cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Signaling pathways underlying the rapid antidepressant actions of ketamine.

Currently available medications have significant limitations, most notably low response rate and time lag for treatment response. Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist produces a rapid antidepressant response (within hours) and is effective in treatment resistant depressed patients. Molecular and cellular studies in rodent models demonstrate that ketamine rapidly increases synaptogenesis, including increased density and function of spine synapses, in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Ketamine also produces rapid antidepressant actions in behavioral models of depression, and reverses the deficits in synapse number and behavior resulting from chronic stress exposure. These effects of ketamine are accompanied by stimulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and increased levels of synaptic proteins. Together these studies indicate that ketamine rapidly reverses the atrophy of spines in the PFC and thereby causes a functional reconnection of neurons that underlies the rapid behavioral responses. These studies identify new targets for rapid acting antidepressants that are safer than ketamine.
Sideband suppression in free electron lasers using a grating rhomb

The phase shift produced by a grating rhomb is included in free-electron laser (FEL) pulse calculations to investigate whether or not grating rhombs can be used to suppress the sideband instability. The idea is that because the group travel time through a rhomb is an increasing function of the laser wavelength, an FEL oscillator can be designed such that the optical pulse at a chosen central wavelength and the pulse of electrons overlap spatially when they enter the wiggler. Over many passes, light in a small bandwidth about the chosen wavelength receives the greatest amplification because it overlaps the electrons, and light at sideband instability wavelengths that does not overlap the electrons is suppressed by losses in the oscillator cavity. For a 5-m tapered wiggler, the range in rhomb dispersion and cavity loss that yields acceptable FEL performance is defined. At low values of cavity loss, for example 15%, a wide range of rhomb dispersion exists for which both the sideband instability is largely suppressed and the energy extracted from the electrons is high. At larger values of cavity loss, for example 30%, a critical value for rhomb dispersion exists below which the laser pulse is compressed by the rhomb, leading to reduced energy extraction. >
Study on Communication Technique for Power Distribution and Consumption Concept of Smart Grid

According to the requirements of distribution and consumption concept of smart grid, adaptive communication techniques are compared through the analysis of kinds of communication techniques. And detailed suggestions are given in this paper. Finally, several typical construction schemes of communication systems for distribution and consumption concept are presented according to the requirements of circumstance, operation and management of different cities.
C-Reactive protein haplotype predicts serum C-reactive protein levels but not cardiovascular disease risk in a dialysis cohort.

Background C-Reactive protein ( CRP ) gene variation has been associated with serum CRP levels in the general population. We examined the associations of CRP gene variation with longitudinal CRP measurements and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a cohort of 504 white and 244 African-American incident dialysis patients. Methods Seven tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the CRP gene were selected by using the Carlson method ( r 2 > 0.65). High-sensitivity CRP was measured every 6 months (mean, 4.6 months). Haplo.glm was used to determine the association of haplotypes with serum CRP levels and CVD risk. Global tests from Haplo.score were conducted to determine statistical significance. Results Compared with the most common haplotype, 1 haplotype was associated with a 52% lower CRP level at baseline among African Americans (ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 0.82; global P -value = 0.0005). Furthermore, this haplotype was associated significantly with lower serum CRP levels during 36 months of follow-up. Among whites, this haplotype was associated with an 18% (ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.56 to 1.22; n=6 carriers) lower CRP level compared with the most common haplotype with a frequency of 1% (global P -value = 0.048). No association was detected between CRP gene variation and CVD risk in either whites or African Americans. Conclusion Compared with the most common haplotype of the CRP gene, 1 haplotype predicts a lower serum CRP level over time, but no association exists between haplotype of CRP gene and incident CVD in this incident dialysis population. Serum CRP level might be a biomarker, rather than a causal factor, in CVD development. CRP variation may lead to susceptibility to inflammation, but not risk for CVD; however, replication in multiple settings is necessary.
Mutagenicity of pyrene in salmonella

Pyrene was tested for mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA97, TA98, TA100 and TA1537. Mutagenicity was seen in all strains when S9 was present.
Kells: a protection framework for portable data

Portable storage devices, such as key-chain USB devices, are ubiquitous. These devices are often used with impunity, with users repeatedly using the same storage device in open computer laboratories, Internet cafes, and on office and home computers. Consequently, they are the target of malware that exploit the data present or use them as a means to propagate malicious software. This paper presents the Kells mobile storage system. Kells limits untrusted or unknown systems from accessing sensitive data by continuously validating the accessing host's integrity state. We explore the design and operation of Kells, and implement a proof-of-concept USB 2.0 storage device on experimental hardware. Our analysis of Kells is twofold. We first prove the security of device operation (within a freshness security parameter Δt) using the LS2 logic of secure systems. Second, we empirically evaluate the performance of Kells. These experiments indicate nominal overheads associated with host validation, showing a worst case throughput overhead of 1.22% for read operations and 2.78% for writes.
Amphibian embryo protease inhibitor. I. Isolation, purification and characterization

Abstract We have isolated and purified from amphibian oocytes and embryos a family of powerful protease inhibitors. Of the several purified enzymes examined (trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, collagenase) only trypsin is affected by one inhibitor and another inhibitor specifically inhibits chymotrypsin. Trypsin is very tightly bound to the frog trypsin inhibitor. The inhibitor is variably associated with relatively non-polar materials, but is fully active as an inhibitor in the free or bound form. The molecular weight of the active residue obtained by acetone extraction is 11,500 by sedimentation equilibrium. The same molecular weight is obtained by amino acid analysis and by SDS acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Some kinetic features of the inhibitor are described. We speculate that in addition to its dynamic role as a protease inhibitor, this molecule may be involved as a participant in the stabilization of the crystalline matrix of amphibian yolk platelets.
Structural Change of N-terminus in Smooth Muscle Myosin Regularly Light Chain using Accelerated Molecular Dynamics

A novel accelerated molecular dynamics method (the Orthogonal Space Random Walk algorithm, OSRW) is applied to study the effect of the regulatory light chain (RLC) phosphorylation on the structure of the light chain binding domain of smooth muscle myosin. Smooth muscle myosin is activated by phosphorylation on the S19 (and T18 subsequently) at the N-terminus of the RLC that causes a conformational change from the closed inhibited asymmetric structure (Wendt et al. PNAS 2001) to the open structure by an unknown mechanism. The N-terminus also plays an important role in stabilizing the folded 10S conformation that is soluble at physiological ionic strength. However, X-ray structures of the RLC do not show the 24-residue N-terminus, which holds the phosphoration site. Thus, we are performing MD simulations on the 21 residues of the N-terminus as well as the RLC with part of the heavy chain. The phosphorylated N-terminus shows a bent α-helical conformation, where the S19 interacts with the R16. The unphosphorylated N-terminus has showed a straight α-helical conformation. Those simulations are carried out in explicit water under near-physiological conditions. The OSRW has demonstrated hundreds of times sampling capacity in compared with regular MD, which will promote our understanding on the phophorylation activation mechanism. This work is supported by NIAMSD.
THE EFFECT OF SHORT-RANGE ORDER ON RESIDUAL RESISTIVITY

Abstract A general theory, based on the Nordheim approximation, is given for the residual resistivity of binary solid solutions with short-range order but no long-range order. For Cu 3 Au, this theory predicts about an 18 per cent increase in resistivity with short-range order just above the ordering temperature, in agreement with experiment. For α brass, the agreement is poorer, an 0.4 per cent increase in resistivity being predicted in comparison with a 12 per cent decrease observed. Qualitative considerations are given for estimating the effect of short-range order for an arbitrary solid solution. In general, the short-range order may be expected to decrease the resistivity of a binary solid solution whose constituents have different valence when the Fermi surface passes close to a Brillouin zone boundary for the random lattice. An increase should occur when the Fermi surface is close to a zone boundary for the superlattice.
Advanced information management (AIM): advanced database technology for integrated applications

The Advanced Information Management (AIM) project is currently one of the main activities at the IBM Scientific Center in Heidelberg. The main purpose of the project is to understand the database requirements and respective solutions for advanced integrated applications such as computer-integrated manufacturing and computer-integrated office. These application areas require an advanced database technology which is able to manage a large variety of data of various types in a consistent and efficient way. The underlying database technology should support not only simple numbers and simple tables used in business administration, but also large complex structured objects, including text, image, and voice data, in a uniform way. This paper describes the background, goals, and accomplishments of the AIM project. It also provides an overview of the design goals, the implementation, and the underlying concepts of AIM-P, an experimental database management system under development in the AIM project.
Similarities and Differences in Risk Factors for Violent Offending and Gang Membership

Prior research has established that there is a cumulative effect of risk factors on both youth violence and gang membership and that risk factors in multiple domains increase the probability of youth violence and gang involvement. In this article we expand upon this risk factor approach to the study of youth violence by addressing two questions concerning youth violence: (1) What are the effects of cumulative risk, including risk in multiple domains, on youth violence and gang membership and to what extent are the patterns similar or different for youth violence and gang membership? (2) To what extent do risk factors exert independent effects when other factors are controlled in multivariate analyses, and are the risk factors for youth violence similar to or different from those for gang membership? We utilise survey data from a sample of 5,395 8th grade students in 11 cities across the United States to examine these issues.
Head-shaking nystagmus predicts greater disability in unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to determine the association of the bedside test of head-shaking nystagmus (HSN) with patients' self-perceived dizziness handicap as well as this test's sensitivity and specificity in unilateral peripheral vestibular hypofunction. Study Design A retrospective case-control study was performed. Setting The study was held at an academic, tertiary referral center. Methods Fifty-three adult patients with unilateral peripheral hypofunction defined by the caloric test of the videonystagmography with documented bedside HSN and who had completed questionnaires of self-perceived dizziness handicap were included. The sensitivity and specificity of the bedside HSN in patients and 10 healthy controls in diagnosing unilateral vestibular hypofunction defined by videonystagmographic caloric testing and by abnormal gain and symmetry of the vestibular-ocular reflex by rotary chair testing were determined. Scores of the screening test of the Dizziness Handicap Index and Functional Level Scale questionnaires were taken. Results When using the caloric irrigation test as the reference standard for unilateral vestibular hypofunction, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of the bedside HSN were 31%, 96%, and 97%, respectively. When comparing with results of rotational chair testing (vestibular-ocular reflex gain and symmetry), the sensitivity of the HSN test increases to 71%. Patients with positive bedside HSN had higher scores (greater self-perceived dizziness handicap) of the Dizziness Handicap Index ( P = .049) and higher (worse) scores of the Functional Level Scale ( P = .0377) than those with negative bedside HSN (Wilcoxon rank test). Conclusions Greater perceived handicap was correlated with a positive bedside HSN in patients with unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy. The HSN has sufficient sensitivity to be used as screening test of uncompensated vestibulopathy in this series. However, a negative HSN alone does not rule out the diagnosis of peripheral vestibular dysfunction.
TEL+CEN antagonism on plasmids involves telomere repeat sequences tracts and gene products that interact with chromosomal telomeres

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, circular plasmids that include either a centromere (CEN-plasmids) or a telomere sequence (TEL-plasmids) segregate more efficiently than circular ARS-plasmids. In contrast, circular plasmids that include both telomere and centromere sequences were unstable, a property we term TEL+CEN antagonism. TEL+CEN antagonism required a telomere repeat tract longer than 49 bp although the distance and relative orientation of the centromere and telomere sequences was not critical. TEL+CEN antagonism was alteviated in strains carrying different rap1 alleles including rap1ts, rap1s, and rap1t alleles. Mutations SIR2, SIR3, SIR4, NAT1 and ARD1, genes that influence transcriptional silencing at telomeres and at the silent mating type loci, abolished TEL+CEN antagonism. Mutation of SIR1 also partially alleviated TEL-CEN antagonism. In some sir mutant strains short yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs), which are normally unstable, became more stable, suggesting that the same mechanism that caused TEL+CEN antagonism on circular plasmids may contribute to the instability of short linear plasmids.
Assessment of VR technology and its applications to engineering problems

Virtual reality applications are making valuable contributions to the field of product realization. This paper presents an assessment of the hardware and software capabilities of VR technology needed to support a meaningful integration of VR applications in the product life cycle analysis. Several examples of VR applications for the various stages of the product life cycle engineering are presented as case studies. These case studies describe research results, fielded systems, technical issues, and implementation issues in the areas of virtual design, virtual manufacturing, virtual assembly, engineering analysis, visualization of analysis results, and collaborative virtual environments. Current issues and problems related to the creation, use, and implementation of virtual environments for engineering design, analysis, and manufacturing are also discussed. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1353846#
Predator biodiversity strengthens aphid suppression across single- and multiple-species prey communities

Abstract A positive relationship between predator biodiversity and improved pest suppression might be most clearly realized when several prey species are present, if a diversified prey base allows complementarity among predators to be realized. In two field experiments we manipulated diversity both within a guild of predatory insects (one versus four predator species) and among their herbivore prey (one versus two aphid species present). The strength of aphid suppression always increased with greater predator biodiversity, but this effect was independent of prey species diversity or identity, and no niche differentiation by aphid species was apparent among the predator species. This suggests that either niche partitioning among predators occurred but was not based on prey species identity or that the benefits of predator diversity for biological control were mediated by interactions within the predator community, such that a diverse resource base was not necessary to yield a positive relationship between predator biodiversity and effective herbivore suppression.
Induction of systemic acquired resistance in cucumber by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 61 HrpZPss protein

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is an inducible plant defense response and is effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens. Biological induction of SAR usually follows plant cell death resulting from the plant hypersensitive response (HR) elicited by an avirulent pathogen or from disease necrosis caused by a virulent pathogen. The elicitation of the HR and disease necroses by pathogenic bacteria is controlled by hrp genes. Previously, it was shown that the Pseudomonas syringae 61 (Pss61) HrpZPss protein (formally harpinPss) elicited the HR in plants. In this study, it is shown that HrpZPss induced SAR in cucumber to diverse pathogens, including the anthracnose fungus (Colletotrichum lagenarium), tobacco necrosis virus and the bacterial angular leaf spot bacterium (P. s. pv. lachrymans). A hrpH mutant of Pss61, which is defective in the secretion of HrpZPss and, possibly, other protein elicitors, failed to elicit SAR. Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, including peroxidase, β-glucanase and chitinases, were induced in cucumber plants inoculated with Pss61, C. lagenarium or HrpZPss. The induction patterns of PR proteins by HrpZPss and Pss61 were the same, but were different from that induced by C. lagenarium. Interestingly, the hrpH mutant induced two of the three identified PR proteins, despite its failure to induce SAR. These results suggest that proteinaceous elicitors, such as HrpZPss, that traverse the bacterial Hrp secretion pathway are involved in the biological induction of SAR and that at least some PR proteins can be induced by bacterial factors that are not controlled by hrp genes.
Nadine Gordimer's Selected Stories

(1981). Nadine Gordimer's Selected Stories. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction: Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 45-54.
Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide on Oxidation of Copper in CMP Slurries Containing Glycine

This study compares the oxidative dissolution, passivation, and polishing behavior of copper in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) the presence of glycine when the potential was controlled electrochemically, and when thepotential was controlled using hydrogen peroxide, the most common oxidizer used in commercial slurries. The dissolution behavior was investigated with the help of potential/pH diagrams for the copper-water-glycine and copper-water systems, potentiodynamic polarization measurements and weight loss experiments. In situ polarization measurements and polishing experiments were conducted to study the electrochemical behavior of copper during polishing. With electrochemical control, passivation was only observed at high pH. When peroxide was used as an oxidant, passivation was observed at neutral pH values, when the H 2 O 2 concentration exceeded relatively low threshold concentrations, suggesting the formation of a protective film. This phenomenon could have important utility for simultaneously achieving high selectivity and good planarization during copper CMP.
Coordination Studies of Al-EDTA in Aqueous Solution

The degree of aluminum toxicity is based on its complexation with organic ligands. One of these complexes is AlEDTA- (Al = aluminum, EDTA = ethylenediaminetetraacetate), the structure of which in aqueous solution has been debated on the basis of X-ray absorption and NMR measurements with different interpretations proposing different coordination. In addition, there is a lack of consensus regarding the relationship of crystalline AlEDTA- and its geometry in solution. This debate must be resolved, not merely for scientific interest, but because the use of an incorrect coordination might lead to the wrong interpretation of bioactivity and kinetics data. In this work, we predict the coordination of Al in aqueous AlEDTA- by employing ab initio calculations and Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations. Our results indicate that AlEDTA- favors Al in octahedral coordination in aqueous solution. Furthermore, the predicted crystalline and solution-phase structures of AlEDTA- are similar and agree well with recent X-ray measurements, supporting the strong chelating nature of this metal-organic complex in aqueous solution.
Pyrrole-based antitubulin agents: Two distinct binding modalities are predicted for C-2 analogues in the colchicine site

3,5-Dibromo-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid ethyl ester is a promising antitubulin lead agent that targets the colchicine site of tubulin. C-2 analogues were synthesized and tested for microtubule depolymerizing and antiproliferative activity. Molecular modeling studies using both GOLD docking and HINT (Hydropathic INTeraction) scoring revealed two distinct binding modes that explain the structure–activity relationships and are in accord with the structural basis of colchicine binding to tubulin. The binding mode of higher activity compounds is buried deeper in the site and overlaps well with rings A and C of colchicine, while the lower activity binding mode shows fewer critical contacts with tubulin. The model distinguishes highly active compounds from those with weaker activities and provides novel insights into the colchicine site and compound design.
“For one thing, there are the gaps”: History in Graham Swift's Shuttlecock

Abstract Graham Swift's Shuttlecock, like his better known Waterland, foregrounds the postmodern view of history as text. Yet the two novels approach that position from quite different angles. Waterland suggests, among other things, that storytelling gives meaning to the present by filling in the “gaps” of history. “What do you do when reality is an empty space?” Tom Crick asks his students, “like the Cricks who out of their watery toils could always dredge up a tale or two, you can tell stories” (46). Shuttlecock, on the other hand, suggests storytelling is a means of creating “gaps” in history, of escaping truth, of controlling, manipulating, or destroying certain information that may implicate one in the present.
Antioxidative Activity and Safety of 50% Ethanolic Red Bean Extract (Phaseolus radiatus L. var. Aurea)

: This study evaluated the antioxidative activities of 50% ethanolic extract from red bean (Phaseolus radiatus L. var. Aurea). The antioxidative activities, including α,α-diphenyl-β-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radicals scavenging effects, Fe2+-chelating ability, and reducing power, were studied in vitro. The antioxidative activity was found to increase with the concentration of the extract to a certain extent and then level off as the concentration further increased. Compared with commercial antioxidants, the red bean extract showed less scavenging effect on the DPPH radical and less reducing power than α-Tocopherol and BHT, but better Fe2+-chelating ability. No mutagenic effect toward any tester strains was found in the 50% ethanolic extract of red bean.
Adsorption of ferricycanide at Pt (111) as a function of electrode potential studied by Auger spectroscopy

Abstract Measurements by means of Auger spectroscopy of the composition of Pt (111) surfaces after immersion into aqueous potassium ferricyanide solution (pH = 4) as a function of electrode potential are reported. The ferrocyanide complex was adsorbed with retention of its usual stoichiometry and ionic charge while ferricyanide was partially displaced by adsorption of an iron-free species such as cyanide. Hydrogen predominated at negative extremes of potential, while iron oxides and chlorides were present at positive extremes. Cations such as H+, Cs+ and K+ were retained relatively strongly at Pt (111) in ferricyanide/ferrocyanide solutions. The LEED patterns contained only beams due to the Pt (111) surface; no fractional-index beams were observed. Evidently, the layer of iron complexes did not possess long-range order.
Oblique-incidence spatially resolved diffuse reflectance spectroscopic diagnosis of skin cancer

This paper presents the use of spatially resolved oblique-incidence diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for skin cancer diagnosis. Spatio-spectral data from 166 pigmented skin lesions were collected for the wavelength range from 455 to 765 nm. A set of neural network based classifiers separates the pigmented malignant melanomas from the benign and dysplastic subgroups. A total of 110 lesions were used as the training set and 56 lesions were used as the testing set. This classifier performs with an overall 100% sensitivity and 92% specificity for the training set and 100% sensitivity and 88% specificity for the testing set. The second classifier was designed to separate the benign from the dysplastic subgroups. For the second classifier a total of 100 lesions were used as the training set and 51 lesions were used as the testing set. The overall classification rates were 94% and 88% for the training and testing sets respectively.
The biomechanics of Cornus canadensis stamens are ideal for catapulting pollen vertically

Summary 1 Rapid movements in fungi and plants have evolved in different species to facilitate the dispersal of spores and seeds. The mechanisms of action can differ among species, but the effectiveness of these movements has rarely, if ever, been tested. Here we show through a quantitative biomechanical analysis that the stamens of Cornus canadensis L. (bunchberry) are ideal for catapulting pollen vertically at high speeds. 2 We develop a biomechanical model to describe the explosive launch of pollen from the flowers of bunchberry. The model determines the equation of motion for the stamens based only on the morphology and measurements of the parts of the stamens. To measure the motion of the stamens to compare with our model, we analysed individual frames of a video taken at 10 000 fps. 3 The thecae of adjacent stamens dehisce in bud so that the stomia face each other, retaining pollen between neighbouring anthers. As the flowers open, pollen is accelerated vertically as long as the thecae remain in contact. Pollen is released only when the anthers move horizontally and separate. 4 The observed motion of the stamens matches the results from our model through release of the pollen. The model reveals that pollen release (horizontal movement of the anthers) occurs only after the vertical speed is at its maximum. Thus, for this particular catapult mechanism, the morphology of the stamens is optimal for launching light, dry pollen straight upwards at high speed. Pollen launched vertically at high speed both enhances insect pollination by helping to making pollen stick on visiting insects, and also allows for successful wind pollination by propelling pollen into the air column. Seed set by inflorescences in pollinator-exclosure cages further supports the ability of this flower to use wind as a pollination mechanism.
Negotiating Partnerships in Research on Poverty With Community‐Based Agencies

This article argues that researchers must negotiate true partnerships with poor women, maintain mutual support systems, and build mutual respect, if they are to have success in challenging poverty through research. The experience of establishing partnerships with community-based agencies is discussed and the rationale for including poor women in partnerships is considered in terms of the benefits and the challenges for researchers. Among the critical issues are problems of difference, including ethnicity, social class, and gender and relationships between researchers and participants. These issues are highlighted using two examples. A negative outcome from noncollaboration is represented by the case of an after-school program in an inner-city school. The failure to establish collaboration leads to disappointing results. A successful case is described by the cooperative efforts between researchers and poor women in a program for substance abuse. Several strategies and recommendations are offered in conclusion.
Sequence-selective DNA cleavage by a chimeric metallopeptide.

A chimeric metallopeptide derived from the sequences of two structurally superimposable motifs was designed as an artificial nuclease. Both DNA recognition and nuclease activity have been incorporated into a small peptide sequence. P3W, a 33-mer peptide comprising helices α2 and α3 from the engrailed homeodomain and the consensus EF-hand Ca-binding loop binds one equivalent of lanthanides or calcium and folds upon metal binding. The conditional formation constants (in the presence of 50 mM Tris) of P3W for Eu(III) (Ka = (2.1 ± 0.1) × 105 M-1) and Ce(IV) (Ka = (2.6 ± 0.1) × 105 M-1) are typical of isolated EF-hand peptides. Circular dichroism studies show that 1:1 CeP3W is 26% α-helical and EuP3W is up to 40% α-helical in the presence of excess metal. The predicted helicity of the folded peptide based on helix length and end effects is about 50%, showing the metallopeptides are significantly folded. EuP3W has considerably more secondary structure than our previously reported chimeras (Welch, J. T.; Sirish,...
The five-minute rule twenty years later, and how flash memory changes the rules

In 1987, Gray and Putzolo presented the five-minute rule, which was reviewed and renewed ten years later in 1997. With the advent of flash memory in the gap between traditional RAM main memory and traditional disk systems, the five-minute rule now applies to large pages appropriate for today's disks and their fast transfer bandwidths, and it also applies to flash disks holding small pages appropriate for their fast access latency.Flash memory fills the gap between RAM and disks in terms of many metrics: acquisition cost, access latency, transfer bandwidth, spatial density, and power consumption. Thus, within a few years, flash memory will likely be used heavily in operating systems, file systems, and database systems. Research into appropriate system architectures is urgently needed.The basic software architectures for exploiting flash in these systems are called "extended buffer pool" and "extended disk" here. Based on the characteristics of these software architectures, an argument is presented why operating systems and file systems on one hand and database systems on the other hand will best benefit from flash memory by employing different software architectures.
Lattice dynamics, thermodynamics and elastic properties of monoclinic Li2CO3 from density functional theory

Abstract Monoclinic Li2CO3 has been identified as a critical component of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), a passivating film that forms on Li-ion battery anode surfaces. Here, lattice dynamics, finite temperature thermodynamics and the elastic properties of monoclinic Li2CO3 are examined with density functional theory (DFT) and various exchange–correlation functionals. To account for LO-TO splittings in phonon dispersion relations of Li2CO3, which is a polar compound, a mixed-space phonon approach is employed. Bond strengths between atoms are quantitatively explored with phonon force constants. Temperature variations of the entropy, enthalpy, isobaric heat capacity and linear (average) thermal expansion are computed using the quasiharmonic approach. The single-crystal elasticity tensor components along with polycrystalline bulk, shear and Young’s moduli are computed with a least-squares approach based upon the stress tensor computed from DFT. Computed thermodynamic properties as well as structural and elastic properties of the monoclinic Li2CO3 are in close accord with available theoretical and experimental data. In contrast to a recent DFT study, however, computed vibrational spectra suggest that neither the monoclinic Li2CO3 nor its high-temperature hexagonal phase exhibits either elastic or vibrational instabilities.
A theory for the multiset sampler

Abstract The multiset sampler (MSS) can be viewed as a new data augmentation scheme and it has been applied successfully to a wide range of statistical inference problems. The key idea of the MSS is to augment the system with a multiset of the missing components, and construct an appropriate joint distribution of the parameters of interest and the missing components to facilitate the inference based on Markov chain Monte Carlo. The standard data augmentation strategy corresponds to the MSS with multiset size one. This paper provides a theoretical comparison of the MSS with different multiset sizes. We show that the MSS converges to the target distribution faster as the multiset size increases. This explains the improvement in convergence rate for the MSS with large multiset sizes over the standard data augmentation scheme.
Molecular Orbital Models of Silica Rings and Their Vibrational Spectra

Amorphous silica (a-silica) has a distribution of various ring sizes. It is generally known that these rings vary in size from 2-membered rings through 6-membered (or possibly higher) rings of silica tetrahedra. These silica rings are modeled by a semiempirical quantum molecular orbital method named AMI. The calculations predict a range of Si-O bond lengths to be from 1.69 to 1.74 A and a range of Si-O-Si bond angles to be from 102° to 174°. These values compare well with previous ab initio and PM3 results. The predicted infrared spectra also agree well with previous models and experimental results.
Resource Request Strategies for Dynamic Resource Allocation in a Satellite Network

Dynamic resource allocation algorithms to efficiently utilize limited RF uplink and downlink resources have been designed for packet switched military satellite communication networks. In systems using these algorithms, terminals request resources from the satellite based on their actual traffic demands and traffic priority. The satellite resource allocation algorithm assigns available resources among the multiple terminals. There are many strategies for requesting uplink resources for each terminal. We compare three resource request strategies that tradeoff delay and utilization performance.
Flow-mediated feeding in the field: consequences for the performance and abundance of a sessile marine invertebrate

The ecology of sessile marine invertebrates that feed on waterborne particles is closely related to their surrounding fluid environment. However, few studies have quantified how water flow affects the feeding success of such organisms under field conditions and whether the results of shortterm feeding assays can predict longer-term patterns of growth and reproduction. I examined the influence of natural variation in current speed on the feeding success, colony growth rate and population abundance of an encrusting bryozoan Membranipora serrilamella using transplant experiments at nearshore reefs along the coast of Santa Barbara, California, USA. Feeding success was highest at intermediate ambient flow speeds (10 to 12 cm s–1) and lowest at low (0 to 5 cm s–1) and fast (> 20 cm s–1) speeds. Growth rates varied such that the greatest increases in bryozoan colony size occurred at reefs where average temperatures were the coolest and current speeds were intermediate. A test of the hypothesis that high feeding success translates into faster growth rates revealed that colonies with the highest predicted consumption grew the most. Further, spatial variation in M. serrilamella abundance mirrored that of colony growth, as percent cover of the bryozoan was highest at reefs where ambient current speeds were intermediate. These nonlinear functional relationships likely result from reductions in food delivery at low flows and deformation of feeding structures at high flows. The consequences of dynamic flow conditions for both short-term and integrated measures of performance suggest that flow-mediated food acquisition plays an important role in determining the distribution, abundance and morphology of encrusting bryozoans and other sessile, suspension-feeding invertebrates.
Sequence analysis of DNA encoding an avian Na+, K+-ATPase β2-subunit

Abstract The DNA encoding a chicken Na + , K + -ATPase β2-subunit was cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence has structural features common to all known Na + , K + -ATPase β2-subunits. It is proposed to belong to the β2-isoform family, though the amino acid sequence has significantly diverged from mammalian β2-subunit sequences. Similar to other Na + , K + -ATPase β2-isoforms, the chicken β2-isoform mRNA is predominantly expressed in brain tissue.
Analysis of Per-Channel Equalized Filtered Multitone Modulations Over Time-Varying Fading Channels

We consider the performance of an FMT system with per-channel equalization over frequency-selective time-varying fading channels. Due to the distortion caused by frequency and time selectivity of the fading channel, both ICI and ISI exist in an FMT system and cause performance degradation. By using a per-channel equalizer at the FMT receiver with sufficiently large number of equalizer taps, the ISI can be mitigated significantly, but the ICI still exists. In this paper, the effects of the interference caused by the time-frequency dispersive channel is quantified by analyzing the average system carrier to interference (C/I) ratio of the FMT system under different fading conditions. A closed-form expression for the C/I ratio and its upper bound are provided for the FMT system, which lead to a better understanding of the trade-off between spectral efficiency and system performance degradation. Moreover, comparisons between FMT and OFDM systems under the same channel conditions and spectral efficiency are also provided. Numerical and simulation results of the system C/I ratio further confirm and support the obtained analytical results.
A critical review of current nursing faculty practice.

PURPOSE To critically examine the current literature on nursing faculty practice, using the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Guidelines for Evaluation of Faculty Practice, and to examine faculty practice models' strengths, weaknesses, and barriers. DATA SOURCES Thirty-five articles describing models of faculty practice were identified through an exhaustive search on CINAHL and Medline. Two NONPF monographs on nursing faculty practice were used as guidelines for the critical review. CONCLUSIONS Faculty practice has become an integral component of faculty-role expectations at many schools of nursing. Workload, especially without adequate compensation, remains a hindrance to practice. The value of faculty practice time and expertise has not been sufficiently demonstrated. Integration of practitioner, educator and researcher roles remains extremely difficult and sometimes elusive. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Faculty practice offers many advantages to schools of nursing, including educational and research opportunities for faculty and students, as well as practice sites and affordable community healthcare. Providing health care in the community presents an opportunity for independent and collaborative practice. To fully utilize the great research opportunities provided by faculty practice, more emphasis must be placed on gathering and analyzing descriptive data.
Automated quality control by IR spectroscopy

Abstract IR spectroscopy is widely used for quality control of materials in industrial laboratories, with an increasing demand for procedures that are fast and can be carried out by unskilled personnel. PECDS II is a high level programming language designed to provide a high degree of flexibility in manipulating spectroscopic data.
Temperature–oxygen interactions in Antarctic nudibranch egg masses

The Southern Ocean is one of the coldest, most stable marine environments on Earth and represents a unique environment for investigating metabolic consequences of low temperature. Here we test predictions of a new diffusion-reaction model of O(2) distributions in egg masses, using egg masses of the Antarctic nudibranch mollusk, Tritonia challengeriana. When warmed from -1.5 degrees to +1.5 degrees C, embryos of T. challengeriana showed large increases in O(2) consumption (Q(10) values of 9.6-30.0). Oxygen electrode measurements in intact masses showed, however, that O(2) levels were high throughout and virtually unaffected by temperature. The model suggested that both effects stemmed from very low metabolic densities in egg masses. Detailed morphological measurements of egg masses of T. challengeriana and a temperate congener, T. diomedea, revealed large differences in structure that may be related to O(2) availability. Egg masses of T. challengeriana were approximately twice as thick. However, the most dramatic effects were observed in embryos: embryos of T. challengeriana were >32 times larger (by volume) than embryos of T. diomedea. Antarctic embryos also were contained singly in large egg capsules ( approximately 500 mum diameter). Consequently, Antarctic embryos occurred at much lower densities, with very low metabolic densities.
The Fate of Performance Ratings: Don’t Write the Obituary Yet

In the focal article, Pulakos, Mueller Hanson, Arad, and Moye (2015) have noted that performance management (PM) too often consists of intermittent steps (e.g., end-of-year performance review ratings and meetings) that are not connected to day-to-day work. With regard to performance ratings, Pulakos et al. (2015) have pointed out that it can be “demotivating and disengaging for employees to have their performance boiled down to a single number, with which they are then labeled, unless it is the highest rating or ranking that is available” (p. xx). The authors have also noted that managers sometimes retrofit their ratings to justify the pay increases that managers want to give employees (sometimes for reasons unrelated to the employee's level of performance). Pulakos et al. have also offered a case study of one organization, Cargill, which has abandoned ratings. Although Pulakos and colleagues have pointed out that not all organizations should eliminate ratings, the authors have argued that when there are small differences in pay increases across employees, ratings can be removed with relative ease and little consequence. Pulakos and colleagues have therefore suggested that organizations should consider the impact that ratings have on decision making (and have suggested that this impact is often smaller than one might think).
Run-Time Reconfiguration: A method for enhancing the functional density of SRAM-based FPGAs

One way to further exploit the reconfigurable resources of SRAM FPGAs and increase functional density is to reconfigure them during system operation. This proces is referred to as Run-Time Reconfiguration (RTR). RTR is an approach to system implementation that divides an application or algorithm into time-exclusive operations that are implemented as separate configurations. The Run-Time Reconfiguration Artificial Neural Network (RRANN) is a proof-of-concept system that demonstrates the effectiveness of RTR for implementing neural networks. It implements the popular backpropagation training algorithm as three distinct time-exclusive FPGA configurations: feed-forward, backpropagation and update. System operation consists of sequencing through these three reconfigurationsat run-time, one configuration at a time. RRANN has been fully implemented with Xilinx FPGAs, tested and shown to increase the functional density of a network up to 500% when compared to FPGA-based implementations that do not use RTR.
Decoding HSC heterogeneity.

In this issue of Blood , Shimazu et al report that some mouse hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) lack surface expression of CD86, and that these CD86− HSCs are capable of myeloid lineage reconstitution but produce limited to no lymphoid recovery.[1][1] Blood cells derive from rare HSCs, which can
Association Between Perinatal Medical Expenses and a Waiver to Increase Florida Healthy Start Services Within Florida Medicaid Programs: 1998 to 2006

To assess the association between perinatal care expenditures and a Medicaid waiver to increase Florida Healthy Start services among Florida Medicaid non-managed care organization (non-MCO) program enrollees. We assessed perinatal care expenditures from Medicaid claims and encounter data among non-MCO enrollees with increased risk pregnancies who gave birth in Florida during 1998–2006. We used a pre-post design to compare adjusted perinatal medical expenditures among women who received Healthy Start care coordination (n = 41,067) to women who were not contacted by the Healthy Start program after screening (n = 24,282). We calculated adjusted average costs and difference-in-differences using marginal estimates from multivariable linear mixed regression models. From the pre-waiver (January 1998–July 2001) to the late-post waiver (July 2004–December 2006), all prenatal medical costs increased $274 among care coordination participants and decreased $601 among women not contacted by the Healthy Start program, equaling a $875 increased cost difference between care coordination and no contact groups. During this same time period, delivery related expenditures increased $395 less among care coordination participants compared to women not contacted by Healthy Start. Additionally, infant medical care costs during days 29–365 decreased by an average of $240 less among the care coordination compared to the no contact group. The Medicaid waiver may have decreased delivery costs, but medical costs were increased following the waiver when considering all perinatal care. Further exploration of factors associated with the decreased delivery costs may help develop more efficient prenatal support programs.
It's a Political Jungle Out There How Four African Newspaper Cartoons Dehumanized and `Deterritorialized' African Political Leaders in the Post-Cold War Era

/ This article analyses cartoon images of African political leaders published in three African satirical newspapers: Le Cafard libere (The Liberated Cockroach) of Senegal, Le Messager Popoli (Popol...