cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Based Hepatitis B Virus Vaccine Vector Provides Protection against Challenge in a Single Dose

As one of the world's most common infectious diseases, hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a serious worldwide public health problem, with HBV-associated liver disease accounting for more than half a million deaths each year. Although there is an effective prophylactic vaccine currently available to prevent infection, it has a number of characteristics that are suboptimal: multiple doses are needed to induce long-lasting immunity, immunity declines over time, it does not elicit protection in some individuals, and it is not effective therapeutically. We produced a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based vaccine vector expressing the HBV middle envelope surface protein (MS) and found that this vector was able to efficiently generate a strong HBs-specific antibody response following a single immunization in mice. A single immunization with the VSV-MS vector also induced robust CD8 T-cell activation. The CD8 T-cell response was greater in magnitude and broader in specificity than the response generated by a vaccinia virus-based vaccine vector or by recombinant protein immunization. Furthermore, a single VSV-MS immunization provided protection against virus challenge in mice. Given the similar antibody titers and superior T-cell responses elicited from a single immunization, a VSV-based HBV vaccine may have advantages over the current recombinant protein vaccine.
Reliable state transition detection in off-the-shelf low frequency electric meters

This poster paper describes a method for estimating the ON/OFF usage profile for appliances inside a home using an off-the-Unlike previous approaches that put their emphasis on the detection of individual events using high frequency sampling, our approach aims to reliably detect sequences of ON/OFF events from traces of less reliable ON/OFF events identified on data from low-frequency sampling. The proposed algorithm is evaluated experimentally using a collection of home appliances.
Total synthesis of the aglycone of the 8-methyl benzonaphthopyrone antibiotics, gilvocarcin M, virenomycin M, and albacarcin M.

Abstract A short, convergent synthesis of the aglycone 5a of the 8-methyl benzonaphthopyrone antibiotics is described which utilizes as a key step a Suzuki biaryl coupling.
Photoactivity of the Lysenin Protein

Lysenin is a 297-residue polypeptide found in the coelomic fluid of the earthworm E. foetida. It exists as a soluble form in an aqueous environment, and self-inserts into sphingomyelin-containing membranes to form a hexameric channel. This protein demonstrates several remarkable phenomena, including voltage and ligand gating and electrical hysteresis. One of the most striking features of lysenin, however, is that we have observed it to exhibit a photoactivity, specifically a non-transient ionic current upon irradiation. This unique behavior will be discussed, with regards to evolutionary purpose and structural incongruity with the already heavily studied bacteriorhodopsin class of proteins. This presentation will focus on preliminary measurements, which have been focused on confirming that the source of the photoactivity is indeed the protein, running an activity spectrum, quantifying the induced potential and investigating the relevant timescale. Recombinant protein photoactivity will also be discussed, as will plans for future investigation and the potential applications of lysenin.
Factors influencing participation in cutaneous screening among individuals with a family history of melanoma

Background Targeting higher risk individuals, such as melanoma patients' first-degree relatives, may be more efficient than mass skin cancer screening. Objective Our aim was to examine prevalence and predictors of total cutaneous examination in first-degree relatives. Methods Ninety-five first-degree relatives completed questionnaires assessing demographic and risk characteristics, perceived risk, perceived severity, self-efficacy, response efficacy, and total skin examination. Fourteen months later, first-degree relatives were asked if they had obtained a total skin examination during follow-up. Results At baseline, 47% reported at least one total cutaneous examination and 27% had a health care provider recommendation for total skin examination. At follow-up, 37% had obtained a total skin examination. Baseline and follow-up total cutaneous examination was associated with more risk factors, higher education, provider recommendation, and greater perceived risk and severity. In multivariate analyses, provider recommendation and college education predicted follow-up total skin examination. Limitations Data were self reported. Knowledge, health-care access, and follow-up provider recommendation were not assessed. Conclusion Physicians and other providers may be influential in promoting total cutaneous examination in first-degree relatives.
Large Scale 3D Inversion of HEM Data Using a Moving Footprint

Helicopter electromagnetic surveying is a standard reconnaissance method in the mining industry. Typical surveys may cover tens to hundreds of square kilometers with hundreds of thousands of multifrequency soundings. Interpreting this volume of data is problematic. Yet each sounding location is sensitive to an area of less than 1 km, not the entire survey area. We suggest an inversion scheme, based on the integral equation method, in which the entire survey is inverted simultaneously with each transmitter-receiver pair being sensitive only to a relatively small area around each sounding location. We show that this method is as accurate as standard integral equation inversion methods, yet it inverts the data much faster. The technique is able to invert entire HEM surveys with over 500,000 inversion cells and tens of thousands of transmitter positions in less than one day on a single PC.
Maternal Teaching Behaviors of Preschool Children in Hispanic Families: Does a Home Intervention Program Make a Difference?

Abstract The study examined if a home intervention program designed for Hispanic low-income families would increase maternal teaching behaviors typical of the learning environments that children will meet in school. The sample consisted of 40 mother-child dyads enrolled in a home intervention program and a control group of 32 mother-child dyads. A home intervention program specifically designed for Hispanic low-income families was implemented. After controlling for pretest scores and maternal education, significant differences in maternal teaching behaviors were found between the groups when observed in a teaching task with their preschool children. Program group mothers made significantly more use of questions and descriptions and less use of negative motivation in their instruction compared to the control group. Significant correlations indicated that the pattern of highly correlated teaching behaviors was different for the two groups over time. Results of this study are discussed in terms of bridging t...
Distinguishing Change during the Animas Phase (A.D. 1150–1450) at the Boss Ranch Site, Southeastern Arizona:

Archaeologists have had difficulty resolving the issues surrounding chronology and external relations during the late prehistoric occupation (A.D. 1150–1450) of the far southwestern corner of New M...
Current controlled negative resistance in semiconductors

Abstract A model is proposed for the current controlled negative resistance observed in compensated semiconductors. An increase in the free carrier density due to impact ionization causes an increase in the free electron screening of the electron-phonon and electron-impurity interactions. The resulting decrease in electron scattering causes a heating of the electron gas and more impact ionization. This positive feedback can result in a current controlled negative resistance. The necessary conditions are discussed. The electron temperature approximation is used to show that the screening model does indeed show the qualitative features of the observed negative resistance. A numerically calculated electron distribution function is used for a quantitative comparison of theory and experiment in n -type GaAs. The agreement is good. The screening model is also used to show how high photocurrent multiplication can be obtained in a sample undergoing impact ionization.
A piezoelectric valve manifold with embedded sensors for multi-drug delivery protocols

This paper describes a two-valve manifold for use in a dual chamber drug delivery device for pain therapy. The scalable manifold is hybrid assembled with piezoelectric stacks to actuate Si valve seats against a glass substrate. The substrate has two inlets and one outlet; a piezoresistive pressure sensor is embedded in the Si near each of these three ports. The sensors, which permit closed loop control and error monitoring of the flow rate, have a typical sensitivity of 647 ppm/kPa. The 1×1.5×3 cm3 manifold provides modulation and mixing capabilities. In laboratory tests, flow of isopropyl alcohol was regulated from 1.77 mL/hr to 0.028 mL/hr. The manifold design achieves the desired dynamic range for intrathecal drug delivery and can also be used for gas modulation in other contexts.
Effects of intraaccumbens injections of dopamine agonists and antagonists on sucrose and sucrose-ethanol reinforced responding

The present experiment tested the effects of intraaccumbens injections of dopamine (DA) agonists and antagonists on operant responding reinforced by sucrose and sucrose/ethanol solutions. The mixed DA agonist d-amphetamine (20.0 micrograms/microliters) significantly reduced responding reinforced by a low concentration sucrose solution (2% w/v) by 48% and 38% compared to no injection and sham control values, respectively. The addition of ethanol (10%) to a low concentration sucrose solution (3%) presented as the reinforcer changed the response pattern from a continuous moderate response rate, over a 30 min session, to an initial high response rate that terminated after approximately 10 min. With sucrose/ethanol reinforcement, d-amphetamine slowed the initial high response rate but extended responding throughout the 30 min sessions. However, no significant changes were observed in number of responses per session. When 75% sucrose (w/v) was presented as the reinforcer, d-amphetamine did not change the total number of responses/session, but response patterns were again altered from high initial rates with early offset to slow steady rates that continued for the duration of sessions. The D2 DA antagonist raclopride (0.1-5.0 micrograms/microliters) resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in responding reinforced by 75% sucrose. The baseline patterns, response totals, and effects of the DA antagonists resemble our previously reported findings with 10% ethanol (v/v) reinforcement. These data support the conclusion that mesolimbic DA activity may be a common mechanism in ethanol reinforced behavior and behavior reinforced by other substances, but suggest that the nature of behavioral change may depend upon the reinforcer.
Digital Advertising's Human Toll: How Implied Cost-to-User Affects Web Content Platforms (A Research Proposal)

Online advertising is a $26 billion industry in the US. While this represents significant income for Web sites hosting such ads, sites need to balance the income against the needs of their audience. Inasmuch as advertisements dissuade users from returning to a site and cause delays and decreases in task performance, their presence extracts a "cost" from users. This proposal discusses exploring drivers of this cost through a laboratory experiment in which subjects navigate a purpose-built Web site in order to complete a task all the while being subjected to a given advertising treatment.
Growth of 1″ diameter ZnSe single crystal by the rotational chemical vapor transport method

Abstract ZnSe single crystals were grown by the rotational chemical vapor transport (R-CVT) method using iodine as a transport agent. This method is confirmed to have a sufficient effect on the suppression of thermal convection to enable stable growth of ZnSe. The observed features of this method are described below. The growth rate decreases with the increase in the rotational frequency of the growth ampoule. The decrease saturates at the critical rotational frequency regulated by Gr1/2/F, where Gr is the Grashof number and F is the rotational frequency normalized by the dimension of the ampoule and kinetic viscosity of the gas. The mode of nonuniformity of the growth rate across the growth interface converts at the above critical rotational frequency. The most uniform growth rate across the growth interface, which leads to morphological stability, is obtained under the above critical rotational frequency. These features coincide with the predictions by numerical simulations.
Para- to Ortho-Hydrogen Conversion on Magnetic Surfaces

We have calculated the rate of para- to ortho-hydrogen conversion when the transition occurs in a physically-adsorbed-gas surface layer above a magnetic substrate. The conversion rates for surfaces with dilute, random, paramagnetic surface sites and for surfaces with a regular lattice of magnetic sites are considered separately. Absolute rates in terms of physical parameters are obtained for a variety of different physical situations.
A chemiluminescent technique for the determination of nanomolar concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in seawater

Abstract A chemiluminescent analysis technique for the determination of nanomolar quantities of nitrate, nitrate plus nitrite or nitrite alone in seawater is described. The method depends on the selective reduction of these species to nitric oxide which is then determined by its chemiluminescent reaction with ozone, using a commercial nitrogen oxides analyzer. The necessary equipment is compact and sufficiently sturdy to allow shipboard use. A precision of ±2 nM is claimed with analytical rates of 10–12 samples h−1, and modifications are discussed to allow doubling the analytical rate.
Ultrasound devulcanization of unfilled natural rubber networks, studied via component molecular mobility

13C NMR solids spectroscopy and transverse relaxation, and 1H relaxation and pulsed-gradient spin-echo self-diffusion measurements at 70 °C were used to study molecular and segmental mobilities in natural rubber before and after sulfur crosslinking, and after subsequent devulcanization using intense ultrasound. NMR relaxation does not clearly distinguish between entangled and crosslinked network mobility, but unentangled sol and oligomeric species are separable within the longer T2 decay components. Ultrasound reactor settings affect the amount of extractable sol generated. Some two-thirds of the sol is entangled, with number-average molecular weights (Mn) above 10 000 g mol−1. Samples also contain near 2 wt% of inert light species (Mn < 400 g mol−1); ultrasound is relatively ineffective in producing additional oligomeric material. All proton mobilities increase as more sol is produced, but 13C relaxation, reflecting intramolecular effects, indicates a slight decrease in backbone mobility. In contrast with other rubbers, in natural rubber, neither the glass transition nor the sol diffusion rate is greatly affected by the extent of ultrasound exposure. Comparisons with previous similar work of this laboratory, particularly styrene-butadiene rubber, are useful in confirming the molecular mechanisms involved. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Matching the critical portion of the flow duration curve to minimise changes in modelled excess shear.

Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling in the USEPA Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) were used to examine the effectiveness of typical stormwater management practices in reducing the potential for stream erosion. Fifty-year continuous simulations were used to produce flow duration curves and stream erosion rates for a variety of critical shear stress values representative of both cohesive and non-cohesive sediments. An excess shear stress erosion potential index was used to evaluate changes in erosion between undeveloped conditions of a 10 hectare watershed and four variations of post-development stormwater control. Evaluation of flow duration curves showed that when development takes place, the duration of mid- to low-range discharges increase significantly, especially when detention practices are applied. In channels with low entrainment thresholds for bed and bank materials, e.g. sands and highly erodible clays, the significant increase of the duration of mid- to low-range discharges results in erosion potential index values greater than two regardless of the detention practices used. Overcontrol detention resulted in erosion potential index values of less than one, indicating a loss of erosion potential for bed materials such as most gravels (d s >6 mm) and resistant clays that have critical shear stress values greater than four Pa.
Differential analgesic cross-tolerance to morphine between lipophilic and hydrophilic narcotic agonists

Abstract Mice were rendered tolerant to morphine by the subcutaneous implantation of one 75 mg morphine pellet. Seventy-two hours post-pellet implantation, the animals were evaluated in the tail-flick assay for analgestic tolerance and cross-tolerance to subcutaneously administered morphine, normorphine, methadone, etorphine and intracerebroventricularly administered morphine. With the pellet remaining in situ during testing, there was the expected analgestic tolerance to peripherally administered morphine and analgesic cross-tolerance to normorphine. However, with the pellet in situ during testing, there was a surprising lack of analgesic tolerance to intracerebroventricularly administered etorphine or methadone. In contrast, removal of the morphine pellet 3 hours prior to the analgesic evaluation apparently unmasked the expression of tolerance and cross-tolerance as evidenced by a three fold, parallel shift to the right of the analgesic dose-response curve for subcutaneously administered etorphine and methadone and a seven fold shift for intracerebroventricularly administered morphine. These data emphasize that a more rigorous evaluation of tolerance development methodologies need be explored and support the suggestion that removal of the morphine-inducing pellet prior to analgesic determinations results in a distinct state of “tolerance” quite different from that observed with the pellet remaining in situ during testing.
Sputtered ZnO seed layer enhances photovoltaic behavior in hybrid ZnO/P3HT solar cells

Abstract We investigated the characteristics of inverted solar cells comprising bulk-heterojunction active layers of ZnO nanowire arrays and poly(3-hexylthiophene), P3HT. By utilizing a sputtered ZnO seed layer, we are able to grow vertically oriented ZnO nanowire arrays homoepitaxially. Unlike the ZnO nanowires that are grown on sol–gel derived seed layers, our nanowires are more uniform in their dimensions and spatial distribution. This sputtered seed layer also acts as the hole-blocking layer when these nanowire arrays are incorporated in solar cells; hybrid solar cells comprising these nanowires and P3HT exhibit power conversion efficiencies of 1.6%. To date, this is the highest efficiency observed for ZnO nanowire arrays:P3HT hybrid solar cells.
Allozyme differentiation within and between red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean

Nine polymorphic nuclear-gene (allozyme) loci were surveyed among 491 red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) sampled in 1988 and 1989 from nearshore localities in the northern Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and the Atlantic coast of the southeastern United States (Atlantic). Data were combined with those from a previous study to generate a data set of 762 individuals representing 11 sample localities in the Gulf and 175 individuals representing five sample localities in the Atlantic. The combined data set included individuals from the 1986 and 1987 year classes and permitted rigorous testing of both temporal and spatial genetic heterogeneity. Average heterozygosity-per-locus values (estimated using 33 assumed monomorphic loci) were 0·048 (Gulf red drum) and 0·046 (Atlantic red drum). Tests of heterogeneity in allele frequencies between year classes at individual localities and across regions (Gulf and Atlantic) were non-significant. Tests of spatial (geographic) heterogeneity indicated that red drum are weakly subdivided: genetically-differentiated subpopulations occur in the northern Gulf and along the south-eastern Atlantic coast. Genetic data were consistent with the hypothesis that red drum within the Gulf and along the Atlantic coast comprise singie subpopulalions. Genetic differences between Gulf and Atlantic red drum seem likeiy to stem from historical or recent interactions between dispersal and impediments to gene flow.
An 8-week reactive balance training program in older healthy adults: A preliminary investigation

Abstract Background This preliminary study examined the effects of an 8-week supervised reactive balance training program on reaction time (RT) and foot speed, static balance and balance confidence in healthy older adults compared to an exercise control group. Methods Twenty-five older adults were randomly assigned to a reactive balance training group (QuickBoard; n = 12; 71.0 ± 8.6 years) or a stationary cycling group (control; n = 13; 70.2 ± 6.0 years). Both groups were tested for foot RT foot speed, static balance, and balance confidence at baseline, 4-week, 8-week, and 4-week follow-up. Results Results indicated significant improvements in QuickBoard foot RT and speed in both groups with greater improvements in the QuickBoard group. However, no group difference was found in static balance performance. Conclusion Although the improvements in RT and foot speed may be beneficial for fall and trip prevention, the implications of the current findings for trip avoidance and performance of daily tasks are unclear.
Intelligent instance selection of data streams for smart sensor applications

The purpose of our work is to mine streaming data from a variety of hundreds of automotive sensors in order to develop methods to minimize driver distraction from in-vehicle communications and entertainment systems such as audio/video devices, cellphones, PDAs, Fax, eMail, and other messaging devices. Our endeavor is to create a safer driving environment, by providing assistance in the form of warning, delaying, or re-routing, incoming signals if the assistance system detects that the driver is performing, or is about to perform, a critical maneuver, such as passing, changing lanes, making a turn, or during a sudden evasive maneuver. To accomplish this, our assistance system relies on maneuver detection by continuously evaluating various embedded vehicle sensors, such as speed, steering, acceleration, lane distance, and many others, combined into representing an instance of the “state” of the vehicle. One key issue is how to effectively and efficiently monitor many sensors with constant data streams. Data streams have their unique characteristics and may produce data that is not relevant or pertinent to a maneuver. We propose an adaptive sampling method that takes advantage of these unique characteristics and develop algorithms that attempt to select relevant and important instances to determine which sensors to monitor and how to provide quick and effective responses to this type of mission critical situations. This work can be extended to many similar sensor applications with data streams.
Experimental Penicillin Prophylaxis of Staphylococcal Infection in Rabbits

SummaryExperimental wound infections with small inocula of staphylococci were regularly produced in rabbits. Prophylactic penicillin was effective in preventing such experimental wound infections due to “penicillin-resistant” staphylococci when size of inoculum was small and when the infecting organisms were derived from environment containing no penicillin. Under similar conditions penicillin was not effective in preventing wound infection due to small inocula of “penicillin-resistant” staphylococci which were derived from an environment containing penicillin.The authors acknowledge technical assistance of Charmion Carnes.
Incidence and preventability of adverse drug events in hospitalized adults

Objective: To evaluate the incidence and preventability of adverse drug events (ADEs) and to determine the yield of several strategies for identifying them.
Pediatrician qualifications and asthma management behaviors and their association with patient race/ethnicity.

Objective: We sought to understand if pediatrician characteristics and asthma assessment and treatment varied in association with the proportion of African-American and Latino children in the pedia...
ESRT: event-to-sink reliable transport in wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) are event based systems that rely on the collective effort of several microsensor nodes. Reliable event detection at the sink is based on collective information provided by source nodes and not on any individual report. Hence, conventional end-to-end reliability definitions and solutions are inapplicable in the WSN regime and would only lead to a waste of scarce sensor resources. However, the absence of reliable transport altogether can seriously impair event detection. Hence, the WSN paradigm necessitates a collective phevent-to-sink reliability notion rather than the traditional end-to-end notion. To the best of our knowledge, reliable transport in WSN has not been studied from this perspective before.In order to address this need, a new reliable transport scheme for WSN, the event-to-sink reliable transport (ESRT) protocol, is presented in this paper. ESRT is a novel transport solution developed to achieve reliable event detection in WSN with minimum energy expenditure. It includes a congestion control component that serves the dual purpose of achieving reliability and conserving energy. Importantly, the algorithms of ESRT mainly run on the sink, with minimal functionality required at resource constrained sensor nodes. ESRT protocol operation is determined by the current network state based on the reliability achieved and congestion condition in the network. If the event-to-sink reliability is lower than required, ESRT adjusts the reporting frequency of source nodes aggressively in order to reach the target reliability level as soon as possible. If the reliability is higher than required, then ESRT reduces the reporting frequency conservatively in order to conserve energy while still maintaining reliability. This self-configuring nature of ESRT makes it robust to random, dynamic topology in WSN. Analytical performance evaluation and simulation results show that ESRT converges to the desired reliability with minimum energy expenditure, starting from any initial network state.
Development of Uniform Protocol for Alopecia Areata Clinical Trials

Developing a successful treatment for alopecia areata (AA), clearly has not been at the forefront of the agenda for new drug/device development among the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF), a patient advocacy group, initiated a plan to facilitate and drive clinical research toward finding safe and efficacious treatments for AA. As such, Alopecia Areata Uniform Protocols for clinical trials to test new treatments for AA were developed. The design of the uniform protocol is to accomplish the development of a plug-and-play template as well as to provide a framework wherein data from studies utilizing the uniform protocol can be compared through consistency of inclusions/exclusions, safety, and outcome assessment measures. A core uniform protocol for use by pharmaceutical companies in testing proof of concept for investigational products to treat AA. The core protocol includes standardized title, informed consent, inclusion/exclusion criteria, disease outcome assessments, and safety assessments. The statistical methodology to assess successful outcomes will also be standardized. The protocol as well as the informed consent form has been approved in concept by Liberty IRB and is ready to present to pharmaceutical companies.
n-Alkylsiloxanes: From Single Monolayers to Layered Crystals. The Formation of Crystalline Polymers from the Hydrolysis of n-Octadecyltrichlorosilane

Formation of a new class of layered, microcrystalline polymers from a simple hydrolytic polycondensation of n-alkyltrichlorosilanes in water is demonstrated. The structure of the polymeric condensate, determined from a combination of spectroscopic, diffraction, and thermal analysis techniques, consists of highly uniform, pillared microcrystallites in which the inorganic siloxy backbones are present in periodic layers, each containing a monomolecular layer of intercalated water, separated by crystalline assemblies of alkyl chains. The alkyl-chain organization shows a remarkable resemblance to that in highly organized, self-assembled monolayers formed from the precursor silane molecules on hydrophilic substrates and this parallel lends support to the critical importance of water in monolayer self-assembly of silanes.
Instrumental Conditioning Using Attitudinal Reinforcement as a Function of Locus of Control

34 subjects who scored internally and 34 externally on locus of control learned an instrumental response the reinforcement for which was listening to another person yield (large magnitude of reinforcement) or disagree (small magnitude of reinforcement). Contrary to previous evidence locus of control did not influence conditioning of response speed.
The dual-gate MOS controlled thyristor with current saturation capability

A new power device structure that combines the characteristics of the MCT and the IGBT is described. The dual-gate MCT behaves as an IGBT or an MCT depending upon the bias applied to one of the gates. Devices with 700 V blocking capability were fabricated and experimentally demonstrated to exhibit low on-state voltage drop in the MCT mode and good FBSOA characteristics in the IGBT mode. Measured on-state voltage drops of 1.5 V were obtained for the thyristor mode with a turn-off time of 15 /spl mu/s. The device transits from the thyristor mode to the IGBT mode in 6 /spl mu/s. No lifetime killing technique was used to control the turn-off time for these devices.
Rural Vascular Trauma: A Twenty-Year Review

A 20-year review documented 248 vascular injuries in 210 patients from principally rural areas. The average time between injury and treatment from 1970 to 1983 was 6 hours. Between 1983 to 1990, when 46% of patients were transported by helicopter, the average delay was 4 hours. Blunt trauma (41%, with 29% motor vehicle accidents and 12% farm/industrial accidents) caused the most severe injuries and accounted for most amputations (89%) and deaths (80%). All of the blunt trauma patients had associated injuries. Penetrating injuries occurred in 59% of the patients and accounted for 11% of the amputations and 20% of the deaths. Extremity vessels were injured 73% of the time (upper extremity, 47%; lower extremity, 26%). Eighty-seven percent of the vessels injured were arteries and 13% were major venous injuries. Preoperative arteriograms were obtained in 30% of our patients. Vascular injury was determined in the others at the time of operative exploration. Vascular repair included direct anastomosis or lateral suture repair (51%), autogenous vein graft (16%), synthetic graft (6%), and ligation (19%). Primary amputation and thrombectomy were other (8%) initial treatments. In the past 10 years concomitant major peripheral venous injuries were repaired in six patients (one amputation) and ligated in one patient (no amputation). The mortality rates (4.8% total) for patients with blunt and penetrating trauma were 9.3% and 1.6%, respectively. Survival rates have not improved since the implementation of a helicopter transport system in 1983, but the amputation rate declined from 18% to 7%.
SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF HH 54 AND HH 7-11: MAPPING THE H2 ORTHO-TO-PARA RATIO IN SHOCKED MOLECULAR GAS

We report the results of spectroscopic mapping observations carried out toward the Herbig-Haro objects HH 7-11 and HH 54 over the 5.2-37 μm region using the Infrared Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. These observations have led to the detection and mapping of the S(0)-S(7) pure rotational lines of molecular hydrogen, together with emissions in fine-structure transitions of Ne+, Si+, S, and Fe+. The H2 rotational emissions indicate the presence of warm gas with a mixture of temperatures in the range 400-1200 K—consistent with the expected temperature behind nondissociative shocks of velocity ~10-20 km s-1—while the fine-structure emissions originate in faster shocks of velocity ~35-90 km s-1 that are dissociative and ionizing. The H2 ortho-to-para ratio is quite variable, typically falling substantially below the equilibrium value of 3 attained at the measured gas temperatures. The nonequilibrium ortho-to-para ratios are characteristic of temperatures as low as ~50 K, and are a remnant of an earlier epoch, before the gas temperature was elevated by the passage of a shock. Correlations between the gas temperature and H2 ortho-to-para ratio show that ortho-to-para ratios <0.8 are attained only at gas temperatures below ~900 K; this behavior is consistent with theoretical models in which the conversion of para- to ortho-H2 behind the shock is driven by reactive collisions with atomic hydrogen, a process that possesses a substantial activation energy barrier (EA/k ~ 4000 K) and is therefore very inefficient at low temperature. The lowest observed ortho-to-para ratios of only ~0.25 suggest that the shocks in HH 54 and HH 7 are propagating into cold clouds of temperature 50 K in which the H2 ortho-to-para ratio is close to equilibrium.
Insights into Cloud-Top Height and Dynamics from the Seasonal Cycle of Cloud-Top Heights Observed by MISR in the West Pacific Region

Abstract The connection between environmental stability and the height of tropical deep convective clouds is analyzed using stereo cloud height data from the Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), focusing on the seasonal cycle of clouds over the western Pacific Ocean. Three peaks in cloud-top height representing low, mid-topped, and deep convective clouds are found as in previous studies. The optically thickest cloud heights are roughly 2 km higher on the summer side of the equator, where CAPE is higher, than on the winter side. Overall cloud height, however, is about the same on both sides of the equator, but ∼600 m higher in December–February (DJF) than in June–August (JJA). Because of variations in stratospheric upwelling, temperatures near the tropopause exhibit a significant seasonal cycle, mainly above 13 km. Using an ensemble of simulations by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) cloud-resolving model and a simple overshooting parcel calculation, the authors show that the cloud height ...
Conceptual Design by Computer-aided Creation of Function Structures and the Search for Solutions

SUMMARY The paper presents a computer-based approach to the conceptual phase of systematic design method. An interactive graphical program is described, which uses an object-oriented approach for developing conceptual designs. The program is written in the C programming language and designed on a UNIX operating system. The program uses databases containing solutions, which correspond to the functions used in the function structure development. The solutions are described at the level of abstraction of solution principles. The program presents solutions to the user for a given function according to the input(s) and output(s), and their descriptors. The output of this phase of the program are alternative solution structures, which are then evaluated and the optimum concept presented.
A toggle MRAM bit modeled in Verilog-A

Abstract A physically-based behavioral model for a toggle mode magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell, developed in Verilog-A is presented. The model describes the magnetic behavior of two single-domain, magnetic free-layers coupled through exchange and magnetostatic interactions. The model also includes spin-dynamic effects. The external interface to the model is electrical in nature, consisting of input currents on the word and bit lines and an output in the form of a magnetoresistance based on the orientation of one of the free layers. The model faithfully reproduces toggling of the magnetic state (reversal of magnetization directions of the two layers through an intermediate spin flop state) in response to a conventional box field stimulus. The model will facilitate the design and analysis of complex spintronic or hybrid spintronic–electronic circuits in a simulation environment that is familiar to most circuit designers.
Connecting Communities of Need with Public Health: Can SMS Text-Messaging Improve Outreach Communication?

Communities of need face many health crises and often rely on our public health system or their community-based organizations for help in lieu of medical practitioners or clinics. These same communities also turn to affordable cell phones in lieu of landlines for mobility, and cost savings. Public health practitioners and community practitioners who provide local services find ongoing communication with these individuals in communities of need, can be a challenge and raises our research question. Can SMS text-messaging be used as an affordable means to improve outreach communication and disseminate information between community practitioners? Afield study of 50 participants was conducted to collect communication protocol responses through an SMS text-messaging simulation. The Web-based training application presented a crisis scenario and plain language training. The findings of this study suggest potential use of SMS text-messaging as a communication medium for exchange between field practitioners. A contribution of this research is the data collection in a community setting for analysis in bridging the digital divide where affordability is a limitation.
Contested Domains, Verbal “Amplifiers,” and Intimate Partner Violence in Young Adulthood

We draw on structured and qualitative data to examine relationship dynamics associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) that occurs during the young adult period. Relying on a symbolic interactionist perspective, we identify specific contested domains associated with what has been called 'situational couple violence,' and explore the degree to which certain forms of communication about contested areas ('verbal amplifiers') exacerbate the risk of violence. Consistent with this relational focus, measures index respondent as well as partner concerns and use of these negative forms of communication. Results of analyses of interview data from a large, diverse sample of young adults show that net of family background, history of antisocial behavior, and other controls, concerns about the partner's or individual's own economic viability, disagreements about time spent with friends, and issues of infidelity are significantly related to IPV perpetration. Yet the analyses indicate that infidelity is particularly central as a source of conflict associated with violence, and the use of verbal amplifiers explained additional variance. Further, while research has highlighted important differences in the meaning and consequences of male and female IPV, findings point to some areas of overlap in the relationship concerns and communication processes associated with variations in self-reports of the use of violence. In-depth "relationship history narratives" elicited from a subset of respondents and a sample of their partners support the quantitative results, but also highlight variations within the sample, the sequencing of these interrelated processes, and ways in which gender may have influenced respondents' perspectives and behavior.
UNRAVELING THE MECHANISMS OF RIBOZYME CATALYSIS WITH MULTISCALE SIMULATIONS

Description of a multiscale simulation strategy we have developed to attack problems of RNA catalysis is presented. Ribozyme systems give special challenges not present in typical protein systems, and consequently demand new methods. The main methodological components are herein summarized, including the assembly of the QCRNA database, parameterization of the AM1/d-PhoT Hamiltonian, and development of new semiempirical functional forms for improved charge-dependent response properties, methods for coupling many-body exchange, correlation and dispersion into the QM/MM interaction, and generalized methods for linear-scaling electrostatics, solvation and solvent boundary potentials. Results for a series of case studies ranging from noncatalytic reaction models that compare the effect of new DFT functionals, and on catalytic RNA systems including the hairpin, hammerhead and L1 ligase ribozymes are discussed
UV damage regulates alternative polyadenylation of the RPB2 gene in yeast

Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is conserved in all eukaryotic cells. Selective use of polyadenylation sites appears to be a highly regulated process and contributes to human pathogenesis. In this article we report that the yeast RPB2 gene is alternatively polyadenylated, producing two mRNAs with different lengths of 3 0 UTR. In normally growing wild-type cells, polyadenylation preferentially uses the promoter-proximal poly(A) site. After UV damage transcription of RPB2 is initially inhibited. As transcription recovers, the promoter-distal poly(A) site is preferentially used instead, producing more of a longer form of RPB2 mRNA. We show that the relative increase in the long RPB2 mRNA is not caused by increased mRNA stability, supporting the preferential usage of the distal poly(A) site during transcription recovery. We demonstrate that the 3 0 UTR of RPB2 is sufficient for this UV-induced regulation of APA. We present evidence that while transcription initiation rates do not seem to influence selection of the poly(A) sites of RPB2, the rate of transcription elongation is an important determinant.
On the autocorrelation structure of TCP traffic

The statistical characteristics of network traffic--in particular the observation that it can exhibit long range dependence--have received considerable attention from the research community over the past few years. In addition, the recent claims that the TCP protocol can generate traffic with long range dependent behavior has also received much attention. Contrary to the latter claims, in this paper we show that the TCP protocol can generate traffic with correlation structures that spans only an analytically predictable finite range of time-scales. We identify and analyze separately the two mechanisms within TCP that are responsible for this scaling behavior: timeouts and congestion avoidance. We provide analytical models for both mechanisms that, under the proper loss probabilities, accurately predict the range in time-scales and the strength of the sustained correlation structure of the traffic sending rate of a single TCP source. We also analyze an existing comprehensive model of TCP that accounts for both mechanisms and show that TCP itself exhibits a predictable finite range of time-scales under which traffic presents sustained correlations. Our claims and results are derived from Markovian models that are supported by simulations. We note that traffic generated by TCP can be misinterpreted to have long range dependence, but that long range dependence is not possible due to inherent finite time-scales of the mechanisms of TCP.
Exploratory Study of Informal Strategies for Equal Sharing Problems of Students With Learning Disabilities

Little to no information exists explaining the nature of conceptual gaps in understanding fractions for students with learning disabilities (LD); such information is vital to practitioners seeking ...
Long Coastal-Trapped Waves off the West Coast of the United States, Summer 1973

Abstract Evidence for long coastal-trapped waves off the west coast of the United States is obtained from sea level, surface atmospheric pressure and wind records over a 1500 km alongshore separation for two months in the summer of 1973. Corresponding evidence is obtained from current measurements off the northern Oregon coast. The dominant low-frequency motion occurred at a period of 10 days. Consistent with the theory of coastal-trapped waves, the observations indicate that 1) the alongshore current fluctuations were mainly barotropic, coastally trapped, and were related geostrophically to the adjusted sea level fluctuations; and 2) the adjusted sea level fluctuations propagated northward with a phase speed which depended upon the local shelf geometry. The 10-day fluctuations in the coastal ocean were driven by the northward traveling, large-scale winds; the response was nonlocal. There were also 4-day fluctuations for which the coastal water response was essentially local. The difference in response ch...
FOOD, FAITH, AND FORMATION: A CASE STUDY ON THE USE OF ETHNOGRAPHY IN PASTORAL THEOLOGY AND CARE

(2002). FOOD, FAITH, AND FORMATION: A CASE STUDY ON THE USE OF ETHNOGRAPHY IN PASTORAL THEOLOGY AND CARE. Journal of Pastoral Theology: Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 75-87.
MicroRNA signature of inflamed lymphatic endothelium and role of miR-9 in lymphangiogenesis and inflammation

The lymphatics have emerged as critical players in the progression and resolution of inflammation. The goal of this study was to identify specific microRNAs (miRNAs) that regulate lymphatic inflammatory processes. Rat mesenteric lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) were exposed to the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α for 2, 24, and 96 h, and miRNA profiling was carried out by real-time PCR arrays. Our data demonstrate a specific set of miRNAs that are differentially expressed (>1.8-fold and/or P < 0.05) in LECs in response to tumor necrosis factor-α and are involved in inflammation, angiogenesis, endothelial-mesenchymal transition, and cell proliferation and senescence. We further characterized the expression of miRNA 9 (miR-9) that was induced in LECs and in inflamed rat mesenteric lymphatics. Our results showed that miR-9 overexpression significantly repressed NF-κB expression and, thereby, suppressed inflammation but promoted LEC tube formation, as well as expression of the prolymphangiogenic molecules endothelial nitric oxide synthase and VEGF receptor type 3. LEC viability and proliferation and endothelial-mesenchymal transition were also significantly induced by miR-9. This study provides the first evidence of a distinct profile of miRNAs associated with LECs during inflammation. It also identifies the critical dual role of miR-9 in fine-tuning the balance between lymphatic inflammatory and lymphangiogenic pathways.
N-HYDROXYLAMINE IS NOT AN INTERMEDIATE IN THE CONVERSION OF L-ARGININE TO AN ACTIVATOR OF SOLUBLE GUANYLATE CYCLASE IN NEUROBLASTOMA N1E-115 CELLS

This study evaluates the role of N-hydroxylamine (NH2OH) in activating soluble guanylate cyclase in the mouse neuroblastoma clone N1E-115. It has been proposed that NH2OH is a putative intermediate in the biochemical pathway for the generation of nitric oxide (NO)/endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) from L-arginine. NH2OH caused a time- and concentration-dependent increase in cyclic GMP formation in intact cells. This response was not dependent on Ca2+. In cytosol preparations the activation of guanylate cyclase by L-arginine was dose-dependent and required Ca2+ and NADPH. In contrast, NH2OH itself did not activate cytosolic guanylate cyclase but it inhibited the basal activity of this enzyme in a concentration-dependent manner. The formation of cyclic GMP in the cytosolic fractions in response to NH2OH required the addition of catalase and H2O2. On the other hand, catalase and/or H2O2 lead to a decrease in L-arginine-induced cyclic GMP formation. Furthermore, NH2OH inhibited L-arginine- and sodium nitroprusside-induced cyclic GMP formation in the cytosol. The inhibition of L-arginine-induced cyclic GMP formation in the cytosol by NH2OH was not reversed by the addition of superoxide dismutase. These data strongly suggest that NH2OH is not a putative intermediate in the metabolism of L-arginine to an activator of guanylate cyclase.