cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cuticular Extracts of Five Common Mantids (Mantodea: Mantidae) of the Eastern United States

We undertook a preliminary investigation of the cuticular extracts of five common mantid species in the eastern United States: Tenodera sinensis (Saussure), T. angustipennis (Saussure) and Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus) introduced from the Old World and Stagmomantis carolina (Johannson) and Bruneria borealis (Scudder), which are New World species. The major components of these mixtures were normal alkanes, predominately hentriacontane, or in the case of the parthenogenic species B. borealis, tritriacontane. Tricontanal was detected in the extracts of all five species, and smaller amounts of other aldehydes and n-tricontanol were detected in some species. Complex mixtures of methyl and dimethylalkanes also were present in these extracts. The composition of the cuticular hydrocarbons of these mantids may be an adaptation for reduction of evaporative water loss in these insects that inhabit open fields.
Normal Sleep and Circadian Rhythms: Neurobiological Mechanisms Underlying Sleep and Wakefulness

The cyclic repetition of sleep and wakefulness states is essential to the basic functioning of all higher animals including human beings. As our understanding of the neurobiology of sleep increases, we no longer view it as a passive state, that is, sleep as merely the absence of wakefulness. In fact, sleep is an active neurobehavioral state, which is maintained through a highly organized interaction of neurons and neural circuits in the central nervous system (CNS).
Direct detection of rhizosphere-colonizing Pseudomonas sp. using an Escherichia coli rRNA promoter in a Tn7-lux system

A promoterless Tn7-lux system conferring bioluminescence was fused with an Escherichia coli rRNA gene promoter and compared with neo- or lac-luxCDABE analogs after introduction in Pseudomonas cells. Fusion of the ribosomal promoter with luxCDABE genes increased the bioluminescence of cells by approx. 100- to 1500-fold over the neo-lux system depending on the growth conditions and bacterial strain. When the cells were grown in suspension culture, light production and growth were strongly dependent on the nutrient composition of the medium. Root-colonizing competence was tested in nonsterile soil by autophotographic detection of bacterial bioluminescence on plant roots. The lower detection limit of the autophotographic method for roots inoculated with Pseudomonas fluorescens 2–79 was 105 cfu g−1 fresh root weight. The new bioluminescence marker did not require addition of supplemental nutrients or the aldehyde substrate for the luciferase enzyme and provides a simple and highly sensitive detection method for long term in situ studies on the microbial ecology of specific bacterial strains.
Atmospheric nitrous oxide produced by solar protons and relativistic electrons

A mechanism by which solar proton (SP) events and relativistic electron precipitation (REP) events may lead to the production of stratospheric NO is described. The process comprises the production of N2O in the mesosphere, its downward migration, and conversion in the stratosphere to NO by the reaction N2O + O(D) yields 2NO. This process would amplify direct NO production by more than 10%.
Coordination in Collective Product Innovation

Collective innovation is based on connected, open, and collaborative processes to generate, develop, prioritize, and execute new ideas. While collective innovation is gaining significant attention by organizations, research on fundamental understanding of mechanisms enabling collective innovation is still in its infancy. One of the questions in enabling successful collective product innovation is: “How can activities of a large number of independent participants be coordinated?” Various researchers have studied coordination problems in traditional product realization processes, where the emphasis is on managing the dependencies between activities and resources. However, existing approaches for coordinating product development have limited applicability for collective product innovation because they are based on self-organizing communities as opposed to traditional hierarchies. To address this limitation, there is a need to understand how self-organization based coordination can be achieved in collective product innovation. In this paper, two key aspects of self-organization based coordination are highlighted: decentralization and evolution. A conceptual framework for understanding self-organization based coordination in collective product innovation is discussed. The framework highlights the dependencies between products, processes, individuals and organizational structures, which are important for coordination in collective product innovation. Various coordination mechanisms are required to manage these dependencies, thereby achieving decentralized, evolutionary coordination. For illustrative purposes, examples of such mechanisms used in open-source software development are discussed. Finally, an agent-based model is presented to quantitatively study the mechanisms for achieving decentralized evolutionary coordination. The conceptual framework and the agent-based model are used to derive insights for designing novel coordination mechanisms.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Work in progress — BINX: A 3D XNA educational game for engineering education

This paper focuses on the design and implementation of an educational game for deployment on the Xbox 360 commercial game console. Video games can be extremely powerful and effective learning tools when deployed with methodical precision. Currently, no learning tools are available for commercial consoles that focus on teaching core concepts in Engineering. This work presents an overall design for an educational adventure game (BINX) to address Number Systems and their arithmetic operations in Digital Logic Design; a core course is Electrical and Computer Engineering programs. The paper also presents, in detail, the design and implementation of the first sublevel of the game.
Independent heat stabilization of proteases associated with multiheaded inhibitors. Complexes of chymotrypsin, subtilisin and trypsin with chicken ovoinhibitor and with lima bean protease inhibitor

The heat stabilization resulting from specific association of serine proteases with either of two multiheaded protease inhibitors, chicken ovoinhibitor or lima bean protease inhibitor, was determined at pH 6.7 in a differential scanning calorimeter. The 2:1 complex of either bovine alpha-chymotrypsin or subtilisin BPN' with ovoinhibitor showed two major denaturation endotherms; each 1:1 complex showed one major endotherm. Association with ovoinhibitor increased the kinetic thermal stabilities over those of the free chymotrypsin or subtilisin. Association with lima bean protease inhibitor stabilized bovine beta-trypsin greater than porcine beta-trypsin greater than bovine alpha-chymotrypsin. Complexes having different proteases bound to the same inhibitor, such as chymotrypsin . ovoinhibitor . subtilisin (1:1:1) or trypsin . inhibitor . chymotrypsin (1:1:1), denatured like mixtures of the 1:1 complexes. These results show more clearly that 2:1 association with multiheaded inhibitors stabilizes the two bound protease molecules independently. Each bound protease and the domain(s) of the inhibitor influenced by specific binding of this protease are denatured as a unit. Thus, 2:1 complexes comprise at least two new denaturing units. The extent of heat stabilization appears roughly proportional to the Kassoc determined by other methods. The results are consistent with other evidence that binding sites for proteases on multi-headed inhibitors are relatively independent in structure and function.
Purification of a novel 55 kDa HeLa cell nuclear DNA-binding protein.

Abstract A novel 55 kDa DNA-binding protein (p55) was purified from HeLa cell nuclear extracts to apparent homogeneity by conventional chromatography coupled with DNA-affinity chromatography. The DNA-binding activity of p55, followed by band mobility shift and Southwestern assays, was enriched 800-fold. This relatively abundant protein was shown to bind nonspecifically to DNA. When added to nuclear extracts, p55 enhanced 2-fold the in vitro transcription of CAT reporter gene driven by the SV40 promoter. The sequence of the N-terminal 20 amino acid residues of purified p55 was determined as APSTPLLTV(P)G(S)EGLYMVNG. No homologies could be found when compared to protein sequences available in all databanks.
Adrenoreceptor modulation of oromotor pathways in the rat medulla

Regulation of feeding behavior involves the integration of multiple physiological and neurological pathways that control both nutrient-seeking and consummatory behaviors. The consummatory phase of ingestion includes stereotyped oromotor movements of the tongue and jaw that are controlled through brain stem pathways. These pathways encompass not only cranial nerve sensory and motor nuclei for processing feeding-related afferent signals and supplying the oromotor musculature but also reticular neurons for orchestrating ingestion and coordinating it with other behaviors that utilize the same musculature. Based on decerebrate studies, this circuit should be sensitive to satiety mechanisms mediated centrally by A2 noradrenergic neurons in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) that are potently activated during satiety. Because the first observable phase of satiety is inhibition of oromotor movements, we hypothesized that norepinephrine (NE) would act to inhibit prehypoglossal neurons in the medullary reticular formation. Using patch-clamp electrophysiology of retrogradely labeled prehypoglossal neurons and calcium imaging to test this hypothesis, we demonstrate that norepinephrine can influence both pre- and postsynaptic properties of reticular neurons through both α1- and α2-adrenoreceptors. The α1-adrenoreceptor agonist phenylephrine (PE) activated an inward current in the presence of TTX and increased the frequency of both inhibitory and excitatory miniature postsynaptic currents. The α2-adrenoreceptor agonist dexmedetomidine (DMT) inhibited cNST-evoked excitatory currents as well as spontaneous and miniature excitatory currents through presynaptic mechanisms. The diversity of adrenoreceptor modulation of these prehypoglossal neurons may reflect their role in a multifunctional circuit coordinating both ingestive and respiratory lingual function.
Smoking and suicide: A brief overview

This article provides a brief overview of the rationales, possible mechanisms and epidemiological data on the association of smoking, smoking cessation and cessation medications with suicide. Current smoking is reliably associated with suicide both in case-control and cohort studies. The three most plausible (but relatively untested) explanations for the association are that smokers have pre-existing conditions that increase their risk for suicide, smoking causes painful and debilitating conditions that might lead to suicide, and smoking decreases serotonin and monoamine oxidase levels. Stopping smoking appears to lead to major depression in some smokers; thus, it could induce suicide; however, smoking cessation has not been associated with suicide in the few studies available. Regulatory agencies have stated bupropion, rimonabant and varenicline appear to be associated with suicide; however, the data for these statements have not been presented in sufficient detail to assess their validity. Most prior data have come from post hoc analyses. Studies that a priori focus on understanding smoking and suicide are now needed.
RENAL ATHROCYTOSIS AND INTRACELLULAR DIGESTION OF INTRAPERITONEALLY INJECTED HEMOGLOBIN IN RATS

The athrocytosis of hemoglobin by the epithelium of the proximal convoluted tubules in the kidney of the rat was studied after its intraperitoneal injection, absorption into the blood stream, and glomerular filtration. The earliest appearance of the athrocytosed particles, their accumulation, intracellular breakdown, and disappearance were followed. In addition observations were made on the intraluminal disposition of hemoglobin "casts" with the Spalteholz clearing technique; on the structural changes in the kidney in consequence of the injections; and on the development of a transient oliguria during the course of the experiment. The significance of the findings is considered.
Monoclonal antibody analysis of mononuclear cells in myopathies. III: Immunoelectron microscopy aspects of cell-mediated muscle fiber injury.

We have previously obtained light microscopical immunocytochemical evidence for cell-mediated muscle fiber injury and destruction in polymyositis and inclusion body myositis [1, 2]. To evaluate further interactions of the different cell phenotypes with each other and with the muscle fibers, the T8, T4, and Leu 7 markers in 7 cases of polymyositis and in 9 cases of inclusion body myositis were localized by immunoelectron microscopy. In the early stages of the cell-mediated process, T8+ cells and macrophages are apposed against, and/or send spikelike processes into, nonnecrotic muscle fibers. Leu-7+ cells penetrate fibers infrequently, and T4+ cells do not penetrate muscle fibers. Subsequently, an increasing number of T8+ cells and macrophages traverse the basal lamina; focally replace, displace, or compress the fiber; and spikes from these cells honeycomb the adjacent muscle fiber regions. The macrophages contain only few heterophagic vacuoles and therefore act in a cytotoxic rather than a phagocytic capacity. The integrity of the muscle fiber surface membrane facing the invading cells is maintained, but the possibility also exists that the membrane is damaged and rapidly repaired, or that the damage cannot be detected by electron microscopy. Nearby fiber regions often show either degenerative or regenerative changes. Ultimately, segments of the entire muscle fiber are replaced by the invading cells.
The use of near-death phenomena in therapy

Though near-death studies have yielded few practical applications, some psychotherapists have used insights from near-death experiences (NDEs) to treat a variety of problems. Using hypnosis, relaxation methods, or electric shock to initiate a conversation with a purported spirit “possessing” the patient, the therapist persuades the spirit to join others in a land of ethereal beauty and light similar to the transcendental realm of an NDE, or simply to go directly into the light. Such techniques are treated as a culmination of the spirit's NDE; that is, the purported possessing spirits had their original death experiences terminated prior to entering the transcendental stage, but instead of returning to their own bodies, they appear to have invaded the bodies of others. Some persons may leave themselves open to invasion through substance abuse or occult practices.
C-terminal and heparin-binding domains of collagenic tail subunit are both essential for anchoring acetylcholinesterase at the synapse

The collagen-tailed form of acetylcholinesterase (A12-AChE) appears to be localized at the neuromuscular junction in association with the transmembrane dystroglycan complex through binding of its collagenic tail (ColQ) to the proteoglycan perlecan. The heparan sulfate binding domains (HSBD) of ColQ are thought to be involved in anchoring ColQ to the synaptic basal lamina. The C-terminal domain (CTD) of ColQ is also likely involved, but there has been no direct evidence. Mutations in COLQ cause endplate AChE deficiency in humans. Nine previously reported and three novel mutations are in CTD of ColQ, and most CTD mutations do not abrogate formation of A12-AChE in transfected COS cells. Patient endplates, however, are devoid of AChE, suggesting that CTD mutations affect anchoring of ColQ to the synaptic basal lamina. Based on our observations that purified AChE can be transplanted to the heterologous frog neuromuscular junction, we tested insertion competence of nine naturally occurring CTD mutants and two artificial HSBD mutants. Wild-type human A12-AChE inserted into the frog neuromuscular junction, whereas six CTD mutants and two HSBD mutants did not. Our studies establish that the CTD mutations indeed compromise anchoring of ColQ and that both HSBD and CTD are essential for anchoring ColQ to the synaptic basal lamina.
Reduction in basal ganglia and substantia nigra substance P levels in Huntington's disease

Abstract Substance P (SP) levels were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in several regions of post-mortem brain of controls and Huntington's disease (HD) patients. In controls, highest SP levels were found in basal ganglia, substantia nigra and hypothalamus. Nigral pars reticulata contained 3–4-fold higher levels than pars compacta. In HD, SP levels were reduced in all basal ganglia and substantia nigra. The reductions ranged from 48% in caudate nucleus to over 90% in nigral pars reticulata. There were no changes in SP levels in HD frontal cortex, thalamus or hypothalamus.
Characteristics of proliferative lesions in the nasal cavities of mice following chronic inhalation of 1,2-dibromoethane

Groups of 50 male and 50 female B6C3F1 mice inhaled 10 or 40 ppm 1,2-dibromoethane 6 h/day, 5 days/week, for 103 (10 ppm) or 90 (40 ppm) weeks. Focal epithelial hyperplasia was found in 1 (low dose group) and 10 (high dose group) males and 3 (low dose group) and 11 (high dose group) females. Squamous papillomas or adenomas were seen in 3 males and 7 females in the high dose groups. Squamous, adeno-, or mixed carcinomas were present in 7 females in the high dose group. One poorly differentiated sarcoma and 2 hemangiosarcomas were observed in females in the low and high dose groups, respectively.
Turn-on ratiometric fluorescent sensor for Pb2+ detection

We report a ratiometric lead fluorescent sensor (LFS-1) with high affinity to Pb2+ that shows considerable selectivity over 12 other physiological related metal cations in aqueous media. Binding induces excimer formation, providing a highly sensitive ratiometric measure of lead concentrations.
The fate of unscreened women in colon cancer: impact on staging and prognosis

Abstract Background Several nationwide reports show lower female participation in colon cancer screening. We therefore assessed for outcome differences in women of screening age presenting for surgical treatment of colon cancer patients. Methods All patients over 50 years undergoing surgery for first-onset colon cancer at Massachusetts General Hospital (2004 to 2011) were included. Differences between (unscreened) women and the remaining population in presentation characteristics and subsequent morbidity and mortality were assessed. Results We included 919 patients (49.1% female). Women were less often diagnosed through screening (26.4 vs 32.7%, P = .036). Unscreened women were at significantly higher risk (all P Conclusion Unscreened women present with more advanced colon cancer and higher mortality, confirming that disparities in screening lead to ever-increasing disparities in outcomes.
Risk of sudden infant death syndrome among infants with in utero exposure to cocaine

To determine whether the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) among infants exposed to cocaine in utero may be elevated, we assessed the risk for SIDS in a large, well-described, prospective cohort of infants whose mothers had or had not used cocaine during pregnancy. Of 996 women consecutively enrolled while registering for prenatal care, 175 used cocaine during pregnancy. Only one infant of the mothers who used cocaine died of SIDS, a risk of 5.6 in 1000, compared with four infants among the 821 nonexposed infants, a risk of 4.9 in 1000. The relative risk for SIDS among infants whose mothers used cocaine during pregnancy compared with those whose mothers did not use cocaine was 1.17 (95% confidence interval 0.13, 10.43), suggesting that there is no increased risk of SIDS among infants exposed in utero to cocaine.
Alcohol and adult sexual assault in a national sample of women.

Abstract Purpose : Alcohol use is commonly present in sexual assault incidents, but the nature of its role in these offenses remains unclear. Researchers have argued that the propensity to abuse alcohol generally and the use of alcohol prior to assault by offenders and victims may be associated with increased severity of sexual abuse and physical injury to sexual assault victims. In particular, there is speculation that offender drinking may facilitate offenders' use of greater physical aggression against victims in their attacks, resulting in more serious injuries to victims. Methods : The role of alcohol in sexual assault incidents ( n =163) identified from a national sample of women was studied. Results : In the present sample, offender pre-assault drinking and offender aggression used in the offense were each strong predictors of victim physical injury. Victim heavy episodic drinking did not predict victim injury controlling for other assault characteristics, victim and offender drinking prior to assault, and victim demographic characteristics. Drinking by offenders and victims was more common in assaults where victims were less well acquainted with their assailants prior to attack. Higher levels of offender aggression and victim injury were also associated with stranger attacks. Implications : Implications of the results for the study of alcohol and sexual assault are discussed.
Core references on augmentative and alternative communication: core reference list 1991

(1991). Core references on augmentative and alternative communication: core reference list 1991. Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 224-229.
Human enamel nanohardness, elastic modulus and surface integrity after beverage contact

This study evaluated nanohardness, elastic modulus and surface roughness of human enamel after contact with citric beverages. Human enamel samples were assigned to 3 groups according to the type of beverage used: carbonated drink, orange juice and tap water (control). Surface roughness was assessed using a profilometer, and nanohardness and elastic modulus were recorded using a nanoindenter. The pH of the beverages was measured before and after citric contact during 5 weeks. Means(SD) were as follows: Carbonated drink: elastic modulus decreased from 111.6(14.5) to 62.3(10.3) GPa, nanohardness decreased from 4.62(0.67) to 1.28(0.46) GPa, roughness increased from 5.30(2.39) to 6.86(2.56) mm, and the pH changed from 2.69(0.35) to 2.29(0.24); Orange juice: elastic modulus changed from 115.15(12.94) to 92.11 GPa (13.83), nanohardness from 5.54(1.48) to 3.18 GPa (0.64), roughness from 5.26(2.27) to 6.73(2.25) mm, and pH from 3.46(0.20) to 3.03(0.14); Tap water (control): elastic modulus changed from 117.87(22.3) to 107.91(20.05) GPa, nanohardness from 4.35(1.66) to 4.28(0.93) GPa, roughness from 5.76(3.11) to 6.11(2.65) mm, and pH from 7.97(0.28) to 8.11(0.21). In conclusion, soft drink exposure caused a significant decrease in nanohardness and elastic modulus. The pH of the soft drink was more acidic from 5oC to 37oC. Orange juice showed a similar trend but, surprisingly, it had less effect on hardness, elastic modulus and roughness of enamel than the carbonated drink.
Learning, Literacy, and Participation: Sorting Out Priorities.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the motivations of adults with low literacy skills toward literacy and learning. Sixteen community members were interviewed in order to determin...
Preventing the loss of competence for neural induction: HGF/SF, L5 and Sox-2

The response to neural induction depends on the presence of inducing signals and on the state of competence of the responding tissue. The epiblast of the chick embryo loses its ability to respond to neural induction by the organizer (Hensen's node) between stages 4 and 4+. We find that the pattern of expression of the L5(220) antigen closely mirrors the changes in competence of the epiblast in time and in space. For the first time, we describe an experiment that can extend the period of neural competence: when L5(220) expression is maintained beyond its normal time by implanting HGF/SF secreting cells, the competence to respond to Hensen's node grafts is retained. The host epiblast forms a non-regionalized neural tube, which expresses the pan-neural marker SOX-2 (a Sry-related transcription factor) but not any region-specific markers for the forebrain, hindbrain or spinal cord. Although HGF/SF secreting cells can mimic signals from Hensen's node that maintain L5 expression, they cannot rescue the ability of the node to induce anterior structures (which is normally lost after stage 4). The ectoderm may acquire stable neural characteristics during neural induction by going through a hierarchy of states: competence, neuralization and regionalization. Our findings allow us to start to define these different states at a molecular level, and show that the competence to respond to neural induction is not entirely autonomous to the responding cells, but can be regulated by extracellular signalling molecules.
Secretion of the chlamydial virulence factor CPAF requires the Sec-dependent pathway.

The chlamydial protease/proteasome-like activity factor (CPAF) is secreted into the host cytosol to degrade various host factors that benefit chlamydial intracellular survival. Although the full-length CPAF is predicted to contain a putative signal peptide at its N terminus, the secretion pathway of CPAF is still unknown. Here, we have provided experimental evidence that the N-terminal sequence covering the M1–G31 region was cleaved from CPAF during chlamydial infection. The CPAF N-terminal sequence, when expressed in a phoA gene fusion construct, was able to direct the export of the mature PhoA protein across the inner membrane of wild-type Escherichia coli. However, E. coli mutants deficient in SecB failed to support the CPAF signal-peptide-directed secretion of PhoA. Since native PhoA secretion was known to be independent of SecB, this SecB dependence must be rendered by the CPAF leader peptide. Furthermore, lack of SecY function also blocked the CPAF signal-peptide-directed secretion of PhoA. Most importantly, CPAF secretion into the host cell cytosol during chlamydial infection was selectively inhibited by an inhibitor specifically targeting type I signal peptidase but not by a type III secretion-system-specific inhibitor. Together, these observations have demonstrated that the chlamydial virulence factor CPAF relies on Sec-dependent transport for crossing the chlamydial inner membrane, which has provided essential information for further delineating the pathways of CPAF action and understanding chlamydial pathogenic mechanisms.
A Unified Variational Volume Registration Method Based on Automatically Learned Brain Structures

We introduce a new volumetric registration technique that effectively combines active surfaces with the finite element method. The method simultaneously aligns multi-label automatic structural segmentation results, which can be obtained by the application of existing segmentation software, to produce an anatomically accurate 3D registration. This registration is obtained by the minimization of a single energy functional. Just like registering raw images, obtaining a 3D registration this way still requires solving a fundamentally ill-posed problem. We explain through academic examples as well as an MRI dataset with manual anatomical labels, which are hidden from the registration method, how the quality of a registration method can be measured and the advantages our approach offers.
Ensemble Kalman filter assimilation of temperature and altimeter data with bias correction and application to seasonal prediction

To compensate for a poorly known geoid, satel- lite altimeter data is usually analyzed in terms of anomalies from the time mean record. When such anomalies are as- similated into an ocean model, the bias between the clima- tologies of the model and data is problematic. An ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is modified to account for the presence of a forecast-model bias and applied to the assimilation of TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) altimeter data. The online bias cor- rection (OBC) algorithm uses the same ensemble of model state vectors to estimate biased-error and unbiased-error co- variance matrices. Covariance localization is used but the bias covariances have different localization scales from the unbiased-error covariances, thereby accounting for the fact that the bias in a global ocean model could have much larger spatial scales than the random error. The method is applied to a 27-layer version of the Posei- don global ocean general circulation model with about 30- million state variables. Experiments in which T/P altime- ter anomalies are assimilated show that the OBC reduces the RMS observation minus forecast difference for sea-surface height (SSH) over a similar EnKF run in which OBC is not used. Independent in situ temperature observations show that the temperature field is also improved. When the T/P data and in situ temperature data are assimilated in the same run and the configuration of the ensemble at the end of the run is used to initialize the ocean component of the GMAO cou- pled forecast model, seasonal SSH hindcasts made with the coupled model are generally better than those initialized with optimal interpolation of temperature observations without al- timeter data. The analysis of the corresponding sea-surface temperature hindcasts is not as conclusive.
Bandwidth allocation for non-responsive flows with active queue management

This paper addresses the problem of configuring active queue management systems (e.g. WRED and RIO) for service level specifications in internetworks. In particular, we focus on assured forwarding (AF) for non-responsive flows in differentiated services networks. The difficulty is to determine the correct queue level thresholds that will result in correct drop rates for various AF precedence levels under any combination of offered loads. A new active queue management scheme based on a control algorithm is proposed that senses not only queue levels but also rates of queue levels changes and per flow bit rates to converge automatically to an optimal set of transmit fractions. The scheme has been implemented and tested on a network processor. Results show that the new active queue management scheme protects assured aggregated flow rates during periods of congestion. For non-responsive traffic the buffer occupancy level remains low during 250% offered load.
ExaPlan: Queueing-Based Data Placement and Provisioning for Large Tiered Storage Systems

Multi-tiered storage, where each tier comprises one type of storage device, e.g., SSD, HDD, is a commonly used approach to achieve both high performance and cost efficiency in large-scale systems that need to store data with vastly different access characteristics. By aligning the access characteristics of the data to the characteristics of the storage devices, higher performance can be achieved for any given cost. This article presents ExaPlan, a method to determine both the data-to-tier assignment and the number of devices in each tier that minimize the system's mean response time for a given budget and workload. In contrast to other methods that constrain or minimize the system load, ExaPlan directly minimizes the system's mean response time estimated by a queueing model. Minimizing the mean response time is typically intractable as the resulting optimization problem is both non-convex and combinatorial in nature. ExaPlan circumvents this intractability by introducing a parameterized data-placement approach that makes it a highly scalable method that can be easily applied to exascale systems. Through experiments that use parameters from real-world storage systems, such as CERN and LOFAR, it is demonstrated that ExaPlan provides solutions that yield lower mean response times than previous works. It is also capable of determining a data-to-tier assignment both at the level of files and at the level of fixed-size extents. For some of the workloads evaluated, file-level placement exhibited a significant performance improvement over extent-level placement.
Construction engineering I: simulation as a tool for resource management

The decision-making process is a very essential part of any construction operation. Simulation can be used as a tool to assist construction managers in making informed decisions. In this paper, simulation is applied to a Concrete Batch Plant to analyze alternative solutions and resource management. Data is collected to define activity durations for the plant. A simulation model is constructed for the plant using the Micro CYCLONE simulation system. Based on sensitivity analysis, management tools are constructed to help the decision-maker. These tools are a Time-Cost-Quantity chart, a feasible region analysis and a contour lines chart. Time-Cost-Quantity and contour lines charts are used for deciding production time, production cost and required resources for a required distance from the plant. The feasible region chart is used for deciding the range of alternative solutions that can be taken to minimize production time and cost of the available plant resources according to the required transportation distance.
Peaked Temporal Pattern of Embryonic Metabolism in an Emydid Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta)

Temporal patterns of embryonic metabolism integrate ontogenetic changes in the energetic costs of growth and maintenance. Unlike most other chelonians, which show a peaked pattern of embryonic metabolic rate (MR) over time, turtles of the family Emydidae have been depicted with unimodally increasing patterns. We incubated eggs of the emydid Chrysemys picta picta under standard conditions at 30°C and serially measured rates of oxygen consumption. Five eggs showed clear decreases in MR before hatching; two others that hatched during MR measurements showed increases in MR associated with muscular activity. MRs of hatchling turtles were lower than those of prehatching embryos for at least 60 days, suggesting persistent costs of biosynthesis in yolk-dependent late-stage embryos and early hatchlings.
Long-term efficacy of women participating in the curves fitness and weight loss program

Background The Curves fitness program involves a 30-minute circuit resistance-training program performed 3 days/week and an optional weight management program. While initial studies have shown this program to be highly effective (Nutri Metab 6/1/23, 2009), the long-term success rates of women participating in this program remains to be examined. This study examined the long-term efficacy of women participating in the Curves program from 6 months to 8 years on weight loss and maintenance.
First-order splay faults: dip-slip examples

First-order splay faults are secondary faults that form at acute angles to the primary fault when the latter becomes critically misaligned with the direction of maximum principal stress. They are first order in the sense that their slip rate is of the same order as their primary fault. First-order splay faults have been previously described for strike-slip faults and examples are hereshownoffirst-order dip-slipsplayfaults.Fordip-slipfaultsinsedimentarysequences,fric- tion is often anisotropic, being lower parallel to, rather than oblique to, bedding, and the position of the primary fault is often controlled by a decollement guided by a layer of particularly low friction or a structural feature. In this latter situation, the primary fault may become frictionally misaligned with the direction of maximum principal stress and first-order splay faults may then form. Examples shown are megasplays in subduction zones, ramp faults in fold and thrust belts, and syn- thetic and antithetic splays of low-angle normal faults. Anderson (1951) proposed that faults form accord- ing to the Coulomb fracture criterion and, with the additional provision that the free surface is a princi- pal plane, explained the optimum orientation of faults with respect to the principal stress directions and the Earth's surface. Implicit in his thesis, which employed a Mohr circle analysis, is that the orientations of the principal stresses are regionally uniform. This assumption has been validated by the World Stress Map Project, the main finding of which was: 'Stress orientations are remarkably uniform over broad regions (length scales up to thousands of kilometers), despite large changes in crustal geology, tectonic history, and crustal thick- ness' (Zoback & Zoback 2007, p. 254).
Applying Value-Based Insurance Design To High-Cost Health Services

Value-based insurance design programs have focused on reducing consumer cost sharing in health insurance for preventive tests and medications for chronic diseases. But for value-based design principles to have a stronger clinical and economic impact, they should be extended to expensive services and to those for which the evidence is limited or controversial. This paper proposes applying value-based insurance design principles to self-administered and office-administered specialty drugs, implantable medical devices, advanced imaging modalities, and major surgical procedures.
Gender, attachment, and relationship duration on cardiovascular reactivity to stress in a laboratory study of dating couples

Stress related to relationship events has been a strong predictor of cardiovascular reactivity. This four-phase laboratory study used a multiple-nested design to examine variations in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and rate-pressure product (RPP: pulse rate [PR] × systolic blood pressure [SBP]) as a function of stress appraisal using 33 college-aged dating couples. Individual participants filled out questionnaires designed to assess the length of their relationships (couple-level factor), gender and attachment styles (individual-level factors); watched a film clip depicting relationship distress; discussed relationship problems; then received instruction for relaxation. Individuals’ self-reported stress and negative affect levels (experimental phase-level factors), DBP, SBP, and PR were also measured at each study phase. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that relationships with longer duration were associated with higher levels of DBP and RPP as perceived stress levels increased. Also, as perceived stress levels increased, men or individuals high in the anxiety dimension of attachment showed higher DBP and RPP reactivity, whereas individuals high in the avoidance dimension of attachment showed lower RPP reactivity. As the negative affect level increased, individuals high in the avoidance dimension of attachment showed lower RPP reactivity. Findings imply that under relationship stress, individuals high in avoidance or anxiety dimensions of attachment may be vulnerable to a range of physical symptoms, such as cardiovascular disease or hypertension.
Value of maximal exercise tests in risk assessment of primary coronary heart disease events in healthy men. Five years' experience of the Seattle heart watch study.

Abstract Of 2,365 clinically healthy men who participated in the exercise testing unit of the Seattle Heart Watch, follow-up by annual mail questionnaires identified 47 persons (2 percent) who experienced primary coronary heart disease events. The mean follow-up period (± standard deviation) was 5.6 ±1.4 years. The rates of such events was higher in men 55 or more years of age than in the younger men. A count of the conventional risk factors identified at the time of initial examination was associated with increased 5 year probability of primary coronary heart disease events. However, univariate analysis of the individual risk factors (positive family history, hypertension, smoking, hypercholesterolemia) did not show a significant increase in 5 year probability. Four variables obtained from the response to symptom-limited maximal exercise testing were significantly associated with subsequent primary coronary heart disease events. These predictors were chest pain during maximal exertion, duration of exercise less than 6 minutes with the Bruce protocol, failure to attain at least 90 percent of the age-predicted maximal heart rate and ischemie S-T segment depression. When the conventional risk factors and the exercise predictors are both considered in asymptomatic men, maximal exercise testing identified a small group (1 percent of the total population) who had the highest 5 year probability of primary coronary heart disease (0.33). This group had one or more conventional risk factors and two or more exercise predictors identified. The probability in those with conventional risk factors but with less than two exercise predictors was 0.015. Forty-one percent of the population had no risk factors and the 5 year probability in this group was 0.01. Exercise testing was of no predictive value in the latter group.
Accounting for Doing Gender

W e're delighted to have "Doing Gender" and its sequelae as the subjects of this symposium. The serious readings of our work by Professors Connell, Jones, Kitzinger, Messerschmidt, Risman, Smith, and Vidal-Ortiz do us honor, and we welcome the chance to address them. We use our response to reflect on, clarify, admit, and expand on what we said originally and what we have said since. As important as the path taken, however, is the theoretical path ahead, and we will comment on that as well.
“Teaching to the Test” in the NCLB Era How Test Predictability Affects Our Understanding of Student Performance

What is “teaching to the test,” and can one detect evidence of this practice in state test scores? This paper unpacks this concept and empirically investigates one variant of it by analyzing test item–level data from three states’ mathematics and reading tests. We show that NCLB-era state tests predictably emphasized some state standards while consistently excluding others; a small number of standards typically accounted for a substantial fraction of test points. We find that students performed better on items testing frequently assessed standards—those that composed a larger fraction of the state test in prior years—which suggests that teachers targeted their instruction towards these predictably tested skills. We conclude by describing general principles that should guide high-stakes test construction if a policy goal is to ensure that test score gains accurately represent gains in student learning.
Preserving renal function by revascularization

Renal revascularization may improve or stabilize kidney function in properly selected patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis. Determining kidney salvability, choosing the optimal form of intervention, and assessing preoperative risk are essential in approaching the treatment of this complex patient group.
A Simple Approach to Site Response Modeling: The Overlay Concept

Site‐response analyses are used to estimate the ground motion at the surface, as a function of the properties of the soil profile and the bedrock ground motion at the base of the soil profile. The most frequently employed site‐response model in engineering practice is the equivalent‐linear site‐response model, a frequency‐domain program that is coded in the computer program SHAKE (Schnabel et al. , 1972; Idriss and Sun, 1992; Ordonez, 2010). Using a large database of ground motions in the Kiban–Kyoshin network (KiK‐net) of downhole arrays in Japan, Kaklamanos et al. (2013, 2015) found the equivalent‐linear site‐response model becomes inaccurate at shear strains of approximately 0.1%–0.4%. At larger strains, to model fully nonlinear behavior, site‐response calculations should be performed in the time domain, which allows for a more accurate representation of the true cyclic stress–strain path. Finite‐element methods are a powerful technique for modeling nonlinear site response, allowing for the representation of advanced constitutive behavior, 3D wave propagation, soil–structure interaction, and complex geometry. The purpose of this paper is to present a simple methodology for modeling earthquake site response in any finite‐element program, using an overlay model to represent nonlinear soil behavior. This paper presents a literature review of the overlay approach, the advantages of the overlay approach, practical details on its implementation in any finite‐element program, how this approach may be easily extended to capture more complex behavior, and an analysis of example results using recent KiK‐net data. There has been much focus in the literature on improving soil models to advance our ability to predict site response (e.g., Hartzell et al. , 2004; Kwok et al. , 2007; Phillips and Hashash, 2009). Numerous nonlinear site‐response programs have been …
"How to avoid dying from cancer ... now and later"--a course to reach the lay public.

Abstract The context, history, course description, measures and foundations for success, and future enhancements are described for the Health Education course, “How to Avoid Dying from Cancer… Now and Later.” Since 1981 this course has been offered once annually at The Ohio State University for academic credit and has averaged an enrollment of 354 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students. Over the years this course, originated by a surgical oncologist, has earned its own title and entry in the academic course offerings and has demonstrated success both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative indicators of success include enrollment trends, diversities of students enrolled, student evaluations of the course, and data on the instructional effectiveness of this course. Qualitative indicators of success include favorable publicity through the local media, top ratings for summer radio programs based on this course, and the National University Continuing Education Faculty Service Award ...
3D Blur Discrimination

Blur is an important attribute in the study and modeling of the human visual system. In the blur discrimination experiments, just-noticeable additional blur required to differentiate from the reference blur level is measured. The past studies on blur discrimination have measured the sensitivity of the human visual system to blur using two-dimensional (2D) test patterns. In this study, subjective tests are performed to measure blur discrimination thresholds using stereoscopic 3D test patterns. Specifically, how the binocular disparity affects the blur sensitivity is measured on a passive stereoscopic display. A passive stereoscopic display renders the left and right eye images in a row interleaved format. The subjects have to wear circularly polarized glasses to filter the appropriate images to the left and right eyes. Positive, negative, and zero disparity values are considered in these experiments. A positive disparity value projects the objects behind the display screen, a negative disparity value projects the objects in front of the display screen, and a zero disparity value projects the objects at the display plane. The blur discrimination thresholds are measured for both symmetric and asymmetric stereo viewing cases. In the symmetric viewing case, the same level of additional blur is applied to the left and right eye stimulus. In the asymmetric viewing case, different levels of additional blur are applied to the left and right eye stimuli. The results of this study indicate that, in the symmetric stereo viewing case, binocular disparity does not affect the blur discrimination thresholds for the selected 3D test patterns. As a consequence of these findings, we conclude that the models developed for 2D blur discrimination can be used for 3D blur discrimination. We also show that the Weber model provides a good fit to the blur discrimination threshold measurements for the symmetric stereo viewing case. In the asymmetric viewing case, the blur discrimination thresholds decreased, and the decrease in threshold values is found to be dominated by eye observing the higher blur.