cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Component Architecture for the Internet of Things

In this paper, we describe a component-based software architecture for the Internet of Things in which proxies for Things and services that we call “accessors” interact with one another under a concurrent, time-stamped, discrete-event (DE) semantics. These proxies are analogous to web pages, which proxy a cloud-based service such as a bank, but instead of being designed to interface those services with humans, accessors are designed to interface services and Things with other services and Things. A deterministic DE semantics is combined with a widely used pattern for handling network interactions that we call asynchronous atomic callbacks (AACs). AAC enables many concurrent pending requests to be active at once without blocking and without the treacherous concurrency pitfalls of threads. In effect, our architecture combines AAC with actors where the actor model has been endowed with a temporal semantics. We show how this architecture can leverage the previously reported secure swarm toolkit (SST) to achieve stateof- the-art authentication, authorization, and encryption of interactions across networks.
Critical Ingredients for Proper Social Interactions: Rethinking the Mirror Neuron System Theory

Abstract The mirror neuron systems theory gave rise to many new paths of enquiry in cognitive neuroscience. Despite its broad implications and fruitful ideas, the theory stalled when trying to translate its main concepts to clinical areas of neurodevelopment, where social interactions are affected. This chapter proposes a new angle and philosophy to reconnect the theoretical constructs of this influential theory with contemporary neurodevelopmental issues. In particular, we create new experimental paradigms that exploit the notion of kinesthetic reafference and enhance the ability of the nervous system to predict the impending sensory consequences of actions the system itself causes. The chapter provides a number of examples in autism on how to close the sensory-motor loops and augment/substitute corrupted sensory-motor channels with proper sources of sensory guidance to lead the developing nervous systems towards controllable autonomy, by bridging mental intent with physical volition.
Activation of 85 kDa PLA2 by Eicosanoids in Human Neutrophils and Eosinophils

The initial step in the remodeling pathway of PAF synthesis is catalyzed by phospholipase A2 (PLA2).1 It has generally been accepted that PLA2 acts directly on 1-0-alkyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (alkyl-2-AA-GPC) to form lyso-PAF (1-alkyl-2-lyso-GPC) which is then acetylated to yield PAF. More recent studies suggest that PAF synthesis may also be initiated indirectly through the action of CoA-independent transacylase following the hydrolysis of l-0-alk-1′-enyl-2-AA-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (alkenyl-2-AA-GPE) by PLA2.2,3 In the putative indirect pathway, an accumulation of alkenyl-2-lyso-GPE triggers the transfer of AA from alkyl-2-AA-GPC to the alkenyl-2-lyso-GPE thus forming lyso-PAF. It seems logical that both the direct and indirect pathways may contribute to PAF synthesis. However, the relative physiological importance of the two pathways has not been established.
Estrogen Regulation of Mitochondrial Bioenergetics: Implications for Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with a complex and progressive pathological phenotype characterized first by hypometabolism and impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics followed by pathological burden. Increasing evidence indicates an antecedent and potentially causal role of mitochondrial bioenergetic deficits and brain hypometabolism coupled with increased mitochondrial oxidative stress in AD pathogenesis. Compromised aerobic glycolysis pathway coupled with oxidative stress is first accompanied by a shift toward a ketogenic pathway that eventually progresses into fatty acid oxidation (FAO) pathways and leads to white matter degeneration and overproduction and mitochondrial accumulation of β-amyloid. Estrogen-induced signaling pathways converge upon the mitochondria to enhance mitochondrial function and to sustain aerobic glycolysis coupled with citric acid cycle-driven oxidative phosphorylation to potentiate ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) generation. In addition to potentiated mitochondrial bioenergetics, estrogen also enhances neural survival and health through maintenance of calcium homeostasis, promotion of antioxidant defense against free radicals, efficient cholesterol trafficking, and beta amyloid clearance. Significantly, the convergence of E2 mechanisms of action onto mitochondria is also a potential point of vulnerability when activated in diseased neurons that exacerbates degeneration through increased load on dysregulated calcium homeostasis. The "healthy cell bias of estrogen action" hypothesis examines the role that regulating mitochondrial function and bioenergetics play in promoting neural health and the mechanistic crossroads that lead to divergent outcomes following estrogen exposure. As the continuum of neurological health progresses from healthy to unhealthy, so too do the benefits of estrogen or hormone therapy.
Shallow groundwater systems in a polar desert, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs), Antarctica, exist in a hyperarid polar desert, underlain by deep permafrost. With an annual mean air temperature of −18 °C, the MDVs receive <10 cm snow-water equivalent each year, collecting in leeward patches across the landscape. The landscape is dominated by expansive ice-free areas of exposed soils, mountain glaciers, permanently ice-covered lakes, and stream channels. An active layer of seasonally thawed soil and sediment extends to less than 1 m from the surface. Despite the cold and low precipitation, liquid water is generated on glaciers and in snow patches during the austral summer, infiltrating the active layer. Across the MDVs, groundwater is generally confined to shallow depths and often in unsaturated conditions. The current understanding and the biogeochemical/ecological significance of four types of shallow groundwater features in the MDVs are reviewed: local soil-moisture patches that result from snow-patch melt, water tracks, wetted margins of streams and lakes, and hyporheic zones of streams. In general, each of these features enhances the movement of solutes across the landscape and generates soil conditions suitable for microbial and invertebrate communities.
Significance of non-uniform scour on the seismic performance of bridges

Multiple hazards such as flood-induced scour followed by earthquakes can adversely impact the performance of bridges spanning over waterways. Scour is the erosion of soil around the foundation of b...
Advanced Image-Processing Techniques for Automatic Nondestructive Evaluation of Adhesively-Bonded Structures Using Speckle Interferometry

In conventional optical nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of structures using shearography or electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI), results are typically provided in the form of fringe patterns or deformation contour plots. However, in order to fully automate the process of defect detection, it is desirable to obtain simpler results which are easier to interpret. We present here one such optical system based on additive–subtractive shearography/ESPI. This system processes additive–subtractive fringe patterns and provides the sizes and locations of defects such as disbonds in adhesively-bonded composite structures. This is achieved by exciting the structure under inspection using an acoustic stressing mechanism which sweeps a range of vibration frequencies of the structure. Since the defective areas of the structure have different mechanical properties from their neighboring regions, varying and complex fringe patterns are obtained at different stressing frequencies. We propose an algorithm which enables the automatic identification and selection of relevant additive–subtractive fringe patterns that pertain only to localized deformations associated with defects, and which excludes images that pertain to any overall modes of the entire structure. The algorithm also includes a pixel-by-pixel adjustable thresholding scheme which compensates for intensity variations due to nonuniform reflectivity from unpainted and dirty test objects. Morphological processing is then performed to extract the shapes of the defect from the processed fringe clusters. Various structures, from simple aluminum specimens with simulated defects to a complex honeycomb-based aviation repair patch specimen, have been successfully evaluated using this system.
The Decomposition Package and Applications

This chapter is devoted to the “decomposition package”, consisting of Lefschetz-type results for perverse sheaves and intersection homology (Sections 9.1 and 9.2), as well as the BBDG decomposition theorem (Section 9.3). A sample of the numerous applications of the decomposition package is presented in Section 9.4.
Effects of particulate matter gamma radiation on oxidative stress biomarkers in COPD patients

Inhalation of particulate matter (PM) radioactivity is an important pathway of ionizing radiation exposure. We investigated the associations between short-term exposures to PM gamma radioactivity with oxidative stress in COPD patients. Urinary concentrations of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) of 81 COPD patients from Eastern Massachusetts were measured 1-4 times during 2012-2014. Daily ambient and indoor PM gamma activities (gamma-3 through gamma-9) were calculated based on EPA RadNet data and indoor-outdoor infiltration ratios. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the associations between biomarkers with PM gamma activities for moving averages from urine collection day to 7 days before. Our results indicate that ambient and indoor PM gamma activities were positively associated with 8-OHdG, with stronger effects for exposure windows closer to urine collection day. For per interquartile range increase in indoor PM gamma activities averaged over urine collection day and 1 day before, 8-OHdG increased from 3.41% (95% CI: -0.88, 7.88) to 8.87% (95% CI: 2.98, 15.1), adjusted for indoor black carbon. For MDA, the timing of greatest effects across the exposure week varied but was nearly all positive. These findings provide insight into the toxigenic properties associated with PM radioactivity and suggest that these exposures promote systemic oxidative stress.
Psychiatric Nurses Providing Post-Stroke Depression Education to Care Partners of Stroke: A Pilot Study

Background: Stroke survivors are a higher risk for post-stroke depression (PSD) after they return home from the hospital. Given that many stroke patients have friends or family members (care partners) present after hospital discharge, this pilot study examined the utility of psychiatric nurses educating family members on how to recognize PSD. Methods: This pilot study identified stroke patients and their care partner while they were in the hospital, to provide education on depressive symptoms, community resources, safety resources (e.g., suicide hotline), how to address symptoms of depression with their care partner. A descriptive observational design was used wherein a psychiatric delivered PSD education to the patient’s care partner (instead of the patient). Knowledge of depression was assessed immediately prior to-, immediately after-, and at a 2-week follow-up after-, the education intervention. Results: This pilot study was not powered to detect a statistically significant difference. However, among the 20 subjects (mean age 61 years), fewer scores fell in the lower range (less knowledge of depression) immediately after the education and at the 2-week follow-up phone call. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the potential of multi-disciplinary nursing consultation to improve outcomes.
Tables of the Normal Conditioned on t-Distribution

Various representations of the joint distribution of Y and T are obtained when (X, Y) has a joint bivariate normal distribution and T = (x — μx)/Sx, where Sx is the usual estimator of σx. Percentiles of the normal conditioned on t-distribution are then tabulated. An application is also discussed.
Associations between racial and socioeconomic discrimination and risk behaviors among African-American adolescents and young adults: a latent class analysis

Discrimination is a common stressor among African Americans and may increase vulnerability to risk behaviors, such as early initiation of substance use, substance use problems, and physical aggression; however, few studies have examined different types of discrimination and their associations with patterns of risk behaviors. This study examines the relationship between experiences of racial and socioeconomic discrimination and risk behaviors in African-American adolescents and young adults. We investigated associations of two discrimination types with risk behavior patterns identified with latent class analysis in a high-risk sample of African Americans (N = 797, Mage = 17.9 years, 50.2% female). Four distinct classes of risk behaviors were characterized by High Use and Aggression (10%), Moderate Use and Aggression (10%), High Alcohol (17%), and Low Use and Aggression (63%). Classes that exhibit general risk behaviors, including substance use and aggression, were significantly associated with racial and socioeconomic discrimination, even in the fully adjusted model. Relative to other classes, the High Use and Aggression class demonstrated an elevated likelihood of experiencing both racial and socioeconomic discrimination. Findings support a link between racial and socioeconomic discrimination and risk behavior in African-American youth, which may be stronger for socioeconomic discrimination. Understanding the relationship between discrimination and risk behavior can inform future interventions to prevent substance misuse and conduct problems in youth. Further study is needed to elucidate the relationship between discrimination and other risk behaviors.
Memory Impairments and Psychosis Prediction: A Scoping Review and Theoretical Overview.

Impairments in memory functions are among the most robust correlates of schizophrenia and of poor functional outcomes in individuals with psychotic disorders. Prospective, longitudinal studies are crucial to determining the meaning of these deficits in relation to mechanisms associated with the onset and course of these disorders. The objective of this review is to examine the literature concerning premorbid memory impairments during the prodromal phase of psychosis to address three primary questions 1) are memory impairments present among individuals with a clinical high risk syndrome? 2) are memory deficits in clinical high risk cases predictive of future conversion to psychosis? and 3) what are the underlying neural correlates of memory impairment in clinical high risk individuals and are they also predictive of future conversion? PubMed and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched. The primary inclusion criteria were to select studies that 1) were original research articles published in a peer-reviewed journal in the past 25 years, 2) studied subjects at clinical high risk for psychosis or in the prodromal phase of illness, and 3) included examinations into verbal memory performance in those at clinical high risk for psychosis. 64 articles were identified and screened for eligibility. The review included 34 studies investigating verbal memory impairment in clinical high risk individuals compared to controls. The average effect size of verbal learning total recall was .58, indicating a moderate level of impairment in verbal learning among individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis as compared to healthy controls. Of studies that predicted time to conversion, indices of memory, particularly declarative and verbal working memory, were especially predictive of future conversion. Finally, when examining investigations of the neural correlates of memory dysfunction in the clinical high risk state, findings suggest altered activation and functional connectivity among medial temporal lobe regions may underlie differences in memory performance between clinical high risk individuals and healthy controls. Findings to date strongly indicate that memory impairments are present during the premorbid phase of psychosis and that verbal memory impairment in particular is predictive of future conversion to psychosis. Evidence from fMRI studies is fairly consistent in showing greater activation of memory-related regions during retrieval among clinical high risk cases who convert, with less consistent evidence of altered functional connectivity in the encoding phase. These findings support the use of verbal learning and memory measures in the psychosis prediction and prevention field.
Submerged perspectives: the arts of land and water defense

It is through specific genealogies of scholarship on race and coloniality, Indigenous feminisms, and Black feminisms that we can escape the well-rehearsed trope of ‘land as body’. Within a comparat...
High-resolution thermal analysis of nuclear thermal propulsion fuel element using OpenFOAM

Abstract This paper conducts high-resolution thermal hydraulic analysis of a Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) Fuel Element (FE) using a finite volume approach. Recent NTP design efforts have focused on using low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel as an alternative to the historical highly-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel. In addition to changing materials’ properties, variations in dimensions and flow characteristics are also considered. This makes the applicability of legacy experimental data questionable for the new LEU designs, as the data was generated for a specific range of design characteristics. Nowadays, there is limited accessibility to experimental capability under realistic hot hydrogen conditions. However, some experimental setups could be replaced or complemented by higher-order numerical analysis, which is the end objective of the computational framework developed here. This study implements a 3D conjugate heat transfer (CHT) numerical solver between solid and fluid regions using OpenFOAM Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) toolbox. The hydrogen flow in the fluid region is simulated using Reynolds-averaged Naiver-Stokes (RANS) model, while the solid region is modeled using a conduction heat transfer solver. The 3D simulation results are validated against experimental data obtained from the Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) Nuclear Rocket Experimental (NRX) A6 program. The latter shares similar design parameters with modern NTP systems, such as dimensions and flow conditions. In addition, legacy heat transfer correlations were implanted in a reduced-order 1.5D semi-analytic solution, and the results were compared against the OpenFOAM solution. The results presented in this paper conclude that OpenFOAM can serve as a high-resolution thermal hydraulic code both for reproducing legacy experiments and educating reduced-order models.
Logarithmic profile of temperature in sheared and unstably stratified atmospheric boundary layers

Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (MOST) is the theoretical foundation for parameterizing surface-atmosphere exchanges in nearly all weather, climate, and hydrological models. According to MOST, the classic logarithmic profiles of mean temperature break down as the buoyancy effects become important. Compared to MOST, we show that the buoyancy force does not modify the logarithmic nature of the mean potential temperature profile in sheared and unstably stratified atmospheric boundary layers, but instead modulates its slope, which is no longer universal and differs from 1/\ensuremath{\kappa}, where \ensuremath{\kappa} is the von K\'arm\'an constant.
Other Moons: Vietnamese Short Stories of the American War and Its Aftermath translated by Quan Manh Ha and Joseph Babcock

Review of Other Moons: Vietnamese Short Stories of the American War and Its Aftermath translated by Quan Manh Ha and Joseph Babcock.
Electrical devices for visual restoration.

Abstract Given the rising number of patients with blindness from macular, optic nerve, and visual pathway disease, there is considerable interest in the potential of electrical stimulation devices to restore vision. Electrical devices for restoration of visual function can be grouped into three categories: (1) visual prostheses whose goal is to bypass damaged areas and directly activate downstream intact portions of the visual pathway; (2) electric field stimulation whose goal is to activate endogenous transcriptional and molecular signaling pathways to promote neuroprotection and neuro-regeneration; and (3) neuromodulation whose stimulation would resuscitate neural circuits vital to coordinating responses to visual input. In this review, we discuss these three approaches, describe advances made in the different fields, and comment on limitations and potential future directions.
Approximate Logic Synthesis Using Boolean Matrix Factorization

Approximate computing is an emerging computing paradigm offering benefits in hardware metrics, such as design area and power consumption, by relaxing the requirement for full accuracy. In circuit design, a major challenge is to synthesize approximate circuits automatically from input exact circuits requiring minimal expert input. In this work we present a method for approximate logic synthesis based on Boolean matrix factorization, where an arbitrary input circuit can be approximated in a controlled fashion. Our methodology enables automatic computation of the dominant elements, bases, of the truth table of the circuit, and later combining the bases to approximate the original truth table. Such compression can reduce the complexity of the hardware implementation significantly, while introducing variable degrees of error. Furthermore, in our approach, the factorization algorithm can be fine tuned as required by the application, to effectively improve control over degree of approximation. In this work, we provide a unified approach enabling the factorization algorithm to utilize semi-ring algebra, field algebra, and a combination of both for truth table factorization. In addition, we provide an automatic circuit partitioning approach and a design space exploration heuristic to navigate the search space. We implement our methodology using a full stack of open-source tools, and thoroughly evaluate our methodology on a number of representative circuits showcasing the benefits of our proposed methodology for approximate logic synthesis. Finally, we compare our methodology against an existing library of approximate designs and demonstrate state-of-the-art performance.
Ocular Neisseria gonorrhea in a patient on immune checkpoint inhibitors

Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of cancers, their role in the pathogenesis of chronic infections remains unclear. Here, we present the case of a patient on a cocktail of checkpoint inhibitors who presented with severe bilateral gonococcal conjunctivitis, orbital cellulitis and vitritis, without a history of genital infection.
Programming the OS/2? WARP Version 3 GPI

OS/2 Architecture Graphic Primitives Fonts Building Blocks of the GPI Transformations Paths, Regions, Clipping, Boundary Accumulation, and Correlation Printing Graphics OS/2 MetaFiles Appendices Index.
Answers from the crowd: How credible are strangers in social Q&A?

Individuals may encounter distinct kinds of challenges in assessing credibility in a social Q&A setting where they interact with strangers. It is necessary to better understand how people make credibility judgments when seeking information using social Q&A services because people increasingly use such services to obtain personalized answers from a large pool of unknown people. In this paper, we report preliminary findings from a quasi-field study where participants were asked to use Yahoo! Answers for one week and were interviewed afterwards. We find that participants’ assessment of the credibility of strangers who answered their questions occurred in three different dimensions: attitude, trustworthiness, and expertise. Furthermore, different elements were noticed and interpreted in each dimension of the credibility assessment. Our work provides insights into source credibility assessment in social Q&A settings and implications for the design of social technologies that better support people’s online credibility assessment.
THE USE OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS IN THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY: THE CASE OF THE DUCK RIVER PROJECT

In September, 1968 the Tennessee Valley Authority recommended construction of two dams on the Duck River in middle Tennessee. Subsequently, an environmental impact statement (EIS) was prepared which further described the plan and provided a summary of the national economic efficiency justification for its implementaion. Table 1 summarizes the EIS justification. However, the accuracy of the EIS analysis may be subject to question. This paper evaluates the sensitivity of the EIS national economic analysis to changes in expansion benefit estimates, reconsideration of cost estimates and their use, and the discount rate used for analysis. Also discussed is the consideration given to alternatives to the Duck River Project, and institutional limitations on the TVA's mission that affect the use of economic analysis.
Dealing with System Monocultures

Abstract : Software systems often share common vulnerabilities that allow a single attack to compromise large numbers of machines (write once, exploit everywhere). Borrowing from biology, several researchers have proposed the introduction of artificial diversity in systems as a means for countering this phenomenon. The introduced differences affect the way code is constructed or executed, but retain the functionality of the original system. In this way, systems that exhibit the same functionality have unique characteristics that protect them from common mode attacks. Over the years, several such have been proposed. We examine some of the most significant techniques and draw conclusions on how they can be used to harden systems against attacks.
Substrate Size and Primate Forelimb Mechanics: Implications for Understanding the Evolution of Primate Locomotion

Did the anatomical and locomotor specializations of primates evolve in response to requirements of locomotion and foraging on thin branches? Laboratory studies of primates and other mammals provide data suggesting that as substrate size decreases primates will protract their arms to a greater degree, lower the center of gravity by increasing elbow flexion, and decrease forelimb substrate reaction forces. I tested these hypotheses by calculating maximum arm protraction, shoulder height, elbow flexion, and substrate reaction forces during stance phase in 5 species of Old World monkeys walking on a flat runway and raised poles of varying diameters. As substrate size decreased most subjects increased elbow flexion and lowered their shoulder height. Three of the 5 species lowered peak substrate reaction forces as substrate size decreased but, only 2 of the species increased arm protraction as substrate size decreased. These results reject the hypothesis that arm protraction is a function of branch size, but provide stronger support for the notion that branch size influences elbow flexion, shoulder height, and peak substrate reaction forces in some primates. The fact that biomechanical expectations are met in some (but not all) cases and some (but not all) species suggests that the topic is quite complex and requires further study. Nonetheless, preliminary data suggest that biomechanical accommodations to substrate size may have played a role in the early differentiation of primates from other mammals.
Framing Homeland Security

In discussing homeland security and terrorism, it is necessary to work with clear definitions of the terms and concepts that frame this strategy. One of the greatest hindrances to a cogent discussion of terrorism and counter-terrorism has been that the terms lack clear, universal definitions. Strategic analysis must begin with clearly articulated and precise definitions of terrorism, counter-terrorism, and homeland security, as proposed in this article. To that extent, the recommended definition of terrorism is: acts of politically based violence aimed at innocent civilians with the intent to cause physical harm, including death, and/or conducting psychological warfare against a population aimed at intimidating it from conducting its daily life in a normal fashion. Ultimately, there are many approaches that we could take to define terrorism. We could look at the definitions currently employed domestically and abroad. We could look to academic debate on the subject. We could consider the inverse of terrorism in other words, define first what terrorism is not. We could also try to craft a definition that encompasses all of the terrorist groups and individuals our government is currently targeting or has captured in the War on Terror. The recommended definition captures the core elements of terrorism in clear and concise language. In reviewing scholarship and terrorists' writings, the overwhelming impression is that causing harm (physical or psychological) to the innocent civilian population is the central characteristic of terrorist action. The available literature articulates that harming civilians is the most effective manner from the terrorist mindset - to effectuate their goals. While causing death or injury to the innocent civilian population is the means to the end, I also suggest that intimidation of the population is of equal importance from the terrorist perspective. The emphasis whether resulting in death, injury, property damage, or intimidation is the attack, in whichever form, on the innocent civilian population. Accordingly, we must develop counter-terrorism policies that protect the innocent civilian population for whose protection and safety the government is responsible. In addition, the importance of impacting daily life cannot and should not be underestimated. Terrorism is a daily grind; it must be understood in the context of daily attacks rather than one-time, dramatic-effect attacks (such as 9/11). Smaller, more frequent attacks, while perhaps less dramatic, have a much greater long-term effect on an innocent civilian population than does a one-time major event whose undeniable short-term effects may not linger. In that vein, the proposed definition emphasizes the effect on the daily life of an innocent civilian population and the commensurate requirement for the state to respond to the continuous, constant threats that represent modern-day terrorism.
A Full Account of Holey Material

Handbook of Zeolite Science and Technology. Scott M. Auerbach, Kathleen A. Carrado, and Prabir K. Dutta, Eds. Marcel Dekker, New York, 2003. 1191 pp. $235. ISBN 0-8247-4020-3. The editors aim to provide novices and experts alike a comprehensive survey of fundamental principles as well as the current state of zeolite research.
“Reconsidering the Study of International Migration: A Way Forward for Macrostructural Migration Research”

The “globalization of migration” has raised new and important questions about the macrostructural or global determinants of international population movements (Castles and Miller, 2003). Yet there remains a dearth of cross-national, empirical research in this area (Portes, 1997). In one of the earliest attempts to empirically identify macrostructural determinants of migration, Amankwaa makes an important contribution to the literature (1995). There are, however, some conceptual, analytical, and methodological shortcomings in Amankwaa’s analysis of migration. These deficiencies merit comment because Amankwaa’s paper could become an increasingly important source of information for public policies and analytical research efforts, particularly as international migration continues to garner increased attention from public policy practitioners and academic researchers. I address key deficiencies in Amankwaa’s study and describe a more robust analytical framework and more rigorous methodological techniques for future research inquiries into the relationship between globalization and international migration.
ESD design challenges and strategies in deeply-scaled integrated circuits

Challenges of design window shrinkage in deeply scaled silicon technologies are addressed by improving design, characterization, and modeling of I/O and ESD devices, and by developing ESD robustness and circuit performance co-design methodologies. Advanced ESD metrology methods are reviewed and their applications in providing key information for reliability modeling are investigated. Package and wafer level CDM correlation issues are examined.
Two-stage fusion set selection in multi-atlas-based image segmentation

Conventional multi-atlas-based segmentation demands pairwise full-fledged registration between each atlas image and the target image, which leads to high computational cost and poses great challenge in the new era of big data. On the other hand, only the most relevant atlases should contribute to final label fusion. In this work, we introduce a two-stage fusion set selection method by first trimming the atlas collection into an augmented subset based on a low-cost registration and the preliminary relevance metric, followed by a further refinement based on a full-fledged registration and the corresponding relevance metric. A statistical inference model is established to relate the preliminary and the refined relevance metrics, and a proper augmented subset size is derived based on it. Empirical evidence supported the inference model, and end-to-end performance assessment demonstrated the proposed scheme to be computationally efficient without compromising segmentation accuracy.
Analysis of microstrip antenna array with GaAs and fenolite substrates

For the microstrip patch resonator, as a planar antenna of a microstrip, a set of equations that represents the electromagnetic fields in the x and z direction as function of the electric field in the y direction are obtained by applying the concise full wave transverse transmission line (TTL) method.
Restructuring Porous YSZ by Treatment in Hydrofluoric Acid for Use in SOFC Cathodes

The structure of porous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been modified by infiltration with concentrated hydrofluoric acid for application in solid-oxide fuel cell electrodes. Dissolution and precipitation of the YSZ greatly increased the surface area of the porous YSZ and formed sheets and pillars of YSZ within the structure that were largely stable to calcination at 1373 K. Electrodes made by infiltration of 35 wt% (20 vol%) La0.8Sr0.2FeO3 into the pore structure exhibited significantly lower impedances at 973 K, even after calcination to 1373 K.
Abstract 1407: Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MEK4) is a key regulator of prostate cancer progression

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MEK4) is a dual-specificity kinase that has been implicated in cancer progression in multiple cancer types, including prostate cancer (PCa). MEK4 is upregulated in invasive PCa lesions in human tissue. We hypothesize that increased MEK4 promotes PCa invasion and metastasis. Our group has created PC3-M cells stably transfected with either constitutively-active or increased levels of wild-type MEK4. In a Matrigel Boyden chamber assay, constitutively-active or wild-type MEK4 was shown to increase PCa invasion. Cancer cell invasion requires the coupling of cell migration with increased production of proteases. We hypothesized that MEK4 promoted invasion via production of proteases, but not via cell migration. Using an uncoated boyden chamber, MEK4 was shown not to affect migration. Using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT/PCR), we went on to demonstrate that MEK4 increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 transcript expression, but did not affect MMP-10 expression. In addition to these studies, we have also looked at the effect of increased or constitutively-active MEK4 on an orthotopic mouse model of PCa. In this model, PCa cells are injected into the prostates of nude mice and tumor size, circulating tumor cells, and lung metastasis are quantified. Preliminary data shows that constitutively-active MEK4 causes an increase in primary tumor size as well as an increase in circulating tumor cells in both the blood and the bone marrow. In summary, we demonstrated that chronic high expression of MEK4 increases human PCa invasion, that this is not due to increased migration, but is associated with increases in MMP-2 and MMP-9. Further, constitutively-active MEK4 appears to have different biological effects than high levels of wild type MEK4 in vivo. Ongoing studies are evaluating the effect of wild type MEK4 and of constitutively-active MEK4 on the formation of distant soft tissue metastasis in the above murine model. In related studies we are seeking to identify downstream proteins critical for MEK4's effects on cell invasion and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. We are also seeking to examine the effects of sustained MEK4 knockdown on PCa invasion and metastasis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1407. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1407
Effect of botulinum neurotoxin treatment in the lateral spread monitoring of microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm.

Introduction: Botulinum neurotoxin (BtNtx) treat- ment for hemifacial spasm (HFS) prior to microvascular decom- pression (MVD) is hypothesized to be a factor in the variability of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) during this procedure. Methods: We analyzed 282 MVDs performed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2007. We retrospectively compared the lateral spread response (LSR) in the mentalis muscle when stimulus-triggered electromyography (EMG) was elicited from the facial nerve. Previous BtNtx treatment was the grouping fac- tor. Results: Baseline LSR amplitudes during MVD (prior BtNtx: mean ¼ 341.47 lV; no BtNtx: mean ¼ 241.81 lV) were signifi- cantly different between groups (df ¼ 1,281; t ¼� 2.463; P ¼ 0.014). Comparisons of latency and current threshold at baseline, as well as HFS disappearance or LSR persistence after the procedure, did not achieve statistical significance. Conclusions: HFS patients treated with BtNtx prior to MVD demonstrated higher LSR baseline amplitudes during IONM. This could be related to muscle poly-reinnervation after recov- ery from repeated BtNtx use. Muscle Nerve 44: 518-524, 2011
Knowledge of indications and utilization of EUS: a survey of oncologists in the United States.

BackgroundSince its advent, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) has emerged as an invaluable tool in the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal and adjacent cancers. Yet, it remains unclear how non-gastroenterologists who manage these malignancies use EUS in their practices.MethodsA link to a sel
Mixture Diffusion in Nanoporous Adsorbents: Development of Fickian Flux Relationship and Concentration-Swing Frequency Response Method

A frequency response method using concentration variation is developed theoretically and experimentally and applied to investigate mixture diffusion in nanoporous adsorbents. The method is based on periodically time-varying species feed concentrations with a constant total molar inlet flow rate. It can be used without the need of a carrier gas. A mathematical model is formulated considering nanopore diffusion, surface barrier resistance, external film resistance, and axial dispersion. The related analytical solutions for frequency response are derived. For nanopore diffusion, a theory for nonconstant mixture Fickian diffusivity with cross-terms is developed from irreversible thermodynamics and shows that mixture Fickian diffusivities can be expressed as the product of corrected diffusivities and a thermodynamic factor that accounts for concentration dependence. The number of unknown variables for Fickian diffusivities is the same as the number for Onsager coefficients or Maxwell−Stefan diffusivities. Adso...
Macrophage inhibitory factor-A3 derived from Mycobacterium avium serovar 2 inhibits candidacidal activity of murine peritoneal macrophages

Macrophage inhibitory factor-A3 (MIF-A3), a fraction derived from Mycobacterium avium serovar 2 inhibited candidacidal activity in macrophages from C57BL/6, C57BL/10, C3H/HeJ and A/J strains of mice. Inhibition of candidacidal activity was demonstrated at MIF-A3 concentrations ranging from 100-400 micrograms/ml in macrophages without additional stimulators (exception C3H/HeJ macrophages) and in macrophages additionally stimulated with 200 U/ml interferon-gamma, 100 ng/ml phorbol myristate acetate and 0.4 ng/ml E. coli lipopolysaccharide from all mouse strains tested. The decreased candidacidal effect produced by MIF-A3 was dose-dependent and appeared greatest in macrophages treated with phorbol myristate acetate and lipopolysaccharide. This effect was neutralized by the addition of goat anti-MIF-A3 antiserum. Macrophages from the Bcgs mouse strains (C57BL/6 and C57Bl/100 were more sensitive to the effect(s) of MIF-A3 than macrophages from the Bcgr mouse strains (C3H/HeJ and A/J).
The Effects of Naloxone on Expression and Acquisition of Ethanol Place Conditioning in Rats

Abstract Naloxone has been shown to facilitate extinction of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice. The present-study extended these findings by examining naloxone’s effect on the expression (Experiment 1) and acquisition (Experiment 2) of place conditioning with ethanol in rats. In Experiment 1, after place conditioning with ethanol (1.8 g/kg, IP), groups N0, N1.5, and N10 received 0, 1.5, or 10 mg/kg naloxone before testing. As expected, ethanol produced a robust conditioned place aversion (CPA). However, naloxone had no effect on expression of CPA. In contrast to studies with mice, the endogenous opioid system does not appear to be involved in the conditioned motivational effects of ethanol in rats. In Experiment 2, groups SE1 and SE2, NS(1.5), NE(1.5), and NE(10), received ethanol alone (1.2 g/kg), naloxone alone (1.5 mg/kg), naloxone 1.5 mg/kg plus ethanol, and naloxone 10 mg/kg plus ethanol during acquisition, respectively. All naloxone-treated groups exhibited CPA. Moreover, group NE(1.5) showed a stronger CPA than group NS(1.5). The CPA produced by coadministration of naloxone and ethanol was attributed to naloxone’s effects on the neural processes underlying ethanol’s unconditioned aversive effects, or to other nonspecific effects on ethanol’s motivational properties.
Some inequalities involving determinants, eigenvalues, and Schur complements in Euclidean Jordan algebras

In this paper, using Schur complements, we prove various inequalities in Euclidean Jordan algebras. Specifically, we study analogues of the inequalities of Fischer, Hadamard, Bergstrom, Oppenheim, and other inequalities related to determinants, eigenvalues, and Schur complements.
The Antiaging Protein Klotho Enhances Oligodendrocyte Maturation and Myelination of the CNS

We have previously shown that myelin abnormalities characterize the normal aging process of the brain and that an age-associated reduction in Klotho is conserved across species. Predominantly generated in brain and kidney, Klotho overexpression extends life span, whereas loss of Klotho accelerates the development of aging-like phenotypes. Although the function of Klotho in brain is unknown, loss of Klotho expression leads to cognitive deficits. We found significant effects of Klotho on oligodendrocyte functions, including induced maturation of rat primary oligodendrocytic progenitor cells (OPCs) in vitro and myelination. Phosphoprotein analysis indicated that Klotho's downstream effects involve Akt and ERK signal pathways. Klotho increased OPC maturation, and inhibition of Akt or ERK function blocked this effect on OPCs. In vivo studies of Klotho knock-out mice and control littermates revealed that knock-out mice have a significant reduction in major myelin protein and gene expression. By immunohistochemistry, the number of total and mature oligodendrocytes was significantly lower in Klotho knock-out mice. Strikingly, at the ultrastructural level, Klotho knock-out mice exhibited significantly impaired myelination of the optic nerve and corpus callosum. These mice also displayed severe abnormalities at the nodes of Ranvier. To decipher the mechanisms by which Klotho affects oligodendrocytes, we used luciferase pathway reporters to identify the transcription factors involved. Together, these studies provide novel evidence for Klotho as a key player in myelin biology, which may thus be a useful therapeutic target in efforts to protect brain myelin against age-dependent changes and promote repair in multiple sclerosis.
Selective modification of cytosines in oligodeoxyribonucleotides

A single deoxycytidine residing in an oligodeoxyribonucleotide which also contains 5-methyldeoxycytidines can be selectively derivatized with various alkylamines by sodium bisulfite-catalyzed transamination. Selective transamination results because 5-methylcytosine, unlike cytosine, does not form a bisulfite adduct. When the reaction is carried out at pH 7.1, transamination in the oligomer appears to occur to greater than 95% with little or no deamination. This procedure has been used to introduce aminoalkyl or carboxyalkyl side chains at the N4-position of a deoxycytidine in oligonucleotides. These side chains contain potentially reactive amine or carboxy groups which could serve as a sites for further conjugation of the oligomer with a variety functional groups. Oligonucleotides which carry these side chain form duplexes and triplexes with appropriate complementary single-stranded or double-stranded oligodeoxyribonucleotide target molecules. The stabilities of the duplexes are similar to those formed by unmodified oligomers, whereas the stability of the triplexes is approximately 18 degrees C lower than that formed by unmodified oligomers.
Cross-National Coverage of HIV/AIDS: A Community Structure Approach

Community structure analysis compared cross-national coverage of responsibility to fight HIV/AIDS in newspapers in 18 countries, selecting articles of 250+ words from May 7, 2003, to September 13, 2013. The resulting 291 articles were coded for “prominence” and “direction” (“government,” “society,” including nongovernmental organizations [NGOs]/foreign aid or “balanced/neutral” coverage), and combined for composite scores in each newspaper's “Media Vector” (range = .4974 to −.1465). Newspaper support for governmental versus societal involvement was 9 to 9 (50/50). Pearson correlations revealed significant relationships in privilege and vulnerability categories: public knowledge of HIV/AIDS preventative measures and general health of the population. Regression of national characteristics against Media Vectors yielded percentage of women who know condom use prevents HIV (63.7% of variance), percentage of men who know condom use prevents HIV, and percentage of population undernourished, collectively totaling...
AN EXPLICIT TVD SCHEME FOR HYPERBOLIC HEAT CONDUCTION IN COMPLEX GEOMETRY

Two-dimensional hyperbolic heat conduction problems of complex geometry are investigated numerically. A second-order total variation diminishing (TVD) scheme is introduced and its application to the hyperbolic heat conduction is developed in detail using the knowledge of characteristics. In current work primitive variables, rather than characteristic variables, are used as the dependent variables. The governing equations of two-dimensional heat conduction are transformed from the physical coordinates to the computational coordinates, so that the hyperbolic heat conduction problems of irregular geometry can be solved numerically by the present TVD scheme. Three examples with different geometry are used to verify the accuracy of the present numerical scheme. Results show the explicit TVD scheme can predict the thermal wave without oscillation.