cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiopulmonary toxicity of propellants for aerosols

Some of the propellants used in aerosols have the potential to produce bronchoconstriction, reduce pulmonary compliance, depress respiratory minute volume, reduce mean blood pressure, and accelerate heart rate. The most toxic propellant is trichlorofluoromethane (FC 11), which exerts all of these undesired effects except bronchoconstriction and a reduction of pulmonary compliance. Coincidentally, FC 11 is the most widely used low-pressure propellant. The least toxic propellant is difluoroethane (FC 152a), which is rarely used in aerosols. Additional investigation is needed to determine which toxic effects are the important ones in deciding on the future use of these propellants. It will also be necessary to examine the influence of pathological lesions in the heart and lung on the sensitivity of these organs to the various aerosols. 5 references, 2 figures, 1 table.
Mate-seeking by Female Amblyomma maculatum (Acarina: Ixodidae) on a Bovine

LITTLE information is available concerning the attraction between sexes of ticks, and the literature contains no reports of sex pheromones in these arachnids. In some tick species the males are known to seek the attached females1–4, though male bont ticks, Amblyomma hebraeum Koch, in Africa probably attract females5. When, however, I investigated the mating behaviour of the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum Koch, on bovines restrained inside environmentally controlled stalls (24±3° C; 70±7% relative humidity; 12 h photophase: 12 h scotophase per 24 h photocycle), I found that the females were attracted to the males.
Equations of Motion in Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics

Exact equations of motion for the space- and time-dependent thermodynamic coordinates of a many-body system are derived directly from the Liouville equation. This is done by definining a generalized canonical density operator depending only upon present values of the thermodynamic coordinates. This operator is used no matter how far the system is from equilibrium. An explicit expression for the entropy of a system possibly not in equilibrium is given in terms of this operator. The equation of motion for the operator is derived, and the coupled, nonlinear, integrodifferential equations of motion for the thermodynamic coordinates follow immediately.
Studies of Thermobifida fusca plant cell wall degrading enzymes

SYNOPSIS: I have been studying the Thermobifida fusca cellulose degrading proteins for the past 25 years. In this period, we have purified and characterized the six extracellular cellulases and an intracellular β- glucosidase used by T. fusca for cellulose degradation, cloned and sequenced the structural genes encoding these enzymes, and helped to determine the 3-dimensional structures of two of the cellulase catalytic domains. This research determined the mechanism of a novel class of cellulase, family 9 processive endoglucanases, and helped to show that there were two types of exocellulases, ones that attacked the non-reducing ends of cellulose and ones that attacked the reducing ends. It also led to the sequencing of the T. fusca genome by the DOE Joint Genome Institute. We have studied the mechanisms that regulate T. fusca cellulases and have shown that cellobiose is the inducer and that cellulase synthesis is repressed by any good carbon source. A regulatory protein (CelR) that functions in the induction control has been purified, characterized, and its structural gene cloned and expressed in E. coli. I have also carried out research on two rumen bacteria, Prevotella ruminicola and Fibrobacter succinogenes, in collaboration with Professor James Russell, helping to arrange for the genomes of these two organisms to be sequenced by TIGR, funded by a USDA grant to the North American Consortium for Genomics of Fibrolytic Ruminal Biology. © 2004 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 4: 72–82; 2004: Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI 10.1002/tcr.20002
Tiling problems, automata, and tiling graphs

This paper continues the investigation of tiling problems via formal languages, which was begun in papers by Merlini, Sprugnoli, and Verri. Those authors showed that certain tiling problems could be encoded by regular languages, which lead automatically to generating functions and other combinatorial information on tilings. We introduce a method of simplifying the DFA's recognizing these language, which leads to bijective proofs of certain tiling identities. We apply these ideas to some other tiling problems, including three-dimensional tilings and tilings with triangles and rhombi. We also study graph-theoretic variations of these tiling problems.
Loneliness Among the Elderly: A Causal Approach

The purpose of this study was to develop and assess a causal model of loneliness among a national probability sample of noninstitutionalized elderly adults. Path analysis was used to test the causal model. The findings indicated that marital status, self-perceived health status, income, social activity levels, and a sense of social fulfillment directly predict feelings of loneliness. The social fulfillment variable, however, was the most important predictor. An interesting finding was that age had no notable direct or indirect effect on feelings of loneliness.
The Bis(indolyl)imidazole Alkaloid Nortopsentin A Exhibits Antiplasmodial Activity

ABSTRACT A library of enriched marine natural product fractions was screened for their antiplasmodial activity using a SYBR green I fluorescence-based assay. Fractions derived from a sponge of the genus Spongosorites exhibited potent inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum growth. This genus of sponge has been reported to contain the nortopsentin and topsentin class of bis-indole imidazole alkaloids. This is the first report of nortopsentin A inhibiting parasite growth at the trophozoite stage at submicromolar 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC 50 ).
ANCIENT MAYA MARKETS AND THE ECONOMIC INTEGRATION OF CARACOL, BELIZE

Modeling Classic period social and economic systems of the ancient Maya has proven difficult for a number of reasons, including sampling, preservation, and interpretational biases. As more archaeological research has been undertaken, views about the Classic period Maya (a.d. 250–900) have become progressively more complex. Because neither Maya art nor hieroglyphic texts contain substantial information on ancient economic systems, some archaeologists have tended to deemphasize the impact of ancient economies in reconstructions of the Classic period Maya civilization. Archaeological research at Caracol, Belize, however, has recovered evidence of the road systems, marketplaces, and production areas that served as the backbone of the site's economic infrastructure. When combined with artifact distributions, these data demonstrate the existence of an economy based on surplus household production with distribution in elite-administered markets. The archaeological data from Caracol not only elucidate how marketplaces were embedded in the Maya landscape, but also how they were used to integrate the site.
Low latency demodulation for Atomic Force Microscopes, Part I efficient real-time integration

This paper describes methods for doing high-speed, low latency, coherent demodulation of signals for dynamic or AC mode in Atomic Force Microscopes (AFMs) [1]. These demodulation methods allow the system to extract signal information in as little as one cycle of the fundamental oscillation frequency. By having so little latency, the demodulator minimizes the time delay in the servo loop for an AC mode AFM. This in turn minimizes the negative phase effects of the demodulation allowing for higher speed scanning. This part of the paper describes the mixing and integration portion of the demodulator. Part II [2] describes efficient methods for extracting magnitude and phase in real time.
Repression of hedgehog signaling and BMP4 expression in growth plate cartilage by fibroblast growth factor receptor 3

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is a key regulator of skeletal growth and activating mutations in Fgfr3 cause achondroplasia, the most common genetic form of dwarfism in humans. Little is known about the mechanism by which FGFR3 inhibits bone growth and how FGFR3 signaling interacts with other signaling pathways that regulate endochondral ossification. To understand these mechanisms, we targeted the expression of an activated FGFR3 to growth plate cartilage in mice using regulatory elements from the collagen II gene. As with humans carrying the achondroplasia mutation, the resulting transgenic mice are dwarfed, with axial, appendicular and craniofacial skeletal hypoplasia. We found that FGFR3 inhibited endochondral bone growth by markedly inhibiting chondrocyte proliferation and by slowing chondrocyte differentiation. Significantly, FGFR3 downregulated the Indian hedgehog (Ihh) signaling pathway and Bmp4 expression in both growth plate chondrocytes and in the perichondrium. Conversely, Bmp4 expression is upregulated in the perichondrium of Fgfr3-/mice. These data support a model in which Fgfr3 is an upstream negative regulator of the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. Additionally, Fgfr3 may coordinate the growth and differentiation of chondrocytes with the growth and differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells by simultaneously modulating Bmp4 and patched expression in both growth plate cartilage and in the perichondrium. SUMMARY
Fear of crime, social ties, and collective efficacy: Maybe masquerading measurement, maybe déj`a vu all over again

(2002). Fear of crime, social ties, and collective efficacy: Maybe masquerading measurement, maybe dej`a vu all over again. Justice Quarterly: Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 773-792.
Targeted Disruption of Hotair Leads to Homeotic Transformation and Gene Derepression

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are thought to be prevalent regulators of gene expression, but the consequences of lncRNA inactivation in vivo are mostly unknown. Here, we show that targeted deletion of mouse Hotair lncRNA leads to derepression of hundreds of genes, resulting in homeotic transformation of the spine and malformation of metacarpal-carpal bones. RNA sequencing and conditional inactivation reveal an ongoing requirement of Hotair to repress HoxD genes and several imprinted loci such as Dlk1-Meg3 and Igf2-H19 without affecting imprinting choice. Hotair binds to both Polycomb repressive complex 2, which methylates histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27), and Lsd1 complex, which demethylates histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4) in vivo. Hotair inactivation causes H3K4me3 gain and, to a lesser extent, H3K27me3 loss at target genes. These results reveal the function and mechanisms of Hotair lncRNA in enforcing a silent chromatin state at Hox and additional genes.
MATING OF NORMAL AND STERILIZED COLONIZED AND NATIVE CORN EARWORMS WITH EMPHASIS ON FAILURE OF PAIRS TO SEPARATE AFTER COPULATION.

Normal and sterilized (60Co) native and laboratory treared male Heliothis zea (Boddie) were caged with native and laboratory-reared females in all possible combinations. Locking, i.e., failure to separate after copulation, occurred in at least 39% of all matings involving laboratory-reared males and rose to an average of 60% of matings between sterilized laboratory-reared males and native females. The mating and locking characteristics were astions. sociated closely with the type of male; egg production was affected significantly by the type of male and female.
Notch4 normalization reduces blood vessel size in arteriovenous malformations.

Abnormally enlarged blood vessels underlie many life-threatening disorders including arteriovenous (AV) malformations (AVMs). The core defect in AVMs is high-flow AV shunts, which connect arteries directly to veins, “stealing” blood from capillaries. Here, we studied mouse brain AV shunts caused by up-regulation of Notch signaling in endothelial cells (ECs) through transgenic expression of constitutively active Notch4 ( Notch4* ). Using four-dimensional two-photon imaging through a cranial window, we found that normalizing Notch signaling by repressing Notch4* expression converted large-caliber, high-flow AV shunts to capillary-like vessels. The structural regression of the high-flow AV shunts returned blood to capillaries, thus reversing tissue hypoxia. This regression was initiated by vessel narrowing without the loss of ECs and required restoration of EphB4 receptor expression by venous ECs. Normalization of Notch signaling resulting in regression of high-flow AV shunts, and a return to normal blood flow suggests that targeting the Notch pathway may be useful therapeutically for treating diseases such as AVMs.
A priori motion models for four-dimensional reconstruction in gated cardiac SPECT

The authors investigate the benefit of incorporating a priori assumptions about cardiac motion in a fully four-dimensional (4D) reconstruction algorithm for gated cardiac SPECT. Previous work has shown that non-motion-specific 4D Gibbs priors enforcing smoothing in time and space can control noise while preserving resolution. Here, the authors evaluate methods for incorporating known heart motion in the Gibbs prior model. The new model is derived by assigning motion vectors to each 4D voxel, defining the movement of that volume of activity into the neighboring time frames. Weights for the Gibbs cliques are computed based on these "most likely" motion vectors. To evaluate, the authors employ the mathematical cardiac-torso (MCAT) phantom with a new dynamic heart model that simulates the beating and twisting motion of the heart. Sixteen realistically-simulated gated datasets were generated, with noise simulated to emulate a real Tl-201 gated SPECT study. Reconstructions were performed using several different reconstruction algorithms, all modeling nonuniform attenuation and three-dimensional detector response. These include ML-EM with 4D filtering, 4D MAP-EM without prior motion assumption, and 4D MAP-EM with prior motion assumptions. The prior motion assumptions included both the correct motion model and incorrect models. Results show that reconstructions using the 4D prior model can smooth noise and preserve time-domain resolution more effectively than 4D linear filters. The authors conclude that modeling of motion in 4D reconstruction algorithms can be a powerful tool for smoothing noise and preserving temporal resolution in gated cardiac studies.
Learning Sequences of Controllers for Complex Manipulation Tasks

Many tasks in human environments require performing a sequence of complex navigation and manipulation tasks. In unstructured human environments, the locations and conguration of the objects can change in unpredictable ways. This requires a high-level planning strategy that is robust and exible in an uncertain environment. We propose a novel dynamic planning strategy, which can be trained from a set of example activities. High level activities are expressed as a sequence of primitive actions or controllers (with appropriate parameters). Our planning model synthesizes a universal strategy, where the a suitable next action is selected based on the current state of the environment. By expressing the environment using sets of attributes, the approach generalizes well to unseen scenarios. By unfolding our planning strategy into a Markov Random Field approximation, we can eectively train parameters using a maximum margin learning strategy. We provide a detailed empirical validation of our overall framework demonstrating successful plan strategies for a variety of tasks.
Mapping the structure and conformational movements of proteins with transition metal ion FRET

Visualizing conformational dynamics in proteins has been difficult, and the atomic-scale motions responsible for the behavior of most allosteric proteins are unknown. Here we report that fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between a small fluorescent dye and a nickel ion bound to a dihistidine motif can be used to monitor small structural rearrangements in proteins. This method provides several key advantages over classical FRET, including the ability to measure the dynamics of close-range interactions, the use of small probes with short linkers, a low orientation dependence, and the ability to add and remove unique tunable acceptors. We used this 'transition metal ion FRET' approach along with X-ray crystallography to determine the structural changes of the gating ring of the mouse hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-regulated ion channel HCN2. Our results suggest a general model for the conformational switch in the cyclic nucleotide-binding site of cyclic nucleotide-regulated ion channels.
Energetic and biomechanical constraints on animal migration distance

Animal migration is one of the great wonders of nature, but the factors that determine how far migrants travel remain poorly understood. We present a new quantitative model of animal migration and use it to describe the maximum migration distance of walking, swimming and flying migrants. The model combines biomechanics and metabolic scaling to show how maximum migration distance is constrained by body size for each mode of travel. The model also indicates that the number of body lengths travelled by walking and swimming migrants should be approximately invariant of body size. Data from over 200 species of migratory birds, mammals, fish, and invertebrates support the central conclusion of the model - that body size drives variation in maximum migration distance among species through its effects on metabolism and the cost of locomotion. The model provides a new tool to enhance general understanding of the ecology and evolution of migration.
Control of a Distributed Parameter System with a Free Boundary

ABSTRACT In this paper, the control problem associated with a diffusion system with a free boundary is considered. This problem arises physically from attempting to control the rate of solidification of a liquid. An estimate for the reachable set of free boundary points corresponding to a specified class of control functions is derived. The control problem is first formulated as an infinite-dimensional mathematical programming problem, and then approximated by a corresponding finite-dimensional problem, The convergence of the approximation is established. Typical numerical solutions are also presented.
Network management of wireless tactical networks

This paper presents a network layer protocol developed for tactical multimedia networks in the forward area. The proposed network is an autonomous fully distributed wireless ATM network. The structure of the proposed network is hierarchical and allows for rapid deployment and dynamic reconfiguration of wireless stations. Nodes are organized into clusters. The cluster heads are analogous to the base stations in a conventional ATM and they act as the local coordinators to support services that include conventional data applications as well as multimedia (video, voice and data) applications with QoS (quality-of-service) guarantees. The proposed protocols are also intended to provide seamless internetworking with other wired ATM local and wide area networks. The algorithms are distributed for simple implementation and ease of mobility management. A wireless VP/VC concept is described to provide ATM cell routing and connections in the network. Routing and the provision for efficient utilization of the available bandwidth are major problems for supporting multimedia traffic in a wireless network. Call management, network management, and signaling are designed for simplicity. Restoration schemes are also proposed to resolve the connectivity problems associated with link or node failures.
New aspects of some small-signal ac frequency response functions

Abstract First, it is shown how an expression for the ac conductivity of an ionically conducting material derived by Almond and West and co-workers from an earlier “universal dielectric response” equation of Jonscher may be related to and subsumed under a response function proposed much earlier. Doubt is cast on the identification of a parameter in the Almond-West analysis as the ionic hopping frequency. The earlier function, first proposed by Ravaine and Souquet, is widely used to describe the depressed arcs often obtained when experimental impedance data are plotted in the complex plane. A general relation which yields either this response or that of Cole and Cole for the complex dielectric constant is discussed and shown to involve inadequate high and low frequency limits. Finally, a new distribution-of-activation-energies model which can fit both unsymmetric and symmetric arcs in either the impedance or complex dielectric constant plane is briefly discussed. This model does yield physically realistic high and low frequency limiting response as well as predictions of the temperature dependence of power-law frequency response exponents.
CTC: Why We Do It

J. T. Ferrucci, MD Chair Emeritus and Professor of Radiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, 88 East Newton Street, Boston, MA 02118 that the sensitivity of CTC equaled that of conventional colonoscopy for detection of large polyps and cancers in a landmark 100 patient Boston University study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Fenlon et al. 1999). As they say, the rest is history. As CTC enters its second decade, it is no longer new, but retains many compelling features. Technologically it maintains its sophisticated, innovative appeal and still exhibits great potential to evolve further. Scientifically, CTC is reframing strategies for colorectal cancer screening and now challenges the primacy of colonoscopy and the specialty of gastroenterology for the diagnosis of colon disorders. At the same time, CTC has been a dominant focus of research in abdominal and gastrointestinal radiology for several years, stimulating an enormous volume of original scientific investigation as well as media and industry attention. Impressive clinical results continue to appear from investigators throughout the world, including North America, Europe, and Australia (Yee et al. 2001; Macari et al. 2002; Iannacone et al. 2003; Edwards et al. 2004). Even more important is the totally non-invasive aspect of CTC (no drugs, no contrast media and no injections) which has won the favor of many physicians and their patients, especially when compared to optical colonoscopy. In preference studies comparing the two tests, patients usually prefer CTC despite the unavoidable biases of pre-endoscopy sedation (Svensson 2002). It is this patient friendly, ‘compliance enhancer’ nature of CTC which has been able to attract otherwise reluctant patients to undergo colorectal cancer screening. A recent U.S. hospital think tank reported that some 60% of patients having virtual colonoscopy had never had any prior form of colorectal cancer screening (Advisory Board 2004) (Fig. 1). In the United States, several HMOs have begun to reimburse for colorectal cancer screening using CTC, and wider reimbursement coverage is expected in 2006 which should lead to rapid wide dissemination into clinical practice. CONTENTS
Oxygenation alters red cell folate levels

Summary. Folate activity is consistently higher in deoxygenated than oxygenated human blood as measured by both radioassay and Lactobacillus casei growth. Red cell, but not serum, folate levels are rapidly mutable: when fully oxygenated, the mean red cell folate level of 15 samples was 489 ng/ml; after deoxygenation the mean rose to 553 ng/ml; following re-oxygenation the mean returned to 488 ng/ml. Transport of folate across the red cell membrane apparently does not contribute to these changes in folate levels, since agents known to inhibit permeation (N-ethyl-maleimide, p-chlormercuriphenyl sulfonic acid and ethacrynic acid) do not affect the rise with deoxygenation. Moreover, new synthesis of folate compounds seems unlikely, since the changes are observed in energy-depleted cells. Instead, direct binding of folate to haemoglobin is suggested by experiments in which the rise with deoxygenation was not seen in red cells exposed to carbon monoxide or treated with cyanate. Similar changes also occur in vivo: canine red cell, but not serum folate levels are significantly higher (P < 0.05) in samples collected from five different veins compared with blood from the paired artery (carotid-jugular, renal, mesenteric, splenic, femoral) of four animals. Thus red cell folate levels are predictably influenced by the levels of oxygenation of the erythrocyte both in vitro and in vivo, possibly by reversibly binding to haemoglobin.
Straightforward and effective protein encapsulation in polypeptide-based artificial cells.

A simple and straightforward approach to encapsulating an enzyme and preserving its function in polypeptide-based artificial cells is demonstrated. A model enzyme, glucose oxidase (GOx), was encapsulated by repeated stepwise adsorption of poly(L-lysine) and poly(L-glutamic acid) onto GOx-coated CaCO3 templates. These polypeptides are known from previous research to exhibit nanometer-scale organization in multilayer films. Templates were dissolved by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) at neutral pH. Addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to the polypeptide assembly solutions greatly increased enzyme retention on the templates, resulting in high-capacity, high-activity loading of the enzyme into artificial cells. Assay of enzyme activity showed that over 80 mg-mL−1 GOx was retained in artificial cells after polypeptide multilayer film formation and template dissolution in the presence of PEG, but only one-fifth as much was retained in the absence of PEG. Encapsulation is a means of improving the availabi...
A Pentacosapeptide (CKS-25) Homologous to Retroviral Envelope Proteins Possesses a Transforming Growth Factor-β Activity

Abstract CKS-17, a synthetic heptadecapeptide homologous to a conserved domain in retroviral envelope protein p15E, mimics the immunosuppressive properties of p15E in vitro and in vivo, but the mechanisms are not understood. Here we report that a synthetic pentacosapeptide designated CKS-25, a longer version of CKS-17 that contains a functional transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) active-site motif (RXXD), inhibits 125I-labeled TGF-β1 (125I-TGF-β1) binding to cell-surface TGF-β receptors in cultured epithelial cells. Multiple conjugation of CKS-25 to bovine serum albumin and carbonic anhydrase enhances the 125I-TGF-β1 binding inhibitory activity and confers a partial TGF-β agonist activity (growth inhibition but not transcriptional activation). Since TGF-β is a potent immunosuppressive factor, these results suggest that the immunosuppressive properties of CKS-17-bovine serum albumin conjugate and p15E are mediated at least in part by their TGF-β agonist activities.
Pricing information bundles in a dynamic environment

We explore a scenario in which a monopolist producer of information goods seeks to maximize its profits in a market where consumer demand shifts frequently and unpredictably. The producer may set an arbitrarily complex price schedule---a function that maps the set of purchased items to a price. However, lacking direct knowledge of consumer demand, it cannotcompute the optimal schedule. Instead, it attempts to optimize profits via trial and error. By means of a simple model of consumer demand and a modified version of a simple nonlinear optimization routine, we study a variety of parametrizations of the price schedule and quantify some of the relationships among learnability, complexity, and profitability. In particular, we show that fixed pricing or simple two-parameter dynamic pricing schedules are preferred when demand shifts frequently, but that dynamic pricing based on more complex schedules tends to be most profitable when demand shifts very infrequently.
A novel FPGA-based bunch purity monitor system at the APS storage ring

Bunch purity is an important source quality factor for the magnetic resonance experiments at the Advanced Photon Source. Conventional bunch-purity monitors utilizing time-to-amplitude converters are subject to dead time. We present a novel design based on a single field- programmable gate array (FPGA) that continuously processes pulses at the full speed of the detector and front-end electronics. The FPGA provides 7778 single-channel analyzers (six per rf bucket). The starting time and width of each single-channel analyzer window can be set to a resolution of 178 ps. A detector pulse arriving inside the window of a single-channel analyzer is recorded in an associated 32-bit counter. The analyzer makes no contribution to the system dead time. Two channels for each rf bucket count pulses originating from the electrons in the bucket. The other four channels on the early and late side of the bucket provide estimates of the background. A single-chip microcontroller attached to the FPGA acts as an EPICS IOC to make the information in the FPGA available to the EPICS clients.
Fireset applications of improved longevity optically activated GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switches

Summary form only given. The longevity of high gain GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSS) operating at /spl sim/100A or below has been greatly increased by doping the semi-insulating GaAs underneath the contact metal to improve the ohmic contacts. For fireset applications operating at 1 kV/1 kA levels and higher, such doped contacts have not yet resulted in improved longevity. This paper will compare various approaches to optical triggering of the switches and methods of establishing electrical connection to the devices in regard to switch longevity at kA current levels. Data on device performance and lifetime will also be presented for different structures, including vertical switch geometries. The device characterization also includes examination of the switch behavior due to neutron irradiation. This irradiation provides an enhancement of DC voltage holdoff, improvement of radiation hardness, and modification of switching behavior. To improve lifetime at 1kV/1 kA and above, we employ multi-filament operation and InPb solder/Au ribbon wire bonding. These studies have resulted in the demonstration of fireset switches that have >400 shot lifetime at nominally 1 kA operating current. This data is guiding the continuing refinement of device structures, configurations for optical triggering, and electrical contacts to meet the demands of fireset applications.
The influence of flow parameters on turbidite slope channel architecture

Turbidite slope channels are analogous to fluvial channels in that they tend towards graded equilibrium profiles. The gap between the equilibrium profile and the actual sediment surface defines the accommodation, and it is the creation or removal of accommodation that governs the architectural style of turbidite channels on the slope. The factors that determine the tangent to the profile at a given point are the flow density, the flow thickness and the maximum settling velocity (a proxy for grain-size) of suspended sediment. These factors combine in a simple hydraulic relationship that illustrates how changes in these parameters affect the equilibrium gradient. In concept, graded channels behave like many sinuous fluvial systems in that the channels migrate laterally with little or no aggradation. Decrease in flow density or thickness, or increase in grain-size steepens the gradient and creates accommodation, allowing channels to aggrade. In fact without changes in other factors such as base level, channel aggradation should only occur when flow properties change. Increase in flow density or thickness, or decrease in grain-size reduce the gradient and remove accommodation, leading to erosional channels. Both long and short term changes tend from erosional to aggradational, with a tendency towards smaller and perhaps muddier flows with time.
A Philosophy of Science for the Twenty‐First Century

Abstract Two major reasons feminists are concerned with science relate to science’s social effects: that science can be a powerful ally in the struggle for equality for women; and that all too frequently science has been a generator and perpetuator of inequality. This concern with the social effects of science leads feminists to a different mode of appraising science from the purely epistemic one prized by most contemporary philosophers of science. The upshot, I suggest, is a new program for philosophy of science, a program for a socially responsible philosophy of science.
Stem cell therapies for traumatic brain injury

Stem cell therapies for traumatic brain injury Vassilis E. Koliatsos 1, 2, 3* , Leyan Xu 1 , Brian J. Cummings 4 Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, 2 Department of Neurology, 3 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA; 4 Departments of Physical and Medical Rehabilitation, Neurological Surgery, and Anatomy and Neurobiology, Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA * To whom correspondence should be addressed The clinical problem Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common problem with unmet therapeutic needs. In the US alone, there are 2-3 million new TBI cases requiring medical attention annually, most of them from falls, strike by/against an object, or motor vehicle crashes. Although most cases of TBI are concussions that usually resolve over a few weeks, a great number of patients will suffer chronic disability from TBI-associated encephalopathies. The prevalence of this chronic TBI is on the order of several millions. TBI-associated encephalopathies are usually caused by focal contusions usually related to low-impact falls and diffuse axonal injury (DAI) from ultra-fast loading of axons due to rotational acceleration in the course of motor vehicle crashes and other scenarios. Focal contusions are impact injuries featured by intraparenchymal hemorrhage with edema and ischemia in the inferior frontal and temporopolar regions leading to neuronal cell death and secondary axonal degeneration. DAI is an impulse injury associated with dynamic loading of axons and represents the commonest neuropathology across TBI cause and degree of severity. DAI evolves over hours-days, often leading to axotomy and disconnection at multiple CNS sites. Clinical problems caused by traumatic contusions and DAI have no satisfactory treatments besides symptomatic alleviation with physical/occupational/speech-language therapy and the empirical use of CNS-acting drugs. Clinical trials of small molecules have been unsuccessful (1). Inspired by some earlier success in models of ischemic brain injury, stem cell transplantation has shown some preclinical efficacy, primarily in models of focal TBI. However a number of limitations, including wide variance in transplanted cells and reported outcomes make it difficult to draw general conclusions at this time. Stem cells from bench to bedside Recent discoveries of the ability of exogenous neural stem cells to successfully incorporate into neural parenchyma (2) have refuted earlier conceptualizations of the mature nervous system as unfavorable to ongoing developmental events. It is now evident that neural stem cells and their more mature neuronal and oligodendrocyte precursor progenies can differentiate, survive
Adolescents' use of reading comprehension strategies: Differences related to reading proficiency, grade level, and gender

Abstract The goals of this study were to examine individual differences in adolescents' reading comprehension strategy use related to reading proficiency, grade level, and gender and to investigate the factor structure and psychometric properties of a newly-developed scenario-based self-report survey. Participants were 1134 students in grades 7–12. The instrument measures four theoretically-consistent constructs related to strategies for (a) the Evaluation and Integration of current text information with previous text information and prior knowledge, (b) Note-Taking, (c) Regulation, and (d) Help-Seeking. The scales demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. Adequate comprehenders reported higher use of Evaluation/Integration and Regulation strategies than struggling comprehenders, while the use of Help-Seeking and Note-Taking did not differ between these groups. Students at higher grade levels reported greater use of Evaluation/Integration and Regulation strategies than those in lower grades. Females reported higher use of all strategy types than males. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.
Vitamin C and Cancer

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid has been proposed as an anticancer agent, as an intervention to reduce cancer incidence, and also as a medication to reduce cancer treatment-related side effects. While there has been significant basic science research that has evaluated the potential tumoricidal mechanisms of action, clinical studies have been underpowered, retrospective, or poorly designed. Current systematic reviews have suggested that the outcome data from vitamin C therapy is limited. There is an important need for prospective clinical trials and pharmacologic studies to fully evaluate the potential of vitamin C as an anticancer agent.
Disaster Day! Integrating speech skills though impromptu group research and presentation

Courses: Disaster Day (DD) is a single-class activity designed for public speaking classrooms, but could also be applied to courses addressing small group communication.Objectives: DD integrates fundamental skills of the basic speech course, fosters participation through group work, and introduces new concepts and skills. By the end of the activity, students should be able to (1) display fundamental speech skills by researching a topic quickly, organizing an informative speech, and delivering a presentation; (2) function effectively in a group by working cooperatively on a project with a tight deadline; and (3) understand basic elements of upcoming skills by creating an informative and visually appealing presentation for a mass audience before having visual aid instruction. DD has similar learning objectives to activities occurring later in the term (i.e., graded speeches) in order to introduce the students to expectations of future, more advanced assignments. As such, I do not treat DD as a graded activi...
Antipsychotics: how strict the formulary?

Seventeen antipsychotic medications are available in the U.S. Antipsychotic formulary considerations include relative efficacy, individual patient response, relative differences in adverse effects, dosage form availability, blood level monitoring, and generic availability. Chlorpromazine, thioridazine, haloperidol, and fluphenazine are recommended for formulary inclusion based on research and clinical considerations. A recommendation for managing a patient receiving a nonformulary antipsychotic is presented.
Teacher Development during Advanced Master's Coursework and Impact on Their Learning 1 Year Later.

Research related to professional development opportunities available to physical education teachers is scarce; what is known shows that career-long professional development opportunities are often limited in scope and are sometimes ineffective or inappropriate (Armour, 2010). Meaningful professional development is critical for teachers if they are to become catalysts for student academic success (Haycock, 1998). Three data sources were used to determine nine physical education teachers development during advanced master's coursework and impact on their learning a year later: pre- and post-self-assessments on program outcomes; five sets of prompted reflections; and follow-up interviews gathered 1 year after teachers' completion of the program. The data were analyzed using qualitative research methods, particularly coding and categorizing (Glesne, 1999; Maxwell, 2005). To ensure validity and reliability, researchers used a variety of methods appropriate for qualitative research, including triangulation. Data showed these teachers had a more refined and more specific understanding of content and pedagogical content knowledge and assessment of learning was and remained a low priority. Many teachers indicated barriers that impeded their ability to implement the knowledge learned. The findings from this study indicated that teachers saw themselves as learners; they sought to apply their content and pedagogical content knowledge in such a way that called on them to try new theories and test the results in their schools and classrooms. This study contributes evidence that teachers consider their growth of content and pedagogical content knowledge important and that many effects of coursework, such as empowerment and self-confidence, extend beyond the scope of the program .
Cost Containment via Computerized Work Measurement Standards

This is a description of Methodist Hospital’s cost containment program using a bi-weekly Labor Utilization Productivity reporting system to monitor performance, and how we have modernized the supporting work measurement detail by using the computer to replace the stop watch for time studies.
Models of Refractive Error Development

Clarity of the visual image is a vital component of ocular health. A common method for assessing image clarity is to measure distance visual acuity. The development of an uncorrected refractive error, however, reduces visual acuity, and in turn adversely impacts upon the quality of ocular health. This chapter discusses various analytical approaches taken in the understanding of refractive error development.
Antimicrobial Probiotics Reduce Salmonella enterica in Turkey Gastrointestinal Tracts

Despite the arsenal of technologies employed to control foodborne nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS), infections have not declined in decades. Poultry is the primary source of NTS outbreaks, as well as the fastest growing meat sector worldwide. With recent FDA rules for phasing-out antibiotics in animal production, pressure is mounting to develop new pathogen reduction strategies. We report on a technology to reduce Salmonella enteritidis in poultry. We engineered probiotic E. coli Nissle 1917, to express and secrete the antimicrobial peptide, Microcin J25. Using in vitro experiments and an animal model of 300 turkeys, we establish the efficacy of this technology. Salmonella more rapidly clear the ceca of birds administered the modified probiotic than other treatment groups. Approximately 97% lower Salmonella carriage is measured in a treated group, 14 days post-Salmonella challenge. Probiotic bacteria are generally regarded as safe to consume, are bile-resistant and can plausibly be modified to produce a panoply of antimicrobial peptides now known. The reported systems may provide a foundation for platforms to launch antimicrobials against gastrointestinal tract pathogens, including ones that are multi-drug resistant.
Second-order numerical methods for multi-term fractional differential equations: Smooth and non-smooth solutions☆

Abstract Starting with the asymptotic expansion of the error equation of the shifted Grunwald–Letnikov formula, we derive a new modified weighted shifted Grunwald–Letnikov (WSGL) formula by introducing appropriate correction terms. We then apply one special case of the modified WSGL formula to solve multi-term fractional ordinary and partial differential equations, and we prove the linear stability and second-order convergence for both smooth and non-smooth solutions when the regularity of the solutions is known. We show theoretically and numerically that numerical solutions with good accuracy can be obtained with only a few correction terms. Moreover, the correction terms can be tuned according to the fractional derivative orders without explicitly knowing the analytical solutions. Numerical simulations verify the theoretical results and demonstrate that the new WSGL formula leads to better performance compared to other known numerical approximations with similar resolution.
An organizational early-warning system for safety, health, and environmental crises

Early-warning systems have played an important role in preventing major industrial accidents and technological disasters. These systems record critical operating and performance parameters and raise warnings or alarms if these parameters cross acceptable limits. Most early-warning systems used in hazardous industries focus on the technological system and to a lesser extent on their human operators. However, industrial disasters are caused not only by technological and human failure, but also by organizational, regulatory, infrastructural, and community preparedness failures. Hazardous industries can benefit from the development of early-warning systems that have a broader scope than the core technology. These systems could cover financial, human resource, organizational policies, regulatory, infrastructural, and community-related variables. This paper develops some basic concepts that can help build managerially useful early-warning systems for safety, health, and environmental (SHE) incidents. It identifies variables that should be tracked, the threshold levels for these variables, and possible managerial reactions to warnings.
Duration of Executive Compensation and Corporate Innovation

Consistent with recent theory, I show that longer durations of executive compensation encourage corporate innovation. Exploiting data on the vesting schedules of CEO options and restricted stock awards, I calculate the extent to which CEOs' pay is dependent on long-term performance and find that a one-year increase in CEO pay duration is associated with a 25%-37% increase in citations for patents applied for over the following years. However, as theory predicts, CEO pay duration is only effective at motivating innovation if the manager also has job security. These findings are the first to provide empirical support for the hypothesis that longer durations of compensation motivate managers to optimally choose more meaningful long-term projects only if the threat of early dismissal is low.
158 Caring letters follow-up assessment provides reconnection to care of at-risk post-hospitalised psychiatric patients

Purpose Caring Letters entails sending brief caring messages to patients following psychiatric hospitalisation. The purpose of this multi-site randomised controlled trial is to test a caring emails intervention to determine if it is effective in preventing suicide and re-hospitalisation rates. This in-progress trial fills an important gap in the evidence base for the Caring Letter intervention through a methodologically rigorous research design. This reports preliminary data on the follow-up assessment portion of the intervention. Methods Participants are recruited from inpatient psychiatry units and randomised to either a group that receives email letters (Caring Letters) or a group that does not receive letters (Usual Care). In the Caring Letters (CL) group, participants are emailed ‘letters’ on a planned schedule. The emails are simple expressions of care and include contact information for crisis intervention resources. The participants in the Usual Care (UC) group do not receive the emails. Both groups are contacted for follow-up assessment after two years. The follow-up assessment evaluates suicidal behaviours, service utilisation, suicidal ideation, acquired capability for lethal self-injury, and measure feelings of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. Mortality rates will also be assessed upon study completion. Results At VA Palo Alto, 341 participants were retained in the study after two years (n=182 UC, n=159 CL). To date, 185 participants completed the final surveys. During the Follow-up Assessment, 12 participants expressed distress or emotional crises. The treatment team was immediately alerted and all participants were reconnected to care. Conclusion Both groups (CL and UC) benefited from the Follow-up Assessment. The study’s low-cost caring emails and follow-up assessments (either by phone or by mail) demonstrate effective means of providing human interaction that support at-risk individuals in times of crises. Communicating care and concern and creating a sense of connexion may prevent suicide and avert crisis among discharged psychiatric patients.