cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Thermal Management for system-on-chip using bus arbitration

Increasing on-chip temperature in SoC designs has reinforced the need for Dynamic Thermal Management (DTM). The conventional DTM techniques adopted in microprocessors based on DVFS are not suitable in the context of SoCs as they tend to have multiple voltage and frequency domains. In this paper we propose a reactive and a predictive DTM technique using bus arbitration. Based on the thermal profile the bus grants and hence the bus transactions are controlled. This regulates the data flow which reduces the activity in the functional units. The results show that the on-chip temperature can be maintained 3–5°C below the chip temperature threshold with a worst case performance penalty of 5% and a fast response time of at most 5 clock cycles. The hardware cost of implementing the proposed scheme is 3619.7μm2 in 45nm technology, which is less than 0.06% of the chip area. Apart from its simplicity, lower cost and effectiveness, the solution is non-intrusive on the design and scalable to many cores.
Stair-Step Particle Flux Spectra on the Lunar Surface: Evidence for Nonmonotonic Potentials?

We present examples of unusual “stair-step” differential flux spectra observed by the Apollo 14 Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment on the lunar dayside surface in Earth's magnetotail. These spectra exhibit a relatively constant differential flux below some cutoff energy and then drop off precipitously, by about an order of magnitude or more, at higher energies. We propose that these spectra result from photoions accelerated on the lunar dayside by nonmonotonic potentials (i.e., potentials that do not decay to zero monotonically) and present a model for the expected differential flux. The energy of the cutoff and the magnitude of the differential flux are related to the properties of the local space environment and are consistent with the observed flux spectra. If this interpretation is correct, these surface-based ion observations provide a unique perspective that both complements and enhances the conclusions obtained by remote-sensing orbiter observations on the Moon's exospheric and electrostatic properties.
Ultrasonic Scans Using Low Frequency Unresolved Echoes

When ultrasonic pulses are used to detect flaws that are near the surface or in thin-layered structures, the natural tendency is to use a narrow pulse. A broadband pulse with a high center frequency and a large bandwidth will allow the flaw echo and interface echoes to be resolved from the front surface echo in an immersion or squirter testing situation. However, there are a number of limitations in using high frequency ultrasound. The major disadvantages are the high attenuation, hence the limited interrogation depth, and the degradation of ultrasonic scan images due to interference effects. Interference fringes can arise from minute thickness changes of the various material layers and can mask the flaw images [1]. In ultrasonic C-scans it is also important that the time gate used for interrogating a certain depth range be properly positioned and that the gate be able to follow the surface contour if the part is not flat. These problems can largely be avoided at lower frequencies, but the correspondingly poorer temporal resolution can impair the detection of near-surface flaws. It is generally accepted that there is a “dead time” associated with the front surface ringdown during which near-surface flaws are undetectable. Authors of this paper have encountered these problems in their studies of (1) foreign object detection in composite laminates, (2) disbond and corrosion detection in adhesively bonded aircraft skins, and (3) defects in the bond between thin composite face-sheet and honeycomb core of sandwich structures.
Phase II study of the PARP inhibitor talazoparib (BMN-673) in advanced cancer patients with somatic alterations in BRCA1/2, mutations/deletions in PTEN or PTEN loss, a homologous recombination defect, mutations/deletions in other BRCA pathway genes and germline mutation S in BRCA1/2 (not breast or ovarian cancer).

TPS2617 Background: Cancer cells deficient in BRCA1/2 and other components of the homologous recombination repair pathway are selectively sensitive to the double stranded DNA breaks whose repairs a...
Modeling the climate impacts of deploying solar reflective cool pavements in California cities

Solar reflective “cool pavements” have been proposed as a potential heat mitigation strategy for cities. However, previous research has not systematically investigated the extent to which cool pavements could reduce urban temperatures. In this study we investigated the climate impacts of widespread deployment of cool pavements in California cities. Using the weather research and forecasting model (WRF), we simulated the current climate of California at 4 km spatial resolution. Comparing this simulation to 105 weather stations in California suggested an overall mean bias (model minus observation) of -0.30 °C. Widespread pavement albedo increases of 0.1 and 0.4 in California cities were then simulated. Comparing temperature reductions for each scenario showed that the climate response to pavement albedo modification was nearly linear. Temperature reductions at 14:00 local standard time were found to be 0.32 °C per 0.1 increase in grid cell average albedo. Temperature reductions were found to peak in the late morning and evening when boundary layer heights were low, and solar irradiance (late morning) or heat accumulation in the pavement (evening) was high. Summertime temperature reductions were found to be larger than corresponding reductions during winter, as expected. After scaling the results using realistic data-derived urban canyon morphologies and an offline urban canyon albedo model, annual average surface air temperature reductions from increasing pavement albedo by 0.4 ranged from 0.18 °C (Palm Springs) to 0.86 °C (San Jose). The variation among cities was due to differences in baseline climate, size of the city, urban fraction, and urban morphology.
Development of Gesture-based Commands for Natural User Interfaces:

Human-computer interfaces are changing to meet the evolving needs of users and overcome limitations of previous generations of computer systems. The current state of computers consists largely of g...
Optical Properties of Tap Water Purity using He-Ne Laser with Different Power Density

Tap water differs from pure water, it contains more chemical contents arise in drinking water, it effect on health concern only after extended exposure of years, rather than months. The purpose of this article is to study the optical properties of tap water by using different power density from He-Ne laser beam transport through some samples. These samples of water mostly contain NaCl salts and clay .When we increasing concentration and sample length we can observed that decreasing transmittance ,(absorption and extinction) coefficients while the absorbance will be increased .At the 5 cm sample length we observed that tap water has transmittance about 17%, while NaCl (0.7) concentration has 58%,clay solute has 2%, and mixing from (0.7 NaCl and 0.15 clay) concentrations has transmittance 8%, The absorbance and absorption coefficient of tap water is greater than NaCl and less than clay alone and mixing (clay with salt) at the same sample length.
ReSC: An RFID-Enabled Solution for Defending IoT Supply Chain

The Internet of Things (IoT), an emerging global network of uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices within the existing Internet infrastructure, is transforming how we live and work by increasing the connectedness of people and things on a scale that was once unimaginable. In addition to facilitated information and service exchange between connected objects, enhanced computing power and analytic capabilities of individual objects, and increased interaction between objects and their environments, the IoT also raises new security and privacy challenges. Hardware trust across the IoT supply chain is the foundation of IoT security and privacy. Two major supply chain issues—disappearance/theft of authentic IoT devices and appearance of inauthentic ones—have to be addressed to secure the IoT supply chain and lay the foundation for further security and privacy-defensive measures. Comprehensive solutions that enable IoT device authentication and traceability across the entire supply chain (i.e., during distribution and after being provisioned) need to be established. Existing hardware, software, and network protection methods, however, do not address IoT supply chain issues. To mitigate this shortcoming, we propose an RFID-enabled solution called ReSC that aims at defending the IoT supply chain. By incorporating three techniques—one-to-one mapping between RFID tag identity and control chip identity; unique tag trace, which records tag provenance and history information; and neighborhood attestation of IoT devices—ReSC is resistant to split attacks (i.e., separating tag from product, swapping tags), counterfeit injection, product theft throughout the entire supply chain, device recycling, and illegal network service access (e.g., Internet, cable TV, online games, remote firmware updates). Simulations, theoretical analysis, and experimental results based on a printed circuit board (PCB) prototype demonstrate the effectiveness of ReSC. Finally, we evaluate the security of our proposed scheme against various attacks.
X-ray fluorescence analysis of antimony content in extruded polyethylene terephthalate food packaging below the infinite thickness.

Consumer and environmental groups have increasing concern about heavy metal contaminants and residual catalysts in plastics inducing negative human and environmental impacts. Regulations of heavy metals in food-contact plastics seek to reduce these risks by establishing maximum allowable threshold levels. However, traditional quantification methods of heavy metal concentrations, e.g., inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and atomic absorption spectroscopy, are time-consuming and expensive. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques provide a rapid, non-destructive method for monitoring heavy metals, but the sample must be of sufficient thickness for accurate XRF analysis. This study developed a correction factor equation enabling rapid, accurate XRF measurements of antimony concentration in thin plastic samples at thicknesses common for food packaging applications by measuring XRF concentration as a function of thickness and establishing correlations with the measured ICP concentration. This correction factor approach yielded antimony concentrations from XRF measurements for 94% of the challenge samples tested within the acceptability metric stated in EPA Method 6200. The approach described herein enables rapid, cost-effective screening and regulatory compliance for safety and environmental impact benefiting consumers, manufacturers, and the environment.
Porous Electrospun Fibers Embedding TiO2 for Adsorption and Photocatalytic Degradation of Water Pollutants.

Using a bipolymer system consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), P25-TiO2 was immobilized into thin film mats of porous electrospun fibers. Pores were introduced by dissolving sacrificial PVP to increase surface area and enhance access to TiO2. The highest photocatalytic activity was achieved using a PVDF:PVP weight ratio of 2:1. Methylene blue (MB) was used to visualize contaminant removal, assess the sorption capacity (5.93 ± 0.23 mg/g) and demonstrate stable removal kinetics (kMB > 0.045 min–1) under UVA irradiation (3.64 × 10–9 einstein/cm2/s) over 10 cycles. Treatment was also accomplished via sequential MB sorption in the dark and subsequent photocatalytic degradation under UVA irradiation, to illustrate that these processes could be uncoupled to overcome limited light penetration. The photocatalytic mat degraded bisphenol A and 17α-ethynylestradiol in secondary wastewater effluent (17 mg TOC/L), and (relative to TiO2 slurry) immobilization of TiO2 in the mat m...
Fish dispersal in flowing waters: A synthesis of movement‐ and genetic‐based studies

Enhancing our understanding of fish dispersal is central to the success of modern‐day conservation efforts in freshwater ecosystems. However, methods seeking to estimate dispersal are diverse; ranging from direct estimation of individual movements, computation of dispersal kernels, to indirect assessment using measures of gene flow across riverscapes. An important question is whether results from these different approaches provide a consistent picture of the spatial scales of dispersal. Here, we performed a review and meta‐analysis of the literature reporting both individual movements and genetic data to characterize patterns of dispersal for riverine fishes globally. Across all the studies considered (Ndᵢᵣₑcₜ = 206; Nᵢₙdᵢᵣₑcₜ = 205), our results suggest restricted magnitudes of dispersal for riverine fishes, but highlight a large heterogeneity among species, taxonomic orders and geographies. For instance, we found that the maximum parent–offspring dispersal distances varied from 69 m to 1,086 km (median = 12 km; Nₛₚₑcᵢₑₛ = 107), whereas the dispersal spread derived from isolation‐by‐distance slopes (σIBD) from genetic data ranged from 19 m to 250 km (median = 1 km; Nₛₚₑcᵢₑₛ = 56). Comparisons of species‐specific values also revealed significant and positive relationships between direct and indirect estimates of dispersal distances, indicating that organismal movement ability often translates into effective transmission of genes. Finally, this global overview pointed to important geographic and taxonomic disparities in the study of dispersal for riverine fishes. We thus encourage researchers to broaden the taxonomic and geographical scope of future investigations and identify emerging research frontiers where new scientific efforts are needed.
ALHAJJ – HAJJ APP FOR IOS

This paper introduces the AlHajj app for iOS which is an interactive guide to Hajj, like an interactive map allowing users to walk through the process of the Hajj to develop a better understanding of the obligations, locations, dates and Hajj activities with the sequence they are performed in. It covers both pre and post Hajj activities. AlHajj has a very simplistic and clean User Interface (UI). The app is also written for maintainability and it is free. KEYWORDS: Hajj; iOS; Software Tools; Interactive Map; Mobile App; Islam
Misconceptions in colorectal cancer among a community-based population and CRC screening adherence.

6578 Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates among Latinos are lower than those of non-Latinos. Prior research suggests that a higher proportion of Latinos have erroneous understandings...
Photo Quiz: A 34-Year-Old Man from Cameroon with Gastrointestinal Bleeding and Syncope.

A 34-year-old male who had recently immigrated from Cameroon presented with severe symptomatic anemia. The patient noticed bright red blood after a bowel movement, which later changed to melena. He then began experiencing fatigue and chills, followed by a syncopal episode. On examination, the
Estimating Rack Force due to Road Slopes for Electric Power Steering Systems

The net force generated by tire moments on the steering rack of a vehicle, called the rack force, holds a significant amount of information about the tire-road angle, the surface profile of road, and the speed of the vehicle. As a result, many electric power steering control applications rely on the estimation of rack force. Current methods of rack force estimation are inaccurate because they either do not account for road profile in the rack force estimation or are susceptible to disturbances acting in the steering system. In this paper we overcome both of these limitations and develop two real-time capable models to estimate the rack force for driving on longitudinal and lateral road slopes using vehicle and tire dynamics models. We demonstrate the accuracy of our models by analyzing the results from actual driving experiments performed on sloped roads under normal and aggressive driving situations. We also compare the performance of the two models with a model existing in the literature that does not account for road slopes.
Atmospheric CO2 levels from 2.7 billion years ago inferred from micrometeorite oxidation.

Earth’s atmospheric composition during the Archean eon of 4 to 2.5 billion years ago has few constraints. However, the geochemistry of recently discovered iron-rich micrometeorites from 2.7 billion–year–old limestones could serve as a proxy for ancient gas concentrations. When micrometeorites entered the atmosphere, they melted and preserved a record of atmospheric interaction. We model the motion, evaporation, and kinetic oxidation by CO2 of micrometeorites entering a CO2-rich atmosphere. We consider a CO2-rich rather than an O2-rich atmosphere, as considered previously, because this better represents likely atmospheric conditions in the anoxic Archean. Our model reproduces the observed oxidation state of micrometeorites at 2.7 Ga for an estimated atmospheric CO2 concentration of >70% by volume. Even if the early atmosphere was thinner than today, the elevated CO2 level indicated by our model result would help resolve how the Late Archean Earth remained warm when the young Sun was ~20% fainter.
Body size, sampling completeness, and extinction risk in the marine fossil record

Larger body size has long been assumed to correlate with greater risk of extinction, helping to shape body-size distributions across the tree of life, but a lack of comprehensive size data for fossil taxa has left this hypothesis untested for most higher taxa across the vast majority of evolutionary time. Here we assess the relationship between body size and extinction using a data set comprising the body sizes, stratigraphic ranges, and occurrence patterns of 9408 genera of fossil marine animals spanning eight Linnaean classes across the past 485 Myr. We find that preferential extinction of smaller-bodied genera within classes is substantially more common than expected due to chance and that there is little evidence for preferential extinction of larger-bodied genera. Using a capture–mark–recapture analysis, we find that this size bias of extinction persists even after accounting for a pervasive bias against the sampling of smaller-bodied genera within classes. The size bias in extinction also persists after including geographic range as an additional predictor of extinction, indicating that correlation between body size and geographic range does not provide a simple explanation for the association between size and extinction. Regardless of the underlying causes, the preferential extinction of smaller-bodied genera across many higher taxa and most of geologic time indicates that the selective loss of large-bodied animals is the exception, rather than the rule, in the evolution of marine animals.
17 – Information from isotopes

Publisher Summary Radioisotopes provide a great deal of information for human benefit. The characteristic radiations permit the tracing of processes, such as fluid flow. Pharmaceuticals are radioactively tagged chemicals are used in hospitals for diagnosis. Scanners detect the distribution of radioactivity in the body and form images of diseased tissue. Radioimmunoassay measures minute amounts of biological materials. Thus, many important economic and social benefits are derived from the use of isotopes and radiation. This chapter compares the merits of stable and radioactive species, and described the special techniques, and applications of radioisotopes. The dates of archaeological artifacts and of rock formations can be found from carbon-14 decay data and the ratios of uranium to lead and of potassium to argon. The irradiation of materials with neutrons gives rise to unique prompt gamma rays and radioactive decay products, allowing measurement of trace elements for many applications. Radiography employs gamma rays from cobalt-60 or neutrons from a reactor, accelerator, or californium-252. Radiation gauges measure density, thickness, ground moisture, water/cement ratios, and oil deposits.
The latency of peroxisomal catalase in terms of effectiveness factor for pancreatic and glioblastoma cancer cell lines in the presence of high concentrations of H2O2: Implications for the use of pharmacological ascorbate in cancer therapy.

Previous research has identified variation in cancer cell line response to high levels of extracellular H2O2 (eH2O2) exposure. This directly contributes to our understanding cellular efficacy of pharmacological ascorbate (P-AscH-) therapy. Here we investigate the factors contributing to latency of peroxisomal catalase of a cell and the importance of latency in evaluating cell exposure to eH2O2. First, we develop a mathematical framework for the latency of catalase in terms of an effectiveness factor, ηeff, to describe the catalase activity in the presence of high levels of eH2O2. A simplified relationship emerges, [Formula: see text] when mprp/Dij≪1, where mp,rp, and [Formula: see text] are the experimentally determined peroxisome permeability, average peroxisome radius, and the pseudo first-order reaction rate constant, respectively. [Formula: see text] is the catalase concentration in the peroxisome and k2=1.7x107M-1s-1. Next, previously published parameters are used to determine the latency effect of the cell lines: normal pancreatic cells (H6c7), pancreatic cancer cells (MIA PaCa-2), and glioblastoma cells (LN-229, T98G, and U-87), all which vary in their susceptibility to exposure to high eH2O2. The results show that effectiveness is not significantly different except for the most susceptible, MIA PaCa-2 cell line, which is higher when compared to all other cell lines. This result is counterintuitive and further implies that latency, as a single parameter, is ineffective in forecasting cell line susceptibility to P-AscH- therapy equivalent eH2O. Thus, further research remains necessary to identify why cancer cells vary in susceptibility to P-AscH- therapy.
The check clearing for the 21st century act and bank stock returns

The purpose of this paper is to examine the wealth effect of the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, also known as Check 21, on bank stock return. We use event study analysis on thirty-four U....
Humoral and cell-mediated response in colostrum after exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [preprint]

Abstract Background Colostrum provides an immune sharing between a mother and her infant. The transfer in colostrum of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and the elicited cytokines may provide crucial protection to the infant. There is limited literature on the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 present in colostrum. Objective To evaluate the presence of antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2 and the associated cytokines in colostrum from women who tested positive for the virus. Study Design Between March and September 2020 we obtained bilateral colostrum samples collected on spot cards within 48 hours of delivery from 15 new mothers who had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Five of these 15 COVID-19 positive women also provided bilateral liquid colostrum within 1-2 days of providing the spot card samples. Archived bilateral colostrum samples collected from 8 women during 2011-2013 were used as pre-COVID-19 controls. All samples were tested for reactivity to the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using an ELISA that measures SARS-CoV-2 RBD-specific IgA, IgG, and IgM, and for concentrations of 10 inflammatory cytokines (IFNγ, TNFα, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13) using a multiplex electrochemiluminescent sandwich assay. Results Bilateral colostrum samples from 73%, 73% and 33% of the 15 COVID-19 mothers exhibited IgA, IgG, and IgM reactivity to RBD respectively. Colostrum samples from two of the 8 pre-pandemic controls showed IgA and IgG reactivity to RBD. Additionally, COVID-19 mothers had significantly higher levels of 9 of the 10 inflammatory markers (all except IFNγ) as compared to the pre-COVID-19 controls. Comparable results were obtained with both the spot card-eluates and liquid samples. Conclusions A strong humoral immune response is present in the colostrum of women who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 before delivering. High levels of 9 inflammatory markers were also present in the colostrum. The evolution and duration of the antibody response, as well as dynamics of the cytokine response, remain to be determined. Our results also indicate that future large-scale studies can be conducted with milk easily collected on paper spot cards.
Increasing false positive diagnoses may lead to overestimation of stroke incidence, particularly in the young: a cross-sectional study.

Stroke incidence is reportedly increasing in younger populations, although the reasons for this are not clear. We explored possible reasons by quantifying trends in neurologically focused emergency department (ED) visits, classification of stroke vs. TIA, and imaging use. We performed a retrospective, serial, cross-sectional study using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to examine time trends in age-stratified primary reasons for visit, stroke/TIA diagnoses, and MRI utilization from 1995 to 2000 and 2005–2015. Five million eight hundred thousand ED visits with a primary diagnosis of stroke (CI 5.3 M–6.4 M) were represented in the data. The incidence of neurologically focused reason for visits (Neuro RFVs) increased over time in both the young and in older adults (young: + 111 Neuro RFVs/100,000 population/year, CI + 94 − + 130; older adults: + 70 Neuro RFVs/100,000 population/year, CI + 34 − + 108). The proportion of combined stroke and TIA diagnoses decreased over time amongst older adults with a Neuro RFV (OR 0.95 per year, p < 0.01, CI 0.94–0.96) but did not change in the young (OR 1.00 per year, p = 0.88, CI 0.95–1.04). Within the stroke/TIA population, no changes in the proportion of stroke or TIA were identified. MRI utilization rates amongst patients with a Neuro RFV increased for both age groups. We found, but did not anticipate, increased incidence of neurologically focused ED visits in both age groups. Given the lower pre-test probability of a stroke in younger adults, this suggests that false positive stroke diagnoses may be increasing and may be increasing more rapidly in the young than in older adults.
How do packet losses affect measures of averaged neural signals

Recent advances in implanted device development have enabled chronic streaming of neural data to external devices allowing for long timescale, naturalistic recordings. However, characteristic data losses occur during wireless transmission. Estimates for the duration of these losses are typically uncertain reducing signal quality and impeding analyses. To characterize the effect of these losses on recovery of averaged neural signals, we simulated neural time series data for a typical event-related potential (ERP) experiment. We investigated how the signal duration and the degree of timing uncertainty affected the offset of the ERP, its duration in time, its amplitude, and the ability to resolve small differences corresponding to different task conditions. Simulations showed that long timescale signals were generally robust to the effects of packet losses apart from timing offsets while short timescale signals were significantly delocalized and attenuated. These results provide clarity on the types of signals that can be resolved using these datasets and provide clarity on the restrictions imposed by data losses on typical analyses.
Blockholder Scarcity, Takeovers, and Ownership Structures

Agency problems in firms are prevalent because of a scarcity of wealthy principals with corporate governance ability, whom we call “restructuring specialists.” We investigate how this scarce resource, “agency cost-free capital,” is allocated. We show that the restructuring specialists may acquire blocks only in those states of the worls in which they can increase firm value the most, which corresponds to a takeover. Firms with dispersed ownership and firms with a financial intermediary as a blockholder can coexist, although they are otherwise identical. The moderl can explain differences in corporate ownership structures and restructuring mechanisms across economies.
Knowledge and Fears of Parents of Children Diagnosed with Epilepsy.

Abstract Purpose Describe the knowledge and fears of parents of children diagnosed with epilepsy in the hospital and clinic settings. Design and methods Descriptive, comparative study design. Knowledge was measured with the 16-item Epilepsy Knowledge Scale and epilepsy-related fears was operationalized by the Epilepsy-related Fears in Parents Questionnaire (EFPQ) addressing short and long-term fears. The sample included 40 parents of children diagnosed with epilepsy who were cared for on a pediatric ortho/neuro hospital unit (N = 27) or pediatric neurology clinic (N = 13). Results Parents were middle aged adults (mean 39 years), mostly mothers with 80% college education. Their children ranged in ages from less than one to 18 years of age (Mean = 8.5) across a variety of ethnic backgrounds who were most often diagnosed with epilepsy at a young age ( Discussion Parents who participated in this study were knowledgeable but fearful with immediate and long term concerns. Practice implications Nurses need to provide verbal and written education materials. Address triggers. Talk to parents about their fears related to epilepsy. Identify parental support. Validate parents' skills in knowing what to do when their child has a seizure.
The Perceived Value of the Board-Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition Credential Among Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Who Hold the Credential.

Objective Health care professionals who hold a specialist certification typically have a high perceived value of their credential. However, the perceived value of the board-certified specialist in renal nutrition (CSR) credential has not been studied. This study evaluated the perceived value of the CSR credential among registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) using the Perceived Value of Certification Tool (PVCT©) and explored differences in perceived values among those who did and did not receive reimbursement for taking the credentialing examination. Methods A cross-sectional internet-based survey was sent to 553 RDNs who held the CSR credential. The survey included the 18-item PVCT© including 12 intrinsic and 6 extrinsic value statements. Total, intrinsic, and extrinsic value scores and percent agreement were calculated. Value scores were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test to assess differences between those who received reimbursement and those who did not. Results The response rate was 33.3% (n = 184). Twelve of 18 value statements had >80% agreement. The median PVCT© scores were 61.0 of 72.0 for total, 43.5 of 48.0 for intrinsic, and 18.0 of 24.0 for extrinsic values. Those who received reimbursement had significantly higher perceived extrinsic value scores than those who did not (P = .041). Intrinsic and total value scores were higher but not significantly different in those who received reimbursement. The statements with the highest percent agreement were "validates specialized knowledge" and "provides evidence of professional commitment", and the lowest value statement was "increases salary". Conclusions RDNs have a high perceived value of the CSR credential. Those who received reimbursement for their credential examination had higher extrinsic value. Future research should explore the value of the CSR credential among RDNs without the CSR credential and among stakeholders. Keywords specialist certification; perceived value of certification tool; renal nutrition; registered dietitian nutritionist; perceived value.
Functional Expression and Signaling Properties of Cloned Human Parathyroid Hormone Receptor in Xenopus Oocytes EVIDENCE FOR A NOVEL SIGNALING PATHWAY

Expression of human parathyroid hormone receptor (hPTHR) was obtained in Xenopus oocytes. Receptor function was detected by hormone stimulation of endogenous Ca2⁺-activated Cl current. This current was blocked by injected, but not by extracellular, EGTA, confirming that the hPTHR activates cytosolic Ca2⁺ signaling pathways. PTH responses were acutely desensitized but were regained in 6-12 h. Injection of cAMP or analogues had no effect on either responsiveness or desensitization to hPTH. The hPTH response was more sluggish than seen with serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT2C) receptor. In oocytes co-expressing both hPTHR and 5-HT2C receptors, homologous desensitization was seen, but cross-desensitization was not observed. Injection of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) elicited a fast inward current similar to that induced by serotonin, and complete cross-desensitization occurred between the InsP3 and 5-HT2C responses. Desensitization by hPTH did not affect responses to either InsP3 or serotonin, but cells desensitized to injected InsP3 still responded strongly to PTH. Oocytes did not respond to either cADPR or NAADP⁺, but NADP⁺ and analogues were found to be potent inhibitors of PTH signaling. We suggest that PTH cytosolic Ca2⁺ signaling in oocytes either involves a novel signaling system or proceeds through a Ca2⁺ compartment whose responsiveness is regulated in a novel way.
Enterprise configuration management — controlling integration complexity

Greater use of flexible system architectures, and changes in product acquisition policy, are just two elements of delivery strategy that have led to a significant increase in systems integration scale and complexity. This has produced the need for a new approach to the way BT manages and controls system whole-life change. This paper describes a major BT initiative that will provide a configuration management environment capable of catering for many different viewpoints — from strategic planning through to operational deployment and eventual system withdrawal.
Improving Student Models by Reasoning about Cognitive Ability, Emotions and Gender

We explore how cognitive, socio-biological and emotional conditions of the student help predict behavior within an ITS, and how instruction should be adapted depending on these variables to improve educational outcomes. Cognitive, social and emotional factors tend to be more permanent in nature than student's knowledge. Our approach is to diagnose them with pre-tests before the user starts using the system.
The American Debate and the Invention of Negative Liberty

The argument that the idea of liberty is “negative” first appeared in the work of three 18th century utilitarian writers – Jeremy Bentham, John Lind, and Richard Hey – who were all involved in arguing against the American Revolution. Quentin Skinner and Philip Pettit have suggested that the utilitarians revived the Hobbesian notion of freedom and utilized it against the neo-classical conception of freedom that was employed in support of the American cause. While acknowledging the similarity between the Hobbesian definition of liberty and the eighteenth century utilitarian definition of liberty, the paper argues for the uniqueness of the latter. Hobbes was arguing for an absolute monarchy, while the eighteenth century utilitarians shared with most advocates of the American cause a respect for the British mixed constitution. In contrast to Hobbes, the utilitarians had an idea of civil or political liberty that included some form of security against the arbitrary will of the government, and they shared the neo-classical idea that protecting the liberty of individuals in society requires a free constitution of government. The paper argues that the utilitarian invention of negative liberty should be understood in the context of a debate in which neo-classical assumptions about freedom and government were, to some extent, shared, and the question at the heart of the debate was the question of democratic participation.
Using the eating disorder examination in the assessment of bulimia and anorexia: issues of reliability and validity.

ABSTRACT Objective: The Eating Disorder Examination will be assessed according to its reliability and validity in the assessment of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Method: A thorough review of the literature was conducted to judge the reliability and validity of the Eating Disorder Examination and its subscales. Results: The review shows that the EDE and its subscales have good interrater reliability and internal consistency reliability. Similarly, high levels of discriminant validity, construct validity, and treatment validity in the assessment of eating disorders were also found. A summary of each study concerning the various types of reliability and validity will be provided. Conclusions: The EDE is considered to be the “gold standard” by which to identify eating disorders, so this tool used in conjunction with other behavioral measures will be imperative for clinical social work practice.
Struggling with a Nontraditional Past: Academically Successful Women from Disadvantaged Backgrounds Discuss Their Relationship with “Disadvantage”:

This article reports findings from a qualitative study that explored the educational experiences of women who were academic high achievers and who were disadvantaged as children. An interesting result was that most participants, if not all, believed that one reason they were successful was because they never revealed their personal histories to education professionals. This article describes the participants' relationship to the concept of disadvantage and the process they went through to have a voice in a system that rewarded them for their silence. It also addresses the question of when it is appropriate to disclose personal information in educational settings. Some believe there should be a separation between the personal and the professional. Others argue that women and disadvantaged students need education that is connected to their life experiences. If this is true, we must ask how this connection can be made when people from disadvantaged backgrounds believe they must hide who they are to succeed.
Forming a 2D waveguide array in PR ferroelectric crystal

We demonstrate experimentally a fixed two-dimensional (2D) periodic waveguide array by plane-wave interference in a photorefractive (PR) ferroelectric crystal, and then demonstrate the localized states as a function of applied electric filed.
Effects of gaze-contingent text changes on fixation duration in reading

In reading, a text change during an eye fixation can increase the duration of that fixation. This increased fixation duration could be the result of disrupted text processing, or from the effect of perceiving the brief visual change (a visual transient). The present study was designed to test those two hypotheses. Subjects read multiple-line text while their eye movements were monitored. During randomly selected saccades, the text was masked with an alternate page, which was then replaced with a second alternate page, 75 or 150 ms after the onset of the subsequent (critical) fixation. The effect of the initial masking page, the text change during fixation, and the content of the second page on the likelihood of saccade initiation during the critical fixation, was measured. Results showed that a text change during fixation resulted in similar bilateral (forward and regressive) saccade suppression regardless of the nature of the first and second pages, or the timing of text change. This result likely reflects the effect of a low-level visual transient caused by text change. In addition, there was delay effect reflecting the content of the initial masking. How the suppression dissipated after text change depended on the nature of the first and second pages. These effects are attributed to high-level text processing. The present results suggest that in reading, visual and cognitive processes both can disrupt saccade initiation. The combination of processing difficulty and visually-induced saccade suppression is responsible for the change in fixation duration when gaze-contingent display change is utilized. Therefore, it is prudent to consider both factors when interpreting the effect of text change on eye movement patterns.
Aseptic Rennet Coagulation of Ultra-High Temperature Processed Milk Concentrates

Abstract Milk was concentrated by pressure-driven filtration (UF or reverse osmosis) to 9.5, 15, 18, or 20% TS and then sterilized by UHT processing to 140°C for 4 s using plate heat exchangers. Following sterilization, samples were aseptically inoculated with rennet to coagulate the milk, which was then stored at room temperature (22°C). We investigated the influence of TS, milk fat, extent of heat treatment, rennet dosage, storage temperature, and storage time on gel strength and syneresis as indicators of suitability for manufacturing a shelf-stable dairy dessert. As the TS content of the UF milk concentrate increased, gel strength also increased, and the optimum was obtained when milk was concentrated by UF to 18% TS. A small amount of added fat increased gel strength, but an increase in fat content from 1.5 to 3.5% decreased gel strength. Gel strength and syneresis increased as the rennet dosage was increased, and the optimum was in the range of 0.005 to 0.035 RU (rennet units)/ml of milk concentrate. Storage of the renneted UHT concentrates at 21°C yielded firmer gels and more syneresis than did storage at 4°C. Products stored for longer periods were also firmer, although syneresis increased during storage. Increasing the extent of whey protein denaturation by heating the concentrates to 81°C for 30 min before UHT processing helped reduce syneresis of the gel during storage.
Alkamide production from hairy root cultures of Echinacea

Hairy root cultures of Echinacea, one of the most important medicinal plants in the US, represent a valuable alternative to field cultivation for the production of bioactive secondary metabolites. In this study, the three most economically important species of Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida, and Echinacea angustifolia) were readily transformed with two strains of Agrobacterium that produce the hairy root phenotype. Transformed roots of all three species exhibited consistent accelerated growth and increased levels of alkamide production. Optimization of the culture of Echinacea hairy roots was implemented to enhance both growth and alkamide production concomitantly. The use of half-strength Gamborg’s B5 medium supplemented with 3.0% sucrose was twice as effective in maintaining hairy root production than any other media tested. The addition of indolebutyric acid increased the growth rate of roots by as much as 14-fold. Alkamide production increased severalfold in response to the addition of the elicitor, jasmonic acid, but did not respond to the addition of indolebutyric acid. Induced accumulation of the important bioactive compounds, alkamides 2 and 8, was observed both in transformed roots and in response to jasmonic acid treatments. The results of this study demonstrate the efficacy of hairy root cultures of Echinacea for the in vitro production of alkamides and establish guidelines for optimum yield.
Infrared Intensities of ν(Si−H) on H/Si(100)-2×1: Effect of O Incorporation and Agglomeration

Hybrid density functional calculations have been carried out on cluster models of the pristine and oxidized hydrogen-terminated Si(100)-2×1 surface to investigate the changes in the surface infrared absorption spectrum upon incorporation of oxygen. Due to a combination of geometric and electronic effects, a dramatic increase in the v(Si-H) band intensity is found for the oxidized surface. An increase in infrared intensity of up to 62% is predicted for multiply oxidized sites. The results presented here may prompt the reinterpretation of infrared studies examining silicon surface chemistry using the v(Si-H) region to probe changes in surface structure and coverage.
Carcinogenesis in pulmonary epithelia in mice on different levels of vitamin A.

Abstract Lungs from 82 fetal or neonat BALB/c mice were minced and implanted with 20-methylcholanthrene (MCA) into right posterior thigh muscles of 159 adult males of the same strain. At these sites, bronchial, bronchiolar and alveolar-like structures developed. Metaplastic changes are illustrated. Squamous cell carcinomas arose at these sites in 9 of 56 hosts maintained on an adequate diet supplemented with injections of vitamin A palmitate, in 4 of 58 hosts maintained on an adequate diet without supplementary vitamin A, but in none of 25 hosts on a diet deficient in vitamin A. With the lowest tested dose of MCA, there were numerous adenocarcinomas and a few poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas. Well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas were obtained with larger doses of MCA. Both well-differentiated and poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas were found in mice on the high level of vitamin A.
Abstract 1157: Ubiquitin-proteolytic control of HOX homeodomain proteins in normal and malignant hematopoiesis

The HOX homeodomain proteins are key regulators of hematopoiesis. HOX genes are expressed in primitive hematopoietic cells, and their prompt downregulation is associated with hematopoietic differentiation and maturation. Although transcriptional inactivation of HOX genes during hematopoietic differentiation has been established, little is known about the biochemical mechanisms underlying the subsequent removal of HOX proteins. We have previously shown that the CUL4A ubiquitin ligase controls the stability of HOXA9 by promoting its ubiquitination and proteasome-dependent degradation. Interfering with CUL4A biosynthesis resulted in alterations of the abundance of HOXA9, mirrored by impairment of the myeloid progenitor cells to undergo proper terminal differentiation into granulocytes. Here we show that other HOX family members are also subjected to CUL4A-mediated ubiquitination and destruction, and defined the degradation signal (degron) for these HOX proteins. A degradation-resistant recombinant HOX protein was engineered and affinity-purified, and when directly transduced into G-CSF-mobilized CD34+ adult hematopoietic cells, demonstrated significant enhancement of promoting ex vivo expansion of these primitive hematopoietic progenitors. These results revealed a novel regulatory mechanism of hematopoiesis by ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis, and opened up new avenues for ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells for therapeutic use. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1157.
Association of ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase with the chloroplast cytochrome b-f complex

The 37-kDa non-heme component in spinach cytochrome b-f complex prepared from EDTA-washed thylakoids [(1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 10348-10354] is shown to be ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase (EC 1.18.1.2) on the basis of immunoreactivity, amino acid analysis, and pattern of cleavage by cyanogen bromide. Strong binding of the reductase to the isolated cytochrome complex suggests this is an important site for its attachment to the thylakoid membrane in vivo.
Observation of colloidal growth in coal-derived liquids

Abstract Heavy direct coal liquefaction products are known to exhibit rapidly increasing viscosities upon prolonged exposure to oxygen. Small-angle X-ray scattering has been used to monitor changes in the colloidal structure of a coal liquid subjected to accelerated aging under an oxygen atmosphere for a total period of 54 days. The data are consistent with an agglomeration model for the formation of large colloidal-size scattering centres which are partially responsible for the rapidly increasing viscosity of the coal liquid.