cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using marketing to put the sparkle back into your training

Although I have been a Computer Application Training Specialist at Saint Louis University for 11 years, one of the challenges that I faced was low class attendance. To overcome faculty and staff apathy and unawareness, I knew that I needed to grab the potential customers' attention. Once I captured their attention, I needed to hold their interest long enough to make them aware of the service I was offering. Therefore, it was my goal to learn how to market the classes so that I could fight the apathy and attract potential and past customers to our computer application classe. To achieve my goal, I gathered as much information on marketing a training program. The research material helped me to realize that to be strategically sound the ad or advertisement must be carefully directed to a certain audience. Furthermore, in the creation of an advertisement, the use of careful wording and eye-catching headlines is critical. I wanted to target the objective and tailor the message so that I could appeal to the concerns of the consumer. Engaging the emotions of the consumer assisted in making the advertisement memorable, and improved consumer attitudes toward the product. The next step entailed selecting the right method of communicating the advertisement to the audience. The decision was made to send the advertisement electronically and via inter-office mail. Once the advertisement was delivered to the audience, a relationship was developed between the consumer and myself. I had to decide how I would manage the relationship and keep the lines of communication open. A decision had to be made as to who would handle the questions and enquiries that might be generated after the advertisement? How often would an advertisement be sent to the consumer? We were able to accomplish this by understanding the makeup of our audience, and committing to this new role. The results showed that the classes that were advertised more than doubled in attendanc. The purpose of this paper is to share my findings, to discuss the challenges, and my success in developing a marketing strategy to attract potential customers to our various computer application training classes.
Histone H3 and H4 N-Terminal Tails in Nucleosome Arrays at Cellular Concentrations Probed by Magic Angle Spinning NMR Spectroscopy

Chromatin is a supramolecular assembly of DNA and histone proteins, organized into nucleosome repeat units. The dynamics of chromatin organization regulates DNA accessibility to eukaryotic transcription and DNA repair complexes. Yet, the structural and dynamic properties of chromatin at high concentrations characteristic of the cellular environment (>∼200 mg/mL) are largely unexplored at the molecular level. Here, we apply MAS NMR to directly probe the dynamic histone protein regions in (13)C,(15)N-enriched recombinant nucleosome arrays at cellular chromatin concentrations and conditions designed to emulate distinct states of DNA condensation, with focus on the flexible H3 and H4 N-terminal tails which mediate chromatin compaction. 2D (1)H-(13)C and (1)H-(15)N spectra reveal numerous correlations for H3 and H4 backbone and side-chain atoms, enabling identification of specific residues making up the dynamically disordered N-terminal tail domains. Remarkably, we find that both the H3 and H4 N-terminal tails are overall dynamic even in a highly condensed state. This significant conformational flexibility of the histone tails suggests that they remain available for protein binding in compact chromatin states to enable regulation of heterochromatin. Furthermore, our study provides a foundation for quantitative structural and dynamic investigations of chromatin at physiological concentrations.
The truth about the truth: What matters when privacy and anonymity can no longer be promised to those who participate in clinical trial research?

The ramifications of including genetic components in the clinical studies conducted in non-academic settings create unique ethical challenges. We used a qualitative research design consisting of se...
Empathy Between Physician Assistant Students and Standardized Patients: Evidence of an Inflation Bias.

Purpose Empathic communication with patients is an essential component of quality primary care. This study examines the ability of physician assistant (PA) students to communicate empathically in clinical interviews with standardized patients. Methods In their first year of training, PA students conducted 3 clinical interviews with standardized patients over a 6-month period in 2014, during the second half of their didactic year. Each interview was evaluated for empathy by 4 individuals: the students themselves, their standardized patients, their clinical instructors, and third-party observers. Results Students consistently rated their empathic abilities more favorably than did patients, clinical instructors, or observers, with mean differences ranging from 0.56 to 1.92 and averaging 1.09 on a 9-point scale. Students' evaluations were most dissimilar from those of patients (difference M = 1.12) and most similar to those of observers (difference M = 1.06). The assessments of all 4 raters varied over time: students rated themselves as significantly more empathic in April (time 2) than in July (time 3) of their didactic year. Patients rated students as significantly less empathic in January of the didactic year (time 1) than at time 2 and as significantly more empathic at time 2 than time 3. Instructors rated students as significantly less empathic at time 1 than at either time 2 or time 3. Finally, observers rated students as significantly more empathic at time 1 than at either time 2 or time 3. Conclusions PA students consistently overestimate their empathic abilities during their first year of training. Given the importance of empathy in clinical care, increased didactic efforts focused on developing and conveying empathy may be warranted in PA education.
The ins and outs of metal homeostasis by the root nodule actinobacterium Frankia.

Frankia are actinobacteria that form a symbiotic nitrogen-fixing association with actinorhizal plants, and play a significant role in actinorhizal plant colonization of metal contaminated areas. Many Frankia strains are known to be resistant to several toxic metals and metalloids including Pb2+, Al+3, SeO2, Cu2+, AsO4, and Zn2+. With the availability of eight Frankia genome databases, comparative genomics approaches employing phylogeny, amino acid composition analysis, and synteny were used to identify metal homeostasis mechanisms in eight Frankia strains. Characterized genes from the literature and a meta-analysis of 18 heavy metal gene microarray studies were used for comparison. Unlike most bacteria, Frankia utilize all of the essential trace elements (Ni, Co, Cu, Se, Mo, B, Zn, Fe, and Mn) and have a comparatively high percentage of metalloproteins, particularly in the more metal resistant strains. Cation diffusion facilitators, being one of the few known metal resistance mechanisms found in the Frankia genomes, were strong candidates for general divalent metal resistance in all of the Frankia strains. Gene duplication and amino acid substitutions that enhanced the metal affinity of CopA and CopCD proteins may be responsible for the copper resistance found in some Frankia strains. CopA and a new potential metal transporter, DUF347, may be involved in the particularly high lead tolerance in Frankia. Selenite resistance involved an alternate sulfur importer (CysPUWA) that prevents sulfur starvation, and reductases to produce elemental selenium. The pattern of arsenate, but not arsenite, resistance was achieved by Frankia using the novel arsenite exporter (AqpS) previously identified in the nitrogen-fixing plant symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti. Based on the presence of multiple tellurite resistance factors, a new metal resistance (tellurite) was identified and confirmed in Frankia. Each strain had a unique combination of metal import, binding, modification, and export genes that explain differences in patterns of metal resistance between strains. Frankia has achieved similar levels of metal and metalloid resistance as bacteria from highly metal-contaminated sites. From a bioremediation standpoint, it is important to understand mechanisms that allow the endosymbiont to survive and infect actinorhizal plants in metal contaminated soils.
Interactions of Everolimus and Sorafenib in Whole Blood Lymphocyte Proliferation

Purpose Everolimus is an immunosuppressant that blocks growth factor-mediated proliferation of hematopoietic cells by targeting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor that inhibits cell proliferation by arresting cells in the G0-G1 phase of the cell cycle. These agents are under investigation as combination therapy for various cancers. Because the two drugs individually inhibit lymphocyte proliferation, this study examined the effects of everolimus and sorafenib on lymphocyte proliferation in order to anticipate possible immunosuppression.
Process control systems integrated for future process technologies

Process Control Systems (PCS) are becoming more crucial to the success of Integrated Circuit makers due to their direct impact on product quality, cost, and Fab output. The primary objective of PCS is to minimize variability by detecting and correcting non optimal performance. Current PCS implementations are considered disparate, where each PCS application is designed, deployed and supported separately. Each implementation targets a specific area of control such as equipment performance, wafer manufacturing, and process health monitoring. With Intel entering the nanometer technology era, tighter process specifications are required for higher yields and lower cost. This requires areas of control to be tightly coupled and integrated to achieve the optimal performance. This requirement can be achieved via consistent design and deployment of the integrated PCS. PCS integration will result in several benefits such as leveraging commonalities, avoiding redundancy, and facilitating sharing between implementations. This paper will address PCS implementations and focus on benefits and requirements of the integrated PCS. Intel integrated PCS Architecture will be then presented and its components will be briefly discussed. Finally, industry direction and efforts to standardize PCS interfaces that enable PCS integration will be presented.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Swirl control of combustion instabilities in a gas turbine combustor

The impact of premixer swirl number, S , and overall fuel equivalence ratio, Φ , on the stability of a model swirl-stabilized, lean-premixed gas turbine combustor has been numerically simulated using large-eddy simulations methodology. Through the use of a premixed flamelet model ( G equation), unsteady vortexflame and acoustic-flame interactions are captured. It is shown that for large values of S , that is, those sufficiently highly for vortex breakdown to occur, the fluctuating pressure amplitudes, p ′, are attenuated significantly (over 6.6 dB reduction). The reduced p ′ amplitudes are accompanied by reduced longitudinal flame-front oscillations and reduced coherence in the shed vortices. Similar p ′ reduction levels are achieved through changes in Φ . Compared to the leanest equivalence ratio simulated ( Φ =0.52), p ′ at stoichiometric is reduced by 6.0 dB. The response of the combustion process to explicit swirl modulation is also investigated. Open-loop control through swirl variation is demonstrated for a lean mixture with significant reductions in fluctuating mass flow rate and p ′ after a convective time delay.
NADPH: ferredoxin oxidoreductase acts as a paraquat diaphorase and is a member of the soxRS regulon.

Abstract Soluble extracts of Escherichia coli contain four NADPH:paraquat diaphorases that were separable by anion-exchange HPLC over Mono Q. One of these was induced when the cells were exposed to paraquat. This was the case in a soxRS-competent strain but not in a soxRS-null strain, while a soxRS-constitutive strain overexpressed this diaphorase without the stimulus of exposure to paraquat. This NADPH:paraquat diaphorase could use cytochrome c or nitroblue tetrazolium as an electron acceptor, whereas O2 was a relatively poor acceptor. This diaphorase was identified as the NADPH:ferredoxin reductase. A role for reduced ferredoxin and flavodoxin in the adaptive soxRS response to oxidative stress and in the regulation of the redox status of soxR is discussed.
Early and risky sexual behavior in a sample of rural adolescents.

Introduction: Early and risky sexual behavior has been studied primarily in urban adolescents. Method: The purpose of this analysis was to identify psychosocial variables associated with sexual-risk behaviors in a sample of mostly rural adolescents. Six hypotheses were tested, using a resilience framework and data from an ongoing longitudinal study of 255 adolescents. Results: Sexual-risk status did not differ statistically by gender (p = .654) or socioeconomic status (p = .590). However, adolescents who engaged in sexual-risk behaviors reported significantly lower religiosity (p < .003), lower parental monitoring (p = .002), lower social connectedness (p = .007), and higher levels of peer influence (p < .001) than those engaged in no sexual-risk behaviors. Adolescents engaged in sexual-risk behaviors were also engaged in significantly more other health-risk behaviors such as smoking and drinking (p < .001). Discussion: Findings may be useful for developing interventions that focus on the social influence...
Culture and the environment in the United States

The beliefs of Americans about the proper relationship between humans and their environment were profoundly affected by waves of immigration from Europe. Immigrants valued ownership of land, individuality, freedom, domination of nature, and technological development. These themes remain strong today as centerpieces of the American dominant social paradigm (DSP). That DSP has been reexamined and found wanting by an increasing proportion of Americans. This departure from the old DSP has progressed further among the public than among the elite who have a greater stake in preserving the status quo. Environmentalists constitute a vanguard trying to lead the people to a new, more environmentally oriented social paradigm. The beliefs of the old DSP and the new environmental paradigm (NEP) are contrasted in Table 2. Briefly, the NEP advocates stress love of nature rather than domination of it; compassion for other peoples, future generations, and other species; planning to avoid risk; limits to growth; fundamental social change; and a new structuring of politics. These two worldviews are likely to be in vigorous conflict for several decades in the USA. Social learning, spurred by deterioration of the old ways, is likely to lead Americans to a new perspective on their relationship to nature.
Tunable Wideband Guided Wave Magneto-Optic Modulator Using Magnetostatic Surface Wave

Wideband guided wave magneto-optic (MO) modulation by magnetostatic surface waves (MSSW) in Yttrium Iron Garnet (YIG) - Gadolinium Gallium Garnet (GGG) has been demonstrated in a noncollinear coplanar interaction geometry. Excitation of the MSSW and efficient MO interaction at 1.152 and 1.302 μm optical wavelengths were accomplished over a wide frequency range of 3 to 7 GHz by linear electronic tuning of the dc magnetic field from 500 to 1700 Gauss. The mode conversion efficiency for 1.302 μm optical wavelength was measured to be 8.13% at 1.00 watt rf drive power. Theoretical analysis and experimental results both show that the mode conversion in this noncollinear configuration is caused by a combination of Faraday and Cotton-Mouton effects induced by the dc magnetic field and the MSSW. Such interaction configuration should result in a number of integrated optic devices for wideband communication and signal processing applications at electronically tunable microwave carrier frequencies.© (1987) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A practical application of Doppler echocardiography for the assessment of severity of aortic stenosis

Abstract This study evaluated a strategy that makes optimal use of Doppler echocardiography for estimating the severity of valvular aortic stenosis (AS). Fifty-eight patients with no more than moderate aortic insufficiency who underwent cardiac catheterization were evaluated with two-dimentional echocardiography and Doppler velocimetry to determine the peak velocity across the stenotic valve and aortic valve area (AVA) by means of the continuity equation. All 33 peak Doppler velocities of ≥ 4 m/sec had critical AS (AVA ≤ 0.8 cm 2 at catheterization). Conversly, six of seven patients with Doppler velocities of ≤ 3 m/sec had noncritical AS. The patient with a falsely low peak velocity had severely depressed left ventricular function. Doppler velocity alone was inadequate in determining severity of AS for patients with velocities between 3 and 4 m/sec. The continuity equation proved accurate in estimating AVA in the 46 patients for whom catheterization and ultrasound data were sufficient to compare calculated AVA ( r = 0.81), and was also accurate for those patients with peak Doppler velocities between 3 and 4 m/sec ( r = 0.90). These results suggest that Doppler velocimetry alone is adequate in determining critical vs noncritical AS in many patients, while the continuity equation should be applied for patients with peak velocities between 3 and 4 m/sec as well as in patients with severely depressed cardiac function.
The Effect of Doping and Composition on the Dielectric Properties and Sintering of a Lead Magnesium Niobate-Lead Titanate-Based Ceramic Dielectric Composite

A series of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate ((1-x)Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -xPbTiO 3 ) relaxor ferroelectrics (PMN-PT) are being used in the composite design of a stable high temperature high permittivity ceramic dielectric. However, pure PMN has a dielectric maximum no lower than -10°C. To extend this range to lower temperatures niobium was replaced with tantalum. The tantalum-based component (PMTa-PT) is more refractory and does not sinter as easily as the PMN-PT components of the dielectric composite. The effect of lead oxide and lithium oxide as sintering aids was explored. Both dopants enhanced the sinterability of the tantalum-based component, while the lead oxide reduced its permittivity. At compositions above 0.70PMN-0.30PT, PMN-PT becomes less relaxor-like limiting the design of the stable dielectric to 140°C. To extend this range to higher temperatures a composite approach was taken. A series of four compositions between 0.63 to 0.65 PMN-PT was fabricated. Trilayer composites were made from these compositions with 0.70PMN-0.30PT. By varying the thickness of the composite layers an optimal configuration for the high-temperature component of the composite dielectric was determined which extended the dielectric stable temperature range of the composite dielectric to 185°C.
Taxes, welfare costs, and public consumption: The case of the unwitting monopsonist*

Our analysis provides some initial insight into the distributional consequences of alternative tax structures. It has been shown that tax distortions, when incorporated into an expenditure framework, drive a wedge between the price paid by consumers for government goods and the explicit price received by producers. Such a wedge operates as a monopsonistic device that, in the final analysis, can improve the well being of public consumers. Whether this result emerges depends not only on the relative elasticity of demand and supply but also on the institutional setting in which public spending decisions are made.
Mechanisms associated with the generation of biologically active human immunodeficiency virus type 1 particles from defective proviruses.

Abstract The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the etiological agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV exhibits extensive genetic diversity and it is apparent that an infected individual contains different populations of distinct viral strains, a large proportion of which has been found surprisingly to be defective for replication. A similar phenomenon has also been observed with some cell lines that are known to produce infectious viral particles but harbor defective proviral genomes. Here, we investigated the molecular basis of this phenomenon by cloning proviral genomes of HIV from a cell line that was capable of producing high titers of biologically active HIV particles that readily induced syncytia with CD4+ cell lines and peripheral blood lymphocytes. This cell line was found to contain five proviral genomes, all of which, when tested individually, failed to produce replication-competent viruses upon transfection into human cells. However, when a specific combination of two proviral genomes was used in such transfection studies, it was possible to obtain biologically active, replication-competent viral particles that infected and replicated in CD4+ cell lines and induced syncytia characteristic of HIV. Such a result may be due to homologous recombination between proviral DNAs occurring in cells after transfection and/or complementation of replication-defective proviral DNAs. The diploid nature of the viral RNA genome present in the viral particle may enable the persistence of defective HIV genomes.
The role of ledges in stress tensor-mediated surface processes for Si and GaAs

Calculation results of terrace and ledge reconstruction-induced surface stress tensors, using semiempirical potential energy functions for Si, GaAs, GaAs/Al, and GaAs/Si, are reviewed. Long-range (∼50 to 100 A) interaction effects between ledges and between interfaces are pre sented. Two-dimensional homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation effects are also presented, showing that Actatom cluster populations are strongly influenced by these reconstruction events. The consequences of these reconstruction-induced surface fields on γ plots, ledge motion kinetic laws, surface Actatom transport, and solute partitioning at ledges are discussed. The numerical results were generated largelyvia Monte Carlo calculations and thus neglect entropy effects.
Estimation of the number of full sibling families at an oviposition site using RAPD-PCR markers: applications to the mosquito Aedes aegypti

There are many species in which groups of individuals encountered in the field are known to consist of mixtures of full-sibling families. We describe a statistical technique, based on the use of random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) markers, that allows for the estimation of the number of families contained in these groups. We test the technique on full-sibling families of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, a species that distributes its eggs among several locations. Mixtures of 10 families with 15 individuals per family were analyzed using 40 RAPD-PCR loci amplified by 5 primers. Our analysis accurately estimated the number of families. The technique was accurate when the number of families was small or when family sizes were small and variable.
Electrooptic waveguide modulators for frequency tuning of infrared lasers

Abstract Recent advances in electroopic waveguide modulators for generating tunable sideband power from infrared lasers are reviewed. Emphasis is centered on various techniques of using infrared waveguide structures which provide efficient electroopic modulation to achieve highest sideband power conversion efficiency.
MEMS-Based Electrolytic Microbubbler in a Water Channel

This study investigated the development of microbubble injection using a MEMS-based electrolytic device capable of generating small bubbles introduced with nearly zero injection velocity. Three generations of electrolytic microbubblers with gold electrodes and photoresist (PR) as an insulator were fabricated. The objective for the first-generation microbubbler was to understand the influence of voltage and flow speed. The goal of the second-generation microbubbler was to understand the influence of electrode area and spacing, the distance between the cathode and anode. The purpose of the third generation device was to investigate the effect of electrode shape as well as further reduction in the size and spacing of the electrodes. Measurements of the sizes of the bubbles and the bubble generation rates of a first-generation device in a square water channel at different voltages and under different flow conditions were taken. At all but the lowest applied voltage, more than 65% of the observed bubbles were less than 50 μm in diameter. As the applied voltage was increased, the mean bubble diameter and the variation from the mean decreased while bubble generation rates increased. As the flow increased, mean bubble diameter and the deviation from the mean decreased as well. For the second-generation devices, the largest mean bubble diameter and smallest percentage of bubbles smaller than 50 μm occurred at an intermediate value of the ratio between the electrode size and the electrode spacing of approximately 0.7. For the third generation devices, increased detachment frequency occurred with the circular geometries, compared to triangular or square node shapes. The minimum allowable spacing between two electrodes to avoid coalescence was approximately 1.5 times the electrode diameter.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Portals of Power: Shamanism in South America

Portals of Power: Shamanism in South America. E. Jean Matteson Langdon and Gerhard Baer, editors. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1992. vii + 350 pp., figures, bibliography, index. $35.00 (cloth). ISBN 0–8263–1345–0.
Cholinergic neuronotrophic factors: V. Segregation of survival- and neurite-promoting activities in heart-conditioned media

Abstract Chick embryo ciliary ganglionic (CG) neurons will not survive in monolayer culture unless special supplements are provided in the medium. We have previously reported that two such supplements, chick embryo extract and medium conditioned over chick heart cell cultures (HCM), share the capacity to support survival of CG neurons but differ in their neurite-promoting effects. Thus, embryo extract elicited neuritic outgrowth only on collagen and HCM did so only on polyornithine (PORN), although both agents supported neuronal survival on both substrata. We report here the separation and quantitation of two different HCM components. One is a trophic agent which supports survival of CG neurons on either collagen or PORN, but does not seem to adsorb to either substratum. The other is a neurite-promoting factor (NPF) which adsorbs to PORN but not to collagen. Overnight incubation of HCM on PORN yields two products: (i) an NPF-deprived HCM, that has no neurite-promoting activity and (ii) an NPF-coated PORN, that promotes neuritic development of CG neurons trophically supported by either embryo extract or NPF-deprived HCM. CG requirements for neuritic outgrowth were also examined in explant cultures. No neurites were present after 24 h when explants were cultured in plain medium on PORN. Very extensive radial neuritic outgrowth was observed when explants were cultured in HCM on fresh PORN, or in NPF-deprived HCM on NPF-derivatized PORN. In contrast to what happens with dissociated cells, neuritic outgrowth was also present when ganglia were cultured in NPF-deprived HCM on fresh PORN. However, neurites grew radially only to a limited extent, after which they adopted a circular pattern grossly concentric to the ganglionic explant. It is proposed that explanted ciliary ganglia produce a neurite-promoting factor that coats the PORN substratum in widening circles.
Comparison of itraconazole and ketoconazole in the treatment of experimental candidal vaginitis

Comparison of itraconazole (R51,211) and ketoconazole in the treatment of experimental candidal vaginitis in rats on schedules of 3 and 5 days revealed significantly superior results with itraconazole at all dosages (1.0 to 7.5 mg/kg) studied, but was particularly evident at 1.0 and 2.5 mg/kg. A single 25-mg/kg dose of itraconazole was as effective as 5 daily 5-mg/kg doses of itraconazole.
Prediction of multiple overshoots in shear stress during fast flows of bidisperse polymer melts

We present a differential constitutive model of stress relaxation in polydisperse linear polymer melts and solutions that contains contributions from reptation, contour-length fluctuations, and chain stretching. The predictions of the model during fast start-up and steady shear flows of polymer melts are in accord with experimental observations. Moreover, in accordance with reported experimental literature (Osaki et al. in J Polym Sci B Polym Phys 38:2043–2050, 2000), the model predicts, for a range of shear rates, two overshoots in shear stress during start-up of steady shear flows of bidisperse polymer melts having components with widely separated molar masses. Two overshoots result only when the stretch or Rouse relaxation time of the higher molar mass component is longer than the terminal relaxation time of the lower molar mass component. The “first overshoot” is the first to appear with increasing shear rate and occurs as a result of the stretching of longer chains. Transient stretching of the short chains is responsible for the early time second overshoot. The model predictions in steady and transitional extensional flows are also remarkable for both monodisperse and bidisperse polymer solutions. The computationally efficient differential model can be used to predict rheology of commercial polydisperse polymer melts and solutions.
Development of Emulsion Residue Testing Framework for Improved Chip Seal Performance

To promote sustainability and optimize funding, state highway agencies are integrating pavement preservation strategies into the management of their roadway networks. Chip seals, a prominent pavement preservation alternative, are traditionally being used on low-volume roads with success in many states. However, as advancements in emulsion formulations continue and the use of chip seals on medium- and high-traffic facilities becomes more prevalent, there is a need to improve the methods to select and specify chip seal emulsions. The objective of this study was to develop an emulsion testing framework that captured properties related to critical distresses observed for in-service chip seals and considered the effects of traffic, environment, and aging. The proposed testing framework recommended the use of the dynamic shear rheometer and bitumen bond strength test to evaluate high-, intermediate-, and low-temperature performance. The testing protocols were applied to recovered and pressure aging vessel-aged ...
Joint replacement costs in the era of healthcare reform: commentary on an article by James C. Robinson, PhD, MPH, et al.: “Variability in costs associated with total hip and knee replacement implants”.

Rising costs will likely be the focus of our healthcare debate for the foreseeable future1. Orthopaedic implants and procedures are a major cost contributor2. Recent evidence shows that the numbers of hip and especially knee arthroplasties are increasing in the United States3,4. If orthopaedic implant device companies followed usual economies-of-scale principles, the cost of implants would decrease with the increasing number of procedures every year. However, implant costs remain high, which is one of the reasons that arthroplasty is an expensive procedure. Robinson et al. analyzed 10,155 patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty and 5013 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty from sixty-one hospitals that participated in a value-based purchasing initiative. The authors based their analysis on hospital and implant costs—data that are often difficult to obtain. Implants were major contributors to variation in joint replacement surgery costs across hospitals. Most medical device cost variation (36% for hip replacement and 61% for knee replacement) was attributable to hospital characteristics, and only …
Method for monitoring the mechanical state of a material

Abstract A simple but precise method is described for simultaneously measuring the flight times for shear and longitudinal ultrasonic pulses. This measurement can be used to calculate the average tensile or compressive stress component along the propagation path because the two sound speeds depend differently on stress. It can also be used to monitor the ductilities of structural components because the modulus ration G/B which can readily be derived from the two flight times is a measure of the ease of plastic flow relative to the ease of brittle fracture. As an example, it is shown that as a tool steel becomes more ductile during tempering after quench hardening, its G/B ratio decreases. Also, it is shown that G/B varies systematically with atomic number, and that f.c.c. metals with small G/B are ductile but those with high G/B are intrinsically brittle.
On the efficiency of procedures for estimation of parameters in Arima models

The paper discusses the implementation of the Newton-Raphson iterative method of estimation of parameters in the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models. The efficiency of this method has been compared with other well known methods of estimation.
Calcium and Iron Regulate Swarming and Type III Secretion in Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Here, we probe the response to calcium during growth on a surface and show that calcium influences the transcriptome and stimulates motility and virulence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Swarming (but not swimming) gene expression and motility were enhanced by calcium. Calcium also elevated transcription of one of the organism’s two type III secretion systems (T3SS1 but not T3SS2) and heightened cytotoxicity toward host cells in coculture. Calcium stimulation of T3SS gene expression has not been reported before, although low calcium is an inducing signal for the T3SS of many organisms. EGTA was also found to increase T3SS1 gene expression and virulence; however, this was demonstrated to be the consequence of iron rather than calcium chelation. Ectopic expression of exsA, encoding the T3SS1 AraC-type regulator, was used to define the extent of the T3SS1 regulon and verify its coincident induction by calcium and EGTA. To begin to understand the regulatory mechanisms modulating the calcium response, a calcium-repressed, LysR-type transcription factor named CalR was identified and shown to repress swarming and T3SS1 gene expression. Swarming and T3SS1 gene expression were also demonstrated to be linked by LafK, a 54 -dependent regulator of swarming, and additionally connected by a negative-feedback loop on the swarming regulon propagated by ExsA. Thus, calcium and iron, two ions pertinent for a marine organism and pathogen, play a signaling role with global consequences on the regulation of gene sets that are relevant for surface colonization and infection.
TRANSPORT AND ENERGY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Abstract The author examines the transport energy consumption of developing countries and compares it with that of developed countries. These figures are found to suggest considerable scope for transport energy savings. Given the need for improved energy efficiency, the author moves on to consider transport in the context of the wider economy. Four broad policy approaches which can affect transport energy consumption are identified — information and training programmes, subsidies; pricing and tax policies; and administrative regulations. The author's primary conclusion is that the energy price changes of the last decade do not hold revolutionary implications for the transport sector. There remains, however, a need to improve efficiency in this sector.
Approximate l-Fold Cross-Validation with Least Squares SVM and Kernel Ridge Regression

Kernel methods have difficulties scaling to large modern data sets. The scalability issues are based on computational and memory requirements for working with a large matrix. These requirements have been addressed over the years by using low-rank kernel approximations or by improving the solvers' scalability. However, Least Squares Support Vector Machines (LS-SVM), a popular SVM variant, and Kernel Ridge Regression still have several scalability issues. In particular, the O(n^3) computational complexity for solving a single model, and the overall computational complexity associated with tuning hyper parameters are still major problems. We address these problems by introducing an O(nlog n) approximate l-fold cross-validation method that uses a multi-level circulant matrix to approximate the kernel. In addition, we prove our algorithm's computational complexity and present empirical runtimes on data sets with approximately one million data points. We also validate our approximate method's effectiveness at selecting hyper parameters on real world and standard benchmark data sets. Lastly, we provide experimental results on using a multi level circulant kernel approximation to solve LS-SVM problems with hyper parameters selected using our method.
SU-E-T-781: Reduction of Thread Effect for Superficial Tomotherapy Treatments

Purpose: Helical tomotherapy can be useful in the treatment of superficial treatment volumes. As a consequence of the helical delivery, a thread pattern is evident in measured dose distributions. This goal of this work is to reduce this effect.Methods: Radiation treatment plans were created utilizing pitches of 0.287, 0.360, 0.430 and 0.500 with a 5 cm field width with the helical tomotherapy treatment planning system (TPS). The plans were delivered to a cylindrical solid water phantom with 1.0 cm bolus. EDR2 film was placed between the solid water and the bolus in the target volume region. Back‐to‐back delivery of procedures with different pitch to constitute a single treatment fraction was considered. Results: The measured percent difference of minima and maxima of the thread pattern was determined to be 5%, 12%, 10%, and 16% for pitch values of 0.287, 0.360, 0.430 and 0.500, respectively. The calculated thread magnitude was within 2% of the measured. Combining procedures with pitches of 0.287 & 0.360 and 0.287 & 0.430 resulted in interference patterns in the threading. For the pitch combination of 0.287 & 0.430, reduced variation (∼3%) was largely observed; however, limited regions of greater magnitude minima and maxima (± 5% of the mean dose) were also observed. An attempt was made to modify the target volume in order to create two plans with equal pitch values that combine to form a destructive interference pattern and, hence, a uniform dose. However, this was not readily achievable with the clinical version of the TPS Conclusions: The thread pattern can be mitigated with the use of a combination of delivery procedures with differing pitch, specifically 0.287 and 0.430. The TPS was able to predict the magnitude of the thread effect within 2% of the measured for the superficial target for all cases considered.
Cross-linking of gelatine by dehydration.

THE contribution of water to the stability of macromolecular structures of biological origin is often difficult to assess. Besides its intrinsic theoretical interest1,2, this problem is of great practical importance in studies concerned with the preparation of single crystals of proteins3 and nucleic acids from an aqueous mother liquor as well as in studies of such macromolecules in non-aqueous solvents4. For these reasons we believe that the detailed study of physicochemical changes which accompany the excessive dehydration of proteins and nucleic acids might be of considerable value. In this communication, we wish to report evidence that gelatine becomes covalently cross-linked when the water content falls below about 0.2 g/100 g protein.
The e-government Development of United States Based on Knowledge Management and its Enlightenment to China

As a branch of the management, knowledge management of Government is a new public management field has been developed rapidly only the last 10 years. And in the process of development of U.S. e-government, they used knowledge management and scored remarkable achievements, and it also has been playing an important role in improving responsiveness to the U.S. government, the successful experience has a good e-Reference of China's development.
Constrained Maximum Likelihood Exemplified by Isotonic Convex Logistic Regression

Abstract Maximum likelihood estimates in problems in which the likelihood is smooth and the parameter space is defined by linear or smooth nonlinear inequality constraints can be obtained using available nonlinear optimization packages, such as NPSOL. This class of models includes generalized linear models with order restrictions, convexity, or smoothness constraints on the parameters (smoothness constraints being in the form of bounds on finite differences of the regression function). Methods for such models are demonstrated by an analysis of data from four published studies of the incidence of Down's syndrome in single-year maternal age intervals. Constrained logistic regression of the incidence of Down's syndrome on maternal age shows that the data are fitted well by a nondecreasing convex function. P values for the likelihood ratio test of this model against alternatives are obtained by the parametric bootstrap and iterated parametric bootstrap. The iterated bootstrap is used as a diagnostic tool: It ...
Effects of filtering on right ventricular electrograms recorded from endocardial catheters in humans.

Criteria for identifying electrically abnormal myocardium based on analysis of electrogram, amplitude, duration, and morphology have recently been proposed as an aid to catheter mapping in humans. Electrogram characteristics are likely to be influenced by analog filtering and the distance between recording electrodes. These parameters can be varied and differ among electrophysiol-ogy laboratories. To determine the magnitude of the effect of low pass and high pass filtering and intere-lectrode distance on human bipolar right ventricular electrograms eight patients were studied. The signal from a single bipolar electrode pair was recorded simultaneously on five channels with variable filtering. As the high pass filter frequency increased above 10 Hz, the electrogram duration and amplitude decreased. The decrease in amplitude was described by a monoexponential function with a 30% decrease in amplitude at a filter setting of 30 Hz and a 69% decrease at a filter setting of 100 Hz. As the low pass filter frequency decreased from 2,500 to 250 Hz, electrogram characteristics were not significantly altered. Low pass filtering at 300 Hz decreased electrogram amplitude slightly. Neither high nor low pass filter settings or interelectrode distance affected electrogram timing. However, filtering could markedly alter electro-gram morphology, introducing the possibility for errors in visual assessment of electrograms. Electrogram duration increased linearly with increasing distance between recording electrodes. The effects of filtering on electrograms were similar regardless of interelectrode spacing. Thus, varying the high pass filter setting over a range that is used clinically (from 1 to 100 Hz) can substantially alter electrogram duration, amplitude, and morphology. Low pass filtering at 250 Hz and above had no effect on these electrograms although it is possible that alterations would be observed in signals from areas of slow conduction that we did not study. The filter setting and interelectrode distance must be considered when applying proposed criteria for distinguishing normal from abnormal electrograms.
Polarimetry with multiple mirror telescopes

The polarizations of multiple mirror telescopes are calculated using Mueller calculus. It is found that the Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) produces a constant depolarization that is a function of wavelength and independent of sky position. The efficiency and crosstalk are modeled and experimentally verified. The two- and four-mirror new generation telescopes are found to produce sinusoidal depolarization for which an accurate interpretation of the incident Stokes vector requires inverse matrix calculations. Finally, the depolarization of f/1 paraboloids is calculated and found to be less than 0.1 percent at 3000 A.
Replication of repeated DNA in human cells.

Abstract The replication pattern of the repeated sequence families of human DNA has been studied by means of DNA reassociation curves. Early- and late-replicating DNA fractions were obtained from synchronized cultures of KB cells by labeling cells with bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) early or late in the DNA synthesis period and isolating the BUdR-containing DNA by CsCl density-gradient centrifugation. Highly repeated and moderately repeated sequence classes labeled with 14 C-deoxycytidine either early or late in the DNA synthesis period were also prepared. The effect of the isolated early- or late-replicating BUdR-DNA on the rate of reassociation of the 14 C-labeled repeated sequences was then tested. Increasing concentrations of early- or late-replicating BUdR-DNA were added to a constant amount of either 14 C-labeled early- or late-replicating repeated sequences, and the fraction of label in double-stranded DNA was determined. Analysis of the DNA reassociation curves so obtained indicates that some repeated sequence families are replicated throughout the DNA synthesis period whereas others are replicated primarily in the second half. This is true for both the highly-repeated and moderately-repeated sequence classes.
Solids Removal in Storm-Water Filters Modeled Using a Power Equation

Storm-water filters and biofilters are limited by physical clogging. Several models have been proposed to predict the flow rate through the media throughout its lifespan. Urbonas (1999) modeled flow rate through a downflow sand filter as a function of the suspended solids loading on the media surface using a power equation. This paper confirms this equation in describing the flow rate through mixed-media downflow filters at a laboratory scale but with unique coefficients for different media. Confounding effects of influent solids concentration and filter surface diameter on the relationship between flow rate and suspended solids loading were seen, indicating that other factors are important in describing that relationship. Maintenance issues also were investigated, with the results showing that removal of about 5–10% of the surface of the media had little long-term impact on flow rate recovery.
Rate of erosion of dayside magnetic flux based on a quantitative study of the dependence of polar cusp latitude on the interplanetary magnetic field

In a consideration of only those periods when the delay time from the interplanetary observing position to the magnetosphere is less than 5 minutes, it is found that, irrespective of substorm activity: (1) The 45 minute average value of interplanetary B(z) predicts the latitudes of the poleward and equatorward boundaries of polar cusp electron precipitation with rms errors of 1.34 deg and 1.16 deg respectively; (2) Both boundaries more equatorward by about 5 deg as B(z) varies from 1 to -6 gammas, the cusp remaining about 40 deg wide; (3) The amount of flux added to the polar cap is about 9.2 percent of the total southward flux impingent on the magnetosphere in the previous 45 minutes; (4) As B(z) becomes more positive, the equatorward boundary moves only slightly more poleward (1/2 deg between B(z) = 2 gammas and B(z) = 6 gammas, while the poleward boundary moves significantly toward higher latitudes, resulting in a cusp approximately 7 deg wide for B(z) = 6 gammas.