cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical modeling of power/energy of scientific kernels on a multi-GPU system

Energy efficiency of GPUs has facilitated the usage of GPUs in many complex scientific applications. Nodes with multi-GPUs along with multi-core CPUs are quite common in today's HPC landscape. This gives the flexibility to utilize CPUs or accelerators or even both according to the workload characteristics. It is not possible to measure power and energy accurately in all the cases, an alternate approach is to estimate power and energy using statistical methods. Apart from saving time and money, reasonable prediction of power/energy would lead to power saving optimizations for certain applications, without compromising performance. In this paper we employ parametric and non-parametric regression analysis to model power and energy consumption of some of the common high performance kernels (DGEMM, FFT, PRNG and FD stencils) on a multi-GPU platform. Our experiments show that using a minimal set of hardware counters and performance attributes, the average error between the measured and the predicted values of power and energy is only ~ 4%.
Teaching Business Ethics Online: Perspectives on Course Design, Delivery, Student Engagement, and Assessment

The number of online courses in business schools is growing dramatically, but little has been published about teaching business ethics courses online. This article addresses key pedagogical design, delivery, student engagement, and assessment issues that should be considered when creating a high-quality, asynchronous online business ethics course for either undergraduate or graduate business student populations. Best practices are discussed within an integrative case study approach based on the experiences of a director of online faculty development and two accomplished online business ethics instructors, one teaching at a small college and the other at a research-oriented university—their successes, learning opportunities, and recommendations.
Vagal postganglionic innervation of the canine sinoatrial node

Abstract Differential, selective distribution of parasympathetic, postganglionic innervation to the atrioventricular nodal (AVN) region of the canine heart was recently described. Ablation of parasympathetic pathways to the AVN by disruption of the epicardial fat pad at the junction of the inferior vena cava and inferior left atrium did not interfere with normal vagal control of the sinoatrial node (SAN) function. In sharp contrast, surgical dissection of the fat pad overlying the right pulmonary vein-left atrial junction interrupted the major right and left vagal inputs to the SAN region. The pulmonary vein fat pad (PVFP) in the dog heart is triangular in shape with roughly equilateral dimensions of approximately 1 cm, its base extending from superior to inferior veins, and its apex extending nearly to the sinus nodal artery as it courses rostrally in the sulcus terminalis. Careful dissection of smaller fat pads around the circumference of the pulmonary veins and particularly over the rostral-dorsal surfaces of the right superior pulmonary vein and adjacent right atrium, completed SAN parasympathetic denervation. Care in making these dissections left the vagal supply to the AVN region essentially intact, and preserved the sympathetic supplies to both SAN and AVN regions. Autonomic ganglia, varying in size from 1 or 2 cells to 80–100 cells, were found scattered throughout the ventral PVFP (overlying and surrounding the right pulmonary vein-left atrial junction). The ganglia were generally imbedded in fatty connective tissue, although they commonly rested very close to, or were loosely surrounded by epicardial muscle. Ganglia were also found in smaller fat pads on the dorsal surfaces of the atrium between the azygos and the right superior pulmonary vein.
Methyl 2,3,4‐tri‐O‐acetyl‐1‐azido‐1‐deoxy‐β‐d‐gluco­pyran­uronate at 100 K

A chair conformation is found for the gluco­pyran­ose ring in the title compound, C13H17N3O9, with the non-H substituents occupying equatorial positions.
The promise and challenge of nanostructured solar cells

Nanoscale objects provide opportunities to revolutionize the conversion of solar energy by enabling highly efficient and low-cost devices. Challenges associated with demonstrating high efficiency and stability are now being addressed in the research community.
Social Constructivism and the Institution of the School

(1999). Social Constructivism and the Institution of the School. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 77-86.
Partial Adjustment to Public Information and IPO Underpricing

We examine the extent to which offer prices reflect public information for 3,325 IPOs over the period 1990–1999. We focus primarily on four variables: share overhang, file range amendments, venture capital backing, and previous issue underpricing. We show that 35%–50% of the variation in IPO underpricing can be predicted using public information known before the offer date and therefore conclude that IPO offer prices underadjust to widely available public information to a much greater extent than previously documented.
Collaborative Rural Healthcare Network: A Conceptual Model

Healthcare is a critical issue in rural communities throughout the world. Provision of timely and cost effective health care in these communities is a challenge since it is coupled with a lack of adequate infrastructure and manpower support. Twenty percent of the United States of Americaâ??s population resides in rural communities, i.e., 59 million people; however, only nine percent of the nationâ??s physicians practice in rural communities. Shortage of health care personnel and the lack of equipment and facilities often force rural residents to travel long distances to receive needed medical treatment. Researchers and practitioners are in search of solutions to address these unique challenges. In this research, we present a proposed collaborative model of a health information system for rural communities and the challenges and opportunities of this global issue.
A fluorescent derivative of methotrexate as an intracellular marker for dihydrofolate reductase in L1210 cells

Fluorescein isothiocyanate coupled via a diaminopentyl-linking group to methotrexate (G.R. Gapski, J. M. Whiteley, J. I. Rader, P. L. Cramer, G. B. Henderson, V. Neef, and F. M. Huennekens, 1975, J. Med. Chem.18, 526–528) produces a fluorescent compound which is a strong inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase (Ki = 60 nM) purified from L1210 murine leukemia cells. The fluorescent methotrexate derivative is preferentially taken up by methotrexate-resistant rather than wild-type L1210 cells grown in culture and acts as a visual marker for dihydrofolate reductase (KD = 50 nM) during both purification and polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Uptake, which is proportional to the level of dihydrofolate reductase (often an indicator of the degree of acquired cellular methotrexate resistance), occurs slowly and via a route that is distinct from the carrier-mediated system utilized by these cells to transport methotrexate.
Targeted deletion of the MLC1f/3f downstream enhancer results in precocious MLC expression and mesoderm ablation.

The expression of skeletal muscle contractile proteins is tightly regulated during embryonic development. In the mouse, the myosin light chain (MLC) 1f/3f gene locus is not activated until E9.5, exclusively in skeletal muscle precursor cells. A potent enhancer downstream of the MLC1f/3f locus confers correct temporal and spatial activation of linked reporter gene in transgenic mouse embryos. To examine roles of the MLC downstream enhancer (MLCE) in its native context of the MLC1f/3f gene locus, we eliminated a 1.5-kb DNA segment containing the enhancer from the mouse genome by targeted deletion, leaving no exogenous sequences at the deletion site. Mouse embryos homozygous for the MLCE deletion were smaller and developmentally delayed, formed no mesoderm by E7.5, and were resorbed almost completely at E8.5. In situ hybridization and RT-PCR analyses of affected mutant embryos at E7.5 revealed ectopic MLC transcripts, whose products would be predicted to interfere with a variety of nonmuscle cell functions determining differentiation of mesoderm. These results suggest that the MLC downstream enhancer and its flanking sequences include negative regulatory elements which block precocious activation of MLC expression in mesodermal precursors during a critical window of development, as well as positive elements which subsequently permit tissue-restricted MLC transcription in differentiating skeletal muscles.
Inductive electric fields in the inner magnetosphere during geomagnetically active periods

[1] The present study examines the characteristics of electric fields in the nightside inner magnetosphere during geomagnetically active periods. Electric field and magnetic field measurements made by the Cluster spacecraft on their perigee passes are used. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The duskward electric field component EY tends to be larger in the premidnight sector and off the equator, presumably corresponding to the more frequent occurrence of substorms and boundary layer crossings, respectively. (2) The occurrence distribution of EY is biased positively with an average of 0.6–0.8 mV/m, which reflects enhanced convection at active time. (3) The occurrence distribution of EY is also characterized by extending tails with a standard deviation larger than the twice the average. Although the occurrence ratio decreases sharply with increasing magnitude of EY, ∣EY∣ occasionally exceeds 5 mV/m. (4) The sign of EY is well organized by the change of magnetic field. When the local magnetic configuration becomes more dipolar, EY tends to be positive (duskward), whereas it tends to be negative (dawnward) when the configuration becomes more stretched. (5) As for strong electric fields, EY tends to be proportional to the change of the H magnetic component, and from the induction equation, the typical spatial scale of EY is estimated at 4.2 RE. Results 4 and 5 strongly suggests that those strong electric fields are inductive. However, the corresponding process/phenomenon can be different from event to event. It is also suggested that substorm(-like) processes inside the ring current effectively intensify the ring current.
Error bound analysis of finite-difference approximations for a class of nonlinear parabolic system in two-space dimensions

In this paper, we establish the error bound for a finite-difference approximation to solutions of a class of Nonlinear Parabolic System in the form . We assume that the Cauchy Data is in and of class BV. We show that the sup norm of the error is bounded by for positive time.
The Career Futures Inventory–Revised Measuring Dimensions of Career Adaptability

This study reports the development and initial validation of the Career Futures Inventory–Revised (CFI-R) in two large samples of university students. The 28-item CFI-R assesses aspects of career adaptability, including positive career planning attitudes, general outcome expectations, and components of Parsons’ tripartite model and Bandura’s personal agency. Results revealed five internally consistent subscales: career agency, occupational awareness, support, work–life balance, and negative career outlook. Changes from the original CFI include a measure of career agency, including content addressing self-awareness, control, and self-efficacy for managing career transitions; and measures of relational components. Convergent and discriminant validity of the CFI-R subscales were examined related to measures of career decision status, difficulties, and self-efficacy, as well as dispositional optimism and coping styles. The CFI-R can aid in the understanding of current attitudes toward a variety of career tran...
Building a Discipline of Communication

L'A. apporte des precisions quant a l'affirmation selon laquelle la communication n'a pas de statut disciplinaire veritable parce qu'elle n'a pas de corps, de noyau de connaissance. L'A. considere que les disciplines ne se definissent pas par des noyaux de connaissance (epistemologie) mais par les vues qu'elles offrent sur les choses et les etres (ontologie). Pour l'A., comprendre le manque de statut disciplinaire de la communication requiert de comprendre le manque de statut ontologique accorde a l'idee de communication dans la modernite
Is Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring Clinically Relevant in Adults with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

In the past year, there has been increasing attention towards understanding the clinical relevance of minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment. The monitoring of MRD levels at various stages of therapy has considerable potential to impact the guidance of treatment for AML patients and improve outcomes. Thus, efforts have increased to address important concerns regarding MRD measurements. These concerns include: (1) what should be monitored; (2) what methodologies should be used; (3) whether such methodologies are standardized across laboratories; (4) how prognostic levels are defined; (5) when MRD should be monitored; and (6) what treatment options are available for MRD positive patients. In this review, we will discuss the methodologies available for MRD and the studies available to date aiming to address the concerns around the use of MRD measurements for AML patients
Mesodermal control of neural cell identity: floor plate induction by the notochord

The floor plate is a specialized group of midline neuroepithelial cells that appears to regulate cell differentiation and axonal growth in the developing vertebrate nervous system. A floor plate-specific chemoattractant was used as a marker to examine the role of the notochord in avian floor plate development. Expression of this chemoattractant in lateral cells of the neural plate and neural tube was induced by an ectopic notochord, and midline neural tube cells did not express the chemoattractant after removal of the notochord early in development. These results provide evidence that a local signal from the notochord induces the functional properties of the floor plate.
Suggested new observing strategies for radar meteor observations

Thorough understanding of the radio science aspects of radar meteors is required to correctly interpret observations, to inform modeling, and to design new observational modes. For example, it has been argued that meteoroid fragmentation is a dominant feature even in classical trail-echo radar results but how best to further explore this result? We suggest that common-volume radars operating at two or more nearby frequencies and/or that two, or more, radars viewing a common volume at widely differing aspect angles will yield vastly more information on the meteoroid processes giving rise to the mutual radar signatures. In particular, we present a modeling study of the head-and trail-echo signatures at 40, 45, and 50 MHz of variable trail-length and fragmenting-meteoroid radar meteors. This reveals that simple scattering scenarios, e.g., the head/trail-echoes from a few meteoroid fragments, evolve somewhat differently at the different frequencies in a decipherable manner. We also note the importance of multiple aspect angle common-volume radars and of combining optical and radar observations.
Development of a Fluorescent Microsphere Immunoassay for Detection of Antibodies against Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Using Oral Fluid Samples as an Alternative to Serum-Based Assays

For effective disease surveillance, rapid and sensitive assays are needed to detect antibodies developed in response to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection. In this study, we developed a multiplexed fluorescent microsphere immunoassay (FMIA) for detection of PRRSV-specific antibodies in oral fluid and serum samples. Recombinant nucleocapsid protein (N) and nonstructural protein 7 (nsp7) from both PRRSV genotypes (type I and type II) were used as antigens and covalently coupled to Luminex fluorescent microspheres. Based on an evaluation of 488 oral fluid samples with known serostatus, the oral fluid-based FMIAs achieved >92% sensitivity and 91% specificity. For serum samples (n = 1,639), the FMIAs reached >98% sensitivity and 95% specificity. The assay was further employed to investigate the kinetics of the antibody response in infected pigs. In oral fluid, the N protein was more sensitive for the detection of early infection (7 and 14 days postinfection), but nsp7 detected a higher level and longer duration of antibody response (28 days postinfection). In serum, the antibodies specific to nsp7 and N proteins were detected as early as 7 days postinfection, and the responses lasted more than 202 days. This study provides a framework from which a more robust assay could be developed to profile the immune response to multiple PRRSV antigens in a single test. The development of oral fluid-based diagnostic tests will change the way we survey diseases in swine herds and improve our ability to cheaply and efficiently track PRRSV infections in both populations and individual animals.
The diversity of MMSE receiver over frequency-selective MIMO channel

This paper analyzes the MMSE receiver in MIMO frequency-selective channels. This expands our understanding of the MMSE MIMO channel, whose diversity was only recently characterized in the MIMO flat-fading regime. Specifically, in this paper lower and upper bounds on the diversity of the MMSE receiver operating over frequency selective MIMO channel under block transmission with zero-padding (ZP) or cyclic-prefix (CP) are produced. The tightness of the bounds is demonstrated for both ZP/CP for the special case of SIMO channel.
Measurement of upconversion in Er:YAG via z-scan

We demonstrate the use of the z-scan technique for measuring the upconversion coefficient in Er:YAG. The upconversion coefficient is found to be linearly proportional to the concentration for samples of concentration 0.5-3.0 at.%. A fit to four samples at room temperature yields a value of Cup=(2.0+/-0.5)×10−17 cm3/s/at.%. The coefficient at liquid-nitrogen temperatures is Cup=(9.5+/-2.4)×10−17 cm3/s/at.%.
Diagnosing arbitrary defects in logic designs using single location at a time (SLAT)

A new form of logic diagnosis is described that is suitable for diagnosing fails in combinational logic. It can diagnose defects that can affect arbitrarily many elements in the integrated circuit. It operates by first identifying patterns during which only one element is affected by the defect, and then diagnosing the fails observed during the application of such patterns, one pattern at a time. Single stuck-at faults are used for this purpose, and the aggregate of stuck-at fault locations thus identified is then further analyzed to obtain the most accurate estimate of the identities of those elements that can be affected by the defect. This approach to logic diagnosis is as effective as that of classical stuck-at fault-based diagnosis, when the latter applies, but is far more general. In particular, it can diagnose fails caused by bridges and opens as well as fails caused by regular stuck-at faults.
SCALE-DEPENDENT HABITAT USE OF ACADIAN FLYCATCHER (EMPIDONAX VIRESCENS) IN CENTRAL OHIO

Abstract We used a multiscale approach to examine use of riparian forests by Acadian Flycatchers (Empidonax virescens) at three distinct scales: microsite (nest or territory), local stand (3-ha patch of forest), and landscape (1-km-radius area). We examined the extent to which understory arthropod biomass, vegetation structure, and breeding productivity affected habitat use by Acadian Flycatchers across 36 mature riparian forests along an urbanization gradient in central Ohio, 2001–2002. Using an information-theoretic approach, we found that although vegetation structure and understory arthropod biomass were associated with nest and territory location at small spatial scales, they failed to explain habitat use across stands. Instead, percentage of urban cover in the landscape best explained variation in the abundance of Acadian Flycatchers among stands. In fact, Acadian Flycatchers were >3× more abundant in the most rural (≤1% urban) riparian forests than in the more urban (≥10% urban) riparian forests. N...
The Effects of Mergers in Differentiated Products Industries: Logit Demand and Merger Policy

Using the logit model, and assuming Nash equilibrium in prices and constant marginal cost, it is straightforward to estimate critical demand parameters and simulate mergers. In this way, the logit model can be used to predict the price and welfare effects of mergers. We explore the effects of mergers in this model both analytically and through simulations of hypothetical mergers of U.S. long distance carriers. We find that only mergers involving AT&T would be likely to lessen welfare significantly. Simulations such as these provide a firmer foundation for antitrust policy than traditional structural indicators. The logit model is not always appropriate, but the basic methodology can be adapted to other demand systems. Copyright 1994 by Oxford University Press.
Monte Carlo simulations and atomic calculations for Auger processes in biomedical nanotheranostics.

We present numerical simulations of X-ray emission and absorption in a biological environment for which we have modified the general-purpose computer code Geant4. The underlying mechanism rests on the use of heavy nanoparticles delivered to specific sites, such as cancerous tumors, and treated with monoenergetic X-rays at resonant atomic and molecular transitions. X-ray irradiation of high-Z atoms results in Auger decays of photon emission and electron ejections creating multiple electron vacancies. These vacancies may be filled either be radiative decays from higher electronic shells or by excitations from the K-shell at resonant energies by an external X-ray source, as described in an accompanying paper by Pradhan et al. in this volume. Our Monte Carlo models assume normal body material embedded with a layer of gold nanoparticles. The simulation results presented in this paper demonstrate that resonant excitations via Kα, Kβ, etc., transitions result in a considerable enhancement in localized X-ray ener...
Efficient electromagnetic modeling of three-dimensional multilayer microstrip antennas and circuits

An efficient method-of-moments (MoM) solution is presented for analysis of multilayer microstrip antennas and circuits. The required multilayer Green's functions are evaluated by the discrete complex image method (DCIM), with the guided-mode contribution extracted recursively using a multilevel contour integral in the complex /sub /spl rho//-plane. An interpolation scheme is employed to further reduce the computer time for calculating the Green's functions in the three-dimensional (3-D) space. Higher order interpolatory basis functions defined on curvilinear triangular patches are used to provide necessary flexibility and accuracy for the discretization of arbitrary shapes and to offer a better convergence than lower order basis functions. The combination of the improved DCIM and the higher order basis functions results in an efficient and accurate MoM analysis for 3-D multilayer microstrip structures.
Identification of novel stress‐induced genes downstream of chop

CHOP (GADD153) is a small nuclear protein that dimerizes avidly with members of the C/EBP family of transcription factors. Normally undetectable, it is expressed at high levels in cells exposed to conditions that perturb protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum and induce an endoplasmic reticulum stress response. CHOP expression in stressed cells is linked to the development of programmed cell death and, in some instances, cellular regeneration. In this study, representational difference analysis was used to compare the complement of genes expressed in stressed wild-type mouse embryonic fibroblasts with those expressed in cells nullizygous for chop. CHOP expression, in concert with a second signal, was found to be absolutely required for the activation by stress of a set of previously undescribed genes referred to as DOCs (for downstream of CHOP). DOC4 is a mammalian ortholog of a Drosophila gene, Tenm/Odz, implicated in patterning of the early fly embryo, whereas DOC6 encodes a newly recognized homolog of the actin-binding proteins villin and gelsolin. These results reveal the existence of a novel CHOP-dependent signaling pathway, distinct from the known endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response, which may mediate changes in cell phenotype in response to stress.
Nitric oxide and vasodilation in human limbs

Both the skeletal muscle and skin of humans possess remarkable abilities to vasodilate. Marked vasodilation can be seen in these vascular beds in response to a variety of common physiological stimuli. These stimuli include reactive hyperemia (skin and muscle), exercise hyperemia (muscle), mental stress (muscle), and whole body heating (skin). The physiological mechanisms that cause vasodilation in response to these stimuli are poorly understood, and the substance(s) responsible for it remain unclear. In this context, recent attention has been focused on the possible contribution of nitric oxide (NO) to the regulation of hyperemic responses in human skin and skeletal muscle. The emerging picture is that NO is not an essential component of the dilator response seen during reactive hyperemia. However, it does appear that NO may play a modest role in exercise hyperemia. NO appears to play a major role in the skeletal muscle vasodilation seen in response to mental stress in humans. Preliminary evidence also indicates that NO is not essential for the normal dilator responses observed in the cutaneous circulation during body heating in humans, but this issue needs further study. There are a number of possible mechanisms that might mediate NO release in humans, and the role of these mechanisms in the various hyperemic responses is also poorly understood. The role of altered NO-mediated vasodilation in some disease states is also discussed. Whereas NO is a potent vasodilating substance, the actions of NO alone do not explain a variety of poorly understood vasodilator mechanisms in conscious humans. Much work remains for those interested in the role of NO in the regulation of blood flow to the skin and skeletal muscle of humans.
POLY (STYRENE SULFONIC ACID)-POLY (VINYLIDENE FLUORIDE) INTERPOLYMER ION-EXCHANGE MEMBRANES. I. PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION.

Highly porous interpolymer ion-exchange membranes have been prepared from poly(styrene sulfonic acid), PSSA and poly(vinylidene fluoride) PVdF using a casting solvent of dimethylformamide and hexamethylphosphoramide. The membranes have been characterized by their water content, concentration potential, ionic conductivity, and their hydraulic permeability. An estimation of the porosity of the membranes has been made from the relative conductance of the potassium and the tetrabutylammonium ions in the film. This porosity has been compared with that derived from a consideration of the water flux through a Poiseuille-type pore.
Surviving Infarction One Gene at a Time Decreased Remodeling and Mortality in Engineered Mice Lacking the Angiotensin II Type 1A Receptor

Angiotensin II (Ang II), named for its first-discovered physiological role as a potent vasoconstrictor, is perhaps the most widely studied paradigm of a pleiotropic agent in cardiovascular biology and medicine, with diverse targets and effects far beyond those first envisioned.1 Notably, Ang II has received scrutiny as an intramyocardial growth factor (one, among others) that is produced locally within the myocardium, is released from cardiac cells after mechanical load, and is subsequently expressed at higher levels as part of the “hypertrophic phenotype.”2 Both cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts are responsive to Ang II,3 which suffices in tissue culture experiments not only to trigger most of the molecular features of hypertrophy but also to drive fibroblast proliferation. In clinical heart failure, this gives credence to the beneficial effects of treatments that decrease Ang II production (ACE inhibitors) or that decrease binding to its type I receptors, thereby preserving ventricular function at doses that do not lower blood pressure and consequently are thought to be mediated by blocking of local actions of this peptide.4 A second clinical setting, related but distinct, in which blockers of Ang II production or function in the heart have proven to be especially valuable is the more acute context of adverse ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction.5 6 In the instance of Ang II, the universal caveat that a pharmacological intervention might actually work through unanticipated mechanisms has given rise to perennial controversy, because ACE inhibitors, apart from their nominal role, also impair the degradation of bradykinin.4 Given the foreseeable, recurrent, and vexing limitations of reliance on drug studies …
The extended Q-range small-angle neutron scattering diffractometer at the SNS

The extended Q-range small-angle neutron scattering diffractometer (EQ-SANS) at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), Oak Ridge, is designed for wide neutron momentum transfer (Q) coverage, high neutron beam intensity and good wavelength resolution. In addition, the design and construction of the instrument aim to achieve a maximum signal-to-noise ratio by minimizing the background. The instrument is located on the high-power target station at the SNS. One of the key components in the primary flight path is the neutron optics, consisting of a curved multichannel beam bender and sections of straight neutron guides. They are optimized to minimize neutron transport loss, thereby maximizing the available flux on the sample. They also enable the avoidance of a direct line of sight to the neutron moderator at downstream locations. The instrument has three bandwidth-limiting choppers. They allow a novel frame-skipping operation, which enables the EQ-SANS diffractometer to achieve a dynamic Q range equivalent to that of a similar machine on a 20 Hz source. The two-dimensional low-angle detector, based on 3He tube technologies, offers very high counting rates and counting efficiency. Initial operations have shown that the instrument has achieved its design goals.
Case study and application of process analytical technology (PAT) towards bioprocessing: use of on-line high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for making real-time pooling decisions for process chromatography.

Process analytical technology (PAT) has been gaining a lot of momentum in the biopharmaceutical community due to the potential for continuous real-time quality assurance resulting in improved operational control and compliance. Two of the key goals that have been outlined for PAT are "variability is managed by the process" and "product quality attributes can be accurately and reliably predicted over the design space established for materials used, process parameters, manufacturing, environmental, and other conditions". Recently, we have been examining the feasibility of applying different analytical tools for designing PAT applications for bioprocessing. We have previously shown that a commercially available online high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system can be used for analysis that can facilitate real-time decisions for column pooling based on product quality attributes (Rathore et al., 2008). In this article we test the feasibility of using a commercially available ultra- performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system for real-time pooling of process chromatography columns. It is demonstrated that the UPLC system offers a feasible approach and meets the requirements of a PAT application. While the application presented here is of a reversed phase assay, the approach and the hardware can be easily applied to other modes of liquid chromatography.
Resonant interband tunneling FET

A lateral three-terminal Resonant Interband Tunneling Field Effect Transistor (RITFET) has been fabricated. It consists of a resonant interband tunnel diode (RITD) built using the GaSb-AlSb-InAs material system and a pseudomorphic InGaAs channel FET in which the current is controlled by a Schottky gate. The three terminal device has current-voltage characteristics that exhibit negative differential conductance with a peak-to-valley current ratio of 8 at room temperature.
Direct Access Compared With Referred Physical Therapy Episodes of Care: A Systematic Review

Background Evidence suggests that physical therapy through direct access may help decrease costs and improve patient outcomes compared with physical therapy by physician referral. Purpose The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on patients with musculoskeletal injuries and compare health care costs and patient outcomes in episodes of physical therapy by direct access compared with referred physical therapy. Data Sources Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL (EBSCO), Web of Science, and PEDro were searched using terms related to physical therapy and direct access. Included articles were hand searched for additional references. Study Selection Included studies compared data from physical therapy by direct access with physical therapy by physician referral, studying cost, outcomes, or harm. The studies were appraised using the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) levels of evidence criteria and assigned a methodological score. Data Extraction Of the 1,501 articles that were screened, 8 articles at levels 3 to 4 on the CEBM scale were included. There were statistically significant and clinically meaningful findings across studies that satisfaction and outcomes were superior, and numbers of physical therapy visits, imaging ordered, medications prescribed, and additional non–physical therapy appointments were less in cohorts receiving physical therapy by direct access compared with referred episodes of care. There was no evidence for harm. Data Synthesis There is evidence across level 3 and 4 studies (grade B to C CEBM level of recommendation) that physical therapy by direct access compared with referred episodes of care is associated with improved patient outcomes and decreased costs. Limitations Primary limitations were lack of group randomization, potential for selection bias, and limited generalizability. Conclusions Physical therapy by way of direct access may contain health care costs and promote high-quality health care. Third-party payers should consider paying for physical therapy by direct access to decrease health care costs and incentivize optimal patient outcomes.
Nonbuckling Vertical Four-Point Bend Setup for Measuring Edge Strength of Thin Glass

The four-point bend test is widely used for testing the edge strength of glass specimens. Vertical four-point bend (V4PB) setup involves orienting the specimen in a vertical fashion. However, thin specimens tend to buckle when using V4PB setup. In this study, a finite element model was built to simulate the buckling that occurs during V4PB testing. To validate this model, experiments were conducted on the existing setup. Upon validation, the finite element model was used to propose an improved setup. Then, experiments were carried out on the improved setup to verify that it worked as intended. The primary advantage of the proposed setup is that the standard ASTM [ASTM (2007), C158–02] four-point bending formula can continue to be used to calculate the stress from the applied force.
Optimal impulse control of systems with control constraints and application to HIV treatment

In this paper, conditions for optimal impulse control of an impulsive system with constraints on control are derived. These hold for a system whose states can be changed instantaneously at discrete times with impulses while a continuous control is being applied between those times. The conditions derived are applied to the problem of optimal HIV treatment. Simulation results are presented to show the treatment procedure. The results obtained show that the intervention method developed leads to good results.
Development in the Procedural Means for Resolution of Mass Tort Litigation in the United States

Any understanding of the American judicial system’s views about mass tort litigation must appreciate that the judicial system’s attitudes have changed over time. The receptivity of American courts to innovative procedures, as well as the expansion of evidentiary and substantive tort law, has varied over the past twenty five years. In addition, any appreciation of the problems of mass tort litigation must take into account the structure of the American legal system, which includes independent federal and state court systems. Mass tort litigation in the United States has been additionally complicated by the intersection of the dual-court system of federal and state courts, with overlapping and concurrent jurisdiction.This paper is divided into three parts. Part I sets forth a general discussion of the time-frame in which mass tort litigation developed in the United States and the ways in which the American legal system has adjusted to this new litigation phenomenon. The second section canvasses the variety of procedural means for possibly resolving mass tort litigation. This discussion is intertwined with the temporal framework suggested in Part I. The past portion of the paper contains some concluding remarks concerning the development of procedural means for resolving mass tort litigation in the United States, as these procedural means have evolved over three decades. These remarks also reflect on the possible consequences of the World Trade Center Victims’ Compensation fund for resolution of mass tort claims in the future.
Identification of Thin-cap Fibroatheromas in Patients by Intracoronary Optical Coherence Tomography

We describe a recent intracoronary optical coherence tomography study conducted in a cohort of 69 patients. Our results demonstrate that thin cap-fibroatheromas are higher in patients with acute presentations of coronary artery disease.
Cancer tracking: Clinician compliance and program outcome.

OBJECTIVES Certain laboratory tests are critical for patient care and must be communicated rapidly. Professional societies have developed guidelines for reporting of "critical values" and significant or unexpected surgical pathology findings. Urgent diagnoses requiring rapid reporting include new or unexpected diagnoses of malignancy. The University of Missouri established a "cancer-tracking" protocol in which all diagnoses of malignancy require acknowledgment by the responsible clinician. METHODS We reviewed 5 months of compliance with the cancer-tracking protocol. The protocol requires the Department of Pathology to send a letter to the responsible clinician requesting acknowledgment of the report. In total, 1,155 confirmation requests were sent to the physicians named on the request form. RESULTS Following the first letter, 692 acknowledgments were received, and 356 acknowledgments followed the second letter. In 107 (9%) cases, no response was received. CONCLUSIONS Confirmation that the physician caring for a patient receives a pathology diagnosis is important for patient management and quality assurance. While the surgical pathology report was placed in the chart, it was impossible to confirm that the responsible physician had reviewed the report in 9% of cases. Techniques for communication and confirmation of transmission of anatomic pathology diagnoses need to be developed.
Budgeting for Solar PV Plant Operations & Maintenance: Practices and Pricing.

With rising grid interconnections of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, greater attention is being trained on lifecycle performance, reliability, and project economics. Expected to meet production thresholds over a 20-30 year timeframe, PV plants require a steady diet of operations and maintenance (O&M) oversight to meet contractual terms. However, industry best practices are only just beginning to emerge, and O&M budgets—given the arrangement of the solar project value chain—appear to vary widely. Based on insights from in-depth interviews and survey research, this paper presents an overview of the utility-scale PV O&M budgeting process along with guiding rationales, before detailing perspectives on current plant upkeep activities and price points largely in the U.S. It concludes by pondering potential opportunities for improving upon existing O&M budgeting approaches in ways that can benefi t the industry at-large.
Link Estimation in Robot Networks for Multi-Radio Control and Range Extension

Several existing and emerging robotic applications such as ordnance disposal, disaster assessment, and search-and-rescue require high-speed communication links to span large distances. Path loss, combined with other wireless propagation effects, makes this a challenging problem. Directing radio frequency (RF) transmissions toward the intended receiver can mitigate this issue; however, operating smart antenna technology is costly for resource-constrained robots, and its performance degrades in light-of-sight (LOS) conditions, which is common in outdoor scenarios. In order to overcome this challenge, we propose adding a secondary radio, combined with a passive reflector, which is only employed when the primary omnidirectional radio is deemed unreliable. The dynamic switching of the directional radio between sleep and idle states provides communication diversity, while striving to conserve energy for battery-powered systems. An efficient link quality (LQ) estimator based on fuzzy logic provides the intelligence necessary to perform the radio switching action. Our method of passively assessing LQ at the transmitter is shown to be more efficient and agile than other presented LQ estimators, while still remaining effective in dynamic environments.
Twinning trend in Escazú, Costa Rica, 1851-1901.

The cross-cultural study of secular trends in twinning has been of interest to students of human biology. Although recent vital statistics are likely to be more reliable, older vital records allow a long-term study of twinning trends and of the effect of epidemics on twin incidence. Here, I report the results of an investigation of the secular trend of twin maternities from 1851 to 1901 in Escazu, Costa Rica. The research also investigates whether epidemics affected twin incidence in a consistent manner. Because the church records did not state the mother's age, it was not possible to standardize the raw twinning rate for maternal age. Thus the moving averages of the raw rates for every 33 years (the average length of a generation) were computed to minimize the effect of changing average maternal age on twin incidence. No consistent response to epidemics is apparent in the twinning rates. However, both the raw twinning rates and their moving averages indicate that the frequency of twinning decreased in Escazu during the second part of the nineteenth century. A decline in the twinning rate in other populations is usually attributed to environmental changes caused by the process of industrialization. However, the decline in the twin maternity incidence in Escazu could not be the result of such an environment because the population was rural and nonindustrialized. This study indicates that a decline in twin maternities may result from more diverse causes than was previously thought.
CR-Warped Submanifolds in Kaehler Manifolds

The warped product \(N_1\times _f N_2\) of two Riemannian manifolds \((N_1,g_1)\) and \((N_2,g_2)\) is the product manifold \(N_1\times N_2\) equipped with the warped product metric \(g=g_1+f^2 g_2\), where f is a positive function on \(N_1\). Warped products play very important roles in differential geometry as well as in physics. A submanifold M of a Kaehler manifold \(\tilde{M}\) is called a CR-warped product if it is a warped product \(M_T\times _f N_\perp \) of a complex submanifold \(M_T\) and a totally real submanifold \(M_\perp \) of \(\tilde{M}\). In this article we survey recent results on warped product and CR-warped product submanifolds in Kaehler manifolds. Several closely related results will also be presented.
Binaural and Spatial Hearing in Implanted Children

Children with normal hearing (NH) utilize information that arrives at the two ears in order to perform a multitude of tasks in their everyday listening environments. In the field of audiology, the question regarding provision of auditory input to one vs. two ears has been around for many years. This chapter has three objectives. First, the potential benefits from having two ears are described, with a focus on binaural cues that are available to listeners when using acoustic hearing, or electric hearing through cochlear implants (CIs). While NH children can access fine-grained binaural cues, bilateral CI users face a number of limitations in the binaural processing domain. A second objective is the discussion of measures that are used to evaluate binaural and bilateral hearing. Binaural sensitivity measures are obtained with acoustic stimuli over headphones or with direct electrical stimulation. Spatial hearing acuity provides a measure of the extent to which children know whether sounds are presented to the right vs. left, but sound localization indicates whether children can map acoustic space to perceived locations. Finally spatial release from masking indicates how well children can understand speech that is within their vocabulary, in the presence of maskers that are spatially co-located or separated from the target. A third objective is to highlight outcomes in children with bilateral CIs, focusing on the emergence of binaural and spatial hearing spanning the range of ~2 years of age to late childhood. Findings in NH and bilaterally implanted children are compared, and the role of auditory deprivation vs. early stimulation is considered.
Validating a Hazardous Drinking Index in a Sample of Sexual Minority Women: Reliability, Validity, and Predictive Accuracy

ABSTRACTBackground: Although sexual minority women (SMW) are at increased risk of hazardous drinking (HD), efforts to validate HD measures have yet to focus on this population. Objectives: Validation of a 13-item Hazardous Drinking Index (HDI) in a large sample of SMW. Methods: Data were from 700 adult SMW (age 18-82) enrolled in the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women study. Criterion measures included counts of depressive symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, average daily and 30-day ethanol consumption, risky sexual behavior, and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) measures of alcohol abuse/dependence. Analyses included assessment of internal consistency, construction of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to predict alcohol abuse/dependence, and correlations between HDI and criterion measures. We compared the psychometric properties (diagnostic accuracy and correlates of hazardous drinking) of the HDI to the commonly used CAGE instrument. Results: KR-2...