cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EVALUATION OF PASSIVE TRANSFER IN NINE SPECIES OF CERVIDAE.

The reliability of packed cell volumes (PCV), total solids (TS), blood glucose (BG), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and glutaraldehyde test in determining passive transfer of colostral immunoglobulins was investigated in nine species of cervids: axis deer (Axis axis), hog deer (Axis porcinus), sika deer (Cervus nippon), tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus), Pere David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus), pudu (Pudu puda), sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), barasinga deer (Rucervus duvaucelli), and Eld's deer (Rucervus eldii). Individually the parameters evaluated were significant though imperfect predictors of passive transfer status in cervids. Interpreted collectively as a panel along with neonate condition, these tests were clinically helpful in diagnosing failure of passive transfer (FPT). Collectively interpreting test results as a panel along with clinical assessment of the animal is recommended. Some species-specific variations in TS, GGT, and glutaraldehyde test results were identified.
The New Frontier in Medicine at the Convergence of Nanotechnology and Immunotherapy

This chapter provides an overview of the field of nanotechnology, its current applications and potential use in biology and medicine. We are witnessing the convergence of nanotechnology and biological sciences, which has the potential to revolutionize medical research and immunotherapy. The combination of nanotechnology and molecular biology has already generated a myriad of nanoscale-based devices and methods for probing the cell machinery, elucidating intimate life processes that were heretofore invisible to human inquiry, and detecting early signs of disease occurring at the molecular level. Furthermore, applied research in nanotechnology has now led to the development of nanoparticles (NPs) that can be engineered with multiple useful therapeutic features, involving various payloads with antigens and/or immunomodulatory agents such as cytokines, ligands for immunostimulatory receptors or antagonists for immunosuppressive receptors. In this chapter, we review multiple approaches to NP-based therapies designed to affect the tumor microenvironment and stimulate innate and adaptive immune systems to obtain effective anti-tumor immune responses for novel and improved immunotherapy.
Do Negative Changes in Worldview Mediate Links Between Mass Trauma and Reckless Behavior? A Longitudinal Exploratory Study

Trauma exposure heightens the risk of reckless behavior and is now included in DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology. Individuals exposed to trauma may be likely to engage in reckless behavior because of negative changes in their worldview (referred to as disrupted worldview). The current study investigates the relationship between DSM-IV posttraumatic stress symptoms, disrupted worldview, and increased reckless behavior among 1145 students exposed to mass violence. Total posttraumatic stress symptomatology was associated with increased and persistent reckless behavior, supporting DSM-5 diagnostic inclusion. Although posttraumatic stress symptomatology predicted reckless behavior among those with varying levels of posttraumatic symptomatology, individuals with high symptomatology reported significantly higher recklessness. Disrupted worldview mediated the relationship between posttraumatic symptomatology and reckless behavior among individuals with high symptomatology, while only partially mediating the relationship among those with low symptomatology. These findings provide support for worldview disruptions as a mechanism by which prolonged reckless behavior may be manifested.
SU-E-I-53: Comparison of Kerma-Area-Product Between the Micro-Angiographic Fluoroscope (MAF) and a Flat Panel Detector (FPD) as Used in Neuro-Endovascular Procedures

Purpose: To determine the reduction of integral dose to the patient when using the micro-angiographic fluoroscope (MAF) compared to when using the standard flat-panel detector (FPD) for the techniques used during neurointerventional procedures. Methods: The MAF is a small field-of-view, high resolution x-ray detector which captures 1024 x 1024 pixels with an effective pixel size of 35μm and is capable of real-time imaging up to 30 frames per second. The MAF was used in neuro-interventions during those parts of the procedure when high resolution was needed and the FPD was used otherwise. The technique parameters were recorded when each detector was used and the kerma-area-product (KAP) per image frame was determined. KAP values were calculated for seven neuro interventions using premeasured calibration files of output as a function of kVp and beam filtration and included the attenuation of the patient table for the frontal projections to be more representative of integral patient dose. The air kerma at the patient entrance was multiplied by the beam area at that point to obtain the KAP values. The ranges of KAP values per frame were determined for the range of technique parameters used during the clinical procedures. To appreciate the benefit of themore » higher MAF resolution in the region of interventional activity, DA technique parameters were generally used with the MAF. Results: The lowest and highest values of KAP per frame for the MAF in DA mode were 4 and 50 times lower, respectively, compared to those of the FPD in pulsed fluoroscopy mode. Conclusion: The MAF was used in those parts of the clinical procedures when high resolution and image quality was essential. The integral patient dose as represented by the KAP value was substantially lower when using the MAF than when using the FPD due to the much smaller volume of tissue irradiated. This research was supported in part by Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation and NIH Grant R01EB002873.« less
What can Coulomb Explosions Teach Us about Clusters

In recent years, there has been a considerable interest in the study of gas-phase atomic clusters. Among the motivations for this work is the fact that such clusters provide a bridge between molecular and condensed matter physics, and thus provide an opportunity to study the structural and electronic rearrangements involved in this transition. Small carbon cluster ions are particularly interesting because of their importance in many chemical processes such as catalysis and combustion and there has been a long history of work with these ions. While there now exists a substantial body of work on the subject1, all of the experimental structural information to date is indirect. Typically, such experiments probe gross features by studying changes in stability with increasing size through measurements of relative abundances, ionization potentials, chemical activity, or fragmentation energies. Recently, more sophisticated spectroscopic techniques have provided some information on electronic states and further offered hopes of probing the nuclear vibra- tional motions within such systems.2 Nevertheless, some of the most important findings (such as shell structure) still remain controversial because of the incomplete nature of the body of data. As has been reported at this workshop, Coulomb explosion experiments have recently provided detailed images of the structures of several small molecules.
Mg2+-activated double-stranded DNA cleavage by [(bpy)2(OH2)RuIIIORuIII(H2O) (bpy)2]4+☆

The reaction of the title complex with DNA has been examined. Addition of [(bpy)2(OH2)RuORu(OH2) (bpy)2]4+ to DNA leads to the reduction of the complex to Ru(bpy)2(OH2)22+, as indicated by absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The reaction is accelerated by Mg2+. The combined evidence points to a mechanism where the oxo-bridged dimer is hydrolyzed to a monomeric Ru(III) complex that is capable of oxidizing DNA to effect strand scission. Gel electrophoresis demonstrates nicking of supercoiled /gfX174 DNA by [(bpy)2(OH2)RuORu(OH2) (bpy)2]4+, and double-stranded cleavage is observed in the presence of Mg2+. Linearization of the plasmid prior to treatment with the complex does not lead to further fragmentation, suggesting that supercoiling is required to realize double-stranded cleavage.
A distributed architecture for robust automatic speech recognition

In this paper, we attempt to decompose a state-of-the-art speech recognition system into its components and define an infrastructure that allows a flexible, efficient and effective interaction among the components. Motivated by the success of DARPA Communicator program, we select the open source Galaxy architecture as our development test bed. It consists of a hub that allows communication among servers connected to it by message passing and supports the plug-and-play paradigm. In addition to message passing it supports high bandwidth data (binary or audio) transfer between servers via a brokering scheme. For several reasons, we believe that it is the right time to start developing a distributed framework for speech recognition along with data and protocol standards supporting interoperability. We present our work towards that goal using the Colorado University (CU) Sonic recognizer. We divide Sonic into a number of components and structure it around the Hub. We describe the system in some detail and report on its present status with some possibilities for future development.
Analysis of a charge probe and its response near metallic and dielectric interface

An electrically short thin-wire antenna oriented normal to a conducting surface is often used to measure the normal electric field or charge density at the surface. Calibration of the so-called charge probe is relatively simple if there are no nearby objects which can "load" the probe and alter its response. A probe on a surface near a dielectric or conducting interface is a case of practical interest in which probe loading must be accounted for if accurate measurements are expected. The main purposes of this paper are to lay the groundwork for an understanding of probe loading and to suggest a simple method for accounting for the effects of loading as the charge probe becomes arbitrarily close to the interface. We present a simple and accurate method for determining the current in a short wire very near to an interface. Data computed from a method employing Sommerfeld integrals and the proposed approximate method are compared.
Radiation-induced Chondrosarcoma of the Bladder. Case Report and Review of Literature.

Background: Chondrosarcoma of the bladder is an extremely rare disease. Only five previously described cases are known in the medical literature. Patients and Methods: We present a chondrosarcoma developed 19 years after radiation treatment in a 73-year-old patient. A literature search of articles published from 1984 to 2014 was performed. Results: This is the first reported case of post-radiation bladder chondrosarcoma. We compared the clinicopathological features of the previously reported cases and reviewed the medical literature of the bladder sarcomas and post-radiation sarcomas. Conclusion: The primary treatment for bladder mesenchymal neoplasms is surgical, preferably radical cystectomy with or without chemotherapy. Positive surgical margin is one of the most important factors negatively affecting disease-specific, recurrence-free and overall survival rates.
1-alkynyldioxaborolanes: Determination of 1J(13C,11B) from 13C NMR studies at 102°C

Broad 13C resonances, as the result of partially relaxed scalar 13C11B coupling, were observed for the C-1 and to a lesser extent C-2 carbons of 1-alkynyldioxaborolanes at 25°C. Measurement of the 13C spectra at 102°C resulted in a slower 11B quadrupolar relaxation rate and allowed the determination of 1J(13C,11B) scalar coupling from the resulting quadruplets for the C-1 carbon.
Resistivity of Iron as a Function of Temperature and Magnetization

The temperature dependence of the resistance of iron has been measured in the range 1 to 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. Single-crystal iron specimens 100 to 300 \ensuremath{\mu} in diameter with residual resistance ratios up to 2100 were used in the experiments. The dominant temperature dependence in this range is linear with average coefficients of 8.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ and $2.14\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{A}$ cm/\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in the flux-closed and -saturated states, respectively. These coefficients are an order of magnitude larger than those observed by previous experimenters. Careful control of the magnetic state of the crystal seems to remove most of the ${T}^{2}$ dependence in this temperature range. The results are discussed in terms of the general electron-magnon scattering theories developed by Turov. Deviations from Ohm's law and large negative magnetoresistance effects are observed, and these are taken into account in making the measurements. Preliminary measurements have also been made in the range 77 to 294\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, and results are in general agreement with previous measurements by White and Woods.
A study on hydroentangling waterjets and their impact forces

We study the possibility of obtaining an intense fluctuating force during the steady-state operation of a waterjet. In this paper, characteristics of waterjets in the so-called first wind-induced breakup regime are briefly explained and the impaction between such waterjets and a smooth flat plate is discussed. We consider these waterjets to consist of three different regions: (1) a continuous portion, (2) a discrete portion (a stream of drops) and (3) a spray region. Using fluid dynamics simulation we obtain an impulsive impact force for the discrete portion of these waterjets. The peak of this impulsive impact force is found to be 3.5–4 times greater than that of the continuous portion. We validate our simulations by conducting an experiment for a stream of large low-speed drops. The impact force of these drops is in good agreement with that of simulation.
Kinship Caregiver Perception of a State-Supervised Kinship Navigator Program

This study evaluated a state-administered Kinship Navigator (KN) program providing information and support to grandparents and other relatives caring for children who are not in child welfare custody. Caregivers’ perceptions of types of services, impact, satisfaction, and areas for improvement were examined. Caregivers (N = 92) reported feeling supported, gaining knowledge about services, and feeling highly satisfied with the program. Caregivers expressed needs for additional financial assistance and more time with their KN. Findings suggest that the KN program may meet key service needs of informal kinship caregivers, but additional staff time and financial resource advocacy would improve the program.
Control of Na+ and K+ transport in Spergularia marina. III. Relationship between ion uptake and growth at moderate salinity

In this paper, we continue our analysis of Na* and K* uptake by mid-vegetative Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb. plants growing on 0.2x sea water medium, with attention to the relationship of ion uptake and growth. In the first part of the paper, growth analysis techniques are used to compare relative growth rates (RGR) and relative accumulation rates (RAR) for Na* and K*. Under constant growth conditions, a high correlation between RGR and RAR indicated that growth and accumulation of both ions were well balanced, resulting in Na* and K* concentrations within the plants which were stable after adjustement to the saline medium. The analysis confirmed the existence of a Na*-reiated growth stimulation in S. marina and an associated increase in the efficiency of K* utilization for growth. When plants were subjected to more rapid salinization and step changes in the light intensity of the growth chamber, RGR and RAR were again similar, even through the discontinuities in growth conditions, suggesting that growth and ion accumulation were co-regulated rather than simply correlated. The growth analysis data were then transformed to give net uptake rates for Na* and K* and the results were compared to those of isotope studies under similar growth conditions. In roots, the rates estimated by the two techniques differed substantially; net uptake rates reflected primarily growth, while isotope studies indicated a substantial ion exchange rate between mature celjs and the growth medium. The rates of transport of either Na* or K* to the shoot were very similar using the two estimation techniques. As the rates measured with isotopes were taken from studies lasting at most a few hours, this suggested a very rapid turnover of the upwardly mobile Na* and K* pools in the roots.
Physics of process induced uniaxially strained Si

Uniaxial process induced stress is being adopted in all 90, 65, and 45 nm high performance logic technologies. The uniaxial stress offers large performance improvement at low cost and minimally increased manufacturing complexity and is scalable to future technology nodes. The mobility enhancement is larger for uniaxial than biaxial stress and can be understood from the strain altered band structure.
Desensitization of the human neutrophil degranulation response: studies with 5,12-dihydroxy-6,8,10,14- eicosatetraenoic acid.

Abstract The human polymorphonuclear neutrophil degranulation response to 5,12-dihydroxy-6,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid was completely desensitized by preincubating the cells with small amounts of this same fatty acid. Desensitization developed within 1 min, persisted in thoroughly washed cells, and was not due to inactivation of the stimulus. These desensitized cells, however, degranulated partially in response to the ionophore A23187 and normally in response to C5a, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, 1- 0 - alkyl-2- 0 - acetyl - sn - glycero-3-phosphocholine , and phorbol myristate acetate. Thus, the dihydroxy fatty acid is a unique stimulus which degranulates and desensitizes neutrophils by pathways at least partially distinct from those utilized by the other stimuli. The fatty acid, although rapidly formed in degranulating neutrophils, is unlikely to be an essential or universal mediator of the degranulation response.
From semi-presidentialism to parliamentarism: Regime change and presidential power in Moldova

Abstract This article examines Moldova's constitutional change in 2000 from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary regime and analyses what the Moldovan case tells us about the nature of executive power. One of the interesting issues that this case raises is whether our definition of regime really captures the locus of political power. While Moldova has evolved from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary regime, the president is more powerful under the current regime than previous presidents were in a semi-presidential regime. The consolidation of the president's party in the parliament explains the concentration of executive power more than constitutional prerogatives.
Elastic-plastic analysis of combined mode I and III crack-tip fields under small-scale yielding conditions

WITHIN THE context of the small-strain approach, combined mode I and III near-tip fields of a stationary crack in an elastic-plastic solid are obtained by finite element analysis under small-scale yielding conditions. To investigate the behavior of the near-tip fields, the normalized stresses ahead of the crack tip are plotted as functions of the normalized radial distance to the tip for several combinations of prescribed mode 1 and III elastic K fields. The angular variations of the normalized stresses at a fixed radial distance deep within the plastic zone are also plotted for several combinations of remote mode I and III elastic K fields. These plots show an unmistakeable pattern : the in-plane stresses are more singular than the out-of-plane shear stresses. Over a certain distance, the near-tip in-plane stresses can be said to be more singular than r- ’ ‘“+ ‘) while the near-tip out-of-plane shear stresses are less singular than r- I’(“+ I), where I is the radial distance to the tip and n is the strain hardening exponent of the material. lmpli~tions of these features as they relate to three-dimensional engineering fracture analyses are discussed.
A Bayesian Semi-Parametric Model to Estimate Relationships between Crash Counts and Roadway Characteristics

This paper uses a semi-parametric Poisson-gamma model to estimate the relationships between crash counts and various roadway characteristics, including curvature, traffic levels, speed limit and surface width. A Bayesian nonparametric estimation procedure is employed for the model's link function, substantially reducing the risk of a mis-specified model. It is shown via simulation that little is lost in terms of estimation quality if the nonparametric estimation procedure is used when standard parametric assumptions (e.g., linear functional forms) are satisfied, but there is significant gain if the parametric assumptions are violated. It is also shown that imposing appropriate monotonicity constraints on the relationships provides better function estimates. Results suggest that key factors for explaining crash rate variability across roadways are the amount and density of traffic, presence and degree of a horizontal curve, and road classification. Issues related to count forecasting on individual roadway segments and out-of-sample validation measures also are discussed.
Perceived Consequences of Casual Online Sexual Activities on Heterosexual Relationships: A U.S. Online Survey

Some researchers have illustrated how the Internet can provide users with an ideal atmosphere to explore sexuality; however, most have stressed the Internet’s negative impact on intimate relationships. Notably, much of this research has focused on the small minority of men who compulsively engage in online sexual activities (OSA), overlooking the majority of men and women who use OSA recreationally (either individually or with a partner). Addressing these limitations, data on heterosexual adults in committed relationships were taken from the 2004 “ELLE/msnbc.com Cyber-sex and Romance Survey” (n = 8,376). In quantitative analyses, men were less likely than women to express concerns and more likely to hold favorable attitudes about their partner’s OSA. With regard to the impact of OSA on intimate relationships, men and women did not differ in becoming “more open to new things,” and finding it easier “to talk about what [they] want sexually.” Negative impacts were also identified, with women more likely to indicate they had less sex as a result of a partner’s OSA, and men more likely to indicate they were less aroused by real sex as a result of their own OSA. Generally, qualitative results mirrored quantitative ones. Additionally, qualitative data suggested that moderate or light amounts of OSA yield relationship benefits for both female and male users, including increases in the quality and frequency of sex, and increased intimacy with real partners. In addition, men who used the Internet moderately, and men and women who reported being light users, stated that engaging in tandem OSA fostered better sexual communication with partners. Findings underscore the need to explore further the impact that online sexual activities can have on real-life committed relationships.
Triethylene glycol complexes of the early lanthanide(III) chlorides

Abstract The complexation of triethylene glycol (EO3) with the earlier lanthanide(III) chlorides has been investigated in 1/1 and 10/1 stoichiometries and with the addition of LiCl. Two well resolved crystalline forms of La3+ and Ce3+ have been isolated and structurally characterized: [MCl(OH2)(EO3)2]Cl2 and [MCl2(OH2)2(EO3)]2Cl2(MLa, Ce). The former are ten-coordinate bicapped square antiprismatic while the latter are dimers of nine-coordinate tricapped trigonal prisms. A third disordered crystalline form has been isolated containing the same dimeric cation above and a disordered aquo/chloro metal anion. To round out our structural characterization of the series of lanthanide(III) chloride EO3 complexes, the crystal structures of [M(OH2)5(EO3)]Cl3 (MSm, Tb), [DyCl3(EO3)]·CH3CN, and [TmCl3(EO3)]·CH3OH are also presented.
Developing Cultural Competence: Mainstream Teachers and Professional Development

In response to the underachievement of its Latino children, one district implemented Parent Partnership for Achieving Literacy (PAL), a program to build cultural bridges between home and school. Pr...
The Contributions of Intracerebral Currents to the EEG and Evoked Potentials

Scalp and cortical potentials due to implanted, dipole current sources were measured in the monkey. A four region spherical model of the head was developed and scalp potentials due to theoretical radial dipoles were computed and compared with experimental results. Dipole source locations were chosen to correspond to points along the somatosensory projection pathways to permit comparison of findings with clinical cortical and scalp evoked potential records. Data yielded by the theoretical head model compare well with those obtained experimentally. The results suggest that depth cerebral bioelectric sources can contribute to scalp recorded activity when averaging techniques are used.
Getting the whole story: an experience report on analyzing data elicited using the war stories procedure

When analyzing data elicited using the "war stories" technique, previously introduced by Lutters and Seaman (Inf Softw Technol 49(6):576---587, 2007), we encountered unexpected challenges in applying standard qualitative analysis techniques. After reviewing the literature on stories and storytelling, we realized that a richer analysis would be possible if we accorded more respect to the data's structure and nature as stories, rather than treating our participants' utterances simply as textual data. We report on five lessons learned regarding how we can better analyze war stories as stories: 1) war stories tend to be about exceptional situations; 2) war stories tend to be diverse and resistant to being combined into a single grand narrative; 3) the humanities can be a valuable resource for analyzing war stories; 4) war stories are not just text, they are also performances; and 5) war stories are not just data, they are also instructive and evocative.
Some Considerations in Planning for Superhilac Timeshare Operation with Both Heavy and Light Ion Beams

One of the important problems to be solved for any accelerator, with the exception of those intended for a single purpose such as injection, is providing adequately for multiple use of the machine. Of particular importance is the possibility of timeshare operation, in which two or more experimental setups can be supplied with beam at the same time. The SuperHilac will accelerate ions of all mass numbers, with final energy continuously variable from 2.6 to 8.5 MeV/nucleon. Normally, to change particle and energy in the Hilac requires a careful retuning of many machine parameters and (optimistically) an hour of machine time. For the SuperHilac it is proposed to provide particles of different charge-to-mass ratio on alternate pulses, so that, for example, half of the pulses would be light ions, delivered to one experimental area, and the other half heavy ions, delivered to another experimental area. Consequently a number of new problems need to be solved. These occur at injection, with accelerating and focusing the beams in the linac, in the stripper area, and at the exit from the machine.
Percutaneous transfemoral insertion of a stented graft to repair a traumatic femoral arteriovenous fistula

This case report describes a new approach to repair a femoral arteriovenous fistula with a transluminally placed intraarterial graft-covered stent. A balloon-expandable stented polytetrafluoroethylene graft was inserted percutaneously to obliterate an arteriovenous fistula after a bullet injured the left superficial femoral artery and vein of an 18-year-old man. Follow-up duplex ultrasonography at 5 months demonstrated patency and luminal integrity of the involved artery and vein, with resolution of the associated pseudoaneurysm. Additional follow-up will be needed to further substantiate the utility of this minimally invasive procedure in the treatment of traumatic arterial injuries.
Alterations of a dominant epitope of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus which affect class I binding and cytotoxic T cell recognition.

We have investigated mutation of a dominant cytotoxic T cell (CTL) epitope from the nucleoprotein (NP) of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Five NP peptide analogs with single substitutions at the predicted anchor residues (designated by the wild type amino acid, the position number and the new amino acid: P2A, P2R, M9L and M9K) and at a non-anchor position (S5N) were examined for binding to class I, H-2 Ld molecules. Each of the substitutions decreased or abolished the capacity of the NP peptide to increase cell surface Ld expression and to induce Ld stabilization in the cell lysates, indicating that these substitutions significantly affected peptide binding to Ld. We tested the peptide analogs for recognition by bulk primary CTL specific for LCMV, and for their ability to stimulate in vitro the CTL originally induced by wild type LCMV. Except for the M9L change, all mutations reduced CTL recognition by at least 100-fold, and the analogs failed to stimulate the CTL in vitro. The M9L peptide was recognized by the CTL and stimulated the CTL in vitro almost as well as wild type; however, this peptide induced Ld stabilization in the cell lysates to a much lesser extent than wild type. Overall, this study demonstrates that mutations in the NP epitope affected peptide binding to the Ld molecule and CTL recognition.
Gradients of Neurotrophins, Ion Channels, and Tuning in the Cochlea

The mammalian cochlea is exquisitely designed to decompose complex sounds into their component frequencies, accounting in part for the superb auditory discrimination displayed by many species. To perform this task, numerous mechanical and electrical specializations are graded along the length of the cochlea that create a tonotopic map in which sounds of different frequencies produce maximal responses at different cochlear locations. Graded mechanical features include structural changes in the vibratory basilar membrane, on which the hair cell sensory receptors sit, to systematic changes in receptor cell size and stereociliary length. Furthermore, there is growing evidence that frequency specificity does not stop at mechanical and morphological elements in the cochlea, but also extends to the intrinsic electrical profile of the hair cell sensory receptors and the first neural element in the auditory system—the spiral ganglion neurons.
Modifying the release of proxyphylline from PVA hydrogels using surface crosslinking

Drug release profiles were altered to prevent the initial burst effect or introduce a lag phase by creating surface crosslinked layers in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) confirmed the successful introduction of these surface crosslinked layers. The thickness and crosslinking density of the surface crosslinked layer were highly dependent on the surface crosslinking conditions (i.e., exposure time and glutaraldehyde (GTA) concentration used). By judicious selection of these parameters, the initial burst release could be eliminated and a reproducible delayed release could be achieved. Highly surface crosslinked layers had a tendency to rupture during the swelling process of PVA hydrogels; these raptures were found to coincide with delayed release of proxyphylline from surface crosslinked PVA hydrogels.
Energy efficient and scalable device-to-device discovery protocol with fast discovery

Device-to-device (D2D) discovery is an important step toward numerous applications of device-to-device communications. However, the design of D2D discovery protocols also faces the challenges of distributed nature, energy efficiency, scalability, and fast discovery. In this paper, we propose a D2D discovery protocol called synced distributed protocol that can efficiently resolve these challenges. The key idea behind our protocol is to group devices in a neighborhood such that devices in a group will take turns to announce the existence of other devices in a group. Hence, a device can reduce the period of announcing its existence and have the advantages of energy efficiency and scalability. Further, the transmissions from other devices in the group still guarantee fast discovery. We validate our protocol design by analysis and simulations. Specifically, we prove that our proposed protocol will function correctly in a static environment with minor assumptions and simulate our protocol in the OPNET 802.11n model. Simulation results confirm that our algorithm is scalable and can achieve low duty cycle and fast discovery. For mobile environment, we propose enhanced techniques and use simulation to show that the enhanced techniques has the benefits of increasing the group size.
The adequacy of a role play of a previous event as affected by high and low social anxiety and rehearsal

This study was designed as a preliminary step in evaluating the adequacy of a role play of a previous event. Sixty undergraduate males, high or low in social anxiety, interacted with a female assistant. Two groups of subjects then rehearsed this conversation overtly or covertly, while a third group became involved in a distraction task. Finally, all subjects role played the initial interaction with a second female assistant. Individual Pearson product-moment correlations between the initial and the role-play sessions yielded moderate, but significant correlations for most of the rated behaviors. Canonical correlations for the verbal and for the nonverbal ratings showed the two sessions, as a whole, highly related. Two (high-versus low-social anxiety group) × three (overt, covert, or no rehearsal) analyses of variance were performed on four measures. Significant results were found only for the anxiety group effect and rehearsal group effect on one rating, anxiety behaviors. The implications of the modest individual correlations suggest that estimation of specific levels of behavior is not appropriate from a role play of a previous event. However, the use of such a role play to make global distinctions of relative competence may be appropriate. The results of this study are consonant with earlier studies on role-play assessment.
A chloroplast homologue of the signal recognition particle subunit SRP54 is involved in the posttranslational integration of a protein into thylakoid membranes

The mechanisms involved in the integration of proteins into the thylakoid membrane are largely unknown. However, many of the steps of this process for the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein (LHCP) have been described and reconstituted in vitro. LHCP is synthesized as a precursor in the cytosol and posttranslationally imported into chloroplasts. Upon translocation across the envelope membranes, the N-terminal transit peptide is cleaved, and the apoprotein is assembled into a soluble "transit complex" and then integrated into the thylakoid membrane via three transmembrane helices. Here we show that 54CP, a chloroplast homologue of the 54-kDa subunit of the mammalian signal recognition particle (SRP54), is essential for transit complex formation, is present in the complex, and is required for LHCP integration into the thylakoid membrane. Our data indicate that 54CP functions posttranslationally as a molecular chaperone and potentially pilots LHCP to the thylakoids. These results demonstrate that one of several pathways for protein routing to the thylakoids is homologous to the SRP pathway and point to a common evolutionary origin for the protein transport systems of the endoplasmic reticulum and the thylakoid membrane.
Early Origins of Cardiovascular Disease in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease

The importance of cardiovascular disease in adults with chronic kidney disease is now well recognized. For children who develop chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease is also a leading cause of eventual morbidity and mortality. Although the clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease may not be apparent until later, early subclinical findings can be observed even during childhood. This review updates the reader on the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in pediatric chronic kidney disease, discusses risk factors and potential mechanisms of accelerated cardiovascular disease, reviews evidence of early manifestations of cardiovascular disease in pediatric chronic kidney disease, and briefly discusses prevention and treatment strategies.
Spatial and feature-based memory representation in free-flying homing pigeons

The memory-based recognition of a goal is a capacity well demonstrated in birds, and understanding this ability often involves determining the relative importance of spatial and feature information in representing the properties of a goal. However, surprisingly little avian research has examined goal recognition in a field setting. Here, we demonstrate that homing pigeons can be successfully trained outdoors to fly to and land on a goal platform located in an array of other platforms at a distance on the order of 100 m. They can do so under conditions when the properties of the goal are stable in time as well as when the properties of the goal periodically change; the latter condition indicating that homing pigeons can rapidly adapt their memory representations to take into account changing environmental conditions. When probed for preferential use of either spatial (location) or feature-based (color) information, the pigeons demonstrated an indifferent capacity to use both independent of task demands. The homing pigeon memory systems that support goal recognition appear to be opportunistic with respect to the information exploited, using spatial and feature information equally to guide their behavior. Therefore, and despite strong natural and artificial selection for navigational ability, spatial information is no more important than feature cues in representing a goal location for homing pigeons flying outdoors.
Comparative effectiveness of physician diagnosis and guideline definitions in identifying sepsis patients in the emergency department

Abstract Purpose The purpose of our study was to compare the agreement of emergency physician diagnoses relative to the 1991 American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP)/Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and 2001 ACCP/SCCM/European Society of Intensive Care Medicine/American Thoracic Society/Surgical Infection Society internationally accepted definitions of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. Materials and methods This study was an observational cohort study of adult patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a chief complaint suggestive of infection over a 6-week period, during a daily enrollment schedule from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm. Patients were categorized as having "no sepsis," "sepsis," "severe sepsis," or "septic shock" based on ED physician diagnosis, the 1991 definitions, or 2001 definitions. Agreement statistics were performed. Results A total of 1275 patients were enrolled with age 50.1 ± 21.7 years and 59.1% were female. Among the enrolled patients, 228 were identified as having a source of infection. Temperature, heart rate, and white blood cell count were significantly higher in patients with infection, compared with those without ( P κ = 0.86 and 91.2% agreement. No agreement was found between the physician diagnosis and 1991 consensus sepsis definitions ( κ = 0.11 and 52.2% agreement) or between the physician diagnosis and the 2001 consensus sepsis definitions ( κ = 0.13 and 50.0% agreement). Conclusions Our study showed that ED physician diagnosis of sepsis may disagree with the international definitions such that severe sepsis is underrecognized by clinical judgment alone. Although these results are limited to a single center, we raise concern that early treatments for these high-risk patients may be delayed due to inaccurate clinical diagnosis. Efforts are needed to increase the application of sepsis guideline definitions to better identify ED patients with this potentially deadly condition.
Heterojunction interface double layer and consequences for photovoltaic cells, specifically CdzZn1–zS/Cu2S

It is shown that an interface dislocation field at a heterojunction with substantial lattice mismatch needs charge compensation which can cause a double layer producing a potential spike at the interface. Tunneling through such a spike reduces the current through the interface. Reasonable agreement between theory and experiment is obtained for CdzZn1–zS/Cu2S photovoltaic cells. Das Zwischenschicht-Versetzungsfeld eines Heterouberganges mit merklich verschiedener Gitterkonstante erfordert eine Ladungskompensation, die eine Raumladungsdoppelschicht verursachen kann, welche wiederum zu einer Potentialbarriere an der Grenzschicht fuhren kann. Tunneln durch eine solche Potentialbarriere vermindert den Strom durch diese Zwischenschicht. Eine annehmbare Ubereinstimmung zwischen Theorie und Experiment wird fur CdzZn1–zS/Cu2S-Photozellen erhalten.
Discovering 1-FT routes in mobile ad hoc networks

Transmitting messages in mobile wireless networks typically involves on-demand route discovery implemented via network-wide broadcast. Due to the dynamic nature of the network topology the life-time of a route is very short, so a source frequently requires a new route to an old destination. Simultaneous discovery of multiple routes can reduce the overhead due to repeated route discovery broadcasts. Previously proposed multipath protocols do not guarantee discovery of alternative paths if they exist. We propose a multiple route discovery algorithm (ALTDSR) that finds a (multihop) primary path between a source and a destination, and a set of alternative paths. We introduce dominator relationships between primary and non-primary path nodes. Using dominators, we characterize alternative paths that bypass an intermediate node on the primary path. We develop algorithms that guarantee finding a set of alternative paths to tolerate any single node fault on the primary path, if such a set of alternative paths exists. We present simulation results which show that under high mobility conditions, ALTDSR delivers substantially more packets (around 75% more) than dynamic source routing (DSR) with moderate increase in routing overhead.
Towards characterizing what the L2 learner knows

This target article is mostly a presentation of experimental research devoted to the larger issue of the role of Universal Grammar in second language learning. Deliberately excluding the aspects of human cognition that makes second language (L2) so variant, Epstein et al. focus on what the learners may know and how they come to know it. This is the aspect of Epstein et al.'s work which is more limiting, and potentially more interesting.
Comparison study of email classifications for healthcare organizations

At present, email is one of the primary communication tools for industrial organizations and government agencies. The email system is popular, powerful, and efficient but has some shortcomings, as it contains unstructured data and spam emails. Each organization receives a profound number of emails each day, and dedicated resources are needed to process them. The allocated resources are the cost of the company. Spam emails add unnecessary workload to the company and affect the company's performance economically. Spam emails may have different characteristics in different industrial sectors. Healthcare organizations such as hospitals, clinics, and retirement centers receive spam emails with different features from other companies. This paper discusses the previous spam filters and describes a hybrid approach with machine learning algorithms and association rules to address the spam emails with specific characteristics in the healthcare system.
Observation of an orientation transition in Rh monolayer on Mo(110)

Abstract The growth of Rh monolayers of Mo(110) was studied using Auger electron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. Layer-by-layer growth occurs at room temperature, up to at least 3 layers. An orientation transition is observed at a Rh coverage of about one monolayer from the Kurdjumov-Sachs to the Nishiyama-Wassermann orientation. The results are discussed in light of current views of the structure of fcc(111)/bcc(110) interfaces.
Arousal change and cognitive labeling: Pursuing the mediators of intimacy exchange

In recent years a considerable amount of research on nonverbal behavior has focused on identifying patterns of exchange in the component behaviors of interpersonal intimacy. The rapidly developing empirical research, occasionally giving hope for some convergence in the results, has precipitated efforts at explaining the processes underlying the exchange of intimacy. This paper attempts to analyze issues surrounding two of the more promising mediators of intimacy exchange—arousal change and cognitive labeling. This speculative discussion is offered as a means of stimulating several specific and empirically testable questions which may promote our understanding of the intimacy exchange process.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of CrO3/H2SO4-Etched Polyethylene Films

The effects of chromic/sulfuric acid etchant on thin polyethylene films are being studied by Raman spectroscopy. The functional groups on the surface of the etched films were found to differ from those present in the bulk. Cr-O bands appeared in both the bulk and SERS spectra, and sulfate species were detected on the surface only. The ability to differentiate between the surface and bulk polymer chemistry of CrO3/H2SO4-etched polyethylene using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is demonstrated.
Synthesis of brookite TiO2 nanoparticles by ambient condition sol process

Brookite TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by ambient condition sol process of hydrolyzing TiCl4 in an acidic alcohol under refluxing. The spherical morphology of the particles was found from the SEM and TEM micrographs. The crystalline nature and the brookite phase were confirmed from the X-ray diffractometry. The mean particle size was found to be in the range of 30 nm. Agglomerate formation was observed and could be predicted from the heat released during the hydrolysis of TiCl4. This work presents a simple/direct method for the preparation of high purity brookite TiO2 nanoparticles.
Controlling Schottky energy barriers in organic electronic devices using self-assembled monolayers.

We demonstrate tuning of Schottky energy barriers in organic electronic devices by utilizing chemically tailored electrodes. The Schottky energy barrier of Ag on poly[2-methoxy, 5-(2\ensuremath{'}-ethyl-hexyloxy)- 1,4-phenylene was tuned over a range of more than 1 eV by using self-assembled monolayers (SAM's) to attach oriented dipole layers to the Ag prior to device fabrication. Kelvin probe measurements were used to determine the effect of the SAM's on the Ag surface potential. Ab initio Hartree-Fock calculations of the molecular dipole moments successfully describe the surface potential changes. The chemically tailored electrodes were then incorporated in organic diode structures and changes in the metal/organic Schottky energy barriers were measured using an electroabsorption technique. These results demonstrate the use of self-assembled monolayers to control metal/organic interfacial electronic properties. They establish a physical principle for manipulating the relative energy levels between two materials and demonstrate an approach to improve metal/organic contacts in organic electronic devices. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.