cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AHD languages-a must for time-critical designs

In this article, Brian Antao of Motorola Inc., presents an overview of the state-of-the-art in analog modeling and hardware description languages. The emphasis is on higher-level circuit and system behavioral models for modeling complete analog and mixed analog-digital systems. An essential component required for this level of modeling is a Hardware Description Language (HDL) to encode the models in a consistent manner which can be later simulated as well as used for design documentation. Hardware Description Languages are a prominent feature of the digital design process, and the newer generation of the mixed-analog-digital systems require compatible hardware description language support that provides for the analog sections. Two popular digital HDLs are VHDL and Verilog. To provide natural extensions to these existing digital standards, analog hardware description language (AHDL) standardization efforts are underway to develop analog extentions to VHDL, called VHDL-A, and to Verilog, called Verilog-A.
Exploratory Study to Identify Perceptions of Safety and Risk among Residential Latino Construction Workers as Distinct from Commercial and Heavy Civil Construction Workers

AbstractLatino workers in residential construction currently suffer disproportionately high rates of injuries and fatalities compared to Latino workers in commercial and heavy civil construction. The aim of this study is to investigate possible differences in safety culture and risk perception among Latino construction workers across residential, commercial, and heavy civil construction sectors. Analysis was conducted using 218 survey responses from Latino construction workers collected in the Denver metro and northern Colorado areas. Results suggest that Latino workers in commercial and heavy civil construction share more similar perceptions of safety culture and risk than those in residential construction. Specifically, Latino workers in residential construction were more likely to agree with the statements that (1) work productivity and quality have a higher priority than safety and (2) safety rules and safety procedures are difficult to understand and that dangers present on construction sites cannot ...
Implicit Large-Eddy Simulation in Meteorology: From Boundary Layers to Climate

The dynamics of the atmosphere and oceans pose a severe challenge to the numerical modeler, due in large part to the broad range of scales of length and time that are encompassed. Modern numerical methods based on nonoscillatory finite volume (NFV) approximations provide a simple and effective means for mitigating this challenge by reproducing the large scale behavior of turbulent flows with no need for explicit subgrid-scale models. In this paper, we describe the remarkable properties of a particular NFV model, multidimensional positive definite advection transport algorithm, and highlight its application to a variety of meteorological and turbulent flows.
The roles of vibration amplitude and static force

Previous work (Verrillo, 1963, 1968) has shown that when measured as a change in absolute threshold, spatial summation occurs only at vibration frequencies above 40 Hz. The present study measured vibrotactile spatial summation at suprathreshold amplitudes. A matching task was used to investigate the effect of varying contactor size on sensory magnitude at three different vibration frequencies. Unlike the threshold data, increasing contactor size resulted in increases in sensory magnitude at 25 and 40 Hz as well as at 160 Hz. The amount of summation varied directly with amplitude for the two lower frequencies. In a second experiment, the effect of increasing static force, independent of contactor size, was investigated. The results indicated that the spatial summation effects noted in the first experiment may be due to increases in static force and not contactor area. The implications of these results for the concept of spatial summation and for the duplex mechanoreceptor hypothesis are discussed.
The significance of the Li2MnO3 component in ‘composite’ xLi2MnO3 · (1 − x)LiMn0.5Ni0.5O2 electrodes

Abstract The electrochemical behavior of 0.3Li 2 MnO 3 · 0.7LiMn 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 ‘composite’ electrodes, when charged to potentials ⩾4.5 V in lithium cells, has been compared with the behavior of electrodes that were preconditioned by acid treatment. When charged to 5 V, all the lithium can be extracted from 0.3Li 2 MnO 3 · 0.7LiMn 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 in two distinct steps to yield a Mn 0.65 Ni 0.35 O 2 product, the first step corresponding predominantly to lithium extraction from the electrode structure with the concomitant oxidation of Ni 2+ to Ni 4+ , and the second to the electrochemical removal of Li 2 O from the structure. The electrode delivers a rechargeable capacity >250 mAh/g when cycled between 5.0 and 2.0 V vs. Li 0 ; the high capacity and cycling stability are attributed to the high manganese (IV) content in the electrode over this voltage range. Acid-treatment significantly reduces the coulombic inefficiency of the initial charge/discharge cycle of the cells. The electrochemical behavior of 0.3Li 2 MnO 3 · 0.7LiMn 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 is compared with that of standard Li 2 MnO 3 electrodes. The advantage of using the two-component notation x Li 2 MnO 3 · (1 − x )LiMn 0.5 Ni 0.5 O 2 instead of the equivalent layered notation Li[Li x /(2 + x ) Mn (1 + x )/(2 + x ) Ni (1− x )/(2 + x ) ]O 2 to monitor the compositional changes that occur in the electrode during electrochemical charge and discharge is highlighted.
Efficiency of photoaffinity labeling DNA homopolymers and copolymers with ethidium monoazide.

— Photoaffinity labeling of synthetic DN As with ethidium monoazide was studied to determine if the efficiency of adduct formation was related to DNA sequence. Equilibrium drug binding to DNA homopolymers and copolymers was quanitified by phase partition techniques. The amount of drug bound to a deoxypolymer at equilibrium was then compared to the fraction of ethidium analog covalently-linked following photoactivation at the same drug/DNA input ratio. There were significant sequence-related differences in the ability of the photoaffinity probe to label DNA covalently. The efficiency of covalent-adduct formation decreased in the order poly(dG-dC). poly(dG-dC)> poly-(dG). poly(dC)poly(dA-dT). poly(dA-dT)poly(dA). poly(dT). Ethidium monoazide was about 2-fold more efficient in labeling deoxyhomopolymers and deoxycopolymers composed of G-C pairs than the A-T base counterparts. In low ionic buffers (0.015 M Na+), the efficiency of photoactivation decreased with increasing ethidium monoazide concentrations. However. the base sequence effect was observed over a 40-fold range of drug concentrations. Therefore, the amount of ethidium monoazide bound to a DNA site after irradiation does not appear to represent the true affinity of the drug for that site.
Decoherence and absorption of Er3+:KTiOPO4 (KTP) at 1.5 μm

Abstract We present results of laser absorption spectroscopy and two-pulse photon echo decoherence measurements on the lowest 4I15/2 to lowest 4I13/2 transition in Er3+: KTiOPO4 (KTP—potassium titanyl phosphate) for the optical transition located at 1537.238 nm. This transition was found to have an inhomogeneous absorption linewidth of 950 MHz and pronounced polarization dependence. Two-pulse photon echo decay measurements as a function of applied magnetic field strength at 1.9 K revealed a narrow homogeneous linewidth of 2.5 kHz at 0.2 T that increased to 5.8 kHz at 1.2 T and then decreased to 1.6 kHz at 4.5 T. This behavior was successfully described by decoherence due to Er3+–Er3+ magnetic dipole interactions. Significant superhyperfine coupling of Er3+ spins to the nuclear moments of ions in the host lattice was observed, modulating the photon echo decay at low magnetic fields and limiting the effective homogenous linewidth at high fields. Combined with the well-established potential of KTP for fabrication of high-quality optical waveguides and integrated non-linear frequency conversion, our results suggest that Er3+:KTP is a promising material system for practical spectral hole burning, signal processing, and quantum information applications.
A comparison of cloud motion and ship wind observations over the Indian Ocean for the year of FGGE

Cloud motions over the Indian Ocean were compared to ship observations for the FGGE year. The statistics of this comparison show seasonal changes in the cloud-ship relationship as well as geographical and wind-pattern-dependent fetch history changes. Most of these changes follow simple boundary-layer relationships governed by friction and temperature advection. The most significant result is the improvement of the cloud-ship directional shear with wind speed. The mean veering angle between cloud and ship measurements decreased at higher wind speeds along with scatter of the shearing angle. This implies that the ability of cloud motion measurements to indicate the wind stress on the ocean improves for the important situations when the winds are strong.
Effect of aminophylline on renal vasoconstriction produced by amphotericin B in the rat

Administration of the antifungal agent amphotericin B causes a pronounced reduction in renal blood flow (RBF). Since amphotericin B induced renal vasoconstriction may contribute to the clinical nephrotoxicity of this drug, the purpose of these studies was to investigate the mechanism of amphotericin B induced renal vasoconstriction. To determine if the vascular response to amphotericin B is linked to the intrarenal release of either adenosine or angiotensin II, the effects of aminophylline (5 μmol/kg/min for 10 min followed by 0.5 μmol/kg/min) and saralasin (6 μg/min) on the renal vascular response produced by two 10 min intravenous amphotericin B (0.35 mg/kg) infusions were examined. In the control group, amphotericin B decreased RBF 1.7 ml/min (22%, P<0.01) and 3.5 ml/min (44%, P<0.001) during the 1st and 2nd amphotericin B infusions, respectively. In animals pretreated with aminophylline the decrease in RBF produced by amphotericin B was only 0.4 ml/min (5.5%; N.S.) and 1.3 ml/min (15%, P<0.05) during the 1st and 2nd amphotericin B infusions, respectively. In contrast, neither saralasin nor the direct vasodilator sodium nitroprusside (0.4–2 μg/min) influenced the renal vascular response to amphotericin B. These data suggest that the renal vascular response to amphotericin B is not linked to the formation of angiotensin II, but rather might be mediated by increases in renal adenosine levels.
Sister chromatid exchange analysis in lung and peripheral blood lymphocytes of mice exposed to methyl isocyanate by inhalation

Mice were exposed to 1, 3, or 6 ppm methyl isocyanate (MIC) for 6 hr/day for four consecutive days. Lung cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) were removed and cultured for analysis of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and cell cycle kinetics. MIC caused a small but significant increase in SCE frequency of cultured lung cells from mice exposed to 1, 3, or 6 ppm MIC. MIC did not significantly increase SCE levels in PBLs of mice exposed to concentrations as high as 6 ppm. In cultured PBLs, MIC had a stimulatory effect on cell cycling rates as measured by the replicative index, and it caused a significant reduction in mononuclear leucocyte counts and the mitotic indices.
Regional and global production networks: the case of China

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine various aspects of regional and global production networks, with a special focus on China. Design/methodology/approach – The author studies four different approaches to measure production networks and discuss their strengths and weaknesses. The author presents some of the results associated with some of these measurements. Findings – The author finds that using trade data alone is simple but incomplete. Bringing in input–output tables is useful but much more data would be needed. In addition, for the case of China, electronic goods and telecommunication goods tend to have a higher foreign value added. Research limitations/implications – Data with good quality can be a problem. The authors also have difficulty getting input–output tables for many years. Practical implications – The results can guide policymakers as to which industries can create more domestic value added. The results can also lead to betting of an understanding of trade balances measured in...
Family and Professional Priorities for Inclusive Early Childhood Settings.

The purpose of this study was to provide information about what characteristics from the variety of inclusive early childhood programs are most valued and least valued by families and professionals...
The Medicalization of Deviance as an Interactive Achievement: The Construction of Compulsive Gambling

This article joins two lines of research from distinct areas in sociology to illuminate the mechanisms through which the meaning of “ compulsive gambling” and what it means to be “ a compulsive gambler” are cooperatively constructed in interaction at meetings of the fellowship group Gamblers Anonymous (GA). Combining Conrad’ s work on the medicalization of deviance with a social psychological focus on support group interaction, I demonstrate how individuals’ experiences and identities come to be imbued with a medical vocabulary through the homogenization of the initial diversity among members. This analysis contributes to conceptualizations of the medicalization of deviance as well as to interactionist interests in the social construction of reality. The expansion of legal gambling in the United States has made the concept “ compulsive gambling” a regular feature of any discussion of gambling. In this article I document and analyze the interactional processes involved in establishing compulsive gambling as an illness. The most common view of the process of becoming a compulsive gambler emphasizes intrapsychic phenomena, a view with a long history in psychology, psychiatry, and literature. However, I focus on the meanings of “ compulsive gambling” and “ compulsive gambler,” and how these meanings are achieved interactively in the setting of a twelve-step support group. Through interviews with members of the fellowship group Gamblers Anonymous (GA) and observations of its meetings, I examine new members’ varied accounts of how they became compulsive gamblers and then how group interaction in GA meetings subsequently removes this variation in favor of a homogeneous image of compulsive gambling and those who suffer from it. Although new GA members have varied backgrounds, gambling histories, and prognoses, members work together in meetings to interpret cooperatively these distinct experiences as consis
Diabetes care quality indicators improve upon conversion to electronic health records

Introduction: Electronic medical record (EMR) systems have been touted to improve quality and reduce cost of health care delivery. Objectives: To find out whether electronic health record is better than the paper medical records in recording the quality metrics for management of diabetes. Methods : We tested purported benefits in an academic primary care setting with a pilot of 50 randomly selected subjects with Type 2 diabetes with under continuous care by internists before and after EMR implementation. In comparison to the paper chart period, EMR was associated with better outcomes for glycated hemoglobin (A1C), blood pressure (BP), and smoking cessation counseling documentation using a paired analysis technique. Results : Goal BP (130/80) was achieved for 65% of patients during the paper chart period versus 88% in the EMR period (p = 0.007); mean A1c was 7.60 in the paper chart period versus 7.24 in EMR (p = 0.004); smoking cessation documentation rose from 30% to 84% (p < 0.001) between the paper chart and EMR periods, respectively. Change in mean LDL was not statistically significant (p = 0.636) between the two periods. Conclusion: This pilot study provides a favorable indication that EMR implementation contributes to clinical quality improvement and it also illustrates a feasible applied research method that can be employed by many provider organizations who are called up to conduct continuous quality improvement projects for diabetes care. Health Renaissance, January-April 2013; Vol. 11 No.1; 27-32 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hren.v11i1.7598
From Diatom Biomolecules to Bioinspired Syntheses of Silica- and Titania-Based Materials

Amorphous silica is (next to CaCO3) the second most abundant biologically produced inorganic material. A certain group of photosynthetic microalgae, called diatoms, forms complex 3D silica architectures (frustules) containing regularly arranged nanoscale features (pores, channels, protuberances). Recently, biomolecules involved in diatom silica formation have been characterized, and first insights into their structure-function correlations have been obtained. This has spurred the development of synthetic (bio)polymers capable of directing the in vitro formation of silica and other inorganic materials from aqueous precursor solutions under mild conditions. Here we present a summary of current insight into the mechanism of silica formation by diatom biomolecules and provide examples of synthetic (bio)polymers for the formation of silica and titania materials with complex structures.
MOS Controlled thyristors (MCT's)

The feasibility of a new class of power devices which is based on an optimal combination of MOS and thyristor elements has been shown. Devices of this class function in the on-state and off-state in a manner indistinguishable from a thyristor, yet can switch from on-to-off or off-to-on by applying a voltage to its MOS gate. Thus, the devices exhibit extremely low forward drop, high surge current capability and enjoy negative thermal feedback. To turn off the device, one activates the gate so that FET's are turned on to effectively short one of the emitting junctions of the thyristor. These FET's need only block a maximum of about IV when off and carry a sizable current for about a microsecond when on. To turn on the device, any of the normal methods may be employed. However, it is most convenient to use the same MOS gate electrode (and polysilicon layer) and a voltage of the opposite polarity to turn on the thyristor with another FET - just as if it were a normal MOS gated thyristor. The current density that can be turned off depends on the density and effective resistance of the turn-off FET's, while turn-on speed and di/dt rating depend on the initial turn-on area which, in turn, depends on the density of the on-FET's. If the off-gate voltage is maintained during the desired off-state period, the device has, effectively, an infinite dv/dt capability. Switching speed is most similar to, but somewhat faster than, that of GTO's (Gate Turn-Off thyristors) and, as in other bipolar devices, depends chiefly on carrier recombination time, device thickness and turn-off di/dt.
Fibrillin-1 in Human Cartilage: Developmental Expression and Formation of Special Banded Fibers

The molecular basis for Marfan's syndrome (MS), a heritable disorder of connective tissue, is now known to reside in mutations in FBN1, the gene for fibrillin-1. Classic phenotypic manifestations of MS include several skeletal abnormalities associated primarily with overgrowth of long bones. As a first step towards understanding how mutations in FBN1 result in skeletal abnormalities, the developmental expression of fibrillin-1 (Fib-1) in human skeletal tissues is documented using immunohistochemistry and monoclonal antibodies demonstrated here to be specific for Fib-1. At around 10–11 weeks of fetal gestation, Fib-1 is limited in tissue distribution to the loose connective tissue surrounding skeletal muscle and tendon in developing limbs. By 16 weeks, Fib-1 is widely expressed in developing limbs and digits, especially in the perichondrium, but it is apparently absent within cartilage matrix. Fib-1 appears as a loose meshwork of fibers within cartilage matrix by 20 weeks of fetal gestation. Until early ad...
On 3-elements in monomial automorphism groups of quaternary codes

A general theory is given for examining quaternary self-dual codes having monomial automorphisms of orders that are a power of 3. A theory of decomposing such codes is given and applications of this theory are described. This work extends similar work when the codes have nontrivial odd-order permutation automorphisms. >
Trace Determination of Cd, Cu, Br, and Cl with Electrothermal Vaporization into a Helium Microwave-Induced Plasma:

An electrothermal vaporization (ETV) system was used to introduce aqueous samples into a helium microwave-induced plasma (He-MIP). The plasma was operated at 2.45 GHz and 500 W. The sample introduction system consisted of a carbon-cup-type electrothermal vaporizer in a glass chamber. A vapor restriction device was used to enhance the efficiency of sample transport to the plasma. For obtaining the best detection limits, matrix modifiers were used for the nonmetals. Lead nitrate as a matrix modifier was found to be particularly efficacious for the determination of bromide and chloride. Detection limits with the ETV-He-MIP with 15-μL samples were: Cd, 10 pg (0.6 ppb) at 228.8 nm; Cu, 30 pg (2 ppb) at 327.4 nm; Br, 300 pg (20 ppb) at 470.5 nm; and Cl, 120 pg (8 ppb) at 479.5 nm. Although the detection limits for the two metals studied are greater than those that have been obtained by ETV-ICP-AES, the detection limits for Br and Cl are the best that have been obtained by an ETV-AES technique to date in the UV-VIS spectral region. Linear responses of analytes were obtained for each element. Matrix effects of selected metals and nonmetals on chloride were investigated and found to be insignificant.
Distributed floor control protocols for computer collaborative applications on overlay networks

Computer supported collaborative applications on overlay networks are gaining popularity among users who are geographically dispersed. Examples of these kinds of applications include video-conferencing, collaborative design and simulation, distance learning, and online games. One of the important issues in collaborative applications is floor control wherein the end-users coordinate among themselves to gain exclusive access to the communication channel. An end-user who wins the floor, sends message to all other participating end-users. In this paper, to solve the floor control problem we present an implementation and evaluation of ALOHA and distributed queue dual bus (DQDB) distributed MAC (medium access control) protocols on overlay networks. As an initial step in the implementation of these MAC protocols, we propose an algorithm to construct an efficient communication channel among the Network Service Nodes (NSNs) in the overlay network. We also show that our implementation scheme (first one among decentralized floor control protocols) preserves the causal ordering of messages. We compare the efficiencies of the proposed implementation of floor control protocols using an analytical model that is verified using extensive simulation experiments
The balance of Polo-like kinase 1 in tumorigenesis

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) belongs to a family of conserved serine/threonine kinases with a polo-box domain, which have similar but non-overlapping functions in the cell cycle progression. Plk1 plays a key role to ensure the normal mitosis. Interestingly, overexpression of Plk1 is associated with tumor development and could serve as a prognostic marker for many cancers. Due to Plk1 overexpression, several Plk1 inhibitors have been developed and tested for the cancer treatment. However, in a recent study, it has been suggested that down-regulation of Plk1 could also induce aneuploidy and tumor formation in vivo. Therefore, a normal level of Plk1 is important for mitosis. And caution should be taken when Plk1 inhibitors are used in the clinical trial and their side effects including tumorigenesis should be carefully evaluated.
From Commensal to Pathogen: Translocation of Enterococcus faecalis from the Midgut to the Hemocoel of Manduca sexta

ABSTRACT A dynamic homeostasis is maintained between the host and native bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract in animals, but migration of bacteria from the gut to other organs can lead to disease or death. Enterococcus faecalis is a commensal of the gastrointestinal tract; however, Enterococcus spp. are increasingly frequent causes of nosocomial infections with a high mortality rate. We investigated the commensal-to-pathogen switch undergone by E. faecalis OG1RF in the lepidopteran model host Manduca sexta associated with its location in the host. E. faecalis persists in the harsh midgut environment of M. sexta larvae without causing apparent illness, but injection of E. faecalis directly into the larval hemocoel is followed by rapid death. Additionally, oral ingestion of E. faecalis in the presence of Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal toxin, a pore-forming toxin that targets the midgut epithelium, induces an elevated mortality rate. We show that the loss of gut integrity due to B. thuringiensis toxin correlates with the translocation of E. faecalis from the gastrointestinal tract into the hemolymph. Upon gaining access to the hemolymph, E. faecalis induces an innate immune response, illustrated by hemocyte aggregation, in larvae prior to death. The degree of hemocyte aggregation is dependent upon the route of E. faecalis entry. Our data demonstrate the efficacy of the M. sexta larval model system in investigating E. faecalis-induced sepsis and clarifies controversies in the field regarding the events leading to larval death following B. thuringiensis toxin exposure. IMPORTANCE This study advances our knowledge of Enterococcus faecalis-induced sepsis following translocation from the gut and provides a model for mammalian diseases in which the spatial distribution of bacteria determines disease outcomes. We demonstrate that E. faecalis is a commensal in the gut of Manduca sexta and a pathogen in the hemocoel, resulting in a robust immune response and rapid death, a process we refer to as the “commensal-to-pathogen” switch. While controversy remains regarding Bacillus thuringiensis toxin-induced killing, our laboratory previously found that under some conditions, the midgut microbiota is essential for B. thuringiensis toxin killing of Lymantria dispar (N. A. Broderick, K. F. Raffa, and J. Handelsman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 103:15196–15199, 2006; B. Raymond, et al., Environ. Microbiol. 11:2556–2563, 2009; P. R. Johnston, and N. Crickmore, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75:5094–5099, 2009). We and others have demonstrated that the role of the midgut microbiota in B. thuringiensis toxin killing is dependent upon the lepidopteran species and formulation of B. thuringiensis toxin (N. A. Broderick, K. F. Raffa, and J. Handelsman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 103:15196–15199, 2006; N. A. Broderick, et al., BMC Biol. 7:11, 2009). This work reconciles much of the apparently contradictory previous data and reveals that the M. sexta-E. faecalis system provides a model for mammalian sepsis.
Plasmonic magnetic nanoparticles for biomedicine

Core-shell nanoparticles containing both iron oxide and gold are proposed as a new tool for in vitro biosensing applications. The surface plasmon resonance of gold was used to track the positions of individual particles smaller than the optical diffraction limit. With a large magnetic field gradient from a tip made of a soft magnetic material, particles can be collected and later released.
The aquaporin-2 water channel in autosomal dominant primary nocturnal enuresis.

Purpose: Nocturnal enuresis is one of the most common diagnoses in a pediatric clinic. Recently, linkage analysis revealed a 2-point lod score of 4.2 in 6 families with dominant primary nocturnal enuresis around the aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channel locus. Since primary nocturnal enuresis is ameliorated by desmopressin, AQP2 expression is increased by desmopressin and AQP2 is essential for concentrating urine, we determined whether a mutation in the AQP2 gene could cause primary nocturnal enuresis in these families.Materials and Methods: Genomic DNAs of several patients from the 6 families were analyzed for disease causing mutations in the 4 exons of the AQP2 genes.Results: In 1 family a G to A transition in the intron 1 splice donor site was found but it was also found in healthy subjects. In another family a C to T transition in the intron 1 splice acceptor region was identified but it was often found in splice acceptor sites. In 2 families a C to T transition was identified in the coding region of exon ...
Assessing Physicians' Orientation Toward Lifelong Learning

BACKGROUND Despite the importance of lifelong learning as an element of professionalism, no psychometrically sound instrument is available for its assessment among physicians.
LEADING EDGE TURBULENT BOUNDARY!, AYERS SUBJECTED TO MULTIPLE STRAINS

Turbomachinery flows can be extremely complex, due to the effects of interacting strain rates, fluid compressibility and rotation. The primary objective of this investigation was to study the influence of different relative magnitudes of the streamwise strain rate (favorable pressure gradient) and the radial strain rate (convex curvature) on the structure of the turbulent boundary layer. The emphasis is on the initial region of curvature a = 15", which is relevant to the leading edge of a stator vane, for example. In order to gain better insight into the dynamics of complex turbulent boundary layers, detailed velocity measurements were made in a low-speed water tunnel using a twocomponent laser Doppler velocimeter. The mean and fluctuating velocity profiles showed that the influence of the strong favorable pressure gradient was most pronounced when coupled with moderate convex curvature. The trends exhibited by the primary Reynolds shear stress followed those of the mean turbulent bursting frequency, i.e. a decrease in the bursting frequency coincided with a reduction of the peak Reynolds shear stress. The degree of turbulence suppression was greatest when the ratio of the streamwise to the radial pressure gradient was highest.
Pulmonary expression of early growth response-1 : biphasic time course and effect of oxygen concentration

Hypoxia induces complex adaptive responses. In this report, induction of early growth response-1 (Egr-1) transcripts in lungs of mice subjected to hypoxia is shown to be dose and time dependent. Wi...
Influences on the Quality of Published Drug Studies

To practice evidence-based medicine, physicians need data on the clinical effectiveness, toxicity, convenience, and cost of new drugs compared with available alternatives. We give examples of published drug studies that are defective, sometimes because pharmaceutical industry funding has affected their content and quality. We make recommendations on how to avoid these defects.
Diagnosing hypertension by intradialytic blood pressure recordings.

Background and objectives: The diagnosis of hypertension among hemodialysis patients by predialysis or postdialysis blood pressure (BP) recordings is imprecise and biased and has poor test-retest reliability. The use of intradialytic BP measurements to diagnose hypertension is unknown. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: A diagnostic-test study was done with interdialytic ambulatory BP as reference standard. Index BP recordings tested were: predialysis (method 1), postdialysis (method 2), intradialytic (method 3), intradialytic including predialyis and postdialysis (method 4), and the average of predialysis and postdialysis (method 5). Each index BP was recorded over six consecutive dialysis treatments. Results: There were differences among index BP measurements in reproducibility, bias, precision, and accuracy. Method 4 was the most reproducible (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.70 for systolic and diastolic BP). All 5 measurement methods overestimated 44-h ambulatory systolic BP. Methods 2, 3, or 4 overestimated ambulatory systolic BP by only a small amount. Method 4 was the most precise and accurate. For diagnosis of hypertension, BP cut-point by method 4 of 135/75 mmHg, had a sensitivity of 90.4% and specificity of 75.9% for systolic BP (area under ROC curve 0.90). Median cut-off systolic BP of 140 mmHg from a single dialysis provides approximately 80% sensitivity and 80% specificity in diagnosing systolic hypertension; a median cut-off diastolic BP of 80 mmHg provides approximately 75% sensitivity and 75% specificity in diagnosing diastolic hypertension. Conclusions: Consideration of intradialytic BP measurements together with predialysis and postdialysis BP measurements improves the reproducibility, bias, precision, and accuracy of BP measurement compared with predialysis or postdialysis measurements.
Associations Between Obesity and Comorbid Mental Health, Developmental, and Physical Health Conditions

From the Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child Behavioral Health, Medical School, University of Michigan, and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Human Nutrition Program, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich Address correspondence to Julie C. Lumeng, MD, Center for Human Growth and Development, 300 NIB, 10th Floor, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5406 (e-mail: jlumeng@umich.edu).
Regulation of myosin isozyme expression by vitamin D3 deficiency and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in the rat heart.

In this report, we demonstrate a significant inverse correlation between contractility and serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] levels and no correlation between contractility and serum levels of calcium, phosphate, or PTH. We also examined myosin isozyme distribution in vitamin D3-deficient rats, because myosin isozyme distribution can alter contractility. There was a significant increase in the levels of the V1 myosin isozyme in animals raised on a vitamin D3-deficient diet that maintained normal serum calcium and phosphate levels. There was no difference in the relative myosin isozyme distribution in animals raised on a hypocalcemia-yielding vitamin D3-deficient diet vs. animals raised on a control diet. As increased contractility has been observed in both groups of vitamin D3-deficient animals, a shift in myosin isozyme distribution cannot solely explain the increase in contractility previously observed in the vitamin D3-deficient rat heart. To determine whether 1,25-(OH)2D3 directly regulate...
Hip-Hop Gangsta or Most Deserving of Victims? Transnational Migrant Identities and the Paradox of Tibetan Racialization in the USA

This ethnographic paper examines the complex cultural politics of Tibetan transnational migration by examining racialized everyday practices in Tibetan communities in the San Francisco Bay Area and Boulder, Colorado. After providing an overview of Tibetan migration to the USA, we discuss migrants' contradictory insertion into American racial bipolarism. On the one hand, Tibetans' racial- ized class positions place them at the lower end of a spectrum of moral deserving and worth. On the other hand, the discursive practices of the transnational Tibet Movement and the traveling of Tibetan Buddhist institutions to the USA 'whitens' Tibetans by making them seem particularly worthy and deserving of sponsorship. After exploring the production of Tibetan migrant subjectivities through white sponsorship, we examine how the successful articulation of Tibetan identities for a transnational political struggle is a double-edged sword which has unintended, and sometimes violent consequences. These play out in various ways, including intergenerational struggles over hip-hop and internalized racism.
The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on inanimate objects in an Urban Emergency Department.

Abstract Background: There is a rising prevalence of both hospital-acquired and community-associated strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Both strains are found in patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs). Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify objects in the ED that might contribute to the spread of MRSA. Methods: This was a cross-sectional prevalence study in which culture swabs were taken from 20 different objects in a large urban ED between May and August 2006. The objects were identified a priori, and included common items found in an ED. Items ranging from computers to telephones, desktop surfaces, security door keypads, and ultrasound probes were included in the study. Each item was cultured twice, on separate days, for a total of 40 samples. The samples were screened for the presence of MRSA, and positive samples underwent additional susceptibility analysis. Results: Only one sample of 40, from the ambulance bay security door keypad, was positive for MRSA. Thus, the prevalence of MRSA was 2.5%. The single strain isolated was resistant to clindamycin, erythromycin, oxacillin, and penicillin. Conclusion: MRSA does not seem to thrive on inanimate objects found in the ED. Routine cleaning measures in an urban ED must include all areas of medical personnel use, including areas outside of the department utilized by non-ED workers.
Adaptive stepsizes for recursive estimation with applications in approximate dynamic programming

We address the problem of determining optimal stepsizes for estimating parameters in the context of approximate dynamic programming. The sufficient conditions for convergence of the stepsize rules have been known for 50 years, but practical computational work tends to use formulas with parameters that have to be tuned for specific applications. The problem is that in most applications in dynamic programming, observations for estimating a value function typically come from a data series that can be initially highly transient. The degree of transience affects the choice of stepsize parameters that produce the fastest convergence. In addition, the degree of initial transience can vary widely among the value function parameters for the same dynamic program. This paper reviews the literature on deterministic and stochastic stepsize rules, and derives formulas for optimal stepsizes for minimizing estimation error. This formula assumes certain parameters are known, and an approximation is proposed for the case where the parameters are unknown. Experimental work shows that the approximation provides faster convergence than other popular formulas.
Influences of “Neutral” Salts on Thermochemical Conversion of Cellulose and of Sucrose

The term biomass conventionally refers to plant cell wall material, usually in the form of agricultural “wastes”. This type of biomass is the material normally studied and used in attempts to derive economically viable thermochemical conversions. Cellulose is the major component in such biomass (typically 40–70% of the dry matter). Sucrose is the world’s most abundant pure organic chemical and its thermochemistry is of importance in its production and also its use in food processes (cooking). In both types of thermochemistry, in practice the raw material is not in a completely pure form, but is accompanied by impurities, commonly salts. We have studied both systems and find many similarities and correlations in their respective chemistry.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection epidemiology and clinical response from tigecycline soft tissue infection trials.

Abstract Given increasing resistance, therapeutic options to treat MRSA soft tissue infections should be evaluated. This pooled analysis evaluated data from subjects enrolled in 6 tigecycline clinical trials with documented MRSA complicated skin and skin structure infections or diabetic foot infections (DFIs). Baseline characteristics were compared between subjects with and without molecularly classified community-acquired (CA) MRSA, specifically staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCC mec ) IV. Clinical response was compared by CA-MRSA designation and treatment group. A total of 378 subjects with MRSA soft tissue infections were identified, including 79 with DFI. A total of 249 (65.9%) were molecularly classified as CA-MRSA. Clinical response rates for MRSA soft tissue infection were similar between tigecycline and vancomycin (treatment difference, 1.0%; 95% confidence interval: −9.3, 12.0) as well as by infection type, SCC mec , and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) status. Tigecycline demonstrated comparable efficacy for treatment of MRSA soft tissue infections regardless of infection type, SCC mec , or PVL status.
Fiber Laser Based Two-Photon FRET Measurement of Calmodulin and mCherry-E0GFP Proteins

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Adany, P., Johnson, C. K. and Hui, R. (2012), Fiber laser based two-photon fret measurement of calmodulin and mcherry-E0GFP proteins. Microsc. Res. Tech., 75: 837–843. doi:10.1002/jemt.22002, which has been published in final form at http://doi.org/10.1002/jemt.22002. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
Blunt Trauma: The Pathophysiology of Hemodynamic Injury Leading to Erectile Dysfunction

AbstractA 9 1/2-year pharmaco-cavernosometry/pharmaco-cavernosography and pharmaco-arteriography study was performed in 131 men with persistent changes in erectile function following blunt pelvic or perineal trauma. The goal was to determine the incidence of hemodynamic impairment, and to characterize the location and pattern of abnormal venous drainage. Corporeal veno-occlusive dysfunction was identified in 62 percent of the cases and cavernous artery insufficiency in 70 percent.Pharmaco-cavernosography revealed abnormal venous drainage confined to the proximal corpora in 91 percent of the cases. Patients with pelvic trauma had significantly more abnormal sites of venous drainage (3 or more sites in 61 percent) and more severe degrees to which venous structures filled with contrast medium (23 percent had 3+ degree of luminal filling) than did patients with perineal trauma (61 percent had 1 or 2 sites of venous drainage and 92 percent had 1+ or 2+ degree of luminal filling). Pharmaco-arteriography reveale...
Simulation of army unmanned aerial vehicle communications

We explore development of a high-fidelity simulation testbed for various network architectures for communication between components of tactical unmanned aerial systems, and for distribution of intelligence gathered by these systems.
Issues on Stability of ADP Feedback Controllers for Dynamical Systems

This paper traces the development of neural-network (NN)-based feedback controllers that are derived from the principle of adaptive/approximate dynamic programming (ADP) and discusses their closed-loop stability. Different versions of NN structures in the literature, which embed mathematical mappings related to solutions of the ADP-formulated problems called ldquoadaptive criticsrdquo or ldquoaction-criticrdquo networks, are discussed. Distinction between the two classes of ADP applications is pointed out. Furthermore, papers in ldquomodel-freerdquo development and model-based neurocontrollers are reviewed in terms of their contributions to stability issues. Recent literature suggests that work in ADP-based feedback controllers with assured stability is growing in diverse forms.
The Relation of a Statewide Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Disabilities to Other Measures of Instructional Effectiveness

This article is based on a study that investigated the extent to which scores in Kentucky's statewide alternate assessment program for students with severe disabilities correlated with measures of program quality and overall school effectiveness. Across 36 schools, 60 students were observed in their classroom environments, and the resulting measures of overall program quality (i.e., observed indicators of best practices for students with moderate and severe disabilities) and Individualized Education Program (IEP) quality were correlated with the students' alternate assessment scores. Results indicated a significant relationship between overall program quality and the resulting Alternate Portfolio scores, but not between assessment scores and IEP quality. Finally, for these 60 students, Alternate Portfolio scores were positively related to the school's educational accountability index for all students and with the percentage improvement within each school's overall accountability index over the previous 2-...
Pluripotent differentiation in vitro of murine ES-D3 embryonic stem cells

Although the ES-D3 murine embryonic stem cell line was one of the first derived, little information exists on the in vitro differentiation potential of these cells. We have used immunocytochemical and flow cytometric methods to monitor ES-D3 embryoid body differentiation in vitro during a 21-d period. Spontaneous differentiation of embryoid body cells was induced by leukemia inhibitory factor withdrawal in the absence of feeder cells. The pluripotent stem cell markers Oct-3/4, SSEA-1, and EMA-1 were found to persist for at least 7 d, whereas the primitive endoderm marker cytokeratin endo-A was expressed at increasing levels from day 6. The localization of these antigens within the embryoid bodies suggested that embryonic ectoderm- and primitive endoderm-derived tissues were segregated. Localized expression of class III beta-tubulin and sarcomeric myosin also was detected, indicating that representatives of all three embryonic germ layers were present after induction of differentiation in vitro.
Racial-ethnic disparities in the association between risk factors and diabetes: The Northern Manhattan Study.

Abstract Purpose To identify risk factors (RF) for diabetes within a multiethnic cohort and to examine whether race–ethnicity modified their effects. Methods Participants in the Northern Manhattan Study without diabetes at baseline were studied from 1993 to 2014 (n = 2430). Weibull regression models with interval censoring data were fit to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for incident diabetes. We tested for interactions between RF and race–ethnicity. Results During a mean follow-up period of 11 years, there were 449 diagnoses of diabetes. Being non-Hispanic black (HR 1.69 95% CI 1.11–2.59) or Hispanic (HR 2.25 95% CI 1.48–3.40) versus non-Hispanic white, and body mass index (BMI; HR 1.34 per SD 95% CI 1.21–1.49) were associated with greater risk of diabetes; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HR 0.75 95% CI 0.66–0.86) was protective. There were interactions by race–ethnicity. In stratified models, the effects of BMI, current smoking, and C-reactive protein (CRP) on risk of diabetes differed by race–ethnicity (p for interaction Conclusions Although Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks had a greater risk of diabetes than whites, there were variations by race–ethnicity in the association of BMI, smoking, and CRP with risk of diabetes. Unique approaches should be considered to reduce diabetes as traditional RF may not be as influential in minority populations.
The Research Lifecycle as a Strategic Roadmap

ABSTRACTWhat is the role and purpose of the academic library in the 21st century? Increasingly, this question is being asked on campuses around the country. The thesis of this article is that academic libraries will continue to play a vital role on campus, provided they align their services to the research and discovery missions of their respective institutions. If this is true, a clear definition of the research lifecycle now becomes a strategy roadmap, allowing academic libraries to see the bigger picture as well as the sweep of research services they might offer. The case for crafting the library's strategic plan around the research lifecycle is presented in four parts in this article. In part one, a review of the literature is presented, specifically that having to do with the continuing imperative of academic libraries to practice strategic alignment. An exploration of the increasing importance of the research experience in higher education is then presented in part two, followed by a detailed look a...
The role of zinc in regulating tabtoxin production

The phytotoxin, tabtoxinine-β-lactam, is produced by severalPseudomonas syringae pathovars if adequate Zn is available, otherwise its biologically inactive form, tabtoxin, is produced. The Zn is required for the action of a peptidase which cleaves tabtoxin, releasing the toxic β-lactam.