cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ceramic composite with gentamicin decreases persistent infection and increases bone formation in a rat model of debrided osteomyelitis.

Abstract. Introduction: Current methods of managing osteomyelitic voids after debridement are inadequate and result in significant morbidity to patients. Synthetic ceramic void fillers are appropriate for non-infected bone defects but serve as a nidus of re-infection in osteomyelitis after debridement. CERAMENT G (CG) is an injectable ceramic bone void filler which contains gentamicin and is currently being evaluated for use in osteomyelitic environments after debridement due to its theoretical ability to serve as a scaffold for healing while eliminating residual bacteria after debridement through the elution of antibiotics. The goal of this study was to evaluate (1) the rate of persistent infection and (2) new bone growth of a debrided osteomyelitic defect in a rat model which has been treated with either gentamicin-impregnated ceramic cement (CERAMENT G) or the same void filler without antibiotics (CERAMENT, CBVF). Methods: Osteomyelitis was generated in the proximal tibia of Sprague Dawley rats, subsequently debrided, and the defect filled with either (1) CG ( n=20 ), (2) CBVF ( n=20 ), or (3) nothing ( n=20 ). Each group was euthanized after 6 weeks. Infection was detected through bacterial culture and histology. Bone growth was quantified using microCT. Results: Infection was not detected in defects treated with CG as compared with 35 % of defects ( 7 / 20 ) treated with CBVF and 50 % ( 10 / 20 ) of empty defects ( p=0.001 ). Bone volume in the defect of CG-treated rats was greater than the CBVF (0.21 vs. 0.17, p=0.021 ) and empty groups (0.21 vs. 0.11, p ) at 6 weeks after implantation. Conclusions: Ceramic void filler with gentamicin (CERAMENT G) decreased the rate of persistent infection and increased new bone growth as compared to the same void filler without antibiotics (CERAMENT) and an empty defect in a rat model of debrided osteomyelitis.
Challenges on Urban Socio-Spatial Cohesion. The Case of Social Housing Complexes in the Regional Administrative area of Piraeus in Greece

The regional administrative area of Piraeus has long been a suitable case study for analyzing the impact of social housing. The six municipalities that constitute this urban agglomeration have been strongly connected with the Asia Minor Catastrophe of 1922 and the consequent rehabilitation of the refugee population during the 30s. Moreover, after WWII, more social housing complexes had been constructed in the urban area around central Piraeus, representing different architectural types and principles. Today, they host various socio-economic population groups. Economic immigrants and households of elderly people are some of the vulnerable households that reside today in the social housing apartments. One major issue is the poor housing conditions and the low level of preservation associated with high rates of poverty and social exclusion. This paper attempts to depict the contemporary situation in the area by providing thematic cartography with the aim of indicating crucial enclaves in need of urban regeneration.
Professors' Perceptions and Evaluations of Students Who Do and Do Not Stutter Following Oral Presentations.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptual ratings and performance evaluations of students who do and do not stutter by professors who require oral presentations. Additionally, this study sought to investigate the influence of behaviors related to communication competence on perceptual and evaluative ratings. METHOD One hundred fifty-eight college instructors who require oral presentations in their classes participated in this study. Participants viewed one video of four possible randomized conditions: (a) presence of stuttering + low communication competence, (b) absence of stuttering + low communication competence, (c) presence of stuttering + high communication competence, and (d) absence of stuttering + high communication competence. Participants evaluated student performance against a standardized rubric and rated the student along 16 personality traits. RESULTS Results of separate 2 × 2 analyses of variance revealed professors' view and evaluate students presenting with high communication competence more positively overall, regardless as to whether stuttering is present or not. Significant interactions between fluency (i.e., presence vs. absence of stuttering) and communication competence (i.e., high vs. low) were found for negative personality traits, as well as delivery evaluation scores. The video for which the student stuttered and presented with low communication competence was rated more positively than the video for which the student did not stutter and presented with low communication competence. CONCLUSIONS Professors perceive and evaluate students who stutter differently from their nonstuttering peers, and those ratings are moderated by levels of communication competence. High-communication-competence behaviors improved perceptual and evaluation scores; however, in the presence of low-communication-competence behaviors, professors overcorrect in the form of positive feedback bias, which may have negative long-term academic consequences.
Our Collective Hearts

JIM SAYS THERE WAS A TI M E they were thick?he means the fish, and they were thick off the coast lounging in the sun, the sun-baked waters off the coast, rising to some errant anchovy, surfacing like some slow U-boat rolling under the blue surface, touching the surface with mouth and forked tail, rising in the kelp beds and rocky prominences of this coast. Yes, Jim says they were thick once, and we would wait in some rocky cove or thick kelp bed swinging back and forth, back and forth on the anchor rope, waiting for that first rise or thrashing in the late spring that announced the stirring of these creatures that meant that these fish, the Yellowtail, had arrived, arrived from the south somewhere thrashing and twisting in the azure calm of not so open water fenced by underwater forests of kelp. There was a time Jim says that the blue-green backs of these fish were up so thick that a soul could get up from the railing or the stern and walk across those lazy fish sunning themselves between the kelp strands, but walk we did not Jim says; it was these blue-green and silver and yellow monsters we were after, and we could throw everything at them?blue and white or green and yellow or just silver jigs, white feathers, green feathers, blue feathers, rubber things that looked like living squid, shiny or dull bits of metal with large hooks that should look like some live excited fish. . . . We came prepared but perplexed; we came with it all?paraphernalia in old redwood boxes, black plastic and chrome reels, rods especially made that were thick at the bottom and light at the top. I can feel the bait swimming faster, faster, Jim says?the whole world down there twitching at the rod tip the sixty or maybe seventy pounder coming up for a wounded bait fish and chasing the little ones under the kelp, and of course Jim would have to say that that wounded bait just happened to be at the end of his reel, rod and line, a thin line so that monster of a Yellowtail would not detect the transparent string drifting from the stern. Well you know the rest, like any fish story with the music playing, maybe Mozart or Beethoven, and the stern gently rocking and someone asking for a beer or a hamburger in the galley. Then the splash on the stern and someone, maybe the captain maybe me says, "Tail on the corner" but everyone's quiet as Jim's reel locks into gear with a click and that fish, that monster Yellowtail, turns with the bait and the reel sings and sings and someone says, "Jim's on, he's hooked up and howling again like a wolf." That monster fish, he turns straight out from the stern like his tail was on fire, out and under and around the branches of those submarine trees of kelp. And I ask, "Jim can you stop him? How do you stop him?" Too big Jim says. He is too big?seventy or eighty pounds at least or more; there's no way to stop that fish. Just hang on Jim, someone says, but that fish
The autonomous underwater vehicle "Pipsqueak"

A team of freshman students was presented with the ambiguous challenge of designing an AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) the size of a wallet. A Micro-AUV would be small enough to avoid many of the transport problems. Because of the potentially simple design of such an AUV, purchase and maintenance costs could be kept fairly low. An AUV such as Pipsqueak would likely be deployed into a lake river, where its size and the environment would allow it to investigate most efficiently. It could also be released in low current ocean areas, such as along beaches or coral reefs. In the future, we predict that as the Micro-AUVs develop and become more efficient and powerful, they might be used for deeper and more intense exploration. In this design, depth is sensed with a pressure gauge such as the Omega DPG1000. Temperature is measured with temperature sensors such as the Seabird 3Bfplus. Images of the surrounding environment would be useful in gathering scientific data. We specified using a CCD or CMOS camera that can interface with the micro controller and satisfy the volume requirements. There are large numbers of low cost, compact digital imaging cameras available today that can be readily incorporated into Pipsqueak. We propose to use the prebuilt RAMCAM from Spectronix. The dead reckoning, inertial based navigation system would be used for this vehicle. This system would have two rear facing horizontal thrusters, and one top facing vertical thruster, which will allow for turning as well as up and down motion.
Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Many-Task Computing on Grids and Supercomputers

We had 16 articles submitted, and we accepted 10 articles. We also had 4 additional invited articles. The review process (which only applied to the 16 articles originally submitted) involved getting at least 3 reviews (sometimes 4) for each paper. The reviewer scores were then tallied, and ranked, and we accepted as many papers were felt were of high quality and that we could fit in the 1 day workshop program. For the invited papers, they were reviewed only based on the title and abstract, as the people that were invited to submit these invited papers are well known in the field to work in the Many-Task Computing space.
Explaining war and explaining war away

Why do wars occur? And why do wars occur despite the high costs they entail? These are the question that Freud and Einstein discussed in their prescient exchange of letters in 1932, written just before Hitler came to power and published just after. Since then, history has delivered much and varied material to study these questions, ranging from the large-scale operations of the Second World War, the proxy wars of the Cold War, to internal conflicts, civil strife, and the more recent "humanitarian interventions" to the "War on Terror."
‘Feigning the World to Be Annihilated’: Thomas Hobbes and the Apocalyptic Imaginary

This paper situates Thomas Hobbes’ work within the context of the apocalypticism of the English Civil War. During Hobbes’ life, there was an explosion of apocalyptic prophecy that combined fears of the imminent end of the known world with hopes for a radically new future. The chaos and violence of the English Civil War only seemed to confirm these prophetic revelations and there emerged a widespread expectation that God would violently irrupt into secular history to save the elect and condemn the damned. In this paper, I argue that Hobbes’ work bears the mark of this context. Yet, while a substantial amount of scholarship has grappled with the English thinker’s understanding of the political implications of religion and his accounts of the origins of the civil war, Hobbes’ engagement with apocalypticism remains profoundly underexplored. I argue here that the radical apocalyptic imaginary let loose during the civil war worried Hobbes immensely. While Christian eschatology had initially been deployed as a legitimating tool by kings and church authorities, the apocalyptic imaginary escaped this effort at sovereign control and was suddenly abroad in the land. Hobbes responds to this threat not by condemning the apocalyptic imaginary, but by trying to put it back in the service of sovereign power. He fights apocalypse with apocalypse. I argue that Hobbes pursues two paths in his project – one that is overtly Christian and another that is seemingly secular. His theological argument offers a de-radicalized Christian eschatology in which the sovereign is the only authority capable of proclaiming the apocalypse. Hobbes’ political argument stages a secular apocalypse, in which the terror and chaos of the state of nature are the preconditions for a kingdom ruled by a mortal God. In pursuing these two paths, Hobbes does not escape the apocalyptic imaginary, but rather redeploys it and tries to return it safely into sovereign hands. This paper proceeds in three parts. First, I begin by tracing the evolution of the apocalyptic imaginary from the late 16th century to the English Civil War, with a particular focus on its relationship to sovereign power. Second, I outline Hobbes’ theological response to the apocalyptic imaginary. Here I raise questions about the value of a response to Christian eschatology that does not engage with the capacity of apocalypticism to captivate the imagination and provoke belief. Third, I argue that Hobbes’ seemingly secular response to the anarchic potential of apocalypticism is more successful because it works on an imaginistic register, offering a vivid and frightening picture of an alternative eschaton.
Response to Letter Regarding Article, "The ERG-APLNR Axis Controls Pulmonary Venule Endothelial Proliferation in Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease".

We thank Dr Chun and colleagues for their interest in our recent work, in which we show that homozygous deletion of the Erg or Aplnr gene results in pulmonary veno-occlusive disease in mice.1 In our article, we cited 3 studies demonstrating that Aplnr signaling had direct effects on venous circulation, and we stand by this statement. In the first study, entitled “Venous dilator effect of apelin, an endogenous peptide ligand for the orphan APJ receptor, in conscious rats,” Cheng and colleagues2 showed that in rats, pretreated with mecamylamine to cause ganglionic blockade followed by noradrenaline to restore venomotor tone, apelin caused a dose-dependent decrease in mean circulatory filling pressure despite greater reduction in mean arterial pressure, with the authors concluding that “apelin has a …
ε-Net Approach to Sensor k-Coverage

Wireless sensors rely on battery power, and in many applications it is difficult or prohibitive to replace them. Hence, in order to prolongate the system's lifetime, some sensors can be kept inactive while others perform all the tasks. In this paper, we study the k -coverage problem of activating the minimum number of sensors to ensure that every point in the area is covered by at least k sensors. This ensures higher fault tolerance, robustness, and improves many operations, among which position detection and intrusion detection. The k -coverage problem is trivially NP-complete, and hence we can only provide approximation algorithms. In this paper, we present an algorithm based on an extension of the classical e -net technique. This method gives a O (logM )-approximation, where M is the number of sensors in an optimal solution. We do not make any particular assumption on the shape of the areas covered by each sensor, besides that they must be closed, connected and without holes.
Bloodstoppers and Bearwalkers: Folk Traditions of Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Richard M. Dorson Year: 2008 Pages: 392 Details: Third Edition, with additional tales. Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press ISBN: 978-0-299-22714-2 (soft cover). Prices: $24.95 USD(soft cover).
Synthetic small intestinal scaffolds for improved studies of intestinal differentiation.

In vitro intestinal models can provide new insights into small intestinal function, including cellular growth and proliferation mechanisms, drug absorption capabilities, and host-microbial interactions. These models are typically formed with cells cultured on 2D scaffolds or transwell inserts, but it is widely understood that epithelial cells cultured in 3D environments exhibit different phenotypes that are more reflective of native tissue. Our focus was to develop a porous, synthetic 3D tissue scaffold with villous features that could support the culture of epithelial cell types to mimic the natural microenvironment of the small intestine. We demonstrated that our scaffold could support the co-culture of Caco-2 cells with a mucus-producing cell line, HT29-MTX, as well as small intestinal crypts from mice for extended periods. By recreating the surface topography with accurately sized intestinal villi, we enable cellular differentiation along the villous axis in a similar manner to native intestines. In addition, we show that the biochemical microenvironments of the intestine can be further simulated via a combination of apical and basolateral feeding of intestinal cell types cultured on the 3D models. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 1222–1232. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High-contrast grating resonator for label-free biosensors

We present a novel label-free biosensor key to which is a Si-based high-contrast grating resonator with Q∼3000. The biosensor is coupled to a single-mode fiber and is shown to detect target proteins with a sensitivity of 100pg/ml.
Sensor assignment for invertibility in interruptive timed discrete event systems

We represent a discrete event system (DES) as an interruptive timed finite automaton, observed partially by an observation scheme. The observation scheme consists of event and state sensors. Given a large pool of sensors, there are many choices in designing the observation scheme. Among them, we consider minimal schemes, which do not have any redundant sensors. Specifically, we consider the problem of designing the minimal observation scheme for invertibility of an interruptive timed DES, and provide an algorithm to compute all the minimal sensor configurations for it. >
Exploiting longer cycles for link prediction in signed networks

We consider the problem of link prediction in signed networks. Such networks arise on the web in a variety of ways when users can implicitly or explicitly tag their relationship with other users as positive or negative. The signed links thus created reflect social attitudes of the users towards each other in terms of friendship or trust. Our first contribution is to show how any quantitative measure of social imbalance in a network can be used to derive a link prediction algorithm. Our framework allows us to reinterpret some existing algorithms as well as derive new ones. Second, we extend the approach of Leskovec et al. (2010) by presenting a supervised machine learning based link prediction method that uses features derived from longer cycles in the network. The supervised method outperforms all previous approaches on 3 networks drawn from sources such as Epinions, Slashdot and Wikipedia. The supervised approach easily scales to these networks, the largest of which has 132k nodes and 841k edges. Most real-world networks have an overwhelmingly large proportion of positive edges and it is therefore easy to get a high overall accuracy at the cost of a high false positive rate. We see that our supervised method not only achieves good accuracy for sign prediction but is also especially effective in lowering the false positive rate.
Occurrence of Alternative Fecal Indicators and Enteric Viruses in Michigan Rivers

Fecal contamination has been a leading problem associated with the impairment of surface waters in the State of Michigan. However, the source of the contamination and the possible presence of pathogens has not been adequately addressed. In this preliminary study, nine major rivers located in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan were investigated for the presence of fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, coliphage, and enteric viruses. Five sites (56%) exceeded the allowable limits set for recreational waters based on E. coli concentrations for the State of Michigan. Three (33%) of these sites (Grand, Kalamazoo, and Rouge rivers) tested positive for the presence of viable enteric viruses. The presence of enteric viruses and elevated levels of microbial indicators suggest that these waters may pose a threat to the health of individuals using them for recreational activities. Several new genotypic and phenotypic characterization methods have emerged that have the ability to define human and animal sources of fecal indicators. Previously, we developed a host-associated molecular marker for Enterococcus faecium, which is human specific and targets the sequence for the enterococcal surface protein (esp). When the nine rivers were screened for the marker, two (Grand and Rouge rivers) were found to be positive, implying the presence of human fecal contamination. This study suggests a preliminary approach for validating the use of molecular markers for identifying sources of fecal pollution in the Great Lakes Region and the human health risks associated with pathogenic viruses.
About matrix elements of spatial translations in local field theories

Some results of Fredenhagen concerning the asymptotic behavior of matrix elements of translation operators in local quantum field theories are discussed. An alternative derivation and generalizations are presented.
Inhibition of NF-κB Activity and Enhancement of Apoptosis by the Neuropeptide Calcitonin Gene-related Peptide

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neuropeptide produced by the central and peripheral nervous systems and by endocrine cells. CGRP exerts diverse biological effects on the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, central nervous and immune systems. Little is known, however, about the molecular mechanisms that mediate CGRP effects. Using the NFkappaB-luciferase reporter transgenic mice, here we show that CGRP selectively inhibits NF-kappaB-mediated transcription in thymocytes in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, CGRP does not affect transcription mediated by the AP-1 and NFAT transcription factors. CGRP inhibits the accumulation of NF-kappaB complexes in the nucleus by preventing phosphorylation and degradation of the NF-kappaB inhibitor IkappaB. Inhibition of NF-kappaB activity is associated with the induction of apoptosis by CGRP in thymocytes. Together these results demonstrate for the first time the selective implication of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway in the regulatory function of the neuropeptide CGRP. Our study suggests a potential molecular mechanism by which CGRP can induce cell death in thymocytes.
Cadherin-1, -2, and -11 expression and cadherin-2 function in the pectoral limb bud and fin of the developing zebrafish.

Cadherins are cell adhesion molecules that play important roles in development of a variety of organs, including the vertebrate limb. In this study, we analyze cadherin expression patterns in the embryonic zebrafish pectoral limb buds and larval pectoral fins by using both in situ hybridization and immunocytochemical methods. cadherin-1 is detected in the epidermis of the embryonic limb buds and the larval pectoral fins. Cadherin-2 is expressed in the pectoral limb bud mesenchyme and chondrogenic condensation. As development proceeds, cadherin-2 expression is detected in newly differentiated pectoral fin endoskeleton, but its expression is greatly down-regulated in the fin endoskeleton of larval zebrafish. cadherin-11 is found in the basal region of the embryonic limb buds and in the proximal endoskeleton of the larval pectoral fins. Interfering with cadherin-2 function using two specific antisense morpholino oligonucleotides disrupts formation of the chondrogenic condensation/endoskeleton, suggesting that cadherin-2 is crucial for the normal development of the zebrafish pectoral fins.
Asymptotic efficiency of the pivotal mechanism with general project space

Abstract It is shown that the government surplus generated by applying the pivotal mechanism is generically small per capita if the number of participants is sufficiently large. The result is valid whether the project space is finite or infinite. It also implies that the pivotal mechanism is asymptotically efficient in most cases, for the amount of surplus is a measure of inefficiency in the economic environments to which the mechanism is applicable.
Altered Expression of the Retinoblastoma Gene Product: Prognostic Indicator in Bladder Cancer

Background It has been reported that 50%-70% of patients with bladder cancer experience recurrence after initial successful treatment and about 10%-20% of these patients die of the disease. Despite precise pathologic staging and grading, we are unable to predict clinical outcome in all patients. The retinoblastoma-susceptibility (RB) gene, a prototype of tumor suppressor genes, has recently been associated with development and/or progression of bladder cancer, as well as sarcoma and small-cell lung cancer. In transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder, we have observed altered expression of the Rb gene product--a nuclear phosphoprotein thought to function as a cell cycle regulator. Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that altered patterns of Rb expression correlate with prognosis in bladder cancer. Methods Expression of the RB gene was evaluated in specimens from 48 primary bladder tumors obtained by cystectomy or transurethral resection. Rb protein expression was correlated with disease outcome in these patients. Rb expression was examined by immunohistochemistry, using the mouse monoclonal antibody Rb-PMG3-245 on frozen tissue sections. Computerized image analysis was used to quantify the level of Rb protein in individual tumor cells. Results The overall 5-year disease-free survival was 66%, with a median follow-up of 42 months. Normal levels of Rb protein expression were found in 34 patients (Rb-positive group). A spectrum of altered patterns of expression from undetectable levels to heterogeneous expression, however, was observed in 14 patients (altered Rb group). Of the 38 patients with muscle-invasive tumors, 13 were categorized as having altered expression of Rb protein. Only one of 10 patients with superficial carcinomas had altered expression of Rb protein. The 5-year survival was significantly decreased in patients with altered Rb protein compared with the survival in patients with positive Rb expression (P less than .001). Conclusions The results suggest that tumors exhibiting decreased expression of the RB gene-coded product (Rb protein) had a more aggressive biological behavior than those that expressed the Rb protein in the majority of their tumor cells. Implications This study demonstrates that altered patterns of Rb protein expression may be an important prognostic variable in patients presenting with invasive bladder cancer.
Fidelity at the Molecular Level: Lessons from Protein Synthesis

The faithful and rapid translation of genetic information into peptide sequences is an indispensable property of the ribosome. The mechanistic understanding of strategies used by the ribosome to achieve both speed and fidelity during translation results from nearly a half century of biochemical and structural studies. Emerging from these studies is the common theme that the ribosome uses local as well as remote conformational switches to govern induced-fit mechanisms that ensure accuracy in codon recognition during both tRNA selection and translation termination.
Physical encapsulation of droplet interface bilayers for durable, portable biomolecular networks.

Physically-encapsulated droplet interface bilayers are formed by confining aqueous droplets encased in lipid monolayers within connected compartments of a solid substrate. Each droplet resides within an individual compartment and is positioned on a fixed electrode built into the solid substrate. Full encapsulation of the network is achieved with a solid cap that inserts into the substrate to form a closed volume. Encapsulated networks provide increased portability over unencapsulated networks by limiting droplet movement and through the integration of fixed electrodes into the supporting fixture. The formation of encapsulated droplet interface bilayers constructed from diphytanoyl phosphocoline (DPhPC) phospholipids is confirmed with electrical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry is used to measure the effect of alamethicin channels incorporated into the resulting lipid bilayers. The durability of the networks is quantified using a mechanical shaker to oscillate the bilayer in a direction transverse to the plane of the membrane and the results show that single droplet interface bilayers can withstand 1–10g of acceleration prior to bilayer failure. Observed failure modes include both droplet separation and bilayer rupturing, where the geometry of the supporting substrate and the presence of integrated electrodes are key contributors. Physically-encapsulated DIBs can be shaken, moved, and inverted without bilayer failure, enabling the creation of a new class of lab-on-chip devices.
Coronary Artery Disease in Postmenopausal Women.

Many important developments recently have been made in the treatment and prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD) in postmenopausal women. Substantial evidence supports focusing on comprehensive risk factor modification based on the "ABCs" of CAD management from the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine guidelines on chronic stable angina [1•]. This approach emphasizes cardiovascular risk factor interventions that include antiplatelet agents, angiotensinconverting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers, cholesterol-lowering medications, diabetes control, and counseling on diet and exercise. Despite the expanding available literature, many questions on CAD in postmenopausal women remain unanswered and await the publication of ongoing and future research. The unexpected findings from the HERS (Heart and Estrogen/ progestin Replacement Study) failed to show a benefit of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in reducing the risk of subsequent events in postmenopausal women with CAD, and instead reported an early increase in CAD events [2]. Based on the data available so far, we advise against starting HRT in postmenopausal women with a recent coronary event for the sole purpose of CAD prevention. For women with acute coronary syndromes, prompt angiography and revascularization should be considered.
FireFly: a cross-layer platform for real-time embedded wireless networks

We propose a cross-layer approach with tightly-coupled time synchronization for real-time support and predictable lifetime in battery-operated sensor networks. Our design spans a sensor hardware platform with hardware-based global time synchronization, a TDMA link layer protocol with collision-free multi-hop support and node scheduling algorithms for maximum concurrency and streaming. Our dual-radio sensor platform, FireFly, features an IEEE 802.15.4 transceiver and supports global time synchronization indoors by using an AM radio carrier-current method and an atomic clock receiver for outdoors. A TDMA-based link protocol, RT-Link, leverages the hardware for fixed and mobile nodes with a near-optimal and predictable node lifetime of over 2 years. It outperforms comparable sensor network link protocols such as B-MAC and S-MAC in terms of end-to-end latency and throughput and node lifetime across all duty cycle ratios. Operating over RT-Link is MAX, a scheduling framework which offers optimal transmission concurrency and bandwidth management for networks with regular structure. Through analysis and experiments we show that global time sync is a robust, economical and scalable alternative to in-band software-based techniques. To illustrate the capabilities and flexibility of our platform, we describe our experiences with two-way voice streaming over multiple hops. We have deployed a 42-node network with sub-100 μs synchronization accuracy in the NIOSH experimental coal mine for people-tracking and voice communication.
Fundamental Concepts of Synchronous Machine Reactances

This educational paper presents fundamental concepts of synchronous machine reactances in a form suitable for college seniors and recent graduates. Part I builds up the ``physical concepts'' of flux linkage and inductance, part II applies the concepts to synchronous machines, developing a physical picture of machine reactances. Part III starts with the fundamental circuit differential equations of a machine and obtains expressions for the reactances in terms of self- and mutual inductances, ending with the machine equations in the direct, quadrature, and zero axes, which give a physical picture of the machine ``viewed'' from these axes.
Use of a Drosophila Model to Identify Genes Regulating Plasmodium Growth in the Mosquito

We performed a forward genetic screen, using Drosophila as a surrogate mosquito, to identify host factors required for the growth of the avian malaria parasite, Plasmodium gallinaceum. We identified 18 presumed loss-of-function mutants that reduced the growth of the parasite in flies. Presumptive mutation sites were identified in 14 of the mutants on the basis of the insertion site of a transposable element. None of the identified genes have been previously implicated in innate immune responses or interactions with Plasmodium. The functions of five Anopheles gambiae homologs were tested by using RNAi to knock down gene function followed by measuring the growth of the rodent parasite, Plasmodium berghei. Loss of function of four of these genes in the mosquito affected Plasmodium growth, suggesting that Drosophila can be used effectively as a surrogate mosquito to identify relevant host factors in the mosquito.
Omega 3 fatty acid inhibition of inflammatory cytokine-mediated Connexin43 regulation in the heart.

Background: The proinflammatory cytokine Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), which increases in the heart post myocardial infarction (MI), has been shown to cause loss of Connexin43 (Cx43) function, an event known to underlie formation of the arrhythmogenic substrate. Omega 3 Fatty acids exhibit antiarrhythmic properties and impact IL-1β signaling. We hypothesize that Omega-3 fatty acids prevent arrhythmias in part, by inhibiting IL-1β signaling thus maintaining functional Cx43 channels. Methods: Rat neonatal myocytes or Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Epithelial (MDCK) cells grown in media in the absence (Ctr) or presence of 30μM docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an Omega-3 Fatty acid) were treated with 0.1μM activated IL-1β. We determined Cx43 channel function using a dye spread assay. Western blot and immunostaining were used to examine Cx43 levels/localization and downstream effectors of IL-1 β. In addition we used a murine model of myocardial infarction (MI) for 24 hours to determine the impact of an Omega-3 fatty acid enriched diet on Cx43 levels/localization post myocardial infarction. Results: IL-1β significantly inhibited Cx43 function in Ctr cells (200.9 +/- 17.7 μm [Ctr] vs. 112.8 +/- 14.9 μm [0.1uM IL-1β], p<0.05). However, DHA-treated cells remained highly coupled in the presence of IL-1β [167.9 +/- 21.9 μm [DHA] vs. 164.4 +/- 22.3 μm [DHA+0.1uM IL-1β], p<0.05, n=4). Additionally, western blot showed that IL-1β treatment caused a 38.5% downregulation of Cx43 [1.00au [Ctr] vs 0.615au (0.1μM IL-1β) which was completely abolished in DHA treated cells (0.935au [DHA] vs. 1.02au [DHA+0.1μM IL-1β), p<0.05, n=3]. Examination of the downstream modulator of IL-1β, NFκβ showed that while hypoxia caused translocation of NFκβ to the nucleus, this was inhibited by DHA. Additionally we found that a diet enriched in Omega-3 Fatty acids inhibited lateralization of Cx43 in the post-myocardial infarction murine heart as well as limited activation of fibroblasts which would lead to decreased fibr
Analysis of a laser beam-controlled nonlinear directional coupler for optical signal processing

One of the most promising devices for high speed optical signal processing is the Nonlinear Directional Coupler (NLDC). In this paper an asymmetric nonlinear directional coupler controlled by an external laser beam focused on the surface of the coupler has been analyzed. The analysis is based on couple-mode theory using rigorous perturbation technique and enables one to obtain asymptotically correct coupled-mode equations. The effects of various parameters such as plasma density, waveguide width, laser beam frequency and laser spot position on the coupling of power have been investigated and presented.
Irreversible Hygrothermomechanical Behavior and Numerical Analysis in Anisotropic Materials

Diffusion of moisture and heat transfer through epoxy-fiber composites contribute to degradation of the material. The constitutive theory and gov erning equations incorporate Duffour and Soret effects and irreversibility due to both temperature and moisture. In addition, the possibility of two- phase diffusion, free and bound, has been taken into account. The resulting governing equations lead to the rigorous and practical method of analysis capable of determining the correct state of stress. A simple case of two- dimensional epoxy-graphite fiber composites is analyzed and the numerical results are presented. With appropriate experimental data relating the material properties, the analysis is expected to provide reliable design criteria to insure the composite structures freee from unacceptable degradation due to environmental effects including moisture and heat transfer.
Hypoxia Enhances the Expression of Follistatin-like 3 in Term Human Trophoblasts☆

Hypoxic injury hinders placental differentiation and alters trophoblast gene expression. We tested the hypothesis that the expression of follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3), a member of the follistatin family of proteins, is modulated by hypoxia in primary human trophoblast (PHT). Using immunofluorescence of human term placental villi we detected the expression of FSTL3 protein in placental villi, primarily in trophoblasts. We verified this finding in cultured term PHT cells. Basal expression of FSTL3 transcript in cultured PHT cells, determined using quantitative PCR, was stable over the culture period. Importantly, when compared to culture in FiO2=20% or FiO2=8%, PHT cells cultured in FiO2 <1% exhibited a 4–6 fold increase in FSTL3 mRNA expression as early as 4 h in hypoxia. Whereas cellular FSTL3 protein was unchanged in hypoxia, we found that hypoxia increased the level of FSTL3 in the medium. Lastly, the exposure of PHT cells to either the hypoxia-mimetic cobalt chloride or the proline hydroxylase inhibitor dimethyloxaloylglycine upregulated the expression of FSTL3 transcript. Our data indicate that hypoxia enhances the expression of FSTL3 and its release from PHT cells. Our finding that hypoxia-mimetic agents enhance FSTL3 expression implicates HIF1α in this process.
Environmental policies and their effects on utility planning and operations

Abstract We present a taxonomy and analysis of public policies that address the environmental impacts of power production. The paper consists of two parts. The first is a classification of policy options, including command-and-control regulations, emission caps, taxes, marketable permits, emission adders, and environmental performance standards along with a review of recent developments. Examples are drawn from U.S. institutions, but the principles involved apply to environmental regulation in any nation. In the second part, we explore how various policies can affect a utility's choice from among emission dispatch, fuel switching, and resource options. Some policies yield inefficient outcomes: i.e., strategies for which there exist alternatives that would result in both lower emissions and costs. Other policies are more likely to motivate the utility to choose efficient strategies, which generally involve a mix of DSM, investments in clean capacity, and emissions dispatch. Some policies which appear to be very different, such as emission allowances, taxes, and environmental performance standards, can yield similar—and efficient—outcomes.
Incorporating utility-weights when comparing two diagnostic systems: a preliminary assessment.

Rationale and Objectives We sought to develop a new index that incorporates utility-weights when assessing the overall performance of a diagnostic system and to provide a statistical test for comparing two indices in a paired study design. Materials and Methods The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was used as the basis for constructing a new index. The index we propose represents a weighted average of class-specific AUCs each of which relates to a class of pairs of actually negative (normal) and actually positive (abnormal) cases with a specific predetermined utility (or clinical importance). For each pair of normal-abnormal cases, the utility is defined a priori and based on external (covariate) information. In the proposed approach utility-weights represent the relative importance (utility) of discriminating between different types of normal and abnormal cases (pairs of the same type are combined in the classes termed utility-classes). We also describe a simple nonparametric procedure for comparing the proposed indices as computed from paired data. Computer simulations were conducted to evaluate the behavior of the type I error of the proposed test in the simple albeit important instance of two utility-classes. Results The new index provides an extension of the commonly used area under the ROC curve. It allows for incorporation of utility-weights into the analysis and reduces to the conventional AUC index when all assigned utility-weights are equal to unity. Computer simulations indicate that in the considered scenario of two utility-classes, the type I error of the proposed test is comparable to that of the conventional nonparametric test for equality of AUC indices. Conclusions The proposed index and the statistical test provide a practical approach of incorporating utilities when comparing diagnostic systems.
Hospitalized nonfatal injuries in the Alaskan construction industry.

BACKGROUND: Construction industry workers are exposed to many hazards leading to fatal and nonfatal injuries. Information for nonfatal work-related injury surveillance may be vague and come from a variety of sources. METHODS: The Alaska Trauma Registry (ATR) is used as an injury surveillance tool to focus on hospitalized nonfatal injuries in the Alaskan construction industry. RESULTS: During 1991-1999, 717 workers in the Alaskan construction industry were hospitalized due to occupational injuries, with an average annual injury rate of 0.39 injuries/100 workers. Leading causes of injury included falls (48%) and machinery (15%). Thirty-four percent of the falls were from a building or structure, followed by falls from a ladder (24%). A fractured bone was the most common type of injury (57%). CONCLUSIONS: Information on hospitalized patients from the ATR focuses on the more severe and debilitating injuries, and provides valuable information for prioritizing injury prevention efforts in Alaska.
Lung endothelial dipeptidyl peptidase IV promotes adhesion and metastasis of rat breast cancer cells via tumor cell surface-associated fibronectin

Endothelial cell adhesion molecules are partly responsible for the distinct organ distribution of cancer metastases. Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) expressed on rat lung capillary endothelia is shown here to be an adhesion receptor for rat breast cancer cells and to mediate lung colonization by these tumor cells. Fibronectin (FN) assembled on breast cancer cell surfaces into multiple, randomly dispersed globules from cellular and plasma FN is identified as the principal ligand for DPP IV. Ligand expression correlates quantitatively with the tumor cells' capabilities to bind to DPP IV and to metastasize to the lungs. DPP IV/FN-mediated adhesion and metastasis are blocked when tumor cells are incubated with soluble DPP IV prior to conducting adhesion and lung colony assays. Adhesion is also blocked by anti-DPP IV monoclonal antibody 6A3 and anti-FN antiserum. However, adhesion to immobilized FN is unaffected by soluble plasma FN and, thus, can happen during hematogenous spread of cancer cells at high plasma FN concentrations. The ability of many cancer cells to capture FN molecules on their surface and to augment such deposits by FN self-association during passage in the blood suggests that DPP IV/FN binding may be a relatively common mechanism for lung metastasis.
Analysis of the pseudoautosomal X-linked gene SYBL1in bipolar affective disorder: description of a new candidate allele for psychiatric disorders.

The absence of father-to-son transmission has been observed in a subset of families with bipolar disorder (BPD), suggestive of a susceptibility gene on the sex-linked portion of the X chromosome. This is supported by some genetic linkage studies that have provided evidence for a susceptibility locus near Xq28. We have analyzed one candidate gene on Xq28, SYBL1, which maps to the Xq pseudoautosomal region (PAR). SYBL1 encodes a member of the synaptobrevin family of proteins that is involved in synaptic vesicle docking and membrane transport. Genes in the PAR generally escape X-chromosome inactivation and have an active homolog on the Y chromosome, which would result in an increase in same-sex concordance in paternal transmitted traits. However, SYBL1 is neither expressed on the Y chromosome nor the inactive X chromosome and would therefore be expected to show typical sex-linked transmission. We have screened SYBL1 for mutations that could be tested as candidate alleles in the development of BPD. Following single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and DNA sequencing, four single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected: a silent mutation at codon 108, two intron mutations without any obvious biological significance, and a GC transversion in the polypyrimidine tract at the 3′ splice acceptor site preceding exon 8. This polymorphism, which creates a perfect 16/16 stretch of pyrimidines, was analyzed in 110 patients with BPD not selected for sex-linked transmission and 119 control subjects. The results show a statistical trend toward an increase in the frequency of the C allele in males with BPD but not females. Males: χ2 = 3.46, 1 df, p = .06; Females: χ2 = .20, 1 df, p = .66. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 96:317–323, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Failures of SCH and Level by Level Equivalence

We construct a model for the level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness in which below the least supercompact cardinal κ, there is a stationary set of cardinals on which SCH fails. In this model, the structure of the class of supercompact cardinals can be arbitrary.