cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The relationship between phonological processing skills and word and nonword identification performance in children with mild intellectual disabilities

Word and nonword identification skills were examined in a sample of 80 elementary school age students with mild intellectual disabilities and mixed etiologies who were described as struggling to learn to read by their teachers. Performance on measures of receptive and expressive vocabulary, measures of phonological awareness, and measures of word and nonword identification were included for analyses. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that, after controlling for chronological age and vocabulary knowledge, phonological processing accounted for a large and significant amount of unique variance of both word and nonword identification. In addition, the pattern of results found in this study is similar to that obtained with typically developing learners. As with typically developing children, measures of phonological awareness were significantly correlated with measures of both reading achievement and vocabulary knowledge.
Excitation of surface waves

It is shown how to locate a dipole source above a dielectric surface so as either to produce as pure a surface wave as possible or to maximize the amount of energy carried by the surface wave.
Experimental Buckling Investigation of Ring-Stiffened Cylindrical Shells Under Unsymmetrical Axial Loads

Six steel shells having nuclear containment-like features were fabricated and loaded to failure with an offset axial load. The shells of R/t = 500 buckled plastically. Four of the shells had reinforced circular cutouts. These penetrations were sized to cut no ring-stiffener, a single, two- or three-ring stiffeners. Reinforcing and framing around the penetrations were based upon the area-replacement rule of the applicable portion of the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and were of a design to stimulate actual practice for nuclear steel containments. Prior to testing, imperfections were measured and strain gages were applied to determine information on load distribution at the ends of the cylinder and strain fields at areas likely to buckle. Buckling loads were determined for an axial load applied with an eccentricity of R/2 where R is the cylinder radius. The results showed that the buckling load and mode for the shell having a penetration that did not cut a ring stiffener were essentially the same as those for the unpenetrated shell. The buckling loads for the penetrated shells in which stiffeners were interrupted were less than that for the unpenetrated shells. Results of all tests are compared tomore » numerical solutions carried out using a nonlinear collapse analysis and to the predictions of ASME Code Case N-284.« less
Short-term spatial memory in honeybees

Foraging honeybees were trained individually in two-choice spatial problems. Differentially rewarded for spatial alternation in Experiment 1 (“win-shift” training), they showed instead a clear tendency to perseverate—that is, to prefer on each trial the location of reward on the immediately preceding trial. On the basis of the results of Experiments 2 and 3, in which one location was rewarded over shorter or longer series of consecutive trials, an associative interpretation of the perseveration found in the first experiment was rejected in favor of an interpretation in terms of short-term spatial memory. Experiment 4, in which the animals were rewarded on each trial for choosing either location, also showed perseveration. Honeybees, like rats, seem to remember a rewarded location recently visited, but tend to return to it rather than, like rats, to avoid it.
A non-fluidic, fluorometric assay for the detection of fungi on cultural heritage materials

Cultural heritage materials are particularly susceptible to biodeterioration by fungi. Improper care and storage of artifacts contaminated with fungal material can promote the growth of these microscopic organisms and the inevitable deterioration that follows. Technology capable of detecting vegetative fungi and their reproductive structures could facilitate the struggle against fungal biodeterioration. Archivists and conservators could be notified of fungal contamination within a collection and apply pre-emptive measures, such as modification of environmental conditions, to prevent biodeterioration. The aim of this study was to improve and simplify a fluorometric assay used for the early detection of minute quantities of fungal biomass on cultural heritage materials. To this end we have successfully developed a non-fluidic assay in which fluid transfers, centrifugation steps, and much of the specialized equipment formerly needed to perform the assay are eliminated. The time required for completion of the assay was reduced to 30 min. Use of the assay was also expanded to include the early detection of viable fungal conidia from several species of fungi. These refinements will expedite implementation of this technology by archivists and conservators as they monitor and combat the fungal deterioration of cultural heritage materials.
Thin-flame theory for the combustion of a moving liquid drop: effects due to variable density

The combustion of a moving liquid fuel drop has been investigated. The drop experiences a strong evaporation-induced radial velocity while undergoing slow translation. In view of the high evaporation velocity, the flow field is not in the Stokes regime. The combustion process is modelled by an indefinitely fast chemical reaction rate.While the flow and the transport in the continuous phase and the drop internal circulation are treated as quasisteady, the drop heat-up is regarded as a transient process. The transport equations of the continuous phase require analysis by a singular perturbation technique. The transient heat-up of the drop interior is solved by a series-truncation numerical method. The solution for the total problem is obtained by coupling the results for the continuous and dispersed phases.The enhancement in the mass burning rate and the deformation of the flame shape due to drop translation have been predicted. The initial temperature of the drop and the subsequent heating influence the temporal variations of the flamefront standoff ratio and the flame distance. The friction drag, the pressure drag and the drag due to interfacial momentum flux are individually predicted, and the total drag behaviour is discussed. The circulation inside the drop decreases with evaporation rate. A sufficiently large non-uniform evaporation velocity causes the circulation to reverse.
In-memory I/O and replication for HDFS with Memcached: Early experiences

Hadoop is the de-facto standard platform for large-scale data analytic applications. In spite of high availability and reliability guarantees, Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) suffers from huge I/O bottlenecks for storing the tri-replicated data blocks. The I/O overheads intrinsic to the HDFS architecture degrade the application performance. In this paper, we present a novel design (MEM-HDFS) to perform intelligent caching and replication of HDFS data blocks in Memcached that can significantly improve the I/O performance. In this design, we consider different deployment strategies for the Memcached servers (local and remote) and guarantee persistence of the Memcached data to HDFS on cache replacements. Performance evaluations show that MEM-HDFS can increase the read and write throughput of HDFS by up to 3.9x and 3.3x, respectively. Our design can also significantly speed up the data loading (to HDFS) phase. It reduces the execution times of data generation benchmarks like, TeraGen, RandomTextWriter, and RandomWriter by up to 50%, 39%, and 48%, respectively. The performances of other benchmarks like TeraSort and Grep are also improved by the proposed design.
Efficient Analysis of 3-D Plates via Algebraic Reduction

3-D finite element analysis (3-D FEA) is not generally recommended for analyzing thin structures such as plates and shells. Instead, a variety of highly efficient and specialized 2-D numerical methods have been developed for analyzing such structures. However, 2-D methods pose serious automation challenges in today’s 3-D design environment. In this paper, we propose an efficient yet easily automatable 3-D algebraic reduction method for analyzing thin plates. The proposed method exploits standard off-the-shelf finite element packages, and it achieves high computational efficiency through an algebraic reduction process. In the reduction process, a 3-D plate bending stiffness matrix is constructed from a 3-D mesh, and then projected onto a lower-dimensional space by appealing to standard 2-D plate-theories. Algebraic reduction offers the best of both worlds in that it is computationally efficient, and yet easy to automate. The proposed methodology is substantiated through numerical experiments.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
The world of work

A persistent characteristic of the postwar U.S. economy has been the expansion of white-collar jobs and the drop in blue-collar employment. Following the trend, industrial sociologists studied clerical workers, insurance companies, and office automation. Interest in the shop floor and smokestack manufacturing declined. Nonetheless, despite the upsurge in knowledge-based industries, management schools, and computerized technology, a third of the American labor force is still classified as blue collar; most still work in manufacturing. In petrochemicals, the automobile industry, and construction, the blue-collar work force still holds sway. And at election time, the blue-collar vote can carry key states. Whether in production or politics, the role of the blue-collar worker has tremendous impact. The decline is relative, not absolute. The three books considered here provide new insights into such basic issues as control on the shop floor, working-class identity, and adjustment
Particle fluxes in a coastal upwelling zone: sediment trap results from Santa Barbara Basin, California

Abstract Particle fluxes were measured in the center of Santa Barbara Basin on a bi-weekly basis for a three-year period beginning in August 1993. Lithogenic material dominates the total flux throughout the entire year, although it is delivered to the basin primarily during the winter rainy period. It appears that both biological and physical processes control the eventual transport of detrital material to the deep part of the basin. Biogenic sedimentation in Santa Barbara Basin is dominated by opaline silica, with highest fluxes during the spring–summer upwelling period. Export ratios (ratios of organic carbon flux to primary production) are inversely related to primary production. This relationship may be due to increased advective transport and/or enhanced regeneration of organic carbon during the highly productive upwelling period. During the first half of the study period, Santa Barbara Basin was influenced by El Nino conditions and our data suggest that productivity in this region is reduced during such periods. Seasonal changes in the relative contributions of biogenic and lithogenic material to the total particle flux, combined with the lack of bioturbation on the sea floor, results in the accumulation of varved sediments in Santa Barbara Basin.
Conspiracy, Paranoia and the problem of knowledge

Using a case study, this paper presents a critique of Lemert's classic paper, “Paranoia and the Dynamics of Exclusion.” Starting from the position that Lemert did not prove his case, that in fact, there are no clear-cut grounds for determining whether an event called a conspiracy really exists, this case study leads to a consideration of the ethnomethodological notion of reflexivity of common sense knowledge.
Rhetorical argument, folk linguistics, and content-oriented discourse analysis: A follow-up study

Abstract In 1994, Dennis Preston published “Content-Oriented Discourse Analysis and Folk Linguistics”, in which he applied Deborah Schiffrin’s argument structure analysis and Vantage Theory to folk-linguistic data. The present study applies Schiffrin’s analysis to similar folk-linguistic data, as both Preston’s and my subjects discussed African American English. Preston found that his subjects used Oppositional Argument while the subjects in the present study used Rhetorical Argument. According to Schiffrin’s analysis, arguments contain positions , dispute , and support . The resulting analysis compares the conclusions that can be drawn from each set of arguments, such as social and distributional facts about language variety, and facts about variety acquisition and use.
Haem exposure as the determinate of oxidation-reduction potential of haem proteins.

KASSNER1 has proposed that the apolarity of the haem environment primarily determines the oxidation–reduction potential, E′0pH 7.0, of a haem protein. Since high resolution crystallographic models are now available for six haem proteins with E′0 values of between 20 and 320 mV, I have tested the Kassner proposal by comparing the kinds of atoms contacting the haem in each of these proteins. The results demonstrate that the apolarity of the total haem environment for these proteins is virtually identical but that the E′0 value is inversely dependent on the exposure of the haem to an aqueous solvent.
Antagonism of ketamine-induced anesthesia by an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis : A pharmacokinetic explanation

Abstract Because ketamine is an antagonist of NMDA receptors, and because some NMDA receptors activate nitric oxide synthesis in brain, this study examined if nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition by l-NAME altered the course of ketamine-induced behavioral impairment. Rats given progressive doses of l-NAME until NOS activity was inhibited at least 90% displayed reduced depth and duration of behavioral depression after IM ketamine. Blood and brain concentrations of ketamine, norketamine, and its dehydrogenated derivative were isolated from rats previously given saline or l-NAME as above, by ether extraction, HPLC separation, and ultraviolet quantitation. The same doses of l-NAME that altered ketamine behavior reduced blood and brain ketamine concentrations 15 min after administration to about three-fourths and one-third of control, respectively. The content of norketamine and its adventitial extraction product were similarly reduced relative to control but the ratio of metabolites to ketamine was not significantly altered ( p > 0.05) in brain. The decreased delivery of ketamine into brain, perhaps due to l-NAME–induced alterations in blood flow, may explain the reduced behavioral response to ketamine in these rats.
Remembrance of arguments past: how well is the glutamate receptor hypothesis of LTP holding up after 20 years?

It is now almost 20 years since we proposed “a new and specific hypothesis” regarding the biochemical basis of memory (Lynch & Baudry, 1984). The hypothesis was prompted by a need for a cellular explanation for the then still-new phenomenon of long-term potentiation (LTP), an effect that matched up remarkably well with the long-expected synaptic substrate of memory. By the time of our paper, LTP was known to be synapse specific, inducible by very brief bursts (,1 s) of afferent stimulation, absolutely dependent upon rises in postsynaptic calcium, and accompanied by changes in the morphology of dendritic spines. Building on these points, we proposed that repetitive high-frequency synaptic activity causes increases in spine calcium levels (spine as calcium traps), which then produce modifications of postsynaptic glutamate receptors (Fig. 1). As to the type of receptor changes that might be involved, we suggested four nonexclusive possibilities: (1) new synapses are built, which necessarily involves insertion of new receptors in synaptic membranes; (2) new receptors are added to existing synapses; (3) latent (silent) receptors are unmasked; and (4) extant receptors are modified in such a way as to improve their performance. Option 1 ran into the problem that while electron microscopic studies had found evidence of synaptogenesis after LTP (Lee, Oliver, & Lynch, 1980; Chang & Greenough, 1984), the magnitude of the effect seemed too small to account for the 50–100% potentiation effects commonly recorded. Option 4 had the problem that, at least at the time, it did not account for the extraordinary stability of LTP; that is, posttranslational modifications of proteins could hardly be expected to persist for the several weeks required of an LTP substrate. This left unmasking or adding of receptors (or both) as the most likely explanations for LTP. As to why potentiation lasted so long, we argued that morphological changes triggered in parallel to the receptor changes opened the way to receptor unmasking/addition and that such changes could be extremely stable. In more contemporary terminology, the idea would be that morphological modifications shift the synapse into a state in which a greater number of receptors can be active or added into postsynaptic membranes.
Automatic web filtering approach based on multimodal content information

An automatic web content classification system is proposed in this research for web information filtering. A sample group of web contents are first collected via commercial search engines. Then, they are classified into different subject group and more related web pages can be searched for further analysis. It can free from the troublesome and routine process that are performed by human beings in most search engines. And the clustered information can be updated at any specified time automatically. Preliminary experimental results are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the performance of the proposed system.
Engineering Education for the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities

Engineering education faces many challenges today. Changes in the external environment, such as funding reductions and increasing costs, are forcing colleges of engineering to face their futures creatively. Engineering faculty, in particular, are well-placed to play leadership roles in generating a campus-wide response to the challenges faced. Working with the rest of the university and with external partners, including K-12, industry, government, foundations, and other countries, engineering faculty can restructure higher education in order to continue producing well-educated graduates and high-quality research.
Obesity history and male employment

Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, this article computes the stock of obesity as the number of obese years in the adult life of an individual. Then it estimates the effect of the stock of obesity on the probability of being employed. It is found that the accumulated years of morbid obesity (i.e. obesity associated with a body mass index above 40) has a large negative impact on employment status. This effect remains significant even after conditioning on time-invariant unobserved heterogeneity. The results of the IV probit analysis indicate that the stock of morbid obese years can be regarded as exogenous. Less severe levels of obesity do not seem to have an impact on employment.
The Way of Making a Good Doctor

Received: November 4, 2010 • Revised: November 8, 2010 • Accepted: November 10, 2010 Corresponding Author: Sang-Ho Baik Gachon University of Medicine and Science Medical School, 534-2 Yeonsu 3-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-799, Korea Tel: +82.32.820.4702 email: shbaik@snu.ac.kr Korean J Med Educ 2010 Dec;22(4): 249-256. doi: 10.3946/kjme.2010.22.4.249. pISSN: 2005-727X eISSN: 2005-7288 C The Korean Society of Medical Education. All rights reserved. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. OPINION
Divergent Effects of Prolactin upon Steroidogenesis by Porcine Granulosa Cells in Vitro: Influence of Cytodifferentiation

Ovine PRL (20–1,000 ng/ml) produced dose-dependent inhibition of progesterone production by cultured granulosa cells isolated from small (1–2 mm) immature follicles of porcine ovaries. The inhibition was most prominent during the initial 4 days of culture, when PRL decreased progesterone accumulation by 30–67%. The suppressive effects of PRL persisted when steroid accumulation was corrected per cell [control (0.51 ± 0.03) vs. PRL-treated (0.24 ± 0.03 ng progesterone/105 cells-48 h)]. In contradistinction, with granulosa cells isolated from large (>6 mm) mature follicles, PRL (4–1,000 ng/ml) exerted an opposite effect upon steroidogenesis, stimulating progesterone secretion by 30–100%. Previous studies had suggested that the two granulosa cell populations employed differed with regard to PRL receptor content. To clarify the relationship of PRL binding to its divergent action, specific ovine [125I]PRL ([125I]oPRL) binding was compared serially in immature and mature granulosa cells before and during 6–8 day...
Modelling and simulation of integrated circuits

Describing integrated circuits based on their physical and topological properties leads naturally to efficient algorithms and device models for circuit simulation. Physically based relaxation algorithms exploit the local and sparse nature of the circuit interconnect. Models that directly represent the processes of charge flow extend naturally to integrated circuit devices allowing the distributed nature of the integrated transistor to be represented. This approach has been used to develop models for metal oxide semiconductors (MOS) and bipolar transistors. The model for the bipolar transistor has been generalized to describe the multicollector merged device structures of integrated injection logic.
A Stiff Blow from the Stroma: Collagen Crosslinking Drives Tumor Progression

Matrix stiffness is an important microenvironmental cue that regulates cell growth, motility, and differentiation. In a recent Cell report, Weaver and colleagues implicate lysyl-oxidase-mediated collagen crosslinking as a contributor to tumor matrix stiffening, which leads to enhanced integrin signaling and invasive behavior in tumors.
Integrin-Mediated Host Cell Invasion by Type 1–Piliated Uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), the primary causative agent of urinary tract infections, typically express filamentous adhesive organelles called type 1 pili that mediate both bacterial attachment to and invasion of bladder urothelial cells. Several host proteins have previously been identified as receptors for type 1 pili, but none have been conclusively shown to promote UPEC entry into host bladder cells. Using overlay assays with FimH, the purified type 1 pilus adhesin, and mass spectroscopy, we have identified β1 and α3 integrins as key host receptors for UPEC. FimH recognizes N-linked oligosaccharides on these receptors, which are expressed throughout the urothelium. In a bladder cell culture system, β1 and α3 integrin receptors co-localize with invading type 1–piliated bacteria and F-actin. FimH-mediated bacterial invasion of host bladder cells is inhibited by β1 and α3 integrin–specific antibodies and by disruption of the β1 integrin gene in the GD25 fibroblast cell line. Phosphorylation site mutations within the cytoplasmic tail of β1 integrin that alter integrin signaling also variably affect UPEC entry into host cells, by either attenuating or boosting invasion frequencies. Furthermore, focal adhesion and Src family kinases, which propagate integrin-linked signaling and downstream cytoskeletal rearrangements, are shown to be required for FimH-dependent bacterial invasion of target host cells. Cumulatively, these results indicate that β1 and α3 integrins are functionally important receptors for type 1 pili–expressing bacteria within the urinary tract and possibly at other sites within the host.
Accuracy of a class of concurrent algorithms for transient finite element analysis

The accuracy of a new class of concurrent, procedures for transient finite element analysis is examined. A phase error analysis is carried out which shows that wave retardation leading to unacceptable loss of accuracy may occur if a Courant condition based on the dimensions of the subdomains is violated. Numerical tests suggest that this Courant condition is conservative for typical structural applications and may lead to a marked increase in accuracy as the number of subdomains is increased. Theoretical speed-up ratios are derived which suggest that the algorithms under consideration can be expected to exhibit a performance superior to that of globally implicit methods when implemented on parallel machines.
Superelasticity and Nanofracture Mechanics of ZnO Nanohelices

A superelasticity (shape memory) behavior has been discovered for the superlattice-structured ZnO nanohelices. By in situ manipulation using a nanoprobe, the nanohelix could elastically recover its shape after an extremely large axial stretching to a degree close to the theoretical limit, while suffering little residual plastic deformation. As a result, its spring constant can be increased continuously for up to 300-800%. A shape memory/recovery of the nanohelix was observed after subjecting to a buckling deformation. The superelastic deformation and fracture process of a nanohelix have been studied by transversely compressing under an AFM tip. A two-step mechanism is suggested for explaining the measured force-displacement curve. It is suggested that the small thickness and the superlattice structure of the nanohelix might be the keys for the observed superelasticity. The ZnO nanohelices may be a new category of shape-memory ceramic nanostructures, which could be of great interest for investigating nanoscale fracture process and application in MEMS and NEMS. The elastic recovery of the nanohelix after extremely large deformation makes it a potential structure for nanoscale elastic energy storage.
Obesity superimposed on aging magnifies inflammation and delays the resolving response after myocardial infarction

Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake has increased over the last 100 yr, contributing to the current obesogenic environment. Obesity and aging are prominent risk factors for myocardial infarcti...
Poor School Achievement: A Psychiatric Study and Classification Part II. Case Management and Follow Up

Over the past few years, the au thor has developed a classification of children's emotional disorders4 and, in Part I, has presented and discussed the place of school achievement problems in this classi fication. 5 A recapitulation of Part I will be found in the summary. The categories of the classification sug gest a direction of management.Part II continues the analysis of the case records of the 162 con secutively referred children who are the subjects of these papers. It de scribes the treatment methods ap plied as determined by the classifi cation categories, the case manage ment decisions made at the end of the evaluation period, and the re sults of a two-year follow up study.Case Management Methods
PET/CT in Radiation Therapy Planning for Breast Cancer.

Precise anatomic information regarding the location and extent of tumor tissue is essential for radiation treatment planning. Anatomic imaging has greatly improved the accuracy of delineating target structures and is currently the basis of modern 3-dimension (3D)-based radiation treatment. 1 Plain radiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provide structural or morphologic information based on tissue density, size, vascularity, and fat or water content and are routinely being used for radiation treatment planning. The excellent spatial resolution of anatomic imaging techniques allows the detection of subcentimeter lesions (eg, in the lungs); however, definition of tumor involvement, for example in lymph nodes, based on the increased size is more difficult. Some enlarged lymph nodes may be reactive, whereas smaller nodes may harbor metastatic foci. MR imaging is better at outlining soft tissues, particularly in the brain, and has been valuable in complementing CT-based radiation treatment planning. 2
Recent Trends in Antipsychotic Combination Therapy of Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder: Implications for State Mental Health Policy

Little is known about antipsychotic combination therapy, although this practice is becoming increasingly common in the treatment of schizophrenia. Medicaid pharmaceutical claims for a cohort of 836 New Hampshire beneficiaries with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were followed from 1995 through 1999. Use of traditional and atypical antipsychotic medications, antidepressants, anxiolytic hypnotics, and mood stabilizers was tracked monthly. The number of medications, frequency of coprescription, and Medicaid pharmaceutical costs are described. The proportion of individuals with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder treated with atypical antipsychotics grew from 43 percent in 1995 to 70 percent in 1999. At the same time, concurrent use of two or more antipsychotic medications quadrupled, increasing from 5.7 percent to 24.3 percent. Persons with schizophrenia were also prescribed more antidepressants (increased from 18.5% in 1995 to 35.6% in 1999), anxiolytics (increased from 19.9% to 33.5%), and mood stabilizers (increased from 17.7% to 30.0%). The increase in multiple agent therapy appears to be broad-based. Data are needed on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these practices to inform clinical decision making and health policy.
A study of quench-in defects and interface states of MOS structures

The induced defects and interface states in MOS structures as a result of high temperature oxidation are investigated using a transient capacitance technique. Samples after dry oxidation at 1000°C were slowly cooled down to 700°C before pulling out. The densities of traps and interface states were shown to be 2 to 5 times lower than that for fast cooled samples. The major bulk traps are at E C -0.26 and E C -0.49 while the major interface state distribution resides at E C -0.6 eV. The carrier lifetime for the slowly cooled samples is a factor of 10 longer than that for the fast cooled ones, while the surface recombination velocity is smaller for the slowly cooled samples. The results suggest that the interface states and the bulk are the consequence of quenched-in impurities.
DNAlignTT: Pairwise DNA alignment with sequence specific transition-transversion ratio

Pairwise DNA and protein sequence alignment is an important task in bioinformatics which forms the basis of many other tasks like multiple sequence alignment, protein structure and function prediction, phylogenetic analysis. In general, more emphasis is given to protein sequence alignment, and the alignment methods designed for protein sequences can usually be used with little modification for DNA sequences as well. However, it is desirable to design methods specifically for DNA alignments, making use of specific DNA sequence models and if possible, also of the specific sequences being aligned. In this paper, we present an iterative method for DNA sequence alignment with sequence specific transition-transversion ratio. Preliminary experiments indicate that the proposed technique has significant potential. The approach better suits to the nature of the specific DNA sequence pair, and could be a significant step in the direction of using sequence specific substitution matrices for DNA sequences.
Experiences of siblings of patients with Fanconi anemia.

Background Clinical management of families with autosomal recessive genetic disorders focuses almost exclusively on the affected family members. However, clinically unaffected members of such families may also be severely troubled by the serious illness in a family member. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of healthy siblings of patients with a chronic genetic disease, Fanconi Anemia (FA). Procedure We used a qualitative, descriptive design, which consisted of in-depth, semi-structured interviews. A convenience sample of nine siblings of patients with FA was recruited from a National Cancer Institute clinical research protocol, which targets families with inherited bone marrow failure syndromes. NVivo 2.0 software facilitated qualitative content analysis of the data. Results Siblings' rich descriptions provided novel insights into the intricate hardships of living within a family in which a rare, life-threatening, chronic genetic illness in one member is the focus of daily life. Four major themes of the sibling experience emerged from the interview data: (1) containment, (2) invisibility, (3) worry, and (4) despair. Conclusions Our data suggest that unrecognized psychosocial issues exist for the apparently healthy siblings of patients with FA. This study explores the psychosocial consequences of living in a family with FA and one of only a few studies to explore the sibling experience of chronic illness using a contemporaneous approach. These findings support the need for an increased awareness among health care providers; future hypothesis driven investigation, and improved assessment of problems with potential psychological morbidity. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007;48:72–79. Published 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Intentional right atrial exit for microcatheter infusion of pericardial carbon dioxide or iodinated contrast to facilitate sub-xiphoid access.

Objectives: We test the safety of transatrial pericardial access using small catheters, infusion of carbon dioxide (CO2) or iodinated contrast to facilitate sub-xiphoid access, and catheter withdrawal under full anticoagulation. Background: Sub-xiphoid pericardial access is required for electrophysiological and structural heart interventions. If present, an effusion protects the heart from needle injury by separating the myocardium from the pericardium. However, if the pericardium is ‘dry' then there is a significant risk of right ventricle or coronary artery laceration caused by the heart beating against the needle tip. Intentional right atrial exit is an alternative pericardial access route, through which contrast media could be infused to separate pericardial layers. Methods: Transatrial pericardial access was obtained in a total of 30 Yorkshire swine using 4Fr or 2.8Fr catheters. In 16 animals, transatrial catheters were withdrawn under anticoagulation and MRI was performed to monitor for pericardial hemorrhage. In 14 animals, iodinated contrast or CO2 was infused before sub-xiphoid access was obtained. Results: Small effusions (mean 18.5 ml) were observed after 4Fr (1.3 mm outer-diameter) but not after 2.8Fr (0.9 mm outer-diameter) transatrial catheter withdrawal despite full anticoagulation (mean activated clotting time 383 sec), with no hemodynamic compromise. Pericardial CO2 resorbed spontaneously within 15 min. Conclusions: Intentional transatrial exit into the pericardium using small catheters is safe and permits infusion of CO2 or iodinated contrast to separate pericardial layers and facilitate sub-xiphoid access. This reduces the risk of right ventricular or coronary artery laceration. 2.8Fr transatrial catheter withdrawal does not cause any pericardial hemorrhage, even under full anticoagulation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Practical wisdom and understanding the economy

Purpose – This paper aims to look at the development of economic theory into what Aristotle called a “theoretical science” and the subsequent rejection of practical wisdom. Since business education is largely based on economic theory, this has an effect on management and other business disciplines.Design/methodology/approach – This paper examines how the philosophical preconceptions that underlie economic theory greatly influence the development of economic theory and policy. The approach is to use the history of economic ideas to get a deeper understanding of current economic ideas and issues.Findings – The paper finds that the attempt to turn economics into a hard science forced economists to adopt an overly narrow view of the human person, to exclude ethics from their analysis and to ignore historical and social context; that is the real economy. Following this research agenda turned economics into a mere defense of laissez‐faire ideology, and led to the promotion of economic policies that are harmful ...
FDG-PET in differentiating lymphoma from nonmalignant central nervous system lesions in patients with AIDS.

Structural imaging studies such a s CT or MRI are not able to accurately differentiate infectious from malignant cerebral lesions in patients with AIDS. We studied 11 individuals with AIDS and central nervous system (CNS) lesions with 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET). FDG-PET was able to accurately differentiate between a malignant (lymphoma) and nonmalignant etiology for the CNS lesions. Both qualitative visual inspection of the images as well as semiquantitative analysis using count ratios was performed and revealed similar results. FDG-PET may be useful in the management of AIDS patients with CNS lesions since high FDG uptake most likely represents a malignant process which should be biopsied for confirmation rather than treated presumptively as infectious.
All-copper chip-to-substrate interconnects: Bonding, testing, and design for electrical performance and thermo-mechanical reliability

A novel fabrication process has been developed and characterized to create all-copper chip-to-substrate input/output (I/O) connections. Electroless copper plating followed by low temperature annealing in a nitrogen environment was used to create an all-copper bond between copper pillars. The bond strength for the all-copper structure exceeded 165 MPa after annealing at 180degC. During the anneal process, a significant microstructural transformation in the bonded copper-copper interface was observed. The changes were correlated to an increase in the bond strength. The process was characterized with respect to in-plane misalignment of bond sites. Significant planar misalignment, greater than the diameter of the pillars, could be tolerated. Through-plane mismatches between the pillars (pillar gap) as large as 65 mum could be overcome resulting in good pillar-to- pillar bonding. Successful silicon-on-FR4 bonding was achieved with no degradation of the organic board. The mechanical compliance and electrical performance of copper pillar chip-to-substrate interconnects has been modeled. The optimum pillar design is a trade-off between the mechanical compliance of the copper pillars and parasitic electrical effects. Copper pillars with a diameter of 48 mum to 100 mum and height of 508 mum to 657 mum are mechanically compliant and have parasitic inductance and capacitance less than 300 pH and 8.8 fF, respectively. A polymer collar improves the design space to 38 mum to 100 mum diameter and height from 441 mum to 617 mum.
Resynthesis of Brassica napus Through Protoplast Fusion Between B. oleracea and B. rapa

Brassica napus is an oilseed crop of major importance worldwide and a fodder or vegetable crop of regional importance; it is grown as an annual or biennial plant in temperate areas of the world. Together with oilseed forms of B. rapa and B. juncea, B. napus accounted for 10.5% (22.12 metric tons) of the total world oilseed production in 1989–1990 (Shahidi 1990). For vegetable oils, Brassica oilseeds represented 16% of the world’s total production in 1989 behind soybean and palm kernel/palm oil. Major producers are the EEC countries, China, India, Japan, and Canada (Shahidi 1990). Because of the superior health and nutritional attributes of this vegetable oil, worldwide production is anticipated to increase. The use of B. napus as a fodder or root crop [rutabaga or swede, ssp. rapifera (Metzg.) Sinsk] is limited in distribution to northern Europe, Russia, the Ukraine, and New Zealand. Small-scale production of rutabaga as a table vegetable occurs in the USA and Canada (Shattuck and Proudfoot 1989); leafy, heading vegetable forms (e.g., Hakuran) have been developed and are grown in Japan (Nishi 1980).
Quantum Dot and Polymer Composite Cross-Reactive Array for Chemical Vapor Detection.

A cross-reactive chemical sensing array was made from CdSe Quantum Dots (QDs) and five different organic polymers by inkjet printing to create segmented fluorescent composite regions on quartz substrates. The sensor array was challenged with exposures from two sets of analytes, including one set of 14 different functionalized benzenes and one set of 14 compounds related to security concerns, including the explosives trinitrotoluene (TNT) and ammonium nitrate. The array was broadly responsive to analytes with different chemical functionalities due to the multiple sensing mechanisms that altered the QDs’ fluorescence. The sensor array displayed excellent discrimination between members within both sets. Classification accuracy of more than 93% was achieved, including the complete discrimination of very similar dinitrobenzene isomers and three halogenated, substituted benzene compounds. The simple fabrication, broad responsivity, and high discrimination capacity of this type of cross-reactive array are ideal ...
Investigation of the optical response of photonic crystal nanocavities in ferroelectric oxide thin film

The optical properties of BaTiO3 two dimensional photonic crystal (PhC) nanocavities were investigated. Two types of nanocavities consisting of dopants and vacancies with PhC periodicities ranging from 200 to 550 nm were evaluated. The images from laser scanning confocal microscopy show the optical scattering of the PhC cavities is highly wavelength dependent. An optical intensity reversal is observed when the wavelength of probe light shifts by 29 nm. Meanwhile, intensity contrast between the nanocavity and its adjacent PhCs is enhanced as the PhC periodicity becomes shorter than the probe wavelength. To determine the photonic band structures fluorescence from dye covered PhCs were imaged and analyzed. A strong enhancement of fluorescence is observed for the PhC with a period of 200 nm. Upon comparison to the 2D finite difference time domain calculations, the enhancement is attributed to strong light localization within the PhC nanocavity. As a result, the in-plane lightwave propagation is prohibited that results in an increase in the vertical light scattering.
Über Friedländer-Bazillen-Otitiden

Es wird an Hand der in der Literatur niedergelegten Falle und an 2 selbstbeobachteten Fallen gezeigt, das entsprechend der Ansicht vonZange die durch die Bazillen derFriedlander-Gruppe hervorgerufenen Otitiden als ein schweres Krankheitsbild aufzufassen sind. An dieser Anschauung darf auch die vonGerman beobachtete Epidemie von komplikationslosen Badeotitiden nichts andern. Die sporadischen Krankheitsfalle neigen alle — von wenigen Ausnahmen abgesehen —zu den schwersten ortlichen und allgemeinen Komplikationen. Sie sind im Beginn und Verlauf den Mucosusotitiden nicht unahnlich.
Extracting Meaning and Relevance from Work The Potential Connection Between the Listening Environment and Employee’s Organizational Identification and Commitment

This manuscript explores an organization’s listening environment as a mechanism used by employees to interpret organizational information and translate signals into meaning and relevance, culminati...
Learning in Cross-Cultural Online MBA Courses: Perceptions of Chinese Students

The rapid improvement in online communication technologies and the globalization of the economy have made offering transnational courses in online learning programs a popular trend. This chapter reports the findings of a case study that investigated the perceptions of international students regarding cultural challenges in their learning experiences during an online MBA program. The study revealed that international students faced cultural barriers, including time management, transition to different instruction styles, time zone differences, case-based learning and academic integrity, which affected their engagement in online MBA courses. Recommendations were made at the end of the chapter on how to improve the quality of the international students’ learning experiences in cross-cultural learning environments.
Examining the Use of the ASSURE Model by K-12 Teachers.

Heinich et al. (1999) introduced the ASSURE model to guide teachers in how to plan and deliver lessons that effectively integrate technology into their classroom teaching. Its straightforward, prac...
Golgi ribbon disassembly during mitosis, differentiation and disease progression

The Golgi apparatus is tightly integrated into the cellular system where it plays essential roles required for a variety of cellular processes. Its vital functions include not only processing and sorting of proteins and lipids, but also serving as a signaling hub and a microtubule-organizing center. Golgi stacks in mammalian cells are interconnected into a compact ribbon in the perinuclear region. However, the ribbon can undergo distinct disassembly processes that reflect the cellular state or environmental demands and stress. For instance, its most dramatic change takes place in mitosis when the ribbon is efficiently disassembled into vesicles through a combination of ribbon unlinking, cisternal unstacking and vesiculation. Furthermore, the ribbon can also be detached and positioned at specific cellular locations to gain additional functionalities during differentiation, or fragmented to different degrees along disease progression or upon cell death. Here, we describe the major morphological alterations of Golgi ribbon disassembly under physiological and pathological conditions and discuss the underlying mechanisms that drive these changes.
Terahertz quantum cascade lasers and real-time THz imaging

Based on a robust THz gain medium that rapidly depopulates the lower state using resonant LO-phonons and a novel metal-metal waveguide structure for mode confinement, we have developed THz quantum- cascade lasers with many performance records. These include but not limited to: the highest pulsed operating temperature of-170 K, the highest CW operating temperature of 117 K, the longest wavelength of-190 mum, and the highest output power levels of-250 mW. Using these lasers and a 320times240 pixel focal-plane array camera, real-time THz imaging is performed at a rate of 20 frames/second.
Compatibility of Family History Cancer Guidelines With Meaningful Use Standards

PurposeTo evaluate the potential of implementing established family cancer guidelines as clinical decision support within meaningful use (MU)–compliant health information technology systems.MethodsWe conducted a systematic analysis of cancer guidelines involving family health history (FHx) published before 2015. By comparing existing cancer guideline statements to current MU FHx standard requirements, we determined whether the cancer guideline statements could be implemented as clinical decision support. For guidelines that could not implemented, we determined the primary reasons for incompatibility.ResultsA total of 531 statements from 55 guidelines published by 11 different organizations were reviewed and analyzed. Overall, 18% to 66% of guideline statements could or could not be implemented in MU-compliant health information technology systems, depending on which MU standard was used. Health Level Seven (HL7) models performed better than SNOMED models. Implementability of guideline statements varied by...
Heck Reaction of Electronically Diverse Tertiary Alkyl Halides

The efficient Pd-catalyzed Heck reaction of diverse tertiary alkyl halides with alkenes has been developed. Unactivated tertiary alkyl halides efficiently react at room temperature under visible light irradiation with no exogenous photosensitizers required. For activated tertiary alkyl halides, the same catalytic system works well without light. These methods offer a general access to electronically diverse alkenes possessing quaternary and functionalized tertiary allylic carbon centers. The substituents at these centers include alkyl-, carbalkoxy-, tosyl-, phosphonyl-, and boronate groups. It was also shown that the end-game mechanism of this transformation may vary depending on the type of the substrates used.