cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Procrastination and Cramming: How Adept Students Ace the System

Abstract Clear power differentials between teacher and pupil and the assignment of well-delineated tasks within specified time constraints characterize the academic system. Most university students are supremely adept at working within that structure. Many students who outwardly adapt to the system, however, engage in an intense and private ritual that comprises five aspects: calculated procrastination, preparatory anxiety, climactic cramming, nick-of-time deadline-making, and a secret, if often uncelebrated, victory. These adept students often find it difficult to admit others into their efficient program of academic survival. Although such behaviors are adaptive for school rhythms and expectations, these students may also try to impose them onto personal relationships, including those that are psychotherapeutic. The students' tendency to transfer their longstanding habits of procrastination and cramming to the workplace after graduation is less problematic. The argument is made that school rhythms and e...
Experimental study of wavelength-dependent damage threshold in DKDP

Using an OPO (optical parametric oscillator) laser we have measured the damage thresholds of deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate (DKDP) from 312 nm to 532 nm by the 1 on 1 method. Distinct steps are observed in the damage threshold at 318 nm and 487 nm. The wavelength dependence to the damage threshold is compared to various models from the literature to demonstrate the relevance of each to damage initiation in DKDP.
Model of blogging structure for intercultural communication environments in higher education

It is often observed that most international students are less likely to express their opinions in class. The lack of communicative engagement has negative impacts on students' academic performance. The objective of this article was to explore a range of possible explanations for international students' lack of engagement in class discussions and to seek a way to model how an e-tool could be applied to make international students more comfortable communicating. The present study viewed that those students' communication problems are induced by the following multiple factors: a sense of belonging to a minority, cultural difference, and communication apprehension. Blogs were thus suggested to enhance those students' communication contexts. An ideal model of blogging interactions between students and teachers was theoretically proposed.
Ultrapure cyanogen bromide-cleaved glucagon: isolation in high yield by ion-exchange chromatography.

Abstract Cyanogen-bromide cleaved glucagon has been extensively purified in yields of 80–85% by the use of gel filtration and by cation-exchange chromatography at pH 4.5–5.2. This pH range maintains a charge difference between the holohormone and its cleavage product, the truncated homoserine lactone derivative, yet maintains the integrity of the lactone ring. Purity is determined by the lack of methionine and the presence of homoserine following peptide hydrolysis. The homoserine lactone is opened by treatment with 0.2 n triethylamine at pH 9.5. The lactone can be reformed by treatment with trifluoroacetic acid for 1 h at room temperature although protection against photooxidation of tryptophan-25 must be provided. The homoserine lactone form binds less well to glucagon receptors than does the homoserine form. Adenylate cyclase is activated by the lactone to an extent comparable to that obtained by native hormone but at elevated concentrations. The procedures described may be useful for purification of other cyanogen bromide cleavage products and is useful for semisynthetic methods based upon cyanogen bromide-cleaved derivatives of glucagon.
METABOLIC EFFECTS OF TWO DIFFERENT DOSES OF EARLY DEXAMETHASONE (DEX) THERAPY IN VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT (VLBW) INFANTS. † 1395

METABOLIC EFFECTS OF TWO DIFFERENT DOSES OF EARLY DEXAMETHASONE (DEX) THERAPY IN VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT (VLBW) INFANTS. † 1395
A Review of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—Adolescent (MMPI-A) and the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI) With an Emphasis on Juvenile Justice Samples

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—Adolescent (MMPI-A) and Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI) are frequently used objective personality self-report measures. Given their widespread use, the purpose of the current study was to examine and compare the literature base for the two instruments. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted between the years 1992 and 2007 using the PsycINFO Database. Results indicate the publication of 277 articles, books, book chapters, monographs, and dissertation abstracts on the MMPI-A. This was compared with the results of a comparable search for the MACI, which yielded 84 citations. The literature was further explored by determining the content of the topic areas addressed for both instruments. A particular focus was placed on the utility of the instruments with juvenile justice populations; scale means, standard deviations, and effect sizes calculated from this literature were examined. Results indicate that the use of the MMPI-A is support...
Augmentative Effects of Estrogens and Chorionic Gonadotropin.

SummaryThe preliminary administration to immature rats of high dosages of stilboestrol or alpha-estradiol dipropionate produces a significant increase in the effect of chorionic hormone on the resultant ovarian weight.
SU‐GG‐T‐124: Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy for Brain Tumors: Dosimetric Comparison with Intensity‐Modulated Radiation Therapy

Purpose: We evaluate RapidArc volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) using coplanar and non‐coplanar arcs for the treatment of braintumors to achieve conformai dose distribution, homogeneous coverage of the planned target volume (PTV), improved sparing of organs at risk (OAR), and reduced treatment time as compared with conventional intensity‐modulated radiation therapy(IMRT).Method and Materials: Three braintumor patients with PTVs of 26.7, 193.4, and 425.2 cc who had completed IMRT were replanned with Varian RapidArc using single 360° arc (RASA), double 720° arc (RA‐DA), and a combination of a single 360° arc and a non‐coplanar partial arc with a 90° couch rotation (RA‐NC). Non‐coplanar partial arcs ranged from 0°–25° to 179.9°. At least 95% of the PTV was required to receive the prescribed dose. RA plans were compared with IMRT plans, and differences in dose distribution, PTV coverage, and OAR sparing were analyzed. IMRT plans used 6–8 non‐coplanar beams. Results: RA‐DA and RA‐NC plans improved PTV coverage (D99%) from an average of 94.6% of prescription dose for IMRT plans to an average of 97.7%. Homogeneity of dose distribution in the target volume was improved from an average of 5.3% for IMRT to an average of 3.7% for RA‐NC plans. Single‐arc plans were slightly inferior to multiple‐arc plans, but were still comparable to IMRT. Average dose to most OAR like brainstem, optic chiasm, pituitary, and optic nerves were reduced with RA. Dose to other optical structures like lenses increased compared with IMRT but remained well within the allowed limits. Conclusion: RapidArc VMAT using multiple arcs for the treatment of braintumors may provide improved target volume coverage, highly conformai and more homogeneous dose distribution in the PTV, as compared to conventional IMRT.Organs at risk may also be spared more efficiently with VMAT.
Purification, Overproduction, and Partial Characterization of β-RFAP Synthase, a Key Enzyme in the Methanopterin Biosynthesis Pathway†

Methanopterin is a folate analog involved in the C1 metabolism of methanogenic archaea, sulfate-reducing archaea, and methylotrophic bacteria. Although a pathway for methanopterin biosynthesis has been described in methanogens, little is known about the enzymes and genes involved in the biosynthetic pathway. The enzyme β-ribofuranosylaminobenzene 5′-phosphate synthase (β-RFAP synthase) catalyzes the first unique step to be identified in the pathway of methanopterin biosynthesis, namely, the condensation of p-aminobenzoic acid with phosphoribosylpyrophosphate to form β-RFAP, CO2, and inorganic pyrophosphate. The enzyme catalyzing this reaction has not been purified to homogeneity, and the gene encoding β-RFAP synthase has not yet been identified. In the present work, we report on the purification to homogeneity of β-RFAP synthase. The enzyme was purified from the methane-producing archaeon Methanosarcina thermophila, and the N-terminal sequence of the protein was used to identify corresponding genes from several archaea, including the methanogen Methanococcus jannaschii and the sulfate-reducing archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus. The putative β-RFAP synthase gene from A. fulgidus was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the enzymatic activity of the recombinant gene product was verified. A BLAST search using the deduced amino acid sequence of the β-RFAP synthase gene identified homologs in additional archaea and in a gene cluster required for C1 metabolism by the bacterium Methylobacterium extorquens. The identification of a gene encoding a potential β-RFAP synthase in M. extorquens is the first report of a putative methanopterin biosynthetic gene found in the Bacteria and provides evidence that the pathways of methanopterin biosynthesis in Bacteria and Archaea are similar.
3D molecular imaging SIMS

Abstract Thin monolayer and bilayer films of spin cast poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), poly(lactic) acid (PLA) and PLA doped with several pharmaceuticals have been analyzed by dynamic SIMS using SF5+ polyatomic primary ion bombardment. Each of these systems exhibited minimal primary beam-induced degradation under cluster ion bombardment allowing molecular depth profiles to be obtained through the film. By combing secondary ion imaging with depth profiling, three-dimensional molecular image depth profiles have been obtained from these systems. In another approach, bevel cross-sections are cut in the samples with the SF5+ primary ion beam to produce a laterally magnified cross-section of the sample that does not contain the beam-induced damage that would be induced by conventional focussed ion beam (FIB) cross-sectioning. The bevel surface can then be examined using cluster SIMS imaging or other appropriate microanalysis technique.
MULTIPLE SPACECRAFT FORMATION CONTROL USING θ – D METHOD

Abstract Multiple spacecraft formation control about the L 2 libration point is investigated in this paper. The circular restricted three-body problem with Sun and Earth as the two primaries is utilized as a framework of study. The idea of virtual structure is considered as the architecture of multiple spacecraft formation. The center of the virtual rigid body follows a nominal orbit around the L 2 libration point. The individual spacecraft is controlled so as to keep a constant relative distance from the center of the virtual structure. A nonlinear model is developed that describes the relative formation dynamics. This nonlinear control problem was addressed by employing a relatively new nonlinear control approach, called the θ – D technique. This method is based on a series solution to the Hamilton_Jacobi_Bellman equation and gives a closed-form suboptimal feedback solution. Simulation results demonstrate that this controller is able to provide millimeter-level formation flying accuracy.
Lisdexamfetamine in the treatment of adolescents and children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders defined by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Symptoms begin in childhood and may persist into adolescence and adulthood. Currently available pharmacological treatment options for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents include stimulants that are efficacious and well tolerated; however, many of these preparations require multiple daily dosing and have the potential for abuse. Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, the first prodrug stimulant, was developed to provide a longer duration of effect. It demonstrates a predictable delivery of the active drug, d-amphetamine, with low interpatient variability, and has a reduced potential for abuse. A literature search of the MEDLINE database and clinical trials register from 1995–2011, as well as relevant abstracts presented at annual professional meetings, on lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in children and adolescents were included for review. This article presents the pharmacokinetic profile, efficacy, and safety of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and, more recently, in adolescents.
Left ventricular diastolic function in hypertension: relation to left ventricular mass and systolic function

Initial studies of diastolic cardiac function in hypertension demonstrated that slowing of the maximal rate of left ventricular filling occurred before alterations in either ejection fraction or cardiac output. The present study was undertaken to determine: 1) the relation between hypertension, increased left ventricular mass and impaired left ventricular filling, and 2) the correlation between abnormalities in left ventricular diastolic function and its systolic performance. Eleven normal subjects (Group 1), 5 hypertensive patients without evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy (Group 2) and 18 hypertensive patients with increased left ventricular mass by echocardiography (Group 3) were studied by M-mode echocardiography, radionuclide (technetium-99m human serum albumin) first pass technique and gated blood pool scintigraphy. Indexes of systolic function (ejection fraction, maximal rate of ejection and percent left ventricular shortening) were essentially similar in hypertensive and normotensive subjects. No correlation was found between systolic blood pressure and left ventricular mass (r = 0.20, not significant). Maximal rate of left ventricular filling (P dV/dt) and fast filling fraction decreased progressively from Group 1 to Group 3 (2.36 ± 0.4 [mean ± standard deviation], 2.17 ± 0.3 and 1.97 ± 0.4 s-1, respectively, for P dV/dt and 46 ± 7, 48 ± 9 and 38 ± 11% , respectively, for fast filling fraction); the difference from values in normal subjects reached statistical significance in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. Left ventricular maximal filling rate correlated inversely with left ventricular mass and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (r = -0.74), but positively with left ventricular fractional shortening and ejection fraction (r = 0.70). These results suggest that impairment of early left ventricular filling develops in relation to left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension and that it can be detected even before definite evidence of systolic cardiac impairment is present.
Joining of Al 6061 alloy to AISI 1018 steel by combined effects of fusion and solid state welding

Abstract The joining of a 6-mm thickness Al 6061 to AISI 1018 steel has been performed by the combined effects of fusion and solid state welding. The process is derived from friction stir welding (FSW) but with an adjustable offset of the probe location with respect to the butt line. Metallographic studies by optical microscopy, electron probe microscopy, and the utilization of the X-ray diffraction technique have been conducted. It was found that the intermetallic phases Al13Fe4 and Al5Fe2 exist in the weld zone. The tool was significantly worn during welding and is broken after traveling 100 mm at a rotational speed of 917 rpm. The wear of the tool significantly affects the structure of the weld, and the tool breakage was detected by the incorporated acoustic emission (AE) sensors. It appears that the joining of an Al 6061 alloy to AISI 1018 steel with a sound heterogeneous weld microstructure is feasible using this process, and the tool breakage can be detected by the AE sensing technique.
Authenticity, Metaphysics, and Moral Responsibility

MR. A is a liar. He repeatedly tells untruths, sometimes with malicious intent, sometimes for the purpose of dramatizing himself. Although he is perfectly aware of telling these untruths, he none the less ardently proclaims to himself and to others his complete honesty. In doing so it is no part of his intention to deny or to overlook the facts of the case. On the contrary he confesses his misdeeds with an embarrassing frankness. Mr. A's intention is to explain and to excuse these misdeeds. He says that each of his lies has been required by some accidental or unusual external circumstance, that his true inner self is in no way responsible for them and in no way affected by them. By nature, in his essence, he is absolutely honest.
Analysis of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor subtypes using isosteric and allosteric ligands.

The GABAA receptors (GABAARs) play an important role in inhibitory transmission in the brain. The GABAARs could be identified using a medicinal chemistry approach to characterize with a series of chemical structural analogues, some identified in nature, some synthesized, to control the structural conformational rigidity/flexibility so as to define the ‘receptor-specific’ GABA agonist ligand structure. In addition to the isosteric site ligands, these ligand-gated chloride ion channel proteins exhibited modulation by several chemotypes of allosteric ligands, that help define structure and function. The channel blocker picrotoxin identified a noncompetitive channel blocker site in GABAARs. This ligand site is located in the transmembrane channel pore, whereas the GABA agonist site is in the extracellular domain at subunit interfaces, a site useful for low energy coupled conformational changes of the functional channel domain. Also in the trans-membrane domain are allosteric modulatory ligand sites, mostly positive, for diverse chemotypes with general anesthetic efficacy, namely, the volatile and intravenous agents: barbiturates, etomidate, propofol, long-chain alcohols, and neurosteroids. The last are apparent endogenous positive allosteric modulators of GABAARs. These binding sites depend on the GABAAR heteropentameric subunit composition, i.e., subtypes. Two classes of pharmacologically very important allosteric modulatory ligand binding site reside in the extracellular domain at modified agonist sites at other subunit interfaces: the benzodiazepine site, and the low-dose ethanol site. The benzodiazepine site is specific for certain subunit combination subtypes, mainly synaptically localized. In contrast, the low-dose (high affinity) ethanol site(s) is found at a modified benzodiazepine site on different, extrasynaptic, subtypes.
Cloning and Characterization of the Mouse α1C/A-Adrenergic Receptor Gene and Analysis of an α1C Promoter in Cardiac Myocytes: Role of an MCAT Element That Binds Transcriptional Enhancer Factor-1 (TEF-1)

α1-Adrenergic receptor (AR) subtypes in the heart are expressed by myocytes but not by fibroblasts, a feature that distinguishes α1-ARs from β-ARs. Here we studied myocyte-specific expression of α1-ARs, focusing on the subtype α1C (also called α1A), a subtype implicated in cardiac hypertrophic signaling in rat models. We first cloned the mouse α1C-AR gene, which consisted of two exons with an 18 kb intron, similar to the α1B-AR gene. The receptor coding sequence was >90% homologous to that of rat and human. α1C-AR transcription in mouse heart was initiated from a single Inr consensus sequence at −588 from the ATG; this and a putative polyadenylation sequence 8.5 kb 3′ could account for the predominant 11 kb α1C mRNA in mouse heart. A 5′-nontranscribed fragment of 4.4 kb was active as a promoter in cardiac myocytes but not in fibroblasts. Promoter activity in myocytes required a single muscle CAT (MCAT) element, and this MCAT bound in vitro to recombinant and endogenous transcriptional enhancer factor-1. Thus, α1C-AR transcription in cardiac myocytes shares MCAT dependence with other cardiac-specific genes, including the α- and β-myosin heavy chains, skeletal α-actin, and brain natriuretic peptide. However, the mouse α1C gene was not transcribed in the neonatal heart and was not activated by α1-AR and other hypertrophic agonists in rat myocytes, and thus differed from other MCAT-dependent genes and the rat α1C gene.
The Flight Physiology of Reproductives of Africanized, European, and Hybrid Honeybees (Apis mellifera)

Abstract Neotropical African honeybees (Apis mellifera scutellata), in the process of spreading throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, hybridize with and mostly replace European honeybees (primarily Apis mellifera mellifera and Apis mellifera ligustica). To help understand this process, we studied the effect of lineage (African, European, or hybrid) on the flight physiology of honeybee reproductives. Flight metabolic rates were higher in queens and drones of African lineage than in European or hybrid bees, as has been previously found for foraging workers. These differences were associated with higher thorax/body mass ratios and higher thorax‐specific metabolic rates in African lineage bees. Queens were reared in common colonies, so these metabolic and morphological differences are likely to be genetic in origin. African drones had higher wing beat frequencies and thorax temperatures than European or hybrid bees. Hybrids were intermediate for many parameters, but hybrid queen mass‐sp...
Change in Balance Confidence and Its Associations With Increasing Disability in Older Community-Dwelling Women at Risk for Falling

OBJECTIVES: To describe change in balance confidence, and to identify associated factors and disabling consequences. METHOD: Secondary analysis of 2 years of data collected from 272 older women enrolled in a randomized clinical trial of fall prevention. Balance confidence and disability measures were assessed at baseline, after the 12 week intervention, and at 1 and 2 years follow-up. Associated factors were measured at baseline. RESULTS: Balance confidence varied at baseline and decreased 5% over 2 years, but no variables predicted this decline. Baseline balance confidence was associated with poor physical function and mental health. Decreasing balance confidence was associated with increasing impairments in balance and hip flexion strength, increasing functional limitations in mobility and chair rises, reduced physical activity levels, increased activity restrictions, and decreasing social networks. DISCUSSION: Decreasing balance confidence plays an important role in disablement. More research is needed to identify predictors of decreasing balance confidence. Language: en
Can You Teach an Old (Rigid) Lens New Tricks

As a generic class, the rigid contact lens still offers many promising physical and physiological frontiers to explore, and promises to remain a viable prescription form for years to come.
Effectiveness of Child Safety Seats vs Seat Belts in Reducing Risk for Death in Children in Passenger Vehicle Crashes

Objective To provide an estimate of benefit, if any, of child restraint systems over seat belts alone for children aged from 2 through 6 years. Design Cohort study. Setting A sample of children in US passenger vehicle crashes was obtained from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration by combining cases involving a fatality from the US Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System with a probability sample of cases without a fatality from the National Automotive Sampling System. Participants Children in two-way crashes occurring between 1998 and 2003. Main Exposure Use of child restraint systems (rear-facing and forward-facing car seats, and shield and belt-positioning booster seats) vs seat belts. Potentially confounding variables included seating position, vehicle type, model year, driver and passenger ages, and driver survival status. Main Outcomes Measure Death of child passengers from injuries incurred during the crash. Results Compared with seat belts, child restraints, when not seriously misused (eg, unattached restraint, child restraint system harness not used, 2 children restrained with 1 seat belt) were associated with a 28% reduction in risk for death (relative risk, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-0.97) in children aged 2 through 6 years after adjusting for seating position, vehicle type, model year, driver and passenger ages, and driver survival status. When including cases of serious misuse, the effectiveness estimate was slightly lower (21%) (relative risk, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-1.05). Conclusion Based on these findings as well as previous epidemiological and biomechanical evidence for child restraint system effectiveness in reducing nonfatal injury risk, efforts should continue to promote use of child restraint systems through improved laws and with education and disbursement programs.
The Solar Acoustic Simulator: Applications and Results

It is important to understand the limits and accuracy of helioseismic techniques in their ability to probe the solar interior. The availability of a method that is able to compute the solar acoustic wave eld in the presence of thermal or o w perturbations affords us a means to place bounds on detectability and accuracy of inferences of interior perturbations. We describe the technique used to simulate wave propagation within a spherical shell that extends from a desired depth (not including the center) into the solar atmosphere and which possesses a solar like stratication.
The Politics of Place: Understanding Meaning, Common Ground, and Political Difference on the Rocky Mountain Front

A major challenge of forest policy and management is effectively understanding different people's viewpoints on natural resource use and conservation, and how those viewpoints contribute to conflict and conflict resolution. In response to this challenge, the concept of place is gaining currency in natural resource research. The study of place promises an integrative approach to understanding people's relationships with particular areas. Realiz- ing the potential of place research to inform forest policy and management means conceptu- alizing place as an arena of shared and contested meanings. A politics of place is attentive to different and potentially conflicting meanings, and how senses of place may be connected to larger political struggles. This study examines people's images, values, and interests with respect to the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana. In this case study, discourse about place- names provided a window into the politics of place. Results illustrate the ways in which place meanings are connected to people's ideas about property, conservation, and governance. Knowledge of the politics of place can inform forest policy and management and contribute to a more sophisticated understanding of natural resource conflict and the potential effective- ness of decision-making processes. FOR. SCI. 49(6):855-866.
BENCE JONES PROTEINS AND LIGHT CHAINS OF IMMUNOGLOBULINS : II. IMMUNOCHEMICAL DIFFERENTIATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF KAPPA-CHAINS

Three distinct classes of kappa light polypeptide chains have been detected immunochemically by an antiserum (R185) prepared against a kappa Bence Jones protein with a glutamyl amino terminal residue. This antiserum had specificity for kappa light chains with glutamyl amino terminal residues and differentiated kappa-chains with aspartyl amino terminal residues into two classes: the three kappa-chain classes have been designated as kappa(glu), kappa(aspII), and kappa(aspI). The ability of antiserum R185 to detect these antigenic differences on the intact immunoglobulin molecule, as well as on the isolated light chain or Bence Jones protein, made feasible the direct classification of type K myeloma proteins and M-macroglobulins (Waldenstrom). The multispecificity of the antiserum permitted the quantitation of type kappa(glu) light chains in normal, hypergammaglobulinemic, and hypogammaglobulinemic sera. Whereas the distribution of myeloma proteins and Bence Jones proteins in the kappa(glu) class correlated with the distribution of kappa(glu) chains in normal and hypergammaglobulinemic sera, the M-macroglobulins in the kappa(glu) class represented 90% of the total M-macroglobulins tested and revealed a marked divergence from the range of 24-31% of kappa(glu) immunoglobulins in normal sera. A preponderance of kappa(glu) chains was detected in the sera from patients with non-sex-linked hypogammaglobulinemia and represented 60-77% of the total type K light chain content. The controlled cleavage of a Bence Jones protein representative of each kappa-chain class into its variant half and constant half made possible the localization on the light polypeptide chain, the reactive sites for which antiserum R185 had specificity. The correlations between immunochemical and structural classification of kappa light chains are discussed.
Discriminating response groups in metabolic and regulatory pathway networks

Motivation: Analysis of omics experiments generates lists of entities (genes, metabolites, etc.) selected based on specific behavior, such as changes in response to stress or other signals. Functional interpretation of these lists often uses category enrichment tests using functional annotations like Gene Ontology terms and pathway membership. This approach does not consider the connected structure of biochemical pathways or the causal directionality of events. Results: The Omics Response Group (ORG) method, described in this work, interprets omics lists in the context of metabolic pathway and regulatory networks using a statistical model for flow within the networks. Statistical results for all response groups are visualized in a novel Pathway Flow plot. The statistical tests are based on the Erlang distribution model under the assumption of independent and identically Exponential-distributed random walk flows through pathways. As a proof of concept, we applied our method to an Escherichia coli transcriptomics dataset where we confirmed common knowledge of the E.coli transcriptional response to Lipid A deprivation. The main response is related to osmotic stress, and we were also able to detect novel responses that are supported by the literature. We also applied our method to an Arabidopsis thaliana expression dataset from an abscisic acid study. In both cases, conventional pathway enrichment tests detected nothing, while our approach discovered biological processes beyond the original studies. Availability: We created a prototype for an interactive ORG web tool at http://ecoserver.vrac.iastate.edu/pathwayflow (source code is available from https://subversion.vrac.iastate.edu/Subversion/jlv/public/jlv/pathwayflow). The prototype is described along with additional figures and tables in Supplementary Material. Contact: julied@iastate.edu Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
System-Level Energy Modeling for Heterogeneous Reconfigurable Chip Multiprocessors

Field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology is characterized by continuous improvements that provide new opportunities in system design. multiprocessors-on-a-programmable-chip (MPoPCs) represent the recent trend in this arena; they integrate the advantages of both software programmability and hardware reconfigurability. However, FPGAs consume more energy than ASICs. The lack of powerful tools and models to estimate and verify the energy consumption in the early stages of the design cycle exacerbates this problem. In this paper, we propose a system-level energy estimation model to accompany our design methodology for HERA (heterogeneous reconfigurable architecture), a versatile reconfigurable MPoPC that we have implemented on Xilinx FPGAs. The model utilizes both physical-level measurements from a hardware component library and application statistics. Experiments with the parallel LU factorization of large sparse matrices show an average error in energy estimation of about 5.17%. We also demonstrate performance-energy trade-off test cases that incorporate this model into HERA's design methodology to satisfy the real needs of application-system pairs.
Tropospheric O3 from photolysis of O2

Photolytic dissociation of molecular oxygen (O2) at wavelengths about 205 nm produces ozone (O3) in the upper tropical troposphere. In tropospheric chemistry models that ignore this process, the O3 abundance above 14 km in the tropics (a.k.a. Tropopause Transition Layer) is underestimated by 5 to 20 ppb. Even for models including O2 photolysis, uncertainty in the O2 cross sections yields similar uncertainty in TTL O3. The related impact on global atmospheric chemistry is small, i.e., ±0.2% in CO and CH4 budgets, but the change in the O3 column, ±1.6 DU in the tropics, may be important in calculating heating rates and climate forcing.
Remote Noninfarcted Region Dysfunction Soon After First Anterior Myocardial Infarction: A Magnetic Resonance Tagging Study

Background Previous studies have demonstrated hyperkinetic endocardial motion of noninfarcted myocardium early after myocardial infarction (MI). We wished to substantiate the findings of increased function of remote noninfarcted regions using magnetic resonance (MR) myocardial tagging in patients soon after anterior MI. Methods and Results Twenty-eight patients (25 male; mean age, 52 years) were studied on day 5±2 after first anterior MI. All had single-vessel left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) disease and had received reperfusion therapy but had evidence of regional left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and an ejection fraction (EF) ≤50%. Breath-hold, segmented k-space, gradient-echo MR tagging was performed with short-axis imaging spanning the LV. Percent circumferential shortening (%S) on a topographic basis, LV mass, and EF were measured. Regional %S was compared with that in 10 normal subjects (7 male; mean age, 43 years). We found reduced intramyocardial %S throughout the LV in the patient g...
Prospective comparative trial of short course (four day) and continuous tobramycin in combination with cefoperazone or mezlocillin in febrile, granulocytopenic patients

In a prospective, randomized trial of 195 febrile episodes in granulocytopenic patients short course aminoglycoside treatment (initial tobramycin and cefoperazone followed by tobramycin discontinuation at day four of therapy) was compared with two regimens (tobramycin plus cefoperazone and tobramycin plus mezlocillin) in which both drugs were continued for up to 26 days. All regimens were successful as empirical therapy with comparable response rates of just over seventy per cent. Fifty-three per cent of the initial episodes of fever were related to documented infections which responded less well (P = 0.007) than unexplained fever. Patients with bacteraemia, pneumonia or Gram-positive aerobic or Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections responded poorly to all regimens. The recovery from granulocytopenia was the most important determinant of successful response. Aminoglycoside discontinuation followed by cefoperazone monotherapy after day four was statistically as effective as the combination regimens. Short course tobramycin therapy eliminated the nephrotoxicity seen in the combination limbs. The use of cefoperazone was not associated with an increased incidence of hypoprothrombinemia; however, the only three bleeding episodes occurred in patients given cefoperazone but not vitamin K. Short course aminoglycoside therapy will reduce cost and nephrotoxicity when compared with prolonged combination therapy and should be further explored in this setting, with use of different agents and comparison with monotherapy.
Diblock copolymer micelles in a dilute solution

We performed theoretical and experimental investigations of dilute solutions of micelles of neutral amorphous diblock copolymers in selective solvents. The ranges of thermodynamic stability of spherical, cylindrical, and lamellar morphologies along with the equilibrium sizes and aggregation numbers of micelles are calculated and measured. For high molecular weight copolymers it is shown that the sphere-to-cylinder transition as well as precipitation of the micelles associated with cylinder-to-lamella transition occurs when aggregates have a crew-cut structure with the thickness of the corona smaller than the radius of the core. Similar to starlike micelles with corona larger than the core, the equilibrium parameters of crew-cut micelles are determined by the balance between the free energy of the corona and the surface energy of the core. The elastic free energy of the core remains small compared to the corona and surface free energies; however, it determines the transitions between different morphologies...
A Suggestion to Again Use the Original and Locally-accepted Spelling of Tolleston

INTRODUCTION The name Tolleston Shoreline was proposed by Leverett in 1897 for the youngest of the former shorelines formed by ancestral Lake Michigan. Since 1902 when Alden used the variant spelling, Toleston, in his Chicago Folio two different spellings have been used for this one feature. More than 100 years later, the two spellings persist: Toleston used in most scholarly writings and Tolleston used by residents and by local authors. The purpose of this commentary is to show that it is the original spelling that should be used by scholars today.
A Systematic Survey of Self-Protecting Software Systems

Self-protecting software systems are a class of autonomic systems capable of detecting and mitigating security threats at runtime. They are growing in importance, as the stovepipe static methods of securing software systems have been shown to be inadequate for the challenges posed by modern software systems. Self-protection, like other self-* properties, allows the system to adapt to the changing environment through autonomic means without much human intervention, and can thereby be responsive, agile, and cost effective. While existing research has made significant progress towards autonomic and adaptive security, gaps and challenges remain. This article presents a significant extension of our preliminary study in this area. In particular, unlike our preliminary study, here we have followed a systematic literature review process, which has broadened the scope of our study and strengthened the validity of our conclusions. By proposing and applying a comprehensive taxonomy to classify and characterize the state-of-the-art research in this area, we have identified key patterns, trends and challenges in the existing approaches, which reveals a number of opportunities that will shape the focus of future research efforts.
ASSESSMENT OF FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE STATUS IN ANASTREPHA SUSPENSA (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE)

Reliable methods are needed for assessing sexual maturity in field-captured tephritid fruit flies. To provide such a tool for female Caribbean fruit flies, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), this study documented changes in ovarian development over a four-week period following adult eclosion. The ovarian maturation process was classified into six developmental stages. Stages 1-4 described sequential steps in the development of immature ovaries, stage 5 indicated presence of mature oocytes, and stage 6 was the ovipositional phase. For each stage, four morphometric characters were examined-length of ovary, width of ovary, an ovarian index (length of ovary multiplied by width of ovary), and length of terminal follicle. Ovarian characters were compared by stage and correlated with the number of mature oocytes per ovary (egg load). Ovarian index maximized the differences between sexually mature and immature ovaries, and ovary length provided the best separation of immature stages. All four characters were positively correlated with egg load, but ovarian index and ovary width were the two best indicators of mature oocytes. Use of these parameters to assess egg load would eliminate the need to tease apart ovaries and count mature oocytes, thereby providing an efficient method for processing large samples of flies. Classification of female sexual maturity based on an ovary staging system, in conjunction with assessment of egg load in mature stages, would facilitate evaluation of the physiological age structure of a fly population captured in field deployed traps.
Sleep Physiology in Pregnancy

Sleep is a universal behavior that has been convincingly shown to occur in mammalian, avian and reptilian species. Sleep is also one of the most important of human behaviors, occupying roughly over one third of human life. Although the exact functions of sleep are poorly understood, the antiquated idea that sleep is a purely passive state and simply reflects fatigue is now strongly refuted. Sleep is currently thought to be as complex as wakefulness. The functions of mammalian sleep remain unclear. Most theories suggest a role for non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in energy conservation and in nervous system recuperation, and for rapid eye movement (REM) sleep with periodic brain activation, localized recuperative processes, and emotional regulation. Protein synthesis in the brain is increased during slowwave sleep and new neurons are generated in adult animals. Short-term (2to 3day) total sleep deprivation blocks subsequent proliferation of cells in some parts of the brain. Sleep is also clearly necessary for survival, since prolonged sleep deprivation leads to severe physical and cognitive impairment and, finally, death. Deprivation of a part of the sleep cycle known as REM sleep has also been shown to be fatal in rats after a few weeks (1). In humans, sleep deprivation is associated with daytime sleepiness and fatigue, lack of concentration, cognitive dysfunction, poor work performance, impaired immunity, and perturbed neuroendocrine function—insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and possibly obesity.
Devolatilization Rate Processes and Products

Pyrolysis (devolatilization in an inert atmosphere) and hydropyrolysis (devolatilization in a hydrogen atmosphere) of coal are particularly dependent on the organic properties and structural characteristics of the coal. Many approaches are taken to characterize coal conversion and reaction processes. The most advanced of these approaches relate the observed coal conversion processes to coal structure and composition. Much evidence supports the hypothesis that the devolatilization of coal is a chemical reaction (e. g., Gavalas, 1982). With an increased availability of coal structure and characteristics by advanced methods as documented in Chapter 4, a monumental task lies in understanding the devolatilization mechanisms, relating coal structure to its devolatilization behavior, and developing accurate predictive capabilities. New devolatilization models are being developed which are based, at least in part, on the chemical structure of coals. Devolatilization, as the first step in thermally driven coal conversion and utilization processes, has a profound effect on course of combustion processes (Howard, 1981; Brewster et al., 1988; Nelson et al., 1988). Previous studies have demonstrated the key role of devolatilization processes in coal conversion and utilization through the use of comprehensive combustion codes (J. D. Smith et al., 1987, 1991; Brewster et al., 1988; Smith and Smith, 1990). In parametric sensitivity studies of a two-dimensional combustion model, J. D. Smith et al. (1987, 1991; Smith and Smith, 1990) showed that one of the most critical issues or critical subprocesses in the combustion code for both coal combustion and gasification is the devolatilization process.
Psychology of Suicide

Suicide is a major health concern that claims many lives each year. Despite the importance of the problem, the causes of suicide are mostly unknown, and current theories are somewhat speculative. A better understanding of suicidal behavior may be possible through an understanding of the linkages between suicide and stress. A number of theories, known as stress-diathesis theories, attempt to shed light on the relationship between stress and suicide. These theories postulate that suicide occurs when a diathesis (i.e., a predisposition) is acted upon by life stressors causing an individual to reach a breaking point at which suicide becomes likely. There are a number of physiological possibilities for the link between stress and suicide, including the neurotransmitter norepinephrine and the hypothalamus/pituitary gland/adrenal gland axis.
Strategies to Enhance and Maintain Quality of Life: The Case of Non-Metropolitan Illinois

This paper posits that one experiences a sense of wellbeing (quality of life (QOL)) when the needs one feels are appreciably reduced. Local public officials and managers can promote policies and take actions to create an environment where these needs are addressed or the status is achieved. Based on an empirical analysis of quality of life perceptions among non-metropolitan residents in Illinois, this research offers guidelines for managing QOL perceptions at the community level. Specifically, satisfaction with K-12 education and basic medical services play a prominent role in influencing QOL perceptions. In summary, the paper not only highlights the meaning of QOL, but also shows how it could be managed.
Perspectives on Spacecraft Human-Rating

The term ‘human-rated’ is typically used to differentiate the increased safety requirements imposed on crewed spacecraft relative to unmanned satellites, including the launch vehicle as an integrated element. At a fundamental level, human-rating attempts to ensure the vehicle(s) and mission are designed to ‘accommodate, protect, and utilize’ the crew to the maximum extent possible, while also safeguarding ground personnel and uninvolved public. This definition drives life support needs, risk mitigation strategies, and vehicle and operational functionality, among other design requirements. The end result can generally be reduced to a single metric – the ability to accomplish the mission objectives with an acceptably low probability for Loss of Crew (LOC). Although this overarching goal may be well agreed upon, the means for achieving human-rating remain the subject of debate. This paper presents an overview of published literature and various NASA documents governing spacecraft human-rating, considers the relevance of analogies such as FAA airworthiness certification and housing certificates of occupancy, and offers a framework for further discussion of ‘What does human-rating mean?’ and ‘How do we achieve it?’.
Evaluation of an automated blood smear analyzer.

The performance of a diff3 System® prototype instrument that does automated leukocyte differential counts, erythrocytic morphology determinations, and leukocyte count and platelet count estimates, was compared with performance by laboratory personnel for a five-week period in an active general hospital. Using experienced supervisors as the referee method, this instrument performed as well as the routine laboratory staff in all aspects of leukocyte differential counting. With respect to erythrocytic morphology, estimates of hypochromia were inferior to those of the routine laboratory staff; comparisons of estimates of macrocytosis and polychromasia were not significantly different. Leukocyte and platelet numerical estimate performance by the diff3 System was not as good as that of automated cell-counting instruments, but categorization of platelet concentration as normal or abnormal did compare favorably with estimation by laboratory personnel. The flagging of abnormal slides by the instrument was comparable in sensitivity to that by the routine laboratory staff; however, specificity was less, with a significantly greater number of false positives obtained by use of the instrument.
Standard Insecticide-Susceptible Strain for the German Cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae)

A genetically marked insecticide-susceptible strain of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), has been developed by incorporating the orange-body trait into a stock containing the genomes of 2 of the most susceptible strains available. The new stock retained its susceptibility as indicated by tarsal contact tests with 12 insecticides. The integrity of the stock can be ensured by removing any wild type body color contaminants. This stock is well suited to become the standard-susceptible strain for the German cockroach and is available upon request.