cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paleoecological significance of coupling metrics of successful and unsuccessful shell-breaking predation: Examples using Neogene bivalve prey

article i nfo Traces of durophagous predation on molluscan prey have been used as proxies to reconstruct the nature and in- tensity of predator-prey interactions in both the fossil record and the modern oceans. Available metrics for the quantification of these interactions have focused either on failed/unsuccessful or successful attacks in isolation. Because predator-prey dynamics and subsequent adaptation depend on both the success as well as the failure ofthepredator,weproposetocombinethesetwocomponentstoincreaseourabilitytoreconstructthedynamics of these relationships in the past. In this study, two bivalve clades, Chione and Varicorbula, from Florida's Plio- Pleistocene fossil recordare used to show howthe combination of repair frequency and estimated crushing mor- tality serve as better constraints on interpreting changes in predator-prey interactions as compared to the more limited interpretations when these two metrics are used independently. When used in tandem, the two metrics
The Clinical and Laboratory Assessment of the Sleepy Child

Excessive sleepiness is defined as sleepiness that occurs in a situation when an individual would usually be expected to be awake and alert. Hypersomnia is characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) or prolonged nighttime sleep, which affects the everyday life of the patient. Clinical surveys have reported that EDS is a complaint observed in up to 68% of normal high school children, with a negative impact in academic achievement and extracurricular activity. Clues toward recognizing childhood daytime sleepiness may be sleeping longer hours than expected for age, daytime naps beyond normal for age, being sleepy when other children of the same age are active and alert, and sleeping more than previously. Causes of EDS are arbitrarily divided into 3 categories: insufficient nighttime sleep, fragmented nighttime sleep, and increased drive of sleep. A list of various causes of EDS in children has been discussed. A detailed history along with examination of the upper airway is crucial in evaluating patients with EDS. Appropriate screening tools such as sleep logs, sleepiness scales, and sleep questionnaires further help in identifying and quantifying the degree of sleepiness. Confirmatory tests such as polysomnography, multiple sleep latency test, and actigraphy along with referral to a sleep physician may be necessary in appropriate cases. Details of other ancillary testing such use of cerebrospinal fluid orexin levels, HLA subtyping, and so on have also been provided.
Semiclassical accuracy in phase space for regular and chaotic dynamics

A phase-space semiclassical approximation valid to O(h) at short times is used to compare semiclassical accuracy for long-time and stationary observables in chaotic, stable, and mixed systems. Given the same level of semiclassical accuracy for the short time behavior, the squared semiclassical error in the chaotic system grows linearly in time, in contrast with quadratic growth in the classically stable system. In the chaotic system, the relative squared error at the Heisenberg time scales linearly with h(eff), allowing for unambiguous semiclassical determination of the eigenvalues and wave functions in the high-energy limit, while in the stable case the eigenvalue error always remains of the order of a mean level spacing. For a mixed classical phase space, eigenvalues associated with the chaotic sea can be semiclassically computed with greater accuracy than the ones associated with stable islands.
Involving adolescents as active participants in their own treatment plans.

This paper describes how a medical model philosophy was used within a token economy system in a group home for 9 girls. Consequently the girls became passive participants and as a result the token economy system became ineffectual. To improve the situation four recommendations were made. A child should not be labeled during the course of treatment, a child should be allowed to assist in identifying the problem to be dealt with, a child should be actively involved in assessing whether a treatment plan is most suitable for her, and a child should be involved in assessing treatment effectiveness and determining what variables were responsible for improvement. The implementation of these recommendations resulted in significant reductions in acting out and in improvement in interpersonal relationships.
Protein C as a surrogate end-point for clinical trials of sepsis

Identification of good surrogate end-points can greatly facilitate the design of clinical trials. Using data from PROWESS and ENHANCE, Shorr and colleagues explore the potential value of several plasma biomarkers for treatment trials of activated protein C for severe sepsis. Based on the framework proposed by Vasan, they tested the utility of several factors (protein C, interleukin-6, antithrombin III, prothrombin time, protein S, and d-dimers) as type 0, 1 and 2 biomarkers. Only protein C had acceptable performance characteristics as a type 2 biomarker, or surrogate end-point. The utility of protein C as a surrogate end-point for studies of severe sepsis must be validated in future prospective studies.
Counting in Chinese: Cultural variation in a basic cognitive skill

Learning to count is an early and important cognitive accomplishment implicated in the development of later mathematical abilities. Research on the development of counting (e.g., Gelman & Gallistel, 1978 ) has focused on the way that children's understanding of number guides the task of learning to count. Because counting requires use of a number system, the features of a culture's particular numbering system could also impact the development of counting. The current research compared the developmental course of counting in two languages (English & Chinese) with somewhat divergent systems for forming number names. Large country differences generally favoring the Chinese subjects were found in children's ability to form proper number names and in the kinds of errors they make. The “teens” in English pose a particular stumbling block for American children's counting. Common sources of difficulty in counting across cultures were also found. In particular, children in both countries had difficulty with the need to coordinate incrementing units and decades lists in counting. In using counting as a tool to determine how many objects there are in a set, similar country differences were found. However, country effects in counting objects were found only for number-naming errors. Despite the difficulties American children have with mastering the English numbering system, there was no effect of country on the likelihood that children would skip or double count objects. Implications of these results for linguistic models of number generation for theories of the organization of complex skills and for later achievement differences in mathematics are discussed.
Urinary Estrone and Plasma Progesterone Levels During the Menstrual Cycle of the Rhesus Monkey

Quantitative alterations in urinary estrogen excretion and plasma progesterone content were studied throughout the menstrual cycle of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatto). Estrogen levels were determined in 3 normal monkeys using thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography. Estrone was the principal estrogen found, with a range of excretion (μg/24 hr) as follows: onset of menstruation 1.51-3.50; midcycle peak 8.20-8.60; 2 days post peak 1.11-1.92. Estradiol-17β and estriol were excreted in smaller amounts, ranging from undetectable to 1.32 μg/24 hr for estradiol and approximately 0.2 μg/24 hr for estriol. A second, smaller rise in estrone excretion was seen in the luteal phase of the cycle. No predictable pattern was observed for estradiol-17β and estriol because of low excretion level. Modification of the above procedure made possible a 24-hr method for determination of estrone. In 11 additional animals, peak estrone excretion was correlated with ovulation by timed observation of the ovaries. Ovulation occurred ...
Measurement of serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity in cynomolgus macaques.

: Serum levels of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity (B-ALP) in cynomolgus monkeys were evaluated as an index of elevated bone turnover following ovariectomy. The enzyme immunoassay 96-well microtiter plate B-ALP assay, developed by Metra Biosystems (Mountain View, CA) for human use, was employed and compared with a standard automated assay measuring total serum levels of alkaline phosphatase activity (T-ALP). The B-ALP assay was first validated for use in these monkeys. Ovariectomy led to increased bone turnover as indicated by approximately 2-fold higher activity in both assays and this elevation was inhibited by daily estradiol administration. Although both assays provided generally similar results, several monkeys were observed to have greatly elevated values of T-ALP but not B-ALP. This discrepancy is believed to result from high levels of the liver isoform of alkaline phosphatase in monkeys with hepatic dysfunction, which are not detected by the B-ALP assay.
Transport and dielectric properties of thin polycrystalline CoO films

Transport and dielectric properties of polycrystalline CoO films were studied as functions of the applied field, frequency and temperature. TheI–V plots showed that the Poole-Frenkel field emission mechanism is responsible for conduction at fields>105 V/cm. The ac conductivity σ(ω), the imaginary part of the dielectric constante 2, and tan δ plots as functions of frequency revealed three dispersion regions. The σ(ω) ande 2 frequency dependence indicates a non-adiabatic hopping of charge carriers at low frequencies and adiabatic hopping at high frequencies. The activation energy of a dielectric oscillator is 0.15 eV.
Current Recommendations for Amblyopia Treatment

In spite of convincing scientific studies proving the efficacy of patching therapy, many researchers continue to devise and test alternatives to patching. Patching is unpopular with parents and chi...
Composting: Art and Science of Organic Waste Conversion to a Valuable Soil Resource

Composting is the manipulation of a biological process, decomposition; raw organic materials such as manure, leaves, grass clippings, food wastes, and municipal biosolids are converted to stable soil-like humic substances. Composting is an ancient technology undertaken on a variety of levels, from home to industrial. As landfills reach their capacity and ban acceptance of organic wastes, composting is an increasingly viable means of organic waste treatment. Moreover, the final product, finished compost, is a valuable soil resource with a variety of agricultural, horticultural, and silvicultural uses.
Laud Humphreys and research ethics

Laud Humphreys’ Tea Room Trade has been a regular topic in discussions of social research ethics for thirty years. This article reviews some of the past criticisms and offers a current assessment of Humphreys’ research ethics.
Latent Iron Deficiency In Utero Is Associated with Abnormal Auditory Neural Myelination in ≥35 Weeks Gestational Age Infants

Objective To determine whether cord serum ferritin level is associated with auditory brainstem evoked response interpeak latencies, an index of auditory neural myelination, in infants at ≥35 weeks gestational age (GA). Study design This prospective study compared auditory neural myelination in infants with latent iron deficiency (cord serum ferritin, 11-75 ng/mL) and infants with normal iron status (cord serum ferritin, >75 ng/mL) at birth. Our inclusion criteria were infants born at ≥35 weeks GA who had cord blood collected soon after birth and had 1 or more of the following risk factors for poor in utero iron status: maternal diabetes mellitus, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and intrauterine growth restriction. Cord serum ferritin level was measured using the chemiluminescence immunoassay method. Auditory brainstem evoked response was measured using 80-dB normal hearing level click stimuli at a rate of 69.9/second within 48 hours after birth to evaluate interpeak latencies, a measure of nerve conduction velocity or myelination. Results Of the 45 infants studied, 12 had latent iron deficiency. On repeated-measures ANCOVA using interpeak latencies I-III, III-V, and I-V as multiple outcomes, infants with latent iron deficiency had significantly prolonged interpeak latencies (P = .01) compared with infants with normal iron status after controlling for confounders. Conclusion In utero latent iron deficiency is associated with abnormal auditory neural myelination at birth in infants born at ≥35 weeks GA.
The Missing Tombstone: Reflections On Mourning and Creativity

There are differences as well as similarities between mourning occurring after the loss of a single individual under ordinary civilized conditions, and mourning after multiple losses under traumatic conditions. A brief review of the psychoanalytic theory of mourning articulated by Freud in 1917 and modified in the 1960s is followed by an equally brief review of the relationship between artistic creativity and mourning. Because survivors of major disasters who suffer multiple losses need time to recover before they can engage the emotionally demanding task of mourning, the mourning process in these cases is frequently delayed. "Memorial spaces" appear to facilitate delayed mourning because such spaces are responsive to a deeply felt need by survivors of major tragedies to articulate what they experience as unspeakable and unshareable. The memories and the pain associated with them are then welcome because mourning is not about forgetting; mourning is about remembering, a process that may take a lifetime.
Microwave photonic arbitrary waveform generation with radically increased time bandwidth product

The far-field condition sets strict limits on RF waveform generation via spectral shaping and frequency-to-time mapping. We present a new technique which overcomes previous restrictions and achieves high fidelity arbitrary waveforms with radically increased time-bandwidth product.
GRAMMARLESS READING OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

that enough grammar could be learned in six weeks to enable the ordinary student to learn to read French stirred up a controversy with his reviewers. Professor Bond's strongest argument was: "It works;" and he put to rout one critic by saying that fiftyone students were able to pass the graduate French requirements within ten weeks by using the Introduction and then reading copiously. It is well known that many graduate students pass their French and German reading requirements by just that method. Sometimes they study some grammar but very often they merely buy a dictionary and begin to read. However, these are older students and possess study habits and a will to learn. Can college Freshmen do the same? Partly to study this question at the request of the Modern Foreign Language Study and partly to try out a course designed for students who wanted only one year of foreign language, special "Reading Sections" were offered in French and Spanish in 1926-27 at the University of Illinois for beginning students. Complete records of the Spanish classes were not kept, so this study is based on data from the French classes. The problem for this study became: Can college Freshmen learn to read a modern foregin language for comprehension without a preliminary preparation in grammar? Learning to read was only one of Professor Bond's objectives and this article does not mean to say that it is the only one; but anyone will admit that of all the uses of the small amount of foreign language which can be learned in a year or two, silent reading receives the most universal application. Modern language teachers have set up objectives of conversation, composition, and reading as the aims of wellrounded language ability. But suppose a student with only a year at his disposal wanted only to read silently for his own sake. Could he learn to read things really worth while in a year? The instructor of one of the classes2 describes its activities thus:
The preparation and characterization of transition metal complexes of cyclic hydroxamic acids

Abstract Several cyclic hydroxamic acid complexes with first row transition metals have been synthesized. The coordination properties of the ligands 1-hydroxy-2-indolinone (HI) and 3-amino-3,4-dihydro-1-hydroxy-carbostyril (HADC) have been investigated using spectral, magnetic, and X-ray powder diffraction measurements. The results indicate that oligomeric species are formed by both ligands with Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II). Structures are proposed for these complexes with both ligands and for Fe(III) and Zn(II) with HI.
Inducing transformational energy technological change

Reducing risks of severe climate change in the latter part of the 20th Century is likely to require not only incremental improvements in known energy technologies, but the discovery of transformational new energy technologies. This paper reviews current knowledge about both demand and supply aspects of the challenge of accelerating transformational change, considering both economic and policy incentives, including targeted government funding of research and development, and several other schools of thought about drivers of scientific discovery and innovation.
Linux in practice: an overview of applications

The article discusses several interesting applications of Linux, in a wide variety of environments. These include an oceanographic lab running remote and inaccessible sensors, the development of a high-speed network on a shoestring budget, a publishing company that evolved from two people and a Unix box to 15 people on Linux workstations, the development of "soft real-time" control systems in Europe and South America, a military contractor building complex real-time embedded applications, and the use of a Beowulf cluster computer for supercomputing tasks such as weather simulation.
Mexican investment after the Tequila crisis: basic economics, “confidence” effects or market imperfections?

Abstract This study provides an empirical investigation of the determinants of the growth of investment in Mexico, especially after the Tequila crisis. The paper uses the Generalized Method of Moments estimator to determine if investment can be explained with a standard investment function. The model predicts well the recovery of investment; the tradable sector has an accelerator effect that exceeds that of the non-tradable sector. Domestic real interest rates and real exchange rate volatility are also significant. Results support the hypothesis of a “confidence” effect during the 1982–1983 crisis, but not during the Tequila crisis. There is also evidence of credit rationing.
Priorities in seed pathology research

Seed pathology as a subdisipline of plant pathology is relatively new. Paul Neergard is considered the father of seed pathology. Recent developments in the area of seed pathology technology allow for more ecofriendly seed treatments and more reliable seed health testing. Due to economics and new interest in environmental issues, research into the viability of biological seed treatments is becoming more common. The use of sophisticated DNA amplification technologies allows for the detection of seedborne pathogens that might go undetected using more conventional means. These types of research will be fundamental in guaranteeing seed health quality standards and achieving phytosanitary requirements throughout the world in the new millennium.
The CAMDEX: A Standardized Instrument for the Diagnosis of Mental Disorder in the Elderly: A Replication with a US Sample

The Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination (CAMDEX) was developed by Roth, et al (1986) to assist in the early diagnosis and measurement of dementia in the elderly. In this study the CAMDEX was administered to a mixed group of independently diagnosed elderly psychiatric patients and control subjects in the United States. The CAMDEX was found to have a high interrater reliability with a mixed group of clinicians of varying backgrounds. The diagnostic scales and the cognitive section of the CAMDEX demonstrated considerable promise in distinguishing between independently diagnosed populations of depressed, demented, and normal subjects. The results suggest comparability between samples of subjects in England and the US, and that the CAMDEX is a promising instrument for use in both research and clinical settings.
A New Method for Treating Wells in Reservoir Simulation

A NEW METHOD FOR TREATING WELLS IN RESERVOIR SIMULATION Gregory M. Gessel Department of Chemical Engineering Master of Science A new method for formulating finite difference equations for reservoir simulation has been developed. It can be applied throughout the entire simulated reservoir or to local segments. When applied to cells containing vertical, fully penetrating, straight-line wells in a homogeneous reservoir, the resulting equations are equivalent to Peaceman’s classical well equations used in most reservoir simulators today. However, when the new finite difference equations are applied to both the well-containing cells, and their neighbors, the accuracy of the simulation improves substantially. The method produces still better accuracy results when applied throughout the reservoir. Unlike the Peaceman correction, the new method also applies to reservoirs containing wells of complex geometry. This includes wells that are closely spaced and wells near reservoir faults and external boundaries. The method results from the incorporation of approximate analytical expressions for the pressure into the reservoir simulator’s finite difference equations. By incorporating the “physics” of the flow into the solution, rather than relying on polynomial-based finite difference equations based on Taylor’s series, as is usually done, solution accuracy improves. Accuracy is particularly improved around the wells where near-singularities in the pressure occur. Polynomials are incapable of accurately representing singularities.
Prediction of mortality and of the need for massive transfusion in casualties arriving at combat support hospitals in Iraq.

Background: Our purpose was to compare the Revised Trauma Score (RTS) with the new Field Triage Score (FTS) for prediction of mortality (MORT) and of need for massive transfusion (MASS, ≥10 units of packed cells or whole blood) in casualties arriving at combat support hospitals in Iraq. Methods: Six hundred ninety-two cases were reviewed; 536 had complete data and were included. Total Glasgow Coma Scale score (GCS total ) not GCS motor was used. Thus, a modification (FTS 07 ) of the FTS was calculated, using GCS <8 and systolic arterial pressure (SAP) <100 as cut-points, with range 0 to 2. Variables different by univariate analysis underwent logistic regression analysis (LRA) and areas under the curve for receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) were calculated. By LRA, probability of an outcome is given by p = e k /(1 + e k ). Results: By LRA for MORT, k = 0.616 - 0.438 x RTS; AUC = 0.708. When used instead of RTS, FTS 07 provided k = - 0.716 - 1.009 x FTS 07 ; AUC = 0.687 (NS). For MASS, k = 0.638 - 0.115 x RTS - 0.011 x DAP + 0.358 x SI, where DAP is diastolic arterial pressure and SI is shock index, i.e., heart rate or SAP; AUC = 0.638. When used instead of RTS, FTS 07 provided k = -0.740 - 0.376 x FTS 07 - 0.011 x DAP; AUC = 0.618 (NS). Conclusions: RTS emerged as the best predictor of MORT, with FTS 07 a close surrogate. This indicates the effect of impaired mentation on MORT in these data. For prediction of MASS, RTS as well as the heart rate and blood pressure predominated. The advantage of FTS 07 (or original FTS) over RTS is the former's ease of computation.
Mass spectra of piperidide and trimethylsilyl ester derivatives of the major metabolite of prostaglandin F

Abstract The electron ionization mass spectra of three piperidides and four trimethylsilyl ester derivatives of the major urinary metabolite of prostaglandins F1α and F2α (PGF-M) are presented and discussed. The proposed fragmentation pathways are based on substituent shifts, on data from deuterium-labeled methyloxime analogs, and those from pyrrolidide homologs.
Engineering education; the “P” word and continuous quality improvement

Abstract Just as institutions of higher education are increasingly being required to restructure and become more productive, so also is accountability for undergraduate education. A modest beginning is described at Virginia Tech.
Formation and Luminescence Phenomena of LaF3:Ce3+ Nanoparticles and Lanthanide-Organic Compounds in Dimethyl Sulfoxide

LaF3:Ce3+-doped nanoparticles were synthesized at different temperatures in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) by the chemical reaction of lanthanum nitrate hydrate and cerium nitrate hexahydrate with ammonium fluoride. The formation of Ce3+-doped LaF3 nanoparticles is confirmed by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. An intense emission at around 310 nm from the d−f transition of Ce3+ was observed from the LaF3:Ce3+ powder samples. However, in solution samples, the ultraviolet emission from Ce3+ is mostly absent, but intense luminescence is observed in the visible range from blue to red. The emission wavelength of the solution samples is dependent on the reaction time and temperature. More interestingly, the emission wavelength varies with the excitation wavelength. Most likely, this emission is from metal organic compounds of Ce3+ or La3+ and DMSO as similar phenomena are also observed when lanthanum nitrate hydrate or cerium nitrate hexahydrate are heated in DMSO.
Series enumeration study of the rod-to-coil transition of linear polymer chains

The scaling of the number, the mean-squared end-to-end distance, and the mean displacement in the direction of the first step, for semiflexible chains on the square, triangular and simple cubic lattices are investigated by enumerating self-avoiding walks classified according to the number of turns. Simple scaling forms are found to describe adequately all the available data. Estimates of the scaling functions are obtained and compared with the Gaussian results, when available. Self-avoidance effects are suppressed but do not vanish identically ind=3, contrary to recent theoretical expectations.
Alumatrane revisited: Distribution of oligomeric ions in electron impact ionization, chemical ionization and liquid secondary ion mass spectra

Oligomeric ions formed from aluminium 2,2′,2″-nitriltriethoxide (alumatrane) are present in electron impact (EI) ionization, chemical ionization (CI), direct-exposure probe chemical ionization (DCI) and liquid secondary ion (LSI) mass spectra. These oligomeric ions are most pronounced in the LSI mass spectrum, extending from monomeric to heptameric ions. The oligomeric ions exist there in the forms [Mn + H]+ and [Mn + (AIO)a + (Al2O3)b]+ where the sum of a and b can be as high as 5. In contrast to previous interpretations of EI and CI results, the LSI mass spectral data do not support a special stability for either the dimeric or tetrameric gas-phase forms of alumatrane.
Chestnut Grove: An Early 19th-Century Lime Burning Industry in the Connecticut Western Reserve

Information is limited regarding the development of early industries along Lake Erie's northeastern shore of the Connecticut Western Reserve. With the opening of the Ohio Country, farmers and pioneer industrialists found the virgin land abundant with natural resources and ready to be exploited. Evidence derived from a rescue excavation of a stone structure at the outlet of the Cowles Creek together with documents established the presence of a lime burning industry. Early settlers found a plentiful wood supply located on the mainland which provided the necessary fuel for burning limestone mined on Cunningham (Kelleys) Island and permitted the construction of shops for use on Lake Erie. Some of the ships that were constructed locally were used to transport lime for the industry. The Sandusky Bay Islands eventually became a rich source of limestone for the expanding American consumer market.
CD24 expression is an independent prognostic marker in cholangiocarcinoma

CD24 has been described as an adverse prognostic marker in several malignancies. This study evaluates CD24 expression in cholangiocarcinoma and correlates the findings with clinicopathologic data and patient survival. Between 1996 and 2002, 22 consecutive patients with cholangiocarcinoma were treated at our institution. Demographic data, SEER stage, pathologic data, treatment, expression of CD24, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphorylated MAPK, and survival were analyzed. The majority of the tumors demonstrated CD24 (81.8%) and p-MAPK (87%) expression. A negative association was noted between the expression of CD24 and p-MAPK. Median survival for patients with low expression of CD24 was 36 months and high expression was 8 months. Median survival for patients who received chemotherapy with low CD24 expression was 163 months, and for seven patients with high CD24 expression, it was 17 months (p = 0.04). With the addition of radiation therapy, median survival for patients with low expression of CD24 was 52 months and high expression was 17 months (p = 0.08). On multivariate analysis, the use of chemotherapy (p = 0.0014, hazard ratio 0.069) and the CD24 overexpression (p = 0.02, hazard ratio 7.528) were predictive of survival. CD24 is commonly expressed in cholangiocarcinoma, and overexpression is predictive of poor survival and possibly of lack of response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These findings may improve selection of patients for the appropriate treatment modality and the development of CD24-targeted therapy.
Catalytic Mechanism and Energy Barriers for Butyrylcholinesterase-Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Cocaine

The geometries of the transition states, intermediates, and prereactive enzyme-substrate complex and the corresponding energy barriers have been determined by performing hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations on butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)-catalyzed hydrolysis of (−)- and (+)-cocaine. The energy barriers were evaluated by performing QM/MM calculations with the QM method at the MP2/6-31+G* level and the MM method using the AMBER force field. These calculations allow us to account for the protein environmental effects on the transition states and energy barriers of these enzymatic reactions, showing remarkable effects of the protein environment on intermolecular hydrogen bonding (with an oxyanion hole), which is crucial for the transition state stabilization and, therefore, on the energy barriers. The calculated energy barriers are consistent with available experimental kinetic data. The highest barrier calculated for BChE-catalyzed hydrolysis of (−)- and (+)-cocaine is associated with the third reaction step, but the energy barrier calculated for the first step is close to the highest and is so sensitive to the protein environment that the first reaction step can be rate determining for (−)-cocaine hydrolysis catalyzed by a BChE mutant. The computational results provide valuable insights into future design of BChE mutants with a higher catalytic activity for (−)-cocaine.
A comparison of the physical properties of a room temperature vulcanizing silicone modified and unmodified

Abstract RTV silicone MDX 4-4210 unmodified and modified with the addition of 5%, 10%, and 15% 360 MF 100cs was tested for the following physical properties: tensile strength, ultimate elongation (ASTM D412 die C), tear resistance (ASTM D624, die C), and Shore A Durometer hardness (ASTM D2240). The initial mechanical properties of unmodified RTV silicone were superior to those of RTV silicone modified with 5%, 10%, and 15% 360 MF except for hardness. The value for each property measured was found to decrease linearly with the amount of 360 MF added. If additional softness is desired, it can be achieved with the addition of 360 MF to RTV silicone at the expense of decreased strength, elongation, and tear resistance. Even with the addition of 15% 360 MF the values for tear resistance and elongation were in the standard range. The tensile strength of unmodified RTV silicone fell below the accepted values.
Intra-die process parameter variation and leakage analysis of cache at the microarchitectural level

As technology scales down to the nanometer domain, leakage currents begin to contribute significantly to the total power consumption of the chip. In addition, it becomes increasingly difficuilt to control the transistor device parameters. This causes increased heat dissipation in the chip and the degradation in the frequency of operation, thus compromising the reliability of the chip. Hence, it becomes necessary to model the leakage currents and variabilities observed in minimum geometry transistors early in the design flow, to be able to design a low-power, dense and robust cache architecture. In this paper, we present CacheSim, a cache memory simulator that includes compact models for both intra-die process parameter variations and leakage currents in the conventional cache architecture, to give an accurate estimate of memory power at the system level, and the cache access time.
Attributable Outcomes of Endemic Clostridium difficile–associated Disease in Nonsurgical Patients

Data are limited on the attributable outcomes of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD), particularly in CDAD-endemic settings. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of nonsurgical inpatients admitted for >/=48 hours in 2003 (N = 18,050). The adjusted hazard ratios for readmission (hazard ratio 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.87-2.55) and deaths within 180 days (hazard ratio 1.23, 95% CI 1.03-1.46) were significantly different among CDAD case-patients and noncase patients. In a propensity score matched-pairs analysis that used a nested subset of the cohort (N = 706), attributable length of stay attributable to CDAD was 2.8 days, attributable readmission at 180 days was 19.3%, and attributable death at 180 days was 5.7%. CDAD patients were significantly more likely than controls to be discharged to a long-term-care facility or outside hospital. Even in a nonoutbreak setting, CDAD had a statistically significant negative impact on patient illness and death, and the impact of CDAD persisted beyond hospital discharge.
A multi-site evaluation of Parents Raising Safe Kids Violence Prevention Program

The Parents Raising Safe Kids Program (PRSK) is a research-based manualized violence prevention curriculum designed to decrease coercive parenting behavior, encourage positive discipline, increase media violence literacy, and increase child development knowledge. This study is a multi-site pre-post comparison evaluation of PRSK's effectiveness with diverse parents, including those who are incarcerated, in drug treatment and both English and Spanish speaking. Results indicate that PRSK was successful at improving media violence literacy, positive parenting behavior, child development knowledge, anger management, and prosocial problem solving. Additionally, PRSK was especially efficacious for Spanish speaking participants, who improved more than English speakers. Due to the need for appropriate and cost-effective programs for underrepresented groups, these results add to the growing evidence base supporting the use of PRSK with diverse parents. PRSK is effective in educating caregivers about nonviolent parenting behavior and child development. It is flexible, focuses on parents of very young children, and is cost effective. The program costs a fraction of other evidence-based practices yet statistical effect sizes for change over time are comparable.
Management of the Critically Ill Geriatric Patient

People who are older than 65 years of age are the fastest growing segment of the US population.1 By 2030 the population older than 65 years will double to approximately 70 million, and the fastest growing segment of the population, those older than 84 years, will triple.1–3 Age is associated with an increasing prevalence of multiple diseases and disabilities. Age is also associated with a decline of the functional reserve of multiple organ systems and a progressive restriction in personal and social resources. It is, therefore, not surprising that elderly patients will utilize a disproportionate share of health care resources. It is estimated that by the year 2030, 55% of all health care expenses in the USA will be spent on caring for the elderly.4 By virtue of having lived longer, increasing numbers of elderly patients (age >65 years) are being admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), with diagnoses ranging from exacerbations of chronic illnesses and new onset of catastrophic health problems to trauma caused by home-related incidents and injury-resultant accidents that have occurred outside of the home. Elderly patients currently account for 42–52% of ICU admissions and for almost 60% of all ICU days.3,5–7 A disproportionate number of these ICU days is spent by elderly patients before their death. Forty percent of Medicare dependants are admitted to an ICU during their terminal illness, accounting for a quarter of all Medicare expenditure.8,9 Clearly ICU utilization by the elderly will increase exponentially over the next three decades. With the current unitization patterns, a severe shortage of intensivists and ICU beds has therefore been predicted.3 The reality of our aging society dictates that we must focus on how to best care for the elderly who develop critical illness.
A Helly-type theorem for countable intersections of starshaped sets

Let k and d be fixed integers, 0≦k≦d, and let $\mathcal{K} = \{ k_\alpha :\alpha {\text{ in some index set}}\} $ be a collection of sets in $\mathbb{R}^d .$ If every countable subfamily of $\mathcal{K}$ has a starshaped intersection, then $ \cap \{ k_\alpha :k_\alpha {\text{ in }}\mathcal{K}\} $ is (nonempty and) starshaped as well. Moreover, if every countable subfamily of $\mathcal{K}$ has as its intersection a starshaped set whose kernel is at least k-dimensional, then the kernel of $ \cap \{ k_\alpha :k_\alpha {\text{ in }}\mathcal{K}\} $ is at least k-dimensional, too. Finally, dual statements hold for unions of sets.
Synergistic Effects of the Green Tea Extract Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and Taxane in Eradication of Malignant Human Prostate Tumors.

We have examined whether epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), and extract of green tea, in combination with taxane (i.e., paclitaxel and docetaxel), exerts a synergistic activity in blocking human prostate PC-3ML tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Growth assays in vitro revealed that the IC50 values were ∼30 µM, ∼3 nM, and ∼6 nM, for EGCG, paclitaxel and docetaxel, respectively. Isobolograms generated from the data clearly indicated that EGCG in combination with paclitaxel or docetaxel had an additive effect in blocking tumor cell growth. EGCG combined with taxane also had an additive effect to increase the expression of apoptotic genes, (p53, p73, p21, and caspase 3) and the percent apoptosis observed in vitro and in tumor modeling studies in severe combined immunodeficient mice. The tumor modeling studies clearly showed that EGCG plus taxane injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) induced a significant increase in apoptosis rates (TUNEL assays) and eliminated preexisting tumors generated from PC-3ML cells implanted i.p., increasing disease-free survival rates to greater than 90%. More importantly, the combination therapy (i.p. biweekly) blocked metastases after intravenous injection of PC-3ML cells through the tail vein. In mice treated with EGCG plus taxane, the disease-free survival rates increased from 0% (in untreated mice) to more than 70% to 80% in treated mice. Taken together, these data demonstrate for the first time that EGCG in combination with taxane may provide a novel therapeutic treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
Electrons associated with negative μ mesons

A study has been made in photographic emulsions of low energy electrons associated with stopped negative μ-mesons from the University of Chicago cyclotron. A total of 1000 meson endings has been studied. Of these mesons, 358 decayed into a high energy electron and 32 caused a star. The remaining 610 mesons stopped in the emulsion with no associated tracks other than tracks of low energy electrons (10<E e <100 keV). A low energy electron track is observed from 17 of the−μ-e decays (5 percent). The energy distribution of the low energy electrons from the μ-e decays is consistent with the assumption that the low energy electrons are monoenergetic. The average energy of these electrons is about 17 keV. The low energy electrons are thought to be due to «Auger» transitions of the negative μ-meson from the atomic capture in the light elements of the emulsion. One or more low energy electron tracks are observed from 255 stopped μ-mesons which did not decay or cause a star. These electrons are thought to be due to mesonic «Auger» transitions from the heavy elements in the emulsion. The large difference in the probabilities of electron ejection from the mesonic capture in the light and heavy elements (5 percent as compared to 44 percent) is confirmed by a study of low energy electrons associated with negative μ-meson stars.
Environmental impacts of reflective materials: Is high albedo a 'silver bullet' for mitigating urban heat island?

Abstract Studies on urban heat island (UHI) have been more than a century after the phenomenon was first discovered in the early 1800s. UHI emerges as the source of many urban environmental problems and exacerbates the living environment in cities. Under the challenges of increasing urbanization and future climate changes, there is a pressing need for sustainable adaptation/mitigation strategies for UHI effects, one popular option being the use of reflective materials. While it is introduced as an effective method to reduce temperature and energy consumption in cities, its impacts on environmental sustainability and large-scale non-local effect are inadequately explored. This paper provides a synthetic overview of potential environmental impacts of reflective materials at a variety of scales, ranging from energy load on a single building to regional hydroclimate. The review shows that mitigation potential of reflective materials depends on a set of factors, including building characteristics, urban environment, meteorological and geographical conditions, to name a few. Precaution needs to be exercised by city planners and policy makers for large-scale deployment of reflective materials before their environmental impacts, especially on regional hydroclimates, are better understood. In general, it is recommended that optimal strategy for UHI needs to be determined on a city-by-city basis, rather than adopting a “one-solution-fits-all” strategy.
A Simplified Implementation of Edge Detection in MATLAB is Faster and More Sensitive than Fast Fourier Transform for Actin Fiber Alignment Quantification

Fiber alignment plays a critical role in the structure and function of cells and tissues. While fiber alignment quantification is important to experimental analysis and several different methods for quantifying fiber alignment exist, many studies focus on qualitative rather than quantitative analysis perhaps due to the complexity of current fiber alignment methods. Speed and sensitivity were compared in edge detection and fast Fourier transform (FFT) for measuring actin fiber alignment in cells exposed to shear stress. While edge detection using matrix multiplication was consistently more sensitive than FFT, image processing time was significantly longer. However, when MATLAB functions were used to implement edge detection, MATLAB's efficient element-by-element calculations and fast filtering techniques reduced computation cost 100 times compared to the matrix multiplication edge detection method. The new computation time was comparable to the FFT method, and MATLAB edge detection produced well-distributed fiber angle distributions that statistically distinguished aligned and unaligned fibers in half as many sample images. When the FFT sensitivity was improved by dividing images into smaller subsections, processing time grew larger than the time required for MATLAB edge detection. Implementation of edge detection in MATLAB is simpler, faster, and more sensitive than FFT for fiber alignment quantification.
Musculoskeletal Simulation Based Optimization of Rehabilitation Program

Rehabilitation is a complex multifaceted process with complexity and variability that depends not only on human patients and/or specialized equipment but also on the nature of their functional interaction. Rapid and effective customization of the functional interactions between the patient and the rehabilitation device thus becomes critical for any rehabilitation program. Two principal dimensions govern the effectiveness of such functional interactions: geometric placement of user-device (ergonomics) and exercise selection and performance (regimen). In this paper, we discuss aspects of creation of a virtual design environment, leveraging tools from musculoskeletal analysis, optimization, and simulation-based design, which will permit a therapist to rapidly evaluate and systematically customize various candidate rehabilitation programs. Specifically, this framework: (i) permits study of parametric performance variability due to ergonomic or regimen variability; and (ii) facilitates use of all design tools such as optimization to determine the best program. We illustrate various aspects of this customization using an illustrative case-study of a motor-rehabilitation haptic virtual driving environment
Determine a vision system's 3D coordinate measurement capability using Taguchi methods

Before a machine vision system can be used effectively in a production environment, its capability (accuracy and repeatability) must be determined. In this project, a Taguchi methods-based systematic methodology is used to determine a vision system's three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measurement capability. This methodology reduces the effect of the noise factors rather than removes them which may be costly. Seven factors (i.e., lens type, colour of background, distance between two objects, distance between camera and target, filter, lighting source, and angle between the camera's optic axis and the target's surface) are studied in an L27(313) orthogonal array. The experiment results show that when set up correctly, the selected vision system can measure to 0·004 inch (1 in. = 25·4mm) of accuracy and 0·001 in. of repeatability. The process capability percent and response figures show the amounts of change when the setup factor levels deviate from the optimal one.
A bioinformatic analysis of NAC genes for plant cell wall development in relation to lignocellulosic bioenergy production.

NAM, ATAF, and CUC2 (NAC) proteins are encoded by one of the largest plant-specific transcription factor gene families. The functions of many NAC proteins relate to different aspects of lignocellulosic biomass production, and a small group of NAC transcription factors has been characterized as master regulators of plant cell wall development. In the present study, a total of 1,232 NAC protein sequences from 11 different organisms were analyzed by sequence phylogeny based on protein DNA-binding domains. We included eight whole genomes (Arabidopsis, rice, poplar, grape, sorghum, soybean, moss (Physcomitrella patens), and spike moss (Selaginella moellendorffii)) and three not yet fully sequenced genomes (maize, switchgrass, and Medicago truncatula) in our analyses. Ninety-two potential PvNAC genes from switchgrass and 148 PtNAC genes from poplar were identified. The 1,232 NAC proteins were phylogenetically classified into eight subfamilies, each of which was further divided into subgroups according to their tree topology. The phylogenetic subgroups were then grouped into different clades each sharing conserved motif patterns in the C-terminal sequences, and those that may function in plant cell wall development were further identified through motif grouping and gene expression pattern analysis using publicly available microarray data. Our results provide a bioinformatic baseline for further functional analyses of candidate NAC genes for improving cell wall and environmental tolerance traits in the bioenergy crops switchgrass and poplar.