cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reexamining the Nurse Scheduling Problem: Staffing Ratios and Nursing Shortages*

Legislators at the state and national levels are addressing renewed concerns over the adequacy of hospital nurse staffing to provide quality care and ensure patient safety. At the same time, the well-known nursing shortage remains an ongoing problem. To address these issues, we reexamine the nurse scheduling problem and consider how recent health care legislation impacts nursing workforce management decisions. Specifically, we develop a scheduling model and perform computational experiments to evaluate how mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios and other policies impact schedule cost and schedule desirability (from the nurses' perspective). Our primary findings include the following: (i) nurse wage costs can be highly nonlinear with respect to changes in mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios of the type being considered by legislators; (ii) the number of undesirable shifts can be substantially reduced without incurring additional wage cost; (iii) more desirable scheduling policies, such as assigning fewer weekends to each nurse, have only a small impact on wage cost; and (iv) complex policy statements involving both single-period and multiperiod service levels can sometimes be relaxed while still obtaining good schedules that satisfy the nurse-to-patient ratio requirements. The findings in this article suggest that new directions for future nurse scheduling models, as it is likely that nurse-to-patient ratios and nursing shortages will remain a challenge for health care organizations for some time.
Kernel Estimation of Densities with Discontinuities or Discontinuous Derivatives

In kernel density estimation, one usually assumes the density has two continous derivatives. In this paper we give precise experssions for the asymptotic mean integrated squared error in case the density has m-1 continuous derivatives and two more derivatives with simple discontinuities. We show that the convergence rate for the mean integrated squared error, with appropriate kernel, is proportional to n-v,ν =2m+1/2m+2. Furthermore the ratio of the (random) integrated squared error to the mean integrated squared error converges to 1 almost surely, if the bandwidth is chosen by cross-validation. In particular, it is possible to have n-5/6 with only one continuous derivative, if the kernel and bandwidth are appropriately chosen. When the density has known points of discontinuity, a symmetrization device suggested by SCHUSTER (1985) can be used to improve the convergence rate. The mean integrated squared error of the symmetrization estimator will converge as if the density had no discontinuities at those poi...
Effect of protein synthesis inhibitors on synexin levels and secretory response in bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells

Abstract The effects of the protein synthesis inhibitors actinomycin D and cycloheximide on the cellular content of the calcium binding protein synexin, and on the secretorv response of cultured bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells were determined. Both protein synthesis inhibitors produced a slow decrease in the cellular synexin content. The synexin level was reduced by 50% after 133 h of incubation in the presence of 2 lag/ml actinomycin D or 5 Ng/ml cycloheximide. However, this was partly due to an artefactual stabilization of synexin, since metabolic labelling of synexin with [ 35S ]methionine showed that the half-time of degradation was only 40 h. The secretory response of chromaffin cells was quickly diminished in the presence of protein synthesis inhibitors. Catecholamine secretion induced by membrane depolarization or barium stimulation of intact cells, or by calcium stimulation of digitonin-permeabilized cells was decreased by 77–82% after 24 h of incubation in the presence of 5 pLg/ml cycloheximide. These results suggest that, in addition to synexin, at least one or more proteins with a shorter half-time of degradation than synexin are involved in the secretory response of adrenal chromaffin cells.
Comparison of a steady‐state and dynamic model for predicting priority pollutant removal

A dynamic model successfully predicted the effluent concentrations of both volatile and non-volatile priority pollutants from a large industrial wastewater treatment plant. A steady-state model, which was formulated with the identical rate equations and variable influent data, was inadequate for dynamic predictions. The dynamic model is the first developed for predicting the fate of priority pollutants in the PACT® process
BiFeO3–PbZrO3–PbTiO3 ternary system for high Curie temperature piezoceramics

Abstract BiFeO3–PbZrO3–PbTiO3 ternary solid solution system was investigated for the development of piezoelectric ceramics with high Curie temperatures. The search for the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) compositions in this ternary system started from mixing two MPB compositions: 0.70BiFeO3–0.30PbTiO3 and 0.52PbZrO3–0.48PbTiO3. The content of PbTiO3 was then further fine tuned in order to reach the appropriate volume fraction between the rhombohedral and tetragonal phases in the sintered ceramics. It was observed that the sintering temperature has a profound impact on the density, grain morphology, dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the ceramics. The composition that displays the best combined structure and properties was identified to be 0.648BiFeO3–0.053PbZrO3–0.299PbTiO3, with a Curie temperature TC of 560 °C, a remanent polarization Pr of 15.0 μC/cm2, and a piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 64 pC/N.
Color-encoded digital fringe projection technique for high-speed 3D shape measurement: color coupling and imbalance compensation

Color-encoded digital fringe projection is a recently developed technique for high-speed 3-D shape measurement. In this technique, only a single image is needed for reconstructing the 3-D surface shape of an object. Thus the measurement speed can be increased up to the frame rate of the camera. However, previous experimental results showed that the measurement accuracy of this technique was lower than that of the traditional grayscale technique due largely to the color coupling and imbalance problems. In this research, we propose an improved system with a high brightness LCD projector and a 3-CCD video camera to address these problems. A Look-Up-Table (LUT) method is developed to compensate for errors caused by color coupling and imbalance. In addition, a nonlinearity compensation method is used to further reduce measurement errors. Experimental results showed that the measurement error was significantly reduced.
What do we know about telemedicine, and what will it mean for primary care physicians?

In the early 1990s, it was the exception rather than the rule to encounter a physician who was familiar with telemedicine.1 Today, most physicians are aware of it and many have strong opinions about its potential. Traditionally, telemedicine is the term used to explain the delivery of any type of health service or education via telecommunication technologies, typically as videoconferencing. In the first and second waves of telemedicine, from 1960 to 1985 and from 1990 to 1998, respectively, the majority of clinical activity was provided in specialty areas, such as mental health and cardiology.2
Silent corticotroph adenomas after stereotactic radiosurgery: a case-control study.

Purpose To investigate the safety and effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in patients with a silent corticotroph adenoma (SCA) compared with patients with other subtypes of non–adrenocorticotropic hormone staining nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFA). Methods and Materials The clinical features and outcomes of 104 NFA patients treated with SRS in our center between September 1994 and August 2012 were evaluated. Among them, 34 consecutive patients with a confirmatory SCA were identified. A control group of 70 patients with other subtypes of NFA were selected for review based on comparable baseline features, including sex, age at the time of SRS, tumor size, margin radiation dose to the tumor, and duration of follow-up. Results The median follow-up after SRS was 56 months (range, 6-200 months). No patients with an SCA developed Cushing disease during the follow-up. Tumor control was achieved in 21 of 34 patients (62%) in the SCA group, compared with 65 of 70 patients (93%) in the NFA group. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 58 months in the SCA group. The actuarial PFS was 73%, 46%, and 31% in the SCA group and was 94%, 87%, and 87% in the NFA group at 3, 5, and 8 years, respectively. Silent corticotroph adenomas treated with a dose of ≥17 Gy exhibited improved PFS. New-onset loss of pituitary function developed in 10 patients (29%) in the SCA group, whereas it occurred in 18 patients (26%) in the NFA group. Eight patients (24%) in the SCA group experienced worsening of a visual field deficit or visual acuity attributed to the tumor progression, as did 6 patients (9%) in the NFA group. Conclusion Silent corticotroph adenomas exhibited a more aggressive course with a higher progression rate than other subtypes of NFAs. Stereotactic radiosurgery is an important adjuvant treatment for control of tumor growth. Increased radiation dose may lead to improved tumor control in SCA patients.
Phonon Effects on Localized Electrons

THE importance of lattice effects on the theory of disordered materials has recently been emphasized by Anderson1, who points out that the localized electronic states which are expected in amorphous substances should undergo large Franck-Condon shifts, that is, an increase in the binding energy due to deformation of the lattice. He presents a calculation to indicate that these shifts might lead, in certain cases, to a true gap in the density of states even in the absence of lattice periodicity.
Analgesia induced by cold-water stress: attenuation following hypophysectomy.

Abstract In addition to the well-known activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis, acute exposure to severe stressors includes a temporary analgesia in rats. Thus, the present study investigates whether the pituitary was involved in the mediation of analgesia induced by severe cold-water swim (CWS) stress. Flinch-jump thresholds were measured 30 min following 3.5-min swims in water temperatures ranging from 2–35°C. Compared with untreated normal rats, hypophysectomized rats, receiving corticosterone and thyroxin, displayed significantly less CWS-induced analgesia, while similarly-supplemented normal rats exhibited significantly more CWS-induced analgesia. In a second experiment, operant liminal escape pain thresholds were determined following acute and chronic CWS. Whereas normal rats exhibited profound analgesia following the initial swims, the hypophysectomized rats never displayed any CWS-induced operant escape shifts. Stress-induced alterations in general activity levels and/or thermoregulation were shown to be unrelated to the diminished effectiveness of CWS to produce analgesia in hypophysectomized rats. These data imply that the pituitary is involved in the mediation of CWS-induced analgesia.
Cyber-Synchronicity: A Theoretical Model for Bridging the Virtual and the Material

Communication affects us as human beings, whether via virtual worlds or the material one, and involves a variety of issues. Some are issues both worlds have in common, while others are unique, depending on the individuals involved, the communities inhabited, and the mediums utilized. Prior research has demonstrated that, for inhabitants who reside both in the virtual and the material, there is significant effect on the experience of both worlds stemming from both worlds. This study combines Gergen's Saturated Self theory, Hamman's Virtual Community theory, and Van Manen's four phenomenological existentials to posit both an additional four existentials unique to virtual communication and a theoretical model that can be used to chart the impact of each world upon the other. The Cyber-Synchronicity model will aid in a deeper understanding of the meaning and impact of synchronous and synonymous participation in a virtual community.
Responses of physically abused and nonabused children to different forms of interadult anger.

Responses to various forms of interadult anger were examined in 2 groups of 6-11-year-olds: 44 low-SES children with a history of physical abuse and exposure to interspousal aggression, and 44 low-SES children exposed to interspousal aggression but with no history of physical abuse or other child maltreatment. Children were presented with videotaped segments of adults in angry and friendly interactions. Angry segments varied on (a) the type of anger expression (nonverbal, verbal, verbal-physical), and (b) whether anger was resolved. In general, physically abused children reported greater fear than nonabused children in response to all forms of interadult anger. Moreover, abused children appeared particularly sensitive to whether anger between adults was resolved. Findings are discussed with regard to factors that may mediate relations between exposure to family violence and the development of psychopathology in children from highly aggressive home environments. Language: en
The scope of the hypothesis of Bayesian equilibrium

What behavior can be explained as the Bayes equilibrium of some game? The main finding is almost anything. Given any Bayesian (coordination) game with positive priors and given any vector of nondominated strategies, there is an increasing transformation of each utility function such that the given vector of strategies is a Bayes (Nash) equilibrium of the transformed game. Any nondominated behavior can be rationalized as Bayes equilibrium behavior. Some comments on the implications of these results for game theory are included.
The susceptiblity of Keratella cochlearis to interference from small cladocerans

SUMMARY. 1. Even at high population densities (300–2000 ind. 1−1), only one of five small cladoceran species (adult body length <1 mm) significantly suppressed population growth of the rotifer Keratella cochlearis through interference (encounter) competition. At 500 ind. H, adults of D. ambigua (0.96 mm body length) imposed an instantaneous per capita death rate of 0.21 day−1 on this rotifer. These short-term experiments may have underestimated cladoceran interference because newborn rotifers were rarely present. 2. Newborn rotifers ( 24 h old) to interference from Ceriodaphnia dubia. All of the small cladoceran species tested were very much less likely than large Daphnia (body lengths >1.2 mm) to interfere with K. cochlearis, but perhaps at high population densities they could suppress population growth of susceptible rotifer species by damaging, and possibly eating, relatively small and soft-bodied newborn individuals. 3. K. cochlearis of the tecta form, without a posterior spine, produced offspring of the typica form, with a posterior spine, in the presence of C. dubia. This developmental response is stimulated by at least several, and possibly all, cladocerans and probably reduces the susceptibility of the rotifer to cladoceran interference.
Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on winter wheat production in northern Idaho

Reduced tillage practices designed to control soil loss in the Palouse region of northern Idaho may adversely affect soil physical properties and decrease yields. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of long-term tillage and rotation practices on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yields following 10 yr of continuous management. Yields were obtained from 1984 to 1987 on a long-term tillage rotation experiment established in 1974 near Moscow, ID. Tillage treatments included conventional (CONV, moldboard plow), minimum (MIN, chisel), and no-tillage (NT). Crop rotations were a 2-yr winter wheat-sping pea (Pisum sativum L.) (WW-SP) rotation and a 3-yr winter wheat-sping barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)-spring pea (WW-SB-SP) rotation. Yields of the MIN and NT treatments averaged over the 4-yr period were 92 and 78% of the CONV treatment. Differences between yields were significant (P<0.05). No-till yields were significantly less (P<0.05) than both the CONV and MIN treatments during all years, whereas MIN and CONV yields were not significantly different during 1986 and 1987. Wheat grown under the WW-SB-SP rotation yielded significantly greater (P<0.05) than the WW-SP rotation. Profile water extraction and N uptake were reduced in the MIN and NT treatments. The apparent decrease in root function may have resulted from higher surface layer impedance, or possibly, greater root disease pressure under MIN and NT management. Results indicate that winter wheat production under continuous no-till management in the Palouse region may not be feasible without substantial yield reductions. A reduced tillage system that utilizes some limited tillage appears to be a viable management alternative to conventional practices
New Genus of Fossil Fagaceae from the Santonian (Late Cretaceous) of Central Georgia, U. S. A.

A new genus and species (Antiquacupula sulcata) is established for fossil staminate flowers, bisexual flowers, fruits, and cupules from the late Santonian (Late Cretaceous) Buffalo Creek Member of the Gaillard Formation in central Georgia, U.S.A. Together with Protofagacea, recently described from the same locality, these remains constitute the earliest fossil evidence of the Fagaceae sensu lato. Staminate flowers of the new genus are pedicellate, with six free tepals in two cycles of three, 12 free stamens, and a vestigial gynoecium with three styles. Bisexual flowers are epigynous and actinomorphic, with six free tepals in two whorls, 12 free stamens, and a syncarpous gynoecium with three styles. The ovary is trilocular, with two anatropous, apically pendulous ovules per locule. The styles are partially connate below, with trichomes around and between the style bases. Fruits are triangular in cross section, with nearly equal sides, and contain a single seed. Cupules comprising multiple series of bracts ...
Repressive histone methylation: A case study in deterministic versus stochastic gene regulation

Abstract Transcriptionally repressive histone lysine methylation is used by eukaryotes to tightly control cell fate. Here we explore the importance of this form of regulation in the control of clustered genes in the genome. Two distinctly regulated gene families with important roles in vertebrates are discussed, namely the Hox genes and olfactory receptor genes. Major recent advances in these two fields are compared and contrasted, with an emphasis on the roles of the two different forms of histone trimethylation. We discuss how this repression may impact both the transcriptional output of these loci and the way higher-order chromatin organization is related to their unique control. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Methylation: A Multifaceted Modification — looking at transcription and beyond.
Frequency modulated laser optical gyroscope

We fabricated an optical interferometric gyroscope front-end with a tunable laser on the heterogeneous silicon platform. We successfully demonstrated a laser based gyroscope with low noise floor comparable to a commercial ASE based gyroscope.
One and Two-Bit MEMS Distributed W-Band Phase Shifters

A wideband distributed microstrip phase shifter has been developed for W-band operation. The design is based on the distributed MEMS transmission line (DMTL) loaded with high capacitance-ratio varactors. The varactors are fabricated using a series combination of MEMS bridges and fixed-value capacitive microstrip stubs. A high-capacitance ratio varactor (1.5 to 2.5) results in a large loading on the microstrip line and therefore a large phase shift. The distributed phase shifter design on a 150 ?m quartz substrate results in a reflection coefficient less than ?15 dB and 260°/dB of insertion loss at 90 GHz. This design can be cascaded to result in a 2-bit, 0/90/180/270° phase shifter with 1-1.5 dB of insertion loss.
The Spanish War, an American epic--1898

On the night of February 15, 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine was ripped in half by an explosion in Havana harbor with the loss of 266 American lives. War with Spain followed nine weeks later. After a three-month fight on two fronts half a world apart, the era of isolation was gone forever, as the United States formed alliances and gained spheres of influence that would shape its desstiny for decades to come. G. J. A. O'Toole colorfully depicts the sweep of events and also presents new findings on the mysterious mission of the Maine and on the part played by Washington in the expansion of the conflict.
EXPERIMENTAL PROSPECTS FOR THE SYNTHESIS AND DETECTION OF SUPERHEAVY ELEMENTS

Schemes that could be used for detection of superheavy elements (SHE) are briefly discussed first. The question of producing SHE in other than complete fusion reactions (e.g., in deep inelastic reactions) is addressed at greater length. Production cross sections are estimated. A heavy ion lens spectrometer for the detection of reaction products is described. 18 figures, 3 tables. (RWR)
Effect of paraventricular nucleus lesions on body weight, food intake and insulin levels

Lesions of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) produce obesity and hyperphagia. However, the underlying mechanism is unknown. The connections of the PVN with brainstem centers for autonomic control suggest that a change in autonomic function could mediate the PVN obesity syndrome. We examined this hypothesis in a series of 3 experiments, searching specifically for changes in insulin secretion. Rats with PVN lesions were hyperphagic and hyperinsulinemic, when obese. However, hyperinsulinemia could not be detected prior to the onset of obesity or following weight reduction. Subdiaphragmatic vagotomy reversed the PVN obesity and lowered insulin levels below those of sham-vagotomized rats. Since noradrenergic innervation of the hypothalamus is implicated in feeding, hypothalamic norepinephrine (NE) was depleted by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into the central tegmental tract, posterior to the hypothalamus. The effects of NE depletion was compared with those of PVN lesions. Loss of hypothalamic NE resulted in hyperphagia with no increase in body weight and no change in insulin. Histological analyses indicated that the posterior PVN was the most effective lesion focus for producing disturbances in body weight and food intake. Although the results of these experiments implicate the autonomic nervous system in PVN obesity, basal hyperinsulinemia does not appear to be a primary feature of the syndrome.
A new test for sphericity of the covariance matrix for high dimensional data

In this paper we propose a new test procedure for sphericity of the covariance matrix when the dimensionality, p, exceeds that of the sample size, N=n+1. Under the assumptions that (A) 0~ for i=1,...,16 and (B) p/n->c ~. Our simulation results show that the new test is comparable to, and in some cases more powerful than, the tests for sphericity in the current literature.
Evaluating the continuity between juvenile and adult sex offending: a review of the literature

Sex offenders are thought to be a distinct group of individuals who continue to offend sexually over their lifespan. The purpose of this study is to review the literature on longitudinal studies that have evaluated the continuity of sex offending from adolescence into adulthood. Results indicate that few studies have assessed this relationship longitudinally, and most studies report that sex offenders are not the specialized group that conventional wisdom suggests. Rather, sex offenders are habitual offenders who tend to offend sexually on occasion. Implications for sex offender registration and community notification policies are discussed.
Nesting Stage and Nest Defense by Common Terns

Abstract Several hypotheses predict that nest defense should increase as the nesting cycle progresses, but the predicted pattern of increase differs. Previous studies of nest defense in gulls and terns have given conflicting results. Most of these have treated colonies as a unit, thus breeding asynchrony may have obscured temporal patterns. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) nest defense against Great Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus) was observed during two years, and responses of individuals or pairs of known nesting stage were recorded. Responses of terns to observers were also recorded. Mobbing of gulls did not increase as incubation progressed, contradicting parental investment models, but did increase as chicks aged. Chicks were defended more strongly by parents than were eggs. Responses to Great Black-backed Gulls were more frequent during the second wave of nesting, when the potential for re-nesting would be very low. There was no association between clutch size and nest defense. Aggression by terns to...
General Economic Equilibrium as a Unifying Concept in Energy-Economic Modeling

In the pristine model of general economic equilibrium producers and consumers are assumed to take prices for their inputs and outputs as given. A market equilibrium solution is obtained when the prices of all products lead to equal amounts of supply and demand for each. The mathematical properties of this model provide a rich and powerful unifying foundation for much of modern microeconomic theory. However, in many practical applications it is difficult or impossible to develop the data, and formulate and solve the equations required to implement the model of general economic equilibrium in its most general form. In practice, generality of formulation is often sacrificed for ease of computation and interpretation. These tradeoffs allow the latest breakthroughs in optimization algorithms and computer technology to be applied in the analysis of important societal problems. A potential drawback associated with this otherwise desirable trend is that the analysis could become infatuated with the use of particular algorithms, and lose sight of the restrictive simplifying assumptions they imply. The present paper includes a comparison of the simplifying assumptions required in four of the most popular types of energy-economic models with respect to the model of general economic equilibrium. This comparison helps sharpen our appreciation for the tradeoffs between generalization of formulation and ease of computation and interpretation that are available. The concept of general economic equilibrium is employed to provide a common framework for four ostensibly different approaches to large-scale modeling: 1 variable-coefficient input-output theory, 2 process network methodology, 3 linear programming and 4 general nonlinear optimization. The similarities and the differences of the four approaches are isolated within this framework. This comparison makes both the absolute and the relative strengths and weaknesses of the models more transparent.
Variation in virulence, host specificity, hyphal growth rate, and size of the aplerotic zone in successive single-zoospore and single-oospore progenies of Aphanomyces euteiches

Variation in virulence, host specificity, hyphal growth rate, and size of the aplerotic zone were studied in Aphanomyces euteiches using successive single-zoospore progeny (asexual reproduction) and single-oospore progeny from selling (sexual reproduction). No variation in virulence or host specificity to pea or bean was found in generations of single-zoospore or single-oospore isolates derived from four field isolates. In each isolate, hyphal growth rate and size of the aplerotic zone were relatively stable traits among six generations of single-spore progeny; the phenotypes of progeny remained similar to parental phenotypes. The traits were found to be the same within, but different between, two pea and two bean pathotype isolates. Stable randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers associated with different isolates were selected in successive generations of zoospore and selfed oospore progeny and could be used to distinguish the four isolates. Results suggest that the genes involved in determinin...
Prediction of the protein components of a putative Calanus finmarchicus (Crustacea, Copepoda) circadian signaling system using a de novo assembled transcriptome.

Abstract Diel vertical migration and seasonal diapause are critical life history events for the copepod Calanus finmarchicus . While much is known about these behaviors phenomenologically, little is known about their molecular underpinnings. Recent studies in insects suggest that some circadian genes/proteins also contribute to the establishment of seasonal diapause. Thus, it is possible that in Calanus these distinct timing regimes share some genetic components. To begin to address this possibility, we used the well-established Drosophila melanogaster circadian system as a reference for mining clock transcripts from a 200,000 + sequence Calanus transcriptome; the proteins encoded by the identified transcripts were also deduced and characterized. Sequences encoding homologs of the Drosophila core clock proteins CLOCK, CYCLE, PERIOD and TIMELESS were identified, as was one encoding CRYPTOCHROME 2, a core clock protein in ancestral insect systems, but absent in Drosophila . Calanus transcripts encoding proteins known to modulate the Drosophila core clock were also identified and characterized, e.g. CLOCKWORK ORANGE, DOUBLETIME, SHAGGY and VRILLE. Alignment and structural analyses of the deduced Calanus proteins with their Drosophila counterparts revealed extensive sequence conservation, particularly in functional domains. Interestingly, reverse BLAST analyses of these sequences against all arthropod proteins typically revealed non- Drosophila isoforms to be most similar to the Calanus queries. This, in combination with the presence of both CRYPTOCHROME 1 (a clock input pathway protein) and CRYPTOCHROME 2 in Calanus , suggests that the organization of the copepod circadian system is an ancestral one, more similar to that of insects like Danaus plexippus than to that of Drosophila .
The determinants of homelessness and the targeting of housing assistance

Abstract This study combines data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation with the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients to estimate a conditional probability model of homelessness. The results suggest which factors are important predictors of homelessness and argue that gender, age, and race of the household head, are important determinants of whether a household is homeless. Using the results of the model predicting homelessness to simulate the effects of the removal of housing subsidizes from the subsidized population indicates that subsidized housing could be targeted better toward those most at risk of being homeless.
Categorization reduces the effect of context on hedonic preference.

When moderately hedonically positive test stimuli are presented following better-liked context stimuli, preferences between the test stimuli are reduced. This reduction in preference, hedonic condensation, occurs in settings that also produce negative hedonic contrast⁁the phenomenon in which moderately hedonically positive test stimuli seem less positive when they follow better-liked context stimuli. Subjects who were instructed that the context and test stimuli were from different categories exhibited less hedonic condensation. Those categories have smaller hedonic ranges than does the full stimulus set. The increase in preference magnitude with reduction in size of the hedonic range is predicted by Parducci’s (1995) range-frequency model.
Robotic TransAnal Minimally Invasive Surgery in a cadaveric model.

The technique of TransAnal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS) was pioneered in 2009 as a hybrid approach to endoluminal resections of appropriately selected rectal lesions. There are, however, limitations to performing this type of resection. Robotic TAMIS is a novel, experimental technique and in this study was performed in a cadaveric model at a surgical education center. Various tasks were carried out using robotic TAMIS, including full-thickness sharp and cautery excision of rectal wall, as well as intra-luminal suturing of the surgical defect. It was found that for the da Vinci–trained surgeon, these tasks were simple to perform and accomplished with greater precision when compared to standard TAMIS. Our initial results indicate that robotic TAMIS overcomes the limitations of standard TAMIS and that it is a feasible platform for transanal surgery. The cost, however, of performing robotic TAMIS may limit its application to special cases in which standard TAMIS or transanal endoscopic microsurgery resections may prove difficult. Further study is necessary to validate these preliminary findings before robotic TAMIS is performed on live patients.
Losartan inhibits endothelial-to-mesenchymal transformation in mitral valve endothelial cells by blocking transforming growth factor-β-induced phosphorylation of ERK

Adult cardiac valve endothelial cells (VEC) undergo endothelial to mesenchymal transformation (EndMT) in response to transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ). EndMT has been proposed as a mechanism to replenish interstitial cells that reside within the leaflets and further, as an adaptive response that increases the size of mitral valve leaflets after myocardial infarction. To better understand valvular EndMT, we investigated TGFβ-induced signaling in mitral VEC, and carotid artery endothelial cells (CAEC) as a control. Expression of EndMT target genes α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Snai1, Slug, and MMP-2 were used to monitor EndMT. We show that TGFβ-induced EndMT increases phosphorylation of ERK (p-ERK), and this is blocked by Losartan, an FDA-approved antagonist of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1), that is known to indirectly inhibit phosphorylation of ERK (p-ERK). Blocking TGF-β-induced p-ERK directly with the MEK1/2 inhibitor RDEA119 was sufficient to prevent EndMT. In mitral VECs, TGFβ had only modest effects on phosphorylation of the canonical TGF-β signaling mediator mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (SMAD3). These results indicate a predominance of the non-canonical p-ERK pathway in TGFβ-mediated EndMT in mitral VECs. AT1 and angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) were detected in mitral VEC, and high concentrations of angiotensin II (AngII) stimulated EndMT, which was blocked by Losartan. The ability of Losartan or MEK1/2 inhibitors to block EndMT suggests these drugs may be useful in manipulating EndMT to prevent excessive growth and fibrosis that occurs in the leaflets after myocardial infarction.
Computational thinking in a game design course

As a part of an NSF-funded project to enhance computational thinking in undergraduate general education courses, activities and assessments were developed for a game design course taught at DePaul University. The focus of the course is on game analysis and design, but the course textbook uses an approach that is heavily grounded in computational thinking principles. We describe the course activities and assignments and discuss an initial assessment of those materials. Our results show that there is a gap in difficulty between several of the activities and indicate that the materials developed help students to better learn the computational thinking concepts in the course.
A systematic survey of the Cys2His2 zinc finger DNA-binding landscape

Cys2His2 zinc fingers (C2H2-ZFs) comprise the largest class of metazoan DNA-binding domains. Despite this domain's well-defined DNA-recognition interface, and its successful use in the design of chimeric proteins capable of targeting genomic regions of interest, much remains unknown about its DNA-binding landscape. To help bridge this gap in fundamental knowledge and to provide a resource for design-oriented applications, we screened large synthetic protein libraries to select binding C2H2-ZF domains for each possible three base pair target. The resulting data consist of >160 000 unique domain-DNA interactions and comprise the most comprehensive investigation of C2H2-ZF DNA-binding interactions to date. An integrated analysis of these independent screens yielded DNA-binding profiles for tens of thousands of domains and led to the successful design and prediction of C2H2-ZF DNA-binding specificities. Computational analyses uncovered important aspects of C2H2-ZF domain-DNA interactions, including the roles of within-finger context and domain position on base recognition. We observed the existence of numerous distinct binding strategies for each possible three base pair target and an apparent balance between affinity and specificity of binding. In sum, our comprehensive data help elucidate the complex binding landscape of C2H2-ZF domains and provide a foundation for efforts to determine, predict and engineer their DNA-binding specificities.
A simple and effective strategy for labeling cysteine sulfenic acid in proteins by utilization of β-ketoesters as cleavable probes

β-ketoesters are robust probes for labeling sulfenic acid (–SOH) proteins allowing quantitative cleavage of the tag for improved analysis of the labeled peptides by MS.
Trench capacitor leakage in high-density DRAM's

The leakage current between trench capacitors for megabit dynamic MOS memories has been modeled and studied through simulations. The minimum substrate doping density, to limit the leakage current to 1 pA/µm, has been determined as a function of trench-trench spacing. The effect of all other relevant parameters on the required substrate doping density has also been investigated. Furthermore, the substrate doping density at which impact ionization causes avalanche breakdown at the trench capacitor junction has been estimated. It is found that, for trench spacing of 0.75 µm or more, one can always find an intermediate range of substrate doping concentrations for which both the trench-trench leakage and the junction breakdown can be avoided.
Auction based resource allocation in WiMAX

WiMAX delivers Quality of Service (QoS) to users based on a pre-determined traffic classification model. We develop an auction framework to bid for allocating the resources based on the utilities and traffic demands. We classify the users into two categories Premium User who has a high priority access and Non premium user having low-priority access. In principle larger the bandwidth more resources WiMAX can support for the user traffic. We apply the concept of Incentive compatibility and use bidding mechanism to maximize the revenue and social welfare of the WiMAX networks. We have considered different cases to achieve this. First, Dependency of networks sharing the resources based on the concept of reduction to a maximum matching in weighted graphs. Second, Independency of networks with which it will share its resources. This is done by designing a max-min fairness algorithm with two different segments in a decision making process. a) A time dependent function that considers the time when packets wait in queues. b) A buffer utility function to consider buffer size in scheduling to prevent overflow and proportional fairness scheme to gives a fair share to users and maximize the social welfare and revenue.
Complete Genome Sequence of Canine Papillomavirus Type 9

Papillomaviruses are epitheliotropic, nonenveloped, circular, double-stranded DNA viruses within the family Papillomaviridae that are associated with benign and malignant tumors in humans and animals. We report the complete genome sequence of canine papillomavirus type 10 identified from a pigmented plaque located on the head of a mixed-breed bloodhound.
Titin isoform size is not correlated with thin filament length in rat skeletal muscle

The mechanisms controlling thin filament length in muscle remain controversial. It was recently reported that thin filament length was related to titin size, and that the latter might be involved in thin filament length determination. Titin plays several crucial roles in the sarcomere, but its function as it pertains to the thin filament has not been explored. We tested this relationship using several muscles from wild type rats and from a mutant rat model which results in increased titin size. Myofibrils were isolated from skeletal muscles (extensor digitorum longus, external oblique, gastrocnemius, longissimus dorsi, psoas major, and tibialis anterior) using both adult wild type (WT) and homozygous mutant (HM) rats. Phalloidin and antibodies against tropomodulin-4 and nebulin’s N-terminus were used to determine thin filament length. The WT rats studied express skeletal muscle titin sizes ranging from 3.2 to 3.7 MDa, while the HM rats express a giant titin isoform sized at 3.7 MDa. No differences in phalloidin-based thin filament length, nebulin N terminus distances from the Z line, or tropomodulin distances from the Z line were observed across genotypes. The data indicates that, although titin performs many sarcomeric functions, its correlation with thin filament length and structure could not be demonstrated in the rat. Current models of thin filament assembly are inadequate to explain the phalloidin, nebulin N terminus, and tropomodulin staining patterns in the myofibril.
Trichobothrial mediation of an aquatic escape response: Directional jumps by the fishing spider, Dolomedes triton, foil frog attacks

Fishing spiders (Pisauridae) frequent the surfaces of ponds and streams and thereby expose themselves to predation by a variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic vertebrates. To assess the possibility that the impressive jumps of fishing spiders from the water surface function in evading attacks by frogs, attacks by bullfrogs (Rana catesbiana) and green frogs (R. clamitans) on Dolomedes triton were studied. Both the attack dynamics of the frogs and the evasive behaviors of the spiders were recorded at 250 frames per second. A freeze-dried bullfrog, propelled toward spiders with acceleration, posture, and position that approximated the natural attack posture and dynamics, was used to assess the spiders' behavior. Qualitatively, the spiders responded to these mock-attacks just as they had to attacks by live frogs: jumping (N=29 jumps, 56.9% of instances), rearing the legs nearest the attacking frog (N=15, 29.4%), or showing no visible response (N=7, 13.7%). Spiders that jumped always did so away (in the vertical plane) from the attack (mean =137 degrees vs. vertical at 90 degrees or horizontally toward the frog at 0 degrees ). The involvement of the trichobothria (leg hairs sensitive to air movements), and the eyes as sensory mediators of the evasion response was assessed. Spiders with deactivated trichobothria were significantly impaired relative to intact and sham-deactivated spiders, and relative to spiders in total darkness. Thus, functional trichobothria, unlike the eyes, are both necessary and sufficient mediators of the evasion response. Measurements of air flow during frog attacks suggest that an exponential rise in flow velocity is the airborne signature of an attack.
A model for selective attention in monitoring and control reasoning tasks

The author describes a selective attention model which is based on the development of future expectations and contingencies in planning. Selective attention is the ability to intelligently direct the reasoning/planning focus in order to dynamically respond to changing events in monitoring a physical system. The selective attention mechanism enables active sensing which is employed to confirm or deny hypotheses related to future expectations. Contingency plans are modified accordingly. A program was developed based on this model. The program is part of ELICIT (expertise learner and intelligent causal inference tool), coded in Joshua (a high-level representation language developed by Symbolics, Inc.) on a Symbolics 3630 LISP machine. >
Functional-Level Hardware Simulation with Pull-Model Data Flow

Digital hardware designs are nearly always tested and validated prior to deployment using functional-level simulation. Each component of the design, such as a four-bit adder or an eight-to-one multiplexer, is described and modeled as a set of inputs and a set of outputs that change based on changes in the input. Using traditional discrete event simulation, each change in the input set for a component would result in future events being scheduled for each input connected to the component's output. These future events would represent the changed inputs and speed-of-light delays between an output and the corresponding input. Further, some components might respond to clock-tick events that allow for synchronous actions, such as the latching of a bit in a single flip-flop, which results in a changed output only during a specific clock event. We discuss a different approach to functional-level modeling that we call the Pull-Model. In this approach, components do not schedule events to notify other components of input data changes. Rather, each component queries other components asking for the current output value, and does so only when the value is actually needed to model the data flow at that time. We show that this approach significantly reduces the number of events, even when modeling a very simple CPU architecture with only a few components.
Predictors of 30-Day Mortality and Hospital Costs in Patients With Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Attributed to Potentially Antibiotic-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria

Objective: To identify predictors of 30-day mortality and hospital costs in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) attributed to potentially antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (PARGNB) [Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter species, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia]. Design: A retrospective, single-center, observational cohort study. Setting: Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a 1,200-bed urban teaching hospital. Patients: Adult patients requiring hospitalization with microbiologically confirmed VAP attributed to PARGNB. Interventions: Retrospective data collection from automated hospital, microbiology, and pharmacy databases. Measurements and main results: Seventy-six patients with VAP attributed to PARGNB were identified over a 5-year period. Nineteen patients (25.0%) died during hospitalization. Patients receiving their first dose of appropriate antibiotic therapy within 24 h of BAL sampling had a statistically lower 30-day mortality rate compared to patients receiving the first dose of appropriate therapy >24 h after BAL (17.2% vs 50.0%; p 0.005). VAP due to Acinetobacter species was most often initially treated with an inappropriate antibiotic regimen, followed by S maltophilia and P aeruginosa (66.7% vs 33.3% vs 17.2%; p 0.017). Overall, total hospitalization costs were statistically similar in patients initially treated with an inappropriate antibiotic regimen compared to an appropriate regimen ($68,597 $55,466 vs $86,644 $64,433; p 0.390). Conclusions: These data suggest that inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy of microbiologically confirmed VAP attributed to PARGNB is associated with greater 30-day mortality. High rates of VAP attributed to antibiotic-resistant bacteria (eg, Acinetobacter species) may require changes in the local empiric antibiotic treatment of VAP in order to optimize the prescription of appropriate initial therapy. (CHEST 2008; 134:281–287)