cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dual microcolumn immunoassay applied to determination of insulin secretion from single islets of Langerhans and insulin in serum

A dual microcolumn immunoassay (DMIA) was developed and applied to determination of insulin in biological samples. The DMIA utilized a protein G capillary column (150 μm I.D.) with covalently attached anti-insulin to selectively capture and concentrate insulins in a sample. Insulins retained in the capillary immunoaffinity column were desorbed and injected onto a reversed-phase capillary column (150 μm I.D.) for further separation from interferences such as cross-reactive antigens and non-specifically adsorbed sample components. Bovine, porcine and rat insulin all cross-reacted with the antibody and could be determined simultaneously. Using a UV absorbance detector, the dual microcolumn system had a detection limit of 10 fmol or 20 pM for 500-μl sample volumes. The DMIA system was used to measure glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from single rat islets of Langerhans. Because of the separation in the second dimension, both rat I and rat II insulin could be independently determined. The system was also evaluated for determination of insulin in serum. Using microcolumns instead of conventional HPLC columns resulted in several advantages including use of less chromatographic material and improved mass detection limit.
Conditioned flavor preferences in young children

In this experiment 11 children participated in a series of 8 pairs of conditioning trials in order to investigate the hypothesis that children could form conditioned flavor preferences based on caloric density. Unfamiliar drink flavors were used in these trials, and the drinks were either high in caloric density (155 kcal/150 ml) or low (less than 5 kcal/150 ml). Caloric density was altered by the addition of low glucose maltodextrin. Each child always had the same caloric density/flavor pairing throughout the conditioning trials. Each trial pair included one high and one low density preload, followed by ad lib consumption. These conditioning trials substituted for the children's regularly scheduled morning snack four days per week, one trial per day. Conditioning trials were given as a series of two-part snacks, consisting of fixed volumes of initially unfamiliar drinks, followed by the opportunity to eat a variety of foods ad lib. Two measures, obtained before and after conditioning, provided evidence for the formation of conditioned flavor preferences: 1) preference assessments, and 2) two-flavor choice tests. In addition, the ad lib consumption data indicated that the children were responsive to the caloric density manipulation, by consistently eating more following the low than the high density drink. The potential contribution of such acquired flavor preferences to the reduction of neophobia is discussed.
Algebraic perturbation theory for dense liquids with discrete potentials.

A simple theory for the leading-order correction ${g}_{1}(r)$ to the structure of a hard-sphere liquid with discrete (e.g., square-well) potential perturbations is proposed. The theory makes use of a general approximation that effectively eliminates four-particle correlations from ${g}_{1}(r)$ with good accuracy at high densities. For the particular case of discrete perturbations, the remaining three-particle correlations can be modeled with a simple volume-exclusion argument, resulting in an algebraic and surprisingly accurate expression for ${g}_{1}(r)$. The structure of a discrete ``core-softened'' model for liquids with anomalous thermodynamic properties is reproduced as an application.
The Nested Global City-Region: Intermunicipal Income Stratification in the Tokyo Metropolitan Region, 1980-2007

This study investigates whether or not income stratification by place has widened within the Tokyo Metropolitan Region (TMR) over the past 30 years. Its analysis shows that although income stratification among the TMR's 228 municipalities has expanded noticeably since 1980, it has remained far less severe than that in America's three largest metropolitan regions, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Declining regional industrial employment, expanding national income inequality, falling land prices in the region's core, and the entrepreneurial waterfront redevelopment policies of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) were some of the catalysts that propelled this rise in stratification in the TMR. Conversely, the region's unique racial-ethnic context and the municipal merger policies of Japanese Government were two of the factors keeping its level of income inequality far below that of America's largest urban regions. These findings support the position of Nested City theorists, who claim that embedded fo...
Self-similar solutions for the Schrödinger map equation

We study in this article the equivariant Schrodinger map equation in dimension 2, from the Euclidean plane to the sphere. A family of self-similar solutions is constructed; this provides an example of regularity breakdown for the Schrodinger map. These solutions do not have finite energy, and hence do not fit into the usual framework for solutions. For data of infinite energy but small in some norm, we build up associated global solutions.
Kinetics of nitrate removal in wetlands receiving agricultural drainage

Abstract The kinetics of nitrate removal in wetlands receiving agricultural drainage from irrigated cropland was investigated with the objective of establishing design criteria for incorporation of ecosystem services in agricultural watersheds. Existing wetlands receiving drainage from irrigated agriculture demonstrated nitrate mass removal efficiencies between 23% and 35%. Areal nitrate removal rates (J) ranged from 142 to 350 mg-N m−2 d−1. Modified areal first-order rate constants for field sites varied between 4.00 and 12.07 cm d−1. Saturation kinetics (Monod or Michaelis–Menten type kinetics) was determined in a supplemental microcosm study using sediments from one wetland by manipulating the loading rate. The apparent half-saturation constant (Km) and maximum removal rate (Jmax) were 43.8 mg L−1 and 4.11 g m−2 d−1 for these sediments. The first-order rate constant from the microcosm (12.97 cm d−1) was statistically the same as to the value for the field site. The results suggest that supplementing field studies with a well-controlled laboratory microcosm study was useful for confirming kinetic parameters derived from field data. It was determined that less than 3% of the land in these agricultural watersheds would need to be managed as wetland to reduce the drainage nitrate concentration to below 0.5 mg L−1.
Measurement of urinary pyrimidine bases and nucleosides by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract A rapid procedure for the isolation, separation, identification and measurement of urinary pyrimidine bases and nucleosides by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is presented. The initial isolation of these compounds from urine was accomplished with small disposable ion-exchange columns. HPLC was performed on a silica gel column with a mobile phase composed of methylene chloride, methanol and 1 M aqueous ammonium formate buffer. Peaks were recorded at both 254 nm and 280 nm and the response ratio was used in conjunction with the elution volume for compound identification. The minimum detectable amount (signal-to-noise ratio = 2) ranged from 0.2 ng for uracil to 2.2 ng for cytidine. Linearity and recovery for thymine, uracil, uridine, pseudouridine, orotic acid and orotidine added to urine was demonstrated over almost a 103 concentration range. The potential application of this method for the study of inborn errors in the urea cycle is discussed.
Segmentation of the skull in 3D human MR images using mathematical morphology

We present a new technique for segmentation of skull in human T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images that generates realistic models of the head for EEG and MEG source modeling. Our method performs skull segmentation using a sequence of mathematical morphological operations. Prior to the segmentation of skull, we segment the scalp and the brain from the MR image. The scalp mask allows us to quickly exclude background voxels with intensities similar to those of the skull, while the brain mask obtained from our Brain Surface Extractor algorithm ensures that the brain does not intersect our skull segmentation. We find the inner and the outer skull boundaries using thresholding and morphological closing and opening operations. We then mask the results with the scalp and brain volumes to ensure closed and nonintersecting skull boundaries. We applied our scalp and skull segmentation algorithm to several MR images and validated our method using coregistered CT-MR image data sets. We observe that our method is capable of producing scalp and skull segmentations suitable for MEG and EEG source modeling in 3D T1-weighted human MR images.
Inheritance of Russian Wheat Aphid Resistance in Spring Barley Germplasm Line STARS-9577B

The Russian wheat aphid (RWA), Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), has become a major pest of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in the western USA. STARS-9577B (PI 591617), a six-rowed, spring barley germplasm line with a high level of resistance to RWA, was recently released to barley breeders for barley improvement. Understanding the inheritance of RWA resistance in this germplasm line is necessary for breeders to develop an effective strategy for utilization of this germplasm in their breeding programs. This greenhouse study was conducted to determine the genetic control of RWA resistance in STARS-9577B. Crosses were made between 'Morex', a susceptible, six-rowed, malting barley cultivar, and STARS-9577B. Genetic analyses were performed on reaction to RWA of parents, F 1 , reciprocal F 1 , F 2 , backcrosses (BC 1 F 1 ) to both parents, and F 2 -derived F 3 families. Reaction was based on a visual rating scale of 1 to 9 (1 = no damage, 9 = dead plant). Segregation in the F 2 and BC 1 F 1 populations indicated multiple gene control. Seventy-seven F 3 families were found to be homozygous resistant and 18 homozygous susceptible, indicating two gene control of RWA resistance in STARS-9577B. Analysis of data from F 2 and BC 1 F 1 populations suggested RWA resistance in STARS-9577B is controlled by dominant alleles at two loci, with alleles at one locus conferring a high level of resistance and alleles at the other locus conferring an intermediate level of resistance only when recessive alleles are present at the first locus.
Sleep problems and functional disability in children with functional gastrointestinal disorders: An examination of the potential mediating effects of physical and emotional symptoms

Sleep disturbances are increasingly recognized as a common problem for children and adolescents with chronic pain conditions, but little is known about the prevalence, type, and impact of sleep problems in pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). The objectives of the current study were two-fold: 1) to describe the pattern of sleep disturbances reported in a large sample of children and adolescents with FGIDs; and, 2) to explore the impact of sleep by examining the inter-relationships between sleep disturbance, physical symptoms, emotional problems, and functional disability in this population. Over a 3-year period, 283 children aged 8–17 years who were diagnosed with an FGID and a primary caretaker independently completed questionnaires regarding sleep, emotional functioning, physical symptoms, and functional disability during an initial evaluation for chronic abdominal pain at a pediatric tertiary care center. A verbal review of systems also was collected at that time. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the pattern of sleep disturbances reported, while structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test theorized meditational relationships between sleep and functional disability through physical and emotional symptoms. Clinically significant elevations in sleep problems were found in 45% of the sample, with difficulties related to sleep onset and maintenance being most common. No difference was seen by specific FGID or by sex, although adolescents were more likely to have sleep onset issues than younger children. Sleep problems were positively associated with functional disability and physical symptoms fully mediated this relationship. Emotional symptoms, while associated with sleep problems, evidenced no direct link to functional disability. Sleep problems are common in pediatric FGIDs and are associated with functional disability through their impact on physical symptoms. Treatments targeting sleep are likely to be beneficial in improving physical symptoms and, ultimately, daily function in pediatric FGIDs.
Unconventional warrior: General Charles H. Bonesteel III and the second Korean conflict 1966–69

General Charles H. Bonesteel III successfully commanded American and South Korean forces during the 1966–69 conflict with North Korean unconventional forces. He organized his troops to detect and combat terrorists, urged and assisted his South Korean counterparts to enact meaningful rural reforms, and kept the Korean national role foremost in combating the attempted insurgency. As a result of Bonesteel's unusual background and talents, he did not choose a doctrinaire solution, but instead chose practical remedies strong on political and social viability rather than customary military shot and shell. His atypical methods worked then and work in Korea to this day. Those who contend that the United States cannot win at counterinsurgency would do well to consider Bonesteel's experience in Korea.
Further remarks on the non-degeneracy condition

The structure of the set of positive solutions of the semilinear elliptic boundary value problem Open image in new window depends on a certain non-degeneracy condition, which was proved by K.J. Brown [2] and T. Ouyang and J. Shi [12], with a shorter proof given later by P. Korman [8]. In this note we present a more general result, communicated to us by L. Nirenberg [13]. We also discuss the extensions in cases when the domain D is in R2, and it is either symmetric or convex.
The market for new issues: Impact of offering price on price support and underpricing

Previous studies have shown that the pattern of first day returns to initialpublic offerings is consistent with the hypotheses of underpricing and price support. We examine two different periods, 1975–1984 and 1996–2002, and find that in each case the measures of price support and underpricing are substantially affected by the initial public offerings' beginning price. During the period 1975–1984, the mean and standard deviation of returns to the price supported group are nearly always zero regardless of price, whileg the mean of the returns to the underpriced group is smile-shaped: high for low-priced and high-priced stocks but lower for stocks offered at intermediate prices. The patterns are different in the most recent data: the mean and standard deviation of both the price supported and underpriced groups are smile-shaped. For the lowest priced stocks, the measures in the later period mirror those for the 1975–1984 period, but for more expensive stocks the measures are substantially higher. The results apply to the first day returns of both firm commitment and best efforts offerings. Once price is taken into account, other than the difference in the probability of price support, the differences among offering types seem to be of secondary importance in explaining first day returns.
Dynamic Characteristics of a R-410A Split Air Conditioning System

Abstract This paper presents experimental results on the shut-down and start-up characteristics of a residential split system R-410A air-conditioner with a capillary tube. During shut-down, the transient characteristics are evaluated by measuring the high and low side pressures and temperatures of the system. The dynamic behavior of the system after start-up is also investigated at the standard cooling capacity rating condition of which the dry and wet bulb temperatures for the indoor and outdoor are 27/19.5 and 35/24°C, respectively. All experiments are performed in a psychrometric calorimeter. The cooling capacity, power consumption, dehumidification capacity and cycle characteristics after start-up are analyzed. The test results show that the cooling capacity and the coefficient of performance (COP) after start-up can be expressed as the combination of two exponential functions of time, approaching the cooling capacity of steady-state.
What is a Pipe? Obama and the Sociological Imagination

This article is an attempt to make sociological sense of the 2008 American election — particularly of the phenomenological observation of extraordinary enchantment and almost amorous attraction which unlikely members of the American population displayed for Obama, from the early days of the campaign onward. I draw on charisma theory to argue that sociology has something surprising to say on the phenomenon, and on the metaphor of the pipe to add detail about the technology of attraction that was in play.
Effect of Deoxyuridine Coadministration on Toxicity and Antitumor Activity of Fluorouracil and Floxuridine

The addition of deoxyuridine (UDR) to fluorouracil (FU) or floxuridine (5‐fluoro‐2′‐deoxyuridine) (FUDR) produced a substantial increase in their toxicity in BDF1 mice. Antitumor assays using sarcoma 180 tumor‐bearing mice showed a concomitant increase in tumor growth inhibition for the nucleoside‐drug combination over identical doses of the single drug. However, no significant increase in antitumor activity with the combination treatment was demonstrated when equitoxic doses were given. Additional support for the therapeutic equality of the single and combination drug regimens was the similarity of the therapeutic indexes for each treatment regimen involving either fluorouracil or floxuridine. The results suggested that any therapeutic benefit achieved with the combination therapy could be duplicated with either fluorouracil or floxuridine at a higher dose.
An Inconvenient Movie

Book under review: Watson Scott Swail (Ed.). (2012). Finding Superman: Debating the Future of Public Education in America. New York, NY: Teachers College Press, 128 pp., $60.00 (cloth), $24.95 (pap...
Co-optimization of droplet routing and pin assignment in disposable digital microfluidic biochips

The number of independent input pins used to control the electrodes in digital microfluidic "biochips" is an important cost-driver in the emerging market place, especially for disposable PCB devices that are being developed for clinical and point-of-care diagnostics. However, most prior work on pin-constrained biochip design considers droplet routing and the assignment of pins to electrodes as independent problems. We propose aninteger linear programming (ILP)-based optimization method to solve the droplet-routing and the pin-mapping design problems concurrently. The proposed co-optimization method optimizes routing pathways, generates a single pin-assignment, and attempts to minimize the number of control pins. It also overcomes a major limitation of recent work on this problem---the method described in prior work can lead to infeasible designs due to the need to change the mapping of pins to electrodes dynamically during bioassay execution. The effectiveness of the proposed co-optimization method is demonstrated for a commercial biochip that is used to perform n-plex immunoassays, as well as an experimental chip for multiplexed in-vitro diagnostics.
A Possible Identification of the X-ray Source Sco X-3

THE purpose of this communication is to point out the positional coincidence of the X-ray source Sco X-3 with an extended H II emission region which may be the remnant of a supernova explosion. Originally, a correlation between supernova remnants and X-ray sources had been predicted by theory and has been verified for the Crab Nebula1 and for Kepler's supernova SN 1604 (ref. 1), although the latter identification has become very doubtful2.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone-Mediated Signaling Cascades Coordinate a Cyclic Pattern of Steroidogenic Factor 1-Dependent Transcriptional Activation

Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) is an orphan nuclear receptor that has emerged as a critical mediator of endocrine function at multiple levels of the hypothalamic-pituitary-steroidogenic axis. Within the adrenal cortex, ACTH-dependent transcriptional responses, including transcriptional activation of several key steroidogenic enzymes within the steroid biosynthetic pathway, are largely dependent upon SF-1 action. The absence of a bona fide endogenous eukaryotic ligand for SF-1 suggests that signaling pathway activation downstream of the melanocortin 2 receptor (Mc2r) modulates this transcriptional response. We have used the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay to examine the temporal formation of ACTH-dependent transcription complexes on the Mc2r gene promoter. In parallel, ACTH-dependent signaling events were examined in an attempt to correlate transcriptional events with the upstream activation of signaling pathways. Our results demonstrate that ACTH-dependent signaling cascades modulate the temporal dynamics of SF-1-dependent complex assembly on the Mc2r promoter. Strikingly, the pattern of SF-1 recruitment and the subsequent attainment of active rounds of transcription support a kinetic model of SF-1 transcriptional activation, a model originally established in the context of ligand-dependent transcription by several classical nuclear hormone receptors. An assessment of the major ACTH-dependent signaling pathways highlights pivotal roles for the MAPK as well as the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A pathway in the entrainment of SF-1-mediated transcriptional events. In addition, the current study demonstrates that specific enzymatic activities are capable of regulating distinct facets of a highly ordered transcriptional response.
miRNPs: versatile regulators of gene expression in vertebrate cells.

TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α) mRNA bears in its 3′-UTR (untranslated region) a conserved ARE (AU-rich element), a signal that exerts tight post-transcriptional control over the expression of TNFα and other cytokines. We found that the TNFα ARE increases translational efficiency when cell growth is arrested, a physiologically relevant state occurring during inflammation, angiogenesis and monocyte differentiation. Under these conditions, called quiescence, the miRNP (microribonucleoprotein)-associated proteins FXR1 (Fragile X mental retardation-related protein 1) and AGO2 (Argonaute 2), which are usually considered negative regulators, are transformed into effector molecules that bind the ARE to activate translation. We then identified a specific miRNA (microRNA) that directs the association of AGO2 and FXR1 with the ARE during translational up-regulation. Two other well-characterized miRNAs likewise promote translation activation in quiescent or in contact-inhibited cells; yet, they repress translation in proliferating cells in the late S/G 2 -phase. We conclude that translational regulation by miRNPs oscillates between repression and activation as a function of the cell cycle. The activating role of miRNAs is now being confirmed in the immature Xenopus oocyte, which mimics the quiescent state.
Sirolimus increases transforming growth factor-β1 expression and potentiates chronic cyclosporine nephrotoxicity

Sirolimus increases transforming growth factor-β1 expression and potentiates chronic cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. Background Sirolimus (SRL) is increasingly being used to decrease cyclosporine (CsA) exposure. SRL is not known to be nephrotoxic and has a mechanism of action distinct from CsA. We investigated the effect of combining CsA and SRL on renal structure and function and on transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in a model of chronic CsA nephrotoxicity. Methods Rats treated with vehicle, SRL 0.3mg/kg/day, CsA 5 or 10mg/kg/day, or CsA5+SRL were sacrificed at 7 or 28days. Physiologic and histologic changes were studied in addition to TGF-β1 mRNA and protein expressions, and mRNA expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and ECM proteins biglycan and types I and IV collagen. Results While SRL alone did not alter renal function and structure, it potentiated the nephrotoxic actions of CsA when used in combination with low-dose CsA5 and resulted in significant changes similar to high-dose CsA10. In addition, SRL alone increased TGF-β1 by 44% to 49% ( P P Conclusion Because SRL augments nephrotoxicity, caution should be exercised when it is used in combination with CsA. More studies are needed to determine the long-term clinical impact of SRL on nephrotoxicity and allograft function.
Evaluation of reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the CDASI and the CAT-BM

To properly evaluate therapies for cutaneous dermatomyositis (DM), it is essential to administer an outcome instrument that is reliable, valid, and responsive to clinical change, particularly when measuring disease activity. The purpose of this study was to compare two skin severity DM outcome measures, the Cutaneous Disease and Activity Severity Index (CDASI) and the Cutaneous Assessment Tool—Binary Method (CAT-BM), with the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) as the ‘‘gold standard’’. Ten dermatologists evaluated 14 patients with DM using the CDASI, CAT-BM, and PGA scales. Inter- and intra-rater reliability, validity, responsiveness, and completion time were compared for each outcome instrument. Responsiveness was assessed from a different study population, where one physician evaluated 35 patients with 110 visits. The CDASI was found to have a higher inter- and intra-rater reliability. Regarding construct validity, both the CDASI and the CAT-BM were significant predictors of the PGA scales. The CDASI had the best responsiveness among the three outcome instruments examined. The CDASI had a statistically longer completion time than the CAT-BM by about 1.5minutes. The small patient population may limit the external validity of the findings observed. The CDASI is a better clinical tool to assess skin severity in DM.
Many-body effects in a semiconductor microcavity laser: Experiment and theory

Summary form only given. In this paper, we describe a study of the underlying physical mechanisms governing the threshold properties of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). In particular, we evaluate the mechanisms that effect the threshold properties as a function of emission wavelength. Other important issues, such as the dependence of the threshold properties on microcavity dimensions, will be discussed.
ELECTROCHEMICAL INCINERATION OF REFRACTORY ORGANIC POLLUTION BY ELECTROCHEMICALLY GENERATED FENTON'S REAGENT

(1) FeReaction (1) is called “Fenton Reaction” and the process is called “Fenton process”.In traditional Fenton process, the reactants H
Turning a tiger into a house cat: using Legionella pneumophila to study Coxiella burnetii

Abstract Understanding how Coxiella burnetii causes Q fever has proven to be exceedingly difficult owing to its obligate intracellular nature. Sequencing the C. burnetii genome revealed the presence of genes that could encode a type IV secretion system highly homologous to the Dot/Icm system in Legionella pneumophila . Recently, two groups have exploited this similarity by expressing the C. burnetii dot/icm homologues in a surrogate host, L. pneumophila , to determine their function.
A parallel virtual machine for programs composed of abstract data types

An abstract data type mechanism is provided by many modern programming languages, and is often employed during system development to promote modularity and reuse. This paper describes ARC, a parallel virtual machine designed for executing programs that use abstract data types (ADTs). The major contribution of ARC is that it supports Asynchronous Remote Procedure Call (ARPC), a model of parallel execution that works well for programs developed by layering ADTs. To support ARPC, ARC performs data synchronization, automatic parameter restoration, and dynamic load balancing. >
The Effects of Intravenous Anesthetics on Intracranial Pressure and Cerebral Perfusion Pressure in Two Feline Models of Brain Edema

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of various intravenous anesthetics on intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) in two models of brain edema in a prospective study in a Pediatric critical care animal laboratory in a university hospital. Materials and Methods: Intraparenchymal ICP monitors were inserted in 30 anesthetized adult cats. In 15 cats, an intraparenchymal balloon-tipped catheter was placed and inflated to create a space-occupying lesion (SOL) to mimic vasogenic brain edema (VBE). In the other 15 cats, cytotoxic brain edema (CBE) was created by an acute reduction in blood osmolality. We used continuous hemodiafiltration (CAVH-D) and replaced the ultrafiltrate with hypotonic solution to maintain euvolemia. At predetermined points, each cat in each model received multiple intravenous (IV) injections of one of the following medications: methohexital 1.5 mg/kg, propofol 2 mg/kg, or ketamine 2 mg/kg. ICP and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were continuously monitored in all animals. Results: In the SOL model, all three anesthetic agents decreased ICP after each administration (P Conclusions: Our results indicate that IV anesthetics decrease ICP caused by SOL but have no significant effect on ICP due to CBE. We postulate that in the SOL model, and similarly in VBE, some brain tissue is viable and remains responsive to anesthetics. In contrast, in the CBE model, diffuse intracellular damage occurs, the cerebral metabolic rate may be severely depressed, autoregulation of the cerebral vasculature may be impaired, and unresponsiveness to IV anesthetics may occur.
A NONLINEAR FUZZY LOGIC CONTROLLER DEVELOPED FOR AN AUTONOMOUS SURFACE BOAT

This paper presents an optimized nonlinear fuzzy logic controller designed for an autonomous surface craft and describes the process by which it was found. The nonlinear fuzzy logic controller described herein was developed to maintain the linear feedback control of an optimal set of controller gains when the state is near the operating point. The simplex optimization method was utilized to find the optimal fuzzy logic parameters that define the shape of the control law away from the normal operating point. The resultant controller showed approximately a 20% improvement over the optimal linear controller.
Insights from a Nanoparticle Minuet: Two-Dimensional Membrane Profiling through Silver Plasmon Ruler Tracking

Individual pairs of polymer-tethered silver nanoparticles, so-called silver plasmon rulers, enable distance and orientation measurements on the nanoscale. The reduced linear dichroism and the spectrum of the light scattered from individual plasmon rulers encode information about their orientation and average interparticle separation, respectively. We took advantage of the gain in information silver plasmon rulers offer as probes in optical tracking and analyzed the translational and rotational motions as well as the extension of individual silver plasmon rulers diffusing on the plasma membrane of lysed HeLa cells. Consistent with a compartmentalization of the cell surface on the length scales of the plasmon rulers, most rulers were either immobilized or performed a confined lateral diffusion. Structural details of a plasmon ruler's confinement region became accessible utilizing the orientation and interparticle separation dependent optical response of the plasmon rulers. This approach, which we refer to as polarization-resolved plasmon coupling microscopy, enabled a detailed structural characterization of individual membrane compartments and provided a quantitative metrics to characterize the structural lateral heterogeneity of cell membranes on submicrometer length scales. In combination with adequate tracking methods, the "dance" performed by membrane confined dimers of flexibly linked noble metal nanoparticles revealed deep insight into the underlying membrane morphology.
Protein structure networks

The application of the field of network science to the scientific disciplines of structural biology and biochemistry, have yielded important new insights into the nature and determinants of protein structures, function, dynamics and the folding process. Advancements in further understanding protein relationships through network science have also reshaped the way we view the connectivity of proteins in the protein universe. The canonical hierarchical classification can now be visualized for example, as a protein fold continuum. This review will survey several key advances in the expanding area of research being conducted to study protein structures and folding using network approaches.
Investigation of spatially resolved light absorption in a spark-ignition engine fueled with propane/air

UV absorption in the combustion phase of spark-ignition engines strongly influences laser-induced-fluorescence measurements and flame-emission techniques because of the attenuation of a laser and/or signal light. This absorption was assessed with spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions in an optically accessible research engine. Absorption was measured along a line for different crank-angle positions throughout the combustion phase of the engine by use of spectrally resolved transmittance measurements of both broadband illumination from a deuterium lamp and emission of laser-excited hot oxygen. Evaluating the spatial patterns of absorptivity revealed that no increased absorption can be attributed to the flame-front region and that homogeneous absorption cross sections for the whole burned-gas region can be assumed. The temporal change of absorption was shown to depend on the pressure effect with only negligible changes in absorption cross sections. Results obtained from the absorption measurements are applied for spatially resolved corrections of two-dimensional laser-induced-fluorescence measurements of NO concentration fields obtained under different operating conditions.
Health as Expanding Consciousness A Nursing Perspective for Grounded Theory Research

Margaret Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness provides an excellent nursing perspective for nursing grounded theory research studies. Application of this nursing theory to grounded theory research provides a unitary-transformative paradigm perspective to the sociological underpinnings of grounded theory methodology. The fit between this particular nursing theory and grounded theory methodology is apparent when purpose, timing, process, and health outcomes of the two are compared. In this column, the theory of health as expanding consciousness is described and the theory's research as praxis methodology is compared to grounded theory methodology. This is followed by a description of how the theory of health as expanding consciousness can be utilized as a perspective for nursing grounded theory research.
Slapped in the Face by the Invisible Hand: Banking and the Panic of 2007

The 'shadow banking system' at the heart of the current credit crisis is, in fact, a real banking system – and is vulnerable to a banking panic. Indeed, the events starting in August 2007 are a banking panic. A banking panic is a systemic event because the banking system cannot honor its obligations and is insolvent. Unlike the historical banking panics of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the current banking panic is a wholesale panic, not a retail panic. In the earlier episodes, depositors ran to their banks and demanded cash in exchange for their checking accounts. Unable to meet those demands, the banking system became insolvent. The current panic involved financial firms 'running' on other financial firms by not renewing sale and repurchase agreements (repo) or increasing the repo margin ('haircut'), forcing massive deleveraging, and resulting in the banking system being insolvent. The earlier episodes have many features in common with the current crisis, and examination of history can help understand the current situation and guide thoughts about reform of bank regulation. New regulation can facilitate the functioning of the shadow banking system, making it less vulnerable to panic.
The Costs of Living as an Outsider Within: An Analysis of the Mentoring Relationships and Career Success of Black and White Women in the Corporate Sector

Recent studies have acknowledged the critical role of mentoring relationships in the career success of women in organizations (Noe, 1988; 1988; Ragins, 1994). The emergence of studies of gender and mentorship has been particularly important as this research provides a necessary challenge to the traditional male-focused studies that characterize the mentoring literature. Yet studies of mentorship and gender have utilized racially and ethnically undifferentiated or unspecified samples (Scott, 1989). The samples have either been predominantly White (Ragins & McFarlin, 1990) or the racial composition is not communicated to the reader (Riley & Wrench, 1985). Comprehensive reviews on the topic of mentoring and gender make no mention of racial differences as a topic of importance in current research or as an item to be placed on the agenda for future research efforts (Noe, 1988; Ragins, 1994). In effect, within the mentoring and gender literatures, the voices of women of color have been excluded and unacknowledged, leaving a gap in the knowledge of the effects of race and gender on mentoring relationships. Bell, Denton and Nkomo (1993) suggested that future studies across racial/ethnic groups are needed to understand the relational aspects of women’s organizational experiences and outcomes. The purpose of this study is to begin exploring these gaps in the mentoring literature. Specifically, this study investigates the impact of race on mentoring and career success for women.
Acceleration of Aux/IAA proteolysis is specific for auxin and independent of AXR1

Aux/IAA proteins are short-lived transcriptional regulators involved in auxin signaling. Using Aux/IAA luciferase (LUC) fusion proteins expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana, we previously showed that rapid degradation of these proteins requires conserved Aux/IAA domain II and that exogenous auxin accelerates their degradation. To further examine auxin-mediated increases in proteolysis, the degradation of two other LUC fusion proteins, a non-cleavable ubiquitin LUC fusion (UB1-72::LUC) and SAUR15::LUC was determined in vivo in seedlings. Their half-lives were 20 +/- 4 and 104 +/- 10 min, respectively. SAUR15::LUC half-life was not affected by pre-incubation with 2,4-D. Auxin did not have an equivalent effect on UB(1-72)::LUC steady-state levels as compared to PsIAA6:LUC. LUC fused to an Aux/IAA domain II degraded more rapidly following auxin application, demonstrating that this region is sufficient for auxin-mediated acceleration of proteolysis. Hormonal cross-talk at the level of Aux/IAA proteolysis was examined. 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), benzyladenine (BA), abscisic acid (ABA), and brassinolide (BL) did not affect the degradation rate of IAA1::LUC, and gibberellic acid (GA3) and salicylic acid (SA) did not specifically affect the steady-state levels of Aux/IAA::LUC proteins. An Aux/IAA::LUC transgene was crossed into the auxin resistant-1 (axr1-12) background. In axr1-12, the half-life of PsIAA6(1-73)::LUC increased 4.5-fold, but proteolysis still accelerated in response to exogenous auxin. These data suggest that auxin is the only phytohormone that accelerates Aux/IAA proteolysis, and that this acceleration is specific for Aux/IAA proteins. In addition, AXR1 plays an important role in rapid basal proteolysis of Aux/IAA proteins, but is not required for auxin-mediated acceleration of their degradation.
Fractal++: closing the performance gap between fractal and conventional coherence

Cache coherence protocol bugs can cause multicores to fail. Existing coherence verification approaches incur state explosion at small scales or require considerable human effort. As protocols' complexity and multicores' core counts increase, verification continues to be a challenge. Recently, researchers proposed fractal coherence which achieves scalable verification by enforcing observational equivalence between sub-systems in the coherence protocol. A larger subsystem is verified implicitly if a smaller sub-system has been verified. Unfortunately, fractal protocols suffer from two fundamental limitations: (1) indirect-communication: sub-systems cannot directly communicate and (2) partially-serialinvalidations: cores must be invalidated in a specific, serial order. These limitations disallow common performance optimizations used by conventional directory protocols: replyforwarding where caches communicate directly and parallel invalidations. Therefore, fractal protocols lack performance scalability while directory protocols lack verification scalability. To enable both performance and verification scalability, we propose Fractal++ which employs a new class of protocol optimizations for verification-constrained architectures: decoupled-replies, contention-hints, and fully-parallel-fractal-invalidations. The first two optimizations allow reply-forwarding-like performance while the third optimization enables parallel invalidations in fractal protocols. Unlike conventional protocols, Fractal++ preserves observational equivalence and hence is scalably verifiable. In 32- core simulations of single- and four-socket systems, Fractal++ performs nearly as well as a directory protocol while providing scalable verifiability whereas the best-performing previous fractal protocol performs 8% on average and up to 26% worse with a single-socket and 12% on average and up to 34% worse with a longer-latency multi-socket system
Movement and growth of juvenile (age 0 and 1+) tautog (Tautoga onitis [L.]) and cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus [Walbaum]) in a southern New Jersey estuary

The extent to which individual juvenile fish occupy specific sites is largely unknown. This complicates efforts to identify optimum habitats and habitat-specific information such as growth and mortality rates which, in turn, can influence recruitment success. Using tag–recapture information, we examined movements and growth of juvenile tautog (Tautoga onitis [L.]) and cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus [Walbaum]) in Great Bay–Little Egg Harbor estuaries in southern New Jersey. Fishes were trapped, tagged with small disks (bee tags), released in an embayment (mean depth=2.5 m, mean salinity=28x) adjoining a tidal creek and recaptured from April through November 1992. Of 729 tautog (25–187 mm TL) released, there were 228 recaptures (31%) of 114 individuals, with a high percentage of recaptured individuals (37%) caught more than once (up to 13 times) during nearly 3 months at liberty. Of 410 cunner (24–99 mm TL) released, there were 95 recaptures (23%) of 66 individuals of which 30% were recaptured repeatedly (up to 6 times) over a 2-month period in summer and fall. Recaptured individuals of both species generally moved relatively little (b22 m) from the common release site even though recapture efforts occurred over the scale of meters to kilometers. Age 1+ individuals tended to travel shorter distance than age 0 individuals for both species. The short distance traveled and high recapture rates indicate that these species exhibited strong site fidelity. The mean growth of both species was 0.25 mm day 1 from spring through fall although growth varied between species, age class and season. These movement and growth characteristics indicate that at least some of the 0+ individuals bsettle and stayQ and 1+ individuals breturn and stayQ in estuarine habitats. The high site fidelity, in this and other studies, implies that growth rates may be good measures of habitat quality for tautog and cunner at least from spring through fall. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Abstract 265: TeleStroke: Expanding Access and Coordination of Care from Acute Stroke to Follow-up

Background: The University of Utah Medical Center (UUMC) serves a wide geographical area, encompassing 10% of the continental US landmass. Stroke patients are often transported from remote facilities for specialty care. The UUMC Telestroke Center routinely provides acute care, but has only rarely been used for outpatient follow-up. The objective of this study was to develop a novel pathway for follow-up care after inpatient admissions for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) utilizing the existing telestroke infrastructure, with the goals of improving quality outcomes, reducing patient costs, and increasing access to care. Methods: Utilizing LEAN methodology, the existing care model was process-mapped to assess for potential areas of improvement. Over one month in 2013, a convenience sample of 27 inpatients admitted with AIS were surveyed to assess for potential barriers associated with travel to appointments, as well as for attitudes towards utilizing tele-health technologies for follow-up care. We analyzed primary residence patient zip-codes to determine which communities might be optimal for tele-health follow-up visits. Results: Ten patients (37%) lived ≤50 miles from UUMC; 7 (26%) 51-100 miles; 8 (30%)101-500 miles; and 2 (7.4%) > 500 miles away. Patients estimated the costs associated with a visit (excluding appointment fees) as: $0-9 (3.8%), $10-100 (42.3%), $101-500 (38.5%), $501-1000 (11.5%), and >$1000 (3.8%). Twenty-two patients (88%) said they would be interested in a tele-followup visit if it were closer to home and/or reduced travel time, and 59% of respondents said they would actually prefer this option to an in-office visit. Due to these results, an ideal community clinic partner was identified based upon geographic patient demographics, existing tele-health infrastructure, university-based scheduling, shared billing and meaningful-use software, and an expressed interest in collaboration. Follow-up tele-visits will link a stroke specialist physician at UUMC with a patient at the community clinic via 2-way audio-video telehealth equipment. A medical assistant with additional training in the neurologic exam will help facilitate the visit. Clinic training and coordination has already occurred, and a go-live date is anticipated for late February 2014. Discussion: A proof-of-concept health care model has been established at UUMC to provide tele-health follow-up after AIS admission to reduce significant barriers to follow-up care. Outcome metrics will include patient satisfaction, stroke and all cause readmission rates, medication compliance, and outpatient follow-up rates. Beyond increasing access to care, we hope that utilizing remote sites for follow-up will increase communication and coordination with primary care providers at these sites, in essence building a remote care “neighborhood” for our patients and optimizing care after discharge.
Prevention of Infection Caused by Pneumocystis carinii in Transplant Recipients

Pneumocystis carinii remains an important pathogen in patients who undergo solid-organ and hematopoietic transplantation. Infection results from reactivation of latent infection and via de novo acquisition of infection from environmental sources. The risk of infection depends on the intensity and duration of immunosuppression and underlying immune deficits. The risk is greatest after lung transplants, in individuals with invasive cytomegalovirus disease, during intensive immunosuppression for allograft rejection, and during periods of neutropenia. Prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) prevents many opportunistic infections, including infection with P. carinii, Toxoplasma gondii, and community-acquired respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urinary tract pathogens. Intolerance of TMP-SMZ is common; desensitization is useful less often in transplant patients than in patients with AIDS. Alternative agents provide a narrower spectrum of protection than does TMP-SMZ and less adequate protection against Pneumocystis species. Clinically, the diagnosis of breakthrough Pneumocystis pneumonia often requires invasive procedures. Strategies for the prevention of Pneumocystis infection must be individualized on the basis of a stratification of risk for each patient.