cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of Geant4 for simulations of a plastic β-detector and its application to efficiency calibration

Abstract Precise β -branching-ratio measurements are required in order to determine ft-values as part of our program to test the Electroweak Standard Model via unitarity of the Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa matrix. For the measurements to be useful in this test, their precision must be close to 0.1%. In a branching-ratio measurement, we position the radioactive sample between a thin plastic scintillator used to detect β -particles, and a HPGe detector for γ -rays. Both β singles and β – γ coincidences are recorded. Although the branching ratio depends most strongly on the HPGe detector efficiency, it has some sensitivity to the energy dependence of the β -detector efficiency. We report here on a study of our β -detector response function, which used Monte Carlo calculations performed by the Geant4 toolkit. Results of the simulations are compared to measured β -spectra from several standard β -sources.
Let's Cooperate!

Author's summary.— Better results in foreign language teaching can be achieved through close cooperation of high schools and colleges, especially by coordination of their programs, more alert counseling, and constant improvement in the quality of instruction.
Crime Scene Profiling in Premises Security Litigation

In premises security litigation, the issue often involves whether some absent security measures would have deterred the offender. A typology is presented, categorising offenders according to how motivated they are to commit the crime and to avoid capture. Especially when offenders are unknown, however, it is problematic to determine their motivation. Crime scene profilers maintain that they can infer personality characteristics of an unknown offender. The reliability and validity of crime scene profiling is reviewed, and some suggestions are made as to ways that profilers can be helpful, such as estimating the intelligence level and criminal experience of the offender.
Hardware and software efficacy in assessment of fine root diameter distributions

Fine roots constitute the majority of root system surface area and thus most of the nutrient and water absorption surface. Fine roots are, however, the least understood of all plant roots. A sensitivity analysis of several software programs capable of providing root diameter distribution analyses was undertaken to determine if this software was capable of discriminating 10% changes in diameters of roots in the 0.05-0.2mm diameter range. Digital images produced by drawing discrete lines, by scanning wires of various diameters, and by scanning roots from several legume species were analyzed and compared. None of the three packages were able to adequately analyze these images. Each introduced artifacts into the data that were severe enough to confound interpretation of the resulting diameter class length histograms at resolutions from 24 to 400pixels (px)mm^-^1, and root diameters from 0.06 to 0.5mm or larger. One package was, however, clearly superior to the other two for routine digital analysis. All three packages require additional development before they are suitable for routine analysis of fine roots. Due to the 252pxmm^-^1 resolution ceiling with currently available scanners, the smallest roots for which this level of discrimination is possible is 0.12mm diameter. For many agricultural and forest species, up to 95% of their total root length is less than 0.1mm in diameter. It is concluded that both hardware and software constraints currently inhibit the sensitivity of investigations into fine root diameter shifts in response to environmental conditions.
Functional adaptation skills training (FAST): a pilot psychosocial intervention study in middle-aged and older patients with chronic psychotic disorders.

OBJECTIVE Developing behavioral interventions to improve functioning of older patients with schizophrenia and other chronic psychoses has the potential to significantly increase the patients' independence and quality of life. METHODS The authors evaluated a psychosocial intervention designed to improve everyday living skills of middle-aged and older outpatients with very chronic psychotic disorders (mean duration of illness: 21 years). Forty patients who resided in board-and-care facilities were randomly assigned to either a 24-session functional adaptation skills training (FAST) group therapy program targeting problem areas identified in previous work as being problematic for this population (e.g., using public transportation) or treatment-as-usual. Almost all the participants also received antipsychotics. RESULTS Compared with the patients randomized to the treatment-as-usual condition, FAST-treated patients' performance on everyday living skills improved significantly immediately post-intervention and was still significantly better at a 3-month maintenance follow-up period. There was no significant change in psychopathology. CONCLUSION Results suggest that older patients with longstanding psychotic disorders may benefit from participation in this skills-training program.
The safe transfer of care.

W a c m r o p p THE NATURE OF THE perianesthesia environment is a transitional process. Each phase along the perianesthesia continuum requires communication of vital information while ensuring the safety and appropriate monitoring needs based on our nursing assessments. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) addresses this issue in the Provision of Care Chapter. JCAHO states that the hospital’s processes for transfer of care are based on the patient’s assessed needs. JCAHO will expect each area to have guidelines related to the type of information that needs to be communicated to provide continuity of care.
An adaptive minimum variance state feedback regulator

The paper presents a state-space approach for dealing with the self-tuning minimum variance control problem. It is shown that a relatively simple static estimated state feedback control law results which provides superior state regulation compared to the conventional self-tuning regulator (STR). The approach is general enough to be extended to unstable and non minimum-phase linear systems.
Inhibition of drinking by intrahypothalamic administration of morphine.

MORPHINE inhibits the release of acetylcholine (ACh) within both the peripheral1—4 and central5—9 nervous systems. This would suggest that a major effect of acute morphine treatment should be inhibition of behaviour mediated by central cholin-ergic transmission, but few behavioural demonstrations of this antagonism exist. We report here that intrahypothalamic injections of equimolar concentrations of morphine effectively antagonise the muscarinic-cholinergic drinking response10—13 elicited by injection of 4.0 nmol of carbachol into the hypo-thalamus. In addition, intracranial (i.e.) injections of morphine also blocked drinking elicited by several other dipsogenic stimuli, while not affecting eating. The results suggest that morphine not only inhibits the release of ACh but also may block the postsynaptic muscarinic receptor. This inhibitory effect of i.e. morphine may, furthermore, provide a simple behavioural screening test for central opiate activity.
The Formation of Gender Identity

The concept of 'gender identity' is a relatively new one. The roots of the term lie in Freud's libido theory, from which evolved the concept of psychosexual development. Here, the ego part of the personality which was conscious and mediated between the individual and his world, resulted from and expressed his psychosexual development. Historically, Sullivan and Fromm, with their views on selfdynamism and self, translated 'ego' into a living personality core, leading ultimately to the idea of identity, which Erickson (1959) developed, and then to the recognition that each person experiences himself as a chain of linked identities. This valuable concept is perhaps better expressed in the visual imagery of a 'cluster of identities, which, like our solar system, suggest globules revolving around a central core. That is, the totality can be considered the molecular or global identity. Some time back the author singled out feminine identity and maternal identity for consideration, pointing out that the latter is late-forming, but very significant in shaping the total self-concept (Shainess, 1965). From Erikson's 'chain-of-identities' and the 'molecular' concept evolved the term 'gender identity.' This term expresses what it means: a sense of being masculine, feminine-or some variant of this. Before further discussing gender identity, a brief case illustration
Seeking an Equal Place at the Therapy Research Table: An Introduction to a Series on the Pragmatic Case Study Method

This is an introduction to a series of three articles that address the potentials and challenges of a systematic and naturalistic approach to the case study method as embodied in the design of this PCSP journal, a model that the late Kenneth Howard called "patient-focused research." These articles help to advance this model by addressing continuing barriers to case studies achieving an equal place at the therapy research table. These barriers can be found in politics and ideology (Edwards); in epistemology (Eells); in the logic of knowledge generation (Edwards and Eells); and in the relative lack of scientific rigor in a psychotherapy area that has traditionally embraced case studies, psychoanalysis (Messer). The three articles are followed by an integrating discussion (Caspar). As a group, these articles provide a persuasive rationale for the value of properly conducted case studies as a complement to group studies in improving the effectiveness of psychotherapy.
Molar cornual ectopic pregnancy.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Few cases of ectopic molar pregnancies have been reported. We present one such case of a molar cornual pregnancy. CASE: A woman at 12 weeks’ gestation by last menstrual period presented with ultrasound evidence of a molar pregnancy and a surgical abdomen. Diagnostic laparoscopy revealed a large amount of free intraperitoneal blood. Laparotomy revealed villous-appearing tissue with numerous fluid-filled cysts erupting from the posterior aspect of the right uterine cornu. A cornual resection was performed, followed by a suction dilation and curettage (D&C). The pathologic findings from the cornual resection were consistent with a partial molar pregnancy, while the material from the suction D&C demonstrated no villi or trophoblastic tissue. CONCLUSION: A molar cornual ectopic pregnancy is presented.
The SHS Diagram for TiC

Abstract–Theoretical analyses are provided for the establishment of a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) diagram for TiC. Such diagrams include boundaries between SHS and non-SHS regimes and between stable and unstable wave propagation regions, Experimental results obtained on this carbide were in agreement with the predicted SHS/non-SHS boundary calculated for an activation energy of 397 kJ mol–1 (95 kcal mol–1). consistent with a reaction controlled by the diffusion of carbon in titanium carbide.
Mechanism of reproductive deficiency in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) show multiple endocrine disorders. In the present work, specific reproductive modifications were analysed using normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) as controls. SHR showed delayed vaginal opening and first estrus presentation, regular vaginal cycles and released a normal number of ova each cycle. When compared with controls, SHR showed a decrease in the percentage of successful pregnancies (69% vs. 86% in WKY) and in the litter size (7.83±0.5 vs. 10.41±0.5). In SHR, progesterone plasma levels were significantly increased during the days 1–14 of pregnancy, and on the 5th day of pregnancy the plasma concentrations of LH but not of FSH were enhanced. Mortality during the first month of life was higher in SH (50%) than in control (24%) strain. When the SH females were mated with Wistar or WKY males, the percentage of pregnancies rose up to 95%. On the contrary, Wistar or WKY females mated with SH males showed a decrease in the percentage of pregnancies (62.5% and 50%, respectively). Besides, the litter sizes were significantly reduced in Wistar females mated with SH males. Newborn SH suckled immediately after birth from a WKY mother showed a significant reduction in the mortality during the first month of life (8% vs. 50%). In conclusion, our results suggest that changes in fertilization and/or implantation processes of SH rats were responsible for the reduced pregnancy rate, whereas the increased neonatal mortality could be due to lactation activity of SH mothers.
Cloning of a type I keratin from goldfish optic nerve: differential expression of keratins during regeneration.

Abstract We report the cDNA sequence and predicted amino acid sequence of a novel type I keratin, designated as GK50, and show that keratin expression in the goldfish optic nerve is highly complex. The GK50 protein is one of at least three type I keratins expressed in goldfish optic nerve based on both antibody reactivity and blot-binding to the type II keratin ON3. After optic nerve crush in situ hybridization shows a localized increase in GK50 mRNA expression in the crush zone. This is in contrast to ON3 mRNA which shows a localized increase that is limited to the proximal and distal margins of the crush zone, suggesting a diversity of keratin expression in different cell types of the goldfish optic nerve.
Changes in students' perceptions of clinical teaching as a result of general-practice clerkships.

Summary This study investigated whether a 3-week clerkship for third-year medical students in general-practice doctors’ offices changed the students’ perceptions of clinical teaching. The Preceptor Evaluation Questionnaire was administered to 138 junior medical students before and after their clerkships. The result of the study indicated that the clerkship had a positive effect on the students’ perceptions. This finding was not related to their experiences in other clerkships nor to the grades they received for the clerkship. The results indicate that the teaching relationship established between student and family doctor significantly affects students’ perceptions of aspects of effective clinical teaching.
Genetics of ethylene biosynthesis and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of ACC oxidase and synthase genes in melon ( Cucumis melo L.).

We investigated the genetics of ethylene biosynthesis and its linkage to the RFLPs of the ACC oxidase and synthase genes in melon (Cucumis melo L.). The results suggested that the A0 and B0 fragments of RFLP-MEL1 of the ACC oxidase gene were two alleles from a single locus, as were the B and C fragments of RFLP-MEACS1 of the ACC synthase gene. The B 0 allele seemed to be partially dominant over the A 0 allele, whereas B and C alleles appeared to map to quantitative trait loci (QTLs), which most likely contributed to ethylene production. Both RFLPs were linked to ethylene production rates, but they were not linked to each other. The interaction effects of the ACC oxidase and synthase genes on ethylene production were revealed by segregation of RFLP-MEL1 and RFLP-MEACS1. The results of single-copy-reconstruction assays suggested that the ACC oxidase gene is a single copy, whereas the ACC synthase gene is a component of a multigene family in the melon genome. The abscission phenotype appeared to be controlled by an independent locus, with the abscission (full-slip) allele dominant over the non-abscission (not full-slip) allele. These results may facilitate efforts toward mapping the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of ethylene production. The RFLPs may be used in marker-assisted selection in developing melons with a more-desirable low ethylene production rate for enhancing postharvest storage life.
Metabolism and residue studies with actaplanin.

(1987). Metabolism and Residue Studies with Actaplanin: Symposium on Aspects of Drug Metabolism in Food-Producing Animals. Drug Metabolism Reviews: Vol. 18, No. 2-3, pp. 163-176.
Individual differences in sensitivity to traffic noise: An empirical study

Abstract Repeated interview surveys were made in surburban residential areas of London and Liverpool. In both cities two sites were selected according to the noise exposure level (70 or 80 dB(A) 18 hour L10, 1 metre from dwelling facade). The characteristics of the neighbourhoods were similar in all other relevant respects. The initial sample size obtained was 413 which was reduced by 21% when the interviews were repeated. Questions included noise dissatisfaction semantic differential scales, sensitivity to noise scales, environmental sensitivity scales, and classificatory questions. Two smaller random samples of 25 respondents selected from each of the noisy sites were also given two personality tests. It was found that (a) there was no evidence to suggest that the noise annoyance distributions were not normal—more specifically, they did not appear to be bimodal; (b) retest correlation coefficients were low but significant, indicating acceptable reliability of the noise dissatisfaction scale; (c) the reliability of the self-rating noise sensitivity scale was also found to be low but significant; (d) no personality factor was found to relate to annoyance or sensitivity to noise in a consistent manner. A general conclusion drawn was that noise dissatisfaction variation is due more to randomness in response to the measuring instrument than to individual differences in sensitivity to noise.
Learning Curve Approach to Reliability Monitoring

Several different and complex electromechanical and mechanical systems are shown to have remarkably similar rates of reliability improvement during system development. These similarities provide the basis for a learning curve which can be used to monitor development progress, predict growth patterns, and plan programs for reliability improvement.
Evaluation of turbo-propulsion simulators as a testing technique for fighter aircraft

Ames Research Center has under way a program to develop the technology for using turbine-powered jet engine simulators as a test technique for simulating installed jet engine characteristics in small-scale wind-tunnel models of complete VSTOL fighter configurations. The program consists of three key elements: (1) static testing SN003 prototype turbine engine simulator (MAPS), (2) the development of the Propulsion Simulator Calibration Laboratory at Ames, and (3) the design, fabrication, and testing of a twin-engine 'closely coupled' V/STOL fighter wind-tunnel model. The model will use the Compact Multi-mission Propulsion Simulator (CMAPS) and will also be tested in flow-through and jet-effects modes to assess the effect of simultaneous inlet and nozzle flow simulation. This paper includes a description of the planned effort and anticipated future tasks.
Comparison of Two External Transmitter Types on Two Sizes of Bluegills and Yellow Perch

Abstract We compared two external transmitter styles on two size-classes of bluegills Lepomis macrochirus (laterally compressed) and yellow perch Perca flavescens (fusiform) to determine the effects of (1) even distribution of transmitter weight and (2) transmitter weights above and below the recommended 2% of fish body weight. Fish were collected, acclimated for 3 weeks before transmitter attachment, measured for length and weight, Floy tagged, and randomly assigned to treatments (single-sided transmitter, saddle transmitter, and control). Weight and length of individual fish were recorded every 5 d through day 20 and every 10 d through day 40. On day 40, we classified tag migration, wound redness, and organosomatic indices. Saddle transmitters required the longest handling time of all treatments and did not outperform single-sided transmitters. On day 40, only small yellow perch had gained more weight with saddle transmitters than with single-sided transmitters. Transmitters that exceeded 2% of fish wei...
Treatment of stereotyped hair-pulling with overcorrection: A case study with long term follow-up☆

Abstract The present study reports the successful use of a positive practice overcorrection procedure for reducing sterotyped hair-pulling in a 7 1 2 -yr-old severely mentally retarded girl. This procedure was implemented after the unsuccessful use of a response prevention “treatment” by her parents. In addition, a verbal warning procedure was used to maintain the near-zero rate of hair-pulling achieved through overcorrection. Follow-up data for 1 year were reported.
Musculoskeletal pain in polio survivors and strength-matched controls

Abstract Klein MG, Keenan MA, Esquenazi A, Costello R, Polansky M. Musculoskeletal pain in polio survivors and strength-matched controls. Objectives To determine whether a significant difference exists between musculoskeletal symptoms of polio survivors and those of older adults with no history of polio, and to determine if activity level and strength predict pain in either group. Design Matched research design. Setting A research laboratory in a rehabilitation setting. Participants Fifty-four polio survivors and 54 adults with no history of polio were matched for gender, race, and bilateral knee extensor strength and selected from a cohort of 316 subjects who participated in a study on the relation between activity level and health status. Interventions Not applicable. Main outcome measures Location and severity of musculoskeletal pain, activity frequency and intensity level, maximum voluntary isometric strength, and physical performance measures. Results Polio survivors reported significantly more symptoms than the matched controls ( P Conclusions Activity level is a factor in the development of musculoskeletal symptoms in polio survivors. Polio survivors who perform at higher intensity levels are more likely to have moderate to severe pain and more mobility difficulties.
P-Lim, a LIM homeodomain factor, is expressed during pituitary organ and cell commitment and synergizes with Pit-1.

Abstract A pituitary LIM homeodomain factor, P-Lim, is expressed as Rathke's pouch forms and as specific pituitary cell phenotypes are established, suggesting functional roles throughout pituitary development. While selectively expressed in both anterior and intermediate pituitary in mature mice, P-Lim is also transiently expressed in the developing ventral neural cord and brainstem. P-Lim binds to and activates the promoter of the alpha-glycoprotein subunit gene, a marker of early pituitary development, and synergizes with Pit-1 in transcriptional activation of genes encoding terminal differentiation markers. The LIM domain of P-Lim specifically interacts with the Pit-1 POU domain and is required for synergistic interactions with Pit-1, but not for basal transcriptional activation events.
Effect of microcapsule type on delivery of dietary protein to a marine suspension-feeder, the oysterCrassostrea gigas

In order to efficiently deliver microencapsulated dietary protein to marine suspension-feeders under non-axenic conditions, it is necessary to ensure that capsules are not susceptible to rapid bacterial degradation. In this study, the preparation and use of protein-walled (P) capsules and glyceride-coated, nylon-protein-walled (GNP) capsules are compared for the delivery of dietary protein to oysters. P capsules incubated at 25 °C for 24 h in non-axenic seawater lost up to 38%14C-protein compared with losses of only 14%14C-protein from GNP capsules. Both P and GNP capsules were equally digestedin vitro by extracellular style enzymes ofCrassostrea gigas; however,in vivo feeding experiments withC. gigas indicated that14C-protein from P capsules was assimilated with an efficiency of 39%, while oysters assimilated14C from GNP capsules with a significantly lower efficiency of 29%. Selection of capsule type to maximize utilization of encapsulated protein by cultured marine suspension-feeders should depend on both the susceptibility of capsule type to bacterial degradation as well as the ability of the cultured suspension-feeder to digest and assimilate different capsule types.
Graded-index planar dielectric waveguides

Properties of planar dielectric waveguides having a diffusion-induced index of refraction distribution are investigated. It is found that the spatial distribution of modes, group velocity, and mode spectrum of these guides differed qualitatively from the corresponding properties found in a slab waveguide. These results were experimentally verified by measuring the mode spectrum of a dielectric waveguide having an assumed complimentary error-function distribution of refractive index.
Risk Assessment Methodology Based on the NISTIR 7628 Guidelines

Earlier work describes computational models of critical infrastructure that allow an analyst to estimate the security of a system in terms of the impact of loss per stakeholder resulting from security breakdowns. Here, we consider how to identify, monitor and estimate risk impact and probability for different smart grid stakeholders. Our constructive method leverages currently available standards and defined failure scenarios. We utilize the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Interagency or Internal Reports (NISTIR) 7628 as a basis to apply Cyberspace Security Econometrics system (CSES) for comparing design principles and courses of action in making security-related decisions.
An efficient source of single indistinguishable photons

We demonstrate an efficient source of nearly indistinguishable single photons from an InAs quantum dot coupled to a photonic crystal microcavity. This QD-cavity coupled system has applications in quantum information science.
Alignment of Human Resource Practices and Teacher Performance Competency

In this article, we argue that human resource (HR) management practices are important components of strategies for improving student achievement in an accountability environment. We present a framework illustrating the alignment of educational HR management practices to a teacher performance competency model, which in turn is aligned with student achievement goals. We identify and illustrate the various HR practices that could be aligned to the performance competency model and to each other. These HR practices include recruitment, selection, induction, mentoring, professional development, compensation, performance management, and instructional leadership. We then describe HR practices in 2 districts where empirical links between teacher competency and student achievement were shown (Cincinnati and Washoe County) and evaluate how much alignment was in place. We discuss the importance of HR alignment analysis for diagnosing districts' teacher quality improvement efforts, and we present suggestions for futur...
User recovery of audio operations

Computer interfaces that support user recovery can radically alter a user's interaction style. Users can explore alternatives freely, secure in the knowledge that they can undo actions and restore previous states if necessary. A text-editor, like EMACS, where users can restore the state of an editing session to a correct previous state, is an example of such a system. Editors for textual, graphical, and many other media types commonly support user recovery. Support for and understanding of recovery in applications that use audio is not as widespread. Audio is characterized by its large volume, lack of easy indexing, and difficulty in defining inverse operations. We present a theoretical model of recovery for audio operations to help user interface designers and implementers. Our model maps an audio operation to a recovery policy and then the recovery policy to a recovery mechanism. The model uses a classification of audio operations that aids in choosing applicable recovery policies.
Stellar Occultation by 2060 Chiron

Abstract A 14th magnitude double star was occulted by 2060 Chiron on 1993 November 7. Observations of this event were obtained from five locations in California. An occultation by Chiron's nucleus was recorded at one of these sites, while a possible graze by the nucleus was seen at the next closest location. If this possible graze represents a true detection of the nucleus, Chiron's radius is determined to be 89.6 ± 6.8 km, assuming a circular outline for the shape. If the nucleus was not seen at the second location, Chiron's radius is only constrained as being greater than 90.2 ± 6.5 km. The presence of dust in Chiron's inner coma was also detected in four of the five occultation datasets. Lightcurve features were identified that may be explained by narrow, collimated jets of material, and by a much larger region of dust distributed asymmetrically about Chiron's nucleus. Periodic fluctuations in the dust may have been detected in one of the lightcurves. If this periodicity is real, and is induced as a result of Chiron's rotation, then a minimum expansion velocity for the dust is found to be ∼40 m sec−1.
Ignorance or Irony in Plato’s Socrates?: A Look Beyond Avowals and Disavowals of Knowledge

My central thesis is that Socrates of Plato’s “early” dialogues believes he has the very wisdom he famously disavows. Eschewing the usual tack of analyzing his various avowals and disavowals of knowledge, I focus on other claims which entail a belief that he has wisdom par excellence—not just selfawareness of ignorance and not just so-called elenctic wisdom. First, I correct the common misimpression that Socrates is willing only to ask but not to answer questions. Indeed, he describes his own answers as a crucial part of his exhortative message, which, I show, involves not just an exhortation to participate in “elenctic” discussion; his exhortation to virtue is not aimed just at getting his interlocutors to understand that virtue—whatever it is!—must be pursued first and foremost. The elenchus, I argue, is only a prerequisite for understanding the much more substantive lessons of his exhortative practice, which produces “the greatest good”—indeed “happiness” itself. This interpretation, I explain, goes hand in hand with Socrates’ belief that he is a “good man”, invulnerable to injury, who rationally and independently always makes unerring decisions aimed at justice. In light of such beliefs, as well as his fearless claims about others’ injustices, I offer a plausible explanation of why Socrates denies having bona fide wisdom and being a “teacher” of it.
G-Protein Coupled Receptor Signaling in Myocardium: Not for the Faint of Heart

Catecholamines, endothelin-1 and angiotensin II are among a diverse group of diffusible extracellular signals that regulate pump function of the heart by binding to G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR). When the body demands a temporary boost of power output or if temporary budgeting of resources is required, these signals can adjust heart rate and contractile strength to maintain continuous perfusion of all vascular beds with nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood. Given adequate time in the face of prolonged challenges, activation of GPCRs can also promote "remodeling of the heart" by increasing cell size, organ size, and chamber dimensions, or by varying tissue composition and altering the expression of protein isoforms controlling excitability and contractility. A common feature of heart disease is the state of chronic activation of GPCR signaling systems. Paradoxically, whereas acute activation is beneficial, chronic activation often contributes to further deterioration of cardiac performance. A better understanding of how chronic GPCR activation contributes to the development of heart disease is needed so that it can be translated into better prevention and therapeutic strategies in the clinic.
Thermostability of Urethane Elastomers Based on p-Phenylene Diisocyanate

Polyurethane (PU) elastomers based on p-phenylene diisocyanate (PPDI), poly(oxytetramethylene) glycol or poly(1,6 hexamethylene adipate) gly col and 1,4-butanediol were prepared at different NCO/OH ratios, and the mechanical property changes of these elastomers after heat aging at 150 °C were examined in the presence and absence of various antioxidants. It was found that the highest retention of mechanical properties of the polyether based PU elastomers were achieved with Irganox 1010 followed by Irganox 1024. There was no synergism observed in the combinations of antioxidants. The thermal oxidation stability of PUs based on polyester polyol was better than one based on polyether polyol. Both NCO/OH ratio and the methods of ad dition of antioxidants to PU elastomers affect the final thermostability of the elastomers.
Thermal behavior of carbohydrates

Thermal analysis of a hardwood reflected the pyrolysis of its main components including xylan and cellulose. Thermal properties of these components were investigated with model compounds consisting of α-D-xylose, substituted phenyl β-D-xylopyranosides, β-Dglucopyranosides and α-D-arabino-hexopyranosides and 1,6-anhydro-β-D-glucopyranose. At the lower temperatures these molecules displayed anomerization, loss of water and phase change, which were studied with a variety of physical methods. Calorimeteric and wide line NMR measurements showed that 1,6-anhydro-β-D-glucopyranose and related anhydro sugars undergo plastic crystalline transition, involving reorientation of the molecules about their centers of gravity and self-diffusion before melting. At more elevated temperatures the above compounds showed cleavage of the glycosidic group, polymerization of the sugar moiety, decomposition and evaporation of the pyrolysis products. This involved some heterolytic reactions, which could be catalyzed by acid or alkaline materials. Kinetics of the pyrolysis process, including the rates and energies of activation were determined by thermal analysis and ESR spectroscopy. These data indicated that cleavage of the glycosidic bond is directly influenced by variation of its electron density and constitutes the rate determining step in pyrolysis of the carbohydrate compounds.
Automated detection of malicious reconnaissance to enhance network security

Anomaly detection tools currently react to directed attacks during or shortly after they have occurred. Unfortunately, an attack that is detected after it has occurred is, in essence, a successful one. Advance warning of potential attacks could aid in their detection. Before an attack is launched the attacker often performs reconnaissance on the target host or network to learn its vulnerabilities. If malicious network reconnaissance can be detected and identified, it can serve as a warning of future attacks and may provide clues as to the identity of the attacker. This paper presents a novel technique for the automated detection of malicious network reconnaissance in a live network.
Caliban's Shore: The Wreck of the Grosvenor and the Strange Fate of Her Survivors – Stephen Taylor

Tales of shipwrecks and castaways have always captured the public's imagination. This author has written a remarkable account of the 140 individuals who sailed from India in June of 1782 on the Gro...
Do preclinical testing strategies help predict human hepatotoxic potentials

Overt hepatotoxicity due to drug administration is a real and present issue in drug development and regulatory circles. Preclinical drug development is intended to identify potential risks and target tissues prior to introduction of new molecular entities into the human population. The standard regimen is testing at various multiples of the intended human therapeutic dose in at least 2 species of animals, one rodent (rats or mice), one non-rodent (dogs,nonhuman primates, minipigs, and rabbits, as examples) for at least two weeks of repeated dosing. Experience has shown that this regimen "works"most of the time. However, preclinical models are not infallible and are not always predictive. Whether the lack of predictivity is due to individual human genetic sensitivities, immunologically mediated phenomena, disease mediation or idiosyncratic reactions, the animal models are limited in detecting these characteristics and other low incidence phenomena. While it is uncommon for drug developers to continue development with products that elicit overt hepatic toxicity early in the animal testing, some products have made it through the approval process and then shown significant adverse effects. Some of the drugs (acetaminophen, isoniazid, trovafloxacin, troglitazone, bromfenac, clarithromycin, telithromycin) that have shown this propensity will be discussed in detail from early preclinical development to marketing and, in some instances, to limitations to usage or removal from the U.S. marketplace.
On the elusive benefits of protocol offload

Periodic order-of-magnitude jumps in Ethernet bandwidth regularly reawaken interest in TCP/IP transport protocol offload. This time the jump to 10-Gigabit Ethernet coincides with the emergence of new network storage protocols (iSCSI and DAFS), and vendors are combining these with offload NICs to position IP as a competitor to FibreChannel and other SAN interconnects. But what benefits will offload show for application performance?Several recent studies have presented conflicting data to argue that offload either does or does not benefit applications. But the evidence from empirical studies is often little better than anecdotal. The principles that determine the results are not widely understood, except for the first principle: Your Mileage May Vary.This paper outlines fundamental performance properties of transport offload and other techniques for low-overhead I/O in terms of four key ratios that capture the CPU-intensity of the application and the relative speeds of the host, NIC device, and network path. The study also reflects the role of offload as an enabler for direct data placement, which eliminates some communication overheads rather than merely shifting them to the NIC. The analysis applies to Internet services, streaming data, and other scenarios in which end-to-end throughput is limited by network bandwidth or processing overhead rather than latency.
Calibrating Nonlinear Mobile Sensors

In-field calibration of sensor devices is known to be a challenging problem because there is often no access to a controlled signal field and/or a pre-calibrated device to provide the ground truth. Nonlinear characteristics of sensor devices make the calibration problem even harder. In this paper, we describe two blind calibration schemes for nonlinear mobile sensor nodes: nullspace based calibration (NBC) and moments based calibration (MBC). Simulation results are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed schemes. MBC scheme is also used to calibrate light sensors on MICA2 motes in a light field generated by a light bulb. Results show that significant error reduction can be achieved when nonlinearity is considered.
GABAergic transmission in rat pontine reticular formation regulates the induction phase of anesthesia and modulates hyperalgesia caused by sleep deprivation.

The oral part of the pontine reticular formation (PnO) contributes to the regulation of sleep, anesthesia and pain. The role of PnO γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in modulating these states remains incompletely understood. The present study used time to loss and time to resumption of righting response (LoRR and RoRR) as surrogate measures of loss and resumption of consciousness. This study tested three hypotheses: (i) pharmacologically manipulating GABA levels in rat PnO alters LoRR, RoRR and nociception; (ii) propofol decreases GABA levels in the PnO; and (iii) inhibiting GABA synthesis in the PnO blocks hyperalgesia caused by sleep deprivation. Administering a GABA synthesis inhibitor [3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA)] or a GABA uptake inhibitor [nipecotic acid (NPA)] into rat PnO significantly altered LoRR caused by propofol. 3-MPA significantly decreased LoRR for propofol (-18%). NPA significantly increased LoRR during administration of propofol (36%). Neither 3-MPA nor NPA altered RoRR following cessation of propofol or isoflurane delivery. The finding that LoRR was decreased by 3-MPA and increased by NPA is consistent with measures showing that extracellular GABA levels in the PnO were decreased (41%) by propofol. Thermal nociception was significantly decreased by 3-MPA and increased by NPA, and 3-MPA blocked the hyperalgesia caused by sleep deprivation. The results demonstrate that GABA levels in the PnO regulate the time for loss of consciousness caused by propofol, extend the concept that anesthetic induction and emergence are not inverse processes, and suggest that GABAergic transmission in the PnO mediates hyperalgesia caused by sleep loss.
Salivary gland cancers: current treatments, molecular characteristics and new therapies

Salivary gland cancers are relatively rare and quite diverse. Current therapy relies on local ablation. There are few large clinical trials or randomized trials to guide treatment, especially for metastatic disease. This article reviews the epidemiology, staging, molecular characteristics, and treatment evidence for the most common types of salivary cancers and suggests potential future diagnostic and treatment directions. Progress in understanding the molecular and cell biology of salivary gland cancers may lead to the development of targeted therapies in these rare tumors. Multidisciplinary and multi-institutional collaborative studies are needed to help improve survival in salivary gland cancers.
Pattern-based software architecture: a case study

This paper describes a software specification method based on high-level Petri net patterns known as HPrTN patterns. HPrTN patterns rely on a pattern catalog, and a formal basis for specializing, instantiating, and composing existing patterns. We show the usefulness of our approach via modeling of a blackboard system.
Limiting volume with modern ventilators.

Background:The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) network low tidal-volume study comparing tidal volumes of 12 ml/kg versus 6 ml/kg was published in 2000. The study was stopped early as dat...
Evaluation of an Undergraduate Psychology Program: Occupational and Personal Benefits

A 30-item questionnaire completed by 272 psychology graduates from Marquette University, between May 1973 and May 1983, provided an updated evaluation of the undergraduate program. This study investigated: (a) differences between mule and female graduates, (b) graduates' evaluation of the psychology curriculum and faculty, and (c) occupational benefits of the psychology major for those who pursued graduate work in psychology or professional fields and for those who sought employment with the terminal bachelor's degree. Results of this study are compared with those of other alumni surveys published between 1961 and 1987.
Cotton Fiber Secondary Wall Development—Time Versus Thickness

Secondary wall thickness is a function of maturity in cotton fibers. Fibers begin to elongate at anthesis, and elongation continues for approximately 20 days. As this elongation period ends, deposition of the secondary wall begins and continues for 25- 30 days until the boll "matures" and opens. The exact period of elongation and sec ondary thickening depends on factors such as variety, growing temperature, and light level. This microscopical study illustrates rates of secondary wall development in three cotton varieties, and shows effects of drastic changes in light and temperature, as well as differences in fiber development within a single boll.
Bayesian multiple-instance motif discovery with BAMBI: inference of recombinase and transcription factor binding sites

Finding conserved motifs in genomic sequences represents one of essential bioinformatic problems. However, achieving high discovery performance without imposing substantial auxiliary constraints on possible motif features remains a key algorithmic challenge. This work describes BAMBI—a sequential Monte Carlo motif-identification algorithm, which is based on a position weight matrix model that does not require additional constraints and is able to estimate such motif properties as length, logo, number of instances and their locations solely on the basis of primary nucleotide sequence data. Furthermore, should biologically meaningful information about motif attributes be available, BAMBI takes advantage of this knowledge to further refine the discovery results. In practical applications, we show that the proposed approach can be used to find sites of such diverse DNA-binding molecules as the cAMP receptor protein (CRP) and Din-family site-specific serine recombinases. Results obtained by BAMBI in these and other settings demonstrate better statistical performance than any of the four widely-used profile-based motif discovery methods: MEME, BioProspector with BioOptimizer, SeSiMCMC and Motif Sampler as measured by the nucleotide-level correlation coefficient. Additionally, in the case of Din-family recombinase target site discovery, the BAMBI-inferred motif is found to be the only one functionally accurate from the underlying biochemical mechanism standpoint. C++ and Matlab code is available at http://www.ee.columbia.edu/~guido/BAMBI or http://genomics.lbl.gov/BAMBI/.
NATURALLY-TRANSITIONING RATE-TO-FORCE CONTROL

The Naturally-Transitioning Rate-to-Force Controller ( NTRFC) for manipulators is presented. In free motion rate control is provided, while in contact the same rate commands are proportional to the force exerted on the environment by the manipulator. The transition between free motion and stable contact with the environment requires no changes in control mode or gains and hence is termed natural. The NTRFC has been experimentally implemented and shows great promise. This paper demonstrates the NTRFC concept and provides a basis for its modeling and design.
Porcine origin of human sputum trypsin

From purulent cystic fibrosis (CF) sputum, previous investigators partially purified a trypsinlike protease. A similar purified enzyme is available commercially as “human sputum trypsin.” To explor...
Cardiac surgery is evolving, but far from dead.

Despite considerable advances during the past several decades, the global burden related to cardiovascular disease remains substantial. It is anticipated that by 2030, cardiovascular diseases will be among the 3 leading contributors to disability-adjusted life years (1 lost year of healthy life) and play a causal role in up to 65% of deaths worldwide. 1 Despite this growing population of at-risk patients, there is considerable angst among cardiac surgeons about the role we will play in future treatments. In this issue, Whitson and Lima 2 assess the current landscape of cardiac surgery and anticipate a promising future. Cardiac surgery as a specialty has been defined by relentless innovation in the pursuit of improving patient care. More recently, much of the innovation has been on catheter-based approaches allowing effective treatment of coronary artery disease, arrythmias, and valvular heart disease. It is reasonable to expect, as mentioned by Whitson and Lima, 2 that these technologic advancements will create new opportunities (as seen with the growth of adult congenital surgery) and may lead to new challenges for multidisciplinary heart teams. Until now, we have found clinical equipoise in survival for high- and extreme-risk patients up to 5 years with the first generation of transcatheter aortic valve replacement devices. 3-5
μ x boosted-bottom-jet tagging and Z ′ boson searches

We present a new technique for tagging heavy-flavor jets with ${p}_{T}g500\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$ called ``${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{x}$ tagging.'' Current track-based methods of $b$-jet tagging lose efficiency and experience a large rise in fake rate in the boosted regime. Using muons from $B$ hadron decay, we combine angular information and jet substructure to tag $b$ jets, $c$ jets, light jets, and ``light-heavy'' jets (those containing $B$ hadrons from gluon splitting). We find tagging efficiencies of ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{b}=14%$, ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{c}=6.5%$, ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\text{light-light}}=0.14%$, and ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\text{light-heavy}}=0.5%$, respectively, that are nearly independent of transverse momentum at high energy. We demonstrate the usefulness of this new scheme by examining the discovery potential for multi-TeV leptophobic ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ bosons in the boosted-$b$-tagged dijet channel at the Large Hadron Collider.