) to develop new early generation SS and non-SS short-season QPM lines and populations for breeding purposes. Fifty-three inbred lines, including 47 QPM donor lines, five experimental North Dakota State University (NDSU) lines, and one ex-PVP line from industry, were selected to produce 94 early-QPM backcross populations. Considering earliness, protein content, and amino acid levels, 218 early generation lines were selected for producing testcrosses with industry testers. Experiments evaluating testcrosses were arranged in 10 × 10 and 12 × 12 partially balanced lattice designs across three ND locations in 2013 and 2014. A total of 48 lines were selected for further development, 17 representing the Stiff Stalk (SS) heterotic group and 31 representing the non-SS group. Selected lines showed, in hybrid combinations, not only above average grain yield, rate of dry down, and total protein content but also high levels of lysine, tryptophan, and methionine essential amino acids for feedstock nutrition. The results of this research show, for the first time, the successful adaptation of QPM genotypes to short-season environments. As a result, new ND EarlyQPM germplasms and lines have been developed for potential release.
Precision medicine for all? Challenges and opportunities for a precision medicine approach to critical illness

All of medicine aspires to be precise, where a greater understanding of individual data will lead to personalized treatment and improved outcomes. Prompted by specific examples in oncology, the field of critical care may be tempted to envision that complex, acute syndromes could bend to a similar reductionist philosophy—where single mutations could identify and target our critically ill patients for treatment. However, precision medicine faces many challenges in critical care. These include confusion about terminology, uncertainty about how to divide patients into discrete groups, the challenges of multi-morbidity, scale, and the need for timely interventions. This review addresses these challenges and provides a translational roadmap spanning preclinical work to identify putative treatment targets, novel designs for clinical trials, and the integration of the electronic health record to implement precision critical care for all.