cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Adhesive Instability of Sub-Five Nanometer Head-Disk Interfaces

Understanding of dynamic adhesive, contact and friction interactions and associated instabilities at magnetic storage head-disk interfaces (HDIs) is critical as the physical distance between the recording slider and the high-speed rotating disk decreases to sub-five nanometers to achieve 155 Gbit/cm2 (1 Tbit/in2) recording densities. In this study, a two degree-of-freedom nonlinear dynamic model that includes realistic roughness, adhesion, friction and the dynamics of a flying and contacting HDI was developed to characterize a fully flying (6.8 nm) and a pseudo-contacting (3 nm) HDI utilizing different air-bearing designs. The effect of roughness on the slider flying performance and stability was also investigated through a comparison to a simple two flat parallel surface counterpart. The simulation results revealed that while adhesion has little influence in a fully flying interface when flying heights are above 5 nm, it leads to prolonged contact, higher bouncing vibrations and unstable slider behavior for 3 nm flying height. At such low nominal flying height, the inclusion of the electrostatic force also exacerbates HDI unstable behavior
Gate-charge measurements for irradiated n-channel DMOS power transistors

Gate-charge measurements provide information on power-MOSFET capacitances, drive requirements, and power dissipation. A gate-charge curve is a plot of gate-top-source voltage vs. charge supplied to the gate by a current source, and it consists of three distinct regions. Ionizing radiation affects primarily the second, or plateau, region. The change in the plateau voltage is related to the radiation-induced threshold-voltage shift, while the length of the plateau increases with the density of radiation-induced interface traps. Radiation-induced changes in the gate-charge curve provide useful information to circuit designers, as well as information on charge densities in the device. >
Integrative Literature Reviews: Heterodox Economics, Social Capital, and HRD: Moving Beyond the Limits of the Neoclassical Paradigm:

Social capital concepts and theories have brought about an evolution of thinking in the field of economics and expanded the boundaries that traditionally separated economics and other social science disciplines. Traditional (e.g., neoclassical) economics with its relatively undersocialized view of human nature—where individuals are seen as autonomous, rational decision makers—has had to develop new ways of understanding how “the social” influences affect economic behavior. Much of the theorizing around social capital has actually evolved from disciplines outside of economics, which has led to a truly multidisciplinary and evolving theoretical base. This article examines the most highly cited social capital theories, identifies their economic foundations, and analyzes how economic theories have been incorporated into the development of alternative social capital theories. It is then examine how heterodox economics might potentially influence HRD and suggest that a more nuanced understanding of the theoreti...
Isolation of Remaining Populations of the Native Frog, Rana muscosa, by Introduced Fishes in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California

: Rana muscosa (mountain yellow-legged frog) was eliminated by introduced fishes early in this century in many of the lakes and streams in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California. In waters not inhabited by fish, however, R. muscosa has disappeared from many sites within the parks during the past 30 years, and it appears to have gone extinct in some drainage systems. Fragmentation of populations may have caused or contributed to these recent extinctions, because R. muscosa populations are significantly more isolated from one another by fish at present than in prestocking conditions. A total of 312 lake-sites in 95 drainage basins were surveyed for amphibians and fish in 1989–1990. For the 109 sites containing R. muscosa, we delineated networks of sites connected to one another via fishless streams, and we compared these present fishless networks (“present networks”) to those expected for the same sites assuming that fish had not been introduced to the parks (“former networks”). Most present networks consist of only one site (mean = 1.4), whereas the former networks average 5.2 sites. This difference represents approximately a 10-fold difference in connectivity of populations, which is defined as the mean number of potential dispersal links (fishless streams) per network. Connectivity averages only 0.43 in present networks, in contrast to 4.15 in former ones. Resumen: Rana Muscosa fue eliminada en muchos de los lagos y cursos de agua de los Parques Nacionales del Canon de los Reyes y Sequoia, California, por peces introducidos al comienzo de este siglo. Sin embargo, en aguas no habitadas por peces, R. muscosa ha desaparecido de muchos sitios dentro de los parques durante los pasados 30 anos, y parece haberse extinguido en algunos sistemas de drenaje. La fragmentacion de la poblacion puede haber causado o contribuido a estas extinciones recientes porque en la actualidad, las poblaciones de R. muscosa estan significativamente mas aisladas unas de otras (a causa de los peces) que durante las condiciones anteriores a la siembra. En 1989–90 se realizo una evaluacion de los anfibios y peces en un total de 312 sitios en lagos y 95 cuencas de drenaje. Para los 109 sitios que contenian R. muscosa, delineamos redes de sitios conectados entre si a traves de rios sin peces, y comparamos estas redes sin peces actuales (“redes actuales”) con aquellas predecidas para los mismos sitios bajo la suposicion de que los peces no habian sido introduciodos en los parques (“redes anteriores”). La mayoria de las redes actuales consisten de un unico sitio (media = 1.4), mientras que las redes anteriores promedian 5.2 sitios. Esta diferencia representa aproximadamente una diferencia de 10 veces en la conectividad de las poblaciones, la cual es definida como el numero promedio de los lazos potenciales de dispersion (i.e., cursos sin peces) por red. En las redes presentes, la conectividad promedia solamente 0.43, lo que contrasta con el 4.15 de las anteriores.
Real-Time Path Planning in Dynamic Virtual Environments Using Multiagent Navigation Graphs

We present a novel approach for efficient path planning and navigation of multiple virtual agents in complex dynamic scenes. We introduce a new data structure, Multiagent Navigation Graph (MaNG), which is constructed using first- and second-order Voronoi diagrams. The MaNG is used to perform route planning and proximity computations for each agent in real time. Moreover, we use the path information and proximity relationships for the local dynamics computation of each agent by extending a social force model [15]. We compute the MaNG using graphics hardware and present culling techniques to accelerate the computation. We also address undersampling issues and present techniques to improve the accuracy of our algorithm. Our algorithm is used for real-time multiagent planning in pursuit-evasion, terrain exploration, and crowd simulation scenarios consisting of hundreds of moving agents, each with a distinct goal.
Bisphosphonates Induce Senescence in Normal Human Oral Keratinocytes

Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) commonly occurs in individuals receiving bisphosphonates (BPs) with clinical manifestations of the exposed necrotic bone. Although defective wound healing of soft tissue is frequently, if not always, observed in BRONJ, the effects of BPs on oral soft tissue or cells remain unknown. To investigate the effects of BPs on cells of oral mucosal tissue, we studied the effect of pamidronate (PAM), one of the BPs most commonly administered to cancer patients, on the phenotypes of normal human oral keratinocytes (NHOK) and fibroblasts (NHOF). When exposed to PAM at 10 µM, NHOK, not NHOF, underwent senescence: NHOK overexpressed senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal), p16INK4A, IL-6, and IL-8. When exposed to a higher level (50 µM) of PAM, NHOK maintained senescent phenotypes, but NHOF underwent apoptosis. PAM-induced senescence in NHOK is mediated, in part, via geranylgeranylation of the mevalonate pathway. Our in vitro 3D oral mucosal tissue construction studies further demonstrated that PAM induced senescence and impaired re-epithelialization of oral mucosa. Analysis of these data indicates that premature senescence of oral mucosal cells and subsequent defective soft-tissue wound healing might be partly responsible for the development of BRONJ in individuals receiving PAM or other BPs.
The alibi-generation effect: Alibi-generation experience influences alibi evaluation

Purpose. Post-conviction DNA exonerations demonstrate a failure of alibis to protect innocent suspects. We contend one reason alibis are not believed is because evaluators underestimate how difficult it is for an innocent person to generate a convincing alibi. We hypothesized that asking evaluators to first generate an alibi of their own would lead evaluators to consider a suspect's alibi as more believable. Methods. Participants (N= 147) were randomly assigned to either evaluate a suspect's alibi before generating their own alibi (evaluate-first) or generate their own alibi before evaluating the suspect's alibi (generate-first). Participants provided alibis from either 3 days previous or 30 days previous. In Experiment 2, participants (N= 255) were randomly assigned to either generate-first, evaluate-first, or read-experience (in which they read about alibi-generation difficulty) conditions. Half the participants were primed to think empathetically with Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) subscales, and half were not. All participants evaluated the believability of the suspect's alibi as well as their own alibis. Results. Across both experiments, participants who generated their own alibi first rated the suspect's alibi as more believable. This alibi-generation effect overshadowed alibi latency in Experiment 1 and the empathy manipulation in Experiment 2. Conclusions. Alibi-generation experience seems to change the expectations evaluators have of alibis from criminal suspects. This effect likely emanates from increased awareness that alibis are difficult for innocent people to generate and from the emotional experience of having difficulty generating alibis.
Run-time label propagation for forensic audit data

It is desirable to be able to gather more forensically valuable audit data from computing systems than is currently done or possible. This is useful for the analysis of events that took place on the system for the purpose of digital forensic investigations. In this paper we propose a mechanism that allows arbitrary meta-information bound to principals on a system to be propagated based on causality and influenced by information flow. We further discuss how to implement such a mechanism for the FreeBSD operating system and present a proof-of-concept implementation that has little overhead compared to the system without label propagation.
In vitro strain-induced endothelial cell dysfunction determined by DNA synthesis.

AbstractRapid re-endothelialization following balloon angioplasty can reduce restenosis by inhibiting smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation. However, formation of a neointima following angioplasty can be inhibited due to endothelial cell dysfunction and denudation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate mechanical tensile stress as a cause of endothelial cell dysfunction. The Flexercell® strain unit was utilized to generate both short-term cyclic and static tensile strain on cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). Before analysis of this loading on BAECs, strain behaviour of the Flexercell® system and DNA assay conditions were optimized. This paper demonstrates that, when compared with unloaded controls, 4-h cyclic loading at 4 per cent elongation and 0.1 Hz, and static loading at 4 per cent elongation cause a 44 and 70 per cent decrease in DNA synthesis respectively. In a companion paper, it is demonstrated that low DNA synthesis levels in mechanically loaded cells can be increased ...
Manufacturing operations improvement with loop management

This paper describes the analysis, re-engineering, implementation, and related results of improving metrics, operation methodologies, and supporting factory systems for manufacturing planning, dispatching, execution, and control of Texas Instruments DFAB. DFAB is a mixed signal analog wafer fab and probe operations facility producing about 3000 active devices grouped in about 20 technologies in 2 integrated manufacturing lines, 150 mm and 200 mm with approximately 30,000 wafer starts per month of highly variable product mix demand
Unilateral colour vision defects and the dimensions of dichromat experience

The standard view, that protanopes and deuteranopes see only varieties of yellow and blue, is often taken to be supported by the reports of people with one colour-blind eye and one normal (or near-normal) eye. Judd's survey of 89 years of unilateral cases might seem authoritative: 'The color perceptions of both protanopic and deuteranopic observers are confined to two hues, yellow and blue', corresponding to 575 and 470 nm (DB Judd, J Research National Bureau Standards, 41: 247-271, 1948). A critical re-examination reveals, however, that the cases do not support Judd's claim: the original publications indicate in most cases substantial (though limited) red-green discrimination with the dichromatic eye under favourable conditions (e.g. with large fields), and evidence of red/green sensation; in the main case where researchers find sensation only of yellow and blue, it is by using experimental methods that are almost guaranteed not to reveal the full range of the subject's sensation. More recent reports (from the 1950s and later) show that, if the colour experience space of a dichromat eye collapses to a 2D slice through the 3D space of a normal trichromat, the slice may be not flat but curved (and curved in more than one dimension): there are further reasons to think that dichromat colour experience, whether unilateral or bilateral, may not collapse to a plane at all. The unilateral cases are unclear in many ways, but they certainly give no support to a 'yellow-and-blue' view of dichromat experience.
Attentional and linguistic interactions in speech perception.

Abstract The role of attention in speech comprehension is not well understood. We used fMRI to study the neural correlates of auditory word, pseudoword, and nonspeech (spectrally rotated speech) perception during a bimodal (auditory, visual) selective attention task. In three conditions, Attend Auditory (ignore visual), Ignore Auditory (attend visual), and Visual (no auditory stimulation), 28 subjects performed a one-back matching task in the assigned attended modality. The visual task, attending to rapidly presented Japanese characters, was designed to be highly demanding in order to prevent attention to the simultaneously presented auditory stimuli. Regardless of stimulus type, attention to the auditory channel enhanced activation by the auditory stimuli (Attend Auditory > Ignore Auditory) in bilateral posterior superior temporal regions and left inferior frontal cortex. Across attentional conditions, there were main effects of speech processing (word + pseudoword > rotated speech) in left orbitofrontal cortex and several posterior right hemisphere regions, though these areas also showed strong interactions with attention (larger speech effects in the Attend Auditory than in the Ignore Auditory condition) and no significant speech effects in the Ignore Auditory condition. Several other regions, including the postcentral gyri, left supramarginal gyrus, and temporal lobes bilaterally, showed similar interactions due to the presence of speech effects only in the Attend Auditory condition. Main effects of lexicality (word > pseudoword) were isolated to a small region of the left lateral prefrontal cortex. Examination of this region showed significant word > pseudoword activation only in the Attend Auditory condition. Several other brain regions, including left ventromedial frontal lobe, left dorsal prefrontal cortex, and left middle temporal gyrus, showed Attention × Lexicality interactions due to the presence of lexical activation only in the Attend Auditory condition. These results support a model in which neutral speech presented in an unattended sensory channel undergoes relatively little processing beyond the early perceptual level. Specifically, processing of phonetic and lexical–semantic information appears to be very limited in such circumstances, consistent with prior behavioral studies.
A method to detect oxidative stress by monitoring changes in the extracellular antioxidant capacity in plant suspension cells

Detection of H2O2 in the supernatant of plant suspension cells is often used to indicate the time and extent of the oxidative burst during interactions with either bacteria or pathogen-related elicitors. We have found that suspensions of plant cells, depending on conditions, may produce considerable levels of extracellular phenolics that can function as antioxidants and prevent or suppress the detection of H2O2. These compounds can be used as substrates by extracellular peroxidases to scavenge stoichiometric amounts of H2O2. When this occurs during plant/pathogen interactions it can mask both the timing and extent of the oxidative burst if detection of free H2O2 is the only technique used. We have developed a chemiluminescent technique that will account for the H2O2 scavenged by these extracellular metabolites. A known quantity of H2O2 is added to samples and allowed to react with the extracellular antioxidants. The amount of H2O2 that remains is then determined by adding luminol to the sample and measuring luminol-dependent-chemiluminescence. The difference between treated and control samples represents the amount of H2O2 that has been produced by the cells in response to the treatment. We have found that this technique provides a better estimate of both the magnitude and timing of the oxidative burst in bacterial/suspension cell systems. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Peerless Electric & Gas Company

This case, based on a real situation, illustrates how interdepartmental conflict can affect company performance and is a prelude for a thorough discussion of the antecedents and management of interdepartmental conflict. The case is appropriate for MBA and upper-level undergraduate business students. At Peerless Electric & Gas Company, sales personnel in the Marketing department are responsible for the sale of new commercial and industrial lighting, a very profitable business. The extent to which sales is successful depends on the work of another Peerless department - Engineering and Installation (E/I) - which is responsible for designing, pricing, and installing lighting systems. The departments report to different managers and each operates under a different set of performance expectations. Currently, neither the planning and pricing nor the installation of new systems is done in a customer-focused, timely fashion, which jeopardizes the sales of new systems.
Extracellular superoxide dismutase deficiency impairs wound healing in advanced age by reducing neovascularization and fibroblast function

Advanced age is characterized by impairments in wound healing, and evidence is accumulating that this may be due in part to a concomitant increase in oxidative stress. Extended exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS) is thought to lead to cellular dysfunction and organismal death via the destructive oxidation of intra-cellular proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. Extracellular superoxide dismutase (ecSOD/SOD3) is a prime antioxidant enzyme in the extracellular space that eliminates ROS. Here, we demonstrate that reduced SOD3 levels contribute to healing impairments in aged mice. These impairments include delayed wound closure, reduced neovascularization, impaired fibroblast proliferation and increased neutrophil recruitment. We further establish that SOD3 KO and aged fibroblasts both display reduced production of TGF-β1, leading to decreased differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. Taken together, these results suggest that wound healing impairments in ageing are associated with increased levels of ROS, decreased SOD3 expression and impaired extracellular oxidative stress regulation. Our results identify SOD3 as a possible target to correct age-related cellular dysfunction in wound healing.
Effect of Variation in the Burst and Carrier Frequency Modes of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Pain Perception of Healthy Subjects

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of various combinations of burst and carrier frequencies of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on subjects' perception of pain intensity associated with induction of high intensity muscle contractions. Twenty-seven healthy volunteers completed the study. After the initial test session, all subjects were treated in three additional sessions with nine combinations of burst frequencies (50, 70, and 90 bursts per second [bps]) and carrier frequencies (2,500, 5,000, and 10,000 Hz) at an NMES amplitude that produced torque equivalent to 50% of maximal voluntary contraction of their quadriceps femoris muscle. Subjects rated each frequency combination for perceived pain intensity with a visual analog scale. The combinations of burst frequencies (50, 70, and 90 bps) and carrier frequencies (2,500 and 5,000 Hz) do not differ from each other in perceived pain intensity but do differ significantly in perceived pain from the combinations of burst frequencies at the carrier frequency of 10,000 Hz. Thus, the clinician may have to try different stimulus combinations on patients at different current training levels to obtain the least individually perceived pain.
Building context-based knowledge of government social media communication through an ethnographic study of the US Coast Guard

ABSTRACTGovernments are increasing digital communication with citizens, yet little is known about how the public sector influences communicators’ daily social media activities. This ethnographic study uses interviews, documents, and participant observation to offer a rare emic view of the US Coast Guard (USCG) social media program. Breaking up the monolithic public sector communication context, influences on social media communication were nested within five contexts: organization, military, parent agency, federal government, and the US public sector. By observing how the contexts and related attributes influence personnel and the program, the study provides insights related to social media communication processes rather than merely content products. Findings extend theoretical and practical applications by identifying enablers and challenges to government social media communication within an applied context. USCG's culture and history of transparency and engagement drive the strategy, while resource cons...
Rapidly-cured isosorbide-based cross-linked polycarbonate elastomers

The rapid synthesis of an optically-transparent, flexible elastomer was performed utilizing the naturally-derived source, isosorbide. A novel monomer based on isosorbide (isosorbide dialloc, IDA) was prepared by installing carbonate functionalities along with external olefins for use in thiol–ene click chemistry. Cross-linked networks were created using the commercially-available cross-linker, trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate) (TMPTMP) and resulted in IDA-co-TMPTMP, an optically-transparent elastomer. Systematically, IDA-co-TMPTMP networks were synthesized using a photoinitiator, a UV cure time of one minute and varied post cure times (0–24 h, 125 mm Hg) at 100 °C to observe effects on mechanical, thermal and surface alterations. The mechanical properties also had limited changes with post cure time, including a modulus at 25 °C of 1.9–2.8 MPa and an elongation of 220–344%. The thermal decomposition temperatures of the networks were consistent, ca. 320 °C, while the glass transition temperature remained below room temperature for all samples. A cell viability assay and fluorescence imaging with adherent cells are also reported in this study to show the potential of the material as a biomedical substrate. A degradation study for 60 days resulted in 8.3 ± 3.5% and 97.7 ± 0.3% mass remaining under accelerated (1 M NaOH, 60 °C) and biological conditions (pH 7.4 PBS at 37 °C), respectively. This quickly-synthesized material has the potential to hydrolytically degrade into biologically-benign and environmentally-friendly by-products and may be utilized in renewable plastics and/or bioelastomer applications.
Exploring the Lived Experiences and Intersectionalities of Mexican Community College Transfer Students: Qualitative Insights Toward Expanding a Transfer Receptive Culture

ABSTRACTThis qualitative study examines the experiences of six Mexican community college transfer students attending a research-intensive institution in the Pacific Northwest. Using semi-structured interviews, the objectives of this study were to 1) understand how Mexican students made meaning of their transfer experiences and 2) how those experiences could inform conceptual and practical thinking toward building a transfer receptive culture at the receiving institution. We use intersectionality as a site of material and discursive possibility to encourage predominantly White receiving institutions to recognize how they position Mexican community college transfer students on campus. Concluding are conceptual and practical recommendations that emphasize institutional and organizational responsibility in creating equitable environments for Mexican community college transfer students.
Herbivore Diet Breadth and Host Plant Defense Mediate the Tri-Trophic Effects of Plant Toxins on Multiple Coccinellid Predators.

Host plant defenses are known to cascade up food chains to influence herbivores and their natural enemies, but how herbivore and predator traits and identity mediate such tri-trophic dynamics is largely unknown. We assessed the influence of plant defense on aphid and coccinellid performance in laboratory trials with low- vs. high-glucosinolate varieties of Brassica napus, a dietary specialist (Brevicoryne brassicae) and generalist (Myzus persicae) aphid, and five species of aphidophagous coccinellids. The performance of the specialist and generalist aphids was similar and unaffected by variation in plant defense. Aphid glucosinolate concentration and resistance to predators differed by aphid species and host plant defense, and these effects acted independently. With respect to aphid species, the dietary generalist aphid (vs. specialist) had 14% lower glucosinolate concentration and coccinellid predators ate three-fold more aphids. With respect to host plant variety, the high-glucosinolate plants (vs. low) increased aphid glucosinolate concentration by 21%, but had relatively weak effects on predation by coccinellids and these effects varied among coccinellid species. In turn, coccinellid performance was influenced by the interactive effects of plant defense and aphid species, as the cascading, indirect effect of plant defense was greater when feeding upon the specialist than generalist aphid. When feeding upon specialist aphids, low- (vs. high-) glucosinolate plants increased coccinellid mass gain by 78% and accelerated development by 14%. In contrast, when feeding upon generalist aphids, low- (vs. high-) glucosinolate plants increased coccinellid mass gain by only 11% and had no detectable effect on development time. These interactive effects of plant defense and aphid diet breadth on predator performance also varied among coccinellid species; the indirect negative effects of plant defenses on predator performance was consistent among the five predators when transmitted via the dietary specialist aphid, but these effects varied substantially among predators—in both the magnitude and direction—when transmitted via the dietary generalist aphid. Accordingly, the cascading effect of plant defense on predators was stronger in magnitude and more consistent among predator taxa when transmitted by the specialist than generalist herbivore. Overall, these findings support a central role of herbivore diet breadth in mediating both the strength and contingency of tri-trophic interactions.
Where is the optimum far-point for a presbyopic eye?

PURPOSE To resolve the presbyope's dilemma by determining the optimum location of the far-point that maximizes depth-of-field for reading printed text. METHODS Geometrical optical analysis of defocused retinal images was used to compute the size of retinal blur circles relative to object size. Functional consequences of changes in viewing distance, pupil diameter, and far-point location were assessed using the blur ratio concept. Depth-of-field was specified by the ratio of the maximum distance to the minimum distance for which printed text of a given size is legible. RESULTS For the emmetropic patient, text that is legible at one viewing distance remains legible at all shorter distances. Conversely, text that is illegible at one distance is illegible at all distances. For myopic (or undercorrected) patients, the location of the far-point determines the center of the depth-of-field, but not its size. The depth-of-field is shown numerically and analytically to be given by the approximate formula: log(far distance/near distance) = 0.174* blur ratio threshold* letter height/pupil diameter. CONCLUSIONS Location of the far-point is a free parameter that can be adjusted to suit a patient's needs without affecting depth-of-field. This suggests a theoretically based clinical strategy for presbyopic refractive correction that takes account of reading needs, pupil size, text size, and habitual reading distance for the benefit of the presbyopic patient.
Iminoguanidines as Allosteric Inhibitors of the Iron-Regulated Heme Oxygenase (HemO) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

New therapeutic targets are required to combat multidrug resistant infections, such as the iron-regulated heme oxygenase (HemO) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, due to links between iron and virulence and dependence on heme as an iron source during infection. Herein we report the synthesis and activity of a series of iminoguanidine-based inhibitors of HemO. Compound 23 showed a binding affinity of 5.7 μM and an MIC50 of 52.3 μg/mL against P. aeruginosa PAO1. An in cellulo activity assay was developed by coupling HemO activity to a biliverdin-IXα-dependent infrared fluorescent protein, in which compound 23 showed an EC50 of 11.3 μM. The compounds showed increased activity against clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa, further confirming the target pathway. This class of inhibitors acts by binding to an allosteric site; the novel binding site is proposed in silico and supported by saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR as well as by hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry (HXMS).
How God Grounds Morality I

Many philosophers, including Plato and Hobbes, have held that it is in a person’s overriding interest that he conform his behavior to moral obligations, and that its being in his overriding interest to do so entails his being significantly harmed if he does not. Suppose that these philosophers are right in thinking that the overridingness of morality is thus connected with harm. (I shall argue that they are in 4.3 through 4.7.) Then a simple argument that we do not have moral obligations unless God exists can be constructed. Another feature of the concept of a moral obligation is that if I have a moral obligation to refrain from performing a given action, then anyone who is relevantly similar to me also has that obligation. Moreover, merely being much shrewder than I and, hence, being able to avoid human detection is not a morally relevant difference between you and me; and, neither is your being able to avoid human punishment by being much more powerful than I. Indeed, no matter how shrewd and powerful an individual might be — no matter whether he is vastly shrewder and more powerful than any human being — this would not constitute a morally relevant difference with respect to him and a less shrewd and powerful person: if the latter had a given moral obligation and the former did not have it, then this could not be just because of the envisaged degree of shrewdness and power.
How to Prepare for the Exam

Hello, and welcome to Vascular Neurology Board prep! The Vascular Neurology Boards are offered every 2 years. It is highly recommended that you take them the first year they are offered after you complete your fellowship. Before we get into review material, we have broken down the key elements of the exam itself. In this chapter, we offer an outlined plan that covers registration, preparation, and day of exam tips. We hope you find it useful!
Effect of Intravenous Acetaminophen on Postoperative Opioid Consumption in Adult Orthopedic Surgery Patients

Background: Postoperative pain is managed with opioids, which are associated with adverse effects. The efficacy of intravenous (IV) acetaminophen in reducing opioid consumption has been studied with inconsistent results. The primary outcome of this study was to assess the effect of IV acetaminophen on opioid consumption 24 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included the opiate consumption at 48 hours after the operation, opioid-related side effects 72 hours after the operation, discharge disposition, and length of stay. Methods: This was an IRB-approved, retrospective cohort study including adult patients who underwent an elective total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Patients were stratified into IV and no IV acetaminophen groups; patients who had received at least one dose of IV acetaminophen were included in the IV acetaminophen group. Total opioids were collected, converted to morphine equivalents, and compared between groups. Patients were excluded for alcohol abuse, substance abuse treatment, non-elective TKA, or medication mischarting. Results: Of the 161 patients evaluated, 148 patients were included: 86 in the IV acetaminophen and 62 in the no IV acetaminophen group. There were no differences in mean morphine equivalents between groups postoperatively at 24 hours (54.2 ± 35.9 mg vs 45.4 ± 30.2 mg; p = .12) and 48 hours (99.2 ± 68.7 mg vs 79.5 ± 49.1 mg; p = .06). There were no differences in secondary outcomes (administration of bowel regimen medications, antiemetics, naloxone, discharge disposition, or length of stay) between the groups. Conclusion: The use of IV acetaminophen was not associated with a decrease in opiate use, opiate-related side effects, or any secondary outcomes in patients who underwent TKA.
Role of PET/CT for the Identification of Cardiac Sarcoid Disease

18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography（ 18 F-FDG-PET）is increasingly applied for the detection and characterization of systemic and cardiac sarcoid disease. In particular, 18 F-FDG-PET has the unique potential to identify early and inflammatory cardiac sarcoid disease before developing structural alterations in the myocardium such as fibrosis and/or scarring. 18 F-FDG-PET is not only suitable for early disease identification but also for installing and guiding immune-suppressive therapy to improve cardiovascular outcome that, however, needs to be further tested in large-scale clinical trials. 18 F
INDEX OF NAMES AND TYPES IN WEST INDIAN GONOLOBINAE (APOCYNACEAE: ASCLEPIADOIDEAE), INCLUDING FOURTEEN NEW LECTOTYPIFICATIONS, ONE NEOTYPIFICATION, A NEW NAME, AND A NEW COMBINATION

Types and their location of deposit are provided for taxa of subtribe Gonolobinae (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) in the West Indies. The following fourteen taxa are lectotypified: Gonolobus bayatensis Urb., G. broadwayae Schltr., G. ciliatus Schltr., G. dictyopetalus Urb. <Sr Ekman, G. ekmanii Urb., G. riipensis Urb., G. sintenisii Schltr., G. tigrinus Griseb., G. tobagensis Urb., G. variifolius Schltr., Ibatia mollis Griseb., Poicilla costata Urb., Poicilla tamnijolia Griseb., and Poicillopsis crispiflora Urb. Gonolobus grenadensis Schltr. is neotypified. A new name and a new combination in Matelea Aubl. are respectively proposed for Jacaima parvi/olia Proctor and J. costata (Urb.) Rendle var. goodfriendii Proctor.
Pulse-coupled neural networks

ABSTRACT A pulse-coupled neural network using the Eckhorn linking field coupling [1] is shown to contain invariant spatial information in the phase structure of the output pulse trains. The time domain signals axe directly related to the intensity histogram of an input spatial distribution and have complex phase factors that specify the spatial location of the histogram elements. Two time scales are identified. On the fast time scale the linking produces dynamic, quasi-periodic, fringe-like traveling waves [2] that can carry information beyond the physical limits of the receptive fields. These waves contain the morphological connectivity structure of image elements. The slow time scale is set by the pulse generator, and on that scale the image is segmented into multineuron time-synchronous groups. These groups act as giant neurons, firing together, and by the same linking field mechanism as for the linking waves can form quasi-periodic pulse structures whose relative phases encode the location of the groups with respect to one another. These time signals are a unique, object-specific, and roughly invariant time signature for their corresponding input spatial image or distribution [3]. The details of the model are discussed, giving the basic Eckhorn linking field, extensions, generation of time series in the limit of very weak linking, invariances from the symmetries of the receptive fields, time scales, waves, and signatures. Multirule logical systems are shown to exist on single neurons. Adaptation is discussed. The pulse-coupled nets are compatible with standard nonpulsed adaptive nets rather than competitive with them in the sense that any learning law can be used. Their temporal nature results in adaptive associations in time as well as over space, and they are similar to the time-sequence learning models of Reiss and Taylor [4]. Hardware implementations, optical and electronic, are reviewed. Segmentation, object identification, and location methods are discussed and current results given. The conjugate basic problem of transforming a time signal into a spatial distribution, comparable in importance to the transformation of a spatial distribution into a time signal, is discussed. It maps the invariant time signature into a phase versus frequency spatial distribution and is the spatial representation of the complex histogram. A method of generating this map is discussed. Image pattern recognition using this network is shown to have the power of syntactical pattern recognition and the simplicity of statistical pattern recognition.
Probing the Dielectric Properties of Ultrathin Al/Al2O3/Al Trilayers Fabricated Using in Situ Sputtering and Atomic Layer Deposition

Dielectric properties of ultrathin Al2O3 (1.1-4.4 nm) in metal-insulator-metal (M-I-M) Al/Al2O3/Al trilayers fabricated in situ using an integrated sputtering and atomic layer deposition (ALD) system were investigated. An M-I interfacial layer (IL) formed during the pre-ALD sample transfer even under high vacuum has a profound effect on the dielectric properties of the Al2O3 with a significantly reduced dielectric constant (er) of 0.5-3.3 as compared to the bulk er ∼ 9.2. Moreover, the observed soft-type electric breakdown suggests defects in both the M-I interface and the Al2O3 film. By controlling the pre-ALD exposure to reduce the IL to a negligible level, a high er up to 8.9 was obtained on the ALD Al2O3 films with thicknesses from 3.3 to 4.4 nm, corresponding to an effective oxide thickness (EOT) of ∼1.4-1.9 nm, respectively, which are comparable to the EOTs found in high-K dielectrics like HfO2 at 3-4 nm in thickness and further suggest that the ultrathin ALD Al2O3 produced in optimal conditions may provide a low-cost alternative gate dielectric for CMOS. While er decreases at a smaller Al2O3 thickness, the hard-type dielectric breakdown at 32 MV/cm and in situ scanning tunneling spectroscopy revealed band gap ∼2.63 eV comparable to that of an epitaxial Al2O3 film. This suggests that the IL is unlikely a dominant reason for the reduced er at the Al2O3 thickness of 1.1-2.2 nm but rather a consequence of the electron tunneling as confirmed in the transport measurement. This result demonstrates the critical importance in controlling the IL to achieving high-performance ultrathin dielectric in MIM structures.
Assessing NSAID prescription use as a predisposing factor for gastroesophageal reflux disease in a Medicaid population.

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to determine the incidence of GERD associated with prescription NSAID consumption.
Alcohol and the Alveolar Epithelium

The distal airways are covered with a heterogeneous layer of cells known as the alveolar epithelium. Alveolar epithelial cells provide the major barrier between the airspace and fluid filled tissue compartments. As such, regulation of the alveolar epithelium is critical to maintain a healthy lung and for optimal gas exchange. In this chapter, we discuss functional roles for alveolar epithelial cells with particular emphasis on intercellular junctions and communication. As a thin layer of cells directly exposed to atmospheric oxygen, alveoli are particularly sensitive to oxidant insults. Alcohol significantly diminishes the normal antioxidant reserves of the alveolar epithelium, thereby rendering it sensitized for an exaggerated damage response to acute and chronic injuries. The effects of alcohol on alveolar epithelia are discussed along with open questions and potential therapeutic targets to prevent the pathophysiology of alcoholic lung disease.
Public Choice and Public Funding of the Arts

The recent public reaction to the insistence of certain members of the American Congress for withdrawal of federal support of exhibits by certain controversial artists misses the point. Claims that such restrictions involve an implied censorship of these works deals with a narrow conception of the overall issue. The proper direction of this debate should be towards examining the propriety of government funding to support the arts. In the end it must be remembered, that whatever the government finances, it also ultimately controls. Those who wish to have no fleas, should not sleep with dogs.
A Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Guide to Using Carbon Nanotubes for Stretchable Electronics and Sensors

The primary purpose of this chapter is to assist and encourage researchers who are new to the field of carbon nanotubes and stretchable sensors in beginning to explore and prototype nanotube-enabled devices and materials. Given this, our primary focus will be on how to use “off-the-shelf” components to prepare carbon nanotubes for use in a wide variety of applications, although our specific emphases will be on 2D patterning of nanotubes and stretchable electronics. Specifically, stretchable strain gauges were selected as the case study because they are an excellent showcase for the versatility and ease of manufacturing of nanotube-based devices, while the techniques to produce them are the same techniques that would be used for many other nanotube-based devices. We will begin with an overview of the challenges of sensing large strains and the limitations of status quo devices. Armed with that knowledge, we will then discuss why carbon nanotubes are particularly well suited to address the problem and how to acquire, prepare, and post-process them into a sensor. Finally, we will present an inexpensive, simple strain gauge design based on piezocapacitive strain transduction capable of straining to a minimum of 20× farther than the best traditional metal foil gauge.
A Heuristic Approach to Value-Driven Evaluation of Visualizations

Recently, an approach for determining the value of a visualization was proposed, one moving beyond simple measurements of task accuracy and speed. The value equation contains components for the time savings a visualization provides, the insights and insightful questions it spurs, the overall essence of the data it conveys, and the confidence about the data and its domain it inspires. This articulation of value is purely descriptive, however, providing no actionable method of assessing a visualization's value. In this work, we create a heuristic-based evaluation methodology to accompany the value equation for assessing interactive visualizations. We refer to the methodology colloquially as ICE-T, based on an anagram of the four value components. Our approach breaks the four components down into guidelines, each of which is made up of a small set of low-level heuristics. Evaluators who have knowledge of visualization design principles then assess the visualization with respect to the heuristics. We conducted an initial trial of the methodology on three interactive visualizations of the same data set, each evaluated by 15 visualization experts. We found that the methodology showed promise, obtaining consistent ratings across the three visualizations and mirroring judgments of the utility of the visualizations by instructors of the course in which they were developed.
Abstract P278: Flow-Induced NO Deficiency in Thick Ascending Limbs of Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats Fed a High Salt Diet is Due to Decreased NOS3 Expression

The effects of medullary NO on Na excretion are reduced in Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) compared to salt-resistant rats (SR). We have shown that flow-induced NO production by thick ascending limbs (THA...
A complexity analysis of organizational culture, leadership and engagement: integration, differentiation and fragmentation

The predictive utility of previous studies of organizational culture has been limited by an over-emphasis on the integration perspective. Much less attention has been his been paid to subcultural d...
Specialist and Generalist Care for Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

The incidence of diabetes mellitus (both type 1 and type 2) is growing to epidemic proportions, with an expected combined worldwide prevalence of 220 million by the year 2010. A subsequent increase in the incidence of diabetes complications is likely to follow if present trends continue, placing an increased burden on already troubled healthcare systems. While there are many identified biologic mechanisms for the development of diabetes complications, there has been little exploration of healthcare provider issues and their contribution to these outcomes. One area of research with few data is the influence of diabetes specialty care on outcomes in type 1 diabetic patients. Evidence demonstrates that both process delivery and outcomes are better in individuals with typel diabetes who are cared for by diabetes specialists compared with generalists. For example, those receiving care from diabetes specialists were more likely to receive diabetes education, to be treated with intensive insulin therapy (>2 injections/day), and to receive an eye examination compared with those receiving generalist care. Additionally, lower rates of proliferative retinopathy were observed in those receiving specialist care. Recent evidence also demonstrates that there are lower incidences of neuropathy, overt nephropathy, and coronary artery disease in those patients who spend a higher proportion of the duration of their diabetes in specialist care. Based on these observations, it is recommended that attempts be made to replicate the favorable characteristics of specialty care in the primary care setting. Healthcare systems should ensure the availability of access to diabetes specialists, as well as ancillary healthcare professionals including diabetes educators, with increased emphasis placed on coordinated care.
Integration of the Pharmacists' Patient Care Process into a Comprehensive Disease Management Course Series

To the Editor: The recent article by Gonyeau and colleagues assessed the implementation of the Pharmacist Patient Care Process (PPCP) into the learning curriculum at Northeastern University College of Pharmacy (NUCOP). The PPCP is a standardized patient assessment tool that requires the use of