cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Robust Control Scheme Applied to a Single-Zone HVAC System

The present paper addresses the modelling and control of a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system while the system is operating under uncertainty. The uncertainty may be due to thermal storage effect, heat and moisture generation, and outside temperature and humidity change. These may be unpredictable for a generic room. The adaptive robust control proposed for this system will take the uncertainty into account. No statistical information of the uncertainty is ever needed. The uncertainty is assumed bounded but the bound is unknown.
Chapter 35 Cultural Policy: An American View

Abstract American cultural policy is made and executed by multiple governmental entities, with a large part of direct public expenditure coming from sub-national governments rather than the central government. Much the largest share of government support is provided by tax concessions for gifts to not-for-profit enterprises that are the predominant producers of the subsidized arts, and by tax concessions to private owners who agree to preserve their heritage buildings and sites. The multiplicity of government decision makers and the reliance on “arms-length” relations between government and not-for-profit private providers of cultural services results in cultural policy that appears to be and is incoherent, but is characteristic of American public policy in many spheres.
Input and cycling of iron in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

[1] The Gulf of Aqaba, northern Red Sea, is an ideal natural laboratory for studying the impact of atmospheric dry deposition of iron to the ocean surface. We have measured atmospheric iron deposition weekly for 18 months, and dissolved and total dissolvable iron concentrations in the stratified summer (August) and well-mixed winter (March) water column. Concentrations of dissolved and total dissolvable iron remain roughly constant with depth in March. In August, there is a strong surface enrichment of iron. The accumulation of iron at the surface during the rain-free summer can be simulated by a one-dimensional model including atmospheric iron flux and estimates of iron scavenging, biological uptake and dissolution. An overall dissolution of 2% of dry deposited aerosol iron produces the best fit to the observations. A residence time of half a year for dissolved iron in surface waters with respect to scavenging is calculated for this region.
High thermal robust ReRAM with a new method for suppressing read disturb

A thermal robust ReRAM (Resistive RAM) with a new method for suppressing read disturb was investigated. The switching property and ‘on’ resistance were scarcely varied by the operation temperature up to 200°C. Asymmetric structure such as Ru/TiO 2 /Ta 2 O 5 /TiO 2 /W showed ‘off’ switching only when a positive voltage was applied on the Ru electrode. The ‘reverse bias’ read operation, applying the positive voltage to the W electrode of asymmetric structure, could much improved the read disturb immunity. It was also confirmed that the ReRAM could be scaled keeping its resistive properties to 28-nm node. Additionally, low switching voltage less than 3 V, low ‘off’ switching current of 25µA, and high speed read less than 10 nsec were achieved simultaneously. These excellent properties are desirable for the automobile application.
Indium-111 leukocyte scintigraphic detection of myocardial abscess formation in patients with endocarditis.

Myocardial abscess formation in patients with bacterial endocarditis in most clinical settings, especially in patients with prosthetic valves, is a primary indicator for surgical valve replacement. We report the detection of myocardial abscesses using /sup 111/In leukocyte scintigraphy in three patients with prosthetic or native valve endocarditis and nondiagnostic echocardiograms. Leukocyte scintigraphy may allow identification of myocardial abscess formation earlier than other imaging modalities.
Zeolite synthesis in unstirred batch reactors II. Effect of non-uniform pre-mixing on the crystallization of zeolites A and X

Abstract The effects of deliberate non-uniform pre-mixing of the aluminate and silicate solutions in the unstirred batch syntheses of zeolites A and X were studied. Poorly mixed hydrogels gave rise to impurity phases, with the amount of impurity decreasing with improved pre-mixing. Experiments were carried out in reactors specially designed for the growth of large zeolite crystals under microgravity conditions, and in a parallel study using high-density polyethylene bottles. Both studies evidenced the appearance of impurities if the hydrogel was not well mixed prior to heating. No consistent effect was observed on the particle size distributions of the zeolite products. These results underlined the importance of proper reactor design for unstirred syntheses, and the usefulness of a non-invasive diagnostic technique for mixing effectiveness, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. The applicability of NMR imaging to the systems studied here was demonstrated in Part I of this series.
Daunomycin administered by continuous intravenous infusion is effective in the treatment of acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia

Summary. Anthracyclines given by continuous infusion, as opposed to bolus administration, are associated with a reduced incidence of cardiac and gastrointestinal toxicity. Our study was developed to test the antileukaemic effect of anthracyclines given as a continuous infusion. Nineteen sequential patients admitted for treatment of acute nonlymphocytic leukaemia (ANLL) were managed with a regimen utilizing a 3 d continuous intravenous infusion of daunomycin (DNM), and the complete response rate was similar to this institution's past experience with antileukaemic regimens employing 3 d bolus DNM. In our studies, infusion DNM was at least as myelotoxic and antileukaemic as bolus DNM; thus this method of administration should be explored further in remission-induction regimens for ANLL.
Oxytocin Levels in the Plasma of Holstein-Friesian Cows During Milking with and without a Premilking Stimulus

Abstract Blood oxytocin concentrations were determined on 9 Holstein-Friesian cows during normal milking and during milking without a premilking stimulation at 1 to 2, 5 to 6, and 15 to 16 weeks postpartum. The average peak oxytocin concentration during normal milking was 139.2 μ U per milliliter plasma and during milking without premilking stimulation was 122.9. The difference was not statistically significant. The premilking stimulation caused an earlier release of oxytocin from the neurohypophysis into the blood and this resulted in a shorter machine-on time. The elimination of the premilking stimulation did not decrease milk production. The afternoon milk yield during normal milking was 9.89kg and that during milking without premilking stimulation was 9.95kg. The stimulus from the application of the milking machine apparently caused an adequate release of oxytocin for maximum milk ejection and a normal milk yield. The oxytocin concentration in the blood plasma declined rapidly after the peak concentration. By 5 minutes after teat cup application all values were below 2.5 μ U per milliliter plasma. By 5 minutes after the end of milking all values had dropped to less than 0.01 μ U. There was a tendency for the peak levels of oxytocin concentration to decrease with advancing lactation; however, the differences were not statistically significant.
Outcomes of patients with isolated adrenal metastasis from non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Background Long-term survival of patients who undergo surgical resection of isolated adrenal metastasis from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been reported. The aim of this study was to compare survival of patients who underwent adrenalectomy with those treated nonoperatively, and to analyze clinical characteristics associated with long-term survival. Methods Between January 1994 and July 2010, 37 patients with isolated adrenal metastasis from NSCLC were identified. Twenty patients underwent adrenalectomy. Patients did not undergo adrenalectomy owing to suspicion of N2 disease, medical comorbidities, or patient preference. Seven patients (35%) treated surgically had tumors that were ipsilateral to their primary tumor, and 8 (40%) had metachronous metastases. Results Five-year overall survival was 34% for patients treated operatively and 0% for patients treated nonoperatively p = 0.002). Among patients treated with adrenalectomy, patients with ipsilateral metastases had a 5-year survival of 83% compared with 0% for patients with contralateral metastases (p = 0.003). Patients without mediastinal nodal disease had a 5-year survival of 52% compared with 0% for patients with mediastinal nodal disease (p = 0.008). Survival of patients who underwent adrenalectomy for synchronous and metachronous adrenal metastases was not significantly different (p = 0.81). Conclusions Surgical resection of isolated adrenal metastasis from lung cancer provides a survival benefit in well-selected patients compared with nonoperative management. No patient with contralateral adrenal metastases or mediastinal nodal disease survived long term after adrenalectomy. The time interval between treatment of the primary lung cancer and adrenal metastasis was not significantly associated with survival, but the cohort size was small.
Inter-Titles and Calendar-Time: Godard's History of Manners

In the preface to the Comedie Humaine, Honore de Balzac characterizes his project as a history of manners, something that, allegedly, has never before been attempted: Who has not, in reading the dr...
ADV-MAC: Analysis and optimization of energy efficiency through data advertisements for wireless sensor networks

Several Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols have been proposed for wireless sensor networks with the objective of minimizing energy consumption. For example, Sensor-MAC (S-MAC) was proposed to reduce energy consumption by introducing a duty cycle. However, S-MAC cannot handle variable loads because of its static duty cycle. Timeout-MAC (T-MAC) introduced an adaptive duty cycle to handle variable traffic loads. However, nodes that do not take part in data exchange waste energy because of continuous renewal of their timeout values. To eliminate this energy waste, we propose ADV-MAC, a MAC protocol for wireless sensor networks that introduces the concept of advertising for data contention. ADV-MAC minimizes the energy lost in idle listening while maintaining an adaptive duty cycle to handle variable loads. Additionally, ADV-MAC enables energy efficient MAC-level multicasting. We derive an analytical model for the packet delivery ratio and the energy consumption of the protocol. We verify the analytical model with simulations and use the model to choose an optimal value of the advertisement period. Simulations show that the optimized ADV-MAC provides substantial energy gains (50-70% less than T-MAC and S-MAC for the scenarios investigated) while faring as well as T-MAC in terms of packet delivery ratio and latency.
Correlates of Self-Efficacy in Diabetes Self-Care Among Hispanic Adults With Diabetes:

PURPOSEThe purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with increased diabetes self-efficacy among insulin-requiring Hispanic adults with diabetes.METHODSA cross-sectional survey design was used to obtain self-reported data on a nonrandom sample of 97 insulin-requiring Hispanic adults with diabetes. The Insulin Management Diabetes Self Efficacy Scale (IMDSES) was translated into Spanish and administered with a demographic questionnaire by trained bilingual/bicultural interviewers in each respondent's own home. Factor analysis of the IMDSES revealed 4 subscales that corresponded with major diabetes self-care management behaviors.RESULTSRespondents gave low to average self-efficacy ratings on their ability to manage all aspects of their disease. Behaviors that required problem solving in changing circumstances received the lowest scores. Attending diabetes classes and having home nursing visits were associated with an increased sense of selfefficacy, particularly as it related to diet and insuli...
Improvement of frequency discrimination with practice: An attentional model.

Abstract A model is developed for the improvement of frequency discrimination with practice. It is postulated that discrimination improves because subjects learn to actively attend to the pitch dimension, and consequently experience potentially experienceable small pitch differences, which were not experienced at the start of training. Subjects given feedback learn to attend to the pitch dimension because it provides information correlated with the experimenter's feedback. Subjects not given feedback learn to attend to the pitch dimension because it provides its own “intrinsic” feedback. The model is consistent with the major facts concerning improvement of discrimination with practice, and makes quantitative predictions which are roughly correct.
Functional analysis of CAR, the target sequence for the Rev protein of HIV-1

Expression of high levels of the structural proteins of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) requires the presence of the protein encoded by the rev open reading frame (Rev) and its associated target sequence CAR (cis anti-repression sequence) which is present in the env region of viral RNA. Extensive mutagenesis demonstrated that CAR has a complex secondary structure consisting of a central stem and five stem/loops. Disruption of any of these structures severely impaired the Rev response, but many of the stem/loops contain material that was unnecessary for Rev regulation and must be retained in these structures to avoid disturbing adjacent structures critical for CAR function. Probably no more than two of the described structural components are involved in sequence-specific recognition by regulatory proteins.
Meta-analysis: inhibition of renin-angiotensin system prevents new-onset atrial fibrillation.

Background Epidemiologic studies suggest that inhibition of renin-angiotensin system with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers may prevent development of atrial fibrillation (AF). Objective The objective of the study was to assess if there is significant indication for using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers in the prevention of new-onset AF and to identify the target patient population. Methods PubMed and Cochrane clinical trials database were searched from 1980 through March 2005 together with the review of citations. Nine randomized controlled human trials reporting the prevention of new-onset AF by inhibition of renin-angiotensin system were identified. Information about study design, follow-up, intervention, population, outcomes, and methodology quality was extracted. Results The mean follow-up of the studies ranged from 6 months to 6.1 year. The pooled estimate using random effects model was 0.82 (95% CI 0.70-0.97) for prevention of new-onset AF and 0.61 (95% CI 0.46-0.83) for primary prevention of AF. The angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (0.75, 95% CI 0.57-0.99) had greater protective effect than angiotensin receptor blockers (0.81, 95% CI 0.62-1.06). Patients with heart failure benefited the most (0.57, 95% CI 0.37-0.89). The test for heterogeneity between studies was significant. There was no consistent visual or statistical evidence of publication bias. Conclusion The use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers had an overall effect of 18% risk reduction in new-onset AF across the trials and 43% risk reduction in patients with heart failure.
Wolf (Canis lupus) Predation Impacts on Livestock Production: Direct Effects, Indirect Effects, and Implications for Compensation Ratios

Growing wolf (Canis lupus L.) populations in the US Rocky Mountain Region have increased conflicts between livestock production and wolf conservation. Given that the costs of large carnivore conservation are disproportionately borne by local livestock producers, the United States uses compensation for wolf damage to reduce conflicts and mediate negative attitudes toward the predators. Current compensation programs, however, only consider the direct effects of wolf predation. Indirect effects, such as wolf effects on weaning weights, and conception rates, may also reduce profitability. By not including indirect wolf effects, compensation programs may systematically undercompensate ranchers. We use a stochastic budget model of a representative cow–calf ranch in northwest Wyoming to estimate the economic impact of both direct (death loss and injured calves) and indirect effects (decreased weaning weights, decreased conception rates, and increased cattle sickness) of wolf predation. Our results suggest that short-run (i.e., year-to-year) financial impacts of wolf indirect effects may be as large as or larger than the direct effects. Including indirect effects implies that the compensation ratio (i.e., number of calves compensated per confirmed depredation) necessary to fully offset the financial impacts of wolves would need to be two to three times larger than current 7:1 compensation ratio used in Wyoming.
Velocity in Lorentz-violating fermion theories

We consider the role of the velocity in Lorentz-violating fermionic quantum theory, especially emphasizing the nonrelativistic regime. Information about the velocity will be important for the kinematical analysis of scattering and other problems. Working within the minimal standard model extension, we derive new expressions for the velocity. We find that generic momentum and spin eigenstates may not have well-defined velocities. We also demonstrate how several different techniques may be used to shed light on different aspects of the problem. A relativistic operator analysis allows us to study the behavior of the Lorentz-violating Zitterbewegung. Alternatively, by studying the time evolution of Gaussian wave packets, we find that there are Lorentz-violating modifications to the wave packet spreading and the spin structure of the wave function.
EXPERIMENTAL HYBRIDIZATION OF XANTHIUM STRUMARIUM (COMPOSITAE) FROM ASIA AND AMERICA. II. SESQUITERPENE LACTONES OF F 1 HYBRIDS

A B S T R A C T Effects of hybridization on sesquiterpene lactones in Xanthium strumarium were studied for clues to the relationship of Old and New World populations. In crosses between indigenous Asiatic plants in the "strumarium" morphological complex and various American complexes that produce xanthinin as a major sesquiterpene lactone, the F1 hybrids contained xanthinin and the related compounds, xanthanol, xanthatin, and xanthinosin. In other crosses with various American complexes that produce xanthumin, the stereoisomer of xanthinin, the F1 hybrids contained xanthinin and xanthumin as well as xarithinin-related compounds and their stereoisomers, xanthumanol, deacetoxylxanthumin, and tomentosin. The Asiatic plants of "strumarium" from Hong Kong involved in the crosses produce approximately equal percentages of xanthinin, xanthatin and xanthinosin, but those from India contain only xanthinosin. The putative introduction of the American morphological complex, "chinense," contains xanthumin as the major component but shows chemical diversity that indicates genes derived from the indigenous "strumarium" complex. SESQUITERPENE LACTONES, the bitter principles of many species in the Compositae, were studied in experimental hybrids of Xanthium strumarium L. (sensu lato) for clues to the relationship of Old and New World populations. Infraspecific variation of sesquiterpene lactones has been reported in Xanthium by Winters, Geissman, and Safir (1969), McMillan (1971, 1972, 1974a) and McMillan et al. (1975) and is a well established phenomenon in other species of Compositae (Mabry, 1970; Geissman and Lee, 1971). Xanthium strumarium is a polymorphic taxon that produces at least eight major sesquiterpene lactones and has received various taxonomic treatments (Millspaugh and Sherff, 1919; Wilder, 1923; Love and Dansereau, 1959). We apply
Ethnic Defection in Civil War

The study of ethnicity is dominated by constructivist approaches, yet empirical studies of civil war have been oblivious to their insights. In this article, the author examines the relationship between ethnic identity and civil war and points to several empirical instances of fluidity in the behavioral expression of ethnic identities within civil war. The author identifies two processes that are consistent with constructivist theorizing: identity shift and ethnic defection. The author provides several empirical illustrations along with a micro-level test of the determinants of ethnic defection. At the micro level, ethnic defection is best predicted by the extent of territorial control exercised by the incumbent political actor and the level of prior insurgent violence. The author also hypothesizes that at the macro level, ethnic defection is a function of the resources available to incumbent actors and conclude by stressing the need to take seriously the endogenous dynamics of civil wars.
Intending to adhere or to not adhere: Results from an experiment in healthy subjects testing illness perceptions and behavioral intentions in asthma

Abstract Background Although illness perceptions have been theorized to predict medication adherence, evidence has been limited to cross-sectional studies. Objective This study evaluated the impact of illness identity, consequence, cause and personal control on medication adherence intentions in healthy subjects exposed to a scenario describing asthma-related illness perceptions. Methods An experimental design (2×2×2×2 factorial design) was used to create 16 asthma patient scenarios. University students with no asthma experience were recruited for the study. The Medication Adherence Report Scale for Asthma (MARS-A) was modified as intention statements consistent with the scenarios. Also, a medication adherence intention statement was included. Factor analysis was used to assess the construct validity of the modified MARS-A. Three intentions to adhere measures were identified: (1) intention to adhere related to symptoms, (2) intention to adhere in general, and (3) intention to not adhere. Each of these three intention measures served as dependent variables in multiple regression analysis with the illness perception constructs. Results There were 149 completed responses. Personal control ( β = 0.43) and illness consequence ( β = 0.14) significantly predicted intention to adhere in general (adjusted R 2 = 0.26). Personal control ( β = −0.25) and illness consequence ( β = −0.23) significantly predicted intention to not adhere (adjusted R 2 = 0.11). Conclusion Researchers are advised to consider intention to not adhere and intention to adhere to medication as distinct constructs. This has practical and research implications.
The Dipeptidyl Peptidase (DPP)-4 Inhibitors for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Challenging Patient Groups

Treating hyperglycemia is a critical aspect of managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but can be especially challenging in patients from vulnerable groups such as those with chronic kidney disease, African Americans, and older people. The dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors are relatively new oral antidiabetes drugs that have been incorporated into treatment algorithms over the past few years and have also been studied in these vulnerable patients. Clinical trials with DPP-4 inhibitors have now been reported for all these patient groups and have demonstrated significant improvements in measures of hyperglycemia, with a good safety profile. Based on the current evidence, it appears that the DPP-4 inhibitors are worthy of consideration not only for the most straightforward patients with T2DM, but also for these vulnerable patients.
Effect of ionic strength on the polarographic half-wave potential

Abstract The shift in the polarographic half-wave potential caused by changes in the concentration of a non-complexing supporting electrolyte was investigated. The depolarizer systems studied were the cadmium(II) and zinc(II) amine complex ions, and the cadmium(II), zinc(II), indium(III) and thallium(I) aquo ions. These systems exhibited half-wave potential shifts that were dependent on five factors affected by the ionic strength of the solution: the activity and diffusion coefficients of the depolarizer ions, the activity of the complexing agent and/or water and the liquid junction potential. An equation was derived relating these factors to the half-wave potential shift and evaluated for the change in the activity coefficient of the depolarizer over the ionic strength range 4–10. As expected, the observed potential shift showed a strong correlation with the charge and primary hydration numbers of the aquo ions.
Displacement of Spread Footings on Aggregate Pier Reinforced Clay

AbstractAggregate piers, also known as stone columns, are commonly used to improve ground for the support of structure foundations. Despite the number of existing analytical and semiempirical metho...
Design vs. the design industry

ABSTRACTThis article argues that designers are currently not able to effectively address contemporary environmental and social problems due to the systemic priorities of the design industry. Despite the fact that emergent cognitive and perceptual capacities enable a greater understanding of complexity and design practice evolves creating potential for social and technological innovation, the structural dynamics of the design industry reproduce conditions of deep unsustainability. In this article,“design” is theorized as the professional practice of creating new products, buildings, services, and communication. This is a broader practice than the work that is produced within the “design industry.” The design industry operates according to highly reductive feedback generated by capitalism that systemically ignores signals from the ecological and social systems. The exclusive focus on profit and quantitative economic growth results in distortions of knowledge and reason thereby undermining prospects for the ...
Reproductive health disparities: a focus on family planning and prevention among minority women and adolescents.

Minority women and adolescent females of all races and ethnicities are disproportionately aﬀected by unintended pregnancy in the United States. Adolescents also experience an additional proportion of the burden compared to other age groups, as 82% of pregnancies among women 19 years old and younger are unintended. Moreover, minority and adolescent mothers are at increased risk for having preterm deliveries, low birth weight infants, and other complications. Unintended pregnancy continues to be an important public health problem in the United States, and prevention through family planning is urgently needed. This review presents an overview of the US demographics for unintended pregnancy among both minority and adolescent women and identifies current and past euorts to reduce unintended pregnancy, specifically among minority and adolescent females, through contraception and family-planning programs.
A reconfigurable analog substrate for highly efficient maximum flow computation

We present the design and analysis of a novel analog reconfigurable substrate that enables fast and efficient computation of maximum flow on directed graphs. The substrate is composed of memristors and standard analog circuit components, where the on/off states of the crossbar switches encode the graph topology. We show that upon convergence, the steady-state voltages in the circuit capture the solution to the maximum flow problem. We also provide techniques to minimize the impacts of variability and non-ideal circuit components on the solution quality, enabling practical implementation of the proposed substrate. Performance evaluation demonstrates orders of magnitude improvements in speed and energy efficiency compared to a standard CPU implementation.
Pneumococcal Peptidoglycan-Polysaccharides Regulate Toll-Like Receptor 2 in the Mouse Middle Ear Epithelial Cells

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) plays a key role in the host defense against Gram staining positive (Gram+) bacteria and their cell wall envelope components. However, little is known about the expression of TLR2 in the middle ear under otitis media (OM) conditions, and its role in the persistent otitis media with effusion (OME). In this study, we demonstrated that the pneumococcal cell wall component, peptidoglycan-polysaccharides (PGPS), activated the expression of TLR2 in the middle ear epithelial cells through the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)-cytokine signaling pathway while I kappa B alpha mutant (IκBαM), a dominant negative inhibitor of NF-κB, abrogated the expression of TLR2 induced by PGPS. This study suggests that the existence of residual PGPS may maintain a low profile of cytokine production in the middle ear mucosa and thus contribute to the pathogenesis of OME.
Blind Spots: The Effects of Information and Stakes on Fairness Bias and Dispersion

Mounting empirical research provides evidence of fairness bias and its economic and social effects, where fairness bias refers here to a deviation of claims from unbiased justice due to a personal stake. A far less appreciated issue is dispersion of fairness views and claims, which is also important for its effects on disagreements, empirical analysis, and philosophical theories. This study undertakes a systematic analysis of the effects on fairness bias and dispersion of two variables: stakes and information. Most philosophical and social science analyses related to justice and bias associate heightened bias with increased information and, conversely, impartiality with the elimination of certain information. Less attention has been paid to the opposing impact of information, which is to supply the facts needed to achieve justice more reliably. An important open question is whether, on balance, increased information helps agents to achieve fairer outcomes or whether biased use of such information contributes to less fair outcomes. This study focuses on a set of previously reported experiments that share certain features and subjects them to a new analysis. The results of this analysis suggest that, although information is often used in a self-serving way, increased information can, under certain conditions, contribute to fairness claims becoming less biased and less dispersed, both for stakeholders as well as impartial spectators.
Vinculin Activation Is Necessary for Complete Talin Binding

Focal adhesions are critical to a number of cellular processes that involve mechanotransduction and mechanical interaction with the cellular environment. The growth and strengthening of these focal adhesions is dependent on the interaction between talin and vinculin. This study investigates said interaction and how vinculin activation influences it. Using molecular dynamics, the interaction between talin's vinculin binding site (VBS) and vinculin's domain 1 (D1) is simulated both before and after vinculin activation. The simulations of VBS binding to vinculin before activation suggest the proximity of the vinculin tail to D1 prevents helical movement in D1 and thus prevents binding of VBS. In contrast, interaction of VBS with activated vinculin shows the possibility of complete VBS insertion into D1. In the simulations of both activated and autoinhibited vinculin where VBS fails to fully bind, VBS demonstrates significant hydrophobic interaction with surface residues in D1. These interactions link VBS to D1 even without its proper insertion into the hydrophobic core. Together these simulations suggest VBS binds to vinculin with the following mechanism: 1), VBS links to D1 via surface hydrophobic interactions; 2), vinculin undergoes activation and D1 is moved away from the vinculin tail; 3), helices in D1 undergo conformational change to allow VBS binding; and 4), VBS inserts itself into the hydrophobic core of D1.
A miniaturized ultrawideband monocone antenna by using intelligent dielectric loading

We propose a miniaturized ultrawideband monocone antenna. The size reduction was achieved by loading a dielectric material of high dielectric constant around the antenna in an intelligent manner. In order to maintain the impedance bandwidth characteristics, a spatial quarter wave transformer was applied. A preliminary antenna was fabricated and tested, and the measured results have shown good agreement with the simulated data.
Managing Expectations and Obligations: The Librarian’s Role in Streaming Media for Online Education

Educational films have been a standard feature of classroom instruction for decades, but the growth of online edu‐ cation is challenging how librarians can support the media needs of their faculty. Legacy physical collections exist on library shelves, but license and copyright restrictions may limit their use in online courses. Streaming collections are available in the marketplace but may not be affordable to license. Free or subscription media sources may be available but do not meet the needs of some instructors. This paper describes the comprehensive approach taken by library staff to manage streaming media demand on the Vancouver campus of Washington State University. It also addresses fair use and TEACH Act interpretations that should inform and guide the work of librarians in streaming media management. Educational films have been a standard feature of classroom instruction for decades, but the growth of online education is challenging how librarians can support the media needs of their faculty. Legacy physical collections exist on library shelves, but li‐ cense and copyright restrictions may limit their use in online courses. At Washington State University’s Vancouver campus, the reality of the complicated media purchasing and use environment emerged in 2010 with the growth of the university’s online course offerings. This paper explores how the librar‐ ians at Washington State University Vancouver are working to clarify legal use of DVDs in streaming and modifying purchasing to support streaming needs more effectively. It will outline the process by which the librarians worked with campus constitu‐ encies to begin developing a uniform policy of streaming media support, the tools developed by librarians to communicate license restrictions and copyright limits, and the sources sought to help sat‐ isfy faculty film streaming needs. This paper is in‐ tended to provide ideas and strategies for other librarians who are struggling with how to provide support for streaming media legally. Washington State University and the Vancouver
Paternal postpartum depression, its relationship to maternal postpartum depression, and implications for family health

Background. Much attention has been paid to the problem of postpartum depression in women. However, there is some indication that men also experience depression after the birth of a child, and that paternal depression is linked to maternal depression. Aims. The purpose of this integrative review was to examine current knowledge about postpartum depression in fathers. Specific aims were (1) to examine the incidence of paternal depression in the first year after the birth of a child, (2) to identify the characteristics and predictors of paternal postpartum depression, (3) to describe the relationship between maternal and paternal postpartum depression, and (4) to discuss the influence of paternal depression on the family and infant. Methods. A literature search from 1980 to 2002 was carried out using the CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Medline electronic databases. Twenty research studies were identified that included incidence rates of paternal depression during the first year postpartum. These were further examined and synthesized regarding onset, severity, duration, and predictors of paternal depressive symptoms, and for information about the relationship between maternal and paternal depression. Findings. During the first postpartum year, the incidence of paternal depression ranged from 1·2% to 25·5% in community samples, and from 24% to 50% among men whose partners were experiencing postpartum depression. Maternal depression was identified as the strongest predictor of paternal depression during the postpartum period. The implications of parental depression for family health were discussed. Conclusions. Postpartum depression in men is a significant problem. The strong correlation of paternal postpartum depression with maternal postpartum depression has important implications for family health and well-being. Consideration of postpartum depression in fathers as well as mothers, and consideration of co-occurrence of depression in couples, is an important next step in research and practice involving childbearing families.
Critical and Subcritical Jacobi Operators Defined as Friedrichs Extensions

Abstract Motivated by a treatment of the Toda lattice and Kac-van Moerbeke equations we study critical and subcritical 2nd-order finite difference (Jacobi) operators T on Z . In the course of our analysis we also derive an explicit characterization of the Friedrichs extension TF of T in terms of principal solutions u± of Tu = 0 near ± ∞.
Sabotage and exploitation in macrophages parasitized by intracellular protozoans

Macrophages are crucial in immunity to infection. They possess potent antimicrobial function, and efficiently process and present peptide antigens for T-cell activation. Despite this, the intracellular protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania spp. target macrophages for infection. Each has adopted unique strategies to subvert macrophage antimicrobial functions. The parasites sabotage killing activities through sophisticated manipulation of intracellular macrophage signaling pathways. These subversive activities are probably dictated by the need to evade microbicidal effector function, as well as to avoid proinflammatory pathology that can destabilize the host-parasite interaction. The molecular details of how intracellular protozoans manipulate macrophage signal transduction pathways for their own ends are beginning to emerge.
Unexpected combinations of null mutations in genes encoding the actin cytoskeleton are lethal in yeast.

Abstract To understand the role of the actin cytoskeleton in cell physiology, and how actin-binding proteins regulate the actin cytoskeleton in vivo, we and others previously identified actin-binding proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and studied the effect of null mutations in the genes for these proteins. A null mutation of the actin gene (ACT1) is lethal, but null mutations in the tropomyosin (TPM1), fimbrin (SAC6), Abp1p (ABP1), and capping protein (CAP1 and CAP2) genes have relatively mild or no effects. We have now constructed double and triple mutants lacking 2 or 3 of these actin-binding proteins, and studied the effect of the combined mutations on cell growth, morphology, and organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Double mutants lacking fimbrin and either Abp1p or capping protein show negative synthetic effects on growth, in the most extreme case resulting in lethality. All other combinations of double mutations and the triple mutant lacking tropomyosin, Abp1p, and capping protein, are viable and their phenotypes are similar to or only slightly more severe than those of the single mutants. Therefore, the synthetic phenotypes are highly specific. We confirmed this specificity by overexpression of capping protein and Abp1p in strains lacking fimbrin. Thus, while overexpression of these proteins has deleterious effects on actin organization in wild-type strains, no synthetic phenotype was observed in the absence of fimbrin. We draw two important conclusions from these results. First, since mutations in pairs of actin-binding protein genes cause inviability, the actin cytoskeleton of yeast does not contain a high degree of redundancy. Second, the lack of structural and functional homology among these genetically redundant proteins (fimbrin and capping protein or Abp1p) indicates that they regulate the actin cytoskeleton by different mechanisms. Determination of the molecular basis for this surprising conclusion will provide unique insights into the essential mechanisms that regulate the actin cytoskeleton.
Quantum dots spectrally distinguish multiple species within the tumor milieu in vivo

A solid tumor is an organ composed of cancer and host cells embedded in an extracellular matrix and nourished by blood vessels. A prerequisite to understanding tumor pathophysiology is the ability to distinguish and monitor each component in dynamic studies. Standard fluorophores hamper simultaneous intravital imaging of these components. Here, we used multiphoton microscopy techniques and transgenic mice that expressed green fluorescent protein, and combined them with the use of quantum dot preparations. We show that these fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals can be customized to concurrently image and differentiate tumor vessels from both the perivascular cells and the matrix. Moreover, we used them to measure the ability of particles of different sizes to access the tumor. Finally, we successfully monitored the recruitment of quantum dot–labeled bone marrow–derived precursor cells to the tumor vasculature. These examples show the versatility of quantum dots for studying tumor pathophysiology and creating avenues for treatment.
Aβ-degrading enzymes: modulators of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis and targets for therapeutic intervention

The accumulation of Aβ (amyloid β-protein) peptides in the brain is a pathological hallmark of all forms of AD (Alzheimer9s disease) and reducing Aβ levels can prevent or reverse cognitive deficits in mouse models of the disease. Aβ is produced continuously and its concentration is determined in part by the activities ofseveral degradative enzymes, including NEP (neprilysin), IDE (insulin-degrading enzyme), ECE-1 (endothelinconverting enzyme 1) and ECE-2, and probably plasmin. Decreased activity of any of these enzymes due to genetic mutation, or age- or disease-related alterations in gene expression or proteolytic activity, may increase the risk for AD. Conversely, increased expression of these enzymes may confer a protective effect. Increasing Aβ degradation through gene therapy, transcriptional activation or even pharmacological activation of the Aβ-degrading enzymes represents a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AD that is currently being evaluated in cell-culture and animal models. In this paper, we will review the roles of NEP, IDE, ECE and plasmin in determining endogenous Aβ concentration, highlighting recent results concerning the regulation of these enzymes and their potential as therapeutic targets.
Effects of presentation modality and valence on affect recognition performance in schizophrenia and healthy controls

The majority of affect recognition research has used visual stimuli, with only a minority of studies examining auditory affect recognition, and fewer still comparing affect recognition across presentation modalities. In the current study, we evaluated affect recognition between 45 outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 56 healthy community controls on an auditory-only affect recognition task, as compared to a multichannel (videotape) version of the same task. We further examined between-group performance differences on auditory versus multichannel presentation modalities for a subset of positive and negative valence items. Results indicated that: 1) in general, healthy controls performed better than schizophrenia patients on affect recognition; 2) schizophrenia patients benefited less from a multichannel task presentation than did healthy controls, and 3) schizophrenia patients did not significantly differ from healthy controls on positive-valenced items presented in the auditory modality. These findings suggest the importance of carefully considering presentation modality and affective valence when assessing affect recognition in schizophrenia.
Stable isotope (δ13Ccarb and org, δ15Norg) and trace element anomalies during the Late Devonian `punctata Event' in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

Abstract Late Devonian marine deposits in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin were analyzed for (1) accumulations of bioproductivity and paleoredox trace element proxies and for (2) variations of δ13C(carb and org) and δ15Norg in order to understand and interpret the regional history of the global yet short-term ‘punctata Event’ geochemical perturbation. Statistical correlations suggest that changes in detrital input and associated micronutrient delivery were the main driver of a eutrophication event noted early and possibly also late in the punctata zone around the isolated Miette platform, manifested by increased TOC, positive δ13C excursions and concurrent enrichments of all elemental proxies. Evaluation of data within a regional sequence stratigraphic perspective revealed a eustatic sea level influence, with proxy accumulations associated mostly with early transgression (IIc1). Deposition and preservation of organic matter-rich facies occurred during conditions of enhanced primary production and facilitated bottom water suboxia–anoxia. Following eutrophication, lower δ15Norg and δ13Corg values predominated and persisted throughout much of the punctata zone before rebounding toward its close, suggesting a time interval of environmental stagnation and lower overall productivity during which N2-fixing autotrophs may have had an ecological advantage under nitrate-limited conditions. The punctata Event approximately coincided with the advent of archaeopterid forest expansion beginning around mid-Frasnian time, which fundamentally altered the nature of continental weathering through extensive soil formation and increased nutrient delivery to the oceans. This evolutionary event may have amplified the detrital influx, already elevated by sea level lowstand and early transgression and increased denudation of rising mountain ranges in near-equatorial regions.
Interindexer consistency in PsycINFO

Reports results of a study to examine interindexer consistency (the degree to which indexers, when assigning terms to a chosen record, will choose the same terms to reflect that record) in the Psyc...
An enlarged-partition based preconditioned iterative solver for parallel power grid simulation

This paper presents a novel parallel preconditioned iterative solver for VLSI power grid simulation. Although preconditioned iterative methods for power grid simulation have been proposed during the past years, parallelization of such methods is not well explored. Our algorithm divides the power grid into several disjoint partitions and computes an estimate of the global solution from solutions obtained on each partition. A key idea is to enlarge each partition by carefully selecting nodes and edges outside the partition such that the accuracy of the partition solution is increased significantly without much change in the computational cost. The global solution obtained by solving enlarged partition problems concurrently acts as a highly effective parallel preconditioner due to the spatial locality of power grids. A combination of effective preconditioning and efficient parallelization results in significant performance improvement [13.91X-34.35X] over a state-of-the-art direct solver on IBM power grid benchmarks.