cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short-circuit capability of 1200V SiC MOSFET and JFET for fault protection

The short-circuit capability of power switches is crucial for the fault protection. In this paper, 1200V SiC MOSFET and normally-off SiC JFET have been characterized and their short-circuit capabilities have been studied and analyzed at 400V DC bus voltage. Due to different physics in the channels, SiC MOSFET and SiC JFET show different types of temperature coefficient. During the short-circuit operation, the saturation current, Isat, of SiC MOSFET increases for several microseconds before the gentle decreasing while that of SiC JFET decreases drastically from the very beginning. The SiC MOSFETs failed after short-circuit operations of 80μs and 50μs at 10V and 15V gate bias respectively while the SiC JFET could survive a short-circuit time more than 1.4msec.
Hyperlipidemia, tissue factor, coagulation, and simvastatin

Hyperlipidemia affects millions of people worldwide and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. People with hyperlipidemia have elevated levels of serum cholesterol and an increased risk of thrombosis. Studies have suggested that oxidized lipoproteins, such as oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), contribute to the development of a pro-thrombotic state. In this review, we discuss our recent studies demonstrating a role for hematopoietic cell-derived tissue factor (TF) expression in the activation of coagulation and increased thrombosis associated with hyperlipidemia. In addition, we investigated the effect of simvastatin on TF expression and coagulation. We found that simvastatin reduced leukocyte TF expression, TF⁺ microparticles, and coagulation. These results and earlier studies suggest that the anti-coagulant activity of statins is due, in part, to their ability to reduce monocyte TF expression in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Computing scalable multivariate glocal invariants of large (brain-) graphs

Graphs are quickly emerging as a leading abstraction for the representation of data. One important application domain originates from an emerging discipline called “connectomics”. Connectomics studies the brain as a graph; vertices correspond to neurons (or collections thereof) and edges correspond to structural or functional connections between them. To explore the variability of connectomes-to address both basic science questions regarding the structure of the brain, and medical health questions about psychiatry and neurology-one can study the topological properties of these brain-graphs. We define multivariate glocal graph invariants: these are features of the graph that capture various local and global topological properties of the graphs. We show that the collection of features can collectively be computed via a combination of daisy-chaining, sparse matrix representation and computations, and efficient approximations. Our custom open-source Python package serves as a back-end to a Web-service that we have created to enable researchers to upload graphs, and download the corresponding invariants in a number of different formats. Moreover, we built this package to support distributed processing on multicore machines. This is therefore an enabling technology for network science, lowering the barrier of entry by providing tools to biologists and analysts who otherwise lack these capabilities. As a demonstration, we run our code on 120 brain-graphs, each with approximately 16M vertices and up to 90M edges.
Aleutian Disease Gammopathy of Mink induced with an Ultra-filtrable Agent

AMONG the lymphoproliferative diseases, murine leukaemia has interested many investigators since Gross succeeded in transmitting it with a filtrable agent1. Another lymphoproliferative disease, Aleutian disease of mink2, has received considerable attention because there is a filtrable causative agent3,4. Aleutian disease can be characterized as a transmissible disease of mink and possibly other mustelids5, in which a hypergammaglobulinaemia6 occurs concomitant with a plasma cell proliferation. Unlike murine leukaemia, where the ambiguity of a “filtrable agent” has been resolved by the demonstration of virus particles7, the Aleutian disease agent has remained undetected by electron microscopy (personal communication from R. C. Williams, jun.).
Asymptotic equations in directional solidification

Abstract Directional solidification is a process which can be used to remove impurities from metals by repeated melting and freezing. The properties of the final material are in a large part determined by the structure of the solid-liquid interface which may be planar, cusped, or dendritic. In certain parameter regions the modes which destabilize a planar interface are the low modes. In these regimes, there is an effective separation of scales which allows one to derive evolution equations for the dynamics of the solidification front. Such an analysis is possible both (1) just below the limit of absolute stability and (2) just above the limit at which a coherent interface vanishes, if deviations from local thermal equilibrium are taken into account. The ability of the resultant equations to describe the relevant physics is discussed.
Clinical and Molecular Features of the Carney Complex: Diagnostic Criteria and Recommendations for Patient Evaluation

Carney complex is a multiple neoplasia syndrome featuring cardiac, endocrine, cutaneous, and neural tumors, as well as a variety of pigmented lesions of the skin and mucosae. Carney complex is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and may simultaneously involve multiple endocrine glands, as in the classic multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes 1 and 2. Carney complex also has some similarities to McCuneAlbright syndrome, a sporadic condition that is also characterized by multiple endocrine and nonendocrine tumors. Carney complex shares skin abnormalities and some nonendocrine tumors with the lentiginoses and certain of the hamartomatoses, particularly Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, with which it shares mucosal lentiginosis and an unusual gonadal tumor, large-cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor. Careful clinical analysis has enabled positional cloning efforts to identify two chromosomal loci harboring potential candidate genes for Carney complex. Most recently, at the 17q22-24 locus, the tumor suppressor gene PRKAR1A, coding for the type 1alpha regulatory subunit of PKA, was found to be mutated in approximately half of the known Carney complex kindreds. PRKAR1A acts a classic tumor suppressor gene as demonstrated by loss of heterozygosity at the 17q22-24 locus in tumors associated with the complex. The second locus, at chromosome 2p16, to which most (but not all) of the remaining kindreds map, is also involved in the molecular pathogenesis of Carney complex tumors, as demonstrated by multiple genetic changes at this locus, including loss of heterozygosity and copy number gain. Despite the known genetic heterogeneity in the disease, clinical analysis has not detected any corresponding phenotypic differences between patients with PRKAR1A mutations and those without. This article summarizes the clinical manifestations of Carney complex from a worldwide collection of affected patients and also presents revised diagnostic criteria for Carney complex. In light of the recent identification of mutations in the PRKAR1A gene, an estimate of penetrance and recommendations for genetic screening are provided.
The implications of the ranking axiom for discrete cost sharing methods

In this paper, we study the Ranking property for discrete cost sharing methods. In the two-agent model, we characterize the set of methods satisfying this axiom: the symmetry of the flow representing the method is necessary and sufficient for Ranking. In higher dimensions (n ≥ 3), we identify strong implications of the axiom; however, we prove that these conditions are not sufficient to characterize Ranking. For the so-called elementary fixed flows, we derive a necessary and sufficient condition.
Luna 9 photographs: Evidence for a fragmental surface layer

The morphological features of the lunar surface photographed by Luna 9 indicate a surficial layer of weakly cohesive to noncohesive frag mental material. Most of this material is finer than a centimeter and probably finer than a few millimeters, although objects of centimeter size and larger are plentiful.
DNA contents of replication without DNA density labeling

A new method for determining the timing of DNA replication in specific regions of the mammalian genome without the use of DNA density labeling and DNA density centrifugation is described. The method is based on determination of average relative DNA copy numbers in specific genomic regions as cells progress through S phase, and "time of replication" for a specific region is described in terms of the cell's DNA content when the region is replicated. DNA is isolated from synchronized populations of G1 and S phase cells, it is slot-blotted at the same DNA concentration(s) for each population, and it is hybridized with 32P-labeled DNA probes that are specific to the regions of interest. Quantitation of the slot blot autoradiograms and flow cytometric analysis allows determination of (a) average relative DNA copy numbers for the regions of interest in synchronized cell populations, and (b) the average total DNA content in each population of synchronized cells. This information and the flow cytometry histograms are then used to calculate the cellular DNA content at which each region of interest is replicated. The results have a precision of less than or equal to +/- 10% of S phase for Chinese hamster (line CHO) rhodopsin, metallothionein II, the 5'-end of dihydrofolate reductase, the telomeric repeated sequence, pHuR-093 (also located near the centromeres in CHO chromosomes), and the c-Ki-ras family.
Has the Philosophy of Technology Arrived? A State‐of‐the‐Art Review*

Using the occasion of the publication of a Blackwell anthology in the philosophy of technology, Philosophy of Technology: The Technological Condition (2003), as a key to the contemporary role of this subdiscipline, this article reviews the current state‐of‐this‐art. Both philosophy of science and philosophy of technology are twentieth century inventions, but each has followed a somewhat different set of philosophical traditions and pursued sometimes divergent questions. Here the primary developments of recent philosophy of technology are examined with emphasis upon issues which might also be of greater interest to philosophers of science. These include epistemological, but also environmental and cultural issues. The bibliographical spread includes references to some fifty recent books in the field.
Parallelization of Linear Iterative Methods for Solving the 3-D Pressure Poisson Equation Using Various Programming Languages☆

Abstract In this paper we explored parallelization of PPE (pressure Poisson equation) solvers with the aim of decreasing total arithmetic and run-time expenditure in incompressible CFD. For the current work, Jacobi and successive overrelaxation (SOR) iterations are used to solve this 3-D PPE, and they are parallelized with OpenMP employing programming languages Fortran, C and C++. Results show that parallelization greatly improves the serial calculation speed in general. Also it is found that 1) speedup increases sub-linearly with increasing number of cores; 2) parallelization efficiency first increases, and later decreases, as the problem size becomes larger; 3) Fortran is approximately 10% faster than C, and C is approximately 10% faster than C++ for serial cases; for parallel runs, Fortran shows little difference in execution time with C, but still is approximately 10% faster than C++. Comparisons are made in the context of having the same algorithm and code structure, and the same optimization level in compilation. Moreover, we found that optimal SOR is nearly two orders of magnitude faster than Jacobi iteration, both in serial and parallel modes, even for a very simple approach to SOR parallelization.
Double-blind study of endotracheal tobramycin in the treatment of gram-negative bacterial pneumonia. The Endotracheal Tobramycin Study Group

A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of endotracheal tobramycin (ETT) for treatment of gram-negative bacterial pneumonia. Patients were randomized to either 40 mg of tobramycin or a placebo instilled endotracheally every 8 h. Patients also received intravenous tobramycin plus either cefazolin or piperacillin. Of 85 patients enrolled, 41 were assessable. Most microbiologic diagnoses were made by endotracheal aspiration with strict grading criteria. The clinical-radiographic responses of patients and standard demographic data were recorded. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, "multiple pathogens," and Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia-Citrobacter species were isolated in 41, 32, and 15% of the instances, respectively. Causative pathogens were eradicated from sputum significantly more frequently by patients who received ETT (P less than 0.05). However, no significant differences were noted in the clinical outcomes of the two study groups. No local adverse reactions attributable to the administration of this agent were observed, but four patients had supraventricular tachycardia, compared with none who received the placebo (P = 0.053). ETT may be considered as adjunctive therapy for seriously ill individuals.
Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase-Rescue of Dystrophin/Utrophin Double Knockout Mice does not Require nNOS Localization to the Cell Membrane

Survival of dystrophin/utrophin double-knockout (dko) mice was increased by muscle-specific expression of a neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) transgene. Dko mice expressing the transgene (nNOS TG+/dko) experienced delayed onset of mortality and increased life-span. The nNOS TG+/dko mice demonstrated a significant decrease in the concentration of CD163+, M2c macrophages that can express arginase and promote fibrosis. The decrease in M2c macrophages was associated with a significant reduction in fibrosis of heart, diaphragm and hindlimb muscles of nNOS TG+/dko mice. The nNOS transgene had no effect on the concentration of cytolytic, CD68+, M1 macrophages. Accordingly, we did not observe any change in the extent of muscle fiber lysis in the nNOS TG+/dko mice. These findings show that nNOS/NO (nitric oxide)-mediated decreases in M2c macrophages lead to a reduction in the muscle fibrosis that is associated with increased mortality in mice lacking dystrophin and utrophin. Interestingly, the dramatic and beneficial effects of the nNOS transgene were not attributable to localization of nNOS protein at the cell membrane. We did not detect any nNOS protein at the sarcolemma in nNOS TG+/dko muscles. This important observation shows that sarcolemmal localization is not necessary for nNOS to have beneficial effects in dystrophic tissue and the presence of nNOS in the cytosol of dystrophic muscle fibers can ameliorate the pathology and most importantly, significantly increase life-span.
Chemical chaperones: a pharmacological strategy for disorders of protein folding and trafficking.

Chemical Chaperones: A Pharmacological Strategy for Disorders of Protein Folding and Trafficking
Ixodid-host immune interaction. Identification and characterization of relevant antigens and tick-induced host immunosuppression.

Abstract Ixidid ticks are the most important vectors of pathogens to domestic and wild animals. It is established that cattle and laboratory animal species acquire resistance to tick infestation; acquired resistance has an immunological basis consisting of cell-mediated, antibody-mediated and complement-dependent effector mechanisms. Even though acquired resistance to tick feeding is expressed, host immune competence is possibly impaired during the course of tick feeding. Ixodid-induced transient immunosuppression could possibly facilitate the transmission of vector-borne pathogens and/or enhance tick feeding capabilities in the presence of a host immune response to the hematophagous arthropod. Tick tissue extracts have been used to artificially induce resistance to ixodid feeding, and this has become an area of increasing interest as a possible strategy for tick control. It is essential to have defined antigenic molecules for analysis of host responses to infestation, characterization of immunopathologic processes and for vaccine development. This report focuses on attempts to identify, characterize and isolate tick immunogens. Protein immunoblotting, utilizing sera from animals of different genetic composition and infestation patterns, was used to detect a number of tick polypeptides which are reactive with sera of infested hosts. It is clear that infestation with one ixodid species stimulates antibodies reactive with molecules derived from the sensitizing species and/or tick species in the same genus or different genera. This approach is used to identify molecules that are good candidates for use in immunization studies and for analysis of mechanisms involved in acquisition and expression of resistance to tick feeding.
Naming and identity in epistemic logic part II: a first-order logic for naming

Abstract Modal epistemic logics for many agents sometimes ignore or simplify the distinction between the agents themselves, and the names these agents use when reasoning about each other. We consider problems motivated by practical computer science applications, and show that the simplest theories of naming are often inadequate. The issues we raise are related to some well-known philosophical concerns, such as indexical descriptions, de re knowledge, and the problem of referring to nonexistent objects. However, our emphasis is on epistemic logic as a descriptive tool for distributed systems and artificial intelligence applications, which leads to some nonstandard solutions. The main technical result of this paper is a first-order modal logic, specified both axiomatically and semantically (by a variant of possible-worlds semantics), that is expressive enough to cope with all the difficulties we discuss.
Absence of Dispersive Properties of Space for Electromagnetic Radiation Tested to ± 14 x 10^-5; Comments on a Proposal of Softky and Squire

In session I 1 of the Berkeley meeting of December 30, 1960, S. D. Softky and R. K. Squire proposed a test for dispersive properties of space for electromagnetic radiation by detonating a nuclear explosive at a distance of 10^6 miles from the earth and noting the arrival times of different types of radiation at detectors above the atmosphere. The purpose of this note is to point out that Softky and Squire have overlooked the fact that a test for the dispersive properties they postulate already exists, covering perhaps not quite as extensive a range of the electromagnetic spectrum as they hope to cover (they claim a factor of 10^11) but nevertheless sufficient to render any such effect extremely unlikely over a range of frequencies of a factor of 5 X 10^9. I refer to a measurement performed in 1950 by means of the bent quartz crystal diffraction spectrometer [1] of the wavelength of the annihilation radiation generated in a block of copper by positrons from the nuclide 64Cu.
B72-18 Computers and Their Uses, 2nd ed.

Introductory literature on computers has, in recent years, grown rather voluminous. What Desmonde has provided, for a student, is a somewhat easy to read introductory glance at some of the essentials of computer characteristics and their uses. I am dubious of the value of this book to anyone already familiar with computers. However, this book offers the uninitiated some basic understandings of computers together with insights into their social value and impact. The book paints the computer in various lights. It touches on some areas of current social concern surrounding computer usage as well as a few of its societal advantages.
The role of funders in Driving Nonprofit Performance Measurement and Use in Strategic Management

Case studies of 18 Detroit-based nonprofit organizations enable a better understanding of the impact of funders' performance-reporting requirements on the extent and use of performance measures—specifically, outcome measurement and strategic management. The data show that while funders' performancereporting requirements can increase the use of measurement for organizations as a whole, resource and technological constraints associated with service type mitigate their effect for many organizations. Funders' reporting requirements increase the use of outcome measurement for strategic management in isolated services, but generally do not lead to greater use of outcome measures in decision-making overall. Government funders have more influence than foundation or corporate funders. Recommendations for enhancing the effect of reporting requirements on accountability to funders and the general public are provided.
Raman fiber laser with two parallel couplers

We report an intracavity ring laser constructed using two parallel directional fiber couplers that generates up to sixth-order cascaded Stokes. Pumping with 1117 nm results in a Raman fiber laser operating at 1572 nm. Using 4.2-W pump power and a fiber Bragg grating at 1117 nm to reflect the residual pump, we obtain an output power of 0.65 W, and hence near 15% conversion efficiency. The linewidths of the dual-coupler laser are significantly narrower than those of the single-coupler laser. This enhanced wavelength selectivity is attributed to the significant increase in the contrast or the finesse of compound ring resonators constructed with two parallel couplers.
The effect of α-adrenergic antagonism upon nitrogen loss during endotoxemia

Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive parenteral nutrition (PN) only; PN plus continuous infusion of Escherichia coli 026:B6 lipopolysaccharide (PN + LPS) at 6 mg·kg−1·d−1; or PN plus LPS plus a continuous infusion of the α-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine (PN + LPS + PHEN) at 5 mg·kg−1·d−1 or 20 mg·kg−1·d−1 for 48 h. All animals received isocaloric, isonitrogenous PN. LPS significantly lowered nitrogen balance (mmol/48 h) from PN control; however, addition of PHEN substantially worsened nitrogen balance compared with LPS (14.2 ± 3, 2.4 ± 5.2, −1.6 ± 4.5, −0.8 ± 5.4, for the PN, PN + LPS, PN + LPS + PHEN5 and PN + LPS + PHEN20 groups, respectively; P < 0.0001). Urinary 3-methylhistidine/creatinine ratio (3-meH/creat) paralleled the nitrogen balance data (0.30 ± 0.09, 0.45 ± 0.12, 0.51 ± 0.14, 0.60 ± 0.12, respectively; P < 0.0001). The high-dose PHEN resulted in 82 ± 9% blockade. To ascertain if any beneficial effect upon body protein loss is achieved during severe stress, 30 rats were given PN + LPS at 12 mg·kg−1·d−1 or PN + LPS12 + PHEN20. These data showed similar changes in nitrogen balance and 3-methyhistidine/creatinine with the use of PHEN during severe endotoxemia. α-adrenergic antagonism with PHEN worsens body protein loss as measured by nitrogen balance and 3-methylhistadine/creatinine in PN-fed endotoxemic rats.
13C NMR spectral assignments of chlorpromazine and its 5-oxide. Literature correction

The 13C chemical shift assignments of title compounds were made on the basis of their coupled and decoupled spectra. The size of the ipso and allylic 13CH coupling constants establish unequivocally the identity of symmetry related carbon pairs and show that several assignments reported previously are incorrect.
Optical Pulsations of HZ Herculis

ON April 15.3 (UT), we attempted to detect optical variations in HZ Herculis corresponding to its 1.2 s X-ray pulsation period. No such variations were observed to a limiting magnitude of 23.5 (modulation 0.01%).
The effect of dietary phosphorus on heat shock protein mRNAs during acute heat stress in male broiler chickens (Gallus gallus)

A 2 x 2 factorially arranged completely randomized experimental design was used to study the relationship between inorganic phosphorus (Pi) and heat shock protein (HSP) mRNA expression in different organs of commercial broiler cockerels during acute heat stress (HS). Brain, heart, liver and spleen were assayed for hsp70, hsp90alpha and hsp90beta mRNA. At 1 day of age, chickens were assigned randomly to two dietary Pi treatment groups (Pi-: 0.16%; Pi+: 0.5%). At 3 weeks of age, half of the chickens in each Pi group were subjected to HS (Ta=41 degrees C, 60 min) while the other half was maintained in a thermoneutral environment (CN, Ta=25 degrees C). The results showed inter-organ variation in the expression of HSP mRNAs. Brain expressed the most HSP mRNAs while spleen expressed the least. When broilers were subjected to HS, the expression of HSP mRNAs was influenced positively by the consumption of the Pi+ diet. However, analysis of variance revealed that Ta influenced HSP transcription more than phosphorus availability. Thermal stress caused induction of hsp90alpha and hsp90beta in heart, liver and spleen, but hsp90alpha and hsp9beta mRNA levels were stable in brain. Transcription of hsp70 increased (P< or =0.05) in all organs from chickens in HS groups when compared to chickens in CN groups. Although Pi+ did not show any significant increases in the expression of hsp mRNAs, there were consistently larger HSP mRNA values in liver and spleen tissues. The high expression of hsp90alpha and hsp90beta in brain of chicks in both CN and HS conditions could be due to the involvement of hsp90 in steroid hormone receptors or the high metabolic activity of neurons in the central nervous system.
Automatically Selecting Strategies for Multi-Case-Base Reasoning

Case-based reasoning (CBR) systems solve new problems by retrieving stored prior cases, and adapting their solutions to fit new circumstances. Traditionally, CBR systems draw their cases from a single local case-base tailored to their task. However, when a system's own set of cases is limited, it may be beneficial to supplement the local case-base with cases drawn from external casebases for related tasks. Effective use of external case-bases requires strategies for multi-case-base reasoning (MCBR): (1) for deciding when to dispatch problems to an external case-base, and (2) for performing cross-case-base adaptation to compensate for differences in the tasks and environments that each case-base reflects. This paper presents methods for automatically tuning MCBR systems by selecting effective dispatching criteria and cross-case-base adaptation strategies. The methods require no advance knowledge of the task and domain: they perform tests on an initial set of problems and use the results to select strategies reflecting the characteristics of the local and external case-bases. We present experimental illustrations of the performance of the tuning methods for a numerical prediction task, and demonstrate that a small sample set can be sufficient to make high-quality choices of dispatching and cross-case-base adaptation strategies.
Happiness, Markets, and Democracy: Latin America in Comparative Perspective

The literature on subjective well-being highlights the role of relative income differences, an issue which is particularly salient for the emerging market countries. We explore the demographic determinants of happiness in 17 countries in Latin America, as well as the effects of macroeconomic trends and attitudes about the market on happiness. We provide comparative reference with data from Russia and the United States. We find that the determinants of happiness in Latin America are remarkably similar to those in the advanced industrial countries. We also find a marked and negatively skewed perceptions gap between individuals' objective economic situations and their subjective evaluations in both Latin America and Russia. That gap, in turn, has negative effects on happiness. Inflation and unemployment have negative effects on happiness in both contexts, while pro-market attitudes and preference for democracy have positive effects.
Cytokines and oxidative signalling in skeletal muscle

A growing body of literature indicates that cytokines regulate skeletal muscle function, including gene expression and adaptive responses. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is the cytokine most prominently linked to muscle pathophysiology and, therefore, has been studied most extensively in muscle-based systems. TNF-alpha is associated with muscle catabolism and loss of muscle function in human diseases that range from cancer to heart failure, from arthritis to AIDS. Recent advances have established that TNF-alpha causes muscle weakness via at least two mechanisms, accelerated protein loss and contractile dysfunction. Protein loss is a chronic response that occurs over days to weeks. Changes in gene expression required for TNF-alpha induced catabolism are regulated by the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB which is essential for the net loss of muscle protein caused by chronic TNF-alpha exposure. Contractile dysfunction is an acute response to TNF-alpha stimulation, developing over hours and resulting in decreased force production. Both actions of TNF-alpha involve a rapid rise in endogenous oxidants as an essential step in post-receptor signal transduction. These oxidants appear to include reactive oxygen species derived from mitochondrial electron transport. Such information provides insight into the cellular and molecular mechanisms of TNF-alpha action in skeletal muscle and establishes a scientific basis for continued research into cytokine signalling.
Bird-Habitat Relationships in Restored Meadows in Southeastern Pennsylvania

Understanding the relationships of bird abundance to vegetation and the surrounding landscape would help to guide meadow restoration for wildlife habitat. I examined the relationship between bird abundance and vegetation structure and the composition of the surrounding landscape in southeastern Pennsylvania in 2011 and 2012 by using regression models. The relationship between abundance and habitat characteristics varied among species. Common yellowthroats and red-winged blackbirds were more abundant in meadows with tall, dense grasses, while eastern meadowlarks were more abundant in shorter, sparser meadows. Field sparrow abundance was positively related to the amount of woody vegetation in a meadow. The habitat surrounding a survey point also explained bird abundances, with bobolinks and meadowlarks more common in meadows surrounded by grasslands and common yellowthroats more abundant in meadows surrounded by forest. Restoration of meadows in landscapes containing a high proportion of grassland habitats should target eastern meadowlarks and bobolinks by restoring shorter, sparser vegetation. Meadow restorations in forested areas should target other species such as field sparrows or common yellowthroats. Strategic planning of meadow restoration based on the surrounding landscape composition and species-specific vegetation structure requirements should be used to increase the probability of a successful habitat restoration.
Efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in preventing renal injury after heart surgery: a systematic review of randomized trials

Aims The aim of this study was to assess whether perioperative N -acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, prevents acute renal injury (ARI) after cardiac surgery. Methods and results We performed a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of NAC in adult cardiac surgery patients. The RCTs were identified by searching MEDLINE (1960–2008), clinicaltrials . gov website, and hand-searching references of relevant publications. Primary outcome was ARI (absolute increase >0.5 mg/dL or relative increase >25%, in serum creatinine from baseline within 5 days after surgery). Random effects model was used to perform a meta-analysis. Forest plots and I 2 test were used to assess heterogeneity among studies. Ten RCTs ( n = 1163 patients) were included. Mean age was 70 ± 7.4 years, 71% were male, and 66% underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. N -Acetylcysteine did not reduce ARI incidence [35% NAC vs. 37% placebo; relative risk (RR) 0.91, 95% CI 0.79–1.06, P = 0.24]. Overall, 3.3% of patients required haemodialysis (NAC vs. placebo; RR = 1.13, 95% CI 0.59–2.17) and 3% died (RR = 1.10, 95% CI 0.56–2.16). There was a trend towards reduced ARI incidence among patients with baseline chronic kidney disease assigned to intravenous NAC (RR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.64–1.01, P = 0.06). Conclusion This meta-analysis of RCTs showed that prophylactic perioperative NAC in cardiac surgery does not reduce ARI, haemodialysis, or death.
Opto-acoustic oscillator using silicon MEMS optical modulator

We show operation of a silicon MEMS based narrow-band optical modulator with large modulation depth by improving the electro-mechanical transducer. We demonstrate an application of the narrowband optical modulator as both the filter and optical modulator in an opto-electronic oscillator loop to obtain a 236.22 MHz Opto-Acoustic Oscillator (OAO) with phase noise of −68 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset.
Predicting Hospital Rates of Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Fluoroquinolone Use in US Hospitals and Their Surrounding Communities

Rates of fluoroquinolone resistance among Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospitals are increasing, but interhospital variability is great. We sought to determine whether this variability correlated to fluoroquinolone use in hospitals and in the surrounding community. Hospital quinolone use in 1999 (24 hospitals) through 2001 (35 hospitals) was determined from billing records. The number of fluoroquinolone prescriptions within a 10-mile (approximately 16-km) radius of each hospital was determined for 1999 and 2000. Hospital fluoroquinolone use increased from 1999 through 2001, from 137 to 163 defined daily doses (DDD)/1000 patient-days (P=.01). The rate of community fluoroquinolone use also increased, from 2.3 to 2.8 DDD/1000 inhabitant-days (P<.001). Rates of fluoroquinolone-resistant P. aeruginosa increased from 29% in 1999 to 36% in 2001 (P=.003). Both community and hospital fluoroquinolone use were predictive of rates of fluoroquinolone-resistant P. aeruginosa. Levofloxacin was associated with resistance, but ciprofloxacin was not. Most of the variability in resistance rates is explained by volume of fluoroquinolone use, both in the hospital and the surrounding community.
A maximum coherence model for dictionary-based cross-language information retrieval

One key to cross-language information retrieval is how to efficiently resolve the translation ambiguity of queries given their short length. This problem is even more challenging when only bilingual dictionaries are available, which is the focus of this paper. In the previous research of cross-language information retrieval using bilingual dictionaries, the word co-occurrence statistics is used to determine the most likely translations of queries. In this paper, we propose a novel statistical model, named ``maximum coherence model'', which estimates the translation probabilities of query words that are consistent with the word co-occurrence statistics. Unlike the previous work, where a binary decision is made for the selection of translations, the new model maintains the uncertainty in translating query words when their sense ambiguity is difficult to resolve. Furthermore, this new model is able to estimate translations of multiple query words simultaneously. This is in contrast to many previous approaches where translations of individual query words are determined independently. Empirical studies with TREC datasets have shown that the maximum coherence model achieves a relative 10% - 40% improvement in cross-language information retrieval, comparing to other approaches that also use word co-occurrence statistics for sense disambiguation.
Relative localization with 2-hop neighborhood

Localization is the process in which nodes in a wireless sensor network self-determine their positions in the network. While there are many effective mathematical techniques for solving the problem of localization, most are not suitable for the resource-constrained distributed environment of sensor networks. We propose ANIML an iterative, range-aware relative localization technique for wireless sensor networks that requires no anchor nodes. ANIML restricts itself to the use of only local 1- and 2-hop neighbor information, avoiding the need for information flooding and thus controlling cascading ranging errors that bedevil other localization techniques. While least-squares minimization is a mathematically simple constraint optimization technique, utilizing 1- and 2-hop neighbor information as constraints, ANIML provides better localization without the need for more sophisticated error control and/or global information. We implemented ANIML in ns-2 and conducted extensive experimentation to evaluate its performance. Experimental results show that ANIML provides robust localization and scales well.
The seed and soil hypothesis revisited-The role of tumor-stroma interactions in metastasis to different organs

The fact that certain tumors exhibit a predilection for metastasis to specific organs has been recognized for well over a century now. An extensive body of clinical data and experimental research has confirmed Stephen Paget's original "seed and soil" hypothesis that proposed the organ-preference patterns of tumor metastasis are the product of favorable interactions between metastatic tumor cells (the "seed") and their organ microenvironment (the "soil"). Indeed, many of the first-line therapeutic regimens, currently in use for the treatment of human cancer are designed to target cancer cells (such as chemotherapy) and also to modulate the tumor microenvironment (such as antiangiogenic therapy). While some types of tumors are capable of forming metastases in virtually every organ in the body, the most frequent target organs of metastasis are bone, brain, liver and the lung. In this review, we discuss how tumor-stromal interactions influence metastasis in each of these organs.
The world's largest one cubic inch robot

The authors describe an exercise of building a complete robot system, aimed at being as small as possible, but using off-the-shelf components exclusively. The result is an autonomous one (almost) cubic inch robot which incorporates sensing. actuation, onboard computation, and onboard power supplies. Nicknamed Squirt this robot acts as a bug hiding in dark corners and venturing out in the direction of last-heard noises, only moving after the noises are long gone. >
An empirical study of automatic accent classification

This paper extends language identification (LID) techniques to a large scale accent classification task: 23-way classification of foreign-accented English. We find that a purely acoustic approach based on a combination of heteroscedastic linear discriminant analysis (HLDA) and maximum mutual information (MMI) training is very effective. In contrast to LID tasks, methods based on parallel language models prove much less effective. We focus on the Oregon Graduate Institute Foreign-Accented English dataset, and obtain a detection rate of 32%, which to our knowledge is the best reported result for 23-way accent classification.
Radiation and cancer risk: a continuing challenge for epidemiologists

This paper provides a perspective on epidemiological research on radiation and cancer, a field that has evolved over its six decade history. The review covers the current framework for assessing radiation risk and persistent questions about the details of these risks: is there a threshold and more generally, what is the shape of the dose-response relationship? How do risks vary over time and with age? What factors modify the risk of radiation? The example of radon progeny and lung cancer is considered as a case study, illustrating the modeling of epidemiological data to derive quantitative models and the coherence of the epidemiological and biological evidence. Finally, the manuscript considers the need for ongoing research, even in the face of research over a 60-year span.
Recognizing surface scattering in ground‐penetrating radar data

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data may show strong noise events as a result of scattering by surface objects on the ground or above the survey line. The relative strength of these events can be large in comparison to reflections from geologic features, because radar signals in the ground attenuate exponentially whereas signals that travel in the air attenuate geometrically. Migration of GPR field data from clastic and carbonate sequences in central Oklahoma distinguishes between scattered events and geologic events because the former are focused at the air-wave velocity, while the latter are focused at the ground-wave velocity. Forward modeling using locations of scatterers derived from migration confirms the presence of scattered events, and common midpoint (CMP) gathers are helpful in identifying surface scattering. Scattered events displayed at a horizontal/vertical scale of 1:1 are easily mistaken for subhorizontal, geologic reflections. Methods of recognizing scattered events and removing them, if possible, are therefore crucial to correct geological interpretation of GPR data.
Talking About Family Disclosure Practices of Adults Raised by Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Parents

Although a growing literature exists on children of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) parents, little is known about these children's experiences as adults. Of interest is how these individuals negotiate disclosure of their parents' sexual orientation. This qualitative study of 42 adults raised by LGB parents explores this issue. Participants grew up in a diverse range of contexts: Some were always aware of their family's nontraditional status, some were told in childhood, and others were never explicitly told. As adults, participants described a number of reasons for coming out about their family, including a desire to educate, a desire to “screen out” homophobic individuals, and a need for openness in their relationships. Several participants did not disclose about their families at all, and several told only when necessary. Findings are discussed in terms of the diversity inherent among adult children of LGB parents and implications for practice, policy, and research.
The impact of exposure-biased sampling designs on detection of gene–environment interactions in case–control studies with potential exposure misclassification

With limited funding and biological specimen availability, choosing an optimal sampling design to maximize power for detecting gene-by-environment (G-E) interactions is critical. Exposure-enriched sampling is often used to select subjects with rare exposures for genotyping to enhance power for tests of G-E effects. However, exposure misclassification (MC) combined with biased sampling can affect characteristics of tests for G-E interaction and joint tests for marginal association and G-E interaction. Here, we characterize the impact of exposure-biased sampling under conditions of perfect exposure information and exposure MC on properties of several methods for conducting inference. We assess the Type I error, power, bias, and mean squared error properties of case-only, case-control, and empirical Bayes methods for testing/estimating G-E interaction and a joint test for marginal G (or E) effect and G-E interaction across three biased sampling schemes. Properties are evaluated via empirical simulation studies. With perfect exposure information, exposure-enriched sampling schemes enhance power as compared to random selection of subjects irrespective of exposure prevalence but yield bias in estimation of the G-E interaction and marginal E parameters. Exposure MC modifies the relative performance of sampling designs when compared to the case of perfect exposure information. Those conducting G-E interaction studies should be aware of exposure MC properties and the prevalence of exposure when choosing an ideal sampling scheme and method for characterizing G-E interactions and joint effects.
Do Auditor-Provided Tax Services Impair the Value Relevance of Earnings?

Lately, several firms have decoupled audit and tax service providers to shore up the credibility of their financial statements. However, a number of other firms rely on the incumbent auditor for tax services. Do investors assign a lower valuation to firms that continue to use the auditor for tax services? We contribute to the literature by examining whether auditor-provided tax services moderate investor perception of earnings. We find that the value-relevance of earnings is increasing in the ratio of tax fees over total fees paid to the auditor. Further, for a sample of firms that switched to other providers of tax services, we find that the value-relevance of earnings is lower in the year of the switch. These findings support the notion that on average, investors perceive the benefits of auditor-provided tax services, i.e., enhanced financial reporting quality due to knowledge spillover to be greater than the likely threat to auditor independence caused by auditor-provided tax services. Our findings have important implications for audit committee chairs, managers, and regulators.
Altered vasoconstrictor and dilator responses after a "two-hit" model of sequential hemorrhage and bacteremia.

Background. The two-hit theory of multiple organ dysfunction (MOD) proposes that an initial insult, such as hemorrhage (HEM), primes the host for an abnormal response to a second stress such as infection. The immunologic/inflammatory component of this theory has been well examined; however, the effects on vascular responsiveness are poorly understood. We hypothesized that HEM primes the vasculature for an altered response to a second pathophysiologic stress. Methods. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent a fixed-volume HEM with resuscitation (H/R) or sham procedure (Sham). At 48 h, animals were given iv E. coli or saline and followed for 1 h. Thoracic aortic rings were then placed in organ baths containing Krebs buffer aerated with 95% O 2 , 5% CO 2 . Cumulative dose-response curves to phenylephrine (PHE) and acetylcholine (ACH) were obtained. Maximum force of contraction (F max ) was measured and pD 2 values (receptor sensitivity) were derived. Results. H/R alone resulted in heightened constrictor tone and blunted dilator tone. E. coli reduced F max in response to PHE by 50% in Sham vs 76% in H/R. Receptor sensitivity (pD 2 ) to PHE was reduced to a greater degree in H/R (3-fold vs 2-fold). These animals also had a more pronounced enhancement of ACH receptor sensitivity (7-fold vs 2-fold). Conclusions. Hemorrhage primes the vasculature for an altered response to a subsequent stress. When infection is added as a second hit, responsiveness to adrenergic agents is diminished and dilator tone is increased. These data may explain the cardiovascular derangements seen clinically in patients who develop MODS after major hemorrhage followed sequentially by infection.