cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new type of silicate double chain in agrellite, NaCa 2 Si 4 O 10 F

The most common type of silicate chain structure is the single silicate chain, formed by each silicate tetrahedron sharing two corners with two adjacent silicate tetrahedra as found in pyroxenes and pyroxenoids. Such single chains can polymerize further to form double chains as found in amphiboles. A different type of a silicate chain can be formed by silicate rings sharing tetrahedral corners. The only known example is the [Si40~1]oo chain in vlasovite, NaZrSi4Oll[1, 2], which is formed by four-membered silicate rings sharing corners. Agrellite provides the first example of a further polymerization of this chain into double chains, [Si4010]oo. Agrellite, a rare rock-forming silicate, occurs in regionally metamorphosed agpaitic alkalic rocks in Villedieu Township, Qu6bec, Canada [31. It is triclinic, space group Pi , with cell dimensions: a=7.759(2), b = 18.946(3), c=6.986(1)1k, ~=89.88(2), /~= 116.65(2), y=94.34(2) ~ and Z=4 . The crystal structure was determined by the symbolic-addition method and refined by the method of least squares to an R-factor of 0.054 based on 5343 x-ray reflections, measured on an automatic single-crystal diffractometer using MoK~ radiation. The crystal structure of agrellite consists of two crystallographically different [Si4Oto]oo double chains parallel to the c axis, two different Na polyhedra and four different Ca polyhedra. The silicate double chains are in fact hollow tubes, whose cross-sections are defined by chair-shaped six-membered rings (Fig. I). In addition, each silicate pipe contains two types of chair-shaped eight-membered rings. The sodium atoms connect the silicate pipes into layers, parallel to the ac plane; these layers alternate with the Ca polyhedral layers (also parallel to the ac plane), giving rise to a three-dimensional framework structure.
The vibrational spectra and structure of dimethyl ditelluride and dimethyl ditelluride-d6

Abstract The infrared spectra of dimethyl ditelluride and dimethyl ditelluride- d 6 have been recorded from 4000 to 33 cm −1 . The helium-neon excited Raman spectra of the liquids, neat, in benzene and in carbon tetrachloride solution, have also been recorded. Unfortunately, the dark red color of the materials was responsible for considerable absorption of the exciting light and no depolarization values were measured. The weak Raman spectra together with the inirared data suggest a hydrogen-peroxide type structure ( C 2 symmetry). All fundamental vibrational modes except the methyl torsional motions and a skeletal bending vibration have been accounted for and the assignments are substantiated by a normal coordinate analysis.
Soft-Landing of CoIII(salen)+ and MnIII(salen)+ on Self-Assembled Monolayer Surfaces†

Soft-landing of mass-selected CoIII(salen)+ and MnIII(salen)+ complexes [salen = N,N′-ethylenebis(salicylideneaminato)] was performed using self-assembled monolayer surfaces of alkanethiol (HSAM) and fluorinated alkanethiol (FSAM) on gold as targets. Physical processes associated with ion deposition were studied using time-resolved in situ secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) in a specially designed Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS). We demonstrate charge retention by a significant fraction of precursor ions on the FSAM and complete neutralization on the HSAM surface. Our results indicate efficient electron transfer from gold to the deposited species for the HSAM surface and inefficient, if any, electron transfer on the FSAM surface. Formation of abundant cluster ions observed in SIMS spectra is attributed to gas-phase reactions in the SIMS plume. Detailed analysis allowed us to extract the kinetics of both ionic and neutral complexes trapped on the FSAM surface. Th...
Everyday Harm: Domestic Violence, Court Rites, and Cultures of Reconciliation. By Mindie Lazarus‐Black

Everyday Harm: Domestic Violence, Court Rites, and Cultures of Reconciliation. By Mindie Lazarus-Black. Urbana: Univ. of Illinois Press, 2007. Pp. xii+244. $22.00 paper. Everyday Harm: Domestic Violence, Court Rites, and Cultures of Reconciliation explores the impact of Trinidad and Tobago's 1991 Domestic Violence Act (p. 23), the first legislation in the English-speaking Caribbean giving domestic violence victims the right to petition courts for orders of protection against their abusers. The subject matter, if seemingly esoteric, is vital. Relatively little sociolegal research has studied the globalization of domestic violence law, one of the most striking legal phenomena of recent decades. Conceptualizing law as power-laden events and processes, author Lazarus-Black aims to answer four key questions in this work: (1) Why and when do lawmakers create domestic violence law? (2) Why does such legislation usually produce few substantive outcomes for victims? (3) What does domestic violence law mean for women's empowerment? (4) How does culture influence the law? Lazarus-Black investigates these questions through an ambitious research design combining quantitative and qualitative methods. She collected the records of all 1,463 protection order hearings that occurred in a magistrate's court in "Pelau" over a two-year period (from January 1997 to December 1998). Over the course of three field visits to this town of some 15,000 residents, she conducted more than 100 interviews with legal professionals, litigants, and other community members regarding their views of the domestic violence law and experiences with protection order cases. On the basis of this rich data, Everyday Harm accomplishes most of what it sets out to do. Chapter 1 considers the postcolonial history of Trinidad and Tobago to explain how the country's adoption of domestic violence legislation depended on different historical factors: a national embrace of modernist ideology; the expansion of public education, especially for women; relative economic prosperity that allowed residents to travel internationally and access global media; and feminist political activism. In Chapter 2, Lazarus-Black, together with Patricia McCall, provides a quantitative analysis of protection order applications in Pelau and finds much of what past research on this topic has discovered. Courts see a high number of applications from women lodging complaints against men (more than 80 percent of all applications). Most of these (more than 77 percent) are dismissed or withdrawn, resulting in few actual orders being issued (fewer than 4 percent). Interestingly, however, and evidencing the way in which domestic violence law is localized, 19 percent of cases are adjudicated through "undertakings," a unique provision of the Domestic Violence Act that "allows a person accused of domestic violence for the first time to sign an affidavit promising not to engage in the activities for which he or she is being charged" (p. …
Profiles and energy of transitional tumbling flow around a large bed element

The transition from supercritical to subcritical flow observed in a laboratory flume is characterized in the presence of a single large bed element (LBE). The present description is both qualitative and quantitative. Three types of jets are identified as a result of water striking the LBE. Transitional tumbling flow around the LBE follows one of three possible surface profiles: 1. the backward breaking jet; 2. the stationary nonbreaking jet; 3. the forward shooting jet. Dimensionless parameters that describe the problem include geometric ratios and the Froude number. Energy dissipation due to the deflected jets is evaluated in terms of the geometry of the LBE and the flow characteristics after the impact of water on the LBE.
Concordance with World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) guidelines for cancer prevention and obesity-related cancer risk in the Framingham Offspring cohort (1991–2008)

Purpose This prospective cohort study evaluates associations between healthful behaviors consistent with WCRF/AICR cancer prevention guidelines and obesity-related cancer risk, as a third of cancers are estimated to be preventable.
Local smoothness maps: a new method for solving inverse problems with the accurate recovery of sharp gradients

We describe a novel Bayesian approach to solving inverse problems by simultaneously estimating the reconstructed signal and the local smoothness map (LSM), which is a generalization of the global smoothness parameter that is often used to stabilize inverse problems. The greater flexibility afforded by the introduction of the local smoothness map makes the new method very effective on inverse problems that involve discontinuities or other regions with sharp gradients. We demonstrate the LSM method on the problem of reducing noise in one-dimensional (1-D) signals.
Checks and Balances at the OK Corral: Restraining Leviathan

The question was, in February of 2008, before the US Supreme Court: Does the convoluted phrasing of the Second Amendment to the Constitution confer an individual or a collective right to “keep and bear” arms?
A New Species of Carolinensis (Nematoda: Heligmonellidae) from Sumichrast's Vesper Rat Nyctomys sumichrasti

A new species of Carolinensis Travassos, 1937 is proposed for nematodes collected from Sumichrast's vesper rat Nyctomys sumichrasti, an arboreal cricetid of Neotropical rainforests. Carolinensis perezponcedeleoni n. sp. is differentiated from the other 8 species in the genus by the relatively longer spicules and genital cone and by the extension of rays 8, which reach the margins of the bursa. The species shares similarities in the configuration of the bursal rays and conspicuous genital cone with Carolinensis kinsellai, Carolinensis dalrymplei, and Carolinensis tuffi; however, the size of these structures, features of the synlophe, and presence of 2 hook-like projections on the distal end of the genital cone allow the discrimination of the new species.
The Benefits of Size: Increasing Scale and Scope and the Survival of California Retailers.

A long history of empirical research demonstrates that larger firms live longer than smaller businesses. Additionally, evidence suggests that both kinds of size – scale and scope – benefit firms’ s...
Society Supports Software Engineering PE Examination

The IEEE Computer Society, in conjunction with the IEEE-USA, recently announced its partnership with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying in support of establishing a Principles and Practice of Engineering examination for the software engineering discipline. Other topics include the election of editors in chief for 2011-2013 terms and the appointment of four EICs for CS transactions
Low Frequency Vibration Detection and Compensation in Hard Disk Drive

The paper proposes a control scheme for detecting and compensating the low-frequency vibrations in hard disk drive systems. A vibration detector is proposed, utilizing the down-sampled position error signal (PES). Due to the performance limitation in loop shaping, attenuating low-frequency vibration is usually penalized by high frequency disturbance amplification. This paper proposes an adaptive scheme to intelligently adjust a vibration reduction factor, such that when vibration level is low, the servo loop maintains its normal operation mode, and little or no compensation is carried out. Experiments on hard disk drives on a vibration shaker validated the effectiveness of the proposed compensation scheme.
Molecular Mimicry of Structure and Electron Density Distributions in Minerals

Molecular orbital calculations on hydroxyacid molecules with first- and second-row X-cations (X = Li through N and Na through S) yield bond lengths and angles that mimic those of chemically similar minerals. These bond lengths are used to find a formula giving bond length as a function of a bond-strength parameter that reproduces XO bond lengths in crystals with main-group X-cations from all six rows of the periodic table within 0.05A on average. The molecular orbital calculations also provide insights into reaction energies, physical properties of crystals such as electron density distributions, and data not amenable to direct measurement. They also provide a basis from which computational models for mineral structures may be constructed.
Draft Genome Sequence of Fructophilic Lactobacillus florum

Herein we report the first genome sequence for Lactobacillus florum. L. florum 2F was isolated from Valencia orange leaves and is fructophilic, like other strains of this species. The draft genome of L. florum 2F contains 1,261,842 bp with a G+C content of 41.5% in 46 contigs (≥500 bp).
Photoluminescent Enhancement of Ruthenium Complex Monolayers by Surface Plasmon Resonance of Silver Nanoparticles

The photoluminescence intensity from a bis (2,2’-bipyridine)-(5-isothiocyanato-phenanthroline) Ruthenium (RuBICP) monolayer covalently bound to a glass substrate is found to be enhanced up to 20 times when silver nanoparticles are deposited on top. The emission spectra are blue shifted by interactions with the silver nanoparticles. Field enhancement is found to be able to enhance the radiative decay rate by over three orders of magnitude but fewer than 2 % of the molecules in the sample experience this large enhancement. Increased absorption rates also increase the luminescence but to a much smaller degree.
Preferential ATP-binding cassette transporter A1-mediated cholesterol efflux from late endosomes/lysosomes.

Recently, ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), the defective molecule in Tangier disease, has been shown to stimulate phospholipid and cholesterol efflux to apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I); however, little is known concerning the cellular cholesterol pools that act as the source of cholesterol for ABCA1-mediated efflux. We observed a higher level of isotopic and mass cholesterol efflux from mouse peritoneal macrophages labeled with [3H]cholesterol/acetyl low density lipoprotein (where cholesterol accumulates in late endosomes and lysosomes) compared with cells labeled with [3H]cholesterol with 10% fetal bovine serum, suggesting that late endosomes/lysosomes act as a preferential source of cholesterol for ABCA1-mediated efflux. Consistent with this idea, macrophages from Niemann-Pick C1 mice that have an inability to exit cholesterol from late endosomes/lysosomes showed a profound defect in cholesterol efflux to apoA-I. In contrast, phospholipid efflux to apoA-I was normal in Niemann-Pick C1 macrophages, as was cholesterol efflux following plasma membrane cholesterol labeling. These results suggest that cholesterol deposited in late endosomes/lysosomes preferentially acts as a source of cholesterol for ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux.
PREDICTION OF BEEF QUALITY BY THREE GRADING SYSTEMS

Data collected from 437 steers and 412 heifers during 9 yr were used to compare previous USDA standards (1965), the current USDA standards (1974), and the Canadian system for grading beef carcasses. Calves were sired by bulls from three breeds and raised under similar management conditions. Recorded carcass data were used to assign grades corresponding to each of the three grading systems. Previous USDA standards did not significantly affect the palatability attributes, but those carcasses receiving higher grades were fatter. The current USDA standards did not offer any significant improvement over the previous standards from the viewpoint of predicting palatability and only slight improvement as far as carcass fatness was concerned. The Canadian system, although not reflecting differences in palatability, discriminated against fatter carcasses.
Scheduling Gain in Spatial Diversity Systems: Asymptotic Analysis

In this paper, further in-depth asymptotic analysis on the interaction between spatial diversity and multiuser diversity in wireless networks is given, following our recent work [Zhou and Dai, ICC06]. Rigorous proofs and necessarily stronger results in terms of convergence are provided for some intuitions in this area. Equally important, explicit expressions of scheduling gain and average system capacity in various circumstances that reveal interesting inter-connections among key system parameters are given. Our results are general enough to cover many practical scenarios of interesst.
The role of refactorings in API evolution

Frameworks and libraries change their APIs. Migrating an application to the new API is tedious and disrupts the development process. Although some tools and ideas have been proposed to solve the evolution of APIs, most updates are done manually. To better understand the requirements for migration tools we studied the API changes of three frameworks and one library. We discovered that the changes that break existing applications are not random, but they tend to fall into particular categories. Over 80% of these changes are refactorings. This suggests that refactoring-based migration tools should be used to update applications.
Differential and Correlation Power Analysis Attacks on HMAC-Whirlpool

In cryptography, a keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC) is a type of message authentication code(MAC) calculated with a cryptographic hash function and a secret key. The security of the HMAC relies on the underlying hash function and the secret key. Whirlpool is a block cipher based hash algorithm that has been in public for about ten years. So far no effective attacks have been found on Whirlpool. As a result, HMAC with Whirlpool, i.e., HMAC-Whirlpool, is supposed to be secure. In this paper, we demonstrate that HMAC-Whirlpool is vulnerable to power analysis attacks. We designed two types of attacks: one is based on Differential Power Analysis (DPA) and the other on Correlation Power Analysis (CPA). We successfully launched the attacks at HMAC-Whirlpool running on an Atmel AVR processor. We also compared the attacks in terms of the number of power traces needed.
Ice Processes Affect Habitat Use and Movements of Adult Cutthroat Trout and Brook Trout in a Wyoming Foothills Stream

Abstract Habitat use and movements of 25 adult cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii and 25 adult brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis from fall through winter 2002–2003 were assessed by means of radiotelemetry in a 7-km reach of a Rocky Mountains foothills stream. Temporal dynamics of winter habitat conditions were evaluated by regularly measuring the features of 30 pools and 5 beaver Castor canadensis ponds in the study reach. Groundwater inputs at three locations raised mean daily water temperatures in the stream channel during winter to 0.2–0.6°C and kept at least 250 m of the downstream channel free of ice, but the lack of surface ice further downstream led to the occurrence of frazil ice and anchor ice in pools and unstable habitat conditions for trout. Pools in segments that were not affected by groundwater inputs and beaver ponds tended to be stable and snow accumulated on the surface ice. Pools throughout the study reach tended to become more stable as snow accumulated. Both cutthroat trout and brook...
Laser ablation of nanoparticles and nanoparticulate, thick Fe1.92Tb0.3Dy0.7 films

Two laser processes, flat plate ablation (FPA) and laser ablation of microparticle aerosols (LAMA), capable of producing nanoparticles and nanoparticulate thick films of Terfenol-D (Fe 1.92 Tb 0.3 Dy 0.7 ) were investigated. The influence of processing parameters on the sizes, compositions, and morphologies of the nanoparticles produced using these processes were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The nanoparticles were used to deposit nanoparticulate films by supersonic impaction with thicknesses ranging from 4 to 50 μm, depending on processing conditions. The microstructures and properties of the films were studied using scanning electron microscopy and magnetometry. The LAMA process produced nanoparticles with a mean size and standard deviation (SD) of 8 to 10 nm ± 5 nm, depending on the type of gas used during synthesis. In contrast, nanoparticles produced using the FPA process exhibited a much broader size distribution varying from 5 to 150 nm and a much greater variation in compositions compared to the LAMA process. Films produced using LAMA also had lower levels of porosity compared to those produced using FPA as a result of the smaller, more uniform nanoparticles from which they were produced and the resulting higher impaction velocities. Compared to the FPA-produced films, the LAMA-produced films exhibited greater resistance to oxidation, higher magnetizations (13–15 emu/g versus 9–11 emu/g, depending on processing conditions) and lower coercivities (versus 41–59 Oe versus 80–110 Oe).
The Posteromedial Knee Arthroscopy Portal: A Cadaveric Study Defining a Safety Zone for Portal Placement

Purpose To define a neurovascular safety zone for proper placement of at least 2 posteromedial (PM) portals and to describe a safe intra-articular entrance point based on the location of the PM capsular folds. Methods Arthroscopy was performed on 10 fresh-frozen cadaveric knees. With the knee flexed 90°, PM portals were created under direct visualization with a 70° arthroscope. The anatomic soft spot between the PM edges of the femoral condyle and the proximal tibia was palpated, and 18-gauge spinal needles were inserted into the joint followed by 5.0-mm cannulas. The PM capsular folds were used to guide portal locations. Four portals (A, B, C, and D) were created in each of the first 3 knees. Portal position was described in relation to the soft spot: through the soft spot (A), 1 cm superior (B), 1 cm posterior (C), and 1 cm inferior (D). Dissection was performed along the path of the cannulas. Results In the first 3 knees, the most inferior portal (D) always overlapped the course of the saphenous nerve, and the posterior portal (C) always pierced the gastrocnemius musculotendinous junction. Therefore these portals were eliminated from further study for safety reasons, and in the final 7 knees, we studied only the remaining 2 portal placements (A and B). Portals A and B were found to be the safest, with at least 1.5 cm of clearance between the portals and the saphenous nerve in all specimens. Conclusions At least 2 PM portals can be safely placed in the knee. The soft spot is an appropriate landmark to ensure safe portal entry. The PM capsular folds can help guide intra-articular placement so that damage to surrounding structures can be avoided. Clinical Relevance We believe that 2 portals would be beneficial when performing complex arthroscopic procedures involving the PM compartment of the knee.
Integrated software-hardware design for ultra-low power infrastructure monitoring

Ultra-low power communication and computing are of critical importance to the development of an infrastructure monitoring system, which is expected to have a very long life cycle under the constraints of extremely limited battery capacity or small energy scavenging devices. This paper discusses the enabling technologies for ultra-low power infrastructure monitoring, and includes a survey on existing ultra-low power infrastructure monitoring technologies. The survey covers both ultra-low power wireless communication technologies, which are usually developed in the form of software, such as protocols and algorithms, and ultra-low power digital hardware design techniques. Traditionally, the communication protocols and hardware are designed in isolation. The isolated design approach fails to capture the interaction between software and hardware or the fundamental tradeoff between communication and computing. We propose a new integrated software-hardware design approach to unify the development process of communication software and hardware. Several new integrated design methods are proposed, and they have the potential to lead to new ultra-low power technologies with power efficiency far beyond existing technologies.
Impact of lymph node metastases identified on central neck dissection (CND) on the recurrence of papillary thyroid cancer: potential role of BRAFV600E mutation in defining CND

The impact of metastasized cervical lymph nodes (CLN) identified on central neck dissection (CND) on the recurrence/persistence of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and the extent of CND needed to reduce recurrence/persistence have not been firmly established. To assess the impact of CLN metastasis and BRAF mutation on the recurrence/persistence of PTC and the potential of BRAF mutation in assisting CND. Analyses of 379 consecutive patients with PTC who underwent thyroidectomy with (n=243) or without CND (n=136) at a tertiary-care academic hospital during the period 2001-2010 for their clinicopathological outcomes and BRAF mutation status. Increasingly aggressive tumor characteristics were found as the extent of CND was advanced following conventional risk criteria from non-CND to limited CND to formal CND. Disease recurrence/persistence rate also sharply rose from 4.7% to 15.7% and 40.5% in these CND settings respectively (P<0.0001). CLN metastasis rate rose from 18.0 to 77.3% from limited CND to formal CND (P<0.0001). An increasing rate of BRAF mutation was also found from less to more extensive CND. A strong association of CLN metastasis and BRAF mutation with disease recurrence/persistence was revealed on Kaplan-Meier analysis and BRAF mutation strongly predicted CLN metastasis. CLN metastases found on CND are closely associated with disease recurrence/persistence of PTC, which are both strongly predicted by BRAF mutation. Current selection of PTC patients for CND is appropriate but higher extent of the procedure, once selected, is needed to reduce disease recurrence, which may be defined by combination use of preoperative BRAF mutation testing and conventional risk factors of PTC.
Robust image transmission with bidirectional synchronization and hierarchical error correction

We present a novel joint-source and channel image-coding scheme for noisy channel transmission. The proposed scheme consists of two innovative components: (1) intelligent bidirectional synchronization and, (2) layered bit-plane error protection. The bidirectional synchronization is able to recover the coding synchronization when any single or even when two consecutive synchronization codes are corrupted by the channel noise. With synchronized partition, unequal error protection for each bit plane can be designed based on the analysis of bit-plane error sensitivity for compressed image data transmission over noisy channels. Experimental results over extensive channel simulations show that the proposed scheme outperforms the well-known approach proposed by Sherwood and Zeger (see IEEE Signal Processing Lett., vol.4, p.189-91, 1997).
Reconstructing suspended sediment mercury contamination of a steep, gravel-bed river using reservoir theory

We use sediment ages and mercury (Hg) concentrations to estimate past and future concentrations in the South River, Virginia, where Hg was released between 1930 and 1950 from a manufacturing process related to nylon production. In a previous study, along a 40 km (25 mi) reach, samples were collected from 26 of 54 fine-grained deposits that formed in the lee of large wood obstructions in the channel and analyzed for grain size, Hg concentration, and organic content. We also obtained radiometric dates from six deposits. To create a history that reflects the full concentration distribution (which contains concentrations as high as 900 mg/kg [900 ppm]), here, we treat the deposits as a single reservoir exchanging contaminated sediments with the overlying water column, and assume that the total sediment mass in storage and the distribution of sediment ages are time invariant. We use reservoir theory to reconstruct the annual history of Hg concentration on suspended sediment using data from our previous study and new results presented here. Many different reconstructed histories fit our data. To constrain results, we use information from a well-preserved core (and our estimate of the total mass of Hg stored in 2007) to specify the years associated with the peak concentration of 900 mg/kg. Our results indicate that around 850 kg (1874 lb) of Hg was stored in the deposits between 1955 and 1961, compared to only 80 kg (176 lb) today. Simulations of future Hg remediation suggest that 100-yr timescales will be needed for the South River to remove Hg-contaminated sediments from the channel perimeter through natural processes.
Effects of chipping, grinding, and heat on survival of emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera +Buprestidae), in chips

Abstract The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), a phloem-feeding insect from Asia, was identified in 2002 as the cause of widespread ash (Fraxinus sp.) mortality in southeastern Michigan and Essex County, Ontario. Most larvae overwinter as nonfeeding prepupae in the outer sapwood or thick bark of large trees. In a series of studies, we evaluated effects of grinding, chipping, and heat treatment on survival of A. planipennis prepupae in ash material. Heavily infested ash bolts containing roughly 8,700 prepupae were processed by a horizontal grinder with either a 2.5- or 10-cm screen. There was no evidence of A. planipennis survival in chips processed with the 2.5-cm screen, but eight viable prepupae were recovered from chips processed with the 10-cm screen. We chiseled additional sentinel chips with prepupae from ash logs and buried 45 in each chip pile. In total, six prepupae in sentinel chips survived the winter, but we found no sign of adult A. planipennis emerge...
Glycerol Technology Options for Biodiesel Industry

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the glycerol technology options for biodiesel industry. With the emergence of the biodiesel industry, the volume of new glycerol entering the market is likely to be many times larger than traditional demand. In the short term, this has led to rapid fluctuations in prices, with crude glycerol often being discarded as waste. In the longer term, “floor value” prices of crude glycerol should be established in feed and fuel markets. The value of these feed and fuel markets will tend to increase with increasing prices of petroleum. However, the increases in these fuel and feed applications will not keep pace with increased values in the propanediol, epichlorohydrin, and acrylic acid markets. When considering atom economy, thermodynamic limitations, and historic prices, propanediol, epichlorohydrin, and acrylic acid markets are the most promising to provide sizable value-added markets. Of these, only the propanediol and epichlorohydrin technologies have emerged with processes offering high selectivities from glycerol feedstocks. These two markets show the greatest commercial activity and are likely to dominate new glycerol uses for several years.
Towards Performance Modeling of 3D Memory Integrated FPGA Architectures

Recent advances in three dimensional integrated circuits have enabled large amounts of memory to be stacked in layers and accessed by a logic unit using high bandwidth vertical interconnects. Several 3D architectures have been proposed with different organizations of memory and logic layers. In particular, 3D stacks of memory dies can be interfaced with a reconfigurable logic layer such as FPGA to enable highly optimized implementation of memory-intensive applications. We refer to these as 3D Memory Integrated FPGAs. Mapping algorithms to such architectures is a challenging task due to the complex interaction between memory and logic and the relation between energy consumption and memory access. Performance modeling of these architectures can enable the design space to be systematically explored while mapping a specific algorithm. In this paper, we analyze the current landscape of 3D Memory Integrated FPGAs and identify the key parameters that have a significant impact on bandwidth and energy. We specify an “abstract architecture” that captures the features of such architectures and provide a parameterization of the design space with the eventual goal of developing a performance model for optimizing algorithm implementation.
Extending DNA-Based Molecular Photonic Wires with Homogeneous Förster Resonance Energy Transfer

Molecular photonic wires (MPWs) precisely position dyes using structural DNA methodologies where they exploit Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to direct photonic energy over nm distances with potential applications in light harvesting, biosensing, and molecular electronics. Although versatile, the number of donor–acceptor dye pairs available and the downhill nature of FRET combine to limit the size and efficiency of current MPWs. HomoFRET between identical dyes should provide zero energy loss but at the cost of random transfer directionality. Here, it has been investigated what HomoFRET has to offer as a means to extend MPWs. Steady-state-, lifetime-, and fluorescence anisotropy measurements along with mathematical models are utilized to experimentally examine various 3-, 4-, and 5-dye MPW constructs containing from 1 to 6 HomoFRET repeat sections. Results show that HomoFRET can be extended up to 6 repeat dyes/5 steps with only a ≈55% energy transfer efficiency decrease while doubling the longest MPW length to a remarkable 30 nm. Critically, analogous constructs lacking the HomoFRET portion are unable to deliver any energy over the same lengths. Even with nondirectionality, the introduction of a repeated-optimized HomoFRET transfer dye is preferable compared to additional less efficient dye species. HomoFRET further provides the benefit of having a higher energy output.
60 GHz Frequency Sharing Study between Fixed Service Systems and Small-Cell Systems with Modular Antenna Arrays

This paper presents numerical simulation results in order to identify how much interference can be generated to a fixed service (FS) receiver from nearby small cell networks when the FS systems and small-cell systems are sharing a 60 GHz mmWave frequency band. For this 60 GHz frequency sharing study, two different scenarios are considered, i.e., the aggregation of interference into an FS receiver occurred by every transmission (i) from base stations (BSs) to their associated user elements (UEs); (ii) from UEs and their associated BSs. Moreover, 60 GHz mmWave specific propagation characteristics and attenuation factors are considered for more precise simulation study. The simulation results determine how much interference rejection is required to protect the operation of FS.
The Legal Context for Scientific Redistricting Analysis

2011 marks another decennial redistricting cycle, with much attention focused on new tools or techniques that might facilitate attempts of professional and amateur political scientists to influence the redistricting process. New software packages and quantitative methodologies have generated particular buzz, leading to renewed discussions about the role of technology in the redistricting struggle. This introductory chapter of a forthcoming book on the impact of technology on the redistricting process briefly reviews the history and impact of the redistricting process, and describes the federal and state legal environment for redistricting decisions, including an accessible description of the basic legal requirements and considerations in play. It then seeks to situate the productive opportunities for quantitative input within this legal context. The chapter suggests that a quest to "solve" or automate redistricting wholesale is misguided, but recognizes the profound value of scientific analysis in better informing the nuanced human debate over the political priorities that redistricting should accomplish.
CyberKnife® Robotic Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

The CyberKnife® is a linear accelerator (linac) based platform that utilizes a robotic delivery system that is coupled with real-time imaging to track and compensate for patient or target motion. Evolution of this technology has compensated for respiratory movements with XsightTM lung and has the ability to utilize skeletal tracking. These advances have allowed for the expansion from intra cranial SRS to multisystem SBRT.
ACTIVE VIBRATION CONTROL FOR CHATTER SUPPRESSION

The vibration absorber, in its various forms, is a well-known control strategy that reduces the forced vibratory response of structures by introducing a carefully tuned, auxiliary degree of freedom. The method is simple, effective, and widely used. Recently, investigations have focused on the use of socalled active vibration absorbers for the suppression of machine-tool chatter. These absorbers are distinguished from their passive counterparts by the incorporation of various sensors and actuators to facilitate feedback control and thereby enhance the combined system response. In this paper, we consider a device, which we call an electronic vibration absorber; it is so-called because the auxiliary degree of freedom is simply a compensator realized via an electronicanalog circuit. In this regard, the technique is similar to the positive-position-feedback control algorithm and other popular second-order-compensation schemes in the literature. First, we develop the general theory for this device. Then, we consider its application to the problem of machine-tool chatter. The plant we consider in this study is a nonlinear single-degree-offreedom, machine-tool-chatter model that is known to possess a jump-type instability. A linear analysis is performed to determine the stability lobes of the controlled system. This analysis reveals that an electronic vibration absorber can increase the limit width of cut predicted in the modelling by approximately an order of magnitude. Furthermore, analogcomputer simulation of the complete nonlinear system predicts that the jump-type instability is eliminated by application of the absorber. We present a biaxial, electronic-vibration-absorber control system
Calcitonin inhibits prolactin promoter activity in rat pituitary GGH3 cells: evidence for involvement of p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase in calcitonin action.

Previous findings from our laboratory have shown that pituitary calcitonin-like peptide (pit-CT) is synthesized and released by gonadotrophs and inhibits prolactin (PRL) release, synthesis, and lactotroph proliferation. To investigate further the regulation of PRL gene transcription by CT, we examined the effect of CT on rat PRL (rPRL) promoter activity in rat pituitary GGH3 cells. GGH3 cells were transiently transfected with rPRL promoter-luciferase and control plasmids. Thirty-six hours later, the cells were treated with CT or other agents and their effect on luciferase activity was examined. The effect of CT and/or thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity was also investigated. CT inhibited basal rPRL promoter activity in a dose-dependent fashion, with an approximate IC50 of 3 nM. The maximal inhibition occurred 1 h after the CT addition, and the peptide was equipotent in inhibiting −600 and −2500 rPRL promoter constructs. CT also inhibited TRH-, Bay K 8644-, and ionomycin-induced rPRL promoter activity. CT mimicked the actions of MEK inhibitors U0126 and PD 980089. However, CT could not inhibit rPRL promoter activity in GGH3 cells expressing constitutively active ERK1 or ERK2. CT markedly attenuated phospho-MAPK immunoreactivity in untreated as well as TRH-treated GGH3 cells. These results suggest that CT inhibits rPRL promoter activity by antagonizing Ca2+ and ERK1/2-mediated signaling events. They also demonstrate that CT is a potent inhibitor of early events associated with PRL gene activation and may play an important role in regulation of lactotroph function.
A Study of the Relationship Between Performance and Dietary Component Digestibilities by Swine Fed Different Levels of Dietary Fiber

A 49-d feeding trial, using 192 growing-finishing pigs (avg initial wt, 32 kg), was conducted to identify pigs of widely differing average daily gains (ADG) when fed 16% crude protein diets containing either 0, 7.5 or 15% corn cobs. There were linear decreases in both ADG (P less than .01) and gain/feed (P less than .001) with increasing levels of dietary corn cobs. Average daily feed intake increased linearly (P less than .001), but average daily digestible energy (DE) intake tended to decrease (P less than .08) with increasing dietary fiber level. Gain/DE was not apparently affected by dietary treatment. At the end of the feeding trial, 27 pigs, nine from each dietary treatment, were selected on the basis of ADG to represent pigs of above average, average and below average performance during the feeding trial. Previous ADG of the pigs selected for these were .93, .81 and .69 kg, respectively. In these pigs, plasma levels of glucose decreased (P less than .01) linearly, but urea N tended to increase (P less than .08) linearly with increasing level of dietary corn cobs. A digestion trial was conducted to determine if previous performance of the selected pigs could be related to the digestibilities of dietary components and the retention of N by these pigs. Nitrogen and dry matter (DM) digestibilities and dietary DE decreased linearly with increasing level of dietary corn cobs. The digestibilities of dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) decreased both linearly and quadratically with increasing level of corn cobs. Regardless of dietary treatment, no significant differences in any of these criteria were observed among pigs selected on the basis of widely differing ADG during the feeding trial.
Low-noise THz MgB2 Josephson mixer

The potential applications for high frequency operation of the Josephson effect in MgB2 include THz mixers, direct detectors, and digital circuits. Here we report on MgB2 weak links which exhibit the Josephson behavior up to almost 2 THz and using them for low-noise heterodyne detection of THz radiation. The devices are made from epitaxial film grown in the c-axis direction by the hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition method. The current in the junctions travels parallel to the surface of the film, thus making possible a large contribution of the quasi-two-dimensional σ-gap in transport across the weak link. These devices are connected to a planar spiral antenna with a dielectric substrate lens to facilitate coupling to free-space radiation for use as a detector. The IcRn product of the junction is 5.25 mV, giving confirmation of a large gap parameter. The sensitivity of the mixer was measured from 0.6 THz to 1.9 THz. At a bath temperature of over 20 K, a mixer noise temperature less than 2000 K (DSB)...
Interfacing micro/nanotechnology with life-sciences for detection of cells and microorganisms

This paper reviews the interdisciplinary work performed in our group in recent years to develop microintegrated devices to characterize biological entities. We present the use of electrical and mechanically based phenomena to perform characterization and various functions needed for integrated biochips. One system takes advantage of the dielectrophoretic effect to sort and concentrate cells within a micro-fluidic biochip. Another sub-system measures impedance changes produced by the metabolic activity of cells to determine their viability. A third device is used to detect the mass of bacteria as they bind to micro-mechanical silicon cantilevers. These devices with an electronic signal output can be very useful in producing practical systems for rapid detection and characterization of cells for a wide variety of applications in the food safety and health diagnostics industries.
Repression of Mir-495, a Microrna Associated with Favorable Outcome of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients, Is Required for the MLL -Associated Leukemogenesis,

Abstract 3462 Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) bearing MLL (mixed lineage leukemia) translocations are associated with poor survival, and only fewer than 50% of the patients survive longer than 5 years. Thus, an improved strategy leading to a higher cure rate is urgently needed to treat MLL -associated AML. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, have been postulated to be important gene expression regulators in all biology including human leukemia. Through large-scale, genome-wide miRNA expression profiling assays, we determined that miR-495 is significantly down-regulated in the majority of human AML samples, particularly, in those with MLL rearrangements. More interestingly, through correlating the expression signature of miR-495 with clinical outcome of AML patients, we revealed that a low expression level of miR-495 is a predictor of poor prognosis in most AML patients. Our further qPCR assays confirmed that the expression of miR-495 is even more significantly downregulated in MLL -rearranged AML primary patient samples and cell lines. Through in vitro colony-forming/replating assays and in vivo bone marrow transplantation studies, we found that forced expression of miR-495 significantly inhibits the capacity of the MLL-AF9 fusion gene to support colony formation in mouse bone marrow progenitor cells in vitro and to induce leukemia in vivo . In leukemia cell lines, overexpression of miR-495 greatly inhibits the viability of the cells, while increasing apoptosis. Furthermore, by using 3 algorithms for miR-495 39UTR binding sites, we identified several well-known MLL leukemia-related genes, e. g. BMI1, MEF2C, BID and MEIS1 , as potential targets of miR-495. Results of qPCR revealed that forced expression of miR-495 significantly inhibits the expression levels of these genes in leukemia cell lines, mouse bone marrow progenitor cells, as well as mouse peripheral blood cells with MLL fusion genes. Therefore we hypothesize that miR-495 may function as a tumor suppressor in AML with MLL rearrangements by targeting essential tumor-related genes. Further studies will focus on: 1) effects of miR-495 on the functions of target genes studied in vitro and in vivo ; 2) the epigenetic mechanisms and the signaling pathways involved in regulating the expression level of miR-495 in human leukemia. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Updates on Rare Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma

Ovarian epithelial cancer is a heterogeneous group of neoplastic diseases that can be broadly classified as type I and type II tumors. While type II ovarian cancer is composed of mostly high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), the most common type of ovarian cancer, type I ovarian cancers, includes several histologic subtypes and each of them only constitutes a small percentage of ovarian cancer. These rare ovarian cancers are divided into three groups: (1) endometriosis-related tumors which include endometrioid, clear cell, and seromucinous carcinomas, (2) low-grade serous carcinomas, and (3) mucinous carcinomas and malignant Brenner tumors. They usually present at early stages which are amenable for curable surgical resection. They grow slowly and are always associated with precursor lesions. Molecularly, the rare (type I) tumors are characterized by frequent somatic mutations involving PTEN , CTNNB1 , ARID1A , KRAS , BRAF , ERBB2 , PIK3CA , and mismatch repair genes, which are uncommon in the conventional ovarian cancer (i.e., HGSC). The presence of mutations provides an opportunity for targeted therapy using inhibitors that inactivate individual molecular pathways. In this chapter, we will briefly describe the clinicopathological features of representative type I tumors and summarize the most recent advances in elucidating their molecular pathogenesis. Lastly, we will discuss the ongoing and newly proposed therapeutic intervention to treat these rare types of ovarian cancer.