cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protection-interdiction-restoration: Tri-level optimization for enhancing interdependent network resilience

Abstract Resilience is often thought of as the ability to withstand a disruption and recover quickly from it. Thus, improving the resilience of an infrastructure system is often associated with reducing its vulnerability (related to the extent to which a network is disrupted), and increasing its recoverability (related to the speed of restoration). To address these concerns simultaneously, we propose a tri-level protection-interdiction-restoration problem for a system of interdependent networks, to optimally balance vulnerability and recoverability before and after a disruption. In particular, the proposed tri-level model represents decisions made (i) by a defender before a disruption to reduce network vulnerability, (ii) by an attacker to effectively disrupt the network, and (iii) by a defender after the disruption to enhance recoverability. To solve the proposed protection-interdiction-restoration model to optimality, we use a tailored extension of the covering decomposition algorithm. To illustrate the proposed tri-level model and the modified covering decomposition algorithm, we present a case-study of the system of interdependent water, gas, and power utilities in Shelby County, TN. The computational results show the value of simultaneous analysis of both pre-disruption investments (to reinforce critical network components) and post-disruption resource assignment and crew scheduling.
Nanoparticle Biosensing with Interferometric Reflectance Imaging

Interferometric reflectance imaging is a biosensing modality that performs digital detection of individual synthetic and biological nanoparticles in a multiplexed microarray format. The size of nanoparticles of known optical properties is measured indirectly, by calculating the particle scattering cross-section at specific wavelengths. This has enabled the development of label-free, digital detection of whole virions in a multiplexed assay with unprecedented sensitivity and specificity. DNA and protein microarrays using small metallic nanoparticle labels instead of fluorescence have also demonstrated high sensitivity to dilute analytes in biological solutions such as serum and unprocessed whole blood. The optical design is based on off-the-shelf components and the resulting instrument is inexpensive and compact. Thus the sensing platform has many potential clinical applications in screening, diagnostics and monitoring. In this chapter we discuss the principles that have led to the development of this technique and its applications in assay development and biophysical analysis, and our progress in developing this technology into a rapid and cost-effective point-of-care instrument.
Representation in Healthcare Institutions Promotes Intergroup Tolerance: Evidence from the COVID-19 Crises in Israel and the US

How does minority representation in public institutions shape intergroup relations? To answer this question, I develop a theory of prejudice reduction through descriptive representation. I suggest that embedding minorities in public institutions can promote tolerance by providing majority group members with positive information regarding minorities. To test my theory, I implemented a survey experiment in Israel, further replicated in the U.S., during the first outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the experiment, treated respondents were informed about the share of minority (Arab/Muslim) workers in healthcare institutions. Results from Israel suggest that information about minority representation reduces prejudice and promotes preferences for political inclusion in a similar magnitude to about a one-unit leftward-shift on a seven-point ideology scale. Similar, albeit more moderate patterns emerge from the U.S. These findings emphasize how institutions and the people embedded within them can shape intergroup relations.
The next generation of command post computing

The future of command post computing demands an innovative new solution to address a variety of challenging operational needs. The Command Post of the Future is the Army’s primary command and control decision support system, providing situational awareness and collaborative tools for tactical decision making, planning, and execution management from Corps to Company level. However, as the U.S. Army moves towards a lightweight, fully networked battalion, disconnected operations, thin client architecture and mobile computing become increasingly essential. The Command Post of the Future is not designed to support these challenges in the coming decade. Therefore, research into a hybrid blend of technologies is in progress to address these issues. This research focuses on a new command and control system utilizing the rich collaboration framework afforded by Command Post of the Future coupled with a new user interface consisting of a variety of innovative workspace designs. This new system is called Tactical Applications. This paper details a brief history of command post computing, presents the challenges facing the modern Army, and explores the concepts under consideration for Tactical Applications that meet these challenges in a variety of innovative ways.
Educational Attainment of Grandmothers and Preterm Birth in Grandchildren

Maternal education has been shown repeatedly to be inversely associated with preterm birth. Both preterm birth and educational level of families are correlated across generations, but it is not clear if educational level of grandparents affects the risk of preterm delivery of their grandchildren, and, if so, if the association with grandmother’s education is independent of mother’s education. We used New Jersey birth certificates to create a transgenerational dataset to examine the effect of grandmother’s education on risk of PTB in White, Black and Hispanic grandchildren. We matched birth certificates of girls born in 1979-1983 to mothers listed on NJ birth certificates for the years 1999–2011. Thus, grandmothers were the women delivering in 1979–1983, and mothers were those born to the grandmothers who in turn delivered grandchildren in 1999–2011. We performed descriptive tabulations and multivariate logistic regression to develop risk estimates. Overall, maternal education was associated inversely with PTB in each of the demographic groups. There was a substantial inter-generational increase in education between grandmothers and mothers in each group, which was most striking in Hispanics After adjusting for maternal age and education, grandmother’s education continued to be associated with preterm birth of her grandchildren. Grandmother’s education was an additional, independent predictor of PTB in her grandchildren. This result supports the idea that mother’s childhood and preconception socioeconomic environment, including the educational level of her childhood household affect her reproductive health.
Refractive growth variability in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study.

PURPOSE Prediction of refraction after cataract surgery in children is limited by the variance in rate of refractive growth (RRG3). This study compared RRG3 in aphakic and pseudophakic eyes with their fellow, normal eyes in the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study. SETTING Twelve clinical sites in the United States. DESIGN Randomized clinical trial. METHODS Infants randomized to unilateral cataract extraction had RRG3 calculated based on biometric data (axial length and keratometry) at cataract surgery and at 10 years of age, for both the normal and cataract eyes. Subjects were included if complete biometric data from both eyes were available both at surgery and at 10 years. Variance in RRG3 was compared between the groups with Pitman test for equality of variance between correlated samples. RESULTS Longitudinal biometric data were available for 103 of the 114 patients enrolled. RRG3 was -15.00 diopters (D) (3.00 D) for normal eyes (reported as mean [SD]), -17.70 D (6.20 D) for aphakic eyes, and -16.70 D (6.20 D) for pseudophakic eyes (P < .0001 for comparison of variances in RRG3 between normal and all operated eyes). Further analysis found differences in the variance in axial length growth (P < .0001) between operated and normal eyes; the variance in keratometry measurement change did not reach significance. CONCLUSIONS The standard deviation in the RRG3 of normal eyes in our study was half of that found in eyes that underwent cataract surgery.
Hydroxyurea improves nitric oxide bioavailability in humanized sickle cell mice

Despite advancements in disease management, sickle cell nephropathy, a major contributor to mortality and morbidity in patients, has limited therapeutic options. Previous studies indicate hydroxyurea, a commonly prescribed therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD), can reduce renal injury in SCD but the mechanisms are uncertain. Because SCD is associated with reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, we hypothesized that hydroxyurea treatment would improve NO bioavailability in the humanized sickle cell mouse. Humanized male 12-wk-old sickle (HbSS) and genetic control (HbAA) mice were treated with hydroxyurea or regular tap water for 2 wk before renal and systemic NO bioavailability as well as renal injury were assessed. Untreated HbSS mice exhibited increased proteinuria, elevated plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1), and reduced urine concentrating ability compared with HbAA mice. Hydroxyurea reduced proteinuria and plasma ET-1 levels in HbSS mice. Untreated HbSS mice had reduced plasma nitrite and elevated plasma arginase concentrations compared with HbAA mice. Hydroxyurea treatment augmented plasma nitrite and attenuated plasma arginase in HbSS mice. Renal vessels isolated from HbSS mice also had elevated nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) and arginase 2 expression compared with untreated HbAA mice. Hydroxyurea treatment did not alter renal vascular NOS3, however, renal vascular arginase 2 expression was significantly reduced. These data support the hypothesis that hydroxyurea treatment augments renal and systemic NO bioavailability by reducing arginase activity as a potential mechanism for the improvement on renal injury seen in SCD mice.
The Anatomical Relationships in the Space of Retzius for Penile Implants: An MRI Analysis.

ABSTRACT Background The 3-piece inflatable penile prosthesis includes an easy-to-use pump and fluid filled reservoir which is placed in either the space of Retzius (SOR) or in an alternative ectopic location. Reservoir placement in the SOR is a blind procedure despite the SOR being surrounded by many critical structures. To date only a handful of cadaveric studies have described the relevant anatomy. Aim To use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an in-vivo model to study relevant retropubic anatomy critical for SOR reservoir placement. Methods The study population included men with elevated prostate specific antigen or biopsy proven prostate cancer who (i) underwent pelvic MRI, (ii) without prior pelvic or inguinal surgery, and (iii) without pelvic radiation therapy. All MRIs were completed with a 3-Tesla scanner and endorectal coil. Both T1 and T2 weighted images were captured in both axial and sagittal planes. All images were reviewed by 2 independent reviewers under the supervision of a dedicated body MRI radiologist. Bladder volume was calculated using an ellipsoid formula. Outcomes Relevant measurements included (i) the distance between the external inguinal ring (EIR) at the level of the pubic tubercle to the external iliac vein (EIV), (ii) the distance from the EIR at the pubic tubercle to the bladder (accounting for bladder volume) and (iii) the distance from the midline pubic symphysis to the bladder (accounting for bladder volume). Pearson correlation was used to determine correlated measurements. Results A total of 24 patients were included. Median participant age was 63 years (interquartile range, 59-66). The mean EIR-EIV distance was 3.0 ± 0.4 cm, the mean EIR-bladder distance was 1.8 ± 1.0 cm and the mean distance from the superior pubic symphysis to bladder was 0.9 ± 0.3 cm. There was a weak correlation between bladder volume and distance between the EIR and bladder (r = -0.30, P = .16). Clinical Implications The use of MRI as an in-vivo model is a high-fidelity tool to study real time unaltered anatomy and allows for surgical preparation, diagnosis of anatomic variants and acts as a valuable teaching tool. Strengths & Limitations This is the first in-vivo model to report relevant retropubic anatomy in penile implant surgery. Our study is limited by sample size and inclusion of participants with no history of prior pelvic intervention. Conclusion We demonstrate the utility of MRI as an in-vivo model, as opposed to cadaveric models, for the understanding of relevant retropubic anatomy for implant surgeons. Punjani N, Monteiro L, Sullivan J F et al. The Anatomical Relationships in the Space of Retzius for Penile Implants: An MRI Analysis. J Sex Med 2021;18:1830–1834
Interval And Ordinal Data

The standard Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method requires that the values for all inputs and outputs are known exactly. When some inputs and output are imprecise data, such as interval or bounded data, ordinal data, and ratio bounded data, the resulting DEA model becomes a non-linear programming problem. Such a DEA model is called imprecise DEA (IDEA) in the literature. There are two approaches in dealing with such imprecise inputs and outputs. One approach uses scale transformations and variable alternations to convert the non-linear IDEA model into a linear program. The other identifies a set of exact data from the imprecise inputs and outputs and then uses the standard linear DEA model. This chapter focuses on the latter IDEA approach that uses the standard DEA model. This chapter shows that different results are obtained depending on whether the imprecise data are introduced directly into the multiplier or envelopment DEA model. Because the presence of imprecise data invalidates the linear duality between the multiplier and envelopment DEA models. The multiplier IDEA (MIDEA), developed based upon the multiplier DEA model, presents the best efficiency scenario whereas the envelopment IDEA (EIDEA), developed based upon the envelopment DEA model, presents the worst efficiency scenario. Weight restrictions are often redundant if they are added into MIDEA. Alternative optimal solutions on the imprecise data can be determined using the recent sensitivity analysis approach. The approaches are illustrated with both numerical and real world data sets.
Nuclear Structure with Electromagnetic Probes

The electromagnetic interaction is ideal for studying nuclear structure. An electromagnetic probe sees the local current density in the target, so the interaction is known and the target structure can be directly examined. In addition, the interaction is weak (of order α) so the probe does not alter the structure of the target. Finally, electromagnetic sources are readily available in the form of electromagnetic radiation, charged leptons, and heavy ions.
Metabolic consequences of treatment with AKT inhibitor perifosine in breast cancer cells

Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway is associated with the development of numerous human cancers. As a result, many emerging therapies target this pathway. Previous studies have shown that targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway at the level of PI3K is associated with a drop in phosphocholine (PCho) and a reduction in hyperpolarized lactate production. However, the consequences of targeting downstream of PI3K at the level of Akt have not been investigated. Perifosine is an anticancer alkylphospholipid used in clinical trials. It acts by inhibiting phosphorylation of Akt and has been shown to inhibit CTP-phosphocholine cytidyltransferase (CT). The goal of this study was to identify the MRS-detectable metabolic consequences of treatment with perifosine in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. We found that perifosine treatment led to a 51 ± 5% drop in PCho from 30 ± 5 to 15 ± 1 fmol/cell and a comparable drop in de novo synthesized PCho. This was associated with a drop in choline kinase (ChoK) activity and ChoKα expression. CT inhibition could not be ruled out but likely did not contribute to the change in PCho. We also found that intracellular lactate levels decreased from 2.7 ± 0.5 to 1.5 ± 0.3 fmol/cell and extracellular lactate levels dropped by a similar extent. These findings were consistent with a drop in lactate dehydrogenase expression and associated with a drop in activity of the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α. The drops in PCho and lactate production following perifosine treatment are therefore mediated downstream of Akt by the drop in HIF-1α, which serves as the transcription factor for both ChoK and lactate dehydrogenase. The metabolic changes were confirmed in a second breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231. Taken together, these findings indicate that PCho and lactate can serve as noninvasive metabolic biomarkers for monitoring the effects of inhibitors that target the PI3K/Akt pathway, independent of the step that leads to inhibition of HIF-1α. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimental Study of Nanoengineered Molten Salts as Thermal Energy Storage in Solar Power Plants

In a concentrated solar power (CSP), high operating temperature (over 500 °C) is the key for enhancing the efficiency of the system. The operating temperature of the system mainly relies on thermal energy storage (TES) material. Existing TES materials such as mineral oil or paraffin wax cannot be applicable at high temperatures, since these materials are not thermally stable over 400 °C. However, very few materials are suitable and reliable for the high temperatures. Using molten salts (e.g., alkali nitrate, alkali carbonate, alkali chloride, etc.) as thermal energy storage material is an alternative way due to several benefits. They are cheap and environmentally safe compared with the conventional TES materials. They are thermally stable at higher temperatures (over 500 °C). However, their usage is limited due to low thermo-physical properties (e.g. Cp is less than 1.6 J/g°C). The low thermo-physical properties can be improved by dispersing nanoparticles into the salts. In this study, nanomaterials were synthesized by dispersing inorganic nanoparticles into ionic salts. Modulated differential scanning calorimeter (MDSC) was used to measure the heat capacity of the nanomaterials. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for material characteristic analysis. Hence, the application of the nanomaterials as thermal energy storage in a concentrated solar power was explored.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Dynamic force responses of skeletal muscle during stretch–shortening cycles

Muscle damage due to stretch-shortening cycles (i.e., cyclic eccentric/concentric muscle actions) is one of the major concerns in sports and occupational related activities. Mechanical responses of whole muscle have been associated with damage in neural motor units, in connective tissues, and the force generation mechanism. The objective of this study was to introduce a new method to quantify the real-time changes in skeletal muscle forces of rats during injurious stretch-shortening cycles. Male Sprague Dawley rats ( n=24) were selected for use in this study. The dorsi flexor muscle group was exposed to either 150 stretch-shortening cycles ( n=12) or 15 isometric contractions ( n=12) in vivo using a dynamometer and electrical stimulation. Muscle damage after exposure to stretch-shortening cycles was verified by the non-recoverable force deficit at 48 h and the presence of myofiber necrosis. Variations of the dynamic forces during stretch-shortening cycles were analyzed by decomposing the dynamic force signature into peak force ( F(peak)), minimum force ( F(min)), average force ( F(mean)), and cyclic force ( F(a)). After the 15th set of stretch-shortening cycles, the decrease in the stretch-shortening parameters, F(peak), F(min), F(mean), and F(a), was 50% ( P<0.0001), 26% ( P=0.0055), 68% ( P<0.0001), and 50% ( P<0.0001), respectively. Our results showed that both isometric contractions and stretch-shortening cycles induce a reduction in the isometric force. However, the force reduction induced by isometric contractions fully recovered after a break of 48 h while that induced by stretch-shortening cycles did not. Histopathologic assessment of the tibialis anterior exposed to stretch-shortening cycles showed significant myofiber degeneration and necrosis with associated inflammation, while muscles exposed to isometric contractions showed no myofiber degeneration and necrosis, and limited inflammation. Our results suggest that muscle damage can be identified by the non-recoverable isometric force decrement and also by the variations in the dynamic force signature during stretch-shortening cycles.
A Multivariate, Multilevel Rasch Model with Application to Self–Reported Criminal Behavior

In studying correlates of social behavior, attitudes, and beliefs, a measurement model is required to combine information across a large number of item responses. Multiple constructs are often of interest, and covariates are often multilevel (e.g., measured at the person and neighborhood level). Some item-level missing data can be expected. This paper proposes a multivariate, multilevel Rasch model with random effects for these purposes and illustrates its application to self-reports of criminal behavior. Under assumptions of conditional independence and additivity, the approach enables the investigator to calibrate the items and persons on an interval scale, assess reliability at the person and neighborhood levels, study the correlations among crime types at each level, assess the proportion of variation in each crime type that lies at each level, incorporate covariates at each level, and accommodate data missing at random. Using data on 20 item responses from 2842 adolescents ages 9 to 18 nested within ...
Associations between plasma lipid parameters and APOC3 and APOA4 genotypes in a healthy population are independent of dietary cholesterol intake

Abstract To determine whether APOC3 and APOA4 genotypes influence plasma cholesterol fluctuations following a high cholesterol diet, a healthy population of 40 men and 51 women were studied. The crossover intervention randomly assigned participants to an EGG (640mg/d cholesterol) or placebo (0mg/d cholesterol) diet for 30 days, with a 3-week washout between periods. Allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization was utilized to determine the presence or absence of APOC3 and APOA4 polymorphisms. Differences in plasma cholesterol between hyper- and hypo-responders were not influenced by genotype. However, an interaction ( P APOA4 allele, diet and gender with regard to triglycerides (TG). While female carriers of the APOA4 347 S allele had lower TG concentrations than those with the common T/T allele, males with the S allele had higher concentrations. The APOC3 SstI polymorphism analysis revealed that heterozygous carriers of the S2 allele had higher ( P APOC3 genotype. The presence of individual alleles in this population was associated with differences in plasma lipids and LDL size. However, these relationships were independent of dietary cholesterol.
Effect of fluctuations on the transport properties of type-II superconductors in a magnetic field

The time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory is used to study both transverse and longitudinal transport properties of a layered superconductor in a magnetic field near the mean-field transition temperature {ital T}{sub {ital c}2}({ital H}). We evaluate the transport coefficients in the self-consistent Hartree approximation which interpolates smoothly between the high-temperature regime, dominated by Gaussian fluctuations, and the low-temperature flux-flow regime, with no intervening divergence. This behavior is in agreement with the experimental results for the Ettingshausen coefficient, Nernst coefficient, longitudinal conductivity, and Hall conductivity in high-temperature superconductors.
Cytologic Features of Metastatic Micropapillary Urothelial Carcinoma on Fine Needle Aspiration and Effusion Cytology

s S9 Materials and Methods: SLN evaluation using IC of BC patients from January to December 2011 were identified using Moffitt Cancer Center's Anatomic Pathology cytology-histology correlation database. IC slides (airdried and Diff-Quik stained) were classified as negative, positive or deferred (atypical and suspicious). The corresponding SLN histologic samples were evaluated with one Hematoxylin and eosin section and immunohistochemistry (AE1/3). The final diagnosis was classified into negative or positive for macrometastasis. After reviewing the IC smears of discrepant cases, errors were classified as: sampling, screening or interpretation. Results: 915 IC of SLNs were performed. The average number of SLN per case was 2.1. Eighty-two SLN were positive on final diagnosis, and 33 of these were accurately diagnosed as positive on IC (40%). Twelve SLN were deferred (9 atypical, 3 suspicious) (15%). There were 37 false negative (FN) SLN (45%) due to sampling (17, 46%), screening (14, 38%) and interpretative (6, 16%) errors. Screening errors occurred with less than 3 groups or isolated malignant cells only. Interpretation errors occurred when the malignant cells were not recognized and/or interpreted as macrophages. The sensitivity of IC was 69%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value 100%, and negative predictive value 96%. Conclusions: Our results are comparable with the previously reported sensitivity of IC (33 to 96%) and support the usefulness of this technique. We had no false positives. The majority of FN were due to sampling error, in which the malignant cells were not sampled by the IC. Improvement of SLN sampling technique by IC could improve sensitivity. Figure 1 Diagram displaying histologic type and reason for discrepancy in false negative SLN (37). Table FNA of Breast Masses in Pregnant and Lactating Women LAd CA AS Other Inadequate Cytology 19 2 0* 4 (abscess, cyst) 3 (including 1 AS*) Histopathology 17 2 1 1 Abbreviations: LAd: Lactating adenoma; CA: Invasive carcinoma; AS: Angiosar-
Kilovoltage imaging doses in the radiotherapy of pediatric cancer patients.

Purpose To investigate doses induced by kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography (kVCBCT) to pediatric cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, as well as strategies for dose reduction. Methods and Materials An EGS4 Monte Carlo code was used to calculate three-dimensional dose deposition due to kVCBCT on 4 pediatric cancer patients. Absorbed doses to various organs were analyzed for both half-fan and full-fan modes. Clinical conditions, such as distance from organ at risk (OAR) to CBCT field border, kV peak energy, and testicular shielding, were studied. Results The mean doses induced by one CBCT scan operated at 125 kV in half-fan mode to testes, liver, kidneys, femoral heads, spinal cord, brain, eyes, lens, and optical nerves were 2.9, 4.7, 7.7, 10.5, 8.8, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, and 7.2 cGy, respectively. Increasing the distances from OARs to CBCT field border greatly reduced the doses to OARs, ranging from 33% reduction for spinal cord to 2300% reduction for testes. As photon beam energy increased from 60 to 125 kV, the dose increase due to kVCBCT ranged from 170% for lens to 460% for brain and spinal cord. A testicular shielding made of 1-cm cerrobend could reduce CBCT doses down to 31%, 51%, 68%, and 82%, respectively, for 60, 80, 100, and 125 kV when the testes lay within the CBCT field. Conclusions Generally speaking, kVCBCT deposits much larger doses to critical structures in children than in adults, usually by a factor of 2 to 3. Increasing the distances from OARs to CBCT field border greatly reduces doses to OARs. Depending on OARs, kVCBCT-induced doses increase linearly or exponentially with photon beam energy. Testicular shielding works more efficiently at lower kV energies. On the basis of our study, it is essential to choose an appropriate scanning protocol when kVCBCT is applied to pediatric cancer patients routinely.
Impact of Land Surface Heterogeneity on Mesoscale Atmospheric Dispersion

Prior numerical modelling studies show that atmospheric dispersion is sensitive to surface heterogeneities, but past studies do not consider the impact of a realistic distribution of surface heterogeneities on mesoscale atmospheric dispersion. While these focussed on dispersion in the convective boundary layer, the present work also considers dispersion in the nocturnal boundary layer and above. Using a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (LPDM) coupled to the Eulerian Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), the impact of topographic, vegetation, and soil moisture heterogeneities on daytime and nighttime atmospheric dispersion is examined. In addition, the sensitivity to the use of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived spatial distributions of vegetation characteristics on atmospheric dispersion is also studied. The impact of vegetation and terrain heterogeneities on atmospheric dispersion is strongly modulated by soil moisture, with the nature of dispersion switching from non-Gaussian to near-Gaussian behaviour for wetter soils (fraction of saturation soil moisture content exceeding 40%). For drier soil moisture conditions, vegetation heterogeneity produces differential heating and the formation of mesoscale circulation patterns that are primarily responsible for non-Gaussian dispersion patterns. Nighttime dispersion is very sensitive to topographic, vegetation, soil moisture, and soil type heterogeneity and is distinctly non-Gaussian for heterogeneous land-surface conditions. Sensitivity studies show that soil type and vegetation heterogeneities have the most dramatic impact on atmospheric dispersion. To provide more skilful dispersion calculations, we recommend the utilisation of satellite-derived vegetation characteristics coupled with data assimilation techniques that constrain soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer (SVAT) models to generate realistic spatial distributions of surface energy fluxes.
Changes in the temporal pattern of antennal drumming behavior across the Polistes fuscatus colony cycle (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Social wasps in several genera exhibit a diverse array of conspicuous vibrational behavior patterns closely associated with larval feeding. Polistes, as the only genus in which these substrate-borne mechanical signals have been studied in some detail, is a useful system for understanding their functions. Most Polistes species examined perform antennal drumming (AD) in the context of feeding prey liquid to larvae. Two existing hypotheses on the function of AD propose that it is a behavioral releaser signal that regulates the release of larval saliva, but with opposite effects. One proposes that AD stimulates larvae to release their saliva for the drumming adult to imbibe, whereas the other proposes that AD inhibits saliva release. A recently proposed third hypothesis argues instead that AD has a modulatory effect on development: exposure to high levels of AD biases larvae toward a worker phenotype as adults. While the larval-saliva-release hypothesis for AD function has little support, predictions made by both the inhibition hypothesis and the mechanical switch hypothesis are yet to be tested within the broader ontogenetic framework of the Polistes colony cycle. We investigated the contexts, rates of performance, and actors associated with AD across 13 weeks of the P. fuscatus colony cycle. Mean colony-wide rates of AD were high during pre-emergence and early post-emergence stages, but dropped dramatically following the third week after the first workers emerged. This variation in the temporal pattern of AD was correlated neither with the rate at which larvae were fed liquid, the number of larvae on the nest, nor with the adult-to-larva ratio, but was solely a function of colony stage. In contrast, rates of feeding liquid to larvae varied only as a function of the number of larvae in the nest. Queens drummed and fed liquid to larvae at much higher rates than did workers. Queen AD and feed-liquid rates decreased after the third week of worker emergence. During the same period, total feed-liquid rates of workers became as high as levels of queens during pre-emergence. Colony-wide AD rates dropped dramatically because workers seldom drummed while feeding liquid to larvae. The mean duration of AD bursts for queens also decreased after the second week of worker emergence. These results fail to support the salivary inhibition hypothesis, but provide indirect support for the mechanical switch hypothesis on AD function.
Deoxycytidine kinase augments ATM-mediated DNA repair and contributes to radiation resistance

Efficient and adequate generation of deoxyribonucleotides is critical to successful DNA repair. We show that ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) integrates the DNA damage response with DNA metabolism by regulating the salvage of deoxyribonucleosides. Specifically, ATM phosphorylates and activates deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) at serine 74 in response to ionizing radiation (IR). Activation of dCK shifts its substrate specificity toward deoxycytidine, increases intracellular dCTP pools post IR, and enhances the rate of DNA repair. Mutation of a single serine 74 residue has profound effects on murine T and B lymphocyte development, suggesting that post-translational regulation of dCK may be important in maintaining genomic stability during hematopoiesis. Using [(18)F]-FAC, a dCK-specific positron emission tomography (PET) probe, we visualized and quantified dCK activation in tumor xenografts after IR, indicating that dCK activation could serve as a biomarker for ATM function and DNA damage response in vivo. In addition, dCK-deficient leukemia cell lines and murine embryonic fibroblasts exhibited increased sensitivity to IR, indicating that pharmacologic inhibition of dCK may be an effective radiosensitization strategy.
Removal of Scalp Reference Signal and Line Noise for Intracranial EEGs

Cephalic references are widely used to record Electroencephalography (EEG). The effect of an active common reference on the recorded EEG is one of the oldest technical problems in the study of EEG. Moreover, in many cases EEG channel recordings are contaminated to different degrees with line noise that can pose a significant problem for EEG interpretation and analysis. Thus, identification and removal of the reference signal and line noise is of importance. Here we apply independent component analysis (ICA) and principle component analysis (PCA) to intracranial recordings and propose three methods to remove the reference signal and line noise based on the assumption that the scalp reference and line noise are independent from the local and distributed intracranial sources. The assumption of independence between the scalp reference and intracranial sources is generally valid because the reference scalp electrode is relatively electrically isolated from the intracranial electrodes by the skull's high resistivity and supported by our previous simulation results [4]. The assumption of independence between the line noise and intracranial sources is definitely true. We apply the three proposed methods to intracranial EEGs from one patient undergoing evaluation for epilepsy surgery, and compare the results to bipolar, average, and notch filter iEEGs.
Micro-plasma field-effect transistors

We designed, fabricated and tested new microplasma FET (MOPFET) devices that operate inside RF helium plasma that generated at atmospheric pressure. Unlike normal FETs, micro-plasma FETs uses electrons and ions as carriers. It has unique advantages over normal FETs in extreme conditions at high temperature and ionizing radiation in space and in a nuclear event. It also has potential applications in combustion engine sensors and diagnostic circuits. MOPFET can potentially operate with very few ions and have the additional potential of producing nano-scale switches and amplifiers. The plasma for our MOPFET was separately generated and sustained using an RF plasma source. Thus, for the first time we achieved small voltage (5–10V) plasma switches and amplifiers. We have developed concentrated and distributed plasma sources suitable for different sizes of integrated MOPFET circuits.
Effective Transfection of Rabies DNA Vaccine in Cell Culture Using an Artificial Lipoprotein Carrier System

Purpose. To evaluate the transfection efficiency in cell culture of rabies plasmid DNA vaccine carried by a novel artificial lipoprotein system.
Redundant Mechanisms Are Used by Ssn6-Tup1 in Repressing Chromosomal Gene Transcription in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Ssn6-Tup1 corepressor complex regulates many genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three mechanisms have been proposed to explain its repression functions: 1) nucleosome positioning by binding histone tails; 2) recruitment of histone deacetylases; and 3) direct interference with the general transcription machinery or activators. It is unclear if Ssn6-Tup1 utilizes each of these mechanisms at a single gene in a redundant manner or each individually at different loci. A systematic analysis of the contribution of each mechanism at a native promoter has not been reported. Here we employed a genetic strategy to analyze the contributions of nucleosome positioning, histone deacetylation, and Mediator interference in the repression of chromosomal Tup1 target genes in vivo. We exploited the fact that Ssn6-Tup1 requires the ISW2 chromatin remodeling complex to establish nucleosome positioning in vivo to disrupt chromatin structure without affecting other Tup1 repression functions. Deleting ISW2, the histone deacetylase gene HDA1, or genes encoding Mediator subunits individually caused slight or no derepression of RNR3 and HUG1. However, when Mediator mutations were combined with Δisw2 or Δhda1 mutations, enhanced transcription was observed, and the strongest level of derepression was observed in triple Δisw2/Δhda1/Mediator mutants. The increased transcription in the mutants was not due to the loss of Tup1 at the promoter and correlated with increased TBP cross-linking to promoters. Thus, Tup1 utilizes multiple redundant mechanisms to repress transcription of native genes, which may be important for it to act as a global corepressor at a wide variety of promoters.
Intelligent mission planner for autonomous underwater vehicles

We describe the design of an architecture for an intelligent integrated mission planner for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Mission planning is an integral and important part of the software architecture of an AUV. Among the several functional modules of an AUV such as planner, controller, navigator, and perception, the planner plays the key role in generating, monitoring, and controlling of all mission tasks. In order to perform complex missions, the planner needs a wide range of knowledge and efficient reasoning techniques. Mission planning involves navigational planning, resource planning, safety planning, and mission-specific task planning. These functions require reasoning about the knowledge of the environment, vehicle, on-board resources, and mission tasks. The proposed design employs a mixture of hierarchical and heterarchical architectures. Case-based reasoning is employed for synthesizing mission plans. Among the different planner modules, design details of the navigational planner have been elaborated. The approach integrates advanced artificial intelligence techniques with AUV control architecture to make mission planning and execution simpler and flexible. The design takes into consideration the limited availability of AUV resources, scalability, and portability to other autonomous systems.
Care of HIV-risk infants: nursing outreach by PNPs.

Abstract In this prospective study, HIV-risk infants (infants born to women with a history of intravenous drug use, prostitution, or who is a sexual partner of an intravenous drug user) were followed during home visits by a pediatric nurse practitioner. Analysis of home visit records indicated that significant medical problems were detected in one out of every 12 visits, requiring referral of the infant for immediate medical attention. The most frequent problems/ maternal concerns encountered during the home visits were infectious disease symptoms and skin conditions. The type of problems/ maternal concerns did not differ by infant HIV status. With an increase in incidence of HIV infection in children, outreach by specialized nurses including PNPs is necessary to provide the intensive medical services required by these children.
Rituximab for Immune Cytopenia in Adults: Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia, and Evans Syndrome

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of rituximab for the treatment of adult patients with immune cytopenia, including idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and Evans syndrome. Patients and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of all patients treated with rituximab for immune cytopenia at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, through January 1, 2003. Fourteen patients (median age at first diagnosis, 51 years; range, 21-79 years) were identified who received 1 or more treatment courses of rituximab for treatment of refractory ITP (12 patients), autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) (5 patients), or both ITP and AIHA (classified as Evans syndrome) (4 patients). Data regarding age, diagnosis, date of diagnosis, previous treatments, comorbid conditions, blood cell counts before taking rituximab, number of rituximab treatments, and response to treatment were extracted and analyzed. Results Of 12 patients treated for ITP, 6 were receiving corticosteroid-based treatment either alone or combined with other immunosuppressive therapy at the time they received rituximab. Complete remission occurred in 5 (42%) of 12 patients with ITP and in 2 (40%) of 5 patients with AIHA. Response to rituximab in patients with Evans syndrome was seen in either ITP or AIHA, but not both. Complete response was often durable in ITP. Responses were seen in both splenectomized and nonsplenectomized patients. Conclusions Our findings, considered with the results of other studies, suggest that rituximab deserves early consideration as salvage therapy for immune cytopenias that are refractory to both corticosteroid treatment and splenectomy. This series represents the largest series of adult patients with AIHA and Evans syndrome.
A New Modeling Framework for Piezoresponse Force Microscopy

Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) has evolved into useful tool for measurement of local functionality of ferroelectric materials which shows great potential for applications such as data storage, ferroelectric lithography and nonvolatile memories. Better understanding of current techniques which are applied in the scale of single grain requires a straightforward analytical theory to map the PFM response for a wide range of typical experimental parameters. To this end, a new modeling framework is presented for a PFM which is modeled as a suspended cantilever beam with a tip mass. More specifically, the beam is considered to vibrate in all three directions, while subjected to a bias input voltage. The Hamilton’s principle is used to derive the governing equations. The local electrostatic forces on the tip and distributed forces acting on the cantilever are also taken into account in the current modeling framework. Since the sample and tip are in the contact mode and any changes in the topography of surface will affect the indentation depth of indenter, the boundary control input force is used at the base unit. Moreover, the free end of beam with the equivalent mass of tip is connected to springs in the vertical, longitudinal and lateral directions to represent the resistance of piezoelectric material to tip movement. It is shown that the vertical bending is coupled to longitudinal displacement and lateral bending is coupled to torsion through the friction between tip and sample.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Modeling the impacts of soil management practices on runoff, sediment yield, maize productivity, and soil organic carbon using APEX

Abstract Simulation models are increasingly used to analyze the impact of agricultural management at the watershed-scale. In this study, the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model was tested using long-term (1976–1995) data from two watersheds (W2 and W3) at the USDA Deep Loess Research Station near Treynor, Iowa. The two watersheds were cropped with continuous corn (Zea mays L.) and managed with conventional-tillage at W2 (34.4 ha) and ridge-till at W3 (43.3 ha). The monthly runoff and sediment yield were calibrated for the two watersheds during 1976–1987 by adjusting the curve numbers, curve number index coefficient, RUSLE C factor exponential residue and height coefficients, and erosion control practice factor for grassed waterways. Soil organic carbon values in the top 0.15 m soil layer were calibrated for the two watersheds in 1984 by adjusting the microbial decay rate coefficient. Model validation was conducted from 1988 to 1995. The calibrated model was able to reasonably replicate the monthly and yearly surface runoff and sediment yield for both watersheds for the validation period, with Nash–Sutcliffe efficiencies (EF) larger than 0.62 except for the EF of 0.41 for monthly sediment yield comparison at W3. The errors between the predicted and observed means were all within ±6% for runoff and sediment yield; predicted soil organic carbon in the 0.15 m soils in 1994 were within 10% of the observed values for both watersheds. The percentage error between the predicted and observed average corn grain yields was −5.3% at W2 and −2.7% at W3 during the 20-year simulation period. Scenario analyses were also conducted to assess the benefits of ridge-till over conventional-tillage. Over the 20 years, the predicted benefit of ridge-till versus conventional-tillage on surface runoff reduction was 36% in W2 and 39% in W3, and about 82–86% sediment yield reduction in both watersheds. The cumulative soil organic carbon losses from sediment were reduced about 63–67%. The long-term benefit of ridge-till over conventional-tillage was also quantified as a minimum corn grain yield increase of 3.8%. The results of this study indicate that APEX has the ability to predict differences between the two tillage systems. The modeling approach can be extended to other watersheds to examine the impacts of different tillage systems.
Effect of lattice anharmonicity in the structural phase transformation of Laves phase HfV2 alloy: A first-principles investigation

First-principles theory was developed to study the structural phase transformations in the Laves phase HfV2 alloy. We explored the energy landscape and established the role of lattice anharmonicity underlying the structural phase transitions. Our approach is based on a phenomenological Landau theory for the structural phase transition and a mean-field approximation for the free energy. First-principles calculations were utilized to obtain the distortion energy as a function of relevant deformations, and to deduce parameters for constructing the free energy. Our result for the phase transition temperature of HfV2 is in good agreement with experiment. We find that the high-temperature cubic C15 phase is stabilized by the effect of lattice anharmonicity. The theory also predicts an anomalous increase in shear modulus with increasing temperature for systems where the anharmonicity is pronounced.