cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ELF: A Tool for Automatic Synthesis of Custom Physical CAD Software

This paper describes how program synthesis techniques can be applied to the generation of technology-sensitive VLSI design tools. We present results from ELF, a synthesis tool for wire-routing software. The ELF synthesis architecture has three key features. First, a very high level language, lacking data structure implementation specifications is used to describe algorithm design styles. Second, routing domain knowledge and generic program synthesis knowledge are used to guide search among candidate design styles for all necessary component algorithms, and to deduce compatible data structure implementations for these components. Third, code generation is used to transform the resulting abstract descriptions of selected algorithms and data structures into final, executable code. Code generation is an incremental, stepwise refinement process. We present experimental results from several correct, fully-functional routers synthesized by ELF from varying high-level specifications.
Novel less-abundant viral microRNAs encoded by herpes simplex virus 2 latency-associated transcript and their roles in regulating ICP34.5 and ICP0 mRNAs

We recently identified an acutely and latently expressed viral microRNA (miRNA), miR-I, encoded by herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) latency-associated transcript (LAT) through small RNA cloning and two miRNAs encoded by HSV-1 LAT through prediction. We now report the use of high-throughput sequencing technology to identify two additional relatively less-abundant viral miRNAs, miR-II and miR-III, encoded by HSV-2 LAT exon 2. miR-II includes two miRNAs, miR-II-5p and miR-II-3p, which are processed from the same miRNA precursor. miR-II and miR-III map antisense to the 5′ untranslated region of ICP34.5 and to the coding region of ICP0 exon 3, respectively. These novel miRNAs are conserved in different HSV-2 strains, and their presence in infected- and transfected-cell cultures was confirmed by Northern hybridization. All three HSV-2 LAT-encoded miRNAs map to genome locations similar to those of three out of four identified HSV-1 LAT-encoded miRNAs, but the sequences of these miRNAs are not conserved. The expression of LAT-encoded miRNAs is negatively regulated by ICP4, the major viral transactivator. We further show that, similar to miR-I, miR-II is able to efficiently silence the expression of ICP34.5, a key viral neurovirulence factor, and that miR-III is able to silence the expression of ICP0, a key viral transactivator. All these data suggest that LAT sequences likely contribute to HSV latency and reactivation through tight control of these LAT-encoded miRNAs and their viral targets.
Crystal structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Aro8, a putative α‐aminoadipate aminotransferase

α-Aminoadipate aminotransferase (AAA-AT) catalyzes the amination of 2-oxoadipate to α-aminoadipate in the fourth step of the α-aminoadipate pathway of lysine biosynthesis in fungi. The aromatic aminotransferase Aro8 has recently been identified as an AAA-AT in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This enzyme displays broad substrate selectivity, utilizing several amino acids and 2-oxo acids as substrates. Here we report the 1.91A resolution crystal structure of Aro8 and compare it to AAA-AT LysN from Thermus thermophilus and human kynurenine aminotransferase II. Inspection of the active site of Aro8 reveals asymmetric cofactor binding with lysine-pyridoxal-5-phosphate bound within the active site of one subunit in the Aro8 homodimer and pyridoxamine phosphate and a HEPES molecule bound to the other subunit. The HEPES buffer molecule binds within the substrate-binding site of Aro8, yielding insights into the mechanism by which it recognizes multiple substrates and how this recognition differs from other AAA-AT/kynurenine aminotransferases.
Thin Film Resonator Based Low Insertion Loss Filters

Progress on the TFR SCF (stacked crystal filter) configurations is reported including device performance, modeling, design, and materials requirements. Both Si- and GaAs-substrate-based filters are reported with GaAs receiving increased emphasis for microwave integrated circuit applications. The experimental results reported are the result of a number of device feasibility studies done in the course of developing the technology toward its fully integrated form. Filters having insertion losses less than 1.6 dB, with two pole equivalent responses, have been demonstrated at frequencies between 1 and 2 GHz. These filters, using aluminum nitride as the piezoelectric, are approximately 1 mm/sup 2/ in area and designed for a 50- Omega impedance level. >
Modeling and Characterization of Transformers Internal Faults using Finite Elements and Discrete Wavelet Transforms

This paper examines the behavior of single phase and three phase transformers with internal faults under sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal operating conditions. The terminal behavior of the transformer was investigated by coupling the finite element transformer's physical model and external electric circuit simulations. Such a model would allow the efficient representation of the transformers with internal faults. A discrete wavelet transforms (DWT) was then used to extract the different harmonic components of the transformer currents. The key advantages of the DWT are its ability to provide a local representation (in both time and frequency) of the current signal for normal and faulty modes, as well as its applicability to nonstationary signals
Study of the Lattice Dynamics of Iron Nanocrystals by Mossbauer Spectroscopy

The vibrational properties of iron particles with nanometer sizes in Fe-SiO2 and Fe-A12O3 granular materials are studied by Mossbauer spectroscopy. The spectra include contributions from metallic Fe atoms at the core of the particles and apparently from surface and oxidized Fe atoms, which are analyzed separately. The temperature dependences of the recoilless fractions are analyzed using the Debye model. The Mossbauer Debye temperature ΘM for metallic Fe is found to decrease dramatically with smaller grain sizes, indicative of a “softening” of the phonon spectrum.
An Apparent Stress-Induced Release of Arginine Vasopressin by Human Neonates*

The condition (s) that results in elevated concentrations of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in umbilical cord plasma of human neonates was investigated, and we sought to ascertain if a correlation exists between the plasma concentration of AVP and fetal stress. The concentration of AVP in arterial cord plasma was consistently greater than that in venous cord plasma regardless of the status of the neonate or whether it was delivered vaginally or by cesarean section. This umbilical arteriovenous difference is suggestive of fetal secretion of AVP and clearance of circulating AVP by the placenta. The concentration of AVP in fetal plasma was greater than that in maternal plasma at the time of vaginal delivery. We found appreciably higher concentrations of AVP in cord plasma from infants who were believed to have been subjected to stress during pregnancy, labor, and⁄or delivery than in cord plasma from infants believed not to have been stressed. The concentration of AVP in arterial cord plasma from vaginally delive...
Updated mass predictions from the Garvey-Kelson mass relations☆

Abstract Part A, Neutron-Rich Nuclides, describes the procedures for estimating masses of neutron-rich nuclei from the transverse Garvey-Kelson mass relation. This relation represents a homogeneous partial difference equation. The most general solutions have been subjected to a χ2-minimization procedure (boundary condition) based on the new atomic mass adjustment of Wapstra and Bos. The resulting solution can be viewed as a many-parameter mass equation with about 500 parameters. About 5000 mass values have been calculated for nuclei with 2 ≤ Z ≤ 100, 4 ≤ N ≤ 156, and N > Z (or N = Z= even). The standard deviation between calculated and experimental mass-excess values is σm = 118 keV. Part B, Proton-Rich Nuclides, describes the procedure for estimating masses of proton-rich nuclei with T ≥ 1 based on the charge-symmetric mass relation of Kelson and Garvey. Use is made of the experimental Coulomb energy differences between T = 1 2 mirror nuclei (A ≤ 55) together with a few estimated values (57 ≤ A ≤ 71). Mass values have been calculated for about 120 nuclei with 1 ≤ T ≤ 5 2 and A ≤ 70. The standard deviation between calculated and experimental mass-excess values is σm ≈ 100 keV.
Race-Related Differences in Self-Reported and Validated Turnout

Black Americans are less likely to participate in politics than white Americans are, but many studies argue that low levels of black participation result solely from racial differences in socioeconomic status. Analyses of the 1964, 1976, 1978, and 1980 SRC-CPS election surveys show that racial differences in reported turnout are greatly reduced or even reversed when controls for region and level of education are introduced. However, substantially different results obtain when turnout is measured by the SRC-CPS voter validation studies in which local registration and voting records are used to measure individual-level participation: the zero-order differences in turnout are larger, and controls for region and level of education only moderately reduce these differences. Analyses of the voter validation data suggest that blacks are less likely to vote than similarly situated whites.
National goals in transportation

Transportation appears to be one of the areas of the world economy which will reqere an increasing share of technology in the final third of the twentieth century. This has led the IEEE to devote a special issue of its PROCEEDINGS to the subject. Here are some thoughts which occurred to one of the board of editors in the process of assembling the issue. In a real way the national system mentioned here is only a part of the world transportation system and we will soon face these same problems on a world scale.
Nursing Home Administrators’ Attribution of Antifacility Bias to Ombudsman Programs

The federally mandated ombudsman program is a part of a deterrence approach to improving nursing home care. The author investigated whether nursing home administrators’(NHAs) views of volunteer resident advocates’ work would predict attributions of antifacility bias to ombudsman programs. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed from questionnaires completed by 199 NHAs. Perceptions of volunteers as aggressive and as hindrances, the belief that issues would be resolved without the program, and little contact with volunteers predicted an antifacility bias. There were four types of administrators who articulated needed improvements in ombudsman programs: positive activists, adversarials, collaborators, and educators. Strained relationships between NHAs and those who monitor them may increase facility and agency turnover and diminish the efforts of both. Research on person-environment fit for facility and ombudsman positions should be useful for those who train, license, certify, or hire these pe...
An Examination of the Relationship Between Teacher Efficacy and Curriculum-Based Measurement and Student Achievement:

This study examined the relationship between special education teachers' sense of personal and teaching efficacy and (a) their use of a formative evaluation method (curriculum-based measurement) and (b) the amount of growth they effected among their students. nineteen special education teachers monitored two students with mild disabilities over 16 weeks in math computation using curriculum-based measurement. results indicated that teachers with high personal efficacy and high teaching efficacy increased end-of-year goals more often for their students; teachers with high teaching efficacy set end-of-year goals that were more ambitious for their students. teachers with high personal efficacy effected significantly greater growth. suggestions for additional research and implications for practice are discussed.
Nonlinear estimation of longitudinal tire slip under several driving conditions

This paper presents an effectively unbiased nonlinear estimation scheme which identifies tire longitudinal stiffness and effective radius using GPS and ABS wheelspeed sensors. This estimation strategy is then used to experimentally identify the longitudinal stiffness and effective radius of a summer tire and a winter tire under several different test conditions. The data clearly shows that there are several important parameters which govern tire longitudinal stiffness behavior in the low slip region. At a minimum, inflation pressure, tread depth, normal loading and temperature have a strong influence on longitudinal stiffness estimates; the change from dry to wet asphalt had the smallest effect on longitudinal stiffness estimates.
On the non-linear interaction of inertial modes

It is shown that the principal non-linear interaction of inviscid inertial modes does not produce a resonant response in the steady geostrophic circulation. The rectified geostrophic flow manifested in a closed rotating container by a periodic excitation seems to result from a combination of viscous and non-linear effects within the boundary layers.
Interplay between Intestinal Microbiota and Host Immune System

Whether we are aware or not, diverse microorganisms are living on almost all environmentally exposed surfaces on our body without eliciting harmful immune responses. In fact, recent understanding from numerous studies indicates that our health is highly dependent on the contribution of intestinal commensal bacteria. It appears through its symbiotic interaction with the host, which is the result of millions of years of co-evolution, the microbiota shapes the immune system. In this review, we discuss the relationship between host physiology and commensal bacteria and explore the molecular mechanisms by which the adaptive immune system is influenced by the intestinal microbiota.
Review: Deficiencies in the neutrophil system of newborn infants, and the use of leukocyte transfusions in the treatment of neonatal sepsis

Bacterial sepsis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period. Deficiencies in neutrophil chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and bacterial killing have all been proposed as factors possibly responsible for this problem. In addition, the neutrophil storage pool, or all segmented neutrophils, band neutrophils, and metamyelocytes/kg body weight stored within the marrow, appears to be very small in neonates compared to that in adults, and when an infection develops in a neonate, neutrophil production from stem cells may be limited. In this paper we review the evidence for these neonatal neutrophil deficiencies and examine the animal and clinical studies which have tested leukocyte transfusion as a possible adjunctive therapeutic modality for sepsis neonatorum.
Lateral MEMS microcontact considerations

A lateral switching relay structure has been developed which provides a double gold contact with as low as 70-m/spl Omega/ measured contact resistance, 0.45-A current-carrying ability at MEMS compatible force levels, TTL compatible actuation, and air gap isolation when open. The die area used for the relay mechanism itself (distinct from the actuation) is approximately 75 /spl mu/m by 100 /spl mu/m and was designed to allow fabrication of the relays in the MCNC MUMP's dual polysilicon foundry process with no assembly. Design analysis shows that substantial characterization is needed to design optimal microrelays. Temperature softening and failure modes have been characterized by current voltage techniques. Polysilicon vernier structures were used to develop force/current/conductance curves. Relays using thermal actuators have been built.
Active and interactive learning online: a comparison of Web-based and conventional writing classes

This study examines how students enrolled in two Web-based sections of a technical writing class performed compared to students enrolled in a conventional version of the class. Although no significant difference in student performance was found between the two learning conditions, our data reveal intriguing relationships between students' prior knowledge, attitudes, and learning styles and our Web-based writing environment. One finding that we focus on is that reflective, global learners performed significantly better online than active, sequential learners, whereas there was no difference between them in the conventional class. Our study highlights the complexity of effective teaching and the difficulty of making comparisons between the online and the classroom environments. In particular, we maintain that the transfer of active learning strategies to the Web is not straightforward and that interactivity as a goal of instructional Web site design requires significant elaboration.
Assisting Patients to Age in Place An Innovative Pilot Program Utilizing the Patient Centered Care Model (PCCM) in Home Care

This article describes how one large not-for-profit home health care agency sought to stimulate a practice change among their nurses to better service the frail, complex patient population in a Long-Term Home Health Care Program (LTHHCP). This LTHHCP designed an innovative initiative that encouraged a combination of coaching techniques, assessment tools, and a range of patient-centered evidence-based practices to provide clinicians with necessary skills and competencies to provide the highest standards of care for their patients. The innovative model, called patient-centered care model (PCCM) was piloted in one service area, and a formal evaluation was integrated into the initiative to allow measurement of desired outcomes. This article describes the long- and short-term goals of PCCM, examine the components of the PCCM model, and discuss how the progress of the initiative is being evaluated and assessed.
Testing an Automated Method to Estimate Ground-Water Recharge from Streamflow Records

The computer program, RORA, allows automated analysis of streamflow hydrographs to estimate ground-water recharge. Output from the program, which is based on the recession-curve-displacement method (often referred to as the Rorabaugh method, for whom the program is named), was compared to estimates of recharge obtained from a manual analysis of 156 years of streamflow record from 15 streamflow-gaging stations in the eastern United States. Statistical tests showed that there was no significant difference between paired estimates of annual recharge by the two methods. Tests of the slopes of best-fit lines through paired estimates showed that the slopes were not significantly different from unity. Tests of results produced by the four workers who performed the manual method showed that results can differ significantly between workers. Twenty-two percent of the variation between manual and automated estimates could be attributed to having different workers perform the manual method. The program RORA will produce estimates of recharge equivalent to estimates produced manually, greatly increase the speed of analysis, and reduce the subjectivity inherent in manual analysis.
3D Structure of the Dihydropyridine Receptor of Skeletal Muscle

Excitation contraction coupling, the rapid and massive Ca 2+ release under control of an action potential that triggers muscle contraction, takes places at specialized regions of the cell called triad junctions. There, a highly ordered supramolecular complex between the dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) and the ryanodine receptor (RyR1) mediates the quasi‐instantaneous conversion from T‐tubule depolarization into Ca 2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). The DHPR has several key modules required for EC coupling: the voltage sensors and II‐III loop in the alpha1s subunit, and the beta subunit. To gain insight into their molecular organization, this review examines the most updated 3D structure of the DHPR as obtained by transmission electron microscopy and image reconstruction. Although structure determination of a heteromeric membrane protein such as the DHPR is challenging, novel technical advances in protein expression and 3D labeling facilitated this task. The 3D structure of the DHPR complex consists of a main body with five irregular corners around its perimeter encompassing the transmembrane alpha 1s subunit besides the intracellular beta subunit, an extended extracellular alpha 2 subunit, and a bulky intracellular II‐III loop. The structural definition attained at 19 A resolution enabled docking of the atomic coordinates of structural homologs of the alpha1s and beta subunits. These structural features, together with their relative location with respect to the RyR1, are discussed in the context of the functional data.
A Model-Law Approach to Restructuring Unsustainable Sovereign Debt

Unresolved sovereign debt problems are hurting debtor nations, their citizens and their creditors, and also can pose serious systemic threats to the international financial system. The existing contractual restructuring approach is insufficient to make sovereign debt sustainable. Although a more systematic legal resolution framework is needed, a formal multilateral approach, such as a treaty, is not currently politically viable. An informal model-law approach should be legally, politically and economically feasible. This informal approach would not require multilateral acceptance. Because most sovereign debt contracts are governed by either New York or English law, it would be sufficient if one or both of those jurisdictions enacted a proposed Sovereign Debt Restructuring Model Law as their domestic law.
What's the Role of Autonomy in Patient- and Family-Centered Care When Patients and Family Members Don't Agree?

When patients are conflicted about following their family’s wishes about end-of-life care, doctors should discuss goals and values to reconcile discord.
FabAV antivenin use after copperhead snakebite: clinically indicated or knee-jerk reaction?

Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) (FabAV) antivenin is commonly recommended after pit viper snakebites. Because copperhead envenomations are usually self-limited, some physicians are reluctant to use this costly treatment routinely, while others follow a more liberal approach. We hypothesized that, in practice, only patients with evidence of significant (moderate or severe) copperhead envenomation [those with snakebite severity score (SSS) > 3] receive FabAV and examined a large cohort to determine the relationship between clinical findings and FabAV administration. All data from patients evaluated for copperhead snakebite at a rural tertiary referral center from 5/2002 to 10/2013 were compiled. Demographics, transfer status, antivenin use, and clinical findings were collected; SSS was calculated. The relationships among FabAV use, clinical findings, and SSS were analyzed using t-test, chi-square, and Pearson’s coefficient (p 3, indicating moderate or severe envenomation, was only very weakly correlated with antivenin use (r = 0.217; p 3 (65.8 %) did not receive antivenin while most patients who did receive antivenin (70.5 %) had SSS ≤ 3 (indicating mild envenomation). Considerable variation occurs in antivenin administration after copperhead snakebite. Use of FabAV appears poorly correlated with patients’ symptoms. This practice may expose patients to the risks of antivenin and increasing costs of medical care without improving outcomes. Guidelines used for treating other pit viper strikes, such as rattlesnake or cottonmouth snakebite may be too liberal for copperhead envenomations. Our data suggests that most patients with mild or moderate envenomation appear to do well independent of FabAV use. We suggest, for patients with copperhead snakebite, that consideration be given to withholding FabAV for those without clinical evidence of severe envenomation until prospective randomized data are available.
Assessment of the Double-Staple Technique for Esophagoenteric Anastomosis in Gastric Cancer

Introduction Reports on outcomes after double-staple technique (DST) for total and proximal gastrectomy are limited, originating mostly from Asian centers. Our objective was to examine anastomotic leak and stricture with DST for esophagoenteric anastomosis in gastric cancer patients.
MYOCARDIAL CONTRACTILE PROTEIN: DEPENDENCE OF VISCOSIMETRIC PROPERTIES ON ORGAN SIZE.

SummaryThe viscosimetric response of rat myocardial actomyosin solutions to addition of ATP (ATP sensitivity) varies with ventricular weight. This suggests quantitative or qualitative changes in the components of the contractile system with cardiac growth. Total contractile protein concentration is unchanged and maximum isometric tension development by surviving muscles did not vary.
Thermal Protection for a Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator Cover Panel System

This paper describes the development and design of the thermal protection for a cover panel system meant to insulate an inflatable decelerator from aerodynamic heating during entry into the Martian atmosphere. The inflatable decelerator, stowed just behind the shoulder of the entry capsule, is to be deployed during the supersonic descent portion of flight. Three options - named “hard”, “medium”, and “soft” - are considered in the design of the cover panel system. In each design cycle, requisite aerothermal environments are generated using a combination of high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics and engineering tools. The choice of a thermal protection system material for the cover panel system is based on the predicted maximum margined heat flux, and sized to the predicted maximum margined heat load along an entry trajectory. It is shown that the predicted aerothermal environments are benign enough to consider use of flexible thermal protection system materials with Space Shuttle flight heritage. Finally, recommendations are made for maturation of flexible material technology for this application and reduction of design analysis cycles.
The intersection of aggregate-level lead exposure and crime.

Abstract Context Childhood lead exposure has been associated with criminal behavior later in life. The current study aimed to analyze the association between elevated blood lead levels (n=59,645) and crime occurrence (n=90,433) across census tracts within St. Louis, Missouri. Design Longitudinal ecological study. Setting Saint Louis, Missouri. Exposure measure Blood lead levels. Main outcome measure Violent, Non-violent, and total crime at the census tract level. Results Spatial statistical models were used to account for the spatial autocorrelation of the data. Greater lead exposure at the census-tract level was associated with increased violent, non-violent, and total crime. In addition, we examined whether non-additive effects existed in the data by testing for an interaction between lead exposure and concentrated disadvantage. Some evidence of a negative interaction emerged, however, it failed to reach traditional levels of statistical significance (supplementary models, however, revealed a similar negative interaction that was significant). Conclusions More precise measurements of lead exposure in the aggregate, produced additional evidence that lead is a potent predictor of criminal outcomes.
Fluorinated Silicon Nitride (a-Si:N,F,H) Films Using NF3 for Amorphous Silicon Based Solar Cells

The large amounts of methane commonly used to prepare wide-gap a-SiC:H films present a lot of problems. This study was aimed at investigating the properties of fluorinated silicon nitride as an alternative to silicon carbide and to study the thermal stability of the films. p]The RF glow discharge of NF3 (an etchant gas) and pure SiH4 produced a-Si:H,N,F films. Films were deposited with a gas ratio of NF3 over (NF3 + SiH4) from 0% to 15%. The substrate temperature, chamber pressure, and power were kept constant; only flow rate was varied. Characterizations of the films included AES, FTIR, visible/UV spectroscopy, dark conductivity, and photoconductivity. p]Deposition rate increased about eight times with an addition of 6% NF3. The deposition rate increased from 1.22 A/s to 10.5 A/s. The Tauc optical gap increased from 1.72 eV to about 2.06 eV, suggesting excellent N incorporation. The dark conductivity decreased one order of magnitude while the photoconductivity decreased by as much as five orders of magnitude with ELH light. FTIR spectra showed the nitrogen incorporation. The Si-N bonds replaced the Si-Si bonds with increasing NF3 concentration. Also with increasing NF3 content in the gas phase, the hydrogen concentration in the material decreased and the films became more thermally stable.
High-pressure freeze and freeze substitution electron microscopy in c. Elegans

While traditional chemical fixation methods for C. elegans electron microscopy (EM) have provided invaluable anatomical and structural information, the development of high-pressure freeze (HPF) and freeze substitution (FS) protocols offers advantages for high-resolution imaging. Specimens prepared using HPF methodology exhibit fewer distortion artifacts due to fixation and dehydration, have improved antigenicity, and result in a more physiologically accurate structural representation of the worm. In the HPF technique, freely moving worms are frozen at high-pressure (2100 bar) and low temperature (-180 °C) within milliseconds. These conditions prevent the formation of ice crystals that can damage cellular structures. Samples then undergo FS, during which worms are slowly brought to room temperature while substituting amorphous ice with organic solvents to preserve tissue in its near native state and provide contrast for imaging. FS can be performed in an automatic freeze substitution (AFS) machine or in makeshift, temperature controlled chambers. Fixed worms can be embedded in plastic resin and further processed for a variety of imaging techniques. Samples then viewed using scanning (SEM) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM) will show enhanced preservation of organelles, cell morphology, and antigenicity for immunocytochemistry.
Nutrition Labeling: An Evaluation of Consumer Attitudes

While numerous programs requiring more information disclosure have become law, little attention has focused on measuring their impact on consumer attitudes and behavior. This paper reports the results of an experiment which employed an unobstrusive research method to measure consumer attitudes toward nutrition labeling. The findings suggest that consumers are passive about having more nutrition information on food product labels. However, prior messages about nutrition labeling by an authoritative source may be an effective vehicle to sensitize consumers about the value of nutrition information.
Sample Concentration and Separation on Microchips

Microfabricated devices integrating solid phase extraction and chromatographie separation with solvent programming were demonstrated. Preconcentration and separation were performed on channels 5 µm deep and 25 µm wide coated with a C18 phase, and elution was achieved under isoeratie, step, or linear gradient conditions. For the solid phase extraction, signal enhancement factors of 400 over a standard injeetion of 1.0 s were observed for a 320 s injeetion.
Induction of Diuresis and Natriuresis for Renal Protection: Update on the RenalGuard System™

“Forced diuresis” is a technique that involves inducing a high urine flow rate. In most circumstances, diuretics and intravenous fluid replacement are necessary. Forced diuresis is recommended in a number of circumstances to improve or protect kidney function. The technique can be difficult to manage in clinical practice, often leading to net volume loss or excess. In this article, we review the data on the use of the RenalGuard system™. RenalGuard® accurately matches urine output and intravenous fluid input in real time and prevents any net volume changes. To date, RenalGuard® has been studied for prevention of acute kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, and transcatheter aortic valve implantation. The possible mechanisms involved in producing a benefit are discussed.
Method of adaptive computing as a basis for constructing the computational core for special matchers

The article is devoted to the modern solutions of the synthesis problem. The article is describes the algorithm parallelization computing by mask predetermined a mathematical formula and implementation of the data in computational core of specialized a microprocessor systems.
Which medical ethics for the 21st century

two theories of medical ethics - secular bioethics and Roman Catholic medical ethics, what they are, comparing their conclusions about what is right or wrong, and indicating where they have already lead us.
Antistatic and conductive textiles

Abstract: The generation of static charges on the surface of textiles can lead to serious consequences, such as handling problems during textile processing, breaking down of sensitive electronic devices, ignition of flammable vapors and dusts in certain environments, clinging tendency and annoying electrical shocks during consumer use. This chapter introduces the fundamentals of static charge generation on textile materials and the key principles of antistatic and conductive textiles. The roles, types, evaluation methods and future trends of antistatic and conductive textiles are discussed.
Is There a Threshold Value of Hemoglobin A1c That Predicts Risk of Infection Following Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background There remains little evidence to support a perioperative hemoglobin A1c (HbA 1c ) level that could serve as a threshold for a significantly increased risk of deep postoperative infection in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods A national administrative database was queried for patients who underwent primary THA with DM. Patients with an HbA 1c level within 3 months of surgery were identified and were stratified based on HbA 1c level in 0.5 mg/dL increments. The incidence of deep infection requiring operative intervention within 1 year for each group was identified and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC) analysis was performed to determine a threshold value of the HbA 1c . Results A total of 7736 patients who underwent THA with a perioperative HbA 1c level were included. The rate of infection ranged from 0.7% to 5.9%. The inflection point of the ROC curve corresponded to an HbA 1c level between 7.0 and 7.5 mg/dL ( P = .001, specificity = 69%, sensitivity = 47%). The AUC for the ROC was 0.68. Patients with an HbA 1c level of 7.5 mg/dL or greater had a significantly higher risk of deep infection compared to patients below this threshold (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.9-3.4; P Conclusion The risk of infection in patients with DM increases as the perioperative HbA 1c increases. However, in the present study, the HbA 1c threshold level calculated demonstrated low discrimination based on our AUC value, suggesting the HbA 1c test is poorly predictive of periprosthetic joint infection following THA in patients with DM.
Epigenetics in Insects: Mechanisms, Phenotypes and Ecological and Evolutionary Implications

Abstract Insects are being extensively investigated in the context of both intra- and transgenerational epigenetic phenomena and mechanisms. DNA methylation, histone modification and noncoding RNAs are all involved in phenotypic modification in insects. Changes in patterns of these epigenetic markers may arise from stressors, including physicochemical factors, nutrition, predation and crowding. Special cases of metamorphosis, social societies, solitarious to gregarious phase changes, diapause and insect–microbe interactions are all being actively explored in the context of the insect epigenome. Epigenetic inheritance emerges as a rapid way of modifying phenotype in large proportions of a population to bridge across an environmental stressor for a few generations, and can be both widespread in a population and capable of being rapidly “sunsetted”, both advantages over genetic inheritance. Finally, much emphasis has been placed on epigenetic mechanisms, perhaps at the expensive of fully understanding the role of epigenetics in altering phenotype. Correlations are abundant, while demonstration of cause and effect relationships between epigenetic markers and insect phenotype remains elusive.
Design and Modeling of a Linear Microactuator

This paper describes the design and modeling of a linear microactuator of polysilicon made by Silicon surface micromachining technology. The microactuator, two micrometers thick and less than one millimeters on the side, is built on a silicon wafer and is actuated by electrostatic forces on its interdigitated fingers. By means of a simple electro-mechanical model, dynamic equations are derived and values of force, mass, drag, and spring constant applying to the microactuator are estimated; and from these values, a transfer function is obtained and an acceleration as much as 470g is found possible. These values are then used to predict dynamic performance of the microactuator, and furthermore to study its potential use as a feedback motion control device. While the fabrication and control of these microactuators are still in the research stage, the immediate goals are to develop position detection schemes and to incorporate detection and driving circuits with the microactuator on the same wafer.
How to influence consumer mindset: A perspective from service recovery

Abstract This research examines a theoretical framework that evaluates the effectiveness of service recovery strategies in influencing post-complaint consumer mindset. Based on the Justice Theory ( Adams, 1963 ), this study investigates the interrelationships among the focal constructs related to consumers’ behavioral and attitudinal factors after experiencing service failure. We evaluate the proposed framework through the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). This study contributes to the extant literature by: a) identifying the antecedents of positive word-of-mouth in service recovery context, b) helping service industry practitioners by showing a way to tailor their service recovery strategies through the use of importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) at both the construct and indicator levels, and c) providing a unique platform by analyzing real consumer experiences as opposed to the most extant researches which examine simulated consumer behaviors based on hypothetical scenarios. The results of this study indicate that through effective execution of service recovery strategies, it is possible to create strong sense of justice in a consumer's mind, which then service industry practitioners can leverage through loyalty to create more impact on post-complaint consumer mindset. This study also provides several theoretical and managerial implications.
What Asian Americans Really Care about When They Care about Education

Scholars assume that Asian Americans’ emphasis on education is due to immigrant parents’ own experiences with intense education when young and concerns about their children’s social mobility in the...
Role of Cholesterol in Membrane Microdomain Signaling

In monolayers of synthetic mixtures of phospholipids, sphingolipids, and free cholesterol (FC), the spontaneous formation of FC/sphingolipid-rich domains has been shown (Dietrich et al., 2001, 2002). Over the last decade, evidence has accumulated that comparable structures are present in the plasma membranes of living cells (Anderson, 1998; Smart, et al, 1999; Simons and Toomre, 2000; Fielding and Fielding, 2000; Parton, 2003). Because of their lipid composition, FC/sphingolipid-rich membrane domains are insoluble in nonionic detergents (Brown and London, 1998) and on this basis have been purified, together with a characteristic pattern of associated proteins. Flotation of the plasma membrane fraction in the absence of detergent purifies a similar FC/sphingolipid-rich fraction (Smart et al., 1996). More recently, it has become clear that two distinct and nonconvertible kinds of FC/sphingolipid-rich microdomains (lipid rafts and caveolae) (Iwabuchi et al., 1998; Abrami et al., 2001; Sowa et al., 2001) are present in both types of preparations. The two classes are increasingly recognized to play divergent roles at the cell surface.
Biosynthesis and Cannabinoid Receptor Affinity of the Novel Eicosanoid, Conjugated Triene Anandamide

The predominant psychotropic agent of the marihuana plant Cannabis sativa, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, has a diversity of pharmacological effects in mammalian systems.1 Some of these indicate that cannabinoids are of potential utility in treating diverse human conditions such as inflammation, pain and nausea. In the last several years, the effects of cannabinoids have been shown to occur through receptor mediated in addition to receptor independent pathways.1 The rat neuronal cannabinoid receptor (CB1), cloned and se-quenced in 1990, is of structure typical of G-protein coupled receptors with seven transmembrane domains.2 Soon after the discovery of this receptor, its endogenous ligand, anandamide, was isolated and structurally defined.3 It was of surprise that such an uncomplicated substance, composed simply of arachidonic acid and ethanolamine subunits, should have such an important neurochemical role (figure 1). The in vitro and in vivo pharmacological actions of anandamide are comparable to those of Δ9-THC, and include inhibition of adenylate cyclase, inhibition of N-type Ca+2 channels, inhibition of locomotor activity, and production of hypothermia, antinociception, and catalepsy.1 Correspondingly, there is great interest in both the structure-activity relationships of this new class of neurochemical as well as the search for new agonists and antagonists of this receptor. Our interest is focused in these latter areas, with our two approaches being 1) the screening of natural product extracts from marine organisms for agents that bind with high affinity to the cannabinoid receptor, and 2) the use of the unusual fatty acid metabolizing systems of marine algae to make correspondingly unique analogs of anandamide. Our progress with these two approaches forms the basis of this report.
Comparative Study of Forced Convection Boiling Heat Transfer Correlations for Cryogenic Fluids

The designer of cryogenic systems is frequently faced with the problem of determining the coefficients for forced convection boiling heat transfer. Unfortunately, because of the complexity of the heat transfer mechanism when boiling is involved, no generally accepted correlation for heat transfer coefficients has emerged. This is in spite of the efforts of many people who have attempted to derive, either empirically or theoretically, such a correlation. Consequently there are many predictive expressions to be found in the literature, and this paper has, as an attempt to aid the designer, undertaken to test and compare the more familiar expressions using the available cryogenic data. A statistical approach was used to compare the correlations, and the results are limited only to hydrogen in the nucleate and film boiling regions because of a lack of complete, tabulated experimental data for the other cryogenic fluids and also because of insufficient data in the transition boiling regions. A more detailed treatment of this subject, together with a pool boiling study and some properties data, may be found in an NBS Tech. Note No. 317 [1].
Molecular cloning and characterization of human centromeric autoantigen CENP-C: a component of the inner kinetochore plate

Chromosomes move in mitosis as a result of interactions between the centromere region and microtubules of the mitotic spindle. It is currently believed that a specialized chromosomal substructure located at the surface of the centromere is responsible for these movements. This structure, the kinetochore, is typically described as a three-layered disk composed of two dense plates with a space between them (Rieder, 1982). The inner dense plate is congruent with the surface of the centromeric heterochromatin, and under some circumstances is not clearly resolved from the surrounding chromatin. In human the three layers are all about 35 nm thick and 430 nm in diameter (diameter estimated from Rieder (1982) assuming 20 microtubules per chromosome).
Using Resource and Cost Considerations to Support Educational Evaluation: Six Domains:

Cost, cost-effectiveness, and benefit-cost analysis are methods used by economists to evaluate public policies. Essentially, these methods rely on impact evaluations, that is, research studies of e...
TNF-induced inflammatory genes escape repression in fibroblast-like synoviocytes: transcriptomic and epigenomic analysis.

Objective We investigated genome-wide changes in gene expression and chromatin remodelling induced by tumour necrosis factor (TNF) in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and macrophages to better understand the contribution of FLS to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods FLS were purified from patients with RA and CD14+ human monocyte-derived macrophages were obtained from healthy donors. RNA-sequencing, histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac), chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) and assay for transposable accessible chromatin by high throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) were performed in control and TNF-stimulated cells. Results We discovered 280 TNF-inducible arthritogenic genes which are transiently expressed and subsequently repressed in macrophages, but in RA, FLS are expressed with prolonged kinetics that parallel the unremitting kinetics of RA synovitis. 80 out of these 280 fibroblast-sustained genes (FSGs) that escape repression in FLS relative to macrophages were desensitised (tolerised) in macrophages. Epigenomic analysis revealed persistent H3K27 acetylation and increased chromatin accessibility in regulatory elements associated with FSGs in TNF-stimulated FLS. The accessible regulatory elements of FSGs were enriched in binding motifs for nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), interferon-regulatory factors (IRFs) and activating protein-1 (AP-1). Inhibition of bromodomain and extra-terminal motif (BET) proteins, which interact with histone acetylation, suppressed sustained induction of FSGs by TNF. Conclusion Our genome-wide analysis has identified the escape of genes from transcriptional repression in FLS as a novel mechanism potentially contributing to the chronic unremitting synovitis observed in RA. Our finding that TNF induces sustained chromatin activation in regulatory elements of the genes that escape repression in RA FLS suggests that altering or targeting chromatin states in FLS (eg, with inhibitors of BET proteins) is an attractive therapeutic strategy.
Optimally Balanced Gaussian Process Propensity Scores for Estimating Treatment Effects

Propensity scores are commonly employed in observational study settings where the goal is to estimate average treatment effects. This paper introduces a flexible propensity score modeling approach, where the probability of treatment is modeled through a Gaussian process framework. To evaluate the effectiveness of the estimated propensity score, a metric of covariate imbalance is developed that quantifies the discrepancy between the distributions of covariates in the treated and control groups. It is demonstrated that this metric is ultimately a function of the hyperparameters of the covariance matrix of the Gaussian process and therefore it is possible to select the hyperparameters to optimize the metric and minimize overall covariate imbalance. The effectiveness of the GP method is compared in a simulation against other methods of estimating the propensity score and the method is applied to data from Dehejia and Wahba (1999) to demonstrate benchmark performance within a relevant policy application.