cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Not your father's collisional transport: a new paradigm for plasmas with small cyclotron radius

Summary form only given, as follows.It is, perhaps, not widely appreciated that the classical theory of cross-magnetic-field collisional transport breaks down when hD> r, for one or more species. Some examples where this occurs are: the edge of a tokamak plasma; plasmas around neutron stars; and nonneutral plasmas. This talk will review new theories and experiments carried out at UCSD that predict and measure collisional transport in this regime. When h~ > r, , collisional transport is dominated by long-range collisions with impact parameters on the order of hD or greater. Such collisions are completed neglected in the classical theory. In this regime the cross-field thermal conductivity is independent of the magnetic field, and is up to several hundred times greater than the classical prediction for the parameters of experiments performed here at UCSD. [IT]e st particle diffusion is also greatly enhanced over the classical theory, particularly so when motion along the magnetic field is rapid so that it can be averaged out, and the charges behave as rods of charge that ExB drift in the fields of the other charges. In this regime seminal work by Taylor and McNamara and Dawson and Okuda [2,3] showed that the diffusion scales as I/B, and is dominated by large-scale ?Dawson-Okuda vortices?. We have investigated the effect that small ExB velocity shears have on these vortices: the applied shear tends to rip the vortices apart, reducing the diffusion. This is analogous to the effect of velocity shear observed in turbulent tokamak plasmas, but here the transport can be calculated rigorously because fluctuations are collisional in origin, not turbulent. Preliminary experiments show factor of two agreement with the new theory for shear reduction of collisional diffusion.
Suture fixation system as globe tethers in severe paralytic strabismus.

almology ith inability duction on mitation to Surgical correction of severe paralytic or re strabismus is challenging. Patients with unre complete third-nerve palsy present with a lar exotropia and a variable vertical deviation. Lat tus muscle weakening is a major componen surgical plan to treat patients with this cond However, surgery usually results in underco because no active adducting force is present to any lateral rectus muscle force. Functional tion of the lateral rectus muscle by attaching i tion to the adjacent periosteum on the latera wall, and globe fixation to the medial perio may be necessary to eliminate diplopia and to ocular alignment in primary position.
Accelerated head growth in early development of individuals with autism

Macrocephaly is one of the most consistent physical findings reported in autistic individuals. Previous studies attempted to determine if macrocephaly is associated with risk for autism. This study hypothesizes that an abnormal acceleration in head growth during early development, rather than macrocephaly, is associated with autism risk. To investigate this hypothesis, head circumference data were examined in 251 individuals from 82 multiplex (at least two individuals with autism) and 113 sporadic (no family history) families with autism. This examination included longitudinal measurements for 79 individuals. Nineteen percent of the original 251 individuals were found to have macrocephaly (head circumference >97%). Abnormal acceleration in head growth was defined as an increase of 25 or more percentile points in head circumference between two consecutive measurements. Thirty-five percent of individuals with multiple head circumference records had an abnormal increase in head circumference. Furthermore, autistic individuals with accelerated head growth in early childhood displayed higher levels of adaptive functioning and less social impairment. This study confirms the presence of abnormal acceleration in head growth during the first and second months of life in a subgroup of autistic individuals.
Seasonal and diurnal variations of Hg° over New England

Factors influencing diurnal to interannual variability in Hg° over New England were investigated using multi-year measurements conducted by AIRMAP at the Thompson Farm (TF) coastal site, an inland elevated site at Pac Monadnock (PM), and two month measurements on Appledore Island (AI) in the Gulf of Maine. Mixing ratios of Hg° at TF showed distinct seasonality with maxima in March and minima in October. Hg° at AI tracked the trend at TF but with higher minima, while at PM the diurnal and annual cycles were dampened. In winter, Hg° was correlated most strongly with CO and NO y , indicative of anthropogenic emissions as their primary source. Our analysis indicates that Hg° had a regional background level of ~160 fmol/mol in winter, a dry deposition velocity of ~0.20 cm s −1 with a ~16 day lifetime in the coastal boundary layer in summer. The influence of oceanic emissions on ambient Hg° levels was identified using the Hg°-CHBr 3 correlation at both TF and AI. Moreover, the lower Hg° levels and steeper decreasing warm season trend at TF (0.5–0.6 fmol/mol d −1 ) compared to PM (0.2–0.3 fmol/mol d −1 ) likely reflected the impact of marine halogen chemistry. Large interannual variability in warm season Hg° levels in 2004 versus 2005/2006 may be due to the role of precipitation patterns in influencing surface evasion of Hg°. In contrast, changes in wintertime maximum levels of Hg° were small compared to drastic reductions in CO, CO 2 , NO y , and SO 2 from 2004/2005 to 2006/2007. These trends could be explained by a homogeneous distribution of Hg° over North American in winter due to its long lifetime and/or rapid removal of reactive mercury from anthropogenic sources. We caution that during warmer winters, the Hg°-CO slope possibly reflects Hg° loss relative to changes in CO more than their emission ratio.
Understanding models with Vensim

Abstract Vensim™, the Ventana® Simulation Environment, is an interactive software environment that allows the development, exploration, analysis and optimization of simulation models. It was created to increase the capabilities and productivity of skilled modelers and has functionality that improves the quality and understanding of models. Though Vensim was not originally intended as a teaching tool, it has proved to be fun and useful for novices. Focusing on the ability to impart understanding, development is now underway to support implementation as a learning environment.
A short segment in the HIV-1 gp120 V1/V2 region is a major determinant of neutralization resistance to PG9-like antibodies

Background Antibody PG9 is a prototypical member of a class of V1/V2-directed antibodies that effectively neutralizes diverse strains of HIV-1. The crystal structure of PG9 bound to scaffolded V1/V2 has provided insight into its mode of recognition. We sought to gain a more complete understanding of the interaction of PG9 with the functional viral spike, and to extend our understanding to other antibodies of this class. Methods We analyzed amino acid frequencies in the V2 region of PG9 sensitive and resistant strains to identify potentially important residues. We also used the crystal structure of PG9 with scaffolded V1/V2 to identify potential contact sites. Based on these analyses we designed mutations in PG9 resistant strains with the goal of “knocking in” sensitivity. Parent and mutant Envs were used to make pseudoviruses. The potency of PG9 as well as V1/ V2 antibodies PG16, CH01, CH04, PGT141, and PGT145 against the pseudoviruses was assessed by TZM-bl neutralization assay.
Is the price right? Understanding contingent processing in reference price formation

Abstract Although interest in buyers' reference prices continues to grow, relatively little is known about how they are formed and the factors that shape the formation of such price standards. This paper explores the contingencies triggered in buyers' reference price formation by (a) the discrepancy of price claims encountered in the marketplace relative to prior price beliefs, and (b) shopping experience. In a normal price estimation task, both experienced and inexperienced shoppers displayed a tendency to rely more on the price claims presented in the task than on prior price beliefs. This tendency increased when the claims were below price expectations and diminished when the claims were above expectations. Interestingly, experienced and inexperienced shoppers showed almost an identical approach to normal price estimation when the claims either matched or were below expectations. However, significant differences emerged when the claims were above expectations. Whereas experienced shoppers reduced their reliance on such discrepant claims, inexperienced shoppers did not. The results of this investigation underscore the usefulness of a contingency approach for guiding future research efforts directed at understanding buyers' reference price formation.
Biochemical Methods for Analysis of Kinetoplastid RNA Editing

RNA editing is a posttranscriptional process involving mRNAs [reviewed by K. Stuart et al. (1997) Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 61, 105-120; G. J. Arts and R. Benne (1996) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1307, 39-54; and S. L. Hajduk and R. S. Sabatini (1996) in Molecular Biology of Parasitic Protozoa (Smith, D. S., and Parsons, M., Eds.), pp. 134-158, Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford] and tRNAs [K. M. Lonergan and M. Gray (1993) Science 259, 812-816] that has now been described in an increasing number of eukaryotic organisms. In this process sequences differ from their gene sequences by the addition, removal, or conversion of specific ribonucleotides. RNA editing was first described within the mitochondrion of kinetoplastid protozoa. Several of the mitochondrial mRNAs in these flagellates have uridine residues inserted and deleted at specific sites. In some cases, more than 50% of the mRNA is created by RNA editing. In this article, we describe some of the biochemical methods used in analyzing the process of RNA editing in kinetoplastid mitochondria.
A beam-specific planning target volume (PTV) design for proton therapy to account for setup and range uncertainties.

Purpose To report a method for explicitly designing a planning target volume (PTV) for treatment planning and evaluation in heterogeneous media for passively scattered proton therapy and scanning beam proton therapy using single-field optimization (SFO). Methods and Materials A beam-specific PTV (bsPTV) for proton beams was derived by ray-tracing and shifting ray lines to account for tissue misalignment in the presence of setup error or organ motion. Range uncertainties resulting from inaccuracies in computed tomography–based range estimation were calculated for proximal and distal surfaces of the target in the beam direction. The bsPTV was then constructed based on local heterogeneity. The bsPTV thus can be used directly as a planning target as if it were in photon therapy. To test the robustness of the bsPTV, we generated a single-field proton plan in a virtual phantom. Intentional setup and range errors were introduced. Dose coverage to the clinical target volume (CTV) under various simulation conditions was compared between plans designed based on the bsPTV and a conventional PTV. Results The simulated treatment using the bsPTV design performed significantly better than the plan using the conventional PTV in maintaining dose coverage to the CTV. With conventional PTV plans, the minimum coverage to the CTV dropped from 99% to 67% in the presence of setup error, internal motion, and range uncertainty. However, plans using the bsPTV showed minimal drop of target coverage from 99% to 94%. Conclusions The conventional geometry-based PTV concept used in photon therapy does not work well for proton therapy. We investigated and validated a beam-specific PTV method for designing and evaluating proton plans.
Approaches to understanding susceptibility to nephropathy: From genetics to genomics

Approaches to understanding susceptibility to nephropathy: From genetics to genomics. The incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is increasing worldwide despite efforts to slow the progression of chronic renal failure (CRF) by controlling blood pressure and hyperglycemia. Two available therapies for ESRD, dialysis and transplantation, are expensive and are at best palliative. Recently, data from several laboratories have demonstrated that ESRD is under substantial genetic control, and efforts to identify these genetic determinants are underway. Identifying genes for ESRD pathogenesis has several goals. First, understanding the genetic basis of ESRD offers a means to clarify the mechanisms that result in kidney pathobiology. Second, better and new treatments for prevention of progression of CRF to ESRD may be developed. Third, individuals at risk could be identified early in their course and targeted for intensive therapy. Finally, the products of genes causing disease become target molecules for gene therapy. In this article, we discuss data from our laboratories, which employ two different molecular genetic strategies for identifying ESRD pathogenesis genes. In contrast to traditional experimental design, both approaches are hypothesis generating, identifying candidate molecules for further study, rather than hypothesis driven and may provide novel insights into mechanisms of renal disease progression.
Immunocytochemical evidence for noradrenergic regulation of estrogen receptor concentrations in the guinea pig hypothalamus

The noradrenergic system interacts with steroid hormones to influence female sexual behavior and gonadotropin release in rodents. Using a double label immunocytochemical procedure for estrogen receptors and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase, we investigated the anatomical relationships between noradrenergic neurons and estrogen receptor-immunoreactive (ER-IR) cells in the brain of ovariectomized female guinea pigs. Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase-immunoreactive (DBH-IR) varicosities were closely associated with ER-IR cells throughout the hypothalamus and preoptic area. This anatomical relationship was observed with almost 80% of the ER-IR cells in the ventrolateral hypothalamus (VLH), an area involved in the regulation of female sexual behavior in guinea pigs. Furthermore, the presence of closely associated DBH-IR varicosities was related to staining intensity of ER-IR neurons. In the rostral VLH, ER-IR neurons with closely associated DBH-IR varicosities stained more darkly than ER-IR neurons lacking this association, suggesting noradrenergic regulation of basal levels of cellular estrogen receptors. These findings provide neuroanatomical evidence suggestive of noradrenergic regulation of estrogen receptor levels in the hypothalamus of female guinea pigs.
Sherwin Till–Bishop Tuff Geological Relationships, Sierra Nevada, California

A glacial till underlies the Bishop tuff, but it has not been established heretofore on firm geological bases that this is the Sherwin till. Relationships here described demonstrate that the till beneath the Bishop tuff is indeed Blackwelder9s-type Sherwin. Radiometric datings of the basal pumice of the Bishop tuff by Dalrymple and others yield an age of 710,000 years. Judging from pre-pumice weathering, the till may be still older, perhaps 750,000 years. These considerations make the Sherwin till-Bishop tuff relationship an important reference datum in the continental Pleistocene sequence of North America.
Humoral immune response of bovine mammary glands colonized with Corynebacterium bovis: enumeration of plasma cell populations in tissue and immunoglobulin concentrations in milk.

Summary Mammary tissue and milk samples from eight lactating cows were examined to determine the effects of prolonged Corynebacterium bovis colonization on the humoral immune response. Plasma cells producing immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 and IgG2 predominated in all quarters, while IgA- and IgM-producing plasma cells were less abundant. Numbers of plasma cells were highest at the Furstenberg's rosette area followed by parenchymal and streak canal tissue areas in all quarters. Significantly more IgG1-, IgA-, and IgM-producing plasma cells were observed in parenchymal tissue colonized with C. bovis than control quarters. However, there were only slight increases in Ig concentrations in milk of C. bovis colonized quarters as than in controls. Indices of relative occurrence of lacteal Ig indicated that IgG1, IgA, and IgM were accumulated selectively, while IgG2 was most likely transferred passively from serum. Enhanced numbers of Ig-producing plasma cells in teat and tissues of C. bovis colonized quarters may be a source of resistance against attachment and colonization by more pathogenic mastitis-causing organisms. Zusammenfassung Humorale Immunantwort des Euters nach Besiedlung mit Corynebacterium bovis: Anzahl der Plasmazellpopulationen im Gewebe und Konzentrationen der Immunglobuline in der Milch Eutergewebe und Milchproben von acht laktierenden Kuhen wurden untersucht, um den Einflus einer anhaltenden Besiedlung mit Corynebacterium bovis auf die humorale Immunantwort zu bestimmen. Plasmazellen, die die Immunglobuline (Ig)G1 und IgG2 bildeten, dominierten in allen Vierteln, wahrend IgA- und IgM-produzierende Plasmazellen weniger haufig auftraten. Im Bereich der Furstenberg'schen Rosette war die Anzahl an Plasmazellen am grosten, gefolgt von den Parenchym- und Strichkanalgeweben aller Viertel. Im Parenchymgewebe, das mit C. bovis besiedelt war, traten signifikant mehr IgG1, IgA- und IgM-produzierende Plasmazellen als in den Kontrollen auf. Allerdings wurde nur ein leicht erhohter Anstieg der IgG-Konzentration in der Milch der mit C. bovis besiedelten Euterviertel beobachtet. Die Auswertung der relativen Haufigkeiten der in der Milch nachgewiesenen Immunglobuline deutet darauf hin, das IgG1, IgA und IgM selektiv angehauft wurden, wahrend IgG2 wahrscheinlich passiv vom Serum ubertragen wurde. Die erhohte Anzahl Ig-.produzierender Plasmazellen im Gewebe der Zitzenspitze der mit C. bovis besiedelten Viertel kann als Ursache fur eine Resistenz gegenuber der Anhaftung und Besiedlung mit weiteren pathogenen Mastitiserregern angesehen werden.
VIRUS INFECTION AND APOPTOSIS (ISSUE I): AN INTRODUCTION

Apoptosis is a highly regulated programmed cell death process, which is activated during normal development and by various stimuli that disturb cellular metabolism and physiology. It is a fundamental cellular process that has become a major focus of basic biomedical research. Due to the cell's innate ability to self-destruct, apoptosis is also an important mechanism of host response to viral infection. While there is an enormous amount of literature on the molecular aspects of cellular apoptosis, the field of apoptosis during viral infection is still in its infancy. The goal of this series of review articles is to critically evaluate the existing knowledge of viral infection and apoptosis in important fields of virology. The next several years should be very fruitful in this nascent research area.
Bound magnetic polarons and spin-flip Raman scattering in (Cd, Mn)Se

Abstract Spin-flip Raman scattering is used to determine the spin-flip energy ΔE as a function of applied field and temperature in (Cd,Mn)Se. At moderate B-fields, ΔE is approximately proportional to B/T resulting from mean-field behavior. At low fields, ΔE is described by a statistical mechanical model of bound magnetic polarons. Thermodynamic fluctuations of the magnetic ions are included by calculating the partition function in a general way using an exchange Hamiltonian. At B=0 the theory predicts the line-width and lineshape.
Hormonal modification of microsomal oxidase activity in the housefly

Abstract The effect of treatments with synthetic juvenile hormone and ecdysterone on microsomal heptachlor epoxidase activity was investigated in female adults of the Isolan-B strain of the housefly. Flies were treated topically or by injection and the microsomes prepared and assayed at intervals up to 36 hours later. Both hormones caused increased epoxidase activity, up to 65% above controls, with the maximum for ecdysterone occuring at 6 hours and for the juvenile hormone at 18 to 24 hours after treatment. Enhancement in the case of the juvenile hormone was preceded by an inhibitory phase at 12 to 18 hours. The increased activity of these enzymes could be prevented by simultaneous treatment with actinomycin D. The enhancement caused by the juvenile hormone could also be blocked by treatment with cycloheximide but this inhibitor had no effect on the activity of ecdysterone, presumably because of the shorter time involved. Microsomal epoxidase assay of untreated larvae revealed a burst of activity in the late third instar about 11 hours before pupation. Attempts to induce this activity by treatment with ecdysterone were unsuccessful.
Visual contrast sensitivity in Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, and older adults with cognitive complaints

Abstract Deficits in contrast sensitivity (CS) have been reported in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the extent of these deficits in prodromal AD stages, including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or even earlier, has not been investigated. In this study, CS was assessed using frequency doubling technology in older adults with AD ( n = 10), amnestic MCI ( n = 28), cognitive complaints without performance deficits (CC; n = 20), and healthy controls (HC; n = 29). The association between CS and cognition was also evaluated. Finally, the accuracy of CS measures for classifying MCI versus HC was evaluated. CS deficits were found in AD and MCI, while CC showed intermediate performance between MCI and HC. Upper right visual field CS showed the most significant difference among groups. CS was also associated with cognitive performance. Finally, CS measures accurately classified MCI versus HC. The CS deficits in AD and MCI, and intermediate performance in CC, indicate that these measures are sensitive to early AD-associated changes. Therefore, frequency doubling technology-based measures of CS may have promise as a novel AD biomarker.
Neonatal respiratory dysfunction and neuropsychological performance at the preschool age: a study of very preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Objective The neuropsychological outcome of chronic lung disease (CLD) in the very preterm (VP) infant may be determined by a process involving chronic hypoxia, with superimposed acute hypoxic episodes, in the developing brain. We wished to study the differences in quality of outcome between VP preschoolers with and without history of the most common form of CLD in the preterm infant, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We also examined the strength of association between BPD severity and neuropsychological outcome, with degree of severity defined according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Workshop categorical ranking scheme (Jobe & Bancalari, 2001) or in accord with dimensional views of severity of respiratory illness. Method We evaluated the intellectual, language, and motor outcomes of 156, predominantly middle-class preschoolers with history of VP birth, with (n = 80) or without (n = 76) BPD. We used supplemental oxygen requirement or need for mechanical ventilation as indirect indexes of respiratory dysfunction. Results Following adjustment for potentially confounding sociodemographic variables and perinatal medical risk factors, we found no group differences in neuropsychological outcome based on categorical ranking of BPD severity. However, continuous measures of BPD severity accounted for a unique portion of the variance in fine motor performance (η²p = .05), while patent ductus arteriosus, a risk marker or antecedent of BPD, explained a unique portion of the variance in both receptive language (η²p = .048), and gross motor (η²p = .061) function. Conclusion A significant, yet circumscribed, association was demonstrated between neonatal hypoxic risk, in the VP infant, and neuropsychological outcome assessed in the preschool years.
Inter-Pregnancy Intervals and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Results of a Population-Based Study

Recent studies have reported an increased risk of autism among second-born children conceived 36 months after the birth of a sibling. Confirmation of this finding would point to inter-pregnancy interval (IPI) as a potentially modifiable risk factor for autism. This study evaluated the relationship between IPI and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk in a Wisconsin birth cohort of 31,467 second-born children, of whom 160 resided in the study area and were found to have ASD at age 8 years. In adjusted analyses, both short ( 84 month) IPIs were associated with a two-fold risk of ASD relative to IPIs of 24–47 months (p < 0.05). The long IPI association was partially confounded by history of previous pregnancy loss.
Complexation of neptunium(V) with fluoride in aqueous solutions at elevated temperatures

Complexation of neptunium(V) with fluoride in aqueous solutions at elevated temperatures was studied by spectrophotometry and microcalorimetry. Two successive complexes, NpO2F(aq) and NpO2F 2 − , were identified by spectrophotometry in the temperature range of 10–70°C. Thermodynamic parameters, including the equilibrium constants and enthalpy of complexation between Np(V) and fluoride at 10–70°C were determined. Results show that the complexation of Np(V) with fluoride is endothermic and that the complexation is enhanced by the increase in temperature — a two-fold increase in the stability constants of NpO2F(aq) and more than five-fold increase in the stability constants of NpO2F 2 − as the temperature is increased from 10 to 70°C.
Basic model and governing equation of solar cells used in power and control applications

This paper provides an overview of modeling of a group of commercially available solar cells to ease the study of solar powered electric systems. The models solar cells can be accurately used to predict the behavior of the system operation under different conditions.
Towards the identification of essential genes using targeted genome sequencing and comparative analysis

The identification of genes essential for survival is of theoretical importance in the understanding of the minimal requirements for cellular life, and of practical importance in the identification of potential drug targets in novel pathogens. With the great time and expense required for experimental studies aimed at constructing a catalog of essential genes in a given organism, a computational approach which could identify essential genes with high accuracy would be of great value. We gathered numerous features which could be generated automatically from genome sequence data and assessed their relationship to essentiality, and subsequently utilized machine learning to construct an integrated classifier of essential genes in both S. cerevisiae and E. coli. When looking at single features, phyletic retention, a measure of the number of organisms an ortholog is present in, was the most predictive of essentiality. Furthermore, during construction of our phyletic retention feature we for the first time explored the evolutionary relationship among the set of organisms in which the presence of a gene is most predictive of essentiality. We found that in both E. coli and S. cerevisiae the optimal sets always contain host-associated organisms with small genomes which are closely related to the reference. Using five optimally selected organisms, we were able to improve predictive accuracy as compared to using all available sequenced organisms. We hypothesize the predictive power of these genomes is a consequence of the process of reductive evolution, by which many parasites and symbionts evolved their gene content. In addition, essentiality is measured in rich media, a condition which resembles the environments of these organisms in their hosts where many nutrients are provided. Finally, we demonstrate that integration of our most highly predictive features using a probabilistic classifier resulted in accuracies surpassing any individual feature. Using features obtainable directly from sequence data, we were able to construct a classifier which can predict essential genes with high accuracy. Furthermore, our analysis of the set of genomes in which the presence of a gene is most predictive of essentiality may suggest ways in which targeted sequencing can be used in the identification of essential genes. In summary, the methods presented here can aid in the reduction of time and money invested in essential gene identification by targeting those genes for experimentation which are predicted as being essential with a high probability.
Robust neighbor discovery in multi-hop multi-channel heterogeneous wireless networks

An important first step when deploying a wireless ad hoc network is neighbor discovery in which every node attempts to determine the set of nodes it can communicate within one wireless hop. In the recent years, cognitive radio (CR) technology has gained attention as an attractive approach to alleviate spectrum congestion. A cognitive radio transceiver can operate over a wide range of frequencies possibly spanning multiple frequency bands. A cognitive radio node can opportunistically utilize unused wireless spectrum without interference from other wireless devices in its vicinity. Due to spatial variations in frequency usage and hardware variations in radio transceivers, different nodes in the network may perceive different subsets of frequencies available to them for communication. This heterogeneity in the available channel sets across the network increases the complexity of solving the neighbor discovery problem in a cognitive radio network. In this work, we design and analyze several randomized algorithms for neighbor discovery in such a (heterogeneous) network under a variety of assumptions (e.g., maximum node degree known or unknown) for both synchronous and asynchronous systems under minimal knowledge. We also show that our randomized algorithms are naturally suited to tolerate unreliable channels and adversarial attacks. We present a suite of randomized neighbor discovery algorithms for cognitive radio networks in synchronous as well as asynchronous networks.Our algorithms guarantee completion with arbitrary high probability.We show that our algorithms are robust to jamming attacks under certain assumptions.
Undergraduate nursing education in the United States

Abstract Nursing education in the United States began in the 1870s with hospital training schools modeled after the Nightingale plan. Presently there are three educational paths that students may take to become a registered nurse (RN). These are the baccalaureate degree (BS), the associate degree (AD) and the diploma. Accelerated nursing programs are also available for people who have a baccalaureate degree in another field. Nursing education and nursing practice in the United States is regulated by each of the 50 states. The focus of nursing education is the preparation of nurses who use critical thinking skills to provide comprehensive patient-centered care to a variety of clients. It is expected that nurses will function using evidence-based practice in a culturally competent, safe manner. Nursing schools must be approved by the state in which they exist. In addition to this, most nursing schools are also accredited, a voluntary process that is done by a non-governmental association. All graduates take the same licensing exam, a computer adaptive test that is from 75 to 265 items long. In 2008 almost 120,000 US educated graduates were first time test takers; 85.5% passed the exam. Trends in nursing education include a focus on evidence based practice, an emphasis on safety and quality, patient education and management of chronic conditions, genetics and genomics and the use of simulation in nursing education.
Lower radicals in nonassociative rings

Let W be a universal class of (not necessarily associative) rings and let A ⊆ W . Kurosh has given in [6] a construction for LA , the lower radical class determined by A in W . Using this construction, Leavitt and Hoffmann have proved in [4] that if A is a hereditary class (if K ∈ A and I is an ideal of K , then I ∈ A ), then LA is also hereditary. In this paper an alternate lower radical construction is given. As applications, a simple proof is given of the theorem of Leavitt and Hoffmann and a result of Yu-Lee Lee for alternative rings is extended to not necessarily associative rings.
Synthesis of passive vibration isolation mounts for machine tools - a control systems paradigm

The machine tool industry is rather unique in the sense that the machine needs to be isolated against two contradictory disturbance mechanisms which disturb the metrology loop besides exciting structural resonances on the machine and leading to error motions. These are due to seismic vibrations and payload disturbance forces that occur either due to the machining process or the motion of various components on the machine tool. This paper casts the vibration isolation problem as a control paradigm and relates the effect of the contradictory disturbance forces to sensitivity and complementary sensitivity functions. Thus, the passive isolation problem is demonstrated to be subject to the same fundamental trade-off encountered in the design of control systems. Optimal techniques in control literature are then shown to be applicable to the passive mount synthesis. In particular, this paper describes the application of Kalman filtering techniques to the passive mount synthesis problem.
Three-dimensional shape reconstruction of abdominal aortic aneurysm

This paper presents an effective computational technique for reconstructing a three-dimensional shape of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), from a limited number of computed tomography (CT) images. The three-dimensional template geometry of a healthy abdominal aorta is used as a priori knowledge, and the template geometry is deformed by extended free-form deformation (EFFD), to generate a patient-specific AAA geometry. A two-step optimization scheme is devised to find an optimal set of EFFD parameters that match the cross-section of a deformed template with an AAA contour shown in a CT image. The geometric continuity of a deformed model is maintained by raising the order of the polynomial function used in EFFD. Experimental results show that the proposed method creates the three-dimensional shape of AAA suitable for structural finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics for medical diagnosis.
Filler induced metal crush failure mechanism in plastic encapsulated devices

Filler particles from the mold compound can give rise to local stress on the integrated circuit die surface, cracking the passivation, resulting in a metal to polysilicon short or a metal to metal short. The metal damage under the passivation is termed as metal crush. This study shows that metal crush takes place only in plastic encapsulated devices and is predominant in plastic packages with silicone gel die overcoat. Experiments and finite element simulations have shown that the use of ultra low stress molding compound without silicone gel die overcoat eliminates metal crush failures. This study also presents the minimum silicone gel die overcoat thickness that prevents metal crush failures in plastic encapsulated devices with low stress molding compound and silicone gel die overcoat.
10 Pearls for Safe Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery

Abstract The introduction of the endoscopic endonasal approach for the management of lesions of the skull base has produced a paradigm shift in the way complicated lesions of this complex anatomic location are managed. The endonasal approach provides the most direct route to the anterior cranial base and adjacent skull base locations. This article presents the 10 most important tenets that have proved useful to the authors regarding postoperative patient management and surgical practice.
Analyses of Vehicular Delays and Queues at Intersections With Adaptive and Fixed Timing Control Strategies

In this paper, we develop a queuing model for a traffic-adaptive strategy to control a 2-phase intersection. The strategy is an approximation of the RHODES strategy (1), which essentially "switches to next phase when the served queue clears." In fact, Newell was the first to compare such a strategy with rolling horizon using a continuous-time formulation (2). This model can be used to analyze vehicular delays and queue distributions at an intersection with a two- phase signal, where the vehicle arrival process is Poisson, for both fixed timing signal control and traffic-adaptive signal control. Numerical results for the two control strategies are provided and compared. I. INTRODUCTION here are lots of studies focusing on modeling traffic flow at signalized intersection. Stephanopoulos and Michalopoulos presented a method to model and analyze traffic queue dynamics at signalized intersections based on the linear flow-density model (3). Newell made a comparison between the rolling horizon strategy of traffic signal control and the strategy of switching the signal when a queue vanishes (2). In these papers the traffic volumes are assumed to be uniformly distributed. Olszewski developed a stochastic model of signalized intersection, using this model we can analyze the delay and queue distribution of an intersection with stochastic arrival (4). Simulation is another popular approach. Zhang, et al, described the process by which control delay could be determined in the CORSIM module of TSIS 5.0 (5). Tian, et al, have compared the results of various traffic simulation models to the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) (2000) (6). These studies usually focus on comparing the results produced by different models and make recommendations on which simulation model better replicates the results of either the HCM or field data. In this paper, we propose a method to analyze the signalized intersection with Poisson arrivals theoretically. Base on the known distribution of busy period of M/G/1 system, we analyze the distribution of busy period of the intersection with multiple vehicles waiting at the beginning of a green phase. Then we consider two types of traffic signals, adaptive signal and fixed timing signal. With
Targeting the HER2 pathway for the therapy of lower esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma

Introduction: The mysteries of complex molecular pathways of tumorigenesis are only beginning to be unraveled. Overexpression of HER2 receptors has been associated with adverse outcomes in certain malignant solid tumors. Areas covered: The authors give a focused review of the HER2 pathway and its importance for cancer cell survival. Similar to the situation in breast cancer, HER2 overexpression is seen in up to one-quarter of all gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinomas. The audience will also be familiarized with the existing HER2 targeted agents (both at the bench and at the bedside) for the therapy of gastric and gastroesophageal cancers. Expert opinion: Despite recent advances, treatment of upper gastrointestinal malignancies remains a significant challenge. Trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy is the current standard of therapy for patients with metastatic HER2-overexpressing esophageal and gastric cancers. The activity of lapatinib, an active agent in advanced HER2-positive brea...
Retention in higher education: A selective resource guide

This chapter concludes the volume with resources and Web sites for the interested reader and researcher.
Yucca-derived synthesis of gold nanomaterial and their catalytic potential

AuNPs ranging in 20 to 300 nm size were synthesized at a room temperature using Yucca filamentosa leaf extract. Diverse nanomaterial morphologies were obtained by varying the extract concentration, reaction pH, and temperature. While low volumes of extract (0.25 and 0.5 mL) induced the formation of microscale Au sheets with edge length greater than 1 μm, high volumes yielded spherical particles ranging from 20 to 200 nm. Varying pH of the solution significantly influenced the particle shape with the production of largely spherical particles at pH 5 to 6 and truncated triangles at pH 2. Separation of multidimensional nanostructures was achieved using a novel method of sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The catalytic function of Yucca-derived AuNPs was demonstrated by degradation of a wastewater dye: methylene blue using spectrophotometric measurements over time. Treatment with Au nanosheets and spheres demonstrated methylene blue degradation approximately 100% greater than the activity in control at 60 min.
The illusion of fiscal illusion: Unsticking the flypaper effect

Recognizing that it is difficult to prove a negative, this paper marshals evidence in support of the hypothesis that the widely documented flypaper effect of federal grants to state and local governments is purely a statistical artifact. A review of previous studies and a monte carlo investigation suggest that the use of an inappropriate functional form may generate an illusory flypaper effect. A local expenditure equation is then estimated in alternative specifications with ten years of state level data. Empirical results confirm the sensitivity of the flypaper effect to specification, and tests of fit unambiguously favor one functional form. That specification yields no statistical evidence of a flypaper effect.
Invariant recognition in hyperspectral images

The spectral radiance measured for a material by an airborne hyperspectral sensor depends strongly on. The illumination environment and the atmospheric conditions. This dependence has limited the success of material identification algorithms that rely exclusively on the information contained in hyperspectral image data. In this paper we use a comprehensive physical model to show that the set of observed 0.4-2.5 /spl mu/m spectral radiance vectors for a material lies in a lour-dimensional subspace of the hyperspectral measurement space. The physical model captures the dependence of reflected sunlight, reflected skylight, and path radiance terms on the scene geometry and on the distribution of atmospheric gases and aerosols over a wide range of conditions. Using the subspace model, we develop a local maximum likelihood algorithm for automated material identification that is invariant to illumination, atmospheric conditions, and the scene geometry. We demonstrate the invariant algorithm for the automated identification of material samples in HYDICE imagery acquired under different illumination and atmospheric conditions.
Duty-cycle distortion and specifications for jitter test-signal generation

Duty-cycle distortion is one of the causes of deterministic jitter. Clarification and refinement of this jitter type is presented here. The jitter-tree is then updated with the jitter types discussed. Predicting the behavior of electrical systems under stress from jitter through simulations is limited by the availability of signal sources with controllable and flexible jitter properties in the design environment. A jitter specification method for ISI and DCD is recommended.
Nutrition, dietary interventions and prostate cancer: the latest evidence

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a leading cause of mortality in US men and the prevalence continues to rise world-wide especially in countries where men consume a ‘Western-style’ diet. Epidemiologic, preclinical and clinical studies suggest a potential role for dietary intake on the incidence and progression of PCa. 'This minireview provides an overview of recent published literature with regard to nutrients, dietary factors, dietary patterns and PCa incidence and progression. Low carbohydrates intake, soy protein, omega-3 (w-3) fat, green teas, tomatoes and tomato products and zyflamend showed promise in reducing PCa risk or progression. A higher saturated fat intake and a higher β-carotene status may increase risk. A ‘U’ shape relationship may exist between folate, vitamin C, vitamin D and calcium with PCa risk. Despite the inconsistent and inconclusive findings, the potential for a role of dietary intake for the prevention and treatment of PCa is promising. The combination of all the beneficial factors for PCa risk reduction in a healthy dietary pattern may be the best dietary advice. This pattern includes rich fruits and vegetables, reduced refined carbohydrates, total and saturated fats, and reduced cooked meats. Further carefully designed prospective trials are warranted.
Diagnosis of the record discharge of Arctic-draining Eurasian rivers in 2007

Aggregate annual discharge from the six largest Arctic-draining Eurasian rivers achieved an all-time record high in 2007, accentuating a long-term upward trend that argues for intensification of the Arctic hydrologic cycle. This record discharge was due in part to strong positive anomalies in late winter snow water equivalent across much of northern Eurasia. These anomalies arose in response to an unusual pattern of atmospheric circulation in late 2006 and early 2007, characterized by an extreme northeastward extension of the Icelandic Low and a contraction of the Siberian High. Positive net precipitation anomalies then continued into summer, further contributing to discharge.
Factorial Validity of a Referral Preference Rating Scale

The validity of the Referral Preference Rating Scale (RPRS) was studied for a sample of 294 high school teachers. The teachers responded to a 50 item four-level Liker-type rating scale. A principal axis factor analysis with a varimax rotation disclosed four behavior categories of concern to teachers. The categories of behavior which interfered with classroom teaching were related to physical aggression, interruptions of class attendance, lack of readiness to become involved in a task, and inappropriate verbal behavior. It is concluded that the Referral Preference Rating Scale identified the main concerns of classroom teachers at the secondary level and clustered these concerns in terms of the most disruptive classroom behaviors.
Regional land resource eco-security evaluation

This paper, based on the analysis of the characters of land use in one region, by ecological footprint and ecological system stability evaluation model, measured the land resource eco-security in Baoji city and its sub-districts and revealed the difference in land resource eco-security when measured by subdivision and non-subdivision in order to provide reference for developing eco-friendly land use pattern. The result shows that land resource eco-security of Central River and Plateau Area was in security and deteriorated; In Southern Alpine Area, it is in genera safety; Northern Hilly Area is in worse state; the whole of land resource eco-security is deteriorated of Baoji city in 2006.
A Fuzzy-Based Hierarchical Energy Efficient Routing Protocol for Large Scale Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (FEER)

A mobile Ad-Hoc network (MANET) is a collection of autonomous arbitrarily located wireless mobile hosts, in which an infrastructure is absent. In this paper we propose a fuzzy-based hierarchical energy efficient routing scheme (FEER) for large scale mobile ad-hoc networks that aims to maximize the network's lifetime. Each node in the network is characterized by its residual energy, traffic, and mobility. We develop a fuzzy logic controller that combines these parameters, keeping in mind the synergy between them. The value obtained, indicates the importance of a node and it is used in network formation and maintenance. We compare our approach to another energy efficient hierarchical protocol based on the dominating set (DS) idea. Our simulation shows that our design out performs the DS approach in prolonging the network lifetime.