cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Auxiliary nurses in Mexico: Impact of multiple roles on their health

As more women worldwide enter the labor force, debate has been generated over how this additional work role influences women's health. In this study, we explored the work, maternal, and spousal roles of 59 auxiliary nurses in two university-affiliated Mexican hospitals. Participants completed questionnaires that included demographics, a women's roles interview protocol, a self-rating of health status, and the Cornell Medical Index (CMI). No significant correlation was found between the perception of their health status and the number of roles, amount of role involvement, or their perceived levels of stress and satisfaction in any of their three roles. Work stress was significantly correlated with the number of physical symptoms (r = .30, p < .05), longer periods of standing (r = .31, p < .05), more muscle strain (r = .53, p < .01), eye problems (r = .43, p < .01), frequent changes in environmental temperature (r = .30, p < .05), and perceptions of economic inadequacy (r = .37, p < .01). Years of education was not related to any health measure or degree of stress or satisfaction in any of the roles. The greater the degree of role integration, that is, the greater the sum of satisfactions minus stresses of each role, the fewer the physical symptoms (r = .48, p < .05) and the fewer total symptoms (r = .43, p < .05) reported on the CMI. Those with more spousal stress reported more work-related muscle strain (r = .35, p < .05), and working mothers with three or more children tended to perceive themselves as less healthy (r = .75, p < .01). Thus, analyzing the interrelationship of women's multiple roles is a better predictor of health than examining specific role stresses in isolation.
Piperidine Analogues of 1-[2-[Bis(4-fluorophenyl)methoxy]ethyl]-4-(3-phenylpropyl)piperazine (GBR 12909): High Affinity Ligands for the Dopamine Transporter

A series of 4-[2-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)methoxy]ethylpiperidines were examined for their ability to bind to the dopamine transporter (DAT), the norepinephrine transporter, and the serotonin transporter (SERT). In particular, the role of the N-substituent on affinity and selectivity for the DAT was probed. 4-[2-[Bis(4-fluorophenyl)methoxy]ethyl-1-(2-naphthylmethyl)piperidine was found to possess subnanomolar affinity (Ki = 0.7 nM) and good selectivity for the DAT (SERT/DAT = 323).
Context and Cognitions: Environmental Risk, Social Influence, and Adolescent Substance Use

This study examined the cognitions thought to mediate the impact of context on adolescent substance use and also the extent to which context moderates the relations between these cognitions and use. Risk cognitions and behaviors were assessed in a panel of 746 African American adolescents (M age 10.5 at Wave 1, 12.2 at Wave 2). Results indicated that adolescents living in high-risk neighborhoods were more inclined toward substance use and more likely to be using at Wave 2. These context effects were mediated by the adolescents’ risk cognitions: their risk images, willingness to use, and intentions to use. Also, context moderated the relation between willingness and use (the relation was stronger in high-risk neighborhoods) but it did not moderate the intentions to use relation.
Distortion-invariant fringe-adjusted joint transform correlation

A distortion-invariant joint transform correlator based on the concepts of the fringe-adjusted joint transform correlator and the synthetic discriminant function is presented. Computer-simulation results show that the proposed joint transform correlator is distortion-invariant for the target image from the training set and produces sharper correlation peaks and lower sidelobes compared with the classical joint transform correlator.
An interference model for resonances suggested by the veneziano anplitude

Examination of the superposition of the Veneziano amplitude and satellite terms of sufficient generality to remove an arbitrary number of daughter resonances suggests a new model. The model has i) the same residue as the leading trajectory in the Veneziano amplitude, ii) forα(t)>−3/2 it gives Regge behavior in almost every direction in the complexs-plane, iii) when applied to π-π scattering, with two trajectories, it reproduces Weinberg’s scattering lengths.
The Relevance of the Heroic Myths to Public Servants

In The Hero With a Thousand Faces and other related works, Joseph Campbell indicated that the heroic myth is an ageless myth that has universal applications to all cultures. The several ways that the concept of heroism is understood in America are explored in this article. Typically in America, heroism is associated with "the great man" who distinguishes himself by being valorous on the battlefield, but the author holds that everyone faces heroic opportunities. The life of a hero can be likened to a journey—the journey of individuation—that has three major phases: the calling, the encounter with death, and the return to a community. Heroes maintain contact with their environment while reflexing with their unconscious. Given the current malaise that characterizes much of the public service, the concept of heroism can be a particularly powerful way for federal workers to understand and relate to their work.
Radiation transport in cloudy and aerosol-loaded atmospheres

In recent years there has been an increasing awareness of the importance of including the radiative effects of clouds and aerosols in atmospheric radiative applications, e.g., chemical dynamical radiative transfer models and UV-dose calculations. In this work we review radiative transfer theory and present some new results of how clouds and aerosols affect UV- doses, photochemistry, and dynamics. We start by deriving the equation pertinent to radiation transport in cloudy and aerosol loaded atmospheres. A discrete ordinate solution of the radiative transfer equation is outlined. Further, a brief summary is given of how UV-doses and radiative quantities relevant for photochemistry and dynamics may be efficiently and accurately calculated. The presence of clouds and aerosols affect stratospheric and tropospheric photodissociation and warming/cooling rates, and UV-doses at the ground. We give examples of how large the radiative effects of clouds and aerosols may be on these quantities. The importance of the radiative coupling between the troposphere and the stratosphere is demonstrated. Implications for ozone chemistry and stratospheric dynamics are mentioned. Finally some interesting areas for future research are highlighted.
F2E - Ultra High Pressure Distributed Pump Common Rail System

Delphi Diesel Systems' 2700bar Proven F2E Distributed Pump Common Rail System (DPCRS) has been developed to meet the requirements of Euro VI and future emissions legislation and is now in volume production in Heavy Duty Vehicles. Incorporating a number of ground breaking new technologies, the system offers numerous performance advantages.
Real-Time Updating of Maximum Usable Frequency Predictions for HF Radio Communication

A simple method is presented and illustrated for the updating of maximum usable frequency (MUF) predictions for a given HF propagation path by employing real-time observations of the MUF's for a different path. A test of the method performed by utilizing experimental data for two pairs of paths indicates that the updating technique provides significant reductions in the prediction errors.
Effects of limit equalizer in Blu-ray disc format

In 2002, the "limit equalizer" which we developed was utilized in the Blu-ray disc format. The limit equalizer improves signal-to-noise ratio without increasing inter-symbol interference and improves jitter and error rates during operation. The limit equalizer is a nonlinear equalizer and deterioration of individual data patterns had to be verified. We used two methods of computer simulation to study behavior of every data patterns of modulation code. We calculated jitter and error rates on individual data patterns in the case of adding low frequency noise as the degradation factor, and in the case of adding random noise or defocus as the degradation factors. We derived the characteristics of both jitter and error rates on combinations of neighboring run-lengths (preceding and succeeding run-lengths). The results confirmed that both jitter and error rates were improved by the use of a limit equalizer throughout the series of data pattern combinations.
Utility of the Psychosocial Assessment of Candidates for Transplantation (PACT) Scale in Allogeneic BMT

The psychosocial assessment of candidates for transplantation (PACT) scale was completed before the transplant on 120 patients who underwent allogeneic transplant from November 2003 to June 2007. The PACT has eight subscales, each rated on a 5-point scale, and an initial and final rating independently based on the rater’s overall impressions of the candidate’s acceptability for transplant. This exploratory study assessed the clinical utility of the PACT scale for psychosocial screening in allogeneic BMT. Associations of the PACT subscales and the final rating with sixteen post transplant medical outcomes were examined using the Jonchkheere–Terpstra test, the Cochran–Armitage test or the Cox proportional hazards analysis. Significant relationships (Pp0.05) between PACT subscales and medical outcomes are as follows: better compliance with medications and medical advice associates with lower in-hospital mortality, shorter length of stay and readmission duration, and faster neutrophil and platelet engraftment; better scores on drug/alcohol use associates with faster platelet engraftment; better scores on family/support system availability and on relevant knowledge and receptiveness to education associates with decreased risk of mortality. The final rating score and medical outcomes are not significantly related; however, study findings underscore the prognostic value of the PACT subscales and the potential utility for screening of BMT candidates.
The Eldon Dedini Collection: Broccoli, Babes, and Everything Else

Archival practice has traditionally overlooked the informational value that objects and ephemera can provide to documents; their usefulness is limited to being an exhibit item or novelty. This article discusses the challenges and opportunities found in the management of objects and ephemera found in a collection of a cartoonist's papers. Learning and adapting new perspectives about objects from related fields demonstrates that objects can also support and extend understanding of documents when kept together. The article concludes with a series of questions in order for an archivist to evaluate these items to recognize their value to documents within a collection.
Technology in MicroRNA Profiling: Circulating MicroRNAs as Noninvasive Cancer Biomarkers in Breast Cancer

This report describes technologies to identify and quantify microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential cancer biomarkers, using breast cancer as an example. Most breast cancer patients are not diagnosed until the disease has advanced to later stages, which decreases overall survival rates. Specific miRNAs are up- or downregulated in breast cancer patients at various stages, can be detected in plasma and serum, and have shown promising preliminary clinical sensitivity and specificity for early cancer diagnosis or staging. Nucleic acid testing methods to determine relative concentrations of selected miRNAs include reverse transcription, followed by quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), microarrays, and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Of these methods, NGS is the most powerful approach for miRNA biomarker discovery, whereas RT-qPCR shows the most promise for eventual clinical diagnostic applications.
Ocular toxoplasmosis in pregnancy.

Purpose: To describe the course of ocular toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Methods: This study was a retrospective, non-comparative case series of four pregnant women who were treated for ocular toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Results: All of the participants had severe and treatment-resistant toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis during pregnancy, leaving three of them with decreased visual acuity in spite of aggressive therapy. Delivery of the infant appeared to help the recovery in two patients. Conclusions: Pregnant state may provoke the recurrence of ocular toxoplasmosis.
The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Environmental Adaptation of Oral Microbial Communities

Oral streptococci are able to produce growth-inhibiting amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as byproduct of aerobic metabolism. Several recent studies showed that the produced H2O2 is not a simple byproduct of metabolism but functions in several aspects of oral bacterial biofilm ecology. First, the release of DNA from cells is closely associated to the production of H2O2 in Streptococcus sanguinis and Streptococcus gordonii. Extracellular DNA is crucial for biofilm development and stabilization and can also serve as source for horizontal gene transfer between oral streptococci. Second, due to the growth inhibiting nature of H2O2, H2O2 compatible species associate with the producers. H2O2 production therefore might help in structuring the initial biofilm development. On the other hand, the oral environment harbors salivary peroxidases that are potent in H2O2 scavenging. Therefore, the effects of biofilm intrinsic H2O2 production might be locally confined. However, taking into account that 80% of initial oral biofilm constituents are streptococci, the influence of H2O2 on biofilm development and environmental adaptation might be under appreciated in current research.
Using hardware and software studies to teach power-system modeling and analysis

The power industry desperately needs talented young engineers. Researchers in the ECE Department at UNC Charlotte (UNCC) have partnered with AREVA to address this issue. Together, we have developed new curricula that tightly integrate theory with practice. This paper describes a three-level approach used in the senior-level electric machines course at UNCC. In this course, students move directly from theory to hands-on exploration to real-world application. Following the first two stages of that process, students are able to model individual components. Using that ability, they then analyze a complete system. The course culminates in a design project focused on the design of a small power system similar to that encountered in a generating station. Specific curriculum examples are discussed, and some feedback on the initial offerings is presented.
Cloud Computing: Will Commodity Services Benefit Users Long Term?

The attention the IT community has given cloud computing recently rivals that given to American Idol judges by the public. This magazine alone dedicated its March/April 2009 issue and significant other space throughout the year to the topic. Cloud computing's potential lies not only in the evolution of technology but also in a sourcing strategy that uses resources shared by increasingly larger volumes of users. Further potential lies in the commoditization of cloud computing services - that is, a market in which price primarily differentiates cloud computing services. Although the entire IT community will need to address significant challenges, the result will be decreased prices, increased numbers of services, and improved performance not only in the near term but also the longer term. The result should be a decade or more in which cloud computing providers and users all benefit from future technology advancements, cloud efficiencies, and market competition. In response to the as to whether cloud computing is just the same old IT packaged in a new bottle, or is it really new wine?The authors believe that not only is it new wine, but one of a vintage that will improve with maturity.
Coming Home Revisited Family Life and Military Deployment

The war in Iraq and Afghanistan has involved the deployment of hundreds of thousands of American soldiers, many of whom are married and have children. The experience of one military family living through a deployment in Iraq in 2011 is discussed and interpreted in light of Parse's humanbecoming family model. The model provides a useful way for nurses, and others, to understand families, in a way that honors their values and struggles in an everchanging and unpredictable world. Included is a brief discussion on how communication technologies are changing the experience of military deployment for families.
A New Soilborne Disease of Dry, Edible Beans in Western Nebraska.

During July 2001, wilting, dry bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) at the 3- to 4-leaf stage were observed in a field near Ogallala, NE. Affected plants exhibited dark brown lesions on the hypocoty...
Long-Term, Large-Scale Morphodynamic Effects of Artificial Dune Construction along a Barrier Island Coastline

Abstract Interactions between human manipulations and landscape processes can form a dynamically coupled system because landscape-forming processes affect humans, and humans increasingly manipulate landscape-forming processes. Despite the dynamic nature of sandy barrier islands, economic incentive and recreational opportunities attract humans and development. Storm-driven sediment-transport events that build barrier islands constitute hazards to humans and infrastructure, and manipulations aimed at preventing or mitigating such events link human actions and long-term island morphodynamics. To explore how the behavior of a natural barrier island differs from one in which humans are dynamic system constituents, we use a numerical model of storm-driven sediment redistributions within the shoreface/island/back-barrier system and human rearrangements of sediment within the subaerial barrier island. In a modeled natural system, periods of dune growth and island stability, initiated by stochastic lulls in storm ...
Father absence, perceived family characteristics and stage of drug use in adolescence

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the interplay of paternal absence and family characteristics and its association with the adolescent's stage of drug use. Five hundred white male and female high school students participated in the study. Results indicated that youngsters from father-absent homes are more likely to report higher stages of drug use than are those from father-present homes. In addition, the findings supported a mediational model in which the absence of the father seems to influence parents' behaviour towards the child and towards each other, which in turn results in the youngster's being at a higher stage of drug use.
The Ties That Bind: Organizational Commitment and Its Effect on Correctional Orientation, Absenteeism, and Turnover Intent

Recent literature has found that organizational commitment of correctional staff is highly influenced by the workplace and can either result in positive or negative behaviors. Most research, though, has examined predictors of only one type of commitment. This study looked at three types of commitment (continuance, moral, and affective) and their influence on the outcomes of correctional orientation, views of absenteeism, and turnover intent. The results indicate that the three dimensions of commitment varied in their impact on the organization outcomes and provide insight into the complex nature of the bonds that tie employees to this unique organization.
Progress in HIV vaccine research

The relentless expansion of the HIV pandemic has demonstrated that the need for a vaccine is desperate. However, the development of an effective vaccine against HIV is a formidable challenge. It is likely that a successful vaccine will have to induce an immune response consisting of not only neutralizing antibodies targeted to conserved epitopes of the viral envelope and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes targeted to a variety of viral antigens, but also local mucosal immunity. Furthermore, a vaccine should induce broad-spectrum immunity covering all HIV subtypes. It is unlikely that a single vaccine will achieve all this, and a combination of vaccines will probably be necessary. Although no efficacious HIV vaccine is available yet, definite progress has been made. It was demonstrated that chimpanzees could be protected from both cell-free and cell-associated HIV challenge. Protection from mucosal challenge was also demonstrated in several studies and limited cross-protection between HIV subtypes was observed in several animal models. In spite of these successes, much remains to be done. Prototype vaccines studied to date have only induced short-lived immune responses and elicited no antibodies able to neutralize clinical isolates of HIV-1. Novel ways of producing HIV-1 envelope antigens may lead to improved antibody responses and raise the chances of a vaccine inducing long-term protective immunity.
Railroad wheat transportation markets in the central plains: modeling with error correction and directed graphs

Time series methods are used to study the dynamics of regional, export-wheat, railroad rates linking seven central US regions to Texas Gulf ports. Research focuses on the extent and nature of regional rate interactions to determine whether regional rail transportation rates are established independently, through interaction and/or dominated by several regional leaders. Analysis is carried out on 1988‐1994 public waybill data for seven Business Economic Areas (BEA) located in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado: these regions originate virtually all of the eight million tons of hard red winter wheat annually shipped to Texas Gulf ports. Results show all rail transportation markets linked in varying degrees. Some regions are near-independent or highly exogenous regarding rate-setting, while others interact with and to rates established in other regions. Regions that are dominated by a single carrier tend to be more independent and insulated regarding rate-setting. Export rates in regions dominated by the Union Pacific (UP) generally account for a significant variation in the rates of other regions. Data show the UP to have been aggressive in providing incentives for country elevators to consolidate for purposes of making unit train shipments, thus their presumed influence on rates of other regions. As expected, export rates for regions with substantial storage and transhipment facilities are sensitive to export rates of regions which ship to the transhipment facilities. Finally, results suggest that rate-setting in a particular region is in part a function of the dominant railroad’s management and its aggressiveness, an expected outcome in an oligopolistic market. ” 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
An α-1,3-Mannosyltransferase of Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic fungus, distinguished by an elaborate polysaccharide capsule that is essential for its virulence. As part of an effort to understand the biosynthesis of this important structure, we initiated purification of an -1,3-mannosyltransferase with appropriate specificity for a role in building the main capsule polysaccharide, glucuronoxylomannan. A pool of proteins that was 5,000-fold enriched in this activity included several polypeptides, which acted potentially as the catalytic protein. These were analyzed using sequence information and double-stranded RNA interference. Interference that targeted a sequence corresponding to part of a 46 kDa protein in the enriched fraction abolished the activity of interest and reduced the capsule on the affected cells. This gene was cloned and expressed in active form in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to confirm function, and was termed CMT1, for cryptococcal mannosyltransferase 1. CMT1 has no confirmed homologs in GenBank TM other than CAP59 ,a cryptococcal gene encoding a protein of unknown function that is required for capsule synthesis and virulence. The Cmt1p protein also co-purifies with a homolog of CAP64, a gene whose product has similarly been implicated in capsule synthesis and virulence. A strain disrupted in CMT1 was generated in C. neoformans; this had no effect on virulence in an animal model of cryptococcosis.
Long-term impacts of even-aged timber management on abundance and body condition of terrestrial amphibians in Northwestern California

Conservation needs for amphibians in managed timberlands may differ based upon the species present and the timber harvesting methods employed. Clearcuts have been documented to be detrimental to amphibians but the impacts of associated silvicultural edges and alternative harvesting treatments are not well understood. The primary objective of this study was to determine if amphibian abundances and body condition differed in thinned forests and intact forests, and in clearcuts and associated silvicultural edges. We also examined which environmental attributes were important in explaining observed differences. We sampled clearcuts, silvicultural edges, and adjacent late-seral forests at 10 sites in northwestern California from October 1999 to July 2002. Clearcuts at these sites ranged in age from 6 to 25 years. Five of these forest stands were intact and five had been commercially thinned at least 10 years prior to our study. Amphibian abundances were similar in thinned and unthinned forests, but body condition of the most common species was lower in thinned forests. Abundances of amphibians were nearly twice as high in forests and at silvicultural edges than in clearcuts. Clearcutting at these sites appears to have affected amphibian numbers up to 25 years post-harvest, however, silvicultural edges were suitable habitats for amphibians. While commercial thinning did not reduce amphibian numbers, it is an intermediate treatment followed by clearcutting. Where conservation of amphibians is a concern, even-aged silvicultural systems may not provide the most appropriate method for maintaining viable populations on managed forestlands in the northwestern US.
Income, Aging, Health and Wellbeing Around the World: Evidence from the Gallup World Poll

During 2006, the Gallup Organization conducted a World Poll that used an identical questionnaire for national samples of adults from 132 countries. I analyze the data on life satisfaction (happiness) and on health satisfaction and look at their relationships with national income, age, and life-expectancy. Average happiness is strongly related to per capita national income; each doubling of income is associated with a near one point increase in life satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 10. Unlike most previous findings, the effect holds across the range of international incomes; if anything, it is slightly stronger among rich countries. Conditional on national income, recent economic growth makes people unhappier, improvements in life-expectancy make them happier, but life-expectancy itself has little effect. Age has an internationally inconsistent relationship with happiness. National income moderates the effects of aging on self-reported health, and the decline in health satisfaction and rise in disability with age are much stronger in poor countries than in rich countries. In line with earlier findings, people in much of Eastern Europe and in the countries of the former Soviet Union are particularly unhappy and particularly dissatisfied with their health, and older people in those countries are much less satisfied with their lives and with their health than are younger people. HIV prevalence in Africa has little effect on Africans' life or health satisfaction; the fraction of Kenyans who are satisfied with their personal health is the same as the fraction of Britons and higher than the fraction of Americans. The US ranks 81st out of 115 countries in the fraction of people who have confidence in their healthcare system, and has a lower score than countries such as India, Iran, Malawi, or Sierra Leone. While the strong relationship between life-satisfaction and income gives some credence to the measures, as do the low levels of life and health satisfaction in Eastern Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union, the lack of correlations between life and health satisfaction and health measures shows that happiness (or self-reported health) measures cannot be regarded as useful summary indicators of human welfare in international comparisons.
MARCKS Signaling Differentially Regulates Vascular Smooth Muscle and Endothelial Cell Proliferation through a KIS-, p27kip1- Dependent Mechanism.

Background Overexpression of the myristolated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) occurs in vascular proliferative diseases such as restenosis after bypass surgery. MARCKS knockdown results in arrest of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation with little effect on endothelial cell (EC) proliferation. We sought to identify the mechanism of differential regulation by MARCKS of VSMC and EC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Methods and Results siRNA-mediated MARCKS knockdown in VSMCs inhibited proliferation and prevented progression from phase G0/G1 to S. Protein expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27kip1, but not p21cip1 was increased by MARCKS knockdown. MARCKS knockdown did not affect proliferation in VSMCs derived from p27kip1-/- mice indicating that the effect of MARCKS is p27kip1-dependent. MARCKS knockdown resulted in decreased phosphorylation of p27kip1 at threonine 187 and serine 10 as well as, kinase interacting with stathmin (KIS), cyclin D1, and Skp2 expression. Phosphorylation of p27kip1 at serine 10 by KIS is required for nuclear export and degradation of p27kip1. MARCKS knockdown caused nuclear trapping of p27kip1. Both p27kip1 nuclear trapping and cell cycle arrest were released by overexpression of KIS, but not catalytically inactive KIS. In ECs, MARCKS knockdown paradoxically increased KIS expression and cell proliferation. MARCKS knockdown in a murine aortic injury model resulted in decreased VSMC proliferation determined by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) integration assay, and inhibition of vascular wall thickening. MARCKS knockdown increased the rate of re-endothelialization. Conclusions MARCKS knockdown arrested VSMC cell cycle by decreasing KIS expression. Decreased KIS expression resulted in nuclear trapping of p27kip1 in VSMCs. MARCKS knockdown paradoxically increased KIS expression in ECs resulting in increased EC proliferation. MARCKS knockdown significantly attenuated the VSMC proliferative response to vascular injury, but accelerated reestablishment of an intact endothelium. MARCKS is a novel translational target with beneficial cell type-specific effects on both ECs and VSMCs.
Geometric algorithms for rapidly reconfigurable mold manufacturing of free-form objects

Abstract This paper presents geometric algorithms for developing a re-configurable tooling system for fabrication of freeform objects. The proposed method involves a mold block, with n faces, in which the mold cavity is formed by moving a set of discrete pins on each face of the block. The part surfaces are approximated in the mold cavity using the pins from the suitable mold block faces. The geometric algorithms detailed in this paper analyze the part and determine the face of mold block from which the part model is approximated best. Further, the algorithms detect possible interference between pins from different faces, and suitably alter the approximating face to alleviate interferences. By moving these pins in and out of the mold block, the shape of the mold cavity is reconfigured rapidly to suit the changes in part geometry. Since, the proposed method approximates free-form objects with discrete pins, a surface-error calculation method is also developed to control the accuracy. Computer implementation and examples are also presented in this paper.
Profiling based task migration

A new task migration strategy is presented. The input program is supplied as a task graph and an initial static assignment of tasks to processors is given. The dynamic behaviour of the static allocation is then profiled, and a set of migration destinations and migration thresholds are identified. During any subsequent execution, the profiling based algorithm makes migration decisions solely on the basis of the profiled data and the local processor load. No neighboring processor load information is required. Results are presented for the algorithm, and compared against a dynamic mapping scheme with global knowledge of the multiprocessor state. >
Analytical Ancestry: Evolution of the Array in Analysis

BACKGROUND: Macro-, micro-, and nanosized arrays of test sites at various densities have emerged as important types of analytical devices in response to the need for high volume parallel analysis in both the research and the clinical laboratory. CONTENT: This review explores the diversity of arrays of reaction vessels and arrays of reagents and of samples, with an emphasis on the earliest descriptions of the different variations. The scope of such arrays includes linear and 2-dimensional arrays of reaction vessels (e.g., microwell strips, microplates); linear and 2-dimensional arrays of reagents arrayed on pillars and posts; beads in wells; and reagents randomly arrayed (or dis-ordered) for use in next-generation sequencing. Micro- and nanofabrication technologies have been applied to the miniaturization of arrays to increase array density (e.g., DNA probe arrays) and produce arrays of analytical structures (e.g., cantilevers, nanoelectrospray nozzles). SUMMARY: Arrays are now firmly established in many types of analytical devices, and this analytical format has gained widespread acceptance owing to the advantages of high-throughput automation and multiplex analysis. Ongoing “big biology” genomic and proteomic studies will ensure the continued dominance of array-based methods into the foreseeable future.
Freeze-etch study of collagen

The freeze-fracture technique was used to study the fine structure of native collagen from rat tendon and lung. The collagen filaments were organized into a spiraled lamellar substructure within each fibril. Small particles, representing the broken ends of the collagen filaments, were found in nearly straight rows when the lamellae were broken tranversely. Filamentous connections were shown which span the interfibrillar matrix and unite all of the fibrils into a reticular network. The fibrils were coated with material that was greatly hydrated in vivo. Sublimation occurred more rapidly from some portions of the coating substance than from others, resulting in a banding pattern with a 610 A repeat distance.
M3C: managing and monitoring multiple clusters

PC clusters running Linux, provide the computational power of supercomputers of just a few years ago at a fraction of the purchase price. The lack of good administration and user level application management tools makes the operation of clusters more difficult than it need be and results in an increased operation cost. This paper describes an ongoing effort at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop tools to simplify the administration and use of computation clusters. The two tools integrated in this work include the M3C (Managing and Monitoring Multiple Clusters) and C3 (Cluster Command and Control) tool suite. M3C provides a Web-based graphical user interface for cluster administration. It is designed as an extendable framework that can work with different underlying back-end tools. C3 is an independent project that provides the underlying commands to effect an operation on a cluster. In this paper it serves as an example how a back-end tool can be integrated into the M3C framework.
Interpretation of microwave-detected photoconductance decay lifetime measurements

The microwave-detected photoconductance decay technique is potentially useful for its ability to make rapid, contactless measurements of carrier lifetimes. However, there are questions as to the effects of nonuniform excitation of the sample and resultant two-dimensional carrier distributions on the measured microwave reflectance transients, and therefore, the deduced carrier lifetimes. Also, it is not possible to nondestructively distinguish between bulk and surface recombination at the present. The reflectance behavior of a few relevant carrier distributions is investigated. Results demonstrate that the measured reflectance has negligible dependence on the distribution of carriers normal to the sample surfaces, but may significantly depend upon carrier distributions parallel to the sample surfaces. >
An Aqueous Two-Phase System for the Concentration and Extraction of Proteins from the Interface for Detection Using the Lateral-Flow Immunoassay.

The paper-based immunoassay for point-of-care diagnostics is widely used due to its low cost and portability over traditional lab-based assays. Lateral-flow immunoassay (LFA) is the most well-established paper-based assay since it is rapid and easy to use. However, the disadvantage of LFA is its lack of sensitivity in some cases where a large sample volume is required, limiting its use as a diagnostic tool. To improve the sensitivity of LFA, we previously reported on the concentration of analytes into one of the two bulk phases of an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) prior to detection. In this study, we preserved the advantages of LFA while significantly improving upon our previous proof-of-concept studies by employing a novel approach of concentrating gold nanoparticles, a common LFA colorimetric indicator. By conjugating specific antibodies and polymers to the surfaces of the particles, these gold nanoprobes (GNPs) were able to capture target proteins in the sample and subsequently be concentrated within 10 min at the interface of an ATPS solution comprised of polyethylene glycol, potassium phosphate, and phosphate-buffered saline. These GNPs were then extracted and applied directly to LFA. By combining this prior ATPS interface extraction with LFA, the detection limit of LFA for a model protein was improved by 100-fold from 1 ng/μL to 0.01 ng/μL. Additionally, we examined the behavior of the ATPS system in fetal bovine serum and synthetic urine to more closely approach real-world applications. Despite using more complex matrices, ATPS interface extraction still improved the detection limit by 100-fold within 15 to 25 min, demonstrating the system’s potential to be applied to patient samples.
Aggression in fragile X syndrome

BACKGROUND: Individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS), especially men, have long been described as presenting with significant behavioural challenges. Despite this known aspect of the phenotype, there has been little research exploring the prevalence, frequency, nature or consequences of aggressive behaviour in FXS. METHODS: This study used survey methodology to gather caregiver reports on the types, frequency and severity of aggressive behaviour in 774 individuals with FXS. RESULTS: Based on caregiver report, nearly all (>90%) male and female individuals were reported to have engaged in some aggression over the previous 12 months, with a third of male cases and slightly fewer than 20% of female cases being described as engaging in moderate to severe aggression or being diagnosed or treated for aggression. Further, aggressive behaviours in male individuals were serious enough that 30% had caused injuries to caregivers and 22% had caused injuries to peers or friends. Sensory issues and hyperactivity were significant predictors of the frequency of aggressive acts, while sensory issues and anxiety were predictive of the severity of aggression. Traditional behaviour management techniques as well as medication was described as the most common and successful treatment options. CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive behaviours are a significant concern for a subsample of both male and female individuals with FXS. Given that sensory concerns were predictive of both the frequency and the severity of aggression suggests these behaviours may be a reactive means of escaping uncomfortable situations. Language: en
Reliable Digital Systems and Related Stanford University Research

The various types of digital system applications as they relate to the required reliability characteristics are surveyed. High quality, cost-effective repair is identified as the most pressing current technical challenge to the design of systems having the required reliability attributes. A new approach that relies on system level error detection using schemes such as watchdog processors and built-in-self-test features for diagnosis of faulty units is described. The contributions of the Center for Reliable
Direct Delivery of Power Subsidy to Manage Energy–ground Water–agriculture Nexus

India's energy policy of subsidized power supply to the agricultural sector has significantly contributed to a high level of dependence on ground water supply for irrigation in rural areas. Stakeholders – energy companies, farmers and other power users – are trapped in a continuous downward spiral of deteriorating power service delivery, near-bankrupt electricity companies, declining ground water levels, and stagnant or declining agricultural productivity. Yet, the dynamics of electoral politics has made it almost impossible to normalize the level of electricity tariffs. This article proposes a scheme for direct delivery of the power subsidy to farmers in a cost-effective, transparent and targeted manner. The scheme makes use of segregated electricity feeders, minimum energy support for farmers, smart metering and subsidy delivery via ICT-based instruments in order to maximize benefits for all stakeholders by offering a better power supply and transparent subsidy delivery mechanism to reduce inefficiencies in the current system and breakout of the downward spiral.
Ampoule carbon coating and defects in CdMnTe crystals intended for applications in nuclear radiation detection

Cadmium manganese telluride (CdMnTe) has a high potential for applications in room-temperature X-ray and gamma-ray detection due to its high average atomic number (48 for Cd, 25 for Mn, and 52 for Te) that is essential to having high stopping power for incident high-energy electromagnetic radiations. A major obstacle in developing CdMnTe detectors is growing crystals free of defects, such as Te inclusions, sub-grain boundary networks, and precipitates. Herein, we present our preliminary results of growing CdMnTe crystals by the Bridgman method; the experiments were aimed at studying the effects of growth parameters, such as ampoule shape, size, and carbon coating thickness on defects in the ingot. Our goal was to optimize growth parameters so to reduce/eliminate growth-related defects. With a carbon coating of about 2 µm, created by cracking spectroscopic-grade acetone at ∼ 900 °C, we observed very few grain boundaries and grain-boundary networks.
Cl- transport in basolateral renal medullary vesicles: II. Cl- channels in planar lipid bilayers.

The present studies examined some of the properties of Cl− channels in renal outer medullary membrane vesicles incorporated into planar lipid bilayers. The predominant channel was anion selective having aP Cl/P K ratio of 10 and a unit conductance of 93 pS in symmetric 320mm KCl. In asymmetric KCl solutions, theI-V relations conformed to the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation. Channel activity was voltage-dependent with a gating charge of unity. This voltage dependence of channel activity may account, at least in part, for the striking voltage dependence of the basolateral membrane Cl− conductance of isolated medullary thick ascending limb segments. The Cl− channels incorporated into the planar bilayers were asymmetrical: thetrans surface was sensitive to changes in ionized Ca2+ concentrations and insensitive to reducing KCl concentrations to 10mm, while thecis side was insensitive to changes in ionized Ca2+ concentrations, but was inactivated by reducing KCl concentrations to 50mm.
The More Important Species of Leafhoppers Affecting the Apple

At least twelve species of leafhoppers may become important pests of apple in one or more areas of the United States. The largest number of species occur in the Ohio and Central Mississippi valleys. They can be distinguished by color markings and male genital characters. The biology and over wintering stage will vary with the species. Some pass the winter as adults in hibernation and some as eggs in the plant tissue.
A nonmonotone self-adaptive trust region method and its convergence

In this paper,a self-adaptive trust region method with nonmonotone technique for unconstrained optimization problems was presented and analyzed.Under adequate condition,the global convergence and were proved.Numerical results show that the new method is efficient.
Feasibility of the Six-Minute Walk Test for Patients Who Have Cystic Fibrosis, Are Ambulatory, and Require Mechanical Ventilation Before Lung Transplantation.

Background and Purpose The Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a requirement for lung transplantation evaluation by the United Network for Organ Sharing. A subset of patients being evaluated for a lung transplantation require mechanical ventilation (MV) because of respiratory failure. The 6MWT has not been validated as an outcome measure for patients dependent on MV. Literature supports alternative forms of the 6MWT, including those with an oval track or treadmill, as valid for accommodating other populations. This case report describes the use of the 6MWT for 2 patients who had cystic fibrosis and required MV before a lung transplant. Case Description A 34-year-old woman and a 37-year-old woman were admitted to a medical intensive care unit for exacerbation of cystic fibrosis requiring prolonged intubation and a subsequent tracheostomy. Their hospital courses were characterized by participation in early rehabilitation and variable dependence on MV. Both patients performed the 6MWT for a lung transplantation workup while dependent on MV. Outcomes Both patients performed the 6MWT while using portable MV and achieved a distance greater than that required for transplantation consideration and approximately 50% of the reference-based expected distance for adults who are healthy. Confounding factors included external pacing and the use of an oval track. Discussion The use of the 6MWT for 2 patients receiving MV appeared to be feasible. Research regarding the validity of this outcome is warranted.
The structural difference of the scientific research team and group creativity

The paper elaborates there are different level structural differences among the scientific research teams,the relation of the difference and the creativity has the vital significance for scientific research management and the creativity appraised.The paper analy- zes the project team leader's creativity which is the core target of group creativity;the big science needs the leaders who understand the management culture innovation;the different level scientific research team leaders need the different ability.
An Examination of the Role Discrepancy, Depressive symptoms, and Turnover Intention among the Jordanian Nursing Workforce

This dissertation has also been disseminated through both the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database and OhioLINK repository. ProQuest dissertation/thesis number: 3367779; ProQuest document ID: 304860717. Link to OhioLINK: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1243957418. The author still retains copyright.
Late Quaternary Beetle Faunas of Southwestern Alaska: Evidence of a Refugium for Mesic and Hygrophilous Species

Recent investigations of fossil insect assemblages from 11 late Quaternary sites in the southwestern Alaska region of Eastern Beringia demonstrate the survival of an abundant mesic to hygrophilous beetle fauna in this refugium before, during, and after the last glacial interval. These faunas contrast sharply with late Quaternary fossil insect assemblages described from interior and northern sites in Eastern Beringia, where xeric and steppe-tundra species dominated regional faunas. Proximity of southwestern Alaskan to maritime sources of moisture may have played a role in the development of a refugium for mesic and hygrophilous species by maintaining wet habitats even through the last glaciation.