cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Thyroidectomy on the Secretion of Prolactin and on Plasma Levels of Thyrotropin, Luteinizing Hormone and Growth Hormone in Lambs1

Plasma levels of prolactin (PRL), thyrotropin (TSH), thyroxine, growth hormone (GH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in 4 ewes before and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 28 and 42 days after thyroidectomy. In addition, the metabolic clearance (MCR) and secretion rates (SR) of PRL were determined before, and, 28 and 42 days after thyroidectomy. Plasma levels of PRL and TSH increased (p > 0.01) with time after thyroidectomy reaching highest levels at 42 days, while plasma thyroxine decreased, reaching non—detectable levels at 42 days. The increased plasma levels of PRL were accompanied by a decrease in the MCR and an increase in SR of PRL. Plasma levels of GH did not change significantly following thyroidectomy while a decrease in LH was noted at 28 and 42 days. These data support the hypothesis that endogenous TRH is stimulatory to the secretion of PRL as well as TSH. Other possible explanations of these results are discussed.(Endocrinology 92: 1736, 1973)
The goal-oriented approach to evaluation: Critique and case study from drug abuse treatment

The specification and measurement of program goals remains central to most evaluation research strategies, yet procedures for implementing this approach are not well-articulated. It is the purpose of this discussion to describe a stepwise procedure for programmatic goal setting and monitoring used in a demonstration drug treatment program for women. Three implementation steps are described: (a) goal setting, (b) checking for consistency, (c) monitoring and feedback. The advantages and limitations of this approach are discussed and useful complementary measurement strategies are suggested.
Evaluation in RCR Training-Are You Achieving What You Hope For?

This Perspective addresses the value of, and realistic approaches to, incorporating formal evaluation processes in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. It comes from the experiences of a career that has combined: leading research teams and directing Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. training; teaching RCR since it was first required by NIH; teaching evaluation methods to directors of RCR and research training programs; and serving as an external evaluator for RCR and research training programs. Approaches to evaluation are introduced, contrasting quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods, along with the differences between formative (process) and summative (outcome) evaluation. Practical and realistic approaches are presented, knowing that RCR programs seldom have the luxury of time and funding for extensive evaluation. Guidance is provided on how to make sure evaluation starts from and focuses on what the training is designed to achieve (in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors) rather than just what activities are taking place or what information is being ‘delivered.’ Examples of evaluation questions that might be asked about RCR programs are provided, as well as approaches to answering them.
Catalytic gasification of Pittsburgh coal char by potassium sulphate and ferrous sulphate mixtures

Abstract The main objective of this investigation is to evaluate the catalytic activity of (K2SO4 + FeSO4) mixtures in the steam gasification of Pittsburgh coal char and to compare it with that of K2CO3. A catalyst composition corresponding to an atomic K/Fe ratio of 9 gave the highest conversion for the gasification of Pittsburgh coal (PSOC 1451) char with H2O/H2 and H2O/N2 mixtures, the conversion being higher than that with K2CO3 in the case of H2O/N2-gasification. This behavior is attributed to the catalysis of the reduction of K2SO4 by iron. The catalyst composition affects the product composition: CO selectivity in the product gas increases while CH4 selectivity decreases with the potassium content of the catalyst mixture.
Electroproduction of ρ and ϕ Mesons

We report measurements of ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}$ and $\ensuremath{\phi}$ electroproduction at 19.5 GeV in a wide-aperture spectrometer which detected the scattered electron and the decay products of the vector mesons. As $|{q}^{2}|$ increases, the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ mass spectrum shape changes, the momentum-transfer distribution broadens, and the ratio of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ cross section to the total cross section decreases. The ratio of longitudinally to transversely polarized ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}$ mesons is ${0.45}_{\ensuremath{-}0.10}^{+0.15}$ at $|{q}^{2}|=m{\ensuremath{\rho}}^{2}$, and the interference between longitudinal and transverse amplitudes is almost maximal. The relative $\ensuremath{\phi}$-meson cross section also decreases as $|{q}^{2}|$ increases.
Effect of Jet Pulsing on Film Cooling—Part I: Effectiveness and Flow-Field Temperature Results

Pulsed film cooling was studied experimentally to determine its effect on film cooling effectiveness. The film cooling jets were pulsed using solenoid valves in the supply air line. Cases with a single row of cylindrical film cooling holes inclined at 35 degrees to the surface of a flat plate were considered at blowing ratios of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 for a variety of pulsing frequencies and duty cycles. Temperature measurements were made using an infrared camera, thermocouples, and cold wire anemometry. Hot wire anemometry was used for velocity measurements. The local film cooling effectiveness was calculated based on the measured temperatures and the results were compared to baseline cases with continuous blowing. Phase locked flow temperature fields were determined from cold wire surveys. Pulsing at high frequencies helped to improve film cooling effectiveness in some cases by reducing overall jet liftoff. At lower frequencies, pulsing tended to have the opposite effect. With the present geometry and a steady mainflow, pulsing did not provide an overall benefit. The highest overall effectiveness was achieved with continuous jets and a blowing ratio of 0.5. The present results may prove useful for understanding film cooling behavior in engines, where mainflow unsteadiness causes film cooling jet pulsation.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Advances in Assessment of Students' Intuitive Understanding of Physics through Gameplay Data

In this paper, the authors present advances in analyzing gameplay data as evidence of learning outcomes using computational methods of statistical analysis. These analyses were performed on data gathered from the SURGE learning environment Martinez-Garza, Clark, & Nelson, 2010. SURGE is a digital game designed to help students articulate their intuitive concepts of motion physics and organize them toward a more normative scientific understanding. Various recurring issues of assessment, which pervade assessment of learning in games more generally, prompted the authors to consider whether gameplay actions of learners in the context of the game can be analyzed to produce evidence of learning. The authors describe their approach to the analysis of game play in terms of qualitative assessment that the authors believe may lay the groundwork for the application of similar computationally-intensive techniques in other educational game contexts.
Detection and Identification of Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Shigella spp. via PCR-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry: isolate testing and analysis of food samples.

ABSTRACT An assay to identify the common food-borne pathogens Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Shigella, and Listeria monocytogenes was developed in collaboration with Ibis Biosciences (a division of Abbott Molecular) for the Plex-ID biosensor system, a platform that uses electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS) to detect the base composition of short PCR amplicons. The new food-borne pathogen (FBP) plate has been experimentally designed using four gene segments for a total of eight amplicon targets. Initial work built a DNA base count database that contains more than 140 Salmonella enterica, 139 E. coli, 11 Shigella, and 36 Listeria patterns and 18 other Enterobacteriaceae organisms. This assay was tested to determine the scope of the assay9s ability to detect and differentiate the enteric pathogens and to improve the reference database associated with the assay. More than 800 bacterial isolates of S. enterica, E. coli, and Shigella species were analyzed. Overall, 100% of S. enterica, 99% of E. coli, and 73% of Shigella spp. were detected using this assay. The assay was also able to identify 30% of the S. enterica serovars to the serovar level. To further characterize the assay, spiked food matrices and food samples collected during regulatory field work were also studied. While analysis of preenrichment media was inconsistent, identification of S. enterica from selective enrichment media resulted in serovar-level identifications for 8 of 10 regulatory samples. The results of this study suggest that this high-throughput method may be useful in clinical and regulatory laboratories testing for these pathogens.
Stellar variability and its consequences for the Sun: A workshop held in Tucson, Arizona, March 1–2,1979

Attempts to understand solar change and its influence on the earth are frustrated by the brevity of our life spans. The few decades of modern solar-terrestrial data hint at secular modifications, but we can only speculate what the sun has in store for us and on what time scale. Yet the sky abounds with stars similar to the sun—some older, some younger—and through these living examples, we ought to be able to look into the future and past. This workshop assessed the technology for observing such solar-type stars (by means of precision stellar spectroscopy and photometry), considered the available evidence, and inquired as to what questions needed answers in order for scientists to decide between various proposed theoretical models of stellar/solar activity mechanisms.
PePr: a peak-calling prioritization pipeline to identify consistent or differential peaks from replicated ChIP-Seq data.

Motivation: ChIP-Seq is the standard method to identify genome-wide DNA-binding sites for transcription factors (TFs) and histone modifications. There is a growing need to analyze experiments with biological replicates, especially for epigenomic experiments where variation among biological samples can be substantial. However, tools that can perform group comparisons are currently lacking. Results: We present a peak-calling prioritization pipeline (PePr) for identifying consistent or differential binding sites in ChIP-Seq experiments with biological replicates. PePr models read counts across the genome among biological samples with a negative binomial distribution and uses a local variance estimation method, ranking consistent or differential binding sites more favorably than sites with greater variability. We compared PePr with commonly used and recently proposed approaches on eight TF datasets and show that PePr uniquely identifies consistent regions with enriched read counts, high motif occurrence rate and known characteristics of TF binding based on visual inspection. For histone modification data with broadly enriched regions, PePr identified differential regions that are consistent within groups and outperformed other methods in scaling False Discovery Rate (FDR) analysis. Availability and implementation: http://code.google.com/p/pepr-chip-seq/. Contact: ude.hcimu@amrotras Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Students' Persistence in a Distributed Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership in Higher Education: A Mixed Methods Study.

The purpose of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study was to identify factors contributing to students’ persistence in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Distributed Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership in Higher Education by obtaining quantitative results from surveying 278 current and former students and then following up with four purposefully selected typical respondents to explore those results in more depth. In the first, quantitative, phase, five external and internal to the program factors were found to be predictors to students’ persistence in the program: “program”, “online learning environment”, “student support services”, “faculty”, and “self-motivation”. In the qualitative follow up multiple case study analysis four major themes emerged: (1) quality of academic experiences; (2) online learning environment; (3) support and assistance; and (4) student self-motivation. The quantitative and qualitative findings from the two phases of the study are discussed with reference to prior research. Implications and recommendations for policy makers are provided.
Mass balance in migmatites

The migmatite problem has always been interrelated with the granite problem. The long and sometimes heated debates of the granite controversy between ‘magmatists’ and ‘transformationists’ were ended, for the time being, by Tuttle and Bowen (1958). Their study also convinced many geologists that migmatites were the product of simple partial melting and that the leucosomes in migmatites represented squeezed-out minimum melts. However, it quickly became clear that this assumption had many difficulties when applied to regional migmatites. The problems most often cited were: (1) the leucosomes do not have the minimum melt compositions (for example, Misch, 1968); (2) certain migmatitic structures, such as relict mineral orientations (for example, Hopson, 1964), metamorphic texture of and replacement textures in the leucosome (for example, King, 1965), cannot be reconciled with the idea of the leucosome as a melt. Winkler and Breitbart’s melting experiment study (1978) illustrates clearly the type of dilemma that crops up in migmatite research. They found ‘with surprise’ that at least six out of nine leucosomes of ‘in-situ migmatites’ probably were not completely liquid at the temperature reasonable for a high-grade metamorphism even at P H2O = P total = 5 kbar. It is very unlikely that such crystal mush could be filter-pressed out of the wall rocks, especially when the melt must contain plagioclase and quartz but leave mafic minerals in the selvages.
Cyclic preference scheduling of nurses using a Lagrangian-based heuristic

This paper addresses the problem of developing cyclic schedules for nurses while taking into account the quality of individual rosters. In this context, quality is gauged by the absence of certain undesirable shift patterns. The problem is formulated as an integer program (IP) and then decomposed using Lagrangian relaxation. Two approaches were explored, the first based on the relaxation of the preference constraints and the second based on the relaxation of the demand constraints. A theoretical examination of the first approach indicated that it was not likely to yield good bounds. The second approach showed more promise and was subsequently used to develop a solution methodology that combined subgradient optimization, the bundle method, heuristics, and variable fixing. After the Lagrangian dual problem was solved, though, there was no obvious way to perform branch and bound when a duality gap existed between the lower bound and the best objective function value provided by an IP-based feasibility heuristic. This led to the introduction of a variable fixing scheme to speed convergence. The full algorithm was tested on data provided by a medium-size U.S. hospital. Computational results showed that in most cases, problem instances with up to 100 nurses and 20 rotational profiles could be solved to near-optimality in less than 20 min.
An interactive visualization of refactorings retrieved from software archives

We perform knowledge discovery in software archives in order to detect refactorings on the level of classes and methods. Our REFVIS prototype finds these refactorings in CVS repositories and relates them to transactions. Additionally, REFVIS relates movements of methods to the class inheritance hierarchy of the analyzed project. REFVIS creates visualizations that show these refactorings in two different layouts and uses color-coding to distinguish between different kinds of refactorings. Moreover, our visualizations are interactive as they can be zoomed, scrolled and filtered; mouse-over-tooltips allow to examine details of the particular refactoring on demand.
Leucine is a direct-acting nutrient signal that regulates protein synthesis in adipose tissue

In freshly isolated rat adipocytes, leucine or its analog norleucine activates the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-signaling pathway. This results in phosphorylation of the ribosomal protein S...
Photonic integration for optical switching applications

We report on the latest advances in photonic integration of functions required for optical routing and switching in the LASOR project including wavelength conversion, packet forwarding, optical buffers, optical synchronizers, optical clock recovery and mode-locked lasers.
Use of the Protected Specimen Brush in Patients with Endotracheal or Tracheostomy Tubes

Twenty-one patients on mechanical ventilators for greater than 48 hours who had new localized infiltrates were evaluated using a quantitative culture technique of the involved lung compared to the non-involved lung. Based on the clinical course, response to antibiotics, or subsequent analysis of pathologic specimens, eight patients were felt to have acute bacterial pneumonia, while the remaining 13 were felt to have an alternative cause of their infiltrate. Cultures of the protected brush specimen of the involved lung in all eight cases of bacterial pneumonia had one or more organisms grown at a greater than 100 colony forming units (cfu) per ml while only one of the 13 cases of nonpneumonia had a culture from the involved area having greater than 100 cfu per ml (p
Transvection effects in Drosophila.

▪ Abstract An unusual feature of the Diptera is that homologous chromosomes are intimately synapsed in somatic cells. At a number of loci in Drosophila, this pairing can significantly influence gene expression. Such influences were first detected within the bithorax complex (BX-C) by E.B. Lewis, who coined the term transvection to describe them. Most cases of transvection involve the action of enhancers in trans. At several loci deletion of the promoter greatly increases this action in trans, suggesting that enhancers are normally tethered in cis by the promoter region. Transvection can also occur by the action of silencers in trans or by the spreading of position effect variegation from rearrangements having heterochromatic breakpoints to paired unrearranged chromosomes. Although not demonstrated, other cases of transvection may involve the production of joint RNAs by trans-splicing. Several cases of transvection require Zeste, a DNA-binding protein that is thought to facilitate homolog interactions by s...
Lack of Vitamin B6 Activity of 6‐Hydroxypyridoxine

Hydroxylation of the C-6 position of pyridoxine has been described recently as a mechanism for the degradation of vitamin B6 in foods. The nutritional properties of the resulting 6-hydroxypyridoxine in mammals have not been previously evaluated. 6-Hydroxypyridoxine was synthesized and its structure confirmed by UV and NMR spectroscopy. A rat bioassay with multiple dose levels was conducted to compare the vitamin B6 activity of pyridoxine and 6-hydroxypyridoxine with respect to a variety of indices of vitamin B6 metabolism. By all criteria employed, 6-hydroxypyridoxine exhibited neither vitamin B6 nor antivitamin B6 activity and, thus, is nutritionally inert.
Unobtrusive assessment of walking speed in the home using inexpensive PIR sensors

Walking speed and activity are important measures of functional ability in the elderly. Our earlier studies have suggested that continuous monitoring may allow us to detect changes in walking speed that are also predictive of cognitive changes. We evaluated the use of passive infrared (PIR) sensors for measuring walking speed in the home on an ongoing basis. In comparisons with gait mat estimates (ground truth) and the results of a timed walk test (the clinical gold standard) in 18 subjects, we found that the clinical measure overestimated typical walking speed, and the PIR sensor estimations of walking speed were highly correlated to actual gait speed. Examination of in-home walking patterns from more than 100,000 walking speed samples for these subjects suggested that we can accurately assess walking speed in the home. We discuss the potential of this approach for continuous assessment.
IT security education is enhanced by analyzing Honeynet data

Honeynets have increasingly been deployed by information technology (IT) professionals in industry for studying the methods and tools of malicious attackers. Educational institutions, because of their open access, offer a particularly enticing setting for connecting a Honeynet. The specific challenge for educational institutions is maintaining continuity in Honeynet research and operation as both undergraduate and graduate students complete their studies and leave. Furthermore, the analysis of Honeynet data requires a broad spectrum of security experience and skills. In this research, students installed an anonymous generation II Honeynet in the IT Security Lab at Brigham Young University (BYU) to assist in their educational experience in information assurance and security (IAS). The lab provides a secure setting for students to configure and monitor a honey wall connected to the Internet with its networked Windows and Linux honeypots. The objective of this research was to enhance undergraduate security training by 1) determining the impact of a Honeynet upon BYU security best practices, 2) assisting students to conduct personal research on the BYU Honeynet, and 3) providing live vulnerability training.
Brief report : Early social communication behaviors in the younger siblings of children with autism

The early social and communicative development of very young siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the focus of the current study. Three groups of children were included: (1) young children diagnosed with ASD, (2) younger siblings in families with a somewhat older child with ASD, and (3) young typically developing children. All children participated in a videotaped, structured interactional procedure called the Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS; [Mundy & Hogan, 1996, A Preliminary Manual for the Abridged Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS) Unpublished manual, University of Miami]). Very young siblings were compared to young children with a diagnosed autism spectrum disorder and to a group of young typically developing children. Results indicated that, on three of four of the ESCS subscales, the social communicative behaviors of the younger siblings differed from those of the typically developing children but not from the behaviors displayed by the ASD group. Genetic vulnerability for ASD among siblings and characteristics of family interaction may explain the level of impairment observed in the very young siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders.
RNA Replication without RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase: Surprises from Hepatitis Delta Virus

RNA-dependent RNA replication is a special process reserved exclusively for RNA viruses but not cellular RNAs. Almost all RNA viruses (except retroviruses) undergo RNA-dependent RNA replication by a virus-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), which specifically replicates the viral RNA genome
Escape Routing in Modern Area Array Packaging: An Analysis of Need, Trend, and Capability

With the increasing complexity in the die and package designs and ever increasing cost pressure in today's microelectronic industry, the design for input/output (I/O) routing has assumed a vital role in the overall product design. This scenario is primarily driven by the increase in the I/O terminal counts in both die and package. Several authors have already described the possibility of using various escape routing models in order to maximize the number of I/Os in a given area. However, these models suffer from many drawbacks and fail to address the importance of processing factors and the actual manufacturing conditions. Therefore, a new design guideline for escape routing has been developed to achieve the maximum I/O density under the actual manufacturing, processing and cost related constraints. The correlation between the real world constraints and their impact on I/O routing has been explored and used as a foundation for developing design guidelines. This approach has been presented through a comprehensive case study that covers various design scenarios, provides the right set of real world trade-offs that need to be considered and simultaneously highlights the drawbacks in existing models.
XIV—Psychopathic Agency and Prudential Deficits

Philosophical discussions of psychopathy have been framed primarily in terms of psychopaths' conspicuous moral shortcomings. But despite their vaunted ‘egocentricity’, another prominent trait in the standard psychopathic profile is a characteristic failure to look after themselves; in an important way, psychopaths appear to be as careless of themselves as they are of others. Assuming that the standard profile is largely correct, the question is how these moral and prudential deficits are related. Are they linked in some non-accidental way? This paper is a sympathetic exploration and articulation of the hypothesis that psychopathy involves an incapacity for critical distance from from one's own impulses and inclinations, an incapacity that would explain the lack of both prudential and moral regard.
Lentiviral vectors: basic to translational

More than two decades have passed since genetically modified HIV was used for gene delivery. Through continuous improvements these early marker gene-carrying HIVs have evolved into safer and more effective lentiviral vectors. Lentiviral vectors offer several attractive properties as gene-delivery vehicles, including: (i) sustained gene delivery through stable vector integration into host genome; (ii) the capability of infecting both dividing and non-dividing cells; (iii) broad tissue tropisms, including important gene- and cell-therapy-target cell types; (iv) no expression of viral proteins after vector transduction; (v) the ability to deliver complex genetic elements, such as polycistronic or intron-containing sequences; (vi) potentially safer integration site profile; and (vii) a relatively easy system for vector manipulation and production. Accordingly, lentivector technologies now have widespread use in basic biology and translational studies for stable transgene overexpression, persistent gene silencing, immunization, in vivo imaging, generating transgenic animals, induction of pluripotent cells, stem cell modification and lineage tracking, or site-directed gene editing. Moreover, in the present high-throughput '-omics' era, the commercial availability of premade lentiviral vectors, which are engineered to express or silence genome-wide genes, accelerates the rapid expansion of this vector technology. In the present review, we assess the advances in lentiviral vector technology, including basic lentivirology, vector designs for improved efficiency and biosafety, protocols for vector production and infection, targeted gene delivery, advanced lentiviral applications and issues associated with the vector system.
Physical pathways and utilization of nitrate supply to the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera

To determine the relative importance of different sources of nitrate to the annual nitrogen needs of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera, we measured ambient nitrate concentrations at a kelp forest for 13 months and characterized nitrate delivery using water column thermal structure and flow data collected in the forest and at its offshore edge. The forest’s monthly nitrate supply varied by a factor of 50, while measured net nitrogen acquisition varied only fivefold. Maximum net nitrogen acquisition rates for fronds in the forest interior were 0.18 mmol N g21 month21 during spring upwelling in 2005 and declined fourfold during autumn until upwelling resumed the following year. Modeled gross nitrogen uptake with consideration of Michaelis–Menten kinetics for nitrate and mass transfer limitation was higher than observed net acquisition except during the warm stratified summer and autumn months, when net acquisition exceeded modeled gross uptake. This shortfall indicates that the kelp forest received over half its nitrogen from sources other than nitrate such as ammonium from epibionts. Most of the nitrate in the forest was delivered as a result of upwelling-favorable winds and convection. Internal waves and local streams contributed ,9% of the nitrate delivered to the forest on an annual basis and 20% during stratified periods. Kelp used less than 5% of the nitrate supplied to the forest. Nitrate delivery to this modest sized kelp forest was roughly equivalent between alongshore (45%) and cross-shore flows (55%), which distinguishes it from large kelp forests in which cross-shore flows dominate exchange.
Interlenkin-2 alone and in combination with other cytokines in melanoma: the investigational approach at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Abstract The clinical data that have been accumulated so far suggests a significant influence of IL-2 dose and schedule on the immunobiological effects and clinical toxicities observed with this cytokine. Consequently, the series of Phase I and Phase II clinical trials conducted at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in patients with advanced malignant melanoma investigating the use of IL-2 in combination with other cytokines, monoclonal antibodies, or ex vivo activated effector cells have used a common dose and schedule of IL-2 administration for which abundant immunobiological information already exists. This approach allows cross-trial comparison of experience with toxicities, immunobiological observations and clinical activity by a group of investigatiors within a single institution, and more rapid and valid evolution towards combination biological therapy, which preclinical data suggest will have greater activity than single agent therapy.
Timing analysis of superscalar processor programs using ACSR

This paper illustrates a formal technique for describing the timing properties and resource constraints of pipelined superscalar processor instructions at high level. Superscalar processors can issue and execute multiple instructions simultaneously. The degree of parallelism depends on the multiplicity of hardware functional units as well as data dependencies among instructions. Thus, the timing properties of a superscalar program is difficult. To analyze and predict. We describe how to model the instruction-level architecture of a superscalar processor using ACSR and how to derive the temporal behavior of an assembly program using the ACSR laws. The salient aspect of ACSR is that the notions of time, resources and priorities are supported directly in the algebra. Our approach is to model superscalar processor registers as ACSR resources, instructions as ACSR processes, and use ACSR priorities to achieve maximum possible instruction-level parallelism. >
Subcutaneously administered apomorphine: Pharmacokinetics and metabolism

Apomorphine is a non-narcotic morphine derivative that acts as a potent dopaminergic agonist. Its high first-pass hepatic metabolism prevents effectiveness by the oral route; instead, subcutaneous injection is the usual route, and intranasal, sublingual, rectal, and iontophoretic transdermal delivery has been investigated for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). The rate of uptake after subcutaneous injection is influenced by factors such as location, temperature, depth of injection, and body fat. Studies have shown the latency of onset to clinical effect after s.c. injection ranged from 7.3 to 14 minutes. Cerebrospinal fluid T(max)lags behind plasma T(max) by 10 to 20 minutes. Considerable intersubject variability is found with pharmacokinetic variables; in some studies there are five- to tenfold differences in C(max)and area-under-the-concentration-time-curve seen in PD patients. Apomorphine metabolism occurs through several enzymatic pathways, including N-demethylation, sulfation, glucuronidation, and catechol-O-methyltransferase as well as by nonenzymatic oxidation. The complexities of apomorphine uptake, distribution, and clearance probably contribute to its variability of clinical actions.
Critical Pertussis Illness in Children, A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study

Objective:Pertussis persists in the United States despite high immunization rates. This report characterizes the presentation and acute course of critical pertussis by quantifying demographic data, laboratory findings, clinical complications, and critical care therapies among children requiring admi
Zur Reaktion des Zweikomponentensystems Trialkylphosphit/Tetrachlormethan mit bifunktionellen Nucleophilen

Bifunktionelle Nucleophile wie 1,2-Diole und 2-Aminoalkohole reagieren mit dem Zweikomponentensystem Triethylphosphit/Tetrachlormethan zu cyclischen, acyclischen und spirocyclischen PV-Verbindungen. Kennzeichnend fur den Reaktionsverlauf und die Zusammensetzung der Reaktionsgemische ist die Konkurrenz von Ligandenaustausch- und Ringschlusreaktionen. Reaction of the Two-Component System Trialkylphosphite/Tetrachloromethane with Bifunctional Nucleophiles Bifunctional nucleophiles such as 1,2-dioles and 2-aminoalcohols react with the two-component system triethylphosphite/tetrachloromethane to cyclic, acyclic and spirocyclic PV compounds. Reaction route and composition of the product mixtures are characterized by the competition of ligand exchange and cyclisation reactions.
A framework for analysis of dynamic social networks

Finding patterns of social interaction within a population has wide-ranging applications including: disease modeling, cultural and information transmission, and behavioral ecology. Social interactions are often modeled with networks. A key characteristic of social interactions is their continual change. However, most past analyses of social networks are essentially static in that all information about the time that social interactions take place is discarded. In this paper, we propose a new mathematical and computational framework that enables analysis of dynamic social networks and that explicitly makes use of information about when social interactions occur.
Mediators of inflammation and the inflammatory process

A complex interplay of inflammatory cells and chemical mediators is responsible for allergic inflammation. It is now understood that the allergic reaction consists of an early-phase response involving mast cell degranulation with the release of histamine and a late-phase response characterized by the migration of inflammatory cells. This review provides a summary of the early- and late-phase events associated with allergic inflammation and an overview of the principal chemical mediators involved in the inflammatory process.
SemiSPECT: a small-animal imaging system based on eight CdZnTe pixel detectors

We have constructed a SPECT system for small animals that utilizes eight CdZnTe pixel detectors. The eight detectors are arranged in a single octagonal ring, where each views the object to be imaged through a single pinhole. Additional projections are obtained via rotation of the animal. Each CdZnTe detector is approximately 2 mm in thickness and is patterned on one surface into a 64/spl times/64 array of pixels with 380 micron pitch. We have designed an electronic readout system capable of collecting data front the eight detectors in listmode. In this scheme each event entry for a gamma-ray hit includes the pulse height of the pixel with the largest signal and the pulse height for each of its eight nearest neighbors. We present details of the overall design, the electronics, and system performance.
Update on the Effect of Botulinum Toxin Pretreatment on Laser Resurfacing Results

Background: Facial laser resurfacing and chemodenervation with botulinum toxin type A are used independently as means of nonsurgical facial rejuvenation. Recent reports in the literature have described combining these 2 therapies, claiming improved and longer-lasting laser resurfacing results. To date, no scientific investigation has been undertaken to prove or disprove this theory. Design: Institutional review board–approved, prospective, randomized, blinded study at university-affiliated outpatient cosmetic surgery offices. Intervention: Patients had one side of their face injected, at specific anatomic subsites (crow’s feet, horizontal forehead furrows, and glabellar frown lines), with botulinum toxin 1 week before laser resurfacing. After receiving an injection, patients underwent cutaneous laser exfoliation on both sides of the face with either a carbon dioxide or an erbium dual-mode laser. Main Outcome Measures: Patients’ injected (experimental) and noninjected (control) sides were compared after laser resurfacing. Follow-up was documented at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after laser resurfacing. Subjective evaluation, based on a visual analog scale, was performed in person by a blinded observer. Furthermore, a blinded panel of 3 expert judges (1 facial plastic surgeon, 1 oculoplastic surgeon, and 1 cosmetic dermatologist) graded 35-mm photographs taken during postoperative follow-up visits. Results: Ten female patients were enrolled in the study. A 2-tailed t test showed that all sites that were pretreated with botulinum toxin showed statistically significant improvement (P .05) over the nontreated side, with the crow’s feet region showing the greatest improvement. Comparing results between the carbon dioxide and erbium lasers did not result in any statistically significant differences. Conclusions: Hyperdynamic facial lines, pretreated with botulinum toxin before laser resurfacing, heal in a smoother rhytid-diminished fashion. These results were clinically most significant in the crow’s feet region. We recommend pretreatment of movement-associated rhytids with botulinum toxin before laser resurfacing. For optimum results, we further recommend continued maintenance therapy with botulinum toxin postoperatively.
CRISP: congestion reduction by iterated spreading during placement

Dramatic progress has been made in algorithms for placement and routing over the last 5 years, with improvements in both speed and quality. Combining placement and routing into a joint optimization has also been proposed. However, it remains unclear if the benefits would be significant enough to justify major changes in commercial tools. CRISP addresses this challenge and is the first tool to demonstrate tangible benefits of combined place-and-route optimization including fewer global routing detours, reduced detailed routing violations and runtime, and even shrinking the floorplan of a commercial design. We employ fast global routing to choose standard cells to temporarily inflate and iteratively spread for congestion reduction. Spreading only in congested regions, we enable die area reduction by facilitating routing with high area utilization.
Commentaries on Viewpoint: Why do some patients stop breathing after taking narcotics? Ventilatory chemosensitivity as a predictor of opioid-induced respiratory depression.

opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) is a serious public health and patient safety concern. In 2010, drug overdose was the leading cause of injury death in the United States ([32][1]), with 75% of these deaths involving opioid analgesics ([2][2], [10][3]). The problem is not limited to
21.1 A single-cycle MPPT charge-pump energy harvester using a thyristor-based VCO without storage capacitor

The switched-capacitor power converter, also called a charge pump (CP), features no off-chip components and is suitable for the monolithic smart nodes in the internet of everything (IoE) [1]. To reduce the inevitable charge-redistribution loss (CRL) from a fixed conversion ratio (CR), reconfigurable CPs have been proposed to dynamically change their CRs for optimized harvesting efficiency [2,3]. However, they lacked the startup and self-sustaining capability [4], which are vital to the power-management unit for IoE. The clock generator of an energy harvester should oscillate with the initial low harvesting voltage. To realize the self-sustaining capability, the controller should rely on the harvested power of the CP, which implies an ultra-low power consumption. The conventional current-starved ring oscillator is not suitable for this microwatt power budget due to its correlated nature between speed, slew rate, and power consumption.
Giant Nonreciprocity in a Parity-Time reversal Symmetric Microstrip Dimer System

A giant non-reciprocal transmission is demonstrated theoretically from a pair of coupled resonators with Parity-Time symmetry due to the interplay of existing exceptional point degeneracy, and the interaction with a gyro-magnetic substrate.
Direct Democracy and Fiscal Gridlock: Have Voter Initiatives Paralyzed the California Budget?:

Does direct democracy make it impossible to balance public sector budgets? I address this question with evidence from California, where it is widely believed that voter initiatives have paralyzed the state budget process by locking in high spending while simultaneously prohibiting tax increases. A review of all initiatives approved since 1912 shows that no more than 32 percent of appropriations in the 2003-04 California state budget were locked in by initiatives and that initiatives placed only minimal constraints on the legislature's ability to raise revenue. Moreover, it is likely that the legislature would have allocated much of the money to its dedicated purpose even if it had not been required to do so by initiative. Initiatives do not appear to be a significant obstacle to balancing the state budget in California.
The Idea of Power and Locke's Taxonomy of Ideas

ABSTRACTLocke's account of the idea of power is thought to be seriously problematic. Commentators allege (1) that the idea of power causes problems for Locke's taxonomy of ideas, (2) that it is defined circularly, and (3) that, contrary to Locke's claims, it cannot be acquired in experience. This paper defends Locke's account. Previous commentators have assumed that there is only one idea of power. But close attention to Locke's text, combined with background features of his theory of ideas, supports the drawing of a distinction between four different ideas of power. The paper describes each idea and its role in the Essay. It then argues that this distinction can help Locke to avoid the traditional criticisms.
Dissection of the average-case performance of MRU cache replacement policy

Cache is a processor feature that can greatly affect the performance of programs. The average-case performance of most recently used( MRU) Cache replacement policy was studied.Research results showed that MRU outperforms LRU in some circumstances. By analyzing loop structures with sequential memory accesses,the condition for this phenomenon is given and formally proved. Extensive experiments were conducted on real-time timing analysis benchmarks for different Cache configurations,which shows that MRU outperforms LRU in lots of execution scenarios.Combining this result and recent results on the real-time performance of MRU replacement policy,it can be concluded that MRU has very high performance in both average-case and real-time metrics.
Needlestick/sharps injuries and HIV exposure among health care workers. National estimates based on a survey of U.S. hospitals.

Exposure to HIV in the workplace is a major concern for health care workers. The greatest risk for bloodborne pathogen transmission is associated with percutaneous injuries involving hollow-bore needles contaminated with patient blood. Limited data are available about how many sharps injuries (SIs) and needlesticks (NSs) occur in the United States, with estimates ranging from 100,000 to 1 million injuries per year. We conducted a survey of 100 infection control practitioners located at randomly selected U.S. hospitals to assess the number of SIs or NSs occurring during 1990; 65 (65%) responded. The mean number of NS/SIs reported was 45, with a mean of 1.1 known HIV-related NS/SIs. The underreporting rate was estimated to be 18.5%. Assuming that the hospitals provided exact numbers of injuries and were representative of the approximately 5,100 U.S. hospitals, then about 252,000 NS/SIs were reported in U.S. hospitals in 1990 (95% CI = 193,000-312,000). If the under-reporting rate was 33% to 66%, then the point estimate for the total number of NS/SIs ranges from 378,000 to 756,000. Similar extrapolation involving the reported number of NS/SIs contaminated with blood from an HIV-infected patient yields an estimate of 5,610 exposures in 1990 (95% CI = 1,300-8,300). The number of U.S. hospital workers sustaining NS/SIs with potential exposure to HIV appears to be considerable. Efforts to reduce the risk of bloodborne pathogen transmission from NS/SIs are warranted.
Microneedle Array for Transdermal Bio-Fluid Sampling and Drug Delivery

This paper presents a microfabricated array of silicon microneedles, integrated with fluidic microchannels, designed for the extraction of extracellular fluid constituents from just beneath the skin. Biofluid sample extraction is obtained by means of capillary and extracellular fluid osmotic forces. Skin piercing by the needles has been validated by in vivo confocal micoscopy, electrical impedance measurements, and biopotential recording experiments. Sample delivery and collection from/to the microchannels is demonstrated in vitro.
Acceptability of a brief computerized intervention targeting anxiety sensitivity

AbstractDespite the well-documented efficacy of cognitive behavioral treatments for anxiety disorders, the acceptability of these treatments remains an under-researched area. A better understanding of acceptability could help to improve the initiation of, and engagement in, these effective interventions. Recent research has suggested computerized interventions of anxiety-related risk factors may be one way to improve acceptability and overcome several common barriers to treatment. Considering this, the current study tested the acceptability of a computerized, anxiety sensitivity (AS)-focused treatment among a sample of treatment-seeking community participants and military veterans (N = 58). Results indicated that the majority of participants rated the intervention as acceptable, and that drop-out rate was low (ie 5%). Moreover, higher acceptability scores were associated with older age, veteran status, lower income levels, African-American race, and being separated/divorced. Findings suggest that a comput...