cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computer-aided planning and management of surface coal mines

Abstract Mini-, micro- and main-frame computers and their associated software are being utilized to (1) analyze geologic and hydrologic data obtained during exploration, (2) select and replace equipment, (3) develop alternate mining and reclamation plans, (4) establish technical and economic feasibility of various mining alternatives, (5) evaluate hydrologic impacts of mining, (6) develop management information systems for effective and efficient control of surface mining equipment and operations, and (7) train mine personnel. This paper briefly describes a variety of applications of computers in surface mining operations. Specific examples are given of five research projects involving development and use of new computer-based planning and management techniques.
Performance comparison of IO shipping and database call shipping: schemes in multisystem partitioned databases

Abstract In a multi-system partioned database, the database is split between the multiple systems and a facility is provided to support the shipping of function requests among the systems. Two alternate levels of function requests, called IO request shipping and database call shipping, are analyzed and compared. The analysis is based on traces from large mainframe systems running IBM's IMS database management systems. A methodology is presented for deriving optimal database partitions and transaction assignment so as to minimize the average system response time. The methodology decomposes the optimization problem into an integer linear programming problem for partitioning the databases and a simplex reflection method for probabilistic transaction routing. The issues addressed include the effectiveness of routing and the limits of partitioning. The IO request shipping approach is preferable when high communications bandwidth is available as in a machine room. Furthermore, IO request shipping can take advantage of probabilistic routing to enhance its performance, while database call shipping gains little from probabilistic routing as compared to fixed routing. However, IO request shipping is more susceptible to lock contention which may become a problem for an environment with a high transaction rate. For systems with lower communications bandwidth spread beyond the machine room, the database call shipping approach is the method of choice.
The physiological basis of slow locomotion in chamaeleons

The African chamaeleon, Chamaeleo senegalensis, will not move faster than approximately 0.1 m/second at 23 degrees C, whereas the lizard Agama agama, like most lizards its size, runs at speeds more than 10X as fast. To account for this difference, we measured various physiological parameters of the iliofibularis muscle of both lizards. The maximum speed of tetanic contraction of unloaded Chamaeleo muscle was half as fast as that of Agama muscle (2.5 vs. 5.8 resting lengths per second). Heavily loaded Chamaeleo iliofibularis contracted at nearly 1/4 the speed of Agama muscle. Time to peak isometric twitch tension and time to half relaxation were twice as long in Chamaeleo as in Agama (122 vs. 58 msec, and 168 vs. 81 msec). Much more of the Chamaeleo muscle consisted of tonic muscle fibers, and the Chamaeleo muscle, compared to Agama muscle, showed physiological evidence of having a significant amount of tonic fibers (potassium contracture and high tetanus to twitch ratios). Finally, the myofibrillar ATPase activity of the Chamaeleo muscle was 1/3 that of Agama muscle. Thus, these results show that the slow locomotion of old world chamaeleons can, in part, be explained by the physiology, biochemistry, and fiber-type distribution of their muscles.
Microcirculatory dysfunction in cardiac syndrome X: role of abnormal blood rheology.

Objective: Cardiac syndrome X (CSX) is of clinical interest, yet the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. It is well known that elevated blood viscosity and red blood cell (RBC) aggregation can adversely affect microcirculatory blood flow. The present study was designed to explore whether CSX is associated with abnormalities of blood rheology.Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 152 adult angina patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography; geometric and flow-velocity data were obtained. Rheologic measurements were performed in a blinded manner; 21 subjects were later identified with CSX. Hemorheologic and clinical laboratory data were compared to 21 age- and gender-matched healthy controls.Results: CSX patients had markedly abnormal blood rheology: (1) higher RBC aggregation and aggregability as judged by erythrocyte sedimentation rate and Myrenne indices at stasis and low shear (p < 0.001) and (2) elevated hematocrit-corrected blood viscosity, plasma visco...
UNIVERSAL ROUTING AND PERFORMANCE ASSURANCE FOR DISTRIBUTED NETWORKS

We show that universal routing can be achieved with low overhead in distributed networks. The validity of our results rests on a new network called the fat-stack. We show that from a routing perspective the fat-stack is efficient and is suitable for use as a baseline distributed network and as a crucial benchmark architecture for evaluating the performance of specific distributed networks. We show that the fat-stack is efficient by proving it is universal. A requirement for the fat-stack to be universal is that link capacities double up the levels of the network. We use methods developed in the areas of VLSI and processor interconnect for much of our analysis. We then show how to scale the fat-stack from a VLSI graph layout to a large-scale distributed topology and how the network can be an effective benchmark architecture. Our universality proofs show that a fat-stack of area Θ(A) can simulate any competing network of area A with overhead independently of wire delay. The universality result implies that the fat-stack of a given size is nearly the best routing network of that size. The fat-stack is also the minimal universal network for an overhead in terms of number of links. Actual simulations show that the fat-stack outperforms a mesh-based distributed network of comparable hardware usage. Our work helps explain why some deployed networks function in the way they do in terms of routing. It also provides an exemplary network of proven efficiency and scalability for building new distributed systems.
The omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid is associated with risk of gastroschisis: a novel dietary risk factor.

Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect, thought by many to represent a disruption in intrauterine blood flow, where there is herniation of abdominal organs. Dietary intake is an important environmental factor that has been implicated in the development of many diseases. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are nutrients that are substrates for eicosanoid and cytokine synthesis and prone to oxidation, and play a role in modulating inflammation, immune function, and vascular system development. This pilot case-control study explored the association of dietary intake of the omega-6 PUFA linoleic acid with risk of gastroschisis. Between 2008 and 2011, we recruited 13 pregnant women in mid-gestation who were referred to the UCSD Prenatal Center for evaluation of an abnormal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test and subsequently identified as carrying a baby with gastroschisis. Nine controls were selected from a false positive AFP or from the UCSD prenatal clinic. Maternal dietary intake was collected via repeated food record during the last 20 weeks of gestation. Logistic regression was used to test the association between dietary intake of linoleic acid and odds of gastroschisis. Dietary intake of linoleic acid was associated with increased odds of gastroschisis (OR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.74; P = 0.02). A higher maternal intake of omega-6 PUFAs may increase the risk of having a baby with gastroschisis. The mechanism by which this occurs may be via inflammatory processes and oxidative stress leading to a vascular disruption. More research is needed including studies investigating integrated markers of PUFA status or inflammatory markers. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An improved penalty function method for solving constrained parameter optimization problems

An effective algorithm is described for solving the general constrained parameter optimization problem. The method is quasi-second-order and requires only function and gradient information. An exterior point penalty function method is used to transform the constrained problem into a sequence of unconstrained problems. The penalty weightr is chosen as a function of the pointx such that the sequence of optimization problems is computationally easy. A rank-one optimization algorithm is developed that takes advantage of the special properties of the augmented performance index. The optimization algorithm accounts for the usual difficulties associated with discontinuous second derivatives of the augmented index. Finite convergence is exhibited for a quadratic performance index with linear constraints; accelerated convergence is demonstrated for nonquadratic indices and nonlinear constraints. A computer program has been written to implement the algorithm and its performance is illustrated in fourteen test problems.
SU-E-T-200: IMRT Patient Specific QA for On-Line Adaptive Radiotherapy.

Purpose: On‐line adaptive IMRT requires a highly efficient radiotherapy team and an intensive amount of work, as well as significant amount of Quality Assurance (QA). With regard to patient specific QA, it is clinically unrealistic to perform fluence measurements via a QA phantom while patient is setup awaiting treatment. We therefore developed an alternative way to check point dose and the IMRT fluence right before beam delivery. Methods: In this study, 28 IMRT plans were generated with Prowess Panther 5.1 for three prostate cancer patients on 28 CT datasets with CTV and critical organs contoured by treating physicians. The corresponding QA plans were generated by Prowess, and then transfered to Pinnacle 9.2 for fluence recalculation on a flat surface phantom, In addition 28 QA plans were delivered on a Siemens Artiste accelerator and fluence were measured with Matrixx IMRT Device. We analyzed both point dose and fluence for these 28 samples. Results: Of all 28 IMRT plans, the point dose difference between Prowess and Pinnacle are well within 1%. The point dose difference between measurements and Prowess calculation are all within 3%. The passing rates using gamma criteria (3%3mm) for the fluence comparison between Prowess and Pinnacle calculation are at least 98.5% while the passing rates of the gamma analysis between fluence measurement and Prowess calculation are all better than 98.5%. The passing rate of gamma difference between Prowess vs Pinnacle and Prowess vs QA measurement is less than 1.5% for all 28 samples. Therefore, second TPS (e.g. Pinnacle) can be used to verify planned fluencies and can serve as a valuable patient specific QA when conventional IMRT QA measurement is not feasible. Conclusions: A new IMRT plan is desired if significant anatomy change from the date of original CT scan is observed before the radiation delivery. It is not clinically feasible to check the fluence on the machine before radiation delivery while the patient is in the treatment suite awaiting radiation delivery. Our method showed here is an alternative way to verify the planned fluence with a second TPS and can serve as a valuable IMRT patient specific QA in online adaptive radiotherapy.
A One-Dimensional Numerical Model of a Drop-On-Demand Ink Jet

On utilise un algorithme predicteur-correcteur de Mac Cormack pour resoudre les equations d'un modele unidimensionnel de developpement d'une goutte a partir d'un jet goutte a goutte. Les calculs sont effectues en coordonnees lagrangiennes
Instabilities in a Magnetoplasma with Skin Current

Stability of a magnetized plasma with skin current, characterized by nonuniformity of the current and the electron temperature, is analyzed for perturbations with frequency and growth rate higher than the ion gyrofrequency. New instabilities due to the electron temperature gradient are found in both ion and electron acoustic branches, important for experiments with turbulent heating. The ion-acoustic instability observed in experiments leads to a Bohm-like turbulent thermal conductivity. The theoretical results, both linear and nonlinear, agree well with experiment.
“I Needed to Go to this Tabernacle of Ignorance”: Marc Maron’s Critique of the Creation Museum

On his 2011 comedy album This has to be funny, Marc Maron includes a routine in which he describes a visit to the Creation Museum, located in Petersburg, Kentucky just south of Cincinnati. Maron employs his typical combination of smart and angry wit as he satirizes the Museum and its agenda. This criticism takes the form of describing some of the Museum’s displays, and then reacting to them. The displays he spends the most time critiquing include the Garden of Eden room, animatronics of Old Testament figures, and the Noah’s Ark room. Bergson says that one source of laughter is seeing “the mechanical encrusted on the living” and this seems apt for understanding maron’s critique of displays such as these. Dogmatic religious believers can seem comical when their own beliefs interfere with their ability to adapt to new information—and this is exactly how the displays of the Creation Museum appear, thus making them targets for satire. Further, the museum, with its well documented and unscientific animatronics and dioramas (triceratops with saddles, tyrannosaurus rex eating a pineapple) creates its own dissonance when putting its ideas into sculptural forms. Museums often employ what Barbara Kirsehblatt-Gimblett has described as either in situ or in context display strategies, but both of these seem like empty, hyperreal rhetoric in the pseudoscientific position advocated by the museum.
Hyperspectral source prediction based on an optimal selection of multispectral data

Two optimization techniques from the class of direct search solvers, the genetic and generalized pattern search algorithms, are applied to hyperspectral source prediction. The number of filter bands to be sampled and their placements are the variables subject to optimization. The algorithms provide the optimal placements by sampling the stable source radiances at multispectral resolution, estimating the original source spectrum upon interpolation to hyperspectral resolution, and retaining the most accurate prediction. The integrated absolute error between the source prediction and the hyperspectral source truth is minimized. The interpolation estimate of the source approaches zero error asymptotically, as the number of allowed band samples is increased. The source spectrum of 2.15 μm bandwidth is reconstructed with 13 bands and relative absolute error of less than 0.5%. The method can be applied to any radiance spectrum or subspectrum partition, and is useful in transfer radiometer design or minimizing the number of spectrometer measurements required for hyperspectral source prediction.
Polycritical Points and Floplike Displacive Transitions in Perovskites

The critical behavior occurring at displacive phase transitions in anisotropically stressed perovskite crystals is examined. It is shown that, under various conditions, the asymptotic critical behavior may be of Ising, $\mathrm{XY}$-model, or Heisenberg type. The existence of a "spin-flop"-like transition (at zero stress) between two differently ordered phases is predicted. An explanation of the discrepancy between the measured exponents and those predicted theoretically is proposed, and several new experiments are suggested.
Neuropsychiatric disorders and potentially preventable hospitalizations in a prospective cohort study of older Americans.

BACKGROUND The relative contributions of depression, cognitive impairment without dementia (CIND), and dementia to the risk of potentially preventable hospitalizations in older adults are not well understood.
Lesions of the preoptic area facilitate lordosis behavior in male and female guinea pigs

Male and female guinea pigs received radiofrequency lesions in the medial preoptic area (MPOA). Animals were gonadectomized, treated with estrogen and progesterone, and tested for the occurrence of the lordosis response to manual stimulation. Females with MPOA lesions exhibited enhanced lordosis behavior, shorter latencies to heat, longer duration of heat and longer maximum lordosis duration than sham control females. In males with MPOA lesions, the lordosis response could be elicited by manual stimulation, in contrast to no response in the sham control males. Furthermore, MPOA-lesioned males were insensitive to the inhibitory effects of progesterone on lordosis behavior, while MPOA-lesioned females were as sensitive as sham controls to the inhibitory effects of progesterone. The results suggest that a neural mechanism resides within the MPOA which inhibits the occurrence of lordosis behavior in both male and female guinea pigs and which is not involved in a sexual dimorphism in responsiveness to progesterone.
The use of altered specificity mutants to probe specific protein-protein interactions involved in the activation of GATA-1 target genes.

Abstract With the increasing popularity of the yeast two-hybrid screen, a large number of protein–protein interactions have been identified. In many cases, single proteins have been found to associate with a large number of cofactors. For example, the hematopoietic transcription factor GATA-1 interacts with a multitude of other nuclear proteins, including Friend of GATA-1 (FOG-1), EKLF, CBP/p300, and Lmo2. Furthermore, p300, besides associating with GATA-1, interacts with at least seven other hematopoietic transcription factors. Despite the numerous pairwise and higher-order interactions identified, assessment of their contribution to transcriptional control has been lacking. Here we describe a strategy that can be applied to assess the functional relevance of any protein–protein association. This approach involves the creation of altered specificity mutants though the use of a combination of two yeast two-hybrid screens. Once altered specificity factors are obtained, a researcher can then proceed to functional assays that address the role of a specific protein–protein interaction.
Coliquefaction of lignin and bituminous coal

Abstract Adding lignin to a reaction mixture of coal plus hydrogen-donor solvent promoted more extensive depolymerization of the coal at lower temperatures. Using lignin ≈ 43% of the organic portion of coal was liquefied at 300 °C under ≈ 1400 p.s.i. of hydrogen, compared with 5% under similar conditions without lignin. Thermal depolymerization of the lignin at relatively low temperatures is believed to form resonance-stabilized phenoxy radicals, which then attack the coal causing scission of aliphatic carbon-carbon bonds in the coal. This hypothesis is also in accord with the observation that using guaiacol as solvent further increases coal conversion (up to ≈ 80%) under similar conditions.
The reliability and factorial validity of the IPAT anxiety scale.

(1962). The Reliability and Factorial Validity of the Ipat Anxiety Scale. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 67, No. 1, pp. 27-33.
The Interrelationship Between Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter

For a long time, it has been known that atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter have a close clinical interrelationship. Recent electrophysiological studies, especially mapping studies, have significantly advanced our understanding of this interrelationship. Regarding the relationship of atrial fibrillation with atrial flutter: Atrial fibrillation of variable duration precedes the onset of atrial flutter in almost all instances. During the atrial fibrillation, the functional components needed to complete the atrial flutter reentrant circuit, principally a line of block between the venae cavae, are formed. If this line of block does not form, classical atrial flutter does not develop. If this line of block shortens or disappears, classical atrial flutter disappears. In fact, it is fair to say that the major determinant of whether atrial fibrillation persists or classical atrial flutter develops is whether a line of block forms between the venae cavae. Regarding the relationship of atrial flutter with atrial fibrillation: Studies in experimental models and now in patients have demonstrated that a driver (a rapidly firing focus or a reentrant circuit of very short cycle length) can cause atrial fibrillation by producing fibrillatory conduction to the rest of the atria. When the driver is a stable reentrant circuit of very short cycle length, it is, in effect, a very fast form of atrial flutter. There probably is a spectrum of reentrant circuits of short cycle length, i.e., "atrial flutter," that depend, in part, on where the reentrant circuit is located. When the cycle length of the reentrant circuit is so short that it will only activate small portions of the atria in a 1:1 manner, the rest of the atria will be activated rapidly but irregularly, i.e., via fibrillatory conduction, resulting in atrial fibrillation. In short, there are probably several mechanisms of atrial fibrillation, one of which is due to a very rapid atrial flutter circuit causing fibrillatory conduction. In sum, atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter have an important interrelationship.
The Fishery Development Program in the Lower Columbia River

Abstract The gradual decline of the Columbia River salmon fishery has been brought about through deforestation, pollution, over-fishing, unscreened water diversions, and construction of dams within the watershed. The latter is believed to be the major contributing factor. Present water-development programs of the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers have accelerated the organization of a conservation plan for the maintenance of the salmon and steelhead fishery before the proposed dams bring about further diminution of the runs. This plan, endorsed and supported by federal planning agencies, consists of the maximum development and management of the fish runs in tributaries of the lower Columbia River basin. To effectuate this program approximately a 10-year period and 20 million dollars will be required, of which one million dollars have been appropriated for expenditure in fiscal year 1949. Essentially, the program is based on the cooperative efforts of the States of Oregon and Washingto...
Quantifying labial blood flow using optical Doppler tomography.

Abstract Objectives Changes in the oral microvasculature occur in a variety of diseases. Optical Doppler tomography (ODT) combines laser Doppler flowmetry with optical coherence tomography (OCT) to produce high-resolution tomographic images of biological tissues that also detect the velocity and direction of blood flow. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of ODT to image labial blood flow. A prototype ODT imaging system was constructed that characterized and measured labial blood flow in healthy subjects. Materials and methods A prototype ODT instrument was constructed using a diode light source with a central wavelength of 1300 nanometers, a 40-nanometer spectral width and 2.4 microwatts output power. To verify the accuracy of the system, the flow rates of a phantom material (Intralipid) pumped through a capillary tube at various speeds was measured. To evaluate the clinical feasibility of the ODT prototye, the mucosal aspect of the upper and lower lips at the midline was imaged in 9 healthy volunteers. The sample arm of the instrument consisted of a fiberoptic probe with a 2-mm in diameter polished glass lens attached to the end. The probe was placed approximately 3 mm from the mucosal surface of the lip and oriented perpendicular to the surface. A motorized translation stage moved the fiber in a superior to inferior direction while the subject's head was stabilized by placing the chin into a chin rest. Imaging time for a 12-mm × 2.5-mm scan was approximately 64 seconds. Results The phantom experiments revealed that accuracy of this novel ODT prototype to measure flow was within 5%. In vivo labial blood flow velocity ranged from 11.8 to 43.1 mm/second in the upper lip and 8.2 to 53.2 mm/second in the lower lip. There were no statistically significant differences between flow rates in the upper and lower lips. OCT images and Doppler velocity signals were successfully integrated producing in vivo images of labial blood in all of the subjects (15 images). The resulting cross-sectional images revealed microscopic details of labial structures and, to the best of our knowledge, are the first ODT images of the labial microvasculature. Conclusions The results of this in vivo study prove the feasibility of ODT to quantify labial blood flow and produce high spatial resolution images specifically localizing vessels anatomically. ODT provides both flow speed and flow direction information. ODT is noninvasive and offers the advantages of high volumetric flow sensitivity.
The Impact of Family Transitions on Child Fostering in Rural Malawi

Despite the frequency of divorce and remarriage across much of sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about what these events mean for the living arrangements of children. We use longitudinal data from rural Malawi to examine the effects of family transitions on the prevalence and incidence of child fostering, or children residing apart from their living parents. We find that between 7 % and 15 % of children aged 3–14 are out-fostered over the two-year intersurvey period. Although divorce appears to be a significant driver of child fostering in the cross-sectional analysis, it is not significantly associated with the incidence of out-fostering. In contrast, maternal remarriage has both a lagged and an immediate effect on the incidence of out-fostering. Furthermore, the likelihood of out-fostering is even higher among children whose mother remarried and had a new child during the intersurvey period. Using longitudinal data collected from living mothers rather than from children’s current foster homes offers new insights into the reasons children are sent to live with others besides their parents.
Unpacking the evaluation process:A study of transitional bilingual education

Abstract This article examines the process of an ongoing, independent evaluation of atransitional Spanish/English bilingual program housed at a large, urban school district in Northern California. The program is designed to enhance Kindergarten through Grade 5 (K-5) students' English language proficiency, as well as their English performance in academic subject areas. The article looks at how the evaluation team addressed various political, methodological, and theoretical challenges, including multiple stakeholders, small sample sizes, difficulty establishing well-defined “treatment” and “control” groups, and questionable instrumentation. Finally, we discuss how participation in a highly dynamic, interactive evaluation process prompted the school district to engage in activities and to make decisions that ultimately served both the evaluation as well as the district as a whole.
Deep sequencing of the murine IgH repertoire reveals complex regulation of nonrandom V gene rearrangement frequencies.

A diverse Ab repertoire is formed through the rearrangement of V, D, and J segments at the IgH (Igh) loci. The C57BL/6 murine Igh locus has >100 functional VH gene segments that can recombine to a rearranged DJH. Although the nonrandom usage of VH genes is well documented, it is not clear what elements determine recombination frequency. To answer this question, we conducted deep sequencing of 5′-RACE products of the Igh repertoire in pro-B cells, amplified in an unbiased manner. Chromatin immunoprecipitation–sequencing results for several histone modifications and RNA polymerase II binding, RNA-sequencing for sense and antisense noncoding germline transcripts, and proximity to CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) and Rad21 sites were compared with the usage of individual V genes. Computational analyses assessed the relative importance of these various accessibility elements. These elements divide the Igh locus into four epigenetically and transcriptionally distinct domains, and our computational analyses reveal different regulatory mechanisms for each region. Proximal V genes are relatively devoid of active histone marks and noncoding RNA in general, but having a CTCF site near their recombination signal sequence is critical, suggesting that being positioned near the base of the chromatin loops is important for rearrangement. In contrast, distal V genes have higher levels of histone marks and noncoding RNA, which may compensate for their poorer recombination signal sequences and for being distant from CTCF sites. Thus, the Igh locus has evolved a complex system for the regulation of V(D)J rearrangement that is different for each of the four domains that comprise this locus.
Neurobehavioral effects of obstructive sleep apnea: an overview and heuristic model.

Purpose of reviewObstructive sleep apnea can cause significant daytime behavioral and adaptive deficits, conventionally called ‘neurobehavioral’ because they are presumed to be mediated by the brain. The past few years have witnessed a marked increase in research into the neurobehavioral effects of
Interface precision benchworks: A case study in organizational identification

Abstract This study examined the process of organizational identification at a supported employment worksite (IPB) at a time the organization was undergoing a major operational transition. Based on observations, interviews and focus groups, the results of this study revealed: 1) IPB members shared a common identification with the mission of the organization, based on their discourse about the organization; 2) that identification came about from a gradual adaptation to the organization and its mission, such that those who were not willing to identify with the organizational goals chose not to become a member of the organization; and 3) consistency in communication is key in being able to maintain a shared vision of the organization, especially during time of transition. Implications for applied organizational communication research are discussed.
The Burglar Alarm That Just Keeps Ringing: A Response to Zaller

It is hard to disagree with John Zaller’s rhetorical formulation of two news standards: the useful “burglar alarm” that alerts busy citizens to important events in their public lives, versus the needlessly demanding Full News standard that issues detailed reports on matters of little consequence. Surely none could argue with the sensible burglar alarm or advocate the stultifying absurdity of the Full News standard when they are contrasted like this: “the news should provide information in the manner of attention-getting ‘burglar alarms’ about acute problems, rather than ‘police patrols’ over vast areas that pose no immediate problems.” The trouble with this new standard for news is that, when specified more fully, it turns out to be a nearly perfect account of what the news is already doing. Yet, Zaller implies that the news is currently turning off citizens because it still clings to the progressive-era notion of the full standard—patrolling vast areas that pose no immediate problems. In fact, the trouble with news is precisely the opposite. What has happened to the news in the past twenty years is that it has shifted in the direction of soft news and sensationalism, resulting in the continual sounding of burglar alarms on any number of issues—often just because they are shocking—and turning citizens off in the bargain. In short, the argument that Zaller offers to endorse his standard is almost perfectly backwards. The news, in fact, is sounding burglar alarms all the time. This incessant ringing of alarms about dubious problems, unseemly scandals, and daily threats to health and safety discourages citizens from taking the press, politicians, and public life seriously. For example, Patterson shows that people who have left the news arena in recent years do so not because news is covering too much barren ground, but because it is too negative, sensational, and alarming (Patterson, 2000). Beyond this fundamental flaw in the reasoning behind the burglar alarm standard, there are several core problems with the argument that take it away from its opening and fairly agreeable—but rhetorically loaded—formulation and into far less compelling terrain. The first problem develops from my opening point: Nearly all of Zaller’s examples of ideal, burglar alarm news involve news practices that already exist. The trouble is that a large volume of this alarming news is regarded by citizens, scholars, and journalists as
A 3D bus interconnect for network line cards

In this paper, we propose a 3D bus architecture as a processor-memory interconnection system to increase the throughput of the memory system currently used on line cards. The 3D bus architecture allows multiple processing elements on a line card to access a shared memory. The main advantage of the proposed architecture is to increase the network processor off-chip memory bandwidth while diminishing the latency otherwise caused by the single bus competition.
Coming to Terms with Classroom Assessment.

Well-trained and informed classroom teachers have been introducing modern classroom assessment approaches into their classrooms. Performance-based assessment is now commonplace in many classrooms as more teachers become concerned about the authenticity of their assessments and how assessment information can be used as formative feedback to improve teaching and learning. Although these newer approaches are driven by a motivation to make student assessment data more useful and meaningful than some traditional approaches, and their use, therefore, is a positive development, it is hard to judge the theoretical benefit of these changes or even to begin to systematically explore the nature of teachers’ modern classroom assessment practices. This difficulty arises because researchers, advocates, and practitioners have not arrived at a consistent definition of what these terms mean or what these practices look like. At recent meetings of the American Educational Research Association, classroom assessment researchers bemoaned a perceived lack of consensus as to the correct basic definitions for key classroom assessment terms. Marion (2005), Noonan and Duncan (2005), and Shepard (2005) argued, in different contexts, that one limitation in conducting research about classroom assessment is that certain key terms are used in different ways
Newness of Drugs and Use of HMO Services by Asthma Patients

OBJECTIVE:To define newness of drug technology and show associations between two measures of newness and health service utilization.METHODS:Healthcare use and changes in severity at each office visit were assessed for 1309 asthma patients from six health maintenance organizations (HMOs) during 1992. The age of each drug product, derived by subtracting its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval date from January 1, 1992, was used to construct two newness measures: the average age of all asthma drugs and, separately, all non-asthma drugs a patient used during the year and the percentages of a patient's asthma drugs from each of four time intervals of asthma drug breakthroughs. Service utilization variables included all primary care provider (PCP) visits, total prescription costs, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations.RESULTS:Using either measure of drug newness, multivariate analyses showed an association between greater use of newer asthma drugs and lower overall drug costs and fewer ...
On the existence and uniqueness of solutions for nonsmooth systems

This paper develops weaker conditions for guaranteeing the existence/uniqueness properties of solutions to ordinary differential equations by exploiting a novel notion of solutions called "order-r solutions" that was proposed recently. The conditions could form the basis for designing nonsmooth controls involving non-integer exponents.
A fast beamforming algorithm

The paper describes a new algorithm for fast beamforming (FBF) on wide-band signals. Conventional delay-sum beamforming (DSBF) is a computationally intensive operation requiring on the order of N/sup 2/ delay/sum operations per sample period, where N is the number of sensor elements. The FBF algorithm requires on the order of NlogN operations, which can result in considerable savings for large values of N. The algorithm defines multiple stages of processing. In the first FBF stage, DSBF is done for multiple subarrays with a limited number of beams. At each successive stage, the beams from pairs of subarrays are combined and additional beam steering directions are developed. The sidelobe level performance of FBF is found to be a function of beam spacing. The computational requirements of FBF are evaluated and compared to DSBF. The savings grow rapidly with array size, though can still be appreciable for as little as 32 elements. A simulated example of the algorithm on a wide-band signal is shown. >
Mapping the Protein Interaction Network of the Human COP9 Signalosome Complex Using a Label-free QTAX Strategy

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is a multi-subunit protein complex that performs critical roles in controlling diverse cellular and developmental processes. Aberrant regulation of the CSN complex has been shown to lead to tumorigenesis. Despite its biological significance, our current knowledge of the function and regulation of the CSN complex is very limited. To explore CSN biology, we have developed and employed a new version of the tag team-based QTAX strategy (quantitative analysis of tandem affinity purified in vivo cross-linked (X) protein complexes) by incorporating a label-free MS method for quantitation. Coupled with protein interaction network analysis, this strategy produced a comprehensive and detailed assessment of the protein interaction network of the human CSN complex. In total, we quantitatively characterized 825 putative CSN-interacting proteins, with 270 classified as core interactors (captured by all three bait purifications). Biochemical validation further confirms the validity of selected identified interactors. This work presents the most complete analysis of the CSN interaction network to date, providing an inclusive set of physical interaction data consistent with physiological roles for the CSN. Moreover, the methodology described here is a general proteomic tool for the comprehensive study of protein interaction networks.
A conserved sequence motif within the exceptionally diverse telomeric sequences of budding yeasts.

Abstract Telomeric DNA sequences have generally been found to be remarkably conserved in evolution, typically consisting of repeated, very short sequence units containing clusters of G residues. Recently however the telomeric DNA of the asexual yeast Candida albicans was shown to consist of much longer repeat units. Here we report the identification of seven additional telomeric sequences from sexual and asexual budding yeast species. The telomeric repeat units from this group of relatively closely related species show more phylogenetic diversity in length (8-25 bp), sequence, and composition than has been seen previously throughout a wide phylogenetic range of other eukaryotes. We also show that certain strains of the asexual diploid species Candida tropicalis have two forms of telomeric repeats, which appear to differ by a single base pair. Despite their great diversity, the telomeric repeat units of C. albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and all of the species we have examined in this report share a conserved approximately 6-bp motif of T and G residues resembling more typical telomeric sequences.
Intraoperative Tumor Localization with Surgeon-Performed Ultrasound-Guided Needle Dye Injection

Objectives: To describe our technique and initial experience of intraoperative tumor localization with surgeon-performed ultrasound-guided needle dye injection. Study Design: Prospective case series. Technique description. Methods: Using surgeon-performed ultrasonography (SP-US), 20 tumors (lymph node metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma [15], Hurthle cell carcinoma [2], medullary thyroid carcinoma [1], and lymphoma [1], and a parathyroid adenoma [1]) were localized in 13 patients. With ultrasound guidance, 0.1 mL of 1% methylene blue dye was injected into each targeted tumor. The blue color in contrast helped guide the dissection. Sixteen of 20 (80%) of dissections were revision cases through scar. Results: Using SP-US and US-guided injection with blue dye, 20 of 20 (100%) of cases were successful in retrieving the target tumor with no inadvertent nerve injuries (nerves at risk in scar: recurrent laryngeal [12], phrenic [3], vagus [3], and sympathetic chain [3]). Dye injection adds 5 to 10 minutes of time prior to incision. Injections appeared to increase visual differentiation of tissue, save time during dissection, particularly during revision dissections, and help ensure successful target retrieval. Injection into a parathyroid adenoma resulted in an overabundance of blue dye in nontumor tissue. Conclusions: Surgeon-performed ultrasound guided needle dye injection is particularly helpful in directing the surgeon to the appropriate area for tumor resection in fibrotic areas and thereby possibly reducing surgical time, sampling error, and morbidity. A lower concentration or a different dye may be more helpful for parathyroid adenomas. Further study on this technique is needed and is under way with a larger group of patients. Educational Objective: At the conclusion of this manuscript, the participants should be able to understand the technique and advantages of intraoperative tumor localization with surgeon-performed ultrasound-guided needle blue dye injection.
Nitric oxide-dependent killing of aerobic, anaerobic and persistent Burkholderia pseudomallei

Abstract Burkholderia pseudomallei infections are fastidious to treat with conventional antibiotic therapy, often involving a combination of drugs and long-term regimes. Bacterial genetic determinants contribute to the resistance of B. pseudomallei to many classes of antibiotics. In addition, anaerobiosis and hypoxia in abscesses typical of melioidosis select for persistent populations of B. pseudomallei refractory to a broad spectrum of antibacterials. We tested the susceptibility of B. pseudomallei to the drugs hydroxyurea, spermine NONOate and DETA NONOate that release nitric oxide (NO). Our investigations indicate that B. pseudomallei are killed by NO in a concentration and time-dependent fashion. The cytoxicity of this diatomic radical against B. pseudomallei depends on both the culture medium and growth phase of the bacteria. Rapidly growing, but not stationary phase, B. pseudomallei are readily killed upon exposure to the NO donor spermine NONOate. NO also has excellent antimicrobial activity against anaerobic B. pseudomallei. In addition, persistent bacteria highly resistant to most conventional antibiotics are remarkably susceptible to NO. Sublethal concentrations of NO inhibited the enzymatic activity of [4Fe–4S]-cofactored aconitase of aerobic and anaerobic B. pseudomallei. The strong anti-B. pseudomallei activity of NO described herein merits further studies on the application of NO-based antibiotics for the treatment of melioidosis.
Neurofibromatosis type 2

A 45-year-old woman developed a gradual onset of sensorineural hearing loss in the left ear in 1984. Head CT scan with contrast demonstrated bilateral cerebellopontine angle (CPA) enhancing masses. She underwent a resection of the left CPA tumor with pathology confirming schwannoma. …
Effects of insulin, metrazol, and electroconvulsive shocks upon learning to learn 30 successive reversal problems by rats.

To determine the relative effects of insulin, metrazol and electroconvulsive shocks upon learning to learn 30 successive reversal problems by rats, an enclosed square T-maze was used, with water as incentive after 23 hr. of deprivation. S had to achieve 9 correct out of 10 daily trials before a problem was reversed. 40 adult male rats were equally divided into a control and 3 differently shocked groups. Shocks were administered on 3 alternate days followed by 2 days of rest. Each time, Ss of the 4 groups received respectively 0.5 cc. of saline, 55 mg. of metrazol per kg. of body-weight, one unit of insulin per 20 gm. of body-weight, and an electric current of 50 ma. at 25 v for 150 msec. Convulsion in the insulin group was prevented by an injection of dextrose and potassium chloride. The control was significantly superior to the 3 shocked groups which were remarkably similar or practically identical in their performance during the initial 6 problems. Thereafter, both the non-convulsive (saline and insulin...
Insulin Gene Transcription: Factors Involved in Cell Type–Specific and Glucose-Regulated Expression in Islet β Cells are Also Essential During Pancreatic Development

The sections in this article are: 1 Insulin Gene Expression 2 Principal Factors Regulating Insulin Gene Transcription 2.1 C2 Element 2.2 Z-Element Region 2.3 A Elements 2.4 C1/RIPE3b1 Element 2.5 E Element 2.6 Other Key Pancreatic Cell Transcriptional Regulators 3 Targeted Disruption of Insulin Transcriptional Activators 3.1 PDX-1 in Pancreatic Islet and Exocrine Cell Development 3.2 Isl-1, Pax-6, Pax-4, and BETA2/NeuroD in Islet Endocrine Cell Development 3.3 Other Transcription Factors Necessary for Islet Cell Development 4 Factors Regulating pdx-1 Gene Transcription 5 New Perspectives 6 Summary
How Accurate Are Patients At Diagnosing The Cause Of Their Knee Pain With The Help Of A Web-based Symptom Checker?

Background:Researching medical information is the third most popular activity online, and there are a variety of web-based symptom checker programs available.Purpose:This study evaluated a patient’s ability to self-diagnose their knee pain from a list of possible diagnoses supplied by an accurate symptom checker.Study Design:Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.Methods:All patients older than 18 years who presented to the office of 7 different fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeons over an 8-month period with a complaint of knee pain were asked to participate. A web-based symptom checker for knee pain was used; the program has a reported accuracy of 89%. The symptom checker generates a list of potential diagnoses after patients enter symptoms and links each diagnosis to informative content. After exploring the informative content, patients selected all diagnoses they felt could explain their symptoms. Each patient was later examined by a physician who was blinded to the differential generat...
Does Policy Deliberation Affect Voting Behavior? Evidence from a Field Experiment in Benin

This paper provides experimental evidence on the effect of town hall meetings on voting behavior. The experiment took place during the March 2011 elections in Benin and involved 150 randomly selected villages. The treatment group had town hall meetings where voters deliberated over their candidate's electoral platforms. The control group was exposed to the standard campaign, i.e. one-way communication of the candidate's platform by himself or his local broker. We find that the treatment has a positive effect on measures of turnout and voting for the treatment candidate. The results also suggest that the positive treatment effect on vote share is driven in large part by active information sharing by those who attended the meetings.