cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Late-Onset Alzheimer Disease Neuropathology Genomic Screen Identifies Novel Loci For Neuritic Plaque And Other AD Neuropathology Features (I5-2.001)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genetics of Late-onset Alzheimer disease by reducing phenotypic heterogeneity and studying AD coincident phenotypes. BACKGROUND: To investigate the underlying genetic mechanisms of Late-onset Alzheimer Disease (LOAD), we have performed a genome-wide association study of AD neuropathology and coincident phenotypes, including a neuropathology-confirmed case-control analysis, analyses of coincident features, including neuritic plaques (NP), lewy bodies (LB), amyloid angiopathy (AA), medial temporal sclerosis (MTS), AD Braak stage, and vascular brain injury (VBI). We used this expanded neuropathology approach to limit the effects of phenotypic heterogeneity, and provide additional insights into AD subphenotypes. DESIGN/METHODS: We examined 4914 samples with neuropathology data from 11 datasets in the Alzheimer Disease Genetics Consortium genotyped with high-density chips. Statistical aassociation was performed using logistic regression for binary traits and polytomous logistic regression for ordinal traits, followed by meta-analysis. Subjects examined included 3,887 neuropathologically-confirmed LOAD cases and 1,027 neuropathologically-confirmed cognitive controls. RESULTS: Associations of APOE and BIN1 with LOAD were confirmed. Additionally, several novel LOAD associations were found, including PHF21B (P=2.0×10-8), and SMOX (P=9.0×10-7). Multiple loci were associated with the presence of neuritic plaques, including APOE (P=1.8x10-30), GALNT7 (P=6.0×10-9), ABCG1 (P=8.0×10-9), and a region near LMX1B (P=4.3×10-8). Additional loci were found to be associated with several ordinal neuropathology traits including LB, AA, MTS, VBI, and Braak. Twelve of the 21 genetic risk loci for clinically-defined AD dementia were confirmed in our clinico-pathologic sample, with nine of these showing larger ORs in the clinic-pathologic sample. At the known loci there was strong positive correlation between AD dementia effect sizes and NFT/NP effect sizes, while VBI effect sizes showed a moderate negative correlation; other coincident features showed only nominal association with known loci. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm several known AD risk loci and implicate novel loci in the etiology of LOAD neuropathology features, particularly neuritic plaque. Additionally, they suggest a role of AD risk loci in the development of VBI, but not other coincident features. Disclosure: Dr. Beecham has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hamilton has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schellenberg has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pericak-Vance has received personal compensation for activities with the University of Alaska. Dr. Montine has nothing to disclose.
Track-aligned extents: matching access patterns to disk drive characteristics

Track-aligned extents (traxtents) utilize disk-specific knowledge to match access patterns to the strengths of modern disks. By allocating and accessing related data on disk track boundaries, a system can avoid most rotational latency and track crossing overheads. Avoiding these overheads can increase disk access efficiency by up to 50% for mid-sized requests (100-500KB). This paper describes traxtents, algorithms for detecting track boundaries, and some uses of traxtents in file systems and video servers. For large-file workloads, a version of FreeBSD's FFS implementation that exploits traxtents reduces application run times by up to 20% compared to the original version. A video server using traxtent-based requests can support 56% more concurrent streams at the same startup latency and buffer space. For LFS, 44% lower overall write cost for track-sized segments can be achieved.
Chinese academic librarianship in transition

AbstractThis study examines reasons for the shortage of qualified academic librarians in China and recommends ways to position Chinese academic libraries to move into the modern era.Interviews were conducted with 20 academic librarians in China and 20 in the United States, in one library in each country, to collect data for a comparative study. This paper compares Chinese and US academic librarianship in terms of reasons for entering this profession, academic education in library and information science, and requirements for knowledge and information skills.Chinese librarianship faces great challenges in the recruitment and education of librarians and with the library system itself. It is time for the government, university officials, libraries and society as a whole to learn to promote librarianship and build a powerful librarian workforce, to meet the needs of China's social and economic development.
Effects of long term consumption of fish oil (Maxepa®) on serum lipids and arterial ultrastructure in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Both random (U.C. Davis) and inbred ("Sea") Japanese quail were fed 8.6% dietary supplements of lard (SF) or fish oil (FO) Maxepa (38% of calories from fat) and 9 months later selected blood vessels were subjected to light and electron microscopy. Serum lipids were measured by means of automatic enzymatic analyses (Beckman Astra and Dupont ACA) following fasting (12-14 h) bleeding times taken at autopsy. VLDL and LDL were determined indirectly. Fatty acid profiles were done on pericardial fat from selected animals. All FO-fed quail averaged 22-48% increase in bleeding time when compared to diet controls or animals fed saturated fat (P less than 0.005). There was a 20% decrease in triacyglycerol (TG) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) in the random bred group (P less than 0.01). TG rose in the Sea Quail (NS). Low density lipoprotein (LDL) increased in both random (P less than 0.05) and inbred quail (P less than 0.05), but total cholesterol (TC) significantly increased only in the inbred birds (P less than 0.01). The HDL/LDL ratios in the FO groups were lower than in the controls. SF-fed animals had some fatty streak and/or fatty point formation in their coronary arteries and great vessels. FO-fed birds showed some fat deposits in their coronary arteries and greater accumulation (foam cells) within their great vessels with subendothelial protrusions into the lumen. It is suggested that these latter results may be a response to the relatively higher levels of cholesterol in FO (600 mg/100 g oil) versus SF (95 mg/100 g fat).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Care of the TIA patient.

I read with interest Al-Khaled et al. [1] study on the prognostic mpact of the stroke unit (SU) concept in patients presenting after transient ischemic attack (TIA). They found no significant impact f SU care as compared to conventional care (CU) in TIA patients. heir study raises some interesting observations. The conventional eaching is that patients with TIA warrant emergent evaluation to dentify and modify their stroke risk factors. This involves timely valuation of the patients by a neurologist with expertise in stroke eurology followed by necessary neuroimaging, vascular, hemaological and coagulation studies. To achieve this ideally the SU oncept seems to be the best suited at least for the high risk and typical TIA patient. If replicated, Al-Khaled et al. study shall be eassuring that in today’s world of soaring medical costs and manged care medicine similar good outcomes can be achieved by onventional care in the vast majority of our TIA patients.
Training Predictive Skills for Mitral Valve Repair

Mitral valve repair is a highly challenging procedure. Surgeons must modify native valve tissue through a series of tissue resections and approximations. Restoring proper valve function is difficult because the heart is arrested during the procedure, so closed valve shape must be predicted rather than directly observed. It is this prediction, not the act of cutting and suturing, that presents the greater challenge to surgeons as they must rely on analysis of the flaccid valve and past experience. This skill is developed through traditional pedagogy, namely text- and image-based references, followed by a costly and time-consuming apprenticeship model.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Batch-size effects on simulation optimization using multiple comparisons with the best

A batch-size analysis is presented which provides the framework for an algorithm to form MCB (multiple comparisons with the best) confidence intervals for steady-state simulations. Empirical studies indicate that the proposed heuristic approach to the batching problem is effective. >
The 1po(1) and 3po(1) resonances of H− associated with the n=3 hydrogenic threshold

Abstract The complex rotation method is used to calculate the lowest 1 p o and 3 p o resonances associated with the n =3 hydrogenic threshold. The 1 p o result is compared with a recent photodetachment experiment and with recent theoretical calculations.
Identifiability in interval censorship models

Abstract The identifiability of the distribution of an event time is established in two models of interval censorship appropriate in survival studies. In the first model, a fixed number of inspections are made at random times in the follow up period, and in the second, this follow up period is fixed but the number of inspections made is random.
Phase II evaluation of chlorozotocin (NSC-178248) in advanced human cancer

Abstract A phase II evaluation of chlorozoticin (CZT), a water soluble nitrosourea, was undertaken to determine its effectiveness and toxicity in a variety of human metastatic neoplasms. The dosage regimen chosen was either 90 or 120 mg/m 2 given by i.v. bolus every six weeks. Dosage escalation or de-escalation was dependent on toxicity. There have been 152 patients evaluable for response. The only significant response rates observed were in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma ( 5/11 ) and sarcoma ( 4/27 ). Single responses were observed in breast and oat cell carcinoma of lung. No responses were observed in melanoma, colorectal, kidney, non-oat cell lung, pancreas, stomach and other carcinomas. Hematological toxicity has been minimal as predicted, but does appear to be cumulative. The major G.I. toxicity has been nausea and vomiting—usually controllable. Occasional hepatic enzyme elevations were observed, and azotemia was observed in 6 patients. Both were reversible. Rare skin and occasional CNS reactions were also seen.
The Value of Watchable Wildlife: a Case Study of McNeil River

Abstract This study measures the user value of McNeil River, a bear-watching game sanctuary. The results of contingent valuation questions using both open-ended and discrete choice formats are compared. Adjusting for outliers in all models reveals users are willing to pay an average of between $228 and $277 per person to visit this unique site.
Reward Practices and Performance Management System Effectiveness

V irtually every organization has a performance management system that is expected to accomplish a number of important objectives with respect to human capital management. The objectives often include motivating performance, helping individuals develop their skills, building a performance culture, determining who should be promoted, eliminating individuals who are poor performers, and helping implement business strategies. There is little doubt that a performance management system which can accomplish these objectives can make a very positive contribution to organizational effectiveness, but there is less clarity about what practices make a performance management system effective. There are a large number of design features that potentially can influence the effectiveness of a performance management system, and many of these have been empirically studied to determine their impact. For example, there is considerable research which shows that performance management effectiveness increases when there is ongoing feedback, behavior-based measures are used and preset goals and trained raters are employed. There is one potential determinant of performance management system effectiveness, however, which has received relatively little attention: how tightly the results of the performance management system are tied to significant rewards. The lack of attention to this impact is particularly pronounced when it comes to the issue of using a performance management system to systematically remove lower-performing employees from the organization. There are a number of reasons for believing that systematically tying rewards to the outcome of a performance management system will make the performance management system more effective with respect to Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 396–404, 2003 ISSN 0090-2616/$ – see frontmatter 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.orgdyn.2003.08.007 www.organizational-dynamics.com
Acquired pure red cell aplasia associated with lymphoproliferative disease of granular T lymphocytes.

Acquired pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) can be associated with lymphoproliferative disease of granular T lymphocytes (T-LDGL), also known as T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia. Fifteen adult patients with PRCA associated with T-LDGL comprise this study. Neutropenia and rheumatoid arthritis were uncommon. All patients responded to immunosuppressive therapy. The 2 most commonly used treatments were prednisone and cyclophosphamide ± corticosteroids, producing overall response rates of 50% and 60%, respectively. Treatment with cyclophosphamide was associated with a more durable remission (median, 60 versus 7.5 months). After a median follow-up of 67 months, 2 patients died of treatment-related complications, one from myelodysplasia and another from cyclosporine-induced renal failure. The clinical course and treatment responses of PRCA associated with T-LDGL in this series were similar to the general group of PRCA. Because T-LDGL is frequently underdiagnosed, it is likely that a significant proportion of idiopathic or primary PRCA is in fact secondary to T-LDGL.
Overview, Status, and Future of the Fort Nelson CCS Project

Abstract The Plains CO 2 Reduction Partnership, led by the Energy & Environmental Research Center, and Spectra Energy Transmission (SET) are investigating the feasibility of a carbon capture and storage project to mitigate carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions produced by SET's Fort Nelson Gas Plant in British Columbia, Canada. The project applies an integrated philosophy combining geologic characterization, modeling, risk assessment, and monitoring into an iterative process, producing superior-quality results during the project feasibility and development periods. Results to date suggest that the geology and hydrogeology of the project area are amenable to large-scale, long-term geologic storage of CO 2 .
Scaling Interface Length Increase Rates in Richtmyer–Meshkov Instabilities

The interface area increase produced by large-amplitude wave refraction through an interface that separates fluids with different densities can have important physiochemical consequences, such as a fuel consumption rate increase in the case of a shock–flame interaction. Using the results of numerical simulations along with a scaling analysis, a unified scaling law of the interface length increase was developed applicable to shock and expansion wave refractions and both types of interface orientation with the respect to the incoming wave. To avoid a common difficulty in interface length quantification in the numerical tests, a sinusoidally perturbed interface was generated using gases with different temperatures. It was found that the rate of interface increase correlates almost linearly with the circulation deposited at the interface. When combined with earlier developed models of circulation deposition in Richtmyer–Meshkov instability, the obtained scaling law predicts dependence of interface dynamics on the basic problem parameters.
Interrupted distal anastomosis: the interrupted “porcupine” technique

Abstract The distal coronary artery bypass graft anastomosis created by an interrupted technique using nitinol clips is likely superior to that created with continuous suture because surgeons place clips with optimal visualization, and the anastomosis exhibits optimal compliance and cannot become a "purse-string" once constructed. Skillful use of the clips allows the surgeon to work in the ever more cramped quarters of the minithoracotomy or minimally invasive incision. Anastomosing vessels without knot tying is a valuable practice in the application of remote and robotic surgeries.
Terahertz Pioneer: Robert J. Mattauch “Two Terminals Will Suffice”

Robert J. Mattauch did not intend to spend a large part of his technical career on the development of a device as deceptively simple as a Schottky barrier diode. However, that turned out to be case, and it was perhaps one of the best things to ever happen to the THz sensor community. From astronomers and physicists, to spectroscopists and chemists, almost no one who devoted their time towards making precise measurements in the submillimeter wavelength range failed to contact Bob Mattauch at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, to ask for his latest batch of detector diodes. In fact, those of you who were fortunate enough to be present at the Thursday Plenary session of the 39th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves in Tucson, AZ, USA, this past September 18th, 2014, would have heard several appeals, and even an offer of significant money from Berkeley spectroscopist, Richard J. Saykally, to anyone who could deliver a batch of University of Virginia whisker contacted THz Schottky barrier diodes to his laboratory!
White coat hypertension in children with elevated casual blood pressure

Abstract Objective: We reviewed our experience using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in children referred to a hypertension clinic to determine the frequency of pediatric white coat hypertension (WCH). Study design: WCH was defined by 3 different diagnostic criteria: (1) mean 24-hour blood pressure (BP) less than Task Force–defined 95th percentile, (2) mean 24-hour BP less than 95th percentile from pediatric normative ABPM data, and (3) mean 24-hour BP less than ABPM 95th percentile and BP load (percentage of BP readings during 24-hour period exceeding the 95th percentile) less than 25%. Results: Clinic BP values were available in 67 otherwise healthy children who underwent ABPM; 51 had confirmed clinic hypertension by Task Force criteria. WCH frequency in these 51 patients with the stated criteria was 53%, 45%, and 22%, respectively. Elevated BP load was found in 52% (12/23) of patients with normal mean BP. Conclusion: These results suggest that many children referred for casual BP elevation have WCH even by strict diagnostic criteria. ABPM may help differentiate WCH from persistent hypertension, thereby avoiding unnecessary diagnostic evaluation and identifying children most likely to benefit from early intervention. (J Pediatr 2000;137:493-7)
A scale mixer model for sis waveguide receivers

We report results from measurements of a scale mixer model, built to investigate the embedding impedance presented to a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junction detector in a full height waveguide with two tuning elements. The embedding impedance is measured as a function of junction position across the waveguide channel. The results are compared to i) computer simulations of the embedding impedance using waveguide theory, ii) a lumped element circuit derived from the theory, iii) an SIS receiver operating between 200 and 280 GHz.
Comments on "Isospin of the B 11 Giant Resonance"

It was recently shown that in the photodisintegration of ${\mathrm{B}}^{11}$ certain expected $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays were missing. A partial explanation is offered here for the failure to observe these transitions. It is also pointed out that no conclusions about the strength of the $T=\frac{3}{2}$ giant resonance can be drawn from this experiment.
Perceptions of HIV/AIDS by Deaf Gay Men

Deaf gay men represent a subpopulation of the gay male community at particularly high risk for HIV/AIDS due to numerous barriers including language, stigma, and inequitable access to health services. The participants in this exploratory pilot study ( N = 5) struggled with the ongoing threat of HIV infection and the pervasive nature of AIDS-related debilitation, death, and grief. Whether HIV infected or not, they described living at the intersection of multiple communities—the deaf, gay, and hearing—each characterized by unique communication styles, cultural expectations, and a propensity to marginalize outsiders. Health care providers were perceived as lacking compassion and largely ignorant to the needs of deaf persons, in general, and deaf gay men, in particular. Printed HIV materials were considered culturally inappropriate, incomprehensible, and ineffective. These findings suggest an extraordinary risk for adverse mental and physical health outcomes if care is not appropriately designed for this vulnerable population.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel hygromycin A antibacterial agents.

Abstract Novel hygromycin A derivatives bearing a variety of functionalized aminocyclitol moieties have been synthesized in an effort to increase the antibacterial activity and drug-like properties of this class of agents. A systematic study of the effect of alkylation and removal of the hydroxyls of the aminocyclitol directed us to a series of alkylated aminocyclitol derivatives with improved Gram-positive activity.
The Gibbs-Dalton Law of Partial Pressures

Various formulations of Dalton's law are investigated thermodynamically. The Gibbs formulation is shown equivalent to the statement: The concentration of a gas is the same at equilibrium on either side of a membrane permeable to it alone. The ordinary form of Dalton's law has only a limited equivalence with the Gibbs form. The Lewis and Randall rule of fugacity is shown in many ways analogous to the Gibbs-Dalton law. Application to experimental data shows that the Gibbs-Dalton law, like the Lewis and Randall rule, though possible for gases which do not follow Boyle's law, is only an approximation. In the cases examined, the errors are opposite in sign to those of the Lewis and Randall rule. An outline is given for the application of the Gibbs-Dalton law to the study of equilibrium in gases, and the useful field of application is indicated.
Predictors for the first-order autoregressive process

Abstract The error made in predicting a first-order autoregressive process with unknown parameters is investigated. It is shown that the least squares predictor is unbiased for symmetric error distributions. Alternative predictors for stationary and non-stationary processes are studied using the Monte Carlo method. The ordinary least squares statistics perform reasonably well for one period predictions with samples as small as ten for both stationary and non-stationary processes. It is demonstrated that there is a considerable loss in efficiency when outdated estimators are used to construct predictors.
Review of inductively coupled plasmas for plasma processing

The need for large-area, high-density plasma sources for plasma-aided manufacturing of integrated circuits has created a renewed interest in inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs). Several ICP reactor geometries are briefly reviewed. Typically, inductive coupling of RF power (0.5-28 MHz) can produce ion densities in excess of 1012 cm-3 even at submillitorr pressures. Existing electromagnetic field models of ICPs are examined and found to be in reasonable agreement with experimental results. Sputter deposition, anodic silicon oxidation and polymer etching using ICPs are also described. It is concluded that ICPs are promising candidates for meeting the future requirements of plasma processing, although considerable process development, plasma characterization and modelling are still needed.
Physical Forces in Dormancy and Germination of Xanthium Seeds

The germination of seeds of Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr. occurs in 2 phases, an initial passive phase of water uptake followed by an active phase of growth. These 2 phases have been separated experimentally, and shown to occur similarly in isolated cotyledons and embryonic axes. Measurements of the physical thrust generated by the entire seed and its separate components of cotyledon and axis reveal that non-dormant Xanthium seeds develop more than twice the thrust of dormant seeds, and that this difference develops principally in the second phase of enlargement of the axis. Measurement of the forces required for piercing the testa of these seeds establishes that whereas the thrust developed by non-dormant seed is adequate to cause testa rupture, that developed by dormant seeds is not. It is concluded that the dormancy of Xanthium involves an inadequacy in the embryo for rupture of the testa.
Incorporating facet-inducing inequalities into graphical-construct-based Lagrangian relaxation methodologies

This paper shows that facet-inducing inequalities can be incorporated into graphical-construct-based Lagrangian relaxation methodologies by including them as dualized constraints. It develops an algorithm that successively identifies additional facet-inducing inequalities and incorporates them into the Lagrangian function. Computational experience shows that the algorithm can resolve duality gaps using relatively few facet-inducing inequalities.
Cardiomyopathy of aging in the mammalian heart is characterized by myocardial hypertrophy, fibrosis and a predisposition towards cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy

Aging is associated with an increased incidence of heart failure, but the existence of an age-related cardiomyopathy remains controversial. Differences in strain, age and technique of measuring cardiac function differ between experiments, confounding the interpretation of these studies. Additionally, the structural and genetic profile at the onset of heart failure has not been extensively studied. We therefore performed serial echocardiography, which allows repeated assessment of left ventricular (LV) function, on a cohort of the same mice every 3 months as they aged and demonstrated that LV systolic dysfunction becomes apparent at 18 months of age. These aging animals had left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis, but did not have inducible ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Gene expression profiling of left ventricular tissue demonstrated 40 differentially expressed probesets and 36 differentially expressed gene ontology terms, largely related to inflammation and immunity. At this early stage of cardiac dysfunction, we observed increased cardiomyocyte expression of the pro-apoptotic activated caspase-3, but no actual increase in apoptosis. The aging hearts also have higher levels of anti-apoptotic and autophagic factors, which may have rendered protection from apoptosis. In conclusion, we describe the functional, structural and genetic changes in murine hearts as they first develop cardiomyopathy of aging.
Polymerization of Hydrogels inside Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Vesicles

Block copolymer vesicles are powerful tools for investigating cell adhesion since they display the fluid, deformable, semipermeable membrane properties of lipid vesicles while having greater chemical and mechanical stability. The aim of the present study was to fabricate block copolymer vesicles containing hydrogel interiors in order to extend achievable vesicle properties and, thereby, their range of cell-like behaviors. Block copolymer vesicles based on poly(butadiene-b-ethylene oxide) were demonstrated to compartmentalize and retain acrylamide solutions through particle dialysis and to allow for subsequent in situ hydrogel polymerization. Small molecule leakage studies of the resulting particles indicated that the cross-link density of the hydrogel interiors had minimal impact on vesicle permeability to small molecules (<430 Da) relative to vesicle membrane properties. In contrast, particle deformation analyses indicated that initial vesicle surface approach and adhesion was dominated by its membrane p...
DIRECT OBSERVATIONS OF ION DAMAGE IN CADMIUM

Negative ions are emitted from electron microscope filaments during normal operation. The effects of these ions on thin Cd films are studied by transmission microscopy techniques, at --100 to +25 deg C. Dislocation loops are observed, and their temperature dependence is discussed. (T.F.H.)
The Association of the Human Development Index With Global Kidney Cancer Incidence and Mortality

Purpose: We describe contemporary worldwide age standardized incidence and mortality rates for kidney cancer, and their association with social and economic development metrics.Materials and Methods: We obtained gender specific, age standardized incidence and mortality rates for 184 countries and 16 major world regions from the GLOBOCAN 2008 database. We compared the mortality-to-incidence ratio on the national and regional levels in males and females, and assessed the association with the development level of each country using the United Nations Human Development Index.Results: The age standardized incidence rate varied twentyfold worldwide with the highest rate in North America, and the lowest in Africa and South Central Asia (11.8 vs 1.2 and 1.0/100,000 individuals, respectively). The geographic distribution of the age standardized mortality rate was similar to that of the age standardized incidence rate with the highest rates in Europe and North America (3.1 and 2.6/100,000 individuals, respectively)...
EnforceMOP: a runtime property enforcement system for multithreaded programs

Multithreaded programs are hard to develop and test. In order for programs to avoid unexpected concurrent behaviors at runtime, for example data-races, synchronization mechanisms are typically used to enforce a safe subset of thread interleavings. Also, to test multithreaded programs, devel- opers need to enforce the precise thread schedules that they want to test. These tasks are nontrivial and error prone. This paper presents EnforceMOP, a framework for specifying and enforcing complex properties in multithreaded Java programs. A property is enforced at runtime by blocking the threads whose next actions would violate it. This way the remaining threads, whose execution is safe, can make global progress until the system eventually reaches a global state in which the blocked threads can be safely unblocked and allowed to execute. Users of EnforceMOP can specify the properties to be enforced using the expressive MOP multi-formalism notation, and can provide code to be executed at deadlock (when no thread is safe to continue). EnforceMOP was used in two different kinds of applications. First, to enforce general properties in multithreaded programs, as a formal, semantic alternative to the existing rigid and sometimes expensive syntactic synchronization mechanisms. Second, to enforce testing desirable schedules in unit testing of multithreaded programs, as an alternative to the existing limited and often adhoc techniques. Results show that EnforceMOP is able to effectively express and enforce complex properties and schedules in both scenarios.
Complexity analysis of wavelet signal decomposition and reconstruction

We give certain sequential and parallel algorithms and their computational analysis for signal decomposition and reconstruction based on wavelets. The signal decomposition (respectively, reconstruction) process is separated into two stages: the first is the preprocessing stage where certain constants are computed for implementation to prepare for the second stage in which signal decomposition (respectively, reconstruction) is performed. In the decomposition (respectively, reconstruction) stage, the input signal is transformed via different methods to compute the output signal without changing the setup initialized in the preprocessing stage. We describe certain sequential algorithms for both the preprocessing and the decomposition (respectively, reconstruction) stages, and parallel algorithms for the latter. The algorithms are finally illustrated for compactly supported spline-wavelets and are analyzed in detail in terms of the required arithmetic operations. >
Prescribing Scalar Curvature on Sn and Related Problems, Part I

Let (Sn, g0) be the standard n-sphere. The following question was raised by L. Nirenberg. Which function K(x) on S2 is the Gauss curvature of a metric g on S2 conformally equivalent to g0? Naturally one may ask a similar question in higher dimensional case, namely, which function K(x) on Sn is the scalar curvature of a metric g on Sn conformally equivalent to g0? We give some apriori estimates for solutions of the prescribed scalar curvature equations for n ≥ 3 and some existence results which are quite natural extensions of previous results of Chang and Yang ([CY2]) and Bahri and Coron ([BC2]) for n = 2, 3. For n = 3 such estimates have been obtained by Schoen and Zhang (see [Sc2] and [Z]). As a byproduct of the blow up analysis completed here for n ≥ 3 we have essentially extended all the results in [Lil-3] for n = 3, 4 to higher dimensional cases. In [Lil-3], a procedure of gluing approximate solutions into genuine solutions has been completed for subcritical equations corresponding to the scalar curvature equations. This procedure is an adaptation of some "gluing technique" for periodic ode′s and periodic subcritical pde′s via variational methods originally introduced by Sere ([Se]) and Coti-Zelati and Rabinowitz ([CR1-2]). See also an earlier related paper by Coti-Zelati et al. ([CES]). Now we can pass to limit and obtain our results for n ≥ 3. In particular we show that C∞ scalar curvature functions are C0 dense among functions which are positive somewhere. This extends the Lp density result of Bourguignon and Ezin in [BoE]. The related critical exponent equations −Δu = K(x) u(n+2)/(n−2) in Rn with K(x) being periodic in one of the variables are also studied and infinitely many positive solutions (module translations by its periods) are obtained under some additional mild hypotheses on K(x). The main results in this paper have been announced in [Li5].
Equivalence of AC and DC electric field on retarding grain growth in yttria-stabilized zirconia

It is shown that the full-cycle mean value of a 60 Hz AC field is equivalent to a DC field in its effect on retarding grain growth in 3 mol.% yttria-stabilized zirconia. This equivalence is in keeping with the proposed physical mechanism for the retardation at E < ∼30 V cm−1. A second decrease in the grain size with field occurs at a mean AC field of ∼100 V cm−1, which may be the precursor for “flash” sintering.
Electric-Field-Driven Accumulation and Alignment of CdSe and CdTe Nanorods in Nanoscale Devices

Local electric fields generated by nanopatterned electrodes were used to control the position and orientation of well-isolated as well as closely packed colloidal semiconducting CdTe and CdSe nanorods (NRs) drop-cast from solution. Postdeposition imaging using transmission-electron microscopy and atomic-force microscopy revealed strong NR alignment to the direction of the applied field and dense accumulation around and onto voltage-biased electrodes when deposited from dilute and concentrated solutions, respectively. The degree of alignment under the applied electric field is characterized by a nematic order parameter S ≈ 0.8 in contrast to the zero-field case when S ≈ 0.1.
Teaching 3.5-Year-Olds to Revise Their Beliefs Given Ambiguous Evidence.

Previous research suggests that 3-year-olds fail to learn from statistical data when their prior beliefs conflict with evidence. Are children's beliefs entrenched in their folk theories, or can preschoolers rationally update their beliefs? Motivated by a Bayesian account, we conducted a training study to investigate this question. Children (45 months) who failed to endorse a statistically more probable (but a-priori unlikely) cause following ambiguous evidence were assigned to a Statistical Reasoning training, one of two Prior Belief trainings (Base Rates, Mechanisms), or a Control condition. Relative to the Control, children in the trainings were more likely to endorse the a-priori unlikely variable on a free-explanation task. Critically, children in the Statistical Reasoning condition passed this task, even though their only information about the belief-violating variable came from ambiguous evidence. This suggests that statistical reasoning training improves preschoolers' ability to learn even from dat...
Engaging Future Teachers to Reflect on How Reading and Writing Can Change Lives

This essay describes a literacy project involving college students who are preservice teachers and students in an urban alternative public school. Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” served as a touchstone or linchpin for the development of literacy skills and identity construction for both the college and secondary school students. Utilizing the idea of “a new neighborhood” as a metaphor and a goal, all students were given opportunities to engage with language, opening them up to a variety of new experiences and a new sense of belonging within a safe classroom environment.
Evidence for the formation of quasibound states in an asymmetrical quantum point contact

Features below the first conductance plateau in ballistic quantum point contacts (QPCs) are often ascribed to electron interaction and spin effects within the single mode limit. In QPCs with a highly asymmetric geometry, we observe sharp resonance peaks when the point contacts are gated to the single mode regime, and surprisingly, under certain gating conditions, a complete destruction of the 2e(2)/h first quantum plateau. The temperature evolution of the resonances suggest non-Fermi-liquid behavior, while the overall nonlinear characterizations reveal features reminiscent of the 0.7 effect. We attribute these unusual behaviors to the formation of a quasibound state, which is stabilized by a momentum mismatch accentuated by asymmetry.
Inappropriate use of urinary catheters in elderly patients at a midwestern community teaching hospital

Abstract Background An estimated 4 million patients per year in the United States are subjected to urinary catheterization. Approximately 25% of patients who are hospitalized have an indwelling urinary tract catheter placed at some time during their hospital stay and nosocomial urinary tract infections develop in 5% per day, with associated bacteremia in 4% of patients. Objective We sought to assess the prevalence and the appropriateness of the use of urinary catheters at a community teaching hospital in medical patients age 65 years and older. Methods We randomly selected 285 charts from a total of 2845 patients admitted during the year 2000 who were 65 years and older and had an indwelling urinary tract catheter inserted during the first 24 hours after admission. We excluded patients who had a urinary catheter placed before admission and patients admitted for operation. Results On chart review we found an appropriate indication for catheterization for 46% of these patients. A physician or nurse explicitly documented the reason for catheter placement in only 13%. No order for catheterization was written in 33% of the charts. Mean duration of catheter use was 3 days. Conclusions Less than half of urinary catheterizations in this teaching hospital were indicated and even fewer had an explicit indication recorded in the chart. Other investigators have had similar findings at other hospitals. Interventions are needed to decrease the inappropriate use of urinary catheters.
Antioxidant capacity of fresh and dried rhizomes from four clones of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) grown in vitro

Abstract Plant genotype, field conditions, and postharvest processing of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) can alter the combinations of phytochemicals in rhizomes. We investigated the effects of drying upon the antioxidant potential of methanolic extracts from rhizomes of four clones of turmeric grown in vitro under controlled conditions. Antioxidant properties of microrhizomes were also compared with commercially available rhizome powder. The antioxidant capacities of extracts were assayed for their ability to scavenge the DPPH* radical and chelate ferrous iron. Tissue drying negatively affected the ability of extracts to scavenge the DPPH* radical in all four accessions tested, whereas the effect of tissue drying on ferrous iron chelating ability of extracts was cultivar specific. Fresh tissue extracts were more potent than extracts from commercially available turmeric powder in all cases for both assays. The iron chelation assay revealed that extracts from recently dried tissue were significantly more potent than extracts from aged commercially available turmeric powder. DPPH* scavenging capacity of the dried tissue was usually of similar intensity to the commercially available powder with only one clone showing a significant difference in potency. Commercial drying methods may have negative effects on the antioxidants present in the rhizomes of turmeric. Genotypic selection minimized this effect. In vitro prepared rhizomes are a readily available source of fresh turmeric tissue from controlled environments irrespective of uncertainty associated with international outsource of seasonal, agricultural products.
Geologic structure of south side of Voronezh massif near Kharkov

Detailed subsurface data on the south side of the Voronezh Massif near Kharkov have provided a basis for evaluating the structure and stratigraphic relations of the beds below the Cretaceous. In evaluating the oil possibilities of the area, need for an additional line of deep boreholes south of Kharkov has emerged. The absence of Devonian and Lower Permian beds reduces the prospects for oil and gas, but other parts of the succession, notably the Carboniferous and Triassic, may prove a promising zone of exploration. Some traps may be produced by block fault movements in the basement, but most of the possible traps are stratigraphic. — B.N. Cooper.
A microprocessor-based controller for high temperature PEM fuel cells

This paper presents a microprocessor based controller for High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HTPEM) fuel cells. The controller manages start-up, control, protection, shut-down, and monitoring functions. This portable unit controls HTPEM fuel cell components to ensure secure and reliable operation in both normal and transient operation modes. The proposed controller monitors critical fuel cell parameters such as cell voltages, air/hydrogen inlet temperatures, air/hydrogen inlet pressures, stack temperature, and stack current. The controller software has several concurrent control loop tasks, which send proper commands to the fuel cell system. The hardware consists of a development microchip board and a novel interface I/O board including a LCD and a keyboard.
ReMAP: A Reconfigurable Architecture for Chip Multiprocessors

ReMAP is a reconfigurable architecture for accelerating and parallelizing applications within a heterogeneous chip multiprocessor (CMP). Clusters of cores share a common reconfigurable fabric adaptable for individual thread computation or fine-grained communication with integrated computation. ReMAP demonstrates significantly higher performance and energy efficiency than hard-wired communication-only mechanisms, and over allocating the fabric area to additional or more powerful cores.
Quasi-dynamic mode of nanomembranes for time-of-flight mass spectrometry of proteins

Mechanical resonators realized on the nano-scale by now offer applications in mass-sensing of biomolecules with extraordinary sensitivity. The general idea is that perfect mechanical biosensors should be of extremely small size to achieve zeptogram sensitivity in weighing single molecules similar to a balance. However, the small scale and long response time of weighing biomolecules with a cantilever restrict their usefulness as a high-throughput method. Commercial mass spectrometry (MS) such as electro-spray ionization (ESI)-MS and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-time of flight (TOF)-MS are the gold standards to which nanomechanical resonators have to live up to. These two methods rely on the ionization and acceleration of biomolecules and the following ion detection after a mass selection step, such as time-of-flight (TOF). Hence, the spectrum is typically represented in m/z, i.e. the mass to ionization charge ratio. Here, we describe the feasibility and mass range of detection of a new mechanical approach for ion detection in time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the principle of which is that the impinging ion packets excite mechanical oscillations in a silicon nitride nanomembrane. These mechanical oscillations are henceforth detected via field emission of electrons from the nanomembrane. Ion detection is demonstrated in MALDI-TOF analysis over a broad range with angiotensin, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and an equimolar protein mixture of insulin, BSA, and immunoglobulin G (IgG). We find an unprecedented mass range of operation of the nanomembrane detector.
Role Of Coherence Concepts In The Study Of Speckle

The role of coherence in the study of speckle patterns is considered. It is shown that the type of coherence used in such analysis has an important difference from the "classical" coherence concepts. The analogy between speckle and thermal radiation is explored. The second-order coherence properties of speckle are summarized. Finally, some aspects of speckle that do not arise in classical coherence theory are discussed.
Reducing model complexity for explanation and prediction

Abstract Numerical models can be useful for explaining poorly understood phenomena or for reliable quantitative predictions. When modeling a multi-scale system, a ‘top-down’ approach—basing models on emergent variables and interactions, rather than explicitly on the much faster and smaller scale processes that give rise to them—facilitates both goals. Parameterizations representing emergent interactions range from highly simplified and abstracted to more quantitatively accurate. Empirically based large-scale parameterizations lead more reliably to accurate large-scale behavior than do parameterizations of much smaller scale processes. Conversely, purposefully simplified representations of model interactions can enhance a model's utility for explanation, clarifying the key feedbacks leading to an enigmatic behavior. For such potential insights to be relevant, the interactions in the model need to correspond to those in the ‘real’ system in some straightforward way. Such a correspondence usually holds for models constructed for predictive purposes, although this is not a requirement. The goals motivating a modeling endeavor help determine the most appropriate modeling strategies, as well as the most appropriate criteria for judging model usefulness.
Evaluation of the NOx emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines with the addition of cetane improvers

The exhaust emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines (HDDEs) contribute to the degradation of ambient air quality; therefore, environmental agencies have created stringent emissions standards. Since the implementation of these standards, overall engine and fuel technology improvements have created a significant reduction in emissions. This study was completed in order to evaluate oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) emissions from fuels with and without cetane-improving additives in recent and early production electronically controlled HDDEs. Five engines spanning the model years from 1991 to 2004 were tested using the Federal Test Procedure (FTP) dynamometer cycle with both petroleum-based diesel and B20 as the neat fuel. It was found that the additives had the most impact on reducing emissions at low engine powers, but the engine power range with an NO x benefit varied between engines. The cetane improvers were found only to reduce NO x below a cylinder gas density of 35 kg/m 3 at top dead centre. The lower compression ratio of the 1992 DDC S60 engines reduced the cylinder gas density and provided a larger optimal operating range for the cetane improvers. The cetane improvers reduced NO x at low engine powers and cylinder gas density for the B20 fuel but were less effective than for the neat petroleum fuels.