cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growth and coalescence in submonolayer homoepitaxy on Cu(100) studied with high-resolution low-energy electron diffraction.

By measuring the dependence of the island separation [ital L] on the flux [ital F] during submonolayer epitaxy on Cu(100), the scaling exponent [ital p] in [ital L][similar to][ital F][sup [minus][ital p]/2] is determined in the steady-state and island coalescence regimes. In both regimes at low temperature (223 K), a crossover of [ital p] is observed from a low-flux value of 1/3 to a high-flux value of 1/2. At elevated temperatures (263--305 K), [ital p][similar to]3/5 is obtained. These results agree with classic nucleation theories and recent Monte Carlo simulations, and imply that the smallest stable island changes directly to a tetramer from a low-temperature dimer with increasing temperature. Dissociation energy calculations using the embedded-atom method support these results.
Classification of dark energy models in the (w0,wa) plane

Abstract We classify dark energy models in a plane of observables that correspond to the common parameterization of a non-constant equation of state, w ( a ) = w 0 + w a ( 1 − a ) , where a is the scale factor of the universe. The models fall into four classes and only two of these classes have a region of overlap in the observable plane. We perform a joint analysis of all Type Ia supernova (SNIa) data compiled by the High-Z SN Search Team (HZT) and the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS) and find that no class of models is excluded by current SNIa data. However, an analysis of large scale structure, Lyα forest and bias constraints from SDSS, the Gold SNIa data and WMAP data indicates that non-phantom barotropic models with a positive sound speed are excluded at the 95% C.L.
Identification algorithm for siting of phasor measurement units

This paper details a comprehensive plan for optimal placement of phasor measurement units (PMUs) within an electric grid. Optimal placement of PMUs can be based on several criteria pertaining to metrics such as reliability or observability, and different approaches to solve different issues. However, there is no overarching method that uses all these metrics simultaneously to determine optimal siting. This paper will detail an approach taken to consolidate each placement method, based on research from past work and independent test results, into a single dynamic methodology. Various metrics were considered and a valuation system was produced to appropriately weight each approach. A score was given to each transmission bus within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the Independent Service Operator (ISO) ensuring reliability to over 85% of electrical load in Texas. The buses were then ranked according to their score. Preliminary results show that this is a sound approach and further research and validation through historical data will be outlined for verification of results.
On the impedance of electrodes with rough interfaces

Abstract Published treatments of the impedance of “blocking” electrodes with self-similar rough surfaces can be generalized to include the effects of slow faradaic processes. A procedure is outlined to transform the measured half-cell impedance to the shape of the equivalent impedance on a microscopically smooth planar electrode. The analysis supports a fractional phase shift (rather than a constant one) due to interfacial roughness, and can be used to obtain a measure of such roughness from the experimental data.
Social Mirrors as Social Signals: Transforming Audio into Graphics

A social mirror is a specific type of visualization for group interaction. Three examples of social mirrors emphasize different motivations for visualizing vocal conversation: the power of visualization to influence conversation in real time, the addition of anonymous input into group visualization, and idea formation over time. Social visualizations are visualizations about people, for people. A social mirror is a type of social visualization with three particular qualities. First, it's a third-person visualization in which people can see information about themselves within information about other people. In a sense, we can perceive "us and them." Every participant sees the same visualization. Second, subtle perceivable changes of any participant appear in the visualization as they occur in near real time. This can include capturing and visualizing subtle social behaviors such as laughing and coughing. Because of this near real-time feature, people can quickly alter their behavior-and hence the visualization-so that others perceive them as they'd like to be perceived in this public mirror. Third, social mirrors allow for exploring group patterns and behavior through real-time experimentation, replay, annotation, and reconfiguration.
A novel method for sequence placement of modified nucleotides in mixtures of transfer RNA

Sequence placement of post-transcriptionally modified nucleosides in tRNA can be experimentally difficult, particularly in cases involving new or unexpected modifications or sequence sites. We describe a mass spectrometry-based approach to this problem, involving the following steps: crude isolations of one or several tRNAs by HPLC from an unfractionated tRNA mixture; digestion to oligonucleotide mixtures by RNase T1; analysis by combined HPLC/electrospray ionization-MS for recognition of modifications; and direct gas-phase sequencing of selected targets in the mixture by LC/MS/MS. Isoacceptor identity can be established in favorable cases when tRNA gene sequences are available.
Lung function in infants with sickle cell disease

We performed pulmonary function testing in 20 infants (11 male and 9 female; ages 3–30 months) with sickle cell disease to assess whether abnormal lung function develops early in life. Respiratory system compliance (Crs) and resistance (Rrs) were measured by the passive occlusion technique, functional residual capacity (FRC) was measured by the nitrogen washout technique, and tidal flow-volume loops and partial expiratory flow-volume curves were obtained by the thoracoabdominal compression technique to detect airway obstruction. Patients with Hb SS (Group I, n = 12) had significantly lower hemoglobin levels and a higher (but not significant) incidence of acute chest syndrome (ACS), vasoocclusive crisis (VOC), splenic sequestration, transfusions, and history of intermittent bronchospasm compared to with patients with hemoglobinopathies Hb SC, Hb Sbt and Hb SF (Group II; n = 8). Both groups had elevated FRC, decreased maximum expiratory flows at FRC (V′max,FRC), and decreased time needed to reach peak expiratory flow (tme/tE), suggesting lower airway obstruction (LAO) and hyperinflation. Restrictive disease was found in only three patients of Group I. Our findings suggest that in sickle cell disease (especially among patients with Hb SS), abnormal lung function (predominantly LAO) may be present in early infancy. Airway reactivity may play a role in the pathogenesis, but the relation to VOC or ACS remains unclear. Pediatr. Pulmonol. 1997;24:277–281. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hydrolysis of whey protein isolate using subcritical water.

Abstract: Hydrolyzed whey protein isolate (WPI) is used in the food industry for protein enrichment and modification of functional properties. The purpose of the study was to determine the feasibility of subcritical water hydrolysis (SWH) on WPI and to determine the temperature and reaction time effects on the degree of hydrolysis (DH) and the production of peptides and free amino acids (AAs). Effects of temperature (150 to 320 °C) and time (0 to 20 min) were initially studied with a central composite rotatable design followed by a completely randomized factorial design with temperature (250 and 300 °C) and time (0 to 50 min) as factors. SWH was conducted in an electrically heated, 100-mL batch, high pressure vessel. The DH was determined by a spectrophotometric method after derivatization. The peptide molecular weights (MWs) were analyzed by gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, and AAs were quantified by high-performance liquid chromotography. An interaction of temperature and time significantly affected the DH and AA concentration. As the DH increased, the accumulation of lower MW peptides also increased following SWH (and above 10% DH, the majority of peptides were <1000 Da). Hydrolysis at 300 °C for 40 min generated the highest total AA concentration, especially of lysine (8.894 mg/g WPI). Therefore, WPI was successfully hydrolyzed by subcritical water, and with adjustment of treatment parameters there is reasonable control of the end-products.
Identification of transport pathways for citric acid cycle intermediates in the human colon carcinoma cell line, Caco-2

Citric acid cycle intermediates are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract through carrier-mediated mechanisms, although the transport pathways have not been clearly identified. This study examines the transport of citric acid cycle intermediates in the Caco-2 human colon carcinoma cell line, often used as a model of small intestine. Inulin was used as an extracellular volume marker instead of mannitol since the apparent volume measured with mannitol changed with time. The results show that Caco-2 cells contain at least three distinct transporters, including the Na+-dependent di- and tricarboxylate transporters, NaDC1 and NaCT, and one or more sodium-independent pathways, possibly involving organic anion transporters. Succinate transport is mediated mostly by Na+-dependent pathways, predominantly by NaDC1, but with some contribution by NaCT. RT-PCR and functional characteristics verified the expression of these transporters in Caco-2 cells. In contrast, citrate transport in Caco-2 cells occurs by a combination of Na+-independent pathways, possibly mediated by an organic anion transporter, and Na+-dependent mechanisms. The non-metabolizable dicarboxylate, methylsuccinate, is also transported by a combination of Na+-dependent and -independent pathways. In conclusion, we find that multiple pathways are involved in the transport of di- and tricarboxylates by Caco-2 cells. Since many of these pathways are not found in human intestine, this model may be best suited for studying Na+-dependent transport of succinate by NaDC1.
Semigroup actions on homogeneous spaces: control sets and stabilizer subgroups

Given a control system on a manifold we investigate the properties of the reachable set from an arbitrarily chosen point. We are especially interested in the following questions: which points lie in the interior of their reachable set and which points are stabilizable in the sense that one can find a trajectory-defined on a nontrivial interval-starting and terminating at that point? We will investigate these questions in a Lie group setting, using the links between control theory and semigroup theory.
Natural Disruption of Two Regulatory Networks in Serotype M3 Group A Streptococcus Isolates Contributes to the Virulence Factor Profile of This Hypervirulent Serotype

Despite the public health challenges associated with the emergence of new pathogenic bacterial strains and/or serotypes, there is a dearth of information regarding the molecular mechanisms that drive this variation. Here, we began to address the mechanisms behind serotype-specific variation between serotype M1 and M3 strains of the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (the group A Streptococcus [GAS]). Spatially diverse contemporary clinical serotype M3 isolates were discovered to contain identical inactivating mutations within genes encoding two regulatory systems that control the expression of important virulence factors, including the thrombolytic agent streptokinase, the protease inhibitor-binding protein-G-related α2-macroglobulin-binding (GRAB) protein, and the antiphagocytic hyaluronic acid capsule. Subsequent analysis of a larger collection of isolates determined that M3 GAS, since at least the 1920s, has harbored a 4-bp deletion in the fasC gene of the fasBCAX regulatory system and an inactivating polymorphism in the rivR regulator-encoding gene. The fasC and rivR mutations in M3 isolates directly affect the virulence factor profile of M3 GAS, as evident by a reduction in streptokinase expression and an enhancement of GRAB expression. Complementation of the fasC mutation in M3 GAS significantly enhanced levels of the small regulatory RNA FasX, which in turn enhanced streptokinase expression. Complementation of the rivR mutation in M3 GAS restored the regulation of grab mRNA abundance but did not alter capsule mRNA levels. While important, the fasC and rivR mutations do not provide a full explanation for why serotype M3 strains are associated with unusually severe invasive infections; thus, further investigation is warranted.
AnonTwist: Nearest Neighbor Querying with Both Location Privacy and K-anonymity for Mobile Users

Protecting privacy of mobile users of location based services is a currently interesting research problem. Most protection techniques can be categorized into either those providing location privacy or those guaranteeing k-anonymity. A mobile user (i) has location privacy if, when he makes an LBS request, adversaries cannot tell his location precise enough to cause privacy concerns, and (ii) has k-anonymity if adversaries cannot distinguish him, among a group of k users, as the definite request issuer. SpaceTwist proposed recently[15] is in the former category, but makes no attempt to provide k- anonymity. The purpose of this paper is to study a method that makes SpaceTwist provide k-anonymity in addition to location privacy. The extended algorithm is called AnonTwist. The major challenge is the ability to make sure that at least k users are in the privacy area given in the SpaceTwist algorithm, i.e., in the so-called “twisted space”. AnonTwist contains two technical contributions. The first is a user density map in the form of a Quadtree so that we have an estimate of the number of users in each spatial area. The second is a nontrivial counting mechanism, over the density map, to keep track of the number of users in the twisted space. Comparison of AnonTwist and SpaceTwist is performed via an experimental evaluation. The results show that the performance of AnonTwist is comparable to that of SpaceTwist. With the additional advantage of providing k-anonymity, AnonTwist should be the more favorable algorithm to use in practice.
A study of the Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus ODV envelope protein p74 using a GFP tag.

The Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) protein p74 is associated with the occlusion-derived virus (ODV) envelope. p74 is essential for oral infectivity of ODV and has been proposed to play a role in midgut attachment and/or fusion. In this study, p74 protein was expressed in-frame with green fluorescent protein (GFP) to create a p74-GFP chimera. The C- terminal GFP portion of the chimera facilitated visualization of the trafficking of p74 in baculovirus- infected Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-9) cells. p74-GFP chimeric proteins localized in the intranuclear ring zone of the nucleus and were found to co-precipitate with the microvesicle fraction of cell lysates. A series of truncations of p74 was expressed as p74-GFP chimeras in recombinant baculoviruses. When C-terminal region S580-F645 was deleted from p74, p74-GFP chimera localization became non-specific and chimeras became soluble. p74 region S580-F645 directed GFP to the intranuclear ring zone in a similar pattern to full-length p74. The hydrophobic C terminus of p74 plays a role in protein localization and possibly in transmembrane anchoring and insertion.
MODELS OF PARTS-ORIENTING SYSTEMS*

An analytical model to estimate, evaluate, and compare the behavior and performance of parts-orienting systems for automated manufacturing systems is developed. The model can be applied to parts-orienting systems for both traditional series-structured manufacturing systems and nontraditionally structured flexible manufacturing systems. Numerical examples are given for typical system configurations such as the pure series system, the pure parallel system, and the pure feedback system.
Asynchronous distributed averaging on communication networks

Distributed algorithms for averaging have attracted interest in the control and sensing literature. However, previous works have not addressed some practical concerns that will arise in actual implementations on packet-switched communication networks such as the Internet. In this paper, we present several implementable algorithms that are robust to asynchronism and dynamic topology changes. The algorithms are completely distributed and do not require any global coordination. In addition, they can be proven to converge under very general asynchronous timing assumptions. Our results are verified by both simulation and experiments on Planetlab, a real-world TCP/IP network. We also present some extensions that are likely to be useful in applications.
The Impact of Post-discharge Patient Call Back on Patient Satisfaction in Two Academic Emergency Departments

Abstract Background Patients' satisfaction is a common parameter tracked by health care systems and Emergency Departments (EDs). Objectives To determine whether telephone calls by health care providers to patients after discharge from the ED was associated with improved patient satisfaction. Methods Retrospective analysis of Press Ganey (PG; Press Ganey Associates, South Bend, IN) surveys from two EDs operated by the University of California San Diego Health System. Responses to the YES/NO question, "After discharge, did you receive a phone call from an ED staff member?" was compared to the responses to the question "likelihood of recommending this ED to others" (LR). This variable could be ranked with a score of 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good). Responses were dichotomized into two groups, 1–4 and 5. Chi-squared was performed to assess LR between those answering YES vs. NO to the call back question. Differences in proportion, 95% confidence interval (CI), and p -value are reported. Rankings for percentage of 5s across all EDs in the PG database were compared based upon YES/NO responses. Results In the 12-month study period, about 30,000 surveys were mailed and 2250 (7.5%) were returned. Three hundred forty-seven (15.4%) checked off YES for the call back question. Percentage of 5s for LR for NO call back was 51.1% and for YES call back was 70.6% (difference = 19.5; 95% CI 14.0–24.6; p th and 85 th percentile, respectively. Conclusion This retrospective study demonstrated a strong association between post-visit patient call back and LR. Further prospective study with control for co-variables is warranted.
HPA Activity and Neotic and Anxiety-Like Behavior Vary among Peromyscus Species

Behaviorally plastic species are more likely to invade and endure in new areas, and behaviorally plastic individuals tend to be attracted to novelty (i.e., neophilic). Furthermore, neophilic behaviors are often influenced by glucocorticoids. Thus in addition to environmental conditions and vicariant events, behavioral plasticity and its endocrinological mediators may influence the extent of vertebrate geographic distributions. Some species of mice in the genus, Peromyscus, occupy most of North America whereas others are restricted to small areas. We predicted that one widespread species (Peromyscus maniculatus) would interact more with novel objects, more readily explore novel environments, and possess hypo-responsive HPA axes compared to species with small ranges. Our hypothesis was not supported, but given the small number of species in this study and the high anxiety-like behavior in captive P. maniculatus, it is premature to reject the hypothesis that behavioral flexibility affects geographic distribution in Peromyscus. Indeed, behavioral and HPA axis variation was complementary among species, which is opposite of the pattern typically detected within species, suggesting that future studies of glucocorticoid mediation of neotic and anxiety-like behaviors in Peromyscus would be valuable.
Construction of multivariate compactly supported prewavelets in L 2 space and pre-Riesz bases in Sobolev spaces

We give a new constructive method for finding compactly supported prewavelets in L2 spaces in the multivariate setting. This method works for any dimensional space. When this method is generalized to the Sobolev space setting, it produces a pre-Riesz basis for Hs(Rd) which can be useful for applications.
Vehicle Re-Identification With Dynamic Time Windows for Vehicle Passage Time Estimation

A simple method for vehicle re-identification to generate vehicle passage times with loop data is developed. The method departs from other existing methods for vehicle passage time estimation: 1) It handles vehicle signatures one at a time and evaluates each vehicle observed only once. 2) The commonly used prespecified time window is replaced by a dynamic list of vehicles to be matched. 3) Vehicle matching is based on a combined estimation model that integrates spot traffic data with spatial vehicle data. The performance of the algorithm was tested with field data. Furthermore, to examine the effect of some of the assumptions on the performance of the algorithm, we compared the result with that obtained from an offline optimization model based on a spatial constraint that considers as many vehicles as possible for matching. The proposed method is particularly suitable for real-time applications since it can be easily implemented with little calibration effort and is computationally efficient.
Ethics and Efficacy of Verbal Testing of Nonverbal Children A Case Study

This article focuses on the ethics and efficacy of using formal assessment instruments with a nonverbal student having physical handicaps. Following a review of the literature and court case analysis, a case study is presented. A 9-year-old nonverbal (except for the use of gestures, pictorial cues, and a basic form of sign language to communicate) female student with physical limitations on the right side of her body was selected. The evaluations conducted by professionals at a children's hospital included eight areas, and the results were presented at a team meeting. Ethical and efficacy issues were generated because of the manner in which the scores for the assessment instruments were reported and used. Following observations made at home and in the classroom, it was concluded that the results of some of these instruments did not reflect the actual performance and ability levels of this student. The use of tests that require a nonverbal student with physical handicaps to answer verbally, or those that r...
Performance comparisons for spectral unmixing algorithms

Spectral unmixing has emerged as a key application arising from the wealth of spectral measurements in hyperspectral processing. Several communities have shown great interest in the decompositional analysis of mixed pixels. Unmixing provides the ability to decompose mixed pixels in terms of distinct, unique substances, and provide a foundation for doing sub-pixel material identification. We undertake this comparison of unmixing algorithm performance with the knowledge that many algorithms exist, and new methods are constantly being explored and tested. Several disciplines are participating in the attempt to perform unmixing, such as geology, geophysics, engineering, and analytical chemistry.
Optimization in Model Predictive Control

This paper explores the interaction between model predictive control and optimization. The success of model predictive control in controlling constrained linear systems is due, in large part, to the fact that the online optimization problem is convex, usually a quadratic programme, for which reliable software is available. If the system is nonlinear, a more complex optimization, whose success is not guaranteed, is required. It is therefore important to modify, if possible, the online optimization problem to facilitate its solution, while maintaining the desirable properties of model predictive control. The paper shows how this may be done using, inter alia, a variable horizon. Secondly it examines how the structure of the optimal control problem impacts on the choice of optimization algorithm.
Standards and Practice Guidelines

A growing trend within the medical community is the establishment of written standards and practice guidelines. Developed by groups of national experts, they can be used in malpractice litigation to replace the traditional notion of “community standards,” which need to be interpreted by one or more expert witnesses at trial. Guidelines pertaining to radiology have also been issued by Congress and regulatory agencies, such as the rules and regulations developed by the Food and Drug Administration mandating practices at mammography facilities as part of the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) of 1992.1 Because these guidelines can be used as evidence of appropriate medical practice, whether the physician complied with the guidelines may be relevant to an issue that is basic to every malpractice case: Did the conduct of the defendant fall within the appropriate standard of care?
An Empirical Analysis of Evaluation Criteria for Persuasive Speaking

This pilot study investigated the manner in which criteria were used in tournament competition. Four groups of subjects, both competition and non-competition oriented, were asked to listen to an au...
Unsupervised Learning and Modeling of Knowledge and Intent for Spoken Dialogue Systems

Spoken dialogue systems (SDS) are rapidly appearing in various smart devices (smartphone, smart-TV, in-car navigating system, etc). The key role in a successful SDS is a spoken language understanding (SLU) component, which parses user utterances into semantic concepts in order to understand users’ intentions. However, such semantic concepts and their structure are manually created by experts, and the annotation process results in extremely high cost and poor scalability in system development. Therefore, the dissertation focuses on improving SDS generalization and scalability by automatically inferring domain knowledge and learning structures from unlabeled conversations through a matrix factorization (MF) technique. With the automatically acquired semantic concepts and structures, we further investigate whether such information can be utilized to effectively understand user utterances and then show the feasibility of reducing human effort during SDS development.
International Dispute Settlement

This paper examines contemporary international dispute settlement in the field of the environment by contrasting dispute settlement by way of procedures contained in international environmental agreements (endogenous) to dispute settlement by way of procedures either of non-environmental agreements or of environmental agreements other than the one under which the dispute arose (exogenous). While the frequency of endogenous procedures is on the rise, their relevance has been historically minimal, and has been further undermined by the emergence of noncompliance procedures. However, resort to exogenous procedures is on the rise and has yielded a substantial record. The reason why this peculiar approach has been chosen, out of all possible ones, is that it highlights some emerging problems affecting international dispute settlement well beyond the specifically environmental realm: the problem of disharmonic dispute settlement clauses; the phenomenon of fragmentation of a single dispute into several distinct cases; the fact that international environmental disputes, being polymorphous, very often can be looked at from the point of view of different and uncoordinated legal regimes or specific sets of international law; and, lastly, the ongoing multiplication of fora, actors, and levels of jurisdiction. Interestingly enough, these issues first emerged in the context of certain environmental disputes that will be discussed later in this paper.
Authorship, Authority & the Founding: The Significance of the Author for the American Constitution

Popular discourse posits that the Founding Fathers, among many other notable attributes, earned the thanks of posterity as the authors of America’s constitution document. Authorship of the Constitution, attributed to the actors of the Philadelphia Convention, is readily invoked within contemporary political discussions. However, it is less common that the implications of this characterization are considered. Placing the claim to authorship against two related literatures, this paper seeks to explore the stakes of the idea that the Framers were the authors of America’s constitutional document. Seeking first to locate the claim to authorship within the context of the emergence of an ideology of authorship and associated conceptions of copyright within the early Republic, the paper will examine the ambiguities involved in the single use of the construction “authors of the constitution” within the Federalist Papers. By then turning to the theoretical discussions initiated by Barthes’s “The Death of the Author” and Foucault’s “What is an Author?”, the paper will explore the significance and consequences of the attribution of authorship within the contemporary period, arguing that the debates concerning the death of the Author enable us a fuller comprehension of the endurance of the constitutional text within American politics and culture.
Pathway-based analyses

New technologies for acquisition of genomic data, while offering unprecedented opportunities for genetic discovery, also impose severe burdens of interpretation andpenalties for multiple testing. The Pathway-based Analyses Group of the Genetic Analysis Workshop 19 (GAW19) sought reduction of multiple-testing burden through various approaches to aggregation of highdimensional data in pathways informed by prior biological knowledge. Experimental methods testedincluded the use of "synthetic pathways" (random sets of genes) to estimate power and false-positive error rate of methods applied to simulated data; data reduction via independent components analysis, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-SNP interaction, and use of gene sets to estimate genetic similarity; and general assessment of the efficacy of prior biological knowledge to reduce the dimensionality of complex genomic data. The work of this group explored several promising approaches to managing high-dimensional data, with the caveat that these methods are necessarily constrained by the quality of external bioinformatic annotation.
Extracellular matrix receptors in the kidney cortex.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) receptors anchor cells to substratum and impart positional information to cells. Within the group of ECM receptors known as integrins, alpha-subunits of these alpha beta ...
Alzheimerâs Disease Drug Discovery may be Misled by Wrong Animal Models

In recent years, however, significant amount of research has been focused on finding the so called "neuroprotective" agents, therapeutics that can stop or slow the disease progress by targeting special molecular mechanisms in the AD pathology process. Yet more futuristic are approaches that can rebuild the damaged tissue, called as "regenerative agents". These two approaches together are known as "disease-modifying approaches" [3]. According to its definition, a disease modifying treatment should not only interfere with the underlying pathological mechanisms leading to neuronal dysfunction and loss in AD, but it should also lead to significant clinical improvement of the patient [3].
C 60 -induced Devil's Staircase transformation on a Pb/Si(111) wetting layer

Density functional theory is used to study structural energetics of Pb vacancy cluster formation on ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}/\mathrm{Pb}/\mathrm{Si}(111)$ to explain the unusually fast and error-free transformations between the ``Devil's Staircase'' (DS) phases on the Pb/Si(111) wetting layer at low temperature $(\ensuremath{\sim}110\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K})$. The formation energies of vacancy clusters are calculated in ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}/\mathrm{Pb}/\mathrm{Si}(111)$ as Pb atoms are progressively ejected from the initial dense Pb wetting layer. Vacancy clusters larger than five Pb atoms are found to be stable with seven being the most stable, while vacancy clusters smaller than five are highly unstable, which agrees well with the observed ejection rate of \ensuremath{\sim}5 Pb atoms per ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$. The high energy cost (\ensuremath{\sim}0.8 eV) for the small vacancy clusters to form indicates convincingly that the unusually fast transformation observed experimentally between the DS phases, upon ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ adsorption at low temperature, cannot be the result of single-atom random walk diffusion but of correlated multi-atom processes.
Are Preoperative Serologic Type and Screen Tests Necessary for Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty Patients in Specialty Surgical Hospitals

Abstract Background Blood loss during total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has been a major concern requiring routine preoperative patient type and screen (TS however, with the implementation of blood conserving therapy, a marked decrease for perioperative transfusions has been observed. Many TJAs are now being performed in TS therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine whether T&S (1) is necessary in SSH for TJA patients and (2) identifies patient risk factors associated with perioperative blood transfusion in SSH. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 1034 consecutive primary TJAs performed between 2013 and 2014 at a 12-bed SSH who all received T&S. Patients were matched (1:1) to 964 inpatient TJA patients performed at a university hospital without routine T&S. Data on surgery type, patient demographics, hemoglobin and hematocrit results, and transfusion rates were collected. Multivariate logistic regression identified perioperative transfusion risk factors. Results Overall transfusion rates for the matched SSH (1.8% [17/964]) and university hospital populations (2.9% [28/964]) were similar ( P = .13), with no emergent transfusions. SSH transfusion rates for simultaneous bilateral THA, simultaneous bilateral TKA, unilateral THA, and unilateral TKA were 21.1% (4/19), 3.1% (4/128), 2.7% (12/439), and 0.0% (0/448), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression identified unilateral THA ( P ≤ .001), simultaneous bilateral TJA ( P = .001), age ( P = .05), and abnormal preoperative hemoglobin ( P = .02) as significant transfusion risk factors at SSH. Conclusion Due to low transfusion rates and lack of emergency transfusions, we recommend routinely ordering T&S for bilateral THA but not for unilateral TJA patients, at SSHs.
Topological optimization design of a multilevel star network

A class of multilevel star network is abstracted from objective existent network system,and the location-allocation optimization design problem is studied.An optimization mathematic model of the location-allocation problem has been established,and a solving strategy of hybrid genetic simulated annealing algorithm has been given,in which the minimal total length between nodes is taken as objective function,the restrictions to the unique relations between nodes,serving capacity,geometrical position etc.are taken as constraint conditions.A crude oil gathering and transferring system in an oil field is designed by an optimization program,the total length of pipeline and pipeline investment decreases by 10.86% and 10.49% respectively after optimization respectively.
Isolated bovine retinal pigment epithelial cells express delayed rectifier type and M-type K+ currents

Outwardly rectifying K+ currents in freshly isolated bovine retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells were characterized using the whole cell and perforated-patch configurations of the patch-clamp technique. All cells exhibited a delayed rectifier type K+ current. This current had an activation threshold voltage of approximately -40 mV, activated with a sigmoidal trajectory, and inactivated completely over a period of several seconds. External tetraethylammonium (TEA) was an effective blocker of the delayed rectifier current [apparent dissociation constant (Kd) = 5.1 mM], but external Ba2+ was relatively ineffective. Approximately 24% of the cells also exhibited a sustained outwardly rectifying K+ current that became activated at voltages positive to approximately -80 mV. This current resembled the neuronal M-current. External Ba2+ was a potent blocker of this current (apparent Kd = 1.1 mM), but external TEA and Cs+ were relatively ineffective. These results indicate that freshly isolated bovine RPE cells express K+ currents of both the delayed rectifier and M types. The latter may contribute to the resting K+ conductances of the apical and basolateral membranes.
Evaluating Augmented Reality to Complete a Chain Task for Elementary Students With Autism

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of augmented reality to teach a chain task to three elementary-age students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Augmented reality blends digi...
Tumors of the bladder in renal transplant patients: report of a case of adenocarcinoma and review of known cases.

AbstractA case is presented of adenocarcinoma of the bladder in a 36-year-old man who had undergone renal transplantation 4 years previously. Treatment was cystectomy and ileal loop diversion.A review of the known cases of bladder tumors obtained from the literature and from the Human Renal Transplant Registry is discussed. The 8 cases presented include 4 transitional cell carcinomas, 1 squamous cell carcinoma, 1 nephrogenic adenoma and 2 adenocarcinomas. The unusual occurrence of adenocarcinoma in young male subjects is noted.
The Rise and Fall of the Cornucopian Empire

The mathematics of the statement, ‘Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist’–attributed to Kenneth Boulding, one of the grandfathers of systems and complexity science–is simple and unquestioned. Yet it has been conveniently ignored, not only by most economists over the last century, but many politicians, social scientists, and ecologists as well. In his excellent Shrinking the Earth, Donald Worster makes the convincing case that this disconnect between simple mathematics and the ivory towers ultimately stems from the discovery of the western Hemisphere by Europeans, which essentially doubled their carrying capacity.
Bayesian variable selection and estimation in maximum entropy quantile regression

ABSTRACTQuantile regression has gained increasing popularity as it provides richer information than the regular mean regression, and variable selection plays an important role in the quantile regression model building process, as it improves the prediction accuracy by choosing an appropriate subset of regression predictors. Unlike the traditional quantile regression, we consider the quantile as an unknown parameter and estimate it jointly with other regression coefficients. In particular, we adopt the Bayesian adaptive Lasso for the maximum entropy quantile regression. A flat prior is chosen for the quantile parameter due to the lack of information on it. The proposed method not only addresses the problem about which quantile would be the most probable one among all the candidates, but also reflects the inner relationship of the data through the estimated quantile. We develop an efficient Gibbs sampler algorithm and show that the performance of our proposed method is superior than the Bayesian adaptive La...
Vibrational Spectroscopy of Fe3+(CH4)n (n = 1–3) and Fe4+(CH4)4

Vibrational spectra are measured for Fe3+(CH4)n (n = 1–3) and Fe4+(CH4)4 in the C–H stretching region (2650–3100 cm–1) using photofragment spectroscopy, monitoring loss of CH4. All of the spectra are dominated by an intense peak at around 2800 cm–1 that is red-shifted by ∼120 cm–1 from free methane. This peak is due to the symmetric C–H stretch of the η3 hydrogen-coordinated methane ligands. For clusters with three iron atoms, the peak becomes less red-shifted as the number of methane ligands increases. For clusters with one methane ligand per iron atom, the red shift increases in going from Fe2+(CH4)2 (88 cm–1) to Fe3+(CH4)3 (108 cm–1) to Fe4+(CH4)4 (122 cm–1). This indicates increased covalency in the binding of methane to the larger iron clusters and parallels their increased reactivity. Density functional theory calculations, B3LYP, BPW91, and M11L, are used to identify possible structures and geometries and to predict the spectra. Results show that all three functionals tend to overestimate the metha...
Nonlinear optical and multiphoton processes for in situ manipulation and conversion of photons: applications to energy and healthcare (Conference Presentation)

Chiral control of nonlinear optical functions holds a great promise for a wide range of applications including optical signal processing, bio-sensing and chiral bio-imaging. In chiral polyfluorene thin films, we demonstrated extremely large chiral nonlinearity. The physics of manipulating excitation dynamics for photon transformation will be discussed, along with nanochemistry control of upconversion in hierarchically built organic chromophore coupled-core-multiple shell nanostructures which enable introduce new, organic-inorganic energy transfer routes for broadband light harvesting and increased upconversion efficiency via multistep cascaded energy transfer. We are pursuing the applications of photon conversion technology in IR harvesting for photovoltaics, high contrast bioimaging, photoacoustic imaging, photodynamic therapy, and optogenetics. An important application is in Brain research and Neurophotonics for functional mapping and modulation of brain activities. Another new direction pursued is magnetic field control of light in in a chiral polymer nanocomposite to achieve large magneto-optic coefficient which can enable sensing of extremely weak magnetic field due to brain waves. Finally, we will consider the thought provoking concept of utilizing photons to quantify, through magneto-optics, and augment - through nanoptogenetics, the cognitive states, thus paving the path way to a quantified human paradigm.
Using Data Collection Apps and Single-Case Designs to Research Transformative Learning in Adults.

To overcome situational hurdles when researching transformative learning in adults, we outline a research approach using single-case research designs and smartphone data collection apps. This appro...
Circulating Exosomes with Distinct Properties during Chronic Lung Allograft Rejection

Circulating exosomes containing donor HLA and lung-associated self-antigens (SAg) are thought to play an important role in allograft rejection after human lung transplantation. We characterized exosomes isolated from serum of 10 lung transplant recipients (LTxR) diagnosed with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) and compared them with exosomes isolated from serum of 10 stable LTxR. Lung-associated SAg (K-α-1-tubulin [Kα1T] and collagen V [Col-V]), MHC class II molecules, costimulatory molecules CD40, CD80, and CD86, and transcription factors class II MHC trans -activator, NF-κB, hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α, IL-1R–associated kinase 1, MyD88, and 20S proteasome were detected in exosomes from BOS, but not stable LTxR. In contrast, adhesion molecules were present in both groups. C57BL/6 mice immunized with exosomes from BOS but not stable LTxR demonstrated Ab to SAg (Col-V, 33.5 ± 15.7 versus 10.4 ± 6.4, p = 0.021; Kα1T, 925 ± 403 versus 317 ± 285, p = 0.044) and HLA (mean fluorescence intensity: BOS, 8450; stable, 632; p p = 0.013; Kα1T, 194 ± 47 versus 67 ± 43, p = 0.014) and IFN-γ (Col-V, 165 ± 79 versus 38 ± 40, p = 0.042; Kα1T, 232 ± 64 versus 118 ± 39, p = 0.012). Reduced levels of IL-10–producing cells were seen in BOS exosome immunized mice compared with mice immunized with stable exosomes (Col-V, 59 ± 23 versus 211 ± 85, p = 0.016; Kα1T, 78 ± 49 versus 295 ± 104, p = 0.017). Owing to the unique immune-stimulating properties of exosomes induced during rejection, we propose that they play an important role in eliciting both alloantigen- and SAg-specific immunity, leading to chronic rejection after lung transplantation.
The Racialized Effects of Social Programs in Brazil

Studies of the electoral effects of cash transfer programs in Latin America have largely treated the poor as a unitary group. This study considers how the effects of social benefits vary across groups among the targeted poor by exploring the consequences of race for the electoral effects of Brazil’s Bolsa Familia program. A matching analysis of LAPOP survey data shows that race shapes baseline propensities to participate in elections and to support the incumbent PT at the polls; these tendencies then shape the mechanisms through which cash transfers boost support for the incumbent. Benefits mobilize Afro-Brazilians to participate but have little effect on their vote choice. By contrast, benefits have little effect on whites’ participation but persuade them to support the PT over the opposition. This article deepens understanding of how social benefits affect the electoral behavior of recipients and highlights how race shapes political behavior among the poor.
Elevated extracellular potassium prior to muscle contraction reduces onset and steady-state exercise hyperemia in humans.

Our findings support a significant and obligatory role for potassium signaling in the local vasodilatory and hyperemic response to exercise in humans.
Electrons, Interfaces, and Societies in the 21st Century

Electrochemistry is still, in a sense, a little known subject. When people talk about the fuel cells which give the energy aboard space vehicles, they talk about “an electronic device.” One of the difficulties electrochemistry has is, where to fit in. On the fundamental side it has contributions from so many areas. There comes the quantum mechanics of interfacial electron transfer, the surface chemistry, the consequences of the presence of very strong interfacial fields, the structure of the surface of metals, and the solid-state chemistry of semiconductors. Then, there is the huge area of biology subject to interpretation in terms of electrochemical mechanisms.
Synthesis of 2-(3-Substituted-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes and 2α-(3-Substituted-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-enes as Potential Muscarinic Agonists

Radioligand binding affinities of seven muscarinic receptor ligands which possess an oxadiazole ring side chain have been determined in rat heart, rat brain, and m1- or m3-transfected CHO cell membrane preparations to determine the selectivity for subtypes of muscarinic receptor. The ratios of binding constants in brain membranes were measured as an indicator of potential agonist activity against [3H]QNB and [3H]Oxo-M. These muscarinic ligands did not discriminate the subtypes of muscarinic receptors. Six muscarinic ligands which have a 3-amino- or 3-methyl-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl groups attached to the 8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-ene or 8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane head group show binding constants between 2.04 x 10−6 and 1.79 x 10−5M in rat heart, rat brain, and m1- or m3-transfected CHO cell membrane preparations. 1-Methyl-2-[3-amino-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]piperidine shows low binding constants of approximately 10−4M in rat heart and rat brain. (1R,5S)-2-[3-Amino-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl]-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo-[3.2.1]oct-2-ene [(1R,5S)-17] was the most active compound.
Point Process Filtering Estimates of Branching Rate for Neural Dendritic Morphology Generation

Current parametric approaches to dendritic morphology generation are limited in their ability to replicate realistic branching. A non-parametric approach applying a point process filter and the expectation-maximization algorithm offers a data-based solution that estimates the dendritic branching rate based on observations of bifurcation events in real neurons. Point processes can then be simulated using this branching rate estimate to indicate when a generated morphology should branch. Morphologies generated using this technique match both basic and emergent property distributions of the real neurons used as input into the algorithm. Further refinement of branching angles will allow for a flexible tool to generate realistic morphologies of a variety of neuronal stereotypes.