cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth characteristics of silicon nanowires synthesized by vapor–liquid–solid growth in nanoporous alumina templates

Abstract The fabrication of Si nanowires has been demonstrated using a combination of template-directed synthesis and vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth. The use of nanoporous alumina membranes for VLS growth provides control over nanowire diameter while also enabling the production of single crystal material. An investigation of the growth characteristics of Si nanowires over a temperature range from 400°C to 600°C, and over a SiH 4 partial pressure range from 0.13 to 0.65 Torr was carried out. The length of Si nanowires was found to be linearly dependent on growth time over this range of conditions. The nanowire growth rate increased from 0.068 μm/min at 400°C to 0.52 μm/min at 500°C at a constant SiH 4 partial pressure of 0.65 Torr. At temperatures greater than 500°C, Si deposited on the top surface and pore walls of the membrane thereby reducing the nanowire growth rate. The growth rate versus temperature data was used to calculate an activation energy of 22 kcal/mol for the nanowire growth process. This activation energy is believed to be associated with the decomposition of SiH 4 on the Au–Si liquid surface, which is considered to be the rate-determining step in the VLS growth process.
A rationale to target the SWI/SNF complex for cancer therapy

SWI/SNF is a multisubunit chromatin-remodeling complex that performs fundamental roles in gene regulation, cell lineage specification, and organismal development. Mutations that inactivate SWI/SNF subunits are found in nearly 20% of human cancers, which indicates that the proper functioning of this complex is necessary to prevent tumor formation in diverse tissues. Recent studies show that SWI/SNF-mutant cancers depend on residual SWI/SNF complexes for their aberrant growth, thus revealing synthetic lethal interactions that could be exploited for therapeutic purposes. Other studies reveal that certain acute leukemias and small cell lung cancers, which lack SWI/SNF mutations, can be vulnerable to inhibition of the SWI/SNF ATPase subunit BRG1, whereas several normal and malignant cell types do not show this sensitivity. Here, we review the emerging evidence that implicates SWI/SNF as a tumor-dependency and candidate drug target in human cancer.
Genovive: Hobbes and a Nation's Natural Right to Survive

In his 1651 treatise on the theory of social contract, Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes explained that in humanity's natural condition—the most basic of conditions untouched by civilization—if any two side...
Electroanalysis with Controlled Cathode Potential of Metallic Copper Applied to Fabrics as Metallo-Organic Fungicides

A method is described for the electrolytic determination of copper in fabrics treated with organo-copper fungicides. The samples investigated contained fire retardants as metallic oxides, among which were those of antimony, calcium, zinc, and iron. Anti mony offers the greatest interference in the electrolytic determination of copper. This interference was eliminated by depositing the copper from ammonium tartrate solution with careful control of the cathode potential, using a laboratory potentiometer to measure the voltage. Data are presented showing that copper may be electroplated from am monium tartrate solutions, containing a six-fold greater concentration of antimony, with a cathode potential of — 0.60 volts. Standard deviations for analysis of these solutions were small (± 0.001 mg. Cu/ml.), giving an error term of 0.05% (standard dev. of the mean, σ/mean determination × 100). Results are also given for analyses of fabrics containing copper-8-quinolinolate and copper naphthenate singly or in mixtur...
Immunization to Rho(D) Observed in Pregnancy of a Woman with Type rhG(G)

A Negro woman was tested during her third pregnancy and found to have type rhG(G). When the patient was re-tested during the sixth month of her fourth pregnancy, she was found to have a weak antibody of questionable identity. During the last two months of the pregnancy, the titer of the antibody rose sharply and it was established to be specific for Rho(D). The infant, delivered by cesarean section shortly before term, had evidence of mild hemolytic disease; it recovered without transfusion therapy. Since this indicates that isoimmunization to Rho can occur in a person of type rhG, such persons should receive only Rho-negative blood for transfusion. They should be regarded as Rh-negative for prenatal purposes, but it might be considered preferable not to use them as blood donors for Rh-negative recipients.
Cloning of dengue virus type 2 by the direct fluorescent antibody technique.

SummaryDengue virus type 2 has been cloned in hamster kidney cells, a noncyto-pathic, noncytocidal virus-cell system, utilizing a direct fluorescent antibody method. A clone is considered to have arisen from the infection of a susceptible cell by a single infectious particle of DEN-2.This work was performed under the sponsorship of the Commission on Viral Infections, Armed Forces Epidemiological Board, and was supported by the U. S. Army Medical Research and Development Command under Contract No. DADA17-69-C-9048 and by Public Health Service Research Grant No. AI-02686 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The application of direct fluorescent antibody methods to dengue viruses was achieved by Drs. Robert W. Atchison and J. Jayavasu, who also prepared the conjugated immune ascitic fluids. Most able technical assistance was provided by Alma Tillman, Annie McCoy, Carlie White, and Frances Brisset.
Human resource development in Pakistan: evolution, trends and challenges

Human resource development (HRD) is an ever-changing field. The concepts and the underlying principles of HRD may be similar throughout the globe, but its practice differs due to contextual factors such as culture, technology, resources and national policies. This article describes the development, current status and future trends of HRD in Pakistan. After analysing HRD in corporate, non-profit, education and community development settings, this article outlines the important role of HRD for the social and economic development of Pakistan.
Robotic surgical training of the urologic oncologist

Robotic-assisted surgery has become an increasingly popular approach to the treatment of a variety of urologic malignancies. The use of minimally invasive techniques for treatment of genitourinary cancers has evolved from conventional laparoscopy to the use of robotic-assisted instrumentation. Many questions remain regarding the safest and most effective way to teach robotic surgery to trainees. Work hour restrictions, medical and legal concerns, and the unique operative set-up of the robotic system have made it increasingly difficult to provide "hands on" operative training to residents and fellows. We review the current literature regarding robotic surgical training, highlight potentially effective training strategies, and discuss future improvements in robotic surgical training of the urologic oncologist.
A low cost phototube amplifier

Abstract Described in this note are two 8-channel amplifier modules particularly suited to multidetector systems where low cost and high packaging density are of particular importance. The circuit is discussed and all parameters of interest are included along with photos showing physical layouts.
Comparison of the toxicity of cinnamaldehyde when administered by microencapsulation in feed or by corn oil gavage.

Abstract The toxicity of cinnamaldehyde (CNMA) was compared after administration by gavage and in dosed feed. Rats and mice of both sexes received CNMA by daily corn oil gavage (for 2 wk), or in microencapsulated form in feed (2 wk for rats, 3 wk for mice). Feed formulations contained 0–10% CNMA microcapsules, equivalent to approximate daily doses of 0–3000 mg CNMA/kg body weight for rats and 0–10,000 mg CNMA/kg body weight for mice. Concentrations were chosen to deliver CNMA doses approximately equal to doses in the gavage study. Gavage doses of 2620 mg/kg/day and above in mice and 940 mg/kg/day and above in rats produced nearly 100% mortality; there were no deaths in animals receiving microencapsulated CNMA. Rats and mice receiving CNMA in feed showed a dose-related decrease in body weight gain, which was accompanied in rats by hypoplastic changes in reproductive organs and accessory sex glands. CNMA administration by either route caused hyperplasia of the forestomach mucosa. These results demonstrate that microencapsulation in feed can present a useful alternative to gavage dosing for repeated-dose or prolonged-exposure studies, in that (1) the toxic effects of CNMA were similar after gavage dosing and after administration in microencapsulated form in feed, (2) ingestion of chemical in the feed more closely approximates human exposures, and (3) microencapsulation allows the delivery of higher net doses of chemical, while avoiding the acutely toxic effects of a bolus dose.
Centrifugal distortion analysis for the bent isomer of N2OHF

Abstract Six previously unobserved lines for the bent form of NNO-HF (O…H hydrogen bonded) were measured using a pulsed-beam, Fourier-transform spectrometer. These lines, together with earlier data, were fitted to obtain the rotational constants and a limited set of quartic distortion constants using a Watson-type Hamiltonian in the I r representation. The results of the fit are: A +Δ K =26322.32(32) MHz, B =2720.93(10) MHz, C =2438.72 (10) MHz, Δ J =60.3(11) kHz, Δ JK =−3.077(15) MHz, δ J = 13.1(10) kHz and δ K = 314 (47) kHz. The errors in line frequencies calculated with this extended set of parameters are two orders of magnitude smaller than errors obtained using only rigid rotor parameters. The vibrationally averaged structure and force constants for the R c.m. stretching vibration and an in-plane-bending vibration were calculated using the rotational constants and distortion constants. It was found that Δ J (or D J ) depends primarily on f RR −1 , so that earlier analyses involvi Δ J or D J were reasonably accurate.
Redistribution of canine splanchnic blood flow following normotensive hemorrhage.

Stress ulceration of the gastric mucosa is a potential life-threatening complication of shock, sepsis, and severe trauma. Mucosal ischemia has been postulated as a factor contributing to the development of this lesion [B]. If mucosal ischemia does predispose to stress ulceration, then the redistribution of gastric mucosal blood flow in stressed animals should correlate with the pattern of simultaneous fundic involvement with antral sparing, observed clinically [5,6]. These experiments were designed to study changes in splanchnic blood flow in unanesthetized dogs subjected to the stress of normotensive hemorrhage. The radioactive microsphere technique was used to evaluate changes in regional blood flow in twelve areas of gastric body mucosa, three areas of gastric antral mucosa, the postbulbar duodenum, and the pancreas. Blood flow was determined for each area (milliliters per minute per 100 g) to identify patterns in regional flow reduction which might correlate with clinical observations in stress ulceration and thereby suggest a mechanism for protection of the gastric antral mucosa from stress-induced ischemic damage.
Influence of altered states of carbohydrate metabolism on distribution and degradation of insulin-I131.

Summary1. The distribution and breakdown of insulin-I131 in rats under various changes in carbohydrate metabolism has been studied. 2. An intravenous glucose load exerted no detectable effect other than to reduce renal radioactivity. 3. Intravenous fructose markedly reduced renal precipitable radioactivity, and increased hepatic and muscle radioactivity. 4. Intraperitoneal glucose or fructose has the same effects as intravenous fructose but to a lesser degree. 5. Alloxan diabetic animals concentrated more precipitable radioactivity in the liver and blood. 6. Phloridzin exerted no effect on insulin distribution and degradation. 7. Fasting effected little change; there was some decrease in renal and some increase in hepatic precipitable radioactivity. 8. The limitations and implications of the study are discussed.
Effects of base doping and carrier lifetime on differential current gain and temperature coefficient of 4H-SiC power bipolar junction transistors

4H-SiC NPN bipolar junction transistor (BJT) is studied systematically by performing two-dimensional numerical simulations. Several design issues are discussed. Depending on the doping concentration of the base and the carrier lifetimes, both positive and negative temperature coefficients in the common emitter current gain could exist in 4H-SiC NPN BJTs with aluminium-doped base. The temperature coefficients of the current gain at different base doping concentrations and different carrier lifetimes have been determined. A high base doping concentration can reduce the requirement for the carrier lifetime in order to obtain negative temperature coefficient in current gain. Device simulations are performed to evaluate the carrier lifetimes by fitting the measured output IC –VCE curves. An excellent fitting is obtained and the base electron lifetime and the emitter hole lifetime are extracted to be about 22 and 5.7 ns, respectively.
Extremely Durable High-Rate Capability of a LiNi0.4Mn0.4Co0.2O2 Cathode Enabled with Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

A binder-free LiNi{sub 0.4}Mn{sub 0.4}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 2} cathode fabricated with 5 wt.% single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTS) shows excellent cycling performance at rates of 10C (Charge/discharge in 6 minutes). In contrast, a LiNi{sub 0.4}Mn{sub 0.4}Co{sub 0.2}O{sub 2} electrode prepared by conventional methods without SWNTs has a significantly lower capacity. Based on the morphology and structural analysis, this exceptional rate capability is due to highly intimate contact between the long crystalline SWNT ropes and the active cathode material, ensuring fast diffusion of ions and electrons during cycling and resulting in sustainable capacity at high rates for 500 cycles.
Energy-Efficient Spectrum Access in Cognitive Radios

Cognitive radio (CR) and energy-efficient design have emerged as two promising techniques to achieve high spectrum efficiency (SE) and energy efficiency (EE), respectively. In this paper, we study energy-efficient opportunistic spectrum access strategies for an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-based CR network with multiple secondary users (SUs). Both worst EE and average EE are considered and optimized for different emphases and application scenarios. Since the original optimization issues belong to nonconvex integer combinatorial fractional program and are essentially NP-hard for an optimal solution, we use continuous and convex relaxation to modify the problems for somewhat better mathematical tractability. For the relaxed worst-EE-based spectrum access problem, we first demonstrate the joint quasiconcavity of EE on subchannel and power allocation matrices and then develop a framework to find the optimal solution based on efficient root finding and convex optimization. We also develop a low-complexity alternative for suboptimal solution. The relaxed average-EE-based spectrum access problem is still NP-hard and may have many local optima. We first transform the problem into an equivalent form and introduce a general concave envelope based branch-and-bound (B&B) approach to find the global optimal solution. We then exploit the underlying properties of the energy-efficient transmission to speed up the convergence of the B&B approach. Besides, we develop a low-complexity heuristic approach to find a suboptimal solution. Simulation results show that the energy-efficient spectrum access strategies significantly boost EE compared with the conventional spectral-efficient spectrum access ones while the low-complexity suboptimal approaches can well balance the performance and complexity.
Aphid abundance and potato virus y transmission in imidacloprid-treated potatoes

Imidacloprid is a commonly used insecticide that is highly effective in controlling insect pests of potato. The relatively high cost of imidacloprid provides commercial growers with a strong incentive to reduce field application rates. In the present study, we investigated the impact of reduced imidacloprid rates on aphid abundance and potato virus Y transmission within potato fields. Infurrow applications of imidacloprid provided better aphid control even at a reduced rate when compared to threshold-based foliar applications, but did not suppress the spread of the non-persistently transmitted potato virus Y. Virus transmission was significantly decreased in foliar-sprayed plots, possibly because foliar applications incapacitated aphid vectors probing or feeding on infected plants. Despite these generally encouraging results, we still observed 2.3 to 2.7 fold increase in virus infection at foliar-treated plots at the end of the growing season.
A survey of physicians' attitudes and behavior toward PMS.

In order to learn about their attitudes, beliefs, and behavior in regard to PMS, we surveyed anonymously by mail those members of the medical community likely to encounter patients with PMS‐like complaints. The survey was sent to all physicians living within a 50‐mile radius of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, who listed a specialty of family practice, general practice, or obstetrics and gynecology. Of the 110 physicians so identified, 51 responses were returned. Although most of the physicians rated themselves as very familiar with PMS, few agreed about etiological, diagnostic, and treatment issues. Differences among medical specialty groups also emerged. We suggest that some of the familiarity that our respondents have may be based on numbers of patients seen, rather than on feelings of competency with these patients, and we see this as a reflection of the current state of knowledge about this very complex disorder.
Transition metals in organic synthesis: Highlights for the year 2003

A review with 1807 references to transition metal-catalyzed or mediated reactions and functional group preparations.
Quantitative studies on enzymes in structures in striated muscles by labeled inhibitor methods. I. The number of acetylcholinesterase molecules and of other DFP-reactive sites at motor endplates, measured by radioautography.

Di-isopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) labeled with phosphorus-32 was applied to fragments of the diaphragm and sternomastoid muscles of the mouse, in conditions in which it saturated all available sites at the motor endplates. After adequate washing and exchange with unlabeled DFP, single endplates were obtained by microdissection and their radioactivity was found by beta track radioautography. The number of sites phosphorylated by DFP-32P per endplate was relatively constant for each muscle: in the sternomastoid, about 9 x 107 sites per endplate, in the diaphragm, about 3 x 107. Reaction with DFP-32P was abolished by prior treatment with unlabeled DFP. Labeling was unaffected by prior fixation in formaldehyde, but was inversely proportional to the time of incubation in the Koelle staining medium, when this preceded labeling. The contribution of acetylcholinesterase (AChase) to this total number of DFP-reactive sites was determined by three methods. The first involved reactivation of the phosphorylated AChase by pyridine-2-aldoxime methiodide (2-PAM), in conditions in which the reactivation of other enzymes would be insignificant. The other two methods involved protection of the active centers of AChase from phosphorylation by labeled DFP by use of 284C51, an inhibitor highly specific for this enzyme, or by use of eserine. Each of these methods indicated that about 35% of the DFP-reactive sites at endplates of the sternomastoid and diaphragm are AChase. The mean number of AChase molecules was thus found to be 3.1 x 107 and 1.1 x 107per endplate in sternomastoid and diaphragm, respectively. No significant reaction of labeled DFP with muscle and nerve was observed. Mast cells in the muscle had a concentration of DFP-reactive sites far higher than the endplates.
Rotation effect on jet impingement heat transfer in smooth rectangular channels with heated target walls and radially outward cross flow

Abstract The effect of rotation on jet impingement cooling by an inline array of circular jets in twin channels was studied. Impinging jets were in the direction of rotation in one channel and opposite to the rotation direction in the other channel. The jets impinged normally on the smooth, heated target wall in each channel. The flow exited the channels in a single direction, radially outward, creating cross flow on jets at larger radii. Jet rotation numbers and jet Reynolds numbers were varied from 0.0 to 0.0028 and 5000 to 10000, respectively. For the target walls with jet flow in the direction of rotation (or opposite to the direction of rotation), heat transfer decreased up to 15% (or 20%) as compared to corresponding results for non-rotating conditions. This is because the impinging jets were affected by the rotation-inducted secondary flows produced by Coriolis, buoyancy and centrifugal forces.
Calibrating distributed camera networks using belief propagation

We discuss how to obtain the accurate and globally consistent self-calibration of a distributed camera network, in which camera nodes with no centralized processor may be spread over a wide geographical area. We present a distributed calibration algorithm based on belief propagation, in which each camera node communicates only with its neighbors that image a suffcient number of scene points. The natural geometry of the system and the formulation of the estimation problem give rise to statistical dependencies that can be efficiently leveraged in a probabilistic framework. The camera calibration problem poses several challenges to information fusion, including overdetermined parameterizations and nonaligned coordinate systems. We suggest practical approaches to overcome these difficulties, and demonstrate the accurate and consistent performance of the algorithm using a simulated 30-node camera network with varying levels of noise in the correspondences used for calibration, as well as an experiment with 15 real images.
Demography of the California Condor: Implications for Reestablishment

The remnant wild population of California Condors ( Gymnogyps californianus ) of the 1980s exhib- ited a rapid population decline caused by high mortality rates among adult and immature birds. The most prominent mortality factor was lead poisoning resulting from ingestion of bullet fragments in carcasses. Suc- cessful captive breeding has allowed many birds to be released to the wild since 1992, based originally on an assumption that exposure to lead could be prevented by food subsidy. The mortality of released birds, how- ever, has generally exceeded levels needed for population stability calculated from simple population models. Collision with overhead wires was the most frequent cause of death in releases before 1994. Lead poisoning again surfaced as a problem starting in 1997 as older birds began feeding on carcasses outside the subsidy program. Although poisonings have been treated successfully by chelation therapy in recaptured birds, food subsidy is proving an ineffective solution to lead exposure. The best long-term solution appears to be either the creation of large reserves where hunting is prohibited or the restriction of hunting to nontoxic ammuni- tion in release areas. Until sources of lead contamination are effectively countered, releases cannot be ex- pected to result in viable populations. In addition, problems involving human-oriented behavior have re- sulted in the permanent removal of many released birds from the wild. The most promising reduction in human-oriented behavior has been achieved in one release of aversively conditioned, parent-reared birds. Rigorous evaluation of the factors reducing attraction to humans and human structures has been hampered by confounding of techniques in releases. Behavioral problems could be more quickly overcome by adoption of a comprehensive experimental approach.
Reasoning about Interpersonal Responsibility when Making Judgments about Scenarios Depicting Close Personal Relationships

This study examined the moral reasoning of 36 young adults (M age = 20.8 yr., evenly divided by sex) about situations involving close interpersonal relationships: best friends, spouses, and parents or children. Participants were presented stories in which personal needs and desires were in conflict with interpersonal concerns. When asked how the conflicts should be resolved, the large majority of participants judged that personal desires should be subordinated to interpersonal concerns, justifying their judgments with reference to concern for others, relationship maintenance, or relationship responsibilities. No sex differences in judgments or justifications were found. In addition, most judged that the act of meeting another's needs in a close relationship was an obligatory responsibility and that such responsibilities generalized to people living in other societies. Thus, participants considered interpersonal responsibilities to be moral obligations that apply across cultural boundaries and did not consider them to be matters of personal choice.
Efficacy of pre-scan beta-blockade and impact of heart rate on image quality in patients undergoing coronary multidetector computed tomography angiography.

Objective While beta-blockers are routinely administered to patients prior to coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), their effectiveness is unknown. We therefore assessed the efficacy of beta-blockade with regards to heart rate (HR) control and image quality in an unselected patient cohort. Methods We studied 150 consecutive patients (104 men/46 female; mean age, 56+/-13 years) referred for coronary CTA. Intravenous metoprolol (5-20mg) was administered to patients with a HR >65 beats per minute (bpm). The goal HR was defined as an average HR Results Overall, 45% (68/150) of patients met the HR criteria for beta-blocker administration of which 76% (52/68) received metoprolol (mean dose 12+/-10mg). Of the 52 patients who received beta-blocker versus the 98 who did not, 18 (35%) versus 62 (64%) patients achieved the goal HR, respectively. All patients who achieved the target HR had an evaluable CTA while five patients who did not achieve the target HR had at least one non-evaluable coronary artery due to motion artifact. There was also a significant reduction in any motion artifact among those who achieved the goal HR as compared to those who did not (p=0.001). Logistic regression revealed an increase in the odds of stair step artifact of 11.6% (95% CI: 2.4% decrease, 27.5% increase) per 1 bpm increase in the standard deviation of scan HR. Conclusion Overall, efficacy of beta-blocker administration to reach target HR is limited. Improvements in CT scanner temporal resolution are mandatory to achieve consistently high image quality independent of HR and beta-blocker administration.
Modeling distinct vortices of the ocean

On March 23–25, 1987, with the support of the Office of Naval Research, a 3-day colloquium was held at the Florida State University, Tallahassee, to discuss and summarize the recent developments in modeling of oceanic distinct vortices, such as Gulf Stream rings, isolated eddies, and solitary waves. The continuing interest in these oceanic features stems from their ubiquity, large amplitudes, and significant effects. Indeed, they not only contribute, with mesosca–20 days in time) but also affect the general circulation, regional heat budgets, and open ocean air-sea interactions, not to mention their biological and other impacts.
Dual HIV Risk: Receptive Syringe Sharing and Unprotected Sex Among HIV-Negative Injection Drug Users in New York City

HIV-negative injection drug users (IDUs) who engage in both receptive syringe sharing and unprotected sex (“dual HIV risk”) are at high risk of HIV infection. In a cross-sectional study conducted in New York City in 2009, active IDUs aged ≥18 years were recruited using respondent-driven sampling, interviewed, and tested for HIV. Participants who tested HIV-negative and did not self-report as positive were analyzed (N = 439). Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) were estimated using multinomial logistic regression. The sample was: 77.7 % male; 54.4 % Hispanic, 36.9 % white, and 8.7 % African-American/black. Dual risk was engaged in by 26.2 %, receptive syringe sharing only by 3.2 %, unprotected sex only by 49.4 %, and neither by 21.2 %. Variables independently associated with engaging in dual risk versus neither included Hispanic ethnicity (vs. white) (aOR = 2.0, 95 % CI = 1.0–4.0), married or cohabiting (aOR = 6.3, 95 % CI = 2.5–15.9), homelessness (aOR = 3.4, 95 % CI = 1.6–7.1), ≥2 sex partners (aOR = 8.7, 95 % CI = 4.4–17.3), ≥2 injecting partners (aOR = 2.9, 95 % CI = 1.5–5.8), and using only sterile syringe sources (protective) (aOR = 0.5, 95 % CI = 0.2–0.9). A majority of IDUs engaged in HIV risk behaviors, and a quarter in dual risk. Interventions among IDUs should simultaneously promote the consistent use of sterile syringes and of condoms.
Viral neuraminidase: a cytochemical binding method using a glycoprotein coupled to ferritin

Abstract The successful coupling of a relatively small glycoprotein, fetuiu, to ferritin, has been demonstrated by immunoelectrophoresis. By selective destruction of the hemagglutinin with glutaraldehyde followed by interaction with the fetuin-ferritin conjugate, viral neuraminidase could be detected in ultrathin sections of allantoic cells infected with influenza virus. The electron dense label was found surrounding the virions and at the cell surface. The reaction was blocked by treatment of the cells with fetuin, homologous antiviral antibody or brief trypsitization (prior to fixation). Mild acid hydrolysis of the fetuiu, prior to conjugation to ferritin, markedly reduced the binding reaction. It, is suggested that these binding reactions represent a specific enzyme-substrate interaction.
The role of interpersonal affective regard in supervisory performance ratings: A literature review and proposed causal model

A literature review reveals that supervisors’ positive affective regard (‘liking’) for subordinates is associated frequently with higher performance appraisal (PA) ratings, and with other findings such as greater halo, reduced accuracy, a better interpersonal relationship, and a disinclination to punish poor performance. However, the interpretability of the empirical literature is weakened by a number of conceptual and methodological problems. Moreover, most investigators have simply assumed that the effects of liking constitute sources of bias in PAs, and the causal nature of the observed relationships needed to be clarified. Based on the review, nine causal hypotheses constituting a model of 10 latent constructs with 17 paths are presented. Each direct effect is characterized as representing either a relevant (valid) influence, a source of bias, or as biased/valid contingent on the particular indicator or circumstances. Suggestions are made for integrating the model with a developmental approach, and implications are drawn for employment test validation and the investigation of test bias.
Automatic Procedural Modeling of Tree Structures in Point Clouds Using Wavelets

We present a method for discovering the structure of trees in 3D point clouds by linking wavelets with shape grammars. Given a range scan of a tree we find a grammar that can reproduce that tree, and others like it, with sub-voxel accuracy. The grammar inferred is stochastic, allowing us to generate many permutations of related trees. The method of multi-resolution analysis, employed by the discrete wavelet transform, gives great insight into tree structure. Trees are self-similar and exhibit similar branching patterns at different resolutions. The wavelets make these patterns explicit by decomposing the tree into different levels of detail. The multi-resolution structure of the wavelet transform also allows us to infer an L-System grammar. The productions in the grammar are derived from the progressive levels of refinement in the wavelet transform. Each production maps a vector in the low resolution image to a set of vectors in the higher resolution image. Our method utilizes the Fast Wavelet Transform opening the door to real-time inference of procedural models. The grammar inferred is concise and generative, allowing for compression and graphics applications of our algorithm. We demonstrate novel applications of the grammar for shape completion, scan enhancement and geometry propagation.
Quality of HIV Care Provided by Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, and Physicians

According to 8 quality-of-care measures assessed by medical record review, the quality of HIV care by nurse practitioners and physician assistants was similar to that provided by physician HIV care...
Performance Characteristics of Hedge Fund Replication Programs

Hedge Fund Replication has generated significant academic and practitioner interest in recent years. This interest has been translated into several product offerings by the major investment backs such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and J.P Morgan. Replication products generally follow three approaches: security-based replication, factor-based replication and distribution-based replication. In this article we examine the performance characteristics of various hedge fund replication programs. The results show that the performance of the replication products can vary significantly. As with individual funds, the volatilities and performance of the replication programs vary widely. We also find significant variation in the factor loadings of the various replication based products. Ultimately, we conclude that our analysis is limited by the limited history of replication, and that a more robust dataset is necessary to rigorously analyze the performance of these programs
An Email and Meeting Assistant using Graph Walks

We describe a framework for representing email as well as meeting information as a joint graph. In the graph, documents and meeting descriptions are connected via other nontextual objects representing the underlying structure-rich data. This framework integrates content, social networks and a timeline in a structural graph. Extended similarity metrics for objects embedded in the graph can be derived using a lazy graph walk paradigm. In this paper we evaluate this general framework for two meeting and email related tasks. A novel task considered is finding email-addresses of relevant attendees for a given meeting. Another task we define and evaluate is finding the full set of email-address aliases for a person, given the corresponding name string. The experimental results show promise of this approach over other possible methods.
Singular points of the differential-algebraic power system model

This paper investigates qualitative features of singular points of differential-algebraic power system model. Large-scale dynamical systems such as power systems are generally modeled as a set of parameter dependent differential-algebraic equations (DAEs). As the parameter changes, the DAE model of a power system may exhibit a singularity-induced (SI) bifurcation as well as other frequently encountered bifurcations such as saddle node and Hopf types. The SI bifurcation point, which occurs when system equilibria meet the singularity of the algebraic part of the model, belongs to a large set of other singular points called a singular set. At any singular point in this set, the DAE model breaks down, meaning a vector field on a set satisfying algebraic part of the DAE model (known as constraint manifold) is not well defined. Thus, DAE's cannot be reduced to a set of ordinary differential equations (ODE's) at the singular points and ODE solvers fail to converge in a neighborhood of a singular point. The singular points split into two complementary classes: Those from which exactly two distinct trajectories emanate (repelling) and those at which exactly two distinct solutions terminate (attracting). In order to predict system trajectories originating from a point close to a singular point, the qualitative properties of singular points at any given parameter value are identified and simulation results are presented for a 3 bus test system.
Bridging methodological gaps in network-based systems biology

Functioning of the living cell is controlled by a complex network of interactions among genes, proteins, and other molecules. A major goal of systems biology is to understand and explain the mechanisms by which these interactions govern the cell's response to various conditions. Molecular interaction networks have proven to be a powerful representation for studying cellular behavior. Numerous algorithms have been developed to unravel the complexity of these networks. Our work addresses the drawbacks of existing techniques. This thesis includes three related research efforts that introduce network-based approaches to bridge current methodological gaps in systems biology. i. Functional enrichment methods provide a summary of biological functions that are overrepresented in an interesting collection of genes (e.g., highly differentially expressed genes between a diseased cell and a healthy cell). Standard functional enrichment algorithms ignore the known interactions among proteins. We propose a novel network-based approach to functional enrichment that explicitly accounts for these underlying molecular interactions. Through this work, we close the gap between set-based functional enrichment and topological analysis of molecular interaction networks. ii. Many techniques have been developed to compute the response network of a cell. A recent trend in this area is to compute response networks of small size, with the rationale that only part of a pathway is often changed by disease and that interpreting small subnetworks is easier than interpreting larger ones. However, these methods may not uncover the spectrum of pathways perturbed in a particular experiment or disease. To avoid these difficulties, we propose to use algorithms that reconcile case-control DNA microarray data with a molecular interaction network by modifying per-gene differential expression p-values such that two genes connected by an interaction show similar changes in their gene expression values. iii. Top-down analyses in systems biology can automatically find correlations among genes and proteins in large-scale datasets. However, it is often difficult to design experiments from these results. In contrast, bottom-up approaches painstakingly craft detailed models of cellular processes. However, developing the models is a manual process that can take many years. These approaches have largely been developed independently. We present LINKER, anefficient and automated data-driven method that analyzes molecular interactomes. LINKER combines teleporting random walks and k-shortest path computations to discover connections from a set of source proteins to a set of target proteins. We demonstrate the efficacy of Linker through two applications: proposing extensions to an existing model of cell cycle regulation in budding yeast and automated reconstruction of human signaling pathways. Linker achieves superior precision and recall compared to state-of-the-art algorithms from the literature.
Locally adaptive hazard smoothing

We consider nonparametric estimation of hazard functions and their derivatives under random censorship, based on kernel smoothing of the Nelson (1972) estimator. One critically important ingredient for smoothing methods is the choice of an appropriate bandwidth. Since local variance of these estimates depends on the point where the hazard function is estimated and the bandwidth determines the trade-off between local variance and local bias, data-based local bandwidth choice is proposed. A general principle for obtaining asymptotically efficient data-based local bandwiths, is obtained by means of weak convergence of a local bandwidth process to a Gaussian limit process. Several specific asymptotically efficient bandwidth estimators are discussed. We propose in particular an, asymptotically efficient method derived from direct pilot estimators of the hazard function and of the local mean squared error. This bandwidth choice method has practical advantages and is also of interest in the uncensored case as well as for density estimation.
Social Support Networks of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults 60 Years of Age and Older

The social support networks of 416 lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults aged 60 to 91 years were examined. Participants averaged 6 people in their support networks, most of whom were close friends. The gender composition of support networks was greatly influenced by the gender of the respondent. Most support network members knew about respondents' sexual orientation. The most common type of support provided by close friends and social acquaintances was socializing support, and the most common support provided by partners, siblings, and other relatives was emotional support. The sexual orientation, gender, and age of network members did not influence respondents' satisfaction with the support received. Participants were more satisfied with support from those who knew of their sexual orientation. The more satisfied respondents felt with the support they received, the less lonely they felt. Those living with domestic partners were less lonely and rated their physical and mental health more positively than those who lived alone.
Energy transfer and light tolerance studies in a fluorescent tandem phycobiliprotein conjugate.

Light harvesting and energy transfer between allophycocyanin (APC) and a tandem conjugate dye was investigated using single-molecule recrossings in the probe volume. By comparing saturation irradiance and recrossing events of APC and the tandem conjugate Streptavidin Allophycocyanin–AlexaFluor-680 (APC-680), it was demonstrated that the light tolerance and photostability of APC-680 were improved over APC. This improvement was due to conjugating a tandem dye to APC, which provided an alternative pathway for energy transfer. This additional pathway decreases photobleaching and triplet-state conversion. In this study, the average fluorescence intensity at different laser powers was calculated from extracted signal peaks. Saturation irradiance was determined by interpolating the average intensity as a function of excitation power. By comparing the saturation irradiance of APC and APC-680, it was demonstrated that light tolerance was not significantly increased by having a small fluorophore covalently linked to the protein. The molecular recrossing method was used to determine triplet-state conversion and photobleaching effects. The number of molecules that were detected within 2 ms of each other was defined as the number of recrossing events (Nr). The total number of molecules detected was defined as Nt. The normalized number of recrossings events (Nr/Nt) showed that energy transfer between APC and AlexaFluor-680 could reduce triplet-state formation of phycobiliproteins. In this case, the saturation irradiance was not improved, but the resistance to photobleaching and triplet-state conversion was improved.
Sex-specific, rapid neuroestrogen fluctuations and neurophysiological actions in the songbird auditory forebrain.

Recent evidence shows that brain-derived steroids such as estrogens (“neuroestrogens”) are controlled in a manner very similar to traditional neurotransmitters. The advent of in vivo microdialysis ...
A Computational Framework for Search, Discovery, and Trending of Patient Health in Radiology Reports

The healthcare industry as a whole lags far behind other industries in terms of knowledge discovery capabilities. There are many piece-wise approaches to analysis of patient records. Unfortunately, there are few approaches that enable a completely automated approach that supports not just search, but also discovery and prediction of patient health. The work presented here describes a computational framework that provides near complete automation of the discovery and trending of patient characteristics. This approach has been successfully applied to the domain of mammography, but could be applied to other domains of radiology with minimal effort.
Optimization with process limits and application requirements for force sensors

Piezoresistive cantilevers are commonly used for force sensing. However, the design of piezoresistive cantilevers is complicated by coupling between many design parameters as well as design and operation constraints. Here, we discuss analytical models and optimization techniques for piezoresistive cantilevers.
Intraarticular EndoButton displacement in anatomic anterior cruciate ligament double-bundle reconstruction: A case report

Extra-anatomical fixation techniques are widely performed in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. In particular, the EndoButton represents a popular device for femoral graft fixation not only in ACL single-bundle but also more recently in ACL double-bundle reconstruction techniques. Few technical pitfalls of the EndoButton technique have been reported in ACL single-bundle reconstruction. We present a case demonstrating an intraarticular EndoButton displacement of the posterolateral bundle at the metaphyseal cortex, which seems to be a specific complication in anatomic ACL double-bundle reconstruction. By addressing the anatomic femoral footprint of the posterolateral bundle, the exit of the femoral tunnel for the posterolateral bundle usually is located at the thinner metaphyseal cortex compared with the thicker diaphyseal cortex, which may represent a weak spot for the femoral graft fixation. In anatomic ACL double-bundle reconstruction, this metaphyseal location of the EndoButton may constitute a potential pitfall in restoration of the posterolateral bundle.
Hardness measurements of Ar+-beam treated polyimide by depth-sensing ultra low load indentation

Polyimide Kapton and spin-cast polyamic acid (PAA) on sapphire have been implanted with 1 MeV Ar ions to a dose of 4.7 × 1015 cm−2 at ambient temperature. The properties of both pristine and implanted surfaces were characterized by a depth-sensing low-load indentation technique. Experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of substrate, indentation rate, relaxation, and indentation technique. The results showed that (1) hardness was depth-dependent and decreased with increasing indentation depth, (2) measurements of the ion beam hardened surface with the untreated material as a substrate underestimated the hardness while measurements over the sapphire substrate overestimated it, (3) the effects of loading/unloading rates were apparent in the load displacement results, and (4) hardness values measured using the force modulation technique showed very little depth dependence. The hardness value at 100 nm depth is used for comparison purposes since the hardness value at this depth was almost independent of substrate, indentation rate, and indentation method. The hardness of Kapton, which was measured using the techniques described herein, was increased by over 30 times after Ar implantation, from 0.43 to 13 GPa at 100 nm indentation depth. A similar increase in hardness was also observed for polyamic acid. This result suggests that spin-cast PAA film may have potential technological applications for protective coatings where hardness and wear resistance are required.