cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic Underemployment And Regression Towards the Mean

The standard presumption regarding unemployment generated by search is that it is efficient (Robert Hall, 1979a; E. Prescott, 1975). But this conclusion is based on an incomplete notion of the role of search. Previous work on the subject, by not recognizing that search assigns workers to jobs, has neglected to study the assignment brought about by search and has ruled out the phenomenon of regression towards the mean. This phenomenon distorts the assignment of workers to jobs in a systematic way and produces chronic underemployment (excessive unemployment) of less skilled workers. Although the job matching literature (Boyan Jovanovic, 1979; Dale Mortensen, 1976) has incorporated some of the allocative role of search, it has not specified the heterogeneous nature of the workers and firms to be assigned to each other, with the result that regression towards the mean cannot arise.
Natural Lead Levels in Dandelions ( Taraxacum officinale): A Weed, Folk Medicine, and Biomonitor.

The natural lead concentration of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) leaves is estimated to be 0.2 μg/g (dry weight), or 1–3 orders of magnitude below most contemporary measurements of that value for dandelions and other plants. This estimate is based on analyses of lead concentrations of dandelions grown in a trace metal clean laboratory, with environmental lead concentrations approximating natural levels. The protocols used in this study paralleled those in our previous study that estimated the natural blood lead level in humans (0.016 μg/dL), which is also 1–3 orders of magnitude below most contemporary measurements. Analyses of the isotopic ratios (206Pb/207Pb:208Pb/207Pb) of the lead in the plants grown in the laboratory and greenhouse and those collected in the field, as well as the isotopic ratios of the soils the plants were grown in in the laboratory, indicate that anthropogenic lead makes up a substantial amount of labile lead in today’s environments. Consequently, this estimate of the natural lea...
Molecular analysis of an ancient Thule population at Nuvuk, Point Barrow, Alaska

OBJECTIVES The North American archaeological record supports a Holocene origin of Arctic Indigenous peoples. Although the Paleo-Inuit were present for millennia, archaeological and genetic studies suggest that modern peoples descend from a second, more recent tradition known as the Neo-Inuit. Origins of the Neo-Inuit and their relations to the earlier and later Indigenous peoples are an area of active study. Here, we genetically analyze the maternal lineages present at Nuvuk, once the northernmost community in Alaska and located in a region identified as a possible origin point of the Neo-Inuit Thule. The cemetery at Nuvuk contains human remains representing a nearly one thousand year uninterrupted occupation from early Thule to post-contact Inupiat. MATERIALS AND METHODS We selected 44 individuals from Nuvuk with calibrated dates between 981 AD and 1885 AD for molecular analysis. We amplified and sequenced the hypervariable segment I of the mitogenome. We compared the Nuvuk data with previously published sequences from 68 modern and ancient communities from across Asia and North America. Phylogeographic analyses suggest possible scenarios of Holocene Arctic and sub-Arctic population movements. RESULTS We successfully retrieved sequence data from 39 individuals. Haplogroup frequencies in Nuvuk were typed as 66.7% A2b1, 25.6% A2a, and 7.7% D4b1a2a1a. These results suggest that the population at Nuvuk was closest to the ancient Thule and modern Inuit of Canada, and to the Siberian Naukan people. We confirm that haplogroups A2a, A2b1, D2a, and D4b1a2a1a appear at high frequency in Arctic and sub-Arctic populations of North America and Chukotka. Sister clades D2b and D4b1a2a1b are present in Asian and Eastern European populations. DISCUSSION The ancient mitochondrial sequences from Nuvuk confirm the link between the North Slope and the Thule who later spread east, and the maternal discontinuity between the Neo-Inuit and Paleo-Inuit. We suggest haplogroups A2a, A2b, and D4b1a2a1a are linked to the ancestors of the Thule in eastern Beringia, whereas the D2 and D4b1a2a1 clades appear to have Asian Holocene origins. Further Siberian and Alaskan genomes are necessary to clarify these population migrations beyond a simple two-wave scenario of Neo-Inuit and Paleo-Inuit.
From Gandhian Pacifism and Communitarianism to the War and the Warlordism: The Adjustment of the Albanian Security Synthesis

In this chapter I argue that during the 1990s the Albanians in Kosova were an exemplary peaceful, orderly, democratic, and civil society inspired by the principles of non-violence and the Gandhian satyagraha. By 1998, though, the KLA shattered this image and the Albanians were fighting against the Serb state in a peasant uprising that showed their determination, the strength of ethnic ties, and the uncompromising nature of a warlike nationalism. The shift in identity, not just in tactics of the struggle, was remarkable, decisive, and rapid. It took everybody by surprise. From a well-behaved Gandhian nation relying on the communitarian structures, the Albanians of Kosova became the warriors of old, and fell back on ethnic and national structures. The only way to make sense of this shift in the identity is to go to the security synthesis. Identity is the outer layer but in the presence of the same deadly security threat, the security synthesis remains unchanged. The Serbs, the deadly existential threat to the Albanians, changed their policy and decided to solve the issue of Kosova, once and for all. The identity adopted by the Albanians, of a liberal, democratic, and human rights, did not help them. So, faced with the deadly existential threat, they went back to the proven solution of fighting for their own survival. Indeed, this is what I will argue in this chapter.
Towards Low-burden In-situ Self-reporting: A Design Space Exploration

In-situ self-reporting is a widely-used data collection method which offers many benefits in the clinical, psychological and social research fields. However, high capture burden issues have surfaced as in-situ self-reporting expands and diversifies in various studies. Thus, we draw attention to the design space of low-burden in-situ self-reporting. In this work-in-progress, drawing on literature analysis, we explore the design space by analyzing and mapping context-dependent attention resources, current interactive methods, and associated design requirements. In the case study, we further demonstrate the use of the design space to derive low-burden experience sampling solutions. Overall, we stress that reducing in-situ self-report burdens requires research attention, and the design space can help designers make sensible design decisions.
Femoropopliteale Rekonstruktionen bei terminaler AVK: Ist der primäre PTFE-Bypass gerechtfertigt?

Die autologe Vene ist unbestritten das Standardmaterial fur infrainguinale Rekonstruktionen, wobei ihr Wert insbesondere bei infrapoplitealem TransplantatanschluB nicht zu uberschatzen ist. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist die Frage bedeutsam, ob die VSM im femoropoplitealen Bereich durch alloplastisches Material, z. B. PTFE, adaquat ersetzt werden und so fur einen spateren kruralen/koronaren Einsatz „gespart“ werden kann. Unsere retrospektive Auswertung befast sich damit, in welchem Umfang Reoperationen nach femoropoplitealen PTFE-Bypasses erforderlich wurden, welche Durchgangigkeits-/Limb-Salvage-Raten im Vergleich mit Venenmaterial erreicht werden konnten und ob somit eine Berechtigung fur die primare Verwendung von PTFE in diesem Bereich gegeben ist.
Balance and reaction time do not rapidly improve off antiseizure drugs.

Abstract Objective People with epilepsy (PWE) exercise less than the general population and describe a lower level of fitness. Exercise improves comorbidities associated with epilepsy and may help seizure control. We aimed to record balance and reaction time in patients undergoing antiseizure drug (ASD) taper in the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) to determine if there is a reversible, dose-dependent effect of these medications. Methods We tested 21 patients and 21 controls using a Wii Balance Board (WBB) and online reaction time test. The patients were recruited during an EMU stay and were tested before and after medication taper. Drug levels were also checked. Sway from center of pressure (COP) and speed of sway were tested with eyes open on two legs, eyes closed on two legs, and eyes open on one leg. Reaction time was tested. Results Compared with controls, patients on ASDs had more sway from COP (with eyes open on two legs: p = 0.0022 in the anterior–posterior axis and p = 0.022 in the medial–lateral axis using linear regression) and worse reaction time (p Discussion Balance and reaction time in patients on ASD is impaired compared with controls. There is no immediate improvement in these measures following ASD withdrawal. This difference may result from vestibular or cerebellar effects. More research is needed to determine the individual effects of particular medications on balance and reaction time.
Personal Knowledge Graphs: A Research Agenda

Knowledge graphs, organizing structured information about entities, and their attributes and relationships, are ubiquitous today. Entities, in this context, are usually taken to be anyone or anything considered to be globally important. This, however, rules out many entities people interact with on a daily basis. In this position paper, we present the concept of personal knowledge graphs: resources of structured information about entities personally related to its user, including the ones that might not be globally important. We discuss key aspects that separate them for general knowledge graphs, identify the main challenges involved in constructing and using them, and define a research agenda.
Tensor canonical correlation analysis

Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) is a multivariate analysis technique for estimating a linear relationship between two sets of measurements. Modern acquisition technologies, for example, those arising in neuroimaging and remote sensing, produce data in the form of multidimensional arrays or tensors. Classic CCA is not appropriate for dealing with tensor data due to the multidimensional structure and ultrahigh dimensionality of such modern data. In this paper, we present tensor CCA (TCCA) to discover relationships between two tensors while simultaneously preserving multidimensional structure of the tensors and utilizing substantially fewer parameters. Furthermore, we show how to employ a parsimonious covariance structure to gain additional stability and efficiency. We delineate population and sample problems for each model and propose efficient estimation algorithms with global convergence guarantees. Also we describe a probabilistic model for TCCA that enables the generation of synthetic data with desired canonical variates and correlations. Simulation studies illustrate the performance of our methods.
Applying Neural Networks to Delay Fault Testing: Test Point Insertion and Random Circuit Training

This article presents methods of increasing logic built-in self-test (LBIST) delay fault coverage using artificial neural networks (ANNs) to selecting test point (TP) locations a method to train ANNs using randomly generated circuits. This method increases delay test quality both during and after manufacturing. This article also trains ANNs without relying on valuable third-party intellectual property (IP) circuits. Results show higher-quality TPs are selected in significantly reduced CPU time and third-party IP is not be required for ANN training.
Exploring the cantilever: teaching tools for atomic force microscopy

We are presenting a series of experiments to help aid with understanding some of the fundamental concepts pertaining the resonance of cantilevers. The goal is to provide an accessible platform for exploring and understanding the principles behind non-contact scanning probe/atomic force microscopy. We highlight a simple experiment that utilizes a piezo buzzer and oscilloscope to measure the natural resonance frequency of a cantilever. This information is used to show how the frequency is related to the length and to extract information about the Young's Modulus of the material. We also present how one is able to utilize a piezo driven craft stick to measure masses within a 100th of a gram. Utilizing the same driven craft sticks we present a series of experiments that employ the use of a magnetic probe to explore the differences between attractive and repulsive forces. In addition, a discussion of how the results relate to the tip-sample interactions in atomic force microscopy will be displayed. The experiments presented were developed as part of an undergraduate modern physics laboratory and a scanning probe microscopy course. A review of how these experiments were implemented in the courses will be exhibited.
P20 Effectiveness of Nutrition Interventions in Low-Income Rural and Urban Retail Environments: A Systematic Literature Review

Background Retail interventions targeting food access and promoting healthy food choices are implemented to address the unique nutrition challenges of residents in low-income rural and urban environments. Research about the effectiveness of interventions in rural environments is limited. Objective The purpose of this systematic literature review is to identify successful retail interventions used in stores located in low-income rural and urban environments. Study Design, Setting, Participants This review is reported in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Five databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles, and additional publications were hand-searched or provided by experts in the field. Studies were sought from October 1, 2010, until December 31, 2018. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Studies which included a nutrition promotion in retail stores located in a low-income rural or urban community were included if they provided a quantitative outcome evaluation regarding the impact of the intervention(s). Intervention data was extracted and classified based on the MINDSPACE framework. Store level approaches including manager and staff training, store incentives, and/or store modifications were extracted. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of the studies using the EPHPP's Quality Assessment for Quantitative Studies. Results Peer-reviewed data from 43 publications (19 rural and 24 urban) was extracted representing 38 healthy retail programs in the US, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. Preliminary results show 192 (82 rural and 110 urban) MINDSPACE interventions were implemented. Excluding norms, interventions were implemented in descending frequency as follows: salience, priming, commitment, incentives, ego, messenger, affect, and defaults. Rural interventions included a messenger that was unique to the community and appealed to the consumer's emotions more often than urban interventions. Of the 17 programs which reported staff and storeowner training, 12 were in low-income urban areas. Conclusions More research is needed to identify interventions, essential equipment, and training needs of managers and staff in low-income rural stores.
Intrinsically gapless topological phases

Most topological properties of quantum systems, such as the braiding of anyons or protected edge modes, are easiest to define in systems with an energy gap. While some topological phenomena persist in the presence of gapless modes, this paper explores such properties that are only possible without a gap. These systems are here dubbed intrinsically gapless topological phases. The authors study a simple model -- a hole-doped one-dimensional antiferromagnet -- and describe a mechanism based on anomalies that applies in all dimensions.
A Constant g m Current Reference Generator with Purely Off-Chip Resistor

Most analog circuits need a current reference generator to provide a stable biasing point for the transistors. Given the limited voltage headroom in advanced node technologies, there would be notable restrictions on the tolerance of the reference current deviation. Use of off-chip reference generators adds to the size of the system while the on-chip reference current generators are still partially dependent on the on-chip resistor values which is prone to technology variations. We proposed an on-chip reference generator with a fully off-chip resistor which has less sensitivity to the process variations. MonteCarlo simulation results shows that the proposed has 31% more precision compared to the conventional on-chip reference generator. Measurement results in 0.18 μm CMOS shows that the chip produces a stable reference current that is defined based on an off-chip resistor.
Discomforting presence in the classroom – the affective technologies of race, racism and whiteness

This article sheds light on the elusive presence of race, racism, and Whiteness in Norwegian primary schools. Empirical examples from observations at six schools exemplify how race and racism appea...
Cytochrome P450 Metabolism of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Neurodegeneration.

Due to the aging population in the world, neurodegenerative diseases have become a serious public health issue that greatly impacts patients’ quality of life and adds a huge economic burden. Even after decades of research, there is no effective curative treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have become an emerging dietary medical intervention for health maintenance and treatment of diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. Recent research demonstrated that the oxidized metabolites, particularly the cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolites, of PUFAs are beneficial to several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease; however, their mechanism(s) remains unclear. The endogenous levels of CYP metabolites are greatly affected by our diet, endogenous synthesis, and the downstream metabolism. While the activity of omega-3 (ω-3) CYP PUFA metabolites and omega-6 (ω-6) CYP PUFA metabolites largely overlap, the ω-3 CYP PUFA metabolites are more active in general. In this review, we will briefly summarize recent findings regarding the biosynthesis and metabolism of CYP PUFA metabolites. We will also discuss the potential mechanism(s) of CYP PUFA metabolites in neurodegeneration, which will ultimately improve our understanding of how PUFAs affect neurodegeneration and may identify potential drug targets for neurodegenerative diseases.
The Coase Theorem at Sixty

The Coase theorem is one of the most influential and controversial ideas to emerge from post-World War II economics. This article examines the theorem's origins, diffusion, and the wide variety of uses to which it has been put by economists and others over the sixty years since Coase published "The Problem of Social Cost." Along the way, we explore the ambiguity and controversy surrounding the theorem, develop a Coase theorem that is valid as a proposition in economic logic, and probe the implications of all of this for the use of the Coase theorem going forward.
Greening the operating room, one procedure at a time

Abstract Background/Purpose There is growing interest within the anesthesia community regarding sustainability practices. A quality improvement initiative at a large, urban, academic medical center provided anesthesia practitioners education to promote change in practice to reduce our overall carbon footprint in the operating room. This endeavor provided cost-savings to the healthcare system and positioned the anesthesia department as environmental advocates. Methods Institutional Review Board approval was granted for non-human subject research. A retrospective chart review was completed examining inhalational agent usage and fresh gas flow rate over thirty days (n = 304). Next, an education on sustainability practices with an overview of inhaled anesthetics and their impact on the environment, based on global warming potential, was delivered during department grand rounds. Afterwards, data was collected for 30 days with the same sampling technique (n = 285). Six weeks later, desflurane vaporizers were removed from anesthesia machines. After removal, data was collected once again to determine desflurane usage (n = 289). Results A retrospective chart review of 878 patients undergoing general anesthesia showed an average baseline usage of desflurane at 8.3%. A reduction to 3% was noted after implementation of sustainability education. Desflurane usage further decreased to 0.3% after desflurane vaporizer removal. Discussion This quality improvement initiative resulted in cost savings and provided a significant environmental impact while providing the tools for a conscious, deliberate decision in care based on current literature to decrease global warming impact while preserving the practitioners right to choose an inhalational agent.
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Communication and Healthcare Access for Adults With Hearing Loss

OBJECTIVE: Adults with hearing loss are at risk of negative impacts of the pandemic. Specific factors, such as hearing loss severity and location of residence, may disproportionately impact patients during the pandemic. The objective of this study was to assess the relative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hearing loss patients, based on hearing device type and location of residence. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional questionnaire study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Adults with hearing loss. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data included sociodemographic data, communication challenges, pandemic preparedness, access to healthcare, and mental and emotional health. RESULTS: A total of 614 patients responded (27.8% response rate). Compared with hearing aid users, cochlear implant users reported more difficulty communicating with family/friends (53% versus 41%, pâ=â0.017), obtaining pandemic information (10% versus 3%, pâ=â0.002), and understanding live broadcasts (47% versus 17%, pâ=â0.001) during the pandemic. CI users were less likely than hearing aid users to seek general (52% versus 69%, pâ=â0.001) and hearing healthcare services (20% versus 34%, pâ=â0.002). Rural residents reported greater difficulty than urban residents communicating with friends/family (53% versus 39%, pâ=â0.001), obtaining food/supplies (41% versus 20%, pâ=â0.004), understanding live broadcasts (31% versus 20%, pâ=â0.001) during the pandemic. Compared with urban residents, rural residents reported greater difficulty accessing general (57% versus 42%, pâ=â0.004) and hearing healthcare (49% versus 34%, pâ=â0.043). Rural residents reported poorer mental/emotional health than urban residents. CONCLUSIONS: Among adults with hearing loss, cochlear implant users and rural residents experience greater challenges in communication, pandemic preparedness, and access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cytokine-Laden Extracellular Vesicles Predict Patient Prognosis after Cerebrovascular Accident.

Background: A major contributor to disability after hemorrhagic stroke is secondary brain damage induced by the inflammatory response. Following stroke, global increases in numerous cytokines—many associated with worse outcomes—occur within the brain, cerebrospinal fluid, and peripheral blood. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) may traffic inflammatory cytokines from damaged tissue within the brain, as well as peripheral sources, across the blood–brain barrier, and they may be a critical component of post-stroke neuroinflammatory signaling. Methods: We performed a comprehensive analysis of cytokine concentrations bound to plasma EV surfaces and/or sequestered within the vesicles themselves. These concentrations were correlated to patient acute neurological condition by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and to chronic, long-term outcome via the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E). Results: Pro-inflammatory cytokines detected from plasma EVs were correlated to worse outcomes in hemorrhagic stroke patients. Anti-inflammatory cytokines detected within EVs were still correlated to poor outcomes despite their putative neuroprotective properties. Inflammatory cytokines macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL2), colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1), interleukin 7 (IL7), and monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG/CXCL9) were significantly correlated to both negative GCS and GOS-E when bound to plasma EV membranes. Conclusions: These findings correlate plasma-derived EV cytokine content with detrimental outcomes after stroke, highlighting the potential for EVs to provide cytokines with a means of long-range delivery of inflammatory signals that perpetuate neuroinflammation after stroke, thus hindering recovery.
Detection and characterization of a rare two-component lantibiotic, amyloliquecidin GF610 produced by Bacillus velezensis, using a combination of culture, molecular and bioinformatic analyses

Aim To detect and characterize novel lantibiotics from a collection of Bacillus spp. using a multifaceted analytical approach. Methods and results A previously completed microassay identified 45 Bacillus isolates with anti-Listeria activity. The isolates were PCR screened using degenerate primers targeting conserved sequences in lanM-type lantibiotics. B. velezensis GF610 produced a PCR product whose sequence, along with genome mining and bioinformatics, guided the liquid chromatographic analysis of strain's cell-free extracts and the mass spectrometry of purified fractions. Results revealed a new amyloliquecidin variant (designated GF610) produced by the strain. Amyloliquecidin GF610 is a two-component lantibiotic with α and β peptides having monoisotopic masses of 3026 and 2451 Da, and molecular formulae C130 H191 N35 O39 S5 and C110 H158 N26 O30 S4 , respectively. Amyloliquecidin GF610 is active against Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium sporogenes, Clostridioides difficile, Staphylococcus aureus and Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the range of 0.5-7.0 µmol l-1 . Conclusions The proposed multifaceted analytical approach was valuable to provide a deep and proper characterization of a novel bacteriocin, amyloliquecidin GF610, with high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Significance and impact The discovered Amyloliquecidin GF610 is potentially useful in food, agricultural or medical applications. The analytical approach followed may facilitate future discoveries of two-component lantibiotics, which are challenging compounds to detect and characterize.
Development, validation, and implementation of an UHPLC-MS/MS method for the quantitation of furosemide in infant urine samples.

Furosemide is a diuretic drug used to increase urine flow in order to reduce the amount of salt and water in the body. It is commonly utilized to treat preterm infants with chronic lung disease of prematurity. There is a need for a simple and reliable quantitation of furosemide in human urine. We have developed and validated an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for furosemide quantitation in human urine with an assay range of 0.100-50.0 μg/ml. Sample preparation involved solid-phase extraction with 10 μl of urine. Intra-day accuracies and precisions for the quality control samples were 94.5-106 and 1.86-10.2%, respectively, while inter-day accuracies and precision were 99.2-102 and 3.38-7.41%, respectively. Recovery for furosemide had an average of 23.8%, with an average matrix effect of 101%. Furosemide was stable in human urine under the assay conditions. Stability for furosemide was shown at 1 week (room temperature, 4, -20 and -78°C), 6 months (-78°C), and through three freeze-thaw cycles. This robust assay demonstrates accurate and precise quantitation of furosemide in a small volume (10 μl) of human urine. It is currently being implemented in an ongoing pediatric clinical study.
CARLA Simulated Data for Rare Road Object Detection

Labeled data are paramount for modern, deep learning object detection models. However, such data are not always available, either due to time and financial constraints or due to the rarity of certain objects. In this paper, we show that the CARLA simulator can be used effectively to provide automatic annotations for custom street-view objects, boosting datasets for objects with few labels. We evaluate our models on real world images and show that low-shot training data expanded by synthetic images rendered in CARLA can provide better performance than training models with low-shot examples alone. To overcome the sim-to-real domain gap, we perform domain randomization by taking advantage of CARLA's diverse simulations of weather conditions, actors, and maps. We train detectors on CARLA-generated images of two different object classes and evaluate them on publicly available datasets. We provide access to our synthetic fire hydrant33https://www.kaggle.com/xinhez/synthetic-fire-hydrants and crosswalk44https://www.kaggle.com/buvision/synthetic-crosswalks datasets as well as provide step-by-step instructions55https://www.github.com/xinhez/simulation-for-detection to generate custom datasets in CARLA.
n‐Propyl Alcohol

n-Propyl alcohol (1-propanol) is used primarily as a specialty solvent for printing inks or as a chemical intermediate. The predominant derivatives of n-propyl alcohol are the acetate ester and n-propylamines. The latter are used in herbicide production. Smaller-volume uses of n-propyl alcohol are as a flavor or fragrance in foods and as feed additive. 1-Propanol is manufactured in most of the Western world by hydroformylation of ethylene followed by hydrogenation of propanal. The hydroformylation or oxo process is catalyst-driven. This process is described. In South Africa, 1-propanol is also produced from coal through Fischer-Tropsch processes. Keywords: 1-Propanol; n-Propyl alcohol; Sasol Fischer-Tropsch process; Solvent; Chemical intermediates; Ethylene; Oxo process
The Parallel Debugging Architecture in the Intel Debugger

In addition to being a quality symbolic debugger for serial IA32 and IPF Linux applications written in C, C++, and Fortran, the Intel® Debugger is also capable of debugging parallel applications of Pthreads, OpenMP, and MPI. When debugging a MPI application, the Intel® Debugger achieves better startup time and user response time than conventional parallel debuggers by (1) setting up a tree-like debugger network, which has a higher degree of parallelism and scalability than a flat network, and (2) employing a message aggregation mechanism to reduce the amount of data flowing in the network. This parallel debugging architecture can be further enhanced to support the debugging of mixed-mode and heterogeneous parallel applications. Moreover, a generalized version of this architecture can be applied in areas other than debugging, such as performance profiling of parallel applications.
Why Johnny won't read-producing readable printed matter

Poor legibility is one reason students avoid reading textbooks or printed class material. This paper summarizes legibility recommendations that relate to handouts, textbooks and overhead presentations. The conference presentation, not having space limitations, goes on to show examples of both bad and good material and to illustrate how easy it is to produce more readable material.
Conformational studies—XV : Transannular electrostatic interactions in 4-substituted 1,1-dimethylpiperidinium cations

Abstract Conformational equilibria for 4-X-1,1-dimethylpiperidinium iodides ( 2 – 5 : X = Cl, OAc, OBz, OH) were studied by measuring their C-4 proton NMR band widths in solution at 31° and 100 MHz. Under all conditions studied, and relative to the corresponding monosubstituted cyclohexane in each case, the transannular electrostatic interactions resulting from the presence of the unit positive charge on nitrogen in 2 – 5 stabilized the chair conformation with X axial more than that with X equatorial. The conformational equilibria showed solvent dependence not correlated by solvent dielectric constant. The 1-t-butyl-4-hydroxy-1-methylpiperidinium iodides ( 21 and 22 ), prepared for comparison with 5 , showed proton-nitrogen-14 spin-spin coupling, J HCCN 14 , of approx. 1·5 Hz, which split the t-butyl NMR signals into 1:1:1 triplets. The N-methyl signal of 22 was split by long range proton-proton coupling into a 1:2:1 triplet, J HCNCH , |0·86| Hz, with only slight line broadening resulting from coupling to nitrogen-14, J HCN 14
Solutions to Principal-Agent Problems in Firms

There are many settings in which one economic actor (the principal) delegates authority to an agent to act on her behalf .T h ep r imary reason for doing so is that the agent has an advantage in terms of expertise or information. This informational advantage, or information asymmetry, poses a problem for the principal—how can th ep rincipa lb e sure that the agent has in fact acte di n her best interests? Can a contract be written defining incentives in such a way that the principal can be assured that the agent is taking just the action that she would take, had sh et he information availabl et o the agent? Solving this problem is a matter of some concern for patients dealing with their doctors, clients dealing with their lawyers, or celebrities dealing with their publicists. It i sa lso a crucial concern for business firms dealing with their employees. Especially in the twenty-first century, employees are often hired precisely because they have information availabl et hat is unavailabl et o t he managers of a firm. Making sure that employee expertise is put to wor ki nt he interest of the firm can make the difference between success and bankruptcy–as illustrate db yt h er elative performance of Southwest Airlines compared to much of the rest of the airlines industry. This paper examines the large principal-agency literature as it relates to management patterns i nt he firm. A powerful conclusion emerges, not from any one segment of the literature as much as from a bird’s-eye view of the literature as a whole, that there is no unique “solution” to the principal-agent problems in a firm. Instead, a Coasean “contingency” theory can be constructe di nw hich different conditions inside the firm (characterized by production technology, severity of information asymmetry, and relative risk-preferences of principals and agents) call for different “solutions” to th ep rincipal-agent problems. While the first significant papers in principal-agency theory were developed independentl yo f Coasian theory, thi sc hapter of the Handbook will try to establish that there is a natural connection between the two. Coase (1937) hypothesized that transactions may be structured in different ways—in particular, some can be better managed via hierarchy within a firm rather than b yt he market between firms. This insight has led, in recent years, to a larg ea nd successfu ll iterature on the “boundaries of the firm”—examining when transactions are best
Crisis Management in International Business

Firms involved in international business are affected by many crisis and crisis‐like events not generally associated with normal operations. Crisis management provides a business firm with a systematic, orderly response to crisis situations. Many crises can be prevented – or at least coped with more effectively – through early detection. The real challenge is not just to recognize crises, but to recognize them in a timely fashion and with a will to address the issues they represent. A crisis in an international business firm can consist of as many as four different and distinct phases: prodromal crisis stage, acute crisis stage, chronic crisis stage and crisis resolution stage. Recognizing these phases, and dealing with them effectively, gives the business manager an important edge in addressing issues of importance to the organization.
GraspIt!: A Versatile Simulator for Grasp Analysis

We have created a unique tool for grasp simulation, visualization, and analysis that allows a user to create and analyze grasps of a given 3D object model with a given articulated hand model. The grasps can be performed either automatically, where the system closes the fingers around the object at preset velocities, or manually through direct manipulation of the joints. As collisions occur between the links of the fingers and the object, the system locates the contacts and analyzes the evolving grasp on the fly. Each time the grasp changes, the system updates two numeric measures of quality and recomputes 3D projections of the grasp wrench space which are useful when visualizing a grasp’s capabilities. We provide examples of the system being used with four different articulated robotic hand models, each grasping different object models. We feel the system is very useful for hand designers who prototype different hand models in simulation and determine how design decisions affect a hand’s grasping ability. It is also useful for researchers in grasp planning or for simulation and virtual reality designers wishing to perform realistic grasping in a virtual setting.
Shifts in connectivity during procedural learning after motor cortex stimulation: A combined transcranial magnetic stimulation/functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Inhibitory transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), of which continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) is a common form, has been used to inhibit cortical areas during investigations of their function. cTBS applied to the primary motor area (M1) depresses motor output excitability via a local effect and impairs procedural motor learning. This could be due to an effect on M1 itself and/or to changes in its connectivity with other nodes in the learning network. To investigate this issue, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure changes in brain activation and connectivity during implicit procedural learning after real and sham cTBS of M1. Compared to sham, real cTBS impaired motor sequence learning, but caused no local or distant changes in brain activation. Rather, it reduced functional connectivity between motor (M1, dorsal premotor & supplementary motor areas) and visual (superior & inferior occipital gyri) areas. It also increased connectivity between frontal associative (superior & inferior frontal gyri), cingulate (dorsal & middle cingulate), and temporal areas. This potentially compensatory shift in coupling, from a motor-based learning network to an associative learning network accounts for the behavioral effects of cTBS of M1. The findings suggest that the inhibitory TMS affects behavior via relatively subtle and distributed effects on connectivity within networks, rather than by taking the stimulated area "offline".
Legionella in Drinking Water

In July 1976, an outbreak of acute respiratory illness occurred during an American Legion convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of 4,400 attendees, and some other individuals not directly associated with the convention, 221 became ill and 34 of these cases died (Fraser et al., 1977). The cause of the epidemic was unknown until later that year, when investigators at the Centers for Disease Control isolated the responsible bacterium, subsequently termed Legionella pneumophila (lung-loving) (McDade et al., 1977).
Hydrodynamic studies on defined heterochromatin fragments support a 30-nm fiber having six nucleosomes per turn.

Abstract We have compared the physical properties of a 15.51-kb constitutive heterochromatin segment and a 16.17-kb facultative heterochromatin segment that form part of the chicken β-globin locus. These segments were excised from an avian erythroleukemia cell line by restriction enzyme digestion and released from the nucleus, thus allowing measurement of the sedimentation coefficients by use of calibrated sucrose gradients. A determination of the buoyant density of the cross-linked particle in CsCl led to the total mass of the particles and their frictional coefficients, f . Despite the slight differences in nucleosome density, the measured value of f for both fragments was consistent with a rodlike particle having a diameter of 33–45 nm and a length corresponding to approximately six to seven nucleosomes per 11-nm turn. At higher ionic strengths we found no evidence of any abrupt conformational change, demonstrating that these chromatin fragments released from the nucleus did not assume the more compact conformations recently described for some reconstituted structures.
Characterization of [14C]-nicotine accumulation and movements in slices from different rat brain areas

The effects of pH and temperature on the uptake and cellular distribution of methyl-[14C]-labelled nicotine were examined in slices prepared from rat brain cortex, striatum, hypothalamus and cerebellum. At incubation intervals of 30–60 min, [14C]-nicotine uptake values at pH 7·20 were similar at 37°C whereas at pH 8·20 and 37°C the [14C]-nicotine tissue space was 2·4-fold higher than that obtained at 0°C. Efflux experiments with striatum and hypothalamus slices placed the additional amount of [14C]-nicotine present at pH 8·20 and 37°C within the slower washout component. The distribution of [14C]-nicotine could not be attributed solely to diffusion and membrane pH gradient at 37°C and pH 8·20; a linear increase in [14C]-nicotine uptake at 37°C resulted as extracellular pH was increased from 7·20 to 7·70 to 8·20. The [14C]-nicotine uptake was decreased by addition of nonradioactive nicotine (0·62–6·2 mM) and by iodoacetic acid (3 mM). Thus, there appears to be a component of [14C]-nicotine uptake which is present in lesser amounts at physiological pH levels and increases as the extracellular pH is raised. Possibly this [14C]-nicotine, bound or stored at intracellular sites, may alter other cellular processes.
Effective Keyword Search over Relational Databases Considering Keywords Proximity and Keywords N-grams

The current amount of text data in relational databases is massive and is growing fast. This increases the importance and need for non-technical users to be able to search for such information using a simple keyword search. Researchers have studied and addressed some of the issues with the efficiency and effectiveness of answering keyword queries in relational databases. In this paper we have summarized different factors affecting the effectiveness of the keyword search in relational databases which were studied in the early works. We have also identified two other important factors, namely keywords proximity and keywords N-grams that can further improve the search effectiveness when incorporated in the existing state-of-the-art information retrieval relevance ranking strategies for relational databases. Our experiments show that applying these two factors to the current ranking functions will improve the effectiveness of keyword search in relational databases.
Advances in the pathophysiology of tension-type headache: From stress to central sensitization

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common and most socioeconomically costly headache. Yet our knowledge regarding TTH pathophysiological mechanisms is still in its early stages. Psychological stress and weak coping mechanisms may initiate and propagate physiological pain via activation of second messengers in downstream substrates involved in pain. It seems that peripheral mechanisms are predominant in the episodic type (ETTH), whereas central mechanisms are involved in the chronic type (CTTH) of tension headache. The conversion from ETTH to CTTH is most relevant to the clinician and the patient, as CTTH is the most debilitating. This paper focuses and summarizes our current understanding of central sensitization, the process by which this conversion occurs in TTH, and proposes an integrated model to explain how ETTH progresses into CTTH in genetically susceptible individuals.
Detection and pharmacokinetics of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA plasmid in human plasma during a clinical trial of an intramuscular CMV vaccine in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) causes significant morbidity and mortality in solid organ and bone marrow transplant recipients. DNA vaccines can provide both humoral and cellular immunity without exposing immune-compromised persons to replication-competent CMV. Methods We studied the kinetics of CMV vaccine DNA in plasma. The samples were obtained from vaccine recipients who were enrolled in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of an intramuscular, plasmid-based, bivalent DNA vaccine for CMV in stem cell transplant recipients. Residual specimens on patients enrolled in the vaccine trial were saved until the trial was unblinded and published. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect and quantify CMV glycoprotein B (gB) DNA in plasma from 4 recipients of the vaccine. The melting temperature of the vaccine gB amplicon was 62.4°C, compared to 68.8°C, which is seen with the wild-type virus. Results Sequence analysis revealed that there were 3 mismatches between the fluorescent resonance energy transfer probe and the vaccine DNA sequence. Conclusion Because preemptive treatment of CMV disease in stem cell transplant patients is based on quantitative PCR analysis of viral sequences in plasma, it is important that vaccine sequences not be confused with those in wild-type virus. Confusion could lead to treatment with toxic medications, potentially compromising the transplant. Effects of PCR target choice and amplicon detection techniques on patient management and vaccine trials are discussed.
A method for determining the weak statistical stationarity of a random process

A method for determining the weak statistical stationarity of a random process is presented. The core of this testing procedure consists of generating an equivalent ensemble which approximates a true ensemble. Formation of an equivalent ensemble is accomplished through segmenting a sufficiently long time history of a random process into equal, finite, and statistically independent sample records. The weak statistical stationarity is ascertained based on the time invariance of the equivalent-ensemble averages. Comparison of these averages with their corresponding time averages over a single sample record leads to a heuristic estimate of the ergodicity of a random process. Specific variance tests are introduced for evaluating the statistical independence of the sample records, the time invariance of the equivalent-ensemble autocorrelations, and the ergodicity. Examination and substantiation of these procedures were conducted utilizing turbulent velocity signals.
Development of a manualized protocol of massage therapy for clinical trials in osteoarthritis.

Clinical trial design of manual therapies may be especially challenging as techniques are often individualized and practitioner-dependent. This paper describes our methods in creating a standardized Swedish massage protocol tailored to subjects with osteoarthritis of the knee while respectful of the individualized nature of massage therapy, as well as implementation of this protocol in two randomized clinical trials. The manualization process involved a collaborative process between methodologic and clinical experts, with the explicit goals of creating a reproducible semi-structured protocol for massage therapy, while allowing some latitude for therapists’ clinical judgment and maintaining consistency with a prior pilot study. The manualized protocol addressed identical specified body regions with distinct 30- and 60-min protocols, using standard Swedish strokes. Each protocol specifies the time allocated to each body region. The manualized 30- and 60-min protocols were implemented in a dual-site 24-week randomized dose-finding trial in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, and is currently being implemented in a three-site 52-week efficacy trial of manualized Swedish massage therapy. In the dose-finding study, therapists adhered to the protocols and significant treatment effects were demonstrated. The massage protocol was manualized, using standard techniques, and made flexible for individual practitioner and subject needs. The protocol has been applied in two randomized clinical trials. This manualized Swedish massage protocol has real-world utility and can be readily utilized both in the research and clinical settings. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00970008 (18 August 2009)