cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Letter to the Editor-Computational Experience with a Balasian Integer Programming Algorithm

A recent and significant addition to the literature of partial enumeration methods for solving integer linear programming problems has been the work of Balas. This paper describes some computational experience with a version of the algorithm and discusses future avenues of research that may be undertaken.
Challenges and rewards.

It is very commendable that the editor in chief and the editorial board of this journal have validated the important role of bioethics, public policy, and humanism in the science and practice of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery through this regular commentary feature. The goals are to explore the implications for bioethics in every aspect of this subspecialty and to consider the broader applications of these disciplines to facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Future issues will deal with myriad topics, and guest commentaries will be invited. Formal medical education in bioethics is a recent phenomenon. Most medical schools now have some structure— perhaps an institute or a center—where trainedandexperiencedfacultyprovidedidactic and experiential education in bioethics and humanism. Some medical schools have formal additional coursework in bioethics and humanism, as well as public health policy, which might lead to a certificate or special commendation at the time of graduation. A few medical schoolshavegraduateprogramsformedical students in bioethics that lead to the awarding of a master’s degree in addition tothemedicaldoctorate.Furthermore,the AccreditationCouncilforGraduateMedical Education competencies now include requiredstandardsandassessmentsofethical behavior by residents, which is vital to their professional development. As these young physicians enter academic medicineorcommunitypractice,theywillhave anadvancedknowledgeofthefundamentals of bioethics and an awareness of how these principles apply to the practice of medicine. However, what about the current practitioners who have not had the opportunity to formally study bioethics and to have their ethical behavior formally assessed during training? One cannot assume that such formal education is necessary for the development of an ethical physician. Indeed, it is my belief that mostindividualsbeginmedicalschoolwith an ethical foundation (although it is recognized that some do not) that is matured over years of experience in caring for patients. The alternative is also true: there are practicing physicians who, despite excellent exposure to the tenets and clinicalapplicationsofethicsduringtraining, still behave in an unethical manner. Thisgivesrisetomybeliefthatthereisno gray area for professional ethics in medicine—oneiseitheranethicalphysicianor an unethical physician.
An Extended Cellular Automata Model for Data Mining of Land Development Data

Land development is a critical task for municipalities and local governments. It demands a carefully crafted plan that takes factors of various aspects into considerations, including economical, financial, environmental, and regulatory. The Cellular Automaton (CA) model and several variations have been proposed and utilized to facilitate urban and regional land development, but elements in the models that help to find patterns in land development history to guide future planning are still lacking. In this paper, we propose an extended CA model (ECADM) to address this problem. The new model is multi-faceted extension of the CA model to include more attributes and transition rules so that data mining techniques can be applied to find relationships among various components in land development.
Testing Nucleoside Analogues as Inhibitors of Bacillus anthracis Spore Germination In Vitro and in Macrophage Cell Culture

Bacillus anthracis , the etiological agent of anthrax, has a dormant stage in its life cycle known as the endospore. When conditions become favorable, spores germinate and transform into vegetative bacteria. In inhalational anthrax, the most fatal manifestation of the disease, spores enter the organism through the respiratory tract and germinate in phagosomes of alveolar macrophages. Germinated cells can then produce toxins and establish infection. Thus, germination is a crucial step for the initiation of pathogenesis. B. anthracis spore germination is activated by a wide variety of amino acids and purine nucleosides. Inosine and l-alanine are the two most potent nutrient germinants in vitro . Recent studies have shown that germination can be hindered by isomers or structural analogues of germinants. 6-Thioguanosine (6-TG), a guanosine analogue, is able to inhibit germination and prevent B. anthracis toxin-mediated necrosis in murine macrophages. In this study, we screened 46 different nucleoside analogues as activators or inhibitors of B. anthracis spore germination in vitro . These compounds were also tested for their ability to protect the macrophage cell line J774a.1 from B. anthracis cytotoxicity. Structure-activity relationship analysis of activators and inhibitors clarified the binding mechanisms of nucleosides to B. anthracis spores. In contrast, no structure-activity relationships were apparent for compounds that protected macrophages from B. anthracis -mediated killing. However, multiple inhibitors additively protected macrophages from B. anthracis .
Balancing life and death: hope and despair.

We are born. We live. We die. In between birth and death is a life that is filled with joy and sadness, laughter and tears, tragedy and triumph, suffering and healing. This life can be long or short in duration. The events in our lives can be given meaning or appear to be absent of meaning. The events in our lives can be given value and judged as “good” or “bad,” “just” or “unjust,” or they can be interpreted as random valueless events. One's perspective on these aspects and events of human existence are often shaped by our religious beliefs (or lack of them), our experiences, and our instincts. Ultimately, however, the task of every human being is to find the means by which one can live a mortal life that is inevitably characterized by finiteness and the existential truths that have been described above. Simply put, the challenge of life is to learn how to balance hope and despair, to learn how to live with the inevitability of death and suffering.
RNA Binding Domain of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein reverse transcriptase that extends the ends of chromosomes. The two telomerase subunits essential for catalysis in vitro are the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and the telomerase RNA. Using truncations and site-specific mutations, we identified sequence elements of TERT and telomerase RNA required for catalytic activity and protein-RNA interaction for Tetrahymena thermophila telomerase. We found that the TERT amino and carboxyl termini, although evolutionarily poorly conserved, are nonetheless important for catalytic activity. In contrast, high-affinity telomerase RNA binding requires only a small region in the amino terminus of TERT. Surprisingly, the TERT region necessary and sufficient for telomerase RNA binding is completely separable from the reverse transcriptase motifs. The minimal Tetrahymena TERT RNA binding domain contains two sequence motifs with ciliate-specific conservation and one TERT motif with conservation across all species. With human TERT, we demonstrate that a similar region within the TERT amino terminus is essential for human telomerase RNA binding as well. Finally, we defined the Tetrahymena telomerase RNA sequences that are essential for TERT interaction. We found that a four-nucleotide region 5′ of the template is critical for TERT binding and that the 5′ end of telomerase RNA is sufficient for TERT binding. Our results reveal at least one evolutionarily conserved molecular mechanism by which the telomerase reverse transcriptase is functionally specialized for obligate use of an internal RNA template.
A persistent rescheduled-page cache for low overhead object code compatibility in VLIW architectures

Object-code compatibility between processor generations is an open issue for VLIW architectures. A potential solution is a technique termed dynamic rescheduling, which performs run-time software rescheduling at the first-time page faults. The time required for rescheduling the pages constitutes a large portion of the overhead of this method. A disk caching scheme that uses a persistent rescheduled-page cache (PRC) is presented. The scheme reduces the overhead associated with dynamic rescheduling by saving rescheduled pages on disk, across program executions. Operating system support is required for dynamic rescheduling and management of the PRC. The implementation details for the PRC are discussed. Results of simulations used to gauge the effectiveness of PRC indicate that: the PRC is effective in reducing the overhead of dynamic rescheduling; and due to different overhead requirements of programs, a split PRC organization performs better than a unified PRC. The unified PRC was studied for two different page replacement policies: LRU and overhead-based replacement. It was found that with LRU replacement, all the programs consistently perform better with increasing PRC sizes, but the high-overhead programs take a consistent performance hit compared to the low-overhead programs. With overhead-based replacement, the performance of high-overhead programs improves substantially, while the low-overhead programs perform only slightly worse than in the case of the LRU replacement.
Chemical Potency and Degradation Products of Medications Stored Over 550 Earth Days at the International Space Station.

Medications degrade over time, and degradation is hastened by extreme storage conditions. Current procedures ensure that medications aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are restocked before their expiration dates, but resupply may not be possible on future long-duration exploration missions. For this reason, medications stored on the ISS were returned to Earth for analysis. This was an opportunistic, observational pilot-scale investigation to test the hypothesis that ISS-aging does not cause unusual degradation. Nine medications were analyzed for active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) content and degradant amounts; results were compared to 2012 United States Pharmacopeia (USP) requirements. The medications were two sleep aids, two antihistamines/decongestants, three pain relievers, an antidiarrheal, and an alertness medication. Because the samples were obtained opportunistically from unused medical supplies, each medication was available at only 1 time point and no control samples (samples aged for a similar period on Earth) were available. One medication met USP requirements 5 months after its expiration date. Four of the nine (44% of those tested) medications tested met USP requirements 8 months post expiration. Another three medications (33%) met USP guidelines 2–3 months before expiration. One compound, a dietary supplement used as a sleep aid, failed to meet USP requirements at 11 months post expiration. No unusual degradation products were identified. Limited, evidence-based extension of medication shelf-lives may be possible and would be useful in preparation for lengthy exploration missions. Only analysis of flight-aged samples compared to appropriately matched ground controls will permit determination of the spaceflight environment on medication stability.
Reference (Potential) Evapotranspiration. I: Comparison of Temperature, Radiation, and Combination-Based Energy Balance Equations in Humid, Subhumid, Arid, Semiarid, and Mediterranean-Type Climates

AbstractGrass-reference (potential) evapotranspiration (ETo) is often used in climate change studies to evaluate potential impacts of climate change on hydrologic balances and vegetation response. In this process, empirical temperature or radiation-based empirical equations are often used because of a lack of long-term climate data to solve the combination-based energy balance equations, but this may result in false determinations of trends and magnitudes of water use. To quantify potential differences associated with using such empirical models with respect to the FAO56 Penman-Monteith method (PM), various ETo models were evaluated in five locations that have significantly different climatic characteristics [subhumid, semiarid, arid, humid (subtropical), and Mediterranean-type] in Nebraska (Clay Center and Scottsbluff), Florida (Gainesville), Arizona (Phoenix), and California (Davis). In general, the performance of most methods not only varied with climatic conditions, but also with the time step used (i...
Morphology of diesel soot residuals from supercooled water droplets and ice crystals: implications for optical properties

The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/11/114010
Reflections on the Use of Foreign Film in the Classroom to Enhance Cross-Cultural Understanding

This paper explores the experiences of the author in the use of foreign films to reinforce important aspects of a course in cross-cultural management. The paper provides the theoretical grounding for such a practice and offers suggestions to make the experience more meaningful. The paper argues strongly that the use of foreign film is a useful modality to the development of a deeper understanding of other cultures.
Prompt Gamma Rays Accompanying the Spontaneous Fission of Cf 252

Single- and multiple-crystal scintillation techniques are utilized to measure the energy spectrum of prompt gamma rays emitted in the spontaneous fission of ${\mathrm{Cf}}^{252}$. It is found that each fission yields an average of 10.3 photons having a total energy of 8.2 Mev. These photons are heterogeneous in energy. An upper limit is placed on the intensity of neutrons and quanta emitted in the order of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}$ second after fission.
Learning to “Give to Unnamed Strangers”

In 1971, Richard Titmuss published a book called The Gift Relationship in which he compared the British and American blood collection and distribution systems. Speaking of the British system, which is based entirely on the voluntary Community donor, he described such donation as “a free gift of blood to unnamed strangers” (p. 239). In this chapter, we shall describe several aspects of a large-scale research project in which we are trying to understand how individuals in Madison, Wisconsin (where the donation system is also based on the voluntary Community donor) develop and maintain the moyivations and habots underlying sustained, repeated, regylar blood donation.Again, quoting Titmuss, “How can they and how do tey learn to give to unnamed strangers, irrespective of race, relirion, or colour?” (p.12).
Influence of Surface Morphology on the Shear-Induced Wear of Alkylsilane Monolayers: Molecular Dynamics Study.

Chemisorbed alkylsilane monolayer coatings have been shown to possess favorable lubrication properties; however, film degradation prevents the widespread use of these materials as lubricants in micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS). In this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to provide insight into the conditions that promote the degradation and wear of these materials. This is achieved through removal of interfacial chain-substrate bonds during shear and the examination of the mobility of the resulting free, unbound chains. Specific focus is given to the effects of surface morphology, which has been shown previously to strongly influence frictional forces in monolayer systems. In-plane order of chain attachments is shown to lead to pressure-induced orientational ordering of monolayers, promoting film stability. This behavior is lost as nonideality is introduced into the substrate and chain patterning on the surface becomes disordered. The presence of surface roughness is fo...
Protein intake and leishmaniasis in the hamster.

SummaryProtein intake influences the course of leishmaniasis in the hamster, deficient diets leading to earlier emaciation and death. Excess dietary protein seems to favor survival.
Production of retroviral constructs for effective transfer and expression of T-cell receptor genes using Golden Gate cloning

Here we present an improved strategy for producing T-cell receptor (TCR)-expressing retroviral vectors using a Golden Gate cloning strategy. This method takes advantage of the modular nature of TCR genes by directly amplifying TCR α and β variable regions from RNA or cDNA, then cloning and fusing them with their respective constant region genes resident in a retroviral TCR expression vector. Our one-step approach greatly streamlines the TCR vector production process in comparison to the traditional three-step procedure that typically involves cloning whole TCR genes, producing a TCR expression cassette, and constructing a retroviral construct. To date, we have generated TCR vectors that transferred seven functional human/rhesus macaque TCRs into primary T cells. The approach also holds promise for the assembly of other genes with defined variable regions, such as immunoglobulins.
A collimated neutron detector for RFP plasmas in MST

The neutron emissivity profile in the Madison Symmetric Torus is being reconstructed through the use of a collimated neutron detector. A scintillator-photomultiplier tube (PMT) system is employed to detect the fusion neutrons with the plasma viewing volume defined by a 55 cm deep, 5 cm diameter aperture. Effective detection of neutrons from the viewing volume is achieved through neutron moderation using 1300 lbs of high density polyethylene shielding, which modeling predicts attenuates the penetrating flux by a factor of 104 or more. A broad spectrum of gamma radiation is also present due to the unconfined fusion proton bombardment of the thick aluminum vacuum vessel. A 15 cm cylindrical liquid scintillator of 3.8 cm diameter is used to further increase directional sensitivity. A fast (5 ns rise time) preamplifier and digitization at 500 MHz prevent pulse pile-up even at high count rates (∼104/s). The entire neutron camera system is situated on an adjustable inclining base which provides the differing plasma viewing volumes necessary for reconstruction of the neutron emissivity profile. This profile, directly related to the fast-ion population, allows for an investigation of the critical fast-ion pressure gradient required to destabilize a neutral beam driven Alfvenic mode which has been shown to transport fast ions.
Abstract 1862: Discerning the role of USP22 in prostate cancer development and progression

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death for men in the United States. While organ-confined disease is manageable, advanced and disseminated PCa currently has no durable treatment options. Thus, understanding the causes and consequences of the transition from early stage to late stage castrate-resistant PCa (CRPC) are critical. While this transition has a requisite for the androgen receptor (AR) activity, the mechanisms by which AR and other oncogenes are functionally increased, even after initial treatment with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) have not been completely characterized. USP22, a known deubiquitinase associated with the SAGA transcriptional activation complex, was originally designated in a “death from cancer” gene signature. Importantly, USP22 is significantly upregulated in PCa patients with late-stage disease, and specifically indicates for poor outcome in PCa patients. Moreover, tumor-associated USP22 increases AR levels and activity as well as the oncogene MYC function, partially defining the mechanism by which tumor-associated USP22 drives PCa progression. Thus, while certain consequences of tumor-associated USP22 expression have been elucidated, the remaining downstream effects have not been thoroughly characterized. Newly generated data begin to establish the biochemical events controlled by USP22 that confer proliferation and survival on PCa cells. Through use of novel proteomic technology, specifically Ubiscan analysis, tumor-associated USP22 will be shown to participate in driving PCa development and progression as well as therapeutic bypass through differential regulation of the ubiquitylome. Citation Format: Jennifer Jones, Jeffry L. Dean, Randy S. Schrecengost, Karen Knudsen. Discerning the role of USP22 in prostate cancer development and progression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1862. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1862
IR and the Sunshine Act: Two-Year Analysis of the Open Payments Database and Comparison with Related Specialties.

Abstract Purpose To characterize medical industry–based payments made to US-based interventional radiology (IR) physicians, identify trends in compensation, and compare their payment profile with those of other related specialties, including vascular surgery (VS) and interventional cardiology (IC). Payments made to orthopedic surgery (OS) physicians are reported as a historical control. Materials and Methods For each group, the total payment number, amount, and mean and median numbers and amounts were calculated. The data were then reanalyzed after correcting for statistical outliers. For IR, VS, and IC, leading industry sponsors, payment amount, and differences in payments from 2013 to 2014 were highlighted. Payments to IR were grouped by category and geographic location. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used for statistical analysis. Results A total of $26,857,622 went to 1,831 IR physicians, representing 70.9% of active IR physicians, and the corrected mean payment was $597 ± 832.2 (standard deviation). The respective values were $18,861,041, 3,383, 80.6%, and $851.59 for VS; $32,008,213, 7,939, 78.6%, and $417.16 for IC; and $357,528,020, 21,829, 77.8%, and $598.48 for OS. OS had the largest number of payments (295,465 vs 24,246 for IR, 84,635 for VS, and 160,443 for IC) and greatest total payment amount. VS had a significantly higher corrected median payment amount ($463; P P = .32). Conclusions OS received the largest number and total payment amount, and VS received a significantly greater corrected median payment amount, versus IR and IC. As the Open Payments program continues to be implemented, it remains to be seen how this information will affect relationships among physicians, patients, and industry.
Business models, value capture, and the digital enterprise

Firms across all industries are embracing internet-based digitization strategies to expand or improve their business. In many cases, though, internet-based businesses pursue customer growth ahead of profits. The path to profitability, which is a core element of a business model, should not be an afterthought. A well-designed business model balances the provision of value to customers with the capture of value by the provider. The elements of a business model and the dynamic capabilities that help design, implement, and refine a model for an organization and its business ecosystem are reviewed. The article then translates these concepts with respect to key organizational design decisions such as that of licensing versus practicing an innovation, insourcing versus outsourcing, and building a business ecosystem.
An Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes viewpoint of data analysis centers for collaborative study designs.

Purpose of reviewA highly complex collaborative study design that pools and extends existing studies, such as the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, requires a Data Analysis Center (DAC) with resources and expertise to create a secure environment for housing and analyz
High Productivity of Certain Agronomic CAM Species

Plant productivity varies with the vegetation type and the environmental conditions. For native species in deserts, the aboveground dry-weight productivity averages only 1 Mg hectare−1 year−1 (Lieth and Whittaker 1975), whereas annual crops usually have productivities of 6 to 20 Mg ha−1 yr−1 (Evans 1975; Loomis and Gerakis 1975; Beadle et al. 1985; Nobel 1991)1. About 92% of all vascular plant species use the C3 photosynthetic pathway (Fig. 16. la) in which the first stable product of photosynthesis is a 3-carbon compound (3-phospho- glyceric acid; Ting 1985; Winter 1985; Luttge 1987; Nobel 1991; Salisbury and Ross 1991). The highest productivities for C3 crops range from 34 to 45 Mg ha−1 yr−1 (Table 16.1). For plants with the C4 pathway (Fig. 16.1b), the first products formed are C4 acids (e. g. oxaloacetic acid and malic acid). The highest productivities are 47 to 88 Mg ha−1 yr−1 for C4 crops and 51 to 94 Mg ha−1 yr−1 for C4 floodplain grasses (Table 16.1). Although the values for floodplain grasses are initial estimates, the high values for sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) have been confirmed by multiple studies.
Residual Stress and Opening-Mode Fracture Analysis of Multilayered Structures Subjected to Thermal Loading

AbstractTemperature change after formation commonly results in thermal residual stress in multilayered structures due to the different thermal and mechanical properties of each layer. In this paper...
Studies on Some Trifluoromethyl Nitroxide Radicals by EPR Spectroscopy

The hyperfine splitting by 17O in (CF3)2N170• is 23.6 G which is appreciably larger than the 19.4 G reported for [(CH3)3C] 2N170• and indicates that the former radical has a relatively high spin density on oxygen. This is attributed to the electron withdrawing effect of the CF3 groups which destabilize the canonical structure, \({\left( {C{F_3}} \right)_2}{\dot N^ + } - \overline {\ddot O} \) relative to, \({\left( {C{F_3}} \right)_2}\ddot N - \dot O\). The greater localization of the unpaired electron gives (CF3) 2NOH a higher O-H bond strength than dialkyl nitroxides, viz., 82.6 vs. ca. 70 kcal/mol. The configuration and conformation of a number of alkoxyalkyl- and hydroxyalkyl trifluoromethyl nitroxides have been examined. It is concluded that these radicals are probably non-planar at nitrogen and that the anomeric effect plays an important role in determining their conformation.
Safe to Sleep Initiative - An Effort to Reduce Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths in South Texas

OBJECTIVE/AIM: The aim is to develop a system of safe sleep modeling in the Nursery, NICU and Pediatric Ward by enhancing nursing and provider education, documentation, and distribution of safe sleep practices to families with the ultimate goal of reducing the local rate of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) in San Antonio. National certification as a Safe Sleep Leader is a secondary objective. BACKGROUND: There has been a recent spike in SUID nationally which is disproportionately elevated in the local San Antonio area. A large proportion of deaths have been attributed to unsafe sleep conditions including …
Brain Metastasis Organotropism

Brain metastases are associated with poor prognosis irrespective of the primary tumor they originate from. Current treatments for brain metastases are palliative, and patients with symptomatic brain metastasis have a one-year survival of <20%. Lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma have higher incidences of brain metastases compared with other types of cancers. However, it is not very clear why some cancers metastasize to the brain more frequently than others. Studies thus far suggest that brain-specific tropism of certain types of cancers is defined by a winning combination of the following factors: unique genetic subtypes of primary tumors or its subclones enabling detachment, dissemination, blood-brain barrier penetration, plus proliferation and survival in hypoxic low-glucose microenvironment; specific transcriptomic and epigenetic changes of colony-forming metastatic cells, allowing their outgrowth; favorable metastasis-permissive microenvironment of the brain created by interactions of cancer cells and cells in the brain through triggering inflammation, recruiting myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and promoting metabolic adaptation; immunosuppression resulting in the failure of adaptive immune response to recognize or kill cancer cells in the brain. Here, we briefly review recent advances in understanding brain metastasis organotropism and outline directions for future research.
Herstellung, Messung und Regelung hoher Temperaturen

Der Schmelzofen ist ein wesentlicher Bestandteil der Apparatur zur Herstellung der Kristalle aus der Schmelze. Nur in seltenen Fallen genugt ein handelsubhcher Ofen den gewunschten Bedingungen. Meistens mus man entweder dem Hersteller genaue Unterlagen geben, die zu einem Bau des Ofens notig sind, oder aber zumindest den Ofen selbst modifizieren oder gar herstellen. Da in den meisten Arbeiten, die sich mit der Kristallherstellung befassen, uber die Konstruktion der Ofen nur sehr sparliche Angaben gemacht werden, sollen hier die wesentlichen Punkte kurz behandelt werden.
Optimal design of acoustic metamaterial cloaks under uncertainty

Abstract In this work, we consider the problem of optimal design of an acoustic cloak under uncertainty and develop scalable approximation and optimization methods to solve this problem. The design variable is taken as an infinite-dimensional spatially-varying field that represents the material property, while an additive infinite-dimensional random field represents, e.g., the variability of the material property or the manufacturing error. Discretization of this optimal design problem results in high-dimensional design variables and uncertain parameters. To solve this problem, we develop a computational approach based on a Taylor approximation and an approximate Newton method for optimization, which is based on a Hessian derived at the mean of the random field. We show our approach is scalable with respect to the dimension of both the design variables and uncertain parameters, in the sense that the necessary number of acoustic wave propagations is essentially independent of these dimensions, for numerical experiments with up to one million design variables and half a million uncertain parameters. We demonstrate that, using our computational approach, an optimal design of the acoustic cloak that is robust to material uncertainty is achieved in a tractable manner. The optimal design under uncertainty problem is posed and solved for the classical circular obstacle surrounded by a ring-shaped cloaking region, subjected to both a single-direction single-frequency incident wave and multiple-direction multiple-frequency incident waves. Finally, we apply the method to a deterministic large-scale optimal cloaking problem with complex geometry, to demonstrate that the approximate Newton method's Hessian computation is viable for large, complex problems.
Biomechanical response to mediolateral foot-placement perturbations during walking

Abstract Dynamic balance in the frontal plane requires active control, which is accomplished largely through control of mediolateral foot placement. Individuals without mobility impairments have the ability to compensate for variability in foot-placement to maintain their balance; however, it is unknown how individuals respond to unexpected mediolateral perturbations to their foot placement that alter their balance control. The purpose of this study was to identify the biomechanical responses of individuals without mobility impairments to medial and lateral foot-placement perturbations during walking. Three-dimensional body segment kinematic and ground reaction force data were collected from 15 participants at 1.0 m/s and their self-selected speed on an instrumented treadmill. Dynamic balance was assessed by analyzing whole-body angular momentum in the frontal plane. We hypothesized that participants would respond to the perturbations with a combination of a lateral ankle strategy, hip adduction strategy and/or ankle push-off strategy to restore their balance. Overall, the medial perturbations adversely affected dynamic balance while lateral perturbations had little effect. Individuals responded to medial (lateral) perturbations with an increased (decreased) ankle inversion moment, which correlated to lateral (medial) shifts in their foot center of pressure. In addition, individuals responded to medial (lateral) perturbations with a decreased (slightly decreased) hip abduction moment. Contrary to our hypothesis, we did not observe an ankle push-off moment response but rather, a small response in the opposite direction. These results highlight the response of individuals without mobility impairments to unexpected foot-placement perturbations and provide a basis of comparison for those with impaired balance control.
Engineering Design Principles in Natural and Artificial Systems: Generative Entrenchment and Modularity

I see in the nature of our minds and the character of our problem-solving methodologies a search for simplifying tools that will let us model a complex world (be it biology or society) and get away with it far more often than we might suppose. As it turns out, this broad a reach to mind and world is possible because both turn on common properties of evolved complex adaptive systems. These are in effect “design principles” for the architecture of nature—all of it, from biological systems to ourselves and the technologies that we engineer.
Bigger and bigger circles - the expanding biopharmaceutical statistician's toolbox.

In every profession, trade, or craft, certain skills are needed to perform an action or to complete a task. A biostatistician in the pharmaceutical field is no exception. We have expectations on kn...
Transculturation and Lorca’s Syncretic ‘Son de negros en Cuba’: A ‘gota de madera’

This essay examines how Federico Garcia Lorca transforms the musical form son in his poem ‘Son de negros en Cuba’. Significant in this is Lorca’s relationship with anthropologist Fernando Ortiz, wh...
Do Hearing Aids Prevent Falls? Commentary on Study From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Purpose This letter serves to underscore the importance of understanding the relationship between hearing loss treatment and falls and to provide additional clarity and commentary on the interpreta...
Launch Vehicle Operational Environments

There are numerous operational environments that a launch vehicle and its payload are subjected to during launch and flight. These include both external environments, such as ground wind loading and atmospheric pressure, as well as self-induced, such as vibration due to engine thrust. The relative influence of these environments varies significantly during the different phases of flight, necessitating multi-disciplinary design and analysis approaches. This chapter describes the various environments, as well as the approaches used to establish the viability of launch vehicle and spacecraft designs to survive the launch and flight environments. In addition, day-of-launch operational considerations for flying a launch vehicle safely through the atmosphere, while staying within its structural and control system design limits are also discussed. Keywords: Environments; launch vehicles; spacecraft; liftoff; atmospheric flight; loads; structural design; day-of-launch loads; Load Cycle Process
Hydrogen Vacancy Diffusion Parameters in ScH2-x and ScD2-x from 45Sc Spin-Lattice Relaxation Time Measurements

Le taux de relaxation spin-reseau R 1 est attribue a deux contributions: l'une R 1e due aux electrons de conduction et l'autre R 1Q due aux fluctuations de l'interaction quadripolaire associees a la diffusion des lacunes dans le sous-reseau d'hydrogene (ou deuterium). Les resultats sont en accord avec des mesures de diffusion inelastique de neutrons
On restricted weak type (1,1): The continuous case

Let T denote the unit circle. An example of a sublinear translation-invariant operator T acting on L 1 (T) is given such that T is of restricted weak type (1,1) but not of weak type (1,1).
Soft-x-ray emission intensities in UIr 3 , UPt 3 , and UAu 3

The N/sub 6,7/ emission spectra of Ir, Pt, and Au in the compounds UIr/sub 3/, UPt/sub 3/, and UAu/sub 3/ have been calculated. These calculations were performed with use of the fully relativistic self-consistent linear muffin-tin orbital (LMTO) band results for the densities of states and the LMTO potentials to calculate the radial transition probabilities and emission spectra. An induced Pt d character at E/sub F/ that is just above the main part of the Pt 5d band and is due to U 5f--Pt 5d hybridization is found and shows up as a shoulder on the high-energy tail of the N/sub 6,7/ spectra in this system. The calculations lead to different spectra in each material reflecting the difference in the 5d states in each material due to changes in the position and strength of hybridization to the U 5f band. Because the induced Pt d electronic structure occurs only through hybridization with itinerant U 5f electrons and is absent for localized U 5f electrons, an experimental check of these results for UPt/sub 3/ is important.
Accelerated partial breast irradiation with brachytherapy: patient selection and technique considerations

Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) through breast brachytherapy is a relatively recent development in breast radiotherapy that has gained international favor because of its reduction in treatment duration and normal tissue irradiation while maintaining favorable cancer-specific and cosmetic outcomes. Despite the fact that several large national trials have not reported final results yet, many providers are currently offering APBI to select patients and APBI is listed as a treatment option for selecting patients in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Multiple consensus guidelines exist in selecting patients for APBI, some with conflicting recommendations. In this review, the existing patient selection guidelines are reported, compared, and critiqued, grouping them in helpful subcategories. Unique patient and technical selection factors for APBI with brachytherapy are explored.
cDNA Sequence and Genomic Structure of the Murine p55 (Mpp1) Gene

Abstract MPP1 is an X-linked human gene encoding a heavily palmitoylated membrane protein (p55) with homology to the Drosophila tumor suppressor gene lethal(1) discs-large. As a first step toward studying the effects of mutations in this gene in a mammalian system, the nucleotide sequence of the mouse Mpp1 cDNA has been determined along with the intron–exon boundaries. Mpp1 is ubiquitously expressed and encodes a p55 protein of 466 amino acids with 93 and 65% identity to the human and puffer fish ( Fugu rubripes ) p55 sequences, respectively. The genomic structure of the Mpp1 gene is likewise conserved with 12 exons. The location of the Mpp1 gene, on the X chromosome, is also conserved between the human and the mouse. Conservation of the Mpp1 gene between mouse and human gives support to the notion that construction and study of a mouse knockout model may help establish the function of the human MPP1 gene, a potential tumor suppressor gene.
Photopheresis and autoimmune diseases.

Although several case reports and case series have suggested efficacy for photopheresis in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, few controlled studies have been conducted to test this hypothesis. Improvement has been reported in cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, lupus), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic and localized scleroderma, graft versus host disease, allograft rejection, and some forms of chronic dermatologic diseases. This article focuses on reports of treatment trials in SLE, RA, and scleroderma.
Organometallic phosphonic acids: synthesis and coordination chemistry

The synthesis, structure and application of highly functionalized organometallic phosphonic acids are reviewed. Phosphonic acid derivatives of phosphorus(III) and transition metals are emphasized. Coordination chemistry, homogeneous catalytic reactions and synthesis of new materials are also reviewed. This present review provides an exhaustive literature survey through to September 2004.
Experimental verification of distributed piezoelectric actuators for use in precision space structures

An analytic model for structures with distributed piezoelectric actuators is experimentally verified for the cases of both surface-bonded and embedded actuators. A technique for the selection of such piezoelectric actuators' location has been developed, and is noted to indicate that segmented actuators are always more effective than continuous ones, since the output of each can be individually controlled. Manufacturing techniques for the bonding or embedding of segmented piezoelectric actuators are also developed which allow independent electrical contact to be made with each actuator. Static tests have been conducted to determine how the elastic properties of the composite are affected by the presence of an embedded actuator, for the case of glass/epoxy laminates.
How Diagrams Can Improve Reasoning

We report an experimental study on the effects of diagrams on deductive reasoning with double disjunctions, for example: Raphael is in Tacoma or Julia is in Atlanta, or both. Julia is in Atlanta or Paul is in Philadelphia, or both. What follows?We confirmed that subjects find it difficult to deduce a valid conclusion, such as Julia is in Atlanta, or both Raphael is in Tacoma and Paul is in Philadelphia.In a preliminary study, the format of the premises was either verbal or diagrammatic, and the diagrams used icons to distinguish between inclusive and exclusive disjunctions. The diagrams had no effect on performance. In the main experiment, the diagrams made the alternative possibilities more explicit. The subjects responded faster (about 35 s) and drew many more valid conclusions (nearly 30%) from the diagrams than from the verbal premises. These results corroborate the theory of mental models and have implications for the role of diagrams in reasoning.
Error Complexity Analysis of Algorithms for Matrix Multiplication and Matrix Chain Product

The error complexity analysis of three algorithms for matrix multiplication and matrix chain product has been given. It is shown that the usual inner product type algorithm is by far the best algorithm for simple matrix multiplication or matrix chain product in terms of minimal basic term growth and minimal error complexities, the latter being independent of the order of pairwise matrix multiplications. Winograd's algorithm is comparable to the usual one, although in matrix chain product the error and data complexities are very sensitive to the order of pairwise matrix multiplication. Strassen's algorithm is not very attractive numerically for having the largest upper bound for both the maximum error complexity and the number of basic terms generated.
Magnetic measurements of the BNL HGFEL

Abstract The Harmonic Generation Free Electron Laser (HGFEL) is a high-gain amplifier FEL configured as an optical klystron, presently under construction at Brookhaven National Lab. All sections of the superconducting magnets have been built, tested, and measured. Presented below are recent results and the work in progress.
Cryogenic Thermal Mask for Space-Cold Optical Testing for Space Optical Systems

An optical testing configuration utilizing the Cryogenic Thermal Mask (CTM) provides thermal decoupling between a cryogenic optical system under test and a collimator operating at ambient temperature, while passing the test wavefront without significant degradation.
Observer Biases in the Classroom

This article outlines three activities that demonstrate common perceptual errors described in the social psychological literature: the actor-observer effect, the false consensus bias, and priming effects. These activities produce consistent results and demonstrate how cognitive shortcuts can result in inaccurate judgments. These simple demonstrations can also stimulate discussion of the bases of such miscalculations and their impact on everyday thinking.
Computational complexity of determining which statements about causality hold in different space–time models

Causality is one of the most fundamental notions of physics. It is therefore important to be able to decide which statements about causality are correct in different models of space-time. In this paper, we analyze the computational complexity of the corresponding decision problems. In particular, we show that: *for Minkowski space-time, the decision problem is as difficult as Tarski's decision problem for elementary geometry, while *for a natural model of primordial space-time, the corresponding decision problem is of the lowest possible complexity among all possible space-time models.
Sequestration of Thermogenic Transcription Factors in the Cytoplasm during Development of Brown Adipose Tissue

Transcription factors that regulate gene expression during adipogenesis also control the expression of genes of thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue, in particular, the mitochondrial uncoupling protein gene (Ucp1). There is evidence that a plasticity exists among adipocytes in which activation of the Ucp1 gene together with mitochondrial biogenesis can increase the brown adipocyte character of white fat. To understand this process, we have characterized the changes in transcription that occur in interscapular brown adipocytes during development. We have found dramatic reductions in both DNA-binding activity to probes and immunoreactive protein for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, retinoid X receptor, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein, and cAMP-response element-binding protein regulatory motifs in nuclear extracts when mice reach adulthood. Exposure of adult mice to the cold, which reactivates Ucp1 expression, leads to a re-accumulation of factors in the nucleus. We propose that transcription factors are sequestered in the cytoplasm as mice age under conditions of reduced thermogenesis. Changes in isoform sub-types for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and cAMP-response element-binding proteins indicate an additional level of control on gene expression during thermogenesis. The increased movement of the RIIβ protein kinase A regulatory subunit into the nucleus with age suggests a mechanism for regulating the phosphorylation of transcription factors in the nucleus in response to the thermogenic requirements of the animal. Nuclear factor-κB has been used as a model to demonstrate that the nuclear localization of transcription factors in brown fat are reduced during post-natal development. Furthermore, it was found by immunofluorescence that adrenergic stimulation of primary adipocyte cultures causes an increase of both the protein kinase A catalytic α-subunit and nuclear factor-κB into the nucleus.
Optimal biofilm thickness for fluidised‐bed biofilm reactors

Fluidised-bed biofilm reactors (FBFR) have been used extensively for the removal of BOD and nitrogen from wastewater. However, no attempt has been made to identify the optimal design of such reactors to maximise the rate of removal of waste substances. A theoretical analysis of FBFRs is presented and it is revealed that there is an optimal biofilm thickness for a given support particle size which maximises the volumetric removal rate of waste substance from the liquid stream.