cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phononic crystals for acoustic confinement in CMOS-MEMS resonators

This work presents the first implementation of phononic crystals (PnCs) in a standard CMOS process to realize high-Q RF MEMS resonators at GHz frequencies without the need for any post-processing or packaging. An unreleased acoustic resonant cavity is defined using a PnC comprising back-end of line (BEOL) materials such as routing metals and low-k intermetal dielectric. A CMOS-MEMS resonant body transistor (RBT) with electrostatic driving and piezoresistive sensing is implemented within this cavity. This results in a 10× enhancement in Q at resonance and improved suppression of spurious modes off-resonance as compared to first-generation CMOS-integrated devices. The first PnC-confined RBT is demonstrated in IBM's 32 nm SOI process at 2.8 GHz with Q of 252, spanning a footprint of 5 μm × 7 μm.
Hematuria in Childhood

The causes of hematuria, both gross and microscopic, in the pediatric patient are numerous and confusing. The pediatrician should develop an organized, logical sequence of diagnostic steps, the keystones of which are (1) a careful review of the history, (2) physical findings, and (3) simple, inexpensive, minimally invasive laboratory and radiologic tests. If serious pathology is suspected, early referral to a nephrologist or urologist is urged. In these instances, renal biopsy or invasive urologic evaluation is probably inevitable.
Susceptibility and Cross-Resistance of Bacteria to Four Related Antibiotics Kanamycin, Paromomycin, Neomycin and Streptomycin

Summary and conclusionsThe antibiotics kanamycin, paromomycin and neomycin were shown to have essentially the same activity in vitro against strains of Staphylococcus aureus and of various Enterobacteriaceae. Bacteria made resistant to any one of these 3 antibiotics by subcultures on that antibiotic also exhibit virtually complete cross-resistance to the other two. Organisms isolated from infected sources do not show significant cross-resistance between streptomycin and any of these 3 antibiotics. However, strains made resistant in vitro to either kanamycin, paromomycin or neomycin show moderate increases in resistance to streptomycin, and strains made resistant to the latter exhibit only minor increases in resistance to the other 3 antibiotics. With all 4 antibiotics, corresponding parent and resistant variants of the staphylococci were of the same phage type, and resistant variants of K. pneumoniae and E. coli retained their serological specificity. Fecal organisms isolated from patients during oral tre...
Using Wikis as a Formative Assessment Tool for Student Engineering Design Teams

Due to its focus in project-based learning, design educators must provide individual coaching and mentoring of student teams as they progress through their design efforts. In order to increase the quantity and quality of design mentoring, the authors have implemented the use of Wiki websites as a medium for providing formative assessment for student design teams enrolled in a sophomore-level Mechanical Engineering design course. Wiki websites, which allow for easy creation and editing of interlinked webpages, were created for each design team in order to provide a virtual space for the creation, compilation, and editing of their design project report submissions. With access to each team’s Wiki site, the mentor is able to observe each team’s product design process unfold and provide feedback using an embedded commenting system. The public presentation of design reports also affords the facilitation of a peer-review of student work. In this paper the authors present details of the implementation of a Wiki for preliminary assessment data for this tool. Results show that the students found the tool and the associated activities to be easy to use, helpful in developing better design reports and a contributing factor to their development of critical and analytical thinking skills. In addition, students who used the tool reported receiving more meaningful formative feedback from the instructor and reported giving more formative feedback to their peers when compared to other sections of the class that were not using the Wiki.
Identification of soybean seed developmental stage-specific and tissue-specific miRNA targets by degradome sequencing

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the expression of target genes by mediating gene silencing in both plants and animals. The miRNA targets have been extensively investigated in Arabidopsis and rice using computational prediction, experimental validation by overexpression in transgenic plants, and by degradome or PARE (parallel analysis of RNA ends) sequencing. However, miRNA targets mostly remain unknown in soybean (Glycine max). More specifically miRNA mediated gene regulation at different seed developmental stages in soybean is largely unexplored. In order to dissect miRNA guided gene regulation in soybean developing seeds, we performed a transcriptome-wide experimental method using degradome sequencing to directly detect cleaved miRNA targets. In this study, degradome libraries were separately prepared from immature soybean cotyledons representing three stages of development and from seed coats of two stages. Sequencing and analysis of 10 to 40 million reads from each library resulted in identification of 183 different targets for 53 known soybean miRNAs. Among these, some were found only in the cotyledons representing cleavage by 25 miRNAs and others were found only in the seed coats reflecting cleavage by 12 miRNAs. A large number of targets for 16 miRNAs families were identified in both tissues irrespective of the stage. Interestingly, we identified more miRNA targets in the desiccating cotyledons of late seed maturation than in immature seed. We validated four different auxin response factor genes as targets for gma-miR160 via RNA ligase mediated 5’ rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-5’RACE). Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated the involvement of miRNA target genes in various cellular processes during seed development. The miRNA targets in both the cotyledons and seed coats of several stages of soybean seed development have been elucidated by experimental evidence from comprehensive, high throughput sequencing of the enriched fragments resulting from miRNA-guided cleavage of messenger RNAs. Nearly 50% of the miRNA targets were transcription factors in pathways that are likely important in setting or maintaining the developmental program leading to high quality soybean seeds that are one of the dominant sources of protein and oil in world markets.
A transaction cost analysis of quality, traceability and animal welfare issues in UK beef retailing

Presents a study of the procurement of beef by UK supermarkets. Investigates the hypothesis that a retailer’s choice of beef supplier is influenced by the transaction costs incurred in different supply relationships. Measures the relative importance of the transaction costs incurred by retailers as a result of concerns over quality consistency, traceability and farm animal welfare using conjoint analysis. Data for the conjoint analysis were collected through a postal survey of UK supermarket retailers. From the results, suggests that the information and monitoring costs arising from the need to ensure that beef supplies are of a consistent quality are relatively important influences on the choice of supplier, followed by the traceability of cattle, whether the beef originates from a farm assurance scheme and the price paid by the retailer. Also analyses procurement preferences of individual respondents, revealing some interesting differences between the retailers. Concludes that strategic alliance partnerships between retailers, processors and marketing groups composed of farmers may emerge as the method of vertical co‐ordination which minimizes transaction costs.
CONVERGENCE RATES FOR EMPIRICAL BAYES ESTIMATION OF BINOMIAL PARAMETER

Abstract This paper deals with the problem of estimating the binomial parameter through the empirical Bayes approach. Two empirical Bayes estimators are considered. We prove that the associated Bayes risks of the concerned estimators converge to the minimum Bayes risk at least with rate O(n−1 log n), where n is the number of accumulated post experience at hand. An asymptotically lower bound for the convergence rate is also found. This lower bound converges to zero with rate O(n−1).
Cell cycle kinetics responses of human stomach cancer cells to reduction in polyamine levels by treatment with αDifluoromethylornithine in vitro

Treatment of human gastric cancer clones in vitro with low doses of DFMO (5 mM) produced elongation of the cell population doubling times and lowering of the saturation densities. By contrast, DFMO treatment of normal human skin fibroblasts altered only the saturation density. The lack of an effect of 5 mM DFMO on the doubling time of normal fibroblasts may be directly related to baseline intracellular putrescine levels, which were about 2.5 times higher than in the cancer cells. The same dose of DFMO caused a rapid decrease in intracellular polyamine levels in the tumor clones. The effects on the doubling time and saturation density were almost totally abolished by the addition of 50 μM putrescine to the growth medium during the first 24 h of treatment with DFMO. Exposure to 5 mM DFMO for 24 h caused the human gastric cancer cells to become blocked in G1 phase only, and this led to a reduction in the fraction of cells in S phase. The G1 block was reversible and this cohort of cells eventually passed through S phase and then through G2 and M. A higher 100 mM dose of DFMO and longer exposure times for both doses produced cell cycle changes and death of more than 90% of the cell population. These data suggest that cell kinetics changes observed under these experimental conditions may reflect polyamine-related alterations in the biochemical events of cell cycle progression kinetics; but may also be the result of DFMO-induced loss of cell viability.
Phase selection during crystallization of undercooled liquid eutectic lead-tin alloys

During rapid solidification substantial amounts of undercooling are in general required for formation of metastable phases. Crystallization at varying levels of undercooling and melting of metastable phases were studied during slow cooling and heating of emulsified PB-Sn alloys. Besides the experimental demonstration of the reversibility of metastable phase equilibra, two different principal solidification paths have been identified and compared with the established metastable phase diagram and predictions from classical nucleation theory. The results suggest that the most probable solidification path is described by the 'step rule' resulting in the formation of metastable phases at low undercooling, whereas the stable eutectic phase mixture crystallizes without metastable phase formation at high undercooling.
Dynamic Stress Formation During Catalytic Combustion of Methane in Ceramic Monoliths

Abstract Catalytic combustion of methane can generate thermal gradients that are large enough to shatter monoliths during several transient operating modes. This paper presents simulations from a 2-D transient numercial model of the transport and surface chemistry in a passage in a catalytic monolith, including convection and diffusion in the gas phase and heterogeneous reactions on the monolith walls. Rates of surface methane oxidation are based on reaction kinetics for a supported Pd'O catalyst assigned from differential reactor measurements. A thermal stress analysis package uses the predicted temperature profiles to calculate stress formation profiles in the monolith. The model neglects homogeneous reactions, but nevertheless describes the essential features of transient operating modes that generate the largest thermal stresses. Simulations are reported for inlet methane concentrations from 3 to 5 vol% in air and inlet temperatures from 300 to saoae. Results illustrate dynamic stress formation during...
Characterization of a peptide domain within the GB virus C NS5A phosphoprotein that inhibits HIV replication.

Background GBV-C infection is associated with prolonged survival in HIV-infected people and GBV-C inhibits HIV replication in co-infection models. Expression of the GBV-C nonstructural phosphoprotein 5A (NS5A) decreases surface levels of the HIV co-receptor CXCR4, induces the release of SDF-1 and inhibits HIV replication in Jurkat CD4+ T cell lines. Methodology/Principal Findings Jurkat cell lines stably expressing NS5A protein and peptides were generated and HIV replication in these cell lines assessed. HIV replication was significantly inhibited in all cell lines expressing NS5A amino acids 152–165. Substitution of an either alanine or glycine for the serine at position 158 (S158A or S158G) resulted in a significant decrease in the HIV inhibitory effect. In contrast, substituting a phosphomimetic amino acid (glutamic acid; S158E) inhibited HIV as well as the parent peptide. HIV inhibition was associated with lower levels of surface expression of the HIV co-receptor CXCR4 and increased release of the CXCR4 ligand, SDF-1 compared to control cells. Incubation of CD4+ T cell lines with synthetic peptides containing amino acids 152–167 or the S158E mutant peptide prior to HIV infection resulted in HIV replication inhibition compared to control peptides. Conclusions/Significance Expression of GBV-C NS5A amino acids 152–165 are sufficient to inhibit HIV replication in vitro, and the serine at position 158 appears important for this effect through either phosphorylation or structural changes in this peptide. The addition of synthetic peptides containing 152–167 or the S158E substitution to Jurkat cells resulted in HIV replication inhibition in vitro. These data suggest that GBV-C peptides or a peptide mimetic may offer a novel, cellular-based approach to antiretroviral therapy.
Structure, Energetics, and Dynamics of Water Adsorbed on the Muscovite (001) Surface: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulations of liquid water adsorbed on the muscovite (001) surface provide a greatly increased, atomistically detailed understanding of surface-related effects on ...
Applications of spectral hole burning spectroscopies to antenna and reaction center complexes.

The underlying principles of spectral hole burning spectroscopies and the theory for hole profiles are reviewed and illustrated with calculated spectra. The methodology by which the dependence of the overall hole profile on burn wavelength can be used to reveal the contributions from site inhomogeneous broadening and various homogeneous broadening contributions to the broad Qy-absorption bands of cofactors is emphasized. Applications to the primary electron donor states of the reaction centers of purple bacteria and Photosystems I and II of green plants are discussed. The antenna (light harvesting) complexes considered include B800–B850 and B875 of Rhodobacter sphaeroides and the base-plate complex of Prosthecochloris aestuarii with particular attention being given to excitonic interactions and level structure. The data presented show that spectral hole burning is a generally applicable low temperature approach for the study of excited state electronic and vibrational (intramolecular, phonon) structures, structural heterogeneity and excited state lifetimes.
Grain boundary-solute interactions in polycrystalline silicon and germanium

Abstract The behavior of semiconductors is affected by the presence and distribution of dopants. The properties involved range from electrical resistivity and carrier concentration to gain boundary mobility and self-diffusion. Understanding these phenomena necessitates the characterization of defect structure and chemistry. STEM analysis has been applied to the measurement of arsenic segregation to silicon grain boundaries. Quantitative information on the boundary concentration of arsenic has been obtained both on as-deposited and annealed polysilicon specimens. In addition, the dynamic interaction of solutes with grain boundaries in polycrystalline germanium has been investigated.
Toxoplasmic polymyositis revisited: case report and review of literature

Toxoplasmosis can cause polymyositis either by reactivation or by recent infection. Inconsistent response to antiprotozoal therapy has been the strongest argument against toxoplasmic polymyositis as a separate entity. We report a biopsy-proven case of toxoplasmic polymyositis in a cardiac transplant patient presenting with a severe proximal weakness, myopathic, electromyographic changes and ten-fold increase of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies. An early antiprotozoal therapy and plasmapheresis led to recovery. A review of previously reported cases of toxoplasmic polymyositis suggests that an early antiprotozoal therapy is the most important variable affecting the outcome of this disease. We propose that toxoplasmic polymyositis has two phases: acute, responsive to antiprotozoal therapy, and chronic, manifested by altered immune response requiring steroids. We suggest that all patients presenting with polymyositis should have serological tests for toxoplasmosis as a part of their initial evaluation and an early trial of antiprotozoal therapy in case of positive findings.
MusicalHeart: a hearty way of listening to music

MusicalHeart is a biofeedback-based, context-aware, automated music recommendation system for smartphones. We introduce a new wearable sensing platform, Septimu, which consists of a pair of sensor-equipped earphones that communicate to the smartphone via the audio jack. The Septimu platform enables the MusicalHeart application to continuously monitor the heart rate and activity level of the user while listening to music. The physiological information and contextual information are then sent to a remote server, which provides dynamic music suggestions to help the user maintain a target heart rate. We provide empirical evidence that the measured heart rate is 75% -- 85% correlated to the ground truth with an average error of 7.5 BPM. The accuracy of the person-specific, 3-class activity level detector is on average 96.8%, where these activity levels are separated based on their differing impacts on heart rate. We demonstrate the practicality of MusicalHeart by deploying it in two real world scenarios and show that MusicalHeart helps the user achieve a desired heart rate intensity with an average error of less than 12.2%, and its quality of recommendation improves over time.
Synthesis and evaluation of potential complement inhibitory semisynthetic analogs of oleanolic acid

A number of semisynthetic analogs of oleanolic acid have been synthesized and tested for their complement inhibitory, cytotoxic and apoptotic activities. Among these, compounds 10 and 17 exhibited complement inhibitory potency superior to oleanolic acid. Both have also shown a moderate improvement in in vitro therapeutic index (T.I.).
Comparison of tiletamine‐zolazepam‐ketamine and tiletamine‐zolazepam‐ketamine‐xylazine anaesthesia in sheep

The anaesthetic effects of intravenous tiletamine-zolazepam 6.6 mg/kg-ketamine 6.6 mg/kg (TK) and tiletamine-zolazepam 6.6 mg/kg-ketamine 6.6 mg/kg-xylazine 0.11 mg/kg (TKX) were evaluated in six wethers. Heart rate, respiration rate, arterial blood pressure, and the electrocardiogram were monitored during anaesthesia. Analgesia was tested by electrical stimulation in the left flank. Atropine (0.03 mg/kg) was given intramuscularly before induction, but after recording of baseline heart rate and respiratory rate. The duration of analgesia was 28.7 +/- 6.9 min with TK and 82.8 +/- 26.6 min with TKX. Heart rate increased significantly within 5 min after TK or TKX administration. Respiratory rate remained unchanged after TK administration, but increased significantly from 5 to 45 min after TKX administration. Arterial blood pressure decreased significantly at 15 min with TK and 30 min with TKX. Sheep remained recumbent for 201 min with TK and 166 min with TKX. All recovered uneventfully. We conclude that either TK or TKX may be used for anaesthetising sheep.
A Case of Abnormal Cardiac Position (Levoposition)

Dextroposition and levoposition are both believed to be forms of cardiac malposition that arise in early fetal life. It is believed that this is the first case of levoposition reported. When cardiac positions are grossly abnormal, special investigations are required to establish normality of cardiac function, since usual criteria for physical findings, electrocardiographic data, and radiographic determination of size and shape may not be applicable.
Intrusions: What Drives Them?

Abstract The driving mechanism for the observed interleaving of water masses is generally assumed to be double-diffusive mixing. However, some observations of intrusions have been made in regions where the mean stratification is stable to double-diffusive mixing. It has been hypothesized that a finite amplitude disturbance must occur to produce regions where the stratification allows double-diffusive mixing or that an instability due to differences in the molecular diffusivity of salinity and temperature produces the desired stratification for double-diffusive mixing to start. There is also the possibility of a differential vertical flux of salt and heat due to incomplete mixing by turbulence. The basis of this idea is described in this paper. Growth rates, vertical scales, and cross-frontal slopes of intrusions predicted by this process are compared to those predicted by double-diffusive mixing.
Phenomenology and correlates of insight in pediatric obsessive–compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is marked by the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that cause significant interference in an individual's life. Insight regarding symptoms in youth with OCD may affect accurate assessment, acceptance and motivation for treatment, tolerance of negative valence states (i.e., fear) and treatment outcome, so assessment of this construct and associated clinical characteristics is important. Accordingly, the current study sought to expand the literature on symptom insight by examining multi-informant ratings of insight from children, parents, and clinicians simultaneously and its relationship to varied clinical characteristics. One-hundred and ten treatment-seeking youth with a primary diagnosis of OCD, aged 6-17, participated in the study along with a parent/guardian. The nature of symptom conviction, fixity of ideas, and perceptions about the cause of the problems were important indicators in assessing child insight and resulted in a comprehensive, psychometrically-sound measure of insight. Insight was generally not strongly associated with clinical characteristics. Poor insight was moderately associated with less resistance of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, increased externalizing symptoms, and ordering symptoms. Overall, this study contributes further information into the nature and correlates of insight in youth with OCD, and provides a psychometrically sound approach for its assessment.
Administrative Literature and the Second Hoover Commission Reports.

The appearance of the second Hoover Commission reports is an invitation to attempt to place them in the context of official and unofficial efforts over the past quarter century to give order and meaning to the study of public administration and of its leading example, our national administration. The object here is more than bibliographical, and if it seems ambitious it can hardly be more so than the Commission's own work. No previous study has been so amply financed, or has employed so many people, or has enjoyed such official and public relations support, in and out of government, as this one. What do the reports have to contribute, to knowledge and to policy about organization?
Heteroatom-doped carbons: synthesis, chemistry and application in lithium/sulphur batteries

Doping of heteroatoms into carbon not only changes the electronic distribution but also creates surface functional groups. These changes prove to enhance the chemical adsorption of carbon to sulphur species, and have been intensively investigated to sequestrate soluble lithium polysulphide in the cathode of lithium/sulphur (Li/S) batteries. The chemical adsorption varies with the type, valence state and content of heteroatoms in a complicated manner. In this review, the syntheses of heteroatom-doped carbons as well as their applications and mechanisms in the Li/S batteries are highlighted and discussed with a focus on oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen and their mixtures.
Significance of pressure gradients in porous materials: Part I. Diffusion and flow in fine capillaries

Equations are derived for the effect of a total pressure gradient on flow and diffusion of a binary gas system in a fine capillary. The results apply over the pressure and pore radius regimes from Knudsen flow to Poiseuille flow. Application of the equations to a pure component leads to an expression for the permeability which predicts the observed minimum flow in the slip-flow region. This expression agrees well with Knudsen's data for carbon dioxide and for new measurements for nitrogen in a glass capillary (radius = 0.01244 cm.).
A hierarchical perspective of plant diversity

ABSTRACT Predictive models of plant diversity have typically focused on either a landscape’s capacity for richness (equilibrium models), or on the processes that regulate competitive exclusion, and thus allow species to coexist (nonequilibrium models). Here, we review the concepts and purposes of a hierarchical, multiscale model of the controls of plant diversity that incorporates the equilibrium model of climatic favorability at macroscales, nonequilibrium models of competition at microscales, and a mixed model emphasizing environmental heterogeneity at mesoscales. We evaluate the conceptual model using published data from three spatially nested datasets: (1) a macroscale analysis of ecoregions in the continental and western U.S.; (2) a mesoscale study in California; and (3) a microscale study in the Siskiyou Mountains of Oregon and California. At the macroscale (areas from 3889 km2 to 638,300 km2), climate (actual evaporation) was a strong predictor of tree diversity (R2 = 0.80), as predicted by the con...
Unified Framework for Robust Estimation of Brain Networks From fMRI Using Temporal and Spatial Correlation Analyses

There is a rapidly growing interest in the neuroimaging field to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore brain networks, i.e., how regions of the brain communicate with one another. This paper presents a general and novel statistical framework for robust and more complete estimation of brain functional connectivity from fMRI based on correlation analyses and hypothesis testing. In addition to the ability of examining the correlations with each individual seed as in the standard and existing methods, the proposed framework can detect functional interactions by simultaneously examining multiseed correlations via multiple correlation coefficients. Spatially structured noise in fMRI is also taken into account during the identification of functional interconnection networks through noncentral F hypothesis tests. The associated issues for the multiple testing and the effective degrees-of-freedom are considered as well. Furthermore, partial multiple correlations are introduced and formulated to measure any additional task-induced but not stimulus-locked relation over brain regions so that we can take the analysis of functional connectivity closer to the characterization of direct functional interactions of the brain. Evaluation for accuracy and advantages, and comparisons of the new approaches in the presented general framework are performed using both realistic synthetic data and in vivo fMRI data.
Mechanism of riboflavin uptake by cultured human retinal pigment epithelial ARPE-19 cells: possible regulation by an intracellular Ca2+-calmodulin-mediated pathway.

In mammalian cells (including those of the ocular system), the water-soluble vitamin B2 (riboflavin, RF) assumes an essential role in a variety of metabolic reactions and is critical for normal cellular functions, growth and development. Cells of the human retinal pigment epithelium (hRPE) play an important role in providing a sufficient supply of RF to the retina, but nothing is known about the mechanism of the vitamin uptake by these cells and its regulation. Our aim in the present study was to address this issue using the hRPE ARPE-19 cells as the retinal epithelial model. Our results show RF uptake in the hRPE to be: (1) energy and temperature dependent and occurring without metabolic alteration in the transported substrate, (2) pH but not Na+ dependent, (3) saturable as a function of concentration with an apparent Km of 80 ± 14 nm, (4) trans-stimulated by unlabelled RF and its structural analogue lumiflavine, (5) cis-inhibited by the RF structural analogues lumiflavine and lumichrome but not by unrelated compounds, and (6) inhibited by the anion transport inhibitors 4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulphonic acid (DIDS) and 4-acetamido-4′-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulphonic acid (SITS) as well as by the Na+–H+ exchange inhibitor amiloride and the sulfhydryl group inhibitor p-chloromercuriphenylsulphonate (p-CMPS). Maintaining the hRPE cells in a RF-deficient medium led to a specific and significant up-regulation in RF uptake which was mediated via changes in the number and affinity of the RF uptake carriers. While modulating the activities of intracellular protein kinase A (PKA)-, protein kinase C (PKC)-, protein tyrosine kinase (PTK)-, and nitric oxide (NO)-mediated pathways were found to have no role in regulating RF uptake, a role for the Ca2+–calmodulin-mediated pathway was observed. These studies demonstrate for the first time the involvement of a specialized carrier-mediated mechanism for RF uptake by hRPE cells and show that the process is adaptively regulated in RF deficiency, and also appears to be under the regulation of an intracellular Ca2+–calmodulin-mediated pathway.
Lessons from at-speed scan deployment on an Intel® Itanium® microprocessor

Lessons learnt during the deployment of transition scan content on an Intel® Itanium® server microprocessor design and its use for electrical debug and defect screening in high-volume manufacturing are described. While many publications in the area of transition scan show it being practiced as an efficient defect screening tool, only a minority of these designs were high-performance microprocessor designs. This work illustrates the benefits of such techniques on complex microprocessors.
Responses of Bulboreticular Units To Somatic Stimuli Eliciting Escape Behavior In The Cat

Units were recorded from the brainstem of awake, unrestrained cats trained to escape electrical stimulation of a cutaneous nerve; stimuli sufficient to elicit escape were associated with natural pain behavior. Of the 104 units histologically localized, 59, recorded from the bulboreticular area of nucleus gigantocellularis (NGC), show maximal or exclusive response to noxious stimuli (36 units) and/or to nerve stimuli eliciting escape (39 units). Increased inter-stimulus activity commonly precedes escape behavior and is the only stimulus-related response observed from some units not driven by nerve stimulation. However, the pooled data from 39 of 53 units tested with nerve stimulation shows that responsiveness (chi-square, Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic, and average spikes/ stimulus) increases with stimulus strength, reaching maximum levels at escape-producing intensities. Responses of some units to non-somatic inputs can be altered by repetitive noxious stimulation.
Reduced chromosomal puffing in Chironomus tentans as a biomarker for potentially genotoxic substances

Chromosomal puffing in the salivary glands of larval Chironomus tentans was developed as a biomarker for genotoxic substances. Reduced chromosomal puffing was considered an indication of decreased RNA synthesis. Third- or fourth-instar larvae were exposed to test chemicals in an artificial substrate under static conditions. Chromosomes from glands of individual larvae were stained with methyl green and pyronin Y. The widths of Balbiani rings I and II (large puffs on chromosome IV) were measured. Three carcinogens with different mechanisms of action were tested, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), actinomycin D (Act D), and dimethylnitrosamine (DMN). Puff size was statistically reduced by all three chemicals with varying potency. Lowest-observable-effect levels (LOEL) were 0.5 nmol BaP, 6.0 nmol Act D, and 243,000 nmol DMN. The degree of response was influenced by exposure time, applied dose, individual sensitivity, and possibly chemical hydrophobicity. Biomarker specificity was determined by testing a weak carcinogen, benzo[e]pyrene (BeP), and an acutely toxic noncarcinogen, naphthalene (NP). The effective dose of BeP (LOEL = 250 nmol) was four orders of magnitude higher than that of BaP. Only lethal doses of NP had statistically significant effects on puff size, LD50 = 25,000 (34,300-15,700) nmol. Approximately 40% of the larvae in our laboratory population appeared tolerant to the effects of BaP. Advantages of this biomarker were its association with a known mechanism of action and measurement of the whole-organism integrated response.
Experiences with remote access to high performance computing systems for Computer Engineering Technology

The growth in computational power has resulted in a divergence in CPU design from clock acceleration to parallelization techniques (multi-core processors) to improve computation and energy performance. Lab-based learning of computer performance in multiple-processor systems is complicated when most labs are equipped with now nearly dated single-core machines. An alternative is to study multi-processor performance using high performance computing (HPC) clusters. Not all labs can afford their own HPC machine however. A lab-based course in Computer Architecture for Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology students has been offered for four semesters, including a high performance computing laboratory experience. Recently the course was offered at a satellite campus located roughly 120 miles from the main campus, and the HPC system. This paper documents early experiences with using HPC hardware and concepts in a laboratory environment to demonstrate multiprocessor performance dynamics. Combined with the topics of instruction pipelining, the memory hierarchy, and I/O performance modeling, students have initially reacted positively, gaining an appreciation of performance speedup and its limiting factors. Suggestions for similar HPC implementations on small and medium scales are also provided.
Stream detritus dynamics: Regulation by invertebrate consumers

Insecticide treatment of a small, Appalachian forest stream caused massive downstream insect drift and reduced aquatic insect densities to <10% of an adjacent untreated reference stream. Reduction in breakdown rates of leaf detritus was accompanied by differences in quantity and composition of benthic organic matter between the two streams. Following treatment, transport of particulate organic matter was significantly lower in the treated stream than in the reference stream whereas no significant differences existed prior to treatment. Our results indicate that macroinvertebrate consumers, primarily insects, are important in regulating rates of detritus processing and availability to downstream communities.
Steady-state thermal conductivity measurements of AlN and SiC substrate materials

Measurements of thermal conductivity on conventional and newly developed electronic ceramics are presented as part of an effort to incorporate the new high-thermal-conductivity ceramics into microcircuit manufacturing. Motivated by large variations in values claimed by different vendors for ostensibly similar materials, a longitudinal bar apparatus was built to measure thermal conductivities of actual substrate materials on both an individual and a lot sampling basis. The values measured in this work are in general agreement with the manufactures' quoted values, with a few marked differences for certain AlN samples. The values measured using the longitudinal bar apparatus from room temperature to 80 degrees C on the different materials agree with both previously published data on similar materials and current measurements by other researchers. The longitudinal bar data for high-thermal-conductivity samples are completely consistent with the flash diffusivity results. Data on the AlN samples subjected to thick-film firing show no measurable change in thermal conductivity, indicating that the material is stable after repeated firings in 850 degrees C oxidizing atmospheres. The longitudinal bar apparatus appears to be operating as designed; measurements indicate that thermal resistances at the base and heater mounts are low enough not to affect the thermal conductivity measurements. >
New mRNAs Are Preferentially Translated during Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Infection

During vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection, host protein synthesis is inhibited, while synthesis of viral proteins increases. VSV infection causes inhibition of host transcription and RNA transport. Therefore, most host mRNAs in the cytoplasm of infected cells were synthesized before infection. However, viral mRNAs are synthesized throughout infection and are newer than preexisting host mRNAs. To determine if the timing of appearance of mRNAs in the cytoplasm affected their translation during VSV infection, we transfected reporter mRNAs into cells at various times relative to the time of infection and measured their rate of translation in mock- and VSV-infected cells. We found that translation of mRNAs transfected during infection was not inhibited but that translation of mRNAs transfected prior to infection was inhibited during VSV infection. Based on these data, we conclude that the timing of viral mRNA appearance in the cytoplasm is responsible, at least in part, for the preferential translation of VSV mRNAs. A time course measuring translation efficiencies of viral and host mRNAs showed that the translation efficiencies of viral mRNAs increased between 4 and 8 h postinfection, while translation efficiencies of host mRNAs decreased. The increased translation efficiency of viral mRNAs occurred in cells infected with an M protein mutant virus that is defective in host shutoff, demonstrating that the enhanced translation of viral mRNA is genetically separable from inhibition of translation of host mRNA.
Taxonomic characters for differentiating cohabitating larvae of Dendroctonus ponderosae and Ips pini (Col., Scolytidae)

Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins and Ips pini (Say) are often found cohabitating in Pinus spp. hosts, especially when D. ponderosae is in the endemic population phase. Although the adult stages are morphologically distinct, distinguishing between the species is difficult when only the larval stages are present. Using field collected specimens, several taxonomic characters of the larvae were identified which may be used to differentiate the two species. These results have application in studies of endemic D. ponderosae populations and competitive interactions between I. pini and D. ponderosae populations.
Obstructive sleep apnoea and perioperative complications in bariatric patients

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between perioperative complications and the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in patients undergoing bariatric surgery who had undergone preoperative polysomnography (PSG). Methods The records of 797 patients, age >18 yr, who underwent bariatric operations (442 open and 355 laparoscopic procedures) at Mayo Clinic and were assessed before operation by PSG, were reviewed retrospectively. OSA was quantified using the apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) as none (≤4), mild (5–15), moderate (16–30), and severe (≥31). Pulmonary, surgical, and ‘other' complications within the first 30 postoperative days were analysed according to OSA severity. Logistic regression was used to assess the multivariable association of OSA, age, sex, BMI, and surgical approach with postoperative complications. Results Most patients with OSA (93%) received perioperative positive airway pressure therapy, and all patients were closely monitored after operation with pulse oximetry on either regular nursing floors or in intensive or intermediate care units. At least one postoperative complication occurred in 259 patients (33%). In a multivariable model, the overall complication rate was increased with open procedures compared with laparoscopic. In addition, increased BMI and age were associated with increased likelihood of pulmonary and other complications. Complication rates were not associated with OSA severity. Conclusions In obese patients evaluated before operation by PSG before bariatric surgery and managed accordingly, the severity of OSA, as assessed by the AHI, was not associated with the rate of perioperative complications. These results cannot determine whether unrecognized and untreated OSA increases risk.
Comparative analysis of six commercially available AVL systems

Technical assessments of six commercially available AVL systems have been performed. Among the system features included in the study were the positioning accuracy, the communication links, the central computer requirements for possible fleet sizes, and environmental factors such as road conditions which influence performance. For all AVL techniques, a position estimation accuracy has been performed based upon the individual features of each method. The AVL methods examined contain various error sources which have been combined in the analyses in models appropriate to each system. The instantaneous position estimation error thereby derived has been used to form a time-expanded vehicle position error which includes the effect of discontinuous sampling of vehicle data either by a vehicle-mounted position monitor or a central control station. Positioning accuracy data exist for most of the six AVL technologies. These data have been used for comparison with the analytical error models. Results of the experimental and theoretical comparisons are presented and discussed.
Prion Diseases and the BSE Crisis

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) are among the most notable central nervous system degenerative disorders caused by prions. CJD may present as a sporadic, genetic, or infectious illness. Prions are transmissible particles that are devoid of nucleic acid and seem to be composed exclusively of a modified protein (PrP Sc ). The normal, cellular prion protein (PrP C ) is converted into PrP Sc through a posttranslational process during which it acquires a high β-sheet content. It is thought that BSE is a result of cannibalism in which faulty industrial practices produced prion-contaminated feed for cattle. There is now considerable concern that bovine prions may have been passed to humans, resulting in a new form of CJD.
Inhibition of ErbB-mediated breast tumor cell growth by the leucine-rich repeat protein LRIG1

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 2525 Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are key mediators of normal cellular processes such as the development and maintenance of tissues, and are also critically involved in the growth and progression of human tumors. One subfamily of RTKs is the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family which consists of four members: EGF receptor (EGFR), ErbB2, ErbB3, and ErbB4. Binding of EGF-like growth factors induces receptor dimerization, leading to tyrosine phosphorylation, recruitment of intracellular signaling proteins, and subsequent changes in cellular processes including proliferation and survival. Overexpression or aberrant activation of ErbB2 and its heterodimeric partner ErbB3 is found in a significant portion of human breast tumors and correlates with poor patient prognosis. Recently, the leucine-rich repeat protein LRIG1 has been shown by our lab to interact with and downregulate ErbB2 and ErbB3 levels through enhanced receptor ubiquitination. In the present study, we seek to determine the effect of LRIG1 on endogenous ErbB receptors in breast tumor cells. Following overexpression of LRIG1, reduced ErbB2 and ErbB3 levels were seen, as well as a concomitant decrease in signaling and proliferation in response to growth factor. Further, the addition of siRNA oligos to knock-down LRIG1 levels resulted in an increased proliferative response. Finally, tumors from the mammary fat pad of transgenic mice overexpressing ErbB2, and consequently ErbB3, were found to have lowered LRIG1 levels as compared to adjacent normal samples. These data suggest that LRIG1 may help to keep cellular ErbB receptor levels balanced and that the loss of this protein may be involved in breast tumor progression. Furthermore, LRIG1 has the potential to hold either therapeutic or prognostic value for breast cancer treatments.
Gendered Associations of Decision-Making Power, Topic Avoidance, and Relational Satisfaction: A Differential Influence Model

This study proposed a differential influence model of relational satisfaction. According to this model, decision-making power has gender-invariant associations with satisfaction in heterosexual relationships, while topic avoidance has stronger influences on females than males. Two hundred and ninety-two participants (nested in 146 heterosexual couples) completed surveys about decision-making power, complaint-related topic avoidance, and relationship satisfaction. For both males and females, satisfaction was greatest when decision-making power was balanced. While males’ avoidance was not associated with their satisfaction, females’ avoidance partially mediated the association of power with satisfaction, and also predicted males’ satisfaction. Results provided preliminary support for the differential influence model.
The Development of a Sense of Humor in a Young Child During Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud wrote that humor is the triumph of the Ego that pretends to be invulnerable while revealing what is painful. This capacity for playing with anxieties requires an Ego that is sufficiently well organized, and has the ability to recognize its own feelings. In young children who have suffered from early trauma, the building of the Ego, in the intersubjective clinical experience, permits the capacity for playing with painful feelings; the sense of humor is very strong in those children when they share their despair with the therapist. “Humor is the courtesy of despair” (“l'humour est la politesse du desespoir”), wrote Alphonse Allais, a French writer who knew very well how to make the reader laugh at sad stories. The creative use of humor helps children become social, cope with stress and anxiety, express themselves artistically, and think critically.