cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 17268: Echocardiographic Predictors of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Performance in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Introduction: Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) have lower peak oxygen uptake (VO2) than healthy peers. The mechanism of peak VO2 limitation in HCM has not been fully elucidated. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that resting echocardiographic parameters are predictive of peak VO2 in HCM. Methods: A retrospective review of adult HCM patients seen at a tertiary referral center from 2006-2012 was performed. Patients who underwent a comprehensive echocardiogram and cardiopulmonary treadmill exercise test within 1 week were included. Multivariate modeling was used to identify predictors of peak VO2 adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, beta blocker use, diabetes, smoking, systolic blood pressure, and obstructive HCM. Results: Five hundred and forty one patients met the inclusion criteria. The average age was 52 +/- 0.65 years, 62% were male, 78% had obstructive HCM, and 42% were NYHA class III or IV. Independent predictors of peak VO2 included averaged left ventricular (LV) longitudinal peak systolic strain (p Conclusions: In conclusion, higher RVSP and less negative LV longitudinal peak systolic strain were moderate independent predictors of lower peak VO2. These findings confirm the hypothesis that resting echocardiographic parameters are predictive of peak VO2 in HCM. Further study of the relationship between echocardiographic findings and outcomes on cardiopulmonary exercise testing may help elucidate the mechanisms of exercise limitation in HCM.
Emotional WorkLoad : Its Operationalization, Measurement, and Consideration in the Design of Human-Computer Interfaces

Abstract Mental Work Load and its physiological effects have been studied in a variety of environments using measures such as changes in heart rate, in pupil dilation, in galvanic skin response and so on. Physical Work Load which exceeds a person's capacity has been of continuing interest since the earliest days of medical/human factors research (such as the pioneering stress effect studies of Hans Selye). However the interactions between the physical and mental Stressors manifested in the form of Emotional Work Load have neither been studied nor measured with the same precision for a number of reasons: u • the difficulty of operationalizing the concept of emotional behavior • until recently, the lack of understanding of non-linear behavioral dynamics and emergent phenomena • the lack of precise tools to study the phenomena in its full multivariate form. This has left an important gap in the theory, understanding, and management of Work Load required to improve the performance of the current generation of intelligent computer interfaces and the design of their successors It is the purpose of this paper to briefly define the concept of emotional workload, delineate and operationalize some of the key concepts and examine their measurement, and from this perspective, suggest approaches for tackling the problem of designing“tunable” Human Computer Interfaces including those used by health care provider teams delivering health care services remotely via utilization of Telemedical Technology
SAT-Based Counterexample Guided Abstraction Refinement in Model Checking

We introduce a SAT based automatic abstraction refinement framework for model checking systems with several thousand state variables in the cone of influence of the specification. The abstract model is constructed by designating a large number of state variables as “invisible”. In contrast to previous work where invisible variables were treated as free inputs we describe a computationally more advantageous approach in which the abstract transition relation is approximated by “pre-quantifying” invisible variables during image computation. The abstract counterexamples obtained from model-checking the abstract model are symbolically simulated on the concrete system using a state-of-the-art SAT checker. If no concrete counterexample is found, a subset of the invisible variables is reintroduced into the system and the process is repeated.
6H-SiC CMOS digital ICs operating on a 5 V power supply

Summary form only given. CMOS is a very attractive technology for digital circuits because it offers full rail-to-rail output swings and greater noise margins than NMOS circuits. CMOS also provides active loads for linear circuits. Implementation of CMOS in silicon carbide (SiC) devices is expected to provide reliable circuits for high temperature operation. However, previous implementations of CMOS in SiC resulted in very high PMOS threshold voltages. This requires a high supply voltage, which is not desirable for high temperature operations. In this paper, we present the first CMOS digital IC in 6H-SiC to operate with a single 5 V power supply.
Authorization Framework for Resource Sharing in Grid Environments

Grid data sharing services provide a unified platform for dynamic discovery, access and sharing of distributed data in Grid environments. A common authorization system is needed to provide access control for both Grid data sharing services as well as the data resources that are being shared through these services, accommodating different security requirements from the service providers and the data providers. In this paper, we present a flexible policy-driven authorization system, called RamarsAuthZ, for secure data sharing services in Grid environments. RamarsAuthZ adopts a flexible role-based approach with trust-aware feature to advocate originator control and provide unified access control both at the service level and at the data level.
The Promise and Perils of Credit Derivatives

In this Article, we begin what we believe will be a fruitful area of scholarly inquiry: an in-depth analysis of credit derivatives. We survey the benefits and risks of credit derivatives, particularly as the use of these instruments affect the role of banks and other creditors in corporate governance. We also hope to create a framework for a more general scholarly discussion of credit derivatives.We define credit derivatives as financial instruments whose payoffs are linked in some way to a change in credit quality of an issuer or issuers. Our research suggests that there are two major categories of credit derivative. First, a credit default swap is a private contract in which private parties bet on a debt issuer's bankruptcy, default, or restructuring. For example, a bank that has loaned $10 million to a company might enter into a $10 million credit default swap with a third party for hedging purposes. If the company defaults on its debt, the bank will lose money on the loan, but make money on the swap; conversely, if the company does not default, the bank will make a payment to the third party, reducing its profits on the loan.Second, a collateralized debt obligation (CDO) is a pool of debt contracts housed within a special purpose entity (SPE) whose capital structure is sliced and resold based on differences in credit quality. In a cash flow CDO, the SPE purchases a portfolio of outstanding debt issued by a range of companies, and finances its purchase by issuing its own financial instruments, including primarily debt but also equity. In a synthetic CDO, the SPE does not purchase actual bonds, but instead enters into several credit default swaps with a third party, to create synthetic exposure to the outstanding debt issued by a range of companies. The SPE finances its purchase by issuing financial instruments to investors, but these instruments are backed by credit default swaps rather than any actual bonds.In the Article's first substantive part, we discuss the benefits associated with both types of credit derivatives, which include increased opportunities for hedging, increased liquidity, reduced transaction costs, and a deeper and potentially more efficient market for trading credit risk. We then discuss the risks associated with credit derivatives, such as moral hazard and other incentive problems, limited disclosure, potential systemic risk, high transaction costs, and the mispricing of credit. After considering the benefits and risks, we discuss some of the implications of our findings, and make some preliminary recommendations. In particular, we focus on the issues of disclosure, regulatory licenses associated with credit ratings, and the special treatment of derivatives in bankruptcy.
Understanding Temporal and Spatial Variability of the Lunar Helium Atmosphere Using Simultaneous Observations from LRO, LADEE, and ARTEMIS

Simultaneous measurements of helium in the exosphere of the Moon are made from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Lyman Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) and the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS) through the entire 5-month span of the LADEE mission. In addition, the ARTEMIS mission monitored the solar wind alpha particle flux to the Moon. Modeling the lunar helium exosphere, we relate the LAMP polar observations to the LADEE equatorial observations. Further, using the ARTEMIS alpha flux in the Monte Carlo model reproduces the temporal variations in helium density. Comparing the LAMP data to the LADEE data shows excellent agreement. Comparing those with the ARTEMIS data reveals that the solar wind alpha flux is the primary driver to variability in the helium exosphere throughout the LADEE mission. Using a decay time for exospheric helium of 5 days, we determine that the solar wind contributes 64 +/- 5% of the helium to the lunar exosphere. The remaining 36 +/- 5% is presumed to come from outgassing of radiogenic helium from the interior of the Moon. Furthermore, the model reproduces the measurements if 63 +/- 6% of the incident alpha particles are converted to thermalized helium atoms through the interaction between the alphas and the lunar surface. However, these values are dependent on both inferred source rates from LAMP and LADEE observations and on the assumed time constant of the exospheric decay rate.
MECHANISTICALLY BASED MODELS FOR THE PREDICTION OF FATIGUE DAMAGE IN A BETA TITANIUM ALLOY

This paper presents the results of recent studies of the micromechanisms of room temperature fatigue damage elucidated in a metastable beta Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn alloy. The fatigue damage mechanisms observed include: grain boundary sliding, crack initiation/propagation, and crack coalescence prior to the onset of catastrophic failure. Mechanistically based models are presented for the prediction of fatigue damage (plasticity and cracking). The models are based on fracture mechanics idealizations of the complex damage modes observed during fatigue experiments, in which acoustic emission signals were collected from deformed sections. Following appropriate noise filtration and careful analysis of the detected acoustic emission signals, the number of counts due to cracking is shown to represent a scalar measure of damage. A modified power law expression (modified Paris law) is also proposed to describe the relationship between the cracking count rate and the effective stress intensity factor. Estimates of the fatigue lives are obtained by integrating between appropriate limits, after the separation of variables in the modified Paris law expression. The measured and predicted fatigue lives were generally in good agreement.
Spontaneous Catalytic Generation of Nitric Oxide from S-Nitrosothiols at the Surface of Polymer Films Doped with Lipophilic Copper(II) Complex

A new approach for preparing potentially more blood-compatible nitric oxide (NO)-generating polymeric materials is described. The method involves creating polymeric films that have catalytic sites within (lipophilic copper(II) complex) that are capable of converting endogenous S-nitrosothiols present in blood (S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), S-nitrosocysteine (CysNO), etc.) to NO. The catalytic NO generation reaction involves the initial reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) within the complex by appropriate reducing agents (e.g., thiolates or ascorbate), followed by the reduction of S-nitrosothiols to NO by the Cu(I) complex at the polymer/solution interface. The NO fluxes observed when PVC or polyurethane films containing the copper(II) complex are placed in solutions containing physiological levels of nitrosothiols (muM levels) reach ca. 8 x 10-10 mol cm-2 min-1, greater than that produced by normal endothelial cells that line all healthy blood vessels. It is thus anticipated that this spontaneous catalytic generation of NO from endogenous nitrosothiols will render such polymeric materials more thromboresistant when in contact with blood in vivo.
Greater Improvement in Cardiorespiratory Fitness Using Higher-Intensity Interval Training in the Standard Cardiac Rehabilitation Setting.

PURPOSE: We tested the hypothesis that higher-intensity interval training (HIIT) could be deployed into a standard cardiac rehabilitation (CR) setting and would result in a greater increase in cardiorespiratory fitness (ie, peak oxygen uptake, ) versus moderate-intensity continuous training (MCT). METHODS: Thirty-nine patients participating in a standard phase 2 CR program were randomized to HIIT or MCT; 15 patients and 13 patients in the HIIT and MCT groups, respectively, completed CR and baseline and followup cardiopulmonary exercise testing. RESULTS: No patients in either study group experienced an event that required hospitalization during or within 3 hours after exercise. The changes in resting heart rate and blood pressure at followup testing were similar for both HIIT and MCT. at ventilatory-derived anaerobic threshold increased more (P < .05) with HIIT (3.0 +/- 2.8 mL[middle dot]kg[middle dot]-1min-1) versus MCT (0.7 +/- 2.2 mL[middle dot]kg[middle dot]-1min-1). During followup testing, submaximal heart rate at the end of stage 2 of the exercise test was significantly lower within both the HIIT and MCT groups, with no difference noted between groups. Peak V[spacing dot above]o2 improved more after CR in patients in HIIT versus MCT (3.6 +/- 3.1 mL[middle dot]kg.-1[middle dot]min-1 vs 1.7 +/- 1.7 mL[middle dot]kg.-1[middle dot]min-1; P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with stable coronary heart disease on evidence-based therapy, HIIT was successfully integrated into a standard CR setting and, when compared to MCT, resulted in greater improvement in peak exercise capacity and submaximal endurance.
ACUTE INJURY PATTERNS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE VICTIMS

Although millions of women receive injuries from intimate partner violence (IPV) each year in the United States alone, there has been only limited research of acute injury patterns and the types, locations, and mechanisms of IPV injuries. The mechanism of being punched to the face with a fist resulting in blunt trauma-related injuries is most commonly reported. Strangulation, especially manual strangulation, is a frequently cited mechanism of injury; however, less is known about the types of injuries that result from strangulation. In general, clinicians should assess all patients who present for treatment of head, neck, and face injuries for IPV. There is little consistency between and much inaccuracy with medical terms used to describe types of injuries. To increase the accuracy and generalizability of findings from studies of acute IPV injuries, researchers need to use more standardized medical forensic terminology.
Dissecting aneurysm of aorta with hemorrhagic infarction of the spinal cord and complete paraplegia.

Abstract A case of dissecting aneurysm of the aorta is presented in which all the intercostal arteries were severed, causing hemorrhagic infarction of the spinal cord and complete motor and sensory paraplegia. To our knowledge it is the first such case reported in which spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage occurred.
Test challenges for 3D circuits

Summary form only given. It is amazing how chip level integration has progressed to this point that we now have chips that consist of more than a billion transistors. As amazing as this level of integration, we have only been exploiting 2 dimensions (2D) integration only, i.e. transistors are still on a common plane. Obviously, one way to surpass this 2D integration trend is to go three dimensions (3D). The multiple layers of metal interconnects does not qualify as 3D as the transistors are still on the same plane. Common perception is that 3D simply means die stacking, with peripheral wire bonding to connect individual chips to a common substrate. Technology has advanced beyond that. Wafer thinning and tiny through silicon via (TSV) technology that intimately interconnects 2 or more pieces of silicon are commercially available. This has opened up the space for more advanced level of 3D integration. Dies can literally be stacked one on top of each other with potentially millions of tiny pads that bond the 2 dies together. Since circuits can be placed closer together (on top of each other), wire length is reduced and more importantly wire loading is also reduced, leading to better performance and reduced power consumption. Of course, this poses many issues, not the least is the challenge of testing partial circuits at the wafer level. Since the circuits are not completed before the 2 dies are fused together, the circuitry on either wafer/die are only partial and incomplete. How would we implement any kind of functional test (which may be needed for better pairing of defect free dies or dies that has similar process characteristics)? What about structural test (with all these dangling nodes off millions of these tiny vias/pads? What about the clock and power network which may be split between the 2 dies (which is essentially incomplete structure on their individual wafer)? This is very different than the known good die (KGD) problem in the past as the dies are only partial. If we had problems with KGD in the past (to support multiple chip module (MCM)), how would we expect to be able to support this new level of integration? If we leave the partial dies relatively untested, what would be the resulting yield? What would be the resulting performance of the die stack? This talk highlights the test challenges associated with an advanced version of 3D integration.
Preventing Anabolic Steroid Use: Guidelines and Activities

Abstract Anabolic steroids have become increasingly popular among professional athletes and college, high school, and junior high school students. Because of the negative physical and psychological consequences of the drugs, it is essential that information about anabolic steroids is included in the school health curriculum. Unfortunately, there is little information about effective educational activities and strategies for preventing anabolic steroid use. Practical suggestions for planning education programs as well as a variety of sample activities and strategies that can be easily adapted for different age groups are described. Special emphasis is placed on case studies since they can be readily integrated into other health-related topics. Many of the activities are particularly well-suited for integration with other academic subjects. Education efforts should also include educating adults such parents, school officials, counselors, coaches, athletic trainers, and health care professionals, including p...
Computer analysis of symptom complexes in patients having upper gastrointestinal examinations

One thousand and forty-six patients, referred for barium meal examination, were interviewed and subsequently examined by one radiologist. Attempts were made to correlate the data obtained from the patient with radiologic diagnosis, using discriminant function analysis and Bayesian conditional probability calculations. Each patient was classified into one of eight diagnostic categories on the basis of these calculations. The accuracy of this method was compared with that of the clinical diagnoses made by the radiologist before examination. Other studies evaluating statistical methods of medical diagnoses have been confined to situations in which clinical diagnostic accuracy is high. As in these, the present study, which is directed to patients who challenge the acumen of the practising physician, yields a diagnostic accuracy similar to that achieved by the clinician.
Inverse semigroups with certain types of partial automorphism monoids

For an inverse semigroup S , the set of all isomorphisms betweeninverse subsemigroups of S is an inverse monoid under composition which is denoted by ( S ) and called the partial automorphism monoid of S . Kirkwood [7] and Libih [8] determined which groups have Clifford partial automorphism monoids. Here we investigate the structure of inverse semigroups whose partial automorphism monoids belong to certain other important classes of inverse semigroups. First of all, we describe (modulo so called “exceptional” groups) all inverse semigroups S such that ( S ) is completely semisimple. Secondly, for an inverse semigroup S , we find a convenient description of the greatest idempotent-separating congruence on ( S ), using a well-known general expression for this congruence due to Howie, and describe all those inverse semigroups whose partial automorphism monoids are fundamental.
Biomass and lipid production of Chlorella protothecoides under heterotrophic cultivation on a mixed waste substrate of brewer fermentation and crude glycerol

Abstract Biomass and lipid accumulation of heterotrophic microalgae Chlorella protothecoides by supplying mixed waste substrate of brewer fermentation and crude glycerol were investigated. The biomass concentrations of the old and the new C. protothecoides strains on day 6 reached 14.07 and 12.73 g/L, respectively, which were comparable to those in basal medium with supplement of glucose and yeast extract (BM-GY) (14.47 g/L for old strains and 11.43 g/L for new strains) (P > 0.05). Approximately 81.5% of total organic carbon and 65.1% of total nitrogen in the mixed waste were effectively removed. The accumulated lipid productivities of the old and the new C. protothecoides strains in BM-GY were 2.07 and 1.61 g/L/day, respectively, whereas in the mixed waste, lipid productivities could reach 2.12 and 1.81 g/L/day, respectively. Our result highlights a new approach of mixing carbon-rich and nitrogen-rich wastes as economical and practical alternative substrates for biofuel production.
Efficient parallel algorithms on restartable fail-stop processors

Abstract : We study efficient deterministic executions of parallel algorithms on restartable fail-stop CRCW PRAMs. We allow the PRAM processors to be subject to arbitrary stop failures and restarts, that are determined by on-line adversary, and that result in loss of private memory but do not affect shared memory. For this model, we define and justify the complexity measures of: completed work, where processors are charged for completed fixed-size update cycles, and overhead ratio, which amortizes the work over necessary work and failures. We observe that P = N restartable fail-stop processors, the Write-All problem requires omega(N log N) completed work, and this lower bound holds even under the additional assumption that processors can read and locally process the entire shared memory at unit cost. Under this unrealistic assumption we have a matching upperbound. The lower bound also applies to the expected completed work of randomized algorithms that are subject to on line adversaries. Finally, we describe a simple on-line adversary that causes inefficiency in may randomized algorithms.
Fewer active motors per vesicle may explain slowed vesicle transport in chick motoneurons after three days in vitro.

Abstract Vesicle transport in cultured chick motoneurons was studied over a period of 3 days using motion-enhanced differential interference contrast (MEDIC) microscopy, an improved version of video-enhanced DIC. After 3 days in vitro (DIV), the average vesicle velocity was about 30% less than after 1 DIV. In observations at 1, 2 and 3 DIV, larger vesicles moved more slowly than small vesicles, and retrograde vesicles were larger than anterograde vesicles. The number of retrograde vesicles increased relative to anterograde vesicles after 3 DIV, but this fact alone could not explain the decrease in velocity, since the slowing of vesicle transport in maturing motoneurons was observed independently for both anterograde and retrograde vesicles. In order to better understand the slowing trend, the distance vs. time trajectories of individual vesicles were examined at a frame rate of 8.3/s. Qualitatively, these trajectories consisted of short (1–2 s) segments of constant velocity, and the changes in velocity between segments were abrupt ( R 2 = 0.994). We propose that the abrupt velocity changes occur when 1 or 2 motors suddenly begin or cease actively participating in vesicle transport. Under this hypothesis, the decrease in average vesicle velocity observed for maturing motoneurons is due to a decrease in the average number of active motors per vesicle.
Effects of aluminum from water-treatment-residual applications to pastures on mineral status of grazing cattle and mineral concentrations of forages

Aluminum (Al) applied to land in the form of water treatment residuals (Al‐WTR) can reduce soluble soil phosphorus (P). Two experiments (145 and 148 d) using 36 grazing Holstein steers were conducted to determine effects of Al‐WTR applications to pasture on mineral status of cattle and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum). Four treatments were with and without Al‐WTR and P‐free mineral supplementation. Total pasture application of Al‐WTR over 2 years was 75.8 metric tons dry weight/ha. There were few treatment effects on weight gains and mineral tissue concentrations. Forage mineral concentrations were generally unaffected by treatment but were affected (P < 0.05) by collection dates. Most forage samples were deficient in sodium (Na), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), and cobalt (Co) and at various collections deficient in calcium (Ca), P, iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn). Applications of Al‐WTR are effective in reducing P contamination without affecting forage or cattle mineral concentrations.
Heat Flow in Metals below 1 °K and a New Method for Magnetic Cooling

Measurements have been made of the thermal conductivities of tin and tantalum both in the superconducting and normal states in the temperature range 0.2 deg to 1 deg K and experiments have been carried out on the question of thermal contact by heat flow through superconductors in this temperature range. The preliminary results of these experiments may be of interest in connection with two stage magnetic cooling methods, such as have been proposed for the study of nuclear paramagnetism and consequently are reported here. In addition the experiments have led to a convenient method for adiabatic magnetic cooling.
The behavioral spectrum of tic disorders: A community-based study

Background: Tourette syndrome (TS) and related tic disorders are commonly associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It has been argued, however, that any observed association between TS and these and other psychopathologies may be due to ascertainment bias in that individuals with multiple problems are more likely to be referred for medical evaluation. Methods: In order to overcome the potential confounding by ascertainment bias, the authors conducted a community-based study of school children using direct interviews to determine the prevalence of tic disorders and any comorbid psychopathology. A standard psychiatric interview and standardized rating scales were utilized to diagnose childhood behavioral disorders. Results: Of the 1,596 children interviewed, 339 were identified as having tics. The following psychopathologies were found more commonly (p Conclusion: The behavioral spectrum of tic disorders includes OCD, other anxiety disorders, a mood disorder, and attention-deficit and disruptive behavior disorders.
Sex scandals, racial domination and the systemic correlation of power-modalities in Foucault

This essay explores relations between discourses of sexuality and race in US society today through an analysis of recent sex scandals, in a manner informed by Foucault and provoking further critical development of his theory. Sex scandal narratives demonstrate how sovereignty, discipline, and biopolitics currently combine to form a systemic correlation of power-technologies. This power matrix, in turn, enables strategies of racial domination through the war on terror, immigration control, and economic crisis management. Sex scandals both help bring these racial power-dynamics into view and reproduce them by fortifying the concatenation of power-modalities on which they rely.
Characterization of two genes expressed in the salivary glands of the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say)☆

Two genes, SSGP-11A1 and SSGP-12A1, have been isolated that encodes proteins with a secretion signal peptide at theN-terminals from the Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor (Say)). The SSGP-11A1 gene contains one small intron (89 bp) and encodes a putative protein with 79 amino acids. The first 18 amino acids constitute a putative secretion signal peptide. The SSGP-12A1 gene contains three small introns and encodes a putative protein with 234 amino acids. The first 19 amino acids constitute a putative secretion signal peptide. Northern blot analysis revealed that both of the genes are primarily expressed in the salivary glands of Hessian fly larvae, the feeding stage of the insect. These observations are consistent with the possibility that the proteins encoded by them are secreted into host plants during feeding. Even though both genes are exclusively expressed in Hessian fly larvae, the expression profiles between them were quite different in insects at different instars. The SSGP-11A1 gene was expressed in all instars of larvae while the SSGP-12A1 gene was almost exclusively expressed in the first instar larvae. The differential expression suggests that the proteins encoded by these two genes may perform different functions. In situ hybridization revealed that the SSGP-11A1 gene is located on the short arm of chromosome A1 while SSGP-12A1 gene is on the long arm of chromosome A2.
Enhancement of the Josephson critical current in a multiterminal SINIS device under current injection

In a multiterminal SINIS $(\mathrm{Nb}∕\mathrm{Al}∕\mathrm{Al}{\mathrm{O}}_{x}∕\mathrm{Al}∕\mathrm{Al}{\mathrm{O}}_{x}∕\mathrm{Al}∕\mathrm{Nb})$ device (where S, I, and N denote a superconductor, insulator, and normal metal), which has electrical leads connected to the middle N (Al) layer, a current passing through one of the subjunctions (NIS) modulates the supercurrent through the other subjunction (SIN), so that, at some injection levels, the supercurrent increases above its steady state value. A theoretical model is given that describes the effect in terms of nonlinear coupling of the two subjunctions due to the electric current controlled by the proximity effect in the N layer.
Health care access and smoking cessation among cancer survivors: implications for the Affordable Care Act and survivorship care

The study objectives are to examine prevalence of current smoking, and to assess the association of both health insurance (HI) and access to care with smoking cessation among cancer survivors. We performed an analysis from a cross-sectional study of cancer survivors aged 18–64 years using nationally representative data from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. We assessed the prevalence of current smoking among cancer survivors. Also, in a subset excluding never smokers, we assessed cessation status of cancer survivors operationalized as comparing current to former smokers. The study population (N = 18,896) was predominantly 45–64 years of age, female, and white. The prevalence of current smoking was substantially greater among cancer survivors without HI (40.9 %) than for those with HI (19.5 %). Cancer survivors with no HI had 2-fold greater adjusted odds of not quitting cigarette smoking compared to those with HI. Among those with insurance, cancer survivors who did not have regular health care provider or could not see doctor due to cost or had their last routine checkup ≥1 year ago had 60–80 % fold greater adjusted odds of not quitting cigarette smoking compared to cancer survivors who had better access to health care. Cancer survivors without HI have substantially greater current smoking rates compared with those with HI. Among cancer survivors with HI, those who experienced health care access-related problems had lower cessation rates than their counterparts. Smoking cessation needs to be recognized as a crucial component of preventive care for cancer survivors. Continuous patient engagement and cancer-patient-centered strategies are urgently needed to achieve optimal results for quit rates particularly for young cancer survivors who are most susceptible to current smoking.
Bionomics of Psorophora Ferox (Diptera: Culicidae): Seasonal Occurrence and Acquisition of Sugars

Despite erratic annual and seasonal distributions of Psorophora ferox in a woodland habitat, males and females consistently contained fructose or sucrose throughout diurnal hours. Anthrone tests detected nectar sugars in 38% of 1000 females and 48% of 497 males captured between 0900 and 2100 h in August 1976. Percentages of nectar-positive resting (82%) and blood-seeking females (71%) were greatest during 1701–1900 h. Nectar-positivity for males generally exceeded that of females throughout the day. Although Aster divaricatus (white wood aster) and Aster lowrieanus (Lowrie's aster) served as nectar sources during evening crepuscular periods (1901–2100 h), only 66 females and 58 males were observed on blossoms. Chemical test results suggest a much higher frequency of feedings on sugars than is indicated by visual sightings on flowers.
Response to ‘Vitamin D levels and early mortality among incident hemodialysis patients’

We thank the authors for their comments regarding deficiency of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D) as a novel risk factor for mortality.1 Although we attempted to adjust for baseline factors at the initiation of dialysis including certain quality of care indicators such as fistula prevalence, we agree with the authors that residual confounding remains a limitation in this and other observational studies. We also agree with the authors that the benefits of maintaining normal 25D levels observed in other clinical settings such as cancer prevention lend further evidence in support of the importance of the vitamin D axis in health.
Anomalous elastic behavior in crystalline silica.

A low-density polymorph of silica, \ensuremath{\alpha}-cristobalite, has been observed to have a negative Poisson ratio, i.e., when subjected to a uniaxial compression, this crystal contracts in the transverse direction. This behavior is uncommon. Other low-density polymorphs of silica, which have a similar chemical environment, have been reported to have positive Poisson ratios. We have investigated the elastic behavior of several silica phases: \ensuremath{\alpha}-quartz, \ensuremath{\beta}-quartz, and \ensuremath{\alpha}-cristobalite, with first-principles quantum-mechanical calculations, and with interatomic potentials. Our calculations confirm a negative Poisson ratio in \ensuremath{\alpha}-cristobalite. We predict that \ensuremath{\alpha}-quartz will have a negative Poisson ratio at high tensile strains, and that \ensuremath{\beta}-quartz will never assume a negative ratio. We compute the second-order elastic constants of \ensuremath{\alpha}-quartz and \ensuremath{\alpha}-cristobalite using interatomic potentials and apply them in discussing the anisotropy of Poisson ratios in these materials. We demonstrate that the rigidity of the ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{4}$ tetrahedral units is intimately related to the occurrence of negative Poisson ratios in crystalline forms of silica.
Antigen-dependent transition of IgE to a detergent-insoluble form is associated with reduced IgE receptor-dependent secretion from RBL-2H3 mast cells.

In mast cells, basophils, and the RBL-2H3 tumor mast cell model, crosslinking cell surface IgE-receptor complexes by multivalent ligands activates a signal transduction pathway that leads to the secretion of histamine, serotonin, and other inflammatory mediators. Receptor crosslinking in RBL-2H3 cells also changes cell surface morphology and increases F-actin assembly. Previously, Robertson et al. (J. Immunol., 135: 4565–4572, 1986) demonstrated that crosslinked IgE-receptor complexes become associated with the Triton X-100-insoluble fraction (the “cytoskeleton”) of RBL-2H3 cells and raised the possibility that receptor-cytoskeletal association may be a required step in the stimulation of secretion. The studies reported here confirm by flow cytometry that crosslinking cell surface IgE by antigen induces the association of the crosslinked complexes with the detergent-insoluble fraction. Dose-response studies, also reported here, indicate that the detergent insolubility of the complexes does not correlate with secretion. Thus, secretion increases with antigen concentration to a maximum beyond which more antigen causes less, not more, secretion. There is little residual detergent-insoluble IgE at the concentrations of antigen that promote optimal secretion, whereas the association of IgE with the detergent-insoluble fraction is maximal at the high antigen concentrations that result in reduced secretion. The addition of monovalent hapten to reduce the amount of crosslinking caused by high concentrations of antigen increases secretion and simultaneously reduces the association of IgE with the detergent-insoluble fraction. Dihydrocytochalasin B, an inhibitor of antigen-stimulated actin polymerization, also increases the rate and extent of secretion and simultaneously delays the association of crosslinked IgE-receptor complexes with the detergent-insoluble fraction. From these data, we propose that the association of crosslinked IgE receptors with the detergent-insoluble fraction of RBL-2H3 cells increases with increased receptor crosslinking, is enhanced by antigen-induced actin polymerization, and is more likely related to the termination than the stimulation of secretion. The ligand-induced conversion of receptors to a detergent-insoluble form is not restricted to mast cells but occurs in a variety of cell types. Its general function may be to limit the generation or transmission of transmembrane signals.
Creative computing: introductory programming concepts with processing.js (abstract only)

Khan Academy recently announced that they will soon be teaching introductory Computer Science topics with the Processing.js language and an interactive, web-based code editor. At UNC Asheville, we have been using a similar pedagogical approach for over a year. Specifically, we have integrated Processing.js into our introductory course for non-majors by building an open-source, web-based editor which makes it easy for students to edit, save and share their Processing.js sketches. This workshop offers a hands-on introduction to Processing.js and our editor. Participants will also be given an overview of the programming module in Creative Computing, our recently re-imagined CS0 course. Curious individuals with a laptop, a modern web-browser and some basic programming experience are welcome.
A postive trigonometric sum

The positivity of \[ \sum_{k = 0}^n {\frac{{(\lambda )_k (\lambda )_{n - k} }}{{k!(n - k)!}}\frac{{\sin (k + 1)\theta }}{{k + 1}}} \] on $[{\pi / 3},\pi )$ when $3 < \lambda \leqq 4$ is established.
Photoproduction and Electroproduction of Pions in the Region of the N * (1238)

The photoproduction and electroproduction of pions is treated relativistically. A new solution for the 3-3 amplitudes is obtained which includes recoil and is insensitive to a cutoff. Corrections to the ${E}_{0+}$ and ${M}_{1\ensuremath{-}}$ amplitudes are evaluated by using fixed-$t$ dispersion relations. Good results are obtained in the region around the 3-3 resonance up to $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}N$ center-of-mass energies about 1300 MeV and electron momentum transfer up to 3.8 Be${\mathrm{V}}^{2}$.
Vaccination protects β2 microglobulin deficient mice from immune mediated mortality but not from persisting viral infection

Abstract Intracranial (i.c.) infection of immunocompetent mice with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) results in immunopathological lethal meningitis mediated by CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Vaccination of immunocompetent mice elicits a CD8+ CTL response that can protect the mice from lethal meningitis. β 2 microglobulin-deficient ( β 2 m − − ) mice are deficient in CD8+ CTL, exhibit CD4+ CTL, and, after i.c. LCMV infection, undergo a less severe meningitis with decreased mortality and additionally develop a wasting disease. Both wasting disease and mortality in β 2 m − − mice are mediated by CD4+ T cells. We studied the effects of vaccination and challenge dose on weight loss, mortality and viral clearance after i.c. LCMV infection in β 2 m − − mice. Unvaccinated β 2 m − − mice had significant weight loss and mortality at doses of 200 and 10 3 p.f.u. LCMV, while a dose of 10 6 p.f.u. LCMV elicited significant mortality but less weight loss. Vaccination with u.v.-inactivated LCMV in complete Freund's adjuvant or with vaccinia virus expressing the LCMV glycoprotein or nucleoprotein genes protected β 2 m − − mice from mortality but not weight loss after 200 p.f.u. LCMV challenge. Although protected from mortality, β 2 m − − mice were unable to clear LCMV from their brains or spleens. Therefore, we show that vaccination can protect against lethal immune-meningitis in the face of persistent infection.
Genetics of Seed Abortion and Reproductive Traits in Soybean

In soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], yield or seed number is determined by the number of seeds per pod, the number of pods per plant, and the number of plants per row. Seeds per pod is a function of the number of ovules per pod and the success of seed set (lack of seed abortion). The objective of this study was to define the genetic basis for seed set. In this study, recombinant inbred (RI) segregants of soybean have been used to identify genetic components, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that regulate different parameters of seed set. The numbers of ovules per pod and abortions were measured in RI segregants of soybean, as were positions and developmental stages of abortions within pods. Quantitative trait loci were identified from segregants of the Minsoy-Noir 1 RI population grown in Utah and Minnesota. These were confirmed in Minsoy-Archer or Noir 1-Archer RI populations grown in Minnesota. The average abortion frequency in the three RI populations ranged from 10 to 29%. Abortions occurred most frequently in the basal position of the pod and embryo development ceased most often at one of two developmental stages: embryos failed to develop (or ovules were not fertilized), or embryos were partially developed and ceased growth just after cotyledon differentiation. Quantitative trait loci were found on several linkage groups, including U11, U13, and U22. The QTLs in U11 were linked to QTLs for flowering date, reproductive period (RP), and maturity. Two separate QTLs on U13 were linked to genes for male and female sterility (Msl, Ms6, or St5) and to genes for disease resistance, respectively. One of two distinct QTLs on U22 was associated with a previously identified QTL for water use efficiency. Also of interest was a QTL on U3 linked to Lfl that determined the number of ovules per pod, suggesting a common regulation of leaf and flower primordia.
Research Partnerships at the State Level Bridging the Academic–Practitioner Divide

This article examines the factors that influence academic–practitioner research partnerships at the state level. The state longitudinal data system (SLDS) offers the capacity to link client-level d...
A Conserved Tetranucleotide Repeat Is Necessary for Wild-Type Expression of the Moraxella catarrhalis UspA2 Protein

The UspA2 protein has been shown to be directly involved in the serum-resistant phenotype of Moraxella catarrhalis. The predicted 5′-untranslated regions (UTR) of the uspA2 genes in several different M. catarrhalis strains were shown to contain various numbers (i.e., 6 to 23) of a heteropolymeric tetranucleotide (AGAT) repeat. Deletion of the AGAT repeats from the uspA2 genes in the serum-resistant M. catarrhalis strains O35E and O12E resulted in a drastic reduction in UspA2 protein expression and serum resistance. PCR and transformation were used to construct a series of M. catarrhalis O12E strains that differed only in the number of AGAT repeats in their uspA2 genes. Expression of UspA2 was maximal in the presence of 18 AGAT repeats, although serum resistance attained wild-type levels in the presence of as few as nine AGAT repeats. Increased UspA2 expression was correlated with both increased binding of vitronectin and decreased binding of polymerized C9. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that changes in the number of AGAT repeats affected the levels of uspA2 mRNA, with 15 to 18 AGAT repeats yielding maximal levels. Primer extension analysis indicated that these AGAT repeats were contained in the 5′-UTR of the uspA2 gene. The mRNA transcribed from a uspA2 gene containing 18 AGAT repeats was found to have a longer half-life than that transcribed from a uspA2 gene lacking AGAT repeats. These data confirm that the presence of the AGAT repeats in the 5′-UTR of the uspA2 gene is necessary for both normal expression of the UspA2 protein and serum resistance.
Dispersion of Picosecond Pulses in Coplanar Transmission Lines

The dispersion of coplanar-type transmission lines has been extended to the terahertz regime to examine the distortion of picosecond electrical pulses. Dispersion of coplanar waveguides is compared to equivalent microstrip lines. Agreement with available experimental data is demonstrated for coplanar strips, An approximate dispersion formula for coplanar waveguides is also reported for CAD applications.
Population dynamics and the economics of invasive species management: the greenhouse whitefly in California-grown strawberries.

In agriculture, relatively few efficacious control measures may be available for an invasive pest. In the case of a new insect pest, insecticide use decisions are affected by regulations associated with its registration, insect population dynamics, and seasonal market price cycles. We assess the costs and benefits of environmental regulations designed to regulate insecticide applications on an invasive species. We construct a bioeconomic model, based on detailed scientific data, of management decisions for a specific invasion: greenhouse whiteflies in California-grown strawberries. The empirical model integrates whitefly population dynamics, the effect of whitefly feeding on strawberry yields, and weekly strawberry price. We use the model to assess the optimality of alternative treatment programs on a simulated greenhouse whitefly population. Our results show that regulations may lead growers to “under-spray” when placed in an economic context, and provide some general lessons about the design of optimal invasive species control policies.
Correlation inequalities for the truncated two-point function of an Ising ferromagnet

We establish the following new correlation inequalities for the truncated twopoint function of an Ising ferromagnet in a positive external field: 〈σ j ; σ l 〉 T ⩾〈σ j ; σ k 〉 T 〈σ k ;σ l 〉 T , and 〈σ j ; σ l 〉 T ⩽ ∑ k ∈ K 〈σ j ; σ k 〉 T 〈σ k σ l 〉, whereK is any set of sites which separatesj froml. The inequalities are also valid for the pure phases with zero magnetic field at all temperatures. Above the critical temperature they reduce to known inequalities of Griffiths and Simon, respectively.