cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Study on the Use of Performance Counters to Estimate Power in Microprocessors

We present a study on estimating the dynamic power consumption of a processor based on performance counters. Today's processors feature a large number of such counters to monitor various CPU and memory parameters, such as utilization, occupancy, bandwidth, page, cache, and branch buffer hit rates. The use of various sets of performance counters to estimate the power consumed by the processor has been demonstrated in the past. Our goal is to find out whether there exists a subset of counters that can be used to estimate, with sufficient accuracy, the dynamic power consumption of processors with varying microarchitecture. To this end, we consider two recent processor configurations representing two extremes of the performance spectrum, one targeting low power and the other high performance. Our results indicate that only three counters measuring 1) the number of fetched instructions, 2) level-1 cache hits, and 3) dispatch stalls are sufficient to achieve adequate precision. These counters are shown to be effective in predicting the dynamic power consumption across processors of varying resource sizes achieving a prediction accuracy of 95%.
CHOICES AND OPPORTUNITIES: Low‐Income Rental Housing in Indonesia*

Rental housing is increasingly acknowledged as a valuable housing solution in developing countries and is therefore becoming a focus for policy discussions. This paper describes the rental market in Indonesia based on the results of 60 semi-structured renter-related interviews. It appears that the rental subsector is housing a large and highly varied portion of the urban population quite effectively. The results of this survey indicate that rental units are generally produced on a small scale on or near the same property as the owner's home. The unit construction occurs in increments as funds become available and is rarely financed formally. This represents an easy and flexible form of investment for a group otherwise generally uninterested in placing savings in formal institutions. The typical rental property owner is less motivated by profit accumulations than by the security of a steady supplemental income and the possibility of a future unit for his children. As a result, tenant-landlord relationships tend to be quite casual and family-like, unlike the exploitative relationship often described. Further studies need to explore how future policy could support the activities of the Indonesian rental market and improve the quality of rental units that are being produced.
XYLEM ANATOMY, WATER FLOW, AND HYDRAULIC CONDUCTANCE IN THE FERN CYRTOMIUM FALCATUM

Xylem anatomy and water relations were studied in holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum, Aspidiaceae) to determine the details of the pathway for water flow through an entire plant and the influence of tracheid number and lumen diameter on water flow. Each leaf has two adaxial traces and an abaxial trace, which are supplied by diarch adventitious roots attached to the dictyostele of the rhizome near the leaf base. Anatomical observations and dye experiments showed that each adaxial bundle vascularizes the approximately seven pinnae on its side of a leaf. An abaxial bundle is intermittently connected to an adaxial bundle as well as other abaxial bundles forming a minor vascular pathway between the bundles of the leaf axis. Changes in both number and diameter of tracheids result in an acropetal decrease in hydraulic conductance per unit length along the rachis, although tracheid number locally increases when the trace for a pinna is produced in an adaxial bundle. Water flow was determined from the transpiration distal to the point in question or by forcing a solution through an axis with applied pressure. The water potential gradient along the plant axis was quite constant, indicating that hydraulic conductance per unit length varied with leaf area to be supplied. About 40% of the overall water potential drop occurred from the rachis into the pinnae, which reflected factors controlling water potential gradients in the lamina and not a very low conductance in the petiolule xylem. Hydraulic conductances calculated using the Hagen-Poiseuille equation and tracheid diameters were generally double those of measured conductances. Since the values tended to vary by a constant factor, tracheid number and diameter may largely control water flow in the xylem.
Preoperative chemotherapy and sentinel lymphadenectomy for breast cancer.

Abstract Background: Sentinel lymphadenectomy (SL) for breast cancer is becoming the standard of care for selected patients treated by experienced surgeons. One of the few contraindications for performing SL alone is prior chemotherapy (PC). There are, however, no data to support that PC interferes with the ability of the sentinel node to predict the presence of disease in the remaining axillary lymph nodes. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of PC on patients undergoing SL for breast cancer. Methods: A multicenter trial was organized in 1997 to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of SL in patients with breast cancer. Investigators were recruited after attending a course on the technique of SL. Technetium-99 and isosulfan blue were injected into the peritumor region and a gamma probe was used to aid identification of the sentinel nodes. The only exclusion criteria for entrance into the trial were palpable or suspicious axillary lymph nodes. A total of 968 patients were enrolled in the trial. Twenty-nine patients were treated with PC and compared with 939 patients not receiving PC. Results: The overall, sentinel node identification rate for the PC patients was 93% (27 of 29) compared with 88% (822 of 939) for patients not treated with PC. There were no false negatives in those patients receiving PC compared with a 13% (25 of 193) false negative rate in those patients not receiving PC. The mean tumor size was 1.4 cm for the PC group and 0.6 cm for the remaining patients ( P Conclusion: In this small group of patients, PC did not adversely impact the false negative or identification rate. Most patients receiving chemotherapy have larger tumors and a higher chance of harboring metastatic disease but a significant group of these patients (48%) without metastases can potentially be spared an axillary node dissection.
Calibration of the ARL BoomSAR using rigorous scattering models for fiducial targets over ground

The Army Research Laboratory synthetic aperture radar system is placed atop a boom lift, and therefore the system is termed a `BoomSAR'. The UWB character of this system, covering a frequency spectrum from 40 - 1200 MHz, makes accurate polarimetric calibration a nontrivial matter. The response of the standard trihedral fiducial target is poorly understood at VHF and UHF frequencies, for which the wave interaction with the soil can be an important issue. Here we employ a rigorous method-of-moments analysis of UWB scattering from a trihedral reflector over ground. The soil is modeled as a lossy, dispersive half space, accounted for rigorously via the half-space Green's function. The numerical algorithm is used to evaluate the angle-dependent, polarimetric frequency dependence of scattering from a trihedral target, at VHF and UHF frequencies. This comprehensive study of UWB scattering from a trihedral over soil is critical for system calibration.
Revised form of Jackson–Hunt theory: application to directional solidification of MnBi/Bi eutectics

A generalized eutectic theory, which defaults to the prior theories by Jackson–Hunt and Trivedi et al. under their boundary conditions, has been developed to consider phase relations, solidification temperature and interface velocity over the entire parametric range, and for both lamellar and rod eutectic morphologies. The analytical solution reveals that λ2V and λΔT, though varying with the Peclet number, are virtually constant at very low Peclet number (crystal growth conditions). These constant values, however, may vary with the phase reaction and the degree of undercooling.
NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 9: Summary report to phase 3 faculty and student respondents including frequency distributions

This project is designed to explore the diffusion of scientific and technical information (STI) throughout the aerospace industry. The increased international competition and cooperation in the industry promises to significantly affect the STI standards of U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists. Therefore, it is important to understand the aerospace knowledge diffusion process itself and its implications at the individual, organizational, national, and international levels. Examined here is the role of STI in the academic aerospace community.
Managing Pesticide Resistance in Crop-Arthropod Complexes: Interactions Between Biological and Operational Factors

Computer simulation was used to study the evolution of resistance to pesticides under four main classes of conditions common to agricultural arthropod pests and natural enemies. Results show that the influence of biological and operational factors on the rate of resistance evolution depends on the presence or absence of immigration and the functional dominance of resistance. A high-dose strategy for retarding resistance, which requires high immigration by susceptibles and functionally recessive resistance, can disrupt biological control and promote resistance in secondary pests. A low-pesticide-use strategy which can retard resistance in pests and promote resistance in natural enemies is recommended.
Plant regeneration from callus of red and crimson clover

Abstract Callus cultures were established from seedling hypocotyls of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and crimson clover (T. incarnatum L.) and from excised ovaries (pistils) of red clover. Callus was induced on Gamborg B5 growth medium containing 11 μmol of napthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and 10 μmol each of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and kinetin (Kn). Callus was transferred at 28–35 days to Gamborg B5 medium containing 11 μmol of NAA, 15 μmol of adenine, and twice the normal concentration of thiamine (Thi). Buds and shoots often occurred on callus prior to transferring to this second medium. Roots were induced on a B5 medium containing 1.1 μmol of NAA, as the only hormone. Schenk-Hildebrandt (SH) mineral components were as effective as the B5 minerals in all steps of the process. Differentiated plants were transferred to sterilized soil and kept in a moist, cool (18°C) chamber for 10–14 days, then transferred to the greenhouse. Regenerated red clover plantlets were fertile and showed the normal chromosome complement. Plants derived from ovaries were incompatible with their respective parent.
Guanine Nucleotide Exchange on ADP-ribosylation Factors Catalyzed by Cytohesin-1 and Its Sec7 Domain

ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) are 20-kDa guanine nucleotide-binding proteins that require specific guanine nucleotide-exchange proteins (GEPs) to accelerate the conversion of inactive ARF-GDP to active ARF-GTP. Cytohesin-1, a 46-kDa ARF GEP, contains a central Sec7 domain of 188 amino acids similar in sequence to a region of the yeast Sec7 protein. Cytohesin-1 and its 22-kDa Sec7 domain (C-1 Sec7), synthesized in Escherichia coli, were assayed with recombinant non-myristoylated ARFs and related proteins to compare their GEP activities. Both were effective with native mammalian ARFs 1 and 3. Cytohesin-1 accelerated GTPgammaS (guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate) binding to recombinant human ARF1 (rARF1), yeast ARF3, and ARD1 (a 64-kDa guanine nucleotide-binding protein containing a C-terminal ARF domain). In contrast, C-1 Sec7 enhanced GTPgammaS binding to recombinant human ARFs 1, 5, and 6; yeast ARFs 1, 2, and 3; ARD1; two ARD1 mutants that contain the ARF domain; and Delta13ARF1, which lacks the N-terminal alpha-helix. Neither C-1 Sec7 nor cytohesin-1 increased GTPgammaS binding to human ARF-like ARL proteins 1, 2, and 3. Thus, ARLs, initially differentiated from ARFs because of their inability to activate cholera toxin, differ also in their failure to interact functionally with C-1 Sec7 or cytohesin-1. As C-1 Sec7 was much less substrate-specific than cytohesin-1, it appears that structure outside of the Sec7 domain is important for ARF specificity. Data obtained with mutant ARF constructs are all consistent with the conclusion that the ARF N terminus is an important determinant of cytohesin-1 specificity.
Angiography with new dyes.

Abstract Twelve dyes are shown that may have useful properties for retinal and choroidal angiography. These dyes are relatively non-toxic and water soluble. Data is given on fluorescence intensity and dye decay rates in animal models and angiograms taken with some of these dyes are shown. Additional data is given on five dyes that have been only partially tested.
Peripheral ameloblastoma with unusual mitotic activity and conflicting evidence regarding histogenesis

Peripheral ameloblastoma is a rare extraosseous odontogenic tumor with histologic characteristics similar to those of the more common intraosseous ameloblastoma. However, the peripheral lesion usually does not exhibit the invasive and aggressive behavior of its intraosseous counterpart.‘-’ It is thought to originate from one of two sources: extraosseous remnants of the dental lamina,6*7 or the basal cell layer of the oral epithelium, which is believed to have odontogenic potential.2q3 The purpose of this report is to document an example of a peripheral ameloblastoma that was unusual in several ways: age of patient, site, bone resorption, mitotic activity, and connections with the epithelia of both the overlying mucosa and subjacent rests of the dental lamina. Microscopic examination of 20 other specimens of ameloblastoma, both central and peripheral, confirmed that mitotic activity is rare except in malignant ameloblastomas, and provided further insight into the roles of mucosal epithelium and rests of the dental lamina in the origin of the peripheral variety.
On constitutive relations at finite strain: Hypo-elasticity and elasto-plasticity with isotropic or kinematic hardening

Nagtegaal and de Jong (1982) have studied stresses generated by simple finite shear in the case of elastic-plastic and rigid-plastic materials which exhibit anisotropic hardening. They reported that the shear stress is oscillatory in time. It was found that the occurrence of such an 'anomaly' is not restricted to anisotropic plasticity. Similar behavior in finite shear may result even in the case of hypoelasticity and classical isotropic hardening plasticity theory. The present investigation is concerned with the central problem of 'generalizing' with respect to the finite strain case, taking into account the constitutive relations of infinitesimal strain theories of classical plasticity with isotropic or kinematic hardening. The problem of hypoelasticity is also considered. It is shown that current controversies surrounding the choice of stress rate in the finite-strain generalizations of the constitutive relations and the anomalies surrounding kinematic hardening plasticity theory are easily resolvable.
Antigenic relationships between the glucosyltransferase activities of Streptococcus mutans subspecies mutans.

Abstract Antibodies, directed against the partially-purified glucosyltransferase-A (synthesizing primarily insoluble glucans) and purified glucosyltransferase-B (producing predominantly soluble glucans) of Streptococcus mutans GS5 (serotype c ), were used to assess the antigenic relatedness of the corresponding enzyme activities of strains MT703 (serotype e ) and OMZ-175 (serotype f ). Both anti-GTF-A and anti-GTF-B inhibited the corresponding activities from strains GS5, MT703 and OMZ-175 equally well. Furthermore, the cell-associated activities and sucrose-dependent adherence capabilities of all three organisms were strongly inhibited in a similar way by anti-GTF-A. The adherence-inhibiting activity of anti-GTF-A was demonstrated to be directed against a heat-sensitive component of the cell surface, probably the cell-associated GTF activity. The results are discussed in terms of the previously proposed close genetic relationship between Strep. mutans serotype c , e and f organisms.
Optical Molecular Imaging of Inflammation and Calcification in Atherosclerosis

Optical molecular imaging represents an emerging method that can detect pathobiological processes in vivo at the cellular and molecular levels, offering a dynamic link between imaging and biology. This review discusses the impact of molecular imaging methods in atherosclerosis research and preventive medicine and focuses on the inflammation-dependent mechanisms of arterial calcification.
Spine kinematics predict symptom and lost time recurrence: how much recovery is enough?

Purpose The purpose of the study was to determine thresholds for low back kinematic measures for the amount of functional recovery necessary to reduce the risk of recurrent pain symptoms or lost time. Methods Low back kinematic ability measures were collected at baseline when the workers returned to work for full duty. The range of motion, velocity, and acceleration were collected using the lumbar motion monitor. Results Follow-up data was collected on 196 of the 206 workers. Workers with sagittal extension velocity of <40 deg./s at baseline were twice as likely to report recurrent low back pain symptoms. Workers with sagittal flexion velocity <34 deg./s were 3 times more likely to report lost time. Conclusions Kinematic functional performance measures may be used as recovery criteria in low back pain patients to minimize recurrence risk.
Elastic-plastic torsion of a circumferentially notched bar

Abstract T he elastic-plastic torsion of a cylindrical bar with a circumferential notch is investigated. Theoretical predictions of angle of twist and notch root strain are compared with experimental values.
Effect of nasogastric tubes on incidence of aspiration.

Abstract Leder SB, Suiter DM. Effect of nasogastric tubes on incidence of aspiration. Objective To determine what effect, if any, a nasogastric (NG) tube has on occurrence of anterograde aspiration during objective evaluation of swallowing using both liquid and puree bolus consistencies. Design Prospective, consecutive. Setting Large, urban, tertiary care, teaching hospital. Participants Referred sample of 1260 consecutively enrolled inpatients. Group 1 (n=630; 346 male, 284 female) had an NG tube and group 2 (n=630; 360 male, 270 female) did not have an NG tube at time of referral for dysphagia evaluation. Intervention Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). Main Outcome Measure Aspiration status. Results A Pearson chi-square indicated no significant differences ( P >.05) for aspiration of either liquid or puree food consistencies dependent on presence of an NG tube. Separate binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine if the presence of an NG tube interacted with participants' age to affect the dependent variables of liquid and puree aspiration. There were no significant effects for liquid aspiration (odds ratio [OR]=1.004, P >.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.987−1.021) or puree aspiration (OR=0.992, P >.05; 95% CI, 0.971−1.014). In addition, no significant interactions ( P >.05) were found between NG tube status and sex, age, or diagnostic category, and presence of an NG tube did not significantly increase the odds of either liquid aspiration (OR=1.092, P >.05; 95% CI, 0.842−1.418) or puree aspiration (OR=0.975, P >.05; 95% CI, 0.713−1.333). Last, subjects between 60 and 90 years of age, regardless of NG tube status, aspirated more frequently than younger subjects. Conclusions No statistically significant differences were found regarding aspiration status for liquid or puree food consistencies between 2 separate but comparable groups, that is, one with and one without an NG tube, regardless of sex, age, or diagnostic category. Because objective swallowing evaluation, for example, FEES, can be performed with an NG tube in place, it is not necessary to remove an NG tube to evaluate dysphagia. Similarly, there is no contraindication to leaving an NG tube in place to supplement oral alimentation.
ELIMINATING SALMONELLA ENTERICA IN ALFALFA AND MUNG BEAN SPROUTS BY ORGANIC ACID AND HOT WATER IMMERSIONS

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the efficacy of acid and heat treatments for eliminating Salmonella enterica in sprouts grown from inoculated seeds. Salmonella was detected at 7.6 and 6.9 log cfu/g, respectively, in alfalfa and mung bean sprouts after germination. Immersing the alfalfa and mung bean sprouts, respectively, for 24 and 48 h in 2% acetic acid eliminated Salmonella (<1 cell/25 g). In 5% acetic acid, the elimination of Salmonellain alfalfa and mung bean sprouts was achieved after 4 and 16 h, respectively. However, similar treatments by citric acid were ineffective. Dipping alfalfa sprouts in hot water at 70, 80, 90 and 100C, respectively, for 10, 5, 3 and 3 s eliminated Salmonella. For mung bean sprouts, the elimination was observed at 70 or 80C for 20 s, 90C for 10 s, or 100C for 5 s. This study demonstrated that acetic acid and hot water treatments can be effective in inactivating Salmonella for sprout safety. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study showed that Salmonella can proliferate in sprouting systems during seed germination despite constant water change. Consumers, when uncertain with the microbial safety of home-grown or purchased raw sprouts, should apply adequate intervention treatments prior to consumption. Soaking raw sprouts in acetic acid solutions may help to reduce Salmonella contamination. However, extended treatment times are required. Heat treatment is traditionally used in preparing raw sprouts for Asian cuisines. Our study demonstrates that this practice is very effective for ensuring sprout safety. The data should be considered for use in consumer and extension services.
Applications of green fluorescent protein as a marker of retroviral vectors

The Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) of Aequorea victoria is used as a vital fluorescent tag for the detection and isolation of genetically modified cells. Several modified variants of GFP were tested as marker genes in retroviral vectors containing different backbones and promoter combinations. Constructs allowing for reliable detection of GFP fluorescence and the expression of a cotransduced gene from a strong promoter were identified. Cells harboring such constructs are detectable by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and multi-well fluorescence reading. GFP expression in transduced cells is stable both in vitro and in vivo, and long-term dynamics of GFP-positive fractions in a mixed population can be used to monitor the biological effects of a cotransduced gene. Selection of cells with the highest GFP fluorescence enriches for multiply infected cells. The use of different GFP variants allows one to monitor simultaneously two cell populations transduced with vectors carrying GFPs that differ in their fluorescence intensity or spectral properties and to identify doubly transduced cells. In addition, transcription of an inducible promoter positioned in the opposite orientation to GFP can be monitored by the inhibition of GFP fluorescence. Thus, GFP provides a useful marker for gene transfer by retroviral vectors and extends the range of applications for retroviral transduction.
User identification and anonymization in 802.11 wireless LANs

Privacy issues have been a serious concern for 802.11 Wireless LAN users. Prior research on privacy issues usually focuses on pseudonym techniques, where the unique, consistent explicit identifiers such as MAC addresses from the users can be frequently changed, and thus it is challenging to track users through those always changing identifiers. However, recent research done by Pang et al. (Pang et al. Proceedings of the 13th Annual ACM International Conference on Mobile Computing and Networking, 1997; 99–110) has demonstrated that pseudonyms are not adequate to protect user privacy. The key idea of Pang et al.'s method is to locate implicit identifiers (e.g., IP addresses and port numbers a user frequently visits), build user behavior patterns based on these implicit identifiers, and then apply classification techniques to identify users. In this paper, we first propose a new 802.11 user identification approach through enhanced feature selection and generation for building more accurate user behavior patterns. Our simulation results on 9.27 GB SIGCOMM 2004 wireless data sets demonstrate that our method can achieve better classification rates compared with Pang et al.'s method. Then, we further study how to provide user anonymity, even if implicit identifiers based identification is applied, by introducing a set of 802.11 user anonymization approaches based on bogus traffic injection. We propose eight different methods to artificially generate bogus data and inject them into original traffic, and thus users' behavior patterns are disturbed. Our simulation results on the same SIGCOMM 2004 data sets demonstrate that our anonymization methods can efficiently decrease user identification rates and hence improve user anonymity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
AN INVESTIGATION OF FACTORS EXPECTED TO AFFECT FEEDBACK SEEKING: A LONGITUDINAL FIELD STUDY

This study of 137 helicopter pilot trainees investigated individual strategies used to obtain performance feedback during two consecutive phases of their training. Individual and situational factors cited in previous research were investigated as predictors of two feedback seeking behaviors: eliciting (asking directly for feedback) and monitoring (using indirect techniques, such as observing, to gain additional feedback). Both individual and situational factors were significant predictors of feedback seeking behaviors. Feedback seeking costs and the student pilots’external propensity (an individual difference measure assessing their desire for external feedback) were found to be the most consistent predictors of feedback eliciting and monitoring, both within and across the two training phases. In addition, the results point to higher feedback eliciting when performance was rated as low. The implications of this research are discussed, especially with respect to training.
Effects of arginine, glutamate, and aspartate on ammonia utilization in the perfused bovine liver

Abstract Rates of removal of ammonia from the perfusate of isolated bovine liver preparations were measured following injected loads of ammonium acetate. The effects, upon these rates, of infusing arginine, aspartate, and glutamate, separately and in pairs, were compared statistically. Such a hitherto unpublished treatment of data made it possible to compare quantitatively for the first time metabolic pathways of ammonia removal in the liver alone. Ammonia removal was greatly accelerated by arginine, arginine plus aspartate, and arginine plus glutamate, only slightly by aspartate, and not at all by glutamate. Changes in plasma concentrations of urea and basic amino acids were also observed. These data supported the conclusion that hepatic removal of excess ammonia occurs primarily through the Krebs-Henseleit ornithine-urea cycle pathway. Glutamate acceleration of ammonia removal, reported to occur in intact animals, must take place elsewhere than in the liver.
N-ethylmaleimide selectively blocks presynaptic GABA-B autoreceptor but not heteroreceptor-mediated inhibition in adult rat striatal slices.

Abstract Intracellular recording techniques were used in slices of adult rat striatum to compare the sensitivity of presynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid type B (GABA-B) autoreceptor and heteroreceptor-mediated inhibition to the sulfhydryl alkylating agent, N -ethylmaleimide (NEM). NEM (100 μM) alone had no significant effect on resting potential or input resistance and did not consistently effect stimulus-evoked responses. Treatment of slices with NEM for up to 1 h, either in the presence or the absence of the GABA-B receptor-specific agonist, baclofen (BAC; 100 μM), completely blocked the BAC-induced depression of inhibitory, but not excitatory, postsynaptic potentials. This differential sensitivity to NEM alkylation suggests that in the adult rat striatum, the presynaptic GABA-B autoreceptors and heteroreceptors may exhibit distinct receptor–effector coupling mechanisms.
Role of Microstructure and Doping on the Mechanical Strength and Toughness of Polysilicon Thin Films

The role of microstructure and doping on the mechanical strength of microscale tension specimens of columnar grain and laminated polysilicon doped with different concentrations of phosphorus was investigated. The average tensile strengths of undoped columnar and laminated polysilicon specimens were 1.3 ± 0.1 and 2.45 ± 0.3 GPa, respectively. Heavy doping reduced the strength of columnar polysilicon specimens to 0.9 ± 0.1 GPa. On grounds of Weibull statistics, the experimental results from specimens with gauge sections of 1000 $\mu \text{m}\times 100~\mu \text{m}\times 1~\mu \text{m}$ predicted quite well the tensile strength of specimens with gauge sections of 150 $\mu \text{m}\times 3.75~\mu \text{m}\times 1~\mu \text{m}$ , and vice versa. The large difference in the mechanical strength between columnar and laminated polysilicon specimens was due to sidewall flaws in columnar polysilicon, which were introduced during reactive ion etching (RIE) and were further exacerbated by phosphorus doping. Removal of the large defect regions at the sidewalls of columnar polysilicon specimens via ion milling increased their tensile strength by 70%–100%, approaching the strength of laminated polysilicon, which implies that the two types of polysilicon films have comparable tensile strength. Measurements of the effective mode I critical stress intensity factor, $K _{\mathbf {IC,eff}}$ , also showed that all types of polysilicon films had comparable resistance to fracture. Therefore, additional processing steps to eliminate the edge flaws in RIE patterned devices could result in significantly stronger microelectromechanical system components fabricated by conventional columnar polysilicon films. [2014-0269]
Multiple-scattering x-ray-absorption fine-structure Debye-Waller factor calculations

An efficient local equation-of-motion method is introduced for calculations of the mean-square half-path-length fluctuations ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{j}^{2}$ in multiple-scattering x-ray-absorption fine-structure Debye-Waller factors in aperiodic systems. Given a few local force constants, the method yields ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{j}^{2}$ via projected densities of modes or via the displacement-displacement correlation function in real time, over a few vibration cycles. The calculation scales linearly with the system size and does not rely on any symmetry considerations. Sample applications are presented for crystalline Cu and Ge, and zinc tetraimidazole.
Local delivery of basic fibroblast growth factor increases both angiogenesis and engraftment of hepatocytes in tissue-engineered polymer devices

Background. We investigated heterotopic hepatocyte transplantation on biodegradable polymers as a potential treatment for end-stage liver disease. The primary problem has been insufficient engraftment of transplanted cells partly because of insufficient vascularization. Increasing vascularization th
EFFICACY OF ABDOMINAL COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN EVALUATION OF POSSIBLE ABDOMINAL ABSCESS

A retrospective analysis was made of all abdominal computed tomography scans performed because of clinical suspicion of an abscess at our institution over a 12-month period. Of 130 patients examined, 45 patients had had abdominal surgery within the previous 2-week period. Of these patients, 14 were found to have abscesses on computed tomography, with three known false-negative studies. An additional nine patients had sterile postoperative collections. Nine patients had had an abdominal abscess previously diagnosed, and five of these had a residual abscess. A total of seven abscesses were found by computed tomography in 76 patients who had had no surgery in the previous 2 weeks, with one known false-negative study. High-risk categories of nonoperative patients were identified. Only one positive study occurred in a patient without a high clinical index of suspicion for an intraabdominal abscess, although a total of 50 patients fell into this low-risk, nonoperative category. The cost-effectiveness of computed tomography studies in such low-risk patients is questioned.
Carryover Effects and Temporal Aggregation in a Partial Adjustment Model Framework

This paper discusses the impact of aggregating time series observations on the specification of an econometric model. In the framework of a familiar sales response model, temporally aggregated specifications are derived. It is illustrated that different aggregation schemes provide different models, each of them having appealing characteristics. Furthermore, the derived specifications illustrate that frequently calibrated models are misspecified and as such provide biased estimates which significantly affect the interpretation of the results. Some suggestions are provided for estimating the exact specifications in such a way that the obtained parameter estimates provide correct insights into the underlying response process.
Labor Market Structure, Human Capital, and Earnings Inequality in Metropolitan Areas

Regression analyses of earnings inequality across 282 metropolitan areas in the US generally failed to provide strong support for either the structuralist model or human capital theory. The human captial model posits that the productivity of labor is essentially lodged within individual workers and that these workers can augment their productivity by increasing their educational training and labor market experience. In emphasizing the individual as the primary unit of analysis the human capital view predicts that at the aggregate level greater inequality in human capital generates greater inequality in earning. Structuralist models of earnings inequality on the other hand focus on institutional variables such as the structure of job positions. 3 regression models were used in this analysis: 1) only the job segment variables as independent variables; 2) only the percent black percent female and human captial variables as independent variables; and 3) all of these variables were included. The same sets of independent variables were found to yield significantly varying results depending on whether the dependent variable was the variance of logarithms or the coefficient of variation. When earnings inequality was measured as variance of logarithms the only significant job segment variable was the percent employed as agricultural workers. In the full model low and high skilled workers in agriculture managers in small shops and low skilled workers in oligopoly and core had statistically significant effects. Overall the results suggest that there are net effects of variables not clear that these results provide much support for the human captial view. These mixed results suggest a need for a more complex model that considers the interactions between human capital and structural variables.
A Theoretical Systems Biology Analysis Suggests Gene-Environment Interaction Effects are Common at the Most Basic Levels of Biological Organization

There is much current interest in how biological systems respond to environmental changes. In this article, we address this question from a theoretical systems biology perspective. Specifically, we examine linear enzyme pathways, including all processes from transcription to enzyme action, and incorporating biologically-realistic negative feedback in the form of competitive inhibition. We investigated how steady state biomarker concentrations changed in response to variable rates of precursor material inflow across genetically variable systems, with alleles conferring different expression rates. We observed a non- equivalence of response across these systems, implying a gene-environment interaction. Furthermore, we observed that total variance in populations of systems increased dramatically in response to increased precursor material influx. These results imply that gene-environment interaction effects are likely to occur at the most basic levels of biological organization, even in the presence of negative feedback.
Radiometric Millimeter-wave detection via optical upconversion and carrier suppression

We report a novel technique for radiometric detection of radiation in the millimeter-wave regime based on optical modulation. Millimeter-wave energy modulated onto an optical carrier is detected using a low-bandwidth photodetector with optical filtering to suppress the carrier. Using this technique, we have achieved noise-equivalent powers as low as 20 pW/spl radic/Hz for a 44-GHz narrow-band signal using chopping techniques. Such detection was implemented using commercially available components and without RF or optical amplification. Further improvements in sensitivity are expected as the setup is optimized for operation in the frequency band of interest.
A Minimal Set of Tissue-Specific Hypomethylated CpGs Constitute Epigenetic Signatures of Developmental Programming

Background: Cell specific states of the chromatin are programmed during mammalian development. Dynamic DNA methylation across the developing embryo guides a program of repression, switching off genes in most cell types. Thus, the majority of the tissue specific differentially methylated sites (TS-DMS) must be un-methylated CpGs. Methodology and Principal Findings: Comparison of expanded Methyl Sensitive Cut Counting data (eMSCC) among four tissues (liver, testes, brain and kidney) from three C57BL/6J mice, identified 138,052 differentially methylated sites of which 23,270 contain CpGs un-methylated in only one tissue (TS-DMS). Most of these CpGs were located in intergenic regions, outside of promoters, CpG islands or their shores, and up to 20% of them overlapped reported active enhancers. Indeed, tissue-specific enhancers were up to 30 fold enriched in TS-DMS. Testis showed the highest number of TS-DMS, but paradoxically their associated genes do not appear to be specific to the germ cell functions, but rather are involved in organism development. In the other tissues the differentially methylated genes are associated with tissue-specific physiological or anatomical functions. The identified sets of TS-DMS quantify epigenetic distances between tissues, generated during development. We applied this concept to measure the extent of reprogramming in the liver of mice exposed to in utero or early postnatal nutritional stress. Different protocols of food restriction reprogrammed the liver methylome in different but reproducible ways. Conclusion and Significance: Thus, each identified set of differentially methylated sites constituted an epigenetic signature that traced the developmental programing or the early nutritional reprogramming of each exposed mouse. We propose that our approach has the potential to outline a number of disease-associated epigenetic states. The composition of differentially methylated CpGs may vary with each situation, behaving as a composite variable, which can be used as a presymptomatic marker for disease.
Molecular investigation of the 7.2 kb RNA of murine cytomegalovirus

HCMV encodes a stable 5 kb RNA of unknown function that is conserved across cytomegalovirus species. In vivo studies of the MCMV orthologue, a 7.2 kb RNA, demonstrated that viruses that do not express the RNA fail to establish efficient persistent replication in the salivary glands of mice. To gain further insight into the function and properties of this conserved locus, we characterized the MCMV intron in finer detail. We performed multiple analyses to evaluate transcript expression kinetics, identify transcript termini and promoter elements. The half-lives of intron locus RNAs were quantified by measuring RNA levels following actinomycin D treatment in a qRT-PCR-based assay. We also constructed a series of recombinant viruses to evaluate protein coding potential in the locus and test the role of putative promoter elements. These recombinant viruses were tested in both in vitro and in vivo assays. We show that the 7.2 kb RNA is expressed with late kinetics during productive infection of mouse fibroblasts. The termini of the precursor RNA that is processed to produce the intron were identified and we demonstrate that the m106 open reading frame, which resides on the spliced mRNA derived from precursor processing, can be translated during infection. Mapping the 5′ end of the primary transcript revealed minimal promoter elements located upstream that contribute to transcript expression. Analysis of recombinant viruses with deletions in the putative promoter elements, however, revealed these elements exert only minor effects on intron expression and viral persistence in vivo. Low transcriptional output by the putative promoter element(s) is compensated by the long half-life of the 7.2 kb RNA of approximately 28.8 hours. Detailed analysis of viral spread prior to the establishment of persistence also showed that the intron is not likely required for efficient spread to the salivary gland, but rather enhances persistent replication in this tissue site. This data provides a comprehensive transcriptional analysis of the MCMV 7.2 kb intron locus. Our studies indicate that the 7.2 kb RNA is an extremely long-lived RNA, a feature which is likely to be important in its role promoting viral persistence in the salivary gland.
Periconceptional Heat Stress of Holstein Dams Is Associated with Differences in Daughter Milk Production and Composition during Multiple Lactations

Heat stress at the time of conception affects the subsequent milk production of primiparous Holstein cows; however, it is unknown whether these effects are maintained across multiple lactations. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between periconceptional heat stress and measurements of milk production and composition in cows retained within a herd for multiple lactations. National Dairy Herd Improvement Association data was obtained from Dairy Records Management Systems. Records included milk production data and milk composition data from over 75,000 and 44,000 Holstein cows, respectively, born between 2000 and 2010 in Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Conception dates were calculated by subtracting 276 d from the recorded birth date. Records for cows conceived within the months of June, July, and August were retained as heat stress conceived (HSC) cows; cows conceived within the months of December, January, and February were retained as thermoneutral conceived (TNC) contemporaries. Adjusted 305-d mature equivalent milk, protein percent and fat percent were evaluated with a mixed model ANOVA using SAS. Milk production was significantly affected by periconceptional heat stress. When a significant difference or tendency for a difference was detected between the HSC and TNC cows, the TNC produced more milk in all but one comparison. The advantage in milk production for the TNC cows over the HSC cows ranged from 82 ± 42 to 399 ± 61 kg per lactation. Alterations in fat and protein percentage were variable and most often detected in first lactations (first > second or third). Overall, the most striking result of this study is the consistency of the relationship between HSC and milk production. The nature of this relationship suggests that heat stress at or around the time of conception impairs cow milk yield throughout her lifetime.
Video-assisted resection of bilateral intralobar pulmonary sequestrations.

diagnosed until much later, when it becomes symptomatic. There is no explanation for the possible mechanism(s) that make a T/BEF remain silent for long. Occlusion by an imperforated web and/or the ascending (antigravitational) direction of the tract have been advocated. Besides, it is not known what the precipitating events are that cause symptoms to start. When this happens, symptoms are most often respiratory, acute, or chronic. Bouts of cough when swallowing, chronic wheezing, recurrent bronchopulmonary infections, hemoptysis, and hematemesis, either isolated or combined, should raise the suspicion of T/BEF. Diagnosis is made by endoscopy, esophagography, or both. Computed tomographic scanning of the chest is useful because repeated lung infections can lead to bronchiectasis. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is also mandatory. The congenital nature of a T/BEF is admitted when an acquired cause is reasonably excluded. At pathology examination, an epitheliumlined tract with muscularis mucosae is conclusive. Once diagnosis is made, treatment should be aggressive and promptly instituted, because the acute worsening of the patient’s condition due to potentially life-threatening complications, such as massive hemoptysis, is possible at any time. Treatment is as described previously. Endoscopic occlusion is an option to try on an individual basis. If bronchiectasis is present, then resection of the affected segment(s) or lobe(s) should be performed. The case we present corresponded to a type I congenital T/BEF in Braimbridge and Keith’s classification. It consists of a tract connecting the esophagus and a lobar or segmental bronchus, associated with a congenital esophageal diverticulum. Our patient also had unilateral renal agenesia. We could not identify any precipitating event. Notably, the patient had undergone an esophagogastroscopy 2 years before that did not disclose esophageal disease.
How the owl tracks its prey – II

Barn owls can capture prey in pitch darkness or by diving into snow, while homing in on the sounds made by their prey. First, the neural mechanisms by which the barn owl localizes a single sound source in an otherwise quiet environment will be explained. The ideas developed for the single source case will then be expanded to environments in which there are multiple sound sources and echoes--environments that are challenging for humans with impaired hearing. Recent controversies regarding the mechanisms of sound localization will be discussed. Finally, the case in which both visual and auditory information are available to the owl will be considered.
Hsp70 translocates into a cytoplasmic aggregate during lymphocyte activation.

The percentage of T and B lymphocytes expressing a distinct cytoplasmic aggregate enriched in spectrin, ankyrin, and in several other proteins including protein kinase C greatly increases following various activation protocols. Members of the 70 kDa family of heat shock proteins (hsp70) temporarily bind to and stabilize unfolded segments of other proteins, a function apparently required for proper protein folding and assembly. Considering the multiprotein and dynamic nature of the lymphocyte aggregate, the possibility that hsp70 also might be associated with components of this structure is considered here. Double immunofluorescence analysis indicates that hsp70 is a component of the lymphocyte aggregate and is coincident with spectrin in a subpopulation of freshly isolated, untreated lymphocytes from various murine tissues and in a T-lymphocyte hybridoma. When cell lysates of lymph node T cells are immunoprecipitated using an antibody against hsp70 or spectrin and then analyzed by Western blot utilizing the alternate antibody, it was found that hsp70 and spectrin coprecipitated with one another. Moreover, this coprecipitation could be abolished by addition of ATP. This latter observation was extended to lymphoid cells using a transient permeabilization procedure, and it was shown that addition of exogenous ATP results in the dissipation of the aggregate structure itself. Finally, conditions that result in T-cell activation and aggregate formation, i.e., treatment with the phorbol ester PMA or T-cell receptor cross-linking, also lead to the repositioning of hsp70 into the aggregate from a membrane/cytosolic locale in congruence with spectrin. These data suggest that hsp70 is an active component of the aggregate and that it may function in the interactions believed to occur in this unique activation-associated organelle.