cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Irrigant Divalent Cation Concentrations Influence Bacterial Adhesion

Background Surgical wounds are frequently contaminated by microbes, but rarely become infected if the bacterial burden is low, and irrigation is used to reduce contamination. Wound fluids are low in calcium and high in magnesium. We hypothesized that manipulating irrigant divalent cation concentrations might influence bacterial adhesion. Methods Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were stained with fluorescent calcein AM before plating onto fibroblast monolayers, collagen I, or uncoated bacteriologic plastic. After 1 h, wells were washed with HEPES-buffered pH-balanced sterile water without or with 5 mM CaCl 2 , 5 mM MgCl 2 , or 1 mM EDTA+EGTA, and the remaining adherent bacteria were assayed fluorometrically. Results Supplementing the irrigation with magnesium or chelators increased but calcium-supplemented irrigation reduced bacterial adhesion to collagen or fibroblasts. Nonspecific electrostatic bacterial adhesion to uncoated plastic was unaffected by calcium. Conclusion Bacterial adhesion to mammalian cells and matrix proteins is influenced by divalent cations, and pathogenic bacteria may be adapted to adhere under the low calcium high magnesium conditions in wounds. Although these results await confirmation for other bacteria, and in vivo validation and safety-testing, they suggest that supplementing wound irrigation with 5 mM CaCl 2 may reduce bacterial adhesion and subsequent wound infection.
Regulation of Gene Expression by Cyclic GMP

Cyclic GMP, produced in response to nitric oxide and natriuretic peptides, is a key regulator of vascular smooth muscle cell contractility, growth, and differentiation, and is implicated in opposing the pathophysiology of hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, atherosclerosis, and vascular injury/restenosis. cGMP regulates gene expression both positively and negatively at transcriptional as well as at posttranscriptional levels. cGMP-regulated transcription factors include the cAMP-response element binding protein CREB, the serum response factor SRF, and the nuclear factor of activated T cells NF/AT. cGMP can regulate CREB directly, through phosphorylation by cGMP-dependent protein kinase, or indirectly, through activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways; regulation of SRF and NF/AT by cGMP is indirect, through modulation of RhoA and calcineurin signaling, respectively. Downregulation of the RNA-binding protein HuR by cGMP leads to destabilization of guanylate cyclase mRNA, but this posttranscriptional mechanism may affect many more cGMP-regulated genes. In this review, we discuss the role of cGMP-regulated gene expression in (patho)physiological processes most relevant to the cardiovascular system, such as regulation of vascular tone, cardiac hypertrophy, phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells, and regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Partitioning of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers between n-octanol and water.

Dendritic nanomaterials are emerging as key building blocks for a variety of nanoscale materials and technologies. Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers were the first class of dendritic nanomaterials to be commercialized. Despite numerous investigations, the environmental fate, transport, and toxicity of PAMAM dendrimers is still not well understood. As a first step toward the characterization of the environmental behavior of dendrimers in aquatic systems, we measured the octanol−water partition coefficients (logK_(ow)) of a homologous series of PAMAM dendrimers as a function of dendrimer generation (size), terminal group and core chemistry. We find that the logKow of PAMAM dendrimers depend primarily on their size and terminal group chemistry. For G1-G5 PAMAM dendrimers with terminal NH_2 groups, the negative values of their logK_(ow) indicate that they prefer to remain in the water phase. Conversely, the formation of stable emulsions at the octanol−water (O/W) interface in the presence of G6-NH_2 and G8-NH_2 PAMAM dendrimers suggest they prefer to partition at the O/W interface. In all cases, published studies of the cytotoxicity of Gx-NH_2 PAMAM dendrimers show they strongly interact with the lipid bilayers of cells. These results suggest that the logKow of a PAMAM dendrimer may not be a good predictor of its affinity with natural organic media such as the lipid bilayers of cell membranes.
Homeless families: A treatment outcome study

In response to the needs of the growing numbers of homeless families, different program approaches need to be considered to interrupt the incidence of homelessness. This specific program reflects a life-skills learning model, using an "action plan" format and self-evaluation to develop an internal locus of control among its participants.
Why Healthcare is Not like Aviation: Control of Natural and Technical Systems

System control is a challenge in many everyday activities and professional contexts. Unfortunately, it is not clear how much of the cognitive demand of controlling a system depends on the specific type of the system under control. This question is especially important for comparisons between natural and technical systems. The current study examines tracking performance and cognitive demand when controlling different systems. Similar to Durso and Drews (2010) we distinguish between natural and technical systems. Control performance was evaluated using four different conditions that representing aspects of different system types. Control performance was worst when controlling a system that had features of a natural system, where control performance of a technical system was best. Overall, the results of this study indicate that the design of displays to support controllers in a wide range of domains needs to specifically incorporate features that are specific to a systems nature.
Use of hypertext/hypermedia in a fluids laboratory

The curriculum in the Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Department at North Dakota State University strives to give students experience with the concept of scholarship. The authors present the initial efforts and effects of a computer-based hypertext/hypermedia environment called the Flexible Education Module (FEM) on the scholarship goal. The idea of the FEM is to create a self-contained computer environment to assist in the teaching and learning process involved in the art and science of experimentation and design. The course chosen for the use of the FEM was a laboratory course, MEAM 455 "Mechanical Systems I: Fluids Laboratory." At present, this "Fluids Laboratory" concentrates on the integration, application, and transmission of knowledge. >
Regression of experimental human leukemias and solid tumors induced by Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized B cells.

We previously have reported on an experimental athymic mouse model in which regression of human Burkitt's lymphoma is induced by either coinjection with or intratumor inoculation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-immortalized human B cells. In the current study, we were interested in determining whether the powerful antitumor effects of EBV-immortalized B cells could be effective against a variety of human tumors grown in athymic mice, including acute lymphocytic leukemia, malignant melanoma, acute promyelocytic leukemia, neuroblastoma, lung carcinoma, colon adcnocarcinoma, Wilms tumor, Hodgkin's lymphoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and breast adenocarcinoma. We report here the results of experiments in nude mice that demonstrated the potent antitumor effect of EBV-immortalized B cells against human tumors derived from a variety of different tissues.
Stocking Rate and Fuels Reduction Effects on Beef Cattle Diet Composition and Quality

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of forest fuels reduction on diet quality, botanical composition, relative preference, and foraging efficiency of beef cattle grazing at different stocking rates. A split plot factorial design was used, with whole plots (3 ha) being fuel reduced or no treatment (control), and split plots (1 ha) within whole plots were grazed to three levels of forage utilization; (low) 3 heifersha � 1 , (moderate) 6 heifersha � 1 , (high) 9 heifersha � 1 , with a 48-h grazing duration. Grazing treatments were applied in August of 2005 and 2006. Cattle diet composition and masticate samples were collected during 20-min grazing bouts using six ruminally cannulated cows in each experimental unit. Relative preference indices indicated a strong preference for grass regardless of treatment and stocking rate. Grass consumption was lower in control pastures (P ,0.05) and tended (P ,0.095) to decrease with increased stocking rates. Shrub use was higher in control pastures displaying a quadratic effect (P ,0.05) due to stocking, whereas shrub use increased with stocking rate across all treatments. Cattle grazing control pastures consumed diets higher in crude protein compared to cattle grazing treated pastures (P ,0.05). In vitro dry matter digestibility values were lower (P ,0.05) in control sites and tended (P¼0.10) to decrease with increased stocking rates. In both control and treated pastures, bites per minute and grams consumed per minute declined (P¼0.003) with increased stocking, indicating foraging efficiency of cattle decreases with increased stocking rates. Our data indicated cattle grazing late season grand fir habitat types have a strong preference for grasses regardless of treatment or stocking rate. However, as stocking rate increased in both control and treated pastures, grass consumption decreased, shrub consumption increased, and foraging efficiency decreased.
An Examination of Second Order Motivational Factors as Found in Adults

Abstract Dynamic motivational traits identified by Cattell were factor analytically examined to determine more general underlying factors. Cattell's Motivational Analysis Test, which measures 10 dynamic structures was administered to 247 subjects. The intercorrelations of the dynamics were factor analyzed. Six general motivational factors were found: Long Term Growth and Satisfaction vs. Short Term Attainments with Frustrations, Social vs. Selfish Values, Masculinity vs. Femininity, People Orientation, Egocentric vs. Materialistic Orientation, Relaxed Materialism vs. Frustrated Insecurity. The factors represented an individual's general motivational orientation.
Are opioid risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS) interrupting your sleep

ABSTRACTThe article entitled “Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for Extended-Release and Long-Acting Opioid Analgesics: Considerations for Pain and Palliative Care Practice” that appears in this issue of the journal addresses the important new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) REMS program. This commentary expands on themes introduced by Dr. Gudin, projects future directions for REMS, and discusses possible benefits, limitations, and risks associated with the extended-release long-acting opioid REMS.
Changes in Blood Pressure and Heart Rate during Fixed-Interval Responding in Squirrel Monkeys.

Episodic and sustained increases in heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure can occur with recurring patterns of schedule-controlled behavior. Most previous studies were conducted under fixed-ratio schedules, which maintained a consistent high rate of responding that alternated with periods of no responding during times when the schedule was not in operation. The present study examined changes in heart rate and blood pressure under fixed-interval schedules which maintained a range of rates that varied from little or no responding at the beginning of the fixed interval to high rates at the end of the interval. The relations of cardiovascular function to rate of responding were examined. Squirrel monkeys prepared with arterial catheters were trained to respond under fixed-interval schedules of electric-shock presentation. The duration of the interval was varied across sessions and cardiovascular parameters were examined. Local rates of responding were typically near zero during timeout periods, low at the beginning of each fixed-interval cycle, and then increased as the fixed interval progressed. At most schedule durations, arterial blood pressure and heart rate levels were lowest at the beginning of the interval cycles, increased as the rate of responding increased, and then decreased during the timeout periods. At all parameters studied, there was a direct relationship between changes in response rate within fixed-interval cycles and changes in heart rate and blood pressure. The results suggest that a much closer concordance of these cardiovascular parameters and schedule-controlled responding is obtained by examining ongoing behavior as it occurs within the contingencies by which it is maintained.
Robust adaptive recovery of spread-spectrum signals with short data records

The problem under consideration is the adaptive reception of a multipath direct-sequence spread-spectrum (SS) signal in the presence of unknown correlated SS interference and additive impulsive noise. An SS receiver structure is proposed that consists of a vector of adaptive chip-based Hampel nonlinearities followed by an adaptive auxiliary-vector linear tap-weight filter. The nonlinear receiver front end adapts itself to the unknown prevailing noise environment providing robust performance over a wide range of underlying noise distributions. The adaptive auxiliary-vector linear tap-weight filter allows rapid SS interference suppression with a limited data record. Numerical and simulation studies under finite-data-record system adaptation show significant improvement in bit-error-rate performance over the conventional linear minimum variance-distortionless-response (MVDR) SS receiver or conventional MVDR filtering preceded by vector adaptive chip-based nonlinear processing.
Mean FDE models for Internet congestion control under a many-flows regime

Congestion control algorithms used in the Internet are difficult to analyze or simulate on a large scale, i.e., when there are large numbers of nodes, links, and sources in a network. The reasons for this include the complexity of the actual implementation of the algorithm and the randomness introduced in the packet arrival and service processes due to many factors such as arrivals and departures of sources and uncontrollable short flows in the network. To make the analysis or simulation tractable, often deterministic fluid approximations of these algorithms are used. These approximations are in the form of either deterministic delay differential equations, or more generally, deterministic functional-differential equations (FDEs). In this paper, we ignore the complexity introduced by the window-based implementation of such algorithms and focus on the randomness in the network. We justify the use of deterministic models for proportionally-fair congestion controllers under a limiting regime where the number of flows in a network is large.
A National Study of Youth Attitudes toward the Inclusion of Students with Intellectual Disabilities

The authors surveyed a national random sample of 5,837 middle school students on their attitudes toward the inclusion of peers with intellectual disabilities (ID). The national sample provided results that were accurate, with a margin of error of ± 1.4%. Findings indicated that youth (a) have limited contact with students with ID in their classrooms and school; (b) perceive students with ID as moderately impaired rather than mildly impaired; (c) believe that students with ID can participate in nonacademic classes, but not in academic classes; (d) view inclusion as having both positive and negative effects; and (e) do not want to interact socially with a peer with ID, particularly outside school. Structural equation modeling showed that youths' perceptions of the competence of students with ID significantly influence their willingness to interact with these students and their support of inclusion.
Risk factors for premature coronary heart disease after successful liver transplantation in adults.

As solid-organ transplantation has evolved into a highly effective treatment for end-stage organ disease, the long-term health implications of chronic exposure of recipients to immunosuppressants and other pharmacological agents are becoming more apparent. Coronary heart disease has long been known to plague kidney transplant recipients and more recently has been found to affect heart transplant recipients disproportionately. Coronary heart disease after liver transplantation, however, is less well known. The purpose of this study was to examine risk factors for premature coronary heart disease in asymptomatic adult recipients of liver transplants. Nutrition-related risk factors for coronary heart disease (obesity and hyperlipidemia) were measured in 29 patients before and after liver transplantation. Changes with respect to primary immunosuppression protocol (cyclosporine plus corticosteroid vs tacrolimus plus corticosteroid) were compared. Risk factors that had not been present before transplantation we...
Kinase/phosphatase overexpression reveals pathways regulating hippocampal neuron morphology

Development and regeneration of the nervous system requires the precise formation of axons and dendrites. Kinases and phosphatases are pervasive regulators of cellular function and have been implicated in controlling axodendritic development and regeneration. We undertook a gain-of-function analysis to determine the functions of kinases and phosphatases in the regulation of neuron morphology. Over 300 kinases and 124 esterases and phosphatases were studied by high-content analysis of rat hippocampal neurons. Proteins previously implicated in neurite growth, such as ERK1, GSK3, EphA8, FGFR, PI3K, PKC, p38, and PP1a, were confirmed to have effects in our functional assays. We also identified novel positive and negative neurite growth regulators. These include neuronal-developmentally regulated kinases such as the activin receptor, interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) and neural leucine-rich repeat 1 (LRRN1). The protein kinase N2 (PKN2) and choline kinase alpha (CHKA) kinases, and the phosphatases PPEF2 and SMPD1, have little or no established functions in neuronal function, but were sufficient to promote neurite growth. In addition, pathway analysis revealed that members of signaling pathways involved in cancer progression and axis formation enhanced neurite outgrowth, whereas cytokine-related pathways significantly inhibited neurite formation.
Time resolved charge profiling of polarization dipoles in high power 525 nm green GaInN/GaN light emitting structures

A charge profiling of GaInN/GaN hetero-polarization structures typical for high power 525 nm green light emitting diodes is presented. We identify three individual charge maxima of some 1.17 x 10 12 cm -2 electrons with a line width as narrow as 17 nm corresponding to three individual but widely separated quantum wells. The sheet charge density indicates negligible screening of the polarization charges. The voltage required to deplete each well is found to be ΔU = -0.4 ± 0.1 V and approximates the voltage drop across the polarization dipole of the quantum well. The modulation frequency dependence reveals a characteristic time constant of 1 μs for the dominant trapping and ionization process. Such analysis of high performance green light emitters proves a suitable tool for further device optimization.
Relationship Between Graphical Device Comprehension and Overall Text Comprehension for Third-Grade Children

This study examined relationships between reading comprehension, known predictors of reading comprehension (i.e., cognitive flexibility, fluency, reading motivation and attitude, vocabulary), and graphical device comprehension. One-hundred fifty-six third graders completed assessments of known predictor variables and an assessment tapping comprehension of graphical devices commonly found in age-appropriate informational texts: captioned pictures, insets, surface diagrams, cross-sectional diagrams, flow charts, timelines, and tables. Graphical device comprehension was strongly correlated with reading comprehension, rs = 0.49, p (one-tailed) < 0.01. Regression analyses, including known and new variables, revealed that graphical device comprehension accounted for 12.81% of the resulting standardized model predicting general reading comprehension.
Antibody Class and Subclass Responses to Pneumococcal Polysaccharides following Immunization of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients

Antibodies of the IgM class and IgG2 and IgA2 subclasses are prominent in responses to pneumococcal polysaccharides (PPS) but may be decreased in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, among whom invasive pneumococcal disease is common. After immunization of HIV-infected and -seronegative subjects with pneumococcal vaccine, the number of PPS-specific antibody-secreting cells (ASC) producing IgM was significantly lower among HIV-infected subjects, whereas PPS-specific IgG and IgA ASC were more comparable. The subclass distribution of PPS-specific IgG2-producing (approximately 80%) and IgA2-producing (approximately 50%) ASC and antibodies in serum were similar. However, before immunization, the proportions of PPS-specific IgG2 for both serotypes 8 and 14 in baseline sera from HIV-infected patients were significantly decreased compared with controls. Thus, the response to PPS among HIV-infected patients may be characterized by lower levels of specific IgG2 before immunization and prominent defects in IgM responses soon after stimulation.
High-frequency seismic wave propagation beneath the Indian Shield, Himalayan Arc, Tibetan Plateau and surrounding regions: high uppermost mantle velocities and efficient Sn propagation beneath Tibet

Summary. This paper reports the regional propagation characteristics of high-frequhcy P,, P,, S, and L, waves (0.5 to 2Hz) and P,, Pg and S, velocities for several regions in Central Asia, Tibet and India. An important result is that S, waves propagate efficiently in the uppermost mantle beneath most of the Tibetan Plateau. Also, S, transmission in Tibet is not affected by crossing many physiographic and tectonic boundaries, such as the Indus-Tsangpo suture. These observations are similar to observations of S, propagation in stable continental and shield regions. Efficient S, propagation is also observed across the stable Tarim Basin, along the Tien Shan and Himalayan Mountains and across the Indian Shield. S, is strongly attenuated across the northern Tibetan Plateau (Chang Thang terrane). Such strong attenuation suggests the existence of a low-Q zone in the uppermost mantle beneath that region. This interpretation is supported by recent geological observations of widespread Quaternary to Recent basaltic volcanism in the Chang Thang terrane. L, propagates efficiently across the Tarim Basin, the Indian Shield and along the strike of the Himalayan Mountains. L, is also observed, although less pronounced, for paths crossing large portions of the complicated structures of Tien Shan, Karakoram and Pamir. L, is not observed for paths crossing the Tibetan Plateau. The southern boundary of the region of inefficient L, propagation in Tibet lies in the vicinity of the Indus-Tsangpo suture zone. The lack of L, can be attributed to attenuation within the Tibetan crust; however, other possibilities including scattering by structural discontinuities at the margins of Tibet are equally plausible. Pg and S, are the most prominent features on most short-period WWSSN seismograms at epicentral distances less than about 4". Apparent Pg velocity determined for the area of the Himalayan Mountains is 6.0 ? 0.2 km s-l. Apparent velocities of P, and S, waves that have at least 50 per cent of their paths in the uppermost mantle beneath the Tibetan Plateau are 8.42 It: 0.10 and 4.73 f 0.06 km s-', respectively. These velocities are quite similar to those determined for the Himalayan Mountains (P, = 8.45 f 0.08 km s-I, S, = 4.74 _+ 0.05 km s-') and the Indian Shield (P, = 8.40 0.08 km s-', S, = 4.69 k 0.04 km s-'). P,
Health and Social Problems Associated With Prescription Opioid Misuse Among a Diverse Sample of Substance-Using MSM

This study examines associations between prescription opioid misuse and demographics, substance use, sexual behavior, and related health and social problems. Baseline data were collected between 2008 and 2010 from 515 high risk men who have sex with men, ages 18-55, in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale metropolitan area who reported heavy substance use and HIV risk in the past 90 days. Prescription opioid misuse was associated with other substance use, drug injection, substance dependence, and history of arrest. Implications, limitations, and directions for future study are discussed.
Dimensional Analysis of Geometric Figures through Computer Vision

This paper studies the stages of planning andanalysis used to determine the influence of certain factors incontrolling geometric figures dimension by computer vision. Itwas used as bases techniques used as image processing toinspect objects, in order to reduce measurement errors inexisting manual process. It uses the 3k factorial design where itis assessed that it's possible of processing a digital image of aparticular geometric figure whose dimensions are known. Itwill determine the measurement uncertainty by Monte Carlo(MMC). Finally, it was possible to reject the null hypothesisthat the size does not influence the result at dimensional figure.
The International Atomic Energy Agency in the Changing Structure of International Organization Law: A Cold War Institution Facing an Age of Terror

This paper, which originated in lectures given at the Annual Course of the Inter-American Juridical Committee of the Organization of American State at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August 2005, reviews the origins, history, and future of the International Atomic Energy Agency (the IAEA). It describes the IAEA as the child of the Cold War, which now having grown to adulthood, faces the rigors and challenges of adulthood in a less hierarchical world, yet one filled with the possibilities and fears that now characterize a post-Cold War world in an age of terror. The analysis locates the study of the IAEA as an international organization in terms of its significance for the law of international organizations. Part I addresses the origins of the IAEA as a organization related to the UN, though not strictly one of its specialized organizations, but chiefly in terms of the rise of the Cold War international system during which states possessing nuclear weapons exercised hegemony not only through political, military and economic supremacy. The Atoms for Peace policy represented the grand strategy and political economy underlying the Statute of the IAEA during this period. Part II of the paper addresses how, with the fall of the Cold War system and the rise of new transnational threats and opportunities, the IAEA became more deeply enmeshed in the multilateral system, more deeply and actively cooperating with the UN, yet acquiring its own voice and, to a certain extent, autonomy as an international organization. In brief, therefore, one can view the evolution of the IAEA as a mirror the international system, including evidence that regional and global organizations for the control of nuclear materials and technology are in substantial competition, much as they are in other areas of international governance, such as private international law and trade.
Cognitive Neuroscience of Self-Reflection

Abstract Thinking about ourselves is a cognitive process fundamental to human mental life. This chapter focuses on the cognitive neuroscience approach taken by psychologists to understand self-reflection. Several principles have emerged. First, the self is a superordinate schema—information about the self is encoded in a separate cognitive structure than information about other topics. Second, there is a brain network somewhat dedicated to self-reflection. Third, this brain network overlaps with a network that is active when we rest. Fourth, such overlaps suggest that much of our mental machinery is in fact given over to social processes, a conclusion unthinkable prior to the onset of functional neuroimaging. Finally, disorders of the self (e.g., autism and schizophrenia) leave individuals with difficulties in recalling the stable nature of their selves. Future directions for the cognitive neuroscience of self-reflection are discussed at the end of the chapter.
Demythifying Cybersecurity

A large part of computer security education is tackling myths that support much of the practice in the field. By examining these myths and the underlying truths or heuristics they reflect, we learn three things. First, students and practitioners learn to separate what is empirically and theoretically supported from what is supported solely by untested anecdotes or handeddown "best practices." Second, a key part of education is the human dimension of convincing others that stories that sound right aren't proven and might in fact be wrong. They aren't necessarily wrong-but this possibility must be considered. Finally, we can consider myths from the perspective of teaching stories, because many evolve from activities that at one time were true or that have some accurate elements.
Shoreline protection value and social dimensions of mangrove ecosystems in coastal villages affected by the' 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island bordered by 1,562 km of coastline. The country encompasses a high diversity ofcoastal vegetation, specifically mangroves. These ecosystems have provided a wide array of goodsand services, ranging from fishery, forest products and tourism to shoreline protection. The protectivefunction of mangroves at the event of natural disasters, however, is hardly recognized. The need toassess the economic value of this function became more eminent to assist decision-makers and fundingagencies in integrating environmental rehabilitation in the tsunami reconstruction process. The districts of Ham ban tot a and Tangalle are two of the largest coastal districts in southern Sri Lankathat experienced severe damage caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami. The disaster demonstrated thenatural protection afforded by coastal ecosystems. This study estimates the value of mangroveecosystems as shoreline buffer atthe event of extreme disasters. The availability of household damage cost information allowed the use of a comparative damage cost assessment approach to estimate thevalue of ecosystem conservation and wise management in mitigating natural disasters such as tsunamis.The methodology assessed the socioeconomic impacts of the tsunami disaster on 151 coastal householdsat two sites--Kapuhenwala and Waduruppa. The first site is characterized with well managed andfunctioning coastal ecosystems; and the latter exhibits a disturbed and degraded ecosystem.The assessment estimated a higher incidence of damage costs in areas with degraded mangrovevegetation. Results indicate that costs of damages to livelihood and property in Waduruppa (US$1,377,975) arc approximately ten times the costs of damages in Kapuhenwala (US$ 173,555). Thedamage costs avoided appraisal suggests that threatened mangroves reduce the protection affordedto inland properties, community infrastructures and livelihood by US$ 2,1 09/household. The estimateshows that areas with intact mangrove ecosystem generate greater economic benefits. The findingsalso indicate the economic rationale of including mangrove rehabilitation efforts in the post-tsunamireconstruction and rebuilding programs.
Omni-channel research framework in the context of personal selling and sales management

Purpose – This paper aims to develop an omni-channel framework in the context of sales and sales management related to six areas: sales contexts, impact of technology, stages in the sales process, impact on relationships, impact on firm performance and the role of various communication tools and platforms. The paper also offers future reach needs in each of these areas. Design/methodology/approach – Literature review and research needs development. Findings – Research in omni-channel marketing in the context of sales and sales management is virtually silent. The authors identify key research gaps and offer recommended future research opportunities. Originality/value – To date, little research in sales and sales management has studied multi-channel marketing. The omni-channel research framework reported here is unique and will help guide research in this area.
Engaging Youth in Evaluation: Using Clickers for Data Collection

Now, more than ever, evaluation is an essential component for all programs. Although the need for outcome data is clear, collecting data from youth populations is often difficult, particularly among youth who are vulnerable and/or disenfranchised. While the use of paper-and-pencil (PAP) surveys is a commonly used method of data collection, different technological methods, such as online surveys, text messaging, and personal digital assistants (PDA’s), are increasingly employed in data collection efforts. This article explores the use of audience response systems (“clickers”) as an innovative data collection method that is especially suited for use with youth. In this paper we examine qualitative findings from key informant interviews regarding data collected from youth participants on a youth program quality measure using clicker technology. Findings from the study indicate that the use of clickers may increase youth engagement in and improve the efficiency of the data collection process.
GLUCAN 1,3-BETA -GLUCOSIDASE ACTIVITIES OF ACHLYA BISEXUALIS : SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES

Glucan 1,3-13-glucosidase activity in Achlya bisexualis increases dramatically during carbon star- vation, in agreement with results from other micro- organisms. This response in Achlya, however, is elim- inated when phosphate limitation is imposed. Under this condition even higher enzyme activities are pro- duced in the presence of glucose. A series of chro- matography procedures has purified a 1,3-f3-glucosi- dase activity with a 30 kDa protein, as judged by SDS- PAGE electrophoresis, which has a Km of 0.67 mg mL-1 for laminarin. The substrate specificity is nar- row, with the best activity against laminarin and the neutral 1,3-p3-glucan reserve of Achlya. The pattern of hydrolysis is that of an exocleavage, the initial product was mainly glucose and with additional in- cubation time only glucose. This is a key enzyme ac- tivity for the release of glucose from the neutral 1,3- 13-glucan reserve during Ca2+-induced sporulation.
The Economic Impact of Intensive Care Management for High-Cost Medically Complex Patients: An Evaluation of New Mexico's Care One Program

High-cost, medically complex patients have been a challenging population to manage in the US health care system, in terms of both improving health outcomes and containing costs. This paper evaluated the economic impact of Care One, an intensive care management program (data analysis, evaluation, empanelment, specialist disease management, nurse case management, and social support) designed to target the most expensive 1% of patients in a university health care system. Data were collected for a cohort of high-cost, medically complex patients (N = 753) who received care management and a control group (N = 794) of similarly complex health system users who did not receive access to the program. A pre-post empirical model estimated the Care One program to be associated with a per-patient reduction in billed charges of $92,227 (95% confidence interval [CI]: $83,988 to $100,466). A difference-in-difference model, which utilized the control group, estimated a per-patient reduction in billing charges of $44,504 (95% CI: $29,195 to $59,813). Results suggest that care management for high-cost, medically complex patients in primary care can reduce costs compared to a control group. In addition, significant reversion to the mean is found, providing support for the use of a difference-in-difference estimator when evaluating health programs for high-cost, medically complex patients.
ON DEVELOPMENT OF TOTALLY IMPLANTABLE VESTIBULAR PROSTHESIS

Abstract This paper presents a functional architecture, system level design, and preliminary experimental evaluation of a unilateral vestibular prosthesis. The sensing element of the prosthesis is a custom designed one-axis MEMS gyroscope. Similarly to the natural semicircular canal, the microscopic gyroscope senses angular motion of the head and generates voltages proportional to the corresponding angular accelerations. Then, voltages are sent to the pulse generating unit where angular motion is translated into voltage pulses. The voltage pulses are converted into current pulses and are delivered through specially designed electrodes, conditioned to stimulate the corresponding vestibular nerve branch. Our preliminary experimental evaluations of the prosthesis on a rate table indicate that the device's output matches the average firing rate of vestibular neurons to those in animal models reported in the literature. The proposed design is scalable; the sensing unit, pulse generator, and the current source can be potentially implemented on a single chip using integrated MEMS technology.
CoC (Chip on Chip) or FtoF (Face to Face) - PossumTM Technology for 3D MEMS and ASIC eliminating the need of TSV or Wire Bonding

This paper describes the ongoing 3 years research and development at Amkor Technology on CoC (Chip on Chip)/FtF (Face to Face) – PossumTM technology. This technology has showed a lot of interests from the microelectronics customers/industries because of its various advantages, which include a) providing smaller form factor (SFF) to the final package, b) more functionalities (dies) can be incorporated/assembled in one package, c) improving the electrical performance - including lower parasitic resistance, lower power, and higher frequency bandwidth, and d) Opportunity for lower cost 3D system integration. Unlike other 3D Packaging technology (e.g. using TSV (Through Silicon Vias)) that requires some works in the front stream (wafer foundry) level, needs new capitals for machines/equipments, and needs modified assembly lines; CoC/FtF technology uses the existing flip Chip Attach (C/A) or TC (Thermal Compression) equipment/machine to perform the assembly joint between the two dies, which are named as the mot...
Calibration of aero-structural reduced order models using full-field experimental measurements

Abstract The structural response of hypersonic aircraft panels is a multi-disciplinary problem, where the nonlinear structural dynamics, aerodynamics, and heat transfer models are coupled. A clear understanding of the impact of high-speed flow effects on the structural response, and the potential influence of the structure on the local environment, is needed in order to prevent the design of overly-conservative structures, a common problem in past hypersonic programs. The current work investigates these challenges from a structures perspective. To this end, the first part of this investigation looks at the modeling of the response of a rectangular panel to an external heating source (thermo-structural coupling) where the temperature effect on the structure is obtained from forward looking infrared (FLIR) measurements and the displacement via 3D-digital image correlation (DIC). The second part of the study uses data from a previous series of wind-tunnel experiments, performed to investigate the response of a compliant panel to the effects of high-speed flow, to train a pressure surrogate model. In this case, the panel aero-loading is obtained from fast-response pressure sensitive paint (PSP) measurements, both directly and from the pressure surrogate model. The result of this investigation is the use of full-field experimental measurements to update the structural model and train a computational efficient model of the loading environment. The use of reduced order models, informed by these full-field physical measurements, is a significant step toward the development of accurate simulation models of complex structures that are computationally tractable.
Polyenoic fatty acid ratios alter fibroblast collagen production via PGE2 and PGE receptor subtype response.

Previous experiments have shown that dietary n-6 and n-3 polyenoic fatty acids (PFA) have different effects on collagen production, a process that may be related to the formation of prostaglandins ...
Mobile Digital Recording: Adequacy of the iRig and iOS Device for Acoustic and Perceptual Analysis of Normal Voice

Summary Objective To determine whether the iRig and iOS device recording system is comparable with a standard computer recording system for digital voice recording. Methods Thirty-seven vocally healthy adults, between ages 20 and 62, with a mean age of 33.9 years, 13 males and 24 females, were recruited. Recordings were simultaneously digitalized in an iPad and iPhone using a unidirectional condenser microphone for smartphones/tablets (iRig Mic, IK Multimedia) and in a computer laptop (Dell-Inspiron) using a unidirectional condenser microphone (Samson-CL5) connected to a preamplifier with phantom power. Both microphones were lined up at an equal fixed distance from the subject's mouth. Speech tasks consisted of a sustained vowel "ah" at comfortable pitch/loudness, counting from 1 to 10, and a glissando "ah" from a low to a high note. The samples captured on the iOS devices were transferred via SoundCloud in WAV format, and analyzed using the Praat software. The acoustic parameters measured were mean, min, and max F0, SD F0, jitter local, jitter rap, jitter ppq5, jitter ddp, shimmer local, shimmer local-dB, shimmer apq3, shimmer apq5, shimmer apq11, shimmer dda, NHR, and HNR. Results There were no statistically significant differences for any parameter and speech task analyzed for both iOS devices as compared with the gold standard computer/preamp system (all P values > 0.050). In addition, there were no statistical differences in the perceptual identification of the recordings among devices ( P Conclusion In the present study, the iRig and iOS device may provide reliable digital recording of normal voices.
Original Research: Featured Article: Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) inhibits Notch and c-Myc signaling: Five-day treatment permanently rescues mammary development

Wap-Int3 transgenic females expressing the Notch4 intracellular domain (designated Int3) from the whey acidic protein promoter exhibit two phenotypes in the mammary gland: blockage of lobuloalveolar development and lactation, and tumor development with 100% penetrance. Previously, we have shown that treatment of Wap-Int3 tumor bearing mice with Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec) is associated with complete regression of the tumor. In the present study, we show that treatment of Wap-Int3 mice during day 1 through day 6 of pregnancy with Gleevec leads to the restoration of their lobuloalveolar development and ability to lactate in subsequent pregnancies in absence of Gleevec treatment. In addition, these mice do not develop mammary tumors. We investigated the mechanism for Gleevec regulation of Notch signaling and found that Gleevec treatment results in a loss of Int3 protein but not of Int3 mRNA in HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells expressing Int3. The addition of MG-132, a proteasome inhibitor, shows increased ubiquitination of Int3 in the presence of Gleevec. Thus, Gleevec affects the stability of Int3 by promoting the degradation of Int3 via E3 ubiquitin ligases targeting it for the proteasome degradation. Gleevec is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that acts on c-Kit and PDGFR. Therefore, we investigated the downstream substrate kinase GSK3β to ascertain the possible role that this kinase might play in the stability of Int3. Data show that Gleevec degradation of Int3 is GSK3β dependent. We have expanded our study of the effects Gleevec has on tumorigenesis of other oncogenes. We have found that anchorage-independent growth of HC11-c-Myc cells as well as tumor growth in nude mice is inhibited by Gleevec treatment. As with Int3, Gleevec treatment appears to destabilize the c-Myc protein but not mRNA. These results indicate that Gleevec could be a potential therapeutic drug for patients bearing Notch4 and/or c-Myc positive breast carcinomas.
A Lex Mercatoria for Corporate Social Responsibility Codes Without the State? A Critiqueof Legalization Within the State Under the Premises of Globalization

Recent efforts have sought to theorize the legalization of the social and economic sphere that is undiminished by time. Though the context has changed over time, the project remains the same — to embed behavior control within a network of mandatory proscriptions attached in some authoritative way to the state. The political context is globalization and its re-situating of the state (or perhaps at this moment in time all but the most powerful of them) as perhaps not the sole occupant of the apex of political and social power in the world. The social context is rule systems being developed by private actors, primarily corporations and NGOs, and public actors, most recently the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the apparatus of the UN Human Rights Council. The economic context is the business enterprise unconstrained by borders, political or otherwise. Corporate social responsibility bound up in corporate codes of behavior and related private governance standards systems thus serve as a key site for the evolution of legalization and legitimacy in governance, from its twentieth century formalist rigidity into something of a bridge between the political and social sphere. This essay considers the legalization project and its challenge to the logic and legitimacy of law and the dangers--for state and business enterprise--that flows from the fundamental ideological premises that appears to make this legalization project within the state both necessary and inevitable. These include the misdirection of labeling--dismissing non-law as necessarily illegitimate, the obliteration of the fundamental construct of and constraints inherent in the corporate form, the error of conflating regulation with law, the unintended consequence of subverting law through the incorporation of a societal element in law making, and the error of denaturing the societal element of corporate codes, and the production of perversity through the formalism of law that masks inverted power relations between powerful enterprises and weak states. Paradoxically, perhaps, the project of legalization evidences how a love of ancient custom, in this case the customs and patterns of the post-Westphalian law-state, remains, while power shifts to those, enterprises included, that have brought about a revolution in the state, and in the meaning of legalization in a new world order that has yet to be revealed.
Revealing hidden orders in correlated electron systems with nonlinear optics

The symmetries of a crystal form the basis for understanding its mechanical, electrical and magnetic responses. Here we describe an optical high harmonic generation based technique for resolving the local (micron scale) crystallographic and electronic point group symmetries of crystals. Using the spin-orbit coupled correlated oxide Sr 2 IrO 4 as an example, we demonstrate how this technique can be used to resolve broken crystallographic and electronic symmetries that evaded diffraction based probes.