cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recognition of the Murine Coronavirus Genomic RNA Packaging Signal Depends on the Second RNA-Binding Domain of the Nucleocapsid Protein

UNLABELLED The coronavirus nucleocapsid (N) protein forms a helical ribonucleoprotein with the viral positive-strand RNA genome and binds to the principal constituent of the virion envelope, the membrane (M) protein, to facilitate assembly and budding. Besides these structural roles, N protein associates with a component of the replicase-transcriptase complex, nonstructural protein 3, at a critical early stage of infection. N protein has also been proposed to participate in the replication and selective packaging of genomic RNA and the transcription and translation of subgenomic mRNA. Coronavirus N proteins contain two structurally distinct RNA-binding domains, an unusual characteristic among RNA viruses. To probe the functions of these domains in the N protein of the model coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), we constructed mutants in which each RNA-binding domain was replaced by its counterpart from the N protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Mapping of revertants of the resulting chimeric viruses provided evidence for extensive intramolecular interactions between the two RNA-binding domains. Through analysis of viral RNA that was packaged into virions we identified the second of the two RNA-binding domains as a principal determinant of MHV packaging signal recognition. As expected, the interaction of N protein with M protein was not affected in either of the chimeric viruses. Moreover, the SARS-CoV N substitutions did not alter the fidelity of leader-body junction formation during subgenomic mRNA synthesis. These results more clearly delineate the functions of N protein and establish a basis for further exploration of the mechanism of genomic RNA packaging. IMPORTANCE This work describes the interactions of the two RNA-binding domains of the nucleocapsid protein of a model coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus. The main finding is that the second of the two domains plays an essential role in recognizing the RNA structure that allows the selective packaging of genomic RNA into assembled virions.
Nontraditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors

A number of newer, "nontraditional" cardiovascular risk factors have been identified based on recent studies of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and atherothrombotic cardiovascular events. These include chronic inflammation and its markers, such as C-reactive protein; homocysteine; oxidative stress or endothelial dysfunction; lipoprotein Lp (a); psychosocial factors, such as environmental stress and responsiveness to stress; plasma insulin levels and markers of insulin resistance; and activation of the renin-angiotensin system, which is in part a function of polymorphisms in genes for components of the system, such as angiotensinogen and the angiotensin II type 1 receptor. The strength of the associations of the newer risk factors with cardiovascular therapy are currently being tested. This review will briefly discuss evidence that these risk factors are related to cardiovascular disease.
CNP-22 stimulates, rather than inhibits, water drinking in the rat: evidence for a unique biological action of the C-type natriuretic peptides

Abstract C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) shares structural homology with A-type natriuretic peptide (ANP). Unlike ANP, which inhibits experimentally induced water drinking, CNP stimulates intake under similar conditions. The action of CNP to stimulate water drinking is not due to competition with ANP for the clearance receptor which recognizes both peptides since the ligand specific for that binding site, C-ANF 4–23, like ANP, inhibits water drinking under the same conditions.
Age at Vaccination May Influence Response to Sylvatic Plague Vaccine (SPV) in Gunnison’s Prairie Dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni)

Gunnison’s prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) have been considered at greater risk from Yersinia pestis (plague) infection in the montane portion of their range compared to populations at lower elevations, possibly due to factors related to flea transmission of the bacteria or greater host susceptibility. To test the latter hypothesis and determine whether vaccination against plague with an oral sylvatic plague vaccine (SPV) improved survival, we captured prairie dogs from a C. g. gunnisoni or “montane” population and a C. g. zuniensis or “prairie” population for vaccine efficacy and challenge studies. No differences (P = 0.63) were found in plague susceptibility in non-vaccinated animals between these two populations; however, vaccinates from the prairie population survived plague challenge at significantly higher rates (P < 0.01) than those from the montane population. Upon further analysis, we determined that response to immunization was most likely associated with differences in age, as the prairie group was much younger on average than the montane group. Vaccinates that were juveniles or young adults survived plague challenge at a much higher rate than adults (P < 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively), but no difference (P = 0.83) was detected in survival rates between control animals of different ages. These results suggest that host susceptibility is probably not related to the assumed greater risk from plague in the C. g. gunnisoni or “montane” populations of Gunnison’s prairie dogs, and that SPV could be a useful plague management tool for this species, particularly if targeted at younger cohorts.
Current noise in weak superconductors

Abstract The linewidth of the oscillating potential produced by phase-slip in weak superconductors is found to be consistent with a simple two-fluid model incorporating fluctuations in the supercurrent stimulated by Johnson noise in the normal current.
Futures Prices in Supply Analysis

Empirical work on agricultural supply functions typically makes use of product prices from past time periods. This approach has the important advantage that it avoids the problems created by the simultaneous determination of supply and demand, since past prices are predetermined. But the approach has the important drawback that theory does not reveal exactly which past prices to use. The simplest procedure, use of last year's price, assumes farmers to be unduly naive in the formation of expectations. The more sophisticated lagged-price procedures following the work of Nerlove create econometric problems (Brandow, Nerlove 1958c, Griliches). Some are also liable to the charge of "theoretical ad-hockery" (Griliches, p. 42ff). As an alternative approach to estimating supply elasticity, this paper is an attempt to exploit the theoretically well-grounded hypothesis that the price of a futures contract for next year's crop reflects the market's estimate of next year's cash price.1 Since the appropriate price for supply analysis is the price expected by producers at the time when production decisions are being made, a futures price at this time is a good candidate for a directly observable measure of product price in supply analysis. In the context of crop supply, there are several problems to be faced in the use of futures prices. First, "the market's" estimate as given by a futures price reflects the expectations of nonfarm speculators as well as crop producers, and it reflects directly the expectations only of those crop producers who themselves make futures transactions. Second, there is the issue of which futures contract is most appropriate. Third, at what date should the futures price be observed? With respect to the first issue, the use of a futures price can be justified by the hypothesis of rational expectations as developed by John Muth. Under rational expectations, there is no reason for farmers to have different price expectations from futures speculators, nor for farmers who make no futures transactions to have expectations different from those who do. If the price expectations of those out of the futures market differ from the futures price, there is great incentive for them to enter. Thus, those out of the market likely have price expectations similar to the market price of futures.2 The second issue should cause no serious problem so long as the futures contract pertains to the new crop. Of course, even old-crop cash prices are influenced by expectations concerning the new crop. But the cash-futures basis changes from year to year and secularly as the cost of storage (which includes interest) changes. The present analysis uses the first futures price after the crop is in. The third problem is most difficult because it is not clear exactly when the production decision is made. There may not be any preharvest date at which a farmer can be said to have made irrevoca-
A new approach to the gagging problem

Abstract Causes of gagging may be classified into psychogenic and somatogenic. Gagging that occurs during various procedures such as intraoral examination, etc., is for the most part psychogenic. Such gagging is a result of excessive fear, apprehension, anxiety, etc., and occurs only when the patient is aware of the stimulus. This gagging can be reduced in direct proportion to the reduction of the awareness of the stimulus. If the patient's attention can be sufficiently diverted (e.g., by the effort involved in keeping the foot elevated from the footrest), intraoral procedures can be accomplished successfully. Gagging that persists after the insertion of new dentures, or develops after dentures have been worn successfully for many weeks or months, must be considered as somatogenic. A careful study of such patients showed that an exaggerated increase of the occlusal vertical dimension was the cause of gagging. When the occlusal facial height was too great, the elevator muscles no longer relaxed normally. This disturbance, in turn, most likely affected all the musculature involved in swallowing and provided the stimulus for the gag reflex. When the occlusal facial height was reduced, gagging was eliminated.
The researcher's dilemma

Subjected to Science: Human Experimentation in America before the Second World War. By Susan E. Lederer. Johns Hopkins University Press: 1995. Pp. 192. $32.95, £27.50.
Hydroxide‐catalyzed synthesis of heterocyclic aromatic amine derivatives from nitriles

A generalized method for synthesizing a wide variety of heterocyclic aromatic amine derivatives from nitriles by use of hydroxide catalysts is presented. Nitrile dimers (3-aminocrotononitrile and dicyandiamide) and a dimer analog (anthranilonitrile) react with monomeric nitriles in the presence of hydroxide to form respectively, aminopyrimidines, diaminotriazines and aminoquinazolines.
Public Health Workers and Vaccination Coverage in Eastern China: A Health Economic Analysis

Abstract: Background : Vaccine-preventable diseases cause more than one million deaths among children under 5 years of age every year. Public Health Workers (PHWs) are needed to provide immunization services, but the role of human resources for public health as a determinant of vaccination coverage at the population level has not been assessed in China. The objective of this study was to test whether PHW density was positively associated with childhood vaccination coverage in Zhejiang Province, East China. Methods : The vaccination coverage rates of Measles C ontaining Vaccine (MCV), Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis combined vaccine (DTP), and Poliomyelitis Vaccine (PV) were chosen as the dependent variables. Vaccination coverage data of children aged 13–24 months for each county in Zhejiang Province were taken from the Zhejiang Immunization Information System (ZJIIS). Aggregate PHW density was an independent variable in one set of regressions, and Vaccine Personnel (VP) and other PHW densities were used separately in another set. Data on densities of PHW and VP were taken from a national investigation on EPI launched by Ministry of Hea lth of China in 2013. We controll ed other determinants that may influence the vaccination coverage like Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person, proportion of migrant children aged <7 years, and land area. These data were taken from Zhejiang Provincial Bureau of Statistics and ZJIIS.
[3+2] versus [4+3] cycloaddition of conjugated dienes to TMM diradicals

Conjugated dienes preferentially undergo intramolecular [3+2] cycloaddition to TMM diradicals. Subsequent sigmatropic rearrangement of affords products corresponding to those expected from a direct [4+3] path.
Small-molecule displacement of a cryptic degron causes conditional protein degradation

The ability to rapidly regulate the functions of specific proteins in living cells is a valuable tool for biological research. Here we describe a new technique by which the degradation of a specific protein is induced by a small molecule. A protein of interest is fused to a ligand-induced degradation (LID) domain, resulting in the expression of a stable and functional fusion protein. The LID domain is comprised of the FK506- and rapamycin-binding protein (FKBP) and a 19-amino-acid degron fused to the C terminus of FKBP. In the absence of the small molecule Shield-1, the degron is bound to the FKBP fusion protein and the protein is stable. When present, Shield-1 binds tightly to FKBP, displacing the degron and inducing rapid and processive degradation of the LID domain and any fused partner protein. Structure-function studies of the 19-residue peptide showed that a 4-amino-acid sequence within the peptide is responsible for degradation.
5.3.2 Put Me in Coach; I'm Ready to Play!: A Discussion of an Evolving Curriculum in Systems Engineering

Prior to 1999, the Introduction to Systems Engineering Design course was taught late in the sequence of courses that the typical student took in the Department of Systems Engineering at the United States Military Academy. The normal progression of courses front-loaded students with various modeling and analysis “toolkit” courses. Much later in the program students were taught the engineering design big picture. In 1999, the academic program was overhauled. The introductory engineering design course became the first course in the academic program. In addition, the program's courses were separated into “methods” courses that fill the student's toolkit and “formulation” courses that require students to synthesize various tools in formulating and solving small-scale engineering problems. Finally, summer academic internship experiences were linked with a yearlong capstone design experience during the student's senior year. This paper discusses these changes and highlights advantages of this improved approach to teaching systems engineering.
LexOWL: A Bridge from LexGrid to OWL

The Lexical Grid project is an on-going community driven initiative that provides a common terminology model to represent multiple vocabulary and ontology sources as well as a scalable and robust API for accessing such information. In order to add more powerful functionalities to the existing infrastructure and align LexGrid more closely with various Semantic Web technologies, we introduce the LexOWL project for representing the ontologies modeled within the LexGrid environment in OWL (Web Ontology Language). The crux of this effort is to create a “bridge” that functionally connects the LexBIG (a LexGrid API) and the OWL API (an interface that implements OWL) seamlessly. In this paper, we discuss the key aspects of designing and implementing the LexOWL bridge. We compared LexOWL with other OWL converting tools and conclude that LexOWL provides an OWL mapping and converting tool with well-defined interoperability for information in the biomedical domain.
The Future World of Work: Implications for Human Resource Costing and Accounting

The world of work is rapidly changing and a number of immutable trends are provided showing how performance between leavers and their replacements can be determined. The concept of intellectual capital is also analysed and its accounting implications are considered. Intellectual capital is defined in terms of human, customer, and structural capital measures and examples are given as to how each of these concepts can be measured in working life.
A Drosophila approach to thyroid cancer therapeutics

Thyroid neoplasias represent among the fastest growing cancers. While surgery has become the treatment of choice for most thyroid tumors, many require chemotherapy. In this review, we examine the contributions of work in the fruit fly Drosophila toward multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2), a Ret-based disease to which recent Drosophila models have proven useful both for understanding disease mechanism as well as helping identify new generation therapeutics.
Removal of enveloping follicle cells can trigger resumption of meiotic maturation in Fundulus heteroclitus oocytes

The various somatic cell layers surrounding large (1.3–1.4 mm in diameter) meiosis-arrested oocytes of the saltmarsh teleost Fundulus heteroclitus were successively removed by a combination of manual dissection and exposure to calcium/magnesium-free medium. The efficacy of these methods was verified by light and scanning electron microscopy. Oocytes within intact follicles, and oocytes in follicles with the outermost surface epithelium and theca layers removed, typically resumed meiosis only when treated with either a steroid, 17α-hydroxy-20β-dihydroprogesterone, or an aqueous extract of Fundulus pituitaries. In contrast, removal of the follicle cell layer immediately surrounding the oocyte frequently triggered the resumption of meiosis in the absence of exogenous hormonal stimulation. These results suggest that the follicle cells may somehow be responsible for the maintenance of meiotic arrest in non-hormone-treated oocytes.
The Muon system of the GEM detector at the SSCL

Abstract The GEM Muon System is based on a large super conducting solenoidal magnet with no magnetic flux return. Three superlayers of muon tracking chambers are deployed outside the calorimeter to reconstruct the sagitta of the muon trajectory in the magnetic field. Iron flux concentrators are placed along the central axis of the magnet to create a radial component of the magnetic field, thereby increasing the momentum resolution at small angles. The muon system can be triggered, based on transverse momentum, and muon trajectories can be reconstructed from |η| = 0 to 2.5.
Direct Kinetic Studies of Atom Transfer and Electron Transfer Reactions of Hydroperoxo and High-Valent Oxo Complexes of Chromium

A macrocyclic hydroperoxo chromium complex reacts with triphenyl phosphine in an acid-catalyzed oxygen-atom transfer reaction, k = 850 M-2 s-1. In a competing process, the hydroperoxo complex is converted to a dioxo chromium(V) species, which reacts with PPh3 by electron transfer, k = 4.4 × 105 M-1 s-1.
Dynamic scaling of the island-size distribution and percolation in a model of submonolayer molecular-beam epitaxy

The results of a detailed study of the evolution, scaling, and percolation of islands in a model of submonolayer molecular-beam epitaxy appropriate for the case of dendritic island growth are presented. The scaling of the island density, monomer density, island-size distribution, structure factor, and pair-correlation function are studied as a function of the coverage \ensuremath{\theta} and the ratio R=D/F of the diffusion rate D to the deposition rate F. Our results span the full range of coverage starting from very low coverage all the way through the coalescence and percolation regimes. For small coverages the islands are fractal while at higher coverages they become compact, similar to what has been observed in Au/Ru(0001). For large R, four distinct scaling regimes are found: a low-coverage nucleation regime, an intermediate-coverage regime, an aggregation regime in which the island density remains constant, and a coalescence and percolation regime. The scaling behavior in the first three regimes is compared with results obtained using a generalized rate-equation approach. An anomalous fractal scaling form for the structure factor in the aggregation regime is also derived. The dependence of the percolation threshold on R is also studied and found to show interesting nonmonotonic behavior.
On applying network coding to underwater sensor networks

High error rates and long propagation delays in underwater sensor networks call for efficient error-recovery schemes. We believe network coding is a promising technique for this purpose because of the broadcast nature of acoustic channels and computation capabilities at the sensor nodes. In this paper, we design a network coding scheme for underwater sensor networks and explore its performance through simulation. Our initial results indicate the benefits of using network coding for error recovery and the gains from coding at the source.
Fungal Pathogen Changes the Feeding Kinematics of Larval Anurans

Abstract Pathogens can alter host life-history traits by affecting host feeding activities. In anuran tadpoles, keratinized mouthparts (teeth and jaw sheaths) are essential for feeding. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a pathogenic fungus of amphibians that can infect these mouthparts and reduce tadpole survival. However, the precise way that Bd-induced changes in tadpole mouthparts impact tadpole feeding is unknown. We use high-speed (500 frames/sec) videography to study how Bd-induced mouthpart deformities affect the feeding kinematics of Fowler's toad (Anaxyrus [ = Bufo] fowleri) and grey tree frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) tadpoles. We tested for species-specific patterns of Bd-induced mouthpart deformities to assess how deformations to specific areas of tadpole mouthparts alter feeding kinematics. The teeth of tadpoles from the Bd-exposed treatment slipped off of surfaces on which tadpoles graze and were in contact with an algal-covered substratum for a shorter duration in each gape cycle compared t...
Social and Behavioral Determinants of Self‐Reported STD Among Adolescents

Context: Adolescents have among the highest sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates. Rich data are now available to characterize the social and behavioral factors that affect adolescent STD risk. Methods: Data from Wave 1 (1995) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) are used to estimate school neighborhood family and individual level effects on acquiring an STD. Data from Waves 1 and 2 (1996) of Add Health are also used to estimate the effects of prior STD acquisition and other factors on STD occurrence between waves. Random intercept logistic regression an random intercept piecewise exponential hazard regression are used to account for possible clustering in the Add Health data. Results: Seven percent of sexually experienced teenagers reported ever having had an STD as of Wave 1 and almost 7% reported having had an STD between Waves 1 and 2. Respondents age gender race or ethnicity and their family background neighborhood and school characteristics affect STD acquisition at Wave 1. Among teenagers who were sexually experienced at Wave 1 younger age at first intercourse elevates STD risk. Other factors contribute but to a lesser degree. For acquisition of an STD between Waves 1 and 2 females blacks teenagers with lower levels of mothers education and those who have had a prior STD are at higher risk. Conclusions: Multiple social and behavioral factors influence lifetime history of STD. Age at first intercourse and STD history affect subsequent STD acquisition. Self-reports of STD acquisition in probability samples of the general population are useful. (authors)
Effect of the first federally funded US antismoking national media campaign

Summary Background Every year, smoking kills more than 5 million people globally, including 440 000 people in the USA, where the long-term decline in smoking prevalence has slowed. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) delivered a national, 3-month antismoking campaign called Tips From Former Smokers (Tips) that started in March, 2012, in which hard-hitting, emotionally evocative television advertising was featured, depicting smoking-related suffering in real people. We aimed to assess the effects of the Tips campaign. Methods We undertook baseline and follow-up surveys of nationally representative cohorts of adult smokers and non-smokers. The national effect of the Tips campaign was estimated by applying rates of change in the cohort before and after the campaign to US census data. Findings 3051 smokers and 2220 non-smokers completed baseline and follow-up assessments. 2395 (78%) smokers and 1632 (74%) non-smokers recalled seeing at least one Tips advertisement on television during the 3-month campaign. Quit attempts among smokers rose from 31·1% (95% CI 30·3–31·9) at baseline to 34·8% (34·0–35·7) at follow-up, a 12% relative increase. The prevalence of abstinence at follow-up among smokers who made a quit attempt was 13·4% (95% CI 9·7–17·2). Nationally, an estimated 1·64 million additional smokers made a quit attempt, and 220 000 (95% CI 159 000–282 000) remained abstinent at follow-up. Recommendations by non-smokers to quit grew from 2·6% at baseline to 5·1% at follow-up, and the prevalence of people talking with friends and family about the dangers of smoking rose from 31·9% (95% CI 31·3–32·5) to 35·2% (34·6–35·9), resulting in an estimated 4·7 million additional non-smokers recommending cessation services and more than 6 million talking about the dangers of smoking. Interpretation The high-exposure Tips media campaign was effective at increasing population-level quit attempts. The growth in smokers who quit and became sustained quitters could have added from a third to almost half a million quality-adjusted life-years to the US population. Expanded implementation of similar campaigns globally could accelerate progress on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and reduce smoking prevalence globally. Funding CDC, US Department of Health and Human Services.
Calcium Bioavailability of Calcium Carbonate Fortified Soymilk Is Equivalent to Cow’s Milk in Young Women

Calcium (Ca)-fortified soymilk has gained popularity in the United States. Tricalcium phosphate (TCP)-fortified soymilk was shown to have a lower Ca bioavailability than cow's milk in men. However, the most popular soymilk in the U.S. is fortified with Ca carbonate (CC) and has not been evaluated. Ca bioavailability from CC-fortified soymilk (CCSM) and TCP-fortified soymilk (TCPSM) was compared with cow's milk in young healthy women using the dual stable isotope technique. In a 3-way crossover design, 20 volunteers (23 +/- 2 y old) consumed 250 mg Ca in cow's milk, CCSM, or TCPSM along with 10 mg 44Ca after an overnight fast. Cow's milk was extrinsically labeled, whereas each fortified soymilk was intrinsically labeled with each chemical salt of 44Ca at the manufacturing facility. Another stable isotope, 43Ca, was injected i.v. 1 h after the complete consumption of cow's milk or soymilk. Fractional Ca absorption was determined from the ratios of 43Ca:42Ca and 44Ca:42Ca by inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-MS in the 24-h urine samples. A mixed linear model (SAS proc mixed) was used to compare the fractional Ca absorption among groups. Fractional Ca absorption in CCSM (0.211 +/- 0.057) did not differ from that of cow's milk (0.217 +/- 0.040), but both were higher (P < 0.05) than that of TCPSM (0.181 +/- 0.039). Our result suggests that calcium absorption is equivalent for CCSM and cow's milk at similar calcium loads.
Influencing the success of spreadsheet development by novice users

Spreadsheets have become commonplace, facilitating decision-making at all levels in most organizations. Their ease of use is unfortunately accompanied by an abundance of errors, which some researchers have discovered to reach the magnitude of billions of dollars. There are two main streams of research in this area. One focuses on the categorization of and extent to which errors are made, and the other focuses on detection of those errors. The error detection studies have found that errors are very difficult to detect, and spreadsheet builders fail to plan and test adequately. This study advances that work by testing the relative importance of instructing novices in spreadsheet planning and testing. To date, the data seem to indicate a significant effect of instruction in the planning phase. However, some inadequacies in the data lead us to draw only tentative conclusions, and further testing of this and a future, additional sample will provide a more substantial basis for our conclusions.
Simulation of a Thalamocortical Circuit for Computing Directional Heading in the Rat

Several regions of the rat brain contain neurons known as head-direction cells, which encode the animal's directional heading during spatial navigation. This paper presents a biophysical model of head-direction cell activity, which suggests that a thalamocortical circuit might compute the rat's head direction by integrating the angular velocity of the head over time. The model was implemented using the neural simulator NEURON, and makes testable predictions about the structure and function of the rat head-direction circuit.
An integrated failure detection and fault correction model

In general, software reliability models have focused an modeling and predicting failure occurrence and have not given equal priority to modeling the fault correction process. However, there is a need for fault correction prediction, because there are important applications that fault correction modeling and prediction support. These are the following: predicting whether reliability goals have been achieved, developing stopping rules for testing, formulating test strategies, and rationally allocating test resources. Because these factors are related, we integrate them in our model. Our modeling approach involves relating fault correction to failure prediction, with a time delay estimated from a fault correction queuing model.
Cardiac magnetic imaging of the patient with an atrial switch palliation for transposition of the great arteries

Abstract Patients with transposition of the great arteries treated with either a Mustard or Senning atrial switch palliation are often referred for assessment with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). Frequent indications for scanning include quantifying systemic right ventricular function, assessing patency of the venous pathways, finding baffle leaks, measuring systemic atrioventricular valve regurgitation, or detecting myocardial fibrosis. This review discusses the various techniques available for CMR imaging in this setting, an approach to obtaining reliable images, strategies and pitfalls to consider, and variations between centers to understand. The goal is to enable providers to obtain a thorough yet efficient study that adequately addresses the patient's clinical needs.
Toward a General I/O Layer for Parallel-Visualization Applications

For large-scale visualization applications, the visualization community urgently needs general solutions for efficient parallel I/O. These parallel visualization solutions should center around design patterns and the related data-partitioning strategies, not file formats. From this respect, it's feasible to greatly alleviate I/O burdens without reinventing the wheel. For example, BIL (Block I/O Layer), which implements such a pattern, has greatly accelerated I/O performance for large-scale parallel particle tracing, a pervasive but challenging use case.
Effects of aquatic exposure to the insecticide carbaryl and density on aquatic and terrestrial growth and survival in American toads

No single mechanism has been explicitly linked to explain global amphibian declines, but pesticides have been implicated as potential drivers. In mesocosm experiments, we tested the hypotheses that American toads (Bufo americanus) would respond differently to the insecticide carbaryl at low or high density (i.e., competition) and that postmetamorphic terrestrial growth and survival would differ with larval exposure to pesticides and competition. Carbaryl reduced survival to metamorphosis and increased time to metamorphosis in the aquatic phase, which could have a negative impact on fitness. However, carbaryl exposure increased the mass at metamorphosis of toads from high-density ponds, which may positively affect fitness. Pond periphyton showed a short-term increase in abundance after carbaryl exposure, but long-term periphyton abundance was lower than controls. No latent effects of carbaryl were seen on toad overwinter survival or mass at spring emergence in the terrestrial phase, suggesting that initial size differences at metamorphosis were overcome. Following individuals through multiple life stages is important because latent effects of exposure may not be predictable based on metamorphic endpoints alone.
How narrow is narrowband

The "narrowband" assumption is often made in the analysis of array signal processing algorithms. The author provides a definition for the notion of narrowband, and the derivation of an expression which is useful in determining if a particular scenario qualifies as narrowband. The expression derived correctly predicts where the narrowband assumption fails for some super-resolution algorithms, the Cramer-Rao bound on angle estimation and the signal-to-interference plus noise performance of adaptive beamformers.
Achieving Equity in Special Education: History, Status, and Current Challenges:

Among the most-longstanding and intransigent issues in the field, the disproportionate representation of minority students in special education programs has its roots in a long history of educational segregation and discrimination. Although national estimates of disproportionality have been consistent over time, state and local estimates may show varying patterns of disproportionality. A number of factors may contribute to disproportionality, including test bias, poverty, special education processes, inequity in general education, issues of behavior management, and cultural mismatch/cultural reproduction. This article provides a report on the history, measurement, status, and factors contributing to disproportionate representation in special education, and offers recommendations based on an understanding of racial and ethnic disparities in special education as a multiply determined phenomenon.
Assessing porosity of proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas diffusion layers by scanning electron microscope image analysis

a b s t r a c t A gas diffusion layer (GDL) in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell may consist of several, materials of different porosities, with each material serving a specific set of functions. For example, samples analyzed in this work consisted of a macro porous carbon paper substrate treated with a, hydrophobic wet proofing material in differing amounts, which was then coupled to a micro porous, layer. The porosities of four such GDLs were determined by using 2D scanning electron microscope (SEM) images to mathematically model the volumes filled by each solid in the 3D structures. Results, were then compared with mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) measurements to verify the accuracy, of the method. It was found that the use of SEM not only allowed for detailed porosity analysis of, separate porous materials within the GDL, but also porosity for the entire GDL could be calculated for, the seemingly complex structures with reasonable accuracy. With some basic geometric assumptions, and use of the superposition principle, the calculated results were accurate to less than a 2% absolute, difference of the porosity measured by MIP for each of the four samples analyzed. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Constitutive equation for concrete creep and shrinkage based on thermodynamics of multiphase systems

The constitutive equation for creep, shrinkage and thermal expansion, which reflects correctly the effect of variable humidity and temperature, including the effect of size, shape and stress distribution, is derived. Cement paste and concrete are treated as a multi-phase composite material, in which both the static and thermodynamic conditions of equilibrium must be considered.
Differentiation of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis from seed-borne saprophytes using ELISA, Biolog and 16S rDNA sequencing

Specificity of a monoclonal antibody (MAb), Cmm1, to geographically diverse strains of the seed-borne tomato pathogen, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm), was assessed and the MAb was tested for its usefulness as a tool to separate the pathogen from saprophytes in naturally infested tomato seed. Of the 236 international Cmm strains tested, 99% reacted with MAb Cmm1. MAb Cmm1 was also strongly reactive with an additional 32 strains isolated from seed that were later identified as Cmm by the Biolog MicroLog™ microbial identification system (Biolog, Inc., Hayward, CA) and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. It correctly differentiated these strains from 12 MAb Cmm1-negative seed strains that possessed similar colony morphology but were later identified as other Gram-positive genera and species. The specificity of MAb Cmm1 to the pathogen and the near universality of the MAb Cmm1-reactive antigen among diverse Cmm strains make this antibody a useful detection and identification tool. The finding that a large proportion of the Cmm strains associated with naturally infested tomato seed were putatively hypovirulent or non-virulent indicates that such populations cannot be ignored and points to a need for studies to determine their significance in host-pathogen interactions.
On improving the convergence of constant modulus algorithm adaptive filters

An FIR (finite impulse response) communications channel is considered. Two computationally simple algorithms are proposed for globally convergent, linear estimation of the FIR channel parameters where the FIR model order is not necessarily known. The estimated channel impulse response is used to derive a reliable initialization for the CMA (constant modulus algorithm) adaptive filter. So initialized, the CMA filter avoids undesirable equilibria and saddle points. A simulation example is presented to illustrate this advantage. Previous approaches either propose different criteria leading to computationally much more expensive schemes, or propose complex modifications without alleviating the above-mentioned shortcomings of the traditional approach. >
X/Ku-band 8-element phased arrays based on single silicon chips

This paper presents a complete 8-element X/Ku-band phased array based on a single silicon chip. The phased array is integrated together with the antennas and digital control circuitry on a single Teflon board. The chip-on-board package, together with 8 X/Ku-band RF inputs and one RF output in a 2.2×2.5mm2 area, and the appropriate grounding and Vcc connections, are modeled using a 3-D EM solver. The design results in a low coupling between the different RF ports, and ensures stability even with a channel gain of 20 dB at 12 GHz. The measured patterns show a near-ideal performance up to a scan angle of 60° with an instantaneous scanning bandwidth of 11.4–12.6 GHz (limited by non true-time delay connections between the antennas and the chip). Temperature tests indicate that the silicon chip maintains excellent phase stability and rms phase error up to 100°C. To our knowledge, this represents the first system-level measurements on silicon-chip phased arrays.
Early Ordovician Mitrates and A Possible Solute (Echinodermata) from the Western United States

Two new kirkocystid mitrate stylophorans (Echinodermata, Homalozoa) and a new possible solute (Echinodermata, Homalozoa) are described from the Early Ordovician of the western United States. The mitrates are among the earliest members of their clade to appear near the beginning of the Ordovician Radiation. Anatifopsis ninemilensis new species comes from the Ninemile Shale in central Nevada and the McKelligon Canyon Formation in west Texas. Anatifopsis fillmorensis new species comes from the middle Fillmore Formation in western Utah and a Ninemile Shale equivalent limestone bed in southern Nevada. The possible solute Drepanocystis dubius new genus new species from the lower Wah Wah Limestone in western Utah, shows unusual morphology with an elongate theca and a long arm shaped like a sickle.
Impact of pathological staging on survival in patients with epithelial mesothelioma treated with extrapleural pneumonectomy

7706 Objective: There is no universally accepted staging system in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). A seventeen-year single institution experience of surgically treating a large epithelial MPM...
Institutional review board perspectives on obligations to disclose genetic incidental findings to research participants.

Researchers’ obligations to disclose genetic incidental findings (GIFs) have been widely debated, but there has been little empirical study of the engagement of institutional review boards (IRBs) with this issue. This article presents data from the first extensive (n = 796) national survey of IRB professionals’ understanding of, experience with, and beliefs surrounding GIFs. Most respondents had dealt with questions about GIFs (74%), but only a minority (47%) felt prepared to address them. Although a majority believed that there is an obligation to disclose GIFs (78%), there is still not consensus about the supporting ethical principles. Respondents generally did not endorse the idea that researchers’ additional time and effort (7%), and lack of resources (29%), were valid reasons for diminishing a putative obligation. Most (96%) supported a right not to know, but this view became less pronounced (63%) when framed in terms of specific case studies. IRBs are actively engaged with GIFs but have not yet reached consensus. Respondents were uncomfortable with arguments that could be used to limit an obligation to return GIFs. This could indicate that IRBs are providing some of the impetus for the trend toward returning GIFs, although questions remain about the relative contribution of other stakeholders. Genet Med 18 7, 705–711.
Comparative Study of Wavelet-Based Unsupervised Ocular Artifact Removal Techniques for Single-Channel EEG Data

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a technique for recording the asynchronous activation of neuronal firing inside the brain with non-invasive scalp electrodes. Artifacts, such as eye blink activities, can corrupt these neuronal signals. While ocular artifact (OA) removal is well investigated for multiple channel EEG systems, in alignment with the recent momentum toward minimalistic EEG systems for use in natural environments, we investigate unsupervised and effective removal of OA from single-channel streaming raw EEG data. In this paper, the unsupervised wavelet transform (WT) decomposition technique was systematically evaluated for the effectiveness of OA removal for a single-channel EEG system. A set of seven raw EEG data set was analyzed. Two commonly used WT methods, Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Stationary Wavelet Transform (SWT), were applied. Four WT basis functions, namely, haar, coif3, sym3, and bior4.4, were considered for OA removal with universal threshold and statistical threshold (ST). To quantify OA removal efficacy from single-channel EEG, five performance metrics were utilized: correlation coefficients, mutual information, signal-to-artifact ratio, normalized mean square error, and time-frequency analysis. The temporal and spectral analysis shows that the optimal combination could be DWT with ST with coif3 or bior4.4 to remove OA among 16 combinations. This paper demonstrates that the WT can be an effective tool for unsupervised OA removal from single-channel EEG data for real-time applications.
Security and Freedom After September 11: The Institutional Limits and Ethical Costs of Terrorism Prosecutions

Preventing terrorism is a high priority after September 11, but few studies have investigated the limitations and costs of prosecuting suspects under antiterror laws. This article examines PATRIOT ...
Abstract 34: Elevated Plasma CETP Activity and Hyper-procoagulant R451Q-CETP Mutation Linked to Venous Thrombosis Risk

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is an important lipid transfer factor in plasma that enhances prothrombinase activity in purified reaction mixtures. To test the hypothesis that CETP activity is linked to venous thrombosis (VTE), we measured CETP lipid transfer activity in plasmas of 49 male VTE patients (age 90th percentile of controls) was significantly associated with VTE risk (odds ratio= 4.1 (95%CI, 1.4-13)). A subset of patients carrying CETP mutations A373P and R451Q, which were also linked to VTE risk, showed significantly higher plasma CETP activity compared with non-carriers (110 % (105-115 %) vs 80 % (66-92 %) (p=0.0004)). To test the hypothesis that these mutations enhance procoagulant activity of CETP, we made recombinant CETPs in a stable HEK293 cell expression system and measured the procoagulant activity of re...
High Frequency Characteristics of 1-2-3 Films on MgO Substrates Grown by Activated Reactive Evaporation

One important application of the thin film high temperature superconductors is in the area of passive components for high frequency (microwave) devices. The important parameter that characterizes the ohmic losses in the superconductor film at these frequencies (1–100 GHz) is the surface resistance (Rs). It has been reported earlier that extremely high quality films are required to compete with copper at 100 GHz [1,2]. Films that exhibit excellent Rs values were usually grown by laser ablation at 750–780 ° C on exotic low loss substrates such as LaA1O3. In these films, c-axis orientation was well formed, defects were minimal, Tcs’ were higher than 90 K, Jcs' higher than 106 Amps/cm2 at 77 K etc.. In fact, the films were reported to be nearly single crystal with less than 1% impurities. In this letter we report our results of Rs measurement on 1-2-3 films grown on MgO substrates at 675 ° C, and show that some of the stringent conditions can be met more easily using the low pressure ARE growth process. The process is well established, and has been used successfully to fabricate high quality YBCO films [3, 4].
A few ways can take you a long way: Efficient and highly associative caches with scalable partitioning for many-core CMPs

This article consists of a collection of slides from the author's conference presentation on a comparative analysis of ZCache versus Vantage, single chip multi-core processors.
Millimeter-Wave Wireless Intra-/Inter Chip Communications in 3D Integrated Circuits Using Through Glass Via (TGV) Disc-Loaded Patch Antennas

A Through Glass Via (TGV) disc-loaded patch antenna is integrated in a glass interposer layer for millimeter-wave intra-/inter chip wireless communication applications in W-band (75GHz -- 110GHz). The circular disc on the bottom side is utilized as a main radiator (patch antenna) and the TGV is for a vertical feeding line connected to the coplanar waveguide (CPW) on the top side of the glass substrate. A broadside radiation pattern formed by the circular patch antenna enables out-of-plane wireless communications whose distance would be a few mm to a few cm. By using such a wireless interconnect approach, problems such as cross talk and time delay associated with the conventional wired interconnects could be reduced. A TGV fed patch antenna is designed and fabricated, which shows a return loss of 20.88 dB at 84.8 GHz, a 10 dB bandwidth of 31.3 % (80.39 GHz to 107.06 GHz). The measured results are matched well with the simulation ones. The simulated peak gain of the antenna is 3.14 dBi.
They Survived, We Can Help Them Thrive: Older Adult Refugees in the United States.

Dear President-elect and Members of Congress,Around 21.3 million individuals are recognized as refugees by national or international organizations (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UN...
The n-inverses of a matrix

The concept of a left n-inverse of a bounded linear operator on a complex Banach space was introduced recently. Previously, there have been results on products and tensor products of left n-inverses, and the representation of left n-inverses as the sum of left inverses and nilpotent operators was being discussed. In this paper, we give a spectral characterization of the left n-inverses of a nite (square) matrix. We also show that a left n-inverse of a matrix T is the sum of the inverse of T and two nilpotent matrices.