cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mutation location matters in long QT syndrome type 2 (but behavior matters more)

The KCNH2 (hERG) gene is responsible for the major (a) protein subunit of the rapidly activating delayed rectifier K + current (IKr) channel, which provides an essential repolarizing current in cardiac myocytes. Patients with mutations in KCNH2 have long QT syndrome type 2 and, depending on the tremendous variability in expression resulting from the complex variations in the rest of their genome, may present as phenotypically normal or may have QT prolongation with or without symptoms of syncope or cardiac arrest from torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia. In order to form a functional IKr channel, the protein subunits must undergo glycosylation in the endoplasmic reticulum, coassemble into tetramers, and traffic to the cell membrane. Intracellular “quality-control” machinery can recognize abnormally folded/glycosylated proteins and prevent trafficking to the cell membrane. For the most part, mutations in the nonpore part of KCNH2 cause failure of mutant subunits to coassemble and traffic to the membrane, leaving heterozygous individuals with half the usual number of IKr channels (haplotype insufficiency). 1 In contrast, patients with muta
Emergency department simulation and determination of optimal attending physician staffing schedules

Efficient allocation and utilization of staff resources is an important issue facing emergency department (ED) administrators. Increased pressure from competition, health care reform, reimbursement difficulties, and rising health care costs are primarily responsible for the high level of interest in this, and other ED operating efficiency issues. The paper discusses the use of computer simulation to test alternative ED attending physician staffing schedules and to analyze the corresponding impacts on patient throughput and resource utilization. The simulation model can also be used to help identify process inefficiencies and to evaluate the effects of staffing, layout, resource, and patient flow changes on system performance without disturbing the actual system. The development of this model was based on the Emergency Department at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The Workers` Party and Democratization in Brazil

In this groundbreaking study of the Workers' Party-the first legal mass party on the left in Brazil's recent history-Margaret E. Keck sheds new light on significant changes in Brazilian political organization and society over the past two decades. Her book not only clarifies political movements in Brazil and Latin America but also gives insights into attempts in any country to create democratic parties that represent the popular classes. "A wonderful book. The arguments are convincing, the prose, refreshingly clear. . . . Her study will likely be foundational and indelible for subsequent scholarship on the Workers' party."-Ben Ross Schneider, American Political Science Review "An important contribution to studies of contemporary party politics, its comparative value is enhanced by systematic reference to work on party formation and organization in Europe."-Paul Cammack, Political Studies
Making transmission systems smart: An opportunity which should not be missed

In this paper we point out that while many efforts are under way to making distribution systems smart, very little serious attention has been given to rethinking the enhancements of transmission systems. Future electric energy systems are likely to require a qualitatively different management of the existing transmission system in order to enable their rapidly changing needs and objectives. The dominant flow patterns may change in such significant ways that it will become unavoidable to re-direct flows in order to serve the medium and low voltage needs. The bulk transmission system will have to rely on much more automation in response to on-line sensing and communication if it is to ensure reliable and efficient power balancing required by the ever-changing needs of the distribution- and subtransmission-system users. Sooner or later, many portfolia of smaller distributed resources (both consumers and prosumers) will have multi-lateral self-committing arrangements for energy services. Depending on the scale of such novel resources, the need for smarter information exchange and coordination across all system levels (transmission, sub-transmission and distribution) and within each level will become essential. The effects of many DERs on the delivery system as a whole are likely to be significant.
Factors that influence perforator thrombosis and predict healing with perforator sclerotherapy for venous ulceration without axial reflux

Objective Refluxing perforators contribute to venous ulceration. We sought to describe patient characteristics and procedural factors that (1) impact rates of incompetent perforator vein (IPV) thrombosis with ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy (UGS) and (2) impact the healing of venous ulcers (CEAP 6) without axial reflux. Methods A retrospective review of UGS of IPV injections from January 2010 to November 2012 identified 73 treated venous ulcers in 62 patients. Patients had no other superficial or axial reflux and were treated with standard wound care and compression. Ultrasound imaging was used to screen for refluxing perforators near ulcer(s). These were injected with sodium tetradecyl sulfate or polidocanol foam and assessed for thrombosis at 2 weeks. Demographic data, comorbidities, treatment details, and outcomes were analyzed. Univariate and multivariable modeling was performed to determine covariates predicting IPV thrombosis and ulcer healing. Results There were 62 patients (55% male; average age, 57.1 years) with active ulcers for an average of 28 months with compression therapy before perforator treatment, and 36% had a history of deep venous thrombosis and 30% had deep venous reflux. At a mean follow-up of 30.2 months, ulcers healed in 32 patients (52%) and did not heal in 30 patients (48%). Ulcers were treated with 189 injections, with an average thrombosis rate of 54%. Of 73 ulcers, 43 ulcers (59%) healed, and 30 (41%) did not heal. The IPV thrombosis rate was 69% in patients whose ulcers healed vs 38% in patients whose ulcers did not heal (P Conclusions Thrombosis of IPVs with UGS increases venous ulcer healing in a difficult patient population. Complete closure of all IPVs in an ulcerated limb was the only predictor of ulcer healing. Men and patients taking warfarin have decreased rates of IPV thrombosis with UGS.
The seasonality of nutrient regeneration in an organic-rich coastal sediment: Kinetic modeling of changing pore-water nutrient and sulfate distributions

Measured port-water concentration profiles for dissolved ammonium, phosphate, total inorganic carbon, and sulfate show a distinct seasonal cycle in response to the temperature dependence of rates of microbially mediated organic matter oxidation in sediments at Cape Lookout Bight, N.C. The depth and temperature dependence of measured production and consumption rates, adsorption coefficients, apparent diffusion cocllicients, and sediment porosities were combined to construct a diagenetic model of ammonium production, ZCOz production, and sulfate reduction that was timetcmpcraturc- and depth-dependent. Numerical predictions of pore-water concentrations from a set of initial spring conditions agree well with measured port-water profiles through summer and fall-the period of greatest change in reaction rates in response to seasonal fluctuations in temperature. Modeling also indicates that inclusion of complex, porosity-dependent terms, even in the time- and tcmperaturc-depcndcnt cast, is probably unnecessary in these sediments; simpler, constant-porosity models give results that generally deviate ~4% from the predictions of complex models.
Anomaly Detection Algorithms on IBM InfoSphere Streams: Anomaly Detection for Data in Motion

This paper presents and shares excerpts from our implementation of near real-time anomaly detection algorithms on the IBM InfoSphere Streams platform. The purpose of this article is to: 1) Describe how to design and implement known anomaly detection algorithms on IBM InfoSphere Streams. 2) Present some performance optimization capabilities of IBM InfoSphere Streams platform and propose a method to use them in anomaly detection applications. 3) Present some IBM InfoSphere Streams best practices and describe how their adoption in the context of anomaly detection application. The document describes the architecture and design of anomaly detection algorithms developed on IBM InfoSphere Streams. Although the solution was designed to be used for cyber security, the implemented algorithms are agnostic regarding the data type that they monitor and therefore can detect anomalies in data from various industries such as healthcare, finance and retail. The document describes the implementation of two anomaly detection algorithms: KOAD and PCA. The KOAD algorithm performs online anomaly detection with incremental learning and the PCA algorithm in performs offline anomaly detection. The solution was designed to provide near real-time insight into low latency on large data volume observation.
A New Look at the Republican Advantage in Nonpartisan Elections

Conventional wisdom has long held that Republicans are advantaged when partisan labels are removed from the ballot. However, in this article, the authors argue that the advantage gained from nonpar...
Predicting outcomes of transforaminal epidural injections for sciatica

Abstract Background context Previous studies on epidural injections have focused on efficacy and have not evaluated factors predicting outcomes of epidural injections. Purpose To determine which patient factors are associated with transforaminal epidural injection outcomes for sciatica. Study design Cross-sectional study design at a university spine center. Patient sample Consecutive patients with sciatica who have had an electromyography study and a transforaminal epidural injection between January 1999 and July 2001. Outcome variables The outcome variable was a composite score of the patients' pain severity and medication use compared with their initial visit. Independent variables included demographics, previous back surgery, pain severity at initial presentation, pain medication use at initial presentation, litigation, having Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or workers' compensation, electromyography results. Methods Medical information was gathered on the variables listed above. Results Seventy-six patients, mean age 50.4 years and 49% female, participated. At a mean follow-up of 122 days (SD 146.3), 35 (47%) were improved, 21 (28% were unchanged) and 12 (16%) were worse. Initial correlation analysis showed some relationship between outcomes and having SSDI or workers' compensation (R = .43, p Conclusions When controlled for SSDI/workers' compensation, lifting requirements at work, but not working status and radiculopathy, also were associated with outcomes but the association was not as strong. This paper brings into question the utility of offering epidural injections to patients who are on SSDI/workers' compensation and require heavy lifting at work.
New constitutive equations for the rapid flow of granular materials

Abstract Presented is an analytical description of the rapid two dimensional shearing flow of granular materials which results in expressions for the normal as well as the shear stress in terms of various flow parameters. The rapid flow regime here is in accord with the grain-inertia-dominated flow of granular materials as described by Bagnold. Both gradients of velocity and microrotation of grains are taken into account and the final constitutive equations resemble those of a non-Newtonian microfluid for which the stresses depend on the square of the velocity gradients, the square of microrotation gradients, as well as the product of velocity gradients and microrotation gradients.
Effects of web-based instruction on math anxiety, the sense of mastery, and global self- esteem : A quasi-experimental study of undergraduate statistics students

To explore the effects of web-based instruction (WBI) on math anxiety, the sense of mastery, and global self-esteem, we use quasi-experimental data from undergraduate statistics students in classes...
Can We Use Syndromic Surveillance Data to Identify Primary Care Visits to NYC EDs

A primary care (PC) syndrome was developed to estimate the number of primary care-related visits to emergency departments (EDs) in New York City and explore predictors of these visits. The PC syndrome included referrals, screenings, wound care, or medication refills. A hierarchical model with a hospital-level random intercept was used to explore patient characteristics - duplicate visit, patient gender and age, and time of visit - associated with PC syndrome visits. In NYC, 7.5% of ED visits in 2011 were PC syndrome visits. Despite undercounting, the relationships between our predictors and PC syndrome visits were consistent with published literature.
Intermediate Effect Biomarkers--Alternatives to Direct Concentration- Response Data for Regulatory Benefits Analyses

Perceived needs for extensive chemical-specific toxicological information have impeded efforts to assess risks and evaluate likely public health protection benefits of possible standards for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). This paper discusses opportunities to use effects of HAPs on early effect biomarkers, such as birth weights, to predict likely changes in rare quantal effects of concern that would be relevant for the quantification of likely regulatory benefits from exposure reductions. In the birth weight example, even modest exposures to common air pollutants can be seen as producing a kind of tax on the limited resources available to the fetus to grow and develop. In contrast to teratogenic effects, dose response relationships for fetal growth restriction in animals are often nearly linear, suggesting that the developing fetus may not generally have untapped "functional reserve capacity" that is expected to buffer the effects of modest exposures to toxicants in the traditional toxicological paradigm. Given this mechanistic perspective, supported in part by parallel dose response relationships between reported cigarette smoking and both birth weight and infant mortality, restriction on fetal growth can be associated with changes in quantal end effects of concern that are more difficult to assess directly in epidemiological studies.
CONCERNING THE STABILITY OF THE ACID-BASE EQUILIBRIUM OF THE BLOOD IN PREGNANT ANIMALS

1. The acid-base equilibrium of the blood as indicated by determinations of the reserve alkali of the blood remains constant in non-pregnant animals at different age periods. This statement does not imply that the acid-base balance of such animals at different age periods is a stable balance. 2. In pregnant animals of the same age periods as the control animals there may develop an instability of this equilibrium which is either associated with the occurrence of a renal injury and which may be looked upon as a retention phenomenon, or arises independently of such an injury. In this latter group of animals the disturbance in the equilibrium increases in frequency and is earlier in its appearance in the gestation period as the age of the organism increases. 3. In old and in senile pregnant animals some physiological mechanism other than that of the kidney becomes unable to stabilize the acid-base equilibrium of the blood with the result that as the pregnancy advances this physiological state of the organism (gestation) becomes pathological.
Actions of vitamin D independent of the parathyroid glands.

Vitamin D was shown to decrease tubular reabsorption of P in rachitic dogs that were parathyroidectomized. This effect was not consistently preceded by an increase in the serum Ca. The actions of vitamin D were much slower in onset than similar effects of parathyroid extract, and this could not be attributed to a delay in absorption of the vitamin. Finally, unlike parathyroid hormone, vitamin D failed to increase OHPr excretion. (Endocrinology 82: 760, 1968)
Repolarization lability measured on 10-second ECG by spatial TT′ angle: Reproducibility and agreement with QT variability

Abstract Background Reproducibility of spatial TT′ angle on the 10-second ECG and its agreement with QT variability has not been previously studied. Methods We analyzed 2 randomly selected 10-second segments within 3-minute resting orthogonal ECG in 172 healthy IDEAL study participants (age 38.1 ± 15.2 years, 50% male, 94% white). Repolarization lability was measured by the QT variance (QTV), short-term QT variability (STV(QT)), and spatial TT′ angle. Bland–Altman analysis was used to assess the agreement between different log-transformed metrics of repolarization lability, and to assess the reproducibility. Results The heart rate showed a very high reproducibility (bias 0.14%, Lin's rho_c = 0.99). As expected, noise suppression by averaging improves reproducibility. Agreement between two 10-second LogQTV was poor (bias − 0.04; 95% limits of agreement [− 1.89; 1.81]), while LogSTV(QT) (0.04 [− 1.01; 1.10]), and especially LogTT′ angle (− 0.009 [− 0.84; 0.82]) was better. Conclusion TT′ angle is a satisfactory reproducible metric of repolarization lability on the 10-second ECG.
Discriminative Gaussian mixture models: a comparison with kernel classifiers

We show that a classifier based on Gaussian mixture models (GMM) can be trained discriminatively to improve accuracy. We describe a training procedure based on the extended Baum-Welch algorithm used in speech recognition. We also compare the accuracy and degree of sparsity of the new discriminative GMM classifier with those of generative GMM classifiers, and of kernel classifiers, such as support vector machines (SVM) and relevance vector machines (RVM).
Influence of C, N and O Ion-Implantation on Yellow Luminescence

Influence of C, N and O ion-implantation on the yellow luminescence (YL) of halide vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) and metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) grown GaN has been studied by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. For the HVPE-grown samples, only C implantation produces a significant enhancement of YL while its corresponding overall PL integrated intensity is only ˜72% of its original value. Implantation of O or N do not appreciably change the YL but decrease the BE integrated intensities by a factor of ten. The full-width-halfmaximum (FWHM) of the BE band expanded to about 1.4 × of the original value in all three cases. These results indicate that one source of the YL is strongly correlated to incorporation of C into the GaN film. The C-induced defect complexes in GaN are optically active while O or N does not lead to any new luminescence features. The variable-temperature PL measurements on the C-implanted HVPE-grown GaN reveal that the FWHM of the YL band increases linearly and the peak energy of the YL changes very little with the increasing measurement temperature, while the integrated intensity of the YL band decreases monotonically. This trend of the YL FWHM and peak energy with the measurement temperature can be explained by a two-channel transition model. For MOVPE-grown GaN films., all ion-implanted samples exhibit a significant loss of both the YL and overall integrated PL intensity. Residual C contamination in the MOVPE samples could be large compared to the additional ion-implanted carbon leading to a reduced impact of the ion-implanted carbon.
FIP5 phosphorylation during mitosis regulates apical trafficking and lumenogenesis

Apical lumen formation is a key step during epithelial morphogenesis. The establishment of the apical lumen is a complex process that involves coordinated changes in plasma membrane composition, endocytic transport, and cytoskeleton organization. These changes are accomplished, at least in part, by the targeting and fusion of Rab11/FIP5-containing apical endosomes with the apical membrane initiation site (AMIS). Although AMIS formation and polarized transport of Rab11/FIP5-containing endosomes are crucial for the formation of a single apical lumen, the spatiotemporal regulation of this process remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the formation of the midbody during cytokinesis is a symmetry-breaking event that establishes the location of the AMIS. The interaction of FIP5 with SNX18, which is required for the formation of apical endocytic carriers, is inhibited by GSK-3 phosphorylation at FIP5-T276. Importantly, we show that FIP5-T276 phosphorylation occurs specifically during metaphase and anaphase, to ensure the fidelity and timing of FIP5-endosome targeting to the AMIS during apical lumen formation.
Quark-nucleon dynamics and deep virtual Compton scattering

We consider deeply virtual Compton scattering and deep inelastic scattering in presence of Regge exchanges that are part of the nonperturbative quark-nucleon amplitude. In particular we discuss contribution from the Pomeron exchange and demonstrate how it leads to Regge scaling of the Compton amplitude. A new fit of the deeply virtual Compton scattering total cross section data in HERA kinematics is proposed.
Changes in stand structure and composition after restoration treatments in low elevation dry forests of northeastern Oregon

In many fire-dependent forests in the United States, changes occurring in the last century have resulted in overstory structures, conifer densities, down woody structure and understory plant communities that deviate from those described historically. With these changes, many forests are presumed to be unsustainable. Broad-scale treatments are proposed to promote stand development on trajectories toward more sustainable structures. Yet little research to date has identified the effects of these restoration treatments, especially in low elevation dry ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests of northeastern Oregon. We report changes in tree structure, coarse woody debris (logs), and understory composition from an operational-scale, replicated (N = 4), completely randomized experiment. Treatments included a single entry thin from below conducted in 1998, a late season burn conducted in 2000, a thin followed by burning (thin + burn), and a no action treatment which served as a control. Changes in live and dead tree structure and understory vascular plant community composition were compared between pre-treatment and 2004. Tree seedling density and composition and coarse woody debris structure were evaluated in 2004. Thin, burn, and thin + burn treatments reduced the density but not the basal area of live overstory trees. Thinning reduced the number of medium-diameter trees, and tended to decrease the abundance of shade tolerant, moist-site understory species yet increased the dominance of several rhizomatous species such as Calamagrostis rubescens, Symphoricarpos albus, and Spiraea betulifolia. Burning alone had little effect on large trees but reduced the number of small Douglas-fir and logs. Shade tolerant perennial species associated with fine textured soils such as S. albus, Spiraea betulifolia, C. rubescens, Carex geyeri, and Arnica cordifolia increased in frequency and average cover with burning. Conversely, cover of the bunch grass Festuca idahoensis was reduced while non-native invasive species establishment was little affected. Ordination scores suggested that burning increased the abundance of species representing greater shade tolerance and finer-textured soils. The thin + burn treatment left both ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir with modal or normal diameter distributions, and increased the abundance of understory species representing shallow, coarse texture soils. These results are discussed in the context of management options for restoration of ecosystem health in similar low elevation dry ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests.
Holocene Earthquakes and Late Pleistocene Slip-Rate Estimates on the Wassuk Range Fault Zone, Nevada

The Wassuk Range fault zone is an 80‐km‐long, east‐dipping, high‐angle normal fault that flanks the eastern margin of the Wassuk Range in central Nevada. Observations from two alluvial fan systems truncated by the fault yield information on the vertical slip rate and Holocene earthquake history along the range front. At the apex of the Rose Creek alluvial fan, radiocarbon dating of offset stratigraphy exposed in two fault trenches shows that multiple earthquakes resulted in 7.0 m of vertical offset along the fault since ∼9400 cal B.P. These data yield a Holocene vertical slip rate of 0.7±0.1 mm/yr. The south trench exposure records at least two faulting events since ∼9400 cal B.P., with the most recent displacement postdating ∼2810 cal B.P. The north trench exposure records an ∼1 m offset between ∼610 cal B.P. and A.D. ∼1850, a 1.3‐m minimum offset prior to ∼1460 cal B.P., and one earlier undated earthquake of a similar size. Variations in stratigraphy and limited datable material preclude a unique correlation of paleoevents between the two trenches. Approximately 25 km north, the range‐front fault has truncated and uplifted a remnant of the Penrod Canyon fan by >40 m since the surface was deposited ∼113 ka, based on cosmogenic dating of two large boulders. These data allow an estimate of the minimum late Pleistocene vertical slip rate at >0.3–0.4 mm/yr for the Wassuk Range fault zone. Online Material: Tables summarizing radiocarbon and cosmogenic analyses, photos of rocks sampled for cosmogenic analyses, and figures summarizing cosmogenic exposure age estimates.
EGS4 Energy Deposition Kernels at Low Photon Energy including the Molecular Coherent Scattering Form Factor

At photon energies below 100 keV, coherent (Rayleigh) scattering can account for as much as 10% of the total photon interaction cross section (see Figure 1). Rayleigh scatter at these low photon energies is primarily of interest to diagnostic physics, however it is also of paramount importance to the dosimetry of low energy brachytherapy sources such as I-125 and Pd-103. While it accurately can be argued that Rayleigh scatter does not contribute to the deposition of energy, coherent scattering does affect the distribution of energy deposited for low enrgy photons. The effects of coherent scatter on the distribution of deposited energy will be particularly crucial in the calculation of an energy deposition kernel where photons are forced to interact at a point and Monte Carlo is used to simulation the transport of secondary particles and deposition of energy away from the initial interaction point.
PICOT gene expression levels can predict survival and recurrence among malignant pleural mesothelioma patients

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 878 Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an asbestos-related malignancy characterized by rapid progressive local growth, late metastases, and poor prognosis despite aggressive strategies involving surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Upregulation of the thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase system has been implicated in cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis in MPM. We have studied gene expression pattern differences between a surgically resected MPM and the patient’s autologous normal peritoneum using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) and Affymetrix U133AB microarrays. SAGE revealed a significant induction of 38-fold in the expression of thioredoxin-like 2, PKC-Interacting Cousin Of Thioredoxin (PICOT) gene in the tumor compared to normal peritoneum. PICOT is a novel Ca2+-independent protein kinase C-interacting protein which has an N-terminal thioredoxin homology domain required for its interaction with protein kinase C. We have validated PICOT over expression in 23/44 mesothelioma tumor samples by immunohistochemical (IHC) studies and confirmed in vitro differential PICOT gene expression levels in MPM cell lines and cultured mesothelial cells. Five out of six MPM derived cell lines had significantly higher (>2-fold) levels of PICOT gene expression compared to three normal mesothelial cultures. PICOT overexpression in mesothelioma tumor samples was reflective of shorter survival (p<0.006) and rapid recurrence (p<0.007) among a group of twenty-four MPM patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery. These data are suggestive of a critical role for PICOT gene expression during pathogenesis of mesothelioma which might have potential prognostic, and therapeutic implications in the management of this disease.
AOA 2013-2014 Presidential Address: Failure to Succeed?

Mr. President, Distinguished Guests, Members, and Friends, I wanted to speak today on a topic that would be meaningful to each of you. Then I thought . . . , past presidents, young members, seasoned leaders, friends, guests, industrial partners, distinguished foreign presidents, spouses, family . . . , now, that’s a tough crowd . . . , oh, and my parents too . . . , now, that’s a really tough crowd. But as I was relating a story last year to a dear friend and colleague, he said, “That’s a perfect topic for your Presidential Address.” And I hope that, in a few minutes, you will all agree. It seems rather morbid to title a Presidential Address—which should be inspirational and uplifting—with the word FAILURE, especially from a “glass half full” person like me. But as I reflected on a meaningful leadership topic that everyone in this diverse crowd could relate to, it seemed a perfect choice. Failure is all around us, which leads me now to the audience participation portion of this address. I would appreciate a show of hands for how many of you have EVER failed at something you have tried . . . ever . . .? See? My hypothesis for this topic relating to everyone here was correct. In fact, until fairly recently, failure was routinely associated with many of those who chose orthopaedic surgery as a career. We’ve come a long way since the stigmata of those at the bottom of their class choosing orthopaedics as a career to a time when numerous orthopaedic surgeons serve as deans, run entire health care systems, and serve in the United States Congress. But are there some lessons to learn that can help each of us in our own quest to be better leaders and …
Full-wave modeling of EMIC waves near the He+ gyrofrequency

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves are known to be excited by the cyclotron instability associated with hot and anisotropic ion distributions in the equatorial region of the magnetosphere and are thought to play a key role in radiation belt losses. Although detection of these waves at the ground can provide a global view of the EMIC wave environment, it is not clear what signatures, if any, would be expected. One of the significant scientific issues concerning EMIC waves is to understand how these waves are detected at the ground. In order to solve this puzzle, it is necessary to understand the propagation characteristics of the field-aligned EMIC waves, which include polarization reversal, cutoff, resonance, and mode coupling between different wave modes, in a dipolar magnetic field. However, the inability of ray tracing to adequately describe wave propagation near the crossover cutoff-resonance frequencies in multi-ion plasmas is one of reasons why these scientific questions remain unsolved. Using a recently developed 2-D full-wave code that solves the full-wave equations in global magnetospheric geometry, we demonstrate how EMIC waves propagate from the equatorial region to higher magnetic latitude in an electron-proton-He+ plasma. We find that polarization reversal occurs at the crossover frequency frommore » left-hand polarization (LHP) to right-hand (RHP) polarization and such RHP EMIC waves can either propagate to the inner magnetosphere or reflect to the outer magnetosphere at the Buchsbaum resonance location. Lastly, we also find that mode coupling from guided LHP EMIC waves to unguided RHP or LHP waves (i.e., fast mode) occurs.« less
A New Wrinkle on an Old Folding Problem

(2003). A New Wrinkle on an Old Folding Problem. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 258-263.
Detection of migration using sound location

We propose a statistical test for detecting the migration of whales during the period when visual observations are not possible due to ice, fog, darkness, or other environmental factors. Sound locations are linked into "whale tracks" based on the swimming behavior of migrating whales and a permutation test is developed to detect a spatial-temporal pattern of loci of migrating whales including their swimming directions and speeds. Analysis of acoustic location data collected during the 1984 spring migration of bowhead whales past Point Barrow, Alaska, indicates that bowheads were migrating even when few were observed visually because of harsh environmental conditions such as fog or ice.
Visions, Values, and Strategies: Changing Attitudes and Culture

I 'm pleased to be able to share with you a strategic change process that we began at the BankAmerica Corporation back in the Spring of 1983. My job, as head of corporate human resources, was to help the chief executive officer achieve the goal of returning BankAmerica Corporation to a level of profitability where it should be, and to do it strategically versus short term. My challenge was and is to work with line managers to revamp human resource practices, thus enabling us to change the attitudes and hence the culture of the organization. To get started, we conducted what we call a "root value study." We went back to the founding principles of the organization. I would like to explain our background so that you might see what changed in the corporation. It may seem like a commercial, but I think that once you see the CEO's change agenda you'll understand what we're trying to do. One of the most unique aspects of this approach is that we have tried to measure the change in employees' attitudes as well as the behavior of our managers through personnel practices. Most of this information has come through interviews and employee opinion surveys. To the extent possible, I will share that information with you.
Kinetic Water Stability of an Isostructural Family of Zinc-Based Pillared Metal–Organic Frameworks

The rational design of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with structural stability in the presence of humid conditions is critical to the commercialization of this class of materials. However, the systematic water stability studies required to develop design criteria for the construction of water-stable MOFs are still scarce. In this work, we show that by varying the functional groups on the 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (BDC) linker of DMOF [Zn(BDC)(DABCO)0.5], we can systematically tune the kinetic water stability of this isostructural, pillared family of MOFs. To illustrate this concept, we have performed water adsorption studies on four novel, methyl-functionalized DMOF variations along with a number of already reported functionalized analogues containing polar (fluorine) and nonpolar (methyl) functional groups on the BDC ligand. These results are distinctly different from previous reports where the apparent water stability is improved through the inclusion of functional groups such as −CH3, −C2H5, and −...
Application of an Autonomous Intelligent Cyber Entity as a Veiled Identity Agent

This position paper is based on the CodeX "Autonomous Intelligent Cyber Entity" (AiCE) book project. The AiCE draws on its intelligent and computational law capabilities to promote a safer, more efficient on-line environment. It is a flexible framework that can be configured to serve various purposes in business and individual-user settings. Due to its autonomous, intelligent and broad range functional capabilities, the success of AiCE is dependent on its entity status being formally recognized by law. This paper describes how this status can be granted by building on the same legal principles that endow U.S. corporations with an "entity" status; and while the focus here is purposefully narrowed to U.S. law, the same principles have universal application (a subject dealt with comprehensively in the book). Where the particular intention is to better protect a user's private data, the AiCE can be configured by a user into an "AiCE Veiled Identity Agent" (AVIA). This AiCE configuration shields the user's private information and offers him a "veiled" identity similar to that which corporate shareholders enjoy, all without degrading the flow of information vital to innovation and new value generation. This paper concludes with the introduction of the Uniform AiCE Transactions Act (UATA), an intelligent legal framework designed to govern all AiCE activity, promote trust and widespread adoption of this model.
Estimating the risks of coronary angioplasty.

The article presents an evidence-based approach to estimating the likelihood of in-hospital complications in a patient undergoing coronary angioplasty.
A Variable Resistance Thyristor-Type Switch Modeling Technique

An accurate model for simulating the transient turn-ON performance of thyristor-type switches is desirable for the development of solid-state pulse generators. The existing thyristor models are not suitable since they are either impractical to implement in an SPICE simulator, do not accurately model transient turn-ON performance, or are dependent on external circuit parameters that may not be known during the design phase, such as the load and discharge capacitance. An empirical model is developed and presented for Silicon Power’s CCS SC 14N40 thyristor. The process of model determination is detailed, and waveforms obtained from the experiment and an SPICE circuit simulation that implements the thyristor model are discussed.
Conjugate Heat Transfer Analysis for Gas Turbine Film-Cooled Blade

This paper explores the conjugate heat transfer (CHT) numerical simulation approach to calculate the metal temperature for a cooled gas turbine blade. ANSYS CFX14.0 code was selected as the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) tool to perform the CHT simulation. The two-equation SST turbulence model with automatic wall treatment was employed. A full engine test with Silicon Carbide (SiC) chip measurements was performed and used to validate the CHT results.Metal temperatures calculated with the CHT model were compared to engine test data. The results demonstrated good agreement between predicted and measured airfoil metal temperatures. The blade cooling flow prediction was matched to the flow network analysis.This paper describes a process to calculate convection heat transfer coefficients (HTC) for cooling passages and airfoil surfaces using CHT results. This process was made possible because local wall heat flux and fluid temperatures were known. This approach assisted in calibrating an in-house conduction thermal model for steady state thermal analyses.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
High Order Accurate Finite Difference Modeling of Seismo-Acoustic Wave Propagation in a Moving Atmosphere and a Heterogeneous Earth Model Coupled Across a Realistic Topography

We develop a numerical method for simultaneously simulating acoustic waves in a realistic moving atmosphere and seismic waves in a heterogeneous earth model, where the motions are coupled across a realistic topography. We model acoustic wave propagation by solving the linearized Euler equations of compressible fluid mechanics. The seismic waves are modeled by the elastic wave equation in a heterogeneous anisotropic material. The motion is coupled by imposing continuity of normal velocity and normal stresses across the topographic interface. Realistic topography is resolved on a curvilinear grid that follows the interface. The governing equations are discretized using high order accurate finite difference methods that satisfy the principle of summation by parts. We apply the energy method to derive the discrete interface conditions and to show that the coupled discretization is stable. The implementation is verified by numerical experiments, and we demonstrate a simulation of coupled wave propagation in a windy atmosphere and a realistic earth model with non-planar topography.
Evidence from Fermi surface analysis for the low-temperature structure of lithium.

Abstract The low-temperature crystal structure of elemental lithium, the prototypical simple metal, is a several-decades-old problem. At 1 atm pressure and 298 K, Li forms a body-centered cubic lattice, which is common to all alkali metals. However, a low-temperature phase transition was experimentally detected to a structure initially identified as having the 9R stacking. This structure, proposed by Overhauser in 1984, has been questioned repeatedly but has not been confirmed. Here we present a theoretical analysis of the Fermi surface of lithium in several relevant structures. We demonstrate that experimental measurements of the Fermi surface based on the de Haas–van Alphen effect can be used as a diagnostic method to investigate the low-temperature phase diagram of lithium. This approach may overcome the limitations of X-ray and neutron diffraction techniques and makes possible, in principle, the determination of the lithium low-temperature structure (and that of other metals) at both ambient and high pressure. The theoretical results are compared with existing low-temperature ambient pressure experimental data, which are shown to be inconsistent with a 9R phase for the low-temperature structure of lithium.
Abstract 649: Knockout of the Ath26 Quantitative Trait Locus Candidate Gene Cyp4f13 Decreases Atherosclerosis in DBA/2 ApoE-Deficient Mice

We previously identified the atherosclerosis modifying Ath26 quantitative trait locus (QTL) on mouse chr. 17 from intercrosses of apoE-/- mice on the AKR and DBA/2 background, where the DBA/2 allele is associated with larger lesions. The aim of our study was to identify causal genes responsible for Ath26 . Here we report confirmation of the Ath26 QTL in female AKR.DBAchr17 congenic mice, where inheriting 2 DBA/2 vs. AKR alleles at this locus resulted in ~5x larger lesions (p Cyp4f13 as a candidate gene in this locus from gene expression microarray data of bone marrow derived macrophages from individual F2 mice, where Cyp4f13 expression had the strongest correlation with lesion area of all expressed genes (r=0.46, p Cyp4f13 knockout (KO) embryonic stem cells and created KO mice that we backcrossed on the DBA/2 apoE-/- background. We bred male and female DBA/2 apoE-/- mice that were wild type (WT), hemizygous (HET), or KO for the Cyp4f13 gene. Chow diet fed mice were euthanized at 16 weeks of age. There were no significant differences in body weight, plasma total cholesterol or HDL-C among the 3 genotypes in either sex. Cross section lesion areas in the aortic root were not normally distributed and analyzed with non-parametric statistics. In male mice the lesions areas were smaller in the HET and KO vs. WT mice, and since the HET and KO mice had ~ equivalent lesions, we combined these two groups and found a significant 35 % decrease in median lesion area vs. WT mice (P=0.03, two-tailed Mann-Whitney test, HET+KO n=42, WT n=11). In female mice, lesions were 50% smaller in the HET and KO vs. WT mice (P=0.001, HET+KO n=31, WT n=17). Cyp4f13 belongs to the Cyp4F gene family containing 9 members in mice, 8 of which are clustered on chr. 17. Cyp4F proteins hydroxylate the omega carbon on arachadonic acid forming 20-HETE, and also hydroxylate leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Liver microsomes from Cyp4f13 HET mice had decreased 20-HETE forming activity vs. WT mice. 20-HETE and/or LTB4 metabolism may regulate inflammation and contribute to atherogenesis. We conclude that Cyp4f13 is an atherosclerosis modifier gene that may be partially responsible for the Ath26 QTL on chr. 17.
Stimuli of Massed Versus Distributed Practice in a Successive Contrast Situation

Rats were trained with a runway task in an incentive shift study with small (S) or large (L) reward and one (D) or four (M) trials per day in a given phase of the study. Eight groups were formed: SD-SM, SM-SM, LD-SM, LM-SM, SD-SD, SM-SD, LD-SD, and LM-SD. Data from the first trial of the last preshift day showed faster speeds for large reward than small reward. Data from the last three trials of the last complete preshift day showed similar speeds for large and small reward. Massed practice produced slower preshift speeds than distributed practice. Trial 1 speeds for massed practice rats were faster than speeds for the three remaining trials of a given day. Postshift stimuli from the first trial of a day (ST1) and postshift stimuli from the remaining massed trials (SMT) of the day gained separate control over behavior. The data were discussed in terms of Capaldi’s ST1 and SMT hypothesis as it relates to generalization decrement explanations.
Improved fixed-rank Nyström approximation via QR decomposition: Practical and theoretical aspects

Abstract The Nystrom method is a popular technique that uses a small number of landmark points to compute a fixed-rank approximation of large kernel matrices that arise in machine learning problems. In practice, to ensure high quality approximations, the number of landmark points is chosen to be greater than the target rank. However, for simplicity the standard Nystrom method uses a sub-optimal procedure for rank reduction. In this paper, we examine the drawbacks of the standard Nystrom method in terms of poor performance and lack of theoretical guarantees. To address these issues, we present an efficient modification for generating improved fixed-rank Nystrom approximations. Theoretical analysis and numerical experiments are provided to demonstrate the advantages of the modified method over the standard Nystrom method. Overall, the aim of this paper is to convince researchers to use the modified method, as it has nearly identical computational complexity, is easy to code, has greatly improved accuracy in many cases, and is optimal in a sense that we make precise.
PolyPC: Polymorphic parallel computing framework on embedded reconfigurable system

With the help of parallelism provided by the fine-grained architecture, hardware accelerators on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) can significantly improve the performance of many applications. However, designers are typically required to have excellent hardware programming skills and unique optimization techniques to fully explore the potential of FPGA resources. In this work, we propose the PolyPC (Polymorphic Parallel Computing) framework that aims to improve productivity while achieving performance speedup. The PolyPC framework implements a custom hardware platform on which the PolyPC framework extends vendor-provided tools to convert OpenCL-like programs into executables by using highlevel synthesis (HLS) tools. The PolyPC framework is evaluated regarding performance, area efficiency, and multitasking. The results show a maximum of 66 folds of speedup over a dual-core ARM processor, and 1,043 folds of speedup over a high-performance MicroBlaze soft processor, with 125 folds of area efficiency. In addition, it delivers a significant improvement in response time to high-priority PolyTasks with the priority-aware scheduling.