cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of the Palliative Performance Scale version 2 in obtaining palliative care consults.

Aims and objectives To examine whether an educational intervention and implementation of a validated prognostication tool can improve inpatient acute care nurses' knowledge of palliative care and their comfort in determining the need for palliative care and requesting a palliative care consult from the attending physician. Background Patients with chronic illness report low levels of quality of life. Relief from suffering may be found in services provided by palliative care; however, their services are often underused, in part, due to difficulties in prognostication. The Palliative Performance Scale version 2 is a prognostication tool that can help overcome this barrier. Design A pretest/post-test design with nursing education intervention was used on an acute care medical unit within a Midwest tertiary hospital. Method Survey questions for both pre- and postintervention assessed nurses' knowledge related to palliative care and examined nurses' comfort in identifying patients appropriate for palliative care and requesting consults. Following the presurvey, education on palliative care and the use of the Palliative Performance Scale version 2 was provided during a regularly scheduled staff meeting. Posteducation mentoring occurred for one month prior to the postsurvey. Results Pre- and post-test comparisons showed an overall increase in both comfort and knowledge related to palliative care. There was also a significant improvement in the nurses' comfort in identifying patients appropriate for palliative care. Conclusions Findings suggest that nursing education on palliative care and Palliative Performance Scale version 2 can improve their knowledge level and comfort in requesting palliative care consults. Relevance to clinical practice Nurses are in the best position to advocate for the patient and the management of their chronic illness. Educating nurses on the philosophy of palliative care and improving their comfort level in assessing the need for palliative care will overcome barriers to consultation.
Microfluidic tactile sensors for three-dimensional contact force measurements

A microfluidic tactile sensing device has been first reported for three-dimensional contact force measurement utilizing the microfluidic interfacial capacitive sensing (MICS) principle. Consisting of common and differential microfluidic sensing elements and topologically micro-textured surfaces, the microfluidic sensing devices are intended not only to resolve normal mechanical loads but also to measure forces tangent to the surface upon contact. In response to normal or shear loads, the membrane surface deforms the underlying sensing elements uniformly or differentially. The corresponding variation in interfacial capacitance can be detected from each sensing unit, from which the direction and magnitude of the original load can be determined. Benefiting from the highly sensitive and adaptive MICS principle, the microfluidic sensor is capable of detecting normal forces with a device sensitivity of 29.8 nF N−1 in a 7 mm × 7 mm × 0.52 mm package, which is at least a thousand times higher than its solid-state counterparts to our best knowledge. In addition, the microfluidic sensing elements enable facilitated relaxation response/time in the millisecond range (up to 12 ms). To demonstrate the utility and flexibility of the three-dimensional microfluidic sensor, it has been successfully configured into a fingertip-amounted setting for continuous tracing of the fingertip movement and contact force measurement.
A variable risk clinical prognostic compartmental model

A model for predicting the occurrence of disease endpoints from a knowledge of baseline variables and intermediate events is described and illustrated with numerical examples. Maximum likelihood equations are developed and maximum likelihood estimates of coefficients in risk functions of variables included in a stepwise upward procedure are applied to a small set of data for illustrative purposes.
Charge Transport and Water Molecular Motion in Variable Molecular Weight NAFION Membranes. High Pressure Electrical Conductivity and NMR.

Abstract Measurements of the electrical conductivity and deuteron NMR spin-lattice relaxation times ( T 1 ) in three different molecular weights of acid form NAFION conditioned at various levels of relative humidity have been carried out. Complex impedance studies were made along the plane of the film at frequencies from 10-10 8 Hz at room temperature and pressures up to 0.3 GPa. The high pressure electrical data were only obtained for water contents less than 8 wt%. The NMR measurements were also made at room temperature and pressures up to 0.25 GPa. The NMR data are primarily for water contents greater than 6 wt%. The calculated activation volume exhibits a large decrease (from 16 to 3 cm 3 /mol) as the water content is increased from 2.4–8 wt%. In addition, the activation volumes are larger and the electrical conductivity is smaller for the higher molecular weight material. These results represent further evidence that the transport mechanism in low water content materials is dominated by segmental motions of the polymer chain and that proton transport and water molecular rotation are correlated. The activation volumes extracted from the NMR data show only a small further decrease as the water content is increased from 6–22 wt%. Possible explanations for the high water content NMR pressure results are given.
The aqueous solubility of trichloroethene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene (PCE) as a function of temperature

Abstract Using a flexible Au bag autoclave and a precision high-pressure liquid chromatography pump to control pressure, the liquid–liquid aqueous solubilities of TCE and PCE were measured as a function of temperature from 294 to 434 K (at constant pressure). The results were used to calculate the partial molal thermodynamic quantities of the organic liquid aqueous dissolution reactions: Δ Ḡ soln , Δ H soln , Δ S soln and Δ C p soln . Calculated values for these quantities at 298 K for TCE are: Δ Ḡ soln =11.282 (±0.003) kJ/mol, Δ H soln =−3.35 (±0.07) kJ/mol, Δ S soln =−49.07 (±0.24) J/mol K, and Δ C p soln =385.2 (±3.4) J/mol K. Calculated values for these quantities at 298 K for PCE are: Δ Ḡ soln =15.80 (±0.04) kJ/mol, Δ H soln =−1.79 (±0.58) kJ/mol, Δ S soln =−59.00 (±1.96) J/mol K and Δ C p soln =354.6 (±8.6) J/mol K. These thermodynamic quantities may be used to calculate the solubility of TCE and PCE at any temperature of interest. In the absence of direct measurements over this temperature range, the Henry's Law constants for TCE and PCE have been estimated using the measured aqueous solubilities and calculated vapor pressures.
Preparation and characterization of rhenium (I) tricarbonyl dithiocarbamate compounds; Re(CO)3(S2CNMe2)(L)

Abstract The title compounds were prepared in good yield by treatment of Re(CO)5Cl or [Re(CO)3(H2O)3]Br with sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate hydrate (NaS2CNMe2·H2O) and a neutral ligand yielding eight Re(CO)3(S2CNMe2)(L) derivatives: L = NH3 1, pyridine (py) 2, imidazole (im) 3, pyrazole (pz) 4, triphenylphospine (PPh3) 5, 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) 6, t-butyl isocyanide (t-BuNC) 7, and cyclohexyl isocyanide (CyNC) 8. The resulting new complexes were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR and infrared spectroscopy. Each was also structurally elucidated by X-ray crystallography. General structural features in all eight compounds were similar. The orientation of the three single-faced ligands, py, im and pz, demonstrates an interaction with the filled π orbital of the dithiocarbamate. Compounds were tested for stability under conditions that mimic physiological conditions; 1–4 quickly decomposed, 7 and 8 decomposed over 24 h while 5 and 6 were stable.
Good Decision Making Requires Good Communication

The methods used for regulatory decisions must facilitate three kinds of communication: (i) with individual experts who must translate their knowledge into usable form; (ii) among the experts whose pooled knowledge informs those choices; and (iii) between regulators and those affected by their choices. Decision-making methods vary in their reliance on expert judgement and computational methods and, hence, in their ability to meet the goals of sound decision making: breadth, depth, precision, neutrality, evaluability and transparency. An approach developed by the US FDA, the Benefit-Risk Framework, integrates judgement and computation, cognizant of their strengths and weaknesses. Its application both requires and facilitates good communication about risks and benefits.
Complete solutions for a class of elastic-plastic structures

Abstract A mathematical programming method is proposed for determining the complete history of (generalized) stresses and strains during a loading process for a class of elastic-plastic structures. This method is based on a pivoting procedure similar to the simplex method for a linear program and is suited for computer implementation. The method is illustrated by a simple truss problem. Based on the method, some results on existence and uniqueness of the solution of the structural problem are established.
Impact of a 10-week individualized exercise program on physical function and fatigue of people with multiple sclerosis: a pilot study

Research has found that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who engage in exercise programs experience improvements in physical and psychological health, resulting in enhanced quality of life. These studies have involved structured exercise protocols, but few have examined the effects of an individualized exercise program allowing for peer socialization. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 10-week individualized exercise program offering opportunities to socialize with peers on fatigue and physical functioning in people with MS. Thirteen individuals with a physician diagnosis of MS were enrolled in a 10-week exercise program at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York. Eleven participants (9 female, 2 male; mean ± SD age, 55.0 ± 7.06 years) completed the study. The following qualitative and quantitative measures were used for evaluation before and after the exercise program: Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54), Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Timed 10-Meter Walk (T10MW) test, functional reach test, and single-leg stance (SLS) test. Statistically significant differences were found for the TUG (P = .005), T10MW (P = .014), and MFIS physical functioning subscore (P = .039). The results showed significant increases in gait speed and mobility as well as decreased impact of fatigue on physical functioning after the 10-week exercise program.
Entrepreneurial ability, income distribution, and international trade

Abstract This paper develops a two-sector model in which the firms in one sector are heterogeneous due to differences in the level of ability between entrepreneurs. Changes in prices lead to entry or exit of marginal firms and changes in the size of infra-marginal firms. The effects of endowment changes and output price changes are shown to depend on factor intensities of marginal and infra-marginal firms. Conflicts between entrepreneurs may arise over commercial policies if factor intensities differ sufficiently in the heterogeneous sector.
Changes in acetylcholine receptor distribution and binding properties at the neuromuscular junction during aging.

Abstract Junctional and extrajunctional acetylcholine receptors were characterized in diaphragm muscle obtained from mature adult and aged rats. Rhodamine-conjugated α-bungarotoxin was used to visualize receptor localization. At this level of resolution, there were no major changes in receptor distribution, and nerve terminals were consistently associated with receptors and vice versa . Specific binding characteristics were assayed by measuring 125 I-α-bungarotoxin binding. Maximal binding to intact junctional and extrajunctional tissue samples was greater in the older rats. The association rate constant in minced tissue decreased in the older animals. Retardation of the initial rate of toxin binding by d -tubocurarine was described by a two-component nonlinear Hofstee plot; values of K i were about the same for both age groups, but there was a significant shift towards the low-affinity values in the aged rats. Miniature end-plate currents (m.e.p.c.s) were recorded under voltage-clamp conditions before and after AChE inhibition. When AChE activity was inhibited m.e.p.c. amplitudes and decay time-constants increased in both age groups. The magnitude of these increases was larger in the older animals. Inhibition of AChE did not affect mean channel open time, which was estimated from spectral analyses of ACh-induced membrane noise. Lipid composition was assayed in whole muscle and isolated sarcolemma. Muscle cholesterol concentration rose 15–20 percent, but phospholipid concentrations were maintained. However, neither cholesterol, phospholipid levels, nor membrane fluidity changed significantly with age in isolated sarcolemmal membrane fractions. These data indicate that the numbers of junctional and extrajunctional receptors increase with age. In the junctional region, this is quite likely due to an expanded field of receptors and not an increased density. This is associated with an increased fraction of receptors with lower binding affinity during aging. These changes apparently are not caused by major changes in membrane fluidity or lipid composition.
The Role of the Academic Library in College Choice.

Abstract This study investigates the extent the Library factors into college choice; impact of recruitment efforts on Library service is also considered. Much is written about college choice, but a literature review reveals little about Library influence. A survey was administered to students who currently attend college, or have in the past, that asked how much or little college Libraries influenced their choices; additionally, interviews were conducted with Admissions professionals. The results provide insight into the question, and ideas on how Libraries and Admissions departments can work together without detracting from their missions.
Application of the method of effective potentials to a model for twinning in elastic materials.

We extend the method of effective potentials to systems with next-nearest-neighbor interactions, and apply it to a one-dimensional discrete model for twins in elastic materials. The energy of the system is given by $H=\mathbf{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}n\ensuremath{\alpha}{({u}_{n+1}\ensuremath{-}{u}_{n})}^{4}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\beta}{({u}_{n+1}\ensuremath{-}{u}_{n})}^{2}+(\frac{\ensuremath{\gamma}}{2}){({u}_{n+1}\ensuremath{-}{2u}_{n}+{u}_{n\ensuremath{-}1})}^{2}\ensuremath{-}cos{u}_{n}$, where the first two terms model the elastic strain-dependent energy which we take to be in the form of a double well in the strains and the third term gives its dependence on the discretized strain gradients. The periodic potential in the last term is introduced to allow for additional interactions with a background such as a parent phase, grain boundaries, or another array of twins. We obtain the phase diagram and show that it consists of various modulated commensurate as well as incommensurate ground-state configurations. We find continuous phonon-driven transitions between the homogeneous and any modulated phase, an incomplete devil's staircase in a narrow region close to the homogeneous phase and first-order soliton-driven transitions between commensurate phases. The first-order transition lines end at triple points where three commensurate phases coexist. In contrast to other nonconvex models we do not find here any superdegenerate points. We give general arguments which exclude the existence of such points in the present model. Preliminary results obtained by driving the system are discussed. These consist of various metastable configurations exhibiting strong hysteretic variation with the driving force.
Electrochemical analysis of trace amounts of water in propylene carbonate electrolytes

Abstract Cyclic voltammetry and limiting currents to an rde have been used for the determination of the water in the 0.3–20 ppm range, in PC electrolytes. Carefully dried solutions yielded voltammetric peaks proportional to the amount of water added. In KPF 6 electrolytes, the cathodic current corresponding to the reduction of water was at 0.48 V, while in KAlCl 4 solutions the reduction occurred already starting at 2.8 V, both relative to a K/K + reference. At these potentials, the current to an rde showed Levich type dependence on rpm and was proportional to the concentration of water in the range 0.5–20 ppm. The calculated diffusion coefficients of water are higher than expected: 25°C, D H 2 O = 8.5±2 × 10 −6 cm 2 s −1 in 0.5 M KPF 6 , while in 0.25 M KAlCl 4 D H 2 O , 10±2 × 10 −6 cm 2 s −1 .
Unrequited friendship? How reciprocity mediates adolescent peer effects

Abstract Researchers using directed network data to estimate peer effects must somehow handle unreciprocated nominations. To better understand how peer effects operate and how best to estimate their effects, this paper investigates how the reciprocation of friendship mediates peer effects. We begin by characterizing how reciprocated and unreciprocated friendships compare in terms of the amount of interaction and social distance. We then use a higher order spatial autoregressive (SAR) model to investigate the differential effects of reciprocated friends, unreciprocated friends, and unchosen friends (i.e. an incoming friendship nomination that is not reciprocated) on adolescents' behaviors and outcomes using data from the Add Health study. We find that adolescents experience heterogenous influences from friends, with the greatest effect from reciprocated friends, intermediate effects from unreciprocated friends, and the smallest, but positive effects from unchosen friends. Our results indicate that it is misleading to assign equal weight to all friends or to impose symmetry on unreciprocated friendship nominations, as is often done.
Radio broadcasting’s digital dilemma

Although digital radio broadcasting has undergone significant development over the last quarter-century, no single protocol is poised to break out as a bona fide replacement for traditional analogu...
The processing of exogenous cholesterol in the alveolar compartment of the rat lung.

We have examined the esterification of [3H]cholesterol following the intratracheal instillation of a tracer amount into the isolated rat lung perfused with Krebs bicarbonate containing 4.5% albumin. At 5, 30 and 60 min after instillation, lungs were lavaged at 2°C with 3×10 ml of 0.15 M NaCl, each volume instilled and withdrawn three times. Each lung was lavaged at only one time point. The saline recovered was centrifuged at 150 g (5 min) to sediment the macrophage-rich fraction, leaving the surfactant in the supernatant. The amounts and specific activity of cholesterol and cholesteryl ester were measured following isolation by high performance liquid chromatography of the free cholesterol and the hydrolyzed ester-derived cholesterol. There was a rapid fall in [3H]cholesterol in the surfactant fraction, accompanied by a reciprocal increase in [3H]cholesteryl ester. Likewise, there was a rapid increase in [3H]cholesteryl ester in the macrophage-rich fraction, while the level of free [3H]cholesterol in that fraction remained very low. These data are consistent with exogenous cholesterol being rapidly esterified in the alveolus, and the ester then being cleared by the macrophages. We were unable to locate the actual site of esterification. Lipids
Big Board: Teleconferencing Over Maps for Shared Situational Awareness

Collaborative technologies for information sharing are an invaluable resource for emergency managers to respond to and manage highly dynamic events such as natural disasters and other emergencies. However, many standard collaboration tools can be limited either because they provide passive presentation and dissemination of information, or because they are targeted towards highly specific usage scenarios that require considerable training to use the tools. We present a real-time gather and share system called "Big Board" which facilitates collaboration over maps. The Big Board is an open-source, web based, real time visual collaborative environment that runs on all modern web browsers and uses open-source web standards developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) and WorldWideWeb Consortium (W3C). An evaluation of Big Board was conducted by school representatives in North Carolina for use in situational understanding for school closure decisions during winter weather events. The decision to close schools has major societal impacts and is one that is usually made based on how well a teenage driver could handle wintry precipitation on a road. Collecting information on the conditions of roads is especially critical, however gathering and sharing of this information within a county can be difficult. Participants in the study found the Big Board intuitive and useful for sharing real time information, such as road conditions and temperatures, leading up to and during a winter storm scenario. We have adapted the Big Board to manage risks and hazards during other types of emergencies such as tropical storm conditions.
Surface reactions of SO2 with NO2 on hydrated silica and silica-alumina

Abstract The heterogeneous oxidation of SO2 to sulfuric acid and sulfate ions occurs with NO2 on hydrated silica and silica-alumina surfaces. The reactants physically adsorb initially, and NO2 forms a reactive nitric acid-like surface complex with adsorbed water. Strongly bound nitrates and nitrites are formed by adsorbing NO2 onto dehydrated SiO2 · A12O3. The surface reaction with SO2 at 25°C results in an extensive coverage of sulfate ions. Gas phase NO is produced in the reaction, but adsorbed NO+ was also detected on the surfaces. This ion probably exists as ionic NOHSO4, which undergoes surface hydrolysis to H2SO4 and NO.
Design Studies for a High-Repetition-Rate FEL Facility at LBNL.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is working to address the needs of the primary scientific Grand Challenges now being considered by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences: we are exploring scientific discovery opportunities, and new areas of science, to be unlocked with the use of advanced photon sources. A partnership of several divisions at LBNL is working to define the science and instruments needed in the future. To meet these needs, we propose a seeded, high-repetition-rate, free-electron laser (FEL) facility. Temporally and spatially coherent photon pulses, of controlled duration ranging from picosecond to sub-femtosecond, are within reach in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) to soft X-ray regime, and LBNL is developing critical accelerator physics and technologies toward this goal. We envision a facility with an array of FELs, each independently configurable and tunable, providing a range of photon-beam properties with high average and peak flux and brightness.
The backseat control architecture for autonomous robotic vehicles: A case study with the Iver2 AUV

In this paper, an innovative hybrid control architecture for real-time control of autonomous robotic vehicles is described as well as its implementation on a commercially available autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). This architecture has two major components, a behavior-based intelligent autonomous controller and an interface to a classical dynamic controller that is responsible for real-time dynamic control of the vehicle given the decisions of the intelligent controller over the decision state space (e.g. vehicle course, speed, and depth). The driving force behind the development of this architecture was a desire to make autonomy software development for underwater vehicles independent from the dynamic control specifics of any given vehicle. The resulting software portability allows significant code reuse and frees autonomy software developers from being tied to a particular vehicle manufacturer's autonomy software and support as long as the vehicle supports the required interface between the intelligent controller and the dynamic controller. This paper will describe in detail the components of the backseat driver architecture as implemented on the Iver2 underwater vehicle, provide several examples of its use, and discuss the future direction of the architecture.
Palaeohydrology of Kangerlussuaq (Søndre Strømfjord), West Greenland during the last ~8000 years

Major fluctuations of hydroclimate in West Greenland are recorded in paleoshoreline terraces that encircle several lakes near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (67°01’N, 50°40’W). Geomorphic and stratigraphic analyses were used to construct a lake-level curve for Hunde So, a large closed-basin lake in this region. Changes in lake volume associated with lake-level fluctuations were cal culated, and a water-balance model was used to determine the primary factors influencing lake volume and the changes in those factors necessary to affect reconstructed lake-level change. Sensitivity tests suggest that mean annual precipitation and the relative proportion of summer versus winter precipitation are the primary climate drivers of lake-level change. Temperature effects are less important unless coupled with changes in one of the other variables. Two pluvial periods occurred centered around 4600 and 2000 cal. yr BP, with mean annual precipitation estimated at 130 mm and 70 mm higher than modern, respectively. In contrast, a low-stand prior to 6070 cal. yr BP with water levels as much as 18 m below modern was a result of summer temperatures ~ 2–3° above modern, coupled with a 14 day increase in the length of the iceoff period and a reduction in mean annual precipitation of ~80 mm relative to modern.
The adenylate cyclase-cAMP-protein kinase A pathway and regulation of the immune response

Abstract Adenylate cyclase, the second messenger cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase A are important mediators in determining the response of a cell to external stimuli. As Gary Kammer reviews here, although relatively few studies have concentrated on cells of the immune system, the pathway appears to be responsible for ‘toning down' the response of B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes and macrophages.
The power of incrementalism: environmental regulation and technological change in pulp and paper bleaching in the US

This article explores environmental regulation as a driver of technological change through a case study ofthe US pulp and paper industry. It analyses two sets of variables that influence the pace and direction of environmentally oriented technological change: industry structure and regulatory design. As would be expecded from a mature productive unit, when confronted with environmental challenges, the US pull, and paper industry demonstrates a strong preference for incremental technological change. The case suggests that the traditional approaches to standard-setting in the US have not challenged this preference. For the pulp and paper industry, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the strategic advantages of alternative technologies, due to uncertainly in further environmental regulation and the relatively small difference in cost between incremental and radical innovations for may mills. This case suggests that an alternative approach for promoting the diffusion of environmental enhancing radical...
How robots' questions affect the accuracy of the human responses

Asking questions is an inevitable part of collaborative interactions between humans and robots. However, robotics novices may have difficulty answering the robots' questions if they do not understand what the robot is asking. We are particularly interested in whether robots can supplement their questions with information about their state in a manner that increases the accuracy of human responses. In this work, we design and carefully analyze a human-robot collaborative task experiment to measure humans' responses and accuracies to different amounts of supplemental information. We vary the content of the questions along four dimensions of the robot state, namely uncertainty, context, predictions, and feature selection. Based on our results, we contribute guidelines on the effective combination of the four dimensions, under the assumption that the robot has no limitations on generating question context. Finally, we validate our guidelines against educated recommendations from the HRI community.
Social Networking on the Semantic Web

Purpose – Aims to investigate the way that the semantic web is being used to represent and process social network information.Design/methodology/approach – The Swoogle semantic web search engine was used to construct several large data sets of Resource Description Framework (RDF) documents with social network information that were encoded using the “Friend of a Friend” (FOAF) ontology. The datasets were analyzed to discover how FOAF is being used and investigate the kinds of social networks found on the web.Findings – The FOAF ontology is the most widely used domain ontology on the semantic web. People are using it in an open and extensible manner by defining new classes and properties to use with FOAF.Research limitations/implications – RDF data was only obtained from public RDF documents published on the web. Some RDF FOAF data may be unavailable because it is behind firewalls, on intranets or stored in private databases. The ways in which the semantic web languages RDF and OWL are being used (and abuse...
Relationships between plasma membrane microdomains and HIV‐1 assembly

Advances in cell biology and biophysics revealed that cellular membranes consist of multiple microdomains with specific sets of components such as lipid rafts and TEMs (tetraspanin-enriched microdomains). An increasing number of enveloped viruses have been shown to utilize these microdomains during their assembly. Among them, association of HIV-1 (HIV type 1) and other retroviruses with lipid rafts and TEMs within the PM (plasma membrane) is well documented. In this review, I describe our current knowledge on interrelationships between PM microdomain organization and the HIV-1 particle assembly process. Microdomain association during virus particle assembly may also modulate subsequent virus spread. Potential roles played by microdomains will be discussed with regard to two post-assembly events, i.e., inhibition of virus release by a raft-associated protein BST-2/tetherin and cell-to-cell HIV-1 transmission at virological synapses.
On selecting the best of k systems: an expository survey of subset-selection multinomial procedures

This paper studies the subset-selection approach of the ranking and selection procedures of choosing among k arbitrary systems or alternatives. Ranking and selection problems have customarily been treated using two different approaches, namely, the indifference- zone approach and the subset-selection approach. An expository survey of indifference-zone approach for selecting the best of k systems has been given in Goldsman (1984a). In this paper, we present a number of fixed-sample-size and sequential procedures based on subset-selection approach.
Current Methods for Laboratory Analysis of Environmental Levels of Radioactivity

This paper reviews the current methods for laboratory analysis of environmental levels of radioactivity and discusses the background, Compton scatter, and efficiency parameters that are associated with the various spectrometer systems. The methods which are discussed are: 1) total absorption gamma-ray spectrometry, 2) multidimensional gamma-ray spectrometry, and 3) multidimensional gamma-ray spectrometry with dual beta coincidence (all systems use NaI(Tl) detectors). Dual Ge(Li) anticoincidence shielded systems as well as NaI(Tl) and Ge(Li) coincidence gamma-ray spectrometers are discussed. The analysis of X-ray and alpha emitters is pursued for both laboratory and field detector systems. The special adaptation of some gamma-ray, X-ray and alpha spectroscopy systems to field utilization including underwater analysis is presented.
Neutrophil Superheroes: Casting NETs to Catch Bacteria

Neutrophils are the unsung heroes of the immune system, always on the front line of defense against infection. These noble cells were thought to battle to the death: During pathogen-induced cell death, neutrophils release extracellular traps (NETs) that can capture bacterial, fungal, and parasitic pathogens in a process termed NETosis. Now, Yipp et al . report that neutrophils may have some of the resiliency of superheroes as well. They found that early in infection, neutrophils undergoing NETosis don’t just roll over and die, but continue to crawl—casting wide areas of NETs that further prevent the spread of infection. The authors used intravital microscopy in mice to study the in vivo dynamics of neutrophils during skin infection with Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes , two Gram-positive bacteria that frequently cause infection in human patients. Using a dye that stains for DNA, the authors observed neutrophils extruding large sheets of DNA while simultaneously crawling toward bacteria. NETosis was regulated by innate immune signaling through Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), which binds a bacterial cell wall component, and complement pathway protein C3, which coats and helps neutralize bacteria. NETs appeared to limit the extent of staph infection in vivo, whereas C3-deficient and TLR2-deficient mice had difficulty containing the spread of bacteria from the original site of infection and an increased risk of bacteremia. Human neutrophils behaved similarly in mouse skin and in samples from human abscesses contained NETosing neutrophils, suggesting that these studies may directly apply to human biology. Future work may reveal ways to support the neutrophils in their fight against infection by NETosis or to decrease NETosis in situations that may damage human tissue, such as in autoimmune vasculitis. In the meantime, we can thank our microscopic superheroes, who crawl while defending the body from invasion by sacrificing their own DNA. B. G. Yipp et al. , Infection-induced NETosis is a dynamic process involving neutrophil multitasking in vivo . Nat. Med. , published online 26 August 2012 (10.1038/nm.2847). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nm.2847.html
Hospital Infection Control for Varicella Zoster Virus Infection

More than 500 hospital employees and 209 patients were exposed to varicella zoster virus (VZV) as a consequence of 22 uncontrolled hospital introductions that occurred over a period of 34 months. Five introductions of varicella were by hospital employees who acquired the infection outside the hospital. Successful infection control of VZV requires an accurate definition of the susceptible population and the limitation of transmission. Individuals with prior VZV infection are epidemiologically not at risk for developing clinical illness. Serologic screening of hospital employees with uncertain prior VZV history is effective in identifying those at risk of developing the infection. A prior history of intimate exposure to VZV does not imply immunity in the absence of clinical illness.
Exposure to Glycolytic Carbon Sources Reveals a Novel Layer of Regulation for the MalT Regulon

Bacteria adapt to changing environments by means of tightly coordinated regulatory circuits. The use of synthetic lethality, a genetic phenomenon in which the combination of two nonlethal mutations causes cell death, facilitates identification and study of such circuitry. In this study, we show that the E. coli ompR malTcon double mutant exhibits a synthetic lethal phenotype that is environmentally conditional. MalTcon, the constitutively active form of the maltose system regulator MalT, causes elevated expression of the outer membrane porin LamB, which leads to death in the absence of the osmoregulator OmpR. However, the presence and metabolism of glycolytic carbon sources, such as sorbitol, promotes viability and unveils a novel layer of regulation within the complex circuitry that controls maltose transport and metabolism.
Power cutbacks as an alternative to scrams: an application of the MIT-SNL period generated minimum time control laws

A cutback is a rapid reduction in a reactor's neutronic power caused by the high-speed insertion of the control devices. The advantage of using cutbacks in lieu of scrams is that the cutback may make the reactor only slightly subcritical while still significantly decreasing the power. Thus, the thermal stress associated with a complete shutdown is avoided, and a rapid return to normal operation is possible. The physical basis for cutbacks is reviewed. and possible areas of application are enumerated. At present, cutbacks are implemented by inserting the control devices at a prespecified speed. The power will decrease, but neither the profile nor the magnitude of the decrease is specified. As a result, cutbacks are not used extensively in reactor safety systems. Use of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Sandia National Laboratories (MIT-SNL) period-generated minimum time control laws to rectify these deficiencies is proposed. >
Limits on cold-dark-matter candidates from deep underground detectors

Weakly interacting massive particles which are candidates for the dark mass in the halo of the Galaxy would be captured by the Sun, accumulate in the solar core, and annihilate. We present a systematic evaluation of the neutrino signal produced by such annihilations. Since most annihilations occur in the dense solar interior, only prompt neutrinos escape with sufficiently high energy to be readily observable in deep underground detectors. We find that existing underground experiments are capable of finding: or excluding: several possible cold-dark-matter candidates.
Quantitative analysis of DNA binding by the Escherichia coli arginine repressor.

Allosteric activation of the hexameric arginine repressor (ArgR) for specific operator DNA binding appears to involve alteration in its quaternary structure. Current models for activation include subunit assembly and/or domain rearrangements in response to binding of the coeffector l-arginine. To investigate the molecular basis for ArgR operator interactions, we have carried out a series of quantitative analyses of ArgR subunit assembly and of the affinity, stoichiometry, cooperativity, and l-arginine- and DNA sequence-dependence of ArgR-DNA binding. The results indicate that subunit assembly plays no role in activation, although communication among subunits of the ArgR hexamer is required for specific DNA binding. The data suggest that DNA is also an allosteric effector of ArgR.
NBTI Degradation: A Problem or a Scare?

Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) has been identified as a major and critical reliability issue for PMOS devices in nano-scale designs. It manifests as a negative threshold voltage shift, thereby degrading the performance of the PMOS devices over the lifetime of a circuit. In order to determine the quantitative impact of this phenomenon an accurate and tractable model is needed. In this paper we explore a novel and practical methodology for modeling NBTI degradation at the logic level for digital circuits. Its major contributions include i) a SPICE level simulation to identify stress on PMOS devices under varying input conditions for various gate types and ii) a gate level simulation methodology that is scalable and accurate for determining stress on large circuits. We validate the proposed logic level simulation methodology by showing that it is accurate within 1% of the reference model. Contrary to many other papers in this area, our experimental results show that the overall delay degradation of large digital circuits due to NBTI is relatively small.
Moral courage: a virtue in need of development?

antees the others.” However, Aristotle’s primary focus was on physical courage needed in warfare, not on moral courage. Moral courage is the individual’s capacity to overcome fear and stand up for his or her core values. It is the willingness to speak out and do that which is right in the face of forces that would lead a person to act in some other way. It puts principles into action. Physical harm could be a threat in cases of moral courage; however, the more likely risks are humiliation, rejection, ridicule, unemployment, and loss of social standing. However, this personal sacrifice often is accompanied by a sense of peace because the individual stood up for a non-negotiable principle. Moral courage enables individuals to admit to wrongdoing and ethical dilemmas steadfastly and self-confidently. Moral courage in the face or wrongdoing (“right versus wrong”) may appear initially easier than the ethical dilemmas of “right versus right.” Wrongdoing is best understood as illegal behavior or professional and personal misconduct, such as lying, irresponsibility, or unfairness (Kidder, 2005). However, confronting a physician who has deceived a patient on prognosis or confronting a colleague who comes to work impaired by alcohol is far from easy. When these core ethical issues of honesty and responsibility are violated or disregarded, the situation is labeled “right versus wrong.” In “right versus right” situations, ethical issues emerge when core values conflict with each other. However, ethics is not a hard science such as geometry. The principles used may blur into one another along the boundaries of the dilemma, leaving people wavering when trying to assert a conclusion. This conundrum speaks to the importance of knowing professional ethical obligations and non-negotiable personal values. For example, in the first instance above, the nurse has the obligation to support the physicianpatient relationship and to support the patient’s right to information for informed consent. The Code of Ethics for Nurses (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2001) addresses both of these obligations. In Vicki D. Lachman, PhD, APRN, MBE, is an Associate Professor, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.
Impact of management data placement in NFV service coordinated across multiple datacenters and WANs

As network function virtualization (NFV) technologies have emerged, some standardization bodies such as the ETSI have advanced standardization activities on their functional blocks and interfaces. However, several issues such as where virtual network configuration information should be placed or how virtual network configuration among Virtualized Infrastructure Managers (VIMs) should be handled have not been standardized yet. This paper proposes several candidates to address these issues, and discusses their advantages and disadvantages from various viewpoints such as security.
A statistical analysis of the association between tropical cyclone intensity change and tornado frequency

Tropical cyclones often produce tornadoes that have the potential to compound the injury and fatality counts and the economic losses associated with tropical cyclones. These tornadoes do not occur uniformly through time or across space. Multiple statistical methods were used in this study to analyze the association between tropical cyclone intensity change and tornado frequency. Results indicate that there is an association between the two and that tropical cyclones tend to produce more tornadoes when they are weakening, but the association is weak. Tropical cyclones can also produce a substantial number of tornadoes when they are relatively stable or strengthening.
Confirmatory Behaviors in Tax: Exploring How Advisors Search for and Evalute Information

Prior research in accounting has provided evidence that accounting professionals engage in confirmatory behaviors; that is, they conduct information searches and information evaluations in a way that tends to favor the client-preferred outcome. This study explores which situational factors have the greatest overall influence on predicting the extent of confirmatory behaviors engaged in by advisors. The situational factors examined are decision accountability, search accountability, perceived ease of the task, the advisor’s preference before beginning research, advocacy concerns, and accuracy concerns. Additional analyses also explore how these factors and behaviors can be used to predict differences in the perceived likelihood of judicial success for the client’s preferred position and the final decision chosen. The results of the study indicate that (depending on the behavior measure used), differences in various situational factors do increase the likelihood of engaging in confirmatory behaviors. However, unlike prior research, behaviors are not found to impact differences in the perceived likelihood of judicial success or the final decision but instead may be related to differences in the situational variables.
Assessing the State of Contamination in a Historic Mining Town Using Sediment Chemistry

The United States town of Aurora, Missouri, USA, stockpiled lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) mining wastes from the early to mid-1900s in the form of chat piles. Clean-up actions were undertaken at intervals in subsequent years including land leveling and removal of chat. This study assessed the current state of contamination by identifying areas where metals are present at toxic levels. For this purpose, stream sediment samples (N = 100) were collected over a 9 × 12 km area in and around Aurora. Their content of cadmium (Cd), Pb, and Zn were measured, and concentration maps were generated using ArcGIS to categorize affected areas. Metal concentrations varied over a wide range of values with the overall highest values observed in the north-northeast part of Aurora where abundant chat piles had been present. Comparison between observed concentrations and sediment-quality guidelines put the contaminated areas mentioned are above-toxic levels for Cd, Pb and Zn. In contrast, levels in rural areas and the southern part of Aurora were at background levels, thus posing no threat to aquatic habitats. The fact that contamination is constrained to a relatively small area can be advantageously used to implement further remediation and, by doing so, to help protect the underlying karst aquifer.
Monovalent anions differentially modulate coupling of the beta2-adrenoceptor to G(s)alpha splice variants.

The beta2-adrenoceptor (beta2AR) fused to the long splice variant of G(s)alpha (G(s)alphaL), but not the beta2AR fused to the short splice variant of G(s)alpha (G(s)alphaS) shows the hallmarks of high constitutive activity, i.e., strong activation of adenylyl cyclase (AC) by GTP and strong inhibition of AC by inverse agonist. These coupling differences are the result of differences in GDP affinity of G(s)alpha splice variants. The aim of this study was to identify experimental variables that differentially affect beta2AR coupling to G(s)alphaS and G(s)alphaL. NaCl substantially reduced agonist-independent AC activation by GTP and inverse agonist inhibition and enhanced agonist stimulation of AC in Sf9 insect cell membranes expressing the beta2AR-G(s)alphaL fusion protein. Salts reduced inverse agonist inhibition and increased agonist stimulation of AC in the order of efficiency NaI approximately KI > NaBr approximately KBr > NaCl approximately LiCl approximately KCl approximately RbCl approximately CsCl approximately choline chloride, indicating that monovalent anions determine salt effects. Salts inhibited guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate)-mediated AC activation by G(salphaL) without beta2AR in the order of efficiency NaI > NaBr > NaCl. NaCl enhanced the affinity of G(s)alphaL for GDP. Salts had much smaller effects on beta2AR ligand regulation of AC in membranes expressing beta2AR-G(s)alphaS than in membranes expressing beta2AR-G(s)alphaL. These data are explained by a model in which anions increase the GDP affinity of G(s)alphaL more efficiently than the GDP affinity of G(s)alphaS, and, thereby, decrease the efficiency of the agonist-free beta2AR and increase the efficiency of the agonist-occupied beta2AR at promoting GDP dissociation from G(s)alphaL. Thus, monovalent anions differentially regulate beta2AR-coupling to G(s)alphaS and G(s)alphaL.