cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regional Employment Implications for Geothermal Energy Development in Imperial County, California

This chapter examines possible employment and associated local labor market effects of geothermal development in Imperial County, California. We first discuss available historical evidence from similar past research and then examine studies relating to the prospect of geothermal development in Imperial County. Next, we examine U.S. Census statistics on the county by using statistical regression in order to understand its socioeconomic characteristics, and to project potential employment effects of geothermal development. Finally, we address the applicability and potential usefulness of regression results to prospective geothermal development.
Modular charge recycling pass transistor logic (MCRPL)

Modular charge recycling pass transistor logic (MCRPL) based on the charge recycling concept and a modular circuit design methodology is proposed for high speed and low power applications. In an 8 bit comparator, MCRPL improves the power-delay product over that obtained using dynamic differential cascode voltage switch (DCVS) logic and half-rail differential logic (HRDL) by 53 and 30%, respectively.
Having Men for Dinner: Deadly Banquets and Biblical Women

This essay looks at several biblical women who use the power of food and drink, the banquet with its implications of seduction, to kill men or to determine whom the dining men kill. I will be askin...
Complex Harmony: The Military and Professional Models of Policing

This article discusses the importance of the military model throughout police reform, and how it has coexisted with, rather than been supplanted by, the professional model. Early reformers chose the military upon which to structure their concept of the urban police. That concept was refashioned into the professional model as the background of the reformers changed. This new model then replaced the military model in criminal justice literature, public vernacular, and police self-image, although the military model continued to exist under the radar. Today the “militarization of the police” is a major criminal justice topic, but its recent visibility is actually an ongoing part of the original reform ideal.
Thoughts on love, sex, and commitment.

Abstract The effort is made to delineate some of the key issues involved in the interaction of love, sex, and commitment. Coupling is viewed from an ethological perspective that suggests that, in addition to the developmental contribution of the parent-child experience, peer-peer relating is a major determinant of adult hetrosexual relatedness. Couples are next considered as responding to social and economic forces that influence powerfully what types and duration of relationships have survival value. Finally, the nature of the inner experience of couples, their existential awareness of themselves and the other, and the meaning that they attribute to it is discussed. Being a member of a couple is participating in a story, sometimes a “love story”, and whether or not it is seen as a good story depends on one's critical vantage point. Finally, the analysis of relationships is contrasted with the experience of a relationship as a gestalt, a whole; not as the sum of its parts.
Oxidation of MoSi2 and comparison with other silicide materials

The oxidation behavior of MoSi2 in three fabrication conditions has been studied in oxygen and in air. The cast material was studied over the temperature range 500–1400°C, the hot isostatically pressed (HIP) material was studied at 500 and 1000°C and the single crystals were studied at 500°C. The cast material exhibited three regimes of behavior. Above 1000°C a continuous protective silica scale formed. Between 600 and 1000°C a silica scale formed, but formation of silica within grain boundaries, which are believed to be cracked, was observed. At temperatures near 500°C accelerated linear oxidation, involving the formation of both Mo and Si oxides was observed and the specimen fragmented into powder (“pested”). The HIP material exhibited two regimes. At 1000°C a protective silica film formed. At temperatures around 500°C the HIP material underwent accelerated oxidation but did not fragment. The oxidation of the single crystal was qualitatively the same as that for the HIP material at 500°C. It was concluded, therefore, that accelerated oxidation is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for pesting to occur. The pesting of the cast material was concluded to occur by oxidation along pre-existing microcracks in the MoSi2. Preoxidation at 1000°C was found to be only partially successful in limiting accelerated oxidation during subsequent exposure at 500°C. The oxidation of TaSi2 was observed to be qualitatively the same as that for MoSi2. However, the high thermodynamic stability and low volatility of Ta2O5 result in much higher temperatures being required for the occurrence of selective oxidation of Si.
SWAMI: An autonomous mobile robot for inspection of nuclear waste storage facilities

The Stored Waste Autonomous Mobile Inspector (SWAMI) is a prototype mobile robot designed to perform autonomous inspection of nuclear and hazardous waste storage facilities. The onboard control system, consisting of three Motorola 68030-based microcomputers, controls a number of subsystem components including barcode readers, cameras, and a radiation detector. The control system software, running under the VxWorks real-time operating system, is designed toward the client-server model and is implemented in C++. GENISAS, a communication library developed by the Sandia National Laboratories, is used extensively. Much of the onboard software was generated by a custom code generation tool called Moses.
Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Induces Pro-Fibrotic/M2 Phenotype in Murine Cardiac Macrophages

Objective Inflammation and fibrosis are intertwined in multiple disease processes. We have previously found that over-expression of urokinase plasminogen activator in macrophages induces spontaneous macrophage accumulation and fibrosis specific to the heart in mice. Understanding the relationship between inflammation and fibrosis in the heart is critical to developing therapies for diverse myocardial diseases. Therefore, we sought to determine if uPA induces changes in macrophage function that promote cardiac collagen accumulation. Methods and Results We analyzed the effect of the uPA transgene on expression of pro-inflammatory (M1) and pro-fibrotic (M2) genes and proteins in hearts and isolated macrophages of uPA overexpressing mice. We found that although there was elevation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 in hearts of transgenic mice, IL-6 is not a major effector of uPA induced cardiac fibrosis. However, uPA expressing bone marrow-derived macrophages are polarized to express M2 genes in response to IL-4 stimulation, and these M2 genes are upregulated in uPA expressing macrophages following migration to the heart. In addition, while uPA expressing macrophages express a transcriptional profile that is seen in tumor–associated macrophages, these macrophages promote collagen expression in cardiac but not embryonic fibroblasts. Conclusions Urokinase plasminogen activator induces an M2/profibrotic phenotype in macrophages that is fully expressed after migration of macrophages into the heart. Understanding the mechanisms by which uPA modulates macrophage function may reveal insights into diverse pathologic processes.
Nicotine withdrawal and craving in adolescents: effects of sex and hormonal contraceptive use.

The current findings suggest that adolescent females experience similar NW severity to males, but have stronger NC. Further, the use of hormonal contraceptives may impact the severity of craving. Addressing these different symptoms in adolescents may be useful in increasing smoking cessation rates in this special population of smokers.
Drug-Induced Autoimmune-Like Hepatitis

The clinical phenotype of classical autoimmune hepatitis can be mimicked by idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury, and differentiation can be difficult. The goals of this review are to enumerate the major agents of drug-induced autoimmune-like hepatitis, describe the clinical findings and risk factors associated with it, detail the clinical tools by which to assess causality, discuss putative pathogenic mechanisms, and describe treatment and outcome. The frequency of drug-induced autoimmune-like hepatitis among patients with classical features of autoimmune hepatitis is 9%. Minocycline and nitrofurantoin are implicated in 90% of cases. Female predominance, acute onset, and absence of cirrhosis at presentation are important clinical manifestations. Genetic factors affecting phase I and phase II transformations of the drug, polymorphisms that protect against cellular oxidative stress, and human leukocyte antigens that modulate the immune response may be important pathogenic components. Clinical judgment is the mainstay of diagnosis as structured diagnostic methods for drug-induced liver injury are imperfect. The covalent binding of a reactive drug metabolite to a hepatocyte surface protein (commonly a phase I or phase II enzyme), formation of a neoantigen, activation of CD8 T lymphocytes with nonselective antigen receptors, and deficient immune regulatory mechanisms are the main bases for a transient loss of self-tolerance. Discontinuation of the offending drug is the essential treatment. Spontaneous improvement usually ensues within 1 month. Corticosteroid therapy is warranted for symptomatic severe disease, and it is almost invariably effective. Relapse after corticosteroid withdrawal probably does not occur, and its absence distinguishes drug-induced disease from classical autoimmune hepatitis.
Critical Industrial Practice: Branding, Repurposing, and the Migratory Patterns of Industrial Texts

This article examines the integral, reflexive, and critical functions that industrial texts play in contemporary corporate repurposing, cross-collateralization, and branding. More than simply practitioner discourses, the article takes as its object what it terms the “low theoretical” tendencies found in “deep” industrial texts to better understand the critical-theoretical competencies and marketing imperatives behind the textual practices of the new media conglomerates. The article reconsiders the tripartite model offered by Fiske and Gripsrud, by showing how secondary and tertiary television texts persistently migrate toward primary textual status in the current American multichannel flow. A close examination of industrial textual practice (programming events, network branding [the NBC-2000 campaign], station IDs, making-ofs, video press kits, promo tapes, TV-web synergies, and ancillary marketing) shows how the industry theorizes its presence in moving image form, even as it teaches the audience at home...
Basal levels of max are sufficient for the cotransformation of C3H10T1/2 cells by ras and myc.

Abstract The ras and myc oncoproteins cooperate to transform the established murine fibroblast cell line C3H10T1/2. To determine the impact of overexpression of the myc oncoprotein on the phenotype of C3H10T1/2 cells, two C3H10Tl/2- myc clonal cell lines, SVc- myc 11A and myc neo 13A, were isolated and characterized. Although both C3H10Tl/2- myc cell lines are morphologically indistinguishable from wild-type C3H10T1/2 cells and possess growth properties similar to those of C3H10T1/2 cells, each displays a predisposition to transformation following transfection with the activated form of the human H- ras gene. In C3H10T1/2 cells overexpressing the v- myc or H- ras oncogenes, the levels of mRNA encoding max, the recently identified oligomerization partner of myc, remain unchanged, suggesting that the endogenous level of max in C3H10T1/2 cells is sufficient for a high frequency of transformation by ras and myc. Based on these studies, the C3H10Tl/2- myc clonal cell lines we describe are suitable model systems for examining the molecular role of the myc protein in transformation and for characterizing additional factors that synergize with myc in multistep transformation.
Prefrontal cortical–striatal dopamine receptor mRNA expression predicts distinct forms of impulsivity

Variation in dopamine receptor levels has been associated with different facets of impulsivity. To further delineate the neural substrates underlying impulsive action (inability to withhold a prepotent motor response) and impulsive choice (delay aversion), we characterised rats in the Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates of Responding task and a delay discounting task. We also measured performance on an effort-based discounting task. We then assessed D1 and D2 dopamine receptor mRNA expression in subregions of the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens using in situ hybridisation, and compared these data with behavioral performance. Expression of D1 and D2 receptor mRNA in distinct brain regions was predictive of impulsive action. A dissociation within the nucleus accumbens was observed between subregions and receptor subtypes; higher D1 mRNA expression in the shell predicted greater impulsive action, whereas lower D2 mRNA expression in the core predicted greater impulsive action. We also observed a negative correlation between impulsive action and D2 mRNA expression in the prelimbic cortex. Interestingly, a similar relationship was present between impulsive choice and prelimbic cortex D2 mRNA, despite the fact that behavioral indices of impulsive action and impulsive choice were uncorrelated. Finally, we found that both high D1 mRNA expression in the insular cortex and low D2 mRNA expression in the infralimbic cortex were associated with willingness to exert effort for rewards. Notably, dopamine receptor mRNA in these regions was not associated with either facet of impulsivity. The data presented here provide novel molecular and neuroanatomical distinctions between different forms of impulsivity, as well as effort-based decision-making.
Mode I stress intensity factor estimate for a half-penny shaped crack in a trilayer structure by reduction to a bilayer model

The stress intensity factor (SIF) of a half-penny shaped crack normal to the interface in the top layer of a three-layer bonded structure is obtained by the finite element method for a wide range of parameters. To obtain a simple estimate of the SIF, the method of reduction of an idealized cracked trilayer domain to that of a corresponding bilayer domain has been introduced based on the notion of an equivalent homogeneous material substitution for the two bottom layers. The results obtained are utilized in estimating the SIF of a small crack at the interface in a trilayer structure subjected to an indentation load based on the stress calculations in a corresponding uncracked structure. The simplification method may be useful in predicting brittle failure initiating from interfacial flaws in layered structural components with complex geometries that would normally require extensive computational modeling.
Effect of Point Imperfections on the Electrical Properties of Copper. II. Thermoelectric Power

The changes in the thermoelectric power of copper due to the presence of interstitials and vacancies have been calculated in the free electron approximation. It is found that the changes for concentrations of defects encountered in experiments on radiation damage due to massive charged particles are, at liquid nitrogen temperature, of the same magnitude as the absolute thermoelectric power of pure copper. Both interstitials and vacancies tend to reduce the absolute thermoelectric power of copper, and this effect should be readily observable in a suitably designed experiment. It is suggested that the effect may also be used to throw additional light on the processes which occur in the annealing of an irradiated sample.The calculated changes in the thermoelectric property of copper due to Frenkel defects are also of such magnitude as to make adequate precautionary measures necessary whenever the thermocouple, which is used to measure the temperature of the specimen, is also in the beam of the massive charged particles. Unless the thermocouple is suitably screened from the beam, unreliable temperature measurement is likely to result. Curves showing the predicted temperature and concentration dependence of the thermoelectric power change due to Frenkel defects are presented.The effect of small concentrations of arsenic in solid solution in copper on the thermoelectric power of copper has also been calculated by the same procedure. The calculated results are in satisfactory agreement with experiment, indicating that the results for interstitials and vacancies are probably of the correct magnitude.
Numerical Simulation of Optical Trap Systems

The current work deals with numerical simulation of optical trap systems at time scales varying from very small to very large. This analysis is important to understand the effects of different forces acting on the optically trapped particle. The significance of inertia forces are also evaluated at these time scales. A novel method of computing diffusion coefficient from the simulated values is proposed. It has been shown that the computed values of the diffusion coefficient are an exact match to the theoretical results.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Balancing antimicrobial efficacy and toxicity of currently available topical ophthalmic preservatives

Medical treatment of ophthalmic diseases relies primarily on the use of multidose drugs. Short term use is highly effective usually with little local toxicity. However, chronic use of these preparations not only increases the likelihood of microbial contamination and secondary ocular infection, but also of toxicity from the drug formulation itself. Increasing awareness of the toxicity of ophthalmic preservatives has led to an increasing variety of preservative schemes ranging from “self-preservation” to ionic buffer systems. Beyond outdated testing methods, the anti-microbial efficacy of most of these systems is poorly defined, potentially placing these preparations at an unknown risk of contamination by unmonitored, untested organisms. No uniformity in toxicity testing exists which further complicates the clinician’s judgment of the risk–benefit of using a particular drug formulation. In this manuscript we examine in detail each of the current employed ophthalmic preservative regimens with respect to their known antimicrobial activity and potential toxicity, where known. We also survey the most popular ophthalmic preparations, detailing their preservation schemes as well as concentrations to help the clinician in choosing an appropriate formulation for the treatment of various ophthalmic diseases.
An empirical model for calculating second virial coefficients

Abstract A model for calculating the second virial coefficients of pure compounds and mixtures is proposed. This model derives from a new equation of state which obeys some theoretical constraints and it requires only the molar volume and the vaporization enthalpy at the normal boiling point as input parameters. The new relation is applied to correlate the B values of nearly 70 compounds which represent several molecular types, including strongly associated or dimerizing compounds. Rules are given to generalize the empirical constants of both models in order to predict the B values. The extension to correlate or to predict the second cross virial coefficient is also examined for 20 binary mixtures. The reliability of the proposed model is evaluated by comparison with the Tsonopoulos correlation.
Extended measurements of the resistive critical current transition

The resistive critical current transition has been measured in a variety of Nb-Ti wires over several decades in voltage. The measurements were made as a function of magnetic field for wires with a variety of processing conditions, leading to both intrinsic and extrinsic limitations to the critical current (I/sub c/). Measurements of the wire geometry by image analysis have been used to assess the extent of extrinsic limitation of I/sub c/ and to see if any correlation exists between the V(I) transition and the filament geometry. A weak correlation between the linear variation in the cross-sectional area of the filaments and the I/sub c/ distribution of the samples was observed. >
A Simple Game for the Study of Trust in Distributed Systems

Trust is an important aspect of the design and analysis of secure distributed systems. It is often used informally to designate those portions of a system that must function correctly in order to achieve the desired outcome. But it is a notoriously diffcult notion to formalize. What are the properties of trust? How is it learned, propagated, and utilized successfully? How can it be modeled? How can a trust model be used to derive protocols that are effcient and reliable when employed in today’s expansive networks? Past work has been concerned with only a few of these issues, without concentrating on the need for a comprehensive approach to trust modeling.
Active control of structures using time delayed positive feedback proportional control designs

This paper explores a new methodology for the active control of structures through the use of time delayed, positive feedback proportional control. The idea is to utilize intentional time delays, which may not necessarily be small when compared with the natural periods of vibration of a structure. Such time delayed systems are infinite dimensional. Analytical and computational results related to both system and non-system poles are herein provided for the first time. Results related to the stability of the presented control methodology are given. The efficacy of the control design is illustrated by applying it to a structure modelled as a single-degree-of-freedom system subjected to strong earthquake ground shaking. It is shown that while displaying good stability characteristics, the performance of such time delayed positive feedback proportional control can be even superior—in terms of both, reduced structural response, and reduced control effort—to standard proportional negative feedback control designs with no time delay. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phenomenological dynamics of loop quantum cosmology in Kantowski-Sachs spacetime

The fundamental theory and the semiclassical description of loop quantum cosmology (LQC) have been studied in the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker and Bianchi I models. As an extension to include both anisotropy and intrinsic curvature, this paper investigates the cosmological model of Kantowski-Sachs spacetime with a free massless scalar field at the level of phenomenological dynamics with the LQC discreteness corrections. The LQC corrections are implemented in two different improved quantization schemes. In both schemes, the big bang and big crunch singularities of the classical solution are resolved and replaced by the big bounces when the area or volume scale factor approaches the critical values in the Planck regime measured by the reference of the scalar field momentum. Symmetries of scaling are also noted and suggest that the fundamental spatial scale (area gap) may give rise to a temporal scale. The bouncing scenarios are in an analogous fashion of the Bianchi I model, naturally extending the observations obtained previously.
Studies in Ergot*: II. Alkaloids of North American Ergot

A phytochemical investigation of North American ergot was undertaken, using a modification of the extraction procedure applied previously to ergotamine-containing Swiss ergot. The peptides isolated as phthalates consisted of ergotamine and ergocristine apparently in solid solution. Rye ergots of Canadian and Japanese origins gave the same results, as did American barley and durum wheat ergots. All of these ergots also yielded ergonovine, and thus for the first time isolation of all three types of alkaloids, i. e., ergotoxine, ergotamine, and ergonovine from the same ergot is reported. The mixed ergotamine-ergocristine salt was separated into its component parts. Valuable physical data for the various compounds are reported.
Solving Divide and Conquer Recurrences

This article presents a “cookbook” approach to determining the asymptotic behavior of the solution to a divide and conquer recurrence. This approach is much more easily mastered by students than any of the usual approaches.
Empirische Analyse von Betriebsabläufen in ambulanten Alten- und Krankenpflegeeinrichtungen

Im Rahmen lokaler Versorgungskonzepte bei Pflege- und Hilfebedurftigkeit spielen ambulante Alten- und Krankenpflegeeinrichtungen eine ganz zentrale Rolle. Sie sichern insbesondere die Versorgung der Betroffenen mit Grund- und Behandlungspflege, sind aber teilweise auch mit Hilfestellungen bei der hauswirtschaftlichen Versorgung betraut. Um nahere Informationen uber die genaue Struktur der erbrachten Leistungen sowie der inanspruchnehmenden Betroffenen zu erhalten, bzw. den zusatzlichen Aufwand der Einrichtungen beispielsweise fur Fahrzeiten des Pflegepersonals zu ermitteln, wurden entsprechende Betriebsablaufe detailliert dokumentiert und ausgewertet. In Anlehnung an das Konzept arbeitswissenschaftlicher Methoden in Form von Tatigkeitsanalysen wurden 318 Einsatzstunden von Pflegepersonal in ausgewahlten Einrichtungen in der Untersuchungsregion Augsburg differenziert protokolliert und analysiert. Demzufolge zahlen Frauen deutlich haufiger zum Klientel dieser Einrichtungen, jedoch ist der durchschnittliche Zeitaufwand bei ihnen geringer als bei Mannern. Die Dauer der erbrachten Leistungen variiert stark mit den berucksichtigten Diagnosen, wohingegen das Alter einen vergleichsweise geringen Einflus hat. Der Anteil der Fahrzeiten betragt fast 25 %.
Inhibition of c-Myc activity by ribosomal protein L11

The c-Myc oncoprotein promotes cell growth by enhancing ribosomal biogenesis through upregulation of RNA polymerases I-, II-, and III-dependent transcription. Overexpression of c-Myc and aberrant ribosomal biogenesis leads to deregulated cell growth and tumorigenesis. Hence, c-Myc activity and ribosomal biogenesis must be regulated in cells. Here, we show that ribosomal protein L11, a component of the large subunit of the ribosome, controls c-Myc function through a negative feedback mechanism. L11 is transcriptionally induced by c-Myc, and overexpression of L11 inhibits c-Myc-induced transcription and cell proliferation. Conversely, reduction of endogenous L11 by siRNA increases these c-Myc activities. Mechanistically, L11 binds to the Myc box II (MB II), inhibits the recruitment of the coactivator TRRAP, and reduces histone H4 acetylation at c-Myc target gene promoters. In response to serum stimulation or serum starvation, L11 and TRRAP display inverse promoter-binding profiles. In addition, L11 regulates c-Myc levels. These results identify L11 as a feedback inhibitor of c-Myc and suggest a novel role for L11 in regulating c-Myc-enhanced ribosomal biogenesis.
Exploring the Historical Dimensions of "Bildung" and Its Metamorphosis in the Context of Globalization.

In this article, I endeavor to explore the historical dimensions of Bildung by first focusing on the German linguist and philosopher Wilhelm von Humboldt and his theory of Bildung. The article then addresses the transformation of Humboldt’s neo-humanistic ideal into a government-run institutionalized Bildung aimed at managing and controlling the citizens. This historical transformation of Bildung in the late Enlightenment paves the way for a concept of Bildung attached to neoliberal ideals, propagating principles of the free market such as efficiency, measurability, and self-entrepreneurship. Although neoliberal principles became so integral to today’s everyday practices that thinking outside the neoliberal box is nearly unthinkable, we can observe a metamorphosed kind of Bildung that goes beyond the neoliberal parameters. This new kind of Bildung is constituted by multimodal, ironic, playful, serious, critical, local, and transgressive forms of expression that are not to be found in textbooks or educational standards but on walls of cosmopolitan cities or diverse social networks. In this article I shall make the case that the conditions in today’s age of globalization offer alternative avenues for Bildung, which is inherently collaborative, interactive, and social, as once envisioned by Humboldt.
Images in psychosomatic medicine: the clock-drawing test.

Received May 27, 2004; accepted June 25, 2004. From the Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Levenson, Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 980268, Richmond, VA 23298; jlevenso@hsc.vcu.edu (e-mail). Copyright 2005 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. The use of the clock-drawing test to identify cognitive dysfunction, particularly constructional apraxia and executive function, was first described in 1986. The clockdrawing test has also been used as a screening test for dementia, as well as for detecting cognitive dysfunction in other neurological disorders, and can detect cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. However, the clock-drawing test may also reveal information about patients other than just their constructional abilities. These two patients’ drawings during psychiatric consultations in the general hospital illustrate that the clock-drawing test can yield unexpected results.
Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Exciton Dynamics and Photochemistry of Single Allophycocyanin Trimers

We report a study of the allophycocyanin trimer (APC), a light-harvesting protein complex from cyanobacteria, by room-temperature single-molecule measurements of fluorescence spectra, lifetimes, intensity trajectories, and polarization modulation. Emission spectra of individual APC trimers are found to be homogeneous on the time scale of seconds. In contrast, their emission lifetimes are found to be widely distributed because of generation of long-lived exciton traps during the course of measurements. The intensity trajectories and polarization modulation experiments indicate reversible exciton trap formation within the three quasiindependent pairs of strong interacting R84 and ‚84 chromophores in APC, as well as photobleaching of individual chromophores. Comparison experiments under continuous-wave and pulsed excitation reveal a two-photon mechanism for generating exciton traps and/or photobleaching, which involves exciton-exciton annihilation. These single-molecule experiments provide new insights into the spectroscopy, exciton dynamics, and photochemistry of light-harvesting complexes.
Arteriosclerosis, apolipoprotein E, and Alzheimer's disease

Although APOE has been shown to be a risk factor for atherosclerosis, we investigated whether there was an association between the APOE genotype and the presence of arteriosclerosis, which is often evident on necropsy in elderly demented individuals. We examined the pathological reports of 65 individuals who had had a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, were 65 years or older when they died, and on whom a full necropsy had been done. Pathological diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease was confirmed by the criteria of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease. Frozen brain tissue was used for APOE genotyping as described previously. 3
Partitioned reuse cache for energy-efficient soft-error protection of functional units

With aggressive technology scaling, soft errors (changes in logic state arising from single-event transients due to radiation or electrical noise) are becoming a serious concern in logic circuits. Existing soft-error rate (SER) reduction schemes, which use explicit hardware and/or temporal redundancy, have significant power overheads and are impractical in systems where power is a key design metric. Our technique exploits the inherent redundancy of operand values across instructions by storing and reusing previously-computed results. Functional units are partitioned so that subunits operate on input subwords to generate output subwords that are combined to form the complete output word. We use a partitioned reuse cache which stores previously computed results for each functional subunit. The stored entries in the cache are compared against computed results of functional subunits to detect soft errors. We show that a partitioned reuse cache has a much better hit rate compared to a non-partitioned cache and it is possible to achieve SER reduction up to 51.87% in functional units with a power overhead of only 7.5%.
Synchrony of laryngeal muscle activity in persons with vocal tremor.

Objective To determine if the tremor activity in laryngeal muscles is synchronous, which would indicate a single central source of tremor. Design Six persons with vocal tremor participated in this study. Laryngeal muscle activity was recorded from 2 intrinsic and 2 extrinsic laryngeal muscles during production of a sustained \i\ sound. Correlations were computed between electromyographic activity in pairs of laryngeal muscles to measure the degree to which electromyographic activity in one muscle was synchronous with electromyographic activity in another laryngeal muscle. In addition, correlations were computed between each of the 4 laryngeal muscles and the voice signal to determine which muscle had activity that was most highly related to amplitude modulations in the voice. Multiple samples from each subject were analyzed to obtain measures of the consistency and strength of the correlations. Results In most subjects, the bursts of electromyographic activity in one muscle were not consistently related to tremor activity in other affected muscles. Half the subjects exhibited moderate to strong correlations between thyroarytenoid muscle activity and the amplitude of the voice signal. Although the thyroarytenoid and cricothyroid muscles were always active during sustained phonation, half of the subjects did not activate either the thyrohyoid or the sternothyroid muscle during this task. Conclusions The results of this study did not support the hypothesis that essential voice tremor is generated by a single central oscillator. Differences in the presence and timing of modulations in laryngeal muscle activity, as described in this study, may reflect clinically in the variable regularity and severity of vocal tremor.
Health care provider perception of chronic kidney disease: knowledge and behavior among African American patients

Chronic Kidney disease (CKD) is prevalent in the population, but also disproportionately affects African Americans. Disparities in care of chronic kidney disease and transplant for African Americans have also been reported. The purpose of this study is to determine the knowledge and reactions of chronic kidney disease patients regarding their disease, as perceived by nephrologists and clinic nurses in South Carolina. Using a qualitative approach, key informant interviews were conducted with nephrologists, and three focus groups were held with nurses who specialize in chronic kidney disease. The results were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Qualrus software and the Grounded Theory Method. Dominant themes in the interviews and focus groups include: reaction to chronic kidney disease, differences in race, patient thoughts on dialysis, patient knowledge of types of treatment available, information availability, compliance to treatment, information source, and thoughts on kidney transplantation. The study found that the majority of clinicians agreed that there is typically a wide range of reactions in patients with chronic kidney disease. The majority of chronic kidney disease patients remain in denial of their diagnosis and do not want to agree to the necessary treatment to improve their condition. In addition, the clinicians reported that the incidence of chronic kidney disease is highest in the African American population and this population of patients typically gets their information on the disease from peers, others they have known that have had renal failure. We find clinicians report that patients typically do not remain compliant to recommended treatment regimens due to lack of knowledge and feelings of denial and fear, and frequently use religiosity as a coping mechanism. Silent progression and complexity of chronic kidney disease frequently result in many patients lacking essential knowledge and developing poor coping mechanisms to seek appropriate follow-up care and prevent progression and optimize outcome. Health care providers are aware of the barriers but may lack the tools and resources to overcome them.
Development of a novel walk-through fly trap for the control of horn flies and other pests on pastured dairy cows

Abstract A prototype walk-through fly vacuum system, designed to remove horn flies Haematobia irritans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae) from cattle, was developed and tested for efficacy. The study was conducted during 4 fly seasons over 17 consecutive weeks each year within the months of May through September at 1 dairy research herd in the coastal plain of North Carolina. Additional data on horn flies, as well as face flies ( Musca autumnalis ) and stable flies ( Stomoxys calcitrans ), were collected during 1yr from 7 commercial pasture-based and organic dairy farms in the piedmont region of North Carolina. The number of flies observed on animals in the pasture was compared with the number of flies collected in the trap. Studies were initiated after horn fly densities had met or exceeded a threshold of 200 flies per animal. The vacuum trap removed between 1.3 and 2.5 million flies annually from the research station cattle. Most fly removal occurred during the first few weeks of operation and maintained densities below threshold thereafter. Cattle using the fly trap at the research farm had only about 28% the number of horn flies as untreated cattle, and reductions ranged from 67.5 to 74.5% across the 4-yr study. In addition to large numbers of horn flies, traps placed on commercial dairies during 1yr collected stable flies, face flies, and house flies, all species with differing behavior and larger in size than horn flies. The estimated cost of running the trap is $72 per season at commercial rates of $0.12 per hour and an expected 4h of daily operation during the time of milking. Use of a vacuum system as described herein has potential as a cost-effective method in reducing populations of parasitic flies in pasture-based dairy production systems without the use of insecticides.
No Ethnic Differences in the Association of Glycated Hemoglobin With Retinopathy: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2008

OBJECTIVE Current recommendations for the use of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in diabetes screening and diagnosis aim to identify those at greatest risk for diabetic microvascular complications. However, there is current controversy regarding the clinical implications of ethnic differences in HbA1c values. The objective of this study was to determine whether the association between HbA1c and retinopathy differs by ethnic group in a representative sample of U.S. adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The study was a cross-sectional analysis of 2,945 non-Hispanic white, 1,046 non-Hispanic black, and 1,231 Hispanic American participants aged ≥40 years from the 2005–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. RESULTS Among nondiabetic adults, the mean HbA1c was 5.5% in non-Hispanic whites, 5.7% in non-Hispanic blacks, and 5.6% in Hispanic Americans. Among those with diagnosed diabetes, mean HbA1c was 6.9% in non-Hispanic whites, 7.5% in non-Hispanic Blacks, and 7.7% in Hispanic Americans. Overall, non-Hispanic blacks had the highest prevalence of retinopathy. In multivariable logistic models, HbA1c clinical categories were strongly associated with prevalent retinopathy. However, the magnitude of the association did not differ by ethnic group (all P values for interaction ≥ 0.7). Similar results were observed with HbA1c modeled continuously (per one percentage point) and stratified by diabetes status (all P for interactions > 0.3). CONCLUSIONS We observed no ethnic differences in the association of HbA1c with retinopathy. These data do not support ethnic-specific cut points for HbA1c for diagnosis or screening of diabetes mellitus.
The role of cell differentiation state and HMG-I/Y in the expression of transgenes flanked by matrix attachment regions

The tobacco nuclear matrix attachment region (MAR), RB7, has been shown to have a much greater effect on transgene expression in cultured cells than in transgenic plants. This is comparable to work in mouse systems showing that MARs have a positive effect on transgene expression in embryonic tissues but not adult tissues. There are several possible explanations for these observations. One is that cell differentiation state and proliferation rate can affect MAR function. We tested this possibility by initiating suspension cell cultures from well-characterized transgenic plants transformed with 35S::GUS with and without flanking MARs and then comparing GUS specific activity in the cell lines to those of the transgenic plants from which the cell lines were derived. If cell differentiation state and proliferation rate do affect MAR function, we would expect the ratio of transgene expression (cell suspensions : plants) to be greater in MAR lines than in control lines. This turned out not to be the case. Thus, it appears that MAR function is not enhanced simply because cells in culture divide rapidly and are not differentiated. Because in animal systems the chromosomal protein HMG-I/Y has been shown to be upregulated in proliferating cells and may have a role in MAR function, we have also examined the levels of the tobacco HMG-I/Y homolog by immunoblotting. The level of this protein does not differ between primary transformant cultured cells (NT-1) and Nicotiana tabacum plants (SR-1). However, a higher molecular weight cross-reacting polypeptide was found in nuclei from the NT-1 cell suspensions but was not detected in SR-1 leaf nuclei or cell suspensions derived from the SR-1 plants.
Circular waveguide bifurcation for asymmetric modes

An analytical solution for a circular waveguide bifurcation with incident TE11- and TM11-modes is presented using the residue calculus method. It is shown how the coupling between the TE1n- and TM1n-modes can be taken into account by expressing the coupling factor as a contour integral, which is the key step enabling the residue calculus method to be applied. Graphical results for the scattering matrix parameters of the junction are given for a range of waveguide radii of interest in the design of dual-mode coaxial prime focus feeds for paraboloidal antennas.
MEMS-based AC differential scanning calorimetry

We present a MEMS-based approach to AC differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of biomolecules. Based on a MEMS device that integrates microfluidic handling with highly sensitive thermoelectric detection as well as on-chip AC heating and temperature sensing, we perform DSC measurements under temperature modulation. For the first time, this allows MEMS-based AC-DSC detection of liquid biological samples, demonstrated by the measurements of protein unfolding. This MEMS AC-DSC approach has potential applications to label-free characterization of biomolecules.
Component-based Multirate Image Transmission over Wireless Sensor Networks

Image sensors' digital transmissions are significant challenge to the wireless sensor networks (WSN) due to resource constraints. In this paper, we propose a novel position-value (P-V) oriented multirate image transmissions approach called image component multirate transmissions (ICMT) over WSN. This method adapts different reliable levels of transmissions to various P-V segmented components within the compressed image bit stream. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme achieves high energy efficiency in WSN while enhancing the image transmission quality.
A wrapper induction application with knowledge base support: a use case for initiation and maintenance of wrappers

Integrating life science Web databases, while important and necessary, is a challenge for current integration systems mainly due to the large number of these databases, their heterogeneity and the fact that their interfaces may change often. BACIIS, a biological and chemical information integration system, is a tightly coupled federated database system that uses the mediator wrapper method in order to retrieve information from several remote Web databases. BACIIS relies on a semi-automated approach for generating and maintaining wrappers in order to provide a scalable system with a limited maintenance overhead. The semi-automatic wrapper induction in BACIIS is efficient because it is based on, but not limited to a domain knowledge. Tests show that the use of ontology increases the accuracy of the wrapper induction. We also present how the wrapper induction system facilitates wrapper update, and assists in the information extraction. By using a wrapper induction system for creation and maintenance of wrappers, scalability, flexibility, and stability of the integrated information system is easily maintained.
Local Government-Supported Community Development Community Priorities and Issues of Autonomy

There is increasing support for local solutions to poverty through community-based organizations (CBOs). However, a dilemma remains: How can CBOs secure resources necessary for change and yet maint...
An empirical study of the factor analysis stability hypothesis

Note is taken of four related sources of confusion as to the usefulness of Thurstone's factor analysis model and of their resolutions. One resolution uses Tucker's distinction between exploratory and confirmatory analyses. Eight analyses of two sets of data demonstrate the procedures and results of a confirmatory study with statistical tests of some, but not all, relevant hypotheses in an investigation of the stability (invariance) hypothesis. The empirical results provide estimates, as substitutes for unavailable sampling formulations, of effects of variation in diagonal values, in method of factoring, and in samples of cases. Implications of these results are discussed.
How Bush bungled Asia: militarism, economic indifference and unilateralism have weakened the United States across Asia

Abstract Criticism of the Bush administration's policies in East Asia is hardly common fare. Roseate colors certainly pervade the picture painted by defenders of Bush's policies toward Asia who argue that relations between the US and that region have never been better. This paper shows to the contrary that the Bush administration politicized wide swaths of public policy, including foreign relations, in an effort to create a permanent Republican electoral majority. That effort created a host of failures in America's Asian relations. The article focuses on three central problems: excessive militarization of American foreign policy; economic mismanagement; and a unilateralism that distanced the US from the rising Asian regionalism. The failures are not irreversible however and a change in administration has the potential to revitalize cross Pacific ties.