cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Memory and Emotion: The Making of Lasting Memories

Most of us remember where we were and what we were doing on September 11, 2001. Why do most experiences leave little trace while some-even terrible ordeals that people wish they could forget-leave memories that last a lifetime? That is the mystery at the heart of this book. Drawing on fascinating research and case studies, James McGaugh, a distinguished neuroscientist, reveals that the key to understanding how memories are created may well be understanding how they are lost. He shows that lasting memories are not stored instantly. Why the delay? The author explains how the slow consolidation of memory has important adaptive consequences. It allows physiological processes activated by experiences to regulate the strength of the memory of the experiences. Emotionally arousing experiences induce the release of stress hormones, which act on the brain to influence the consolidation of our memories of recent experience. These findings have important implications for the controversial issues of post-traumatic stress disorder and repressed memory syndrome. From the prescientific writings of William James to the animal studies of the memory-research pioneers Pavlov, Thorndike, and Tolman, to the latest research of psychologists and neurologists drawing on PET imaging studies of the brain and laboratory experiments involving a variety of drugs, this succinct book provides a wealth of information.
Kinetics, mechanism and thermodynamics of bisulfite-aldehyde adduct formation

The kinetics and mechanism of bisulfite addition to benzaldehyde were studied at low pH in order to assess the importance of this reaction in stabilizing S(IV) in fog-, cloud-, and rainwater. Previously, the authors established that appreciable concentrations of the formaldehyde-bisulfite adduct (HMSA) are often present in fogwater. Measured HMSA concentrations in fogwater often do not fully account for observed excess S(IV) concentrations, however, so that other S(IV)-aldehyde adducts may be present. Reaction rates were determined by monitoring the disappearance of benzaldehyde by U.V. spectrophotometry under pseudo-first order conditions, (S(IV))/sub T/ >>(phi-CHO)/sub T/, in the pH range 0 - 4.4 at 25/sup 0/C. The equilibrium constant was determined by dissolving the sodium salt of the addition compound in a solution adjusted to pH 3.9, and measuring the absorbance of the equilibrated solution at 250 nm. A literature value of the extinction coefficient for benzaldehyde was used to calculate the concentration of free benzaldehyde. All solutions were prepared under an N/sub 2/ atmosphere using deoxygenated, deionized water and ionic strength was maintained at 1.0 M with sodium chloride.
Cloning and characterization of actin depolymerizing factor from Toxoplasma gondii.

Abstract We determined the predicted amino acid sequence of actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) from Toxoplasma gondii by sequencing the full-length cDNA. T. gondii ADF consists of 118 amino acids (calculated molecular weight 13 400) and shares a high degree of sequence similarity to other low molecular weight actin monomer sequestering proteins, especially Acanthamoeba actophorin, plant ADFs and yeast and vertebrate cofilin. ADF from T. gondii is smaller and does not contain a nuclear localization sequence like the related vertebrate proteins. Southern blot analysis indicates that T. gondii ADF is a single-copy gene. Homogeneous recombinant T. gondii ADF purified from E. coli is active in binding actin monomers and depolymerizing F-actin. Localization of ADF by immunofluorescence and immuno-electron microscopy indicates ADF is scattered throughout the cytoplasm and prominently localized beneath the plasma membrane in T. gondii.
Tools and techniques for multi-site software development

Business reasons are increasingly causing software development projects to be distributed across the globe However, software development tools and techniques in use today largely ignore the needs of distributed software development At IBM India Research Lab, we have been looking at global software development practices to understand problem areas and propose solutions that could be of help In the first part of this talk, I will chalk out a broad agenda for research in software engineering in aid of multi-site software development The areas that we will consider are requirements management, application knowledge management, project dashboarding, and software quality assurance I will touch upon various research efforts at IBM Research and elsewhere in these areas. In the second part of the talk, I will describe our recent work in multi-site requirements management Among the many challenges that arise in multi-site development, precise communication and management of requirements appears to be of immense importance This particular challenge arises in the need for collaboration between the analysts and the systems engineers in mapping business requirements to system requirements, for communication between systems engineers and testers to create test cases for requirements, for coordination between the customer, analyst, developers and testers during requirement changes, and so on Remoteness and time-zone differences strain each part of this scenario, leading to excessive re-work, delays and cost escalations We are building a tool for multi-site requirements management The salient features of this tool include views into the requirements and traceability information, synchronous as well as asynchronous communication facilities integrated in the views to enable in context communication; assisted change management; search on persisted communication and change logs; and visual clues to provide a heightened sense of awareness, indicating which stakeholders are online, which artifacts have pending notifications, current discussions etc. This talk is based on joint work with Bikram Sengupta and Vibha S Sinha of IBM India Research Lab.
The Interaction Plateau: Answer-Based Tutoring < Step-Based Tutoring = Natural Tutoring

Face-to-face tutoring by an expert human tutor is widely thought to be more effective than intelligent tutoring systems (ITS), which are in turn thought to be more effective than computer-aided instruction (CAI), computer-based training (CBT), etc. The latter tutoring systems have students work out complex solutions on paper, then enter their answer into the tutor, which gives them feedback and hints on their answer. Thus, CAI, CBT, etc. are answer-based tutoring systems. This is a low level of interactivity, in that the student may make many inferences between the time they start the problem and when they first get feedback on their thinking. With a typical ITS, such as the Andes physics tutoring system, students enter every step of a complex solution into the tutor, which gives them feedback and hints, either immediately or when they have finished entering all the steps. These systems are step-based tutoring systems, because the feedback and hints are directed at steps rather than the final answer. They are moderately interactive, because students make a moderate number of inferences per step. When interacting face-to-face with a human tutor, students often talk aloud as they reason, and thus allow the tutor to hear and intervene at almost every inference made by the student. Thus, human tutoring is highly interactive. Natural language tutoring systems, such as Why2-Atlas and Cordillera, are engineered to act like human tutors, so they too are highly interactive.
Structured to Partner: School District Collaboration with Nonprofit Organizations in Disaster Response

Emergency preparedness and response is moving from a specialized circle of emergency management professionals and select nonprofit organizations (such as the Red Cross and other national relief organizations) to include a broader variety of organizations not traditionally fulfilling emergency management roles, including schools. It is not clear who among these new potential members of emergency preparedness networks collaborates with whom. We present the results of a survey of Texas public schools and test how structural characteristics are related to collaboration with nonprofits and relief organizations following a local, visible disaster, that of the 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes. Our results show that the propensity to collaborate is related to the size of the districts and its degree of centralization, even while controlling for a district’s general collaborative tendency.
How To Develop The Skill of Active Listening

Active listening requires that an attorney listen carefully to his client’s story and respond in a way that makes the clients feel that he has been understood. As a result, the client is less likely to omit important facts or view the lawyer as a hostile interrogator. This article describes how lawyers can use active listening effectively in interviewing and counseling situations. The process includes using both discrimination and communication to focus on both facts and feelings. Active listening responses can be viewed from three perspectives - accuracy, intensity, and form.
Evaluation of the shock index in dogs presenting as emergencies

Objectives To (1) determine a reference interval for shock index (SI) [defined as heart rate (HR)/systolic blood pressure (SBP)], in a group of healthy dogs, and (2) compare SI in healthy dogs with dogs presenting to the emergency room (ER) deemed to be in or not in a state of shock. Design Prospective study. Animals Sixty‐eight clinically normal dogs, 18 dogs that were presented to the ER deemed to be in shock and 19 dogs presenting to the ER not deemed to be in shock. Setting University teaching hospital. Interventions Peripheral or central venous blood sampling. Measurements and Main Results Heart rate and SBP were recorded on simulated presentation (healthy dogs), and emergency presentations for both dogs deemed to be in shock and dogs not deemed in shock. Dogs in shock had a median SI of 1.37 (0.87–3.13), which was significantly higher than both other groups; dogs not deemed in shock had median SI 0.73 (0.56–1.20), P < 0.0001 and healthy dogs had median SI 0.78 (0.37–1.30) P < 0.0001), respectively. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis suggested a SI cut‐off of 1.0, yielding an area under the receiver operator characteristic (AUROC) of 0.89 (Specificity (Sp) 89, Sensitivity (Sn) 90) when comparing dogs deemed in shock with healthy dogs, and 0.92 (Sp 95, Sn 89) when comparing dogs in shock with to dogs not deemed in shock. Conclusions The SI is an easy and noninvasive patient parameter that is higher in dogs that are deemed to be in shock than both healthy dogs and dogs presented as emergencies but not deemed to be in a state of shock. The measurement of SI may have some benefit in clinical assessment of emergency patients.
Leadless pacemakers: leading us into the future?

This editorial refers to ‘Early performance of a miniaturized leadless cardiac pacemaker: the Micra Transcatheter Pacing Study’, by P. Ritter et al ., doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehv214. If at first the idea is not absurd, then there will be no hope for it.A. Einstein Since the first permanent pacemaker implant, almost 60 years ago, there has been continued progress and evolution of these devices. The technology has advanced on many fronts, with longer battery lives, smaller sized generators, with an intelligent ‘adaptive functionality’ closely mimicking the human physiology. However, contemporary implant technology has been disadvantaged by the need for a subcutaneous implantable device (with a risk for infection or erosion) and an attached pacing electrode system within the cardiac vasculature that itself is at risk for fracture and infection. The additional hazard of extracting malfunctioning or infected leads poses further challenges. Notably, almost 10% of the ∼700 000 pacemakers implanted annually worldwide are associated with lead-related problems.1,2 This, in turn, has created the need for a leadless pacemaker system. Although Spickler et al . first reported the theory of a totally self-contained leadless intracardiac pacemaker in 1970,3 it is only through recent technological advancements in battery energy, endocardial fixation, and delivery systems that this concept has become a reality. The leadless device not only has improved the aesthetics of an implant through eliminating the visible lump and scar of a conventional pectoral pacemaker implant but also has potentially reduced the risk of complications, related to infections and lead …
Who Blew the Balaklava Bugle?: The Charge of the Light Brigade and the Afterlife of the Crimean War

The signal event of the Crimean War, the Charge of the Light Brigade, transpired on 25 October 1854. Its reverberations would, however, last long after, as a battle that was waged in the popular press and in auction rooms across the twentieth century attests. The battle involved a bugle and its provenance. In question were two competing claims to have sounded the charge at the Battle of Balaklava, fought at the height of the Crimean War. Did the distinction belong to Trumpet Major William Brittain or to Trumpet Major Henry Joy? The case, which preoccupied family members and interested parties, was closed some fifty years ago in favour of Brittain’s partisans. Why did the contest attain such longevity? Why did it rage with such fervour? This article offers an answer beyond the simple question of provenance as it charts the twists and turns in the dispute, from the mid-nineteenth century through the moment of resolution in the 1960s. In the process, it attests to the politics of presence on the field of battle. It points, too, to the long afterlife of the Crimean War and the lingering shadow of the Victorian Age.
Cyclosporine-A increases spontaneous and dopamine agonist-induced locomotor behavior in normal rats.

Abstract Cyclosporine-A (CsA) has been increasingly used as an immunosuppressant concomitant with neural transplantation treatment for different degenerative disorders. However, the possible role that CsA itself may have in the recovery of transplant patients is not known. Some investigators have argued that clinical improvement following transplantation (e.g., myoblast) may be confounded by CsA administration. The present study was conducted to delineate CsA-induced behavioral alterations. Four groups of normal 5-wk old Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 8 per group) were utilized in two separate experiments. In both experiments, two groups of animals were used; each group either received daily injections of 15 mg/kg of CsA or olive oil for 32 days (experiment 1) and 21 days (experiment 2). Animals in both experiments were subsequently tested for nocturnal locomotor behavior. Animals in experiment 2 were further tested in passive avoidance task, motor coordination, and amphetamine-induced locomotor activity. Results demonstrated that CsA-treated animals were significantly hyperactive compared to controls across the 12-h nocturnal activity periods and in amphetamine-induced locomotor activity. No significant differences between the CsA- and vehicle-treated animals were observed in passive avoidance or in motor coordination. Postmortem analyses of dopamine and its metabolites in the striatum and olfactory tubercle did not show any significant differences between the CsA- and the vehicle-treated groups. In summary, CsA significantly increased nocturnal spontaneous and amphetamine-induced locomotor behavior, but the neuro-chemical correlates for these effects need to be investigated. In addition, while the present study demonstrated that CsA induced motor alterations, any possible effects CsA may have on neurological or dystrophic patients with motor dysfunctions remain to be determined.
Peptidomimetic inhibitors of p21ras farnesyltransferase: Hydrophobic functionalization leads to disruption of p21ras membrane association in whole cells

Abstract In this paper we describe the synthesis of several hydrophobic inhibitors of p21ras farnesyltransferase. These peptidomimetic structures, containing cysteine and methionine residues separated by an aromatic spacer, are functionalized as their methyl esters and N,S-bis-benzyloxycarbonyl (Cbz) derivatives and are shown to penetrate NIH 3T3 cells to disrupt p21 ras plasma membrane association.
Occupational postural activity and lower extremity discomfort: A review

Abstract This review paper provides an appraisal of literature regarding discomfort of the lower extremities of workers in occupational environments. The primary extrinsic occupationally-related causes of job discomfort reviewed in this study are based on individual joint position, whole or partial body posture, and occupational activity. Based on the reviewed literature, postural activity guidelines are proposed summarizing thresholds at which lower extremity discomfort has been reported. Industry relevance A set of occupational postural activity guidelines is proposed allowing ergonomic and safety practitioners a clearer picture of their individual industry's work environment's association with lower extremity worker discomfort.
Political Regime Change and the Real Interest Rate

The effect of changes in policy regimes on real interest rates has important implications for financial and economic theory. There is little current evidence that policy regime changes have any impact on the level of real interest rates. We use large political changes as our measure of policy regime changes. Changes in presidential administration are more significantly correlated with real rate changes than are changes in the Federal Reserve Chair or the mean shift points identified by Garcia and Perron (1996) using time series methods. We also show that change of party control of congress is a significant factor explaining real rates. We argue that theoretical models built on the assumptions of constant or policy invariant real interest rates are at variance with the empirical evidence.
Associations with age at natural menopause in Blackfeet women.

This study seeks to determine the age at natural menopause and factors that may predict that age for Blackfeet women living on the reservation in Montana. Data were obtained from a probability sample of 150 women. Rates of surgical menopause among women who had experienced menopause were similar to those found in NHANES I for U.S. women. Median age at natural menopause by the status quo method (51.2 years) was comparable to that determined for other populations. Within the group of women who already had experienced natural menopause, age at menopause was associated in bivariate models with age at menarche (b = −0.83 ± 0.44 years, P = 0.07), household income (b = 1.85 ± 0.71 years, P = 0.01), “ever use” of birth control (b = 4.52 ± 1.58 years, P = 0.008), “ever use” of oral contraceptives (b = 5.48 ± 1.91 years, P = 0.007), current or recent unemployment (b = 4.75 ± 1.97 years, P = 0.02), having been breastfed (b = −6.93 ± 2.67 years), and educational attainment (ANOVA by tertiles of menopause age, mean 10.0 ± 3.6 years of education for earliest, 13.0 ± 2.2 years for latest, P = 0.04). In multivariate models, “ever use” of oral contraceptives, household income, and age at menarche remained significant predictors of age at menopause (R2 = 0.33–0.35, P = 0.002–0.004), with household income modifying the effect of age at menarche (analysis of joint effects). The findings are discussed in the context of cohort experiences, examining implications for both early and later-life influences on menopause age. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 13:512–520, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dynamical formulation of Broecker's model for marine cycles of biologically incorporated elements

Broecker presented a steady-state, two-box model which emphasizes the role of kinetic factors in determining the chemical composition of sea water. Unlike thermodynamic models, Broecker's model suggests that sizable temporal variation in the composition of sea water and rates of sedimentation may have taken place in the past 100 million years. To describe the evolution of the ocean's chemical system and interpret variations observed in the sedimentary record, we have formulated a dynamical model. Mass-balance consideration leads to a set of coupled nonlinear differential equations. The equations are linearized and solved for step function changes in the rate of river input and in the rate of vertical mixing. This simple model of the ocean's chemical system is shown to be stable against oscillations. Using data for the modern ocean, the response times for P, C, Si, Ca, and Ba are calculated to be of the order of 104 to 106 yr for changes in river and other inputs and of the order 101 to 102 yr for a change in the rate of vertical mixing. Analog-simulation techniques, discussed for the situation of the two-box model, provide a powerful tool for treating nonlinearities and systems with more than two components. In the final section, consequences of the dynamical formulation are compared with parameters appearing in Broecker's steady-state formulation.
Rectal endosonography: just how good are we at its interpretation?

Endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) has become an integral part of the assessment of rectal tumors. It provides information about the depth of invasion and lymph node status which in turn is used in devising a management plan. It is important therefore that accurate interpretation of these studies is achieved. The aim of this study was to assess how accurately we interpret ERUS. A collection of 26 ERUS images were compiled and confirmed by two experienced colorectal sonographers. The survey was sent to 100 ASCRS members practicing at institutions with residency programs in colorectal surgery in USA and Canada. Two separate mailings were sent. Participants were asked to allocate a T and N stage to each of the images. Their responses were compared with pathology results. Twenty five surveys were returned, 23 were completed. Thirteen respondents reported performing ERUS themselves, on average performing three examinations per month (range, 1–8). The mean duration of practice was 11.2 years (range, 0–26). The mean number of rectal cancer cases managed over a 12-month period was 25 (range, 10–75). T stage was accurately reported in 38–69%. If we continue to rely on ERUS as an important step in staging rectal cancer further education may be needed to improve overall interpretation.
Effects of Magnetic Fields on the Mutual Annihilation of Triplet Excitons in Molecular Crystals

The intensity of triplet-exciton annihilation luminescence in anthracene crystals at room temperature increases in weak magnetic fields up to a maximum increase of 5% at 350 Oe. For stronger fields the intensity decreases, finally leveling off at 80% of the zero-field value for $H\ensuremath{\gtrsim}5$ kOe. Sharp dips are found in the high-field intensity for field orientations at which a particular kind of level crossing occurs for pairs of triplet excitons. These effects result solely from field-induced changes in the rate constant for triplet-triplet annihilation.
Suppression of gross chromosomal rearrangements by a new alternative replication factor C complex

Defects in DNA replication fidelity lead to genomic instability. Gross chromosomal rearrangement (GCR), a type of genomic instability, is highly enhanced by various initial mutations affecting DNA replication. Frequent observations of GCRs in many cancers strongly argue the importance of maintaining high fidelity of DNA replication to suppress carcinogenesis. Recent genome wide screens in Saccharomyces cerevisiae identified a new GCR suppressor gene, ELG1, enhanced level of genome instability gene 1. Its physical interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and complex formation with Rfc2-5p proteins suggest that Elg1 functions to load/unload PCNA onto DNA during a certain DNA metabolism. High level of DNA damage accumulation and enhanced phenotypes with mutations in genes involved in cell cycle checkpoints, homologous recombination (HR), or chromatin assembly in the elg1 strain suggest that Elg1p-Rfc2-5p functions in a fundamental DNA metabolism to suppress genomic instability.
Development of a New Reference Spectrophotometer

A new reference spectrophotometer is being developed at the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) for high-accuracy transmittance measurements over the spectral range 200 to 2500 nm. This computerized instrument is a single-beam design based upon a servomotor-driven double monochromator with a wavelength resolution of 0.022 nm. The other main components are: (1) two interchangeable sources (deuterium and tungsten-halogen), (2) two computer-selectable TE-cooled detectors (GaAs photomultiplier tube and PbS cell), (3) all-reflective input and exit optics, and (4) a large sample compartment. The significant feature of the optical system is a large, well-collimated measurement beam: the angle of convergence is 0.7° for a slit height of 7 mm, and the maximal beam size is 37x20 mm. This beam geometry eliminates the need for polarization corrections (using linearly polarized light) or compensation for spatially non-uniform detector responsivity (using averaging sphere). The paper describes the instrument design and presents data from preliminary performance tests. The systematic and random sources of error that have been investigated include: wavelength accuracy and reproducibility, bandpass, beam uniformity, polarization, stray light, system drift and linearity. A new linearity tester has been developed for checking the photometric accuracy. This automated device is based upon the double-aperture method but takes advantage of high precision piezoelectric motors to give a single adjustable aperture. Transmittance measurements of several neutral-density glass filters at 546 nm demonstrate that the photometric precision is better than 0.01% of the measured value and that the photometric accuracy is a few parts in 104. The wavelength scale is accurate to better than ±0.1 nm from 300 to 2500 nm, and is reproducible within ±0.03 nm.
An Electrochemical Detector for Liquid Chromatography with Picogram Sensitivity

Abstract A simple liquid chromatograph with an extremely sensitive electrochemical detector is described. The detector, which can be constructed for lees than $5.00 (excluding electronics), has an actual dead volume of < 1 μl and operates well in the 50–100 picogram region. Routine quantitative work at the 5–10 nanogram level is described. Potential applications to the analysis of biogenic amines are discussed.
Part-based spatio-temporal model for multi-person re-identification

In this paper we propose an adaptive part-based spatio-temporal model that characterizes person's appearance using color and facial features. Face image selection based on low level cues is used to select usable face images to build a face model. Color features that capture the distribution of colors as well as the representative colors are used to build the color model. The model is built over a sequence of frames of an individual and hence captures the characteristic appearance as well as its variations over time. We also address the problem of multiple person re-identification in the absence of calibration data or prior knowledge about the camera layout. Multiple person re-identification is a open set matching problem with a dynamically evolving and open gallery set and an open probe set. Re-identification is posed as a rectangular assignment problem and is solved to find a bijection that minimizes the overall assignment cost. Open and closed set re-identification is tested on 30 videos collected with nine non-overlapping cameras spanning outdoor and indoor areas, with 40 subjects under observation. A false acceptance reduction scheme based on the developed model is also proposed.
You Can Drag a Horse to Water but You Can't Make it Drink Unless it is Thirsty

This paper reviews preliminary results of a field study that examined the impact of a leadership development program on pre and post ratings of the multi-factor leadership questionnaire. Emphasis i...
TRIAXIAL COMPOSITE MODEL FOR BASIC CREEP OF CONCRETE

This paper shows how the mechanics of elastic composite materials can be adapted to predict the basic creep of concrete with aging caused by hydration. The prediction is made on the basis of the given composition of concrete, the elastic constants of the aggregate, and the aging viscoelastic properties of the portland cement mortar. The triaxial action of the composite is approximated by Dvorak's transformation field analysis. To convert the aging creep problem to an elastic problem of a composite material with inelastic strains, Granger and Bazant's approach is used. This approach relies on Bazant's age-adjusted effective modulus method that reduces the integral-type stress-strain relation for linear aging creep with nonconvolution kernel to a quasi-elastic incremental stress-strain relation with inelastic incremental strain. Explicit expressions for the aging creep properties of concrete as a composite are deduced. The model is calibrated and verified by Ward and colleagues" and Counto's test data. The predictions obtained are almost as close as those recently obtained by Granger and Bazant's model. While the present model has the advantage of describing the triaxial composite action in a rational manner, it does not yet capture the effect of the deviation of the aggregate configuration from the case of a continguous aggregate skeleton of maximum possible compactness. Further refinements in this respect are needed. Another refinement might be needed to take into account possible enhancement of creep in the interface layers between the mortar and the aggregate.
Characterization of an extremely large, ligand-induced conformational change in plasminogen

Native human plasminogen has a radius of gyration of 39 angstroms. Upon occupation of a weak lysine binding site, the radius of gyration increases to 56 angstroms, an extremely large ligand-induced conformational change. There are no intermediate conformational states between the closed and open form. The conformational chang is not accompanied by a change in secondary structure, hence the closed conformation is formed by interaction between domains that is abolished upon conversion to the open form. This reversible change in conformation, in which the shape of the protein changes from that best described by a prolate ellipsoid to a flexible structure best described by a Debye random coil, is physiologically relevant because a weak lysine binding site regulates the activation of plasminogen.
Enzyme-Responsive Snap-Top Covered Silica Nanocontainers

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles, capable of storing a payload of small molecules and releasing it following specific catalytic activation by an esterase, have been designed and fabricated. The storage and release of the payload is controlled by the presence of [2]rotaxanes, which consist of tri(ethylene glycol) chains threaded by α-cyclodextrin tori, located on the surfaces of the nanoparticles and terminated by a large stoppering group. These modified silica nanoparticles are capable of encapsulating guest molecules when the [2]rotaxanes are present. The bulky stoppers, which serve to hold the tori in place, are stable under physiological conditions but are cleaved by the catalytic action of an enzyme, causing dethreading of the tori and release of the guest molecules from the pores of the nanoparticles. These snap-top covered silica nanocontainers (SCSNs) are prepared by a modular synthetic method, in which the stoppering unit, incorporated in the final step of the synthesis, may be changed at will to target the response of the system to any of a number of hydrolytic enzymes. Here, the design, synthesis, and operation of model SCSNs that open in the presence of porcine liver esterase (PLE) are reported. The empty pores of the silica nanoparticles were loaded with luminescent dye molecules (rhodamine B), and stoppering units that incorporate adamantyl ester moieties were then attached in the presence of α-cyclodextrin using the copper-catalyzed azide−alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), closing the SCSNs. The release of rhodamine-B from the pores of the SCSN, following PLE-mediated hydrolysis of the stoppers, was monitored using fluorescence spectroscopy.
The relationship between mechanical properties and structure in rolled polypropylene

The relationship between mechanical properties and fine structure has been studied in polypropylene rolled both unidirectionally and biaxially (cross rolled). In unidirectionally rolled samples, a complex dependence with cold work is observed with a substantial change being observed at about 50 percent cold work. At 70 percent cold work, the yield strength and tensile strength increase substantially in the roll direction as compared with the starting billet but decrease only slightly in the transverse direction. Above 50 percent cold work, Young's modulus increases rapidly in the roll direction with a smaller increase in the transverse direction. The elongation to freak decreases in the roll direction but increases in the transverse direction. A striking feature is the large increase in ductility due to a small amount of cold work (ca., 10-20 percent). Analogous property changes are observed for cross rolled samples although no significant variation with direction in the sheet was found. The complex property changes are accompanied by complex changes in the molecular orientation as observed by wide angle X-ray pole figures and by changes in the morphology as observed with small angle x-ray scattering. These changes are interpreted in terms of a model incorporating tilting both of lamellae and of chain stems within the lamellae at early stages of rolling followed by breakup of lamellae and molecular rearrangement at later stages.
10.8-Gb/s OFDMA-PON transmission performance study

We have studied the 10.8-Gb/s (10-Gb/s after coding) OFDMA-PON downstream and upstream transmission performance with 8 OUN-s over 20km SSMF. The maximum path loss was achieved at 25.5dB using IM and APD without optical amplifier.
Frequency, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Early Unplanned Readmissions to PICUs

Unplanned readmissions have increasingly become a focus of healthcare quality measurement, given that they may be preventable and may reflect threats to patient safety or hospital efficiency (1–3). Similarly, readmissions to ICUs during the same hospitalization have been suggested as an indicator of quality of critical care (4–7). However, determining the appropriate timing for ICU discharge can be a challenge for patients at risk for complications of their resolving critical illness and/or new sequelae of their chronic conditions. Among adults, multi-institutional studies have found ICU readmission rates of 2–6% (8, 9), depending on the timeframe considered, and that readmissions are associated with greater risk of in-hospital mortality (10, 11). In pediatrics, however, there have only been a few single-institutional studies (12–16). Thus, little generalizable information about the frequency, risk factors, or outcomes of unplanned readmissions is available. We sought to estimate the rate of early unplanned readmissions to PICUs, using a multi-institutional cohort, and to examine the factors associated with readmission. We also sought to determine whether index admissions and readmissions have different outcomes.
Work Stealing on Hybrid Architectures

Parallel computing systems have been based on multicore CPUs and specialized coprocessors, like GPUs. Work-stealing is a scheduling technique that has been used to distribute and redistribute the workload among resources in an efficient way. This work aims to propose, implement and validate a scheduling approach based on work stealing in parallel systems with CPUs and GPUs simultaneously. Results show that our approach, called WORMS, presents competitive performance when compared to reference tool for multicore CPUs (Cilk). In hybrid scenario, WORMS with multicore+GPU outperforms WORMS and Cilk with multicore only and also the GPU reference tool (Thrust).
What Happened in Hazelwood: Statistics, Employment Discrimination, and the 80% Rule

Tests of statistical significance have increasingly been used in employment discrimination cases since the Supreme Court's decision in Hazelwood. In that case, the United States Supreme Court ruled that “in a proper case” statistical evidence can suffice for a prima facie showing of employment discrimination. The Court also discussed the use of a binomial significance test to assess whether the difference between the proportion of black teachers employed by the Hazelwood School District and the proportion of black teachers in the relevant labor market was substantial enough to indicate discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has proposed a somewhat stricter standard for evaluating how substantial a difference must be to constitute evidence of discrimination. Under the so-called 80% rule promulgated by the EEOC, the difference must not only be statistically significant, but the hire rate for the allegedly discriminated group must also be less than 80% of the rate for the favored group. This article argues that a binomial statistical significance test standing alone is unsatisfactory for evaluating allegations of discrimination because many of the assumptions on which such tests are based are inapplicable to employment settings; the 80% rule is a more appropriate standard for evaluating whether a difference in hire rates should be treated as a prima facie showing of discrimination.
Robotic Surgery in the Pediatric Airway: Application and Safety

Objective To assess the application and safety of transoral robotic surgery in the pediatric airway. Design An institutional review board–approved study. Experimental laryngeal surgery was performed on 4 pediatric cadaver larynxes as controls. Application of robotic equipment for laryngeal surgery was attempted on 5 patients. Setting Tertiary care pediatric medical center. Patients Five patients with laryngeal cleft and 4 pediatric cadaver larynxes. Interventions (1) The da Vinci Surgical Robot (Intuitive Surgical Inc, Sunnyvale, Calif) was used on 4 cadaver larynxes and assessed for the dexterity, precision, and depth perception that it allowed the surgeon during laryngeal surgery. Procedures were documented with still and video photography. (2) The da Vinci Surgical Robot was used through a transoral approach to attempt repair of a laryngeal cleft in 5 pediatric patients who were under spontaneously breathing general anesthesia. Results (1) Use of the surgical robot on cadaver larynxes provided great dexterity and precision, delicate tissue handling, good 3-dimensional depth perception, and relatively easy endolaryngeal suturing. (2) The surgical robot could not be used for repair of laryngeal cleft on 3 patients owing to limited transoral access. However, 1 patient with a type 1 laryngeal cleft and 1 patient with a type 2 laryngeal cleft underwent transoral robotic repair with great success. Conclusions Surgical robots provide the ability to manipulate instruments at their distal end with great precision, increased freedom of movement, and excellent 3-dimensional depth perception. The size of the equipment can be a limiting factor with regard to the application and success of the transoral approach to airway surgery. We believe that further advances in device technology and a new generation of robotic equipment will facilitate the incorporation of surgical robotics in the advancement of minimally invasive endoscopic airway surgery.
Self-reported short sleep duration and frequent snoring in pregnancy: impact on glucose metabolism

Objective We sought to evaluate the impact of short sleep duration (SSD) and frequent snoring (FS) on glucose metabolism during pregnancy. Study Design We conducted a prospective cohort study of healthy nulliparas who participated in a sleep survey study. SSD was defined as Results A total of 189 women participated; 48% reported an SSD and 18.5% reported FS. SSD and FS were associated with higher oral glucose tolerance values: SSD (116 ± 31 vs 105 ± 23; P = .008) and FS (118 ± 34 vs 108 ± 25; P = .04). Both SSD (10.2% vs 1.1%; P = .008) and FS (14.3% vs 3.3%; P = .009) were associated with a higher incidence of GDM. Even after controlling for potential confounders, SSD and FS remained associated with GDM. Conclusion SSD and FS are associated with glucose intolerance in pregnancy.
C Versus Fortran-77 for Scientific Programming

The predominant programming language for numeric and scientific applications is Fortran-77 and supercomputers are primarily used to run large-scale numeric and scientific applications. Standard C* is not widely used for numerical and scientific programming, yet Standard C provides many desirable linguistic features not present in Fortran-77. Furthermore, the existence of a standard library and preprocessor eliminates the worst portability problems. A comparison of Standard C and Fortran-77 shows several key deficiencies in C that reduce its ability to adequately solve some numerical problems. Some of these problems have already been addressed by the C standard but others remain. Standard C with a few extensions and modifications could be suitable for all numerical applications and could become more popular in supercomputing environments.
An optimal arrangement of simultaneous linearized equations for general systems of interlinked, multistoged separators

The simultaneous solution of all the equations for a general system of interlinked, multistaged separators is considered. The interlinks may be simple streams or reciprocal streams, and a particular separator may have bypassing streams (for example, pumparounds). Algorithms are developed that automatically arrange the linearized equations so that for a Newton-Raphson type of solution procedure using, for example, the Naphtali-Sandholm technique, a minimum or nearly minimum number of nonzero blocks occur outside the tridiagonal band so that computational memory and time requirements are minimized. The nonzero and nonidentity blocks are stored in a single vector of variable dimension.
Serological studies on mycobacteria, Nocardia, Actinomyces, and Fungi

Immunization of rabbits with concentrated antigens combined with an adjuvant was effective in producing precipitating antibodies against B.C.G., Nocardia, Actinomyces, and several dermatophytes. Antigenic analysis indicated that the organisms fall into 3 groups comprising B.C.G., Nocardia, and Streptomyces in one, Actinomyces in another, and the dermatophytes in the third. Fuller extracted antigens were more useful in detecting precipitins than were antigens extracted with a ball machine.
Nephrotoxicity of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: physiologic foundations and clinical implications

Although the prevalence of nephrotoxicity in patients treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is relatively low, the extensive use profile of these agents implies that many persons are at risk. At basal states of normal renal function, the role of renal prostaglandin production for maintenance of stable renal hemodynamic function is relatively limited. Nonetheless, in the clinical setting of reduced renal perfusion as seen in various forms of cardio-renal disease, dehydration, and the aging kidney, the adequacy of renal prostaglandin production mediated predominantly by cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and, potentially, by COX-2 enzyme activity becomes of major significance in the activation of compensatory renal hemodynamics. Inhibition of renal prostaglandin production by the use of NSAIDs in these circumstances can potentially lead to the emergence of several distinct syndromes of disturbed renal function. These include fluid and electrolyte disorders, acute renal dysfunction, nephrotic syndrome/ interstitial nephritis, and renal papillary necrosis. In addition, by blunting the homeostatic renal effects of prostaglandins, NSAIDs can adversely influence blood pressure control, particularly during the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, diuretics, and beta blockers. This is a matter of considerable public health concern, in that some 12 million US citizens are concurrently treated with NSAIDs and antihypertensive drugs. Finally, the risk of congestive heart failure is significantly increased when NSAIDs are given to patients receiving diuretic therapy who have cardiovascular risk factors. Physiologic factors, clinical presentations, diagnostic modalities, and clinical management strategies appropriate to these NSAID-induced renal syndromes are described.
A novel supercapacitor-fuel cell hybrid cell

A monolithic hybrid fuel cell (MHFC) with a novel configuration was proposed in an effort to improve the fuel cell performance during instantaneous power changes. A modified direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with a layer of hydrous ruthenium dioxide (RuO2·xH2O) sandwiched between the anode catalyst layer and membrane was used to demonstrate the principle of the MHFC. Experimental results indicate that the RuO2·xH2O layer is equivalent to a resistor-capacitor transmission line and functions similar to a capacitor in parallel with the anode electrode. The improvement in dynamic response of the MHFC was experimentally confirmed under step current change and square current pulse operating. The ionic conductivity of the RuO2·xH2O layer was also obtained.
Global public social science

Burawoy’s classification of the complementary aspects of the discipline of sociology is used to describe an emergent global public social science that will assist transnational social movements in the building of a democratic and collectively rational global commonwealth.
Organic imaging materials: a view of the future

Over the last half century, the world semiconductor industry has provided phenomenal increases in computing power while simultaneously lowering production costs. This achievement is largely the result of the industry being able to print smaller and smaller features using photolithographic techniques. The organic imaging materials used in the photolithography (generally known as photoresists) have undergone many changes over the industry's history, and if the increases in computing speeds and decreases in costs are to continue in the future, more changes are necessary. This paper discusses the current generation of photoresists and the on-going development of future generation photoresist technologies. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Films of photomagnetic CoFe Prussian blue analogue on thin manganite substrates: Fabrication and characterization

Abstract Films of photomagnetic Prussian blue analogue KjCok[Fe(CN)6] (CoFe-PBA) were deposited on thin manganite substrates (La0.4Pr0.6)0.67Ca0.33MnO3 (LPCMO) to investigate whether the photoinduced changes of the CoFe-PBA can give rise to changes in the transport properties of the LPCMO. When the CoFe-PBA was directly deposited on the LPCMO substrate, the photomagnetic properties of the CoFe-PBA were not present because of oxidation of the CoII to CoIII by the Mn in the substrate. The CoII oxidation can be suppressed by using a buffer layer of the non-photomagnetic KjNik[Cr(CN)]6 (NiCr-PBA) between the CoFe-PBA and the LPCMO substrate. Using the buffer layer, the photomagnetic properties of the CoFe-PBA are recovered. Additionally, the transport properties of the LPCMO substrate are not affected by the light-induced changes in the CoFe-PBA.
Short of Breath, Short of Air, Short of Mechanics

INTRODUCTION If you ask a neurologist about neurological disorders and respiratory failure, you will get a more or less adequate list of the Guillain–Barre syndrome, myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and even the exceedingly rare Ondine’s curse, but probably nothing much else. Respiratory failure is not our specialty’s forte, and neuromuscular respiratory failure is not common. However, every once in a while, an undiagnosed patient is encountered with laboured breathing. The response should be swift. Not only can apnoea be imminent, but pulmonary aspiration is equally life threatening. Neurological disease can impair respiration at multiple levels (Fig. 1) (Kelly & Luce 1991). The interconnections between the respiratory centres, motor neurones, and the respiratory muscles provide a functional system that moves air in and out of the lungs. If it fails, it causes hypercapnia. The alveoli and pulmonary capillaries permit efficient gas exchange by diffusion through a paper-thin barrier; if