cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Receptor–ligand binding: ‘catch’ bonds finally caught

Leukocyte recruitment to sites of inflammation is initiated by the selectin family of adhesion receptors. Recent research reveals that P-selectin binding to its ligand exhibits 'catch' to 'slip' bond transition that may help explain the shear threshold phenomenon.
SYNTHESIS OF NEW STILBENE-BASED POLYCARBONATES

Abstract A series of polycarbonates with stilbene mesogens has been prepared and characterized, expanding upon past work with stilbene-based polyesters and polyethers. It has been found that the stilbene mesogen. mono- or di-substituted with methyl or ethyl groups, significantly affects polymer morphology. Polycarbonates containing stilbene mesogens have been studied by differential calorimetry, polarized microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Methyl substituted stilbenes are semicrystalline and appear to be liquid crystalline, whereas ethyl substituted stilbenes are amorphous. Disubstitution lowers the transition temperatures from those values observed for monosubstituted stilbenes.
Residential Satisfaction as a Function of Micro and Macro Environmental Conditions among Urban Elderly Men

The dual purpose of this study was to investigate in a comprehensive fashion the impact of both micro (housing) and macro (neighborhood) environmental conditions on residential satisfaction as well as to ascertain the relative importance of housing compared to neighborhood elements within a sample of urban elderly men. Data revealed that residential satisfaction was largely a function of macro environmental conditions (i.e., neighborhood beauty, safety, interest level, and quietness).
A sequential likelihood ratio test for general hypotheses

In statistical inference it is often desired to test a specified funcrion of unkown parameters form an underlying distribution. Sequential procedures utilize information from the already collected observations and allow for a possible eariy termination of experimentation with a concurrent savings in time and cost. In the present work a suitable maximum-likelihood based sequential testing procedure for functions of unknown parameters is developed for independent and identically distributed observations of an underlying distribution of known form. The theoretical Operating Characteristic (OC) and Average Sample Number (ASN) functions are derived for local alternatives by approximating the distribution of the test statistic with linear combinations of the standard Wiener process, Simlriation studies were utilized to investigate the goodness of the asymptotic results in finite samples.
Trichome‐borne and artificially applied acylsugars of wild tomato deter feeding and oviposition of the leafminer Liriomyza trifolii

Oviposition and adult feeding of the leafminer Liriomyza trifollii (Burgess) (Diptera, Agromyzidae) on Lycopersicon pennellii (Corr.) D'Arcy and its F1 hybrid with Lycopersicon esculentum (Mill.) was significantly less than that on the cultivated tomato, L. esculentum. The resistance of L. pennellii and the F1 was reduced following rinsing of foliage with ethanol. Resistant attributes of L. pennellii were transferred to L. esculentum through appression of L. pennellii foliage to L. esculentum leaflets. Application of purified 2, 3, 4-tri-O-acylglucoses (the principal component of type IV glandular trichome exudate of L. pennellii) to L. esculentum significantly decreased feeding and oviposition on L. esculentum leaflets by 61–99%. Therefore the principal mechanism of resistance to this leafminer by L. pennellii is the secretion of these acylglucoses. Dose response analysis of acylglucoses applied to L. esculentum shows that dosages as low as 10% those found on L. pennellii provide large reductions (91%) in leaf punctures and mines.
Phenotypic features of breast cancer cells overexpressing ornithine-decarboxylase

Polyamines (PA) have been shown to be critical mediators of estradiol-induced breast cancer cell proliferation. This finding suggests that constitutive activation of the PA pathway may promote tumor progression, possibly leading to hormone independence. To test this hypothesis, we transfected hormone-responsive MCF-7 breast cancer cells with a complementary DNA coding for ornithine-decarboxylase (ODC), the first rate-limiting enzyme in PA biosynthesis. Marked ODC over-expression observed in stably transfected clones was associated with a selective increase in cellular putrescine content, while spermidine and spermine levels were not altered. ODC-overexpressing MCF-7 cells were resistant to the antiproliferative effects of low but not high concentrations of the enzyme inhibitor, α-difluoromethylornithine. In agreement with our hypothesis, sensitivity to the growth-promoting action of estradiol was reduced by approximately one third (P < 0.001) in ODC-overexpressing MCF-7 cells compared with vector-only transfected clones. Basal growth under anchorage-dependent conditions was only marginally increased by ODC overexpression (P = 0.048), while clonogenicity in soft agar was actually reduced. These data suggest that activation of PA biosynthesis may contribute in part to the acquisition of estrogen independence by breast cancer cells. Since only putrescine content was increased as a result of ODC overexpression, these data may underestimate the overall influence of the PA pathway on breast cancer phenotype. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Extreme Delay in Care for Enlarging Breast Mass

Abstract: Phyllodes tumor (PT) of the breast is an uncommon fibroepithelial tumor accounting for 0.37% of primary breast cancers. Most PT are
Interaction of pokeweed mitogen with poly(N-acetyllactosamine)-type carbohydrate chains.

Abstract The carbohydrate-binding specificities of pokeweed mitogen (PWM) were studied by interaction between 125 I-PWM and purified glycoproteins. Human erythrocyte-membrane, band-3 glycoprotein bound 125 I-PWM, but other glycoproteins containing triple-branched (tri-antennary)-complex-, double-branched (bi-antennary)-complex-, hybrid-, high-mannose, or small-mucin-type carbohydrate chains failed to bind 125 I-PWM. Pretreatment of human erythrocytes with endo-β- d -galactosidase prevented 125 I-PWM binding to the erythrocytes, as well as to band-3 glycoprotein from these cells. Poly( N -acetyllactosamine) glycopeptides and complex-type glycopeptides purified from band-3 glycoprotein and porcine thyroglobulin, respectively, were labeled at their nonreducing, terminal d -galactosyl or 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d -galactosyl groups by d -galactose oxidase-sodium borotritide treatment and examined for interaction with agarose-immobilized PWM isolectins. From the binding behavior of these labeled glycopeptides on columns of immobilized-PWM isolectins, and from the interaction of various glycoproteins bearing known carbohydrate chains with 125 I-PWM, it was concluded that all three major PWM isolectins (Pa-1, Pa-2, and Pa-4) bind specifically to poly( N -acetyllactosamine) structures.
Growth and production of enterotoxin A by Staphylococcus aureus in cream

Behavior of Staphylococcus aureus strains 100-A, 196-E, 254, 473, 505, and 521 in sweet (18 to 80% milk fat) and neutralized sour cream was studied. Cream was inoculated to contain approximately 10(3) to 10(4) S. aureus/ml, depending on milk fat content, and was incubated at 4, 22, or 37 degrees C. Determinations were made of aerobic plate count, S. aureus count, and pH. When growth in cream exceeded 10(7) S. aureus/ml, enterotoxin analysis was done. Sweet and neutralized sour cream supported growth of all strains of S. aureus tested. Strains 100-A, 196-E, 473, 505, and 521 grew sufficiently to produce enterotoxin in sweet cream of 18 or 32% milk fat held at 37 degrees C for 18 h or at 22 degrees C for 52 h. Populations of strains 100-A, 196-E, 505, and 521 exceeded 10(6) cells/ml in sweet cream of 36% milk fat held for 18 h at 37 degrees C. Strains 100-A and 521 grew to more than 10(6) cells/ml in sweet cream of 40% milk fat held for 18 h at 37 degrees C. No strain of S. aureus grew to levels associated with detectable enterotoxin production at 4 degrees C within 14 d in any cream. Incubation temperature, milk fat content of cream, and variation among strains influenced the ability of S. aureus to grow and produce enterotoxin.
Alternate models for optimal cardiovascular and thoracic critical care from a resident's perspective

Carlos Omar Encarnacion, MD While attending the 11th annual FACTS-Care meeting, I had the pleasure of participating on a panel of residents discussing various issues in providing optimal cardiovascular and thoracic critical care and how those issues affect patient care and the learning process. As a second-year integrated cardiothoracic surgery resident at the Medical College of Wisconsin, providing optimal care in the intensive care unit (ICU) is currently a process in active learning for me. My contribution was discussing the different ICU models: closed, open, and comanaged. The closed ICUmodel is used at one of the smaller hospitalswithin our systemwherewe rotate. In thismodel, the critical care team assumes complete care of the patient on admission to the ICU, excluding the surgical team frommanagement decisions. Although this model assures a consistent approach because it is always the same managing team, the potential contributions by the surgical team are overlooked. As a result of this one-sided approach, disagreements on optimal patient management between the ICU team and surgical team often arise. As a cardiothoracic surgery resident, I do not find this model optimal for academic enrichment. In comparison, an open model allows for any physician to admit to the ICU, with or without an ICU consult. Often an ICU consult is obtained, allowing both teams to have input but not necessarily in an organized fashion. Multiple teams writing multiple orders for conflicting treatment plans leads to significant frustration among ICU and surgical teams, a view shared by most panel participants. Because of the minute-to-minute care often required of these patients and the operating room duties required by the surgical team, patient care can suffer. In either of these scenarios, learning is poor and patient care is suboptimal. In a comanaged ICU model, both primary and ICU teams contribute to patient management decisions in an
The effect of aging on the growth of colon cancer

Reports on the effect of patient age on the prognosis for colon cancer vary. We have tested the effect of aging using a model of murine colon adenocarcinoma in groups of mice of different ages. In experiment A, Balb/c mice of age groups 3–4 weeks, 10–12 weeks, 24–32 weeks and 40–48 weeks (13 mice/group) were injected with 5 × 104MC-26 cells subcutaneously in the right flank. Tumors were measured twice weekly, and the rate of occurrence of tumor, mortality rate, and growth rate were calculated. In experiment B, the same plan as experiment A was used, except mice of age groups I (14 days), II (3–4 weeks), and III (20–22 months) were used with tumor doses of 1 × 104 cells and 5 × 105 cells (9–15 mice/group). In both experiments, the rate of growth of tumor, mortality rate, and sizes of tumors obtained were the same. In experiment A, the rate of occurrence of the tumors was the same in all groups, but in experiment B the occurrence of the tumor varied. A palpable tumor appeared earliest in the weanling mice (14 days), next in old mice (20–22 months), and last in the young adult group (3–4 weeks). Tumor doubling time was longest in the young adult mice (7 days), intermediate in the old mice (6.1 days), and shortest in the weanling mice (5.5 days). Established tumors grew at similar rates (as assessed by doubling time), independent of host age. Mortality rates were similar. Subtle changes in doubling time and rate of occurrence of tumor are apparent only during the “low” dose of tumor (1 × 104) cells, which suggests a host-immune response that is able to cope with a relatively small burden of tumor cells. Any immune system can be overwhelmed. The use of low doses of cell inoculum allows differentiation of small, but important age-related differences of colon cancer growth.
Antibiotics for sore throat patients--varied opinions.

Gunnarsson and colleagues have recently addressed the sore throat question [1]. They conclude that we should never prescribe antibiotics for sore throats unless we can confirm that group A beta-hem...
Fatty Acid Composition of Chick Embryo and Egg Yolk at Various Stages of Incubation

Abstract Adipose tissue fatty acid composition of the chick embryo is similar to egg fatty acids but does not resemble the composition of non-adipose or structural lipids (Feldman et al., 1962; and Baker, 1961). This suggests that the fatty acid composition of chick embryo may be at maximal variance with egg fat during the early stages of incubation when adipose tissue formation is minimal and that the variance may decrease during the latter stages of incubation when adipose tissue formation is maximal. To test this hypothesis, the fatty acid composition of chick embryos and yolk contents at various ages was determined and compared to that of a six-day-old chick brain. Eggs from White Leghorn hens fed a corn-soya diet were incubated. Random samples of four eggs each were withdrawn from the incubator for analysis after 0, 8, 12, 16, and 20 days of incubation. Each egg was analyzed separately. The yolk…
Syringe acquisition experiences and attitudes among injection drug users undergoing short-term opioid detoxification in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Access to sterile syringes for injection drug users (IDUs) is a critical part of a comprehensive strategy to combat the transmission of HIV, hepatitis C virus, and other bloodborne pathogens. Understanding IDUs’ experiences and attitudes about syringe acquisition is crucial to ensuring adequate syringe supply and access for this population. This study sought to assess and compare IDUs’ syringe acquisition experiences and attitudes and HIV risk behavior in two neighboring states, Massachusetts (MA) and Rhode Island (RI). From March 2008 to May 2009, we surveyed 150 opioid IDUs at detoxification facilities in MA and RI, stratified the sample based on where respondents spent most of their time, and generated descriptive statistics to compare responses among the two groups. A large proportion of our participants (83%) reported pharmacies as a source of syringe in the last 6 months, while only 13% reported syringe exchange programs (SEPs) as a syringe source. Although 91% of our sample reported being able to obtain all of the syringes they needed in the past 6 months, 49% had used syringes or injection equipment previously used by someone else in that same time period. In comparison to syringe acquisition behaviors reported by patients of the same detoxification centers in 2001–2003 (data reported in previous publication), we found notable changes among MA participants. Our results reveal that some IDUs in our sample are still practicing high-risk injection behaviors, indicating a need for expanded and renewed efforts to promote safer injection behavior among IDUs. Our findings also indicate that pharmacies have become an important syringe source for IDUs and may represent a new and important setting in which IDUs can be engaged in a wide array of health services. Efforts should be made to involve pharmacists in providing harm reduction and HIV prevention services to IDUs. Finally, despite limited SEP access (especially in MA), SEPs are still used by approximately one of the three IDUs in our overall sample.
Poly(A) in mRNA does not contribute to secondary structure necessary for protein synthesis

Abstract Poly(A)-containing mRNA has been complexed with poly(U) to form mRNA:poly(U) 2 and reisolated by hydroxyapatite chromatography. This preparation stimulates both the incorporation into protein of 3 H-leucine and 35 S-methionine from F-met-tRNA f equally well, as does normal mRNA. We conclude that even in those mRNA molecules containing poly(A), no necessary function in protein synthesis can be identified for the homopolymeric segment.
Biological correlates of lactate sensitivity in panic disorder.

Abstract In this pilot study, 99 patients with panic disorder experienced a lactate-induced panic attack as compared with 09 controls. Baseline measurements were significant for higher anxiety self-ratings, higher heart and respiratory rates, elevated potassium, and lower lymphocyte 3 H-dihydroalprenolol (DHA) binding in the patient group. Spielberger State anxiety scores correlated with baseline mean heart rate, and Spielberger Trait anxiety scores with lymphocyte DHA binding. The lactate infusion was not found to differentially affect any physiological or biochemical measures in the two groups, though heart rate surges occurred in most patients. Intravenous propranolol reduced the panic to a negligible degree, whereas intravenous diazepam was quite effective. Neurobiological implications are discussed, and the contradictory biological findings in the lactate literature are reviewed.
Non-intrusive temperature measurement using microscale visualization techniques

μPIV is a widely accepted tool for making accurate measurements in microscale flows. The particles that are used to seed the flow, due to their small size, undergo Brownian motion which adds a random noise component to the measurements. Brownian motion introduces an undesirable error in the velocity measurements, but also contains valuable temperature information. A PIV algorithm which detects both the location and broadening of the correlation peak can measure velocity as well as temperature simultaneously using the same set of images. The approach presented in this work eliminates the use of the calibration constant used in the literature (Hohreiter et al. in Meas Sci Technol 13(7):1072–1078, 2002), making the method system-independent, and reducing the uncertainty involved in the technique. The temperature in a stationary fluid was experimentally measured using this technique and compared to that obtained using the particle tracking thermometry method and a novel method, low image density PIV. The method of cross-correlation PIV was modified to measure the temperature of a moving fluid. A standard epi-fluorescence μPIV system was used for all the measurements. The experiments were conducted using spherical fluorescent polystyrene-latex particles suspended in water. Temperatures ranging from 20 to 80°C were measured. This method allows simultaneous non-intrusive temperature and velocity measurements in integrated cooling systems and lab-on-a-chip devices.
Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling

This report describes a technique for the performance of a sonographically guided percutaneous umbilical blood sampling and its potential uses in the management of diagnostic problems in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. The method has been employed in the prenatal assessment of 13 fetuses at risk for hemostatic failure (hemophilia and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura), chromosomal disorders, isoimmunization, and fetal hypoxia. This simple and rapid procedure offers access to the fetal circulation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
A study of aluminum oxide thin films prepared by atmospheric-pressure vapor deposition from trimethyl;aluminum + oxygen and/or nitrous oxide

A significant improvement in the deposition rate of thin films of aluminum oxide, using trimethylaluminum and oxygen at a substrate temperature of 570° C, is demonstrated. Hard, transparent, strongly adherent films of refractive index 1.62–1.63 were consistently achieved with controlled growth rates from 15 A/sec to 94 A/sec, depending upon the Al mole fraction. Systematic analysis of the growth rate data offers insight into the complicated kinetics of the deposition process. In comparison, the films produced from the trimethylaluminum and nitrous oxide system were of inferior quality.
Maintenance of vacuole integrity by bacterial pathogens

Many intracellular bacterial pathogens reside within a membrane-bound compartment. The biogenesis of these vacuolar compartments is complex, involving subversion of host cell secretory pathways by bacterial proteins. In recent years it has become clear that disruption of vacuole biogenesis may result in membrane rupture and escape of bacteria into the host cell cytosol. Correct modulation of the host cell cytoskeleton, signalling molecules such as small GTPases and the lipids of the vacuole membrane have all been shown to be critical in the maintenance of vacuole integrity. Increasing evidence suggests that vacuole rupture may result from aberrant mechanical forces exerted on the vacuole, possibly due to a defect in vacuole expansion.
‘My Brother's Keeper’? Inter‐ethnic Solidarity and Human Rights

Why and how do communities that have been victims of human rights abuse advocate for new, unrelated victims of ethnic persecution? Scattered but persistent inter-ethnic solidarity challenges materialist views of ethnic communities as interest groups, and highlights the importance of social learning and communicative action. In order to trace some promising pathways of inter-ethnic solidarity, we examine human rights campaigns on behalf of other beleaguered groups by American Jews, Northern Irish Catholics, and African-Americans. We find that necessary conditions of a structural base and social capital are activated by bridging narratives of human rights that promote Other-identification among unrelated groups. Analysis of such campaigns has the potential to improve our understanding of ‘rooted cosmopolitanism’ as an alternative to competitive nationalism and a situated basis for universalist humanitarianism. Why and how do communities that have been victims of human rights abuse advocate for new, unrelated victims of ethnic persecution? Scattered but persistent inter-ethnic solidarity challenges materialist views of ethnic communities as interest groups and shows the exception to the general pattern of in-group
Channel allocation and medium access control for wireless sensor networks

Recent developments in sensor technology, as seen in Berkeley's Mica2 Mote, Rockwell's WINS nodes and the IEEE 802.15.4 Zigbee, have enabled support for single-transceiver, multi-channel communication. The task of channel assignment with minimum interference, also named as the 2-hop coloring problem, allows repetition of colors occurs only if the nodes are separated by more than 2 hops. Being NP complete, development of efficient heuristics for this coloring problem is an open research area and this paper proposes the Dynamic Channel Allocation (DCA) algorithm as a novel solution. Once channels are assigned, a Medium Access Control protocol must be devised so that channel selection, arbitration and scheduling occur with maximum energy savings and reduced message overhead, both critical considerations for sensor networks. The contribution of this paper is twofold: (1) development and analysis of the DCA algorithm that assigns optimally minimum channels in a distributed manner in order to make subsequent communication free from both primary and secondary interference and (2) proposing CMAC, a fully desynchronized multi-channel MAC protocol with minimum hardware requirements. CMAC takes into account the fundamental energy constraint in sensor nodes by placing them in a default sleep mode as far as possible, enables spatial channel re-use and ensures nearly collision free communication. Simulation results reveal that the DCA consumes significantly less energy while giving a legal distributed coloring. CMAC, our MAC protocol that leverages this coloring, has been thoroughly evaluated with various modes in SMAC, a recent protocol that achieves energy savings through coordinated sleeping. Results show that CMAC obtains nearly 200% reduction in energy consumption, significantly improved throughput, and end-to-end delay values that are 50-150% better than SMAC for our simulated topologies.
Overlap and co-expression of estrogen synthetic and responsive neurons in the songbird brain—a double-label immunocytochemical study

The songbird telencephalon exhibits the capacity to both synthesize and respond to estrogen. Several telencephalic loci in addition to those in the diencephalon express aromatase (estrogen synthase) and estrogen receptors (ER). Little is known about the interactions between cells that contain aromatase and those that contain ER, particularly at the level of protein expression. Consequently, we do not know if locally synthesized estrogens affect ER via autocrine and/or paracrine mechanisms. Here we have mapped the distributions, identified areas of overlap, and measured the degree of co-expression of aromatase and ERalpha in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). First, alternate sections were stained with antibodies against either aromatase or ERalpha, revealing the distributions and therefore, the overlap between these proteins. Subsequently, using double-label light microscopy we have measured the number of aromatase soma, ERalpha soma, and co-expressing soma in areas of overlap in adult males and females. In the preoptic area about 10% of aromatase-positive soma co-express ERalpha. In the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, ventromedial nucleus, nucleus taeniae, and the caudomedial nidopallium, although cells containing either protein were easily detectable, the level of co-expression was minimal. The degree of co-expression and the number of aromatase-positive soma did not differ between sexes. However, the number of ERalpha cells was higher in the female preoptic area relative to that in the male. Conversely, ERalpha is more abundant in the male bed nucleus of the stria terminalis relative to the female. We conclude that while local aromatization in the preoptic area may modulate ERalpha-containing neurons via autocrine pathways, paracrine mechanisms may predominate in other areas of the songbird brain.
Late outcomes after the Cox maze IV procedure for atrial fibrillation

Abstract Objective The Cox maze IV procedure (CMPIV) has been established as the gold standard for surgical ablation; however, late outcomes using current consensus definitions of treatment failure have not been well described. To compare to reported outcomes of catheter-based ablation, we report our institutional outcomes of patients who underwent a left-sided or biatrial CMPIV at 5 years of follow-up. Methods Between January 2002 and September 2014, data were collected prospectively on 576 patients with AF who underwent a CMPIV (n = 532) or left-sided CMPIV (n = 44). Perioperative variables and long-term freedom from AF, with and without AADs, were compared in multiple subgroups. Results Follow-up at any time point was 89%. At 5 years, overall freedom from AF was 93 of 119 (78%), and freedom from AF off AADs was 77 of 177 (66%). No differences were found in freedom from AF, with or without AADs, at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years for patients with paroxysmal AF (n = 204) versus with persistent/longstanding persistent AF (n = 305), or for those who underwent standalone versus a concomitant CMP. Duration of preoperative AF and hospital length of stay were the best predictors of failure at 5 years. Conclusions The outcomes of the CMPIV remain good at late follow-up. The type of preoperative AF or the addition of a concomitant procedure did not affect late success. The results of the CMPIV remain superior to those reported for catheter ablation and other forms of surgical AF ablation, especially for patients with persistent or longstanding AF.
Flexible Nanofiber-Reinforced Aerogel (Xerogel) Synthesis, Manufacture, and Characterization

Silica aerogels are sol-gel-derived materials consisting of interconnected nanoparticle building blocks that form an open and highly porous three-dimensional silica network. Flexible aerogel films could have wide applications in various thermal insulation systems. However, aerogel thin films produced with a pure sol-gel process have inherent disadvantages, such as high fragility and moisture sensitivity, that hinder wider applications of these materials. We have developed synthesis and manufacturing methods to incorporate electrospun polyurethane nanofibers into the cast sol film prior to gelation of the silica-based gel in order to reinforce the structure and overcome disadvantages such as high fragility and poor mechanical strength. In this method, a two-stage sol-gel process was employed: (1) acid-catalyzed tetraethyl orthosilicate hydrolysis and (2) base-catalyzed gelation. By precisely controlling the sol gelation kinetics with the amount of base present in the formulation, nanofibers were electrospun into the sol before the onset of the gelation process and uniformly embedded in the silica network. Nanofiber reinforcement did not alter the thermal conductivity and rendered the final composite film bendable and flexible.
Auger electron angular distributions from Pt(111): The effect of adsorbed iodine monolayers

Complete Auger electron angular distributions have been measured from a Pt(111) substrate in the presence and absence of three distinct iodine adlattices in order to investigate the effect of adsorbate layer structure on substrate emission. The adlattices investigated were Pt(111)(√3×√3)R30 o -I, Pr(111)(√7×√7)R19.1 o -I and Pt(111)(3×3)-I. Three Pt Auger transitions were employed (65, 258 and 1968 eV) to explore the effect of Auger electron kinetic energy
Modelling Heterogeneous DSP-FPGA Based System Partitioning with Extensions to the Spinach Simulation Environment

In this paper we present system-on-a-chip exten- sions to the Spinach simulation environment for rapidly prototyp- ing heterogeneous DSP/FPGA based architectures, specifically in the embedded domain. This infrastructure has been successfully used to model systems varying from multiprocessor gigabit ethernet controllers to Texas Instruments C6x series DSP based systems with tightly coupled FPGA based coprocessors for com- putational offloading. As an illustrative example of this toolsets functionality, we investigate workload partitioning in heteroge- neous DSP/FPGA based embedded environments. Specifically, we focus on computational offloading of matrix multiplication kernels across DSP/FPGA based embedded architectures. I. INTRODUCTION
Exploiting application tunability for efficient, predictable parallel resource management

Parallel computing is becoming increasing central and mainstream, driven both by the widespread availability of commodity SMP and high-performance cluster platforms, as well as the growing use of parallelism in general-purpose applications such as image recognition, virtual reality, and media processing. In addition to performance requirements, the latter computations impose soft real-time constraints, necessitating efficient, predictable parallel resource management. In this paper we propose a novel approach for increasing parallel system utilization while meeting application soft real-time deadlines. Our approach exploits the application tunability found in several general-purpose computations. Tunability refers to an application's ability to trade off resource requirements over time, while maintaining a desired level of output quality. We first describe language extensions to support tunability in the Calypso system, then characterize the performance benefits of tunability, using a synthetic task system to systematically identify its benefits. Our results show that application tunability is convenient to express and can significantly improve parallel system utilization for computations with predictability requirements.
Aggressive behaviors between residents with dementia in an assisted living residence

Aggressive behavior between residents with dementia in long-term care residences is a concerning but understudied phenomenon. The goal of the study was to identify the circumstances, sequence of events, and triggers that lead to these behaviors. I collected the data during 10 months in two special care units of an assisted living residence. I used participant observation as the primary data collection strategy, complemented by review of clinical records and semi-structured interviews with care staff and managers. As the analytic framework, I used Grounded Theory informed by Miles and Huberman's approach. In a substantial number of the reported 85 incidents, I identified observable early warning signs; in the majority, I identified observable causes or triggers prior to the aggressive acts. The majority of incidents were situational-reactive (circumstance-driven) and therefore potentially modifiable. Twelve effective staff prevention strategies were identified. I suggest incorporating the study findings into care staff training programs.
LES in the Surface Layer: Surface Fluxes, Scaling, and SGS Modeling

Abstract The surface fluxes in the fine-mesh numerical codes used in small-scale meteorology are typically diagnosed from resolvable-scale variables through surface-exchange coefficients. This is appropriate if the aspect ratio (length/height) of the grid volume adjacent to the surface is very large, as in mesoscale models. The aspect ratio can approach unity in large-eddy simulation (LES) codes for the planetary boundary layer, however. In that limit the surface-exchange coefficients are random variables, and it is shown through analysis of surface-layer measurements and LES results that their fluctuation levels can be large. As an alternative to surface-exchange coefficients, the authors derive conservation equations for the surface scalar and momentum fluxes in LES. Scaling relations for resolvable-scale variables in the surface layer are developed and used to simplify these equations. It is shown that, as the grid aspect ratio decreases toward unity, local time change, horizontal advection, production...
Formal and Material Theories in Philosophy of Science: A Methodological Interpretation

John Norton’s argument that all formal theories of induction fail raises substantive questions about the philosophical analysis of scientific reasoning. What are the criteria of adequacy for theories of induction, explanation, or theory structure? Is more than one adequate theory possible? Using a generalized version of Norton’s argument, I demonstrate that the competition between formal and material theories in philosophy of science results from adhering to different criteria of adequacy. This situation encourages an interpretation of “formal” and “material” as indicators of divergent criteria that accompany different philosophical methodologies. I characterize another criterion of adequacy associated with material theories, the avoidance of imported problems, and conclude that one way to reconcile conflicting criteria is to adopt a pluralist stance toward theories of scientific reasoning.
The relationship between local dose and loss of function for irradiated lung.

Abstract Purpose To determine the relationship between the local radiation dose and the decrease in lung function associated with thoracic irradiation. Patients and methods Twenty-six patients treated with thoracic irradiation for lung cancer, for whom three-dimensional CT-based dosimetry was used in treatment planning, were evaluated with before and after treatment pulmonary function tests. Six patients were treated with radiotherapy alone (2.15 Gy daily fractions), and 20 patients with concurrent chemotherapy (cisplatin, etoposide) with hyperfractionated (HF) radiation therapy (1.2 Gy in twice-daily fractions). Eleven patients treated with concurrent HF chemoradiation also received the radioprotector amifostine. The normalized decrease in the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (Dl CO ) was used as an objective measure of the change in lung function. The dose–volume histogram (DVH) data were used to estimate the local dose–response relationship for loss of Dl CO . In each subvolume of lung, the loss in normalized Dl CO was assumed to be a sigmoid function of dose, ranging from no loss at low doses to total loss at high doses. The whole-lung decrease in Dl CO was modeled as the sum of the local declines in Dl CO over all subvolumes. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to estimate the parameters of the local dose–response function. Results The data are most consistent with a pronounced decrease in Dl CO when the local dose (for radiotherapy alone or HF concurrent chemoradiation) exceeds 13 Gy (95% CI, 11–15 Gy). In patients who received amifostine in addition to HF radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy, this stepwise loss of Dl CO occurred above 36 Gy (95% CI, 25–48 Gy). Grade 2 or higher pulmonary symptoms were associated with a Dl CO loss of >30% ( p = 0.003). Conclusions The decrease in pulmonary diffusion capacity correlates with the local dose to irradiated lung. Amifostine significantly reduces the loss in Dl CO . A local dose–loss relationship for normalized Dl CO can be extracted from DVH data. This relationship allows an estimate of the loss of function associated with a radiation treatment plan. Different plans can thus be compared without resort to an empiric DVH reduction algorithm. The very low (13 Gy) threshold for deterioration of Dl CO suggests that it is better to treat a little normal lung to a high dose than to treat a lot to a low dose.
The people side of software. A lesson plan for establishing a successful training program

Training is vital to keeping up with industry, customer and employee demands. Specifically, training is necessary for the development of quality software which is dependent on knowledgeable and skilled employees. They, in turn, will perform their roles more effectively and efficiently. It is as important for new hires as it is for current employees. Therefore, training is an on-going and never-ending process. In addition, training plays a key role in handling growth, which is what the GSM project is so fortunate to be experiencing today. However, growth is only positive if you are prepared to handle it and keep up with it. When a high growth rate is added to existing demands, the training challenge is multiplied. It is the purpose of this paper to share the steps the GSM project has taken to produce, implement and improve (through feedback) a well-rounded Software Engineering Institute (SEI) level three capability training program. This paper focuses on the resources (i.e., people and capital) and the components (e.g. mentoring, curriculums, individual training plans, in-house training, metrics) that are essential in establishing and managing a smooth-running training program for a software development organization. This paper also demonstrates the growing demand for knowledge and how its reuse is necessary to increase the Motorola knowledge base at a rate that allows Motorola to remain an industry leader.
Optimal noise matching for a phased array feed

From these results, it can be seen that the best overall performance is obtained with the multi-beam average optimal impedance matching condition. The beam equivalent receiver noise temperature realized with the active impedance match is comparable, but for a PAF the active reflection coefficients for some array elements have undesirably large magnitudes. These results indicate that the multi-beam average optimal match provides a stable, practical noise matching condition for phased array feeds which largely overcomes the noise penalty associated with mutual coupling.
Pulmonary vascular remodeling in broiler and Leghorn chickens after unilateral pulmonary artery occlusion

ABSTRACT Morphological and physiological responses to unilateral pulmonary artery occlusion (PAO) were evaluated in male broiler (B) and Leghorn (L) chickens. All birds were fed a diet containing 3,200 kcal of ME/kg of feed and 23% CP. Broilers (18–21 d old; 507 ± 40 g of BW) and L (61–64 d old, 861 ± 87 g of BW) had surgical PAO (n = 40 each strain) or were sham-operated (SHAM; n = 40 each strain). Hematocrit (%, Hc), relative lung weight (wet right + left lung weight/BW × 100), right ventricle to total ventricle weight ratio (RV/TV), and resistance pulmonary arterioles (RPA) thickness were measured in 6 chickens per group one day presurgery, and at 7 and 14 d postsurgery. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Relative lung weight was higher in L-chickens than in B-chickens at all sampling times. There were no differences in Hc between B and L presurgery, but at d 7 and 14, L-PAO chickens had the highest Hc (35 ± 1.4 and 40 ± 1.9, respectively); the B-SHAM had a lower Hc (28 ± 1.2, and 29 ± 1.0) than the L-SHAM (32 ± 1.2 and 34 ± 1.1) and the B-PAO (32 ± 1.2 and 34 ± 2.0) chickens, with no differences between L-SHAM and B-PAO. The RV/TV ratio was highest in the B-PAO at d 7 and d 14, with no differences among the other groups. The B-PAO chickens had the thickest RPA at 7 d and 14 d postsurgery than the rest of the groups, whereas B had thicker RPA than L at presurgery. Broilers had a lower ventilation capacity than L, and after PAO they developed right ventricular hypertrophy and small arteriole remodeling, whereas the L-PAO showed a higher degree of hypoxemia (high Hct), but without changes in RV/TV ratios or small arterial remodeling, suggesting that L-chickens had a better pulmonary arterial vasodilation even after chronic increases in blood flow through a single lung.
Readers' reliance on source credibility in the service of comprehension.

The current project examined the impact of knowledge about the credibility of sources on readers’ processing of texts. Participants read texts in which information about characters was provided by either a credible or a noncredible source; this information suggested that the character potentially possessed a particular trait. A subsequent text episode offered the opportunity for participants to apply any inferred trait to their understanding of unfolding story events. In Experiment 1, participants’ moment-by-moment reading times indicated strong expectations for characters to behave in trait-consistent ways, with little effect of credibility on those expectations. Experiments 2 and 3 provided participants with additional encouragement to attend to credibility during reading, but these experiments also revealed little influence of credibility. In Experiment 4, in addition to being given added encouragement, participants were explicitly asked to evaluate the likelihood of future text events; under these conditions, expectations for story outcomes were influenced by the credibility of information sources. This influence was mediated by the degree to which participants self-reported relying on credibility during the task. These findings have implications for contemporary accounts of text comprehension, persuasion, and individual differences in credibility assessment.
Aristotle on Becoming Virtuous by Doing Virtuous Actions

Aristotle’s claim that we become virtuous by doing virtuous actions raises a familiar problem: How can we perform virtuous actions unless we are already virtuous? I reject deflationary accounts of the answer given in Nicomachean Ethics 2.4 and argue instead that proper habituation involves doing virtuous actions with the right motive, i.e. for the sake of the noble, even though learners do not yet have virtuous dispositions. My interpretation confers continuity to habituation and explains in a non-mysterious way how we become virtuous by doing virtuous actions in the right way.
Returning to My Roots: African "Religions" and the State

Four decades after physical decolonization, the African state is today mired in crises of identity. Multidimensional and complexly dynamic, these crises primarily feed from the traditional troughs of culture and religion, ethnicity and race, history and mythology, and politics and economics. The realm of religion, together with its essential linkage to philosophy and culture, has been one of the pivotal variables in the construction of the identity of the modern African state. Religion has been one of the critical seams of social and political rupture in several African states. Due to the centrality of religion in the construction of social reality, this critical examination of the treatment of African religions within the African state will necessarily probe the intersection of Islam, African religion, and Christianity - the three dominant religious traditions in Africa. This chapter primarily argues that the modern African state, right from its inception, has relentlessly engaged in a campaign of the marginalization, at best, or eradication, at worst, of African religion. Further, it argues that the destruction and delegitimation of African religion have been actively effected at the urging, or with the collusion and for the benefit of, either or both Islam and Christianity, the two dominant messianic traditions.
Faculty as Mentors in Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work: Motivating and Inhibiting Factors

In this study, we sought to contribute to research about the high-impact practice of undergraduate research from the understudied faculty perspective. We relied on focus group data from faculty members (N = 41) across five institutions to better understand the supporting and inhibiting factors that contribute to faculty members’ engagement in mentoring undergraduate research. We offer implications for research and practice.
Association between physical activity and blood pressure in normotensive adults

Summary.-In 18 normotensive adults (15 women, 3 men), higher levels of habitual physical activity were significantly associated with lower diastolic blood pressure, but nor with systolic blood pressure or resting heart rate. Physical activity levels have been shown to be inversely related to blood pressure in both epidemiological (e.g., Paffenbarger, Wing, Hyde, & Jung, 1983) and clinical (e.g., Martin, Dubbert, & Cushman, 1990) studies. This investigation examined the relationship between habitual physical activity levels and three measures of cardiovascular function collected prior to the initiation of a behavioral exercise adherence program for sedentary adults. The subjects were 15 female and 3 male adults, whose mean age was 42 years (SD = 8). Subjects reported the number of hours per day they engaged in moderate (e.g., regular walking, yard work) and vigorous (e.g., jogging, sustained swimming) physical activities on a usual weekday and on a usual weekend day (Blair, 1984). Average multiples of resting metabolism (METS) were used to calculate average daily energy costs of engagement in moderate and vigorous physical activities (Blair, 1984). This value is expressed in calories per kilogram of body weight per day (KCALS). Blood pressure and resting heart rate were assessed simultaneously using a DINAMAP Portable Vital Signs Monitor Model (Critikon, Inc., Tampa, Florida). Trained assessment staff collected one blood pressure and heart-rate reading for each subject when seated after a minimum of five minutes rest. Daily KCALS expended in vigorous and moderate physical activities averaged 11.84 (SD = 9.25), indicating widely varying levels of physical activity engagement among these subjects. Systolic blood pressures averaged 125.44 mm Hg (SD = 12.27), and diastolic blood pressures averaged 73.16 mm Hg (SD = 6.92), while resting heart rate averaged 78.94 (SD = 14.65). KCAL scores were significantly correlated with diastolic blood pressure (r = - .63, p<.01) but not with systolic blood pressure (r = - .31) or heart rate (I-= - .04). These results are concordant with previous findings of our investigation of male hypertensive adults (Martin, et a/., 1990), in which significant reductions in diastolic but not systolic blood pressure or heart rate were observed following an aerobic exercise intervention. The present study ex