cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On Distributed Time-Dependent Shortest Paths over Duty-Cycled Wireless Sensor Networks

We revisit the shortest path problem in asynchronous duty-cycled wireless sensor networks, which exhibit time-dependent features. We model the time-varying link cost and distance from each node to the sink as periodic functions. We show that the time-cost function satisfies the FIFO property, which makes the time-dependent shortest path problem solvable in polynomial-time. Using the $\beta$-synchronizer, we propose a fast distributed algorithm to build all-to-one shortest paths with polynomial message complexity and time complexity. The algorithm determines the shortest paths for all discrete times with a single execution, in contrast with multiple executions needed by previous solutions. We further propose an efficient distributed algorithm for time-dependent shortest path maintenance. The proposed algorithm is loop-free with low message complexity and low space complexity of $O(maxdeg)$, where $maxdeg$ is the maximum degree for all nodes. The performance of our solution is evaluated under diverse network configurations. The results suggest that our algorithm is more efficient than previous solutions in terms of message complexity and space complexity.
Taste quality profiles for fifteen organic and inorganic salts

Biophysical studies of isolated taste receptor cells show that one transduction mechanism for Na+ salts involves the inward movement of Na+ through an apical ion channel, which is sensitive to the diuretic amiloride. An additional paracellular pathway also appears to be involved in NaCl transduction, but not in the transduction of organic Na+ salts. Little is known, however, about how these receptor mechanisms relate to taste perception. Recent human psychophysical studies suggest that the amiloride-sensitive transduction pathway is coupled to the sour side taste of these salts rather than to their saltiness. In the present study, we employed direct magnitude estimation of taste intensity and quality of fifteen organic and inorganic Na+, Li-, K+, and Ca+2 salts. Many salts had multiple taste qualities, such as the salty and bitter tastes of NH4Cl and KCl; the Ca+2 salts were predominantly bitter. Taste quality often changed with stimulus concentration. Multivariate analyses of their taste profiles resulted in a grouping of these 18 stimuli within a taste space bounded by NaCl, sucrose, citric acid, and QHCl, with the organic salts positioned between NaCl and citric acid. The organic Na+ salts and the Li+ salts were considerably less salty and proportionately more sour than NaCl. These results, combined with previous work showing that amiloride suppresses the sourness of NaCl and Na-gluconate, predict that the organic Na+ salts and the Li+ salts would be more greatly suppressed by amiloride treatment than would NaCl.
Oral lesions as markers of severe immunosuppression in HIV-infected homosexual men and injection drug users.

Abstract Objective We examined the diagnostic utility of the presence of oral lesions, individually and in combination, in identifying severe immunosuppression, defined as CD4 cell count under 200. Study design Data were collected on 82 HIV-seropositive homosexual men and 82 HIV-seropositive injection drug users who volunteered to participate in a longitudinal study of HIV infection. CD4 cell counts were measured within 24 hours of oral examination. Methods Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and the odds ratio were computed to assess the association between oral lesions and CD4 less than 200. In addition to the individual lesions, we studied the diagnostic properties of sets of three to six lesions. For each set of lesions, a patient was classified as positive for the set if he or she had one or more lesions in that set. Results In homosexual men and injection drug users, individual lesions had low sensitivity, high specificity, and moderate positive and negative predictive values. Odds ratios reflected weak correlation to immunosuppression. When lesion sets were considered in homosexual men, sensitivity rose dramatically with only modest decreases in specificity. The positive and negative predictive values remained almost the same. Similar results for lesion sets were obtained in injection drug users, with greater reduction in specificity but stable positive and negative predictive values. Odds ratios indicated that for homosexual men, the more lesions included in the set, the stronger the correlation with immunosuppression. For injection drug users, strong correlations were observed for all lesion sets. Conclusions Analysis of sensitivities and odds ratios in homosexual men suggest that it may be valid to note the occurrence of a greater number of oral lesions than is currently done in staging patients with HIV infection. Among injection drug users, monitoring a larger number of lesions neither improves nor reduces the correlation to severe immunosuppression.
Theoretical basis for field calculations on multi-dimensional reverse biased semiconductor devices

Abstract In this report the theory and the computational methods used to perform numerical field calculations on reverse biased two-dimensional (or three-dimensional with circular symmetry) structures are fully described and completely justified. Finite difference methods are used to approximate Poisson's equation and, together with a depletion region logic, solutions to semiconductor field problems are obtained without the need to solve the complete set of device equations. Two unique aspects of the methods are the depletion logic and the approach taken to handle dielectric interfaces.
Tissue distribution of 2,4-dinitrotoluene and its metabolites in male and female Fischer-344 rats.

Abstract The hepatocarcinogen, dinitrotoluene (DNT), produces a lower incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in female rats than in male rats. This study compares the elimination of radiolabeled 2,4-DNT in male rats at three dosages and the elimination of 2,4-DNT in male and female rats at a dose of 100 mg/kg. Terminal half-lives of total radioactivity in various tissues were similar after doses of 10 or 35 mg/kg in male rats, but were shorter after a dose of 100 mg/kg in plasma, red blood cells, liver, and kidney. Although terminal half-lives for total radioactivity were similar in male and female rats after a dose of 100 mg/kg, female liver contained concentrations of radioactivity which were one-half those found in males. The tissues of both sexes contained parent compound, 2,4-dinitrobenzoic acid, and 2-amino-4-nitrobenzoic acid. No evidence for the presence of the hepatocarcinogen, 2,4-diaminotoluene, was found. The difference between nanomole equivalents of 2,4-DNT and its metabolites found by specific assay and nanomole equivalents found by radioactivity measurements was two to five times larger in female rats than in males. The data suggest that dose-dependent changes occur in the elimination and distribution of 2,4-DNT at high doses and that female rats metabolize 2,4-DNT to unidentified metabolites to a greater extent than males. Furthermore, the lack of evidence for the formation of 2,4-diaminotoluene from 2,4-DNT suggests that the hepatocarcinogenicity of 2,4-DNT is not due to its conversion to 2,4-diaminotoluene.
Subsampling the Gibbs Sampler

Abstract This article provides a justification of the ban against sub-sampling the output of a stationary Markov chain that is suitable for presentation in undergraduate and beginning graduate-level courses. The justification does not rely on reversibility of the chain as does Geyer's (1992) argument and so applies to the usual implementation of the Gibbs sampler.
Landau Damping for Students Part II Boundary Value Problem

By setting the frequency ? in Vlasov's equation to a complex number, we have been able to remove the singularity in the integrand that has, in our own experience, caused our students so much trouble in the past. The resulting proper integrals are real, easily evaluated by elementary means, and yield correctly Landau's value for growth (and by extension, damping). The basic point in Justifying the derivation is that Landau damping for the student is no longer a mysterious phenomenon, obtained only via complex, contour integration, but an easily computed fact.
An architectural level test generator based on nonlinear equation solving

It has been shown that the hierarchy of large VLSI circuits can be exploited to speed up the test generation process. However, severe problems remain in most of the published literature which were based on a high level branch-and-bound approach. When the circuit module diagram is complex, it is very difficult to formalize the high level knowledge derived from the circuit hierarchy to make successful decisions in searching. Whenever a global path conflict or value conflict happens, it is unlikely that the backtracking scheme is able to solve this conflict through high level knowledge manipulation. In this article, a new architectural level test generation algorithm based on a nonlinear equation-solving methodology is proposed to solve conflicts and avoid making high level decisions when the tests are computed. For each pattern to be justified at a high level, an instruction sequence and the under-determined system of nonlinear equations are derived based on preprocessing information. The solution of the system of equations are calculated by a signal-driven discrete relaxation algorithm without making any high level decision. The test generation is performed by recursively assembling the instruction sequence and solving the system of equations. This new test generation approach has been implemented, and the tests of several microprocessors have been generated successfully. The results show that this approach is effective and promising.
Evaluation of AUV-based ADCP measurements

Recent development and commercialization of relatively portable and inexpensive autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have led to new methods for making hydrodynamic, chemical, and biological measurements in near-coastal, lake, and estuarine systems. Equipped with Doppler velocity log (DVL) technology to allow for deadreckoning navigation, this new class of AUVs has the potential to log not only vehicle motions, but water velocities as well. In this article, we assess the performance of the DVL acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) equipped on the REMUS AUV (Hydroid) in three different environments: a tidally forced lake; a wave-forced, near-shore fringing coral reef; and a gently sloping continental shelf. In all three data sets, the water velocities measured by the AUV DVL compare favorably with measurements from nearby stationary acoustic Doppler current profilers. Nevertheless, the water velocity component measured parallel to the vehicle's tracks exhibited a bias in the direction of AUV motion, consistent with a previously reported bias found for the ship-mounted ADCP application in low-scattering environments. The fringing reef data suggest that DVLs are capable of partially resolving wave motions.
VCSELs in optical networking

Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) are now essentially the only source used in short distance high bit rate data communications over multimode optical fiber. First commercially realized in 1996 by Honeywell, the primary application has been single channel links operating Ethernet or Fibre Channel protocols in the LAN and SAN environments. Today, the total bandwidth throughput is being raised to more than 10Gbps per channel, with the potential of several channel operation to yield more than 100Gbps. 850nm VCSELs are beginning to emerge in relatively new application arenas and wavelengths. This paper describes the market readiness for VCSELS in a wide variety of optical networking applications.
Discursive strategies in Chavez's political discourse: voicing, distancing, and shifting

I present a new theoretical model to analyze political speeches to account for discursive strategies. This innovative method systematically traces voices in political discourse and correlates their discursive goals with their linguistic and paralinguistic means of realization. I demonstrate, following Goffman's idea of footing, and Bakhtin's ideas of heteroglossia and double voicing, that the speaker's role can be consistently traced during a speech: specifically, I study Chavez's intervention at the UN in 2005. Each of the three role perspectives – narrator, interlocutor, and character – presents creative indexical moments. I show how pronouns are used to index distance and help the speaker position himself in relation to specific utterances as goals of the political agenda (us vs. them; socialism vs. imperialism), often showing meaningful displays of persona. Chavez also indexes his ideology through pronouns and lexical choices (pueblo, people; lucha, fight).
Fear and Loathing in Paris: The Reception of Opinion Polling in France, 1938-1977

In 1978, some 40 years after the practice of opinion polling first arrived in France, the country’s newspapers and magazines informed their readers that 76% of the French approved of Charles de Gaulle’s role in World War II, that 77% did not consider the pope’s moral instructions binding, that 83% never participated in winter sports, and that 36% thought Michel Rocard would be a good finance minister. Anyone who could not remember those findings for long might be forgiven, for they were but drops in an ocean of polling data, a tidal wave of information that swept over France each year. For many, this onslaught of polling data is deeply disturbing, given their belief that opinion polls have undermined elected representatives’ ability to use their judgment in making political decisions and have silenced other, more authentic expressions of popular opinion (for example, see Champagne 1990). Even those who welcomed les sondages d’opinion as a new means of bringing the people’s voice into arenas of power might still have felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of them published in France by that time–well over 500 in a typical year, according to one 1984 estimate–and many began to characterize the country’s apparently insatiable appetite for polls as sondomanie, or “poll mania” ( Jaffre 1985). Perhaps it was only to be expected that France, one of the pioneers in the creation of modern democracy, would be among the countriesmost interested in using polls to proclaim the will of the people to the humble and the powerful alike.
IVARIANT IMBEDDING RELATION FOR THE PRINCIPLES OF INVARIANCE.

SIO Reference 57-45. The principle of invariant imbedding. recently stated by Bellmr and Kalaba, is a rule of action which may be followed in the mathematical formulation of any of a wide class of problems concerned with transfer phenomena in general media. The statement of the principle generalizes the methodology originally developed by Ambarzumian and extended by Chandrasekhar in their studies of the transfer of radiation through scattering and absorbing media. In this note we exhibit an explicit analytic embodiment of the principle for radiative transfer and neutron transport processes. This symbolic statement of the principle - which we shall call the invariant imbedding relation - yields in particular the general symmetric forms of the principles of invariance for these processes. The semi-group features which generally are associated with an invariantly imbedded process are also implicit in the invariant imbedding relation. The present discussion will be limited to the steady state case on a class of inhomogeneous one-parameter carrier spaces (e.g., plane-parallel, cylindrical, spherical, and general one-parameter space filling families of surfaces).
Reversible pain and tactile deficits associated with a cerebral tumor compressing the posterior insula and parietal operculum.

Abstract Extensive psychophysical tests were conducted on a patient with a well circumscribed tumor located just inferior and posterior to the retroinsular cortex of the right hemisphere. Statistically significant laterality differences were observed, with the left hand exhibiting: 1. (1) a higher mechanical pain threshold, 2. (2) a higher heat pain threshold, 3. (3) a greater cold pain tolerance, and 4. (4) a poorer ability to discriminate roughness. The patient was re-examined 2.5 months after operative removal of the tumor and was found to have regained normal sensitivity in his left hand. Pre- and postoperative MRIs showed resolution of the tumor's mass effect on the retroinsula and neighboring parietal operculum, which likely included the second somatosensory cortex. This dramatic change in sensory capacity signifies an essential role for the posterior insula and parietal operculum in normal pain and tactile perception.
In Vitro Determination of the Antimicrobial Properties of Two Cyanoacrylate Preparations

Isobutyl and trifluoro cyanoacrylates showed varying degrees of inhibition for Lactobacillus casei and Staphylococcus aureus when tested by the spread plate technique. Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were resistant. The results tend to support the view that inhibition of growth was due to the vapor effect and not the diffusibility of the cyanoacrylates.
Gestural Control of a Remote Robotic Manipulator

Recent technological developments in motion tracking technology have lowered the price of motioncapture devices to the extent that nearly anyone can accurately model the dimensions and movement of the human body. The system described herein was the result of an attempt to capitalize on the aforementioned low-cost motion-capture technology to develop an accurate human-robot interface which relies on translating natural forelimb movement into servo actuation commands to control a robotic arm. Given that most endeavors into robotics are interdisciplinary, this work incorporates input from electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, and human-robot interface design. This system was specifically designed, in cooperation with NASA, to be used by an operator in a low-gravity environment, but the number of possible applications are substantial. These applications include, but are not limited to, military explosive ordnance disposal, remote maintenance in hostile environments, and safe explor...
Development of hepatic granulomas in patients receiving pegylated interferon therapy for recurrent hepatitis C virus post liver transplantation.

: Infrequently, hepatitis C (HCV) appears to be the cause of hepatic granulomas. Interferon therapy for HCV has been increasingly associated with the development of sarcoidosis. Aims. We sought to determine the incidence of hepatic granulomas in patients with recurrent HCV post liver transplantation (LT). Methods. Between 1994 and 2005, 820 patients were transplanted for HCV at our institution. The pathology database was searched for patients having recurrent HCV and granulomas. At Mount Sinai Medical Center, protocol biopsies have been performed for the last 2 years in patients receiving pegylated interferon-α2b and ribavirin (PEG) for recurrent HCV. Review of slides from explanted livers, pre- and post-perfusion biopsies, and all allograft biopsies were evaluated. Lipogranulomas were excluded because of their frequent association with steatosis. Results. A total of 10,225 liver biopsies were performed on HCV patients, and 25 (0.24%) showed non-caseating epithelioid granulomas. Hepatic granulomas were detected in 14 post-LT HCV patients; 9 patients received PEG. Typically, only 1 lobular granuloma was found. None of these patients had granulomas in the native liver or in any biopsy before interferon therapy; 6/9 patients had undetectable HCV-RNA levels, and 4 had sustained viral response. No other cause for granuloma formation was identified in the 6 patients. Conclusions. Hepatic granulomas are infrequently found in HCV liver biopsies and rarely found in post-LT biopsies with recurrent HCV. When present, they occur more commonly in patients receiving and virologically responding to PEG therapy. The presence of granulomas in patients with HCV being treated with PEG may not warrant an extensive etiologic work-up for granulomatous hepatitis unless otherwise clinically indicated.
The effects of a total laryngectomy on speech breathing.

Purpose of reviewAlaryngeal speech rehabilitation following a total laryngectomy is a multifactorial disorder that includes changes in phonation, respiration, and overall general health. Tracheoesophageal speech is the preferred method of rehabilitation. In this approach, pulmonary air support is di
Immigrant Remittances and the Venture Investment Environment of Developing Countries

Despite the increasing importance of financial and social remittances to developing countries, their impact on home-country venture-investing environments has been largely overlooked. I develop a framework grounded in transaction costs economics and social knowledge theories to investigate relationships between remittances and home-country (1) capital availability, (2) new business creation, and (3) economic internationalization. My framework also accounts for individual and collective immigrant attributes that may moderate the impact of remittances on these alternative indicators of the venture investment environment. Analyses of immigrant remittances to 61 developing countries from 2002–2007 indicate that they increase general and more narrowly defined venture capital availability as well as broader openness to international trade. Remittances also increase new business start-up rates when the developing country’s public sector is sufficiently small. Positive venture-funding effects of remittances are magnified when coming from immigrants living in highly concentrated communities, but are diminished when coming from highly educated immigrants. Overall, results suggest that developing-country immigrants of varying backgrounds play an important role in venture funding, founding and integration with the world economy.
Fracture of ceramics and glasses

The rich variety of fracture behavior exhibited by glasses and ceramic materials is reviewed with particular emphasis on the understanding gained through the use of deliberately introduced, controlled cracks. After a brief summary of the mechanics of indentation cracks four major topics are discussed, the structure of crack tips, environment assisted crack growth, high temperature fracture and the toughening of ceramics. Resolution of the sharp vs blunt crack dilemma is presented together with recent microscopy observations of crack tips in brittle solids. In describing fracture in polycrystalline ceramics we explore some of the complexities beyond the simple Griffith behavior relating strength to flaw size, and show how the scale of the microstructure with respect to the crack length affects the observed toughness. It is shown that the interaction of a crack with the microstructure provides a unifying theme for interpreting much of the current work in the literature and leads to important concepts discussed here, such as the discrete-continuum transition, R-curve behavior, toughening due to crack deflection and crack bridging, transformation toughening and stress-induced microcrack toughening.
Glamour versus Value: Trading Behavior of Institutions and Individual Investors

In this study, the authors consider the net selling and buying behavior of institutional investors and individual investors. To measure this behavior, a new metric called the trading ratio is introduced. With this trading ratio, evidence is found that from 1980 to 2004, institutional investors were net buyers of growth or glamour stocks and net sellers of value stocks, and individual investors were net sellers of growth stocks and net buyers of value stocks. No evidence was found to suggest that superior information was the basis for institutional investors’ preference for growth stocks. Empirical evidence suggests that on average, U.S. value stocks outperform U.S. growth stocks over the long term. This “value premium,” first suggested by Fama and French (Journal of Finance, 1992), is a welldocumented market anomaly, and its existence is widely accepted, although debate continues about the exact cause. Fama and French (Journal of Finance, 1992, 1996) posit that higher risk levels of value stocks warrant better performance, whereas Lakonishok, Shleifer, and Vishny (Journal of Finance, 1994) suggest cognitive bias and the agency costs of professional investment as possible explanations. To examine the buying behavior of institutions and individuals with regard to growth and value stocks, the authors introduce the trading ratio (TR), which is a modification of the D ratio first introduced by Lakonishok, Shleifer, and Vishny (Journal of Financial Economics, 1992). The TR measures excess buying and selling of shares rather than total market value, which allows the isolation of price. The ratio is further adjusted to account for the flow of funds to institutions.
Mechanism of sequence-specific template binding by the DNA primase of bacteriophage T7

DNA primases catalyze the synthesis of the oligoribonucleotides required for the initiation of lagging strand DNA synthesis. Biochemical studies have elucidated the mechanism for the sequence-specific synthesis of primers. However, the physical interactions of the primase with the DNA template to explain the basis of specificity have not been demonstrated. Using a combination of surface plasmon resonance and biochemical assays, we show that T7 DNA primase has only a slightly higher affinity for DNA containing the primase recognition sequence (5'-TGGTC-3') than for DNA lacking the recognition site. However, this binding is drastically enhanced by the presence of the cognate Nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs), Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and Cytosine triphosphate (CTP) that are incorporated into the primer, pppACCA. Formation of the dimer, pppAC, the initial step of sequence-specific primer synthesis, is not sufficient for the stable binding. Preformed primers exhibit significantly less selective binding than that observed with ATP and CTP. Alterations in subdomains of the primase result in loss of selective DNA binding. We present a model in which conformational changes induced during primer synthesis facilitate contact between the zinc-binding domain and the polymerase domain.
Measurement of Biaxial Stress States in Silicon Using Micro-Raman Spectroscopy

Micro-Raman spectroscopy is used to determine the multiaxial stress state in silicon wafers using a strategy proposed by Narayanan, et al. (J. Appl. Phys. 82, 2595-2602 (1997)) Previously, this strategy was validated when silicon was subjected to uniaxial stress in the laboratory frame (Harris, et al. J. Appl. Phys. 96, 7195-7201 (2004)). In the present work, silicon wafers have been analyzed that were subjected to biaxial stress states in the laboratory frame. The predicted curves for the initially degenerate F 2g peaks were found to fall within the variability of the measured curves. Stress ratios were found to be predictable. Stress magnitudes were also found to be predictable, but are subject to uncertainty greater than 25%. To perform these tests, an apparatus has been developed which can provide controlled ratios of biaxial stress in a simple and compact test geometry. This fixture was used under a microscope, enabling in situ measurement of biaxial stress states.
Effects of pentafraction and hetastarch plasma expansion on lung and soft tissue transvascular fluid filtration.

Background. Hetastarch and pentafraction are high molecular weight starch solutions designed to augment plasma oncotic pressure. Although clinical utilization of hetastarch has been limited by reported coagulation abnormalities, pentafraction is a newer derivative that appears to have few adverse hemostatic effects. We examined the ability of pentafraction to modulate lung and soft tissue transvascular fluid filtration under hypoproteinemic conditions compared with hetastarch and Ringer's lactate (LR). Methods. Awake, protein-depleted sheep (n=19) were prepared with lung and soft tissue lymph fistulas, and comparable infusions of 5% pentafraction (n=6), 6% hetastarch (n=6), or LR (n=7) were administered. Plasma and lymph samples were collected during 24-hour period to determine changes in protein concentrations, plasma-to-lymph oncotic gradients, and lung (QL) and soft tissue (QS) lymph flows. Results. QL and QS rose nearly twofold after protein depletion alone. LR infusion increased QL and QS to 8.7±1.7 and 3.1±0.6 times normoproteinemic baseline, respectively (p Conclusions. Both hetastarch and pentafraction limit transvascular fluid filtration under hypoproteinemic conditions by augmenting plasma oncotic pressure and the plasma-to-lymph oncotic pressure gradient. Because of fewer adverse hemostatic effects pentafraction may be an improvement over current therapies in critical care fluid management.
Reducing Basis Mismatch in Harmonic Signal Recovery via Alternating Convex Search

In compressive sampling applications, even small deviations from an exact signal model can result in dramatic increases in estimation error. This work describes an iterative, biconvex search algorithm that solves this problem.
Prebiotic chemistry: Ribozyme takes its vitamins.

Selection of an RNA catalyst that can use the vitamin thiamin to catalyse a key metabolic decarboxylation reaction has broad implications for understanding the role of RNA in the early stages of chemical evolution.
Molecularly Defined Re-Wiring of Electron Transport in Living Cells

Cellular-electrical connections have the potential to combine the specialties of the technological world with those of the living world. However, cell membranes are natural insulators, inherently creating a barrier between intracellular electrons and inorganic materials. To overcome this barrier, we have ‘grown’ electrical connections in living cells by engineering the cell to construct a well-defined electron conduit. The dissimilatory metal-reducing microbe, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, inspired our approach: it has the unusual ability to transport electrons to extracellular minerals via a trans-membrane electron transport pathway (ETP). We seek to generalize this ability to grow electrical contacts between microbes and inorganic materials, and thus have genetically re-engineered a portion of the Shewanella ETP into Escherichia coli (Fig. A). Native E. coli proteins complete the partial ETP by acting as a direct electron donor to the functionally expressed Shewanella proteins. These ‘electrified’ strains exhibit ∼8x and ∼4x faster metal reducing efficiency with soluble metals and insoluble metal oxides, respectively, than wild-type E. coli (Fig. B). These experiments provide the first steps towards engineering of hybrid living-non-living systems. Our next objective is to measure direct electrical output from the ‘electrified’ strains to an electrode (Fig. C).View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Delirium Issues in Elderly Surgical Patients

Continuing Education Contact Hours indicates that continuing education contact hours are available for this activity. Earn the contact hours by reading this article, reviewing the purpose/goal and objectives, and completing the online Examination and Learner Evaluation at http:// www.aorn.org/CE. A score of 70% correct on the examination is required for credit. Participants receive feedback on incorrect answers. Each applicant who successfully completes this program can immediately print a certificate of completion.
An Analysis of Motivation Factors for Students’ Pursuit of Leadership Positions

Objective. To identify factors that influence student involvement and leadership within organizations and to assess the impact of involvement in organizations on professional skill development.Methods. A printed survey was administered to fourth-year pharmacy students at one college of pharmacy (N=202).Results. Most students (82%) indicated they were involved in at least one organization during pharmacy school and 58% reported holding a leadership position at some point. Factors with the largest impact on involvement in organizations were desire to present a well-rounded image to employers, ability to network, and interest in the activities sponsored by the organization. Involvement in professional organizations had a strong influence on their leadership, teamwork, confidence, and time-management skills.Conclusion. That presenting a well-rounded image to employers and having the ability to network with mentors and peers drove student involvement in professional organizations may be reflective of increasin...
Thermal infrared calibration of aerial and satellite images over land

Methods for thermal calibration of aerial and satellite imaging systems over land masses is discussed. The emphasis will be on sources of error in the calibration process and consideration of how well temperature can be measured using remote imaging systems. The treatment will include consideration of upwelled and downwelled radiance terms, atmospheric transmission and target emissivity. >
Transport models for advanced device simulation-truth or consequences?

An overview of three methods currently employed in advanced semiconductor device simulation is given, together with results for a model n/sup +/-n-n/sup +/ structure. The Monte Carlo, energy transport and spherical harmonic expansion methods are discussed from the perspective of a Monte Carlo enthusiast.
The effect of visual experience on development of NMDA receptor synaptic transmission in kitten visual cortex

We have studied the effect of dark rearing on the development of excitatory amino acid transmission in 6-week-old kittens. In normal kittens, the NMDA component of the visual response decreases between 3 and 6 weeks of age for cells located in layers IV, V, and VI (Fox et al., 1991). Dark rearing to 6 weeks of age prevents this decrease. Subsequent exposure to light allows the decrease to proceed. Ten days in the light after 6 weeks in the dark was sufficient to decrease the NMDA component of the visual response to the same levels seen in light- reared animals of the same age. Comparison of the effect of the non- NMDA antagonist 6-cyano-7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione with the NMDA antagonist aminophosphonovalerate showed that the changes were due to the relative contributions of NMDA and non-NMDA receptors to the visual response rather than the overall contribution of glutamate receptors. We also studied the receptive field properties of the cells in the various groups of kittens. Cells given 4 d in the light after 6 weeks in the dark showed increased direction selectivity but little change in response firing rate. After 10 d in the light, visual responses did show some recovery toward adult values, but neither average firing rates nor the proportion of direction-selective cells reached the levels found in normal 6-week-old animals, contrary to the suggestion that a short period in the light can reverse the effect of dark rearing completely. These results show that the decrease in the NMDA component of the visual response seen during normal development of the cortex is caused by visual experience. Changes in NMDA receptors and developmental events such as geniculocortical afferent segregation and acquisition of orientation tuning covary as a function of visual experience rather than age, strongly suggesting that NMDA receptors are involved in experience-dependent developmental processes.
An evolving perspective on the Pseudomonas aeruginosa orphan quorum sensing regulator QscR.

Many Proteobacteria govern responses to changes in cell density by using acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum-sensing (QS) signaling. Similar to the LuxI-LuxR system described in Vibrio fischeri, a minimal AHL QS circuit comprises a pair of genes, a luxI-type synthase gene encoding an enzyme that synthesizes an AHL and a luxR-type AHL-responsive transcription regulator gene. In most bacteria that utilize AHL QS, cognate luxI and luxR homologs are found in proximity to each other on the chromosome. However, a number of recent reports have identified luxR homologs that are not linked to luxI homologs; in some cases luxR homologs have been identified in bacteria that have no luxI homologs. A luxR homolog without a linked luxI homologs is termed an orphan or solo. One of the first reports of an orphan was on QscR in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The qscR gene was revealed by whole genome sequencing and has been studied in some detail. P. aeruginosa encodes two AHL synthases and three AHL responsive receptors, LasI-LasR form a cognate synthase-receptor pair as do RhlI-RhlR. QscR lacks a linked synthase and responds to the LasI-generated AHL. QS regulation gene regulation in P. aeruginosa employs multiple signals and occurs in the context of other interconnected regulatory circuits that control diverse physiological functions. QscR affects virulence of P. aeruginosa, and although it shows sensitivity to the LasI-generated AHL, 3-oxo-dodecanoylhomoserine lactone, it’s specificity is relaxed compared to LasR and can respond equally well to several AHLs. QscR controls a set of genes that overlaps the set regulated by LasR. QscR is comparatively easy to purify and study in vitro, and has become a model for understanding the biochemistry of LuxR homologs. In fact there is a crystal structure of QscR bound to the LasI-generated AHL. Here, we review the current state of research concerning QscR and highlight recent advances in our understanding of its structure and biochemistry.
Single-neuron isolation for RNA analysis using pipette capture and laser capture microdissection

The field of single-cell analysis has greatly benefitted from recent technological advances allowing scientists to study genomes, transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes at the single-cell level. Transcriptomics allows a unique window into cell function and is especially useful for studying global variability among single cells of seemingly the same type. Generating transcriptome data from RNA samples has become increasingly easy and can be done using either microarray or RNA-Seq techniques. RNA isolation is the first step of transcriptomics. Numerous RNA isolation procedures exist and differ with respect to the type and number of cells from which they are capable of isolating RNA. Although it is trivial to isolate RNA from bulk tissue or culture plates, sophisticated methods are required to capture RNA from single cells in a pool of cells or in intact tissue. We describe here the protocols used for isolating the soma of single neurons in cultures and in tissue slices using the pipette capture and the PALM or laser capture microdissection (LCM) approaches, respectively. LCM was developed to isolate cells from tissue sections primarily for pathological tissue analysis. LCM can be used to isolate individual cells or groups of cells from ethanol or paraffin-embedded formalin-fixed tissue sections and dissociated tissue cultures. The soma isolates from either technique can subsequently be used for RNA amplification procedures and transcriptome analysis. These procedures can also be adapted to other cell types in cultures and tissue sections and can be used on neuronal subcellular structures, such as dendrites.
Relativistic center-vortex dynamics of a confining area law

We offer a physicist's proof that center-vortex theory requires the area in the ~quenched! Wilson-loop area law to involve an extremal area. This means that, unlike in string-theory-inspired models of confining flux tubes, area-law dynamics is determined by integrating over Wilson loops only, not over surface fluctuations for a fixed loop. Fluctuations leading to perimeter-law corrections come from loop fluctuations as well as integra- tion over finite-thickness center-vortex collective coordinates. In d53 ~or d5211) we exploit a contour form of the extremal area in isothermal ~conformally flat metric on the surface ! coordinates which is similar to d 52 ~or d5111) QCD in many respects, except that there are both quartic and quadratic terms in the action. One major result is that at large angular momentum , in d5311 the center-vortex extremal-area picture yields a linear Regge trajectory with a Regge slope-string tension product a8(0)KF of 1/(2p), which is the canonical Veneziano or string value. In a curious effect traceable to retardation, the quark kinetic terms in the action vanish relative to area-law terms in the large- , limit, in which light-quark masses ;KF are negligible. This corresponds to string-theoretic expectations, even though we emphasize that the extremal-area law is not a string theory quantum mechanically. We show how some quantum trajectory fluctuations as well as nonlead- ing classical terms for finite mass yield corrections scaling with , 21/2 . We compare to old semiclassical calculations of relativistic ~massless! qqbound states at large ,, which also yield asymptotically linear Regge trajectories, finding agreement with a naive string picture ~classically, not quantum mechanically! and disagree- ment with an effective-propagator model. We show that contour forms of the area law can be expressed in terms of Abelian gauge potentials, and we relate this to old work of Comtet.
CO adsorption on ultrathin MgO films grown on a Mo(100) surface: an IRAS study

Abstract CO adsorption on MgO ultrathin films grown on a Mo(100) surface is studied using infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS). CO adsorbed on 7 ML of MgO shows a stretch frequency at 2178 cm −1 which is blue-shifted relative to that of gas-phase CO (2143 cm −1 ). This blue-shift is believed to arise from electron charge donation from the CO 5σ orbitals to the MgO surface. The heat of adsorption of CO on 7 ML of MgO is estimated to be 9.9 kcal/mol using an isothermal adsorption method. CO adsorbed on the MgO thin films desorbs between 100 and 180 K, as indicated by temperature-programmed desorption.
USING SURVEY PARTICIPANTS TO ESTIMATE THE IMPACT OF NONPARTICIPATION

Les non reponses peuvent induire, quand elles sont nombreuses, des erreurs substantielles dans les estimations obtenues dans les enquetes. Ce biais introduit est difficile a evaluer et cela d'autant plus que les chercheurs ont souvent peu d'informations sur les non-repondants. Les AA. presente deux methodes ad hoc pour reduire ce biais. La premiere suppose que les non-repondants sont identiques et qu'ils peuvent se repartir proportionnellement entre les differents types de reponses. La seconde suppose qu'ils sont heterogenes et qu'ils se regroupent en categories, en classes dont il faut isoler les caracteristiques. Ils presentent un certain nombre de donnees collectees aux Etats-Unis, dans le Wisconsin, conernant l'aide financiere apportee par les parents aux enfants et s'efforcent d'evaluer les deux methodes
The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and the Rorschach Inkblot Test: relationships between two measures of creativity

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there are any significant correlations between the subscores and total scores of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and the Rorschach Inkblot Test, as scored by the Rorschach Index of Repressive Style. Twenty-six teachers of Grades 3, 4, and 5 and 51 fourth grade students were given, by group administration, the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and the Rorschach Inkblot Test. Results show that although neither the Total Verbal, Total Non-verbal nor Over-all Torrance scores correlate significantly with either the Rorschach Human Movement score or with the Rorschach Total Movement score (HM + FM + m), there are significant relationships between the Total RIR, m score and the Over-all Torrance score. The main conclusion is that the Rorschach HM and Total M score measure artistic, associative, intuitive creativity, while the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and RIR Total score measure divergent thinking.
Replacing incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps may delay flowering

Abstract The natural photoperiod is often modified in the commercial production of floriculture crops to promote or inhibit flowering. In addition, low-intensity lighting is sometimes provided in growth chambers to influence flowering of photoperiodic plants. Incandescent (INC) lamps have been commonly used to provide photoperiodic lighting, but they are being phased out of production because of their energy inefficiency. Here, we compared flowering and morphological responses of two short-day chrysanthemum ( Chrysanthemum × grandiflorum ) potted varieties and four long-day (LD) plants grown in a controlled environment greenhouse at 20 °C with a truncated 9-h day and a 2- or 4-h night interruption (NI) or 6-h day extension (DE) lighting with INC lamps, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), or a combination of the two (INC + CFLs). Bulb type had no effect on flowering percentage of campanula ( Campanula carpatica ‘Pearl Deep Blue’), coreopsis ( Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Early Sunrise’), petunia ( Petunia × hybrida ‘Wave Purple Classic’), and rudbeckia ( Rudbeckia hirta ‘Becky Cinnamon Bicolor’). Within bulb type, the LD lighting regimen had no effect on flowering percentage, with the exception of chrysanthemum ‘Bianca’, in which the 4-h NI inhibited flowering more than the 2-h NI or 6-h DE treatments. However, petunia that received a 4-h NI or 6-h DE from CFLs flowered 2–3 weeks later than when the lighting treatments were provided by INC lamps. Therefore, complete replacement of INCs with CFLs can delay flowering in some crops such as petunia, whereas a hybrid approach (INC + CFL) or use of lamps that emit far-red light can alleviate this potential problem.
Keynote Speech: Quantum Physics and the Nature of Computation

Quantum physics is a fascinating area from a computational viewpoint. The features that make quantum systems prohibitively hard to simulate classically are precisely the aspects exploited by quantum computation to obtain exponential speedups over classical computers. In this talk I will survey our current understanding of the power (and limits) of quantum computers, and prospects for experimentally realizing them in the near future. I will also touch upon insights from quantum comuptation that have resulted in new classical algorithms for efficient simulation of certain important quantum systems.
Utility of the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale in research and clinical populations.

The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) was developed as a relatively easy, inexpensive aid in the surveillance and diagnosis of autism. This study examined the validity of the GARS when used with a sample of 119 children with strict DSM-IV diagnoses of autism, ascertained from both clinical and research settings. The GARS consistently underestimated the likelihood that autistic children in this sample would be classified as having autism. The sample mean for the Autism Quotient, a hypothesized index of the likelihood of having autism, was 90.10, significantly below the reference mean of 100. Diagnostic classification according to criteria specified by the GARS resulted in a sensitivity of only .48. Limitations of rating scales in general and of the GARS specifically are discussed. It is recommended that clinicians and researchers using or considering using the GARS for autism diagnosis or ratings of autism severity recognize the need for further research regarding its use.
Refining Histotripsy: Defining the Parameter Space for the Creation of Nonthermal Lesions With High Intensity, Pulsed Focused Ultrasound of the In Vitro Kidney

Purpose: Focused ultrasound therapy is a promising modality for noninvasive tissue ablation. However, the relative contributions of thermal and cavitational effects are poorly defined. We characterized the ultrasound parameters within which tissue ablation occurs by cavitational mechanisms without significant thermal effect.Materials and Methods: In vitro porcine kidneys were submerged in degassed water. Tissue ablation was performed by delivering ultrasound (750 kHz and 20 microsecond pulses) of constant spatial peak energy dose (100 J/cm2) to adjacent foci in a 3 × 3 grid configuration. For each ablation different intensity (0.11 to 211 kW/cm2) and duty cycle (0.04% to 100%) parameters were selected. A thermocouple co-localized with the center of each grid continuously measured temperature. Following ablation each kidney was examined grossly and histologically.Results: Ablated tissue lesions were classified into 4 discrete morphological categories, including blanched—firm, pale, desiccated tissue, disru...