cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulation of Scale-Free Correlation in Swarms of UAVs

Natural phenomena such as flocking in birds, known as emergence, is proved to be scale-invariant, i.e., flocks of birds exhibit scale-free correlations which give them the ability to achieve an effective collective response to external conditions and environment changes to survive under predator attacks. However, the role of scale-free correlations is not clearly understood in artificially simulated systems and thus more investigation is justifiable. In this paper, we present an attempt to mimic the scale-free behavior in swarms of autonomous agents, specifically in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). We simulate an agent-based model, with each UAV treated as a dynamical system, performing persistent surveillance of a search area. The evaluation results show that the correlation in swarms of UAVs can be scale-free. Since this is a part of ongoing research, open questions and future directions are also discussed.
Attenuation of diet-induced hypothalamic inflammation following bariatric surgery in female mice

Exposure of rodents to chronic high-fat diet (HFD) results in upregulation of inflammatory markers and proliferation of microglia within the mediobasal hypothalamus. Such hypothalamic inflammation is associated with metabolic dysfunction, central leptin resistance, and maintenance of obesity. Bariatric surgeries result in long-term stable weight loss and improved metabolic function. However, the effects of such surgical procedures on HFD-induced hypothalamic inflammation are unknown. We sought to characterize the effects of two bariatric surgical procedures, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and biliary diversion (BD-IL), in female mice with particular emphasis on HFD-induced hypothalamic inflammation and microgliosis. RYGB and BD-IL were performed on diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. Quantitative RT-PCR and fluorescent microscopy were used to evaluate hypothalamic inflammatory gene expression and microgliosis. Results were compared to lean (CD), DIO sham-surgerized mice (DIO-SHAM), and dietary weight loss (DIO-Rev) controls. In female mice, RYGB and BD-IL result in normalization of hypothalamic inflammatory gene expression and microgliosis within 8 weeks of surgery, despite ongoing exposure to HFD. Paralleling these results, the hypothalamic expression levels of the orexigenic neuropeptide Agrp and the anorexic response of surgical mice to exogenous leptin were comparable to lean controls (CD). In contrast, results from DIO-Rev mice were comparable to DIO-SHAM mice, despite transition back to standard rodent show and normalization of weight. Bariatric surgery attenuates HFD-induced hypothalamic inflammation and microgliosis and restores leptin sensitivity, despite ongoing exposure to HFD.
The Complex Coupling Coefficient of Coherent VCSEL Arrays

We present a new experimental procedure for the measurement of the complex coupling coefficient in 2×1 coherent VCSEL arrays. The coupling coefficient is found with non-zero imaginary component, which manifests as an increase of output power and lower threshold while coherently coupled as compared to incoherent operation.
Revitalizing Mandaue city: obstacles in implementing a performance governance system

The once vibrant Mandaue City in the Philippines decayed into an underperforming city with sluggish industrial output, corruption scandals, and a record-breaking drug bust that caused international...
Using smart clothing to improve movement

In Orthopedic surgery, our goal is to return people to better levels of musculoskeletal function. There are many areas where there is still room for improvement, including in identifying poor movement patterns and helping people correct those movement patterns. The University of Minnesota Wearable Technology Lab has developed a stitched, textile-based strain sensor that provides a variable resistance response when flexed or stretched. The sensor is fabricated using common industrial sewing techniques, and can be incorporated into regular athletic clothing. Prior work has assessed the ability of this sensor to reliably measure healthy knee flexion with accuracy comparable to standard electrogoniometry when integrated into tight-fitting leggings. Preliminary results have indicated the ability to detect more nuanced movements such as valgus knee flexion through strategic sensor placement. The impacts of this technology are the potential to benefit any person that needs analysis of their movement patterns. In particular, it would be targeting active individuals who are placing their bodies under the greatest stress and therefore are most at risk of injury. The goal would be to identify poor movement patterns and alter the individual's movement prior to, or after, injury. This technology, however, could be easily expanded to deal with people working in manual labor jobs to identify repetitive movement patterns that place them at risk of overuse injury. It could also be applied to patients undergoing rehabilitation following surgeries that require mobility training as part of their rehabilitation.
First-principles and Machine Learning Predictions of Elasticity in Severely Lattice-distorted High-Entropy Alloys with Experimental Validation

Abstract Stiffness usually increases with the lattice-distortion-induced strain, as observed in many nanostructures. Partly due to the size differences in the component elements, severe lattice distortion naturally exists in high entropy alloys (HEAs). The single-phase face-centered-cubic (FCC) Al0.3CoCrFeNi HEA, which has large size differences among its constituent elements, is an ideal system to study the relationship between the elastic properties and lattice distortion using a combined experimental and computational approach based on in-situ neutron-diffraction (ND) characterizations, and first-principles calculations. Analysis of the interatomic distance distributions from calculations of optimized special quasi random structure (SQS) found that the HEA has a high degree of lattice distortion. When the lattice distortion is explicitly considered, elastic properties calculated using SQS are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements for the HEA. The calculated elastic constant values are within 5% of the ND measurements. A comparison of calculations from the optimized SQS and the SQS with ideal lattice sites indicate that the lattice distortion results in the reduced stiffness. The optimized SQS has a bulk modulus of 177 GPa compared to the ideal lattice SQS with a bulk modulus of 194 GPa. Machine learning (ML) modeling is also implemented to explore the use of fast, and computationally efficient models for predicting the elastic moduli of HEAs. ML models trained on a large dataset of inorganic structures are shown to make accurate predictions of elastic properties for the HEA. The ML models also demonstrate the dependence of bulk and shear moduli on several material features which can act as guides for tuning elastic properties in HEAs.
Differential typologies of current substance use among Black and White high-school adolescents: A latent class analysis.

Abstract Black and White adolescents demonstrate different prototypical profiles (i.e., typologies) of substance use, with Blacks demonstrating lower risk for concurrent use of two or more substances. Despite knowledge of these differences, typologies of adolescent substance use identified by person-centered methods, such as latent class analysis, have not characterized profiles by racial group. The current study examined typologies of substance use among Black and White youth separately using person-centered methods to identify common patterns of substance use among subjects. Data were drawn from a 5-year parent study examining adolescent health outcomes. The current study examined high-school aged White (n = 7271, 45.4% male) and Black youth (n = 1301, 40.1% male) who reported past-30-day frequency of cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, inhalant, and other drug use. Latent class analysis was used to examine substance use typologies among each group adjusting for grade and sex. Black and White youth demonstrated different typologies such that four typologies emerged among Blacks: Non-Use (87.8%), Alcohol and Marijuana Use (6.3%), Alcohol, Marijuana, and Cigarette Use (3.8%), and Frequent Polysubstance Use (2.0%). Conversely, five typologies emerged among Whites: Non-Use (73.4%), Predominant Alcohol Use (13.9%), Alcohol, Marijuana, and Cigarette Use (9.4%), Moderate Polysubstance Use (1.6%), and Frequent Polysubstance Use (1.7%). Findings suggest that Black and White youth engage in similar rates of concurrent substance use. Given that Black youth face greater risk for adverse consequences from substance use, prevention efforts are needed to prevent related health disparities related to concurrent substance use.
Photoinduced cationic polycondensation in solid state towards ultralow band gap conjugated polymers

A photoinduced cationic polycondensation towards the synthesis of a thieno[3,4-b]thiophene (TT) based homopolymer PTT-L was described. The reaction mechanism was investigated by employing a series of control experiments. It was found that the polymerization initiated with a light-induced radical formation, followed by a cationic propagation, all in solid state, at room temperature, and without any catalyst or solvent. In addition, a reference polymer (PTT-Ni) was synthesized via Kumada catalyst transfer polycondensation (KCTP) to assist in structural characterization of polymer PTT-L. It was shown that both polymers exhibit analogous optical, thermal, electrochemical and electrical properties. This polymerization process can be utilized as a mean to form patterned PTT-L films.
Divergent behavioral consequences of manipulations enhancing pyramidal neuron excitability in the prelimbic cortex

ABSTRACT Background Drug-induced neuroadaptations in the prefrontal cortex are thought to underlie impaired executive functions that reinforce addictive behaviors. Repeated cocaine exposure increased layer 5/6 pyramidal neuron excitability in the mouse prelimbic cortex (PL), an adaptation attributable to a suppression of G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK/Kir3) channel activity. GIRK channel suppression in the PL of drug-naive mice enhanced the motor-stimulatory effect of cocaine. The impact of cocaine on PL GABA neurons, key pyramidal neuron regulators, and the behavioral relevance of increased PL pyramidal neuron excitability, remain unclear. Methods The effect of repeated cocaine on mouse layer 5/6 PL GABA neurons was assessed using slice electrophysiology. Adaptations enhancing PL pyramidal neuron excitability were modeled in drug-naive mice using persistent viral Cre ablation and acute chemogenetic approaches. The impact of these manipulations on PL-dependent behavior was assessed in motor activity and trace fear conditioning tests. Results Repeated cocaine treatment did not impact GIRK channel activity in, or excitability of, layer 5/6 PL GABA neurons. GIRK channel ablation in PL pyramidal neurons enhanced the motor-stimulatory effect of cocaine but did not impact baseline activity or fear learning. In contrast, direct or indirect chemogenetic activation of PL pyramidal neurons increased baseline and cocaine-induced motor activity and disrupted fear learning. These effects were mirrored by chemogenetic activation of PL pyramidal neurons projecting to the ventral tegmental area. Conclusions Manipulations enhancing the excitability of PL pyramidal neurons, including those projecting to the VTA, recapitulate behavioral hallmarks of repeated cocaine exposure.
SolarFinder: Automatic Detection of Solar Photovoltaic Arrays

Smart cities, utilities, third-parties, and government agencies are having pressure on managing stochastic power generation from distributed rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays, such as predicting and reacting to the variations in electric grid. Recently, there is a rising interest to identify solar PV arrays automatically and passively. Traditional approaches such as online assessment and utilities interconnection filings are time consuming and costly, and limited in geospatial resolution, and thus do not scale up to every location. Significant recent work focuses on using aerial imagery to train machine learning or deep learning models to automatically detect solar PV arrays. Unfortunately, these approaches typically require Very High Resolution (VHR) images and human handcrafted solar PV array templates for training, which have a minimum cost of $15 per km2 and are not always available at every location.To address the problem, we design a new system—SolarFinder that can automatically detect distributed solar PV arrays in a given geospatial region without any extra cost. SolarFinder first automatically fetches regular resolution satellite images within the region using publicly-available imagery APIs. Then, SolarFinder leverages multi-dimensional K-means algorithm to automatically segment solar arrays on rooftop images. Eventually, SolarFinder employs hybrid linear regression approach that integrates support vector machine (SVM) modeling with a deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) approach to accurately identify solar PV arrays and characterize each solar deployment. We evaluate SolarFinder using 269,632 satellite images that include 1,143,636 contours from 13 geospatial regions in U.S. We find that pre-trained SolarFinder yields a Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) of 0.17, which is 3 times better than the most recent pre-trained CNNs approach and the same as a re-trained CNNs approach.
Blackface, Implicit Bias, and the Informal Curriculum: Shaping the Healthcare Workforce, and Improving Health.

Abstract Blackface, Implicit Bias, and the Informal Curriculum: Shaping the Healthcare Workforce, and Improving Health. Background/Purpose Health disparities disproportionately affect minority populations and are due to multiple factors including discrimination and implicit bias. Biases are ubiquitous throughout society, including the educational and healthcare environment. In health care it is at the patient-provider level that our biases play a major role in patient care exhibiting a rippling effect going beyond individual provider biases affecting not only patients and families but all members of the healthcare team. Methods Although biases are in play across the entire medical school curriculum the most significant impact is during clerkships. During clerkships students are exposed to and prone to adopt and internalize identities and traits that may run counter to the basic tenants of medicine and the Hippocratic tradition of non-maleficence, beneficence, and compassion. Implicit biases develop early, are difficult to change and as shown by recent allegations of political figures appearing in blackface remain intact into adulthood. Conclusion/Recommendations At the institutional level biases can be addressed and mitigated through cultural humility and implicit bias training, training in culturally and linguistically appropriate services, increased workforce diversity through support of STEM- based enrichment programs and curriculum changes that include clinical vignettes emphasizing the effects of race, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity, on access and quality of care; reflective writing and small group sessions that provide safe spaces for students; and experiential learning in underserved communities. Resulting in an educational environment that directly addresses the role of implicit bias, racism, and discrimination in individual and population health.
Chloroquine Sensitizes GNAQ/11-mutated Melanoma to MEK1/2 Inhibition.

Purpose: Mutational activation of GNAQ or GNA11 (GNAQ/11), detected in >90% of uveal melanomas, leads to constitutive activation of oncogenic pathways, including MAPK and YAP. To date, chemo- or pathway-targeted therapies, either alone or in combination, have proven ineffective in the treatment of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. Experimental Design: We tested the efficacy of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, in combination with MAPK pathway inhibition in GNAQ/11-mutated cells in vitro and in vivo and identified mechanisms of MEK1/2 inhibitor plus chloroquine-induced cytotoxicity. Results: Inhibition of GNAQ/11-mediated activation of MAPK signaling resulted in the induction of autophagy. Combined inhibition of Gα and autophagy or lysosome function resulted in enhanced cell death. Moreover, the combination of MEK1/2 inhibition, using trametinib, with the lysosome inhibitor, chloroquine, also increased cytotoxicity. Treatment of mice bearing GNAQ/11-driven melanomas with trametinib plus hydroxychloroquine resulted in inhibition of tumor growth and significantly prolonged survival. Interestingly, lysosomal- and autophagy-specific inhibition with bafilomycin A1 was not sufficient to promote cytotoxicity in combination with trametinib. However, the addition of YAP inhibition with trametinib plus bafilomycin A1 resulted in cell death at comparable levels to trametinib plus chloroquine (T/CQ) treatment. Furthermore, T/CQ-treated cells displayed decreased YAP nuclear localization and decreased YAP transcriptional activity. Expression of a constitutively active YAP5SA mutant conferred resistance to T/CQ-induced cell death. Conclusions: These results suggest that YAP, MEK1/2, and lysosome function are necessary and critical targets for the therapy of GNAQ/11-driven melanoma, and identify trametinib plus hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment strategy for metastatic uveal melanoma.
WWW Merchandise Information Extraction

In response to format diversity problem in the webpage information extraction, this paper proposes a new information extractionmethod based on XPATH clustering. The method utilizes the character of e-commerce website and gives a general mathematic formula. Based on it,this paper uses the thought of webpage statistical information clustering, segments the information block, and realizes the information extraction.This paper proves the validity of the algorithm through the practical website information extraction, achieves good results. Segmentation accuracy is92.27%, and information extraction accuracy gets 98.24%.
Discourses of Alpha: Strategies and the Hegemonic Order

This chapter examines discourse strategies and their contribution to enlanguaged Alpha hegemony. Using De Cillia et al. (Discourse and Society 10:149–173, 1999) as a basic framework, constructive, perpetuating or justificative, and destructive or dismantling discursive patterns are identified and exemplified in the three corpora. These involve the use of just-is factitive and rhetorical constructions, citation and appeal to authority, and the activation of scientific orders of discourse. Collectively, these strategies are argued to position the Alpha male at the center of and cast him as arbitor of a hegemonic gender steeped in broader discourses of positivism and neoliberalism.
Forced Motion of Shear Buildings

In the preceding chapter, we have shown that the free motion of a dynamic system may be expressed in terms of the normal modes of vibration. Our present interest is to demonstrate that the forced motion of such a system may also be expressed in terms of the normal modes of vibration and that the total response may be obtained as the superposition of the solution of independent modal equations. In other words, our aim in this chapter is to show that the normal modes may be used to transform the system of coupled differential equations into a set of uncoupled differential equations in which each equation contains only one dependent variable. Thus the modal superposition method reduced the problem of finding the response of a multi-degree-of-freedom system to the determination of the response of single-degree-of-freedom systems.
Plasma Modeling of Ignition for Combustion Simulations

Detailed ignition modeling has been traditionally left out of the combustion simulations, mainly due to its relatively small time and length scales that could not be integrated into much larger length and time scales of combustion and fluid dynamics. Although the advancements in computing power has now made possible to integrate ignition and combustion modeling, not many researchers have shown interest due to the wide scope of knowledge it needs in both plasma physics and combustion dynamics. In this paper, we are reporting a preliminary analysis of an integrated ignition+combustion model for both spark ignition (SI) and laser-induced spark ignition (LISI) combustion chambers. A common aspect of both SI and LISI is the use of equation-of-state (EOS) tables at temperatures up to 5 times higher than those assumed in most combustion codes. We report use of an atomic physics code to generate EOS tables needed for our combustion and ignition simulations.
Maximizing flap survival in a prefabrication model using exogenous and endogenous bFGF: A new approach

Flap prefabrication is dependent on the neovascular response that occurs between the implanted arteriovenous pedicle and the recipient tissue. Augmentation of this neovascular response with angiogenic growth factors would maximize flap survival and minimize the interval between pedicle implantation and flap rotation. Maximizing the biologic activity of endogenous growth factors would likewise positively impact upon flap survival. This study examined the role of basic fibroblast growth factor, a known potent angiogenic growth factor, on flap survival in a rabbit ear prefabrication model. Sucrose octasulfate, a substance that binds basic fibroblast growth factor, stabilizes it, and protects it from degradation, was also studied to determine its impact on flap survival. Flap survival was increased using basic fibroblast growth factor, sucrose octasulfate, and the two substances combined together. The use of substrates designed to maximize the biologic activity of endogenous growth face tors, rather than relying on the artificial addition of exogenous growth factors, represents a new approach in the search for methods that will improve flap survival.
In Light of the Evil Presented: What Kind of Prophylactic Antidiscrimination Legislation Can Congress Enact After Garrett

In recent years, the Supreme Court has repeatedly invalidated congressional legislation enacted pursuant to Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court has severely restricted this avenue for Congress to remedy and prevent discrimination. Soon, the Court may have the opportunity to address this issue again and resolve a circuit split concerning the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. In light of this opportunity, this Note examines the evolution and scope of the Section 5 power. The Note traces the history and varied interpretations of the Fourteenth Amendment, as well as Section 5 legislation and Court precedents reviewing that legislation. The Note concludes that when faced with the issue again, the Court should return to its former deference to congressional efforts to remedy and prevent discrimination pursuant to Section 5.
IR Laser Excitation in Molecules: Chaos and Diffusive Energy Growth

After a short review of a generic vibrational model of IR multiple-photon excitation, we generalize the model to include rotations. It is shown that the combination of chaotic dynamics and rotational averaging leads to fluence-dependent absorption which removes the sensitivity of the results to model-dependent parameters. The classical rotation-vibration dynamics observed in this model correlate very well with one’s quantum intuition based on a molecule’s P, Q and R-branch structure and on the red-shift of the vibrational absorption with excitation. The implication of these results for MPE experiments is discussed.
Prescribed fire, soils, and stream water chemistry in a watershed in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California

Before Euro-American settlement fire was a common process in the forests of the Lake Tahoe Basin. The combination of drought, fire suppression, and past harvesting has produced ecosystems that are susceptible to high-severity wildfires. Consequently, a program of prescribed fire has been recommended but there is incomplete understanding of the ecological effects of fuels treatments, especially with regard to how treatments will affect the flow of nutrients to Lake Tahoe. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the most important nutrients affecting algal growth, and thus lake clarity. Existing data demonstrate a long-term shift from a co-limitation by both nitrogen and phosphorus to phosphorus limitation. Two high-consumption, moderate-intensity prescribed fires were conducted to determine their effects on soil and stream water chemistry. Stream water calcium concentrations increased in burned watersheds whereas soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations were not significantly different. Prescribed fires released calcium and raised soil pH and this may have resulted in the incorporation of phosphorus into insoluble forms. Stream monitoring data indicates water quality effects last for ~3 months. Prescribed fires did not significantly increase the amount of soluble reactive phosphorus in stream waters. However, additional research is needed to determine if prescribed fire increases erosion or movement of particulate P, particularly in areas with steep slopes.
Non-invasive in vivo determination of body surface and epicardial geometries for electrocardiographic imaging

The inverse problem in electrocardiography involves determining, noninvasively, epicardial potentials and activation isochrones from measured body surface potentials. Although much theoretical work and some preliminary clinical work has been done in this area. One major obstacle to bringing this technique into the clinical arena involves determining, noninvasively, body surface and epicardial surface geometry. Clinical procedures coupling body surface potential mapping (BSPM) with computer tomography (CT)-yielded body surface and epicardial geometries, as well as BSPM electrode position, in six healthy volunteers, accurately and reproducibly. As part of these procedures, CT scans localized electrode position on the body surface of a 224 electrode BSPM vest. >
The effect of attending full-day kindergarten on English learner students

A significant and growing English learner (EL) population attends public schools in the United States. Evidence suggests they are at a disadvantage when entering school and their achievement lags behind non-EL students. Some educators have promoted full-day kindergarten programs as especially helpful for EL students. We take advantage of the large EL population and variation in full-day kindergarten implementation in the Los Angeles Unified School District to examine the impact of full-day kindergarten on academic achievement, retention, and English language fluency using difference-in-differences models. We do not find signficant effects of full-day kindergarten on most academic outcomes and English fluency through second grade. However, we find that EL students attending full-day kindergarten were 5 percentage points less likely to be retained before second grade and there are differential effects for several outcomes by student and school characteristics. © 2011 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Multiple directorships, industry relatedness, and corporate governance effectiveness

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the industry relatedness of directors’ multiple directorships and corporate governance effectiveness. The authors posit that a director gains “beneficial experience” by serving on outside boards of companies in related industries, with a resulting increase in governance effectiveness. Conversely, they predict a decrease in governance effectiveness when directors serve on outside boards of companies in unrelated industries. Design/methodology/approach – Using publicly available data, a Tobit regression model is used to examine the effect of the industry relatedness of board members’ multiple directorships on corporate governance effectiveness. Findings – The results demonstrate a significant positive correlation between the industry relatedness of directors’ multiple directorships and corporate governance effectiveness. It was found that this industry relatedness effect is stronger for directors of small companies than large com...
Mechanisms of transcriptional regulation by MLL and its disruption in acute leukemia

Fusion of the mixed lineage leukemia protein (MLL) to one of over 50 different translocation partners converts it into a potent leukemogenic oncoprotein. The resulting fusion proteins transform primarily through upregulation of A-cluster Hox genes, including Hoxa9 and the Hox cofactor Meis1. Considerable progress has been made in delineating the differences between normal Hox gene regulation by MLL and deregulated transcription in MLL-induced leukemias. Some MLL translocation partners dimerize the truncated MLL molecule. Other translocation partners appear to recruit nuclear coactivator complexes that have diverse enzymatic activities that impinge on transcriptional elongation pathways. These enzymatic activities, including RNA polymerase II phosphorylation as well as histone H3 lysine 79 methylation present attractive targets for the development of future MLL-directed therapy.
Antibody Response of Restricted Isotype to Heat Shock Proteins in Juvenile Chronic Arthritis

Synovial fluid and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) patients have previously been shown to exhibit substantial proliferative responses to both human and mycobacterial heat shock protein (hsp) 65. We investigated the nature of the antibody response to mycobacterial and E. coli hsp 65 and human and E. coli hsp 70 in 56 JCA patients using an ELISA. Elevated levels of antibodies to both human and E. coli hsp 70 were demonstrated. With hsp 65, raised levels of antibodies to the mycobacterial but not the E. coli protein were detected. Overall, 48% of patient serum samples contained antibodies of at least one isotype to mycobacterial hsp 65. These antibodies were predominantly of IgG and IgM isotype, a finding in contrast to adult rheumatoid arthritis, where IgA and IgG isotypes are most often detected.
Tyrosine Phosphorylation Modifies Protein Kinase C δ-dependent Phosphorylation of Cardiac Troponin I

Our study identifies tyrosine phosphorylation as a novel protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) activation mechanism that modifies PKCδ-dependent phosphorylation of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), a myofilament regulatory protein. PKCδ phosphorylates cTnI at Ser23/Ser24 when activated by lipid cofactors; Src phosphorylates PKCδ at Tyr311 and Tyr332 leading to enhanced PKCδ autophosphorylation at Thr505 (its activation loop) and PKCδ-dependent cTnI phosphorylation at both Ser23/Ser24 and Thr144. The Src-dependent acquisition of cTnI-Thr144 kinase activity is abrogated by Y311F or T505A substitutions. Treatment of detergent-extracted single cardiomyocytes with lipid-activated PKCδ induces depressed tension at submaximum but not maximum [Ca2+] as expected for cTnI-Ser23/Ser24 phosphorylation. Treatment of myocytes with Src-activated PKCδ leads to depressed maximum tension and cross-bridge kinetics, attributable to a dominant effect of cTnI-Thr144 phosphorylation. Our data implicate PKCδ-Tyr311/Thr505 phosphorylation as dynamically regulated modifications that alter PKCδ enzymology and allow for stimulus-specific control of cardiac mechanics during growth factor stimulation and oxidative stress.
Mapping a plant's chemical vocabulary

Plants generate an amazing variety of small molecules and are arguably nature's finest chemists. A new study identifies over 2,000 small molecule mass peaks in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and defines both the genetic diversity and genetic architecture controlling the production of these compounds.
Geomorphic implications of hydroclimatic differences among step-pool channels

Summary We used nine step-pool channel segments from six regions to examine the magnitude, frequency, and duration of flows hypothetically capable of mobilizing the D50 and D84 of streambed sediment. The six regions examined represent different hydroclimatic regimes: Switzerland (snowmelt runoff and moderate-intensity summer rainfall), Puerto Rico (runoff from high-intensity, short-duration rainfall throughout the year), Colorado (snowmelt runoff), Oregon and northern California (low-intensity winter rainfall runoff), and Idaho (snowmelt and rain-on-snow). We hypothesize that differences in hydroclimatology will correlate with differences in the magnitude and frequency of sediment mobilization such that the tropical site with high-intensity rainfall and abundant total precipitation will have the greatest magnitude and frequency of sediment mobilization, whereas the snowmelt site will have the lowest magnitude and frequency of sediment mobilization but relatively high values of cumulative sediment mobility as a result of longer duration of flows above the threshold of sediment mobilization. The results partially support this hypothesis. The tropical site does have significantly greater magnitude and frequency of exceedence for flows hypothetically capable of mobilizing coarse sediment and the snowmelt site has substantially lower values, but the tropical site also has the highest value of cumulative sediment mobility. ANOVA models indicate that total precipitation and precipitation intensity are the best predictors of magnitude and frequency of exceedence of threshold discharge and cumulative mobility of coarse sediment.
Analogy Seeded Mind-Maps: Testing of a New Design-by-Analogy Tool

Recent research has investigated methods based on design-by-analogy meant to enhance concept generation. This paper presents Analogy Seeded Mind-Maps, a new method to prompt generation of analogous solution principles drawn from multiple analogical domains.The method was evaluated in two separate design studies using senior engineering students. The method begins with identifying a primary functional design requirement such as “eject part.” We used this functional requirement “seed” to generate a WordTree of grammatically analogical words for each design team. We randomly selected a set of words from each WordTree list with varying lexical “distances” from the seed word, and used them to populate the first-level nodes of a mind-map, with the functional requirement seed as the central hub. Design team members first used the word list to individually generate solutions and then performed team concept generation using the analogically seeded mind-map. Quantity and uniqueness of the resulting verbal solution principles were evaluated. The solution principles were further analyzed to determine if the lexical “distance” from the seed word had an effect on the evaluated design metrics. The results of this study show Analogy Seeded Mind-Maps to be useful tool in generating analogous solutions for engineering design problems.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Digital Detector Array for the Study of Non-specifically Tagged Bees and Wasps

Abstract A 16-channel array of digital metal detectors was designed to record a magnetically permeable foil ‘tag’ at various locations of interest. The system was simple, inexpensive (less than US $150 material costs), and recorded data could be easily downloaded and analysed. The array required a low amount of power (less than 0·6 W) and the detectors induced small levels of magnetic field (magnetic induction less than 5 μT DC and less than 1·5 μT at 576 kHz). To assist search coil design, an empirical equation for the inductance of relatively flat air-wound coils, based on magnetic field theory, was presented and fit to data taken from coils ranging from 8·75 to 40 mm in radius. Using search coils with radii of 8·75 and 15·5 mm in a continuous 6-day trial of the prototype device, presence of a 25 mg tag was correctly recorded 126 times, with a single false positive. However, interference between channels prevented more than three channels from being active at once, and temperature dependences of the detectors prevented them from being used outside of a relatively narrow temperature range estimated to be approximately ±7°C about the temperature at which the detectors were tuned. Suggestions were made for improving the stability, sensitivity, and temperature compensation of the detectors for future prototypes.
Pulmonary artery wedge pressures in congenital heart disease

The bilateral measurement of pulmonary artery wedge pressure is essential in the cardiac catheterization evaluation of all patients with pulmonary artery hypertension. Five cases of pulmonary venous obstruction are presented, 4 of whom had additional intracardiac defects. The pulmonary artery hypertension in these 4 patients was initially attributed to the associated cardiac anomalies and because the left atrium had been entered directly with the catheter in each case, pulmonary artery wedge to the left atrium pressure gradients were initially either not obtained or were discounted as being artificial. Pulmonary venous obstruction was recognized in all 5 cases on the basis of an elevated pulmonary artery wedge pressure, and the anatomic site of the obstruction was successfully documented. Unless bilateral pulmonary artery wedge pressures are measured in all patients with pulmonary artery hypertension regardless of the presence of additional cardiac anomalies, a surgically correctable cause of pulmonary hypertension may be overlooked.
Constitution Is Not Identity

Suppose that a statue of Goliath is made by fusing together two appropriately shaped pieces of clay and that after a few minutes, the artisan, frustrated with his work, dissolves the statue in a solvent which destroys clay and statue alike. Then a natural thing to say is that the careers of the statue and the lump or piece of clay which made it up are entirely coincident. The statue and the piece of clay came into being at the same time and ceased to be at the same time. Throughout their respective careers, the piece of clay constituted the statue. Had the artisan despaired only of the arms and calves of Goliath and dissolved only them, replacing them with new pieces of appropriately molded clay, then we should say that distinct but not wholly distinct pieces of clay constituted the statue of Goliath over its lifetime. In this second case we naturally conclude that the statue is not absolutely identical with the whole piece of clay which originally constituted it, since the piece arguably did not survive the dissolving of significant parts of it, while the statue clearly did survive the dissolving; as is evidenced by the fact that the statue had new arms and calves attached to it. So also, it seems natural to conclude that even in the first case in which the original piece of clay constituted the statue throughout its entire career, the statue is not absolutely identical with the clay, since the statue could have survived certain changes which the piece of clay would not have survived, e.g. the changes described in the second case. Philosophers have gone to some lengths to resist this last conclusion. Thus David Lewis, Alan Gibbard, Anil Gupta and Denis Robinson all allege that something special about modal predication invalidates the argument to non-identity in the case of complete coincidence.' Concentrating on Lewis's way of putting the point, since it fits neatly into a familiar systematic way of thinking of modality, the situation is supposed&to be as follows.2 If the term "Lumpl" names the piece of clay which makes up the statue Goliath, the aim is to defend
Comparative Test Results From a Virtual Multi-Cylinder Engine Transient Test System

Researchers in the Powertrain Control Research Laboratory (PCRL) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed and built a single-cylinder engine transient test system which accurately replicates the dynamic operation of a multi-cylinder engine. Using hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation, the multi-cylinder engine’s transient (a) rotational dynamics, (b) intake gas dynamics, and (c) heat transfer dynamics are reproduced in real time using several patented subsystem designs. These subsystems produce the dynamic boundary conditions that would be present for a given cylinder within a multi-cylinder engine, based on either real-time model execution or predetermined command trajectories (e.g. measured data). In addition to replicating the effects of the virtual cylinders, the test system facilitates extension of the single-cylinder engine capabilities beyond typical steady-state regime limitations. The primary goals of this project are to retain the attributes of the single-cylinder engine that are most beneficial while overcoming the problems which cause the single-cylinder engine to operate differently than a multi-cylinder engine. This system represents a very unique test bed for controlling and understanding the influences of changes in the engine design and control, solves several of the problems associated with the operation of a single-cylinder engine, and allows rapid transient testing with slew rates in excess of 10,000 rpm/s. A virtual powertrain and vehicle model can be incorporated into this system so that standardized vehicle emission testing can be conducted with this single-cylinder engine system (e.g., FTP and other transient drive cycle tests). This paper reports the research findings of the performance effects achieved by including the multi-cylinder dynamic interactions during HIL simulation using only single-cylinder engine hardware. The target engine used for this study is the Ford 3.0 L V-6 SI engine, and both the multi- and single-cylinder engines are resident in the PCRL. By directly comparing the operation of this virtual multi-cylinder transient test system with its actual multi-cylinder engine counterpart, the influences of the included dynamics are documented. Evaluations include comparative data from rotational dynamics and intake gas dynamics, as well as the ability to control heat transfer dynamics and conduct exhaust emission testing.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Implementation of 8-point Slantlet transform based polynomial cancellation coding-OFDM system using FPGA

The objective of this paper is to implement a baseband OFDM transceiver on FPGA hardware. The design uses 8-point SLT/ISLT (Slantlet/Inverse Slantlet) for the processing module with processing block of 8 inputs data wide. All modules are designed and implemented using VHDL programming language. Software tools used in this work includes Altera Quartus II 7.2 and ModelSim Altera 6.1g, to assist the design process and downloading process into FPGA board while Cyclone III board EP3C120F780C7 is used to realize the designed module.
QTc interval prolongation associated with intravenous methadone

Abstract Numerous medications prolong the rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval and induce arrhythmias by blocking ionic current through cardiac potassium channels composed of subunits expressed by the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG). Recent reports suggest that high doses of methadone cause torsades de pointes. To date, no controlled study has described an association between methadone and QTc prolongation. The only commercial formulation of parenteral methadone available in the United States contains the preservative chlorobutanol. The objectives of this study are to determine: (1) whether the administration of intravenous (i.v.) methadone causes QTc prolongation in humans; (2) whether methadone and/or chlorobutanol block cardiac HERG potassium currents (IHERG) in vitro. Over 20 months, we identified every inpatient with at least one electrocardiogram (ECG) performed on i.v. methadone. For each patient, we measured QTc intervals for every available ECG performed on and off i.v. methadone. Concurrent methadone doses were also recorded. Similar data were collected for a separate group of inpatients treated with i.v. morphine. In a separate set of experiments IHERG was evaluated in transfected human embryonic kidney cells exposed to increasing concentrations of methadone, chlorobutanol, and the two in combination. Mean difference (±standard error) per patient in QTc intervals on and off methadone was 41.7 (±7.8) ms, p
Estimation of time since exposure for a prevalent cohort

In natural history studies of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection a substantial proportion of participants are seropositive at time of enrollment in the study. These participants form a prevalent subcohort. Estimation of the unknown times since exposure to HIV-1 in the prevalent subcohort is of primary importance for estimation of the incubation time of AIDS. The subset of the cohort that tested negative for antibody to HIV-1 at study entry and was observed to seroconvert forms the incident subcohort that provides longitudinal data on markers of maturity (that is, duration) of infection. We use parametric life table regression models incorporating truncation to describe the conditional distribution (imputing model) of the times since seroconversion given a vector of the markers of maturity. Using the fitted model and the values of the markers of maturity of infection provided by the seroprevalent subcohort at entry into the study, we can impute the unknown times since seroconversion for the prevalent subcohort. We implement multiple imputation based on a model-robust estimate of the covariance matrix of parameters of the imputing model to provide confidence intervals for the geometric mean of the time since seroconversion in the prevalent subcohort, and to compare maturity of infection of cohorts recruited in different cities. The accuracy of imputation is further validated by comparisons of imputation-based estimates of AIDS incubation distribution in the seroprevalent subcohort with more direct estimates obtained from the seroincident subcohort.
Relations between SMMR 37 GHz polarization difference and rainfall, and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration

Abstract Rainfall and the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration may be considered as proxy variables for spatial and temporal changes of vegetation. Together with theoretical analysis, correlations between these meteorological data and 37 GHz polarization difference (PD) have been studied to test a hypothesis that PD is an indicator of vegetation characteristics. Previously published relations between PD and rainfall, and atmospheric CO2 concentration are discussed in response to issues raised in Tucker (1992) that: (1) the relation between rainfall and PD was based upon selective information, and (2) winter conditions in the more northern latitudes (e.g. snow, low atmospheric water vapour, etc.) result in the appearance of a relation between PD and CO2 concentration. It is shown that: (1) the previously published relation between PD and rainfall is valid at a high level of statistical significance when rainfall stations are screened objectively, and (2) a relationship between PD and CO2 concentr...
An update on cancer cluster activities at the centers for disease control and prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to be aware of the need for response to public concern as well as to state and local agency concern about cancer clusters. In 1990 the...
Effect of the growth rate and the barrier doping on the morphology and the properties of InGaN/GaN quantum wells

Abstract InGaN/GaN single and multi quantum wells have been grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, varying the growth rate of well and barrier layers as well as the Si-doping of the GaN barriers. Separately, the effect of these growth parameters on the surface morphology of thin GaN and InGaN layers grown under the same conditions had been studied. The surface morphology of the layers strongly influenced the structural properties of the multi quantum wells. The optical properties seemed to be less affected by the observed layer thickness fluctuations in the 200–500 nm range rather than by variations in the indium composition on a shorter length scale.