cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of sex of the leader and sex of the subordinate on the use of organizational control policy

Abstract The current study extends the Attributional Model of Leadership ( S. G. Green & T. R. Mitchell, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 1979 , 29, 429–458) to include sex of the leader and sex of the subordinate as moderating factors. Two hundred ten subjects role-played the position of leader or subordinate at a printing firm in which a deadline had been missed. The sex of the leader, sex of the subordinate, cause for the missed deadline, and the organizational control policy for missing a deadline were manipulated. Following a 20-min discussion concerning the missed deadline, the leader informed the subordinate of the corrective action that he or she would recommend. Subjects then responded to a questionnaire which measured the appropriateness of various corrective actions, satisfaction with the discussion and decision, and attributions for the missed deadline. Analyses revealed that the sex variables, cause for the missed deadline, and organizational control policy affected the attribution, corrective action, and satisfaction measures. The results of the study were interpreted to provide general support for the contention that the sex composition of the leader-subordinate dyad is a critical variable which must be considered when examining the use of control processes.
A factorial analysis of age-related changes in the spatial structure of three Puerto Rican cities.

This study employed factor analysis of census tract data for three Puerto Rican cities, San Juan, Ponce, and Mayaguez, in 1960 and 1970 to test the general hypotheses that economic development (1) transforms the pattern of spatial distribution of populations of cities in underdeveloped areas to resemble that of cities in developed areas (i.e., a "convergence" phenomenon), and that (2) this transformation involves the emergence of aged and late life cycle factors as major determinants of urban spatial distribution in these cities. Both hypotheses were substantially confirmed in connection with differences between stages (city comparisons) and in connection with time differences (comparisons between 1960 and 1970). It is concluded that spatial differentiation on the basis of age and life stage are major features of the economic development of cities. Policy implications of these findings are discussed.
The Gulf Stream near 73°W: views from observations and a primitive-equation model

Abstract A model/data comparison was made between the data from two Gulf Stream programs, the UNC/URI Gulf Stream Dynamics Experiment (April 1983–May 1985) and the URI Pegasus Program (September 1980–May 1983), and one year of numerical output from the NRL Limited-Area, North Atlantic Model. The purpose of this study was to examine the realism of the modeled Gulf Stream, as well as to study the Gulf Stream near 73°W. The data included one year of moored current meter measurements from 20 instruments, two years of IES (inverted echo sounder) measurements at 20 sites, and 17 repeated cross-stream profiles of velocity and temperature. Spectral properties, coherence spectra between the Gulf Stream lateral displacement and deep flow, and the Gulf Stream's transport, width and maximum speed have been compared between the model and observations. It was found that the Gulf Stream variability near 73°W is much weaker at timescales of about 10–30 days in the model than in the observations. Both the observations and the model showed that deep flow near 73°W is dominated by topographic Rossby waves with scales ranging from 10 to a few tens of days. Weekly-scale meanders were observed in both the model and the data, and the model shows that these meanders are developed along the inshore (cyclonic) flank of the Gulf Stream. A strong coupling is present between the Gulf Stream meandering and underlying deep flow in the model, but not in the observations, suggesting an over-estimated coupling between the Gulf Stream and deep flow in the model. It was also found that the model Gulf Stream is stronger, wider and faster than that observed. Model deficiencies such as the constant boundary forcing, the two-layer vertical structure and the limited model domain are suggested to have contributed to the differences found between the model and the data.
Research Spotlight: Two eyes are better than one for measuring rain from space

[1] One predicted consequence of climate change is a global redistribution of precipitation and the resultant shifts in regional rainfall volumes. To forecast the details of Earth's changing climate, researchers rely on the accurate detection and measurement of rainfall volumes. One type of rain, the light, warm drizzle often found in coastal regions or during a spring shower, is especially difficult to measure using satellite observations. The two most promising techniques for measuring warm rain—passive microwave (PMW), which sees through clouds and measures the microwave radiation emitted by rain, and visible/near-infrared (VNIR) detection, which measures reflected sunlight at wavelengths up to near-infrared absorption bands of water—both have shortcomings. In their new study, Bennartz et al. try to marry the two techniques, using the strengths of each to improve the accuracy of warm rain detection. The researchers assessed the viability of using combined VNIR and PMW data with a simplified cloud model before testing their technique with satellite observations and independently observed precipitation data for a region along the western coast of South Africa. (Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2009JD013679, 2010)
Partial transfer of enantioselective chiralities from α-methylated amino acids, known to be of meteoritic origin, into normal amino acids

Abstract There is overwhelming evidence that meteorites bring α-methylated amino acids to earth with some l (S) enantiomeric excess. How does that get transferred into normal biological molecules? In this brief account, we show that an α-methylated amino acid, d (R)-α-methylvaline, can react with pyruvate and phenylpyruvate salts in dry mixtures to form alanine and phenylalanine with l enantiomeric excesses, under sensible prebiotic conditions. Thus the meteoritic l (S) excesses of this compound would produce excess d -alanine and d -phenylalanine, which are found in some organisms.
In vitro selection of high-affinity DNA ligands for human IgE using capillary electrophoresis.

Aptamers with high affinity for IgE were selected using capillary electrophoresis to demonstrate the compatibility of this technique with SELEX. The high selectivity and efficiency of CE gave rise to a very high rate of enrichment, allowing high-affinity, high-selectivity aptamers to be obtained in only four rounds of selection. Decreasing the number of rounds shortens the selection procedure from the 4−6 weeks typical of SELEX to several days. The use of “bulk” dissociation constant measurements was introduced as a method for assessing the DNA pool after each round of selection. The average dissociation constant of the sequences in the DNA pool for IgE after four rounds of selection was 29 nM. The distribution of the dissociation constants for the sequences in the pool was very narrow with a standard deviation of only 6 nM. All of the sequences assessed exhibited high specificity for human IgE when compared with human IgG or mouse IgE.
A theory of dynamic file management in a multilevel store

This paper describes the concept of dynamic file management. The objective of the theoretical model defined is to minimize the throughput time of any computer system with a multilevel store. A measure of throughput time is derived to be a function of job run time, file movement time, and file configuration choice time. This, plus locally imposed exogenous policies, provides a basis for dynamically moving files within the multilevel store to minimize throughput time.
Review of major adverse effects of androgen-deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer.

Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is a common treatment for men with prostate cancer. Although ADT is effective at suppressing prostate-specific antigen (PSA), stabilizing disease, alleviating symptoms in advanced disease, and potentially prolonging survival, it is not without serious side effects. However, to the authors' knowledge, there is lack of a systematic review of its major adverse effects to date. The authors of this report systematically reviewed and quantitatively assessed the literature on skeletal and cardiac side effects associated with ADT in men with prostate cancer. The PubMed database was searched for relevant published articles from 1966 to May 2008, and 683 articles were reviewed systematically from an original 20 different Medical Subject Heading search combinations. The focus of the review was on bone-related and cardiovascular-related outcomes. When appropriate, results were pooled from articles on specific adverse outcomes, summary risk estimates were calculated, and tests of heterogeneity were performed. Fourteen articles were identified that met inclusion criteria from the original 683 studies. Men who underwent ADT for prostate cancer had a significantly increased risk of overall fracture of 23% (summary relative risk, 1.23; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.10-1.38) compared with men who had prostate cancer but who did not undergo ADT. Furthermore, men who underwent ADT had a 17% increase in cardiovascular-related mortality compared with men who did not undergo with ADT (summary hazards ratio, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.07-1.29). Significant elevations in the risk of diabetes also were observed from 2 large studies. ADT was associated with an increased risk of skeletal fracture, incident diabetes, and cardiovascular-related mortality, although the absolute risk of these events was low. Preventive measures against these adverse effects and careful assessment of patient's baseline health status should be considered. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Cocaine-Induced Bradyarrhythmia: An Unsuspected Cause of Syncope

Cocaine use is associated with adverse events in nearly every organ system. Cardiovascular complications include hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, aortic dissection, cardiomyopathy, accelerated coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death. Syncope may be the presenting symptom in these conditions. However, cocaine-induced bradyarrhythmias have been scarcely mentioned. As this case exemplifies, clinicians should be aware of this association when they evaluate syncope, especially in young patients.
Functional evidence for the rapid desensitization of 5-HT3 receptors on vagal afferents mediating the Bezold–Jarisch reflex

The aim of this study was to determine whether 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(3) receptors on cardiopulmonary afferents mediating the Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR) desensitize upon repeated exposure to selective agonists. BJR-mediated falls in heart rate, diastolic arterial blood pressure and cardiac output elicited by the 5-HT(3)-receptor agonists, phenylbiguanide (100 microg/kg, i.v.) or 2-methyl-5-HT (100 microg/kg, i.v.), progressively diminished upon repeated injection in conscious rats. The BJR responses elicited by 5-HT (40 microg/kg, i.v.) were markedly reduced in rats which had received the above injections of phenylbiguanide or 2-methyl-5-HT whereas the BJR responses elicited by L-S-nitrosocysteine (10 micromol/kg, i.v.) were similar before and after the injections of the 5-HT(3) receptor agonists. These findings suggest that tachyphylaxis to 5-HT(3) receptor agonists may be due to the desensitization of 5-HT(3) receptors on cardiopulmonary afferents rather than the impairment of the central or peripheral processing of the BJR.
Boson features in STM spectra of cuprate superconductors: Weak-coupling phenomenology

We derive the shape of the high-energy features due to a weakly coupled boson in cuprate superconductors, as seen experimentally in Bi_2 Sr_2 Ca_1 Cu_2 O_8+x (BSCCO) by Lee et al. [Nature (London) 442, 546 (2006)]. A simplified model is used of d-wave Bogoliubov quasiparticles coupled to Einstein oscillators with a momentum-independent electron-boson coupling and an analytic fitting form is derived, which allows us (a) to extract the boson mode's frequency and (b) to estimate the electron-boson coupling strength. We further calculate the maximum possible superconducting gap due to an Einstein oscillator with the extracted electron-boson coupling strength, which is found to be less than 0.2 times of the observed gap indicating at the observed boson's non-dominant role in the superconductivity's mechanism. The extracted momentum-independent electron-boson coupling parameter (that we show a posteriori to indeed be in the weak-coupling regime) is then to be interpreted as an (band-structure detail dependent weighted) average over the Brillouin zone of the actual momentum-dependent electron-boson coupling in BSCCO.
A thermodynamic field theory for anodic bonding of micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)

An anodic bond is modeled as a moving nonmaterial line forming the intersection of three material surfaces representing the unbonded conductor, the unbonded insulator, and the bonded interface. Global integral equations are written for the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy, Maxwell's equations, and the second law of thermodynamics. The global equations are then localized in the volume, the material surfaces, and the nonmaterial bond line. The second law is used to determine the thermodynamic conjugates in the thermodynamic potential and the dissipation inequality. It is demonstrated that the jump in the Poynting vector across a surface is equal to the surface Joule heating due to surface electric conduction currents.
Central control of brown adipose tissue thermogenesis

Thermogenesis, the production of heat energy, is an essential component of the homeostatic repertoire to maintain body temperature during the challenge of low environmental temperature and plays a key role in elevating body temperature during the febrile response to infection. Mitochondrial oxidation in brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a significant source of neurally-regulated metabolic heat production in many species from mouse to man. BAT thermogenesis is regulated by neural networks in the central nervous system which responds to feedforward afferent signals from cutaneous and core body thermoreceptors and to feedback signals from brain thermosensitive neurons to activate BAT sympathetic nerve activity. This review summarizes the research leading to a model of the feedforward reflex pathway through which environmental cold stimulates BAT thermogenesis and includes the influence on this thermoregulatory network of the pyrogenic mediator, prostaglandin E2, to increase body temperature during fever. The cold thermal afferent circuit from cutaneous thermal receptors, through second-order thermosensory neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord ascends to activate neurons in the lateral parabrachial nucleus which drive GABAergic interneurons in the preoptic area to inhibit warm-sensitive, inhibitory output neurons of the preoptic area. The resulting disinhibition of BAT thermogenesis-promoting neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus activates BAT sympathetic premotor neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla, including the rostral raphe pallidus, which provide excitatory, and possibly disinhibitory, inputs to spinal sympathetic circuits to drive BAT thermogenesis. Other recently recognized central sites influencing BAT thermogenesis and energy expenditure are also described.
Superluminal subway: The Krasnikov tube

The ``warp drive'' metric recently presented by Alcubierre has the problem that an observer at the center of the warp bubble is causally separated from the outer edge of the bubble wall. Hence such an observer can neither create a warp bubble on demand nor control one once it has been created. In addition, such a bubble requires negative energy densities. One might hope that elimination of the first problem might ameliorate the second as well. We analyze and generalize a metric, originally proposed by Krasnikov for two spacetime dimensions, which does not suffer from the first difficulty. As a consequence, the Krasnikov metric has the interesting property that, although the time for a one-way trip to a distant star cannot be shortened, the time for a round trip, as measured by clocks on Earth, can be made arbitrarily short. In our four-dimensional extension of this metric, a ``tube'' is constructed along the path of an outbound spaceship, which connects the Earth and the star. Inside the tube spacetime is flat, but the light cones are opened out so as to allow superluminal travel in one direction. We show that, although a single Krasnikov tube does not involve closed timelike curves, a time machine can be constructed with a system of two nonoverlapping tubes. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that Krasnikov tubes, like warp bubbles and traversable wormholes, also involve unphysically thin layers of negative energy density, as well as large total negative energies, and, therefore, probably cannot be realized in practice.
Brønsted reactions on oxide mineral surfaces and the temperature-dependence of their dissolution rates

The pH-dependence of oxide dissolution rates is controlled by Bronsted acid-base reactions at the mineral surface. These reactions are rapid but depend explicitly on temperature, as do the subsequent slow rates of bond hydrolysis. The net result is that dissolution rates vary in a complicated fashion with temperature and solution pH. The enthalpy changes of acid-base reactions on oxide materials are sufficiently similar, however, that general statements can be made about their contribution. The enthalpy changes from proton adsorption to a hydroxyl functional group (▸SOH), or to a deprotonated functional group (▸SO −), are generally exothermic. The enthalpy changes become increasingly endothermic, however, as charge accumulates on the mineral surface and the charged species interact electrostatically. The result is that mineral dissolution rates are least sensitive to temperature, as measured with an Arrhenius-like rate law, at pH conditions near the Point of Zero Net Proton Charge.
Time series transformations in clocked queueing networks

We consider a network in which message packets arriving on a clock cycle are directed along paths which may have segments in common. When they do, the messages involved are queued and transmitted, one per cycle. The statistics of queue length are investigated by an expansion of the time series in a channel about the regime of independent arrivals. Results for the second stage of such a network are in good agreement with computer simulations.
Particle Image Velocimetry and Heat Transfer Measurements of a Disk at High Rotational Speeds

Flow field and local heat transfer measurements were conducted on a rotating disk in an open environment for a variety of rotational speeds ranging from 1500 to 5500 rpm. Two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements were conducted on the flow field above the surface of the rotating disk. Experiments were made on a rotating disk twice as large as a computer hard disk drive and therefore, the flow conditions may be comparable with a computer disk rotating with a speed up to 20,000 rpm. Velocity field, local heat transfer, and temperature distribution are presented as the result of this investigation. Transient liquid crystal technique was employed for heat transfer measurements, while a back calculation scheme was used to obtain the temperature distributions. Heat transfer measurements were made for r/R > 0.4 which excludes the central hub holding the disk assembly. Results reveals that heat transfer increases with a smaller slope near the corner of the hub, while it increases sharply near the outside edge of the disk.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
IIR discrete-time Hilbert transformers

A procedure for obtaining IIR Hilbert transformers from generalized halfband filters [5] is described. The solution is shown to be suited for specifications where the "care"-band for the Hilbert transformers is centered at 0.5π. Even when this condition is not satisfied, the proposed Hilbert transformers obtained by overdesign may often be preferable for implementation to those obtained from a general design procedure [6]. Analytic solutions for noncausal Hilbert transformers and 90° phase shifters can be derived from special classes of classical low-pass filters. The design procedure described by Gold et al. [6] is shown to be equivalent to applying a transformation on Hilbert transformers derived from elliptic low-pass filters. Numerical approximation can be used for designing IIR Hilbert transformers with a right-sided impulse response. This gives us a single causal IIR filter (instead of a pair of 90° phase shifters) whose output is the approximate Hilbert transform of the delayed version of the input.
Intensive Stuttering Therapy With Telepractice Follow-up: A Case Study

This case report describes the positive outcome of a therapeutic intervention that integrated an intensive, residential component with follow-up telepractice for a 21 year old male who stutters. Th...
IMPLICATIONS OF EXTERNAL STORES ON STATIC AND DYNAMIC AEROELASTICITY OF ADVANCED AIRCRAFT WINGS

In this paper, the static aeroelastic response arid flutter instability of straight and swept aircraft wings carrying external stores along their span and at their tip are investigated. In this context, a comprehensive structural model for the aircraft wing is used which incorporates flexibility in transverse shear, anisotropy, and warping effects. The relevant equations of motion as well as the appropriate boundary conditions are obtained via Hamilton's Variational Principle and application of generalized function theory in order to exactly consider the spanwise location and properties of the attached stores. To achieve a realistic representation of the store influence upon static and dynamic aeroelastic behavior of the system, static weights and dynamic inertias of the attached stores have been modeled. The obtained eigenvalue/boundary value problems are being solved by application of Extended Galerkin's Method. Comparisons with the very few results highlighting the effects of underwing and tip stores on flutter instability are carried out and excellent agreements with the present predictions are reported. NOMENCLATURE
Effect of Distribution Media Length and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes on the Formation of Voids in VARTM Composites

The first part of this paper characterizes the effect of tooling and process parameters such as the length of distribution media used in vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) of composite laminates. To achieve this goal, a number of 6-ply, woven carbon fiber=epoxy laminates are fabricated by using various lengths of distribution media. The spatial variations of mechanical properties of these laminates are characterized using a three-point bending fixture. It is shown that for relatively thinner laminates, extending the distribution media degrades the flexural properties by as much as 14%, possibly due to air pockets entrapped during through-the-thickness impregnation of the fibrous fabric. In the second part, a minimum distribution media length is used to investigate the mechanical property and microstructure changes due to multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) dispersed in the composite laminates. In addition, effects of different nanotube functionalization and morphology are characterized via scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. To achieve adequate nanotube dispersion in the epoxy resin, both tip sonication and mechanical mixing have been used. The effect of sonication time on the dispersion of nanotubes is reported by monitoring the temporal changes in the nanotube cluster size. Even at volume fractions less than 1%, almost 10% improvements in flexural properties is observed. Extensive void formations are reported for laminates containing MWNTs, possibly preventing greater improvements in mechanical properties. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4004700]
RABBIT POX : REPORT OF AN EPIDEMIC.

Observations on an epidemic of rabbit pox occurring in an isolated animal room during the winter of 1933-34 are reported. The clinical manifestations, consisting of a generalized papular eruption involving the skin and mucous membranes, together with blepharitis, ophthalmia, nasal discharge and lymphadenopathy were essentially similar to those noted in a pox epidemic of the previous year. This was true in general also of the pathological findings except that vacuolization, local necrosis and vesicle formation were seen in the epidermis, while in the previous year the microscopic pathology in the skin was confined to the corium. Evidence was presented indicating that the infection can be transmitted through the medium of a personal carrier, and that transmission in this manner can occur during the incubation period or before a definite diagnosis is possible. The findings also demonstrated that the etiological agents responsible for the disease reported here and that of the previous year were immunologically related, and that the immunity in recovered animals effectively persisted during the entire period for which data are available, 9 to 12 months. It appeared also that young animals suckling an immune doe were more refractory to the development of the lesions of rabbit pox than were the young of susceptible does.
Adaptive mesh refinement based on high order finite difference WENO scheme for multi-scale simulations

In this paper, we propose a finite difference AMR-WENO method for hyperbolic conservation laws. The proposed method combines the adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) framework [4,5] with the high order finite difference weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) method in space and the total variation diminishing (TVD) Runge-Kutta (RK) method in time (WENO-RK) [18,10] by a high order coupling. Our goal is to realize mesh adaptivity in the AMR framework, while maintaining very high (higher than second) order accuracy of the WENO-RK method in the finite difference setting. The high order coupling of AMR and WENO-RK is accomplished by high order prolongation in both space (WENO interpolation) and time (Hermite interpolation) from coarse to fine grid solutions, and at ghost points. The resulting AMR-WENO method is accurate, robust and efficient, due to the mesh adaptivity and very high order spatial and temporal accuracy. We have experimented with both the third and the fifth order AMR-WENO schemes. We demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed scheme using smooth test problems, and their quality and efficiency using several 1D and 2D nonlinear hyperbolic problems with very challenging initial conditions. The AMR solutions are observed to perform as well as, and in some cases even better than, the corresponding uniform fine grid solutions. We conclude that there is significant improvement of the fifth order AMR-WENO over the third order one, not only in accuracy for smooth problems, but also in its ability in resolving complicated solution structures, due to the very low numerical diffusion of high order schemes. In our work, we found that it is difficult to design a robust AMR-WENO scheme that is both conservative and high order (higher than second order), due to the mass inconsistency of coarse and fine grid solutions at the initial stage in a finite difference scheme. Resolving these issues as well as conducting comprehensive evaluation of computational efficiency constitute our future work.
Novel Phosphorylations of IKKγ/NEMO

Central to NF-κB signaling pathways is IKKγ/NEMO, a regulatory subunit of the cytoplasmic IκB kinase (IKK) complex, which undergoes various posttranslational modifications, specifically phosphorylation, to regulate its function. Furthermore, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) FADD-like interleukin-1β (IL-1β) converting enzyme (FLICE) inhibitory protein (vFLIP) activates the NF-κB signaling pathway by directly interacting with IKKγ/NEMO. However, the exact functions of IKKγ/NEMO phosphorylation and its KvFLIP interaction in NF-κB activation remain elusive. Here, we report two novel phosphorylation sites of IKKγ/NEMO and their negative effect on the IKKγ/NEMO-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway. First, the Src family protein tyrosine kinases (SF-PTKs), including Src, Fyn, Lyn, and Fgr, interact with and phosphorylate tyrosine residue 374 (Y374) of IKKγ/NEMO. Mutation of the Y374 residue to phenylalanine (Y374F) specifically abolished SF-PTK-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation, leading to increased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-induced NF-κB activity. Moreover, our mass spectrometry analysis found that the serine 377 residue (S377) of IKKγ/NEMO underwent robust phosphorylation upon KvFLIP expression. Replacement of the IKKγ/NEMO S377 residue by alanine (S377A) or glutamic acid (S377E) resulted in a significant increase or decrease of NF-κB activity and TNF-α-mediated IL-6 cytokine production, respectively. Our study thus demonstrates that the Y374 or S377 residue located at the C-terminal proline-rich domain of human IKKγ/NEMO undergoes phosphorylation upon TNF-α treatment or KvFLIP expression, respectively, resulting in the suppression of IKKγ/NEMO activity to induce NF-κB activation. This study suggests the potential phosphorylation-mediated feedback negative regulation of IKKγ/NEMO activity in the NF-κB signaling pathway. IMPORTANCE Since unchecked regulation of NF-κB has been linked to uncontrolled proliferation and cell death, the downregulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway is as important as its activation. Specifically, the phosphorylation-mediated modification of IKKγ/NEMO is a critical regulatory mechanism of NF-κB activity. Here, we report two novel phosphorylations of IKKγ/NEMO and their negative effects on the NF-κB signaling pathway. First, the Src family protein tyrosine kinase interacts with and phosphorylates tyrosine residue 374 of IKKγ/NEMO, suppressing tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-induced NF-κB activity. Additionally, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) FADD-like interleukin-1β (IL-1β) converting enzyme (FLICE) inhibitory protein (KvFLIP) expression induces a robust phosphorylation of the serine 377 residue of IKKγ/NEMO, resulting in a significant decrease of NF-κB activity. Our study thus demonstrates that the Y374 or S377 residue of IKKγ/NEMO undergoes phosphorylation upon TNF-α treatment or KvFLIP expression, respectively, resulting in the suppression of IKKγ/NEMO activity to induce NF-κB activation. This also suggests the potential phosphorylation-mediated feedback negative regulation of IKKγ/NEMO activity in the NF-κB signaling pathway.
Review of content-aware resource allocation schemes for video streaming over wireless networks

Summary As wireless technology evolves towards its fourth generation (4G) of development, the prospect of offering multimedia services such as on-demand video streaming and video conferencing to wireless mobile clients becomes increasingly more viable. The eventual success of such applications depends on the efficient management of the limited system resources while taking into account the time-varying wireless channel conditions as well as the varying multimedia source content. In this paper, we review some of the recent advances in cross-layer design schemes, which aim at providing significant gains in performance for video streaming systems through contentaware resource allocation. Advances in both, real-time video streaming, where the video is encoded and transmitted in real-time, as well as, on-demand video streaming, where the video is pre-encoded in a media server, are considered. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Machine Vision System for Automated Detection of Aflatoxin-Contaminated Pistachios

The previously reported [Pearson, T. Lebensm. Wiss. -Technol. 1996, 28 (6), 203−209] channel image sorter has been used to re-sort color-sort and hand-sort rejects and to sort mainstream (pre-hand-sort) U.S. pistachios. Sorting was carried out at commercial speeds of up to 163 kg/channel/h. Recoveries of good nuts of 39−67% on re-sorted product and 97.8% on mainstream nuts were achieved. Aflatoxin levels were reduced from 8.6−4.8 to 0.04−2.5 ng/g on color-sort rejects and to 15 from 22 ng/g on hand-sort rejects. For mainstream product, aflatoxin levels were reduced from 0.12 to 0 ng/g by image sorting, compared to reduction to 0.04 ng/g by hand sorting. Quality for mainstream sorting improved significantly, particularly for other damage, serious insect damage, gross defects, and loose kernels. Re-sort quality improved as well, but recovered product will still require dyeing. The sorter should find application in product recovery, in preparation of product for very stringent markets [Schatzki, T. F. J. Agr...
Aerosol Delivery During Continuous Nebulization

Background and objectives Continuous administration of aerosolized β 2 -agonists has been suggested as an effective treatment for severe reversible airways disease. To facilitate continuous therapy and avoid a feed system for small-volume nebulizers (SVNs), a large-volume medication nebulizer (Vortran HEART) was developed. The goal of this study was to determine actual drug delivery of the HEART and conventional SVNs for both adult and pediatric breathing patterns. Design Output studies were conducted on comparable samples of CIS-US AeroTech II and Hospitak PowerMist SVNs and Vortran HEART large-volume continuous nebulizers. To duplicate clinical aerosol delivery via an aerosol mask, drug particles were inhaled through the mouth of a model of a human face for two test breathing patterns (adult=tidal volume (VT) of 500 mL, 20 breaths/min, duty cycle of 40%; pediatric=VT of 100 mL, 35 breaths/min, duty cycle of 40%), generated by a ventilator. Radiolabeled particles of saline solution, confirmed to behave identically to albuterol, were collected on absolute filters at the mouth of the face to measure the actual mass of albuterol particles delivered to the airway opening. Results The AeroTech II and PowerMist SVNs delivered 5.14 and 3.74 mg/h, respectively, for the adult breathing pattern and 2.97 and 2.48 mg/h, respectively, for the pediatric breathing pattern. Drug delivery rates of the HEART were a function of drug concentration and ranged from 0.87 to 3.48 mg/h for the adult breathing pattern. For the pediatric breathing pattern, drug delivery rate was a function of drug concentration and inspired minute ventilation and ranged from 0.41 to 1.83 mg/h. Conclusion Our data demonstrate that drug delivery to the patient, expressed as inhaled mass over time, is similar for continuous nebulization (HEART system) and intermittently filled SVNs. In addition, for all nebulizers, the influence of the pediatric breathing pattern needs to be considered. Continuous nebulization permits the redistribution of health-care personnel and may reduce the costs of therapy.
Does antibiotic exposure increase the risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolation? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Current evidence does not provide a clear definition of the association between methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolation and previous antibiotic use. A systematic review was performed to determine whether antibiotic exposure is a risk factor for the isolation of MRSA. Methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched to identify studies published between 1976 and 2007 on the role of antibiotics as a risk factor for MRSA isolation in adult patients. The outcome of interest was MRSA isolation. Summary statistics were risk ratios (RR) comparing MRSA-positive patients to those without S. aureus isolation or with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolation. Results: Seventy-six studies, including a total of 24 230 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Antibiotic exposure was determined in the 126 + + 184 (mean + SD) days preceding MRSA isolation. The risk of acquiring MRSA was increased by 1.8-fold [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7‐1.9; P < 0.001] in patients who had taken antibiotics. The RR for single classes of antibiotics was 3 (95% CI, 2.5‐3.5) for quinolones, 2.9 (95% CI, 2.4‐3.5) for glycopeptides, 2.2 (95% CI, 1.7‐2.9) for cephalosporins and 1.9 (95% CI, 1.7‐2.2) for other b-lactams. Significant heterogeneity was detected among studies. A regression analysis revealed that the heterogeneity was linked to the length of time in which antibiotic exposure was detected before MRSA isolation (more or less than 180 days).
Characterization and Function of Putative Substrate Specificity Domain in Microvirus External Scaffolding Proteins

Microviruses (canonical members are bacteriophages phiX174, G4, and alpha3) are T=1 icosahedral virions with an assembly pathway mediated by two scaffolding proteins. The external scaffolding protein D plays a major role during morphogenesis, particularly in icosahedral shell formation. The results of previous studies, conducted with a cloned chimeric external scaffolding gene, suggest that the first alpha-helix acts as a substrate specificity domain, perhaps mediating the initial coat-external scaffolding protein interaction. However, the expression of a cloned gene could lead to protein concentrations higher than those found in typical infections. Moreover, its induction before infection could alter the timing of the protein's accumulation. Both of these factors could drive or facilitate reactions that may not occur under physiological conditions or before programmed cell lysis. In order to elucidate a more detailed mechanistic model, a chimeric external scaffolding gene was placed directly in the phiX174 genome under wild-type transcriptional and translational control, and the chimeric virus, which was not viable on the level of plaque formation, was characterized. The results of the genetic and biochemical analyses indicate that alpha-helix 1 most likely mediates the nucleation reaction for the formation of the first assembly intermediate containing the external scaffolding protein. Mutants that can more efficiently use the chimeric scaffolding protein were isolated. These second-site mutations appear to act on a kinetic level, shortening the lag phase before virion production, perhaps lowering the critical concentration of the chimeric protein required for a nucleation reaction.
The sensation seeking scale V (SSS-V): Still reliable and valid

Abstract This is a response to Gray and Wilson’s (2007) article: “A detailed analysis of the reliability and validity of the sensation seeking scale in a UK sample”. Gray and Wilson analysed the items in the four subscales of the SSS-V, using a Likert type response format and deconstructing the forced choice format of the original. However they used some anachronistic items from the old 1978 form rather than the revisions of these items in the newer form. But even excluding the 19 items from the 80 item test not meeting their internal reliability criterion did not improve the reliabilities of the old scales in their Likert format. Validity of the SSS is not really addressed despite the title of the article.
Can Distance Learning Fulfill Program Structure and Access Needs of Pharmacists for Post-B.S. Professional Education?

ABSTRACTContinuing education, certificate programs, and nontraditional Pharm.D. programs afford practicing pharmacists the opportunity to continue enhancing their knowledge and skills to face the challenges of an ever-changing health care environment. While the content and topics offered through such programs are important, it is also important to structure programs in a convenient and cost-effective manner so as to benefit the greatest number of pharmacists. The overall goal of this study was to address ways to fulfill program structure and access needs of West Virginia pharmacists with regard to continuing education programs, certificate programs, and the nontraditional Pharm.D. program and to assess how emerging educational and distance learning technology can best be used to meet those needs. Data gathered via mail survey of 2,800 West Virginia University School of Pharmacy alumni and pharmacists licensed in West Virginia indicated varying levels of interest in the three types of programs. Preferences...
CdS/CdTe thin‐film solar cells with Cu‐free transition metal oxide/Au back contacts

Superstrate CdS/CdTe thin-film solar cells with Cu-free transition metal oxide (TMO)/Au and Au-only back contacts have been fabricated. The TMOs include MoO3-x, V2O5-x, and WO3-x. The incorporation of the TMO buffer layers at the back contacts resulted in significant improvement on open-circuit voltage (VOC) as compared with the cells with Cu-free Au-only back contacts. Among the cells using TMO buffer layers, the ones with MoO3-x buffer layers exhibited the best performance, yielding an efficiency of 14.1% under AM1.5 illumination with VOC of 815 mV and a fill factor of 67.9%. Though the performance is slightly behind the best reference cell with a Cu/Au back contact fabricated in our lab with VOC of 844 mV, fill factor of 76.3%, and efficiency of 15.7%, the use of Cu-free back contacts may lead to improved long-term cell stability. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prevalence and predictors of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistance among uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates in Michigan

Resistance among uropathogenic Escherichia coli to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) has increased. Risk factors for resistance and the impact on clinical failure have been poorly described. We performed a retrospective cohort study of women with acute uncomplicated cystitis seen at a university health center and at primary care clinics in southeastern Michigan from 1992 to 1999. The prevalence of TMP-SMX resistance increased from 8.1% to 15.8% (P=.01). Women who had taken TMP-SMX recently were >16 times as likely as women who had not taken antibiotics recently to be infected with an isolate resistant to this agent; those who had taken any other antibiotic were more than twice as likely to be infected with a resistant isolate. Women infected with a TMP-SMX-resistant isolate who were treated with TMP-SMX were >17 times as likely to have treatment failure. Recent antibiotic use is a risk factor for infection with a TMP-SMX-resistant isolate; patients who are infected with a TMP-SMX-resistant isolate and who are treated with this agent are at a higher risk for clinical failure.
Contrast-transfer efficiency for continuously varying tissue moduli: simulation and phantom validation.

Abstract This study consisted of two parts. In the first part, the contrast-transfer efficiency (CTE) in elastography was extended to account for continuous changes of modulus distribution. It was shown that, for a finite size background, the strain contrast approaches the modulus contrast in the case of Gaussian distributions. Thus, an increase in the CTE was obtained. For a fixed background size, it was shown that the CTE increases as the SD of the Gaussian distribution increases. This property was explained by the redistribution of strain concentrations at the inclusion/background interface. In the second part of the study, the CTE was verified experimentally. Six gelatin/agar/water-based phantoms embedding inclusions with modulus contrast varying between ± 6 dB were manufactured. It was shown that the modulus at the interface inclusion/background was continuous and, in turn, resulted in an increase of the CTE as compared to the known case of a sharp boundary. The continuous inclusion/background interface was explained by the existence of an osmotic pressure gradient. (E-mail: Faouzi.Kallel@uth.tmc.edu)
The intermodulation and distortion due to quantization of sinusoids

The Fourier series representation of the quantization error sawtooth yields exact expressions and convenient approximations for all intermodulation (IM) and distortion components produced by quantization of the sum of two sinusoids whose respective amplitudes are A and a. The mean-squared values of the IM components are also calculated in the case where A and a fluctuate over several quantization steps. When A and a are many times the quantization-step size Q, these mean-squared values turn out to be approximately Q4/(180 π2Aa) except for high-order IM. The quantization is generally assumed to be uniform, but nonuniform quantization is also discussed. The case of A \gg Q and a \ll Q is considered as well as that of a = 0. The inclusion of even a small amount of additive noise in the input, however, is found to reduce the IM and distortion to undetectable levels, thus ensuring that IM cannot be mistaken for an imput signal unless, contrary to assumption, the quantization staircase is curved, i.e., the quantization is nonlinear. Hence, not many quantization bits are needed in order to avoid IM problems.
The Upper Paleolithic of Cantabrian Spain

Study of the Cantabrian Upper Paleolithic began in the 1870s with excavations by Marcelino Sanz de Sautuola in the caves of El Pendo, Camargo, and especially Altamira, where, in 1878, he discovered rupestral paintings and recognized their relationship to the Ice Age archeological deposits he was digging in the vestibule of the cavern1 (Fig. 1). Following two decades of dismissal by most of the prehistoric “establishment,” Cantabrian prehistory once again asserted its importance with the discovery, a century ago, by H. Alcalde del Rio and Lorenzo Sierra, of such major art and archeological sites as El Castillo, Hornos de la Pena, Covalanas, La Haza, El Miron, and El Valle.2 Since then, and at an intensified pace in recent years, some 100 cave art loci and many more Upper Paleolithic habitation sites have been discovered, making the relatively small Vasco-Cantabrian region of northern Spain one of the richest in the world for the archeology of the period between c. 40,000 to 10,000 radiocarbon years ago. The purpose of this article is to review and make available to an English-speaking readership some of the most salient and distinctive aspects of the Upper Paleolithic record of Cantabrian Spain, highlighting the discoveries and developments in our understanding of major problems that have occurred since publication, more than a decade ago, of my book on the Stone Age prehistory of northern Spain, Iberia Before the Iberians.3 In particular, this record is significant in relation to the ongoing debate about the socalled Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition; the impact of the Last Glacial Maximum on human settlement in Europe; study of Upper Paleolithic art in its broader socio-cultural-economic contexts; and the worldwide phenomenon of diverse human responses to the termination of Pleistocene environmental conditions around 10,000 radiocarbon years ago.
Space-time coding with maximum diversity gains over frequency-selective fading channels

We study space-time (ST) block coding for single carrier zero-padded (ZP) block transmissions through finite impulse response (FIR) multipath fading channels of order L. We prove that the maximum diversity of order 2(L+1) is achieved with two transmit and one receive antenna. Simulations demonstrate that joint exploitation of multi-antenna diversity and multipath diversity leads to significantly enhanced performance.
ON RESPONSE-RESPONSE COMPATIBILITY.

This study was designed as a first step in the investigation of response-response compatibility effects, a compatibility phenomenon hypothesized by Fitts and his associates.A two-hand cranking task was used in which S could, by manipulating two cranks, adjust a mechanical stylus to any one of one hundred points on a ten-by-ten matrix. The four possible combinations of clockwise and counterclockwise movements of the two cranks made up four response conditions. Three different stimulus types (codes) were used: digital, pictorial, and instructional. The stimuli, projected onto the rear side of a translucent screen located directly in front of S, indicated the point on the matrix to which S was to move the stylus. The target series used for each of the three stimulus types required the use of the four response conditions with equal frequency.It was found that speed of both total adjustment and initial response was dependent upon the particular stimulus type used, but not dependent upon response conditions. In...