cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Altruistic, Cognitive and Attitudinal Determinants of Organ Donation Intention in Egypt: A Social Marketing Perspective

This study investigates the influence of various altruistic, cognitive, and attitudinal factors on the organ donation intention in Egypt. Using a large sample, a conceptual model has been developed. The findings from the structural equation model confirm the influence of the respondents' altruistic values, perceived benefits and risks, and knowledge on their attitudes towards organ donation. Respondents' attitudes towards organ donation, in turn, are also found to affect their organ donation intention. One of the other important findings suggests that on a declarative level, more and more individuals in Egypt express their concern over the shortage of available organs and declare their willingness to contribute somehow to alleviate the problem. However, in reality this concern may not be manifested consistently.
The effects of chronic morphine treatment on neurotensin-induced antinociception

Previous studies have shown that the opioid antagonist naloxone does not alter neurotensin (NT)-induced antinociception. In the present studies, tolerance to morphine in mice significantly attenuated NT-induced antinociception, but not NT-induced hypothermia. In addition, centrally administered NT inhibited naloxone-precipitated jumping in morphine-dependent mice. These results indicate complex interactions between NT-induced antinociception and opioid systems.
Environmental significance of the uptake and depuration of planar PCB congeners by the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

Abstract Uptake and depuration of three highly toxic PCB congeners, i.e. PCBs 77, 126, and 169, by the American oyster ( Crassostrea virginica ) were studied under environmental conditions. Compared with other PCB congeners, these compounds can be considerably bioconcentrated, and retained, by bivalves and constitute a potential health hazard for higher consumers. To evaluate the health risks that these PCB congeners pose for human beings, concentrations in oyster samples from two of the largest bays on the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, Galveston and Tampa Bays, sampled as part of the NOAA's National Status and Trends ‘Mussel Watch’ Programme, are discussed.
Determinants of the hemodynamic consequence to sustained ventricular arrhythmias after a single myocardial infarction

Patients who have sustained ventricular arrhythmias after myocardial infarction present with either a cardiac arrest or with hemodynamically stable sustained ventricular tachycardia. Recent reports have suggested a different electrophysiologic milieu in these two patient groups and a higher incidence of cardiac arrest in patients with a history of more than one myocardial infarction. No studies have examined patients with only a single previous myocardial infarction. To assess the determinants of the hemodynamic consequence of sustained ventricular arrhythmias more than 3 days after a single myocardial infarction, 82 patients who were resuscitated from arrhythmic cardiac arrest (CA group, 40 patients) or who had hemodynamically stable sustained ventricular tachycardia (No CA group, 42 patients) were examined. Patients in both groups had similar global left ventricular ejection fractions (mean +/- SD; 30% +/- 12% vs 27% +/- 12%; p = NS), proportion of patients with anterior wall infarctions as compared with the proportion of patients with inferior wall infarctions (55% vs 50%; p = NS), time from infarction to arrhythmia development, severity of coronary artery disease, and the proportion of patients with congestive heart failure or bundle branch block. Patients who presented without cardiac arrest, however, more frequently had left ventricular aneurysms (58% vs 28%; p = 0.005). Sixty-seven patients underwent baseline drug-free electrophysiologic studies. Sustained ventricular tachycardia was induced in 79% of patients in the CA group and 85% of patients in the No CA group (p = NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Comparison of Augmentation Techniques During In-Tube Evaporation of R-113

An experimental study was conducted to determine the potential of three techniques for augmenting in-tube evaporation of refrigerants: high-fin tubes, microfin tubes, and twisted tape inserts. Five tubes with internal fins and one smooth tube with a twisted-tape insert were tested. Additionally, experiments were performed with two reference smooth tubes having diameters similar to the maximum inside diameters of the finned tubes. All experiments involved evaporating Refrigerant 113 (R-113) by direct electrical heating of the tube wall. Local evaporation heat transfer coefficients were measured as a function of quality for a range of mass fluxes and heat fluxes. Enhancement factors were calculated by forming ratios of the heat transfer coefficient for the augmented tube and a smooth tube of the same maximum inside diameter. Mass fluxes, pressure levels, and qualities were fixed when enhancement factors were calculated. For the internally finned tubes the enhancement factors varied from 1.1 to 2.8. An internally finned tube having helical spiral angles of 16 deg produced the largest enhancement of heat transfer. The tube with the twisted-tape insert typically had an enhancement factor of about 1.5. Pressure gradient ratios and enhancement performance ratios are also presented.
Computing in context (abstract only)

As computing moves into its sixth decade as a formal field of study, a great deal of attention is focused on the breadth of relationships between computing and other disciplines. Descriptors of this relationship include computing in context, computing with a purpose, computing + X, computational X, interdisciplinary computing, multi-disciplinary computing, and trans-disciplinary computing. Regardless of the descriptor, the goals for exploring the relationship remain the same: students need to understand how the power of computing informs and shapes ideas throughout the academy and society. They need to learn appropriate concepts in computing and to see these applied to other areas of study. This learning will be most effective when approached through active participation of students, as they tackle questions and problems coming from society's ever-growing and ever-changing reliance on computing devices and modes of interaction. Our NSF-funded project, titled Computing in Context, fosters interdisciplinary computing education by creating exemplars of curricular materials, testing these materials in undergraduate computing courses, and disseminating the materials through computingportal.org. We focus our effort on four areas of applied computing: computational linguistics, computing and music intelligence and security informatics, and web science. Our materials will be designed for inquiry-based learning, whether this occurs in lecture as a brief conversation between pairs of students or in lab as loosely formulated problem or scenario or as a multi-week, team-based project.
Implementation of algorithms to discriminate chemical/biological airbursts from high explosive airbursts utilizing acoustic signatures

The Army is currently developing acoustic sensor systems that will provide extended range surveillance, detection, and identification for force protection and tactical security. A network of such sensors remotely deployed in conjunction with a central processing node (or gateway) will provide early warning and assessment of enemy threats, near real-time situational awareness to commanders, and may reduce potential hazards to the soldier. In contrast, the current detection of chemical/biological (CB) agents expelled into a battlefield environment is limited to the response of chemical sensors that must be located within close proximity to the CB agent. Since chemical sensors detect hazardous agents through contact, the sensor range to an airburst is the key-limiting factor in identifying a potential CB weapon attack. The associated sensor reporting latencies must be minimized to give sufficient preparation time to field commanders, who must assess if an attack is about to occur, has occurred, or if occurred, the type of agent that soldiers might be exposed to. The long-range propagation of acoustic blast waves from heavy artillery blasts, which are typical in a battlefield environment, introduces a feature for using acoustics and other sensor suite technologies for the early detection and identification of CB threats. Employing disparate sensor technologies implies that warning of a potential CB attack can be provided to the solider more rapidly and from a safer distance when compared to current conventional methods. Distinct characteristics arise within the different airburst signatures because High Explosive (HE) warheads emphasize concussive and shrapnel effects, while chemical/biological warheads are designed to disperse their contents over immense areas, therefore utilizing a slower burning, less intensive explosion to mix and distribute their contents. Highly reliable discrimination (100%) has been demonstrated at the Portable Area Warning Surveillance System (PAWSS) Limited Objective Experiment (LOE) conducted by Joint Project Manager for Nuclear Biological Contamination Avoidance (JPM NBC CA) and a matrixed team from Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center (ECBC) at ranges exceeding 3km. The details of the fieldtest experiment and real-time implementation/integration of the standalone acoustic sensor system are discussed herein.
Effect of Parent Involvement and Parent Expectations on Postsecondary Outcomes for Individuals Who Are d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing

The purpose of this article is to investigate the potential role of parent involvement and parent expectation in postschool outcomes for individuals who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). Students who are DHH have lower retention and employment rates than their peers. Recognizing the importance of family in developmental outcomes for all individuals, this article focuses specifically on the role of parents in facilitating postsecondary outcomes. In an effort to address gaps in the literature in this area, this study utilizes the National Longitudinal Transition Survey 2 (NLTS-2) dataset to measure the effect of parental involvement and expectations as individuals who are DHH transition from secondary grades into a variety of postschool settings. Overall, none of the parental involvement variables were statistically significant when controlling for student and parent demographics. The parental expectation variables that had a statistically significant impact on outcomes included expectations to live inde...
Hyperglycemic hemianopia: A reversible complication of non-ketotic hyperglycemia

Four patients each developed a reversible homonymous hemianopia caused by non-ketotic hyperglycemia. In two patients the homonymous hemianopia was the first manifestation of diabetes mellitus type 2. All four patients had abnormal MRI scans; in the three patients who had late follow-up scans the abnormalities resolved completely. In one patient the progressive visual field defect and unusual MRI findings initially caused concern for a tumor.
Developmental changes in synaptic membrane lipid composition and fluidity

Synaptic membrane enriched fractions were prepared from 7 and 14 day and adult cortical nerve endings. (a) The levels of synaptic membrane phosphatidylcholine decrease 19% during development while the levels of ethanolamine phosphoglycerides increase 21%. (b) On day 7, desmosterol accounts for 33% of the total membrane sterols. With maturity, the desmosterol disappears and the molar sterol/lipid P ratio increases 56%. (c) The fatty acid composition of the membranes change during development. 16∶0 decreases 36% while 18∶1 increases 49%. 16∶1, a minor component of adult membranes, is found in significant quantities in pup membranes. 22∶6 (n−3) increases 34% during development while 22∶5 (n−6) decreases 59%. (d) The microviscosity of synaptic membranes, as measured by the fluorescence depolarization technique, increases during development. This effect is observed in both intact membranes and bilayers prepared from lipid extracts of the membrane.
House morphology and mechanisms of feeding in the Oikopleuridae (Tunicata, Appendicularia)

The house morphology and feeding behaviour of seven species of appendicularians was observed and photographed in the field. Details of house morphology varied greatly among species. New information on the pattern of water flow through the house and on mechanisms of food collection are presented. Flow rates through the house, ranging from 36 to 1400 ml/hour, may result in substantial depletion of phytoplankton locally.
The developmental directions and tasks of the school based curriculum management system in Korea

The purpose of this paper is to inquire into the developmental directions and tasks of the School Based Curriculum Management(SBCM) system. The concept of the School Based Curriculum Management can be considered as a subsystem to School Based Management. The logics behind the SBCM system are autonomy, accountability, effectiveness, creativity, professionalism, and participation. The developmental directions of SBCM are to establish and implement the highly autonomous and participative SBCM, the diverse creative SBCM, the highly accountable SBCM, and the professional SBCM. The developmental tasks of SBCM suggested in this study are to establish the School Based Staff Development system, to practice the evaluation system that can control the quality of SBCM, to be managed by a strategic-layer management system, and to constitute the committee of school curriculum.
Effect of Sparse Long-Chain Branching on the Step-Strain Behavior of a Series of Well-Defined Polyethylenes

The effect of sparse long chain branching, LCB, on the shear step-strain relaxation modulus is analyzed using a series of eight high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resins. Strains of 1 to 1250% are imposed on materials with LCB content ranging from zero to 3.33 LCB per 10,000 carbon atoms. All materials are observed to obey time-strain separation beyond some characteristic time, τ k . The presence of LCB is observed to increase the value of τ k relative to the linear resin. The behavior of the relaxation modulus at times shorter than τ k is investigated by an analysis of the enhancement seen in the linear relaxation modulus, G 0 (t), as a function of strain and LCB content. This enhancement is seen to (1) increase with increasing strain in all resins, (2) be significantly larger in the sparsely branched HDPE resins relative to the linear HDPE resin, and (3) increase in magnitude with increasing LCB content. The shape and smoothness of the damping function is also investigated. The finite rise time to impose the desired strain is compared to the Rouse relaxation time of linear HDPE resins studied. Sparse LCB is found to increase the magnitude of the relaxation modulus at short times relative to the linear resin. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:1424-1432, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Neural-network-based signal monitoring in a smart structural system

This paper focuses on the signal processing aspect of a smart structure computational support environment for health monitoring, investigating the use of neural networks to identify and locate structural damage in a steel truss structure instrumented with accelerometers and strain gauges. Cracking damage is simulated by introducing sawcuts into the main members of the structure. Results using accelerometer data alone indicate that Quickprop backpropagation neural networks constitute a promising tool for these purposes, although network performance in locating damage should be improved by use of strain data as well.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Analysis and Restraining of Electro-Magnetic Interference for Thyristor Based DC Motor Drives

A high-power DC motor drive with low electromagnetic interference (EMI) is needed for the nondestructive testing (NDT) robot in the nuclear industry environment. This paper focuses on the test and analysis of EMI for thyristor based DC motor control system, which can work in four quadrants to drive the NDT robot. The experimental tests of EMI are conducted with different factors, such as position, power supply mode, inductance of the smoothing reactor, motor load, and so on. The methods to restrain the EMI are researched and applied in the system. The experiments demonstrate that EMI of the DC motor drive is lower compared with the motor drive using PWM mode, and the drive can fully meet the need of the NDT robot.
Making Sense of Directional Microphone Hearing Aids

We have witnessed a large increase in the availability of directional microphone hearing aids over the past few years. Directional microphone technology is now available in analog, digitally controlled analog, and digital hearing aids, and has been implemented into both behind-the-ear and in-the-ear styles. This Short Course reviews basic design differences across directional microphone hearing aids. A number of different laboratory and clinical evaluation methods used for assessment of both electroacoustic and behavioral directivity are then reviewed. In addition, the potential impact of test conditions such as room reverberation and type and position of competing noise(s), on listener performance when fit with directional hearing aids are considered. Recommendations and suggestions relating to the clinical and laboratory assessment of directional hearing aids are provided.
Anomalous magnetic response of the spin-one-half Falicov-Kimball model

The infinite-dimensional spin-one-half Falicov-Kimball model in an external magnetic field is solved exactly. We calculate the magnetic susceptibility in zero field, and the magnetization as a function of the field strength. The model shows an anomalous magnetic response from thermally excited local moments that disappear as the temperature is lowered. We describe possible real materials that may exhibit this kind of anomalous behavior.
Executive function in everyday life: implications for young cochlear implant users

Cochlear implants (CIs) provide significant speech and language benefits to many prelingually deaf children (Geers et al., 2008). However, CIs do not provide optimal benefits to all children who receive them. Identification of pre-implant predictors of CI outcomes is critical to providing appropriate expectations to parents and in decision making regarding intervention, assessment, management, and focused habilitation throughout childhood. A growing body of research findings suggests that deafness and degraded auditory experience may affect not only speech and language skills, but also other neurocognitive functions (Pisoni et al., 2010). We adopt the working hypothesis (supported by recent findings from our center) that many profoundly deaf children who use CIs, especially the low-performing users, may have other neural, cognitive, and affective sequelae resulting from a period of auditory deprivation combined with a delay in language development before implantation. For example, compared to hearing peers, young CI users show differences in short-term and Working Memory capacity and have slower processing speeds for rehearsing and retrieving verbal information (Pisoni et al., 2010). Robust speech perception and spoken language processing are highly dependent on these underlying core neurocognitive building blocks. Executive function (EF) is an umbrella construct from research in neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience representing a complex set of cognitive processes such as organization, planning, working memory, inhibition, and flexibility, involved in the control of thought, action, and emotion (Gioia et al., 2001). There is general agreement among cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists that several different aspects of EF play important roles in language perception and production via top-down feedback and control of processing activities in a wide range of behavioral tasks (Pisoni et al., 2010). In addition, language itself serves an EF because through verbal mediation processes it can be used by the child to exercise control over thoughts, actions, and emotions with self-directed speech (Muller et al., 2009). For these reasons, knowledge of the developmental relations between EF and language processes in children with CIs is critical to understanding not only outcomes proximal to language, but also more distal outcomes such as learning, self-regulation, and social cognition. The two objectives of this study were to identify areas of EF vulnerability in children with CI’s using a behavior rating scale completed by parents, and to determine if these areas of vulnerability are associated with conventional speech and language outcomes.
Okasha on Inductive Scepticism

In a recent paper replying to the inductive sceptic, Samir Okasha says that the Humean argument for inductive scepticism depends on mistakenly construing inductive reasoning as based on a principle of the uniformity of nature. I dispute Okasha’s argument that we are entitled to the background beliefs on which (he says) inductive reasoning depends. Furthermore, I argue that the sorts of theoretically impoverished contexts to which a uniformity-of-nature principle has traditionally been restricted are exactly the contexts relevant to the inductive sceptic’s argument, and (pace Okasha) are not at all remote from actual scientific practice. I discuss several scientific examples involving such contexts.
A history of low power electronics: how it began and where it's headed

The invention of the bipolar transistor in 1948 and the integrated circuit in 1958 as well as the announcement of CMOS logic circuits in 1963 demonstrated the critical basis for modern low power electronics. Future opportunities for low power gigascale integration will be governed by a hierarchy of physical limits whose five levels can be codified as: (1) fundamental, (2) material, (3) device, (4) circuit and (5) system. Through analysis of the attributes of a hypothetical quasi-asymptotic 10 nm single electron MOSFET and its local interconnection network, it is apparent that such a device would have an unaffordably large switching error rate. However, it is feasible that low power electronics may well achieve a capability within several hundred times the switching energy of the 10 nm single electron MOSFET.
Strategies and conditions for teaching theoretical nursing: an international perspective

How, when, and why to teach nursing theory are still central questions for nurse educators. The questions are restated and generalized to the whys, and hows, and the whens to incorporate theoretical nursing rather than nursing theory in nursing education. Process and strategies for teaching theoretical nursing are compared and contrasted with those related to research. We propose the use of similar strategies and add several essential conditions related to theoretical nursing. In teaching theoretical nursing, educators are expected to develop an environment that values theory and ways by which a theoretical identity is facilitated and fostered in students. Critical and reflective thinking as well as the role modelling of local models of excellence are central ingredients in the development of nurses who are committed to using and developing theories. One approach in incorporating theory in curricula is to identify central components and goals such as historical analyses, domain boundaries, theory utilization, process and strategies for theory development and testing. Once components are identified, faculty can make a decision about where to incorporate them. We have proposed several approaches that incorporate theoretical nursing in undergraduate and graduate programmes.
In-situ formation of Ni-alumina nanocomposite during laser processing

Abstract Synthesis of Ni-alumina nanocomposite through the laser processing of electroless Ni-coated alumina is reported. The nanocomposite was characterized using FIB, XPS, HRTEM, and EDS techniques. The size and number density of Ni-particles are predicted using a relationship between alumina particle size and the coating thickness.
Heavy mesons and the charge independence of the nuclear forces

According to a recent experiment (~) tile mass spectrum of tim neutral component of p-meson appears to be resolved into two levels, one of which is almost degenerate with the (o meson within experimental errors. This has raised some interesting possibilities. FUBINI (2) has proposed a drastic suggestion: There may exist a vector meson, called F, which has no well defined isospin and decays into both of T=0 and T= 1 states, violating the charge independence (C.I.). The Po and ~ peaks are the manifestations of different decay modes of the same particle. On the other hand, a conventional way of dealing with this degeneracy h~s been given by GLASttOW (3,4). According ~0 Glashow 9o and ¢o are different particles, but, because of the small mass difference, the electromagnetic transition between them can be quite appreciable and the observed particles are mixtures of t:0 and o). Tim extent to which 90 and (o are mixed has been estimated (4,5). The theoretical results for the (kI. violating decay (o-~ 2~ are reasonable, showing that Glashow's explanation is not unnatural. It may seem, therefore, that it is not necessary to introduce Fubini's drastic hypothesis. This does not, however, necessarily mean that Fubini's hypothesis is eliminated. Rather it seems difficult to tell, by observing the decays, which of the two is realized in nature. In this note we wisll to examine the possibility of finding the differences between these two theories in their effects on nuclear forces. For simplicity, first we assume that Fubini's F interdicts with the nucleon by a factor (l+r~)/2 (maximum violation of C.I.), then the F-exchange takes place only in p-p, but not in p-n nor in n-n systems. The static potential for l)-P system ~rising from single F-exchange is
Reduced sensitivity of red blood cell (Na+,K+)-ATPase to ethanol in vitro in male alcoholic patients: relationship to clinical characteristics.

We examined red Wood ceil (Na+, K+)-ATPase, its sensitivity to inhi-brtion by ethanol in vitro, and its relationship to clinical characteristic! and history in 41 newly admitted alcoholic patients and 14 age-matched healthy controls. Sensitivity to ethanol was significantly lower in the alcoholic patients and correlated negatively with ethanol intake. In addition, sensitivity of enzyme to ethanol was lower ir patients with high agitation-anxiety ratings and correlated negatively with agitation and anxiety scores on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. There were no relationships between (Na+, K+)-ATPase measures and depressive symptoms, history of treatment for depression, or family history of depression. These data suggest that tolerance to the effects of ethanol on (Na+, K+)-ATPase occurs in man and may be related to the severity of ethanol dependence or withdrawal.
Liver-Specific Overexpression of Pancreatic-Derived Factor (PANDER) Induces Fasting Hyperglycemia in Mice

The pancreas-derived hormones, insulin and glucagon, are the two main regulators of glucose homeostasis. However, their actions can be modulated by the presence of other circulating factors including cytokines. Pancreatic-derived factor (PANDER) is a novel cytokine-like molecule secreted from the endocrine pancreas, but its biological function is currently unknown. To address this, we employed adenoviral gene delivery to develop a novel murine model of PANDER overexpression, which we used to study PANDER's effect on glucose homeostasis. Although serum metabolites in fed mice were unaffected by PANDER overexpression, fasting glucose, insulin, and corticosterone levels were significantly elevated. Additionally, PANDER-overexpressing mice displayed elevated glucose and insulin levels during a glucose tolerance test, indicating that glucose tolerance was impaired. However, there were no defects in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion or peripheral insulin sensitivity. Elevated transcription of hepatic gluconeogenic genes, PEPCK and G6Pase accompanied the fasting hyperglycemia observed in PANDER-overexpressing animals. Similarly, treatment of primary hepatocytes with PANDER-expressing adenovirus or PANDER-enriched conditioned medium elevated gluconeogenic gene expression and glucose output. PANDER treatment also resulted in higher levels of Ser133-phosphorylated cAMP-response element-binding protein in hepatocytes stimulated with 8-bromo-cAMP and dexamethasone and higher levels of intracellular cAMP upon stimulation with forskolin. In summary, we provide the first report that identifies PANDER as a regulator of hepatic glucose metabolism, where it serves as a novel factor that amplifies hepatic cAMP and cAMP-response element-binding protein signaling to induce gluconeogenic gene expression and glucose output.
The yeast Pan2 protein is required for poly(A)-binding protein-stimulated poly(A)-nuclease activity.

The removal of the mRNA poly(A) tail in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is stimulated by the poly(A)-binding protein (Pab1p). A large scale purification of the Pab1p-stimulated poly(A) ribonuclease (PAN) identifies a 76-kDa and two 135-Da polypeptides as candidate enzyme subunits. Antibodies against the Pan1p protein, which is the minor 135-kDa protein in the preparation, can immunodeplete Pan1p but not PAN activity. The protein sequence of the major 135-kDa protein, Pan2p, reveals a novel protein that was also found in the previously reported PAN purification (Sachs, A. B., and Deardorff, J. A.(1992) Cell 70, 961-973). Deletion of the non-essential PAN2 gene results in an increase of the average length of mRNA poly(A) tails in vivo, and a loss of Pab1p-stimulated PAN activity in crude extracts. These data confirm that Pan2p and not Pan1p is required for PAN activity, and they suggest that ribonucleases other than the Pab1p-stimulated PAN are capable of shortening poly(A) tails in vivo.
Distinctive mechanical properties of nano-polycrystalline diamond synthesized by direct conversion sintering under HPHT

Abstract The mechanical properties of nano-polycrystalline diamond (NPD) synthesized by the direct conversion of graphite under high pressure and high temperature have been investigated. Indentation hardness and bending strength tests revealed that NPD has considerably high hardness and high transverse rupture strength (TRS) at high temperature, far surpassing those of conventional polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and single-crystal diamond (SCD). The hardness remained higher than 100 GPa even at 800 °C, while the hardness of SCD sharply decreased to 60 GPa above 300 °C. The TRS remained at about 3 GPa up to 1000 °C, above which it showed a positive temperature dependence, while the TRS of PCD decreased rapidly at about 500 °C. Wear tests using a diamond wheel indicated that the abrasive wear resistance of NPD is equivalent to those of the high wear-resistance directions on SCD, and from 10 to 50 times higher than those of PCD. These results suggest that NPD has outstanding potential for cutting tools.
An Example P/sup 4/ Process Program For Rebus

This P4 (pronounced “P-Quad”) program describes a fragment of Rebus, which is a program for creating a graph of functional requirements.
From Smart Home to Connected Home

Until quite recently, the development of smart homes as a new form of housing, combining both novel computer applications within and network access without, seemed appealing and imminent. The expectation was that new smart home technologies would alter how families entertain themselves with mum’s and dad’s sharing ‘lean forward’ interaction experiences on the internet enabled TV, for example (See Taylor & Harper, 2003: pp115-126); it was thought too that kids would be provided with revolutionary educational tools that would alter the relationship they had with homework (and with the institution of school) (Randall, 2004: pp227-246). Perhaps most commonplace – and thus hardly worth citing any instances of this view - was the assertion that those individuals who chose to work at home would find all the networked access they required delivered to their door: only old fashioned habit and the occasional face to face meeting would force them to leave and actually go to work. Work would come home; travel would reduce.
Human Placental Pericytes Poorly Stimulate and Actively Regulate Allogeneic CD4 T Cell Responses

Objective— Cell-mediated immune responses in peripheral tissues begin with T cell infiltration through endothelial cell (EC) microvessels and accumulation in the perivascular space occupied by pericytes (PC). Here, we investigate how human T cells interact with PC. Methods and Results— We compared human placental PC with autologous umbilical vein EC. Cultured PC express lower levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and positive costimulatory molecules but higher levels of negative costimulatory molecules than do EC. Unlike EC, interferon-γ-treated MHC class II–positive PC (PC + ) cannot stimulate resting allogeneic CD4 T cell proliferation or cytokine production. Instead, coculture of resting CD4 T cells with PC + induces CD25 expression and renders T cells unresponsive to restimulation by EC + from the same donor. PC cultured across a semi-permeable membrane decrease alloreactive CD4 T cell proliferation to EC + , an effect enhanced by pretreatment of PC with interferon-γ and partially reversed by interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β neutralization, but do not induce anergy. Conclusion— Human placental PC are poorly immunogenic and negatively regulate CD4 T cell responses through contact-dependent and contact-independent mechanisms.
Memory failures, dream illusions and mental malfunction.

Dreams are widely believed to be produced as the brain's memory circuits are reinforced during sleep by self-generated brain waves. Reinforcement maintains synaptic strengths in the 'dedicated' ranges that support circuit functions. Without these activations, turnover of molecules essential for synaptic function would lead to deleterious alterations in, and eventual loss of, memories. The pathological processes underlying many mental disorders appear to exert their deleterious influences by inducing abnormalities in brain waves, largely in slow waves of less than about 14 cycles/s. The pathologically altered slow waves, in turn, cause long-lasting weakening or dysfunction of synapses of affected circuits, frequently resulting in mental disorders and deviant sleep. These abnormalities can be remediated for varying periods by therapies that restore normal brain waves. With many trillions of synapses between billions of neurons in enormously complex circuits needing reinforcement during sleep, the process is susceptible to failures. As a result, some synapses 'normally' weaken or become dysfunctional, accumulating to the greatest extent in old memory circuits. Activation of resulting incompetent circuits during waking may lead to hallucinations and delusions; activation during sleep may lead to dreams with bizarre, incoherent or impossible contents.
PCUBE: A performance driven placement algorithm for low power designs

PCUBE, a performance driven placement algorithm for minimizing power consumption, is described. The problem is formulated as a constrained programming problem and is solved in two phases: global optimization and slot assignment. The objective function used during either phase is the total weighted net length, where net weights are calculated as the expected switching activities of gates driving the nets. Constraints on total path delays are also accounted for. On average, PCUBE reduces power consumption due to interconnect by 7% at the expense of 8% increase in the total wire length and 2% increase in circuit delay. >
Contrasting parents' and pediatricians' perspectives on shared decision-making in ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to compare how parents and clinicians understand shared decision-making (SDM) in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a prototype for SDM in pediatrics. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 60 parents of children 6 to 12 years of age with ADHD (50% black and 43% college educated) and 30 primary care clinicians with varying experience. Open-ended interviews explored how pediatric clinicians and parents understood SDM in ADHD. Interviews were taped, transcribed, and then coded. Data were analyzed by using a modified grounded theory approach. RESULTS: Parents and clinicians both viewed SDM favorably. However, parents described SDM as a partnership between equals, with physicians providing medical expertise and the family contributing in-depth knowledge of the child. In contrast, clinicians understood SDM as a means to encourage families to accept clinicians9 preferred treatment. These findings affected care because parents mistrusted clinicians whose presentation they perceived as biased. Both groups discussed how real-world barriers limit the consideration of evidence-based options, and they emphasized the importance of engaging professionals, family members, and/or friends in SDM. Although primary themes did not differ according to race, white parents more commonly received support from medical professionals in their social networks. CONCLUSIONS: Despite national guidelines prioritizing SDM in ADHD, challenges to implementing the process persist. Results suggest that, to support SDM in ADHD, modifications are needed at the practice and policy levels, including clinician training, incorporation of decision aids and improved strategies to facilitate communication, and efforts to ensure that evidence-based treatment is accessible.
Intracellular two-phase Ca2+ release and apoptosis controlled by TRP-ML1 channel activity in coronary arterial myocytes

Activation of the death receptor Fas has been reported to produce a two-phase intracellular Ca2+ release response in coronary arterial myocytes (CAMs), which consists of local Ca2+ bursts via lysos...
Coded modulation for a coherent DS-CDMA system employing an MMSE receiver in a fading channel

Previous results have shown that high rate codes tend to yield a lower average bit-error rate than low rate codes when employing a minimum mean-square error (MMSE) receiver for a direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (CDMA) system in either an additive white Gaussian noise channel or a flat Rayleigh fading channel. we consider the use of larger signal constellations with both trellis-coded modulation and bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) to determine if further gains can be achieved in either the Rayleigh or Ricean fading channel. The average bit-error probability is derived for both coding schemes using the general Ricean fading channel model, based upon the common assumptions of infinite interleaving, perfect channel state information, and optimal MMSE receiver coefficients. New bounds are presented for BICM with 8-PSK and 16-QAM symbols, which take advantage of the symmetries inherent in the signal constellations with Gray code mapping. In addition, simulation results are presented which show the important effect a finite interleaving delay constraint has on the comparison of various codes. The results show that there are cases when coded modulation does yield a significant improvement in performance for a CDMA system using an MMSE receiver, compared to standard convolutional coding. However, the best coding strategy depends upon several factors, including the nature of the fading process (Rayleigh or Ricean), the operating signal-to-noise ratio, the interleaving delay constraint, the time-variability of the channel, the number of users in the system, and the severity of the near-far problem.
Electromagnetic Scattering by Bicontinuous Random Microstructures With Discrete Permittivities

For electromagnetic (EM) scattering by dense media, the traditional approach is to use particles of spheres or ellipsoids that are densely and randomly packed in a background medium. The particles have discrete permittivities that are different from the background medium. The dense-medium model has been applied to the microwave remote sensing of terrestrial snow. In this paper, we propose a different approach of using a bicontinuous medium with discrete permittivities and study the EM scattering properties using analytical and numerical methods. The bicontinuous medium is a continuous representation of interfaces between inhomogeneities within the medium. Discrete permittivities are then assigned to the inhomogeneities of the structure. The analytical approach is based on the Born approximation using the derived analytical correlation functions. The numerical method is based on the numerical Maxwell model of 3-D (NMM3D) approach. In particular, the discrete-dipole approximation and the conjugate gradient-squared method accelerated by the fast Fourier transform technique are used in solving the volume integral equation. Scattering results of analytical and numerical approaches are compared. Numerical results are illustrated using parameters in microwave remote sensing of terrestrial snow. In the NMM3D simulations, three kinds of convergence tests are conducted, viz., convergence with respect to the discretization size, convergence with respect to the sample size, and convergence with respect to the number of realization. The NMM3D results indicate that the scattering by the bicontinuous medium with a broader size distribution has a weaker frequency dependence than that by the medium with a more narrow size distribution. The frequency-dependence power law index can be lower than two, which is very much lower than the power of four in Rayleigh scattering. The NMM3D results also exhibit fairly large cross-polarization returns which account for the local nonisotropic microstructures of bicontinuous media, although the medium is statistically isotropic.
Excitons and Excess Electrons in Nanometer Size Molecular Polyoxotitanate Clusters: Electronic Spectra, Exciton Dynamics, and Surface States

The behavior of excitons and excess electrons in the confined space of a molecular polyoxotitanate cluster Ti17(μ4-O)4(μ3-O)16(μ2-O)4(OPri)20 (in short Ti17) was studied using femtosecond pump–probe transient absorption, pulse radiolysis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Due to pronounced quantum size effects, the electronic spectra of the exciton, Ti17*, and the excess electron carrying radical anion, Ti17•–, are blue-shifted in comparison with bulk TiO2 and have maxima at 1.91 and 1.24 eV, respectively. The 0.7 eV difference in the position of the absorption maxima of Ti17* and Ti17•– indicates the presence of strong Coulomb interaction between the conduction band electron and the valence band hole in the ∼1 nm diameter cluster. Ground state Raman spectra and the vibronic structure of the fluorescence spectrum point to the importance of the interfacial ligand modes in the stabilization and localization of the fully relaxed exciton. Four pentacoordinate Ti sites near the surface of the cluster appear to pl...
Finding robust solutions in requirements models

Solutions to non-linear requirements engineering problems may be "brittle"; i.e. small changes may dramatically alter solution effectiveness. Hence, it is not enough to just generate solutions to requirements problems- we must also assess solution robustness. The KEYS2 algorithm can generate decision ordering diagrams. Once generated, these diagrams can assess solution robustness in linear time. In experiments with real-world requirements engineering models, we show that KEYS2 can generate decision ordering diagrams in O(N 2). When assessed in terms of terms of (a) reducing inference times, (b) increasing solution quality, and (c) decreasing the variance of the generated solution, KEYS2 out-performs other search algorithms (simulated annealing, ASTAR, MaxWalkSat).
Retrotransposition of gene transcripts leads to structural variation in mammalian genomes

Retroposed processed gene transcripts are an important source of material for new gene formation on evolutionary timescales. Most prior work on gene retrocopy discovery compared copies in reference genome assemblies to their source genes. Here, we explore gene retrocopy insertion polymorphisms (GRIPs) that are present in the germlines of individual humans, mice, and chimpanzees, and we identify novel gene retrocopy insertions in cancerous somatic tissues that are absent from patient-matched non-cancer genomes. Through analysis of whole-genome sequence data, we found evidence for 48 GRIPs in the genomes of one or more humans sequenced as part of the 1,000 Genomes Project and The Cancer Genome Atlas, but which were not in the human reference assembly. Similarly, we found evidence for 755 GRIPs at distinct locations in one or more of 17 inbred mouse strains but which were not in the mouse reference assembly, and 19 GRIPs across a cohort of 10 chimpanzee genomes, which were not in the chimpanzee reference genome assembly. Many of these insertions are new members of existing gene families whose source genes are highly and widely expressed, and the majority have detectable hallmarks of processed gene retrocopy formation. We estimate the rate of novel gene retrocopy insertions in humans and chimps at roughly one new gene retrocopy insertion for every 6,000 individuals. We find that gene retrocopy polymorphisms are a widespread phenomenon, present a multi-species analysis of these events, and provide a method for their ascertainment.
Endoscopic transnasal approach to the clivus: A radiographic anatomical study

Objectives/Hypothesis: Operative intervention of anterior skull base lesions is challenging. Various endoscopic surgical approaches have been described. The goal of the present study is to perform a radiographic analysis of the endoscopic transnasal approach to the clivus. Study Design: Anatomic study utilizing computed tomography (CT). Methods: High-resolution surgical-guidance CT images of the sinuses from 97 patients at a tertiary care medical center between 2002 and 2007 were evaluated. Axial and sagittal images were used to evaluate surgical access to the clivus. Multiple anatomical measurements were obtained and analyzed with imaging and statistical software. Results: Of the 97 imaging studies, there were 39 males and 58 females. The width of exposure of the clivus without removal of the septum was 2.7 cm (1.9–3.4 cm) and with removal of the bony septum was 3.6 cm (2.6–4.8 cm) (P < .001). No patients had complete exposure of the width of the clivus without the septum removed compared to 56 (58%) patients with the septum removed. Endoscopic exposure of the inferior and superior limits of the clivus was not limited in any images studied. Conclusions: The endoscopic transnasal approach to the clivus is a viable option in the treatment of anterior skull base lesions with the preservation of functional anatomy in select patients. A large portion of the population has limited lateral exposure secondary to the eustachian tube and the medial pterygoid plate with an endoscopic transnasal approach. Vertically, this approach allows complete access to the clivus in all patients studied. Laryngoscope, 2009
Applications of gene therapy to the treatment of chronic pain.

Chronic pain is a highly prevalent condition that impacts adversely on individual quality of life, imposes substantial costs on the healthcare system and a considerable burden on society. Advances in the understanding of pain mechanisms have opened the way for the development of new treatment strategies. The continuous delivery of short-lived potent bioactive molecules to sensory nerves, spinal cord or meninges - achieved by directed gene transfer - offers the possibility to selectively interrupt nociceptive neurotransmission or to interfere with the plastic changes in the nervous system underlying the development or persistence of chronic pain. In this review we describe advances in the use of non-viral and viral vector-based gene transfer for the treatment of pain, with a special focus on the use of recombinant non-replicating herpes simplex virus-based vectors and the prospects for clinical trials.