cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of cryogenic radiometry and thermal radiometry calibrations at NIST using multichannel filter radiometers

Comparison of independent measurement results allows an assessment of the accuracy of the underlying methods. In this work, four multichannel filter radiometers were calibrated using tunable laser-illuminated and lamp-illuminated integrating sphere sources (ISSs). The determination of the radiance of the laser-illuminated ISS is based on electrical substitution radiometry at cryogenic temperatures and dimensional metrology of circular apertures. The determination of the spectral radiance of the lamp-illuminated ISS is based on blackbody physics, referenced to the freezing temperature of gold. By calibrating the filter radiometers using both methods, we compare the `detector-based' to the `source-based' radiance scale at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Spontaneous and therapy-induced immunity to pluripotency genes in humans: clinical implications, opportunities and challenges

Recent studies have suggested that the core pathways regulating pluripotency in embryonal stem cells bear considerable overlap with oncogenesis. Here, we discuss recent insights into the capacity of the human immune system to target some of the key pluripotency-associated genes. Immunity to these genes is also induced in humans in the context of chemotherapy-induced cell death in patients with germ cell tumors. Immunologic targeting of pathways associated with stemness has implications for both immune regulation of tumor growth as well as emerging regenerative therapies with embryonal stem cells.
Effect of fatigue loading on the modal properties of composite structures and its utilization for prediction of residual life

The design of composite structures for fatigue loading utilizes S-N curves to predict the fatigue life based on coupon testing. Due to the complex manufacturing process, the initial fabrication inconsistencies may cause the predicted number of cycles to failure to be off by one or two orders of magnitude. An experimental method is developed to predict the residual fatigue life of composite structures and continuously refine the prediction during the service life of these structures. Global effects on modal parameters, natural frequencies and damping ratios are investigated during the fatigue process. The Random Decrement signal processing technique is used. Changes of modal parameters are correlated with the prediction of fatigue failure life for selected graphite/epoxy composite specimens. The nature of the proposed method lends itself to real-time applications, especially, in service structures, as a nondestructive indicator.
Optimization of the sintered density of aluminum oxide compacts

Effects of sintering time, peak temperature, heating rate, and binder system on the sintered density of alumina compacts were modeled using statistical methods. The traditional polyvinyl alcohol/polyethylene glycol (PVA/PEG) binder system produced more spherical spray dried granules and higher sintered densities than systems including hydroxyethylcellulose and 20,000 molecular weight PEG.
Age-related changes in expression of CTL2/SLC44A2 and its isoforms in the mouse inner ear

The membrane glycoprotein CTL2/SLC44A2 is expressed by supporting cells in the inner ear and has been identified as a target of antibodies that may induce auto-immune hearing loss. To determine if CTL2/SLC44A2 also has roles in inner ear development and to distinguish between isoform-specific roles, we assessed age-related changes in expression of CTL2/SLC44A2 isoforms and protein in the developing murine inner ear. We determined that both isoform p1 and isoform p2 (named for the upstream p1 and proximal p2 promoters that control alternate exons 1a and 1b) were robustly expressed as early as E14 and persisted during embryonic development, but after birth the p1 isoform fell to barely detectable levels while isoform p2 levels were maintained. This trend continued and became even more apparent later in post-natal development and remained in mature ears until at least 6 weeks of age. In aged (18mo old) mice, the level of isoform p1 transcripts rose again to levels similar to the p2 isoform like that seen early in development. At the earliest stage examined, CTL2/SLC44A2 protein was expressed in both immature supporting cells and immature sensory cells, but after birth expression in the sensory cells declined in both the utricle and cochlea and by day P1 expression of CTL2/SLC44A2 was restricted to supporting cells. The changes we observed in isoform distribution are indicative of differential developmental roles and age related changes between the two isoforms of CTL2/SLC44A2 in the inner ear.
Thinking outside our cages.

Researchers seem to be stuck reiterating the now-familiar argument that barren boxes are bad for welfare and that rodents are due ethical consideration. But the prerequisites for real progress are new kinds of arguments, new types of data, and removal of very real practical and cultural obstacles to implementation of meaningful enrichment. We must discover what we have to do to effectively change the practices of people who have care and control of rodents in the laboratory, not just husbandry staff but those who develop the institution's protocols, job descriptions, and resourcing. Researchers are inventers of information, and like any inventor we should experience no satisfaction until our ideas are fully implemented—and we must be an active participant in that process. If we are asking animal caretakers to make deep, paradigmatic changes in their thinking, it is imperative that we in turn develop an emotionally positive understanding of areas important to them. For unless the welfare advocates truly un...
The Council of State Governments: A national information provider

Abstract The Council of State Governments was created over fifty years ago to serve as an information resource for state officials. The Council has been an active information provider over the years and is now entering a new phase which includes the development of a national state government information database and the creation of a state government research institute.
PRESENTATION OF THE CHARLES SCHUCHERT AWARD OF THE PALEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY TO STEVEN M. HOLLAND

It is a great pleasure and honor to introduce this year's Charles Schuchert Awardee, Steven M. Holland: another proud member in the grand lineage of the “Cincinnati school.” In summarizing the contributions of another prominent Cincinnatian, Kenneth Caster once wrote: “[he] was inducted into fossil-hunting early in his youth” in Cincinnati and went on to become a “distinguished professor of paleontology.” These words could well describe this year's Schuchert Award recipient, but they were not written about the awardee, but rather about the award's namesake. Charles E. Schuchert, as Caster noted, was “a self-made paleontologist,” whose formal education comprised “no more than six-grades of elementary education in the Cincinnati public schools.” (A testimony to the excellence of Cincinnati education in the late 1800s! Steve, of course, has had a bit more formal training than Schuchert did.) The Cincinnati area has spawned a disproportionate number of eminent paleontologists: Schuchert and his mentor E. O. Ulrich, Nathaniel Southgate Shaler, Ray Bassler, Auguste Foerste, and many more; including, more recently, Richard Bambach (though claiming no Cincinnatian inspiration!) and Steve Holland, both of whom are being honored this year. Steve grew up in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason and went to Moeller High School in Montgomery (the same school, incidentally, attended by Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Larkin: maybe Steve could have been a baseball player, but fortunately for us, he chose a “road even less travelled”). Already as a young student, Steve showed great promise and enthusiasm for paleontology. He also took an interest in people. He worked with local amateurs, including last year's Strimple Awardee, Steve Felton, and even volunteered his time at the Cincinnati Museum to help lead field trips with Dr. Richard Davis. This enthusiasm and propensity for teaching has characterized Steve's academic career. After he graduated Summa Cum Laude …
Single-particle effects in precompound reactions: Influence of the f/sub 7/2/ shell closure

We present angle integrated spectra for the (p,n) reaction with 25 MeV protons on targets of $_{{\mathrm{}}^{50}}$,52,${\mathrm{}}_{24}^{53}$Cr, and on $_{26}^{58}\mathrm{Fe}$, $_{27}^{59}\mathrm{Co}$, $_{28}^{60}\mathrm{Ni}$, and $_{29}^{63}\mathrm{Cu}$. These spectra are compared with two-quasiparticle state densities for proton-particle\char21{}neutron-hole configurations, calculated using Nilsson-model single-particle energies. The influence of shell structure on the precompound spectra, previously shown for the ${g}_{9/2}$ neutron shell closure, is shown here for the ${f}_{7/2}$ neutron and proton shells. Semiquantitative agreement is shown between experimental results and calculated two-quasiparticle densities. The parameter space of pairing energy, deformation, and oscillator stiffness is explored. Precompound spectra near shell closures are in better agreement with partial state densities from Nilsson-model considerations than with results from more commonly used equidistant spacing models.
Role of laminin carbohydrates on cellular interactions

Role of laminin carbohydrates on cellular interactions. Laminins, a family of large multidomain glycoproteins of the basal lamina, have been implicated in the development and maintenance of cellular and tissue organization. Considerable interest has arisen concerning the ways in which laminin carries out its biological functions. Previously these biologic responses have been primarily attributed to the peptide sequences of laminin, however, newer studies suggest that laminin carbohydrates may also participate in such cellular activities. Recently, a subpopulation of laminin molecules purified from EHS sarcoma by lectin affinity chromatography has been shown to contain about 25 to 30% carbohydrate. Most of the carbohydrates present are complex-type asparagine-linked oligosaccharides encompassing many different structures, some of which are unique to laminin. To date, the biological function of the carbohydrates of laminin remains somewhat unclear. They do not appear to be needed for heparin binding or to enhance proteinase stability, however, current evidence suggests they are important in cellular spreading and neurite outgrowth. It is our hypothesis that the covalently-linked carbohydrate moieties of laminin will ultimately prove to be involved in information transfer to responsive cells. It is the purpose of this review to delineate current concepts of the structure and function of this unique glycoprotein's sugar chains.
Larval recruitment in response to manipulated field flows

Settlement responses to boundary-layer flow of several invertebrate taxa, including the hydroid Tubularia crocea, the bryozoans Bugula turrita and Schizoporella unicornis, and the tube-building polychaete Hydroides dianthus were studied in manipulated field flows in Great Harbor, Massachusetts, USA. During three experiments in 1989 and two in 1990, densities of newly-recruited larvae were measured on flat plates, whose flow regimes had been manipulated by altering the leading-edge configurations. Settlement responses to flow were strongly species-specific, with T. crocea preferring regions of both high turbulence and strong shear stress, and S. unicornis settling a most exclusively in regions of high shear stress. B. turrita settled most prominently in regions of reduced shear stress, exhibiting settlement patterns that closely approximated predictions from a model of passive particle contact. H. dianthus showed a moderate avoidance of regions with high shear stress. These results indicate that boundary-layer flows affect settlement of several common encrusting species, a probable consequence of larval behaviors such as substrate rejection or exploration in response to flow. These responses are likely to generate patchiness during initial colonization of natural habitats, and certainly affect colonization of settlement panels commonly used in marine ecological studies.
Fluid Structure Interaction Analysis of Blood Flow Through a Mechanical Heart Valve

Modeling pulsatile flow past heart valves remains a relatively unexplored but critical area. Due to the geometric complexity and the interaction between the flowing blood and the heart valve leaflets, existing numerical techniques that require domain discretization, such as finite element methods or finite difference techniques, cannot fully represent the moving and deforming boundaries present in an operating valve. Our aim is to develop a technique to model the flow through heart valves which includes the interaction between the blood flow and the valve leaflets using the radial functions method (RFM). The RFM is a meshless technique that fully accounts for moving and deforming surfaces and thus is well suited to model the blood flow and its interaction with leaflet motion. Here we present a 2D fluid structure interaction (FSI) model of the blood flow through a bileaflet mechanical heart valve (MHV).Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Composite control of physically simulated characters

A physics-based control system that tracks a single motion trajectory produces high-quality animations, but does not recover from large disturbances that require deviating from this tracked trajectory. In order to enhance the responsiveness of physically simulated characters, we introduce algorithms that construct composite controllers that track multiple trajectories in parallel instead of sequentially switching from one control to the other. The composite controllers can blend or transition between different path controllers at arbitrary times according to the current system state. As a result, a composite control system generates both high-quality animations and natural responses to certain disturbances. We demonstrate its potential for improving robustness in performing several locomotion tasks. Then we consolidate these controllers into graphs that allow us to direct the character in real time.
The Demographics of Aging and Its Impact on the Cardiovascular Health

In the next few decades, the progressive “graying” of America will accelerate. People 65+ are expected to grow to be approximately 80 million, or 21 %, of the US population by 2040. The 85+ group is the fastest-growing segment of the population, and it is estimated to increase from 6 million to over 14 million by 2040. This growth will result in a significant increase in the incidence and prevalence of age-associated diseases, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, and heart failure. An appreciation of this demographic change is essential for those involved in the healthcare industry, including providers, health organizations, policy makers as well as patients.
Properties of siliconaluminumyttrium oxynitride glasses

Abstract The thermal and mechanical properties of two SiAlYON systems, including linear thermal expansion coefficient, glass transition temperature, elastic modulus, hardness and fracture toughness, were characterized. Results are compared with those previously reported in the literature in an attempt to expand our knowledge of silicon oxynitride glasses. It is found that increasing the nitrogen content generally results in decreasing the linear thermal expansion coefficient while increasing the glass transition temperature, the elastic modulus and the hardness. These observations are consistent with previous studies on similar oxynitride glasses. Present work also shows that the Y:Al cation ratio has a stronger effect on the thermal properties of the glasses than does the nitrogen content, a factor not systematically examined before. The outcome of this work adds to the database on oxynitride glasses which is essential in research on silicon nitride ceramics.
Somatic piRNA biogenesis

Piwi‐interacting RNAs (piRNAs) protect animal germ cells from transposons and other selfish genetic elements. Of the three types of animal small‐silencing RNAs—small‐interfering RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and piRNAs—piRNAs are the least well understood, because we lack good tools for studying how they are made and how they function. Brennecke et al have now established a method for triggering RNA interference (RNAi) solely in Drosophila follicle cells, a specialized somatic cell that abuts the developing oocyte and which expresses a simplified version of the piRNA pathway present in animal germ cells. Their initial results already suggest a revision for our model of the piRNA pathway, and promise to accelerate the study of this enigmatic small RNA class.
Caspase-activated PAK-2 is regulated by subcellular targeting and proteasomal degradation

p21-activated protein kinases (PAKs) are a family of serine/threonine protein kinases that are activated by binding of the p21 G proteins Cdc42 or Rac. The ubiquitous PAK-2 (γ-PAK) is unique among the PAK isoforms because it is also activated through proteolytic cleavage by caspases or caspase-like proteases. In response to stress stimulants such as tumor necrosis factor α or growth factor withdrawal, PAK-2 is activated as a full-length enzyme and as a proteolytic PAK-2p34 fragment. Activation of full-length PAK-2 stimulates cell survival, whereas proteolytic activation of PAK-2p34 is involved in programmed cell death. Here we provide evidence that the proapoptotic effect of PAK-2p34 is regulated by subcellular targeting and degradation by the proteasome. Full-length PAK-2 is localized in the cytoplasm, whereas the proteolytic PAK-2p34 fragment translocates to the nucleus. Subcellular localization of PAK-2 is regulated by nuclear localization and nuclear export signal motifs. A nuclear export signal motif within the regulatory domain prevents nuclear localization of full-length PAK-2. Proteolytic activation removes most of the regulatory domain and disrupts the nuclear export signal. The activated PAK-2p34 fragment contains a nuclear localization signal and translocates to the nucleus. However, levels of activated PAK-2p34 are tightly regulated through ubiquitination and degradation by the proteasome. Inhibition of degradation by blocking polyubiquitination results in significantly increased levels of PAK-2p34 and as a consequence, in stimulation of programmed cell death. Therefore, nuclear targeting and inhibition of degradation appear to be critical for stimulation of the cell death response by PAK-2p34.
Flying the Unfriendly Skies?: The Role of Forgiveness and Race in the Experience of Racial Microaggressions

ABSTRACT Because even subtle forms of racial discrimination can damage well-being, identifying individual differences that shape this stress process is important. Dispositional forgiveness has been shown to influence how people perceive and react to interpersonal transgressions, yet its role in the context of racial discrimination has not received much research attention. In the current study, participants completed an initial measure of dispositional forgiveness and then considered a scenario that could be deemed racially discriminatory. Next, participants' perceptions of the scenario, negative affect, and cognitive performance were assessed. Dispositional forgiveness predicted all three outcomes such that more forgiving individuals were less likely to view the event as racially discriminatory and showed lower negative affect and greater cognitive performance after reading the scenario. Moreover, race moderated these relationships such that forgiveness played a more beneficial role for ethnic minorities ...
Distribution of cholecystokinin (CCK) in the rat lower brain stem nuclei

The cholecystokinin (CCK) concentration in individual brain stem nuclei of rat was determined using the Palkovits punch method19 and the CCK RIA3, CCK has a unique distribution in the brain stem, unlike other neuropeptides and biogenic amines8,19. In general, the CCK levels in the brain stem are 5-20% of rat cerebral cortex. The colliculi, midbrain central gray, nucleus of the solitary tract, and the interpeduncular nucleus had the highest CCK content (2.7-1 ng CCK mg protein).
Contributions of epidemiology to exercise science and cardiovascular health.

Much important information about the cardiovascular benefits and hazards of exercise requires the methods of epidemiology, i.e., the study in human populations of frequencies and distributions of disease in terms of time, place, and personal characteristics. The key techniques are comparison and contrast, but epidemiological analyses of physical activity and cardiovascular health often must rely on circumstantial evidence to assess cause-and-effect relationships. The study procedures must be designed to meet rigorous epidemiological principles: statistical association, temporal sequence, consistency, persistence, independence, dose-response relationship, specificity, alterability, repeatability, and confirmation of findings. Through measurement and contrast, study procedures aim to determine whether physically active persons experience a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than do persons more sedentary. Based on these principles, current evidence indicates that exercise induces protective benefits against coronary heart disease that enable most persons to approach their potential longevity.
Story as link between nursing practice, ontology, epistemology

This paper proposes the use of story as a method of organizing and communicating nursing knowledge which assures groundedness in the ontology of nursing. The nursing situation is viewed as the unit of nursing knowledge, and the nursing story is the re-creation or representation of that situation.
Differences in the CO photolability of cis- and trans- [RuCl2(azpy)(CO)2] complexes: Effect of metal-to-ligand back-bonding.

Abstract Reaction of [RuCl2(CO)3]2 with 2-phenylazopyridine (azpy) in methanolic solution affords cis-[RuCl2(azpy)(CO)2] (1) and trans-[RuCl2(azpy)(CO)2] (2) depending on the temperature of the reaction mixture. In both complexes, the two CO ligands are cis to each other. Competition in π backbonding labilizes CO trans to the azo-N (N3) in 2 and increases the rate of CO photorelease of 2 (the trans isomer) compared to 1 (the cis isomer).
The Impact of Electronic Technology Upon the Marketing Channel

Teleshopping and other forms of electronic retailing promise to have tremendous impact upon the field of retailing. With respect to the impact of this emerging technology upon the channel structure it would seem that the channel members are “retreating” relative to the channel positions. That is, consumers have retreated to the retailer level where they have assumed many of the retailer functions; retailers have moved back to the wholesaler or supplier level; distributors have assumed some of the manufacturer initiative with respect to produc specification and design; and manufactures have retreated to the subcontractor or component supplier level.
Effect of oxotremorine on local cerebral glucose utilization in motor system regions of the rat brain.

Abstract The [ 14 C]2-deoxy- d -glucose technique 33 was used to test the effects of central muscarinic stimulation on local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) in rats. Systemic administration of the muscarinic agonist oxotremorine (OXO, 0.7 mg/kg, ip) increased LCGU in brain regions involved in motor function: the sensorimotor cortex; the extrapyramidal motor system, including the striatum, globus pallidus, red nucleus, substantia nigra, subthalamus and ventral nucleus of the thalamus; the cerebellar vermis, fastigial nucleus and nucleus interpositus; and the vestibular nucleus. No effects were observed in the fibers of the pyramidal tract, internal capsule, cerebellar white matter and the dentate nucleus. Increases were not affected by the methylatropine (1 mg/kg sc), but were completely antagonized by scopolamine (2.5 mg/kg, ip). The anatomic distribution and magnitude of the LCGU response to OXO were not simply correlated with the reported densities of muscarinic receptors.
Rural Europe Redux? Reflections on Alternative Agro‐Food Networks and Paradigm Change

This paper examines some recent analyses of alternative agro-food networks (AAFNs) and claims that these innovative modes of food provisioning are emblematic of a new rural development paradigm in Western Europe. A political-economic critique of the territorialised, farm-centric value added strategies underlying these claims suggests that this characterisation is overdrawn and premature. The neglect of the consumption side of the rural development equation also argues for a more modest assessment of AAFNs and their paradigmatic potential.
Virtual electric guitars and associated audio effects in Faust and C

Advances in computing technology, both in hardware and software, are enabling new levels of performance in real‐time for virtual musical instruments based on acoustic principles. This paper is concerned with software implementation technology for such instruments, written in high‐level languages that compile down to efficient low‐level implementations on a wide variety of platforms. Specific results will be presented for the case of virtual electric guitars and associated digital audio effects expressed in the Faust and C++ languages, and compiled to become plugins for VST, Pure Data, and other real‐time performance environments. This work builds upon a previous paper at the Linux Audio Conference (LAC‐2008), and laboratory module written for the RealSimple project at CCRMA (http://ccrma.stanford.edu/realsimple/).
The Role of Patents in two US Monopolization Cases

Abstract The histories of two ‘great’ US monopolization cases involving high‐technology monopolies are summarized in this article. Its foci are the practices that led to antitrust intervention, the timeliness of antitrust challenges, how the relevant authorities evaluated the role that innovation played as a possible explanation for monopoly, the remedies applied, and how those remedies affected incentives for continuing technological progress.
Sediment quality survey of the Choctawhatchee bay system in the florida panhandle

Choctawhatchee Bay is located in the western Florida panhandle. The system was originally oligohaline with input primarily from Choctawhatchee River which terminates at the east end of the bay. The Choctawhatchee Bay and River watershed has a drainage area of 5349 square miles in Florida and Alabama (NWFWMD, 1996). Historically, marine waters entered the bay via only periodic breakthroughs to the Gulf of Mexico. A permanent pass to the Gulf of Mexico was opened in 1929 at the west end of the bay (Livingston, 1987). Marine waters from the Gulf of Mexico flowed through the western pass and combined with the freshwaters from the Choctawhatchee River creating an estuary in transition. Choctawhatchee Bay has an east to west longitudinal axis that stretches 27 miles long, but is only 4 miles wide. Average depth of the bay is 22 ft (US Department of Commerce and NOAA, 1997). Choctawhatchee Bay has several small tributaries on the northern shore. Eglin Air Force Base occupies the majority of the immediate drainage basin on the northern shore. While the northern shore has experienced some development, the southern shore of Choctawhatchee Bay has been the site of an exponential increase in urbanized growth over the last few decades (US Department of Commerce and NOAA, 1997). Previous studies have identified high metal concentrations and low dissolved oxygen in Choctawhatchee Bay and adjoining bayous (Livingston, 1987). Some have speculated that the low dissolved oxygen concentrations result from the unique nature of Choctawhatchee Bay, particularly the dramatic convergence of fresh and marine waters (US Department of Commerce and NOAA, 1997). Choctawhatchee Bay is stratified via a halocline separating freshwater at the surface from marine waters at the bottom. The lack of mixing and gas exchange between the marine and fresh waters creates a large anoxic zone in the marine (bottom) bay layer, resulting in low biotic integrity (Livingston, 1987). The literature has identified areas of concern in Choctawhatchee Bay and distinguished possible problem sources (Livingston, 1987; US Department of Commerce and NOAA, 1997; NWFWMD, 1996). Reportedly, stormwater runoff and residential development were responsible for increased nutrient loading to the bay. It was further suggested that these nonpoint source inputs were exacerbating problems in the bayous where water quality was often lower (CBA, 1998). Other Edited by Bruce J. Richardson
Enhancement of cyclic AMP metabolism in a B cell line by protein kinase C

Abstract In a human B cell line in which we previously demonstrated an inverse relationship between cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) content and immunoglobulin secretion, the phorbol ester, phorbol myristate acetate, (PMA), was shown to augment the cAMP elevating ability of cholera toxin (CT), suggesting a regulatory linkage between the two transmembrane signaling pathways, cAMP and phospholipid ( J. Immunol. 141 , 1678–1686, 1988). We now extend these studies and provide additional evidence that activated protein kinase C, a principal product of the activation of the hydrolytic phospholipid pathway, plays a direct role in the augmentation of cAMP levels in cells stimulated by diverse cAMP-elevating ligands. Prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1 ), forskolin (FSK) and CT, all of which demonstrated a concentration and time-dependent elevation of intracellular cAMP, produced even greater (up to twofold) elevations of cAMP in the presence of PMA or the diacylglycerol analogs, 1, 2-dioctanoylglycerol (DiC 8 ), and 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG). In the absence of CT, PGE 1 , or FSK, these protein kinase C activators produced only small increases in cAMP content of the cells. Several tests of protein kinase C specificity in these PMA-, DiC 8 -, and OAG-induced augmentations were made: (i) only phorbol esters known to activate protein kinase C worked, (ii) PMA augmentation was abolished by down-regulation of protein kinase C, (iii) Staurosporine (a known inhibitor of protein kinase C) selectively inhibited the effects of PMA on cAMP generation and on immunoglobulin secretion in the LA350 cell line.
E-government research in the United States

Abstract The purpose of this exploratory study is to review scholarly publications and assess egovernment research efforts as a field of study specific to the United States e-government environment. Study results reveal that researchers who focus on the U.S. e-government environment assess specific e-government topics at the federal, state, and local levels; however, there are gaps in the research efforts by topic areas and across different levels of government, which indicate opportunities for future areas of research. Results also find that a multitude of methodology approaches are used to assess e-government. Issues, however, exist that include lack of or weak presentations of methodologies in publications, few studies include multi-method evaluation approaches for data collection and analysis efforts, and few studies take a theory-based approach to understanding the U.S. e-government environment.
Integration of Operational Planning and Medium-Term Scheduling for Large-Scale Industrial Batch Plants under Demand and Processing Time Uncertainty

Operational planning, medium-term scheduling, and short-term scheduling are closely related activities. Despite prior advances, the effective integration of planning and scheduling under demand and processing time uncertainty remains a challenging problem, especially for large-scale industrial processes. To address this issue, a novel framework for the integration of planning and scheduling under demand due date and amount uncertainty, as well as batch processing time uncertainty is proposed. Both the robust operational planning with production disaggregation model and the operational conditional value-at-risk planning with production disaggregation model have been successfully interfaced with an industrially validated medium-term scheduling model by means of a rolling horizon framework used in conjunction with a novel feedback loop. Demand uncertainty is taken into account at the planning level, processing time uncertainty is addressed within the selected scheduling model, and a novel feedback loop allow...
Design Guidelines for Sub-12 nm Nanowire MOSFETs

Traditional thinking assumes that a light effective mass ( $m^*$ ), high mobility material will result in better transistor characteristics. However, sub-12-nm metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) with light $m^*$ may underperform compared to standard Si, as a result of source to drain (S/D) tunneling. An optimum heavier mass can decrease tunneling leakage current, and at the same time, improve gate to channel capacitance because of an increased quantum capacitance ( $C_q$ ). A single band effective mass model has been used to provide the performance trends independent of material, orientation and strain. This paper provides guidelines for achieving optimum $m^*$ for sub-12-nm nanowire down to channel length of 3 nm. Optimum $m^*$ are found to range between 0.2–1.0 $m_0$ and more interestingly, these masses can be engineered within Si for both p-type and n-type MOSFETs. $m^*$ is no longer a material constant, but a geometry and strain dependent property of the channel material.
The behaviour of male orchid bees (Apidae, Hymenoptera, Insecta) and the question of leks

Abstract The male territories of two species of orchid bees, Eulaema meriana and Euglossa imperialis , are described. These territories consist of a perch, where the males display on the trunk of a tree, and a route flown from and back to the perch. Territories are located in treefalls or other large light gaps in tropical forest. The territories of these two species differ in the height of the perch and amount of light reaching it, size of the perch tree, and period of activity. A definition of lek is given. These male euglossines form facultative leks in large treefalls. The relationships between male territories, female foraging ranges, and collection of aromatic material by males are discussed.
Comparison of the Ability of Various Pharmaceutical Silicates to Amorphize and Enhance Dissolution of Indomethacin Upon Co-grinding

The physical stability, dissolution rate, and solubility enhancement of indomethacin amorphized by co-grinding with 6 pharmaceutical silicates were investigated. Mixtures of indomethacin and silicates were co-ground to amorphous states at room temperature and 75% relative humidity (RH) in a rolling jar mill. The fraction of indomethacin amorphized was higher than would be expected for monolayer coverage on the silicate, suggesting additional stabilization of the amorphous drug in the mesopores of the silicate. The co-ground amorphous indomethacin was physically stable for 3 to 6 months at 40 degrees C/75% RH. The physicochemical properties (surface area, crystallinity, presence and absence of metal ions such as Mg(2+), Al(3+), Ca(2+)) of the silicates affect the amorphization time, chemical stability, dissolution, and solubility.
Energy efficient multi-hop polling in clusters of two-layered heterogeneous sensor networks

In this paper we study two-layered heterogeneous sensor networks where two types of nodes are deployed in the network: basic sensor nodes and cluster head nodes. Basic sensor nodes are simple and inexpensive, while cluster head nodes are much powerful and much richer in energy. A cluster head node organizes the basic sensor nodes around it into a cluster. A basic sensor node does data collections and sends the data packets when polled by the cluster head. By introducing hierarchy, such a two-layered heterogeneous sensor network has better scalability than homogeneous sensor networks. It also has a smaller overall cost since networking functionalities are shifted from sensors to the cluster head. It also has a longer life time, as sensors send packets only when polled by the cluster head and less energy is consumed in collisions and idle listening. This type of network will be ideally suited for applications such as environmental monitoring. In this paper, we focus on finding energy efficient and collision-free polling schedules in the multi-hop cluster. To reduce energy consumption in idle listening, a schedule is optimal if it uses minimum time. We show that the problem of finding an optimal schedule is NP-hard, and then give a fast on-line algorithm. We also consider dividing a cluster into sectors to further reduce the idle listening time of sensors. We conducted simulations on the NS-2 simulator, and the results show that our polling scheme can reduce the active time of sensors by a significant amount while sustaining 100% throughput.
UVA Center for Computational Structures Technology

Recognizing the importance of computation in developing man-made structures generally, and particularly in the design of flight vehicles, NASA and the University of Virginia established a Center for Computational Structures Technology in 1990. The paper discusses the objectives of the UVA-CST Centre. Diverse aspects studied include modelling, optimization and artificial intelligence.
Nucleic acid-based nanoengineering: novel structures for biomedical applications

Nanoengineering exploits the interactions of materials at the nanometre scale to create functional nanostructures. It relies on the precise organization of nanomaterials to achieve unique functionality. There are no interactions more elegant than those governing nucleic acids via Watson-Crick base-pairing rules. The infinite combinations of DNA/RNA base pairs and their remarkable molecular recognition capability can give rise to interesting nanostructures that are only limited by our imagination. Over the past years, creative assembly of nucleic acids has fashioned a plethora of two-dimensional and three-dimensional nanostructures with precisely controlled size, shape and spatial functionalization. These nanostructures have been precisely patterned with molecules, proteins and gold nanoparticles for the observation of chemical reactions at the single molecule level, activation of enzymatic cascade and novel modality of photonic detection, respectively. Recently, they have also been engineered to encapsulate and release bioactive agents in a stimulus-responsive manner for therapeutic applications. The future of nucleic acid-based nanoengineering is bright and exciting. In this review, we will discuss the strategies to control the assembly of nucleic acids and highlight the recent efforts to build functional nucleic acid nanodevices for nanomedicine.
Translating XSLT programs to Efficient SQL queries

We present an algorithm for translating XSLT programs into SQL. Our context is that of virtual XML publishing, in which a single XML view is defined from a relational database, and subsequently queried with XSLT programs. Each XSLT program is translated into a single SQL query and run entirely in the database engine. Our translation works for a large fragment of XSLT, which we define, that includes descendant/ancestor axis, recursive templates, modes, parameters, and aggregates. We put considerable effort in generating correct and efficient SQL queries and describe several optimization techniques to achieve this efficiency. We have tested our system on all 22 SQL queries of the TPC-H database benchmark which we represented in XSLT and then translated back to SQL using our translator.
Branch Dieback of Savin Juniper in Pennsylvania Caused by Diplodia mutila.

Branch dieback of savin juniper (Juniperus sabina L.) was observed on a tree in Dauphin County, PA, in May 1996. The symptomatic tree was in an ornamental planting that had been established approximately 10 years previously. Branches were cankered and girdled, causing yellowing and death of foliage beyond the cankers. Black pycnidia occurred in necrotic bark of cankers. Dark, two-celled conidia obtained from these pycnidia produced pure cultures of Diplodia mutila (Fr.:Fr.) Mont., the anamorph of Botryosphaeria stevensii Shoemaker. The fungus was identified based on pycnidial, conidial, and cultural characteristics, and comparison with known isolates provided by N. A. Tisserat (2). Pathogenicity of a single conidial isolate from Pennsylvania was tested in a greenhouse by wounding and inoculating twigs of potted eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) with water agar plugs colonized by mycelium. Cankers formed and enlarged to girdle and kill the inoculated shoots, from which the pathogen was reisolated...
The Current State of Head and Neck Injuries in Extreme Sports

Background:Since their conception during the mid-1970s, international participation in extreme sports has grown rapidly. The recent death of extreme snowmobiler Caleb Moore at the 2013 Winter X Games has demonstrated the serious risks associated with these sports.Purpose:To examine the incidence and prevalence of head and neck injuries (HNIs) in extreme sports.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiological study.Methods:The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was used to acquire data from 7 sports (2000-2011) that were included in the Winter and Summer X Games. Data from the NEISS database were collected for each individual sport per year and type of HNI. Cumulative data for overall incidence and injuries over the entire 11-year period were calculated. National estimates were determined using NEISS-weighted calculations. Incidence rates were calculated for extreme sports using data from Outdoor Foundation Participation Reports.Results:Over 4 million injuries were reported between 2000 and 201...
Rapidly integrating services into the linked data cloud

The amount of data available in the Linked Data cloud continues to grow. Yet, few services consume and produce linked data. There is recent work that allows a user to define a linked service from an online service, which includes the specifications for consuming and producing linked data, but building such models is time consuming and requires specialized knowledge of RDF and SPARQL. This paper presents a new approach that allows domain experts to rapidly create semantic models of services by demonstration in an interactive web-based interface. First, the user provides examples of the service request URLs. Then, the system automatically proposes a service model the user can refine interactively. Finally, the system saves a service specification using a new expressive vocabulary that includes lowering and lifting rules. This approach empowers end users to rapidly model existing services and immediately use them to consume and produce linked data.
A general procedure for locating and analyzing protein-binding sequence motifs in nucleic acids

In the last decade, two tools, one drawn from information theory and the other from artificial neural networks, have proven particularly useful in many different areas of sequence analysis. The work presented herein indicates that these two approaches can be joined in a general fashion to produce a very powerful search engine that is capable of locating members of a given nucleic acid sequence family in either local or global sequence searches. This program can, in turn, be queried for its definition of the motif under investigation, ranking each base in context for its contribution to membership in the motif family. In principle, the method used can be applied to any binding motif, including both DNA and RNA sequence families, given sufficient family size.
Sex, Affect, and Academic Performance: It's Not What You Think

The academic impact of serious depression among college students is beginning to receive increased attention in the research literature. In contrast, we know very little about the affect of mild depression, or dysphoria, on academic performance. This study examines the relationship of baseline dysphoria in 188 students to five measures of academic performance following baseline. Results suggest that even mild dysphoria is associated with poorer academic performance among, paradoxically, academically stronger female students. We discuss the importance of attending to this group of students who are often overlooked because they are relatively high achievers, but who may benefit from short-term, low-level intervention.
Human Menkes X‐chromosome disease and the staphylococcal cadmium‐resistance ATPase: a remarkable similarity in protein sequences

A search with the proposed amino acid translation product from the new 'candidate gene' for human Menkes disease against protein sequence libraries showed a remarkable similarity to that for the cadmium efflux ATPase from Staphylococcus aureus resistance plasmids. The Menkes sequence appears closer to the CadA Cd2+ sequence than to P-type ATPases from animal sources. Menkes syndrome is an X-chromosome invariably fatal disease that results from aberrant copper metabolism. The gene that is defective in Menkes patients, i.e. the Menkes candidate gene, encodes a P-type ATPase, whose properties satisfactorily explain the phenotype of the disease. P-type ATPases are all cation pumps, either for uptake (e.g. the bacterial Kdp K+ ATPase), for efflux (e.g. the muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase), or for cation exchange (e.g. the animal cell Na+/K+ ATPase). These enzymes have a conserved aspartate residue that is transiently phosphorylated from ATP during the transport cycle, hence the name 'P-type' ATPase. The Menkes sequence shares with the staphylococcal CadA ATPase those regions common to all P-type ATPases and also an N-terminal dithiol region that was proposed to be a 'metal-binding motif'. There are one or two copies of this motif in the available CadA sequences and six copies in the Menkes sequence.
Perspectives on the Evolution of Mobile (mHealth) Technologies and Application to Rehabilitation

Individuals with chronic conditions and disabilities who are vulnerable to secondary complications often require complex habilitative and rehabilitative services to prevent and treat these complications. This perspective article reviews the evolution of mHealth technologies and presents insights as to how this evolution informed our development of a novel mHealth system, iMHere (interactive mobile health and rehabilitation), and other technologies, including those used by the Veterans Administration. This article will explain the novel applications of mHealth for rehabilitation and specifically physical therapy. Perspectives on the roles of rehabilitation professionals in the delivery of health care using mHealth systems are included. Challenges to mHealth, including regulatory and funding issues, are discussed. This article also describes how mHealth can be used to improve patient satisfaction and delivery of care and to promote health and wellness.
Determinants of competency judgments by experienced laparoscopic surgeons.

Background: The definitive criteria for assessing competence remain elusive. In our study, we aimed to identify the determinants of competence assessment used by individual laparoscopic surgeons. Methods: In a blinded fashion, five laparoscopic surgeons rated 27 subjects on three laparoscopic simulations in four skill categories: clinical judgment, dexterity, serial/simultaneous complexity, and spatial orientation. The raters then assessed overall subject competence for each procedure. Point-biserial correlational analyses and cluster analyses were performed to ascertain the relationships among the various scales. Results: All of the correlations between the skills’ ratings and competence judgments were statistically significant (p < .05). No skill rating was consistently more highly correlated with the competence rating. There were no distinct patterns of correlations for each rater or each procedure. One factor emerged from each cluster analysis of the skills measures. Conclusions: The results suggest that the four skills scored in the study are highly correlated with each other and are important in determining competence. The cluster analyses revealed that the surgeon raters shared a common perception of competence.