cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intolerance of Uncertainty and Eating Disorder Symptoms Over the Course of Intensive Treatment.

Abstract There is a critical need to identify processes that may influence outcome in existing treatments for eating disorders (EDs). Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), which refers to excessive distress regarding uncertain situations, is a well-established feature of anxiety disorders. Emerging work suggests that IU decreases over the course of cognitive-behavioral treatments and may relate to better treatment outcomes. As some literature has suggested IU may functionally maintain ED symptoms, testing whether changes in IU over treatment relate to outcome may result in the identification of novel treatment targets. This study aimed to build upon past work documenting links between IU and ED symptoms by exploring changes in IU over treatment and links between early change in IU (1-month) and discharge symptoms. Participants (N = 274) receiving partial hospitalization treatment completed the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale at admission, 1-month post-admission, and discharge. Results suggested that IU significantly reduced from admission to discharge and that reductions in IU scores from admission to 1-month related to cognitive restraint, dietary restriction, and body image at discharge. However, this pattern did not hold for exercise, binge eating, or purging. Altogether, these results replicate past work supporting IU as a common feature across ED diagnoses and provide initial data suggesting that targeting IU early in treatment may enhance treatment outcomes.
Power-Combined Rectenna Array for X-Band Wireless Power Transfer

This work presents an RF power-combined rectenna array operating at 10 GHz and designed for low incident power densities ranging from 0.1-100 µW/cm2. The array consists of unit-cell sequentially-fed four-element patch antenna subarrays designed to receive incident waves with circular polarization. The incident power is converted to dc using a single-ended Schottky diode rectifier. The rectifier is first characterized over input power and dc load individually and with a single sub-array. A 4-to-1 RF power-combining network is designed to further improve RF-to-dc conversion efficiency and output power at the lower-bound power density of 0.1 µW/cm2. A three-layer PCB with off-the-shelf components enables straightforward scaling to larger apertures.
The WIR at 30: Contributions to National and International Policymaking

UNCTAD’s World Investment Report (WIR) focusses on development-oriented questions related to the interaction between multinational enterprises (MNEs) and governments. It does that with a view toward developing policy recommendations to maximize the positive impact of foreign direct investment and MNE activities in host countries and minimize any negative impacts. This article examines the reason for this focus and approach, as well as a number of related issues, and evaluates how successful UNCTAD has been in pursuing it.
Diet-Microbiota-Brain Axis in Alzheimer's Disease.

Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, particularly in older adults, with clinical manifestations of progressive cognitive decline and functional impairment. The prevalence of AD and related dementia is mounting worldwide, but its etiology remains unresolved, with no available preventative or ameliorative therapy. Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiota of patients with AD is different from cognitively normal counterparts. Summary Communication between gut and brain (gut-brain axis) plays a crucial role in AD pathology. Bacteria inhabiting the gut strongly influence this gut-brain axis and thus may participate in AD pathology. Diet, one of the strongest modulators of gut microbiota, also strongly influences brain health and AD pathology. Gut microbiota metabolites including short-chain fatty acids, pro-inflammatory factors, and neurotransmitters may also affect AD pathogenesis and associated cognitive decline. Therefore, investigation of diet-microbiota-brain axis is important to better understand its contribution in AD pathology and its potential use as a target to prevent and treat AD. Herein, we discuss the link between AD and gut microbiota and ponder how microbiota modulation through nutritional approaches may offer avenues for discovering novel preventive and therapeutic strategies against AD. Key Message: A strong association exists between lifestyle factors and AD prevalence wherein unhealthy dietary factors have been linked to neurodegeneration. Specific prudent dietary patterns might help in preventing or delaying AD progression by affecting β-amyloid production and tau processing and regulating AD-associated inflammation, metabolism and oxidative stress, plausibly via modulating gut microbiota.
Kinetics and scale up of oxygen reducing cathodic biofilms.

Abstract The goals of this work were to study the kinetics and investigate the factors controlling the scale up of oxygen reducing mixed culture cathodic biofilms. Cathodic biofilms were enriched on different electrode sizes (14.5 cm2, 40.3 cm2, 131 cm2 and 466 cm2). Biofilm enrichment shifted the oxygen reduction onset potential from −0.1 VAg/AgCl to 0.3 VAg/AgCl, indicating the biofilm catalyzed oxygen reduction. The kinetics of oxygen reduction were studied by varying the bulk dissolved oxygen concentration. Oxygen reduction followed a Michaelis-Menten kinetics on all electrode sizes. The maximum current density decreased with increasing electrode surface area (−97.0 ± 10.6 μA/cm2, −76.0 ± 8.2 μA/cm2, −66.3 ± 3.0 μA/cm2 and −43.5 ± 10.5 μA/cm2, respectively). Cyclic voltammograms suggest that scale up was limited by ohmic resistance, likely due to the low ionic conductivity in the wastewater medium. Mathematical modeling using combined Michaelis-Menten and Butler-Volmer model supports that the decrease in current density with increasing electrode surface area is caused by ohmic losses. Analysis of the microbial community structure in different size electrodes and in multiple regions on the same electrode showed low variability, suggesting that the microbial community does not control the scale up of cathodic biofilms.
The Western Periphery of the Red Sea as a Hominin Habitat and Dispersal Corridor: Marginal or Central?

The Western Periphery of the Red Sea (WPRS) is an important region for paleoanthropological discussions about the history of hominin dispersal out of Africa. This paper examines the existing Paleolithic evidence in the region and some key aspects of its environmental setting, with the goal of assessing its role in hominin survival and dispersals. The paper’s chronological focus is the span 1.8–0.05 million years ago (Ma). Although the majority of the Paleolithic (Stone Age) sites so far documented in the region lack precise chronological control, the available evidence comprises Acheulean, Middle and Later Stone Age technocomplexes that can be broadly linked to distinct hominin settlement episodes. Most of the documented sites appear to be related to terrestrial niche exploitation around channelized alluvial plains between the coastal zone and the eastern slopes of the Red Sea Hills, although wave erosion may have destroyed sites associated with coastal resource use. As an extension of the East African Rift system, the WPRS mirrors the landscape features of the fossil-rich Rift Valley region, with the addition of a coastal niche. Thus, it may have posed little survival risk for hominins coming from the inland habitats, and some of the inhabitant populations may have easily dispersed toward Eurasia from there.
House on a Washtub-Sized Eminence: Ellis Parker Butler’s Critical Satire of Site-Specificity

In November of 1910, Architectural Record published a satirical short story by the notable American author and humorist Ellis Parker Butler, entitled “Serio-Piffle Architecture.” Butler’s story des...
Functional Analysis of the Expanded Phosphodiesterase Gene Family in Toxoplasma gondii Tachyzoites

Abstract Toxoplasma motility is both activated and suppressed by 3’-5’ cyclic nucleotide signaling. Cyclic GMP (cGMP) signaling through TgPKG activates motility, whereas cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling through TgPKAc1 inhibits motility. Despite being master regulators of motility, it is unclear how cGMP and cAMP levels are maintained in Toxoplasma. Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are known to inactivate cyclic nucleotides and are highly expanded in the Toxoplasma genome. Here we utilized an auxin-inducible degron system to analyze the expression and function of the 18-member TgPDE family in tachyzoites, the virulent life stage of Toxoplasma. We detected the expression of 11 of 18 TgPDEs by immunofluorescence microscopy or immunoblotting, confirming prior expression studies. We performed a knockdown screen of the TgPDE family and identified four TgPDEs that contribute to lytic Toxoplasma growth (TgPDE1, TgPDE2, TgPDE5, and TgPDE9). Loss of TgPDE1 and TgPDE2 caused severe growth defects, prompting further investigation. TgPDE1 displayed a plasma membrane/cytomembranous distribution, whereas TgPDE2 displayed an endoplasmic reticulum-like distribution. Biochemical analysis of TgPDE1 and TgPDE2 purified from Toxoplasma lysates revealed that they are active phosphodiesterases. TgPDE1 was capable of hydrolyzing both cGMP and cAMP, whereas TgPDE2 was cAMP-specific. Interactome studies of TgPDE1 and TgPDE2 indicated that they do not physically interact with each other or other TgPDEs but may be regulated by kinases and proteases. Our studies have identified TgPDE1 and TgPDE2 as central regulators of tachyzoite cyclic nucleotide levels and enable future studies aimed at determining how these enzymes are regulated and cooperate to control Toxoplasma motility. Importance Apicomplexan parasites require motility to actively infect host cells and cause disease. Cyclic nucleotide signaling governs apicomplexan motility but it is unclear how cyclic nucleotide levels are maintained in these parasites. In search of novel regulators of cyclic nucleotides in the model apicomplexan Toxoplasma, we identified and characterized two catalytically active phosphodiesterases, TgPDE1 and TgPDE2, that are important for Toxoplasma’s virulent tachyzoite lifecycle. Enzymes that generate, sense, or degrade cyclic nucleotides make attractive targets for therapies aimed at paralyzing and killing apicomplexan parasites.
Progress Report on the Backscattering Standards Project

An international group of laboratories have collaborated in a standards project aimed at examining the principal (and sometimes elusive) factors which can influence the absolute quantitative interpretation of backscattering analysis spectra. Identically prepared samples of Bi implanted* in Si, and others of 2000 A Pt on oxidized silicon substrates were distributed to the participants together with a detailed prescription for comparative runs which all labs would then follow in nominally identical fashion.
Large-Scale Aquaculture and Coastal Resource-Dependent Communities: Tradition in Transition on Chiloe Island, Chile

Resumen Este articulo examina el impacto sociocultural de la acuicultura comercial en una comunidad que depende de la explotacion de recursos costeros en baja escala en la isla de Chiloe, Chile. Muchos de los habitantes de la isla participan en la recoleccion de organismos marinos a baja escala con fines comerciales, de recreacion y subsistencia. La introduccion de acuicultura comercial en la region esta amenazando el acceso a estos recursos y al mismo tiempo promoviendo un cambio social-economico hacia un modo de vida mas balanceado e igualitario. El grado de dependencia cultural y de subsistencia de estos recursos debe ser reconocido cuando los reglamentos de acuacultura sean desarrollados para asi garantizar sustentabilidad social y ecologica. En el presente articulo, examino un caso en el que la salmonicultura, una industria dominante y reciente, ha suplantado a la recoleccion de recursos marinos en baja escala a pesar de los niveles multiples de dependencia continua.
Atoms in Optical Lattices: Cooling, Trapping and Squeezing Atoms with Light

Abstract Radiative forces on atoms can be used both to cool the atoms to temperatures on the order of microkelvins and to trap them in a periodic array of microscopic potential wells formed by the interference of multiple laser beams, i.e., an optical lattice. The quantum motion of such lattice-trapped atoms can be studied by spectroscopic techniques. Atoms trapped in this way may be further manipulated so as to be cooled by adiabatic expansion, localized by sudden compression or driven into mechanical oscillations.
An Experimental Comparison of Three Public GOod Decision Mechanisms

Three public good mechanisms, all sharing the characteristics of collective excludability, unanimity and budget balance, are compared: The mechanisms differ in ways that are hypothesized to effect free-riding behavior with the Auction mechanism expected to show the least, and the Free-Rider and Quasi Free-Rider mechanisms showing the greatest such behavior. All three mechanisms yield mean quantities of a public good that are significantly greater than the free-rider quantity. However, the Auction mechanism provides a mean quantity of the public good which is significantly larger than that of the other two procedures, and closer to the Lindahl optimal quantity.
Studies on pituitary lactogenic hormone. XXX. The primary structure of the sheep hormone.

Abstract The primary structure of the ovine prolactin molecule has been proposed, as shown in Fig. 13, by sequence analyses of cyanogen bromide fragments, tryptic and chymotryptic peptides of the hormone. The molecular weight of ovine LTH is calculated from the proposed structure to be 22,550, which is in good agreement with the experimental result obtained by osmometry.
Ethical aspects of managing customer privacy in electronic commerce

Eileen P. Kelly is a professor of management in the School of Business at Ithaca College. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). Her major teaching and research interests include employment rights, labor relations and business ethics. She has published widely including articles in Employee Relations Law Journal, Benefits Law Journal, Labor Law Journal, International Journal of Conflict Management, Journal of Labor Research, Business Horizons and the International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior. Prof. Kelly is an officer in the National Academy of Management and a member of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business. Her e-mail address is kelly@ithaca.edu.
The Dragon Has Not Just Arrived: The Historical Study of Africa’s Relations with China

The world today is fascinated with the rising power of China. Whether out of fear, concern, or simply curiosity, people want to understand China’s role in global society. Scholars in particular have begun to delve into answering the question, ‘What is/should be China’s role in the world?’ This question has proven to have a special importance for Africa owing to China’s interests on the continent. No one can deny China’s contemporary presence in Africa. New economic ventures abound in oil, minerals, timber, and factories, not to mention Chinese consumer goods flooding African markets, creating tension and global unease, particularly in the West. Too often, however, Africa’s history of interactions with China is ignored in current coverage when in fact African nations have more than half a century of interactions with the People’s Republic of China. The period under major consideration for the purposes of better understanding contemporary relations between African nations and China is the period following the Communist Revolution and particularly that post-dating the declaration of independence in each African nation. Therefore, this essay presents a discussion of the historiography of Africa’s relations with China with a special emphasis on the Cold War era, establishing the necessity of this scholarly undertaking.
GLUT4 expression and subcellular localization in the intrauterine growth-restricted adult rat female offspring

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) leads to obesity, glucose intolerance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus in the adult. To determine the mechanism(s) behind this “metabolic imprinting” phenomenon,...
The Midwestern Taxonomic Method as an Aid to Archaeological Culture Study

IN DELAYED response to a certain demand for a published statement covering the archaeological taxonomic method introduced in the northern Mississippi Valley area a few years ago and now tentatively employed in this, the northern Plains, and the Northeastern areas, it seems advisable to briefly set forth in this journal the essential framework for this method, and to include a revision of previously outlined but unpublished discussions relating thereto, in addition to a brief definition of certain problems involved in its application.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Virulent Strain, Streptococcus iniae ISET0901, Isolated from Diseased Tilapia.

ABSTRACT Streptococcus iniae ISET0901 is a virulent strain isolated in 2007 from diseased tilapia. Its full genome is 2,070,856 bp. The availability of this genome will allow comparative genomics to identify virulence genes important for the pathogenesis of streptococcosis caused by S. iniae, as well as possible immunogens for vaccine development.
Political Ideology and Labor Arbitrators' Decision Making in Work–Family Conflict Cases

Labor arbitrators were asked to render decisions about grievances brought by employees who had been fired because of problems created by work conflicts with family responsibilities. The study examined the effects of experimentally manipulated grievant attributes (gender, type of work–family conflict) as well as arbitrator attributes (gender, political ideology) on decision making. When employees were depicted as having had child care problems, liberal arbitrators tended to favor female over male grievants, and political conservatism predicted more favorable judgments rendered toward male grievants. Overall, the data suggest that child care responsibilities cue different patterns of gender bias among liberal and conservative decision makers.
The verbal helping behavior of experienced and novice telephone counselors

The verbal helping behavior of experienced and novice volunteer telephone counselors was evaluated. Taped telephone interactions with typical helpees were analyzed for the usage of specific response types and for helper talk time, self-references, and feelings. Novices were found to give significantly less advice and their helpees talked significantly longer. The use of continuing responses was significantly associated with helpee talk time for all helpers. Even though telephone counseling may elicit a leading response style from helpers, a continuing or reflective style might be more effective in the relationship-building aspect of telephone counseling.
A novel approach to auditing the compliance of hand hygiene and staff behaviour change

The objective of hand hygiene auditing is to gather information to identify opportunities for improving compliance, and ultimately the safety and quality of patient care. An Australian tertiary children's hospital has demonstrated high levels of hand hygiene compliance using traditional auditing practices. This compliance was achieved using a multidisciplinary, peer-based approach that effectively relays information back to the health professionals using education, feedback of audit data and active intervention by the auditor. This study also demonstrates that the audit tools commonly used in many Australian facilities may lack the sophistication to adequately assess strategies that are known to improve hand hygiene, namely the duration of the hand hygiene and the selection of the appropriate solution. Future audit practice should include an accurate measure of the time taken to undertake hand hygiene relevant to the practice setting, as well as the clinician's choice of solution.
Stomatal movement in Zea mays: Shuttle of potassium and chloride between guard cells and subsidiary cells.

When stomates of Zea mays open K and Cl migrate from the subsidiary cells into the guard cells; when the stomates close both elements return to the subsidiary cells. Subsidiary cells function as reservoirs for K and Cl. Import of K and Cl into the guard cells and loss of both elements from the guard cells become observable 1 or 2 min after light is turned on or off, both when histochemical methods and the electron-probe microanalyzer are used for detection. Each stomatal complex of maize contains on the average 10±3×10-13 gram equivalents (eq) of K and 4±1×10-13 eq of Cl. Guard cells accumulate K in the light and CO2-free air at an average rate of 10×10-15 eq K per minute, and Cl at approximately half that rate.
Differential expression of the Sesbania rostrata leghemoglobin glb3 gene promoter in transgenic legume and non-legume plants.

The involvement of the Sesbania rostrata glb3 gene promoter NICE (nodule-infected cell expression) element in root-enhanced expression of 5′-Srglb3-uidA-3′nos chimeric gene was investigated in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum plants. The full-length wild-type Srglb3 promoter directed root meristem-enhanced expression in transgenic tobacco plants. The expression pattern of nine selected Srglb3 promoter mutations in the NICE element was examined in transgenic tobacco plants and compared with the pattern observed in nodules of transgenic Lotus corniculatus plants. The results suggest that the highly conserved motifs in the NICE element play an important role in expression in roots of non-legume plants.
A methods-based biotechnology course for undergraduates

This new course in biotechnology for upper division undergraduates provides a comprehensive overview of the process of drug discovery that is relevant to biopharmaceutical industry. The laboratory exercises train students in both cell-free and cell-based assays. Oral presentations by the students delve into recent progress in drug discovery. Combination of lectures, hands-on experiments, oral presentations, and accurate recording of laboratory data provides students a thorough training in biotechnology that better prepares them for the job market.
Swallowing and speech ability after treatment for head and neck cancer with targeted intraarterial versus intravenous chemoradiation

Objective RADPLAT (concurrent selective supradose intraarterial cisplatin and external-beam irradiation) delivers extraordinarily high cisplatin concentration to head and neck structures. This study was designed to quantify and compare RADPLAT and systemic chemoradiation treatment effects on swallowing and speech. Methods Videofluorographic swallowing studies and articulation testing of 14 head and neck cancer patients treated with RADPLAT were compared with 16 treated with systemic chemoradiation 1 month after treatment. Results RADPLAT and systemic chemoradiation patients did not differ significantly on most swallow outcome measures, and there was significantly less aspiration on 1 and 3 mL liquid for RADPLAT individuals. Speech function was comparable except for RADPLAT's significantly worse /s, z/ productions. Conclusions Increased concentration of cisplatin to the head and neck did not result in generally reduced swallowing or articulatory function. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 24: 68–77, 2002.
Expression of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplast tRNAGlu gene in a homologous in vitro transcription system is independent of upstream promoter elements

Chloroplast tRNA(Glu) is a bifunctional molecule involved in both the early steps of chlorophyll synthesis and chloroplast protein biosynthesis. Recently the enzymes involved in these processes have been characterized from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In order to investigate whether transcription of the gene for the tRNA(Glu) cofactor would be a possible point of regulation for the biosynthesis of chlorophyll, a homologous in vitro transcription system for C. reinhardtii chloroplast RNA polymerase was developed. The enzymatic activity was partially purified by ion-exchange chromatography to separate it from nuclear RNA polymerases. The highest rate of synthesis was found at pH 7.9, 40 mM KCl, 9 mM MgCl2 and with 25 micrograms plasmid DNA containing the chloroplast tRNA gene per milliliter. The activity was not sensitive to high amounts of alpha-amanitin (500 micrograms/ml) and rifampicin, but was clearly inhibited by heparin. This system was used to undertake a promoter analysis of one of the two identical tRNA(Glu) gene copies found in the C. reinhardtii chloroplast genome (trnE1). The analyzed tRNA gene behaved like a single transcription unit driven by its own promoter. The transcript terminated in a run of four consecutive T residues downstream of the gene. The nucleotide sequence in the 5' region of the gene revealed several potential promoter elements with homology to known chloroplast promoters of the "-10 and -35 region" and the "Euglena promoter" types. Surprisingly, deletion of the complete 5' region did not affect in vitro transcription, while partial deletions of the 5' and 3' coding region totally abolished transcription. This indicates the presence of an internal control region previously found for genes transcribed by nuclear RNA polymerase III. Protein binding studies with the coding region of trnE1 using gel retardation assays demonstrated the formation of two differently sized complexes. In vitro transcription of the tRNA(Glu) gene in extracts prepared from light and dark grown algae failed to demonstrate any significant influence of light on the transcription reaction.
Real-time hybrid simulation using the convolution integral method

This paper proposes a real-time hybrid simulation method that will allow complex systems to be tested within the hybrid test framework by employing the convolution integral (CI) method. The proposed CI method is potentially transformative for real-time hybrid simulation. The CI method can allow real-time hybrid simulation to be conducted regardless of the size and complexity of the numerical model and for numerical stability to be ensured in the presence of high frequency responses in the simulation. This paper presents the general theory behind the proposed CI method and provides experimental verification of the proposed method by comparing the CI method to the current integration time-stepping (ITS) method. Real-time hybrid simulation is conducted in the Advanced Hazard Mitigation Laboratory at the University of Connecticut. A seismically excited two-story shear frame building with a magneto-rheological (MR) fluid damper is selected as the test structure to experimentally validate the proposed method. The building structure is numerically modeled and simulated, while the MR damper is physically tested. Real-time hybrid simulation using the proposed CI method is shown to provide accurate results.
Fatty acid and lipid composition of the monkey retina in diet-induced hypercholesterolemia

Abstract We determined the fatty acid composition of the lipids of cynomolgus monkey retina in animals fed commercial chow or a saturated fat, cholesterol-enriched atherogenic diet for 100 days. Dososahesaenoic acid (22 :6) accounted for 25.8% of the ethanolamine phosphoglyceride fatty acids, 17.6% of the serine plus inositol phosphoglyceride fatty acids, 8.4% of the choline phosphoglyceride fatty acids and 5.8% of the neutral lipid fatty acids in the retinas of the chow-fed animals. Therefore, monkey retinas, like those of other mammalian species, ordinarily contain large amounts of 22 : 6. Retinas from the monkeys fed the atherogenic diet contained less 22 : 6 as well as other polyunsaturates in each of the phospholipid classes. The decrease in polyunsaturates was compensated for by increases in palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids. There was no difference in the amount of phospholipid, the distribution of phospholipid classes, or the amount of cholesterol in the retinas of the monkeys fed the atherogenic diet. These results indicate that the single type of lipid alteration produced in the retina by a diet enriched in saturated fat and cholesterol is a decrease in the polyunsaturation of the retinal phospholipids. The reduction in retinal 22 : 6 content might have significance for photoreceptor function.
The cross-cultural study of U.S. and Greek adolescents: blood pressure data.

Abstract Blood pressures (BP) were determined in 1409 boys aged 8–16 years at three one-year intervals in New York City (NYC) and in Greece, areas of high and low incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD), respectively. Non-Greek American boys had significantly lower systolic and diastolic BP than all the Greek boys from NYC and from Greece. The boys residing in Crete and in Athens had higher BP than all other cohorts. After covariance adjustment for height, ponderal index and age, significant differences among the cohorts showed the non-Greek American cohort to have the lowest and the Cretan cohorts the highest BP levels. The Cretans lead a lifestyle noted for the absence of other risk factors for CHD. Thus, while the incremental increase in blood pressure might have a corresponding increase in CHD risk among individuals, there are fewer individuals in Crete at elevated risk overall based on the CHD experience of the U.S. and Greece.
A behavioral type system and its application in Ptolemy II

Interface automata [deH01] have been introduced as an interface theory [deH01a] capable of functioning as a behavioral type system. Behavioral type systems describe dynamic properties of components and their compositions. Like traditional (data) type systems, behavioral type systems can be used to check compatibility of components. In this paper, we use interface automata to devise a behavioral type system for Ptolemy II, leveraging the contravariant and optimistic properties of interface automata to achieve behavioral subtyping and polymorphism. Ptolemy II is a software framework supporting concurrent component composition according to diverse models of computation. In this paper, we focus on representing the communication protocols used in component communication within the behavioral type system. In building this type system, we identify two key limitations in interface automata formalisms; we overcome these limitations with two extensions, transient states and projection automata. In addition to static type checking, we also propose to extend the use of interface automata to the on-line reflection of component states and to run-time type checking, which enable dynamic component creation, morphing application structure, and admission control. We discuss the trade-offs in the design of behavioral type systems.
Observation of dislocation assisted high temperature deformation in mullite and mullite composites

Abstract Fine grain alumina–mullite–zirconia composites demonstrate high strain rate superplastic flow (10 −2 s −1 ) under compression at 1400–1500 °C. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies reveal dislocation activity in mullite grains of the deformed material, indicating that dislocations are generated and propagated during deformation as an accommodation mechanism for superplastic deformation. To further study dislocation accommodated slip in mullite, polycrystalline mullite in ratios of 3Al 2 O 3 ·2SiO 2 and 2Al 2 O 3 ·1SiO 2 were fabricated by reactive sintering of nanocrystalline alumina and colloidal silica. The strain rate of the resultant mullite was four orders of magnitude lower than the alumina–mullite–zirconia composite material. Dislocation generation accommodated the deformation of nominally single-phase polycrystalline mullite compositions at 1450 °C under 40 MPa. Three types of dislocations were observed, with a few dislocations having the character b = [0 0 1]. Dislocation accommodated deformation at high temperatures is significant in mullite and the complex structure of mullite may activate multiple slip systems at high temperatures.
Direct Measurement of the Effect of Surface Roughness on the Colloidal Forces between a Particle and Flat Plate

The van der Waals and electrostatic interaction energies between a single particle and a flat plate were measured using the optical technique of total internal reflection microscopy (TIRM). The particles used were 15-µm-diameter polystyrene latex spheres and the flat plate was a polished BK-7 glass slide. The measurements were performed in aqueous solutions of ionic strength ranging from 3 to 7 mM, and the particle-plate separation distances ranged from approximately 25 to 300 nm. During measurement, the particle was trapped in a secondary energy well formed by the repulsive electrostatic and attractive van der Waals forces; however, the particle was free to undergo Brownian motion at all times. These measurements, which capitalize on the extreme sensitivity of the TIRM technique, are believed to be the first direct measurement of the van der Waals interaction energy in aqueous solutions at separation distances where retardation effects are substantial. Comparison of the measured energy wells with predictions made with traditional energy equations produced only fair agreement; specifically, the measured well depths were consistently lower than predicted. However, when the measured results were compared with predictions made using the recent model of L. Suresh and J. Y. Walz ([J. Colloid Interface Sci. 183, 199 (1996)] for rough surfaces, very good agreement was obtained. The asperity heights yielding the best agreement ranged between 14 and 33 nm, with an average height of 26 nm. This value is consistent with previous estimates of the roughness height obtained by measuring the particle sedimentation velocity [J. Y. Walz and L. Suresh, J. Chem. Phys. 103, 10714 (1995)]. Copyright 1997 Academic Press.
Centenary of the synapse: from Sherrington to the molecular biology of the synapse and beyond

Few concepts have meant more to neuroscience than the synapse, commonly understood to mean the junction between two excitable cells. The term was introduced by Charles Sherrington in 1897. The centenary of this event is an appropriate time to review the term's origins and utility. There are some surprises. The term didn't actually come from him. His concept was more functional than structural. The pioneering physiological and structural studies in the 1950s in fact did not lead to a rigorous definition. There is still confusion on how to define neurotransmitters. As molecular biological approaches are increasingly refining the concept of a fundamental synaptic unit, many types of neuronal interactions are appearing that do not fit with the synaptic concept. Are the neural circuits underlying behaviour strictly synaptic? In dealing with these questions, a longer perspective is useful for understanding how the term arose, how it has evolved to the present, and what kinds of challenges may be coming in the future.
The Impact of Macroeconomic Fluctuations on the Likelihood of African American Female Homeownership

Homeownership, a primary component of household wealth, confers benefits not just in terms of the value of home equity itself, but also the tax benefits and inflation protection associated with owning property. The 1990s represented a booming time in the economy and record low interest rates which allowed homeownership to become more available to more people than ever. As a result, the US housing market experienced significant growth and home values began to soar in part due to rising incomes. However, this period of rapid expansion in the housing market was followed by a rapid decline, precipitated by the recession, as home values began to plummet and foreclosures steadily increased. This study examines the impact that recent macroeconomic fluctuations had on the likelihood of homeownership for African American women compared to their white counterparts. Using data from the American Housing Survey (1997–2009), this tenure spatial analysis used a logistic regression model to examine the odds in favor of homeownership during economic fluctuations along with taking into consideration other important determinants. The empirical results show that there are significant differences in the likelihood of homeownership between African American women and white females.
Assessing hospital preparedness using an instrument based on the Mass Casualty Disaster Plan Checklist: results of a statewide survey.

Background Hospitals would play a critical role in a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) event. The purpose of this study is to assess preparedness for mass casualty events in short-term and long-term hospitals in Kentucky. Methods All short-term and long-term hospitals in Kentucky were surveyed using an instrument based on the Mass Casualty Disaster Plan Checklist and a brief supplemental bioterrorism preparedness questionnaire based on a checklist developed for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Results Responses were received from 116 of the 118 (98%) hospitals surveyed. Hospitals reported surge capacity equal to 27% of licensed beds, and virtually all respondents were engaged in planning for weapons of mass destruction events. However, advanced planning and preparation were less common. Large regional differences were observed, especially in the area of pharmaceutical planning. Preparedness planning in general and pharmaceutical management planning in particular were more advanced in counties participating in the Metropolitan Medical Response System Program (MMRS). Conclusions Hospital mass casualty preparedness efforts were in an early stage of development at the time of this survey, and some critical capabilities, such as isolation, decontamination, and syndromic surveillance were clearly underdeveloped. Preparedness planning was more advanced among hospitals located in MMRS counties.
Oligomerization of plant FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 plastid division proteins

FtsZ was identified in bacteria as the first protein to localize mid-cell prior to division and homologs have been found in many plant species. Bacterial studies demonstrated that FtsZ forms a ring structure that is dynamically exchanged with a soluble pool of FtsZ. Our previous work established that Arabidopsis FtsZ1 and FtsZ2-1 are capable of in vitro self-assembly into two distinct filament types, termed type-I and type-II and noted the presence of filament precursor molecules which prompted this investigation. Using a combination of electron microscopy, gel chromatography and native PAGE revealed that (i) prior to FtsZ assembly initiation the pool consists solely of dimers and (ii) during assembly of the Arabidopsis FtsZ type-II filaments the most common intermediate between the dimer and filament state is a tetramer. Three-dimensional reconstructions of the observed dimer and tetramer suggest these oligomeric forms may represent consecutive steps in type-II filament assembly and a mechanism is proposed, which is expanded to include FtsZ assembly into type-I filaments. Finally, the results permit a discussion of the oligomeric nature of the soluble pool in plants.
Characteristics of puff dispersion in an urban environment

A series of instantaneous releases of sulfur hexafluoride tracer were carried out as part of the Joint Urban 2003 field campaign conducted in Oklahoma City. Data from a set of ten fast-response tracer samplers were used to examine the crosswind and along-wind spread of the tracer, the decay of tracer concentrations, and the retention of tracer in an urban environment within approximately 1km of the release locations. The time variation of the median values of the tracer concentrations, normalized by the peak value observed at a given sampler, for a set of 3 or 4 puff releases during a study period could be described by an exponential decay with characteristic decay times on the order of one to two minutes. The longer times were found for early morning releases and the shorter times were associated with later morning or afternoon releases, suggesting that atmospheric stability may affect puff dispersion even in urban environments. The median retention times, i.e., the times required for 99% of the exposure to be realized at a given location, were found to be reasonably well correlated with the median decay times. These characteristic time scales should be regarded as lower limits for concentration decay in anmore » urban area because the analysis excluded a number of anomalous cases in which the concentrations from one release could not be readily distinguished from contributions from a previous release. In general, the variation of the along-wind dispersion parameter, σx, did not appear to be well described by linear dependencies on either the effective advection speeds of the puffs or the distance from the release point. Lateral puff dispersion as measured by σy, was roughly 70% of the along-wind dispersion at distances of 0.5 to 1 km from the release point.« less
A high energy resolution X-ray spectroscopy synchrotron radiation beamline for the energy range 800–5000 eV

A beamline for X-ray spectroscopy of atomic and molecular gases and condensed matter has been designed and installed at the National Synchrotron Light Source. The beamline is UHV compatible to allow windowless operation for improved flux at low photon energies. A double axis crystal monochromator is employed with a collimating premirror and a focusing postmirror. Paris of beryl, quartz or silicon crystals define an energy band width of <0.4 eV at an arbitrary energy above 0.8 keV. The premirror acts as a tuneable low-pass filter to minimize heat loading on the first monochromator crystal. At the present operating parameters of NSLS, a flux of 109–1013 photons/s of highly monochromatic X-rays can be focused onto a 1 mm diameter spot. Initial experimental results are presented.
Performance of a time-projection chamber☆

Abstract We report the design and operation of a position sensitive three-dimensional drift chamber with the capability of ionization sampling. This detector allows simultaneous measurement of the momentum and the mass of charged particles. The device is a prototype for a large detector system to be built at the PEP storage ring facility.
Theory of strain effects on the Raman spectrum of Si-Ge core-shell nanowires

An analytical model is introduced to compute the Raman spectrum of Si-Ge core shell nanowires. For the calculation of the strain, the materials are assumed to be elastically isotropic. It is argued that the largest components of the strain tensor are not significantly affected by this approximation. The phonon modes in the presence of strain are calculated using the known deformation potential tensors for Si and Ge. Predictions are made for Si-Ge and Ge-Si core-shell nanowires with axes along the 〈 011 〉 and 〈 111 〉 crystallographic directions. The results are presented in a way that makes it very simple to compare with experimental data and to extend the calculation to cases in which the shell consists of a Si1-xGex alloy.
Taking the BAD out of Adrenergic Stimulation

Abstract K. Mani, A. W. Ashton and R. N. Kitsis. Taking the BAD out of Adrenergic Stimulation. Journal of Molecular and Cell Cardiology (2002) 34, 709–712.
Acute Left Ventricular Dysfunction in the Critically Ill

Acute left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is common in the critical care setting and more frequently affects the elderly and patients with comorbidities. Because of increased mortality and the potential for significant improvement with early revascularization, the practitioner must first consider acute coronary syndrome. However, variants of stress (takotsubo) cardiomyopathy may be more prevalent in ICU settings than previously recognized. Early diagnosis is important to direct treatment of complications of stress cardiomyopathy, such as dynamic LV outflow tract obstruction, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Global LV dysfunction occurs in the critically ill because of the cardio-depressant effect of inflammatory mediators and endotoxins in septic shock as well as direct catecholamine toxicity. Tachycardia, hypertension, and severe metabolic abnormalities can independently cause global LV dysfunction, which typically improves with addressing the precipitating factor. Routine troponin testing may help early detection of cardiac injury and biomarkers could have prognostic value independent of prior cardiac disease. Echocardiography is ideally suited to quantify LV dysfunction and determine its most likely cause. LV dysfunction suggests a worse prognosis, but with appropriate therapy outcomes can be optimized.
Relationships among fashion consumer groups, locus of control, boredom proneness, boredom coping and intrinsic enjoyment

Fashion change agents and fashion followers differ in their need for mental stimulation. Within a context of fashion diffusion theory, this study examined the effects of locus of control and fashion consumer group on three attributes linked to mental stimulation – boredom proneness, intrinsic enjoyment, and boredom coping. For this US sample of young women, an internal locus of control orientation was associated with a higher level of fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership. Fashion change agents, with either an internal or external locus of control orientation, and fashion followers with an external locus of control orientation, were similar in their heightened ability to entertain themselves (internal stimulation). Fashion followers with an external locus of control orientation were less able to entertain themselves than the other three groups.
Binding of erythromycin to the 50S ribosomal subunit is affected by alterations in the 30S ribosomal subunit

Expression of resistance to erythromycin in Escherichia coli, caused by an altered L4 protein in the 50S ribosomal subunit, can be masked when two additional ribosomal mutations affecting the 30S proteins S5 and S12 are introduced into the strain (Saltzman, Brown, and Apirion, 1974). Ribosomes from such strains bind erythromycin to the same extent as ribosomes from erythromycin sensitive parental strains (Apirion and Saltzman, 1974).
Control of ignition delay in microfabricated hot-wire igniters: Simulation, fabrication, and experimental results

Abstract The presented work studied thermal interactions between laminated, metal-foil, hot-wire igniters and exothermic solid-state, composite chemical systems in order to demonstrate precise timing control of a thermal ignition process. The study includes FEA modeling, device fabrication, and characterization to demonstrate control microthruster ignition delays to within 2 ms. The modeling included studies of total ignition delay as well as the ignition delay variation versus process variations. Microthrusters were then fabricated via printed circuit board lamination, and the ignition performance was characterized. The characterization showed agreement with modeling to within 2-sigma for most cases. And the characterization demonstrated that the ignition delay could be controlled to within 0.36 and 0.84 ms for the best case. Furthermore, this performance was demonstrated with a small battery supply (200–600 mAh) and minimal electronics in the ignition system. This work extends the use of current microthrusters to short-lifetime applications that need high forces delivered in millisecond time intervals.