cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IoT based Empowerment by Smart Health Monitoring, Smart Education and Smart Jobs

This paper describes the idea and overview of enhancing the empowerment using internet of Things (IoT) via three main pillars of the society i.e., health, education and wealth embedding with smart devices, sensors, web and mobile applications. This paper has the block diagram, functionality of low cost and effective solutions like "Smart Health Monitoring", "Smart Education", and "Smart Wealth System" to provide equal services, opportunities for everyone on the planet. This is one of the best solutions which shows how to design an efficient system for the society with grouping present technologies, sensors around us like smart wearables, mobile applications, web applications and artificial intelligence.
Coming to Faith, Coming to Science: Lula Pace, Ethos Strategies, and Demarcation in a Pre-Scopes Evolution Controversy

Lula Pace (1868–1925), a Texas Baptist science professor, ultimately weathered an antievolution campaign that roiled her denomination. Responding to this controversy, Pace engaged in demarcation (t...
New Innovation Models in Medical AI

In recent years, scientists and researchers have devoted considerable resources to developing medical artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Many of these technologies—particularly those which resemble traditional medical devices in their functions—have received substantial attention in the legal and policy literature. But other types of novel AI technologies, such as those that relate to quality improvement and optimizing use of scarce facilities, have been largely absent from the discussion thus far. These AI innovations have the potential to shed light on important aspects of health innovation policy. First, these AI innovations interact less with the legal regimes that scholars traditionally conceive of as shaping medical innovation: patent law, FDA regulation, and health insurance reimbursement. Second, and perhaps related, a different set of innovation stakeholders, including health systems and insurers, are conducting their own research and development in these areas without waiting for commercial product developers to innovate for them. Third and finally, the activities of these innovators have implications for health innovation policy and scholarship. Perhaps most notably, data possession and control play a larger role in determining capacity to innovate in this space, while ability to satisfy the quality standards of regulators and payers plays a smaller role, relative to more familiar biomedical innovations such as new drugs and devices.
Hashimoto’s Encephalopathy

Hashimoto’s encephalopathy (HE) is an autoimmune disorder that is characterized by a combination of elevated thyroid antibodies and altered cognition that cannot be attributed to hypothyroidism or thyrotoxicosis. It is one of several subcategories of autoimmune encephalopathy. HE is a poorly defined syndrome with several names. This varied nomenclature highlights the challenge of defining a clinical syndrome that does not yet have a clear molecular or pathologic cause. For the purposes of this chapter, we will use the term Hashimoto’s encephalopathy to denote a steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with elevated thyroid autoantibodies, noting that most patients do not have active thyroiditis at presentation.
Outcomes of embryo transfers performed by Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellows vs. faculty: an 11-year retrospective review.

Objective To compare the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) of embryo transfer episodes (ETEs) performed by Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellows vs. those of ETEs performed by faculty physicians. Design Retrospective cohort analysis. Setting Academic reproductive endocrinology and infertility practice. Patient(s) In total, 3,073 ETEs for 1,488 unique patients were performed by fellows or faculty physicians between January 2009 and January 2020. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Clinical pregnancy rate and LBR. Result(s) Fifteen fellows performed 1,225 (39.9%) of 3,073 ETEs after completing 30 mock transfers. On comparing outcomes among fellowship years (FY1, FY2, and FY3), CPR (44.1% vs. 43.2% vs. 45.7%, respectively, P = .83) and LBR (39.1% vs. 38.1% vs. 38.4%, respectively, P = .97) were not significantly different. Fellowship year 1 fellows’ initial 30 ETEs vs. all the remaining FY1 ETEs had a significantly higher CPR (48.1% vs. 40.5%, respectively, P = .030) and LBR (45.4% vs. 34.3%, respectively, P = .001). There were no significant differences between faculty versus fellow ETEs in terms of CPR (43.0% vs. 45.0%, respectively, P = .30) or LBR (37.3% vs. 39.8%, respectively, P = .16), even after adjusting for patient age, body mass index, primary infertility diagnosis, autologous vs. donor oocyte, fresh vs. frozen embryo, number of embryos transferred, type of transfer catheter, and year of transfer (P = .32 for CPR, P = .22 for LBR). Conclusion(s) Appropriately trained FY1 fellows had success rates maintained throughout all FYs. There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between fellow- and faculty-performed transfers. These data demonstrated that allowing fellows to perform live embryo transfers is not detrimental to clinical outcomes.
Life History Predicts Perceptions of Procedural Justice and Crime Reporting Intentions

Evolutionary life history theory (LHT) is a powerful organizing framework central to the life sciences. Interest in biosocial criminology is growing, and adoption of LHT may accelerate progress toward an integrative evolutionarily informed human science. We examined the relationship of life history to attitudes toward the police using data from a demographically representative community-wide survey in a Midwestern county with an urban center exhibiting high rates of violent crimes. As expected, life history was associated with demographic characteristics. Controlling for demographics, slower life history was associated with greater perceptions of procedural justice and police legitimacy, i.e., intentions to contact the police. LHT may promote an integrative human science and a deep theoretical framework for understanding modern social patterns.
A Comparison of Plain Radiographs and Computed Tomography for Determining Canal Diameter of the Distal Phalanx

Purpose To compare plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) when determining the narrowest diameter of the medullary canal of the distal phalanx. Methods A database review identified 48 patients (23 male, 25 female) who underwent a CT scan of the hand and plain radiographs of the same hand. Using digital imaging software, the smallest diameter of the medullary canal was measured for each finger (index, middle, ring, little) on CT and on radiographs. Results The narrowest diameter of the medullary canal was measured on the axial CT and lateral hand radiograph at the transition between the tuft and the distal phalanx shaft. The mean narrowest diameters on plain radiographs for the index, middle, ring, and little fingers were 1.4 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.4 mm, and 1.1 mm, respectively. The mean diameters on CT were 1.2 mm, 1.3 mm, 1.2 mm, and 1.0 mm, respectively. Men had larger medullary canal dimensions (1.5–1.7 mm) than women (0.8–1.2 mm). Conclusions The differences in canal diameter measurements between plain radiograph and CT were small and likely clinically insignificant. Clinical relevance Lateral radiographs can be used for preoperative planning when estimating the size of the distal phalanx intramedullary canal.
Effect of length, supercoiling, and pH on intramolecular triplex formation. Multiple conformers at pur.pyr mirror repeats.

The conformations adopted by five oligopurine.oligopyrimidine (pur.pyr) inserts of various lengths and sequence repeats in recombinant plasmids were evaluated as a function of pH and negative super-helicaldensity. Patterns of chemical reactivity (OsO4 and diethylpyrocarbonate) indicate that long (greater than 36 base pairs) pur.pyr segments can adopt intramolecular triplexes and that increasing the length of the pur.pyr tract reduces the dependence on low pH for structure formation, such that (GA)37 adopts an intramolecular triplex under moderate levels of negative superhelical stress (-sigma = 0.049) at neutral pH. This demonstrates that long pur.pyr segments, which are abundant in eukaryotic genomes, have the potential to adopt triplexes in vivo. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the plasmids combined with chemical probing indicates that for longer sequences, multiple conformers of the intramolecular triplex exist at low pH. These conformers result from nucleation at various positions on the polypurine stretch, giving rise to different extents of relaxation at the same linking number. In addition, the metal ions Co2+, Mn2+, and Mg2+ have profound effects on the pattern of chemical reactivity displayed by long pur.pyr segments at both neutral and low pH, indicating that quite different structures may form in the presence of divalent metal ions. Thus, the types and extent of unusual structures adopted by long pur.pyr segments are complex and heterogeneous, and are dependent on pH, supercoiling, and the presence of divalent cations.
PLC-gamma: an old player has a new role.

The pivotal role of phospholipase C (PLC) in calcium signalling is well established. A product of PLC, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3), is an important and almost ubiquitous signal for the release of calcium from intracellular endoplasmic reticulum stores. Recent work has demonstrated that the PLC-γ isoform is essential for activating calcium entry into cells through channels in the plasma membrane.
Verification Methods for Weaker Shared Memory Consistency Models

The problem of verifying finite-state models of shared memory multiprocessor coherence protocols for conformance to weaker memory consistency models is examined. We start with W.W. Collier's architectural testing methods and extend it in several non-trivial ways in order to be able to handle weak er memory models. This, our first contribution, presents the construction of architectural testing programs similar to those constructed by Collier (e.g. the ARCHTEST suite) suited for weaker memory models. Our own primary emphasis has, how ever, been to adapt these methods to the realm of model-chec king. In an earlier effort (joint work with Nalumasu and Mokkedem), we had demonstrated how to adapt Collier's architectural testing methods to model-checking. Our verification approach consisted of abstracting executions that violate memory orderings into a fixed collection of automata (called Test Automata) that depend only on the memory model. The main advantage of this approach, called Test Model-chec king, is that the test automata remain fixed during the iterative design cycle when different coherence protocols that (presumably) implement a given memory model are being compared for performance. This facilitates 'push-button' reverification when each new protocol is being considered. Our second contribution is to extend the methods of constructing test automata to be able to handle architectural tests for weaker memory models. After reviewing prior work, in this paper we mainly focus on architectural tests for weaker memory models and the new abstraction methods there of to construct test automata for weaker memory models.
A model of surface heat fluxes based on the theory of maximum entropy production.

[1] A model of heat fluxes over a dry land surface is proposed based on the theory of maximum entropy production (MEP) as a special case of the maximum entropy principle (MaxEnt). When the turbulent heat transfer in the atmospheric boundary layer is parameterized using a Monin-Obukhov similarity model, a dissipation function or entropy production function may be expressed in terms of the heat fluxes following the MEP formalism. A solution of the heat fluxes can be obtained by finding the extreme of the dissipation function under the constraint of conservation of energy for a given energy input (i.e., net radiation) at the surface. The MEP solution of the surface heat fluxes is tested using observations from fields experiments.
The renal dietitian's role in managing hyperphosphatemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism in dialysis patients: a national survey.

Abstract Purpose: To survey the medical nutrition therapy practices of renal dietitians for the treatment of bone mineral metabolism. Objectives: To obtain data on phosphorus diet prescription levels. To determine allied team involvement for phosphate binder and Vitamin D therapies. To assess the frequency and target levels for monitoring serum calcium, phosphorus, -phosphorus product, intact PTH and alkaline phosphatase. Methods: Two renal dietitians from the National Kidney Foundation-Council on Renal Nutrition developed a 5-question survey. This was posted on both the RenalRD Listserv and the NKF-CRN website from January 1 through February 15, 2001. Dietitians were asked to respond using facsimile, e-mail or reply by mail. Results: One hundred and thirty-one surveys were received representing all major dialysis providers in the United States, the British Virgin Islands, and Japan. Results included information for peritoneal and hemodialysis patients. Five different methods for dosing phosphate binders were determined. Prescribed phosphate binders included calcium acetate, sevelamer hydrochloride, and calcium carbonate. 108 out of 131 dietitian respondents (82.5%) have a medical protocol in place for vitamin D therapy. Of the respondents, 47% were directly responsible for implementing the vitamin D protocol. Paricalcitol was the most widely used form of IV Vitamin D. Biochemistry results were as follows: calcium, 16 different ranges from 8.0 mg/dL to 11.5 mg/dL; phosphorus, 13 different ranges from 2.5 mg/dL to 6.5 mg/dL; calcium-phosphorus product, 13 different ranges from 55-75; iPTH, 20 different ranges from 50-300 pg/mL; alkaline phosphatase, 18 different ranges from no records being monitored to a level of 500 mg/dL. Conclusion: The survey revealed a large variability in the treatment of bone mineral metabolism. Improved clinical practice guidelines for the health care team are being developed with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF)-Kidney Disease Outcomes and Quality Initiative (KDOQI) bone disease management workgroup. © 2003 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.
Thermodynamic Analysis of Oxide Nucleation in Steel Cooling Process

Nucleating mechanism and controlling methods of Al2O3-TiO2 inclusion formed during steel cooling process is analyzed in this paper. According to the theory of nucleation, only TiO2 could satisfy the critical requirement of homogeneous nucleation to solidify stably when the temperature declines to less than 1863K. Furthermore, the generation of Al2O3 adhering on the surface of solid TiO2 is going to take place through heterogeneous nucleation, and then Al2O3 interacts with TiO2 to form Al2O3-TiO2 complex oxide. There would be no Al2O3-TiO2 complex oxide or much less Al2O3 on condition that the wTi·wO2 is less than 3.96×10-8. Both deeply deoxygenating treatments and controlling the mass of Ti-Fe alloy added into steel are effective means for improving steel quality.
Bridging the tenant-provider gap in networked cloud services

The shared nature of the network in today's multi-tenant data centers implies that network performance for tenants can vary significantly. Network performance variability hurts application performance, which makes tenant costs unpredictable and causes provider revenue loss. To address these issues, we proposed to extend the interface tenant-provider to include tenant's network requirements. We designed two virtual network abstractions that capture the trade-off between tenant's expressiveness and provider's flexibility, providing performance isolation and predictability. Further, we investigated how to allow tenants to express high-level goals and automatically predict the resources needed to achieve them. Since multiple resource combinations may achieve the same goal, our system chooses the combination most suitable for the provider. This enables a departure from today's resource-based pricing to a novel job-based pricing model. In this talk, Dr. Paolo Costa will motivate this approach and illustrate the design of the associated system. he will also briefly discuss evaluation results, which show that these new abstractions, by bridging the tenant-provider gap, can enable a symbiotic tenant-provider relationship with significant benefits for both entities.
Alternative nuclear transport for cellular protein quality control

Herpesvirus capsids traverse the nuclear envelope (NE) by utilizing an unusual export pathway termed nuclear egress. In this process, the viral capsid is delivered into the perinuclear space (PNS), producing a vesicular intermediate after fission. After fusion with the outer nuclear membrane (ONM), the naked capsid is released into the cytosol. A recent study now suggests that this pathway might be an endogenous cellular pathway, co-opted by viruses, that serves to transport cellular cargo exceeding the size limit imposed by the nuclear pore complex (NPC). We propose that one function of this pathway is to transport nuclear protein aggregates to the cytosolic autophagy machinery. Our model has implications for our understanding of laminopathies and related diseases affecting proteins residing at the inner nuclear membrane (INM) and nuclear lamina.
Femtosecond real-time dynamics of photofragment-trapping resonances on dissociative potential energy surfaces

The real-time dynamics of wave packet resonance (due to photofragment trapping) in the reaction of NaI is reported using femtosecond transition-state spectroscopy (FTS). The observed oscillation frequency and delay give the effective vibrational frequency of the trapping well and the probability of leaving the well, respectively. The energy dependence of the wave packet oscillation provides the shape of the quasi-bound potential well in NaI.
Time-optimal synthesis for the Zermelo-Markov-Dubins problem: The constant wind case

We consider a combination of the classical Markov-Dubins problem and Zermelo's navigation problem. In particular, we consider the problem of characterizing minimum-time paths with prescribed positions and tangents for a vehicle with Dubins-type kinematics in the presence of uniform winds/currents. By utilizing optimal control theory, we characterize the structure of the optimal paths, and subsequently solve the time-optimal synthesis problem.
Restructuring Public Schools for Internal Democratic Governance: A Circular Approach.

ABSTRACT Ackoff's circular structure has been successfully utilised to combine hierarchy and democracy in various industries. This paper argues that this structure is the most appropriate democratic structure for the internal governance of public schools. It concludes that a circularity of power relations between administrators and teachers would create genuinely empowering teacher participation, improve co‐ordination, foster teacher self‐actualisation and expressiveness, alleviate teacher shortages, help attract high quality persons to teaching careers, ensure appropriate (service oriented) teacher supervision, and increase the number of successful school improvement projects.
Dynamic representation of a hydraulic constant-speed drive

The hydraulic constant-speed drive is an important component of many air-borne electric systems; it is used to convert the varying aircraft engine speed into a constant alternator shaft speed needed to maintain constant system frequency. To study the behavior of electric systems with isolated alternators and other systems with paralleled alternators, it has been necessary to find descriptions of the system components which may be translated into mathematical terms in a formulation convenient for block diagram representation and analog computer simulation. Descriptions of voltage regulators, exciters, alternators, and system load, have been developed and presented in the literature.1?3 The purpose of this paper is the presentation of information about the hydraulic constant-speed drive and some associated components. The basic drive equations pertain to the ball drive, the axial piston drive, and to the radial piston drive. The equations of the ancillary equipment are pertinent to a particular model.
Photonic Crystal Lasers

Photonic crystal microcavity lasers are potentially attractive optical sources for future communication systems. They operate at lithographically defined wavelengths and because of their small volumes they are expected to exhibit low operating powers. Much work remains to be done, however, in order for these sources to find mainstream applications. In this presentation we will report on our work on optically pumped photonic crystal lasers. Finite-difference time-domain and finite element simulations will be presented as part of a discussion of the resonant cavity design. The trade-offs in the design of photonic lattice hole radius and membrane thickness will also be included, and we will discuss strategies for minimizing the optical loss in these cavities. The photonic crystal laser cavities reported here are defined by electron beam lithography in pmma. The pmma is subsequently used as a mask to transfer the pattern into a Cr/Au layer in an ion beam milling step. This patterned metal layer is then used as a mask for a reactive ion etch that patterns a silicon nitride layer. Finally this layer is used as a mask to transfer the lattice into the InGaAsP semiconductor using an ECR etching step. Suspended membranes are formed by chemically undercutting the lattice. This provides strong optical confinement at the semiconductor/air interfaces at the top and bottom of the cavity. We have demonstrated pulsed, optically pumped lasing at and above room temperature in these resonant cavities using a semiconductor diode laser as the pump. The resonant cavity in our demonstration is formed by removing 19 holes from a triangular lattice and is about 2.6 mm across. Incident threshold pump powers for this cavity size as low as 0.5 mW have been demonstrated at room temperature. The peak output power collected through an optical fiber is approximately 2 mW. Lasing is seen for pump pulses as long as 200 ns. We have also demonstrated lasing in these cavities at elevated substrate temperatures. This demonstration was done using an 860 nm top emitting VCSEL as the pumping source because we expect it to provide a direction towards monolithic, electrically addressable lasers. Input power versus output power lasing characteristics for substrate temperatures up to 50 °C have been obtained. We will also report on our work on lithographic fine-tuning of the lasing wavelength. This wavelength can be defined through the lattice constant or the hole radius. This feature of photonic crystal lasers allows the definition of multiwavelength arrays. We have built and characterized arrays in which the lattice constant varies 2 nm steps across the array. The lasing wavelength redshifts with increasing lattice constant with an average separation between adjacent lasing wavelengths of 4.6 nm. The lasing wavelength tunes through the gain spectrum before the laser mode hops. Finally, we will present data on the optical loss in these cavities obtained by varying the number of lattice periods. We observed a reduction in incident threshold pump powers with increasing number of lattice periods at least through 11 periods.
Measurement of aerosol size distribution functions by wavelength-multiplexed laser extinction

Previous work on the measurement of aerosol size distribution functions (SDFs) by laser extinction mainly relied on light sources from a relatively narrow wavelength range. This paper investigates the potential advantages of extending the extinction method to a general wavelength-multiplexed laser extinction (WMLE) concept by incorporating an arbitrary number of laser sources from a wider wavelength range. This extension improves the sensitivity of SDF measurements over wider aerosol diameter ranges and enables a stable algorithm to invert the extinction data to obtain SDFs. These advantages are illustrated by an example WMLE scheme employing wavelengths in the spectral range from 0.25 to 10μm to measure SDFs of water aerosols. Application of this approach to other aerosol systems is also considered. The WMLE scheme was found to provide stable determination of a variety of SDFs with Sauter mean diameters ranging from sub-micron to about 10μm. The sensitivity of such determinations was evaluated to reveal the optimum applicable range of the wavelengths employed. The analyses performed here provide theoretical background and motivation for practical applications of the WMLE concept.
Film thickness effects on hydrogen sorption at palladium electrodes

Abstract Hydrogen sorption at thin film evaporated Pd electrodes is quite different from that at bulk Pd. Diffusion of dissolved hydrogen in the thin films is slow. The grain size of the evaporated films is small, and the large number of grain boundaries present a high resistance to hydrogen diffusion. Thin films sorb a greater quantity of hydrogen than bulk Pd. Annealing of the evaporated films, due to an increase in grain size, results in hydrogen sorption behavior resembling that of bulk Pd and a decrease in the charge due to sorbed hydrogen. The dependence of sorption charge on Pd morphology could be explained by segregation of sorbed hydrogen at grain boundaries.
NMDAR-2A subunit protein expression is reduced in the hippocampus of rats exposed to Pb2+ during development.

Chronic exposure to lead (Pb2+) produces deficits of learning and memory in children and spatial learning deficits in developing rats. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) has been identified as a principal target for Pb2+-induced neurotoxicity. Age-dependent changes in NMDAR subunit gene expression were observed in hippocampi of rats chronically exposed to Pb2+ during development [T.R. Guilarte, J.L. McGlothan, Hippocampal NMDA receptor mRNA undergoes subunit specific changes during developmental lead exposure, Brain Res. 790 (1998) 98-107]. These changes were present at blood Pb2+ levels ranging from 20-60 microg/dl. Littermates were used in the present study to determine whether the changes in gene expression were reflected in protein levels. NR1, NR2A, and NR2B subunit protein levels were measured in rat hippocampus and cortex at post-natal days (PND) 7, 14, 21, and 28 by Western blot and densitometric analysis. A treatment effect was apparent for NR2A subunit protein expression in the hippocampus (F1,28=10.224, p<0.01). NR2A subunit protein was reduced by 40%, 19%, and 27% from control levels in PND14, 21, and 28 Pb2+-exposed rats, respectively. Mean comparisons indicated that rats at PND14 exhibited the most significant reduction of NR2A (p<0.001). These data concur with our previous finding of reduced NR2A mRNA found in hippocampal pyramidal and granule cells of Pb2+-exposed rats. Pb2+ exposure during development had no effect on NR1 or NR2B subunit protein expression in the hippocampus at any age. No effect was observed on any subunit in the cortex at any age. The developmental profile of the NMDAR-2A subunit protein in the hippocampus is specifically changed by chronic exposure to Pb2+. These data suggest that composition of subunits comprising NMDAR may be altered in Pb2+-exposed rats.
Morphological and functional effects of visual deprivation on the rabbit visual system.

Abstract Evidence from studies on the cat suggest that many of the adverse effects of suturing one eyelid are not simply a consequence of reduced visual pattern stimulation, but in large part may be due to unbalanced competitive interaction between projections from the two eyes. The rabbit provides an opportunity for testing the effects of visual deprivation in a system nearly free from binocular synaptic competition. Its visual system has a large monocular projection that includes the central retina. Seven rabbits were reared with monocular lid-suture and trained on brightness, pattern, and form discriminations. They learned these tasks as readily with the deprived eye as with the normal eye. Single-unit recordings were carried out in nine rabbits raised with either monocular or binocular lid-suture. Receptive field properties of cells in the large monocular segment of the visual cortex and in the superior colliculus appeared qualitively normal and the various receptive field types were seen in their normal proportions. Quantitative histological measurements were made on cells in the monocular segment of the dorsal lateral geniculate nuclei of seven rabbits. Monocular lid-suture for 3–5 mo produced no changes in cell size in the dorsal LGN, while deprivation for 10–15 mo produced a small (less than 10%) but statistically significant reduction in size. Monocular enucleation, by contrast, produced a large (26.6%) decrease in cell size and total volume of this nucleus (54.5%). These results, as well as other data available from rabbit and other species with largely crossed visual systems, are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that the principal effects of lid-suture are a consequence of competitive interaction between the two eyes.
Technology and the US labor market: Evidence from the sectoral and regional decomposition of the change in the US workforce skill mix

Abstract Researchers have found indirect evidence supporting the role of technology in changing the workforce skill mix in the US by decomposing the change in the skill mix into within/between industry components. This paper provides additional support for the role of technology by extending the decomposition analysis into both the sectoral and the regional dimensions.
End-user exposures to synthetic vitreous fibers: II. Fabrication and installation fabrication of commercial products.

This article summarizes the results of exposure monitoring conducted during the installation and fabrication of commercial synthetic vitreous fiber (SVF) products. Included in this investigation were fiberglass duct insulation and construction applications (duct board, duct liner, and duct wrap), pipe and vessel insulation, batt insulation for prefabricated homes, and general fiberglass products. Commercial mineral wool products sampled as a part of this investigation included ceiling tiles, building safing, and loose insulation for prefabricated homes. A total of 520 valid air samples were collected as a part of this investigation and were analyzed using gravimetric, phase contrast microscopy (PCM), or scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Airborne fiber-size distributions were also determined for a subset of samples collected for SEM analysis. As a result of the task-based sampling strategy used in this study, sample times reflect exposures over the time the person was actually engaged in SVF-related work...
Diversity and Unity in Federal Countries (‘A Global Dialogue on Federalism’ Series, Vol.7)

Diversity and Unity in Federal Countries (‘A Global Dialogue on Federalism’ Series, Vol.7) by Luis Moreno & Cesar Colino (Eds). Montreal, Kingston, McGill-Queen's University Press, 2010, ISBN 97807...
Tissue fatty acid composition, prostaglandin synthesis, and antibody production in rats fed corn, soybean, or low erucic acid rapeseed oil (canola oil)

Abstract Because low erucic acid rapeseed (canola) oil is a new edible oil in the U.S., its effects on lipid metabolism and immunity are of interest. To investigate whether canola oil affected tissue fatty acid composition, prostaglandin (PG) synthesis or immune responses differently than other dietary oils, rats were fed a semipurified diet containing either 10% corn ( ω 6/ ω 3=50.8), soybean ( ω 6/ ω 3=7.2) or canola ( ω 6/ ω 3=2.3) oil for 38 days. Ten days prior to sacrifice, rats were injected intraperitoneally with the antigen fluorescein 17 BSA. At the end of the feeding period, fatty acid composition of serum, spleen, liver, and thymus was determined. Prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) and Prostaglandin F 2 α (PGF 2 α ) production were measured in spleen and liver homogenates and the relative concentration of anti-fluorescein antibodies was determined. Linoleic acid levels were reduced markedly in all tissues examined (except serum) in the rats fed canola oil. Canola oil-feeding also reduced arachidonic acid levels in spleen, serum, and liver. PGE 2 and PGF 2 α synthesis was lower with rats fed canola oil, although this reduction was statistically significant only with production of PGE 2 from liver homogenates. Serum antibody titers were higher in rats fed either soybean or canola oil than those in rats fed corn oil.
Measurement of a large-scale overlay for multimedia streaming

PPLive is currently the most well-known instance of an IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) application which stands out due to its increasing popularity. As of May 2006, PPLive had over 200 distinct online channels, a daily average of 400,000 aggregated users, and most of its channels had several thousands of users at their peaks. During the Chinese New Year 2006 event, a particular PPLive channel had over 200,000 simultaneous viewers [2]. There are several measurement studies about PPLive characteristics [1, 2, 5]. These existing studies tend to predominantly look at either network-centric metrics (e.g., video traffic, TCP connections, etc.), or at user-centric metrics (e.g., geographic distribution, user arrival and departure, user-perceived quality, channel population, etc.). Our crawler-based measurement studies are unique in focusing primarily on overlay-based characteristics, which lie somewhere in between the user-centric view and the network centric view. Our studies reveal that (1) node degree is independent of channel population size, and (2) small PPLive overlays (as many as 500 nodes) are similar to random graphs in structure.
System RAS implications of DRAM soft errors

While attention in the realm of computer design has shifted away from the classic DRAM soft-error rate (SER) and focused instead on SRAM and microprocessor latch sensitivities as sources of potential errors, DRAM SER nonetheless remains a challenging problem. This is true even though both cosmic ray-induced and alpha-particle-induced DRAM soft errors have been well modeled and, to a certain degree, well understood. However, the often-overlooked alignment of a DRAM hard error and a random soft error can have major reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) implications for systems that require an extremely long mean time between failures. The net of this effect is that what appears to be a well-behaved, single-bit soft error ends up overwhelming a seemingly state-of-the-art mitigation technique. This paper describes some of the history of DRAM soft-error discovery and the subsequent development of mitigation strategies. It then examines some architectural considerations that can exacerbate the effect of DRAM soft errors and may have system-level implications for today's standard fault-tolerance schemes.
Quality of diabetes care for adults with physical disabilities in Kansas

Abstract Background Similar to health disparities found among racial and ethnic minority groups, individuals with physical disabilities experience a greater risk for diabetes than those without disabilities. Objective The purpose of this works was to assess Kansas Medicaid data to determine the quality of diabetic care and the level to which individuals with physical disabilities' prevention and diabetes management needs are being met. Methods We selected a continuously eligible cohort of adults (ages 18 and older) with physical disabilities who had diabetes and received medical benefits through Kansas Medicaid. We examined their quality of care measures (screening for HbA1c/glucose, cholesterol, and eye exams; and, primary care visits) in the succeeding year. Using unconditional logistic regression, we assessed the measures for quality of care as they related to demographic variables and comorbid hypertension. Results Thirty-nine percent of the 9,532 adults with physical disabilities had diabetes. They had the following testing rates: HbA1c, 82.7%; cholesterol, 51.5%; and eye examinations, 86.8%. Females, those with dual eligibility, and those with comorbid hypertension had higher rates for all types of screenings and primary care visits. Those living in MUAs had a higher screening rate for cholesterol. Conclusions Adults with physical disabilities supported by Kansas Medicaid received diabetes quality indicator screenings have better diabetes quality of care rates for 3 out of 4 measures than nationally published figures for Medicaid. These findings point to a strong quality of care programs in Kansas for this population; however an imperative next step is to determine how effectively this population is managing their blood sugar levels day-to-day.
The vascularization of artificial skin grafts in rats: Its modification by protamine

Artificial skin is a recent development in the clinical care of the severely burned patient. Its manufacture involves the covalent bonding of collagen and polysaccharide, followed by the coating of one surface with a thin layer of silicone rubber. Neovascularization and its modification in artificial skin were studied. Experimental artificial skin was grafted onto rats and examined for vascular growth in the graft at 7 days. This was revealed by latex-perfused vascular casts which were processed for histological study. An area including the graft bed and graft matrix was viewed and examined for latex-filled vessels. Thirty-seven percent of the total vessels, identified by residual latex, had grown into the graft. When artificial skin was treated with protamine at 10 mg/ml buffered saline solution before grafting, only 6% of the total perfused blood vessels were found in the graft matrix. The remainder was found in the graft bed. Moreover, increases in the numbers of perfused blood vessels and vessel diameters were observed in the graft bed at the interface below the graft pretreated with protamine. Protamine inhibited vessel growth into the matrix, but promoted an increased number of dilated blood vessels in the surrounding graft bed. These dilated vessels were related to an altered vessel architecture.
COX-2 selective NSAID decreases bone ingrowth in vivo

Whether non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)––induced suppression of bone ingrowth is due to cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) inhibition, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition, or through a yet unidentified pathway is unknown. In this study, the effects of a non-specific COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitor, versus a specific COX-2 inhibitor on bone ingrowth and tissue differentiation are examined in vivo. Harvest chambers were implanted unilaterally in the tibiae of eight mature, New Zealand white rabbits. After a 6-week period for osseointegration of the chamber, the following oral treatments were given for 4 weeks each, followed by a harvest in each case: drinking water with no NSAID (control 1), Naproxen sodium––a COX-1 and COX-2 non-specific inhibitor at a dose of 110 mg/kg/day in the drinking water, drinking water with no NSAID (control 2), and Rofecoxib––a COX-2 inhibitor at a dose of 12.5 mg/day inserted directly into the rabbit's mouth. Harvested specimens were snap frozen, cut into serial 6 μm sections and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for general morphological characterization, and alkaline phosphatase (osteoblast marker). Sections were also processed for immunoperoxidase staining using monoclonal antibodies to identify cells expressing the vitronectin receptor (osteoclast-like cells). With drinking water alone, the percentage of bone ingrowth averaged 24.8±2.9% and 29.9±4.5% respectively. Naproxen sodium in the drinking water and oral Rofecoxib decreased bone ingrowth significantly (15.9±3.3%, p=0.031 and 18.5±2.4%, p=0.035 compared to drinking water respectively). Both Naproxen sodium (p=0.026) and Rofecoxib (p=0.02) decreased the number of CD51 positive osteoclast-like cells per section compared with drinking water alone. Rofecoxib decreased the area of osteoblasts per section area (p=0.014) compared to controls, although the value for Naproxen sodium did not reach statistical significance. The results of the present study suggest that bone formation is suppressed by oral administration of an NSAID which contains a COX-2 inhibitor. COX-2 inhibitors currently taken for arthritis and other conditions may potentially delay fracture healing and bone ingrowth.
Interference effects in young children's long-term retention.

Classical interference effects were examined in preschool and kindergarten children's paired-associate recall (Experiment 1) and free recall (Experiment 2). Children in the control conditions learned a single picture list, whereas children in the experimental conditions learned 2 picture lists in succession. After 24 hr, children recalled items from the one list they had learned (control conditions), items from only List I (retroactive interference conditions), or items from both lists (modified free-recall conditions). Analyses based on the trace-integrity framework indicated that (a) children were susceptible to interference, (b) the locus of interference effects was at storage, (c) both younger (preschool) and older (kindergarten) children experienced similar amounts of interference, and (d) variations in trace strength generally did not modulate the magnitude of interference effects.
Fibrogranular Material, Annulate Lamellae and Microtubules During Spermiogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster

During spermiogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster, a “perinuclear plasm’ accumulates between the fenestrated portion of the nuclear envelope and an adjacent lamella of ER in the young spermatid. Microtubules appear within the perinuclear plasm and become especially concentrated in a nuclear concavity. Cytoplasmic pores are present locally within the lamella of ER. In addition, localized or discrete bodies composed of fibrogranular material become closely associated with single pore complexes in the lamella of ER. A close association exists between pore complexes (annulate lamellae), the small granular and fibrillar subunits of the fibrogranular bodies, polyribosomes and the nuclear-associated microtubules during much of spermiogenesis. While the fibrogranular material becomes less concentrated during spermiogenesis, the number of pore complexes in a single section increases such that two, three or even four short annulate lamellae are intercalated within many longitudinally oriented microtubules which are present in the furrow of the spermatid nucleus. Structural relationships observed between cytoplasmic pores (annulate lamellae), fibrogranular bodies, polyribosomes and microtubules are discussed in relation to information about the timing of RNA and protein synthesis. This study extends previous observations about the distribution and structural variations of annulate lamellae elsewhere in the spermatid cytoplasm.
Evaluating the botanical coverage of PATO using an unsupervised learning algorithm

In this paper, we explore issues in adopting PATO as a standard phenotypic quality ontology for the biological community. Using CharaParser's unsupervised learning algorithm and the Stanford Parser, we extract morphological descriptions from Flora of North America to be matched to terms in PATO. Using the resulting data, we examine PATO's coverage of botanically interesting terms in order to find gaps and to determine accuracy. To maintain PATO's neutrality, we recommend that term definitions be reevaluated and propose that complimentary ontologies be enhanced to close any outstanding gaps in terminology.
Algorithm for ribbon models of proteins

Abstract A method is presented to draw smooth, 3D ribbon models of proteins. The procedure calculates closely-spaced guide coordinates based on the peptide plane and passes regular, nearly parallel B-spline curves through them. This becomes a simple process with a graphics device having built-in B-spline generating capabilities such as the Evans and Sutherland PS300. Examination of ribbons such as these provides a useful tool for the crystallographer. Any irregularity in the ribbon is a strong visual cue, suggestive of potential problem areas during the refinement process.
Low striatal dopamine receptor availability linked to caloric intake during abstinence from chronic methamphetamine abuse

Low striatal dopamine receptor availability linked to caloric intake during abstinence from chronic methamphetamine abuse
Coulomb excitation of Li7, F19 and Na23 by Ne20 ions

Abstract Ne 20 ions of 9 to 11 MeV obtained by the acceleration of doubly charged ions in the ORNL 5.5 MV Van de Graaff have been used to study Coulomb excitation in light nuclei. Excitation of the following states has been observed: Li 7 , 478 keV; F 19 , 110 and 197 keV; Na 23 , 440 keV. Absolute values for the reduced electromagnetic transition rates have been obtained with an accuracy of ±20 %.
Fear and Avoidance of Internal Experiences in GAD: Preliminary Tests of a Conceptual Model

The tendency to fear and avoid internal experiences may be an important characteristic of individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). We review here theory and research suggesting that individuals with GAD may be experientially avoidant, and present preliminary evidence to support this model. Findings from both a non-clinical and clinical sample suggest that worry and generalized anxiety disorder may be associated with a tendency to try to avoid or control (versus accept) internal experiences, as well as a tendency to fear losing control over one’s own emotional responses (particularly anxiety). The clinical implications of these findings, along with directions for future research, are discussed.
Solid Phase Synthesis of Macrocycles by an Intramolecular Ketophosphonate Reaction. Synthesis of a (dl)-Muscone Library

The authors describe the construction of a muscone library using the powerful intramol. ketophosphonate-aldehyde condensation reaction. This adds another chem. to the solid-phase reaction library and demonstrates its power in the synthesis of natural products.
Impact of the control-channel transmission rate in a multi-channel wireless network

Multi-channel medium access control (MMAC) has the potential to significantly improve the network throughput by enabling parallel transmissions over different frequency channels. In many MMAC protocols, nodes exchange control packets over a dedicated control channel (CC). The CC transmission rate (CCR) is usually set to the lowest possible value, so as to maximize the reachability of control packets. However, in a multi-hop ad hoc network, this choice of the CCR may lead to a CC bottleneck, especially under high traffic load. While increasing the CCR can alleviate this bottleneck and improve the single-hop MMAC performance, it may also increase the number of hops along the path and hence degrade the end-to-end network performance. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the CCR on the performance of a multi-channel, multi-hop wireless network under a general MMAC protocol. To derive the queuing and channel access delays, we model the network as a G/G/1 queuing system. In our analysis, we consider detailed packet-level operations and non-saturated traffic. The average number of hops is also analytically obtained when nodes are randomly distributed. Our analysis is evaluated via network simulations, using 802.11a parameters. The simulation and numerical results reveal that the lowest transmission rate is not the optimal CCR. Our simulations show that the received power threshold has a significant impact on the optimal CCR.