cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Handbook of Interpretation of Diagnostic Tests. Jacques Wallach. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven Publishers, 1998, 564 pp., $28.95. ISBN 0-7817-1221-1.

The aim of this Handbook is to restore Wallach’s Interpretation of Diagnostic Tests (now in its sixth edition) to the size of a coat pocket and thus to provide the information in a format more readily available for immediate reference. The Sixth Edition of this classic has grown so large that it is no longer practical to carry around. Both books provide a wealth of information about the utilization of laboratory tests and are organized into chapters on diseases of organ systems, from cardiovascular to infectious diseases. Any textual writing is minimal; rather, the material is presented in practical lists, tables, figures, and algorithms. Clinical chemists will want to consider either or both …
Leveraging wireless communication systems for aiding inertial-based navigation systems

The advent of low-cost MEMS inertial measurement units (IMU) has increased the proliferation of inertial navigation systems (INS). For applications wherein GNSS-only navigation may prove challenging the inclusion of an INS offers reliable position, velocity, and attitude (PVA) determination. Unfortunately, all INS suffer from drift due to inherent sensor errors. Consequently, aiding sensors must be employed to bound this drift. In this paper we present a proof-of-concept of leveraging a collection of communication systems to provide an INS aiding source. In particular, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals will be explored as they are a ubiquitous communication standard. Specifically, the paper investigates the use of Doppler shift measurements via software defined radios followed by a simulation, in order to examine the efficacy of the proposed system.
Assessing and improving bonding in wet conditions

Abstract Moisture is a key culprit in degrading adhesive bonds. This chapter reviews recent developments in test methods and techniques that have been used to assess and understand the role moisture plays in bond degradation, placing emphasis on accelerated destructive aging and testing, as well as non-destructive evaluation. Current understanding of interfacial water accumulation and advances in techniques for quantifying interfacial water distribution and diffusion are discussed. Finally, progress in surface pretreatment techniques, modification of bulk properties, engineering of novel biological adhesives and joint design considerations for improving adhesive bonds in wet conditions are presented.
Belated Training: The Relationship Between Training, Tenure, and Wages

The increasing and concave age earnings profile is one of the most commonly accepted facts in economics. The human capital model attributes rising wage-tenure and wage-experience profiles to investments in worker productivity. Therefore, an implicit assumption in the human capital model is that training must be occurring throughout a worker's stay at an employer. However, the empirical training literature has thus far either implicitly or explicitly assumed that training is concentrated at the beginning of the employment relationship. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we find that training in the later years of tenure is the norm rather than the exception. To eliminate the bias from belated information, we estimate a fixed effects wage equation with a two-stage procedure that uses previous training and fixed individual and match-specific variables as instruments. While instrumental variables estimation is the standard method of correcting for measurement error, instrumental variables estimates are not consistent when the explanatory variable measured with error (in our case, training) can only take on a limited range of values. Nevertheless, the relative magnitudes of the OLS and the IV training coefficients provide information that enables us to correct for measurement error bias without any need for external information on misclassification rates. Our results provide strong support for the human capital model in that most wage growth beyond the first year of tenure is due to training.
THE ORIGIN OF PRIMARY COSMIC RAYS: CONSTRAINTS FROM ACE ELEMENTAL AND ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OBSERVATIONS

Cosmic-ray isotope observations from NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) mission have been used to investigate the composition of cosmic-ray source material. Source abundances relative to 56Fe are reported for eleven isotopes of Ca, Fe, Co, and Ni, including the very rare isotopes 48Ca and 64Ni. Although the source abundances range over a factor ~ 104, most of the ratios to 56Fe are consistent with solar-system values to within ~ 20%. However, there are some notable differences, the most significant being an excess of ~ (70 ± 30)% relative to the solar system for the cosmic-ray source ratio 58Fe/56Fe. The possible association of such an excess with a contribution to the cosmic-ray source from Wolf—Rayet star ejecta is discussed.
Modern surgical outcomes following surgery for sphenoid wing meningiomas: Clinical article

Object Cushing and Eisenhardt were the first to describe sphenoid wing meningiomas in detail, categorizing globoid tumors into 3 groups: 1) medial; 2) middle; and 3) lateral. The authors review their experience with resection of sphenoid wing meningiomas at a single center, to examine whether this classification predicts clinical presentation and postsurgical outcome. Methods All patients undergoing resection of sphenoid wing meningioma at the authors' institution over a 9-year period were identified. Clinical data were compared from patients with tumors arising at different points along the sphenoid wing to determine if these tumors behaved differently in terms of symptoms, radiographic characteristics, and postsurgical outcome. Results A total of 56 patients underwent microsurgical resection for sphenoid wing meningioma during this period. The rates of optic canal invasion (medial 50% vs middle 5% vs lateral 0%; p < 0.0001, chi-square test), supraclinoid internal carotid artery encasement (medial 32% vs...
Conventional and robust norming in identifying preclinical dementia

Objective: To contrast four approaches to norming two widely used memory tests in older adults for the purpose of detecting preclinical dementia. Method: The study sample included participants from the Einstein Aging Study who were over age 70, were free of dementia at baseline, and were followed for at least 5 years. Norms were derived from a conventional sample (excluding individuals with dementia at baseline but not those who developed dementia during follow-up) and a robust normative sample (excluding persons with dementia at baseline as well as those who developed dementia over 5 years of follow-up). Both normative samples were examined with and without adjustment for age and education. We contrasted the picture version of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test with Immediate Recall (pFCSRT+IR) and the Logical Memory (LM) test for their ability to identify persons with preclinical dementia, operationally defined by the development of diagnosable dementia over 5 years of follow-up, using these fou...
Functional equations with involution related to sine and cosine functions.

FUNCTIONAL EQUATIONS WITH INVOLUTION RELATED TO SINE AND COSINE FUNCTIONS Allison Perkins June 26, 2014 Let G be an abelian group, C be the field of complex numbers, α ∈ G be any fixed, nonzero element and σ : G → G be an involution. In Chapter 2, we determine the general solution f, g : G → C of the functional equation f(x+ σy + α) + g(x+ y + α) = 2f(x)f(y) for all x, y ∈ G. Let G be an arbitrary group, z0 be any fixed, nonzero element in the center Z(G) of the group G, and σ : G → G be an involution. The main goals of Chapter 3 are to study the functional equations f(xσyz0) − f(xyz0) = 2f(x)f(y) and f(xσyz0) + f(xyz0) = 2f(x)f(y) for all x, y ∈ G and some fixed element z0 in the center Z(G) of the group G. In Chapter 4, we consider some properties of the general solution to f(xy)f(xσy) = f(x) − f(y). We also find the solution to this equation when G is a 2-divisible, perfect group. We end the chapter by discussing the periodicity of the solutions to both the sine functional equation and the sine inequality.
The present day formation of apatite in Mexican continental margin sediments

Abstract Results of pore water and sediment analyses from the western Mexican continental margin strongly suggest the present day formation of apatite. The interstitial water phosphate and fluoride profiles indicate chemical removal at a depth which corresponds to a large maximum in the phosphorus content of the sediments. Apatite is identified within this maximum via X-ray diffraction but is elsewhere undetectable in the core. Radioisotopic thorium, uranium, and radium data support the conclusion that this deposit is modern. The present day depositional environment is consistent with those reported by other workers for phosphorite formation with the exception that pore water magnesium is not depleted below its seawater value.
Children's gender- and age-based categorization in similarity and induction tasks

The present studies examined children's and adults' preferences for gender- or age-based categorization using similarity and inductive inference tasks. Four-year-olds, 6-year-olds, and adults looked at pictures of people and decided which of two was more like a target (similarity condition) or which shared a novel age- or gender-related property with the target (inference condition). Age or gender-based matches were possible. The results are consistent with previous findings that gender-based classification decreases with age. However, they also demonstrate that children use gender more for judging similarity than for making inferences about novel properties. Distinct patterns emerge from the two tasks: 6-year-olds and adults in both conditions categorize more by age than gender; 4-year-olds categorize by gender more than age in the similarity task, but by age more in the induction task. Only adults differentiated by property in the inference condition. These findings suggest that the salience of gender categories cannot entirely be attributed to their inductive potential. Gender has a salience beyond what would be predicted by its power for directing novel generalizations.
Anomalous oxidation properties of the ZnSe (100) surface

Abstract We have observed a unique, pressure-dependent adsorption isotherm of oxygen on the ZnSe (100) surface, which consists of an unmeasurable uptake followed by an irreversible, step-like uptake for pressures exceeding a critical value of ∼ 0.08 torr at room temperature. A partial depletion of Se accompanies this adsorption process. For incomplete oxidation, oxygen induced (2 × 1) and (3 × 1) surface reconstructions may be generated, the first such structures to be observed for semiconductors. The electron-energy-loss spectra for these surfaces and for the clean ZnSe (100) c (2 × 2) surface are presented. The clean surface exhibits a dangling-bond-derived empty surface state ∼ 1 eV above the conductor band edge, and filled surface states near 3.2, 6.5, and 15 eV below the valence band edge.
Copolymerization of 4-methyl-1,3-dioxene-4 with maleic anhydride and terpolymerization with styrene as the third component

Copolymerization of 4-methyl-1,3-dioxene-4 with maleic anhydride was carried out. The monomer reactivity ratio was determined to be r1 = 0.18, r2 ∼ 0 in terminal model and r1 = 0.015, r1′ = 0.224, r2′ = r2′ = 0 in the penultimate model. Calculations of run number, linkage probabilities, and number-average chain length in the terminal model and comparison of n (mole ratio of each monomer unit content in copolymer) in each model with the experimental value was made. From these results, the obtained polymer was confirmed to be alternating. Terpolymerization of 4-methyl-1,3-dioxene-4 with maleic anhydride and styrene was also carried out. The agreement of the experimental value (titration by indicator or electroconductivity) of maleic anhydride content with the theoretical value confirms that the terpolymer has a DMS triad sequence.
The aging response of Al-Cu and Al-Cu-Mg directionally solidified eutectics

The microstructure and mechanical properties of directionally solidified Al-Cu eutectic and the microstructure of directionally solidified Al-Cu-Mg eutectic alloys have been studied in as-grown, quenched, and aged conditions. In both systems the microstructure of the aluminum-rich α phase responded to aging treatments in a manner like that of dilute alloys of comparable composition. The cooling rate of the alloys from the solutionizing temperature is important in determining final α-phase composition, since the diffusion path to the lamellar interphase boundaries is only on the order of 1 µ in length. Even when water quenched, the aged α lamellae contain precipitate-free zones along the interphase boundaries, probably due to the epitaxial precipitation of solute as CuAl2 or CuMgAl2 onto the corresponding bulk phases. Mechanical testing of the Al-Cu binary composite in tension and compression shows that the strength of properly aged specimens is twice that of as-grown material. The calculated α- phase yield strength is generally higher than expected, and there is a strength-differential effect whose magnitude varies with heat treatment.
Pneumatosis intestinalis complicating C. difficile pseudomembranous colitis

Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is characterized by multiple gas-filled cysts or linear gas within the bowel wall. PI may be idiopathic (15%) or secondary (85%) to a variety of disorders. We report here the first otherwise healthy adult with C. difficile infection complicated by PI and review the possible mechanisms of this previously unrecognized complication of pseudomembranous colitis. With treatment of the underlying infection, the PI resolved within 6 days of presentation.
Risk factors for systemic hypersensitivity reactions after booster vaccinations with human diploid cell rabies vaccine: A nationwide prospective study

To determine the incidence of and risk factors for adverse reactions following the boosters, we conducted a nationwide prospective study of persons receiving pre-exposure booster vaccination with human diploid cell rabies vaccine (HDCV). Persons who had previously received three pre-exposure doses of HDCV and whose rabies neutralizing antibody titres were < or = 1:5 were enrolled in the study if they stated that they intended to receive a booster. Of the 98 persons enrolled in the study, 40 (41%) were in risk groups for whom boosters are not recommended. Three (3%) of 98 developed generalized urticaria or wheezing within 1 day of receiving boosters and three others (3%) developed urticaria 6 to 14 days after the booster. No differences were found between individuals with reactions (either type) and those with no adverse reaction according to age, gender, occupation, history of previous allergies, or time since or route of primary vaccination. Reactions were somewhat more common among persons who received primary vaccinations by the intramuscular route (i.m.) and booster vaccinations by the intradermal route (i.d.) (3/15, 20%) or primary vaccinations i.d. and booster vaccinations i.m. (2/10, 20%), and somewhat less common among persons who received both these vaccinations i.d. (1/52, 2%) or i.m. (0/7). The number of persons who develop allergic reactions may be minimized by administering vaccinations only when vaccination is strictly indicated. The influence of the route of primary and booster vaccinations on the development of reactions deserves further study.
Morphogenesis of the carpal elements in the regenerating forelimb of adult Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens.

This study is concerned with the morphogenesis of the carpal elements in the regenerating forelimb of the adult newt. Blastema cells surrounding the remnant bony stumps begin to differentiate into cartilage on the twentieth post-amputation day. Subsequently, masses of cartilage build up from the radial and ulnar stumps. The radial mass is larger and differentiates more rapidly than the ulnar mass. By the fifty-fifth post-amputation day, the eight basic carpal elements are formed, with fusion of two of the units, intermedium with ulnare, occurring by the seventieth day. The complexed regenerate possesses the seven carpal elements characteristic of the normal adult limb. The present results show that during limb regeneration in the adult newt the carpal elements are restored to their original number and position and that the pattern of such carpal differentiation proceeds in a proximodistal direction influenced by the stump remnants of the radius and ulna.
Glomerular endothelial cells and podocytes jointly synthesize laminin-1 and -11 chains

Glomerular endothelial cells and podocytes jointly synthesize laminin-1 and -11 chains. Background The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) originates in development from fusion of subendothelial and subepithelial matrices. Subsequently, newly synthesized subepithelial matrix is added as glomerular capillary loops expand. During GBM assembly, the laminin-1 heterotrimer (α1, β;1, and γ1 chains), initially expressed in vascular clefts of comma- and S-shaped bodies, is eventually replaced by laminin-11 (α5, β;2, and γ1 chains), which persists into maturation. The cellular source(s) of these laminins is not known and prompted this study. Methods To determine which cells synthesize the various laminin chains, postfixation immunoelectron microscopy of developing mouse kidney was performed using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies that specifically recognized laminin α1, β;1, α5, or β;2 chains. Results Intracellular labeling for laminin α1, β;1 (laminin-1), and α5 and β;2 (laminin-11) chains was observed in developing glomerular endothelial cells and podocytes of comma- and S-shaped nephric figures. Laminin-1 was also seen in unfused GBMs at this stage, whereas laminin-11 was only found intracellularly. In capillary loop stage GBMs, laminin α1 chain was completely absent, whereas labeling for laminin α5 was intense, indicating rapid substitution between α chains. In contrast, laminin β;1 chain labeling remained strong both intracellularly and in GBMs of capillary loop stage glomeruli, and β;2 was up-regulated as well. In maturing stage glomeruli, β;1 labeling declined, and α5 and β;2 remained at high levels intracellularly in both endothelial cells and podocytes and in GBMs. Conclusions Our results show that both endothelial cells and podocytes synthesize laminin-1 and -11 chains throughout glomerular development. The sustained and comparatively high level of laminin synthesis by endothelial cells was unexpected, suggesting that the endothelium may be an important source of GBM proteins in glomerular disease.
The cyanobacterial toxin, microcystin-LR, can induce apoptosis in a variety of cell types

Cyanobacterial toxins, especially the microcystins (MCYST), are found in eutrophied waters throughout the world. These toxins cause hepatocyte damage by inhibiting protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, resulting in hyperphosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins. Acute intoxication of animals and humans has been reported following MCYST exposure. Okadaic acid, a marine biotoxin, has a similar mechanism of action to MCYST and has been shown to cause apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death, in a variety of cell types. In this study, primary rat hepatocytes (in suspension and monolayer culture), human fibroblasts, human endothelial cells, human epithelial cells, and rat promyelocytes were observed following treatment with MCYST for morphological and biochemical changes typical of apoptosis. Hepatocytes underwent cell membrane blebbing, cell shrinkage, organelle redistribution, and chromatin condensation as early as 30 min following MCYST application (0.8 microM). Other cell types treated with MCYST (100 microM) also showed these morphological changes, but required a longer period of treatment. DNA fragmentation and "ladder" formation occurred in most cell types exposed to MCYST. These observations demonstrate that MCYST causes apoptosis in a variety of mammalian cells.
MODIFICATIONS AND INNOVATIONS TO TECHNOLOGY ARTIFACTS

What happens to a technology artifact after it is adopted? It has to evolve within its particular context to be effective; otherwise, it will become part of the detritus of change, like the many genes without a discernible function in a living organism. In this paper, we report on a study of post-adoptive behavior that examined how users modified and innovated with technology artifacts. We uncovered three types of modifications made to technology artifacts: personalization, customization, and inventions. Personalization attempts are modifications involving changes to technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user; customization attempts adapt the technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user's environment; and inventions are exaptations conducted to the technology artifact. This paper presents a grounded theoretic analysis of the post-adoptive behavior based on in-depth interviews with 20 software engineers in one multi-national organization. We identify a life-cycle model that connects the various types of modifications conducted to technology artifacts. The life-cycle model elaborates on how individual and organizational dynamics are linked to the diffusion of innovations. While our research is exploratory, it contributes to a deeper understanding of post-adoptive behavior and the dynamic relationship between user innovations and organizational innovations.
Nonsense-mediated mRNA decapping occurs on polyribosomes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) degrades mRNA containing premature translation termination codons. In yeast, NMD substrates are decapped and digested exonucleolytically from the 5′ end. Despite the requirement for translation in recognition, degradation of nonsense-containing mRNA is considered to occur in ribosome-free cytoplasmic P bodies. We show decapped nonsense-containing mRNA associate with polyribosomes, indicating that recognition and degradation are tightly coupled and that polyribosomes are major sites for degradation of aberrant mRNAs.
Hemodialysis effect on platelet count and function and hemodialysis-associated thrombocytopenia

Substantial activation of platelets can occur in the course of hemodialysis. Platelet surface markers show evidence of platelet degranulation. Some activation occurs due to exposure of blood to the roller pump segment and microbubbles may play a role. Platelet activation seems to be reduced with reused dialyzers or with those containing synthetic versus cellulosic membranes. Nevertheless, a substantial degree of platelet activation can be demonstrated with polysulfone and other synthetic membranes; the amount of activation may differ substantially among polysulfone membranes, depending on the manufacturer and the polyvinylpyrrolidone content. Platelet–platelet and platelet–leukocyte aggregates have been detected in the dialyzer blood outflow line and the consequences of these to the microcirculation are unknown. Typically, the platelet count decreases slightly during the first hour of dialysis, but mostly returns to initial values by the end of dialysis. A number of chronic hemodialysis patient cases have been reported in which a marked decrease in platelet count (50% or more) during dialysis was observed, resulting in mild degrees of predialysis thrombocytopenia. In only one case was the decrease in platelet count associated with bleeding. Dialyzer hypersensitivity symptoms are infrequently associated with a fall in platelet count. Most recent cases of dialysis-associated thrombocytopenia have been with polysulfone membranes, especially polysulfone membranes sterilized by electron beam. The exact cause of these reactions remains unknown.
Rate constants for nitrification and denitrification in soils

Rate constants for reactions in flowing solutions in soil can be calculated from extents of reactions as functions of depth, rates of flow, effective biomass of microbes and independent measurements of hydrodynamic dispersion. Constants have been calculated from data in the literature and are shown to be arbitrary unless all of these quantities have been evaluated. Good agreement of constants obtained in laboratory columns and in the field have been obtained for nitrification and denitrification in a few cases.
Adjustable Refractive Index Method for Complex Microstructures by Automated Dynamic Mode Multidirectional UV Lithography

A method to use a liquid-state refractive index matching medium is introduced to overcome the limit of the inclined angle for the three-dimensional (3D) microstructures by dynamic mode multidirectional ultraviolet (UV) lithography. The proposed approach uses an isolated container for an index matching medium without direct contact between the index matching medium and the sample, reducing the chance of contamination, simplifying the fabrication process, and broadening the selection of an index matching medium. In addition, the liquid container is designed to allow in-situ adjustable refractive index matching performance during a dynamic mode operation. A refracted angle of 58.5° for an incident angle of 67.5° has been obtained for an SU-8 structure using glycerol as an index matching medium. UV lithography using water, solvent, acid, oil, and starch syrup as an index matching medium has been demonstrated. Various microstructures with large inclined or flare angles such as a chevron shape, an ellipsoidal horn, and a chained wind vane are successfully demonstrated with dynamic mode multidirectional UV lithography.
Altered bicarbonate reabsorption in the pancreas of reserpine-treated rabbits--a model for cystic fibrosis.

Summary: Pancreatic juice was collected from rabbits treated for 7 days with reserpine as well as from untreated controls. In treated rabbits, the volume of pancreatic juice secreted (0.94 ± 0.31 mg) and the maximum pancreatic juice flow rates (66.1 ± 7.1 mg/ (min·g)ffdpw) were both significantly less (p < 0.005) than observed in control animals (1.60 ± 0.24 mg and 98.3 ± 15 mg/(min·g)ffdpw). The bicarbonate concentration of the juice obtained from reserpinized rabbits was elevated at all flow rates when compared to the juice obtained from controls. When saliva obtained from patients with CF was retroperfused into the pancreatic ductal system of a control rabbit, the resultant pancreatic juice contained an elevated bicarbonate concentration at every given flow rate. In addition, 1 h after retroperfusion, bicarbonate output was elevated by 15% despite a reduction in pancreatic juice volume as compared to unretroperfused controls. When pancreatic juice obtained from reserpine-treated rabbits was retroperfused into the ductal system of a control rabbit's pancreas, an elevation in the bicarbonate concentration also resulted. In addition, 1 h after retroperfusion with reserpinized pancreatic juice, the bicarbonate output increased by 18% whereas the volume of pancreatic juice secreted during this period of time remained unchanged as compared to controls. No alteration in pancreatic bicarbonate, pancreatic juice volume, or flow rate was observed after retroperfusion with either saline, saliva obtained from control patients or pancreatic juice obtained from control rabbits. The pancreatic juice secreted by reserpinized rabbits, therefore, appeared to contain some type of factor that altered the reabsorption of bicarbonate. This pancreatic factor also appeared to be positively charged because its transport inhibitory properties were lost when the reserpinized juice was mixed with the polyanion heparin (500 U/ml) before retroperfusion. Despite these observations, the pancreatic bicarbonate output of treated animals was significantly less than that of controls both 30 min (P < 0.005) and 60 min (P < 0.010) after secretin stimulation. It is believed that this finding is secondary to a 41% reduction in the volume of pancreatic juice secreted by treated animals. Because the reserpine-treated rabbit has been proposed as a valid model for studying CF, this study proposes that a similar transport inhibitory factor might also be present in the pancreatic secretions of patients with this disease.
Theoretical studies on conjugated phenyl-cored thiophene dendrimers for photovoltaic applications.

π-Conjugated dendrimers are an important class of materials for optoelectronic devices, especially for light-harvesting systems. We report here a theoretical investigation of the optical response and of the excited-state properties of three-arm and four-arm phenyl-cored dendrimers for photovoltaic applications. A variety of theoretical methods are used and evaluated against each other to calculate vertical transition energies, absorption and excitation spectra with vibronic structure, charge transport, and excitonic behavior upon photoexcitation and photoemission processes. Photophysical phenomena in these dendrimers are, in general, better explained with ab initio methods rather than with semiempirical techniques. Calculated reorganization energies were found to correlate well with the device photocurrent data where available. The excitons formed during photoexcitation are calculated to be more delocalized than the ones formed after vibrational relaxation in the excited states for fluorescence emission. ...
Architecture and operating system support for two-dimensional runtime partial reconfiguration

Reconfigurable machines based on field programmable gate array (FPGA) chips adapt to applications' needs through hardware reconfiguration. Partial reconfiguration allows the configuration of a portion of a chip while the rest of the chip is busy working on tasks. This paper considers a two-dimensional partially reconfigurable FPGA chip that allows the dynamic swap in and out of circuit modules. Such a chip supports the concurrent execution of multiple applications or an application that is otherwise too large to fit. A challenging issue for 2-D runtime partial reconfiguration is how to support the efficient connection, or routing, between circuit modules or between modules and I/O pins, when those modules may be placed on any area of a chip. Because commercial chips are not efficient in 2-D runtime routing, a new FPGA architecture is proposed based on an array of clusters of configurable logic blocks and a mesh of segmented buses. To evaluate the runtime performance of the architecture, an operating system is specified and implemented which takes care of the scheduling, placement, and routing of circuits on the architecture. Simulation is used to evaluate the efficiency of the OS kernel and to determine the optimal cluster size of the architecture.
Highly sensitive and selective amperometric microbial biosensor for direct determination of p-nitrophenyl-substituted organophosphate nerve agents.

We report herein a whole cell-based amperometric biosensor for highly selective, highly sensitive, direct, single-step, rapid, and cost-effective determination of organophosphate pesticides with a ...
Structural insights into the histone H1-nucleosome complex

Linker H1 histones facilitate formation of higher-order chromatin structures and play important roles in various cell functions. Despite several decades of effort, the structural basis of how H1 interacts with the nucleosome remains elusive. Here, we investigated Drosophila H1 in complex with the nucleosome, using solution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and other biophysical methods. We found that the globular domain of H1 bridges the nucleosome core and one 10-base pair linker DNA asymmetrically, with its α3 helix facing the nucleosomal DNA near the dyad axis. Two short regions in the C-terminal tail of H1 and the C-terminal tail of one of the two H2A histones are also involved in the formation of the H1–nucleosome complex. Our results lead to a residue-specific structural model for the globular domain of the Drosophila H1 in complex with the nucleosome, which is different from all previous experiment-based models and has implications for chromatin dynamics in vivo.
Integrating master's-level entry education into an established BS and MS program

Abstract This article shares lessons learned from 12 years of integrating a second-degree entry-level master's program into existing nursing curricula. Ninety-five students have completed this Second Degree Options Program. All but one passed the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) on the first try. Of those eligible to sit for nurse practitioner certification, 100 per cent have passed and greater than 60 per cent are employed as nurse practitioners. The success of the program depends on high admission standards, clear academic policies, first-year summer study, adhering to adult learning principles, integrating students into existing courses, and anticipating barriers. Barriers can be categorized as faculty, other student groups, clinical agencies, and financial exigencies. Some faculty members initially resisted starting this entry-level master's program, but, over time, all faculty members have come to value these students and the strong contributions they have made to the College and the nursing profession. Other students may have concerns about graduate students with nonnurse backgrounds and perceived and actual privilege granted these students. Financial barriers are a reality when confronting 3 years of full-time study. J Prof Nurs 18:190-195, 2002. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Antidepressant treatment in children and adolescents: bridging the gap between efficacy and effectiveness.

This review of antidepressant treatments in children and adolescents emphasizes the gap between efficacy data derived from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and the limited effectiveness data from community-based practices. Part one is a brief review of data from randomized, doubleblind clinical trials to assess the evidence base for the major approved indications for antidepressants in youths. Part two reviews information gaps in the evidence from RCTs. Part three discusses nonexperimental evidence of the use of antidepressants, including surveys of prescription sales, physician surveys, and population-based data. Part four presents a comprehensive model for assessing the use of antidepressants in youths in the community. The model aims to answer a range of public health-oriented questions and is intended to improve treating physicians’ and clinical care providers’ ability to manage medications for optimal patient benefit. Suggestions are made for engaging health service providers, health insurers, academicians, advocates, and the government in building the necessary infrastructure to make effectiveness as vital as efficacy to the model of drug therapy evaluation.
Palladium–ruthenium membranes for hydrogen separation fabricated by electroless co-deposition

Abstract Prior published research has claimed that the addition of 4.5 wt% ruthenium to palladium in dense, cold-worked membranes produces desirable properties for hydrogen separation, including greater mechanical strength and increased hydrogen permeability, particularly at higher temperature ranges. Electroless co-deposition onto porous media can be used to produce high-quality composite membranes which take advantage of both the mechanical strength of the support and the high flux of the thin film. The objectives of this investigation were to fabricate Pd–Ru alloy composite membranes, and to examine their properties. A carbonless co-deposition bath was developed to allow membranes with 0-10 wt% ruthenium (by bath composition) to be electrolessly plated onto a variety of media. These membranes were characterized using nanoindentation hardness testing, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and single gas permeation measurements. The ability to create membranes with hydrogen flux greater than one mol/m 2 /s and ideal hydrogen/nitrogen selectivity greater than 35,000 at 673 K and a differential H 2 pressure of 137.9 kPa was demonstrated. Hydrogen permeability in membranes containing ruthenium was similar to pure palladium membranes. Pd–Ru films from the co-deposition bath were able to bridge large pores in the support better than films produced from the pure Pd bath. Membrane composition was slightly palladium-enriched over the bath composition, and a 7.2 wt% Ru membrane was 80% harder than an equivalent pure Pd membrane.
Estimating LST Using a Vegetation-Cover-Based Thermal Sharpening Technique

Vegetation-cover-based thermal sharpening techniques have mostly been developed and tested in agricultural areas. Overlooking the impact of soil moisture on surface temperatures is a common problem in these algorithms. This letter developed a vegetation thermal sharpening method for the City of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, and estimated land surface temperature by disaggregated Landsat Thematic Mapper thermal infrared data from 120 to 30 m. The root-mean-square error was yielded at 1.90°C and 1.91°C using NDVI and fractional vegetation cover as predictors, respectively. The error of the estimation was overlaid with a soil moisture map, which was derived based on the surface energy balance modeling. The pixels with large errors were largely distributed in the areas with low soil moisture. These areas were covered by impervious surfaces such as major roads, commercial land, and the airport. This result suggested that in the urban areas, besides vegetation cover and soil moisture, impervious surfaces must be incorporated in developing any future thermal sharpening techniques. The incorporation of population density and per capita consumption of energy may provide further improvements in the estimation.
A reduced-order finite element model for the simulation of automotive side structure crash response

A design-oriented simulation technique for predicting the crash behaviour of automotive side structure without requiring complete vehicle geometry is presented. The technique is based on reduced-order finite element analysis using beam elements and non-linear discrete elements. The localised bending collapse of the pillar is represented by nonlinear springs, and the joint flexibility is accounted for using revolute joint elements. The pillar intrusion levels predicted by the reduced-order model compare well with the corresponding shell element model in both elastic and fully plastic loading cases.
Intrinsic Terminator Prediction and Its Application in Synechococcus sp. WH8102

A new method for intrinsic terminator prediction based on Rnall, an RNA local secondary structure prediction algorithm developed recently, and two U-tail score schemas are developed. By optimizing three parameters (thermodynamic energy of RNA hairpin structure, U-tail T weight, and U-tail hybridization energy), the method can recognize 92.25% of known terminators while rejecting 98.48% of predicted RNA local secondary structures in coding regions (negative control) as false intrinsic terminators in E. coli. This method was applied to scan the genome of Synechococcus sp. WH8102, and we predicted 266 intrinsic terminators, which included 232 protein-coding genes, 12 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes. About 17% of these terminators are located at the end of operons. It is also identified 8 pairs of bio-directional terminators. The method for intrinsic terminator prediction has been incorporated into Rnall, which is available at http://digbio.missouri.edu/∼wanx/Rnall/.
Spin observables in low energy nucleon-antinucleon scattering

We discuss the model dependence of the spin parameters for low and medium energy antinucleon-nucleon (N-barN) scattering. An N-barN potential model is used, consisting of a t-channel meson exchange part, supplemented by a complex annihilation potential, adjusted to reproduce the observed energy dependence of total elastic, inelastic and charge exchange cross sections. A number of striking spin effects are predicted, particularly in the charge exchange channel. We explore the sensitivity of these effects to changes in the real and imaginary parts of the N-barN potential; in particular, we assess the possibility of extracting the strength of the coherent N-barN tensor potential due to ..pi.., rho, and ..omega.. exchange from future data. Some implications of our results for future experiments are mentioned.
Applications of weighting and chirality strategies for distance geometry algorithms to an enterotoxin peptide analog

Significant improvements are made to a recent algorithm that finds molecular conformations using distance geometry on nuclear magnetic resonance data. Weighting factors for the nearest approximation of the distance matrix to a data matrix are allowed to vary between iterations of the algorithm. These changes are proportional to the error of the distance between atoms in the configuration and the nuclear magnetic resonance data bounds. The weight changes increase the rate of convergence by an order of magnitude. Penalty functions are proposed to ensure the correct chirality. Numerical results for these modifications and subsequent energy calculations using CHARMm are given for an analog of the heat stable (ST) enterotoxin peptide STh produced byE. coli in humans.
Fatty acid compositions of phospholipids and triacylglycerols from selected terrestrial arthropods

The fatty acid compositions of phospholipids and triacylglycerols from selected orthognath spider tissues, scorpion body segments, whole millipedes, and whole labidognath spiders were determined. The major components were C16 and C18 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids as well as C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The eicosanoid precursor polyunsaturated fatty acids 20:4n-6 and 20:5n-3 were present in substantial proportions of phospholipids in all tissues examined. The fatty acid profiles of these terrestrial arthropods differ markedly from corresponding profiles of terrestrial insects in that substantially greater proportions of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids are present in the organisms in this study. This finding supports the idea that maintaining low proportions of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids is a special condition of terrestrial insects.
Comparison of exhaled nitric oxide to spirometry during emergency treatment of asthma exacerbations with glucocorticoids in children.

Background Asthma is characterized as a chronic inflammatory process; however, there is no easily measured marker for airway inflammation. Such a marker, particularly in children, would be very helpful in the management of asthma even in the acute setting. Objective The purposes of this study were to determine whether asthmatic children have (1) elevation of exhaled breath nitric oxide (ENO) during acute exacerbations when presenting to the emergency room, (2) reduction of ENO following glucocorticoid treatment, or (3) improvement in spirometry and clinical examination accompanying reduction of ENO levels. Methods Peak ENO levels were measured by chemiluminescence during exhalation into the NO analyzer. Ten asthmatic children (mean age 10 years) who presented to the Pediatric Special Care Unit at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in acute respiratory distress with an asthma exacerbation were studied. The subjects were recruited, after informed consent was obtained from the parent, on the basis of specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. Measurements of ENO in parts per billion (ppb) and spirometry, including percentiles of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1 %) and peak expiratory flow (PEF%), were performed before and after at least 5 days of glucocorticoid therapy. Results The mean ENO level in the asthmatic children prior to glucocorticoid treatment was 48 ± 8ppb, and after glucocorticoid treatment the ENO level was 17 ± 1ppb; ( P 1 % value was 68 ± 3% compared with the postglucocorticoid treatment FEV 1 % value of 100 ± 5%; ( P P Conclusions The mean peak ENO level after glucocorticoid therapy was significantly less than that measured before treatment in children with acute asthma exacerbations. Concomitant with the decrease in ENO levels, there was improvement in the spirometry values and physical examination in the asthmatic children; thus, ENO is a sensitive marker for response to anti-inflammatory treatment in children.
“Every room is a new battle”: The lessons of modern urban warfare

The world is urbanizing rapidly, yet Western military forces have yet to come to terms with the peculiar demands of urban warfare. The harsh urban environment, particularly in the developing world, is an ideal arena for “asymmetrical” adversaries seeking to neutralize the technological, logistical, and organizational advantages currently enjoyed by modern military forces. After examining some of the security implications of urbanization, this article explores three recent representative examples of urban warfare: Beirut (1982), Mogadishu (1993), and Grozny (1994–1995). In each case study, the organization, equipment, and training of the forces involved are examined, and conclusions are drawn about what types of military systems, munitions, and force structure were effective, and why. The final section of the article draws together lessons from these case studies and from other accounts of urban battles in an effort to understand what is needed to improve military performance in this environment. The autho...
Water absorption of wood polypropylene composite sheet piles and its influence on mechanical properties

Abstract The water absorption behavior and durability of extruded wood polypropylene composite (WPC) material used in Z-section sheet piles was investigated. An experimental technique to determine percentage water absorption and its effect on mechanical properties was implemented. Water absorption tests were carried out on specimens cut from flanges and webs of the Z-section by immersion in tap water at 21, 45 and 70 °C. Freeze–thaw resistance of saturated composites was studied by cycling temperatures in the range of 21 to −29 °C. The absorption behavior followed the kinetics of a Fickian diffusion process. This behavior was modeled using an analytical solution based on Fick’s second law of diffusion. Quasi-static bending tests were conducted periodically on specimens immersed in water to assess degradation in flexural properties. A significant decrease in mechanical properties of the water-saturated specimens compared to the dry control was observed. Degradation of flexural modulus was found to be a strong function of water absorption with initial decrement as percentage water absorption increased and finally stabilized as the absorption process approached saturation. However, freeze–thaw cycling did not have any significant effect on mechanical properties of saturated composites. A phenomenological model for moisture intrusion and its effect on mechanical properties was implemented and applied to explain the experimental findings.