cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nematodes from the gulf of California. Part 2. Ceramonema nasobema sp. n. (Nematoda: Ceramonematidae)

An unusual new ceramonematid, Ceramonema nasobema sp. n., is described using light and scanning electron microscopy. It is particularly characterised by the presence of a perioral tube projecting 5.5-7.0 ?m anterior to the lips, moderately long body (0.86-1.09 mm), relatively small number of body annules (121-134), weakly developed zygapophyses, absence of intracuticular vacuoles, pronounced sexual dimorphism in amphid shape with the male ventral amphidial branch extending as far posterior as the 55-80th annule (no extension in females), barrel-shaped stoma, sigmoid and anteriorly inclined vagina without sclerotisations, gubernaculum with dorsal apophyses and relatively uniform cloacal annules. The new species differs from all other known species of Ceramonema especially by the shape of the amphid in males, the strongly projecting perioral tube and the inclined, sigmoid, vagina. Additional data on morphology of Ceramonema algoensis (from Natal Bay, South Africa) are also provided as this species has the most prominent perioral tube among previously described members of the genus.
A refined chronology of prehistoric Madagascar and the demise of the megafauna

Abstract The vertebrate community of Madagascar is one of the most unique and diverse on Earth, yet faunal diversity today is just a fraction of that present in the Pleistocene and Early Holocene. An understanding of the chronology of extinction relative to climate change and anthropogenic factors is essential to test hypotheses for extinction. Here, I combine over 200 new radiocarbon dates with published 14C dates from extinct and extant subfossil vertebrates. These new data provide evidence for the prolonged existence of both extant and extinct endemic terrestrial vertebrate species well before human arrival, with habitation of some localities extending back before the Last Glacial Maximum. I analyze the data for patterns among body sizes and ecoregions in relation to four major historical events: human arrival (ca 2500 years ago), establishment of human settlements (ca 1500 years ago), Late Holocene aridification (peaking ca 1000 years ago), and European arrival (ca 500 years ago). Patterns in endemic species abundance after human arrival differ depending on body size and geographic location. Within the first 500 years after human arrival, there were population declines in (1) very large species (>150 kg) and large species (10–150 kg) in the Dry Deciduous Forest, (2) large species in the Central Highlands, and (3) very large species in the Spiny Thicket. This first pulse of declines was likely triggered by human predation. Large species continued to be well represented in the Spiny Thicket and Succulent Woodland until ca 1000 years ago, when their populations plummeted. This second pulse of declines may have been solely triggered by continued human predation, or it may have resulted from a combination of increasing Late Holocene aridity and human impacts in the form of hunting and habitat modification. The abundance of endemic animals weighing
Dispersionless, highly superluminal propagation in a medium with a gain doublet

In the region between two lines of a doublet of an inverted medium, there exists a point of zero group-velocity dispersion, where highly superluminal effects may be observable without significant gain, loss, distortion, or broadening. The results of this group-velocity analysis hold for sufficiently narrow-band, analytic pulses, and do not constitute a violation of causality, although the group, ``signal,'' and energy velocities as defined by Sommerfeld and Brillouin may all exceed c or even become negative. No sharp disturbance in the pulse (a real signal) could propagate faster than light, but the scheme offers an unusual noiseless amplification scheme for the leading edge of a pulse, both at the classical and at the single-photon level.
Consequentialist teleology and the valuation of states of affairs

Elizabeth Anderson claims that states of affairs are merely extrinsically valuable, since we value them only in virtue of the intrinsically valuable (e.g.) persons in those states of affairs. Since it considers states of affairs to be the sole bearers of intrinsic value, Anderson argues that consequentialism is incoherent because it attempts to globally maximize extrinsic value. I respond to this objection by distinguishing between two forms of consequentialist teleology and arguing that Anderson's claim is either harmless or her argument for the claim is uncompelling. On the first conception of teleology, consequentialists need not hold that states of affairs are the sole bearers of intrinsic value, which allows them to deflect this criticism. On the second account of teleology, even assuming that states of affairs are the sole bearers of intrinsic value, Anderson's argument does not necessarily defeat such views.
Early detection of simian immunodeficiency virus in the central nervous system following oral administration to rhesus macaques.

The timing of HIV dissemination to the central nervous system (CNS) has the potential to have important implications regarding HIV disease progression and treatment. The earlier HIV enters the CNS the more difficult it might be to remove with antiretroviral therapy. Alternatively, HIV may only enter the CNS later in the course of disease as a result of disruption of the blood-brain-barrier. We utilized the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of rhesus macaques to evaluate the oral route of infection and the subsequent spread of SIV to the CNS during the acute infection phase. A high dose oral SIV challenge was utilized to ensure a successful infection and permit the evaluation of CNS spread during the first 1-14 days post-infection. Ultrasensitive nested PCR was used to detect SIV gag DNA in the brains of macaques at 1-2 days post-infection and identified SIV gag DNA in the brain tissues from 3 of 4 macaques. This SIV DNA was also present following perfusion of the macaque brains, providing evidence that it was not residing in the circulating blood but in the brain tissue itself. The diversity of the viral envelope V1-V2 region at early times post-infection indicated that the brain viral variants were similar to variants obtained from lymph nodes. This genetic similarity between SIV obtained from lymphoid and brain tissues suggests that the founder population of viral species entered and subsequently spread without any evidence of brain-specific SIV selection. The relatively rapid appearance of SIV within the CNS tissue following oral transmission may also occur during HIV transmission where it may impact disease course as well as representing a challenge for long-term therapies and future viral eradication modalities.
Release of marker lysosomal enzymes by 3-methylindole and indole from rabbit lung lavage cells.

SummaryRabbit lung lavage cells (LLC) were incubated with 0, 200, 300, and 400 ppm (0, 1.53, 2.29, and 3.05 mM) of 3-methylindole (skatole, 3MI) or 0, 400, 600, and 800 ppm (0, 3.42, 5.13, and 6.84 mM) of indole for up to 4 hr at 37°. The release of βgalactosidase and βglucuronidase activities was compared to the total enzyme activity solubilized by sonication. Significant increases in soluble enzyme activity were obtained with these concentrations of 3MI, and the amount of enzyme activity solubilized depended upon the 3MI concentration and incubation time. After incubation with 400 ppm of 3MI for 4 hr, 58% of the total βgalactosidase and 46% of the βglucuron-idase activities was solubilized from LLC. This activity was greater than that released by freezing and thawing two times. At higher concentrations, indole caused a similar release of these lysosomal enzyme activities. Significantly more βgalactosidase activity was released when LLC were incubated with 3MI in combination with low concentrations of ac...
The survival of branching annihilating random walk

Branching annihilating random walk is an interacting particle system on ℤ. As time evolves, particles execute random walks and branch, and disappear when they meet other particles. It is shown here that starting from a finite number of particles, the system will survive with positive probability if the random walk rate is low enough relative to the branching rate, but will die out with probability one if the random walk rate is high. Since the branching annihilating random walk is non-attractive, standard techniques usually employed for interacting particle systems are not applicable. Instead, a modification of a contour argument by Gray and Griffeath is used.
Tracking cellular stress with labeled FMAU reflects changes in mitochondrial TK2

Purpose Fluoropyrimidines like 1-(2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-β-d-arabinofuranosyl)-thymine (FMAU) and 3′-deoxy-3′-fluorothymidine (FLT) accumulate in tumors and are being used as positron emission tomography tumor-imaging tracers. Proliferating tissues with high thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) activity retain FLT; however, the mechanism of selective accumulation of FMAU in tumors and certain other tissues requires further study.
Measuring neoplastic transformation in the hamster cheek pouch using Fourier domain low-coherence interferometry

Fourier Domain Low Coherence Interferometry (fLCI) is a promising technique which combines the depth resolution of low coherence interferometry with the sensitivity of light scattering spectroscopy for probing the health of epithelial tissue layers. Our new fLCI system configuration utilizes a white light Xe arc lamp source and a 4-f interferometer which re-images light scattered from the sample onto the detection plane. The system employs an imaging spectrometer at the detection plane to acquire depth resolved profiles from 252 adjacent spatial points without the need for any scanning. The limited spatial coherence of the light source requires the resolution of adjacent spatial points for the generation of depth information. Depth-resolved spectral information is recovered by performing a short-time Fourier transform on the detected spectra, similar to spectroscopic optical coherence tomography. Wavelength dependent variations in scattering intensity are analyzed as a function of depth to obtain information about the neoplastic transformation of the probed cells. Previous studies have demonstrated fLCI as an excellent technique for probing the scatterer morphology of simple phantoms and of in vitro cancer cell monolayers. We now seek to assess the ability of the new fLCI system to measure the health of subsurface tissue layers using the hamster cheek pouch model. Seven hamsters will have one cheek pouch treated with the known carcinogen DMBA. At the conclusion of the 24 week treatment period the animals will be anesthetized and the cheek pouches will be extracted. We will use the fLCI optical system to measure the neoplastic transformation of the in situ subsurface tissue layers in both the normal and DMBA-treated cheek pouches. Traditional histological analysis will be used to verify the fLCI measurements. We expect our results to establish the feasibility of fLCI to distinguish between healthy and dysplastic epithelial tissues in the hamster cheek pouch.
The use of an internal reference amino acid for the evaluation of reactions in solid-phase peptide synthesis.

Abstract Disubstituted (hydroxymethylphenylacetamidomethyl-; N -acetyl-α-aminobutyramidomethyl-) copoly(styrene-1% divinylbenzene) in bead form has been prepared for use in solidphase peptide synthesis. As expected, this resin retained resistance to acidolysis described by Mitchell et al. (J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 98 , 7357–7362, 1976). An additional feature of this resin is an internal reference amino acid which could be quantified following propionic acid: HCl hydrolysis for 4 h. Aminobutyric acid (Abu) was found to be stable during peptide synthesis, in particular, treatment with TFA:CH 2 Cl 2 (1:1) for 90 h at 25°C and HF:anisole (9:1) for 60 min at 0°C. The ratios of an amino acid to Abu could be used to evaluate the attachment of an amino acid to the resin, the incorporation of a subsequent amino acid, and finally, eleavage of the peptide from the resin. It is noteworthy that the weight of resin in a peptidyl resin sample could be calculated by using Abu recovery values, if the initial substitution of Abu on the resin was known. This resin which contained Abu, has been used for the extended synthesis of a heavy chain variable region from a homogeneous rabbit antibody.
Studies on the Metabolism of Catecholamines

Administered H3-epinephrine and H3-nor-epinephrine are rapidly and selectively taken up by heart muscle and retained for many hours. The uptake and retention of circulating H3-norepinephrine by the heart is greater than that of H3-epinephrine. Two minutes after the administration of H3-catecholamines large amounts of metanephrine and normetanephrine are found in the heart indicating rapid O-methylation of these hormones during the period of their inactivation. H3-epinephrine is more readily O-methylated than H3-norepinephrine. Enzyme inhibition studies indicate that catechol-O-methyl transferase is the enzyme mainly concerned with the metabolism of catecholamines in the heart. Reserpine, cholorpromazine, imipramine, amphetamine, cocaine, and phenoxybenzamine markedly inhibit the uptake of circulating H3-norepinephrine by the heart.
Sporocysts Isolated from the Southern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix) Produce Sarcocystis montanaensis-like Sarcocysts in Prairie Voles (Microtus ochrogastei)

Sporulated oocysts and free sporocysts of a Sarcocystis sp. were isolated from the feces of a southern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix) collected in Arkansas (USA). Twenty sporocysts measured 11.2 by 8.5 μm, lacked a Stieda body, and had four sporozoites and a granular sporocyst residuum. Sarcocysts similar to those of Sarcocystis montanaensis were present in the tongues of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) inoculated orally with 800 sporocysts 128 days previously. Sarcocysts were thin-walled, divided into compartments by septa, and had electron dense projections (0.14 μm) on the primary cyst wall. Infection was not pathogenic for prairie voles under the conditions of this study. No infections were observed in ICR strain laboratory mice (Mus musculus) or white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) following oral inoculation of 800 sporocysts.
DLC‐1, a Rho GTPase‐activating protein with tumor suppressor function, is essential for embryonic development

DLC-1 (deleted in liver cancer 1) is a Rho GTPase-activating protein that is able to inhibit cell growth and suppress tumorigenesis. We have used homologous recombination to inactivate the mouse DLC-1 gene (Arhgap7). Mice heterozygous for the targeted allele were phenotypically normal, but homozygous mutant embryos did not survive beyond 10.5 days post coitum. Histological analysis revealed that DLC-1−/− embryos had defects in the neural tube, brain, heart, and placenta. Cultured fibroblasts from DLC-1-deficient embryos displayed alterations in the organization of actin filaments and focal adhesions.
Gaultheria steyermarkii (Ericaceae): A new endemic to Cerro Turimiquire, Venezuela

Gaultheria steyermarkii Luteyn, from the isolated Cerro Turimiquire, Venezuela, is described, illustrated, and its relationships toG. buxifolia andG. anastomosans are discussed.
The Suspicious, Untrusting Hillbilly in Political-Economic Contexts: Stereotypes and Social Trust in the Appalachian Coalfields

Over the past fourteen years, the authors of this article have collaborated on two community-based participatory action research projects in Appalachian Kentucky. One focused on assessing the social impacts of a major environmental disaster (2000-2014) and the other involves partnering with a small community seeking to transition a struggling, coal-driven economy to a more diverse and sustainable one (2013-present). In what follows, we discuss our experiences working with these Appalachian coalfield communities, which are characterized by low levels of social trust, a situation complicated by negative stereotypes and confused thinking by non-residents about Appalachian coalfield culture. First, we discuss stereotypes of Appalachian culture, among them suspicion and hostility toward "outsiders" and native tendencies toward violence. After debunking the myth that Appalachian culture creates distrust of outsiders, we identify the political economic structures, which have eroded trust in the Central Appalachi...
Comparison of the International Immune Tolerance Registry and the North American Immune Tolerance Registry

Two immune tolerance registries – the International Immune Tolerance Study Group (ITSG) and North American Immune Tolerance Study (NAITS) – are compared and findings from combined data reported. The r
Powered Ankle--Foot Prosthesis Improves Walking Metabolic Economy

At moderate to fast walking speeds, the human ankle provides net positive work at high-mechanical-power output to propel the body upward and forward during the stance period. On the contrary, conventional ankle-foot prostheses exhibit a passive-elastic response during stance, and consequently, cannot provide net work. Clinical studies indicate that transtibial amputees using conventional prostheses have higher gait metabolic rates than normal. Researchers believe that the main cause for these higher rates is due to the inability of conventional prostheses to provide sufficient positive power at terminal stance in the trailing leg to limit heel strike losses of the adjacent leading leg. In this investigation, we evaluate the hypothesis that a powered ankle-foot prosthesis, capable of providing human-like ankle work and power during stance, can decrease the metabolic cost of transport (COT) compared to a conventional passive-elastic prosthesis. To test the hypothesis, a powered prosthesis is built that comprises a unidirectional spring, configured in parallel with a force-controllable actuator with series elasticity. The prosthesis is shown to deliver the high mechanical power and net positive work observed in normal human walking. The rate of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production is measured as a determinant of metabolic rate on three unilateral transtibial amputees walking at self-selected speeds. We find that the powered prosthesis decreases the amputee's metabolic COT on average by 14% compared to the conventional passive-elastic prostheses evaluated (Flex-Foot Ceterusreg and Freedom Innovations Sierra), even though the powered system is over twofold heavier than the conventional devices. These results highlight the clinical importance of prosthetic interventions that closely mimic the mass distribution, kinetics, and kinematics of the missing limb.
New analysis of the sphere covering problems and optimal polytope approximation of convex bodies

In this paper, we show that both sphere covering problems and optimal polytope approximation of convex bodies are related to optimal Delaunay triangulations, which are the triangulations minimizing the interpolation error between function ||x||2 and its linear interpolant based on the underline triangulations. We then develop a new analysis based on the estimate of the interpolation error to get the Coxeter-Few-Rogers lower bound for the thickness in the sphere covering problem and a new estimate of the constant deln appeared in the optimal polytope approximation of convex bodies.
Cytotoxic anti‐t cell antibodies in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

The object of this investigation was to determine the prevalence of anti-T cell antibodies in 66 children with various connective tissue diseases. Anti-T cell antibodies were found in 43/44 juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) patients (mean cytotoxicity 15.0%) and in 10/10 children with systemic lupus erythematosus (mean cytotoxicity 20.0%), but in only 1/15 normal controls and in none of 12 children with other arthritides. There was no significant difference in mean percent cytotoxicity among the JRA subclasses. In the JRA patients, the percent cytotoxicity was positively correlated with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P = 0.01), but not with the presence or absence of rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies, or immune complexes. The sera of 3 JRA patients repeatedly inhibited the stimulation of normal lymphocytes by mitogens and antigens by 47-99% (measured by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA) when added to the culture system in the first 24 hours; normal sera did not. Sera from patients with JRA have increased reactivity with mitogen-activated lymphocytes and T cells compared with unstimulated cells as determined by flow cytometry. The expression of the "JRA antigen" requires protein synthesis but not DNA synthesis or cell division. We conclude that the majority of patients with active JRA have cytotoxic anti-T cell antibodies and that in selected patients, these antibodies may play a role in regulation of the immune response.
Sensitivity analysis of simulation output to parameters of nonhomogeneous Poisson processes

Nonhomogeneous Poisson processes (NHPPs) are frequently used in stochastic simulations to model nonstationary point processes. These NHPP models are often constructed by estimating the parameters of the rate function from one or more observed realizations of the process. This paper focuses on the degree of accuracy to which the rate function parameters of the NHPP need to be estimated such that the simulation output performance measures are not significantly different from performance measures that would be obtained for the underlying (true) process.
The distribution of glass-transition temperatures in nanoscopically confined glass formers

Despite the decade-long study of the effect of nanoconfinement on the glass-transition temperature (Tg) of amorphous materials, the quest to probe the distribution of Tgs in nanoconfined glass formers has remained unfulfilled. Here the distribution of Tgs across polystyrene films has been obtained by a fluorescence/multilayer method, revealing that the enhancement of dynamics at a surface affects Tg several tens of nanometres into the film. The extent to which dynamics smoothly transition from enhanced to bulk states depends strongly on nanoconfinement. When polymer films are sufficiently thin that a reduction in thickness leads to a reduction in overall Tg, the surface-layer Tg actually increases with a reduction in overall thickness, whereas the substrate-layer Tg decreases. These results indicate that the gradient in Tg dynamics is not abrupt, and that the size of a cooperatively rearranging region is much smaller than the distance over which interfacial effects propagate.
Transient global amnesia and neurological events: the framingham heart study.

Background/ objective: Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a temporary amnestic syndrome characterized by lack of other focal neurological deficits. Cerebrovascular disease, migraine and seizures have been suggested as underlying mechanisms. TGA may be a risk factor for cerebrovascular or other neurological events. We studied the relation of TGA, vascular risk factors, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indices of subclinical ischemia and neurological events in a community-based sample. Design/setting: A total of 12 TGA cases were ascertained using standard criteria by experienced neurologists, and matched to 41 stroke- and seizure-free controls. Vascular risk factors, brain MRI findings, and subsequent cerebrovascular or seizure events were compared in cases and controls. Participants: Framingham Heart Study (FHS) original and offspring cohort participants were included. Results: No significant differences between the groups were observed in the prevalence of vascular risk factors, or brain MRI measures. Few incident stroke/transient ischemic attacks (TIA) (1 event among the cases and 4 in controls) or subsequent seizures occurred in either group. Head CT during the acute event (n=11) and brain MRI (n=7) were negative for acute abnormalities. Electroencephalograms (EEG) (n=5) were negative for epileptiform activity. Extracranial vascular studies were negative for significant stenosis in all cases. Conclusions: In our community-based study TGA was not related to traditional vascular risk factors, or cerebrovascular disease. However, our study is limited by small sample size and power, and larger studies are required to exclude an association.
Hemophilus influenzae Epiglottitis Occurring Concurrently in Two Siblings

Epiglottitis (more properly supraglottitis) is a potentially life-threatening infec tion of the supraglottic larynx that is most often caused by Hemophilus influenzae type B (HITB). Intrafamily spread of HITB disease has been described often for meningitis, but is rarely reported in epiglottitis. We describe two siblings seen concurrently with HITB epiglottitis and discuss prophylaxis of family members and close contacts.
A Radiation Control and Monitoring System

A device that can be installed in existing dental X-ray units controls and monitors radiation exposure to the patient. The radiation control unit emits a preset value of radiation and terminates the exposure. The attached printing device prints information set on the machine, such as milliroentgen values and kilovoltages, the tooth number, and date.
Development of hybrid one‐dimensional finite element/analytical method for analysis of lamb wave propagation characteristics in composit panels.

The objective of this study is to develop a hybrid one‐dimensional finite element (1‐D FE)/analytical method to analyze the Lamb wave propagation characteristics of composite panels. Here, it is proposed to model a composite panel using a finite element approximation in the thickness direction while analytical solutions are assumed in the plane directions. Thus, it makes possible to use small number of finite elements even for high‐frequency analysis in computationally efficient manner. By solving the eigenvalue problem of the resulting 1‐D FE/analytical matrix equation, the dispersion relations of the Lamb waves propagating in the composite panel can be calculated in wave number/frequency domain. Note that the dispersion relations can be used to determine the frequency, wavelength, and wave speed of a specific Lamb wave mode that can be used to monitor the specific structural defects of the composite panel. For the purpose of validating the proposed method, the dynamic responses of a composite panel are ...
Cybersex Use and Abuse: Implications for Health Education

Abstract The Internet is increasingly used as an outlet for sexual activity. This literature review explores key definitions, perceived benefits, risks, and consequences of engaging in cybersex, as well as its influence on youth and young adults. The accessibility, affordability, and anonymity of the Internet make it highly appealing to users. Increasing time spent online for sexual activity may lead to cybersex abuse and compulsive cybersex behavior. This poses a threat to relationships, work, and educational pursuits. Chatrooms are especially prominent as a slippery slope to more extreme sexual behaviors. Characteristics of cybersex users do not seem to be divided by subgroups such as gender, sexual orientation, and marital status. There are only limited amounts of research on youth and online sexual activity, but some research suggests that adolescents are engaging in cybersex. Moreover, college students appear to be at particular risk for developing cybersex compulsive behaviors. Increased health educ...
Structural and kinetic analysis of proton shuttle residues in the active site of human carbonic anhydrase III.

We report the X-ray crystal struc- tures and rate constants for proton transfer in site-specific mutants of human carbonic anhy- drase III (HCA III) that place a histidine residue in the active-site cavity: K64H, R67H, and K64H- R67N HCA III. Prior evidence from the exchange of 18 O between CO2 and water measured by mass spec- trometry shows each mutant to have enhanced pro- ton transfer in catalysis compared with wild-type HCA III. However, His64 in K64H and K64H-R67N HCA III have at most a capacity for proton transfer that is only 13% that of His64 in HCA II. This reduced rate in mutants of HCA III is associated with a con- strained side-chain conformation of His64, which is oriented outward, away from the active-site zinc in the crystal structures. This conformation appears sta- bilized by a prominent p stacking interaction of the imidazole ring of His64 with the indole ring of Trp5 in mutants of HCA III. This single orientation of His64 in K64H HCA III predominates also in a double mutant K64H-R67N HCA III, indicating that the positive charge of Arg67 does not influence the observed con- formation of His64 in the crystal structure. Hence, the structures and catalytic activity of these mutants of HCA III containing His64 account only in small part for the lower activity of this isozyme compared with HCA II. His67 in R67H HCA III was also shown to be a proton shuttle residue, having a capacity for proton transfer that was approximately four times that of His64 in K64H HCA III. This is most likely due to its proximity and orientation inward towards the zinc- bound solvent. These results emphasize the signifi- cance of side chain orientation and range of available conformational states as characteristics of an effi- cient proton shuttle in carbonic anhydrase. Proteins 2007;68:337-343. V C 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
TECS: Temperature- and Energy-Constrained Scheduling for Multicore Systems

The widespread use of multicore architectures with decreasing feature size is causing severe increase of on-chip power dissipation in modern embedded systems. This introduces both thermal and energy management problems that need to be addressed during the system level design. In this paper, we explore the DVS scheduling problem on multicore systems under both temperature and energy constraints. We present an exact algorithm as well as a polynomial time approximation scheme, since this problem is NP-hard. When the original problem is schedulable, our approximation algorithm is guaranteed to generate a solution, which will not violate the temperature constraint, and consume no more time or energy than a specified approximation bound, e.g., within 1%, of the optimal time consumption and energy constraints. We evaluate our approach using both real and synthetic benchmarks mapped on DVS capable multicore processors. The experimental results demonstrate that our technique is able to produce schedules close to the optimal solution with reasonable execution time.
Identifying influences on model uncertainty: an application using a forest carbon budget model.

Uncertainty is an important consideration for both developers and users of environmental simulation mod- els. Establishing quantitative estimates of uncertainty for de- terministic models can be difficult when the underlying bases for such information are scarce. We demonstrate an applica- tion of probabilistic uncertainty analysis that provides for re- finements in quantifying input uncertainty even with little infor- mation. Uncertainties in forest carbon budget projections were examined with Monte Carlo analyses of the model FORCARB. We identified model sensitivity to range, shape, and covariabil- ity among model probability density functions, even under conditions of limited initial information. Distributional forms of probabilities were not as important as covariability or ranges of values. Covariability among FORCARB model parameters emerged as a very influential component of uncertainty, espe- cially for estimates of average annual carbon flux.
Mid-texas, USA coastal marsh vegetation pattern and dynamics as influenced by environmental stress and snow goose herbivory

Vegetation pattern and dynamics were characterized across a mid-Texas, USA coastal marsh ecotone subjected to snow goose herbivory, drought, and salt-water pulses. For eight years following snow goose feeding, species cover was evaluated in heavy and light goose-use patches at increasing distances from tidal influence. Just prior to and for two years after the feeding event, drought, and several salt-water pulses associated with tropical storms typified the hydrologic dynamics of the marsh. Herbivory history was more important than distance from tidal influence, salinity, or flooding in explaining spatial and temporal vegetation pattern for three years. Precipitation variation influenced vegetation dynamics in areas heavily used by geese. Recovery to pre-herbivory composition and abundance required six years without further snow goose feeding. Extremes of annual precipitation, salinities, and water levels impacted cover of Spartina patents dominated patches little unless feeding snow geese uprooted vegetation. Schoenoplectus americanus was more impacted by extremes of environmental dynamics than S. patens but even more impacted by synergistic effects of uprooting and environmental extremes. During this period, the ecotone could be characterized as patchy, with a gulfward waxing and waning of S. americanus.
Simulation-Based Cryosurgery Intelligent Tutoring System Prototype.

As a part of an ongoing effort to develop computerized training tools for cryosurgery, the current study presents a proof of concept for a computerized tool for cryosurgery tutoring. The tutoring s...
Supporting the Oldest Old: The Role of Social Insurance, Pensions and Financial Products

Longevity risk — the risk of outliving one’s retirement savings — is probably the greatest risk facing current and future retirees in the United States. As life expectancy increases, government programs, private pensions, and various financial products will all be needed to provide retirement income over ever-longer periods of retirement. This Article focuses on the optimal mix of social insurance, pensions, and financial products that should be used to provide retirement income to the oldest old, here defined as those aged 90 and over. To be sure, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are already designed to provide modest, inflation-adjusted retirement benefits to all retirees. On the other hand, pensions and other forms of retirement savings are often dissipated long before people reach the esteemed status of oldest old. One approach for enhancing the retirement incomes of the oldest old would be to expand Social Security and SSI. Another approach would be to strengthen the protections provided by pensions and other forms of retirement savings. In particular, the private sector could be encouraged to sell more annuities and other lifetime income products, and, perhaps, the government should also get into the business of selling annuities. These are the kinds of solutions that will be needed to ensure that the oldest old face their final years with adequate economic resources.
Catheter-delivered high intensity, low frequency ultrasound induces vasodilation in vivo

This study investigated the effect of intravascular high intensity, low frequency catheter-delivered ultrasound on vasomotor behaviour in vivo. Catheter-delivered therapeutic ultrasound induces endothelium-independent vasodilation in vitro. To study this effect in vivo we analysed the angiograms of canine coronaries and human femoropopliteal arteries before and after ultrasound exposure. Vasomotor behaviour was studied using a computer edge detection program. We analysed the angiograms of: (1) eight canine left coronary arteries before and after ultrasound; (2) eight canine left coronaries only subjected to serial angiograms, and three canine left coronary arteries of two dogs after passing the unactivated ultrasound probe down the coronary artery infusing saline at a rate of 10-20 ml.min-1, which served as controls, and (3) eight angiographically normal human arterial sites proximal to occlusions in eight femoropopliteal arteries of patients undergoing ultrasound angioplasty for peripheral vascular disease. Vessel diameter of canine coronaries after ultrasound exposure increased from 2.3 +/- 0.3 mm to 2.8 +/- 0.3 mm (21 +/- 2.3%) (P < 0.01). There was no change in vascular diameter in controls after multiple angiograms (2.4 +/- 0.3 mm vs 2.5 +/- 0.2 mm (4.2 +/- 0.2%) (P = ns). Average vessel diameter after passage of the unactivated probe with saline infusion decreased in the left anterior descending coronary artery from 3.66 mm to 3.13 mm, and in the left circumflex coronary artery from 2.88 mm to 2.62 mm. Vessel diameter in human femoropopliteal arteries increased from 3.2 +/- 0.2 mm to 3.6 +/- 0.5 mm or by 14.3 +/- 2.9% respectively (P < 0.01) after exposure to ultrasound energy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Feed-Forward Circuit of Endogenous PGC-1α and Estrogen Related Receptor α Regulates the Neuronal Electron Transport Chain

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) is a central regulator of cellular and mitochondrial metabolism. Cellular bioenergetics are critically important in "energy-guzzling" neurons, but the components and wiring of the transcriptional circuit through which PGC-1α regulates the neuronal electron transport chain have not been established. This information may be vital for restoring neuronal bioenergetics gene expression that is compromised during incipient Parkinson's neuropathology and in aging-dependent brain diseases. Here we delineate a neuronal transcriptional circuit controlled by endogenous PGC-1α. We show that a feed-forward circuit of endogenous neuronal PGC-1α and the orphan nuclear estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) activates the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial electron transport chain. PGC-1α not only trans-activated expression of ERRα, but also coactivated ERRα target genes in complexes I, II, IV, and V of the neuronal electron transport chain via association with evolutionary conserved ERRα promoter binding motifs. Chemical activation of this transcriptional program induced transcription of the neuronal electron transport chain. These data highlight a neuronal transcriptional circuit regulated by PGC-1α that can be therapeutically targeted for Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The Impact of Information and Communication Technology Adoption on Multinational Firm Boundary Decisions

This article evaluates the effect of adopting Internet-enabled information and communication technology (ICT adoption) on the decision to reorganize production across national borders (foreign boundary decision) by multinational enterprises (MNEs). Using a transaction cost framework, we argue that ICT adoption influences foreign boundary decisions by lowering coordination costs both internally and externally for the firm. We propose that the heterogeneity in the technology’s characteristics, namely complexity and the production processes’ degree of codifiability, moderate this influence. Using a difference-in-differences methodology and exploiting the richness of confidential US Census Bureau microdata, we find that overall ICT adoption is positively associated with greater likelihood of in-house production, as measured by increases in intra-firm trade shares. Furthermore, we find that more complex forms of ICT are associated with larger increases in intra-firm trade shares. Finally, our results indicate that MNEs in industries in which production specifications are more easily codified in an electronic format are less likely to engage in intra-firm relative to arm’s length trade following ICT adoption.
The UA?CG Workflow: High Performance Molecular Dynamics of Coarse-Grained Polymers

Our analytically based technique for coarse-graining (CG) polymer simulations dramatically improves spatial and temporal scaling while preserving thermodynamic quantities and bulk properties. The purpose of CG codes is to run more efficient molecular dynamics simulations, yet the research field generally lacks thorough analysis of how such codes scale with respect to full-atom representations. This paper conducts an in-depth performance study of highly realistic polymer melts on modern supercomputing systems. We also present a workflow that integrates our analytical solution for calculating CG forces with new high-performance techniques for mapping back and forth between the atomistic and CG descriptions in LAMMPS. The workflow benefits from the performance of CG, while maintaining full-atom accuracy. Our results show speedups up to 12x faster than atomistic simulations.
Single-crystal structure refinement of synthetic M4 K-substituted potassic richterite, K(KCa)Mg 5 Si 8 O 22 (OH) 2

The crystal structure of a potassic richterite, K(KCa)Mg 5 Si 8 O 22 (OH) 2 synthesized at 15 GPa and 1400 degrees C, was refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The unit-cell parameters are: a = 10.1926(5), b = 18.1209(3), c = 5.2736(2) Aa, and beta = 105.514(5) degrees . The refinement shows that the M4 site is occupied by K and Ca at a ratio of 1:1 with no site splitting. Entrance of K into the M4 site mainly affects the local environment: the M4-O2, M4-O4, and M4-O6 bond lengths in KK richterite are 3.4, 3.7, and 3.1% longer, respectively, than the corresponding ones in potassium richterite, whereas the M4-O5 distance is 1.2% shorter, giving rise to a more regular M4 polyhedron. Three major structural adjustments allow the M4 site to accommodate large K: a shift of the M4 cation along the two-fold b axis, a modification of the double silicate-chain configurations, and relative displacements of the two back-to-back tetrahedral chains. K at the A site is completely ordered at the Am position. The average of eight shortest A-O distances is 0.044 Aa longer than that in potassium richterite, despite the A site being fully filled with K in both structures. The unpolarized Raman spectrum displays only one single band at 3735.5 cm (super -1) in the OH-stretching region.
Exploration of an evaluation system for leaders of functional department in hospital

The functional department is very important for hospital development, but the performance of functional department is more difficult to be evaluated than clinic department. This paper tries to build an evaluation system for the leaders of functional department. It can guide the leaders to improve the serving quality and manage level of hospital. This system is focus on the integrative factors of leaders, such as personal moral character, competence, diligence, rightness, performance of the leaders and democratic assess.
Key Technology of Gansu Virtual Intelligent Park Construction

The industrial park with the intensive of different enterprises has gradually become highly concentrated area of electric energy consumption in distribution network.The proportion of wind power has increased year by year in Gansu power grid structure,which has prominent characteristics of high energy-consumption,high lift and low bearing capacity.And the complementary of power load is poor in existing industrial park,due to the same type of enterprises.So the realization of cross-park or trans-regional power information interaction and complementary has a great significance with the help of information platform.This paper proposed a concept of virtual intelligent park,and investigated the key technology and demonstration application of the virtual intelligent park with taking 20 power consumption enterprises in one high-tech industrial development zone as example.
Eosinophilia and associated factors in a large cohort of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of eosinophilia among antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to identify variables associated with eosinophilia. METHODS We included all ART-naive HIV-infected patients entering into care at the Thomas Street Health Center (Houston, Texas) between February 2007 and January 2009. Eosinophilia was defined as absolute eosinophil count ≥ 400 cells per cubic millimeter. Patients with eosinophilia (cases) at baseline were matched to patients without baseline eosinophilia (controls). Clinical and laboratory data were collected for cases and controls. Variables associated with eosinophilia were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS Sixty-five (9.7%) of 671 ART-naive patients had eosinophilia. There was no difference in age, sex, race, or baseline CD4 count between patients with and without eosinophilia; however, patients with eosinophilia were more likely to have higher HIV RNA viral loads (5.05 vs 4.82 log10 copies per milliliter; P = 0.019). A total of 52 (80%) of 65 patients with eosinophilia (cases) had at least two follow-up clinic visits. They were matched to 104 controls. Skin rash was the only variable associated with eosinophilia (odds ratio 2.16, 95% confidence interval 1.04-4.47) in our multivariate analysis. Of eight cases tested, only one, from Central America, had a parasitic infection (hookworm). Thirty-eight (73.1%) patients experienced resolution of their eosinophilia by the end of the study (mean follow-up 1019 days). Resolution of eosinophilia did not differ between patients with and without HIV viral suppression. CONCLUSIONS Eosinophilia is not an infrequent occurrence among ART-naive HIV-infected patients. Patients with eosinophilia are more likely than patients without eosinophilia to present with a skin rash. HIV RNA viral suppression did not necessarily result in the resolution of eosinophilia. Extensive workup for eosinophilia may not be necessary in most cases.
First-trimester screening for congenital heart disease.

UNLABELLED Advances over the last decade in technology, training, and availability of prenatal care have led to a focus on the detection of congenital heart defects (CHD) and its prenatal management for improved pregnancy outcomes. First-trimester transvaginal heart screening is feasible and well tolerated. Due to advances in the diagnosis of trisomy by nonultrasound methods, a significant effort will now be focused on CHD detection in the first trimester of otherwise uncomplicated pregnancies. PURPOSE OF REVIEW Detection of CHD is not being accomplished by heart screening training or postnatal protocols. First-trimester evaluation of fetuses is becoming more common, and a method of evaluation of the heart would improve selection of those who need later fetal echocardiography. RECENT FINDINGS Equipment advances are resulting in excellent visualization of the fetal circulatory system even at 12–13 weeks, gestation. SUMMARY Improved first-trimester fetal heart screening will result in a jump in CHD detection and in improved care of these patients during gestation and prior to their cardiac surgery.
Program to disseminate information on new hospital pharmacy practices.

A five-year program to stimulate interest in contemporary pharmacy practices and disseminate information to pharmacists and other health professionals in community hospitals throughout the State of Maine is described. Pharmacists from the New England Medical Center in Boston and the Maine Medical Center in Portland conducted a program from 1973 to 1978 that included consultative services, drug information, and continuing-education components. Pharmacy consultants visited about 50% of the hospitals in the state and met with the director of pharmacy, administrator, and director of nursing who received written reports of all findings and suggestions. Most frequently, hospitals requested recommendations on drug-distribution systems, design and use of medical profiles, and design of physician order forms. Surveys at the beginning and at the end of the program indicated that the number of hospitals with unit dose systems and i.v. admixture programs increased during the life of the program; pharmacy staffing levels also increased. The program successfully brought consultative services, drug information, and educational programs to pharmacists and other health professionals in community hospitals in Maine.