cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleation and Growth of Carbon Filaments and Vapor-Grown Carbon Fibers

Fifty years of research on the growth of carbon filaments has elucidated many aspects of filament production and worked out mechanisms that provide guidance for experiment and invention. The role of the catalytic particles has been investigated in many ways. It is known that the particle must dissolve carbon, and that any carbide phases formed should be of low stability, so as to minimize competition with the filament growth process. The particle must also become highly supersaturated in carbon in order that filament nucleation can occur. A useful growth procedure must optimize the chances of growing filaments of the proper length, diameter and morphology. The catalytic particle must become highly supersaturated in carbon in order that filament nucleation can occur. Since filaments are only one of a variety of structures that may be precipitated by the catalytic particle to relieve its supersaturation, the growing conditions must be carefully optimized. Encouraging filament growth requires that small diameter catalyst particles be protected from aggregation.
Returning Citizens' Job Search and Technology Use: Preliminary Findings

In this work, we seek to understand how returning citizens (formerly incarcerated individuals) interact with digital technologies, both in general and for job search. Using semi-structured interviews we interviewed fifteen returning citizens who were released within the past year. We find that returning citizens depend heavily on family and close friends for purchasing, using, and learning about digital technology, but that this help rarely extends to support job-search tasks. We also find that many recent re-entrants do not use social media.
Patterns of Experience in Patterns of Language

It is often assumed that the general overall form and meaning of a sentence is determined by the main verb, because in simple cases, this does seem to be the case. Argument structure constructions are a special subclass of constructions that provide the basic means of clausal expression in a language. If it is correct that the basic syntactic frames of a language are associated directly with meanings, then what children learn when they learn the syntactic patterns of simple sentences is the particular way certain basic scenarios of human experience are paired with forms in their language. The strongest interpretation of the syntactic bootstrapping hypothesis would be that every syntactic frame in which a verb occurs directly reflects a particular component of the verb's meaning. The notion of constructional meaning can make the nature of the zoom lens more precise.
Do Short-Sellers Arbitrage Accounting-Based Stock Market Anomalies?*

We find a positive association between short-selling and accruals, capital expenditures, and (less robustly) NOA among NASDAQ firms during 1988-2003. The associated return anomalies are asymmetric; the absolute value of mean abnormal returns is larger for high accrual or high capital expenditure firms than low accrual or low capital expenditure firms on NASDAQ, but not on NYSE. For an NOA-based strategy the return asymmetry is also larger on NASDAQ than on NYSE. These findings indicate that for some firms short arbitrage weakens these anomalies on the down side, but that among NASDAQ firms short sales constraints limit the effectiveness of short arbitrage.
Development and Pilot Testing of an Evidence-Based Training Module for Integrating Social and Ethical Implications into the Lab

In this project, we (1) explore perceptions of the social and ethical implications (SEI) of nanotechnology among US scientists who work at the nanoscale, and (2) develop and pilot test an online training module to foster consideration of social and ethical implications in the lab. To meet our first goal, we drew qualitative insights from open-ended survey data collected from scientists affiliated with the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network. Our data suggest that while the survey participants responded positively to the idea that consideration of SEI should be a part of the work they do, there was confusion about whether SEI refers to lab safety, research integrity, or something more. This is something we sought to address in the online training module that we developed based on that qualitative data and on feedback collected from experts in nanoethics and lab management. We then pilot tested the module with undergraduate students studying nanotechnology in the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program and with scientists registered to use a National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure-funded microelectronics research lab. The undergraduate data suggested that students appreciated the SEI training but wished professors and scientists would begin integrating the ideas therein into coursework and mentoring. The scientist data suggested that the module increased understanding of “social and ethical implications,” increased the perceived need to implement SEI into workplace routines, and, interestingly, heightened perceptions of risk associated with the scientists’ own work. The practical and theoretical implications of this work are discussed.
Unconventional secretory pathway activation restores hair cell mechanotransduction in an USH3A model.

The pathogenic variant c.144T>G (p.N48K) in the clarin1 gene (CLRN1) results in progressive loss of vision and hearing in Usher syndrome IIIA (USH3A) patients. CLRN1 is predicted to be an essential protein in hair bundles, the mechanosensory structure of hair cells critical for hearing and balance. When expressed in animal models, CLRN1 localizes to the hair bundle, whereas glycosylation-deficient CLRN1N48K aggregates in the endoplasmic reticulum, with only a fraction reaching the bundle. We hypothesized that the small amount of CLRN1N48K that reaches the hair bundle does so via an unconventional secretory pathway and that activation of this pathway could be therapeutic. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we find that clarin1 knockout (clrn1KO/KO) zebrafish that express the CLRN1c.144T>G pathogenic variant display progressive hair cell dysfunction, and that CLRN1N48K is trafficked to the hair bundle via the GRASP55 cargo-dependent unconventional secretory pathway (GCUSP). On expression of GRASP55 mRNA, or on exposure to the drug artemisinin (which activates GCUSP), the localization of CLRN1N48K to the hair bundles was enhanced. Artemisinin treatment also effectively restored hair cell mechanotransduction and attenuated progressive hair cell dysfunction in clrn1KO/KO larvae that express CLRN1c.144T>G, highlighting the potential of artemisinin to prevent sensory loss in CLRN1c.144T>G patients.
Crossed activation of thoracic trunk motoneurons by medullary reticulospinal neurons.

We identify two spatially distinct reticulospinal pathways for crossed activation of trunk motoneurons. Both pathways cross the midline, one at the level of the brain stem and the other at the leve...
A life-course, epigenetic perspective on resilience in brain and body

Abstract The brain is the central organ of stress and adaptation to stress because it perceives and determines what is threatening, as well as the behavioral and physiological responses to the stressor, which promote adaptation (“allostasis”) and also contribute to pathophysiology (“allostatic load/overload”) when overused and dysregulated. The adult, as well as developing brain, possesses a remarkable ability to show structural and functional plasticity in response to experiences, including neuronal replacement, dendritic remodeling, and synapse turnover. The hippocampus shows all three types of structural plasticity that have been recognized. The amygdala and prefrontal cortex show dendritic remodeling and spine synapse turnover. Acute stress and chronic stress cause an imbalance of neural activity that, in turn, affects systemic physiology. In the short term, these changes may be adaptive; however, if the danger passes and the behavioral state persists along with altered neural circuitry, such maladaptation may need intervention with a combination of pharmacological and behavioral therapies.
Maximum Correntropy Extended Kalman Filtering for Power System Dynamic State Estimation

This paper discusses dynamic state estimation (DSE) of the multi-machine power systems in presence of non-Gaussian measurement noises. The extended Kalman filter (EKF) has been employed for performing DSE. Although EKF usually performs well under Gaussian noises, under heavy-tailed non-Gaussian measurement noises its performance may deteriorate. In order to improve the robustness of EKF, we have applied an EKF algorithm with maximum correntropy criterion (MCCEKF) to DSE. With the MCC integrated into EKF, higher-order statistics of data can thus be considered. The performance of the proposed algorithm is validated through simulation results on the WSCC 3-machine 9-bus system and NPCC 48-machine 140-bus system. For WSCC 3-machine system EKF and MCCEKF have similar performance under Gaussian measurement noises. However, under non-Gaussian (Cauchy, Laplace, Mixed) noises the performance of EKF deteriorates. For NPCC 48-machine system, EKF fails to converge whereas MCCEKF can still provide good estimation of the dynamic states under different measurement noises.
Onasemnogene Abeparvovec-xioi: Gene Therapy for Spinal Muscular Atrophy:

Objective:To review the efficacy and safety of onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi (Zolgensma) in the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).Data Sources:An English-language literature search of PubM...
Surviving Change: Structural Micro-Foundations of Exploration, Exploitation, and Ambidexterity

High tech industry environments are characterized by frequent technological change and knowledge intensity. Performance in these environments depends on the firms' capabilities to continuously innovate and on effective development of their knowledge resources. However, prior research's focus on the action of collectives has made it difficult to understand the micro-processes and individual roles that are the building blocks of higher level theoretical constructs such as "resources" or "capabilities". In this paper, I propose that looking at the internal knowledge networks that emerge in research organizations can provide us with valuable insight into the micro sources of innovation. I construct testable propositions and describe a research design to uncover the impact of structural individual roles on exploration, exploitation, ambidexterity and subsequently, on the creation of sustainable competitive advantage.
Optimal Design for A/B Testing in the Presence of Covariates and Network Connection

A/B testing, also known as controlled experiments, refers to the statistical procedure of conducting an experiment to compare two treatments applied to different testing subjects. For example, many companies offering online services frequently to conduct A/B testing on their users who are connected in social networks. Since two connected users usually share some similar traits, we assume that their measurements are related to their network adjacency. In this paper, we assume that the users, or the test subjects of the experiments, are connected on an undirected network. The subjects' responses are affected by the treatment assignment, the observed covariate features, as well as the network connection. We include the variation from these three sources in a conditional autoregressive model. Based on this model, we propose a design criterion on treatment allocation that minimizes the variance of the estimated treatment effect. Since the design criterion depends on an unknown network correlation parameter, we propose a Bayesian optimal design method and a hybrid solution approach to obtain the optimal design. Examples via synthetic and real social networks are shown to demonstrate the performances of the proposed approach.
Reduction Techniques for TEP Problems

One of the most common representations of the TEP problem is a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem, in which operation costs are modeled by linear variables, and investment decisions are represented by integer variables. The large size of the TEP problem, together with the lumpiness of investment decisions, makes the problem very hard to solve. To cope with this issue, techniques to represent the TEP problem in a compact way, i.e., reduction techniques, can lessen the size of the problem and make it easier to solve. The TEP problem can be reduced in three dimensions: the power grid representation (spatial dimension), the operating point representation (temporal representation), and the number of candidate grid elements to consider. An interesting methodology to reduce the TEP problem in each of its three dimensions is to guide the reduction using the information from the solution of a more tractable version of the problem. The first step consists in solving a linear relaxation of the TEP problem. Then, we make use of the information associated with this approximate solution to formulate the TEP problem in a compact way for each dimension. This chapter introduces three efficient reduction techniques, one reduction technique for each problem dimension, that are based on this linear relaxation.
Qualitative Data Sharing: Participant Understanding, Motivation, and Consent.

Expectations to share data underlying studies are increasing, but research on how participants, particularly those in qualitative research, respond to requests for data sharing is limited. We studi...
Local vs Central Institutional Review Boards for Multicenter Studies

Abstracts,letterstotheeditor, review articles, and publicationtypesnotcontainingoriginalresultswereexcluded.Inaddition,collaborativestud-iesofdiseasemechanism,diseasetreat-ment, or health care delivery wereexcluded. The frequencies of citationsof published, multicenter, English-languagehumanstudiesinPubMedfrom1974 through 2002 were tabulated in5-yearincrements.(Thealgorithmusedin the PubMed search is available onrequest from the authors).The CF Twin and Sibling Study is amulticentergeneticepidemiologystudythat was used as a case study to illus-tratevariabilityinIRBreview.Thestudyinvolved collection of medical recorddataalongwithabloodsamplefromCFpatientswhoattendedCFcarecentersthroughout the United States. A studyprotocol and consent form developedby the researchers at Johns HopkinsMedical Institutions and approved bytheJohnsHopkinsUniversitySchoolofMedicineIRB,Baltimore,Md,wasdis-tributed to each center. This protocoland consent form was provided as atemplatefortheIRBapplicationateachcenter.Eachcenterwasprovidedwithadditionalinformationthatincludedtheguidelines for genetic banking pro-vided by the American Society of Hu-man Genetics.
Cerebroventricular bombesin inhibits gastric acid secretion in dogs.

Abstract Bolus injections of bombesin into a lateral cerebral ventricle of conscious beagle dogs inhibited pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion from both the innervated stomach (gastric fistula) and the vagally denervated Heidenhain pouch in a dose-dependent manner. Bombesin (300 ng/kg), injected into the lateral ventricle, inhibited acid secretion from the gastric fistula and Heidenhain pouch by 66% ± 5% and 93% ± 4%, respectively. Central administration of bombesin also suppressed acid secretion in response to a meal by 52% ± 15%; postprandial gastrin response was not affected. By contrast, intravenous infusion of bombesin stimulated both gastrin release and acid secretion without affecting the acid response to a submaximal dose of pentagastrin. The opposing effects of central and peripheral bombesin on acid secretion indicate that the gastric response to intracerebrally administered bombesin is mediated by the central nervous system. Furthermore, the inhibitory action of bombesin injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle is independent of the vagus and is not mediated by the inhibition of gastrin release. These observations demonstrate that bombesinlike peptides may act centrally to alter gastric secretion.
Examining the effect of positive behaviour support on academic achievement of students with disabilities

Students who engage in challenging behaviour compromise the fundamental ability of schools to educate children. Consequently, teachers face the daunting task of designing effective strategies to promote positive educational outcomes for their students. Since the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amendments, the use of positive behaviour supports (PBS) to address the behavioural needs of children challenged by disabilities has expanded. There is evidence to support the utility of PBS in reducing challenging behaviour among students. However, successful schools are also gauged by the academic achievement of their students. Hence, it is important to examine the extent to which behavioural outcomes are related to academic outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which PBS interventions aimed at reducing challenging behaviour result in corresponding improvement in academic achievement. A meta-analysis of extant research indicated a positive correlation of 0.40 between improvement in problem behaviour and academic achievement. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: http://youtu.be/c9OUU0GkGrw.
Assessing the relationship between fluctuating asymmetry and cause of death in skeletal remains: a test of the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis.

Objectives This study examines the relationship between craniofacial fluctuating asymmetry and cause of death in an identified skeletal collection. This study tests the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis using fluctuating asymmetry as the measure of developmental instability. Methods The skeletal sample used in this study comes from Lisbon, Portugal, and individuals in the sample were born between 1806 and 1935. This represents a period during which Lisbon was beginning to undergo the modern health transition, in which mortality from infectious disease began to decline while mortality from degenerative diseases began to increase. Approximately equal numbers of individuals in the sample died from infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, and from degenerative diseases. Fluctuating asymmetry is examined using three-dimensional landmark data collected from 392 individuals with documented causes of death. Landmark data may provide a more robust measure of fluctuating asymmetry, although it has not often been used in studies of fluctuating asymmetry in human skeletal samples. Results The results of the study show that individuals who died from degenerative diseases have higher rates of fluctuating asymmetry compared to individuals who died from infectious diseases. Males also exhibit higher rates of fluctuating asymmetry compared to females. Conclusions The results of this study confirm earlier findings that early development has a significant impact on adult health outcomes. Furthermore, the results suggest that fluctuating asymmetry in skeletal samples may offer a means of testing the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:411–417, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE STUDIES OF RIBOFLAVIN AND ITS DERIVATIVES. 3. THE ISOALLOXAZINE SEMIQUINONES AT NEUTRAL AND BASIC PH.

Abstract We have extended our study of the EPR spectra of the isoalloxazine semiquinones to neutral and basic pH. The data demonstrate that the unpaired spin density distribution of the neutral radical is identical to that of the acid form, thus showing that the proton added to the molecule in going from neutral to acid pH does not interact with the unpaired electron. The interpretation of the spectra in base is straightforward and follows closely the spin density assignments computed by means of simple Huckel M.O. theory.
Right Dorsal Colon Resection and Bypass for Treatment of Right Dorsal Colitis in a Horse

Objective: To describe a novel surgical technique for management of right dorsal colitis in the horse. Study Design: Clinical report. Animals: 14-year-old Warmblood gelding. Methods: The horse was referred for treatment of a stromal abscess and signs of right dorsal colitis. Plasma chemistry revealed marked hypoproteinemia. Abdominal ultrasonographic examination showed a thickened right dorsal colon (RDC). Medical treatment was unsuccessful. With the horse in left lateral recumbency under general anesthesia, an approach to the right side of the abdomen through a 16th rib resection was made. The thoracic cavity was entered during the approach. Surgical resection of the RDC and side-to-side anastomosis of the diaphragmatic flexure to the small colon (bypass) was performed. The thoracic cavity was closed by attaching the diaphragm to the body wall and air was removed at the completion of surgery. Results: Resection of the RDC and bypass of the resected area was successfully performed. The colic signs and hypoproteinemia resolved. Complications of surgery included a deep surgical site infection with development of a large intrathoracic abscess. The abscess was managed with drainage and long-term antimicrobial treatment. Conclusion: Right dorsal colitis can be treated successfully with resection and bypass of the RDC. In cases where the thoracic cavity is penetrated during the abdominal approach, the diaphragm should be sutured to the body wall at the beginning of surgery to avoid development of an infection within the thoracic cavity. Clinical Relevance: RDC resection and bypass may be an alternative approach for management of horses with right dorsal colitis.
Inhibition of glucocorticoid secretion by the hippocampal formation in the primate.

Inhibition of the adrenocortical axis by glucocorticoids (GCs) occurs at both hypothalamic and suprahypothalamic sites. In the rat, the hippocampus has been shown to be an essential suprahypothalamic site. The present study shows that the hippocampal system serves a similar role in the nonhuman primate. Bilateral lesions that included the hippocampal formation and the parahippocampal cortex; the hippocampal formation, parahippocampal cortex, and the amygdala; or the fornix all produced GC hypersecretion in cynomolgus monkeys. The hypersecretion occurred throughout the day. Moreover, these lesions were also associated with dexamethasone resistance (i.e., GC hypersecretion following administration of the synthetic GC dexamethasone). The hypersecretion could not be attributed to acute surgical trauma, because neither circumscribed lesions of the amygdala nor conjoint lesions of the perirhinal and parahippocampal cortex produced adrenocortical abnormalities. Finally, in agreement with data derived from the rat, the GC hypersecretion following hippocampal lesions was transient. Secretory activity returned to normal levels by 6-15 months in all operated groups. Thus, the primate hippocampal system appears to share some neuroendocrine functions with the rodent.
Detecting fetomaternal hemorrhage: a comparison of five methods

Appropriate postpartum administration of Rh immune globulin relies on sensitive detection and accurate quantitation of fetomaternal hemorrhage (FMH). Recently, the microscopic Du test (micro Du) enhanced with polyethylene glycol (PEG Du) and flow cytometry (FC) have been advocated for this purpose. Three qualitative methods (micro Du, rosette test, and PEG Du) and two quantitative methods (acid elution and FC) for assessing FMH were evaluated with particular attention given to PEG Du and FC. In vitro studies comprised 10 series of dilutions of D+ cord cells in D- adult cells to yield D+ cell concentrations of 0.06, 0.12, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, and 2.0 percent. Additionally, 26 postpartum samples were tested. Of the qualitative techniques, the micro Du test was the least sensitive with 20 percent false-negative results occurring at 0.5 percent fetal cells. The PEG Du test was only slightly more sensitive and offered no clinical advantage. The rosette test was the most sensitive, consistently detecting fetal cells at concentrations of 0.25 percent or greater. FC and acid elution showed similar results, with good correlation obtained between measured and expected quantities of fetal cells (r = 0.99 and 0.96, respectively). One of 26 postpartum samples was positive by all screening techniques; acid elution and FC detected 0.3-percent concentrations of fetal cells and 0.17-percent concentrations of D+ cells, respectively. Although acid elution is a more commonly used method for quantitating FMH, FC offers an acceptable alternative that is capable of analyzing large numbers of cells with objectivity and reproducibility.
Structure of membrane-associated and solubilized uterine adenylate cyclase. Evidence against activation through dissociable subunit interactions in the lipid bilayer

Abstract Adenylate cyclase was extracted from the rat uterus with Lubrol PX in a form which remained soluble following centrifugation for 60 min at 100,000 g . The soluble enzyme was stimulated by both Mn 2+ and by guanyl-5′-yl-imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p), indicating that both the catalytic subunit (C) and the guanyl nucleotide-binding coupling factor (N) had been extracted. Catalytic activity was bound by a GTP-affinity resin only under conditions which resulted in irreversible activation of the native (particulate) form of the enzyme and could be eluted under acidic conditions shown to reverse the activated state. The s 0 20,w of the soluble enzyme in both its activated and unactivated state was determined by linear sucrose gradient centrifugation. Activation by prolonged treatment with Gpp(NH)p did not alter the s 20,w 0 of the enzyme whether treatment was carried out before or after solubilization. The chaotrope LiBr (0.4 m ) reduced the s 20,w 0 of the soluble enzyme but its smaller size was still not altered by activation with Gpp(NH)p. These results indicate that most adenylate cyclase activity in uterine membranes exists as a preformed complex between the catalytic subunit and the coupling factor: NC. The existence of this complex explains some of the temperature-dependent properties previously described for this form of the enzyme and suggests that dissociable interactions between the subunits do not play a role in the activation of C by guanyl nucleotides.
Primary bone marrow Hodgkin lymphoma in an HIV-negative patient

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma has distinct clinicopathological features and shows good response to treatment in most cases. Primary bone marrow-limited Hodgkin lymphoma is uncommon and primarily described in HIV-positive patients. It behaves as a distinct entity with aggressive clinical course and poor response to available treatments. We discuss here a case of Hodgkin lymphoma with isolated involvement of bone marrow in an HIV-negative patient, which was successfully treated with conventional chemotherapy.
One step closer to a functional vestibular prosthesis.

To create a stable representation of the visual scene, the brain relies on information provided by the vestibular and proprioceptive systems. Two well studied examples of this are the vestibular-ocular reflex, which counter-rotates the eyes during head rotation to reduce retinal image motion, and
A New Plasma Confinement Geometry

As is well known, the strong synchrotron radiation recently predicted by Trubnikov and Kudryavtsev1 from a plasma containing a magnetic field at thermonuclear temperatures makes it harder to design a thermonuclear reactor using the deuterium–tritium reaction, and practically impossible to design a deuterium–deuterium reactor. One way to get around this difficulty is to have no magnetic field in the plasma, so that the radiation becomes only a surface phenomenon instead of a bulk one. Of all the magnetic confining geometries at present known, theoretically only one has enough stability to hold a pure (that is, β = 8πnkT/B2 = 1) plasma. This is the picket fence or cusped geometry2. Unfortunately, according to Grad3, the cusps will be very leaky. Attempts have been made to construct geometries to avoid these leaks by closing the cusps on themselves (compare the most interesting papers by Braginski and Kadomtsev4). The same idea was proposed independently by Longmire and me some years ago under the name ‘caulked picket fence’5 (Fig. 1). These geometries involved current-carrying rings, disposed inside a solenoid having a longitudinal magnetic field. Quite apart from the topological impossibility of connecting leads or cooling to these rings without making contact with the plasma, the systems were unstable in their toroidal form because there was no rotational transform6 in the torus axial field.
Principles of Metamorphic Petrology

The field of metamorphic petrology has seen spectacular advances in the past decade, including new X-ray mapping techniques for characterizing metamorphic rocks and minerals, new internally consistent thermobarometers, new software for constructing and viewing phase diagrams, new methods to date metamorphic processes, and perhaps most significant, revised petrologic databases and the ability to calculate accurate phase diagrams and pseudosections. These tools and techniques provide new power and resolution for constraining pressure-temperature (P-T) histories and tectonic events. Two books have been fundamental for empowering petrologists and structural geologists during the past decade. Frank Spear's Metamorphic Phase Equilibria and Pressure-Temperature-Time Paths, published in 1993, builds on his seminal papers to provide a quantitative framework for P-T path analysis. Spear's book lays the foundation for modern quantitative metamorphic analysis. Cees Passchier and Rudolph Trouw's Microtectonics, published in 2005, with its superb photos and figures, provides the tools and the theory for interpreting deformation textures and inferring deformation processes.
A stochastic overbooking model for outpatient clinical scheduling with no-shows

In this paper a stochastic overbooking model is formulated and an appointment scheduling policy is developed for outpatient clinics. The schedule is constructed for a single service period partitioned into time slots of equal length. A clinic scheduler assigns patients to slots through a sequential patient call-in process where the scheduler must provide each calling patient with an appointment time before the patient's call terminates. Once an appointment is added to the schedule, it cannot be changed. Each calling patient has a no-show probability, and overbooking is used to compensate for patient no-shows. The scheduling objective captures patient waiting time, staff overtime and patient revenue. Conditions under which the objective evolution is unimodal are derived and the behavior of the scheduling policy is investigated under a variety of conditions. Practical observations on the performance of the policy are presented.
Mechanisms of action of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)

Abstract In 1992, Dr Jake Zabara discovered in a canine model that repeated stimulation of the vagus nerve in the neck could stop seizures. Since that time, repeated stimulation of the vagus nerve has been FDA approved as an anticonvulsant. Zabara's work is built on a 50-year-old theme in the literature where scientists had sought to exploit the fact that the vagus nerve is composed of 80% afferent fibers. Thus vagus stimulation might potentially provide a ‘window’ into the brain. This manuscript reviews the basic science and brain imaging work done to date with VNS, attempting to understand how VNS affects the brain. This research is crucial to perfecting VNS as an anticonvulsant, and for determining other neuropsychiatric conditions that might be helped by VNS.
Encoding electronic structure information in potentials for multi-scale simulations: SiO2

Abstract Potentials generally used in molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of SiO2 properties customarily are calibrated to a combination of computed molecular electronic structure data and experimental crystalline data. The present study tests parametrization to data from high-level, first-principles electronic structure calculations alone. The issue is crucial to the success of multi-scale simulations. They require a consistent embedding of the so-called quantum mechanical region (the region in which the forces come from gradients of quantum mechanical total energies) in a classical inter-ionic potential region. The evident challenge is generation of a quantum mechanically consistent parametrization. A simple probe of the issue is to see how parametrization solely from first-principles data influences the simulation outcomes. We parametrized a widely used form of effective inter-ionic potential for SiO2 and did MD simulations of tensile failure in a 72 formula unit SiO2 nanorod. Separate parametrizations were done to high quality calculated data for H4SiO4 and H6Si2O7 clusters and for α-quartz. The differing parametrizations yield quantitative differences in the prediction of the yield strength and even semi-qualitative differences in the system behavior in that region. Some superficially similar parametrizations do not even provide a stable T = 0 K configuration. These differences highlight the crucial distinction between potential parametrization aimed at replacing realistic quantum mechanical forces entirely in an MD calculation versus a parametrization aimed at embedding an explicitly QM region.
Social evolution: Kin preference in a social microbe

Given the right circumstances, even an amoeba chooses to be altruistic towards its relatives.
Polydysplastic epidermolysis bullosa with esophageal stricture

A patient with esophageal stricture secondary to epidermolysis bullosa is reported. A detailed description of the endoscopic findings and indications for endoscopy are given. In this patient her disease has been successfully managed by the use of corticosteroids and her stricture by periodic esophageal dilatation.
The Flight of Blacks from Central-City Public Schools

Black enrollments in central cities have declined because blacks are moving to the suburbs or enrolling in parochial schools. Also, the black birth rate is declining. What are the consequences of black suburbanization?
The innovation curve [Moore's law in semiconductor industry]

The world of the computer has been marked by rapid change since its very inception. In the hardware domain, we think of change as being driven by Moore's law, the observation of Gordon Moore concerning the improvements in integrated circuits. Viewed from a distance, Moore's law has seemed to be a natural phenomenon, something akin to gravity. Every 18 months, processors are faster, memories are larger, and prices are lower. However, as we probe the operation of the semiconductor industry, we quickly find that there is little natural about Moore's law. The industry has been able to achieve the targets of this law only through careful, dedicated planning. Over the past few years, these plans have taken the form of a large, collaborative document known as a "roadmap". The roadmap has been revised every three to four years with interim reports appearing between the major revisions.
A mutant T7 phage promoter is specifically transcribed by T7‐RNA polymerase in mammalian cells

The phage T7 promoter/polymerase system is highly specific in bacteria in contrast to that observed in mammalian cells. A number of cell lines exhibit a considerable level of expression from the T7 promoter, even in the absence of T7-RNA polymerase. Here, we demonstrate that nuclear-factor-including components of the TFIID fraction, bind to the T7 promoter and inhibit transcription by T7-RNA polymerase. In order to increase the specificity of the promoter for T7-RNA polymerase and to abolish binding of nuclear factors, a novel strategy for the selection of randomly mutated promoters was established. The strategy involves adsorption of mutant promoters to HeLa extracts and binding of the free oligonucleotides to T7-RNA polymerase, cloning, and functional testing of the recombinants. After selection, the resulting mutant promoters showed an increase in specificity for transcription by T7-RNA polymerase.
The Lena Goldfields Massacre & the Crisis of the Late Tsarist State – By Michael Melancon

This book has many pluses. It is well written and interesting. Very welcome are the maps. The fact that the study is an affordable paperback shows its publisher's good sense. The book is multifacet...
Radical scavenging capacities and inhibition of human prostate (LNCaP) cell proliferation by Fortunella margarita

Abstract Lyophilised nagami kumquat (Fortunella margarita) powder was extracted with five different solvents. Dried extracts of EtOAc and MeOH–water (4:1, v/v) had the highest and lowest total phenolics, respectively, by Folin–Ciocalteu method. LC–MS analysis confirmed the presence of different levels of rutin, narirutin, poncirin, apigenin 8-C-rutinoside and 3′,5′,di-C-β-glucopyranosyl phloretin in all the extracts except n-hexane. EtOAc and MeOH extracts exhibited the highest and the lowest 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, respectively. The order of antioxidant capacity was found to be MeOH–water (4:1, v/v) > EtOAc > MeOH > n-hexane > acetone by phosphomolybdenum complex and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values. Among five extracts, n-hexane extract exhibited the highest inhibition of human prostate cancer (LNCaP) cells (86.4%) after 96 h at 100 μg/mL, followed by EtOAc (82.8%), MeOH (76.7%) and MeOH–water (4:1, v/v) (68.2%). Fragmentation of DNA suggests the ability of extracts to induce apoptosis in LNCaP cells. The cleavage of caspase-3 was the highest in n-hexane and EtOAc extracts, whereas the ratio of Bax/Bcl2 was the highest in MeOH and MeOH–water (4:1, v/v) extracts. The results of the present study were also supported by fluorescent images of LNCaP cells treated with kumquat extracts. The maximum cell proliferation inhibition activity of n-hexane extract may be due to the presence of one or cumulative effect of β-carotene, β-cubebene and hexadecanoic acid. Remaining four extracts exhibited differential antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity which may be due to the presence of various levels of rutin, narirutin, poncirin, apigenin-8-C-rutinoside and 3′,4′-di-C-β-glucopyranosyl phloretin in each extract.
Sesquiterpene lactones and other constituents of Eupatorium lancifolium and E. semiserratum

Abstract The isolation of the cytotoxic and/or antileukaemic heliangolides eupacunolin, eupacunin, desacetyleupacunin, a new germacradienolide and a coumarin fr
Spacecraft Angular Velocity Stabilization Using a Single-Gimbal Variable Speed Control Moment Gyro

Feedback controllers for the stabilization of the angular velocity vector of a rigid spacecraft using a single-gimbal Variable Speed Control Moment Gyro (VSCMG) are presented. Linearization of the equations of motion show that complete attitude stabilization is not possible via linear methods. Nonetheless, it is shown that the linearized angular velocity equations are controllable, and a simple LQR control law is used to locally asymptotically stabilize the angular velocity vector. A Lyapunov-based approach is subsequently used to derive a state feedback control law that globally asymptotically stabilizes the nonlinear angular velocity system.
Quality of life measurements of speech in the head and neck cancer patient population.

Background To employ patient-reported speech outcome data collected on head and neck cancer (HNC) surveys, there is a need to determine (1) the relationship of patient ratings to speech language pathologist (SLP) ratings and (2) whether patients' attitudes toward their speech are an important element of speech measurements. Methods Associations were analyzed between (1) patients' ratings of speech function on surveys and equivalent SLP ratings and (2) patients' ratings of speech function and their satisfaction with speech function. Results Patient-reported survey ratings were significantly associated with comparable SLP ratings. The associations were stronger for intelligibility than for voice quality. Patients' functional and attitudinal ratings were also significantly associated. The associations were relatively strong for composite speech items and intelligibility and moderate for voice quality. Conclusions Patient-reported speech outcomes can be interpreted as being fairly equivalent to SLP evaluations. Attitudinal ratings appear to contribute an important aspect of the patients' perspective, with substantially different variances between function and attitude.
Analysis of polymerization rates in radical polymerization with primary radical termination of some methacrylates

Polymerization rates in polymerizations with primary radical termination of ethyl methacrylate, β-phenylethyl methacrylate, β-methoxyethyl methacrylate, and phenyl methacrylate initiated by 2,2'-azobis-(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) at 60°C were analyzed by using a simple linear equation. The values obtained of kti/kikp (where kti is the primary radical termination rate constant, ki is the rate constant of addition on to monomer of primary radical, and kp is the propagation rate constant) on these analyses are discussed on the theoretical base.
Fluoxetine shortens circadian period for wheel running activity in mice.

Fluoxetine is a potent and specific serotonin re-uptake inhibitor and an effective antidepressant drug. Male mice were treated with either fluoxetine (8 mg/kg body weight per day) or saline. Wheel running activity was monitored for 2 weeks in a 12:12 LD cycle followed by 2 weeks in constant darkness (DD). Fluoxetine significantly shortened free-running circadian period for wheel running activity (23.93 ± 0.08 h for fluoxetine treated mice versus 24.17 ± 0.07 h for saline treated mice;p < 0.03). These results are consistent with a role for serotonin in the regulation of circadian period in mice.
Neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants.

Purpose of reviewPreterm birth is emerging as a major public health problem in the USA. Improvements in preterm birth and survival rates translate to increasing numbers of preterm survivors, and many develop motor, cognitive and sensory impairments.Recent findingsThe review discusses the recently re
Rapid accumulation and disappearance of plasma membrane proteins during development of wild-type and mutant strains of Dictyostelium discoideum.

Abstract Plasma membranes were purified from the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum at different developmental stages and the protein compositions compared. The protein components of the plasma membrane of vegetative cells are largely conserved during development. Specific morphogenetic events are accompanied by synthesis and accumulation of several new proteins which are subsequently lost as development progresses. Proteins with apparent molecular weights of 38,000, 36,500 and 10,000 to 12,000 rapidly accumulate during the first six hours of development and then disappear from the plasma membrane after 12 hours. Later in development, several new high molecular weight proteins are synthesized and appear in the membrane. The pattern of accumulation of membrane proteins in wild-type and mutant strains suggests that appearance of membrane proteins is linked to a dependent sequence of events.
Electromagnetic scattering from anisotropic materials, part I: General theory

Integro-differential equations are obtained for the electric and magnetic fields inside a linear, lossy, and anisotropic scatterer, in the frequency domain. The material of the scatterer is characterized by arbitrary values of the elements of the relative permittivity tensor \bar{\epsilon} , the relative permeability tensor \bar{\mu} , and the conductivity tensor \bar{\sigma} . The results are specialized to the case of oblique scattering in two dimensions, for which a numerically efficient computer code has been developed and tested, as described in a companion paper (Part II). The method developed herein is based on a comparison between macroscopic and microscopic descriptions of electromagnetic fields in material media, and is of general applicability.
Effect of silver nanoparticles on the spectral properties of rare-earth ions in a sodium borate glass

Silver doped sodium borate glass was made by the melt quenching technique. As made glass, did not reveal any absorption transitions in the visible or ultraviolet region. Differential scanning calorimeter was used to measure glass transition temperature. Heat treated glass revealed absorption peak at 410 nm due to surface plasmon resonance. Under violet laser excitation the glass revealed emission at 450 - 620 nm, whose lifetimes are more than 30μs. Under near resonant excitation it revealed intense Raman scattering. We also made multielement oxide glasses co-doped with silver and Er 3+ and performed spectroscopic studies. Energy upconversion was observed from Er 3+ at 415 nm in a 2% Ag co-doped oxide glass but not in other glasses. Infrared to visible upconversion studies were performed in all these glasses under near-infrared laser excitation. 2% Ag doped glass exhibited enhanced upconversion signals from erbium than that of other glasses.
Ephs and ephrins during early stages of chick embryogenesis.

The Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands, the ephrins, are membrane-bound proteins that mediate bidirectional signals between adjacent cells. By modulating cytoskeleton dynamics affecting cell motility and adhesion, Ephs and ephrins orchestrate cell movements during multiple morphogenetic processes, including gastrulation, segmentation, angiogenesis, axonal pathfinding, and neural crest cell migration. The full repertoire of developmental Eph/ephrin functions remains uncertain, however, because coexpression of multiple receptor and ligand family members, and promiscuous interactions between them, can result in functional redundancy. A complete understanding of expression patterns, therefore, is a necessary prerequisite to understanding function. Here, we present a comprehensive expression overview for 10 Eph and ephrin genes during the first 48 hr of chick embryo development. First, dynamic expression domains are described for each gene between Hamburger and Hamilton stages 4 and 12; second, comparative analyses are presented of Eph/ephrin expression patterns in the primitive streak, the somites, the vasculature, and the brain. Complex spatially and temporally dynamic expression patterns are revealed that suggest novel functions for Eph and ephrin family members in both known and previously unrecognized processes. This study will provide a valuable resource for further experimental investigations of Eph and ephrin functions during early embryonic development.
Optimal reliability-constrained overdrive frequency selection in multicore systems

In leading-edge process technologies, reliability is a first-class constraint for both IC design and system operation. For multicore systems, reliability affects task scheduling decisions since it constrains both performance and throughput. Previous works on reliability-constrained task scheduling have two basic limitations: either they cannot guarantee lifetime (e.g., that the chip can deliver useful performance over 10 years), or they cannot guarantee lower bounds on “acceptable performance” or “acceptable throughput” for the entire chip lifetime. In this work, we formulate and solve a new maximum-value, reliability-constrained overdrive frequencies (MVRCOF) problem that guarantees prescribed lower bounds on “acceptable performance” and “acceptable throughput” in multicore systems, without exceeding prescribed lifetime budget for any core. Our formulation maximizes value of overdrive frequencies for each number of active cores. We develop a solver for the MVRCOF problem and present optimal and heuristic solutions that determine the execution times of each core in each combination of simultaneously active cores, such that cores wear out in a balanced manner over the chip lifetime. These solutions deliver maximum value within the specified chip lifetime, and can be used for reliability-constrained scheduling policies. Our heuristic method can be 3.3% worse than our optimal method, but can converge up to 10× faster. Further, our solutions improve the objective function value by between 2.2% and 17.4% when compared to existing reliability-constrained task scheduling policies that provide lifetime guarantees.