cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sense, decide, act, communicate (SDAC): next generation of smart sensor systems

The recent war on terrorism and increased urban warfare has been a major catalysis for increased interest in the development of disposable unattended wireless ground sensors. While the application of these sensors to hostile domains has been generally governed by specific tasks, this research explores a unique paradigm capitalizing on the fundamental functionality related to sensor systems. This functionality includes a sensors ability to Sense - multi-modal sensing of environmental events, Decide - smart analysis of sensor data, Act - response to environmental events, and Communication - internal to system and external to humans (SDAC). The main concept behind SDAC sensor systems is to integrate the hardware, software, and networking to generate 'knowledge and not just data'. This research explores the usage of wireless SDAC units to collectively make up a sensor system capable of persistent, adaptive, and autonomous behavior. These systems are base on the evaluation of scenarios and existing systems covering various domains. This paper presents a promising view of sensor network characteristics, which will eventually yield smart (intelligent collectives) network arrays of SDAC sensing units generally applicable to multiple related domains. This paper will also discuss and evaluate the demonstration system developed to test the concepts related to SDAC systems.
Catalyse localisée : étude de molécules adsorbées et de systèmes catalytiques

La diffusion inelastique des neutrons (DIN) est une methode interessante pour etudier les modes de vibration de catalyseurs et de molecules adsorbees. En fait, la DIN n’est que l’une des nombreuses techniques vibrationnelles qui sont disponibles pour une meilleure comprehension des phenomenes de surface. Chaque technique a des avantages particuliers pour un systeme donne en termes de domaine spectral, de resolution, de sensibilite, et de conditions experimentales. Par exemple, la spectroscopie infrarouge est une methode tres efficace pour detecter du CO adsorbe, mais elle est bien moins sensible pour l’hydrogene absorbe ou adsorbe. A cause de leur pouvoir de penetration, les neutrons ne constituent pas a priori une sonde pour les surfaces. Cependant, il est possible d’obtenir des spectres d’especes de surface a la condition que l’adsorbat possede une section de diffusion pour les neutrons superieure a celle du substrat. Etant donne que c’est l’hydrogene qui a la section de diffusion la plus elevee, il constitue la sonde privilegiee des etudes de catalyse. Neanmoins, on doit encore a l’heure actuelle mettre dans le faisceau environ un centieme de mole d’un compose hydrogene pour avoir un signal raisonnable (avec les nouveaux spectrometres en construction, on devrait gagner un facteur 100). On est donc limite a l’etude de catalyseurs presentant une surface specifique importante, ce qui est le cas pour la plupart des catalyseurs reels, supportes ou non. Les applications de la DIN en catalyse ont surtout concerne les systemes qui sont difficiles ou meme impossibles a etudier par d’autres techniques. Par exemple le catalyseur peut etre completement noir ou n’avoir que quelques fenetres accessibles en infrarouge, ou encore se decomposer ou fluorescer sous l’effet du faisceau laser en Raman. Des comparaisons ont ete faites dans certains cas avec les resultats obtenus par spectroscopie de perte d’electrons sur monocristaux. Les catalyseurs qui sont etudies par DIN ont generalement une surface inhomogene : oxydes, sulfures, metaux, etc., bien que les zeolithes ou les MOFs qui sont des materiaux bien cristallises sont bien adaptes. Les substrats peuvent etre pratiquement transparents aux neutrons s’ils contiennent une faible quantite d’hydrogene, dans ce cas le spectre neutron du substrat sera presque plat et l’on pourra alors observer tous les modes de vibration de l’adsorbat. Differents exemples sont donnes dans les references ci-dessous.
New Precision Orbits of Bright Double-Lined Spectroscopic Binaries. V. The Am Stars HD 434 and 41 Sextantis

We have detected the secondary component in two previously known spectroscopic binaries, HD 434 and 41 Sex, and for the first time determined double-lined orbits for them. Despite the relatively long period of 34.26 days and a moderate eccentricity of 0.32, combined with the components' rotationally broadened lines, measurement of the primary and secondary radial velocities of HD 434 has enabled us to obtain significantly improved orbital elements. While the 41 Sex system has a much shorter period of 6.167 days and a circular orbit, the estimated V mag difference of 3.2 between its components also makes this a challenging system. The new orbital dimensions (a{sub 1} sin i and a{sub 2} sin i) and minimum masses (m{sub 1} sin{sup 3} i and m{sub 2} sin{sup 3} i) of HD 434 have accuracies of 0.8% or better, while the same quantities for 41 Sex are good to 0.5% or better. Both components of HD 434 are Am stars while the Am star primary of 41 Sex has a late-F or early-G companion. All four stars are on the main sequence. The two components of HD 434 are rotating much faster than their predicted pseudosynchronous velocities, while both components of 41more » Sex are synchronously rotating. For the primary of 41 Sex, the spectrum line depth changes noted by Sreedhar Rao et al. were not detected.« less
Foreign investment: Impact on China's economy

Foreign direct investment (FDI) has been a key driver of economic growth, globalization of business, and the expansion of international trade. And in today's age of the Internet and globalization, the impact of FDI and foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) on a hosting country's economy will be more profound than it was in the twentieth century. Given all that, what roles are FIEs playing in the economy of the world's most populous country-China? And what are the implications for investors? © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A simplified model for catalyzed isobutane autoxidation: implications for the mechanism of catalysis by halogenated porphyrin complexes

A simple kinetic model shows that a radical-chain mechanism can account for the high activity and selectivity found for oxidation of isobutane tot-butanol catalyzed by highly halogenated metalloporphyrins.
Improved critical current capability of V3Ga formed in a V-6Ga/Cu-15 Ga composite

Single filament V/sub 3/Ga composite wires were prepared by imbedding cores of pure V and V--6.1 at.% Ga in a Cu--15.4 at.% Ga matrix. The parabolic growth rate of V/sub 3/Ga was enhanced by alloying the core, and the superconducting critical current density was nearly doubled. At 4.2 K J/sub c/ exceeded 10/sup 5/ A/cm/sup 2/ in transverse magnetic fields up to 140 kG. (auth)
Centrosome attachment to the C. elegans male pronucleus is dependent on the surface area of the nuclear envelope

A close association must be maintained between the male pronucleus and the centrosomes during pronuclear migration. In C. elegans, simultaneous depletion of inner nuclear membrane LEM proteins EMR-1 and LEM-2, depletion of the nuclear lamina proteins LMN-1 or BAF-1, or the depletion of nuclear import components leads to embryonic lethality with small pronuclei. Here, a novel centrosome detachment phenotype in C. elegans zygotes is described. Zygotes with defects in the nuclear envelope had small pronuclei with a single centrosome detached from the male pronucleus. ZYG-12, SUN-1, and LIS-1, which function at the nuclear envelope with dynein to attach centrosomes, were observed at normal concentrations on the nuclear envelope of pronuclei with detached centrosomes. Analysis of time-lapse images showed that as mutant pronuclei grew in surface area, they captured detached centrosomes. Larger tetraploid or smaller histone::mCherry pronuclei suppressed or enhanced the centrosome detachment phenotype respectively. In embryos fertilized with anucleated sperm, only one centrosome was captured by small female pronuclei, suggesting the mechanism of capture is dependent on the surface area of the outer nuclear membrane available to interact with aster microtubules. We propose that the limiting factor for centrosome attachment to the surface of abnormally small pronuclei is dynein.
Quantification of the optical properties of two-layer turbid materials using a hyperspectral imaging-based spatially-resolved technique

Recent research has shown that a hyperspectral imaging-based spatially-resolved technique is useful for determining the optical properties of homogenous fruits and food products. To better characterize fruit properties and quality attributes, it is desirable to consider fruit to be composed of two homogeneous layers of skin and flesh. This research was aimed at developing a nondestructive method to determine the absorption and scattering properties of two-layer turbid materials with the characteristics of fruit. An inverse algorithm along with the sensitivity coefficient analysis for a two-layer diffusion model was developed for the extraction of optical properties from the spatially-resolved diffuse reflectance data acquired using a hyperspectral imaging system. The diffusion model and the inverse algorithm were validated with Monte Carlo simulations and experimental measurements from solid model samples of known optical properties. The average errors of determining two and four optical parameters were 6.8% and 15.3%, respectively, for Monte Carlo reflectance data. The optical properties of the first or top layer of the model samples were determined with errors of less than 23.0% for the absorption coefficient and 18.4% for the reduced scattering coefficient. The inverse algorithm did not give acceptable estimations for the second or lower layer of the model samples. While the hyperspectral imaging-based spatially-resolved technique has the potential to measure the optical properties of two-layer turbid materials like fruits and food products, further improvements are needed in determining the optical properties of the second layer.
Risk factors for primary and subsequent anal sphincter lacerations: a comparison of cohorts by parity and prior mode of delivery

Objective This study was performed to assess the effect of pregnancy, route of delivery, and parity on the risk of primary and subsequent anal sphincter laceration in women at first vaginal delivery (1st VD), vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC), or second vaginal delivery (2nd VD). Methods This retrospective cohort study used data from a perinatal database that included all deliveries at Magee-Womens Hospital from 1995 to 2002. Anal sphincter laceration was the primary outcome, defined as third- and fourth-degree perineal lacerations. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for primary and subsequent anal sphincter laceration at delivery by risk group was estimated using logistic regression models and reported with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results We assessed 20,674 live, singleton, term deliveries at Magee-Womens Hospital from 1995 to 2002, including 13,183 with 1st VD, 6068 with 2nd VD, and 1423 with VBAC. Anal sphincter laceration occurred in 16% of women with 1st VD, 18% with VBAC, and 3% with 2nd VD. Multivariable logistic regression modeling for primary anal sphincter laceration showed that 1st VD had OR of 5.1 and 95% CI 4.4, 5.9, and VBAC had OR of 5.1, 95% CI 4.2, 6.2 when compared with the reference group with 2nd VD. Shown in order for 1st VD, VBAC, and 2nd VD, the following factors, adjusted for the other listed factors, were significantly related to anal sphincter laceration except as noted: forceps, ORs of 3.0, 2.6, 5.5; midline episiotomy, ORs of 2.7, 2.9, 2.9; infant birth weight 3500 g or more, ORs of 1.9, 1.9, 1.1, not significantly different from OR of 1.0; vacuum delivery, ORs of 1.7, 1.8, 1.5, not significantly different from OR of 1.0, and 2nd stage of labor 2 hours or longer, ORs of 1.8, 0.9, 0.9, last 2 not significantly different from OR of 1.0. Of women who had anal sphincter laceration in their first vaginal delivery, 7.2% (76 of 1054 women who had 2 pregnancies) had recurrent laceration in their second vaginal delivery, compared with 2.3% (123 of 5147) of women who had a primary anal sphincter laceration in their second vaginal delivery. Multivariable logistic regression modeling for recurrent anal sphincter laceration yielded the following significant factors: episiotomy, OR 8.5, 95% CI 4.1, 17.7; vertex malpresentation (primarily occiput posterior), OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.4, 12.6; shoulder dystocia, OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2, 5.8; and infant birth weight 3500 g or greater, OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1, 2.7. Conclusion At this institution, women undergoing VBAC are at similarly high risk of anal sphincter laceration, compared with nulliparous women. Women with prior anal sphincter laceration are at 3 times increased risk for subsequent sphincter laceration, compared with women with prior vaginal delivery without sphincter laceration. Pregnancy by itself does not appear to be an important factor in decreasing the risk of anal sphincter laceration in subsequent deliveries.
Competencies for master and doctoral students in epidemiology: what is important, what is unimportant, and where is there room for improvement?

In 2008, members of the American College of Epidemiology's Education Committee began work on a project to facilitate discussion on identifying domains and core competencies for epidemiologic training at the master and doctoral levels. Two online surveys were created and participants (N = 183; n = 147 [established epidemiologists] and n = 36 [recent graduates]) rated the importance of 19 domains and 66 competencies. A total of 17 competencies were viewed as important or very important for individuals earning various master- or doctoral-level degrees in epidemiology, whereas eight competencies were reported as being unimportant for all individuals earning graduate degrees in epidemiology. Twenty additional competencies were viewed as important or very important only for individuals receiving doctoral training. In addition, recent master-level graduates identified nine domains in which they felt less prepared, and recent doctoral-level graduates identified two such domains. Additional research is warranted to ensure that all epidemiologists receive sufficient training in identified areas.
On stochastic bilinear control

The object is to provide a condensed review of current research on bilinear stochastic systems, BLSS and their application, along with preliminary results on optimal filtering. BLSS arise naturally for generalized demographic processes such as may appear in immunology, nuclear physics, biological populations of species and human demography. For example, in the immune system bilinear differential equations describe cell division and chemical binding of antibody receptors to alien molecules due to the law of mass action. Multiplicative stochastic coefficients may be introduced for probabilities of division and differentiation of classes of cells. Additive noise may appear from the bone marrow source of cells, the effects of ill-defined accessory cells and from "measurements".
Sodium restriction and reserpine administration in experimental renal hypertension; a correlation of arterial blood pressure responses with the ionic composition of the arterial wall.

An increase of intracellular potassium and sodium content in the wall of the aorta occurs in experimental renal hypertension. The elevated potassium tends to revert toward normal when blood pressure is again lowered with reserpine. The efficacy of rigid restriction of dietary sodium intake in decreasing blood pressure proved quite limited. The development of renal hypertension in the face of rigid sodium restriction further demonstrates that dietary sodium plays no more than an enhancing role in the pathogenesis of renal "isehemic" hypertension.
Propagation of Stress Waves in Woven-Fabric Composites

The dynamic moduli and damping coefficients of a selected group of fabric-woven composites were obtained using a resonance technique. The same samples were later subjected to stress pulses. Measured values of the velocity and attenuation of the pulses are compared with those computed from the resonance data based on the assumption of linear viscoelastic be havior. In most instances the agreement is quite favorable.
Vapor-liquid equilibria of (methanol + methylcyclopentane)

Abstract (Methanol + methylcyclopentane) show two liquid phases with the critical solution temperature close to the bubble temperature. This caused difficulty in using a conventional recirculation still to measure vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE). Consequently, a refluxing still was designed and operated to obtain VLE which were correlated with the Wilson equation and compared with results computed from the Gibbs-Duhem equation.
Cloning of Bovine Pyruvate Carboxylase and 5′ Untranslated Region Variants

Abstract Bovine pyruvate carboxylase (PC; EC 6.4.1.1) cDNA was cloned by reverse transcription (RT) PCR. The coding region plus 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of PC mRNA is 3926 bases and encodes 1178 amino acid PC precursor protein. A 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends protocol was used to clone the 5′ end of the mRNA. Six 5′UTR variants ranging from 68 to 363 bp were cloned. Bovine PC 5′UTR (bPC5′) variants contain 68 (bPC5′A), 263 (bPC5′B), 363 (bPC5′C), 89 (bPC5′D), 275 (bPC5′E), and 178 bp (bPC5′F). All variants contain a common coding sequence. An RNase protection assay and RT-PCR analysis confirms the presence of the 5′UTR variants. The abundance of PC mRNA, determined by Northern blot analysis, indicates that PC is more abundant in gluconeogenic and lipogenic tissues where all PC variants are expressed compared with tissues that do not possess the full spectrum of PC transcripts. The data suggest that bPC5′A, bPC5′B, and bPC5′F are more abundant in bovine liver than the other variants. #Nucleotide ...
Physical Models in Data Center Airflow Simulations

The trend of increasing functionality of electronics with a reduction in size has caused a rapid increase in the volumetric heat generation of today’s equipment. This problem is compounded by the vertical stacking of such components in tall enclosures, called racks. The organization of these racks into large infrastructure facilities, or data centers, generates enough heat to require a room-level cooling strategy. The total power dissipated in current data centers can be as large as several MW. Since all the heat generated must be removed, a systematic thermal management methodology is required to ensure efficient, reliable and safe operating conditions. The mathematical description of the airflow and heat transfer characteristics involves a range of length scales, all of which are infeasible to approach simultaneously. In this study, a modeling framework for data centers is investigated, with emphasis on the physical models employed in numerical simulations. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are presented to develop a unit cell, or a minimum sized model which is representative of these facilities. A unit cell architecture is a useful design tool for the evaluation of tomorrow’s cooling strategies. A premium on floor space may result in oddly shaped facilities, so a need exists for a common basis of comparison. The flow patterns inside a data center typically fall into the regime of turbulent mixed convection. The choice of turbulence model employed in a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) type simulation is examined using a commercial code. Comparisons are made with indoor airflow simulations of office spaces and auditoria because of the similarity of office spaces and auditoria because of the similarity in velocities and length scales. Results shows up to 20% variation in temperature predictions can occur between various commercially-implemented turbulence models.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
On the Classification of Pairwise Relations Between Isomeric Structures

The conventional classification of pairwise relations between structures of equal atomic composition gives primacy to the notion of constitution. It is asserted that a complete and edge-weighted molecular graph is a more faithful representation of bonding relationships than a constitutional graph. A scheme is proposed, rooted in geometric rather than topological qualities of the model, which is well attuned to the distinguishing characteristics of isomeric pairs, and in which pairwise relations are classified as isometric (homomers, enantiomers) and anisometric (diastereomers, constitutional isomers). This classification is extended to topic relationships.
Synthesis and preliminary in vitro biological evaluation of new carbon-11-labeled celecoxib derivatives as candidate PET tracers for imaging of COX-2 expression in cancer.

Abstract The enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is overexpressed in a variety of malignant tumors. This study was designed to develop new radiotracers for imaging of COX-2 in cancer using biomedical imaging technique positron emission tomography (PET). Carbon-11-labeled celecoxib derivatives, [11C]4a–c and [11C]8a–d, were prepared by O-[11C] methylation of their corresponding precursors using [11C]CH3OTf under basic conditions and isolated by a simplified solid-phase extraction (SPE) method in 52 ± 2% (n = 5) and 57 ± 3% (n = 5) radiochemical yields based on [11C]CO2 and decay corrected to end of bombardment (EOB). The overall synthesis time from EOB was 23 min, the radiochemical purity was >99%, and the specific activity at end of synthesis (EOS) was 277.5 ± 92.5 GBq/μmol (n = 5). The IC50 values to block COX-2 for known compounds celecoxib (4d), 4a and 4c were 40, 290 and 8 nM, respectively, and preliminary findings from in vitro biological assay indicated that the synthesized new compounds 4b and 8a–d display similar strong inhibitory effectiveness in the MDA-MB-435 human cancer cell line in comparison with the parent compound 4d. These results encourage further in vivo evaluation of carbon-11-labeled celecoxib derivatives as new potential PET radiotracers for imaging of COX-2 expression in cancer.
Isolation and characterization of a polarized isolated hepatocyte preparation in the skate Raja erinacea.

Hepatocytes of the small skate (Raja erinacea) were isolated by collagenase perfusion and evaluated by a variety of functional and morphologic criteria. Cell yield was 1.45 × 108 ± 1.3 × 107 cells per isolation, and as long as 8 h after isolation 98% of the hepatocytes excluded Trypan blue and no leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) or cell associated potassium could be detected. Oxygen consumption averaged 1.6 ± 0.5 nmol/min/mg cell protein, was not stimulated by 1 mM succinate, and also remained stable for up to 8 h following isolation. However, 2,4,-dinitrophenol (5 × 10−5 M) produced a 55% increase in oxygen utilization while ouabain, (1 mM) or sodium removal decreased oxygen consumption by 31 ± 6 and 33 ± 7%, respectively, indicating that a significant portion of the cells energy utilization is coupled to the activity of plasma membrane Na+, K+-ATPase. Light microscopic studies showed that the individual hepatocytes had diameters of 28 ± 5 μm and contained large lipid droplets. Electron microscopy revealed groups of three to five cells with normal ultrastructure and tight junctions and desmosomes surrounding a single bile canaliculus. These studies indicate that skate hepatocytes can be isolated in high yield that retain their structural polarity in the form of clusters of cells formed around a single bile canaliculus. These hepatocytes remain morphologically intact and metabolically stable for a prolonged period of time. Isolated skate hepatocyte preparations should be a useful experimental model to study hepatic metabolism in marine species, not only because of their viability but also because they retain their apical and basolateral membrane polarity, a feature that is usually lost in other isolated hepatocyte preparations.
Cheyne-stokes breathing and reduced ejection fraction.

Abstract Background The accuracy of Cheyne-Stokes breathing as a sign of left ventricular dysfunction and its overall prognostic significance are unknown. Methods Between 2001 and 2006, the author examined 386 inpatients at a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and compared the finding of Cheyne-Stokes breathing and its cycle length with the patients' echocardiographic ejection fraction (EF) and 5-year survival. Results A total of 45 of 386 patients (11.7%) had Cheyne-Stokes breathing. Two variables were independently associated with Cheyne-Stokes breathing: reduced EF ( P 001) and age>80 years ( P=. 006). The presence of Cheyne-Stokes breathing increased the probability of a markedly reduced EF (ie, EF r =0.23, P=. 14). The 5-year survival of patients with Cheyne-Stokes breathing (37.2%) was similar to that of patients without the finding (42.9%, P=. 18, log-rank test). Conclusions In hospitalized patients, Cheyne-Stokes breathing increases the probability of left ventricular dysfunction. It is present in 1 of 3 patients with markedly reduced EF. When detected during physical examination, Cheyne-Stokes breathing does not indicate worse prognosis.
Layout analysis as supporting tool for failure localization: Basic principles and case studies.

Abstract To be able to localize a defect on results obtained by failure analysis tools like emission microscopy or OBIRCH analysis it is necessary to understand the effect of a certain defect on an integrated circuit, as only some defects can directly be pinpointed by these analysis methods. In the majority of cases, only second order effects are visible, e.g., a floating gate will cause a transistor to emit light. In that case, the failure site differs from the point of emission. While the physical principles of common defects are well understood one has also to consider the layout of an integrated circuit. By matching the failure analysis results obtained by emission microscopy or OBIRCH analysis to the layout and schematics of a failing device it is possible estimate the root cause of the failure. Thus, the failure site can be narrowed down, to be finally able to proceed with the physical analysis for root cause determination. This paper will give an overview of physical failures that can occur and their effects on emission and OBIRCH analysis. These failure modes will then be correlated to the layout of a device in order to be able to estimate the root cause of a failure based on analysis techniques like emission microscopy and OBIRCH analysis. Finally, we will present case studies of successful failure localization based on layout analysis.
Depletion of CD25+ T cells from hematopoietic stem cell grafts increases posttransplantation vaccine-induced immunity to neuroblastoma

A multifaceted immunotherapeutic strategy that includes hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation, T-cell adoptive transfer, and tumor vaccination can effectively eliminate established neuroblastoma tumors in mice. In vivo depletion of CD4+ T cells in HSC transplantation recipients results in increased antitumor immunity when adoptively transferred T cells are presensitized, but development of T-cell memory is severely compromised. Because increased percentages of regulatory T (Treg) cells are seen in HSC transplantation recipients, here we hypothesized that the inhibitory effect of CD4+ T cells is primarily because of the presence of expanded Treg cells. Remarkably, adoptive transfer of presensitized CD25-depleted T cells increased tumor vaccine efficacy. The enhanced antitumor effect achieved by ex vivo depletion of CD25+ Treg cells was similar to that achieved by in vivo depletion of all CD4+ T cells. Depletion of CD25+ Treg cells resulted in elevated frequencies of tumor-reactive CD8 and CD4+ T cells and increased CD8-to-Treg cell ratios inside tumor masses. All mice given presensitized CD25-depleted T cells survived a tumor rechallenge, indicating the development of long-term CD8+ T-cell memory to tumor antigens. These observations should aid in the future design of immunotherapeutic approaches that promote the generation of both acute and long-term antitumor immunity.
Surface plasmon resonance protein sensor using Vroman effect.

We report a new surface plasmon resonance (SPR) protein sensor using the Vroman effect for real-time, sensitive and selective detection of protein. The sensor relies on the competitive nature of protein adsorption onto the surface, directly depending upon protein's molecular weight. The sensor uses SPR for highly sensitive biomolecular interactions detection and the Vroman effect for highly selective detection. By using the Vroman effect we bypass having to rely on bio-receptors and their attachment to transducers, a process known to be complex and time-consuming. The protein sensor is microfabricated to perform real-time protein detection using four different proteins including aprotinin (0.65 kDa), lysozyme (14.7 kDa), streptavidine (53 kDa), and isolectin (114 kDa) on three different surfaces, namely a bare-gold surface and two others modified by OH- and COOH-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM). The real-time adsorption and displacement of the proteins are observed by SPR and evaluated using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The sensor can distinguish proteins of at least 14.05 kDa in molecular weight and demonstrate a very low false positive rate. The protein detector can be integrated with microfluidic systems to provide extremely sensitive and selective analytical capability.
Intercluster Interaction and Magnetic Interaction between Iron Core and Iron Oxide Shell in Core-Shell Nanoclusters

The intercluster interactions of iron/iron oxide core shell nanoclusters have been investigated, and their dependence on cluster size (d) has been discussed. A cluster deposition system is used to prepare core-shell nanoclusters with different d, varying from 9 to 14 nm.Transmission Electron Microscopy has been used for physical characterization, and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer for magnetic study. The cluster – cluster interactions have been investigated by field dependent isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) and dc demagnetization (DCD) measurements at room temperature. Henkel plot shows more negative deviation from non- interacting case for bigger size nanoclusters than smaller size clusters.
Removing weather effects from monochrome images

Images of outdoor scenes captured in bad weather suffer from poor contrast. Under bad weather conditions, the light reaching a camera is severely scattered by the atmosphere. The resulting decay in contrast varies across the scene and is exponential in the depths of scene points. Therefore, traditional space invariant image processing techniques are not sufficient to remove weather effects from images. In this paper, we present a fast physics-based method to compute scene structure and hence restore contrast of the scene from two or more images taken in bad weather In contrast to previous techniques, our method does not require any a priori weather-specific or scene information, and is effective under a wide range of weather conditions including haze, mist, fog and other aerosols. Further, our method can be applied to gray-scale, RGB color, multi-spectral and even IR images. We also extend the technique to restore contrast of scenes with moving objects, captured using a video camera.
Glycogen repletion following continuous and intermittent exercise to exhaustion

Patterns of postexercise glycogen repletion in heart, skeletal muscle, and liver in the absence of exogenously supplied substrates during the first 4 h of recovery were assessed. Female Wistar rats were run to exhaustion using continuous (1.0 mph, 15% grade) and intermittent (alternate 1-min intervals at 0.5 and 1.5 mph, 15% grade) exercise protocols. Rats at exhaustion were characterized by marked depletion of glycogen in heart (55%), skeletal muscle (94%), and liver (97%). Blood glucose levels at exhaustion (1.33 mumol/g) were only 37% of preexercise levels. There were no significant differences between continuous and intermittent exercise groups for any of the tissue glycogen or blood glucose values. Cardiac muscle was the only tissue capable of complete restoration of glycogen levels while relying exclusively upon endogenous substrates. Concentrations of endogenous substrates present at the end of exercise were insufficient to support restoration of blood glucose levels to preexercise values nor support glycogen repletion in skeletal muscle and liver during the initial 4-h food-restricted postexercise period. With subsequent feeding, skeletal muscle demonstrated a glycogen supercompensation effect at 24 h (181.1 and 191.8% of preexercise levels for continuous and intermittent exercise, respectively). Lactate concentration in all tissues at the point exhaustion (1.5--2.5 times resting levels) were only moderately elevated and returned to preexercise levels within 15 min. It was concluded that lactate removal after exercise contributed only minimally to the repletion of muscle glycogen.
BERNARD LONERGAN ON A CATHOLIC LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION

With a call for integration commonly expected in liberal arts education, this article explores the philosophy of Bernard Lonergan. Highly specialized disciplines, as valuable as they are to preserving and expanding a professional knowledge base, can nonetheless lead to the extreme compartmentalization of education. This article offers a philosophical foundation on which to build a truly Catholic liberal arts education.
Epigenetics primer: Why the clinician should care about epigenetics

Epigenetics describes heritable alterations of gene expression that do not involve DNA sequence variation and are changeable throughout an organism's lifetime. Not only can epigenetic status influence drug response, but it can also be modulated by drugs. In this review, the three major epigenetic mechanisms are described: covalent DNA modification, histone protein modification, and regulation by noncoding RNA. Further, this review describes how drug therapy can influence, and be influenced by, these mechanisms. Drugs with epigenetic mechanisms are already in use, with many more likely to be approved within the next few years. As the understanding of epigenetic processes improves, so will the ability to use these data in the clinic to improve patient care.
Deposition of ultrathin rare-earth doped Y2O3 phosphor films on alumina nanoparticles

Ultrathin films of Eu 3+ doped Y2O3 were deposited onto alumina nanoparticles using a unique solution synthesis method. The surface structure, composition, and morphology of the thin films deposited were analysed using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high angle annular dark field scanning TEM imaging and energy dispersive x-ray measurements. The films deposited were extremely thin, on the order of 3–5 nm, and uniformly covered all the alumina nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the phases and structures of the thin films deposited. At the heat treatment temperature of 600 ◦ C, cubic Y2O3 nanocrystals were found in the film while as-coated layers exhibited mainly amorphous features. As the heat treatment temperature increased to 750 ◦ C, the amorphous thin film became well crystallized. Optical properties of Eu 3+ doped Y2O3 films were characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy. Strong photoluminescence was observed in the sample annealed at 750 ◦ C, from the fluorescence of Eu 3+ ions in a well-crystallized film, consistent with the
The Substance Use System: Social and Neighborhood Environments Associated with Substance Use and Misuse

Substance use theory and practice have traditionally focused on individuals who misuse substances or who are at risk for substance misuse, but this emphasis is shifting. The present study views both substance use and misuse systematically, assessing the relationships between the physical and social environments and substance use and misuse in dynamic interplay. This substance use system was examined through a survey of approximately 10,000 persons, aged 22–44, from primarily inner-city neighborhoods in the United States. Individual indicators such as race, sex, age, socioeconomic status, education, and religious service attendance relate to both the physical and interpersonal environments, even when each is controlled for the others. Qualities of both environments are strongly associated with substance dependency, even after individual indicators are controlled. These findings suggest the difficulty of bringing about change in drug and alcohol use without hndamental change in the environments where use ta...
Finding Embedded Network Rows in Linear Programs I. Extraction Heuristics

An embedded network within a linear program is, roughly speaking, a subset of constraints that represent conservation of flow. We examine three broad classes of heuristic techniques-row-scanning deletion, column-scanning deletion, and row-scanning addition-for the extraction of large embedded networks. We present a variety of implementations, and compare their performance on realistic test problems. The success of our tests depends, in part, on several preprocessing steps that scale the constraint matrix and that set aside certain rows and columns. Efficiency of the subsequent network extraction is dependent on the implementation, in predictable ways. Effectiveness is harder to explain; the more sophisticated and expensive implementations seem to be most reliable, but much simpler implementations sometimes find larger networks. The largest networks are obtained by applying a final augmentation phase, which is studied in the second part of this paper.
Patterns in the occupancy and abundance of the globally rare lichen Erioderma pedicellatum in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

We investigated habitat attributes related to the occupancy of the globally rare and endangered epiphytic lichen, Erioderma pedicellatum, in a newly discovered (2009) population center in Denali National Park and Preserve (DNPP), Alaska. We measured forest, tree and epiphytic lichen community characteristics on eighty-five systematically selected plots in four study areas. We aggregated these data at three spatial scales (tree, plot and study area) at which to compare E. pedicellatum occupancy (probability of occurrence) and abundance to environmental covariates. We observed 2,035 E. pedicellatum thalli on 278 individual Picea glauca stems. The species occurred in 61% of the plots measured. Occupancy of E. pedicellatum at the individual tree-scale was influenced by stem diameter, study area, live crown length, plot P. glauca basal area, plot canopy cover and distance to open water. Our models for E. pedicellatum occupancy at the plot-scale identified study area, P. glauca density, deciduous basal area (Betula neoalaskana and Populus trichocarpa), and tall shrub cover ($ 200 cm in height) as significant covariates. Our estimates of the DNPP population size increase the world population by at least tenfold to approximately 100,000 thalli. We suggest important topics for further research on E. pedicellatum.
Benefits of professional organization membership and participation in national conferences: considerations for students and new professionals

The focus of this manuscript is on the next generation of health education professionals and is written by those who are part of that next generation. This manuscript serves as a good reminder to all health educators regarding the importance of professional association membership and attending professional conferences. The co-editors hope that established health education professionals-whether serving as faculty members teaching in professional preparation programs or those practitioners mentoring the next generation-will share this article with students and/ or colleagues regarding the benefits of attending professional conferences and joining professional organizations. Joining professional organizations like the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) and attending professional conferences can provide tremendous career development, skill-building, and professional networking opportunities.
Bridging identities and disciplines: Advances and challenges in understanding multiple identities

The chapters in this volume address the need for a better understanding of the development of intersecting identities over age and context. The chapters provide valuable insights into the development of identities, particularly group identities. They highlight common processes across identities, such as the role of contrast and comparison and the need for individual effort in identity formation. They suggest the value of studying multiple identities in interaction and using interdisciplinary approaches. However, research across identities and disciplines poses challenges for investigators. These challenges can be met and the field advanced by collaborative studies among scholars who represent different disciplines and have studied different identities. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A scheduling expert advisor for heterogeneous environments

In this paper we discuss intelligent agent support for parallel and distributed computing in a heterogeneous environment. We provide an overview of the Bond environment and of services provided by a network on intelligent agents, then we discuss in depth the Scheduling Expert Advisor SEA. The SEA processes a high level description of a computational task provided by a user and converts it into a set of facts and rules. An expert system starts the execution of one program or a group of programs based on the scheduling information compiled earlier.
An Examination of Specific Types of Ijime within Japanese Schools.

Multiple suicides among Japanese students due to bullying have resulted in the initiation of various mechanisms to prevent, manage and measure the prevalence of bullying (ijime). Ijime is now a problem of epidemic proportions in Japan. Due to the historical roots of collectivism, combined with the rapid industrialization of Japan, the manifestation of bullying is very different from that seen in Western cultures. The Japanese government, through Mombusho (Japanese Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture), and the Japan Center for Family and Child Research, has attempted to respond to the ever increasing incidence of ijime among Japanese students. In an effort to both augment the level of response, as well as increase the scope of understanding, a fellowship was established to facilitate the ability of a foreign professor to research the issue of ijime. This manuscript informs the prevalence and types of ijime-related behaviours, and presents the findings of related interviews and focus groups conducted i...
Improving Bayesian Network Structure Learning with Mutual Information-Based Node Ordering in the K2 Algorithm

Structure learning of Bayesian networks is a well-researched but computationally hard task. We present an algorithm that integrates an information-theory-based approach and a scoring-function-based approach for learning structures of Bayesian networks. Our algorithm also makes use of basic Bayesian network concepts like d-separation and condition independence. We show that the proposed algorithm is capable of handling networks with a large number of variables. We present the applicability of the proposed algorithm on four standard network data sets and also compare its performance and computational efficiency with other standard structure-learning methods. The experimental results show that our method can efficiently and accurately identify complex network structures from data.
Element-free Galerkin method: Convergence of the continuous and discontinuous shape functions

Abstract We consider numerical solutions of second-order elliptic partial differential equations, such as Laplace's equation, or linear elasticity, in two-dimensional, non-convex domains by the element-free Galerkin method (EFG). This is a meshless method in which the shape functions are constructed by using weight functions of compact support. For non-convex domains, two approaches to the determination of whether a node affects approximation at a particular point are used, a contained path criterion, and the visibility criterion. We show that for non-convex domains the visibility criterion leads to discontinuous weight functions and discontinuous shape functions. The resulting approximation is no longer conforming, and its convergence must be established by inspection of the so-called consistency term. We show that the variant of the element-free Galerkin method which uses the discontinuous shape functions, is convergent, and that, in the practically important case of linear shape functions, the convergence rate is not affected by the discontinuities. The convergence of the discontinuous approximation is first established by the classical and generalized patch test. As these tests do not provide an estimate of the convergence rate, the rate of convergence in the energy norm is examined, for both the continuous and discontinuous EFG shape functions and for smooth and non-smooth solutions by a direct inspection of the error terms.
Toward ferromagnetic materials: prediction of a triplet ground state for heterocyclic polyacenes

Abstract Bis-1,2,4-triazines were explored as potential ground-state triplet molecules which might serve as components of ferromagnetic materials. Relationships between numbers of rings and singlet–triplet gaps were explored by hybrid density functional theory for a series of heterocyclic polyacenes. Available X-ray structures of bis-triazines are compared to computed model compounds and used to check the methodology. A hexacyclic bis-1,2,4-triazine is predicted to have a triplet ground state.
Polyamines are required for activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and apoptosis in response to TNF-α in IEC-6 cells

Intracellular polyamine homeostasis is important for the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis and is necessary for the balanced growth of cells and tissues. Polyamines have been shown to ...
Modeling and optimization of a semiregenerative catalytic naphtha reformer

Modeling and optimization of a semiregenerative catalytic naphtha reformer has been carried out considering most of its key constituent units. A detailed kinetic scheme involving 35 pseudocomponents connected by a network of 36 reactions in the C5–C10 range was modeled using Hougen-Watson Langmuir-Hinshelwood-type reaction-rate expressions. Deactivation of the catalyst was modeled by including the corresponding equations for coking kinetics. The overall kinetic model was parameterized by bench-marking against industrial plant data using a feed-characterization procedure developed to infer the composition of the chemical species in the feed and reformate from their measured ASTM distillation data. For the initial optimization studies, a constant reactor inlet temperature configuration that would lead to optimum operation over the entire catalyst life cycle was identified. The analysis was extended to study the time-optimal control profiles of decision variables over the run length. In addition, the constant octane case was also studied. The improvement in the objective function achieved in each case was determined. Finally, the sensitivity of the optimal results to uncertainty in reactor-model parameters was evaluated.
New Database for Foundation and Ground Performance in Liquefaction Experiments

Physical modeling of buildings founded on layers of liquefiable sand has produced insightful data describing ground and building performance. A new publicly available NEEShub database, “FLIQ,” summ...