cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selective Recognition of Distinct Classes of Coactivators by a Ligand-Inducible Activation Domain

Abstract How nuclear receptors (NRs) coordinate the sequential, ligand-dependent recruitment of multiple coactivator complexes (e.g., SRC complexes and Mediator) that share similar receptor binding determinants is unclear. We show that although the receptor binding subunits of these complexes (i.e., SRCs and Med220, respectively) share overlapping binding sites on estrogen receptor α (ERα), information contained in the receptor-coactivator interface allows the receptor to distinguish between them. In support of this conclusion, we have identified an ERα AF-2 point mutant (L540Q) that selectively binds and recruits Med220, but not SRCs, both in vitro and in vivo. In cells expressing this mutant, the recruitment of Med220 to the pS2 promoter is delayed, and the expression of the vast majority of estrogen target genes is impaired, suggesting a nearly global functional interdependence of these coactivators. Collectively, our results suggest that "facilitated recruitment," rather than competition, drives the sequential recruitment of SRC complexes and Mediator by NRs.
Cleric‐Diplomats and the Sixteenth‐Century French State

(1995). Cleric‐Diplomats and the Sixteenth‐Century French State. The Historian: Vol. 57, No. 4, pp. 721-732.
A new species of the shrew‐mouse, Archboldomys (Rodentia: Muridae: Murinae), from the Philippines

Abstract A new species of murid rodent belonging to the ‘shrew‐mouse’ genus Archboldomys is described from Kalinga Province in northern Luzon Island, Philippines. This is the third known species of this endemic Philippine genus. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by consistent differences in adult body size, limb and tail proportions, coloration and texture of the pelage, and cranial and dental dimensions. Members of this genus are small, diurnal rodents that feed mainly on earthworms and other soil invertebrates, and occur in high elevation montane and mossy forests habitats. The new species may be restricted to the northern portion of the Cordillera Central, whereas its congeners occur in widely separated highland areas in other portions of Luzon. The fact that similar distribution patterns are seen for members of other endemic genera suggests that habitat vicariance may have shaped much of the diversification of murid rodents on Luzon.
The Application of X-rays and Electrochemistry to Materials Analysis

The combination of surface science, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in particular, with electrochemical studies provides a powerful complementary method for the analysis of materials, as well as a useful way to adjust and monitor the surface properties of the material. Examples of such an application are provided by studies of carbon fibers and other materials including zirconium boride, aluminum and its alloys, and tungsten. The electrochemical behavior of electrodes such as aluminum and tungsten under a variety of conditions are shown to be very surface dependent. The value of a special in situ electrochemical cell that can be incorporated into the vacuum system of a surface spectrometer is discussed.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Diagnosis and Management

Accurate diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis may be difficult early in its course and demands high clinical suspicion, astute examination, and appropriate investigations. Early use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologics has improved outcomes but requires close monitoring of disease course and adverse events.
A comparison of American lobster size structure and abundance using standard and ventless traps

Abstract Ventless (escape vents blocked) trap surveys are becoming increasingly common and provide data that are useful for making well-informed management decisions. The purpose of this study was to conduct ventless and standard trap surveys, in parallel with SCUBA surveys, to determine how lobster catch in both types of traps relates to the size structure and abundance of lobster populations on the bottom. Because trap saturation may affect catch-per-unit-effort, we also quantified how catch changed over time by pulling traps after a period of 10 distinct soak times, ranging from 2 to 96 h. All surveys were carried out in 2010 and 2011, at a study site along the coast of New Hampshire, USA. Ventless traps collectively captured ∼10 times as many lobsters as standard traps, but the mean size of the lobsters captured did not differ between the trap types. Catch in standard traps changed little over time and thus the time to saturate was difficult to assess. However, ventless traps saturated between 16 and 24 h. Ventless traps saturated at all lobster densities, but had higher final catch values at times when lobsters were most abundant (as determined by SCUBA surveys). These data indicate that ventless traps provide valuable information about natural lobster populations, which can be useful in the assessment of this valuable fishery.
Increased light extraction from a light-emitting diode using a two-dimensional photonic crystal

Summary form only given. Enhanced light extraction is obtained from a light-emitting diode (LED) containing a two-dimensional (2D) photonic band gap (PBG) crystal. The 2D photonic crystal prohibits the propagation of light within a certain range of frequencies in the plane of the PBG. Several methods to modify light emission using a 2D photonic crystal have been studied. A 2D PBG is fabricated in the top cladding layer of an InGaP/InGaAs quantum well structure that emits at /spl lambda/=980 nm. The photonic crystal is designed such that the emission wavelength lies inside the photonic band gap eliminating the coupling to lateral guided modes within the semiconductor, that is a major source of loss in conventional LEDs. In our experiments, the surface normal photoluminescence (PL) at 980 nm is enhanced by a factor of 6 in the presence of a photonic crystal.
Cell proliferation and tissue remodeling are major determinants of cancer metabolism and the response to drugs targeting metabolism

Background Alterations in cell proliferation and tissue remodeling are major hallmarks of cancer. Given that these two physiological processes require a significant investment of metabolic resources, we hypothesize that the metabolism of cancer cells is, in a first approximation, determined by the magnitude of cell proliferation and tissue remodeling. Materials and methods To address this question in further detail we have analyzed in vitro data characterizing cancer cell lines and gene expression profiles of human cancers. Results We show that the metabolism of cancer cells is strongly correlated with cell proliferation and tissue remodeling. Based on in vitro data, cancer cell lines align from an extreme of highly proliferating cells of relatively small size to another extreme of slowly proliferating cells with large size and mesenchymal properties [1]. Similarly, in human cancers we detect a strong negative correlation between gene signatures associated with cell proliferation and tissue remodeling [2]. The stratification of human cancers based on the cell-proliferation/ tissue-remodeling signatures results in divergence in the survival plots as significant as those obtained using current site-specific classifications. Furthermore, in vitro data suggest that these different subtypes have a differential sensitivity to diverse drug classes targeting metabolism [1]. Conclusions We conclude that human cancers can be subject to a universal cell-proliferation/tissue-remodeling classification independent of their site of origin that can guide personalized treatment targeting cancer metabolism.
Herbal curing by Qollahuaya Andeans

Abstract This research report concerns herbal curing among the Qollahuaya (Callawaya) Andeans of Bolivia, who follow a tradition of more than 1000 years of medicinal expertise and who are the most renowned herbalists in South America. Qollahuaya herbalists live in Ayllus Chajaya and Curva. Natives of Chajaya and Curva complain that the number of herbalists have declined in recent years, but after analysis of occupational surveys in these communities, it was found that both areas had a considerable number of herbalists (Curva 37, Chajaya 28) with the same proportion (27%) of herbalists to non-herbalists. Although Chajaya and Curva adjusted differently to certain pressures against the herbal profession since 1930, they maintained the same percentage. This indicates a functional relationship between herbalists and nonherbalists. The decline in the number of herbalists reflects the decline in the rural populace of the Qollahuaya area. In this paper, the author discusses herbalists in Curva and in Chajaya. His primary concern is how each group of herbalists has adapted to certain pressures within the last 30 years: restrictions on travel, synthetic drugs, out-migration and oppresion.
Analytic method for solving coupled nonlinear Schroedinger equations with oscillating terms describing polarized soliton oscillations

Using a variational method, a new model of the nonlinear propagation of optical solitons generated from semiconductor lasers through lossy elliptically low birefringent fiber, is presented within the framework of a system of coupled nonlinear Schroedinger (CNLS) equations with oscillating terms. This analytic model demonstrates polarized soliton oscillations in a lossy elliptically low birefringent optical fiber.
Technologies for distributed defense

For Americans, the nature of warfare changed on September 11, 2001. Our national security henceforth will require distributed defense. One extreme of distributed defense is represented by fully deployed military troops responding to a threat from a hostile nation state. At the other extreme is a country of 'citizen soldiers', with families and communities securing their common defense through heightened awareness, engagement as good neighbors, and local support of and cooperation with local law enforcement, emergency and health care providers. Technologies - for information exploitation, biological agent detection, health care surveillance, and security - will be critical to ensuring success in distributed defense.
Aerosolized recombinant human lysozyme enhances the bactericidal effect of tobramycin in a hamster model of pseudomonas aeruginosa–induced pneumonia

ABSTRACTPrevious studies from this laboratory have shown that aerosolized recombinant human lysozyme (rhLZ) mitigates Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA)-induced pneumonia. In the current investigation, our laboratory tested the hypothesis that aerosolized rhLZ can potentiate the effects of tobramycin (TBMN), thereby reducing the effective dose of this agent in the treatment of PA-induced pneumonia. Syrian hamsters were instilled intratracheally with PA, then exposed to an aerosol containing either 1% rhLZ, 3 μg TBMN, or a combination of both agents. In contrast to the initial studies with rhLZ, which involved 3 separate aerosol exposures, only a single treatment was used in the current investigation. Twenty-four hours after completion of the aerosol regimen, the following parameters were measured: (1) whole-lung colony-forming units (CFU), (2) total bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) CFU, (3) lung histopathology, and (4) total BALF neutrophils. The combination of rhLZ and TBMN significantly reduced whole-lung a...
Enzymatic depolymerization of polysaccharides

Abstract A comprehensive review of polysaccharide enzymatic depolymerization studies is presented. Three structural classes of polyglucose materials are considered; i.e. crystalline cellulose and granular starch, amorphous soluble dextrans, and gel-forming starch pastes. In addition, various groups of depolymerizing enzymes are discussed: exo-acting and endo-acting polysaccharide depolymerases. The interrelationships of the enzyme action patterns and the substrate's structure and its related susceptibility toward hydrolysis are considered in this treatise. Mass transfer and adsorptive phenomena of solid substrates are treated. A resume of current experimental methodologies is included. State of the art biochemical kinetic models for simulating these processes are collected here. Evidence is presented in support of the thesis for these natural polymeric substrates, that it is both the mode of action of the catalysts and the conformational states of the polysaccharides which must be accounted for if realistic physical and mathematical models of the dynamic events are to be understood.
Treatment of iron deficiency anemia in the adult.

Abstract In the adult iron deficiency anemia is the result of blood loss. Its appearance may be delayed and its severity modified by the extent of storage iron and amount of iron absorbed. While a tentative diagnosis of iron deficiency may be made on various grounds, proof rests on response to a therapeutic trial of iron. Effective oral and parenteral forms of therapy are available, each with particular advantages and disadvantages. Chief among these is the advantage of mucosal regulation of iron intake when oral iron therapy is employed and the ease of creating effective iron stores when parenteral iron is used. Selection of iron therapy depends on a consideration of these various factors.
Case Characteristics and Defendant Tenant Default in a Housing Court

Although frequently cited as an important influence on case outcomes, defendant default in lower courts is not sufficiently studied as an outcome in its own right. In this article, I develop theoretical propositions and hypotheses concerning the impact of case characteristics on tenant defendant default and examine these hypotheses in light of data on 677 cases in a housing court. I find that allegations that are easier to dispute (those concerning a breach of lease, rather than nonpayment of rent) and higher monthly rent levels are associated with lower levels of default. Additionally, tenant default rates are highest in areas with the highest concentration of poverty. These findings reveal the importance of considering case characteristics in studies of legal participation and as a basis for organizational reform.
What's Special about Cloud Security?

Although cloud security concerns have consistently ranked as one of the top challenges to cloud adoption, it's not clear what security issues are particular to cloud computing. To approach this question, the author attempts to derive cloud security issues from various cloud definitions and a reference architecture.
Evaluation method for user requirements documents

Abstract The specification generated during the requirements specification phase acts as a cornerstone for the entire software development process. The quality of this document directly influences the overall quality of the resulting software product. The process of requirements specification uses as its input a natural language requirements document, generated by the system's users. This document serves as a guide to the actual specification process. A method is presented for the evaluation and analysis of this document. This analysis permits improvements to be made in the initial requirements document before its use in a formalized specification paradigm. By improving the quality of this document, the input to the specification process is enhanced. This enhancement strengthens not only the developed specification, but also the entire software development process.
Preparative purification of tyrosinamide N-linked oligosaccharides

N-linked oligosaccharides from glycoproteins can be either analyzed on a sub-nanomole scale or preparatively purified on a multi-micromole scale. Each goal necessitates a unique analytical strategy often involving oligosaccharide derivatization to enhance separation and detection. Tyrosinamide-oligosaccharides were developed to facilitate the preparative purification of N-linked oligosaccharides. These have found many uses in oligosaccharide remodeling, in the preparation of neoglycoconjugates, in developing receptor probes, and even as analytical standards in chromatography. This review discusses progress in the preparation of tyrosinamide-oligosaccharides from different glycoproteins and their utility in glycobiology research.
On the measurement of pilot perceptual workload - A comparison of assessment techniques addressing sensitivity and intrusion issues

A flight simulator-based study was conducted to examine fourteen distinct mental workload estimation measures, including opinion, secondary task, physiological, and primary task measures. Both the relative sensitivity of the measures to changes in mental workload and the differential intrusion of the changes on primary task performance were assessed. The flight task was varied in difficulty by manipulation of the presentation rate and complexity of a hazard-perception task that required each of 48 licensed pilots to rely heavily on their perceptual abilities. Three rating scales (Modified Cooper-Harper, Multi-descriptor, and Workload-Compensation-Interference/Technical Effectiveness), two secondary task measures (time estimation and tapping regularity), one physiological measure (respiration frequency), and one primary task measure (danger-condition response time) were reliable indicants of workload changes. Recommendations for applying the workload measures are presented.
2,2′,6,6′‐Tetrabromo‐3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethyl‐4,4′‐biphenol (TTB)–flame retardant copolycarbonates and copolyesters

2,2′,6,6′-Tetrabromo-3,3′,5,5′-tetramethyl-4,4′-biphenol (TTB) is a new flame retardant monomer possessing a high degree of chemical and thermal stability. This brominated biphenol can be directly incorporated as a comonomer in condensation polymerizations. An example is the preparation of copolycarbonates of TTB and 2,2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (BPA) via the aqueous caustic phosgenation method. The reaction of TTB with either ethylene oxide or ethylene chlorohydrin affords 4,4′-bis(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2,2′,6,6′-tetrabromo-3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbiphenyl (TTB-Diol). This diol is melt polymerized into a series of terephthalate copolymers with 1,4 butanediol. The above copolymers possess flame retardancy, thermal stability, and good mechanical properties. These high-bromine-content copolymers are blended with nonhalogen-containing polymers to afford blends with specific degrees of flame resistance.
Stimulation of hamster sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction in vitro by glucose and lactate and inhibition by the glycolytic inhibitor α-chlorohydrin

Studies were made of the effects of D(+)-glucose, L-lactate and pyruvate on in vitro capacitation and acrosome reactions (AR) of hamster sperm using a more “defined” medium that that used in previous similar studies. In the absence of glucose or lactate, sperm underwent very few AR and activation (whiplash-like motility characteristic of capacitated hamster sperm) was reduced compared to those events in sperm preincubated in the presence of glucose plus lactate plus pyruvate. Glucose and pyruvate supported more AR than glucose alone, but less than glucose, lactate, and pyruvate. The glycolytic inhibitor α-chlorohydrin (10 μm) inhibited AR by 50% and reduced activation by less. When glucose was added to sperm incubated 2 hr with pyruvate and lactate, the number of AR observed after 4 hr was the same as that obtained when glucose was present throughout the incubation. When glucose was added after 3.5 hr, AR were delayed for 1 hr and lower numbers of sperm underwent AR. In the presence of lactate and pyruvate, 0.38 mM glucose was able to support activation and AR as well as 3.24 mM glucose. These results indicate that exogenous glucose and lactate are necessary for in vitro capacitation and AR of hamster sperm; only low levels of exogenous glucose are required; exogenous glucose is not required during the first 2 hr of capacitation; and glycolytic activity is necessary for capacitation and the AR.
Double-substitution-based diagnostics for coupled-cluster and Møller–Plesset perturbation theory

New diagnostics are proposed for coupled-cluster and Moller–Plesset perturbation theory. The diagnostics, designated D2(CCSD) and D2(MP1), are computed from the double-substitution amplitudes in the CCSD and MP1 wavefunctions, and their definitions are analogous to those of the single-substitution-based D1(CCSD) and D1(MP2) diagnostics. The correlation between the magnitude of the new diagnostics and the performance of the CCSD and MP2 methods is demonstrated for prediction of structures and harmonic vibrational frequencies for 34 molecules, and the application of D1 and D2 to diradicals and bond dissociation is also discussed.
Mechanotransduction in an extracted cell model: Fyn drives stretch- and flow-elicited PECAM-1 phosphorylation

Mechanosensing followed by mechanoresponses by cells is well established, but the mechanisms by which mechanical force is converted into biochemical events are poorly understood. Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) exhibit flow- and stretch-dependent responses and are widely used as a model for studying mechanotransduction in mammalian cells. Platelet EC adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) is tyrosine phosphorylated when ECs are exposed to flow or when PECAM-1 is directly pulled, suggesting that it is a mechanochemical converter. We show that PECAM-1 phosphorylation occurs when detergent-extracted EC monolayers are stretched, indicating that this phosphorylation is mechanically triggered and does not require the intact plasma membrane and soluble cytoplasmic components. Using kinase inhibitors and small interfering RNAs, we identify Fyn as the PECAM-1 kinase associated with the model. We further show that stretch- and flow-induced PECAM-1 phosphorylation in intact ECs is abolished when Fyn expression is down-regulated. We suggest that PECAM-1 and Fyn are essential components of a PECAM-1–based mechanosensory complex in ECs.
Ignition and extinction of low molecular weight esters in nonpremixed flows

An experimental and kinetic modeling study is carried out to characterize combustion of low molecular weight esters in nonpremixed, nonuniform flows. An improved understanding of the combustion characteristics of low molecular weight esters will provide insights on combustion of high molecular weight esters and biodiesel. The fuels tested are methyl butanoate, methyl crotonate, ethyl propionate, biodiesel, and diesel. Two types of configuration – the condensed fuel configuration and the prevaporized fuel configuration – are employed. The condensed fuel configuration is particularly useful for studies on those liquid fuels that have high boiling points, for example biodiesel and diesel, where prevaporization, without thermal breakdown of the fuel, is difficult to achieve. In the condensed fuel configuration, an oxidizer, made up of a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, flows over the vaporizing surface of a pool of liquid fuel. A stagnation-point boundary layer flow is established over the surface of the liqui...
Gamma decays of some T=0, T=1 and T=2 states above EX=9.5 MeV in 20Ne

Abstract Coincidence studies of the 19 F( 3 He, dγ) reaction and observation of 16 O(α, γ 1 ) and 16 O(α, α′γ 6.13 ) resonances have been used to investigate the properties of states in 20 Ne at 9.88±0.03 MeV, 10.271±0.004 MeV, 10.89±0.03 MeV, 11.59±0.03 MeV, 12.216±0.005 MeV( Γ Γ ≈5 keV) and 12.397±0.008 MeV ( Γ ≈25 keV). The observed γ-ray branching ratios support assignments of J π =3 + for the levels at 9.88, 10.89 and 11.59 MeV. For the 12.216 MeV level, resonance studies require J π =2 + ; the strongly hindered α-decay ( Γ α T =1. This level has Γ γ 1 >0.3 eV and Γ γ0 Γ γ1 ≦0.015 . The 16 O(α, γ 1 ) resonance strengths correspond to ωΓ α Γ γ1 Γ =1.46±0.22 and 3.9±0.8 eV for the resonances at 12.216 and 12.254 MeV, respectively. The effect of these results on the previously measured radiative width of the second T =2 state in 20 Ne is discussed. The 12.397 MeV level has J π =3 − , in disagreement with a recent assignment of 1 + .
Endothelin-1 directs airway remodeling and hyper-reactivity in a murine asthma model

Background: The current paradigm describing asthma pathogenesis recognizes the central role of abnormal epithelial function in the generation and maintenance of the disease. However, the mechanisms responsible for the initiation of airway remodeling, which contributes to decreased lung function, remain elusive. Therefore, we aimed to determine the role of altered pulmonary gene expression in disease inception and identify proremodeling mediators. Methods: Using an adenoviral vector, we generated mice overexpressing smad2, a TGF-b and activin A signaling molecule, in the lung. Animals were exposed to intranasal ovalbumin (OVA) without systemic sensitization. Results: Control mice exposed to inhaled OVA showed no evidence of pulmonary inflammation, indices of remodeling, or airway hyper-reactivity. In contrast, local smad2 overexpression provoked airway hyper-reactivity in OVA-treated mice, concomitant with increased airway smooth muscle mass and peribronchial collagen deposition. Pulmonary eosinophilic inflammation was not evident, and there was no change in serum IgE or IgG1 levels. The profound remodeling changes were not mediated by classical pro-inflammatory Th2 cytokines. However, uric acid and interleukin-1b levels in the lung were increased. Epithelial-derived endothelin-1 and fibroblast growth factor were also augmented in smad2-expressing mice. Blocking endothelin-1 prevented these phenotypic changes. Conclusions: Innate epithelial-derived mediators are sufficient to drive airway hyper-reactivity and remodeling in response to environmental insults in the absence of overt Th2-type inflammation in a model of noneosinophilic, noninflammed types of asthma. Targeting potential asthma therapies to epithelial cell function and modulation of locally released mediators may represent an effective avenue for therapeutic design.
Distribution of jointly owned private goods by the demand- revealing process: Applications to divorce settlements and estate administration*

In this concluding section, we summarize the workings and outcomes of our versions of the demand-revealing process, followed by summaries of the advantages and disadvantages of these versions applied to the problem of the distribution of private goods among individuals who jointly own or have claims against the goods. Finally, we briefly discuss two alternatives to our versions of the demand-revealing process.
RNA synthesis in Chinese hamster cells. II. Increase in rate of RNA synthesis during G1.

Cultures of mitotic Chinese hamster cells, prepared by mechanical selection, were pulse-labeled with methionine-methyl-14C or with uridine-3H at different stages in the life cycle. The rate of 14C incorporation into 18S RNA was measured, as was the rate of uridine-3H incorporation into total RNA for both monolayer and suspension cultures. The rate of incorporation increased continuously throughout interphase in a fashion inconsistent with a gene-dosage effect upon RNA synthesis.
Neonatal morbidity associated with shoulder dystocia maneuvers

Objective We sought to examine neonatal morbidity associated with different maneuvers used among term patients who experience a shoulder dystocia. Study Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all women who experienced a clinically diagnosed shoulder dystocia at term requiring obstetric maneuvers at a single tertiary care hospital from 2005 through 2008. We excluded women with major fetal anomaly, intrauterine death, multiple gestation, and preterm. Women exposed to Rubin maneuver, Wood's screw maneuver, or delivery of the posterior arm were compared to women delivered by McRoberts/suprapubic pressure only, which served as the reference group. The primary outcome was a composite morbidity of neonatal injury (defined as clavicular or humeral fracture or brachial plexus injury) and neonatal depression (defined as Apgar Results Among the 231 women who met inclusion criteria, 135 were delivered by McRoberts/suprapubic pressure alone (57.9%), 83 women were exposed to Rubin maneuver, 53 women were exposed to Wood's screw, and 36 women were exposed to delivery of posterior arm. Individual maneuvers were not associated with composite morbidity, neonatal injury, or neonatal depression after adjusting for nulliparity and duration of shoulder dystocia. Conclusion We found no association between shoulder dystocia maneuvers and neonatal morbidity after adjusting for duration, a surrogate for severity. Our results demonstrate that clinicians should utilize the maneuver most likely to result in successful delivery.
Detecting tangled logic structures in VLSI netlists

This work proposes a new problem of identifying large and tangled logic structures in a synthesized netlist. Large groups of cells that are highly interconnected to each other can often create potential routing hotspots that require special placement constraints. They can also indicate problematic clumps of logic that either require resynthesis to reduce wiring demand or specialized datapath placement. At a glance, this formulation appears similar to conventional circuit clustering, but there are two important distinctions. First, we are interested in finding large groups of cells that represent entire logic structures like adders and decoders, as opposed to clusters with only a handful of cells. Second, we seek to pull out only the structures of interest, instead of assigning every cell to a cluster to reduce problem complexity. This work proposes new metrics for detecting structures based on Rent's rule that, unlike traditional cluster metrics, are able to fairly differentiate between large and small groups of cells. Next, we demonstrate how these metrics can be applied to identify structures in a netlist. Finally, our experiments demonstrate the ability to predict and alleviate routing hotspots on a real industry design using our metrics and method.
Spirituality and Academic Success: Perceptions of African American Males in the Community College

This article presents findings from a qualitative study of academic success factors affecting African American male students in the community college. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 African American male students at a Southwestern community college. Findings illustrated that spirituality was a positive factor affecting academic success for some participants. Students responses indicated several ways in which their academic success was supported: (1) spirituality served as a confidant, an entity with whom students could dialogue about issues; (2) spirituality served as inspiration for excellence, the pursuit of which was espoused as an important religious virtue; (3) spirituality provided life purpose, thereby reassuring students of their academic plans; (4) spirituality provided an ability to overcome barriers; and (5) spirituality reduced relational distractions, especially those not aligned with a Christian worldview. Recommendations for practice are discussed that address t...
Fault tolerance routing for wavelength routed optical networks in ONoC

As a promising replacement for the conventional wire-connected on-chip micro-networks, the wavelength routed optical network (WRON) is an optical interconnection architecture particularly suitable for future super large system-on-chips. In this paper, we will lay down the theoretical foundations concerning the enumeration of all the routing paths that exist in a WRON. Actually, all the links and the nodes that a routing path has to pass through can now be enumerated under this proposed theoretical framework. Availability of such detailed information of a routing path at the node/link level makes it possible to analyse the WRON network behaviour when a fault exists. Specially, four types of faults are modelled in the WRON, and subsequently, we propose a set of procedures to locate the fault if it exists. Because the data transmission in an optical network is at the speed of light, the delay due to the non-shortest path data transmission tends to be negligibly small. This observation leads us to propose a multiplepass-transmission (MT) scheme which can be applied to rebuild the data transmission paths by bypassing/avoiding the detected fault location.
The Problems and Challenges of Immunotherapy in Sepsis

Despite decades of research, the morbidity and mortality of sepsis and septic shock remain very high. To further compound the problem, results from all investigative trials (with one exception) have shown that tested immunotherapies aimed at modulating the excessive expression of key cytokines, such as the interleukins and tumor necrosis factor, have been either equivalent or inferior to placebo. While controversy prevails in terms of continuing such investigative trials, study designs can be held accountable for inherent flaws. Testing for the wrong hypothesis, errant study design, using the wrong agent, focusing on an inappropriate target group, excessive expectations, and uncontrolled variables have potentially obscured the real efficacy such agents might have to offer. By standardizing protocols and reducing uncontrolled variables, research can be more precisely targeted so as to unmask the real benefits to the patient.
21st century computer architecture

This talk has two parts. The first part will discuss possible directions for computer architecture research, including architecture as infrastructure, energy first, impact of new technologies, and cross-layer opportunities. This part is based on a 2012 Computing Community Consortium (CCC) whitepaper effort led by Hill, as well as other recent National Academy and ISAT studies. See: http://cra.org/ccc/docs/init/21stcenturyarchitecturewhitepaper.pdf. The second part of the talk will discuss one or more exam-ples of cross-layer research advocated in the first part. For example, our analysis shows that many "big-memory" server workloads, such as databases, in-memory caches, and graph analytics, pay a high cost for page-based virtual memory: up to 50% of execution time wasted. Via small changes to the operating system (Linux) and hardware (x86-64 MMU), this work reduces execution time these workloads waste to less than 0.5%. The key idea is to map part of a process's linear virtual address space with a new incarnation of segmentation, while providing compatibility by mapping the rest of the virtual address space with pag-ing.
Phase equalization for perpendicular recording

Evaluation of perpendicular recording has been hampered by the unique pulse shape resulting from the perpendicular magnetization and the ring head. In this paper an equalization technique is presented which will allow traditional peak sensing without any code constraint. The Hilbert transform relationship of the perpendicular and longitudinal sensitivity functions of the head is exploited in the filter design. The readback pulse is converted from the sensed bimodal pulse to a unimodal pulse via a phase adjustment. Minimal signal-to-noise degradation occurs with use of this filter, providing the best comparison of transition widths for perpendicular and longitudinal transitions. The phase equalized pulses are significantly narrower than those experienced with longitudinal systems under the same conditions. Both simulated and experimental results are presented.
Standardization of CMOS unit process development

A multipurpose mask set, consisting of three stepper reticles, contains 95% of all test structures required for complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process development. Techniques, adopted from discrete mathematics, optimally integrate design, processing, parametric test, and data analysis activities. Standard unit processes are discussed. A comprehensive analysis of photolithography is conducted. >
Expert Judgment and Occupational Hygiene: Application to Aerosol Speciation in the Nickel Primary Production Industry

In many situations characterized by sparse data, occupational hygienists have used subjective judgments that are claimed to be derived from their experience and knowledge. While this practice is widespread, there has been no systematic study of 'expert judgment' or the 'art' of occupational hygiene. Indeed, there is a need to address the question of whether there is such a thing as 'expert opinion' in occupational hygiene that is broadly shared by practicing professionals. This research, employing 11 experts who estimate an exposure parameter (the percentages of four nickel species) in 12 workplaces in a nickel primary production industry, provides a large dataset from which useful inferences can be drawn about the quality of expert judgments and the variability among the experts. A well-designed questionnaire that provided succinct information about the processes and baseline data served to calibrate the experts. The Bayesian framework has been used in this work to develop posterior means and standard deviations of the percentages of the four nickel species in the 12 workplaces of interest in the company. These estimates of the nickel speciation are at least as precise as--and most of the time more precise than--those provided by the sparse measurement data. There was a very high degree of agreement among the experts. A majority of the experts agreed among themselves 92% of the time, while almost two-thirds agreed 73% of the time. This, coupled with the fact that the experts came from varied backgrounds, seems to suggest that there is indeed some broad body of specialized knowledge that the experts are drawing on to reach similar judgments. It also seems that one type of expert is not necessarily any better than any other kind, and expertise does not necessarily require intimate familiarity with the workplace. In this example, the expert judgment exercise has indeed enhanced the quality of our knowledge of the exposure 'fingerprints' for the nickel industry workplaces studied and the combination of expert judgment and sparse data is better than the sparse data alone. For occupational hygiene exposure assessment, our experience suggests that such expert judgment methods can provide a cost-effective means to improve and refine information about workplace hazards. However, more study is warranted for situations where the domain of the quantity of interest has a much wider range of values, e.g. actual exposure values.
A Student-Centered Individual-Level University Retention Program Where Attrition Is Low.

Retention research and intervention strategies at low attrition institutions can often benefit from approaches other than the traditional methods that employ sampling techniques and statistical analysis. For example, many students will predict the likelihood of their own dropping out and then follow-up by requesting university-based counseling services. The difficulties such students describe are often idiosyncratic and may not lend themselves to large-scale categorizations. Often, the students themselves are not fully aware of the reasons for their anticipated withdrawal and make misleading attributions of cause, frequently adopting commonly identified university chalenges. Furthermore, in order to initiate prevention programs, it is not always necessary to know the “real” reason for which a student might withdraw. Rather, individual counseling and/or referrals within a university network, in a package of investigative and clinical services, can further retention while maintaining a neutral stance on the...
Trichloroethylene Alters Central and Peripheral Immune Function in Autoimmune-Prone MRL +/+ Mice Following Continuous Developmental and Early Life Exposure

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a widespread environmental toxicant known to promote CD4 + T-lymphocyte activation, IFNγ production, and autoimmunity in adult MRL +/+ mice. Because developing tissues may be more sensitive to toxicant exposure, it was hypothesized that continuous TCE exposure beginning at conception might induce even more pronounced CD4 + Tlymphocyte effects and exacerbate the development of autoimmunity in MRL +/+ mice. In the current study, MRL +/+ mice were exposed to occupationally-relevant doses of TCE from conception until adulthood (i.e., 7‐8 wk-of-age). The CD4 + T-lymphocyte effects in the thymus and periphery were evaluated, as well as serum antibody levels. TCE exposure altered the number of thymocyte subsets, and reduced the capacity of the most immature CD4−/CD8− thymocytes to undergo apoptosis in vitro. In the periphery, T-lymphocyte IFNγ production was monitored in the blood prior to sacrifice by intracellular cytokine staining and flow cytometry. TCE induced a dose-dependent increase in T-lymphocyte IFNγ as early as 4‐5-week-of-age. However, these effects were transient, and not observed in splenic T-lymphocytes in 7‐8-week-old mice. In contrast, the serum levels of anti-histone autoantibodies and total IgG2a were significantly elevated in the TCE-exposed offspring. The data illustrated that occupationally-relevant doses of TCE administered throughout development until adulthood affected central and peripheral immune function in association with early signs of autoimmunity. Future studies will address the possibility that early-life exposure to TCE may alter some aspect of self tolerance in the thymus, leading to autoimmune disease later in life.
Cerebral microvascular endothelial cell Na/H exchange: evidence for the presence of NHE1 and NHE2 isoforms and regulation by arginine vasopressin

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) Na transporters are essential for brain water and electrolyte homeostasis. However, they also contribute to edema formation during the early hours of ischemic stroke by in...
Voltage-gated Na+ channels enhance the temporal filtering properties of electrosensory neurons in the torus.

Regenerative processes enhance postsynaptic potential (PSP) amplitude and behaviorally relevant temporal filtering in more than one-third of electrosensory neurons in the torus semicircularis of Ei...
NOVEL FORMS OF INSULIN DELIVERY

Despite its widespread use, much is wrong with conventional subcutaneous insulin injection. It is more-or-less painful and inconvenient; it delivers insulin slowly with highly inconsistent pharmacokinetics into the peripheral venous system rather than directly to the liver via the portal vein; and, once delivered into the skin, it cannot be "turned off". This review has focused on novel alternative approaches to insulin delivery. The clinically available insulin delivery devices, such as pen injectors and external insulin pumps, are probably underutilized. Pen injectors offer convenience, whereas external pumps offer a basal/bolus approach to insulin delivery unlike that achieved by injections. Of the approaches currently under development, IPPs are closet to general availability. They have been extremely popular in more than 600 patients worldwide, however, an insulin problem has delayed application for their PMA in the United States. Feasibility studies of inhaled insulin, nasal insulin, and oral insulin have produced interesting preliminary findings, with pulmonary delivery for meal coverage with short-acting insulin having perhaps the brightest prospects. Encapsulated islets and biohybrid systems that place live islets into an implanted device are in earlier stages of development. Closing the loop with a continuous glucose sensor will be the only way to achieve truly normal blood glucose homeostasis by directing insulin delivery automatically on demand. Glucose sensors would have many other clinical applications in diabetes management in addition to driving a mechanical delivery system. However, the development of glucose sensing devices has been a formidable technical challenge. Based on an evaluation of current technologic development, glucose oxidase-based, needle-type sensors may become available within the next few years. Clinicians, the research community, and persons with diabetes can join in rejecting the notion that standard regimens of insulin injection do not need to be improved. If there is adequate incentive to continue a broad-based research effort into novel approaches to insulin delivery, the quality of life of persons with diabetes can be improved in the not too distant future.
Generalized state space averaging approach and its application to the analysis of quasi-resonant converters

A generalized state space averaging (GSSA) technique for the analysis of a class of periodically switched networks has been proposed in the present paper. With GSSA, under the assumption that switching frequency is much higher than the highest natural frequencies of the networks, a periodically switched network with fast time-varying input sources can be handled. The GSSA is given as the main theorem in this paper, its application to the low-frequency analysis of quasi-resonant power converters (QRCs) has been illustrated via an example of a zero-voltage switching QRC boost converter. >
Prostaglandin Availability and Association with Outcomes for Infants with Congenital Heart Disease

Data regarding availability of prostaglandin E1 (PGE) and its impact on the stabilization, transport, critical care course, and surgical outcome of infants with ductal-dependent congenital heart disease in the current pediatric healthcare environment are unknown. We sought to determine the proportion of hospitals in Texas that stock PGE and to investigate associations between PGE availability and clinical outcomes. All birth institutions listed with the Texas Department of Health and Human Services were contacted to determine PGE availability as of 2011. Outcomes of all infants admitted to our institution from 2007 to 2012 who received PGE for ductal-dependent lesions were evaluated. PGE was stocked in 50 % (n = 139) of hospitals that performed deliveries in Texas in 2011 representing 79.1 % (303, 481) of births. Hospitals that did not stock PGE had less annual births and were located a further distance from a center that provided pediatric cardiac surgical services. Patients born at a hospital that did not stock PGE had significantly greater serum lactate and creatinine (p = 0.002) and serum lactate on admission (p < 0.001). The PGE availability was not associated with hospital length of stay, postoperative length of stay, or mortality. When stratifying in TGA and HLHS subgroups, lack of PGE availability remained associated with higher creatinine, higher lactate, lower glucose, and lower pH. PGE is not universally available in all healthcare institutions providing obstetrical services. Lack of availability of PGE at an outlying hospital was associated with increased morbidity, but was not associated with mortality or length of stay.
Attenuation of social interaction-associated ultrasonic vocalizations and spatial working memory performance in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable stress

Exposure to unpredictable chronic mild stress (CUS) is a commonly used protocol in rats that is reported to evoke antidepressant-reversible behaviors such as loss of preference for a sweetened water solution which is taken as an analog of the anhedonia seen in major depression. However, the induction of anhedonic-like behavior by chronic mild stress, gauged by an animal's preference for sucrose solution, is not fully reproducible and consistent across laboratories. In this study, we compared a widely used behavioral marker of anhedonia - the sucrose preference test, with another phenotypic marker of emotional valence, social interaction-associated ultrasonic vocalizations as well as a marker of an anxiety-like phenotype, novelty-suppressed feeding, and cognitive performance in the eight arm radial maze task in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Chronic four-week exposure to unpredictable mild stressors resulted in 1) attenuation of social interaction-associated ultrasonic vocalizations 2) attenuation of spatial memory performance on the radial arm maze 3) attenuation of body weight gain and 4) increased latency to feed in a novelty-suppressed feeding task. However, chronic exposure to CUS did not result in any significant change in sucrose preference at one-week and three-week intervals. Our results argue for the utility of ultrasonic vocalizations in a social interaction context as a comparable alternative or adjunct to the sucrose preference test in determining the efficacy of CUS to generate an anhedonic-like phenotypic state.