cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Y(III) interactions with guanine oligonucleotides covalently attached to aqueous/solid interfaces.

The binding of Y(III) ions to surface-immobilized single-stranded 20-mers of guanine was studied using the Eisenthal χ(3) technique and AFM. The free energy of binding for Y(III) to the G20 sequence was found to be −39.5(8) kJ/mol. Furthermore, yttrium binds much more strongly to surface-immobilized oligonucleotides than the divalent metals previously reported. At maximum surface coverage, Y(III) ion densities range between one to three ions bound per strand. Comparatively, Mg(II) binds to the G20-functionalized interface in much higher ion densities. This result may be explained, in part, by the larger hydration sphere radius of Y(III) compared to that of Mg(II). The ion loading and binding free energy results, in conjunction with other surface and bulk aqueous phase studies, suggest that a fully hydrated +2 or +3 yttrium ion binds to the oligonucleotides through an outer-sphere mechanism. Tapping mode AFM results indicate that oligonucleotide height does not appreciably decrease following Y(III) binding...
Motherhood, apple pie, hemoglobin A(1C), and the DCCT.

ABSTRACT Objective To review recent literature on the limitations of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) as a marker of glycemic control. Methods English-language literature published between 1985 and 2011 was reviewed specific to analyses of major trials relating glycemic control to complications of diabetes mellitus, as expressed through HbA1c as a marker of glycemic control. Results HbA1c has been accepted as the most fundamental biomarker in diabetes, if not all of medicine, as it clearly predicts risk for diabetes-related complications. What is not generally appreciated is that HbA1c is a crude marker of glycemia with many limitations. It is now accepted that HbA1c does not reflect mean glucose for many people, and even for those it does, any level could represent a wide range of glycemia. While we have learned HbA1c is not a perfect biomarker, we also know that in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, HbA1c could only explain 11% of the variation in retinopathy risk between the conventional and intensive therapy groups. This important finding suggests that other glycemic and nonglycemic factors may be responsible for the pathogenesis of diabetes-related complications. One candidate is glycemic variability, which must be differentiated from postprandial hyperglycemia since hypoglycemia can also result in inflammatory activation. Importantly, although it is clear that in insulin-requiring patients glycemic variability is associated with hypoglycemia, we require a definitive prospective trial to confirm glycemic variability’s association with one or more vascular complications. Conclusions What is abundantly clear is that the HbA1c message, as we know it, is too simplistic. While certain wholesome concepts such as motherhood and apple pie are accepted by all, the HbA1c message may be more complex than originally appreciated, and it may be time to reevaluate our most basic premise in diabetes. (Endocr Pract. 2012;18:78-84)
Effects of Chain Length on the Mechanism and Rates of Metal-Catalyzed Hydrogenolysis of n-Alkanes

C–C cleavage in C2–C10 n-alkanes involves quasi-equilibrated C–H activation steps to form dehydrogenated intermediates on surfaces saturated with H atoms. These reactions are inhibited by H2 to similar extents for C–C bonds of similar substitution in all acyclic and cyclic alkanes and, thus, show similar kinetic dependences on H2 pressure. Yet, turnover rates depend sensitively on chain length because of differences in activation enthalpies (ΔH⧧) and entropies (ΔS⧧) whose mechanistic origins remain unclear. Density functional theory (DFT) estimates of ΔH⧧ and ΔG⧧ for C–C cleavage via >150 plausible elementary steps for propane and n-butane reactants on Ir show that hydrogenolysis occurs via α,β-bound RC*–C*R′⧧ transition states (R = H, CxH2x+1) in which two H atoms are removed from each C*. Calculated ΔH⧧ values decrease with increasing alkane chain length (C2–C8), consistent with experiment, because attractive van der Waals interactions with surfaces preferentially stabilize larger transition states. A c...
Fertility after the age of 40.

SUMMARY There is approximately a 50% decrease in the fertility rate of unselected women attempting pregnancy at age 40 or older compared with younger women and a two to three fold increased rate of spontaneous abortion. Approximately 45% of older women achieve a term outcome, however. Proper counseling of the older patient should include a realistic view of the following risks: a 30% to 50% reduced pregnancy potential, effect of pregnancy on other maternal illnesses, an increased risk of pre-eclampsia, hypertension, and diabetes,1 and an increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities, abortion, and stillbirth. Knowing these risks, additional testing for ovarian reserve may help to identify women with favorable indices in whom IVF, other forms of assisted reproduction, or surgery to restore fertility are most appropriate. Women with decreased ovarian reserve could be offered oocyte donation as an alternative to surgical correction for infertility, because pregnancy rates are excellent when donor oocytes are transferred to the uteri of women older than the age of 40. In short, age alone should no longer be a deterrent in the treatment of infertility.
A Detailed Analysis of Mandibular Angle Fractures: Epidemiology, Patterns, Treatments, and Outcomes.

Purpose The purpose was to analyze mandibular angle fractures by examining epidemiologic trends and mechanisms of injury and to determine whether a statistically meaningful relation existed between certain treatment modalities and patient outcomes. Materials and Methods A retrospective chart analysis was performed, and data were limited to 1 operator. Treatment variables were methods of fixation, postoperative intermaxillary fixation (IMF), and retention versus extraction of teeth in the line of fracture. Outcomes were rates of postoperative infection, fracture healing, and overall patient comfort. Analysis was performed using the Fisher exact test, Wald test, and χ 2 test, with a P value less than .05 considered significant. Results One hundred three patients were included in this study. The mean age was 30.4 years, most patients were men, and most injuries occurred during physical altercations and on the left side of the face. The most common concomitant fracture was of the contralateral parasymphysis. A statistically meaningful relation was noted between methods of fixation and healing and overall patient comfort, with the Champy technique and reconstruction plate being associated with the highest rates of bony union and patient comfort. No statistically relevant correlation was found between methods of fixation and rates of infection. There was no statistically relevant link for extraction versus retention of healthy teeth in the line of fracture or use of IMF with patient comfort, postoperative infection, or fracture healing. Conclusion Although the Champy technique and reconstruction plates were associated with better postoperative outcomes, such as patient comfort and fracture healing, these should not be used interchangeably. IMF and extraction versus retention of teeth in the line of fracture did not influence any of the outcomes.
Splenic Rupture During Occlusion of the Porta Hepatis in Resection of Tumors with Vena Caval Extension

AbstractThe surgical management of renal cell carcinoma with intraluminal extension into the vena cava is technically demanding. Although the curative merit of the procedure is well established, extension of tumor above the hepatic veins may cause potentially life threatening complications, including pulmonary embolus and exsanguination. To our knowledge we report the first 2 cases in which intraoperative splenic rupture occurred and discuss possible causes of this complication.
Splitting the pubis for exposure in difficult reconstructions for incontinence.

SUMMARY We have presented our technique for and experience with splitting the symphysis to provide wide exposure in reconstructive surgery for incontinence. Our experience has demonstrated that the technique is widely applicable to many reconstructive situations in patients of all ages. We believe that spreading the pubic symphysis provides access to the urethra and bladder neck not otherwise possible and regard it as an important factor in the success of many difficult operations to correct incontinence. Although seemingly a radical maneuver, it did not cause complications in any of 51 cases.
Sex Differences in Early Achievement

The rapid movement of women into the higher echelons of the American occupational structure surprised a lot of people, women as well as men. Who would have thought so many women would achieve so much in so short a time? Today, a woman advises a major motion picture company, another heads a successful Wall Street investment firm, still another manufacturers a brand of cosmetics sold throughout the world; and these are only a few of the stars that dot a constellation crowded with achieving women. More achievers are in the making, for the enrolment of women in American law, medical, engineering and busines schools has more than doubled in the last decade. Clearly, still more female luminaries loom on the horizon.
Disaster in April: The Obligations of Kelly Construction

A construction company experiences a crane accident with multiple fatalities. The CEO, a client, and an employee must make choices to meet the company's obligations. Set in 2006, the case looks at the choices faced by board members of a museum which is an important client and which is faced with a completion deadline, and of a key employee who has other offers of employment and is negotiating a stay put bonus. The rights and interests of the surety company that provided the construction bond are also interwoven. The protagonist is the CEO of a multi-generational family business who must now negotiate with these parties and then decide whether to attempt to raise new capital, declare bankruptcy, or try to lead a controlled wind-down. The case explores crisis management, decisions by principals operating in the zone of insolvency, construction contract types, the limits of recourse available from construction bonds, roles of board members, calculation of an employee stay-put bonus pool, subcontractor and vendor communication, and reputational issues around bankruptcy or closure of a closely held family business. Analytical tools include contract status report, contractor balance sheet, stay-put bonus pool.
The pipeline of physiology courses in community colleges: to university, medical school, and beyond

Community colleges are significant in the landscape of undergraduate STEM (science technology, engineering, and mathematics) education (9), including biology, premedical, and other preprofessional ...
Makalu: fast recoverable allocation of non-volatile memory

Byte addressable non-volatile memory (NVRAM) is likely to supplement, and perhaps eventually replace, DRAM. Applications can then persist data structures directly in memory instead of serializing them and storing them onto a durable block device. However, failures during execution can leave data structures in NVRAM unreachable or corrupt. In this paper, we present Makalu, a system that addresses non-volatile memory management. Makalu offers an integrated allocator and recovery-time garbage collector that maintains internal consistency, avoids NVRAM memory leaks, and is efficient, all in the face of failures. We show that a careful allocator design can support a less restrictive and a much more familiar programming model than existing persistent memory allocators. Our allocator significantly reduces the per allocation persistence overhead by lazily persisting non-essential metadata and by employing a post-failure recovery-time garbage collector. Experimental results show that the resulting online speed and scalability of our allocator are comparable to well-known transient allocators, and significantly better than state-of-the-art persistent allocators.
Does Applied STEM Course Taking Link to STEM Outcomes for High School Students With Learning Disabilities

Over the most recent two decades, federal policy has urged high schools to embed applied science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses into the curriculum to reinforce concepts l...
Near-infrared waveguide-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of trace gases

Functionalized silicon nitride waveguides are used to detect Raman scattering from trace concentrations of vapor phase chemicals. Parts-per-billion detection limits are measured using single-mode rib and nanoslot waveguides pumped at 785 nm.
Identifying Bald Versus Golden Eagle Bones: A Primer for Wildlife Biologists and Law Enforcement Officers

Abstract Remains of bald eagles Haliaeetus leucocephalus and golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos are regularly encountered in avian mortality surveys and wildlife crime investigations. These species ex...
MTEX: a bridge for migrating CAD design environment from UNIX to NT

This paper shares an innovative technology that we developed while migrating Intel CAD design environment from UNIX to Microsoft Windows NT operating system. The UNIX to Windows NT migration is a complex and challenging task because the chip design environment involves CAD applications, CAD infrastructure scripts, design flows made up of UNIX-centric scripts and design data. Due to the wide differences between UNIX and NT scripting architectures, straight porting to native NT scripting environment is not feasible without a complete redesign and redevelopment of the CAD infrastructure and design flow scripts. Our approach to this problem was to develop a transition production-capable mixed NT-UNIX CAD environment technology, MTEX, with the eventual goal of complete migration to a Windows NT CAD environment. This technology solves the script migration problem and supports a seamless mix of UNIX and NT centric CAD tools. In this paper we will present MTEX functionality, its internal design and architecture.
Intraoperative anesthesia management

The LVAD recipient is typically characterized by decompensated cardiac failure refractory to medical management. In addition to a severely reduced ejection fraction, these patients are often characterized by an elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, right ventricular dysfunction, coagulopathy, hepatorenal dysfunction, and decreased responsiveness to catecholamines. This chapter discusses LVAD anesthetic management.
Void spot assay procedural optimization and software for rapid and objective quantification of rodent voiding function, including overlapping urine spots.

Mouse urinary behavior is quantifiable and is used to pinpoint mechanisms of voiding dysfunction and evaluate potential human therapies. Approaches to evaluate mouse urinary function vary widely am...
Oral Tolerance: A Commentary

Publisher Summary The mucosal immune system is constantly exposed to an immense number and variety of food and bacterial antigens. The amount of antigen in or transversing the gut is several orders of magnitude greater than the numbers of cells or quantity of antibody produced per day. Oral tolerance is defined as a state of immunological unresponsiveness to an antigen induced by the feeding of that antigen. This term is something of a misnomer in that such tolerance can ensue after the application of antigen to other mucosal membranes such as the respiratory or nasal mucosa. Thus, an argument could be made that the term should be “mucosal tolerance” rather than “oral tolerance.” The bulk of the work in this area has been after the feeding of antigen so most of the information available applies to oral tolerance. This chapter is a brief commentary summarizing the current status of the field, as well as what questions now need to be addressed.
Role of structural hydroxyl groups in enhancing performance of electrochemically-synthesized bilayer V2O5

Abstract Nanostructured electrode materials represent a promising path forward to dramatically improving the performance of both Li-ion and beyond Li-ion battery systems; however, difficulties in characterizing the structural and electrochemical changes that take place in nanoscale systems, which are often poorly crystalline or amorphous, make it difficult to develop design rules for synthesizing new materials with optimal performance. Bilayered vanadium oxide-based materials (BL-V2O5) are an ideal platform for understanding the underlying physicochemical properties that determine capacity in nanomaterials, with electrochemically-synthesized V2O5 (EC-V2O5) exhibiting particularly high capacities. In this work we provide evidence that the source of high practical capacity in EC-V2O5 is the presence of “structural hydroxyl groups” that are an intrinsic feature of the electrochemical synthesis method. Using both in situ and ex situ characterization methods, we demonstrate that structural OH species are highly stable and persist in the structure during reversible cycling. We hypothesize three important roles for structural OH groups: they maintain a sufficient interlayer spacing to allow the physical diffusion of cations over multiple cycles; they maintain a consistent solvating environment in the bilayer regardless of structural H2O content; and they reduce the symmetry of vanadium polyhedra to favor electron transfer over pseudocapacitive adsorption, making it possible to access close to theoretical capacity. These insights have broad implications for understanding the performance of a variety of hydrated oxide systems, and indicate that the formation of covalently-bound hydroxyoxide species can lead to further improvements in the performance of nanoscale materials.
Knowledge and Disagreement

Epistemic contextualism holds that the content of a knowledge sentence of the form ‘S knows that P’ is context sensitive. This view respects the context sensitivity of ordinary speakers’ use of knowledge sentences. But this context sensitivity can be accommodated equally well by relativism, which holds that the content of a knowledge sentence is the same in every context, but the truth-value of this content depends on context-sensitive epistemic standards. Relativists argue that their view should be preferred to contextualism, because it respects what we may call the intuition of disagreement: ordinary speakers take themselves to be disagreeing with speakers in contexts where different epistemic standards prevail. In this paper, I distinguish between two forms of relativism, and show that neither can provide a better account of disagreement than contextualism. Disagreement thus does not supply a reason to favor the relativist’s revisionist semantics over contextualism.
Whitman v. American Trucking Associations -- Delegation Revived...and Exorcised

This book chapter discusses the background of Whitman v. American Trucking Associations, 531 U.S. 457 (2001), which quashed an attempt by the D.C. Circuit to revive the delegation doctrine. The chapter sets out in detail the history of the rulemaking involved, including the attempt of some in Congress to intervene, and provides insight into the litigation strategy of the parties. The implications of the case are also explored
A 40-Year-Old Woman with Patchy Painful Paresthesia

Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a common neuromuscular disorder which can be associated with many medical conditions. While the majority of SFN is length-dependent (LD-SFN), non-length-dependent SFN (NLD-SFN) is frequently seen in association with sarcoidosis, Sjogren’s syndrome, and other immune-mediated conditions. Comparing with LD-SFN, the age at onset in NLD-SFN is younger and it more affects woman. Skin biopsy shows reduced intraepidermal nerve fiber densities with no distal-to-proximal gradient. Here we describe a case of NLD-SFN associated with sarcoidosis.
The genetic control of leaf allometry in the common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris

To maximize photosynthetic efficiency, plants have evolved a capacity by which leaf area scales allometrically with leaf mass through interactions with the environment. However, our understanding of genetic control of this allometric relationship remains limited. We integrated allometric scaling laws expressed at static and ontogenetic levels into genetic mapping to identify the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that mediate how leaf area scales with leaf mass and how such leaf allometry, under the control of these QTLs, varies as a response to environment change. A major QTL detected by the static model constantly affects the allometric growth of leaf area vs. leaf mass for the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in two different environments. The ontogenetic model identified this QTL plus a few other QTLs that determine developmental trajectories of leaf allometry, whose expression is contingent heavily upon the environment. Our results gain new insight into the genetic mechanisms of how plants program their leaf morphogenesis to adapt to environmental perturbations.
Exploring Post-Incarceration Residential Trajectories: Indicators of Housing Stability during the Re-Entry Process

Extant research on housing instability focuses on external housing barriers but limited research exists on individual-level indicators of housing stability for individuals returning to society from...
Cross-Modal Data Programming Enables Rapid Medical Machine Learning.

Summary A major bottleneck in developing clinically impactful machine learning models is a lack of labeled training data for model supervision. Thus, medical researchers increasingly turn to weaker, noisier sources of supervision, such as leveraging extractions from unstructured text reports to supervise image classification. A key challenge in weak supervision is combining sources of information that may differ in quality and have correlated errors. Recently, a statistical theory of weak supervision called data programming has shown promise in addressing this challenge. Data programming now underpins many deployed machine-learning systems in the technology industry, even for critical applications. We propose a new technique for applying data programming to the problem of cross-modal weak supervision in medicine, wherein weak labels derived from an auxiliary modality (e.g., text) are used to train models over a different target modality (e.g., images). We evaluate our approach on diverse clinical tasks via direct comparison to institution-scale, hand-labeled datasets. We find that our supervision technique increases model performance by up to 6 points area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) over baseline methods by improving both coverage and quality of the weak labels. Our approach yields models that on average perform within 1.75 points ROC-AUC of those supervised with physician-years of hand labeling and outperform those supervised with physician-months of hand labeling by 10.25 points ROC-AUC, while using only person-days of developer time and clinician work—a time saving of 96%. Our results suggest that modern weak supervision techniques such as data programming may enable more rapid development and deployment of clinically useful machine-learning models.
Estimating the prevalence of and characteristics associated with prescription opioid diversion among a clinic population living with HIV: Indirect and direct questioning techniques.

Abstract Background Evidence suggests that over 50 % of individuals who used prescription opioids non-medically obtained their prescription from friends or family. Despite its high consequence, reliable opioid diversion prevalence estimates are lacking due to social desirability bias. We used indirect questioning, a technique designed to measure sensitive behaviors, to assess the prevalence of prescription opioid diversion among a cohort of individuals with HIV. Methods We randomized 581 participants from a large urban HIV clinical cohort to answer either a direct or indirect question about opioid diversion between October 2016-July 2018. We estimated the prevalence of diversion under each method. We also estimated diversion prevalence in subsets of the sample by age, sex, race, HIV risk group, substance use, and mental health co-morbidities. Results Of 1,285 patients screened, 581 (45.2 %) reported ever having received an opioid prescription. Of these, 252 (43.4 %) directly answered whether they had ever diverted opioids and 313 (53.9 %) answered the indirect question. The prevalence of opioid diversion under direct and indirect questioning was 6.3 % (95 % CI 3.7 %–10.1 %) and 15.3 % (95 % CI 10.4 %–20.3 %), respectively. In unadjusted analyses, males, non-African Americans, and patients with a history of illicit drug use had a higher diversion prevalence. In adjusted analyses, ever having used cocaine was most associated with diversion (OR 15.67, 95 % CI 0.93−263.17). Conclusions Opioid diversion was common among this population, with the estimated prevalence more than doubling under the indirect questioning method designed to elicit less biased responses.
Hypophusiary involvement and immuno/growth depression in rabies I. bovine paralytic rabies (BPR)

This investigation was designed to study the feasibility of extrapolating our formerly described rabies virus (RV) associated immuno- and growth-depression data from the mouse and the rat and more recently the rabbit, to the bovine model. Such information was not available from any of the classical bovine rabies studies. This work is dedicated to the memory of Tadeus ("Tad”) J. Wiktor, Dr. med. vet., mentor, friend and permanent source of inspiration.
Willingness to Pay for a Hypothetical COVID-19 Vaccine in the United States: A Contingent Valuation Approach

Our objective was to estimate the individual willingness to pay (WTP) for a COVID-19 vaccine and evaluate its predictors in the United States. A double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation with open-ended question technique was implemented based on the responses to a national survey administered during the first week of November 2020. The final sample size was 1285. The results showed that individual WTP values increased with income, whether a household member had any pre-existing condition, and perceived threat of the virus. The vaccine efficacy rate and duration of protection were found to be important factors for the respondents. The mean WTP for a vaccine with a 95 percent efficacy rate and 3-year protection (US$318.76) was approximately 35 percent greater than the vaccine with a 50 percent efficacy rate and 1-year protection (US$236.85). The initial aggregate direct benefit of the current vaccination program was estimated to be between 20 and 35.6 billion US dollars depending on the vaccine protection duration.
UNIT 8.7 Diagnosis of Fanconi Anemia by Diepoxybutane Analysis

Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by progressive pancytopenia and a high risk of malignancies, particularly acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Diepoxybutane (DEB) analysis is the preferred test for FA because other agents have higher rates of false-positive and false-negative results. Basic Protocol in this unit applies the DEB test to rule out a diagnosis of FA using a peripheral blood sample from the patient. Support Protocol 1 provides instructions for working with DEB. Support Protocol 2 describes staining slides for chromosome-breakage analysis that is performed on unbanded metaphase preparations. Alternate Protocol 1 provides a detailed method for applying the DEB test to cultured fibroblasts that grow as a monolayer attached to the bottom of the flask. Alternate Protocol 2 outlines methods for using the DEB test for prenatal diagnosis of FA, utilizing fetal cells obtained by chorionic villus sampling (CVS), amniocentesis, or fetal blood sampling.Fanconi anemia (FA) is an autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by progressive pancytopenia and a high risk of malignanci.
Accessibility summarization & simplification in a template-based web transcoder

The goal of this project is to make the Web more accessible by providing some of the features naturally available to sighted users to users with visual impairments. These features are direct access and gestalt understanding, which can emerge from simplification and summarization. Simplification is achieved by retaining sections of the webpage that are considered important while removing the clutter. The purpose of summarization is to provide the users with a preview of the webpage. Simplification and summarization are implemented as a "guide dog" that helps users navigate the entire website. Simplifying the Web and summarizing the contents require understanding the structure underlying the entire webpage document. By understanding the structure, we can decide which sections of the webpage are important and therefore to keep, and which ones are clutter and need to be skipped. The bulk of our work has been in understanding the structure of a random document with the goal of transforming its contents into a format that is more accessible to users with disabilities as well as users of mobile devices. Understanding the structure of a random webpage is a difficult problem. We propose a novel method using a combination of pagelet feature recognition and genre-based templates.
Unique Continuation for Degenerate Elliptic Equations

A famous result, first proved in ℝ2 by Carleman [C] in 1939, states that if \(V \in L_{\text{loc}}^{\infty}(\mathbb{R}^N)\) and u is a solution to Δu = Vu in a connected open set \(D \subset \mathbb{R}^N\), then u cannot vanish to infinite order at a point x 0 ∈ D unless u ≡ 0 in D. We are interested in analogous results when the (elliptic) Laplacian in ℝN is replaced by a subelliptic operator of the type $$\mathcal{L} = \sum_{j=1}^{N-1}X_j^2$$ (1.1) , where X 1,…, X N −1 are smooth vector fields satisfying Hormander’s condition for hypoellipticity [H]: $$\text{rank Lie} [X_1,\cdots, X_{N-1}] = N \text{ at every point}$$ .
Evaluating criminal justice programs: Using policy as well as program theory

My gloomy suggestion is limited to saying that a large proportion of males from the lower classes may end up living their most active lives in prisons or camps.
Mood and violence sensitivity: Using an emotion elicitation paradigm to assess perceptions of violence severity

This study aimed to examine the effects different emotions had on perceptions of violent behaviors. Students from an introductory psychology course (n = 517), were randomly assigned to one of five different emotion elicitation conditions (anger, fear, sadness, happiness, and neutral) using one of two methods (automatic story recall and film clip procedure). Perceptions of violence were measured using a modified version of the Violence Sensitivity Magnitude Estimation Scale (VSMES) which asks participants to rate a series of behaviors as to the severity of violence. Trait aggression was found to mediate the relationship between emotion and perceptions of violence. No significant differences were found between the two methods or the five emotion groups. However, significant differences between violence-sensitive and violence-tolerant groups were found, confirming findings from the previous literature. Future research and implications using the VSMES are discussed.
Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing

Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC), a new initiative in the Department of Energy's Office of Science, will be described. Computational modeling and simulation are essential to all of the programs in the Office of Science and each of the programs has identified major scientific challenges that can only be addressed through advances in scientific computing.Advances in computing technologies during the past decade have set the stage for significant advances in modeling and simulation in the coming decade. Several computer vendors promise to increase "peak" performance a 1000-fold in the next five years. Our challenge is to make similar advances in the scientific codes so performance does not degrade as the number of processors increases. This translates to increased investments in algorithms, tools, networking, system software, and applications software. Large interdisciplinary teams of applied mathematicians, computer scientists, and computational scientists are being formed to tackle this daunting problem.These teams will be supported by a Scientific Computing Hardware Infrastructure designed to meet the needs of the Office of Science's research programs. It will be robust-to provide a reliable source of computing resources for scientific research; agile-to respond to innovative advances in computer technology; and flexible-to ensure that the most effective and efficient resources are used to solver each class of problems.A status of SciDAC in its initial year and view of where we would like to be in five years will be presented.
The Effects of STEM PBL on Students’ Mathematical and Scientific Vocabulary Knowledge

Vocabulary is at the surface level of language usage; thus, students need to develop mathematical and scientific vocabulary to be able to explicitly communicate their mathematical and scientific reasoning with others. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) have both created communication standards within mathematics and science disciplines. In the present study, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) project based learning (PBL) methods were utilized during a summer camp in 2013 to encourage interest in and grow the knowledge of students in the STEM disciplines. The participants ( N = 53; 18 female, 35 male, 5 Asian, 6 African American, 12 White, and 30 Hispanic) were 8 th grade students. The paired-sample t tests’ results showed that the model of STEM PBL instruction elicited a statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the mathematical and scientific vocabulary knowledge of students with the Cohen’s d effect size of 0.62 and 0.84 respectively. STEM PBL could be a beneficial instructional method concerning vocabulary mastery for students in science and mathematics classes.
Use of panel tests in place of single gene tests in the cancer genetics clinic.

Improved technology has made it possible to test for mutations within multiple genes simultaneously. It is not clear when these gene ‘panels’ should be used in the hereditary cancer setting. These analyses were intended to guide panel testing criteria. Offering hereditary panel testing as a first and final, ‘single-tier’, option was explored. A ‘two-tiered’ approach, in which panel testing is offered reflexively following stricter criteria, was then applied to the same data. Within our cohort of 105 patients, the single-tier approach was associated with a higher mutation detection rate (6.7% vs 3.8%) and variant of uncertain significance (VUS) rate (0.94 vs 0.23 average per person) compared to a two-tiered approach. Of the VUSs also identified in other patients by another lab, 53% were classified differently between laboratories. Individuals reporting African American race had more VUSs compared to other ancestry groups (p = 0.001). The test cost for a single-tier test was 21% more than a two-tiered approach. Single-tier panel testing was associated with higher mutation and VUS rates, and there is inconsistent classification of the VUS/low penetrant genes between laboratories.
Lightness and brightness judgments of coplanar retinally noncontiguous surfaces

Several experiments reveal that judgments of lightness and brightness of an achromatic surface depend, in part, on the luminances of other surfaces perceived to share the same depth plane, even if the surfaces are well separated on the retina. Two Mondrians, simulated on a CRT, were viewed through a haploscope. The more highly illuminated Mondrian contained a comparison patch and appeared nearer than the more dimly illuminated Mondrian, which contained the test patch. By independently varying the disparity of the test patch, observers could make the test patch appear to be in the depth plane of either the dimly or the highly illuminated Mondrian. Observers set the luminance of the test patch to match that of the comparison patch. The test was set as high as 15% more luminous when it was perceived in the depth plane of the highly illuminated rather than the dimly illuminated Mondrian. Both brightness and lightness judgments were affected by the perceived depth of the test, although the lightness judgments of inexperienced observers sometimes were dominated by local-contrast matching.
A Multi-Resolution Approach forWorm Detection and Containment

Despite the proliferation of detection and containment techniques in the worm defense literature, simple threshold-based methods remain the most widely deployed and most popular approach among practitioners. This popularity arises out of the simplistic appeal, ease of use, and independence from attack-specific properties such as scanning strategies and signatures. However, such approaches have known limitations: they either fail to detect low-rate attacks or incur very high false positive rates. We propose a multi-resolution approach to enhance the power of threshold-based detection and rate-limiting techniques. Using such an approach we can not only detect fast attacks with low latency, but also discover low-rate attacks - several orders of magnitude less aggressive than today's fast propagating attacks -with low false positive rates. We also outline a multi-resolution rate limiting mechanism for throttling the number of new connections a host can make, to contain the spread of worms. Our trace analysis and simulation experiments demonstrate the benefits of a multi-resolution approach for worm defense
Decision model for energy performance improvements in existing buildings

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a tool that supports an investment strategy aimed at improving the energy performance of existing buildings. It is particularly aimed at large building portfolios, such as encountered on university and corporate campuses, where typically a plethora of potential refurbishment interventions are candidates for a greening effort.Design/methodology/approach – The investment optimization strategy is implemented in a web‐based software tool. Under a chosen financial constraint and investment time horizon, the tool empowers campus facility management to make the difficult “greening” decisions as part of their continuous building commissioning. The tool calculates and accepts user data that reflect different types of risks, posed by uncertainties in investment costs, energy performance, and energy cost scenarios. In addition, decision makers (DMs) can set different investment priorities, reflecting their financial risk attitude and commitment to “greenness”.Findin...
Cost-effectiveness analysis of deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis in internal medicine patients

embolic Risk Factors Consensus Group has reMEDLINE and Current Content literature searches ported that high risk medical patients have a 40% of all randomized, double-blind English language incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and a studies published between January 1985 and April 1 to 10% incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE), 1998 evaluating either heparin, low-molecularwhile moderate risk patients have a 20 to 40% weight heparin or both as DVT prophylaxis in medchance of thrombosis and a 0 to 1% risk of experiical inpatients were performed. Studies reported encing a fatal pulmonary embolism [3]. Risk factors as abstracts and those involving patients in medical associated with these events include myocardial intensive care units were excluded. Data collected infarction, lower limb paralysis, congestive heart included agents and doses studied and incidences failure, past history of venous thromboembolism, of total DVT, proximal vein thrombosis, nonfatal varicose veins, old age, malignancy, obesity, respipulmonary embolisms and major bleeding episodes ratory failure, trauma, immobility, and severe in(MB) reported. Incremental cost effectiveness rafection [4,5]. tios were calculated for the study agents by methThe American College of Chest Physicians has ods reported in the literature [7,8]. Calculations issued guidelines for DVT prophylaxis in patients were based on 1000 patients for 10 days of prophyadmitted to medicine services [6]. These guidelines laxis. An institutional perspective was adopted, and suggest either low-dose unfractionated heparin or therefore only direct medical costs and outcomes low-molecular weight heparin be used in this paassociated with hospitalization were considered. tient population. The purpose of this study was to Cost data were determined for prophylactic regiapply pharmacoeconomic principles to the results mens [9] as well as for the diagnosis and treatment of published studies evaluating the use of either of DVT, nonfatal pulmonary embolism, and MBs heparin or a low-molecular weight heparin as pro[10–12]. Values for these latter costs were averaged
Computer simulation of molecular diffusion in amorphous polymers

Abstract Diffusion of small molecules in amorphous polymers has been examined by computer simulation. Diffusion coefficients of small molecules with molecular weights ranging from 16.04 (methane) to 452.50 (fluocinolone acetonide) Da in four amorphous polymers were calculated using the QUANTA, CHARMM and Cerius 2 programs. The four amorphous polymers used in our calculation were polyethylene (PE), poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (P(MMA-co-HEMA)), and ethyl and benzyl esters of hyaluronic acid (HA-E, HA-B). The calculated diffusion coefficients ( D c ) were compared with the experimentally obtained values ( D e ) found in the literature. The ratio of D c / D e varied from 0.04 to 24 000. In general, the close values of D c to D e were obtained when the system dealt with hydrophobic molecules diffusing through hydrophobic polymers. The D c / D e ratio became either very high or very low when the experimental system included hydrophilic diffusants and/or a hydrophilic polymer. The simulation time and the size of molecular models also played key roles in determining the consistency of calculations and the correlation with experimental values. Our study suggests that the current computer simulation of molecular diffusion may be useful in obtaining relative values rather than absolute diffusion coefficient values.
Chaos in intracellular Ca2+ oscillations in a new model for non-excitable cells

A new model for intracellular Ca2+ oscillations is presented. The new model reinterprets two previous models, the ICC and CICR mechanisms, and incorporates the bell-shaped dependence of Ca2+ release on cytosolic [Ca2+]. Complex oscillations and chaos are found with this new model, confirming experimental observations of complex oscillations. A rich bifurcation sequence is found for the model as the stimulation due to agonist (R) is varied, including a period doubling route to chaos and a period-adding sequence of mixed-mode states.
Respiratory infections caused by non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae.

Purpose of review This review will consider recent developments in the clinical aspects of infections due to non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae. In addition, newer developments in the areas of mechanisms of pathogenesis, host pathogen interaction, immune responses and efforts toward vaccine development will be reviewed briefly. Recent findings Non-typeable H. influenzae continues to be a common cause of otitis media in infants and children, sinusitis in children and adults, pneumonia in adults, and lower respiratory tract infection in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While the rate of beta-lactamase production by isolates of H. influenzae varies geographically, most regions show a rate of 20-35% of isolates producing beta-lactamase. Recent studies have highlighted the possible role of bacterial biofilms formed by H. influenzae as a cause of otitis media. Several lines of evidence indicate that H. influenzae causes intracellular infection in the lower respiratory tract in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and this observation has important implications in understanding the human immune response to the bacterium. Lipooligosaccharide is an important virulence factor for H. influenzae and research is generating new information on the complex role of this molecule in colonization and infection of the respiratory tract. Several surface molecules are under active evaluation as vaccine antigens. Summary Non-typeable H. influenzae is an important cause of respiratory tract infections in children and adults. Most strains are susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanate, fluoroquinolones and the newer macrolides. Research in the next decade promises substantial progress in the challenge of developing vaccines for nontypeable H. influenzae.
Rhetoric and the Islamic tradition

Islam represents one of the world's major rhetorical patterns, claiming nearly half a billion adherents from northern Africa to Indonesia. And yet, Islamic rhetoric has received relatively little scholarly attention in the West. Language differences and historical animosities dating back to the Crusades help explain this deficiency. Typifying the Judeo‐Christian view of Islam, Dante placed the Prophet Mohammed among the lower circles of Hell, with other “sowers of scandal and of schism.” Even as late as 1893, a Christian leader stood before an international conference of the world's religions and described the Middle East as “a desert of Mohammedan superstition and bigotry.”
Pursuit-evasion game for normal distributions

In this paper we consider a probabilistic model of a pursuit-evasion game on R, in which neither pursuer nor evader positions are known with certainty. Both parties are represented by normal distributions that evolve according to a Kalman filter as new sensor readings (observation from overhead camera/satellite images) are obtained. The objective is to design the control commands issued by the pursuer (which is executed noisily). The control commands issued by the evader are unknown – only sensor measurements are given. Even with such limited knowledge we prove boundedness of a distance between the pursuer’s distribution and the evader’s true distribution (one that takes into account the evader’s control commands). Our simulation results support the claimed guarantees.
Novel polymeric resins for anion-exchange chromatography

Abstract A novel anion-exchange resin containing three amine groups was prepared by reaction of a chloromethylated polystyrene–divinylbenzene (PS–DVB) resin with diethylenetriamine. After being protonated by contact with an aqueous acid, this resin can be used for ion-chromatographic separation of anions. The charge on the resins can be varied from +1 to +3 by changing the pH at which the ion chromatographic separation was carried out. The selectivity of the new ion exchangers for various inorganic anions was quite different from conventional anion exchangers. The performance of this new anion exchanger was studied by changing the pH and the concentration of the eluent, and several different eluents were used with some common anions as testing analytes. Conductivity detection and UV–Vis detection were applied to detect the anions after separation. The new resin can also be used for HPLC separation of neutral organic compounds. Alkylphenols and alkylbenzenes were separated with this new polymeric resin, and excellent separations were obtained under simple conditions.
Long-Range Transport of Nanoparticles Using C-Shaped Plasmonic Resonators

We transport nano-scale objects across a distance of many microns using a repeated sequence of rotated C-shaped plasmonic resonators. Rotating the polarization angle of the overhead laser illumination drives the particles' motion.