cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Most Prolific Authors in the Home Economics Research Journal and the Journal of Home Economics: A Decade Review

Most prolific authors in the Home Economics Research Journal and the Journal of Home Economics were rank ordered by the number of articles published and were surveyed by questionnaire in order to obtain background information about them and also to determine what has motivated them to publish. In addition, authors were asked to respond to a replication request to determine their will ingness to aid other researchers. Most prolific authors were defined as those authors with three or more published articles in either journal between Sep tember 1972-September 1982. Surprisingly no one author had this many articles in both journals during this decade. Most of the authors have Ph.D. degrees which were obtained at least 11 years ago from a variety of universities. Most are currently employed as college professors or administrators or a com bination of both. Graduate school training, colleagues, and employers were chief motivators. Authors, for the most part, responded positively to replication re quests.
Molecular Characterization of the Polymerase Gene and Genomic Termini of Nipah Virus

Abstract In 1998, Nipah virus (NV) emerged in peninsular Malaysia, causing fatal encephalitis in humans and a respiratory disease in swine. NV is most closely related to Hendra virus (HV), a paramyxovirus that was identified in Australia in 1994, and it has been proposed that HV and NV represent a new genus within the family Paramyxoviridae. This report describes the analysis of the sequences of the polymerase gene (L) and genomic termini of NV as well as a comparison of the full-length, genomic sequences of HV and NV. The L gene of NV is predicted to be 2244 amino acids in size and contains the six domains found within the L proteins of all nonsegmented, negative-stranded (NNS) RNA viruses. However, the GDNQ motif found in most NNS RNA viruses was replaced by GDNE in both NV and HV. The 3′ and 5′ termini of the NV genome are nearly identical to the genomic termini of HV and share sequence homology with the genomic termini of other members of the subfamily Paramyxovirinae. At 18,246 nucleotides, the genome of NV is 12 nucleotides longer than the genome of HV and they have the largest genomes within the family Paramyxoviridae. The comparison of the structures of the genomes of HV and NV is now complete and this information will help to establish the taxonomic position of these novel viruses within the family Paramyxoviridae.
A Gridded Thermionic Injector Gun for High-Average-Power Free-Electron Lasers

High-average-power free-electron lasers (FELs) require high-average-current injectors capable of generating high-quality short-duration electron bunches with a repetition rate equal to the frequency of the energy-recovery linac (~700 MHz). We present an injector configuration that utilizes an RF-gated gridded thermionic cathode inset into a 700-MHz RF cavity. The grid is independently modulated using RF power at one or more harmonics of the main cavity frequency, in order to gate emission from the cathode surface. Two- and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of this configuration were performed using the gun/collector modeling code MICHELLE. Simulations indicate that this approach can provide the necessary charge per bunch, bunch duration, beam quality, and repetition rate for high-average-power FELs operating in the infrared regime.
Variability in daily events and mood of family caregivers to cognitively impaired elders.

This study explores the relationship of daily mood and daily events in a caregiving context. Family caregivers to demented elders (N = 43) kept fourteen-day diaries of : 1) caregiving activities, 2) disruptive patient behaviors, and 3) daily mood. Independent raters and cluster analysis support the hypothesis of three mood patterns. Differences among the three clusters in the relationship of mood and daily caregiving events were explored. The findings indicate that some caregivers are highly distressed by caregiving demands, some report moderate levels of distress, and others show no relationship between mood and daily events. The varied patterns support an individual differences approach to understanding caregiving and in the design of interventions.
Strain differences in mesotelencephalic dopaminergic neuronal regulation between Fischer 344 and Lewis rats.

Differences in the behavioral responses of Lewis and Fischer (F344) inbred rat strains to stress and psychoactive drugs have been related to differences in the expression of various regulatory proteins in regions containing mesolimbic dopamine (DA) neurons. The present study compared basal and stimulated neurochemical estimates of DA utilization and synthesis in mesocortical, mesolimbic and nigrostriatal DA terminal regions of these two strains. In unstressed control animals, the Lewis strain had lower DA concentrations in the dorsal striatum (ST; 80.3% of F344) and lower basal dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) accumulation after m-hydroxybenzylhydrazine (NSD 1015) treatment in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPfx; 75.3% of F344). Similar differences were observed in vehicle-injected animals. No strain differences in basal neurochemistry were apparent in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAs) or core (NAc). In response to restraint stress, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) to DA ratios in the mPfx, NAs and ST increased in the F344 but not the Lewis strain. However, restraint stress did not significantly increase DOPA accumulation in the F344 strain. This latter finding was not due to a deficit in synthesis capacity, as gamma-hydroxybutyric acid lactone (GBL) increased DOPA accumulation significantly more in F344 than Lewis animals. Finally, haloperidol increased DA utilization similarly in the two strains. Together these findings suggest that the inbred, behaviorally divergent F344 and Lewis rats have selective differences in mesocortical, nigrostriatal and mesolimbic DA neuronal regulation.
The Correlation of Certain Characteristics with Egg Production

Abstract The selection of laying hens on the basis of external characteristics is vitally important. It is obvious therefore, that any information on this subject should be exact and actually correlated with egg production in order to find the measure of influence which it has upon egg production. In comparatively recent years, hens have been culled by their external characteristics, yet there are very few published data which show that these characters are of themselves correlated with egg production and which characters should receive the greatest emphasis in selection. Within the last few years deeper studies have been made and the results published by R. M. Sherwood1 of Texas and later by George W. Hervey2 of New Jersey. The conclusions reached by them show that there seems to be a definite correlation between the physiological characters, molt and pigmentation, and egg production. They do not agree, however, on the relation that . . .
How to Save the Earth: The Greening of Instrumental Discourse

This essay presents a critical case study of how shifts in the style and genre of written communication both reflect and influence historical shifts in political consciousness and action. The field of study is the discourse of environmental advocacy. With increased public support for actions that would forestall environmental degradation, environmental politics has diversified. Formerly a resistance movement directed toward influencing large-scale governmental or industrial actions through the rhetoric of polemical dispute, environmentalism has evolved into several distinct approaches, including a globalist movement and a grass roots movement that share an interest in policy and procedure, the traditional topics of instrumental discourse. A new genre built upon this proactive attitude—the green how-to book—currently dominates the popular literature on environmental problem solving. Capitalizing on the document designs of technical communication, these manuals recommend courses of action ranging from fixin...
An uncertain suggestion for gold-pricing models: the effect of economic policy uncertainty on gold prices

Gold, whether held in physical form or through financial claims, is of utmost importance to investors, central bankers, and sovereign nations alike. Yet empirically validated explanations of its volatile price remain elusive. Without an ex-post understanding of the determinants of gold prices, ex-ante forecasting is a fruitless endeavor. In this research, an index of US and European economic policy uncertainty is incorporated into a short-run pricing model for gold. The results suggest that in addition to gold being a hedge against inflation, increases in economic policy uncertainty contribute to increases in the price of gold.
Abstract 1831: Using narrative to transform cancer communication: Impact of a cervical cancer storyline on primetime television

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Epidemiological evidence reveals that Hispanic women lag behind all other ethnic groups in their rate of cervical cancer screening (National Health Interview Survey, 2006). Can stories succeed where more traditional cancer campaigns have faltered? Funding by the National Cancer Institute enabled researchers at Hollywood, Health & Society, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and the Institute for Prevention Research at the University of Southern California to encourage writers of primetime programming to include accurate information regarding cervical cancer. Purpose of study: This study examined whether a popular Spanish language telenovela could impact Hispanic viewers’ knowledge, attitudes and behavior with respect to cervical cancer screening. Experimental procedures: This was assessed by a quantitative survey of viewers before and after the fictional character of Dora in a Telemundo telenovela, El Clon, had an abnormal pap test. Results: Statistical comparisons between the pretest and posttest surveys revealed that after seeing cervical cancer storyline viewers were 6 times more likely to know that a pap test detects cervical cancer; 4 times more likely to know that pap tests are available for free or at low cost; 80 percent more likely to know pap women should have a pap test at least every 2 years; and 80 percent more likely to intend to have pap in next 2 years. This shift was strongest among viewers who identified with Dora and reported being absorbed or “transported” while viewing. Conclusions: A cervical cancer storyline on a popular telenovela was significantly associated with greater level of knowledge and intention to have pap test in the next 2 years. Implications of these results and the use of entertainment education in cancer communication more generally will be discussed. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1831. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1831
Aromatase and its inhibitors in breast cancer treatment — overview and perspective

Estrogen has an important role in stimulating the growth of breast carcinomas. Inhibition of estrogen production is therefore a logical treatment strategy. A number of selective inhibitors have been developed against aromatase, a cytochrome P-450 enzyme which catalyzes the rate limiting step in the biosynthesis of estrogens. The mechanisms of the aromatase reaction, current knowledge of the enzyme, and regulation of its expression are discussed as the basis for inhibitor development. Two classes of aromatase inhibitors, steroidal and non-steroidal compounds, are now coming into use. Among the steroid substrate analogues, 4-hydroxyandrostenedione (4-OHA) has been shown to be effective in breast cancer patients with advanced disease and was recently approved for treatment in the United Kingdom. Several different classes of compounds which act as aromatase inhibitors are currently in clinical trials and should provide breast cancer patients with a number of treatment options. Among these are highly potent and selective non-steroidal inhibitors which have recently been found to suppress plasma and urinary estrogens over 95% in breast cancer patients. The potency of these newer aromatase inhibitors provides the opportunity to determine whether complete suppression of estrogen production and action will result in enhanced tumor regression.
Are You Kynd? Conformity and Deviance Within the Jamband Subculture

I use measures of interpersonal involvement specific to differential association theory to explain variation within the jamband subculture. Specifically, I examine the relationship between the differential association modalities (frequency, intensity, priority, and duration) and the affective meanings (evaluation, potency, and activity) associated with six behaviors that are relevant to that subculture. I expect the modalities to be related positively to the evaluation and potency of four prosocial (what I term “kynd”) behaviors (to barter, to follow a band, to share, to trade music) and negatively to the evaluation and potency of two “unkynd” behaviors (to talk down, to threaten). Using data from self-administered surveys (n = 379), I find that frequency and intensity predict variation in the affective meaning of kynd and unkynd behaviors. However, priority and duration generally do not predict variation in the affective meaning of kynd and unkynd behaviors.
Cut Scores and Testing: Statistics, Judgment, Truth, and Error.

The uses and abuses of cut scores (also called cut points, or standards) are examined, illustrating their typical applications and ubiquity. The article demonstrates that cut scores (a) always entail judgment; (b) inherently result in misclassification; (c) impose an artificial dichotomy on an essentially continuous distribution of knowledge, skill or ability; and that (d) no true cut scores exist. Issues involved in minimizing abuses ofcut scores are discussed.
Generation of arbitrary THz waveforms via optical rectification in fanned-out periodically-poled lithium niobate

We demonstrate THz-pulse shaping of ultimate flexibility, manipulating spatially dispersed multi-frequency components generated by optical rectification in a fanned-out PPLN. The modulated THz-spectrum maps out the spatial pattern of optical excitation beam on the crystal.
Slabs, hotspots, cratons and mantle convection revealed from residual seismic tomography in the upper mantle

To further investigate the fate of slabs, the structure of hotspots and the style of mantle convection, we calculate residual tomographic maps in the upper mantle by excluding from the tomography the first-order effects of conductive cooling of oceanic plates, deep cratonic ‘roots’, and cooling or partial melting associated with subducted lithosphere. No correlation is found between residual tomography in the upper mantle and the 30–130 Ma subduction. The good correlations between residual tomography in the transition zone (400–650 km) and 0–30 Ma subduction, at spherical harmonic degree l = 2 can be explained either by slab accumulation in the transition zone beneath some subduction zones or by the poor lateral resolution of seismic tomography. Hotspots correlate with the residual tomography in the shallow (100–400 km) and the lowermost mantle at degree l = 2. However, correlations of hotspots and seismic velocities in the middle mantle, and correlations between residual tomography at shallow depths and lowermost-mantle tomography are poor. Therefore the connection between residual tomography at shallow depths and seismic tomography in the lowermost mantle is not clear. Craton distribution correlates with distribution of hotspots and residual topography very well at degree l = 6. This might indicate that cratonic ‘roots’ may affect the locations of upwellings and thus modulate upper-mantle convection, or that the degree l = 6 could be intrinsic in upper-mantle convection, with cratons and and other near-surface features establishing the pattern.
Feeding Rates, Double Brooding, Nest Reuse, and Seasonal Fecundity of Eastern Wood-Pewees in the Missouri Ozarks

Abstract Despite being widespread and abundant, little is known about the breeding ecology and natural history of the Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens), in part because nests are often high in the canopy, difficult to view, and adults are monomorphic. We monitored nests of Eastern Wood-Pewees and recorded the feeding rate of nestlings by adults as part of a larger study on breeding demography of Eastern Wood-Pewees across a gradient of savanna, woodland, and forest in the Missouri Ozarks in 2010–2011. We monitored 287 nests between 26 May and 22 August and conducted feeding rate observations for 54 nests with nestlings. There was an 88-day nesting season with peaks of nest activity on 24 June and 22 July. We recorded 19 cases of double brooding and nine cases of within-season nest reuse. Seasonal fecundity was 2.2 fledglings per territory. The frequency of parental feeding visits increased with nestling age. These are additional observations of nest reuse, nesting cycle lengths, and breeding season len...
Natural Law, Motives, and Freedom of the Will

In this paper I piece together a Wittegnsteinian view of the topics indicated in my title, contrasting it with the views of Bertrand Russell and Donald Davidson - two philosophers who, in words from the Blue Book, seem “constantly to see the method of science before their eyes.” I conclude that Wittegnstein helps us understand something those philosphers tend to overlook: that “freedom of the will” gets its meaning not in a belief to be assessed by evidence but, on the contrary, in the expression of a way of living and assessing life that limits the role of “assessing beliefs by evidence.”
Telomere maintenance mechanisms as a target for drug development

The shortening of the telomeric DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes is thought to play a critical role in regulating the lifespan of human cells. Since all dividing cells are subject to the loss of telomeric sequences, cells with long proliferative lifespans need mechanisms to maintain telomere integrity. It appears that the activation of the enzyme telomerase is the major mechanism by which these cells maintain their telomeres. The proposal that a critical step in the process of the malignant transformation of cells is the upregulation of expression of telomerase has made this enzyme a potentially useful prognostic and diagnostic marker for cancer, as well as a new target for therapeutic intervention for the treatment of patients with cancer. It is now clear that simply inhibiting telomerase may not result in the anticancer effects that were originally hypothesized. While telomerase may not be the universal target for cancer therapy, we certainly believe that targeting the telomere maintenance mechanisms will be important in future research aimed toward a successful strategy for curing cancer.
Fictive temperature of silica glass optical fibers - re-examination

Abstract Fictive temperatures of several commercial silica glass optical fibers were re-measured using IR reflection method, both on the fiber surface and on the fiber cross-section. In order to increase the cross-sectional area of the fiber for a larger IR beam, fibers were sliced ≈5° off the fiber axis direction. The IR reflection peak wavenumber was nearly uniform across the fiber cladding and was close to the value obtained earlier for the fiber surface. The IR wavenumbers were converted to fictive temperature using the extrapolated relation between the IR peak wavenumber and the fictive temperature. In order to ascertain the validity of the extrapolation, the fictive temperature was also obtained by extrapolating the known relation between the cooling rate and the fictive temperature of the fibers. The fictive temperature of the optical fibers was estimated to be in the range 1600–1700°C and its radial distribution in the cladding was nearly uniform, contrary to earlier results.
Surface application of liquid swine manure: Chemical variability

Abstract The determination of manure loading rates for crop production is complicated by the temporal variability in manure nutrient concentrations and the difficulty in obtaining representative samples on which to base application rates. The variation in nutrient concentrations in liquid swine manure obtained from an agitated anaerobic lagoon was examined during application to experimental plots. Grab samples were collected from a lagoon approximately two to four weeks prior to application and analyzed for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Based on the preliminary P analyses, swine manure application rates were computed. Manure from the lagoon was surface‐applied to corn plots to provide P rates of 15, 30, and 60 kg P/ha. During application, each tankload of manure was sampled to determine P rates for each plot. The solids content of each manure load was highly variable as were the total concentrations of manure N and P. Potassium content of the manure was also related to the solids conten...
Thermal adaptation in biological membranes: is homeoviscous adaptation the explanation?

The phase behavior and physical properties of lipids in biological membranes are exquisitely sensitive to changes in temperature (50). Because membranes (a) act as physical barriers to solute diffusion, (b) mediate the transmembrane movement of specific solutes, (c) regulate the utilization of energy stored in transmembrane ion gradients, Cd) provide an organizing matrix for the assem­ bly of multicomponent metabolic and signal transduction pathways, and (e) supply precursors for the generation of lipid-derived second messengers, tem­ perature-induced perturbations in membrane organization pose a serious chal­ lenge to the maintenance of physiological function in poikilotherms. However, poikilotherms exploit the diversity of lipid structure to fashion membranes with physical properties appropriate to their thermal circumstance and, in this way, restore membrane function following thermal challenge. Based on the finding that membrane lipids of Escherichia coli grown at 43 and 15°C dis­ played similar physical properties when compared at their respective growth temperatures, Sinensky concluded that membrane fluidity was defended as growth temperature changes and referred to this cellular homeostatic response as homeoviscous adaptation CHV A) (94). Since the original exposition of this hypothesis, HV A has emerged as the most commonly employed paradigm to assess the efficacy of thermal adaptation in biological membranes and to explain patterns of temperature-induced change in membrane lipid composi-
Reactions of neopentane, methylcyclohexane, and 3,3-dimethylpentane on tungsten carbides: The effect of surface oxygen on reaction pathways

Abstract High surface area tungsten carbides with WC and β-W 2 C structure were prepared by direct carburization of W0 3 in CH 4 H 2 mixtures. Their surfaces appear devoid of excess polymeric carbon and adsorb between 0.2 and 0.4 monolayers of CO and H. These materials are very active in neopentane hydrogenolysis. Chemisorbed oxygen inhibits hydrogenolysis reactions and leads to the appearance of isopentane among the reaction products. Neopentane isomerization to isopentane occurs only on Pt, Ir, and An surfaces. Thus, oxygen-exposed tungsten carbides catalyze reactions characteristic of noble metal catalysts. 3,3-Dimethylpentane isomerizes much faster than neopentane on oxygen-exposed carbides; the isomer distribution suggests that isomerization proceeds via a methyl shift mechanism rather than through the C 5 -ring hydrogenolysis pathways characteristic of highly dispersed Pt. The apparent involvement of 3,3-dimethyl-l-pentene reactive intermediates is consistent with carbenium-type methyl shift pathways. Secondary carbon atoms, capable of forming stable carbenium ions, are present in 3,3-dimethylpentane but not in neopentane; they account for the high 3,3-dimethylpentane isomerization rate and selectivity on oxygen-exposed tungsten carbide powders. Both dehydrogenation and isomerization reactions of methylcyclohexane occur on these carbide powders. These results suggest the presence of a bifunctional surface that catalyzes dehydrogenation and carbenium ion reactions typically occurring on reforming catalysts.
Cost of living and labor force participation: Married women in urban labor markets

I present and test the hypothesis that the cost of living (COL) positively influences the labor force participation (LFP) of married women. Based on housing values and regional variables, I first predict COL for a sample of 150 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) using a smaller subsample for which geographically comparable family budget data are available for 1980. Results from estimating a logistic LFP model using census MSA data confirm my hypothesis and suggest that COL embodies locality-specific amenities rather than “pure” prices.
Relationship between Intracranial Pressure and the Development of Vasospasm after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

The relationship between intracranial pressure (ICP) and the development of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by the rupture of an intracranial aneurysm was investigated. Eleven patients were divided into high (6 cases) and low (5 cases) ICP groups based on ICP data obtained during the perioperative period by continuous ICP monitoring. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography was performed every 24 hours for 7 days and the severity, distribution, and duration of vasospasm were assessed. The high ICP group tended to have severe, prolonged, and diffuse vasospasm compared with the low ICP group. However, only duration of vasospasm was statistically different. The relationship between cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and the development of vasospasm was also examined. CPP had a less significant effect than ICP although similar tendencies for high ICP and low CPP were observed. High ICP worsens vasospasm and treatment for decreasing ICP with perioperative ICP monitoring has potential for avoiding the development of vasospasm.
Microarray-assisted fine mapping of quantitative trait loci on chromosome 15 for susceptibility to seizure-induced cell death in mice

Prior studies with crosses of the FVB/NJ (FVB; seizure-induced cell death susceptible) mouse and the seizure-induced cell death resistant mouse, C57BL/6J (B6), revealed the presence of a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 15 (Chr. 15) that influenced susceptibility to kainic acid-induced cell death (Sicd2). In an earlier study, we confirmed that the Sicd2 interval harbors gene(s) conferring strong protection against seizure-induced cell death through the creation of the FVB.B6-Sicd2 congenic strain and created three interval-specific congenic lines (ISCLs) that encompass Sicd2 on Chr. 15 to fine-map this locus. To further localize this Sicd2 QTL, an additional congenic line carrying overlapping intervals of the B6 segment was created (ISCL-4) and compared to previously created ISCLs-1-3 and assessed for seizure-induced cell death phenotype. While all of the ISCLs exhibited reduced cell death associated with the B6 phenotype, the most dramatic of these, ISCL-4 showed the most extensive reduction in seizure-induced cell death throughout all hippocampal subfields. In order to characterize the susceptibility loci on Sicd2 using this ISCL and identify compelling candidate genes, we have undertaken an integrative genomic strategy of comparing exon transcript abundance in the hippocampus of this newly developed Chr. 15 subcongenic line (ISCL-4) and FVB-like littermates. We identified ten putative candidate genes that are alternatively spliced between the strains and may govern strain-dependent differences in susceptibility to seizure-induced excitotoxic cell death. These results illustrate the importance of identifying transcriptomics variants in expression studies, and implicate novel candidate genes conferring susceptibility to seizure-induced cell death.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Potential Option for the Nonsurgical Patient

With improved life expectancy, the incidence of aortic stenosis is rising. However, up to one-third of patients who require lifesaving surgical aortic valve replacement are denied surgery due to a high operative mortality rate. Such patients can only be treated with medical therapy or percutaneous aortic valvuloplasty, neither of which has been shown to improve mortality. With advances in interventional cardiology, transcatheter methods have been developed for aortic valve replacement. Clinical trials are investigating these devices in patients with severe aortic stenosis that have been denied surgery. Preliminary results from these trials suggest that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is not only feasible, but an effective way to improve symptoms. In this review, we describe the current technology and display available outcome data. Though technical challenges and operator learning curve limit optimal use of the current technology, continued experience and advancements in technology may one day make TAVR a viable alternative to traditional surgical aortic valve replacement.
Health Care Reform in Britain and Germany: Recasting the Political Bargain with the Medical Profession

Health care systems in the postwar period have been governed by political bargains between the state and the medical profession that have delinzated their respective powers and jurisdictions. Recent health care cost containment reforms in Britain and Germany are altering these bargains, and thereby challenge the prerogatives and autonomy of the medical profession in health policy formulation and in administration of the health care systems. But these challenges to doctors' power and autonomy vary between the two countries. Britain's 1989 “internal market” reforms attack the corporatist bargain with physicians by introducing market mechanisms into the National Health Service and, at the same time, strengthening central state control of the health care system. In Germany, on the other hand, the government's 1992 reforms only partially breached the corporatist bargain with doctors in order to strengthen rather than destroy this governance arrangement. The government has tried to curb what it views as excessive power of doctors while still allowing them a significant degree of corporatist self-governance. The reform efforts in both countries highlight some of the problems with different governance arrangements in health care systems and, more specifically, the difficulties associated with a market in health care.
Efficiently identifying working sets in block I/O streams

Identifying groups of blocks that tend to be read or written together in a given environment is the first step towards powerful techniques for device failure isolation and power management. For example, identified groups can be placed together on a single disk, avoiding excess drive activity across an exascale storage system. Unlike previous grouping work, we focus on identifying groupings in data that can be gathered from real, running systems with minimal impact. Using temporal, spatial, and access ordering information from an enterprise data set, we identified a set of groupings that consistently appear, indicating that these are working sets that are likely to be accessed together. We present several techniques to obtain groupings along with a discussion of what techniques best apply to particular types of real systems. We intend to use these preliminary results to inform our search for new types of workloads with a goal of identifying properties of easily separable workloads across different systems and dynamically moving groups in these workloads to reduce disk activity in large storage systems.
Shrinkage and viscoelastic behavior of alternative substrates for magnetic tapes

Viscoelastic and shrinkage characteristics of alternative substrates for magnetic tapes are presented. The substrates evaluated include two polyesters (PET and PEN), an aromatic polyamide (ARAMID), a polyimide (PI), and poly(benzoxazole) or PBO. Thicknesses of the films range from 14.4 /spl mu/m for PET to 4.4 /spl mu/m for ARAMID. Results are also presented for ultra-thin magnetic tapes which use PET, PEN, or ARAMID as substrates. Based on their creep behavior (and relative cost), PEN or ARAMID appear to be suitable alternative substrates to PET.
Approaches to anterior and anterolateral foramen magnum lesions: A critical review

Foramen magnum (FM) lesions represent some of the most complex cases for the modern neurosurgeon because of their location near vital brainstem structures, the vertebral arteries, and lower cranial nerves. In particular, anterior or anterolaterally located FM tumors have traditionally been most difficult to resect with high morbidity and mortality resulting from approaches through the posterior midline or transorally. For many neurosurgeons, the far lateral, extreme lateral approach, and more recently, endoscopic endonasal approaches have become the preferred modern methods for the resection of anterior or anterolateral FM tumors. In this review, we examine both operative and non-operative approaches to FM tumors, including surgical anatomy, surgical technique, and indications for operative intervention in these complex cases. In addition, we compared outcomes from prior series.
Kazhdan–Lusztig immanants and products of matrix minors

Abstract Using the Kazhdan–Lusztig basis { C w ′ ( 1 ) | w ∈ S n } for the symmetric group algebra, we obtain nonnegativity properties of certain polynomials in matrix minors. In particular, we show that the application of these polynomials to Jacobi–Trudi matrices yields symmetric functions which are equal to nonnegative linear combinations of Schur functions.
Effects of Light on Feeding and Egestion Time of Striped Bass Fry

Abstract Fry of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) 9 to 19 days old remained active and continued to feed at night. We observed no significant difference in egestion time between fish held in light and those held in darkness. At 20°C the gastrointestinal tracts of all 15- and 19-day-old fish were emptied of marked brine shrimp in 11-12 h. None of the 9-day-old fish held at 25°C contained marked brine shrimp after 9 h.
Different effects of KCa and KATP agonists on brain tumor permeability between syngeneic and allogeneic rat models.

Abstract The blood–brain tumor barrier (BTB) significantly limits delivery of effective concentrations of chemotherapeutic drugs to brain tumors. Previous studies suggest that BTB permeability may be modulated via alteration in the activity of potassium channels. In this study, we studied the relationship of BTB permeability increase mediated by potassium channel agonists to channel expression in two rat brain tumor models. Intravenous infusion of KCO912 (KATP agonist), minoxidil sulfate (KATP agonist) or NS1619 (KCa agonist) increased tumor permeability more in the 9L allogeneic brain tumor model than in the syngeneic brain tumor model. Consistently, expression of both KATP and KCa channels in 9L tumors was increased to a significantly greater extent in Wistar rats (allogeneic) as compared to Fischer rats (syngeneic). Furthermore, as a preliminary effort to understand clinical implication of potassium channels in brain tumor treatment, we determined the expression of KATP in surgical specimens. KATP mRNA was detected in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) from nineteen patients examined, with a wide range of expression levels. Interestingly, in paired GBM tissues from seven patients before and after vaccination therapy, increased levels of KATP were detected in five patients after vaccination that had positive response to chemotherapy after vaccination. The present study indicates that the effects of potassium channel agonists on BTB permeability are different between syngeneic and allogeneic models which have different expression levels of potassium channels. The expression of potassium channels in brain tumors is variable, which may be associated with different tumor permeability to therapeutic agents among patients.
Medicare annual wellness visits conducted by a pharmacist in an internal medicine clinic

Purpose The clinical and financial outcomes of an initial Medicare annual wellness visit (AWV) administered by a clinical pharmacist practitioner (CPP) in an academic internal medicine clinic are described. Summary As a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Medicare Part B allows for coverage of an AWV at no cost to eligible beneficiaries. The AWV is directed at health prevention, disease detection, and coordination of screening available to beneficiaries. CPPs are pharmacists who are recognized as advanced practice providers in the state of North Carolina and are authorized to administer AWVs. Eligible Medicare beneficiaries at least 65 years of age in an academic internal medicine clinic were mailed invitations to schedule an AWV. Patients who scheduled an AWV were mailed a packet to complete before the visit. During the visit, the packet was reviewed and interventions were made based on prespecified criteria derived from evidence-based medicine recommendations. After completion of the AWV, patients were provided with a detailed and individualized prevention plan. Between August 2011 and May 2012, 98 patients attended an AWV, all performed by the same CPP. The average time from check in to checkout for all patients was 73 minutes. The CPP made 441 interventions during these 98 visits, averaging 4.5 interventions per AWV completed. All initial AWVs were reimbursable up to a maximum of $159.38 per visit. Conclusion A Medicare AMV administered by a CPP resulted in a wide variety of patient interventions and reimbursement for services provided.
Daily Injection of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Increases Hepatic Triglycerides and Alters Transcript Abundance of Metabolic Genes in Lactating Dairy Cattle

To determine whether inflammation can induce bovine fatty liver, we administered recombinant bovine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rbTNF) to late-lactation Holstein cows. Cows (n = 5/treatment) were blocked by feed intake and parity and randomly assigned within block to control (CON; saline), rbTNF at 2 microg/(kg.d), or pair-fed control (saline, intake matched) treatments. Treatments were administered once daily by subcutaneous injection for 7 d. Plasma samples were collected daily for analysis of glucose and FFA and a liver biopsy was collected on d 7 for triglyceride (TG) and quantitative RT-PCR analyses. Data were analyzed using treatment contrasts to assess effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and decreased feed intake. By d 7, feed intake of both rbTNF and pair-fed cows was approximately 15% less than CON (P < 0.01). Administration of rbTNF resulted in greater hepatic TNFalpha mRNA and protein abundance and 103% higher liver TG content (P < 0.05) without affecting the plasma FFA concentration. Hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 transcript abundance tended to be lower (P = 0.09) and transcript abundance of fatty acid translocase and 1-acyl-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase was higher (both P < 0.05) after rbTNF treatment, consistent with increased FFA uptake and storage as TG. Transcript abundance of glucose-6-phosphatase (P < 0.05) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (P = 0.09), genes important for gluconeogenesis, was lower for rbTNF-treated cows. These findings indicate that TNFalpha promotes liver TG accumulation and suggest that inflammatory pathways may also be responsible for decreased glucose production in cows with fatty liver.
Neural Network Design and the Complexity of Learning

We formalize a notion of learning that characterizes the training of feed-forward networks. In the field of learning theory, it stands as a new model specialized for the type of learning problems that arise in connectionist networks. The formulation is similar to Valiant's (Val84) in that we ask what can be feasibly learned from examples and stored in a particular data structure. One can view the data structure resulting from Valiant-type learning as a 'sentence' in a language described by grammatical syntax rules. Neither the words nor their interrelationships are known a priori. Our learned data structure is more particular than Valiant's in that it must be a particular 'sentence'. The position and relationships of each 'word' are fully specified in advance, and the learning system need only discover what the missing words are. This corresponds to the problem of finding retrieval functions for each node in a given network. We prove this problem NP-complete and thus demonstrate that learning in networks has no efficient general solution. Corollaries to the main theorem demonstrate the NP-completeness of several sub-cases. While the intractability of the problem precludes its solution in all these cases, we sketch some alternative definitions of the problem in a search for tractable sub-cases. One broad class of subcases is formed by placing constraits on the network architecture; we study one type in particular. The focus of these constraints is on families of 'shallow' architectures which are defined to have bounded depth and unbounded width. We introduce a perspective on shallow networks, called the Support Cone Interaction (SCI) graph, which is helpful in distinguishing tractable from intractable subcases: When the SCI graph has tree-width O(log n), learning can be accomplished in polynomial time; when its tree-width is $n\sp{\Omega (1)}$ we find the problem NP-complete even if the SCI graph is a simple 2-dimensional planar grid.
Judgment and decision making under stress: an overview for emergency managers

This paper discusses human judgment and decision making under stress. The authors review selected recent literature across various disciplines and suggest a definition of stress within the context of decision making during the management of emergencies. They also discuss fieldwork by the Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, NIOSH, which explores traumatic incident stress, the relationship between previous training and performance under stressful conditions, and human behaviour in underground mine fires. The authors assert that stress is one of the factors that decision makers must contend with in most life-or-death situations. They suggest that a better understanding of individual judgment and decision making activities whilst under stress would yield a better understanding of how people reach the choices they make in emergencies. This enhanced understanding would be of enormous value to emergency managers, researchers and policymakers.
Corticocortical connections of cat primary somatosensory cortex

The organization of corticocortical connections in the representation of the forepaw in cat primary somatosensory cortex (SI) was studied following injections of various tracers into different cortical cytoarchitectonic areas. Small injections of horseradish peroxidase, wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated HRP, Phaseolus vulgaris leukoagglutinin, or fast blue were placed into the representation of the forepaw in areas 3b, 1, or 2. The positions of labeled neurons in SI and the surrounding cortical areas were plotted on flattened surface reconstructions to determine the organization of the corticocortical connections within SI. A strong, reciprocal projection linked the two forepaw representations which have been described in area 3b and the part of area 2 which lies in the anterior bank of the lateral ansate sulcus (see Iwamura and Tanaka 1978a, b). Dense projections also linked these areas with SII, as previously reported (Burton and Kopf 1984a). Additional projections to area 3b arose primarily from areas 3a and 1. Projections to area 2 were more widespread than those to area 3b, and arose from all other areas of SI as well as from areas 4 and 5a. All injections into SI tended to label groups of neurons which lay in mediolateral strips. Corticocortical projection neurons which were most heavily labeled by SI injections were pyramidal cells in layer III. Additional projections from area 2 to 3b, area 5a to 2, and SII to areas 2 and 3b arose from layer VI as well. Although neurons of layers III and VI were always the most densely labeled, large injections into SI labeled neurons in layers II and V as well.
Oxygen, gastrin-releasing Peptide, and pediatric lung disease: life in the balance.

Excessive oxygen (O2) causes tissue injury, scarring, aging, and even death. Our laboratory is studying O2-sensing pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs) and the PNEC-derived product gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from exposure to hyperoxia, ozone, or ionizing radiation (RT) can induce PNEC degranulation and GRP secretion. PNEC degranulation can also be induced by hypoxia, and effects of hypoxia are also mediated by free radicals. We have determined that excessive GRP mediates lung injury with acute and chronic inflammation, leading to pulmonary fibrosis (PF), triggered via ROS exposure or by directly treating mice with exogenous GRP. In animal models, GRP blockade abrogates lung injury, inflammation, and fibrosis. The optimal time frame for GRP blockade and the key target cell types remain to be determined. The concept of GRP as a mediator of ROS-induced tissue damage represents a paradigm shift about how oxygen can cause injury, inflammation, and fibrosis. The host PNEC response in vivo may depend on individual ROS sensing mechanisms and subsequent GRP secretion. Ongoing scientific and clinical investigations promise to further clarify the molecular pathways and clinical relevance of GRP in the pathogenesis of diverse pediatric lung diseases.
Toddler: detecting performance problems via similar memory-access patterns

Performance bugs are programming errors that create significant performance degradation. While developers often use automated oracles for detecting functional bugs, detecting performance bugs usually requires time-consuming, manual analysis of execution profiles. The human effort for performance analysis limits the number of performance tests analyzed and enables performance bugs to easily escape to production. Unfortunately, while profilers can successfully localize slow executing code, profilers cannot be effectively used as automated oracles. This paper presents Toddler, a novel automated oracle for performance bugs, which enables testing for performance bugs to use the well established and automated process of testing for functional bugs. Toddler reports code loops whose computation has repetitive and partially similar memory-access patterns across loop iterations. Such repetitive work is likely unnecessary and can be done faster. We implement Toddler for Java and evaluate it on 9 popular Java codebases. Our experiments with 11 previously known, real-world performance bugs show that Toddler finds these bugs with a higher accuracy than the standard Java profiler. Using Toddler, we also found 42 new bugs in six Java projects: Ant, Google Core Libraries, JUnit, Apache Collections, JDK, and JFreeChart. Based on our bug reports, developers so far fixed 10 bugs and confirmed 6 more as real bugs.