cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical-Acoustic Interactions in Combustion Systems.

Abstract : A review is presented of chemical-acoustic coupling in terms of its role as a basic interaction which can alter the behavior of combustion systems. Effects resulting from this interaction include sound amplification, changes in sound speed and frequency, sound-induced changes in reaction rates, and acoustic stimulation of chemical oscillation and instabilities. Such effects are important in a variety of problems including combustion instability in jet and rocket engines, the structure of propagating detonations, and turbulence in chemically reacting flows. Background material is presented starting with the early work Lord Raleigh and continuing into a discussion of the relevant properties of sound waves. This leads to a discussion of the influence of energy release on sound waves and the influence of sound waves on chemical reactions. The conclusion is a discussion of chemical-acoustic coupling in combustion environments.
A severity index to assess and monitor the incidence of pollution-related pathological conditions in marine organisms

Abstract A normalised matrix of the occurrences and co-occurrences of n-pathological conditions in a hypothetical population is termed a severity matrix and was used to define a volume in an n-dimensional vector space representing the severity or extent of the spread of the conditions in the population. The changes in this volume resulting from varying the numbers of occurrences and co-occurrences in the severity matrix are described by the varying determinant of the matrix. The natural logarithm of this determinant was shown to be a consistent measure or index of severity for comparing the spread of the same pathological conditions among different populations or among chronological samples from the same population. While the eigenvalues of the severity matrix are used to determine the relative contribution of each pathological condition to the index of severity, the eigenvectors serve to investigate possible associations among the conditions. Actual data from a population of the soft-shell clam Mya arenaria were used to demonstrate the application of this methodology to characterise the incidence of five pathological conditions assumed to be indicators of pollution related stress on the clam population.
Modeling and characterizing GPGPU reliability in the presence of soft errors

Abstract The general-purpose computing on graphic processing units (GPGPUs) becomes increasingly popular due to its high computational throughput for data parallel applications. Modern GPU architectures have limited capability for error detection and fault tolerance since they are originally designed for graphics processing. However, the rigorous execution correctness is required for general-purpose applications, which makes reliability a growing concern in the GPGPU architecture design. With CMOS processing technologies continuously scaling down to the nano-scale, on-chip soft error rate (SER) has been predicted to increase exponentially. GPGPUs with hundreds of cores integrated into a single chip are prone to manifest high SER. This paper explores a first step to model and characterize GPGPU reliability in light of soft errors. We develop GPGPU-SODA (GPGPU SOftware Dependability Analysis), a framework to estimate the soft-error vulnerability of GPGPU microarchitecture. By using GPGPU-SODA, we observe that several microarchitecture structures in GPGPUs exhibit high soft-error susceptibility, and the structure vulnerability is sensitive to the workload characteristics (e.g. branch divergences, memory access pattern). We further investigate the impact of several architectural optimizations on GPU soft-error robustness. For example, we find that increasing the number of threads supported by GPU significantly affects the GPGPU soft-error robustness. However, changing the warp scheduling policy has little impact on the structure vulnerability. The observations made in this study provide designers the useful guidance to build resilient GPGPUs: a comprehensive resiliency solution for GPGPUs should consider the entire GPGPU design instead of solely focusing on a particular structure.
Overcoming heterosexism and homophobia : strategies that work

This text provides ideas and strategies for affirming diversity and overcoming heterosexism and homophobia in a wide variety of settings, such as education, politics, the media and the helping profession. Providing strategies for educators, counsellors, community activists and leaders and those in the gay and lesbian communities, it is organized into four sections: "Foundational Issues" - an overview of heterosexism and homophobia and a multicultural perspective on communication; "Working within Communities - Ethnic Groups and Family Members"; "Working with Students"; "Working in Professional Training Programs"; and "Working within Institutions". Role-playing exercises, methods of "coming out" and outlines for workshops are also included.
Thinking Out of the Black Box: Accurate Barrier Heights of 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions of Ozone with Acetylene and Ethylene

Accurate barriers for the 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of ozone with acetylene and ethylene have been determined via the systematic extrapolation of ab initio energies within the focal point approach of Allen and co-workers. Electron correlation has been accounted for primarily via coupled cluster theory, including single, double, and triple excitations, as well as a perturbative treatment of connected quadruple excitations [CCSD, CCSD(T), CCSDT, and CCSDT(Q)]. For the concerted [4 + 2] cycloadditions, the final recommended barriers are ΔH⧧(0K) = 9.4 ± 0.2 and 5.3 ± 0.2 kcal mol-1 for ozone adding to acetylene and ethylene, respectively. These agree with recent results of Cremer et al. and Anglada et al., respectively. The reaction energy for O3 + C2H2 exhibits a protracted convergence with respect to inclusion of electron correlation, with the CCSDT/cc-pVDZ and CCSDT(Q)/cc-pVDZ values differing by 2.3 kcal mol-1. Recommended enthalpies of formation (298 K) for cycloadducts 1,2,3-trioxole and 1,2,3-trioxola...
Acquisition Processing Chain for Dynamic Panoramic Image Sequences

The acquisition of digital image data is not just a single step but actually consists of a whole chain of processing tasks. These have been extensively studied over many years. However, with different types of cameras different specific aspects of processing become important. For a panoramic camera setup, specific challenges as well as opportunities derive from the extremely wide angle of view. We present an integrated signal processing chain that mosaics 6 planar simultaneously acquired images into a cubic panorama. Challenges that are unique to omnidirectional imaging are addressed in order to maximize the obtained visual quality with respect to dynamic range, color reproduction, and spatial resolution.
Immunoelectrophoresis on cellulose acetate membranes: A method with controlled application of antiserum

Summary This paper describes apparatus developed to allow close control of the critical variables in application of antiserum to cellulose acetate membranes for immunoelectrophoretic analyses. Reproducible straight, uniform reservoirs of antiserum are provided by filter paper strips secured firmly on the membrane and filled, in place, with anti- serum to the optimum degree of saturation by a syringe-type, semi-automatic applicator. Amount of antiserum is predetermined by adjustment of a diagonal bar down which the applicator is moved. The difficulties encountered in achieving reproducible results with diffusion in a humid chamber are described.
The S100B/RAGE Axis in Alzheimer's Disease.

Increasing evidence suggests that the small EF-hand calcium-binding protein S100B plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease. Among other evidences are the increased levels of both S100B and its receptor, the Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGEs) in the AD diseased brain. The regulation of RAGE signaling by S100B is complex and probably involves other ligands including the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ), the Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs), or transtheyretin. In this paper we discuss the current literature regarding the role of S100B/RAGE activation in Alzheimer's disease.
Pathology of coronary atherosclerosis.

Abstract Histologic examination of coronary arteries reveals many features of pertinence. In infants, a new layer, the musculo-elastic layer, develops focally associated with thickening of the intima. Later in life, distinction of this normal process from pathologic states may be difficult. In cross sections, two types of lesions are seen: one purely fibrous and the other, a pairing of lipid pools and walling fibrous tissue (the “parite”). Lipid may be seen in phagocytes, as pools and in collagen, the latter, whether part of a fibrous lesion or part of a parite. Lipid collagen may be termed “collipid.” In established atherosclerosis, an episodic character to the development of atherosclerosis is strongly supported. Intimal hemorrhages rarely narrow the lumen but may underlie formation of thrombi. Calcification in atheromas is a sign of age of the lesion, but by itself has no direct bearing on the severity of luminal obstruction by the atheroma. The location and the shape of the arterial lumen in segments with severe sclerosis varies. The lumen may be central or eccentric. In about one-quarter of obstructed segments, the lumen is eccentric and slit-like. This is perhaps the basis for a false-negative arteriographic reading. Study of the distribution of atheromatous lesions indicates that the segment of the right coronary artery between the marginal and posterior descending arteries is the most commonly involved of all segments in the conorary tree. Second to this site is the proximal half of the anterior descending coronary artery.
TOWARD AN ENERGY BUDGET MODEL OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS PREDICTING WORLD PRODUCTIVITY

In order to provide an initial estimate of the probable potential (no lack of soil water, fertilizer, pest and disease controls, advanced cultivation techniques, etc.) agricultural and primary productive ceilings of this planet, a series of deductive models of optimum net photosynthesis is constructed. The concern is with the generalized global trends of productivities representing many types of plants. Because a worldwide treatment of productivity is preferred at this time, a relatively simple, basic model had to be utilized in order to stay within reasonable limits of financial contraints. The findings presented in the body of the text thus represent a tentative ‘economic answer’ to a pressing question of mankind. Four models have been developed: 1 for a high-efficiency C4 plant, 2 for a C3 type agricultural crop, 3 for a broadleaf woody species and 4 for a needleleaf species. The prediction of the leaf temperature is considered the crux of the testing of the energy budget portion of the models. The four models are applied to 1 650 worldwide climatological stations. The results are discussed. Some considerations are given on the estimation of theoretical maximum crop yields. From these maximum human population figures are estimated on a high-protein diet basis, with a prediction of 4.5×109 people for the world as a whole.
Merope tuber (Mecoptera: Meropeidae) from the Interior Highlands of the United States

ABSTRACT The distribution of Merope tuber in the Interior Highlands of the United States is presented showing this rarely collected species has a wider distribution than previously thought. Conservation organizations that list M. tuber as a species of concern, might wish to reconsider this classification until more thorough distributional surveys are conducted.
What we're talking about when we talk about race.

It has been pointed out repeatedly [(1,2)][1]that reported associations between race and illness should be subject to careful scrutiny. Establishing race as an independent risk factor for a disease is even more complicated than the usually difficult task of establishing epidemiologic association.
Endothelial cell ADAMTS-13 and VWF: production, release, and VWF string cleavage

Human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC)–released ADAMTS-13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin repeats) and HUVEC-secreted von Willebrand factor (VWF) strings were investigated under static conditions that allow the accumulation and analysis of ADAMTS-13. The latter was released constitutively from HUVECs and cleaved the secreted and cell-anchored VWF strings progressively during 15 minutes in Ca2+/Zn2+-containing buffer. HUVEC ADAMTS13 mRNA expression was approximately 1:100 of VWF monomeric subunit expression. In contrast to multimeric VWF stored within Weibel-Palade bodies and secreted rapidly in response to cell stimulation, ADAMTS-13 was released directly from the Golgi to the cell exterior without an organelle storage site. The constitutive release of ADAMTS-13 continued at the same slow rate regardless of the presence or absence of histamine stimulation of HUVECs. Consequently, the percentage of VWF strings cleaved by ADAMTS-13 at VWF Y1605-M1606 decreased as the rate of VWF string secretion was increased by cell stimulation. Blockade of HUVEC ADAMTS-13 activity by antibodies to different ADAMTS-13 domains made it possible to detect the attachment of ADAMTS-13 all along the lengths of HUVEC-secreted VWF strings. Constitutive ADAMTS-13 released from endothelial cells may contribute to the maintenance of cell surfaces free of hyperadhesive VWF multimeric strings.
A Spectroelectrochemical Investigation of the Reduction of the Water-Soluble MnTSPP: SERS Spectra of MnIITSPP

Electrochemical and surface spectroscopic techniques are used to investigate the reductive electrochemistry of the water-soluble manganese tetrasulfonatophenyl porphyrin. The electrocehmistry of MnTSPP at a Ag, Au, and Pt electrode and the normal Raman and surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra of the two redox forms of MnTSPP were studied. Voltammetric studies indicate two reductive peaks at −0.45 and −0.85 V on an Ag electrode. Potential-dependent shifts in the 466 nm UV/vis absorbance band to 432 nm at −0.5 V on a gold minigrid electrode indicate that reduction of the porphyrin central metal from MnIII to MnII occurs at this potential. A 32 cm-1 downshift in the ν4 vibration from 1368 to 1336 cm-1 at −0.5 V is further evidence for the reduction of the metal from the MnIII to the MnII state. The reduction of the porphyrin macrocyclic ring to the radical anion is also observed at −0.8 V. The core-sensitive modes of aquo MnIIITSPP are in excellent agreement with that of a 6-coordinate species. Upon red...
A 25‐year retrospective on the IIA’s SAC projects

In 2002, The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) observed the 25th anniversary of the publication of its first Systems, Auditability, & Control (SAC) study. This paper reviews the development of the SAC projects and their impact on Information Systems (IS) auditing in particular. Three different research methodologies were used for collecting the data for this research. First, a rigorous literature review was conducted. Second, an oral‐history methodology was used to collect data via interviews. Third, notes and minutes from many early committee meetings of IIA, including the SAC Committee, were studied. The early years (1954‐1977) saw a dearth of related literature. Thus individual accountants and auditors found it difficult to acquire or gather information on emerging issues. The Systems, Auditability, & Control (SAC) study published in 1977 was one of the major attempts to codify IS auditing knowledge. This study has been followed up by three other SAC projects in 1991, 1994, and 2001. These SAC projects have provided some of the best guidance for IS auditors over these last 25 years. From the beginning of IS auditing, there has been a continued acceleration of technology. In particular, the audit process has been impacted by the proliferation of microcomputers.
Matrix Effects in the Emission Spectrometric Analysis of Trace Metals in Biological Specimens

A study was made of the effect of metals that appear in animal tissues in the mg% range on the spectrochemical determination of certain trace metals in a NaCl matrix. The presence of as little as 1 mg% of iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, or phosphorus had a marked influence on the spectral response of the trace metals (Cu, Fe, Al, Ba, Mn, Ni, Ca, Sn, Sr, Cr, Zn, Pb, Mo, and Cd) studied. Matrix effects in this medium did not appear to be concentration-dependent or additive. It was concluded that unless the matrix compositions of standard and specimen were closely matched, serious analytical errors would result.
Continued growth in emergency department imaging is bucking the overall trends.

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine recent trends in imaging utilization in emergency departments (EDs) in the Medicare population. Methods The 2002 to 2012 Medicare Part B databases were used. Imaging studies were categorized by modality. Medicare’s place-of-service codes identified those studies performed in ED patients. Specialty codes identified the specialties of the interpreting physicians. Utilization rates per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries were calculated. Trends were assessed in plain radiography (XR), CT, noncardiac ultrasound, MRI, and nuclear medicine. Results XR and CT were the most widely used modalities in ED patients. From 2002 to 2012, the XR utilization rate per 1,000 increased from 248.7 to 320.0 (+29%), and CT increased from 57.2 to 147.9 (+159%). Utilization rates of the other modalities were much lower. Ultrasound increased from 9.5 to 21.0 (+121%), while MRI increased from 1.4 to 5.1 (+264%). Growth in these 4 modalities was continuous and did not show the flattening that has characterized the utilization trends in other places of service. Nuclear medicine use was very low and remained essentially flat. During the study period, CT accrued 91 new examinations per 1,000, followed by XR at 71 and ultrasound at 11.5. The vast majority of examinations were interpreted by radiologists. Conclusions Despite the cessation of overall utilization growth of the various modalities in recent years, ED utilization rates continued to increase. The greatest increases, in terms of accrued new examinations per 1,000, were seen in CT and XR. This suggests that radiologists and ED physicians need to work together to better manage imaging utilization.
The preparation of dl-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate from glycidaldehyde☆

Abstract A rapid method of preparing dl -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate from glycidaldehyde is described, and the factors which influence the yield are discussed.
Spatial hearing in a child with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder and bilateral cochlear implants.

AbstractObjective: The neural dys-synchrony associated with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) causes a temporal impairment that could degrade spatial hearing, particularly sound localization accuracy (SLA) and spatial release from masking (SRM). Unilateral cochlear implantation has become an accepted treatment for ANSD but treatment options for the contralateral ear remain controversial. We report spatial hearing measures in a child with ANSD before and after receiving a second cochlear implant (CI). Study sample: An 11-year-7-month old boy with ANSD and expressive and receptive language delay received a second CI eight years after his first implant. Design: The SLA and SRM were measured four months before sequential bilateral CIs (with the contralateral ear plugged and unplugged), and after nine months using both CIs. Results: Testing done before the second CI, with the first CI alone, suggested that residual hearing in the contralateral ear contributed to sound localization accuracy, but not ...
Effects of Convection and Decay of Turbulence on the Wall Pressure Wavenumber-Frequency Spectrum

Cross-spectral and cross-correlation data from experiments and numerical simulations have shown the turbulent wall pressure convection velocity to vary with the streamwise sensor spatial separation. This variation is due to the spatial decay rates of turbulent structures in the inner and outer regions of the boundary layer. Its effect is shown to have a significant impact on the distribution of energy in the wavenumber-frequency spectrum Φ(k 1 , ω). The standard Corcos model is known to overpredict the wavenumber-frequency spectrum at low wavenumbers. This is shown to result from its constant convection velocity assumption. The spectral levels at subconvective and lower wavenumbers are shown to be directly influenced by the spatial variation in convection velocity.
Cytochemical localization of redox compounds in isolated bovine retinal outer segment disks.

IN view of the findings of Fleischer and McConnell1, reported in the previous paper, we thought that the cytochemical hydroquinone-tetrazolium reaction should be applied to the same sample of isolated retinal outer segment (ROS) disks. The results are illustrated in Fig. 1. After a short incubation (20 min) a strong particulate reaction was obtained. This could not be related to any particular structure since intact disks are not present in the isolated preparation, as shown by electron micrographs.
Fee versus royalty reconsidered

For an outsider innovator in a Cournot oligopoly, royalty licensing could be superior to both fixed fee and auction. The result depends on a simple fact that has been overlooked in the existing literature, namely, the number of licenses can take only integer values.
Ciliary neurotrophic factor: a survival and differentiation inducer in human retinal progenitors.

Retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, and Parkinson’s disease remain major problems in the field of medicine. Some of the strategies being explored for treatment include replacement of damaged tissue by transplantation of healthy tissues or progenitor cells and delivery of neurotrophins to rescue degenerating tissue. One of the neurotrophins with promise is the ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). In this study, we report the role played by CNTF in retinal cell differentiation and survival in retinal progenitors. We found that CNTF is a survival factor for multipotential human retinal cells and increased cell survival by 50%, over a 7-d period, under serum-free conditions, as determined by apoptotic assays (immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry). This effect is dose dependent with a maximum survival at a CNTF concentration of 20 ng/ml. We also report that CNTF might be a cell commitment factor, directing the differentiation mainly toward large multipolar cells with ganglionic and amacrine phenotype. These cells express tyrosine hydroxylase (amacrine cells) as well as, thy 1.1 and neuron-specific enolase (ganglionic cells). Additionally, there was also an increase in protein kinase C alpha, a protein expressed in rod and cone bipolars as well as cone photoreceptors and calbindin, a protein expressed in cone photoreceptors and horizontal cells. In our studies, CNTF doubled the number of cells with ganglionic phenotypes, and basic fibroblast growth factor doubled the number of cells with photoreceptor phenotype. Additionally, CNTF induced a subset of progenitors to undergo multiple rounds of cell division before acquiring the large multipolar ganglionic phenotype. Our conclusion is that CNTF could be an agent that has therapeutic potential and possibly induces differentiation of large multipolar ganglionic phenotype in a subset of progenitors.
Vertical transport and tunnelling through squeezable quantum dots

Abstract Resonant tunnelling through zero-dimensional states in a laterally confined double-barrier quantum well heterostructure has been investigated. The lateral confinement is provided by a Schottky gate which allows continuous squeezing of the current channel to diameters smaller than 100 nm. The conductance data on submicron dots exhibit well-resolved peaks, the position of which depends on both channel diameter and applied magneticfield. The measured displacement of the conductance peaks with decreasing channel diameter provides direct evidence of quantum confinement in the dot. In addition magnetotunneling measurements lend experimental support to the observation of zero-dimensional states with positive and negative azimuthal quantum number l.
Simulating Hydrogen-Bond Structure and Dynamics in Glassy Solids Composed of Imidazole Oligomers.

We simulated structural and dynamical properties of imidazoles tethered to aliphatic backbones to determine how chain length influences the competition between extended hydrogen-bond networks and imidazole reorientation dynamics. We performed molecular dynamics simulations on hypothetical solids using the GAFF Amber force field over the temperature range 300–800 K, for chain lengths varying from monomers to pentamers. We investigated the effect of heterogeneity by simulating monodisperse and polydisperse solids with the same average chain length. We computed hydrogen-bond cluster sizes and percolation ratios; orientational order parameters associated with imidazole rings, tethering linkers, and backbones; and orientational correlation functions for imidazole rings. We found the surprising result that chain-length heterogeneity negligibly affects system density at standard pressure, the fraction of percolating hydrogen-bonded clusters, and the order parameters for backbone, linker, and imidazole ring. Decr...
Speculations About the Selective Basis for Modern Human Craniofacial Form

The last few decades have seen an explosion of knowledge about the time and place of origin of our species, Homo sapiens. New fossils, more sites, better dates, modern and fossil DNA, and scores of analyses have mostly disproved the multiregional model of human evolution. By and large, the evidence generally supports some version of the out-of-Africa model, according to which humans first evolved in Africa at least 200,000 years ago and then migrated to other parts of the world. Remaining debates about human origins primarily address if and how much hybridization occurred between modern humans and taxa of archaic Homo such as H. neanderthalensis.
Is maternal deprivation the root of all evil

In this paper we seriously entertain the question, “Is maternal deprivation the root of all evil?” Our consideration of this question is broken down into three parts. In the fi rst part, we discuss the nature of evil, focusing in particular on the legal concept of depravity. In the second part, we discuss the nurture of evil, focusing in particular on the common developmental trajectory seen in those who are depraved. In the third part, we discuss the roots of evil, focusing in particular on the animal and human research regarding maternal deprivation. Our conclusion is that maternal deprivation may actually be the root of all evil, but only because depraved individuals have been deprived of normative maternal care, which is the cradle of our humanity.
Alternative Security Metrics

Today's security metrics support management practices rather than measure system capability to withstand attacks. This eliminates consideration of security features that are not currently used to manage systems as the basis for security metrics. Rather than judge security metrics by a utility standard with respect to current security management practices, they should instead be appreciated for proposing alternatives ways to identify security attributes that may or may not be of use in designing new security management practices. System capabilities such as adaptation to threat, proactive deterrence, and resilience to attack require system capabilities that may be measured using engineering methods for verification and validation of system function.
A system for exploring and visualizing biological pathways from large scale datasets

The growing accumulation of biological pathway datasets is making it possible to study pathways at genomic scale by exploration and visualization, facilitating the shift of biomedical research to systems-level analyses. Presented in this paper is our ongoing work on developing a system for exploring and visualizing biological pathways for large scale pathway analyses. A pathway repository with a standard data format was developed for storing various types of pathways, mechanisms for navigating among different pathway datasets and to external data sources were also designed, and a rendering engine is being developed to allow user for visualization and exploration.
Information technology use and creativity: Findings from the Children and Technology Project

This research examined relationships between children's information technology (IT) use and their creativity. Four types of information technology were considered: computer use, Internet use, videogame playing and cell phone use. A multidimensional measure of creativity was developed based on Torrance's (1987, 1995) test of creative thinking. Participants were 491 12-year olds; 53% were female, 34% were African American and 66% were Caucasian American. Results indicated that videogame playing predicted of all measures of creativity. Regardless of gender or race, greater videogame playing was associated with greater creativity. Type of videogame (e.g., violent, interpersonal) was unrelated to videogame effects on creativity. Gender but not race differences were obtained in the amount and type of videogame playing, but not in creativity. Implications of the findings for future research to test the causal relationship between videogame playing and creativity and to identify mediator and moderator variables are discussed.
Carbon monoxide and bile pigments: surprising mediators of vascular function:

Heme oxygenase (HO) catalyzes the degradation of heme to CO, iron, and biliverdin. Biliverdin is subsequently metabolized to bilirubin by the enzyme biliverdin reductase. Although long considered irrelevant byproducts of heme catabolism, recent studies indicate that CO and the bile pigments biliverdin and bilirubin may play an important physiological role in the circulation. The release of CO by vascular cells may modulate blood flow and blood fluidity by inhibiting vasomotor tone, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and platelet aggregation. CO may also maintain the integrity of the vessel wall by directly blocking vascular cell apoptosis and by inhibiting the release of pro-apoptotic inflammatory cytokines from the vessel wall. These effects of CO are mediated via multiple pathways, including activation of soluble guanylate cyclase, potassium channels, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, or inhibition of cytochrome P450. In addition, the release of bile pigments may serve to sustain vascular homeostasis by protecting vascular cells from oxidative stress and by inhibiting the adhesion and infiltration of leukocytes into the vessel wall. Induction of HO-1 gene expression and the subsequent release of CO and bile pigments are observed in numerous vascular disorders and may provide an important adaptive mechanism to preserve homeostasis at sites of vascular injury. Thus, the HO-catalyzed formation of CO and bile pigments by vascular cells may function as a critical endogenous vasoprotective system. Moreover, pharmacological or genetic approaches targeting HO-1 to the vessel wall may represent a novel therapeutic approach in treating vascular disease.
Tuning of size and shape of Au–Pt nanocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells

In this article, we report the precise control of the size, shape, and surface morphology of Au–Pt nanocatalysts (cubes, blocks, octahedrons, and dogbones) synthesized via a seed-mediated approach. Gold “seeds” of different aspect ratios (1–4.2), grown by a silver-assisted approach, were used as templates for high-yield production of novel Au–Pt nanocatalysts at a low temperature (40 °C). Characterization by electron microscopy (SEM, TEM, HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis, UV–Vis spectroscopy, zeta-potential (surface charge), atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were used to better understand their physico-chemical properties, preferred reactivities and underlying nanoparticle growth mechanism. A rotating disk electrode was employed to evaluate the Au–Pt nanocatalysts electrochemical performance in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the methanol oxidation reaction of direct methanol fuel cells. The results indicate the Au–Pt dogbones are partially and in some cases completely unaffected by methanol poisoning during the evaluation of the ORR. The ORR performance of the octahedron particles in the absence of MeOH is superior to that of the Au–Pt dogbones and Pt-black; however, its performance is affected by the presence of MeOH.
A GSM-Based Clock-Harvesting Receiver With –87 dBm Sensitivity for Sensor Network Wake-Up

This paper presents a new type of wake-up receiver, called a clock-harvesting receiver, which extracts a 21 Hz clock embedded within the GSM standard for the wake-up of a wireless sensor network. The receiver was fabricated in 0.13 μm CMOS and harvests a 21 Hz clock from the 1900-MHz GSM band. It was designed for heavily duty-cycled operation to reduce the energy required for synchronization of a network. In active mode, the receiver achieves a sensitivity of -87 dBm with 57 μs of jitter while consuming 126 μW. In sleep mode, the power consumption is 81 pW. Experiments conducted in the lab verify the functionality of the receiver with a real local GSM cellular signal.
Recombinant Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV)-Derived Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines: Regulation of a Marker Gene within the Context of the MDV Genome

Marek's disease is a herpesvirus (Marek's disease virus [MDV])-induced pathology of chickens characterized by paralysis and the rapid appearance of T-cell lymphomas. Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LBCLs) derived from MDV-induced tumors have served as models of MDV latency and transformation. We have recently reported the construction of mutant MDVs having a deletion (M. S. Parcells et al., J. Virol. 69:7888-7898, 1995) and an insertion (A. S. Anderson et al., J. Virol. 72:2548-2553, 1998) within the unique short region of the virus genome. These mutant MDVs retained oncogenicity, and LBCLs have been established from the mutant-induced tumors. We report the characterization of these cell lines with respect to (i) virus structure within and reactivated from the cell lines, (ii) surface antigen expression, (iii) kinetics of MDV and marker gene induction, (iv) localization and colocalization of induced MDV antigens and beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal), and (v) methylation status of the region of lacZ insertion in recombinant- and non-recombinant-derived cell lines. Our results indicate that (i) recombinant-derived cell lines contain no parental virus, (ii) the established cell lines are predominantly CD4(+) CD8(-), (iii) the percentage of Lac-expressing cells is low (1 to 3%) but increases dramatically upon 5'-iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) treatment, (iv) lacZ expression is induced with the same kinetics as several MDV lytic-phase genes (pp38, US1, gB, gI, and US10), and (v) the regulation of lacZ expression is not mediated by methylation. Furthermore, the MDV-encoded oncoprotein, Meq, could be detected in cells expressing beta-Gal and various lytic antigens but did not appear to be induced by IUdR treatment. Our results indicate that regulation of the lacZ marker gene can serve as sensitive measure of virus lytic-phase induction and the reactivation from latency.
Inteins and affinity resin substitutes for protein purification and scale up

The development of self-cleaving fusion-tag technology has greatly simplified the purification of recombinant proteins at laboratory scale. The self-cleaving capability of these tags has recently been combined with additional purification tags to generate novel and convenient protein purification methods at a variety of scales. In this review, we describe some of these methods, and provide a rudimentary economic analysis of hypothetical large-scale applications. This work is expected to provide a rough outline for the evaluation of these methods for large-scale bioprocessing of a variety of products.
A Developmental Explanatory Model of Maladaptive Aggressive Dispositions in Urban African American Adolescents

The primary objective of this model is to deepen the understanding of clinical mental health professionals and intersecting intervention institutions working with urban African American youth on pr...
Identification of new, well-populated amino-acid sidechain rotamers involving hydroxyl-hydrogen atoms and sulfhydryl-hydrogen atoms.

Background An important element in homology modeling is the use of rotamers to parameterize the sidechain conformation. Despite the many libraries of sidechain rotamers that have been developed, a number of rotamers have been overlooked, due to the fact that they involve hydrogen atoms.
Is early pragmatic development measurable

Measures of pragmatic development for children in the second year of life were developed, based on a brief (30 minute) language sample and on structured elicitation conditions. When age is partialled out, number of pragmatic functions expressed is not statistically related to MLU, due to the fact that the number of functions grows steadily during the one-word and very early two-word phases. Performance on the structured imperative tasks also reflects development during this period, though performance on the declarative tasks does not. We conclude that the range of pragmatic functions in the second year is measurable and contributes information not provided by a measure of syntactic development such as MLU. Such information should prove useful for research on language and cognition in normal and language-impaired children.
Women's Issues: An Agenda for the Church?

What does church membership mean for women? Texts like Galatians 3:27-28 imply equality; experience contradicts this. Underlying the controversy are assumptions about women's nature as women. Baptismal practice suggests women's equality but experience denies it. Part I examines experience: in lay ministry, in marriage, and as economically marginalized. Turning from experience to theoretical analysis, there are two answers to the question of women's nature: women are inferior, or women are equal. Part II studies the two models at work in the dialogue held between representatives of the Women's Ordination Conference and the U.S. National Conference of Catholic Bishops as participants addressed the question: “What is woman?” Finally the two models are operative in the testimony given in the national hearings for the bishops' pastoral on women. Part III analyzes the reports of the national hearings, uncovering the correlation between model, methodology, and whether a group's feminism leads it to social or issue critique.
Deconstructing the Myth of the "Hand Charm": Mundane Clothing Fasteners and Their Curious Transformations into Supernatural Objects

Since the 1970s, the “hand charm” has been recognized in plantation archaeology as an early example of an “Africanism,” a perceived supernatural object within African American life, with roots in African culture and belief. The underpinnings of this interpretation are examined, and the myth of the so-called hand charm deconstructed in two parts: first, in a critical examination, the previous arguments that described these objects—which are ornate hook-and-eye clothing fasteners—as primarily supernatural, are discounted; second, a new explanatory model is offered for how and why these ornamented fasteners made their way into their plantation or African American contexts.
Abdominal metastases from colorectal cancer: intraperitoneal therapy

Patients with peritoneal metastasis from colorectal cancer represent a distinct subset with regional disease rather than systemic disease. They often have poorer survival outcomes with systemic chemotherapy. Optimal cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) offers such patients a more directed therapy with improved survival. In this review, we discuss the diagnosis, evaluation and classification, as well as rational for treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) secondary to colorectal cancer.
Future therapies for pemphigus vulgaris: Rituximab and beyond

The conventional treatment for patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) centers on global immunosuppression, such as the use of steroids and other immunosuppressive drugs, to decrease titers of antidesmoglein autoantibodies responsible for the acantholytic blisters. Global immunosuppressants, however, cause serious side effects. The emergence of anti-CD20 biologic medications, such as rituximab, as an adjunct to conventional therapy has shifted the focus to targeted destruction of autoimmune B cells. Next-generation biologic medications with improved modes of delivery, pharmacology, and side effect profiles are constantly being developed, adding to the diversity of options for PV treatment. We review promising monoclonal antibodies, including veltuzumab, obinutuzumab (GA-101), ofatumumab, ocaratuzumab (AME-133v), PRO131921, and belimumab.
Moral Resilience: A Capacity for Navigating Moral Distress in Critical Care

E challenges are commonplace in critical care settings. Questions about the boundaries of ethically permissible treatment, assessment of decisionmaking capacity, determining who ought to decide on the ultimate treatment plan, or potentially medically inappropriate treatment are part of everyday practice. Contradictory views can result in lack of consensus or unsatisfactory decisions between patients and family members, within interprofessional teams, or among patients, patients’ families, and critical care teams. Often at stake are each person’s central ethical values, obligations, and commitments. When confronted with these challenges, many clinicians experience moral distress in response to threats or violations of their integrity.1-5 Moral distress ensues when clinicians recognize ethical conflicts and their responsibility to respond to them but are unable to translate their moral choices into ethically grounded action that preserves integrity.5 Although controversies persist regarding the definition and contours of moral distress, the literature is replete with data that documents the pervasive experience of moral distress by critical care clinicians and the profound human costs that accompany it.6-14 Spiraling rates of burnout, turnover, and shortages of critical care clinicians and diminished employee engagement threaten the quality and safety of patient care and the overall stability of the health care system.15-22 Moral distress is not likely to be extinguished, and given the complexities of the health care system, will continue to escalate in the future. Why is it that some people are able to navigate ethical dilemmas and moral distress without the deep sense of despair and hopelessness that others experience? What individual qualities and capacities do they possess? What is it that supports them to find meaning in situations that appear senseless? How do they transform their experiences into growth-producing transformations? These are some of the questions to which answers are needed in order to more fully understand how clinicians, particularly critical care clinicians, address moral distress. So far, strategies to address moral distress focused on building skills in ethical decision making, conflict resolution, interdisciplinary collaboration, system reforms, mediation, and ethics consultation have been only partial solutions.23-26 Much of what has been tried has been done on a small scale and has not sufficiently shifted the incidence or consequences of moral distress.27-30 Moreover, while clinicians resonate with data that verifies the existence of moral distress and its negative consequences, the accompanying narrative of disempowerment, despair, and hopelessness may have inadvertently
Development Professionals at Religiously Based Nonprofit Organizations: Why They Leave and How to Improve Retention

The study of why a fundraising professional would choose to leave his or her employer is critical to the ongoing success of religiously based nonprofit organizations as they work to achieve their m...
Ryan White CARE Act and Collaborative Governance Re-Examined: the South Florida Experience

This research sequel employs collaborative governance framework with the aim to ascertain whether HIV/AIDS collaborative governance still works in Broward and Palm Beach Counties of South Florida within the context of efforts to provide care and treatment to target populations. The study uses interviews, observations, and document reviews to garner data from all relevant sources of the Councils and focuses on 2000–2006 and 2009–2013 time frames. The collected data was subjected to integration of themes and concepts based on category analysis. The analysis reveals representation and participation of target populations, service providers, non-elected community leaders and other relevant stakeholders in decision making enable collective problem solving. The research contributes to theory and praxis by highlighting collaborative governance presents public managers the viable option of serving as advocates of various interests in society.
Tendon elasticity helps bats flap

![Graphic][1] Tendons, whose primary function is to anchor muscle to bone, can also serve as essential locomotion tools. Some tendons act as springs to aid terrestrial animals that bounce and run along the hard ground. These tendons increase force and power and help to recover energy that
P-49CHARACTERIZING DROP-OUT AMONG PATIENTS AT METHADONE MAINTENANCE (MMT) CLINICS IN VIETNAM

Introduction. By 2013, approximately 15,000 MMT patients were being treated in Vietnam. The national goal is to have 80,000 patients on MMT by 2015. While increasing the number of patients, retaining patients on MMT is equally important. Methods. The Drop-out ratio was calculated and reasons for drop out identified based on program monitoring during 2011-2013. The cumulative number of patients included in this analysis was 6213 at 17 clinics in 6 provinces. Results. The rate of patient drop-out was less than 4% monthly in all clinics, but cumulatively up to 24% of patients enrolled in treatment dropped out the 3 year period. Reasons for drop included patients arrested by police (25%), moved to other clinics (4%), returned to rehabilitation (3%), and voluntarily stopping treatment (3%). The reason was unknown for a high proportion of loss to follow-up (55%). Conclusions. Drop-out is serious threat to the success of the MMT program in Vietnam. MMT clinic staff should provide education and counseling for patients to avoid illegal activities, arrest and interruption of MMT. Research should be conducted to understand the characteristics of drop-out patients and develop more effective interventions for improving retention.