cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Scanner Height on Fingerprint Capture

Although the deployment of biometric technologies such as fingerprints is becoming more widespread, little attention is being paid to the human-computer interaction that such technologies involve. Most biometric systems employ both hardware and software measures to maximize the capture quality of the biometric data. The physical presentation of the biometric data by the participant to the system involves many anthropometric and ergonomic factors that have been largely ignored. This study examined the effect of the height of the sensor on the quality and the time required to collect fingerprints. User performance, both fingerprint quality and timing, was impacted by scanner height.
Synthesis and characterization of poly(aryl ether sulfone) copolymers containing terphenyl groups in the backbone

Abstract A linear rigid bisphenol monomer, 4,4′-dihydroxyterphenyl (DHTP), has been incorporated into poly(aryl ether sulfone)s (PAESs) in a study to impart crystallization to these amorphous polymers. The PAES made from DHTP and dichlorodiphenylsulfone (DCDPS) is semi-crystalline but not soluble or thermally processable. Three bisphenols, 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol (BPA), 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphenol (BPAF) and 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl (BP), have been copolymerized with DHTP and DCDPS in order to study the effect of structure on crystallinity and processability. Both random and segmented copolymers containing different amounts of DHTP have been prepared via standard solution nucleophilic aromatic substitution polymerization technique. Only segmented polysulfone containing 50% BP and 50% DHTP was found to be semi-crystalline. This PAES had a melting temperature ( T m ) 320 °C in the first heating cycle of a DSC measurement and the presence of crystallites was confirmed by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXS).
A Methodological Critique of a Test of the Effects of the Maharishi Technology of the Unified Field

The test of the effects of the “Maharishi Technology of the Unified Field” by Orme-Johnson et al. which appeared in the December 1988 issue of the Journal of Conflict Resolution contains several substantial methodological problems. First, the measurement of the critical independent variable governing whether an effect should be found does not correspond to the most obvious interpretation of the theory, an interpretation used in later studies of the same theory. If population is measured using geographical radius rather than political boundaries, the observed effects should not have occurred, yet the study finds them anyway. In addition, the study did not adequately control for the possibility of reverse causation (the effects causing the treatment) or properly test for the possibility of spurious relationships. Because validation of the theory would contradict virtually the whole of contemporary understanding of causality in social behavior, insistence on such additional measurement specifications, contro...
The trait and process of resilience

Resilience is the ability of people to 'spring back' in the face of adversity. It is an important concept for nurses as we endeavour to assist individuals to meet the challenges of living with illness and ageing. Researchers from many disciplines in both the social and health sciences have investigated resilience of individuals throughout the life cycle in a variety of situations related to health as well as other life events. Some researchers have investigated resilience as a trait of individuals while other view resilience as a process. This article reviews the current literature on resilience from many disciplines and discusses implications for nursing practice and research.
Modeling the ion channel structure of cecropin

Atomic-scale computer models were developed for how cecropin peptides may assemble in membranes to form two types of ion channels. The models are based on experimental data and physiochemical principles. Initially, cecropin peptides, in a helix-bend-helix motif, were arranged as antiparallel dimers to position conserved residues of adjacent monomers in contact. The dimers were postulated to bind to the membrane with the NH2-terminal helices sunken into the head-group layer and the COOH-terminal helices spanning the hydrophobic core. This causes a thinning of the top lipid layer of the membrane. A collection of the membrane bound dimers were then used to form the type I channel structure, with the pore formed by the transmembrane COOH-terminal helices. Type I channels were then assembled into a hexagonal lattice to explain the large number of peptides that bind to the bacterium. A concerted conformational change of a type I channel leads to the larger type II channel, in which the pore is formed by the NH2-terminal helices. By having the dimers move together, the NH2-terminal helices are inserted into the hydrophobic core without having to desolvate the charged residues. It is also shown how this could bring lipid head-groups into the pore lining.
In vitro activation of the mouse mid-sized neurofilament gene by an NF-1-like transcription factor

Abstract In vitro transcription using nuclear extracts from rat brain and liver were used to assess the tissue-specific and functional elements of the mouse neurofilament mid-sized gene promoter (pNF-M). Deletion from −2.7 to −103 (relative to the start site of transcription) resulted in a small increase (2-fold) in the activity of the NF-M promoter in both extracts. Promoter strength was slightly higher in brain vs. liver extracts. Deletion to −49 resulted in a 10-fold loss of promoter activity in brain extracts and 6-fold drop in liver. Transcription in both extracts was TATA box-dependent. The region between −65 and −40 was shown to contain sequences responsible for high-level NF-M promoter activity in brain and liver extracts. Within this region are Sp1 and NF-1-like binding sites. Mutation of the NF-1-like site (−53/−39) caused a large drop in the activity of the NF-M promoter while mutation of the Sp1 site (−64/−57) possibly slightly diminished promoter activity in brain and liver extracts. Both the Sp1 and NF-1-like sites were shown by gel shift competition and supershift assays to be able to bind their respective factors. We conclude that the basic mouse NF-M promoter is a promiscuous promoter whose activity is modulated by a NF-1-like transcription factor. The lack of tissue specificity in an in vitro system strongly suggests an important role for chromatin structure in the regulation of the mouse NF-M promoter.
The fatty acid transport protein (FATP1) is a very long chain acyl-CoA synthetase.

The primary sequence of the murine fatty acid transport protein (FATP1) is very similar to the multigene family of very long chain (C20-C26) acyl-CoA synthetases. To determine if FATP1 is a long chain acyl coenzyme A synthetase, FATP1-Myc/His fusion protein was expressed in COS1 cells, and its enzymatic activity was analyzed. In addition, mutations were generated in two domains conserved in acyl-CoA synthetases: a 6- amino acid substitution into the putative active site (amino acids 249–254) generating mutant M1 and a 59-amino acid deletion into a conserved C-terminal domain (amino acids 464–523) generating mutant M2. Immunolocalization revealed that the FATP1-Myc/His forms were distributed between the COS1 cell plasma membrane and intracellular membranes. COS1 cells expressing wild type FATP1-Myc/His exhibited a 3-fold increase in the ratio of lignoceroyl-CoA synthetase activity (C24:0) to palmitoyl-CoA synthetase activity (C16:0), characteristic of very long chain acyl-CoA synthetases, whereas both mutant M1 and M2 were catalytically inactive. Detergent-solubilized FATP1-Myc/His was partially purified using nickel-based affinity chromatography and demonstrated a 10-fold increase in very long chain acyl-CoA specific activity (C24:0/C16:0). These results indicate that FATP1 is a very long chain acyl-CoA synthetase and suggest that a potential mechanism for facilitating mammalian fatty acid uptake is via esterification coupled influx.
A Rapid Method for the Measurement of Cholesterol Thermodynamic Activity in Bile Salt-Lecithin-Cholesterol Solutions

Abstract Earlier work from this laboratory suggested that the cholesterol (Ch) thermodynamic activity is a more meaningful measure of the degree of Ch supersaturation in human bile than the widely known cholesterol saturation index. An early version of a method for determining thermodynamic activity based on Ch uptake from bile salt (BS)-lecithin (LE) solutions into silicone polymer particles, but requiring 12-24 h for reaching equilibrium, was considered unsatisfactory because Ch nucle- ation and crystal formation frequently occurred within a few hours. The aim of the present work was to develop a method that would reduce equilibration times to the order of 1 h. Changing the thickness of the silicone film alone did not result in the desired reduction of equilibration times and it was soon deduced that the uptake of Ch by the silicone film from the BS-LE solution was a surface-controlled transport process involving the transport of Ch by negatively charged BS and BS-LE micelles at the interface. Three different approaches were tried to modify the silicone film to make its surface positively charged, thereby reducing and/or eliminating the presumed electrical repulsion barrier for the interfaciai transport of Ch. The film was treated with different concentrations of aminopropyl methyl-dimethylsiloxane (AMDS) in cyclohexane, octadecyldimethyl-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyl] ammonium chloride (ODTOP) in methanol, and octadecylamine solution in ethanol. Films treated with 1-1.5% ODTOP and 5-10% AMDS reduced the Ch equilibration times for model BS-LE solutions to
Ibotenic acid lesions to ventrolateral thalamic nuclei disrupts trace and delay eyeblink conditioning in rabbits.

Abstract Intact cerebellar structures (i.e., deep nuclei and perhaps cortex) are essential for acquisition of both simple delay and trace eyeblink (EB) conditioning. However, successful trace conditioning also requires intact cortico-limbic structures (i.e., hippocampus, medial thalamus, and medial prefrontal cortex, mPFC). A direct connection between the cerebellum and ventrolateral thalamic nuclei (VLTN) has been demonstrated in several species. Since VLTN projects to both premotor and prefrontal cortex, it may be an essential link in a cerebellar–thalamic–prefrontal circuit that provides the CNS substrate for acquisition of the trace EB CR. The current studies thus assessed the role of the VLTN on trace EB conditioning in New Zealand albino rabbits. We first verified afferent connections to the mPFC (Brodmann's area 32) from the VLTN, by injecting the retrograde tracer Flourogold© into area 32. Strong labeling in VLTN from terminal projections to mPFC were found. We next assessed the role of VLTN in trace eyeblink conditioning in animals that received either sham or ibotenic acid VLTN lesions. EB conditioning began with 10 consecutive daily sessions of trace conditioning, followed immediately by 4 days of extinction, and then 4 days of delay conditioning. VLTN lesions significantly impaired acquisition of both trace and delay conditioning, and impaired extinction. These findings, thus confirm the importance of the VLTN in a postulated cerebellar–thalamic–prefrontal circuit that underlies successful trace, as well as delay EB conditioning.
A survey of simulated annealing as a tool for single and multiobjective optimization

This paper presents a comprehensive review of simulated annealing (SA)-based optimization algorithms. SA-based algorithms solve single and multiobjective optimization problems, where a desired global minimum/maximum is hidden among many local minima/maxima. Three single objective optimization algorithms (SA, SA with tabu search and CSA) and five multiobjective optimization algorithms (SMOSA, UMOSA, PSA, WDMOSA and PDMOSA) based on SA have been presented. The algorithms are briefly discussed and are compared. The key step of SA is probability calculation, which involves building the annealing schedule. Annealing schedule is discussed briefly. Computational results and suggestions to improve the performance of SA-based multiobjective algorithms are presented. Finally, future research in the area of SA is suggested.
THE PORT OF GENOVA: EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL RELATIONS1

(1958). THE PORT OF GENOVA: EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL RELATIONS. Annals of the Association of American Geographers: Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 319-351.
Human factors in agile manufacturing

As industries position themselves for the competitive markets of today, and the increasingly competitive global markets of the 21st century, agility, or the ability to rapidly develop and produce new products, represents a common trend. Agility manifests itself in many different forms, with the agile manufacturing paradigm proposed by the Iacocca Institute offering a generally accepted, long-term vision. In its many forms, common elements of agility or agile manufacturing include: changes in business, engineering and production practices, seamless information flow from design through production, integration of computer and information technologies into all facets of the product development and production process, application of communications technologies to enable collaborative work between geographically dispersed product development team members and introduction of flexible automation of production processes. Industry has rarely experienced as dramatic an infusion of new technologies or as extensive a change in culture and work practices. Human factors will not only play a vital role in accomplishing the technical and social objectives of agile manufacturing. but has an opportunity to participate in shaping the evolution of industry paradigms for the 21st century.
A Reevaluation of Neuronal Zinc Measurements: Artifacts Associated with High Intracellular Dye Concentration

The emergence of zinc as a potent neurotoxin has prompted the development of techniques suitable for the measurement of intracellular free zinc ([Zn2+]i) in cultured cells. Accordingly, a new family of Zn2+-sensitive fluorophores has become available. Using ionophore-induced elevations of [Zn2+]i in cultured neurons, we measured [Zn2+]i-induced changes in the novel dyes FuraZin-1 and FluoZin-2 and compared them with the established [Zn2+]i-sensitive fluorophores mag-fura-2 and Newport Green. All of these dyes effectively detected [Zn2+]i, and FuraZin-1, FluoZin-2, and Newport Green showed selectivity for [Zn2+]iover [Ca2+]i and [Mg2+]i. However, the dyes showed little difference in their apparent sensitivity to [Zn2+]i, even though their in vitro affinities for Zn2+ varied from 20 nM to 3 μM. We show herein that this is a consequence of the relatively high concentrations of intracellular dye used in experiments of this nature. Thus, for the measurement of [Zn2+]i, the sensitivity of the reporting system is dominated by the intracellular dye concentration, whereas dye affinity is unimportant. We extend these findings to show that calibration of dye signal to ion concentration is critically dependent on precise measurement of intracellular dye concentration.
Appetite suppressants and valvular heart disease in a population-based sample: the HyperGEN study☆

Abstract Purpose Previous studies of the association between the use of appetite suppressants and valvular heart disease have not accounted for the effects of valvular structure and aortic root diameter, which are associated with obesity. We assessed whether the use of the appetite suppressants fenfluramine/dexfenfluramine, either alone or with phentermine, was associated with aortic regurgitation while adjusting for these variables. Subjects and methods The sample included 2524 adult participants in the population-based Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network study. Information regarding current drug use was assessed during a clinical examination. Medication use was continued at the time of echocardiographic study. Expert readers blinded to current therapy read echocardiograms centrally at Cornell Medical Center. Analyses of the associations between use of fenfluramine/dexfenfluramine (alone or with phentermine) and aortic regurgitation adjusted for potential confounders, including aortic root dilatation and valve fibrocalcification. Results Nineteen participants, all of whom had hypertension, were being treated with fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine (5 on these agents alone, 14 also with phentermine). Aortic regurgitation was present in 32% (n = 6) of those taking fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine versus 6% (162/2505) of remaining subjects ( P = 0.001). In multivariate-adjusted analyses, treatment with fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine was associated with aortic regurgitation (odds ratio [OR] = 4.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7 to 14) and aortic fibrocalcification (OR = 5.2; 95% CI: 1.9 to 15). Conclusion In a population-based sample, use of fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine, alone or in combination with phentermine, was associated with aortic regurgitation independent of aortic dilatation or fibrocalcification.
The NS5A Protein of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Contains an Essential Zinc-Binding Site Similar to That of the Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Protein

The recent demonstration that the NS5A protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) contains an unconventional zinc-binding site with the format Cx 17 CxCx 20 C and the presence of a similar sequence element in the NS5A proteins of members of the Pestivirus genus has led to the hypothesis that the NS5A protein of the pestivirus bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a zinc-binding protein. A method for the expression and partial purification of BVDV NS5A was developed, and the partially purified protein was analyzed for zinc content by atomic absorption spectroscopy. BVDV NS5A was found to coordinate a single zinc atom per protein molecule. Mutation of any of the four cysteines of the predicted zinc-binding motif eliminated zinc coordination. Furthermore, analysis of mutations at these cysteine residues in the context of a BVDV replicon system indicated that these residues were absolutely essential for RNA replication. The recently determined crystal structure of the N-terminal zinc-binding domain of the HCV NS5A protein, combined with secondary structure predictions of the region surrounding the mapped BVDV zinc-binding region, indicates that the BVDV zinc-binding motif fits the general template Cx 22 CxCx 24 C and likely comprises a three-stranded antiparallel β-sheet fold. These data highlight the similarities between the Hepacivirus and Pestivirus NS5A proteins and suggest that both proteins perform a not-yet-defined function in RNA replication that requires coordination of a single zinc atom.
Isolated Photosystem I Reaction Centers on a Functionalized Gated High Electron Mobility Transistor

In oxygenic plants, photons are captured with high quantum efficiency by two specialized reaction centers (RC) called Photosystem I (PS I) and Photosystem II (PS II). The captured photon triggers rapid charge separation and the photon energy is converted into an electrostatic potential across the nanometer-scale ( ~ 6nnm) reaction centers. The exogenous photovoltages from a single PS I RC have been previously measured using the technique of Kelvin force probe microscopy (KFM). However, biomolecular photovoltaic applications require two-terminal devices. This paper presents for the first time, a micro-device for detection and characterization of isolated PS I RCs. The device is based on an AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structure. AlGaN/GaN HEMTs show high current throughputs and greater sensitivity to surface charges compared to other field-effect devices. PS I complexes immobilized on the floating gate of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs resulted in significant changes in the device characteristics under illumination. An analytical model has been developed to estimate the RCs of a major orientation on the functionalized gate surface of the HEMTs.
The treatment of traumatic and war wounds of the vascular system

Abstract Surgeons in general have not been trained in the management and treatment of the lesions involving the vascular system. Knowledge of these lesions will become increasingly important with our participation in a major war. It is not necessary to amputate when a major vessel has been severed. Arteries may be repaired by suturing or venous transplants. Many methods of stimulating collateral circulation are available. Perivertebral sympathetic nerve block has proved helpful. In neglected or advanced gangrene requiring amputation, the refrigeration technic reduces the mortality.
Sustaining and extending organization strategy via information technology governance

This paper summarizes commonly accepted theories of corporate governance and extends them to information technology governance in United States (US) hospitals. It goes on to argue that currently accepted theories of governance may not apply in rural US hospital settings. Rather, this work posits that governance is a pattern of social relations integrating organizational activities. This position is supported in the adjoining case study examining a small, rural US hospital's use of coordination and collaboration to integrate IT activities and to align IT strategy and functions with corporate strategy. Thus, contrary to the dominant paradigms of hierarchy, power, and resource based governance, coordination can provide an effective mechanism for information technology governance.
Tracking Population Health Based on Self-reported Impairments: Trends in the Prevalence of Hearing Loss in US Adults, 1976–2006

Trends in the prevalence of hearing loss among US adults remain ambiguous because of variation across surveys in question wording and limited use of audiometric examinations. Pooling samples of participants aged 20–69 years in 4 nationally representative cross-sectional survey series conducted from 1976 to 2006 (N ¼ 990,609), the authors performed logistic regression to quantify self-reporting biases compared with audiometric measurements. Statistically significant underreporting or overreporting of hearing loss was observed, with various patterns of bias across age groups and surveys. Substantial upward reporting biases appeared among young adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey since 1999 and in the National Health Interview Survey since 1997. Trends in age-standardized prevalence of bilateral hearing loss were estimated with corrections for self-reporting biases. Prevalence in men shifted from 9.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.8, 11.8) in 1978 to 12.2% (95% CI: 10.1, 14.7) in 1993 and declined to 8.1% (95% CI: 7.0, 9.5) in 2000. In women, prevalence was relatively constant at approximately 6%–7% until the early 1990s and decreased from 7.0% (95% CI: 5.5, 9.1) in 1993 to 4.2% (95% CI: 3.4, 5.3) in 2000. Prevalence was stable in both sexes in the early 2000s. This approach to adjust for biases in self-reported impairments by using measured performance may be useful in various health domains. adult; cross-sectional studies; health surveys; hearing loss; logistic models; prevalence; United States; validation studies
Application of Computer-Integrated Transportation to Commercial Vehicle Operations

Computer-integrated transportation (CIT) is envisioned as an integrated network of public and private transportation organizations, each of which has unique responsibilities but is working toward a common mission of facilitating travel across all modes of transportation. The research on CIT is extended to commercial vehicle operations, specifically to examine how government can work with trucking companies (i.e., motor carriers) within a CIT framework. The research entailed a review of how government currently interacts with trucking companies, interviews with trucking terminal managers, and case studies of terminal operations at five of the nation's largest motor carriers. Opportunities are identified in the area of unifying the interaction between government and industry (along four lines: licensing, roadway information, incident clearance, and enforcement) and in the area of in-vehicle devices for automated record keeping.
Disparities in Food Access: Inner-City Residents Describe their Local Food Environment

ABSTRACT Existing research emphasizes individual characteristics, such as psychosocial barriers and preferences, as the main barrier that low-income groups face when attempting to maintain a healthy diet. This study is one component of a partnership between a community and academics who are addressing limited food access in East New York, Brooklyn, by establishing a community-owned food store that provides affordable, nutritious groceries. Prior to the store's opening, focus groups were held with residents in order to understand their experiences related to obtaining food in East New York. These residents identified factors within the built environment that limit their ability to obtain healthy food options, including (1) poor quality of food, (2) higher cost of food, (3) few store options, (4) limited transportation, and (5) concerns about food marketing practices.
Ethics and Incentives: A Political Approach

Understood within an economic framework as a form of trade, incentives appear inherently ethical; understood as a form of power, incentives seem ethically suspect. Incentives, along with coercion and persuasion, are among the ways in which some people get others to do what they want them to do. This paper analyzes incentives as a form of power in order to develop criteria for distinguishing legitimate from illegitimate uses of them. Whereas an economic approach focuses on voluntariness as the sole criterion in judging incentives, this political approach yields three standards: purpose, voluntariness, and effect on the character of the parties involved. The paper explores issues that arise in applying these standards. Framing the problem of incentives as a problem of power reveals the ethical issues with greater depth and complexity than placing incentives in an economic frame of reference.
Dynamic performance of shoe centreless grinding

AbstractThe dynamic performance of shoe centreless grinding is presented in this paper. A model with a single-mass system was developed and used to evaluate the system response in the time and the frequency domains. Based on the model, stability and critical parameters of the grinding process were studied. Numerical simulations were conducted in MATLAB. The model was verified by experiments from real grinding trials.
Apollo—Taking the Lead in Telomere Protection

The single-stranded overhangs at the ends of telomeres are thought to be critical for telomere maintenance, but how they are generated has been largely unclear. Two studies (one in this issue of Molecular Cell, Wu et al., 2010) have now implicated the Apollo nuclease in maintaining the overhang specifically at those telomeres generated by leading-strand DNA synthesis.
How to Meet the Media

Occupational physicians on occasion will have to respond to inquiries from the print and broadcast media, particularly in situations involving the health or death of workers. They must be prepared concerning the issue at hand, be factual, be cooperative, and be careful of questions that are 'just off the record'. As representatives of organizations at times of corporate stress, they must be truthful in the presentation of explanations concerning the causes of mishaps and the means of averting future repetitions of comparable hazardous episodes. A set of principles is offered which will aid physicians in their discussion of serious health and safety issues at the worksite.
An HF packet network for the Southern European Task Force

HF packet radio equipment was purchased for the Southern European Task Force Headquarters in Vicenza, Italy. The objective is to demonstrate the capability of HF packet radio to function as a base command, control, and administrative communication system. The HF packet radio system provides a voice and data capability, using commercial-grade, state-of-the-art HF communication transceivers with packet controllers. The authors address the need for propagation prediction algorithms to be integrated into each member site's computer. PC versions of IONCAP (Ionospheric Communications Analysis and Prediction Program) are available for inclusion into the software that resides in the packet computer. There are a number of alternative prediction systems that are under consideration. >
Isolated bundle branch block and left ventricular dysfunction.

Abstract Background:Population studies have identified the presence of bundle branch block (BBB) as a risk factor for increased mortality in patients with known cardiac disease. It is unknown how chronic ventricular dyssynchrony resulting solely from conduction delay affects ventricular function. Methods and Results:Subjects were retrospectively identified from the University of California, San Francisco, electrocardiogram database with QRS prolongation. Subjects who had no evidence of heart disease and had baseline and serial studies evaluating ongoing risk of coronary artery disease status and left ventricular function were followed over time. Documentation of a minimum of 2 serial evaluations of cardiac status were present in a total of 51/176 (20%) subjects with isolated BBB who constitute the study population. After a mean follow-up of 52 ± 45 months—adjusting for differences due to age, sex, the presence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus—left ventricular ejection fraction diminished by −7.3 ± 12% per year in the isolated left BBB cohort versus −1.9 ± 4% in isolated right BBB cohort and −1.1 ± 3% reduction in the isolated nonspecific intraventricular conduction delay cohort (P =.019). Conclusions:Left bundle branch block itself may be a cause of ventricular dysfunction.
Star Formation in Cluster-Cluster Mergers

Radio continuum emission at 1.4 GHz was used to identify active galaxies in a sample of 20 nearby Abell clusters. The radio emission indicates either an active galactic nucleus or current star formation, and optical spectroscopy was used to evaluate which of these dominates for each of the radio-selected galaxies. In an analysis which parallels the blue fractions of Butcher-Oemler studies, we calculated radio galaxy fractions for the clusters. One cluster in particular shows a dramatic increase in activity relative to the others: the cluster-cluster merger Abell 2255. We compare the results for Abell 2255 with those for Abell 2256 to assess the role of cluster-cluster mergers on the star formation activity of member galaxies. From these clusters, as well as several identified in other studies, a picture emerges in which substructure and cluster dynamical activity are of great importance in understanding evolutionary phenomenon such as the Butcher-Oemler Effect. Increased fractions of active galaxies (be they the blue galaxies of Butcher-Oemler studies or radio galaxies as discussed here) naturally result as clusters are built through mergers of smaller groups in hierarchical formation scenarios. The observed spread in fractions of active galaxies at any given redshift reflects the spread in cluster dynamical state.
Role of patient treatment beliefs and provider characteristics in establishing patient-provider relationships.

Background. P ositive patient–provider relationships have been associated with improved depression treatment outcomes. Little is known about how patient treatment beliefs influence patient–provider relationships, specifically treatment alliance and shared decision making in primary care (PC). Objective. W e evaluated the relationship between patient treatment beliefs and patient–provider relationships by gender, race and current depression. Methods. W e used a deductive parallel convergent mixed method design with cross-sectional data. Participants were 227 Black and White patients presenting with depression symptoms in PC settings. Individuals were randomized into either a quantitative survey (n = 198) or qualitative interview (n = 29) group. We used multiple ordinary least squares regression to evaluate the association between patient beliefs, as measured by the Treatment Beliefs Scale and the Medication Beliefs Scale, and treatment alliance or shared decision making. We concurrently conducted thematic analyses of qualitative semistructured interview data to explicate the nature of patient– provider relationships. Results. W e found that patients who believed their provider would respectfully facilitate depression treatment reported greater bond, openness and shared decision making with their provider. We also identified qualitative themes of physicians listening to, caring about and respecting patients. Empathy and emotive expression increased patient trust in PC providers as facilitators of depression treatment. Conclusions. This work systematically demonstrated what man y providers anecdotally believe: PC environments in which individuals feel safe sharing psychological distress are essential to early identification and treatment of depression. Interprofessional skills-based training in attentiveness and active listening may influence the effectiveness of depression intervention.
Miniature optical coherence tomography-ultrasound probe for automatically coregistered three-dimensional intracoronary imaging with real-time display

We have developed a novel miniature integrated optical coherence tomography (OCT)-intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) probe, with a 1.5-mm-long rigid part and 0.9-mm outer diameter, for real-time intracoronary imaging of atherosclerotic plaques and guiding of interventional procedures. By placing the OCT ball lens and IVUS transducer back-to-back at the same axial position, this probe can provide automatically coregistered, coaxial OCT-IVUS imaging. To demonstrate its real-time capability, three-dimensional OCT-IVUS imaging of a pig’s coronary artery displaying in polar coordinates, as well as images of three major types of atherosclerotic plaques in human cadaver coronary segments, were obtained using this probe and our upgraded system. Histology validation is also presented.
RF/analog/digital SOI technology for GPS receivers and other systems on a chip

Increasing numbers of military and aerospace systems require miniaturization and low power which can only be achieved by employing mixed mode combinations of RF, analog and digital circuits on the same chip. GPS receivers are an excellent example of the subsystem required to fit in small munitions or the soldier watch. At the same time, the requirements for jamming and spoofing resistance and encryption decoding increase the gate count to 20-30 Mgates. Similar in complexity the analog section may require 16-bit analog to digital converter for digital beam forming. Demanding RF front-end performance section includes the low noise amplifiers with noise figure below 2 dB and with associated gain of 30-40 dB. Such extreme mixed mode requirements can be only met with specialized technology like Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) on high resistivity substrate. Such substrate provides excellent isolation and 10 dB lower noise than in bulk CMOS.
An Analysis of the Agricultural and Trade Policy Preferences of Iowa Farm Operators

Many previous farm policy preference surveys were conducted before full implementation of the Food Security Act of 1985. This post-implementation analysis of farm policy preferences of Iowa farm operators found high support for continuation of current programs and many of the new provisions included in the 1985 FSA. Also, there was strong support for payment limitations and all international trade policy directions identified. Nine socioeconomic characteristics were analyzed to determine if they were associated with farm policy preferences. Although many of the correlations were significant, the degrees of association were relatively low.
Fúria e Esperança: A Pedagogia Revolucionária de Peter McLaren - Entrevista com Peter McLaren

In this interview Peter McLaren clearly expresses his return to the Marxist roots, to a theory with a strategic centrality. After a period of incursions through the field of leftist post-modernism and post-structuralism, McLaren argues today that there are insuperable limitations in these approaches and criticizes the academic sycophants and their position towards these perspectives. To him, the return to the Marxist theory, as a way of both understanding and transforming social reality, is a natural process. However, McLaren stresses that Marxism should not be seen as a religion, emphasizing that he does not want to have anything to do with an inflexible perspective
The Writing on the Wall: Inside Higher Education

(1981). The Writing on the Wall: Inside Higher Education. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 106-107.
Effects of Sterile Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) Releases on the Target Species, a Nontarget Tephritid, and a Braconid Parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Commercial Coffee Fields

A 2-yr program of sterile Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), releases (yr 1: 535 million; yr 2: 941 million flies) was conducted on Kauai Island, HI., in commercial coffee (Coffea arabica L.) fields. Fruit collections were used to estimate relative abundances of (1) C. capitata , the target species; (2) oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), a potential competing fruit fly species; and (3) a beneficial wasp, Biosteres arisanus (Sonan), that attacks both fruit flies. During season 2, C. capitata abundance in the treatment area was suppressed by as much as 56% compared with the control area. In contrast, the number of B. dorsalis in treated coffee fields was within 6% of that in the control field for both years of the study, indicating that its abundance was not affected by C. capitata sterile releases. Numbers of B. dorsalis were not correlated with those of C. capitata, suggesting that these tephritids were not competitors in that habitat at that time. C. capitata and B. arisanus abundances were correlated positively in two of the four situations studied. Mean numbers of B. arisanus per 100 fruits in treated fields were 5.3 and 3.2 during seasons 1 and 2, respectively. Data suggest that high numbers of B. arisanus remain in a habitat inundated with sterile flies and that sterile C. capitata releases are compatible with B. arisanus parasitism for fruit fly control.
Chemotherapy versus Hypomethylating Agents for the Treatment of Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant

Abstract Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is a potentially curative treatment for high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). For patients with relapsed disease after transplantation, intensive chemotherapy followed by donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) or a second allo-SCT may result in a durable response in some patients. High-intensity chemotherapy and less aggressive therapy with hypomethylating agents (HAs) with and without DLI are often used for relapse after allo-SCT. Here we compared the treatment outcomes of intensive chemotherapy with that of HAs in relapsed AML and MDS after allo-SCT. Patients who had received a second SCT within 90 days of the relapse date were excluded. The primary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were complete remission (CR) rate and progression-free survival (PFS). One hundred patients were included: 73 patients received chemotherapy and 27 patients received an HA. Fifty-six percent of patients in the chemotherapy group and 33% of patients in the HA group received at least 1 DLI after treatment. Treatment with chemotherapy resulted in a higher ORR (51% versus 19%, P = .004) and a higher CR rate (40% versus 7%, P = .002). The median OS (6 versus 3.9 months, P = .01) and PFS (4.9 versus 3.8 months, P = .02) were longer in the chemotherapy group. Similar benefit of chemotherapy over HAs was maintained in all treatment outcomes after controlling for the use of DLI. The use of chemotherapy followed by DLI offered the greatest benefit (ORR, 68%; CR, 59%, 1-year OS, 44%; and median OS, 9.8 months). In conclusion, in our hands, with limited numbers, the use of more conventional salvage chemotherapy, with DLI when possible, for the treatment of relapsed AML and MDS after allo-SCT is associated with better outcomes than nonchemotherapy (HA) options.
Some Results for Stochastic Order

We presented some interesting stochastic order results for maximum series of indenpendent random variables under some regular conditions.
Abstract IA28: Epigenetic heterogeneity in breast cancer

Heterogeneity of cancer cells between and within tumors is a major obstacle toward understanding and treatment of cancers. Variability of epigenetic states is one of the major contributor to both intertumor and intratumor heterogeneity. In breast cancer luminal and basal-like breast tumors have very different molecular and clinical profiles. However, even in individual tumors there is variability among cells for these features. The determinants of luminal cell phenotypes are fairly well understood and major transcriptional regulators have been identified. In contrast, transcriptional determinants of basal-like breast tumors are still poorly defined and high variability is observed among individual tumors. We have investigated molecular regulators of luminal and basal-like phenotypes by applying somatic cell genetics and cellular reprogramming approaches combined with comprehensive molecular profiling. We found that the basal-like state is predominantly dominant and it is defined mainly by epigenetic mechanisms. We have also identified candidate epigenetic and transcriptional regulators of basal-like cellular states. Modulation of epigenetic regulators may decrease intratumor heterogeneity and in combination with other agents could improve the efficacy of cancer therapies. Citation Format: Kornelia Polyak. Epigenetic heterogeneity in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Developmental Biology and Cancer; Nov 30-Dec 3, 2015; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(4_Suppl):Abstract nr IA28.
International Actors, International Influences, and Regime Outcomes

The quantitative analysis in Chapter 4 showed that a favorable regional political environment helped account for both the increased transition rate and the sharp drop in the breakdown rate after 1977. And in Chapter 6 we argued that international actors and influences decisively affected the outbreak of civil war, the transition to a competitive regime, the peace accords of 1992, and the establishment of a democracy in 1994 in El Salvador. Consistent with our evidence in Chapters 4 and 6, a growing body of literature has recognized the importance of international effects on political regimes (Beissinger 2007; Brinks and Coppedge 2006; Brown 2000; Bunce and Wolchick 2011; Farer 1996; Gleditsch 2002; Gleditsch and Ward 2006; Huntington 1991: 72–106; Levitsky and Way 2010; Lowenthal 1991; O’Laughlin et al. 1998; Pevehouse 2002a, 2002b, 2005; Pridham 1991, 1997; Starr 1991; Stepan 1986; Weyland 2010; Whitehead 1986b, 1991, 1996). The importance of international effects on political regimes has become a consistent finding in quantitative analyses of regime survival and fall and of the level of democracy. As we noted in Chapter 1, the importance of international effects on political regimes suggests a need to rethink conventional comparative politics approaches to the survival and fall of political regimes, which focused exclusively on domestic factors. When they study political regimes, social scientists cannot ignore transnational actors and influences or the interaction between domestic actors and transnational actors and influences. But what is the role of international influences in creating waves of democratization and authoritarianism? What are the mechanisms through which transnational actors and influences work? And which actors are responsible for these transnational effects? These are the questions we address in this chapter. The literature on international influences on political regimes has not resolved these issues. Quantitative work has shown a causal impact of the regional or neighborhood political environment on the level of democracy, transitions, and breakdowns, but it has done little to explain its aggregate consequences or the causal mechanisms behind this statistical effect (cf. Yee 1996).
The response of future projections of the North American monsoon when combining dynamical downscaling and bias correction of CCSM4 output

A 20-km regional climate model (RCM) dynamically downscaled the Community Climate System Model version 4 (CCSM4) to compare 32-year historical and future “end-of-the-century” climatologies of the North American Monsoon (NAM). CCSM4 and other phase 5 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project models have indicated a delayed NAM and overall general drying trend. Here, we test the suggested mechanism for this drier NAM where increasing atmospheric static stability and reduced early-season evapotranspiration under global warming will limit early-season convection and compress the mature-season of the NAM. Through our higher resolution RCM, we found the role of accelerated evaporation under a warmer climate is likely understated in coarse resolution models such as CCSM4. Improving the representation of mesoscale interactions associated with the Gulf of California and surrounding topography produced additional surface evaporation, which overwhelmed the convection-suppressing effects of a warmer troposphere. Furthermore, the improved land–sea temperature gradient helped drive stronger southerly winds and greater moisture transport. Finally, we addressed limitations from inherent CCSM4 biases through a form of mean bias correction, which resulted in a more accurate seasonality of the atmospheric thermodynamic profile. After bias correction, greater surface evaporation from average peak GoC SSTs of 32 °C compared to 29 °C from the original CCSM4 led to roughly 50 % larger changes to low-level moist static energy compared to that produced by the downscaled original CCSM4. The increasing destabilization of the NAM environment produced onset dates that were one to 2 weeks earlier in the core of the NAM and northern extent, respectively. Furthermore, a significantly more vigorous NAM signal was produced after bias correction, with >50 mm month−1 increases to the June–September precipitation found along east and west coasts of Mexico and into parts of Texas. A shift towards more extreme daily precipitation was found in both downscaled climatologies, with the bias-corrected climatology containing a much more apparent and extreme shift.
Primitive Accumulation and “Primitive” Subjects in Postcolonial India: Tracing the Myriad Real and Virtual Lives of Mediatized Indigeneity Activism

In late 2008 a five-minute video clip entitled Gaon Chodab Nahin (literally, “We Shall Not Leave Our Village”) came into circulation among activists and grassroots NGOs in the forest highlands of eastern India. To those who watched and passed on the video throughout the eastern Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa, it summed up the plight of adivasi or “tribal” populations in the region as they battled an emerging state–corporate nexus whose plans for rapid industrialization in India relied on greater access to forest and mineral resources. This essay critically interrogates the myriad lives of this video clip through a close study of the real and virtual arenas in which it came to be viewed and engaged by different audiences. Drawing on extensive fieldwork in the forest state of Jharkhand in eastern India, I examine how developmental NGOs, indigeneity activists and rural adivasi villagers came to view and interpret this video differently. These different interpretations, I show, simultaneou...
A high voltage armature insulation system

A manufacturing process used to produce high electrical and mechanical strength homogeneous composite insulation has been described. The process features a vacuum bakeout and high pressure, hydrostatic impregnant injection. Manufacturing data and test results for a particular composite insulation system have been presented. The results are promising. Work is continuing in an effort to apply this insulation to the armature of a generator with a superconducting field winding.