cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel unit cell and analysis for epsilon negative metamaterial

A novel unit cell and analysis are presented for a metamaterial with effective negative permittivity. The structure consists of two disks connected by a central post, and the analytic approach directly provides the electromagnetic field coupling to the resonant structure. By using Ampere's circuital law in the development, the electromagnetic field effects are directly coupled to the resonant behavior of the structure. In this, the theoretical approach does not depend upon plasma resonance. The proposed structure is shown to exhibit resonant behavior with negative permittivity in a frequency band near resonance. As predicted, electromagnetic field simulations show inversion of the electric field as the frequency crosses resonance.
The Priority of Democracy: A Pragmatist Approach to Political-Economic Institutions and the Burden of Justification

Politics reflects a seemingly incontrovertible condition—any imaginable human population is diverse across multiple, overlapping dimensions including material interests, moral and ethical commitments, and cultural attachments. Such diversity means, in turn, that disagreement and conflict are unavoidable. Under these circumstances politics largely consists in contests over the contours of shared institutional arrangements. Given that there almost always are a number of ways to institutionalize social interaction, any population occupying the circumstances of politics must determine which institutional form or arrangement to rely on in any particular domain. The “priority” of democracy, on our account, derives from its usefulness in approaching this crucial task. This priority derives from features that are, in our view, unique to democracy, namely a level of reflexivity that distinguishes it from other ways of coordinating ongoing social interaction. As we demonstrate, much of the literature on social institutions tacitly and improperly privileges a quite different component of our institutional arrangements, namely markets. We show that once one clarifies the premises and argumentative strategies common to this literature, it simply is not possible to sustain the privilege it accords to markets. In fact, we argue that the analytical models and explanatory strategies that institutionalists deploy actually sustain our case for the priority of democracy.
Migration and differentiation of CD8+ T cells.

Antigen-specific responses by CD8+ T cells require direct cell-cell interactions between T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APC). Initially, naive T cells must communicate with APC in lymphoid organs. Once stimulated, the resulting effector cells interact with APC in peripheral tissues. To this end, T cells must migrate to discrete sites throughout the body where antigen may be found. Recent progress in the field has revealed that the migratory abilities of T cells are critically dependent on their differentiation state, which is shaped by a multitude of factors. Thus, naive T cells are normally restricted to recirculate between the blood and secondary lymphoid tissues, although in some autoimmune diseases they may also accumulate in chronically inflamed tissues. When CD8+ T cells encounter antigen and differentiate into short-lived effector CTL, they lose the ability to home to lymph nodes but gain access to peripheral tissues and sites of inflammation. Long-lived memory cells exist in (at least) two flavors: central memory cells that migrate to both lymphoid organs and peripheral sites of inflammation, and effector memory cells that are preferentially localized in non-lymphoid tissues. Our current understanding of the interplay of T cell differentiation and migration has been boosted by the development of T-GFP mice, in which transgenic green fluorescent protein is expressed selectively in naive and central memory T cells, but not in effector cytotoxic T cells (CTL). This review will focus on recent studies in which T-GFP mice were used to dissect the traffic signals for naive T cell homing to secondary lymphoid organs, the factors that influence the differentiation of naive CD8+ T cells into cytotoxic and memory cells, as well as the in vivo trafficking routes of antigen-experienced subsets.
Miscibility and deformation behavior in some thermoplastic polymer blends containing poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)

Miscibility in blends of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (PSAN) with several other polymeric components has been investigated over a range of compositions by means of thermal analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Systems in vestigated were (i) PSAN/polycarbonate (PC), (ii) PSAN/styrene-maleic anhydride-methyl methacrylate terpolymer (S/MA/MM), (iii) PSAN/polynorbornene nitrile (PNN), and (iv) PSAN//S/MA/MM//PC. PSAN/PC was demonstrated to be partially miscible in all proportions over the PSAN copolymer composition range 23–70 wt % AN, while the miscibility or lack thereof of PSAN//S/MA/MM depended on the relative AN and MA contents of the PSAN and S/MA/MM, respectively. In contrast, PSAN/PNN was found to be immiscible in all proporations, while the system PSAN//S/MA/MM//PC was shown to be partially miscible. Deformation studies performed on rubber-modified versions of these blends defined deformation mode and microstructural deformation behavior. Dual extensometer tensile testing yielded relative contributions of crazing and of plastic flow, which correlated both with blend composition and with toughness. TEM observations of deformed specimens indicated a deformation process in the multiphase matrix blends consisting of craze initiation and propagation in the rubber-containing phase, craze arresting in the ductile second matrix phase, and coordinated extensive deformation of the matrix phases and of the rubber particles, where the ability to support the latter coordinated forms of deformation were observed to increase with increasing proportion of plastically deforming phase.
High-resolution uniform MR imaging of finger joints using a dedicated RF coil at 3T

Purpose To develop a dedicated radiofrequency (RF) coil for high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of finger joints at 3T to improve diagnostic evaluation of arthritic diseases. Materials and Methods A dedicated cylindrical RF receive coil was developed for imaging finger joints at 3T. A planar coil, a saddle coil, and a 1.5T coil with similar design as the dedicated coil were also constructed to compare imaging performance with the dedicated coil. A phantom was used for quantitative evaluation. Three-dimensional images were obtained on four subjects and a cadaver finger specimen using isotropic resolution of 160 μm in 9:32 minutes. The images were reviewed by two musculoskeletal radiologists. Results The dedicated finger coil provided higher signal-to-noise and greater signal uniformity than the other coils. It supported high-resolution imaging that demonstrated anatomical details of the entire finger joint, and in the subject study revealed abnormalities not detectable by traditional clinical resolution. Conclusion The dedicated finger coil optimizes the potential advantages of 3T scanners compared to lower field magnets. Use of this coil should facilitate early diagnosis, improve assessment of treatment response, and provide better understanding of basic mechanisms that underlie arthritis. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Teaching Christian Theology

Three scholars present narrative descriptions of their syllabi for the first year course in theology. David Goatley discusses the challenges of teaching theology amid the many kinds of diversity characteristic of Memphis Theological Seminary and emphasizes the importance of teaching students how to think theologically. Amy Plantinga Pauw describes the strengths and ongoing problems of an introductory course at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary which combines theology and church history. Linda Woodhead's account of teaching Christian theology in a religious studies context at Lancaster University focuses on the embodiedness of theology as key to teaching students for whom it really is a foreign language. Surveying the other essays, William Placher notes positive news about the place of Christian theology within a religious studies department and the ongoing challenges faced in many seminaries of teaching theology in less time to less well prepared students.
Evaluation of sampling strategies to estimate crown biomass

Depending on tree and site characteristics crown biomass accounts for a significant portion of the total aboveground biomass in the tree. Crown biomass estimation is useful for different purposes including evaluating the economic feasibility of crown utilization for energy production or forest products, fuel load assessments and fire management strategies, and wildfire modeling. However, crown biomass is difficult to predict because of the variability within and among species and sites. Thus the allometric equations used for predicting crown biomass should be based on data collected with precise and unbiased sampling strategies. In this study, we evaluate the performance different sampling strategies to estimate crown biomass and to evaluate the effect of sample size in estimating crown biomass. Using data collected from 20 destructively sampled trees, we evaluated 11 different sampling strategies using six evaluation statistics: bias, relative bias, root mean square error (RMSE), relative RMSE, amount of biomass sampled, and relative biomass sampled. We also evaluated the performance of the selected sampling strategies when different numbers of branches (3, 6, 9, and 12) are selected from each tree. Tree specific log linear model with branch diameter and branch length as covariates was used to obtain individual branch biomass. Compared to all other methods stratified sampling with probability proportional to size estimation technique produced better results when three or six branches per tree were sampled. However, the systematic sampling with ratio estimation technique was the best when at least nine branches per tree were sampled. Under the stratified sampling strategy, selecting unequal number of branches per stratum produced approximately similar results to simple random sampling, but it further decreased RMSE when information on branch diameter is used in the design and estimation phases. Use of auxiliary information in design or estimation phase reduces the RMSE produced by a sampling strategy. However, this is attained by having to sample larger amount of biomass. Based on our finding we would recommend sampling nine branches per tree to be reasonably efficient and limit the amount of fieldwork.
Fast and Robust Object Detection Using Visual Subcategories

Object classes generally contain large intra-class variation, which poses a challenge to object detection schemes. In this work, we study visual subcategorization as a means of capturing appearance variation. First, training data is clustered using color and gradient features. Second, the clustering is used to learn an ensemble of models that capture visual variation due to varying orientation, truncation, and occlusion degree. Fast object detection is achieved with integral image features and pixel lookup features. The framework is studied in the context of vehicle detection on the challenging KITTI dataset.
Aortic valve replacement in a diseased bicuspid valve eleven years after transplantation.

Cardiac allotransplantation is subject to a number of chronic complications that may limit graft survival. These include allograft coronary artery disease, renal dysfunction, hypertension, and malignancy, which are largely due to the immuno-modulatory and adverse effects of transplant medications. Reoperation for native allograft disease progression is a rarer phenomenon. We report a case of aortic valve replacement for bicuspid aortic valve stenosis that occurred in a patient more than ten years after cardiac transplantation. 2009 Published by European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved. 1. Clinical summary A 55-year-old gentleman underwent orthotopic cardiac transplantation in 1996 for idiopathic cardiomyopathy. The donor was a 42-year-old white female with an echocardio- gram that showed good systolic function (LVEF)50%) but an aortic valve that appeared to be bicuspid. In spite of this, there was neither stenosis nor regurgitation demon- strated on echocardiogram. Eleven years after transplan- tation, the patient presented with several episodes of photopsia associated with lightheadedness and near syn- cope. These episodes were not exertion-related and resolved after 20-30 s. Otherwise, he was entirely asymp- tomatic from a cardiopulmonary standpoint and without evidence of myocardial ischemia or congestive failure. Further workup included an echocardiogram that demon- strated an EF of 50-55% with an aortic valve mean gradient of 29 mmHg, peak gradient of 51 mmHg, and mild to moderate aortic regurgitation. Additionally, the bicuspid valve was severely calcified with exuberant calcification protruding into the left ventricular outflow tract. A preop- erative cardiac catheterization revealed coronary arteries that were without focal disease. Based on these findings, the patient was taken to the operating room for aortic valve replacement with a 23-mm Edwards pericardial pros- thesis. Operative findings confirmed a bicuspid valve that was extensively calcified and immobile. Pathology con- firmed myxoid degeneration and calcifications. Postopera- tively the patient followed an uneventful course and was discharged from the hospital on post-op day six.
Taxonomy is important in conservation: a preliminary reassessment of Philippine species-level bird taxonomy

Alpha taxonomy involves delineation of the basic unit of biology: the species. The concepts by which we define species, however, have been controversial, with several alternatives competing at present, some creating fewer and some more species units, depending on interpretation of species limits. Although it is tempting to assume that species concepts would have little interaction with the geographic foci of species richness and endemism — and some have so argued — this assumption does not withstand careful analysis. In this paper, I develop a first-pass assessment of Philippine bird taxonomy under an alternative species concept, and compare the results with the traditional biological species concept lists. Differences between the two lists were dramatic, but not just in numbers of species; rather, new, previously unrecognized or previously underappreciated foci of endemism were noted. A thorough understanding of the taxonomic basis of species lists is therefore critical to conservation planning.
Modeling of anatomical information in clustering of white matter fiber trajectories using Dirichlet distribution

In this work, we describe a white matter trajectory clustering algorithm that allows for incorporating and appropriately weighting anatomical information. The influence of the anatomical prior reflects confidence in its accuracy and relevance. It can either be defined by the user or it can be inferred automatically. After a detailed description of our novel clustering framework, we demonstrate its properties through a set of preliminary experiments.
The differential diagnostic accuracy of the PTSD Checklist among men versus women in a community sample

We evaluated the specific version of the PTSD Checklist (PCL-S) as a screening tool for the recruitment of community-residing men and women with diverse trauma experiences. We administered the PCL-S via telephone in the context of participant recruitment, as well as in a laboratory setting preceding administration of the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), the gold standard PTSD assessment tool. In the laboratory, the PCL-S performed reasonably well for men and women, yielding overall diagnostic efficiency (ODE) values (representing percentage of cases accurately identified) of 0.78 and 0.73, respectively, for our recommended cut-points of 42 for men and 49 for women. In contrast, as a recruitment tool, the PCL-S yielded an acceptable ODE of 0.79 for men at the recommended cut-point of 47, but only an ODE of 0.56 (representing diagnostic efficiency no greater than chance) for women at the recommended cut-point of 50. A recruitment cut-point of 57 for women yields a similarly modest ODE of 0.61, but with substantial cost to sensitivity. These findings suggest that use of the PCL-S to screen for PTSD among potential study participants may lead to gender biased study results, even when separate diagnostic cut-points for men and women are used.
Crystal structures and crystal chemistry in the system Na1+xZr2SixP3−xO12☆

Abstract As part of a search for skeleton structures for fast alkali-ion transport, the system Na1+xZr2SixP3−xO12 has been prepared, analyzed structurally and ion exchanged reversibly with Li+, Ag+, and K+ ions. Single-crystal x-ray analysis was used to identify the composition NaZr2P3O12 and to refine its structure, which has rhombohedral space group R3c with cell parameters a r = 8.815(1) A and c r = 22.746(7) A . A small distortion to monoclinic symmetry occurs in the interval 1.8 ≤x≤ 2.2. The structure for Na3Zr2Si2PO12, proposed from powder data, has space group C 2 c with a m = 15.586(9) A , b m = 9.029(4) A , c m = 9.205(5) A , and β = 123.70(5)° Both structures contain a rigid, three-dimensional network of PO4 or (SiO4) tetrahedra sharing corners with ZrO6 octahedra and a three-dimensionally linked interstitial space. Of the two distinguishable alkali-ion sites in the rhombohedral structure, one is completely occupied in both end members, the occupancy of the other varies across the system from 0 to 100 percent. Several properties are compared with the fast Na+-ion conductor β-alumina.
Locus coeruleus neurons : cessation of activity during cataplexy

Cataplexy, a symptom of narcolepsy, is a loss of muscle tone usually triggered by sudden, emotionally significant stimuli. We now report that locus coeruleus neurons cease discharge throughout cataplexy periods in canine narcoleptics. Locus coeruleus discharge rates during cataplexy were as low as or lower than those seen during rapid-eye-movement sleep. Prazosin, an alpha1 antagonist, and physostigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, both of which precipitate cataplexy, decreased locus coeruleus discharge rate. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that locus coeruleus activity contributes to the maintenance of muscle tone in waking, and that reduction in locus coeruleus discharge plays a role in the loss of muscle tone in cataplexy and rapid-eye-movement sleep. Our results also show that the complete cessation of locus coeruleus activity is not sufficient to trigger rapid-eye-movement sleep in narcoleptics.
Subclinical Viremia Increases Risk for Chronic Allograft Injury in Pediatric Renal Transplantation

The impact of subclinical viral infection on chronic allograft injury in the pediatric renal transplant population is not well defined. We prospectively assessed cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNAemia by monthly PCR in 55 pediatric renal transplant recipients for the first 2 years after transplantation. Subclinical CMV and EBV infection occurred in 22 and 36%, respectively. Multivariable linear regression analysis suggested that both subclinical CMV and EBV infection independently associate with significant declines in GFR during the first 2 years after transplantation. CMV seronegativity associated with a significantly greater decline in GFR than seropositivity (P < 0.01). Subclinical CMV infection and subclinical EBV infection each associated with approximately fourfold greater odds of histologic evidence of chronic allograft injury (odds ratio 4.61 [95% confidence interval 1.18 to 18.07] and odds ratio 4.33 [95% confidence interval 1.34 to 14.00], respectively). An increase in viral load of CMV or EBV also associated with increased risk for moderate to severe chronic allograft injury. Taken together, these results demonstrate an association between subclinical CMV and EBV infections, which occur despite standard antiviral prophylaxis, and chronic allograft injury in pediatric renal transplant recipients.
Does smoke promote seed germination in 10 Interior West Penstemon species

Recent research has shown that exposing seeds to smoke stimulates germination for a multitude of plant species, including several species in the genus Penstemon (Scrophulariaceae). I evaluated whether smoke, either alone or followed by 10 wk of stratification (moist prechilling), influenced germination for 10 Penstemon species native to the Interior West of North America. Seeds were collected from 3 to 9 wild populations per species, with each population serving as a replicate for that species in the experimental design. I found that percent germination increased in response to smoke for 3 species, Penstemon secundiflorus Benth., P. strictus Benth., and P. unilateralis Rydb., with smoke-exposed seeds exhibiting 1.9-, 2.5-, and 1.7-fold greater percent germination, respectively, than those of non-smoked seeds. Increased germination in P. unilateralis was only observed for seeds that had also been stratified, while increased germination for P. secundiflorus and P. strictus was observed for both stratified and non-stratified seeds. I also found that percent germination was stimulated by stratification for 6 species, P. auriberbis Pennell, P. eriantherus Pursh, P. glaber Pursh, P. rydbergii A. Nelson, P. secundiflorus , and P. strictus . Penstemon auriberbis, P. eriantherus , and P. secundiflorus were the most responsive, with percent germination increasing 63.4-, 10.6-, and 9.7-fold, respectively, following stratification. These findings improve our understanding of the role of smoke, as well as the role of stratification, in Penstemon germination ecology and should be of use to those who wish to propagate Penstemon species for restoration, horticultural, research, and other purposes.
Use of saguaro fruit by white-winged doves: isotopic evidence of a tight ecological association

We report the use of stable isotope and crop content analyses to quantify the use of saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) nectar and fruit by migratory desert white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica mearsnii). Saguaro resources had characteristically 13C-enriched CAM values (δ13C=–12.8±0.7‰ SD VPDB and –13.1±0.5‰ SD VPDB for nectar and fruit, respectively) relative to other food plants used by doves (δ13CC3=–24.9±3.3‰ SD VPDB). The water contained in saguaro nectar and fruit was deuterium enriched (δD=19.6±2.0‰ SD VSMOW and 48.4±1.6‰ SD VSMOW for nectar and fruit, respectively) relative to other water sources (ranging from –41 to –19‰ VSMOW). During the fruiting season, there was a positive correlation between δ13C in dove liver tissues and percent of saguaro in crop contents. A two-point mixing model indicated that during the peak of saguaro fruit use, most of the carbon incorporated in dove tissues was from saguaro. Desert white-winged doves appear to be saguaro specialists. Averaged over the period when doves were resident, saguaro comprised about 60% of the total carbon incorporated into dove tissues. Tissue δ13C and δD of body water showed a significant positive correlation, indicating that doves were using saguaro as a source of both nutrients and water. However, at the peak of saguaro utilization, the doves’ body-water δD was more positive (by about 20‰) than saguaro fruit water. We hypothesize that this enrichment is due to fractionated evaporative water losses by doves. Using dove carbon isotope data and a two end-point mixing model we estimate that, on average, doves consume the equivalent of 128 saguaro fruits per season; each fruit contains on average 26.0±14.8 g SD of pulp (wet mass) of which 19.4 g is water. Stable isotopes have been used to produce qualitative re-constructions of animal diets. Our study shows that they can be used to provide quantitative estimates of the flow of nutrients from resources into consumers as well.
Prospective randomized trial comparing oxygen administration during nasal flexible bronchoscopy: Oral vs nasal delivery

Study objectives: To determine the optimal method of delivering supplemental oxygen during flexible bronchoscopy (FB). Design: Prospective study. Setting: University medical center. Patients: Ninety-seven consecutive patients undergoing outpatient nasal FB during a 7-month period. Intervention: During FB, delivery of oxygen was alternated weekly and administered by nasal cannula either nasally (52 patients) or orally (45 patients). Prior to the procedure, patients completed a questionnaire regarding oral or nasal breathing preferences, history of sinus disease, allergy history, and perceived degree of nasal congestion. Results: Comparison of oxygen delivery groups demonstrated no significant difference in oxygen requirements (4.1 L/min nasal vs 3.8 L/min oral, p 0.63), overall saturation nadir (90.9% nasal vs 91.4% oral, p 0.85), or average saturation (95.8% nasal vs 95.7% oral, p 0.57). No correlation between subjective symptoms or sinus or allergy history was found for oxygen requirements, average saturation, or saturation nadir. Conclusions: These data suggest that during nasal FB, no discernible difference exists between administration of oxygen using cannulas placed either nasally or orally. (CHEST 2001; 120:1671–1674)
Bilinear approach to multiuser second-order statistics-based blind channel estimation

We present a bilinear approach to multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) blind channel estimation where products of the channel parameters are first estimated from the covariance of the received data. The channel parameters are then obtained as the dominant eigenvectors of the outer-product estimate. Necessary and sufficient identifiability conditions are presented for a single channel and extended to the multichannel case. It is found that this technique can identify the channel to within a subspace ambiguity, as long as the basis functions for the channel satisfy certain constraints, regardless of the left invertability of the channel matrix. One important requirement for identifiability is that the number of channel parameters is small compared with the channel length; advantageously, this is exactly the situation in which this algorithm has significantly lower complexity than competing (parametric, multiuser) blind algorithms. Simulations show that the technique is applicable in situations where typical identifiability conditions fail: common nulls, a single symbol-spaced channel, and more users than channels. These simulations are for the "almost flat" faded situation when the propagation delay spread is a fraction of the transmission pulse duration (as might be found in current TDMA systems). Comparisons are made, when possible, to a subspace method incorporating knowledge of the basis functions. The bilinear approach requires significantly less computation but performs better than the subspace method at low SNR, especially for multiple users.
A Note on the Staining of the Skeleton of Cleared Specimens with Alizarin Red S

A selective, progressive method for staining the skeleton in cleared specimens, developed with rat material.Fix in 95% alcohol for at least 48 to 96 hrs. Even longer fixation is desirable. Then place in a 1% solution of KOH until the bones are clearly visible through the surrounding tissues. Transfer directly to a dilute solution of alizarin in KOH, one part alizarin to 10,000 parts of 1% KOH. Allow the stain to act until the desired intensity is attained. Fresh stain may be added if necessary.Complete the clearing process, (1) in Mall's solution, water 79 parts, glycerine 20 parts and KOH 1 part; (2) in increased concentrations of glycerine. Store in pure glycerine.The success of the method depends on obtaining the proper degree of clearing before staining. If the specimen is insufficiently cleared, a general staining of all tissues usually occurs.
Dyadic Green's Functions

This chapter contains sections titled: Dyadic Green's Function in a Homogeneous Medium Vector Wave Functions Dyadic Green's Function Using Vector Wave Functions Dyadic Green's Functions for Layered Media This chapter contains sections titled: Exercises for Chapter 7 References for Chapter 7 Further Readings for Chapter 7
Defining Minimally Invasive and Remote Access Surgery of the Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands

Minimally invasive and remote access surgery for the thyroid and parathyroid glands has evolved over the last two decades. The emphasis of minimally invasive surgery is limiting the amount of tissue dissection while achieving the same surgical results. Alternatively, the emphasis of remote access surgery is to achieve better cosmetic results by avoiding a cervical scar. Therefore, although minimally invasive surgery and remote access surgery may use similar tools, they ultimately provide different advantages and drawbacks.
Demonstration of Negative Refractive Index in a Three-Dimensional Optical Metamaterial

We report experimental realization of the first three-dimensional (3-D) optical negative index metamaterial. We measure the bulk refractive index using a 3-D prism and Snell’s Law, unambiguously demonstrating negative phase propagation in the material.
A Network Perspective on Mega-Engineering Projects

The use of network theory and methods to explain and predict outcomes related to complex systems is on the rise across a range of sciences, from physics and biology to sociology and psychology. Indeed, the applicability of network ideas across seemingly disparate systems is one of the most distinctive and promising features. Network theory represents systems in terms of nodes (which can be molecules, individual persons, companies, nation states, etc.) and the set of ties or relations that bind the nodes into a complex whole. Using graph-theoretic tools, network research can then be used to represent and analyze the topography of the resulting network, and to examine the consequences of this topology both for individual nodes and for the system as a whole. The purposes of our essay are twofold. First, we seek to provide an introduction to network research and methods. Second, we wish to sensitive researchers to the promise of a network perspective for understanding the structure and consequences of megaengineering projects.
An Essential Role of Nedd4-2 in the Ubiquitination, Expression, and Function of Organic Anion Transporter-3.

Organic anion transporter-3 (OAT3) is a member of the organic anion transporter family that mediates the body disposition of a diverse array of clinically important drugs. We previously demonstrated that activation of protein kinase C (PKC) inhibits OAT3 transport activity by accelerating OAT3 internalization from cell surface into intracellular compartments. In the current study, we established that PKC-induced inhibition of OAT3 transport activity occurred through an enhanced OAT3 ubiquitination, a process catalyzed by an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase Nedd4-2 (neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally downregulated 4-2). Overexpression of Nedd4-2 enhanced OAT3 ubiquitination, decreased OAT3 expression at the cell surface, and inhibited OAT3 transport activity. In contrast, overexpression of the ubiquitin ligase-dead mutant Nedd4-2/C821A or siRNA knockdown of endogenous Nedd4-2 had opposite effects on OAT3. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation experiments conducted both in culture cells and with rat kid...
Ganzheitlicher Ansatz zur Sitzentwicklung von Kinderschutzsystemen

Kinder bedurfen eines besonderen Schutzes im Strasenverkehr. Personenwagen aber decken in der Regel in ihren Innenraumabmessungen maximal eine menschliche Insassengrose von 150 bis 200 cm ab. Die Korperlangendifferenz betragt 50 cm und fuhrt zu technischen Losungen wie Sitzlangs- verstellungen, Sitzhohenverstellungen sowie Vorrichtungen zur Anpassung der Gurt geometrie, die aber nicht auf die Gruppe der Kinder zutreffen. Takata stellt als Losung einen ganzheitlichen Ansatz vor, Kindersitze — fachlich korrekt Kinderschutzsysteme — optimal zu entwickeln.
Cross-National Analysis of Diffusion of Consumer Durable Goods in Pacific Rim Countries:

The Bass new product growth model is used for cross-national analysis of diffusion processes of durable goods in four major Pacific Rim countries. The estimated coefficients are used to test the hy...
Linking soil biodiversity and vegetation: Implications for a changing planet

Soil biota are intimately tied to plant communities through herbivory and symbiosis and indirectly by the decomposition of dead organic plant material. Through both roots and aboveground organic material (e.g., leaves and wood), plants provide substantial inputs of organic matter to soil systems. Plants are the basis for most biotic soil food webs that comprise an enormous diversity of species whose multiple interactions function to help regulate nutrient cycling, which in turn influences plant growth. Many factors govern the biogeography of soil biota, including the physical and chemical properties of soil, climate, the composition and type of vegetation, and interactions with other soil biota. Despite awareness of factors influencing soil communities, no single factor allows predictions of soil animal diversity or distribution. However, research is showing that plants can have unique soil biotic communities. Degradation of soil, which removes predators and biotic regulation that occurs in less managed ecosystems, can result in increased pathogens and pests that affect humans, other animals and plants. Global changes such as land use, desertification, and soil pollution all have been shown to alter soil animal diversity and abundance. Because of our dependence on soils and plant production, studies linking soil biotic communities to primary productivity are needed to assure long-term soil sustainability.
Evidence for activation of endothelium and monocytes in hypertensive rats.

We have proposed that an interaction between perivascular macrophages and endothelium via cytokines could underlie the increased risk of stroke in hypertension. Therefore, the activation of monocyt...
Extreme Learning Machine Based Point-of-Interest Recommendation in Location-Based Social Networks

Researches on Point-of-Interests (POIs) have attracted a lot of attentions in Location-based Social Networks (LBSNs) in recent years. Existing studies on this topic most treat this kind of recommendation as just a type of point recommendation according to its similar properties for collaborative filtering. We argue that this recommending strategy could yield inaccuracy because these properties could not illustrate complete information of POIs for users. In this paper, we propose a novel Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) based approach named ELM Based POI Recommendation (EPR), which takes into account user preference, periodical movement and social relationship to discover the correlation of a user and a certain POI. Furthermore, we model recommendation in EPR as the problem of binary-class classification for each individual user and POI pair. To our best knowledge, this is the first work on POI recommendation in LBSNs by exploring the preference property, social property and periodicity property simultaneously. We show through comprehensive evaluation that the proposed approach delivers excellent performance and outperforms existing state-of-the-art POI recommendation methods, especially for cold start users.
Exposure to Blue Light Increases Subsequent Functional Activation of the Prefrontal Cortex During Performance of a Working Memory Task.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Prolonged exposure to blue wavelength light has been shown to have an alerting effect, and enhances performance on cognitive tasks. A small number of studies have also shown that relatively short exposure to blue light leads to changes in functional brain responses during the period of exposure. The extent to which blue light continues to affect brain functioning during a cognitively challenging task after cessation of longer periods of exposure (i.e., roughly 30 minutes or longer), however, has not been fully investigated. METHODS A total of 35 healthy participants (18 female) were exposed to either blue (469 nm) (n = 17) or amber (578 nm) (n = 18) wavelength light for 30 minutes in a darkened room, followed immediately by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while undergoing a working memory task (N-back task). RESULTS Participants in the blue light condition were faster in their responses on the N-back task and showed increased activation in the dorsolateral (DLPFC) and ventrolateral (VLPFC) prefrontal cortex compared to those in the amber control light condition. Furthermore, greater activation within the VLPFC was correlated with faster N-back response times. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to suggest that a relatively brief, single exposure to blue light has a subsequent beneficial effect on working memory performance, even after cessation of exposure, and leads to temporarily persisting functional brain changes within prefrontal brain regions associated with executive functions. These findings may have broader implication for using blue-enriched light in a variety of work settings where alertness and quick decision-making are important.
Plume Tracker: Interactive mapping of volcanic sulfur dioxide emissions with high-performance radiative transfer modeling

Abstract We describe the development of Plume Tracker, an interactive toolkit for the analysis of multispectral thermal infrared observations of volcanic plumes and clouds. Plume Tracker is the successor to MAP_SO2, and together these flexible and comprehensive tools have enabled investigators to map sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from a number of volcanoes with TIR data from a variety of airborne and satellite instruments. Our objective for the development of Plume Tracker was to improve the computational performance of the retrieval procedures while retaining the accuracy of the retrievals. We have achieved a 300 × improvement in the benchmark performance of the retrieval procedures through the introduction of innovative data binning and signal reconstruction strategies, and improved the accuracy of the retrievals with a new method for evaluating the misfit between model and observed radiance spectra. We evaluated the accuracy of Plume Tracker retrievals with case studies based on MODIS and AIRS data acquired over Sarychev Peak Volcano, and ASTER data acquired over Kilauea and Turrialba Volcanoes. In the Sarychev Peak study, the AIRS-based estimate of total SO2 mass was 40% lower than the MODIS-based estimate. This result was consistent with a 45% reduction in the AIRS-based estimate of plume area relative to the corresponding MODIS-based estimate. In addition, we found that our AIRS-based estimate agreed with an independent estimate, based on a competing retrieval technique, within a margin of ± 20%. In the Kilauea study, the ASTER-based concentration estimates from 21 May 2012 were within ± 50% of concurrent ground-level concentration measurements. In the Turrialba study, the ASTER-based concentration estimates on 21 January 2012 were in exact agreement with SO2 concentrations measured at plume altitude on 1 February 2012.
MAKING CHAOTIC DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS TO ORDER

This paper describes how strange attractors, fractal basin boundaries, ice patterns on windows, trees, ferns and classical Cantor sets can be represented to prescribed precision, as attractors for iterated function systems which can be constructed explicitly. In turn an explicit dynamical system, whose attractor approximates the given one can be exhibited.
The Changing State-of-the-Art of the Conflict Transformation Field (2011)

Conflict transformation as a reality has existed throughout human history, but as a field of study and practice, it emerged only in the early 1990s. The field incorporates some of the core ideas of the contemporary conflict resolution approach, but it focuses attention on large-scale, protracted and destructive conflicts and how they change so they are conducted constructively, in large measure. The term refers both to the processes of transition to relatively non-destructive conduct and to a relationship between adversaries that is regarded as largely non-contentious. In this analysis, I include the actions of adversaries as well as interveners in affecting conflict transformations. Two phases of transformation are of interest here. First is the transition from destructive to constructive contention, often focusing on ending widespread violence. The second phase refers to fashioning an enduring peaceful relationship, including recovering from the destructive conflict.
A Visibility-Based Pursuit-Evasion Game with a Circular Obstacle

In this paper, we address a visibility-based target tracking game for the scenario when the environment contains a circular obstacle. The game is originally formulated in four dimensions, but due to the symmetry of the environment, the dimension of the state space can be reduced to three. The control policies of the players on possible barrier surfaces are computed on the basis of semipermeability of the barriers. A standard surface, that can be a barrier, is constructed using Isaacs’ techniques. It is shown that the surface lies outside the game space. This opens up the possibility that the evader might be able to win the underlying game of kind for all initial positions in the game space or that the set of such win positions does not coincide with the game space and is determined by some barrier surfaces, construction of which may represent an independent difficult problem. We present the construction of the optimal control policies, and trajectories for the players near the usable part on the terminal manifold by analyzing a related game of degree.
Efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis prior to tympanoplasty for contaminated cholesteatoma.

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of combined antistaphylococcal and antipseudomonal preoperative antibiotics for preventing surgical site infections following tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy with contaminated cholesteatoma. Study Design Retrospective chart review. Methods Medical records of patients who underwent tympanoplasty ± mastoidectomy for cholesteatoma were reviewed. Only cases considered to have contaminated or dirty surgical fields were included. The primary outcome measure was occurrence of postoperative surgical site infections, perichondritis, pinna abscess, periotic cellulitis, or periotic abscess requiring systemic antibiotic therapy or surgical intervention. Results The charts of 326 patients who underwent tympanoplasty ± mastoidectomy were reviewed. Of those, 195 met inclusion criteria. Preoperative antibiotics included clindamycin and ceftazidime or gentamicin. Patients treated with no perioperative antibiotics had a surgical site infection rate of 11%, and those treated with perioperative antibiotics had a rate of 1% (P = 0.02). Conclusion Administration of preoperative antibiotics to cover staphylococcal and pseudomonal species may prevent surgical site infections with tympanoplasty ± mastoidectomy for contaminated cholesteatoma. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 126:2363–2366, 2016
Is Diabetic Skeletal Fragility Associated with Microvascular Complications in Bone

The objective of this literature review is to determine whether there are indications that microvascular complications occur in diabetic bone. Evidence definitively linking diabetic skeletal fragility with microvascular complications in bone remains elusive. Circumstantial evidence, some recent and some lost to time, suggests that atherosclerotic vascular diseases such as peripheral arterial disease cause poor blood perfusion of bone and subsequent hypoxia and contribute to low bone density and high cortical porosity, patterns similar to some recently observed in diabetic subjects. Evidence also exists to suggest that potentially anti-angiogenic conditions, such as impaired vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling, predominate in diabetic bone. Microvascular complications may contribute, in part, to diabetic skeletal fragility but data supporting this interpretation are primarily circumstantial at this time. This review highlights gaps in our knowledge and hopefully spurs further discussions and research on this topic.
Example Problems Involving Phase Relations for Soils

This chapter defines some fundamental quantities that are used to describe the relative amounts of the three phases that comprise soils. Knowledge of the associated “arithmetic” of soil mechanics forms a basis for most calculations performed in Geotechnical Engineering.
The Case for Teaching Computer Graphics with WebGL: A 25-Year Perspective

OpenGL has been the standard API for teaching computer graphics. There are now multiple versions of the standard, including WebGL. which is the JavaScript implementation of OpenGL ES 2.0. The author argues that WebGL is the version best suited for an introductory course in computer graphics.
Vascular Procedures for the Treatment of Pain in the Rehabilitation Patient

The purpose of this chapter is to present an overview of vascular procedures performed for pain. Dysvascular patients are frequently managed in the rehabilitation care continuum. Pain of vascular origin may be either acute or chronic, and results from arterial insufficiency, venous insufficiency, compression, or inflammation. The vascular etiologies of pain, surgical and medical management approaches, and related outcomes will be reviewed.
Collective bands and the absence of yrast traps in 154 Er and neighboring nuclei

The following observations can be noted: i) In 154Er and 152Dy no L>3 isomeric transitions are found up to I=36. (They were predicted at I=17 and 33 in Ib4Er i , and at I=17, 21, 27, 31 in 152Dy 2 ). All the measured lifetimes can be accounted for by dipole or E2 transitions of low energy (E < 0,5 MeV). 2) The lowest odd parity states (7-and 9-) in 154Er are probably upper member~ of an octupole vibrational band mainly K=0. 3) At I=llthe odd parity yrast levels take on an aligned coupling band character with a ~(i13/2,h9/2) intrinsic configuration. All the studied nuclei with N=84,86,88 7 show this feature. 4) The 17level in N=86,88 nuclei probably marks the first appearance of a Stretched 4-neutron state [(i13/2 h9/2)ii(f7/2)6+]. There also seem to be pieces of bands along the yrast line higher up. From I=28 through I=36 in 154Er from various kinds of evidence we infer that there may be an even parity band, which may be a 6-particle aligned band of the configuration [~(hli/2)210+ v(i13/22)12+ ~(f7/2)26+~.
Vocal human-robot interaction inspired by Battle management language

A prototype conversational interface has been developed to facilitate spoken interaction between humans and robots. The focus is on end-users such as security officers including military personnel who would conduct missions with robot partners in close proximity. The focal group is familiar with Battle Management Language, a variation of natural language that is restricted to avoid ambiguity. This language is chosen, given its familiarity, to inspire natural spoken interaction with robots and to avoid the greater challenge of full natural language processing. To achieve this, an open-source framework for building applications with conversational interfaces, Dorset, was interfaced to a research mobile robot enabling spoken voice commands and responses. The completed prototype successfully demonstrated feasibility and potential for advancing interaction with robots from current head-down, hands-on approaches toward a more natural head-up, hands-off paradigm suitable for humans and robots working in close proximity to one another.