cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thrombotic microangiopathic hemolytic anemia in a patient with SLE: diagnostic difficulties

Background A 19-year-old woman with newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presented with hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypertension, tonic-clonic seizures, blurry vision, nephrotic syndrome and renal insufficiency. Investigations At a general hospital, the investigations included brain MRI, echocardiography, laboratory tests including measurement of the amount of protein excreted daily, platelet count, levels of lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine and anticardiolipin antibodies, direct Coombs' test, peripheral blood smear, and measurement of blood pressure. At a tertiary institution the investigations included physical examination, electroencephalography, brain MRI, magnetic resonance angiography, repetition of laboratory tests plus measurement of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease activity, measurement of levels of antibodies to double-stranded DNA and platelets, and renal biopsy. Diagnosis Thrombotic microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with a possible underlying diagnosis of malignant hypertension, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, catastrophic antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or active SLE. Management At the general hospital, therapy included a single dose of intravenous cyclophosphamide 500 mg, eight daily plasma exchange treatments, three daily infusions of methylprednisolone 1 g followed by methylprednisolone 60 mg every 8 h, an infusion of rituximab 657 mg and ultrafiltration via hemodialysis. At the tertiary institution, therapy included an infusion of cyclophosphamide 650 mg, aspirin 81 mg daily, prednisone 40 mg daily, mycophenolate mofetil 750 mg twice daily, and aggressive management of hypertension.
A Comparative Study of Actively Controlled and Shunted Piezoelectric Materials for Structural Damping

A comparison between actively-controlled piezoelectric (PZT) material with positive position feedback (PPF) and a parallel resistor-inductor shunt circuit technique is provided. This study focuses on the performance of each technique at reducing structural vibration on a test plate for both narrowband and broadband frequency reductions. The comparison between the shunted and active PZT damping techniques used in this study shows that active control with positive position feedback was more effective at controlling vibrations of a test plate. The active PZT method was able to add damping to each of the modes targeted in the frequency range of interest. In addition, active control with positive position feedback was able to achieve this level of control authority with a single PZT patch located in the center of the test plate. Conversely, shunted PZTs used three PZT actuators to reduce the test plate vibrations. The results show that actively-controlled PZTs can provide much more damping per square area of PZT than shunted PZTs, by as much as four times more.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
The effect and affect of peer review in electronic versus traditional modes on L2 writing

Abstract This study 1 investigates whether differences in mode of commenting and interaction (i.e. technology-enhanced versus traditional) result in differences in the area (global versus local), the type (evaluation, clarification, suggestion, and alteration), and the nature (revision-oriented versus non-revision-oriented) of comments produced by peer reviewers in second language (L2) writing, and what impact the observed differences have on students' revisions. The findings show that the overall number of comments, the percentage of revision-oriented comments, and consequently the overall number of revisions made by the technology-enhanced group were larger than those by the traditional group. While the participants in the technology-enhanced group tend to find MOO interaction affectively more appealing, a closer look at the interaction modes suggests that face-to-face communication is more effective than MOO communication because of the nonverbal communication feature that is indispensable in intercultural communication in a peer review setting. In light of the differential effects within each commenting mode (Microsoft Word editing versus pen and paper) and interaction mode (MOO versus face-to-face), we suggest that the use of Word editing in an electronic peer review mode combined with face-to-face interaction in the traditional peer review mode may serve as a two-step procedure for effective peer review activities in L2 writing classrooms.
Five-star transportation: using online activity reviews to examine mode choice to non-work destinations

Information and communication technologies are generating unprecedented quantities of data with potential applications in transportation planning and research. Because of their focus on non-work activities, crowdsourced activity reviews such as Yelp reviews have the potential to inform how individuals make travel choices to a range of activities with significant economic impacts. Substantial numbers of Yelp reviews include transportation content, including mode choices. I use content analysis to extract and understand statements on mode from a dataset of more than 225,000 Yelp reviews in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Spatial analysis of the results shows that access to non-work destinations varies significantly by mode across the region and within neighborhoods. The findings address ongoing questions in accessibility research, including preferences for transit around rail stations and local variability in walking preferences. Yelp data do not replace travel surveys, but they provide significantly more information and spatial detail on mode choice to many non-work destinations. Though this and similar datasets show promise for several applications in transportation planning and research, the issues of potential sampling biases and data ownership and access must also be addressed for these data to become widespread tools for practioners and researchers.
Branch overlapping in N+2 first negative bands

Abstract A brief discussion of rotational line structure in vibrational bands of the first negative system of N + 2 is given. In particular, data obtained from electron impact flourescence in nitrogen is presented to illustrate effects of P branch lines overlapping into the R branch. Observations of the overlap are compared with calculations.
“Henceforward I refuse to bow the knee to their narrow rule”: Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Belgravia Magazine, women readers, and literary valuation

Mary Elizabeth Braddon's establishment of Belgravia Magazine in 1866 marked the concrete fulfillment of the literary goal she had tentatively suggested to Edward Bulwer‐Lytton, her friend and mento...
Policy-Making Rhetoric and Youth Issues in the 2004 Presidential Campaign

Campaigns make strategic decisions about appealing to various electoral groups. In 2004, both presidential campaigns did choose to appeal to those younger than 30 with their policy-making rhetoric. The authors find, however, that Bush and Kerry approached this demographic differently. Bush did not single out young adults to the extent Kerry did. Instead, Bush chose to treat young voters more as a part of the general electorate than a distinct group, appealing to their self-interest. Kerry was more attentive, directly targeting young citizens by focusing on issues of higher education and especially seeking to appeal to service-oriented young adults.
LOEDAR: A low cost error detection and recovery scheme for ECC

This paper presents LOEDAR, a novel low-cost error detection and recovery scheme, for Montgomery Ladder Algorithm based Elliptic Curve Scalar Multiplication (ECSM). The LOEDAR scheme exploits the invariance among the intermediate results produced by the algorithm to detect errors. The error detection process can be carried periodically during ECSM to verify data correctness, and will recover the cryptosystem back to the latest checkpoint upon detecting errors. The frequency of running the error detection process can be adjusted to trade off the power and time overhead with error detection latency and recovery overhead. The hardware and power overhead of LOEDAR are about 37.6% and 69% respectively. Each additional error detection process contributes less than 1% additional time overhead and power overhead.
Efficiencies and bandwidths of intracavity acousto-optic devices

Acousto-optic devices based on isotropic and anisotropic acoustic Bragg diffraction will be discussed in terms of their efficiency and bandwidth. The conflicting requirementos n the width W of the acoustic column with regard to efficiency and bandwidth determine the basic limitations of the devices. A scheme using the acousto-optic devices within a flat-field conjugate (FFC) angularly degenerate laser cavity has been experimentally demonstrated. The bandwidth of the new scheme is limited by the field angle of the FFC cavity instead of by W-1. The width W can be made as large as possible to increase the diffraction efficiency without decreasing the bandwidth. The new scheme provides means for high efficiency and large bandwidth in optical deflection and signal processing systems.
Testing the double phonemic boundary in bilinguals

It is widely known that language influences the way speech sounds are categorized. However, categorization of speech sounds by bilinguals is not well understood. There is evidence that bilinguals have different category boundaries than monolinguals, and there is evidence suggesting that bilinguals' phonemic boundaries can shift with language context. This phenomenon has been referred as the double phonemic boundary. In this investigation, the double phonemic boundary is tested in Spanish-English bilinguals (N=18) and English monolinguals (N=16). Participants were asked to categorize speech stimuli from a continuum ranging from /ga/ to /ka/ in two language contexts. The results showed phonemic boundary shifts in bilinguals and monolinguals which did not differ across language contexts. However, the magnitude of the phoneme boundary shift was significantly correlated with the level of confidence in using English and Spanish (reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension) for bilinguals, but not for monolinguals. The challenges of testing the double phonemic boundary are discussed, along with the limitations of the methodology used in this study.
‘Don't forget to say thank you’: The effect of an acknowledgement on donor relationships

Abstract Donor attrition is a major cause of concern for non-profit organisations. Non-profits can improve retention by nurturing donor relationships. Acknowledging or thanking the donor is a vital building block in the non-profit organisation–donor relationship. This paper examines the impact of such acknowledgements on donor relationships. In study 1, we employed cross-sectional data obtained from 478 donors to a regional public television station in the United States. We found that the effect of acknowledgements on the donor relationship is moderated by how frequently the donor gives to the organisation, and that acknowledgements help strengthen the non-profit's relationship with less frequent donors. In study 2, we used an experimental design (111 respondents) to probe the emotional effects of a thank-you note. The findings indicate that acknowledgements enhance positive emotions and alleviate negative emotions; the converse effect is observed when the donor does not get a thank-you note. Thus acknowl...
Morphometric analysis of pollen grains for paleoecological studies: classification of Picea from eastern North America

Little is known about the paleoecological histories of the three spruce species (white spruce, Picea glauca; black spruce, P. mariana; and red spruce P. rubens) in eastern North America, largely because of the difficulty of separating the three species in the pollen record. We describe a novel and effective classification method of distinguishing pollen grains on the basis of quantitative analysis of grain attributes. The method is illustrated by an analysis of a large sample of modern pollen grains (522 grains from 38 collections) of the three Picea species, collected from the region where the three species co-occur today. For each species X we computed a binary regression tree that classified each grain either as X or as not-X; these three determinations for each grain were then combined as Hamming codes in an error/uncertainty detection procedure. The use of Hamming codes to link multiple binary trees for error detection allowed identification and exclusion of problematic specimens, with correspondingly greater classification certainty among the remaining grains. We measured 13 attributes of 419 reference grains of the three species to construct the regression trees and classified 103 other reference grains by testing. Species-specific accuracies among the reliably classified grains were 100, 77, and 76% for P. glauca, P. mariana, and P. rubens, respectively, and 21, 30, and 22% of the grains by species, respectively, were problematic. The method is applicable to any multi-species classification problem for which a large reference sample is available.
Fear Appeals, Message Processing Cues, and Credibility in the Websites of Violent, Ideological, and Nonideological Groups

Ideological groups use the Internet to deliver their messages unhindered by the constraints of traditional media. We examined how ideological groups promote their worldview through their websites. Using the elaboration likelihood model ELM, this research used trained coders to examine the websites of nonideological groups n = 37, nonviolent ideological groups n = 36, and violent ideological groups n = 32 for credibility, persuasion processing cues, and interactivity factors. Results of this study found that the websites of violent ideological groups use more fear appeals, were less interactive, and were the least credible of the 3 groups. All 3 groups used more central cues than peripheral suggesting they focused on evidence for their arguments rather than emotion.
Phonon-assisted recombination in Fe-based spin LEDs

The electroluminescence (EL) spectra from $\mathrm{Fe}∕\mathrm{Al}\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{As}(n)∕\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{As}∕\mathrm{Al}\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{As}(p)$ spin LEDs contain an ${e}_{1}{h}_{1}$ excitonic feature; in addition, they exhibit new features not present in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra, that are ``satellites'' or ``replicas'' of the exciton. These satellites are red shifted with respect to ${e}_{1}{h}_{1}$ by energies that are approximately equal to those of zone edge phonons in GaAs. The intensity of the replicas depends strongly on bias voltage. In the presence of a magnetic field the satellites become circularly polarized as ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{+}$ but their polarization is always lower than that of ${e}_{1}{h}_{1}$. The satellites are interpreted as due to recombination processes that involve zone edge electrons that tunnel into the GaAs quantum well. These processes occur simultaneously with the emission of zone-edge phonons. Our interpretation is supported by a numerical simulation of the properties of electrons tunneling through an $\mathrm{Fe}∕\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{As}(n)$ Schottky barrier.
Diagnosis of Huntington Disease

Background: Huntington disease (HD) is a rare, progressive, and fatal autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder, typically of adult onset. Methods: We reviewed the literature concerning the molecular diagnosis of HD. Results: The discovery of the genetic etiology of HD, a trinucleotide expansion mutation on chromosome 4p, has led to the development of increasingly reliable and valid diagnostic tests that can be applied to symptomatic patients, individuals at risk for HD but currently asymptomatic, fetuses, and embryos. However, the unstable nature of the HD mutation, the lack of effective treatments for HD, the mid-adulthood age of disease onset, and the existence of disorders with the same clinical presentation but different etiology all complicates diagnostic testing. Conclusion: Conscientious laboratory work, knowledgeable interpretation of genetic test results, and the availability of pre- and posttest counseling are essential components of HD diagnosis.
Moderately Obese, Insulin-Resistant Women Exhibit Abnormal Vascular Reactivity to Stress

Abstract To define the hemodynamic implications of insulin resistance (IR), we compared 10 normotensive, insulin-resistant women who had abnormal glucose tolerance tests with 10 age-matched healthy normotensive women with normal glucose tolerance tests with respect to mental arithmetic and handgrip responses. Hemodynamic variables obtained at baseline and during stress included heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance. The IR group weighed more (84 versus 66 kg). Screening BP was similar (123/72 versus 120/68 mm Hg, P =NS) between groups although baseline diastolic BP at testing day was higher in the IR group than control group (75 versus 65 mm Hg, P <.05). The IR group showed a significantly greater increase in systolic (18% versus 10%, P <.01) and diastolic (24% versus 12%, P <.01) blood pressure responses to mental stress than the control group. During mental stress, the control group demonstrated increased cardiac output (1.4 L/min) and decreased systemic vascular resistance (−120 dyne · s · cm−5), whereas IR subjects demonstrated increased systemic vascular resistance (119 dyne · s · cm−5; group difference, P <.02) with only a small increase in cardiac output (0.5 L/min). Handgrip also caused a greater increase in systemic vascular resistance in the IR group (252 versus 64 dyne · s · cm−5, P <.05), with a correspondingly greater increase in blood pressure than control subjects. Baseline blood pressure was correlated with weight ( r =.41, P <.02) and stress blood pressure with fasting insulin ( r =.51, P <.001) and glucose-to-insulin ratio ( r =−.55, P <.001). We conclude that insulin resistance is associated with an exaggerated blood pressure response to stress; an enhanced vasoconstriction to stress may mediate this response. This hyperreactivity may be a marker for future hypertension in obese, normotensive, hyperinsulinemic individuals.
Childhood personality as a harbinger of competence and resilience in adulthood

This study examined the significance of childhood Big Five personality traits for competence and resilience in early adulthood. Resilience was defined in terms of adaptive success in age-salient developmental tasks despite significant adversity throughout childhood/adolescence. The Project Competence Longitudinal Study tracked 205 young people from childhood (around age 10) to emerging adulthood (EA, age 20) and young adulthood (YA, age 30; 90% retention). Multimethod composites were created for personality traits, adversity exposure, and adult outcomes of academic achievement, work, rule-abiding conduct, friendship, and romantic relationships. Regressions showed significant main effects of childhood personality predicting adult outcomes, controlling for adversity, with few interaction effects. In person-focused analyses, the resilient group in EA and YA (high competence, high adversity) showed higher childhood conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness and lower neuroticism than the maladaptive group (low competence, high adversity). The competent (high competence, low adversity) and resilient groups showed similar childhood traits. Turnaround cases, who changed from the maladaptive group in EA to the resilient group in YA, exhibited higher childhood conscientiousness than persistently maladaptive peers. Findings suggest that children on pathways to success in adulthood, whether facing low or high adversity, have capacities for emotion regulation, empathy and connection, dedication to schoolwork, and mastery and exploration.
Quality of Life in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia on Imatinib Versus Interferon Alfa Plus Low-Dose Cytarabine: Results From the IRIS Study

Purpose: Quality of life (QOL) outcomes in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) were evaluated in an international phase III study. Patients and Methods: Newly diagnosed patients with chronic phase CML were randomly assigned to imatinib or interferon alfa plus subcutaneous low-dose cytarabine (IFN+LDAC). Cross-over to the other treatment was permitted because of intolerance or lack of efficacy. Patients completed cancer-specific QOL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Biologic Response Modifiers) and utility (Euro QoL-5D) questionnaires at baseline and during treatment (n = 1,049). The primary QOL end point was the Trial Outcome Index (TOI; a measure of physical function and well-being). Secondary end points included social and family well-being (SFWB), emotional well-being (EWB), and the utility score. Primary analyses were intention to treat with secondary analyses accounting for cross-over. Results: Patients receiving IFN+LDAC experienced a large decline in the TOI, whereas those receiving...
Promoter Analysis of Zfp-36, the Mitogen-inducible Gene Encoding the Zinc Finger Protein Tristetraprolin

The gene encoding the putative zinc finger protein tristetraprolin (TTP), Zfp-36 is rapidly induced by a variety of mitogens and growth factors. We show here that 77 base pairs 5′ of the transcription start site are sufficient for full serum inducibility of the mouse Zfp-36 promoter. This region of the promoter includes consensus sequences for the binding of the transcription factors EGR-1, AP2, and Sp1. In addition, we have identified a previously undescribed element, TTP promoter element 1 (TPE1); this 10-base pair sequence includes a palindrome and is identical in the human, bovine, and mouse genes. Each of the three binding elements, EGR-1, AP2, and TPE1, contribute to the serum induction of Zfp-36 and can confer serum-inducible expression on a heterologous minimal promoter. Gel mobility shift assays demonstrated the formation of complexes consisting of this region of the promoter and cellular nuclear proteins and demonstrated that the extent of complex formation could be altered by treatment of the cells with serum or insulin. These results suggest that the response of Zfp-36 to serum and other mitogens is mediated by a series of cis-acting elements acting in concert to confer full inducible transcription of this gene.
Attitudes about Medical Malpractice: An American Society of Neuroradiology Survey

SUMMARY: The concern over medicolegal liability is pervasive among physicians. We sought, through an email survey to the members of the ASNR, to assess the experience with and attitudes about the medicolegal environment among neuroradiologists. Of 4357 physicians surveyed, 904 answered at least 1 of the questions in the survey; 449 of 904 (49.7%) had been sued: 180 (44.9%) had been sued once, 114 (28.4%) twice, 60 (15.0%) 3 times, and 47 (11.7%) more than 3 times. The payouts for suits were most commonly in the $50,000 to $150,000 range, except for interventional neuroradiologists, in whom the most common value was $600,000 to $1,200,000. Only 9 of 481 (1.9%) of suits returned a plaintiff verdict. Despite reported outcomes that favored physicians with respect to cases being dropped (270/481 = 56.1%), settled without a payment (11/481 = 2.3%), or a defense verdict (46/481 = 9.6), most respondents (81.1%, 647/798) believed that the medicolegal system was weighted toward plaintiffs. More than half of the neuroradiologists (55.2%, 435/787) reported being mildly to moderately concerned, and 19.1% (150/787) were very or extremely concerned about being sued.
Detrimental effects of duplicate reads and low complexity regions on RNA- and ChIP-seq data

Adapter trimming and removal of duplicate reads are common practices in next-generation sequencing pipelines. Sequencing reads ambiguously mapped to repetitive and low complexity regions can also be problematic for accurate assessment of the biological signal, yet their impact on sequencing data has not received much attention. We investigate how trimming the adapters, removing duplicates, and filtering out reads overlapping low complexity regions influence the significance of biological signal in RNA- and ChIP-seq experiments. We assessed the effect of data processing steps on the alignment statistics and the functional enrichment analysis results of RNA- and ChIP-seq data. We compared differentially processed RNA-seq data with matching microarray data on the same patient samples to determine whether changes in pre-processing improved correlation between the two. We have developed a simple tool to remove low complexity regions, RepeatSoaker, available at https://github.com/mdozmorov/RepeatSoaker , and tested its effect on the alignment statistics and the results of the enrichment analyses. Both adapter trimming and duplicate removal moderately improved the strength of biological signals in RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data. Aggressive filtering of reads overlapping with low complexity regions, as defined by RepeatMasker, further improved the strength of biological signals, and the correlation between RNA-seq and microarray gene expression data. Adapter trimming and duplicates removal, coupled with filtering out reads overlapping low complexity regions, is shown to increase the quality and reliability of detecting biological signals in RNA-seq and ChIP-seq data.
Making sense of the COP9 signalosome: a regulatory protein complex conserved from Arabidopsis to human

The COP9 signalosome, once defined as a repressor complex of light-activated development in Arabidopsis, has recently been found in humans and is probably present in most multicellular organisms. The COP9 signalosome is closely related to the lid sub-complex of the 26S proteasome in structural composition and probably shares a common evolutionary ancestor. A multifaceted role of the COP9 signalosome in cell-signaling processes is hinted at by its associated novel kinase activity, as well as the involvement of its subunits in regulating multiple cell-signaling pathways and cell-cycle progression. The molecular genetic studies in Arabidopsis suggest that the complex functions as part of a highly conserved regulatory network, whose physiological role in animals remains to be determined.
Thermal Stability and Wetting Properties of Cr–O–C Coatingssynthesized by Plasma Immersion Ion Processing

Microcrystalline Cr-O-C films, synthesized by the plasma immersion ion processing technique, were annealed in vacuum and air at 700 °C for different times so their thermal stability could be evaluated. The study showed that annealing does not greatly change the chemical composition of the Cr-O-C films but induces a transformation of the film structure from the mixed phases of Cr 2 O 3 , CrO 2 , and CrC 1 . 1 3 O 0 . 1 2 2 to the dual phases of Cr 3 C 2 , and Cr 2 O 3 . In addition, the annealed Cr-O-C films exhibit excellent nonwetting qualities to liquid aluminum despite the presence of pin holes. The contact angle of resolidified molten aluminum against the Cr-O-C films was found to be as high as 120-150°. The aluminum contact angle was found not to vary with thermal aging of the Cr-O--C films. The Cr-O-C films showed high hardness (16-24 GPa) and good wear resistance as compared to the steel substrates (H 13 and 304 stainless steels) used in this study.
Within-person reproducibility of urinary bisphenol A and phthalate metabolites over a 1 to 3 year period among women in the Nurses’ Health Studies: a prospective cohort study

Background: Associations of bisphenol A and phthalates with chronic disease health outcomes are increasingly being investigated in epidemiologic studies. The majority of previous studies of within-person variability in urinary bisphenol A and phthalate metabolite concentrations have focused on reproducibility over short time periods. Long-term reproducibility data are needed to assess the potential usefulness of these biomarkers for prospective studies, particularly those examining risk of diseases with long latency periods. Low within-person reproducibility may attenuate relative risk estimates and reduce statistical power to detect associations with disease. Therefore, we assessed within-person reproducibility of bisphenol A, eight phthalate metabolites, and phthalic acid in spot urine samples over 1 to 3 years among women enrolled in two large cohort studies. Methods: Women in the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II provided two spot urine samples, 1 to 3 years apart (n=80 women for analyses of bisphenol A; n=40 women for analyses of phthalate metabolites; n=34 women for analyses of phthalic acid). To measure within-person reproducibility, we calculated Spearman rank correlation coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients for creatinine-adjusted concentrations of bisphenol A, phthalate metabolites, and phthalic acid. Results: Over 1 to 3 years, within-person variability of bisphenol A was high relative to total variability (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.14) and rankings of bisphenol A levels between time-points were weakly correlated (Spearman correlation=0.19). Seven of the eight phthalate metabolites and phthalic acid demonstrated moderate within-person stability over time (Spearman correlation or intraclass correlation coefficient=0.39-0.55). Restricting analyses to first-morning urine samples did not alter results. Conclusions: Single measurements of bisphenol A in spot urine samples were highly variable within women over 1 to 3 years, indicating that investigation of associations between a single urinary bisphenol A measurement and disease risk may be challenging in epidemiologic studies. The majority of urinary phthalate metabolites and phthalic acid appeared moderately reproducible within women over time, suggesting single measurements may be useful in epidemiologic studies, although observed relative risks can be substantially attenuated.
Battery-Aware Adaptive Modulation Based on Large-Scale MDP

We treat the problem of designing the optimal transmission scheme that is adapted to the battery state, the channel and buffer conditions, and the incoming traffic rate. We assume that the battery states can be tracked at every time slot, so that the problem is formulated as a large-scale Markov decision process (MDP). An efficient sparse sampling method is employed to obtain a solution. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate that the proposed schemes can considerably increase the lifetime of the battery-powered wireless systems while satisfying QoS (quality of Service) constraints.
Thermal Etching and Grain‐Boundary Grooving Silicon Ceramics

Polished polycrystalline specimens of Si, Sic, and Si3N4 were heated to high temperatures and the rate of thermal etching was measured. Grain-boundary grooving occurred on silicon by surface diffusion, with a surface-diffusion coefficient given by Silicon carbide surfaces became extremely rough and very little grain-boundary grooving occurred. Silicon nitride decomposed in an N2-H2, atmosphere with an activation energy of 757 kJ/mol, which was very near the activation energy calculated from thermochemical data. The surfaces became fairly rough but grain-boundary grooves formed by an evaporation processsimilar to that for decomposition.
Commercializing success: the impact of popular media on the career decisions and perceptual accuracy of criminal justice students

Interest in the field of criminal justice continues to grow and attract students to this area of higher education. These students typically represent society in that their beliefs about the justice system are based on media depictions, not education or experience. This study surveyed Introduction to Criminal Justice students from two universities, and compared their television viewing habits with (1) their perceptions of the justice system, (2) their knowledge of justice system policies and procedures, and (3) their occupational aspirations. It was found that self-reported media exposure affected both perceptions of the justice system and major selection. Specifically, viewing law enforcement related television influenced major selection, while forensic and court related shows negatively impacted perceptual accuracy.
Pitting of Admiralty Brass

Abstract The chemical composition and morphology of corrosion products accumulated on the internal surfaces of admiralty brass tubes and in pits, formed during service of a power plant condenser cooled with brackish water, were examined and compared with corrosion products formed under laboratory conditions simulating those in the plant. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used for corrosion product analysis. Electrochemical tests were performed to characterize alloy corrosion behavior. In this way, conditions leading to pitting attack on admiralty brass were determined.
THE MECHANISM OF AERIAL DISINFECTION BY GLYCOLS AND OTHER CHEMICAL AGENTS : II. AN ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS GOVERNING THE EFFICIENCY OF CHEMICAL DISINFECTION OF THE AIR.

The effectiveness of any compound as an aerial germicide depends upon the extent of condensation of its vapor on air-suspended bacteria, and on the rate at which the resulting concentration of germicide can produce death of the microorganisms. The properties of any compound conducive to production of the highest rate of kill of air-borne microorganisms by means of the smallest possible concentration of germicide vapor, are as folows: (a) a low vapor pressure, but not lower than 0.001 mm. Hg at 25 degrees C.; (b) high hygroscopicity; (c) toxicity for bacterial metabolism-a high degree of potency is not necessary although the killing action will be more efficient the higher the antibacterial activity of the compound employed. For any compound the killing action is always a direct function of the concentration of its vapor in the air. The maximum amount of a hygroscopic substance which can exist in the vapor state decreases as the relative humidity increases. Hence, at high relative humidities the bactericidal efficiency is lowest. At lower relative humidities the air can contain more vapor, and hence a greater effect is possible. At any relative humidity, the killing action is greater, the more closely the germicide vapor concentration approaches the saturation point. The presence of soluble compounds in droplets containing bacteria promotes more extensive condensation of the germicide than would otherwise occur, and so enhances its effectiveness. In the absence of such soluble substances, low atmospheric humidities may cause complete desiccation of a bacterial particle. Under these conditions its surface may become resistant to the condensation of the vapor, and thus prevent effective germicidal action. The influence of temperature changes on the killing efficiency maybe correctly deduced from a consideration of the effect of a rise in temperature on the vapor pressure of the germicide and on the rate of its bactericidal action in vitro. Equations are presented for estimating quantitatively the magnitude of some of the effects discussed.
Anticoagulant therapy during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis of randomized trials in the era of stents and P2Y12 inhibitors

Objectives To investigate the relative benefits of unfractionated heparin, low molecular weight heparin(LMWH), fondaparinux, and bivalirudin as treatment options for patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Design Mixed treatment comparison and direct comparison meta-analysis of randomized trials in the era of stents and P2Y12 inhibitors. Data sources and study selection A search of Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for randomized trials comparing unfractionated heparin plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor(GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor), unfractionated heparin, bivalirudin, fondaparinux, or LMWH plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor for patients undergoing primary PCI. Outcomes The primary efficacy outcome was short term (in hospital or within 30 days) major adverse cardiovascular event; the primary safety outcome was short term major bleeding. Results We identified 22 randomized trials that enrolled 22 434 patients. In the mixed treatment comparison models, when compared with unfractionated heparin plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor, unfractionated heparin was associated with a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (relative risk 1.49 (95% confidence interval 1.21 to 1.84), as were bivalirudin (relative risk 1.34 (1.01 to 1.78)) and fondaparinux (1.78 (1.01 to 3.14)). LMWH plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor showed highest treatment efficacy, followed (in order) by unfractionated heparin plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor, bivalirudin, unfractionated heparin, and fondaparinux. Bivalirudin was associated with lower major bleeding risk compared with unfractionated heparin plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor (relative risk 0.47 (0.30 to 0.74)) or unfractionated heparin (0.58 (0.37 to 0.90)). Bivalirudin, followed by unfractionated heparin, LMWH plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor, unfractionated heparin plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor, and fondaparinux were the hierarchy for treatment safety. Results were similar in direct comparison meta-analyses: bivalirudin was associated with a 39%, 44%, and 65% higher risk of myocardial infarction, urgent revascularization, and stent thrombosis respectively when compared with unfractionated heparin with or without GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor. However, bivalirudin was associated with a 48% lower risk of major bleeding compared with unfractionated heparin plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor and 32% lower compared with unfractionated heparin alone. Conclusions In patients undergoing primary PCI, unfractionated heparin plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor and LMWH plus GpIIb/IIIa inhibitor were most efficacious, with the lowest rate of major adverse cardiovascular events, whereas bivalirudin was safest, with the lowest bleeding. These relationships should be considered in selecting anticoagulant therapies in patients undergoing primary PCI.
Data Acquisition in Sensor Networks with Large Memories

Sensor Networks will soon become ubiquitous, making them essential tools for monitoring the activity and evolution of our surrounding environment. However such environments are expected to generate vast amounts of temporal data that needs to be processed in a power-effective manner. To this date sensor nodes feature small amounts of memory which mostly limits their capabilities to queries that only refer to the current point in time. In this paper we initiate a study on the deployment of large memories at sensor nodes. Such an approach gives birth to an array of new temporal and top-k queries which have been extensively studied by the database community. Our discussion is in the context of the RISE (RIverside SEnsor) hardware platform, in which sensor nodes feature external flash card memories that provides them several Megabytes of storage.
Establishing ecologically relevant management boundaries: linking movement ecology with the conservation of Scaphirhynchus sturgeon

We investigated the environmental life history of widely distributed threatened and endangered sturgeons in large rivers of the central United States that experience different regulatory regimes an...
Group Living in the Black-Breasted Wood-Quail and the Use of Playbacks as a Survey Technique

Abstract I used playbacks of recorded group song to survey and capture Black-breasted Wood-Quail (Odontophorus leucolaemus), a cloud forest endemic, in Monteverde, Costa Rica. This species is abundant in the dense understory of large windbreaks, forest fragments, and continuous forest of the Monteverde Reserve Complex. Mean covey size was four adults (range = 2–9 adults) and mean density, which did not differ between fragmented and continuous forest, was one covey per 3.3 ha. Wood-Quail defended all-purpose group territories and coveys persisted from one year to the next, indicating a group structure that is very different from what is found in most New World quail. A peak in breeding activity occurred at the transition from the wet to the dry season and larger groups produced significantly more juveniles than smaller groups in this population. Playbacks were a useful technique for detecting Black-breasted Wood-Quail; coveys responded to 65% of survey attempts by chorus and approach. By repeating the surv...
Poly(Amide-Enamines)

Our earlier investigations focused on the use of enamine ketones as part of the mesogenic unit in lyotropic and thermotropic monomeric and polymeric liquid crystals, 1–6 as well as poly(amide enamines) as a new class of biodegradable polymer.1,2 An inherent problem of liquid crystalline polymers with aromatic hydrocarbon rings as the rigid mesogenic unit is that these materials have very low solubility in common organic solvents and very high transition temperatures that make them intractable. We reasoned that by replacing some of the aromatic hydrocarbon rings with hydrogen bonding rings, the transition temperatures should decrease due to decreased symmetry. Also the solubility should increase due to improved interactions between solvents and the heteroatom containing hydrogen bonding rings. Indeed we have been able to prepare soluble and fusible monomeric and polymeric liquid crystals with the enamine ketone group (1) as part of the mesogenic unit.3–6
Jewish identity construction in contemporary Poland: Dialogue between generations

Cette etude analyse la maniere dont l'appartenance a telle ou telle generation influe sur la construction de l'identite juive dans la comunaute juive polonaise, et montre l'importance que jouent l'âge, et les interactions entre generations, dans la facon dont va se structurer l'identite ethnique des individus. En plus du role de l'histoire personnelle de chacun, evidemment liee a l'Histoire et a l'histoire du peuple juif, l'article souligne a quel point les echanges entre parents et enfants contribuent a permettre a chaque generation de se definir
Microarray Analysis Gene Expression Profiles in Laryngeal Muscle After Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury

Objectives:The pathophysiology of recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) transection injury is rare in that it is characteristically followed by a high degree of spontaneous reinnervation, with reinnervat...
El Contrato De Outsourcing: Algunas Reflexiones Prácticas (The Outsourcing Agreement: Some Practical Insights)

Spanish Abstract: La externalizacion de determinadas actividades constituye una herramienta de gestion empresarial, cuya mayor o menor eficiencia depende, en gran parte, de la correcta elaboracion y negociacion del contrato que regula las relaciones entre los contratantes. El contrato de outsourcing es complejo y requiere una estrecha colaboracion entre las partes para la correcta consecucion de su objeto. En este estudio, que no pretende ser un analisis exhaustivo de todas las clausulas que el contrato de outsourcing debe recoger, se intenta reflejar algunas conclusiones de naturaleza eminentemente practica sobre determinados puntos que, por su importancia o caracter controvertido, podran ser utiles para aquellos profesionales que se dedican a la negociacion de este tipo de contratos.English Abstract: The outsourcing of certain activities is a business management tool. The efficiency of such tool relies on the accurate draft and negotiation of the agreement that must govern the contractual relationship between the contracting parties. The outsourcing agreement is a complex agreement requiring a close cooperation between the parties to secure a successful fulfillment of its scope. This paper does not seek to be an exhaustive analysis of all the provisions that an outsourcing contract should include. Instead, it only tries to consider some eminently high-level practical views on some key and controversial items, which might be useful to professionals engaged in the negotiation of this type of contracts.
Photosynthesis-Light Mathematical Formulations

Photosynthesis-light curves for photoplankton describe the characteristic dependence of the instantaneous rate of photosynthesis on incident light. Six different mathematical formulations are evaluated for the photosynthesis-light relationship, based on their ability to describe experimental data collected from nutrient saturated, hypereutrophic Onandaga Lake in New York State. The data are comprised of measurements of in situ gross primary productivity, and the available light from 115 experiments.
Soluble Fas gene therapy protects against Fas-mediated apoptosis of hepatocytes but not the lethal effects of Fas-induced TNF-alpha production by Kupffer cells.

The elevation of soluble Fas (sFas) in the sera of patients with liver disease suggests a role for sFas in the disease process; whether it is protective or not is controversial. To determine the effects of sFas on Fas-induced liver apoptosis, we manipulated mice to produce sFas by transfecting them in vivo with different amounts of an adenovirus that produces mouse sFas driven by the CMV promoter (AdsFas). Fas-mediated apoptosis was induced by administration of anti-mouse Fas (Jo2; 10 μg/mouse) one week later. The administration of AdsFas (103, 107, or 109 pfu/mouse), which was associated with only minimal side-effects, resulted in a significant reduction in the liver transaminase levels and mortality of the mice on challenge with Jo2, as compared to control mice treated with AdLacZ. However, the protective effect of AdsFas was not complete. The possibility that Jo2-induction of TNF-α in the Kupffer cells of the liver contributes to the pathology was therefore tested. Although administration of soluble TNF receptor (sTNFRI) alone did not protect the mice from the lethal effects of Jo2, administration of sTNFRI (200 μg/mouse) after infection with AdsFas (109 pfu/mouse) resulted in 100% survival of the mice on challenge with Jo2. To confirm that the production of TNF-α by Kupffer cells produce the lethal effects of Jo2 that remained after treatment with AdsFas, these cells were selectively ablated by treatment of the mice with gadolinium chloride prior to challenge with Jo2. This treatment greatly reduced early mortality and hepatocellular damage as well as TNF-α production 6 h after injection of Jo2. These results indicate that: (1) AdsFas prevents Jo2-induced apoptosis of hepatocytes; (2) In addition to mediating Fas-mediated apoptosis of hepatocytes, Jo2 can separately induce TNF-α production by Kupffer cells resulting in early mortality, and (3) Optimal protection from Jo2-induced mortality can be achieved by protection of liver cells by pretreatment with both AdsFas and sTNFRI.
An efficient shell element for modeling three-dimensional stress states in laminated composite and sandwich structures

A three-noded, faceted shell element is developed on the basis of a higher-order shell theory and applied to predict the response of laminated composite and sandwich structures. The formulation includes all six strain and stress components and results in the simplest nodal configuration involving three displacements and two rotations at each node. The element predictive capability extends from very thin to relatively thick laminated composite and sandwich shells. The element is readily portable to any general purpose finite element code. (Author)
Prevalence of Medication Use in Children for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction

Recently there has been concern regarding the prevalence of medication use in children to manage the same cardiometabolic risk factors that traditionally begin in adulthood, but are now more prevalent in children. Two studies have been published reporting the actual prevalence of medication use in children to treat the conditions of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Both studies report that the overall prevalence of medication use among children to manage these conditions is increasing. Concurrently, physical activity levels and healthy eating habits in children are decreasing and the incidence of obesity is increasing. Although medications used to treat cardiometabolic risks are important for preventing future cardiovascular disease, greater resources should be dedicated toward lifestyle medicine–related treatment and prevention efforts in this population to improve the future health of these individuals and the general health of America.