cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of multi-product manufacturing systems with homogeneous exponential machines

This paper is devoted to modeling and analysis of multi-product manufacturing systems with homogeneous exponential machines and finite buffers. In such systems, multiple product types are processed with different speeds, but the processing time for each product type is the same on all machines. Buffers are shared for all products. Analytical methods to analyze the system performance are developed, and system-theoretic properties are investigated. To improve the performance of such systems, bottleneck analysis is carried out to identify the machine and/or product whose improvement will lead to the largest improvement in system throughput.
Bacterial Activity at −2 to −20°C in Arctic Wintertime Sea Ice

Arctic wintertime sea-ice cores, characterized by a temperature gradient of −2 to −20°C, were investigated to better understand constraints on bacterial abundance, activity, and diversity at subzero temperatures. With the fluorescent stains 4′,6′-diamidino-2-phenylindole 2HCl (DAPI) (for DNA) and 5-cyano-2,3-ditoyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC) (for O2-based respiration), the abundances of total, particle-associated (>3-μm), free-living, and actively respiring bacteria were determined for ice-core samples melted at their in situ temperatures (−2 to −20°C) and at the corresponding salinities of their brine inclusions (38 to 209 ppt). Fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied to determine the proportions of Bacteria, Cytophaga-Flavobacteria-Bacteroides (CFB), and Archaea. Microtome-prepared ice sections also were examined microscopically under in situ conditions to evaluate bacterial abundance (by DAPI staining) and particle associations within the brine-inclusion network of the ice. For both melted and intact ice sections, more than 50% of cells were found to be associated with particles or surfaces (sediment grains, detritus, and ice-crystal boundaries). CTC-active bacteria (0.5 to 4% of the total) and cells detectable by rRNA probes (18 to 86% of the total) were found in all ice samples, including the coldest (−20°C), where virtually all active cells were particle associated. The percentage of active bacteria associated with particles increased with decreasing temperature, as did the percentages of CFB (16 to 82% of Bacteria) and Archaea (0.0 to 3.4% of total cells). These results, combined with correlation analyses between bacterial variables and measures of particulate matter in the ice as well as the increase in CFB at lower temperatures, confirm the importance of particle or surface association to bacterial activity at subzero temperatures. Measuring activity down to −20°C adds to the concept that liquid inclusions in frozen environments provide an adequate habitat for active microbial populations on Earth and possibly elsewhere.
GridSAT: Design and Implementation of a Computational Grid Application

We present the latest instantiation of GridSAT [1], a distributed and complete satisfiability solver that is explicitly designed to aggregate Grid resources for application performance. GridSAT was previously shown to outperform the state-of-the-art sequential solvers. In this work, we explore the unprecedented solving power GridSAT enables through algorithmic and implementation innovations. We describe the implementation techniques that allow GridSAT to leverage a variety of high-end batch-scheduled resources, clusters, interactive workstations, and personal computing resources through autonomous scheduling, checkpoint scheduling, and work migration. These innovations have allowed GridSAT to solve a set of ‘hard’ and previously unsolved industrial and community satisfiability problems. In addition to this new solution power, GridSAT also outperforms the otherwise highest performance general solvers on the annual SAT competition [21] performance benchmarks.
Active force perception depends on cerebellar function.

Damage to the cerebellum causes characteristic movement abnormalities but is thought to have minimal impact on somatosensory perception. Traditional clinical assessments of patients with cerebellar...
Bank spread with uncertain deposit level and risk aversion

Abstract This paper derives a model of the banking firm under uncertainty and risk aversion. The selection of the bank's optimal spread between loan and deposit rates is emphasized. The model's results provide some implications for bank asset quality, capital regulation and deposit insurance. For example, it is shown that increases in the level of equity capital tend to increase the bank's spread under DARA. This implies an improvement in bank asset quality. On the other hand, as the deposit supply function becomes more volatile, the bank's spread narrows, which implies a decline in the quality of the bank's assets.
The expression of cytosolic phospholipase A2 and prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase in ovine maternal uterine and fetal tissues during late gestation and labor

Gene expression of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) and prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase (PGHS) 1 and 2 was studied in ovine maternal uterine and fetal tissues during glucocorticoid induced premature labor and spontaneous labor and compared with gestational age matched controls not in labor. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the messenger RNA (mRNA) abundance of cPLA2 and PGHS-2, but not PGHS-1, increased significantly in the endometrium during both glucocorticoid induced premature labor and spontaneous labor. Protein levels of the two enzymes measured by Western blot analyses were also elevated in the endometrium during glucocorticoid induced premature labor. cPLA2 mRNA was detected in the myometrium, but no difference was observed between ewes in labor and their gestational age matched controls not in labor. While the level of PGHS-2 mRNA was below detection in the myometrium with the methods used, the enzyme protein for PGHS-2 in the myometrium was significantly increased in both glucocorti...
A Special Method for Precise Refractive Index Measurement of Uniaxial Optical Media

A method was developed for measuring the refractive index of optical glasses and uniaxial crystalline solids when established refractometric methods are not feasible. A synthetic ruby cuboid was contacted to a prism of known refractive index and a spectrometer was used to measure the angles describing the optical path through the ruby-glass combination. Ray tracing equations were derived to compute the refractive index accurate within 3 × 10−5. Index values for both polarizations of ruby are given at selected wavelengths from 0.4358 μm to 0.7065 μm.
Coherent communication with continuous quantum variables

The coherent bit (cobit) channel is a resource intermediate between classical and quantum communication. It produces coherent versions of teleportation and superdense coding. We extend the cobit channel to continuous variables by providing a definition of the coherent nat (conat) channel. We construct several coherent protocols that use both a position-quadrature and a momentum-quadrature conat channel with finite squeezing. Finally, we show that the quality of squeezing diminishes through successive compositions of coherent teleportation and superdense coding.
Myelin structure and retention of cholesterol in frog sciatic nerve embedded in a resorcinol-formaldehyde resin

Abstract 1. 1. The suitability of a resorcinol-formaldehyde resin as an embedding material for electron microscopy was examined. The method used was to embed frog sciatic nerve and to examine the myelin structure using electron microscopy of thin sections and the degree of extraction of cholesterol using quantitative thin-layer chromatography and colorimetric analysis. 2. 2. The major portion of cholesterol was retained in nerves embedded in resorcinol-formaldehyde resin. The periodicity of the myelin was characteristically around 160 A in comparison with 130 A obtained for nerves embedded in Epon where a major portion of the cholesterol was extracted during dehydration with acetone. 3. 3. The resorcinol-formaldehyde resin did not penetrate efficiently into the lumen of the axons which were invariably partially or completely collapsed. The poor penetration and staining properties of the resin appear to preclude its routine use in electron microscopy.
Adaptive arrays with main beam constraints

Initial applications of adaptive array theory to the radar sidelobe jamming problem ignored the problem of incidental cancellation of the desired signal returns. In more recent applications, longer transmitted waveforms have combined with returns from extended clutter and/or strong targets to create a more serious signal cancellation problem. There are several ways in which the adaptive processor can be constrained from responding to desired main lobe target returns while maintaining good cancellation of interference in the sidelobes. This paper examines the major techniques for constraining the response of the adaptive processor, including methods of controlling the response of the array in the absence of external interference. Time domain and frequency domain techniques are discussed. The majority of the discussion is devoted to angle domain techniques such as pilot signals, preadaption spacial filtering, and control loop spatial filtering. Analysis is presented showing the relationship between these techniques. Finally, examples are given showing the effects of these constraints as well as control of the quiescent array pattern.
Recommendations for identification and public health management of persons with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Early identification of persons with chronic HBV infection enables infected persons to receive necessary care to prevent or delay onset of liver disease, and enables the identification and vaccination of susceptible household contacts and sex partners, interrupting ongoing transmission. Testing has been recommended previously to enable primary prevention of HBV infection among close contacts for pregnant women, household contacts and sex partners of HBV-infected persons, persons born in countries with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence of more than 8%, persons who are the source of blood or body fluid exposures that might warrant postexposure prophylaxis (e.g., needlestick injury to a healthcare worker or sexual assault), and to enable appropriate treatment for infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers and persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Recently, with the increasing availability of efficacious hepatitis B treatment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published new recommendations for public health evaluation and management for chronically infected persons and their contacts and extended testing recommendations to include persons born in geographic regions with HBsAg prevalence of greater than 2%, men who have sex with men, and injection drug users. Patient and provider education, developing partnerships between health departments and community organizations, and other resources will be needed to assure appropriate populations are tested and care provided for persons newly identified as HBsAg-positive.
Pre-exposure to 3-methylcholanthrene increases benzo[a]pyrene adducts on DNA of bluegill sunfish

Abstract To determine how pre-induction of the hepatic mixed-function oxidase (MFO) system affects the formation of DNA adducts, bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, were injected intraperitoneally with 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) 5 days prior to injection with benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). Another group of fish were injected only with BaP. On days 0, 1, 3 and 6 after BaP injection, liver microsomes were assayed for several MFO parameters, and BaP adducts in liver were quantified. Pre-exposure to 3-MC induced MFO activity to much higher levels, but did did not protect the DNA from formation of adducts of BaP. DNA from the liver of pre-exposed fish had twice as many BaP adducts. Multiple contaminants appear to act synergistically on the formation of DNA adducts, in spite of the higher MFO activity. Adverse effects from carcinogens in complex mixtures may be much greater than predicted from single-compound experiments.
Renal Hemodynamic Response to an Angiotensin II Antagonist, Eprosartan, in Healthy Men

Abstract In view of the vasodilator potential of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition via prostaglandins and kinins, we asked why renin inhibition induces a larger renal vasodilator response than ACE inhibitors in healthy humans in earlier studies. One possibility was that there was a more complete blockade of the renin system, which could also be achieved by an angiotensin II antagonist, eprosartan. We measured the hormonal and renal hemodynamic responses to eprosartan doses, from 10 to 400 mg in 9 healthy young men in balance on a 10-mmol/d sodium intake. The threshold eprosartan dose to influence renal perfusion was −1 · 1.73 m 2 . When the dose was increased to 400 mg, there was a modest additional increase of 147±57 mL · min −1 · 1.73 m –2 . A highly significant dose-related fall in arterial blood pressure occurred ( r =−.97; P −1 · 1.73 m –2 , was significantly less than that seen with the low salt diet ( P
Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated with Ulcerative Colitis Disease Activity

Previous studies on experimental mouse models have suggested a role of vitamin D in immune system regulation and IBD disease severity. In this study, we examine the relationship between vitamin D levels and clinical disease activity in human subjects with ulcerative colitis (UC). We hypothesized that patients with vitamin D deficiency will display increased UC disease activity as compared to patients with normal vitamin D levels. A cross-sectional study was performed by querying the outpatient electronic medical record of our health system for patients seen in the gastroenterology clinic from January 2007 to October 2009 who carried both a diagnosis of UC and a documented 25-OH vitamin D level within 30 days of their clinic visit. Demographic and clinical variables were collected. Clinical disease activity was calculated using the six-point partial Mayo index. Active disease was defined as a six-point index score of ≥1. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a 25-OH D level below 30 ng/ml. Data were analyzed using the chi-square distribution test. Thirty-four patients met inclusion criteria (53 % female, mean age 45.7 ± 24.7 years). Fifteen patients had normal vitamin D levels and 19 patients were vitamin D deficient. Twelve patients had vitamin D levels <20 ng/ml. Vitamin D deficient patients were statistically more likely to have increased disease activity than patients with normal vitamin D levels (p = 0.04), with 68 % of deficient patients displaying active disease compared with 33 % in the sufficient group. There was also a statistically significant association between vitamin D status and need for treatment with steroids, with a higher percentage of vitamin D deficient patients (47 %) requiring such treatment compared with 7 % in the sufficient group (p = 0.02). There was no association between season of visit and disease activity. Vitamin D deficiency is common among patients with active UC, particularly those requiring corticosteroids. Further investigation is needed to determine the clinical utility of vitamin D monitoring in patients with UC and whether there is a role for vitamin D as a treatment for UC.
Transport of Metabolites in Microorganisms

This paper describes, not ionic movement, but rather the transfer of organic nutrients from environment to cell in microorganisms. A section on methods for studying such transfer is followed by a discussion of generalized models derived from kinetic data. Control mechanisms, involving regulation of synthesis of membrane proteins and feedback modification of their activity, are described. Some recent work on specific models for transport of amino acids and carbohydrates is also discussed.
Measuring Concentrations of Ammonia in Ambient Air or Exhaust Air Stream using Acid Traps

Strong acid solutions have been widely used in acid traps to determine concentrations of ammonia in ambient air or exhaust air stream. A literature survey indicates the method has a long history and a wide variation in use. Through a series of studies, this paper examines several factors including volume of the acid, depth of the acid, and airflow rate; that might affect the efficiency of sulfuric acid traps and recommends steps researchers and other users may take to ensure reliable results from this method. The results from these series of studies indicate: (i) an inverse relationship between the efficiency of the acid traps and the amount of ammonia to be trapped even when the capacity of the acid trap is excessively greater than the maximum theoretical stoichiometric capacity needed to dissolve all of the ammonia, (ii) for the same volume of acid, the efficiency of the acid trap increased with the acid depth but overall, the efficiency at any given acid depth decreased as the amount of ammonia through the trap increased, and (iii) at the two airflow rates examined in this study (0.5 and 1.0 L/ min) the efficiency of the acid traps decreased at similar rates as the concentration of ammonia in the sample air increased but the efficiency of the trap was significantly higher at the lower airflow rate. To obtain reliable measurements from this method, therefore, multi-point calibrations within the entire range of target measurements is recommended to provide accurate corrections of the measurements.
Nuclear matrix elements for the mirror decays of B^(12) and N^(12)

Recent precision experiments [1] have shown that the ft-value for the beta decay of N^(12) is significantly larger (11 ± 1%) than the ft-value for the mirror beta decay of B^(12). Since this difference in ft-value has been used [2] in determining the coupling constants for induced pseudoscalar and induced tensor interactions in beta decay, assuming equality of the mirror matrix elements, it is important to investigate other effects that could cause the matrix elements themselves to be unequal. In this paper, we show that Coulomb effects alone, as manifested in single-particle binding energies, are large enough to account for the experimental difference in ft-values **.
Karyometric and cytophotometric study of hepatocyte nuclei of frogs exposed to cold and prolonged starvation

Prolonged starvation of Rana pipiens at room temperature results in a decrease in the volume of the hepatocyte nuclei from that of recently fed individuals. A converse increase in the volume of the liver nuclei over the normal was noted in frogs exposed to low temperature for 10 days. The present work was conducted in an effort to determine which nuclear fraction is responsible for the observed changes in nuclear size.
Experimental study of high temperature oxygen isotope exchange during chondrule formation

Laboratory experiments have been conducted to determine rates and other details of the oxygen isotopic exchange process between meteoritic material and water vapor. The meteoritic samples were totally or partially melted, or completely unmelted. The furnace atmosphere consisted of water vapor and hydrogen, and was diluted with helium for some of the experiments. Both isothermal and flash heating experiments were performed. Extensive oxygen isotope exchange has been observed between chondrule analogue melt and surrounding dilute water vapor, such that 50% equilibration occurs in charges near their liquidus in five minutes or less. The principal rate-limiting mechanism of the exchange is diffusion within the melt. The initial exchange rate also depends on the partial pressure of water, which points to the effect of the surface exchange process. The kinetics of the surface reaction have not been determined due to the restrictions of our experimental configuration. The extent of exchange observed in short time isothermal runs and in flash heating runs suggests that much of the isotopic variability of natural chondrules can be produced during chondrule-forming events by the gas/melt isotopic exchange processes. However, due to the very low gas densities in the nebula, multiple melting events might be needed to produce the chondrules with highly exchanged isotopic compositions. For a partially melted sample, as is often the case in natural chondrules, the rate of isotopic change of the bulk sample is determined by the exchange rates of both the melt and unmelted relict minerals. If the melt and relict minerals have a large difference in isotopic compositions, the exchange trajectory becomes markedly nonlinear. These observations are consistent with the observed dependence of extent of exchange in natural chondrules on the degree of melting, and imply that for each of the linear trends on the three-isotope diagram observed for natural chondrules, only two initial isotopic reservoirs might have existed.
Relation of depot-specific adipose inflammation to insulin resistance in human obesity

A low-grade state of adipose tissue inflammation associated with obesity has been linked to mechanisms of systemic metabolic dysfunction. However, the relation of clinical phenotypes to depot-specific inflammation has not been well examined in human obesity. To characterize the inflammatory status of subcutaneous and visceral fat depots, as assessed by tissue presence of macrophage crown-like structures (CLS) as a hallmark of chronic inflammation, and determine the relation of systemic insulin resistance to inflammatory abnormalities in subcutaneous and visceral fat. We collected adipose tissue simultaneously from subcutaneous and visceral (omental and mesenteric) depots in 92 obese participants (age 42±11 years; BMI⩾30 kg m−2) during planned bariatric surgery. Using immunohistochemistry, we categorized individuals as CLS+ or CLS− based on the presence or absence, respectively, of macrophage CLS in subcutaneous (CLSs), omental (CLSo) and mesenteric (CLSm) adipose depots. The majority of participants exhibited adipose tissue inflammation manifest by the presence of CLS (CLS+) in both subcutaneous and intra-abdominal visceral depots. CLS status in subcutaneous fat was highly sensitive and modestly specific for inflammation of visceral fat. In multivariable models, plasma insulin and homeostatis model assessment levels were positively associated with CLS+ status in all depots independent of age, waist circumference, BMI and type 2 diabetes, and worsened with the increasing number of adipose regions involved. In severely obese participants, systemic insulin resistance is linked to adipose inflammation in both subcutaneous and visceral depots. The findings suggest that examination of subcutaneous regions that are more easily accessible by transcutaneous biopsy may prove useful in clinical studies designed to investigate adipose phenotypes in relation to human disease.
Hypercholesterolemia and angiogenesis

Abstract Hypercholesterolemia is associated with endothelial cell dysfunction, which may be partly related to an accumulation of toxic lipoprotein degradation products in artery walls. Oxidized lowdensity lipoprotein and its products have been incriminated in the impairment of transmembrane signaling, a process that may alter the responsiveness of endothelial cells to mitogens. Endothelial cell replication is necessary for the growth of preexisting arterial channels and for the formation of new microvessels (angiogenesis). Experiments in intact rabbits indicate that endothelial replication necessary for vascular growth is markedly impaired in the presence of hypercholesterolemia, a defect that may play an important rote in the pathophysiology of occlusive atherosclerotic disease.
The status of synthesis using Lyapunov's method

This paper surveys the literature devoted to techniques for the synthesis of control systems based on Lyapunov's second method. The work is tutorial in nature and attempts to unify some of the scattered literature on the subject. A number of techniques are reviewed, illustrated with examples, and comments made regarding their applicability and shortcomings. The material is not presented as set methods of design, but rather as illustrations of the main streams of thought which have been devoted to synthesis. It is hoped that the techniques will form a basis which will allow the designer to adapt, extend or create procedures for his particular problems.
Dehydratase mediated 1-propanol production in metabolically engineered Escherichia coli

With the increasing consumption of fossil fuels, the question of meeting the global energy demand is of great importance in the near future. As an effective solution, production of higher alcohols from renewable sources by microorganisms has been proposed to address both energy crisis and environmental concerns. Higher alcohols contain more than two carbon atoms and have better physiochemical properties than ethanol as fuel substitutes. We designed a novel 1-propanol metabolic pathway by expanding the well-known 1,2-propanediol pathway with two more enzymatic steps catalyzed by a 1,2-propanediol dehydratase and an alcohol dehydrogenase. In order to engineer the pathway into E. coli, we evaluated the activities of eight different methylglyoxal synthases which play crucial roles in shunting carbon flux from glycolysis towards 1-propanol biosynthesis, as well as two secondary alcohol dehydrogenases of different origins that reduce both methylglyoxal and hydroxyacetone. It is evident from our results that the most active enzymes are the methylglyoxal synthase from Bacillus subtilis and the secondary alcohol dehydrogenase from Klebsiella pneumoniae, encoded by mgsA and budC respectively. With the expression of these two genes and the E. coli ydjG encoding methylglyoxal reductase, we achieved the production of 1,2-propanediol at 0.8 g/L in shake flask experiments. We then characterized the catalytic efficiency of three different diol dehydratases on 1,2-propanediol and identified the optimal one as the 1,2-propanediol dehydratase from Klebsiella oxytoca, encoded by the operon ppdABC. Co-expressing this enzyme with the above 1,2-propanediol pathway in wild type E. coli resulted in the production of 1-propanol at a titer of 0.25 g/L. We have successfully established a new pathway for 1-propanol production by shunting the carbon flux from glycolysis. To our knowledge, it is the first time that this pathway has been utilized to produce 1-propanol in E. coli. The work presented here forms a basis for further improvement in production. We speculate that dragging more carbon flux towards methylglyoxal by manipulating glycolytic pathway and eliminating competing pathways such as lactate generation can further enhance the production of 1-propanol.
Communicating results of all outpatient radiologic examinations directly to patients: the time has come.

571 abnormal findings on a radiologic exam­ ination that he had ordered. He contended that had he received the report verbally from the radiologist in this case he would have immediately started the patient on anti­ coagulant therapy. Nevertheless, when pressed by the plaintiff’s attorney, the physician admitted that he had neglected to read the written report. The lawsuit against the referring physician was soon settled, but the malpractice case against the radiologist proceeded to trial. At trial, radiology experts for the plaintiff and for the defense disagreed in their re spec­ tive testimony. The former asserted that the defendant radiologist breached the standard of care by not completing his effort to directly communicate with the referring physician. The defense expert countered that there was no need for such direct com mu nication and that faxing the report was sufficient. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the radiologist. The plaintiff appealed, and the case reached the Virginia Supreme Court. The court reversed the jury decision, ordered a new trial, and in so doing stated the following [3]:
Social cognition and social functioning in nonclinical paranoia

Introduction.Persons with nonclinical paranoia show many of the same biases as those with clinical paranoia, suggesting that paranoia exists on a continuum. However, little is known about the various social cognitive processes found in paranoia and how these relate to social functioning and social behaviours in general. This study will examine performance on emotion perception and attributional style measures and their relationship to social functioning, social problem solving, and social skill. A key element in this study will be the incorporation of ambiguity in the perception of emotional expressions and the assignment of attributional blame, which appears to be an important, yet neglected, construct in paranoia.Methods.Twenty-six persons with high levels of nonclinical paranoia and 31 persons with low levels of paranoia completed measures of emotion perception, attributional style, social functioning, and social problem solving. Salient and subtle emotional expressions were used to examine how ambigui...
Interfacing hardware and software using C++ class libraries

As chip capacity increases and system-on-a-chip becomes more than just a catch phrase, hardware and system design are being driven in new directions. Systems are designed not just as hardware, but as a tightly coupled combination of both hardware and software. C++, extended with class libraries, is emerging as the way to design such complex systems. This paper proposes methods to specify and refine designs from a purely software description at a functional level to a level where the hardware components are encapsulated as objects and their interfaces clearly defined. The entire system functionality is described in C++ using some of the commercially available class libraries like SystemC from Synopsys and Cynlib from CynApps. We propose a methodology where a designer can migrate software functionality. We also show that the software driver for the hardware device is generated as a side-effect of the interface refinement process. We demonstrate our methodology on the design of a fax machine from a purely software description of the system. We refine the design by implementing its decoder functionality in hardware and interfacing it with the software encoder.
An integrated optimization system for airbag design and modeling by Finite Element Analysis

This paper discusses an integrated optimization system that has been developed to combine optimization algorithms with Finite Element Analysis for airbag design. A number of industry standard software packages are employed to work in coherence to complete the optimization procedure automatically with minimal user intervention. The system can be easily tailored to fit multiple performance requirements and various design constraints for different airbag systems. Compared with the commonly used Design of Experiment (DOE) method, time and computer resources requirements are greatly curtailed. The integrated optimization system was successfully used in single-chamber and dual-chamber airbag optimizations. The results proved the effectiveness of the system and demonstrated its capability in product design.
Combining total variation and wavelet packet approaches for image deblurring

We show two ways to combine wavelet packets and total variation-based deblurring methods. For this purpose, we first recall that it is possible to approximate a convolution by mean of an operator diagonal in a wavelet packet basis. Then, we show two possibilities, which use this property, for combining wavelet packets and total variation approaches. We then show in experiments that, doing this, we can expect to have the advantages of both approaches while avoiding their drawbacks.
A techno-economic analysis of microalgae remnant catalytic pyrolysis and upgrading to fuels

Abstract Microalgae have been proposed as potentially promising feedstock for the production of renewable transportation fuels. The plants are intriguing for their capacity to serve both as a source of renewable carbon fuels and as a powerful tool for carbon sequestration. Microalgae remnant, a low-cost by-product of microalgae lipid extraction, is a particularly appealing candidate for these processes. Through catalytic pyrolysis, microalgae remnant is capable of producing aromatic hydrocarbons that could be used for the production of drop-in biofuels. One of the most challenging barriers to this promising pathway is the high moisture content of harvested microalgae. The goal of this study is to compare the economics of two catalytic pyrolysis pathways for the production of drop-in biofuels, each pathway employing its own distinct method of feedstock dewatering: thermal drying or partial mechanical dewatering. The study presents chemical process models, capital expense and operating cost estimates, and sensitivity analyses of both scenarios. Results indicate that thermal drying prior to catalytic pyrolysis (TDCP) incurs capital costs similar to those incurred in partial mechanical dewatering prior to catalytic pyrolysis (MDCP) ($346 million vs. $409 million). TDCP and MDCP yield minimum fuel-selling prices (MFSPs) of $1.80/l and $1.49/l, respectively. Energy analysis shows that TDCP achieves 16.8% energy efficiency and MDCP achieves 26.7% efficiency.
Environmental Influences on HIV Medication Adherence: The Role of Neighborhood Disorder.

Objectives. We hypothesized that highly disordered neighborhoods would expose residents to environmental pressures, leading to reduced antiretroviral (ARV) medication adherence.Methods. Using targeted sampling, we enrolled 503 socioeconomically disadvantaged HIV-positive substance users in urban South Florida between 2010 and 2012. Participants completed a 1-time standardized interview that took approximately 1 hour. We tested a multiple mediation model to examine the direct and indirect effects of neighborhood disorder on diversion-related nonadherence to ARVs; risky social networks and housing instability were examined as mediators of the disordered neighborhood environment.Results. The total indirect effect in the model was statistically significant (P = .001), and the proportion of the total effect mediated was 53%. The model indicated substantial influence of neighborhood disorder on nonadherence to ARVs, operating through recent homelessness and diverter network size.Conclusions. Long-term improveme...
Nation-Building or Nation-Destroying?

Scholars associated with theories of “nation-building” have tended either to ignore the question of ethnic diversity or to treat the matter of ethnic identity superficially as merely one of a number of minor impediments to effective state-integration. To the degree that ethnic identity is given recognition, it is apt to be as a somewhat unimportant and ephemeral nuisance that will unquestionably give way to a common identity uniting all inhabitants of the state, regardless of ethnic heritage, as modern communication and transportation networks link the state's various parts more closely. Both tendencies are at sharp variance with the facts, and have contributed to the undue optimism that has characterized so much of the literature on “nation-building.”
Environmental Historian: An Interview with Alfred W. Crosby

Alfred W. Crosby is the author of such influential works as The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492 (New York: Greenwood Press, 1973). He lives in retirement on Nantucket Island with his wife Frances Karttunen, noted in her own right for important works in linguistics and history. In September, 2013, I had the opportunity to carry on a long conversation with Crosby about his work, American Studies, and the future for environmental history. Crosby suffers from Parkinson's disease. His mind is sharp and his insights are keen. The Columbian exchange is the phenomenon of the contact period in which European crops and animals were imported into the New World, while New World crops and animals were introduced into Europe.
Complementary use of topical bitter melon for atopic dermatitis

Momordica charantia (bitter melon) is popular in systems of traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases including atopic dermatitis, which is an inflammatory, chronically relapsing skin disorder characterized by dry, scaly, pruritic skin. While there is growing community interest in adopting bitter melon as a complementary medicine, there are no clinical studies looking at its use for atopic dermatitis. Here we report a case of a 6-yearold female with severe refractory atopic dermatitis that responded to treatment with topical bitter melon in an open half-side comparison trial.
Reduction in normalized bone elasticity following long-term bisphosphonate treatment as measured by ultrasound critical angle reflectometry

Using an improved version of ultrasound critical angle reflectometry, the bone quality of cortical and trabecular bone was assessed in vivo by measuring elastic moduli (normalized for bone density) at both principal axes, referred to as the minimum and maximum normalized elasticities. The measurements were made in 30 normal premenopausal women, 30 normal postmenopausal women, 22 untreated postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, 74 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia on bisphosphonate treatment, and 32 patients with renal transplantation (16 women and 16 men) taking steroids. Cortical elasticity was higher than trabecular elasticity; both declined slightly and non-significantly with age in normal women. Among untreated postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, cortical maximum normalized elasticity (Ecmax) remained within 95% prediction intervals of normal women. Among patients on bisphosphonate, Ecmax was low in the majority of patients. Ecmax was significantly more depressed among those taking the drug ≥3 years than <3 years (22.1% below normal premenopausal women versus 17.2%, P =0.001), and among those with incident non-spinal fractures than without (75.9 vs. 81.5%, P =0.008). Ecmax was independent of bone mineral density at the calcaneus. Most patients with renal transplantation had low Ecmax, with a mean 20.8% below the normal premenopausal mean. Qualitatively similar findings were found with cortical minimum elasticity and with trabecular minimum and maximum elasticities. Thus, the material bone quality of cortical and trabecular bone may be impaired following bisphosphonate treatment, as in renal transplantation on steroids.
Mathematical modeling of calcium signaling during sperm hyperactivation.

Mammalian sperm must hyperactivate in order to fertilize oocytes. Hyperactivation is characterized by highly asymmetrical flagellar bending. It serves to move sperm out of the oviductal reservoir and to penetrate viscoelastic fluids, such as the cumulus matrix. It is absolutely required for sperm penetration of the oocyte zona pellucida. In order for sperm to hyperactivate, cytoplasmic Ca 2+ levels in the flagellum must increase. The major mechanism for providing Ca 2+ to the flagellum, at least in mice, are CatSper channels in the plasma membrane of the principal piece of the flagellum, because sperm from CatSper null males are unable to hyperactivate. There is some evi- dence for the existence of other types of Ca 2+ channels in sperm, but their roles in hyperactivation have not been clearly established. Another Ca 2+ source for hyperactivation is the store in the redundant nuclear envelope of sperm. To stabilize levels of cytoplasmic Ca 2+ , sperm contain Ca 2+ ATPase and exchangers. The interactions between channels, Ca 2+ ATPases, and exchangers are poorly under- stood; however, mathematical modeling can help to elucidate how they work together to produce the patterns of changes in Ca 2+ levels that have been observed in sperm. Mathematical models can reveal interesting and unexpected relationships, suggesting experiments to be per- formed in the laboratory. Mathematical analysis of Ca 2+ dynamics has been used to develop a model for Ca 2+ clearance and for CatSper- mediated Ca 2+ dynamics. Models may also be used to understand how Ca 2+ patterns produce flagellar bending patterns of sperm in fluids of
Environmental effects on the streaming mode performance of metal evaporated and metal particle tapes

A commercial Hi-8 video cassette recorder was instrumented to measure friction force between the rotary heads and tape, rms head output, and signal dropouts to sub /spl mu/s duration. Streaming (play) mode experiments using metal evaporated (ME) and metal particle (MP) tapes were performed at design tension under equilibrium and nonequilibrium conditions inside of an environmental chamber at various temperature and specific humidity (SH=ratio of the weights of water vapor to dry air in the mixture). Interface stability and recording performance at a 0.6 /spl mu/m recording wavelength were measured to bit level resolution using a dropout counter and changes in rms head output were correlated to changes in head-to-tape spacing using the Wallace equation. ME tape performed best at moderate SH (from 0.009 to 0.013) in the operating temperature range of 15.6 to 32.2/spl deg/C, whereas MP tape performed best at low temperature. At a given temperature, higher SH increased normal and friction forces and decreased head-to-tape spacing due to spontaneous water meniscus formation between contacting and noncontacting asperities on the head, tape, and debris particle surfaces. Dropout frequency and interface stability were sensitive to both SH and temperature. Humidity dependence was governed by the relative size difference between wear debris particles and spontaneously formed water menisci. Competing mechanisms of increased lubricant mobility and spontaneously formed water menisci of smaller radii of curvature at higher temperature governed temperature dependence. A model based on capillary condensation of water vapor onto surfaces in a sliding contact is developed to explain experimental data. An expression for meniscus force consisting of both Laplace and surface tension contributions is developed for nanometer size contact spots and wear debris particles. The model predicts that meniscus force will increase and head-to-tape spacing will decrease with increasing SH which was observed experimentally. Four lubrication regimes are defined for wear debris particles passing through the contact interface. Both SH and extent of deformation of a particle determine whether menisci will form around the particle, and presence or absence of associated meniscus forces explains trends in dropout frequency data. The model allows determination of meniscus height from which minimum values of Kelvin radius and relative humidity (RH) in the contact interface can be calculated. Proximity and intimate contact of the surfaces increases RH and SH in the contact interface over that maintained in the environmental chamber to near their saturation values.
Failure of Cement-Augmented Pedicle Screws in the Osteoporotic Spine: A Case Report

The treatment of patients with osteoporosis and spinal abnormalities that require surgical intervention is difficult because of the challenge of achieving fixation in osteoporotic bone. As the population ages, this challenge is becoming a common problem in the field of spinal surgery. Although numerous publications exist about the biomechanical benefits of various fixation devices and techniques, no standard of care has emerged that offers a clear method for accomplishing spinal stabilization in such patients. This case presents the failure mode of cement-augmented pedicle screws in a patient with severe osteoporosis, a description of the methods used to attain fixation and spinal stability during the revision surgery, and the outcome achieved for the patient 1 year after surgery. An 82-year-old female with a T9 burst fracture and a history of osteoporosis underwent minimally invasive instrumentation from T5 to T12, fusion from T7 to T11, and decompression from T8 to T10. Four weeks after surgery, the patient returned to the hospital because of back pain. Imaging studies showed that the pedicle screws at T11 and T12, which were augmented with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), had pulled out of the vertebral bodies. The pedicle screws failed by disengaging from the PMMA and displacing posteriorly and inferiorly. The PMMA did not appear to move during this process. A revision surgery was performed, in which the posterior construct was extended caudally and cephalad, the pedicle screws were augmented with PMMA, and a titanium hook and woven polyester band were used to increase the points of fixation. At 1-year follow-up after revision, our patient showed radiographic evidence of fusion, and the construct continued to maintain stability in the osteoporotic spine.
Marek's Disease Virus-Induced Transient Cecal Tonsil Atrophy

SUMMARY Marek's disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative disease of domestic chickens that is caused by a highly cell-associated oncogenic α-herpesvirus, Marek's disease virus (MDV). MDV replicates in chicken lymphocytes and establishes a latent infection within CD4+ T cells. MD is characterized by bursal and thymic atrophy and rapid onset of T cell lymphomas that infiltrate lymphoid tissues, visceral organs, and peripheral nerves with severe clinical symptoms that include transient paralysis, anemia, weight loss, and neurologic disorders. The cecal tonsils (CT) are considered the largest lymphoid aggregates of avian gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Along with Peyer's patches, CT elicits protective immune responses against bacterial and viral pathogens in the intestinal tract of avian species. In this study we investigated the effect of MDV infection on CT structural changes and cytokine gene expression in two MD-susceptible and resistant chicken lines. The histopathologic analysis revealed that MDV ca...
Improvement in Lipid and Protein Trafficking in Niemann‐Pick C1 Cells by Correction of a Secondary Enzyme Defect

Different primary lysosomal trafficking defects lead to common alterations in lipid trafficking, suggesting cooperative interactions among lysosomal lipids. However, cellular analysis of the functional consequences of this phenomenon is lacking. As a test case, we studied cells with defective Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) protein, a cholesterol trafficking protein whose defect gives rise to lysosomal accumulation of cholesterol and other lipids, leading to NPC disease. NPC1 cells also develop a secondary defect in acid sphingomyelinase (SMase) activity despite a normal acid SMase gene (SMPD1). When acid SMase activity was restored to normal levels in NPC1-deficient CHO cells through SMPD1 transfection, there was a dramatic reduction in lysosomal cholesterol. Two other defects, excess lysosomal bis-(monoacylglycerol) phosphate (BMP) and defective transferrin receptor (TfR) recycling, were also markedly improved. To test its relevance in human cells, the acid SMase activity defect in fibroblasts from NPC1 patients was corrected by SMPD1 transfection or acid SMase enzyme replacement. Both treatments resulted in a dramatic reduction in lysosomal cholesterol. These data show that correcting one aspect of a complex lysosomal lipid storage disease can reduce the cellular consequences even if the primary genetic defect is not corrected.