cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spiritual Practice, Health Promotion, and the Elusive Soul: Perspectives from Public Health

Spirituality and religion are topics of increasing interest in U.S. society and popular culture as well for many health professions, including medicine, psychology, and public health. This article comments on Mark Graves’ (2008) synthesis of science and spirituality/religion, Mind, Brain, and the Elusive Soul from the perspective of a public health professional. I briefly review the sources, extent, and conceptual approaches of emerging scientific and health interest in spirituality/religion. Spiritual practices are identified as phenomena of central interest. Major concepts of Graves’ synthesis are reviewed, and the soul’s relevance to spiritual growth, popular culture, and scientific application is discussed. Several questions are posed as a stimulus to further extension and refinement of Graves’ synthesis.
Visual rhodopsin sees the light: Structure and mechanism of G protein signaling

The availability of crystal structures for the dark, inactive, and several light-activated photointermediate states of vertebrate visual rhodopsin has provided important mechanistic and energetic insights into the transformations underlying agonist-dependent activation of this and other G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The high natural abundance of rhodopsin in the vertebrate retina, together with its specific localization to the disk membranes of the rod cell, has also enabled direct imaging of rhodopsin in its native environment. These advances have provided compelling evidence that rhodopsin, like many other GPCRs, forms highly organized oligomeric structures that, in all likelihood, are important for receptor biosynthesis, optimal activation, and signaling.
Photoinitiated charge transport in supramolecular assemblies of a 1,7,N,N'-tetrakis(zinc porphyrin)-perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide).

We report the synthesis and photophysical characterization of a multichromophore array, (Z3PN)4PDI, consisting of four zinc 5-phenyl-10,15,20-tri(n-pentyl)porphyrins (Z3PN) attached to the 1,7,N,N‘-positions of perylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (PDI). The dynamics of energy and charge transport within this system were compared to those of two model compounds, N,N‘-(Z3PN)2PDI and 1,7-(Z3PN)2PDI. The symmetry of the lowest unoccupied and highest occupied molecular orbitals of PDI results in significantly different electronic couplings between Z3PN and PDI when they are connected at the 1,7-positions vs the N,N‘-positions of PDI. This results in two distinct pathways for electron transfer in (Z3PN)4PDI. Using a combination of metal−ligand binding with the bidentate ligand 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2.]octane (DABCO) and π−π stacking, (Z3PN4)PDI forms a supramolecular assembly, [[(Z3PN)4PDI]2−DABCO4]2, in toluene solution. The structure of this hierarchical assembly is characterized with the use of solution-phas...
Data preservation under spatial failures in sensor networks

In this paper, we address the problem of preserving generated data in a sensor network in case of node failures. We focus on the type of node failures that have explicit spatial shapes such as circles or rectangles (e.g., modeling a bomb attack or a river overflow). We consider two different schemes for introducing redundancy in the network, by simply replicating data or by using erasure codes, with the objective to minimize the communication cost incurred to build such data redundancy. We prove that the problem is NP-hard using either replication or coding. We design Oα-approximation centralized and distributed algorithms for the two redundancy schemes, where α is the "fatness" of the potential node failure events. Using erasure codes, data distribution can be handled in an efficient distributed manner. Simulation results show that by exploiting the spatial properties of the node failure patterns, one can substantially reduce the communication cost compared to the resilient data storage schemes in the prior literature.
X-ray diffraction measurements of the quantitative and qualitative effects of pressure on pristine graphite and on stages 1 and 2 potassium graphite

Abstract The pressure dependence of the X-ray diffraction from pristine graphite, KC 8 , and KC 24 has been studied at room temperature using single crystals and HOPG host material. Hydrostatic pressure up to ≈ 12 kbar was applied with a Basset type diamond anvil cell and measured using the ruby fluorescence technique. At ≈ 2 kbar, stage 2 KC 24 begins to transform reversibly to a stage 3 form of KC 24 , which is shown to have an ordered inplane intercalate structure identical to that of KC 8 . Stage 2 and 3 regions coexist up to ≈ 7 kbar at which the transformation is complete and the sample has a pure stage 3 structure, the most probable stacking sequence of which is AαABAαA… The c -axis compressibilities of pristine graphite, KC 8 , stage 2 KC 24 , and stage 3 KC 24 have been measured and were found to be (2.73 ± 0.09) × 10 −12 , (2.13 ± 0.09) × 10 −12 , (5.3 ± 0.8) × 10 −12 and (1.6 ± 0.2) × 10 −12 cm 2 /dyn, respectively. The compressibility of stage 2 KC 24 given above is an average value since for that compound the compressibility differs slightly for HOPG and single crystals.
Maintenance of specificity by sprouting and regenerating peripheral nerves. I. Normal variability.

Abstract Inter-animal variability in the spinal representation of a single hindlimb muscle, tibialis anterior (TA), in the cat, was examined by (1) retrograde transport of intramuscularly injected HRP, (2) dissection of the lumbosacral plexus and (3) reflex testing after acute section of spinal nerves L5, L6, S1 and S2 sparing L7. No variability between the two sides of the same animal was seen. The transverse position of the TA motor nucleus and the number of labeled cells was constant between the two sides in each animal. Inter-animal variability was considerable, however, in that the number of motor neurons and rostrocaudal extent of the motor neuron column supplying TA varied considerably from animal to animal. According to the relationship between the position of the lumbosacral plexus and the distribution of spinal nerves, 3 classes of representation of the plexus were found: prefixed, postfixed and intermediate. In animals in which the lumbosacral plexus was prefixed, more than one half of labeled cells were rostral to the L7 segment; in those with postfixed plexus more than half the cells were caudal to L7. Section of L5, L6, S1 and S2 spinal nerves weakened the tibialis anterior tendon reflex in ‘prefixed plexus’ animals but abolished that reflex in ‘postfixed’ plexus animals, in spite of the presence of labeled motor neurons projecting through the spared L7 nerve. This suggests that some of the afferents and efferents comprising the TA tendon reflex may travel in different spinal roots or that a particular distribution of motor axons within a muscle is required for the maintenance of this particular reflex activity.
How do I screen patients for breast cancer

Breast cancer is a complex, heterogeneous disease. Approximately 230,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States each year and approximately 40,000 women die each year with breast cancer. Although prevention of the disease would be preferred, no real prospects are available in the near future that would be applicable to the majority of women who are at risk for breast cancer. Early detection remains an effective way to decrease mortality from breast cancer, treating it at an early stage when it is likely curable. Unfortunately, screening does have its limitations. Not all breast cancers can be identified with routine screening. Some breast cancers despite early detection still result in poor outcomes. Furthermore, false-positive results are not infrequently seen in women undergoing screening mammography. Most patients experience significant anxiety when called back for additional studies or a biopsy. Not to mention the additional cost and potential side effects and complications of invasive procedures. In addition, there are breast cancers that may be indolent and otherwise not a threat to patients. In fact, some studies show that up to one quarter of cancers detected by screening may represent overdiagnosis. Currently, however, there are no proven methods to discern with complete certainty the cancers that would progress to lethal disease from those that would not. Women should be counseled regarding the risks and benefits of screening. Women at average risk should initiate screening mammography annually at the age of 40 years. Women at significant increased risk for breast cancer should be screened earlier. MRI has been shown to increase detection of breast cancer in women at increased risk and should be used as an adjunct to mammography in this high-risk patient population.
THE EVALUATION OF INNOVATION

This essay examines the difficulties of evaluating procedural and technological innovations while they are still being developed or the interim evaluation of ongoing innovation. The major recommendations warn against a premature reliance on a yet-undeveloped theory. Careful attention could be directed to delineate a series of relatively discrete steps in the innovation processes, defining and collecting pertinent data, and developing an innovation typology. All of these have direct policy relevance.
The Effect of Program Structure on New Teachers' Employment and Program Satisfaction Patterns.

Abstract To determine the impact of program structure on new teachers' employment and program satisfaction patterns, data were collected from 152 students who completed 3 routes to teacher licensure: A graduate-level 10-month program, a traditional undergraduate program, and a professional development school (PDS) option operating within the traditional program. Findings are discussed considering the program theory upon which PDS implementation is based.
An analytic strategy for modeling multiple-item responses: a breast cancer symptom example.

Background: Item Response Theory (IRT) is increasingly applied in health research to combine information from multiple-item responses. IRT posits that a person's susceptibility to a symptom is driven by the interaction ofthe characteristics of the symptom and person. This article describes the statistical background of incorporating IRT into a multilevel framework and extends this approach to longitudinal health outcomes, where the self-report method is used to construct a multi-item scale. Methods: A secondary analysis of data from 2 descriptive longitudinal studies is performed. The data include 21 symptoms reported across time by 350 women with breast cancer. A 3-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) was used for the analysis. Level 1 models the item responses, consisting of symptom presence or absence. Level 2 models the trajectory of each individual, representing change over time of the IRT-created latent variable symptom experience. Level 3 explains that trajectory using person-specific characteristics such as age and location of care. The purpose of the analysis is to examine if older and younger women with breast cancer differ in their symptom experience trajectory after controlling for location of care. Results: Fatigue and pain were the most prevalent symptoms. The symptom experience of women with breast cancer was found to improve over time. Neither age nor location of care was significantly associated with the symptom experience trajectory. Discussion: Embedding IRT into an HLM framework produces several benefits. The example provided demonstrates benefits through the creation of a latent symptom experience variable that can be used either as an outcome or as a covariate in another model, examining the latent symptom experience trajectory and its relationship with covariates at the individual level, and managing symptom nonresponse.
Microstructured anti-reflection surface design for the omni-directional solar cells

In this paper, a new process for the formation of hemispherical structures as an omni-directional anti-reflection (omni-AR) coating in solar cell is reported. We also demonstrated the simulation results of the angular and spectral dependences of the total reflectivity on various micro-structured surfaces. Close to zero reflection can be achieved in some micro-structured surfaces over an extended spectral region for large ranges of incident light angles. Daily generated current in such hemispherical solar cells hence enhanced to 1.5 times of bulk silicon solar cells. The impact of feature size, density, shape and refractive index has all been investigated. The experimental results agree reasonably well with the theoretical work. Such an omni-AR structure offers an attractive solution to current bulk crystalline silicon solar cells, as well as thin film, organic and future quantum based solar cells.
DSRP: Distributed SensorWeb Routing Protocol

We propose a new multi-hop routing protocol for wireless sensor networks, suited for monitoring and control applications. The aim of this research is to adapt flat and hierarchical architectures to create a new hybrid that draws on current protocol theories. The protocol uses a hybrid network structure to achieve scalability and is source initiated along with time driven reporting to reduce the number of packet transmissions. The protocol incorporates a link quality estimation algorithm, which enables only the nodes with high quality symmetric links to be chosen for routing. Route selection is calculated using both hop count and link quality as routing metrics. The protocol is also designed such that it is computationally simple, reliable, energy aware, does not impose any special hardware prerequisites and most importantly credible. Its credibility was verified by performing a series of field tests in a real world operating environment.
A machine for producing inequalities involving immanants and other generalized matrix functions

Abstract There are many known inequalities involving the restriction of immanants and other generalized matrix functions to the set of positive semidefinite Hermitian matrices. We present a general scheme for obtaining such inequalities. Matrix theoretic refinements of Lieb's and Fischer's inequalities, recently discovered by Pate, are obtainable using the scheme. Other known inequalities are discussed, and we derive new inequalities that relate characters constructed from generalized diagrams.
NITROUS OXIDE MEDIATED SYNTHESIS OF MONOMERIC HYDROXORUTHENIUM COMPLEXES. REACTIVITY OF (DMPE)2RU(H)(OH) AND THE SYNTHESIS OF A SILICA-BOUND RUTHENIUM COMPLEX

Treatment of (DMPE)2Ru(H)2 with 1 equiv of N2O affords the hydroxoruthenium complex (DMPE)2Ru(H)(OH) (1) in 41% yield. Further treatment with an excess of N2O affords the dihydroxo complex (DMPE)2Ru(OH)2 (5) in 30% yield. Addition of phenols, thiols, and silanols to 1 yields the corresponding aryloxo-, thiolato-, and siloxoruthenium complexes 6−10 in 25−75% yield. The hydroxo ligand of 1 may also be exchanged with the surface silanols of silica to form the silica-bound complex (DMPE)2Ru(H)(OSilica) (14). Subsequent treatment of 14 with thiocresol removes the ruthenium complex as (DMPE)2Ru(H)(SC6H4Me) (10). The treatment of 1 with acetone affords the C-bound enolate complex (DMPE)2Ru(H)(CH2C(O)CH3) (15) in 34% yield. Terminal alkynes react with 1 to give the ruthenium acetylide complexes trans-(DMPE)2Ru(H)(CCPh) 16 (74% yield) and trans-(DMPE)2Ru(H)(CCH) 17 (32% yield). Reactivity may also be affected at both ends of 1,7-octadiyne to give the bimetallic complex (DMPE)2RuC⋮C(CH2)4C⋮CRu(DMPE)2 (19, 33% yield...
Ranolazine-related dyspnea on exertion

Abstract Background: Ranolazine is increasingly being prescribed for the treatment of chronic stable angina. This report describes an adverse effect that may be related to ranolazine. Case summary: A 77-year-old white man with chronic renal insufficiency was evaluated for moderate dyspnea on exertion (DOE). Cardiac and pulmonary workup revealed nonobstructive coronary artery disease and mild obstructive lung disease. The patient had been taking ranolazine 500 mg daily for possible angina for the past 2 months. Given the temporal association of his symptoms with drug initiation, ranolazine was discontinued during the hospitalization. One month after discontinuing ranolazine, the patient's DOE had completely resolved; the only intervention had been discontinuation of ranolazine. The patient's Naranjo algorithm score was 3, indicating a possible adverse drug reaction. Conclusions: No previous cases of ranolazine-related DOE requiring drug cessation have been published. Ranolazine may be associated with DOE in this elderly man.
Application of cine nuclear magnetic resonance imaging for sequential evaluation of response to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy in dilated cardiomyopathy☆

Abstract Cine nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging was used to serially measure cardiovascular function in 17 patients with New York Heart Association class II or III heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤45% who were treated for 3 months with benazepril hydrochloride, a new angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, while continuing treatment with diuretic agents and digoxin. Interobserver reproducibilities for ejection fraction (r = 0.94, SEE 3.3%), end-systolic volume (r = 0.98, SEE 10.6 ml), end-diastolic volume (r = 0.99, SEE 8.29 ml), end-systolic mass (r = 0.96, SEE 15.4 g), end-systolic wall stress (r = 0.91, SEE 10 dynes · s · cm−5) and end-systolic stress/volume ratio (r = 0.85, SEE 0.13) demonstrated applicability of cine NMR imaging for the serial assessment of cardiovascular function in response to pharmacologic interventions in patients with heart failure. During 12 weeks of treatment with benazepril, ejection fraction increased progressively from 22.7 ± 2.2% (mean ± SEM) to 36 ± 2.2% (p
Representation theoretic realizations of two classical character formulas of d.e.littlewood

In characteristic zero we construct an exact sequence over the symplectic group whose Euler-Poincare characteristic gives the branching rule for this group.This exact sequence is one way of realizing the Giambelli formula for the symplectic group.Also we give a representation-theoretic proof of the restriction rule for the symplectic group.
Gauge independence and unitarity in the weinberg unified theory

We formulate the Weinberg theory with the help of the Lagrangian multiplier formalism. A new fictitious Lagrangian is obtained, which differs from the usual one. We show by explicit calculation that it restores unitarity and gauge independence of the theory.
Surgical management of lung cancer with solitary cerebral metastasis.

Abstract Between 1964 and 1986, 19 patients underwent resection of both a primary lung cancer and the associated brain metastasis. One patient underwent resection of 2 separate primary lung cancers and the associated metastases. The 12 men and 7 women ranged in age from 42 to 67 years (mean, 54.6 years). The cell type was adenocarcinoma in 12 tumors, squamous or adenosquamous cell in 5, large cell undifferentiated or anaplastic in 2, and malignant carcinoid in 1 tumor. The types of resection were as follows: lobectomy for 12 neoplasms, pneumonectomy for 5, bilobectomy for 2, and wedge resection for 1 neoplasm. Radiotherapy to the brain was given in connection with sixteen of the twenty craniotomies. The patient with 2 separate primary neoplasms survived 19 years before dying 5 months after the second craniotomy. The mean survival is 8.0 ± 2.1 years (± the standard error), and the median survival is 1.67 years. Survival at 1 year was 65 ± 10.7% and at 5 years, 45 ± 11.1%. On univariate analysis, the following factors were found to correlate significantly with longer survival: a lung tumor in Stage I or II; negative mediastinal nodes; curative rather than palliative resection of the lung tumor; and age younger than 55 years. However, on multivariate analysis, only curative resection was a significant factor ( p
A Mössbauer and X-ray powder diffraction study of some ferrous hematinics.

Iron deficiency anemia is a relatively common illness that can arise from a number of different causes. Three ferrous salts are usually used in its treatment: ferrous fumarate, gluconate, and sulfate. They are administered orally and are relatively well tolerated. These hematinics have been studied by Mossbauer spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, and can easily be distinguished by both techniques. It was found that the two ferrous sulfates studied (Eckerd and SmithKline Beckman Co.) most closely resemble the monohydrate by comparison of the X-ray powder pattern with those of the JCPDS. Both the ferrous fumarate (Femiron) and gluconate (Spring Valley) had approximately 10% ferric iron present. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported Mossbauer spectrum for ferrous fumarate.
Treatment of chronic sinusitis with open drainage and cefaclor

A prospective study of 50 adult patients with chronic sinusitis was undertaken. Forty patients were treated with the Caldwell-Luc operation and postoperative cefaclor, and 10 underwent nasal antrostomy and treatment with cefaclor. Approximately 85% of the 40 patients had resolution of symptoms with this treatment. The microbiology of chronic sinusitis was studied through aerobic and anaerobic cultures of sinus secretions obtained at surgery. Staphylococcus aureus (coagulase-negative) and Propionibacterium sp were found to be the most common pathogens. The radiologic results of Caldwell-Luc surgery were studied through comparison of preoperative and postoperative radiographs in 33 of these patients. An air-fluid level is the only radiographic sign of consistent diagnostic significance in the postoperative radiograph.
Two-phase downflow in a vertical pipe and the phenomenon of choking: homogeneous diffusion model

Abstract The paper analyzes downward two-phase flow of water and its vapor in a vertical pipe exposed to a uniform gravitational field. The flow is assumed to be adiabatic and one-dimensional. The mathematical model used is the equilibrium, homogeneous diffusion model. The study is an application of methods used for dynamical systems and is geometrical-topological in nature. The key to the argument is the determination of the singular and turning points of the governing equations with the help of which it becomes possible to sketch the ‘portrait’ of trajectories (solution curves) in the phase space composed of pressure P, enthalpy h, and coordinate z, with the mass-flow rate G treated as a parameter. The analysis shows that choking can set-in only at the end of the channel and a critical cross-section inside it is impossible.
The multiple depot, multiple traveling salesmen facility-location problem: Vehicle range, service frequency, and heuristic implementations

At the core of many delivery-logistics problems is the multiple depot, multiple traveling salesmen facility-location problem (MDMTSFLP). This paper addresses a mixed integer MDMTSFLP formulation, expanded to include vehicle range and multiple service-frequency requirements. Here, vehicle range can be interpreted as limitation on tour length, often due to crew duty day restriction. Once defined, we use this optimization formulation to validate a heuristic solution for location and routing. Our heuristic employs a combination of the minimum spanning forest (MSF) and a modified Clarke-Wright (CW) procedure. The spanning forest is used for geographic partitioning and for depot location, while the CW routes the multiple aircraft fleets. Generalizing from a minimum K-tree, the MSF is an exact O(|I|^3) method for partitioning the demands into service regions and in locating regional depots, where |I| is the number of nodes. The Defense Courier Service (DCS) aerial network provides a huge instance of the hierarchical multiple-frequency, range-restricted MDMTSFLP. For this network, we find our MSF/CW procedure to be suboptimal by 3.86 percent on average over 16 validation runs, with no run worse than 20.27 percent. We show that several depots of the DCS may be closed without a large increase of routing cost. The model and solution procedure presented here have implications upon many other logistics problems, which are typically characterized by multiple vehicular visits and shortage of crew duty days.
'Normal for now' or 'at future risk': a double standard for selecting young and older living kidney donors.

Transplant centers medically evaluate potential living kidney donors in part to determine their baseline remaining lifetime risk for end stage renal disease (ESRD). If baseline risk is increased by the presence of a risk factor for ESRD, donation is often refused. However, as only about 13% of ESRD occurs in the general population by age 44, a normal medical evaluation cannot be expected to significantly reduce the 7% lifetime risk for a ‘normal’ 25-year-old black donor or the 2–3% risk for a similar white donor. About half of newly diagnosed ESRD in the United States occurs by age 65, and about half of that is from diabetic nephropathy, which takes about 25 years to develop. Therefore, the remaining baseline lifetime risk for ESRD is significantly lower in the normal, nondiabetic 55-year-old donor candidate. Some older donors with an isolated medical abnormality such as mild hypertension will be at lower or about the same overall baseline lifetime risk for ESRD as are young ‘normal’ donor candidates. Transplant centers use a ‘normal for now’ standard for accepting young donors, in place of the long-term risk estimates that must guide selection of all donors.
Depth of Processing and Recognition Memory Performance in First-, Third-, and Eighth-Graders

First, third, and eighth graders performed physical features, rhyming, category and sentence fit orienting activities to different words presented on a projector screen. Under the Type I incidental learning paradigm, the children’s recognition performance was tested after the orienting activity. The category and sentence activities yielded better recognition than either the physical or rhyming activities. Age differences in recognition were absent, the effect of the four orienting activities in recognition were absent, the effect of the four orienting activities did not vary as a function of age. The orienting responses yes-no effect on recognition supports a direct extension of the adult depth of processing data to children’s memory performance.
Alcohol ingestion-induced, changes in the human rectal mucosa: Light and electron microscopic studies

Histologic and ultrastructural examination of specimens of rectal mucosa from 11 patients who had recently consumed excessive quantities of alcohol revealed marked pathologic changes. Goblet cells were decreased and a dense mononuclear cell infiltrate was seen on light microscopic study. Electron microscopy revealed swollen, distorted mitochondria and dilated and vesicular endoplasmic reticulum. These abnormalities disappeared after two weeks' abstinence. It is suggested that disordered organelle structure and function might contribute to the diarrhea frequently observed following excessive alcohol intake.
Atmospheric composition - Influence of biology

The variability of atmospheric constituents influenced by biological organisms over various time scales is examined, together with the human contribution to atmospheric sulfur. The biogeochemistry of nitrogen is discussed, with an emphasis on N2O, NO, and microbially mediated reactions in soil and water. Carbon species are bound up mainly in sediments and the deep ocean, but human activities involving combustion may cause a doubling of the atmospheric levels of CO2 in the near future, which could produce a general low-level atmospheric warming. Longer term measurements are required to assess the effects of CH4 augmentation in the atmosphere through fuel combustion. Coal burning effectively doubles the amount of SO2 produced by natural sources, and reduces the pH of rainwater, thus posing hazards to fish, plankton, and mollusc life.
Prediction of human functional genetic networks from heterogeneous data using RVM-based ensemble learning

Motivation: Three major problems confront the construction of a human genetic network from heterogeneous genomics data using kernel-based approaches: definition of a robust gold-standard negative set, large-scale learning and massive missing data values. Results: The proposed graph-based approach generates a robust GSN for the training process of genetic network construction. The RVM-based ensemble model that combines AdaBoost and reduced-feature yields improved performance on large-scale learning problems with massive missing values in comparison to Naive Bayes. Contact: dargenio@bmsr.usc.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary material is available at Bioinformatics online.
Rational design of polymer-based absorbents: application to the fermentation inhibitor furfural.

Reducing the amount of water-soluble fermentation inhibitors like furfural is critical for downstream bio-processing steps to biofuels. A theoretical approach for tailoring absorption polymers to reduce these pretreatment contaminants would be useful for optimal bioprocess design. Experiments were performed to measure aqueous furfural partitioning into polymer resins of 5 bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (epoxy) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Experimentally measured partitioning of furfural between water and PDMS, the more hydrophobic polymer, showed poor performance, with the logarithm of PDMS-to-water partition coefficient falling between −0.62 and −0.24 (95% confidence). In contrast, the fast setting epoxy was found to effectively partition furfural with the logarithm of the epoxy-to-water partition coefficient falling between 0.41 and 0.81 (95% confidence). Flory-Huggins theory is used to predict the partitioning of furfural into diverse polymer absorbents and is useful for predicting these results. We show that Flory-Huggins theory can be adapted to guide the selection of polymer adsorbents for the separation of low molecular weight organic species from aqueous solutions. This work lays the groundwork for the general design of polymers for the separation of a wide range of inhibitory compounds in biomass pretreatment streams.
Demonstration of a high-fidelity predictive/preview display technique for telerobotic servicing in space

A highly effective predictive/preview display technique for telerobotic servicing in space under several seconds communication time delay has been demonstrated on a large laboratory scale. The technique is based on a high-fidelity calibration procedure that enables a high-fidelity overlay of 3-D graphics robot arm and object models over given 2-D TV camera images of robot arm and objects. To generate robot arm motions, the operator can confidently interact in real time with the graphics models of the robot arm and objects overlaid on an actual camera view of the remote work site. The technique also enables the operator to generate high-fidelity synthetic TV camera views showing motion events that are hidden in a given TV camera view or for which no TV camera views are available. The positioning accuracy achieved by this technique for a zoomed-in camera setting was about +or-5 mm, well within the allowable +or-12 mm error margin at the insertion of a 45cm long tool in the servicing task. >
Integrated diffractive shearing interferometry for adaptive wavefront sensing

We present theory, design, and preliminary experimental studies for a compact wavefront sensor based on lateral shearing interferometry using a binary phase grating, image sensor, and Fourier-based processing. The integrated system places a diffractive element directly onto an image sensor to generate interference fringes within overlapping diffraction orders. The shearing ratio and the interferogram signal-to-noise ratio directly affect the reconstruction accuracy of wavefronts with differing spatial variations. Optimal shearing parameters associated with the autocorrelation of the input encourage placing a spatial light modulator as the diffractive element allowing adaptive wavefront sensing. Experimental results from a fixed-grating system are presented as well as requirements for next-generation adaptive systems.
Human Pancreatic β-Cell G1/S Molecule Cell Cycle Atlas

Expansion of pancreatic β-cells is a key goal of diabetes research, yet induction of adult human β-cell replication has proven frustratingly difficult. In part, this reflects a lack of understanding of cell cycle control in the human β-cell. Here, we provide a comprehensive immunocytochemical “atlas” of G1/S control molecules in the human β-cell. This atlas reveals that the majority of these molecules, previously known to be present in islets, are actually present in the β-cell. More importantly, and in contrast to anticipated results, the human β-cell G1/S atlas reveals that almost all of the critical G1/S cell cycle control molecules are located in the cytoplasm of the quiescent human β-cell. Indeed, the only nuclear G1/S molecules are the cell cycle inhibitors, pRb, p57, and variably, p21: none of the cyclins or cdks necessary to drive human β-cell proliferation are present in the nuclear compartment. This observation may provide an explanation for the refractoriness of human β-cells to proliferation. Thus, in addition to known obstacles to human β-cell proliferation, restriction of G1/S molecules to the cytoplasm of the human β-cell represents an unanticipated obstacle to therapeutic human β-cell expansion.
Challenges and Opportunities for Pathogen Detection Using DNA Microarrays

DNA microarrays offer the potential for simultaneous detection of many pathogens that are of interest to homeland security, public health, medicine, and veterinary diagnostics. These tools are best suited for detecting the presence or absence of genetic sequences characteristic of specific pathogens, but microarrays are poorly suited for determining pathogen viability, and current methods provide only limited potential for pathogen enumeration. Two basic strategies have been described for pathogen detection: using enzymatic amplification to generate targets for interrogation with a microarray, or using direct interrogation of DNA or RNA without pre-amplification. Multiplex PCR has the advantage of a high degree of sensitivity and specificity, but associated microarrays are necessarily limited in scope. PCR-independent, whole-genome amplification eliminates biases inherent in PCR amplification and can accommodate more extensive microarrays, but assay sensitivity is compromised and these methods are probably of limited use when testing tissue samples. Direct hybridization of DNA or RNA provides the least bias in gene detection, but also the lowest level of analytic sensitivity. Ultimately, cost and limited sample throughput make it unlikely that planar microarrays will play a significant role in future pathogen detection schemes. Alternative microarray formats such as bead arrays, however, may circumvent the cost and throughput limitations and permit us to apply what we have learned from planar microarrays to develop robust pathogen detection systems. Assay validation and sample preparation will continue to be significant challenges for these detection systems.
Central organization of eighth nerve and mechanosensory lateral line systems in the brainstem of ictalurid catfish

The octavolateral sensory systems in teleost fish comprise at least four distinct hair-cell sensory modalities which are processed separately within the CNS. Two of these modalities, the mechanosensory lateral line system and the eighth nerve auditory system, have been implicated in the animal's ability to detect and localize underwater vibrations. Distinct mechanosensory lateral line and auditory nuclei are present within the torus semicircularis, the midbrain homologue of the inferior colliculus. The present study utilized horseradish peroxidase tracing techniques to delineate those areas of the lower brainstem which are involved in auditory as opposed to mechanosensory lateral line processes. The primary mechanosensory nucleus of the medulla, n. medialis, projects directly to the optic tectum and to the mechanosensory nucleus of the torus semicircularis. Nucleus medialis receives input from primary lateral line nerve fibers as well as from a number of sites within the CNS: n. praeeminentialis pars ventralis, and the eminentia granularis and lobus caudalis of the cerebellum. The n. praeeminentialis itself receives a descending input from the mechanosensory nucleus of the torus semicircularis. These mechanosensory lateral line pathways are parallel to, but distinct from, those of the electrosensory lateral line system. Auditory signals reach the midbrain via an entirely separate route. The octaval nerve terminates in a column of five medullary nuclei. Of these, only the anterior and descending octaval nuclei maintain a direct but sparse projection to the auditory nucleus of the midbrain. The bulk of the auditory input to the midbrain involves a newly described medullary nucleus, the medial auditory nucleus of the medulla. This nucleus receives input from the descending octaval nucleus and projects bilaterally to the auditory nucleus of the torus semicircularis. It is suggested that the medial auditory nucleus of the medulla is homologous to portions of the superior olivary complex of other vertebrates.
Genetic structure of circumpolar populations: A synthesis

This article summarizes research conducted on the genetic structure of circumpolar populations of Alaska, Siberia, and the Aleutian Archipelago from 1977 to present. Three research programs are described: (1) 1977–1978, on the genetics of small, Yupik-speaking communities of St. Lawrence Island (Savoonga and Gambell) compared with Inupk communities of King Island and Wales, Alaska. This research, based on 25 standard protein and blood markers, demonstrated genetic discontinuity between the populations of the two language groups, patterns of gene flow, and the co-evolution of genes and languages in the Arctic. (2) 1989–1995, on the origins of Native American populations in Siberia. DNA was collected from two Evenki reindeer herding populations: Surinda and Poligus, a Ket community on the Stony Tunguska River, Sulamai, and a cattle-herding village from Gorno Altai, Mendur-Sokhon. Using an assortment of molecular markers, such as mitochondrial DNA, DNA fingerprints, and nonrecombining Y-chromosome markers, this research demonstrated the close genetic affinities among the Siberian and the Native American indigenous groups. (3) 1999 to present, on the origins of populations of the Aleutian Islands and their underlying genetic structure. A total of 11 inhabited islands from the Aleutian Archipelago were sampled and based on mtDNA sequences was shown to cluster tightly with Siberian Eskimo and Chukchi populations. Evidence of genetic drift through founder effect was demonstrated on Bering Island, where the D2 haplotype was fixed. Genetic discontinuity based on mtDNA was shown through SAMOVA between Kamchatkan and Aleut populations. An intimate relationship between geography and genetics through Mantel tests was observed for both Siberia (r = 0.55 P > 0.001) and the Aleutian Islands (r = 0.72 P > 0.000). The genetic structure of the populations of the Aleutian Archipelago most closely approximates the isolation-by-distance model. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 19:203–217, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Inverse learning for fuzzy controller design

Applies the inverse learning method, originally reported in the neural network literature, to the design of fuzzy controllers for discrete control systems, where the controllers are implemented as the ANFIS network structure proposed earlier. The author verifies the feasibility of this approach via computer simulation, which leads to a summary of the approach's strengths and shortcomings.
The effect of π-stacking, H-bonding, and electrostatic interactions on the ionization energies of nucleic acid bases: adenine–adenine, thymine–thymine and adenine–thymine dimers

A combined theoretical and experimental study of the ionized dimers of thymine and adenine, TT, AA, and AT, is presented. Experimentally observed and computed adiabatic and vertical ionization energies (IEs) for monomers and dimers as well as thresholds for the appearance of the protonated species are reported and analyzed. Non-covalent interactions strongly affect the observed IEs. The magnitude and the nature of the effect is different for different isomers of the dimers. The computations reveal that for TT, the largest changes in vertical IEs (0.4 eV) relative to the monomer occur in asymmetric H-bonded and symmetric π-stacked isomers, whereas in the lowest-energy symmetric H-bonded dimer the shift in IEs is much smaller (0.2 eV). The origin of the shift and the character of the ionized states is different in asymmetric H-bonded and symmetric stacked isomers. In the former, the initial hole is localized on one of the fragments, and the shift is due to the electrostatic stabilization of the positive charge of the ionized fragment by the dipole moment of the neutral fragment. In the latter, the hole is delocalized, and the change in IE is proportional to the overlap of the fragments’ MOs. Relative to TT, the shifts in AA and AT are much smaller due to a less efficient overlap, smaller dipole of A and the large energy gap between ionized states of A and T monomers in the case of AT dimer. The ionization of the H-bonded dimers results in barrierless (or nearly barrierless) proton transfer, whereas the π-stacked dimers relax to structures with the hole stabilized by the delocalization or electrostatic interactions.
Top‐down mass spectrometry of cardiac myofilament proteins in health and disease

Myofilaments are composed of thin and thick filaments that coordinate with each other to regulate muscle contraction and relaxation. PTMs together with genetic variations and alternative splicing of the myofilament proteins play essential roles in regulating cardiac contractility in health and disease. Therefore, a comprehensive characterization of the myofilament proteins in physiological and pathological conditions is essential for better understanding the molecular basis of cardiac function and dysfunction. Due to the vast complexity and dynamic nature of proteins, it is challenging to obtain a holistic view of myofilament protein modifications. In recent years, top-down MS has emerged as a powerful approach to study isoform composition and PTMs of proteins owing to its advantage of complete sequence coverage and its ability to identify PTMs and sequence variants without a priori knowledge. In this review, we will discuss the application of top-down MS to the study of cardiac myofilaments and highlight the insights it provides into the understanding of molecular mechanisms in contractile dysfunction of heart failure. Particularly, recent results of cardiac troponin and tropomyosin modifications will be elaborated. The limitations and perspectives on the use of top-down MS for myofilament protein characterization will also be briefly discussed.
Acute and chronic cadmium exposure promotes E‐cadherin degradation in MCF7 breast cancer cells

Cadmium is an environmental carcinogen that usually enters the body at minute concentrations through diet or cigarette smoke and bioaccumulates in soft tissues. In past studies, cadmium has been shown to contribute to the development of more aggressive cancer phenotypes including increased cell migration and invasion. This study aims to determine if cadmium exposure—both acute and chronic—contributes to breast cancer progression by interfering with the normal functional relationship between E-cadherin and β-catenin. An MCF7 breast cancer cell line (MCF7-Cd) chronically exposed to 10−7 M CdCl2 was previously developed and used as a model system to study chronic exposures, whereas parental MCF7 cells exposed to 10−6 M CdCl2 for short periods of time were used to study acute exposures. Cadmium exposure of MCF7 cells led to the degradation of the E-cadherin protein via the ubiquitination pathway. This resulted in fewer E-cadherin/β-catenin complexes and the relocation of active β-catenin to the nucleus, where it interacted with transcription factor TCF-4 to modulate gene expression. Interestingly, only cells chronically exposed to cadmium showed a significant decrease in the localization of β-catenin to the plasma membrane and an increased distance between cells. Our data suggest that cadmium exposure promotes breast cancer progression by (1) down-regulating E-cadherin, thus decreasing the number of E-cadherin/β-catenin adhesion complexes, and (2) enhancing the nuclear translocation of β-catenin to increase expression of cancer-promoting proteins (i.e., c-Jun and cyclin D1). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Radar backscattering from artificially grown sea ice

Fine-resolution X-band backscatter measurements were made at the US Army Cold Region Research and Engineering Laboratory in Jan. 1987. Backscatter data were collected from unmodified smooth ice and snow-covered ice and from ice from which the snow had been removed (slightly roughened ice). The results indicate that vertically polarized returns were consistently higher than horizontally polarized echoes from both the slightly roughened and snow-covered saline ice. A 6.5-cm-thick dry snow layer altered the sigma /sup o/ of the original smooth-surfaced saline ice only slightly, but introduced a noticeable volume scattering component. It is shown that although substantial agreement exists between the bare first-year ice measurements and commonly used surface-scatter model predictions, a complete model of first-year ice must include a volume-scatter contribution. >
Storm Clouds Rising: Security Challenges for IaaS Cloud Computing

Securing our digital assets has become increasingly challenging as our reliance on rapidly evolving technologies continues to grow. The security perimeter in computing has changed from a well-defined boundary that was relatively easy to identify and defend, to an elastic boundary that is constantly changing and for which the threats are constantly evolving. This paper investigates the complex security challenges that are introduced by the trend towards Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)-based cloud computing. While not exhaustive, it identifies some technological and legal issues and concerns from the perspectives of identified stakeholders, and suggests some future directions for security research and development to help advance the security posture of this technology.
A Cooperative receding horizon controller for multivehicle uncertain environments

We consider a setting where multiple vehicles form a team cooperating to visit multiple target points and collect rewards associated with them. The team objective is to maximize the total reward accumulated over a given time interval. Complicating factors include uncertainties regarding the locations of target points and the effectiveness of collecting rewards, differences among vehicle capabilities, and the fact that rewards are time-varying. We propose a receding horizon (RH) controller suitable for dynamic and uncertain environments, where combinatorially complex assignment algorithms are infeasible. The control scheme dynamically determines vehicle trajectories by solving a sequence of optimization problems over a planning horizon and executing them over a shorter action horizon. This centralized scheme can generate stationary trajectories in the sense that they guide vehicles to target points, even though the controller is not explicitly designed to perform any discrete point assignments. This paper establishes conditions under which this stationarity property holds in settings that are analytically tractable, quantifies the cooperative properties of the controller, and includes a number of illustrative simulation examples.