cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond Microblogging: Conversation and Collaboration via Twitter

The microblogging service Twitter is in the process of being appropriated for conversational interaction and is starting to be used for collaboration, as well. In order to determine how well Twitter supports user-touser exchanges, what people are using Twitter for, and what usage or design modifications would make it (more) usable as a tool for collaboration, this study analyzes a corpus of naturally-occurring public Twitter messages (tweets), focusing on the functions and uses of the @ sign and the coherence of exchanges. The findings reveal a surprising degree of conversationality, facilitated especially by the use of @ as a marker of addressivity, and shed light on the limitations of Twitters current design for collaborative use.
Pyrimido[1,2-a]-purin-10(3H)-one, M1G, is less prone to artifact than base oxidation

Pyrimido[1,2-a]-purin-10(3H)-one (M1G) is a secondary DNA damage product arising from primary reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage to membrane lipids or deoxyribose. The present study investigated conditions that might lead to artifactual formation or loss of M1G during DNA isolation. The addition of antioxidants, DNA isolation at low temperature or non-phenol extraction methods had no statistically significant effect on the number of M1G adducts measured in either control or positive control tissue samples. The number of M1G adducts in nuclear DNA isolated from brain, liver, kidney, pancreas, lung and heart of control male rats were 0.8, 1.1, 1.1, 1.1, 1.8 and 4.2 M1G/10(8) nt, respectively. In rat liver tissue, the mitochondrial DNA contained a 2-fold greater number of M1G adducts compared with nuclear DNA. Overall, the results from this study demonstrated that measuring M1G is a reliable way to assess oxidative DNA damage because the number of M1G adducts is significantly affected by the amount of ROS production, but not by DNA isolation procedures. In addition, this study confirmed that the background number of M1G adducts reported in genomic DNA could have been overestimated by one to three orders of magnitude in previous reports.
Comparative Morphology and Anatomy of the Stem of the Flowering Plants

This report concerns itself with the morphology and anatomy of the stem of flowering plants. Research results dealing with both the primary body and secondary xylem are discussed. For the most part, literature dealing with fossil plants, tissue culture, the phloem, the periderm, and regional, purely descriptive, or applied wood anatomy is not treated. I have made no attempt to summarize systematic conclusions, some of which are reviewed in a previous volume (Kadereit 1989). With few exceptions, this discussion is restricted to literature published in the years 1986–1990. During this interval much new factual information has been obtained which has been responsible for the formation of new morphological concepts as well as the reinforcement, substantial modification, or even abandonment of existing theories on the nature, structure, origin, and evolution of angiosperm stems and tissues.
Sex differences in kidney gene expression during the life cycle of F344 rats

The kidney functions in key physiological processes to filter blood and regulate blood pressure via key molecular transporters and ion channels. Sex-specific differences have been observed in renal disease incidence and progression, as well as acute kidney injury in response to certain drugs. Although advances have been made in characterizing the molecular components involved in various kidney functions, the molecular mechanisms responsible for sex differences are not well understood. We hypothesized that the basal expression levels of genes involved in various kidney functions throughout the life cycle will influence sex-specific susceptibilities to adverse renal events. Whole genome microarray gene expression analysis was performed on kidney samples collected from untreated male and female Fischer 344 (F344) rats at eight age groups between 2 and 104 weeks of age. A combined filtering approach using statistical (ANOVA or pairwise t test, FDR 0.05) and fold-change criteria (>1.5 relative fold change) was used to identify 7,447 unique differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Principal component analysis (PCA) of the 7,447 DEGs revealed sex-related differences in mRNA expression at early (2 weeks), middle (8, 15, and 21 weeks), and late (104 weeks) ages in the rat life cycle. Functional analysis (Ingenuity Pathway Analysis) of these sex-different genes indicated over-representation of specific pathways and networks including renal tubule injury, drug metabolism, and immune cell and inflammatory responses. The mRNAs that code for the qualified urinary protein kidney biomarkers KIM-1, Clu, Tff3, and Lcn2 were also observed to show sex differences. These data represent one of the most comprehensive in-life time course studies to be published, assessing sex differences in global gene expression in the F344 rat kidney. PCA and Venn analyses reveal specific periods of sexually dimorphic gene expression which are associated with functional categories (xenobiotic metabolism and immune cell and inflammatory responses) of key relevance to acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, which may underlie sex-specific susceptibility. Analysis of the basal gene expression patterns of renal genes throughout the life cycle of the rat will improve the use of current and future renal biomarkers and inform our assessments of kidney injury and disease.
Nickel homeostasis in Escherichia coli – the rcnR‐rcnA efflux pathway and its linkage to NikR function

The nickel physiology of Escherichia coli is dominated by its Ni-Fe hydrogenase isozymes, which are expressed under anaerobic growth conditions. Hydrogenase activity in E. coli requires the NikABCDE nickel transporter, which is transcriptionally repressed by NikR in the presence of excess nickel. Recently, a nickel and cobalt-efflux protein, RcnA, was identified in E. coli. This study examines the effect of RcnA on nickel homeostasis in E. coli. Under nickel-limiting conditions, deletion of rcnA increased NikR activity in vivo. Nickel and cobalt-dependent regulation of rcnA expression required the newly identified transcriptional repressor RcnR (formerly YohL). Deletion of rcnR results in constitutive rcnA expression and a corresponding decrease in NikR activity. Purified RcnR binds directly to the rcnA promoter DNA fragment and this interaction is inhibited by nickel and cobalt. Nickel accumulation is affected differently among deletion strains with impaired nickel homeostasis. Surprisingly, in low nickel growth conditions rcnA expression is required for nickel import via NikABCDE. The data support a model with two distinct pools of nickel ions in E. coli. NikR bridges these two pools by controlling the levels of the hydrogenase-associated pool based on the nickel levels in the second pool.
Aetiological factors in persistent sputum production: a case-control study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aim was to explore the aetiological roles of smoking, occupational exposure, childhood respiratory illness, and atopy in persistent sputum production. DESIGN--This was a case-control study. Data were obtained using a questionnaire administered by two observers blind to the subjects9 status. Information was sought on lifetime smoking, occupation, hospital admissions due to respiratory disease, and respiratory disease history. SETTING--Four general practices in south east England in 1990, with a total population of about 30,000. SUBJECTS--Cases were subjects aged 5 to 54 years with sputum production; one control was selected per case, matched by general practice, age, and sex, forming 210 matched pairs (88% response rate). MAIN RESULTS--Cigarette smoking remains an important cause of persistent sputum production: the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for current smoking was 7.9 (3.6-20.4). A dose-response relationship was confirmed, with falling risk estimates after stopping smoking. The association of sputum production with occupational exposure to respiratory irritants, which was independent of smoking, was confined to men (odds ratio 2.4, 1.0-6.0) and largely attributable to very heavy exposure. Examination of the relationship with early respiratory disease suggested that much, though not all, was attributable to wheezing illnesses first manifest in childhood. CONCLUSIONS--Aetiological fractions derived from the results suggest that in the general population of south east England approximately 68% of all cases of persistent sputum production can be independently attributed to current cigarette smoking, 17% to heavy occupational exposure to respiratory irritants, and 13% to wheezing illnesses first manifest in early childhood.
Photothermal nano-cavities for ultra-sensitive chem-bio detection

Nano-cavity photothermal spectroscopy is a novel technique for ultra-sensitive chem-bio detection. We illustrate that through simultaneous localization of optical and thermal interactions in a planar nano-cavity, detection sensitivity can be improved by > 10 4 compared to state-of-the-art. Key to nano-cavity photothermal sensing is the use of novel infraredtransparent chalcogenide glasses for resonant cavity fabrication, as these glasses feature a photothermal figure-of-merit over two orders of magnitude higher than conventional materials. We demonstrate planar optical resonant cavity devices in these glasses with record cavity quality factors up to 5 × 10 5 , leading to high photothermal detection sensitivity.
FLEXIVE AND PROPULSIVE DYNAMICS OF ELASTICA AT LOW REYNOLDS NUMBER

A stiff one-armed swimmer in glycerine goes nowhere. However, if its arm is elastic, the swimmer can go on its way. Quantifying this observation, we study a hyperdiffusion equation for the shape of the elastica in a viscous fluid, find solutions for impulsive or oscillatory forcing, and elucidate relevant aspects of propulsion. These results have application in a variety of physical and biological contexts, from dynamic experiments measuring biopolymer bending moduli to instabilities of twisted elastic filaments.
The RLG modular azimuth position system (MAPS) comes of age: first article test results and present applications

Summary form only given. A single MAPS production contract has been awarded to Honeywell to supply the US Army with their Model H-726 model ring laser gyro (RLG) MAPS. Honeywell presented an extensive report of their full-scale development (FSD) test results at the IEEE PLANS 88 Symposium in Orlando, Florida. The author will present a brief summary of the FSD test results, detail the production first article test results, and describe the specification changes that have been made since the end of the FSD phase of the program. Also described will be some of the other applications for the MSP hardware, including the British Warrior observation post vehicle, the COBRA radar system, and the variety of Swedish vehicles that will use this equipment under the POS2 contract. >
Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells for intravascular delivery of oncolytic adenovirus Δ24-RGD to human gliomas

Delta24-RGD is an infectivity-augmented, conditionally replicative oncolytic adenovirus with significant antiglioma effects. Although intratumoral delivery of Delta24-RGD may be effective, intravascular delivery would improve successful application in humans. Due to their tumor tropic properties, we hypothesized that human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) could be harnessed as intravascular delivery vehicles of Delta24-RGD to human gliomas. To assess cellular events, green fluorescent protein-labeled hMSCs carrying Delta24-RGD (hMSC-Delta24) were injected into the carotid artery of mice harboring orthotopic U87MG or U251-V121 xenografts and brain sections were analyzed by immunofluorescence for green fluorescent protein and viral proteins (E1A and hexon) at increasing times. hMSC-Delta24 selectively localized to glioma xenografts and released Delta24-RGD, which subsequently infected glioma cells. To determine efficacy, mice were implanted with luciferase- labeled glioma xenografts, treated with hMSC-Delta24 or controls, and imaged weekly by bioluminescence imaging. Analysis of tumor size by bioluminescence imaging showed inhibition of glioma growth and eradication of tumors in hMSC-Delta24-treated animals compared with controls (P < 0.0001). There was an increase in median survival from 42 days in controls to 75.5 days in hMSC-Delta24-treated animals (P < 0.0001) and an increase in survival beyond 80 days from 0% to 37.5%, respectively. We conclude that intra-arterially delivered hMSC-Delta24 selectively localize to human gliomas and are capable of delivering and releasing Delta24-RGD into the tumor, resulting in improved survival and tumor eradication in subsets of mice.
MicroRNA-363 targets myosin 1B to reduce cellular migration in head and neck cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) remains a prevalent and devastating disease. Recently, there has been an increase in SCCHN cases that are associated with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The clinical characteristics of HPV-positive and HPV-negative SCCHN are known to be different but their molecular features are only recently beginning to emerge. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are small, non-coding RNAs that are likely to play significant roles in cancer initiation and progression where they may act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Previous studies in our laboratory showed that miR-363 is overexpressed in HPV-positive compared to HPV-negative SCCHN cell lines, and the HPV type 16-E6 oncoprotein upregulates miR-363 in SCCHN cell lines. However, the functional role of miR-363 in SCCHN in the context of HPV infection remains to be elucidated. We analyzed miR-363 levels in SCCHN tumors with known HPV-status from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and an independent cohort from our institution. Cell migration studies were conducted following the overexpression of miR-363 in HPV-negative cell lines. Bioinformatic tools and a luciferase reporter assay were utilized to confirm that miR-363 targets the 3’-UTR of myosin 1B (MYO1B). MYO1B mRNA and protein expression levels were evaluated following miR-363 overexpression in HPV-negative SCCHN cell lines. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of MYO1B was performed to assess the phenotypic implication of reduced MYO1B expression in SCCHN cell lines. MiR-363 was found to be overexpressed in HPV-16-positive compared to the HPV-negative SCCHN tumors. Luciferase reporter assays performed in HPV-negative JHU028 cells confirmed that miR-363 targets one of its two potential binding sites in the 3’UTR of MYO1B. MYO1B mRNA and protein levels were reduced upon miR-363 overexpression in four HPV-negative SCCHN cell lines. Increased miR-363 expression or siRNA knockdown of MYO1B expression reduced Transwell migration of SCCHN cell lines, indicating that the miR-363-induced migration attenuation of SCCHN cells may act through MYO1B downregulation. These findings demonstrate that the overexpression of miR-363 reduces cellular migration in head and neck cancer and reveal the biological relationship between miR-363, myosin 1b, and HPV-positive SCCHN.
Neural Correlates of Chronic Low Back Pain Measured by Arterial Spin Labeling

BACKGROUND The varying nature of chronic pain (CP) is difficult to correlate to neural activity using typical functional magnetic resonance imaging methods. Arterial spin labeling is a perfusion-based imaging technique allowing the absolute quantification of regional cerebral blood flow, which is a surrogate measure of neuronal activity. METHODS Subjects with chronic low back and radicular pain and matched healthy normal subjects, undergoing identical procedures, participated in three sessions: a characterization and training session and two arterial spin labeling sessions. In the first imaging session, CP (if any) was exacerbated using clinical maneuvers; in the second session, noxious heat was applied to the affected leg dermatome, the intensity of which was matched to the pain intensity level of the CP exacerbations for each back pain subject. RESULTS The clinically significant worsening of ongoing CP (≤ 30%, n = 16) was associated with significant regional blood flow increases (6-10 mm/100 g of tissue/min, P less than 0.01) within brain regions known to activate with experimental pain (somatosensory, prefrontal, and insular cortices) and in other structures observed less frequently in experimental pain studies, such as the superior parietal lobule (part of the dorsal attention network). This effect is specific to changes in ongoing CP as it is observed during worsening CP, but it is not observed after thermal pain application, or in matched, pain-free healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS Study findings demonstrate the use of arterial spin labeling to investigate the neural processing of CP, and these findings are a step forward in the quest for objective biomarkers of the chronic pain experience.
SOC-NLNA: synthesis and optimization for fully integrated narrow-band CMOS low noise amplifiers

In this paper we present SOC-NLNA, a systematic synthesis methodology for fully integrated narrow-band CMOS low noise amplifiers (LNA) in high performance system-on-chip (SoC) designs. SOC-NLNA is based on deterministic numerical nonlinear optimization and the normal boundary intersection (NBI) method for Pareto optimization. To enable SoC integration, we simultaneously optimize both devices and passive components to yield integrated inductor values that are significantly less than those generated by traditional design techniques. When the synthesized LNAs are simulated, using Cadence SpectreRF, SOC-NLNA yields up to 35 and 58 percent improvement in noise figure and gain. Leveraging the efficiency of our methodology, we are able to generate the Pareto surfaces between LNA performance metrics in seconds.
Center of mass estimator for humanoids and its application in modelling error compensation, fall detection and prevention

We introduce a center of mass estimator, and its application in full body inverse dynamics control, fall detection and fall prevention for humanoid robots. We use the Linear Inverted Pendulum Model dynamics with an offset to predict the center of mass motion. This offset can be interpreted as a modelling error on the center of mass position, or an external force exerted on the center of mass of the robot, or a combination of both. The center of mass estimator is implemented on our Atlas humanoid robot. During the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals, it successfully saved our robot from falling on two occasions, and made us the only competitive team without a fall or human physical intervention among all humanoid teams.
Appendix: Some Linear Algebra for Holomorphic Matrices

The theory of linear ordinary differential equations involves a considerable amount of linear algebra. If, as in this book, the differential equations are analytic, it is essential to know which of the common algebraic operations can be carried out in the ring of functions of one complex variable that are holomorphic in some given region. In this section, some useful general theorems, less simple than their analogs for constant matrices, will be proved.
Orientation Behavior of Antheraea pernyi during the Termination of Cocoon Construction

Larvae of the Chinese oak silkworm, Antheraea pernyi Guenee, terminate cocoon-spinning pointed head-upwards in their valveless cocoon. This orientation is cued by gravity and decided during a critical period of construction which occurs 6-7 turning cycles or 17.5-20.4 h before the conclusion of spinning at 23°C. Following the orientation decision the caterpillar interrupts spinning cycles at the head-up end of the cocoon with temporary lapses into the prepupal posture.
Ecdysteroids inLimulus larvae

Free ecdysteroids were extracted from intermolt and premolt larvae ofLimulus polyphemus in the first posthatch stage, purified by TLC and HRLC, and assayed by RIA and theLimulus bioassay 20-hydroxyecdysone appears to be a principal ecdysteroid and occurs at least 3 times higher a concentration in premolt vs intermolt animals.
Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1) Regulates Cardiac Remodeling and Function in Pressure Overload Induced Heart Failure

Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and Heart Failure (HF) are associated in humans with systemic inflammation and elevated serum levels of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). ICAM-1 reg...
Law Enforcement and Emergency Medicine: An Ethical Analysis

Emergency physicians frequently interact with law enforcement officers and patients in their custody. As always, the emergency physician's primary professional responsibility is to promote patient welfare, and his or her first duty is to the patient. Emergency physicians should treat criminals, suspects, and prisoners with the same respect and attention they afford other patients while ensuring the safety of staff, visitors, and other patients. Respect for patient privacy and protection of confidentiality are of paramount importance to the patient-physician relationship. Simultaneously, emergency physicians should attempt to accommodate law enforcement personnel in a professional manner, enlisting their aid when necessary. Often this relates to the emergency physician's socially imposed duties, governed by state laws, to report infectious diseases, suspicion of abuse or neglect, and threats of harm. It is the emergency physician's duty to maintain patient confidentiality while complying with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations and state law.
Estimating the impact of universal antiretroviral therapy for HIV serodiscordant couples through home HIV testing: insights from mathematical models.

Introduction : Antiretroviral therapy (ART) prevents HIV transmission within HIV serodiscordant couples (SDCs), but slow implementation and low uptake has limited its impact on population-level HIV incidence. Home HIV testing and counselling (HTC) campaigns could increase ART uptake among SDCs by incorporating couples’ testing and ART referral. We estimated the reduction in adult HIV incidence achieved by incorporating universal ART for SDCs into home HTC campaigns in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, and southwestern (SW) Uganda. Methods : We constructed dynamic, stochastic, agent-based network models for each region. We compared adult HIV incidence after 10 years under three scenarios: (1) “Current Practice,” (2) “Home HTC” with linkage to ART for eligible persons (CD4<350) and (3) “ART for SDCs” regardless of CD4, delivered alongside home HTC. Results : ART for SDCs reduced HIV incidence by 38% versus Home HTC: from 1.12 (95% CI: 0.98–1.26) to 0.68 (0.54–0.82) cases per 100 person-years (py) in KZN, and from 0.56 (0.50–0.62) to 0.35 (0.30–0.39) cases per 100 py in SW Uganda. A quarter of incident HIV infections were averted over 10 years, and the proportion of virally suppressed HIV-positive persons increased approximately 15%. Conclusions : Using home HTC to identify SDCs and deliver universal ART could avert substantially more new HIV infections than home HTC alone, with a smaller number needed to treat to prevent new HIV infections. Scale-up of home HTC will not diminish the effectiveness of targeting SDCs for treatment. Increasing rates of couples’ testing, disclosure, and linkage to care is an efficient way to increase the impact of home HTC interventions on HIV incidence. Keywords: HIV serodiscordant couples; antiretroviral therapy; HIV incidence; mathematical modelling; agent-based stochastic network modelling; exponential random graph models (ERGMs). To access the supplementary material to this article please see Supplementary Files in the column to the right (under Article Tools online). (Published: 11 May 2016) Citation: Roberts ST et al. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2016, 19 :20864 http://www.jiasociety.org/index.php/jias/article/view/20864 | http://dx.doi.org/10.7448/IAS.19.1.20864
Analysis on Hot Corrosion Reasons of High-temperature Repeat-heater Tube in Supercritical Unit

By means of macro inspection,metallurgical microscope test,mechanical properties test,scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis,the hot corrosion reason of the high-temperature repeat-heater tube was analyzed.The results show that the bad quality of coal can lead to the hot corrosion of the tube.
A Monitor System for Hybrid Active Power Filter based on Labview

An entire monitor system is designed for the active DC filter used in High Voltage Direct Current(HVDC) lines based on Labview,a developing tool of virtual instrument.The structure of the objective active power filter is introduced,and then the comprehensive requirements on the monitor system are proposed.The hardware of the monitor system includes such necessary functions as signal acquisition and signal shaping,and the software with an agreeable interface involves monitoring,recording and processing.Finally,the results of the operating system are demonstrated,which validate the value of the proposed system.
Exploring Privacy-Accuracy Tradeoffs using DPComp

The emergence of differential privacy as a primary standard for privacy protection has led to the development, by the research community, of hundreds of algorithms for various data analysis tasks. Yet deployment of these techniques has been slowed by the complexity of algorithms and an incomplete understanding of the cost to accuracy implied by the adoption of differential privacy. In this demonstration we present DPComp, a publicly-accessible web-based system, designed to support a broad community of users, including data analysts, privacy researchers, and data owners. Users can use DPComp to assess the accuracy of state-of-the-art privacy algorithms and interactively explore algorithm output in order to understand, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the error introduced by the algorithms. In addition, users can contribute new algorithms and new (non-sensitive) datasets. DPComp automatically incorporates user contributions into an evolving benchmark based on a rigorous evaluation methodology articulated by Hay et al. (SIGMOD 2016).
Distortion in the MRI Stereotactic Planning of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

In stereotactic localization using MRI, distortion of the image is a main factor contributing to errors of measurement. Although correction algorithms for distortion due to magnetic field incongruities are well known, there may still be residual distortion in the image after application of these corrections. As such, a linear scaling of the MR image may have to be applied before localization. In this study, axial and coronal MR images from Gamma Knife radiosurgery treatments were analyzed for the amount and possible effect of this residual distortion. It was found that there was measurable distortion in the images, and that the pattern of distortion suggested that the scaling factors were significantly different along the two axes in each imaging plane. The pixel sizes in the axial plane were 1.17 mm (.0044) along the Y-axis and 1.19 mm (.0038) along the X-axis. The pixel sizes in the coronal plane were 1.20 mm (.0055) along the Z-axis and 1.16 mm (.0031) along the X-axis. It was concluded that in order to reduce errors in localization, linear scaling factors must be applied in each imaging plane along each axis for every patient.
A Primary Cortical Input to Hippocampus Expresses a Pathway-Specific and Endocannabinoid-Dependent Form of Long-Term Potentiation

The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol (2-AG), a key modulator of synaptic transmission in mammalian brain, is produced in dendritic spines and then crosses the synaptic junction to depress neurotransmitter release. Here we report that 2-AG-dependent retrograde signaling also mediates an enduring enhancement of glutamate release, as assessed with independent tests, in the lateral perforant path (LPP), one of two cortical inputs to the granule cells of the dentate gyrus. Induction of this form of long-term potentiation (LTP) involved two types of glutamate receptors, changes in postsynaptic calcium, and the postsynaptic enzyme that synthesizes 2-AG. Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy confirmed that CB1 cannabinoid receptors are localized presynaptically to LPP terminals, while the inhibition or knockout of the receptors eliminated LPP-LTP. Suppressing the enzyme that degrades 2-AG dramatically enhanced LPP potentiation, while overexpressing it produced the opposite effect. Priming with a CB1 agonist markedly reduced the threshold for LTP. Latrunculin A, which prevents actin polymerization, blocked LPP-LTP when applied extracellularly but had no effect when infused postsynaptically into granule cells, indicating that critical actin remodeling resides in the presynaptic compartment. Importantly, there was no evidence for the LPP form of potentiation in the Schaffer-commissural innervation of field CA1 or in the medial perforant path. Peripheral injections of compounds that block or enhance LPP-LTP had corresponding effects on the formation of long-term memory for cues conveyed to the dentate gyrus by the LPP. Together, these results indicate that the encoding of information carried by a principal hippocampal afferent involves an unusual, regionally differentiated form of plasticity.
Polymorphism of the endothelin-1 gene (rs5370) is a potential contributor to sickle cell disease pathophysiology

Abstract Sickle cell disease has been shown to demonstrate extensive variability in disease severity among and between individuals, the variability highlighted by differing genetic haplotypes. Despite the abundance of reports of functional significance due to polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) genes, the role of these polymorphisms in mediating sickle cell disease pathophysiology among African Americans is presently unclear. To deconvolute their potential significance among African Americans with sickle cell disease, we examined the genetic diversity and haplotype frequency of eNOS and ET-1 polymorphisms in disease ( n = 331) and control ( n = 379) groups, with a polymerase–chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. We report that genotypic and allelic frequencies of eNOS variants are not significantly different between groups. eNOS homozygote mutants, which had been shown to have clinical significance elsewhere, showed no statistical significance in our study. On the other hand, and contrary to previous report among Africans with sickle cell disease, the endothelin-1 homozygous mutant variant showed significant difference in genotypic ( p = 2.84E-12) and allelic frequencies ( p = 2.20E-16) between groups. The most common haplotype is the combination of T786C homozygote wild-type variant with homozygote mutant variants of G5665T (ET-1) and Glu298Asp (eNOS). These results show that endothelin-1 (rs5370) polymorphism, rather than endothelial nitric oxide synthase polymorphism might play a significant role in disease severity or individual clinical outcomes among African Americans with sickle cell disease. This would have profound implications for designing and/or advancing personalized care for sickle cell patients and relieving disease complications.
Plug in electric vehicles and the grid

The US Department of Defense (DoD) plans to install large numbers of plug in electric vehicles on defense installations in the US. To help reach lifetime economic parity with conventional combustion engines, the parked vehicles will be used in vehicle to grid mode for frequency regulation and peak shaving. After termination of vehicle leases, these batteries will be used for second life stationary grid service and energy security operations. One challenge of providing such services is to control the battery operations to achieve revenue and savings without excessive wear on the battery, which would incur high replacement costs. An analysis by MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MITLL) of charging infrastructure and V2G services shows this to be economically feasible in many locations. Software is described to implement peak shaving, including automated adaptation to new installations, and allowing frequency regulation when not shaving, and achieve this desired tradeoff. Frequency regulation is shown to be benign for most batteries due to shallow depth of discharge, when properly limited by inverter ratings and battery thermal characteristics. This software and its related communications equipment have been tested by operation of a modified electric van for peak shaving services at MITLL, and by use of plug in medium duty trucks in the DoD Smart Power Infrastructure Demonstration for Energy Reliability and Security (SPIDERS) microgrid experiment at Ft. Carson, CO. Operations at 16 other installations have been simulated using real site load data. Battery usage characteristics are established for both peak shaving and frequency regulation services, and combined with driving usage over a repeated US06 cycle. The effect of these on battery capacity fade are calculated using a lithium ion battery aging model to assess all life cycle costs and value. The results of simulations and testing are presented, and support the feasibility of the concept.
Separation and dual detection of prostate cancer cells and protein biomarkers using a microchip device

Current efforts for the detection of prostate cancer using only prostate specific antigen are not ideal and indicate a need to develop new assays – using multiple targets – that can more accurately stratify disease states. We previously introduced a device capable of the concurrent detection of cellular and molecular markers from a single sample fluid. Here, an improved design, which achieves affinity as well as size-based separation of captured targets using antibody-conjugated magnetic beads and a silicon chip containing micro-apertures, is presented. Upon injection of the sample, the integration of magnetic attraction with the micro-aperture chip permits larger cell–bead complexes to be isolated in an upper chamber with the smaller protein–bead complexes and remaining beads passing through the micro-apertures into the lower chamber. This enhances captured cell purity for on chip quantification, allows the separate retrieval of captured cells and proteins for downstream analysis, and enables higher bead concentrations for improved multiplexed ligand targeting. Using LNCaP cells and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) to model prostate cancer, the device was able to detect 34 pM of spiked PSMA and achieve a cell capture efficiency of 93% from culture media. LNCaP cells and PSMA were then spiked into diluted healthy human blood to mimic a cancer patient. The device enabled the detection of spiked PSMA (relative to endogenous PSMA) while recovering 85–90% of LNCaP cells which illustrated the potential of new assays for the diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Economics/transportation/resources: The Arrow-Debreu model of general competitive equilibrium in a monetary economy

The structure of the benchmark Arrow-Debreu model of a competitive economy can be extended to include the financial structure without a necessity to change the model's basic assumptions. Existence proof of equilibrium of the extended system is delivered.
Non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of composites: using fiber optic sensors

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been used to strengthen and retrofit deteriorated or deficient structures, especially concrete structures. The performance of the rehabilitated structure is highly influenced by the bonding between concrete and FRP, and the existence of potential defects at the concrete/FRP interface and in the FRP laminates. Research has shown that fiber optic sensing technologies provide more advantages over conventional non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods in measuring strain distribution along the bond interface or in the FRP composite, and therefore to detect failure or monitor the performance of the rehabilitated structure. The chapter begins with a brief review of the recent development and advancement of fiber optic sensing technologies, including different types of fiber optic sensors (FOSs) and their applications to civil engineering structures. By embedding FOSs in the FRP composites or at the bond interface between concrete and FRP composites, the fiber optic sensing system provide a promising NDE tool for performance assessment of FRP rehabilitated structures. Field applications of FOSs to FRP strengthened or retrofitted bridges showed that smart structure systems with fiber optic sensors are reliable for real-time monitoring of FRP rehabilitated concrete structures.
Methane and Benzene in Drinking-Water Wells Overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale Hydrocarbon Production Areas

Water wells (n = 116) overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale hydrocarbon production areas were sampled for chemical, isotopic, and groundwater-age tracers to investigate the occurrence and sources of selected hydrocarbons in groundwater. Methane isotopes and hydrocarbon gas compositions indicate most of the methane in the wells was biogenic and produced by the CO2 reduction pathway, not from thermogenic shale gas. Two samples contained methane from the fermentation pathway that could be associated with hydrocarbon degradation based on their co-occurrence with hydrocarbons such as ethylbenzene and butane. Benzene was detected at low concentrations ( 2500 years, indicating the benzene was from subsurface sources such as natural hydrocarbon migration or leaking hydrocarbon wells. One sample contained benzene that could be from a surface ...
Engineering Interfaces to Cells using Synthetic Liquid Crystals

INTRODUCTION: Given the ubiquitous presence of the liquid crystalline state in biological systems and the technological utility of liquid crystals, it is surprising that few examples of the use of liquid crystal technologies involving whole mammalian cell have been reported. One could envisage, for example, the use of liquid crystals to image the expression and organization of receptors either expressed on the surfaces of cells (or secreted into the liquid crystal) in response to biochemical or biophysical cues. Alternatively, liquid crystals might be exploited to deliver chemical or mechanical stimuli to cells and thereby guide their behavior.
The design and implementation of an IPv6/IPv4 network address and protocol translator

IPv6 is a new version of the internetworking protocol designed to address the scalability and service shortcomings of the current standard, IPv4. Unfortunately, IPv4 and IPv6 are not directly compatible, so programs and systems designed to one standard can not communicate with those designed to the other. IPv4 systems, however, are ubiquitous and are not about to go away "over night" as the IPv6 systems are rolled in. Consequently, it is necessary to develop smooth transition mechanisms that enable applications to continue working while the network is being upgraded. In this paper we present the design and implementation of a transparent transition service that translates packet headers as they cross between IPv4 and IPv6 networks. While several such transition mechanisms have been proposed, ours is the first actual implementation. As a result, we are able to demonstrate and measure a working system, and report on the complexities involved in building and deploying such a system.
Epilepsy Treatment: A Futurist View.

Advances in epilepsy treatment are occurring at a rapid pace, and it is challenging for us to keep up with the latest in our field. As we struggle to keep up with the literature and concentrate on our own research and clinical work, we often fail to exercise our imagination and envision what our field will be like in future decades. This was the assignment to the speakers for the Presidential Symposium at the 2016 American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting. I challenged the experts to step outside the frame of their usual daily work to imagine what epilepsy treatment would and should look like for the next generation of epilepsy specialists and their patients. As you will read in the following sections, the speakers truly stepped up to the challenge to look into the crystal ball. The following are summaries of each lecture that describe the current state, existing cutting edge ideas, and some surprising predictions for the future. I am grateful for the tremendous effort these experts put into this challenge...
Innate and procured immunity inside the digestive tract of the medicinal leech

Especially when combined with unique biological adaptations, invertebrate animals provideimportant insights into innate immunity because the immune response is not complicated by adaptive immunity that vertebrates evolved. One such example is the digestive tract of the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, which is unusual in two aspects, it contains a simple microbial community and it stores large amounts of vertebrate blood for a several months. In this review we will discuss aspects of the innate immunity of the leech and from the ingested blood that we term procured immunity to differentiate it from the immunity encoded by the leech genome.
Calculation of the Saturation Properties of a Model Octane-Water System Using Monte Carlo Simulation.

We use Monte Carlo simulation to compute the saturation properties of a model octane–water system. The system phase separates into water-rich liquid and vapor phases, octane-rich liquid and vapor phases, and water-rich liquid and octane-rich liquid phases at various conditions. We outline a strategy for determining the saturation properties of the mixture over a wide range of temperatures, pressures, and compositions. The approach begins with direct calculations that enable one to locate a single saturation point. A variety of expanded ensemble schemes are then used to trace saturation curves along paths of interest. We show how the overall strategy provides a means to construct pressure–composition diagrams at a fixed temperature and temperature–composition diagrams at a fixed pressure. In addition, we demonstrate how the approach is used to trace the liquid–liquid–vapor triple line over a wide range of temperatures. Simulation data are compared with experimental data, when available. Overall, our result...
Roles of Meta-Information in Uncertainty Management

Meta-information is information that describes information. (1994) defined it as information that makes data useful. The importance of meta-information becomes most apparent in situations where the data user is not the data collector and is not likely to be familiar with the characteristics and idiosyncrasies of the data. As more geospatial information becomes available on-line for use by ecologists, meta-information becomes essential to understand and minimize the uncertainty in using the data. Many ecologists collect their own data, but their analysis may require integration with data collected by other scientists. In a context in which it is becoming ever-more common to share and integrate heterogeneous digital data sets, there are several questions for ecologists: • How effectively can ecologists use other scientists’ data? • How effectively can ecologists integrate their data with other scientists’ data? • How can ecologists better understand the uncertainty in their own data analysis? • How can they communicate the uncertainty in their data and analysis to others? • How can they understand the uncertainty in another scientist’s analysis?
A COMPARISON OF THE REFLECTION-ABSORPTION INFRARED METHOD WITH THE ELECTRON ENERGY LOSS METHOD FOR STUDYING VIBRATIONS AT SURFACES

Our original insight into the geometric structure of molecules resulted from an understanding of their infrared absorption spectra, which was interpreted in terms of the vibrations and rotations of the molecules. Although the vibrational spectra of molecules can be used for a wide variety of investigations, the primary information yielded by a spectrum concerns the geometric structure of the molecule and the nature of the bonds between the atoms. When we obtain the vibrational spectrum of molecules adsorbed on a solid surface, we obtain the same kind of information; but now the geometric structure includes the surface atoms to which the molecule is attached and we get information not only about the intramolecular bonds but also about the bonds between the adsorbed molecule and the surface atoms.
Use of monoclonal antibodies in studies of lipoprotein structure and function.

In order to probe the structure and function of apoB, monoclonal antibodies directed against human LDL were produced. The seven antibodies tested were found to be directed against five individual antigenic determinants of apoB in holo-LDL. One of the antibodies inhibited the binding of 125I-LDL to the apoB, E receptor of cultured human fibroblasts.
Mutation screening of the phosducin gene PDC in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and allied diseases.

Purpose To search for a phenotype associated with mutations in the phosducin gene PDC. Methods We screened 853 patients with retinitis pigmentosa or an allied disease diseases, including groups of 61 to 212 patients, each with dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RP), recessive RP, Leber congenital amaurosis, or cone-rod degeneration, for mutations in the PDC gene using direct genomic sequencing of the three coding exons and their flanking intron splice sites. Results We found one polymorphism in the 5' untranslated region (minor allele frequency of 0.149) and three rare single-base sequence variants (one missense change, one isocoding change, and one in the 3' untranslated region). The rare variants were found in one heterozygous patient each and none was interpreted as pathogenic. Conclusions Phosducin mutations are not a major cause of dominant or recessive RP, Leber congenital amaurosis, or cone-rod degeneration. The human phenotype associated with phosducin defects remains unknown.
Shock tube studies of combustion chemistry

A historical review of shock-tube studies of the chemical reactions involved in gas-phase combustion is given. Limitations of shock tube technology as applied in combustion studies are discussed, including effects of wall boundary layers, non-steady wave motion due to reaction exothermicity, incomplete knowledge of chemical compositions, and unsatisfactory accounting for experimental data scatter. Possible improvements of experimental and interpretive methods are presented.
Cerebrovascular Anatomy with Clinical Correlation

Cerebrovascular disease ordinarily comprises about 5–15% of the outpatient practice of a general neurologist, but it is the predominant disorder in the hospital. Thus, the medical student experience is skewed toward evaluation and treatment of stroke, a critically important field, but not necessarily representative of the spectrum of neurology. Adequate preparation to make the most of this experience requires a familiarity with vascular anatomy prior to beginning the mandatory rotation, presumably a minimum of 1 month. This will be summarized to emphasize salient features. Discussion of pathology is essential since ischemic strokes (85%) and hemorrhagic strokes (15%) have distinctive clinical and anatomic patterns. Treatment implications will be briefly reviewed. Case reports will be added to illustrate the importance of the history and neurologic examination to determine both the anatomic and pathologic diagnosis, the evaluation indicated, and some current treatment approaches.
Physical Limitations of Ion Implantation Equipment

When the physical limitations of ion implantation systems are examined, several constraints related to the generation, analysis and scanning of energetic ion beams can be readily identified which will clearly limit the performance of this equipment. These constraints will probably be relevant to most applications of the ion implantation technique.