cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial activity of a porcine myeloperoxidase against plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi

Porcine myeloperoxidase was evaluated for its antimicrobial activity against plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The results indicated that the enzyme, in the presence of a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, was effective against a broad spectrum of plant pathogens. The growth of seven bacterial species, including nine pathovars, from the genera Erwinia, Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas, was significantly inhibited by the enzyme at a concentration as low as 0(.)4 U ml-1, while 4(.)0 U ml-1 was lethal to all plant pathogenic bacteria examined. Myeloperoxidase, at 4(.)0 U ml-1, was lethal to germinating spores from three isolates of the fungal plant pathogen Fusarium solani and two isolates from each of Colletotrichum gloesporioides and C. malvarum. The enzyme's antifungal effects on the rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe grisea were studied both in vitro and on host plants. The enzyme significantly inhibited spore germination of two isolates of M. grisea races IC17 and IB49 at concentrations over 16 U ml-1, and disintegration of fungal spore walls was caused by 80 U ml-1. The enzyme was even more effective in reducing disease incidence of blast on young rice plants treated with 0(.)5 U ml-1, while 2(.)5 U ml-1 resulted in complete inhibition of infection. These results support and further extend the suggestion that myeloperoxidase could be used as a broad-spectrum biocontrol agent or as a transgenically expressed protein to combat diseases caused by plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
The impact of shared leadership on teamwork mental models and performance in self-directed teams:

The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of shared leadership in self-directed teams by testing its relationship with teamwork mental models and team performance. Data from 40 intact, naturally occurring teams involved in highly interdependent tasks demonstrated that the distribution of informal leadership and whether or not perceptions of leadership were reciprocated among leaders were related to the degree of similarity and accuracy of team mental models as well as subsequent team performance. Specifically, teams with a coordinated type of shared-leadership perception demonstrated significantly higher levels of team mental model similarity, team mental model accuracy, and team performance than teams with a distribution of leaders that failed to recognize each other as leaders as well as teams with no leaders. However, teams with distributed-coordinated leadership were significantly different than teams with centralized leadership only with respect to team mental model accuracy scores. Finally, ...
Toward a minimally invasive bladder pressure monitoring system: Model bladder for in vitro testing

Urinary Incontinence significantly affects the quality of life of 13 Million adults in America [1]. The current diagnosis methods are often uncomfortable and inconclusive, providing motivation for researchers to create a better diagnostic system. This work focuses on developing an alternative method for Cystometry, a Urodynamic test which collects pressure data. The design proposed in this paper is for a microrobotic pressure sensing system that is attached to the inside of the bladder wall to collect and wirelessly transmit pressure data over the period of 12–24 hours. In order to be able to test the miniature sensing device, a model urinary system was designed. A model bladder is incorporated into the model urinary system, and the whole system has been submitted to pressure tests to characterize filling and voiding behavior. A tethered pressure sensor was used to collect data. The trends and pressure profiles seen in traditional Cystometry results are closely mimicked by the model urinary system, which leads to the conclusion that the bladder model is a reliable way to collect pressure data and mimic a human bladder on a scaled level. The proposed microrobotic pressure sensing system has been designed and is to be fabricated using low power and low current components. The 11:5 mm × 17 mm × 8 mm (length×width×thickness) device is designed to be attached to the bladder wall versus a free floating designs, leading to a more accurate pressure data collection. The sensing system will allow all ranges of pressure data from inside the bladder to be captured wirelessly during a patient's normal daily routine. The collected pressure data is expected to depict typical bladder trends more efficiently than traditional methods and lead to more accurate diagnosis of incontinence.
Chemical and electrochemical synthesis of polyaniline/platinum composites

Abstract The synthesis of polyaniline/platinum composites (PANI/Pt) has been achieved using both chemical and electrochemical methods. The direct chemical synthesis of PANI/Pt proceeds through the oxidation of aniline by PtCl 6 2− in the absence of a secondary oxidant. SEM images of these samples indicate that the Pt particles are on the order of ∼1 μm for the chemically prepared composite. Electrochemical PANI/Pt synthesis is initiated by the uptake and reduction of PtCl 6 2− into an a priori electrochemically deposited PANI film. This method produces a uniform dispersion of Pt particles with smaller particles with diameters ranging between 200 nm and 1 μm. The results indicate that electrochemical methods may be more suitable for controlling particle dimension. Both materials show reduced proton doping relative to PANI without Pt, indicating the metal particles directly influence proton doping and the oxidation state of the polymer. The electrochemical data indicate that the conductivity in solution is sufficient such that the normal acid doping is attainable for PANI/Pt produced using either synthetic method.
Is partial colectomy the operation of choice in pediatric Clostridium difficile colitis

This study examined the national trends in incidence and surgical management of pediatric Clostridium difficle colitis (CDC) hospitalizations. This was a cross-sectional Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) analysis of pediatric CDC from 2000 to 2008. Data analysis included patient demographics, procedures, length of stay (LOS), total hospital charges (THC), and in-hospital mortality. During the 9-year study period, the total number of CDC hospitalizations per year increased almost twofold, from 2,513 in 2000 to 4,817 in 2008. The rate per 100,000 discharges followed a similar trend, increasing from 38.08 in 2000 to 72.57 in 2008. Abdominal colectomy was performed in 0.35 %, with partial colectomy performed more often than total colectomy. Mortality, mean LOS, and mean THC were not statistically different between partial versus total colectomy. Children with ulcerative colitis were more likely to undergo total colectomy, (OR 35.700, CI 11.025–115.98, P < 0.001). Infants under the age of 1 year were less likely to undergo total colectomy (OR 0.568, 0.477–0.677, P < 0.001). Pediatric hospitalizations for CDC are on the rise. Partial colectomy is performed more often than total colectomy without statistical compromise of mortality, length of stay, and total hospital charges. Further studies are needed to determine the standard surgical management of pediatric CDC.
Raman and surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopic studies of the 15‐mer DNA thrombin‐binding aptamer

Aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotides that selectively bind to their target molecules owing to their ability to form secondary structures and shapes. The 15-mer (5′-GGTTGGTGTGGTTGG-3′) DNA thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA) binds to thrombin following the formation of a quadruplex structure via the Hoogsten-type G–G interactions. In the present study, Raman and SERS spectra of TBA and thiolated TBA (used to facilitate covalent bonding to metal nanoparticle) in different conditions are investigated. The spectra of the two analogs exhibit vibrations, such as the C8N7H2 deformation band at ∼1480 cm−1 of the guanine tetrad, that are characteristic of the quadruplex structure in the presence of K+ ions or at low temperature. Interestingly, SERS spectra of the two analogs differ markedly from their respective normal Raman spectra, possibly due to changes in the conformation of the aptamer upon binding, as well as to the specific interaction of individual vibrational modes with the metal surface. In addition, the SERS spectra of the thiolated aptamer show significant changes with different concentrations, which may be due to different orientation of the molecule with respect to the metal surface. This study provides useful information for the development of label-free aptamer-based SERS sensors and assays. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A guide to multiple-sample structural equation modeling

The application of structural equation modeling to the investigation of social phenomena has increased in recent years. Whereas description and application of the LISREL methodology to the single-sample situation abound, such is not the case for the multiple-sample situation (i.e., simultaneous analysis of independent samples). The multiple-sample case has many possible applications in psychology (e.g., the analysis of experimental, nonezperimental, cross-sectional, and longitudinal data). The guide features descriptions of (1) the simple multiple-sample case, in which equality constraints may be imposed on the covariance structure of the measurement and/or structural equation models across samples, (2) the structured-means multiple-sample case, in which constraints may be additionally imposed on the mean structure of these models across samples, and thereby allow an assessment of group differences, and (3) a sequential strategy for dealing with the multiple-group situation, illustrated through a model of public and private schooling.
Cone Crusher Simulation Based on PFC3D

As the movement condition of the material in crushers and crushing process is very complex, it is hard to measure and observation directly or indirectly. It helps a lot for analyzing of the raw material and crusher interaction, optimizing design crusher, analyzing of the law crushing to analyze the crushing process of the material in the crushers. Therefore, the article explores the use of PFC3D program to simulate the process of cone crushers crushing the material. It analyses the feasibility of using PFC3D program to simulate the crushing process. It does the kinematics simulation of the material crushing in cone crusher. The data in the paper can provide certain reference in designing new and more efficient crusher.
Interaction of Rydberg atoms with surfaces: Electron tunneling processes

Abstract The interaction of atomic Rydberg states with surfaces in the presence of an external electric field is being investigated with an ab initio theory to gain new insights into the behavior of atomic states near surfaces and to evaluate their use as an experimental probe of electron tunneling processes at surfaces. The present calculations reveal that as Rydberg atoms approach a clean metal surface strong hybridization occurs that depends on both the atom-surface separation and the applied electric field. The electron probability density for some hybridized states is maximal toward the surface, for others toward vacuum. The calculated tunneling rates (widths) are orders of magnitude larger for states oriented toward the surface. Also, theory is presented showing that electron tunneling rates can be changed significantly by the presence of a thin dielectric overlayer at the surface.
Accuracy of various diffusion and stability schemes over Washington, D.C.

Abstract One year of continuous 8-h samples at three locations in and around Washington, D.C. in conjunction with tracer releases at three sites 14–40 km from the samplers were used to evaluate the accuracy of various stability and dispersion techniques. The combination of the Pasquill-Gifford dispersion curves and a stability category determined from the wind-direction fluctuation showed the least biased calculations. The precision of all methods was similar. When measured and calculated concentrations were paired in space and time, the scatter ranged over two orders of magnitude. The calculations were sensitive to the meteorological data, such that when the spatial density of meteorological sites was increased, the calculations improved. Corrections to account for enhanced dispersion over an urban area were only appropriate when the calculations were based on a rural meteorological site. Turner's stability classification method (1964, J. appl. Met . 3, 83–91) did not provide enough unstable cases, especially during the daytime, and hence resulted in overcalculation. Briggs' urban dispersion curves (1973, Air Resources Laboratories, TN) resulted in undercalculation by a factor of five. Greatest differences between dispersion methods were observed for night-time samples.
Anabolic-androgenic steroid and adrenal steroid effects on hippocampal plasticity.

Abstract Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic androgen-like compounds which are taken in high doses by athletes with the intention of enhancing muscular appearance, strength and/or athletic performance. Recent research indicates that high doses of AAS may influence the functions of the hippocampus. This evidence led us to explore the extent to which chronic AAS treatments influence spatial memory and the integrity of the hippocampus in the rat. Gonadally intact adult male Long-Evans rats were treated with either the AAS methandrostenolone, a steroid ‘cocktail’ (TNB; testosterone cypionate, boldenone undecylenate and nandrolone decanoate), or the oil vehicle daily for 12 weeks. A group of male rats treated with corticosterone (CORT; 10 mg/day) was also examined. Spatial memory was assessed in the Morris water maze after 10 weeks of hormone treatment. At 12 weeks, the animals were sacrificed, blood collected and the brain sectioned to assess hippocampal cell number. There were no impairments in the acquisition or retention of the Morris water maze in any hormone treatment group. Although serum testosterone levels were elevated in rats treated with TNB relative to the oil controls, neither the TNB or methandrostenolone treatments produced changes in hippocampal cell number. Serum CORT levels were significantly elevated in the rats treated with CORT and cell loss (15%) was detectable in the CA3b subfield in this group of animals. These results indicate that the AAS administered in the present study were not detrimental to hippocampal spatial memory or cell survival and that, while chronic CORT may produce mild hippocampal cell loss, this loss is not accompanied by deficits on a spatial memory task.
Heavy-Ion Transfer Reactions to the Continuum: Surprisal Analysis and the Condition of Maximal Entropy

The $Q$-value dependence of the cross section for few-nucleon transfer in the reaction $^{232}\mathrm{Th}(^{16}\mathrm{O}, X)$, $X$ being $^{16}\mathrm{N}$, $^{15}\mathrm{N}$, $^{14}\mathrm{C}$, $^{13}\mathrm{C}$, $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, or $^{11}\mathrm{B}$, at an $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ bombarding energy near the Coulomb barrier, is obtained from a simple model in which the population of states in the residual nucleus is determined to be of maximum entropy, subject to the one constraint that the mean value of the $Q$-value spectrum is the observed mean value.
Method for the Determination of Organophosphorus and Pyrethroid Pesticides in Food via Gas Chromatography with Electron-Capture Detection

We have developed a rapid, high-throughput, accurate, multiresidue method for the analysis of selected organophosphorus and pyrethroid pesticides in a variety of food samples suitable for use in public health and epidemiologic investigations of high-use pesticides using modifications of existing methods. The procedure involves a pesticide extraction from the food sample with acetonitrile followed by a salting-out with NaCl and cleanup of the extract with a multilayer solid-phase extraction cartridge composed of a Supelclean ENVI-CARB-II top layer and a primary−secondary amine bottom layer separated by a polyethylene frit. To evaluate the method, we performed fortification studies at 50, 100, and 200 ng/g for 3 organophosphorus and 4 pyrethroid pesticides in 16 different foods. Instrumental analysis was carried out by capillary gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (GC-ECD). Confirmatory analysis was performed by GC coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) in the selected-ion monitoring (SIM) mode....
Chronic hydrocarbon exposure of harlequin ducks in areas affected by the Selendang Ayu oil spill at Unalaska Island, Alaska

We evaluated chronic exposure of harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) to hydrocarbons associated with the 2004 M/V Selendang Ayu oil spill at Unalaska Island, Alaska. We measured levels of hepatic 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity (EROD) in liver biopsy samples as an indicator of hydrocarbon exposure in three oiled bays and one reference bay in 2005, 2006, and 2008. Median EROD activity in ducks from oiled bays was significantly higher than in the reference bay in seven of nine pairwise comparisons. These results indicated that harlequin ducks were exposed to lingering hydrocarbons more than three years after the spill. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 2828–2831. © 2012 SETAC
Demography of Family Households

A profile of the demography of individuals with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities (MR/DD) was developed from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, a national household survey. We estimated a total 1991 population of 2.97 million Americans with MR/DD, with 2.63 million living outside the formal long-term care system. Observations suggest that (a) families are the dominant form of support and, thus, a key constituency in disability policy; (b) a large cohort currently live in households headed by aging family members; and (c) there are significant economic disparities between subgroups of families, defined primarily along gender and racial lines.
Understanding and characterizing PlanetLab resource usage for federated network testbeds

Global network testbeds are crucial for innovative network research. Built on the success of PlanetLab, the next generation of federated testbeds are under active development, but very little is known about resource usage in the shared infrastructures. In this paper, we conduct an extensive study of the usage profiles in PlanetLab that we collected for six years by running CoMon, a PlanetLab monitoring service. We examine various aspects of node-level behavior as well as experiment-centric behavior, and describe their implications for resource management in the federated testbeds. Our main contributions are threefold: (1) Contrary to common belief, our measurements show there is no tragedy of the commons in PlanetLab, since most PlanetLab experiments exploit the system's network reach more than just its hardware resources; (2) We examine resource allocation systems proposed for the federated testbeds, such as bartering and central banking schemes, and show that they would handle only a small percentage of the total usage in PlanetLab; and (3) Lastly, we identify factors that account for high resource contention or poor utilization in PlanetLab nodes. We analyze workload imbalance and problematic slices in PlanetLab, and describe the implications of our measurements for improving overall utility of the testbed.
Multiple impulse solutions to McKean's caricature of the nerve equation. I—existence

McKean's caricature of the nerve equation: is considered. The H in (1) is the Heaviside function. We prove the existence of multiple impulse solutions consisting of any finite number of pulses. These solutions are referred to as n-ple impulse solutions, where n is an arbitrary positive integer.
Acute and Prolonged Hindlimb Exercise Elicits Different Gene Expression in Motoneurons than Sensory Neurons after Spinal Cord Injury

We examined gene expression in the lumbar spinal cord and the specific response of motoneurons, intermediate gray and proprioceptive sensory neurons after spinal cord injury and exercise of hindlimbs to identify potential molecular processes involved in activity dependent plasticity. Adult female rats received a low thoracic transection and passive cycling exercise for 1 or 4weeks. Gene expression analysis focused on the neurotrophic factors: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), and their receptors because of their potential roles in neural plasticity. We also examined expression of genes involved in the cellular response to injury: heat shock proteins (HSP) -27 and -70, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and caspases -3, -7, and -9. In lumbar cord samples, injury increased the expression of mRNA for TrkB, all three caspases and the HSPs. Acute and prolonged exercise increased expression of mRNA for the neurotrophic factors BDNF and GDNF, but not their receptors. It also increased HSP expression and decreased caspase-7 expression, with changes in protein levels complimentary to these changes in mRNA expression. Motoneurons and intermediate gray displayed little change in mRNA expression following injury, but acute and prolonged exercise increased levels of mRNA for BDNF, GDNF and NT-4. In large DRG neurons, mRNA for neurotrophic factors and their receptors were largely unaffected by either injury or exercise. However, caspase mRNA expression was increased by injury and decreased by exercise. Our results demonstrate that exercise affects expression of genes involved in plasticity and apoptosis in a cell specific manner and that these change with increased post-injury intervals and/or prolonged periods of exercise.
Recovery of the X-Ray Transient QX Nor (=X1608-52) in Outburst and Quiescence

We present optical and near-IR observations of QX Nor, the counterpart to the recurrent soft X-ray transient X1608-52, after its reappearance following the X-ray outburst in February 1996. The object has been seen only once before, during an X-ray outburst in 1977. Data from 3-5 months after the outburst show the counterpart at a mean magnitude of R=20.2 and variable on timescales of days. A comparison with identical observations in 1995 implies that the object has brightened by at least 1.8 mag in R following the X-ray outburst. We also detected QX Nor in the IR in both quiescence and outburst. A faint source is visible in the J but not the R band in May 1995. These first observations in the quiescent state yield magnitudes and colors consistent with optical emission from a low mass companion in the binary system, as is true in other soft X-ray transients.
Childhood Gender Nonconformity: A Risk Indicator for Childhood Abuse and Posttraumatic Stress in Youth

OBJECTIVES: Childhood gender nonconformity has been associated with poorer relationships with parents, but it is unknown if childhood gender nonconformity is associated with childhood abuse or risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in youth. METHODS: We examined whether gender nonconformity before age 11 years was associated with childhood sexual, physical, and psychological abuse and lifetime risk of probable PTSD by using self-report questionnaire data from the 2007 wave of the Growing Up Today Study ( n = 9864, mean age = 22.7 years), a longitudinal cohort of US youth. We further examined whether higher exposure to childhood abuse mediated possible elevated prevalence of PTSD in nonconforming children. Finally, we examined whether association of childhood gender nonconformity with PTSD was independent of sexual orientation. RESULTS: Exposure to childhood physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, and probable PTSD were elevated in youth in the top decile of childhood gender nonconformity compared with youth below median nonconformity. Abuse victimization disparities partly mediated PTSD disparities by gender nonconformity. Gender nonconformity predicted increased risk of lifetime probable PTSD in youth after adjustment for sexual orientation. CONCLUSIONS: We identify gender nonconformity as an indicator of children at increased risk of abuse and probable PTSD. Pediatricians and school health providers should consider abuse screening for this vulnerable population. Further research to understand how gender nonconformity might increase risk of abuse and to develop family interventions to reduce abuse risk is needed.
Small bowel tissue engineering using small intestinal submucosa as a scaffold.

Background. Small intestinal submucosa (SIS) is an extracellular matrix used in tissue engineering studies to create de novo abdominal wall, urinary bladder, tendons, blood vessels, and dura mater. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using SIS as a scaffold for small bowel regeneration in an in situ xenograft model. Materials and methods. Twenty-three dogs had a partial defect created on the small bowel wall which was repaired with a SIS patch. Four dogs underwent small bowel resection with placement of an interposed tube of SIS. The animals were followed 2 weeks to 1 year. Results. Three of the 23 dogs with SIS placed as a patch died shortly after surgery due to leakage from the site. The other 20 dogs survived up to time of elective necropsy with no evidence of intestinal dysfunction. At necropsy, the bowel circumference in the patched area had no stenosis. Histological evaluation showed the presence of a mucosal epithelial layer, varying amount of smooth muscle, sheets of collagen, and a serosal covering. Architecturally, the layers were not well organized in the submucosal region. An abundance of inflammatory cells was present in the early postoperative period but receded with time. All 4 dogs with a tubular segment of SIS interposed had significant problems. One had partial obstruction at 1 month, and 3 died in the early postoperative period due to leakage. Conclusions. This preliminary study suggests that SIS patches can be used for small bowel regeneration. Tubular segmental replacement is not feasible at this time. © 2001 Academic Press
Feature Technology and Ontology for Embedded System Design and Development

In this paper, we present our recent effort on using a feature technology and ontology for embedded systems modeling and design. We present an overview of embedded system design and propose an object-oriented UML modeling approach to representing embedded systems, i.e., open embedded system model (OESM). OESM supports models of embedded system artifacts, components, features, configuration/assembly, and embedded system platform and family, design rationale, etc. Our focus is on modeling of feature semantics in embedded systems. We call this open embedded system feature model (OESFM). We also present a semantic web environment for modeling and verifying feature models using ontologies, in which the Protege-OWL is used to precisely capture the relationships among features in feature diagrams and configurations. The OESFM models and ontologies provide a feature-based component collaborative framework. This allows the designer to develop a virtual embedded system prototype through assembling virtual components in which the platform-based hardware/software (HW/SW) co- design is supported and the design rationale is captured. The collaborative co-design framework can not only provide formal precise models of the embedded system prototypes but also offers design variation of prototypes whose members are derived by changing certain virtual components with different features.
Light Baffle Attenuation Measurements in the Visible

Experimental results, obtained using photometry, are obtained to assess the attenuating capability of three baffle geometries. The data obtained include the effect of sensor location in the baffle aperture as well as the type of coating on baffle surfaces. The baffles attenuate best at large viewing angles with surfaces coated with black paint.
Dynamic I/O characterization of I/O intensive scientific applications

Understanding the characteristic I/O behavior of scientific applications is an integral part of the research and development efforts for the improvement of high performance I/O systems. This study focuses on application level I/O behavior with respect to both static and dynamic characteristics. We observed the San Diego Supercomputer Center's Cray C90 workload and isolated the most I/O intensive applications. The combination of a low-level description of physical resource usage and the high-level functional composition of applications and scientific disciplines for this set reveals the major sources of I/O demand in the workload. We selected two applications from the I/O intensive set and performed a detailed analysis of their dynamic I/O behavior. These applications exhibited a high degree of regularity in their I/O activity over time and their characteristic I/O behaviors can be precisely described by one and two, respectively, recurring sequences of data accesses and computation periods. Key Words: empirical I/O behavior, supercomputer applications
Defensive and social aggression: repeatable but independent

Behavioral traits that vary more between than within individuals are referred to as personality traits. When individuals interact with others, these interactions may form a social network and be described using social network measures. We suggest that these social interactions may reflect behavioral predispositions that themselves may be less variable within than between individuals. If so, the social attributes quantified using network statistics may themselves be personality traits. We have previously found that some social attributes of yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) may be heritable, suggesting that they are profitably viewed as reflecting individually distinctive social predispositions. Here, we asked the degree to which defensive aggression was independent of various measures of social aggression. We quantified defensive aggression when animals were live trapped and asked whether it was related to how socially tolerant marmots were. We found that although some of these social traits were repeatable, none were strongly correlated across contexts. Our results suggest that defensive aggression and social aggression are independent and thus not likely to constrain each other. Key wor ds: aggression, defensive behavior , personality traits, social network, yellow-bellied marmots. [Behav Ecol]
Curcumin regulates low-linear energy transfer γ-radiation-induced NFκB-dependent telomerase activity in human neuroblastoma cells

Purpose We recently reported that curcumin attenuates ionizing radiation (IR)-induced survival signaling and proliferation in human neuroblastoma cells. Also, in the endothelial system, we have demonstrated that NFκB regulates IR-induced telomerase activity (TA). Accordingly, we investigated the effect of curcumin in inhibiting IR-induced NFκB-dependent hTERT transcription, TA, and cell survival in neuroblastoma cells. Methods and Materials SK-N-MC or SH-SY5Y cells exposed to IR and treated with curcumin (10–100 nM) with or without IR were harvested after 1 h through 24 h. NFκB-dependent regulation was investigated either by luciferase reporter assays using pNFκB-, pGL3-354-, pGL3-347-, or pUSE-IκBα-Luc, p50/p65, or RelA siRNA-transfected cells. NFκB activity was analyzed using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay and hTERT expression using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction. TA was determined using the telomerase repeat amplification protocol assay and cell survival using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltertrazolium bromide and clonogenic assay. Results Curcumin profoundly inhibited IR-induced NFκB. Consequently, curcumin significantly inhibited IR-induced TA and hTERT mRNA at all points investigated. Furthermore, IR-induced TA is regulated at the transcriptional level by triggering telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter activation. Moreover, NFκB becomes functionally activated after IR and mediates TA upregulation by binding to the κB-binding region in the promoter region of the TERT gene. Consistently, elimination of the NFκB-recognition site on the telomerase promoter or inhibition of NFκB by the IκBα mutant compromises IR-induced telomerase promoter activation. Significantly, curcumin inhibited IR-induced TERT transcription. Consequently, curcumin inhibited hTERT mRNA and TA in NFκB overexpressed cells. Furthermore, curcumin enhanced the IR-induced inhibition of cell survival. Conclusions These results strongly suggest that curcumin inhibits IR-induced TA in an NFκB dependent manner in human neuroblastoma cells.
A Carbon Nanotube-based NEMS Parametric Amplifier for Enhanced Radio Wave Detection and Electronic Signal Amplification

We propose a scheme for a parametric amplifier based on a single suspended carbon nanotube field-emitter. This novel electromechanical nanotube device acts as a phase-sensitive, variable-gain, band-pass-filtering amplifier for electronic signal processing and, at the same time, can operate as a variable-sensitivity, tuneable detector and transducer of radio frequency electromagnetic waves. The amplifier can exhibit infinite gain at pumping voltages much less than 10 Volts. Additionally, the amplifier's low overhead power consumption (10-1000 nW) make it exceptionally attractive for ultra-low-power applications.
Fault Tolerance in Multiprocessor Systems Via Application Cloning

Record and replay (RR) is a software based state replication solution designed to support recording and subsequent replay of the execution of unmodified applications running on multiprocessor systems for fault-tolerance. Multiple instances of the application are simultaneously executed in separate virtualized environments called containers. Containers facilitate state replication between the application instances by resolving the resource conflicts and providing a uniform view of the underlying operating system across all clones. The virtualization layer that creates the container abstraction actively monitors the primary instance of the application and synchronizes its state with that of the clones by transferring the necessary information to enforce identical state among them. In particular, we address the replication of relevant operating system state, such as network state to preserve network connections across failures, and the state that results from nondeterministic interleaved accesses to shared memory in SMP systems. We have implemented RR's state replication mechanisms in the Linux operating system by making novel use of existing features on the Intel and PowerPC architectures.
The human side of mechanism design: a tribute to Leo Hurwicz and Jean-Jacque Laffont

This paper considers the human side of mechanism design, the behavior of economic agents in gathering and processing information and responding to incentives. I first give an overview of the subject of mechanism design, and then examine a pervasive premise in this field that economic agents are rational in their information processing and decisions. Examples from applied mechanism design identify the roles of perceptions and inference in agent behavior, and the influence of systematic irrationalities and sociality on agent responses. These examples suggest that tolerance of behavioral faults be added to the criteria for good mechanism design. In principle-agent problems for example, designers should consider using experimental treatments in contracts, and statistical post-processing of agent responses, to identify and mitigate the effects of agent non-compliance with contract incentives.
A Packet Generator on the NetFPGA Platform

A packet generator and network traffic capture system has been implemented on the NetFPGA. The NetFPGA is an open networking platform accelerator that enables rapid development of hardware-accelerated packet processing applications. The packet generator application allows Internet packets to be transmitted at line rate on up to four Gigabit Ethernet ports simultaneously. Data transmitted is specified in a standard PCAP file, transferred to local memory on the NetFPGA card, then sent on the Gigabit links using a precise data rate, inter-packet delay, and number of iterations specified by the user. The hardware circuit also simultaneously operates as a packet capture system, allowing traffic to be captured from up to all four of the Gigabit Ethernet ports. Timestamps are recorded and traffic can be transferred back to the host and stored using the same PCAP format. The project has been implemented as a fully open-source project and serves as an exemplar project on how to build and distribute NetFPGA applications. All of the code (Verilog hardware, system software, verification scripts, makefiles, and support tools) can be freely downloaded from the NetFPGA.org website. Benchmarks comparing this hardware-accelerated application to the fastest available PC with a PCIe NIC shows that the FPGA-based hardware-accelerator far exceeds the performance possible using TCP-reply software.
Females use self-referent cues to avoid mating with previous mates

Females of many species mate repeatedly throughout their lives, often with many different males (polyandry). Females can secure genetic benefits by maximizing their diversity of mating partners, and might be expected, therefore, to forego matings with previous partners in favour of novel males. Indeed, a female preference for novel mating partners has been shown in several taxa, but the mechanism by which females distinguish between novel males and previous mates remains unknown. We show that female crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) mark males with their own unique chemical signatures during mating, enabling females to recognize prior mates in subsequent encounters and to avoid remating with them. Because self-referent chemosensory cues provide females with a simple, but reliable mechanism of identifying individuals with whom they have mated without requiring any special cognitive ability, they may be a widespread means by which females across a broad range of animal mating systems maximize the genetic benefits of polyandry.
Solving Conflicting Engineering Problems in Education, Research and Practice: Enhanced Approach

The nature of engineering is problem solving. The challenge of ongoing design research is to develop a tool that would support the most difficult phase of design — solving problems with contradictions and finding the best possible idea for conceptual design of products. The Brief Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (BTIPS) is a prospective tool for performing such a task. Derived from TRIZ, TSIP and TIPS, BTIPS slightly differs from those methods. Principles, Effects and Prediction modules in BTIPS are enhanced to meet the newest challenges of engineering pedagogy and technology development. To meet those challenges principles of Size Reduction, Miniaturization, Nanotechnology and Biotechnology were added. Design principles and technological effects were enriched with new developments based on nanotechnology and biotechnology. Furthermore the procedure of the Virtual Element approach was added to the Prediction module. The tests of functions’ separation and minimum information contents to evaluate the derived end solution are also the new additions. BTIPS is living and developing; it is taught and used, and, thus, constantly improved. This paper points out the enhancements and shows some ways of BTIPS application in solving problems with conflicting constraints in conceptual design.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
The impact of the optic neuritis treatment trial on the practices of ophthalmologists and neurologists.

Abstract Objective To determine whether the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial (ONTT) results have altered the practice patterns of ophthalmologists and neurologists. Design Mail survey. Participants A random sample of 987 ophthalmologists and 900 neurologists practicing in the United States were mailed a questionnaire that inquired into decision-making with regard to management of optic neuritis before and after the publication of the ONTT results. Main outcome measures Responses received from 202 ophthalmologists and 244 neurologists, a response rate of 47%. Results Following the ONTT reports, nearly all ophthalmologists and neurologists have reduced their use of oral prednisone alone, substituting a regimen that includes intravenous methylprednisolone. A large proportion of practitioners in both specialties mistakenly believe that intravenous methylprednisolone treatment improves final visual outcome. Only 7% of neurologists and 36% of ophthalmologists ( P = 0.0001) are adhering to the ONTT suggestion to use magnetic resonance imaging as a basis for initiating treatment. Conclusions The ONTT has led to a dramatic reduction in the use of oral prednisone without a preceding course of intravenous methylprednisolone in the treatment of acute optic neuritis. Ophthalmologists and neurologists have changed some of their practices without fully understanding the results of the ONTT.
Alexander Hill, The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union: A Documentary Reader

Alexander Hill, The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union: A Documentary Reader (New York and London: Routledge, 2009). Pp. 384. $39.95. Pb. ISBN 978-0415604246. Alexander Hill's The Great Patrio...
A comparison of three methods for improving expiratory cough flow and lung volume in children with neuromuscular diseases

Introduction: In Neuro-Muscular Diseases (NMD) patients, weak muscles and poor cough lead to atelectasis and retained pulmonary secretions. Chest physiotherapy devices aim to reduce these progressive changes but lack evidence about efficacy. Aims: Prior to initiating a long term study, we conducted a pilot study to compare effects of 3 physiotherapy treatments on lung volume and cough flow in stable NMD patients: BiPAP assisted maximal inspiration (BAMI), mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) and intrapulmonary percussive ventilation (IPV). Methods: We tested 40 subjects in 4, 3 day sessions. They underwent all 3 physiotherapy techniques, 1 a day. HR, SaO 2 , FVC, PEF, MIP and MEP were measured pre, immediately post treatment then 30 minutes later. All data was non-parametric so expressed as median (inter-quartile range (IQR)). Results: 38 patients; Duchenne muscular dystrophy largest group (n=17). M:F = 26:12. Age 15 years (11-21y); FVC 64% (46-82%). The effects of all 3 physiotherapy treatments on FVC and PEF are summarized in . While the median changes were small (only IPV9s effect on PEF was significant), the spread of results was unexpectedly wide. Conclusions: No physiotherapy modality showed consistent benefit but IPV may be worth studying long term in NMD children. Our study confirms the importance of gathering preliminary proof of concept data before conducting a long term study.
A Brief History of the Internet in Saudi Arabia

While the Internet has developed into a pivotal tool in world communications, Saudi Arabia was quite late in connecting it to the public, compared with developed or even other developing countries (Al-Hajery 2004). The delay in launching the Internet in Saudi Arabia came from the government's concerns and reservations about the effects of such a new service on their conservative culture. In Saudi Arabia, academic institutions were the first sectors to use the Internet before it was available to the public. According to Al-Tawil (2001).“King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran was the first institution to connect to the Internet in 1993 through the College of Computer Sciences and Engineering”(p. 2). However, due to the low speed of the connection, only email was provided to KFUPM. Later, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), an
Substrate Dependent Native Luminescence from Cytochromes P450 3A4, 2C9, and P450cam

Metalloporphyrin containing proteins, such as cytochrome P450, play a key role in biological systems. The spectroscopic properties of metalloporphyrins have been a subject of intense interest and intense debate for over 50 years. Iron-porphyrins are usually believed to be nonfluorescent. Herein we report that, contrary to this belief, cytochrome P450 heme groups luminesce with enough intensity to be of use in the characterization of these enzymes. To confirm that the emission is from the heme, we destroyed the heme by titration with cumene hydroperoxide and measured the changes in emission upon titration with compounds known to bind to the distal face of the heme in two human cytochrome P450 enzymes, known as CYP3A4 and CYP2C9. The titration curves gave spectral dissociation constants that were not significantly different from those reported using the Soret UV/vis absorbance changes. We have tentatively assigned the broad luminescence at ∼500 nm to a 1ππ* → gs fluorescence and the structured luminescence ...
Potential Challenges the Internet Brings to the Agency-Advertiser Relationship

ABSTRACT The explosive growth of the Internet has the potential to alter agency-advertiser relationships and blur the functions performed by each. Moreover, newer challenges are also surfacing in regard to web-related activities and functions performed by agencies and outside internet specialists from public relations firms, computer design boutiques and studios. This study attempts to assess and compare perceptions, use and implementation issues associated with marketing on the internet among a national sample of advertising agencies and advertisers. The findings are discussed regarding the potential impact of these perceptions on the advertiser/agency relationship.
The establishment of a structural type

The novelty intrigued professionals and dilettantes alike. Those who could afford to indulge in building as a pastime tried their hand at suspension bridges. They became the rage and several were built in the months immediately following the opening of the Saint Antoine Bridge. A few of the builders published articles on their structures. In tone they all read very like the fashionable accounts of dilettante experimentation in ‘natural philosophy’ in the eighteenth century with the slight difference that the social benefits of cheap, solid construction are occasionally stressed. Although these men were not builders and contributed less by design than by chance to the advancement of structural knowledge or technique, their interest did help gain acceptance in financial and political circles for professional work in the field.
An Analysis of the Antelope House Faunal Collection Canyon De Chelly National Monument, Arizona

ABSTRACTFaunal remains from Antelope House are used as the basis for inferences concerning environmental change, prehistoric hunting and butchering practices' and the importance of various fauna in the diet of the indigenes. Some of the problems involved in the estimation of available protein at archaeological sites are also explored.
Economic Transformation and Life Chances: A Life-Course Perspective

In the previous chapters, we have followed a sample of the urban residents and their life experiences over stages of their life course. They grew and aged and, as we have shown, their life chances have changed over time, along with drastic political and economic events in the history of the People's Republic of China. Implicitly, and at times explicitly as in Chapter 4, we have adopted a life-course perspective to trace changes in life chances not only over historical time but also over one's life course. Now it is time to explicitly address this question: Do stages in the life course matter in one's life chances, especially in the era of large-scale social changes and economic transformation? This is the central issue for this chapter. Large-scale societal transformations inevitably have fundamental impacts on individuals' life chances. These are often caused by drastic changes in the processes and mechanisms of resource allocation and social stratification, including the reallocation of opportunities and risks among social groups. What is less apparent, however, is that these impacts are often shaped by important contextual considerations that are not an integral part of sociologists' traditional theoretical explanations. In this chapter, we propose and demonstrate that life-course timing is such a contextual construct, and that the life-course location of particular cohorts at the time of major socioeconomic upheavals plays a critical role in mediating the impacts of opportunities and risks.