cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of Epstein-Barr virus infection by recombinant interferons: selected sensitivity to interferon-γ

Interferons (IFN) are antiviral proteins that may be important in mediating cellular defenses against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. However, the means by which IFN-alpha, -beta and -gamma modify EBV infectivity are not clear. We have evaluated the effects of purified recombinant preparations of all three classes of IFN on EBV-induced B lymphocyte proliferation and Ig secretion. When added early after EBV infection, all three recombinant IFN reduced B cell outgrowth and Ig secretion. IFN-gamma exerted a 7-10-fold more potent antiviral effect than IFN-alpha or -beta. All three types of IFN act directly on B cells. Monocytes and natural killer cells are not necessary for the anti-EBV activity. Of the three recombinant IFN, only IFN-gamma reduced EBV-induced proliferation and Ig secretion when added 3-4 days after virus infection; IFN-alpha/beta were only effective up to 24 h. B lymphoblastoid lines already transformed by EBV are insensitive to the anti-proliferative actions of all three types of IFN. On the basis of these findings, we propose three phases of regulation during EBV infection. In the early phase, EBV-infected cells can be regulated by all IFN. Subsequently, there is an intermediate period where only IFN-gamma is capable of directly affecting EBV-induced B cell responses. In the third phase, B lymphocytes become insensitive to direct actions of all IFN and are now subject to regulation only by cytotoxic cells.
Improving the performance of stainless-steel DC high voltage photoelectron gun cathode electrodes via gas conditioning with helium or krypton

Abstract Gas conditioning was shown to eliminate field emission from cathode electrodes used inside DC high voltage photoelectron guns, thus providing a reliable means to operate photoguns at higher voltages and field strengths. Measurements and simulation results indicate that gas conditioning eliminates field emission from cathode electrodes via two mechanisms: sputtering and implantation, with the benefits of implantation reversed by heating the electrode. We have studied five stainless steel electrodes (304L and 316LN) that were polished to approximately 20 nm surface roughness using diamond grit, and evaluated inside a high voltage apparatus to determine the onset of field emission as a function of voltage and field strength. The field emission characteristics of each electrode varied significantly upon the initial application of voltage but improved to nearly the same level after gas conditioning using either helium or krypton, exhibiting less than 10 pA field emission at −225 kV bias voltage with a 50 mm cathode/anode gap, corresponding to a field strength of ~13 MV/m. Field emission could be reduced with either gas, but there were conditions related to gas choice, voltage and field strength that were more favorable than others.
Seismology: Breaking the slab

Two chains of seamounts on the Pacific plate subduct beneath central Japan. In the process, a fragment of the Pacific slab has become wedged in the subduction zone and may be the source of recurring deep-thrust earthquakes beneath Tokyo.
Measuring layer-specific depth-of-focus requirements

As the Rayleigh equations already tell us, improvements in imaging resolution often come at the price of a depth-offocus loss. Often we balance the resolution versus DoF dilemma without regard of the imaging layers location in the overall film stack. E.g. often several via or metal layers are processed with the same optical settings despite facing different amount of depth-of-focus requirements. In actuality, however, substrate induced focus variation can vary greatly from layers at the bottom of a film stack to the layers higher up in the film stack. In the age of super-low k1 lithography this variance needs to be taken into account on a layer specific basis when evaluating the resolution versus DoF tradeoff. We have studied substrate induced focus variation for a 45nm technology test-site as function of film stack sequence and spatial frequency, combining various measurement techniques into an overall topography spectrum. These techniques include data extraction from the exposure tools optical leveling sensor, a mechanical air gauge to calibrate the former and interferometric profiling tools. As a result, we can quantify our DoF requirement for a given layer and product and use this information to optimize our process design on a layer-by-layer basis. This work was performed by the Research Alliance Teams at various IBM Research and Development Facilities
Analysis of effect of age on synthesis of specific proteins by hepatocytes.

The effect of age on the synthesis of specific proteins by hepatocytes was studied in Fischer F344 rats using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Almost all proteins synthesized by hepatocytes from young rats were synthesized by hepatocytes isolated from old rats. Of over 500 proteins visually compared by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, only 11 proteins were observed to disappear and/or appear consistently with increasing age. The rates of synthesis of 36 randomly chosen proteins were quantified. Interestingly, the synthesis of 35 of the 36 proteins decreased between 5 and 30 months of age. The decrease in protein synthesis varied (15% to 70%) from one protein to another; i.e., a heterogeneity was observed in the age-related decrease in the synthesis of proteins. The age-related decrease in protein synthesis was statistically significant for 53% of the proteins studied. The total decrease in the rate of synthesis of all 36 proteins studied was 40% between 5 and 30 months of age, which is essentially the same as the decrease in total protein synthesis by suspension of hepatocytes isolated from 5- and 30-month-old rats. The results of this study demonstrate that the mechanism underlaying aging is different from development, which is characterized by a major change in the species of proteins synthesized by a cell.
Molecular phylogenetics and microsatellite analysis reveal cryptic species of speckled dace (Cyprinidae: Rhinichthys osculus) in Oregon’s Great Basin

Speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) is a small cyprinid that occurs throughout western North America and is the most commonly occurring fish in Oregon. Because of the high genetic and morphological variation in this species across its range, it has been referred to as a species complex; however, no revision to its taxonomy has occurred since 1984. Here, the phylogenetics and population genetics of speckled dace are examined throughout Oregon's Great Basin to describe genetic variation and infer the geographic boundaries between distinct taxonomic entities and populations. We tested the validity of a putative subspecies, Foskett Spring speckled dace, that occurs in a single spring within Warner Valley in Southeast Oregon and is listed Federally as threatened. Dace were collected from Foskett Spring and all surrounding basins containing speckled dace (Warner, Goose Lake, Lake Abert, Silver Lake, and Malheur), as well as Stinking Lake Spring (located within Malheur), created phylogenetic trees from mitochondrial ND2 and nuclear S7 sequence data, and genotyped eight microsatellite loci for population-level analyses. Three highly divergent clades warrant species-level status: Malheur stream dace, Stinking Lake Spring dace, and dace from the other four basins combined. Although Foskett Spring dace were not monophyletic, substantial population structure occurs at the basin-level and separates Foskett Spring dace from other dace in the surrounding Warner Valley. Thus, we recommend ESU status for the isolated population of speckled dace in Foskett Spring. The high, previously unrecognized, taxonomic diversity within this region indicates a need for a range-wide phylogeographic study of speckled dace and an investigation of the morphological distinctiveness of the putative new species.
NASA EOS sensors demonstrate potential for multiparameter studies of Arctic sea ice

Remote sensing of sea ice is a difficult task due to the discontinuous, complex surface (ice, water, snow) and the frequent presence of clouds. Only through combinations of data from a variety of sensor types can a thorough and complete characterization of sea ice be obtained. The sensors on the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua,Terra, and ICESat satellites represent a substantial step forward in the ability to observe sea ice.The sensors are a significant advancement over their predecessors in terms of spatial and radiometric resolution. The increased variety of geophysical data products from the sensors provides a wealth of new information about sea ice. Combinations of products from the different sensors have the potential to provide additional insights.
Triphosphane formation from the terminal zirconium phosphinidene complex [Cp2ZrPDmp(PMe3)] (Dmp=2,6-Mes2C6H3) and crystal structure of DmpP(PPh2)2

Abstract The new terminal phosphinidene complex [Cp2ZrPDmp(PMe3)] (Dmp=2,6-Mes2C6H3; 1) was prepared in 81% yield by the reaction of [Li(Et2O)][P(H)Dmp] with [Cp2Zr(Me)Cl] in the presence of excess PMe3. Compound 1 reacts with Ph2PCl to produce selectively the sterically congested triphosphane DmpP(PPh2)2 (2) and [Cp2ZrCl2] in high yields. The structure of 2 obtained by X-ray diffraction analysis of a single crystal reveals phosphorus–phosphorus bond lengths of 2.251(2) and 2.234(2) A and a PPP bond angle of 105.46(6)°.
The association between fluid balance and outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage

Background We sought to determine the association between early fluid balance and neurological/vital outcome of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.
General Education and a Fused Curriculum in Beginning French

THE concept of general education, lay opinion to the contrary, is no educational bomb of atomic nature suddenly introduced to a startled academic world. As early as 1939, through the auspices of the National Society for the Study of Education, and under the direction of Professor Alvin C. Eurich, a masterfully-documented account of developments in the field' was made available to serious-minded students of educational philosophy. Although the concept of general education may vary somewhat from one institution to another, essentially the term implies earnest consideration of the student as a developing individual in a democratic society, with stress on general values rather than emphasis on specialization. A general education curriculum, whether boldly experimental, transitional, or modestly conservative in nature, as befits the environment from whence it has sprung, shows an increasingly functional outline, a tendency to fuse departmental areas. No curriculum devised can however accomplish its purposes unless instructional procedures follow suit. However progressive or experimental a course may appear on paper, it must not be forgotten that this material is transmitted by an instructor liable to the frailties inherent in human nature. Some of the dullest classes in the writer's recollection have been those where
Biological pest control

Abstract For the purposes of energy forests, we argue that biological pest control should be interpreted as any method of using natural organisms or their products for the regulation of herbivores, below the economic threshold. The organisms include the energy forest crop species and natural enemies of pest herbivores. In natural vegetation, potentially harmful arthropod herbivores are normally regulated at low populations through a combination of bottom-up forces in food webs including edaphic factors and plant factors, and top-down effects from carnivores. Bottom-up effects tend to be strong, impacting both herbivores and carnivores in the food web, forcing the consideration of three-trophic-level systems as the minimal unit of study. Examples are provided of three-trophic-level interactions, including some on willows and poplars. Bottom-up effects may be particularly strong in juvenile Salicaceae, which are used in energy forest production, because plants are growing vigorously, and many herbivores respond positively. Some major pests on willows and poplars appear to have weak top-down regulation, and they may be influenced most by bottom-up effects such as plant resistance through genetic variation, ontogenetic aging and physiological aging. Balancing the bottom-up and top-down forces in energy forests may be difficult in short-rotation crops, but harvesting may prove to be important as a control during pest outbreaks damaging to yield. However, we suggest that many aspects of energy forests are conducive to pest control, which are enumerated, and emphasize the need for further research on native three-trophic-level systems, economic thresholds, cultural methods and crop species and genotype selection.
The thermomagnetic figure of merit of reheated pyrolytic graphite at liquid helium temperature

The dimensionless thermomagnetic figure of merit zET has been determined at 4.2°K for pyrolytic graphite that has been reheated to 3500°C after deposition. The magnetic field was applied along the `c' axis. Measurements of the Nernst coefficient, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity yielded a maximum value for zET of 3.8 × 10-3 in a field of 500 G. zET was observed to fall to 1.8 × 10-3 in a field of 5 kG; this observation was confirmed by measurement of the temperature depression due to the Ettingshausen effect as a function of current. The experimental values of zET are somewhat lower than expected on the basis of Klein's simple two-band model with an energy overlap of 0.01 ev. It appears that the mean free path is greater for phonons than for charge carriers, and it is postulated that less-perfect graphite may have superior thermomagnetic properties.
The Changing Information Systems (IS) Curriculum: A Survey of Undergraduate Programs in the United States

The core curriculum of information systems (IS) is vital to the IS field. It serves as a base of knowledge that all IS graduates should possess. Within academic and practitioners' communities, there have been constant discussions about the content of the IS core curriculum. In this article, the authors used a direct survey strategy to examine all undergraduate IS programs offered by business schools in the United States. The survey presents the core curricula of undergraduate IS programs based on accreditation criteria and the most recent IS curriculum model, IS 2002. The authors also compared the current results with those obtained 10 years ago in a separate study (J. L. Maier & S. Gambill, 1996). The research established the current baseline of undergraduate IS curricula and showed how the curricula have changed in the past decade. Information provided in this article should be valuable to IS educators and curriculum designers, as well as IS practitioners, to better understand the foundational knowledge...
Down-regulation of the Cyclin A Promoter by Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Is Associated with a Reduction in Phosphorylated Activating Transcription Factor-1 and Cyclic AMP-responsive Element-binding Protein

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 prevents cell cycle progression by inhibiting several regulators, including cyclin A. To study the mechanisms by which TGF-beta1 down-regulates cyclin A gene expression, we transfected reporter plasmids driven by the cyclin A promoter into mink lung epithelial cells in the absence and presence of TGF-beta1. The TGF-beta1-induced down-regulation of cyclin A promoter activity appeared to be mediated via the activating transcription factor (ATF) site, because mutation of this site abolished down-regulation. Surprisingly, although TGF-beta1 treatment for 24 h markedly decreased cyclin A promoter activity, it did not decrease the abundance of the ATF-binding proteins ATF-1 and cyclic AMP-responsive binding protein (CREB). However, we detected 90 and 78% reductions (by Western analysis) in phosphorylated CREB and ATF-1, respectively, in mink lung epithelial cells treated with TGF-beta1. TGF-beta1-induced down-regulation of cyclin A promoter activity was reversed by okadaic acid (a phosphatase inhibitor) and by cotransfection with plasmids expressing the cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit or the simian virus small tumor antigen (Sm-t, an inhibitor of PP2A). These data indicate that TGF-beta1 may down-regulate cyclin A promoter activity by decreasing phosphorylation of CREB and ATF-1.
Aneurysm pressure measurement before and after placement of a Pipeline stent: feasibility study using a 0.014 inch pressure wire for coronary intervention

Flow-diverting stents have provided a new endovascular capacity to reconstruct an intracranial aneurysm with its diseased parent artery. The results of first-generation flow diversion stents have been encouraging, with even large or giant treated aneurysms achieving complete angiographic occlusion at 12-month follow-up. Numerous clinical reports have described a slow progressive thrombosis pattern and gradual increase in rate of complete aneurysm obliteration over time. Despite promising early results, some complications specific to flow-diverting stents have been encountered. Chief among them is delayed aneurysm rupture. This complication did not emerge with stent-assisted coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms, and the underlying cause has not been established. However, new evidence suggests that persistent, or even increased, aneurysm pressure after stent placement may play a role in some delayed ruptures. We sought to evaluate this phenomenon by measuring intrasaccular pressure before and after stent placement using two different 0.014 inch coronary pressure measurement wires. Two patients with giant internal carotid artery aneurysms treated with flow-diverting stents were evaluated. Before and after stent deployment, intrasaccular aneurysm and systemic arterial pressures were recorded for 60 s and compared. In both cases, intrasaccular pressure measurement with the use of 0.014 inch pressure wire system was feasible; the pressure wires could be pushed out of the microcatheter placed in the aneurysms without friction or unexpected microcatheter motion. Despite successful flow-diverting stent deployment and angiographic flow diversion effects with excellent wall opposition across the aneurysm necks, there was no significant difference between intrasaccular and systemic pressures.
Firewall Policy Queries

Firewalls are crucial elements in network security, and have been widely deployed in most businesses and institutions for securing private networks. The function of a firewall is to examine each incoming and outgoing packet and decide whether to accept or to discard the packet based on its policy. Due to the lack of tools for analyzing firewall policies, most firewalls on the Internet have been plagued with policy errors. A firewall policy error either creates security holes that will allow malicious traffic to sneak into a private network or blocks legitimate traffic and disrupts normal business processes, which in turn could lead to irreparable, if not tragic, consequences. Because a firewall may have a large number of rules and the rules often conflict, understanding and analyzing the function of a firewall has been known to be notoriously difficult. An effective way to assist firewall administrators to understand and analyze the function of their firewalls is by issuing queries. An example of a firewall query is "Which computers in the private network can receive packets from a known malicious host in the outside Internet?rdquo Two problems need to be solved in order to make firewall queries practically useful: how to describe a firewall query and how to process a firewall query. In this paper, we first introduce a simple and effective SQL-like query language, called the Structured Firewall Query Language (SFQL), for describing firewall queries. Second, we give a theorem, called the Firewall Query Theorem, as the foundation for developing firewall query processing algorithms. Third, we present an efficient firewall query processing algorithm, which uses decision diagrams as its core data structure. Fourth, we propose methods for optimizing firewall query results. Finally, we present methods for performing the union, intersect, and minus operations on firewall query results. Our experimental results show that our firewall query processing algorithm is very efficient: it takes less than 10 milliseconds to process a query over a firewall that has up to 10,000 rules.
Chemical Synthesis of Polynucleotides

Current methodology for the chemical synthesis of short chains (up to about twenty nucleotide units) of deoxyribopolynucleotides is reviewed.
Atypical miRNA expression in temporal cortex associated with dysregulation of immune, cell cycle, and other pathways in autism spectrum disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) likely involve dysregulation of multiple genes related to brain function and development. Abnormalities in individual regulatory small non-coding RNA (sncRNA), including microRNA (miRNA), could have profound effects upon multiple functional pathways. We assessed whether a brain region associated with core social impairments in ASD, the superior temporal sulcus (STS), would evidence greater transcriptional dysregulation of sncRNA than adjacent, yet functionally distinct, primary auditory cortex (PAC). We measured sncRNA expression levels in 34 samples of postmortem brain from STS and PAC to find differentially expressed sncRNA in ASD compared with control cases. For differentially expressed miRNA, we further analyzed their predicted mRNA targets and carried out functional over-representation analysis of KEGG pathways to examine their functional significance and to compare our findings to reported alterations in ASD gene expression. Two mature miRNAs (miR-4753-5p and miR-1) were differentially expressed in ASD relative to control in STS and four (miR-664-3p, miR-4709-3p, miR-4742-3p, and miR-297) in PAC. In both regions, miRNA were functionally related to various nervous system, cell cycle, and canonical signaling pathways, including PI3K-Akt signaling, previously implicated in ASD. Immune pathways were only disrupted in STS. snoRNA and pre-miRNA were also differentially expressed in ASD brain. Alterations in sncRNA may underlie dysregulation of molecular pathways implicated in autism. sncRNA transcriptional abnormalities in ASD were apparent in STS and in PAC, a brain region not directly associated with core behavioral impairments. Disruption of miRNA in immune pathways, frequently implicated in ASD, was unique to STS.
On reliable curvature estimation

An empirical study of the accuracy of five different curvature estimation techniques, using synthetic range images and images obtained from three range sensors, is presented. The results obtained highlight the problems inherent in accurate estimation of curvatures, which are second-order quantities, and thus highly sensitive to noise contamination. The numerical curvature estimation methods are found to perform about as accurately as the analytic techniques, although ensemble estimates of overall surface curvature such as averages are unreliable unless trimmed estimates are used. The median proved to be the best estimator of location. As an exception, it is shown theoretically that zero curvature can be fairly reliably detected, with appropriate selection of threshold values. >
The historic biogeography and community ecology of Polynesian pigeons and doves

The species richness, taxonomic diversity, and geographic distribution of pigeons and doves (Columbidae) have been altered irreversibly in Polynesia by 3500 years of human activity. Natural (without human influence) columbid faunas are estimated primarily by studying prehistoric bones. In all Polynesian island groups studied (except outlying Easter Island, Hawaiian Islands, or New Zealand), the prehistoric columbid faunas had more species, more genera, and more species per genus than modern faunas from the same island. Congeneric species pairs or triplets occurred on many islands for Ducula, Ptilinopus, and Gallicolumba. The losses of Polynesian columbids include the extinction of at least 9 species in the genera Ducula, Ptilinopus, Macropygia, Caloenas, Gallicolumba, and Didunculus as well as the extirpation of numerous island populations of extant species. If not for human impact, a typical East Polynesian island would support at least 5-6 species of columbids in 3-4 genera (compared to 0-3 species in 0-3 genera today). A typical West Polynesian island would support at least 6-7 species in 4-5 genera (compared to 1-6 species in 1-5 genera today). Since all Polynesian pigeons and doves are frugivorous and/or granivorous, their decline in recent millennia probably has affected the composition of Polynesian forests by limiting inter- and intra-island dispersal of plant propagules.
Polymer-based flexible microlens arrays with hermaphroditic focusing properties

Polymer microlens arrays with hermaphroditic focusing behaviors are demonstrated. Each microlens in an arrays exhibits either converging or diverging focus, depending on the polarization direction of the incident light. A polymer film with patterned microlens arrays is flexible, lightweight, and ultrathin (∼50 µm). Details of the lens structure, device fabrication, and lens performance are described.
International Product Positioning

One of the cornerstones of a firm's marketing strategy in any market is the development of an appropriate product positioning plan. This paper argues that may of the same considerations that go into the positioning strategy in the home country are directly relevant for international markets. There is an added elements of complexity in that the country-of-origin of the imported product will often be a salient factor in the buyer evaluation process. The effect of country stereotype will be to shift the position of the product in the perceptual space and alter the overall evaluation of its merits. The competitive strength of the product will thus be affected by country biases. The paper shows how these factors can be dealt with in the management of the “international product positioning” task.
Improving Adherence—Sharing Experiences

Nonadherence is a significant concern for practitioners. Adherence rates have been estimated at 50%, demonstrating the need for information regarding interventions to improve adherence. Patient education through creative analogies or stories may help overcome barriers related to patient misconceptions. There is a need for individual clinicians to have a forum for sharing successful strategies used in patient adherence on an individual level. An electronic column for clinicians to share innovative approaches may fill this need.
INTERACTIONS AMONG MOTHS, CROSSBILLS, SQUIRRELS, AND LODGEPOLE PINE IN A GEOGRAPHIC SELECTION MOSAIC

Repeated patterns among biological communities suggest similar evolutionary and ecological forces are acting on the communities. Conversely, the lack of such patterns suggests that similar forces are absent or additional ones are present. Coevolution between a seed predator, the red crossbill (Loxia curvirostra complex), and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) exemplifies the ecological and evolutionary predictions for coevolving systems. In the absence of another seed predator and preemptive competitor (pine squirrels Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), natural selection by crossbills results in the evolution of larger cones with thicker distal scales, while relaxation of selection by squirrels results in the evolution of cones with more seeds and a greater ratio of seed mass to cone mass. However, in one range, the Little Rocky Mountains, distal scale thickness has diverged as expected but cone size has not. In these mountains seed predation by lodgepole pine cone borer moths (Eucosma recissoriana) was about 10 times greater than in other ranges lacking squirrels. We quantified moth predation and cone traits and found that moths select for smaller cones with fewer seeds. Thus, selection by moths in the Little Rocky Mountains counters both selection by crossbills for large cone size and relaxation of selection by squirrels favoring more seeds per cone and accounts for the relatively small and few-seeded cones in these mountains. It is also apparent that selection by crossbills changes seed defenses in a manner that favors seed predation by moths, whereas selection by squirrels likely reduces such predation. These results demonstrate the importance of considering the evolutionary consequences of community context in locally evolved (coevolved) traits and interactions.
Introducing Objectcharts or how to use Statecharts in object-oriented design

A notation called Objectcharts for specifying object classes is introduced. An Objectchart diagram is an extended form of a Statechart, which characterizes the behavior of a class as a state machine. The Objectchart transitions correspond to the state-changing methods that the class provides and those that it requires of other classes. Object attributes and observer methods annotate Objectchart states. Firing and postconditions are used to specify the effect of transitions on class attributes. The Objectchart notions is described through the development of an alarm clock application. How Objectcharts can be used to find subtyping inheritance relationships between classes and a systematic approach for evolving Objectchart specifications are shown. >
A Primer on Rational Suicide and Other Forms of Hastened Death

This article provides an overview of the major mental health issues involved in the debate over rational suicide and other forms of hastened death. In doing so, it covers the arguments for including counseling psychologists and other mental health professionals in discussions about hastened death; highlights the relevant empirical research associated with the topic, with special attention given to the studies involving psychologists and areas needing more investigation; and reviews the implications for practice and training and provides direction for those counseling psychologists who are working with persons who may be rational in their decisions to hasten death.
Technology, Geography, and Trade

We develop a Ricardian trade model that incorporates realistic geographic features into general equilibrium. It delivers simple structural equations for bilateral trade with parameters relating to absolute advantage, to comparative advantage (promoting trade), and to geographic barriers (resisting it). We estimate the parameters with data on bilateral trade in manufactures, prices, and geography from 19 OECD countries in 1990. We use the model to explore various issues such as the gains from trade, the role of trade in spreading the benefits of new technology, and the effects of tariff reduction.
Integrated parallel computing into a computer science curriculum

The author discusses an on-going curricular change at the Department of Computer Science of Allegheny College, the integration of parallelism into the curriculum. After carefully considering ways of modifying the course offerings to include parallel computation, the decision was made to integrate topics in parallelism into appropriate existing courses in the curriculum. It is believed that this approach is pedagogically sound since students learn and use several different machines and languages over the course of their studies, ensuring that they have a greater opportunity to utilize their knowledge. This approach also allows faculty members to concentrate on those aspects of parallelism that are within their own areas of expertise. >
A New Inverter for Improved Fuel Cell Performance in Grid-tied Application

The interconnection of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with the power conditioning units vis-a-vis a DC/DC converter and a DC/AC inverter for interfacing with the utility grid is presented. Fuel cells operate at low voltages and hence need to be boosted and inverted in order to be connected to the grid. The fuel cell and the DC/DC converter modeling are briefly explained. The methodology and the controller design for the control of power flow from the fuel cell to the utility grid are discussed. Power characteristics of the DC/AC inverter are compared with the characteristics of the DC/DC converter and the fuel cell. Fuel cells have slow response time which prevents it from grid-tie applications. Simulations validate the improvement in the response when the power conditioning unit is connected.
Evaluation of Daily Living Tasks: The Home Care Advantage

Occupational therapists working in home care have an advantage over those working in other settings because they can observe the influence of the naturalistic context on task performance. However, to use this advantage, therapists working in home care must use an evaluation approach that enables them to capture the client-task-context transaction. In this article, we discuss the ability of four "evaluation approaches"--norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, dynamic, informal--to provide information about the client-task-context transaction that therapists need in order to plan effective intervention. The potential of each approach for identifying clients' performance problems, suggesting etiologies, determining rehabilitation potential, and guiding intervention is analyzed, and the appropriateness of each approach for application in the home is appraised. This analysis highlights the utility of combining the criterion-referenced and dynamic assessment approaches for use in home care. A sequential process for integrating these two approaches is provided, and the proposed outcomes to be obtained from this process are identified.
A continuing dilemma: whether and how to screen for concerns about children's behavior.

1. Ellen Perrin, MD, MA* 2. Terry Stancin, PhD† 1. *Professor of Pediatrics, The Floating Hospital for Children, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 2. †Associate Professor of Pediatrics, MetroHealth Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the prevalence of child behavior problems in primary care settings. 2. List possible reasons that child behavior problems are underidentified by pediatricians. 3. Describe formal and informal procedures for identifying behavioral problems in children. 4. Delineate the advantages of and concerns about formal and informal methods for screening and assessing behavioral problems in children. 5. Decide whether and how to incorporate screening methods into practice. 6. Describe options for improving mental health services for children, including development of collaborative care practices. Pediatricians are accustomed to the use of screening in the course of primary care for children and adolescents. Screening for some problems, such as lead poisoning or anemia, involves relatively simple procedures compared with the more daunting task of screening for possible behavioral or developmental concerns. To merit population screening, a condition must be important, reasonably common, identifiable by screening before becoming evident clinically, have an effective treatment that is enhanced if provided early, and have an acceptable screening test available. Screening tests must be inexpensive to administer and score, be acceptable to patients, produce reliable results, and have adequate validity. It has been established that substantial variations and delays in children’s motor and cognitive development meet these criteria. (1) However, behavioral variations and problems are harder to define and to classify, and the boundaries of pediatricians’ responsibility are less clearly delineated. Clearly, behavioral and emotional difficulties are important in terms of both personal suffering and social consequences. High rates of depression, school failure, and violence are some indicators of late consequences. These problems are common, with up to 50% of parents expressing concern about their child’s behavior and many surveys documenting an identifiable emotional difficulty in 25% of school-age children. Limited but improving evidence documents the effectiveness of treatment for various mental health …
Complementary and alternative medicine: risks and special considerations in pretransplant and posttransplant patients.

Although herbs and botanicals have been available for thousands of years, detailed scientific research regarding the potential health benefits and risks of dietary supplements has been conducted only for the past 15–20 years. Millions of Americans use herbal supplements regularly, but many are not aware of the possible hidden dangers. Organ transplant recipients and patients with end-stage organ failure awaiting transplantation are at particularly high risk for potential complications due to herbal supplement use. This review provides background information regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in the United States, regulatory history of dietary supplements in the United States, and concerns and special considerations regarding the risks associated with dietary/herbal supplement use in pretransplant and posttransplant patients.
Investigation of Toughening and Resistance‐Curve Behavior in Hybrid Molybdenum Disilicide

This paper presents the results of a study of the toughening and resistance-curve behavior in a hybrid molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) composite that has been reinforced with 2 mol% yttria partially stabilized zirconia particles (TZ-2Y) and niobium layers. Toughening and resistance-curve behavior occur as a result of the combined effects of crack bridging and transformation toughening. Crack-tip shielding that is due to large-scale crack bridging and transformation toughening also is modeled using micromechanics concepts. The models show that the overall crack-tip shielding from transformation toughening is very limited. However, large-scale bridging by the ductile niobium layers promotes significant levels of toughening and resistance-curve behavior.
Is cytomegalovirus associated with human colorectal tumorigenesis

Despite the rapid advance in the understanding of molecular pathways underlying human colorectal tumorigenesis, the causes that initiate dysregulation of the pathways remain largely unknown. Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been implicated as a potential etiopathogenetic agent. To further investigate whether CMV participates in human colorectal tumorigenesis, we examined 23 colorectal hyperplastic polyps, 65 colorectal adenomas, and 51 colorectal adenocarcinomas by immunohistochemical analysis using 2 antibody mixtures that recognize CMV immediate early, early, and delayed gene products. The results show that while typical nuclear staining (with or without cytoplasmic positivity) was observed in control cases of CMV colitis, no nuclear positivity was detected in any cases studied. Focal and weak cytoplasmic staining was noted in a subset of cases, particularly when a higher antibody concentration was used. This staining was believed to be nonspecific, however, because it also was observed in normal-appearing colonic mucosa. In addition, polymerase chain reaction failed to detect the presence of CMV DNA in 24 selected cases showing nonspecific cytoplasmic immunostaining. These observations demonstrate an absence of CMV proteins and DNA in human colorectal adenocarcinomas and their precursor lesions.
Characterization of sonographic and mammographic features of granular cell tumors of the breast and estimation of their incidence.

Objective. The purpose of this series was to review the spectrum of sonographic and mammographic features of granular cell tumors (GCTs) of the breast and to compare their frequency relative to breast carcinoma. Methods. Ten cases of a breast GCT diagnosed during the last 13 years were analyzed for the imaging characteristics and clinical features. Sonographic images were reviewed for location, size, echogenicity, margins, height-width ratio, and sound transmission. Mammograms were reviewed for tumor size, location, margin characteristics, spiculations, and calcifications. The frequency of GCTs was compared with that of breast carcinoma during the same study period. Results. Of 10 GCT cases, 9 tumors occurred in female patients, and 1 occurred in a male patient. The mean patient age was 51.8 years, and the mean lesion size was 1.57 cm. All 7 tumors visualized on sonography were hypoechoic masses. Posterior enhancement was noted in 3 of 7 cases, and posterior shadowing was noted in 2 of 7 cases. Two of 7 did not show any posterior enhancement or shadowing. Two of 7 masses were taller than wide. Of 8 tumors visualized on mammography, 5 were spiculated, and 3 were well circumscribed. Calcifications were not visualized in any tumor. During the same period, 1482 cases of breast carcinoma were diagnosed, making the frequency of GCTs of the breast about 6.7 per thousand breast carcinomas. Conclusions. Granular cell tumors of the breast are rare neoplasms with a relative frequency of 6.7 per thousand breast carcinomas in our series, which was higher than reported in literature. Spiculations are a common imaging feature and mimic carcinoma when present. Key words: breast neoplasm; granular cell tumor; rare breast lesion.
Menia Muria: The South Moluccans fight in Holland

Abstract The campaign of terror being waged by the South Moluccan terrorists against the liberal government and society of Holland is a bizarre holdover from the European colonial era in Asia. The South Moluccan terrorists are, for the most part, angry and frustrated young men and some women who are fighting for a homeland that they have never seen, and will probably never see in their lifetime. They are the sons and grandsons of South Moluccan Indonesian soldiers who served the colonial Dutch empire in the Dutch East Indies during the civil war that raged directly after World War II when Holland tried to reclaim her empire. The defeated Moluccan soldiers and their families migrated to Holland in 1951 for temporary refuge—until a “South Moluccan Republic” could be established and they could return to their island paradise. Their children, nurtured on stories of their lost homeland, have taken up the hopeless cause of their parents—to use terror as a vehicle to force Holland, who betrayed them, and Indones...
Molecular-ink route to 13.0% efficient low-bandgap CuIn(S,Se)2 and 14.7% efficient Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 solar cells

A stable dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-based ink containing a copper–thiourea–chloride complex and an indium–DMSO–chloride complex leads to 13.0% efficient CuIn(S,Se)2 (CIS) solar cells, which is a record for solution processed CIS. The formation of these complexes was found critical to control oxidation states and loss of metals during processing and to tailor the final composition of the absorber.
Design Choices for Libraries in the Digital-Plus Era

Libraries are more important, not less so, in a digitally networked era. Despite the fact that today's mobile devices feature Google's search box and Apple's Siri to help us find a quick answer to just about any question, we ought to be investing more capital than ever in our public libraries. We need libraries in the digital era to provide a public option to ensure sustained, free, equitable access to knowledge and preservation of our cultural and scientific heritage. In a period when both the analog and digital are useful, the design choices for those building, and reimagining, libraries are many and complex. We ought to design our libraries to meet the near-term possibilities of a networked environment, as well as the long-term requirements of democratic societies and the practice of scholarship. These design choices involve trade-offs and new commitments that may pit future activities against entrenched present-day interests. The essential design choice is between reliance on ever-more efficient inter...
Effects of Explicit Instructions, Metacognition, and Motivation on Creative Performance.

Effects of explicit instructions, metacognition, and intrinsic motivation on creative homework performance were examined in 303 Chinese 10th-grade students. Models that represent hypothesized relations among these constructs and trait covariates were tested using structural equation modelling. Explicit instructions geared to originality were positively related to originality of homework, but not to fluency/flexibility of homework. Participants with high intrinsic motivation for creative work scored higher on originality as well as fluency/flexibility of homework, whereas intrinsic motivation for challenging work had an inverse effect on creative homework. Theoretical claims on the relation between explicit instructions and metacognitive activities and between the latter and creative performance were not supported by this study. The degree of explicitness of instructions and the nature of the tasks were discussed in relation to the findings on the effect of explicit instructions. Further, the difference of...
Keratinocyte growth factor administration attenuates murine pulmonary mycobacterium tuberculosis infection through granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-dependent macrophage activation and phagolysosome fusion.

Augmentation of innate immune defenses is an appealing adjunctive strategy for treatment of pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections, especially those caused by drug-resistant strains. The effect of intranasal administration of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), an epithelial mitogen and differentiation factor, on M. tuberculosis infection in mice was tested in prophylaxis, treatment, and rescue scenarios. Infection of C57BL6 mice with M. tuberculosis resulted in inoculum size-dependent weight loss and mortality. A single dose of KGF given 1 day prior to infection with 105 M. tuberculosis bacilli prevented weight loss and enhanced pulmonary mycobacterial clearance (compared with saline-pretreated mice) for up to 28 days. Similar effects were seen when KGF was delivered intranasally every third day for 15 days, but weight loss and bacillary growth resumed when KGF was withdrawn. For mice with a well established M. tuberculosis infection, KGF given every 3 days beginning on day 15 postinoculation was associated with reversal of weight loss and an increase in M. tuberculosis clearance. In in vitro co-culture experiments, M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages exposed to conditioned medium from KGF-treated alveolar type II cell (MLE-15) monolayers exhibited enhanced GM-CSF-dependent killing through mechanisms that included promotion of phagolysosome fusion and induction of nitric oxide. Alveolar macrophages from KGF-treated mice also exhibited enhanced GM-CSF-dependent phagolysosomal fusion. These results provide evidence that administration of KGF promotes M. tuberculosis clearance through GM-CSF-dependent mechanisms and enhances host defense against M. tuberculosis infection.
Increased Antibody to Herpes Simplex Virus in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Sera from patients with nasopharyngeal cancer, Burkitt's lymphoma, and primary infection with herpes simplex virus, and sera from controls were tested for antibodies to herpes simplex virus by the complement-fixation test and for antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus by fluorescent-antibody test. Sera from patients with nasopharyngeal cancer contained elevated levels of antibody to both herpes simplex and Epstein-Barr viruses, whereas sera from patients with Burkitt's lymphoma contained elevated levels of antibody to Epstein-Barr virus only. Titers of antibodies to subunits of herpes simplex virus in the sera of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer were higher than those in control sera. The levels of antibody were markedly similar to those in convalescent-phase sera of individuals with recent primary infection with herpes simplex virus. The antibody profiles of some patients with nasopharyngeal cancer were consistent with reactivated, latent infection with herpes simplex virus. We have recently reported that patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) have higher geometric mean titers of complement-fixing (CF) antibody to herpes simplex virus (HSV) than do corresponding controls [1]. This report raised the question of whether this increase in humoral antibody results from active infection with HSV or from a