cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization of a tertiary alcohol series of phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitors: structure-activity relationship related to PDE4 inhibition and human ether-a-go-go related gene potassium channel binding affinity.

A SAR study on the tertiary alcohol series of phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitors related to 1 is described. In addition to inhibitory potency against PDE4 and the lipopolysaccharide-induced production of TNFα in human whole blood, the binding affinity of these compounds for the human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) potassium channel (an in vitro measure for the potential to cause QTc prolongation) was assessed. Four key structural moieties in the molecule were studied, and the impact of the resulting modifications in modulating these activities was evaluated. From these studies, (+)-3d (L-869,298) was identified as an optimized structure with respect to PDE4 inhibitory potency, lack of binding affinity to the hERG potassium channel, and pharmacokinetic behavior. (+)-3d exhibited good in vivo efficacy in several models of pulmonary function with a wide therapeutic index with respect to emesis and prolongation of the QTc interval.
Towards an interdisciplinary perspective of training intervention for negotiations: Developing strategic negotiation support contents

This paper presents a prototype negotiation support system (NSS) intended to help the user to analyze the economic underpinnings of the negotiation, and to construct an initial offer. We also present the results of a behavioral test of the system using techniques from the field of experimental economics. In the test, negotiators have private, asymmetric information about the value of the negotiated item. In one treatment both negotiators operate without an NSS, and in a second treatment the seller has an NSS. The data shows that the NSS assisted negotiators make offers that lead to better price outcomes for themselves. The NSS is web-based and the system might have particular relevance for e-negotiating.
Integrability and structural stability of solutions to the Ginzburg–Landau equation

The integrability of the Ginzburg-Landau equation is studied to investigate if the existence of chaotic solutions found numerically could have been predicted a priori. The equation is shown not to possess the Painleveproperty, except for a special case of the coefficients that corresponds to the integrable, nonlinear Schroedinger (NLS) equation. Regarding the Ginzburg-Landau equation as a dissipative perturbation of the NLS, numerical experiments show all but one of a family of two-tori solutions, possessed by the NLS under particular conditions, to disappear under real perturbations to the NLS coefficients of O(10 to the -6th).
Bioremediation: an overview of its development and use for oil spill cleanup

Abstract Bioremediation as a technique for marine oil spill cleanup is reviewed in the context of its recent historical development in the United States, which was highly influenced by the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. The development of bioremediation is examined as a prototype for new environmental technologies, which involve interactions between scientific researchers, the public, the media and government regulators. Bioremediation has a role to play in long term cleanup of oil contaminated shorelines, especially in sensitive environments.
Paclitaxel delivery from cobalt-chromium alloy surfaces using self-assembled monolayers.

Polymer-based platforms in drug-eluting stents (DESs) can cause adverse reactions in patients. Hence, the development of a polymer-free drug delivery platform may reduce adverse reactions to DES. In this study, the use of a polymer-free platform, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), is explored for delivering an antiproliferative drug [paclitaxel (PAT)] from a stent material [cobalt-chromium ((Co-Cr) alloy]. Initially, carboxylic acid terminated phosphonic acid SAMs were coated on Co-Cr alloy. Two different doses 25 and 100 μg/cm2) of PAT were coated on SAM coated Co-Cr surfaces using a microdrop deposition method. Also, control experiments were carried out to coat PAT directly on Co-Cr surfaces with no SAM modification. The PAT coated specimens were characterized using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). FTIR spectra showed the successful deposition of PAT on SAM coated and control-Co-Cr surfaces. SEM images showed islands of high density PAT crystals on SAM coated surfaces, while low density PAT crystals were observed on control-Co-Cr alloy. AFM images showed molecular distribution of PAT on SAM coated as well as control-Co-Cr alloy surfaces. In vitro drug release studies showed that PAT was released from SAM coated Co-Cr surfaces in a biphasic manner (an initial burst release in first 7 days was followed by a slow release for up to 35 days), while the PAT was burst released from control-Co-Cr surfaces within 1–3 days. Thus, this study demonstrated the use of SAMs for delivering PAT from CouCr alloy surfaces for potential use in drug-eluting stents. ©2011 American Vacuum Society.
Expanding Access through Public Coverage: Permitting Families to Use Tax Credits to Buy into Medicaid or SCHIP

A new tax credit to help low-income families and individuals purchase health insurance can address the problem of affordability, but will not overcome other barriers these populations face in obtai...
Structural studies on polynuclear osmium carbonyl hydrides. XXXVI. The crystal structure of (μ-H)2Os3(CO)9(μ3-η1-CCO), a case wherein internally inconsistent OsOs bond lengths can be explained by the presence of both ordered and disordered molecular sites in the crystal

Abstract The complex (μ-H) 2 Os 3 (CO) 9 (μ 3 -η 1 -CCO) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P 2 1 / m (No. 11) with a 9.2721(15), b 14.2272(21), c 12.6005(19) A, β 92.423(13) o , V 1660.7(4) A 3 and Z = 4. Diffraction data (Mo- K α , 2θ = 4.0–45.0 o ) were collected on a Syntex P 2 1 /XTL system and the structure refined to R 6.5% for all 2292 reflections ( R 4.9% for those 1805 data with | F o | > 3σ (| F o |)). Molecules are bisected by crystallographic mirror planes; the asymmetric unit therefore consists of two independent half molecules. Site “A” contains ordered molecules (OsOs 2.760(1) A, 2 × Os(H)Os 2.870(1) A) but site “B” is associated with anomalous OsOs distances (2 at 2.813(1) A, 1 at 2.875(1) A) which can be explained successfully by a two-fold pattern of disorder; other anomalies in inter-atomic parameters at site B are consistent with this explanation.
Ontogeny and dopaminergic regulation in brain of Ras homolog enriched in striatum (Rhes)

Rhes is one of several signaling molecules preferentially expressed in the striatum. This GTP-binding protein affects dopamine-mediated signaling and behavior. Denervating the striatum of its dopaminergic inputs in adulthood reduces rhes mRNA expression. Here we show that dopamine depletion in adult rats by 6-hydroxydopamine caused a significant decrease in striatal Rhes protein levels as measured by Western blotting. The role of dopamine input on rhes mRNA induction during ontogeny was also examined. Rhes mRNA was measured on postnatal days 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, and 24 with in situ hybridization to determine its normal ontogeny. Signal in striatum was detectable, but very low, on postnatal day 4 and increased gradually to peak levels at days 15 and 24. Outside of the striatum, rhes mRNA was expressed at high levels in hippocampus and cerebellum during the postnatal period. Hippocampal signal was initially highest in CA3 and dentate gyrus, but shifted to higher expression in CA1 by the late postnatal period. Several other nuclei showed low levels of rhes mRNA during ontogeny. Depletion of dopamine by 6-hydroxydopamine injection on postnatal day 4 did not affect the ontogenetic development of rhes mRNA, such that expression did not differ statistically in lesioned versus vehicle-treated animals tested in adulthood. These findings suggest that although dopamine input is not necessary for the ontogenetic development of rhes mRNA expression, changes in both rhes mRNA and Rhes protein are integral components of the response of the adult striatum to dopamine depletion.
Light Scattering from Fluctuations in Orientations of C S 2 in Liquids

Frequency broadening caused by fluctuations in orientations of anisotropically polarizable molecules in liquid carbon disulfide and in liquid mixtures of carbon disulfide and carbon tetrachloride has been investigated by observing scattered light from an ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ laser at 4880 \AA{}. This scattering has been found to be a broad line with a maximum intensity at zero frequency shift. Intensities and half-widths of the scattered radiation were measured in carbon disulfide from 161 to 313\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K; half-widths range from about 0.1 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ near the triple-point to 6 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ near the boiling point. Addition of C${\mathrm{Cl}}_{4}$ to C${\mathrm{S}}_{2}$ at room temperature causes the line to narrow. These measurements show that the half-widths of the scattered radiation are approximately proportional to the temperature divided by the viscosity of the liquid, in agreement with Debye's simple picture for orientation scattering in an electromagnetic field. The line shape close to 4880 \AA{} in C${\mathrm{S}}_{2}$ is found to be nearly Lorentzian, but details in the structure of the scattered-light spectrum show that there are other scattering processes. Line-shape measurements and polarization measurements are in agreement with theoretical predictions. The total scattering intensity in C${\mathrm{S}}_{2}$ is constant over the range of temperatures investigated. Measurement of the half-widths of the scattered radiation from anisotropic molecules appears to provide a way to obtain viscosities of liquids and the volume of interaction of molecular scatters.
What's in it for the community? Public academic liaison and local mental health agencies

This paper reviews a triangular relationship in which a state mental health administration, a university, and a local mental health authority (and by extension, community mental health programs) co-exist. The relationship is based on mutual trust and interdependence, both of which are reinforced when certain key positions are developed such that individuals can work in two or more of the three arenas. It is essential that representatives of each group be encouraged to recognize the needs and assets of the other two groups. Specific examples of the benefits of this arrangement are described based on experiences in the state of Oregon.
Apartheid and the Removal of Black Spots from Lake Bhangazi in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa:

>> Clearly, the forced removal of Africans from White-designated areas during apartheid in South Africa is not unique to world history. So, what can be learned from studying a group of rural Africans living in a communal arrangement for 1,000 years or more? By investigating the case of the removal of African people from the Lake Bhangazi area within Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park in South Africa from 1956 through 1974, light can be shed on one aspect of forced migration. This may lead to an understanding of other forced movements of people throughout world history. It may also provide a better understanding of the rural phase of forced removals during apartheid. Most South African studies have focused on urban removals. The following article is the story of the people from Lake Bhangazi in KwaZulu-Natal set within the broad context of South African apartheid and “black spot” removal.
Wait-Learning: Leveraging Wait Time for Second Language Education

Competing priorities in daily life make it difficult for those with a casual interest in learning to set aside time for regular practice. In this paper, we explore wait-learning: leveraging brief moments of waiting during a person's existing conversations for second language vocabulary practice, even if the conversation happens in the native language. We present an augmented version of instant messaging, WaitChatter, that supports the notion of wait-learning by displaying contextually relevant foreign language vocabulary and micro-quizzes just-in-time while the user awaits a response from her conversant. Through a two week field study of WaitChatter with 20 people, we found that users were able to learn 57 new words on average during casual instant messaging. Furthermore, we found that users were most receptive to learning opportunities immediately after sending a chat message, and that this timing may be critical given user tendency to multi-task during waiting periods.
The design and evaluation of a generic method for generating mosaicked multispectral filter arrays

The technology of color filter arrays (CFA) has been widely used in the digital camera industry since it provides several advantages like low cost, exact registration, and strong robustness. The same motivations also drive the design of multispectral filter arrays (MSFA), in which more than three spectral bands are used. Although considerable research has been reported to optimally reconstruct the full-color image using various demosaicking algorithms, studies on the intrinsic properties of these filter arrays as well as the underlying design principles have been very limited. Given a set of representative spectral bands, the design of an MSFA involves two issues: the selection of tessellation mechanisms and the arrangement/layout of different spectral bands. We develop a generic MSFA generation method starting from a checkerboard pattern. We show, through case studies, that most of the CFAs currently used by the industry can be derived as special cases of MSFAs generated using the generic algorithm. The performance of different MSFAs are evaluated based on their intrinsic properties, namely, the spatial uniformity and the spectral consistency. We design two metrics, static coefficient and consistency coefficient, to measure these two parameters, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that the generic algorithm can generate optimal or near-optimal MSFAs in both the rectangular and the hexagonal domains
A Methodology for Automatic Transistor-Level Sizing of CMOS OpAmps

In this paper, we propose a novel methodology to automate the transistor-level sizing of OpAmps. Given the net list and the specifications of the OpAmp, our methodology automatically produces a set of monomial design equations that can be solved using a geometric programming. The use of monomial models eliminates the overhead of generating elaborate posynomial design equations. The proposed approach is based on the use of circuit heuristics to generate a first order design model, which is then refined by adopting a localized simulation scheme. This approach produces a design that has the accuracy of the BSIM models used for simulation and the advantage of a quick design time. The results of a two stage OpAmp and a Telescopic OpAmp designed in TSMC 0.25? technology prove the efficacy of our approach.
The hormonal control of fat body development in Calpodes ethlius (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae)

Abstract The fat body of fifth instar Calpodes ethlius sequesters protein from the blood into storage granules at pupation and into multivesicular bodies during the intermoult. The factors controlling the switch from the formation of multivesicular bodies to the formation of storage granules have been investigated using plant peroxidase as a tracer protein. Larvae ligated behind the thorax before the critical period for the initiation of moulting by the prothoracic glands do not make storage granules, but larvae decapitated after the prothoracic glands have been activated, pupate and the fat body contains normal protein granules. Although larvae with thoracic ligations do not make protein storage granules, peroxidase continues to be taken up from the blood into multivesicular bodies. The failure of these larvae to make storage granules is not the result of a low nutritional state or the lack of available blood protein. Measurements on normal and ligated larvae show that a high blood protein concentration is not a sufficient stimulus for granule formation. Protein storage granules are formed only when the hormonal milieu is adequate to allow moulting. The injection of ecdysone into isolated abdomens results in pupation and also causes the fat body to undergo the phases of autophagy and heterophagy which normally occur. Observations on the uptake of peroxidase in larvae ligated at various times in the intermoult, show that the ability to concentrate blood protein between cells and pinocytosis to form multivesicular bodies are intrinsic properties of the fat body; only the switch to the formation of storage granules needs the hormonal milieu present at pupation. Storage granule formation is the heterophagic part of the alternating sequence of autophagy and heterophagy which results in the metamorphosis of the fat body.
Time of flight in PET revisited

PET scanners based on LSO have the potential for significantly better coincidence timing resolution than the 6 ns FWHM typically achieved with BGO. This study analyzes the performance enhancements made possible by improved timing as a function of the coincidence time resolution. If 500 ps FWHM coincidence timing resolution can be achieved in a complete PET camera, the following four benefits can be realized for whole-body FDG imaging: 1) the random event rate can be reduced by using a narrower coincidence timing window, increasing the peak NECR by /spl sim/50%; 2) using time-of-flight (TOF) in the reconstruction algorithm will reduce the noise variance by a factor of 5; 3) emission and transmission data can be acquired simultaneously, reducing the total scan time; and 4) axial blurring can be reduced by using TOF to determine the correct axial plane of origin for each event. While TOF was extensively studied in the 1980s, practical factors limited its effectiveness at that time and little attention has been paid to timing in PET since then. As these potential improvements are substantial and the advent of LSO PET cameras gives us the means to obtain them without other sacrifices, efforts to improve PET timing should resume after their long dormancy.
Quantitative trait loci affecting the difference in pigmentation between Drosophila yakuba and D. santomea.

Using quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, we studied the genetic basis of the difference in pigmentation between two sister species of Drosophila: Drosophila yakuba, which, like other members of the D. melanogaster subgroup, shows heavy black pigmentation on the abdomen of males and females, and D. santomea, an endemic to the African island of Sao Tome, which has virtually no pigmentation. Here we mapped four QTL with large effects on this interspecific difference in pigmentation: two on the X chromosome and one each on the second and third chromosomes. The same four QTL were detected in male hybrids in the backcrosses to both D. santomea and D. yakuba and in the female D. yakuba backcross hybrids. All four QTL exhibited strong epistatic interactions in male backcross hybrids, but only one pair of QTL interacted in females from the backcross to D. yabuka. All QTL from each species affected pigmentation in the same direction, consistent with adaptive evolution driven by directional natural selection. The regions delimited by the QTL included many positional candidate loci in the pigmentation pathway, including genes affecting catecholamine biosynthesis, melanization of the cuticle, and many additional pleiotropic effects.
JOHN HAUGHT—FINDING CONSONANCE BETWEEN RELIGION AND SCIENCE

John Haught has awarded the debates between religion (Christianity in particular) and science a central place in his ongoing corpus of work. Seeking to encourage and enhance the conversation, Haught both critiques current positions and offers his own perspective as a potential ground for continuing the discussion in a fruitful manner. This essay considers Haught's primary criticisms of the voices on both sides of the debate which his work connotes as polarizing or conflating the debate. It also extrudes from Haught's work themes that provide alternative visions. The essay concludes with two questions for further consideration.
Interference alignment via alternating minimization

Using interference alignment, it has been shown that the number of degrees of freedom in the interference channel scales linearly with the number of users. Unfortunately, closed-form solutions for interference alignment over constant-coefficient channels with more than 3 users are difficult to derive. This paper proposes an algorithm for interference alignment in the MIMO interference channel with an arbitrary number of users, antennas, or spatial streams. The algorithm is an alternating minimization over the precoding matrices at the transmitters and the interference subspaces at the receivers, and is proven to converge. Numerical results show how the algorithm is useful for simulation and can give insight into the limitations of interference alignment.
A Most-Probable-Number Assay for Enumeration of Infectious Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts

Cryptosporidium is globally established as a contaminant of drinking and recreational waters. A previously described cell culture infectivity assay capable of detecting infectious oocysts was adapted to quantify viable oocysts through sporozoite invasion and clustering of foci. Eight experiments were performed by using oocysts less than 4 months of age to inoculate host HCT-8 cell monolayers. Oocysts were diluted in a standard 5- or 10-fold multiple dilution format, levels of infection and clustering were determined, and the most probable number (MPN) of infectious oocysts in the stock suspension was calculated. The MPN was compared to the initial oocyst inoculum to determine the level of correlation. For oocysts less than 30 days of age, the correlation coefficient (r) was 0.9726 (0.9306 to 0.9893; n = 20). A two-tailed P value (alpha = 0.05) indicated that P was less than 0.0001. This strong correlation suggests that the MPN can be used to effectively enumerate infectious oocysts in a cell culture system. Age affected the degree of oocyst infectivity. Oocyst infectivity was tested by the focus detection method (FDM)-MPN assay and in BALB/c mice before and after treatment with pulsed white light (PureBrite). The FDM-MPN assay and animal infectivity assays both demonstrated more than a 4 log10 inactivation. Municipal water systems and a host of other water testing organizations could utilize the FDM-MPN assay for routine survival and disinfection studies.
Shape from recognition and learning: recovery of 3-D face shapes

In this paper a novel framework for the recovery of 3D surfaces of faces from single images is developed. The underlying principle is shape from recognition, i.e. the idea that pre-recognizing face parts can constrain the space of possible solutions to the image irradiance equation, thus allowing robust recovery of the 3D structure of a specific part. Shape recovery of the recognized part is based on specialized backpropagation based neural networks, each of which is employed in the recovery of a particular face part. Representation using principal components allows to efficiently encode classes of objects such as nose, lips, etc. The specialized networks are designed and trained to map the principal component coefficients of the shading images to another set of principal component coefficients that represent the corresponding 3D surface shapes. A method for integrating recovered 3D surface regions by minimizing the sum squared error in overlapping areas is also derived. Quantitative analysis of the reconstruction of the surface parts show relatively small errors indicating that the method is robust and accurate. The recovery of a complete face is performed by minimal squared error merging efface parts.
Relation of Pulse Pressure and Arterial Stiffness to Concentric Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Young Men (from the Bogalusa Heart Study)

Differences in geometric adaptation of the left ventricle and associated cardiovascular risk may reflect the differential effects of classic risk factors and arterial stiffness on the left ventricle. In the present study, the influence of cardiovascular risk factors and arterial stiffness indexes on left ventricular (LV) geometry types were studied in a large community-based cohort of young adults. As part of the Bogalusa Heart Study, echocardiographic examinations of the heart were performed on 786 black and white adults (age range 24 to 43 years, average 36; 42% men, 70% white). Arterial stiffness indexes of the study cohort included aorta-femoral pulse wave velocity, carotid artery elastic modulus, and arterial compliance using tonometry. Pulse pressure in young adults with concentric LV hypertrophy (47 ± 11 mm Hg) was significantly higher than in those with eccentric LV hypertrophy (40 ± 8 mm Hg) and normal geometry (37 ± 7 mm Hg). Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that widened pulse pressure, the presence of diabetes mellitus, and increased body mass index were associated with concentric LV hypertrophy compared with normal geometry. Similarly, higher Peterson's and Young's elastic modulus of the carotid arteries and lower large- and small-artery compliance, in addition to increased body mass index, diabetes mellitus, and black race, were associated with concentric LV hypertrophy in young adults. In conclusion these data suggested that concentric LV hypertrophy was associated with widened pulse pressure, increased arterial stiffness, and decreased arterial compliance in young adults.
Exploiting non-determinism for reliability of mobile agent systems

An important technical hurdle blocking the adoption of mobile agent technology is the lack of reliability. Designing a reliable mobile agent system is especially challenging since a mobile agent is potentially affected by failure of any host that it visits, or failure of any communication link that it needs to traverse. Previous work in this domain has attempted techniques such as periodic checkpointing of mobile agent state and restarting upon machine or communication recovery. Such approaches render an agent unavailable until a machine or a communication link itself recovers. In this paper, we take an alternate approach based on the premise that a mobile agent can often complete its task in more than one way. We capture such redundancy in non-deterministic constructs in the agent language and maintain state about an agent's actual computational path in its possible computational tree. We design and implement a distributed recovery scheme that detects a failure, rolls back an agent's computation, and restarts the agent from a previous point in its computational tree down a different but equivalent computational path without waiting for the actual failure itself to be repaired.
Monitoring for Intolerance to Gastric Tube Feedings: A National Survey

Background Confusion about how to assess for intolerance to feedings often results in unnecessary feeding interruptions. Objectives To report findings from a national survey of methods used by critical care nurses to assess tolerance to gastric tube feedings and to discuss the findings in light of current enteral nutrition guidelines. Methods A paper-and-pencil survey was mailed to 1909 members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. In addition, the same survey was posted online in a newsletter circulated to association members. Results from both surveys were pooled for data analysis. Results A total of 2298 responses were obtained; most respondents reported using a combination of methods to assess tolerance to gastric tube feedings (listening for bowel sounds, measuring gastric residual volumes, observing for abdominal distention/discomfort and for nausea and vomiting). More than 97% of the nurses reported measuring gastric residual volumes; the most frequently cited threshold levels for interrupting feedings were 200 mL and 250 mL. About 25% of the nurses reported interrupting feedings for gastric residual volumes of 150 mL or less; only 12.6% of the respondents reported allowing gastric residual volumes of up to 500 mL before interrupting feedings. Conclusions Practice among the 2298 critical care nurses varied widely. Many of the survey respondents are practicing in ways that can unnecessarily diminish the delivery of calories to patients. Protocols based on current enteral nutrition guidelines must be developed and implemented in practice settings.
Using Pre-melted Phase Change Material to Keep Payload Warm without Power for Hours in Space

During a payload transition from the transport vehicle to its worksite on the International Space Station (ISS), the payload is unpowered for up to 6 hours. Its radiator(s) will continue to radiate heat to space. It is necessary to make up the heat loss to maintain the payload temperature above the cold survival limit. Typically an interplanetary Probe has no power generation system. It relies on its battery to provide limited power for the Communication and Data Handling (C&DH) subsystem during cruise, and heater power is unavailable. It is necessary to maintain the C&DH temperature above the minimum operating limit. This paper presents a novel thermal design concept that utilizes phase change material (PCM) to store thermal energy by melting it before the payload or interplanetary Probe is unpowered. For the ISS, the PCM is melted by heaters just prior to the payload transition from the transport vehicle to its worksite. For an interplanetary Probe, the PCM is melted by heaters just prior to separation from the orbiter. The PCM releases thermal energy to keep the payload warm for several hours after power is cut off.
Navigating a Divided Society: Educational Research Strategies for Post-Conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina

This article discusses methodological issues associated with education research in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and describes strategies taken to address them. Within a case study, mixed methods allowed the author to examine school leaders' perceptions multi-dimensionally. Multi-level analysis was essential to the understanding of policy-making and implementation in BiH, where school governance was affected by the political dynamics beyond local communities. In the research operation phase, multiple measures were taken to facilitate the implementation process, counter validity threats and solicit respondents' participation in a politically charged and fragmented post-conflict society. Data analysis was conducted by following established procedures, while requiring a careful synthesis of mixed-methods results. By making explicit various methodological issues that were encountered and describing strategies adopted, this article intends to contribute to the improvement of and discussion around research design and implementation in similarly challenging post-conflict environments.
Cumulonimbus Clouds and Severe Convective Storms

Abstract Chapter 8 focuses on cumulonimbus clouds including those that produce severe weather like flash floods, tornadoes, lightning, and hail.
The staying power of intercultural learning through reflective inquiry

AbstractThis paper focuses on the staying power of intercultural knowledge, skills and attitudes for adult students who were engaged in reflective inquiry during a travel course. It addresses a need to assess whether new learning gained from reflection on experience persists over time and what factors may influence staying power. The main finding of the study is that intercultural competence developed through reflective inquiry is maintained and often deepened over time. This builds upon previous findings that skills and characteristics of effective intercultural interaction are advanced through using reflective inquiry to analyze observations and resolve puzzling problems triggered by uncertainty. The context for this qualitative inquiry is with undergraduate adult students participating in a travel course designed to develop intercultural competence. They responded to reflective prompts throughout the course and 18 months after completion. Cases are presented that analyze course and post-course response...
Between- and Within-Occupation Inequality The Case of High-Status Professions

In this chapter, we present analyses of the roles of education and occupation in shaping trends in income inequality among college-educated workers in the U.S., drawing data from two sources: (1) the 1960-2000 U.S. Censuses and (2) the 2006-2008 three-year American Community Survey. We also examine in detail historical trends in between-occupation and within-occupation income inequality for a small set of high-status professionals, with focused attention on the economic wellbeing of scientists. Our research yields four findings. First, education premiums have increased. Second, both between-occupation and within-occupation inequality increased at about the same rates for college graduates, so that the portion of inequality attributable to occupational differences remained constant. Third, scientists have lost ground relative to other similarly educated professionals. Fourth, trends in within-occupation inequality vary by occupation and education, making any sweeping summary on the roles of education and occupation in the overall increase in income inequality difficult.
Measuring trauma system performance: right patient, right place-mission accomplished?

BACKGROUND: A regional trauma system must establish and monitor acceptable overtriage and undertriage rates. Although diagnoses from discharge data sets can be used with mortality prediction models to define high-risk injury, retrospective analyses introduce methodological errors when evaluating real-time triage processes. The purpose of this study was to determine if major trauma patients identified using field criteria correlated with those retrospectively labeled high risk and to assess system performance by measuring triage accuracy and trauma center utilization. METHODS: A statewide database was queried for all injury-related International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, code discharges from designated trauma centers and nontrauma centers for 2012. Children and burn patients were excluded. Patients assigned a trauma alert fee were considered field-triage(+). The International Classification Injury Severity Score methodology was used to estimate injury-related survival probabilities, with an International Classification Injury Severity Score less than 0.85 considered high risk. Triage rates were expressed relative to the total population; the proportion of low- and high-risk patients discharged from trauma centers defined trauma center utilization. RESULTS: There were 116,990 patients who met study criteria, including 11,368 (10%) high-risk, 70,741 field-triage(-) patients treated in nontrauma centers and 28,548 field-triage(-) and 17,791 field-triage(+) patients treated in trauma centers. Field triage was 86% accurate, with 10% overtriage and 4% undertriage. System triage was 66% accurate, with 32% overtriage and 2% undertriage. Overtriage patients more often, and undertriage patients less often, had severe injury characteristics than appropriately triaged patients. CONCLUSION: Trauma system performance assessed using retrospective administrative data provides a convenient measure of performance but must be used with caution. Residual mistriage can partly be attributed to error introduced by retrospective high-risk definitions, whereas differences between field and system triage accuracy can be attributed to the trauma center's role as a large community hospital. Given the limitations of the data and methods, these results may represent optimal patient distribution within this mature system. Language: en
Regulation of Gap Junction Dynamics by UNC-44/ankyrin and UNC-33/CRMP through VAB-8 in C. elegans Neurons

Gap junctions are present in both vertebrates and invertebrates from nematodes to mammals. Although the importance of gap junctions has been documented in many biological processes, the molecular mechanisms underlying gap junction dynamics remain unclear. Here, using the C. elegans PLM neurons as a model, we show that UNC-44/ankyrin acts upstream of UNC-33/CRMP in regulation of a potential kinesin VAB-8 to control gap junction dynamics, and loss-of-function in the UNC-44/UNC-33/VAB-8 pathway suppresses the turnover of gap junction channels. Therefore, we first show a signal pathway including ankyrin, CRMP, and kinesin in regulating gap junctions.
The effect of sodium citrate on blood coagulation in hemophilia

The question of the effect on blood coagulation of the injection of sodium citrate into the circulation was raised immediately after the introduction of the citrate method of obtaining blood for transfusion.Weil found that in cases with normal coagulation, the coagulation time immediately after citrate transfusions was slightly shortened instead of lengthened. As the question is one of particular importance in the hemorrhagic diseases and as there have been no observations recorded on the ultimate effect of citrate administration on the coagulation of blood, I wish to present some experiments in a case of hemophilia, whose prolonged coagulation time made it particularly suitable for this study.The patient, an adult male, had nearly bled to death at least six times and presented all the typical features of the disease excepting the family history. The blood count showed nothing abnormal and the blood platelets were within the normal range or slightly above it (490,000 per cu. mm. counted in metaphosphate s...
Conditional sampling and experiment design for quantifying manufacturing error of transonic airfoil

We use conditional sampling of Gaussian stochastic processes to simulate the effect of manufacturing error on an RAE 2822 airfoil in transonic flow. Through a singular value decomposition of randomly sampled input-output Jacobian matrices, we show that the effect of the input high dimensional geometric uncertainty on the output aerodynamic performance can be largely attributed to a few dominant modes of the geometric perturbation. Based on this dimensionality reduction approach, we derive the ”measurement information functions” of the dominant modes. We demonstrate that the measurement information function can be used to select a small number of inspection points on the airfoil surface, so that the uncertainty in the aerodynamic performance can be significantly reduced by measuring the manufacturing error on these points.
On the System Construction about Supervision of Constitution Justice

The construction litigation is the best choice.First,authorizing the administrative court to hear the "quasi construction litigation";second,supervision committee of constitution and the people's court both have the power of supervision;at last,setting up the constitutional court which has the overall powers of supervision and constructing the supervision system of constitution in our country.
Constitutive Modeling of Near-Equiatomic NiTi Shape Memory Alloys Considering Composition and Heat Treatment

A predictive microscale-informed model that takes into account the precipitate–shape memory performance relations and allows for the evaluation of the effective thermomechanical response of precipitated Ni-rich NiTi shape memory alloys on the basis of composition and heat treatment is presented. The model considers the structural effect of the precipitates (coherency stresses due to the lattice mismatch between the precipitates and the matrix material and precipitate volume fraction), as well as the effect of the Ni-concentration gradient in the matrix, resulting from Ni-depletion during precipitate growth. The predictive capability of the model is tested against experimental data obtained fromNi50.7Ti (at. %) that has been heat treated under different conditions and good agreement is shown.
The Taxanes: Dosing and Scheduling Considerations

Optimal dosing and scheduling are among the most important issues being addressed in clinical studies of the taxanes. The results to date indicate that there may not be a single administration schedule that produces optimal antitumor efficacy. Instead, the specific doses of the taxanes relative to each schedule and the overall aggressiveness of the dosing schedule should be considered. There appears to be a threshold taxane dose or concentration below which only negligible antitumor activity is observed, as well as a plateau dose or concentration above which no further antitumor activity occurs. The doses at which both threshold effects and plateauing of dose-response curves occur seem to be inversely proportional to the duration of the administration schedule. For paclitaxel (Taxol), it appears that comparable antitumor effects are achieved with both short (1- and 3-hour) and prolonged (24- and 96-hour) schedules as long as equitoxic dosing regimens are used. The majority of clinical studies with docetaxel have used a somewhat aggressive dosing schedule, 100 mg/m² over 1 hour, which marks the outer edge of the dosing envelope, but nonrandomized trial results suggest a dose-response relationship in the 60- to 100-mg/m² dosing range. [ONCOLOGY 11(Suppl):7-19, 1997]
Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Due to a Peptic Ulcer

Key Clinical PointsUpper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common cause of hospitalization due to gastrointestinal disease in the United States. Peptic ulcers, primarily due to Helicobacter pylori infection and the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are the most common cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. In patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, tachycardia (heart rate, ≥100 beats per minute), hypotension (systolic blood pressure, ≤100 mm Hg), age older than 60 years, and major coexisting conditions are associated with increased risks of further bleeding and death. Patients with bleeding ulcers due to H. pylori infection should receive treatment for this infection and, after eradication is confirmed, discontinue antisecretory medications. Patients with bleeding ulcers due to NSAIDs other than low-dose aspirin should discontinue NSAIDs; if NSAIDs must be resumed, a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)–selective NSAID plus a proton-pump inhibitor should be u...
Abstract 297: Dual Antiplatelet Therapy versus Triple Therapy with Anticoagulant Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in High Risk Patients Requiring Long-Term Anticoagulation: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel is the cornerstone of treatment to prevent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In high-risk patients requiring long-term anticoagulant, the current literatures have controversial results in preventing MACE and bleeding events with the use of triple therapy with aspirin, clopidogrel and warfarin compared to dual antiplatelet therapy following PCI. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the safety and efficacy of triple therapy with dual therapy following PCI in high-risk patients requiring long term anticoagulation. Methods: A literature search identified 4 prospective and 4 retrospective studies with total of 2439 patients requiring long term anticoagulation undergoing PCI. End points measured were bleeding events, deaths, ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis and MACE. The odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed and two sided alpha error <0.05 considered as a level of significance. Results: In contrast to dual antiplatelet therapy, patients on triple therapy with anticoagulant had significantly lower stent thrombosis (OR: 0.45, CI: 0.21-0.94, p=0.03) and ischemic stroke (OR: 0.30, CI: 0.16-0.56, p<0.001) (Fig 1 - Zone A is dual therapy group, zone B is triple therapy group). No significant difference was found between two groups in overall bleeding events (OR: 1.57, CI: 0.87-2.85, p=0.14), major bleeding events(OR:1.21, CI: 0.57-2.59, p=0.62), deaths (OR:0.89, CI: 0.5-1.58, p=0.69), myocardial infarction (OR:1.31, CI: 0.85-2.02, p=0.22) and MACE (OR:0.61, CI:0.20-1.82, p=0.37). Conclusions: Our meta-analysis suggests that the triple therapy with anticoagulant does not increase bleeding compared to dual antiplatelet therapy. Moreover, triple therapy decreases stent thrombosis and ischemic stroke following PCI in patients requiring long-term anticoagulants. Our study did not show any difference in mortality between two groups. Triple therapy may be a favorable strategy following PCI in high-risk patients requiring long-term anticoagulation. The randomized control clinical trials are needed for further evaluation of long-term outcomes. ![Graphic][1] [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Assets of Foreignness: A Theoretical Integration and Agenda for Future Research

International business scholars are increasingly focusing on the unique advantages of being foreign, or assets of foreignness (AOFs). Although scholars have identified a broad range of AOFs, it is unclear why they exist. In this paper, we bring together extant yet disparate literature and integrate insights from the institution-based view, resource-based theory, and transaction cost economics to advance theory of the underlying sources and workings of AOFs. In doing so, we elucidate the conceptual underpinnings of AOFs as well as their relation to multinational enterprise (MNE) success, complementing scholarship regarding the liability of foreignness. Critically, we also distinguish AOFs from related concepts, such as ownership advantages, explaining how and why they differ conceptually. We put forth several testable propositions that stem from our synthesis of theory in this research stream, bolstering the conceptual foundations of the drivers, dynamics, and longevity of AOFs. Finally, we draw attention to under-researched aspects of AOFs, thereby propelling a theory-based agenda for future research on AOFs and, consequently, MNE success.
Emphasis and effectiveness of monetary policy of the Fed: a historical comparative analysis (1871-2013)

Results of this paper indicate that the effectiveness of monetary policy may reflect changes in policy emphasis on inflation and output growth. The evolution of the unmanaged to managed short-term interest rate as a monetary policy tool demonstrates a continuing correcting process of a biased sensitivity towards output growth in the gold standard era to a more balanced emphasis on price stability and output growth in the modern-Fed period. Evidence of this study suggests that the monetary policy with a more balanced emphasis on inflation and output can enhance the policy effectiveness measured by a simple assessment ratio which links GDP gap and standard deviation of inflation together so that the ratio can directly quantify the Fed's two top policy goals, promoting sustainable output growth and lowering price volatility.
Power, Powerlessness and Globalization: Contemporary Politics in the Global South by Opoku Agyeman (review)

Agyeman, Opoku. Power, Powerlessness and Globalization: Contemporary Politics in the Global South . Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2014. Review by Kwaku Nti.
Player movement models for platformer game level generation

The use of statistical and machine learning approaches, such as Markov chains, for procedural content generation (PCG) has been growing in recent years in the field of Game AI. However, there has been little work in learning to generate content, specifically levels, accounting for player movement within those levels. We are interested in extracting player models automatically from play traces and using those learned models, paired with a machine learning-based generator to create levels that allow the same types of movements observed in the play traces. We test our approach by generating levels for Super Mario Bros. We compare our results against the original levels, a previous constrained sampling approach, and a previous approach that learned a combined player and level model.