cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computerized writing aids for Aphasia: Practical options and a call for data

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Behrns, I., Hartelius, L., & Wengelin, A. (2009). Aphasia and computerized writing aid supported treatment. Aphasiology, 23, 1276–1294. Source of funding and disclosure of interest: The study was supported by the Swedish Stroke Association; the original authors of this research report no conflicts of interest.
Population size and conservation of the last eastern remnants of the regal fritillary, Speyeria idalia (Drury) [Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae]; implications for temperate grassland restoration

We monitored the last remaining Pennsylvania population of the regal fritillary butterfly (Speyeria idalia) for 8 years (1997–2005) at Fort Indiantown Gap, a National Guard training facility located in south-central Pennsylvania, USA. We observed demes of this population in five grassland areas, four of which received limited protection from anthropogenic military activities (i.e., motorized vehicles were prohibited). The Pollard walk technique allowed us to make estimates of butterfly density over the consecutive 8 years period. Mark/Recapture estimates of population size were done in 2005. Of the three areas surveyed for relative abundance over the entire 8 years period, none showed significant changes in relative population density of adult butterflies, indicating that the population remained stable over the 8 years. Mark-recapture estimates of population size in 2005 indicate that this population reached a peak of 913 butterflies that year. The stability of population size occurred despite efforts to improve habitat. Dead caterpillars were found over 3 years in some fields indicating that caterpillar habitat includes both violets (caterpillar food plants) and mature warm season grasses approximately 5 years post-disturbance. These disturbances are caused by military activity such as motorized vehicle training that reduces areas to bare soil. These activities are now banned in protected butterfly areas.
Tighter controls for busier systems [power systems]

A variety of new technologies are becoming available that will help utilities maintain power system reliability while handling the larger volume of transactions. For example, power electronic systems can provide unprecedented control over electricity flow on transmission networks, preventing or containing cascading disturbances. In addition, new sensor technology, faster communications between control centers, and advanced software tools can enable utilities to monitor system conditions in real time, letting them respond more quickly to disturbances and minimize their impact. Over the next decade, these technologies will facilitate increased power transfers through power delivery systems that are presently constrained, providing power at lower cost to a greater number of customers. It is a question of how to optimize power flow through an entire network by integrating multiple technologies and coordinating control over wide areas. Such integration and coordination will be necessary for deregulation to proceed smoothly toward its twin goals: reducing electricity costs to US consumers, while maintaining the high levels of reliability they have come to expect. The authors discuss the following technologies to help achieve these goals including: flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS), the next generation of FACTS controllers, hierarchical control of FACTS, on-line power systems analysis, control centre communications, and wide area measurement system.
On the Significance of “Rings” on the Shells of Cardium and other Molluscs

IN NATURE of February 3, p. 146, I referred to experiments on determining the rate of growth of a fixed population of marked cockles (Cardium edule). In this experiment the box which was fixed in the bed of the River Yealm and contained the cockles was visited monthly, and sometimes at intervals of only a fortnight, for the purpose of measuring the increment in growth since the previous visit. This method of work resulted in an interesting observation on the formation of rings on the shells of the growing cockles. It was found that in the young cockles, i.e. up to about 16 mms. in length, dark rings were formed monthly or fortnightly in a majority of cases, on the shells at the size they were when last measured, but that no similar formation of rings could be detected in the larger and generally older shells. On the other hand, both small and large cockles showed distinct rings after the winter period.
New calibration technique for KCD-based megavoltage imaging

In megavoltage imaging, current commercial electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs), despite having the advantage of immediate digital imaging over film, suffer from poor image contrast and spatial resolution. The feasibility of using a kinestatic charge detector (KCD) as an EPID to provide superior image contrast and spatial resolution for portal imaging has already been demonstrated in a previous paper. The KCD system had the additional advantage of requiring an extremely low dose per acquired image, allowing for superior imaging to be reconstructed form a single linac pulse per image pixel. The KCD based images utilized a dose of two orders of magnitude less that for EPIDs and film. Compared with the current commercial EPIDs and film, the prototype KCD system exhibited promising image qualities, despite being handicapped by the use of a relatively simple image calibration technique, and the performance limits of medical linacs on the maximum linac pulse frequency and energy flux per pulse delivered. This image calibration technique fixed relative image pixel values based on a linear interpolation of extrema provided by an air-water calibration, and accounted only for channel-to-channel variations. The counterpart of this for area detectors is the standard flat fielding method. A comprehensive calibration protocol has been developed. The new technique additionally corrects for geometric distortions due to variations in the scan velocity, and timing artifacts caused by mis-synchronization between the linear accelerator and the data acquisition system (DAS). The role of variations in energy flux (2 - 3%) on imaging is demonstrated to be not significant for the images considered. The methodology is presented, and the results are discussed for simulated images. It also allows for significant improvements in the signal-to- noise ratio (SNR) by increasing the dose using multiple images without having to increase the linac pulse frequency or energy flux per pulse. The application of this protocol to a KCD system under construction is expected shortly.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The crystal structure of europium tris[4,4,4,-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3-butanedione] dihydrate

Abstract The crystal structure of europium tris[4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3 butanedione] dihydrate has been determined from visually estimated intensity data for 1444 independent reflections. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2s1/c with 4 molecules per unit cell. The cell dimensions are a = 11.40(2) A, b = 22.40(3) A, c = 13.72(2)A, β = 105.0(1)°. The europium atoms are each coordinated by 8 oxygen atoms arranged at the vertices of an archimedean antiprism. One β-diketone ,group has its oxygen atoms at the adjacent corners of one square while the other two groups both have on oxygen atom at a corner of each square. Two water molecules at diagonally opposite corners of one square complete the coordination. Due to a slow decomposition of the crystals the X-ray data was not complete or accurate enough to give accurate atomic positions and only the general outline of the molecular geometry can be discussed.
Spermiogenesis in the surf clam Spisula solidissima with special reference to the formation of the acrosomal vesicle.

Fine structural studies of sperm differentiation in the surf clam Spisula solidissima have demonstrated the development of the acrosomal vesicle and the organization of the nucleus and the mitochondria in the spermatozoon. In early spermatids, proacrosomal vesicles arising from several Golgi complexes coalesce to form one acrosomal vesicle. This moves to the anterior region of the nucleus and becomes elongated, cone-shaped, and invaginated at its adnuclear surface. The axial rod, a subacrosomal structure, is initially recognized in mid-spermatids as an unorganized mass of fibers. These fibers become arranged in parallel and extend anteriorly into the acrosomal vesicle. In early spermatids, the nucleus contains peripheral aggregates and irregular filaments of electron opaque chromatin. Eventual coalescence of these chromatin masses yields a compact and barrel-shaped sperm nucleus. Ellipsoid mitochondria, which are randomly distributed throughout the cytoplasm of early spermatids, become circumnuclear and intimately apposed to the nuclear envelope. The mitochondrial population is reduced from many to four in number, presumably through a fusion process.
Afterimage color perception for designers.

This is a study of perception of negative afterimages. Surface color samples were viewed under Spectralight. Subjects fixated on 11 Munsell hues mounted on white cards and matched their afterimages...
Sedimentation patterns support seismogenic low-angle normal faulting, southeastern California and western Arizona

Miocene synextensional strata flanking the Chemehuevi and southern Sacramento Mountains in southeastern California and western Arizona indicate deposition during seismically active low-angle normal faulting. These data complement existing structural, isotopic, and fission-track studies, which show that the regionally developed Chemehuevi-Sacramento detachment-fault system was initiated and allowed movement of the hanging wall over more than 18 km within the seismogenic regime at moderate to low angles of dip (≤ 30°). Individual faults within the detachment-fault system are corrugated parallel to the east-northeast transport direction, resulting in broad mullion structures (50–550 m amplitude and 1.5–10 km wavelength). Slip occurred along the rooted fault system between ca. 23 and 12 Ma; the average slip rate was ∼7–8 mm/yr during peak tectonic extension from ca. 19 to 15 Ma. Tertiary strata preserved in tilted hanging-wall blocks are between 2 and 3 km thick. Mafic and intermediate volcanic rocks (ca. 23 to 18.5 Ma) at the base of the section constitute 40% to 50% of most basin fills. Alluvial-fan conglomerate, sedimentary breccia, and megabreccia (somewhat >15.5 to somewhat These data show that the gentle dip and corrugated shape of the Chemehuevi-Sacramento detachment-fault system, when it was seismically active and allowed movement at and near the Earth9s surface, controlled the location and fill of basins during progressive extension. Stratigraphic, structural, and thermal data therefore corroborate and challenge the assumption that low-angle normal faults are aseismic.
IDAC computer interfacing for an undergraduate learning laboratory

A hardware and software interface system from International Data and Acquisition and Control, Inc. (IDAC) is reviewed. The IDAC system comes with spreadsheet software compatible for either Macintosh or IBM microcomputers. I prefer to use the IDAC hardware with my own software written in TrueBasic and spreadsheet macros. The entire system is easy to use and is currently in use for our undergraduate Learning Laboratory.
Strategy of calculation of periodic solutions

Abstract Onset of oscillations in a nonlinear dynamic system can be determined by solving certain nonlinear boundary value problems, which can be handled by standard software. Problems associated with calculation of periodic solutions are discussed. Two solved examples illustrate the application of the proposed strategy. The algorithm can be easily used for locating Hopf bifurcation points and for continuation of periodic solutions.
45 Multi-Organ Crystal Deposition in a Rare Case of Crystalglobulinemia

MULTI-ORGAN CRYSTAL DEPOSITION IN A RARE CASE OF CRYSTALGLOBULINEMIA K Calderon, P Amin, A Hazzan, M Gitman, KD Jhaveri. Nephrology, Hofstra North Shore LIJ School of Medicine, Great Neck, NY Introduction: Crystalglobulinemia syndrome has been described as an extremely rare complication of monoclonal gammopathy. This entity has a very rapid and progressive course with poor prognosis. It is important to recognize the presenting symptoms and initiate rapid treatment. We present a rare case of rapidly progressing disease presenting with renal injury. Case Report: A 66 year old Hispanic male rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with non-steroidal medications presents with acute renal injury (crt of 11.1mg/dl), 4.4gm of proteinuria, joint pains and anemia. All serological workup is negative and hemodialysis is initated. Serum protein electrophoresis showed gamma migrating paraproteinemia and urine immunofixation identified lambda type Bence Jones proteins. Clinically, the patient was rapidly deteriorating and died as a result of cardiogenic shock. Post-mortem analysis showed grossly enlarged kidneys with extensive infarction of the parenchyma of the kidneys. There were diffuse rectangular, rhomboid and sharp needle shaped hyaline-like crystals deposited in multiple organ systems, including the kidneys, myocardium, coronary arteries, tricuspid and pulmonary valves, lungs, bone marrow and other organs. IF for the renal tissue and bone marrow was positive for lamda light chains. Sections of the left anterior descending coronary artery showed seventy percent occlusion due to an atherosclerotic plaque the center of which was composed of the same crystalline material as in other tissues. Conclusion: Crystalglobunemia is a rare finding in myeloma disease. Our case provides a learning opportunity of this disease entity that progresses very rapidly. What sets this case apart from previous reports is the extensive amounts of extracellular crystalline deposits, causing rapid tissue destruction in multiple organ systems including the kidneys.
Amniotic fluid prolactin levels in rhesus isoimmunized patients.

Abstract The concentration of prolactin in the amniotic fluid (AFPRL) was measured in 75 samples obtained in the third trimester of 14 isoimmunized women. There was a uniform decline in prolactin levels with advancing gestation in each pregnancy (r = −0.89 to −0.99). The decline in AFPRL was similar in uncomplicated pregnancies. AFPRL levels were not predictive of umbilical cord hemoglobin or bilirubin levels and amniotic fluid lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio.
Being a "Reader" in New Times: A Case Study Examining the Construction of a Reader in a Ninth-Grade English Class.

This article presents a case study that examined the ways in which the boundaries of what it meant to be a “reader” were constructed and what counted as reading in a 9th-grade English classroom. Through the examination of 2 literacy practices (i.e., teacher-led shared reading and the reading of school texts outside of school), I explore what it meant to be a reader and how this was constructed in the classroom. In addition, I report on 1 student's sophisticated out-of-school literacy practices, how he actively helped construct what it meant to be a reader, and how he positioned himself within and in opposition to the constructions of being a reader in the classroom. The findings of the study suggest implications for literacy theory and for educators teaching struggling readers.
Inhibited spontaneous emission by a Rydberg atom.

Spontaneous radiation by an atom in a Rydberg state has been inhibited by use of parallel conducting planes to eliminate the vacuum modes at the transition frequency. Spontaneous emission is observed to "turn off" abruptly at the cutoff frequency of the waveguidelike structure and the natural lifetime is measured to increase by a factor of at least 20.
Messenger Discriminating Species of Initiation Factor F3

Species of the polypeptide chain initiation factor F3 with high selectivity toward either MS2 or T4 phage messenger RNAs have been isolated from normal E. coli cells.
Surface shading effects on soil C loss in a temperate muck soil

Histosols are a huge reservoir for C, covering <1% of the world's land surface but storing up to 12% of total soil C. Thorough comprehension of factors controlling the rate of soil C loss from Histosols is critical for proper management of these C sinks. Two experiments evaluated how formerly cultivated, warm-climate Histosols undergoing wetland restoration respond to decreases in soil temperatures via vegetative shading, under different water table conditions. We compared temperature and soil CO 2 efflux differences from intact soil cores under three levels of light reduction in a greenhouse: 0%, 70%, and 90%. Soil in full sun was consistently warmer and showed higher efflux rates than 70% and 90% shade treatments: 4.132, 3.438, and 2.054 μmol CO 2 m ―2 s ―1 , respectively. Shade treatments reached peak efflux rates at similar water potential, ―2 to ―4 kPa. A field experiment subjected in-situ soil to full sun, 70% light reduction, and light reduction from naturally occurring herbaceous vegetation. Shade treatment effects on soil temperature and C mineralization were evident throughout the growing season. Vegetative shade effects on soil temperature were greatest in August and September when soil under vegetation was 5-11 °C cooler than unshaded soil. Soil CO 2 efflux was correlated strongly with soil temperature; daily efflux rates were consistently highest from unshaded soil. Efflux across treatments showed a strong seasonal correlation to soil moisture, increasing as soil dried in response to water table decline. Soil water potential was unaffected by shade treatment, suggesting temperature effects were solely responsible for efflux differences between treatments. All results confirm that surface shading has a strong influence on soil temperatures and C mineralization rates. Management to enhance vegetative shading in wetland restoration projects may be an effective strategy for slowing soil C losses and promoting soil C sequestration when O 2 is not limiting.
Diaphragmatic relaxing incisions during laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia repair.

Laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia (PEH) repair is associated with an objective recurrence rate exceeding 50 % at 5 years. Minimizing tension is a critical factor in preventing hernia recurrence. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of crural relaxing incisions in patients undergoing PEH repair. Records were reviewed to identify patients who received a relaxing incision during laparoscopic PEH repair. The patients were followed by chest X-ray and videoesophagram at 3 months and then annually. From November 2010 to March 2013, 58 patients underwent PEH repair, and 15 patients received a relaxing incision to accomplish crural closure. The median age of the patients was 72 years (range 58–84 years). The relaxing incision was right-sided in 13 patients, left-sided in one patient, and bilateral in one patient. All the procedures were completed laparoscopically and included a fundoplication. Collis gastroplasty for a short esophagus was performed for 40 % of the patients. No major complications occurred. During a median follow-up period of 4 months, one patient had an asymptomatic mildly elevated left hemidiaphragm, and one patient had a trivial recurrent hernia, as shown on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Crural tension likely contributes to the high recurrence rate noted with laparoscopic PEH repair. Relaxing incisions are safe and allow crural approximation. Advanced laparoscopic surgeons should be aware of this option when faced with a large hiatus in a patient with PEH.
Limbic system structures differentially contribute to exploratory trip organization of the rat.

The role of limbic system structures in spatial orientation continues to be debated. The hippocampus (HPC) has been implicated in encoding symbolic representations of environments (i.e., cognitive map), whereas entorhinal cortex (EC) function has been implicated in self-movement cue processing (i.e., dead reckoning). These distinctions largely depend on the electrophysiological characteristics of cells within these regions and behavioral tasks that typically fail to dissociate environmental and self-movement cue processing. Topographic and kinematic characteristics of exploratory trip organization have been shown to differentially depend on environmental and self-movement cue processing. The present study examines the effects of either HPC or EC lesions on exploratory trip organization under varying lighting conditions. HPC lesions selectively impaired all measures of performance under dark conditions, but spared all measures of performance under light conditions. EC lesions impaired kinematic measures related to distance estimation under all conditions and impaired all measures of performance under light conditions. These results provide evidence that the HPC is involved in processing self-movement cues but not environmental cues, and EC is involved in processing distance estimates generated from either self-movement or environmental cues. These observations provide further support for serial processing of self-movement cues through limbic system structures that converge on the HPC. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Role of tumor necrosis factor alpha in particulate-induced bone resorption.

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of tumor necrosis factor alpha in bone resorption secondary to mediator release from macrophages exposed to cement particles. The J774 mouse macrophage cell line was exposed to polymethylmethacrylate particles for 24 hours and the resulting conditioned medium was analyzed for prostaglandin E2, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 alpha and beta, and the ability to stimulate release of prostaglandin E2 and 45Ca from radiolabeled mouse calvaria. Macrophage exposure to polymethylmethacrylate particles led to a 9-fold increase in release of tumor necrosis factor alpha (p < 0.01), but did not lead to a significant increase in release of prostaglandin E2, interleukin-1 alpha, or interleukin-1 beta when compared to unexposed cells. Exposure of the macrophages to polymethylmethacrylate particles over a time course from 30 minutes to 96 hours led to an increase in the release of tumor necrosis factor alpha that was initially detected at 30 minutes and was maximum at 48 hours. Incubation of the macrophage-polymethylmethacrylate conditioned medium with rat calvaria significantly increased the release of 45Ca and prostaglandin E2 from the bone. To study the role of release of tumor necrosis factor alpha in bone resorption, the macrophage-polymethylmethacrylate conditioned medium was then preincubated with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha antibody prior to exposure of the conditioned medium to the calvaria. This preincubation was successful in significantly inhibiting 45Ca release by calvaria (p < 0.01) to levels that were not significantly different from the levels of release by unexposed calvaria. Tumor necrosis factor alpha appears to play a critical role in initiating particulate-induced bone resorption. Exposure of macrophages to polymethylmethacrylate particles leads to a significant release of tumor necrosis factor alpha in a time-dependent fashion. This macrophage-polymethylmethacrylate conditioned medium stimulated release of prostaglandin E2 and bone resorption in bone organ culture. The addition of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha antibody to this in vitro system inhibited the bone resorption stimulated by the macrophage-polymethylmethacrylate conditioned medium and partially suppressed the production of prostaglandin E2. The sequence of events in this model for particulate-induced bone resorption appears to be initiated by the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha by the macrophage, followed by production of prostaglandin E2 by cells in bone, and then by bone resorption.
Data driven workflow planning in cluster management systems

Traditional scientific computing has been associated with harnessing computation cycles within and across clusters of machines. In recent years, scientific applications have become increasingly data-intensive. This is especially true in the fields of astronomy and high energy physics. Furthermore, the lowered cost of disks and commodity machines has led to a dramatic increase in the amount of free disk space spread across machines in a cluster. This space is not being exploited by traditional distributed computing tools. In this paper we have evaluated ways to improve the data management capabilities of Condor, a popular distributed computing system. We have augmented the Condor system by providing the capability to store data used and produced by workflows on the disks of machines in the cluster. We have also replaced the Condor matchmaker with a new workflow planning framework that is cognizant of dependencies between jobs in a workflow and exploits these new data storage capabilities to produce workflow schedules. We show that our data caching and workflow planning framework can significantly reduce response times for data-intensive workflows by reducing data transfer over the network in a cluster. We also consider ways in which this planning framework can be made adaptive in a dynamic, multi-user, failure-prone environment.
Hybrid Mathematical Model of Glioma Progression

Objectives: Gliomas are an important form of brain cancer, with high mortality rate. Mathematical models are often used to understand and predict their behaviour. However, using current modeling techniques one must choose between simulating individual cell behaviour and modeling tumours of clinically significant size. Materials and Methods: We propose a hybrid compartment-continuum-discrete model to simulate glioma growth and malignant cell invasion. The discrete portion of the model is capable of capturing intercellular interactions, including cell migration, intercellular communication, spatial cell population heterogeneity, phenotype differentiation, epigenetic events, proliferation, and apoptosis. Combining this with a compartment and continuum model allows clinically significant tumour sizes to be evaluated. Results and Conclusions: This model is used to perform multiple simulations to determine sensitivity to changes in important model parameters, specifically, the fundamental length parameter, necrotic cell degradation rate, rate of cell migration, and rate of phenotype transformation. Using these values, the model is able to simulate tumour growth and invasion behaviour, observed clinically. This mathematical model provides a means to simulate various tumour development scenarios, which may lead to a better understanding of how altering fundamental parameters can influence neoplastic progression.
Trichogramma exiguum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) Releases in North Carolina Cotton: Evaluation of Heliothine Pest Suppression

Field studies were conducted in 1996 and 1997 to reevaluate the use of augmentative releases of Trichogramma wasps for heliothine management in cotton. In 1996, nine releases of Trichogramma exiguum Pinto & Platner, spaced 3–4 d apart, were made into three 0.4-ha cotton plots. Six weekly releases were made in 1997, each containing two T. exiguum cohorts developmentally staggered by 45°C degree-days. Field release rates, estimated from laboratory and field quality control data, averaged 108,357 T. exiguum ♀♀ per hectare per cohort per release in 1996 and 193,366 ♀♀ per hectare per cohort per release in 1997. In 1996, mean ± SD adult emergence under laboratory conditions for released cohorts was 92 ± 7%; 62 ± 5% of emerged adults were females, 3 ± 2% of females displayed brachyptery (nonfunctional wings), mean female longevity under laboratory conditions was 15 ± 4 d, and mean ± SD field emergence was 97 ± 2%. Quality control measurements were similar in 1997. In 1996, mean ± SD percent parasitism of heliothine eggs in field plots on the sampled dates ranged from 67 ± 4 to 83 ± 5% in T. exiguum release plots and 25 ± 9 to 55 ± 8% in control plots. In 1997, parasitism levels ranged from 74 ± 4 to 89 ± 5% in T. exiguum release plots and 18 ± 18 to 69 ± 11% in control plots. Despite increased parasitism levels in T. exiguum release plots, there were no significant differences in density of fifth instars, boll damage, or yield between T. exiguum release and control plots. Therefore, it is concluded that Trichogramma augmentation is not an effective heliothine management tool in North Carolina cotton.
A Thermomechanical Instability in the High Rate Extension of Textile Fibers

The effect of thermomechanical coupling arising from fiber plasticity on the stability of homogeneous straining deformation in fibers extended at high strain rates is investigated using a simple analytical approach. A constitutive model is assumed for the fiber's plastic deformation, incorporating linear thermal softening and linear strain hardening. The behavior of solutions to the coupled equations of motion and energy balance under adiabatic conditions is studied for small initial disturbances to the velocity field associated with homogeneous straining. Homogeneous straining motion is shown to be stable for particular values of a parameter involving the fiber's thermophysical and constitutive properties. For other values of the parameter, unstable strain localization leading to fiber rupture is demonstrated to be likely. The implications of these results with regard to high strain rate behavior of textile materials are discussed.
SomamiR: a database for somatic mutations impacting microRNA function in cancer

Whole-genome sequencing of cancers has begun to identify thousands of somatic mutations that distinguish the genomes of normal tissues from cancers. While many germline mutations within microRNAs (miRNAs) and their targets have been shown to alter miRNA function in cancers and have been associated with cancer risk, the impact of somatic mutations on miRNA function has received relatively little attention. Here, we have created the SomamiR database (http://compbio.uthsc.edu/SomamiR/) to provide a comprehensive resource that integrates several types of data for use in investigating the impact of somatic and germline mutations on miRNA function in cancer. The database contains somatic mutations that may create or disrupt miRNA target sites and integrates these somatic mutations with germline mutations within the same target sites, genome-wide and candidate gene association studies of cancer and functional annotations that link genes containing mutations with cancer. Additionally, the database contains a collection of germline and somatic mutations in miRNAs and their targets that have been experimentally shown to impact miRNA function and have been associated with cancer.
The Relevance of Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice.

This descriptive correlational study assessed school nurses' knowledge of and perceived relevance of the Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice. Of the 1,162 Ohio school nurses sent questionnaires, 345 returned usable questionnaires (30%). The typical respondent was a 50-year-old Caucasian woman with 24 years of nursing experience, 12 years of school nursing experience, and a caseload of 3 public schools serving 1,500 students. Factors that positively related to the school nurses' knowledge and perceptions of the relevance of the standards were age, advanced degree preparation, school nursing experience, and practicing in a metropolitan area. Factors that negatively related to knowledge and perceived relevance were practicing in a rural area and caseload of special needs students. Standards of practice provide a mechanism for defining and supporting practice roles for nurses. Thus, it is important to increase awareness and use of the standards, especially among school nurses practicing in rural areas.
Precision pointing error analysis in a satellite optical communication optical system

The authors present details of the design considerations for two candidate precision pointing and tracking control subsystems proposed for use in an optical intersatellite communication system. In addition, disturbance effects are identified, and appropriate models for the disturbances are developed. Simulations of the control system are performed. Preliminary simulation results indicate superior disturbance rejection of a complementary filter-based precision pointing and tracking subsystem when compared with a rate-integrating-gyro- (G-) based system. However, both systems fail to meet the 0.5- mu murad (r.m.s.) pointing constraint imposed by optical intersatellite communication links. >
The future Internet - A service provider's long term view

This paper presents several key inefficiencies of the current Internet backbone and proposes some midterm and long-term solutions that are shaping Verizon's backbone network evolution plans
Stimulus relevancy and transfer of perceptual learning

Albino rats reared in a visually sparse environment were preexposed to stimuli which varied in their degree of relevancy to the to-be-discriminated stimuli, an equilateral triangle and a circle. It was found that for early experience with stimuli to facilitate perceptual learning, the preexposed stimuli must be of the same general class as the to-be-discriminated stimuli. These findings suggested that the positive transfer effect which follows preexposure to stimuli results from identifying specific aspects of the stimuli rather than being due to a more general process of simply having had stimulus experience.
Surface flashover and preflashover phenomena of solid dielectrics in vacuum

A lateral test structure with metalized film electrodes is shown to have distinct advantages over a conventional solid electrode structure for studying the HV characteristics of solid insulators in vacuum. The paper presents results of streak photography and spectral analysis of surface discharge luminosity, and of preflashover activity using time-coordinated current, luminosity, and imaging. The preflashover consisting of bursts of time-correlated current and light emission, is associated with randomly distributed emission spots on the surface. It is proposed that the above observations are related to charge trapping and detrapping processes at localized energy levels associated with insulator surface defects.
COX2 in a euryhaline teleost, Fundulus heteroclitus: primary sequence, distribution, localization, and potential function in gills during salinity acclimation.

SUMMARY In the kidneys of mammals, cyclooxygenase type 2 (COX2) is expressed in medullary interstitial cells, the macula densa and epithelial cells of the cortical thick ascending limb where it generates prostaglandins that regulate hormone secretion, inhibit ion transport, and support cell survival during salt loading and dehydration. In teleosts, the gills are in direct contact with an aquatic environment and are the dominant site of osmoregulation. During transfers between salinities, specialized cells in the gills (chloride cells) rapidly regulate NaCl secretion for systemic osmoregulation while they simultaneously are exposed to acute osmotic shock. This study was conducted to determine if COX2 is expressed in the gills, and if so, to evaluate its function in cellular and systemic osmoregulation. Degenerate primers, reverse transcription–PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends were used to deduce the complete cDNA sequence of a putative COX2 enzyme from the gills of the euryhaline killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). The 2738 base pair cDNA includes a coding region for a 610 amino acid protein that is over 70% identical to mammalian COX2. A purified antibody generated against a conserved region of mouse COX2 labeled chloride cells, suggesting that the enzyme may control NaCl secretion as an autocrine agent. Real-time PCR was then used to demonstrate that mRNA expression of the COX2 homologue was threefold greater in gills from chronic seawater killifish than in gills from chronic freshwater killifish. Expression of Na+/K+/2Cl– cotransporter and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator were also greater in seawater, suggesting that chronic COX2 expression in the gills is regulated in parallel to the key ion transporters that mediate NaCl secretion. Real-time PCR was also used to demonstrate that acute transfer from seawater to freshwater and from freshwater to seawater led to rapid, transient inductions of COX2 expression. Together with previous physiological evidence, the present molecular and immunological data suggest that constitutive branchial COX2 expression is enhanced in seawater, where prostaglandins can regulate NaCl secretion in chloride cells. Our data also suggest that branchial COX2 expression may play a role in cell survival during acute osmotic shock.
Intraepithelial asymmetric-unit-membrane plaques in mammalian urinary bladder

Asymmetric-unit-membrane (AUM) plaques are major components of the luminal surface of superficial cells in mammalian urinary bladder. We have now demonstrated ultrastructually identical AUM plaques in intraepithelial locations, at the lateral and basal surfaces of superficial cells and at the apical surfaces of intermediate epithelial cells in the urinary bladder. Typically, luminal apposing AUM plaques are present in clusters. Similar plaque clusters are present on apposing surfaces of cell pairs within the epithelium. These intraepithelial plaque clusters are in register, although often separated by a wide interspace. In areas where they come into closer apposition, they form membrane complexes resembling but distinctly different from certain types of cell-to-cell junctions. Both luminal and intraepithelial AUM plaques serve as membrane attachment sites for cytoplasmic microfilaments. Their intraepithelial location and association with microfilaments support the hypothesis that AUM plaques serve a mechanical function and modulate cell surface area during the urinary bladder distention-contraction cycle.
Active Learning based Survival Regression for Censored Data

Time-to-event outcomes based data can be modelled using survival regression methods which can predict these outcomes in different censored data applications in diverse fields such as engineering, economics and healthcare. Predictive models are built by inferring from the censored variable in time-to-event data, which differentiates them from other regression methods. Censoring is represented as a binary indicator variable and machine learning methods have been tuned to account for the censored attribute. Active learning from censored data using survival regression methods can make the model query a domain expert for the time-to-event label of the sampled instances. This offers higher advantages in the healthcare domain where a domain expert can interactively refine the model with his feedback. With this motivation, we address this problem by providing an active learning based survival model which uses a novel model discriminative gradient based sampling scheme. We evaluate this framework on electronic health records (EHR), publicly available survival and synthetic censored datasets of varying diversity. Experimental evaluation against state of the art survival regression methods indicates the higher discriminative ability of the proposed approach. We also present the sampling results for the proposed approach in an active learning setting which indicate better learning rates in comparison to other sampling strategies.
Ultrafast Single-Electron-Transfer/Degenerative-Chain- Transfer Mediated Living Radical Polymerization of Acrylates Initiated with Iodoform in Water at Room Temperature and Catalyzed by Sodium Dithionite

Sodium dithionite in the presence of NaHCO3 in water acts as a single- electron-transfer agent and facilitates the single-electron-transfer/degenerative-chain- transfer mediated living radical polymerization (SET-DTLRP) of acrylates initiated with iodoform at room temperature. The resulting ,-di(iodo)polyacrylates can be used as macroinitiators for the SET-DTLRP of other acrylates. Ultrahigh-molar-mass poly- (tert-butyl acrylate) can be synthesized via the SET-DTLRP of tert-butyl acrylate and has a very low weight-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight ratio of 1.15. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2178 -2184, 2005
Asymmetrical characteristics in LDD and minimum-overlap MOSFET's

An asymmetrical drain, substrate, and gate current phenomenon with respect to drain-source reversal in short-channel lightly doped-drain (LDD) and minimum-overlap MOSFET has been observed. By controlled device fabrication splits, it is confirmed that these asymmetrical device characteristics are caused by the 7° off-axis drain-source implant which creates different degrees of offset between the gate edge and the source-drain junctions. The offset degrades the I-V characteristics. Substrate and gate current asymmetries are studied by analyzing the channel electrical field using two-dimensional device simulations. High-channel field at the source end is proposed to explain the second hump in the double-humped substrate current characteristic and the strong gate current injection when the devices are operated with the nonoverlap side as the source. One way to avoid the shadowing effect at ion implantation is to etch the poly-gate side wall to a small positive level angle.
Underprovisioning backup power infrastructure for datacenters

While there has been prior work to underprovision the power distribution infrastructure for a datacenter to save costs, the ability to underprovision the backup power infrastructure, which contributes significantly to capital costs, is little explored. There are two main components in the backup infrastructure - Diesel Generators (DGs) and UPS units - which can both be underprovisioned (or even removed) in terms of their power and/or energy capacities. However, embarking on such underprovisioning mandates studying several ramifications - the resulting cost savings, the lower availability, and the performance and state loss consequences on individual applications - concurrently. This paper presents the first such study, considering cost, availability, performance and application consequences of underprovisioning the backup power infrastructure. We present a framework to quantify the cost of backup capacity that is provisioned, and implement techniques leveraging existing software and hardware mechanisms to provide as seamless an operation as possible for an application within the provisioned backup capacity during a power outage. We evaluate the cost-performance-availability trade-offs for different levels of backup underprovisioning for applications with diverse reliance on the backup infrastructure. Our results show that one may be able to completely do away with DGs, compensating for it with additional UPS energy capacities, to significantly cut costs and still be able to handle power outages lasting as high as 40 minutes (which constitute bulk of the outages). Further, we can push the limits of outage duration that can be handled in a cost-effective manner, if applications are willing to tolerate degraded performance during the outage. Our evaluations also show that different applications react differently to the outage handling mechanisms, and that the efficacy of the mechanisms is sensitive to the outage duration. The insights from this paper can spur new opportunities for future work on backup power infrastructure optimization.
An improved sliding window data compression algorithm based on the Lempel-Ziv data compression algorithm (magnetic recording)

A data compression scheme which can improve the efficiency of the Lempel-Ziv data compression algorithm is presented. The proposed scheme is designed to save bits in specifying the length of the matching string. The scheme specifies the difference between the longest and the next shortest length. Since this difference is never greater than the length of the string, and often shorter, this scheme can never be less efficient than the scheme where the length itself is used in the codeword, and it is often more efficient. Curves comparing the compression efficiencies of the improved Lempel-Ziv algorithm, the Lempel-Ziv algorithm, and the Lempel-Ziv-Welch algorithm are given. >
Aging and intellectual ability in young, middle-aged, and older educated adults: preliminary results from a sample of college faculty

52 members of the college community at a small liberal arts university (Ages 25-72) were administered a 60-min. battery of tests measuring different aspects of cognitive performance. Stepwise regression equations detected significant relationships between the predictor variables of age and education and measures of the WAIS-R, the Logical Memory subtests and Trails A. Age predicted performance on Trails A, the Digit Symbol subtest of the WAIS-R, the Logical Memory II component of the Wechsler Memory Scale-R, some measures of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Full Scale WAIS-R IQ. Education was a significant predictor of performance on the remaining WAIS-R subtests and the Failure. To Maintain Response Sets measure of the card sorting. However, the results of the present study also suggest that over-all cognitive decline with advancing age is not an eventuality, at least among the highly educated, intellectually active individuals.
Mixed Valency Minerals: Influences of Crystal Structures on Optical and Mössbauer Spectra

The colours, opacities, optical absorption and Mossbauer spectra of numerous silicate and oxide minerals are governed by the lateral dimensions of clusters of Fe and Ti cations located in edge- and face-sharing octahedra in their crystal structures. Short Fe2+-Fe3+ interatomic distances, as well as the presence of these cations in infinite chains, bands or layers of edge-sharing octahedra, cause the thermally-activated electron delocalization (ED) behaviour observed in the Mossbauer spectra of magnetite, ilvaite, vonsenite, deerite and cronstedtite. In ilvaite, ED becomes restricted below 335 K due to an electron ordering-induced displacive phase transition, resulting in ordering of Fe2+ and Fe3+ in distinct crystallographic sites. In laihunite, however, ordered cation vacancies prevent ED. Broad, intense intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) bands appear in optical spectra of numerous coloured minerals in which long-range Fe2+-Fe3+ and Fe2+-Ti4+ interactions are restricted by smaller clusters of shared octahedra and by atomic substitution of Mg2+ or Al3+ in their crystal structures. The Fe2+ →Fe3+ IVCT transitions in vivianite, lazulite, rockbridgeite, babingtonite, etc., and the Fe2+ → Ti4+ IVCT transitions in taramellite, neptunite, ellenbergerite, blue sapphire, hibonite, etc., produce very intense, polarization-dependent bands in their optical spectra having very large half-widths, which make them distiguishable from the Fe2+ crystal field bands intensified by IVCT transitions.
Investigating Social Work Students' Perceptions of Elders' Vulnerability and Resilience

ABSTRACT The manner in which elders are perceived by future social workers may affect how social work services will be delivered to older adults, especially older adults affected by substance abuse and/or mental illness such as depression. Perceptions about resilience have important implications for practice and policy with elders, especially those affected by depression and/or substance abuse. This study investigated perceptions of elders' resilience among social work students, and the variables that inform those perceptions. The findings of this study suggest that the variables influencing respondents' perceptions of elders' resilience included (a) perceptions of elders' vulnerability, (b) perceptions of elders' actions to treat themselves, (c) perceptions of elders' seeking professional help, and (d) the respondents' educational program. Respondents perceived elders as unlikely to seek professional help, vulnerable, marginalized, and as only moderately resilient in overcoming depression or substance ab...