cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WiFiTreasureHunt: a mobile social application for staying active physically

Smartphones these days are equipped with many embedded sensors which enable new applications across different domains, namely healthcare, environmental monitoring, social networks, and transportation. In our previous work, we developed a location-based Android-based application called Fitness Tour for combating obesity. In this poster, we present an enhanced location-based application called WiFiTreasureHunt that encourages young adults and school children who own smartphones to stay active physically. Our application includes several new features: (a) randomly generated exercise tours with hidden treasures at some selected locations, (b) group-based games where updates of group members' visits can be shown on each player's screen, and (c) social network interface that allows participating users to invite friends to participate in self-organized group competitions. The group feature allows users to exert social pressure on one another to adopt healthier lifestyle via outdoor physical activities. Our main goal is to use this application to encourage children and college students to adopt more active lifestyles and hence combat the obesity problem.
A Survey of Ethics Courses in State College and University Curricula

Angela Hernquist of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, in "A Survey of Ethics Courses in State College and University Curricula," reported on a survey showing how other state higher education institutions integrate ethics into their instructional programs and curricula.
Extein Residues Play an Intimate Role in the Rate-Limiting Step of Protein Trans-Splicing

Split inteins play an important role in modern protein semisynthesis techniques. These naturally occurring protein splicing domains can be used for in vitro and in vivo protein modification, peptide and protein cyclization, segmental isotopic labeling, and the construction of biosensors. The most well-characterized family of split inteins, the cyanobacterial DnaE inteins, show particular promise, as many of these can splice proteins in less than 1 min. Despite this fact, the activity of these inteins is context-dependent: certain peptide sequences surrounding their ligation junction (called local N- and C-exteins) are strongly preferred, while other sequences cause a dramatic reduction in the splicing kinetics and yield. These sequence constraints limit the utility of inteins, and thus, a more detailed understanding of their participation in protein splicing is needed. Here we present a thorough kinetic analysis of the relationship between C-extein composition and split intein activity. The results of the...
Intercomparison and Coupling of Ensemble and Four-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation Methods for the Analysis and Forecasting of Hurricane Karl (2010)

AbstractThis study examines the performance of ensemble and variational data assimilation systems for the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. These methods include an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), an incremental four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4DVar) system, and a hybrid system that uses a two-way coupling between the two approaches (E4DVar). The three methods are applied to assimilate routinely collected data and field observations over a 10-day period that spans the life cycle of Hurricane Karl (2010), including the pregenesis disturbance that preceded its development into a tropical cyclone. In general, forecasts from the E4DVar analyses are found to produce smaller 48–72-h forecast errors than the benchmark EnKF and 4DVar methods for all variables and verification methods tested in this study. The improved representation of low- and midlevel moisture and vorticity in the E4DVar analyses leads to more accurate track and intensity predictions by this system. In particular, E4D...
Rapid changes in throughput from single motor cortex neurons to muscle activity.

Motor cortex output is capable of considerable reorganization, which involves modulation of excitability within the cortex. Does such reorganization also involve changes beyond the cortex, at the level of throughput from single motor cortex neurons to muscle activity? We examined such throughput during a paradigm that provided incentive for enhancing functional connectivity from motor cortex neurons to muscles. Short-latency throughput from a recorded neuron to muscle activity not present during some behavioral epochs often appeared during others. Such changes in throughput could not always be attributed to a higher neuron firing rate, to more ongoing muscle activity, or to neuronal synchronization, indicating that reorganization of motor cortex output may involve rapid changes in functional connectivity from single motor cortex neurons to α-motoneuron pools.
Enteric Disease due to Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in Hospitalized Infants in Kotzebue, Alaska.

Investigations of the nature and cause of enteric disease in children under 2 years of age were conducted in Kotzebue on the Bering Sea coast of Alaska several miles above the Arctic Circle. The majority of cases of enteric disease leading to hospitalization were associated with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, an organism which previously had not been associated with enteric disease in the Far North except sporadically. Studies indicated that the source of infection was the community rather than the hospital. The predominant serotype was 0111:B4.
Neem components as potential agents for cancer prevention and treatment

Azadirachta indica, also known as neem, is commonly found in many semi-tropical and tropical countries including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The components extracted from neem plant have been used in traditional medicine for the cure of multiple diseases including cancer for centuries. The extracts of seeds, leaves, flowers, and fruits of neem have consistently shown chemopreventive and antitumor effects in different types of cancer. Azadirachtin and nimbolide are among the few bioactive components in neem that have been studied extensively, but research on a great number of additional bioactive components is warranted. The key anticancer effects of neem components on malignant cells include inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of cell death, suppression of cancer angiogenesis, restoration of cellular reduction/oxidation (redox) balance, and enhancement of the host immune responses against tumor cells. While the underlying mechanisms of these effects are mostly unclear, the suppression of NF-κB signaling pathway is, at least partially, involved in the anticancer functions of neem components. Importantly, the anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing effects of neem components are tumor selective as the effects on normal cells are significantly weaker. In addition, neem extracts sensitize cancer cells to immunotherapy and radiotherapy, and enhance the efficacy of certain cancer chemotherapeutic agents. This review summarizes the current updates on the anticancer effects of neem components and their possible impact on managing cancer incidence and treatment.
Examining structural dynamics using information flow

Abstract In this work, two different information-theoretic approaches are presented for exploring coupling in structural dynamics. Specifically, both the time delayed mutual information and the transfer entropy are used to compute the amount of information transmitted between points on a structure. The resulting “information flow” is a probabilistic quantity that makes no assumptions about the underlying model and is therefore an appropriate tool for studying both linear and nonlinear coupling mechanisms. Both metrics can be used to quantify information transport, however they stem from fundamentally different assumptions. Time-delayed mutual information may be appropriately viewed as a nonlinear cross-correlation function, while transfer entropy incorporates the information provided by one dynamical process about another’s transition probabilities. For a linear, two-degree-of-freedom structure subjected to Gaussian excitation, the exact formula for both quantities is derived. An algorithm is then presented for computing these measures from time series data and is shown to be in agreement with theory. Nonlinearity is then introduced into the system in the form of a bi-linear stiffness term between the system’s masses. As the coupling changes from linear to nonlinear, the mutual information and transfer entropy curves exhibit characteristics that clearly identify the presence and degree of nonlinearity when compared with their “linearized” versions. Possible applications of this approach include structural health monitoring, where nonlinearity is often associated with structural damage.
Discriminative stimulus effects of S(-)-methcathinone (CAT) : a potent stimulant drug of abuse

Methcathinone (“CAT”) is a CNS stimulant that is a very significant drug of abuse in the former Soviet Union. It has also appeared on the clandestine market in the United States and has been recently classified as a Schedule I substance. In the present study, S(−)-methcathinone [S(−)-CAT, 0.50 mg/kg, IP] was employed as the training drug in a two-lever drug discrimination task in rats. Once established, the S(−)-CAT stimulus was shown to have a rapid onset to action (within 5 min) and a duration of effect of approximately 60–90 min. In tests of stimulus generalization (substitution), the S(−)-CAT (ED50 = 0.11 mg/kg) stimulus generalized to S(+)-methamphetamine (ED50 = 0.17 mg/kg), S(−)-cathinone (ED50 = 0.19 mg/kg), S(+)-amphetamine (ED50 = 0.23 mg/kg), aminorex (ED50 = 0.27 mg/kg), (±)-CAT (ED50 = 0.25 mg/kg), (±)-cathinone (ED50 = 0.41 mg/kg), R(+)-CAT (ED50 = 0.43 mg/kg), cis-4-methylaminorex (ED50 = 0.49 mg/kg), methylphenidate (ED50 = 0.83 mg/kg), and cocaine (ED50 = 1.47 mg/kg). S(−)-CAT-stimulus generalization did not occur to fenfluramine, a structurally related nonstimulant anorectic. Lastly, haloperidol (AD50 = 0.18 mg/kg), a dopamine receptor antagonist, potently antagonized the S(−)-CAT stimulus. It is concluded that S(−)-methcathinone is a very potent CNS stimulant, which appears to produce its stimulus effect, at least in part, via a dopaminergic mechanism.
Self-DNA, STING-dependent signaling and the origins of autoinflammatory disease

Self-DNA has long been considered a key cause of inflammatory and autoimmune disease, although the exact origin and general mechanisms of action have remained to be elucidated. Recently, new insight has been gained into our understanding of those innate immune pathways and sensors that are responsible for instigating self-DNA triggered autoinflammatory events in the cell. One such sensor referred to as STING (for stimulator of interferon genes) has been found to be seminal for controlling cytosolic-DNA induced cytokine production, and may be responsible for a wide variety of inflammatory diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome (AGS) and STING-associated vasculopathy with onset of infancy (SAVI). STING may also be involved with augmenting certain types of carcinogen induced cancer. Aside from generating valuable information into mechanisms underlining innate immune gene regulation, these findings offer new opportunities to generate innovative therapeutics which may help treat such diseases.
The inotropic actions of adrenaline on frog ventricular muscle: relaxing versus potentiating effects

1. In frog ventricle, adrenaline increases the size of the action potential, potentiates twitch tension, and enhances relaxation. Because tension development is directly controlled by membrane potential in frog ventricle, experiments were designed to separate the effects of adrenaline on the action potential from its effects on the development of tension. 2. Comparison of the tension—voltage relations in the presence and absence of adrenaline showed that during the initial portion of the voltage clamp step, adrenaline potentiated tension, but beyond 1 sec into the clamp pulse tension was depressed. 3. The time and voltage dependence of the positive inotropic effect of adrenaline during voltage clamp pulses were compatible with the kinetics of the slow inward current, which is known to be augmented by adrenaline in frog and mammalian ventricle. 4. Ni2+, which has been shown to block the slow inward current in frog ventricle, also inhibited the positive inotropic effect of adrenaline. 5. The relaxant effect of adrenaline was demonstrated to be present at least as early as 600 msec after the onset of membrane depolarization. However, generally 1 sec or more of membrane depolarization was required before the relaxant effect of adrenaline predominated over its positive inotropic effect. 6. In catecholamine depleted strips, the augmentation of the action potential and twitch tension in the presence of adrenaline was found to occur at a sixty-fold lower concentration than the relaxant effect as judged by suppression of KCl-induced contractures. 7. Pure β-receptor agonists reproduced completely the electromechanical effects of adrenaline on the frog ventricle. α-receptor agonists or antagonists had no effect on action potential or development of tension. 8. Cyclic AMP and dibutyryl cyclic AMP were found to augment the frog ventricular action potential and potentiate twitch tension in reserpinized or β-blocked frog ventricular strips. However, none of the relaxant effects of catecholamines could be reproduced by these agents alone. 9. Theophylline produced changes in the action potential similar to those induced by adrenaline and mimicked both the positive inotropic and relaxant effects of the drug. 10. The results suggest that the positive inotropic effects of adrenaline results mainly from changes induced in the action potential plateau. The changes are both time and voltage dependent, and if inhibited, leave the relaxant effect of adrenaline unopposed. 11. The findings are consistent with a cyclic AMP-mediated mechanism of the positive inotropic effect of adrenaline. However, the role of cyclic AMP in mediating the relaxant effects of adrenaline is less clear.
Valence band offset and Schottky barrier at amorphous boron and boron carbide interfaces with silicon and copper

Abstract In order to understand the fundamental charge transport in a-B:H and a-BX:H (X = C, N, P) compound heterostructure devices, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been utilized to determine the valence band offset and Schottky barrier present at amorphous boron compound interfaces formed with (1 0 0) Si and polished poly-crystalline Cu substrates. For interfaces formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of a-B4–5C:H on (1 0 0) Si, relatively small valence band offsets of 0.2 ± 0.2 eV were determined. For a-B:H/Cu interfaces, a more significant Schottky barrier of 0.8 ± 0.16 eV was measured. These results are in contrast to those observed for a-BN:H and BP where more significant band discontinuities (>1–2 eV) were observed for interfaces with Si and Cu.
Dosimetric characterization of 142Pr glass seeds for brachytherapy.

Abstract A glass bead consisted of the β − -emitting 142 Pr is proposed for brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer. Appropriate radionuclide and seed dimensions were selected and sample seeds were manufactured. For the quantitative dosimetric parameters, two-dimensional dose distributions were calculated using the MCNP5 Monte Carlo code and measured using radiochromic film. The computational results compared well with measurements. Dose at 0.6 cm from the seed center can exceed 130 Gy. The reference dose rate, radial dose function and the anisotropy function were derived.
Color and Myoglobin Concentration in Turkey Meat as Affected by Age, Sex and Strain

Abstract FURTHER processing has enabled the turkey industry to enter a new and dynamic phase of its history. The increased use of turkey in fabricated products has surfaced new problems with respect to color control. Processors are in need of guidelines to control uniformity of color and development of color abnormalities. Processing factors, as they affect color, have been studied by numerous workers. Pool et al. (1954) investigated the effect of scald temperatures on turkey meat color. Higher scald temperatures (60°C.) resulted in loss of pigmentation of the skin due to removal of the cuticle. Loss of the cuticle exposed a shiny pinkish surface that was susceptible to dehydration and oxidation. Baker (1954) reported similar findings using chicken broilers and further noted that the rate of freezing played a significant role in the magnitude of the discoloration. Faster freezing promoted a lighter color which became progressively darker as rate of freezing . . .
National Human Resource Development in practice: an interview with M.V. Subbiah

Theory and research in National Human Resource Development (NHRD) to date has relied extensively on literature reviews or on the analysis of secondary sources of data. To address this perceived gap, I elected to interview an NHRD practitioner to advance the scholarly conversation using the case example of India. This article is an interview with the chairperson of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), India. The NSDC is the first private–public–government partnership or coalition, organized to support workforce education and development issues. Given the urgent demand for a skilled workforce, the Government of India has targeted skill development of 500 million people in the next decade (NSDC website). In terms of the state of the art in NHRD practice, the goals of the organization (NSDC) and the perspectives shared by the chairperson offer valuable insights in the implementation of one of the many evolving NHRD strategies in India. Interestingly, the chairperson of the NSDC, in a previous li...
Automated arterial input function identification using iterative self organizing maps

Quantification of cerebral blood flow and volume using dynamic-susceptibility contrast MRI relies on deconvolution with the arterial input function (AIF) - commonly estimated from signal changes in a major artery. Manual selection of AIF is user-dependent and typical selection in primary arteries leads to errors due to bolus delay and dispersion. An AIF sampled form the primary as well as the peripheral arteries should minimize these errors. We present a fully automated technique for the identification of the AIF by classifying the pixels in the imaging set into unique classes using a Kohonen self organizing map, followed by an iterative refinement of the previous selections. Validation was performed across 31 pediatric patients by comparison with manually identified AIF and a recently published automated AIF technique. Our technique consistently yielded higher bolus peak heights and over 50% increase in the area under the first pass, therefore lowering the values obtained for blood flow and volume. This technique provides a robust and accurate estimation of the arterial input function and can easily be adapted to extract the AIF locally, regionally or globally as suitable to the analysis.
Marijuana as a Socio-Political Issue: Attitudes of Officials in a Selected Community:

The inability of health educators to alter students marijuana using behavior is attributed to a lack of recognition of certain political, social, and cultural factors. It was hypothesized that officials responsible for making and enforcing current marijuana laws would perceive users as unconventional, political radicals, and subversives. Also hypothesized was that officials would support the present harsh marijuana laws. These hypotheses were not substantiated by the data collected from 84 community officials.
Quantitative assessment of the electroencephalogram in renal disease

EEGs wre recorded from renal patients to determine if there are quantifiable characteristic changes in the EEG was quantified by calculating the percentage of spectral power in the bandwidth 3-7 c/sec referrred to a frequency range of 3-13 c/sec and by computing the mean frequency of the dominant rhythm in the EEG. Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations, as well as a self-assessment of the patient's clinical condition, were recorded. The general finding of this research is that EEG slowing, as evaluated by power spectral techniques, is correlated with uremia-associated variables. 1. In a non-dialyzed patient population with renal failure, slowing in the EEG was found to be directly corelated with increased creatinine concentrations. 2. Quantitative measures of slow wave activity computed using power spectral techniques were found to be highly corelated with an estimate of slowing made by an electroencephalographer. 3. Compared with undialyzed azotemic patients, malignant hypertensive patients with comparable serum creatinine concentrations typically displayed increased slow wave activity, while slowing was generally reduced in the dialyzed patient population. 4. A series of EEGs recorded from one patient during the first three dialyses of her life revealed that slow wave activity decreased during each successive dialysis. In another patient, all quantified EEG values recorded prior to renal transplantation significantly improved after transplantation...
Biomedical Manufacturing: A New Frontier of Manufacturing Research

A new frontier of manufacturing research, biomedical manufacturing, is presented. Advanced manufacturing technologies, such as manufacturing processes, systems, and quality control, can be readily applied to improve the safety, quality, cost, and speed of medical and healthcare service and research. The analogy of hospital as factory is explored to define biomedical manufacturing. Characteristics and engineering needs of biomedical manufacturing are discussed. Examples in interventional cardiology on the grinding and cutting of plaque and the tissue machining on minimizing the nerve tissue thermal damage in surgery are used to demonstrate the broad spectrum of biomedical manufacturing research. On education, the scope and lessons learned from teaching a new senior undergraduate/first-year graduate level course in Biomedical Design and Manufacturing are presented.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Nonparametric estimation of joint discrete-continuous probability densities with applications

Abstract This investigation considers nonparametric estimation of the joint probability density function of a random vector ( X , Y ) where X is discrete and Y is continuous. Using both the kernel density estimation (for the continuous co-ordinate) and a discrete analog (for the discrete co-ordinate), we define a class of ‘kernel’ type joint estimates. Basic properties of this estimate are studied. In addition, applications of the results to non-parametric regression when the regressor is a discrete random variable as well as to the case of mixed regressors, and to a discrete version of ‘index coefficient’ (cf. Powell et al., 1989, Econometrica , 57, 1403–1430) are presented. Optimal choices of the smoothing parameters are also discussed.
Cell polarity protein Lgl2 is lost or aberrantly localized in gastric dysplasia and adenocarcinoma: an immunohistochemical study.

The diagnosis of gastric epithelial dysplasia, a precursor lesion of gastric adenocarcinoma, is hindered by interobserver variability and by its resemblance to regenerative changes. Loss of cell polarity, a histological feature of gastric epithelial dysplasia, may be difficult to ascertain, especially in the setting of inflammation or injury. A biomarker of cell polarity could be useful in diagnosis of dysplasia, but has not been reported. The Lethal giant larvae (lgl) gene controls apical–basal polarity of epithelial cells in Drosophila, and has properties of a tumor-suppressor gene. Two homologs, lgl1 and lgl2, are present in mammals and lgl2 mRNA is highly expressed in the stomach. The goal of our study was to test the hypothesis that Lgl2 protein expression and/or localization are disrupted in gastric epithelial dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. Routinely processed pathology specimens including 94 benign mucosae of digestive organs, in addition to 36 reactive gastropathy, 57 gastric epithelial dysplasia, and 77 gastric adenocarcinomas, were immunostained for Lgl2 protein. All normal, reactive, and chronically inflamed gastric epithelia showed basolateral Lgl2 staining. Normal esophageal, duodenal, colonic, biliary, and pancreatic duct mucosae, as well as gastric intestinal metaplasia, did not express Lgl2. All but one case each of gastric epithelial dysplasia and adenocarcinoma showed either complete loss of anti-Lgl2 immunoreactivity or diffuse, mostly weak, cytoplasmic staining. Complete loss of immunoreactivity was significantly more often observed in diffuse-type than in intestinal-type adenocarcinomas (79 vs 48%, respectively). Our data suggest that Lgl2 expression is either aberrantly localized or lost in gastric epithelial dysplasia and adenocarcinoma, whereas it is maintained in reactive gastric mucosa. We propose that Lgl2 may be a potential marker to rule out gastric epithelial dysplasia and adenocarcinoma in diagnostic specimens. However, the consistently negative anti-Lgl2 immunoreactivity seen in intestinal metaplasia does not allow differentiation of dysplasia from intestinal metaplasia with reactive change.
RF power amplification: Can CMOS deliver?

The total energy consumed by cellular telephones in the United States is currently estimated at about 750,000 times the energy used by an average home in one year. Moreover, about 7,500 tons of CO2 are emitted into the atmosphere.
Adaptive Transceivers for Mobile Free-Space Optical Communications

Free-space optical (FSO) communication links are susceptible to a tremendous amount of variability and offer a real challenge for efficient, robust system design. Whether changes in link margin are predictable (i.e. weather conditions or mission profiles) or truly random (i.e. atmospheric turbulence induced scintillation or boundary layer induced tracking errors), FSO communication systems will experience a large dynamic range of performance through most mission scenarios. Recent system designs within commercial, academic, and military organizations have focused on leveraging COTS technology from the fiber optic telecommunications industry. These systems are typically based on fixed designs that use set data rates and modulation formats. Utilizing such modalities in a mobile free-space environment can lead to systems that are either overly conservative or have a high rate of failure. To maximize overall system efficiency, we propose a transceiver architecture with rate and modulation agility. The presented transceiver is built with COTS components, supports data rate adjustability, and can switch modulation formats between Differential Phase-Shift Keying (DPSK), Binary Pulse-Position Modulation (BPPM), and On-off-Keying (OOK). A prototype system illustrating adaptive operation is presented and experimental results are shown.
Measurements of Rb trap-loss collision spectra

We describe studies of excited-state/ground-state collisions between optically trapped Rb atoms. Collision rates are deduced from the transients observed as atoms are loaded into a vapor-cell optical trap. The rates are measured as a function of the frequency of the light used to excite the atom pairs. A comparison of the results for 85Rb and 87Rb shows that excited-state hyperfine interactions play a vital role in the dynamics of the collisions. In addition, the absolute rates are smaller than those expected from recent models.
Police departments under social science scrutiny

The common flaw in research on police work is the failure to observe principles of organizational analysis. This is often the result of treating individual police officers, rather than the department, as the unit of analysis. Here we review the design of eight recent studies selected to illustrate both the usual neglect and the occasional sophisticated application of three organizational principles. These principles are: attention to organizational unity; analysis of subgroups; and examination of the organizational environment.
Spatial distribution of responses to simple and complex sounds in the primary auditory cortex.

The basic functional organization of the cat primary auditory cortex is discussed as it is revealed by electrophysiological studies of the distribution of elementary receptive field (RF) parameters. R
The Engineering Of Optical Absorption Coefficients In Strained Multiquantum Well Systems

A detailed experimental and theoretical study of the optical transitions in strained quantum wells has been carred out. The quantum wells are grown so that the well region is under biaxial compressive (InvGai As/A1 Gai As system) or under biaxial tensile (GaAs/ InGaAlAs or GaAsP/A1GaAs systems)ltrainY. lfiYs allows the possibility of reversing the light hole-heavy hole ordering. Theoretical studies are based on solving the Kohn-Luttinger Hamiltonian for the hole state after taking account of the strain via a deformation potential formalism. Experimental data were obtained from low-temperature absorption measurements. Emphasis has been given, in particular, to quantum well structures with biaxial tensile strain in the well region. In this structure, by a careful selection of strain, coincidence of light hole (LH) and heavy hole (HH) states has been achieved and this has consequently enhanced absorption coefficient by a factor of about 2. Theoretical studies on the GaAs (well)/InGaAlAs (barrier) and GaAsP/AlGaAs structures confirm this enhancement is due to increase in the oscillator strength due to the merger of the HH and LH excitons and an increase in joint density of states as a result of large in-plane hole masses. This behavior opens up the possibility of artificially enhancing the quantum efficiency of high frequency photodiodes or of fabricating modulator with high on/ off ratio.
Frequency of fungemia in hospitalized pediatric inpatients over 11 years at a tertiary care institution.

Objectives. To determine the frequency of bloodstream fungal infections in children who were admitted to our tertiary institution over an 11-year period. Methods. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who were aged 0 to 21 years, had bloodstream fungal infections, and were admitted to the University of California, Los Angeles from 1991 through 2001. Patients were identified through the microbiology laboratory database. All positive fungal cultures for pediatric inpatients were reviewed. For each fungemic patient, a review of clinical course, cause, and outcome was performed. Results. Over 11 years, 1124 pediatric inpatients with 3633 positive cultures had evidence of fungal colonization or infection. The mean incidence of positive fungal cultures increased from 105 between 1991 and 1996 to 129 patients per year between 1997 and 2001. Fungal isolates were mainly Candida species (85%) obtained primarily from respiratory (41%) and urine (27%) cultures. Only 7.5% of positive fungal cultures were from blood, although 24490 pediatric admissions prompted 72960 bacterial and fungal blood cultures, at charges of $2.52 million. Of 14592 fungal blood cultures, <2% ( n = 272) were positive, involving <1% ( n = 97) of patients. The mean rise in number of children with fungemia was significant, from 6.8 between 1991 and 1996 to 13.0 patients per year between 1997 and 2001. Fungemia was associated with a high all-cause mortality rate (46%), particularly in immunocompromised patients (57%). Organisms recovered were primarily Candida species (91%). There was a decline in C albicans and C glabrata fungemia and an increase in C parapsilosis organisms. In 84% of patients, fungal organisms were isolated from both bacterial and fungal blood cultures, and in 74%, the same organism was isolated from additional body sites. Conclusions. Episodes of fungemia increased significantly over 11 years as compared with a moderate increase in positive fungal cultures and were associated with high all-cause mortality rates. More sensitive assays for early identification of fungal bloodstream infections are warranted.
A model for reliability analysis of multi-state manufacturing systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the reliability analysis of a multi-state manufacturing system with different performance levels. In, fact, reliability assessment of manufacturing systems gives a reasonable demonstration of system performance. Design/methodology/approach – This research utilizes a multi-state system reliability analysis to develop a new metric for evaluating production systems. Findings – The proposed model provides a sensible measure to assess the system situation against the best-case scenario of a production line. Originality/value – The proposed model incorporates not only failures that stop production but also deals with partial failures where the system continues to operate at reduced performance rates. The analyses are represented in a best-case vs worst-case situation. Each of these cases provides insight for managers with respect to planning operation and maintenance activities.
Introduction: peer influences on learning: where are they?

Abstract This introduction sets the stage for the themed issue. It describes the ambiguities inherent in the interpretation of the literature on compositional and peer effects and the genesis of the project. The balance of the introduction then describes the approach adopted to search for peer effects. First, there is a brief outline of the Barr and Dreeben (How Schools Work, University of Chicago, Chicago; Sociol. Educ. 61 (1988) 129) model as a conceptual heuristic to aid in the search for peer effects. Second, a distinction is made between compositional and peer effects. Third, there is description of the evidence used to identify compositional effects in the empirical literature and the role of theory and data in determining whether these effects implicate peers. The introduction concludes with an outline of the organization of the themed issue.
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Knowledge-based authentication (KBA) has gained prominence as a user authentication method for electronic transactions. This paper presents a Bayesian network model of KBA grounded in probabilistic reasoning and information theory. The probabilistic semantics of the model parameters naturally lead to the definitions of two key KBA metrics - guessability and memorability. The statistical modeling approach allows parameter estimation using methods such as the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE). The information-theoretic view helps to derive the closed-form solutions to estimating the guessability and guessing entropy metrics. The results related to KBA metrics and the models under different attacking strategies and factoid distributions are unified under a game-theoretic framework that yields lower and upper bounds of optimal guessability. The paper also proposes a methodology for implementing a Bayesian network-based KBA system. Further, an empirical evaluation of the relative merits of two Bayesian network structures for KBA, the naive Bayes (NB) and the tree augmented naive Bayes (TAN), confirms the hypothesis that the TAN structure is superior in terms of authentication accuracy and error rates. The results of the theoretical analysis and the empirical study provide insights into the KBA design problem and establish a foundation for future research in the KBA area
Future Circuit Aspects of Solid-State Phenomena

Future electric circuits will depend more and more on new solid-state phenomena and on solid devices which perform increasingly complex circuit functions. This paper discusses several specific phenomena of interest to circuit and device engineers, namely, superconductivity, molecular amplification, magnetic effects in semiconductors, and nonlinear capacitance in junctions. The paper concludes with a presentation of the potential advantages of controlled inhomogeneity in all types of solid-state devices. It is indicated that, by departing from uniform, homogeneous materials, it is possible to produce new effects and improved performance. Ultimately, controlled inhomogeneity may lead to solid devices which combine the functions of many conventional components and associated wiring.
Enhanced situational technologies applied to ship channels

The Houston Ship Channel ranks as America's number one port in foreign tonnage by welcoming more than 50,000 cargo ships and barges annually. Locally 196,000 jobs, 5.5 billion dollars in business revenue and 213 million dollars in taxes are generated. Unfortunately, 32 days of each year vessel traffic stops for hours due to fog causing an estimated 40- 100 million dollars loss as ships idly wait in the channel for weather to clear. In addition, poor visibility has contributed to past vessel collisions which have resulted in channel closure, and associated damage to property and the environment. Today's imaging technology for synthetic vision systems and enhanced situational awareness systems offers a new solution to this problem. Whereas, typically these systems have been targeted at aircraft landing systems the channel navigation application provides a peripheral ground based market. This paper describes two imaging solutions to the problem. One using an active 35 GHz scanning radar and the other using a 94 GHz passive millimeter wave camera.
Pulmonary Effects of Repeated Episodic Exposures to Nitric Acid Vapor Alone and in Combination with Ozone

Inhaled acids are associated with adverse health effects, a conclusion based largely on studies with particulate-associated acid sulfates. The acidic component of ambient air in some regions, such as California, contains nitric acid (HNO3) vapor, but there is a limited database concerning its biological effects. Furthermore, effects of HNO3 may be modulated by coexposure to other pollutants, such as ozone (O3). Rabbits were exposed for 4 h/day, 3 dayslwk for 4 wk to HNO3 vapor at 0, 50, 150, and 450 μg/m3 alone; 0.15 ppm O3 alone; or to a mixture of 50 μg/m3 HNO3 + 0.15 ppm O3. Exposure was followed by assays of biochemical markers in lavage fluid, pulmonary macrophage function, and in vitro bronchial responsivity to smooth muscle constrictor challenge. Nitric acid had no effect on viability or numbers of cells recovered, nor on lactate dehydrogenase or total protein in lavage. All acid concentrations reduced both basal levels and stimulated production of superoxide anion by macrophages, while the...
Prediction of magmatic water contents via measurement of H2O in clinopyroxene phenocrysts

Water is fundamental to magma genesis, evolution, and eruption. Few direct measurements of magmatic H 2 O exist, however, because rocks found at the surface have extensively degassed upon eruption. Olivine-hosted melt inclusions provide a standard approach to measur ing volatiles in undegassed magma, but many volcanic deposits do not contain melt inclusions large enough for analysis (>30 μm), or olivine at all. Here we use an Al IV -dependent partitioning relationship to calculate magmatic H 2 O from direct measurements of H 2 O in clinopyroxene phenocrysts. We test this approach using phenocrysts from four arc volcanoes (Galunggung, Irazu, Arenal, and Augustine) that span the global range in H 2 O contents as measured in olivine-hosted melt inclusions (from 0.1 to 7 wt% H 2 O). The average and maximum magmatic H 2 O contents calculated from the clinopyroxene measurements agree within 15% of the melt inclusion values for most of the samples. The evolutionary paths recorded in H 2 O-Mg# variations overlap in some clinopyroxene and olivine-hosted melt inclusion populations, and in others, the clinopyroxenes record a larger portion of the liquid line of descent or a different portion of the magma system. Thus, the use of phenocrysts to estimate magmatic H 2 O contents creates a new and powerful tool in igneous petrology and volcanology.
Conservation, duplication, and loss of the Tor signaling pathway in the fungal kingdom

Background The nutrient-sensing Tor pathway governs cell growth and is conserved in nearly all eukaryotic organisms from unicellular yeasts to multicellular organisms, including humans. Tor is the target of the immunosuppressive drug rapamycin, which in complex with the prolyl isomerase FKBP12 inhibits Tor functions. Rapamycin is a gold standard drug for organ transplant recipients that was approved by the FDA in 1999 and is finding additional clinical indications as a chemotherapeutic and antiproliferative agent. Capitalizing on the plethora of recently sequenced genomes we have conducted comparative genomic studies to annotate the Tor pathway throughout the fungal kingdom and related unicellular opisthokonts, including Monosiga brevicollis, Salpingoeca rosetta, and Capsaspora owczarzaki.
Structure and Dynamics of a Processive Brownian Motor: The Translating Ribosome

There is mounting evidence indicating that protein synthesis is driven and regulated by mechanisms that direct stochastic, large-scale conformational fluctuations of the translational apparatus. This mechanistic paradigm implies that a free-energy landscape governs the conformational states that are accessible to and sampled by the translating ribosome. This scenario presents interdependent opportunities and challenges for structural and dynamic studies of protein synthesis. Indeed, the synergism between cryogenic electron microscopic and X-ray crystallographic structural studies, on the one hand, and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) dynamic studies, on the other, is emerging as a powerful means for investigating the complex free-energy landscape of the translating ribosome and uncovering the mechanisms that direct the stochastic conformational fluctuations of the translational machinery. In this review, we highlight the principal insights obtained from cryogenic electron microscopic, X-ray crystallographic, and smFRET studies of the elongation stage of protein synthesis and outline the emerging themes, questions, and challenges that lie ahead in mechanistic studies of translation.
Homebrew databases: complexities of everyday information management in nonprofit organizations

Many people manage a complex assortment of digital information in their lives. Volunteer coordinators at nonprofit organizations are no exception; they collectively manage information about millions of volunteers every year. Yet current information management systems are insufficient for their needs. In this paper, we present results of a qualitative study of the information management practices of volunteer coordinators. We identify the resource constraints and the diverse and fluid information needs, stakeholders, and work contexts that motivate their information management strategies. We characterize the assemblages of information systems that volunteer coordinators have created to satisfice their needs as 'homebrew databases.' Finally, we identify additional information management challenges that result from the use of these 'homebrew databases,' highlighting deficiencies in the appropriateness and usability of databases and information management systems, more generally.
The J-Point Revisited

To the Editor: Oh, the diabolical J-curve! Will we ever resolve this issue? Recently, you published a posthoc analysis1 of data from the Valsartan in Acute Myocardial Infarction Trial that showed, inter alia, that, after a myocardial infarction (MI), a sustained low blood pressure (BP; systolic BP <100 mm Hg on 2 of the post-MI visits at 1, 3, and 6 months) was a marker for bad cardiovascular outcomes. We were also told, incidentally, that this subset of patients had a significantly higher incidence of anterior MI and Q-wave MI and significantly higher maximum creatine kinase values during the MI than those who had normal BPs at 1, 3, and 6 months. In my view, these …
Recommendations to Congress and Their Rationale: The Holtzman Project.

This article concerns recommendations made in a report to Congress and the Department of Education on evaluation offederally supported education programs. The work covers local, state, and federal efforts to address questions about why and how well evaluations are done, and about how results are used. The recommendations are directed toward improving the quality of evaluations and enhancing their usefulness.
What Stories We Tell When We Talk about Torture: Mapping the Geopolitics of Compassion and the Post-Abu-Ghraib National Family in 24: Redemption and Rendition:

This paper constellates two post-Abu-Ghraib cinematic texts, John Cassar's 24: Redemption (2008) and Gavin Hood's Rendition (2007), and examines how they manage national anxieties of shame and complicity through geopolitically determined displays of compassion. Collectively, these films depict good white citizens of the world who reconcile the disillusioned viewer to the national family by feeling for racialized subjects in pain. Scrutinizing the familial aesthetics that structure both texts, I consider what normative conditions must first be met in order for the racialized subject to be included in the national family and, more expansively, the human family on which the prohibitions against torture are predicated. Following Judith Butler's argument in Frames of War that ‘the human’ is a norm that can be enunciated or silenced, I map the selective admission of scenes of suffering into the ethico-political visual horizon of the US and argue that their admission or emergence assuages the shame of the post-A...
Rationality and Identity in the Participation Choices of Female Maquila Workers

Under the significant structural obstacles to labor mobilization in market economies and the male domination of labor federations, what motivates female export-processing zone (EPZ) workers to participate in labor organization? Why do female workers participate in traditional laborunions or alternative women’s organizations that similarly claim to represent them?This article addresses these questions using original survey data from female EPZ workers in the garment industries of Honduras and Nicaragua. The author applies insights fromrational choicetheory and identity approaches and examines howgender and class influence femaleworkers’organizing in Central American EPZs. Logistic and ordinal logistic regression estimates show that this group of workers participates in labor organizations because of not individual selective incentives but rather aspects of identity formation. The survey data illustrate that shared interests cannot be assumed for similarly situated popular subjects who experience the multip...
Integrated Scheduling and Dynamic Optimization of Sequential Batch Processes with Online Implementation

An efficient decomposition method to solve the integrated problem of scheduling and dynamic optimization for sequential batch processes is proposed. The integrated problem is formulated as a mixed-integer dynamic optimization problem or a large-scale mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem by discretizing the dynamic models. To reduce the computational complexity, we first decompose all dynamic models from the integrated problem, which is then approximated by a scheduling problem based on the flexible recipe. The recipe candidates are expressed by Pareto frontiers, which are determined offline by using multiobjective dynamic optimization to minimize the processing cost and processing time. The operational recipe is then optimized simultaneously with the scheduling decisions online. Because the dynamic models are encapsulated by the Pareto frontiers, the online problem is a mixed-integer programming problem which is much more computationally efficient than the original MINLP problem, and allows the online implementation to deal with uncertainties. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 2379–2406, 2013