cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parathyroid hormone, prostaglandin E2, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 decrease the level of Na+-Ca2+ exchange protein in osteoblastic cells.

We previously described Na+-Ca2+ exchange in osteoblastic rat osteosarcoma cells (UMR-106) and demonstrated that Na+-dependent Ca2+ transport was inhibited by 24-hour treatment of cells with parathyroid hormone (PTH), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), or 1,25(OH)2D3. To determine whether this inhibition of Na+-Ca2+ exchange is at the level of exchanger protein synthesis we have examined exchanger protein levels using immunoblot analysis. UMR-106 cells were treated for 24 hours with or without PTH, PGE2, or 1,25(OH)2D3. Plasma membrane fractions (7500 g) were obtained and proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE, transferred to nylon membranes, and immunoblotted with a polyclonal antibody to the canine cardiac Na+-Ca2+ exchanger. In rat cardiac membranes, we detected 125 and 75 kD bands, similar to findings for the canine exchanger. In the osteoblastic UMR cell membranes, a specific band was detected at 90 kD that decreased 65% after treatment of cells with PTH. Inhibition by PTH was dose dependent, was maximal with 10−7 M PTH, and required 16–24 hour treatment time. Similar inhibition was observed after a 24 hour treatment with 10−6 M PGE2 or 10−8 M 1,25(OH)2D3. These results demonstrate the presence of a specific protein in UMR cells that cross-reacts with antibody directed against the cardiac Na+-Ca2+ exchanger. Thus, the previously reported inhibition of Na+-Ca2+ exchange activity by calcemic agents in osteoblasts appears to be due to regulation of exchanger protein levels in these osteoblastic cells.
Optical attenuation of plasmonic Au-PDMS nanocomposite thin-film devices

Compact description of far-field optical interactions between plasmonic nanocomposites and adjacent media permits facile a priori design of devices for light manipulation. Limited tractability of nanoscale descriptions at device-architectures previously limited development of plasmonic devices. Optical interactions between nanocomposites and adjacent optical elements, a simple device, are describable using infinite linear algebraic sums. Influence of plasmonic absorption and non-linear phenomena on device performance are distinguishable from measured transmission, reflection, and attenuation (resonant and non-resonant losses) of nanocomposites featuring nanoparticles in multiple dimensions. Two- and threedimensional distributions of gold nanoparticles supported by silica and poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrates, respectively, are considered. A unique ternary map of transmission, reflection, and attenuation correlates far-field optical behavior to nanoparticle density and opacity of the adjacent element. Intuitive, visual specification of nanoparticle density and adjacent media needed to obtain a desired optical behavior is possible using the ternary map. The compact model and ternary map provide useful tools for the design and integration of plasmonic nanocomposites into photonic devices for sustainable energy and biomedical applications.
Ultrasound despeckling for active contour segmentation

Automatic or semi-automatic gradient based segmentation of ultrasound images is problematic because the inherent nature of ultrasound imaging produces speckle. The main concern of this paper is to remove speckle cause gradients that cannot be attributed to anatomic features. Application of despeckling algorithms attempt to remove or reduce the speckle noise and thus the pixelwise gradients caused by speckle. Yet, the despeckling algorithm should preserve edges and gradients that are due to anatomic features such as the boundaries of organs, differing tissues, etc. This paper proposes the use of the noise enhanced squeeze box filter to despeckle cardiac ultrasound images so that an application of well-know gradient based active contour methods can be used for segmentation.
Adjuvant Radiation Therapy and Survival for Pure Tubular Breast Carcinoma—Experience From the SEER Database

Purpose Pure tubular carcinoma of the breast (PTCB) represents a distinct subtype of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) that is generally thought to be associated with better prognosis than even low-grade IDC. There has been controversy as to the role of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) in this population. We hypothesized that adjuvant RT would demonstrate a survival improvement. Methods and Materials We queried the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database for the years 1992-2007 to identify patients with pure tubular carcinomas of the breast. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and surgical and RT treatments were collected. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method for univariate comparisons and Cox proportional hazards modeling for multivariate comparisons, stratifying on the basis of age with a cutoff age of 65. Results A total of 6465 patients were identified: 3624 (56.1%) patients underwent lumpectomy with RT (LUMP+RT), 1525 (23.6%) patients underwent lumpectomy alone (LUMP), 1266 (19.6%) patients received mastectomy alone (MAST), and 50 (0.8%) patients underwent mastectomy with RT (MAST+RT). When we compared the LUMP+RT and LUMP groups directly, those receiving adjuvant RT tended to be younger and were less likely to be hormone receptor-positive. Overall survival was 95% for LUMP+RT and 90% for LUMP patients at 5 years. For those 65 or younger, the absolute overall survival benefit of LUMP+RT over LUMP was 1% at 5 years and 3% at 10 years. On stratified multivariate analysis, adjuvant RT remained a significant predictor in both age groups ( P =.003 in age ≤65 and P =.04 in age >65 patients). Other significant unfavorable factors were older age and higher T stage (age >65 only). Conclusions Since sufficiently powered large scale clinical trials are unlikely, we would recommend that adjuvant radiation be considered in PTCB patients age 65 or younger, although consideration of the small absolute survival benefit is important. Adjuvant radiation can be omitted for patients older than 65.
Activation of left posterior cingulate gyrus by the auditory presentation ofthreat-related words: an fMRI study

This study investigated the cortical response to hearing threat-related and neutral words using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 16 coronal planes. Right-handed volunteers listened to (i) neutral words alternating with no words as the control condition, and (ii) neutral words alternating with threat-related words as the experimental condition. Threat-related words compared to neutral words activated left posterior cingulate gyrus in eight of 10 subjects with activation most prominent in the retrosplenial region. Patterns of activation produced by neutral words compared to no words included bilateral temporal and frontal regions but not posterior cingulate. The retrosplenial cingulate region has recently been implicated in episodic memory processes. We discuss the possible role of the posterior cingulate cortex in processes involving emotion and memory and in anxiety disorders.
Reinvestigation of the preparation of 131I-4-Iodoantipyrine from 131I-Iodide

Abstract Radioiodine labeled 4-iodoantipyrine (4-IAP) is rapidly formed from radioiodide and nonradioactive 4-IAP or 4-bromoantipyrine (4-BrAP) at 100°C in acidic aqueous solution. Quantitative conversion to labeled 4-IAP is observed between pH 2 and 6 when 4-IAP is the nonradioactive starting material. This is in contrast to previous reports which found rapid incorporation only under limited conditions. When 4-BrAP is used, maximum yields of 80% are found between pH 1.5 and 2.5. Mechanistic implications of these differences are not clear. Labeled 4-IAP(⩾98% radiochemically pure) is separated from radioiodide by TLC or anion-exchange chromatography.
Optical pulsations from the anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U0142+61.

Anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) differ from ordinary radio pulsars in that their X-ray luminosity is orders of magnitude greater than their rate of rotational energy loss, and so they require an additional energy source. One possibility is that AXPs are highly magnetized neuron stars—or 'magnetars'—having surface magnetic fields greater than 10^(14) G. This would make them similar to the soft y-ray repeaters (SGRs), but alternative models that do not require extreme magnetic fields also exist. An optical counterpart to the AXP 4U0142+61 was recently discovered, consistent with emission from a magnetar, but also from a magnetized hot white dwarf, or an accreting isolated neutron star. Here we report the detection of optical pulsations from 4U0142+61. The pulsed fraction of optical light (27 per cent) is five to ten times greater than that of soft X-rays, from which we conclude that 4U0142+61 is a magnetar. Although this establishes a direct relationship between AXPs and the soft y-ray repeaters, the evolutionary connection between AXPs, SGRs and radio pulsars remains controversial.
A Cartesian based body-tted adaptive grid method for compressible viscous ows

nite volume method is employed for updating the solution even in the overlap region. The conservation property of the present overlap mesh scheme is numerically demonstrated even for the ows involving discontinuities. The robustness, solution accuracy and the potential of the present approach in dealing with viscous ow over complex multi-component congurations is demonstrated by solving a number of test ow cases.
Epidemiology, Treatment, and Outcomes of Nosocomial Bacteremic Staphylococcus aureus Pneumonia

Objective To describe outcomes associated with nosocomial bacteremic Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia (NBSAP) and to determine whether delay in adequate antimicrobial treatment is a risk factor for negative clinical and microbiological outcomes. Design Retrospective cohort analysis. Setting This study was conducted at Detroit Receiving Hospital and University Health Center, which is a 279-bed, level 1 trauma center in Detroit, MI. Patients All episodes of NBSAP identified from January 1, 1999, to April 30, 2004. Results Of 206 patients identified over a 5-year period with positive blood and respiratory cultures for S aureus , 60 patients met strict clinical, radiographic, and microbiological criteria for NBSAP. The overall mean (± SD) characteristics include the following: age, 55.5 ± 15.0 years; acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score, 20 (range, 3 to 41); ICU at onset, 93.3%; mechanical ventilation, 83.3%; length of stay (LOS) prior to NBSAP, 9 days (range, 2 to 81 days); methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) rate, 70%; and all-cause hospital and infection-related mortality (IRM), 55.5% and 40.0%, respectively. Overall, S aureus pneumonia developed late in the patient’s hospital stay in ICU patients previously receiving mechanical ventilation and was associated with high crude mortality and IRM rates. No significant difference existed with respect to mortality or infection-related LOS between patients who had received early appropriate antibiotic therapy vs those who had received delayed appropriate antibiotic therapy at the onset of pneumonia or in patients with methicillin-sensitive S aureus pneumonia vs those with MRSA pneumonia. Conclusion IRM from NBSAP is high, and standard therapies evaluated at the time of this study resulted in poor clinical outcomes. Delayed therapy was not found to be a predictor of adverse outcomes; however, this lack of ability to detect a difference may be a product of small sample size. These findings suggest that newer agents with enhanced clinical activity in NBSAP are needed and that these should be evaluated in a real-world setting, where outcomes of the most ill patients can be assessed.
Simulation of target responses to high frequency ultra wideband radar signals using the physical optics impulse response

High-frequency ultrawideband radar signals are constructed by modulating a microwave or millimeter wave carrier with a broad bandwidth signal with the percentage bandwidth of the modulating signal being typically more than 20% of the carrier frequency. The wideband properties of the signal render the single-number radar cross section (RCS) inadequate for target response simulations. Instead, a characteristic function describing the response of the target to the waveform must be obtained in either the time or frequency domain. A first approximation to the temporal impulse response of a target can be obtained from physical optics (PO). The target's response can then be obtained by convolving the signal with the temporal impulse response of the target. A computational method for obtaining a PO signal response is described, and the results are compared to analytic responses for some primitive volumes (flat plate, cone, sphere).
In situ neutron-reflectometry measurements of hydrogen and deuterium absorption in a Pd/Nb/Pd layered film

We present in situ neutron-reflectivity measurements of the hydrogen and deuterium absorption from the gas phase in a Pd/Nb/Pd thin film multilayer. Hydrogen and deuterium were both preferentially absorbed into the Nb layer at room temperature and at a pressure of 10 Torr. Genetic algorithm fits to the specular data indicate concentrations of approximately 0.71 [H]/[Nb] and 0.51 [D]/[Nb], placing the Nb well into the \ensuremath{\mathrm{B}} phase (or an \ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{'}-like phase).
Does Microenvironment Contribute to the Etiology of Estrogen Receptor–Negative Breast Cancer?

What dictates the prevalence of certain types of breast cancer, which are classified by markers, particularly estrogen receptor (ER), expression profiles such as basal or luminal, and genetic alterations such as HER2 amplification, in particular populations is not well understood. It is increasingly evident that microenvironment disruption is highly intertwined with cancer progression. Here, the idea that microenvironment shapes the course of carcinogenesis, and hence breast cancer subtype, is discussed. Aggressive, basal-like, ER-negative breast tumors occur in younger women, African-American women, women who carry BRCA1 mutation, and women exposed to ionizing radiation. Recent experimental studies using ionizing radiation, a well-documented environmental exposure, suggest that certain processes in the microenvironment strongly favor the development of ER-negative tumors. Understanding the contribution of tissue microenvironment during carcinogenesis could lead to prevention strategies that are personalized to age, agent, and exposure to reduce the risk of aggressive breast cancer.
Task-Selective Memory Effects for Successfully Implemented Encoding Strategies

Previous behavioral evidence suggests that instructed strategy use benefits associative memory formation in paired associate tasks. Two such effective encoding strategies–visual imagery and sentence generation–facilitate memory through the production of different types of mediators (e.g., mental images and sentences). Neuroimaging evidence suggests that regions of the brain support memory reflecting the mental operations engaged at the time of study. That work, however, has not taken into account self-reported encoding task success (i.e., whether participants successfully generated a mediator). It is unknown, therefore, whether task-selective memory effects specific to each strategy might be found when encoding strategies are successfully implemented. In this experiment, participants studied pairs of abstract nouns under either visual imagery or sentence generation encoding instructions. At the time of study, participants reported their success at generating a mediator. Outside of the scanner, participants further reported the quality of the generated mediator (e.g., images, sentences) for each word pair. We observed task-selective memory effects for visual imagery in the left middle occipital gyrus, the left precuneus, and the lingual gyrus. No such task-selective effects were observed for sentence generation. Intriguingly, activity at the time of study in the left precuneus was modulated by the self-reported quality (vividness) of the generated mental images with greater activity for trials given higher ratings of quality. These data suggest that regions of the brain support memory in accord with the encoding operations engaged at the time of study.
Influence of Silicon on the Corrosion Characteristics of 18Cr-8Ni Type Stainless Steel in Dilute Sulfuric Acid

Abstract As part of a program to develop a stainless steel (SS) with superior resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and intergranular attack (IGA), an investigation was initiated to identif...
MULTIOBJECTIVE SINGLE MACHINE SCHEDULING WITH NONTRADITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Abstract Many scheduling problems encountered in practice are must address requirements that are not found in the literature like maximizing the number of jobs that have a particular color. These nontraditional requirements are sometimes an objective as when the desirability of a schedule increases with the number of jobs of the same color that are scheduled consecutively. Other times, the requirements take the form of constraints as in cases where it is forbidden to have more than two consecutive jobs with a particular color. To complicate the situation, most real scheduling problems are multiobjective. This research centers on bicriteria scheduling with nontraditional requirements using an experimental approach and a Random Keys Genetic Algorithm to find Pareto optimal solutions. We address both traditional and nontraditional requirements in a single machine job shop with 20–50 jobs.
A distributed triangulation algorithm for wireless sensor networks on 2D and 3D surface

Triangulation serves as the basis for many geometry-based algorithms in wireless sensor networks. In this paper we propose a distributed algorithm that produces a triangulation for an arbitrary sensor network, with no constraints on communication model or granularity of the triangulation. We prove its correctness in 2D, and further extend it to sensor networks deployed on 3D open and closed surfaces. Our simulation results show that the proposed algorithms can tolerate distance measurement errors, and thus work well under practical sensor network settings and effectively promote the performance a range of applications that depend on triangulations.
Trajectories of depressive symptoms and oral health outcomes in a community sample of older adults

Objective: Adverse outcomes associated with chronic depressive symptoms are of clinical importance. The objective was to identify subgroups of older adults based on their trajectories of depressive symptoms over a 10-year period and determine if these subgroups predicted oral health outcomes. Methods: The sample was 944 adults aged 65+ who participated in the oral health module of the the Health and Retirement Survey in 2008. Depressive symptoms were measured with a modified version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. Latent class trajectory analysis was used to identify distinct subgroups of elders based on their CES-D scores from 1998–2008. Group membership was used to predict self-rated oral health, overall mouth condition (problems with bleeding gums, gum sensitivity, and food avoidance), and edentulism in 2008. Results: Three distinct subgroups were identified using zero-inflated Poisson regression models: (i) minimal depressive symptoms over the study period (43%), (ii) low but generally stable level of depressive symptoms (41%), and (iii) moderate symptoms and higher CES-D scores than the other groups over the 10years (16%). Controlling for demographic and health variables and edentulism status, having a trajectory of moderate symptoms was associated with poorer mouth condition (p<0.0001) and poorer self-rated oral health (p=0.0003) compared with those with minimal symptoms. Having low levels of depressive symptoms was not significantly associated with these two outcomes. Group membership was not significantly associated with the probability of edentulism. Conclusions: Chronic moderate depressive symptoms are associated with poorer oral health in older adults. Copyright # 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modulation of MS2 virus adsorption on TiO2 semiconductor film by nitrogen doping

Nitrogen was doped into titanium dioxide film to alter its surface electrostatic properties, and subsequently modulate the interaction force between MS2 virus and semiconductor films for control of the adsorption behavior of MS2 on semiconductor surfaces. By combining atomic force microscopy (AFM) height profile and phase profile, adsorptions of MS2 virus on TiO2-based semiconductor surfaces were observed in solutions over a range of pH values. The adsorption behavior was shown to agree with the theoretical analysis of colloidal interactions.
Rapid gravity and gravity gradiometry terrain corrections via an adaptive quadtree mesh discretization

We present a method for modelling the terrain response of gravity gradiometry surveys utilising an adaptive quadtree mesh discretization. The data- and terrain-dependent method is tailored to provide rapid and accurate terrain correctionsfordrapedandbarometricairbornesurveys.Thesurfaceusedinthemodellingoftheterraineffectforeachdatum is discretized automatically to the largest cell size that will yield the desired accuracy, resulting in much faster modelling than full-resolution calculations. The largest cell sizes within the model occur in areas of minimal terrain variation and atlargedistancesawayfromthedatumlocation.Weshowsyntheticand fieldexamplesforproofofconcept.Inthepresented field example, the adaptive quadtree method reduces the computational cost by performing 351 times fewer calculations than the full model would require while retaining an accuracy of one Eotvos for the gradient data. The method is also used for the terrain correction of the gravity field and performed 310 times faster compared with a calculation of the full digital elevation model.
Cloud-Centric assured information sharing

In this paper we describe the design and implementation of cloud-based assured information sharing systems. In particular, we will describe our current implementation of a centralized cloud-based assured information sharing system and the design of a decentralized hybrid cloud-based assured information sharing system of the future. Our goal is for coalition organizations to share information stored in multiple clouds and enforce appropriate policies.
Simulations of Unsteady Aquatic Locomotion: From Unsteadiness in Straight-Line Swimming to Fast-Starts

motion to maximize the distance traveled from rest are similar to the experimentally observed C-start maneuvers. Furthermore, another set of simulations, which are validated against measurements of flow in experiments with live fish, investigate the role of fins during the C-start. The simulations showed that most of the force is generated by the body of the fish (not by fins) during the first stage of the C-start when the fish bends itself into the C-shape. However, in the second stage, when it rapidly bends out of the C-shape, more than 70% of the instantaneous hydrodynamic force is produced by the tail. The effect of dorsal and anal fins was less than 5% of the instantaneous force in both stages, except for a short period of time (2 ms) just before the second stage. Therefore, the active control and the erection of the anal/ dorsal fins might be related to retaining the stability of the sunfish against roll and pitch during the C-start. At the end, the needed future developments in the computational front and their possible applications on investigating stability during unsteady locomotion are discussed.
Survival after acute kidney injury requiring dialysis: long-term follow up.

Data on long-term follow up after acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring dialysis are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe and identify factors associated with survival, recovery of kidney function at discharge, and long-term follow up of renal function in AKI patients requiring dialysis. All AKI patients requiring dialysis during calendar year 2000-2011 treated with conventional hemodialysis and daily shift continuous venovenous hemodialysis (8-hour 40 L dialysate) were included. The data were mean and SD. The results were: 65.8% male; 33.9% diabetic; 75% dipstick positive proteinuria on admission; 72.5% medical AKI; and 27.6% surgical AKI of those (14.2%) who had postcardiovascular surgery. At discharge mortality by cause of AKI: medical 25%, surgical 29.8%; and at the end of study: medical 35.3%, surgical 43.6%. Two-hundred thirty-four patients were discharged alive (mortality 26%). Forty-two died after discharge; 50% in the first 156 days post discharge. Mortality at the end of study was 37.8%. Follow-up (F/U) (1-86 m). At discharge, 200 recovered from kidney function (63.2%), and of those who died in the hospital 80.5% did not recover from kidney function (died dialysis dependent). Baseline serum creatinine was 1.33 mg/dL (0.64), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 63.4 mL/minute (29.3), peak creatinine 6.3 mg/dL (2.9), and peak blood urea nitrogen 88.1 mg/dL (39.9). At discharge, serum creatinine was 3.1 mg/dL (2.1) and eGFR was 31.6 mL/minute (27.4); at 6 months, creatinine was 1.66 mg/dL (1.1) and eGFR was 60.8(36); at all F/U times, the creatinine was higher and eGFR was lower than the baseline values (P < 0.05). Of the nonsurvivors, the only significant difference was a lower albumin at baseline (2.9 vs. 3.1 g/dL) (P < 0.05) and lower peak creatinine (5.5 vs. 6.8 mg/dL) (P < 0.05). The mean survival time was 45.4 months. The survival of the patients who recovered from kidney function at discharge was longer than the ones who did not recover (59.7 vs. 16 m, P < 0.05). By Cox regression, the factors significant for survival were peak creatinine and status at discharge. During follow up (data up to 54 months), the percentage of patients with eGFR < 60 mL/minute decreased from 90.9% at discharge to 63.6% at 24 months, then increased to 81.8% at 30 months and longer. The percentage of patients with eGFR < 30 mL/minute decreased from 45.4% at discharge to 18.2% at 24 months to increase at a later date (27-36%). The percentage of patients with eGFR < 15 mL/minute decreased from 45.45% at discharge to 18% until 24 months of follow up (to increase to 27.7% at later dates). AKI requiring dialysis has a significant effect on GFR with almost 80% of the survivors having chronic kidney disease stage 3 or worse. Furthermore, progression was observed on the long-term follow up. Factors affecting the survival included peak creatinine and status of recovery of kidney function at discharge.
Should We Bring Back the Draft

The composition of the U.S. military's All-Volunteer Force (AVF) is not representative of the population it defends. But then, neither was the U.S. military during the conscription era; the very well-to-do and the highly educated have always been able to evade the draft. Maintaining freedom of occupational choice and relying on incentives to attract qualified individuals for our national defense is surely the most equitable method of procuring military manpower.
Weed Control in Southern Highbush Blueberry with S-metolachlor, Flumioxazin, and Hexazinone

AbstractField studies were conducted in 2010, 2011, and 2012 at a commercial blueberry farm near Burgaw, NC to determine weed control and crop tolerance to S-metolachlor and flumioxazin alone or mixed with hexazinone. Herbicides were applied pre-budbreak and postharvest. Pre-budbreak applications consisted of hexazinone at 1.1 or 2.2 kg ai ha−1, S-metolachlor at 1.4 or 2.8 kg ai ha–1, and flumioxazin at 215 g ai ha–1 alone and tank mixes of hexazinone or flumioxazin plus S-metolachlor. Additional treatments consisted of flumioxazin (215 g ha–1), flumioxazin plus S-metolachlor (1.4 and 2.8 kg ha–1), or hexazinone (1.1 kg ha–1) plus S-metolachlor (1.4 and 2.8 kg ha–1) applied pre-budbreak and followed by (fb) a postharvest application of flumioxazin (215 g ha–1). Herbicide programs containing flumioxazin resulted in greater Maryland meadowbeauty control (73%) 5 to 6 weeks after treatment (WAT) than herbicide programs containing hexazinone at 1.1 or 2.2 kg ha–1 (37% and 39%, respectively). Needleleaf rosette...
Distributed compression and maximum likelihood reconstruction of finite autocorrelation sequences

Estimating the autocorrelation of wide-sense stationary time series is important for a wide range of statistical signal processing and data analysis tasks. Distributed autocorrelation sensing strategies are of interest when multiple pieces or realizations of the time series are measured at different locations. This paper considers a distributed autocorrelation sensing scheme based on randomly filtered power measurements, each compressed down to one bit, without any sensor coordination. A Maximum Likelihood (ML) reconstruction scheme is proposed and is shown to work well, even at high overall compression ratios and with a substantial fraction of bit errors. Whereas the ML formulation appears non-convex, it is proven that it in fact possesses hidden convexity, which enables optimal solution. Simulations are used to illustrate the performance of the proposed ML approach.
Optical Design of an Auxiliary Wide Field Line Scan Adaptive Optics SLO

We present the optical design for a wide field line scan adaptive optics SLO which provides a 6 degree, 1780x2040 pixel imaging field on human retina and operates in parallel with a fully confocal 2 degree adaptive optics SLO.
Ultra-deep desulfurization of pentane with K_2FeO_4 by catalytic oxidation process

Potassium ferrate is prepared by an improved hypochlorite oxidation method and then characterized. A new,effective and green approach for ultralow-sulfur pentane production is proposed using potassium ferrate as oxidant. Effects of oxidation conditions on the desulphurization and the oxidation mechanism are discussed. With 0.1786 g of K2FeO4,0.5 mL of ZSW-1 catalyst,20 mL of pentane under 30℃ for 60 min,the reaction mixture was extracted with 5%NaOH aqueous solution,the sulphur content was reduced from 50 mg/L to 0.632 mg/L,and the desulfurization ratio reached to 98.7%.
Efficacy of killing insects in the laboratory and the scene of sulfuryl fluoride

Objective To observe the disinsecting effcacy of sulfuryl fluoride.Methods Through the direct inspiration contamination law,the poisoning time and the death situation were observed,which then verified under simulated scenes and field trial.Results Sulfuryl fluoride were fumigated with the concentration of 15 g/m3 to the 3 kinds of harmful insects in the laboratory.KT50 was within 30 min,concentration of 3 g/m3 KT50 was within 250 min.In the laboratory,simulated scenes and field trial,the 24 hours mortality rates reached 100%.Conclusion The relationship between dose and duration of sulfuryl fluoride to kill insect and extinguishes mouse is clarified,providing the reference dose and duration in the future container fumigation.
Student Exploration: App(Lying) Technology for Health Education and Promotion

Applications (Apps) provide unique opportunities to enhance learning and instruction. In this interactive teaching technique, students build a repository of health-related apps which can be easily integrated into existing health education lessons. APP(lying) Technology for Health Education and Promotion uses technology as an effective pedagogical strategy to engage learners in middle school through collegiate classroom settings. The activity is designed to build knowledge and skills for locating useful health-related apps in the Apple/Android market place. National Health Education Standards provide the base of the teaching technique. Although the content area of health will be utilized in this example, the methodology presented could easily be adapted to address multiple content specialties.
Explaining the Religious Divide

I organize dominant explanations for varied genetic footprints into five major groups, although I acknowledge that they interrelate. The first explanation is that patterns are actually based on religion, as varied teachings and institutions led to divergent outcomes. A second explanation is geohistorical contact: Catholic countries are more Mediterranean, with a long history of mixing and exposure to other parts of the world, while Protestants are more isolated. Third, I look to political economy, namely the need for land versus labor among colonized peoples. Fourth, political capacity refers to the ability of colonial rulers to enforce sexual rules and to encourage the migration of European women. Finally, I look to changing ideas of nation and race that first emerged in Protestant countries but were slower to take hold among Catholics.
Ultrasound-guided versus computed tomography-scan guided biopsy of pleural-based lung lesions

Background: Computed tomography (CT) guided biopsies have long been the standard technique to obtain tissue from the thoracic cavity and is traditionally performed by interventional radiologists. Ultrasound (US) guided biopsy of pleural-based lesions, performed by pulmonologists is gaining popularity and has the advantage of multi-planar imaging, real-time technique, and the absence of radiation exposure to patients. In this study, we aim to determine the diagnostic accuracy, the time to diagnosis after the initial consult placement, and the complications rates between the two different modalities. Methods: A retrospective study of electronic medical records was done of patients who underwent CT-guided biopsies and US-guided biopsies for pleural-based lesions between 2005 and 2014 and the data collected were analyzed for comparing the two groups. Results: A total of 158 patients underwent 162 procedures during the study period. 86 patients underwent 89 procedures in the US group, and 72 patients underwent 73 procedures in the CT group. The overall yield in the US group was 82/89 (92.1%) versus 67/73 (91.8%) in the CT group ( P = 1.0). Average days to the procedure was 7.2 versus 17.5 ( P = 0.00001) in the US and CT group, respectively. Complication rate was higher in CT group 17/73 (23.3%) versus 1/89 (1.1%) in the US group ( P Conclusions: For pleural-based lesions the diagnostic accuracy of US guided biopsy is similar to that of CT-guided biopsy, with a lower complication rate and a significantly reduced time to the procedure.
Supplementary control for virtual synchronous machine based on adaptive dynamic programming

Virtual synchronous machine (VSM) can be used in micro-grids (MGs) for supporting virtual inertia to mitigate frequency fluctuations in the system. The performance of VSM depends on the performance of the current controlled voltage source inverter. Generally used proportional-integral (PI) controller has limited transient performance in current control. Adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) controller has been investigated, designed and tested to improve transient stability in the electric power system. In this paper, ADP controller has been proposed as a supplementary controller for fine tuning conventional PI current controller thereby improving the performance of VSM. The grid connected inverter system was simulated in MATLAB/Simulink to analyze transient stability problems. ADP as a supplementary controller not only reduced the overshoot of d-axis current at sudden load changes but also increased the speed of the current control. Furthermore, the system was tested for single phase line to ground fault and performed well based on the proposed ADP supplementary control approach.
Not All Bad News After All? Exploring the Relationship Between Citizens’ Use of Online Mass Media for Government Information and Trust in Government

ABSTRACTMass media coverage of government is often blamed for inciting anti-public sector sentiment. Yet there have been few empirical assessments of these claims. To address this gap in the literature, this study examines whether relationships between citizens’ expectations of public sector performance, satisfaction with public services, and levels of trust in government vary according to their use of online mass media for information about government. Using data collected in 2012 from a survey of 1,100 Seoul citizens, we find that greater use of online mass media to obtain information about government reinforces negative relationships between (1) expectations of public sector performance and satisfaction with public services, and (2) expectations of public sector performance and trust in government. Moreover, the size and strength of the negative indirect relationship between expectations of public sector performance and trust in government increase as respondents use online mass media more frequently f...
A screening tool to identify FIT geriatric oncology patients.

e20532 Background: A Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES 13) score of ≥ 3 has been validated to predict vulnerability for community elders but not geriatric oncology patients. A test to accurately identi...
Chinese and South Korean Views on Accepting Bribes: An Empirical Study

One might think that bribery is always unethical. Studies by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development discourage the practice and a number of other studies have viewed bribery in negative terms. However, a closer examination of the issue reveals that the question of whether bribery is ethical or unethical is not so clear-cut in some cases. For example, bribing a prison guard to release a political prisoner who is being held by a corrupt or evil regime might constitute an ethical act. From a utilitarian ethical perspective, bribery would be acceptable in cases where there are more winners than losers. Another approach for determining ethical versus unethical bribery focuses on whether the recipient is a helping hand or greedy hand. Where the bribe goes to someone who facilitates commerce by cutting red tape or by performing a service for the bribe payer, some scholars have concluded that the bribe may be ethical. Those who merely take advantage of someone by abusing their authority have been viewed as acting unethically by soliciting a bribe. This study examines and compares attitudes on the ethics of bribe taking in China and South Korea. The latest data from the World Values Survey was used to determine attitudes toward accepting a bribe in the two countries, and whether opinions in the two countries were significantly different. The sample sizes were 1907 for China and 1195 for South Korea. The study found that opposition to bribe taking was strong, but that the degree of opposition sometimes depended by demographic variables, such as gender, age, and social class.
Microfluidic Devices for Cell Lysis and Isolation of Organelles

The present work targets devices that scale down the cellular analyses to small populations. Electroporation is chosen to lyse the cell membrane, eliminating the use of chemicals, while isoelectric focusing of organelles replaces density centrifugation for separation of organelles. Microfluidic devices with integrated electrodes for lysing and focusing were fabricated on glass substrates with SU-8 and by electroplating. The techniques were explored with human HT-29 cells.
Invasive plant feedbacks promote alternative states in California vernal pools

Invasive species have the potential to create positive feedbacks and push an ecosystem into an alternative state through a variety of mechanisms. Unless the drivers behind these feedbacks are understood, restoring a system to a more desirable state may not be possible. We used a long-term vernal pool restoration project based out of Travis Airforce Base, Fairfield, CA, U.S.A. to examine natural pools dominated by either invasive or native plant communities, and restored pools predominately composed of invasive plants. We determined that plant community structure is drastically altered towards invasive grasses with the addition of a single centimeter of litter. In the absence of this litter layer, community structure was driven by a non-native forb rather than native species. We also found that native plant-dominated vernal pools have a longer inundation duration and are deeper compared to invasive-dominated pools, regardless of construction status. These results suggest that once invasive grasses establish through lower inundation depths, their litter deposition can initiate a positive feedback to maintain an invasive alternative state. However, even after litter removal, non-native forbs can replace the grasses causing a second alternative state still separate from the most desirable native dominated state. This study directly demonstrates that invasive species, and their positive feedbacks, may limit the success of ecological restoration. To effectively restore a system all constraints must be identified and removed before successful restoration can occur.
The reliability of pigment pattern‐based identification of wild bottlenose dolphins

Long-term studies often rely on natural markings for individual identification across time. The primary method for identification in small cetaceans relies on dorsal fin shape, scars, and other natural markings. However, dorsal fin markings can vary substantially over time and the dorsal fin can become unrecognizable after an encounter with a boat or shark. Although dorsal fins have the advantage in that they always break the water surface when the cetacean breathes, other physical features, such as body scars and pigmentation patterns can supplement. The goal of this study was to explore the use of dorso-lateral pigment patterns to identify wild bottlenose dolphins. We employed photographic pigment matching tests to determine if pigmentation patterns showed (1) longitudinal consistency and (2) bilateral symmetry using a 30 yr photographic database of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). We compared experienced dolphin researchers and inexperienced undergraduate student subjects in their ability to accurately match images. Both experienced and inexperienced subjects correctly matched dolphin individuals at a rate significantly above chance, even though they only had 10 s to make the match. These results demonstrate that pigment patterns can be used to reliably identify individual wild bottlenose dolphins, and likely other small cetacean species at other sites.
Relation of Lifestyle Factors and Life's Simple 7 Score to Temporal Reduction in Troponin Levels Measured by a High-Sensitivity Assay (from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study).

The impact of lifestyle-related factors on temporal decreases in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), possibly reflecting reversal of subclinical myocardial damage, has not been evaluated in a community-based setting. We measured hs-cTnT twice, 6 years apart, in 9,256 participants from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study who were free from baseline cardiovascular disease. We used Poisson and multinomial regression to evaluate the associations of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, healthy diet score, physical activity, and Life's Simple 7 (LS7) score (a composite measure of lifestyle-related health factors) with 6-year decreases in hs-cTnT. Of the 3,017 patients with detectable baseline hs-cTnT (≥5 ng/L), 2,418 (80%) remained detectable, whereas 599 (20%) had undetectable levels (
Low-cost measurement techniques to characterize the influence of home heating fuel on carbon monoxide in Navajo homes

A large fraction of the global population relies on the inefficient combustion of solid fuels for cooking and home heating, resulting in household exposure to combustion byproducts. In the southwestern United States, unhealthy air quality has been observed in some homes that use solid fuels as a primary source of heat on the Navajo Nation. In order to better understand how home heating fuel choice can influence indoor air quality in this region, we used recently developed low-cost electrochemical sensors to measure carbon monoxide (CO) air mole fractions continuously inside and outside 41 homes in two communities on the Navajo Nation. Using low-cost sensors in this study, which don't require extensive training to operate, enabled collaboration with local Dine College students and faculty in the planning and implementation of home deployments. Households used natural gas, propane, pellets, wood, and/or coal for heating. We developed quantification methods that included uncertainty estimation for Alphasense CO-B4 sensors, for measurements both inside and outside homes. CO concentrations elevated above background were observed in homes in each heating fuel group, but the highest hourly concentrations were observed in wood and coal burning homes, some of which exceeded World Health Organization Guidelines on both an hourly and eight-hourly basis. In order to probe the many factors that can influence indoor pollutant concentrations, we developed and implemented methods that employ CO emission and decay time periods observed in homes during everyday activities to estimate air exchange rates as well as CO emission rates on the basis of a given well-mixed volume of air. The air quality measurement tools and methods demonstrated in this study can be readily extended to indoor air quality studies in other communities around the world to inform how home heating and cooking practices are influencing indoor air quality during normal daily activities.
SOI MESFETs on high-resistivity, trap-rich substrates

Abstract The DC and RF characteristics of metal-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MESFETs) on conventional CMOS silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates are compared to nominally identical devices on high-resistivity, trap-rich SOI substrates. While the DC transfer characteristics are statistically identical on either substrate, the maximum available gain at GHz frequencies is enhanced by ∼2 dB when using the trap-rich substrates, with maximum operating frequencies, fmax, that are approximately 5–10% higher. The increased fmax is explained by the reduced substrate conduction at GHz frequencies using a lumped-element, small-signal model.
Mitochondrial fission contributes to heat-induced oxidative stress in skeletal muscle but not hyperthermia in mice.

Abstract Aims We have previously demonstrated in vitro that heat-induced skeletal muscle damage is associated with an increase in dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-mediated mitochondrial fission and no change in mitochondrial fusion. In this study, we investigated the in vivo effects of mitochondrial fission inhibition on heat-induced oxidative skeletal muscle injury and hyperthermic response in mice. Main methods Core body temperatures of mice pre-treated with vehicle or Mdivi-1 were recorded by radio telemetry during heat exposure. Tissue samples were obtained immediately following heat exposure. Key findings We found that heat exposure caused increased mitochondrial fragmentation and mitochondrial fission protein Drp1 expression, whereas had no effect on the mitochondrial fusion-related proteins mitofusin 1, mitofusin 2 and OPA1 in mouse gastrocnemius muscles. Two groups of mice with a similar high level of heat-induced hyperthermia were allowed to recover for at least one week and subsequently treated with Mdivi-1 and vehicle, respectively. Neither Mdivi-1 nor vehicle altered the hyperthermic responses of mice during heat exposure. However, Mdivi-1 significantly reduced mitochondrial fragmentation and Drp1, reactive oxygen species levels and apoptotic responses in mouse gastrocnemius muscles following heat exposure compared with vehicle. Significance These results suggest that Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission plays a role in heat-induced oxidative stress in skeletal muscle, but not in hyperthermic response in mice.
Reproductive differences between three species of Brachyrhaphis livebearing fishes in Panamá

Both theory and the published literature support the importance of demographic selection for differences in life history traits between populations as well as between related species. Much attentio...