cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formation of transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) from macroalgal detritus

Detritus derived from macroalgae often accumulates in the littoral and sublittoral of temperate shores. Experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that macroalgal detritus is a source of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP). Macroalgal detritus was incubated in artificial sea- water media under various experimental conditions. TEP concentrations were found to be propor- tional to the concentration of macroalgal detritus; however, dissolved carbohydrate concentrations were not related to detritus concentration. As TEP concentration did not increase over time, it was probably washed off the detritus when it was initially placed in the media. However, higher concen- trations of TEP (262 µg Gum Xanthan equivalent (g detritus) -1 ) were produced if inorganic nutrients were added to the media compared to controls (75 µg Gum Xanthan equivalent (g detritus) -1 ). Dis- solved carbohydrate and TEP concentrations increased with incubation temperature. TEP did not form abiotically from carbohydrate precursors derived from macroalgal detritus, indicating that microbial activity was important in their formation. TEP from macroalgal detritus will result in a flux of small, sticky particles into the water column which may subsequently affect the aggregation of both biotic and abiotic particles. This will affect both biogeochemical nutrient cycling in coastal waters and food web dynamics.
Recovery of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus from the faeces of wild piscivorous birds

Abstract Faecal samples were collected from wild birds frequenting salmonid fish hatcheries to determine if birds excrete infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) virus in their faeces. Samples were collected from early June through early September. IPN virus was detected in faeces from herons, mallards, and other birds at titres similar to the titres found in the hatchery fish. Bird predation and virus prevalence in bird faeces was much reduced at a hatchery using electric fence barriers to deter birds and at a hatchery where the entire raceway area was enclosed by netting.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies of sulfates and bisulfates interpreted by Xα and band structure calculations

Valence-band and core-level x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies of sulfate and bisulfate ions are reported. Sulfate and bisulfate ions cannot be distinguished in their core XPS spectra. The valence band region shows a significant difference in the relative intensity and separation of two prominent peaks, and this difference can be used to distinguish between sulfate and bisulfate because the separation is larger in the case of sulfate (∼4 eV) than for bisulfates (∼3 eV). We show that this difference can be used in a wide range of sulfate and bisulfates, including main group and transition metal compounds: Li 2 SO 4 , Na 2 SO 4 , K 2 SO 4 , MgSO 4 , Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 , FeSO 4 , Ni 2 SO 4 , Ag 2 SO 4 , (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , NaHSO 4 , KHSO 4 and NH 4 HSO 4 (some of these are hydrated). The sulfate and bisulfate spectra can be interpreted by cluster (multiple scattered-wave Xa calculations) and band structure calculations. A careful analysis of the valence band spectra of Li 2 SO 4 .H 2 O interpreted by band structure calculation results shows that the water of crystallization can be identified in the valence band region.
SPLASH: A framework for chip design and layout☆

Abstract SPLASH is a library-based environment for the design and layout of VLSI chips. The program for placement and routing embedded in SPLASH belongs to the class of standard-cell based systems; however, many improvements over the conventional standard-cell approach have been introduced, such as hierarchy, lack of restrictions on the location of the terminals in the cells (provided that they are on the cell boundaries) and automatic power and ground routing. The most significant feature of this system is its speed, because layouts of very complex chips can be generated in a few minutes. A chip with more than 3000 interconnections can be laid out in less than 8 minutes. SPLASH consists of three programs: SLIB, a library assembler, SNET, the net-list parser/builder and BRUTUS, a program for both interactive and fully automatic placement and routing, BRUTUS is Manhattan-rule based. Presently, SPLASH supports both nMOS and CMOS technologies.
Sustained changes of avoidance behavior after chronic nortriptyline administration.

The chronic administration of nortriptyline to rats on a Sidman avoidance schedule caused a general lowering of the avoidance response rate with an increase in the frequency of shock occurrence. During a 40-day period following 10 daily avoidance sessions with the drug, the response rates failed to return to pretreatment control levels. In spite of the lower response rates the number of shocks per session gradually decreased to normal levels over the post-treatment period. In a second experiment another group of rats was given nortriptyline daily for 10 days but was not exposed to the avoidance schedule during the treatment period. These animals showed no significant difference between pre- and post-treatment avoidance behavior. The persisting lower response rates are related to the behavior testing while the rats were depressed and not necessarily to the 10-day course of nortriptyline alone.
Intercultural Management Training: An Interview with Asma Abdullah

Asma Abdullah is a corporate trainer and specialist in intercultural management, training and education in Esso Production Malaysia Inc., Kuala Lumpur. She designs and conducts training courses in the human resource area for both national and expatriate employees. She is also a popular trainer and guest speaker on various aspects of intercultural management training in Malaysia and elsewhere. The purpose of this interview is to explore further Asma′s experiences and perspectives which have shaped her career in intercultural management training. The interview is organized into five parts dealing with Asma as a corporate trainer; her intellectual roots; the Malaysian culture; the influence of the American multinational; and cultural challenges for the intercultural management trainer.
MCHF studies of atomic photoionization: autoionization resonances in the partial photoionization cross sections of atomic fluorine

The partial and total photoionization cross sections for 2p sub-shell ionization of fluorine are calculated near the first ionization threshold 2s22p4 (3P). The electron correlation and polarization effects which are very important for both initial ground, the final ionic states and the final continuum states are taken into account using the multiconfiguration Hartree–Fock method for bound and continuum wave functions. The three series of autoionization resonances observed by experiment between the 3P–1D threshold, are identified accurately by the theoretical calculation. The calculated energy positions of the autoionization resonances 2p4(1D)ns 2D, 2p4(1D)md 2P and 2p4(1D)md 2D are compared with experimental measurements and are found to be in excellent agreement.
A hybrid optimisation approach to configure a supply chain for new product diffusion: a case study of multiple-sourcing strategy

Configuring a supply chain for a new product is a challenging task due to the lack of historical demand data and the dynamic/uncertain nature of the new product diffusion process. An integrated supply chain configuration (SCC) and new product diffusion (NPD) model is developed to explicitly account for the impact of demand dynamics during a new product's diffusion on an optimal supply chain configuration. Our hybrid NPD-SCC model allows a manufacturer to source from multiple suppliers, vendors or modes for its supply chain entities. Such a multiple-sourcing approach not only helps the manufacturer to diversify its pool of suppliers and maintain bargaining power, but also builds redundancy into the supply chain to hedge against potential demand surge and supply disruption during the new product life cycle. Through a case study and a comprehensive computational study, we find that although the single-sourcing solution is able to achieve lower unit-manufacturing cost (UMC), the multiple-sourcing approach is ...
INFLUENCE OF ELECTRON INTERACTIONS ON METALLIC PROPERTIES. I. SPECIFIC HEAT

The specific heat of an intermediate density electron gas has been calculated by the use of a momentum-transfer interpolation procedure analogous to that used by Nozi\`eres and Pines in the calculation of the correlation energy. The explicit momentum transfer dependence of the derivative of the self-energy at the Fermi surface has been calculated in the long-wavelength limit by the use of the random-phase approximation, and in the short-wavelength limit by the use of second-order perturbation theory with the neglect of parallel-spin interactions. The contributions from the intermediate momentum-transfer interactions are determined by a smooth interpolation between the short- and long-range regions. The results obtained by this procedure are in excellent accord with the high-density results for ${r}_{s}\ensuremath{\sim}1$, and in their application to the alkali metals predict the experimentally observed enhancement of the specific heat ratio.
Lung tissues in patients with systemic sclerosis have gene expression patterns unique to pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension.

Objective Pulmonary complications, including pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), are the leading cause of mortality in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aim of this study was to compare the molecular fingerprint of lung tissue and matching primary fibroblasts from patients with SSc with that of lung tissue and fibroblasts from normal donors, patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Methods Lung tissue samples were obtained from 33 patients with SSc who underwent lung transplantation. Tissues and cells from a subgroup of SSc patients with predominantly PF or PAH were compared to those from normal donors, patients with IPF, and patients with IPAH. Microarray data were analyzed using efficiency analysis for determination of the optimal data-processing methods. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used to confirm differential levels of messenger RNA and protein, respectively. Results Consensus efficiency analysis identified 242 and 335 genes that were differentially expressed in lungs and primary fibroblasts, respectively. SSc-PF and IPF lungs shared enriched functional groups in genes implicated in fibrosis, insulin-like growth factor signaling, and caveolin-mediated endocytosis. Gene functional groups shared by SSc-PAH and IPAH lungs included those involved in antigen presentation, chemokine activity, and interleukin-17 signaling. Conclusion Using microarray analysis on carefully phenotyped SSc and comparator lung tissues, we demonstrated distinct molecular profiles in tissues and fibroblasts from patients with SSc-associated lung disease compared to idiopathic forms of lung disease. Unique molecular signatures were generated that are disease specific (SSc) and phenotype specific (PF versus PAH). These signatures provide new insights into the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets of SSc-related lung disease.
Design of accurate and smooth filters for function and derivative reconstruction

The correct choice of function and derivative reconstruction filters is paramount to obtaining highly accurate renderings. Most filter choices are limited to a set of commonly used functions, and the visualization practitioner has so far no way to state his preferences in a convenient fashion. Much work has been done towards the design and specification of filters using frequency based methods. However for visualization algorithms it is more natural to specify a filter in terms of the smoothness of the resulting reconstructed function and the spatial reconstruction error. Hence, the authors present a methodology for designing filters based on spatial smoothness and accuracy criteria. They first state their design criteria and then provide an example of a filter design exercise. They also use the filters so designed for volume rendering of sampled data sets and a synthetic test function. They demonstrate that their results compare favorably with existing methods.
Effect of exenatide on lisinopril pharmacodynamics in patients treated for hypertension

Background/Aims Exenatide's antihyperglycemic actions under investigation include slowing gastric emptying, which may affect absorption of co-administered oral drugs. This study evaluated that potential effect with lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor. Methods This double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled, crossover study had 19 subjects (11M/8F; 59±6 y; 81.0±14.8 kg; mean±SD) without diabetes, treated with lisinopril for hypertension (5 to 20 mg, 5 min post breakfast, ≥30 d), randomized to subcutaneous doses of exenatide (10 μg) or PBO, 15 min before breakfast and dinner on 1d separated by ≥2-d washout period. Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and lisinopril pharmacokinetics were measured for 24-h post dose. The predefined 95% CI limit for no clinically relevant difference in diastolic BP was 8 mmHg. Results 24-h diastolic and systolic BP means were not significantly different between exenatide and PBO administered with lisinopril. LSmean (95% CI) for 24-h differences between treatments were 1.38 mmHg (−1.41, 4.17) for diastolic and 1.38 mmHg (−1.95, 4.71) for systolic BP. Exenatide did not alter steady-state lisinopril Cmax and AUCτ but increased lisinopril Tmax by 2h. Mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal disorders were more frequent with exenatide, and no hypoglycemia or hypotension occurred. Conclusions Exenatide was generally well tolerated and did not significantly affect the BP response to lisinopril suggesting exenatide may be co-administered without adjusting lisinopril dosage. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P14–P14; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.11.056
Premature failure of small-sized Shelhigh No-React porcine pulmonic valve conduit model NR-4000

Objective: Given the limited availability of small-sized cryopreserved pulmonary homografts, we implanted a series of Shelhigh NoReact porcine pulmonic valve conduits (SPVC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term performance following implantation. Methods: From February 2000 to September 2000, the SPVC was implanted 25 times in 24 patients in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) to correct congenital anomalies. The anatomical malformations were TOF/PA in eight patients, TGA/VSD/PS in four, truncus arteriosus in four, IAA/VSD/AS or AA in four, l-TGA/VSD in two and other in two. Age at operation was 2.8 ^ 3.9 years (mean ^ SD), including 12 patients under 1 year. The median conduit size was 14 mm (range, 10‐ 18). Results: At a mean follow-up of 23 ^ 5 months, two late deaths (8%) have occurred. Although they were not primarily conduit related, both showed severe conduit stenosis. Twenty-one conduits (84%) showed mild to severe conduit stenosis, regurgitation or both. Two patients underwent balloon dilatation for distal conduit stenosis. Twelve conduits (48%) in 11 patients were removed at a median of 12 months (range, 2 ‐18 months) due to RVOT obstruction in 11 and free conduit insufficiency with pseudoaneurysm in one. The typical findings of the explanted conduits were prominent intimal peel formation at the distal anastomosis without calcification. The actuarial freedom from reintervention at 18 months was 48 ^ 10%. Conclusions: Our experience of the SPVC with the diameter of 14 mm or less has revealed a high incidence of distal conduit stenosis due to intimal peel formation resulting in early conduit failure. These findings have led us to abandon its use when other options are available. q 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Increased Slope of the Lateral Tibial Plateau Subchondral Bone Is Associated With Greater Risk of Noncontact ACL Injury in Females but Not in Males A Prospective Cohort Study With a Nested, Matched Case-Control Analysis

Background:There is an emerging consensus that increased posterior-inferior directed slope of the subchondral bone portion of the tibial plateau is associated with increased risk of suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury; however, most of what is known about this relationship has come from unmatched case-control studies. These observations need to be confirmed in more rigorously designed investigations.Hypothesis:Increased posterior-inferior directed slope of the medial and lateral tibial plateaus are associated with increased risk of suffering a noncontact ACL injury.Study Design:Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:In sum, 176 athletes competing in organized sports at the college and high school levels participated in the study: 88 suffering their first noncontact ACL injury and 88 matched controls. Magnetic resonance images were acquired, and geometry of the subchondral bone portion of the tibial plateau was characterized on each athlete bilaterally by measuring the medial and...
Hemodynamic Effects of a Lorazepam-Fentanyl Anesthetic Induction for Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Abstract Previous anesthetic induction techniques using the combination of a benzodiazepine (midazolam or diazepam) and fentanyl have been reported to produce marked hypotension. In this study, anesthesia was induced with a combination of lorazepam and fentanylin in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In 10 patients, anesthesia was induced using an exponentially declining continuous infusion of lorazepam equivalent to a total infused dose of 0.1 mg/kg over 15 minutes, which was supplemented at 10 minutes by fentanyl, 75 μg/kg, given as an infusion over 5 minutes. In 8 additional patients, anesthesia was induced with an exponentially declining infusion of fentanyl to a total dose of 75 μg/kg over 15 minutes, which was supplemented at 10 minutes by lorazepam, 0.1 mg/kg, given as an infusion over 5 minutes. Hemodynamics were recorded during a 20-minute observation period. One patient in each group required treatment for bradycardia during the initial drug infusion (before the second drug was added). Four additional patients in the group receiving lorazepam followed by fentanyl required treatment for bradycardia or hypotension within 10 minutes of the beginning of the fentanyl infusion. When an infusion of lorazepam was added to the fentanyl infusion, hemodynamics remained stable; however, the reverse order produced a high level of bradycardia and hypotension.
Temporal Arithmetic Mixing Months and Days

In this paper, we present our work on creating a complete set of rules for temporal arithmetic mixing months and days based on the "history-dependent intuition". Many examples are presented for demonstrating how the rules are used and how the computations satisfy various desired arithmetic properties, such as the subtraction, commutativity and associativity properties. A notion of "days lost" (DL) is proposed to concisely keep track of the history of the temporal arithmetic computation and explain possible inconsistencies in terms of different desired properties.
Cognitive Differentiation and Organizational Influence Tactics: Findings and Implications for Leaders as Agents of Influence:

This paper examines the relationships between cognitive differentiation and three different methods of influence. A brief summary of cognitive differentiation examined the historical formulation, the organizational applications, and the measures and methods involved. Similarly, a review of organizational influence summarizes the important of influence as well as the organizational and leadership applications of influence. Subjects (N=238) completed copies of the Role Category Questionnaire and the Assessment of Influence Behaviors. Findings suggest that people more cognitively differentiated used more charismatic and team influence, but no more reward/punishment/manipulation influence than did less differentiated subjects. Specific conclusions and implications for leadership addressed.
Race Is a Major Determinant of Secondary Hyperparathyroidism in Uremic Patients

In the general population, blacks have higher parathyroid gland mass and circulating parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels than whites. This may predispose black patients to more severe parathyroid disease when renal failure develops. Therefore, racial differences in the severity of uremic hyperparathyroidism were examined in a population of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Among ESRD patients receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, two or more values of intact PTH (immunoradiometric assay, pg/ml) obtained at least 90 d apart were available in 1270 prevalent cases (61.1% blacks, 51% males, and 31.1% diabetic), including 466 incident cases with onset of ESRD after 1993. Maximum PTH levels were analyzed as a function of race, gender, age, diabetic status, and levels of serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and aluminum. Using a stepwise multiple regression model, the determinants of maximum PTH in the order of their importance were black race, serum phosphorus, absence of diabetes, younger age, serum calcium, and female gender. The maximum PTH levels averaged 641.7 in blacks and 346.0 in whites after adjusting for age, gender, diabetic status, serum calcium, and phosphorus (P 500 pg/ml) was 4.4 (2.10 to 9.25). Race is a major independent determinant of uremic secondary hyperparathyroidism. Among ESRD patients, blacks may be at an increased risk for hyperparathyroid bone disease and whites for adynamic bone disease.
Development of Nanocrystal Molecules for Plasmon Rulers and Single Molecule Biological Imaging

Nanocrystals play an increasingly important role as labels in biological imaging. This chapter considers distinct groupings of nanocrystals, termed nanocrystal molecules, in which the individual nanocrystals are plasmonically coupled. These new structures can be used to investigate biomolecular dynamics.
Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, prostaglandins, and cancer

Fatty acids are involved in multiple pathways and play a pivotal role in health. Eicosanoids, derived from arachidonic acid, have received extensive attention in the field of cancer research. Following release from the phospholipid membrane, arachidonic acid can be metabolized into different classes of eicosanoids through cyclooxygenases, lipoxygenases, or p450 epoxygenase pathways. Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely consumed as analgesics to relieve minor aches and pains, as antipyretics to reduce fever, and as anti-inflammatory medications. Most NSAIDs are nonselective inhibitors of cyclooxygenases, the rate limiting enzymes in the formation of prostaglandins. Long term use of some NSAIDs has been linked with reduced incidence and mortality in many cancers. In this review, we appraise the biological activities of prostanoids and their cognate receptors in the context of cancer biology. The existing literature supports that these lipid mediators are involved to a great extent in the occurrence and progression of cancer.
The Neurotic Dimension of Vocational Indecision: Gender Comparability?

This study examines the relationship between neuroticism and career indecision in separate samples of men and women. College students (151 men, 183 women) constituted the samples. Career indecision was measured by the Career Decision Profile (CDP; Jones, 1989). Constructs used in the study that assess neuroticism included perceived stress, positive and negative affectivity, and state-trait anxiety. In addition, five life history factors predictive of vocational decision-making were also included. Separate cluster analyses were performed for each sample, resulting in two 2-cluster solutions. The first, the maladaptive clusters (high in stress, anxiety, and negative affectivity), emerged for both genders. The second clusters did not replicate across gender. Women in the second cluster, who were well-adapted, exhibited strong academic and scientific interests. The second cluster for men, although exhibiting low stress and anxiety, did not have high scores on any career decision-making variables. The results ...
Rapid prototype, morphable, CSWAP driven signal processing

Radar system processing hardware, analog and digital, has been limited in many cases to box or backplane form-factors. This can be an extremely limiting constraint when designing systems that require significant Cost, Size, Weight and Power (CSWaP) trades and incremental scalability. Another limiting factor in radar design is schedule; the time it takes to develop a prototype system. This paper describes system components with “out of the box” thinking developed under a Missile Defense Agency (MDA) contract with supervision by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) to enable a scalable, morphable, building block hardware design that is programmable at the system level in Matlab/Simulink: Reconfigurable Advanced Rapid-prototype Environment (RARE).
Automatic programming of coordinate measuring machines

This paper discusses a planner that generates automatically high-level programs (or plans) for inspecting mechanical parts with coordinate measuring machines. The system's input is a solid model of a toleranced part, and the output a collection of setups, probes and probe orientations associated with the surface features to be inspected. The problem is formulated as state space search. The state contains a collection of inspection plans, represented as a set of 4-tuples of the form (setup, probe, probe direction, surface feature). The initial plans may be invalid, or unnecessarily expensive. The state evolves through the application of operators, which impose geometric and optimization constraints so as to produce a valid and nearly optimal plan. The paper discusses the planner architecture and implementation, and presents experimental results. >
Restoring island ecosystems the potential of parasites to control introduced mammals

: Introduced mammals such as rats, goats, dogs, and cats present a major threat to the endemic fauna and flora of many oceanic islands. Available empirical evidence suggests that small founding populations that colonize islands only carry a limited subset of the parasite fauna found in mainland or continental populations. Consequently, island populations of these introduced mammals harbor relatively depauperate parasite communities. The high population densities and low genetic variability of the introduced mammal populations on islands may render them vulnerable to invasion and potential control by introduced, host-specific parasites. Several theoretical and empirical studies suggest that either a parasitic nematode or a virus of low to intermediate pathogenicity might be used as a control agent for rats, goats and other introduced species. The removal or control of these introduced mammals may allow previously endangered populations and habitats to recover. Resumen: Algunos mamiferos introducidos tales como las ratas, las cabras, los perros y los gatos constituyen una amenaza para la fauna y flora endemica de muchas islas oceanicas. La evidencia empirica disponible sugiere que las pequenas poblaciones fundadoras que colonizan las islas solamente cargan un sub-conjunto limitado de la fauna parasita que se encuentra en las poblaciones de tierra firme o continentales. Como consecuencia, las poblaciones de mamiferos introducidos en estas islas albergan comunidades parasitas relativamente empobrecidas. Las elevadas densidades poblacionales y la baja variabilidad genetica de las poblaciones de mamiferos introducidos en las islas puede hacer que estos Sean vulnerables a invasion y, potencialmente, a control por parasitos introducidos cuya alta especializacion les permite parasitar un hospedero especifico. Varios estudios teoricos y empiricos nos sugieren que un nematodo parasitario o un virus de patogenicidad baja o intermedia pueden ser usados como agentes de control para ratas, cabras y otras especies introducidas. El control o la elirninacion de estos mamiferos pueden permitir que las poblaciones y habitats previamente en peligro se recuperen.
Computer generation of edge groups and edge colorings of graphs

A computer code and nonnumerical algorithm are developed to construct the edge group of a graph and to enumerate the edge colorings of graphs of chemical interest. The edge colorings of graphs have many applications in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), multiple quantum NMR, enumeration of structural isomers of unsaturated organic compounds, and in the construction of configurational integral expansion series in statistical mechanics. The code developed is applied to many NMR graphs, complete graphs containing up to 10 vertices, and the Petersen graph.
Synthesis of optimization algorithms by concatenation

Based on the idea that classes of algorithms can be modeled with abstract schemas, a systematic approach to algorithm analysis has been developed over the past two decades [6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 22]. The approach consists of identifying a given algorithm with the appropriate schema, and in using the convergence proof-pattern associated with that schema to structure and simplify the analysis of the properties of the given algorithm. It stands to reason that a similar approach may prove useful in simplifying and systematizing the synthesis of algorithms. Assuming that a collection of problem models, and the corresponding algorithm schemas is available, the synthesis approach will consist of identifying the given problem with the appropriate problem model, and then synthesizing the desired algorithm by incorporating the specific properties of the problem into the schema or schemas which correspond to the problem model. Some problem models and associated algorithm schemas already exist. The best known problem model is the fixed point formulation. In this model it is assumed that the solution set of the problem is described as the fixed point set of a point-to-point or point-to-set map. The associated schemas are the Picard iteration [17], and its variations through application of averaging processes [3, 4, 8, 10]. In this paper we examine a different problem model, namely the intersection model. This model assumes that the solution set of the problem is described as the intersection of a finite family of component sets, and the corresponding algorithm schema consists of the concatenation of a finite family of autonomous algorithm components, each of which is capable of finding points in one of the component sets. The intersection model is particularly well suited for the analysis and synthesis of relaxation methods. These methods, proposed originally by Jacobi and Seidel for solving linear systems of equations, were extended so that nonlinear systems could be solved [16], and then generalized to chaotic procedures [2, 15, 21, 21] . Relaxation methods have also been used on structured optimization problems. For example, in [1] and [11] the problem considered is that of minimizing a functional on a product space, in [9] various coordinate descent algorithms are analyzed using Zangwill's idea of composition of point-to-set maps, and in [5], Fiorot and Huard present a theory for the analysis of algorithms for optimization which are obtained by cumposition of component algorithms.
Exploring Urban Commitment of Graduates from an Urban-Focused Teacher Education Program

Teacher turnover is a significant problem for many urban schools. Teachers who are committed to urban schools may be more likely to remain in urban schools and may provide a higher quality education for the students they teach. This article explores the changing urban commitment reported by four cohorts of teacher candidates enrolled in a graduate-level teacher education program focused on preparing teachers for work in urban schools. Using survey data collected at several points during the 11 month teacher education program, we explore how individual candidates' commitment changed, how these changes varied across candidates' demographic and personal characteristics, and what factors predict candidates' urban commitment upon graduation from the program. We reflect on the implications of these findings for teacher preparation programs seeking to prepare future urban educators who begin and remain committed to work in urban schools.
Simimys and origin of the cricetidae (Rodentia: Muroidea)

Abstract Simimys is a late Eocene and earliest Oligocene genus that shares dipodoid (zygoma) and muroid (dental) characters. The Oligocene record of dipodoid rodents includes Plesiosminthus from middle Oligocene deposits of Asia and late Oligocene deposits of Europe. The Oligocene record of muroid rodents includes at least two genera ( Eucricetodon and ( Cricetops )) from Asia, six genera ( Eucricetodon, Pseudocricetodon, Melissiodon, Paracricetodon, Heterocricetodon and Adelomyorion )) from Europe, and three genera ( Eumys, Scottimus and Nonomys )) from North America. The known record, as given above, suggests that Siminys is the earliest and most primitive genus with muroid affinities; it also implies that muroid rodents were derived from unknown Eocene dipodoid rodents. The Oligocene cricetid rodents display progressive expansion and inclination of the anterior plate of the zygoma. These changes in the zygoma probably reflect evolutionary stages in the development of a myomorphous zygoma from an hystricomorphous zygoma. Changes in the zygoma apparently took place at different rates and times in Asia. Europe, and North America; they probably reflect differenciation of Cricetodontinae in Palaearctica, and Eumyinae in Nearctica during the Oligocene.
Can changes in clinical practice decrease the incidence of severe retinopathy of prematurity in very low birth weight infants

Objective. A wide variability in the inci- dence of severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is re- ported by different centers. The altered regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor from repeated epi- sodes of hyperoxia and hypoxia is 1 important factor in the pathogenesis of ROP. Strict management of O2 de- livery and monitoring to minimize these episodes may be associated with decreased rates of ROP. The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of and need for surgery for severe ROP (stages >3) in infants of 500 to 1500 g birth weight before and after the implementation of a new clinical practice of O2 management in a large level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods. An oxygen management policy that in- cluded strict guidelines in the practices of increasing and weaning of fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) and the monitoring of O2 saturation parameters in the delivery room, during in-house transport of infants to the NICU, and throughout hospitalization was implemented in April 1998. The main objectives were to monitor oxygen- ation levels more precisely and to avoid hyperoxia and repeated episodes of hypoxia-hyperoxia in very low birth weight infants. Included in the policy were equipment for monitoring, initiation of monitoring at birth, avoid- ance of repeated increases and decreases of the FIO2, minimization of "titration" of FIO2, modification of pre- viously used alarm limits, and others. After an educa- tional process, each staff member signed an agreement stating understanding of and future compliance with the guidelines. Examinations were performed by experi- enced ophthalmologists following international classifi- cation and American Academy of Pediatrics recommen- dations. ROP data from January 1997 to December 2002 for infants of 500 to 1500 g were analyzed as usual and also have been reported to Vermont Oxford Network since 1998. Results. The incidence of ROP 3 to 4 at this center decreased consistently in a 5-year period from 12.5% in 1997 to 2.5% in 2001. The need for ROP laser treatment decreased from 4.5% in 1997 to 0% in the last 3 years. Conclusion. We observed a significant decrease in the rate of severe ROP in very low birth weight infants in association with an educational program provided to all NICU staff and the implementation and enforcement of clinical practices of O2 management and monitoring. Al- though several confounders cannot be excluded, it is likely that differences in these clinical practices may be, at least in part, responsible for the documented inter- center variability in rates of ROP. Pediatrics 2003;111: 339 -345; retinopathy of prematurity, oxygen, pulse oxim- etry, very low birth weight.
Challenging the large eddy simulation technique with advanced a posteriori tests

The large eddy simulation (LES) technique will soon be 50 years old. Since Deardorff’s first papers in 1970 introducing this approach, major advances in the theory of LES and its computational implementation have been made and widely adopted. However, in terms of validation, LES studies continue to largely focus on the first- and second-order statistics, which in fact are the same tests that Deardorff conducted 45 years ago. Further advances in LES and wider adoption for new flows require advanced and more challenging tests to be developed and documented to serve as benchmarks. The paper by Stevens, Wilczek & Meneveau (J. Fluid Mech., 2014, vol. 757, pp. 888–907) does precisely that. The authors demonstrate the ability of LES to capture the recently established log-law of streamwise velocity variance and the related log-laws for even-order statistics up to order 10, as well as the departure of these statistics from a Gaussian distribution. The paper also provides key insights into the role of grid resolution on the computed turbulence field.
Obstacles to Creative Citizenship

The Creative Citizens project asks whether new media enhance new forms and scale of creative civic activities. If so, the project seeks to identify practices that will exploit this new individual and collective activity, presumably as a means of achieving authentic self-governance. This paper considers three potential obstacles to the realization of a creative citizenship: that the sort of political engagement it fosters may be too personal and episodic; that the commonsensical political knowledge typical of politics known at a distance as performance and simulation may impose further limits on effective understanding and engagement; and that the emerging new media environment may be different enough that today’s digital skills and relationships may be insufficient in the medium term. The paper looks at the same conditions that inspire the creative citizenship project and reaches reverse conclusions – but not on the grounds of nostalgia or pessimism.
NHANES Data Support Link between Handling of Thermal Paper Receipts and Increased Urinary Bisphenol A Excretion.

Some thermal paper receipts, commonly referred to as cash register receipts, contain high levels of bisphenol A (BPA). The goal of this study is to investigate whether increased contact with thermal paper receipts is associated with an increase in urinary BPA excretion. Individuals from the NHANES 2003–2004 survey were stratified based on occupation to compare urinary BPA excretion levels. The first major finding demonstrates that individuals with potential occupational exposure to thermal paper receipts are more likely to have detectable levels of urinary BPA compared to individuals with unlikely occupational exposure (p-value <0.001). The second major finding is that females with potential occupational exposure to thermal paper receipts have significantly higher levels of urinary BPA excretion (geometric mean (GM): 5.45 μg/L, 95% CI: (4.02, 7.39)) compared to females with unlikely occupational exposure (GM: 2.16 μg/L, 95% CI: (1.73, 2.70)). This association continues to remain statistically significant ...
Bionomics of Cotton Thrips: A Review

This is a review of selected world literature on thrips of cotton, with emphasis on the major pest species. Thrips inhabiting cotton plants include bud (grass and flower) and leaf feeders, and predatory species. Bud feeding thrips inhabit the growing tips of pre-flowering cotton causing distorted growth. This group may be most apparent on seedling cotton, but persists through the growing season. Both adult and immature stages of leaf feeding thrips inhabit older leaves and frequently defoliate plants. Predatory thrips attack infestations of spider mites, thrips, and whitefly and usually become abundant in late summer. Bud thrips are most common on cotton in arid to semiarid regions. Abundance is strongly influenced by availability and condition of alternate hosts, and infestations are suppressed by frequent or timely rainfall. Several of the bud dwelling species are facultative predators on spider mite eggs, hence seasonal time of occurrence may make this group of thrips a major element in the biological control fauna of cotton fields. Management decisions for cotton should consider thrips abundance, projected heat unit accumulation during the seedling stage of plant growth, potential benefit of spider mite predation, and availability of effective insecticides.
Variation in crystalloid administration: an analysis of 6248 patients undergoing major elective surgery.

Abstract Background Large variations exist regarding the type and volume of fluid to be administered to patients. This study aimed to quantitate variations in the administration of crystalloid fluids at the level of the patient, provider, and procedure at a large, tertiary care center. Method Patients who underwent major cardiac, thoracic, or abdominal procedures between 2011 and 2014 were identified. Variations in crystalloid administration were compared by procedure and provider using a coefficient of variation (CV). Multivariable hierarchical linear modeling was performed to identify factors predictive of fluid administration and quantitate variation at the level of the patient and provider. Results Among 6248 patients who met inclusion criteria, the average crystalloid volume was 25.8 mL kg−1 m2 h−1, corresponding to a CV of 55%. Patients who underwent pancreatectomy received the highest corrected crystalloid volume (32.7 mL kg−1 m2 h−1), whereas those who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting received the lowest corrected crystalloid volume (14.7 mL kg−1 m2 h−1). Variations in fluid practices were noted between providers (corrected CV; 14.7%-97.1%) and within the practices of the same provider (corrected CV range; 24.1%-87.9%). On multivariable analysis, age and changes in hemoglobin concentration were associated with a higher crystalloid volume (both P Conclusions Wide variations were noted in crystalloid administration between procedures, providers, and within providers. Evidence-based practices and goal-directed therapies should be incorporated to avoid unwanted variations.
Human NK Cell Diversity in Viral Infection: Ramifications of Ramification.

Natural killer (NK) cells are a unique lymphocyte lineage with remarkable agility in the rapid destruction of virus-infected cells. They are also the most poorly understood class of lymphocyte. A spectrum of activating and inhibitory receptors at the NK cell surface leads to an unusual and difficult-to-study mechanism of cellular recognition, as well as a very high capacity for diversity at the single-cell level. Here, we review the evidence for the role of NK cells in the earliest stages of human viral infection and prevention. We argue that single-cell diversity is a logical evolutionary adaptation for their position in the immune response, and contributes to their ability to kill virus-infected cells. Finally, we look to the future, where emerging single-cell technologies will enable a new generation of rigorous and clinically relevant studies of NK cells accounting for all of their unique and diverse characteristics.
Small, high-performance engine component technology status

Rocketdyne, under contract to NASA-Lewis Research Center, is engaged in developing the technology for major subsystems of a small, high-performance, liquid rocket engine with the capabilities required for high-energy, upper-stage applications. Included in these efforts are the high-pressure turbopumps, preburner, igniter components, and high-area-ratio thrust chamber. A brief description of the engine system and its subsystems is given. The status of the programs is reviewed and the results of the testing conducted are presented.
Pasteurized Donor Human Milk Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

* Abbreviations: HMBANA, : Human Milk Banks Association of North America MOM, : mother's own milk NEC, : necrotizing enterocolitis NICU, : neonatal intensive care unit PDHM, : pasteurized donor human milk 1. Pasteurized donor milk and exclusive human milk feeding are often interpreted interchangeably by clinicians, although the data in many studies are not homogenous. 2. Feeding practices and necrotizing enterocolitis rates differ greatly in trials on pasteurized donor milk compared with the national means in the United States and Canada. 3. Clinicians should balance pasteurized donor milk augmentation strategies with adequate monitoring to ensure targeted nutrition and that growth is achieved without displacing too much human milk. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the sources of pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) in North America and be able to access the sites. 2. Outline the data that have been published on the role of PDHM in reducing the risk of confirmed necrotizing enterocolitis. 3. Prescribe a feeding strategy that uses PDHM as an augmentative practice in the neonatal intensive care unit. Human milk contains unique biologically active agents, such as growth factors, hormones, neuropeptides, and anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory factors, that most likely are key features (1) that facilitate protection for the preterm infant from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). (2) Mother’s own milk (MOM) is the preferred source, but if this is not sufficient or if the mother is unable to provide milk, the American Academy of Pediatrics has described pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) as a safe alternative. (3) NICU feeding protocols, therefore, often include MOM and donor milk for at least the first 30 days after birth or until a corrected age of 34 weeks’ gestation or less, a period that appears to bear the highest risk of NEC. (4) However, on the basis of these studies, donor milk may not be a panacea because the incidence of NEC in the control groups of the 2 most frequently cited recent trials is very high (15.9% …
Spathaspora N.H. Nguyen, S.-O. Suh & M. Blackwell (2006)

Publisher Summary This chapter studies the genus Spathaspora. In the determination of the asexual reproduction it is seen that yeast cells are mostly globose and form by multilateral budding. Septate hyphae and pseudohyphae are present. In sexual reproduction it is found that the allantoid asci arise without conjugation and contain a single ascospore. Ascospores are elongate and tapering at the ends, with a membrane encircling the long axis of the spore. Asci are persistent. The chapter also discusses physiology/biochemistry and phylogenetic placement of the genus in which glucose and other sugars are fermented, including xylose. Nitrate is not assimilated, biotin and thiamin are necessary for growth, and acetic acid is not produced. Extracellular starch is not produced and the diazonium blue B reaction is negative. The type species taken is Spathaspora passalidarum. The monotypic genus Spathaspora consists of a single isolate. Asci and ascospores are distinctively different from any other known yeasts.
The Depression-Gripped Economy

Anyone alive during the onset of the Great Depression and its aftermath was forever changed by its collective pain. This was a defining era for more than a generation. The lessons learned are all but forgotten now. The parallels between now and then has renewed interest in the Great Depression era.