cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of the educator's portfolio to stimulate reflective practice among medical educators

Background: Preparing a teaching portfolio to document educational expertise should be useful for both promotion and to stimulate faculty development. Description: This article describes a study of the effectiveness of the Educator's Portfolio (EP) as a stimulus for faculty's reflection about educational practice. Methods: Structured interviews of 10 faculty who prepared EPs for promotion were conducted, and a qualitative content analysis of the resulting protocols was conducted to determine if the EP development process had promoted their reflection on education and, if so, how. Results: All 10 faculty indicated that reflection about education had occurred. Four categories of reflection emerged: (a) surfacing of dilemmas in practice, (b) seeking supports, (c) reformulating educational practice, and (d) transformation of educational practice. Conclusions: These findings indicate that EP preparation creates a forum for reflection on educational practice, which promotes faculty development.
Forecasting Hurricane Intensity and Impacts

Hurricane structure and intensity can now be predicted with sufficient accuracy to support quantitative assessment of human and economic impacts.
Simulation of electron transport in liquids under high electric fields

High Power Impulse (HPI) generation depends strongly on both the voltage and the rate of voltage rise which is applied to the radiating structure. Thus, placing the peaking switch at the apex of the antenna optimizes the transient radiating system. Liquids are prime candidates for the peaking switch media because of their high dielectric strength and its compatibility with lensing structures. The nature of the electrical breakdown initiation mechanism in liquids is not well understood. Electron processes are confirmed mechanisms of electrical breakdown initiation in gases, and it is natural to seek similar mechanisms for breakdown in the liquid state. The liquid state, however, contains many more scattering centers per unit volume, than in the gaseous state. An electron traveling through a liquid, then, undergoes many more collisions, most of which are inelastic. The electron, then, should quickly lose its energy to the background. Experiments have shown that, contrary to this intuitive conclusion, the electron transport coefficients tend to saturate under very high field conditions. A Monte Carlo simulation technique has been developed to investigate electron transport in liquids under high electric field conditions. This code adapts a computational technique that has been successfully used in electron kinetics of dilute gases by modifying the collisional crossection to accommodate the multiple scattering which occurs in the liquid.
Prognostic index for malignant melanoma

This report verifies the ability of a Prognostic Index (PI) to accurately predict 5-year survival rates for 879 Stage I cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM) patients seen at New York University Medical Center. The PI used in this study was first reported from Munich, West Germany, and is calculated from standard histologic sections by multiplying the MM thickness in millimeters (Breslow method) by the number of MM mitoses per square millimeter. A PI value of less than 19 versus greater than or equal to 19 was found to be a significant and independent prognostic variable for Stage I MM when compared with seven other predictive variables (including Breslow thickness). These PI intervals identified a subgroup of patients with MM of intermediate thicknesses (1.50-3.49 mm) whose significantly worse survival would not have been anticipated if prognosis were determined by Breslow thickness alone. For example, patients with MM 1.50 to 2.49 mm thick have a 5-year survival rate of 84.1% determined by Breslow thickness alone; however, among these patients exists a subgroup with PI greater than or equal to 19 whose survival rate is only 57.6%. This study verifies the additive usefulness of the PI in predicting survival rates of patients with Stage I cutaneous MM.
Codes for Approximating Lyapunov Exponents

We present a suite of codes for approximating Lyapunov exponents of nonlinear differential systems by so-called QR methods. The basic solvers perform integration of the trajectory and approximation of the Lyapunov exponents simultaneously. That is, they integrate for the trajectory at the same time, and with the same underlying schemes, as integration for the Lyapunov exponents is carried out. Separate codes solve small systems for which we can compute and store the Jacobian matrix, and for large systems for which the Jacobian matrix cannot be stored, and it may not even be explicitly known. If it is known, the user has the option to provide its action on a vector. An alternative strategy is also presented in which one may want to approximate the trajectory with a specialized solver, linearize around the computed trajectory, and then carry out the approximation of the Lyapunov exponents using codes for linear problems.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Gastric ulcers following vagotomy in piglets.

Acute gastric ulceration occurred within 2 days of highly selective vagotomy (HSV) or truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty (VP) in 24 of 38 piglets (63%). Twenty-three control animals with gastric and nongastric sham operations or anesthesia alone had normal stomachs when examined after 2 days. Microspheres labeled with various isotopes were injected sequentially to study a possible hemodynamic etiology of postvagotomy ulceration. At intervals of 1, 3, and 5 hours after vagotomy or a control operation, microspheres were injected into the left atrium. Animals were sacrificed 48 hours later and stomachs excised, inspected, divided into 1–2 cm squares and counted for radioactivity. Blood flow to squares, gastric regions, and total stomach was calculated for each isotope (time interval). Total flow in squares with and without ulcers was similar, but the distribution of flow between mucosa and muscle varied. In HSV piglets, mucosal perfusion decreased 41% in ulcerated squares and 21% in normal areas. Muscle flow was increased 95% in ulcerated squares and 177% in normal areas. In VP piglets, mucosal perfusion was reduced 45% in squares with ulcers and 21% in normal squares, while muscle flow increased 18% in ulcerated samples and 194% in normal areas. Vagotomy appears to cause acute gastric ulceration in piglets by diverting gastric blood flow from mucosa to muscle.
Phase transformations of alloys on a reactive substrate: Interaction of binary alloys of transition and rare‐earth metals with silicon

Transition and rare‐earth metals have been found to interact with single‐crystal Si in a way that allows a division into three distinct classes: near noble, refractory, and rare earth. Recently, attention has turned to the reaction of their binary alloys with Si. In this paper we will try to demonstrate that by regarding the alloy‐Si reaction as a phase transformation of alloys under the influence of a reactive substrate, we can undertake a systematic approach for the study of this kind of phase transformations involving ternary elements. In essence we show that the kinetic path taken by the alloy‐Si interaction can be understood and anticipated from the reaction characteristics of the proper metal/Si bilayers and the reaction in the alloy itself. Results will be shown for Er‐Pt, and Gd‐Ti alloys on Si which confirm this systematic approach, which is also supported by previously published data.
In the Beginning: The Origin of Nuclear Secrecy

THROUGHOUT WORLD WAR II AND THE Cold War, American scientists and policymakers compromised the ideals of openness of both science and democracy for the sake of national security, creating vast enterprises based on “black” or secret science. ¶ Nowhere was that more apparent than in nuclear science. The Manhattan Project of World War II spawned a host of nuclear research labs, including large laboratories at the University of Chicago, Los Alamos in New Mexico, and Oak Ridge in Tennessee. Meanwhile, it turned the existing Radiation Laboratory at the University of California-Berkeley into a high-security war plant.At first it was the scientists themselves who wanted nuclear weapons work kept secret.
Population dispersion and equilibrium infection frequency in a spatial epidemic

Abstract Spatially detailed epidemic models commonly invoke probabilistic cellular automata to predict population-level consequences of localized interactions between infectious and susceptible individuals. Most such models equate local and global host density; the resulting spatial uniformity implies that each individual interacts with the same number of neighbors. However, many natural populations exhibit a heterogeneous spatial dispersion, so that the number of contacts capable of transmitting an infection will vary among interaction neighborhoods. We analyze the impact of this variation with a probabilistic cellular automaton that simulates a spatial epidemic with recovery. We find that increasing spatial heterogeneity in host density decreases the frequency of infection at endemic equilibrium, and consequently increases the divergence between mean-field predictions and observed levels of infection.
Directed likelihood ratio tests for ordered alternatives and inference results for the star-shaped restriction

To test a null hypothesis of homogeneity of parameters versus an order restricted alternative a popular method is to use a restricted likelihood ratio test. An alternative approach which oftentimes has desirable properties is a directed likelihood ratio test. In this paper, we give sufficient conditions under which these approaches coincide. We indicate cases where they do not coincide. One such case is where the parameters satisfy the lower star-shaped restriction and the underlying random variables are independent with Poisson distributions. For this model, we study and prefer the directed likelihood ratio test. We also propose estimators of the parameters which we feel are more desirable than the maximum likelihood estimators.
Transport of acidic amino acids by the bovine pigment epithelium

The regulation of acidic amino-acid transport across the retinal pigment epithelium is of particular interest since glutamate and possibly aspartate have been identified as putative neurotransmitters in the retina, at the level of the photoreceptor cell. The present study, designed to measure the rate of acidic amino-acid transport across the mammalian pigment epithelium (PE), shows that there is a net transport of both glutamate and aspartate in the retina to choroid direction (R-C), with the R-C unidirectional flux of glutamate being substantially larger than the corresponding aspartate flux. The R-C and C-R fluxes of glutamate were found to be inhibited by ouabain. Further investigations utilizing aspartate revealed that the fluxes in both directions were inhibited when ouabain was present on the retinal side of the tissue preparation. The R-C flux of glutamate was significantly reduced by lowered concentrations of Na+, K+ and Ca2+, whereas the C-R flux was diminished only by the reduced concentration of Ca2+. The changes in K+ concentration which markedly altered the R-C flux of glutamate were within the range of light-induced changes of K+ which has been observed in the extracellular space of the photoreceptor cells. The transporting system appears to be relatively specific for the acidic amino acids; for aspartate was an effective competitive inhibitor of glutamate transport whereas basic (lysine) and neutral (leucine) amino acids were not. The directionality, ouabain sensitivity, ionic dependence and substrate specificity of the transmembrane fluxes tend to support the concept of active transport as a mechanism of acidic amino-acid removal from the neural retina.
Stereotype threat and health disparities: what medical educators and future physicians need to know

Patients’ experience of stereotype threat in clinical settings and encounters may be one contributor to health care disparities. Stereotype threat occurs when cues in the environment make negative stereotypes associated with an individual’s group status salient, triggering physiological and psychological processes that have detrimental consequences for behavior. By recognizing and understanding the factors that can trigger stereotype threat and understanding its consequences in medical settings, providers can prevent it from occurring or ameliorate its consequences for patient behavior and outcomes. In this paper, we discuss the implications of stereotype threat for medical education and trainee performance and offer practical suggestions for how future providers might reduce stereotype threat in their exam rooms and clinics.
From coiled coils to small globular proteins: Design of a native-like three-helix bundle

A monomolecular native-like three-helix bundle has been designed in an iterative process, beginning with a peptide that noncooperatively assembled into an antiparallel three-helix bundle. Three versions of the protein were designed in which specific interactions were incrementally added. The hydrodynamic and spectroscopic properties of the proteins were examined by size exclusion chromatography, sedimentation equilibrium, fluorescence spectroscopy, and NMR. The thermodynamics of folding were evaluated by monitoring the thermal and guanidine-induced unfolding transitions using far UV circular dichroism spectroscopy. The attainment of a unique, native-like state was achieved through the introduction of: (1) helix capping interactions; (2) electrostatic interactions between partially exposed charged residues; (3) a diverse collection of apolar side chains within the hydrophobic core.
Measurement of quantum fluctuations in the single shot Stokes linewidth in stimulated Raman scattering

Measurements on soliton decay in stimulated Raman scattering have led to the study of frequency fluctuations in the single shot Stokes linewidth. These spectral measurements show that the spectrum of a single shot can be considerably narrower than the gain narrowed profile predicted by quantum mechanics for the ensemble average. However when spectra of many shots are averaged together the predicted result is recovered. The fluctuations seen are thought to be related to the quantum fluctuations associated with the initiating spontaneous emission. Theoretical results based on coherent mode theory are shown to be in agreement with the data.
Revalidating the Substance Abuse Treatment Self-Efficacy Scale (SATSES): A Replication With Social Work Practitioners

This study was designed primarily to replicate the factor structure of the Substance Abuse Self-Efficacy Scale (SATSES; Kranz, 2003), a measure of social worker's perceived self-efficacy regarding substance abuse knowledge and skills. Sixty-six percent (N = 143) of practicing social workers sampled responded to the mailed survey. Results revealed strong support for the reliability and factorial validity of the scale, and partial support for concurrent validity. Implications for education and training of social workers in substance abuse interventions are discussed, including the need for self-efficacy assessments and more objective evaluation methods.
Passive warden using statistical steganalysis

This paper examines the statistical techniques used in blind steganalysis of JPEG images. Blind steganalysis attempts to detect the presence of covert data without knowing the particular steganographic algorithm used. This paper begins by discussing steganography and steganalysis in general with a focus on common techniques. JPEG images are then introduced with a detailed discussion of their format and how they are created. Once the details of JPEG images are understood, common JPEG steganographic algorithms are explained. These algorithms are available in programs like JSteg, Outguess, and F5. This paper focuses on the Calibration Technique and associated features developed by Fridrich.The goal is to develop an application that detects covert data hidden in JPEG images by common steganographic algorithms. The output from this application is an indicator of whether or not the image contains covert data.
Contemplative Prayer & the 21st Century

The medieval, contemplative tradition for the most part ended with the great 16th century Spanish mystics. The modern period of the 17th and 18th centuries was an age of reason that sought to eliminate mystery. Modern theology kept in step with the rational nature of the period and the contemplative tradition was lost to the modern age. Thomas Merton reintroduced a contemplative theology to the 20th century, but contemplative practices are much more popular today than they were in the mid-twentieth century when Merton was writing. This paper examines what it is about our present 21st century and the end of modernity that is so conducive to the popularity of contemplative prayer, and so conducive to bringing us to a deeper and richer understanding of the Gospel.
An Empirical Comparison of Methods for Computing Bayes Factors in Generalized Linear Mixed Models

Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) are used in situations where a number of characteristics (covariates) affect a nonnormal response variable and the responses are correlated due to the existence of clusters or groups. For example, the responses in biological applications may be correlated due to common genetic factors or environmental factors. The clustering or grouping is addressed by introducing cluster effects to the model; the associated parameters are often treated as random effects parameters. In many applications, the magnitude of the variance components corresponding to one or more of the sets of random effects parameters are of interest, especially the point null hypothesis that one or more of the variance components is zero. A Bayesian approach to test the hypothesis is to use Bayes factors comparing the models with and without the random effects in question—this work reviews a number of approaches for estimating the Bayes factor. We perform a comparative study of the different approaches t...
A GOAL PROGRAMMING MODEL FOR INSURANCE AGENCY MANAGEMENT

Rapid changes in the business environment have forced property and casualty insurance agencies to re-examine their objectives. The need to maintain contact with a large number of insurers in order to place business, efforts to reduce cost by utilizing company services, and the expanding demand for commercial lines have all had major impacts on these agencies. In this paper, a goal-programming model is developed for use in insurance agency decision-making involving multiple and often conflicting goals. An example is presented.
The challenge of changing signatures in infrared stand-off detection of trace explosives

We report our preliminary results on numerical modeling of IR back-scattering (reflectivity) and absorption (photothermal) IR signatures of micron-size (5-20 μm) particles. We use the Mie scattering theory which is an exact solution of the scattering problem for spherical particles of arbitrary size. In this paper, we approximate the particles as spheres with an equivalent volume. While we expect particle shape to influence IR spectra (albeit to a lesser extent), in this paper, we restrict ourselves to the effect of size (i.e. particle diameter) only. We also study the effect of air, solvent and other additive inclusions on the IR spectra. Finally, we address the effect of particle surface roughness. We show that all these parameters (size, inclusions, roughness) affect the scattering process which results in distortions to the IR spectra as compared to library values for bulk material. The effect of substrate on the IR spectra is not studied due to the limitations of the Mie scattering theory which was developed for isolated particles only. In addition to particle-related effects on IR spectra, the presence of substrate will have additional effects as well and this was studied previously by other research groups. We expect that the results of this study will help improve the performance of various detection algorithms by accounting for changing IR spectra.
MSnet: A Neural Network which Classifies Mass Spectra

Abstract We have designed a feed-forward neural network to classify low-resolution mass spectra of unknown compounds according to the presence or absence of 100 organic substructures. The neural network, MSnet, was trained to compute a maximum-likelihood estimate of the probability that each substructure is present. We discuss some design considerations and statistical properties of neural network classifiers, and the effect of various training regimes on generalization behavior. The MSnet classifies mass spectra more reliably than other methods reported in the literature, and has other desirable properties.
The invertible DNA segments of coliphages Mu and P1 are identical.

Electron microscopic-heteroduplex studies show that the G sequence of Mu DNA, an invertible region three kilobases in length near the S end, is identical to the invertible region found in bacteriophage P1 DNA.
Exploring the Functional Neuroanatomy of Music Performance, Perception, and Comprehension

This chapter highlights findings by my colleagues and me in four neuroimaging and neurological studies of music performance, perception, and comprehension. These investigations elucidate the neural subsystems supporting musical pitch, melody, harmony, rhythm, tempo, meter, and duration. In a positron emission tomography (PET) study of pianists, a memorized performance of a musical piece was contrasted with that of scales to localize brain areas specifically supporting music. A second PET study assayed brain areas subserving selectively the comprehension of harmony, melody, and rhythm. Musicians sight-read a score while detecting specific melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic errors in its heard performance. In a third PET study, musicians and nonmusicians discriminated pairs of rhythms with respect to pattern, tempo, meter, or duration. Data in these studies implicated the cerebellum in nonmotor, nonsomatic, sensory, or cognitive processing. In a fourth study, neurological patients with degeneration of the cerebellum were found to be impaired in fine discrimination of pitch. Overall, these data suggest that the neural systems underlying music are distributed throughout the left and right cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres, with different aspects of music processed by distinct neural circuits. Also discussed are key issues for interpreting the role in music of brain areas implicated in neuroimaging studies.
Moo in your face: researching, designing, and programming a user-friendly interface

Abstract Promoters of multi-user, object-oriented domains (MOOs) in composition point to the capability for student collaboration and conversation throughout the writing process as a valuable feature; detractors, however, draw attention to the difficulty for students to negotiate the somewhat arcane, text-based MOO interface, which affords no easy, intuitive way for students to learn how to exist in that virtual world, and often results in confusing conversations. The learning curve of a MOO and its confusing interface blockade effective use. Current research on Web-browser interface design provides several principles for developing a user-friendly Telnet interface that creates a sense of presence for the user. An IBM/PC-compatible interface, Pueblo from Chaco Communications, Inc., allows developers to modify the interface to provide a sense of presence for the user. In addition, access to the sites for non-IBM users was developed. For Web browsers, a Java-based interface and a WOO interface allow students to access and function in the MOO more quickly than a purely text-based client did. Work in programming a variety of interfaces has led to a more intuitive environment for students and instructors who use MOOs.
Quantification of sulfur and phosphorus within secondary gold rims on Yukon placer gold

An examination of Yukon placer gold nuggets using ultrathin-section (70 nm) transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed three distinct morphological and compositional regions. The outer surface of the nuggets possessed silicate minerals, which included electron dense particles containing gold (13.6 to 27.2 at%) and silver (6.7 to 13.2 at%). The organic composition of these particles ranged from 7.3 to 12.3 at% S and 0.53 to 1.5 at% P (4.4 to 5.4 at% PO). The periphery of the nuggets also possessed crystalline gold-bearing material that was enriched with gold (81 to 93.12 at%; 30Au:1Ag) compared to the particulate material (2Au:1Ag) present within the silicate minerals annealed to the nuggets' surface. The organic composition of this peripheral secondary gold ranged from 0.29 to 5.9 at% S and from 0.63 to 5.9 at% P (4.5 to 9.5 at% PO). The internal structure of the secondary gold around the periphery of the nuggets was highlighted by the occurrence of compositional banding caused by these lighter, electron-translucent compounds. Internal regions of the nuggets were composed of gold or gold and silver, indicating the presence of an original unweathered grain that served as a nucleating site. These findings suggest that sulfur and phosphorus, presumably of biological origin, are important to placer gold formation.
Rejection sensitivity and adolescent girls' vulnerability to relationship-centered difficulties.

Rejection sensitivity (RS)—the disposition to defensively expect, readily perceive, and intensely react to rejection—is a potential source of vulnerability for adolescent girls' relationship diffic...
High temperature conductivity of potassium-β″-alumina

Abstract Potassium β″-alumina single crystals have been reported by several groups to have higher ionic conductivity than sodium β″-alumina crystals at room temperature, and similar conductivities are obtained at temperatures up to 600–700 K. Potassium β″-alumina ceramics have been reported to have significantly poorer consuctivities than those of sodium β″-alumina ceramics, but conductivity measurements at temperatures above 625 K have not been reported. In this study, K + -β″-alumina ceramics were prepared from Na + -β″-alumina ceramic using a modified version of the exchange reaction with KCl vapor reported by Crosbie and Tennenhouse, and the conductivity has been measured in K vapor at temperatures up to 1223 K, using the method of Cole, Weber and Hunt. The results indicate reasonable agreement with earlier data on K + -β″-alumina ceramic measured in a liquid K cell, but show that the K + -β″-alumina ceramic's conductivity approaches that of Na + -β″-alumina ceramic at higher temperatures, being within a factor of four at 700 K and 60% of the conductivity of Na + -β″-alumina at T > 1000 K. Both four-probe dc conductivity and four probe ac impedance measurements were used to characterize the conductivity. A rather abrupt change in the grain boundary resistance suggesting a possible phase change in the intergranular material, potassium aluminate, is seen in the ac impedance behavior.
Silicon germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor electrostatic discharge power clamps and the Johnson limit in RF bicmos SiGe technology

Achieving radio frequency (RF) performance circuit objectives and electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection will continue to challenge future technology. In this study, we use the ultimate limitation of the transistor (known as the Johnson Limit) as a means to provide an ESD power clamp by utilizing a first low breakdown trigger device and a second high breakdown clamp device. Using the inverse relationship between unity current gain cutoff frequency and breakdown voltage, ESD power clamps are constructed using epitaxial base pseudomorphic silicon germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors in a common-collector Darlington configuration. ESD experimental test results from human body model (HBM), machine model (MM) and transmission line pulse (TLP) testing demonstrate the scaling of ESD power clamps. Design studies of alternative implementations, resistor ballasting and different trigger transistors will be discussed. As a comparative analysis, the SiGe-based ESD power clamps will be compared to CMOS MOSFET-based ESD power clamps. A new dimensionless group is defined to quantify the relationship between the power-to-failure and the maximum power. Additionally, a future SiGe technology is shown to provide insight into the impact of technology scaling on future SiGe ESD power clamps.
Effects of 1-methyl-2-mercaptoimidazole and perchlorate on the insulin-mediated enhancement of 131-I incorporation into iodoamino acids by fetal thyroid glands in organ culture.

The effect of insulin was studied on 131I uptake and its corporation into protein-bound MIT, DIT and T4 by thyroid glands excised from fetuses of 20- or 21-daypregnant rats and cultured for 3 days. Insulin enhanced the incorporation of 131I into protein- bound MIT and DIT. Labeled thyroxine was not detected in the explants 6 hr after the addition of 131I to the basal medium, but did appear when insulin was added to the medium. Insulin also enhanced the 131I uptake and its incorporation into iodoamino acids by glands that were pretreated with sodium perchlorate so as to destroy their iodide-concentrating ability. However, insulin did not alter the 131I iodide recoveries in the glands pretreated with Tapazole. It is suggested that insulin increased the incorporation of 131I into protein-bound iodotyrosines and thyroxine by stimulating some step or steps subsequent to iodide transport. (Endocrinology 78: 339, 1966)
Characterization Of Veiling Glare In Angiographic Systems

This investigation concerns the sources and the characteristics (importance and structure) of veiling glare in angiographic systems. The veiling glare is modelled by empirical PSFs. The parameters of these PSFs are fitted from contrast ratio measurements. Various acquisition configurations are examined. Theoretical expressions have been developed to study the spatial variance of the PSFs and the contribution of the image intensifier (II) input screen in the global veiling glare. The results are both qualitative and quantitative. The spread of the veiling glare is well modelled by the sum of short and long distance terms. The importance of the II input screen is shown and is related to both short and long range effects.
Delivery of peptides into the central nervous system

Research into the delivery of potentially useful peptide therapeutic agents to the CNS has lagged behind the exponential growth in their discovery. There remain many problems in developing effective and safe delivery strategies, but there has been some progress in overcoming this major obstacle. The author provides an overview of those properties of the blood-brain barrier that are specific for peptides and outlines current methods addressing peptide drug delivery to the CNS.
Different Tc response profiles are associated with survival in the murine lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection.

The pathogenicity of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) inoculated intracerebrally (i.c.) varies with virus strain and dose as well as with the mouse strain used as host. Recently, results have indicated that susceptibility to lethal disease correlates directly the ability of the host to produce early and high virus-specific Tc activity. However, in the present studies we demonstrate that even though this holds true in many mouse/virus combinations, it does not apply in others. Thus, in C3H mice infected with (moderately) high doses of Traub strain LCMV, early and high Tc activity was found despite a mortality rate of only 10-20%. Similarly, in C3H mice inoculated with the aggressive and docile substrains of UBC strain LCMV, which differ markedly in their pathogenicity for this mouse strain, similar kinetics of Tc induction were observed. Finally, in DBA/2 mice which do not die following infection with the otherwise lethal aggressive substrain, Tc induction could be found to be as efficient as in BALB/c mice, all of which die from acute LCM disease when infected with this virus isolate. The results indicate, therefore, that early and high Tc activity does not constitute a sufficient prerequisite for lethal disease, and that different Tc response profiles may be associated with low mortality following i.c. inoculation with LCMV.
Trust-based secure Positive Train Control (PTC)

Positive Train Control (PTC) is a wireless control system ensuring railroad safety by enforcing train separation, speed enforcement, roadway worker protection and other safety functions. Due to shared trackage rights over each-other’s tracks in North America, company A’s trains must be safely operated by company B’s crew on company C’s tracks, requiring different PTC systems to securely interoperate with each other. We propose using a trust management system with certificates and over the air re-keying (OTAR) as a security framework to ensure secure interoperation. Preliminary estimates show that our solution meets timing needs of PTC.
Mutations of the TERT promoter are common in basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Mutations of the TERT promoter are common in basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma
Are those who use specific complementary and alternative medicine therapies less likely to be immunized

Abstract Objective Some authorities are concerned that the use of complementary and alternative medications (CAM) may replace recommended preventive health practices. This study was done to determine if users of individual types of CAM were less likely to receive recommended immunizations. Methods We used data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey of over 23,000 adult, non-institutionalized U.S. citizens using bivariate and multivariate analysis to determine if users of individual types of CAM were less likely to receive influenza and/or pneumococcal vaccinations. Results Using a weighted logistic regression analysis, we found that respondents who used chiropractic care were less likely to receive flu shots (OR = 0.68, CI = 0.55,0.83, p Conclusion Chiropractic users are less likely to get flu shots, perhaps reflecting their national body's attitude, which could affect morbidity and mortality. Providers should be aware of their patients' CAM use and encourage accepted primary care practices.
[CH3(CH2)11NH3]SnI3: A Hybrid Semiconductor with MoO3-type Tin(II) Iodide Layers

The organic−inorganic hybrid [CH3(CH2)11NH3]SnI3 presents a lamellar structure with a Sn−I framework isotypic to that of MoO3. The SnI3- layer consists of edge and corner-sharing SnI6 octahedra in which one of the six Sn−I bonds is distinctly elongated (e.g., 3.62 A), indicating lone-pair stereoactivity for the Sn(II) atom. The overall electronic character remains comparable with that of the well-studied SnI42--based perovskite semiconductors, such as [CH3(CH2)11NH3]2SnI4, with a red-shifted and broadened exciton peak associated with the band gap, apparently due to the increased dimensionality of the Sn−I framework. The title compound offers, aside from the hybrid perovskites, a new type of solution-processable Sn−I network for potential applications in semiconductive devices.
Tunable up-conversion detector for single photon and bi-photon infrared spectroscopic applications

A tunable waveguide-based frequency up-conversion detector is used for single photon level near infrared (IR) spectroscopic measurements. Applications include direct spectroscopic measurement of week near IR signals and remote bi-photon spectroscopy. We have demonstrated direct spectroscopy of single photon near IR signals from a greatly attenuated laser and a single photon source. We further applied the up-conversion spectrometer for frequency correlated bi-photon spectroscopy using a single photon source of non-degenerate photon pairs at 1310 nm (near IR) and 895 nm. In correlated bi-photon spectroscopy, the spectral function at one wavelength range of a remote object can be reproduced by locally measuring another (near IR) wavelength range using the up-conversion spectrometer and monitoring the coincidence counts. A near IR single photon detection efficiency of 32 % has been achieved with the up-conversion spectrometer. The spectral resolution of the system is approximately 0.2 nm at 1310 nm based on the acceptance width of the up-conversion chip used. In bi-photon spectroscopy, the spectral resolution for the correlated photons at 895 nm is approximately 0.1 nm. The sensitivity achieved using the up-conversion detector is -126 dBm at 1310 nm.
Mobility of Xe atoms within the oxygen diffusion channel of cytochrome ba(3) oxidase.

We use a form of "freeze-trap, kinetic crystallography" to explore the migration of Xe atoms away from the dinuclear heme a(3)/Cu(B) center in Thermus thermophilus cytochrome ba(3) oxidase. This enzyme is a member of the heme-copper oxidase superfamily and is thus crucial for dioxygen-dependent life. The mechanisms involved in the migration of oxygen, water, electrons, and protons into and/or out of the specialized channels of the heme-copper oxidases are generally not well understood. Pressurization of crystals with Xe gas previously revealed a O(2) diffusion channel in cytochrome ba(3) oxidase that is continuous, Y-shaped, 18-20 A in length and comprised of hydrophobic residues, connecting the protein surface within the bilayer to the a(3)-Cu(B) center in the active site. To understand movement of gas molecules within the O(2) channel, we performed crystallographic analysis of 19 Xe laden crystals freeze-trapped in liquid nitrogen at selected times between 0 and 480 s while undergoing outgassing at room temperature. Variation in Xe crystallographic occupancy at five discrete sites as a function of time leads to a kinetic model revealing relative degrees of mobility of Xe atoms within the channel. Xe egress occurs primarily through the channel formed by the Xe1 → Xe5 → Xe3 → Xe4 sites, suggesting that ingress of O(2) is likely to occur by the reverse of this process. The channel itself appears not to undergo significant structural changes during Xe migration, thereby indicating a passive role in this important physiological function.
Computer-Based Political Action: The Battle and Internet Blackout over PIPA

The successful fight to stop the Protect IP Act highlights the increasingly important role of computer-based political action, especially the use of social media, in the policymaking process.
Requirement of the Flagellar Protein Export Apparatus Component FliO for Optimal Expression of Flagellar Genes in Helicobacter pylori

Flagellar biogenesis in Helicobacter pylori involves the coordinated expression of flagellar genes with assembly of the flagellum. The H. pylori flagellar genes are organized into three regulons based on the sigma factor needed for their transcription (RpoD [σ(80)], RpoN [σ(54)], or FliA [σ(28)]). Transcription of RpoN-dependent genes is activated by a two-component system consisting of the sensor kinase FlgS and the response regulator FlgR. While the cellular cues sensed by the FlgS/FlgR two-component system remain to be elucidated, previous studies revealed that disrupting certain components of the flagellar export apparatus inhibited transcription of the RpoN regulon. FliO is the least conserved of the membrane-bound components of the export apparatus and has not been annotated for any of the H. pylori genomes sequenced to date. A PSI-BLAST analysis identified a potential H. pylori FliO protein which membrane topology algorithms predict to possess a large N-terminal periplasmic domain that is absent from FliO of Escherichia coli and Salmonella, the paradigms for flagellar structure/function studies. FliO was necessary for flagellar biogenesis as well as wild-type levels of motility and transcription of RpoN-dependent and FliA-dependent flagellar genes in H. pylori strain B128. FliO also appears to be required for wild-type levels of the export apparatus protein FlhA in the membrane. Interestingly, the periplasmic and cytoplasmic domains were somewhat dispensable for flagellar gene regulation and assembly, suggesting that these domains have relatively minor roles in flagellar synthesis.
Postoperative perineal hernia.

PURPOSE: Perineal hernia is an uncommon complication following abdominoperineal resection. The aim of the study was to evaluate the predisposing factors and the optimum method of repair. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with postoperative perineal hernia at the Massachusetts General Hospital between 1963 and 1995 was performed. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients with perineal hernias were found. The original perineal operations were as follows: abdominoperineal resection in 13 patients, pelvic exenteration in 5 patients, cystourethrectomy in 2 patients, and perineal resection of the rectal stump in 1 patient. The incidence of symptomatic perineal hernia following abdominoperineal resection was estimated to be 0.62 percent. A total of 69 percent of patients had the original perineal wound left partially open, and in 10 percent it was left completely open. The peritoneal defect was not closed in 53 percent of patients, and only 21 percent had closure of the levator defect. Of the 19 patients who had hernia repair, 13 were repaired transperineally and 3 transabdominally and 3 required a combined abdominoperineal approach. The repair methods were as follows: simple closure of the pelvic defect (10 patients), mesh closure (5 patients), gluteus flap (1 patient), and retroflexion of the uterus (2 patients) or bladder (1 patient). Four patients had postoperative complications (mostly wound infections), and the recurrence rate was 16 percent. There was no difference in length of hospitalization among transperineal, transabdominal, and combined approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Primary closure of the perineal wound, with careful avoidance of wound infection is the most important consideration for avoiding a perineal hernia. Repairvia the perineum with simple closure of the defect or a mesh is successful in most cases.
An economic ordering policy model for deteriorating items with time proportional demand

Abstract A ( T i , S i ) inventory policy model for deteriorating items is presented in this paper. The model is developed based on the assumptions that (1) demand rate is deterministic and linearly changes with time, (2) deterioration rate is constant, (3) planning horizon is finite and known, and (4) replenishment periods are not equal. The model is solved using a dynamic programming method. The result is applicable to the case where the demand is either increasing or decreasing. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the model and solution procedure.
The synthesis and analytical capabilities of chromogenic aza-12-crown-4 as a selective reagent for lithium ion

Abstract The synthesis and analytical capabilities of a new chromogenic crown ether, 1-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl)-1-aza-4,7,10-trioxacyclododecane, chromogenic aza-12-crown-4. Constants found for this aza-12-crown-4 were pKa1 = 5.77, pKa2 = 10.31, pKex (Li) = 10.18, and pKex (Na) = 12.50. The calibration curve obtained for the extraction-spectrophotometric procedure was linear from 0.3 to 2 μg ml−1. The imprecision of the measurement was calculated from the mean value of the standard deviations of triplicate samples over the linear range and was less than 5%. Results for the determination of lithium in blood serum and urine exhibited good agreement with atomic absorption data.
ACTIVE REGION EVOLUTION AND SOLAR FLUX VARIATIONS

The goal of this study is to relate the changes in the solar radiative output to the growth and decay of magnetic active regions. We will test the assumption that each index of radiation variability is a convolution of an active-region magnetic driving function and a response function. The first step has been to identify the appropriate driving function. This driving function was assumed to have been data from the magnetic active regions derived from the Mount Wilson daily magnetograms (Howard, 1989). The daily magnetic reports were sorted to give active-region sequences. To estimate the magnetic flux of active regions outside the observing window, (i.e., behind the limb) we fit the data to a growing-and-decay in g exponential function, which permits independent growth and decay. This double exponential gives reasonable fits to the observed temporal evolution of active-region magnetic flux.
Competition, Conflict, and Education in Rural Jamaica

In recent years the Jamaican government has modified the system of formal education to provide members of the lower class with more effective opportunities for upward mobility. This paper examines some of the consequences of these educational changes for one small rural community on the island. The villagers regard education as the key means to success in Jamaican society and feel that recent educational changes represent the most significant change for the better in the past 20 years.In addition, since secondary education is a more realistic goal for the villagers, competition for this type of education has become a dominant theme in local disputes. These disputes arise because villagers are sensitive to the slightest indication of superior status from kin or status equals whose children are successful in school. These disputes thus reflect the contradiction between the norms of the local social system and the norms of individual achievement in the wider society. It is suggested that these local conflict...
Guest Editorial: Special Issue on Plenary and Invited Papers from ICOPS-BEAMS 2014

The 41st IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science (ICOPS14) and the 20th IEEE International Conference on High-Power Particle Beams (Beams14) combined for the first time in 2014 as the IEEE ICOPS/Beams meeting. This scientific meeting took place from May 25 to May 29, 2014, in Washington, DC, at the historical Marriott Wardman Park hotel in Northwest DC. Participation included a broad range of scientific attendance, with a total of 566 researchers from 36 countries, with scientists from China, Russia, and Japan making the largest contribution to the international contingent.
Antimicrobial peptide-conjugated graphene oxide membrane for efficient removal and effective killing of multiple drug resistant bacteria

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), multiple drug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infection is a top threat to human health. Since bacteria evolve to resist antibiotics faster than scientists can develop new classes of drugs, the development of new materials which can be used, not only for separation, but also for effective disinfection of drug resistant pathogens is urgent. Driven by this need, we report for the first time the development of a nisin antimicrobial peptide conjugated, three dimensional (3D) porous graphene oxide membrane for identification, effective separation, and complete disinfection of MDR methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pathogens from water. Experimental data show that due to the size differences, MRSA is captured by the porous membrane, allowing only water to pass through. SEM, TEM, and fluorescence images confirm that pathogens are captured by the membrane. RT-PCR data with colony counting indicate that almost 100% of MRSA can be removed and destroyed from the water sample using the developed membrane. Comparison of MDR killing data between nisin alone, the graphene oxide membrane and the nisin attached graphene oxide membrane demonstrate that the nisin antimicrobial peptide attached graphene oxide membrane can dramatically enhance the possibility of destroying MRSA via a synergistic effect due to the multimodal mechanism.
Recent Work in Cataloging and Classification, 2000–2002

This article provides a review of cataloging and classification publications that appeared in the last two years. The review considers the papers in two categories. Cataloging Theories and Practices covers descriptive cataloging, authority control, classification, subject cataloging, cataloging nonbook materials, electronic resources and metadata, and international cooperation. The second section covers other issues related to cataloging, including management, and education and training. Throughout the review, the author identifies trends and important developments in the area of cataloging and classification.