cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fabrication of optical waveguides by the diffusion of Disperse Red 1 dye

A method for fabricating moldable guest-host polymer waveguides by a diffusion process using an ethylene glycol/methanol mixture as the solvent was developed. The change in refractive index to create the guiding layer was obtained by the use of a small quantity of Disperse Red 1 dye added to the solvent mixture. The mixture of the two solvents serves two purposes. First, the ethylene glycol facilitates thorough dissolution of the dye. Secondly, the presence of methanol allows diffusion of the dye into the PMMA to occur more readily. The effects of various diffusion temperatures and mixture concentration levels on the ultimate index of refraction change were investigated. In addition, the number of guided modes was determined for each sample and the optical loss was measured using prism couplers for input and output coupling. Superficially, the waveguide surfaces do not appear to be adversely affected by the solvent mixture and the profile of the diffused dye possesses sufficient uniformity to allow the input beam to be detectable with the unaided eye at a length of at least 5 cm, this value being limited by the physical length of the waveguides fabricated rather than by the optical loses of the waveguide. The waveguides fabricated by this method vary in their properties depending on fabrication parameters, including diffusion time and temperature as well as dye concentration. Those diffused at lower temperatures or for a shorter duration supported fewer modes. The waveguides fabricated support between one and six modes of both TE and TM waves.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An interaction between PPADS, an ATP antagonist, and a moderately intense sound in the cochlea.

Abstract In the organ of Corti ionotropic receptors for ATP (ATPRs) on cells that are bathed by perilymph have been suggested to modulate cochlear mechanics. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that endogenous extracellular ATP acting through ATPRs is involved in modulating cochlear mechanics during moderately intense sound exposure. Guinea pigs were exposed to either: (1) a perilymphatic administration of pyridoxal-phosphate-6-azophenyl-2′,4′-disulfonic acid (PPADS, 1 mM), an ATP antagonist; (2) a moderately intense sound (6.7 kHz tone, 95 dB SPL, 15 min); or (3) a combination of both the PPADS and the sound. The effects on cochlear potentials (cochlear microphonic, CM; negative summating potential, SP; compound action potential of the auditory nerve, CAP; and N1 latency) evoked by a 10 kHz tone pip were monitored. PPADS alone reduced the CAP and the SP and increased N1 latency. The intense sound alone reduced the CAP and SP. The combination of PPADS with the intense tone induced reversible effects on cochlear potentials that were greater than induced by either treatment alone. The effect on N1 latency and low intensity CM was a potentiation since the effect was greater than a simple addition of the effect of either treatment alone. The effects of the combination treatment on CAP, SP and high intensity CM were not different from additive. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that ATPRs in the organ of Corti are involved in modulating cochlear mechanics during moderately intense sound exposure.
Analysis of rabbit articular cartilage repair after chondrocyte implantation using optical coherence tomography

Abstract Objective To evaluate the utility and limitations of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for immediate, high-resolution structural analysis of rabbit articular repair tissue following chondrocyte implantation without excising or sectioning the specimen. Methods Full thickness articular cartilage defects were created in the patellar grooves of 30 adult rabbit knee joints. Allogenic cultured chondrocytes embedded in collagen gels were implanted into the surgical defects. A periosteal patch was then sutured over the chondrocyte–collagen composites. Six animals per time point were sacrificed at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks after surgery. The repair tissues were sequentially analysed by arthroscopic surface imaging, OCT, and histology. The resulting images were compared to determine qualitative and quantitative features of surface roughness, repair tissue integration, and micro-architecture. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t -testing and linear regression. Results OCT was able to identify the bone and cartilage interface in normal rabbit articular cartilage and regenerated cartilage at 24 weeks post chondrocyte implantation. OCT was able to identify hypertrophy at 4 and 8 weeks, and subtle surface fibrillations at 24 weeks, comparable with histological analysis at low magnification (20×). More importantly, OCT was able to detect embedded gaps between the repair tissue and surrounding host cartilage. Conclusion Close correlation was observed between OCT and histological analysis of morphological features important to the assessment of articular cartilage repair. These results demonstrate that OCT is capable of providing immediate ‘optical biopsy' of the rabbit articular cartilage repair tissue without damaging the specimen, and suggest that this new technique, if integrated with an arthroscope, can potentially be used in longitudinal studies of articular cartilage repair in vivo . Copyright 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of OsteoArthritis Research Society International.
Effect of microstructure on the impact damage of ceramics

Abstract The strength degradation of a range of sintered aluminas and silicon nitride materials, varying in purity and grain size, was determined as a function of impacting particle (SiC) kinetic energy (50–20 000 μJ) using a slinger-type apparatus. For comparison static indentation damage in the same materials was studied using a Vickers microhardness indenter. Crack-microstructure interactions were characterized using SEM. The post impact and indentation strength data were analyzed based on an indentation fracture mechanics model that takes into account crack resistance toughening. High purity, coarse grain sized materials exhibited the strongest R -curve behavior and strength degradation was least sensitive to impacting energy and indentation load.
Bone mass in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury: associations with activity-based therapy, neurologic and functional status, a retrospective study.

Abstract Objective To describe the prevalence of osteoporosis and its association with functional electrical stimulation (FES) use in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI)-related paralysis. Design Retrospective cross-sectional evaluation. Setting Clinic. Participants Consecutive persons with SCI (N=364; 115 women, 249 men) aged between 18 and 80 years who underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) examinations. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure Prevalence of osteoporosis defined as DXA T score ≤−2.5. Results The prevalence of osteoporosis was 34.9% (n=127). Use of FES was associated with 31.2% prevalence of osteoporosis compared with 39.5% among persons not using FES. In multivariate adjusted logistic regression analysis, FES use was associated with 42% decreased odds of osteoporosis after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, type and duration of injury, Lower Extremity Motor Scores, ambulation, previous bone fractures, and use of calcium, vitamin D, and anticonvulsant; (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], .35–.99; P =.039). Duration of injury >1 year was associated with a 3-fold increase in odds of osteoporosis compared with individuals with injury P =.001). Conclusions FES cycling ergometry may be associated with a decreased loss of bone mass after paralysis. Further prospective examination of the role of FES in preserving bone mass will improve our understanding of this association.
Factors that modulate inescapable shock-induced reductions in daily activity in the rat

Abstract Most behavioral and neurochemical changes produced by inescapable shock dissipate in 1–3 days. However, daily running activity is depressed for 14–42 days following one to three sessions of inescapable shock. In the present experiments, we sought to determine whether factors known to be important in the development of the short-term effects of exposure to inescapable shock would also be important in the production of the long-term effect of inescapable shock on daily activity. Three factors were examined: a) the escapability of the shock; short-term behavioral changes generally do not occur if the shock is escapable; b) naltrexone pretreatment; the opioid antagonist naltrexone typically prevents many of the short-term behavioral sequelae of inescapable shock; c) treatment with the anxiogenic β-carboline FG-7142; administration of this compound alone frequently mimics inescapable shock in its ability to transiently disrupt behavior. The inescapable shock-induced reduction in daily activity did not depend upon escapability of the stressor. In addition, naltrexone did nor prevent and FG-7142 did not induced the reduction in daily activity associated with stressor exposure.
Observation of X1A1 vinylidene by photoelectron spectroscopy of the C2H2− ion

Abstract Photoelectron spectra of the vinylidene anion (C2H2−) show vibrational structure in X1A1 vinylidene up 12 kcal/ mol above the vibrational ground state. Analysis yields an EA(C2H2 X 1 A1) of 0.47 ± 0.02 eV, and frequencies for the CC stretch and HCH bend. Absence of the 3B2 state in the photoelectron spectra indicates the 1A1-3B2 splitting in vinylidene is ⩾ 1.7 eV.
Doppler Echocardiographic Evaluation of Pulmonary Regurgitation Facilitates the Diagnosis of Constrictive Pericarditis

Diagnosing constrictive pericarditis (CP) remains a clinical challenge. Ventricular interdependence and dissociation of intrathoracic and intracardiac pressures are hallmark features that are readily recognized by invasive and noninvasive hemodynamics. The Doppler echocardiographic signal from pulmonic valve regurgitation depends on the relationship between pulmonary artery (intrathoracic) and right ventricular (intracardiac) pressure. Respiration-associated changes in this signal may aid in the evaluation of pericardial constriction. We demonstrate here that early diastolic cessation with inspiration can indicate a CP process. Early diastolic cessation with inspiration was shown to have correctly diagnosed CP in 70% of the patients in this study, with a sensitivity of 77%, specificity of 64%, positive predictive value of 67%, and negative predictive value of 75%. This noninvasive insight into dissociation of intracardiac and intrathoracic pressures, although not sufficient on its own, may be a valuable tool for aiding in the diagnosis of CP.
Coupled-mode solutions in generalized ocean environments.

This paper presents the application of the differential equation approach to solving the second-order coupled-mode equations in inhomogeneous ocean environments. The model incorporates sound velocity profile points to construct depth-dependent, piecewise linear, ocean and bottom environments along a range grid. Modal solutions are evaluated in terms of Airy functions. The formalism to evaluate analytically the mode-coupling coefficients is presented. Comparisons to conventional expressions of the coefficients are made. The integro-differential form of the coupled equations is solved using an approach developed in nuclear theory that incorporates the Lanczos method [Knobles, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 96, 1741–1747 (1994)]. Demonstration of the practicality of this approach is made by applying the results in actual calculations with realistic ocean environments. The formalism to evaluate analytically the mode-coupling coefficients is presented. Several benchmark examples were examined in order to validate the model and are discussed, including propagation over a hill, benchmark wedge problems, and a range-varying sound speed profile benchmark. The importance of this model is also demonstrated by the physical insight gained in having a coupled-mode approach to solving range-dependent problems.
Malassezia species isolated from the intermammary and preputial fossa areas of horses.

Background: Malassezia-type yeasts previously have been observed on cytologic examination of the intermammary region of mares that presented with tail-head pruritus; topical antiyeast treatment resolved the pruritus. Further, Malassezia dermatitis has been observed in horses in intertriginous areas such as the udder and prepuce; the species of yeast was not confirmed. It is not known whether healthy mares or male horses can be carriers of this yeast in these body areas. Hypothesis: Malassezia spp. are present in the intermammary region in healthy mares and the preputial fossa in healthy geldings. Animals: Eleven healthy horses (5 mares and 6 geldings). Methods: Samples of surface material were taken digitally from the intermammary area of 5 mares and the preputial fossa region of 6 geldings. The samples were examined cytologically and were cultured on modified Sabouraud's dextrose agar. The DNA from yeast colonies grown on the agar was extracted, and samples were assayed using fungal generic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Amplicons with positive PCR results were sequenced and compared with sequences in the BLAST database search program. Results: Of 44 attempts at culture, 5 yielded a species identified as Malassezia equi, and 2 yielded M slooffiae. In contrast, of 44 cytologic examinations, yeasts with the morphology of Malassezia spp. were seen in 40 samples. Conclusions and clinical importance: Due to its presence in healthy horses, finding of Malassezia-type yeast on cytologic examination may not incriminate it as a pathogen. Despite difficulty in culturing, cytologic examination was an effective tool to rapidly demonstrate the organism.
Characterization of Fixed and Reconfigurable Multi-Core Devices for Application Acceleration

As on-chip transistor counts increase, the computing landscape has shifted to multi- and many-core devices. Computational accelerators have adopted this trend by incorporating both fixed and reconfigurable many-core and multi-core devices. As more, disparate devices enter the market, there is an increasing need for concepts, terminology, and classification techniques to understand the device tradeoffs. Additionally, computational performance, memory performance, and power metrics are needed to objectively compare devices. These metrics will assist application scientists in selecting the appropriate device early in the development cycle. This article presents a hierarchical taxonomy of computing devices, concepts and terminology describing reconfigurability, and computational density and internal memory bandwidth metrics to compare devices.
Adenosine analogs inhibit the guanine-7-methylation of mRNA cap structures

The adenosine analogs neplanocin A and deazaneplanocin A were observed to inhibit the in vivo guanine-7-methylation of mRNA cap structure using a new assay for hypomethylated RNA. Treatment of cultured mammalian cells with these adenosine analogs resulted in the same extent of hypomethylation of cap structure as did ethionine injection in mice. Neplanocin A and its non-metabolizable analog 3-deazaneplanocin A show the same maximal level of inhibition of methylation suggesting that these adenosine analogs exert their effects by elevating S-adenosylhomocysteine levels rather than by conversion to other inhibitory compounds.
History Writing That’s “Good to Think With”: The Great Fire, Blizzard! and An American Plague

In this article I argue that history books that are “good to think with” narrate history and, at the same time, provide insight into how it is constructed. These books are much more than collections of facts. Specifically, they provide information about historical context, multiple perspectives, sources of information, and original interpretation. This is crucial information for anyone attempting to understand history. As examples, I show how three books by Jim Murphy—The Great Fire, Blizzard! and An American Plague—address each of these essential topics.
Soluble β-Galactoside Specific Lectin is Developmentally Regulated in Lungs of Neonatal Black Mice and Beige Mice

The beige mouse, a mutant of the C57 black mouse, is best known as a model of the Chediak-Higashi syndrome. Recently, it was found that alveolar maturation in neonatal beige mice is impaired, resulting in abnormally large alveoli. In guinea pigs, hamsters, and rats there is an elevated activity of a soluble, 0-galactoside-binding lectin in lungs at the age when alveolar maturation is in progress. Our present studies were done to find out if the temporal relationship between elevated lectin activity and alveolar maturation also occurs in mice and, further, if the impaired alveolar maturation in beige mice might be linked to the lectin. We found that the temporal relationship between lectin activity and alveolar maturation is also present in black and beige mice, with a peak in specific lectin activity occurring at about 8 days after birth. We also found that the major lectin purified from black or beige mice has essentially the same subunit molecular weight, isoelectric point, and amino acid composition. I...
The legal strategies used in operating syringe exchange programs in the United States.

OBJECTIVES. This study sought to identify the strategies used by syringe exchange programs to establish their legality. METHODS. Statutes, court decisions, published studies of exchange programs, and news stories were reviewed, and telephone interviews were conducted with syringe exchange personnel. RESULTS. Twenty-seven exchanges have been authorized by amendments to or judicial interpretations of state drug laws or by administrative action under such laws, or operate in a state that has no laws regulating needles. At least 13 programs operate under claims of legality based on local interpretations of state law, principally public health law. The remaining syringe exchanges operate without a claim of legality. CONCLUSIONS. The deployment of syringe exchanges has been hindered by concerns about their legal status. This study shows that the applicability of drug laws to syringe exchange is open to dispute, and that local public health authorities may under some circumstances rely on their own legal authori...
Deep silicate content as evidence of renewal processes in the Venezuela Basin, Caribbean Sea

Abstract Average dissolved silicate concentrations in waters deeper than 1400 m of the Venezuela Basin (Eastern Caribbean Sea) increase from 27.7 μ m in the north to greater than 29.0 μ m in the south. Standard deviations of these values (a measure of temporal heterogeneity) decline from 1.8 in the north to 1.0 in the south. These gradients result from sporadic inflow of silicate-poor North Atlantic Deep Water over the Jungfern Sill at the north end of the basin. This inflow lowers the silicate concentrations and increases temporal variability in the north. Mixing of this inflow water southward across the basin causes the observed north-to-south gradients in mean silicate concentrations and in standard deviations about these means.
Observations on Growth of BaTiO3, Crystals from KF Solutions

The purpose of this study was to try to find out why BaTiO3 (essentially a cubic structure) can consistently be grown from KF solutions as large flat plates when a more equant morphology is expected. It is suggested that the size, shape, and perfection of the platelike “butterfly” twin crystals can be qualitatively related to the re-entrant angles which result from {111} twinning of crystals of {100} habit. The re-entrant angles form permanent steps for both the advancing crystal tip and for the growth layers of the wings. The amount of twinning is related to the cooling rate and to the presence of certain impurities. Thus it can be shown that increasing the cooling rate increases the number of {111} twins (essentially a hexagonal stacking fault); the extreme case is the metastable formation of hexagonal barium titanate by quenching. Evidence is presented for the stabilization of the Ti2O9 group of the hexagonal structure by substitution of ions of lower polarizing power.
The structure of floppy molecules: the Rg·XH/D (Rg=Ar, Ne, and Kr, X=O or S) family of complexes

Abstract The “structure” of Rg·XH/D weakly bound complexes, where Rg=Ne, Ar and Kr and X=O or S is reviewed. These species likely constitute the most thoroughly studied, broad family of complexes. Due to the open shell nature of OH and SH, the bonding in these complexes ranges from quite weak to incipient chemical. Most of the experimental data concerning these species come from the rotational and vibrational structure of the electronic transition, A 2 Σ + – X 2 Π 3/2 . Based on the spectral work, empirical potential surfaces for both the X 2 Π 3/2 and A 2 Σ + states of the complexes have been developed. These potentials can be used to illustrate the structure and bonding of the complexes. They also can be used to elucidate observed dynamical processes in the complexes.
Landform influences on the resistance of grasslands to shrub encroachment, Northern Chihuahuan Desert, USA

In arid and semiarid regions, vegetative boundaries are often strikingly similar to landform boundaries. However, it is not well documented whether landforms exert an influence on the resistance of desert grassland to shrub encroachment. Dominant grassland communities have been displaced by woody shrubs over the last 150 years in the Jornada Basin, southern New Mexico. Digital vegetation maps from 1858, 1915–1916, 1928–1929, 1938, and 1998, in conjunction with a detailed landform map, were analyzed in a Geographical Information System. The generated time series maps and spatial data compiled from these datasets were used to quantify the extent and rate that grasslands were replaced by shrubs on eight contiguous landforms. From this assessment, we generated a resistance index that revealed desert grasslands were least resistant (most susceptible) to shrub expansion on sandy landforms and bajadas and most resistant to shrub invasion on ephemerally flooded playas. This study demonstrates that landforms both ...
Congenital differences about the elbow.

The elbow is frequently affected by congenital differences that limit flexion–extension and supination–pronation. The limitation can occur in utero or develop over time. Delayed causes usually gradually disrupt the anatomy and function of the paired bone forearm. Accurate diagnosis is based on a careful examination and perusal of radiographs. Certain diagnoses can be helped by surgery and will result in improved limb usage and function. In contrast, other diagnoses are recalcitrant to modern operative techniques but will benefit from occupational therapy and adaptive equipment to enhance independence and activities essential to daily life. This article discusses diagnosis and treatment of synostosis, arthrogryposis, pterygium, multiple hereditary exostosis, and the unsalvageable forearm.
Forage yield and quality under irrigation with saline-sodic drainage water: Greenhouse evaluation

Reuse of saline-sodic drainage water (DW) to irrigate salt-tolerant forages is an attractive option for growers in California's drainage-impaired, San Joaquin Valley since it will reduce the volume of drainage water requiring disposal and supply feed to expanding dairy and beef cattle industries. Five forages (tall wheatgrass, paspalum, creeping wildrye, bermudagrass and alfalfa) were evaluated in a greenhouse study to compare forage species for biomass yield, mineral composition, and quality as ruminant feeds when irrigated with freshwater (ECw = 0.85 dS/m) and saline DW (ECw = 11 and 18 dS/m) and grown in a field soil mix characteristic of the drainage-impaired areas. Tall wheatgrass was highly salt-tolerant with a relative yield of 85% under high salinity, whereas the relative yield of alfalfa was 43%. Metabolizable energy (ME in MJ/kg DM), the potential energy that the ruminant can obtain from consuming the forage, was higher in this greenhouse study as compared to our prior field study (Suyama et al., 2006). ME differed among the forage species and was ranked as: tall wheatgrass and alfalfa > paspalum > bermudagrass and creeping wildrye. All forages were deemed suitable as feeds for beef cattle and goats fed at maintenance energy levels. However, with long term consumption, the high selenium and sulfur content of these forages could potentially affect animal physiology, unless they were fed in a mixed ration
Fluorine functionalization of epitaxial graphene for uniform deposition of thin high-κ dielectrics

Abstract Fluorine functionalization, using XeF2, was investigated as a way to enhance atomic layer deposition (ALD) of thin, high-κ dielectrics on epitaxial graphene, which would enable the realization of graphene-based device technologies. The XeF2 dosage time was correlated with oxide coverage and morphology as well as its overall effect on the underlying graphene properties. An optimum XeF2 dose time of 120 s ( P XeF 2 = 1 torr , PN2 = 35 torr) was found to form C–F bonds on 6–7% of the graphene surface, which are presumed to act as additional ALD reaction sites facilitating conformal Al2O3 films only 15 nm thick. Under these optimal conditions, the graphene lattice remained essentially undisturbed and the Hall mobility exhibited a 10–25% increase after oxide deposition. These results indicate that this novel technique is a viable path to obtaining ultrathin high-κ dielectrics by ALD on epitaxial graphene.
Automated demand response of thermal load with a photovoltaic source for military microgrids

Energy consumption by deployed United States Army troops has become an important issue. There is significant fiscal cost and risk of providing diesel fuel for generators due to precautions needed to defend fuel convoys. Photovoltaics can effectively reduce fuel requirements, but without battery storage introduce additional variability in demand due to their intermittent nature. A structurally insulated panel (SIP) housing prototype, or SIP-Hut, has been developed with the potential to greatly reduce thermal load compared to existing structures. This work investigates automated demand response of the SIPHut Environmental Control Unit (ECU), which leverages the increased elasticity of the SIP-Hut thermal demand, with a photovoltaic source. The objectives are to minimize the frequency of generator operation and mitigate variability of the intermittent PV source to reduce diesel fuel consumption. A detailed thermal model of the SIP-Hut is presented and validated, and simulation results of an ECU demand response controller are presented.
Pharmacist professionalism, helpfulness, and consumer behavior linkage

The purpose of the present study is to test the relationship between a pharmacist’s professionalism and helpfulness (as perceived by customers) as well as to determine the effect of these factors o...
A frame-based representation for a bedside ventilator weaning protocol

We describe the use of a frame-based knowledge representation to construct an adequately-explicit bedside clinical decision support application for ventilator weaning. The application consists of a data entry form, a knowledge base, an inference engine, and a patient database. The knowledge base contains database queries, a data dictionary, and decision frames. A frame consists of a title, a list of findings necessary to make a decision or carry out an action, and a logic or mathematical statement to determine its output. Frames for knowledge representation are advantageous because they can be created, visualized, and conceptualized as self-contained entities that correspond to accepted medical constructs. They facilitate knowledge engineering and provide understandable explanations of protocol outputs for clinicians. Our frames are elements of a hierarchical decision process. In addition to running diagnostic and therapeutic logic, frames can run database queries, make changes to the user interface, and modify computer variables.
Population-Based in-hospital stroke morbidity and mortality.

To investigate the risk and prognostic factors for in-hospital incident stroke and stroke mortality, surveillance was conducted on Rochester, MN, residents free of stroke when admitted to the hospital in the years 1950 through 1984. The in-hospital first stroke attack rates remained stable for the calendar years 1970,1976, and 1980. Of the first strokes that occurred in the hospital, 42% were adventitious. In approximately 60% of patients with adventitious strokes, the strokes developed within 2 days after a hospital procedure. Patients with cardiovascular problems were the majority among the patients who had nonadventitious strokes. Four independently significant prognostic factors associated with stroke 30-day mortality included age (relative risk, 1.6 per 10 years), calendar year (relative risk, 0.7 per 10 years), atrial fibrillation or flutter (relative risk, 2.3), and intracranial hemorrhage compared with cerebral infarction (relative risk, 12.4). These findings emphasize the heterogeneity of the pathophysiologic mechanisms for in-hospital stroke.
Computer network development to achieve resource sharing

In this paper a computer network is defined to be a set of autonomous, independent computer systems, interconnected so as to permit interactive resource sharing between any pair of systems. An overview of the need for a computer network, the requirements of a computer communication system, a description of the properties of the communication system chosen, and the potential uses of such a network are described in this paper.
Kruppel-like Factor 4 (Klf4) Prevents Embryonic Stem (ES) Cell Differentiation by Regulating Nanog Gene Expression *

Transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 4 (Klf4) is essential for somatic cell reprogramming. In addition, Klf4 seems to play a redundant role along with other Klf family proteins in embryonic stem (ES) cell self-renewal. However, how Klf4 regulates ES cell self-renewal and somatic cell reprogramming is still poorly understood. Here we report that Klf4 is required for both ES cell self-renewal and maintenance of pluripotency and that the expression of Klf4 prevents ES cell differentiation in response to withdrawal of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) or bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4). In addition, Klf4 directly binds to the promoter region of Nanog and regulates its expression. Expression of Nanog prevents ES cell differentiation even when Klf4 gene expression is knocked down. On the other hand, knockdown of Nanog expression induces differentiation of ES cells that overexpress Klf4. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Klf4 functions upstream of Nanog in ES cell self-renewal and in preventing ES cell differentiation.
An approach to large-scale collection of application usage data over the Internet

Empirical evaluation of software systems in actual usage situations is critical in software engineering. Prototyping, beta testing, and usability testing are widely used to refine system requirements, detect anomalous or unexpected system and user behavior, and to evaluate software usefulness and usability. The World Wide Web enables cheap, rapid, and large-scale distribution of software for evaluation purposes. However, current techniques for collecting usage data have not kept pace with the opportunities presented by Web-based deployment. This paper presents an approach and prototype system that makes large-scale collection of usage data over the Internet a practical possibility. A general framework for comparing software monitoring systems is presented and used to compare the proposed approach to existing techniques.
Towards a stylistic typology of narrative gaps: knowledge gapping in Flannery O’Connor’s fiction:

This article examines the functions of narrative gaps in the creation and manipulation of knowledge in Flannery O’Connor’s fiction. A distinction is first made between the announced and the unannounced gap, the latter being the general type that occurs most frequently in modern fiction, including that of O’Connor. The form and functions of the announced gap are briefly discussed with reference to 18th-century narratives. The article demonstrates the presence of an attenuated announced gap in O’Connor’s fiction in the use of the indefinite pronoun something. It also makes distinctions between the narrative gap, the ellipsis, and general narrative indeterminacy. The attenuated announced gap and the unannounced gap help to produce involvement of the reader in creating the emotional, spiritual, and rational background for an O’Connor narration. These narrative gaps are stylistically indicative of O’Connor’s prose from her earliest to her latest fiction, both in the particular forms that they take and in their...
Left atrial fibrosis by late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance predicts recurrence of atrial fibrillation after pulmonary vein isolation: do you see what I see?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia with 3 to 6 million currently afflicted and the prevalence expected to double by 2050.1 AF carries an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality driven largely by increased risk of stroke and congestive heart failure.1 Management of AF represents a significant and growing healthcare burden, with an estimated cost of $6.65 billion in 2005 and likely doubling by 2020.2 Article see p 23 Treatment of AF historically consists of anticoagulation to reduce the incidence of clinical stroke followed by either rate control or rhythm control. Both choices have been shown to produce similar outcomes (Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management [AFFIRM]),3 and thus rhythm control has been recommended for those who are symptomatic. Until recently, rhythm control had been most commonly achieved with the use of repeated cardioversions and antiarrhythmic therapy—many of which have undesirable side effects and potential toxicities.4 Surgical treatment using the Maze procedure (and its many modifications) makes physiological sense (interfering with the macroreentrant circuit in the atria) but is quite invasive. The advent of catheter-based therapies for rhythm management of AF has revolutionized the electrophysiological field and provides a less invasive approach similar to the surgical Maze procedure goals. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), the most commonly used catheter-based technique, aims to electrically isolate the pulmonary veins, a major source of ectopy that may trigger AF,5 using catheter-based mapping and ablation tools.6 Despite the excitement and ensuing enormous industry growth in this field, PVI has been met with mixed long-term success with concerns of both short-term safety and long-term efficacy. As a result, treatment guidelines remain controversial.6,7 Several studies have demonstrated clinical features that predict long-term PVI success, including paroxysmal over persistent or permanent AF.8 …
Braid: integrating task and data parallelism

Archetype data parallel or task parallel applications are well served by contemporary languages. However, for applications containing a balance of task and data parallelism the choice of language is less clear. While there are languages that enable both forms of parallelism, e.g., one can write data parallel programs using a task parallel language, there are few languages which support both. We present a set of data parallel extensions to the Mentat Programming Language (MPL) which allow us to integrate task parallelism, data parallelism, and nested task and data parallelism within a single language on top of a single run time system. The result is an object-oriented language, Braid, that supports both task and data parallelism on MIMD machines. In addition, the data parallel extensions define a language in and of itself which makes a number of contributions to the data parallel programming style. These include subset-level operations (a more general notion of element-level operations), compiler provided iteration within a data parallel data set and the ability to define complex data parallel operations. >
Testing functional forms in energy modeling: An application of the Bayesian approach to U.S. electricity demand

Abstract In the estimation of demand functions for energy resources, linear, log–linear, translog, or AIDS functional forms are commonly assumed. It is frequently debated which is the “best” functional forms to employ in order to accurately represent the underlying relationships between the consumption of various energy resources and explanatory variables such as energy prices, weather variables, income, and other factors. In an example analysis of residential energy demand employing cross-sectional household-level data, we find that the AIDS model is slightly better than the translog model, which is superior to the log–linear model, and which in turn is better than the linear model. This is in sharp contrast to previous findings in this context.
Quantitative Model of the Phase Behavior of Recombinant pH-Responsive Elastin-Like Polypeptides

Quantitative models are required to engineer biomaterials with environmentally responsive properties. With this goal in mind, we developed a model that describes the pH-dependent phase behavior of a class of stimulus responsive elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) that undergo reversible phase separation in response to their solution environment. Under isothermal conditions, charged ELPs can undergo phase separation when their charge is neutralized. Optimization of this behavior has been challenging because the pH at which they phase separate, pHt, depends on their composition, molecular weight, concentration, and temperature. To address this problem, we developed a quantitative model to describe the phase behavior of charged ELPs that uses the Henderson-Hasselbalch relationship to describe the effect of side-chain ionization on the phase-transition temperature of an ELP. The model was validated with pH-responsive ELPs that contained either acidic (Glu) or basic (His) residues. The phase separation of both ELPs fit this model across a range of pH. These results have important implications for applications of pH-responsive ELPs because they provide a quantitative model for the rational design of pH-responsive polypeptides whose transition can be triggered at a specified pH.
Temperature-driven seasonal calcite growth and drip water trace element variations in a well-ventilated Texas cave: Implications for speleothem paleoclimate studies

Abstract A two-year cave monitoring study at Westcave Preserve in central Texas provides insight into the controls on the rate of calcite growth and drip water Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and Ba/Ca variations. The cave is shallow and has a large ratio of its opening area to its volume, which results in year-round ventilation of the cave. Unlike larger and deeper caves in the region that ventilate seasonally, cave-air temperature and CO2 concentrations at Westcave are near atmospheric throughout the year and calcite growth is continuous. Changes in the rate of calcite growth positively correlate with seasonal temperature variations at all six drip sites studied (r2 = 0.12–0.76; mean r2 = 0.47). Average monthly surface air temperature is positively correlated with drip-water Sr/Ca at five of six drip sites studied (r2 = 0.21–0.80; mean r2 = 0.44), and Ba/Ca at all six sites (r2 = 0.41–0.85; mean r2 = 0.57); whereas this correspondence is only seen in one of six drip sites for Mg/Ca. Applying geochemical modeling of mineral-solution reactions to the Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca time series at Westcave indicates that the evolution of drip-water Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca can be accounted for by two mechanisms: (1) prior calcite precipitation and/or incongruent calcite dissolution (PCP/ICD), which dominate drip-water evolution at one site; and (2) a combination of PCP/ICD and water–rock interaction (WRI) at the other five drip sites. The results suggest a possible seasonality in the operation of the mechanisms of drip-water evolution, whereby PCP/ICD plays a larger role than WRI during the warmer months of the year. Understanding drip-water seasonal Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca variations has implications for paleoclimate studies using speleothems. It is important to first determine if seasonal geochemical variations in drip waters can be identified. One can then determine if these variations are preserved as geochemical laminae in speleothems, which may then provide seasonal temperature variations and thus seasonal age constraints for speleothems. Determining the proportional contributions of the mineral-solution reactions that drive drip-water trace element variations for different drip sites, as well as the extent to which trace element concentrations vary seasonally, will help inform speleothem sample selection and interpretation of geochemical data for paleoclimate study. Our results indicate that speleothems near the well-ventilated entrances of many larger and deeper caves may warrant further consideration for paleoclimate studies.
Directional Correlation--A Technique to Reduce Bandwidth in PCM Television Transmissions

Utilizing the new tool of frame storage of PCM encoded television pictures, a new technique for reducing the bandwidth requirements for transmission is described. The method involves the use of the high directional correlation inherent in picture point samples of the same frame, as well as frame to frame correlation. Using the procedures developed in the paper, a block diagram of a transmitter and receiver utilizing such a principle is illustrated and discussed. It is also shown how this technique improves on that of both simple and modified differential PCM encoding for television transmission.
Stability of Trans-Resveratrol Encapsulated in a Protein Matrix Produced Using Spray Drying to UV Light Stress and Simulated Gastro-Intestinal Digestion

Trans-resveratrol has demonstrated the potential to provide both therapeutic and preventive activities against chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. The incorporation of trans-resveratrol into food products would allow for broader access of this bioactive compound to a larger population. However, this strategy is limited by instability of trans-resveratrol under environmental conditions and within the digestive system leading to isomerization of trans-resveratrol (bioactive form) to cis-resveratrol (bio-inactive form). Studies in the stabilization of trans-resveratrol into protein microparticles are presented. Trans-resveratrol was encapsulated using whey protein concentrate (WPC) or sodium caseinate (SC), with or without anhydrous milk fat (AMF). Binding of resveratrol and aromatic residues in protein was estimated utilizing the Stern-Volmer equation and the number of tryptophan residues. The stability of encapsulated resveratrol was evaluated after exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) light and 3-stage in vitro digestion. After UVA light exposure, SC-based microcapsules maintained a higher trans:cis resveratrol ratio (0.63, P < 0.05) than WPC-based microcapsules (0.43) and unencapsulated resveratrol (0.49). In addition, encapsulation of resveratrol in both protein microparticles led to an increased digestive stability and bioaccessibility in comparison to unencapsulated resveratrol (47% and 23%, respectively, P < 0.05). SC-based microcapsules provided a higher digestive stability and bioaccessibility (86% and 81%; P < 0.05) compared to WPC-based microcapsules (71% and 68%). The addition of AMF to the microcapsules did not significantly change the in vitro digestion values. In conclusion, SC-based microencapsulation increased the stability of trans-resveratrol to UVA light exposure and simulated digestion conditions. This encapsulation-system-approach can be extended to other labile, bioactive polyphenols.
Commensurate and incommensurate spin-density waves in heavy electron systems

The nesting of the Fermi surfaces of an electron and a hole pocket separated by a nesting vector Q and the interaction between electrons gives rise to itinerant antiferromagnetism. The order can gradually be suppressed by mismatching the nesting and a quantum critical point (QCP) is obtained as the Neel temperature tends to zero. The transfer of pairs of electrons between the pockets can lead to a superconducting dome above the QCP (if Q is commensurate with the lattice, i.e. equal to G/2). If the vector Q is not commensurate with the lattice there are eight possible phases: commensurate and incommensurate spin and charge density waves and four superconductivity phases, two of them with modulated order parameter of the FFLO type. The renormalization group equations are studied and numerically integrated. A re-entrant SDW phase (either commensurate or incommensurate) is obtained as a function of the mismatch of the Fermi surfaces and the magnitude of |Q − G/2|.
Incorporating sustainability assessment in transportation planning: an urban transportation vehicle-based approach

ABSTRACTEnvironmental assessments are on the critical path for the development of land, infrastructure and transportation systems. These assessments are based on planning methods which, in turn, are subject to continuous enhancement. The substantial impacts of transportation on environment, society and economy strongly urge the incorporation of sustainability into transportation planning. Two major developments that enhance transportation sustainability are new fuels and vehicle power systems. Traditional planning ignores technology including the large differences among conventional, hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles and buses. The introduction of alternative fuel vehicles is likely to change the traditional transportation planning process because different characteristics need to be taken into account. In this study a sustainability framework is developed that enables assessment of transportation vehicle characteristics. Identified indicators are grouped in five sustainability dimensions (Environment,...
Core Self-Evaluation and Individuals' Innovative Behavior:The Moderating Effect of Collectivistic Orientation

Based on the distinction between individual creativity and innovation,this paper explores the relationship among core self-evaluation,collectivistic orientation and innovative behavior through questionnaire survey on 225 employees and their immediate supervisors.Results indicate that the generalization and implementation of creative ideas,the two components of individual innovation,are positively related,and core self-evaluation is positively correlated with the generalization,but not with the implementation of ideas.We also find that employee's collectivistic orientation moderates the link between core self-evaluation and innovation in such a way that the effect of core self-evaluation on innovation is much stronger for employees who are low,rather than high in collectivistic orientation.Discussions,contributions and limitations are also displayed.
Semisupervised Feature Selection Based on Relevance and Redundancy Criteria

Feature selection aims to gain relevant features for improved classification performance and remove redundant features for reduced computational cost. How to balance these two factors is a problem especially when the categorical labels are costly to obtain. In this paper, we address this problem using semisupervised learning method and propose a max-relevance and min-redundancy criterion based on Pearson’s correlation (RRPC) coefficient. This new method uses the incremental search technique to select optimal feature subsets. The new selected features have strong relevance to the labels in supervised manner, and avoid redundancy to the selected feature subsets under unsupervised constraints. Comparative studies are performed on binary data and multicategory data from benchmark data sets. The results show that the RRPC can achieve a good balance between relevance and redundancy in semisupervised feature selection. We also compare the RRPC with classic supervised feature selection criteria (such as mRMR and Fisher score), unsupervised feature selection criteria (such as Laplacian score), and semisupervised feature selection criteria (such as sSelect and locality sensitive). Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.