cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Qualitative Cultural Sensitivity Assessment of the Breathe Easier Mobile Application for Lung Cancer Survivors and Their Families.

Purpose To evaluate the cultural sensitivity of the Breathe Easier mobile health application for African American lung cancer survivors and their families. Breathe Easier is an intervention designed to teach strategies to combat symptoms related to lung cancer. Participants & setting 12 African American lung cancer survivors and their family members were recruited from an American College of Surgeons-approved cancer program in South Carolina. Methodologic approach Participants completed in-depth interviews, which were guided by the Cultural Sensitivity Assessment Tool and the Cultural Sensitivity Checklist. Two researchers performed open and axial coding to conceptually organize the data. Findings Multiple culturally relevant themes emerged, including benefits, concerns, and suggestions related to content literacy and inclusiveness, as well as acceptability of and motivations for using the mobile application. However, lung cancer survivors and their family members reported being more concerned about accessing accurate survivorship information. Implications for nursing Attention to health literacy, eHealth literacy, and cultural sensitivity may enhance patient outcomes, and nurses can advocate for patients regarding these communication issues.
Mamaloshen at Hopkins: The Education of Marc Caplan

This short article recounts the life story of Johns Hopkins Professor Marc Caplan, the first professor of Yiddish at that institution. He was born in Alexandria, La, and thus had his origins in the Deep South, in that town of about 100 Jewish families. He eventually went to Yale, and New York University, finally finding his present job at Hopkins, in Baltimore, MD.
Polarization of Co 57 in Fe Metal

A sthdy is made of the effect of low temperathres on the resonant emission and absorption of the 14.4 kev Mossbauer radiation from Fe/sup 5//sup 7/ in Fe metal. Analysis of irtensity changes in the hyperfine spectrum is made, in terms of the Zeeman level splittings of the ground states of both Fe/sup 5//sup 7/ absorbing nuclei and Co/sup 5//sup 7/ parent nuclei. The theory for the temperature dependence is developed in terms of the properties of the Co/sup 5// sup 7/ decay and of the subsequent gamma transitions. Experiments are carried out with a source of Co/sup 5//sup 7/ nuclei in Fe metal at temperatures between 4.5 and 0.85 deg K. The results, analyzed in terms of the theory, yield a value of the hyperfine magnetic field at the Co/sup 5//sup 7/ nuclei. Comparison of the result with other experimental values indicates that depolarization of the nuclei by the K-capture decay of Co/sup 5//sup 7/ is not evident. (auth)
President’s Confidence and the Stock Market Performance

We show that the stock market pricing the presidential margin of victory in a nonlinear concave fashion, with a higher price for medium than slight or crushing victories. We conjecture that the margin of victory reflects president confidence and the ability to execute policies. A small margin sends instability signal to financial markets as a lack of confidence president, whereas a decisive victory provides excessive ‘political capital’ and a bold mandate to execute policies, which turns the president to be overconfident. Furthermore, margin of victory commoves with financial and political indicators: the greater the margin of victory the larger the policy uncertainty and partisan conflict. Our inference shed light on “the presidential puzzle,” as many Republican presidents won decisively (Raegan twice, Nixon, etc.), while more Democrats with medium victories. Collectively, president’s confidence affects the stock market and is a key exogenous determinant to consider.
Practical Specimen Preparation and Testing Protocol for Evaluation of Friction Performance of Asphalt Pavement Aggregates with Three-Wheel Polishing Device

AbstractAASHTO has provisionally endorsed the use of a three-wheel polishing device (TWPD) for polishing and the dynamic friction tester (DFT) for measuring the friction of the coarse aggregates us...
Challenges in Assistive Living Based on Tech Synergies: The Cooperation of a Wheelchair and A Wearable Device

The direct medical costs for falls only—what patients and insurance companies pay—was $34 billion [Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013]. The necessity for continuous monitoring and assisting of persons in risk, and the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions among our aging population present great challenges to our healthcare system. These costs are also expected to surpass $54 billion by 2020 (http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/fallcost.htm, in 2007). In addition, the larger healthcare providers offer low quality services. Thus, making a robotic machine “lifting-up” elderly persons or persons with disabilities from a sitting position and transferring them to the bathroom is a very challenging scenario that urgently require innovated solutions. Thus, advanced technological achievements based on robotic nurses and wearable health monitoring devices may represent the up-coming hopeful and desirable solutions. Thus, the challenges here are based on the importance of IT-Engineering solutions to healthcare needs. In addition these challenges offer a paradigm on the already growing personalized/person-centered healthcare and the role of ‘smart homes’ and ‘smart beds’ for independent living and self-management of chronic conditions. While the importance of such care is recognized, not many efforts have been pursued to develop low-cost (and inconspicuous) technologies. Thus, the chapter presents issues for the development of a novel synergistic interactive intelligent framework-model between intelligent wearable health-monitoring devices (WS) and intelligent robotic wheelchairs (IRC) for assisting people (HS) in risk at smart homes, improving safety and quality of life, and reducing healthcare cost. In particular, it will focus on two challenging scenarios (lifting-transferring) reported above providing concepts but at the same time maintaining the generality of this synergistic model. The challenges are related with a new generation of intelligent synergistic models of inexpensive, unobtrusive intelligent wearable sensors, monitoring devices, intelligent robotic assistants, and surveillance methodologies. In addition, the healthcare advanced research technologies and educational training is expected to transform the way physicians and nurses provide care and the way of people at risk will safely stay at their homes. Concurrently, they will offer a ground for new research directions for engineers to contribute in healthcare applications. In addition, commercialization of these devices will certainly transform our healthcare monitoring systems for a large population, and transform the living conditions of people at need.
Use of the STBUR questionnaire to predict perioperative respiratory adverse events in children.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The Snoring, Trouble Breathing, Un-Refreshed (STBUR) screening questionnaire has been validated in identifying pediatric surgical patients with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing who may be at risk for perioperative respiratory adverse events. We sought to assess the performance of the STBUR questionnaire when adjusting for potential confounders such as patient comorbidities or surgical service. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of children aged 2-18 years undergoing elective procedures under general anesthesia over a three-month period. Procedure specialties included general surgery, urology, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, dentistry, and gastroenterology. Preoperative STBUR questionnaire responses and perioperative respiratory adverse events were documented prospectively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to quantify associations between preoperative questionnaire responses, other potential risk factors (including age, sex, surgical specialty, comorbidities) and risk of perioperative respiratory adverse events. RESULTS Of 555 children, 17% had a positive STBUR screen. The prevalence of perioperative respiratory adverse events with a positive questionnaire screen was significantly greater than with a negative screen (29% vs 9% respectively, P < 0.001). A positive questionnaire screen was associated with significantly increased risk of a perioperative respiratory adverse event (adjusted OR 3.47 [95% CI 1.53, 7.84], P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS A positive screen on the STBUR questionnaire was associated with a three-and-a-half-fold increased risk of perioperative respiratory adverse events in pediatric surgical patients. The STBUR questionnaire should be considered as a routine preoperative screening tool in children undergoing elective procedures.
Effects of the Minnesota Adaptation of the NYU Caregiver Intervention on Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Life for Adult Child Caregivers of Persons with Dementia.

Objectives This study determined whether the NYU Caregiver Intervention for Adult Children (the NYUCI-AC) significantly reduced depressive symptoms and improved quality of life for adult child caregivers of persons with dementia. Methods The NYUCI-AC was evaluated within a single-blinded randomized controlled trial. The sample included 107 adult child caregivers of persons with dementia (N = 54 assigned to the multi-component treatment group; N = 53 assigned to a contact control group). Participants completed comprehensive assessments every 4 months during the first year and every 6 months thereafter for at least 2 years and up to 3.79 years. Results Individual growth curve models found that caregivers in the NYUCI-AC treatment condition indicated statistically significant (p Conclusions The NYUCI-AC offered adult child caregivers the capacity, via individual and family counseling as well as ongoing support, to enhance their quality of life and overcome their social withdrawal and apathy over time. These findings lend additional support to the NYUCI as an evidence-based approach to support family caregivers of persons with dementia.
Enhancing network survivability with out of band

Out of band networks used for management and control are not new. However, their use can now have significant impact in the area of homeland security. This paper presents the advantages of using an out of band network to help ensure network survivability and to decrease the mean time to repair of any network. It then presents a design for an out of band network and gives tips based on the experience gained with such a network at Sandia National Laboratories.
A privacy algorithm for 3d human body scans

In this paper, we explore a privacy algorithm that detects human private parts in a 3D scan dataset. The intrinsic human proportions are applied to reduce the search space by an order of magnitude. A feature shape template is constructed to match the model data points using Radial Basis Functions in a non-linear regression. The feature is then detected using the relative measurements of the height and area factors. The method is tested on 100 datasets from CAESER database.
The etiology of temporomandibular disorders: implications for treatment

This article begins by reviewing the history of etiologic thinking in the field of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). I conclude from this review that not only are the old mechanistic etiologic concepts incorrect, but also that 2 of the most popular current concepts (biopsychosocial and multifactorial) are seriously flawed. Therefore, what we really have at the individual TMD patient level is nearly always an idiopathic situation--we simply do not know enough, or cannot measure enough, or cannot precisely determine why each patient has a TMD. In addition, we do not understand the host resistance factors that ultimately determine why one person gets sick while another does not. The issue of "why" (etiology) must be differentiated from the issue of "how" (pathophysiology), both semantically and intellectually, to discuss all of this properly. However, our current inability to precisely identify etiologies in TMD patients does not prevent us from providing sensible (and often successful) treatment for most of these patients. Many health conditions currently are treated by physicians and dentists with either incomplete or flawed understanding of their etiology, but the availability of empirical data about treatment outcomes permits some level of appropriate care to be given. Fortunately, a large number of comparative studies have been done in the field of TMD therapy, providing us with a basis for selecting initial therapies as well as for dealing with treatment failures. Even in the absence of a perfect understanding of etiology, we still can provide good conservative care, and we should avoid aggressive and irreversible treatments, especially when they are based on flawed concepts of etiology. The article concludes by discussing current basic science research activities in the field of TMD and orofacial pain. I propose that these ongoing studies of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of joint disease, muscle pain, and chronic pain are the most likely avenues to future progress in this field, as specific countermeasures are developed to become the basis for more precisely targeted therapies.
Evaporation method to eliminate Si-Matrix interferences for thick oxide wafers VPD-ICPMS analysis

Matrix interferences remain one of the biggest problems for wafer VPD-ICPMS analysis. It is reported here that a few metals such as Ti, Ni, Ga and Ge have been successfully resolved from thick SiO2 matrix interference by a new evaporation method.
Auditory hallucination as a conversion symptom . A theoretical proposal with two case illustrations.

Summary o 1. Two case histories are presented which describe patients suffering from auditory hallucinations of acute onset and rapid remission, and who were without other psychiatric signs or symptoms. Follow-up after 2 1/3 years and 8 months, respectively, found both patients relatively asymptomatic and functioning adequately. 2. Evidence is presented to suggest that such patients contradict the traditional viewpoint that hallucinatory phenomena are symptoms of psychosis and indications of serious ego decompensation. 3. An alternative hypothesis is proposed to suggest that the special senses may be affected by the process of conversion, resulting in hallucinatory experiences similar to the conventionally recognized conversion reactions in terms of dynamics and implications for diagnosis and prognosis. Several possible determinants of conversion hallucinations are discussed. 4. The diagnostic problem presented by patients with hallucinations is discussed in terms of the concept that the auditory hallucination is a symptom which may be manifested in a variety of syndromes, both neurotic and psychotic. It is not a syndrome or pathognomonic of any syndrome, in and of itself.
Influence of Antibiotics on the Recovery and Kinetics of Saccharomyces boulardii in Rats

Saccharomyces boulardii (SB) is a yeast that is used for the prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and for the treatment of pseudomembranous colitis. Since SB will most commonly be used when the bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract have been disrupted by antibiotic treatment, the influence of different antibiotics on the kinetics and recovery of SB in feces was investigated in rats. Following a single oral dose, SB concentrations in feces were measured for periods of 1 to 6 days. Although SB is eliminated exclusively in the feces, less than 3% of the dose is recovered as viable yeast. When rats were treated with neomycin, which is active against gram-negative aerobic bacteria but not against anaerobes, no change was observed in recovery of SB when compared with recovery from untreated rats. Also, there was no change in the rate at which SB concentrations declined in feces. In contrast, treatment with clindamycin and the broad-spectrum antibiotic ampicillin, which are active against anaerobes, produced an increase in the recovery of SB of up to seven times that of controls and slowed the rate of decline of SB concentration in the feces. This antibiotic effect on SB disposition was also found when SB was administered in multiple doses. An eightfold increase in the steady-state output of SB was observed from ampicillin-treated animals. Analysis of the recovery and kinetic data showed that the primary effect of these antibiotics was to reduce the destruction of SB, probably in the cecum and colon. These studies indicate that viable cells of SB are likely to be present at the highest concentration under those conditions where its action is needed, i.e., in the antibiotic-treated gastrointestinal tract.
Archaeology of the Origin of the State: The Theories

Outside the group of doctrinaire Marxist archaeologists, few readers will find value in this repetitious and, at times, difficult-to-read book. I doubt it will find success as a student text, given...
Volatile organic chemical emissions from structural insulated panel (SIP) materials and implications for indoor air quality

The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from structural insulated panel (SIP) materials were investigated. Specimens of newly produced SIPs and associated panel adhesives were obtained from two relatively large manufacturers. Additionally, specimens of the oriented strand board (OSB) used as the inner and outer sheathing and the extruded polystyrene core for the SIP were obtained from one manufacturer. Using small-scale chambers, emissions of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetic acid and other VOCs from SIPs, OSB and polystyrene were measured over a period of four months and from the adhesives over two months. SIP specimens overlaid by gypsum board panels were also tested over four months. The predominant VOCs emitted by the SIPs included acetic acid, pentanal, hexanal and styrene. The emissions of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were relatively low. Acetic acid and the aldehydes derived from the OSB, while styrene derived from the polystyrene. One of the SIPs emitted toluene and methyl acetate. The adhesives primarily emitted a mixture of hydrocarbons. The emission rates of most VOCs from the SIP/gypsum board assemblies were approximately the same or higher than their respective emission rates from the unfinished SIPs. Modeling using VOC emission factors obtained for the SIP/gypsum board assemblies demonstrated the potential for SIP materials to degrade indoor air quality in houses. A field study to investigate VOC concentrations and emission rates in SIP houses relative to closely matched conventionally constructed houses is necessary to determine the actual impacts of SIPs. If significant impacts are observed, to it may be desirable to develop control measures to reduce the emissions of VOCs from SIPs, such as the substitution of lower emitting materials or the use of vapor diffusion barriers.
Unsupervised cross-domain transfer in policy gradient reinforcement learning via manifold alignment

The success of applying policy gradient reinforcement learning (RL) to difficult control tasks hinges crucially on the ability to determine a sensible initialization for the policy. Transfer learning methods tackle this problem by reusing knowledge gleaned from solving other related tasks. In the case of multiple task domains, these algorithms require an inter-task mapping to facilitate knowledge transfer across domains. However, there are currently no general methods to learn an inter-task mapping without requiring either background knowledge that is not typically present in RL settings, or an expensive analysis of an exponential number of inter-task mappings in the size of the state and action spaces. This paper introduces an autonomous framework that uses unsupervised manifold alignment to learn intertask mappings and effectively transfer samples between different task domains. Empirical results on diverse dynamical systems, including an application to quadrotor control, demonstrate its effectiveness for cross-domain transfer in the context of policy gradient RL.
Recurrent and concurrent neural networks for objects recognition

A system based on a neural network framework is considered. We used two neural networks, an Elman network [1][2] and a Kohonen (concurrent) network [3], for a categorization task. The input of the system are objects derived from three general prototypes: circle, square, polygon. We varied the size and orientation of the objects in a continuous way. The system is trained using a new algorithm, based on recurrent version of backpropagation and Kohonen rule. The system achieves the capacity to predict the shape of the objects with a remarkable generalization [4]. We compare our results with the results using a classical Elman network. The model is implemented by a Matlab/Simulink environment.
Disequilibrium pattern analysis. I. Theory.

ABSTRACT We have developed a method, disequilibrium pattern analysis, for examining the disequilibrium distribution of the entire array of two locus multiallelic haplotypes in a population. It is shown that a selected haplotype will produce a distinct pattern of linkage disequilibrium values for all generations while the selection is acting. This pattern will also presumably be maintained for many generations after the selection event, until the disequilibrium pattern is eventually broken down by genetic drift and recombination. Related haplotypes, sharing an allele with a selected haplotype, assume a value of linkage disequilibrium proportional to the frequency of the unshared allele and have a single negative value of the normalized linkage disequilibrium. The analysis assumes zero linkage disequilibrium for all allelic combinations initially. The same basic results continue to apply if the selection involves a new mutant, the occurrence of which creates linkage disequilibrium for some haplotypes. The disequilibrium pattern predicted under selection is robust with respect to the influence of migration and random genetic drift. This method is applicable to population data having linked polymorphic loci including that determined from protein or DNA sequencing.
Nucleotides: Separation from an Alkaline Hydrolysate of RNA by Thin-Layer Electrophoresis

Mixtures of the 2', 3' nucleoside monophosphates obtained from an alkaline hydrolysis of RNA can be resolved into the four main RNA mononucleotides by electrophoresis on thin layers of cellulose. The separated nucleotides are recovered by removing the cellulose layer from the supporting glass plate and suspending the cellulose layer in tris hydrochloride buffer. The extracted cellulose is removed by low-speed centrifugation.
System study of a diode-pumped solid-state-laser driver for inertial fusion energy

The present a conceptual design of a diode-pumped solid-state-laser (DPSSL) driver for an inertial fusion energy (IFE) power plant based on the maximized cost of electricity (COE) as determined in a comprehensive systems study. This study contained extensive detail for all significant DPSSL physics and costs, plus published scaling relationships for the costs of the target chamber and the balance of plant (BOP). Our DPSSL design offers low development cost because it is modular, can be fully tested functionally at reduced scale, and is based on mature solid-state-laser technology. Most of the parameter values that we used are being verified by experiments now in progress. Future experiments will address the few issues that remain. As a consequence, the economic and technical risk of our DPSSL driver concept is becoming rather low. Baseline performance at 1 GW{sub e} using a new gain medium [Yb{sup 3+}-doped Sr{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F or Yb:S-FAP] includes a product of laser efficiency and target gain of {eta}G = 7, and a COE of 8.6 cents/kW{center_dot}h, although values of {eta}G {ge} 11 and COEs {le}6.6 cents/kW{center_dot}h are possible at double the assumed target gain of 76 at 3.7 MJ. We present a summary of our results, discuss why other more-common types of laser media do not perform as well as Yb:S-FAP, and present a simple model that shows where DPSSL development should proceed to reduce projected COEs.
Cancer prevention by retinoids and carotenoids: independent action on a common target.

Abstract Virtually all human tumors are deficient in gap junctional communication (GJC) and the restoration of GJC by forced expression of connexins reduces indices of neoplasia. The expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) is upregulated by cancer-preventive retinoids and carotenoids which correlates with the suppression of carcinogen-induced transformation in 10T1/2 cells. However, the molecular mechanism for upregulated expression is poorly understood. The retinoic acid receptor antagonist, Ro 41-5253, suppressed retinoid-induced Cx43 protein expression in 10T1/2 cells and the induction of a Cx43 luciferase reporter construct in F9 cells, but did not suppress protein expression or reporter activity induced by the non-pro-vitamin A carotenoid astaxanthin. In contrast, Cx43 induction by astaxanthin, but not by a RAR-specific retinoid, was inhibited by GW9662, a PPAR-γ antagonist. Neither compound required protein synthesis for the induction of Cx43 mRNA, nor was the 5.0 h half-life of Cx43 mRNA altered, indicating direct transcriptional activation. The responsive region was found within −158 bp and +209 bp of the transcription start site. Site directed mutagenesis of a GC-box in this region increased basal levels of transcription and loss of retinoid responsiveness. Simultaneous treatment with a retinoid and β-carotene or astaxanthin resulted in supra-additive Cx43 expression, again indicating separate mechanisms of gene regulation.
Evolution, Creationism, and the Battle to Control America's Classrooms

Introduction 1. Who should decide what children are taught? 2. The public speaks: 'teach both' 3. A nation divided by religion, education, and place 4. Is evolution fit for polite company?: science standards in the American states 5. Teachers and what they teach 6. State standards meet street level bureaucracy 7. When the personal becomes pedagogical 8. Teachers in their schools and communities 9. The battle for America's classrooms.
Measuring Spins in Photoemission Experiments: Old Challenges and New Opportunities

Photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is among the most powerful spectroscopic techniques for the determination of several aspects of the electronic structure of matter of various forms, including, in particular, solid state materials at the forefront of scientific and technological innovations. Based on the photoelectric effect, a PES experiment consists of the determination of the kinetic energy of electrons emitted due to excitation of a target sample with ultraviolet or X-ray photons. While photons of a few eV promote emission of the loosely bound valence electrons, the use of photons with energy higher than a few hundreds of eV causes emission of electrons strongly bound to the innermost core levels, producing a spectrum that reflects to a first approximation the atomic shell structure.
On the product and the sum of random variables with arithmetic and non-arithmetic distributions

Abstract We show that the distribution of the product and the sum of independent random variables having arithmetic distributions is again arithmetic. In case of the product, it is also possible to give a formula for the span. Furthermore, we also prove the converse statement. If the distribution of the sum of the product of independent random variables is arithmetic, this already forces the distributions of the random variables itsself to be arithmetic.
Ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) in the management of cervical lymphatic malformation.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to review the outcomes and technical details of EXIT procedures performed in fetuses with large cervical lymphatic malformations. Methods A retrospective chart review of fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis of cervical lymphatic malformation evaluated at our center between 1995 and 2013 was performed. Results We evaluated a total of 112 fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis of cervical lymphatic malformation. Thirteen of the 112 fetuses (11%) were delivered by an EXIT procedure. Criteria to deliver by EXIT were: 1) deviation/compression/obstruction of the airway, and 2) involvement of the floor of the mouth. Two fetuses developed hydrops. Five fetuses developed polyhydramnios. Eleven EXITs were performed electively at term (n=7; 37–38 weeks) or late pre-term (n=4; 34–36/6weeks), whereas two patients underwent emergency EXIT at 33 and 38weeks, respectively. The airway was accessed successfully in 12 of 13 cases. Laryngoscopy only was sufficient in 7, rigid bronchoscopy was required in 4, and 1 required a tracheostomy. In one case with a massive lymphatic malformation of the face, neck, and airway, a tracheostomy was not attempted, and the fetus expired. Four patients had invasion of the larynx by the lymphatic malformation. Five patients required a tracheostomy later. Median time from fetal exposure to intubation was 8 (2–29) min. Median total EXIT time was 105.5 (67–142) min. Median maternal blood loss was 800 (300–1000) ml. Median maternal hospital stay was 4 (3–6) days. Conclusion The EXIT procedure allows controlled airway access in fetuses with cervical lymphatic malformations and evidence of airway impairment on prenatal images.
An ultra-thin PDMS membrane as a bio/micro-nano interface: fabrication and characterization

We report a method for making ultra-thin PDMS membrane devices. Freely suspended membranes as thin as 70 nm have been fabricated. Bulging tests were performed with a custom built fluidic cell to characterize large circular membranes. The fluidic cell allows the media (such as air or water) to wet one side of the membrane while maintaining the other side dry. Pressure was applied to the membrane via a liquid manometer through the fluidic cell. The resulting load-deflection curves show membranes that are extremely flexible, and they can be reproducibly loaded and unloaded. Such devices may potentially be used as mechanical and chemical sensors, and as a bio-nano/micro interface to study cellular mechanics in both static and dynamic environments.
Tropical Biases in CMIP5 Multimodel Ensemble: The Excessive Equatorial Pacific Cold Tongue and Double ITCZ Problems*

AbstractErrors of coupled general circulation models (CGCMs) limit their utility for climate prediction and projection. Origins of and feedback for tropical biases are investigated in the historical climate simulations of 18 CGCMs from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), together with the available Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) simulations. Based on an intermodel empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of tropical Pacific precipitation, the excessive equatorial Pacific cold tongue and double intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) stand out as the most prominent errors of the current generation of CGCMs. The comparison of CMIP–AMIP pairs enables us to identify whether a given type of errors originates from atmospheric models. The equatorial Pacific cold tongue bias is associated with deficient precipitation and surface easterly wind biases in the western half of the basin in CGCMs, but these errors are absent in atmosphere-only models, indicating that the er...
AN ACTION SPECTRUM FOR CELL KILLING AND PYRIMIDINE DIMER FORMATION IN CHINESE HAMSTER V‐79 CELLS

— We have determined action spectra for pyrimidine dimer formation and loss of colony-forming ability in Chinese Hamster V-79 cells and have found a very strong correlation between the two. These data are consistent with the notion that damage to DNA is the principle cause of cell death and that the most important type of damage is the pyrimidine dimer. While the shape of the V-79 spectra mimics that of action spectra for bacteria. phage, and purified DNA, V-79 cells are about twice as sensitive to radiation at long wavelengths, relative to the sensitivity at 265 nm. However, if the action spectra are normalized to 297 nm. a wavelength included in the solar spectrum, the two sets of action spectra would coincide at wavelengths relevant to human skin-cancer. Thus an action spectrum based on microorganisms should be adequate for extrapolation to humans in terms of risk due to ozone depleteion.
Study of a novel pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in pancreatic insufficient subjects with cystic fibrosis.

Objectives We studied a novel pancreatic enzyme product, ALTU-135, a proprietary formulation of microbially derived lipase, protease, and amylase, to determine its efficacy and safety in treatment of pancreatic insufficiency (PI) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Study design Ambulatory subjects with CF-PI (n 117) had baseline coefficient of fat and nitrogen absorption (CFA and CNA, respectively) determined in an inpatient setting while not receiving pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. Subjects were then randomized to treatment with ALTU-135 containing 5000 (low), 25,000 (mid), or 100,000 (highest) units of lipase (1:1:0.15 of lipase:protease:amylase) for 28 days. After 14 days, CFA and CNA were re-measured. The primary outcomes were change from baseline in CFA and CNA between treatments. Results Treatment CFA was significantly greater in the mid and highest dose groups compared with that in the low dose group (P .0229 and P .0041, respectively); findings were similar for CNA. Subjects with baseline CFA 40% in the 2 higher dose groups had a mean increase of 31 and 8 percentage points in CFA, respectively (P < .0001). Conclusion ALTU-135 was efficacious during the 1-month study period at the dose of 25,000 units of lipase, 25,000 units of protease, and 3750 units of amylase. (J Pediatr 2006;149:658-62)
Ethanol and co-product generation from pressurized batch hot water pretreated T85 bermudagrass and Merkeron napiergrass using recombinant Escherichia coli as biocatalyst.

Abstract Pretreatment of grasses is required to maximize ethanol yield during fermentation. T85 bermudagrass and Merkeron napiergrass ( Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.) were either left untreated or were pressurized batch hot water (PBHW) pretreated for 2 min at 230 °C at 5% w/v whole grass solids loading. Following a 24 h enzymatic digestion, untreated and PBHW pretreated grasses were evaluated for ethanol production and co-product generation including potential fermentation inhibitors. Fermentations of PBHW pretreated grasses with E. coli LY01 produced twice the ethanol of their untreated counterparts. PBHW pretreated Merkeron napiergrass produced 224.5 mg/g grass ethanol (73% maximum theoretical yield) and PBHW pretreated T85 bermudagrass reached 213.0 mg/g grass (70% maximum theoretical ethanol yield). Pretreatment by PBHW resulted in increased solubilization of hemicelluloses. PBHW pretreatment also produced potential fermentation inhibitors such as acetic, formic, cinnamic acids, and aldehydes. Despite some of these inhibitors remaining with the solids after PBHW pretreatment, there was more efficient hydrolysis of the cellulose and remaining hemicellulose during the enzymatic digestion of the grasses prior to fermentation when compared to the untreated grasses. This increase in digestibility observed with enzymes prior to fermentation resulted in increased ethanol yields during bioconversion using E. coli LY01 as the biocatalyst.
Trust management through reputation mechanisms

The members of electronic communities are often unrelated to each other; they may have never met and have no information on each other's reputation. This kind of information is vital in electronic commerce interactions, where the potential counterpart's reputation can be a significant factor in the negotiation strategy. Two complementary reputation mechanisms are investigated which rely on collaborative rating and personalized evaluation of the various ratings assigned to each user. While these reputation mechanisms are developed in the context of electronic commerce, it is believed that they may have applicability in other types of electronic communities such as chatrooms, newsgroups, mailing lists, etc.
Hitchcock and Cavell

Stanley Cavell's philosophy and Alfred Hitchcock's films share a distinctive feature: they are both concerned with the relationship between doubt and romance. Cavell is a thinker who has forcefully articulated the idea that the narrative of heterosexual romance is a place where philosophical doubt or skepticism enters into the everyday or the ordinary. For Cavell, skepticism is the central problem that is confronted in the lives of protagonists who seek to enter into and sustain a relationship of intimacy, and classical Hollywood cinema is a privileged place for staging the relationship between heterosexual romance and skepticism. In the history of cinema, it is Hitchcock who has most consistently charted the vicissitudes of romance in relation-
Numerically Exploring Habitat Fragmentation Effects on Populations Using Cell-Based Coupled Map Lattices☆

Abstract We examine habitat size, shape, and arrangement effects on populations using a discrete reaction–diffusion model. Diffusion is modeled passively and applied to a cellular grid of territories forming a coupled map lattice. Dispersal mortality is proportional to the amount of nonhabitat and fully occupied habitat surrounding a given cell, with distance decay. After verifying that our model produces the results expected for single patches of uniform habitat, we investigate heterogeneous and fragmented model landscapes. In heterogeneous single-patch systems near critical patch size, populations approach Gaussian spatial distributions with total population constrained by the capacity of the most limiting cell. In fragmented habitat landscapes, threshold effects are more complex and parametrically sensitive. The results from our experiments suggest the following: the ability to achieve persistence in hyperdispersed patchy habitats by adding similarly fragmented patches requires meeting threshold reproduction rates; persistent metapopulations in which no local population is individually persistent appear when dispersal distances and reproduction rates are both high, but only within narrow parameter ranges that are close to extinction thresholds; successful use of stepping-stone patches to support metapopulation systems appears unlikely for passively diffusing species; elongated patches offer early colonization advantages, but blocky patches offer greater population resilience near extinction thresholds. A common theme running through our findings is that population viability estimates may depend on our ability to determine when population and habitat systems are approaching extinction threshold conditions.
Re‐emergence of epidemic sleeping sickness in southern Sudan

A resurgence of sleeping sickness developed in southern Sudan during the past decade. Prevalence of confirmed Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection in humans now exceeds 5% in several foci. From 1997 to 1999, trypanosomiasis control programmes in three counties of Western Equatoria Province detected 3785 new cases among 67 181 persons screened. A major contributing factor in the re-emergence of epidemic sleeping sickness was the lack of active case-finding throughout the 1990s. Although the situation is improving in sites where trypanosomiasis programmes have been recently implemented, co-ordination and additional international assistance are needed to bring sleeping sickness under control in Sudan.
Action Potentials without Contraction in Frog Skeletal Muscle Fibers with Disrupted Transverse Tubules

Action potentials, with no accompanying contraction, were recorded from muscle fibers in which the transverse tubular system had been disrupted. The results show that action potentials require an intact transverse tubular system to cause contraction. Furthermore, both the after-depolarization following a single action potential and the slower, late afterpotential following a train of action potentials were absent in this preparation. Therefore, both phenomena must normally involve the transverse tubular system.
Arterial correction of double-outlet left ventricle by pulmonary artery translocation

Double-outlet left ventricle is conventionally repaired with an intraventricular tunnel or with an extracardiac conduit when pulmonary stenosis is present. We report a 4-month-old female infant whose surgical correction of double-outlet left ventricle and subpulmonic stenosis was accomplished by pulmonary arterial translocation to the blind right ventricular infundibulum. This approach provided excellent hemodynamic repair without the use of an extracardiac conduit.
Scientific workflow design with data assembly lines

Despite an increasing interest in scientific workflow technologies in recent years, workflow design remains a challenging, slow, and often error-prone process, thus limiting the speed of further adoption of scientific workflows. Based on practical experience with data-driven workflows, we identify and illustrate a number of recurring scientific workflow design challenges, i.e., parameter-rich functions; data assembly, disassembly, and cohesion; conditional execution; iteration; and, more generally, workflow evolution. In conventional approaches, such challenges usually lead to the introduction of different types of "shims", i.e., intermediary workflow steps that act as adapters between otherwise incorrectly wired components. However, relying heavily on the use of shims leads to brittle (i.e., change-intolerant) workflow designs that are hard to comprehend and maintain. To this end, we present a general workflow design paradigm called virtual data assembly lines (VDAL). In this paper, we show how the VDAL approach can overcome common scientific workflow design challenges and improve workflow designs by exploiting (i) a semistructured, nested data model like XML, (ii) a flexible, statically analyzable configuration mechanism (e.g., an XQuery fragment), and (iii) an underlying virtual assembly line model that is resilient to workflow and data changes. The approach has been implemented as Kepler/COMAD, and applied to improve the design of complex, real-world workflows.
A framework for variation visualization and understanding in complex manufacturing systems

This paper provides a framework that allows industrial practitioners to visualize the most significant variation patterns within their process using three-dimensional animation software. In essence, this framework complements Phase I statistical monitoring methods by enabling users to: (1) acquire detailed understanding of common-cause variability (especially in complex manufacturing systems); (2) quickly and easily visualize the effects of common-cause variability in a process with respect to the final product; and (3) utilize the new insights regarding the process variability to identify opportunities for process improvement. The framework is illustrated through a case study using actual dimensional data from a US automotive assembly plant.
Long‐term temperature trends in the ionosphere above Millstone Hill

[1] Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases are expected on theoretical grounds to lead to a cooling of the upper atmosphere. Due to the close thermal coupling of the neutral and ionized components of the upper atmosphere the effects of this cooling are also expected to be seen in the ionospheric ion temperature. Long-term satellite observations of neutral density show a trend consistent with the expected cooling. Temperature data from the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar (46.2°N, 288.5°E) from 1978 to 2007 have been analyzed to provide a direct estimate of the temperature trend above the radar. The long-term trend in the directly measured ion temperature Ti at 375 km is found to be −4.7 K/year with a 95% confidence interval of −3.6 to −5.8 K. The estimated trend in the neutral temperature Tn is −5.0 K/year. These are significantly larger than predicted by theory.
BP1 motif in the human β-globin promoter affects β-globin expression during embryonic/fetal erythropoiesis in transgenic mice bearing the human β-globin gene

The binding of the transcription factor BP1 (beta protein 1) to its site on the promoter of the adult beta-globin gene has a silencing effect on beta-globin transcription in vitro. To better understand the mechanism of BP1's negative regulation of beta-globin expression, we developed transgenic mice bearing a human beta-globin locus-containing cosmid. Specifically, we introduced a mutated BP1 binding site (mtBP1) into the promoter of the beta-globin gene sequence of this cosmid construct. In the mtBP1 mice, we detected a more than a 20-fold increase in human beta-globin expression in the yolk sac-derived blood at E10.5, a 3-fold increase in fetal livers at E13.5, and an approximately 1.4-fold increase in adult reticulocytes compared with control mice bearing the human beta-globin gene with the wild-type BP1 binding site sequence (wtBP1). Our in vivo observations support the contention that the BP1 binding site of the beta-globin promoter plays an important role in the regulation of transcription of the adult beta-globin gene.
New Product Introduction: Timing, Design, and Pricing

In this paper, we consider the case when two profit-maximizing firms enter a new market with a competing product that has a finite (and known) life cycle. Both firms make design decisions simultaneously without information about the other firm's decisions. The order of entry is a function of the two firms' product design levels and design capabilities. The first firm entering the market sets a monopoly price for its product and enjoys a monopoly situation until the second firm enters the market. When the second firm enters the market, both firms simultaneously set (or reset) their product prices knowing the design of both products at that time (and we assume those prices are fixed for the remainder of the product's life).We develop a game-theoretic model that represents the new product introduction process and show that a subgame-perfect Nash equilibrium occurs under certain conditions defined by the expected product life span, product cost, development time, and customer preferences. Our model shows that product differentiation always arises at equilibrium due to the joint effects of resource utilization, price competition, and product life cycle.A critical parameter for our model is a product-specific indexB that we define; we show how it can be easily calculated from existing data. We then use a numerical example to illustrate managerial implications for a new product development process when the product life span is finite. We show that the strategy of time-based competition is the natural result of firms' improving development capability, reducing product cost, and increasing customer preference. In other words, it is not wise for profit-maximizing firms to arbitrarily shorten product life cycle for the sake of competition, because all firms are worse off. Our results also indicate that the first entrant into the market does not necessarily earn the greatest profit, and that a firm with low-cost advantage or fast design capability might not choose to come to market first to maximize its profit in the product life cycle.
A simultaneous 2D/3D autostereo workstation

We present a novel immersive workstation environment that scientists can use for 3D data exploration and as their everyday 2D computer monitor. Our implementation is based on an autostereoscopic dynamic parallax barrier 2D/3D display, interactive input devices, and a software infrastructure that allows client/server software modules to couple the workstation to scientists' visualization applications. This paper describes the hardware construction and calibration, software components, and a demonstration of our system in nanoscale materials science exploration.