cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crystal field splittings and luminescence properties for Nd3+, Er3+ and Dy3+ in yttrium orthoaluminate (YAlO3)

Abstract This report contains information appropriate for a theoretical analysis of the optical spectra of triply ionized lanthanides in YAlO3. Starting with the best-fit crystal field parameters, the crystal field splitting schemes, multiplet-to-multiplet line strengths, radiative lifetimes, branching ratios, line-to-line square matrix elements and g-factors for the triply ionized Nd, Er and Dy in YAlO3 have been calculated. In this paper detailed discussions were made on the luminescence properties of the principal transitions of Nd-doped YAlO3 emanating from the metastable 4F 3 2 state to Stark components of multiplets of the ground 4IJ term and compared to similar results of Y3Al5O12 (YAG). The line-to-line branching ratios were calculated including J-mixing effects. In the calculations, only electric dipole transitions were considered because of odd-parity. The results predicted some interesting differences in the optical behavior of Nd3+ in these two host materials. It has been observed that there is a reasonable agreement between the theoretical data and those reported experimentally for YAlO3 and YAG. The theoretical studies undertaken here were chosen to supplement or extend the optical data for these two host materials.
EFFECTS OF RED AND FAR-RED RADIATION ON CELL DIVISION AND ELONGATION IN THE STEM OF PINTO BEAN SEEDLINGS'

A B S T R A C T Nine-days old Pinto bean seedlings, Phaseolus vulgaris L., were treated daily for 12 days with supplementary red or far-red radiation following daily exposure to 8 hr of daylight. Stem elongation was nearly exponential from the 4th to the 12th day of treatment and was about 2.9 times greater under far-red radiation. Cell division and cell elongation were promoted essentially equally by far-red radiation. There was virtually no difference in either the rate of leaf initiation or the duration of growth of internodes under the supplementary radiation.
Materials of construction for silicon crystal growth

The performance of materials for construction and in contact with molten silicon for crystal growth is presented. The basis for selection considers physical compatibility, such as thermal expansion and strength, as well as chemical compatibility as indicated by contamination of the silicon. A number of new high technology materials are included as well as data on those previously used. Emphasis is placed on the sources and processing of such materials in that results are frequently dependent on the way a material is prepared as well as its intrinsic constituents.
Cephaloglycin in urinary-tract infections.

Cephaloglycin is an effective and safe antibiotic in the management of urinary-tract infections. It completely cured 14 of 31 chronic cases. In bacteremias and systemic infections, parenterally-active cephalothin or cephaloridine is recommended.
Investigating Mobile Device Use by Medical Residents, Nurses, and Consumers

Preston Medical Library is an academic medical center library serving the University of Tennessee (UT) Graduate School of Medicine and the UT Medical Center. The library's users are beginning to adopt mobile technology in their work. Consequently, to increase the library's relevancy to this mobile population, the library began a program of classes on health-related mobile apps tailored to medical residents, students, and faculty, in addition to a separate class aimed at the general public. The library put in place a process to study user preferences for mobile apps, and the results of these classes, by surveying participants. Results showed that health professionals valued particular apps and were increasing usage.
Diamond Films For Improving Survivability Of Thin Film Metal Mirrors Against X-Ray

Our theoretical results have demonstrated the usefulness of diamond films for improving the survivability of thin film metal mirrors against intense x-ray. Essentially, the low-Z, high thermal conductivity diamond film acts as an efficient heat sink, thus reducing the temperature in the metal film. Specifically, for an aluminum/fused silica mirror, our analysis has shown that interposing a 1-μm thick diamond film between the thin film aluminum and SiO2 substrate increases the aluminum melt fluence--from a 1 KeV black body, 10 ns x-ray pulse--by a factor of 6. In addition, we have found that for pulse widths on the order of about 10 ns, a diamond film thickness of about 1 μm appears to be most effective in reducing the aluminum temperature.
Listening to the Voices of Individuals with Disabilities

Social work literature, research, and practice on disabilities has lagged behind other topical areas dealing with oppressed groups. The social work literature remains “expert focused” and generally fragmented into discussions of specific disabilities or subpopulations. A viable general model that deals with the personal experience of disability is not available. This exploratory study presents a social work literature search and analysis as well as interviews with six individuals with disabilities about their experiences with social workers. Individuals with disabilities assert that they were treated as though they had categorically fewer aspirations, abilities, and perhaps even fundamental rights than did nondisabled people. This study provides a base for follow-up research on models of consumer-focused social work practice in the area of disability.
Toward Practical Advanced Analysis for Steel Frame Design

Extensive research on the topic of steel frame design with advanced analysis methods has been conducted over the past 10 to 15 years in recognition of the fact of rapid advancement in computing power in recent years. Despite significant research and development efforts, usage of advanced analysis for direct frame design has, nevertheless, been slow in coming to the profession. This is clearly and primarily caused by a lack of understanding and appreciation of the applications of second-order inelastic analysis methods on the part of the designers. Practical implementation of the advanced analysis methods for structural steel design is now a real possibility. This paper describes one of the practical advanced analysis methods that have been calibrated against the current American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) load and resistance factor design specification, which requires only simple modifications of an existing in-house elastic program that is widely available in current engineering practice.
Complementary roles of retinoic acid and TGF-β1 in coordinated expression of mucosal integrins by T cells.

α4 and β7 integrins, such as α4β1, α4β7, and αEβ7, are major integrins required for migration of leukocytes into mucosal tissues. The mechanisms responsible for coordinated expression of these three integrins have been poorly elucidated to date. We report that expression of the Itg-α4 subunit by both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells requires the retinoic acid signal. In contrast, transcription of Itg-αE genes is induced by the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) signal. Expression of Itg-β7 is constitutive but can be further increased by TGFβ1. Consistently, expression of α4-containing integrins is severely suppressed in vitamin A deficiency with a compensatory increase of αEβ7, whereas expression of Itg-αE and Itg-β7 is decreased in TGFβ-signal deficiency with a compensatory increase in α4β1. The retinoic acid-mediated regulation of α4 integrins is required for specific migration of T cells in vitro and in vivo. These results provide central regulatory mechanisms for coordinated expression of the major mucosal integrins.
A critique of P. E. Meehl's Clinical versus statistical prediction

It is important both for the actuary and for the clinician to be able to predict certain events. The actuary in making predictions uses straightforward, precisely describable rules, so that in principle anyone able to follow these rules (a clerk or even a machine) can make the same predictions. The question has been raised whether in the clinical situation similar methods of prediction should be introduced or, indeed, whether the clinician already “unconsciously” uses similar methods. The controversy surrounding this issue has been intense. Meehl puts the focal points of the controversy under close scrutiny.
Compositional pointer and escape analysis for Java programs

This paper presents a combined pointer and escape analysis algorithm for Java programs. The algorithm is based on the abstraction of points-to escape graphs, which characterize how local variables and fields in objects refer to other objects. Each points-to escape graph also contains escape information, which characterizes how objects allocated in one region of the program can escape to be accessed by another region. The algorithm is designed to analyze arbitrary regions of complete or incomplete programs, obtaining complete information for objects that do not escape the analyzed regions.We have developed an implementation that uses the escape information to eliminate synchronization for objects that are accessed by only one thread and to allocate objects on the stack instead of in the heap. Our experimental results are encouraging. We were able to analyze programs tens of thousands of lines long. For our benchmark programs, our algorithms enable the elimination of between 24% and 67% of the synchronization operations. They also enable the stack allocation of between 22% and 95% of the objects.
Preoptic-hypothalamic periventricular lesions: impairment of thirst-motivated behavior.

Abstract To assess the effect of anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) lesions on thirst-motivated behavior in the rat, the intake of quinine hydrochloride (QHCl) solutions and of QHCl-adulterated food was evaluated. Two-bottle choice tests were also administered to determine if lesions altered the rejection threshold for QHCl solutions. AV3V ablation significantly reduced QHCl solution intake in a one-bottle test, but did not alter the two-bottle preference relationships. Ingestion of QHCl-adulterated food was slightly reduced only if the animals had no prior experience with the taste of QHCl. These findings suggest that AV3V ablation produces deficits in thirst-motivated behavior, and that AV3V periventricular tissue contains elements necessary for the elaboration of normal thirst.
The spatial and temporal diffusion of selected licensing laws in the United States

Abstract The spread of adoptions of public policies among the American states has previously been analyzed from a number of perspectives, but the impact of space on the diffusion of such policies has been largely overlooked. The present study analyzed the spread of seven licensing policies among the American states in the 19th and 20th centuries to ascertain the impacts of geographical proximity on the diffusion process. The spatial arrangement of the states, both unmodified and modified to reflect economic and cultural similarities and dissimilarities, did play a role in the adoptions of the policies. There were also some time periods in which spatial factors were more prevalent. Clear leadership patterns among some neighboring pairs of states were also present in numbers unlikely to have occurred by chance. While spatial effects were not present in all time periods, there was clear evidence that space is a relevant factor that can affect public policy adoptions.
Next Generation Devices for Electronic Cooling

Conventional technology to cool desktop computers and servers is that of the “direct heat removal” heat sink, which consists of a heat sink/fan mounted on the CPU. Although this is a very cost effective solution, it is nearing its end of life. This is because future higher power CPUs will require a lower R-value than can be provided by this technology, within current size and fan limits. This paper discusses new technology that uses “indirect heat removal” technology, which involves use of a single or two-phase working fluid to transfer heat from the hot source to an ambient heat sink. This technology will support greater heat rejection than is possible with the “direct heat removal” method. Further, it will allow use of higher performance air-cooled ambient heat sinks than are possible with the “direct heat removal” heat sink. A concern of the indirect heat removal technology is the possibility that it may be orientation sensitive. This paper identifies preferred options and discusses the degree to which they are (or or not) orientation sensitive. It should be possible to attain an R-value of 0.12K/W at the balance point on the fan curve.© 2003 ASME
Quantitative remote sensing study indicates doubling of coastal erosion rate in past 50 yr along a segment of the Arctic coast of Alaska

A new quantitative coastal land gained-and-lost method uses image analysis of topographic maps and Landsat thematic mapper short-wave infrared data to document accelerated coastal land loss and thermokarst lake expansion and drainage. The data span 1955–2005 along the Beaufort Sea coast north of Teshekpuk Lake in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Some areas have undergone as much as 0.9 km of coastal erosion in the past 50 yr. Land loss attributed to coastal erosion more than doubled, from 0.48 km2 yr−1 during 1955–1985 to 1.08 km2 yr−1 during 1985–2005. Coastal erosion has breached thermokarst lakes, causing initial draining of the lakes followed by marine flooding. Although inland thermokarst lakes show some uniform expansion, lakes breached by coastal erosion display lake expansion several orders of magnitude greater than inland lakes.
Salt balance in mangroves.

The tidal zone of tropical seas is frequently lined with great mangrove forests, the dominating species of which belong to such genera as Rhizophora, Bruguiera, Sonneratia, and Avicennia. The outstanding feature of these plants is their adaptation to growing in seawater, and even though all do well in river estuaries they seldom penetrate inland beyond the direct action of ocean tides. A question which immediately presents itself is "How do these plants handle the salt in the seawater ?" Do the roots exclude it from the transpiration stream or do the plants possess special organs for eliminating such salts as may penetrate into the sap? What balance, if any, exists between osmotic potential of seawater, roots, and leaves on one hand and hydrostatic pressure and osmotic potential of the xylem sap on the other? Our aim has been to inquire into these matters. It has long been realized that various mangroves behave differently with respect to some of these parameters. It is thus easily ascertained that certain species accumulate salt on their leaves. In Aegialitis and Aegiceras salt crystals can be seen covering the leaves and in Avicennia and Acanthus ilicifolia one may easily taste the salt. In other species like Sonneratia, Rhizophora, Bruguiera, Ceriops, and Lumnitzera salt can neither be seen nor tasted (5, 17). Various authors agree that press juices of mangrove leaves have a high osmotic potential, being more or less isotonic with seawater (5, 6, 17). Walter and Steiner, using the same species of Rhizophora, Sonneratia and Avicennia in East Africa as we worked on in Australia, found that the press juices of roots also showed similar values. They determined the transpiration rate of mangrove leaves to be about one-third of that of ordinary plants (20). Some of the mangroves possess salt glands on the leaves, visible by naked eye as minute dimples in the surface. The histology of the glands has been described in Aegialitis by Ruhland (9) and Avicennia by Walter and Steiner (20), but no experimental studies seem to have been performed on these. However Ruhland (9) determined the amount of salt given off by the isolated leaves of statice (Limonium latifolium), and using leaf disks of the same species, Arisz, Camphuis, Heikens, and Van Tooren (2) found that these would secrete salt when floated on a saline solution. The secreted fluid under certain conditions became more concentrated than the medium. This process was stopped by cyanide and other respiratory poisons. Large mangrove stands are typically rooted in deep muck which is completely anaerobic from decomposing materials. In such habitats the roots are conspicuously swollen by a spongy pneumatic tissue which communicates to the air through a multitude of lenticels located on stilt roots (Rhizophora, Bruguiera) or special pneumatophores (Avicennia, Sonneratia). The ventilatory function of these structures has been studied in detail in Avicennia and Rhizophora (4, 16, 19).
An innovative method for preparing semiconductor charges used in crystal growth and shear cell diffusion experiments

An innovative technique for machining semiconductors has been developed. This technique was used to prepare semiconductor charges for crystal growth and shear cell diffusion experiments. The technique allows brittle semiconductor materials to be quickly and accurately machined. Lightly doping the semiconductor material increases the conductivity enough to allow the material to be shaped by an electrical discharge machine (EDM).
Kv4 Channels Underlie the Subthreshold-Operating A-type K+-current in Nociceptive Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons

The dorsal root ganglion (DRG) contains heterogeneous populations of sensory neurons including primary nociceptive neurons and C-fibers implicated in pain signaling. Recent studies have demonstrated DRG hyperexcitability associated with downregulation of A-type K+ channels; however, the molecular correlate of the corresponding A-type K+ current (IA) has remained hypothetical. Kv4 channels may underlie the IA in DRG neurons. We combined electrophysiology, molecular biology (whole-tissue and single-cell RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry to investigate the molecular basis of the IA in acutely dissociated DRG neurons from 7-8 day-old rats. Whole-cell recordings demonstrate a robust tetraethylammonium-resistant (20 mM) and 4-aminopyridine-sensitive (5 mM) IA. Matching Kv4 channel properties, activation and inactivation of this IA occur in the subthreshold range of membrane potentials and the rate of recovery from inactivation is rapid and voltage-dependent. Among Kv4 transcripts, the DRG expresses significant levels of Kv4.1 and Kv4.3 mRNAs. Also, single small-medium diameter DRG neurons (~30 mm) exhibit correlated frequent expression of mRNAs encoding Kv4.1 and Nav1.8, a known nociceptor marker. In contrast, the expressions of Kv1.4 and Kv4.2 mRNAs at the whole-tissue and single-cell levels are relatively low and infrequent. Kv4 protein expression in nociceptive DRG neurons was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, which demonstrates colocalization of Kv4.3 and Nav1.8, and negligible expression of Kv4.2. Furthermore, specific dominant-negative suppression and overexpression strategies confirmed the contribution of Kv4 channels to IA in DRG neurons. Contrasting the expression patterns of Kv4 channels in the central and peripheral nervous systems, we discuss possible functional roles of these channels in primary sensory neurons.
Ah receptor binding to its cognate response element is required for dioxin-mediated toxicity

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated member of the bHLH-PAS family of transcription factors. Members of this family include HIF1α, EPAS, and SIM, which are involved in hypoxia and nervous system development. Another member of this family, aryl hydrocarbon nuclear translocator (ARNT), is the dimerization partner for the AHR. The AHR is often classified as a sensor of a wide range of xenobiotics, leading to induction of xenobiotic metabolism through enhanced expression of phase I/II enzymes. The environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a prototypic ligand for the AHR and is often used to study the effects of prolonged AHR activation. Rodent exposure to TCDD results in a plethora of toxic effects, including wasting syndrome, tumor promotion, developmental defects, and liver toxicity (reviewed in Vanden Heuvel and Lucier, 1993). The key target genes that lead to these toxic end points are largely unknown. AHR activation can occur through a growing list of chemicals that appear to be structurally diverse and include many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, tryptophan metabolites, and flavones (Denison and Nagy, 2003). Soluble receptors such as the AHR could possibility alter transcription of target genes through several distinct mechanisms. The work of Bunger and coworkers (Bunger et al., 2008) has examined whether TCDD-mediated liver toxicity can be mediated by the AHR in the absence of DNA binding.
The Provision of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Within Community Early Childhood Programs Characteristics of Effective Service Delivery

This article presents a description of a demonstration project that utilized community early childhood programs as intervention placements for toddler and preschool-age children with disabilities. ...
A principal‐agent model for incentive design in knowledge sharing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore effective incentive design that can address the information asymmetry in knowledge sharing processes and variability of the intangible nature of knowledge.Design/methodology/approach – A principal‐agent model is first developed to formulate the asymmetry of information in knowledge sharing. Then, a set of optimal incentive solutions are derived from the principal‐agent model for knowledge types with specific levels of intangibility.Findings – For knowledge with low level of intangibility (e.g. data), a target payment scheme is optimal. For knowledge with medium level of intangibility (e.g. expressible tacit knowledge), the optimal incentive solution is a function of management's ability to infer employees' effort from knowledge sharing results. For knowledge with high level of intangibility (e.g. inexpressible tacit knowledge), there is no payment scheme that can be derived from the principal‐agent model to encourage employees to share knowledge.Research l...
Data-Driven Versus Topology-driven Irregular Computations on GPUs

Irregular algorithms are algorithms with complex main data structures such as directed and undirected graphs, trees, etc. A useful abstraction for many irregular algorithms is its operator formulation in which the algorithm is viewed as the iterated application of an operator to certain nodes, called active nodes, in the graph. Each operator application, called an activity, usually touches only a small part of the overall graph, so nonoverlapping activities can be performed in parallel. In topology-driven implementations, all nodes are assumed to be active so the operator is applied everywhere in the graph even if there is no work to do at some nodes. In contrast, in data-driven implementations the operator is applied only to nodes at which there might be work to do. Multicore implementations of irregular algorithms are usually data-driven because current multicores only support small numbers of threads and work-efficiency is important. Conversely, many irregular GPU implementations use a topology-driven approach because work inefficiency can be counterbalanced by the large number of GPU threads. In this paper, we study data-driven and topology-driven implementations of six important graph algorithms on GPUs. Our goal is to understand the tradeoffs between these implementations and how to optimize them. We find that data-driven versions are generally faster and scale better despite the cost of maintaining a worklist. However, topology-driven versions can be superior when certain algorithmic properties are exploited to optimize the implementation. These results led us to devise hybrid approaches that combine the two techniques and outperform both of them.
Model of competitive binding of vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor to VEGF receptors on endothelial cells

Placental growth factor (PlGF) competes with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for binding to VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-1 but does not bind VEGFR2. Experiments show that PlGF can augment the response to VEGF in pathological angiogenesis and in models of endothelial cell survival, migration, and proliferation. This synergy has been hypothesized to be due to a combination of the following: signaling by PlGF through VEGFR1 and displacement of VEGF from VEGFR1 to VEGFR2 by PlGF, causing increased signaling through VEGFR2. In this study, the relative contribution of PlGF-induced VEGF displacement to the synergy is quantified using a mathematical model of ligand-receptor binding to examine the effect on ligand-receptor complex formation of VEGF and PlGF acting together. Parameters specific to the VEGF-PlGF system are used based on existing data. The model is used to simulate in silico a specific in vitro experiment in which VEGF-PlGF synergy is observed. We show that, whereas a significant change in the formation of endothelial surface growth factor-VEGFR1 complexes is predicted in the presence of PlGF, the increase in the number of VEGFR2-containing signaling complexes is less significant; these results were shown to be robust to significant variation in the kinetic parameters of the model. Synergistic effects observed in that experiment thus appear unlikely to be due to VEGF displacement but to a shift from VEGF-VEGFR1 to PlGF-VEGFR1 complexes and an increase in total VEGFR1 complexes. These results suggest that VEGFR1 signaling can be functional in adult-derived endothelial cells.
So You Want To Get a Tenure-Track Job ….

pared it to the garbage-can model of organizational behavior (Zahariadis 1994). Recent articles in PS have provided some information about the formalities of the job market (Furlong and Furlong 1994; Anagnoson 1994), but were chary on practical advice. Better-informed job applicants will not be able to eliminate the uncertainty of the process, but they can convert it into risk, a more manageable commodity (Knight 1921). There are three problems, however, that hinder the transmission of this information to graduate students. First, there is very little institutional memory within graduate student associations. Those that get jobs leave soon afterward, before the next wave of candidates seriously thinks about the market. Advisors
Natural ambiguities: Racial categorization of multiracial individuals

Abstract Understanding the perception of multiracial persons is increasingly important in today's diverse society. The present research investigated the process of categorizing multiracial persons as “Multiracial.” We hypothesized that perceivers would make fewer Multiracial categorizations of multiracials and that these categorizations would take longer than monoracial categorizations. We found support for these hypotheses across six experiments. Experiment 1 demonstrated that perceivers did not categorize morphed Black–White faces as Multiracial with the same frequency with which they categorized Black and White faces as Black and White (respectively), and that categorizations of multiracials as Multiracial took longer than monoracial categorizations. Experiment 2 replicated and extended these effects to real Black–White faces. Experiment 3 showed that these findings generalized to Asian–White faces. We used pixel variance analysis to show that these effects were not due to increased variance among Multiracial faces. The image analysis showed that the Black–White morphs and real biracials were actually less varied than either the Black or White sets of faces. Experiments 4 and 5 demonstrated that cognitive load and time constraints detrimentally affected multiracial, but not monoracial, categorizations. Experiment 6 showed that imbuing monoracial categories with importance decreases the use of the Multiracial category. Implications of these findings for understanding perceptions of multiracial persons are discussed.
Substance-Use and Psychiatric Disorders among American Indian Veterans

Native American (NA) veterans have rarely been the focus of investigational efforts. We review studies relevant to an assessment of NA substance-use disorders, and discuss findings of the Drug Abuse Treatment Services Evaluation Project pertaining specifically to NA veterans. A larger proportion of NA veterans discharged from VA inpatient care in FY93 were diagnosed with a substance-use disorder compared to the total population of veterans discharged that year. Substance-dependent NAs were more likely to be diagnosed with alcohol-use disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder, and less likely to be diagnosed with drug-use disorders and other psychiatric disorders than substance-dependent veterans generally.
Sick-building syndrome

Sick-building syndrome (SBS) is an increasingly common problem. Although objective physiological abnormalities are not generally found and permanent sequelae are rare, the symptoms of SBS can be uncomfortable, even disabling, and whole workplaces can be rendered non-functional. In assessment of patients with SBS complaints, specific building-related illnesses suggested by history or physical examination should be ruled out. On-site assessment of buildings is extremely useful. Treatment involves both the patient and the building. Whenever possible, changes such as ventilation improvements and reduction of sources of environmental contamination should be initiated even if specific aetiological agents have not been identified.
Real-Time Correction of Heart Interbeat Intervals

Heart rate variability (HRV) is traditionally analyzed while a subject is in a controlled environment, such as at rest in a clinic, where it can be used as a medical indicator. This paper concerns analyzing HRV outside of controlled environments, such as on an actively moving person. We describe automated methods for inter-heartbeat interval (IBI) error detection and correction. We collected 124,998 IBIs from 18 subjects, undergoing a variety of active motions, for use in evaluating our methods. Two human graders manually labeled each IBI, evaluating 10% of the IBIs as having an error, which is a far greater error percentage than has been examined in any previous study. Our automated method had a 96% agreement rate with the two human graders when they themselves agreed, with a 49% rate of matching specific error corrections and a 0.01% false alarm rate
Characterization of structural variations in the peptidoglycan of vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecium: understanding glycopeptide-antibiotic binding sites using mass spectrometry.

Enterococcus faecium, an opportunistic pathogen that causes a significant number of hospital-acquired infections each year, presents a serious clinical challenge because an increasing number of infections are resistant to the so-called antibiotic of last resort, vancomycin. Vancomycin and other new glycopeptide derivatives target the bacterial cell wall, thereby perturbing its biosynthesis. To help determine the modes of action of glycopeptide antibiotics, we have developed a bottom-up mass spectrometry approach complemented by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to elucidate important structural characteristics of vancomycin-susceptible E. faecium peptidoglycan. Using accurate-mass measurements and integrating ion-current chromatographic peaks of digested peptidoglycan, we identified individual muropeptide species and approximated the relative amount of each. Even though the organism investigated is susceptible to vancomycin, only 3% of the digested peptidoglycan has the well-known d-Ala-d-Ala vancomycin-binding site. The data are consistent with a previously proposed template model of cell-wall biosynthesis where d-Ala-d-Ala stems that are not cross-linked are cleaved in mature peptidoglycan. Additionally, our mass-spectrometry approach allowed differentiation and quantification of muropeptide species seen as unresolved chromatographic peaks. Our method provides an estimate of the extent of muropeptides containing O-acetylation, amidation, hydroxylation, and the number of species forming cyclic imides. The varieties of muropeptides on which the modifications are detected suggest that significant processing occurs in mature peptidoglycan where several enzymes are active in editing cell-wall structure.
Bounds on capacity and minimum energy-per-bit for AWGN relay channels

Upper and lower bounds on the capacity and minimum energy-per-bit for general additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and frequency-division AWGN (FD-AWGN) relay channel models are established. First, the max-flow min-cut bound and the generalized block-Markov coding scheme are used to derive upper and lower bounds on capacity. These bounds are never tight for the general AWGN model and are tight only under certain conditions for the FD-AWGN model. Two coding schemes that do not require the relay to decode any part of the message are then investigated. First, it is shown that the "side-information coding scheme" can outperform the block-Markov coding scheme. It is also shown that the achievable rate of the side-information coding scheme can be improved via time sharing. In the second scheme, the relaying functions are restricted to be linear. The problem is reduced to a "single-letter" nonconvex optimization problem for the FD-AWGN model. The paper also establishes a relationship between the minimum energy-per-bit and capacity of the AWGN relay channel. This relationship together with the lower and upper bounds on capacity are used to establish corresponding lower and upper bounds on the minimum energy-per-bit that do not differ by more than a factor of 1.45 for the FD-AWGN relay channel model and 1.7 for the general AWGN model.
Prefrontal cortex activity during response selection predicts processing speed impairment in schizophrenia

Processing speed is the most impaired neuropsychological domain in schizophrenia and a robust predictor of functional outcome. Determining the specific cognitive operations underlying processing speed dysfunction and identifying their neural correlates may assist in developing pro-cognitive interventions. Response selection, the process of mapping stimuli onto motor responses, correlates with neuropsychological tests of processing speed and may contribute to processing speed impairment in schizophrenia. This study investigated the relationship between behavioral and neural measures of response selection, and a neuropsychological index of processing speed in schizophrenia. Twenty-six patients with schizophrenia and 21 healthy subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning during performance of two- and four-choice reaction time (RT) tasks and completed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS) Processing Speed Index (PSI). Response selection, defined as RT slowing between two- and four-choice RT, was impaired in schizophrenia and correlated with psychometric processing speed. Greater activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) was observed in schizophrenia and correlated with poorer WAIS PSI scores. Deficient response selection and abnormal recruitment of the dorsolateral PFC during response selection contribute to processing speed impairment in schizophrenia. Interventions that improve response selection and normalize dorsolateral PFC function may improve processing speed in schizophrenia.
Thermal spikes and sputtering yields

Abstract Recent experiments on the erosion of condensed gases and alkali halides by incident ions have renewed interest in the description of thermal spikes. In such spikes a localized, transiently heated region produced by incident radiation may induce activated processes like evaporation of atoms or molecules from a surface. In this paper are presented useful expressions to describe the thermal sputtering for materials having a temperature dependent thermal diffusivity, using a heat capacity and thermal conductivity which vary as C = C 0 T n–1 and K = K 0 m–1, respectively, and assigning a width to the initial temperature distribution.
Biological Rhythms Workshop IB: Neurophysiology of SCN Pacemaker Function

Pacemakers are functional units capable of generating oscillations that synchronize downstream rhythms. In mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus is a circadian pacemaker composed of individual neurons that intrinsically express a near 24-hour rhythm in gene expression. Rhythmic gene expression is tightly coupled to a rhythm in spontaneous firing rate via intrinsic daily regulation of potassium current. Recent progress in the field indicates that SCN pacemaking is a specialized property that emerges from intrinsic features of single cells, structural connectivity among cells, and activity dynamics within the SCN. The focus of this chapter is on how Nature built a functional pacemaker from many individual oscillators that is capable of coordinating the daily timing of essential brain and physiological processes.
Automatic Implantable Cardioverter‐Defibrillator Structural Characteristics

Il existe differentes options d'appareillage et de techniques chirurgicales pour l'implantation du defibrillateur automatique. Le systeme peut mime etre utilise mialgre difficultes posees par la presence d'aulres appareils implantes ou par la morphologie du patient. La sensibilite ainsi que l'energie delivree peuvent etre ajustees selon les besoins des patients. La survie de la pile est suivie de facon non-invasive, ce qui permet Ie remplacement non-urgent de l'appareil. There are a number of equipment options and surgical techniques available for automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. The system can be successfully used even in problem cases where restrictions may be imposed because of physical build or the presence of other implanted devices. The sensing requirements and energy output of the units can be tailored to the exact needs of the particular patient. Battery life and device function are easily monitored penodically following implantation, maiking possible elective replacement of the pulse generator when the batteries become depleted.
Breast Cancer Detection with Gabor Features from Digital Mammograms

A new breast cancer detection algorithm, named the “Gabor Cancer Detection” (GCD) algorithm, utilizing Gabor features is proposed. Three major steps are involved in the GCD algorithm, preprocessing, segmentation (generating alarm segments), and classification (reducing false alarms). In preprocessing, a digital mammogram is down-sampled, quantized, denoised and enhanced. Nonlinear diffusion is used for noise suppression. In segmentation, a band-pass filter is formed by rotating a 1-D Gaussian filter (off center) in frequency space, termed as “Circular Gaussian Filter” (CGF). A CGF can be uniquely characterized by specifying a central frequency and a frequency band. A mass or calcification is a space-occupying lesion and usually appears as a bright region on a mammogram. The alarm segments (suspicious to be masses/calcifications) can be extracted out using a threshold that is adaptively decided upon the histogram analysis of the CGF-filtered mammogram. In classification, a Gabor filter bank is formed with five bands by four orientations (horizontal, vertical, 45 and 135 degree) in Fourier frequency domain. For each mammographic image, twenty Gabor-filtered images are produced. A set of edge histogram descriptors (EHD) are then extracted from 20 Gabor images for classification. An EHD signature is computed with four orientations of Gabor images along each band and five EHD signatures are then joined together to form an EHD feature vector of 20 dimensions. With the EHD features, the fuzzy C-means clustering technique and k-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier are used to reduce the number of false alarms. The experimental results tested on the DDSM database (University of South Florida) show the promises of GCD algorithm in breast cancer detection, which achieved TP (true positive rate) = 90% at FPI (false positives per image) = 1.21 in mass detection; and TP = 93% at FPI = 1.19 in calcification detection.
Anglers' Probabilities of Catching Record-Size Fish

Abstract Most state fishery management agencies publish lists of the largest (e.g., 10, 25, and 50) specimens of each species captured by anglers. We fitted normal distributions for smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu and striped bass Morone saxatilis and a mixture of two normal distributions of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides to the length of time that individual fish had been present on lists of the largest 50 specimens of each species caught by Texas anglers using rod and reel. In any given year, there is only a probability (p) of 0.102 that a largemouth bass large enough to make the record-weight list will be captured. There is a smaller probability that a record-weight smallmouth bass (p = 0.032) or striped bass (p = 0.021) will be captured in a given year. We suggest that record-weight lists with long turnover times (implying low probabilities that anglers will catch record-weight fish) may discourage interest and participation in angling, and we propose modifications to current record lists.
A token based distributed mutual exclusion algorithm based on quorum agreements

A token-based mutual exclusion algorithm is presented which uses data structures similar to coteries, called quorum agreements. The performance of the algorithm depends on the quorum agreements used. When a good quorum agreement is used, the overall performance of the algorithm compares favorably with the performance of other mutual exclusion algorithms. >
Biological basis of the association of cancer and aging comorbidity.

Comorbidity and its treatment appear to be an important influence on the behavior of cancer in older patients. Rather than a blanket effect, this may be attached to groups of syndromes with common pathophysiological mechanisms. In addition to paying attention to the impact of cancer treatment on comorbidity, or on the impact of comorbidity on the ability to deliver cancer treatment, we will have in the future to pay attention on the direct impact of comorbidity on the behavior of the cancer in elderly patients.
Das anästhesiologische Konsil bei Risikoschwangerschaften

Jede Schwangerschaft mus unter dem Aspekt moglicher fetaler oder maternaler Komplikationen gesehen werden. Die Zusammenarbeit von Geburtshelfern und Anasthesisten ist vor allem bei Patienten gefordert, welche aufgrund bestimmter Vorerkrankungen oder geburtshilflicher Risikofaktoren besonders gefahrdet sind. Um einen reibungslosen und fur die Patientin moglichst stresfreien Krankenhausaufenthalt zu gewahrleisten, sind organisatorischen Masnahmen oft schon vor Einsetzen der Wehen notwendig. So sollten beispielsweise Patientinnen mit schwerwiegenden kardialen Vorerkrankungen schon um die 32. SSW von einem Anasthesisten untersucht werden, damit notwendige Zusatzuntersuchungen zeitgerecht durchgefuhrt werden und Vorkehrungen fur ein entsprechendes intrapartales Monitoring getroffen werden konnen.
Modulation of Neuronal Cell Cycle Proteins by Chemokine Receptors and Its Role in the Survival of Postmitotic Neurons

Chemokines and their receptors constitute a subfamily of chemotactic cytokines that have well-characterized roles in the immune system that include control of homeostatic maintenance as well as regulation of inflammatory responses. In central nervous system, they are implicated in its development as well as neuropathology of several neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders including neuroAIDS. In this chapter, the current knowledge about the chemokine receptor signaling has been reviewed with a focus on neuroAIDS. In particular, chemokine receptors that play significant roles in the various aspects of neuropathology of AIDS, i.e. CXCR4, CCR5, CCR2, and CXCR3 have been discussed. In addition, this chapter lays emphasis on specific signaling pathways such as the regulation of cell cycle proteins by CXCR4; some of these proteins could potentially be utilized as biomarkers and yield targets for the future development of therapeutic intervention.
Rethinking the ESA to Reflect Human Dominion Over Nature

When the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973, the assumption was that the human impact on the environment was more modest than we now know to be the case. The author argues that we have had considerable difficulty realizing the ESA's stated goals of halting and reversing species extinction because of our powerful reshaping of the landscape and its ecological, political, and economic consequences. She also recommends ways of reorienting biodiversity protection efforts to respond to the need to set priorities in a world of scarce resources and many imperiled species. She proposes that imperiled species continue to be listed as they are now under the ESA because the imperilment of a species is a singular event, but that decisions about how to protect species be decoupled from the initial decision to list a species. After a species is listed, it should benefit from a package of temporary protections akin to a preliminary injunction, while the most cost-effective ways of protecting the species are identified and implemented. To cost-effectively protect species on a wholesale level, funding for species protection should be directed more to biological hotspots. Preventative measures, such as expanding protected areas, also should be pursued to avoid bringing species to the brink of extinction.
Examining Archean methanotrophy

The carbon isotope ratios preserved in sedimentary rocks can be used to fingerprint ancient metabolisms. Organic carbon in Late Archean samples stands out from that of other intervals with unusually low δ^(13)C values (∼−45 to −60‰). It was hypothesized that these light compositions record ecosystem-wide methane cycling and methanotrophy, either of the aerobic or anaerobic variety. To test this idea, we studied the petrography and carbon and oxygen isotope systematics of well-known and spectacular occurrences of shallow water stromatolites from the 2.72 Ga Tumbiana Formation of Western Australia. We examined the carbonate cements and kerogen produced within the stromatolites, because methanotrophy is expected to leave an isotopic fingerprint in these carbon reservoirs. Mathematical modeling of Archean carbonate chemistry further reveals that methanotrophy should still have a discernible signature preserved in the isotopic record, somewhat diminished from those observed in Phanerozoic sedimentary basins due to higher dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations. These stromatolites contain kerogen with δ^(13)C_(org) values of ∼−50‰. By microsampling different regions and textures within the stromatolites, we determined that the isotopic compositions of the authigenic calcite cements show a low degree of variation and are nearly identical to values estimated for seawater at this time; the lack of low and variable δ^(13)C_(carb) values implies that methanotrophy does not explain the low δ^(13)C_(org) seen in the coeval kerogen. These observations do not support a methanotrophy hypothesis, but instead hint that the Late Archean may constitute an interval wherein autotrophs employed markedly different biochemical processes of energy conservation and carbon fixation.
The Social Anxiety and Depression Life Interference—24 Inventory: Classical and modern psychometric evaluations

Abstract Two instrument validation studies broadened the research literature exploring the factor structure, internal consistency reliability, and concurrent validity of scores on the Social Anxiety and Depression Life Interference—24 Inventory (SADLI-24; Osman, Bagge, Freedenthal, Guiterrez, & Emmerich, 2011). Study 1 (N = 1065) was undertaken to concurrently appraise three competing factor models for the instrument: a unidimensional model, a two-factor oblique model and a bifactor model. The bifactor model provided the best fit to the study sample data. Study 2 (N = 220) extended the results from Study 1 with an investigation of the convergent and discriminant validity for the bifactor model of the SADLI-24 with multiple regression analyses and scale-level exploratory structural equation modeling. This project yields data that augments the initial instrument development investigations for the target measure.