cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biocomm-a cross-layer medium access control (MAC) and routing protocol co-design for biomedical sensor networks

One of the most novel applications of wireless sensor networks in recent years has been in the field of biomedical research. Biomedical sensor networks are formed by tiny wireless sensor nodes, embedded inside the body. The communication protocol used in such networks must prevent the formation of hotspots in the network and at the same time route data efficiently, while conserving energy. In this paper we propose a cross-layer medium access control (MAC) protocol and routing protocol co-design for biomedical sensor networks. The cross-layer interactions among the network and MAC layers help optimise the overall performance of the in vivo network. Extensive simulations have been done to show that the proposed Biocomm protocol performs much better than the other existing MAC and routing protocols in terms of preventing the formation of hotspots, reducing energy consumption of nodes and preventing network congestion when used in an in vivo network. A variation of Biocomm, Biocomm-D has been proposed for delay-sensitive biomedical sensor network applications.
Interplay of Clamp Loader Subunits in Opening the β Sliding Clamp of Escherichia coli DNA Polymerase III Holoenzyme

The Escherichia coli β dimer is a ring-shaped protein that encircles DNA and acts as a sliding clamp to tether the replicase, DNA polymerase III holoenzyme, to DNA. The γ complex (γδδ′χψ) clamp loader couples ATP to the opening and closing of β in assembly of the ring onto DNA. These proteins are functionally and structurally conserved in all cells. The eukaryotic equivalents are the replication factor C (RFC) clamp loader and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) clamp. The δ subunit of the E. coli γ complex clamp loader is known to bind β and open it by parting one of the dimer interfaces. This study demonstrates that other subunits of γ complex also bind β, although weaker than δ. The γ subunit like δ, affects the opening of β, but with a lower efficiency than δ. The δ′ subunit regulates both γ and δ ring opening activities in a fashion that is modulated by ATP interaction with γ. The implications of these actions for the workings of the E. coli clamp loading machinery and for eukaryotic RFC and PCNA are discussed.
Studies on permeability. VI. Increased permeability of dog erythrocytes caused by cholinesterase inhibitors.

Abstract 1. 1. The effects of several inhibitors of cholinesterase activity on the permeability of dog erythrocytes have been studied. The following drugs were investigated: physostigmine, prostigmine, caffeine, and choline. 2. 2. Permeability effects were noted only with drugs in concentrations that produced 50% or more inhibition of cholinesterase activity. 3. 3. Acetyl choline in concentrations of 10 −2 -10 −5 M produced significant increases in resistance of dog erythrocytes to hemolysis, the magnitude of the effects varying with the concentration of drug.
Weighted-least-squares magnitude-spectrum estimation from the bispectrum

Two new weighted-least-squares algorithms for magnitude-spectrum estimation from the bispectrum are presented. The performance of these algorithms is compared both with direct-magnitude-spectrum estimation and with several previously proposed algorithms for magnitude-spectrum estimation from the bispectrum. It is shown that the new algorithms result in more accurate magnitude-spectrum estimates than these other approaches.
A study of madelung potential effects in the ESCA spectra of the metal oxides

Abstract Madelung potentials, assuming the normal oxidation states of the ions involved, have been calculated within the point-charge approximation for most of the common metal oxides, and an empirical expression has been found for obtaining these potentials to a high degree of accuracy. Using these potentials and core binding-energy shifts of the free ions [1], calculated and experimental ESCA spectra have been compared. Deficiencies of the simple Madelung-potential model are discussed, and trends in the ionicity of the oxides are obtained.
Safe and practical large-scale synthesis of 2-aminoquinoline-6-carboxylic acid benzyl ester

An efficient three-step sequence has been developed for the synthesis of 2-aminoquinoline-6-carboxylic acid benzyl ester starting from commercially available 6-quinolinecarboxylic acid. The process features a novel and exceptionally mild conversion of a quinoline N-oxide to a 2-aminoquinoline using a triethylamine/ammonium chloride buffered system. The development of this procedure is especially important since gaseous ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, and solutions of ammonia in alcohols all failed to deliver a safe and reliable process.
Predicting Ambulance Diverson

The high utilization level of emergency departments in hospitals across the United States has resulted in the serious and persistent problem of ambulance diversion. This problem is magnified by the cascading effect it has on neighboring hospitals, delays in emergency care, and the potential for patientsâ€™ clinical deterioration. We provide a predictive tool that would give advance warning to hospitals of the impending likelihood of diversion. We hope that with a predictive instrument, such as the one described in this article, hospitals can take preventive or mitigating actions. The proposed model, which uses logistic and multinomial regression, is evaluated using real data from the Emergency Management System (EM Systems) and 911 call data from FirstwatchÂ® for the Metropolitan Ambulance Services Trust (MAST) of Kansas City, Missouri. The information in these systems that was significant in predicting diversion includes recent 911 calls, season, day of the week, and time of day. The model illustrates the feasibility of predicting the probability of impending diversion using available information. We strongly recommend that other locations, nationwide and abroad, develop and use similar models for predicting diversion.
Fertilization: Welcome to the fold.

The mammalian egg coat participates in fertilization and prevents more than one sperm from entering the egg. Structural data pinpoint a region common to egg-coat proteins that might mediate these functions.
Frequency Dependent AVO Analysis After Target Oriented Stretch Correction

To better study frequency related effects by fluidsaturation, we developed a frequency dependent AVO analysis. Comprehensive tests on full waveform synthetics and observations from the Teal South OBS data set confirmed that NMO stretch could distort both frequency and amplitude information severely in shallow events and far offset traces. Considering the suboptimal condition of the field data set for prestack analysis, we applied a simple but robust target oriented NMO stretch correction scheme that can be used on top of an existing seismic processing flow for further analyses. Combining the NMO stretch correction, spectral decomposition, and crossplots of AVO attributes, we applied the frequency dependent workflow to three target events for improved reservoir characterization. After the stretch correction, we could observe systematic increases mainly in magnitudes of gradient attributes. As expected from NMO stretch characteristics, low frequency region has been less affected while mid and high frequency regions were affected considerably. In seismic attributes analysis, the attribute crossplots from spectral decomposed prestack data confirmed the improved accuracy and effectiveness of our workflow in mid and high frequency regions.
Validation of Colorectal Cancer Screening Behaviors

The importance of identifying efficacious and effective strategies to improve the use of evidence-based cancer screening tests and reduce disparities is well documented ([1][1]). Among many methodologic challenges to rigorous study design ([2][2]) are several related to obtaining reliable and valid
A fast neutron activation detector for pulsed sources

Abstract A fast neutron detector is described in which the beta particles resulting from the decay of 6 He are observed in a plastic scintillator. The detector can be used with neurtons in the energy range from approximately 2 to 20 MeV.
Observation of initial ion-pairs in pulse-irradiated weakly polar liquids

Abstract The formation and decay of pyrenide ions have been observed, with nanosecond time resolution, in pulse-irradiated solutions of pyrene in diethylamine (DEA) and tetrahydrofuran (THF), both weakly polar liquids. The complex decay of the pyrenide ion was interpreted in terms of the very fast “geminate” recombination of pyrenide ions with solvent counter-ions with solvent counter-ions in the original ion-pair configuration as well as the homogeneous recombination of the “free” ions. The empirical “error-function” kinetic treatment for such decays, developed by Schuler et al. , has been applied to the experimentally observed rate curves. This application, which fits the experimental data quite well, leads to estimates of ionic escape probabilities of 0·03 for DEA and 0·08 for the THF. These escape probabilities correspond to “free-ion” yields ( G fi ) of approximately 0·1 ion/100 eV for DEA and 0·3 ion/100 eV for THF based on the measured ionic yields for nanosecond pulses. This implies that the total ionization yield is approximately 4 in THF and 3 in DEA.
Power system monitoring using Petri net embeddings

A failure in a power transmission line causes a number of circuit breakers to activate in an effort to isolate the failure and prevent it from corrupting the rest of the power system. Based on information from these physically distributed protective devices, a central controller needs to quickly locate and identify the failure. The task becomes challenging due to the complexity of modern power transmission networks and due to the possibility of sensor failures or incorrect operation of protective devices. A solution to this problem is investigated using Petri net models. Our approach allows concurrent/incremental processing of the information that arrives at the controller and only requires simple calculations (linear checks) during execution time. Most reasoning is implicitly performed at design time, which gives our method an important edge for real-time monitoring. These same techniques can potentially handle multiple failures or perform hierarchical and/or distributed monitoring.
ansa-Chromocene Complexes. 2. Isocyanide Derivatives of Cr(II) and Cr(III), Their Syntheses, X-ray Crystal Structures, and Physical Properties

A variety of 18e ansa-chromocene isocyanide complexes were prepared via ligand substitution on the carbonyl complexes. The relative π-accepting character of the different isocyanide ligands was eva...
Optimal seeding of self-reproducing systems

This article is motivated by the need to minimize the number of elements required to establish a self-reproducing system. One such system is a self-reproducing extraterrestrial robotic colony, which reduces the launch payload mass for space exploration compared to current mission configurations. In this work, self-reproduction is achieved by the actions of a robot on available resources. An important consideration for the establishment of any self-reproducing system is the identification of a seed, for instance, a set of resources and a set of robots that utilize them to produce all of the robots in the colony. This article outlines a novel algorithm to determine an optimal seed for self-reproducing systems, with application to a self-reproducing extraterrestrial robotic colony. Optimality is understood as the minimization of a cost function of the resources and, in this article, the robots. Since artificial self-reproduction is currently an open problem, the algorithm is illustrated with a simple robotic self-replicating system from the literature and with a more complicated self-reproducing example from nature.
Looking Backward on Labor in the United States

The increase of rote tasks in manufacturing over the first half of the nineteenth century misled labor into believing that education and training were not central to its advance. With the rise of the service sector and the new information age, organized labor's success depends on understanding and promoting its educational interests.
Growth of Ga- and N- polar gallium nitride layers by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on sapphire wafers

Abstract Following an already established polarity control scheme for GaN thin films, we developed a process to simultaneously grow Ga- and N-polarity layers side by side on c-plane sapphire. The simultaneous growth is achieved by properly treating the AlN nucleation/buffer layer and subsequent substrate annealing. During this process, the growth is mass-transfer-limited, permitting the same growth rate for both types of polarity domains. Smooth domains of both polarity types (RMS roughness ∼1–2 nm) were obtained.
A TOPOLOGICAL HAWKING EFFECT

Consideration of particle creation on a topologically nontrivial instanton leads to the possibility of a “topological Hawking effect”, whereby virtual pairs are converted to real particles because of a “change in topology”. This effect, calculable in a coherent state representation, is illustrated here for a manifold with two boundaries and one handle. It is also argued that this effect could provide a natural explanation of the Hot Big Bang scenario whereby the Universe “tunnels into being”.
Lateral Connectivity in the Olfactory Bulb is Sparse and Segregated

Lateral connections in the olfactory bulb were previously thought to be organized for center-surround inhibition. However, recent anatomical and physiological studies showed sparse and distributed interactions of inhibitory granule cells (GCs) which tended to be organized in columnar clusters. Little is known about how these distributed clusters are interconnected. In this study, we use transsynaptic tracing viruses bearing green or red fluorescent proteins to further elucidate mitral- and tufted- to granule-cell connectivity. Separate sites in the glomerular layer were injected with each virus. Columns with labeling from both viruses after transsynaptic spread show sparse red or green GCs which tended to be segregated. However, there was a higher incidence of co-labeled cells than chance would predict. Similar segregation of labeling is observed from dual injections into olfactory cortex. Collectively, these results suggest that neighboring mitral and tufted cells receive inhibitory inputs from segregated subsets of GCs, enabling inhibition of a center by specific and discontinuous lateral elements.
The cyclooxygenase-2 stucture: new drugs for an old target?

The crystal structure of human cyclooxygenase-2 offers a unique opportunity for the design of new nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and may also provide insights into the mechanisms of membrane protein targeting and the role of prostaglandin physiology in inflammation and disease.
A MACROSCOPIC MODEL OF NEURAL ENSEMBLES: LEARNING-INDUCED OSCILLATIONS IN A CELL ASSEMBLY

A mathematical model is developed to characterize the aggregate behavior of large neural networks in which each individual neuron can be described by the general Hodgkin-Huxley format. Equations relating the average input activation and connection strength of the neurons to other ensemble parameters are derived using only the first and second order statistics of the system. The model describes the global effects of weight changes brought about by a local Hebb-type adaptation rule. In particular, such adaptation can lead to rhythmic behavior of ensemble activity even in an isolated cell assembly of homogeneous cells. Conditions that make such oscillatory behavior possible are identified and the frequency of oscillation is quantitatively related to the network parameters. Results from computer simulation support the mathematical analysis.
Effect of cross-linking density on the toughening mechanisms of rubber-modified thermosets

Solid rubbers have been incorporated into thermosets using the compositional quenching process. Electron micrographs reveal that rubber particles a few micrometres or less in size have been dispersed in the matrix. Two model systems were studied: an epoxy resin cured with primary amines which represents a tight network structure, and a phenoxy resin cross-linked with methylene diisocyanate which represents a loose network. The present study indicates that a small amount of a cross-linking agent can reduce the degree of matrix yielding with a resultant drop in impact strength. SEM fractography provides complementary information on the transition from ductile fracture to brittle fracture.
Psychometric Evaluation of Condition-Specific Instruments Used to Assess Health-Related Quality of Life, Attitudes, and Related Constructs in Stuttering

Purpose This study assessed the psychometric properties of instruments used to measure constructs similar to stuttering-specific health-related quality of life. In the stuttering literature, most s...
Stable, intense picosecond pulse generation using intracavity GaAs.

A reliable pulsed Nd:YAG laser system has been designed to produce 150-mJ pulses of 260-ps duration with a shot-to-shot standard deviation of ±5.8% and a full-angle divergence of 0.6 mrad. The stability is due to a new cavity-dumped oscillator design that uses an intracavity GaAs plate to stabilize the pulse development and inhibit large fluctuations. The resulting output pulse from the cavity-dumped oscillator is 103 μJ, with an average shot-to-shot standard deviation of ±1.1% and a full-angle divergence of 2 mrad.
A retrospective look at A Behavioral Theory of the Firm

Abstract The papers in this special issue focus on ideas associated with a book published 45 years ago, A Behavioral Theory of the Firm (Cyert, R.M., March, J.G., 1963. A Behavioral Theory of the Firm. Endlewood Cliffs. Prentice Hall, NJ). The book proposed the introduction of a few more realistic behavioral assumptions into the economic theory of the firm. The papers presented here examine some aspects of the history of the ideas found in the book, extend and elaborate the ideas in the context of current research, and indicate possible directions for future research in the behavioral tradition. We will not attempt to summarize the papers, but will try to locate them gently in their historical and intellectual context.
Differential Aortic and Mitral Valve Interstitial Cell Mineralization and the Induction of Mineralization by Lysophosphatidylcholine In Vitro

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a serious condition with vast uncertainty regarding the precise mechanism leading to valve calcification. This study was undertaken to examine the role of the lipid lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) in a comparison of aortic and mitral valve cellular mineralization. The proportion of LPC in differentially calcified regions of diseased aortic valves was determined using thin layer chromatography (TLC). Next, porcine valvular interstitial cells (pVICs) from the aortic (paVICs) and mitral valve (pmVICs) were cultured with LPC (10−1–105 nM) and analyzed for cellular mineralization, alkaline phosphatase activity (ALPa), proliferation, and apoptosis. TLC showed a higher percentage of LPC in calcified regions of tissue compared to non-calcified regions. In pVIC cultures, with the exception of 105 nM LPC, increasing concentrations of LPC led to an increase in phosphate mineralization. Increased levels of calcium content were exhibited at 104 nm LPC application compared to baseline controls. Compared to pmVIC cultures, paVIC cultures had greater total phosphate mineralization, ALPa, calcium content, and apoptosis, under both a baseline control and LPC-treated conditions. This study showed that LPC has the capacity to promote pVIC calcification. Also, paVICs have a greater propensity for mineralization than pmVICs. LPC may be a key factor in the transition of the aortic valve from a healthy to diseased state. In addition, there are intrinsic differences that exist between VICs from different valves that may play a key role in heart valve pathology.
A new procedure for the reconstitution of biologically active phospholipid vesicles

Summary A simple and rapid procedure is described for the reconstitution of biologically active phospholipid vesicles without the use of detergents. It consists of suspending dried phospholipids in salt solution containing membrane proteins and exposing the mixture to sonic oscillation. The following systems have been reconstituted by this procedure: A rutamycin and uncoupler-sensitive P i -ATP exchange, cytochrome oxidase vesicles exhibiting respiratory control, a proton pump made with bacterial rhodopsin and a Ca ++ pump made with an ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum.
The Sliding–Rebinding Mechanism for Catch Bonds

Catch bonds, in which bond lifetime increases with force, have been demonstrated experimentally. This discovery has sparked great interest in physically modeling such a counterintuitive phenomenon. Here, we summarize the results of our recent study on selectin crystal structures, molecular dynamics simulations, Monte Carlo modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, single-molecule force and kinetics experiments, and flow chamber adhesion studies that support a sliding–rebinding mechanism for catch bonds. In the model, "catch" results from the forced opening of an interdomain hinge that tilts the binding interface to allow two sides of the contact to slide against each other. Sliding promotes formation of new interactions and even rebinding to the original state, thereby slowing dissociation and prolonging bond lifetimes. This model provides a possible explanation for how external forces allosterically modulate atomic-level noncovalent interactions at the binding interface to regulate dissociation pathways.
Does automated refactoring obviate systematic editing

When developers add features and fix bugs, they often make systematic edits -- similar edits to multiple locations. Systematic edits may indicate that developers should instead refactor to eliminate redundancy. This paper explores this question by designing and implementing a fully automated refactoring tool called RASE, which performs clone removal. RASE (1) extracts common code guided by a systematic edit; (2) creates new types and methods as needed; (3) parameterizes differences in types, methods, variables, and expressions; and (4) inserts return objects and exit labels based on control and data flow. To our knowledge, this functionality makes RASE the most advanced refactoring tool for automated clone removal. We evaluate RASE with real-world systematic edits and com- pare to method based clone removal. RASE successfully performs clone removal in 30 of 56 method pairs (n=2) and 20 of 30 method groups (n=3) with systematic edits. We find that scoping refactoring based on systematic edits (58%), rather than the entire method (33%), increases the applicability of automated clone removal. Automated refactoring is not feasible in the other 42% cases, which indicates that automated refactoring does not obviate the need for systematic editing.
Analysis of nipple/areolar involvement with mastectomy: can the areola be preserved?

Background Skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM), which involves the resection of the nipple/areolar complex with the breast parenchyma, improves the aesthetic outcome for breast cancer patients. Most patients undergoing SSM desire reconstruction of the nipple/areolar complex for symmetry. These data explore the possibility of preserving the areola in selected mastectomy patients.
Drug Use in the Nursing Home

Some of the most intensive pharmacotherapy today occurs in nursing homes in very complex and vulnerable patients. The nursing home provides an opportunity for highly effective drug use, but it also presents risks for polypharmacy and adverse events. Nursing homes are complex social institutions, in which physicians, nurses, consultant pharmacists, other health care professionals, aides, and administrators must interact to make decisions about drug use for patients who generally are frail and have numerous comorbid conditions. Federal regulations have recently been implemented to direct the ways in which specific drugs are to be used in this setting. The nursing home environment can present an ideal opportunity for comprehensive drug regimen review, an exercise too often neglected in the care of elderly patients in all clinical settings. Psychoactive medications, analgesics, and laxatives are examples of drugs that should receive such review. The possible underuse of drug therapies that may be beneficial to nursing home residents, including antidepressant, antihypertensive, and antithrombotic agents; calcium supplements; and vaccines, must be further quantified and must receive increased attention. Morbidity and functional incapacity can be substantially reduced by applying currently established principles of geriatric pharmacology in the nursing home setting, but enormous gaps still exist in the knowledge base necessary to guide this aspect of geriatric medical practice. Data on the efficacy, toxicity, and cost-effectiveness of pharmacotherapeutic choices in nursing home patients are in short supply; considerably more clinical and epidemiologic research is needed to define the relations between the benefits and risks of drugs for this unique population.
Impression Cytology as a Diagnostic Aid in Kawasaki Syndrome (KS) 777

Several childhood febrile exanthematous diseases e.g., adenoviral syndrome, scarlet fever, and KS may present with similar clinical features like red eyes. At present there is no specific diagnostic test for KS. We hypothesized that in vasculitides such as KS, true conjunctivitis (inflammatory exudate and loss of epithelial integrity) would be absent and that this may be useful diagnostically. We used impression cytology (IC) to assess the conjunctival epithelium in 12 patients presenting with red eyes as a part of their illness: 4 viral conjunctivitis (VC); 1 Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS); 5 Kawasaki syndrome (KS); 1 Wegener's granulomatosis (W); and 1 meningococcemia (M).
Root and shoot characteristics of prairie grass compared to tall fescue and smooth brome grass during establishment

Abstract The root and top characteristics of ‘Grasslands Matua’ prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth) during establishment were compared with ‘Johnstone’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and ‘Saratoga’ smooth brome grass (Bromus inermis Leyss). ‘Grasslands Matua’ was slower to emerge than both tall fescue and smooth brome grass, but by first harvest (52 days after sowing), prairie grass had longer tillers (51 versus 38 and 26 cm), a greater number of seed heads (15 versus 0.3 and 0.1), and a higher stem/ leaf ratio (0.95 versus 0.14 and 0.01) than smooth brome grass and tall fescue, respectively. There were no differences in 2‐year mean tiller populations, leaf area, leaf yield, and stem yield between prairie grass and smooth brome grass at first harvest. Twenty days after sowing there were no differences in root length density among the three species. However, by first harvest, prairie grass at 20 cm depth had 135% of the root counts of the other two grasses. At 40 cm, prairie grass had 130 a...
Enhancing the stability of copper chromite catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of furfural with ALD overcoating (II) – Comparison between TiO2 and Al2O3 overcoatings

Abstract TiO2 atomic layer deposition (ALD) overcoatings were applied to copper chromite catalysts to increase the stability for 2-furfuraldehyde (“furfural”) hydrogenation. After overcoating, about 75% activity was preserved compared to neat copper chromite: much higher activity than an alumina-ALD-overcoated catalyst with a similar number of ALD cycles. The effects of ALD TiO2 on the active Cu nanoparticles were studied extensively using both in-situ TPR/isothermal-oxidation and in-situ furfural hydrogenation via Cu XAFS. The redox properties of Cu were modified only slightly by the TiO2 ALD overcoat. However, a subtle electronic interaction was observed between the TiO2 ALD layers and the Cu nanoparticles. With calcination at 500 °C, the interaction between the TiO2 overcoat and the underlying catalyst is strong enough to inhibit migration and site blocking by chromite, but is sufficiently weaker than the interaction between the Al2O3 overcoat and copper chromite that it does not strongly inhibit the catalytic activity of the copper nanoparticles.
Expression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae PIS1 gene is modulated by multiple ATGs in the promoter

The PIS1 gene encodes a key branchpoint phospholipid biosynthetic enzyme, phosphatidylinositol synthase. The PIS1 promoter contains the unusual feature of three ATG codons (ATGs1, 2, and 3) in-frame with three stop codons, located just before the authentic start codon (ATG4). Using a PIS1(promoter)-lacZ reporter expression system and site-directed mutagenesis, we investigated the role the "upstream" ATG codons play in modulation of PIS1 expression. Of the single codon changes, mutation of the first ATG (ATG1) resulted in the largest increase of the reporter gene PIS1(promoter)-lacZ expression. All combinations of altered upstream ATG codons also resulted in greater reporter expression. Reverse transcription-PCR revealed that at least some PIS1 transcripts include all AUG codons, and their synthesis is probably directed by a second TATA box upstream of the putative TATA box. These results indicate that the multiple upstream AUG codons are present in at least some PIS1 transcripts and negatively impact PIS1 expression.
GitBAC: Flexible access control for non-modular concerns

Today's techniques for controlling access to software artifacts are limited to restricting access to whole files and directories. But when a company's access control policy does not match a project's existing physical modularization, these techniques require either an all-or-nothing approach or re-modularization of the files and directories. The increased maintenance overhead this brings to project administration can lead to unimplemented or insufficient developer access control and an increased risk of insider security incidents (e.g., theft of intellectual property). We have created a tool (GitBAC) to provide access control of software artifacts using a crosscutting concern instead of artifact modularization. Our method provides fine-grained access control of artifacts and accommodates flexible access control policies.
Soft decoding of several classes of array codes

The potential of using various classes of MDS array codes as LDPC codes is examined. These codes include the BR code, a modified EVENODD code, and the X-code. The algebraic structures of the array codes can enable more efficient encoding and decoding in terms of memory space and computation time. Experimental results show iterative decoding of these array codes provides comparable or slightly better error correction performance than a regular LDPC code with similar parameters. In addition, these codes can be decoded as array codes.
Visualization of spatially and temporally regulated N-WASP activity during cytoskeletal reorganization in living cells.

Members of the WASP/WAVE family of proteins are key regulators of cytoskeletal reorganization across a diverse range of cellular processes. Despite a wealth of biochemical data about WASP/WAVE regulation in vitro, our understanding of the in vivo regulation of these proteins is hampered by the inability to monitor subcellular regulation of their activities in living cells. Here we establish a fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based approach to visualize spatial and temporal regulation of neuronal Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP) activity in living cells. Using time-lapse microscopy, we characterize the activation of N-WASP in response to growth-factor stimulation, and we reveal that N-WASP is activated inside extending filopodia. Furthermore, we suggest a role of N-WASP in regulating membrane ruffling downstream of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and Cdc42.
Space Charges in Insulators

The space charges in insulators directly determine the built-in field and electron energy distribution, as long as carrier transport can be neglected.
Effect of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 on β- and α-Cell Function in Isolated Islet and Whole Pancreas Transplant Recipients

Context: Glucose-dependent insulin secretion is often impaired after islet transplantation where reduced β-cell secretory capacity indicates a low functional β-cell mass. Objective: We sought to determine whether glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) enhanced glucose-dependent insulin secretion and glucagon suppression in islet recipients, and whether GLP-1 effects were dependent on functional β-cell mass by simultaneously studying recipients of whole pancreas transplants. Setting: The study was performed in a clinical and translational research center. Participants: Five intraportal islet and six portally drained pancreas transplant recipients participated in the study. Intervention: Subjects underwent glucose-potentiated arginine testing with GLP-1 (1.5 pmol · kg−1 · min−1) or placebo infused on alternate randomized occasions, with 5 g arginine injected under basal and hyperglycemic clamp conditions. Results: Basal glucose was lower with increases in insulin and decreases in glucagon during GLP-1 vs. placebo in both groups. During the hyperglycemic clamp, a significantly greater glucose infusion rate was required with GLP-1 vs. placebo in both groups (P < 0.05), an effect more pronounced in the pancreas vs. islet group (P < 0.01). The increased glucose infusion rate was associated with significant increases in second-phase insulin secretion in both groups (P < 0.05) that also tended to be greater in the pancreas vs. islet group (P = 0.08), whereas glucagon was equivalently suppressed by the hyperglycemic clamp during GLP-1 and placebo infusions in both groups. The GLP-1-induced increase in second-phase insulin correlated with the β-cell secretory capacity (P < 0.001). The proinsulin secretory ratio (PISR) during glucose-potentiated arginine was significantly greater with GLP-1 vs. placebo infusion in both groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: GLP-1 induced enhancement of glucose-dependent insulin secretion, but not glucagon suppression, in islet and pancreas transplant recipients, an effect dependent on the functional β-cell mass that may be associated with depletion of mature β-cell secretory granules.
Defects in ex vivo and in vivo growth and sensitivity to osmotic stress of group A Streptococcus caused by interruption of response regulator gene vicR.

The regulator VicR of the two-component regulatory system VicRK is essential in several Gram-positive bacteria. However, the authors were able to generate an unconditional vicR insertional mutant of group A Streptococcus. This mutant grew well in rich media but not in non-immune human blood and serum, had attenuated virulence, and was unstable in mice. Complementation of the mutant with vicR expressed in trans restored its phenotype to wild-type. A vicK deletion mutant had a phenotype similar to that of the vicR mutant. Phagocytosis and killing of the vicR mutant were normal, suggesting that VicRK does not regulate processes involved in evasion of host defence. Microarray analysis showed that vicR inactivation down-regulated the transcription of 13 genes, including putative cell wall hydrolase gene pcsB and spy1058–1060, which encode a putative phosphotransferase system enzyme II for carbohydrate transport, and upregulated the expression of five genes, including spy0183 and spy0184, which encode an osmoprotectant transporter OpuA. Consistent with microarray analysis, the vicR mutant took up more of the osmoprotectants betaine and proline and was sensitive to osmotic stress, indicating that vicR inactivation induced osmotic stress and increased susceptibility to osmotic pressure. Additionally, a spy1060 deletion mutant also displayed attenuated virulence. These results suggest that VicRK regulates processes involved in cell wall metabolism, nutrient uptake, and osmotic protection.
Position Around A Tree: Consequences For Pheromone Detection

The air flow pattern expected around a cylindrical object such as a tree in slow wind, is predicted from fluid mechanics to have areas of faster flow (upwind) and slower recirculating flow with eddies (downwind). An organism located on the surface of a tree would experience different flow depending on its circumferential position. If that organism was searching for a chemical signal, such as a pheromone plume, it might maximize its probability of chemodetection by placing itself in areas of greatest flow speed (the upwind surface of the cylinder, i.e., in front of the separation points). We tested whether wood cockroaches in the genus Parcoblatta exhibit such upwind positioning; they live in forests, and males actively fly from tree to tree, while searching for females releasing sex pheromone. In contrast to an expectation of upwind preference, male cockroaches were evenly distributed around trees relative to upwind (measured with a novel "feather boa" flow visualization technique), even though the wind direction was relatively steady. We investigated whether sex pheromone could be detected at any location around a cylindrical surface in a laboratory flow chamber by using Bombyx mori wing fanning as a bioassay. Although upwind moths arrayed on the surface detected pheromone more rapidly, pheromone detection occurred at least a third of the time at any position, which could explain the even distribution of Parcoblatta males around trees.
Who Helps the Helper? Lessons on Grieving for Athletic Trainers

Context: Grief is something that will touch all of us. We expect loss to occur in our personal lives and seem to be somewhat prepared for how to cope with it when it happens. In the profession of athletic training, we may not expect loss to occur as readily--especially if we are working with a young, seemingly healthy population. As such, when an athlete, student, or colleague suffers a catastrophic injury, illness, or death, we may not be able to process the loss and be left with unresolved grief. Objective: The purpose of this article is to review theories on grief, identify successful interventions by allied health care providers and offer suggestions on how to implement teaching strategies within athletic training curriculum regarding the issues of death, dying, and coping strategies.Data Sources: We searched various databases, including MEDLINE, ERIC, SportDiscus, and CINAHL Information Systems using the terms grieving, death, bereavement, loss, and coping. Data Synthesis: Pertinent articles were cross-referenced to gain additional information regarding the search terms.Conclusions: Athletic trainers should consider using strategies that introduce issues concerning bereavement, death, dying, and healthy coping skills into the athletic training curriculum. Additionally, it is critical to create a support network for athletic training professionals and students to use in time of loss.Key Words: grieving, death, bereavement, loss, coping.Full Citation:Maurer-Starks S, Wise KA, Leone JE, Kitsos, J. Who helps the helper? Lessons on grieving for athletic trainers. Athl Train Educ J; 2010;5(1):21-25
TREATMENT OF SYSTEMIC MAST CELL DISORDERS

The heterogeneous nature of disease manifestations in mastocytosis requires the individualization of therapy to each patient's clinical presentation and prognosis. The mainstay of treatment for most categories of mastocytosis are H1 and H2 antihistamines with the addition of corticosteroids for more severe symptoms. This article presents a summary of treatment strategies for indolent and aggressive forms of mastocytosis along with a discussion of future therapeutic directions.
Introduction: Our way of being in the world

How can one embrace spirituality in the workplace? This volume provides varied responses to this question through autoethnographic narratives from a racially diverse and spiritually guided group of professors and administrators.
PBDE developmental effects on embryonic zebrafish.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants with potential for bioaccumulation and maternal-fetal transfer that has led to regulatory bans and/or phasing out of several technical mixtures of PBDEs. In the present study, six PBDE congeners (BDE 28, BDE 47, BDE 99, BDE 100, BDE 153, BDE 183) were evaluated for developmental effects on embryonic zebrafish. These congeners were chosen because they are environmentally relevant and cover a wide range of physical-chemical properties. Alterations in behavior, physical malformations, and mortality were scored daily until 168 h postfertilization (hpf). A concentration-dependent increase in spontaneous movement indicated an early onset of behavioral responses to PBDE exposures. Spontaneous movement was affected the most by BDE 47 and BDE 28, whereas BDE 183 did not alter behavior at any concentration tested. Swimming rates were significantly increased by BDE 28 at 96 and 120 hpf, but decreased swimming activity at 168 hpf. Additionally, BDE 47 significantly decreased the swimming rate at 168 hpf. Other endpoints included malformations and mortality. Congeners with fewer bromines (BDE 28, 47, 99, and 100) also induced a curved body axis starting around 120 hpf, which was followed by mortality. BDEs 153 and 183, however, did not elicit these adverse effects. A relationship was found between log KOW and median lethal concentration (LC50) and median effective concentration (EC50). Structure–activity relationships in this study suggest that PBDE acute toxicity results from a receptor-mediated effect and further studies are necessary to determine these pathways. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2011; 30:1865–1872. © 2011 SETAC
Asymmetrical power relations and upgrading among suppliers of global clothing brands: Hugo Boss in Turkey

When a relatively powerless clothing supplier encroaches on the core competence of its dominant network partner and emerges as a competitor in its own right, this calls for detailed documentation and explanation. In this paper, we provide such an explanation through inquiry into the Turkish firm Sarar. A 13-year manufacturing contractor of Hugo Boss, it withdrew from its partnership with the German lead firm in 1998 and has since created its own brands of men's suits that are now sold at home and abroad. After the withdrawal, Hugo Boss established its own manufacturing facilities in Turkey. Here we investigate the relevancy of the national origin of the lead firm Hugo Boss and of the broader institutional and market setting of the post-1980 Turkey in which the relationship between the two firms was embedded. The findings are in some tension with the organizational frameworks that are frequently used to describe the clothing industry. Copyright 2007, Oxford University Press.
HIGHER-LEVEL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE SPIDER FAMILY CTENIDAE (ARANEAE: CTENOIDEA)

Abstract A cladistic analysis based on parsimony is undertaken to test hypotheses concerning the monophyly of the ctenid spiders and the relationships among their various clades. The data matrix comprised a total of 98 species representing 16 families scored for 146 characters, with all but six taken from various morphological systems; the remaining are behavioral attributes. Ctenidae is shown to be polyphyletic as currently delimited, but the most severely questioned taxa (i.e., Acanthoctenus, Cupiennius, and Ancylometes) are indeed members of this family. The so-called ctenid eye pattern is shown to be a synapomorphy uniting a more restricted set of taxa. This clade is recognized as Ctenidae sensu stricto and it comprises at least five major lineages: Acantheinae, Acanthocteninae, Calocteninae, Cteninae, and Viridasiinae. The latter taxa are hypothesized to be the sister group of all other ctenids. In turn, a clade formed by Miturgidae s.s. and Zoridae s.s. is proposed as the sister group of Ctenidae. T...
Perspectives and Insights from Preservice Teachers of Color on Developing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy at Predominantly White Institutions.

This article reports findings from the first phase of a longitudinal study that explored the influence of teacher education at a predominantly White institution (PWI) on the development of preservice teachers’ of Color culturally responsive pedagogy. Despite the overwhelming presence of White preservice teachers enrolled in teacher preparation programs across the nation, the author argues that programs need to pay attention to the specific needs of preservice teachers of Color. The assumption is often made that preservice teachers of Color already know how to enact culturally responsive pedagogy. However, analysis of qualitative responses from a questionnaire presented here demonstrates that is not necessarily the case. The precarious predicaments and ambivalence that many preservice teachers of Color face at PWIs are documented and explained using critical race theory and culturally responsive pedagogy as theoretical frameworks for analysis. In addition to having limited understandings of culturally resp...
ON THE CALCULATION OF WATER GAP PEAKING

Standard calculations of power peaking near water gaps yield larger relaxation lengths and smaller power peakings than the observed values for these quantities. These discrepancies result from a poor representation of the spatially dependent thermal neutron spectra. A method is described for improving the accuracy of these peaking calculations, consisting of computing the thermal group constants in the reactor by everywhere averaging the cross sections over the infinite medium characteristic spectrum of the water gaps. The method is incorporated into a computer program. The method is unsuccessful if the ratio of fission cross section to activation cross section is spectrally dependent. (T.F.H.)
Technology Diffusion and Market Structure: Evidence from Infertility Treatment Markets

We study how market structure influenced the diffusion of new treatment technology (ICSI) among U.S. fertility clinics that performed in vitro fertilization (IVF). We find that competitive (i.e., non-monopoly) markets were more likely to have a clinic that offered ICSI than monopoly markets. Our results account for the potential endogeneity of market structure with respect to entry-foreclosing technology adoption and unobserved market characteristics that might increase the return from offering ICSI. We also provide evidence that ICSI diffused faster to competitive markets because the returns from the new technology were greater there. Early-adopting clinics in competitive markets experienced a significant increase in size, while early-adopting monopoly clinics did not. However, monopoly clinics that adopted ICSI soon after its invention were more likely to delay the entry of rival firms than monopolists that adopted ICSI later.
Undergraduate STEM Achievement and Retention: Cognitive, Motivational, and Institutional Factors and Solutions.

Student cognition and motivation, as well as institutional policies, determine student course grades and retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Regarding cogn...