cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response by Mahmoud et al to Letter Regarding Article, “Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds Versus Everolimus-Eluting Metallic Stents: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials”

We would like to thank Dr Kounis and colleagues for the valuable comments and their interest in our work.1 Kounis et al highlighted a pathophysiological mechanism that might help to explain the higher incidence of definite/probable stent/scaffold thrombosis and very late stent/scaffold thrombosis associated with bioresorbable vascular scaffolds and seen in our meta-analysis. Indeed, our meta-analysis predominately assessed the ABSORB bioresorbable vascular scaffold stent, which is composed of synthetic aliphatic polyesters, that is, poly l-lactide and poly- …
Interpreting Bonding and Spectra With Correlated, One-Electron Concepts From Electron Propagator Theory

Abstract Electron propagator theory provides a strategy with computational and interpretive advantages for the prediction of electron attachment and detachment energies and other properties of molecules and molecular ions. Although the effects of electron correlation may be systematically included up to the exact limit, transparent generalizations of one-electron concepts also are procured by the electron propagator approach to molecular electronic structure. Generalized molecular-orbital concepts emerge from the Dyson quasiparticle equation, including correlated electron binding energies and their Dyson orbitals. This information suffices to predict transition probabilities which are probed in various kinds of spectroscopic and scattering experiments. Relationships between correlated transition and reference-state properties are discussed. Approximations in the self-energy operator, wherein relaxation and correlation effects on electron binding energies reside, are described. Emphasis is placed on approaches that employ a separation between occupied and virtual spin-orbitals such as the renormalized partial third order, the nondiagonal renormalized second order, the second-order transition operator and the Brueckner-doubles, triple-index ionization operator methods. Computational characteristics of these methods are compared with those of older precedents, including the second order, outer valence green function, and GW self-energies. Results of numerical tests on molecules of general interest and improved strategies for treating basis-set effects are reviewed. Recent and noteworthy applications to molecular wires, solvated molecules and ions, gas-phase anions, super-halogens, positron–molecule complexes, anionic resonances, and photoionization cross sections are summarized.
No One In The Middle: Enabling Network Access Control Via Transparent Attribution

Commodity small networks typically rely on NAT as a perimeter defense, but are susceptible to a variety of well-known intra-network attacks, such as ARP spoofing. With the increased prevalence of oft-compromised Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices now taking up residence in homes and small businesses, the potential for abuse has never been higher. In this work, we present a novel mechanism for strongly attributing local network traffic to its originating principal, fully-compatible with existing legacy devices. We eliminate Man-in-the-Middle attacks at both the link and service discovery layers, and enable users to identify and block malicious devices from direct attacks against other endpoints. Despite the prevalence of prior work with similar goals, previous solutions have either been unsuited to non-Enterprise environments or have broken compatibility with existing network devices and therefore failed to be adopted. Our prototype imposes negligible performance overhead, runs on an inexpensive commodity router, and retains full compatibility with modern and legacy devices.
Relationship of Matrix Toughness to Interlaminar Fracture Toughness

Abstract The relationship of resin fracture toughness to delamination fracture toughness is considered in this chapter. The resin toughness is seen to play a dominant role in the interlaminar fracture of composite materials. In situ observations of fracture in the SEM indicate that increasing the ductility and decreasing the yield strength of the matrix resin increase the delamination fracture toughness by increasing the plastic (or non-linear viscoelastic) zone size ahead of the crack tip, giving greater load redistribution away from the crack tip and more crack-tip blunting. The low efficiency of translation of resin fracture toughness into delamination fracture toughness for very ductile resins is the result of constraint provided by the fibers in the adjacent plies to the development of a larger plastic zone. The surprisingly high mode-II delamination toughness observed in composites made with brittle resins is due to the nature of the fracture process; namely, the formation of sigmodial shaped microcracks over a considerable distance ahead of the crack tip, giving significant load redistribution.
Gender, Feminism, and Heritage

The impact of gender on heritage management is less frequently ­discussed than the impact of nationalism, globalism, and ethnicity. In this chapter, I start from my experience in gender archaeology to examine how gender is related to heritage. In addition, I discuss the implications of feminist theory, as expressed in archaeology, for heritage. Paralleling a phrase from Wylie (2007), I ask what it means to do heritage as a feminist.
A Semantics-Driven Approach to Improving DataRaceBench’s OpenMP Standard Coverage

DataRaceBench is a benchmark suite designed to systematically and quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of data race detection tools. Its initial release in 2017 contained 72 C99 microbenchmarks with and without data races and was successfully used to evaluate several popular data race detection tools.
Promotional Efforts of Pharmaceutical Industries on Prescribing Pattern of Antibiotics among Medical Doctors in Nepal

Promotional efforts of pharmaceutical industries on prescribing pattern of antibiotics among doctors in Nepal” has been chosen as a topic for research to resolve certain queries among physicians’ behavior, particularly drug prescribing patterns as the influence of promotional approaches of pharmaceutical industry. The main objective of this research is to ascertain the various promotional activities of pharmaceutical industries of Nepal and find out its effects on prescribing pattern among physician in case of antibiotics along with rationality of prescription.For this study, data are collected both from primary as well as secondary sources. 225 sample size is taken from 4 districts (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Kavre) to represent the country and convenient quota sampling is used to select the sample. The data are collected manually as the questionnaire is designed. From the data analysis, it is found that there is significant relationship between promotional efforts towards qualification of doctors and cost of antibiotics is considered as prioritized reason as well. And there is no significant relationship between patient compliance/ better quality among alternatives/ obligation (as a compensation of efforts)/ availability/ appearances as prioritized reason and promotional activities on qualification of doctors. Furthermore, there is significant relationship between influence of detailing/ gift/ monetary incentives/ trip and tours on prescribing pattern and rational prescription of antibiotics and no significant relationship between influence of samples and bonus on prescribing pattern and rational prescription of antibiotics.Journal of Business and Social Sciences Research, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 201-214
Correction to: High-resolution ISR amplicon sequencing reveals personalized oral microbiome

Following publication of the original article, the authors recognized that the left and right panels in Fig. 6b had been inadvertently switched during reformatting.
Practical Aspects of Nondestructive Induction Field Testing in Determining the Depth of Steel and Reinforced Concrete Foundations

Characterizing unknown bridge foundations has been a great concern for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) in the past decades. Among conventional NDT methods, the Induction Field is a favorable nondestructive method to determine the depth of bridge foundations made of steel or reinforced concrete. Although many studies have been reported on the applicability of the method, the practical aspects of the method including the effect of major factors influencing the success of the method has not been completely discussed. In the current study, the effect of distance, soil type and soil moisture is investigated using two testbeds. The findings were valuable and provided practical guidelines to perform Induction Field tests on steel and reinforced concrete foundations.
Interaction between the yeast RAVE complex and Vph1-containing Vo sectors is a central glucose-sensitive interaction required for V-ATPase reassembly

The yeast vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) of budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is regulated by reversible disassembly. Disassembly inhibits V-ATPase activity under low-glucose conditions by releasing peripheral V1 subcomplexes from membrane-bound Vo subcomplexes. V-ATPase reassembly and reactivation requires intervention of the conserved regulator of H+-ATPase of vacuoles and endosomes (RAVE) complex, which binds to cytosolic V1 subcomplexes and assists reassembly with integral membrane Vo complexes. Consistent with its role, the RAVE complex itself is reversibly recruited to the vacuolar membrane by glucose, but the requirements for its recruitment are not understood. We demonstrate here that RAVE recruitment to the membrane does not require an interaction with V1. Glucose-dependent RAVE localization to the vacuolar membrane required only intact Vo complexes containing the Vph1 subunit, suggesting that the RAVE-Vo interaction is glucose-dependent. We identified a short conserved sequence in the center of the RAVE subunit Rav1 that is essential for the interaction with Vph1 in vivo and in vitro. Mutations in this region resulted in the temperature- and pH-dependent growth phenotype characteristic of ravΔ mutants. However, this region did not account for glucose sensitivity of the Rav1-Vph1 interaction. We quantitated glucose-dependent localization of a GFP-tagged RAVE subunit to the vacuolar membrane in several mutants previously implicated in altering V-ATPase assembly state or glucose-induced assembly. RAVE localization did not correlate with V-ATPase assembly levels reported previously in these mutants, highlighting both the catalytic nature of RAVE's role in V-ATPase assembly and the likelihood of glucose signaling to RAVE independently of V1.
The impact of pretreatment absolute lymphocyte count (pALC) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (pNLR) on checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) response rates in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and bladder urothelial cancers (BC).

31Background: CPIs have been established as essential components of cancer immunotherapy across multiple cancer types with proven clinical benefit, improved outcomes, and less toxicity. Studies in ...
Spanish clicks in discourse marker combinations

Abstract In this study, we analyze 764 clicks and their co-occurring discourse markers that form clusters or stacks. In our corpus of interviews in Peninsular Spanish, 60.5% of the clicks appear in clusters, and on average, a cluster contains a click plus two additional markers, equally distributed before and after the click. The five most common elements combining with clicks were found to be em/mm ‘um’, eh ‘uh’, y ‘and’, pues ‘well’ and entonces ‘so/then’. Pertinent to the make-up of these clusters is the use of pauses between markers and prolonged syllables, two phenomena that we also incorporate into the analysis. We report differences between the pre- and post-click environments, such as the more frequent use of pauses and prolongation before the click. On both sides of the click, the duration of pauses and prolongation within the clusters is substantial, averaging around 500 ms.
Protective factors of suicide: Religiosity and parental monitoring

Abstract Research has documented the positive impact of religiosity and parental monitoring on adolescent suicide ideation. However, the interactive effects of religiosity and moderating effects of parental monitoring have only been minimally explored. The purpose of this study was to: (1) to identify a mediation effect of depression between religiosity and suicide ideation among U.S. adolescents and (2) to test a moderation effect of parental monitoring in the mediation model. Cross-sectional data from the 2016 NSDUH was used, which included a total of 14,272 participants between ages 12 to 17. Results of PROCESS macro, suggest that depression fully mediated the association between religiosity and suicide ideation. Parental monitoring moderated the mediation effect from religiosity to suicide ideation through depression. It is recommended that increasing religiosity-based support should not exclude the use of parental monitoring when working with adolescents to help them with psychological problems, such as depression and suicide.
Sleep loss disrupts hippocampal memory consolidation via an acetylcholine- and somatostatin interneuron-mediated inhibitory gate

Sleep loss profoundly disrupts consolidation of hippocampus-dependent memory. To better characterize effects of learning and sleep loss on the hippocampal circuit, we quantified activity-dependent phosphorylation of ribosomal subunit S6 (pS6) across the dorsal hippocampus of mice. We find that pS6 in enhanced in the dentate gyrus (DG) following single-trial contextual fear conditioning (CFC), but is reduced throughout the hippocampus after brief sleep deprivation (SD), a manipulation which disrupts contextual fear memory (CFM) consolidation. To characterize cell populations with activity affected by SD, we used translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP)-seq to identify cell type-specific transcripts on pS6 ribosomes after SD vs. sleep. Cell type-specific enrichment analysis (CSEA) of these transcripts revealed that hippocampal somatostatin-expressing (Sst+) interneurons, and cholinergic and orexinergic inputs to hippocampus, are selectively activated after SD. We used TRAP targeted to hippocampal Sst+ interneurons to identify cellular mechanisms mediating SD-driven Sst+ interneuron activation. We next used pharmacogenetics to mimic the effects of SD, selectively activating hippocampal Sst+ interneurons while mice slept in the hours following CFC. We find that activation of Sst+ interneurons is sufficient to disrupt CFM consolidation, by gating activity in surrounding pyramidal neurons. Pharmacogenetic inhibition of cholinergic input to hippocampus from the medial septum (MS) promoted CFM consolidation and disinhibited neurons in the DG, increasing pS6 expression. This suggests that state-dependent gating of DG activity is mediated by cholinergic input during SD. Together these data provide evidence for an inhibitory gate on hippocampal information processing, which is activated by sleep loss.
Sight-to-Sound Human-Machine Interface for Guiding and Navigating Visually Impaired People

Visually impaired people often find it hard to navigate efficiently in complex environments. Moreover, helping them to navigate intuitively is not a trivial task. In sighted people, cognitive maps derived from visual cues play a pivotal role in navigation. In this paper, we present a sight-to-sound human-machine interface (STS-HMI), a novel machine vision guidance system that enables visually impaired people to navigate with instantaneous and intuitive responses. The proposed STS-HMI system extracts visual context from scenes and converts them into binaural acoustic cues for users to establish cognitive maps. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the STS-HMI system in a complex environment with difficult navigation paths. The experimental results confirm that the STS-HMI system improves visually impaired people’s mobility with minimal effort.
Subcretionary tectonics: Linking variability in the expression of subduction along the Cascadia forearc

Abstract A number of seismic and other geophysical phenomena exhibit significant lateral heterogeneity along the strike of the Cascadia forearc. Both the overriding and downgoing plate have been invoked to play the dominant role in controlling along-strike correlations between seismogenic behavior, potential field measurements, morphological/tectonic characteristics, and seismic structure; however, significant feedbacks likely exist between the two. In this study, we apply a 3D velocity correction to receiver function data and interpret the resulting discontinuity model alongside a recently published shear-wave velocity model to understand the possible causative relationships between correlative along-strike variations. Our discontinuity model indicates that the forearc crust thickens as it approaches the mantle wedge corner before progressively thinning toward the magmatic arc, likely due to the basal accretion of material from the downgoing plate to the overriding plate. In the northern and southern portions of the forearc, this “subcreted” material is characterized by thick (∼10 km) anomalously low shear-wave velocity zones. The thickness, high internal reflectivity, and low Bouguer gravity signatures associated with the low velocity zones likely indicate that this subcreted material is composed of dominantly (meta)sedimentary material that has been emplaced through successive subcretion events over geologic timescales. Furthermore, the anomalously low velocities and spatial correlation with high non-volcanic tremor (NVT) density and short slow slip recurrence intervals indicate that these regions are fluid-rich. While first-order variations in the fluids that control NVT and slow slip likely result from differences in the permeability of the downgoing slab as inferred from its stress state and the distribution of intraslab seismicity, these subcreted packages likely represent thick, vertically-impermeable regions in the lower crust that further accentuate this correlation. Variability in the amount of subcretion explains patterns of exhumation and uplift along the Cascadia margin and the resulting forearc topography over geologic timescales, and is likely controlled by some combination plate interface geometry/rheology and overriding plate architecture.
Infinite Forcing in Model Theory

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the application of the forcing concept to model theory. The chapter focuses on the consideration of infinite forcing conditions. The results are obtained that are analogous to several of those obtained previously for finite forcing but also find significant differences. Next, a new link is established between the forcing relation and the classical concepts of Model Theory, and this leads to a kind of compactness theorem for forcing and to the axiomatization of classes of generic structures by infinitary sentences. Some of these results are developed also for finite forcing. To discuss the uses of the approach for finite forcing, it is convenient to assume that the number of relation symbols in K is finite and that there are no function symbols in K.
SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE FOR EVALUATING SOIL LIQUEFACTION POTENTIAL

Significant factors affecting the liquefaction (or cyclic mobility) potential of sands during earthquakes are identified, and a simplified procedure for evaluating liquefaction potential which will take these factors into account is presented. Available field data concerning the liquefaction or nonliquefaction behavior of sands during earthquakes is assembled and compared with evaluations of performance using the simplified procedure. It is suggested that even the limited available field data can provide a useful guide to the probable performance of other sand deposits, that the proposed method of presenting the data provides a useful framework for evaluating past experiences of sand liquefaction during earthquakes and that the simplified evaluation procedure provides a reasonably good means for extending previous field observations to new situations. When greater accuracy is justified, the simplified liquefaction evaluation procedure can readily be supplemented by test data on particular soils or by ground response analyses to provide more definitive evaluations.
The Origins and Development of Intrinsic and Adaptive Programing

Several histories (Dale, 1967; Lysaught & Williams, 1963; and Lawson, 1969) have traced development of linear programed instruction from ancient Greece to the present time. However, another form of programed instruction, the intrinsic program, has not received the same historical attention. Crowder (1963) concluded that the two types of programing have little in common historically, and that they have arisen in different contexts and in response to different circumstances. Several reasons can be found for the lack of attention to the development of the intrinsic program. First, as Schramm (1964) has indicated, 19 of 20 programs have been the linear variety, with all other forms comprising the remaining five percent. Second, little has been written to document the process of intrinsic programing. Finally, the intrinsic programing phenomenon was not as dramatic as linear programing, since "intrinsic programming makes no assumptions about the nature of the learning process that have not been common coin for some time" (Crowder, 1963).
A welfare analysis of unilateral trade and FDI liberalization

This paper uses a heterogeneous-firms model to examine the pro-competitive channel through which FDI affects national welfare. The model shows that the country from which FDI originates experiences a welfare gain following liberalization. However, a counterintuitive finding is that the welfare of the host country deteriorates. This is explained by the production relocation process that leads to an increase in the mass of domestic firms in the source country and a decrease in the host country. The model also confirms that unilateral trade liberalization brings a similar result even in the presence of bilateral FDI flows. Resume Une analyse de bien-etre du commerce unilateral et de la liberalisation de l'investissement direct a l'etranger. Ce memoire utilise un modele de firmes heterogenes pour examiner le canal pro-concurrentiel a travers lequel l'investissement direct a l’etranger affecte le niveau de bien-etre au niveau national. Le modele montre que le pays d'origine de l'investissement direct a l’etranger obtient un gain de bien-etre a la suite de la liberalisation. Cependant, un resultat surprenant est que le niveau de bien-etre du pays recipiendaire se deteriore. Voila qui s'explique par le processus de relocalisation de la production qui mene a un accroissement de la masse des firmes domestiques dans le pays d'origine et un declin dans le pays recipiendaire. Le modele confirme aussi que la liberalisation unilaterale du commerce entraine un resultat similaire meme quand il y a des flux d'investissements directs a l’etranger dans les deux sens.
A socio-cultural view of trends in drug use indicators.

As Caulkins et al. [1] note, the prevalence of illegal drug use is often cast as an overall indicator of the size of the national drug problem and the annual change is often used as a performance measure of policy efficacy, but the true costs of drug abuse can be understood more clearly by examining a richer set of indices. To this end, they calculated and examined the number of chronic users and other aggregate measures for four illegal drugs. We have had a long-standing interest researching the underlying social processes behind drug use trends, and read Caulkins et al.'s latest contribution from this perspective. We are especially excited about the finding of a sustained decline in the prevalence of chronic cocaine users starting in 2008. However, this good news must be tempered with fuller consideration of other drugs, including the modest increase in chronic heroin use as indicated by Caulkins et al. and the widespread misuse of prescription opioids not discussed in their paper. The increase in frequent marijuana users reported is more complex to interpret, as more individuals and government agencies shift their understanding of marijuana's medical efficacy and safety for recreational use. Thus, there is disagreement as to the extent that marijuana use and even frequent use is necessarily a public health concern. Clearly, this will be a topic of much further research and dialogue. [1] Caulkins J., Kilmer B., Reuter P., Midgette G. Cocaine's fall and marijuana's rise: questions and insights based on new estimates of consumption and expenditures in US drug markets. Addiction 2015; 110: 728-36. Language: en
Sign versus Symptom

In clinical psychology, the boundary between sign and symptom can be difficult to distinguish. Signs are observable indications of a disorder, whereas symptoms are self-report of the physical or psychological effects of a disorder. The DSM is comprised of criteria that represent experiences that either the client, or someone close to the client, reports to a clinician. Potential problems associated with relying on client self-reporting include gender and culture differences, denial, and lack of insight. In addition, a clinician's ability to recognize the signs of psychopathology often determines whether or not a correct diagnosis is made. Potential biasing factors for clinician observation of signs include selective attention, top-down processing, overshadowing, misattribution of behaviors, and lack of diagnostic knowledge. Most psychological tests are self-report measures; however, some assessment tools may also involve direct observation. Keywords: psychopathology; assessment; cultural diversity
101 A new approach to model and directly control “Co-transcriptional” RNA folding

RNAs are synthesized exclusively in a 5′ to 3′ direction and it is well established that many (particularly long noncoding, but also riboswitch) RNAs begin to fold before the transcript is fully sy...
Characteristics of nano-scale composites by THz spectroscopy

We have conducted visible pump-THz probe experiments on single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) deposited on quartz substrates. Our results suggest that the nanotubes exhibit localized transport due to Lorentz-type photo-induced localized states.
An automatic, time-based, secure pairing protocol for passive RFID

This paper introduces the Adopted-Pet (AP) protocol, an automatic (i.e. requiring no human interaction) secure pairing protocol, adequate for the pairing between a passive RFID tag and a reader. Most pairing protocols rely for their security on a certain advantage that the legitimate devices have over any malicious users. Such advantages include proximity (employing near-field communication) or secret keys that are either produced with the assistance of, or verified by, the legitimate user. The advantage exploited by our novel AP protocol is the amount of uninterrupted time spent by the two devices in the proximity (although not requiring near-field communication) of each-other. We discuss several implementation configurations, all based on pseudo-random bit generators, employing short-length LFSRs, and requiring no more than 2000 transistors. This makes the protocol ideally suited for low-cost passive RFID tags. For each configuration we show that the AP protocol is highly secure against occasional malicious entities.
Western Appalachian Tectonics: ABSTRACT

A research project to document and interpret western Appalachian tectonic patterns was started this past year. The first phase of the project has been the compilation of detailed geologic and structural maps on a regional base map to document the End_Page 1894------------------------------ styles of deformation both along the 38th parallel faults and within the western Appalachian basin. Preliminary results indicate the presence of a diversity of structural styles, both basement and detached deformation. Some of the more pertinent observations are: (1) Detached structures extend farther westward than commonly interpreted. (2) A north-south trend of detached folds is southwest of and parallel with Burning Springs anticline. (3) Structural styles along the 38th parallel fault trend include wrench faults, grabens, and down-to-basin faults. A major change in tectonic style occurs across the Cincinnati arch. (4) Detached structures may reflect basement structural trends so that the Cambrian and early Paleozoic basement structures affect the position and trend of upper Paleozoic basement and detached structures. Exploration for oil and gas largely has been on detached structures within the central Appalachian basin and basement structures farther west. Only the upper part of the stratigraphic section has been tested and there is a vast new virtually untested deep frontier within this "mature" basin. However, high cost of exploration for deep Cambrian-Ordovician targets requires geologists and geophysicists to apply their best talents and techniques to all available data. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1895------------
Integration and expression of the high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit 1Ax1 gene into wheat

The unique bread-making characteristic of wheat flour is closely related to the elasticity and extensibility of the gluten proteins stored in the starchy endosperm, particularly the high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS), which are important in determining gluten and dough elasticity. The quality of wheat cultivars depends on the number and composition of the HMW-GS present. We have introduced the HMW-GS 1Ax1 gene, known to be associated with good bread-making quality, into the Bob White cultivar of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), in which it is not present in nature, by the biolistic bombardment of cultured immature embryos. Of the 21 independent transformed lines selected, 20 expressed the selectable bar gene, and nine the 1Ax1 gene. The amount of HMW-GS 1Ax1 protein produced in the different transgenic lines varied from 0.6% to 2.3% of the total protein, resulting in an increase of up to 71% in total HMW-GS proteins. The transgenic plants were normal, fertile, and showed Mendelian segregation of the transgenes. The accumulation of HMW-GS 1Ax1 was consistent and stable up to the R3 seed generation. These results demonstrate that it is possible to manipulate both the quantity and quality of HMW-GS, which influence the bread-making quality of wheat.
Regulatory policy for EMF

In states where electromagnetic fields (EMF) is a public concern, it is reasonable and worthwhile to develop an interim EMF policy. For states where EMF has not been an issue, it is likely that a sound EMF policy would go a long way toward forestalling citizen fear and action against power line construction. In a time when individual and property rights issues are on the ascendance, an objective and balanced statewide EMF policy is essential for protecting both individual and larger societal interests. For policy makers, the best outcome to this issue would be for the scientific community to eventually reach a clear consensus and conclude that exposure to power line EMF is not a risk to human health. Even a conclusion that there are real health effects would be something of a relief. At least one might have a clear understanding of the true nature of the problem so that one could focus on solutions. The scientific evidence the author has seen to date, however, leads him to believe that this is not likely to happen any time soon. For the time being, policy makers will need to craft rational interim EMF policies, monitor scientific research, and share this information with the public. Perhaps public concern about EMF will wane. If not, then at some point it will be necessary for policy makers and scientists to work together to develop a regulatory consensus based on the best scientific knowledge available.
LQT1 Genotype in Tachypaced Cardiomyopathy Causes Discordance of Baseline and VF Refractoriness

Reduction of the slow outward rectifier (Iks) and calcium disregulation accompany tachypacing induced cardiomyopathy (TICM). While TICM Iks downregulation prolongs APD, its effect on refractoriness during VF is less clear. We used a transgenic rabbit model of Long QT 1 (LQT1) to investigate the effect of loss of Iks on VF refractoriness in TICM.Five LQT1 and littermate control rabbits underwent rapid RV pacing followed by in vivo electrophysiological studies and VF inductions. Dual voltage-calcium epicardial optical mapping was performed on whole hearts at baseline and in VF.In vivo, a strong correlation for ventricular effective refractoriness and VF interval was seen in LMC-TICM, but not in LQT1-TICM (r = 0.83 vs r = 0.36; p<0.05). Optical mapping demonstrated APD prolongation in LQT1-TICM compared to LMC-TICM (224±18ms vs. 191±15ms), but surprisingly higher VF frequencies in LQT1-TICM (15.7±0.8 vs 12.6±0.7Hz; p<0.05). In spatial VF frequency maps, LMC-TICM showed a negative VF frequency-APD map correlation (−0.43±0.24), while LQT1-TICM demonstrated a paradoxical positive correlation (0.22±0.14; p<0.05). Calcium-voltage discordance was increased in LQT1-TICM compared to controls (see fig).LQT1-TICM leads to dissociation between baseline and VF refractoriness demonstrating high frequency VF associated with calcium-voltage discordance.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Controlling selectivity and enhancing yield of flavonoid glycosides in recombinant yeast

Flavonoid glycosides are known for their medicinal properties and potential use as natural sweeteners. In this study, Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing a flavonoid glucosyltransferase from Dianthus caryophyllus was used as a whole-cell biocatalyst. The yeast system’s performance was characterized using the flavanone naringenin as a model substrate for the production of naringenin glycosides. It was found that final naringenin glycoside yields increased in a dose-dependent manner with increasing initial naringenin substrate concentrations. However, naringenin concentrations >0.5 mM did not give further enhancements in glycoside yield. In addition, a method for controlling overall selectivity was discovered where the glucose content in the culture medium could be altered to control the selectivity, making either naringenin-7-O-glucoside (N7O) or naringenin-4′-O-glucoside (N4O) the major products. The highest yields achieved were 87 mg/L of N7O and 82 mg/L of N4O using 40MSGI and 2xMSGI media, respectively. The effects of two intermediates involved in UDP-glucose biosynthesis, uridine 5′-monophosphate (UMP) and orotic acid, on glycoside yields were also determined. Addition of UMP to the culture medium significantly decreased glycoside yield. In contrast, addition of orotic acid to the culture medium significantly enhanced the glycoside yield and shifted the selectivity toward N7O. The highest naringenin glycoside yield achieved using 10 mM orotic acid in the 40MSGI media was 155 mg/L, a 71% conversion of substrate to product.
Buoyancy and surface-tension driven instabilities in presence of negative Rayleigh and Marangoni numbers

Benard-Marangoni instabilities are theoretically discussed: emphasis is placed on the role of negative Rayleigh and Marangoni numbers. Marginal, supercritical and subcritical instabilities are respectively examined. The first part is concerned with the response of an unbounded fluid layer with respect to small disturbances. A variational principle describing marginal stability is proposed. Rayleigh-Ritz method is used to obtain approximate solutions for the critical Rayleigh and Marangoni numbers. In a second part, corrections to the linear theory, by including weak nonlinearities, are introduced. The amplitude of the supercritical temperature and velocity fields are calculated in the framework of Stuart's shape approximation. Finally, the possibility of subcritical instability with respect to disturbances of arbitrary amplitude is investigated by the method of energy.
Assessment of the alveolar volume when sampling exhaled gas at different expired volumes in the single breath diffusion test

Alveolar volume measured according to the American Thoracic Society-European Respiratory Society (ATS-ERS) guidelines during the single breath diffusion test can be underestimated when there is maldistribution of ventilation. Therefore, the alveolar volume calculated by taking into account the ATS-ERS guidelines was compared to the alveolar volume measured from sequentiallly collected samples of the expired volume in two groups of individuals: COPD patients and healthy individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the maldistribution of ventilation on the real estimate of alveolar volume and to evaluate some indicators suggestive of the presence of maldistribution of ventilation. Thirty healthy individuals and fifty patients with moderate-severe COPD were studied. The alveolar volume was measured either according to the ATS-ERS guidelines or considering the whole expired volume subdivided into five quintiles. An index reflecting the non-uniformity of the distribution of ventilation was then derived (DeltaVA/VE). Significant differences were found when comparing the two measurements and the alveolar volume by quintiles appeared to have increased progressively towards residual volume in healthy individuals and much more in COPD patients. Therefore, DeltaVA/VE resulted in an abnormal increase in COPD. The results of our study suggest that the alveolar volume during the single breath diffusion test should be measured through the collection of a sample of expired volume which could be more representative of the overall gas composition, especially in the presence of uneven distribution of ventilation. Further studies aimed at clarifying the final effects of this way of calculating the alveolar volume on the measure of DLCO are needed. DeltaVA/VE is an index that can help assess the severity of inhomogeneity in COPD patients.
Inflammatory osteoarthritis. II. The superimposition of rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed on the basis of combinations of symptoms and signs, laboratory features, roentgenographic changes, and histologic abnormalities in 26 patients. These presented 15 per cent of a series of 170 patients previously reported as demonstrating inflammatory osteoarthritis, a syndrome of abrupt painful onset of characteristic osteoarthritic deformities. The most striking features of the superimposed involvement in these patients included the universal involvement in these patients of tendon sheaths at the wrists, and a comparatively benign course, with ready response to standard treatment. Supervention of rheumatoid arthritis generally occurred within five years of onset of osteoarthritis, so that early recognition in a patient already under treatment might be responsible for the favorable therapeutic result.
Roles of Transients and Nucleation in Film Deposition within a Support

The deposition of films within a porous substrate is modeled in a countercurrent reactor configuration. Two transient models are solved: a diffusion−one-step reaction chemistry model and a diffusion−four-step reaction model that incorporates precursor formation followed by nucleation and growth events. It is shown that the quasi-steady-state/infinitely fast reaction assumptions employed in diffusion-reaction models are not valid in either the slow or fast kinetics regime due to the transient evolution of a deposit. The diffusion−one-step reaction model results in continuous deposits, which are relatively thick. The interplay of nucleation and growth with diffusion and reaction can result in quite thinner deposits. The demonstrated strong dependence of deposition features on initial conditions provides an additional means of controlling the deposition on one hand but indicates possible reduced experimental reproducibility on the other. Application to Pd membranes in alumina under supercritical CO2 conditi...
Characterization of an annular helium inductively coupled plasma generated in a low-gas-flow torch

Abstract Atomic emission detection limits of Br, C, Cl and I measured for gaseous and aqueous samples with a low-gas-flow, annular He ICP were lower than those obtained with an Ar 1CP. Measurements of electron number density, excitation temperature and rotational temperature revealed that the extent of departure from local thermal equilibrium for the He ICP was larger than that for the Ar ICP.
Molecular Diagnosis of Diarrhea: Current Status and Future Potential

Determining the microbiologic etiology of enteric infection remains an elusive goal. Conventional approaches, including culture, microscopy, and antigen-based tests have significant limitations such as limit of detection and the need for multiple procedures. Molecular diagnostics, especially PCR based tests, are rapidly changing research and practice in infectious diseases. Diarrheal disease, with its broad range of potential infectious etiologies, is well suited for multiplex molecular testing. This review highlights examples of currently employed molecular tests, as well as ways in which these tests can be applied in the future. The absence of a gold standard for the microbiologic cause of diarrhea means that the clinical significance of detected organisms may not always be clear. Conventional wisdom is that there should be one main pathogen causing diarrhea, however our thinking is challenged by increased detection of mixed infections. Thus, the successful incorporation of molecular diagnostics for diarrheal disease into practice will require both a careful understanding of the technical aspects and research to define their clinical utility.
Spectral imaging for precise surgical intervention in Hirschsprung's disease.

We used advanced spectral imaging for intrasurgical decision making in a preclinical study, on a mouse model of Hirschsprung's Disease. Our imaging device sampled areas from normal and abnormal (aganglionic) colon in these animals. Spectral segmentation and classification of the resulting images showed a clear distinction between the normal and aganglionic regions, as confirmed by pathological analysis and use of mutant mice. We developed a simple algorithm that could distinguish normal from aganglionic colon with high spatial resolution and reproducibility, and the following statistics: sensitivity = 97%, specificity = 94%, positive predictive value = 92%, negative predictive value = 98%. These studies showed translational proof of concept that spectral imaging could be used during operations, in real time, to help surgeons precisely distinguish normal from abnormal tissue without requiring traditional biopsy. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Valuing in Decision-Making Ability: Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Across the Curriculum and Campus Culture at Alverno College

For the past 40 years, Alverno College faculty, staff, and students have collaborated in the creation of an integrated learning and assessment model that requires students to demonstrate, and faculty to assess, eight core abilities: Communication, Analysis, Problem Solving, Valuing in Decision-Making, Social Interaction, Developing a Global Perspective, Effective Citizenship, and Aesthetic Engagement. This article features a description of Alverno’s Valuing in Decision-Making Ability Department, which oversees curricular and co-curricular activities related to the teaching, learning, and assessment of the ability. Another primary focus is to describe and illustrate the valuing ability, how it is defined as a process, how it relies on interdisciplinary collaboration and cooperation for curricular innovation, and how it emphasizes the development of faculty and students as purposeful professionals and community members.
Recent Developments in Electric Drives for Rolling Mills

The application of electric power in the steel industry introduced many radical changes and improvements in rolling-mill layout and practise. The electric drives, of capacities larger than encountered elsewhere, are usually designed to fit individual cases. Special machines or special combinations of them-are frequently used. Several representative cases are outlined, and some methods of solving the encountered problems are analyzed.
Laser vibrometry from a moving ground vehicle

We investigated the fundamental limits to the performance of a laser vibrometer that is mounted on a moving ground vehicle. The noise floor of a moving laser vibrometer consists of speckle noise, shot noise, and platform vibrations. We showed that speckle noise can be reduced by increasing the laser spot size and that the noise floor is dominated by shot noise at high frequencies (typically greater than a few kilohertz for our system). We built a five-channel, vehicle-mounted, 1.55 μm wavelength laser vibrometer to measure its noise floor at 10 m horizontal range while driving on dirt roads. The measured noise floor agreed with our theoretical estimates. We showed that, by subtracting the response of an accelerometer and an optical reference channel, we could reduce the excess noise (in units of micrometers per second per Hz1/2) from vehicle vibrations by a factor of up to 33, to obtain nearly speckle-and-shot-noise-limited performance from 0.3 to 47 kHz.
Cover Picture: Synthesis of a Self‐Assembled Hybrid of Ultrananocrystalline Diamond and Carbon Nanotubes (Adv. Mater. 12/2005)

The cover shows self-assembled hybrids of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). These hybrids were successfully prepared by their simultaneous growth within an argon-rich Ar/CH4 plasma, in work reported on p. 1496 by Carlisle and co-workers. Various methods demonstrated the coexistence of UNCD and CNTs, and the capability of controlling the relative fraction and configuration of UNCD and CNTs in the hybrid material. This new synthesis pathway enables the development of new nanocarbons with unique mechanical, tribological, and electrochemical properties.
Self-Protection and the Culture of Honor: Explaining Southern Violence

The southern United States has long been known to be more violent than the northern United States. The authors argue that this may be due in part to an ideology justifying violence for self-protection and for maintaining "honor " or a reputation for toughness. Analysis of data from three surveys shows that southern White males do not endorse violence unconditionally but do endorse violence when it is used for self-protection, to defend one's honor, or to socialize children. These data fit well with behavioral data concerning gun ownership and the types of homicide committed in the South. Although the conditions that gave rise to southern violence are largely gone, it may be sustained through collective representations emphasizing the importance of honor and through violent self-fulfilling prophecies centering on hypersensitivity to affronts.
Is there less informed trading after regulation fair disclosure

Abstract I provide new tests of regulatory impact on informed trading in the stock market. After the implementation of Reg FD there is a significant decrease in the Hasbrouck [Hasbrouck, J., 1991a. The summary informativeness of stock trades: an econometric analysis. Review of Financial Studies 4, 571–595.] summary informativeness statistic, a measure of informed trading based on intra-daily trade level data. But, the switch to decimalization on the New York Stock Exchange has a much larger impact on this measure. These results highlight the difficulty in attributing specific effects to broad based regulatory events.