cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Agronomic Practices Influence Maize Grain Quality

Abstract Maize grain yields have increased dramatically over the past fifty years, and concurrently end-uses have proliferated requiring special quality characteristics. Plant breeders have developed many specialty types of maize, all of which are influenced by the agronomic practices used to produce the crop. Grain yield increases have resulted in lower protein concentration except when the yield increase resulted from nitrogen fertilizer application. Irrigation improves the biological value of protein, while higher nitrogen application rates alter the amino acid balance thereby reducing the nutritional value. Kernel breakage susceptibility and kernel density increase with higher nitrogen fertilizer application rates, and are reduced by irrigation. Extractable starch and oil concentration are largely influenced by hybrid choice, but small production practice effects have been documented. Essential mineral nutrient levels are often influenced by soil or foliar fertilizer application. The production of afl...
Cataclysmic and Close Binaries in Star Clusters. IV. the Unexpectedly Low Number of Erupting Dwarf Novae Detected by the Hubble Space Telescope in the Core of 47 Tucanae

The standard model of tidal capture predicts that D45 moderately bright cataclysmic binaries should exist today in 47 Tuc. To test this prediction, we have conducted a search for erupting dwarf novae in the center of 47 Tuc with 12 separate epochs of Hubble Space Telescope (HST ) images in visual through near-UV bands. We have found a second eruption of the dwarf nova V2 discovered by Paresce and De Marchi. In addition, we have discovered a faint blue variable with period D4.7 hr and amplitude 1.5 mag, which may be a cataclysmic variable. Detailed simulations demonstrate that our areal and tempo- ral coverage and detection sensitivity is sufficient to have detected one-third of all dwarf novae (via their eruptions) in the center of 47 Tuc; even the very faint U GemEtype objects. We therefore claim that there are probably no more than three dwarf novae in the core of 47 Tuc, in signi-cant disagreement with a key prediction of the standard model of tidal capture, unless the properties of dwarf novae in globulars di†er (e.g., in outburst frequency) from those in the -eld. In addition, the cluster color- magnitude diagram reveals zero novalike variable candidates. Subject headings: globular clusters: individual (47 Tucanae) E novae, cataclysmic variables E stars: statistics
An Integer Programming approach for scheduling inbound calls in call centres

Scheduling inbound calls, is a key task in call centre operations. In most call centres this is achieved using simple priority rules, but in this paper we show that performance can be significantly improved by employing an optimisation approach. Specifically, we formulate three different Integer Programming (IP) problems with objective functions of minimising the Total Flow Time (TFT) the Maximum Flow Time (MFT) the Maximum Deviation of Cumulative Assigned Workload (MDCAW). We also report the results of a numerical experiment designed to evaluate under what conditions these IP formulations give superior performance and which objective should be chosen.
Contemporary Modes of Probation Officer Supervision: The Triumph of the “Synthetic” Officer?

This article considers the continued relevance of law enforcement and social worker roles to probation officer practice, a central motif in community corrections scholarship. It also considers how these traditional functions are integrated into community-oriented supervision practices, increasingly emphasized in policy circles. Using Latent Class Analysis of data from a national community corrections survey, a four-class typology of probation officers was developed, based on their supervision practices. While classes vary according to the intensity of supervision, particularly in the engagement of third parties (family, community, and the police), there are no classes that correspond either to law enforcers or to social workers. Rather, officer classes are all “synthetic”—combining law enforcement and social work functions together in the same strategy. The analysis identifies a number of predictors of membership in more intensive supervision classes. These relate to ideological orientations, caseload cha...
The Introduction of the Older Patient's Problems in the Medical Visit:

In this study of 100 diabetes patients 60 years old or older making return medical visits, 56% of patients reported one or more important medical problems that were never raised with their doctor. Sixty percent of patients reported important psychosocial problems that were never raised. One quarter of all patients were not able to raise even modest agendas of medical problems during the visit. These gaps in doctor-patient communication potentially reduce the effectiveness of medical care by failing to address symptoms of treatable conditions that impact functional status and quality of life.
Clathrin-mediated Endocytosis: A Universe of New Questions

I'm a detail-oriented person, a watchmaker. I like to take things apart, put them back together, and understand exactly how they work. For most of the past 30 years, I have focused (some might say fixated) my attention on clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs) and clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). CME, a major endocytic pathway, is involved in the ubiquitous uptake of nutrient–receptor complexes, membrane transporters, adhesion molecules, and signaling receptors, as well as in the recycling of synaptic vesicles—all of which play central roles in human health and disease. The role of coated vesicles in efficient endocytosis was first proposed in 1964 based on electron micrographs of yolk protein uptake in insect oocytes (Roth and Porter, 1964 ). CME involves the assembly of clathrin coats on the plasma membrane that concentrate receptors; invaginate; pinch off to form CCVs; and finally uncoat, releasing transport vesicles that fuse and deliver their contents to the endosomal system. To understand the mechanisms underlying CME, we and others have developed and used the now “classical” techniques of cell biology. These techniques include subcellular fractionation to purify coated vesicles (Pearse, 1975 ); biochemical fractionation coupled to proteomics to identify components of the CME machinery (Blondeau et al., 2004 ; Borner et al., 2006 ); and various cell free assays to reconstitute and mechanistically probe the uncoating reaction (Rothman and Schmid, 1986 ), CME (Smythe et al., 1992 ; Carter et al., 1993 ; Miwako and Schmid, 2005 ), and dynamin-catalyzed membrane fission (Pucadyil and Schmid, 2008 ). Consequently, during the almost 50 years since its discovery, we have learned a great deal about the molecular mechanisms underlying clathrin-mediated endocytosis (Conner and Schmid, 2003 ; Doherty and McMahon, 2009 ). Sandra L. Schmid In 1999, Jim Keen used the then newly developed green fluorescent protein (GFP) technology to tag the clathrin light chain and, for the first time, visualized CME in real time (Gaidarov et al., 1999 ). Subsequent imaging by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (which selectively illuminates an ∼100-nm-deep plane in the cytosol of adherent cells, thereby increasing signal-to-noise ratios) produced spectacular live-cell movies of CME. The GFP-clathrin appeared as small points of light that grew to varying intensities and then abruptly disappeared as the nascent CCVs quickly moved deeper into the cytosol and out of the zone of illumination (Merrifield et al., 2002 ). The dynamic clathrin-coated pits (CCPs) seen in these movies (see Supplemental Movie 1) are reminiscent of stars blinking in the night's sky—and they have opened up a universe of new questions that will need to be addressed over the next 50 years. Some (those of a watchmaker) reflect the need for further understanding of the molecular basis for CME, whereas others (those of a cosmologist) seek to integrate CME with the bigger picture of organismal physiology in development, health, and disease.
Characterization of superconducting (Tl,Bi)Sr2CaCu2Oy

Abstract The superconducting phase with mixed Tl and Bi, namely (Tl0.55Bi0.45)Sr2CaCu2Oy, was synthesized and characterized. Synthesis conditions were studied, and this phase, (Tl,Bi)-1212, was found to form preferentially to (Tl,Bi)-1223 when Sr was present with no Ba present. X-ray powder diffraction with Rietveld refinement provided structural data. The phase is tetragonal with a = 3.7988(4) A and c = 12.076(1) A , with space group symmetry P4/mmm, and with a platelet crystal morphology. Magnetic-susceptibility data gave an onset of superconductivity Tc at 94.9 ± 1.3 K with a Tc mid of 86.0 ± 1.1 K. Magnetic-hysteresis measurements showed that substantial flux pinning occurs in this at phase high temperatures.
1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3-induced changes in intracellular pH in osteoblast-like cells modulate gene expression

1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 exerts rapid nongenomic effects on rat osteoblast-like cells independent of the classic nuclear receptor. These effects include changes in phospholipid metabolism and cell calcium. Intracellular calcium itself has been proposed to regulate intracellular pH in osteoblast cell lines. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on intracellular pH, the relationship of changes in calcium to changes in pH, and the role of pH changes in genomic activation. 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 increased intracellular pH within 10 min in rat osteoblast-like cells, an effect that was inhibited by removal of extracellular sodium and by the biologically inactive epimer 1β,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The hormone increased intracellular calcium in Quin 2 loaded cells in the presence and absence of extracellular sodium. The 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-induced increments in osteocalcin and osteopontin mRNA levels were abolished in sodium-free medium. The results indicate that 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-induced increments in cellular calcium precede cell alkalinization and that these changes in intracellular pH may modulate steady-state mRNA levels of genes induced by vitamin D.
A model for the prospective identification of the prenephrotoxic state during gentamicin therapy

A computer method has been investigated to differentiate the prenephrotoxic patient from the nontoxic patient by routine monitoring of serum gentamicin concentrations duringtherapy, without the need to discontinue medication. The method deliberately assumes an incorreect pharmacokinetic model and uses a nonlinear regression program to analyze data collected during continuous dosing. In principle, it appears that the prenephrotoxic patients may be identified on the basis of a decreasing “apparent” elimination rate constant of gentamicin during continuous therapy.
Direct measurement of the osmotic effects of buffers and fixatives in Nitella flexilis

SUMMARY The pressure probe has been used to investigate the amount and time course of changes in turgor induced by agents used in fixation of biological material for electron microscopy. All buffers tested decreased the turgor pressure of internodal cells of the green alga Nitella flexilis in proportion to their osmotic concentration. With the exception of s-collidine, the buffers were impermeant, as shown by the stability of the reduced turgor. The fixatives formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde caused a rapid reduction in turgor followed by recovery of turgor as the aldehyde penetrated the cell. Plasmolysis of cells can be avoided by a procedure involving stepwise increase of fixative concentration.
Discography and discogenic pain

Abstract Disc abnormalities, either directly or indirectly, are responsible for almost half the cases of back pain. A degenerated intervertebral disc without any impingement on adjacent nerve roots was suspected as a source of low-back pain in the 1920s. Discography is now considered a diagnostic procedure designed to determine whether a disc is intrinsically painful. The procedure involves inserting a needle into the nucleus pulposus and distending the disc with an injection of saline or contrast media. Postprocedure computed tomography can be used to highlight the features of internal disc disruption, which is the most commonly known cause of discogenic pain. The clinical history usually includes a deep, dull ache in the low back at the midline, with minimal radiation beyond the gluteal area and rarely to the knees and legs, no particular alleviating position, and pain that may worsen with axial loading. There is no accompanying sensory or motor loss. Provocative discography is widely used to identify the symptomatic intervertebral discs. Internal intervertebral disc derangement and positive provocation discography could be treated with surgical fusion or intradiscal electrothermal therapy. Application of heat to the intervertebral disc structure leads to thermal ablation of the nociceptors. Heat leads to contraction and shrinkage of collagen of the intervertebral disc and a decrease of the volume of the nucleus pulposus, resulting in a debulking of the intervertebral disc. Although intradiscal electrothermal therapy is a very promising procedure to treat discogenic pain, studies on its long-term effects, outcome measures, and cost-effectiveness are needed to validate the efficacy of this technique. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company
Removal of Cesium from Savannah River Site Waste with Spherical Resorcinol Formaldehyde Ion Exchange Resin: Experimental Tests

A principal goal at the Savannah River Site (SRS) is to safely dispose of the large volume of liquid nuclear waste held in many storage tanks. In-tank ion exchange (IX) columns are being considered for cesium removal. The spherical form of resorcinol formaldehyde ion exchange resin (sRF) is being evaluated for decontamination of dissolved saltcake waste at SRS, which is generally lower in potassium and organic components than the Hanford waste. The sRF performance with SRS waste was evaluated in two phases: resin batch contacts and IX column testing with both simulated and actual dissolved salt waste. The tests, equipment, and results are discussed.
Evaluation of a Selected Case of the Minimum Dissipative Rate Method for Non-Force-Free Solar Magnetic Field Extrapolations

The minimum dissipative rate (MDR) method for deriving a coronal non-force-free magnetic field solution is partially evaluated. These magnetic field solutions employ a combination of three linear (constant-α) force-free-field solutions with one being a potential field (i.e., α=0). The particular case of the solutions where the other two α’s are of equal magnitude but of opposite sign is examined. This is motivated by studying the SOLIS (Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigation of the Sun (SOLIS), a National Solar Observatory facility) vector magnetograms of AR 10987, which show a global α value consistent with an α=0 value as evaluated by (∇×B) z /B z over the region. Typical of the current state of the observing technology, there is no definitive twist for input into the general MDR method. This suggests that the special α case, of two α’s with equal magnitudes and opposite signs, is appropriate given the data. Only for an extensively twisted active region does a dominant, nonzero α normally emerge from a distribution of local values. For a special set of conditions, is it found that (i) the resulting magnetic field is a vertically inflated magnetic field resulting from the electric currents being parallel to the photosphere, similar to the results of Gary and Alexander (Solar Phys. 186:123, 1999), and (ii) for α≈(α max /2), the Lorentz force per unit volume normalized by the square of the magnetic field is on the order of 1.4×10−10 cm−1. The Lorentz force (F L) is a factor of ten higher than that of the magnetic force d(B 2/8π)/dz, a component of F L. The calculated photospheric electric current densities are an order of magnitude smaller than the maximum observed in all active regions. Hence both the Lorentz force density and the generated electric current density seem to be physically consistent with possible solar dynamics. The results imply that the field could be inflated with an overpressure along the neutral line. However, the implementation of this or any other extrapolation method using the electric current density as a lower boundary condition must be done cautiously, with the current magnetography.
Sequential glaucoma implants in refractory glaucoma.

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of a second glaucoma implant in eyes with prior glaucoma implant surgery and inadequate intraocular pressure (IOP) control. Design Retrospective observational cohort study. Methods Patients undergoing a second glaucoma implant surgery from 1996 to 2008 were included. Outcome measures included visual acuity, IOP, glaucoma medication use, and complications. Success was defined as IOP Results Forty-three eyes (43 patients) had a mean follow-up of 32.6 ± 21.6 months. Life-table analysis demonstrated success rates of 93%, 89%, and 83% using criterion 1 and 83%, 75%, and 75% using criterion 2 at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. At last follow-up, mean IOP (13.6 ± 4.6 vs 24.7 ± 7.5 mm Hg; P P P = .07). The most frequently used second implants were similar in percentage IOP reduction (Baerveldt implant, 45 ± 19%; Ahmed valve, 40 ± 18%; P = .4). Conclusions A second glaucoma implant may effectively lower IOP in eyes with refractory glaucoma.
SS-KTC: A High-Testability Low-Overhead Scan Architecture with Multi-level Security Integration

Scan testing has been proven to leak secret information through side-channel attacks. To ensure high security when testing crypto chips without compromising testability, a new secure scan architecture with key authorized test controlling is proposed. In this method, multiple test keys are uniquely integrated into the test vectors by employing a special key fill technique without increasing the test overhead in terms of test time and test data volume. The scan test process is properly initiated and operated relying on multiple levels of security authorization. With the key authorized test controlling scheme, the scan chains may be blocked against shifting out secure information to unauthorized users. The experimental results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed secure scan architecture while achieving the lowest test and hardware overhead compared to the existing approaches.
Implantation of HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist Device in a Single-Lung Patient

The use of mechanical assist devices has been established as an effective therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure. Implantable left ventricular assist devices are becoming more common in the clinical practice of cardiac surgery. This report illustrates the use of a HeartMate II (Thoratec Pleasanton, CA) left ventricular assist device in a patient with a single lung and dilated cardiomyopathy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a left ventricular assist device placement in a patient with a prior pneumonectomy.
SLAM2: static driver verification with under 4% false alarms

In theory, counterexample-guided abstraction refinement (CEGAR) uses spurious counterexamples to refine overapproximations so as to eliminate provably false alarms. In practice, CEGAR can report false alarms because: (1) the underlying problem CEGAR is trying to solve is undecidable; (2) approximations introduced for optimization purposes may cause CEGAR to be unable to eliminate a false alarm; (3) CEGAR has no termination guarantee — if it runs out of time or memory then the last counterexample generated is provably a false alarm. We report on advances in the SLAM analysis engine, which implements CEGAR for C programs using predicate abstraction, that greatly reduce the false alarm rate. SLAM is used by the Static Driver Verifier (SDV) tool. Compared to the first version of SLAM (SLAM1, shipped in SDV 1.6), the improved version (SLAM2, shipped in SDV 2.0) reduces the percentage of false alarms from 25.7% to under 4% for the WDM class of device drivers. For the KMDF class of device drivers, SLAM2 has under 0.05% false alarms. The variety and the volume of our experiments of SDV with SLAM2, significantly exceed those performed for other CEGAR-based model checkers. These results made it possible for SDV 2.0 to be applied as an automatic and required quality gate for Windows 7 device drivers.
Altered drug metabolism during pregnancy: hormonal regulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes

Importance of the field: Medication use during pregnancy is prevalent, but pharmacokinetic information of most drugs used during pregnancy is lacking in spite of known effects of pregnancy on drug disposition. Accurate pharmacokinetic information is essential for optimal drug therapy in mother and fetus. Thus, understanding how pregnancy influences drug disposition is important for better prediction of pharmacokinetic changes of drugs in pregnant women.Areas covered in this review: Pregnancy is known to affect hepatic drug metabolism, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Physiological changes accompanying pregnancy are probably responsible for the reported alteration in drug metabolism during pregnancy. These include elevated concentrations of various hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, placental growth hormones and prolactin. This review covers how these hormones influence expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs), thus potentially responsible for altered drug metabolism during pregnan...
Separation and Quantitation of Polyethylene Glycols 400 and 3350 from Human Urine by High-Performance liquid Chromatography

Polyethylene glycol 3350 (PEG 3350) is useful as an orally administered probe to measure in vivo intestinal permeability to macromolecules. Previous methods to detect polyethylene glycol (PEG) excreted in the urine have been hampered by inherent inaccuracies associated with liquid-liquid extraction and turbidimetric analysis. For accurate quantitation by previous methods, radioactive labels were required. This paper describes a method to separate and quantitate PEG 3350 and PEG 400 in human urine that is independent of radioactive labels and is accurate in clinical practice. The method uses sized regenerated cellulose membranes and mixed ion-exchange resin for sample preparation and high-performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection for analysis. The 24-h excretion for normal individuals after an oral dose of 40 g of PEG 3350 and 5 g of PEG 400 was 0.12 +/- 0.04% of the original dose of PEG 3350 and 26.3 +/- 5.1% of the original dose of PEG 400.
Are there sensitive time periods for dementia caregivers? The occurrence of behavioral and psychological symptoms in the early stages of dementia

Background The behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with dementia (BPSD) can be burdensome to informal/family caregivers, negatively affecting mental health and expediting the institutionalization of patients. Because the dementia patient–caregiver relationship extends over long periods of time, it is useful to examine how BPSD impact caregiver depressive symptoms at varied stages of illness. The goal of this study was to assess the association of BPSD that occur during early stage dementia with subsequent caregiver depressive symptoms.
Similarity of Blood Flow in the Normal and the Sympathectomized Dog Hind Limb during Graded Exercise

The possibility of sympathetic vasoconstrictor control of blood flow to active muscles was studied in dogs during graded exercise by comparing the blood flow in the normal with that in the Sympathectomized hind limb. Blood flow was measured by electromagnetic flow transducers around each external iliac artery, or inferred from the oxygen saturation of blood samples from the common iliac veins. The dogs either ran for successive periods of 3 minutes at 5.5 km/hr and grades of 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28% or ran each level of exercise separately. Unilateral lumbar sympathectomy (L-2 through L-7) was performed when the flow transducers were implanted or later by a snare technique. The latter allowed observations during exercise as early as 4 hours after sympathectomy. The magnitude of limb blood flow during exercise and the decline of exercise hyperemia were similar in the normal and the sympathectomized limb, as were the changes in the oxygen saturation of limb venous blood. However, electric stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic chain at the L-5 level in the conscious dog by a chronically implanted electrode reduced limb blood flow at all levels of exercise, the maximal flow of 1,000 ml/min was almost halved.
Molecular Mechanisms of Osteoblast/Osteocyte Regulation by Connexin43

Osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoprogenitor cells are interconnected into a functional network by gap junctions formed primarily by connexin43 (Cx43). Over the past two decades, it has become clear that Cx43 is important for the function of osteoblasts and osteocytes. This connexin contributes to the acquisition of peak bone mass and is a major modulator of cortical modeling. We review key data from human and mouse genetics on the skeletal consequences of ablation or mutation of the Cx43 gene (Gja1) and the molecular mechanisms by which Cx43 regulates the differentiation, function, and survival of osteogenic lineage cells. We also discuss putative second messengers that are communicated by Cx43 gap junctions, the role of hemichannels, and the function of Cx43 as a scaffold for signaling molecules. Current knowledge demonstrates that Cx43 is more than a passive channel; rather, it actively participates in the generation and modulation of cellular signals that drive skeletal development and homeostasis.
Xenon NMR: Chemical shifts of a general anesthetic in common solvents, proteins, and membranes

Abstract The rare gas xenon contains two NMR-sensitive isotopes in high natural abundance. The nuclide 129Xe has a spin of 1/2: 131Xe is quadrupolar with a spin of 3/2. The complementary NMR characteristics of these nuclei provide a unique opportunity for probing their environment. The method is widely applicable because xenon interacts with a useful range of condensed phases including pure liquids, protein solutions, and suspensions of lipid and biological membranes. Although xenon is chemically inert, it does interact with living systems; it is an effective general anesthetic. We have found that the range of chemical shifts of 129Xe dissolved in common solvents is ca. 200 ppm, which is 30 times larger than that found for 13C in methane dissolved in various solvents. Resonances were also observed for 131Xe in some systems; they were broader and exhibited much greater relaxation rates than did 129Xe. The use of 129Xe NMR as a probe of biological systems was investigated. Spectra were obtained from solutions of myoglobin, from suspensions of various lipid bilayers, and from suspensions of the membranes of erythrocytes and of the acetylcholine receptor-rich membranes of Torpedo californica. These systems exhibited a smaller range of chemical shifts. In most cases there was evidence of a fast exchange of xenon between the aqueous and organic environments, but the exchange was slow in suspensions of dimyristoyl lecithin vesicles.
Application of expectation-maximization algorithm to the detection of a direct-sequence signal in pulsed noise jamming

The detection of a direct-sequence spread-spectrum signal received in a pulsed noise jamming environment is considered. The expectation-maximization algorithm is used to estimate the unknown jammer parameters and hence obtain a decision on the binary signal based on the estimated likelihood functions. The probability of error performance of the algorithm is simulated for a repeat code and a (7, 4) block code. Simulation results show that at low signal-to-thermal-noise ratio and high jammer power, the EM detector performs significantly better than the hard limiter and somewhat better than the soft limiter. Also, at low SNR, there is little degradation as compared to the maximum-likelihood detector with true jammer parameters. At high SNR, the soft limiter outperforms the EM detector. >
Proficiency Maintenance and Assessment in an Instrument Flight Simulator

Transfer effects have been studied to evaluate the suitability of a high fidelity flight simulator (Device 2B24) for maintaining and assessing instrument proficiency among experienced Army helicopter pilots. Evidence in support of positive transfer was obtained by comparing pilots trained in the simulator with pilots trained in the aircraft (UH-1H) and with pilots trained in both. In addition, performance evaluation in the simulator accurately predicted performance in the aircraft. This study suggests that simulators of proven effectiveness can be used both to maintain and assess the proficiency of experienced pilots.
LMPI: MPI for heterogeneous embedded distributed systems

Message passing interface (MPI) is an important standard that allows message-passing applications to run on many heterogeneous message-passing distributed systems without any change. There are a tremendous number of MPI implementations that are, however, mainly dedicated for traditional distributed systems. Most of these implementations consume a significant amount of resources. In addition to the high resource consumption, the existing MPI implementations are not trivially applicable (if at all) to run on embedded systems. After presenting the motivations for designing and implementing a new MPI implementation for heterogeneous embedded systems, this paper presents an innovative technology for achieving MPI implementation, called lightweight MPI (LMPI), for embedded systems. Then, it presents a prototype implementation of LMPI. Lastly, this paper presents performance analysis by comparing the resource consumption of MPICH and LMPI implementations on a cluster of workstations.
How to Be a Department Chair of Epidemiology: A Survival Guide

As former chairs of 3 of the largest departments of epidemiology in the country, the authors provide "lessons learned" on how to be an epidemiology chair. To start, they suggest discussing strategic visioning with faculty, staff, and students; evaluating existing operational and governance structures; setting a predictable style; and considering which traditions to keep and which to modernize. Next, the authors consider key administrative issues. Recruitment and retention of the best faculty and students are critical to a successful department's future. A great department requires a great vision. To manage the change a new vision creates, the chair must attain buy-in and proceed with persistence. Chairs must promote the interests of the department to higher administration, a job best accomplished by being a team player and picking your battles. Keeping an eye on the mission involves balancing quality education with research and always striving to improve public health. Finally, a chair must continuously assess whether he or she is doing the best job. Eventually, the chair must know when to quit and how to quit well. Although being chair is demanding and sometimes difficult, it is a position that can be rewarding to both the individual and the department.
Isolation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Amniotic Fluid and Placenta

Diverse progenitor cell populations, including mesenchymal, hematopoietic, trophoblastic, and possibly more primitive stem cells can be isolated from the amniotic fluid and the placenta. At least some of the amniotic and placental cells share a common origin, namely the inner cell mass of the morula. Indeed, most types of progenitor cells that can be isolated from these two sources share many characteristics. This unit will focus solely on the mesenchymal stem cells, the most abundant progenitor cell population found therein and, unlike some of the other stem cell types, present all through gestation. Protocols for isolation, expansion, freezing, and thawing of these cells are presented. Preference is given to the simplest methods available for any given procedure.
Radiation from a collapsing object is manifestly unitary

The process of gravitational collapse excites the fields propagating in the background geometry and gives rise to thermal radiation. We demonstrate by explicit calculations that the density matrix corresponding to such radiation actually describes a pure state. While Hawking's leading order density matrix contains only the diagonal terms, we calculate the off-diagonal correlation terms. These correlations start very small, but then grow in time. The cumulative effect is that the correlations become comparable to the leading order terms and significantly modify the density matrix. While the trace of the Hawking's density matrix squared goes from unity to zero during the evolution, the trace of the total density matrix squared remains unity at all times and all frequencies. This implies that the process of radiation from a collapsing object is unitary.
PathScan: a tool for discerning mutational significance in groups of putative cancer genes

Motivation The expansion of cancer genome sequencing continues to stimulate development of analytical tools for inferring relationships between somatic changes and tumor development. Pathway associations are especially consequential, but existing algorithms are demonstrably inadequate. Methods Here, we propose the PathScan significance test for the scenario where pathway mutations collectively contribute to tumor development. Its design addresses two aspects that established methods neglect. First, we account for variations in gene length and the consequent differences in their mutation probabilities under the standard null hypothesis of random mutation. The associated spike in computational effort is mitigated by accurate convolution-based approximation. Second, we combine individual probabilities into a multiple-sample value using Fisher-Lancaster theory, thereby improving differentiation between a few highly mutated genes and many genes having only a few mutations apiece. We investigate accuracy, computational effort and power, reporting acceptable performance for each. Results As an example calculation, we re-analyze KEGG-based lung adenocarcinoma pathway mutations from the Tumor Sequencing Project. Our test recapitulates the most significant pathways and finds that others for which the original test battery was inconclusive are not actually significant. It also identifies the focal adhesion pathway as being significantly mutated, a finding consistent with earlier studies. We also expand this analysis to other databases: Reactome, BioCarta, Pfam, PID and SMART, finding additional hits in ErbB and EPHA signaling pathways and regulation of telomerase. All have implications and plausible mechanistic roles in cancer. Finally, we discuss aspects of extending the method to integrate gene-specific background rates and other types of genetic anomalies. Availability PathScan is implemented in Perl and is available from the Genome Institute at: http://genome.wustl.edu/software/pathscan.
Software process improvement in Web time

Process engineering is sometimes seen as a luxury relevant only to large software projects with long time frames. This article shows otherwise; the Web development group it describes tackled several aspects of project management, change control, requirements engineering, and quality practices, reaping both tangible and cultural benefits within five months.
Hybrid optimization for ultrasound and multimodal image registration

Optimization of similarity metrics is an important component of many biomedical image registration applications that greatly affects registration outcome. Selection of an optimization approach is dependent on the modalities being registered, the characteristics of the similarity function, and available computational resources. This paper addresses optimization approaches for 2D and 3D rigid body intra- and multimodal ultrasound registration. Stochastic and direct techniques are compared for mutual information and correlation ratio functions. A new direct/stochastic hybrid approach based on the tabu search is also proposed. Visualization and experimental results suggest the usefulness of such an approach. Results also show that the tabu hybrid technique compares favorably with traditional techniques, based on accuracy and number of function evaluations.
Stages of Change in Treatment-Seeking Pathological Gamblers.

The transtheoretical model has been applied to many addictive disorders. In this study, psychometrics properties of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) scale were evaluated in 234 pathological gamblers initiating treatment. Four components were identified--reflective of precontemplation, contemplation, action, and maintenance stages--with internal consistency from .74 to .88. Cluster analyses identified 4 patterns of responding, ranging from ambivalent to active change. The 4 clusters differed with respect to baseline gambling variables and treatment engagement and outcomes assessed 2 months later. A continuous measure of readiness to change was also correlated with gambling severity and predictive of reductions in gambling. This study provides initial support for reliability and validity of the URICA in treatment-seeking gamblers, and it suggests that stage of change may have an impact on outcomes.
Problems For Handheld Computers In Higher Education

One of the latest devices to be utilized in education is the handheld computer or PDA. This paper presents experimental results suggesting problems for the device in higher education. Handhelds have been used successfully in K-12 education; however, student and faculty research presented in this paper shows that the PDA’s small form factor and other characteristics make the device less useful for college students.
MOE quantification of missions using sensor data driven graph similarity metrics

A mission plan consists of a set of actions to be performed in a given situation such that the specified actions mitigate the assessed situation effectively. Military missions use sensors of diverse sensing modalities for Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance (ISR). These sensors produce massive volume data, which can be fused using some established data fusion model, e.g., Joint Directorate of Laboratories (JDL) model. The Level-2 of JDL model provides situational assessment, which is defined in terms of relationships between different objects relevant to the mission context. Using this definition, we model a situation as graph G(V,E), in which the set of vertices V model the set of objects and the set of edges E models the relationships between objects. Additionally, an action taken by one or more objects can change the situation. The Measure of Effectiveness (MOE), which measures the effectiveness of actions, is an important metric of the mission performance. In a given situation sk at time k, if some action ak is performed, it leads to a new situation sk+1. The actor performing this action is interested in (i) selecting a particular action ak ∈ Ak from the set of actions Ak possible in situation sk, and (ii) effectiveness of action. This paper is concerned with quantifying the effective of actions or the MOE. The available literature on MOE has the utilized different variations of the Lanchester model and Monte Carlo simulations to compute the MOE. The paper proposes the use a novel technique of first modeling a situation as graph G(V, E) and then quantifying MOE by measuring differences between situations sk and sk+1 caused by mission actions. Modeling a situation sk as a graph Gk represented by its adjacency matrix Mk itself enables us to apply the graph similarity algorithms to measure the differences between sk and sk+1 between thus quantifying MOE of mission actions. Since a situation is derived from sensor data, as compared to existing techniques, our approach offers three advantages over existing techniques - (i) Reduced computations as compared to Monte Carlo techniques, (ii) Ability to measure situation changes and consequently the MOE, in an online manner, and (iii) Ability to deal with battle space objects of different types. The online computation of the MOE from one time epoch to the next can also be utilized to dynamically adapt missions.
Demand Management with Energy Generation and Storage in Collectives

In this paper, we focus on demand side management in consumer collectives with community owned renewable energy generation and storage facilities for effective integration of renewable energy with the existing fossil fuel-based power supply system. The collective buys energy as a group through a central coordinator who also decides about the storage and usage of renewable energy produced by the collective. Our objective is to design coordination algorithms to minimize the cost of electricity consumption of the consumer collective while allowing the consumers to make their own consumption decisions based on their private consumption constraints and preferences. Minimizing the cost is not only of interest to the consumers but is also socially desirable because it reduces the consumption at times of peak demand. We develop an iterative coordination algorithm in which the coordinator makes the storage decision and shapes the demands of the consumers by designing a virtual price signal for the agents. We prove that our algorithm converges, and it achieves the optimal solution under realistic conditions. We also present simulation results based on real world consumption data to quantify the performance of our algorithm.
Biodegradable polymer stents vs second generation drug eluting stents: A meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials

AIM: To evaluate the premise, that biodegradable polymer drug eluting stents (BD-DES) could improve clinical outcomes compared to second generation permanent polymer drug eluting stents (PP-DES), we pooled the data from all the available randomized control trials (RCT) comparing the clinical performance of both these stents. METHODS: A systematic literature search of PubMed, Cochrane, Google scholar databases, EMBASE, MEDLINE and SCOPUS was performed during time period of January 2001 to April 2015 for RCT and comparing safety and efficacy of BD-DES vs second generation PP-DES. The primary outcomes of interest were definite stent thrombosis, target lesion revascularization, myocardial infarction, cardiac deaths and total deaths during the study period. RESULTS: A total of 11 RCT’s with a total of 12644 patients were included in the meta-analysis, with 6598 patients in BD-DES vs 6046 patients in second generation PP-DES. The mean follow up period was 16 mo. Pooled analysis showed non-inferiority of BD-DES, comparing events of stent thrombosis (OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 0.79-2.52, P = 0.24), target lesion revascularization (OR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.84-1.17, P = 0.92), myocardial infarction (OR = 1.06, 95%CI: 0.86-1.29, P = 0.92), cardiac deaths (OR = 1.07, 95%CI 0.82-1.41, P = 0.94) and total deaths (OR = 0.96, 95%CI: 0.80-1.17, P = 0.71). CONCLUSION: BD-DES, when compared to second generation PP-DES, showed no significant advantage and the outcomes were comparable between both the groups.
Hydrogen Storage in LiNH2/Li3N Material for H2/CO2 Mixture Gas as Hydrogen Source

Our previous work showed that the preaddition of LiNH2 into Li3N increases the reversible hydrogen capacity up to about 6.8 wt % H2. Herein, we report that the H2/CO2 gas mixture can be directly us...
Circadian component in the fattening and reproductive responses to prolactin in the hamster.

SummaryProlactin has variable effects on the weights of ovaries and uteri of hamsters depending on the time of day when the injections are made. The photoperiodic entrainment of these daily variations in responses to prolactin is apparently mediated by the adrenal cortex because corticosterone injections can entrain similar response rhythms in hamsters held in continuous light. The estrus cycle appears to be arrested in late diestrus or early proestrus by injections of prolactin at 18 hr after the onset of a 12-hr daily photoperiod or at 12 hr after the injection of corticosterone. The body fat stores are also increased or decreased depending on the temporal pattern of injections of prolactin and corticosterone.
Research of System Test for HVDC Transmission Project From Qinghai to Tibet

The content of system commissioning for HVDC power transmission project from Qinghai to Tibet,which is located at the region with the highest altitude in the world,is researched and analyzed,including the drafting of system commissioning scheme,blocking/deblocking control modes of HVDC system and measures for system security and stability,and so on.The start-up mode of generators in Central Tibet power system during the system commissioning of the project is put forward;the monopole and bipolar voltage-reducing start/stop control modes are analyzed,and through the research the HVDC transmission power during the system commissioning in present stage is proposed and corresponding experimental verification is performed.In view of such feature of Central Tibet power system as high HVDC transmission capacity,small power system and weak receiving end,the stability of both frequency and voltage of Central Tibet power system are analyzed and the system commissioning scheme and the implementation of on-site testing are drafted,besides,the safety precautions for each test item are implemented.The conditions of on-site system commissioning are analyzed to ensure them satisfying the demands specified in technical specifications.The power transfer control strategy between poles without communication between converter stations is analyzed and it is pointed out that after the occurrence of communication failure between converter stations the transmitted DC power should be immediately reduced to below the 8% of current load at the receiving end,namely the load in Lhasa.The solution of technical problems found during the system commissioning ensures the successful implementation of the commissioning and putting into operation of HVDC power transmission project form Qinghai to Tibet on time.
Recent advances in development of antitumor tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Protein tyrosine kinases are critical enzymes in regulating cellular growth and differentiation and are also deeply involved in oncogenesis since they are frequently activated in a variety of human cancers. Novel compounds that inhibit epidermal growth factor receptors (EGF-R) with high specificity and potency were developed, and their antitumor effects on EGF-R overexpressing cells and in vivo tumor models were demonstrated. Novel compounds that preferentially inhibit human glioma cells expressing truncated rather than wild-type EGF-R were also developed. Tyrphostin analogs which inhibit angiogenesis and thereby suppress tumor cell growth were also identified by screening inhibitors of Flk-1 tyrosine kinase.
A New Species of Caecilia (Amphibia : Gymnophiona) from Bolivia

A new species of the gymnophione genus Caecilia from Bolivia is described . Collected by and named in honor of Professor Harry Marcus, the new species significantly extends the range of Caecilia to the southeast.
U-Pb DATING OF ZIRCONS FROM PSAMMITIC GNEISSES, WADI ABU ROSHEID-WADI SIKAIT AREA, EGYPT

Several suites of zircons separated from the psammitic gneisses of Wadi Abu Rosheid and Wadi Sikait, Eastern Desert, Egypt, have been dated by the U-Pb method. The gneisses represent a formation in the Jabal Hafafit Group which is one of the oldest exposed lithostratigraphic groups in the Egyptian basement. These gneisses show signs of notable thermal activity and mineralization which probably affected the U-Pb system.