cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a system for on-line computer scheduling of patient care activities☆

Abstract The impact of an on-line computer scheduling of patient care activities (implemented at the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research) was measured from the standpoint of: (1) effectiveness (personnel awareness of rehabilitation goals for the patient, opinion regarding 18 factors of patient management, and patient opinion of the scheduling); (2) efficiency (schedule of activities actually carried out, speed in processing orders, absenteeism from specialized therapy); and (3) efficiency of computer operations (computer time, cost, and terminal usage). From the standpoint of effectiveness, the study indicated that the computerized system increased goal agreement between nursing personnel. It was rated very favourably by representatives of all disciplines involved in rehabilitation and by the patients themselves. From the standpoint of efficiency, there was an increase in the number of scheduled activities actually carried out, although not as much as it had been predicted. The time required to implement initial orders after admission decreased from approximately 2 hr to several minutes, but there was still a time lag between the time an order was written to the time it was communicated to the departments not involved in nursing care. The system did not have any effect on absenteeism from physical or occupational therapy. From the standpoint of efficiency of computer operations, the study shows that a plateau has been reached in teleprocessing time, programmer man hours, data-entry man hours, and batch-processing time. This computer system offers great potential in providing an organized, coordinated, and concise profile of the medical, physiological, psychological, and socioeconomic needs of the patient. The study points out the complexity of evaluative studies of the effect of computer systems in hospitals. In spite of the difficulties, such studies are necessary if we are to increase delivery of services within the constraints of limited available resources.
Animal virus schemes for translation dominance.

Viruses have adapted a broad range of unique mechanisms to modulate the cellular translational machinery to ensure viral translation at the expense of cellular protein synthesis. Many of these promote virus-specific translation by use of molecular tags on viral mRNA such as internal ribosome entry sites (IRES) and genome-linked viral proteins (VPg) that bind translation machinery components in unusual ways and promote RNA circularization. This review describes recent advances in understanding some of the mechanisms in which animal virus mRNAs gain an advantage over cellular transcripts, including new structural and biochemical insights into IRES function and novel proteins that function as alternate met-tRNAimet carriers in translation initiation. Comparisons between animal and plant virus mechanisms that promote translation of viral mRNAs are discussed.
The multiattribute evaluation of program-planning contractors

Abstract This note describes how the theory of measurable multiattribute value functions was used to evaluate the proposals of three competing subcontractors for a program-planning project undertaken by Los Alamos National Laboratory. The purpose of the program-planning project was to develop a methodology for the evaluation of alternative long-range strategies for the achievement of controlled thermonuclear fusion. A measurable multiattribute value function was developed based on eleven criteria. Eight judges made evaluations on each of these criteria, and their judgments were synthesized to identify the winning subcontractor. While we emphasize details associated with this specific application, we expect the problem structure and methodology to be amenable to other contractor-and proposal-evaluation efforts after only minor modifications.
Fingertip Reconstruction with the Laterally Based Thenar Flap: Indications and Long-Term Functional Results:

The thenar flap is a time-tested method of fingertip reconstruction, but functional outcome data are scarce in the literature. The purpose of this study was to analyze the long-term function following fingertip reconstruction with a laterally based thenar flap and to compare these results with other established methods. Nineteen patients underwent a thenar flap between 2001 and 2004. Patients ranged in age from 3 to 48 years. The mean angle of proximal interphalangeal immobilization was 66° (range 30–85°) and was greater for radial digits. Time to division ranged from 11 to 15 days. Seventeen patients underwent follow-up evaluation of range of motion, two-point discrimination, and sensory threshold (Semmes-Weinstein). A questionnaire measured patient satisfaction in three areas: sensibility, function, and appearance. The mean follow-up was 20 months. Reconstructive goals were met in all cases. The mean metacarpalphalangeal and proximal interphalangeal motion in the reconstructed fingers was not significantly reduced, compared to the unaffected side. The distal interphalangeal motion was 42°, compared to 55° in the contralateral side (p < 0.01). The mean static two-point discrimination in the flap was 6.8 mm, compared to 3.8 mm in the contralateral side. Fourteen of 17 patients exhibited monofilament thresholds of 33.1 g/mm2 or less. There were no hypertrophic or tender donor scars. This study does not support the contention that thenar flaps are associated with problematic donor scars and flexion contractures, even for adults or ulnar digits. Sensory recovery compared favorably to published results of cross-finger and homodigital flaps. When sound technical principles are followed, excellent outcomes can be expected.
The Importance of Race and Ethnicity in Congressional Primary Elections

Research regarding the electoral importance of race and ethnicity in congressional elections is limited by the overwhelming focus on general-election outcomes. This article seeks to extend this research by examining minority candidate emergence and electoral competition in U.S. House primary elections, using a new data set on all U.S. House contests between 1994 and 2004 that includes demographic information on all the candidates in the primary elections. The results indicate that district-level race and ethnicity are associated with minority candidate emergence; furthermore, the presence of minority candidates influences electoral competitiveness in primary elections.
CORRELATES OF PERSONAL EXPENDITURES FOR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION: THE CASE OF RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION '

In a study of predictors of tuition expenditures on postsecondary education, the role of individual differences in religious affiliation was examined with a national sample of 3,615 individuals. Based on past findings, it was hypothesized that religious affiliation may serve as a moderator of the relationship of tuition expenditures with (a) parental income and (b) prior educational involvement (i.e., type of high school attended). Analysis indicated that religious affiliation may interact with prior educational involvement and so partially account for tuition expenditures.
Accountability in psychotherapy: A test case☆

Abstract An attempt was made to determine empirically the feasibility of therapy on a contract basis between therapist and client. The case was a 9-yr-old autistic child whose major problems were temper tantrums and refusal to obey adults' requests. Therapeutic goals and criteria were defined to the satisfaction of therapist and client (the parents) as was the duration of the treatment. An important feature of the intervention was the decision to develop social behaviors outside and not inside the clinic, thus obviating the problem of transfer.
Asymptotic distribution of rank statistics under dependencies with multivariate application

Abstract By modifying the method of projection, the results of Hajek and Huskova are extended to show the asymptotic normality of signed and linear rank statistics under general alternatives for dependent random variables that can be expressed as independent vectors of fixed equal length. The score function is twice differentiable; the regression constants are arbitrary; and the distribution functions are continuous, but arbitrary. As an application, a rank transform statistic is proposed for the one-sample multivariate location model. The ranks of the absolute values of the observations are calculated without regard to component membership, and the scored ranks are substituted in place of the observed values. The limiting distribution of the proposed test statistic is shown to be χ 2 divided by the degrees of freedom under the null hypothesis, and noncentral χ 2 divided by the degrees of freedom under the sequence of Pitman alternatives.
Proton and carbon-13 NMR study of group IVB (117,119Sn 207Pb) and mercury (199Hg) organometallics

Proton and carbon-13 data of (CH3)3SnX, [(CH3)3CCH2]3SnX, (CH3)3PbX, [(CH3)3CCH2]3PbX, and (CH3)3CCH2HgX, where X = Me, Et, i-Pr, t-Bu, neo-Pent, CHCH2, Cl, Br, I, or OH, are reported. The effects of electronic and steric factors on 1J(MC) and 2J(MH) (M = Sn, Pb, and Hg) have been studied. Linear relationships exist between1J(MC) and2J(MH). These relationships are discussed in terms of the mechanisms of the coupling constants.
Accuracy of Electron Affinities of Atoms in Approximate Density Functional Theory

Most approximate density functionals do not bind small atomic anions because of large self-interaction errors. Yet atomic electron affinities are often calculated using finite basis sets with surprisingly good results, despite positive highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energies. We show that excellent results (better than for ionization potentials) can be obtained using standard approximate functionals evaluated on Hartree−Fock or exact-exchange densities for which the extra electron is bound. Although these good results found with limited basis sets are not accidental, we argue that this method cannot be used in general. Thus a positive HOMO indicates that the total energy should not be disregarded, only treated with caution.
Proficiency standards and cut-scores for language proficiency tests☆

Abstract The problem of standard setting on language proficiency tests is often approached by the use of norms derived from the group being tested, a process commonly known as “grading on the curve”. One particular problem with this ad hoc method of standard setting is that it will usually result in a fluctuating standard dependent on the particular group being tested. In this paper, four main steps are presented in the setting of a non-arbitrary cut-score. They are: (1) checking to see that the test covers the abilities of the test population; (2) establishing a proficiency standard; (3) determining the best cut-score, given that there will be errors of placement; and (4) using external criteria for checking the proposed standards. Methods for carrying out each step are presented along with illustrative examples based on data from the UCLA English as a Second Language Placement Examination.
Molecular biology of Diazepam Binding Inhibitor peptide

Complementary DNA (cDNA) clones containing the entire coding sequence for Diazepam Binding Inhibitor (DBI) peptide, a 10-kDa precursor of putative natural ligands of benzodiazepine recognition sites, were isolated from rat, human and cow libraries. The sequence of all these clones is highly conserved; however, the N-terminal sequence predicted by the human DBI clone differed from that of the other two clones. DBI cDNA, utilized as hybridization probe in Southern blot analysis, revealed that DBI of both human and rat might be encoded by a multiple family of 4–6 genes. Furthermore, we have used in situ chromosomes hybridization to map human DBI genes. The results indicate that a human DBI gene is localized on chromosome 2 and that three of the four hybridization signals detected by the human DBI probe are located on three other chromosomes. These findings raise a question as whether multiple DBI genes encode for different molecular forms of DBI. In the attempt to test this hypothesis, cow cDNA and human genomic libraries were screened with DBI cDNA. In this paper I report the isolation of clones from these libraries which, although hybridizing well to DBI cDNA, possess a low percentage of homology (46.7%), randomly distributed within the coding region of DBI cDNA. Whether or not these clones encode for peptides sharing the same physiological role as DBI is under investigation.
Straight and Circular in Parmenides and the " Timaeus"

W hen Plato describes the sphere as the most perfect of all figures at Timaeus 33 b-c he is echoing a notion which pervades the whole of Greek literature: namely, that the circle and the sphere represent what is complete, perfect, and all-encompassing. Hesiod's completed universe, for example, is spherical in shape; the "sphere of the heavens" and the "cycle of time" are often referred to in drama and history.1 Among the Presocratics, Anaximander's map of the world indicated a circular surface, and the circular motion of a vortex may have been part of his cosmological scheme; Empedocles' rounded sphere enjoys a circular solitude; for the Pythagoreans, contemplation of the circular motion of the heavenly spheres and of the harmony produced thereby imparts harmony to the soul of the contemplator; in Alcmaeon's philosophy the soul imitates the circular motion of the stars and heavens; and Anaxagoras' Nous operates as a cosmological principle which causes the circular motion that orders the universe. Orderliness both in human thought and in the universe is interpreted as circular perfection; as Guthrie remarks,2 "the analogy between the regularity of motion in a circle and psychic functions, especially reason, must be accepted as natural to Greek thought." For both Parmenides and Plato true thought pertains to "Being", and opinion and sensation pertain to "appearance."3 In the present discussion I shall attempt to show generally that (1) in Parmenides' poem and in the Timaeus, both cosmology and epistemology are dealt with schematically, i.e. in terms of shapes that the notions of straight and circular are applied both to the universe and to men's thought about it; and that (2) both philosophers make extensive use of the principle that "like knows like." More specifically I intend to suggest, through an analysis of the language and imagery of the texts in question, that the following points hold good for both works:
Skilled hindlimb reaching task in rats as a platform for a brain-machine interface to restore motor function after complete spinal cord injury

Behavioral tasks utilized as models for decoding neural activity for use in brain-machine interfaces are constrained primarily to forelimb tasks or locomotion. We present here our methodology for training adult rats in a novel skilled hindlimb ‘reaching’ task in which the animal is trained to make different types of hindlimb movements. 6 adult Long-Evans rats were trained to make variable duration ( 1.5 s) hindlimb presses cued by a spatially-independent visual cue. 5 of 6 animals (83.3%) were able to learn the task to proficiency. The training paradigm introduced here serves as a platform to investigate the ability of the animal to transfer motor cortical activity in response to a cue originally generated during normal movments, to a novel context in the absecense of movement and ultimately after complete mid-thoracic spinal cord transection. We also present preliminary results of offline classification of neural activity during trial performance for two trained animals.
Investigation of the scale-dependent variability of radar-rainfall and rain gauge error covariance

There is a significant spatial sampling mismatch between radar and rain gauge data. The use of rain gauge data to estimate radar-rainfall error variance requires partitioning of the variance of the radar and rain gauge difference to account for the sampling mismatch. A key assumption in the literature pertaining to the error variance separation method used to partition the variance is that the covariance between radar-rainfall error and the error of rain gauges in representing radar sampling domain is negligible. Our study presents the results of an extensive test of this assumption. The test is based on empirical data and covers temporal scales ranging from 0.25 to 24 h and spatial scales ranging from 1 to 32 km. We used a two-year data set from two high quality and high density rain gauge networks in Oklahoma and excluded the winter months. The results obtained using a resampling procedure show that covariance can be considerable at large scales due to the significant variability. As the variability of the covariance rapidly increases with larger spatial and shorter temporal scales, applications of the error variance separation method at those scales require more caution. The variability of the covariance and one of its constituting variables, the variance ratio of radar and gauge errors, shows simple scaling behavior well characterized by a power-law.
Vindictive bidding in keyword auctions

We study vindictive bidding, a strategic bidding behavior in keyword auctions where a bidder forces his competitor to pay more without affecting his own payment. We show that most Nash equilibria (NE) are vulnerable to vindictive bidding and are thus unstable. There always exists a pure strategy Nash equilibrium (PSNE) if there is only one pair of vindictive players; however PSNE may not exist when there are at least three players who are all vindictive with each other. Given the set of vindictive bidding pairs, we show how to compute a PSNE if one exists. Preliminary data analysis suggests that vindictive bidding is prevalent in real-world keyword auctions. As an ongoing work, we also propose several interesting open problems related to vindictive bidding.
Convergent validity of measures of cognitive distortions, impulsivity, and time perspective with pathological gambling.

The present study investigated the convergent validity of the Gamblers' Beliefs Questionnaire (GBQ; T. A. Steenbergh, A. W. Meyers, R. K. May, & J. P. Whelan, 2002), Gambling Passion Scale (GPS; F. Rousseau, R. J. Vallerand, C. F. Ratelle, G. Mageau, & P. J. Provencher, 2002), Eysenck Impulsivity Questionnaire (EIQ; S. B. G. Eysenck & H. J. Eysenck, 1978), and Stanford Time Perception Inventory (STPI; P. C. Zimbardo & J. N. Boyd, 1999) in reference to pathological gambling. The authors recruited 105 undergraduates representing categories of pathological gamblers, potential pathological gamblers, and nonpathological gamblers and administered the measures under neutral conditions. Both subscales of the GBQ and GPS and the Impulsivity subscale of the EIQ exhibited strong convergent validity, whereas the STPI showed weaker correspondence with symptoms of pathological gambling. Applications and limitations of these findings are discussed.
The antioxidant activity of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl derivatives

Various electron donating groups such as alkoxyl, alkylthio, and alkylamino groups were used to replace a hydrogen atom of the para-methyl group of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol, BHT. The antioxidant activity of these 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl derivatives in stripped corn oil at 79.5°±1.0C was measured on the basis of the length of the induction period. A modified peroxide determination was devised and used in the present study. The overall average of the per cent accuracy, based on the standard error, was 2.5%. The results indicated that the tertiary methyl and ethylamine derivatives had the strongest potency among all compounds tested. Both amine derivatives were able to prolong the induction period of the corn oil twice as much as BHT. The alkoxyl derivatives were as effective as BHT. The alkylthio derivatives showed stronger activity than either BHT or the alkoxyl derivatives. The secondary alkylamine derivatives, except the n-hexadecylamine derivative, demonstrated nearly the same degree of potency as BHT. However, the n-hexadecylamine derivative exhibited far stronger activity than either the three lower alkylamine derivatives or BHT. In all three homologous series, the methyl derivatives showed significantly lower activity than the ethyl or n-propyl derivatives. Differences between the ethyl and n-propyl derivatives were not significant. 3,5-Di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzylpyridinium bromide acted as a prooxidant. An attempt has been made to explain the variation in activity of these derivatives in terms of the inductive effect exerted by the nucleophilic substituents and/or in terms of the structural features of the derivatives.
Calcium channel functions in pain processing.

Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) play obligatory physiological roles, including modulation of neuronalfunctions, synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitter release and gene transcription. Dysregulation and maladaptive changes in VGCC expression and activities may occur in the sensory pathway under various pathological conditions that could contribute to the development of pain. In this review, we summarized the most recent findings on the regulation of VGCC expression and physiological functions in the sensory pathway, and in dysregulation and maladaptive changes of VGCC under pain-inducing conditions. The implications ofthese changes in understanding the mechanisms of pain transduction and in new drug design are also discussed.
The room temperature strengthening effect of boron as a function of aluminum concentration in FeAl

Abstract Measurements of the effects of boron on the yield strength, lattice parameter, vacancy concentration and anti-site atom concentration of FeAl as a function of aluminum concentration have been performed and the results compared with data for similar but undoped FeAl. It has been shown that boron does not affect the degree of order, vacancy concentration or anti-site atom concentration in FeAl. Boron produces an increase in lattice parameter in FeAl but both this increase and the lattice strain per atomic percent boron decrease with increasing aluminum concentration. The effect of boron on the strength of FeAl depends on whether vacancies are present. For FeAl containing few vacancies (≤ 45 at %Al) the strength increase per atomic percent boron increases with increasing aluminum concentration; when vacancies are present (≥ 48 at %Al), boron strengthening shows little change with aluminum concentration, suggesting that the vacancies affect the boron strengthening mechanism. The strength increase per unit increase in lattice parameter depends on the aluminum concentration and is 0.23–0.80 G, where G is the shear modulus.
A First-Order Phase Transition between Crystal Phases in the Shift Model

We describe rigorously a many-body model of interacting classical particles exhibiting the following behavior at zero temperature: as the pressure varies through a critical value, the system goes through a first-order phase transition between different crystal phases. Moreover, at the critical pressure the system is demonstrably a mixture of the two phases.
Facilities for high-pressure research with the diamond anvil cell at GSECARS

An overview of facilities for high-pressure research with the diamond anvil cell (DAC) at the GeoSoilEnviroCARS (GSECARS) sector at the Advanced Photon Source (Argonne, Illinois) is presented. There are three operational experimental stations (13-ID-C, 13-ID-D and 13-BM-D) where DAC instrumentation is installed for various types of experiments at high pressure and extreme temperature conditions. A fourth station (13-BM-C) is under construction and will be operational in 2006. While most X-ray diffraction experiments have been undertaken with powder samples so far, there is a growing demand for single-crystal diffraction (SCD) at high pressure. As one of the principal components at GSECARS, SCD is currently under rapid development. Other relevant techniques have also been developed for obtaining complementary information from powder or single-crystal samples at high pressure. For example, an on-line Brillouin system is installed and operational at 13-BM-D for acoustic velocity and single-crystal elasticity determinations. In addition, various X-ray spectroscopy techniques (e.g. X-ray emission and X-ray Raman) are employed for measuring electronic and magnetic properties. Future developments are discussed with the DAC program at GSECARS.
Psychiatric Outcome of Burned Children and Adolescents

Abstract Recent medical and surgical advances allow many severely burned patients to survive who formerly would have died. Assessment of psychiatric outcomes with these patients may provide ways of measuring effects of acute burn care methods on later quality of life, specify more accurately their emotional needs during rehabilitation, and stimulate further research. Thirty children, aged 7 to 19, with severe burns are compared with 30 nonburned subjects matched for age, sex, SES, and parents' marital status according to DSM-III criteria. The burned children had significantly higher levels of overanxious disorder, phobias, and enuresis, but they had the same rates of present depressive disorders.
Effects of camptothecin on RNA synthesis in leukemia L1210 cells.

Abstract The plant alkaloid camptothecin rapidly inhibits synthesis of ribosomal precursor RNA in the L1210 murine leukemia. The drug also produces extensive inhibition of heterogeneous nuclear RNA synthesis, but does not initially affect incorporation of uridine into 4-S and 5-S RNA. Camptothecin does not interfere with maturation of 45-S RNA into cytoplasmic 18-S and 28-S RNA species. When camptothecintreated cells are washed free from the drug, RNA synthesis is quickly restored.
An Examination of the Impact of a Biological Anti-Stigma Message for Depression on College Students

Stigma is one reason that some people avoid seeking mental health treatment. This study tested whether a biologically based anti-stigma message affected various stigma-related outcomes in college students. One hundred eighty-two undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to see a billboard presenting the message, “Depression is a brain disease,” or a control message. Dependent variables included positive and negative affect, message appeal, stigma, and willingness to seek treatment. The biologically based anti-stigma message increased participants’ affect, was rated as relatively unappealing, and failed to reduce stigma or increase willingness to seek treatment. These preliminary findings raise concern about continued use of similar messages in college populations.
Regulation of lysyl oxidase and cyclooxygenase expression in human lung fibroblasts: interactions among TGF‐β, IL‐1β, and prostaglandin E

Prostaglandin E2, transforming growth factor-beta, and interleukin-1 beta variably regulate the expression of cyclooxygenase 1, cyclooxygenase 2, and lysyl oxidase in IMR90, human embryo lung fibroblasts. Prostaglandin E2 at 100 nM upregulates cyclooxygenase 1 mRNA by approximately three-fold while it downregulates lysyl oxidase mRNA levels. Notably, prostaglandin E2 suppresses the enhancing effect of TGF-beta on basal levels of lysyl oxidase mRNA. These changes in steady state mRNA levels reflect transcriptional level control, at least in part. Corresponding changes are seen in the protein levels of lysyl oxidase, cyclooxygenase 1 and cyclooxygenase 2 and catalytic activities of these enzymes, including net prostaglandin E2 synthesis. Cyclooxygenase 2 mRNA(t1/2, 30 min) is considerably less stable than that of cyclooxygenase 1 (t1/2, 4 h) while lysyl oxidase mRNA is unusually stable (t1/2 > 14 h). Taken together with the differing kinetics with which these genes respond to perturbation by these cytokines, the present results suggest a coordinated, autocrine-like mechanism of regulation of cyclooxygenase 1 and cyclooxygenase 2 and further point to the potential of their metabolic product, prostaglandin E2, to suppress the expression of lysyl oxidase in the inflammatory response to injury.
Sources of fine particle composition in the northeastern US

Fine particle composition data obtained at three sampling sites in the northeastern US were studied using a relatively new type of factor analysis, positive matrix factorization (PMF). The three sites are Washington, DC, Brigantine, NJ and Underhill, VT. The PMF method uses the estimates of the error in the data to provide optimal point-by-point weighting and permits efficient treatment of missing and below detection limit values. It also imposes the non-negativity constraint on the factors. Eight, nine and 11 sources were resolved from the Washington, Brigantine and Underhill data, respectively. The factors were normalized by using aerosol fine mass concentration data through multiple linear regression so that the quantitative source contributions for each resolved factor were obtained. Among the sources resolved at the three sites, six are common. These six sources exhibit not only similar chemical compositions, but also similar seasonal variations at all three sites. They are secondary sulfate with a high concentration of S and strong seasonal variation trend peaking in summer time; coal combustion with the presence of S and Se and its seasonal variation peaking in winter time; oil combustion characterized by Ni and V; soil represented by Al, Ca, Fe, K, Si and Ti; incinerator with the presence of Pb and Zn; sea salt with the high concentrations of Na and S. Among the other sources, nitrate (dominated by NO3−) and motor vehicle (with high concentrations of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), and with the presence of some soil dust components) were obtained for the Washington data, while the three additional sources for the Brigantine data were nitrate, motor vehicle and wood smoke (OC, EC, K). At the Underhill site, five other sources were resolved. They are wood smoke, Canadian Mn, Canadian Cu smelter, Canadian Ni smelter, and another salt source with high concentrations of Cl and Na. A nitrate source similar to that found at the other sites could not be obtained at Underhill since NO3− was not measured at this site. Generally, most of the sources at the three sites showed similar chemical composition profiles and seasonal variation patterns. The study indicated that PMF was a powerful factor analysis method to extract sources from the ambient aerosol concentration data.
Electronic prognostics for switched mode power supplies

Abstract Switching power supplies have become ubiquitous in electronic modules and systems. From converting power types, power levels, or driving actuators, these power converters embody varying topologies but usually have high switching rates of up to 500 KHz, power devices such as MOSFETs, microelectronic components and a mix of passive components that store and release energy. They are complex modules that have an unfortunate history of observed high failure rates, yet they may be required to support critical systems. Electronic prognostics/health management, or ePHM, provides the ability to predict the failure of the electronic before it actually occurs. This paper will examine the considerations associated with key system- and device level prognostics that designers need to evaluate when “PHM-enabling” their power system.
The decreased synthesis of chondroitin sulfate-containing extracellular proteoglycans by SV40 transformed Balb/c 3T3 cells.

Abstract Balb/c 3T3 cells synthesize 5–10 times more 35 SO 4 2− -labeled extracellular proteoglycan per cell than do Balb/c 3T3 cells transformed by SV40 (SV3T3). The extracellular 35 SO 4 2− -labeled proteoglycans of the Balb/c 3T3 and SV3T3 cells differ markedly in their acid mucopolysaccharide composition. Extracellular Balb/c 3T3 proteoglycans contain about 70–80% chondroitin sulfate, most of which is chondroitin 4-sulfate, and small amounts of heparan sulfate and/or heparin. On the other hand, extracellular SV3T3 proteoglycans contain 65–75% heparan sulfate and/or heparin and less than 15% chondroitin sulfate. Analysis of extracellular 35 SO 4 2− -labeled proteoglycan by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals that Balb/c 3T3 alone synthesizes a class of proteoglycans capable of migrating in a 10% separating gel. This class of proteoglycans, designated as fraction C, accounts for up to 45% of the total extracellular Balb/c 3T3 35 SO 4 2− -labeled proteoglycans and contains chondroitin sulfate exclusively. It is altogether absent in the extracellular SV3T3 proteoglycans. The absence of this and other classes of chondroitin sulfate-containing proteoglycans can account for the 5–10-fold decreased synthesis of 35 SO 4 2− -labeled proteoglycans by SV3T3 cells when compared to Balb/c 3T3 cells.
Decomposition of aliphatic amines and amino acids in anoxic salt marsh sediment

Abstract Rates and pathways of decomposition of three aliphatic amines (monomethyl, dimethyl, and trimethyl amine) and three amino acids (alanine, glutamic acid, and lysine) were investigated in anoxic salt marsh sediments dominated by input from the saltmarsh cordgrass, Spartina alternifora. Radiolabeled amines and amino acids added to sediments were either adsorbed or metabolized within 10–20 hours of addition. The proportion of added label that remained unmetabolized in the sediment solid phase was higher for amino acids than for amines. This is due to either the more reversible nature of amine than amino acid adsorption, or to a higher microbial incorporation to respiration ratio for the amines. Remineralization rate constants determined from model calculations are in the order MMA ≥ DMA > TMA and ALA > GLU > LYS, consistent with the adsorption behavior of these compounds. Remineralization rate constants for the amino acids were 6–10 times higher than for the amines. Experiments using specific inhibitors and labeled substrates demonstrated that the decomposition of amines was mediated by methanogens, sulfate reducers, and other microbial groups, while amino acid remineralization occurred mainly through sulfate reduction. Methanogenesis was the primary pathway for consumption of TMA produced from Spartina-amended sediments.
A 32-Gbps 4×4 passive cross-point switch in 45-nm SOI CMOS

This paper presents a passive 4x4 cross-point switch in 45-nm SOI CMOS technology for LVDS systems with near-zero power consumption. The CMOS switch dimensions and layout structures are optimized using fullwave electromagnetic simulations for the highest 3-dB bandwidth in order to maximize the data-rate for digital signal transmission. Also, a novel series switch is used between the cells to enhance the bandwidth. The 4×4 switch matrix results in a measured 3-dB bandwidth of ~ 20 - 25 GHz (depending on the path) and an isolation > 40 dB at 26.5 GHz. The group delay variation is <; ±5 psec, and results in very low jitter as seen from eye measurements (<; 1.3 psec). Good eye-openings are obtained at 26 Gbps and up to 31.5 Gbps. The design is readily scalable to an 8×8 cross-point switch matrix.
The effect of κ agonist U50-488H on [3H]nimodipine receptor binding in rat brain regions

The effects of a κ opiate agonist have been evaluated on [3H]nimodipine binding to dihydropyridine receptors for ‘L’-type Ca2+ channels in rat brain regions. Administration of U50-488H (trans-(±)-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N-[2-(1,- pyrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide) produced a 28% decrease in Bmax in coxtex and a 23% decrease in cerebellum. No changes were seen in the affinity (Kd) for [3H]nimodipine binding sites. Slight changes in hippocampal and striatal binding capacities were observed with no changes seen in hypothalamus and brainstem. The κ antagonist MR2266 effectively reversed in vivo all changes in [3H]nimodipine binding without producing any effect alone. These studies suggest that κ opiate receptors may be directly coupled to L-type calcium channels as evidenced by [3H]nimodipine binding studies and may account for the findings that κ opiate agonists inhibit neurotransmitter release by allosterically interferring with the Ca2+ channel protein in brain membranes.
Admit or Transfer? The Role of Insurance in High-Transfer-Rate Medical Conditions in the Emergency Department

Study objective We study the association of payer status with odds of transfer compared with admission from the emergency department (ED) for multiple diagnoses with a high percentage of transfers. Methods This was a retrospective study of adult ED encounters using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project 2010 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. We used the Clinical Classification Software to identify disease categories with 5% or more encounters resulting in transfer (27 categories; 3.7 million encounters based on survey weights). We sorted encounters by condition into 12 groups according to expected medical or surgical specialist needs. We used logistic regression to assess the role of payer status on odds of transfer compared with admission and report adjusted odds ratios (ORs). Results Among high-transfer conditions in 2010, uninsured patients had double the odds of transfer compared with privately insured patients (OR 2.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.72 to 2.62). Medicaid patients were also more likely to be transferred (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.38). Uninsured patients had higher odds of transfer in all specialist categories (significant in 9 of 12). The categories with the highest odds of transfer for the uninsured included nephrology (OR 2.44; 95% CI 1.07 to 5.55), psychiatry (OR 2.26; 95% CI 1.65 to 3.25), and hematology-oncology (OR 2.21; 95% CI 1.50 to 3.25); the highest for Medicaid were general surgery (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.83), hematology-oncology (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.30), and vascular surgery (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.02 to 2.28). Conclusion Insurance status appears to play a role in ED disposition (transfer versus admission) for many high-transfer conditions.
Time-resolved infrared absorption studies applied to the study of radical plus molecule reactions

The reaction of the cyano radical (CN) with ethane (C2H6) was studied using time resolved infrared absorption to monitor the product hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in individual ro-vibrational states. Pulse laser photolysis was used to provide an initial excess of the CN radical and the time dependence of individual ro-vibrational states of the high frequency antisymmetric stretching mode of HCN (0,0,v3) was followed. These experiments reveal that the initial product state distribution of HCN is not highly excited in the HCN(0,0,v3) vibrational manifold.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Compton camera for nuclear medicine applications using 113mIn1

Abstract Theoretical studies show our prototype Compton camera, C-SPRINT, matches the 99m Tc performance of clinically available mechanically collimated systems if an advantage in sensitivity of ∼45 can be achieved. Imaging at higher energies substantially reduces the required sensitivity advantage. At ∼400 keV, our Compton camera system needs only five times the raw count rate of a mechanically collimated system imaging at 99m Tc energy to reach the performance “break even” point. We analyze our C-SPRINT system performance for the isotope 113m In (391.7 keV), and compare it to a collimated system imaging 99m Tc. 113m In has been used in nuclear medicine applications in the past, and can potentially be used to label many of the same radiopharmaceuticals as 99m Tc. In order to fully compare the two systems, their relative sensitivities are combined with the relative amount of useful gamma rays that escape the object being imaged (the patient) for the same patient radiation dose. Results for uniformly distributed sources show that for equal lifetime radiation dose, the ratio of useful 99m Tc to 113m In gamma rays is 1.59. For a point source of activity centered inside the ellipsoid, the useful ratio decreases to 1.33. These fractions scale up the required raw sensitivity advantage to yield a required sensitivity advantage of 5 – 8. Monte Carlo simulations have shown that a raw sensitivity advantage of 25 can be achieved by improving C-SPRINT geometry and using a larger volume of silicon detectors. We conclude that gains of 3–5 in noise equivalent sensitivity are achievable when imaging 113m In with our Compton camera relative to a collimated system imaging 99m Tc.
PS3-54: Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Chronic Use of Opioid Medications.

Background/Aims Opioids are used to manage chronic painful conditions associated with obesity. It is unknown whether weight loss attained after bariatric surgery results in a change in chronic opioid use and if so, over what timeframe. We explored the effect of bariatric surgery and associated weight loss on chronic opioid use.
Employment status, depressive symptoms, and waist circumference change in midlife women: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN).

Purpose Changes in employment status have shown inconsistent associations with adiposity. This study tested whether the presence of elevated depressive symptoms explains variability in the time-varying association between employment status and central adiposity.
In-situ sampling of a large-scale particle simulation for interactive visualization and analysis

We describe a simulation-time random sampling of a large-scale particle simulation, the RoadRunner Universe MC3 cosmological simulation, for interactive post-analysis and visualization. Simulation data generation rates will continue to be far greater than storage bandwidth rates by many orders of magnitude. This implies that only a very small fraction of data generated by a simulation can ever be stored and subsequently post-analyzed. The limiting factors in this situation are similar to the problem in many population surveys: there aren't enough human resources to query a large population. To cope with the lack of resources, statistical sampling techniques are used to create a representative data set of a large population. Following this analogy, we propose to store a simulationtime random sampling of the particle data for post-analysis, with level-of-detail organization, to cope with the bottlenecks. A sample is stored directly from the simulation in a level-of-detail format for post-visualization and analysis, which amortizes the cost of post-processing and reduces workflow time. Additionally by sampling during the simulation, we are able to analyze the entire particle population to record full population statistics and quantify sample error.
Distributed belief propagation using sensor networks with correlated observations

A distributed belief propagation protocol is developed to carry inference and decoding tasks using wireless sensor networks with high-dimensional, correlated observations. Statistical dependencies are modeled using factor graphs. The overall a-posteriori probability is factored so that its factor graph representation can be mapped to the actual communication network. Sum-productmessage passing updates over the graphical model can thus be mapped to messages among sensors. As an application scenario, distributed spectrum sensing is considered. Simulated tests show that exploiting the correlation present among sensor observations can considerably improve sensing performance.
Structure and mechanisms of the proteasome-associated deubiquitinating enzyme USP14

The ubiquitin-specific processing protease (UBP) family of deubiquitinating enzymes plays an essential role in numerous cellular processes. Mammalian USP14 (Ubp6 in yeast) is unique among known UBP enzymes in that it is activated catalytically upon specific association with the 26S proteasome. Here, we report the crystal structures of the 45-kDa catalytic domain of USP14 in isolation and in a complex with ubiquitin aldehyde, which reveal distinct structural features. In the absence of ubiquitin binding, the catalytic cleft leading to the active site of USP14 is blocked by two surface loops. Binding by ubiquitin induces a significant conformational change that translocates the two surface loops thereby allowing access of the ubiquitin C-terminus to the active site. These structural observations, in conjunction with biochemical characterization, identify important regulatory mechanisms for USP14.
Relevance of cis- and trans-dichloride Ru intermediates in Grubbs-II olefin metathesis catalysis (H2IMesCl2Ru=CHR).

Using density functional theory with the B3LYP and M06 functionals, we show conclusively that the (H2IMes)(Cl)2Ru olefin metathesis mechanism is bottom-bound with the chlorides remaining trans throughout the reaction, thus attempts to effect diastereo- and enantioselectivity should focus on manipulations that maintain the trans-dichloro Ru geometry.
HIF-1α regulates function and differentiation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the tumor microenvironment

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a major component of the immune-suppressive network described in cancer and many other pathological conditions. We demonstrate that although MDSCs from peripheral lymphoid organs and the tumor site share similar phenotype and morphology, these cells display profound functional differences. MDSC from peripheral lymphoid organs suppressed antigen-specific CD8+ T cells but failed to inhibit nonspecific T cell function. In sharp contrast, tumor MDSC suppressed both antigen-specific and nonspecific T cell activity. The tumor microenvironment caused rapid and dramatic up-regulation of arginase I and inducible nitric oxide synthase in MDSC, which was accompanied by down-regulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate–oxidase and reactive oxygen species in these cells. In contrast to MDSC from the spleen, MDSC from the tumor site rapidly differentiated into macrophages. Exposure of spleen MDSC to hypoxia resulted in the conversion of these cells to nonspecific suppressors and their preferential differentiation to macrophages. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1α was found to be primarily responsible for the observed effects of the tumor microenvironment on MDSC differentiation and function. Thus, hypoxia via HIF-1α dramatically alters the function of MDSC in the tumor microenvironment and redirects their differentiation toward tumor-associated macrophages, hence providing a mechanistic link between different myeloid suppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment.
Longitudinal Association Between Parenting Practices and Early Sexual Risk Behaviors among Urban African American Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Gender

A sample of 274 African American families, living in impoverished neighborhoods with high HIV rates, participated in a longitudinal study of adolescent sexual development when children were in the 4th or 5th grade. Self-report and observational measures of parental warmth and parental behavioral control were collected from adolescents and parents at Time 1, and youth reported if they had initiated intercourse at Times 1 and 2. Regression analyses suggested that gender moderated associations between parental behavioral control and engagement in adolescent sexual behaviors. More generally, findings suggested that boys reared in low control/high warmth (i.e., permissive) homes and girls reared in high control/low warmth (i.e., authoritarian) homes were particularly at risk for early sexual behaviors. Clinical implications and directions for the future research are discussed.