cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An analysis of thin film silicon for photovoltaic applications

a-Si:H solar cells typically exhibit instability due to intrinsic layer degradation and hydrogen movement. An alternative way to circumvent the a-Si:H solar cell problem is to make use of heterostructure type cells (a-Si:H/poly-Si). The objective of this paper is to characterize properties of thin film amorphous and poly-Si aiming at a heterostructure type solar cell. The material characteristics of the as-grown a-Si:H films are compared with those of the anneal treated films. The structural, optical, and electrical properties were investigated. The anneal treatment changed structural properties as well as electrical and optical characteristics of the film. Resistance, capacitance, dielectric constant, refractive index, and light absorption coefficient are reduced with crystallization of the a-Si:H. Mobility, conductivity, and transmittance are increased after crystallization. The poly-Si grain boundary trap type and activation energy were determined by thermally stimulated current (TSC) measurement. Grain boundary trap type and activation energy were detected by the TSC study. Hole traps dominated after high temperature anneal with activation energy of 0.49 eV. The field effect mobility was increased from 1.6/spl times/10/sup -3/ cm/sup 2//V.s for as-grown amorphous silicon to 67 cm/sup 2//V.s for 850/spl deg/C annealed and hydrogen grain boundary passivated poly-Si.
The Practical Aspects of Online Counseling Ethics, Training, Technology, and Competency

This article addresses the practical aspects of online counseling, including ethics, training, supervision, technology, and competency issues. The authors discuss online counseling’s strengths and limitations and present guidelines for what types of clients and counseling psychologists may be appropriate for online counseling. To illustrate the components and skills associated with online counseling, the authors present and discuss an example of a synchronous-chat online session.
An Assessment of Fish Assemblage Structure in a Large River

The Penobscot River drains the largest watershed in Maine and once provided spawning and rearing habitats to 11 species of diadromous fishes. The construction of dams blocked migrations of these fishes and likely changed the structure and function of fish assemblages throughout the river. The proposed removal of two main-stem dams, improved upstream fish passage at a third dam, and construction of a fish bypass on a dam obstructing a major tributary is anticipated to increase passage of and improve habitat connectivity for both diadromous and resident fishes. We captured 61 837 fish of 35 species in the Penobscot River and major tributaries, through 114 km of boat electrofishing. Patterns of fish assemblage structure did not change considerably during our sampling; relatively few species contributed to seasonal and annual variability within the main-stem river, including smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu, white sucker Catostomus commersonii, pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus, and golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas. However, distinct fish assemblages were present among river sections bounded by dams. Many diadromous species were restricted to tidal waters downriver of the Veazie Dam; Fundulus species were also abundant within the tidal river section. Smallmouth bass and pumpkinseed were most prevalent within the Veazie Dam impoundment and the free-flowing river section immediately upriver, suggesting the importance of both types of habitat that supports multiple life stages of these species. Further upriver, brown bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus, yellow perch Perca flavescens, chain pickerel Esox niger, and cyprinid species were more prevalent than within any other river section. Our findings describe baseline spatial patterns of fish assemblages in the Penobscot River in relation to dams with which to compare assessments after dam removal occurs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Belief reasoning in MLS deductive databases

It is envisaged that the application of the multilevel security (MLS) scheme will enhance flexibility and effectiveness of authorization policies in shared enterprise databases and will replace cumbersome authorization enforcement practices through complicated view definitions on a per user basis. However, as advances in this area are being made and ideas crystallized, the concomitant weaknesses of the MLS databases are also surfacing. We insist that the critical problem with the current model is that the belief at a higher security level is cluttered with irrelevant or inconsistent data as no mechanism for attenuation is supported. Critics also argue that it is imperative for MLS database users to theorize about the belief of others, perhaps at different security levels, an apparatus that is currently missing and the absence of which is seriously felt.The impetus for our current research is this need to provide an adequate framework for belief reasoning in MLS databases. We demonstrate that a prudent application of the concept of inheritance in a deductive database setting will help capture the notion of declarative belief and belief reasoning in MLS databases in an elegant way. To this end, we develop a function to compute belief in multiple modes which can be used to reason about the beliefs of other users. We strive to develop a poised and practical logical characterization of MLS databases for the first time based on the inherently difficult concept of non-monotonic inheritance. We present an extension of the acclaimed Datalog language, called the MultiLog, and show that Datalog is a special case of our language. We also suggest an implementation scheme for MultiLog as a front-end for CORAL.
The Feasibility of Interference Alignment Over Measured MIMO-OFDM Channels

Interference alignment (IA) has been shown to achieve the maximum achievable degrees of freedom in the interference channel. This results in sum rate scaling linearly with the number of users in the high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) regime. Linear scaling is achieved by precoding the transmitted signals to align interference subspaces at the receivers given channel knowledge of all transmit-receive pairs, effectively reducing the number of discernible interferers. The theory of IA was derived under assumptions about the richness of scattering in the propagation channel; practical channels do not guarantee such ideal characteristics. This paper presents the first experimental study of IA in measured multiple-input-multiple-output orthogonal frequency-division-multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) interference channels. Our measurement campaign includes a variety of indoor and outdoor measurement scenarios at The University of Texas at Austin. We show that IA achieves the claimed scaling factors, or degrees of freedom, in several measured channel settings for a three-user two-antenna-per-node setup. In addition to verifying the claimed performance, we characterize the effect of Kronecker spatial correlation on sum rate and present two other correlation measures, which we show to be more tightly related to the achieved sum rate.
Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Antidepressant Advertising and Consumer Misperceptions About the Chemical Imbalance Theory of Depression: The Moderating Role of Skepticism

Based on a survey with members of an online consumer panel (N= 699), this study revealed that: (a) a substantial percentage of consumers held misperceptions about the chemical imbalance theory of depression; (b) personal and interpersonal experiences with depression positively related to such misperceptions; (c) overall, exposure to direct-to-consumer (DTC) antidepressant advertising did not significantly relate to misperceptions; and (d) DTC exposure magnified misperceptions when consumers were highly trustful of DTC advertising, whereas exposure diluted misperceptions when consumers were highly skeptical. Theoretical and practical implications of the research are discussed, especially in light of the social responsibility of DTC advertising.
Soft Tissue Preservation in Terrestrial Mesozoic Vertebrates

Exceptionally preserved fossils—i.e., those that retain, in some manner, labile components of organisms that are normally degraded far too quickly to enter the fossil record—hold the greatest potential for understanding aspects of the biology of long-extinct animals and are the best targets for the search for endogenous biomolecules. Yet the modes of preservation of these labile components, and exactly what remains of the original composition, are not well understood. Here, I review a selection of cases of soft tissue preservation in Mesozoic vertebrates, examine chemical and environmental factors that may influence such preservation, explore the potential of these fossils for high-resolution analytical studies, and suggest clarification of terminologies and criteria for determining the endogeneity of source and the degree of preservation of these well-preserved tissues.
Dynamics of erosion in controlled channels

Nature controls erosion on land-slopes largely by supplying a vegetative covering that protects the ground surface, retards the runoff and permits a larger part of the runoff-water to be absorbed by the soil. Artificial operations of man such as cultivation and overgrazing with livestock, destroys the balance established by Nature resulting in excessive runoff and serious erosion. Man must continue to cultivate the land and grow both clean cultivated row crops that leave the land-surface without protection against erosion during the greater part of the year, and grain-crops that expose the land-surface to serious erosion during periods of seeding and preparation of the soil-bed.
Polycrystalline Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Fibers from Colloidal Sols

Polycrystalline yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) fibers were prepared from commercially available colloidal sols of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} and AlOOH and water-soluble polymers. The fibers were dry spun and all processing was performed in air. Transformation to YAG was complete by {approx_equal}1,300 C, and the fibers were mostly dense by 1,600 C with a final fired diameter of 120 {micro}m. A bend test was used to characterize mechanical strength, and an average of 522{+-}186 MPa with a Weibull modulus of 3.5 was determined. The bend stress relaxation (BSR) test was used to characterize creep properties. The creep resistance was better than that of all commercially available oxide fibers with the exception of Saphikon single-crystal alumina (c-axis oriented). The creep strain of the YAG fibers compared well with that calculated for YAG monoliths with roughly the same grain size.
NIP45 negatively regulates RANK ligand induced osteoclast differentiation

Receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-RANK receptor signaling to induce NFATc1 transcription factor is critical for osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption. RANK adaptor proteins, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) play an essential role in RANKL signaling. Evidence indicates that NIP45 (NFAT interacting protein) binds with TRAFs and NFATc2. We therefore hypothesized that NIP45 regulates RANKL induced osteoclast differentiation. In this study, we demonstrate that RANKL treatment down regulates NIP45 expression in mouse bone marrow derived preosteoclast cells. Lentiviral (pGIPZ) mediated shRNA knock-down of NIP45 expression in RANKL stimulated preosteoclast cells resulted in increased levels of NFATc1, NFATc2 and TRAF6 but not TRAF2 expression compared to control shRNA transduced cells. Also, NIP45 suppression elevated p-IκB-α levels and NF-κB-luciferase reporter activity. Confocal microscopy demonstrated NIP45 colocalized with TRAF6 in the cytosol of osteoclast progenitor cells. In contrast, RANKL stimulation induced NIP45 nuclear translocation and colocalization with NFATc2 in these cells. Coimmuneprecipitation assasy demonstrated NIP45 binding with NFATc2 but not NFATc1. We further show that shRNA knock-down of NIP45 expression in preosteoclast cells significantly increased RANKL induced osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption activity. Taken together, our results indicate that RANKL signaling down regulates NIP45 expression and that NIP45 is a negative regulator of osteoclast differentiation.
TCP in networks with abrupt delay variations and random loss

This paper provides a preliminary investigation of the effect of abrupt round-trip variations on the performance of different versions of TCP. It is shown that end-to-end goodput of a bulk TCP transfer can be severely limited by variations in RTT primarily due to the non-adaptiveness of TCP's timeout estimation and fast recovery thresholds. The paper proposes a model for evaluating the performance of TCP in environments with abrupt RTT changes and random packet loss and outlines possible future TCP improvements.
Plasma Gelsolin Depletion and Circulating Actin in Sepsis—A Pilot Study

Background: Depletion of the circulating actin-binding protein, plasma gelsolin (pGSN) has been described in septic patients and animals. We hypothesized that the extent of pGSN reduction correlates with outcomes of septic patients and that circulating actin is a manifestation of sepsis. Methodology/Principal Findings: We assayed pGSN in plasma samples from non-surgical septic patients identified from a pre-existing database which prospectively enrolled patients admitted to adult intensive care units at an academic hospital. We identified 21 non-surgical septic patients for the study. Actinemia was detected in 17 of the 21 patients, suggesting actin released into circulation from injured tissues is a manifestation of sepsis. Furthermore, we documented the depletion of pGSN in human clinical sepsis, and that the survivors had significantly higher pGSN levels than the non-survivors (163647 mg/L vs. 89648 mg/L, p=0.01). pGSN levels were more strongly predictive of 28-day mortality than APACHE III scores. For every quartile reduction in pGSN, the odds of death increased 3.4-fold. Conclusion: We conclude that circulating actin and pGSN deficiency are associated with early sepsis. The degree of pGSN deficiency correlates with sepsis mortality. Reversing pGSN deficiency may be an effective treatment for sepsis.
Physical Therapy in the Emergency Department: Development of a Novel Practice Venue

Background and Purpose. The American Physical Therapy Association’s Vision 2020 advocates that physical therapists be integral members of health care teams responsible for diagnosing and managing movement and functional disorders. This report details the design and early implementation of a physical therapist service in the emergency department (ED) of a large, urban hospital and presents recommendations for assessing the effectiveness of physical therapists in this setting. Case Description. Emergency departments serve multiple purposes in the American health care system, including care of patients with non–life-threatening illnesses. Physical therapists have expertise in screening for problems that are not amenable to physical therapy and in addressing a wide range of acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain problems. This expertise invites inclusion into the culture of ED practice. This administrative case report describes planning and early implementation of a physical therapist practice in an ED, shares preliminary outcomes, and provides suggestions for expansion and effectiveness testing of practice in this novel venue. Outcomes. Referrals have increased and length of stay has decreased for patients receiving physical therapy. Preliminary surveys suggest high patient and practitioner satisfaction with physical therapy services. Outpatient physical therapy follow-up options were developed. Educating ED personnel to triage patients who show deficits in pain and functional mobility to physical therapy has challenged the usual culture of ED processes. Discussion. Practice in the hospital ED enables physical therapists to fully use their knowledge, diagnostic skills, and ability to manage acute pain and musculoskeletal injury. Recommendations for future action are made to encourage more institutions across the country to incorporate physical therapy in EDs to enhance the process and outcome of nonemergent care.
Development of air spindle and triaxial air bearing testbeds for spacecraft dynamics and control experiments

The dynamics and control of spacecraft have been widely studied because of their technological significance. In the classical case the spacecraft is assumed to consist of a single rigid body with three-axis torque inputs and with attitude and rate sensing. In practice, however, the situation may be far more complex. For example, any component of the spacecraft that deforms relative to other components will entail a change in the spacecraft mass distribution; in effect, the spacecraft becomes a multibody system. Similarly, structural flexibility and fuel slosh give rise to vibrational degrees of freedom. Spacecraft control is also exacerbated by sensor and actuator nonlinearities. Traditional actuation devices such as thrusters, reaction wheels, momentum wheels, and control moment gyros entail amplitude and rate saturation constraints, gyroscopic coupling, and coupling between translational and attitude dynamics. Additional difficulties arise when accounting for gravitational effects and external disturbances. All of these issues have technological implications. A fundamental difficulty associated with spacecraft technology is the fact that ground-based testing must occur in a 1-g environment whereas the hardware will operate under zero-g conditions. Consequently, spacecraft control engineering must depend on first-principles analysis as well as extrapolation from 1-g testing. The purpose of this paper is to describe a laboratory-based testbed that will be used to explore various issues and concepts in spacecraft dynamics and control. This testbed is based on a triaxial air bearing to allow experiments involving large-angle, three-axis motion. As a precursor to this testbed, we have also developed an air spindle testbed which allows single-axis rotation.
Layered required bandwidth for heterogeneous traffic

Bandwidth is engineered for heterogeneous service via a layered notion of required bandwidth. The required bandwidth is requested to satisfy grade of service up to the layer of concern. The most important use of this layer required bandwidth is for bandwidth allocation at the path layer. The mathematical properties of the optimal policy are explored. Based on these properties, a fast and accurate algorithm is derived for computing required bandwidth. Numerical examples are given. >
Multiscale models for synoptic-mesoscale interactions in the ocean

Abstract Multiscale analysis is used to derive two sets of coupled models, each based on the same distinguished limit, to represent the interaction of the midlatitude oceanic synoptic scale—where coherent features such as jets and rings form—and the mesoscale, defined by the internal deformation scale. The synoptic scale and mesoscale overlap at low and mid latitudes, and are hence synonymous in much of the oceanographic literature; at higher latitudes the synoptic scale can be an order of magnitude larger than the deformation scale, which motivates our asymptotic approach and our nonstandard terminology. In the first model the synoptic dynamics are described by ‘Large Amplitude Geostrophic’ (LAG) equations while the eddy dynamics are quasigeostrophic. This model has order one isopycnal variation on the synoptic scale; the synoptic dynamics respond to an eddy momentum flux while the eddy dynamics respond to the baroclinically unstable synoptic density gradient. The second model assumes small isopycnal variation on the synoptic scale, but allows for a planetary scale background density gradient that may be fixed or evolved on a slower time scale. Here the large-scale equations are just the barotropic quasigeostrophic equations, and the mesoscale is modeled by the baroclinic quasigeostrophic equations. The synoptic dynamics now respond to both eddy momentum and buoyancy fluxes, but the small-scale eddy dynamics are simply advected by the synoptic-scale flow—there is no baroclinic production term in the eddy equations. The energy budget is closed by deriving an equation for the slow evolution of the eddy energy, which ensures that energy gained or lost by the synoptic-scale flow is reflected in a corresponding loss or gain by the eddies. This latter model, aided by the eddy energy equation—a key result of this paper—provides a conceptual basis through which to understand the classic baroclinic turbulence cycle.
Testing the Drug Substitution Switching-Addictions Hypothesis: A Prospective Study in a Nationally Representative Sample

Importance Adults who remit from a substance use disorder (SUD) are often thought to be at increased risk for developing another SUD. A greater understanding of the prevalence and risk factors for drug substitution would inform clinical monitoring and management. Objective To determine whether remission from an SUD increases the risk of onset of a new SUD after a 3-year follow-up compared with lack of remission from an SUD and whether sociodemographic characteristics and psychiatric disorders, including personality disorders, independently predict a new-onset SUD. Design, Setting, and Participants A prospective cohort study where data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of 34 653 adults from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Participants were interviewed twice, 3 years apart (wave 1, 2001–2002; wave 2, 2004–2005). Main Outcomes and Measures We compared new-onset SUDs among individuals with at least 1 current SUD at wave 1 who did not remit from any SUDs at wave 2 (n = 3275) and among individuals with at least 1 current SUD at wave 1 who remitted at wave 2 (n = 2741). Results Approximately one-fifth (n = 2741) of the total sample had developed a new-onset SUD at the wave 2 assessment. Individuals who remitted from 1 SUD during this period were significantly less likely than those who did not remit to develop a new SUD (13.1% vs 27.2%, P Conclusions and Relevance As compared with those who do not remit from an SUD, remitters have less than half the risk of developing a new SUD. Contrary to clinical lore, achieving remission does not typically lead to drug substitution but rather is associated with a lower risk of new SUD onsets.
Effectiveness of Lightning Protection Devices

The primary factors that affect the performance of lightning protection devices consists of shape and geometry of the devices, distance from the device to the ground and polarity of the lightning stroke. The theory about the effect of the dissipation charges is one of many concepts that have been used to study lightning protection. The use of devices that affect the dissipation of charges has been widely discussed for many years. In previous years, some studies were focused only on the magnitude of the emission current from these devices, but the lightning performance of the devices can also be evaluated by measuring the critical flashover voltage (CFO) between the devices and the metal screen simulating cloud. Under controlled condition, laboratory measurements were conducted for different devices in order to compare these devices. In the present study, the tested devices include Franklin rod, TerraStat models TS 100, TS 400 and spline ball ionizer. These four devices are different in configuration. The study focused on the CFO voltage of the air gap between the devices and a metal screen. The CFO voltage was evaluated using standard 250/2500 mus switching impulses and also 1.2/50 mus lightning impulses with negative and positive polarity. Measurements were taken at 2 m and 3 m air gap spacing between the metal screen and the devices. The metal screen was energized with a 3 MV impulse voltages generator. The voltage magnitude and waveshape were recorded by means of a digital oscilloscope via the output of the capacitive voltage divider. The test results provide a better understanding of the lightning protection devices' electrical performance.
Saving John Brown: Religious Fanaticism and the Dilemma for Rhetorical Scholarship

The article reviews several books including "Fire From the Midst of You: A Religious Life of John Brown," by Louis A. De Caro Jr., "John Brown's Trial," by Brian McGinty, and "John Brown's War Against Slavery," by Robert E. McGlone.
Museums and the Representation of War

Museums are the cathedrals of the twenty-first century, in that they have filled the void left by the conventional churches as a site in which mixed populations of different faiths or no faith at all, of different origins and beliefs, confront and meditate on sacred themes – sacrifice, death, mourning, evil, brotherhood, dignity, transcendence.1 War not only belongs in museums; war dominates museum space in much of the public representation of history and will continue to do so. That being so, it is the task of war museums to persuade visitors to pose the question: how can war be represented? While there is no adequate answer to this question, museum professionals must try to answer it anyway with a large dose of humility. By avoiding the didactic mode, that is, that they know the answer and will present it to the visitors, they can perform a major public service. By admitting the magnitude of the problems inherent in trying to represent war, and through it, trying to represent the pain of others, museum directors and designers fulfil a critical social task. Knowing about war is the business of an informed citizenship, and museums are those sites where moral questions are posed, questions inevitably raised about war, questions about sacrifice, suffering, brotherhood, courage, love, recovery, transcendence. Museums enable visitors to pose these enduring questions, by converting war time into museum space.
Accurate tight-binding Hamiltonian matrices from ab initio calculations: Minimal basis sets

Projection of Bloch states obtained from quantum-mechanical calculations onto atomic orbitals is the fastest scheme to construct ab initio tight-binding Hamiltonian matrices. However, the presence of spurious states and unphysical hybridizations of the tight-binding eigenstates has hindered the applicability of this construction. Here we demonstrate that those spurious effects are due to the inclusion of Bloch states with low projectability. The mechanism for the formation of those effects is derived analytically. We present an improved scheme for the removal of the spurious states which results in an efficient scheme for the construction of highly accurate ab initio tight-binding Hamiltonians.
Through Partisan Eyes: My Friendships, Literary Education, and Political Encounters in Italy (1956–2013) with Sidelights on My Experiences in the United States, France and the Soviet Union

It is perhaps unusual but not surprising that Frank Rosengarten published this book, Through Partisan Eyes, in 2014, the same year as his death. Into his late 80s, Frank had continued to participat...
Investigation of Gas Phase Ions with a Quadrupole SIMS Instrument

SIMS instruments using a quadrupole mass spectrometer are usually provided with an electrostatic spectrometer in order to avoid degradation of the mass resolution due to energetic sputtered ions. In such an instrument, it is possible to study the energy distribution of sputtered ions by keeping the potentials applied to the electrostatic analyzer and to the extraction electrode constant and varying the specimen voltage. This approach was used by WHATLEY and WITTRY [1] to study the energy distribution of positive ions from group III and group VI elements in III-V semiconductors.
Comparative top down proteomics of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from kidney transplant recipients with normal kidney biopsies or acute rejection

Recent studies utilizing transcriptomics, metabolomics, and bottom up proteomics have identified molecular signatures of kidney allograft pathology. Although these results make significant progress toward non-invasive differential diagnostics of dysfunction of a transplanted kidney, they provide little information on the intact, often modified, protein molecules present during progression of this pathology. Because intact proteins underpin diverse biological processes, measuring the relative abundance of their modified forms promises to advance mechanistic understanding, and might provide a new class of biomarker candidates. Here, we used top down proteomics to inventory the modified forms of whole proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) taken at the time of kidney biopsy for 40 kidney allograft recipients either with healthy transplants or those suffering acute rejection. Supported by gas-phase fragmentation of whole protein ions during tandem mass spectrometry, we identified 344 proteins mapping to 2905 distinct molecular forms (proteoforms). Using an initial implementation of a label-free approach to quantitative top down proteomics, we obtained evidence suggesting relative abundance changes in 111 proteoforms between the two patient groups. Collectively, our work is the first to catalog intact protein molecules in PBMCs and suggests differentially abundant proteoforms for further analysis.
Determination of average polymerization degree of APP by solid-state NMR spectroscopy

The average polymerization degree of ammonium polyphosphate(APP) was determined by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)spectroscopy,end-group titration and liquid-state NMR method,respectively.The results show that end-group titration method is not suitable for APP with average polymerization degree more than 50;liquid-state NMR method has relatively low determination results.However,the determination results of solid-state NMR method is more credible and accurate.
Adventures in Parameter Space: Reconnection and the Magnetospheres of the Solar System

The key to a deep understanding of the physics of a magnetosphere was provided by Jim Dungey in 1961 in a brief but highly influential paper (~3 citations per word to this time) that is referenced repeatedly in this volume. Jim was thinking about more than one system when he proposed the reconnecting magnetosphere; he was trying to understand both the terrestrial environment and the dynamics of the Sun. His ideas apply not only to those two systems but also to others of which nothing was known in 1961. From the early 1970s to the present time, spacecraft have been exploring the magnetospheres of other planets as well as the magnetosphere of the moon, Ganymede. Today the Voyager spacecraft are approaching the boundary of the largest solar system magnetosphere, the heliosphere. Understanding the structure and dynamics of these remote systems requires consideration of various parameters that govern such features as their size and shape and their interaction with the flowing plasmas in which they are embedded. So, taking a lead from another remarkable paper of Jim’s that explains many ideas important to space plasmas by inviting the reader to participate in “Adventures in Velocity Space,” this work provides an introduction to the range of parameter space that characterizes the diverse magnetospheres of the solar system and illustrates how Jim’s perceptive work fits into the interpretation of other magnetospheric systems.
Angiotensin II type 1 receptor : role in renal growth and gene expression during normal development

To determine whether angiotensin II (ANG II) modulates renal growth and renin and angiotensin type 1 (AT1) gene expression via AT1 during development, weanling rats were given ANG II antagonist losartan (DuP 753) for 3 wk. Body weight (g), kidney weight (g), and kidney weight-to-body weight ratio were lower in losartan-treated rats (162 +/- 7, 1.6 +/- 0.06, and 9.5 +/- 0.1 x 10(-3)) than in control rats (184 +/- 5, 1.8 +/- 0.07, and 10.1 +/- 0.1 x 10(-3); P < 0.05). Renal DNA content (mg/kidney) was lower in losartan-treated (2.4 +/- 0.17) than in control rats (3.3 +/- 0.31; P < 0.05), whereas protein-to-DNA and RNA-to-DNA ratios were similar in losartan-treated and control rats. Renin mRNA levels were sevenfold higher in losartan-treated than in control rats, as determined by quantitative standardized dot blot analysis. In addition, blockade of AT1 with losartan induced recruitment of renin-synthesizing and renin-containing cells in the renal vasculature, as determined by immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. To establish whether AT1 blockade has a direct effect on renin gene expression, freshly isolated renin-producing cells were exposed in vitro to losartan (10(-6) M) or culture media (control). Losartan induced a twofold increase in steady-state renin mRNA levels above control (P < 0.05). Intrarenal AT1 mRNA levels were not altered by losartan given either in vivo or in vitro to freshly dispersed cells. To define whether immature renin-secreting cells are responsive to ANG II, renin release was determined by reverse hemolytic plaque assay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Evolution of Morality and Religion

(2005). The Evolution of Morality and Religion. Ars Disputandi: Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 103-106.
Protein-fluctuation-induced water-pore formation in ion channel voltage-sensor translocation across a lipid bilayer membrane

We have applied a combined fluorescence microscopy and single-ion-channel electric current recording approach, correlating with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, to study the mechanism of voltage-sensor domain translocation across a lipid bilayer. We use the colicin Ia ion channel as a model system, and our experimental and simulation results show the following: (1) The open-close activity of an activated colicin Ia is not necessarily sensitive to the amplitude of the applied cross-membrane voltage when the cross-membrane voltage is around the resting potential of excitable membranes; and (2) there is a significant probability that the activation of colicin Ia occurs by forming a transient and fluctuating water pore of ∼15 A diameter in the lipid bilayer membrane. The location of the water-pore formation is nonrandom and highly specific, right at the insertion site of colicin Ia charged residues in the lipid bilayer membrane, and the formation is intrinsically associated with the polypeptide conformational fluctuations and solvation dynamics. Our results suggest an interesting mechanistic pathway for voltage-sensitive ion channel activation, and specifically for translocation of charged polypeptide chains across the lipid membrane under a transmembrane electric field: the charged polypeptide domain facilitates the formation of hydrophilic water pore in the membrane and diffuses through the hydrophilic pathway across the membrane; i.e., the charged polypeptide chain can cross a lipid membrane without entering into the hydrophobic core of the lipid membrane but entirely through the aqueous and hydrophilic environment to achieve a cross-membrane translocation. This mechanism sheds light on the intensive and fundamental debate on how a hydrophilic and charged peptide domain diffuses across the biologically inaccessible high-energy barrier of the hydrophobic core of a lipid bilayer: The peptide domain does not need to cross the hydrophobic core to move across a lipid bilayer.
1.03 – Dynamic Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography

Dynamic single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is an imaging procedure that provides kinetic parameters of compartment models to describe the rate of exchange of a radiotracer between tissues and/or biomolecules in a patient's body, and reflects biophysiologic functions of perfusion and metabolism in body organs. Special data processing methods are required to extract the dynamic information of tracers with limited transport from blood to tissues when the data are acquired using slowly rotating imaging cameras. The problem to be solved is that the spatial concentrations of radiotracer distributions are changing faster than the rate of angular sampling using SPECT cameras. Data processing algorithms fit the data to coefficients of series expansions of basis functions providing tissue time active curves (TACs). These TACs are then fit to compartment models of dynamic processes to quantify the exchange between complex structures of arterioles, capillaries, venules, and extravascular spaces. The estimation of TACs directly from projection measurements improves bias and variance over conventional methods and is appropriate as well for dynamic positron emission tomography. B-splines and factor analysis of dynamic structures are two examples presented of spatiotemporal basis functions used to estimate TACs directly from projection measurements.
Imaging Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

At least 75% of all cases of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas occur within the head and neck. These lesions are typically located in high sun-exposure areas, such as the auricle and periorbital region. High-risk lesions have a propensity for both locally invasive disease and regional spread. In such cases, imaging is crucial to understand the extent of disease and guide treatment planning. Commonly used imaging modalities including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET–CT). All play important roles in the work-up of patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, providing different and often complimentary information.
Iron Does Not Cause Arrhythmias in the Guinea Pig Model of Transfusional Iron Overload.

Cardiac events, including heart failure and arrhythmias, are the major cause of death in patients with b-thalassemia. Although cardiac arrhythmias in humans are believed to result from iron overload, excluding confounding factors in the human population is difficult. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the development of cardiac arrhythmias using the guinea pig model of secondary iron overload. Electrocardiograms were recorded via surgically implanted telemetry devices in guinea pigs loaded intraperitoneally with iron dextran and controls. Cardiac and liver iron concentrations were significantly elevated in the iron loaded animals when compared to control, and were in the range of those reported for humans with thalassemia. Arrhythmias were noted infrequently in both iron loaded and control guinea pigs. No life threatening arrhythmias were detected in either group. These data suggest that iron alone may be insufficient to cause cardiac arrhythmias, and that arrhythmias detected in individuals with iron overload may be the result of a complex interplay of factors.
Epidemic models, empirical studies, and uncertainty

Mathematical models of the AIDS epidemic require information from a variety of sources. To produce reliable results, these models must take into account the limitations of each data source regarding sample size, accuracy of actual data values, and data structure. Because these limitations determine what can be estimated from each source and how precisely this can be estimated, they affect the quality of model results. Therefore, it is important to consider the effect of uncertainty of estimation in interpreting models.
Using the 7C Framework for Teaching & Learning Health Education & Promotion.

Health Professionals are needed to address and improve health status. This paper presents a teaching technique that will help students acquire and develop applied health education and promotion skills. This paper introduces a 7C Framework to encourage teachers to use Challenge, Courage, Commitment, Competence, Connection, Contribution, and Consequences. The results of three innovative student initiated health promotion projects, provoked by these methods, are provided as evidence of its effectiveness. The innovative 7C framework provides a preparatory framework educators can use to help future health professionals not just meet, but exceed expectations.
Bending capacity of cold-formed Z-purlins supporting a standing seam roof system with torsional bracing

AbstractThis paper reports the results from 57 tests of a roof system using the Base Test Method per AISI TS-8-04. Each test included two Z-section purlins facing the same direction and supporting standing seam roof systems under uniform gravity loads. The Z-purlins, undergoing bending loads were braced at standard brace points. The variables of the test programme included panel clips, Z-purlins, bracing type, and brace points. From the results, neither point bracing nor torsional bracing have a clear flexural strength advantage. But the average flexural strength of sections tested (Mnt) for both point and torsional bracing always exceeded the flexural strength calculated using AISI C 3.1.
Combination of alpha-synuclein immunotherapy with anti-inflammatory treatment in a transgenic mouse model of multiple system atrophy

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the pathological accumulation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) in oligodendrocytes. Therapeutic efforts to stop or delay the progression of MSA have yielded suboptimal results in clinical trials, and there are no efficient treatments currently available for MSA patients. We hypothesize that combining therapies targeting different aspects of the disease may lead to better clinical outcomes. To test this hypothesis, we combined the use of a single-chain antibody targeting α-syn modified for improved central nervous system penetration (CD5-D5) with an unconventional anti-inflammatory treatment (lenalidomide) in the myelin basic protein (MBP)-α-syn transgenic mouse model of MSA. While the use of either CD5-D5 or lenalidomide alone had positive effects on neuroinflammation and/or α-syn accumulation in this mouse model of MSA, the combination of both approaches yielded better results than each single treatment. The combined treatment reduced astrogliosis, microgliosis, soluble and aggregated α-syn levels, and partially improved behavioral deficits in MBP-α-syn transgenic mice. These effects were associated with an activation of the Akt signaling pathway, which may mediate cytoprotective effects downstream tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). These results suggest that a strategic combination of treatments may improve the therapeutic outcome in trials for MSA and related neurodegenerative disorders.
Pancreatic Cancer: "A Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery inside an Enigma".

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most difficult-to-treat cancers. With an increasing incidence and inability to make major progress, it represents the very definition of unmet medical need. Progress has been made in understanding the basic biology-systematic genomic sequencing has led to the recognition that PDAC is not typically a heavily mutated tumor, although there are exceptions. The most consistently mutated genes are KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53, and SMAD4/DPC4 Study of familial PDAC has led to the recognition that a variety of defects in DNA repair genes can be associated with the emergence of pancreatic cancer. Recent studies suggest that epigenetics may play a larger role than previously recognized. A major new understanding is the recognition that PDAC should be considered a composite of tumor cells, as well as pancreatic stellate cells, immune cells, and extracellular matrix. The individual components contribute to metabolic aberration, immune dysfunction, and chemotherapy resistance, and therapeutic innovations may be needed to address them individually. It has also been recognized that metastatic seeding from PDAC occurs very early in the disease course-in an estimated 73% of cases, once the tumor reaches 2 cm. The implication of this is that therapies directed toward micrometastatic disease and increasing fractional cell kill are most needed. Neoadjuvant approaches have been taken to increase resectability and improve outcome. So much work remains, and most critical is the need to understand how this tumor originates and develops. Clin Cancer Res; 23(7); 1629-37. ©2017 AACRSee all articles in this CCR Focus section, "Pancreatic Cancer: Challenge and Inspiration."
Utilizing nearby computing resources for resource-limited mobile devices

For the last decade, mobile devices have been significantly developed with powerful hardware facilities. Nevertheless, rapid growth in application functionality requires ever greater hardware capability. Thus ensuring the quality of service in resources-limited execution environments remains a major challenge of mobile software development. To reduce execution time and save battery power, some functionality of mobile applications is often executed remotely. However, such an optimization mechanism (i.e., computational offloading) has received attention only in the research literature. In this paper, we present a novel distribution infrastructure that can execute any functionality at either a powerful remote server or nearby mobile devices using two distributed execution models---client/server and peer to peer. Our evaluation results demonstrate that the presented approach can increase both performance and energy efficiency of mobile applications by virtually expanding the hardware capacity of an existing mobile device.
Covariability of climate and streamflow in the Upper Rio Grande from interannual to interdecadal timescales

Abstract Study region The Upper Rio Grande (URG) flows from its headwaters in Colorado, U.S., and provides an important source of water to millions of people in the U.S. states of Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and also Mexico. Study focus We reassess the explanatory power of the relationship of sea surface temperatures (SST) on URG streamflow variability on interannual to interdecadal timescales. We find a significant amount of the variance of spring-summer URG streamflow cannot be fully explained by SST. New hydrological insights We find that the interdecadal teleconnection between SST and streamflow is more clear than on interannual timescales. The highest ranked years tend to be clustered during positive phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). During the periods of decadal high flow (1900–1920, and 1979–1995), Pacific SST resembles a positive PDO pattern and the Atlantic a negative Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) pattern; an interbasin pattern shown in prior studies to be conducive to high precipitation and streamflow. To account for the part of streamflow variance not explained by SST, we analyze atmospheric Reanalysis data for the months preceding the highest spring-summer streamflow events. A variety of atmospheric configurations are found to precede the highest flow years through anomalous moisture convergence. This lack of consistency suggests that, on interannual timescales, weather and not climate can dominate the generation of high streamflow events.
Macrosystem Analysis of Programs and Strategies to Increase Underrepresented Populations in the Geosciences.

ABSTRACTMeeting the future demand for a qualified geoscience workforce will require efforts to increase recruitment, retention, and graduation of an increasingly diverse student body. Doing this su...
Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

This article summarizes the current literature on the acute and outpatient assessment, management, and treatment of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Emerging research indicates that there are different clinical profiles, or patterns of symptoms and deficits, that can occur due to mTBI. Advancements in assessment tools allows for improved detection of mTBI and delineation of the clinical profile after injury. Experts advocate for the development of an individualized treatment plan for specific symptoms and deficits from mTBI, rather than a “one-size-fits-all” approach to managing the injury. This review provides a summary of the emerging literature for the evaluation and management of mTBI in the acute and outpatient settings.
Postmitotic Fate Refinement in the Subplate

How is the astonishing diversity of cortical neurons specified? In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Ozair et al. (2018) leverage hPSC neural differentiation to show that projection neurons undergo prolonged sojourns in the subplate before migrating to deep layers, suggesting that pausing in the subplate may enable integration of intrinsic and extrinsic cues during postmitotic fate refinement.