cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of informational adequacy in speech and writing

Theory and research pertaining to relationships between oral and written communication offer support to seemingly contrary hypotheses regarding the development of informational adequacy in speech and in writing. Because the social cognitive demands of face-to-face interaction are less complex than those of prototypical written communication, younger children might be expected to display greater audience adaptation in speech. On the other hand, the process of encoding in writing facilitates certain cognitive operations, and, therefore, children might be expected to communicate more effectively in writing. Empirical studies warranting conflicting conclusions, however, have administered tasks that tap different communication functions, either explanatory or referential. The present study replicates and extends this previous research by administering referential and explanatory communication tasks in both speech and writing to children at three grade levels. In addition, an independent measure of social cognitive ability was administered. Results confirmed increasing differentiation with age between speech and writing, with fifth graders displaying greater informational adequacy in writing. Children's performance in written communication, rather than speech, revealed a dependency on social cognitive ability. Differences between referential and explanatory communication suggested by previous research were confirmed.
A fuzzy logic approach to congestion control in ATM networks

The principles of fuzzy logic are deployed to tackle the problem of congestion control, an issue that is of prime importance in a multiservice environment like B-ISDN. Using the leaky bucket and moving window mechanisms as building blocks, we develop a fuzzy rule-based system that is transparent to sources that, are compliant to the traffic contract, effective in shutting down noncompliant sources and quick to respond to mean and peak rate violations, as well as to peak rate violations that do not affect the mean rate, compared to the mechanisms previously proposed. The system is intuitive in concept, simple in its implementation and computationally efficient according to the restrictions imposed by the high-speed network environment it operates in.
Expansive Grout-Based Gripping Systems for Tensile Testing of Large-Diameter Composite Bars

Tensile and shear testing to final fracture of large-diameter, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite round bars is often challenging because local stress triaxiality near the gripping ends can precipitate premature failure at these locations, instead of in the desired test gauge section. A method using expansive grout materials has been used, though its design is impaired by the lack of understanding of the gripping pressure developed by the confined expansive grout material. In this paper, an analytical solution has been derived to correlate the hoop strain on the outer surface of the confining steel pipe (caused by grout expansion in the steel pipe) to the grout's elastic modulus and coefficient of linear expansion. By experimentally measuring the exterior surface hoop strains of two different steel pipes, the elastic modulus and coefficient of linear expansion were determined. This solution has been generalized to include the composite bar and predict the gripping pressure at the bar-grout interface for any given pipe and composite bar combination. Based on the analytical results, expressions for key design parameters for improved expansive grout-based gripping systems, including the minimum grip length, optimum dimensions of the confinement pipes, and minimum volume of the grout material, have been provided. Based on the improved design, glass FRP bars of diameters 19.0 to 38.0 mm (0.75 to 1.5 in.) were tested without gripping problems and with failure loads up to 534 kN (126 kip), which significantly exceeds 400 kN (90 kip), the load level identified as a threshold of concern. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533 .0000807. © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
LDPC Codes Based on Latin Squares: Cycle Structure, Stopping Set, and Trapping Set Analysis

It is well known that certain combinatorial structures in the Tanner graph of a low-density parity-check (LDPC) code exhibit a strong influence on its performance under iterative decoding. These structures include cycles, stopping/trapping sets, and parameters such as the diameter of the code. In general, it is very hard to find a complete characterization of such configurations in an arbitrary code, and even harder to understand the intricate relationships that exist between these entities. It is, therefore, of interest to identify a simple setting in which all the described combinatorial structures can be enumerated and studied within a joint framework. One such setting is developed in this paper, for the purpose of analyzing the distribution of short cycles and the structure of stopping and trapping sets in Tanner graphs of LDPC codes based on idempotent and symmetric Latin squares. The parity-check matrices of LDPC codes based on Latin squares have a special form that allows for connecting combinatorial parameters of the codes with the number of certain subrectangles in the Latin squares. Subrectangles of interest can be easily identified, and in certain instances, completely enumerated. This study can be extended in several different directions, one of which is concerned with modifying the code design process in order to eliminate or reduce the number of configurations bearing a negative influence on the performance of the code. Another application of the results includes determining to which extent a configuration governs the behavior of the bit-error rate curve in the waterfall and error-floor regions
Prediction of Future Carcass Traits in Stocker Cattle at the Conclusion of Grazing1

Prediction of eventual carcass traits in stocker cattle at the conclusion of grazing could be useful for culling, co-mingling of animals, feedlot pen assignments, and making management decisions in the feedyard. Ultrasound measures of 12th to 13th rib longissimus area (ULA) and fat thickness (UFAT), and off-pasture BW (OPBW) were collected from yearling cattle (n = 261) at the conclusion of grazing in two experiments that evaluated stocking rate and grazing management effects on rye (Secale cereale L.) annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) pastures. Carcasss data were subsequently recorded at harvest following feedyard finishing to a visual 1-cm backfat. Correlations were analyzed to determine relationships between carcass traits and ULMA, UFAT, body condition measure (BCM), and OPBW. Ultrasound measures, breed type (BRDT; n = 4), gender (steers and heifers), and feedlot days on feed (DOF) were evaluated in multiple regression models to determine whether these variables influence eventual carcass percentage retail product, kilograms retail product (KRP), hot carcass weight (HCW), and marbling score. Ultrasound FAT and BCM were negatively correlated with percentage retail product, KRP, and HCW and were positively correlated with marbling score. All reduced regression models had R2 values of between 0.15 and 0.63, and models with inputs of UFAT and OPBW consistently had the numerically greatest R2 values and least RMSE. Multiple regression analyses indicated that prediction of carcass traits from stocker cattle ultrasonic measurements at the conclusion of grazing were possible, but improvement in the models will be necessary to reduce error and improve reliability.
Mycobacterium avium Infection and Modulation of Human Macrophage Gene Expression

Mycobacterium avium is a facultative intracellular pathogen cleared rapidly via intact host defense mechanisms. In the absence of adequate T cell function, as occurs in HIV-1-induced immunodeficiency, M. avium becomes an opportunistic infection with uncontrolled replication and reinfection of macrophage hosts. How M. avium infects, survives, and replicates in macrophages without signaling an effective microbicidal counterattack is unresolved. To address whether M. avium signals the expression of molecules, which influence mycobacterial survival or clearance, human monocyte-derived macrophage cultures were exposed to M. avium. Within minutes, M. avium, or its cell wall lipoarabinomannan, binds to the adherent macrophages and induces a spectrum of gene expression. In this innate response, the most abundant genes detected within 2 h by cDNA expression array involved proinflammatory chemokines, cytokines including TNF-alpha and IL-1, and adhesion molecules. Associated with this rapid initial up-regulation of recruitment and amplification molecules was enhanced expression of transcription factors and signaling molecules. By 24 h, this proinflammatory response subsided, and after 4 days, when some bacteria were being degraded, others escaped destruction to replicate within intracellular vacuoles. Under these conditions, inducible NO synthase was not up-regulated and increased transferrin receptors may facilitate iron-dependent mycobacterial growth. Sustained adhesion molecule and chemokine expression along with the formation of multinucleated giant cells appeared consistent with in vivo events. Thus, in the absence of T lymphocyte mediators, macrophages are insufficiently microbicidal and provide a nonhostile environment in which mycobacteria not only survive and replicate, but continue to promote recruitment of new macrophages to perpetuate the infection.
New surgical interventions for cerebral palsy and the place of gait analysis

In the past few years there have been a number of new surgical interventions in the treatment of cerebral palsy (CP) and these were reviewed in a meeting at the London Royal Society of Medicine, arranged by the Mac Keith Meetings committee, in October 1997. One such intervention, selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR), is a modification of a technique first used at the turn of this century. In the mid-1980s, SDR was reintroduced by Peacock and Arens for children with CP. It was established in South Africa and the United States, then spread to Canada and parts of Europe. The continuous infusion of intrathecal baclofen (CIBI) to relieve spasticity in CP has only been used this decade. It was pioneered mainly in North America, and followed experience with its use in spinal spasticity, for which it is particularly effective. Lastly, we considered the practice of multilevel orthopaedic surgery which started over 20 years ago, but has recently become popular throughout North America and Europe. Guided by clinical examination and information from laboratory gait analysis, this approach addresses all of the mechanical problems in the lower limb at one stage and attempts to avoid the need for separate procedures throughout childhood – the ‘birthday’ syndrome. All of these new techniques are costly in effort and time for the child and all involved, and thus need careful evaluation. This was provided at the meeting by speakers from a variety of backgrounds and countries.
Mesh pillow in deployable front-fed umbrella parabolic reflectors

An analytical solution for the umbrella reflector surface shape, including the pillowing contribution, is presented. The solution is simple and sufficiently accurate for most antenna applications, and apart from being useful as a design tool, it can be easily incorporated into an existing computer code, allowing for more realistic evaluations of the umbrella reflector electrical characteristics. The analytical solution was tested by numerically solving the equations using a successive overrelaxation procedure. The gain degradation and the gore-related sidelobes clearly show the significance of pillowing on the antenna radiation characteristics. >
Performance analysis of MARS logging, checkpointing, and recovery

The results of a performance analysis used to compare MARS (a main-memory recoverable database with stable log) and MM-DBMS (different main-memory database management system) are reported. With equal numbers and sizes of log records, MARS supports a higher transaction throughput rate than does MM-DBMS. Even with larger numbers of log records, a rate of 1500 transactions per second can be supported by MARS logging. The MARS checkpointing rates are comparable to those of MM-DBMS. In all situations, MARS recovery outperforms that of MM-DBMS. >
High-speed sample and hold using low temperature grown GaAs MSM switches for photonic A/D conversion

Summary form only given. With the evergrowing demand for bandwidth, the need for high-speed A/D converters operating at GSa/s sampling rates has emerged in the areas of radar and microwave communications. As a solution, the idea of combining the low jitter and high speed advantages of photonics with electrical A/D converters has spawned a number of photonic A/D conversion systems. In our system, we utilize a sample and hold scheme with LT grown GaAs MSM switches. The short recombination lifetime and high mobility of LT GaAs allow high-speed operation with good sensitivity. Optically triggered by a short-pulse laser, the switches would be attached to a transmission line and would sample the input electrical signal onto a hold capacitor.
Degradation of human hemoglobin by organic C-nitroso compounds

The crystal structure of the nitrosomethane adduct of human Hb shows N-binding of the MeNO ligands to heme Fe. The structure of the EtNO adduct reveals a surprising 4.9 A heme slippage in the β subunit, and explains the ability of C-nitroso compounds to degrade Hb removing it from circulation.
Synthesis of the rifamycin chromophore

A regiospecific, Diels-Alder based synthesis of the naphthofuranone chromophore (2) of the rifamycins is described.
Formations for localization of robot networks

In this paper, we consider the problem of cooperatively localizing a formation of networked mobile robots/vehicles in SE(2), and adapting the formation to reduce localization errors. First, we propose necessary and sufficient conditions to establish when a team of robots with heterogeneous sensors can be completely localized. We present experimental measurements of range and bearing with omni-directional cameras to motivate a simple model for noisy sensory information. We propose a measure of quality of team localization, and show how this measure directly depends on a sensing graph. Finally, we show how the formation and the sensing graph can be adapted to improve the measure of performance for team localization and for localization of targets through experiments and simulations.
ITK tunes IL-4-induced development of innate memory CD8+ T cells in a γδ T and invariant NKT cell-independent manner

True memory CD8(+) T cells develop post antigenic exposure and can provide life-long immune protection. More recently, other types of memory CD8(+) T cells have been described, such as the memory-like CD8(+) T cells (IMP; CD44(hi)CD122(+)) that arise spontaneously in Itk(-/-) mice, which are suggested to develop as a result of IL-4 secreted by NKT-like γδ T or PLZF(+) NKT cells found in Itk(-/-) mice. However, we report here that whereas IMP CD8(+) T cell development in Itk(-/-) mice is dependent on IL-4/STAT6 signaling, it is not dependent on any γδ T or iNKT cells. Our experiments suggest that the IMP develops as a result of tuning of the CD8(+) T cell response to exogenous IL-4 and TCR triggering by ITK and challenge the current model of IMP CD8(+) T cell development as a result of NKT-like γδ T or iNKT cells. These findings suggest that some naive CD8(+) T cells may be preprogrammed by weak homeostatic TCR signals in the presence of IL-4 to become memory phenotype cells with the ability to elaborate effector function rapidly. The role of ITK in this process suggests a mechanism by which IMP CD8(+) T cells can be generated rapidly in response to infection.
Quantitating physical activity in COPD using a triaxial accelerometer.

Study objective To determine the reliability, validity, and stability of a triaxial accelerometer for walking and daily activity measurement in a COPD sample. Design Cross-sectional, correlational, descriptive design. Setting Outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program in a university-affiliated Veterans Affairs medical center. Participants Forty-seven outpatients (44 men and 3 women) with stable COPD (FEV 1 , 37% predicted; SD, 16%) prior to entry into a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Measurements and results Test-retest reliability of a triaxial movement sensor (Tritrac R3D Research Ergometer; Professional Products; Madison, WI) was evaluated in 35 of the 47 subjects during three standardized 6-min walks (intraclass correlation coefficient [rICC] = 0.84). Pearson correlations evaluated accelerometer concurrent validity as a measure of walking (in vector magnitude units), compared to walking distance in all 47 subjects during three sequential 6-min walks (0.84, 0.85, and 0.95, respectively; p r = 0.74; p 1 percent predicted, r = 0.62; p r = − 0.29; p r = 0.43; p r = 0.14; not significant). Stability of the accelerometer to measure 3 full days of activity at home was determined by an rICC of 0.69. Conclusions This study provides preliminary data suggesting that a triaxial movement sensor is a reliable, valid, and stable measure of walking and daily physical activity in COPD patients. It has the potential to provide more precise measurement of everyday physical functioning in this population than self-report measures currently in use, and measures an important dimension of functional status not previously well-described.
Role for Brain Corticotropin-Releasing Factor in the Weight-Reducing Effects of Chronic Fenfluramine Treatment in Rats

Fenfluramine is an amphetamine derivative which is used as a weight-reducing agent in the treatment of obesity. It has been postulated that fenfluramine affects brain serotonin (5HT) neurons resulting in decreased food intake and altered autonomic outflow which, in turn, increases metabolism. CRF decreases food intake and, in addition, has been demonstrated to reduce body weight in genetically obese rats through selective activation of sympathetic and inhibition of parasympathetic outflows. Because 5HT is a potent CRF secretagogue, we tested the hypothesis that the weight-reducing effects of fenfluramine administration may be mediated, in part, through altered CRF secretion. Chronic fenfluramine treatment (1–24 mg/kg sc, twice daily, 4 days) resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in hypothalamic CRF concentration at 30 min after the final drug injection and was accompanied by a significant reciprocal increase in plasma corticosterone concentration. These data suggest that the decrease in hypothalamic CRF w...
Ultra-reliable communication over vulnerable all-optical networks via lightpath diversity

In this paper, we propose using spatial diversity via multiple node-disjointed lightpaths at the optical layer to achieve ultra-reliable communication with low delay between any source-destination pair in all-optical networks. Using a doubly stochastic point process model and a "genie-aided" receiver, we obtain an exponentially tight error probability bound for the lightpath diversity scheme under an independent lightpath failure model. Error probability of the proposed scheme can be designed to be significantly lower than that of a system without lightpath diversity, and system parameters (e.g., the number of lightpaths) can be optimized to achieve efficient utilization of a limited amount of transmitted optical energy. In particular, at the optimum operating point, each lightpath is allocated an optimum average number of signal photons per bit and is biased to have an effective error probability 2f if the decision is based on that path alone, where f is the lightpath failure probability. We also investigate the tradeoff between the error probability and the implementation complexity within the class of all "structured" receivers. We derive receiver architectures for both the optimal receiver, which has the best error performance but complicated receiver architecture, and the equal-gain-combining (EGC) receiver, which has suboptimum error performance but simpler receiver architecture. Closed-form error bounds for both receivers are obtained and compared with the "genie-aided" limit of the lightpath diversity scheme. Performance comparison shows that the simpler equal-gain-combing receiver provides similar performance as the optimal receiver in the regime of high signal-to-noise photon rate ratio (/spl Omega/=/spl lambda//sub s//M/spl lambda//sub n/, where /spl lambda//sub s//M is the signal photon rate per path, /spl lambda//sub n/ is the noise photon rate per path), and performs slightly worse than the optimal receiver in the low and medium signal-to-noise photon rate ratio regimes. It indicates that the simpler EGC receiver is preferred over the complicated optimum receiver in practical receiver design.
A Novel Multi-Objective Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm for the QoS Based Wireless Route Optimization Problem

In this paper, an efficient multi-objective artificial bee colony optimization algorithm based on Pareto dominance called PC_MOABC is proposed to tackle the QoS based route optimization problem. The concepts of Pareto strength and crowding distance are introduced into this algorithm, and are combined together effectively to improve the algorithm’s efficiency and generate a set of evenly distributed solutions. The proposed algorithm was evaluated on a set of different scale test problems and compared with the recently proposed popular NSGA-II based multi-objective optimization algorithm. The experimental results reveal very encouraging results in terms of the solution quality and the processing time required.
Multiple positive and negative 5' regulatory elements control the cell-type-specific expression of the embryonic skeletal myosin heavy-chain gene.

To identify the DNA sequences that regulate the expression of the sarcomeric myosin heavy-chain (MHC) genes in muscle cells, a series of deletion constructs of the rat embryonic MHC gene was assayed for transient expression after introduction into myogenic and nonmyogenic cells. The sequences in 1.4 kilobases of 5'-flanking DNA were found to be sufficient to direct expression of the MHC gene constructs in a tissue-specific manner (i.e., in differentiated muscle cells but not in undifferentiated muscle and nonmuscle cells). Three main distinct regulatory domains have been identified: (i) the upstream sequences from positions -1413 to -174, which determine the level of expression of the MHC gene and are constituted of three positive regulatory elements and two negative ones; (ii) a muscle-specific regulatory element from positions -173 to -142, which restricts the expression of the MHC gene to muscle cells; and (iii) the promoter region, downstream from position -102, which directs transcription initiation. Introduction of the simian virus 40 enhancer into constructs where subportions of or all of the upstream sequences are deleted (up to position -173) strongly increases the level of expression of such truncated constructs but without changing their muscle specificity. These upstream sequences, which can be substituted for by the simian virus 40 enhancer, function in an orientation-, position-, and promoter-dependent fashion. The muscle-specific element is also promoter specific but does not support efficient expression of the MHC gene. The MHC promoter in itself is not muscle specific. These results underline the importance of the concerted action of multiple regulatory elements that are likely to represent targets for DNA-binding-regulatory proteins.
Dynamic Earth Pressures and Earth Pressure Cell Measurements

Failure of retaining walls is observed after many recent seismic events. Design of these walls are based on the pseudo-static force designs based on the Mononobe-Okabe earth pressure coefficient equations. However, it is clear that there are limitations attached with this approach. This paper investigates the seismic behaviour of sheet pile retaining walls using dynamic centrifuge testing facilities. In addition to using bending moment strain gauges on the wall, new generation earth pressure cells have also been used to investigate the generation of active and passive earth pressures. The results indicate that Mononobe-Okabe equations give relatively good estimates of active earth pressures but may be over-predicting passive earth pressures at certain peak ground acceleration levels. Based on this series of centrifuge tests it is concluded that earth pressure cells are successful in providing good qualitative data, but need to be supplemented by good calibration methods. © 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, London.
Heterodimerization with Bax is Required for Bcl-2 to Repress Cell Death

The t(14;18)(q32;q21) found in the follicular B cell lymphomas is the most common translocation associated with human lymphoid malignancies (Fukuhara 1979, Yunis 1987). Molecular cloning of the t(14;18) chromosomal breakpoint revealed a proto-oncogene Bcl-2 at 18q21 (Tsujimoto 1985,Bakhshi 1985, Cleary, 1985). Translocation creates a Bcl-2-Ig fusion gene that is markedly deregulated resulting in inappropriately elevated levels of Bcl-2-Ig RNA and the 25 kd Bci-2 protein (Graninger 1987, Seto 1988). Bcl-2 is a novel oncogene which extends cell survival by inhibiting a variety of apoptotic deaths (Vaux 1988, Hockenbery 1990, Nunez 1990). Deregulated expression of Bcl-2 in either Bcl-2-Ig (McDonnell 1990) or lckpr-Bcl-2 (Sentman 1991, Strasser 1991) transgenic models induce B or T cell lymphomas by blocking apoptosis and extending cell survival. Conversely, bcl-2 gene ablation results in fulminant lymphocyte death, as well as polycystic kidney disease and hair hypopigmentation. This documents a normal physiological role for Bcl-2 in maitaining homeostasis of lymphocytes (Veis 1993). Recently, a family of Bcl-2-related proteins has been defined which includes Bcl-xL, another mammalian gene that represses apoptosis (Boise 1993), and Ced-9, a Bcl-2 homolog found in C. elegans that inhibits programmed cell death in the worm (Hengartner 1994a). Interestingly, a new member found in mammalian cells, Bax, does not protect cells from apoptosis.
Modified Hybridoma Methodology: Antigen-Directed Chemically Mediated Cell Fusion

The concept of antigen-directed cell fusions to increase the yield of hybridomas was investigated. To facilitate cell-cell contact, antigen conjugated cells were used in cell fusion studies. Specifically, fluorescyl conjugated murine myeloma cells (Sp 2/0-Ag14) incubated with murine immune (anti-fluorescyl) splenocytes formed aggregates containing fluorescent and non-fluorescent cells. Fusion of these populations with polyethylene glycol resulted in a greater number of anti-fluorescyl hybridomas relative to normal fusions under non-antigen directed condition. Ligand binding data indicated that despite the multicellular aggregates the hybridomas resulting from chemically mediated fusions produced only one monoclonal Ig.
Jordan and Disability Rights: A Pioneering Leader in the Arab World

This article investigates Jordan’s rationale for assuming a leadership role on the disability rights issue in the Arab World. Tens of millions of people, including over ten percent of Arab families, are impacted and impoverished because of disability. To address this substantial challenge, the Jordan Royal family has leveraged Jordan’s tradition of openness and generosity coupled with one of the best educational systems in the Arab World to promote disability issues. As a result, Jordan is recognized by the international community as leading the Arab World in promoting disability rights. Jordan’s international and regional leadership on disability rights was recognized in 2005 when Jordan received the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award.
Abstract 172: Cost-Effectiveness of Dabigatran Compared with Warfarin for Secondary Stroke Prevention in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Prior Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack

Background: The cost-effectiveness of dabigatran for secondary stroke prevention in patients who present with atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) has not been dir...
Some Generalizations of Wythoff's Game and Other Related Games

(1968). Some Generalizations of Wythoff's Game and Other Related Games. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 7-13.
Modifications to the Technique of Two-Dimensional Immunoelectrophoresis

1. An examination of the technique of two-dimensional electrophoresis as developed by Minchin Clarke & Freeman (1968) has resulted in improvements for its routine use. 2. These include the use of smaller plates, a re-designed modular electrophoresis tank and modifications in the method of preparing the plates and in the process of running the electrophoresis.
Pathways to Adult Court: Does the Road Traveled Impact the Final Destination?:

The current study examines whether the process by which a juvenile reaches adult court influences later sentencing outcomes. Previous research has found that juveniles who were judicially waived to adult court faced a penalty at sentencing and suggested that this bias may be due to either 1) increased assessments of risk based on the offender's young age, or 2) a stigmatization of the offender by the transfer process itself. By examining a population of 16- and 17-year-old felony defendants in a state that automatically defines such youth as adults, this research directly tested these notions. Findings revealed that in this state, 16- and 17-year-old defendants actually received more lenient sentences than a matched sample of 18- and 19-year-old offenders, which is contrary to what would be expected if the previously found juvenile penalty was related to assessments of risk based on age. Moreover, in a second analysis comparing judicially waived youth (ages 13 to 15) in this same state to the 16- and 17-y...
1,2-Ethanediol and 1,3-Propanediol Conversions over (MO3)3 (M = Mo, W) Nanoclusters: A Computational Study

The dehydration and dehydrogenation reactions of one and two 1,2-ethanediol and 1,3-propanediol molecules on (MO3)3 (M = Mo, W) nanoclusters have been studied computationally using density functional and coupled cluster (CCSD(T)) theory. The reactions are initiated by the formation of a Lewis acid–base complex with an additional hydrogen bond. Dehydration is the dominant reaction proceeding via a metal bisdiolate. Acetaldehyde, the major product for 1,2-ethanediol, is produced by α-hydrogen transfer from one CH2 group to the other. For 1,3-propanediol, the C–C bond breaking pathways to produce C2H4 and HCH═O simultaneously and proton transfer to generate propylene oxide have comparable barrier energies. The barrier to produce propanal from the propylene oxide complex is less than that for epoxide release from the cluster. On the Mo3O9 cluster, a redox reaction channel for 1,2-ethanediol to break the C–C bond to form two formaldehyde molecules and then to produce C2H4 is slightly more favorable than the fo...
Images in clinical medicine. Inverted colonic diverticulum.

Figure 1. A 42-year-old man with a history of mild, intermittent pain on the lower left side of the abdomen presented with an episode of painless hematochezia. The physical examination was normal, and his hematocrit was 44 percent. Diverticulosis of the sigmoid colon (Panel A) was revealed during flexible sigmoidoscopy for evaluation of the bleeding. There were multiple diverticula and a 1-cm sessile polypoid lesion (Panel B) that was the same color as the surrounding mucosa. The polyp vanished with the application of gentle pressure from the tip of a closed pair of biopsy forceps, confirming that the lesion was . . .
Correct runtime operation for NoCs through adaptive-region protection

Networks-on-chip (NoCs) are increasingly being adopted as the interconnect model for systems-on-chip and chip-multiprocessors. As the only communication medium in these designs, the NoC's functional correctness is critical. In practice, design-time verification of NoCs is always partial, due to their large scale and the challenges that hinder verification efforts. As a result, functional design bugs are bound to escape and potentially manifest at runtime, compromising system functionality. We propose REPAIR, a runtime solution to detect and recover from functional design errors that have escaped in NoCs. Existing runtime verification techniques incur significant area and performance overheads to monitor and check the correctness of every packet traversing the network. However, REPAIR relies on a retransmission-based technique that adaptively determines the subset of packets requiring protection by identifying dynamic network regions where the specific runtime execution is likely to expose functional design bugs. We achieve runtime correctness at lower performance and area costs, relative to a traditional solution: on average, we are able to achieve more than 50% better overall performance with 2–3× fewer retransmission buffers.
349 END-OF-LIFE COMMUNICATION: SKILL, COMFORT, AND SATISFACTION LEVELS OF CURRENT RESIDENTS.

Purpose Residents are frequently confronted with end-of-life (EOL) communication issues in multiple practice settings. Medical education in the area of EOL communication, like many skills, tends to be that of "see one, do one, teach one. " This study was designed to assess residents9 self-perceived skill, comfort, and satisfaction with outcomes related to these discussions within the current training paradigm. We also sought to determine the aspects of EOL discussions that cause residents the most difficulty in order to plan for future educational interventions. Methods We administered an anonymous survey in September 2005 to current internal medicine and medicine-pediatrics residents and physicians who had completed our residency in June 2005. Residents were asked to rate their skill, comfort level, and satisfaction with outcome of discussions concerning the three EOL issues of code status, futile care, and withdrawal of care on a 5-point Likert scale (low = 1; high = 5). Responses rated 4 or 5 were coded as "skilled " or "comfortable. " Residents were also asked in an open-ended question to identify the most challenging aspect of EOL situations. Results Our response rate was 64%. Residents felt skilled (64%) and comfortable (69%) with code status and less so for futile care (44% skilled, 48% comfortable) and withdrawal of care (46% skilled, 51% comfortable). Regarding code status, nearly 70% of residents felt that they achieved a satisfactory result often or always. This percentage was much lower regarding futile care ( Conclusions Residents do not perceive themselves to be highly skilled in EOL discussions concerning futile care or withdrawal of care. Their relatively low levels of satisfaction with outcomes may reflect their low comfort level with discussing these issues. A more structured educational component that focuses on improving communication skills and addressing family fears, concerns, and conflicts may improve residents9 comfort and satisfaction with EOL discussions.
On Non-Government Public Organizations Under China Context

The background for the rise of non-government organization in China is different from abroad.The rise is the failure of planned economy system and highly-centralized political management system rather than the market failure and government failure in the Western countries.It is a process of re-construction of national and social relations instead of a dividing process of the two.Public choosing theory based on rational human hypothesis cannot explain the motivation in non-government public organizations in China.At present,we need to improve them throush system construction,cooperation pattern construction of the government,and public culture cultivation.
E-Commerce- und Social-Commerce-Plattformen

Der Online-Handel in China wachst. Unter den zahlreichen E-Commerce-Plattformen sind die zwei Produkte des Internetkonzerns Alibaba, Taobao fur C2C-Geschafte und Tmall fur B2C-Geschafte, am beliebtesten. Viele E-Commerce-Plattformen bieten auch Service fur einen Gruppenkauf, bei dem sich mehrere Konsumenten online zusammenschliesen, um bei Handlern attraktive Angebote zu erhalten. Meituan, Juhuasuan, Dianping, Nuomi und 58.com sind u. a. die bekanntesten Plattformen fur Gruppenkauf. Seit einigen Jahren werden Social-Commerce-Plattformen immer popular. Meilishuo und Mogujie dominieren den chinesischen Markt.
Targeting Cancer with Amino-Acid Auxotroph Salmonella typhimurium A1-R

Salmonella, Clostridium and Bifidobacterium have been shown to ­control tumour growth and promote survival in animal models. However, Clostridium and Bifidobacterium are obligate anaerobes which limits their growth to the necrotic region of tumour and thus limits their effectiveness. In contrast, Salmonella is a facultative anaerobe which can grow in the viable as well as necrotic regions of tumours giving it greater potential as an anti-tumour agent. However, previous experiments with Salmonella, including clinical trials, have used over-attenuated mutants, limiting the anti-tumour efficacy. We have developed an effective bacterial cancer therapy strategy using Salmonella typhimurium auxotrophs which grow in viable as well as necrotic areas of tumours. The auxotrophy severely restricts growth of these bacteria in normal tissue. The S. typhimurium A1-R mutant, which is auxotrophic for leu-arg, has high anti-tumour virulence. In vitro, A1-R infects tumour cells and causes nuclear destruction. A1-R was initially used to treat metastatic human prostate and breast tumours that had been orthotopically implanted in nude mice. Forty percent of treated mice were cured completely and survived as long as non-tumour-bearing mice. A1-R administered i.v. to nude mice with primary osteosarcoma and lung metastasis was highly effective, especially against metastasis. A1-R was also targeted to both axillary lymph and popliteal lymph node metastasis of human pancreatic cancer and fibrosarcoma, respectively, as well as lung metastasis of the fibrosarcoma in nude mice. The bacteria were delivered via a lymphatic channel to target the lymph node metastases and systemically via the tail vein to target the lung metastasis. The metastases were cured without the need of chemotherapy or any other treatment. A1-R was administered intratumorally to nude mice with an orthotopically transplanted human pancreatic tumour. The primary pancreatic cancer regressed without additional chemotherapy or any other treatment. A1-R was also effective against pancreatic cancer liver metastasis when administered intrasplenically to nude mice. A1-R was also highly effective against spinal cord glioma in orthotopic nude mouse models, a highly treatment-resistant disease. Tumour vascularity positively correlates with susceptibility to A1-R therapy. Substrains with tumour-specific promoters and mutants which enhance selective tumour targeting have been identified. The approach described here, where bacterial monotherapy effectively treats ­primary and metastatic tumours, is a significant improvement over previous bacterial tumour therapy strategies that require combination with toxic chemotherapy.
Chest Compression Only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Primary Cardiac Arrest.

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in most industrialized nations of the world. Unfortunately, the first sign of cardiovascular disease often is the last, because the first sign is frequently sudden cardiac arrest. Despite Standards in 1974, Standards and Guidelines in 1980, Guidelines in 1986, and Updates of Guidelines in 1992, 2000, and 2005, the survival rate of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the United States averaged 7.6% and was unchanged from 1978 to 2008. Likewise, survival of patients with OHCA secondary to ventricular fibrillation (VF), those dramatically more likely to survive, also was unchanged for >2 decades, averaging 17.7%. A major reason for these previously low rates of survival was the lack of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) because of the decades-old requirement of mouth-to-mouth ventilation as the first step. Most bystanders, including medical personnel, would call but then await the arrival of emergency medical services personnel. Such OHCA patients rarely survived. Our University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center Resuscitation Research Group found in animal models of ventricular fibrillation (VF) arrest that survival was better with continuous chest compressions than with no CPR until defibrillation at 10 minutes. As a result, since the early 1990s, we have recommended chest compression only CPR (CO-CPR) as the initial therapy for witnessed primary cardiac arrest, defined as, “An unexpected, seen or heard, collapse of a …
A Fixed-Point Implementation for QR Decomposition

Matrix triangularization and orthogonalization are prerequisites to solving least square problems and find applications in a wide variety of communication systems and signal processing applications such as MIMO systems and matrix inversion. QR decomposition using modified Gram-Schmidt (MGS) orthogonalization is one of the numerically stable techniques used in this regard. This paper presents a fixed point implementation of QR decomposition based on MGS algorithm using a novel LUT based approach. The proposed architecture is based on log-domain arithmetic operations. The error performance of various fixed-point arithmetic operations has been discussed and optimum LUT sizes are presented based on simulation results for various fractional-precisions. The proposed architecture also paves way for an efficient parallel VLSI implementation of QR decomposition using MGS
Constructing Hybridized Authenticities in the Gourmet Food Truck Scene

In this article, I construct three ideal types of identities operating in the New Orleans gourmet food truck industry (Down-Home, Foreign Foodie type, and Hipster). Using evidence from three years of ethnographic observations, as well as qualitative interviews, I then examine the process of hybridization, in which the two forms of authenticity (food truck and brick-and-mortar) blend together, modifying each original authenticity to create a temporal product, hybrid authenticity. The value of this product is derived from the concrete but temporary relations between the product, the producers, the consumers, and the spaces where the product is produced and consumed.
Combined Effects of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 on Odonto/Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells In Vitro.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to investigate whether combined and concerted delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) enhances odonto/osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in vitro . Methods Various concentrations of VEGF and/or BMP-2 with or without the presence of odonto/osteogenic medium (OM) were added into DPSC cultures for 21 days. The mineral formation in cultures was evaluated using alizarin red stain (ARS). Optimal concentrations of VEGF and BMP-2 were codelivered to DPSCs for total of 21 days with the following experimental groups: (1) group 1: OM only, (2) group 2: OM + VEGF, (3) group 3: OM + BMP-2, and (4) group 4: OM + VEGF + BMP-2 (subgroup 4a: VEGF present the first 7 days, 4b: BMP-2 present the last 14 days, and 4c, both present for 21 days). Cultures were then subjected to quantitative ARS analysis or harvested for quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis for the expression of core-binding factor alpha 1 ( CBFA1 ), alkaline phosphatase ( ALP ), and dentin matrix protein 1 ( DMP-1 ). Results No mineral formation was detected by ARS when VEGF and/or BMP-2 were used without OM. OM + VEGF, but not OM + BMP-2, formed more mineralization than OM ( P P CBFA1 , ALP , and DMP-1 levels were higher in groups 2, 3, and 4a compared with 4b and 4c ( P CBFA1 expressed higher in groups 2, 3, and 4a compared with OM ( P ALP expression, only subgroup 4a expressed higher than OM ( P P > .05) in the expression of the 3 genes. Conclusions VEGF addition in the early phase rather than a continuous presence of both VEGF and BMP-2 enhances odonto/osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs.
Free Trade Through Regulation

How should the executive branch respond to globalization? The president’s executive order on international regulatory cooperation provides a blueprint. The branch will turn to regulatory cooperation to make progress in freeing trade and will encourage a particular approach to that cooperation—harmonization—that was eschewed during the successful European integrative project. The executive order, which is assessed in this Article, represents a welcome political endorsement of a phenomenon that was previously pursued by agencies acting largely on their own remit. It is also an attempt to galvanize the use of regulatory cooperation by other agencies disinclined to pursue it in the past. In addition to analyzing how the executive order is meant to work, this Article argues that while the executive’s approach is promising, it must be paired with a commitment to political oversight to ensure that regulatory globalization remains legitimate. There are signs that the president is beginning to provide this commitment through the executive order; the Article identifies a roadmap for its continuation and a role for Congress as well.
Extensions of the Rosner-Colditz breast cancer prediction model to include older women and type-specific predicted risk

A breast cancer risk prediction rule previously developed by Rosner and Colditz has reasonable predictive ability. We developed a re-fitted version of this model, based on more than twice as many cases now including women up to age 85, and further extended it to a model that distinguished risk factor prediction of tumors with different estrogen/progesterone receptor status. We compared the calibration and discriminatory ability of the original, the re-fitted, and the type-specific models. Evaluation used data from the Nurses’ Health Study during the period 1980–2008, when 4384 incident invasive breast cancers occurred over 1.5 million person-years. Model development used two-thirds of study subjects and validation used one-third. Predicted risks in the validation sample from the original and re-fitted models were highly correlated (ρ = 0.93), but several parameters, notably those related to use of menopausal hormone therapy and age, had different estimates. The re-fitted model was well-calibrated and had an overall C-statistic of 0.65. The extended, type-specific model identified several risk factors with varying associations with occurrence of tumors of different receptor status. However, this extended model relative to the prediction of any breast cancer did not meaningfully reclassify women who developed breast cancer to higher risk categories, nor women remaining cancer free to lower risk categories. The re-fitted Rosner-Colditz model has applicability to risk prediction in women up to age 85, and its discrimination is not improved by consideration of varying associations across tumor subtypes.
Optimization of Photoanodes for Photocatalytic Water Oxidation by Combining a Heterogenized Iridium Water-Oxidation Catalyst with a High-Potential Porphyrin Photosensitizer.

The development of water-splitting dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells has gained interest owing to their ability to generate renewable fuels from solar energy. In this study, photoanodes were assembled from a SnO2 film sensitized with a combination of a high-potential CF3 -substituted porphyrin dye with a tetrahydropyranyl-protected hydroxamic acid surface-anchoring group and a Cp*Ir (Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) water-oxidation catalyst containing a silatrane anchoring group. The dye/catalyst ratios were varied from 2:1 to 32:1 to optimize the photocatalytic water oxidation. Photoelectrochemical measurements showed not only more stable and reproducible photocurrents for lower dye/catalyst ratios but also improved photostability. O2 production was confirmed in real time over a 20 h period with a Clark electrode. Photoanodes prepared from 2:1 and 8:1 dye/catalyst sensitization solutions provided the most active electrodes for photocatalytic water oxidation and performed approximately 30-35 turnovers in 20 h.