cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deep-sea meiofauna and macrofauna diversity and functional diversity: are they related?

Meiofauna and macrofauna are closely linked by numerous types of interactions, but comparative studies are rare. It has been postulated that meiofauna and macrofauna diversities are related, and that a higher functional diversity of meiobenthic and/or macrobenthic organisms can enhance a higher functional diversity. A simultaneous study of the deep Mediterranean sea meiobenthic and macrobenthic communities was conducted, from the west to central-eastern basin and from 1,200 to 2,700 m depth. We posed the following questions: 1) are meiofauna and macrofauna diversities related? 2) Does a higher diversity enhance a higher functional diversity? and 3) Does the relationship between diversity and functional diversity change considering different benthic size classes and taxa? In order to answer to our questions, the biodiversity and functional diversity of meiofauna and macrofauna were analysed, with a focus on three target groups: meiobenthic nematodes, macrobenthic nematodes and polychaetes. Meiobenthic nematodes and macrofaunal diversity appeared to be related only in terms of turnover diversity. A cross-taxon analysis on macrobenthic nematode and polychaete diversity and meiofauna diversity revealed a positive relationship in all cases that were studied. Considering functional diversity, many relationships emerged between the two benthic components. A higher meiobenthic nematode diversity did not enhance a higher functional diversity. A higher macrofauna diversity enhanced a higher functional diversity, but not for all macrobenthic taxa (i.e., nematodes). We can conclude that the diversity–functional diversity relationship changed across different size classes, even when the same taxon was considered. The diversity–functional diversity relationship changed across taxa even if they belonged to the same size class.
Vascular leiomyoma presenting as medial joint line pain of the knee.

Abstract We present the case of a 27-year-old woman with a subcutaneous vascular leiomyoma occurring around the knee. The patient presented with a several-year history of medial-sided knee pain with an unknown etiology. The clinical presentation, magnetic resonance imaging, and histopathologic features are reported, and the literature pertaining to the clinicopathologic characteristics is reviewed. By including vascular leiomyomas in the differential of painful lower extremity subcutaneous masses, an early accurate diagnosis is possible. Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery, Vol 19, No 3 (March), 2003: pp E24
BARRIERS INHIBITING EXPORT PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED MANUFACTURING FIRM

Abstract This study uses a step-wise discriminant analysis to address two related questions. First, to identify those inhibiting factors perceived to be both important and difficult to counter when a firm is initiating an export program. Second, to address the criticism that the current export research has failed to differentiate between degree of importance and the level of difficulty that firm may encounter when entering foreign markets. Two-hundred and forty-two small and medium-sized Wisconsin manufacturing firms were surveyed. The findings identified three barriers perceived to be both important and difficult to overcome. However, they did not support the criticism that we must differentiate between the degree of importance and the level of difficulty.
Designing a quality voice: an analysis of listeners' reactions to synthetic voices

Eight subjects listened to a set of synthetic voices reflecting a crossing of four voice qualities: head size, pitch, richness and smoothness. The listeners evaluated the voices on sixteen perceptual scales, and judged each voice's appropriateness for twenty voice-output scenarios. Factor analysis of the perceptual ratings recovered two factors, fullness and clarity. A similar analysis of the appropriateness ratings revealed three situational factors, information, entertainment and feedback. Further analyses indicated that the voice qualities associated with the three situational factors were quite different, and suggest ways to optimize voices used for a particular purpose.
The Ethics Examiner and Media Councils: Improving Ombudsmanship and News Councils for True Citizen Journalism

The debate over news ombudsmen remains at a seemingly irreconcilable impasse, and less relevant as journalism shifts away from print and traditional newsroom structures in the new-media age. There are fewer than 30 ombudsmen at U.S. media outlets today, according to the Organization of News Ombudsmen (Ombudsmen, 2010). We argue that the greatest failure of ombudsmanship is that it does not go far enough in giving voice and visibility to the ombudsman's work, including interacting with community. Media news outlets can best serve the public trust by fulfilling the journalistic mission of civic transformation through empowerment advocated by Christians, Ferre, and Fackler (1993). As the vanguard of the communitarian approach of “person-in-community,” the ideal ombudsman would be just that: a person in the community. The ethical goal of ombudsmanship should be not to promote an apologist from within the ranks but rather to facilitate a community conversation. We propose integrating the ideal ombudsman (which...
cDNA cloning and expression of the large subunit of juvenile hormone-regulated vitellogenin from Lymantria dispar

Abstract The 5.4 kb RNA enriched in mRNA coding for the large subunits of vitellogenin (VgL mRNA) in the gypsy moth ( Lymantria dispar ) was purified, and used to construct a cDNA library. One of the clones, pVL-80, had sequences representing an internal region of VgL mRNA. The cDNA representing the 5′-terminal region of VgL mRNA was isolated by 5′-RACE (Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends), and found to contain sequences encoding the N-terminal amino acid sequence of Vg 190. The insert in pVL-80 was 822 bp long and had an open reading frame (ORF) extending beyond the insert in both directions. In vitro expression of the ORF produced a 32 kDa protein which reacted with Vg 190 antiserum. Southern analysis of gypsy moth genomic DNA suggested that a single copy of the VgL gene is present per genome. The pVL-80 was demonstrated to be useful as a specific and sensitive probe to investigate developmental and juvenile hormone regulation of VgL mRNA in the fat body.
An introduction to CTBI

CTBI provides a simple mechanism that bonds multiple levels of multiple lanes (electrical and optical) in a single step through 66-bit block striping with low overhead and no need lo backpressure or flow control the MAC layer, and allows for a very simple optical module even if the number of optical lanes and electrical lanes are not equal (in / n).
Patterns of temperature pulses on electrically heated catalytic ribbons

Abstract A rich and intricate variety of spatiotemporal temperature patterns is predicted to exist on the surface of a thin catalytic ribbon, the average temperature of which is kept by electrical heating at a preset value, when the catalytic surface undergoes slow activation-deactivation. The control of the average temperature introduces an integral constraint that generates patters that are not observed in its absence. This one-dimensional system exhibits (in addition to a chaotic behavior) four basic motions: unidirectional pulses, back-and-forth pulses, antiphase oscillation, and a source point from which two pulses emanate and move in opposite directions. Other motions we observed are combinations and transitions among these four. Several of the motions have already been observed experimentally. At some transitions, spatial structures appear to change discontinuosly and without hysteresis, suggesting global bifurcations.
n→π* interactions in poly(lactic acid) suggest a role in protein folding.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a versatile synthetic polyester. We noted that this depsipeptide analog of polyalanine has a helical structure that resembles a polyproline II helix. Using natural bond orbital analysis, we find that n→π* interactions between sequential ester carbonyl groups contribute 0.44 kcal mol−1 per monomer to the conformational stability of PLA helices. We conclude that analogous n→π* interactions could direct the folding of a polypeptide chain into a polyproline II helix prior to the formation of hydrogen bonds between backbone amides.
Electronic structure momentum dependence of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ in the normal and superconducting state

We continue to study Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, in order to gain detailed knowledge of the high-temperature superconductors' electronic structure. While the photoemission community has already established some important general characteristics of this material, continued investigation reveals a rich variety of details. In the superconducting state, we have looked for details in the gap anisotropy. In the normal state, we have concentrated on the evolution of the Fermi surface as the carrier doping is reduced.
Abstract 210: Cul4A is an oncogene in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Cullin 4A (Cul4A) is important in cell survival, development, growth and the cell cycle, but its role in mesothelioma has not been studied. For the first time, we identified amplification of the Cul4A gene in four of five mesothelioma cell lines. Consistent with increased Cul4A gene copy number, we found that Cul4A protein was overexpressed in mesothelioma cells as well. Cul4A protein was also overexpressed in 64% of primary malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) tumours. Furthermore, knockdown of Cul4A with shRNA in mesothelioma cells resulted in up-regulation of p21 and p27 tumour suppressor proteins in a p53-independent manner in H290, H28 and MS-1 mesothelioma cell lines. Knockdown of Cul4A also resulted in G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and decreased colony formation in H290, H28 and MS-1 mesothelioma cell lines. Moreover, G0/G1 cell cycle arrest was partially reversed by siRNA down-regulation of p21 and/or p27 in Cul4A knockdown H290 cell line. In the contrary, overexpression of Cul4A resulted in down-regulation of p21 and p27 proteins and increased colony formation in H28 mesothelioma cell line. Both p21 and p27 showed faster degradation rates in Cul4A overexpressed H28 cell line and slower degradation rates in Cul4A knockdown H28 cell line. Our study indicates that Cul4A amplification and overexpression play an oncogenic role in the pathogenesis of mesothelioma. Thus, Cul4A may be a potential therapeutic target for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 210. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-210
Information Influence in Mediated Knowledge Transfer: An Experimental Test of Elaboration Likelihood

Understanding knowledge transfer in computer mediated contexts is becoming essential given that organizations are spread more and more globally. In this article, the authors adopt elaboration likelihood theory to investigate knowledge transfer processes in a Knowledge Management System (KMS). They report the results of an exploratory experiment conducted to examine the impact of argument quality, source credibility and validation on knowledge usefulness of a document in a KMS. Their findings indicate that while validation of knowledge in KMS positively affects perceptions of knowledge usefulness, higher argument quality was associated with lower usefulness ratings. Surprisingly, source credibility has no effect on perceptions of knowledge usefulness. The implications of these results for both researchers and practitioners are discussed.
Characterization and deployment of large-format, fully depleted back-illuminated p-channel CCDs for precision astronomy

We present new characterization results for a large format, 15 um pixel pitch, 2kx4k format, p-channel CCD fabricated on high resistivity silicon at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The fully-depleted device is 300 um thick and backside illuminated utilizing 4-side buttable packaging. We report on measurements of standard operating characteristics including charge transfer efficiency, readout noise, cosmetics performance, dark current, and well depth. We have also made preliminary measurements of the device's X-Ray energy resolution and tests of device linearity.
Remarkable diversity of carbon–carbon bonds: structures and properties of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene

Large scientific community has been passionate in understanding different carbon nanostructures for last two decades. In this review, we present the general description of low-dimensional carbon allotropes such as fullerenes (0D), carbon nanotubes (1D), and graphene (2D). These structures have unique diversity of carbon–carbon bonds. Structures and electronic properties of fullerenes, small closed carbon cages, and giant fullerenes are illustrated. We point out the complexity in the area of fullerene research because of a wide range of structures and number of possible isomers of fullerenes. The concept of isolated pentagon rule in fullerenes is highlighted. We delineate the usefulness of pyramidalization angle in evaluating the curvature of fullerenes. The role of computational chemistry in identifying different isomers of fullerenes and validating the experimental results in ambiguous situations is also briefly mentioned. Properties of different types of carbon nanotubes, particularly single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and their structural features are summarized. The use of pyramidalization angle (θP) and π-orbital misalignment angles in predicting the reactivity of different carbon atom sites of SWCNTs is discussed. Finally, we outline the structures and electronic properties of graphene, and discuss the status of experimental investigations of this species.
Structured Work Systems: Supporting Meaningful Engagement in Preschool Settings for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

The preschool day begins in one suburban midwestern city. Children engage in a variety of activities throughout this inclusive classroom. Some children seem engrossed in play, and others participat...
On introducing noise into the bus-contention channel

The author explores two approaches to introducing noise into the bus-contention channel: an existing approach called fuzzy time, and a novel approach called probabilistic partitioning. He compares the two approaches in terms of the impact on covert channel capacity, the impact on performance, the amount of random data needed, and their suitability for various applications. For probabilistic partitioning, a precise tradeoff is obtained between covert channel capacity and performance. >
Practical and robust geographic routing in wireless networks

Existing geographic face routing algorithms use planarization techniques that rely on the unit-graph assumption, and thus can exhibit persistent routing failure when used with real radios, whose connectivity violates that assumption. In this paper, we describe the Cross-Link Detection Protocol (CLDP), which enables provably correct geographic routing on arbitrary graphs. Our simulations show that the protocol is practical: it incurs low overhead and exhibits low path stretch in wireless networks.
Sesamin synergistically potentiates the anticancer effects of γ-tocotrienol in mammary cancer cell lines.

Abstract γ-Tocotrienol and sesamin are phytochemicals that display potent anticancer activity. Since sesamin inhibits the metabolic degradation of tocotrienols, studies were conducted to determine if combined treatment with sesamin potentiates the antiproliferative effects of γ-tocotrienol on neoplastic mouse (+ SA) and human (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) mammary cancer cells. Results showed that treatment with γ-tocotrienol or sesamin alone induced a significant dose-responsive growth inhibition, whereas combination treatment with these agents synergistically inhibited the growth of + SA, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 mammary cancer cells, while similar treatment doses were found to have little or no effect on normal (mouse CL-S1 and human MCF-10A) mammary epithelial cell growth or viability. However, sesamin synergistic enhancement of γ-tocotrienol-induced anticancer effects was not found to be mediated from a reduction in γ-tocotrienol metabolism. Rather, combined treatment with subeffective doses of γ-tocotrienol and sesamin was found to induce G1 cell cycle arrest, and a corresponding decrease in cyclin D1, CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, phospho-Rb, and E2F1 levels, and increase in p27 and p16 levels. Additional studies showed that the antiproliferative effect of combination treatment did not initiate apoptosis or result in a decrease in mammary cancer cell viability. Taken together, these findings indicate that the synergistic antiproliferative action of combined γ-tocotrienol and sesamin treatment in mouse and human mammary cancer cells is cytostatic, not cytotoxic, and results from G1 cell cycle arrest.
Design and performance of a small two-axis high-bandwidth steering mirror

A two-axis, high-bandwidth, small-aperture steering mirror called the High Bandwidth Steering Mirror (HBSM) has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The mirror/mechanism prototype functions within a servo loop either scanning a field of view or tracking a radiation source. The design focused on elements making up the beam-steering mechanism: mirror, restoring flexures, actuators, position sensors, and encompassing housing, and the part each component plays in making a mechanical system suitable for high-bandwidth operation. Inclusion of a novel flexural support allows one-degree peak-to-peak angular stroke (shaft space) at low frequencies and a small-signal closed-loop bandwidth of up to 10 kHz without the usual mechanical resonance-induced loop instabilities. This increased bandwidth allows substantial rejection of a disturbance spectrum in the 10-1000 Hz range and execution of fast, complex scan patterns. Pointing accuracies of 0.2 micronrad have been achieved in the laboratory. Details of the mechanical design and fabrication issues as well as the control-loop implementation are discussed. Test data are presented along with reports of the mirror's performance in use as an extended sensor.
Effects of organic amendments on the toxicity and bioavailability of cadmium and copper in spiked formulated sediments

We evaluated the partitioning and toxicity of cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) spiked into formulated sediments containing two types of organic matter (OM), i.e., cellulose and humus. Amendments of cellulose up to 12.5% total organic carbon (TOC) did not affect partitioning of Cd or Cu between sediment and pore water and did not significantly affect the toxicity of spiked sediments in acute toxicity tests with the amphipod Hyalella azteca. In contrast, amendments of natural humus shifted the partitioning of both Cd and Cu toward greater concentrations in sediment and lesser concentrations in pore water and significantly reduced toxic effects of both metals. Thresholds for toxicity, based on measured metal concentrations in whole sediment, were greater for both Cd and Cu in sediments amended with a low level of humus (2.9% TOC) than in sediments without added OM. Amendments with a high level of humus (8.9% TOC) eliminated toxicity at the highest spike concentrations of both metals (sediment concentrations of 12.4 μg Cd/g and 493 μg Cu/g). Concentrations of Cd in pore water associated with acute toxicity were similar between sediments with and without humus amendments, suggesting that toxicity of Cd was reduced primarily by sorption to sediment OM. However, toxic effects of Cu in humus treatments were associated with greater pore-water concentrations than in controls, suggesting that toxicity of Cu was reduced both by sorption and by complexation with soluble ligands. Both sorption and complexation by OM tend to make proposed sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) based on total metal concentrations more protective for high-OM sediments. Our results suggest that the predictive ability of SQGs could be improved by models of metal interactions with natural OM in sediment and pore water.
On linear discriminant analysis with adaptive ridge classification rules

Consider the problem in which we have a sample from each of two multivariate normal populations with equal covariance matrices and we wish to classify a new observation as coming from one of the two populations. It is widely regarded that the most commonly used discriminant procedure for this purpose was introduced by Anderson. During the last 15 years, promising linear adaptive ridge classification rules have been proposed as alternatives where the ridge parameters are chosen by sample reuse methods like cross-validation and bootstrap. This article undertakes a large sample study of the relationship between the optimal ridge parameter and the population parameters. The results suggest a new linear adaptive ridge classification procedure which has a simple closed-form expression for the ridge parameter. A Monte Carlo study is used to compare its error rate with that of the other classification rules previously mentioned.
A Monte Carlo study of the dynamics of G-protein activation

To link quantitatively the cell surface binding of ligand to receptor with the production of cellular responses, it may be necessary to explore early events in signal transduction such as G-protein activation. Two different model frameworks relating receptor/ligand binding to G-protein activation are examined. In the first framework, a simple ordinary differential equation model is used to describe receptor/ligand binding and G-protein activation. In the second framework, the events leading to G-protein activation are simulated using a dynamic Monte Carlo model. In both models, reactions between ligand-bound receptors and G-proteins are assumed to be diffusion-limited. The Monte Carlo model predicts two regimes of G-protein activation, depending upon whether the lifetime of a receptor/ligand complex is long or short compared with the time needed for diffusional encounters of complexes and G-proteins. When the lifetime of a complex is relatively short compared with the diffusion time, the movement of ligand among free receptors by binding and unbinding ("switching") significantly enhances G-protein activation. Receptor antagonists dramatically reduce G-protein activation and, thus, signal transduction in this case, and significant clustering of active G-proteins near receptor/ligand complexes results. The simple ordinary differential equation model poorly predicts G-protein activation for this situation. In the alternative case, when diffusion is relatively fast, ligand movement among receptors is less important and the simple ordinary differential equation model and Monte Carlo model results are similar. In this case, there is little clustering of active G-proteins near receptor/ligand complexes. Results also indicate that as the GTPase activity of the alpha-subunit decreases, the steady-state level of alpha-GTP increases, although temporal sensitivity is compromised.
Improving detection specificity of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) using the SWIFT sequence with long T2 suppression

Abstract In order to improve the detection specificity of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) delivered to tumors, we embedded saturation pulses into the sweep imaging using Fourier transformation (SWIFT) sequence to suppress long T 2 tissues and fat. Simulation of the Bloch equation was first conducted to study behavior of the saturation pulses of various lengths under different T 2 and off-resonance conditions. MR experiments were then conducted using in vivo mouse xenografts and a phantom consisting of IONPs, vegetable oil, and explanted tumor specimen, without and with long T 2 suppression under a 7 T magnetic field. For the in vivo study, arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) coated 10 nm IONPs (RGD-IONPs) were delivered to tumors implanted in nude mice through both intra-tumor and intravenous injections. Histological studies confirmed that RGD-IONPs efficiently homed to tumors through RGD-integrin interaction. Compared to conventional SWIFT, the proposed method resulted in sufficient suppression on long T 2 species but less influence on short T 2 species. For both the in vivo and ex vivo studies, significantly improved contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was achieved between the IONPs and the long T 2 species.
Micromechatronics and the miniaturization of structures, devices, and systems

Mechatronics is the integration of electrical and electronic functions with mechanical and related functions. At the microscale, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) strives to integrate those functions as well. Therefore micromechatronics and MEMS are basically identical in nature. The integration of technologies goes beyond an assemblage of subsystems. A true micromechatronic system addresses all technologies simultaneously at the design stage so manufacturing processes may also be integrated. A family of surface driven electrostatic microactuators is given as an example of these philosophies. Device performance is given and these are compared with other microactuation principles, Additionally, micromechanical machining technologies, which are being used to help reduce the time and cost to develop prototypes, are presented and compared with more traditional lithographic technologies.
Comments on Dennett from a Cautious Ally

In these notes, unadorned page numbers under 350 refer to Dennett (1987)—The Intentional Stance, hereafter referred to as Stance—and ones over 495 refer to Dennett (1988)— mostly to material by him but occasionally to remarks of his critics. Since the notes will focus on disagreements, I should say now that I am in Dennett’s camp and am deeply in debt to his work in the philosophy of mind, which I think is wider, deeper, more various and more fruitful than mine or anyone else’s. Still, I have some ideas and emphases that I think he could profit from. In the final chapter of Stance Dennett compares his work with that of several others, including me. He sees me as having a position like his, the main difference being that I think (as he doesn’t) that our attributions of mental content can always be highly determinate (pp. 347f). In fact, there are differences between us but this isn’t one of them. I want to get this straight, so as to clear the decks for the positive points I am going to make. There is some indeterminacy and there could be lots of it; Dennett’s case for that is unanswerable. As for how much there actually is: I don’t know and don’t even suspect; there is simply no declared issue between Dennett and myself on that. Nor do we disagree on a related matter. If there is no evidence that settles whether the animal believes that P or believes that Q, should we say that nevertheless one of these is right, and it’s just that we can’t know which it is? Dennett says No. I perfectly agree.
Band-partitioned sidelobe canceller for a wideband radar

A generic electronic counter-counter measure (ECCM) system consisting of band-partitioned (BP) sidelobe canceller (SLC) is investigated for wideband radar. This paper describes trade-off studies performed on the BP digital SLC and identifies techniques and parameters that are capable of providing improved cancellation performance.
Spatio-temporal characterization of nonlinear propagation of femtosecond pulses

Nonlinear propagation through optically transparent media is characterized using spatiallyresolved spectral interferometry. Spatio-temporal coupling given by the nonlinear effect is quantified and several methods are compared to show their respective advantages.
Influence of array allocation mechanisms on memory system energy

Portability and energy consumption have become increasingly important in mobile computing. Consequently, there is a clear need for energy-aware portable software design. This paper brings these two design considerations together by examining and optimizing the energy consumption of array allocation mechanisms in Java. Specifically, using a set of array-dominated benchmarks and a partitioned memory architecture with multiple low-power operating modes, we study two data optimization techniques: memory layout modification and array-interleaving. Our results show that these optimizations increase the effectiveness of energy savings due to power control of partitioned memory architectures across different memory configurations. It is observed that the memory energy can be significantly reduced using these techniques.
Discovering structural cis‐regulatory elements by modeling the behaviors of mRNAs

Gene expression is regulated at each step from chromatin remodeling through translation and degradation. Several known RNA-binding regulatory proteins interact with specific RNA secondary structures in addition to specific nucleotides. To provide a more comprehensive understanding of the regulation of gene expression, we developed an integrative computational approach that leverages functional genomics data and nucleotide sequences to discover RNA secondary structure-defined cis-regulatory elements (SCREs). We applied our structural cis-regulatory element detector (StructRED) to microarray and mRNA sequence data from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Drosophila melanogaster, and Homo sapiens. We recovered the known specificities of Vts1p in yeast and Smaug in flies. In addition, we discovered six putative SCREs in flies and three in humans. We characterized the SCREs based on their condition-specific regulatory influences, the annotation of the transcripts that contain them, and their locations within transcripts. Overall, we show that modeling functional genomics data in terms of combined RNA structure and sequence motifs is an effective method for discovering the specificities and regulatory roles of RNA-binding proteins.
The effect of inhibition of acyl coenzyme A-cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) on exercise performance in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

This study tested the hypothesis that avasimibe, an inhibitor of acyl coenzyme A-cho- lesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), would improve treadmill exercise performance in patients with claudication secondary to peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Four hundred and forty-two patients with PAD (anklebrachial index in the index leg of � 0.90 with a � 20% reduction post-exercise) were enrolled from 39 centers in the USA. Patients were randomized to receive oral avasimibe 50mg, 250mg, 750mg or placebo for a treatment period of 12 months. Changes from baseline in peak walking time (PWT) using a graded treadmill protocol were compared among groups after 6 and 12 months of treatment. Individual group comparisons were considered statistically significant if p < 0.0245 for the 50mg and 250mg groups and p < 0.001 for the 750mg group. Patients randomized to the 50mg group experienced a 0.76 min net increase over placebo in PWT, but this did not reach the pre-specified level of statistical significance (Hochberg proce- dure p ¼ 0.027) using ANCOVA after 12 months of treatment after adjusting for multiple compar- isons. This trend in PWT was supported by the changes in treadmill initial claudication time (ICT) (p ¼ 0.026) and Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) walking distance score (p ¼ 0.058). The 250mg and 750mg avasimibe dose groups failed to demonstrate an improvement in PWT over placebo after 6 months of treatment. In conclusion, while the ACAT inhibitor avasi- mibe did not show clear evidence of benefit on treadmill exercise performance in patients with PAD, the results add to our knowledge of the impact of treatments directed at atherosclerosis on functional endpoints.
What We Have Learned about Addiction from Animal Models of Drug Self-Administration

Self-administration of addictive drugs in laboratory animals has been widely used for decades as a tool for studying behavioral, neurobiological, and genetic factors in addiction. From such studies has come an enormous amount of information on brain mechanisms involved in addiction, on vulnerability factors in the addictive process, and on possible pharmacotherapeutic treatments for addiction. Modifications of the laboratory animal self-administration paradigm--including progressive ratio break-point models and the "reinstatement" model of relapse to drug-seeking behavior--are currently increasing our knowledge of incentive motivational factors in addiction and of the mechanisms underlying relapse to drug self-administration behavior.
Magnetic Feshbach resonances and Zeeman relaxation in bosonic chromium gas

Calculations of magnetic Feshbach resonances and Zeeman relaxation cross sections are reported. These calculations address two separate experiments on ultracold and cold bosonic chromium gases.
Delay and Area Efficient First-level Cache Soft Error Detection and Correction

Soft error rates are an increasing problem in modern VLSI circuits. Commonly used error correcting codes reduce soft error rates in large memories and second level caches but are not suited to small fast memories such as first level caches, due to the area and speed penalties they entail. Here, an error detection and correction scheme that is appropriate for use in low latency first level caches and other small, fast memories such as register files is presented. The scheme allows fine, e.g., byte write granularity with acceptable storage overhead. Analysis demonstrates that the proposed method provides adequate soft error rate reduction with improved latency and area cost.
Risk factors for community- and health facility–acquired extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing bacterial infections in patients at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview

Background This study examined risk factors for extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) infection in patients at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview. Methods Laboratory-confirmed cases of ESBL infection between January 2005 and June 2008 were evaluated in a case-control study. Risk factors were assessed based on source of infection, either health facility–acquired (HFA) or community-acquired (CA). Cases were identified through hospital infection control department ESBL surveillance records. Controls were selected from the patient population present within the same facility as the cases. Results Our evaluation revealed that 60.6% of the health facility–acquired ESBL infections were due to Escherichia coli. Risk factors included previous antibiotic use (odds ratio [OR], 23.7; P P P P = .043). For each day of antibiotic use, the risk of infection increased by 2%. Similarly, 76.5% of the community-acquired ESBL infections were due to E coli . Risk factors included previous antibiotic use (OR, 5.1; P = .0005) and recurrent urinary tract infection (OR, 9.1; P = .0098). For each day of antibiotic use, the risk of infection increased by 1%. Conclusions Developing policies and methods to promote good antibiotic stewardship and reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections will decrease the risk of ESBL infection.
Issues in Dermal Exposure of Infants

ABSTRACTInfants' dermal exposures to environmental contaminants are expected to be different and, in many cases, much higher than adults. Because of the potential importance of the dermal exposure route, there is currently a significant amount of work being conducted to reduce the uncertainties associated with assessing infants' dermal exposures. A conceptual model of dermal exposure is presented and issues associated with characterizing and assessing these exposures presented. Physiological and behavioral characteristics of infants that impact dermal exposure as well as exposure measurement and assessment approaches are discussed.
Integrated color pixels in 0.18-microm complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology.

Following the trend of increased integration in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, we have explored the potential of implementing light filters by using patterned metal layers placed on top of each pixel’s photodetector. To demonstrate wavelength selectivity, we designed and prototyped integrated color pixels in a standard 0.18-µm CMOS technology. Transmittance of several one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) patterned metal layers was measured under various illumination conditions and found to exhibit wavelength selectivity in the visible range. We performed (a) wave optics simulations to predict the spectral responsivity of an uncovered reference pixel and (b) numerical electromagnetic simulations with a 2D finite-difference time-domain method to predict transmittances through 1D patterned metal layers. We found good agreement in both cases. Finally, we used simulations to predict the transmittance for more elaborate designs.
MASE-an integrated environment for modeling, analysis and engineering of computer/communications systems

Both simulation and analytic modeling are often employed during the various phases of a system's lifetime e.g. definition, design, development, engineering and operations. A primary objective of such modeling is usually to insure that performance objectives are met in a cost effective manner. Often a variety of simulation and analytic tools are used, but invariably there is no relationship between any of the tools. To address this problem (as well as others, including model reuse), an open, object-oriented environment consisting of a variety of integrated toolsets for modeling, analysis, simulation and engineering of computer/communications systems is being developed at Monmouth University. MASE, an integrated toolset built around a generalized queueing network paradigm, is the first toolset in that environment.
Noncompliance with medical follow-up after pediatric intensive care.

Objectives. To describe the medical follow-up ordered, the health care utilization, the appointment compliance, and the risk factors associated with noncompliance in patients who are discharged after a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stay. Methods. A prospective, analytic, cohort study of 111 critically ill children, age 1 day to 16 years, who were admitted to a 30-bed PICU in an urban, tertiary-care, pediatric teaching hospital compared children who were compliant with medical follow-up with those who were not. The main outcomes measured were emergent and unscheduled physician visits during the first 6 weeks after hospital discharge; compliance with ordered medical follow-up after hospital discharge; and comparisons of socioeconomic, demographic, and medical need factors between compliant and noncompliant children. Discharge orders for follow-up appointments with general pediatricians and subspecialists were collected from the chart at hospital discharge. Patients were contacted after hospital discharge to determine whether and when they received medical follow-up; 28% were found to be noncompliant. Risk factors associated with noncompliance were evaluated. Emergent and unscheduled physician visits were tracked during the first 6 weeks after hospital discharge. Results. Lack of follow-up orders at hospital discharge did not affect the frequency of emergent visits. Children fell into 2 groups: those who were 100% compliant and those with ≤67% compliance. No socioeconomic or demographic risk factors could be identified between the 2 groups. Compared with the 100% compliant patients, patients who were compliant with ≤67% of appointments were more severely ill, as defined by higher peak pediatric risk of mortality scores during their PICU stay (11.5 vs 8.4), longer PICU length of stays (10.1 days vs 4.6 days), and longer hospital length of stays (25.5 days vs 14 days). Most predictive of noncompliance was the number of medical appointments ordered by physicians. Patients with 3 or more appointments were less likely to be compliant with follow-up. After hospital discharge, children were more likely to visit a primary care physician compared with a subspecialist (95% vs 82%). When patients were ordered to see a specialist, scheduled appointments were much better attended than the recommended appointments (92% vs 67%). Conclusions. Lack of ordered medical follow-up did not affect emergent visits. In this group of critically ill children, a significant percentage (28%) did not receive timely medical follow-up. No socioeconomic or demographic risk factors were identified in noncompliant children. However, severity of illness (higher peak pediatric risk of mortality score, longer PICU stay, and longer hospital stay) and the number of follow-up appointments ordered were predictors of noncompliance. Potential exists for implementing strategies to improve compliance in identified populations.
Salmonella Modulation of Host Cell Gene Expression Promotes Its Intracellular Growth

Salmonella Typhimurium has evolved a complex functional interface with its host cell largely determined by two type III secretion systems (T3SS), which through the delivery of bacterial effector proteins modulate a variety of cellular processes. We show here that Salmonella Typhimurium infection of epithelial cells results in a profound transcriptional reprogramming that changes over time. This response is triggered by Salmonella T3SS effector proteins, which stimulate unique signal transduction pathways leading to STAT3 activation. We found that the Salmonella-stimulated changes in host cell gene expression are required for the formation of its specialized vesicular compartment that is permissive for its intracellular replication. This study uncovers a cell-autonomous process required for Salmonella pathogenesis potentially opening up new avenues for the development of anti-infective strategies that target relevant host pathways.
Is the Curriculum a Reasonable Basis for Assessment Reform

How should curriculum-assessment linkages be forged? Do local districts have sufficient resources and expertise to sustain these ongoing assessments? Can assessments developed at state level accurately reflect local curricula? What are the essential characteristics of a curriculum-based assessment system?
Hardware/software co-design

Most electronic systems, whether self contained or embedded, have a predominant digital component consisting of a hardware platform which executes software application programs. Hardware/software co-design means meeting system level objectives by exploiting the synergism of hardware and software through their concurrent design. Co-design problems have different flavors according to the application domain, implementation technology and design methodology. Digital hardware design has increasingly more similarities to software design. Hardware circuits are often described using modeling or programming languages, and they are validated and implemented by executing software programs, which are sometimes conceived for the specific hardware design. Current integrated circuits can incorporate one (or more) processor core(s) and memory array(s) on a single substrate. These "systems on silicon" exhibit a sizable amount of embedded software, which provides flexibility for product evolution and differentiation purposes. Thus the design of these systems requires designers to be knowledgeable in both hardware and software domains to make good design tradeoffs. The paper introduces various aspects of co-design. We highlight the commonalities and point out the differences in various co-design problems in some application areas. Co-design issues and their relationship to classical system implementation tasks are discussed to help develop a perspective on modern digital system design that relies on computer aided design (CAD) tools and methods.
Premature Ovarian Failure

Premature ovarian failure is the term usually used to describe women aged younger than 40 years who present with amenorrhea, hypergonadotropinism, and hypoestrogenism. Such women may ovulate and even conceive after the diagnosis is made, so it may be more appropriate to refer to these patients as having "primary ovarian insufficiency," or alternatively, as having "hypergonadotropic hypogonadism" or "primary hypogonadism." The clinical presentation is diverse, and several different disorders can lead to premature ovarian failure. Affected women should be investigated for premutations of the FMR1 gene (causing fragile X syndrome in its fullest form) and for adrenal antibodies. Thyroiditis is the most frequent autoimmune disorder associated with premature ovarian failure and should be ruled out as well. Osteopenia is increased in women with premature ovarian failure, and measures to prevent accelerated bone loss are warranted. Hormone therapy (HT) should be provided to eliminate symptoms of estrogen deficiency and help prevent osteopenia, but will not necessarily (and inexplicably) prevent pregnancy in the 5-10% of women who conceive spontaneously after the diagnosis is made. There are no data indicating that these young women are at increased risk of side effects from HT. If pregnancy is desired, use of donor oocytes with in vitro fertilization is most likely to result in pregnancy.
Nature of Network, Carbon-Black-Rubber Interaction and Heat Aging of Polyethylacrylate Vulcanizates

Abstract Two commercial polyethylacrylate elastomers, having about 50 Mooney Index were selected. They were compounded with 50 parts of N330 carbon black per 100 parts of rubber by weight. One sample having epoxide (EP) crosslinking sites was crosslinked with ammoniumbenzoate. The other having double-bonds by copolymerizing with ethylidene norbornene (ENB) was crosslinked with a sulfur system. The vulcanizates were oven aged at 175°C for 70 h. Tensile stress-strain measurements were performed with the gum rubbers, uncured compounds, unaged vulcanizates, and heat-aged vulcanizates. The data presented as tensile modulus—strain curves revealed the following: at all strain levels, the moduli of ENB gum samples were lower than those of EP gums. After compounding with carbon black, the moduli of two samples became very similar. This indicates that ENB has more affinity with carbon black than EP has. The vulcanizates of two samples has matching moduli at 10% strain but a difference in network structure, since th...