cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of pH on the antimicrobial activity of clarithromycin and 14-hydroxyclarithromycin against Haemophilus influenzae using an in vitro pharmacodynamic model☆

Abstract Clarithromycin activity can be influenced by the pH of the surrounding environment. Evidence supports a reduced pH of middle ear fluid (MEF) and lung tissues in patients with otitis media and pneumonia, respectively. To evaluate the influence of pH on clarithromycin activity, an in vitro pharmacodynamic chamber model (PDCM) was used to generate bacterial time-kill curves for clarithromycin and a 2:1 ratio of clarithromycin and 14-hydroxyclarithromycin (HC) against Haemophilus influenzae at three different pH values: 7.2, 6.8, 6.4. Concentrations observed in MEF and lung tissues were simulated for clarithromycin alone and clarithromycin plus HC. Differences in activity at each pH were identified by comparing initial kill curve slopes and total log reduction. Experiments with amoxicillin-clavulanate were conducted as a reference. In simulated MEF regimens at pH 7.2, activity of clarithromycin alone improved by adding HC (additional 2 log 10 reduction at 8 h); however, at pH values of 6.8 and 6.4, kill curves resembled growth controls. In simulated lung regimens, differences between clarithromycin alone and clarithromycin plus HC were insignificant; both produced a 2 log 10 reduction at pH 7.2, and activity dramatically dropped to 10 as pH declined. In contrast, amoxicillin-clavulanate consistently produced a 3 log 10 reduction over each pH value with more rapid initial kill relative to all clarithromycin regimens. These findings suggest the activity of clarithromycin against H. influenzae may be significantly compromised in respiratory tract infections involving a reduced pH. Trials with emphasis on clinical outcomes analysis will assist further in determining the significance of these experimental findings.
Interleukin-2 enhances chick and rat sympathetic, but not sensory, neurite outgrowth.

Interactions between the immune and nervous systems could be important for normal development and function of both. To determine if a lymphokine, interleukin-2 (IL-2), represents a link between these two systems, sympathetic and sensory neurons from embryonic chick and neonatal rat were cultured in media containing human recombinant IL-2. In chick sympathetic chain and rat superior cervical ganglia cultures, IL-2 enhanced the number of neurons with neurites and the lenght of those neurites significantly over control cultures. Sensory neurons from chick and rat dorsal root ganglia were not affected by culture in IL-2. Sympathetic neuron response to IL-2 was concentration-dependent, with an optimum around 2-0.2 U/ml (100-10 pM). Immunofluorescence with an anti-IL-2 receptor antibody demonstrated specific staining of sympathetic neurons, but not sensory neurons, implying that sympathetic neurons may have a receptor for IL-2 on their surface.
Structure of HinP1I endonuclease reveals a striking similarity to the monomeric restriction enzyme MspI

HinP1I, a type II restriction endonuclease, recognizes and cleaves a palindromic tetranucleotide sequence (G#CGC) in double-stranded DNA, producing 2 nt 5 0 overhanging ends. Here, we report the structure of HinP1I crystallized as one protein monomer in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. HinP1I displays an elongated shape, with a conserved catalytic core domain containing an active-site motif of SDX18QXK and a putative DNA-binding domain. Without significant sequence homology, HinP1I displays striking structural similarity to MspI, an endonuclease that cleaves a similar palindromic DNA sequence (C#CGG) and binds to that sequence crystallographically as a monomer. Almost all the structural elements of MspI can be matched in HinP1I, including both the DNA recognition and catalytic elements. Examining the protein–protein interactions in the crystal lattice, HinP1I could be dimerized through two helices located on the opposite side of the protein to the active site, generating a molecule with two active sites and two DNA-binding surfaces opposite one another on the outer surfaces of the dimer. A possible functional link between this unusual dimerization mode and the tetrameric restriction enzymes is discussed.
An analysis of categorical perception of facial emotion in schizophrenia.

Abstract Background Emotion perception deficits have been extensively documented in schizophrenia and are associated with poor social functioning. Yet fundamental questions about the nature and scope of these impairments remain unanswered from commonly used experimental tasks. An alternative categorical perception paradigm that focuses on distinguishing boundaries between emotions was used to evaluate whether schizophrenia patients demonstrate atypical patterns of categorical perception and a negativity bias in the identification of ambiguous facial expressions. Method 47 schizophrenia outpatients and 31 nonpsychiatric controls completed a forced-choice emotion identification task. Stimuli consisted of a series of digitized facial images that were morphed in 10% signal intensity increments along continua between pairs of emotions (happy–sad; fearful–happy; angry–fearful; angry–sad) and presented in a random order. For each emotion continuum, measures of the response slope and the location of the boundary shift point between emotions were calculated for each group. Results The schizophrenia group demonstrated significantly shallower response curves than controls across all emotion continua. Despite these generally less precise demarcations between emotions, patients did not significantly differ from controls in the location of the shift point between emotions on any of the continua. Conclusions Schizophrenia patients demonstrated impaired categorical perception of facial expressions with generally less sharp categorizations of ambiguous stimuli to one emotion category or another. However, patients did not demonstrate a negativity bias in their processing of ambiguous facial expressions. The emotional continuum paradigm can help to clarify the nature and boundaries of affect perception deficits in schizophrenia.
Soft X-ray spectroscopy with a scintillation detector

Abstract Spectroscopy, especially EXAFS, in the soft X-ray region has been limited by many factors. Among them the lack of adequate detectors is an important one. Recently scintillation detectors have been shown to provide high signal to noise ratio and smooth spectral response in this energy range [1,2]. P31 outperforms many other scintillators in the energy range 300–1000 eV. In this work, the basic properties of P31 are studied: its response is linear in the range of 10 7 –10 10 photons/(s mm 2 ), its optical spectrum is independent of the incident X-ray energy. A gas phase and a solid state experiment employing these detectors are presented. The oxygen K-edge spectra thus obtained enabled EXAFS analysis in this energy range.
A Simple Noncooperative Core Story

Abstract What are the strategic properties of the core? We address this question by considering mechanisms that emulate the "no recontracting out" property of the core. In particular, mechanisms are defined relative to a status quo outcome that serves as a disagreement point if no coalition forms to "recontract out." We then ask the question: What is a plausible class of such mechanisms for which the following result is valid. (∗) A core outcome is a status quo equilibrium outcome of every mechanism in this class; a noncore outcome is a status quo equilibrium outcome of no mechanism in this class. A class of mechanisms satisfying (∗) is said to strategically separate core from noncore outcomes. This paper finds one such class (a "noncooperative core story") having the property that agents can explicitly communicate their preferences for association. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: 030, 022, 025, 026.
Characterization of a Br(2P1/2)–CO2(1001-1000) transfer laser driven by photolysis of iodine monobromide

laser operating on the 1001-1000 transition at λ=4.3 μm and pumped by E –V energy transfer from Br(2P1/2) has been demonstrated. The dynamics and performance of this device were characterized by observing the time-resolved stimulated emission and the steady-state spontaneous side fluorescence after photolysis of IBr or Br2 by a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser or Ar+ laser, respectively. Although the E –V excitation kinetics are favorable, rapid vibrational relaxation limits laser action to CO2 pressures of less than 1 Torr. Numerical modeling of laser pulse shapes and the dependence on IBr and CO2 pressure and photolysis energy establish a relatively high gain of 0.33%/cm, a CO2-pressure-dependent optical loss of 0.04–0.06%/cm, and an efficiency of 2×10-5 4.3-μm-laser photons per incident photolysis photon. The CO2 fluorescence after photolysis of a fixed Br2/CO2 gas mixture decreases as a function of photolysis time by about 30%/h, indicating the photolytic production of an important quencher.
Man-ifestation of the Spirit: An Investigation on the Impact of a Curriculum and Small Group Spiritual Direction on the Spiritual Formation of Protestant Men

This article describes the development and field-testing of a curriculum and small group spiritual direction designed to nurture the spiritual formation of Protestant men. The curriculum was designed as an interactive workbook that utilized and framed the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) as a “tool kit” as its theological foundation. Participants completed five daily reading passages in the workbook over 4 weeks. Using a summary outline from the workbook, participants shared their reflections in small groups using the basic principles and format of small group spiritual direction. Results from a simple t-test of pre/post measures revealed statistically significant gains in participants’ understanding of their spirituality and spiritual formation. Qualitative responses provide insights related to the effectiveness of the workbook and group format in fostering the spirituality of Protestant men.
LOCAL EQUILIBRIUM THEORY FOR THE DYNAMICS OF NONISOTHERMAL MIXED GAS ADSORPTION OF HIGH-CONCENTRATION COMPONENTS

A local equilibrium theory for nonisothermal gas adsorption is developed which accounts for variations in interstitial gas velocity induced by adsorption. Also presented are expressions describing the entropy admissibility criterion. A solution is developed for a Riemann's problem involving adiabatic gas-phase adsorption where there is no inert diluent and where Langmuir isotherms apply.
Bolus or slow titrated injection of midazolam prior to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy? Relative effect on oxygen saturation and prophylactic value of supplemental oxygen.

SUMMARY A total of 131 patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were sedated with midazolam given as a bolus injection over 5 seconds. The oxygen saturation was continuously measured using a pulse oximeter. Supplemental oxygen was given via nasal cannulae at a rate of 3 litres per minute to 54 patients, while the remaining 77 patients only received oxygen if their oxygen saturation dropped below 85%. Both groups in the present series were compared with 3 previously published series of patients, in whom we had used intravenous midazolam as a slow titrated injection. Despite using on average only two-thirds of the dose of midazolam, following bolus injection the degree of oxygen desaturation during the endoscopic procedure was greater, and the ability of supplemental oxygen delivered via nasal cannulae to prevent hypoxia was less (P < 0.01), than with a slow titrated injection.
Impossible Magnetic-Field Self-Patterning

THE ‘self-sustaining’ Corbino disk recently proposed1 is suspect. It was suggested that an axial magnetic field could Hall-deflect from an impressed radial current the azimuthal current just necessary for its existence. Inside, or axis side (outside, respectively), of an elemental current ring, its field contribution has indeed the sense of the field responsible for the ring, for inward (outward) motion of the dominant carriers. Outside (inside) the ring, however, its contribution is counter-sense to the field at the ring. This crucial embarrassment makes it difficult to imagine any finite, that is, physical, possibility for field self-patterning.
OPTIMIZATION OF THE HIGH-PRESSURE, NEAR-CRITICAL LIQUID-BASED MICROSORTATION OF RECYCLABLE POST-CONSUMER PLASTICS

Abstract High-pressure, near-critical liquids were used as float-sink separation media for the microsortation of polyolefin mixtures and PET/PVC mixtures. Near-critical carbon dioxide was used for the refinement of the polyolefins, and sulfur hexafluoride was used to separate post-consumer PVC from PET. Preliminary experiments indicated that there was no overlap in the density ranges of post-consumer HDPE, LDPE and PP containers. There was no overlap in the PET and PVC densities, with the exception of a single PVC packaging material with a density in the PET range. These initial results indicated that a float-sink separation was a viable means of microsortation. Separations of 91% LDPE (1/8′ beads)/9% PP (1/8′ chopped strands) resin mixtures and mixed post-consumer polyolefin flakes were then conducted in a laboratory-scale, 1-I batch apparatus. This apparatus not only permitted the observation of the separation, but also enabled the separated fractions to be removed from the high-pressure environment. The results indicated that LDPE purity of greater than 98.9% was obtained in 3 min or less if (a) the fluid density was 0.018 g/cm 3 greater than the PP density and only 0.002 g/cm 3 less than the LDPE density, thereby providing the greatest buoyancy force for the removal of the PP, (b) the fluid was recirculated upward through the bed of mixed plastics, facilitating the upward movement of the PP, and (c) the loading was kept at levels below 40% by volume. HDPE purity of 99% was also attained with clean, dry, post-consumer mixed plastic flakes. The loadings for these separations were very low, however, due to the difficulty in agitating the mixed bed of plastics using fluid recirculation. An economic analysis of these microsortation processes indicated that the value of the sorted plastics relative to the mixed feed must increase by approx. $0.08/lb for the CO 2 -based separation and approx. $0.27/lb for the SF 6 -based separation to justify the implementation of these high-pressure processes.
Effects of nonionic and cationic dextran polymers on the formation of chromium hydroxide sols

Abstract The effects of various dextrans (MW = 4 × 104, 5 × 105, and 2 × 106) and of their cationic derivatives (DEAE-Dextran 500 and 2000) on the formation of uniform spherical colloidal chromium hydroxide particles, obtained by aging of chrome alum solutions at elevated temperatures, were studied in detail. With increasing concentration and molecular weight of dextrans a decrease in the modal particle diameter, a broadening of the particle size distribution, and a roughening of the particle surface were observed. These effects were attributed to an increase in the rate of uptake and to the amount of the polymer adsorbed on the particles as the concentration of dextrans and their molecular weight became higher. Cationic dextrans had a much stronger effect on reducing the particle diameter and, when added in sufficient concentration, inhibited the particle formation altogether. These phenomena were shown to be due to the binding of sulfate ions, which are essential to the formation of the chromium hydroxide particles, to the polycation molecules.
Revenue sharing in incentive regulation plans

Abstract We examine the merits of revenue sharing in incentive regulation plans. We demonstrate how revenue sharing can be employed to construct an incentive plan that ensures strict gains for both consumers and the regulated firm relative to a pure profit-sharing plan. Revenue sharing is also shown to diminish incentives for wasteful expenditures and price discrimination by the regulated firm, and to limit regulatory expropriation of the firm.
A Catalysis-Based Selection for Peroxidase Antibodies with Increased Activity

A biotin-tyramine conjugate (1) was found to covalently cross-link with peroxidase antibody 7G12 upon the catalytic oxidation of the tyramine moiety in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). On the basis of this observation, a novel strategy was developed to select mutants of 7G12 Fab with enhanced peroxidase activity from a library of phage displayed antibodies. In such a selection, tyramine is oxidized by hydrogen peroxide in a process catalyzed by peroxidase antibodies displayed on phage. Antibodies with higher peroxidase activity are preferentially labeled with biotin through irreversible adduct formation between oxidized biotin-linked tyramine molecules and phenolic side chains of the antibody. The corresponding phage particles can then be selected via biotin−streptavidin interactions. Using this strategy, phage displayed libraries of antibody 7G12 were selected for higher peroxidase activity. As a result, mutations of antibody 7G12 that led to 10 to 20-fold increases in the peroxidase activity (k...
Dynamics and Control of Slewing Active Beam

that for all cases of the D-model simulation the matrix enclosed by a broken line in Eq. (2) is almost singular, suggesting that the D model is the correct structure. On the other hand, Fig. 4b shows that the singular value ratio takes significant values in the frequency range of interest if the inner-loop gain Kpe is large enough. A close look at Fig. 4b and an analysis can point out the following: a peak exists around the short period mode natural frequency, the peak magnitude increases as the magnitude of Yph increases, and the frequency band where the singular value ratio takes significant values shrinks as the pilot remnant intensity increases.
Saline-coupled bipolar sealing in simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty

Methods: This study compares the use of bipolar sealing and conventional electrocautery in 71 consecutive patients. The experi- mental and control groups were matched for age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classifica - tion, and preoperative hemoglobin. Variables of interest included blood loss, transfusion requirements, and operative characteris- tics. Results: In comparison to patients treated with conventional electrocautery, those treated with the bipolar sealer were 35% less likely to require transfusion. The median number of transfusions per case was also significantly lower in the experimental group. Hemoglobin change, total blood loss, and length of stay were not significantly different between the groups. The experimental group had longer operative times. Conclusions: Bipolar sealing shows promise as a blood loss reduction tool in simultaneous bilateral TKA. The marginal savings attributed to reduced transfusion rates with use of the bipolar sealer did not exceed the additional per-case expense of using the device. The decision to use the device with the goal of less blood loss must come with the additional expense associated with its
Decuplet baryon magnetic moments in a QCD-based quark model beyond the quenched approximation

We study the decuplet baryon magnetic moments in a QCD-based quark model beyond the quenched approximation. Our approach for unquenching the theory is based on heavy baryon perturbation theory in which the axial couplings for baryon-meson and the meson-meson-photon couplings from chiral perturbation theory are used together with the quark model moment couplings. It also involves the introduction of a form factor characterizing the structure of baryons considered as composite particles. Using the parameters obtained from fitting the octet baryon magnetic moments, we predict the decuplet baryon magnetic moments. The ${\ensuremath{\Omega}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ magnetic moment is found to be in good agreement with experiment: ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{{\ensuremath{\Omega}}^{\ensuremath{-}}}$ is predicted to be $\ensuremath{-}1.97{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}$ compared to the experimental result of $(\ensuremath{-}$2.02 $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}$ 0.05) ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}.$
Keynote talk: Opportunities and challenges for high performance microprocessor designs and design automation

Summary form only given, as follows. With end of an era of classical technology scaling and exponential frequency increases, high end microprocessor designs and design automation methodologies are at an inflection point. With power and current demands reaching breaking points, and significant challenges in application software stack, we are also reaching diminishing returns from simply adding more cores. In design methodologies for high end microprocessors, although chip physical design efficiency has seen tremendous improvements, strong indications are emerging for maturing of those gains as well. In order to continue the cost-performance scaling in systems in light of these maturing trends, we must innovate up the design stack, moving focus from technology and physical design implementation to new IP and methodologies at Logic, architecture, and at the boundary of hardware and software, solving key bottlenecks through application acceleration. This new era of innovation, which moves the focus up the design stack presents new challenges and opportunities to the design and design automation communities. This talk will motivate these trends and focus on challenges for high performance microprocessor design and design automation in the years to come.
Evidence for a Literary Dialect: Speaker Judgmentsa:

The existence of a “literary dialect” was postulated on several grounds. Specific syntactic structures were hypothesized to be literary or nonliterary. This hypothesis was tested by obtaining judgments from adults on hypothesized literary and nonliterary structures, each presented at two levels of vocabulary difficulty. Results confirmed that the two structure types could be reliably differentiated statistically, and showed large absolute differences in the percentage of times they were judged as being literary. In addition, vocabulary exhibited a significant main effect, with structures containing infrequent vocabulary being judged as literary more often. Finally, there was a significant structure by vocabulary interaction, where literary structures with infrequent vocabulary were judged to be particularly literary.
Modeling of intra-cell defects in CMOS SRAM

The effect of defects within a single cell of a static random access memory (SRAM) is examined. All major types of faults, including bridging, transistor stuck-open and stuck-on, are examined. A significant fraction of all faults cause high IDDQ values to be observed. Faults leading to inter-cell coupling are identified. >
Changes in the forward and reverse metabolism of aromatizable androgens during the development of large ovarian cysts in the pregnant rat.

Twice-daily treatments with subovulatory doses of hCG result in the development of large ovarian cysts that possess the capacity to produce preovulatory amounts of estradiol (E 2) in the presence of exogenous substrate (Biol Reprod 1991; 45: 34-42). To determine the effects of prolonged stimulation by subovulatory doses of LH-like activity on the ability of ovarian follicles to produce aromatizable androgens and their metabolites and on the capacity of similar follicles to metabolize exogenous androstenedione (A4) and testosterone, pregnant rats were treated with either 0 (control), 1, or 3 IU hCG twice daily for 9 days, beginning on Day 13 of pregnancy. The largest follicles or cysts in the ovaries of these animals on Days 15, 17, 19, and 22 were incubated for 4 h in the presence of 1) medium alone, 2) 1 mM cAMP, 3) 800 ng/ml A4 with or without cAMP, or 4) 800 ng/ml testosterone with or without cAMP. In the presence or absence of cAMP, follicular incubates from controls displayed limited amounts of A4, testosterone, E2, estrone (E,), and 5-reduced androgen accumulation compared to incubates from rats treated with hCG. By Day 22, follicular incubates from rats treated with 3 IU hCG contained more A4 than incubates from animals treated with 1 IU hCG. However, on each day tested, incubates from rats treated with 1 IU hCG displayed at least as much, and usually more, testosterone, E 2, E,, and 5ao-reduced androgens as did incubates from rats treated with 3 IU hCG. Follicles from rats treated with 3 IU hCG lost their ability to respond to cAMP with increased steroidogenesis. The capacity of follicles from controls and from rats treated with 3 IU hCG to metabolize exogenous A4 to testosterone, E2, and 5o-reduced androgens was maintained between 32 and 37 ng of steroid/4 h from Day 15 to Day 22, whereas the capacity of follicles from rats treated with 1 IU hCG to metabolize A4 ranged from 68 to 92 ng of steroid/4 h. Similar patterns for E 2 and 5a-reduced steroid production were observed when exogenous testosterone was used as substrate. Follicles from all in vivo treatment groups displayed similar capacities to reverse-metabolize exogenous testosterone to A4 and E, on Day 15 of pregnancy. This capacity increased dramatically, from 29 to 75 ng of steroid/4 h, between Days 15 and 17 for follicles from rats treated with 3 IU hCG. A similar increase was not observed for follicular incubates from rats treated with 1 IU hCG until Day 22 of pregnancy, and was never observed for follicles from controls. In summary, prolonged exposure to stimulation by subovulatory doses of LH-like activity differentially affects the forward and reverse metabolism of aromatizable androgens by ovarian cysts that are developing in the pregnant rat. The limited ability of large, hCG-induced cysts to forwardmetabolize A4 and the apparent increased capacity of these follicles to reverse-metabolize testosterone to A4 indirectly support the notion that follicular 17-ketosteroid reductase
Exploding asteroid simulation: photo realistic rendering of polygonal data

The image shows a simulation of a 20 Megaton explosion, detonated inside a 20 km long Asteroid. The simulation data was generated on Sandia National Lab's Red Storm Supercomputer. ParaView was used to export polygonal data, which was then textured and rendered using a commercial 3d rendering package.Using ParaView's co-processing capability, data was captured directly from the memory of the running super computer simulation. We then created a set of seamless fragment surfaces extracted from the underlying cells' material volume fractions. ParaView outputs a sequence of models that are converted to LightWave polygonal object, using NuGraf, a model format conversion program. The objects vary in size. Custom software and scripts are used to surface the sequence of objects. The final object sequence is then rendered offline with LightWave 10.0.
Development of High-Density Genetic Maps for Barley and Wheat Using a Novel Two-Enzyme Genotyping-by-Sequencing Approach

Advancements in next-generation sequencing technology have enabled whole genome re-sequencing in many species providing unprecedented discovery and characterization of molecular polymorphisms. There are limitations, however, to next-generation sequencing approaches for species with large complex genomes such as barley and wheat. Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) has been developed as a tool for association studies and genomics-assisted breeding in a range of species including those with complex genomes. GBS uses restriction enzymes for targeted complexity reduction followed by multiplex sequencing to produce high-quality polymorphism data at a relatively low per sample cost. Here we present a GBS approach for species that currently lack a reference genome sequence. We developed a novel two-enzyme GBS protocol and genotyped bi-parental barley and wheat populations to develop a genetically anchored reference map of identified SNPs and tags. We were able to map over 34,000 SNPs and 240,000 tags onto the Oregon Wolfe Barley reference map, and 20,000 SNPs and 367,000 tags on the Synthetic W9784 × Opata85 (SynOpDH) wheat reference map. To further evaluate GBS in wheat, we also constructed a de novo genetic map using only SNP markers from the GBS data. The GBS approach presented here provides a powerful method of developing high-density markers in species without a sequenced genome while providing valuable tools for anchoring and ordering physical maps and whole-genome shotgun sequence. Development of the sequenced reference genome(s) will in turn increase the utility of GBS data enabling physical mapping of genes and haplotype imputation of missing data. Finally, as a result of low per-sample costs, GBS will have broad application in genomics-assisted plant breeding programs.
Symposium article: MALAYSIAN LANGUAGE PLANNING

In this article the author introduces the roles he created for two phases of a simulation on language planning in Malaysia. The first phase is a radio call-in show. This is followed by a debate before a panel of arbiters concerning a recent dispute related to English language teaching in Malaysian schools. The final phase involves debriefing (for sociolinguistic content and language) and allows time for students to discuss how they felt about the roles they played.
Virtual compass: relative positioning to sense mobile social interactions

There are endless possibilities for the next generation of mobile social applications that automatically determine your social context. A key element of such applications is ubiquitous and precise sensing of the people you interact with. Existing techniques that rely on deployed infrastructure to determine proximity are limited in availability and accuracy. Virtual Compass is a peer-based relative positioning system that relies solely on the hardware and operating system support available on commodity mobile handhelds. It uses multiple radios to detect nearby mobile devices and places them in a two-dimensional plane. It uses adaptive scanning and out-of-band coordination to explore trade-offs between energy consumption and the latency in detecting movement. We have implemented Virtual Compass on mobile phones and laptops, and we evaluate it using a sample application that senses social interactions between Facebook friends.
Gamification as a tool for enhancing graduate medical education

Introduction The last decade has seen many changes in graduate medical education training in the USA, most notably the implementation of duty hour standards for residents by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education. As educators are left to balance more limited time available between patient care and resident education, new methods to augment traditional graduate medical education are needed. Objectives To assess acceptance and use of a novel gamification-based medical knowledge software among internal medicine residents and to determine retention of information presented to participants by this medical knowledge software. Methods We designed and developed software using principles of gamification to deliver a web-based medical knowledge competition among internal medicine residents at the University of Alabama (UA) at Birmingham and UA at Huntsville in 2012–2013. Residents participated individually and in teams. Participants accessed daily questions and tracked their online leaderboard competition scores through any internet-enabled device. We completed focus groups to assess participant acceptance and analysed software use, retention of knowledge and factors associated with loss of participants (attrition). Results Acceptance: In focus groups, residents (n=17) reported leaderboards were the most important motivator of participation. Use: 16 427 questions were completed: 28.8% on Saturdays/Sundays, 53.1% between 17:00 and 08:00. Retention of knowledge: 1046 paired responses (for repeated questions) were collected. Correct responses increased by 11.9% (p Attrition: In ordinal regression analyses, completing more questions (0.80 per 10% increase; 0.70 to 0.93) decreased, while postgraduate year 3 class (4.25; 1.44 to 12.55) and non-daily play (4.51; 1.50 to 13.58) increased odds of attrition. Conclusions Our software-enabled, gamification-based educational intervention was well accepted among our millennial learners. Coupling software with gamification and analysis of trainee use and engagement data can be used to develop strategies to augment learning in time-constrained educational settings.
Predicting chemical contaminants in freshwater sediments through the use of historical biochemical endpoints in resident fish species

Previous studies in Bayou Bartholomew, Arkansas, USA, indicated significant relationships between the individual health of fish sampled from 13 sites and specific biochemical responses. Evaluation of several biochemical endpoints in 1994 indicated the bioavailable occurrence of either polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners or metals. To evaluate this possibility, in December 2000, sediments were collected at four sites on Bayou Bartholomew, where fish, collected in July 1994, had previously demonstrated the highest hepatic cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) and heme oxygenase (HO) expression. Samples were analyzed for 89 PCB congeners, 18 organochlorine pesticides, and 25 metals. Total PCB concentrations ranged from 6.5 to 704 ng/g dry weight. Although several PCB congeners were observed, 81, 87, 99, 114, and 153 represented up to 33, 22, 29, 92, and 55% of the sum of PCBs from the four sites, respectively. Total organochlorine pesticide concentrations ranged from undetectable to 53.2 ng/g dry weight. Lindane, heptachlor, dachtal, dieldrin, hexachlorobenzene, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dichlorodiphenyl ethane (DDE), and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethane (DDD) isomers were detected in most samples. Detected organophosphate pesticides included malathion, chlorpyrifos, and dimethoate. Both p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDD were the most predominant of the pesticides measured (0.5-14.1 and 0.7-58.5 ng/g dry wt). All metal concentrations analyzed were below sediment quality guideline values. Metals exceeding national average concentrations were cobalt (2 of 4 [2/4] sites), copper (1/4), molybdenum (4/4), antimony (3/4), selenium (4/4), tin (4/4), and zinc (1/4). These results were consistent with PCBs being causative agents for the biochemical and adverse individual responses observed in fish sampled from this waterway.
THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SULFUR AEROSOLS

Abstract A review of the physical characteristics of sulfur-containing aerosols, with respect to size distribution of the physical distributions, sulfur distributions, distribution modal characteristics, nuclei formation rates, aerosol growth characteristics, and in situ measurement, has been made. Physical size distributions can be characterized well by a trimodal model consisting of three additive lognormal distributions. When atmospheric physical aerosol size distributions are characterized by the trimodal model, the following typical modal parameters are observed: 1. 1. Nuclei mode — geometric mean size by volume, DGVa from 0.015 to 0.04 μm, σgn, = 1.6, nuclei mode volumes from 0.0005 over the remote oceans to 9μm3 cm−3 on an urban freeway. 2. 2. Accumulation mode — geometric mean size by volume, DGVa, from 0.15 to 0.5μm, σgn = 1.6–2.2 and mode volume concentrations from 1 for very clean marine or continental backgrounds to as high as 300μm3cm−3 under very polluted conditions in urban areas. 3. 3. Coarse panicle mode — geometric mean size by volume, DGVa, from 5 to 30 μm, σgn, = 2–3. and mode volume concentrations from 2 to 1000 μm3 cm−3. It has also been concluded that the fine particles (Dp 2μm). Modal characterization of impactor-measured sulfate size distributions from the literature shows that the sulfate is nearly all in the accumulation mode and has the same size distribution as the physical accumulation mode distribution. Average sulfate aerodynamic geometric mean dia. was found to be 0.48 ± 0.1 μm (0.37 ± 0.1 μmvol. dia). and ν = 2.00 ± 0.29. Concentrations range from a low of about 0.04 μg m −3 over the remote oceans to over 80μm−3 under polluted conditions over the continents. Review of the data on nucleation in smog chambers and in the atmosphere suggests that when SO2 is present, SO2-to-aerosol conversion dominates the Aitken nuclei count and, indirectly, through coagulation and condensation, the accumulation mode size and concentration. There are indications that nucleation is ubiquitous in the atmosphere, ranging from values as low as 2 cm−3 h−1' over the clean remote oceans to a high of 6 × 10 6 cm −3 h −1 ' in a power plant plume under sunny conditions. There is considerable theoretical and experimental evidence that even if most of the mass for the condensational growth of the accumulation mode comes from hydrocarbon conversion, sulfur conversion provides most of the nuclei.
Workplace Violence in the Emergency Department: Giving Staff the Tools and Support to Report

Workplace violence is increasing across the nation’s Emergency Departments (EDs) and nurses often perceive it as part of their job. Through a quality-improvement project, reporting processes were found to be inconsistent and nurses often did not know what acts constitute violence. As a result, nurses were under-reporting violence in the ED, and as a direct result resources were not recognized or provided. A staff nurse-led workgroup developed an initial survey to assess the perception and occurrence of violence within the ED in nurses and patient care assistants. This workgroup evaluated the survey responses and identified a need for the development of a brief, concise reporting tool and an educational program. A reporting tool was created and education was provided in multiple venues and modalities. A follow-up process and support were given from nursing leadership. A posteducation survey was completed by nurses and patient care assistants to assess their comprehension of acts of workplace violence, and found their perception that workplace violence was part of their job was reduced by half, along with increased knowledge about acts constituting workplace violence, and what is reportable to law enforcement. As a result of the education, the reporting of the violent acts has increased, and staff perceive the ED to be a safer environment. With the appropriate education, reporting tool, and leadership support, ED nurses can create a culture with a zero-tolerance policy for violence within the department, creating a safer environment for staff and patients.
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D improves glucose tolerance

Insulin regulation of energy metabolism is complex and involves numerous signaling cascades. Insulin has been suggested to stimulate a phospholipase that cleaves glycosylphosphatidylinositols resulting in the generation of an inositol glycan that serves as an insulin mediator. To determine if glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D (GPI-PLD) may play a role in glucose metabolism, we examined the effect of overexpressing GPI-PLD using adenovirus-mediated gene transfer in C57BL/6 mice. Overexpressing GPI-PLD was associated with a decrease in fasting glucose as well as an improvement in glucose tolerance as determined by an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. This effect to improve glucose tolerance does not result from an increase in insulin sensitivity, as overexpressing GPI-PLD does not alter the response to insulin. In contrast, the insulin response during the glucose tolerance test in GPI-PLD-overexpressing mice was increased. Overexpressing GPI-PLD in an insulinoma cell line enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, suggesting that enhanced insulin secretion in vivo may have contributed to the improved glucose tolerance.
PhysioNet 2012 Challenge: Predicting mortality of ICU patients using a cascaded SVM-GLM paradigm

The focus of the PhysioNet/CinC Challenge 2012 is to develop methods for patient-specific prediction of inhospital mortality using general descriptors recorded at the time of admission to the ICU and up to 37 time-series measurements collected during the first 48 hours after admission. We developed an algorithm that uses both general descriptors and time-series measurements to predict the in-hospital death (IHD) of ICU patients in Event 1, and to provide a probability estimate of IHD in Event 2. Both aggregated variables and general descriptors were used as features of quadratic Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers. Six SVMs were trained using, for each one, all the positive examples plus, in turn, one sixth of the negative examples in the training set. Finally, a Generalized Linear Model with probit link was used to predict the probability of IHD for Event 2 using the raw outputs of the six SVMs as regressors. A positive binary prediction of IHD for Event 1 was made when the probability estimate was higher than an optimized threshold. Official final results of the challenge reported that our entry achieved an Event 2 score of 17.88, which is the best score out of the total 23 submissions, and Event 1 score of 0.5345 (second best score).
SOP: what is it and why? A new microsystem-integration technology paradigm-Moore's law for system integration of miniaturized convergent systems of the next decade

In the past, microsystems packaging played two roles: 1) it provided I/O connections to and from integrated circuits (ICs) or wafer-level packaging (WLP), and 2) it interconnected both active and passive components on system level boards, referred to as systems packaging. Both were accomplished by interconnections or multilayer wiring at the package or board level. More recently, the IC devices have begun to integrate not only more and more transistors, but also active and passive components on an individual chip, leading the community to believe that someday there may be a single-chip complete system, referred to as system-on-chip (SOC). This can be called horizontal or two-dimensional (2-D) integration of IC blocks in a single-chip toward end-product systems. The community began to realize, however, that such an approach presents fundamental, engineering, and investment limits, as well as computing and communication limits for wireless and wired systems over the long run. This led to 3-D packaging approaches, often referred to as system-in-package (SIP). The SIP, while providing major opportunities in both miniaturization and integration for advanced and portable electronic products, is a subsystem, limited by the CMOS process just like the SOC. Some existing and emerging applications, however, include sensors, memory modules and embedded processors with DRAMs. More recent 3-D solutions, which incorporate stacked package approaches, offer solutions toward faster time-to-market and business impediments that have plagued MCM deployment for the past decade. There is a new emerging concept called system-on-package (SOP). With SOP, the package, not the board, is the system. As such, SOP is beginning to address the shortcomings of both SOC and SIP, as well as traditional packaging which is bulky, costly, and lower in performance and reliability than ICs, in two ways: 1) It uses CMOS-based silicon for what it is good for, namely, for transistor integration, and the package, for what it is good for, namely, RF, optical, and digital integration by means of IC-package-system codesign. The SOP package, therefore, overcomes both the computing limitations and integration limitations of SOC, SIP, MCM, and traditional system packaging. It does this by having global wiring as well as RF, digital, and optical component integration in the package, not in the chip. The SOP, therefore, includes both active and passive components in thin-film form, in contrast with indiscrete or thick-film form, including embedded digital, RF, and optical components, and functions in a microminiaturized package or board.
Caffeine alters the temporal dynamics of the visual BOLD response

The blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses to visual stimuli, using both a 1-s long single trial stimulus and a 20-s long block stimulus, were measured in a 4-T magnetic field both before and immediately after a 200-mg caffeine dose. In addition, resting levels of cerebral blood flow (CBF) were measured using arterial spin labeling. For the single trial stimulus, the caffeine dose significantly (p
Test time of multiplier/accumulator based output response analyzer in built-in analog functional testing

A Built-In Self-Test (BIST) approach has been proposed for functionality measurements of analog circuitry in mixed-signal systems. The BIST circuitry consists of a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) based test pattern generator (TPG) and multiplier/accumulator (MAC) based output response analyzer (ORA). In this paper we investigate and discuss the test time required by the ORA for analog measurements such as frequency response and 3rd order intercept point (IP3). We show that the test time can be greatly shortened if the ORA accumulation can be stopped at the right point. Three simple digital circuits are also proposed for such a purpose and their performance is simulated to show how the efficiency of the test time is improved.
Intracranial aneurysm formation following radiation.

anney et al., in a recent study in this issue of WORLD NEUROSURGERY, report on the incidence of intracranial N aneurysms in previously irradiated fields along with a case from their institution. They present interesting findings and conclude that as life expectancy increases in patients with malignancy, therapeutic ionizing radiation leads to an increasing potential for radiation-induced aneurysm formation and rupture in their lifetime.
Monitoring tropical-cyclone intensity using environmental wind fields derived from short-interval satellite images

The feasibility of predicting changes in tropical storm intensity based on satellite observations of the dynamical relationships between the large-scale upper and lower tropospheric circulations surrounding the cyclone and the characteristics of the storm's inner core is studied. Rapid-scan visible images from the SMS-1 and GOES-1 satellites were used to examine the local change in relative angular momentum (RAM), the lower and upper tropospheric environmental areal mean relative vorticity and transverse circulation on three consecutive days for tropical storms Caroline (August, 1975), Anita (August and September, 1977) and Ella (September, 1978). The three case studies suggest that storm intensification may be predicted from the storm's local change of net RAM, with this quantity best correlated with storm intensification after a time lag of 6 hours. Intensification is also found to be related to the environmental lower and upper tropospheric areal-mean relative vorticity, and to the upper tropospheric environmental circulation, which acts either to hinder or to enhance the storm's anticyclonic outflow channels.
Characterization and evaluation of two novel fluorescent sigma-2 receptor ligands as proliferation probes.

We synthesized and characterized two novel fluorescent sigma-2 receptor selective ligands, SW120 and SW116, and evaluated these ligands as potential probes for imaging cell proliferation. Both ligands are highly selective for sigma-2 receptors versus sigma-1 receptors. SW120 and SW116 were internalized into MDA-MB-435 cells, and 50% of the maximum fluorescent intensity was reached in 11 and 24 minutes, respectively. In vitro studies showed that 50% of SW120 or SW116 washed out of cells in 1 hour. The internalization of SW120 was reduced <30% by phenylarsine oxide, an inhibitor of endocytosis, suggesting that sigma-2 ligands are internalized, in part, by an endocytotic pathway. Subcellular localization studies using confocal and two-photon microscopy showed that SW120 and SW116 partially colocalized with fluorescent markers of mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, and the plasma membrane, suggesting that sigma-2 receptors localized to the cytoplasmic organelles and plasma membrane. SW120 did not colocalize with the nuclear dye 49,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. In vivo studies showed that the uptake of SW120 in solid tumors and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of mice positively correlated with the expression level of the cell proliferation marker Ki-67, suggesting that sigma-2 fluorescent probes may be used to image cell proliferation in mice.