cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact ionization MOS (I-MOS)-Part II: experimental results

Part I of this paper dealt with the fundamental understanding of device physics and circuit design in a novel transistor, based on the field-effect control of impact-ionization (I-MOS). This paper focuses on experimental results obtained on various silicon-based prototypes of the I-MOS. The fabricated p-channel I-MOS devices showed extremely abrupt transitions from the OFF state to the ON state with a subthreshold slope of less than 10 mV/dec at 300 K. These first experimental prototypes of the I-MOS also showed significant hot carrier effects resulting in threshold voltage shifts and degradation of subthreshold slope with repeated measurements. Hot carrier damage was seen to be much worse in nMOS devices than in pMOS devices. Monte Carlo simulations revealed that the hot carrier damage was caused by holes (electrons) underneath the gate in pMOS (nMOS) devices and, thus, consequently explained the difference in hot carrier effects in p-channel versus n-channel I-MOS transistors. Recessed channel devices were also explored to understand the effects of surfaces on the enhancement in the breakdown voltage in I-MOS devices. In order to reduce the breakdown voltage needed for device operation, simple p-i-n devices were fabricated in germanium. These devices showed much lower values of breakdown voltage and excellent matches to MEDICI simulations.
Suction generation in white-spotted bamboo sharks Chiloscyllium plagiosum.

SUMMARY After the divergence of chondrichthyans and teleostomes, the structure of the feeding apparatus also diverged leading to alterations in the suction mechanism. In this study we investigated the mechanism for suction generation during feeding in white-spotted bamboo sharks, Chiloscyllium plagiosum and compared it with that in teleosts. The internal movement of cranial elements and pressure in the buccal, hyoid and pharyngeal cavities that are directly responsible for suction generation was quantified using sonomicrometry and pressure transducers. Backward stepwise multiple linear regressions were used to explore the relationship between expansion and pressure, accounting for 60–96% of the variation in pressure among capture events. The progression of anterior to posterior expansion in the buccal, hyoid and pharyngeal cavities is accompanied by the sequential onset of subambient pressure in these cavities as prey is drawn into the mouth. Gape opening triggers the onset of subambient pressure in the oropharyngeal cavities. Peak gape area coincides with peak subambient buccal pressure. Increased velocity of hyoid area expansion is primarily responsible for generating peak subambient pressure in the buccal and hyoid regions. Pharyngeal expansion appears to function as a sink to receive water influx from the mouth, much like that of compensatory suction in bidirectional aquatic feeders. Interestingly, C. plagiosum generates large suction pressures while paradoxically compressing the buccal cavity laterally, delaying the time to peak pressure. This represents a fundamental difference from the mechanism used to generate suction in teleost fishes. Interestingly, pressure in the three cavities peaks in the posterior to anterior direction. The complex shape changes that the buccal cavity undergoes indicate that, as in teleosts, unsteady flow predominates during suction feeding. Several kinematic variables function together, with great variation over long gape cycles to generate the low subambient pressures used by C. plagiosum to capture prey.
Active Sound Localization in a Symmetric Environment

Localization for humanoid robots becomes difficult when events that disrupt robot positioning information occur. This holds especially true in symmetric environments because landmark data may not be sufficient to determine orientation. We propose a system of localizing humanoid robots in a known, symmetric environment using a Rao-Blackwellized particle filter and a sound localization system. This system was used in the RoboCup Standard Platform League, and has been found to reduce the amount of own-goals scored as compared with the previously used localization system without sound.
Low-bit-rate coding of underwater video using wavelet-based compression algorithms

Recent advances in autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and underwater communication technology have promoted a surge of research activity within the area of signal and information processing. A new application is proposed herein for capturing and processing underwater video onboard an untethered AUV, then transmitting it to a remote platform using acoustic telemetry. Since video communication requires a considerably larger bandwidth than that provided by an underwater acoustic channel, the data must be massively compressed prior to transmission from the AUV. Past research has shown that the low contrast and low-detailed nature of underwater imagery allows for low-bit-rate coding of the data by wavelet-based image-coding algorithms. In this work, these findings have been extended to the design of a wavelet-based hybrid video encoder which employs entropy-constrained vector quantization (ECVQ) with overlapped block-based motion compensation. The ECVQ codebooks were designed from a statistical source model which describes the distribution of high subband wavelet coefficients in both intraframe and prediction error images. Results indicate that good visual quality can be achieved for very low bit-rate coding of underwater video with our algorithm.
Molecular clustering of STIM1 with Orai1/CRACM1 at the plasma membrane depends dynamically on depletion of Ca2+ stores and on electrostatic interactions.

Activation of store operated Ca2+ entry involves stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and calcium channel subunit (Orai1/CRACM1), localized to the plasma membrane. Confocal microscopy shows that thapsigargin-mediated depletion of ER Ca2+ stores in RBL mast cells causes a redistribution of STIM1, labeled with monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP), to micrometer-scale ER-plasma membrane junctions that contain Orai1/CRACM1, labeled with monomeric Aequorea coerulescens green fluorescent protein (AcGFP). Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), we determine that this visualized coredistribution is accompanied by nanoscale interaction of STIM1-mRFP and AcGFP-Orai1/CRACM1. We find that antigen stimulation of immunoglobulin E receptors causes much less Orai1/CRACM1 and STIM1 association, but strong interaction is observed under conditions that prevent refilling of ER stores. Stimulated association monitored by FRET is inhibited by sphingosine derivatives in parallel with inhibition of Ca2+ influx. Similar structural and functional effects are caused by mutation of acidic residues in the cytoplasmic segment of Orai1/CRACM1, suggesting a role for electrostatic interactions via these residues in the coupling of Orai1/CRACM1 to STIM1. Our results reveal dynamic molecular interactions between STIM1 and Orai1/CRACM1 that depend quantitatively on electrostatic interactions and on the extent of store depletion.
Thailand. In Buddha's company: Thai soldiers in the Vietnam War . By Richard A. Ruth. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press, 2011. Pp. x + 275. Photographs, Notes, Bibliography, Index.

In Buddha's company: Thai soldiers in the Vietnam War By RICHARD A. RUTH Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2011. Pp. x + 275. Photographs, Notes, Bibliography, Index. In the now vast scholarly literature on the Vietnam War, the participation of the non-US foreign forces that fought for the Saigon regime may constitute one of that conflict's few understudied subjects. Thailand sent 37,644 military personnel to South Vietnam, mostly between 1967 and 1972, a contingent that became the third largest operating in that embattled country--behind just those of the United States and South Korea. Two special units of the Royal Thai Army and one each from the Royal Thai Air Force and the Royal Thai Navy served in South Vietnam; 539 Thai military personnel died there. In this novel account of Thailand's contribution to the Vietnam War, Richard A. Ruth attempts to tell the story of the Thai 'volunteers' from their own perspective. To do so, he conducted interviews with 60 Thai veterans of the conflict. Lengthy passages from those oral histories pepper this book, offering a rare and revealing glimpse into the personal experiences, motivations, and recollections of ordinary Thai servicemen, most of whom hailed from poor, rural regions of the country. For the most part, the author eschews an examination of the international history of Thailand's role in the Vietnam War. The fact that the Thai National Archives still prohibits scholars from examining most materials relating to that topic makes his predominant emphasis here on the social and cultural aspects of Thailand's Vietnam War both sensible and innovative, if also somewhat limited. Above all, Ruth seeks to reconstruct the world-views and ground-level experiences of the Thai Expeditionary Forces. He especially emphasises the common meanings that soldiers ascribed to their Vietnam tours of duty, highlighting the transformative impact that their service had on so many of the Thai volunteers. While devoting some attention to the combat operations and non-combat missions of the Thai military contingent, Ruth displays substantially more interest in other matters: the symbolic significance of the expeditionary force within Thai political culture; the rampant consumerism among Thai soldiers, fostered by the amazing cornucopia of goods they were exposed to at American PXs (US army based retail store); their relationships with South Vietnamese civilians, especially women; the spirituality and beliefs systems of the volunteers; and their often strange encounters with what Ruth describes as the 'metaphysical landscape' of South Vietnam. …
Tamper detection marking for object files

Much of present day computer software is highly mobile, with a great amount of software being delivered to a client host via a network shortly before execution begins. The integrity of mobile code is one important aspect for the secure execution of the code on the client host. We describe a cryptographic-steganographic approach to embedding authentication data within executable object files. Our approach simplifies management of and requires no additional bandwidth to accommodate the authentication data. Initial experimental results show no runtime performance degradation for the execution of the protected program.
Sample size and statistical power of randomised, controlled trials in orthopaedics

We reviewed all 717 manuscripts published in the 1997 issues of the British and American volumes of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, from which 33 randomised, controlled trials were identified. The results and sample sizes were used to calculate the statistical power of the study to distinguish small (0.2 of standard deviation), medium (0.5 of standard deviation), and large (0.8 of standard deviation) effect sizes. Of the 33 manuscripts analysed, only three studies (9%) described calculations of sample size. To perform post-hoc power assessments and estimations of deficiencies of sample size, the standard effect sizes of Cohen (small, medium and large) were calculated. Of the 25 studies which reported negative results, none had adequate power (beta < 0.2) to detect a small effect size and 12 (48%) lacked the power necessary to detect a large effect size. Of the 25 studies which did not have an adequate size of sample to detect small differences, the average used was only 10% of the required number Our findings suggest that randomised, controlled trials in clinical orthopaedic research utilise sample sizes which are too small to ensure statistical significance for what may be clinically important results.
An End-to-End Embedded Approach for Multicast/Broadcast of Scalable Video over Multiuser CDMA Wireless Networks

We investigate an embedded multicast/broadcast approach for transport of digital video over spread-spectrum code-division multiple access (CDMA) cellular networks. Previous work has shown that the incorporation of a scalable source coding scheme with multiresolution modulation provides a promising design paradigm for the practical realization of the information-theoretic performance predictions originally developed by Cover, which demonstrated that optimal multicast/broadcast performance could be achieved by an embedded transmission scheme. Hence, the major technical challenge associated with the design of an end-to-end embedded multicast/broadcast system is how to match an embedded modulation constellation with a scalable source coding scheme. In this work, taking into consideration both the interference-limited and bandwidth-limited characteristics of a CDMA system, we provide a cross-layer approach incorporating adaptive power allocation and channel coding strategies and effectively match a discrete cosine transform based scalable motion-compensated video encoder to an embedded multiresolution modulation scheme to simultaneously deliver a basic quality-of-service (QoS) to less capable receivers while maximizing both the QoS for more capable receivers and the system capacity. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach using the ITU-T H.263+ video scalable hybrid coder, although the approach is generally extensible to other scalable coding schemes as well
A Robust Node Selection Strategy for Lifetime Extension in Wireless Sensor Networks

Distributed wireless sensor networks consist of energy-constrained sensor nodes that may be deployed in large numbers in order to monitor a given area. In such densely deployed environments, multiple transmissions can lead to collisions resulting in lost packets and energy wastage due to retransmissions. These networks also feature significant redundancy since nodes close to each other often sense similar data. Therefore, it may be adequate to utilize only a subset of data captured by the network. In this paper, high-energy subsets of the nodes are selected in a manner that coverage and connectivity are consistently achieved. The working subsets are changed over time after predetermined durations. A framework using concepts from spatial statistics is developed as an approach to selecting the subset of sensors. For example, an attempt at determining the correlation distance of a sensor field in the absence of real sensor data is made. Simulation results show that the algorithm is robust and retains certain level of redundancy. The ability of the algorithm to extend network lifetime is shown and the redundancy provided by the subsets selected is analyzed along with the fault tolerance provided. Conclusions regarding the flexibility and application scenarios of the algorithm are drawn.
Nuclear Morphometry and Prognosis in Favorable Histology Wilms' Tumor: A Prospective Reevaluation

PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the ability of a previously published nuclear morphometry discriminant function to predict disease-free survival in patients with Wilms' tumor. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified 218 patients with stage I-IV Wilms' tumor of favorable histology who were entered onto the National Wilms' Tumor Study (NWTS) between January 1, 1990 and April 15, 1994. The nuclear morphometry score was calculated for each patient as follows: MVf = (0.02 × AGE) + (1.17 × SNRF) + (90.6 × LEFD) − 94, with AGE denoting age at diagnosis in months, SNRF the skewness of the nuclear roundness factor, and LEFD the lowest value of nuclear ellipticity as measured by the feret diameter method. Relative risks of relapse were estimated for the total score and for each of its components. Sensitivity and specificity were determined for the criterion of “MVf is greater than −0.35” as a predictor of relapse. RESULTS: By contrast with previously published results, neither the SNRF nor the LEFD made an...
A CMOS Ripple Detector for Voltage Regulator Testing

This paper presents an RMS based ripple sensor for testing of fully integrated voltage regulators. A DC signal which is proportional to the input ripple amplitude is generated. Final digital pass/fail signal is obtained with a clocked comparator. The sensor can detect a peak-to-peak ripple voltage of up to 50 millivolts on the 1.2 V supply rail and has 220 MHz bandwidth. The sensor is designed using IBM 90 nm CMOS technology and its functionality is verified in Cadence Virtuoso simulation environment.
Marlene's Marvelous Adventure: Southwest Airlines

This case presents a firsthand account of a flying experience on Southwest Airlines in June 2004. The narrative reports on the cross-country flying experience of one passenger. See also "Marlene's Marvelous Adventure: JetBlue Airways" (UVA-OM-1153).
Maximizing mutual information between random variables and applications to order reduction of stochastic processes

In this chapter, we define a metric distance between probability distributions of unequal dimensions. Using this metric, we then address the problem of optimally approximating a high-order distribution by another one of a lower, prespecified order. It is shown that both the problem of computing the distance and of finding the optimal reduced-order approximation can be formulated as extensible bin- packing problems, and are thus NP-hard. Polynomial-time suboptimal algorithms are provided for both problems.
A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF BLOOD PRESSURE IN CHILDHOOD

Blood pressures were taken in 609 children aged 6-18 in 163 families, 549 of whom had been studied 4 years earlier. Age and sex adjusted scores were expressed in standard deviation units (SDU). Analysis of variance again revealed the variance of blood pressures within families to be significantly less than among all children in this age group (p is less than 001. There was a significant positive relation between the follow-up and initial readings (regression coefficients: 0.24,p is less than .001 for systolic and 0.14,p = .001 for diastolic pressures). Of 88 children with initial systolic scores greater than 1 SDU above the mean, 65 percent had positive scores at follow-up, and 57 of 81 (70 percent) children with initial systolic scores less than 1 SDU below the mean had negative scores at follow up. These data suggest that stratification of blood pressures within peer groups begins and is detectable in childhood.
Effect of Acetic Acid on the Death Rates at 52°C of Salmonella newport , Salmonella typhimurium and Campylobacter jejuni in Poultry Scald Water.

The D52 values [time necessary for a one log decrease in bacterial numbers at 52°C (125.6°F)] were determined for Salmonella newport , Salmonella typhimurium and Campylobacter jejuni in water that had been taken from the scald tank of a large-scale poultry slaughter operation, sterilized and then treated with various concentrations of acetic acid. The addition of 0.1% acetic acid to the scald water drastically reduced the D52 values for all three bacteria; that of S. newport dropped from 22.18 ± 2.68 min to 2.88 ± 0.20 min; S. typhimurium from 29.05 ± 5.61 min to 3.56 ± 0.28 min; and C. jejuni from 5.97 ± 0.93 min to 1.20 ± 0.45 min. When the acetic acid concentration was increased to 0.2%, the D52 values of S. newport and S. typhimurium were 0.92 ± 0.16 and 1.30 ± 0.16 min, respectively. Addition of 1% acetic acid caused instantaneous bacterial death and D52 values could not be calculated. This suggests that addition of the GRAS compound, acetic acid, to poultry scald water shows promise as a means of destroying Salmonella and Campylobacter in the scald tank and thereby reducing cross-contamination. Since the scald tank is the first step in poultry processing, a reduction at this critical control point might also reduce dissemination of Salmonella and Campylobacter during subsequent processing steps. Plant trials are being planned.
Family Relations, Stress, and Vulnerability: Biobehavioral Implications for Prevention and Practice

Developmental psychobiology research supports the hypothesis that individual differences in biological stress systems that are sensitive to environmental experiences are associated with individual adjustment problems. Negative social experiences, especially in family contexts, contribute to the dysregulation of set-points and thresholds of biological stress reactivity that affects long-term adaptation and adjustment. The goal of this review is to discuss the current findings on how negative parent–child relationships affect the biological stress system. The authors also highlight the importance of family-based prevention and intervention to decouple links between the psychobiology of the stress response and adjustment problems. They discuss how including indicators of the biological stress system, such as cortisol and salivary alpha amylase, can be useful for family practitioners and researchers.
Human pregnane X receptor compromises the function of p53 and promotes malignant transformation

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is well established as a nuclear receptor that has a central role in xenobiotic metabolism and disposition. However, emerging evidence suggests that PXR is also a regulator of apoptosis, promoting a malignant phenotype both in vitro and in vivo. The tumor suppressor p53 can be activated in the presence of DNA damage and induce cell cycle arrest to allow for DNA repair or, ultimately, apoptosis to suppress tumor formation. We previously identified p53 as a novel PXR-associated protein by using a mass spectrometric approach. In the current study, we identified a novel inhibitory effect of PXR on p53, revealing an anti-apoptotic function of PXR in colon carcinogenesis. PXR expression reduced p53 transactivation and the expression of its downstream target genes involved in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by decreasing p53 recruitment to the promoter regions of these genes. Consistent with the inhibitory effect of PXR on p53, elevated PXR levels decreased doxorubicin- or nutlin-3a-mediated toxicity and promoted malignant transformation in colon cancer cells. Our findings show for the first time that PXR expression modulates p53 target gene promoter binding and contributes to the downregulation of p53 function in human colon cancer cells. These results define the functional significance of PXR expression in modulating p53-mediated mechanisms of tumor suppression.
Inquiry Software Development of Technologic Measures of Oil-water Well

Draw up inquiry software of technologic measures of oil-water well, using C/S mode and applying the technology of Odac, SQL, OLE comprehensively.It provides easy operation and friendly operating environment for the user.This software can query and statistics data which is needed from the database of the oilfield development, assist the technical personnel to analyze and evaluate, and offer help and guidance for taking the next measure and improving oilfield production capacity.
[Investigation on the antibody level of rubella and mumps among the floating population in Chaoyang District, Beijing].

近年来,随着人口流动性的逐年增加,北京市朝阳区风疹和流行性腮腺炎(流腮)发病逐渐呈现以外来人口为主的特点.为了解外来人群风疹和流腮抗体水平,及时发现免疫薄弱人群,有效控制风疹和流腮疫情,调查朝阳区外来人群的风疹和流腮抗体水平,结果报告如下。
Research on Echinacea Use in Western Medicine

Echinacea has a long history of medical use in the United States. Starting in the 1950s and increasing in recent decades, the immune-stimulating abilities of Echinacea have caught the attention of the medical community. Some Echinacea products have shown in international clinical trials that they are useful for treating and preventing upper respiratory tract infections. There is still much more research that needs to be accomplished to determine which formulation is most efficacious. Overall, Echinacea products appear to be safe and generally they are not the source of allergies or dangerous drug/herb interactions.
Transfer String Kernel for Cross-Context DNA-Protein Binding Prediction

Through sequence-based classification, this paper tries to accurately predict the DNA binding sites of transcription factors (TFs) in an unannotated cellular context. Related methods in the literature fail to perform such predictions accurately, since they do not consider sample distribution shift of sequence segments from an annotated (source) context to an unannotated (target) context. We, therefore, propose a method called “Transfer String Kernel” (TSK) that achieves improved prediction of transcription factor binding site (TFBS) using knowledge transfer via cross-context sample adaptation. TSK maps sequence segments to a high-dimensional feature space using a discriminative mismatch string kernel framework. In this high-dimensional space, labeled examples of the source context are re-weighted so that the revised sample distribution matches the target context more closely. We have experimentally verified TSK for TFBS identifications on 14 different TFs under a cross-organism setting. We find that TSK consistently outperforms the state-of-the-art TFBS tools, especially when working with TFs whose binding sequences are not conserved across contexts. We also demonstrate the generalizability of TSK by showing its cutting-edge performance on a different set of cross-context tasks for the MHC peptide binding predictions.
Ketogenic Diet Mechanism of Action

The intracellular pH of the cerebral cortex was studied by the neutral red method in 15 adult rats maintained on ketogenic and control diets for 5-6 weeks.
Treg Depletion with Interleukin-2-Diphteriatoxin (IL-2DT) Is Sufficient to Induce Tumor Clearance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Regulatory T-cells impede efficient immuno-surveillance and tumor clearance. Therapeutic Treg reduction with anti-CD25Ab can lead to improved survival in murine tumor models, but due to its long half-life, anti-CD25mAb may deplete anti-tumor reactive T-cells that are generated or expanded in Treg-depleted recipients. Tregs can also be targeted using an immunoconjugate consisting of IL-2 linked to diptheria toxin (IL- 2DT), that has a shorter half-life. Clinical trials with IL-2DT have had variable results in stimulating anti-tumor immune responses in the context of large tumor burdens. To determine whether responses with IL-2DT can be achieved in AML patients with minimal residual disease after induction chemotherapy, C57BL/6 (B6) mice were injected i.v. with moderately immunogenic luciferase- and DsRed-transduced murine AML cell line (C1498) that is MHC class I+II-. IL-2DT had no effects on in vitro tumor growth. After in vivo tumor injection, cohorts were given 1ug IL-2DT on days 0, 2 and 4 and monitored for tumor burden by Xenogen ® luciferase imaging and survival. Untreated mice all died by d35. Whereas mice treated with IL-2DT vs. untreated controls initially showed no difference in tumor growth, tumor burden started to decrease by day 10 in treated mice. No tumor was observed in treated mice by d28, and all mice survived long term without relapse (p
Cone beam computed tomography image optimization to detect root fractures in endodontically treated teeth: an in vitro (phantom) study

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an optimization filter (OF) and voxel size on the accuracy of root fracture detection. Study Design Half of 40 endodontically treated roots were fractured, and the other half were left intact. All teeth were randomly placed into 5 bovine ribs. Each rib was scanned with the Planmeca ProMax 3-D using 4 different settings: 75 μm and 100 μm voxel size with and without an OF. Five reviewers reported if a fracture was present by using a 5-point scale. Intra-/interobserver agreement, area under the receiver operative characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and false-positive rates were analyzed. Results High κ-values indicated strong intra-/interobserver agreement. There was no significant difference in fracture detection between any of the evaluated techniques. Conclusions Because of the decreased cost, dose area product, and time required, compared with the other imaging modalities studied, the high-resolution mode (100 μm) without an OF is recommended for root fracture detection in endodontically treated teeth.
ChIP-seq for the Identification of Functional Elements in the Human Genome

Functional elements in the genome express their function through physical association with particular proteins: transcription factors, components of the transcription machinery, specific histone modifications, and others. The genome-wide characterization of the protein-DNA interaction landscape of these proteins is thus a key approach toward the identification of candidate genomic regulatory regions. ChIP-seq (Chromatin Immunoprecipitation coupled with high-throughput sequencing) has emerged as the primary experimental methods for carrying out this task. Here, the ChIP-seq protocol is described together with some of the most important considerations for applying it in practice.
Longitudinal studies of gender differences in cognitional process in dream content

We assessed the longitudinal effects of a cognitive processing variable (automated count of words indicating cognitive processing in a dream narrative) on other dream content variables in dream series collected from 37 men and 46 women over a two year period. Dreams were obtained from the online dream posting website dreamboard.com . Using mixed effects regression modeling for longitudinal data we found that on a month by month basis cognitive processing is significantly associated with markers of grammatical complexity (verbs and function words), the personal pronoun I, social processes, health and emotion (both negative and positive). All but the perceptual processes variables had a significantly different effect on cognitive processing for men vs women with men having a greater association to processing resources with these matters than women. Men exhibited a significantly positive rate of change in cognitive processing on a monthly basis, while women did not show a significant rate of change over time. These results suggest that people use dreams to “work through” or cognitively process selected types of emotional information and the rate at which they do so appears to increase, at least for men.
Grasshoppers affect grassland ecosystem functioning: Spatial and temporal variation

Abstract Using experiments and monitoring, we find that grasshoppers in a grassland ecosystem impact ecosystem functioning (nutrient cycling and primary production) in different ways among sites in the ecosystem. Experiments conducted over many years at two sites (21 and 15 years, respectively) with the same grasshopper and plant species demonstrated that grasshoppers increased nitrogen availability (N) and consequently annual plant production (ANPP) at one site, and decreased N and consequently ANPP at the other site. Comparing the two sites, N increased on average by 8% and up to 21.6%, and resulting ANPP increased on average by 18.6% and up to 33.3%. Grasshoppers increase N and ANPP by preferentially feeding on slower decomposing plants, and the opposite occurs by preferentially feeding on faster decomposing plants. Monitoring 20 random sites in the ecosystem, grasshoppers consistently increased N and ANPP over 3 years at 40% of sites, consistently decreased N and ANPP at 35% of sites, and sometimes increased and decreased N and ANPP at 25% of sites. Therefore, grassland grasshoppers, and insects in many ecosystems, may strongly affect ecosystem functioning.
Delayed feedback control scheme for improved energy harvesting using piezoelectric networks

The delayed resonator concept uses time-delayed feedback control to convert an ordinary passive vibration absorber into an actively tuned resonator. Inspired by this idea, this study proposes to en...
Academic Librarianship Today: by Todd Gilman, ed. (2017). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 248 pp., $55.00, ISBN 978-1-4422-7875-2.

This book explores academic librarianship and what it means to be an academic librarian in higher education today. It is divided into three parts: The Academic Library Landscape Today; Academic Lib...
Kinetics of human brown adipose tissue activation and deactivation.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been identified as a potential target in the treatment and prevention of obesity and metabolic disease. The precise kinetics of BAT activation and the duration of stimulus required to recruit metabolically active BAT, and its subsequent deactivation, are not well-understood. In this clinical trial, 19 healthy adults (BMI: 23.7 ± 0.7 kg/m2, Age: 31.2 ± 2.8 year, 12 female) underwent three different cooling procedures to stimulate BAT glucose uptake, and active BAT volume was determined using 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT imaging. We found that 20 min of pre-injection cooling produces activation similar to the standard 60 min (39.9 mL vs. 44.2 mL, p = 0.52), indicating that BAT activity approaches its peak function soon after the initiation of cooling. Furthermore, upon removal of cold exposure, active BAT volume declines (13.6 mL vs. 44.2 mL, p = 0.002), but the deactivation process persists even hours following cessation of cooling. Thus, the kinetics of human BAT thermogenesis are characterized by a rapid increase soon after cold stimulation but a more gradual decline after rewarming. These characteristics reinforce the feasibility of developing mild, short-duration cold exposure to activate BAT and treat obesity and metabolic disease.
Abstract WMP76: Clots are Potent Triggers of Inflammatory Cell Gene Expression - Indications for Timely Fibrinolysis in Stroke

Rationale: Blood vessel wall damage often results in the formation of a fibrin clot that traps inflammatory cells, including monocytes. The effect of clot formation and subsequent lysis on the expression of monocyte-derived genes involved in the development and progression of ischemic stroke and other vascular diseases, however, is unknown. Objective: Determine if clot formation and lysis regulate the expression of human monocyte-derived genes that modulate vascular diseases. Methods and Results: We performed Next Generation RNA sequencing on monocytes extracted from whole blood clots. Thousands of mRNAs were significantly differentially expressed by monocytes from clotted versus unclotted whole blood (p>0.05), including upregulation of many inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 8 (IL-8), IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Clotted plasma also increased expression of IL-8 and MCP-1, which far exceeded responses observed in LPS-stimulated monocytes. Upregulation of IL-8 and MCP-1 occurred in a thrombin-independent, but fibrin-dependent, manner. Fibrinolysis initiated shortly after plasma clot formation (i.e., 1-2 hours) reduced the global inflammatory response based on RNA-seq analysis and significantly reduced the synthesis of IL-8 and MCP-1 (p>0.05). Delayed fibrinolysis was far less effective in reducing inflammation. Consistent with these in vitro models, monocytes embedded in unresolved thrombi from patients undergoing thrombectomy stained positively for IL-8 and MCP-1. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that clots are potent inducers of monocyte gene expression, and that timely fibrinolysis attenuates inflammatory responses. Dampening of inflammatory gene expression by timely clot lysis may contribute to the clinically-proven efficacy of fibrinolytic drug treatment within hours of stroke onset.
Contentment and tranquility: Exploring their similarities and differences

Two studies explored the similarities and differences between contentment and tranquility. In Study 1, in a sample of college students (N = 154), we examined the degree to which contentment and tra...
The mechanical basis for Fick's law and its generalizations.

In 1855 Fick [1] wrote about the problem of diffusion of one fluid species through another. After a rather long discussion of the basis for such diffusion in terms of molecular motion and the difficulties of careful analysis based on molecular theory, Fick proposed, by analogy to heat flow, that the concentration satisfies the differential equation $$\frac{{\partial c}} {{\partial t}} = D{\nabla ^2}c$$ .
A Letter to Guillermo White

Bolivar corresponded frequently with Guillermo White, a merchant of Trinidad. White had indicated some doubts about the hereditary senate and the fourth, or moral, power that Bolivar had proposed in the Angostura Discourse. This letter explains Bolivar’s views.
The Political Economy of Choice of Law

This paper will be published in the Georgetown Law Journal as one of two responses to an essay by Andrew Guzman on the law and economics of choice of law. Guzman offers a welfare analysis that advances the analysis of allocation of regulatory jurisdiction. He criticism of traditional modes of expounding choice of law doctrine is, if anything, insufficiently damning. I argue, however, that by failing to take public choice factors into account, Guzman's normative analysis may place too great confidence in the ability of multilateral, multi-tasked organizations such as the WTO to coordinate the allocation of regulatory jurisdiction.
Experimental Laceration Spinal Cord Injury Model

An experimental laceration spinal cord injury (L-SCI) is an animal model designed to study mechanisms of axonal regeneration following SCI. Current techniques for creating L-SCI are performed freehand using visual estimation that cause significant errors in both the lesion depth and shape. In this chapter, we describe an unique method to create precise L-SCI in rodents using the Louisville Injury System Apparatus. We will explain the step-bystep procedure and describe the conditions that affect the outcomes following laceration injury.
Chapter 71 – Murine Models of Autosomal Recessive Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

The hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are among the most genetically diverse neurological disorders, with almost 60 distinct genetic loci already mapped and over 30 genes identified. Though a majority of HSP cases reflect autosomal dominant inheritance, a larger number of genes have been identified mediating various autosomal recessive forms. Importantly, a number of mouse models have been generated for these recessive forms to model loss-of-function mechanisms, using mainly homologous recombination-based, gene knockout approaches. These models are proving to be valuable tools for clarifying the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the HSPs and for evaluating new therapies.
Implementation of a scalable, performance portable shallow water equation solver using radial basis function-generated finite difference methods:

In this article, we describe and analyze the computational performance of a parallel shallow water equation (SWE) solver for atmospheric simulation using radial basis function-finite difference (RB...
Improvement on OTP authentication and a possession-based authentication framework

Authentication plays a paramount role in online services. Today many online services are still using password as single authentication method, but this is not considered secure any more. There have been many attempts to introduce multifactor authentication mechanism, for example, counter-based one-time password, and time-based one-time password. In this paper, we first list some limitations and weaknesses of the existing multifactor authentication methods, then propose an improvement to one-time password algorithms, and finally apply it in a general-purpose possession-based authentication framework. The framework can be implemented in popularly used smartphones but does not rely on cellular network or wifi network. The purpose of the framework is for current password-authenticated online services to adopt multifactor authentication easily.
Good Sanctuary Doctoring for Undocumented Patients.

Clinicians whose practice includes a significant immigrant population report a climate of fear adversely affecting their current patients. Increased immigration enforcement targeting undocumented immigrants increases these patients’ stress and negatively affects their willingness to seek medical care. To address these concerns
Using Text Mining and Data Mining Techniques for Applied Learning Assessment.

In a society where first hand work experience is greatly valued many universities or institutions of higher education have designed their Quality enhancement plan (QEP) to address student applied learning. This paper is the results of a university’s QEP plan, called Experiencing Transformative Education Through Applied Learning or ETEAL. This paper will highlight the research that was conducted using text mining and data mining techniques to analyze a dataset of 672 student evaluations collected from 40 different applied learning courses from fall 2013 to spring 2015, in order to evaluate the impact on instructional practice and student learning. Text mining techniques are applied through the NVivo text mining software to find the 100 most frequent terms to create a document-term matrix in Excel. Then, the document-term matrix is merged with the manual interpretation scores received to create the applied learning assessment data. Lastly, data mining techniques are applied to evaluate the performance, including Random Forest, K-nearest neighbors, Support Vector Machines (with linear and radial kernel), and 5-fold cross-validation. Our results show that the proposed text mining and data mining approach can provide prediction rates of around 67% to 85%, while the decision fusion approach can provide an improvement of 69% to 86%. Our study demonstrates that automatic quantitative analysis of student evaluations can be an effective approach to applied learning assessment.
2,4,6-Tribromophenol Exposure Decreases P-glycoprotein Transport at the Blood-Brain Barrier

2,4,6-Tribromophenol (TBP, CAS No. 118-79-6) is a brominated chemical used in the production of flame-retardant epoxy resins and as a wood preservative. In marine environments, TBP is incorporated into shellfish and consumed by predatory fish. Food processing and water treatment facilities produce TBP as a byproduct. TBP has been detected in human blood and breast milk. Biologically, TBP interferes with estrogen and thyroid hormone signaling, which regulate important transporters of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a selectively permeable barrier characterized by brain microvessels which are composed of endothelial cells mortared by tight-junction proteins. ABC efflux transporters on the luminal membrane facilitate the removal of unwanted endobiotics and xenobiotics from the brain. In this study, we examined the in vivo and ex vivo effects of TBP on two important transporters of the BBB: P-glycoprotein (P-gp, ABCB1), and Multidrug Resistance-associated Protein 2 (MRP2, ABCC2), using male and female rats and mice. TBP exposure ex vivo resulted in a time- (1-3 h) and dose- (1-100 nM) dependent decrease in P-gp transport activity. MRP2 transport activity was unchanged under identical conditions. Immunofluorescence and western blotting measured decreases in P-gp expression after TBP treatment. ATPase assays indicate that TBP is not a substrate and does not directly interact with P-gp. In vivo dosing with TBP (0.4 µmol/kg) produced decreases in P-gp transport. Co-treatment with selective Protein Kinase C (PKC) inhibitors prevented the TBP-mediated decreases in P-gp transport activity.
Jaw and Bones of the Head and Face

The jaws and bones of the head and face give rise to unique lesions not found outside the extracranial skeleton. The pluripotent tissues of odontogenesis and intimate relationship of the teeth to the gnathic bones account for some of these unique lesions. Others are associated with syndromes and/or ever-evolving molecular discoveries. Of the entities with extracranial counterparts, we discuss the similarities and differences in behavior and molecular findings to those occurring in the head and neck region. Important distinctions between the lesions in the differential diagnosis are emphasized.
EP1341 Video assisted thoracoscopic surgery – VATS in advanced ovarian cancer

Introduction/Background Complete citorreduction continue to be the aim in ovarian cancer treatment. Pleural disease is in some cases a limitation for a surgical approach, malignant pleural effusion is the most common site of stage IV ovarian cancer but the accuracy rate of pleural cytology is low. Methodology We show through 3 cases the impact of VATS in the management of ovarian cancer with suspicious pleural disease Results Patient 1, 49 years old, showed in PET TAC a pelvic mass, adenopathies, peritoneal carcinomatosis, pleural effusion and pleural carcinomatosis; an omento biopsy was taken by laparoscopy, aspiration of pleural effusion and biopies were performed by VATS, all of them positive for malignancy, so stage IV ovarian cancer was diagnosed and neoadyuvant chemoterapy started. Patient 2, 49 years old, showed in PET TAC suspicious right ovary, right pleural effusion, peritoneal carcinomatosis, supra and infradiaphragmatic adenopathies, positive for malignancy pleural fluid citology and inguinal adenopathy, neoadyuvant chemotherapy was started in other centre, histerectomy, doble anexectomy, omentectomy were performed, She came to our center with progressive elevation of CA 125 marker; in diffusion MRI pleural effusion was detected. Diagnostic laparoscopy and VATS showed miliar carcinomatosis in pleura, a biopsy was taken; peritoneal carcinomatosis, a 3 cm nodule in caecum, a 4 cm nodule in diaphfram and multiple adenopathies were resected, complete secondary citorreduction was achieved. Patient 3, 47 years old, diagnosed with granulosa cell tumor after left anexectomy, 7 years later right ovary tumour and carcinomatosis were seen in TAC, the patient refuse treatment; one year later pleural effusion and multiple milimeter nodules in diaphfram were detected by MRI, negative biopsies for malignancy were obtained by VATS and complete citorreduction was performed. Conclusion VATS procedure is feasible and can alter the stage and the therapeutic management in advanced ovarian cancer choosing between a surgical or chemotherapy approach Disclosure Nothing to disclose
Matrix Inversion and Subset Selection (MISS): A novel pipeline for quantitative mapping of diverse cell types across the murine brain

ABSTRACT The advent of increasingly sophisticated imaging platforms has allowed for the visualization of the murine nervous system at single-cell resolution. However, current cell counting methods compromise on either the ability to map a large number of different cell types, or spatial coverage, and therefore whole-brain quantification of finely resolved neural cell subtypes remains elusive. Here we present a comprehensive and novel computational pipeline called Matrix Inversion and Subset Selection (MISS) that aims to fill this gap in knowledge and has the ability to infer counts of diverse collections of neural cell types at sub-millimeter resolution using a combination of single-cell RNAseq and in situ hybridization datasets. We rigorously demonstrate the accuracy of MISS against literature expectations, and in so doing, provide the first verified maps for twenty-five distinct neuronal and nonneuronal cell types across the whole mouse brain. The resulting comprehensive cell type maps are uniquely suited to address important open questions in neuroscience. As a demonstration, we utilize our inferred maps to quantitatively establish that adult cell type distributions reflect the ontological splits between brain regions during neural development, indicating that the developmental history of brain regions informs their final cell-type composition. Although this link has been frequently surmised by neuroscientists, its quantitative verification across the entire brain has not previously been demonstrated. Together, our results suggest that the MISS pipeline can be used to generate accurate spatial quantification of diverse cell types without the direct imaging of known type-specific markers, as has been done previously. The entire MISS pipeline and outputs will be made open source in order to catalyze future neuroscientific advances across disciplines.